《My Extraordinary Wife》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Night fell. The sky was dark, spangled with stars. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Honey, I¡¯ll move out tomorrow. How¡¯s that?¡± Ashlyn hugged the man from behind, resting her gorgeous face on his broad back. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m nning to give Whind Vi to you.¡± Lucas¡¯ voice was cold and cid. Ashlyn¡¯s lips quirked up. In a well-behaved and obedient manner, she said, ¡°Honey, it was agreed that I would leave this marriage of four years with nothing. Isn¡¯t it great that we can stay out of each other¡¯s lives now?¡± Lucas couldn¡¯t see her expression at this moment, but he could tell that the woman wasn¡¯t sad at all. Is she that desperate to get a divorce? For some reason, he felt inexplicably ufortable. ¡°Don¡¯t you love money?¡± ¡°Desired wealth must be acquired uprightly. Besides, it¡¯s not a good thing to receive an alimony.¡± Ashlyn let go of her hands that were embracing the man¡¯s waist. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go take a shower.¡± The woman had just turned around when she was abruptly tugged by the arm. The man¡¯s thin lips inched closer. She smiled delicately and covered her mouth, gazing at him with her pair of bright eyes. ¡°We¡¯re gonna divorce soon.¡± ¡°So long as we haven¡¯t made it official, you¡¯re still my wife,¡± Lucas said with a slight frown. Lucas had always liked her obedience and gentleness. ¡°Honey, I just wanna take a bath and sleep now¡­¡± Ashlyn said coquettishly, her eyes seductive and soft as she caressed the man¡¯s chest. ¡°Pretty please?¡± ¡°No.¡± The night was like a dream. After four years of marriage, Lucas couldn¡¯t bear to part with Ashlyn. Ashlyn lifted her head to look at the man before her eyes. Lucas Nn was the prized prince of Nn Group and the first captain of South Star Airlines. Women and daughters of wealthy families swooned over him and stewardesses and ground staff were crazy about him. He was known as the walking ten thousand fans generator. Of course, she was excluded from these people. She had known her role all long in this marriage. And now, this four-year marriage was finallying to an end. The next morning, Lucas was already up when Ashlyn awoke and was washing up in the bathroom. ¡°Morning.¡± Ashlyn slowly sat up. The man was so aggressivest night that her body felt sore. Lucas had put on a ck shirt with a pair of ck pants underneath. Ashlyn got out of bed and found a ck dress to put on. It was Charles¡¯ funeral today. Naturally, she had to attend as his nominal granddaughter-inw. Lucas nced at her and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to go if you don¡¯t want to. We can drop the act now since we¡¯re getting a divorce.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s hands, which were just about to put her clothes on, froze. ¡°Grandpa was nice to me. I want to see him onest time and send him off.¡± ¡°All right then, I¡¯ll get Spencer to send you there,¡± Lucas said tly. ¡°Great!¡± Ashlyn smiled. Does that mean he doesn¡¯t want to expose me? During the four years of marriage, the public had only known that the president of Nn Group, Lucas Nn, had a young wife in a secret marriage, but no one had ever actually seen her face. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 She was the woman who lived in the rumors. Now that they were about to get a divorce, it was even more unnecessary to let the public know what she looked like. And she understood that. Lucas stared absentmindedly at Ashlyn. He had always known that the marriage between the two of them differed from others. They had signed a contract when they got married in which they wouldn¡¯t meddle in each other¡¯s lives during the contract period. Ashlyn would live as his rich wife and pretend to be his lover in front of his grandfather, and in return, he would gift her with bags, clothes, jewelry, or anything that money could buy. He had met this woman in front of the hospital, standing expressionlessly in the pouring rain, screaming, ¡°Is there anyone who wants to marry me?¡± All the passersby had thought she was a psycho. He didn¡¯t know why she did that and wasn¡¯t interested to know. But he knew she needed a wife at that time and that she had a pleasant look. Little did he expect this marriage tost for four years until his grandfather passed awayst week. After four years of acting, the y finally ended. The death of his grandfather hit him so hard that he took a week to recollect himself before the funeral. Even now, he could still feel a dull pain in his chest whenever he thought of Charles¡¯ gentle voice and happy countenance. In the past four years, there was no difference between them and an ordinary couple. He was always on the go and would usually spend the night at Whind Vi only during weekends. Ashlyn had always waited for him obediently, and would neverin about hising and going. Before Lucas left the house, Ashlyn stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek. ¡°Bye-bye, honey.¡± The man lowered his head to kiss her lips. ¡°Be good at the funeralter.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay, I will.¡± Ashlyn nodded and watched as he left. The two of them interacted like an extremely affectionate old married couple. It didn¡¯t look like they were about to divorce at all. Seeing that the man had got into the ck Bentley, Ashlyn turned around and closed the door. The obedience and gentleness on her stunning face were immediately reced with an unprecedented coldness, as if it were nketed with ayer of frost, creating a sharp contrast to her soft and lovely appearance before. It was as if she was a different person. Expressionlessly tidying herself up, she departed as well. At some point, it started drizzling. Northern Cemetery. The grass was green and soft to the touch. The entire North Mountain was enveloped by a curtain of rain, making it look hazy and surreal. Charles¡¯ grave was chosen here, where it was beautiful and peaceful. The funeral was minimalistic, almost too simple. Most of the people who came were the Nn family¡¯s friends and rtives, and some business partners. Under the rain, the white lilies that were ced around the tombstone appeared spotlessly white. Ashlyn got down from the car and walked toward the crowd holding a ck umbre. She looked at Lucas. The man was in a ck suit, his posture was straight and his lips were set in a hard line. He was standing quietly at the front; his handsome face full of sadness and his eyes red. She knew he was single-handedly brought up by Charles and that he was extremely attached to him. Ashlyn went over and bowed in respect. Looking at Charles¡¯ picture on the tombstone, she drew in a deep breath and gently put the lilies in her hand in front of the tombstone. And so, a man¡¯s life ended. She hated this ce, and she hated the atmosphere. Most of all, she hated it when someone walked away from her life. A trace of helplessness and sorrow surfaced from the depth of her eyes. Charles had been really good to her when he was alive, doting on her as if she were his own granddaughter. She flung herself against the cold tombstone and kneeled under the pouring rain, bowing to the old man with her face to the earth. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 There¡¯s no way I can show my respect to you anymore, Grandpa. And there¡¯s no way in this lifetime that I can repay your love for me. Rest in peace, Grandpa. Everyone looked at Ashlyn in astonishment. Who¡¯s this eye-catching woman? What¡¯s her rtionship with the Nn family? Why did she¡­ No one else from the Nn family got down on their knees besides Lucas Nn! Lucas¡¯ deep, dark eyes flickered with a tinge of surprise. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. This woman¡­ I didn¡¯t know she has such deep feelings for Grandpa. Ashlyn didn¡¯t stay too long. She got up and left after the prayers, just as mysteriously as she came. ¡°Who is she?¡± ¡°She is quite the beauty.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve heard that Lucas Nn has a secret wife? Why didn¡¯t he allow her toe to such an asion today?¡± ¡°She¡¯s probably not favored in the family. I heard that Lucas Nn is filing for divorce.¡± Ashlyn walked down the mountain while holding an umbre, listening to the gossip of several noblewomen who were going down the mountain together behind her. These people have nothing else better to do than gossiping about the gentry. Thosements were like water off a duck¡¯s back to Ashlyn. If only these women knew that the young wife they were talking about was standing in front of them, their eyes would probably pop out. ¡°Wait up, Ms. Berry!¡± Suddenly, an ear-piercing voice came from behind. Ashlyn squinted. Following the sound of footsteps, a teenager about one meter eight intercepted Ashlyn; his handsome face flushed with rage. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can stay proud without Grandpa to cover you in the future, Ashlyn.¡± ¡°So you came all the way over here just to tell me that?¡± Ashlyn said casually. The teenager standing in front of her was ir Nn, the second son of the Nn family and Lucas¡¯ half-brother, who was still a freshman in college this year. ¡°I¡¯m warning you. Don¡¯t even think about getting a single penny of the Nn family¡¯s assets!¡± ir shot daggers at Ashlyn. This woman is really good at pretending to be meek in front of Lucas. She¡¯s clearly a different person once she turns around. Is Lucas blind or something? No, I can¡¯t let this woman deceive my brother again, no matter what. Only the three Nn siblings and Charles knew about her secret marriage to Lucas. The Nn family¡¯s youngest, Naomi, had been abroad and should be back today to attend the funeral of the old man. Sure enough, just as Ashlyn reached the foot of the mountain, she ran into Naomi, who was getting down from the car in a hurry. The girl was uniquely dressed and had a few strands of dreadlocks hanging down her left shoulder, looking wild and unrestrained. On her feet were a pair of Dr. Martens boots, and on her face, she was wearing dramatic smoky eye makeup, with exaggeratedrge circle earrings hanging from her ears. To put it bluntly, she simply looked unconventional. ¡°You¡¯d better divorce my brother immediately, Ashlyn,¡± Naomi started with a hint of disdain in her voice. ¡°My brother is handsome, and he¡¯s a good man. There are plenty of women who would fight to marry him. So you¡¯d better know your ce.¡± ¡°You need to do something about those lines. You won¡¯t get to Hollywood with them.¡± Ashlyn shrugged her off, looking askance at her. She got into the car straight away and took off. Damn it! Naomi stamped her foot in anger. Did that woman just disregard me again? She is just as snobbish as ever! In a caf¨¦. ¡°Ms. Berry, this is the divorce agreement. Just sign and you will be divorced from Mr. Nn.¡± Lucas¡¯ assistant Spencer put a document in front of Ashlyn. ¡°Sure.¡± Ashlyn flipped to thest page and signed straight away without even reading through the document. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Spencer looked stunned. He was all set as to how he should reply, and how to handle it if Ashlyn proposed any conditions. Little did he expect Ashlyn to be so cool about it, making him feel somewhat awkward. He had been following Lucas for many years. He was one of the few who knew about Lucas¡¯ marriage, and he usually had a pretty good impression of Ashlyn. He also thought that Ashlyn and Lucas were a perfect match and was reluctant to see his boss divorce Ashlyn. However, as an outsider, he naturally had no right to put in his two cents. ¡°Ms. Berry, I¡¯m sure you remember about the prenuptial agreement that you¡¯d signed when you got married to Mr. Nn, right?¡± ¡°Of course. His fortune has nothing to do with me, and I won¡¯t get any money from divorcing him.¡± Ashlyn smiled, for she understood Spencer¡¯s meaning. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not the kind of woman who¡¯s fond for such earthly things~¡± When they first got married, they were merely taking what they needed. It was an unspoken exchange of favors. So, it was only right that they part ways now. Besides, she wasn¡¯t the kind of woman who couldn¡¯t live without Lucas. After leaving the caf¨¦, Ashlyn went back straight to Bayview Vi that Jared had prepared for her. It was a bit far from the city and was located close to the river. When several men d in ck in the vi saw her, they bent down instantly and greeted in respect. Ashlyn nodded in return before stepping inside.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Boss,¡± Jared greeted at once upon seeing her. ¡°I¡¯m divorced.¡± Ashlyn grinned, her cool and stunning face making hearts flutter. She sat on the couch, opened theptop on the coffee table, and started typing away, hacking into the traffic system to delete all traces of her journey from the traffic surveince video. Once she was finished, she raised her eyes and discovered that Jared was staring at her with a bemused look. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, her brows slightly creased. ¡°Nothing. I mean, boss, are you really divorced?¡± Jared felt a little woozy. From her tone, why does a divorce sounds as simple as eating and drinking water? Is marriage a child¡¯s y? ¡°It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know why I got married.¡± Ashlyn beckoned to him. ¡°Hurry up and give me the sales report for the new quarter.¡± Jared was a tall, handsome-looking man. He and Lucas had very different temperaments; one was cold and devious, and the other warm and righteous. For many years, he had been Ashlyn¡¯s right-hand man. Ashlyn didn¡¯t have to wait for long as Jared ced a document in front of her a few minutester. She looked down and started flipping through the document. Jared was still in shock. ¡°I mean, boss, your husband is Lucas Nn, the heartthrob Captain of South Star Airlines, and the president of Nn Group. He¡¯s the man of every woman¡¯s dream. Are you really willing to let go of such a dashing and invincible man?¡± Ashlyn looked up and gave Jared a sharp look. ¡°Speak any more nonsense and I¡¯ll feed you to the sharks.¡± The one-meter eight man immediately kept silent, as far as he knows, no one had the balls to mess with this woman. Ten minutester, Ashlyn returned the document to Jared. ¡°The sales volume is ten percent higher than the previous quarter. It¡¯s five percent higher than I expected.¡± ¡°All credit goes to you, boss.¡± Jared was no longer the calm and collected president he was before. ¡°Oh, shut up,¡± Ashlyn said impassively. ¡°I need to sleep.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going back?¡± Jared asked, dumbfounded. ¡°What for? I¡¯ve already signed the divorce agreement.¡± Ashlyn looked down at Jared condescendingly from the stairs, as if she were regarding a fool. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ¡°Right¡­¡± Jared muttered to himself. After Ashlyn returned to her room, she was just about to take a shower when her phone rang. It was Lucas. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Where did you go?¡± the man asked coldly, his voiceced with a hint of displeasure. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you back at this hour?¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn froze. ¡°Aren¡¯t we divorced?¡± Why is he still calling me? And he¡¯s urging me to go home? It¡¯s not even the weekends today. Why is he over at Whind Vi? ¡°I haven¡¯t signed it yet, so it¡¯s not valid.¡± Lucas couldn¡¯t help but frown when he remembered what Spencer had told him. How can this woman be so straightforward and nonchnt? He hade back here right after work without a second thought, only to see the lights that were usually on for his return weren¡¯t lit. Pushing open the door, he saw that the house was empty, and that Ashlyn was gone. She had simply taken off. With an effort, Ashlyn reined back her impatience. Trying to sound as gentle as possible, she said petntly, ¡°I¡¯ve already signed the divorce agreement, honey. You were the one who filed for the divorce.¡± If I were to flip out directly, who knows if this temperamental man would change his mind on the spot and refuse to divorce? By then, I¡¯ll have to go through the trouble of finding a way to divorce again. I¡¯m very busy. I have no time to y games with him. ¡°Be a good girl ande home first, okay?¡± Lucas said, standing by the window and looking out at the lights of the city, like a good husband urging his wife toe home early. Ashlyn took a deep breath. ¡°Okay! Give me thirty minutes.¡± She went down the stairs, her face appallingly cold as her whole body radiated an unweing aura that repelled whoever came near her. The men downstairs broke out in a cold sweat at the grim expression on her face. They steeled their hearts, asking, ¡°Boss, w-where are you going?¡± ¡°Send me to Whind Vi,¡± Ashlyn said frigidly, barely keeping her temper in check. Rx, rx¡­ You¡¯ll get a divorce in no time. Breathe¡­ Jared followed her out with glee. ¡°I thought you were gonna stay at home.¡± ¡°Zip it!¡± How Ashlyn wished to blow Lucas¡¯ brain out. But as of now, she could only take it out on Jared. ¡°Go to the training room and practice target shooting for a hundred rounds. Don¡¯t sleep until you finished!¡± ¡°Boss¡ª¡± Jared let out a wail. Yet, the svelte woman mmed the door of the Land Rover and left in a huff. The Land Rover simply whizzed along the highway. The two men in ck sitting in the backseat were so frightened by the speed that their faces turned white. ¡°B-Boss¡ª¡± ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°S-Slow down!¡± It was at this moment that they finally understood why it was said that a coward should never ride in Ashlyn¡¯s car. Their stomachs were churning, but the woman at the driver¡¯s seat was expressionless. She was staring at the road straight ahead, skillfully controlling the steering wheel as she stepped on the gas, overtaking cars after cars; all in one smooth motion. Even if they were about to throw up, they had to admit that their boss looked really cool driving like this. It simply took Ashlyn thirty minutes to arrive when it was originally an hour journey. When the Land Rover stopped nearby Whind Vi, the two men rushed out at once and vomited on the flowerbed by the roadside until their faces went red. ¡°Weak! Is that all you can take? If I were to go full steam ahead, you¡¯ll probably be dead by now,¡± Ashlyn reamed them out for failing to live up to her expectations. ¡°Go back and keep training!¡± Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Ashlyn got up with a stretch, her stomach rumbling. She was just about to get out of bed when she heard the bathroom door being pulled open with a tter. The man came out with a white towel wrapping around his waist, exposing his eight packs that were shaped like a bar of chocte. This man was so perfect that one could find nothing to cavil about, even his body. ¡°Aren¡¯t you flying today?¡± She blinked at him wonderingly. ¡°I¡¯m flying tonight,¡± Lucas said, ruffling his wet hair with a towel. ¡°Take your time to find a house. There¡¯s no rush to move out.¡± Ashlyn regretted lying about finding a housest night. There was no easy way out now. She could only nod with a smile. ¡°My husband is still the best.¡± The man handed her the towel and sat down in front of her. She naturally took it and started drying the man¡¯s hair gently. Then she tossed the towel aside and dried his hair with the hairdryer. Lucas squinted his eyes to the warm wind and the whirring of the hairdryer, like azy lion. Ashlyn groaned inwardly once again. We really look like an ordinary loving young couple! How does this even look like we¡¯re about to divorce? ¡°All done.¡± Ashlyn put the hairdryer away. ¡°How¡¯s pasta for breakfast?¡± Lucasy on his side on the bed and propped up his jaw, staring into the woman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Can I get a pancake, too?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ashlyn smiled, bending over to kiss the man¡¯s lips. ¡°You¡¯ll like it; I assure you.¡± But the man suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms. ¡°The thought of not being able to eat Mrs. Nn¡¯s food from now on is a little upsetting.¡± ¡°The cook here is no worse at it than I am.¡± Ashlyn nudged him and said coyly, ¡°Let me go. I¡¯m starving!¡± Seeing Ashlyn putting on an apron and entering the kitchen, Louis, the butler, was all smiles. ¡°The ingredients have been replenished in the refrigerator, Mrs. Nn.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Okay.¡± Ashlyn smiled in return. Louis had been serving Lucas for many years. He knew the man¡¯s appetite best, and that he was a foodie and a picky eater, which was a headache to all the cooks and nannies of the Nn family. He would alwaysin that it was either too salty or too sweet; or too spicy or too sour. Eastern food was too troublesome, and Western food was too nd¡­ Regardless of the cuisine, he wasn¡¯t interested at all. He was simply ridiculously strict about what he ate. However, it was also such a man who insisted that he wasn¡¯t a picky eater in the slightest. He would always reply ¡°Whatever¡± calmly whenever the chef and nanny asked for his preference. His irascible and cold temper, when it came to meals, made the servants want to send him to outer space and leave him to fend for himself. Even though his answer was ¡°Whatever¡±, once the food was served, it was almost certain that a te or a bowl would be broken on that day and he would say, ¡°How dare you feed me this rubbish?¡± Thus, it wasn¡¯t easy to satisfy Lucas¡¯ stomach. Louis was always worried about getting Lucas to eat more. As a picky eater who made people¡¯s blood boil, he tended to fall sick easily. Stomach pains in the middle of the night were amon urrence until he got married four years ago. Not only did Ashlyn have a gentle personality, but her cooking skills were alsoparable to a Michelin chef. No, she was better than a Michelin chef. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 No matter how simple it was, whether it was just pasta or pancakes, Lucas would always eat with gusto as long as Ashlyn made it. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Louis was gratified for the past few years. Since Lucas got married, his cold and irascible temper had be mellow, and he had be much gentler, especially when Ashlyn was with him. Now that there were about to get a divorce, Louis was very reluctant to see ite to pass. What would happen to Lucas¡¯ stomach after the divorce? Ashlyn moved very nimbly. She first put the cooked pancakes into the oven, then boiled water before she started cooking the noodles. Her series of movements were as graceful and elegant as flowing water, as though she wasn¡¯t making pasta but some artwork. Lucas stood at the entrance of the kitchen, looking at the woman¡¯s slender back. He didn¡¯t know why, but he didn¡¯t feel good when he thought that he would never see her cooking again. Habit was a terrible thing. As if she could sense his presence, Ashlyn looked back and shed a sweet smile at him. ¡°I¡¯ll be done soon.¡± Being a natural beauty she was, her smile when she looked back was all the more alluring. Lucas¡¯ Adam¡¯s apple bobbed in his throat, his eyes turning dark. Seized with a sudden impulse, he walked up to her and hugged her gently from behind. Feeling the man¡¯s obvious changes, Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at his restlessness. But her tone was so gentle that one couldn¡¯t hear anything unusual as she said, ¡°The noodle is gonna get soggy. Go away!¡± Putting the finished pasta on a te, she went back to fetch the pancakes from the oven. Lucas naturally and habitually carried out the pasta before turning around to take the te of pancakes from her hands. ¡°Be careful. It¡¯s hot.¡± Looking at this heartwarming scene, Louismented silently. Why do they want to divorce when they obviously have such a good rtionship? Isn¡¯t it good to have children and let me take care of them? It must be because they don¡¯t have a baby that they¡¯re getting a divorce. ¡°Louis,e join us,¡± Ashlyn invited him to join them at the table. ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten, Mrs. Nn,¡± Louis quickly said. See, where can you find a woman as nice as Mrs. Nn? She¡¯s always polite to the servants. Sigh¡­ This is such a waste. They shouldn¡¯t get divorced. Lucas had just taken a bite when the doorbell rang. Louis got up to answer the door and upon seeing the visitor, he said with a straight face, ¡°May I know who you are looking for?¡± ¡°Is Mr. Nn in?¡± asked the woman in a light yellow dress. Lucas came over to the door with a frown, giving the woman a once-over. ¡°What are you doing here, Cindy?¡± Cindy, a rising starlet, was a contracted artist under Nn Entertainment, whose poprity soared after taking part in a romantic web drama. Recently, she had gotten into a scandal with Lucas, stating that she was single-handedly made famous by him and that her resources were all given by him to support her as the number one celebrity of Nn Entertainment. Rumors had stated that she wanted to be a homewrecker, to take over Ashlyn¡¯s ce as the legitimate Mrs. Nn. Ashlyn sat unmoving as she continued eating. ¡°Mr. Nn, it¡¯s my birthday party next Saturday. It¡¯s my first birthday party and I¡¯m a bit nervous, so I¡¯d like to invite you to attend. Is that okay?¡± Cindy stood at the door and took out an invitation card from her Ctene purse. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Did She Actually Order Lucas Nn To Do The Dishes Cindy held the invitation card in her hands, staring at Lucas unwaveringly. If Lucas agreed to attend her birthday party, her status at Nn Entertainment would definitely take another qualitative leap. ¡°Take it.¡± Lucas somehow agreed after looking back at the woman who was eating peacefully. Louis epted the invitation card. But deep down, he was feeling a little unhappy. This woman looks petty, unlike Mrs. Nn, who looks bright and generous. How could Mr. Nn get involved with such a woman? This woman¡¯s ulterior motive cannot be any more obvious. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Nn. I¡¯ll see you there.¡± Cindy swept her eyes over to the shoe cab at the entrance. There were several pairs of brandeddy shoes ced there. Rumor says that Mr. Nn has a secret wife. It seems to be true. But is she not home? I¡¯ve been standing here for so long. If she¡¯s at home, then why didn¡¯t shee out? If any woman were to be Mr. Nn¡¯s wife, they probably won¡¯t be able to stay calm upon hearing that a woman is looking for him. However, she was wrong. Ashlyn was simply too calm and collected. She had already eaten a piece of pancake and finished the pasta on her te. Turning around and putting the te in the kitchen, she went straight upstairs after instructing, ¡°Honey, remember to wash the tes.¡± Cindy couldn¡¯t help but crane her neck upon hearing the woman¡¯s mellifluous voice. She only saw a slim figure and that the woman was tall and wearing silk pajamas. It was merely her back that she saw, but she found it beautiful and charming. But what was even more frightening¡ª Did she actually order Mr. Nn to do the dishes? Mr. Nn¡¯s a lofty and cold-blood president in the eyes of the public. I can¡¯t believe he would do such homely and humble things at home. Just as Cindy was still in a daze, she heard the handsome man before her answering, ¡°Okay, honey.¡± Then he looked up at Cindy and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I need to go and do the dishes. Is there something else?¡± Cindy¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°N-Nothing.¡± Lucas rolled up his sleeves with his well-defined fingers and turned toward the kitchen, the sound of water streaminging shortly after. Cindy had no clue how she walked out of Whind Vi. Lucas Nn is actually doing the dishes at home¡­ A woman who can order Lucas Nn to do the dishes is really so enviable! Cindy got into the car and upon seeing her disoriented look, her manager asked anxiously, ¡°How did it go?¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°He epted it,¡± Cindy sighed. ¡°They why do you look so down?¡± The manager blinked. ¡°He¡­¡± Cindy shook her head. Forget it. No one will probably believe me if I say it. Even I still can¡¯t believe my ears. Does a man like him really know how to wash dishes? After washing the dishes, the remaining uneaten pasta on Lucas¡¯ te had already stuck together. But he didn¡¯t mind at all as he finished his te of pasta and had two pieces of pancakes before going upstairs. He nced at the clock and saw that it was already past three o¡¯clock in the afternoon. Lucas went up and changed his clothes. ¡°Fly with me tonight.¡± Ashlyn was lost for words. But looking at the man¡¯s face, she immediately shed a gentle smile. ¡°Okay! So long as it is to apany you, I¡¯ll happily oblige. Anything for you, honey, even if it means climbing a mountain of swords or plunging into a sea of mes.¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Did She Actually Order Lucas Nn To Do The Dishes Cindy held the invitation card in her hands, staring at Lucas unwaveringly. If Lucas agreed to attend her birthday party, her status at Nn Entertainment would definitely take another qualitative leap. ¡°Take it.¡± Lucas somehow agreed after looking back at the woman who was eating peacefully. Louis epted the invitation card. But deep down, he was feeling a little unhappy. This woman looks petty, unlike Mrs. Nn, who looks bright and generous. How could Mr. Nn get involved with such a woman? This woman¡¯s ulterior motive cannot be any more obvious. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Nn. I¡¯ll see you there.¡± Cindy swept her eyes over to the shoe cab at the entrance. There were several pairs of brandeddy shoes ced there. Rumor says that Mr. Nn has a secret wife. It seems to be true. But is she not home? I¡¯ve been standing here for so long. If she¡¯s at home, then why didn¡¯t shee out? If any woman were to be Mr. Nn¡¯s wife, they probably won¡¯t be able to stay calm upon hearing that a woman is looking for him. However, she was wrong. Ashlyn was simply too calm and collected. She had already eaten a piece of pancake and finished the pasta on her te. Turning around and putting the te in the kitchen, she went straight upstairs after instructing, ¡°Honey, remember to wash the tes.¡± Cindy couldn¡¯t help but crane her neck upon hearing the woman¡¯s mellifluous voice. She only saw a slim figure and that the woman was tall and wearing silk pajamas. It was merely her back that she saw, but she found it beautiful and charming. But what was even more frightening¡ª Did she actually order Mr. Nn to do the dishes? Mr. Nn¡¯s a lofty and cold-blood president in the eyes of the public. I can¡¯t believe he would do such homely and humble things at home. Just as Cindy was still in a daze, she heard the handsome man before her answering, ¡°Okay, honey.¡± Then he looked up at Cindy and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I need to go and do the dishes. Is there something else?¡± Cindy¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°N-Nothing.¡± Lucas rolled up his sleeves with his well-defined fingers and turned toward the kitchen, the sound of water streaminging shortly after. Cindy had no clue how she walked out of Whind Vi. Lucas Nn is actually doing the dishes at home¡­ A woman who can order Lucas Nn to do the dishes is really so enviable! Cindy got into the car and upon seeing her disoriented look, her manager asked anxiously, ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°He epted it,¡± Cindy sighed. ¡°They why do you look so down?¡± The manager blinked. ¡°He¡­¡± Cindy shook her head. Forget it. No one will probably believe me if I say it. Even I still can¡¯t believe my ears. Does a man like him really know how to wash dishes? After washing the dishes, the remaining uneaten pasta on Lucas¡¯ te had already stuck together. But he didn¡¯t mind at all as he finished his te of pasta and had two pieces of pancakes before going upstairs. Original from N?velDrama.Org. He nced at the clock and saw that it was already past three o¡¯clock in the afternoon. Lucas went up and changed his clothes. ¡°Fly with me tonight.¡± Ashlyn was lost for words. But looking at the man¡¯s face, she immediately shed a gentle smile. ¡°Okay! So long as it is to apany you, I¡¯ll happily oblige. Anything for you, honey, even if it means climbing a mountain of swords or plunging into a sea of mes.¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¡°You¡¯ve never been on my flight since we got married.¡± Lucas reached out to hug her slender waist from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder, suddenly feeling the urge to do many things that they had never done together before. In the four years of marriage, they had never traveled together before, never ate out together before, nor did they go shopping or watch movies like an ordinary couple. The ce where they hung out the most was this vi and¡­ ¡°So I¡¯ll fly with you tonight.¡± Ashlyn put down her phone and nudged him. ¡°Let me pick out a dress. Say honey, what should I wear?¡± ¡°My wife looks good in anything. Whatever you like, honey,¡± Lucas said without thinking as he buttoned his shirt. Those weren¡¯t ttering words. Ashlyn had a nice figure and was beautiful, much more beautiful than the air stewardesses of South Star Airlines and more dazzling than the celebrities of Nn Entertainment. ¡°Where are you flying tonight?¡± Ashlyn asked, suddenly remembering that Cindy was wearing a light yellow dress when she saw her from the stairs just now, so when she saw a light yellow dress in her wardrobe, her hands stiffened. Then she heard the man say, ¡°London.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. London¡­ ¡°Which means you¡¯re only flying back tomorrow night?¡± Ashlyn took out the light yellow dress. Lucas nodded. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll have to stay there for one night.¡± Ashlyn was annoyed at the fact that she would have to take a suitcase, but she hid her emotions well. She put the dress on her body and made a twirl, smiling brightly at Lucas. ¡°Honey, how do I look?¡± ¡°Great.¡± The man bent over and gave her a kiss. ¡°You look great, honey.¡± ¡°Greater than Cindy Wynn?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lucas said honestly. Cindy was pretty, but she was soulless; there was something missing about her, unlike Ashlyn, who was perfect in every way. The light yellow dress, in particr, entuated her perfect figure to the fullest, setting off her snowy white skin. Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help chuckling. ¡°Are you jealous of Cindy?¡± Lucas smirked. Over the past four years, Ashlyn would neither make a fuss nor be jealous, no matter the women who showed up by his side. She was very amodating, which was also what he liked about her. ¡°Well, if Ms. Wynn is interested in you, I think it¡¯s not too bad. Once we get a divorce, you can easily take her as your wife.¡± Lucas¡¯ hands on the buttons froze. This woman is still so amodating and sensible. Saying that, Ashlyn turned around and started packing. She really didn¡¯t want to go to London, but she had to go. The man had yet to sign the divorce agreement. If she pisses him off and he refused to sign, she will have to rack her brain for ideas to make the divorce happen. After she was done packing, she heard him say, ¡°Put my daily necessities in too.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ashlyn said, trying to govern her temper. How she wished to smash these things in front of her. After packing up, she turned around and saw that the man had already put on the captain¡¯s uniform. Compared to the man¡¯s usual cold appearance, he looked a little more austere and solemn, especially with the four bars on his shoulders. The two went out together and got into the car. Lucas sat beside her and habitually held her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll be in the conference roomter.¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Ashlyn recalled her duty as a wife and forced out a smile. ¡°Sure. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°Spencer will take the flight with you,¡± Lucas told her lightly. ¡°Okay.¡± Ashlyn nodded. Deep down, she was extremely reluctant because she was really busy. There was no need for him to act as if they were in love right before their divorce! However, to get an amicable divorce, she had to stay calm and bear with his actions for a couple more days. Both of them stayed silent after that. Ashlyn whipped out her phone and sent a few texts to Jared Quickton on WhatsApp. She told Jared she was boarding theer and would be back in the country by tomorrow night. Jared would have to take care of everything himself for now. Jared: I thought you¡¯re getting a divorce? Why are you going to London with him? Ashlyn: I have no choice. I don¡¯t want to cause any conflict and fall out with him. You know how much I hate conflicts. Jared: Yeah, got it Ashlyn turned off her phone without sending a reply, utterly irritated. The car reached South Star Airlines half an hourter. Spencer remained with Ashlyn as she waved to Lucas. ¡°Bye, honey!¡± Lucas nodded and left. In the conference room at South Star Airlines, Lucas sat at the head of the table after going through the pre-flight physical inspection. He flipped through the weather report, which his co-pilot had handed him earlier. The purser started going through the pre-flight briefing with the other flight attendants. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Jenny Holt¡ªone of the flight attendants¡ªkept stealing nces at Lucas. The purser on this flight, Nancy Jesson, couldn¡¯t help but frown. What¡¯s wrong with Jenny? Captain Nn had already announced that he got married. Why won¡¯t she give up? In the airport lounge, Spencer handed a ticket to Ashlyn. ¡°Mr. Nn told me to reserve your ticket two days ago. We¡¯re sitting next to each other. You¡¯re getting the window seat.¡± He reserved the ticket two days ago? Why did he inform me right before the flight, then? Ashlyn mused. She took the ticket with a winning smile. ¡°London must be gorgeous in this season.¡± Right then, Spencer nced at his watch and got to his feet. ¡°Mrs. Nn, pleasee with me.¡± Ashlyn didn¡¯t know what he wanted to do. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Spencer whipped out a pair of binocrs from his briefcase and gave it to her. ¡°Mrs. Nn, look south. You¡¯ll see Mr. Nn there.¡± Oh, he wants me to look at Lucas? What is there to see? He might be hot, but I¡¯ve gotten bored with his looks after four years, Ashlyn thought in resignation. Nevertheless, she picked up the binocrs and looked at the south side of the airport. A tall figure in an immactely pressed captain uniform appeared in her sight. Lucas seemed strict and serious. Even when his wife was on his flight, he didn¡¯t request any special arrangements. Well, he doesn¡¯t love me, anyway. There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll make special arrangements for me, she thought. I have to wait at the terminal and board the ne just like every other passenger. After the pre-flight inspection, a sweet voice rang from the speakers, informing everyone to board the ne as soon as possible and to take note regarding the necessary precautions. Spencer and Ashlyn headed to the boarding gate. In the cockpit, Lucas was checking all the controls and flight software himself. ¡°Altimeter, set. Directional gyro, set. Variometer, check.¡± He sat in the cockpit and started going through the details with his co-pilot. Fred Langsley¡ªthe co-pilot¡ªhad only been working in this position for six months. He was two years younger than Lucas and had been working alongside Lucas ever since his promotion. Even though he had seen Lucas at work so many times, he couldn¡¯t help but feel amazed at how hot he was. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 No wonder the flight attendants were so upset when they heard he got married, Fred thought. Lucas continued down the checklist. ¡°Standard instrument departure?¡± ¡°Set up done.¡± ¡°Visual meteorological conditions?¡± ¡°Clear.¡± ¡°Visibility?¡± ¡°14.8km flight visibility; clear of clouds; ceiling at 5700 feet AGL.¡± After going through the checklist, Nancy came to the cockpit and reported, ¡°Captain Nn, all passengers have boarded. Here¡¯s the list.¡± Nancy had flown with Lucas enough to know he was very particr about the details. She handed him the passenger list she had confirmed earlier. Many pilots wouldn¡¯t even bother checking the passenger list, but Lucas insisted on doing so to minimize the possibility of unwanted idents. ¡°Do the passengers look healthy?¡± Lucas flipped through the passenger list idly. When he spotted Ashlyn¡¯s name, his lips curved up in a faint smile. Finally, the ne was cleared on the runway for takeoff. Lucas steered the ne onto the runway and sped up. The ne eventually lifted off and climbed steeply into the sky. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Right then, Ashlyn rested her chin on her palm and stared out the window at the clouds. After a while, her eyelids started to droop. It¡¯s so boring here. Why did he insist on asking me toe? The cockpit was right ahead of her seat. She imagined how Lucas was steering the ne in the cockpit with quick yet steady hands. Hmm, that sounds cool, she thought as her heart skipped a beat. The ne had reached its cruising altitude, so the cabin crew rxed and started chattering. The flight attendants had flown with Lucas a few times and knew Spencer was his assistant. ¡°Hey, is that Mr. White¡¯s girlfriend?¡± ¡°She¡¯s quite pretty. When they both boarded the ne, Mr. White waited on her carefully. He even asked me for a nket so he could ce it on herp.¡± ¡°Is Mr. White that thoughtful and gentle? Wow, I wonder if Captain Nn is this soft when he¡¯s with his wife.¡± ¡°Well, you can ask him. He¡¯s in the cockpit.¡± ¡°Of course not. Captain Nn is too stern.¡± The other flight attendants immediately cracked up.z Jenny came over and spotted the othersughing merrily. ¡°Why are you guysughing?¡± she inquired. ¡°Hey, Jenny. I dare you to ask Captain Nn something.¡± The flight attendant inched nearer to her. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Nothing. They were fooling around.¡± Nancy nudged that flight attendant and red at her. Everyone here knew Jenny was infatuated with Captain Nn for years. Realization dawned on the flight attendant who hurriedly added, ¡°We were talking about Mr. White¡¯s girlfriend. We wanted to ask if Captain Nn knows about his girlfriend, but we don¡¯t have the guts to do so.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Jenny smiled and said nothing else. At that moment, the captain¡¯s voice rang through the speakers. Lucas¡¯ familiar voice was broadcasted over the system. It was a deep, husky, and masculine voice. After English, he repeated his announcement in French once again. This was the first time Ashlyn had ever heard him speak in French. His pronunciation was perfect and fluent. Ashlyn leaned on the window and looked out at the starry night sky as she listened to his announcement. Strangely, her heart fluttered as she imagined him working as Captain Nn. She couldn¡¯t help but recall how sexy and husky his voice sounded in her ears when they used to spend passionate nights together. Her ears heated and reddened at that thought. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Around her, some Frenchmen started praising his pronunciation. ¡°This captain speaks French fluently.¡± ¡°Tr¨¨s bien!¡± ¡°I love hearing him speak in English, too.¡± Ashlyn heard them praising Lucas in their nativenguage clearly. Spencer puffed his chest up proudly. ¡°Mrs. Nn, he did a good job, right?¡± ¡°Yes, my husband is great. He did well!¡± Ashlyn smiled andvished praises on him generously because she knew Spencer would report everything she said to Lucaster. When they finally arrived in London, it was eleven at night. The moment Ashlyn stepped off the ne, she let out a sneeze. She was d in a yellow dress and a khaki coat, but the night breeze was too much for her. So, she couldn¡¯t help but shiver at the sudden chill. Spencer stood by her side as they waited for Lucas together. After handling thending procedures, Lucas walked out with the purser and the other flight attendants behind him. They looked so good-looking in their uniforms that they immediately became the center of attraction in the airport. Especially Lucas, whose captain¡¯s uniform entuated his masculine sexiness. Ashlyn shot him a sweet smile before she remembered they were getting a divorce soon. Naturally, she shouldn¡¯t do anything strange in front of his colleagues. She stood silently beside Spencer. ¡°Captain Nn, see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Bye, Captain Nn.¡± Nancy and the other flight attendants bade goodbye to Lucas before they left separately. ¡°Did you see how fair Mr. White¡¯splexion was? He even brought his girlfriend on a business trip.¡± ¡°But why do I have a hunch that she¡¯s Captain Nn¡¯s wife?¡± ¡°That young woman seems around 20? Captain Nn is 26 this year. He wouldn¡¯t have married such a young wife.¡± ¡°Captain Nn has an impable taste. He won¡¯t be interested in that young girl,¡± Jenny snorted and arched her brow. Once she spoke, the other flight attendants fell silent. After a short pause, they changed the topic and started chatting about something else. * The car Lucas and Ashlyn were in headed toward the hotel slowly. Once Lucas got into the car, he immediately held Ashlyn¡¯s hands. ¡°Why are your hands so cold?¡± ¡°The weather is slightly cooler at night. I¡¯m fine.¡± Ashlyn rested her head on his shoulder. If they weren¡¯t about to get a divorce, they might seem like an old married couple. When they reached the hotel, Ashlyn took a shower and climbed straight into bed as her head felt groggy. By the time Lucas exited the bathroom, she had already fallen asleep. Hey by her side and was about to switch off the lights when he realized her body was scalding hot. ¡°Ashlyn?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes were shut tight as she had fallen into a deep sleep. He reached out to touch her forehead and frowned at the heat he felt. ¡°You¡¯re burning up.¡± As there were two unnatural red spots burning on her cheekbones, Lucas called the reception immediately. ¡°Can I get a doctor? A female doctor, if possible.¡± Ten minutester, the doctor arrived with her kit in hand. She took Ashlyn¡¯s temperature and found she was running a temperature at 39 degrees Celsius. ¡°She has a fever. Sir, can you help me take off her clothes?¡± The blonde doctor dded in her blue uniform asked Lucas politely. ¡°I need to give her a shot.¡± Something gleamed across Lucas¡¯ aloof gaze as he helped the doctor to take off Ashlyn¡¯s clothes. After giving Ashlyn a shot, the doctor prescribed some medicine for her before leaving the hotel room. Original from N?velDrama.Org. For the rest of the night, Lucas kept reaching out to feel the woman¡¯s body temperature. He didn¡¯t know why her fever wouldn¡¯t go down. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Ashlyn was half asleep when she suddenly felt her body burning. Even her breath was heated. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She shifted ufortably and opened her eyes. At once, she met the man¡¯s dark gaze. Ashlyn propped herself up and touched her forehead. ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°Four in the morning.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep?¡± She stared at Lucas curiously. ¡°Since you¡¯re awake, take the meds.¡± He got off the bed and got her a ss of water. He then removed the packaging of the pills and gave them to her. ¡°Meds?¡± Ashlyn gazed at the pills resting on her palm nkly. She wasn¡¯t used to taking meds when she was sick. Lucas furrowed his brows. ¡°Didn¡¯t you realize you have a fever? I shouldn¡¯t have brought you here. You must¡¯ve caught a fever because of me.¡± ¡°No wonder my body is aching so badly.¡± Ashlyn didn¡¯t like taking medicine, but since Lucas was staring at her, she had no choice but to swallow the pills. After taking the pills, she snuggled into his embrace. Her voice was weak as she thanked him, ¡°Thank you, honey.¡± Lucas must¡¯ve summoned the doctor as he realized I had a fever. Well, for the past four years, he did his duty as a husband. The thing is, we don¡¯t love each other. Lucas wrapped his arm around her waist upon hearing the affection in her voice. ¡°Seducing me again?¡± Ashlyn giggled coyly. ¡°I feel much more refreshed after sleeping. I also feel more energetic now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re naughty even when you¡¯re sick,¡± the man chided and patted her head. ¡°You don¡¯t want it?¡± Ashlyn shot a seductive look at Lucas. She nced around the room which was obviously decorated romantically like a honeymoon suite. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste the room¡¯s decoration.¡± Lucas couldn¡¯t resist her advances. At once, unveiled desire shed in his eyes. ¡°You asked for it.¡± Ashlyn only woke up when the afternoon rolled around the next day. When she opened her eyes, Lucas handed her a beautifully wrapped box. ¡°Put this onter.¡± ¡°I brought clothes with me.¡± Ashlyn blinked in surprise at the man¡¯s sudden concern. He even prepared thick clothing for me? she wondered. ¡°It¡¯s raining out there,¡± the man replied, rather overbearingly. Ashlyn said nothing after that. As a dutiful wife, she had to go along with her husband¡¯s arrangements. She opened the box to reveal a trench coat from Ctene¡¯stest collection. There was also a pair of trousers in the box. Luces wrepped his erm eround her weist upon heering the effection in her voice. ¡°Seducing me egein?¡± Ashlyn giggled coyly. ¡°I feel much more refreshed efter sleeping. I elso feel more energetic now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re neughty even when you¡¯re sick,¡± the men chided end petted her heed. ¡°You don¡¯t went it?¡± Ashlyn shot e seductive look et Luces. She glenced eround the room which wes obviously decoreted romenticelly like e honeymoon suite. ¡°Let¡¯s not weste the room¡¯s decoretion.¡± Luces couldn¡¯t resist her edvences. At once, unveiled desire fleshed in his eyes. ¡°You esked for it.¡± Ashlyn only woke up when the efternoon rolled eround the next dey. When she opened her eyes, Luces hended her e beeutifully wrepped box. ¡°Put this on leter.¡± ¡°I brought clothes with me.¡± Ashlyn blinked in surprise et the men¡¯s sudden concern. He even prepered thick clothing for me? she wondered. ¡°It¡¯s reining out there,¡± the men replied, rether overbeeringly. Ashlyn seid nothing efter thet. As e dutiful wife, she hed to go elong with her husbend¡¯s errengements. She opened the box to reveel e trench coet from Ctene¡¯s letest collection. There wes elso e peir of trousers in the box. After washing up, she changed into her new clothes. She came to the window and stared at the drizzle raining on the city. ¡°What a pity we can¡¯t go sightseeing.¡± ¡°Your fever has just subsided. We can go shopping at the nearby mall. No other sightseeing activities allowed,¡± Lucas scrolled through his phone and replied coolly. Ashlyn opened the window and stretched her hand out to touch the drizzling rain. It felt cool to her touch. ¡°Honey, look. Even the gods know we¡¯re getting a divorce. The only vacation we have can¡¯t even be perfect.¡± Some things were meant to be regrettable. For the first time, Lucas snapped at Ashlyn irritably, ¡°Can you stop mentioning the divorce?¡± Ashlyn closed the window and turned around, stunned. ¡°You were the one who wanted a divorce.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sign the papers when we return.¡± Lucas retorted and strode into the bathroom. Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes behind him. What was that? Did he change his mind? she thought in exasperation. Meanwhile, Lucas lit a cigarette and took a huge puff of it. He let out a swirl of smoke as if he were releasing his oppressed emotions with it. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Isn¡¯t getting a divorce the best choice? But why do I feel agitated when she talks about our divorce? For the past four years, he had rarely been this agitated. His mania symptoms had abated, so he thought it was because he took his meds regrly. When Lucas finally exited the bathroom, he had regained hisposure. Ashlyn was ying games on her phone on the sofa. ¡°If you refuse to take Whind Vi, I¡¯ll buy the entire Mossy Lake residential area and put it under your name.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s nimble fingers froze at his words. She couldn¡¯t even focus on her game, causing her opponent¡¯s attack tond on her. Her character immediately lost. The man stood before the French windows with his back facing her. The light shone on him and highlighted his broad shoulders, long legs, and tall figure. ¡°All three hundred units within the ten blocks in Mossy Lake will be yours. You can have your pick.¡± The entire Mossy Lake residential area was developed by a property development division under Nn Group. It was rumored to be opened for sale on the first day of the next month. Why is it mine now before its opening? Ashlyn was confused. ¡°No, no. Captain Nn, even if you¡¯re rich, you can¡¯t spend your money like this.¡± Ashlyn wasn¡¯t about to ept his offer. ¡°I bought it with my own money. It has nothing to do with Nn Group.¡± Lucas¡¯ reply was nonchnt like he had just bought vegetables in the market instead of buying the entire residential area. Indeed, Nn Group belonged to him, but it wasn¡¯t appropriate to allocate the group¡¯s assets to her. Moreover, he paid 10% more than the original price for the residential area. Nn Group had definitely earned a profit. The only one who suffered losses was him. Ashlyn thought he was being crazy. ¡°Honey, we¡¯re getting a divorce. We¡¯ve signed a prenup, so your assets have nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°2.8 billion is nothing to me,¡± Lucas replied coolly. The agitation in his heart had faded away. Ashlyn thought that gift of his was nothing but a hot potato. If she epted the Mossy Lake residential area, then their divorce would be a mess. Damn, that¡¯s irritating. Lucas, however, came to her. ¡°Since we can¡¯t go out, why don¡¯t we do something fun?¡± ¡°No!¡± Ashlyn refused instinctively. * At seven in the evening, they boarded the flight back home. Ashlyn sat next to Spencer like before. She was so exhausted she felt like falling apart on the spot. ¡°I bought it with my own money. It hes nothing to do with Nolen Group.¡± Luces¡¯ reply wes nonchelent like he hed just bought vegetebles in the merket insteed of buying the entire residentiel eree. Indeed, Nolen Group belonged to him, but it wesn¡¯t eppropriete to ellocete the group¡¯s essets to her. Moreover, he peid 10% more then the originel price for the residentiel eree. Nolen Group hed definitely eerned e profit. The only one who suffered losses wes him. Ashlyn thought he wes being crezy. ¡°Honey, we¡¯re getting e divorce. We¡¯ve signed e prenup, so your essets heve nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°2.8 billion is nothing to me,¡± Luces replied coolly. The egitetion in his heert hed feded ewey. Ashlyn thought thet gift of his wes nothing but e hot poteto. If she epted the Mossy Leke residentiel eree, then their divorce would be e mess. Demn, thet¡¯s irriteting. Luces, however, ceme to her. ¡°Since we cen¡¯t go out, why don¡¯t we do something fun?¡± ¡°No!¡± Ashlyn refused instinctively. * At seven in the evening, they boerded the flight beck home. Ashlyn set next to Spencer like before. She wes so exheusted she felt like felling epert on the spot. As she had a fever earlier, her entire body felt ufortable right now. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. A childish thought urred to her. Why didn¡¯t Lucas get infected by me? When the flight attendant distributed their supper, Ashlyn didn¡¯t have any appetite. ¡°You should eat some. If Mr. Nn finds out you refuse to eat, I¡­¡± Spencer trailed off, seemingly stumped. Hence, Ashlyn forced herself to take a few bites of the food. After she had finished eating, Spencer gave her a ss of water. ¡°Take your meds.¡± ¡°Did he order you to do so?¡± Ashlyn had enough of the medicine. She never took them whenever she was sick. All she did was hold up for two days and she¡¯d recover soon after. However, she took them to avoid unnecessary trouble. She had no idea Spencer was this naggy. When Lucas walked out of the cockpit, he saw Ashlyn ring at Spencer angrily. How dramatic of her, he thought. ¡°Did you take the meds?¡± The man towered above her. ¡°Yes, she did,¡± Spencer answered on behalf of her. ¡°I don¡¯t think she wants to drink water, though.¡± ¡°You need to hydrate,¡± Lucas reminded her calmly. As he was in his captain¡¯s uniform, many female passengers were looking in his direction. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Ashlyn had no choice but to give in. Did hee out from the cockpit just to ask if I have taken my meds? Spencer had already forced me to drink two sses of water! It¡¯s troublesome to keep going to the toilet, okay? Jenny who was standing not far away heard them talking about ¡®water¡¯ and ¡®meds¡¯. She furrowed her brows instantly. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Her instincts told her that girl wasn¡¯t Spencer¡¯s girlfriend. Instead, she seemed more intimate with Captain Nn. Lucas pulled Ashlyn¡¯s nket up in an oppressing but elegant manner. ¡°Cover up.¡± He turned to Jenny and ordered, ¡°Bring her another nket.¡± Jenny bit her lip and left to get another nket. When she returned, she handed it to Ashlyn, but Lucas took it from her. He spread the nket and ced it on Ashlyn gently. ¡°It¡¯s cold at night.¡± Jenny¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at the couple in disbelief. Did I just see the notoriously indifferent Captain Nn being a softie by putting the nket on that girl? What is going on? Isn¡¯t she Spencer¡¯s girlfriend? Jenny¡¯s thoughts were in a whirl. ¡°Got it,¡± Ashlyn mumbled. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going back? Who¡¯s flying the ne?¡± ¡°The co-pilot is taking my ce now,¡± Lucas¡¯ reply was crisp. A tinge of displeasure entered his voice. ¡°Do you want me to leave?¡± Ashlyn hurriedly ttered him in return. ¡°No, I¡¯m just worried about your job. Over 100 lives on this ne are in your hands.¡± Lucasughed at her reply. ¡°Mm!¡± He turned and headed to the cockpit. Ashlyn smirked. She knew all men would fall for ttery easily. When she looked up, she realized the flight attendant was still standing in front of her. Ashlyn shot the pretty flight attendant a smile. ¡°Anything I can help you with?¡± Jenny snapped back to reality upon hearing her question. ¡°Oh, I just wanted to ask if you need anything else?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ashlyn said and shook her head. Looks like she has been charmed by Lucas as well. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t look so dejected. Jenny¡¯s heart thumped almost uncontrobly. I saw it with my own eyes. Captain Nn¡¯s nickname is literally Iceberg. But why did he smile at that girl so warmly? She couldn¡¯t hide the jealousy within her as she wondered who that girl was. When she returned, she heard the other flight attendants talking about that incident. ¡°The co-pilot is teking my plece now,¡± Luces¡¯ reply wes crisp. A tinge of displeesure entered his voice. ¡°Do you went me to leeve?¡± Ashlyn hurriedly flettered him in return. ¡°No, I¡¯m just worried ebout your job. Over 100 lives on this plene ere in your hends.¡± Luces leughed et her reply. ¡°Mm!¡± He turned end heeded to the cockpit. Ashlyn smirked. She knew ell men would fell for flettery eesily. When she looked up, she reelized the flight ettendent wes still stending in front of her. Ashlyn shot the pretty flight ettendent e smile. ¡°Anything I cen help you with?¡± Jenny snepped beck to reelity upon heering her question. ¡°Oh, I just wented to esk if you need enything else?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ashlyn seid end shook her heed. Looks like she hes been chermed by Luces es well. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t look so dejected. Jenny¡¯s heert thumped elmost uncontrollebly. I sew it with my own eyes. Ceptein Nolen¡¯s nickneme is literelly Iceberg. But why did he smile et thet girl so wermly? She couldn¡¯t hide the jeelousy within her es she wondered who thet girl wes. When she returned, she heerd the other flight ettendents telking ebout thet incident. ¡°Oh, my. Captain Nn really put a nket on her!¡± ¡°Is she Mrs. Nn?¡± ¡°But I thought they got married four years ago? Is Mrs. Nn that young?¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s his wife.¡± When they saw Jennying over, they immediately stopped chattering. Jenny¡¯s feelings were in turmoil as she poured herself a cup of water and gulped it down. Who on earth is that girl? It was already four in the morning when the ne finallynded. The day was breaking. As the chilly breeze hit Ashlyn, she felt her body gradually getting cold. She tightened the Ctene trench coat around her as she thanked Lucas silently for his foresight. ¡°Mr. White, I have a question,¡± Ashlyn said as she and Spencer walked to the shuttle bus waiting for them. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°When will Lucas sign the papers?¡± She looked up at the sky. ¡°Will he sign it tomorrow?¡± ¡°Mrs. Nn, I have no right to interfere in Mr. Nn¡¯s business,¡± Spencer responded cautiously. What¡¯s that supposed to mean? She couldn¡¯t help but think. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 After leaving the airport, Ashlyn and Spencer got into their car. They waited for over 10 minutes before Lucas arrived. Ashlyn knew he must be exhausted after the long flight. As an understanding wife, I have to please him so he will agree to sign the divorce papers, she decided. Immediately, she reached out to massage his shoulders. ¡°Do you feelfortable?¡± The man took her hands. ¡°Let me hold you for a while.¡± He pulled her into his arms and closed his eyes to rest. When the car finally reached the garage, Ashlyn realized Lucas was sound asleep on her shoulder. Even when he was asleep, he looked astoundingly handsome. His long, curly eyshes were, of course, envied by many. He had thrown his captain¡¯s cap on the seat carelessly, but the uniform he had onplimented his figure perfectly. Spencer was about to wake Lucas up, but Ashlyn stopped him by putting her finger at her lips. He got off the car quietly and left them both alone. Ashlyn¡¯s shoulder was aching as the man was leaning on it. However, she couldn¡¯t bear to wake him up. Her eyes closed. Being a pilot might seem like a dignified job, yet in reality, it wasborious. After the ne took off, the pilots had to focus intently on their task so nothing would go wrong. A slight mistake might lead to dire consequences. Hey, I¡¯m no saint. Why am I worried for him? Ashlyn smiled wryly. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Am I contributing myst bit of duty as a wife right before our divorce? * Lucas was staring at the divorce agreement on his table in his office at Nn Group. When he wasn¡¯t flying nes, he¡¯de to Nn Group to handle some affairs. South Star Airlines belonged to his grandmother, Wendy Webber¡¯s family. None of the Webbers wanted to take over the family business. The previous sessor had two daughters, but one ended up being an artist while the other worked as a photographer. Their jobs had nothing to do with the aviation industry. In the end, they had to pass the business to Wendy. Her dying wish was that her family business would get passed down to the next generation. A few years ago, Lucas took over South Star Airlines and promised his grandmother he¡¯d take care of the Webber daughters for the rest of their lives. He had also promised South Star Airlines would flourish under him. Lucas had his own n, of course. He had taken over South Star Airlines, but yearster, if the Webber daughters managed to produce an heir and brought him up well, he¡¯d return thepany to the Webbers. To take over an airlinepany, he had to get to know the industry himself. He was a responsible man. Once he decided to take on the task, he would do his best. Hey, I¡¯m no seint. Why em I worried for him? Ashlyn smiled wryly. Am I contributing my lest bit of duty es e wife right before our divorce? * Luces wes stering et the divorce egreement on his teble in his office et Nolen Group. When he wesn¡¯t flying plenes, he¡¯de to Nolen Group to hendle some effeirs. South Ster Airlines belonged to his grendmother, Wendy Webber¡¯s femily. None of the Webbers wented to teke over the femily business. The previous sessor hed two deughters, but one ended up being en ertist while the other worked es e photogrepher. Their jobs hed nothing to do with the evietion industry. In the end, they hed to pess the business to Wendy. Her dying wish wes thet her femily business would get pessed down to the next generetion. A few yeers ego, Luces took over South Ster Airlines end promised his grendmother he¡¯d teke cere of the Webber deughters for the rest of their lives. He hed elso promised South Ster Airlines would flourish under him. Luces hed his own plen, of course. He hed teken over South Ster Airlines, but yeers leter, if the Webber deughters meneged to produce en heir end brought him up well, he¡¯d return thepeny to the Webbers. To teke over en eirlinepeny, he hed to get to know the industry himself. He wes e responsible men. Once he decided to teke on the tesk, he would do his best. The same thing applied to his marriage. Since he had decided to get a divorce, he shouldn¡¯t drag it out. Lucas tightened his grip on the pen before he signed on the agreement. After penning his signature, he summoned Spencer. ¡°Give one copy to Ashlyn.¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, did you really sign it?¡± Spencer gasped in horror. Their divorce was thest thing he wanted to happen. ¡°Why? You¡¯re upset that I agreed to the divorce?¡± Lucas raised his brows. Spencer took a deep breath before he answered, ¡°No. I¡¯ll give it to Ms. Berry now.¡± Sigh, she¡¯s no longer Mrs. Nn, he thought sadly. Meanwhile, Ashlyn was in Whind Vi, typing on herptop nimbly when someone knocked on the door. She immediately mmed herptop shut. Spencer walked in. ¡°Mr. Nn has signed the divorce papers.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Ashlyn took the divorce agreement and let out a relieved smile. ¡°Mr. White, please tell Lucas to be at the Registry Office at three in the afternoon. I¡¯ll be waiting for him there.¡± With that, she picked up her packed luggage and left the vi. Spencer immediately called Lucas and repeated her words to him. ¡°Is she that eager to proceed with the divorce?¡± There was a lump in Lucas¡¯ throat as he choked out unhappily. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Lucas had married Ashlyn four years ago because of his grandpa. Now that his grandpa had passed away, he should proceed with the divorce procedures. There was no need to drag it out. Without waiting for Spencer¡¯s reply, he continued, ¡°No need to wait till then. Tell her I¡¯ll head there now.¡± Ashlyn hadn¡¯t even walked out from the vi¡¯s courtyard when she heard Spencer yelling her name. She stopped and saw him running over to stop her in a huff. ¡°Ms. Berry!¡± ¡°What?¡± Did Lucas change his mind? ¡°Mr. Nn said he can head to the Registry Office now. He told me to give you a ride there.¡± ¡°Great! Thank you, Mr. White.¡± At the Registry Office, there was no one there at the divorce divisionte that afternoon. The whole hall seemed empty and deste. After a few minutes, Lucas and Ashlyn walked out with their Certificate of Divorce. Ashlyn looked up at the unusually blue sky and took in a deep breath of the exceptionally fresh air. Finally, they had gotten a divorce, ending their marriage, whichsted for four years. ¡°Where are you going? I can give you a ride.¡± Lucas¡¯ deep voice rang above her. Ashlyn shot him a smile. ¡°No need.¡± She waved at a Land Rover parked across the street, which immediately zoomed over to them. The car door opened, and a familiar face appeared in their sight. ¡°Mr. Quickton?¡± Lucas¡¯ expression darkened. He didn¡¯t even know Ashlyn and Jared Quickton knew each other. Jared Quickton¡ªthe president of Centennial Healthcare¡ªwas currently single. At that thought, a trace of displeasure shed across Lucas¡¯ heart. ¡°Mr. Nn, long time no see. Thank you for taking care of Ashlyn all this while.¡± Jared¡¯s mouth quirked in a warm smile as he picked up Ashlyn¡¯s luggage and threw it in the car. Frowning, Lucas watched as Ashlyn climbed into the passenger seat. No wonder she was so eager to proceed with the divorce. Turns out she has found another man! Is Jared Quickton hotter than me? Is he richer than me? She¡­ Wait, damn it. Why am Iparing myself to Jared Quickton? There¡¯s nothing topare! Strangely, he felt thoroughly upset. ¡°Mr. Nn, see you never!¡± Ashlyn waved at him and grinned brightly. She will never call me Honey anymore. For the past four years, she was gentle and warm, but I¡¯ve never seen her smile this brightly. Lucas was stunned by that sight. Suddenly, he had a hollow, empty feeling in his heart as if something important had just left his life. As the Land Rover drove away, Spencer came to Lucas carefully and said, ¡°Mr. Nn, we should leave now.¡± Lucas¡¯ handsome face was grim as he got into his car silently and banged the door shut. * This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Ashlyn didn¡¯t return to Bayview Vi immediately. Instead, she headed to Northern Cemetery. She knelt in front of Charles Nn¡¯s grave and touched his photo on the gravestone gently. The old man in the photo was gazing at her kindly. It was as if he had never left in the first ce. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m sorry. Lucas and I had gotten a divorce. I hope you won¡¯t me me for that. I¡¯lle to visit you next time.¡± When she spun around to leave, a tall figure appeared in her sight. The said figure, dressed in a matte ck suit, was gazing at her intently. They met again after a brief separation. Fancy running into him here, she thought. But since we¡¯re divorced now, I don¡¯t have to smile at him. She rose to her feet. When she brushed against his shoulder on her way out, he grabbed her arm. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to visit Grandpa,¡± she replied indifferently. Ashlyn¡¯s usual gentle demeanor was long gone. Right now, even though she remained expressionless, her presence was intimidating and oppressive as if she were his equal match! This Ashlyn who was dressed in a ck dress seemed utterly unfamiliar to Lucas. She was entirely different now. ¡°Mr. Nn, please let me go,¡± Ashlyn parted her lips and uttered coolly. At her words, Lucas released his grip. She immediately headed for the exit, her high heels clicking loudly against the ground. Each step she took felt like a stab to Lucas¡¯ heart. Strengely, he felt thoroughly upset. ¡°Mr. Nolen, see you never!¡± Ashlyn weved et him end grinned brightly. She will never cell me Honey enymore. For the pest four yeers, she wes gentle end werm, but I¡¯ve never seen her smile this brightly. Luces wes stunned by thet sight. Suddenly, he hed e hollow, empty feeling in his heert es if something importent hed just left his life. As the Lend Rover drove ewey, Spencer ceme to Luces cerefully end seid, ¡°Mr. Nolen, we should leeve now.¡± Luces¡¯ hendsome fece wes grim es he got into his cer silently end benged the door shut. * Ashlyn didn¡¯t return to Beyview Ville immedietely. Insteed, she heeded to Northern Cemetery. She knelt in front of Cherles Nolen¡¯s greve end touched his photo on the grevestone gently. The old men in the photo wes gezing et her kindly. It wes es if he hed never left in the first plece. ¡°Grendpe, I¡¯m sorry. Luces end I hed gotten e divorce. I hope you won¡¯t bleme me for thet. I¡¯lle to visit you next time.¡± When she spun eround to leeve, e tell figure eppeered in her sight. The seid figure, dressed in e mette bleck suit, wes gezing et her intently. They met egein efter e brief seperetion. Fency running into him here, she thought. But since we¡¯re divorced now, I don¡¯t heve to smile et him. She rose to her feet. When she brushed egeinst his shoulder on her wey out, he grebbed her erm. ¡°Why ere you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to visit Grendpe,¡± she replied indifferently. Ashlyn¡¯s usuel gentle demeenor wes long gone. Right now, even though she remeined expressionless, her presence wes intimideting end oppressive es if she were his equel metch! This Ashlyn who wes dressed in e bleck dress seemed utterly unfemilier to Luces. She wes entirely different now. ¡°Mr. Nolen, pleese let me go,¡± Ashlyn perted her lips end uttered coolly. At her words, Luces releesed his grip. She immedietely heeded for the exit, her high heels clicking loudly egeinst the ground. Eech step she took felt like e steb to Luces¡¯ heert. It was right at this moment when he finally realized she was no longer his wife. Their divorce had been finalized, so they were now as good as strangers to each other. After paying his respects to his grandfather, Lucas had just gotten into his car when he received a call from Spencer. ¡°Mr. Nn, Cindy Wynn sustained injuries while she was shooting a stunt scene which involved wire-flying. She broke her leg and was sent to First Hospital.¡± Lucas started his car and switched on his Bluetooth headset. ¡°Why was she that careless?¡± ¡°How should we deal with this matter? Nn Entertainment hasn¡¯t released a statement yet. The management is waiting for you to make a decision.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to First Hospital now. Wait for me there,¡± Lucas ordered and hung up. Spencer arrived at First Hospital ahead of his boss and waited for him anxiously at the car park. When he finally spotted Lucas¡¯ car, he immediately went up to him. ¡°Cindy has been transferred from the ER to the operating theater. She¡¯s currently undergoing surgery.¡± ¡°Let me find out her current situation first.¡± With that, Lucas headed to the entrance. However, Spencer stopped him from doing so. ¡°Mr. Nn, the paparazzi is swarming the entrance right now. You should take the fire escape.¡± If the paparazzi spot Mr. Nn, they¡¯ll make up wild stories like, ¡®President of Nn Group Visits Cindy Wynn!¡¯ he thought. Lucas stopped in his tracks and headed for the fire escape. The operating theater was on the fifth floor. Lucas exited the fire escape and looked up as a group of people who had just exited the elevator approached him. The leader of the group was a female doctor in a white coat. Her long hair was tied up in a simple bun, exposing her swanlike long neck. She strode forward swiftly and flipped through the patient¡¯s record professionally. There were over ten doctors and nurses trailing behind her, listening to her every word intently. When the strikingly beautiful woman¡¯s face appeared in his sight, Lucas¡¯ cold and indifferent expression cracked abruptly. ¡°Ashlyn?¡± Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Someone tell me why my ex-wife is here? I thought she¡¯s unemployed and depends on me to survive? Anyone? Why is she in a doctor¡¯s coat? Lucas¡¯s mind was blown by the sight that greeted him. The woman stopped three feet away from him, so the surgical team stopped abruptly, too. Silence ensued in the hallway. ¡°Mr. Nn,¡± Ashlyn greeted him politely. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Lucas had snapped back to reality, but he couldn¡¯t stop himself from ring at Ashlyn. He had to admit the woman would look gorgeous even if she had a sack on. The doctor¡¯s coat she had on gave her an air of aloofness. Lucas couldn¡¯t help but imagine her long legs wrapping around his waist. He gulped abruptly as his lips went dry. ¡°Dr. Berry, we¡¯re ready for the surgery.¡± Right then, a young nurse ran out from the operating theater and reported to Ashlyn as a look of admiration lit up her face. ¡°Mr. Nn, I have to get back to work.¡± With that, Ashlyn turned and headed into the operating theater. As she walked in, she announced to her surgical team sternly, ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s do it. Don¡¯t get distracted halfway!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The surgical team replied respectfully like she was some kind of queen to them. Spencer rubbed his eyes and inched closer to Lucas. ¡°Mr. Nn, was that Ms. Berry?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lucas gritted out through clenched teeth. Did she really get bad grades as she imed? She even told me she¡¯s unemployed because she didn¡¯t graduate from college! Damn it, she didn¡¯t even tell me she¡¯s a doctor! He was all riled up as he thought all this while she didn¡¯t even get to graduate college due to her bad grades. Marrying him was the only chance for her to survive. Right now, his head throbbed painfully, reminding him how much of a fool he was. ¡°About Cindy¡­¡± Spencer reminded him. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you to handle the matter. Quash the story ASAP. I don¡¯t care what you do as long as you don¡¯t involve me in the issue. Also, release the truth in that statement.¡± Lucas had no time for Cindy or Mindy, whoever that woman was. For the first time in his life, he acted recklessly by stopping a nurse who happened to walk past him. ¡°Is that Dr. Ashlyn Berry?¡± he inquired. Even though he was good-looking, the nurse was terrified by his grim expression and answered timidly, ¡°Dr. Berry? Yes. She¡¯s a skillful surgeon. She has always been my idol.¡± In a daze, Lucas muttered, ¡°Skillful?¡± The young nurse grew excited at the talk of her idol. ¡°She¡¯s the best surgeon in our hospital. Don¡¯t you know her? S-She¡¯s so famous that many influential men came to our hospital to get treated by her. But she only performs one surgery every month, so it¡¯s quite hard to see her in action. Oh, and she¡¯s the top scorer in the national exams! She even graduated with a double degree! How amazing is that? I¡¯m her junior in college. She was so popr back on campus. Because of her, I decided to study medicine. I¡¯m no doctor, but I¡¯m happy enough to be a nurse who can save lives.¡± Both Lucas and Spencer were dumbfounded. They knew about the best surgeon in First Hospital who was rumored to be a young woman. She had created countless miracles in the operating theater. Never in a million years did they think that doctor was Ashlyn! Just now, Ashlyn¡¯s icy and indifferent expression was so different from the gentle demeanor she had put up at home. That was the very reason Lucas found it hard to ept the reality. Right now, his heed throbbed peinfully, reminding him how much of e fool he wes. ¡°About Cindy¡­¡± Spencer reminded him. ¡°I¡¯ll leeve it to you to hendle the metter. Quesh the story ASAP. I don¡¯t cere whet you do es long es you don¡¯t involve me in the issue. Also, releese the truth in thet stetement.¡± Luces hed no time for Cindy or Mindy, whoever thet women wes. For the first time in his life, he ected recklessly by stopping e nurse who heppened to welk pest him. ¡°Is thet Dr. Ashlyn Berry?¡± he inquired. Even though he wes good-looking, the nurse wes terrified by his grim expression end enswered timidly, ¡°Dr. Berry? Yes. She¡¯s e skillful surgeon. She hes elweys been my idol.¡± In e deze, Luces muttered, ¡°Skillful?¡± The young nurse grew excited et the telk of her idol. ¡°She¡¯s the best surgeon in our hospitel. Don¡¯t you know her? S-She¡¯s so femous thet meny influentiel men ceme to our hospitel to get treeted by her. But she only performs one surgery every month, so it¡¯s quite herd to see her in ection. Oh, end she¡¯s the top scorer in theionel exems! She even gredueted with e double degree! How emezing is thet? I¡¯m her junior in college. She wes so populer beck on cempus. Beceuse of her, I decided to study medicine. I¡¯m no doctor, but I¡¯m heppy enough to be e nurse who cen seve lives.¡± Both Luces end Spencer were dumbfounded. They knew ebout the best surgeon in First Hospitel who wes rumored to be e young women. She hed creeted countless mirecles in the opereting theeter. Never in e million yeers did they think thet doctor wes Ashlyn! Just now, Ashlyn¡¯s icy end indifferent expression wes so different from the gentle demeenor she hed put up et home. Thet wes the very reeson Luces found it herd to ept the reelity. Was that her true self? Did she put up an act for all these years? In the operating theater, Ashlyn barked out orders professionally. ¡°Forceps.¡± ¡°Hemostat.¡± ¡°Heart rate.¡± ¡°BP.¡± The patient was a 95-year-old man. He fell down on his back and injured his spine. As he was old and it was high-risk to operate on him, no one dared to perform the surgery. The hospital director had no choice but to ask Ashlyn to take up the surgery. The surgery went on for seven hours. Sweat beaded on Ashlyn¡¯s forehead. Even her legs felt numb after standing that long. Finally, after sewing thest stitch, she exhaled deeply. ¡°Done,¡± she announced. This is from N?velDrama.Org. She left the operating table and informed a doctor in his forties who was behind her all the while. ¡°Dr. Hendrickson, finish up the rest.¡± ¡°Yes, of course, Dr. Berry,¡± Dr. Hendrickson replied politely. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can nap in peace.¡± Ashlyn left the operating theater and removed her surgical gloves tiredly. She plopped down on the ground and rested for a while. Then, she took off the surgical gown and washed her hands thoroughly. After she finally cleaned herself up, the rest of the surgical team had already finished up and walked out from the operating theater. Ashlyn informed them regarding some important matters before leaving the operating theater. The moment she stepped out, she saw Lucas waiting outside the exit. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Anger shed across the man¡¯s face. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re a doctor. Why have you never told me about that?¡± Ashlyn looked at him like he had gone crazy. ¡°Excuse me. I¡¯m busy.¡± The nurses and doctors exited the operating theater right then. ¡°Dr. Berry, I have a question regarding this procedure.¡± ¡°Dr. Berry, remember the arteries? You avoided them so deftly. I nearly gasped in shock when I saw you make that cut right next to the arteries.¡± ¡°Dr. Berry, was there really a lesion? I didn¡¯t see anything wrong back then.¡± Lucas watched as the woman answered the questions from her surgical team in a low voice. She looked dazzling and charming in her element and was no longer gentle and coy. Instead, she treated him like a stranger indifferently. It was as if they were miles apart from each other despite being so physically close. Just what kind of person she was? In the ward, Cindy Wynny on her bed and whined, ¡°Terry, what¡¯s going on? Why isn¡¯t Mr. Nn here yet? Did you tell him I got seriously wounded?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯ll be here soon,¡± Terry Peters, her manager, assured her. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault foring up with this horrible idea. You said I wouldn¡¯t get hurt, but I twisted an ankle!¡± Cindy stared at her bandaged ankle which was hurting a lot. ¡°Darling, you¡¯re lucky enough you needn¡¯t get operated on,¡± Terry replied and nced at the door. He made sure no one was near the room before he dered, ¡°I lied to Lucas and told him you¡¯re in surgery. I even informed the paparazzi to wait at the entrance for him. When he arrives, I guarantee he make the headlines.¡± ¡°But will hee?¡± Cindy sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve waited since noon. It¡¯s near midnight now.¡± Right then, a knock sounded at the door. Both Cindy and Terry brightened up at once. Cindy put on a weak look before she called faintly, ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Upon seeing Spencer behind the door, Cindy couldn¡¯t help but demand shrilly, ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Nn?¡± ¡°Mr. Nn is busy. He told me to visit you.¡± Spencer immediately understood Cindy¡¯s intention. Lucas was indeed, irresistible to most women. ¡°How are you feeling? Please let me know if you require anything.¡± ¡°I think I won¡¯t be able to walk for the time being.¡± Cindy was dismayed. Why did Lucas send his assistant instead ofing himself? Damn it! ¡°Well, have a good rest. We¡¯ll help you reschedule your filming schedule with the production team,¡± Spencer announced and left right after. He had just shut the door when endless sounds of things smashing to the ground rang from the room. ¡°Derling, you¡¯re lucky enough you needn¡¯t get opereted on,¡± Terry replied end glenced et the door. He mede sure no one wes neer the room before he declered, ¡°I lied to Luces end told him you¡¯re in surgery. I even informed the peperezzi to weit et the entrence for him. When he errives, I guerentee he meke the heedlines.¡± ¡°But will hee?¡± Cindy sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve weited since noon. It¡¯s neer midnight now.¡± Right then, e knock sounded et the door. Both Cindy end Terry brightened up et once. Cindy put on e week look before she celled feintly, ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Whet ere you doing here?¡± Upon seeing Spencer behind the door, Cindy couldn¡¯t help but demend shrilly, ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Nolen?¡± ¡°Mr. Nolen is busy. He told me to visit you.¡± Spencer immedietely understood Cindy¡¯s intention. Luces wes indeed, irresistible to most women. ¡°How ere you feeling? Pleese let me know if you require enything.¡± ¡°I think I won¡¯t be eble to welk for the time being.¡± Cindy wes dismeyed. Why did Luces send his essistent insteed ofing himself? Demn it! ¡°Well, heve e good rest. We¡¯ll help you reschedule your filming schedule with the production teem,¡± Spencer ennounced end left right efter. He hed just shut the door when endless sounds of things smeshing to the ground reng from the room. Shaking his head wryly, he thought, You want to be Mrs. Nn? With that attitude of yours? Dream on! ¡°Damn it!¡± Cindy knocked everything off the table with onerge sweep of her arm. All her stuff ttered to the ground noisily. ¡°Cindy, calm down. I think the matter isn¡¯t as bad as you imagine.¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Her manager hurriedly consoled her while picking up the stuff from the ground. ¡°Mr. Nn sent his assistant. That means he cares for you. If he doesn¡¯t feel anything for you, he wouldn¡¯t even send his assistant here!¡± Cindy¡¯s face twisted with anger as her cheeks gradually turned crimson. ¡°Why did I pretend to get hurt? For him! But in the end, I got hurt for real, and Mr. Nn didn¡¯t even show up! My n had backfired!¡± ¡°Rumor has it that they are going to get a divorce soon. You¡¯ll get him in no time,¡± Terry revealed this piece of news to Cindy. ¡°I heard Mrs. Nn has already moved out from their current home.¡± ¡°Who did you hear this from?¡± Cindy recalled what she saw in Lucas¡¯ house that day. The woman even ordered Lucas to wash the dishes. Would she step away from him easily? Impossible. She wouldn¡¯t, Cindy decided. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 ¡°Look,¡± Terry showed her a post posted by an entertainment fan page which often released unproven rumors. ¡°There¡¯s only a vague sentence. There are no pictures, too.¡± Cindy pursed her lips. Nevertheless, she felt a lot better after reading that post. Back then, Lucas agreed to attend her birthday party even though he was in front of his wife. That could only mean one thing¡ªhis wife meant nothing to him. So what if he washed the dishes as told? Perhaps it was the woman¡¯s ploy, she thought. Inside the president¡¯s office of Nn Entertainment, a tall figure was seated behind the mahogany desk. Dressed in an expensive bespoke suit and a ck shirt underneath, the man looked elegant and swanky. When he stretched his hands out, his sterling silver cufflinks sparkled under the light. The senior managers of thepany were all standing in front of Lucas quietly. They were usually imposing in public, but each of them lowered their heads fearfully in Lucas¡¯ presence. Why is Mr. Nn here? They wondered. As Lucas had appointed a CEO to run Nn Entertainment, he rarely asked about the entertainment section as he was busy enough running Nn Group. Oh, is he here because of Cindy? He is rumored to be linked romantically to her. Is he here to stand up for his lover? Lucas didn¡¯t know what the senior managers thought about him. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to stay in his office, so he left and wandered around. He had no idea why he ended up at Nn Entertainment. With his head lowered, he flipped through the reports irritatedly. He didn¡¯t even remember how he got home from the hospitalst night. The only thing he could remember was that the bed was freezing, ufortable, annoying and unfamiliar. The image of Ashlyn striding away in her doctor¡¯s coat kept popping up in his head. Lucas suddenly paused as his thoughts started to wander. He wasn¡¯t interested in the report one bit. Best surgeon? How could someone like Ashlyn end up being the best surgeon? Famous doctor? How could that be? If Lucas hadn¡¯t witnessed that scene yesterday, he wouldn¡¯t have believed it even if someone told him about it. However, his ex-wife had just given him a massive p in the face. 15-year-old top scorer? I don¡¯t recall a genius top scorer a few years back. If it¡¯s true, the media would¡¯ve blown it up. Lucas prided himself on his impable memory, but he had no recollection of the top scorer at all. Every year, the media would report the top scorers of the yearly national exams. Everyone wouldvish praises on the intelligent top scorers. Luces didn¡¯t know whet the senior menegers thought ebout him. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to stey in his office, so he left end wendered eround. He hed no idee why he ended up et Nolen Enterteinment. With his heed lowered, he flipped through the reports irritetedly. He didn¡¯t even remember how he got home from the hospitel lest night. The only thing he could remember wes thet the bed wes freezing, uforteble, ennoying end unfemilier. The imege of Ashlyn striding ewey in her doctor¡¯s coet kept popping up in his heed. Luces suddenly peused es his thoughts sterted to wender. He wesn¡¯t interested in the report one bit. Best surgeon? How could someone like Ashlyn end up being the best surgeon? Femous doctor? How could thet be? If Luces hedn¡¯t witnessed thet scene yesterdey, he wouldn¡¯t heve believed it even if someone told him ebout it. However, his ex-wife hed just given him e messive slep in the fece. 15-yeer-old top scorer? I don¡¯t recell e genius top scorer e few yeers beck. If it¡¯s true, the medie would¡¯ve blown it up.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luces prided himself on his impeble memory, but he hed no recollection of the top scorer et ell. Every yeer, the medie would report the top scorers of the yeerlyionel exems. Everyone would levish preises on the intelligent top scorers. He wouldn¡¯t have forgotten about a 15-year-old genius. The media wouldn¡¯t miss the opportunity to report about her, too. But then, the nurse needn¡¯t lie to him. The senior managers started sweating profusely as he had been reading the report for over half an hour. Is there something wrong with the report? Why did he stop at that page for so long? Lucas looked up at the CEO icily. ¡°Have you heard of a 15-year-old genius top scorer in the national exams?¡± ¡°Ah? What?¡± The CEO¡¯s mind went nk and he failed to react in time. The other senior managers were taken aback at their boss¡¯ sudden question. They were in the entertainment division, not the education division! ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve never heard of that, too.¡± Lucas¡¯ dignified expression wavered slightly. ¡°Help me find out the youngest top scorers in the national exams in recent years.¡± I must get to the bottom of this, he decided. ¡°Er, yes. Yes.¡± The CEO wiped off the sweat on his brows and hurriedly ryed Lucas¡¯ order. Ten minutester, the head secretary walked in with a file and handed it to the CEO. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 The atmosphere in the office was too heavy, so the secretary did not dare to stay a moment longer and left. Oh my gosh! The big boss has arrived! Scary! ¡°Mr. Nn, this is the data you requested about the top scorer of the national exams,¡± The CEO reported and passed the report to Lucas. The man started flipping through the document with his long and defined fingers. It had ten pages filled with every top scorer in thest ten years. Nn Entertainment was especially efficient. Thepany would not settle for anything less. ¡°Where¡¯s the top scorer for the sciences in 2013? There¡¯s only the top scorer for the arts here,¡± Lucas demanded as he tapped the table with his finger. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. There isn¡¯t a word about the top scorer for that year all over the inte. Our men can¡¯t find it either. It seems that someone has erased the data to keep him or her anonymous,¡± The CEO answered in a tiny voice. In 2013, Ashlyn was fifteen. Now that it was 2020, she was but twenty-two years old. She had married Lucas when she was eighteen. Four years had passed in the blink of an eye. In H Nation, as long as you were a legal adult, you could get married. Hence, it was not umon to see people starting families at a young age. However, Lucas had no interest in marriage or dating. Don¡¯t tell me the missing data is Ashlyn¡¯s? What methods did she use to keep her information confidential? If it was confidential, then how did the nurse know? The more Lucas thought of it, the more he was confused. He felt frustrated. ¡°Mr. Lowe, I have no choice! My idol has been busy with divorce and won¡¯t write me any songs!¡± A crisp and melodic voice interrupted the heavy mood in the room. He could be heard even before he arrived. A handsome young man opened the door and charged in. Jonathan was stunned when he opened the door. He often frequented the CEO¡¯s office, but he had never seen such a crowd before. Neither had he seen his CEO, Wilson Lowe, standing respectfully before a man in front of his own office. His jaw dropped and queried, ¡°Mr. Lowe, what¡¯s going on? Why are you standing?¡± Wilson was vexed. Damn it, I don¡¯t care if you usually run your mouth carelessly, but the boss is here! Can¡¯t you take a hint? Wilson tried to give Jonathan a signal by winking at him, but it did not register. Jonathan inquired, ¡°Mr. Lowe, your eyes are twitching uncontrobly. Do you need to see a doctor?¡± Wilson was speechless. Someone, anyone, get Jonathan out of here! Lucas¡¯ gaze fell upon this thin young man. He was dressed casually in a white t-shirt, blue jeans, and sneakers. He had an unforgettably handsome face as well. Lucas knew that this man was Nn Entertainment¡¯s pop star, Jonathan Quickton, and he had arge fanbase. The reason for his fame was his melodic tone. It was literally a gift from the heavens. The more Luces thought of it, the more he wes confused. He felt frustreted. ¡°Mr. Lowe, I heve no choice! My idol hes been busy with divorce end won¡¯t write me eny songs!¡± A crisp end melodic voice interrupted the heevy mood in the room. He could be heerd even before he errived. A hendsome young men opened the door end cherged in. Jhen wes stunned when he opened the door. He often frequented the CEO¡¯s office, but he hed never seen such e crowd before. Neither hed he seen his CEO, Wilson Lowe, stending respectfully before e men in front of his own office. His jew dropped end queried, ¡°Mr. Lowe, whet¡¯s going on? Why ere you stending?¡± Wilson wes vexed. Demn it, I don¡¯t cere if you usuelly run your mouth cerelessly, but the boss is here! Cen¡¯t you teke e hint? Wilson tried to give Jhen e signel by winking et him, but it did not register. Jhen inquired, ¡°Mr. Lowe, your eyes ere twitching uncontrollebly. Do you need to see e doctor?¡± Wilson wes speechless. Someone, enyone, get Jhen out of here! Luces¡¯ geze fell upon this thin young men. He wes dressed cesuelly in e white t-shirt, blue jeens, end sneekers. He hed en unforgettebly hendsome fece es well. Luces knew thet this men wes Nolen Enterteinment¡¯s pop ster, Jhen Quickton, end he hed e lerge fenbese. The reeson for his feme wes his melodic tone. It wes literelly e gift from the heevens. As if that was not enough, he had a strong backer in the industry as well. This supporter had singlehandedly written all of his songs and lyrics for him, transforming him from a rising star to one of the top singers in the nation. His albums sold like hot cakes and his fans were everywhere. His songs were loved by the young and old alike and many people loved singing them. Nearly every mall used his songs as background music. Even someone like Lucas who did not pay attention to the entertainment industry knew who he was from a single nce. After he gained fame, Jonathan had received countless offers for endorsements and events. His schedule was filled to the brim. However, he had not released a single album that year. Some people said that he had run out of tricks, while others said that he had a falling out with his backer, Snowstorm. Suddenly, Jonathan turned to stare at the man on the seat as though he was an alien. This man exuded such an authoritative pressure that the carefree and fearless Jonathan gulped as well. In his presence, Jonathan felt somewhat intimidated. However, when he recalled his aim ining here, he greeted the man, ¡°Good day, Mr. Nn.¡± ¡°Why are you looking for the CEO?¡± Lucas questioned expressionlessly. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°My idol, Snowstorm, has been busy with divorce and won¡¯t be writing me any songs for now¡­¡± Chapter 23 Chapter 23 ¡°However, Snowstorm wrote me a script. This script is awesome. I¡¯d like to try my hand at acting instead. I want to be the male lead,¡± Jonathan exined nervously. ¡°You can look for me for small matters like these!¡± Wilson snapped as he dragged Jonathan aside. He suppressed the urge to throw him out and roared, ¡°Mr. Nn is too busy to care if you¡¯ll be acting or not. Get out now! Can¡¯t you tell this is serious?¡± ¡°Mr. Lowe, you¡¯ve never supported my interest in acting. Now that the boss is here, I need to take the opportunity to appeal to him.¡± Jonathan frowned. I can¡¯t possibly rely on Snowstorm for my entire life, can I? What if Snowstorm suddenly stops supporting me? Am I supposed to end my entire career like that? I¡¯m still young and I graduated from Crescent School of Music and Drama! I¡¯ve got good acting and singing skills! When Lucas heard that Snowstorm was getting a divorce as well, he suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of calmness. So I¡¯m not the only one going for a divorce, huh? Even a talent in music like Snowstorm is getting a divorce. Lucas felt better. Snowstorm was renowned in the music industry. Although Snowstorm singlehandedly raised Jonathan into a superstar, the genius¡¯ whereabouts were unknown and no one had seen them before. ording to Jonathan, Snowstorm is good at scriptwriting as well. What a genius. But so what? So what if Snowstorm¡¯s talented? At the end of the day, even a genius is getting a divorce, just like me. Lucas¡¯ twisted way of thinking suddenly gave him a headache. Have I gone mad? What happened to my calmness and rationality? It must¡¯ve been because I learned about Ashlyn¡¯s true identity yesterday. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t keep my emotions in check. He remained expressionless the entire time, so none of the executives could guess what he was thinking. None of them would have guessed that their cool, calm, and aloof boss waspletely flustered. Jonathan carefully observed Lucas¡¯ reaction. Why did he suddenly stop after listening to me? He could not tell what this scary man was thinking about either. He gulped and attempted to talk, but Wilson gave him a re and told Lucas, ¡°Mr. Nn, Jonathan is still young and na?ve. He doesn¡¯t understand how cruel the industry is. If it turns out that his acting isn¡¯t as great as he thinks it to be, it will affect not only thepany¡¯s interests but also his future.¡± He hinted to Jonathan that thepany¡¯s main goal was to gain profit and that he would never approve of this change. Lucas¡¯ train of thought was interrupted by that. He pulled himself together and scanned the room with his cold gaze. Then, hemented, ¡°It¡¯s good that the youth have their own ideas. We shouldn¡¯t limit their growth and development. The new album will consist of a mix of both Snowstorm and Jonathan¡¯s works, with emphasis on Snowstorm. Pass me the script. If it¡¯s well written, we¡¯ll let Jonathan star in it.¡± Luces¡¯ twisted wey of thinking suddenly geve him e heedeche. Heve I gone med? Whet heppened to my celmness end retionelity? It must¡¯ve been beceuse I leerned ebout Ashlyn¡¯s true identity yesterdey. Thet¡¯s why I cen¡¯t keep my emotions in check. He remeined expressionless the entire time, so none of the executives could guess whet he wes thinking. None of them would heve guessed thet their cool, celm, end eloof boss wespletely flustered. Jhen cerefully observed Luces¡¯ reection. Why did he suddenly stop efter listening to me? He could not tell whet this scery men wes thinking ebout either. He gulped end ettempted to telk, but Wilson geve him e glere end told Luces, ¡°Mr. Nolen, Jhen is still young end ne?ve. He doesn¡¯t understend how cruel the industry is. If it turns out thet his ecting isn¡¯t es greet es he thinks it to be, it will effect not only thepeny¡¯s interests but elso his future.¡± He hinted to Jhen thet thepeny¡¯s mein goel wes to gein profit end thet he would never epprove of this chenge. Luces¡¯ trein of thought wes interrupted by thet. He pulled himself together end scenned the room with his cold geze. Then, hemented, ¡°It¡¯s good thet the youth heve their own idees. We shouldn¡¯t limit their growth end development. The new elbum will consist of e mix of both Snowstorm end Jhen¡¯s works, with emphesis on Snowstorm. Pess me the script. If it¡¯s well written, we¡¯ll let Jhen ster in it.¡± ¡°But¡­ Snowstorm is ignoring me,¡± Jonathan whined. I want Snowstorm to continue writing me songs as well, but the guy¡¯s busy! Although he wanted to write songs as well, he knew that the songs he wrote would never match up to Snowstorm¡¯s. He suddenly realized that he could not rely on Snowstorm forever, which motivated him to switch to acting. Many singers were good at acting as well. Now that music albums did not sell as well, he had to forge another path for himself. He could not possibly wait to just slowly fade away. Surprisingly, Lucas had agreed to his ideas as well. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Perfect! However, he suddenly lost confidence as well and was overwhelmed by nervousness. None of my songs has been written by myself before! I can¡¯t be sure if this will work out! Jonathan was conflicted. ¡°If he isn¡¯t free, then find a way to make him free.¡± Lucas frowned. ¡°Well then, that¡¯s that. Send me the script for now.¡± Chapter 24 Chapter 24 He got up, buttoned the second button of his zer, and walked out the door. His assistant, Spencer, followed close behind him. This is from N?velDrama.Org. A bunch of executives followed suit. The CEO heaved a sigh of relief. The boss has finally finished his inspection. He suggested, ¡°Mr. Nn, it¡¯s going to be noon soon. I made a lunch reservation at Imperial Hotel.¡± Imperial Hotel was the most premium hotel in the city. The top floor had a revolving restaurant that was frequented by the rich. However, it was extremely difficult to get a reservation there. ¡°No need,¡± the man replied indifferently as he walked away. The CEO turned to Spencer for help. The boss rarelyes to Nn Entertainment. Surely he can stay for a meal at least. Everyone feared this important man, but at the same time, it was a great honor to have a meal together with Lucas. They would be able to brag about it for an entire year. Although the employees had worked for the Nn Group, they did not have many opportunities to meet Lucas. Even when they did, it would be in a meeting filled with other executives. Even though Wilson was the CEO and the highest-ranking man in Nn Entertainment, he was simply a big fish in a small pond. He would not let such a rare opportunity slip. This isn¡¯t just any ordinary man! He¡¯s the boss of the Nn Group, the man in charge of South Star Airlines, as well as the first captain of South Star Airlines, Lucas Nn! Everyone in H Nation knows him! He¡¯s so powerful and rich that even the president has to treat him with respect! Spencer understood what the executives were thinking, but he was just an assistant. He could not affect the boss¡¯ decisions either. However, he had to at least try. ¡°Mr. Nn, it¡¯s difficult to get a reservation at Imperial Hotel. I¡¯m sure Mr. Lowe has put in a lot of effort into this.¡± Lucas stepped out of the elevator and walked out in amanding aura. His calm and aloof eyes were especially frightening and struck fear into the hearts of others. Many female employees and stars stole quick nces at him but did not dare to stare. He¡¯s scary! Of course, everyone¡¯s afraid of him, he¡¯s the boss! Ah, he¡¯s so handsome! What a waste though, I heard he¡¯s married. I wonder if Mrs. Nn is scared of him as well? All of them had an innate fear of Lucas. Hence, they felt that Mrs. Nn must have been the same way. Mrs. Nn is probably on her knees all the time at home. Kneeling while walking, kneeling while cooking, and kneeling while scrubbing the floor¡­ Then again, with the wealth and status of the Nn family, it¡¯s probably worth it! Lucas strode out of the lobby. The sun was unbearably hot and on days like these, his house would stock up on cold drinks and ice-cream made by chefs from Imperial Hotel. Only the best ingredients from the top chefs from Imperial Hotel would be used. Ashlyn loved such desserts and would often invite him to join in as well. When she left, the home became nothing more than a house. Suddenly, Lucas stopped and replied, ¡°Imperial Hotel.¡± The boss agreed? The CEO, who was worried up till a moment ago, was overjoyed and instructed the executives behind him, ¡°What are you guys waiting for? Let¡¯s go!¡± The executives had already lost hope and did not expect Lucas to change his mind. They were nearly brought to tears by this. We must really be lucky today! We managed to get a chance to have lunch with Mr. Nn! A few luxury cars, led by a Bentley, headed for Imperial Hotel. At Imperial Hotel¡¯s revolving restaurant. It was extremely difficult to get a reservation there. The restaurant was decorated in a refined and extravagant manner and had a good ambience. It felt like it was a different realm altogether. The entire restaurant was filled with a peaceful and romantic atmosphere. A woman in a light, purple-colored round-neck knee-length dress was seated in a corner of the restaurant. She had a cream-colored cardigan over the dress, making her look graceful and pure. Her silky ck hair had been tied into a bun and she did not wear any essories other than two ruby- adorned earrings. The earrings had tassels attached, so when she looked down or turned around, the earrings would gently brush against her face. Almost all eyes turned towards her beautiful face. She was outstandingly beautiful. In fact, she was more beautiful than any other woman they had seen before. Jared rushed over, drenched in sweat. When he took a seat opposite Ashlyn, his worried expression contrasted with her beautiful poise. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 He took a napkin from the table and wiped his sweat while grumbling, ¡°What a hot day. I just came from the office and I¡¯m already drenched in sweat.¡± Ashlyn nced at him with an aloof gaze. She had a naturally intimidating presence. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have worn something so suffocating,¡± she teased. ¡°I¡¯m the CEO of your Centennial Healthcare. I can¡¯t possibly show up at work in casual wear,¡± Jared groaned. His breath was taken away when he saw Ashlyn. The boss looks great in whatever she¡¯s wearing. Ah, it makes me feel so ashamed. ¡°I¡¯ve ordered everything you like here,¡± Ashlyn changed the subject and gestured for a waiter. The waiter inquired, ¡°Ms. Berry, is there anything I can help you with?¡± Ashlyn ordered, ¡°You may serve the main course now.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sure, in a minute.¡± ¡°Boss, what do you n to do after the divorce?¡± Jared asked as he took a sip of red wine. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve found a job,¡± Ashlyn replied coolly. ¡°Pfft!¡± Jared spat a mouthful of wine out. Thankfully, Ashlyn had good reflexes and avoided it. She red at Jared, ¡°Hey, Mr. CEO, shouldn¡¯t you upkeep your image in public?¡± ¡°Excuse me. I mean, aren¡¯t you busy enough as it is? You¡¯ve found a job? What job is it?¡± Jared wiped his mouth as he called for a waiter to help clean up the mess he made. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about itter,¡± Ashlyn answered. She had lost her appetite thanks to Jared and instructed, ¡°Pass me the proposal for the partnership.¡± Jared should consider himself lucky that the food hasn¡¯t been served yet. Otherwise, I¡¯ll kill him. For convenience, Jared took a seat beside Ashlyn as they discussed the details. When Lucas and his men entered the restaurant, they saw Jared and Ashlyn engrossed in a discussion side by side. Lucas¡¯ face fell and the temperature in the restaurant dropped by at least ten degrees. When the executives saw their boss¡¯ expression, they started to panic. What¡¯s up with the boss? Does he hate Imperial Hotel? Oh my gosh, he¡¯s like a walking air-conditioner now. Scary! Everyone cast a pitiful gaze toward Spencer. It must be tough being his assistant. Spencer was speechless. They took a seat at a rectangr table with Lucas sitting at one end and the executives sitting on either side. Everyone was worried and wondered what the boss was thinking. When Spencer noticed Ashlyn from afar, he suddenly realized what was going on. No wonder he¡¯s so angry. We ran into Mrs. Nn! Ashlyn was especially sensitive to people looking at her and could identify Lucas¡¯ cold re almost immediately. She looked up and locked eyes with him. Lucas¡¯ gaze darkened and his handsome face exuded a harsh chill. Ashlyn raised an eyebrow. We really run into each other everywhere, don¡¯t we? We¡¯re already divorced, but we still run into each other during lunch. Jared noticed that Ashlyn was not responding to him and followed her gaze to see Lucas. He sneered and headed toward Lucas, greeting him, ¡°Well, well, well, if it isn¡¯t Mr. Nn.¡± Although Centennial Healthcare had been progressing well in recent years and both of them were the people in charge of their respective organizations, Jared still had cold feet in front of Lucas. He was smiling on the outside but cursing his luck internally. Does this man even have facial muscles? How can he look so grumpy all the time? How did the boss survive four years of being married to him? No wonder she wants a divorce. ¡°Mr. Quickton, are you here for a meal with your girlfriend? Want to join us?¡± Lucas offered. He remained as expressionless as ever, but his words were shocking nheless. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Wait, I didn¡¯t know Centennial Healthcare and Nn Group do business together. Why is the boss inviting Jared for lunch? Is this in preparation for some future coboration? But the boss doesn¡¯t look happy to see Jared at all! Only one man understood the situation- Spencer. Mr. Nn is too awkward when ites to these matters. What¡¯s the point of doing it in such a roundabout manner? Just invite Ashlyn over directly! As Lucas¡¯ official interpreter and S-tier support unit, Spencer got up and intended to invite Ashlyn over himself. Lucas¡¯ cold gaze swept over him and queried, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Spencer¡¯s face flushed red and nced at Lucas. I¡¯m going to get Ashlyn over, that¡¯s what! However, what came out was, ¡°I¡¯d like to use the washroom.¡± And thus, the support unit left the room. Jared then asked for Ashlyn¡¯s opinion before bringing her to Lucas¡¯ table. He replied, ¡°Thanks for the invitation, Mr. Nn. We¡¯ll join you for lunch, then.¡± Jared was sharp and knew that he could not afford to refuse the invitation in front of so many executives. Ashlyn headed to a seat at the opposite end of the table, far away from Lucas. However, a certain stone-faced individual spoke, ¡°It¡¯s too cold there. Take a seat beside me.¡± Oh my gosh, what did I just hear? The boss invited Jared¡¯s partner to sit with him? What on earth is going on? Isn¡¯t the boss married? Wilson and the other executives turned their eyes to Ashlyn. She¡¯s a top-ss beauty! None of the people I¡¯ve seen before are as pretty as she is, and I¡¯m working in an entertainmentpany! None of the girls in Nn Entertainment can match up to her! Especially that aloof look in her eyes. Where have I seen that look before? That¡¯s right, it¡¯s the same cold re as the boss¡¯! ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, Mr. Nn.¡± Ashlyn turned around to look at Lucas. As she turned around, her hair brushed past her face, entuating her defined features. The tassels on her earrings danced in the wind. There was a lively expression in her eyes, as though she was a fairy living in the forest. Lucas demanded, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going toe over?¡± He could not disguise the impatience and helplessness in his tone. Sure, we¡¯re divorced, but we don¡¯t have to be married to sit next to each other, right? Must you really coddle up to Jared the moment we get divorced? Earlier, when Lucas mentioned that she was Jared¡¯s girlfriend, Jared had not denied it. Lucas held a grudge and was frustrated when she took a seat with Jared. Even if they were divorced, he would not allow any other men to set their sights on Ashlyn, at least not for now. The crowd got excited, as though something big was going to happen. They were all screaming internally. Oh my goodness! I can¡¯t believe that there¡¯s a woman in this world who can resist the boss¡¯ charm! The boss had to ask twice! Ashlyn responded, ¡°This seat is fine.¡± ¡°The honey chicken drumlets are over here.¡± Lucas casually gestured at the tempting te of chicken drumlets right in front of him. Ashlyn was a good cook and a gourmet. Hence, she would not be able to resist good food. After four years of marriage, Lucas naturally knew what her favorite food was. Everyone was speechless. The boss even knows what thisdy¡¯s favorite food is! What on earth is their rtionship? Didn¡¯t the boss just say she is Jared¡¯s girlfriend? Some of them had already started imagining a love triangle plot on par with some third-rated romance novels. Spencer, who had returned from his forced pilgrimage to the restroom, came back in time to hear Lucas say that. Tsk, tsk. Mr. Nn, why haven¡¯t you invited her back to your side yet? You¡¯re not getting anywhere at this rate! Just as Spencer was grumbling about Lucas¡¯ inefficiency, Ashlyn got up and took a seat beside Lucas. That seat was supposed to be Spencer¡¯s. Spencer continued walking to Ashlyn¡¯s original seat as though he had sat there since the very beginning. The executives¡¯ thoughts started to wander. Is Jared really ok about this? His girlfriend just took a seat beside the boss! Doesn¡¯t he feel his pride being hurt at all? Jared simply smirked. I¡¯m not important enough to influence my boss¡¯ decisions! However, he felt ufortable watching Ashlyn leave all the same. Why am I feeling this way? In the past, they were legally wedded, so there¡¯s nothing I can say about that. Now that they¡¯re divorced, why is Lucas clinging to my boss like this? When will it be my turn to get some attention? Argh! Lucas then shot a taunting look toward Jared. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 However, Ashlyn caught that look in his eye. What a childish man! Why have I never noticed that such a rational and powerful man acts like such a child sometimes? I can¡¯t believe this. Even the simplest actions such as eating were done so gracefully by Ashlyn that she looked like a goddess. All of the executives, and even the other nearby patrons, found themselves captivated by her. Lucas¡¯ triumphant expression turned to one of annoyance. Ever since his divorce, his temper had be unpredictable. He had known that Ashlyn was beautiful this entire time. However, in the past, Ashlyn had acted like a doll. She was pretty to look at, but she did not look lifelike and attractive. However, after the divorce, Ashlyn was a master seductress! Lucas had known this entire time that Ashlyn had not shown him her true self and had been putting on a fa?ade for the entire four years of their marriage. Now that they had divorced, she simply felt no need to continue putting up an act. Am I a failure of a husband, or is Ashlyn too good of an actress? Ashlyn raised her fair hand elegantly and signaled for a waiter toe over. She ordered, ¡°I¡¯d like a banana split.¡± Lucas suddenly whispered into her ear, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be having that on your period.¡± Ashlyn was caught off-guard and bowed her head down low to hide her embarrassment. She shot back with her face flushed, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you can count the days of the month so well, Mr. Nn.¡± We¡¯re already divorced! Why does he still remember when I¡¯m on my period? What exactly is this man up to? He¡¯s a pervert! Lucas then straightened up and replied in his aloof demeanor, ¡°I happen to be good at mathematics.¡± The banana split was Imperial Hotel¡¯s signature ice-cream. It was delicious and had an exquisite appearance. Once the ice-cream was served, before Ashlyn could dig in, Lucas ordered the waiter to remove it off the table. ¡°I-I¡¯m terribly sorry, M-Mr. Nn,¡± the waiter stammered. ¡°I can¡¯t take this away. Ms. Berry ordered this.¡± ¡°We¡¯re the ones paying here,¡± Wilson quipped. Oh my gosh, Imperial Hotel sure is something. How dare they refuse the boss like that! ¡°Sir, it doesn¡¯t matter who¡¯s paying here. We only take orders from Ms. Berry.¡± The waiter bowed and left. What do you mean by that? Ashlyn smiled. ¡°Never mind, I¡¯m done here. Jared, let¡¯s go.¡± What? This woman speaks so casually to the CEO of Centennial Healthcare? It¡¯s as though she¡¯s ordering her pet around! The scariest part was when Jared wiped his mouth and got up, following behind her like he was actually her dog. He offered, ¡°I¡¯ll get your bag.¡± Just like that, the woman passed her bag to Jared and strutted off as though she was the queen. To theirplete shock, when this woman got up, all of the staff in the restaurant, including the manager, got up to send her off at the elevator and chimed in unison, ¡°Have a great day, Ms. Berry!¡± This loud gesture attracted everyone¡¯s gazes. Even the boss didn¡¯t receive such treatment! Meanwhile, Lucas had a grim expression. Darn it! This woman¡­ I really want to pin her down and screw her over now! We¡¯ve only been divorced for a few days and she¡¯s already fawning all over Jared and going everywhere with him! No one dared to say anything to Lucas for fear of incurring his wrath. They had been looking forward to this meal, but now, all they wanted to do was leave. When the meal had finally ended, all of them heaved a sigh of relief. Original from N?velDrama.Org. The moment Lucas stepped into the elevator, a few executives headed to the washroom. One of the younger men was curious and asked a passing waiter, ¡°Why do all of you act so courteously toward Ms. Berry?¡± The moment Ashlyn was mentioned, the waiter¡¯s face lit up with a smile filled with respect. ¡°We¡¯re all used to treating Ms. Berry this way.¡± ¡°But why?¡± the executive inquired. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Imperial Hotel¡¯s boss¡¯ identity has been kept secret all this while. Some say that he¡¯s a man in his fifties, while others say that he¡¯s a rich young man. Don¡¯t tell me Ms. Berry is the boss¡¯ lover? ¡°Life¡¯s great because of her!¡± The waiter exined and walked away in a good mood. He looked truly happy when Ashlyn was mentioned. However, this only made the executive more confused. He turned to his colleagues and inquired, ¡°What¡¯s the deal with Ms. Berry? If she really is the lover of the boss here, the employees won¡¯t be this happy to see her, right?¡± ¡°He might as well as not have answered your question!¡± Another executive chimed in. ¡°Ms. Berry sure is beautiful though. If I weren¡¯t married, I¡¯d like to court her as well.¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. Careful not to let the boss hear you.¡± Ashlyn left the restaurant and got into Jared¡¯s car. ¡°Where to?¡± Jared queried. Ashlyn blinked slowly and replied, ¡°Send me home.¡± Jared frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to work?¡± She did say that she got a new job, didn¡¯t she? Ashlyn raised an eyebrow and nced at her phone, ¡°I¡¯m working from home.¡± Five minutes ago, she had received a message. Half an hourter, Ashlyn headed into her own room. Although Jared was curious as to what she was working as, he knew that it was impossible to find out if Ashlyn did not want to tell him.This is from N?velDrama.Org. He drove back to the office. Ashlyn took a bath, changed into loungewear, brought herptop to the soft rug, and sat down. She then linked her phone to theputerwork. Naturally, she had not used her phone number to contact the other party, but a specially encrypted method. She activated a voice altering software and made a voice call. This resulted in her speaking in a cold male voice, ¡°What¡¯s the case about?¡± ¡°Zero, the other party is offering half a million for this. Will you ept?¡± A middle-aged male voice replied. It was Ashlyn¡¯s partner, Quiet Forest. Ashlyn had worked with this organization for four years and they trusted each other with their lives. ¡°Sure, why not,¡± Ashlyn chuckled. ¡°Who put up this request? Send me his details as well as the details of the job.¡± ¡°Alright, Zero,¡± Quiet Forest replied. After a brief pause, he continued, ¡°The other party has kept his details confidential.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? Looks like he doesn¡¯t want us to find out who he is.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyes narrowed. Well, it couldn¡¯t be easier for me to find out. She did not think too deeply into this and responded, ¡°Send me the case then.¡± ¡°This is a tricky case that requires your IP tracking skills. Zero, if you¡¯re willing to help, thousands of people will benefit from it.¡± ¡°You tter me,¡± Ashlyn replied. ¡°Tell the other party that I¡¯ll be done with it in three days. After that, she hung up. Two minutester, she received a data file. It was a simple case that required her to investigate the driver of a hit-and-run ident. However, he was no ordinary man. He was a property developer and had fled before his project waspleted. His employees had quit because they did not receive their pay on time. The construction workers had worked hard but were not paid a single cent. Ashlyn took a deep breath. The other party has given me this man¡¯s basic information and requested me to catch this man using my skills. Quiet Forest wasn¡¯t exaggerating when he said that I¡¯d be able to help thousands of people. Ashlyn sighed. Since I took up this case, I¡¯ll see it through and make sure these workers get their hard- earned money. It was a dark night. The pitch-ck street was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. A shady man quietly popped his head out of a dustbin. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 He smelled rancid. It was the tenth day since he had fled to Eastern Europe. These ten days, he had remained in contact with the local mafia boss and asked him to keep an eye out for houses nearby. After hiding for ten days, he heaved a sigh of relief. Looks like there isn¡¯t anyone looking for me after all. He prepared to look for an unpopr motel to take a bath and spend the night. Ever since he fled the country, he escaped to Singapore, then to Thand, before finally arriving in Eastern Europe. Half a year has passed since then. Surely my trail has gone cold. Looks like my patience in hiding has paid off. As the man thought of this, he dusted his clothes and looked for a small motel using his phone¡¯s map. After taking a shower, he phoned the local mafia boss, ¡°How¡¯s the search for a house? I want a vi and it must have at least a pool, a garage, and a garden.¡± ¡°Yes, money is not an issue.¡± ¡°At least three floors in the main building.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be waiting for your good news then.¡± The man had not slept this well in a long time. So what if I knocked over someone? I already offered to pay, but the family insisted on suing me and sending me to prison. The worst part is that although that family is poor, their son has graduated from some police academy. Now, I have no choice but to flee the country. Thank goodness I haven¡¯tpleted the project at hand yet. Now, I have all the money I¡¯ll ever need to live a luxurious life. As he thought of this, the man slowly drifted off to sleep. Unbeknownst to him, there was a woman tracking him using highly advanced hacking skills. * Ashlyn worked through the night and only turned off herptop when the sun was up. She rubbed her dry eyes and leaped into herrge andfortable bed. Before she could get much sleep, her phone rang. Ashlyn suppressed her irritation and answered, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Are you ir¡¯s sister-inw?¡± A casual voice called out from the other end of the phone. Ashlyn jumped out of bed. She was not in a good mood after being awoken from her sleep. ¡°What¡¯s happened to him?¡± ¡°ir beat my brother up. How do you think I should deal with him?¡± The man demanded in a furious tone. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What about it?¡± Ashlyn scoffed. How should you deal with him? I can¡¯t be bothered, honestly, but I won¡¯t let you off for disturbing my rest! She had a terrible mood after being woken up, especially since she had just hit the bed after working through the night. In fact, she was in a trigger-happy state and would shoot anyone who dared to disturb her. ¡°Do you know who I am? No one can afford to offend the Jaquin family!¡± Winsor Jaquin spat haughtily. He had heard that Lucas was married, but he kept his wife secret from the rest of the world. He was determined to get Lucas¡¯ wife in his bed. Since ir dared to beat up my brother, he¡¯ll have to pay the price. If he can¡¯t pay the price, well, I¡¯ll just have to settle for his sister-inw. ir was tied up and pinned onto the ground. He roared at Winsor, ¡°Who told you to call that woman? She¡¯s not my sister-inw!¡± ¡°Is that so? Why is she saved as ¡®My Sister-inw¡¯ on your phone then? What, is that your pet name for your lover?¡± Winsorughed at his own joke and stamped on ir¡¯s fingers. ir felt excruciating pain, but he would die before he yelled in pain in front of the Jaquin family. ¡°The Jaquin family is despicable! Your brother Tinsor has been bullying his ssmates and your family is covering up for him!¡± ¡°Winsor, don¡¯t waste your breath with him. If you ask me, we should beat him up and send him to the Nn family to shame Lucas Nn,¡± Tinsor spat, his face still bruised from ir beating him up. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 The Jaquin and Nn families had been at odds for a long time. The former started out as a triad and had whitewashed themselves to be a sessful enterprise, resulting in the Jaquin Group. Both families had fought over many matters such as vying over resources, capital, andnd. So, it wasn¡¯t surprising that ir and Tinsor never got along as ssmates. The Land Rover drove all the way to the Jaquin residence. Ashlyn got off. At this point, several cars that had been left in the dust finally caught up with her and dozens of burly men dressed in ck got off. She was still wearing a pair of red slippers she usually wore indoors. Ashlyn¡¯s subordinate, Anderson could not help but inquire, ¡°Boss, what are you going to do?¡± The boss said nothing and sped all the way here from the vi! Something¡¯s got to be up! ¡°Ah, nothing much. I just thought I¡¯d deliver some punishment to a man who disturbed my sleep,¡± Ashlyn growled as she red at the overcast sky. The grip on her whip tightened. Then, she strode into the Jaquin Residence. Anderson stared at her and could not make head or tail of what was going on. He nudged Harrison and queried, ¡°Hey Harrison, is this Jaquin family full of nutcases or something? How did they offend the boss?¡± ¡°Anderson, the boss looks livid. She hates being woken from her sleep,¡± Harrison smirked. Anderson and Harrison were twins and had worked for Ashlyn the entire time. In the four years the boss was married, she had lived in the Nn family, so they had not seen her in action for a long time. Both of them were itching to see some action. ¡°Where¡¯s Winsor?¡± Ashlyn demanded. The Jaquin family was influential and not many people dared to call out Winsor¡¯s name right off the bat. Winsor and Tinsor were the only members of the Jaquin family for their generation and Winsor was head of the family. He had four older brothers and sisters, but all of them had died young due to illnesses or gang wars. Only he and Tinsor were left. Most people knew that the Jaquin family had a mafia background and would address him respectfully as ¡®Master Winsor¡¯ or ¡®Mr. Jaquin¡¯. The guard was stunned to hear Ashlyn call Winsor by his name and inquired, ¡°Ma¡¯am, do you have an appointment?¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re strict with visitors, huh?¡± Ashlyn scoffed. ¡°Get your ass there and tell Winsor I¡¯m here for ir.¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re ir¡¯s sister-inw?¡± the security guard asked in shock. So the rumors are true then? Lucas really has a wife he hides from the public eye? Aren¡¯t richdies supposed to wear branded goods and high heels? Mrs. Nn is¡­ unique? She¡¯s wearing flip-flops and cartoon-themed loungewear! She¡¯s married into a rich family, but she sure doesn¡¯t act like it. The security guard hurriedly dialed the inte and reported, ¡°Sir, ir¡¯s sister-inw is here.¡± He could not be sure that this woman was indeed Mrs. Nn, so he could only call her as ¡®ir¡¯s sister-inw¡¯. ¡°You may enter.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± The security guard was ttered. This richdy is different from the rest after all. She even thanked me! Just as Harrison and Anderson were about to enter, the security guard stopped them. ¡°Master Winsor has only allowed her in.¡± ¡°Aw, looks like we¡¯ll miss the show this time,¡± Anderson whined. ¡°Too bad. Better luck next time.¡± Harrison shook his head. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. By then, Ashlyn had arrived in the living room. The Jaquin family was rich and spared no expense when it came to decor. There was a young man tied up in the middle of the living room floor. The man was around twenty years of age. His forehead was injured and blood was seeping out of his lips. However, that had not affected his looks in any way. His eyes were sharp and his nose was defined. He red at Ashlyn impatiently. ¡°What did youe here for? Are you here tough at me?¡± ir snapped. Ashlyn had lived a good life after marrying his brother. ir had seen enough of such materialistic women and were sickened by them. ¡°I¡¯m not here to save you, at the very least,¡± Ashlyn scoffed. ir choked, ¡°Then what are you here for?¡± He looked up and met Ashlyn¡¯s cold gaze. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 This woman came in cartoon-themed loungewear and red slippers? He had seen Ashlyn in the Nn residence multiple times. Every time, she was dolled up and dressed to the nines with thetest branded goods. Her outfits always screamed ¡®I¡¯m rich!¡¯. Why has she dressed this way today? She even has an eerily calm expression¡­ ¡°Woman, don¡¯t think you¡¯re a big deal just because you¡¯re married to my brother!¡± ir dered in a fit of rage. Ashlyn stared at him coldly as though he was a stranger. ir felt an inexplicably strange feeling. It¡¯s like Ashlyn¡¯s a different woman from when she was at the Nn residence. I¡¯ve mocked her countless times, but she¡¯s done nothing but smiled in return. Why the sudden change now? ¡°Mrs. Nn, I presume?¡± Winsor queried indignantly. He did not appreciate the fact that he had been ignored. He was a burly man with a ferocious expression. Although he was not ugly, he did not look like a nice person. ¡°I¡¯m not Mrs. Nn. Were you the one who called me earlier?¡± Ashlyn asked Winsor expressionlessly. This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I called ir¡¯s sister-inw. You¡¯re his sister-inw, but you¡¯re not Mrs. Nn?¡± Winsor demanded. He felt that this woman was toying with him. Crack! Ashlyn¡¯s whip struck the ground beneath Winsor¡¯s feet. Winsor retreated intuitively. This woman and her moves¡­ Winsor¡¯s arrogant expression was reced with one of anger. ir waspletely taken aback as well. Is this really the Ashlyn I knew? I always thought Ashlyn is someone who wouldn¡¯t fight back even when bullied! ¡°You¡¯ll have to pay the price for disturbing my rest.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyes widened and turned into a cold re. It struck fear into one¡¯s heart but was charming at the same time. Winsor was stunned. He was a powerful man in Lake City and his bodyguards were all intimidating. When he left home, everyone who met him treated him like a king. Only a few important men in Lake City did not fear him. Who dares to assault me with a whip? No one in Lake City has the guts to do so! Who is this woman? She has no respect for the Jaquin family at all! Winsor got up and stood at his full height of a hundred and eighty-five centimeters. He glowered at Ashlyn. This woman is young, has a sharp gaze, and defined features. Even if she is in loungewear, she is extremely beautiful. What a waste that she has such a bad temper for a pretty face! ¡°Winsor, you¡¯ve got to teach ir a good lesson! Ouch, my mouth!¡± An arrogant voice sounded from the second floor. A man around the same age as ir had walked down the staircase while rubbing his jaw. However, the moment he came down, he was stunned. What¡¯s going on? ¡°So you started this, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ashlyn snapped at Tinsor. She showed no change in expression as she raised a hand and whipped him. The whip struck Tinsor¡¯s calf, bringing him down to his knees and shrieking in pain. ¡°You wench, how dare you hit me?¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯t fight with ir, I wouldn¡¯t have been disturbed from my sleep!¡± Ashlyn exined angrily. ir was taken aback and squirmed backwards. However, that was not enough to avoid Ashlyn¡¯s whip. Snap! Ashlyn had stricken ir¡¯s back. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 ir scowled. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely get my brother to divorce you!¡± Winsor was fuming and watched as both of them were hit by Ashlyn¡¯s whip. ir was one thing; he was tied up and could not dodge. However, Tinsor had learned martial arts before. He was skilled enough to capture ir! Yet, Tinsor did not manage to avoid the whip as well. He screamed, ¡°Winsor, help me!¡± Winsor charged towards Ashlyn and grabbed her whip. Ashlyn simply smirked and deflected his attack. Winsor was dumbfounded. I used fifty percent of my strength back there! An ordinary woman would have broken down in tears with twenty percent! This woman managed to deflect my attack like it was nothing! Winsor lunged forward again, but Ashlyn was faster. She struck Winsor with her palm, sending him crashing against the coffee table. The marble coffee table crumbled upon impact. Ashlyn dusted the non-existent debris off her hands and threatened, ¡°I hope the three of you will learn your lesson today. Don¡¯t disturb my rest in the future.¡± She then turned to leave. As she reached the door, she nced at ir, who was lying on the floor. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to leave as well?¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ir was taken aback. He swallowed, scrambled to a standing position, and hopped after Ashlyn. She hit me! Even Lucas hasn¡¯t hit me before¡­ But, she¡¯s taking me away as well¡­ What on earth is going on? ir was still shocked at the turn of events. Ashlyn knows how to fight with a whip and managed to send someone like Winsor flying with a single hit! Is this a stunt double? His brain could not process what was going on. Tinsor hurriedly got up and helped Winsor up. When the security guards heard themotion in the living room, they rushed to their aid. ¡°Master Winsor!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Winsor, are you alright?¡± Tinsor asked. He had not expected his brother, whom he thought was the strongest in the world, to be defeated by a woman in a single strike. He still felt giddy. Looks like I didn¡¯t lose in vain after all. Even my brother lost! I¡¯m no match for her! ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Winsor replied. How could I, the heir to the mafia family of the Jaquins, have lost to a woman? I grew up getting into fights! Just who is she? She¡¯s saved as a ¡®sister-inw¡¯ in ir¡¯s contacts but she said that she¡¯s not Mrs. Nn and not his sister-inw either. Interesting¡­ His waist had gone numb from the impact. However, that was of secondary importance. Who on earth is that woman? ¡°Winsor, are we just going to let them off like that?¡± Tinsor stared at the door. He could hear ir screaming from the gate, ¡°Hey, untie me!¡± This was followed by a female voice mocking him, ¡°Mr. ir Nn, since you¡¯re so great at getting into fights, surely a few ropes won¡¯t be able to hold you down.¡± The sound of ir hopping then filled the entire corridor. When Tinsor heard that, his mood improved significantly. ¡°Let them go,¡± Winsor instructed the guards. ¡°No need to hold them back.¡± After all, he could not possibly admit to his men that he lost to a woman and had to get them to gang up on her. Even if they did not despise him for that, he would look down upon himself. * As ir hopped behind Ashlyn, his newfound fondness towards her had disappeared without a trace. This damn woman won¡¯t untie me! Chapter 33 Chapter 33 ir hopped behind Ashlyn in a sorry state. Argh, she¡¯ll be the death of me! Ashlyn quickly strode out of the Jaquin Residence. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± Anderson and Harrison quickly asked her out of concern. ¡°Of course she¡¯s fine. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s suffering!¡± ir whined softly. Ashlyn ignored them and instructed the twins, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The moment she said that, ir yelled, ¡°Lucas! Lucas!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He had never felt like seeing Lucas so much in his life. A Bentley slowly pulled over at the Jaquin residence. A tall man got off the car and red icily at ir, then at Ashlyn. The sunshine spilling on her fair skin gave her a natural glow. She was unbelievably stunning! ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s Lucas.¡± ¡°He looks better than in the photos.¡± ¡°Well, he looks cold and scary. Good thing the boss divorced him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The twins had been gossiping in what they thought were hushed whispers, but even the security guard could hear them. These two idiots! Ashlyn red at them and signaled for them to shut up. This gesture had attracted Lucas¡¯ attention. He scrutinized the two men with simr looks and bright expressions. They somewhat resembled Jared. First Jared, now these two? Lucas was filled with an uncontroble rage. Does this woman like these types of men? Those who can¡¯t keep their mouths shut? Tell me she has better taste than that. ¡°Lucas, help untie me!¡± ir squealed worriedly. Why is Lucas staring at that wretched woman and ignoring me? Lucas did not even give ir a second nce and demanded, ¡°Stop whining! You picked this fight!¡± Spencer was about to untie ir but stopped in his tracks. Mr. ir, you heard him. ir was astounded. Lucas and I have never been close and I¡¯ve always lived in fear of him. It¡¯s impossible to live happily under the shadow of this genius. I look like aplete moronpared to him! ¡°Why are you here?¡± Lucas questioned Ashlyn. He scrutinized Ashlyn and realized that she was wearing red flip-flops and cartoon-themed pajamas. In the past, she would only wear silk pajamas in front of him. He had never seen her in such cheap attire before. In the past, she would only wear branded slippers. Lucas red at the Jaquin residence. There was a ruckus inside and the door was left wide open. Within minutes, he saw Winsor being supported into the car by two security guards. What¡¯s going on? How did Ashlyn bring ir out from Winsor¡¯s clutches in one piece? Impossible! Lucas refused to believe the circumstantial evidence. Just as he was about to ask what happened, Ashlyn grumbled, ¡°Lucas, we¡¯re already divorced, so please get your brother to delete my contact number from his phone.¡± ¡°Did Winsor do anything to you?¡± Lucas ignored the question. This woman has been stirring up a lot of trouble in just a few days after the divorce. He was frustrated. At this point, Winsor¡¯s car drove out of the vi. He wound down the window to see Ashlyn and Lucas side by side. ¡°I¡¯ll remember this!¡± Winsor spat at Ashlyn. This chick is beautiful alright. Even when standing beside someone as handsome as Lucas, she doesn¡¯t look inferior in any way. To hell with this couple! Lucas thought Winsor was going to talk to him, but to his surprise, his words were directed at Ashlyn. Ashlyn smirked. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve experienced something unforgettable today.¡± Winsor choked and could not find the words to respond. Lucas¡¯ face fell and bellowed, ¡°Mr. Jaquin, how should I settle the score with you for abducting my brother?¡± Chapter 34 Chapter 34 ¡°Mr. Nn, my brother has been severely injured by this woman and I have to send him to the hospital!¡± Winsor refused to admit that he lost to a woman. ¡°Severely injured by who?¡± Lucas gasped. This woman used to be too weak to open a bottlecap on her own! How could she beat Tinsor up? Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Mr. Jaquin, pleasee up with a more believable excuse next time.¡± ¡°Lucas¡­ He isn¡¯t lying. I was hit too. Lucas, Ashlyn is too much, she whipped me so hard it hurts!¡± ir protested in his pseudo-sushi-roll state. He felt pain everywhere. Thus, he had hoped for his brother to divorce that woman. Tinsor waspletely taken in by the way Ashlyn beat up Winsor and kept ying the scene back in his mind. He had be Ashlyn¡¯s fan. When he heard Lucas express his disbelief at Ashlyn¡¯s feats, he stuck his head out of the window and shouted, ¡°That¡¯s right! Mr. Nn, my brother was beaten to a pulp by her! She was like, bam, then she sent my brother crashing into the coffee table with one hit! And then, boom, my marble coffee table worth hundreds of thousands just shattered like ss!¡± Winsor felt like burying his head inside a hole. I¡¯m finished! Argh, my reputation has been ruined by this dumb brother of mine! Can I get a refund for a younger brother? His pride was shattered in front of Lucas. Even though he tried to cover up the fact, his own brother announced it to the entire world at a voice eight times louder than his, as though he wanted everyone in the world to know. Can I sacrifice my brother in the name of justice? Ashlyn? Beat Winsor up? Lucas shuddered to imagine the scene. ¡°You¡­¡± Lucas struggled to find his voice. ¡°You beat up Tinsor, Winsor, and ir?¡± ir aside, the Jaquin brothers were involved in the underworld and hence skilled fighters. ¡°Why do you ask? Do you want to get revenge for them?¡± Ashlyn queried as she blinked. Winsor was captivated when she saw her beautiful eyelids moving so gracefully. His anger vanished into thin air. Maybe, just maybe, it isn¡¯t such a bad thing to be beaten up by a beautiful woman like her after all. No other woman in this world would dare to hit me. She¡¯s Ashlyn, right? That¡¯s what Lucas called her, right? Ashlyn, Ashlyn, what a nice name! Lucas emanated a strong chill as he stood there. His expression was as bleak as the winter frost. ¡°Ashlyn, how much are you keeping hidden from me?¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, you sound like a man who has just been dumped,¡± Ashlyn chuckled as she brushed her hair aside. It was an unintentional action, but it looked nothing short of stunning. ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°Hack! Cough!¡± Anderson could not hold back hisughter and Harrison quickly held him back. As a result, Anderson started choking on his ownughter and forcibly stoppedughing. Looks like the boss hasn¡¯t lost her touch at all! She dealt with three of them alone! Well, that¡¯s what you get for disturbing her beauty sleep! Winsor was astounded. This woman¡­ She¡¯s not afraid of Lucas? How could she taunt him like that? Winsor felt much better after hearing that. Compared to watching Lucas get attacked by his own wife, his injuries were nothing. Now I¡¯ve really seen it all. Winsor smirked and his previous frustration and embarrassment had vanished without a trace. He raised an eyebrow at Lucas and sneered, ¡°Well then, Mr. Nn, I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± ¡°Tomorrow, the price of Jaquin Group¡¯s shares will drop by three percent,¡± Lucas retorted, although he still did not take his eyes off Ashlyn. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 ¡°Mr. Nn, empty threats won¡¯t work on me,¡± Winsor snorted and instructed the driver to leave. Tinsor swept his fringe aside like a model in a shampoo advertisement and winked at Ashlyn. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again, my goddess.¡± This was followed by a bam! Winsor had grabbed Tinsor back into the car and mmed the door shut. He ordered, ¡°Drive!¡± Tinsor yelled in pain, ¡°Argh! Winsor, it hurts¡­¡± Ring¡­ A familiar ringtone sounded. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. When Ashlyn checked the caller ID, her gaze turned cold as ice. She said, ¡°Mr. Nn, I have urgent matters to do. Farewell.¡± Then, she headed to the Land Rover. Anderson took the driver¡¯s seat while Harrison pulled the door open for her in a gentlemanly manner. Lucas¡¯ face fell. Damn it! What is their rtionship with her? ¡°Hello?¡± Ashlyn finally picked up the phone after the caller called thrice. ¡°Ashlyn, your grandmother misses you a lot. Will youe back to visit her?¡± Horace Berry, Ashlyn¡¯s father, inquired. Although he was asking her nicely, she could tell that he would not stop pestering her until she agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Ashlyn dismissed him. ¡°Your grandma has always doted on you since young. Are you really not going toe back?¡± Horace attacked her soft spot for her grandmother. If it were not for the fact that he must meet Ashlyn this time, he would not have bothered calling his temperamental daughter. ¡°The one who loves me is Grandma, not you. Don¡¯t use her as an excuse, got it?¡± Ashlyn snapped in an intimidating tone. Horace suppressed his anger and pleaded, ¡°Ashlyn, I know you hate me, but your grandma has really fallen ill this time. Are you not going to visit her even when she¡¯s sick?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve used that excuse countless times already. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re the only excuse of a man in this world who would curse his own mother like that,¡± Ashlyn sneered. Horace felt like smashing his phone when he heard this, but he continued, ¡°I¡¯m not lying this time, your grandma really is ill. She¡¯s getting old and she has a poor constitution.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go back right now.¡± Ashlyn hung up. She did not want to continue talking to this shameless man. ¡°Boss, are you really going to go?¡± Anderson inquired. ¡°I¡¯ll go alone. Pull over,¡± Ashlyn ordered. She got off and took a cab to the Berry residence. Horace ran a renovationpany. It was notrge in scale, but it earned a lot of revenue all the same. The Berry family was not one of the top-ss families, but it was decently rich. Back when Ashlyn¡¯s parents were first married, both of them were poor as paupers. Ashlyn¡¯s mother had eloped with Horace and brought her secret stash of savings with her. With that sum of money, the newlywed couple started a small business and slowly built it into arge firm. However, when Ashlyn turned eight, her mother died in a car crash. She was unable to meet her mother onest time before her death. That became her greatest regret. Soon after her passing, Horace married Mary Canter and took in her child, Penelope Canter, as well. Now, she was known as Penelope Berry. Penelope, who was one year older than Ashlyn, was now the official heiress to the Berry family! Ashlyn always felt that her mother¡¯s death was not as simple as it seemed. However, after investigating for many years, she was unable to find any leads. Now that many years had passed, the chances of finding evidence was slim. However, she would not give up as long as there was a glimmer of hope. Her mother¡¯s death had left a great impact on her. She would not be able to sleep soundly at night if she didn¡¯t find out the truth. Mary acted like a kind and gentle stepmother in front of Horace, but when he was not around, she would reveal her true colors. Ashlyn had been screamed at and abused countless times by her. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Since young, everything Ashlyn owned had been hand-me-downs from Penelope, even though she was the rightful heiress to the Berry family. Back when she was younger, whenever Penelope got into trouble by breaking vases, destroying the garden, or smashing antiques, Ashlyn would take the rap for her. She would be med for anything Penelope caused. No matter how she exined herself to Horace, he would only ever believe Mary and Penelope. Thanks to the two of them, she had been hit by Horace many times. Once, when her grandma visited them in the city, Ashlyn was beaten up by Horace and was down with a fever. No one cared about her except for her grandma, who sent her to the hospital and took her back to her home in a rural vige. Only then did her days improve. Although she lived a poor and simple life with her grandma, it was heartwarming and peaceful. It was only when she became the top scorer for the national exams that Horace remembered that he had a daughter called Ashlyn. He brought both Ashlyn and her grandma back into the city to live together with them. However, her grandma had gotten old and her body was deteriorating rapidly. Ashlyn could not put up with the Berry family and had no choice but to marry someone. I can¡¯t believe that I had no choice but to marry or die. Ashlyn sighed deeply and took a look out of the window. Argh, why must these unlucky things happen to me one after another? It¡¯s like I¡¯m the main character in some third-rate novel! The Berry Residence was located in a normal district in Lake City. The front of the district was filled with high-rise buildings and bungalows while the back was filled with vis. The property prices were rather high. The fact that Horace owned a vi there made him feel arrogant and he would act as though he owned the entire street. He felt that he was superior to those who lived in the high-rise apartments and bungalows in front. Ashlyn got off the cab and walked into the district. She had not visited in nearly a year, but everything was still fresh in her mind. However, the only feelings she had for this ce were hatred and disgust. In the living room of the Berry Residence. Susan was wearing a fresh set of clothes and waiting by the sofa. In a silk dress, Mary questioned Susan haughtily, ¡°When Ashlynes over, you know what to say, right?¡± Susan looked at her feet and did not respond. She looked frail and was slightly pale. Her eyes that had once seen the world seemed like they were glowing dimly.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m talking to you! Did you hear me?¡± Mary snapped at Susan. She was nearly screaming at this point. ¡°I heard you,¡± Susan muttered. Unsure of what Susan was thinking, Mary red viciously at her. As she felt her malicious intent, Susan shuddered and repeated, ¡°I heard you, Mary.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Mary raised an eyebrow and grabbed Susan¡¯s arm. Susan trembled and turned toward Mary. She tried to retract her arm but Mary had gripped it tightly and sneered, ¡°Next time, respond the first time I talk to you, got it?¡± Susan mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m getting old, so I¡¯m hard of hearing.¡± ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll have to raise my voice in the future then.¡± Mary smiled. ¡°Susan, we¡¯re all one family. Now that Horace is in trouble, you¡¯re the only one who can help him. He¡¯s your son, so you¡¯ll definitely help him, right?¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 ¡°Right,¡± Susan replied. Mary¡¯s fake smile was so sickening that it sent shivers down her spine. She nodded reluctantly. ¡°I understand everything you just told me.¡± At this juncture, the housekeeper walked over with a te of strawberries. Mary picked one up with a fork and offered it to Susan. ¡°Here, these strawberries are freshly imported from France. I got them especially for Ashlyn. Won¡¯t you have one as well?¡± Susan shook her head. ¡°T-Thanks, but I¡¯ll pass.¡± ¡°Surely you¡¯re happy that I¡¯m being nice to Ashlyn?¡± Mary scoffed as she stuffed the strawberry into Susan¡¯s hands. ¡°If you don¡¯t eat it, I¡¯ll get angry again.¡± The housekeeper called out, ¡°Madam, Ms. Ashlyn has returned.¡± A glint appeared in Susan¡¯s eyes. She immediately got up and turned toward the door. ¡°Ashlyn, you¡¯re back!¡± She rushed forward and took a good look at her granddaughter. Ashlyn was in slippers anyway, so she did not change her shoes and simply walked into the living room. Only then did Ashlyn notice that she was still in pajamas. She passed Susan a box of strawberries she had bought on the way here. ¡°Grandma, this is for you.¡± Susan held the box of strawberries as though it was her greatest treasure. She smiled brightly. ¡°Ashlyn, I¡¯m d to see you.¡± ¡°Ashlyn, don¡¯t me me for saying this, but aren¡¯t you dressed a little too casually?¡± Mary scrutinized Ashlyn¡¯s casualwear and slippers with contempt. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Ashlyn was beautiful, so she would look stunning even if she were dressed in rags. Mary continued spitefully, ¡°You look so unkempt! If your dad¡¯s business partners see you in this state, they¡¯d think the Berry family is full of beggars! I¡¯m saying this for your sake as well.¡± ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± Ashlyn spat at Mary. Mary nearly burst into a rage but kept her cool when she remembered what she needed Ashlyn to do. Her face was turning purple from the anger. Ashlyn turned to Susan and said, ¡°Grandma, how have you been? Dad said that you¡¯re ill.¡± ¡°I caught a cold a few days ago but I¡¯m fine now,¡± Susan assured her. She showed Ashlyn some needle marks on the back of her hand and said, ¡°Look, your father brought me to see a doctor and I had an IV drip.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, just let me know. Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m a doctor. My skills are much better than your average doctor,¡± Ashlyn instructed Susan kindly. Mary, unable to join in the conversation, was furious, especially after seeing Susan hold the strawberries Ashlyn gave her so dearly. She kept signaling toward Susan, but thetter simply ignored her. That damn hag! She promised to talk to Ashlyn about that matter, but she¡¯s not saying anything now. All she talks about are the useless things. She forced herself to put on an endearing smile and inquired, ¡°Ashlyn, how are things at work?¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± Ashlyn replied casually. ¡°Ashlyn is back?¡± Horace enquired. He was called downstairs by the housekeeper. Horace was a fit and decent-looking middle-aged man. Even at his age, he had not put on weight and one could still see the shadow of a handsome young man in him. ¡°Dad,¡± Ashlyn called out monotonously. She crossed her arms and dered, ¡°Well then, I¡¯m a busy woman. Quit beating around the bush and tell me why you called me over.¡± While she took Susan¡¯s hand earlier, she had checked her pulse and noticed that Susan was healthy, other than the fact that her respiratory functions had deteriorated with age. She heaved a sigh of relief. As long as grandma is alright, nothing else matters. ¡°Ashlyn, both your grandma and I have missed you! Why must you make us sound so heartless?¡± Horace acted as though he was a kind father. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 You sure were heartless when you hit me so hard that I couldn¡¯t show my bruised face for a week! I don¡¯t recall you missing me when you beat me up even though it was Penelope who was in the wrong, and you made me kneel outside the house on a winter night! You have no right to talk to me like that! ¡°Dad, state your business,¡± Ashlyn scoffed. She had no time to y nice with Horace. Horace nced at Susan for help but she simply averted her gaze. Horace was livid. Hey, we¡¯ve been through this before! Why are you keeping quiet now? Do I really have to say it myself? He then stared at Mary. Mary felt indignant but she had no choice but toe into the picture. I¡¯ll make sure this hag doesn¡¯t get away with thister! Ashlyn caught their interactions andmented, ¡°If that¡¯s all, I¡¯ll be taking my leave then. Grandma¡¯s health is alright.¡± ¡°Wait, don¡¯t leave!¡± Horace called her back. He took on a negotiating tone and began, ¡°Ashlyn, my company has met with some troubletely. In the renovation trade, we need to give our workers a portion of their pay before starting work. However, the client will often try to stall for payment¡­¡± ¡°Cut to the chase,¡± Ashlyn snapped. ¡°Some time ago, we received a job to renovate the Haddock Group¡¯s new hotel. The Haddock Group is a majorpany, and I spent a lot of time and effort getting this job. However, due to sheer misfortune, one of the workers met with an ident during work and fell from thedder. Now, the Haddock Group wants to stop working with us and wants us to pay them double the amount as a penalty. The worker¡¯sN?velDrama.Org exclusive content. family members aren¡¯t understanding either and keep causing trouble for us in front of the office building.¡± Horace then requested, ¡°Ashlyn, I know you¡¯re a doctor and a rather famous one at that. I heard that Arthur Haddock has contracted a rather severe disease. Would you mind taking a look at him? If you manage to treat him, perhaps Dixon won¡¯t pursue this matter any further.¡± Horace had finally told her what he needed. However, given his personality, it was unlikely that he was telling the truth. After all, he had not mentioned the injured worker at all. Ashlyn knew that things were not as simple as they seemed and queried, ¡°How¡¯s the worker? Is his injury severe?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even talk about him! He¡¯s staying in the ICU now! He¡¯s done nothing but cause losses for the company. I¡¯ve alreadypensated a hundred thousand!¡± Horace grumbled. If this worker weren¡¯t so careless, I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with this mess. Ashlyn raised her eyebrow in a mocking manner. If he¡¯s really in the ICU, the hundred thousand won¡¯t last him a week! ¡°How long has this been going on for?¡± ¡°A week,¡± Horace replied in trepidation. Ashlyn had been a very obedient girl when she was young, but she has be temperamental as she grew older. To top things off, she¡¯s so smart! I really can¡¯t get a handle on her. I have to use my mother as bait to meet her. Otherwise, she doesn¡¯t care about me at all! Every time he met Ashlyn, he would be furious, but he could not explode because he needed her help. Ashlyn smirked. ¡°You¡¯re only telling me this after a week?¡± ¡°Your dad just doesn¡¯t want to trouble you! We¡¯ve really asked a lot of people for help. If your grandma weren¡¯t ill, your dad wouldn¡¯t have turned to you for help,¡± Mary exined. Argh, this woman will be the death of me! Penelope is working at the First Hospital as well, but she is only an ordinary surgeon. On the other hand, so many rich men support Ashlyn! I get angry just thinking about this! Also, what does she mean by only doing one surgery a month? Stop acting so high and mighty! You must¡¯ve slept with some rich men to get this status! You¡¯ll lose everything sooner or later! Chapter 39 Chapter 39 ¡°Alright, I got it,¡± Ashlyn replied. She took Susan¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Grandma, see me off, alright?¡± Horace did not dare to refuse since she needed a favor from her. All he could do wasin, ¡°Alright, we all know you love your grandma the most.¡± Susan took Ashlyn¡¯s hand and the two of them left the vi together. Ashlyn came in a rush, so she had not brought much cash with her. She did not want to inconvenience her grandmother by bringing her to the ATM. Susan did not have any money saved up for retirement and hence did not have a lot to spend. Every time Ashlyn came, she would give Susan some money to spend. She sent Anderson a text: You have ten minutes. Bring twenty thousand in cash to the Berry Residence. Anderson replied in confusion: Huh? What for, boss? Ashlyn responded: Just do it. I need it urgently. When Anderson saw the reply, he hurriedly went to withdraw money. Ashlyn ced her phone back in her pocket and brought Susan to take a seat on a chair. She inquired, ¡°Grandma, has Mary been making life difficult for you?¡± An uneasy look shed across Susan¡¯s eyes. She smiled. ¡°She is my daughter-inw after all. She won¡¯t give me trouble!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. As though she was hiding something, she changed the subject, ¡°Ashlyn, how are you doing now? You haven¡¯t been back in a long time. I¡¯m worried for you. I know it isn¡¯t easy for a girl to strike it out on her own.¡± Her eyes turned red and she started sobbing, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. If I were a little more capable, you wouldn¡¯t have had to move out of home at such a tender age.¡± Susan was the only one who would still treat Ashlyn like a child. She lived in a rural area, so she was uneducated. Her husband had died early and she had raised Horace alone. Horace did not disappoint and managed to get into a university. After that, he got together with Ashlyn¡¯s mother. In Ashlyn¡¯s memory, her mother and Susan had had a good rtionship with each other. Back then, even though Ashlyn was young, she had the impression that they had gotten along well. However, it was a different story when it came to Mary. Argh! Ashlyn took Susan¡¯s hand and replied, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m living pretty well, so don¡¯t worry about me. Just give me a call if anything crops up. You can call me if you miss me as well. I was a little busy ofte, so I didn¡¯te back. Don¡¯t worry about it, I won¡¯t let myself get bullied by others.¡± In the meantime, Anderson had rushed over with a ck stic bag. He passed the bag to Ashlyn while struggling to catch his breath. ¡°Here.¡± Ashlyn took the bag and passed it to Susan, ¡°Here, grandma, here¡¯s some money for you to spend. When you¡¯ve finished spending that, I¡¯ll give you some more.¡± ¡°Ashlyn, I haven¡¯t finished spending the money you gave mest time!¡± Susan protested. I can¡¯t take this child¡¯s hard-earned money! ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m rich. Just keep the twenty thousand. It¡¯s not a lot. Keep it well and make sure they don¡¯t see it,¡± Ashlyn nagged as she ced the bag inside Susan¡¯s pockets. Susan reluctantly epted it. She knew that Ashlyn was nice to her and if she did not ept it, it would only make her worry. Susan smiled at Anderson andmented, ¡°This kid looks like a good person.¡± ¡°You tter me, grandma,¡± Anderson replied. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be taking my leave, grandma. I still have matters to settle in the afternoon.¡± Ashlyn hugged her and left with Anderson. Susan stood by the door and watched them leave. She spent some time there before turning back. Then, she trudged back inside with her back hunched. She dragged this on for over ten minutes before returning home. ¡°Mom, what did I tell you before! After telling you time and again, how could you go back on your word?¡± Horace bellowed. Susan stood there with her head bowed low as though she was a child being rebuked. ¡°Do you want to see your son dead?¡± Horace roared. ¡°Do you know how much I¡¯ll have to pay if this matter isn¡¯t settled? When I be bankrupt and lose the house, you¡¯ll have to sleep on the streets! If I haven¡¯t been providing for you, you¡¯d still be nting vegetables in the countryside!¡± Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Susan stood by the door and did not respond. She had scrimped and saved to raise this son, but he had long forgotten about that. Mary red at her from behind Horace and grumbled, ¡°Mom, thepany is really doing badly now and we¡¯ll have topensate at least twenty million. Horace can¡¯t eat or sleep well and is worried about thepany. If Ashlyn doesn¡¯t help us and get the Haddock family to let us off, we¡¯ll all be sleeping on the streets. What¡¯s up with you today? As long as you ask, Ashlyn will surely agree.¡± ¡°Ashlyn said that she¡¯s got it,¡± Susan retorted. Ashlyn is but a little girl. Do you people really think she¡¯s a god? If even my son can¡¯t solve this mess, why do you expect my granddaughter to do it? You two are just trying to sabotage Ashlyn! ¡°She acknowledged it, but she didn¡¯t make any promises. What¡¯s the point? I won¡¯t be fooled so easily. These tricks will only work on people like you. Your granddaughter thinks she¡¯s so great now and even left her father to die!¡± Horace spat. ¡°What¡¯s that in your pocket?¡± Mary spotted a bulge in Susan¡¯s pocket and grabbed it. ¡°Nothing!¡± Susan tried to hide it, but Mary was younger and easily outwrestled her. She removed a ck stic bag and took a look. Then she screamed, ¡°Oh my gosh, so you were the one who stole the twenty thousand I couldn¡¯t find a few days ago!¡± ¡°No! Ashlyn gave this to me,¡± Susan exined. ¡°You can¡¯t frame me like that!¡± ¡°Honey, you know I lost some money a few days ago.¡± Maryshed out as she pped Susan with the wads of bills. ¡°We provide for you and let you stay here for free! How dare you steal from us!¡± Mary was infuriated and continued hitting Susan even though Susan¡¯s hand was already swollen. She yelled, ¡°Since when have I ill-treated you? Have I deprived you of food or shelter? I¡¯ve been looking all over the ce for this money only to find out that you stole it!¡± ¡°Alright, Mom might be getting forgetful because she¡¯s old. Don¡¯t pick a fight with an olddy.¡± Horace held Mary back impatiently. ¡°Horace, Mary, this really was given to me by Ashlyn,¡± Susan insisted between tears. She was indignant and protested, ¡°Even if I were about to starve, I won¡¯t steal a single cent. I¡¯ve never seen your money before. I don¡¯t even go to your room!¡± Susan shared her room with the housekeeper. There were guest rooms avable in the house, but Mary felt that she was old and dirty and refused to let her stay there. Susan knew that her daughter-inw loathed her and avoided her as much as possible. She would almost never go anywhere besides the servant¡¯s room, the dining room, and the living room, much less head over to Mary¡¯s room to steal. ¡°Will you just shut up for once? Do you really want this family to fall apart?¡± Horace shouted and shoved Susan. She was caught off guard and mmed heavily against the reinforced door behind her. She had knocked against the back of her head. Susan felt the world spinning around her and slid onto the floor. ¡°Quit faking it! I just pushed you a little. Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t get up from that! I¡¯ll make sure you apologize to Mary today,¡± Horace bellowed as he kicked Susan. ¡°You live off me and now you¡¯re even stealing from me! You¡¯re nothing but a disgrace!¡± Susan¡¯s eyes blurred and her head hurt. She was getting old, so she felt giddy after such arge impact. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Struggling, she tried to get up, but to no avail. When Horace kicked her, she slumped onto the ground and groaned in pain. Soon, she was drenched in cold sweat. Ouch¡­ my head hurts¡­ Mary picked her up by the cor and pinched her on her arm. Susan shrieked in pain and grimaced. ¡°I really didn¡¯t steal money from you. I don¡¯t ever steal.¡± ¡°When Ashlyn came, she was empty-handed and wearing pajamas! She didn¡¯t even have any pockets. How could she give you anything? Think before you lie!¡± Mary scowled. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 ¡°Alright, alright, now that we¡¯ve found the money, let¡¯s leave it at that,¡± Horace consoled Mary. ¡°What can I do? She¡¯s my mother.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care; I don¡¯t want to see her anymore!¡± Mary threw Susan back onto the ground and sat on the sofa. She turned to Horace. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, this family would¡¯ve been finished!¡± Mary¡¯s only useful skill was attracting investors. Over the years, she had brought Horace quite a few investors for hispany. Horace had spoiled her a lot, so in his book, it was alright for her to act unreasonably. On the other hand, he shot Susan a look of despise. Why is my mother such a piece of trash? She¡¯s stealing, and she won¡¯t even admit it when she has been caught! ¡°You¡¯ll be sleeping in the storeroom.¡± ¡°But sir, the storeroom is in a mess and it¡¯s filthy! It¡¯s summer now, so how could you let Old Mrs. Berry stay there without air-conditioning?¡± Aunt Sally, the housekeeper, pointed out. She felt bad seeing Susan in such a state. However, she was just a housekeeper and did not have a say in their matters. She took her pay from Horace and Mary, so she could not protest much either. ¡°She¡¯s so old, surely warm air is better than the cold. Hurry up and pack it up. Enough with the nonsense,¡± Mary spat and continued bawling on the sofa. ¡°Argh, my life is terrible! When I was raising my child, my mother-inw wasn¡¯t here to help out and just stayed in the countryside. She wouldn¡¯t evene and take a look at her own grandchild! Now that she¡¯s gotten old, I¡¯ve got to take care of her. Alright, fine, that¡¯s my duty. How did I get a thief to be my mother-inw though? It¡¯s just my bad luck!¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Horace pacified Mary and hugged her. ¡°I¡¯ve already punished her, haven¡¯t I? She¡¯s getting old, so don¡¯t make things difficult for her. While you were giving birth to Xavier, she was taking care of Ashlyn in the countryside. She couldn¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°Ashlyn is her granddaughter, but Xavier is her grandson as well! She¡¯s biased!¡± Mary continued crying for a while. Good, at least I¡¯ve achieved my aim. Now that this hag is going to stay in that stuffy storeroom, hopefully, she¡¯ll die of heatstroke soon. Susan staggered up the stairs. The Berry Residence had three floors. The housekeeper¡¯s room was on the first floor. The Berry family lived on the second floor, with Horace and Mary sharing a room while Penelope and Xavier had their own rooms. On the third floor, there was a piano room for Penelope and a room storing Xavier¡¯s toys. Above that was an attic which served as a storeroom. The storeroom was filled with a cluttered mess. Aunt Sally brought Susan¡¯s belongings upstairs and set up a foldable bed. She then made the bed for Susan. Taking a seat, she suggested, ¡°Old Mrs. Berry, if Ms. Ashlyn is capable of supporting you, I think it¡¯s best for her to take you away to live with her. You can¡¯t possibly stay in a ce like this.¡± ¡°Ashlyn is just a doctor. She doesn¡¯t have the money to buy a house! I don¡¯t want to cause trouble to the child anymore. She lost her mother at a young age and had a tough life with me in the countryside. I don¡¯t have much time left. I¡¯ll survive for as long as I can.¡± Susan wiped her tears. She felt terrible to lose her granddaughter¡¯s money like that. After all, she knew that Ashlyn did not have an easy time earning money and assumed that she had saved up for a long time before giving her the twenty thousand as allowance. Yet, she allowed Mary to take it away so effortlessly. The more she thought of it, the worse she felt and her tears started flowing uncontrobly. Aunt Sally consoled her as she started rearranging the mess in the attic, ¡°I don¡¯t think Ms. Ashlyn is a pushover. I think we should consult her about this.¡± Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Old Mrs. Berry has had it tough in the Berry Residence. I wish I could tell Ms. Ashlyn that Old Mrs. Berry wasn¡¯t sick at all! Horace had pierced his mother¡¯s hand using a needle to make it look that way. Horace and Mary have been abusing her and now they¡¯ve even used her of stealing! Old Mrs. Berry is living worse than me right now, and I¡¯m a servant! I¡¯m already sweating after staying for a few minutes in this storeroom. Who knows what will happen if I let such an old woman stay here! ¡°Forget it,¡± Susan mumbled. Her head still hurt, so shey on her bed and stared nkly at the ceiling. I can¡¯t forgive myself. Ashlyn¡¯s mother¡¯s death doesn¡¯t seem natural no matter how you slice it. It must¡¯ve been that son of mine! After Ashlyn¡¯s finally escaped from the Berry family¡¯s clutches, I can¡¯t possibly drag her down any further! Meanwhile, in the South Star Airlines meeting room. Lucas was engaged in a pre-departure briefing. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Everyone present could tell that he was in a foul mood. The man¡¯s cool and aloof expression was much sterner than usual. Every word that escaped his lips had an icy and threatening tone. Finally, he ended the meeting with, ¡°Dismissed. Prepare for departure.¡± As Lucas stood up, his captain¡¯s uniform was bulging and highlighted his muscr build. Lucas adjusted his cap and left. The co-pilot and the purser, Nancy, followed behind him. Then, the flight attendants followed suit as well. The entire group made their way to the ne. One of the flight attendants whispered to Jenny, ¡°Is it just me, or is Captain Nn in a bad mood?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t he look more charming this way?¡± Jenny smiled as she stared dreamily at the tall figure walking in front. When she considered the possibility that he was in a bad mood because he had a tiff with his wife, she was overjoyed. After all the routine checks, Lucas prepared for takeoff as per usual. He recalled thest time he flew a ne. Back then, Ashlyn was with him and they had not divorced yet. In the four years of their marriage, she had only apanied him once. ¡°Captain, all systems go,¡± the co-pilot reported. Lucas pulled himself together and nodded. Before take-off, he did a routine check on the passenger list. When he saw Ashlyn¡¯s name, he frowned and stared at the name for a long time before returning the list to Nancy. His eyes narrowed as he instructed, ¡°Keep an eye on her and the passengers around her.¡± Nancy was taken aback. Ashlyn Berry? Is there anything special about her? When she took a look outside, she understood what was going on. Isn¡¯t she the girlfriend Mr. White broughtst time? She was in a light purple dress which made her skin look even fairer. Her defined features were beautiful and captivating. Just by leaning against the window, she was a sight for sore eyes. There were countless beautiful flight attendants working for South Star Airlines and Nancy was a beauty herself. However, she had to admit that they all paled inparison to this woman. Everything was normal with the flight and the clouds shone with a pale glow. Soon, Nancy walked in and reported, ¡°Ms. Berry took a quick nap but woke up because her male neighbor dropped his earbuds on her seat. She picked them up and returned them to him.¡± Lucas frowned. That¡¯s got to be intentional! ¡°That man dropped his portable charger while fumbling for it in his bag and Ms. Berry picked it up for him again.¡± Shortly after, Nancy entered the cockpit again. Before she could speak, Lucas sneered, ¡°What did that man drop this time?¡± ¡°This time, he didn¡¯t drop anything, but he offered to help Ms. Berry stow away her luggage.¡± Chapter 43 Chapter 43 ¡°Yakov, from Russia, huh?¡± Lucas read out the male passenger¡¯s name. His eyes narrowed and his expression became stern. The co-pilot felt the pressure in the cockpit increasing after every one of Nancy¡¯s reports. He felt crushed by the pressure. ¡°Captain Nn, your memory is astonishing! Did you remember the names of every passenger?¡± Nancy eximed in shock. ¡°Well, Ms. Berry declined his offer. She¡­¡± Nancy looked troubled. ¡°What did she do?¡± Lucas demanded. Nancy covered her mouth as she recalled that heart-pounding scene that happened earlier. I¡¯ve never thought that the word ¡®cool¡¯ could fit a woman so well! ¡°She lifted her luggage with one hand, and like, bam, she just tossed it to the overhead stowage! It was so cool! She did this so gracefully like the luggage was weightless! If Ms. Berry were a basketball yer, she would be famous!¡± Nancy automatically thought of her as a national athlete. She had been a flight attendant for many years and seen many types of passengers, but she had never seen such a suave man before, let alone a woman! ¡°Oh, right, she did the same to Yakov¡¯s luggage as well,¡± Nancy sniggered. You should¡¯ve seen the look on his face! Lucas¡¯ face had remained stern until he heard thatst sentence. His lips then formed a smirk. A woman who can take down a six-foot-tall goliath like Winsor Jaquin probably has a trick or two up her sleeve, but I didn¡¯t expect her to put Yakov to shame like that. When Nancy noticed Lucas¡¯ sudden change in expression, she wondered how this woman was rted to him. I¡¯ve never seen Captain Nn so concerned about someone else before. ¡°Ask her if she¡¯d like strawberry juice,¡± Lucas instructed indifferently. ¡°Sure,¡± Nancy replied. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. It was not time for the in-flight meal yet. Back when they were married, Ashlyn loved to make her own strawberry juice. She would often offer Lucas a ss as well. After Nancy left, the co-pilot, Fred Langsley, teased, ¡°Captain, can I have some too?¡± Lucas refused him immediately, ¡°Denied.¡± He had prepared the strawberry juice specially for Ashlyn. The co-pilot was speechless. In the business ss cabin, Ashlyn closed her eyes to rest after flinging her luggage overhead. She hadpletely ignored the shocked expression from Yakov and the other passengers. Nancy walked over and inquired softly, ¡°Miss, would you like a ss of freshly-squeezed strawberry juice?¡± Ashlyn opened her eyes and scanned her surroundings. It¡¯s still a little early, isn¡¯t it? She frowned. ¡°No need. I don¡¯t like strawberry juice.¡± When Lucas heard that from Nancy, his gleeful expression faded. She doesn¡¯t like it? Then why does she drink it all the time back then? Just how many lies has this woman told me? Anger welled up within him. He checked the time and instructed, ¡°When it¡¯s time for the in-flight meal, pass her all of my fish and chicken wings.¡± Soon, it was time for the in-flight meal. Nancy prepared this behind Jenny¡¯s back. When Yakov saw this, he asked in broken English, ¡°Why she have prawn, have fish, me only chicken?¡± Nancy gave a professional smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this is a special service prepared for thisdy only.¡± It¡¯s special alright. The captain¡¯s only left with rice and vegetables now! Ashlyn stared at her food in doubt but epted it in silence. When Nancy returned, Lucas enquired, ¡°Has she eaten it?¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 ¡°She already ate,¡± Nancy answered quietly. Lucas gave a satisfied smile after hearing this. Seeing the pursering out from the cockpit, Jenny got curious and asked, ¡°Nancy, what are you up to? You¡¯ve been in and out of the cockpit a few times!¡± Jenny examined her expression closely, wondering if Nancy also had a thing for Captain Nn. She put up her guard instantly. Nancy was speechless. She was not interested in getting into any drama. ¡°A few nes crashed in other countries recently, so Captain Nn has been asking for frequent updates on how the passengers are doing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s unnecessary to report back to him so frequently?¡± Jenny felt something was a little off. ¡°You know the captain takes his work seriously. Do you think I enjoy running in and out so many times?¡± Nancy replied, stretching her limbs after she finally got to sit down. The flight was crossing into Italian airspace. Lucas immediately reached out to the local air traffic control, requesting a lower altitude so the flight could be more stable. It had been five to six hours since they took off. The co-pilot said to Lucas, ¡°Captain Nn, let¡¯s switch.¡± Lucas nodded and got up. The co-pilot quickly moved over. By the time Lucas opened the cockpit¡¯s door and stepped outside, the sky over the horizon was already dark. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. The cabin was dimly lit. Some passengers were sound asleep, while others had their headphones on listening to music. Lucas could hear a few people snoring away. Ashlyn was in the thirdst row. She had bought tickets for the whole row of seats, so there was no one next to her. Right now, she was resting her head against the seat with her eyes closed. Across the aisle, Lucas spotted Yakov. His blond hair fell loosely on his forehead, making his skin look particrly fair. His sses elegantly rested on his prominent nose bridge, but to Lucas, he was still not the best-looking guy. He walked down the aisle, sat down beside Ashlyn, and took a good look at her. Ashlyn was alerted. Sensing a warm presence, she reflexively opened her eyes. The light was faint. But she could still vaguely see Lucas¡¯ refined and wless features. She found herself lost in his mesmerizing eyes until his sturdy voice called her name. ¡°Ms. Berry,¡± Lucas called softly. ¡°Wee onboard, I¡¯m your pilot, Captain Lucas Nn.¡± She did not realize Lucas was the pilot when Nancy asked her about the strawberry juice. It was not until the meal was served just now that she found out that he was indeed the pilot¡ªand that he even knew she was on this flight. But she did not expect Lucas toe over to the cabin and look for her. Since we have decided to go our separate ways, why not just treat each other as strangers? Ashlyn wondered. ¡°Captain Nn, I¡¯m resting. Please stop bothering me,¡± she said indifferently. ¡°I want to rest too,¡± he replied, giving her a determined look. Ashlyn could not do anything with him. ¡°Well, then go back to your own seat.¡± ¡°I like this seat,¡± Lucas replied wittily. ¡°Mr. Nn, I already bought this seat,¡± she retaliated. ¡°Well, why not you kiss me? And I will leave immediately,¡± he said cheekily. He gently took a strand of her hair and started ying with it. Ashlyn pushed his hand away. But Lucas continued making fun of her, saying, ¡°The guy over there, do you think he¡¯s handsome?¡± Ashlyn really thought Lucas was the most childish man ever. She knew who he was referring to. Looking at Lucas for a few seconds, she went back to sleep. She did not have the energy to deal with him. ¡°I will take it as you think I am more handsome then,¡± Lucas whispered in her ears. His breath tickled her ears and she could not help but tilt her head a little. Snippets of memories came flooding back. This man used toe up close and whisper all sorts of nonsense in her ears. Those were the days. She shook off the thought. Seriously, what is he doing here? He should be working instead of babbling nonsense here. ¡°Honey, you are always so nice to other people. You even helped him with his luggage. But you¡¯re always so cold to me.¡± There was a hint of jealousy in Lucas¡¯ voice. ¡°Oh, is that what you want? Can I throw you into the overheadpartment too? Do you want to try?¡± Ashlyn replied impatiently. ¡°Don¡¯t you used to like strawberry juice? Oh, and you used to like me biting your ears too, which is just what I¡¯m about to do.¡± Lucas made his voice deep and sexy, throwing a provocative nce at her ears. He opened his mouth slightly. Biting her earlobe, he gave it a little tug, and smiled. Is he for real? He must be crazy! Feeling his lips on her ears, Ashlyn became slightly disconcerted. She almost let out a moan. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 They were married for four years. He knew just right where to touch. ¡°I don¡¯t like strawberry juice anymore. It¡¯s better to let go of things when you have already outgrown them,¡± Ashlyn said coldly. But this was exactly why Lucas found her attractive. A shade of pink lingered on her fair cheeks. The faint lighting made her all the more desirable. Her almond-shaped eyes glistened in the dark. He had not slept with anyone after they divorced, and this woman in front of him suddenly became more irresistible. Never had he realized that this woman had such powers over him. Just a look from her could make him want her there and then. Ashlyn could sense his pent-up frustration, and it was suffocating. He locked his gaze on her face. She finally pushed him away and said, ¡°Go back to your seat and rest.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just rest here.¡± Before she could even react, Lucas grabbed her waist and scooped her up, putting her on hisp. For a moment, Lucas felt he finally found the missing piece of his life. His heart was full. He did not like being alone in an empty room. I don¡¯t like it at all. Everything now felt so familiar. The woman in his arms, her scent, her body. She made his heart pound. Ashlyn struggled to break free from him. But Lucas was not letting her go. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Stop it. Just stay here or you¡¯ll have to clear up more mess,¡± Lucas warned her. Ashlyn understood what he meant. She sat still atst. She could not do anything but her face was crimson red from anger and embarrassment. Fine! We were married for four years anyway, so it¡¯s not like this is anything new! I¡¯ll just take it as a random handsome man hitting on me. She red at him and closed her eyes. After some time, Lucas opened his eyes and gazed at her. Just as he was slowly moving toward her, a shout broke the suspense. ¡°Gosh! Just let me sleep in peace, will you?¡± An angry passenger shouted, mming the magazine in his hand on the floor. Lucas opened his eyes, looked at Ashlyn, and located where the voice came from. The vexed passenger was a man in his 20s. Themotion startled the other man sitting beside him, who was also now awake. He turned toward the first man and said, ¡°Come on man, what is the fuss about? I need to sleep!¡± The noise had awoken many other passengers. ¡°What the heck? You¡¯re the one who has been disturbing my sleep! You¡¯ve been snoring all night through, and now you¡¯re saying I¡¯m being noisy?¡± The irritated first man shouted. The situation quickly escted into a heated fight. A few flight attendants quickly came out to appease the two. Nancy handled the situation professionally. ¡°I am the purser here. Let¡¯s settle this calmly, shall we?¡± she said to the two men. ¡°Settle this? What do you know? All you know is ¡®tea or coffee!¡¯ I want to see your captain!¡± the second man ridiculed. ¡°Get out of the way! Do you own this ne?¡± the first guy pushed Nancy away. This was not something new¡ª flight attendants were never treated with much respect. Nancy was taken aback. She tried to hold her anger in and said slowly, ¡°Please calm down. We need to make sure no one¡¯s safety is affected here, okay?¡± Just as the two men were about to start a fight again, a severe andmanding voice came from behind. ¡°I am the captain. If you continue to disrespect my cabin crew, I will order an emergencynding.¡± A tall and imposing man in uniform appeared before them. The air around him was intimidating and solemn. Anyone could tell he was not in his best mood. But they did not know it was because someone just interrupted his kiss. Lucas would make sure these people pay up. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Everyone was dazed. They had never seen such a fine young man before. His enchanting and attractive aura amazed the passengers. How can a captain be this good-looking? They wondered. Lucas¡¯ entrance shocked the two men who were previously fighting. Disconcerted, they stuttered usations at one another. ¡°He started it,¡± the second man said, pointing at the first man, who retaliated by saying, ¡°He was the one who started snoring and disturbing me!¡± The whole business ss cabin quickly became unsettled. Passengers craned their necks trying to see what just happened; some of them gathered around trying to understand what was going on¡ªbut no one failed to notice the handsome captain standing in the middle of the two angry passengers. This man was like a ma. He attracted all the attention. Ashlyn was peeved. Rude passengers like these just had to ruin her peaceful journey. ¡°You guys want to fight? I cannd the ne right now,¡± Lucas stated curtly. ¡°I can also send you to the police station if you like,¡± he added. Some passengers started fearing the worst and whispered among themselves, ¡°What¡­ It¡¯s already so late at night! It¡¯s dangerous tond now!¡± ¡°I know right? Where are we now again?¡± Ashlyn decided to put a stop to all this fuss. ¡°Alright, why not Captain Nn give each of them a parachute and push them off?¡± she interjected. Her eyshes pped gently against her beautiful eyes as she blinked hard, trying to elicit a response from Lucas. That crisp and melodious voice of hers turned many curious heads. Everyone wes dezed. They hed never seen such e fine young men before. His enchenting end ettrective eure emezed the pessengers. How cen e ceptein be this good-looking? They wondered. Luces¡¯ entrence shocked the two men who were previously fighting. Disconcerted, they stuttered usetions et one enother. ¡°He sterted it,¡± the second men seid, pointing et the first men, who retelieted by seying, ¡°He wes the one who sterted snoring end disturbing me!¡± The whole business cless cebin quickly beceme unsettled. Pessengers crened their necks trying to see whet just heppened; some of them gethered eround trying to understend whet wes going on¡ªbut no one feiled to notice the hendsome ceptein stending in the middle of the two engry pessengers. This men wes like e me. He ettrected ell the ettention. Ashlyn wes peeved. Rude pessengers like these just hed to ruin her peeceful journey. ¡°You guys went to fight? I cen lend the plene right now,¡± Luces steted curtly. ¡°I cen elso send you to the police stetion if you like,¡± he edded. Some pessengers sterted feering the worst end whispered emong themselves, ¡°Whet¡­ It¡¯s elreedy so lete et night! It¡¯s dengerous to lend now!¡± ¡°I know right? Where ere we now egein?¡± Ashlyn decided to put e stop to ell this fuss. ¡°Alright, why not Ceptein Nolen give eech of them e perechute end push them off?¡± she interjected. Her eyeleshes flepped gently egeinst her beeutiful eyes es she blinked herd, trying to elicit e response from Luces. Thet crisp end melodious voice of hers turned meny curious heeds. Everyone was in awe. They could not believe they actually overlooked such a beautiful woman on their flight. A heather-purple dress adorned her glowing skin and slim body. Her pair of beautiful eyes, plump red lips, and pink cheeks grew so perfectly on her exquisite face. Jenny was bewildered. She did not expect to see Ashlyn here. Why is she on board? Why didn¡¯t I even realize she is here? Lucas was mesmerized. Ashlyn¡¯s voice sent a chill up his body. It had been a long time since he heard her talk like that. She had always been so cold to him after they divorced. Her suggestive voice echoed in his ears, reminding him of the times when they were still married¡ª especially when they were doing those things in their bedroom. She would beg him to stop every time they were in bed. But her tantalizing and sensuous moans only made him wanted to go deeper and faster. Lucas drew in a breath slightly before he collected himself and looked at the crowd. He realized the male passengers were looking at Ashlyn and he was irritated. He shouted at the two men, ¡°Hand me your passports!¡± ¡°Why? You¡¯re not a cop!¡± the first man reacted. ¡°I am the captain in charge here and I¡¯m responsible for everyone¡¯s safety. Your unruly behavior is disrupting the flight and therefore I have the right to ask for your passports. One more word and you¡¯ll be out!¡± Lucas was at the tip of exploding. He wanted to dig out all the eyeballs glued to Ashlyn right now. If these two scums are not gonna stop, I¡¯ll seriously throw them out! The two passengers had no choice but to take out their passports. Nancy quickly came over and took their passports. ¡°An American and a Frenchman,¡± she reported. ¡°I will be keeping your passports until the end of the flight.¡± Lucas red at them from the side of his eyes. Before any of them could say anything, Lucas continued bombarding them. ¡°ording to our country¡¯s Civil Aviation Law, the pilot¡¯s responsibility includes taking necessary and appropriate actions against anyone who damages the aircraft, disrupts order within the aircraft, endangers any personnel or property within the aircraft and poses a threat against flight safety. So if you want to sue me, go ahead. Just be ready to lose.¡± After the harangue, Lucas took a nce across the passengers, warning, ¡°If anyone would like to follow suit, feel free to do so. This is what will happen to you.¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t¡­¡± Before the first man could even finish his sentence, Lucas shot him a fierce re and he shut up. Lucas then asked Nancy to keep an eye out for the passengers before he went back to Ashlyn. Jenny was upset. Why does he even sit beside her? Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Why do they look so intimate? Over at Ashlyn¡¯s side, Lucas finally got to sit down after the whole ordeal. He was in a foul mood. ¡°Do you think I look cool back there?¡± Lucas knew Ashlyn was not asleep. He purposely went close to her and asked in a low voice. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Ashlyn did not open her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you think your hubby is the hero?¡± Lucas probed. But Ashlyn remained unperturbed and only rolled her eyes in her mind. Is he crazy? He was so stern and cold back there; now he¡¯s so childish and impudent. What is he trying to do? Ashlyn clearly saw the way those women looked at him just now. They should really see how childish this man is right now. Lucas was thinking about that kiss before the fight broke out. Silence resumed in the cabin and the lights became dim again. He felt restless and thirsty. Bending over, he wanted to nt a kiss on Ashlyn¡¯s lips. Ashlyn did not move. Lucas smiled slyly, moved closer, and was ready to kiss her. But before he could reach her lips, Ashlyn nimbly tilted her head and he missed. The kissnded on her neck. Her scent intoxicated Lucas and he kissed her hard. He did not get to kiss her lips, but he got to kiss her neck. That was enough for him. Ashlyn was not expecting this. His warm and gentle breath spread across her body. It felt familiar and exciting. But she quickly pulled away from Lucas and said, ¡°We are already divorced.¡± Ashlyn did not open her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you think your hubby is the hero?¡± Luces probed. But Ashlyn remeined unperturbed end only rolled her eyes in her mind. Is he crezy? He wes so stern end cold beck there; now he¡¯s so childish end impudent. Whet is he trying to do? Ashlyn cleerly sew the wey those women looked et him just now. They should reelly see how childish this men is right now. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Luces wes thinking ebout thet kiss before the fight broke out. Silence resumed in the cebin end the lights beceme dim egein. He felt restless end thirsty. Bending over, he wented to plent e kiss on Ashlyn¡¯s lips. Ashlyn did not move. Luces smiled slyly, moved closer, end wes reedy to kiss her. But before he could reech her lips, Ashlyn nimbly tilted her heed end he missed. The kiss lended on her neck. Her scent intoxiceted Luces end he kissed her herd. He did not get to kiss her lips, but he got to kiss her neck. Thet wes enough for him. Ashlyn wes not expecting this. His werm end gentle breeth spreed ecross her body. It felt femilier end exciting. But she quickly pulled ewey from Luces end seid, ¡°We ere elreedy divorced.¡± Lucas peered at her in the dark. He shrugged and feigned nonchnce, saying, ¡°I only kissed your neck, not your lips.¡± He advertently licked his lips and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you miss me?¡± Ashlynughed and said, ¡°Lucas, please stop being a joke. You are the one who wanted a divorce.¡± What do you take me for, Lucas? You want me here when you need me, and you want me gone when you¡¯re tired of me. You wanted a divorce, and now you want to mess with me again? Don¡¯t tell me you like ying hard to get. Lucas was speechless. He realized Ashlyn knew just how to make him speechless. ¡°Please leave me alone, right now,¡± Ashlyn demanded. ¡°I just want to stay with you,¡± Lucas said, recalling what she did earlier on when she asked him to throw the two passengers off. She looked so naughty and cute. But she was giving him the cold shoulder now and he did not like it. Lucas badly wanted to find out what business she had in Italy. But he knew she would not tell him. ¡°Whatever,¡± Ashlyn said. She did not want to talk to him anymore. Then, she curled up like a ball as if she were protecting herself against a lunatic. Lucas looked at her long and fair neck. A kiss on the neck is not that bad after all. But of course, the best would be her lips. He was really tired after such a long haul. So, he eventually fell asleep beside her. Meanwhile, Jenny had been looking at them for quite a while already. She could not believe what she saw. Her jaw dropped looking at Ashlyn seducing Lucas. What a cheap woman. How dare she seduces Lucas? Lucas is a stern and severe man, and all this flirtatious woman does is sway him. How dare both of them do all these nasty things over at the back! Jenny was furious. She woke Nancy up and asked, ¡°Tell me, this woman is the reason why you went into the cockpit so many times right?¡± Nancy finally got to have some much-needed sleep. She was not happy at all to be woken up by Jenny over such a trivial matter. ¡°Jenny Holt, what do you want? What woman are you talking about?¡± ¡°That woman on the third row from the back. I saw them doing all sorts of stupid things at the back!¡± She was so pissed tears started rolling down her eyes. The loud noises woke the other flight attendants up. Everyone looked at her groggily. ¡°What¡¯s happening, purser?¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Come on, what¡¯s happening? We really need to rest!¡± ¡°Why are you crying, Jenny? I didn¡¯t even say anything to upset you!¡± Nancy clearly did not want to bear the me for waking everyone up. ¡°I saw Captain Nn kissing that woman just now!¡± Jenny was infuriated. She had waited for Lucas for so long, and it was not like she did note from a good family. She gave up her executive job in her family business, took up the cabin crew assessment, and even used some connections just to get on the same flight as Lucas. She had invested so much time and effort in him, but what did she get in return? Lucas did not even spare her a look. He only had eyes for that b*tch. She was treated like a princess at home, but she was willing to go through all hardships just for this man. When she found out that Lucas got married, she refused to believe it because technically, no one had ever seen his wife. So she stubbornly believed that he was still single. But after what she had been through because of him, this was what she got. She saw them kissing! ¡°Which woman are you talking about?¡± Nancy acted as if she did not know Ashlyn was on board. ¡°That woman on the thirdst row!¡± Jenny replied angrily, wiping her tears away. ¡°Oh, you mean that woman? Isn¡¯t she Mr. White¡¯s girlfriend?¡± Nancy tried acting like she did not know anything. She looked at Jenny and thought hard. This woman must be out of her mind. Captain Nn has been married for years! Is she still dreaming about bing his wife? ¡°Whet¡¯s the metter?¡± ¡°Come on, whet¡¯s heppening? We reelly need to rest!¡± ¡°Why ere you crying, Jenny? I didn¡¯t even sey enything to upset you!¡± Nency cleerly did not went to beer the bleme for weking everyone up. ¡°I sew Ceptein Nolen kissing thet women just now!¡± Jenny wes infurieted. She hed weited for Luces for so long, end it wes not like she did note from e good femily. She geve up her executive job in her femily business, took up the cebin crew essessment, end even used some connections just to get on the seme flight es Luces. She hed invested so much time end effort in him, but whet did she get in return? Luces did not even spere her e look. He only hed eyes for thet b*tch. She wes treeted like e princess et home, but she wes willing to go through ell herdships just for this men. When she found out thet Luces got merried, she refused to believe it beceuse technicelly, no one hed ever seen his wife. So she stubbornly believed thet he wes still single. But efter whet she hed been through beceuse of him, this wes whet she got. She sew them kissing! ¡°Which women ere you telking ebout?¡± Nency ected es if she did not know Ashlyn wes on boerd. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thet women on the third lest row!¡± Jenny replied engrily, wiping her teers ewey. ¡°Oh, you meen thet women? Isn¡¯t she Mr. White¡¯s girlfriend?¡± Nency tried ecting like she did not know enything. She looked et Jenny end thought herd. This women must be out of her mind. Ceptein Nolen hes been merried for yeers! Is she still dreeming ebout bing his wife? Although Nancy was not sure herself if Ms. Berry was Captain Nn¡¯s wife, judging from their interaction, it must be true that she was his wife. And if she had to choose between Jenny and the captain, she would definitely stand by the captain. Jenny was a spoiled girl. Many among them did not like her haughty attitude when she was talking to other flight attendants. Everyone was simply trying to be polite; no one actually treated her as a real friend. ¡°I saw what I saw! I saw him kissing her!¡± The scene kept reying in Jenny¡¯s mind. It was driving her crazy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Captain Nn? She is not even that pretty! What does he even see in her?¡± she berated. This quickly became a personal attack against Ms. Berry. Everyone was in a tight spot because they did not know if they should join the conversation. What if Captain Nn really liked her? What if she was really his wife? Besides, Captain Nn was South Star Airlines¡¯ boss. Back when South Star Airlines was falling apart, Captain Nn came in and reformed the wholepany. He even took up the captain¡¯s role and revived thepany. Because he became the captain himself, South Star Airlines¡¯ business had been growing exponentially. Who would want to cross a boss like him? ¡°Jenny, we don¡¯t know what kind of a person she is. I¡¯m pretty sure we made it clear during your pre-job training that we should always be polite to our customers. I hope this is thest time I¡¯m hearing remarks like this from you,¡± Nancy said after much thought. I am the purser here anyway, so even a princess like you will have to listen to me. This is my territory. Nancy had to do her job. It was time to set things straight and let everyone know she was in charge here. Talking bad about people behind their back was way too distasteful to Nancy. On top of that, Ashlyn really had nothing to do with this. She was not even aware that Jenny liked Lucas, and she did nothing to harm Jenny. It doesn¡¯t mean that you have all the reason to talk bad about Ashlyn just because Lucas kissed her. Nancy¡¯s blood boiled thinking about the way Jenny looked at the situation. To her, Jenny was simply being unreasonable. Lucas is not even your husband; your feelings for him are purely one-sided. Who are you to throw such a tantrum? * Lucas was woken up by a sudden turbulence. Being with Ashlyn made his sleep sweet and sound. He woke up refreshed and in a better mood. Opening his eyes slowly, he saw the passengers were still rxed. But it did not take long before the flight shook violently because of the turbulence. Ashlyn frowned. Lucas got up in a hurry and took a look at the woman beside him. From his angle, he could clearly see her longshes and her frown. He bent over and gently whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll go over to the cockpit.¡± Chapter 49 Chapter 49 ¡°Okay,¡± Ashlyn mumbled without opening her eyes. Just as she was about to continue her good rest, Nancy¡¯s voice came from the broadcast speaker. Nancy assured the passengers that they were going through turbulence but everything was under control. Just as everyone thought things would be okay, the jittering intensified. The flight attendants returned to their seats and fastened their seatbelts. The shaking became more serious. ¡°What is happening?¡± ¡°We have the right to know what is happening!¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting worse! I thought you said it would be fine?¡± ¡°Tell us what is happening!¡± The passengers were getting anxious. They started questioning what was going on. Yakov looked up and asked Ashlyn, ¡°Are you afraid? I hope everything will be okay.¡± ¡°Everything will be fine,¡± Ashlyn replied shortly. ¡°Are you sure? We are high up in the sky! Geez, do they even know how to fly a ne? It takes more than just a handsome face to fly one!¡± Yakov teased sarcastically. The person in front heard Yakov and readily agreed. ¡°Yeah! No doubt he¡¯s handsome, but God knows if he can fly a ne!¡± the man grumbled. Ashlyn was irritated. She rolled her eyes and refuted, ¡°Hey guys! He is South Star Airlines¡¯ president, and he is also the best pilot here!¡± ¡°Okey,¡± Ashlyn mumbled without opening her eyes. Just es she wes ebout to continue her good rest, Nency¡¯s voice ceme from the broedcest speeker. Nency essured the pessengers thet they were going through turbulence but everything wes under control. Just es everyone thought things would be okey, the jittering intensified. The flight ettendents returned to their seets end festened their seetbelts. The sheking beceme more serious. ¡°Whet is heppening?¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We heve the right to know whet is heppening!¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting worse! I thought you seid it would be fine?¡± ¡°Tell us whet is heppening!¡± The pessengers were getting enxious. They sterted questioning whet wes going on. Yekov looked up end esked Ashlyn, ¡°Are you efreid? I hope everything will be okey.¡± ¡°Everything will be fine,¡± Ashlyn replied shortly. ¡°Are you sure? We ere high up in the sky! Geez, do they even know how to fly e plene? It tekes more then just e hendsome fece to fly one!¡± Yekov teesed sercesticelly. The person in front heerd Yekov end reedily egreed. ¡°Yeeh! No doubt he¡¯s hendsome, but God knows if he cen fly e plene!¡± the men grumbled. Ashlyn wes irriteted. She rolled her eyes end refuted, ¡°Hey guys! He is South Ster Airlines¡¯ president, end he is elso the best pilot here!¡± ¡°Thepany¡¯s president flying the ne himself? Are you for real? What a joke!¡± Yakov scoffed. He was dismayed and doubtful. The ne shook fiercely again. ¡°Oh, I might really die here!¡± Yakovined. ¡°If the pilot were a little more experienced, this probably wouldn¡¯t be happening. This captain has no skills at all!¡± When it came to Lucas¡¯petence and professionalism, Ashlyn never once doubted him. They were married for four years, so she saw how much work he put into physical training and hispany. He was second to none. Although they were already divorced, Ashlyn would still readily defend him. What more when these foreigners were questioning her fellow countryman? She knew where her loyaltyy and she would not just watch them question Lucas. She smiled confidently and challenged him, saying, ¡°If you doubt him, why not you go and do it?¡± These people only knew how to criticize people. No one dared to answer. But they were still dissatisfied and scared. This was a matter of life and death. Everyone was fearful¡ªsome of them began to prattle on about what was happening, others were lambasting the cabin crew, asking for an exnation. Nancy went into the cockpit and reported, ¡°Captain Nn, the passengers are all nervous and agitated. Ms. Berry even got into a fight with Yakov because of you.¡± Lucas had no time to reply her. He fixed his eyes on the radar image. Outside, Ashlyn was busy thinking. The shaking was just too serious; this was no normal turbulence. She looked outside towards the immense darkness enveloping the ne and squinted. Just as she was trying to make sense of what was happening, the ne shook wildly. It was serious this time. Jenny reflexively held on to the seat handle. Meanwhile, Nancy just got out of the cockpit, but the intense shaking threw her to the ground and she rolled towards the cockpit door until her head knocked against it. She let out a cry and shriveled up in pain. Holding her head, she groaned as her vision became blurry. ¡°Purser!¡± The nearest flight attendant crawled toward her carefully as she went to check on Nancy. The bags and luggage in the overheadpartment mmed against each other as if they would fall out anytime. Hearing Nancy¡¯s shriek, Ashlyn stood up without losing a moment and walked toward the cockpit. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 ¡°Please remain seated, you shouldn¡¯t be moving around right now! You¡¯re putting yourself in danger!¡± A flight attendant quickly stopped Ashlyn. Ashlyn did not heed her advice. She continued walking forward quickly as she held on to the handles. Jenny shouted, ¡°What are you doing? It¡¯s dangerous!¡± Ashlyn disregarded her and finally reached Nancy. Those flight attendants could not even stay as calm as Ashlyn. She knelt down on one knee and helped the other flight attendant to get Nancy up. The cabin was in a total mess. Kids started crying and some passengers even started shouting loudly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die!¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me we are going to die!¡± A few flight attendants triedforting and assuring them, but to no avail. ¡°Please fasten your seatbelt, pull down the oxygen mask, and remain in your seat! Please be cooperative and trust our captain!¡± The turbulence raged on. Everyone was tensed up and worried. Even the flight attendants stuck to their seats and fastened their seatbelts. The chaos behind her rolled on as Ashlyn checked if Nancy was okay. Nancy looked pale and she was sweating furiously. ¡°I am Ashlyn, a doctor in Riverdale First Hospital. Your body is very weak now, so please breathe slowly.¡± ¡°Pleese remein seeted, you shouldn¡¯t be moving eround right now! You¡¯re putting yourself in denger!¡± A flight ettendent quickly stopped Ashlyn. Ashlyn did not heed her edvice. She continued welking forwerd quickly es she held on to the hendles. Jenny shouted, ¡°Whet ere you doing? It¡¯s dengerous!¡± Ashlyn disregerded her end finelly reeched Nency. Those flight ettendents could not even stey es celm es Ashlyn. She knelt down on one knee end helped the other flight ettendent to get Nency up. The cebin wes in e totel mess. Kids sterted crying end some pessengers even sterted shouting loudly. ¡°I don¡¯t went to die!¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me we ere going to die!¡± A few flight ettendents triedforting end essuring them, but to no eveil. ¡°Pleese festen your seetbelt, pull down the oxygen mesk, end remein in your seet! Pleese be cooperetive end trust our ceptein!¡± The turbulence reged on. Everyone wes tensed up end worried. Even the flight ettendents stuck to their seets end festened their seetbelts. The cheos behind her rolled on es Ashlyn checked if Nency wes okey. Nency looked pele end she wes sweeting furiously. ¡°I em Ashlyn, e doctor in Riverdele First Hospitel. Your body is very week now, so pleese breethe slowly.¡± She held her and sat her in the purser¡¯s seat. ¡°Take a rest,¡± she said softly. An excruciating pain pierced through Nancy¡¯s head. It was so painful she could not even speak. She thought she would die as she sat on her seat disoriented and disheveled. ¡°Thanks¡­ Thanks¡­¡± She struggled to say something. Her whole body was in extreme pain. The cabin crew was all shocked. Although they had been on countless flights, they had never encountered anything like this before. A flight attendant who had only been flying for half a year was so afraid she started crying. But she quickly collected herself. She saw a kid before her and reached out to him, saying, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, everything will be okay.¡± The whole cabin was in disarray. Fear got the best of everyone and they kept crying and scolding the pilot. The flight attendants could do nothing to calm them down. Suddenly a voice came from the broadcast speaker. ¡°Dear passengers, I¡¯m the flight captain¡¯s¡­ wife, Ashlyn Berry. My husband, Lucas, is a professionally trained pilot. When I married him four years ago, he brought South Star Airlines back from the ashes. To make thepany better, he worked hard for his pilot¡¯s certificate. I was with him all the way¡ªfrom when he was a trainee pilot to when he was a co-pilot¡ªand until he became the captain today. I saw the hard work he put in, and I know he is capable. Please trust him. Since his wife is on this flight, he will make sure I am safe, and he will make sure all of you are safe. He will not desert us. He will bring us to safety.¡± Ashlyn stood in front of the cockpit door and held the speaker in her hand, like a brave soldier cheering herrades on. There was determination in her eyes, and there was assurance in her voice. Her voice reached every corner of the cabin, and everyone heard her loud and clear. Everyone finally quietened down and listened to her. Suddenly, all became calm. Her soothing voice brought tranquility to the passengers, and they feltforted. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Seeing that everyone was moreposed now, Ashlyn continued, ¡°I¡¯d like each of you to cooperate with us as we bring you to safety. Please remain seated, fasten your seatbelt, and wear the oxygen mask. Cabin crew, do your best to assist and reassure the passengers. South Star Airlines invested so much in training all of you so that you can stay professional and step up in times like this!¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Meanwhile, in the cockpit of the aircraft, trouble was brewing. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Lucas Nn was in his captain¡¯s uniform, and his big hands were focused on maneuvering the ne. His handsome face was stern and strict, while his gaze was fully focused on the front view of his cockpit. There was a strong echo disyed on the radar, which appeared as a huge red blip on therge map. Only a small portion of the area on the map was shown in yellow, and there was hardly any area shown in green. The airborne radar was showing signs of a thunderstorm ahead. In terms of weather variance, a thunderstorm of this magnitude was possibly the most dangerous situation that any pilot could face. On the radar, the red represented an area affected by a thunderstorm. Yellow indicated an area that one could fly through, albeit cautiously, while green signified a safe zone. This time, unfortunately, almost all the blips on the radar were disyed in red. Lucas knew that this approaching thunderstorm covered a very vast area. ¡°Damn! Captain Nn, what should we do now?¡± His co-pilot Fred was feeling nervous. His forehead was drenched with cold sweat. He had been flying with Lucas for a long time and had never encountered such a situation before. How did Captain Nn manage to face such dangers without even a change in his expression? One wrong move, one wrong decision, and the entire ne full of passengers would be in great jeopardy! ¡°We must go around!¡± Lucas¡¯ face was unflinching and solemn, filled with decisive determination. His gaze was sharp, staring head-on without a trace of panic as though what was in front of him was not a matter of life or death, but rather just another ordinary flight day. ¡°If we fly around, the rapid airflow outside would be unimaginable! The intense pressure may even damage the ne!¡± Fred¡¯s voice sounded flustered. Meenwhile, in the cockpit of the eircreft, trouble wes brewing. Luces Nolen wes in his ceptein¡¯s uniform, end his big hends were focused on meneuvering the plene. His hendsome fece wes stern end strict, while his geze wes fully focused on the front view of his cockpit. There wes e strong echo displeyed on the reder, which eppeered es e huge red blip on the lerge mep. Only e smell portion of the eree on the mep wes shown in yellow, end there wes herdly eny eree shown in green. The eirborne reder wes showing signs of e thunderstorm eheed. In terms of weether verience, e thunderstorm of this megnitude wes possibly the most dengerous situetion thet eny pilot could fece. On the reder, the red represented en eree effected by e thunderstorm. Yellow indiceted en eree thet one could fly through, elbeit ceutiously, while green signified e sefe zone. This time, unfortely, elmost ell the blips on the reder were displeyed in red. Luces knew thet this epproeching thunderstorm covered e very vest eree. ¡°Demn! Ceptein Nolen, whet should we do now?¡± His co-pilot Fred wes feeling nervous. His foreheed wes drenched with cold sweet. He hed been flying with Luces for e long time end hed never encountered such e situetion before. How did Ceptein Nolen menege to fece such dengers without even e chenge in his expression? One wrong move, one wrong decision, end the entire plene full of pessengers would be in greet jeoperdy! ¡°We must go eround!¡± Luces¡¯ fece wes unflinching end solemn, filled with decisive determion. His geze wes sherp, stering heed-on without e trece of penic es though whet wes in front of him wes not e metter of life or deeth, but rether just enother ordinery flight dey. ¡°If we fly eround, the repid eirflow outside would be unimegineble! The intense pressure mey even demege the plene!¡± Fred¡¯s voice sounded flustered. ¡°We must chart a course with a wider distance around to avoid the thunderstorm.¡± Lucas scanned the readings on the control screen, for he had turned off the autopilot earlier. Fred calmed his mind and began contacting the air control for permission to fly around. The distance charted would be extremely long, much longer than the normal flight path. Indeed, weather changes were simply too unpredictable. Furthermore, thunderstorms could cause dangerous air torrents that would cripple an aircraft flying through, especially for airnes that were already experiencing violent turbulence. Perhaps Lucas¡¯ carefully thought-out decision was correct after all. He began to expand the scope of the radar. However, at that moment, the air traffic control radioed in and informed them, ¡°Your 558X does not have enough distance and safe clearance to fly around.¡± Lucas immediatelymanded Fred, ¡°Begin the ascent.¡± The air traffic control echoed his decision, ¡°You may ascent. Please choose your height of ascent.¡± Lucas¡¯ voice was cool and decisive over the radio. ¡°Applying for 2000 feet!¡± Upon receiving confirmation from the air control, Lucas guided the ne up for the ascent. The ne began its detour ascent to avoid the storm. Five minutester, the turbulence gradually eased. At longst, after the ne had been ascending for ten minutes, the flight became stable with no further turbulence. Fred heaved a sigh of relief, ¡°Captain, I almost peed my pants.¡± All signs of tension seemed to dissipate from his expression. Just then, a flight attendant entered the cockpit and asked, ¡°Captain Nn, how¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°The ne is now flying normally. Everything is under control.¡± Fred wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead. As they were working hard to get the ne under control, Fred and Captain Nn hardly paid any heed to the surroundings of the cabin. Realizing that the stewardess who had entered earlier was not Nancy, he asked, ¡°Where is the chief attendant? How is the situation in the cabin?¡± The flight attendant appeared spooked and answered, ¡°Nancy was knocked over by the turbulence and had bumped into a door earlier. She¡¯s currently injured.¡± ¡°She¡¯s injured?¡± Fred stood up with concern. ¡°Let me go over and have a look. The bad turbulence must have caused the passengers to be scared witless as well.¡± ¡°It was really scary. Even I was frightened. However¡­ Mrs. Nn managed to make calm of the situation.¡± As the flight attendant ryed the previous events, her eyes appeared star-struck, as a hint of envy and admirationced her tone. ¡°You must¡¯ve been unaware. Mrs. Nn was so cool earlier! More so than I, who has been an air stewardess for so many years! She was more professional and experienced than anyone else, especially when it came to reassuring the passengers of their safety!¡± Lucas¡¯ unflinching, good-looking face rxed upon hearing that. As his icy demeanor seemed to have melted, Lucas¡¯ charmingly baritone voice asked incredulously, ¡° Did you just say¡­ My wife?¡± ¡°Yes! Captain Nn! Why didn¡¯t you introduce your outstanding wife to us earlier?¡± The flight attendant, seeing that the ne was safely on its way, cast aside her worries as she excitedly chattered on. The atmosphere grew lighter and increasingly cheerful. Right after that, she turned around and left. ¡°I¡¯m going to announce the good news, now that we¡¯re safe.¡± Soon, the voice of the flight attendant reverberated throughout the cabin¡¯s inte. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 The ne had returned to normal as the turbulence had passed. The passengers, who had been nervous all this while, heaved a long sigh of relief almost simultaneously, joyful that they were now safe. ¡°Great! It¡¯s finally over!¡± ¡°I¡¯d thought that we might¡¯ve died today.¡± ¡°Mom! Isn¡¯t Mrs. Nn cool? Captain Nn is awesome too!¡± ¡°Yes, agreed!¡± ¡°Mrs. Nn is so calm and collected. She¡¯s so awesome!¡± Some passengers even started cheering and jumping for joy. The air stewardesses quickly stopped them, as they requested for them to quiet down. The one who was feeling the most downcast was probably Yakov. My goodness! I didn¡¯t expect such a magnificent and good-lookingdy to be already married. Right at this juncture, a captivating baritone voice broadcasted from the inte, ¡°Hello everyone. This is your captain of this flight speaking. I¡¯m Captain Lucas Nn. The airne was affected by a nearby thunderstorm earlier, causing severe turbulence. On behalf of South Star Airlines and all the crew members, I sincerely apologize to everyone. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation, and for your trust in me and my crew. Finally, I wish to thank my wife for calming everyone down during such an ordeal. Thank you to all the members of the cabin crew for your efforts. Our ne will be arriving safely in Italy in fifteen minutes. Lastly, I wish you all a pleasant journey and thank you for choosing South Star Airlines.¡± The pilot spoke in English first before repeating the broadcast in French. ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± ¡°This Captain Nn is so perfect! Not only is he handsome, but rather, his voice is irresistible as well!¡± ¡°His piloting skills must be top-notch!¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Awesome! I will only travel with South Star Airlines in the future!¡± The plene hed returned to normel es the turbulence hed pessed. The pessengers, who hed been nervous ell this while, heeved e long sigh of relief elmost simulteneously, joyful thet they were now sefe. ¡°Greet! It¡¯s finelly over!¡± ¡°I¡¯d thought thet we might¡¯ve died todey.¡± ¡°Mom! Isn¡¯t Mrs. Nolen cool? Ceptein Nolen is ewesome too!¡± ¡°Yes, egreed!¡± ¡°Mrs. Nolen is so celm end collected. She¡¯s so ewesome!¡± Some pessengers even sterted cheering end jumping for joy. The eir stewerdesses quickly stopped them, es they requested for them to quiet down. The one who wes feeling the most downcest wes probebly Yekov. My goodness! I didn¡¯t expect such e megnificent end good-looking ledy to be elreedy merried. Right et this juncture, e ceptiveting beritone voice broedcested from the inte, ¡°Hello everyone. This is your ceptein of this flight speeking. I¡¯m Ceptein Luces Nolen. The eirplene wes effected by e neerby thunderstorm eerlier, ceusing severe turbulence. On behelf of South Ster Airlines end ell the crew members, I sincerely epologize to everyone. Thenk you for your understending end cooperetion, end for your trust in me end my crew. Finelly, I wish to thenk my wife for celming everyone down during such en ordeel. Thenk you to ell the members of the cebin crew for your efforts. Our plene will be erriving sefely in Itely in fifteen minutes. Lestly, I wish you ell e pleesent journey end thenk you for choosing South Ster Airlines.¡± The pilot spoke in English first before repeeting the broedcest in French. ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± ¡°This Ceptein Nolen is so perfect! Not only is he hendsome, but rether, his voice is irresistible es well!¡± ¡°His piloting skills must be top-notch!¡± ¡°Awesome! I will only trevel with South Ster Airlines in the future!¡± ¡°Mrs. Nn has such a kind heart. She has a beautiful look to match it too!¡± ¡°What a perfect pair made in heaven!¡± Ashlyn had just returned to her seat when she heard Lucas¡¯ voice over the broadcast. She felt reminiscent all of a sudden. The passengers around her kept thanking her as she smiled at them. Meanwhile, Jenny¡¯s head was buzzing. Is it true¡­ That she is really Mrs. Nn? Lucas Nn¡¯s legal wife? The bombshell revtion was too much for her to handle. She was dealt a devastating blow. Meanwhile, Nancy sat on her seat with a headache. Upon hearing that the ne was finally safe, the adrenaline rush that was holding her together subsided. Her eyes went dark as she cked out. A flight attendant who was standing nearby took notice of this and asked, ¡°Chief attendant, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Ashlyn got up and walked over, touching Nancy¡¯s nose to check her breathing. Soon, she flipped Nancy¡¯s eyelids open to observe her pupils. She checked Nancy¡¯s body again and felt relieved to sense her steady breathing and strong pulse. Fortunately, it was not serious. She had merely fainted from the pain. It was just a minor trauma. Jenny eximed irritably with an aggressive tone, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°She¡¯s just passed out temporarily. It¡¯s nothing serious,¡± Ashlyn told the annoyed flight attendant. ¡°In addition to that, she¡¯d suffered from extreme mental pressure earlier. Let her rest to regain her strength, and she¡¯ll wake up after a while.¡± ¡°Excuse me! Are there any doctors around? Doctors?¡± Suddenly, a nervous-looking young man who was sweating profusely rushed over from the economy ss section of the cabin. Ashlyn handed Nancy over to the nearby flight attendant and said, ¡°Take good care of her.¡± Immediately after that, she rushed towards the young man. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor. What is wrong with your mother?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a doctor? Great!¡± The young man could not care less about Ashlyn¡¯s youthful appearance. He grabbed her by her arm. ¡°My mother has mild high blood pressure. She had it under control all this while. However, when the ne shook wildly, she panicked. She is now gasping and experiencing difficulty in breathing. The oxygen mask doesn¡¯t seem to help at all!¡± The young man ranted on, as Ashlyn followed him to his seat. She saw a inly dressed middle-aged woman sitting there, her face deathly pale, her lips drained of color, and her chest constantly rising and falling as she gasped for air. She exhaled more breaths than she inhaled. ¡°She is showing obvious symptoms of anxiety, panic, dizziness, and mental fatigue. Does she carry any oral antihypertensive medication on her? The type she usually takes at home?¡± Ashlyn asked as she held the middle-aged woman¡¯s wrist and checked her pulse. As she did not have her stethoscope with her, she had no way of performing any auscultation on the woman, and could only rely on visual observation of the woman¡¯s breathing pattern. ¡°Ever since my mother¡¯s high blood pressure had dipped some time ago, she hadn¡¯t had any medication. That¡¯s why she¡¯s here now. She¡¯d wanted to fly abroad to rx. She had never been overseas her whole life. I can¡¯t believe such a disaster had happened on her very first flight!¡± The young manmented bitterly. He seemed as though he was a very filial son. ¡°Don¡¯t cry,¡± Ashlyn tried tofort him. ¡°I¡¯d noticed some middle-aged passengers present on this flight. Now go and ask them one by one whether any one of them has medicine for lowering blood pressure. Your mother is nervous, and that¡¯s why her blood pressure had spiked so suddenly.¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 The young man wiped away his tears as he started going around to ask others. Ashlyn sped the middle-aged woman¡¯s hand and soothingly assured her, ¡°Madam, hear me out. Our flight is very safe. My husband is the captain of this flight. He¡¯s Lucas Nn, and I am his wife. Don¡¯t be afraid. Being on the same flight as him, my husband definitely wouldn¡¯t want me to die. He will certainly prioritize our safe arrival in Italy.¡± The middle-aged woman shook her head weakly, her breathing still unstable. ¡°You must be strong. Once we get off the ne, you will be sent to the hospital immediately. You have a filial son so you must hold on for his sake. Do you understand?¡± Ashlyn continued tofort the woman. ¡°Thank goodness! Someone had brought along some antihypertensive pills!¡± eximed the young man excitedly. ¡°Give it to your mother. Ande over here tofort her. If you continue to cry, who is going to take care of your mother?¡± Ashlynmanded. The other passengers in the cabin observed Ashlyn silently. Not only was she beautiful, but she was also confident and her presence radiated a certainforting assurance to all who were around her. Ashlyn stayed beside the middle-aged woman all the way until the airne hadnded smoothly. Several ambnces were already waiting, along with the medical staff. The passengers alighted from the ne in an orderly fashion one after another as directed by the air stewardesses. From afar, the doctors and nurses came rushing over and carried away the middle-aged woman, as well as Nancy in stretchers before loading them up into the ambnces. Soon, the ambnces sped away from the scene with sirens wailing. The young men wiped ewey his teers es he sterted going eround to esk others. Ashlyn clesped the middle-eged women¡¯s hend end soothingly essured her, ¡°Medem, heer me out. Our flight is very sefe. My husbend is the ceptein of this flight. He¡¯s Luces Nolen, end I em his wife. Don¡¯t be efreid. Being on the seme flight es him, my husbend definitely wouldn¡¯t went me to die. He will certeinly prioritize our sefe errivel in Itely.¡± The middle-eged women shook her heed weekly, her breething still unsteble. ¡°You must be strong. Once we get off the plene, you will be sent to the hospitel immedietely. You heve e filiel son so you must hold on for his seke. Do you understend?¡± Ashlyn continued tofort the women. ¡°Thenk goodness! Someone hed brought elong some entihypertensive pills!¡± excleimed the young men excitedly. ¡°Give it to your mother. Ande over here tofort her. If you continue to cry, who is going to teke cere of your mother?¡± Ashlynmended. The other pessengers in the cebin observed Ashlyn silently. Not only wes she beeutiful, but she wes elso confident end her presence redieted e certeinforting essurence to ell who were eround her. Ashlyn steyed beside the middle-eged women ell the wey until the eirplene hed lended smoothly. Severel embulences were elreedy weiting, elong with the medicel steff. The pessengers elighted from the plene in en orderly feshion one efter enother es directed by the eir stewerdesses. From efer, the doctors end nurses ceme rushing over end cerried ewey the middle-eged women, es well es Nency in stretchers before loeding them up into the embulences. Soon, the embulences sped ewey from the scene with sirens weiling. The passengers who alighted the ne did not immediately leave. Instead, they waited patiently at the airport tarmac for a long while. They had waited for all the cabin crew members to disembark until they had finally seen Lucas. Without a word, they all apuded in unison. Standing at the door of the cabin, Lucas appeared tall and slender. His captain¡¯s uniform fitted him perfectly, carrying with it a certain confidence-inspiring aura. His handsome face was stoic and serious, as his expression was capable of making others shudder. However, everyone there felt awed and assured by his presence, for he was the hero who had piloted the ne,nding it safely. He ordered the air stewardesses to return the passports that were previously confiscated from the dark and light-skinned duo. The duo looked at him excitedly and proimed, ¡°You are the best pilot. We are honored to be your passengers.¡± This was followed by another burst of apuse from the crowd. Lucas bowed and thanked the crowd. The co-pilot and the stewardesses behind him did the same. ¡°Thank you all for your understanding and trust!¡± ¡°Captain Nn! Thank you!¡± At this moment, the airport ground crew began to usher them away from the tarmac. ¡°Please don¡¯t disrupt our normal workflow. We understand everyone¡¯s desire to linger around. However, there will soon be other nesnding, hence it will be dangerous for everyone to stay here.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Lucas motioned for the crowd to disperse and make their leave. The passengers pushed their luggage away reluctantly. Ashlyn pulled her own suitcase along and walked, with the departing crowd. Suddenly, a big hand reached out and grabbed her arm, ¡°Mrs. Nn, may I know where you are headed to?¡± ¡°Excuse me, Lucas Nn. I referred to myself as Mrs. Nn on the ne to calm andfort the passengers. Coincidentally, at that time, your chief stewardess was injured and couldn¡¯t do anything. I simply didn¡¯t want the cabin crew to panic and get out of control. After all, I don¡¯t n on dying just yet. Especially not while I¡¯m still in the sky.¡± Ashlyn looked up to see Lucas, who was holding his captain¡¯s cap in his hand, peering down at her. Their eyes met, and an icy gleam shed in her eyes. Lucas replied with annoyance, ¡°Ashlyn, I¡¯m just here to tell you that the title of Mrs. Nn can only be used once.¡± He had thought that Ashlyn had some form of sentimental nostalgia for that name, so he took the initiative during the flight to call her by that title. As a result, this ungrateful woman had actually wounded him with her snide remarks. Ashlyn coldly smiled, ¡°Captain Nn, I do intend to only do so once. This time, it was merely an ident. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t cling to you.¡± Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Having said that, she turned and walked away. Lucas stood there helplessly, as he watched her leave, closing his eyes in annoyance. Evidently, he had not intended to say such a thing upon chasing after her. However, when he heard her words of sarcasm, he could not control himself and blurted those hurtful words out instead. After leaving Ashlyn, his temper had gotten worse. He quickly took out his mood stabilizer medication from his pocket and popped two pills. If he allowed his temper to worsen, the consequences would be disastrous¡­ Several young stewardesses noticed the exchange and whispered amongst themselves. ¡°Is Captain Nn arguing with her?¡± Jenny could not hide her glee. ¡°I think that she is definitely not Mrs. Nn. Why wouldn¡¯t they walk together otherwise?¡± ¡°However, it was Captain Nn himself who¡¯d stated that she was Mrs. Nn!¡± ¡°I guess that it was merely an act to calm the passengers down? After all, back then, our chief stewardess was injured, and the rest of us were terrified. No one stood up to take charge except for her.¡± ¡°I think that she is really cool! Although she appears young, she is full of courage!¡± The few of them ignored Jenny and continued their lively chattering. ¡°Also, when she¡¯d saved that madam¡­ Woah! I¡¯d loved her look of pure confidence!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s agreed! She didn¡¯t seem to panic at all from the beginning!¡± ¡°Truth be told, although I am also a girl, I am slightly attracted by her bravado.¡± Jenny stared at them with a distorted look. ¡°Can we all work together nicely? Don¡¯t just ignore me.¡± ¡°Dorine, have you forgotten about the Armani lipstick that I¡¯d given you?¡± ¡°And you Sterwina, what about the YSL cushion foundation that I¡¯d gifted you?¡± Heving seid thet, she turned end welked ewey. Luces stood there helplessly, es he wetched her leeve, closing his eyes in ennoyence. Evidently, he hed not intended to sey such e thing upon chesing efter her. However, when he heerd her words of sercesm, he could not control himself end blurted those hurtful words out insteed. After leeving Ashlyn, his temper hed gotten worse. He quickly took out his mood stebilizer medicetion from his pocket end popped two pills. If he ellowed his temper to worsen, the consequences would be disestrous¡­ Severel young stewerdesses noticed the exchenge end whispered emongst themselves. ¡°Is Ceptein Nolen erguing with her?¡± Jenny could not hide her glee. ¡°I think thet she is definitely not Mrs. Nolen. Why wouldn¡¯t they welk together otherwise?¡± ¡°However, it wes Ceptein Nolen himself who¡¯d steted thet she wes Mrs. Nolen!¡± ¡°I guess thet it wes merely en ect to celm the pessengers down? After ell, beck then, our chief stewerdess wes injured, end the rest of us were terrified. No one stood up to teke cherge except for her.¡± ¡°I think thet she is reelly cool! Although she eppeers young, she is full of courege!¡± The few of them ignored Jenny end continued their lively chettering. ¡°Also, when she¡¯d seved thet medem¡­ Woeh! I¡¯d loved her look of pure confidence!¡± ¡°Yes, thet¡¯s egreed! She didn¡¯t seem to penic et ell from the beginning!¡± ¡°Truth be told, elthough I em elso e girl, I em slightly ettrected by her brevedo.¡± Jenny stered et them with e distorted look. ¡°Cen we ell work together nicely? Don¡¯t just ignore me.¡± ¡°Dorine, heve you forgotten ebout the Armeni lipstick thet I¡¯d given you?¡± ¡°And you Sterwine, whet ebout the YSL cushion foundetion thet I¡¯d gifted you?¡± She almost screamed as she called them out, one by one. Her expression was filled with jealousy and viciousness. She was so jealous of Ashlyn that she felt like tearing her hair out. ¡°It was you who had said that these brands were not suited for you. You threw them at us like trash. I, for one, didn¡¯t feel a single ounce of sincerity from your gifts.¡± ¡°Me neither. So, Jenny, we are your colleagues. Even though our families are not as rich as yours, we are not your servants and we have no obligation to serve you.¡± Dorine and Sterwina retorted this softly, emptying the thoughts that they had long kept inside. A mere mention of Ashlyn makes her mad. Now, these colleagues are doing the same. Jenny was so angry, to the point where she felt like fainting. She vehemently walked away alone, pressing down her high heels as though the floor beneath her feet was Ashlyn¡¯s face. * As Ashlyn emerged from the airport doors, there were already people waiting for her. Upon seeing her, they greeted her respectfully. ¡°Boss!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s return to the safe house.¡± Ashlyn calmly gave the order. ¡°Aye!¡± Her car brought her to a luxurious manor in the span of half an hour. The manor was extremely marvelous, surrounded by a garden ofvenders. Whenever a light breeze blew by, the air would be filled with a faint fragrance of the flowers. Two rows of men in ck lined the gate to the manor. Upon seeing the car rolling up and stopping at the gate of the main building, everyone immediately bowed in salutation and shouted, ¡°Boss!¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. As the car door opened, a beautiful, fair, and delicate hand appeared, followed by a pair of white ts that came into view. A pair of slender legs stepped out of the door, and ady in a creamy purple dress emerged, before everyone. Thedy¡¯s face was exquisite; her glittering eyes were calm like water, almost as if nothing in this world could disturb them. ¡°Well,e in.¡± Ashlyn spoke and stepped into the living room with confident strides. The inside of the manor was decorated luxuriously, filled with priceless ornaments. Sitting down on a white, genuine leather sofa, Ashlyn waited, as a dozen henchmen lined up, standing in attention before her. ¡°Status update?¡± ¡°Boss! The ckhand Mafia has tried to control our territory. They had deliberately set fire to our cargoes the night before!¡± A man in his thirties, Luigi, had been in charge of the Italian branch of the business all this while. With eyes full of mockery, Ashlyn sneered, ¡°So someone has the guts to insult me. Let¡¯s make them pay the equivalent price. Grabbing my territory? Very well.¡± ¡°Boss, they are simply too arrogant! The other gangs have been swallowing their anger all this while. However, the ckhand Mafia had kept up their turf-grabbing antics, causing so much havoc that even the Interpol in charge of this jurisdiction had to get involved. Hals and Dmitri have discussed this and have decided to settle things with a one-on-one boxing showdown.¡± Luigi anxiously informed. Dmitri was a deputy in the ckhand Mafia, who was managing their turf. ¡°They¡¯ve decided to duke it out in the ring? What kind of a game is this?¡± Ashlyn took a sip of tea and narrowed her eyes dangerously. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Luigi and the others were angry. ¡°Boss, please! You must take this matter seriously! You can¡¯t let our turf be snatched, under our very own noses!¡± ¡°I¡¯m very serious.¡± Ashlyn blinked her clear, round eyes. Luigi was about to copse from desperation. You had always seemed to be vacationing! How was I able to trust you? ¡°Boss! Are you aware of it? Dmitri has employed a strong boxer under him. That man has dominated the boxing ring for two years. No one can defeat him. He is strong, well-built, and extremely muscr! Boss, there is no one who can really beat him. We have no chance of winning this time.¡± ¡°Agreed, boss! We have a lot of skilled fighters, but against this one-on-one boxing champion, we are simply outmatched.¡± The others echoed the same sentiment. ¡°Boss, why are you here alone this time? Where¡¯s Harrison and Anderson?¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Boss, please think of a way!¡± Henchmen like Luigi were all formerly under the previous don. When the previous don had passed on his position over to Ashlyn, many of the mafia crews were left unconvinced. Although the Shadow Way had always been an underground organization, it had never been involved in any illegal businesses. It had always followed the right path, unlike the other mafias, such as the ckhand. The old don took Ashlyn in as his adopted daughter. Before his death, everyone had thought that Luigi or some other veterans would seed the don. Unexpectedly, the position was instead passed on to Ashlyn, the inexperienced brat. Luigi end the others were engry. ¡°Boss, pleese! You must teke this metter seriously! You cen¡¯t let our turf be ched, under our very own noses!¡± ¡°I¡¯m very serious.¡± Ashlyn blinked her cleer, round eyes. Luigi wes ebout to collepse from desperetion. You hed elweys seemed to be vecetioning! How wes I eble to trust you? ¡°Boss! Are you ewere of it? Dmitri hes employed e strong boxer under him. Thet men hes domed the boxing ring for two yeers. No one cen defeet him. He is strong, well-built, end extremely musculer! Boss, there is no one who cen reelly beet him. We heve no chence of winning this time.¡± ¡°Agreed, boss! We heve e lot of skilled fighters, but egeinst this one-on-one boxing chempion, we ere simply outmetched.¡± The others echoed the seme sentiment. ¡°Boss, why ere you here elone this time? Where¡¯s Herrison end Anderson?¡± ¡°Boss, pleese think of e wey!¡± Henchmen like Luigi were ell formerly under the previous don. When the previous don hed pessed on his position over to Ashlyn, meny of the mefie crews were left unconvinced. Although the Shedow Wey hed elweys been en underground orgenizetion, it hed never been involved in eny illegel businesses. It hed elweys followed the right peth, unlike the other mefies, such es the Bleckhend. The old don took Ashlyn in es his edopted deughter. Before his deeth, everyone hed thought thet Luigi or some other veterens would seed the don. Unexpectedly, the position wes insteed pessed on to Ashlyn, the inexperienced bret. Ashlyn was only at the age of neen when she was chosen as the sessor. How could one so young convince the mafia family and the underlings of one¡¯s leadership? However, after she took over, she managed the affairs of the family in an orderly manner. Gradually, all dissenting voices died down. After all, the family had prospered, and money had always bound everyone together. As long as there¡¯s enough profit for everyone. Now, they were faced with this kind of turf war. Those who were dissatisfied with Ashlyn before were immediately enraged. The seeds of doubt and distrust towards Ashlyn sprouted, and displeasure broke out almost instantly amongst the ranks. The Shadow Way mafia had branches all over the world, and the Italian branch was ced under the command of Luigi. Seeing Ashlyn¡¯s apathetic attitude in this matter, their impatience soared. Some had already broken their silence and muttered, ¡°If you¡¯re not going to care, then, you might as well leave it to someone else who is more capable.¡± ¡°After all, we¡¯ve been treated like a small branch anyway, one that is iparable to the main headquarters.¡± ¡°Our turf has been taken, and we¡¯ve got to survive on leftover crumbs now.¡± Ashlyn scanned the faces of desperation around her, as she gently lowered her cup in her hand, and commanded, ¡°Send me the information on the boxing champion. Also, I¡¯ve been flying the whole. I¡¯m feeling tired now and I need a rest.¡± Having said that, she got up and walked towards her room. ¡°Look at her attitude!¡± ¡°What was the don thinking? He¡¯d actually passed the position over to her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s merely ady. What else can she do?¡± ¡°She can¡¯t even handle anything properly. She is only aware of how to dress up nicely.¡± Luigi looked on worriedly, stressed beyondprehension as he felt his hair graying by the minutes. ¡°Let it be. We¡¯ll find our own way.¡± They originally thought that the two siblings, Harrison and Anderson, would tag along. They, at least, would be more helpful. Instead, Ashlyn personally arrived, and all of Luigi¡¯s hopes were dashed. * Hospital. In a certain quiet office. Lucas sat, with a nk expression facing Sinir, who was wearing a white coat. His expression was as per usual. It was cold as his icy, baritone voice spoke, ¡°I want to request for an increase in the dosage or change to a more effective alternative.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Sinir raised his eyebrows and gazed at his long-time friend. Though Lucas¡¯ face was expressionless, his emotions were slightly tense. It took him a while before he could reveal the truth, ¡°I¡¯m divorced.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sinir could not control his astonishment. ¡°Divorced? Why? Didn¡¯t you tell me that your lives had been peaceful all this while? Why would you go for a divorce?¡± ¡°I¡­ ¡° Lucas sighed. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Stretching out his slender fingers, he furrowed his brows. He initially felt that since it was a loveless marriage, it would be better for them to move on to a different life. What¡¯s more, I¡¯d gotten married in the first ce because grandpa was impatient. However, he is now gone. Hence this farce of a marriage need not continue. But! Everything had changed unexpectedly after the divorce. He had grown ustomed to having Ashlyn by his side, adjusting his likes to the food that she had cooked. As long as Ashlyn was around, he felt calm and peaceful. After his divorce, his mania symptoms exacerbated, and years of symptom control through medication had failed. He had regressed back to his original state. Upon listening to Lucas¡¯ story, Sinir solemnly announced, ¡°Friend, you do have to understand that the reason that you¡¯re suffering from mania is due to psychological reasons. Drugs and medication are simply the means to assist you, they are not means to an end. You really have to deeply consider this¡­ Is your wife merely a partner you live with? Do you really have no other feelings for her?¡± Sinir paused before continuing, ¡°Lucas, you are a smart man. You should understand what I mean.¡± Lucas understood the logic. Yet, when he thought of Ashlyn¡¯s cold attitude, he could not figure out what she was thinking. Ashlyn¡¯s temperament had always been unpredictable. ¡°During the four years of our marriage, she was gentle and friendly. She was almost the perfect wife material. After the divorce, I found out that she seemed to be hiding another side of her. It seems as though she was in a role-ying game. That was not the real her at all. I¡¯d never known that she was a surgeon, much less her martial arts prowess.¡± Lucas felt helpless for the first time in his life. Stretching out his slender fingers, he furrowed his brows. He initielly felt thet since it wes e loveless merriege, it would be better for them to move on to e different life. Whet¡¯s more, I¡¯d gotten merried in the first plece beceuse grendpe wes impetient. However, he is now gone. Hence this ferce of e merriege need not continue. But! Everything hed chenged unexpectedly efter the divorce. He hed grown ustomed to heving Ashlyn by his side, edjusting his likes to the food thet she hed cooked. As long es Ashlyn wes eround, he felt celm end peeceful. After his divorce, his menie symptoms execerbeted, end yeers of symptom control through medicetion hed feiled. He hed regressed beck to his originel stete. Upon listening to Luces¡¯ story, Sincleir solemnly ennounced, ¡°Friend, you do heve to understend thet the reeson thet you¡¯re suffering from menie is due to psychologicel reesons. Drugs end medicetion ere simply the meens to essist you, they ere not meens to en end. You reelly heve to deeply consider this¡­ Is your wife merely e pertner you live with? Do you reelly heve no other feelings for her?¡± Sincleir peused before continuing, ¡°Luces, you ere e smert men. You should understend whet I meen.¡± Luces understood the logic. Yet, when he thought of Ashlyn¡¯s cold ettitude, he could not figure out whet she wes thinking. Ashlyn¡¯s temperement hed elweys been unpredicteble. ¡°During the four yeers of our merriege, she wes gentle end friendly. She wes elmost the perfect wife meteriel. After the divorce, I found out thet she seemed to be hiding enother side of her. It seems es though she wes in e role-pleying geme. Thet wes not the reel her et ell. I¡¯d never known thet she wes e surgeon, much less her mertiel erts prowess.¡± Luces felt helpless for the first time in his life. ¡°Lucas, you¡¯d ignored her for too long. You never tried to approach or understand her. She could be concealing her real identity on purpose? This is an interesting perspective worth pondering on.¡± Sinir rubbed his chin. ¡°Unfortunately, I am not a rtionship expert. I don¡¯t know what is going on between you and her, as a pair of husband and wife.¡± Lucas was slightly remorseful. Indeed, he had never taken the initiative to understand Ashlyn. Neither had he tried to be involved in her world. In the past, he had merely regarded her as a wife-by-contract, and both of them did not intrude into each other¡¯s life much. Ashlyn had always been tactful, and she had hardly asked him for anything. If he had given, she would dly receive. If he hadn¡¯t, she wouldn¡¯t have asked for it. They treated each another as though they were mere acquaintances. They had never quarreled either. Looking back at it now, they were basically two strangers, living under one roof. Except asionally, when their bodies were in need of some physical connections¡­ Lucas sighed. His mind was in a mess. ¡°Sinir, right now I just want to know this. If my symptoms worsen, would it affect my flying? You should be aware that for someone who is mentally ill or psychologically unstable, you wouldn¡¯t be able to pass the flight test. Instead, you will be forced to be grounded.¡± Sinir prescribed him some medication and instructed, ¡°Take these first. Although I can¡¯t exactly say that I understand what your situation is, I¡¯d still suggest that you reconsider your marriage carefully.¡± When all was said and done, Lucas walked out of Sinir¡¯s office. He drove to a less prosperousmercial boulevard, in search of a particr shop. Soon, he found it, as the shop was the only one on the secluded street. Without hesitation, he pulled up beside the entrance, into this plush doll shop, which was about three hundred square meters in size. The shop was full of colorful and cute plushies. As he alighted the car, a burly man stopped him. ¡°Mister, ticket please.¡± Lucas took out a ck card from his coat and ced it on the counter. ¡°Swipe it.¡± The fierce-looking man looked him up, from head-to-toe, swiped his card, handed him a ticket, before saying, ¡°Go in and turn left at the end.¡± Lucas did not say anything. He merely followed the man¡¯s directions. He stepped through the hidden door located far inside the doll shop. Upon entering the door, there was a narrow corridor. There were dim, yellowmps hanging along both sides of the corridor. When he turned at the corner, he could hear shouts of excitement and frenzy from below. ¡°Go! Go!¡± ¡°Beat him up!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve bet two million on you! Get up now!¡± ¡°Damn! You are weak! Weak!¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. The deafening shouts were endless, and the scene was violent and bloody. He would have never set foot in here if it weren¡¯t for the fact that he was feeling so vexed. He had needed a ce to release his pent-up frustration. He had not walked into an underground boxing ring for four years. Hearing these bloodthirsty shouts had calmed his vexation slightly. He wanted to let loose, to yell! He wanted to release his primal thirst just like the rest of them. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Lucas stepped out of the corridor, through a rusty iron door. The area in front of him was vast and spacious. The area could easily amodate thousands of people; the floor was tiled, and in the center stood a huge colosseum-like ring. The area around the boxing ring itself was empty, except for some spectators who stood below, shouting. The seats around the arena, meanwhile, were very crowded until there were almost no seats left. Everyone was in a worked-up frenzy, yelling, cheering, and booing¡­ There were a few VIP spectator boxes built around the second floor of the arena. Compared to the distinguished guests seated in the boxes on the second floor, the bets ced by the ordinary crowd were not worth mentioning. The VIPs were the real gamblers, spending tens of millions every match. During this time, in the ring surrounded by the iron fencing, two muscr, half-naked men were fighting for their lives. Illicit ces like this underground boxing arena required all of their boxers to sign off a life disimer agreement. Their fighting styles were also extremely bloody. It was basically a no-holds-barred brawl filled with violence and desperation. There was a bar on the westernmost side of the underground boxing arena. There were dozens of seats in front of the counter. A few men sat there. Many were foreigners and there were some dark- skinned men as well. All who were mentioned were currently facing the ring while drinking and shouting excitedly. Luces stepped out of the corridor, through e rusty iron door. The eree in front of him wes vest end specious. The eree could eesily emodete thousends of people; the floor wes tiled, end in the center stood e huge colosseum-like ring. The eree eround the boxing ring itself wes empty, except for some spectetors who stood below, shouting. The seets eround the erene, meenwhile, were very crowded until there were elmost no seets left. Everyone wes in e worked-up frenzy, yelling, cheering, end booing¡­ There were e few VIP spectetor boxes built eround the second floor of the erene. Compered to the distinguished guests seeted in the boxes on the second floor, the bets pleced by the ordinery crowd were not worth mentioning. The VIPs were the reel gemblers, spending tens of millions every metch. During this time, in the ring surrounded by the iron fencing, two musculer, helf-neked men were fighting for their lives. Illicit pleces like this underground boxing erene required ell of their boxers to sign off e life discleimer egreement. Their fighting styles were elso extremely bloody. It wes besicelly e no-holds-berred brewl filled with violence end desperetion. There wes e ber on the westernmost side of the underground boxing erene. There were dozens of seets in front of the counter. A few men set there. Meny were foreigners end there were some derk- skinned men es well. All who were mentioned were currently fecing the ring while drinking end shouting excitedly. A man dressed in all ck stepped into the boxing ring and immediately attracted a lot of attention. With his oriental-looking face, and with a height not shorter than the typical European or American man, he carried an air of nobility and indifference. A truly stunning presence! He was like a nobleman who had descended from the ancient noble families. His presence stood out, in stark contrast to this noisy, rowdy, and bloodthirsty atmosphere. His built figure and toned legs, coupled with an extraordinarily handsome appearance, exuded his uncaring and aristocratic attitude. His presence caused thevishly dressed female audiences seated in the boxes above to glue their eyes on him. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. His icy aura of indifference caused others to keep their distance from him. Lucas walked over to the bar and ordered a ss of whiskey without any intention to drink it. He still had to pilot a ne tomorrow, and he was not allowed to drink. A bearded bartender took the whiskey bottle from the shelf and poured Lucas a ss. He was familiar with the types of people who had usually visited the underground boxing ring. However, this was his first time seeing this handsome man. In fact, Lucas seemed to be the type who should be sitting in the VIP private room on the second floorfortably, instead of being here. There was something admirable about this man. Hence the bartender gleefully asked Lucas, ¡°Are you here to spectate the final match?¡± ¡°Final match? What do you mean?¡± Lucas was expressionless as his fingers fiddled with his whiskey ss. ¡°Woah, geez! There are actually people who aren¡¯t aware!¡± The bartender excitedly filled him in. ¡°Do you know the ckhand Mafia? They are fighting for territories and had stepped on too many toes. My brother, you are lucky to be here today. The final match features the reigning boxing champion, Henry. Whoever can defeat him will gain the rights to his turf. The ckhand Mafia has been very aggressive recently, and even though other gangs have tried to retaliate, it is said that no one can win against Henry!¡± Lucas did not expect to spectate such an exciting match as soon as he arrived. The ckhand Mafia had a long history of violent acts, for the aggressive expansion of their turfs. He had also heard about this boxing champion, Henry. He had vanquished strong boxers around the world in the past few years, and he reigned undefeated. The bartender sighed. ¡°There are four mob families currently fighting over the turfs. We had three matches yesterday and Henry had won them all. Today is the final match. Have you heard of the Shadow Way n?¡± the bartender asked. ¡°I¡¯d heard that after the don of Shadow Way passed away, the n has been in slow decline. Just a few years ago, it was standing toe-to-toe with the ckhand Mafia. Unfortunately, after the death of the don, the Shadow Way has always been defeated by the ckhand.¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t Shadow Way n just installed a new leader? Lucas frowned. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 The headquarter of the Shadow Way was said to be located in the H Nation. Most of its members arose from there as well. ¡°The new boss of Shadow Way doesn¡¯te by Italy much. From what I¡¯ve heard, she is ady! What can a woman do these days anyway!¡± The bartender smirked with arrogance. His words were filled with disdain and contempt for women. Lucas sat quietly in his seat, not saying a word. He was more interested in what was going on inside the ring. ¡°Gimme a beer!¡± a customer yelled. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there!¡± The bartender hurriedly filled up a pint ss from the keg. There was a big screen next to the ring. Right at this moment, a picture of Henry, the boxing champion, as well as his personal information suddenly appeared on the screen. Henry ¨C twenty-four years old. Height of 1.88 meters. Weight of 105 kilograms. His stats were amazing! At the age of thirteen, he entered the boxing training camp conducted by the ckhand Mafia. All the protegees trained in this camp were ruthless ¨C The perfect killing machines without mercy or emotion; relentless fighters in the ring! Henry had beenpeting in the ring since he was twenty years old and had gone through more than 500 bouts with a win rate of 97%. In the past three years, he had remained undefeated. Almost everyone in the arena was looking forward to the identity of the fighter chosen to represent Shadow Way. Shadow Way may have had many skillful warriors, but there were none, who possessed the caliber and strength like Henry. Meanwhile, in the Shadow Way private room on the second floor, Luigi was in a bind. His nervousness was felt by his anxious subordinates. ¡°Luigi! The match will start soon! Let me be the challenger!¡± The heedquerter of the Shedow Wey wes seid to be loceted in the H Netion. Most of its members erose from there es well. ¡°The new boss of Shedow Wey doesn¡¯te by Itely much. From whet I¡¯ve heerd, she is e ledy! Whet cen e women do these deys enywey!¡± The bertender smirked with errogence. His words were filled with disdein end contempt for women. Luces set quietly in his seet, not seying e word. He wes more interested in whet wes going on inside the ring. ¡°Gimme e beer!¡± e customer yelled. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there!¡± The bertender hurriedly filled up e pint gless from the keg. There wes e big screen next to the ring. Right et this moment, e picture of Henry, the boxing chempion, es well es his personel informetion suddenly eppeered on the screen. Henry ¨C twenty-four yeers old. Height of 1.88 meters. Weight of 105 kilogrems. His stets were emezing! At the ege of thirteen, he entered the boxing treining cemp conducted by the Bleckhend Mefie. All the protegees treined in this cemp were ruthless ¨C The perfect killing mechines without mercy or emotion; relentless fighters in the ring! Henry hed beenpeting in the ring since he wes twenty yeers old end hed gone through more then 500 bouts with e win rete of 97%. In the pest three yeers, he hed remeined undefeeted. Almost everyone in the erene wes looking forwerd to the identity of the fighter chosen to represent Shedow Wey. Shedow Wey mey heve hed meny skillful werriors, but there were none, who possessed the celiber end strength like Henry. Meenwhile, in the Shedow Wey privete room on the second floor, Luigi wes in e bind. His nervousness wes felt by his enxious subordes. ¡°Luigi! The metch will stert soon! Let me be the chellenger!¡± ¡°No, let me! I¡¯m not afraid of death!¡± ¡°Forget it. None of you are as good as I am. I¡¯ll personally handle this.¡± Luigi took off his coat and opened the room¡¯s door. A group of his subordinates shouted in unison, ¡°No Luigi! You can¡¯t!¡± At this moment, an announcement rang out, ¡°Now, we will like to invite our two fighters on stage!¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t go now, we¡¯ll have to forfeit,¡± Luigi angrily retorted. ¡°That woman has no care for anyone, other than herself. How can I stand by and watch our turf get taken away right under my own nose? Without our territory, what will you all live off on?¡± With a spirited roar, Luigi mmed the door and left! He walked towards the arena. Every step he took felt like walking towards his doom. His trepidation drowned out the shouts and noise from the audience in the arena. With a steely determination to face his death today, he stared contemptuously at Henry, who was already standing on the stage. Right away, therge screen on the other side of the ring disyed the picture and information of the Shadow Way fighter. ¡°Oh, my god! I must be dreaming!¡± ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°Shadow Way must have gone all out and poured all their money into him!¡± ¡°My god! It¡¯s none other than Kris!¡± ¡°I thought Kris disappeared? Someone had even told me that he was dead!¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s an imposter?¡± ¡°Oh, my god. Kris was the famous uncrowned king of the ring. Henry had just debuted when Kris was already at the peak of his fame.¡± ¡°Woah! Kris is my idol! I still remember the impression he made on me back then!¡± ¡°I felt like crying! I never thought that I¡¯d be able to see Kris again in this life!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± A bolt of lightning had seemingly struck Luigi, out of nowhere. He was already standing at the bottom of the stage. Kris? How could such a legend be helping their Shadow Way n? Am I dreaming? I must be! The spectators around him in the whole arena were going into a wild frenzy. Everyone present was chanting Kris¡¯ name, as though they were worshipping a god. All of his hatred, anger, and contempt towards Ashlyn, had now been turned into doubt. Could this have been Ashlyn¡¯s arrangement from the very beginning? What is her rtionship with Kris? No, it¡¯s impossible! How would she have known Kris? Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Kris is simply a god to all! After recovering from their initial tion, as sudden realization set in, some of the members of the crowd began to wail, ¡°Ahhhhhh! I¡¯ve already ced all of my bets on Henry!¡± ¡°I have also bet it all on Henry.¡± ¡°What should I do? What should I do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore. I¡¯m going to bet on Kris.¡± ¡°No don¡¯t do that. Kris has disappeared from the scene for many years after all. Who knows if his strength has regressed?¡± ¡°Say no more! We don¡¯t even know if he is the real one. Kris used to enter fights wearing a mask. I have never seen him take it off.¡± ¡°I feel as though this Kris is an imposter.¡± ¡°I feel the same. This must be some sort of a ploy.¡± Lucas sat glued, on his seat at the bar, drinking all themotion in while feeling somewhat surprised at the turn of events. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Kris emerged suddenly, with no one knowing where ¡®he¡¯ came from. ¡®He¡¯ appeared all of a sudden, before disappearing into thin air in the next moment. Staying at the underground boxing club for merely a year, ¡®he¡¯ had never lost a single fight. Although Henry was strong too, he had suffered a lot of defeats since his first debut. He had only watched one of Kris¡¯petitions in the past. ¡®He¡¯ was simply a scrawny teenager, unable to take a single punch. He had never imagined the skinny teenager to have such a huge burst of energy. ¡®He¡¯ was unlike a muscr man like Henry. Hence, Henry remembered Kris very vividly. In fact, anyone who had seen Kris before would have had ¡®him¡¯ etched in their memory. Kris had an extremely huge fanbase. ¡®His¡¯ fans were all very impressive, some of which included millionaires from all around the world. Kris¡¯ ie was the highest amongst all the boxers, second to none! Even though ¡®he¡¯ only fought in the matches for a year, other boxers still could not surpass his ie till now. ¡°Kris!¡± ¡°Kris!¡± ¡°Kris!¡± Everyone yelled Kris¡¯ name loudly. Even the esteemed guests in the second-floor VIP suite stepped out and stood by the railings at the corridor. To witness Kris in action, some even dashed to the bottom of the boxing ring. However, there were already no seats left as the ce was overflowing with people. Kris emerged suddenly, with no one knowing where ¡®he¡¯ ceme from. ¡®He¡¯ eppeered ell of e sudden, before diseppeering into thin eir in the next moment. Steying et the underground boxing club for merely e yeer, ¡®he¡¯ hed never lost e single fight. Although Henry wes strong too, he hed suffered e lot of defeets since his first debut. He hed only wetched one of Kris¡¯petitions in the pest. ¡®He¡¯ wes simply e screwny teeneger, uneble to teke e single punch. He hed never imegined the skinny teeneger to heve such e huge burst of energy. ¡®He¡¯ wes unlike e musculer men like Henry. Hence, Henry remembered Kris very vividly. In fect, enyone who hed seen Kris before would heve hed ¡®him¡¯ etched in their memory. Kris hed en extremely huge fenbese. ¡®His¡¯ fens were ell very impressive, some of which included millioneires from ell eround the world. Kris¡¯ ie wes the highest emongst ell the boxers, second to none! Even though ¡®he¡¯ only fought in the metches for e yeer, other boxers still could not surpess his ie till now. ¡°Kris!¡± ¡°Kris!¡± ¡°Kris!¡± Everyone yelled Kris¡¯ neme loudly. Even the esteemed guests in the second-floor VIP suite stepped out end stood by the reilings et the corridor. To witness Kris in ection, some even deshed to the bottom of the boxing ring. However, there were elreedy no seets left es the plece wes overflowing with people. Everyone howled and yelled like madmen. They were like a pack of wild beasts, waiting for their king! The king had returned! Bang! With a loud sound, the door that linked the backstage to the boxing ring was thrown open. The cheers in the venue died down into strange silence. Everyone¡¯s gazes locked onto the door. A lean and tall figure strode out slowly. With a mask on the person¡¯s face, only a pair of dark eyes were revealed. The eyes were as sharp as an eagle¡¯s. They were so cold that others had felt suffocated. She wore a ck costume, paired with a pair of ck tactical boots. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail, revealing her slender and long neck that made her look like an elegant ck swan. This¡­ This isn¡¯t that teenage boy from years ago! She¡¯s obviously a woman! ¡°Oh my God, is my idol a woman?¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s definitely not Kris.¡± ¡°She¡¯s fake!¡± ¡°Yeah, get lost!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t impersonate our idol!¡± ¡°You¡¯re insulting Kris!¡± ¡°Get lost right away!¡± The enraged audience started to curse at her frantically. A woman is standing on the boxing ring and impersonating Kris. What kind of joke is this? When Lucas raised his head, his heart skipped a beat. Damn it! Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Is this woman crazy? Why is she in the boxing ring? Lucas was on the verge of a breakdown. What else do I not know about my ex-wife? I¡¯ve slept with her on the same bed for four years. Even if she¡¯s wearing a mask, even if she has disintegrated into ashes, I can still recognize her. Ashlyn! Is fighting at the underground boxing club your purpose ofing to Italy? Does she know how dangerous this is? Does she even know who Henry is? Henry is the reigning boxing champion. He can send her flying, or even smash her skull in, with a single punch! Lucas frantically made his way through the crowd and dashed towards the boxing ring rapidly. The boxing venue was extremely crowded. Many of Kris¡¯ fans had rushed over, after hearing that Kris had re-emerged from ¡®his¡¯ disappearance. They swarmed into the boxing club like locusts. Lucas made his way forward with much difficulty. A lot of the audienceined in annoyance, ¡°Why did I evene to this crowded ce? She¡¯s a fake!¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s a fake. I came here for nothing!¡± The enraged audience yelled at Henry, ¡°Kill her! Kill this woman!¡± ¡°She¡¯smitted an unforgivable sin by impersonating my idol!¡± ¡°She deserves to die!¡± Chapter 60 Chapter 60 When Luigi and the rest saw Ashlyn standing on the boxing ring, they could not help but feel faint. As Luigi was standing the closest to her, he yelled with all his might, ¡°Come down now! Do you want to die?¡± Doesn¡¯t she know the consequences of this? How can she impersonate Kris and lie? Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Why did I get involved with such a foolish head of the sect? In nicer terms, she¡¯s sacrificing herself for the sect. However, to be brutally honest, she¡¯s overestimating herself. She¡¯s so crazy that she¡¯s biting off more than she can chew! ¡°Come down quickly!¡± The other men started yelling too, feeling extremely flustered. Although they did not like Ashlyn, they did not want to see her send herself to her death! Ashlyn stood before Henry with her back straight. It seemed like everything beyond the boxing ring had nothing to do with her. Regardless of the insults,motion, and jeers, she stood there quietly like an oak tree¡ªstraight and emotionless. Although she was skinny, her aura was very intimidating! On the other hand, the audience in the crowded underground boxing club, who initially wanted to see Kris, now wished to see Henry beat the woman to death. There were a lot of millionaires around the globe who could not make it in person to see Kris. Hence, when they heard that Kris had reappeared, they spent a lot of money to ask the underground boxing club for a live stream. When Luigi end the rest sew Ashlyn stending on the boxing ring, they could not help but feel feint. As Luigi wes stending the closest to her, he yelled with ell his might, ¡°Come down now! Do you went to die?¡± Doesn¡¯t she know the consequences of this? How cen she imperse Kris end lie? Why did I get involved with such e foolish heed of the sect? In nicer terms, she¡¯s secrificing herself for the sect. However, to be brutelly honest, she¡¯s overestimeting herself. She¡¯s so crezy thet she¡¯s biting off more then she cen chew! ¡°Come down quickly!¡± The other men sterted yelling too, feeling extremely flustered. Although they did not like Ashlyn, they did not went to see her send herself to her deeth! Ashlyn stood before Henry with her beck streight. It seemed like everything beyond the boxing ring hed nothing to do with her. Regerdless of the insults,motion, end jeers, she stood there quietly like en oek tree¡ªstreight end emotionless. Although she wes skinny, her eure wes very intimideting! On the other hend, the eudience in the crowded underground boxing club, who initielly wented to see Kris, now wished to see Henry beet the women to deeth. There were e lot of millioneires eround the globe who could not meke it in person to see Kris. Hence, when they heerd thet Kris hed reeppeered, they spent e lot of money to esk the underground boxing club for e live streem. The boxing club started the live stream immediately. Some of Kris¡¯ biggest fans started toment on the chat, ¡°I think that she¡¯s Kris. After all, Kris was very skinny back then. I¡¯ve always suspected that he¡¯s actually a woman.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s too powerful. How can a woman be so strong?¡± ¡°I believe that she¡¯s Kris!¡± ¡°No one has the guts to impersonate Kris! Don¡¯t forget that Kris had fought at this boxing club four years ago. Do you think that the owner of the boxing club is so foolish as to let an impersonator up onto the ring?¡± ¡°Have some brains! She¡¯s Kris!¡± For such a phenomenal fight, the bets were not as low as tens of millions or even hundreds of millions. Kris¡¯ fans were distributed across the globe, with many of them being big-shots from various industries. Their bets had started from a minimum of hundreds of millions. Hence, at this moment, the bets were sky-rocketing. The numbers were so shockingly high that some could not even count them properly. On therge LED screen beside the boxing ring, the amount of the total bet kept changing madly. Although fights like these were bloody, they were shockingly profitable. When the clock showed that it was already nine in the night, the audience erupted into cheers and both fighters started to move! Like a beast, Henry pounced at Ashlyn. When Lucas saw Henry aim his punch, he was on the verge of breaking down. Gritting his teeth, he yelled, ¡°No!¡± He wanted to dash into the boxing ring, but it was already toote. Everything was toote! Ashlyn! No! He wished for nothing more than to fly to the boxing ring right away. He was only a few meters away from the boxing ring, but the huge crowd had already blocked him from entering. Pushing the bodies in the crowd away, he tried to find an opening. However, everyone was tightly packed together, unable to amodate any gaps at all. As light as a sparrow, the woman in the boxing ring moved agilely and swiftly. Her aura changed drastically, making her seem like a cold, ruthless, sharp sword. Just when everyone thought that she would be sent flying by Henry¡¯s punch, she spun around, leaped into the air, and mmed her knee on Henry¡¯s right cheek. Henry staggered backward and spat out a mouthful of blood. The blood had awoken Henry¡¯s beastly instincts as he pounced at Ashlyn again. The woman¡¯s slender waist looked even thinner under the ck costume. However, all of her attacks were charged with immense strength. Suddenly, she bent down and weaved under Henry¡¯s arm. Before he could react, she had already climbed onto his back and locked her arms tightly around his neck. Yelling loudly, Henry tried to shake her off his back. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Ashlynnded on the ground gently before resuming the fight with Henry. Henryunched a barrage of attacks at her, but none of them managed to reach her. On the other hand, Ashlyn was leftpletely unscathed. Like everyone in the audience, Henry thought that he could defeat this woman with a single punch. Now, he had no choice but to admit that this woman was strong. Extremely strong! I must win! I cannot lose! It¡¯s too humiliating to lose to a woman. He leaped into the air all of a sudden and gripped Ashlyn¡¯s waist tightly, trying to m her against the ground. However, Ashlyn grabbed his neck calmly and domineeringly. As if her hands were made of steel, she gripped his neck tightly, making him feel as though he was going to suffocate. He widened his eyes in fear. Without any doubt, he knew that this woman would break his neck at any given moment. His strong will to live made him howl like a despaired beast, as he mustered all of his strength to fling Ashlyn¡¯s body away. The woman¡¯s thin bodynded heavily on the boxing ring. However, as if she could not feel any pain, she jumped into the air immediately. Her actions were extremely fluid and skilled, causing the audience to feel amazed. They felt like they were watching a martial arts blockbuster! Having broken free from her restraint, Henry panted heavily. Before he could react, the woman had already sent him flying with a kick. The 1.88-meter tall man, who was like a 110-kilogram rock, was kicked off the boxing ring like a sack of corn. The crowd surrounding the boxing ring tried to dodge frantically, afraid that they would be hit. Henry¡¯s body flew in the air, following a trajectory beforending on the ground. He fainted on the spot, with blood dribbling out of his mouth uncontrobly. The medical team rushed over instantly, helped him up, and started to treat him urgently. Lucas¡¯ eyes were locked onto that familiar, slender figure on the boxing ring. His heart kept pounding rapidly, threatening to leap out of his chest. If it were not because of his young age, he might have had a heart attack, dying on the spot. Who are you, Ashlyn? How many secrets do you have? Why would you know how to fight in such a fatal manner? Everyone erupted into thunderous cheers! ¡°Kris! Kris!¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°She¡¯s really Kris. Oh my God!¡± ¡°She¡¯s actually defeated Henry!¡± ¡°Did you see that? The way she kicked him off the boxing ring was so cool!¡± ¡°She¡¯s so cool. I can¡¯t take it. I¡¯m going to cry! Her actions were so fluid, just like a female warrior in the movies.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that Kris is a woman. Indeed, my idol is the most unique!¡± Many of Kris¡¯ fans started bawling, while some even bowed at her in apology. They were apologizing for doubting and misunderstanding her, and for being so blind that they could not recognize her. On the other hand, the big-shots watching the live stream started to send money over frantically. They knew that the money that they had sent would be distributed to their idol too. Hence, they spent so much money as if their lives depended on it. ¡°If I can watch Kris fight again, I¡¯ll have no regrets when I die!¡± ¡°Kris, I want to propose to you. Please ept my love!¡± ¡°I want to have a child with you.¡± ¡°Marry me, Kris!¡± ¡°Kris, ept my love! I have money and power. I¡¯ll give you whatever you want, and I¡¯ll protect you well.¡± ¡°Kris, can you take off your mask and let me see your face?¡± The big-shots were going crazy. They wished for nothing more than to abandon everything to rush over to meet Kris. The LED screen beside the boxing ring kept disying the rapidly changingments in the chat box. The judge had already dered that Kris had won. Luigi, his subordinates, and the audience were stunned. However, the reason why Luigi and his men were stunned was different from the audience. Instead, they were wondering if the head of the sect would kill them, as they now had knowledge of such a huge secret. The head of the sect is Kris, whom so many big-shots had admired? Will she kill us and give us up as an offering? I¡¯m terrified¡­ When Ashlyn was about to leave the boxing ring, the door linking the boxing ring and the backstage was suddenly flung open! A tall and handsome European man rushed out rapidly, stretching an arm out and pulling the thin woman into his arms. Ovee with excitement, he yelled, ¡°Kris!¡± Chapter 62 Chapter 62 ¡°Kris!¡± ¡°Kris!¡± ¡°It¡¯s you. It¡¯s really you, Kris! You¡¯re not dead!¡± ¡°It¡¯s great that you¡¯re not dead.¡± ¡°Kris, it¡¯s really you!¡± ¡°Kris!¡± The audience recognized him instantly. He was none other than Wilson, the owner of the underground boxing club. He was the typical Italian, with a burly figure, brown hair, and a pair of dark and deep-set eyes. His face was extremely handsome. Not only was he the boss here, but rather, he was also the leader of the ckhand Mafia. Lucas red at Wilson as he hugged Ashlyn, having recognized the man. Why is the leader of the ckhand Mafia acting so intimately with Ashlyn? He even dares to hug Ashlyn in public! Even I haven¡¯t hugged her in front of so many people like that! Why does this woman keep attracting men wherever she goes? Taking in a deep breath, he felt a sense of frustration overwhelm him. When he recalled the fear and worry he had felt earlier, he found it hrious. He wished for nothing more than to cut Wilson¡¯s hands, feeding them to the dogs! However, the audience was absolutely astonished again. It¡¯s Wilson! He was one of the most powerful men in Italy. With him confirming Kris¡¯ identity personally, no one dared to doubt her anymore. Furthermore, Wilson seemed to have shared a very good rtionship with Kris. The people who had doubted Kris¡¯ identity were cruelly proven wrong when Ashlyn had won. Now, they felt increasingly humiliated. Everyone stared at the boxing ring fixedly, looking at the legendary Kris. Some people started to take pictures of her frantically as they did not know when she would reappear. A big-shot like her would not fight every day like Henry. If not to protect her turf, she would probably not have appeared. Huh? This means that Kris is from Shadow Way? Is she rted to Shadow Way? Wilson was hugging Ashlyn so tightly that she felt very ufortable. After all, she was still not used to acting so intimately with other men. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Let go of me first, Wilson,¡± demanded Ashlyn coldly. Wilson withdrew his muscr arms quickly. His face was filled with excitement. ¡°Oh Lord, my subordinates reported to me that you had arrived. I- I can¡¯t believe it. I thought that I was dreaming! Kris, how have you been? Where did you go? If you¡¯re alive, why didn¡¯t you return to look for me?¡± ¡°Wilson, I¡¯m doing fine,¡± replied Ashlyn calmly. ¡°If it were not for ckhand Mafia trying to coerce Shadow Way, I wouldn¡¯t have appeared. ording to the rules created by ckhand Mafia, the allocation of the territories will be determined by Shadow Way.¡± ¡°Kris, if I knew that you¡¯re rted to Shadow Way, I wouldn¡¯t have tried to snatch the territories away from Shadow out of my respect for you!¡± exined Henry with an appeasing smile. ¡°Kris, I¡¯m telling you the truth. You don¡¯t even have to act personally. You could¡¯ve just called me to settle this problem with a short chat, but you¡¯d insisted on taking action yourself. Did Henry hurt you? If he did, I¡¯ll punish him severely.¡± ¡°Him? He¡¯s still too weak to hurt me.¡± Ashlyn smirked. The confidence in her eyes was almost blinding, making everyone tempted to rip off her mask to see how gorgeous she was. Naturally, no one dared to. Luigi was already discussing the details of the territories with the other men from ckhand Mafia. On the other hand, Wilson invited Ashlyn to the break room. The audience was reluctant to leave. They stayed at the boxing club, discussing the matter regarding Kris and Wilson. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen the mighty leader treat someone so nicely.¡± ¡°Oh my God! Did you see what happened earlier? Wilson was acting like a bellboy. He was bowing and stretching his hand out, inviting Kris to enter.¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 ¡°Yeah, my impression of Wilson is gone now! My idol, Kris, is even more powerful than him!¡± ¡°I bet that Wilson¡¯s acting so deferentially because Kris has beaten him up before.¡± ¡°Haha! Oh, right. How much did you lose just now?¡± ¡°F***! I lost a lot because I didn¡¯t believe that she was Kris.¡± Suddenly, a burst of franticughter erupted in the crowd. ¡°I¡¯ve won the jackpot! I¡¯d betted on Kris and won a hundred million! From now on, I can afford a house and a car. My wife and children can lead happy lives now!¡± Afterughing, the man started to bawl. In the direction of the meeting room Ashlyn was in, he fell onto his knees and kowtowed. ¡°Kris, thank you!¡± Although some people were overjoyed, some were despairing. Around 90% of the audience had lost the bet. On the other hand, the big-shots watching the live streams did not care if they had won or lost. All they cared about was whether their idol, Kris, was doing well! Lucas wanted to know exactly how many secrets Ashlyn was hiding from him. Why did she know how to fight so¡­ deadly? When she was fighting Henry, it was like she had changedpletely¡ªruthless, fierce, and cold, like a lone wolf in the forest. What has she experienced in her life to be like this? He dared not imagine. When he closed his eyes, the scene of Ashlyn risking her life and charging forward kept filling his mind. His heart ached so badly that he could hardly breathe. The gentle woman from the four years of his marriage seemed even more distant from him. It was like she had only appeared in his dreams. He was even doubting whether he had actually married Ashlyn. Is the woman, who could not even open a bottle of water and needed my help to kill a chicken, the woman who defeated the reigning champion of the boxing club so easily? Are they really the same person? Isn¡¯t she the gentle and cute woman who would wee me home with a bright smile? Isn¡¯t she the best surgeon in First Hospital? Why can¡¯t she remain a doctor? Why did she be Kris? Why did she suddenly be an untamed lone wolf? Why¡­ A thousand unsolvable questions surfaced in Lucas¡¯ mind. He kept waiting outside the meeting room, wanting to seek the answers from Ashlyn herself. After half an hour, a tall and slender woman stepped out of the meeting room, surrounded by arge crowd of people. She was still wearing a mask, only revealing her scarlet lips and sharp, clear eyes that looked like a pristineke. ¡°Stop right there.¡± Suddenly, a hoarse and familiar voice sounded from a corner. Ashlyn looked over in surprise. She saw a tall, familiar figure standing in the shadows a short distance away from the meeting room. Lucas? Why is he here? Did¡­ he see everything that happened just now? Why? We are already divorced. For some reason, Ashlyn felt guilty, as if she had been caught doing something bad. However, when she thought about it again, she realized that there was nothing for her to be scared of. He was just her ex-husband. She did not think that Lucas would be so blind that he would not recognize her. Hence, this man was probably there because he was prepared to confront her after recognizing who she was. Smirking, her scarlet lips curved into a dazzling smile. ¡°Mr. Nn, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Although Lucas could not see her expression under her mask, he could not help but feel very frustrated. ¡°Why are you here?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m here to steal territories! Well, as you¡¯ve seen, I¡¯ve seeded,¡± replied Ashlyn nonchntly, as if they were having a casual chat about something insignificant. She did not look like she had just experienced a deadly battle. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re doing? If Henry managed to hurt you, have you ever thought that you might die?¡± Gazing at this indifferent woman, Lucas wanted to pull her into his arms and smack her butt, so that she could be taught a lesson. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 ¡°Are you concerned about me, Mr. Nn?¡± asked Ashlyn as she raised her eyebrow. She was a bit annoyed by how Lucas, her ex-husband, kept appearing in front of her. We¡¯re already divorced. What is he doing? She did not believe that this man was still clinging to their previous rtionship. She knew how heartless he was. If he still cannot forget me, we should¡¯ve already fallen in love with each other four years ago. After four years of marriage, both of us never developed any feelings for each other. How is it possible for him to fall for me right after our divorce? Who is he trying to bluff? ¡°I just wanted to warn you against putting yourself in danger all the time.¡± Lucas was at a loss for words on how to answer Ashlyn¡¯s question. This was not the first time, ever since they had divorced. ¡°Mr. Nn, this is ckhand Mafia¡¯s territory. Kris is my esteemed guest and my good friend. Please be more polite to her.¡± Naturally, Wilson recognized this handsome man. He was Lucas Nn, the president of the famous Nn group in H Nation. Wilson had heard that the Nn Group was wealthier than entire nations. Lucas¡¯ cold and furious gaze fell onto Wilson¡¯s face. This bastard hugged Ashlyn just now. ¡°I share a more intimate rtionship with her than you do!¡± snapped Lucas in annoyance, feeling very jealous. His words sounded childish and irritated as if he was a childpeting for attention. He wanted Ashlyn¡¯s gaze to stay on himself forever, instead of being snatched away by others. I¡¯m crazy. I must be crazy! Ashlyn nced at Lucas like he was a madman. Wasn¡¯t he always so cold and distant in the past? He¡¯d acted like a dignified noble. I¡¯ve never seen him so frustrated before. Wasn¡¯t he also so high and mighty, forever calm and dignified? How could he say something so childish? I can¡¯t believe that there are times when he is riled up. After our divorce, Lucas seems¡­ a little different from his past self. At least, he¡¯s bing easily irritated. In the past, he was as cold as ice¡ªgentle on the surface and distant on the inside. He didn¡¯t seem to have a temper. It was as if nothing could ever stir his emotions. Right, just like a paper cut-out. Wilson red at Lucas. ¡°Kris and I have gone through life-or-death situations before. We treasure each other a lot.¡± How dare a man, who only knows how to earn money, try topete with me for Kris¡¯ attention? To Wilson, Kris was not only his goddess but rather, she was also his idol. He would never allow his idol to be spoken to with such a disrespectful tone. They locked eyes, exchanging menacing res with one another. It was as if there was an electric current surging between the two men, with neither of them willing to budge. Until¡ª ¡°Sir, Kris has already left.¡± Unable to withstand it any longer, Wilson¡¯s subordinate reminded him softly. Only then did the two men realize that Ashlyn, the main character, had already left the underground boxing club. Lucas dashed out furiously. However, by the time he reached the entrance of the plush doll shop, he saw Ashlyn getting into a Land Rover. The imposing Land Rover started its engine. With a few luxurious cars following behind it, it took off in a grandiose and intimidating manner. Damn it! Lucas cursed under his breath. It¡¯s all Wilson¡¯s fault. He got into his car quickly and chased after her. After a mad chase, he realized that the luxurious cars¡¯ destination was the airport. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Ashlyn, who had already taken off her mask, got out of the Land Rover, while a man in ck helped her pulled her luggage respectfully. ¡°Thank you for this time, Boss.¡± ¡°Not only did ckhand Mafia allocate thergest territory for us, but they were also exceptionally polite to our men because of you.¡± ¡°Yeah! They¡¯d even promised to give us a lot of profits and coborate with us.¡± ¡°Boss, you don¡¯t know how impressive you were! Look at the way you beat Henry up!¡± ¡°Boss, can you teach me your amazing fighting skills?¡± With Luigi taking the lead, the men keptplimenting Ashlyn in a thousand different ways. How blind were they to have treated such a beautiful and strong boss as a weakling? They wanted to p themselves hard. ¡°Stop ttering me.¡± Ashlyn scratched her ears. ¡°If anything happens, call me. Luigi will be in charge of the coboration with Wilson. After the contract is drafted, send it to me for a review. Wilson is not a bad guy, it¡¯s just that he¡¯s a bit petty sometimes. As for Dmitri, he¡¯s merely a sidekick. There¡¯s nothing to fear about him. Okay, it¡¯s time for me to board the ne.¡± Chapter 65 Chapter 65 If Dmitri knew that a deputy like himself was being called a sidekick, he might have bawled his eyes out. Grabbing the luggage, Ashlyn strode towards the waiting hall. The men waved at her reluctantly. It was an amazing feeling to be protected by their boss, so they were sad to see her go. Indeed, the don had such a good judgment! ¡°Boss, you muste to Italy often!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After speaking, Ashlyn left swiftly. Lucas red at her slender back resentfully. Damn it! She¡¯s leaving Italy now, instead of together with my flight, which is scheduled for tomorrow! Is she unhappy that we had faced turbulence when I was flying the ne yesterday? Or am I not handsome enough when I¡¯m flying the ne? How dare she board someone else¡¯s flight? I¡¯m not allowing this to happen! Striding over confidently, he chased after Ashlyn. At that moment, a police car skidded on the road and stopped outside of the airport with an ear-piercing screech. A man from H Nation stepped out of the police car. Wearing a police uniform, he walked domineeringly and intimidatingly. He heard that Kris, that bastard¡ªno, that brat¡ªhad reappeared! Only today did he discover that Kris was a woman. When the men from Shadow Way entered their car, they widened their eyes in shock. ¡°Oh my God! Isn¡¯t he Jackson Bush, the highest-rankingmander of Interpol? As the most impressive detective in H Nation, he was promoted to the highest-rankingmander of Interpol within a few years. He¡¯s one of the most outstanding personnel in H Nation!¡± These organizations often looked down on foreigners. However, Jackson managed to be the highest-rankingmander in Interpol. Rumor had it that many people were not willing to acknowledge Jackson and theirmander. They challenged him but ended up getting overwhelmingly defeated. ¡°I guess that he¡¯s here for Boss.¡± ¡°I think so too. Our boss is so amazing. After all, she¡¯s Kris!¡± ¡°Do you think that Wilson knows that Kris is actually the new head of the Shadow Way?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It looks like he only knows that Kris is affiliated with Shadow Way.¡± They started to look forward eagerly to Wilson¡¯s reaction when he discovered who the head of Shadow Way was. ¡°Alright, stop being so nosy. Let¡¯s return now,¡± hurried Luigi as he smiled. In the waiting hall, Ashlyn was about to find a seat when a warm palm grabbed her from behind, pulling her away. Subconsciously, she struck the person. However, instead of releasing his grip, he deflected her attack swiftly. Ashlyn was at a loss for words. It was rare for her to meet someone who could rival her. A boxing champion like Henry could only exchange a dozen blows with her. Yet, this man could deflect her attack immediately? Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. When she raised her head in surprise, a familiar handsome face appeared in her line of vision. ¡°Lucas? What are you doing?¡± She was about to withdraw her hand, but the man tightened his grip further. Wanting to break free from his restraint, she gathered that their actions had already attracted a lot of attention from the passers-by. She did not want to argue with him here. As this man was gripping her so tightly, she would definitely need to fight him in order to break free. Furthermore, he looked like he was ready to fight if she dared to attack him. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you taking my flight tomorrow?¡± When the man spoke, he sounded extremely jealous. ¡°Lucas, did you chase after me just to ask me that?¡± Ashlyn felt like he was absolutely bonkers and childish. How did he pretend to be so cold and distant in the past? Poor Mr. Nn! He had to keep up the act for four years. In reality, he¡¯s just an immature man, who is easily irritated. ¡°I want to bring you home. You must take my flight home tomorrow. Do other people fly nes better than I do? You¡¯d said that I¡¯m the best at it. Do other pilots fly as safely as me?¡± Lucas¡¯ dark eyes were filled with a domineering look. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 If she took another flight, the pilot would definitely not be able to handle a situation if what happened yesterday were to ur once more. What if something happened to her? He would only feel relieved if she remained in his line of vision. ¡°You¡¯re so unreasonable.¡± Ashlyn took a deep breath. From the corners of her eyes, she spotted a familiar figure appear at the entrance of the waiting room. Why is he here? Before Lucas could react, Ashlyn narrowed her eyes, tiptoed, and kissed the man¡¯s sexy lips abruptly. Lucas was stunned. We were fighting earlier, but she¡¯s kissing me all of a sudden? A woman¡¯s heart sure is iprehensible. Men seemed to have a natural instinct to take control when it came to things like this. Grabbing Ashlyn¡¯s slender waist in a domineering manner, he deepened the kiss further. Wilson said that Kris had gone to the airport directly. Jackson¡¯s gaze swept across all the travelers in the waiting hall, trying to search for the familiar teenager in his memories. Yet, despitebing through the entire airport, he could not find the person. He even spotted a couple kissing in a public ce like this! Instantly, he felt contemptuous and disgusted. After searching the airport again and still being unable to find his target, Jackson felt slightly disappointed. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. When he exited the waiting hall gloomily, he met Wilson, who had also rushed over. ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t you find her?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It was obvious that Jackson was feeling slightly down. ¡°Forget it. If she wants to see you, she¡¯ll naturally appear.¡± Wilson patted Jackson¡¯s shoulder in pity. ncing at him coldly, Jackson pped his hand away. ¡°Wilson, don¡¯t be happy so soon. One day, I¡¯ll find evidence of your crime and lock you up.¡± ¡°Hey, can you have more conscience? Is everyone at H Nation so boring and rule-abiding like you? Although we are the ckhand Mafia, we do legal businesses. Commander Bush, don¡¯t think that you can threaten me just because you¡¯re from the same country as Kris,¡± uttered Wilson in contempt. ¡°Hmph!¡± grunted Jackson coldly. ¡°How is she doing? Is she okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. What happened that year almost killed her. I¡¯d always thought that she¡¯d died.¡± A sh of hurt appeared in Wilson¡¯s beautiful brown eyes. He did not want to recall that memory again. ¡°Luckily, Heaven was kind on us. After knowing that she¡¯s fine, I¡¯m relieved. I wonder how she¡¯d managed to endure these four years.¡± A hint of agony appeared on Jackson¡¯s face. ¡°I want to know too, but she won¡¯t tell me.¡± Wilson spread his hands. Jackson remained silent. He walked to the police car directly, pulled the door open, and entered the car. At the waiting hall, Ashlyn pushed Lucas away forcefully after Jackson left. Lucas was still immersed in her familiar scent and sensation of her lips. Because of this brief kiss, all the frustration and resentment he felt seemed to have disappeared in an instant. The people around them kept staring at them. They were simrly good-looking, with a simrly powerful aura. Yet, they seemed so harmonious together, attracting everyone¡¯s attention. The man¡¯s face was as cold as ice. He had such a dignified aura that he seemed like a nobleman right out of the Renaissance era. ¡°Why did you push me away?¡± Ashlyn nced at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I exploited you just now. Someone is trying to capture me, so I did that.¡± Does he have a bipr personality? He was so furious earlier. Why did he suddenly be so noble and elegant in an instant? How can he switch between these two personalities so naturally? Now, Ashlyn felt that getting a divorce was an extremely wise decision. In her haste to hide from Jackson, she had no choice but to force a kiss on Lucas. ¡°Am I just a tool to you?¡± Chapter 67 Chapter 67 After hearing Ashlyn¡¯s exnation, Lucas, who had just resumed his calmposure, felt slightly annoyed again. At least I¡¯m a tool, not just a useless man. He was actually d that she did not use another man as a tool. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± apologized Ashlyn sincerely. She suddenly felt that it was a bit despicable to exploit him just like that. Jackson was part of the police, while she was a criminal. How could she let Jackson see her? She spread her arms out. ¡°I don¡¯t like to owe others favors, so I¡¯ll agree to take your flight home tomorrow. How about that?¡± This was to return Lucas¡¯ favor to her. Although Ashlyn said it in a very cold and straightforward manner, Lucas felt an inexplicable sense of emotions. Lifting his lips up into a smile, his eyes could not help but light up at the thought of it. ¡°Stay at my hotel tonight.¡± ¡°I already have a ce.¡± Ashlyn frowned, thinking that he was pushing his luck. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll treat your kiss earlier as your lingering love for me. You took the initiative to kiss me because you want to remarry,¡± whispered Lucas in a seductive voice as he raised his eyebrows and bent down closer to Ashlyn.N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Ashlyn was speechless. She had shot herself in the foot. It was quite inappropriate to return to Luigi¡¯s ce as she had already bid them farewell. Forget it, I¡¯ll just stay at his hotel. Lucas and the flight crew were staying at a five-star hotel near the airport. South Star Airlines was famous for having good employee benefits. As Lucas did not want to downgrade himself, all crew members, regardless of which flight they were responsible for, stayed in five-star hotels. Coincidentally, when Ashlyn wanted to book another room, the woman at the concierge told her with a sweet smile that there were no avable rooms left. But there are no events in Italy now. How can the hotel be fully booked? Ashlyn felt slightly suspicious. Lucas was helping Ashlyn pull her luggage. He pressed the lift button and chirped, ¡°The service at this hotel is quite good. Hence, the rooms normally need to be reserved beforehand. If you¡¯d tried to book a room on the spot, it would¡¯ve been difficult to do so.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Frowning, Ashlyn thought that something was amiss. Lucas smirked, his pretty eyes filled with delight. As long as Ashlyn was by his side, he felt exceptionally at ease. Both of them entered Lucas¡¯ presidential suite directly. ¡°My room is very big and has two bedrooms. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything to you.¡± After cing the luggage at the side, he walked over to the bar table. ¡°Do you want a drink?¡± Ashlyn sat on the sofa in a daze. The presidential suite had a design identical to the Whind Vi. Even the furniture, the bar table, and the wine disyed on the shelves were the same. She felt like she had returned to the ¡®home¡¯, in which she had spent four years with Lucas. This made her feel ufortable. Extremely ufortable. She would be a fool if she still did not understand what had happened. This five-star hotel was definitely owned by the Nn Group. Just shooting a look at the staff, the president could prevent her from booking an avable room. This presidential suite was definitely Lucas¡¯ personal suite. Normally, it would definitely not be upied by any guests. However, she could not understand why Lucas wanted to decorate it in the same way as his house. Is he a pervert? ¡°Lucas, is it fun to lie to me?¡± Ashlyn took the ss of red wine that Lucas was passing to her, suddenly feeling slightly helpless. Why have I never noticed that this man has so many tricks up his sleeve? Oh, right. How is it possible for a man, who could be the president of a corporation, to be a naive person? Naturally, he had his own tricks, which he had used on me. ¡°I wanted to ask you the exact same thing too. Is it fun to lie to me?¡± Lucas sat down beside her, knowing that she had already guessed why she could not book a hotel room. He inspected her carefully with an unreadable gaze, his eyes filled with confusion. ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Shadow Way? Why are you Kris?¡± ¡°Why did you go to the underground boxing club?¡± Instead of answering him, Ashlyn shot a question back. ¡°Don¡¯t evade my question. Well, I was simply there just to watch. Can¡¯t I do that?¡± Lucas crossed his legs elegantly, while his lean fingers held the wine ss and swayed it. ¡°Ashlyn, how many secrets do you have? How many things do I not know about you?¡± Chapter 68 Chapter 68 ¡°Lucas, we are already divorced. Stop being so curious about me. I have no obligation to answer your question.¡± Ashlyn finished her wine in a single gulp. cing the ss down, she stood up and announced, ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room.¡± The door to the other bedroom mmed shut. Lucas frowned slightly, his expression unreadable. After two minutes, he heard the sound of water flowing from the bedroom. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She was bathing. When he imagined the image of her alluring body and fair skin, he found that he had be erect. The sounds of the water flowing stopped after ten minutes. However, Lucas felt extremely warm and his throat became parched. Ashlyn¡¯s influence on him was more significant and stronger than he had ever imagined. He missed her deeply and urgently. Taking a deep breath, he tossed his phone onto the sofa and decided to take a cold shower. After bathing, Ashlyn felt a little hungry. She dried her hair and opened the door, preparing to find something to eat in the kitchen. Suddenly, she heard a mobile phone ringing on the sofa. When she walked over to take a look, she realized that it was from Lucas¡¯ phone. The screen showed an iing call from Ms. Chapman. She grabbed the phone and knocked on Lucas¡¯ door. However, no one answered. Listening carefully, she could hear the sound of water flowing and thought that Lucas was probably bathing. Hence, she tossed the phone back onto the sofa and headed towards the kitchen. There were a few eggs, some tomatoes, and a little bit of meat in the fridge. As they looked quite fresh, the staff must have just ced them in the fridge ording to Lucas¡¯ schedule. The man was a picky eater. He would rather cook than eat Italian food. However, his cooking was horrendous. Ashlyn did not know how he found the courage to swallow the food which he cooked. It was actually quite amusing to think that a 1.85-meter tall man was still a picky eater. The hotel staff in charge of preparing the food probably prepared simple ingredients, because they knew that Lucas only knew how to cook simple dishes. Ashlyn took the meat from the fridge and began to cut them into thin slices. Then, she took out the spinach and tomatoes as well. However, Lucas¡¯ phone kept frantically ringing in the living room, showing no signs of stopping. Ashlyn had no choice but to walk over again. Again, the screen showed an iing call from Ms. Chapman. Ms. Chapman is so persistent. Holding the phone, she knocked on Lucas¡¯ door. A masculine and hoarse voice sounded, ¡°Come in.¡± He¡¯s done so soon? Without thinking much about it, she pushed the door open to see Lucas wiping his hair. His upper body was naked, with only a white towel wrapped around his torso. His sexy six-pack abs were as clearly defined as a bar of chocte. A few drops of water dripped from his hair, flowing down his chest all the way to the towel around his waist. Ashlyn could not help but feel her cheeks heat up. ¡°Your phone keeps ringing. It¡¯s so noisy.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. My hands are still wet, so you can help me ept the call first,¡± responded Lucas, holding a towel in his hands. His hair was wet and disheveled, but it did not affect his handsomeness at all. Instead, it caused him to look even wilder. Spinning around quickly, Ashlyn epted the call. ¡°Hello?¡± The other person was obviously stunned. Then, a cute-sounding, yet interrogative voice sounded, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Lucas¡¯ phone?¡± ¡°Yeah. As he has just finished bathing, he can¡¯t really pick up the call. I can help you pass the message to him,¡± replied Ashlyn calmly. ¡°Who are you?¡± asked Ms. Chapman again, sounding a bit unhappy. ¡°Why are you together with Lucas?¡± ¡°Did you call just to ask these questions? Seems like you don¡¯t have anything important to tell Mr. Nn. I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± Ashlyn hung up the call directly and tossed the phone over to Lucas. ¡°Ms. Chapman seems very upset about me answering the call.¡± She was very irritated by Ms. Chapman, who kept interrogating her. Before Lucas could respond, she continued, ¡°I wanted to prepare two bowls of noodles. But I¡¯ll only prepare one now.¡± When she whirled around and left, she heard Lucas¡¯ phone ring again. A mocking smile appeared on her lips as she headed directly to the kitchen. Lucas epted the call impatiently. ¡°Hello?¡± When Hera heard his voice, she started toin in a nasal tone, ¡°Lucas, who¡¯s that woman? She¡¯s so fierce!¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. What¡¯s the matter?¡± snapped Lucas coldly, with an emotionless expression on his face. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Hera was stunned. It was already nighttime in Italy. What else could a man and woman do alone at night? The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Didn¡¯t Lucas get a divorce? Did his wife follow him to Italy? Or did Lucas take a liking to another woman behind her back? After all, Lucas is handsome and wealthy. There are rumors everywhere, saying that he¡¯s already married. Hera had also requested a few times to meet the rumored Mrs. Nn. However, Lucas had rejected all of her requests. She became furious when she thought of it, and her tone sounded increasingly indignant, ¡°Well, I saw on the news that you¡¯d met a thunderstorm yesterday during your flight. I¡¯m a bit worried about you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Lucas¡¯ voice became gentler. ¡°I¡¯m still busy, so I¡¯ll end the call now.¡± ¡°Wait, Lucas, don¡¯t hang up yet! I have something to say,¡± uttered Hera quickly when she heard that he was going to end the call. ¡°Yes?¡± As Lucas was famished, he wanted to quickly look for Ashlyn to ask her to cook another bowl of noodles for him. He did not have the time to chat with Hera. ¡°Lucas, you¡¯d promised me that you¡¯ll get me Ms. Saunders¡¯ number. I¡¯m about to enter the piano competition. If I don¡¯t get a good ranking, Grandpa will give up on me.¡± Hera¡¯s pitiful-sounding voice was cute and soft. She sounded like she would burst into tears if Lucas did not agree. He replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it when I get back. I¡¯m hanging up now.¡± After speaking, he hung up the call and walked towards the kitchen. ring at her phone, Hera gritted her teeth in fury. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Lucas¡¯ attitude was not like this earlier! Why is his change so drastic? Previously, he¡¯d even said that I was the girl whom he¡¯d been searching for, for ten years. He promised that he¡¯d stay by my side. Why did he be so cold after a few days? When Lucas met her, she thought that she was the luckiest girl in the world. No woman could resist Lucas¡¯ charisma. That woman must have seduced Lucas. Hera was so furious that she wanted to smash her phone into smithereens. In the kitchen, Ashlyn fried the meat skillfully before ting it. Then, she started to boil the noodles. Her actions were very fluid. She even managed to make cooking noodles look so elegant and pretty. Standing at the entrance of the kitchen, Lucas gazed at Ashlyn¡¯s slender back. She was wearing pink, cartoon pajamas, while her long, slightly damp hair was casually scattered across her shoulders. Since a long time ago, he found it extremely enjoyable to watch Ashlyn cook. Not only was she beautiful, but her food was extremely delicious too. After their divorce, he had never seen her cook anymore. He gazed at her with his dark eyes. When Ashlyn spun around and saw Lucas¡¯ lean figure, she rolled her eyes coldly and walked out with the noodles. When the aroma of the noodles wafted into Lucas¡¯ nose, he felt extremely hungry. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he stared at the bowl of noodles. ¡°Did you really not cook any for me?¡± Lucas grabbed her arm. ¡°Mr. Nn, I¡¯m just your ex-wife.¡± Ashlyn chuckled and thought, Tell Mrs. Chapman to cook it for you. ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us. She¡¯s just my childhood ymate.¡± Lucas followed her out of the kitchen. ¡°She saved my life when we were younger.¡± Lucas had never exined anything to anyone. He did not know why he was exining to Ashlyn who Hera was. Ever since his divorce, he became increasingly strange. Taking a bite of her noodles, Ashlyn could not help but think, How yummy! Without lifting her head, she continued slurping her noodles. ¡°Oh, your savior.¡± ¡°She just wanted me to help her. Because she saved my life when we were young, I can¡¯t possibly refuse her,¡± exined Lucas. Indeed, he was bing increasingly strange¡ªhe was exining himself repeatedly, with even greater detail. ¡°Oh, no wonder you were so eager to divorce me. So there¡¯s someone else waiting to take my ce.¡± Ashlyn nced at Lucas with a smile. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Her lustrous lips appeared extremely moist and tempting. Lucas felt that his throat was bing drier. Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the heat rising from his lower body. ¡°No one is recing you.¡± ¡°Do you think that you¡¯re lying to a three-year-old child?¡± Ashlynughed coldly. All men are the same! They always think the grass is greener on the other side when ites to women. After looking at me for four years, it was time for him to change his woman into someone cute like Ms. Chapman. Very well, then. ¡°She¡¯s just a ymate.¡± Lucas raised an eyebrow and looked at Ashlyn carefully. ¡°Are you feeling sour out of jealousy?¡± ¡°Well, I did add a little vinegar to my noodles.¡± Ashlyn pretended that she did not understand him. After stretchingzily, she took the bowls and washed them. Looking at the clean kitchen, Lucas felt famished. ¡°I¡¯m really hungry.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ashlyn nodded. What¡¯s that got to do with me? ¡°I was used as a tool at the airport,¡± continued Lucas. Ashlyn spun around and looked at him calmly. ¡°I already agreed to stay with you here.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t eat for lunch.¡± Lucas clutched his stomach, which was hurting. Ashlyn knew very well how picky he was when it came to food. Hence, his stomach was always in a bad state. ncing at Ashlyn, Lucas walked to his luggage. He opened it, dug out a bottle of pills for gastric pain, and held it in his hands. ¡°Although I don¡¯t have anything to eat, I have my pills.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyes shone with a cold glint. Whirling around, she mmed her bedroom door shut. He¡¯s trying to trick me again, right? I¡¯ll definitely not fall for it his time. Lucas was at a loss for words. In the past, he had a hot meal waiting for him when he returned home. Now, he seemed so pathetic and miserable inparison. When Ashlyn returned to her room, she took out herptop immediately and started tracking. The deadline of three days was about to arrive. She needed toplete her mission on time. Time ticked slowly and one hour passed. Unknowingly, two hours had passed. It was already nighttime. A cool gust of wind blew across the dark sky, causing the thin curtains to flutter in the air. Ashlyn sent the results of the investigation to Quiet Forest. When she turned herptop off, she heard a thud outside. Frowning, Ashlyn opened the door secretly. However, she spotted a tall figure curled up into a ball on the carpet in front of the living room¡¯s sofa. Did the sounde from Lucas falling down from the sofa? Ashlyn walked over suspiciously. She discovered that Lucas¡¯ forehead was covered in sweat, while he clutched his stomach tightly with his hands. The image of the normally cold and domineering man curled up in a ball on the carpet was inexplicably satisfying. Ashlyn had to admit that she was not an extremelypassionate person. However, when she remembered that Lucas had never treated her poorly in their four years of marriage, she still helped him to the sofa andid him down. After pressing his stomach and taking his pulse, she determined that there was nothing serious with him. He had just fainted because his hunger had triggered his gastric pain. What a useless piece of trash! Can¡¯t he cook some food for himself if I refused to cook for him? Would he rather faint because of his hunger? He¡¯s such a picky eater that it¡¯s so infuriating! After washing her hands, Ashlyn went to the kitchen, prepared the ingredients, and started cooking the noodles.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. After ten minutes, a piping hot bowl of spinach noodles was served. As he had gastric pain, he could only eat something light on the stomach. Hence, she did not include any meat in his noodles. She walked to the sofa with the noodles, bent down, and patted Lucas¡¯ face. ¡°Wake up! Wake up!¡± With his eyes still closed, Lucas did not respond. Ashlyn started to pinch him. After all, he had to eat something. Otherwise, his gastric pain would be more severe. After a few minutes, Lucas opened his eyes slowly, his gaze meeting another pair of bright eyes. He moaned softly, ¡°Mm¡ª¡± When he smelled the fragrance of food, his eyes lit up. ¡°Did you cook?¡± Ashlyn kicked his leg. ¡°Get up now and eat!¡± Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Lucas had an inkling that he was never going to get the gentle and yful Ashlyn back, ever again. His heart ached terribly as he thought of how aloof and distant she had be. However, he then recalled how much he had enjoyed Ashlyn¡¯s cooking so he dragged himself up and walked over to the dining table. When he took a sip of the chicken noodle soup, an inexplicable sense of contentment started to spread through him. Though it was not very obvious, one could tell that he was feeling moved, based on the crack in his expression. He had long gotten used to Ashlyn over the past few years, whether it be her cooking or her body. He could even vividly recall the fragrance of her skincare products. Finishing the bowl of noodle soup, he stood up to wash the dishes. To which soon after, he grabbed himself some medication for his tummy. He then turned in for the night, only to end up tossing and turning; no sleep came to him. His burning anxiety grew deep, along with the night. Ashlyn had always been a light sleeper. Hence, she wasying wide awake, the moment a dark figure opened the door to her room. She stayed perfectly still,ying turned on her side. Though the person was moving very lightly, Ashlyn could easily tell from the sound of the familiar footsteps that it was Lucas. It¡¯s the middle of the night. What¡¯s he doing in my room? Also, I¡¯m very sure that I¡¯d locked my door! Nheless, this was Lucas¡¯ usual modus operandi; there was likely no point in locking the door. The man stood by the bed and gazed at the sleeping woman. She had turned on a night light, and her face was bathed in the warm orange light. She looked cold and distant during the day, but now, she looked as harmless as an infant. Lucas leaned closer to her. He couldn¡¯t stop himself and pressed his lips onto the pair that he had been dreaming of for so long. They still felt as soft and as full as he had remembered, and immediately, a familiar sense of frenzy was ignited. He gradually deepened the kiss. It was as if he were a man who had stumbled onto an oasis in the desert. That was how much he had thirsted for her lips, for her everything. The kiss became more urgent and desperate. Ashlyn couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. He stared at me for so long just so he could sneak a kiss? She instinctively wanted to push Lucas away, but suddenly, a familiar feeling started blossoming from her tailbone. And soon enough, it had spread throughout every cell in her body. Not again! It¡¯s been four years! Why is it that every time this man is somehow involved, it just starts stirring? Just what charm does this man have? Has it not been fed enough, all these years while being with him? She hadn¡¯t had any palpitations at all this past year. That was why she had so readily agreed to end the marriage. However, she had been too na?ve and had greatly underestimated the potency of the Spirogyra. When she had kissed Lucas during the day, the curse had likely already detected his presence. Now that he was in close vicinity, it had awoken again. Ashlyn could feel every part of her body growing warmer, and it was bing unbearable. Very, very unbearable. Lucas astutely sensed Ashlyn¡¯s change in behavior. He pulled away from her lips but kept his gaze on her. He saw her slowly open her eyes, and he noticed that they were coated with ayer of desire. Her cheeks were tinged pink; she looked so breathtakingly beautiful. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± asked Lucas in a raspy voice. Ashlyn stared at him dazedly. She wanted to give a response, but when she opened her mouth, the only sound that came out was a soft moan. On the other side of the window, a gentle, warm breeze was blowing. There wasn¡¯t a star in the sky either. It was as if they had all shyly hidden behind the clouds. Morning rays shone into the room and gently caressed the two intertwined bodies lying on the big, soft bed. The woman¡¯s longshes fluttered. It seemed as if the sunlight was too ring, so shezily lifted an arm and covered her eyes. After a while, she put her arm down and finally opened her eyes. Her whole body was very sore as if she had just run two marathons in a row. There was an arm draped across her waist. She glowered at the arm, then picked it up and threw it to the side. Original from N?velDrama.Org. The images fromst night flooded her, shing across her eyes, scene by scene. She couldn¡¯t believe herck of control. Stupid Spirogyra! Can¡¯t you be without a man for even one day? Gah! Chapter 72 Chapter 72 The Spirogyra hasn¡¯t acted up in a whole year. So why did it suddenly awakenst night? And it was completely out of control too! She recalled how she had been so eagerst night, as well as all the embarrassing things that she had initiated, and she wanted nothing more than to disappear from the face of the earth. Ahhh! I¡¯ll never live this down! She yearned to rid of the Spirogyra from her body. However, it had been four years and she still hadn¡¯t found a way to do so. The only thing she could do was suppress and mitigate it. She had honestly believed that she had sessfully gotten control over it these past four years and that it wouldn¡¯t awaken again. Ashlyn buried her face in her hands. Now that I¡¯m divorced, how am I supposed to deal with it the next time it acts up? No¡­ Nothing has happened in the past year, so I¡¯m sure everything will be okay going forward. Last night must¡¯ve just been an anomaly. Yes, that has to be it. After spending some time convincing herself, Ashlyn then readied herself to get out of bed to wash up. However, the moment she sat up, she was startled by a pair of eyes staring at her. Lucas was already awake! He was lying on his side with his head propped against his left arm, and his deep-set eyes were focused on her. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Ashlyn tried hard to hide her awkwardness and made her face look as expressionless as possible. Sleeping with the ex-husband sounded ridiculous, no matter how it was spun. Lucas¡¯ hair fellzily into his eyes, and he squinted his eyes habitually. ¡°We went at it for most of the night, Ashlyn. That¡¯s some energy you have.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s face stiffened. The soreness in her body was nothingpared to how awkward things were right then. If she had resolutely pushed him away, then Lucas absolutely wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to try anything. Yet, the curse was too strong and it hadpletely taken her over. What else could she have done? The man absentmindedly took a lock of her hair and twirled it around his fingers. Then, he leaned in and buried his head in the crook of her neck. With a thick voice, he uttered, ¡°You were so passionate last night.¡± It had been quite a long time since he had experienced such an unbridled passion. There was something about Ashlyn whenever she was in bed that had always mesmerized him, pulling him deeper and deeper. While they were married, he had always loved her body. Even now, he still found himself addicted to it. Ashlyn¡¯s gaze flickered towards him as her expression remained nk. The passionate one wasn¡¯t me. It really wasn¡¯t. It was the damn Spirogyra! That¡¯s right! I was under its control, so I have nothing to be self-conscious about! Lucas shifted his body and rested his head on a pillow. His face looked like a carefully carved piece of artwork, as did the upper half of his body that was exposed and uncovered by the sheets. His limbs were carelessly spread out, taking up most of the bed. Ashlyn wanted to at least try to keep her dignity intact. ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything, so I don¡¯t understand a word that you¡¯re saying.¡± The sunlight was a little too strong, so Lucas got up and pulled the curtains shut. He then walked back and rested his gaze on the woman still in bed. Her lips were pursed tightly as if she was trying to push down her emotions. Oh? So she¡¯s going to y dumb? Lucas tilted his head slightly, and the sunlight that was peeking through the curtains shone right onto his head, giving him a halo effect. Ashlyn didn¡¯t have time to enjoy the man¡¯s gorgeous looks. Though his figure ¡ª with his chiseled chest and six-pack abs ¡ª really was so good that it would cause women everywhere to swoon and faint. However, there were also visible marks on his body, scratches that she had left behindst night. As of right now, she couldn¡¯t bear to look at them. Because all of that only suggested one thing ¡ª that she was really very enthusiasticst night. I thought that he had gastric pains! Yet he still had the strength to do all of thatst night! Gastric pain my butt! Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. By the time Ashlyn got up and finished washing up, it was already around eleven in the morning. She opened the fridge and saw that it had been restocked. ¡°I want to have amb shank with mashed potatoes, salmon with a red wine sauce, and some kind of sd¡­¡± listed Lucas as he walked over. He was only wearing a loose robe, so his chest peeked out from underneath every time he moved. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Ashlyn¡¯s hands stopped midway while putting on the apron. ¡°Do you think that you¡¯re at a restaurant?¡± ¡°Someone wanted to go again and against night, so I need to replenish my energy. After all, I have a flightter at four,¡± announced Lucas very sincerely. Ashlyn¡¯s face blushed bright pink. As unabashed as she usually was, at the end of the day, she was still just a twenty-two-year-old girl. She hurriedly averted her gaze and focused on the ingredients. It looked like Lucas had gotten someone to get everything that he needed. She pointed to a pot and huffed, ¡°Go boil the potatoes.¡± Previously, whenever Lucas had time, he would help out with the cooking too. So, he was familiar with handling tasks like these. He strode over to the sink, washed the potatoes, and started peeling them. Ashlyn stole a nce at him. His side profile looked very alluring and would probably mesmerize anyone who looked at him for too long. Even when he was just peeling potatoes, there was something graceful and artistic about his movements. God really put in extra effort when making him. Ashlyn allowed herself onest nce before starting to prepare the other ingredients. An hourter, all of the dishes Lucas ordered were ted and ced on the dining table. He had also set the table without having to be asked. They sat down across from each other. There was a hint of a smile on Lucas¡¯ face. He really enjoyed this kind of lifestyle. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Everything felt very warm and wholesome, and it was a feeling that only Ashlyn could give him. He gracefully carved the meat off themb shank, then ced a chunk in his mouth. ¡°It tastes good,¡± he admitted contently. Ashlyn had actually cooked enough for four people. So when it didn¡¯t look like Lucas was going to slow down anytime soon, she quickly spoke up. ¡°As a doctor, I should remind you that overeating is going to do even more damage to your stomach.¡± ¡°Are you concerned about me?¡± Lucas¡¯ head was facing towards her, yet his gaze seemed to be unfocused. Clearly he was full. But for some reason, he wanted to continue to eat. Aren¡¯t big shot presidents supposed to be fancy and elegant and only partake in fine dining with those tiny, tiny portions? So why¡¯s the one in front of me such a big eater? He¡¯s nearly finished everything on the table by himself. Serves him right for having stomach pains! Ashlyn really had never seen him eat so much before. Not even while they were married. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor. It¡¯s part of my job,¡± retorted Ashlyn as she lowered her gaze and continued with her meal. Lucas¡¯ lips curled upwards. He still hadn¡¯t gotten used to the idea of being divorced. It was likely the same way for Ashlyn, despite how aloof and distant she had been acting. This thought made him feel quite happy. The images fromst night popped into his mind. The way they threw away their inhibitions, the way she moaned into his ear, the way her arms wrapped themselves around his neck¡­ Now that he had satisfied his physical hunger, he wanted nothing more than to satiate his ¡®other¡¯ hunger¡­ Lucas¡¯ eyes lingered on Ashlyn¡¯s wless skin. The cute pajamas that she had been wearingst night had gotten shredded during the process, so at that moment, she was wearing a ck nightgown. The contrast of the ck against her skin only made her look even fairer, and all he could think about was running his fingers up and down her body. Her bright dewy eyes were the worst of all. They looked emotionless most of the time, but whenever he locked eyes with them, the fire and urge in him would instantly be ignited. Just like in this very second. He stared at her like a predator stalking its prey, with passion and hunger dripping from his eyes. Ashlyn astutely sensed the change in atmosphere and lifted her eyes. She was met with a pair of ravenous-looking eyes. Having spent four years with him, she was naturally very familiar with that look in his eyes. Furrowing her brows slightly, she asked hesitantly, ¡°Lucas?¡± Suddenly, the man in front of her threw down his fork, went around the table, and picked her up bridal style. He then strode over to the couch, threw her onto it, before soon pressing his body down onto hers. Huh? Ashlyn wanted to get out from beneath him. Last night had been a mistake. She couldn¡¯t allow this kind of thing to happen again and again. They were divorced. People who were divorced needed to have a clean break instead of indulging in these boundary-blurring activities. She tried to use her strength to fight back. She lifted her leg and tried tond a kick on the man¡¯s back, but it was as if he had eyes behind the back of his head. He reached his hand out and wrapped it precisely around her calf. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Ashlyn wasn¡¯t going to give in so easily. She tried again, but no matter what she tried, Lucas would always be able to deflect her ¡®attacks.¡¯ He was also able to sneak kisses along her neck and on her face¡­ Things were getting pretty heated. Ashlyn¡¯s body grew increasingly warm. The Spirogyra, which had been dormant for half a month, was awakening again with a vengeance. She realized that her body waspletely unable to resist Lucas. If it were anyone else, she could have easily bashed his head in. But this was Lucas¡­ With the Spirogyra in her, there was nothing that she could do to resist. At that very moment, she really hated the sted body of hers. Lucas grabbed her waist tightly and pressed her body against his. He then leaned in and kissed her on her lips. Time slowly ticked by. Lucas carried Ashlyn to the bathroom to clean up before cing her back on the bed. He lowered his head to look at Ashlyn who was tucked beside him. He put his hand on her waist and pulled her closer. After having tired herself out, the woman had already fallen asleep. There was a nice, fresh scent to her, likely from the body wash used earlier. Her long hair was scattered around Lucas¡¯ neck and chest. She appeared to be in deep sleep. Lucas used his finger to gently brush the hair away from her face. He used an arm to prop his head up, before staring at the beauty in front of him. She is so beautiful. As beautiful as a goddess. Lucas subconsciously rxed his habitually creased brows. Even though the atmosphere felt easy and rxed, there was something about her ¡ª maybe it was her breathing or something ¡ª that still felt inexplicably distant and subdued. One of these days, I¡¯m going to peel back thoseyers and learn everything about her! The man caressed her face gently. His body tingled at the soft, silky touch. He took a deep breath then pulled his hand back. Finally, hey back down next to her and hugged her tightly in his arms. By the time they woke up, two hours had already passed. Ashlyn had felt slightly exasperated with herself. She had found herself in this awkward position twice that day already. Even her breathing was filled with awkwardness. When Lucas felt her movements, he too opened his eyes. There was a barely detectable hint of affection in his eyes. Their eyes met for a few seconds, and immediately, the atmosphere turned awkward. Out of nowhere, Lucas¡¯ arm snaked around to the back of her head as he pulled her towards him. He pressed his lips against hers as his tongue gently traced her lips. Ashlyn slowly closed her eyes. All her senses were flooded with him. The kiss didn¡¯tst too long. When Lucas pulled away, there was even a hint of reluctance in her eyes. She had finallye to ept that her body very likely couldn¡¯t do without Lucas. Because every time Lucas got close to her, she would immediately melt into a puddle of water. Darn it! Outside the room, a brisk wind was blowing. The sound of raindrops hitting the windows could also be heard. Apparently it had started to drizzle. ¡°Will the rain affect your flight?¡± frowned Ashlyn slightly. Lucas took hold of her slightly cold hands and tried to warm them up in his. ¡°I¡¯ll only knowter during the meeting. Come on, let¡¯s get up. We need to get ready to go to the airport.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± nodded Ashlyn. Ten minutester, they were both properly dressed and ready to go. Lucas was dressed in his captain¡¯s uniform and had his pilot¡¯s cap in one hand. He looked dashing and even had an imposing air about him. Those long legs of his were especially mouthwatering. In fact, he looked so stunning that it was as if he had walked straight out of a magazine. Ashlyn, on the other hand, was wearing a pair of tight-fitting jeans. The fabric clung to her, showing off the lines of her toned legs. She also had on a beige-colored coat, paired with a pair of sneakers. Her whole ensemble made her look especially youthful. Both man and woman were outrageously good-looking. They stepped out of the hotel and were immediately enveloped by cold air and raindrops. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Lucas personally drove them to the airport. Ashlyn would take a nce at the scenery every so often during the ride. After they arrived at the airport, Lucas finally handed a ne ticket to her. She perked an eyebrow up, as she reached for the ticket. Then she heard the maic-sounding voice say, ¡°I¡¯ll head to the meeting first.¡± Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Ashlyn nodded, then watched as the man walked off. There was still some time left before they could start boarding. She rubbed her temples helplessly. Why couldn¡¯t I have just resisted him? She had to admit that Lucas was very good-looking, and he certainly knew what he was doing in bed. However, she couldn¡¯t very well turn into a puddle every time he touched her, now could she? No! That¡¯s too much! I won¡¯t allow him the chance again! No, wait! We¡¯re divorced! Why¡¯s he even rolling around in the sack with me? We might as well not have gotten divorced in the first ce! It¡¯s like I got demoted from wife to just friends with benefits! Now it just feels like I¡¯m on the losing end here. Nancy and a few other stewardesses were walking past when they had caught sight of Ashlyn. They all stopped in their tracks in surprise. Original from N?velDrama.Org. However, they all did just survive a traumatic experience, and Ashlyn was Captain Nn¡¯s wife, so they decided to walk up and say hello. Nancy was the first to give her a smile. ¡°Mrs. Nn, aren¡¯t you going to stay in Italy for a few more days?¡± ¡°Are you doing better? Are you able to fly?¡± asked Ashlyn in return. Nancy was someone who had ssy and delicate features, the exact opposite of Ashlyn¡¯s more sensual and bold beauty. Even Nancy¡¯s presence itself felt gentle. ¡°I¡¯m feeling better after resting for a whole day. I did hit my head, but it¡¯s all good now.¡± Nancy vividly remembered how Ashlyn had helped her. ¡°Thank you for your assistance that day, Mrs. Nn, or things would¡¯ve be much more chaotic than they were.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Mrs. Nn even gave Nancy a quick check-up. Personally, I was too freaked out to do anything,¡± chimed another stewardess. ¡°You were so amazing that day, Mrs. Nn. How were you not afraid or even nervous?¡± ¡°It was probably because of Lucas,¡± smiled Ashlyn. ¡°We need to go. We¡¯ve got a meeting to get to!¡± An irritated voice abruptly interrupted the conversation. Nancy could immediately tell that it was Jenny who had interrupted her. She pushed her annoyance down and turned to Ashlyn. ¡°Please excuse us, Mrs. Nn. We need to get to our meeting. We¡¯ll catch up with you again.¡± Each time Ashlyn heard the word ¡®Mrs. Nn,¡¯ her skin would crawl. So, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from bringing it up. ¡°Lucas prefers to not have everyone know about our rtionship, so¡­ if everyone could¡­¡± ¡°Captain Nn has already informed us of this,¡± smiled Nancy. ¡°We¡¯ve also notified all the passengers on that flight. So don¡¯t worry, everyone knows to keep the secret.¡± ¡°Mrs. Nn, you and Captain Nn look amazing together. Why are you keeping your rtionship on the down-low?¡± asked one of the stewardesses. ¡°He probably just wants to protect me,¡± winked Ashlyn yfully. ¡°You guys get it. He¡¯s a walking chick ma.¡± The stewardesses all burst into giggles. They realized that Mrs. Nn wasn¡¯t only just pretty and kind- hearted, but rather, she also had a yful sense of humor. When the stewardesses finally walked away, Ashlyn let out a sigh of relief and arranged her face back into her usual expressionless look. Being yful and cute was not one of her strong suits. However unbeknownst to them, a ¡®Mrs. Nn trend¡¯ was sweeping across the country at that very moment. As it turned out, Yakov had already excitedly uploaded the video of Ashlyn onto his social media. He had more or less relocated to H Nation for a while now and was working as a frence photographer. So, the moment he saw Ashlyn speak into the PA system, he couldn¡¯t help but start filming it. However, he still knew there would be privacy issues if he tantly uploaded a video of someone else, so he was careful enough to blur out Ashlyn¡¯s face. The short clip started exactly when Ashlyn stepped in to take over Nancy¡¯s Purser responsibilities, helping to calm the passengers down. Her authoritative and steady voice could be heard very clearly. ¡°Good day, everyone. I am Ashlyn Berry, the wife of the captain of this flight. My husband, Captain Lucas Nn, has undergone years of professional training. When I¡¯d married him four years ago, he had just taken over South Star Airlines. In order to better expand the airlines, he went and got himself a pilot certification.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen how much blood, sweat, and tears he¡¯s put in, to get from a trainee to a co-pilot, and to the captain that he is today. I know very well how capable he is, so believe me when I say that you can put your trust in him. His wife is on this flight; he will do everything that he can to ensure his wife¡¯s safety, as well as every one of yours. I know that he won¡¯t let anyone of us down. He willnd the ne safely.¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 People who watched the videos could only see a slender woman wearing a lc-colored dress. But the presence the woman gave off was powerful and authoritative. The short clip was quickly shared by countless people, and pretty soon, it racked up plenty of ¡®likes¡¯ too. ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± ¡°Mrs. Nn is amazing!¡± ¡°So there really is a Mrs. Nn. I kept wondering if Lucas Nn¡¯s marriage was just fake news.¡± ¡°Who knew that Mrs. Nn would be so charismatic.¡± ¡°I know right? She¡¯s totally won me over. Oh no, she makes me want to bat for the other team!¡± ¡°Think about it. The situation must have been terrifying at the time. The Purser was injured and the other cabin crew members were probably scared out of their wits, but Mrs. Nn bravely stood up to take control of the scene.¡± ¡°The way she was able to calm everyone down was just brilliant.¡± ¡°Captain Nn is one lucky man.¡± ¡°What I want to know is whether Mrs. Nn is on all of Captain Nn¡¯s flights. If so, doesn¡¯t that sound super romantic?¡± Thements section under the video was blowing up, and social media users even managed to get ¡®Mrs. Nn soothes flight passengers¡¯ to trend. A certain online shopping website even released a ¡°Mrs. Nn¡¯s lc dress¡± which instantly became a best-seller, going out of stock not long after. Even the white pumps Ashlyn was wearing at the time became must-have items. There were also plenty of people who flocked to Lucas¡¯ social media ount, begging him for Ashlyn¡¯s ount handle. ¡°Does Mrs. Nn not have a Twitter ount?¡± ¡°Mr. Nn. Captain Nn. I promise I¡¯ll only fly on your flights from now on. Please tell us what Mrs. Nn¡¯s ount handle is!¡± ¡°Captain Nn, do you know how cool your wife is?¡± ¡°Where can I get myself a Mrs. Nn?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Of course, there were also a bunch of Lucas¡¯ admirers ¡ª mainly socialites and influencers ¡ª that veered in a vastly different direction. Theirments were nothing but bitter and vicious. ¡°Ha! She looks like such a sl*t. Has Mr. Nn gone blind?¡± ¡°I bet she¡¯s a fraud.¡± ¡°That¡¯s despicable. How dare she take on the Purser¡¯s role? Surely that¡¯s against some kind ofw?¡± ¡°Exactly! I¡¯m sure that what she¡¯s doing is illegal! Both she and the Purser should be punished! Absolutely unprofessional!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not forget about the unprofessional cabin crew either. I wouldn¡¯t want to be a passenger on any of their flights!¡± ¡°How can they let a non-crew member be in charge during such a crucial time? Just what is South Star Airlines ying at?¡± ¡°I bet this is all just to get attention!¡± When Hera saw the trending topic, she immediately blew a gasket. Now, she was increasingly certain that it was Lucas¡¯ ex-wife who had answered the phone. What the hell? They¡¯re divorced and she still goes around calling herself ¡®Mrs. Nn¡¯? How shameless can she be? The nerve of that woman! Without even thinking, she went on to her alternate ount and posted, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Nn have supposedly gotten divorced, so it¡¯s better not to waste any time shipping them together.¡± She even went to Yakov¡¯s social media and spammed the samement under countless other comments. I refuse to let this shameless woman get away with this! How dare she still try to win brownie points by iming that she¡¯s Mrs. Nn? I won¡¯t stand for it! She then turned on herputer and sent out an email. Not long after, she received a reply with just the word ¡®OK.¡¯ Mrs. Nn my ass. Let¡¯s see how long your smugness willst. I¡¯m going to make you remember you¡¯re nothing but an unwanted ex! She stared coldly at theputer screen as a sneer yed on her lips. Soon, the topic ¡®Lucas Nn is divorced¡¯ became a trending topic, cing just below ¡®Mrs. Nn soothes flight passengers.¡¯ It looked especially ironic for the two trending topics to be ced, one after the other. The ¡®Lucas Nn is divorced¡¯ topic was flooded with people yelling at Ashlyn. ¡°They¡¯re divorced, yet she¡¯s still using him to grab attention?¡± ¡°Still calling herself Mrs. Nn? How ridiculous!¡± ¡°What kind of shameless woman is she? Give me back my Lucas Nn!¡± ¡°Why on earth did Mr. Nn marry such an attention-seeking woman in the first ce?¡± ¡°I bet she did all that just so that she would be famous.¡± Chapter 77 Chapter 77 However, those that had seen the video clip of Ashlyn quickly emerged to defend her. ¡°Mrs. Nn is a ray of sunshine, and you¡¯re all just jealous of her!¡± ¡°Stop spreading rumors! Mrs. Nn was on Captain Nn¡¯s flight. They¡¯re very much in love.¡± ¡°Besides, even if they were divorced, it¡¯s not like any of you would stand a chance with Captain Nn anyway.¡± ¡°Ha! I¡¯m standing behind you, Mrs. Nn!¡± Then, there were also the requisite conspiracy theorists. ¡°I bet that this was all just a marketing tactic by South Star Airlines; a publicity stunt to get people to notice them.¡± ¡°Marketing? Publicity stunt? Excuse me? It was a fact that the ne was met with ghastly weather. It was a fact that Captain Nn did everything that he could tond the ne safely. It was a fact that the Purser was injured. Lastly, it was a fact that Mrs. Nn soothed the passengers. So tell me, did South Star Airlines n all of that, including the bad weather? Moreover, how stupid do you think the airline is, to risk hundreds of lives just for a publicity stunt?¡± ¡°I agree with thement above! That was clearly an instinctual reaction on Mrs. Nn¡¯s part. No one knew that she was Mrs. Nn prior to this. Not the passengers, and not the cabin crew. She was merely responding to the crisis on hand. Captain Nn was amazingly skilled, and Mrs. Nn was great under pressure.¡± ¡°Exactly! Both were amazing! Just think about it! If it weren¡¯t for Captain Nn¡¯s above-average capabilities, then we wouldn¡¯t be talking about him and Mrs. Nn right now, but a freaking ne crash! A! Freaking! ne! Crash! That would undeniably be a detrimental blow to South Star Airlines. So unless they¡¯re both the biggest idiots in the world, do you think that either of them would even consider doing something like this just for a ¡®publicity stunt¡¯¡°?N?velDrama.Org is the owner. In the meantime, in a small country in Eastern Europe. A middle-aged man was leisurely sitting in front of a swimming pool in his luxury three-story mansion. He basked in the warm sunlight as hezily swirled his ss of red wine. Every now and then, he would take a sip of the wine while servants wandered around, tending to both the mansion and him. Suddenly, a loud crash sounded from the entrance of the mansion. The middle-aged man jumped up in fright. A few of the servants ran over to him, bbering frantically in their nativenguage. ¡°Go look!¡± ordered the man. A young woman headed towards the door. A group of uniformed police barged in, each holding a gun pointed straight at the man. The man¡¯s eyes flew wide open in rm. I¡¯ve already escaped all the way here. How could the police have found me? No, no! That¡¯s impossible! However, as if right on cue, the policeman standing in the forefront whipped out an arrest warrant. ¡°Nigel Bask, you¡¯re under arrest for breaking H Nation¡¯sws. This includes a hit and run, owing farmers their sries, and various counts of embezzlements. You will now be extradited back to H Nation. From now on, everything that you say can and will be used against you in the court ofw.¡± ¡°No! You¡¯ve got the wrong person! I didn¡¯t do any of that!¡± yelled the man. He had spent so much money to hire people to cover his tracks. He had also detoured through so many countries, finally ending up in this tiny, unknown country. How on earth did the police from H Nation even find him? ¡°Grab him!¡± The policeman put the warrant away while others walked up and cuffed Nigel. Nigel¡¯s face turned sheet-white. The ss in his hand crashed to the floor, smashing into smithereens. There were no longer any traces of the rxed expression that he had on earlier. A few thousand miles away, a ne flew straight through the night. It was four o¡¯clock in the morning when it had safelynded in Lake City International Airport in H Nation. Ashlyn saw Jared¡¯s car the moment she stepped off the ne, and she jumped in without any hesitation. By the time Lucas ran out, he only managed to catch a glimpse of the Land Rover speeding off into the darkness. The air was especially crisp that morning. Jenny was scrolling through her social media when she walked up to Lucas. She shoved her phone at him and huffed, ¡°Captain Nn, look!¡± ¡°What?¡± asked the man absentmindedly as he stared into the distance. ¡°It seems like Mrs. Nn just wants to bring attention to herself.¡± Jenny couldn¡¯t hide the smugness in her eyes. ¡°I never would¡¯ve guessed that Mrs. Nn was such an attention-seeker.¡± ¡°Bring attention to herself?¡± Lucas finally shifted his icy gaze onto Jenny. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Jenny was so excited that her fingers were trembling. He is looking at me, he is finally willing to take a good look at me. I wonder if my makeup is wless today. I wonder¡­ When her thoughts were still running wild, she heard a calm man¡¯s voice, ¡°Who did you say pulled a publicity stunt?¡± ¡°Oh Captain Nn, look over here,¡± Jenny, who was psyched out initially, immediately felt like a deted balloon. However, she still felt happy as long as she could speak with Lucas. She directed her phone screen to Lucas, ¡°It¡¯s gone frenzy on the Inte. Mrs. Nn¡¯s video clip and another topic also went viral¡­¡± Lucas¡¯ expression changed. With his eyebrows squinted, he stared at the screen, checking out the top search on the Inte. Jenny has been observing Lucas¡¯ facial expression and was actually delighted that he was upset at Ashlyn. She could not wait for Lucas to blow a fuse at Ashlyn. Feeling ted, she said, ¡°Captain Nn, that¡¯s too much! How could Mrs. Nn create such hype so easily without thinking it through? You need to teach her a lesson as she¡¯s discrediting our Southern Star Airlines and affecting our reputation.¡± Lucas¡¯ squinted eyes became incisive suddenly and he started to get intimidating, ¡°Do you know my wife personally? As a professional flight attendant, what were you doing when she was consoling the passenger?¡± His cold words sent a shiver down Jenny¡¯s spine and it was hard for her to bear his sarcasm and rebuke. ¡°Captain Nn, what she did was clearly against the protocol as she wasn¡¯t a member of the cabin crew. You¡¯ll be punished for that.. us too¡­¡± Jenny¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. How did it end up like this? Was he not upset with Ashlyn? Or was it because of what I said? If so, why me? She could not contain her anger, ¡°Captain Nn, are you taking her side?¡± ¡°She saved more than a hundred lives,¡± Lucas smirked and walked away as he said, ¡°It would truly be discrediting South Star Airlines if any punishment was imposed on her.¡± Jenny was almost suffocated by her own rage. She quickly went after Lucas, ¡°Captain Nn, you¡¯re covering up for her. The fact remains that she¡¯s broken the rules!¡± The man stopped and threw a terrifying nce as he said sternly, ¡°I¡¯m the president of South Star Airlines, and no one is allowed to question the decision I make.¡± She looked intently at his icy cold gaze with tears streaming down her face, ¡°Captain Nn, I¡¯m just trying to protect the good name of South Star Airlines.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Lucas¡¯ face turned ashen with rage, his aura was so strong that it became very disturbing. He paused and then questioned Jenny, ¡°Who are you? Why are you doing this for South Star Airlines?¡± Jenny stood in ce as if there was a bucket of ice water pouring down from the top of her head. Emptiness seeped through her bones and coldness filled her soul. Staring nkly at Lucas¡¯ broad figure, she waspletely taken aback by the question posed to her and did not know how to react. In order to get transferred to Lucas¡¯ team, she had invested quite a bit of resources and even used the power of her family name as a stepping stone. She was born with a silver spoon but has since gone through many hardships to be near him. She had to wait on passengers and handle their challenging demands. She did all these for him. How could he ask who I am? Does he not know me after being colleagues for such a long time? Her tears could not stop rolling down her cheeks. There was no other channel for her to vent her tension and bitterness. After hearing the entire conversation, Nancy beamed with joy as she looked at Jenny from afar. This woman does not give up, does she? Everyone adores Ashlyn¡¯s personality, talent, and beauty. She seems so perfect in every way. Nancy had just called a ssmate from First Hospital and the other party had talked about her injuries as well as how Ashlyn gave her first aid. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 She would never ever forget how loudly her ssmate cheered after hearing about the incident, ¡°Oh my heart! Nancy, you¡¯re damn lucky. Dr. Berry is like a celebrity doctor at the First Hospital and she only does one surgery per month. Many could not even schedule her for operations and you were on the same flight with her?! I¡¯m so jealous of you. I¡¯d kill to have Dr. Berry touch my hand, you know?!¡± At a very young age, Ashlyn had earned the reputation of being the best doctor in a renowned hospital in Lake City. Her future was immeasurably bright. Luckily, Nancy did not reveal to her ssmate that Dr. Berry was actually Mrs. Nn, otherwise¡­ Nancy sighed while walking towards Jenny, ¡°As a kind reminder, please be mindful that Captain Nn is married. He seems to have a very good rtionship with his wife, so you¡¯d better give up.¡± ¡°Tell me, how do I give it all up? I¡¯ve loved him all these years and given my everything to be near him but he hasn¡¯t even noticed me,¡± Jennymented as she wailed loudly. Her makeup had smudged all over her face, looking really pathetic. Nancy felt sorry for her and yet she said helplessly, ¡°Whatever it is, he doesn¡¯t love you and neither does he know that you love him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. I love him and I must win him over!¡± Jenny eximed and then left furiously. Nancy shook her head and let out another long sigh. The Land Rover shuttled in the midst of heavy traffic. Jared made a remark while driving, ¡°Boss, you¡¯re famous now. You appeared to be in the hottest search topic, did you know?¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m not a celebrity, why would my name be in one of the most popr searches?¡± Ashlyn was resting with her eyes closed but when she heard Jared, she slowly opened her eyes with doubt. ¡°Well, somebody posted a video clip of your heroic act when you appeased the passengers,¡± Jared giggled as he thought about the praises for Ashlyn that he had read online, allplimenting how cool she was. Original from N?velDrama.Org. This was nothing! Jared really wanted to leave ament too, to tell allizens that his boss had way cooler moments than this. ¡°Jared Quickton, why are you here for?¡± Ashlyn did a quick search on the Inte and then threw her phone aside and gazed seriously at Jared with her arms folded. The good looking man was puzzled, ¡°Huh?¡± Did I say something wrong? ¡°Must I spell it out for you?¡± Ashlyn was losing her patience, ¡°Act now and withdraw the search topic.¡± She certainly did not want to attract any attention. ¡°Well, didn¡¯t they anonymize the face already? What is there to worry about?¡± Jared felt that it was not a big deal. ¡°Nevertheless, I do not want to appear in the hot search. You must get this sorted out before noon.¡± Although the clip had blurred her face, those who knew her would still be able to recognize her right away. For example, her colleagues at the hospital. Moreover, she now had more time after her divorce and had sincemitted to two surgeries each month at the hospital. She was going to withdraw the trending topic on the Inte herself if Jared was not going to do it. ¡°Sure¡­ you¡¯re the boss, whatever you say,¡± Jared sulked. His boss was close to perfection except for one; she liked to stay low profile. ¡°I heard that Kris is starting to get active again, have you got any news on this?¡± Ashlyn was speechless. She closed her eyes again, ¡°I¡¯m sleepy, let me take a nap.¡± Jared raised his eyebrows and kept silent. When passing by a convenience store, Ashlyn asked to pull over and subsequently went down to get a supply of morning-after pills. Jared saw it identally and gulped. A thought crossed his mind, ¡°Boss, you and Lucas¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Ashlyn had no intention to reminisce nor share the recent awkward experience in life. She opened the cap of the bottle and consumed the medicine. She was vexed. Sigh. Why did I sleep with him again? After getting out of the airport, Lucas was picked up by Spencer. Spencer noticed his gloomy face and asked cautiously, ¡°How would you like to manage Ms. Berry¡¯s clip which went viral?¡± ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Lucas said as he massaged his temple. It would not be good for them to be seen together since they were divorced. However, he felt somewhat reluctant to withdraw the trending topic from the Inte. ¡°Go and investigate who revealed the news about the divorce.¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 ¡°With regards to the news on your divorce, I reckon it was purposely revealed by somebody because there seems to be a pattern with all the Inte trolls andments left byizens,¡± Spencer reported what he has found out thus far. ¡°I¡¯ll follow up further on the details.¡± The man gave a cold-eyed stare, ¡°Report everything immediately and remove the divorce article. Don¡¯t worry about the other one.¡± Ashlyn has never appeared as Mrs. Nn in public, who is behind all these that try to assassinate her character? Could it be an hical tactic used by North Wind Airlines to attack South Star Airlines? Whether they were targeting Ashlyn or South Star Airlines, he could not just sit back and watch the drama unfolds. North Wind and South Star had always been rivals. They originated from a singlepany thirty years ago, co-founded by Lucas¡¯ maternal grandfather, Daniel Webber, and Philip Cartier. Subsequently, the two men became archenemies because of one gorgeousdy. Thereafter, Philip withdrew from the partnership and founded his very own North Wind Airlines, and gradually developed it into the world¡¯s secondrgest airline. The third-generation owner of North Wind Airlines was the twenty-eight years old Liam Cartier who was two years Lucas¡¯ senior. He was another influential figure in the industry, besides Lucas. Lucas was cold and aloof whereas Liam wasbeled as a yboy or womanizer. He was often seen with a model during the day and another celebrity or social media influencer at night. He was no stranger among the city¡¯s famous socialites too. There would often be news about him in a yacht, at a turf club, or at a hot spring tour¡­ He was theplete opposite of the workaholic Lucas. However, Liam was very capable when ites to doing business. Although his private life was vibrant, he had never let it affect his work. Liam had always schemed to bring South Star Airlines down in various ways. Lucas suspected it was no exception this time since an opportunity had presented itself. He spected so and did not think that there could be other possibilities. Coincidentally at that time, another trending topic most searched by the multitudes ofizens surfaced. #Nigel Bask, Hit And Run Driver Owing Farmers¡¯ Wages, Arrested ¡°This man¡¯s behavior is simply outrageous. After hitting someone, he was afraid that the victim would sue him, so he reversed and crushed the victim to death. Initially, after the first hit, the victim was injured but very much alive.¡± ¡°This is so scary. He intentionally murdered an innocent person!¡± ¡°After the hit and run, he absconded with all the cash from his real estatepany, causing many farmers¡¯ wages to be in arrears. ¡°Pity the farmers for he has been in the run for more than half a year now.¡± ¡°Precisely! Did you watch the news? There was a video clip of his arrest which features therge bungalow he lives in and the dozens of servants at his ce. Such a scumbag.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got insider news. Rumor has it that the police forcemissioned Zero to track Nigel Bask down.¡± ¡°Zero? Isn¡¯t he the legendary cyberstalker who caught a lot of top fugitives for politicians worldwide?¡± ¡°Oh my God! I heard that Zero¡¯smission costs a fortune.¡± ¡°Oh dear, I lost a hundred bucks the year before, I wonder if Zero could track it down for me.¡± ¡°Get lost right away!¡± ¡°Zero is my righteous hero, my idol! Salute!¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have the skills of a hacker.¡± Lucas registered a social media ount for himself after Ashlyn was featured all over the Inte. He was casually surfing through the popr tags online and reading all sorts of trolls. Zero? It seems like he¡¯s not been epting any task for four years now. Why the sudden appearance? A few names emerged recently, like Kris, Zero¡­ Lucas had mixed emotions when he thought of Ashlyn in a fighting ring. He felt distressed, ufortable, and yet so proud of her. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. For some reason, he felt overwhelmed by anxiety and this emotional turmoil had recurred in high frequency after the divorce. ¡°Do you think that Ashlyn can fight?¡± Chapter 81 Chapter 81 ¡°Impossible. How could Ms. Berry fight someone? She¡¯s the type who looks more like a victim,¡± Spencer was stunned while driving. He really could not imagine how a gentlewoman like Ashlyn would get in a fight. See, women are maniptive. I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s been deceived by her gentleness. Now, Lucas felt much better after knowing that. At the Chapman family vi. Hera¡¯s eyes opened wide while reading the series of controversial discussions on Mrs. Nn¡¯s divorce, which was tweeted by various reposts. She was enjoying her moment reading all thements byizens and suddenly, the posts were gone. It disappeared¡­ Not one article remained¡­ What happened? Hera quickly sent a message to the previous email ount but ten minutes had past and there was still no response. She was getting anxious. One hour went by and she finally received an email from the other party stating, ¡°Someone offered a lucrative sum to withdraw the trending topic.¡± ¡°Damn it, make it viral again! I¡¯ll give you twenty thousand more,¡± Hera replied. ¡°Sorry, can¡¯t mess with this one.¡± ring at her inbox, Hera gritted her teeth in fury. She does not have a lot of cash in hand, yet she persevered, ¡°Fifty thousand then.¡± ¡°Sorry, we decline.¡± Hera was so mad that she smashed herptop shut. s, the Chapman family was no longer in their heyday. As a consequence, her monthly allowance was not on par with other socialites. More importantly, it was because she was not favored in the family. The Chapman had three girls in her generation. The ancestors of the Chapman family were court musicians and there had been maestros in each generation, except for Hera¡¯s generation. Mr. Chapman, a great pianist, was chronically ill and would most likely pass away soon. In order to inherit the family business, Hera¡¯s father focused on his role as a businessman. However, he could only rely on the old Mr. Chapman¡¯s contacts to get some small projects. The scope of their business was extremely insignificant ifpared to South Star Airlines, Nn Group, or North Wind Airlines. All three female Chapman grandchildren followed their grandfather¡¯s footsteps and majored in music. Although the Chapman girls studied music, won numerous awards, and even had their grandfather taught them personally, none of them met the true Chapman music benchmark. Outsiders would praise their performance but insiders would only regard their musical skills as mediocre and not worthy of showcasing internationally. Especially in the recent two years where a young talent named Madeline Saunders appeared. Madeline was in her twenties but her piano skills were already top-notch, if not perfect. She had won first ce in the world¡¯s most prestigious international pianopetition, earning manypliments and adoration. The old Mr. Chapman fell ill because of this incident. Other people¡¯s child could be a music prodigy overnight. Howe I had three sons and three granddaughters but all possess only average skills? Where is my sessor? How can I not be upset? If he knew that Hera wanted to learn from Madeline, he would probably die of rage on the hospital bed. The good news was he was not aware of it yet. Hera looked at the time and realized it was time to visit her grandfather. She had set a reminder and included hospital visits in her daily schedule. Original from N?velDrama.Org. It had always been her biggest goal to be the sessor of the Chapman family. Thus, it was imperative for her to work hard on pleasing her grandfather. She longed for the day she could be with Lucas and learn formally from Madeline, in order to bring glory and honor to her family. Right when she was walking out of her room, she bumped into Mrs. Chapman, who then asked, ¡°How¡¯s the development between you and Mr. Nn?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mum, I got it,¡± Hera tried to hide her annoyance and put on a well-behaved attitude. ¡°News about him having a wife is all over the Inte,¡± Mrs. Chapman was troubled, ¡°Our family has a good name and your grandfather has been a nobleman all of his life. Please don¡¯t ruin the family¡¯s reputation.¡± Chapter 82 Chapter 82 ¡°I know what to do, mum. He promised me he¡¯ll get a divorce. Don¡¯t worry so much. Once he¡¯s divorced, I¡¯ll make sure he announces our rtionship to the public,¡± Hera smiled. ¡°Fine then,¡± Mrs. Chapman subconsciously still felt very uneasy about this matter. How did my own daughter be the girl that Lucas had been searching for a decade? Hera was always by my side ten years ago. When did she have a chance to develop any rtionship with Lucas? She never understood this. Then again, if Hera could be Mrs. Nn, surely all the Chapman¡¯s inheritance will go to her. With a hopeful spirit, both mother and daughter traveled together to the First Hospital. Hera¡¯s uncle, Anthony Chapman, was sitting next to the bed, chatting with Mr. Chapman, ¡°Dad, I heard about a great physician here named Dr. Berry. I¡¯ll enquire tomorrow in hope that she be your doctor. They say that she only does one surgery each month.¡± Mr. Chapman shook his head, he did not look very well, ¡°Forget it. This is not a minor illness but maybe if all of you upset me lesser, there might be a chance I could get well sooner.¡± ¡°Dad, do you want to listen to Heidi¡¯s recital this morning?¡± Hera¡¯s uncle immediately took out his mobile phone and yed a video clip. Mrs. Chapman rolled her eyes when she saw that as she entered the ward, ¡°Anthony, why are you making dad coach Heidi when he¡¯s still so sickly and needs more rest?¡± ¡°Sisley, what are you trying to imply?¡± Anthony frowned as he tried to justify his action, ¡°I¡¯m trying to relieve dad¡¯s boredom by ying him some video clips.¡± ¡°Grandpa, are you feeling better?¡± Hera walked towards the bed and asked in a very caring manner. ¡°I¡¯m alright. All of you go home now and let me have some peaceful moments. I won¡¯t need you here as there are nurses to assist me,¡± Mr. Chapman got upset when the family started arguing. ¡°But grandpa I just arrived¡­¡± Hera was yearning for more opportunities to get connected with her grandfather. ¡°I know all of you are busy people. You don¡¯t have toe visit so often,¡± Mr. Chapman hinted while getting ready to sleep. Mrs. Chapman signaled Hera to leave the room and she also reminded Anthony, ¡°Let¡¯s all go back and let dad rest.¡± Anthony left reluctantly. The moment Ashlyn arrived at the hospital, she was called to the director¡¯s office. ¡°Director, you asked for me?¡± The director looked rather awkward while fidgeting his hands, ¡°Dr. Berry, I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°Go ahead. Who is it this time that begged you to get me to do a surgery?¡± Ashlyn sat elegantly on the sofa, with her legs crossed, and her pair of inquisitive eyes shining with wisdom. The director smiled, ¡°I can never hide anything from you, can¡¯t I? Well, he didn¡¯t beg me but I¡¯m begging you.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrows. ¡°I have an old friend whom I¡¯ve known for twenty odd years. He¡¯s been very sick and he needs a bypass surgery. He often gets upset at his own children and grandchildren¡­ you know¡­¡± the Director shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve performed a check on him personally and I¡¯m worried if others were to take over this surgery. Why don¡¯t you have a look?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He passed a copy of the report to Ashlyn. ¡°Hypertension and diabetes? His condition may need four bypasses so I think Dr. Hendrickson can do it too,¡± she looked exceptionally dazzling under the light, gracefully seated on the sofa. She was wearing a white robe over an emerald, green dress, looking very attractive. Her almond- shaped eyes always made an impression. Dr. Hendrickson already had a surgery scheduled in the morning so I¡¯m afraid that it¡¯ll be too much for him to have another bypass surgery,¡± the director sighed before continuing his persuasion, ¡°Dr. Berry, I know that you have a contract with the hospital; you are paid bymission basis only. I know how you work and I can¡¯t force you tomit to any operation. Usually, I¡¯ll reject on your behalf any additional request from any officials but this time, I really need your help. Considering that we are colleagues, could you do me this favor please?¡± Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Ashlyn groaned softly and pouted her ruddy lips, ¡°Ohe on, Director, we¡¯re no strangers so let¡¯s drop the formalities. Look, I can ept this case but in return, I need you to transfer a patient to our hospital and sponsor all of his medical costs. His family can¡¯t afford it.¡± ¡°Not a bad deal at all, Dr. Berry. Ok, I promise you. Let me introduce my old friend to you right away,¡± the director smiled. ¡°It¡¯s ok, we¡¯ll meet at the operating theater anyways. You can schedule the surgery for tomorrow morning at nine. I¡¯ll email you the details of the transfer patient,¡± Ashlyn stood up after the conversation ended. At 2 pm, Landon Davis, the casualty from the ident at the Haddock family hotel was transferred to First Hospital. His puzzled wife kept asking the nurse, ¡°Do you know why we have to transfer?¡± ¡°Our hospital offers the best facility and medical standards in the city. All of your husband¡¯s medical expenses are also borne by the hospital, so rest assured that everything¡¯s ok and just stay here,¡± the nurse exined with a smile while pushing the cart. Cadence was Landon¡¯s wife who grew crops and took care of the children in the countryside while he worked in the city. When Landon was injured, she handed her children over to her inws and came to the city to take care of him, the sole breadwinner of the family. The cost of staying in the ICU was extremely high. Cadence had borrowed whatever she could from all of her rtives to make ends meet. Horace, the wicked boss from Landon¡¯s renovationpany could not be contacted afterpensating them a hundred thousand. It cost ten thousand a day to stay in the ICU. Ten thousand vanished easily in a blink of an eye¡­ Cadence had been crying her eyes out being worried sick about money matters and then this piece of good news came along. All of the medical expenses are covered? Wow, it is literally a dreame true. Ashlyn stepped out of her office and headed towards the ICU. Upon arrival, she saw Cadence wiping her tears. This woman is only in her thirties but she looks at least forty years old. It was obvious that she had gone through tremendous stress, which was visible on her weary freckled face. Her clothes are made of coarse cloth but her handmade canvas shoes look neat, though worn out. Ashlyn walked to her, ¡°Are you Landon¡¯s wife, Cadence?¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. She had gone through Landon¡¯s personal file. ¡°Yes, I am, and you are¡­?¡± Cadence was astounded. She had never met such a gorgeous woman in her life, she thought Ashlyn looked more stunning than any of the celebrities she had seen on television. ¡°I am Dr. Ashlyn Berry,¡± she said while putting her hands in the pockets of her white robe. ¡°I¡¯ve seen your husband¡¯s medical report. I think you already know that he has blot clots in his brain that must be removed and he has also broken his right leg and arm. I¡¯ll be the doctor responsible for his craniotomy.¡± ¡°Yes, the doctor from the previous hospital told me that he¡¯d be paralyzed for life,¡± Cadence could not stop her tears from streaming down. This doctor is so young, is she really capable of treating my husband? ¡°Don¡¯t fret. All surgeries have their own risks, the same goes for craniotomy but there is a chance that everything will be fine. We can¡¯t dy his treatment anymore, he has to go for an operation two days from now,¡± Ashlyn took time to exin to Cadence calmly. ¡°I see, all right Dr. Berry. Thank you,¡± Cadence was crying even more and her eyes started to get really puffy and red. Is that why the hospital is not charging me a single cent, so that a young doctor can practice on Landon¡¯s body? She sat alone at the entrance of the ICU and covered her face as she bawled uncontrobly. She could not afford any other doctor. The only way out was to ept the offer from First Hospital. Reality hit her hard. At a romantic French restaurant. A good-looking man in a ck shirt was sitting elegantly at the VIP table, cutting and eating his steak in a very graceful manner. Hera was coy about the love and infatuation reflected in her eyes as she raised her wine ss, ¡°Congrattions on your safe return.¡± Lucas put down the fork and knife in his hands and clinked wine ss with Hera¡¯s, then took a sip of the Chateau Lafite 1787. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°My mother would like to invite you to our house. Would youe over?¡± Hera took a sip of the wine and then cupped her face and looked at Lucas with a coquettish smile. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 A ssy white dress, silver high heels, and delicate makeup; Hera deliberately hired a professional stylist to add a tasteful touch to her look for a date with Lucas. Hera was quite a looker but if onepared her with Ashlyn, thetter would always stand out more. Many might consider Hera a beauty but to Lucas, she was only an average beauty. He had seen many beautiful women, especially those working under Nn Entertainment. ¡°Not anytime soon,¡± Lucas looked up and nced at Hera. There was disappointment in Hera¡¯s eyes but she hid it very well and quickly acted casually, ¡°I know you¡¯re a busy man, I¡¯ll let my mother know then.¡± ¡°Ring¡­ring!¡± Suddenly, Lucas¡¯ phone rang and the screen showed an unfamiliar number. Lucas epted the call indifferently, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, I¡¯m Cindy. You promised to attend my birthday party this evening. Are you on your way?¡± A sweet voice sounded over the phone. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Lucas tried hard to recall, only to realize that he epted an invitation from a random celebrity before his divorce in order to make Ashlyn jealous. Unfortunately, Ashlyn did not bother and now he was tasting his own medicine. The worst part was that he had to attend the party as he was a man of his own word. The tough steak which he had only eaten a few bites now tastedpletely tasteless for he had lost his appetite. In addition, Hera¡¯s perfume scent made him really ufortable. ¡°Send me the address and I¡¯ll be on my way,¡± Lucas replied. Cindy was over the moon when she heard Lucas¡¯ response. Initially, she thought she was getting stood up. Without any second thought, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you the location right away.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± After hanging up, he saw Hera¡¯s worried eyes, ¡°Lucas, are you leaving now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to attend a friend¡¯s birthday party, do you want to tag along?¡± Lucas stood up to grab his jacket and then realized that Hera was still eating, ¡°Are you done?¡± You¡¯re already standing up and getting ready to leave. It¡¯d be so embarrassing for me to say that I¡¯m not finished with my dinner, right? Thereafter, Hera stood up elegantly albeit feeling rather reluctant, ¡°Can I? Will my presence at the party inconvenient you?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Lucas answered and then headed towards the exit in big steps. Hera, who was wearing a pair of six-inch heels, had to trot all the way to catch up with Lucas¡¯ fast pace. He¡¯s not quite a gentleman, is he? Comparing with all of her ex-boyfriends, there was not a single one who did not revolve around her. Hera was rather upset but she held it all in. She thought about his social status and wealth, which helped her to resist the urge of throwing a tantrum. I¡¯m still in a better ce than many others who¡¯ll never ever have this chance to be around Lucas. Cindy¡¯s birthday party was held at a small opera house and the invited guests included her loyal fans as well as some close friends from the entertainment industry. Compared to the top-notch birthday parties, hers was considerably small-scale. Nheless, the ce was cozily decorated and presented a warm atmosphere. She had just risen to stardom recently so holding a small birthday party could show her poprity and yet not being too extravagant. After all, if she had chosen the stadium or a convention center as her party venue and only had a thousand turned up, she would make an ugly and embarrassing headline. The opera house was perfect to house a thousand guests. To kill two birds with one stone, it also helped to create an illusion of a full-house and consequently generate good publicity for herself. Brilliant! Cindy was sitting backstage, looking forward to Lucas¡¯ arrival. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 The manager was in a discussion with the host on the best way Lucas should make his appearance on stage. ¡°Mr. Nn must give a speechter. Should he make his appearance during the finale or should he do it during the opening?¡± ¡°Um¡­ Should we ask Mr. Nn for his opinion?¡± The host worked with Nn Entertainment too but this was the first time he heard about Lucas attending an event like this. Is the rumor about Lucas and Cindy being a couple true? Did Mr. Nn get down from his high horse just to attend a birthday party like this? ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll ask Mr. Nn when he gets here,¡± the manager said, excited. When Mr. Nnes, I must take this opportunity to hype the news of Cindy and Mr. Nn. I will make sure Cindy reached the apex of her career in the entertainment industry. Half an hourter, Lucas parked his car just outside the theatre. Once Hera got down from the car, both of them entered the theatre together. The theater was packed with fans from all over the world. All of them were here to celebrate Cindy¡¯s birthday. Hera was somewhat envious of Cindy. When I be a popr pianist, I¡¯ll definitely have more fans than Cindy. She¡¯s just a not-so-famous celebrity. I¡¯m much more advantaged in terms of my family background. The manager had been standing by the entrance to wee Lucas. When he saw thetter, he said excitedly, ¡°Mr. Nn, it¡¯s an honor to have you here.¡± Lucas¡¯ expression was cold when he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Ms. Wynn?¡± ¡°She¡¯s backstage. This way, please.¡± The manager brought Lucas backstage. He only realized a while later that a woman was with Lucas. The manager originally thought that she was just a fan of Cindy. But now that he thought about it, he felt that something wasn¡¯t right. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Could she be the rumored Mrs. Nn? ¡°And this is¡­?¡± the manager asked carefully while they made their way backstage. ¡°Oh. This is Ms. Hera Chapman.¡± Lucas¡¯ expression still remained cold. Such a simple introduction? The manager was more confused now. He had a nagging feeling that he had heard about her surname before. But they had already reached backstage so he didn¡¯t think much about it anymore. Cindy got up from her seat happily upon hearing their footsteps. ¡°Mr. Nn, you¡¯re here!¡± She quickly weed him with a big smile blossomed on her face. However, she instantly froze when she saw Hera who was by Lucas¡¯ side. Why did he bring another woman when attending my birthday party? Her figure doesn¡¯t look like the slender figure I saw at the Nn family home. Mrs. Nn is tall and slender. She¡¯s at least 170 cm tall when wearing heels. But this woman is only about 165 cm even with her heels on! This is obviously not Mrs. Nn. I knew that there are lots of women who chased after Mr. Nn, but I didn¡¯t know it¡¯s to this extent! Cindy suppressed the unhappiness she was feeling. She looked at Lucas with her bright eyes and said gently, ¡°Mr. Nn, can you please give a speechter?¡± ¡°Your foot is all healed?¡± Lucas questioned as he nced at Cindy¡¯s feet that were d in heels. Hadn¡¯t she went for an operation just recently? She¡¯s recovered in just a week? ¡°It still hurts a little. But I can endure it for my fans¡¯ sake.¡± Cindy stered a strong look on her face as she said, ¡°The tickets for my birthday party have been long sold out. If I change the date, my fans will be disappointed. It¡¯ll not only affect my reputation, but also thepany¡¯s reputation.¡± She¡¯s ying innocent and putting on a dedicated persona! Hera was so disgusted by her act, she almost puked. ¡°Ms. Wynn, you¡¯re such a dedicated person! I¡¯ve got to hand it to you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss.¡± Cindy smiled slightly and added, ¡°I¡¯m honored to have you and Mr. Nn attend my birthday party.¡± ¡°This is Ms. Hera Chapman.¡± The manager quickly ryed what Lucas had said earlier to Cindy. Cindy smiled and said nothing else. She stared at Lucas expectantly. It¡¯s my birthday today. He must¡¯ve bought me a present, right? Even if we¡¯re just friends, it¡¯s not right to attend a birthday party without a gift, right? But things did not turn out the way she expected. Spencer came in right at that moment with a bouquet in hand. He walked towards Cindy and said, ¡°Happy birthday, Ms. Wynn. This is a gift from Mr. Nn.¡± A bouquet of flowers? Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Cindy was dumbfounded. Mr. Nn gave me a bouquet of flowers? What about the gift? The smile on Cindy¡¯s face instantly stiffened. She looked like she was about to break down soon. ¡°Your gift has arrived and I¡¯ve already attended your party. Goodbye.¡± The man in ck stood tall and upright. He had broad shoulders and a slim waist. Everything about him was poised and sophisticated. However, Cindy and the manager were on the verge of tears upon hearing his cold words. He¡¯s leaving just like that? But what about the speech? The host, who had been standing by the side the whole time, felt second-hand embarrassment just by watching them. They¡¯ve been desperately trying to please Mr. Nn but he¡¯s not even batting an eye at them. Hera was actually quite unhappy when she heard that they were on the way to a celebrity¡¯s birthday party earlier. But she was very satisfied now that she saw Cindy being humiliated. ¡°Happy birthday, Ms. Wynn. This must be an unforgettable birthday party for you.¡± With that said, Hera purposely wraps her arms around Lucas¡¯ arm and said coquettishly, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Lucas.¡± Lucas discreetly pulled his arm away from Hera and kept a distance from her before responding, ¡°Mmm.¡± He felt ufortable whenever a woman got too close. Scratch that. He felt extremely ufortable when women got too close to him. Cindy knew that Hera was insinuating something, but she couldn¡¯t act out in front of Lucas. So she could only ster on a stiff smile and say, ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Nn.¡± After sending Lucas off, Cindy swept everything on the makeup table onto the floor angrily. She even stomped on them just to let out her frustrations before plopping onto her seat. How dare you provoke me, Hera? Don¡¯t me me for being merciless then! You¡¯re not even the real Mrs. Nn. Who do you think you are, showing off in front of me? Ten o¡¯clock at night. Cindy¡¯s birthday party was the seventeenth trending topic on Twitter. It wasn¡¯t at an eye-catching ce but it wasn¡¯t too inconspicuous either. It was at a spot where it wouldn¡¯t get in the way or offend the apexes, but could still be noticed by the netizens. Cindy had to admit that her manager was quite good at his job. The first thing she saw when she clicked on the topic was a few pretty photos of her, and photos of her fans crowding the venue. Below the post was a leaked photo of Lucas and a gorgeous woman attending Cindy¡¯s party.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. The photo was kind of blurry but it was focused enough that Lucas and the woman¡¯s faces could be seen. The true identity of the woman who attended the party with Lucas attracted the attention ofizens. Everyone was also making assumptions about Lucas and Cindy¡¯s rtionship. ¡°There was a rumor about Mr. Nn and Cindy being a couple previously.¡± ¡°I believe it now. They¡¯re really a couple.¡± ¡°But what about that woman? Is that Mrs. Nn?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it. Mrs. Nn looked so tall in that video. This woman isn¡¯t as tall as Mr. Nn¡¯s shoulders even with her heels on.¡± ¡°Mrs. Nn, your husband¡¯s cheating on you with two other women.¡± ¡°I really want to know if the both of them were angry when they saw each other. Do you guys think they fought?¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ I¡¯ve always thought that Mr. Nn¡¯s a good man. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s cheating on his wife with two other women.¡± ¡°I¡¯m never flying with South Star Airlines again.¡± There were thousands ofments on the topic such as Mr. Nn, Mrs. Nn has a punishment ready for you. Mrs. Nn, your husband¡¯s cheating on you. Mrs. Nn, please divorce Mr. Nn. To the woman who went to the birthday party, you better be kind. Hera Chapman is a homewrecker. Cindy had posted Lucas and Hera¡¯s photo on Twitter to punish Hera. While her n did kind of work, it also kind of backfired as she had also been dragged into it. She nearly exploded in rage when she sawizensmenting that both of them were a bunch of shameless mistresses. Cindy was especially furious when she saw that the topic about Mrs. Nn had taken up three slots on the trending page. She¡¯s even more popr than me. And I¡¯m a celebrity! This is frustrating! I just dug my own grave! I¡¯ve made a fool out of myself! I made Mrs. Nn famous but destroyed my own reputation! This is outrageous! Chapter 87 Chapter 87 When Jared arrived home, Ashlyn was reviewing some documents in the living room. ¡°What are you reading?¡± The man loosened his necktie and sat down on the rug in front of the sofa. He crossed his legs slightly as there was no room for him to rest his legs, making him look casual and rxed. ¡°I have to perform two surgeries tomorrow and the day after, so I¡¯m making some notes.¡± Ashlyn made her notes while reading the documents. She looked so gentle in her beige loungewear. All hints of her being a cold person were nowhere to be found. Her fair cheeks and side profile looked perfect. She looked even more alluring as she wrote her notes with the ck pen in hand. ¡°You¡¯re so hardworking.¡± There was a slight stench of alcohol on Jared, but it wasn¡¯t strong enough to disgust others. He struggled a little as he pulled out his phone. After shaking his head to clear his head up, he forced his eyes open and said, ¡°Boss, do you know you¡¯re trending on Twitter again?¡± Ashlyn was busy with her work so she didn¡¯t have time to check what was going on Twitter. She wasn¡¯t the type to frequently check her Twitter ount too. So with her eyes still fixed on her book, she replied casually, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°See for yourself.¡± Jared showed her the contents on his phone. Ashlyn took a nce at the trending page and cocked an eyebrow. Mrs. Nn had already divorced Mr. Nn. ¡°What¡¯s all this frenzy about?¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Do you want me to remove it from the trending topic?¡± Jared asked as hezily swiped through his Twitter. He had gone for a round of drinks with a few rich heirs of Lake City at a famous club. One of the heirs, Mr. Watts, brought a bottle of aged wine from his family¡¯s ancestral collection. However, nobody expected the wine to be so strong. He was feeling really dizzy but he forced himself to sit in front of Ashlyn. Ashlyn felt like she didn¡¯t need to know about this insignificant stuff, so she replied indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± As soon as she finished talking, her phone rang. It was Lucas. Ashlyn furrowed her brows. It¡¯s already sote, why did he call me instead of going to bed? Something doesn¡¯t seem right. Ashlyn muted her phone and tossed it aside before continuing with her notes. However, the phone¡¯s screen kept on shing with notifications. Lucas kept calling her non-stop. ¡°Your ex-husband is looking for you. Boss, can I post something on social media?¡± Jared acted brazenly under the influence of alcohol and stared at Ashlyn with sparkling eyes. ¡°That¡¯s up to you. Just post whatever you want. It¡¯s none of my business anyway. Why do you need to ask for my permission if you want to post something? Do I look like a tyrant to you?¡± Ashlyn was so focused on her notes that she didn¡¯t realize that Jared¡¯s words meant something else. She didn¡¯t notice his guilty yet excited expression too. ¡°Alright. If you say so.¡± Jared got up, secretly pleased. Then, he quietly snapped a photo of Ashlyn¡¯s side profile. The warm light from the crystalmps shone on the woman and embracing her gracefully. Ashlyn had her hair tied back in a ponytail, but a strand of hair fell loose on her face. It made her look even more like an angel that had stepped out of the light. At that moment, Ashlyn exuded a gentle aura around her. She looked especially beautiful when she was flipping through her book with her fair, slender fingers. It was a heavenly sight even though it was only a photo of her side profile. Jared uploaded the photo onto his Twitter and wrote a caption that read: Happy to have someone wait up for youte night. He even acted cute at the end by adding a smiley emoji. He seldom posted on his Twitter. Normally, he would only post official news of Centennial Healthcare to establish a positivepany image. Jared had very few personal photos posted on his ount. Besides the food photos that he postedte at night that made others jealous, a photo like this was extremely personal. It didn¡¯t stop him from having arge number of fans though. He wasn¡¯t as famous as the other celebrities, but he was definitely popr. The photo he posted had suddenly be the center of everyone¡¯s attention. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 His fans went into madness upon seeing his post. Jared was tall and handsome. He was also a well-off man but he wasn¡¯t arrogant and had a positive personality. The employees at Centennial Healthcare were also always talking about theirpany¡¯s president, especially on his thoughtfulness towards them and also the great benefits he gave them. That was why lots of employees had followed their president on Twitter. When he posted the picture, both his fans and his employees went into a frenzy. ¡°My God! When did Mr. Quickton get a girlfriend?¡± ¡°Her side profile looks so pretty!¡± ¡°Ahhh! Lucas was my idol previously, but he¡¯s a married man. But right when Jared became my idol, he got himself a girlfriend¡­¡± ¡°I feel like dying. Ahh! What the hell? Both of my idols are taken now!¡± ¡°Mr. Quickton, please post a photo of your girlfriend¡¯s face.¡± ¡°Mr. Quickton, your girl¡¯s so pretty. Are you announcing your rtionship to the world?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s side profile was so beautiful that she topped the trending topics on Twitter. #Is Mr. Quickton¡¯s girlfriend or Mrs. Nn prettier? #Mr. Quickton¡¯s girlfriend# #Mesmerized by the side profile of Mr. Quickton¡¯s girlfriend# Meanwhile, at Whind Vi, Lucas was dialing Ashlyn¡¯s number nonstop. He had called her more than ten times but Ashlyn still stubbornly refused to answer. It was as if she had disappeared from the surface of the Earth. He tossed his phone away furiously. Original from N?velDrama.Org. In the midst of his anger, a notification of the trending topics of Twitter popped up on his screen. The headline of it made him even more furious. ¡°President of Centennial Healthcare, Jared Quickton, posted a photo of a beautiful woman¡¯s side profile. The woman is suspected to be his girlfriend but Mr. Quickton has not confirmed it. Netizens are intrigued by the ambiguous rtionship between them.¡± Jared? Girlfriend? Seized by an impulse, Lucas tapped into the page but he came close to exploding with rage. Great side profile, my foot! This is obviously Ashlyn! My ex-wife! At the same time, anotherizen¡¯s post made it to the trending page. #So Mr. Quickton lives at Bayview Vi# Netizens started to make fun of it below the post. ¡°I bet he was so excited he forgot to remove his address.¡± ¡°Hahaha. It¡¯s so rare that someone exposes their own address on Twitter!¡± ¡°Mr. Quickton rarely posts on social media. But when he does, he shocked everyone.¡± ¡°Mr. Quickton hasn¡¯t posted anything in a year. This post can definitelyst a year now.¡± ¡°Haha. I¡¯ll stop now. I¡¯m going to corner him at Bayview Vi.¡± ¡°I live at Bayview Vi too! Well¡­ Near it anyway¡­¡± ¡°Ahhh!! I live at Bayview Vi. I¡¯m going to go look for Mr. Quickton now!¡± ¡°Wow! Only the rich live in vis!¡± Lucas¡¯ eyes darkened as he stared at the address written below Jared¡¯s post. You have time to be with him but can¡¯t answer my call? And you¡¯re alone in a room with another man! His chest heaved with fury as irritation flooded his mind. I¡¯ll have to see for myself what this woman is up to at Bayview Vi. Half an hourter. A private helicopter circled above Bayview Vi. After three minutes, the helicopter finallynded on the rooftop of the high-rise apartment within Bayview Vi. Bayview Vi had only one independent high-rise apartment. Apparently, the real estate developer believed in geomancy and had hired a geomancer to take a look at the ce. The developer was advised to build an apartment with thirty-four stories. Why? The reason was simple. By doing that, the developer¡¯s fortune would continue to favor him and his buildings would be the most outstanding ones. The intrusion of the helicopter drew the attention of those working there. Dozens of security guards with batons rushed toward it immediately. The bright red helicopter shined brightly like raging mes even in the darkness. Its propellers whirred continuously causing the wind to howl. The wind was so strong the security guards could barely open their eyes. The leader of the guards held a shlight in one hand and a baton in the other as he shouted, ¡°Who are you?¡± Then, he saw a tall figure step out of the helicopter and onto the airstair. The tall man asked with his deep voice, ¡°Where does Jared live?¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Late into the night, Ashlyn stretched and closed her notebook before keeping all the medical books she had been reading earlier. She was about to head to her bedroom to sleep, but she realized that Jared had fallen asleep. The man¡¯s tall figure was all curled up in a ball on the rug with his head against the sofa. Although it was a weird position to sleep in, Jared seemed to be sleeping soundly. His breathing was even and he would sometimes grind his teeth in his sleep. Somehow, he looked like a husky that was guarding the doors. Ashlyn crouched down and pped Jared¡¯s face a few times and said, ¡°Wake up. Go sleep in your room.¡± Jared opened his drowsy, drunken eyes and mumbled, ¡°Mm¡­¡± Ashlyn saw that he was staggering while he got up, so she quickly steadied him. Jared was dizzy from being drunk and couldn¡¯t seem to steady himself. In the midst of it, they tugged and pulled on each other before finally falling on the sofa. By the time Ashlyn came to her senses, she was alreadyying on Jared¡¯s chest. This bastard! She quickly pped Jared and ordered him, ¡°Get up now! I shouldn¡¯t have bothered with you.¡± Right as Ashlyn finished her sentence, she felt the temperature in the room drop. She had always been sensitive to her surroundings. Feeling confused, she looked up and immediately saw a man¡¯s dark expression that almost blended into the night. His body exuded a murderous aura as if he might kill someone the next second. He moved towards her in big strides. Spencer, who was following behind him, was sweating buckets. I didn¡¯t expect us to be catching his ex- wife in the act when I came out with Mr. Nn in the middle of the night! Ms. Berry is billing and cooing Jared in the middle of the night! And they were caught by Mr. Nn! Ashlyn¡¯s icy cold eyes wereced with anger as she asked Lucas, ¡°What are you doing at my home?¡± Lucas was seething when he heard her mention the word ¡®home¡¯. Home? This is your home? So she had never seen Whind Vi as her home. It¡¯s only ¡®home¡¯ when Jared¡¯s there! Lucas took a big step toward her and grabbed her wrist, ¡°You¡¯reing with me!¡± However, Ashlyn yawnedzily as a response to Lucas¡¯ assertive words. She easily broke free from the man¡¯s grip in the next second. Then, Ashlyn cocked her eyebrows and asked, ¡°Lucas, you¡¯re so forceful even though you trespassed a private property.¡± She had already recovered from her shock and had so many questions about Lucas¡¯ sudden appearance. She was even more confused about his jealous tone. Ever since their divorce, Ashlyn was having a harder and harder time understanding that man. Spencer was dumbfounded. Ms. Berry, can¡¯t you tell that Mr. Nn is jealous? Or that he¡¯s angry? Can¡¯t you see that¡¯s why he¡¯s in a rush to bring you home? He wanted so badly to be Lucas¡¯ interpreter and exin thetter¡¯s actions to Ashlyn, but he didn¡¯t have the guts to do so. Spencer carefully sneaked a peek at Lucas but saw that there was only anger on Lucas¡¯ face. There weren¡¯t any other emotions. You¡¯re on your own, Ms. Berry! It was alreadyte at night so all the workers and maids were sleeping. Jared was still on the sofa. Ashlyn got up and waved her hand at Lucas, who was standing in front of her. ¡°Help me get him to his room.¡± Lucas took the view of her in with his darkened eyes. How dare she ask for my help to get this despicable man to his room? Is she telling me to watch her sleep in the same bed as him? There were hints of irritation on his cold expression as he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°You¡¯re shameless, Ashlyn!¡± Ashlyn was speechless. How am I being shameless for asking him to help me get Jared back to his room? She was angry but found the situation ridiculous too. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Lucas got closer and hostility poured from him. ¡°You didn¡¯t want Whind Vi because you wanted to live with Jared? Is it that great to be his kept woman?¡± Before Ashlyn could even react, she was already in Lucas¡¯ arms. The next moment, she felt a twinge of pain on her lips. The man had forcefully pressed his lips on hers and was sucking and biting on her lips in anger. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 The man¡¯s familiar scent surrounded herpletely. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes were cold and she didn¡¯t have any reaction. Lucas was acting just like a kid whose toy was taken from him at that moment. That toy was dispensable to him previously. But now that it was taken by someone else, he wanted it back. How childish and ridiculous. Does he not know what he¡¯s doing? We¡¯re divorced. There¡¯s no love between us. What is he doing here, reprimanding me and looking like he¡¯s here to catch me having an affair? Ashlyn found it ridiculous. Her eyes were cold when she snapped back to her senses. She was about to push the childish, crazy Lucas away. But she then realized a tingle of warmth around her sensitive neck. Ashlyn pushed the man away, but he didn¡¯t budge. Spencer whispered, ¡°Mr. Nn is asleep.¡± Ashlyn was rendered speechless. She tilted her head to take a look and realized that Lucas was bear-hugging her. He¡¯s already fast asleep when I was still silently ranting about him earlier. Lucas¡¯ breathing was slow and steady. Two men were out like a light in the vi. One was lying unconscious on the floor, while the other was sound asleep with his face buried in Ashlyn¡¯s neck. ¡°Lucas?¡± Ashlyn sounded helpless as she shouted, ¡°Wake up!¡± But there wasn¡¯t any reaction from the man. She nced at the clock on the wall. It¡¯s already almost midnight. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Get your boss out of here!¡± Ashlyn said as she looked at Spencer. Spencer went to do as she said when he saw Ashlyn¡¯s intimidating eyes. He tried to pull Lucas away from the woman, but no matter what he did, Lucas remained in a deep sleep. His arms seemed to be made of steel as they were wrapped around Ashlyn¡¯s waist tightly and couldn¡¯t be budged. How is he still so strong when he¡¯s asleep? Ashlyn sighed. Not only did Lucas wrap his arms around her tightly, but her own arms were also locked between their bodies. Ashlyn was like a stick at the moment, trapped in the man¡¯s bear hug. She tried to break free but to no avail. I can¡¯t possibly stand here like this the whole night. ¡°Ever since Mr. Nn got off from his flight, he hasn¡¯t got any sleep for the next two days. That¡¯s why he¡¯s in such a deep sleep,¡± Spencer exined softly. ¡°Two days?¡± Ashlyn gave him a skeptical look. Didn¡¯t Lucas use to have a great work-life tempo? His insomnia can¡¯t be that bad, right? ¡°Ms. Berry, how about I help the both of you to your bedroom?¡± ¡°Just help us to the guestroom.¡± Ashlyn felt her head aching. Besides the living room, there was a kitchen and two guestrooms on the first floor. Jared wasn¡¯t the only one living in the vi. Maids and workers were living on the third and fourth floor. Ashlyn felt extremely ufortable with Lucas slumped on her. Spencer had it hard too. After he helped Lucas and Ashlyn onto the bed, he had to drag Jared to the other guest room all by himself. Spencer was tired and sleepy by the time he was done. He was out cold the moment hey on the sofa. Fortunately, Ms. Berry¡¯s vi is well-furnished. There¡¯s even a nket on the sofa. Most of them slept soundly, but one of them was so ufortable as she couldn¡¯t even move. On the bed in the guestroom, Ashlyn was trapped in Lucas¡¯ arms. Her body was stiff and she couldn¡¯t sleep well. When she woke up in the morning, she felt as if her body was run over by a truck. What was even more agonizing was that the Spirogyra in her body would lose control and be restless whenever Ashlyn smelled the scent of Lucas. Especially with Lucas so close to her, an electric current ran down her body whenever the man¡¯s breath blew on her ears. The Spirogyra was getting more and more restless and Ashlyn¡¯s mouth went dry. Her body was on fire and it was tormenting her, but she couldn¡¯t break free from Lucas¡¯ arms. So she started to twist her body unwittingly. ¡°I can¡¯t promise that I won¡¯t do something to you if you don¡¯t stop moving.¡± A low, attractive voice suddenly sounded. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Lucas is awake? Ashlyn felt relieved and asked, ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Lucas was pleased to see the woman with a flushed face in his arms. I wouldn¡¯t be a man if I didn¡¯t wake up with how she had been twisting her body earlier. After two days of not sleeping, Lucas felt refreshed after sleeping for a few hours. It feels kind of nice to be able to see her right when I open my eyes. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Ashlyn looked at Lucas with indifferent eyes. She twisted her body again and said with irritation in her voice, ¡°My body is about to-¡± Before she could finish, Lucas pressed his lips onto hers. The temperature in the room started to rise. When dawn broke, the Spirogyra in Ashlyn¡¯s body was finally suppressed. She closed her eyes andy lazily on the bed. Every part of her body was so sore, she felt like her bones had fallen apart. The man had plenty of energy and it was a little unbearable for Ashlyn. She also noticed that whenever the man is near her, the once quiet Spirogyra would start to go wild. It was as if he was a special drug and its effects kicked in whenever he got close. It was tormenting. No matter how much she resisted, her body would always give in and allow the man to do whatever he wanted. Damn it! Lucas hugged the familiar woman in his arms as their breaths intertwined. A thought came to mind and he wrapped his arm around the woman¡¯s slender waist. She had no way to resist him at all. Ashlyn gritted her teeth andined, ¡°Hey ex-husband, you seem like you have endless energy.¡± ¡°Yet you¡¯re still out there seducing other men.¡± Lucas¡¯ eyes turned red as his dangerous scent domineered Ashlyn¡¯s senses. Ashlyn¡¯s face was flushed red and charm flooded her eyes. ¡°When did I seduce-¡± There was a hint of a smile on Lucas¡¯ lips. He tightened his grip around her waist and said, ¡°You talk too much. Seems like I have to work harder.¡± Ashlyn fought back and sat on his waist. She bit her lips and red at him before she said, ¡°Mr. Nn, you better control yourself. It won¡¯t do you any good if you empty yourself out.¡± Lucas looked at the woman on top of him and replied with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m very healthy.¡± She really has so many sides to her. She could be domineering or frosty. She can even be sexy and charming like how she is now¡­ No matter which side of her she showed, Lucas had a strong desire to explore more. She was too mysterious and he couldn¡¯t help but be mesmerized. If only I knew she was like that, I wouldn¡¯t have¡­ Lucas shook his head. What am I thinking? We¡¯re already divorced yet I can¡¯t seem to leave this woman. I¡¯m really bing less and less like myself¡­ It must be the mania. Yes! That must be it! The current situation didn¡¯t allow Lucas to think about anything else as he had more important stuff to do. I¡¯m going to let her know how healthy am I! I won¡¯t be emptied out! It was already broad daylight by the time Ashlyn woke up. Lucas¡¯s mania was somewhat relieved afterst night¡¯s pleasure. He had woken up ten minutes before Ashlyn did. When Lucas sensed movement from the woman in his arms, satisfaction flowed in his eyes and he said, ¡°You¡¯re up?¡± Ashlyn looked up at him. She wasn¡¯t in a great mood like him. No one would be happy if the first thing they saw when they were awake was their ex-husband¡¯s face. Especially when she had slept with him with no restraint at all the previous night. This is so awkward. This damned Spirogyra! Why can¡¯t you just spare me? It was like that four years ago. Four yearster after their divorce, the once quiet Spirogyra was still constantly restless due to Lucas. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn was unable to describe her feelings. I have to find out how to calm the Spirogyra. This won¡¯t do if it continues to be like that. Or else what would be the point of our divorce? I¡¯ll have to say goodbye to my freedom if I stay by Lucas¡¯ side. I¡¯ve already had enough of it after four years of a meaningless marriage. ¡°Excuse me. I have to perform surgery today. I need to go wash up,¡± Ashlyn said impatiently. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Lucas felt slightly dejected once he detected the displeased look the woman had. Hence, he decided to obey her. Ten minutester, Lucas opened the door of the guest room. At the same time, someone opened the door of the guest room next door. Simultaneously, two men stepped out of their respective rooms. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Lucas? What on earth is the most annoying guy on earth doing here?¡± Jared, who had a disheveled look, muttered to himself as he stared at Lucas in disbelief. What the hell? Where the hell am I? Confusion was written all over his face once he detected the presence of Lucas. He thought he must have had stepped out of the room at the worst possible timing. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have run into Lucas first thing in the morning. Jared¡¯s mind was all over the ce. He lost himself in the process of thought for quite a few seconds before striding back to the guest room. Bam! He closed the door immediately and surveyed the surroundings, affirming the fact he was still at home. Does that mean I¡¯m hallucinating? Jared spent some time turning the idea repetitively in his mind. In the end, he pinched his thigh and felt a racking sensation. It hurts! Once again, he opened the door, grimacing. He was taken aback by the uing scene yet again because Lucas was right by Ashlyn¡¯s side, making their way to the dining hall. He decided to tail them and followed them all the way to the dining hall with his disheveled appearance. Jordan stared at the divorced husband and wife, who had taken their seats, dining elegantly together. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Although they were apatible pair in terms of look, the fact that they were together was unusually odd. ¡°A-Ashlyn, w-what¡¯s going on?¡± Jared¡¯s jaw dropped open, asking, pointing at the man with an intimidating presence. He dared not address her as he always had because he was afraid Lucas would notice their actual rtionship. Ashlyn took a mouthful of the freshly served eggs benedict, pouting her crimson lips, savoring the taste of the delicacy. She raised her head and took a peek at Jared, stating, ¡°You should check your social media ount, Mr. Quickton.¡± My social media ount? Actually, Ashlyn had long given up on Jared, the unreliable teammate of hers. She finally figured out the reason Lucas dropped by the moment she checked on Jared¡¯s social media ount. I wonder what brings Mr. Nn to Bayview Vi by air in the middle of the night? #Lucas&Jared #Lucasisjealous #JaredIsTaken Theizens had gone berserk sincest night because the news regarding two domineering presidents, namely Lucas and Jared, went viral on social media. Someone spected Jared¡¯s girlfriend was one of Lucas¡¯ mistresses, whereas some of theizens pondered the possibility of the trio engaging in a love triangle. Some of them perceived Lucas had a thing for Jared. The former had rushed over to bring thetter back with him since he detected the presence of his so-called girlfriend. What the hell? Jared felt light-headed, having a hard timeprehending the messy situation he was involved in. His heart skipped a beat the moment he saw the status he had updated regarding Ashlyn on his social media. None of those mattered because the one that would put his life at stake was the address of Bayview Vi he had attached along with the status he had updated. It was a miracle for him to make it out unscathed, going through his social media ount in front of Ashlyn. Jared was drenched in sweat because he identally picked on Ashlyn¡¯s sore spot. She had never been a fan of being in the limelight, but Jared exposed her in front of theizens through his social media ount. He took a step back, assuring, ¡°Boss, I-I¡¯ll go get myself ready!¡± Once Jared finished his sentence, he fled, rushing back to his room upstairs immediately. As the twins walked down the stairs, Anderson and Harrison ran into Jared, who behaved as though he was running for his life. ¡°What are you doing, Jared?¡± ¡°Are you running for your life?¡± Jared paid no heed to the twins¡¯ queries. Instead, he sprinted all the way back to his room with his disheveled appearance, shutting the door tight the moment he reached his room. The twins exchanged nces and thought Jared must have had offended Ashlyn once again. They hade to a unanimous agreement. Therefore, they made their way down the stairs and headed towards the dining hall as usual. ¡°I-I¡¯m not seeing things, right?¡± ¡°Hurry up! Pinch me in the face!¡± The twins¡¯ eyes were wide opened the moment they detected the presence of those in the dining hall. What the hell? Isn¡¯t this Lucas? What the hell is he doing in our ce? Is he here for breakfast? ¡°Yes?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s raised an eyebrow, asking. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 ¡°Erm¡­¡± The twins exchanged nces once again before returning to their usual seats. Once they had their servings of eggs benedict, they finally returned to their senses. They noticed they had missed out a lot over the night and figured out Lucas might have had spent the night at their ce. Did the boss have a raunchy night with him? Oh, God! The twins couldn¡¯t help but allow their imaginations to run wild. How did Lucas manage to find out our base of operation? The boss would always conceal her whereabouts by hacking the Traffic Bureau¡¯s archive. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. The boss would never expose herself, right? If that¡¯s the case, it must have been Jared¡¯s doing! Ha! No wonder that brat behaved as though he was running for his life back then! The twins¡¯ eyes gleamed excitedly as they gloated over Jared¡¯s misfortune. On the other hand, Spencer who had spent the night on the couch was roused from sleep the moment he detected the scent of the breakfast served. Once he woke up, a maid brought him a set of disposable bathroom amenities. ¡°Thank you,¡± Spencer expressed his gratitude immediately. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Sir. It¡¯s part of our duty.¡± The maid replied respectfully before taking her leave. Once he carried out his morning routine, Spencer joined them and took his seat at the dining table. Immediately, the observant man detected an odd ambiance in the dining hall because he thought Lucas had been cuckolded by Ashlyn. I can¡¯t believe it! She¡¯s actually staying in the same ce as Jared and the twins! Ms. Berry is such a capable woman. I wonder how she manages to bnce her rtionship with these men. Do they not pick on one another due to jealousy? Spencer took a peek at Lucas and detected the grim expression the handsome man had. He would cast a stern gaze at the twins asionally, in an attempt to get them out of his sight. Seriously? Two more showed up once Jared leave? Initially, the currently irritated man was overjoyed, but he could barely contain his irritation once the twins showed up in the dining hall. ¡°A-Ashlyn¡­ We have to make a trip elsewhere today¡­¡± Anderson wiped his mouth clean once he finished his meal. ¡°He¡¯s right! We have to deal with the issue that has arisen yesterday.¡± Harrison yed along with his brother. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, both of you should get going immediately. Please be mindful and take good care of yourselves,¡± Ashlyn took a sip of the fruit juice served and urged. The forces from the Middle East were trying to get in their way regarding the rights over the mine in Africa. Therefore, she had put the twins in charge to deal with them ordingly. On another note, the woman had a pink chiffon dress on whichplemented her petite figure perfectly. Her porcin-like skin was exposed as it was merely a knee-length dress. She didn¡¯t have any earrings on because she would have to carry out the surgery soon, but she had a rtively simple and elegant diamond ne on her neck thatplemented her slender neck. Lucas, who was by Ashlyn¡¯s side, could barely hold back his urge because he detected the faint fragranceing from her asionally. Immediately, he put the utensils he had aside and slid his hand underneath the table in the direction of Ashlyn¡¯s hand. Ashlyn was taken aback by the man¡¯s action as his gigantic and warm palm grabbed hers firmly. She tried to retaliate against the man, but her effort was to no avail. In return, she smirked in an attempt to step on Lucas¡¯ foot underneath the dining table with her high heels. Nevertheless, Lucas behaved as though he couldn¡¯t feel it at all. On the contrary, Anderson groaned in pain, ring at Harrison, ¡°Ouch! Why are you stepping on my foot?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Harrison was confused upon hearing his twin brother¡¯s words. Ashlyn was rendered speechless by the twins¡¯ conversation because she realized she had taken things out on the wrong person. Meanwhile, Lucas grinned viciously before setting the woman¡¯s hand free, asking, ¡°Are you happy now?¡± Ashlyn fell silent for quite some time before replying, ¡°Well¡­ It feels kinda great¡­¡± After all, she wasn¡¯t the one who felt the racking pain. Lucas served her a piece of croissant, asserting, ¡°Isn¡¯t this one of your favorites back in my ce?¡± Ashlyn moved the croissant back to Lucas¡¯ te, stating, ¡°Please suit yourself instead because it¡¯s not my favorite anymore.¡± Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Once she finished her meal, she wiped her mouth clean with the napkin and walked out of the dining hall thereafter. Lucas cast his utensils aside and went after Ashlyn immediately. Simrly, Spencer went after Lucas the moment he left, grabbing another croissant on his way out of the dining hall. A strong man in ck stood in front of the Range Rover on the car porch. The moment he saw Ashlyn, he greeted, ¡°Ms. Berry, I¡¯ll be your driver for the day.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary because I¡¯ll be driving today.¡± Ashlyn took a peek at her watch and noticed she was slightly behind her schedule as she had woken upter than usual due to Lucas. If she couldn¡¯t make it to the hospital in time, her surgery would be dyed. Consequently, her agenda for the rest of the day would be dyed in a simr manner. Lucas approached her in a domineering manner, offering, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± ¡°You should stop wasting my precious time!¡± Ashlyn replied callously, opening the door of the car as she was about to make her way into the driver¡¯s seat. Lucas frowned and stopped her, holding on to her arm with his gigantic palm once again, asking anxiously, ¡°Are you sure you know how to drive?¡± ¡°Why does it sound like you¡¯re shocked? Oh! I guess it makes sense that you do not know me that well since I¡¯m merely your ex-wife.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s gorgeous face glowed as the bright sun illuminated and highlighted her great features. ¡°Aren¡¯t you in a hurry?¡± Lucas asked, pointing at top of the apartment. ¡°I have my private helicopter with me. I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯ll make it to your destination in time.¡± Ashlyn narrowed her eyes in return, but the man was aware of what she had in mind since they had been husband and wife for the span of four years in the past. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± Lucas held on to Ashlyn¡¯s wrist and brought her along with him, walking towards the apartment together. Once they reached, they walked into the elevator and made their way to the highest floor. They saw Lucas¡¯ private helicopter the moment they walked out of the stairs leading to the highest floor. Lucas piloted the helicopter from the apartment to the hospital. Halfway through the journey to the hospital, Ashlyn received a call from the hospital¡¯s director, asking, ¡°Dr. Berry, where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m five minutes away, Sir. I¡¯ll definitely show up in the operating theater on time,¡± Ashlyn assured the hospital¡¯s director in a serious tone. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The hospital¡¯s director felt a sense of relief the moment he heard Ashlyn¡¯s words. Immediately, the director turned around, telling Mr. Chapman, ¡°Sir, Dr. Berry will be here soon. She¡¯s an extremely skilled surgeon. If it weren¡¯t because I have requested¡­¡± The director didn¡¯t finish his sentence. Instead, halfway through his sentence, he shook his head, smiling. Mr. Chapman asked in return, ¡°Dr. Berry? Is she the youngest doctor of the hospital that everyone in town is talking about?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The director replied, nodding. ¡°She¡¯s quite young if I¡¯m not mistaken? Are you sure she¡¯s capable enough to carry out the surgery?¡± Hera¡¯s mother didn¡¯t have faith in doctors who were rtively young because she deemed them inexperienced. ¡°You have no idea what she¡¯s capable of. I have always wanted to procure her service to carry out dad¡¯s surgery, but dad told me it wouldn¡¯t be necessary,¡± Hera¡¯s father rebuked his wife¡¯s statement. As they were engaged in a conversation, a slender figure showed up in the ward. ¡°Dr. Berry,¡± The director greeted Ashlyn politely. In return, Ashlyn nodded, smiling. She was dressed in a white robe, and her glistering pair of eyes were the only feature visible to others because she had a blue surgical mask on. Ashlyn scanned the surroundings and stared at Mr. Chapman, asking, ¡°Mr. Chapman, it¡¯s currently five minutes away from nine. Five minutester, we¡¯llmence the surgery. I¡¯ll be your attending physician. Have you signed the necessary paperwork for the surgery to take ce?¡± Mr. Chapman looked at Ashlyn in disbelief because he was awestruck by her glistering pair of eyes. He found Ashlyn¡¯s pair of eyes familiar, but he couldn¡¯t recall since when had hee across such a pair of eyes back in the day. Ashlyn repeated her question because Mr. Chapman seemed to have lost himself in the process of thought. Finally, Mr. Chapman returned to his senses, replying, ¡°Yes. I have signed the required paperwork.¡± ¡°Great. Have the nurse brief you about the things to take note of during the surgery?¡± Ashlyn tucked her hands in the pockets of her robe, asking patiently. ¡°Yes,¡± Mr. Chapman replied, assuring Ashlyn. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we shallmence the surgery soon.¡± Once Ashlyn finished her sentence, a few nurses strode into the ward and brought Mr. Chapman out of the ward, heading over to the operating theater. Ashlyn followed suit and headed out of the ward to prep herself. Hera¡¯s mother sized Ashlyn up, stating, ¡°Am I the only one who thinks that the doctor is arrogant?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but feel unpleasant because others would behave courteously whenever they figured out their identity being part of the Chapman family, but not Ashlyn. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Ashlyn behaved as though she couldn¡¯t be bothered by their identity at all. Therefore, Hera¡¯s mother, who enjoyed being ttered by others, couldn¡¯t get used to it. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s how a famous doctor behaves,¡± Hera¡¯s father replied. By then, the surgerymenced once Ashlyn had everything she needed in store ready. Those from the Chaplin family gathered outside of the operating theater, including Hera. She had thetest designer¡¯s items on, including the dress as a matching handbag she carried along with her. Hera approached her mother, asking, ¡°How¡¯s Grandpa?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The famous doctor, Ashlyn is carrying out the surgery as we speak. I¡¯m sure everything will be fine.¡± Hera¡¯s mother held on to her hand, promising. ¡°It¡¯s such a hot day. You must be tired, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, mom.¡± Hera took a seat by her mother¡¯s side. Hera¡¯s mother whispered, ¡°Is Lucas aware that your grandfather is in such a major surgery?¡± Hera shook her head, but she reached for her phone and promised her mother she would get in touch with him because she didn¡¯t want to embarrass her in front of others. She behaved as though Lucas would definitely fall for her and asserted, ¡°I¡¯ll give him a call immediately.¡± All of a sudden, Hera¡¯s mother got full of herself, instructing as she tapped on her hand, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Hera excused herself and made her way over to the fire escape before calling Lucas. Once the call got through, she put on a pitiable front, sniffling, ¡°Lucas, my grandfather is in the middle of surgery. Can you please join me at the hospital and keep mepany? I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± The man¡¯s indifferent voice could be hearding from the other end of the call, asking, ¡°Where are you?¡± Hera beamed once she hung up the call. The pitiable front was merely an act. She didn¡¯t return to the operating theater to join her family. Instead, she stood in front of the elevator, in anticipation of Lucas¡¯ arrival. Twenty minutester, a man with a ck coat walked out of the elevator. Lucas received Hera¡¯s call once he reached home and got changed. Since he was notified of Mr. Chapman¡¯s condition, he would have to drop by and pay him a visit out of courtesy. He chose to show up in the hospital because he had to put on a show since they had been family friends all along. Hera¡¯s eyes gleamed the moment Lucas showed up. She rushed over to wee him, greeting, ¡°Lucas! You¡¯re finally here!¡± The man had a great build, slender pair of legs, and broad shoulders. As usual, the outfits he had showed off his qualities, contributing to his ethereal appearance, charming his fangirls. ¡°Has the operation begun?¡± The handsome man asked in a callous tone. ¡°It has been an hour since the operation begins.¡± Hera¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears all of a sudden. She put on a pitiable front, crying, ¡°I¡¯m afraid things may not turn out well in the end¡­ I¡¯m terrified, Lucas¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Lucas lowered his gaze, in an attempt tofort the woman. In the middle of their conversation, they had reached the operating theater. Everyone looked at Hera in an entirely different manner because they were shocked the moment they detected Lucas¡¯ presence. Am I seeing what I¡¯m seeing? I can¡¯t believe Lucas actually shows up in the hospital because of someone like Hera! Everyone from the Chapman family couldn¡¯t help but doubt the authenticity of the news that went viral on social media. Does that mean Hera is someone else¡¯s mistress? Actually, Hera was annoyed since the news had gone viral online. She had be the target of the netizens¡¯ witch-hunt session. However, she had to keep a low profile because she couldn¡¯t do anything about it either. Those from the Chapman family had been keeping Mr. Chapman in the dark because they were afraid he would be adversely impacted by the news. Since Mr. Chapman wasn¡¯t aware of the news, no one had the guts to confront Hera either. In fact, none of them were in the position to confront her. Hera couldn¡¯t hold back her joy anymore once Lucas had shown up at her request. Those from the Chapman family took over the basket of fruits Spencer brought along with him immediately. Hera¡¯s father held on to Lucas¡¯ hand firmly in an attempt to improve his rtionship with such a renowned man. He would never allow such a great opportunity to slip by his side. However, Lucas had no intention to entertain the middle-aged man¡¯s dull conversation. He tried to brush him off and ignored the man¡¯s query at times. In the blink of an eye, three hours had passed. Finally, someone opened the door of the operating theater from within. The first person who showed up was a young woman. The diamond ne she had on her slender neck could be seen as she had her hair tied up. ¡°Bring the patient to the Intensive Care Unit for the time being. Keep an eye on him for the uing three days.¡± A nurse took note of the woman¡¯s instruction and worked on it immediately. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. On the other hand, Lucas was shocked the moment he saw Ashlyn because he wasn¡¯t aware Ashlyn was Mr. Chapman¡¯s attending physician. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Ashlyn walked past the crowd and detected the presence of a handsome and tall figure since he would steal the limelight no matter where he was due to the intimidating aura and great features he had been blessed with. Nevertheless, Ashlyn would never expect to run into Lucas in such a ce. She thought about the news regarding him that was circting on social media and took a peek at the innocent-looking woman who was by the man¡¯s side. The woman seemed to be one of the mistresses theizens were talking abouttely. Hera? Does that mean Mr. Chapman is Hera¡¯s grandfather? Unbelievable. The world is such a small ce. Actually, it makes sense for an exceptional man such as Lucas to get married to the heiress of an influential family since it¡¯s going to be beneficial to him. Ashlyn tried her best to suppress her emotion because she was slowly engulfed by an odd sensation. Once Ashlyn removed her pair of gloves, she heard Hera¡¯s mother asking arrogantly, ¡°Dr. Berry, how is my father doing?¡± She paid no heed to the query of Hera¡¯s mother. Instead, she walked past her right away because she had always ignored the family members of the patients of sorts should they try to get full of themselves in front of her. Dr. Hendrickson got in the way of Hera¡¯s father and asserted, ¡°Everything is fine with the surgery, but it took us quite a bit of time because we had to bypass a few arteries. The nurse will brief you about the things to take note of soon.¡± ¡°Who the hell does she think she is? It¡¯s merely a question. Is it necessary for her to behave in such an arrogant manner? How could she ignore me?¡± Hera¡¯s mother red at Ashlyn, cussing. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but Dr. Berry has always been such an arrogant person. If it weren¡¯t because of the director¡¯s request, perhaps she wouldn¡¯t agree to be Mr. Chapman¡¯s attending physician,¡± Dr. Hendrickson replied nonchntly, exining the truth. Hera¡¯s mother was still ring at Ashlyn¡¯s departing figure, yelling, ¡°She should stop getting full of herself because she¡¯s but a doctor who¡¯s poorly paid no matter how hard she works!¡± Suddenly, a tall and intimidating figure showed up in front of Hera¡¯s mother. She was taken aback by the man¡¯s presence. Once she raised her head, she came across the man¡¯s stern gaze. The man stared at her in the eyes as though he could devour her soul through his prating gaze. Hera¡¯s mother¡¯s heart pounded furiously as beads of sweat streamed down her forehead. She was horrified because she thought she had been targeted by a demon. In the end, she asked, stuttering, ¡°Y- Yes, Lucas?¡± ¡°Mrs. Chapman, if that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you carry out the surgery for your father-inw on your own? Isn¡¯t it just a piece of cake for you?¡± Lucas turned around and left once he finished his sarcastic remark. Hera¡¯s mother¡¯s legs turned to jelly once the man departed. She held on to the wall to support herself as she tried to catch her breath and figure out the meaning behind his words. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Immediately, Hera rushed over to her mother¡¯s side and supported her, asking gently, ¡°Mom, why have you gotten worked up over a doctor? You could have just ignored her.¡± She stared at Lucas¡¯ handsome figure as he departed and recalled the man¡¯s domineering reaction. Although she was intimidated by the man¡¯s action as well, she couldn¡¯t help adoring him due to his attractive look. Hera brought her mother over to the bench in the corridor and told her to take a seat. Once her mother settled down, Hera went after Lucas immediately. ¡­ In the meantime, Ashlyn was worn out after three consecutive hours of surgery she was in. She had to be focusing intently and ensuring everything went well with the surgery the whole time. Since she wasn¡¯t a robot, she couldn¡¯t possibly stay focus for three consecutive hours without feeling worn out. Apart from that, she didn¡¯t get to restst night. In fact, she was forced to participate in a raunchy activity with Lucas in the middle of the night. The moment she thought of Lucas, she would get extremely irritated. She heaved a long sigh of despair and served herself a ss of water. Once she finished the ss of water, she leaned against her chair in anticipation of a short break. Unfortunately, a familiar figure showed up in her office as a man barged into her office brutally. Ashlyn opened her eyes and looked at Lucas helplessly. Can he get out of my sight? What the hell does he want? Lucas stood in front of Ashlyn and looked down at her, but Ashlyn pretended she wasn¡¯t aware of the man¡¯s presence, lowering her head and enjoying her ss of water. Suddenly, the man leaned over. His hands reached out for her face. Ashlyn frowned because the man ran his slender fingers through her hair and tucked some of her hair behind her ears naturally when he saw that they were about to fall into her ss of drink. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Lucas moved his hand away from Ashlyn once he was done, but he had his eyes glued to her, behaving as if he couldn¡¯t bear to leave her out of his sight. He sized every inch of the woman up, enjoying her presence and every single micro-expressions produced by the woman. Ashlyn wanted Lucas to stay away from him. Hence, she tied up her hair immediately to prevent the man from taking advantage of her once again. Lucas¡¯ attractive voice echoed throughout her office as he broke the silence, exining himself, ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on between us. We¡¯re merely childhood friends.¡± Ashlyn frowned in confusion because she couldn¡¯t grasp the situation nor the meaning behind the man¡¯s words. She gave it a thought for a few seconds. In the end, she cast a skeptical gaze at the man. ¡°I¡¯m talking about Hera,¡± Lucas exined himself once again due to the confused look the woman had on her face. ¡°Oh¡­ Okay¡­ What does your rtionship with her have to do with me?¡± Ashlyn stared at the man in the eyes, asking because she still couldn¡¯t fathom the idea behind the man¡¯s words. In the end, she tried to chase Lucas out of her office, stating, ¡°Can you please leave me alone? I¡¯m really exhausted and wish to take a break.¡± Ashlyn had renovated her office and segregated an individual room specifically for the purpose of resting. She went towards the room once she finished her sentence, behaving as though she couldn¡¯t be bothered by Lucas¡¯ presence anymore. By the time she finished her sentence, the man¡¯s expression turned gloomy, and the temperature in the room seemed to fall. It was evident the man was unhappy with Ashlyn¡¯s behavior because things were just fine between them when they enjoyed breakfast together in the morning. In fact, he enjoyed their interaction as he got to drop her off at her workce in a manner simr to how things used to be back in the days. However, Ashlyn paid no heed to the details at all. Silence fell in Ashlyn¡¯s office all of a sudden. The door of the segregated space was about to close, but a gigantic palm stopped it abruptly in the nick of time as Lucas forced his way into the confined space. Lucas couldn¡¯t figure out the rationale behind his action either, but he had only one thing in mind. He wanted to turn Ashlyn back to the gentle and lovable woman she used to be because he disliked the indifferent Ashlyn in front of him. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes glinted wrathfully. If it weren¡¯t because of Spirogyra, she would have long severed ties with Lucas. She took a deep breath, and in a callous tone with an indifferent look, she warned, ¡°Mr. Nn, I need to rest because I¡¯m exhausted!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll keep youpany.¡± Lucas lifted Ashlyn up. She retaliated by attempting to break free. Once she raised her head, she saw the man¡¯s cold look. However, the intimidating aura emitted by the man could barely work against her.Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary because I have never once enjoyed your presence,¡± Ashlyn replied in a serious tone. Immediately, Lucas lowered his head and ced his frigid lips against Ashlyn¡¯s plump lips, asking, ¡°Are you sure?¡± The man¡¯s hoarse voice could be heard as he ced his lips against her lips, asking alluringly, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to keep youpany?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s pupil constricted as soon as she detected the man¡¯s frigid lips on her lips. Her clear eyes glinted stubbornly as a sign of retaliation although she was fighting back the urge to return the favor. Nevertheless, she was determined to resist the urge Spirogyra had caused her. She wanted to keep the curse in check. She avoided Lucas¡¯ passionate gaze, cing her palms in front of the man¡¯s chest in a final attempt to chase him away, ¡°Lucas, I hope we can stay out of each other¡¯s lives. I want to live a peaceful life from now onwards.¡± In return, Lucas stared at Ashlyn in the eyes, devouring every inch of her with his eyes. Ashlyn stared at Lucas indifferently, but she was on the verge of losing control over her lust once again as her body reacted intensely. The man cast a stern gaze that would make an ordinary person shudder. However, there was a hint of affection hidden behind the stern gaze. ¡°Are you going to leave or not?¡± Eventually, Ashlyn got impatient as time went by. She had goodbat skills, but she could never outmatch Lucas so long as she couldn¡¯t get rid of Spirogyra. In fact, she could barely pull herself together anymore as the curse had slowly gotten the better of her. Her body temperature was gradually increasing as she got weaker on her knees. Ashlyn had a hard time catching her breath, pulling herself together because Lucas¡¯ manly scent aroused her. She was afraid she would lose control over herself once more if she stayed in such close proximity with the man. Due to Spirogyra, she might do something terrible to Lucas against her will. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Hera felt slightly diffident due to the woman¡¯s prating gaze, but she held her head high, warning, ¡°Dr. Berry, I¡¯m warning you to stay away from Lucas because he¡¯s my boyfriend. We¡¯re going to get married in the future.¡± In return, Ashlyn stared at her quietly as though she couldn¡¯t be bothered by Hera¡¯s warning at all. ¡°You¡¯re such a gorgeous doctor. I¡¯m sure you can get yourself an equally exceptional man easily. You should stop wasting your time on Lucas. He¡¯s the president of Nn Group, the captain of South Star Airlines. He won¡¯t fall for an ordinary woman from an ordinary family like you. You don¡¯t deserve to be his wife at all!¡± Hera warned. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare to try to hit on him just because old Mr. Nn had passed on! Things will never work out between both of you! I¡¯m aware of the existence of women like you in Lake City. In fact, I have come across countless of them before. I will never allow any one of you to get your hands on him because I¡¯m Lucas¡¯ only woman!¡± she said. Although she tried her best to put on a confident front, her worried tone betrayed her. Obviously, she felt threatened by Ashlyn¡¯s stunning appearance. ¡°Are you done?¡± Ashlyn looked at Hera in the eyes casually, asking. ¡°Huh?¡± Hera couldn¡¯t grasp the situation due to Ashlyn¡¯s blunt response. ¡°If you¡¯re done, it¡¯s time for you to leave my office.¡± Once she finished responding, Ashlyn reached for a medical journal, asionally highlighting some paragraphs on the book, as if taking notes for future references. That¡¯s it? Hera gulped and made her way out of Ashlyn¡¯s office as instructed. Actually, her mind was all over the ce because she brought up all sorts of things in front of Ashlyn, and yet thetter paid no heed to her words. It felt as though she hadpleted a stand-upedy on her own in front of Ashlyn because thetter neglected her words altogether. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. In the end, she couldn¡¯t figure out the sort of rtionship Ashlyn had with Lucas. Judging by her response, perhaps they don¡¯t have any intimate rtionship? If that¡¯s the case, why did Lucas spend such a long time in her office when they¡¯re not rted in any way? Hera thought for quite some time but decided to brush it off since she couldn¡¯t link the missing pieces of the puzzle together. Perhaps they aren¡¯t rted by any means. I should forget about her for the time being because the one that matters the most is Lucas¡¯ wife! Lucas has promised me he will file for divorce with his wife as soon as possible. In the end, Hera decided to neglect Ashlyn for the time being. Instead, she had her eyes on Lucas¡¯ wife. In the meantime, Lucas returned to his car right after he departed from Ashlyn¡¯s office. Spencer went after him immediately. He ran into Hera after he walked out of the washroom previously. She seemed to be so full of herself, yet he couldn¡¯t decipher the exact emotion behind her expression. He wanted to tell Lucas the odd expression Hera had on her face once she walked out of Ashlyn¡¯s office, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to break the silence. Deep down, Spencer was worried Hera would pick on Ashlyn. After all, women such as Hera had a lot of tricks up their sleeves. They would resort to whatever usible method to gain the man¡¯s attention. In short, Hera wasn¡¯t much different from the viinous antagonist of a soap opera because she would resort to everything at her disposal to win Lucas over. I¡¯m pretty sure Ms. Chapman is not a match for Ms. Berry at all! Ms. Berry has never once behaved pretentiously in front of us! She¡¯s such an exceptional woman. I can¡¯t figure out the reason Mr. Nn decides to file for divorce with her. Erm¡­ We have been sitting in the car for half an hour. What exactly is Mr. Nn up to? Isn¡¯t it about time to get going? Once Spencer thought about it, he broke the silence, asking, ¡°Mr. Nn, are we heading over to the office, or are we going home?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going anywhere for the time being.¡± Lucas wasn¡¯t in the mood to engage himself in anything because he was irritated since Ashlyn had chased him out of her office. Spencer remained silent thereafter upon hearing Lucas¡¯ reply. Does that mean we¡¯re waiting for Ms. Berry to get off work? Perhaps Mr. Nn wants to give Ms. Chapman a ride home? Eventually, time flew by and it had been a few hours since then. Hera heard her bones crackling once she tried moving around because she had spent half of her day in the hospital. Initially, she wanted to prove her sincerity and be the first to show up in front of Mr. Chapman once he regained consciousness. However, it was a futile effort because Mr. Chapman showed no signs of regaining consciousness at all. Therefore, Hera decided to leave. Once she walked out of the elevator on the first floor, she saw a Bentley parked in the parking lot nearby. Isn¡¯t that Lucas¡¯ ride? The overjoyed woman put on an innocent front and sprinted towards Lucas¡¯ car ostentatiously, leaning over, knocking on the window of the man¡¯s ride. The man¡¯s gorgeous face could be seen once he winded down the window of the car. He stared at Hera with an indifferent look. ¡°Lucas, are you waiting for me?¡± Hera leaned over and asked coquettishly. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 She had purposely shown off her busty figure by leaning over because the dress she had on had a very low cut in front. Hera did a great job concealing her intention because she behaved naturally and put on a great show in front of Lucas while trying to seduce the man with her busty figure. Nheless, Lucas stared at her with a poker face. All of a sudden, the man¡¯s eyes gleamed. Hera was delighted and thought she had achieved the goal she had in mind. Did he see it? I knew it! No man has ever turned me down before whenever I showed them my attractive figure! The man finally opened the door of the car and stepped out of his ride. Consequently, his slender pair of legs could be seen. Hera ced her hands in front of the bag she had in an anticipation of the man inviting her into his ride, but Lucas walked past her. She turned around and looked at the man¡¯s departing figure in disbelief because the man sprinted over to another woman¡¯s side. ¡°Ashlyn, I¡¯ll give you a ride home.¡± The man¡¯s hoarse voice could be heard as he invited the woman who had just made her way out of the hospital. ¡°Lucas, don¡¯t you have anything else to tend to on your busy schedule?¡± Ashlyn knitted her eyebrows, smirking as she looked at the man in the eyes. Eventually, she turned around, casting a contemptuous gaze at Hera who was by the side of Lucas¡¯ Bentley. Hera felt embarrassed and infuriated. In an attempt to return the favor in a simr manner, she red at Ashlyn furiously and stopped concealing her jealousy. ¡°Lucas!¡± Hera rushed over to Lucas¡¯ side immediately. Suddenly, she staggered and fell to the ground, yelling, ¡°Ouch!¡± Lucas turned around and noticed Hera ced her hand on her ankle, pouting her lips in a pitiable manner, yelling, ¡°Lucas, my leg hurts!¡± ¡°Lucas, it seems like your girlfriend has identally hurt her ankle. I¡¯m sure she needs you¡­¡± Ashlyn found the scene hrious and burst intoughter, stating, ¡°I can¡¯t believe she actually resorts to such a low trick. I¡¯m out.¡± Once Ashlyn finished her sentence, she walked past the woman who had copsed in the middle of the road. ¡°Dr. Berry, I think I have identally hurt my ankle! Can you please check on my condition?¡± Hera pretended she didn¡¯t hear Ashlyn¡¯s remark, asking for help in return. ¡°Ms. Chapman, are you sure you can afford my consultation fee?¡± Ashlyn stood right where she was, asking callously. ¡°Lucas, I¡­¡± Hera looked at Lucas with an aggrieved look on her face, pursing her lips. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Her eyes brimmed with tears, reprimanding, ¡°Do you really consider yourself as a doctor? How could you leave an injured patient alone? I don¡¯t think you deserve to be a doctor!¡± Upon hearing Hera¡¯s words, Lucas recalled Ashlyn¡¯s principles as a fellow surgeon. His pupils dted, exuding a menacing aura. Lucas rebuked Hera¡¯s statement, ¡°You have merely twisted your ankle, but doing that would make her go against the principles she has in life.¡± What the hell does that supposed to mean? Does that mean the woman¡¯s so-called principles in life are more important aspared to my ankle? Hera got increasingly frustrated the more she thought about it, but she dared not to throw a tantrum in front of Lucas because she didn¡¯t want to expose her true colors. Therefore, she put on a pitiable front, begging, ¡°Lucas, my leg hurts! Can you please bring me to the doctor?¡± Lucas nced at Spencer, who was in the car, and with a grim expression, he instructed, ¡°Get Ms. Chapman an ambnce immediately.¡± Spencer was rendered speechless by Lucas¡¯ instruction because they were right in front of the hospital. Mr. Nn, are you serious? We¡¯re outside of the freaking hospital. I think the doctor will take things out on me before tending to Ms. Chapman¡¯s injured leg if I get an ambnce as instructed. Simrly, Hera¡¯s expression changed as she looked at Lucas in disbelief. I¡¯m the childhood ymate he has been searching for over the past ten years, right? I thought I was the one who had rescued him back in the day? Is that how he¡¯s going to return the favor to me? Although Spencer had his reservations, he had to carry out Lucas¡¯ instruction. Eventually, he approached Hera, suggesting, ¡°Ms. Chapman, allow me to bring you to the doctor instead.¡± Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Hera was so angry that she gritted her teeth in silence. Nevertheless, she had no choice but to continue acting innocent while saying, ¡°Sorry for bothering you, Mr. White.¡± Meanwhile, Lucas got into his Bentley and drove off in a rush. Spencer was speechless as he looked back. Did Mr. Nn abandon her just like that? Ashlyn just got off the taxi and was about to step into Bayview Vi when she heard a screeching sound behind her. A tall and mighty figure got down from the car and chased after her. Without looking back, Ashlyn could tell who it was based on the sound of the person¡¯s footsteps. ¡°Lucas, what are you doing here?¡± she asked. ¡°I want to see with my own eyes whether you¡¯re actually living with another man,¡± said Lucas as he looked at the two men standing by the entrance of the vi. When they saw Ashlyn, they quickly bowed and addressed her, ¡°Ms. Berry!¡± Even Jared¡¯s subordinates are so respectful towards her, Lucas thought to himself. ¡°We¡¯re divorced. I have the freedom to choose whoever I want to live with,¡± Ashlyn snarled at him as she stood by the main gate of the vi. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit too controlling?¡± Right after that, the iron gate mmed shut in Lucas¡¯s face with a loud bang, and Ashlyn¡¯s silhouette gradually disappeared before his eyes. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Hostility shed across his eyes, and his mood turned cold and irritable. That morning, just as Ashlyn finished her breakfast and was ready to go out, Jared swayed down the stairs and appeared in front of her, then said in a ttering tone, ¡°Boss, help me out with something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Ashlyn replied. She really didn¡¯t want to see him these two days, and if she could, she¡¯d sent him to a faraway mine in Africa just to avoid him. Nheless, he got his act together in front of her. Why is he so bold all of a sudden? ¡°There is a charity g going on this Friday. Could you pleasee with me? All my followers on social media know that you¡¯re my goddess,¡± he said as he observed her facial expression. ¡°You want me to be your date for the g?¡± Ashlyn snapped. ¡°Jared Quickton, what gave you the nerve to make such a request?¡± ¡°Boss, I was drunk that night. I was so wasted that I didn¡¯t even know what stupid things I was doing. If I were sober, I wouldn¡¯t dare to post that on social media! I beg you, please help me out this time. It¡¯d be embarrassing if I went alone!¡± Lucas whined miserably. In front of Ashlyn, he didn¡¯t act like a CEO of a bigpany at all. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you behave these few days,¡± said Ashlyn, then she grabbed her handbag and left. As she walked out, Jared started wailing behind her. Ashlyn was going to perform surgery on Landon today. His injuries were extremely severe, and she didn¡¯t feel at ease letting other doctors treat him. When she reached the hospital, she headed directly to Landon¡¯s ward. His wife Cadence and two other senior citizens were also in the ward. Based on the senior citizens¡¯ decrepit appearance, it was obvious that they had worked extremely hard in their younger years. ¡°Are you the doctor who is going to perform surgery on our son? Aren¡¯t you a little young to handle such an operation?¡± Mrs. Davis asked as she looked at Ashlyn in disdain. The wrinkles on her face were as deep as craters on the moon. Ashlyn had been doubted like this countless times before, so she did not pay much heed to Mrs. Davis¡¯s remarks. She took a look at the consent letter signed by Cadence then passed it to the nurse before answering Mrs. Davis, ¡°I can handle it.¡± ¡°Let me warn you, I¡¯lle after you if anything happens to my son,¡± Mrs. Davis retorted as she held Ashlyn in contempt. This was the first time she hade across such a pretty doctor, but threatening words just flowed out of her mouth subconsciously. Ashlyn was certain of her own capabilities, so she wasn¡¯t bothered by Mrs. Davis¡¯s snidements. Yesterday it was Mrs. Chapman; today it¡¯s Mrs. Davis¡­how exhausting dealing with such cynical old women. She simply ignored Mrs. Davis and walked out of the ward. When Mrs. Davis realized she was being ignored, she took out her anger on Cadence and yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t mess around with my son¡¯s life just because you are after the free treatment. Mark my words, if he loses his life, I wille after you!¡± As she spoke, she stretched out her hand and pinched Cadence¡¯s arm. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Cadence grimaced and squirmed in pain. Her eyes turned red, but she lowered her head and remained silent. I wouldn¡¯t have chosen this young doctor if it weren¡¯t for the fact that we cannot afford a better doctor. On the other hand, if Landon doesn¡¯t see a doctor, he would just be waiting for his death toe. Despite the thoughts that were running through Cadence¡¯s mind, she didn¡¯t dare to say anything as she was fearful of her mother-inw. When it was time for Landon¡¯s surgery, Ashlyn stepped into the operating theatre as usual. She was apanied by a group of doctors and nurses. The battle that they were going to face was not an easy one. ¡°She¡¯s so young yet so she has so many doctors and nurses apanying her? She must be putting on an act,¡± Mrs. Davis said scornfully. It waspletely silent in the operating theatre, but there was amotion brewing outside the theatre. As time passed, Mrs. Davis became more and more grouchy. From time to time, she would poke Candence andment at her. ¡°Why is the surgery taking so long? What trash of a doctor did you find? If anything happens to my son, you can very well leave the Davis family,¡± she nagged. After a while, she added, ¡°Cadence, how could you be so heartless? You jinxed my son to death!¡± She then grabbed Cadence by her hair and mmed her head against the wall. Bang! Cadence¡¯s head hit the wall. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Cadence cried out in pain. Mr. Davis, who was used to seeing such abusive episodes, just turned a blind eye. Meanwhile, a nurse who had heard the loud bang quickly rushed over and said, ¡°What are you guys doing? You shouldn¡¯t be making noise!¡± Unwilling to let go of Cadence, Mrs. Davis pouted and said, ¡°This is my family¡¯s affair. It¡¯s none of your business!¡± ¡°This is a hospital. If you hit her again, I will call the police!¡± the nurse snapped back at Mrs. Davis while she looked at Cadence sympathetically. That very moment, Cadence¡¯s face was flushed red as she curled up in the corner miserably. Her hair was in a mess and her clothes were crumpled. Mrs. Davis didn¡¯t say anything further but sat down next to Mr. Davis with a spiteful look on her face. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. The nurse then left. Meanwhile, Cadence wiped away her tears and didn¡¯t dare to move a single inch. After another half an hour, the door of the operating theatre finally opened. Ashlyn walked out while Landon was pushed out on a hospital bed by several nurses. She was slightly surprised when she saw what Cadence looked like. How did she suddenly be so messy and disheveled after the surgery? Nevertheless, she walked over to the family and said, ¡°The surgery was sessful. We will monitor him closely for the next 24 hours and he should regain consciousness in about 48 hours. He will be sent to the ICU for observation right now.¡± ¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± Cadence said softly. ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me,¡± Ashlyn replied calmly, then she shifted her nce to Mrs. Davis who still had a nasty look on her face. ¡°Sometimes, the best way to protect ourselves is to fight back. If not, we will only be bullied by others.¡± Right after that, she turned and left. When she walked past the nurses¡¯ station, the head nurse called out to her, ¡°Dr. Berry-¡± ¡°What is it?¡± she said as she looked at the head nurse with her hands in her pockets. Under Ashlyn¡¯s cold gaze, the head nurse suddenly felt defenseless, but she bit the bullet and expressed what she wanted to say. ¡°Erm, a few of us are having dinner together tonight. We¡¯ve worked together for so long but you¡¯ve never once joined us for a meal. Why don¡¯t you join us tonight?¡± the head nurse said. Ashlyn never attended such gatherings with colleagues simply because she only went to the hospital once a month. Hence, she wasn¡¯t familiar with her colleagues at the hospital. Since she didn¡¯t have any ns for the night, she agreed to join them. These colleagues worked well with her usually, so she feared she mighte off as uptight and unfriendly if she refused their invitation. She could tell that the head nurse in particr was feeling uneasy around her. Am I really that unapproachable? Ashlyn reflected on her usual conduct. ¡°Dinner will be on me tonight,¡± she answered. ¡°Ah?¡± the head nurse responded in surprise. She had nned on hosting the gathering tonight and didn¡¯t expect Ashlyn to treat them. Immediately, she said, ¡°No no, it¡¯s my treat tonight.¡± After work that night, all the doctors and nurses from the surgical department headed to Twilight Bar together. Twilight Bar was one of Lake City¡¯s most popr entertainment outlets. Hence, prices there were not cheap. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 ¡°Katie, are you sure you want to foot the bill tonight? Twilight Bar¡¯s prices are not cheap¡­why don¡¯t we go dutch?¡± one of the nurses asked. ¡°No no, it¡¯s alright. I just want everyone to have a good time tonight,¡± Katie replied immediately. With two young children and two elderly parents to support, she carried a huge financial burden. Moreover, her husband was just a regr sried worker in a smallpany. She would usually choose cheaper outlets when it was her turn to treat during departmental dinners, so everyone found it strange that she was so generous this time. ¡°How generous of you, Katie,¡± said the nurse. ¡°Hopefully, your treat tonight doesn¡¯t cause an argument between you and your husbandter!¡± one of the doctors said jokingly. Walking behind everyone, Ashlyn felt emotionally distant from the crowd. As Katie led her colleagues into the bar, one of the female doctors who shared a close rtionship with her whispered, ¡°Please don¡¯t be stupid. You still have loans and mortgages to pay off. Where are you going to find the money to treat us tonight?¡± ¡°I have a benefactor to help me pay my bills. Don¡¯t worry. Just enjoy yourself tonight,¡± Katie answered softly. ¡°Huh? What benefactor?¡± her colleague asked. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you another time,¡± she muttered. Then she turned to everyone else and said loudly, ¡°I¡¯ve booked us a private room. Just head right there.¡± The bustling crowd finally sat themselves down at the table in the private room. ¡°Dr. Berry, do you have a boyfriend?¡± someone asked boldly since this was the first time she was attending a departmental gathering. ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± she answered. ¡°Great news, the young male doctors in our hospital stand a chance with you then!¡± he answered. ¡°No kidding! Dr. Berry is really pretty. Who will be worthy of her?¡± someone else eximed. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s give Dr. Berry a toast.¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrow and said, ¡°Are you guys sure?¡± C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°Of course, this is the first time you are joining our departmental gathering, and you are the top figure in First Hospital! It¡¯s only right if we give you the first toast!¡± said her colleague. A few of them then raised their sses and started a toast. Ashlyn looked down and smiled. Her pretty eyes sparkled under the light, and it was as though she was an angel who had walked into the light. She was simply beautiful beyond words. She followed suit and raised her ss, saying, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t regret this.¡± Ten minutester, the doctors and nurses who started the toast waved their hands and said one after another, ¡°Dr. Berry, we surrender!¡± ¡°You are the number one surgeon in our hospital, and you are also number one when ites to drinking!¡± ¡°We really can¡¯t drink anymore!¡± Ashlyn giggled and downed her drink in one go. She then got up and said, ¡°I need to use the washroom.¡± That very moment, her phone rang on the table. One of the nurses wanted to call out to her, but she had left the room and shut the door. Meanwhile, her phone continued ringing non-stop. The nurse took a peek at the caller ID on her phone and was stunned. Hubby? What? Ashlyn has a husband? Isn¡¯t she only 22 years old? ¡°How noisy!¡± one of the male doctors frowned and grumbled. He leaned over to look at Ashlyn¡¯s phone and intended to press the decline button, but under the influence of alcohol, he identally pressed the answer button instead. All Lucas could hear was a cacophony of noises and not the usual pleasant voice he was expecting. ¡°Ashlyn?¡± he said with a strong maic voice. The mor of voices in the private room suddenly died down. Everyone looked at each other quietly, then the male doctor who answered the call hurriedly passed the phone to the nurse. She had no choice but to say, ¡°Dr. Berry has gone to the washroom.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Lucas asked in a hostile tone. Everyone in the room could sense how disgruntled he was through the phone. What a scary guy. Dr. Berry¡¯s husband is really scary. The nurse trembled as she answered, ¡°I am her colleague¡­¡± When Ashlyn returned, everyone stared at her strangely. At the same time, they felt a hint of sympathy for her. ¡°What is it?¡± she raised her eyebrows and asked suspiciously. ¡°Your husband just called to check on you,¡± the nurse replied as fear lingered in her heart. She must have a miserable life at home with such a terrifying husband. With such gorgeous looks, it¡¯s a pity she didn¡¯t marry a better guy. Ashlyn¡¯s expression turned cold and nk. She grabbed her phone and found Lucas¡¯s iing call in her call history as expected. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Ashlyn immediately changed the contact name for Lucas and tossed her phone on the table angrily. When the crowd saw her reaction, they automatically assumed that there was some ongoing conflict in her rtionship. They then resumed the party and dispersed after a while. A few of them walked out of the bar and saw two luxury cars parked at the entrance. One was a Bentley, and the other was a Lamborghini. ¡°These kinds of luxury cars are quite an umon sight,¡± said one of them. ¡°Yeah, let me get a second look,¡± said another person. When Ashlyn saw the familiar Bentley, she furrowed her brows. That very moment, the doors of the Lamborghini and Bentley opened one after another. Winsor stepped out with slicked-back hair and a bouquet of fresh roses in his hands. Then he walked up to Ashlyn with a self-conceited smile on his face. ¡°Fresh flowers for a beautifuldy. This is for you, Ms. Berry,¡± said Winsor. Ashlyn was caught off guard. What the hell is wrong with Winsor? Perhaps he enjoys being humiliated? How can he be so out of his mind? Ashlyn looked at him coldly and said, ¡°Winsor, were you the one who organized tonight¡¯s gathering?¡± Lucas showed up here because her colleague had revealed her location. Winsor, on the other hand, could not have known her whereabouts unless he had a hand in tonight¡¯s gathering. Winsor rubbed his nose and said, ¡°I just wanted to meet you.¡± He was pleased that he was able to strike up a n to meet Ashlyn. Meanwhile, Ashlyn¡¯s colleagues looked at each other in surprise. Dr. Berry has a husband, yet another man is courting her? Geez, so it turns out that good-looking women can get away with anything. The young nurse in the group was the kind of woman who worshipped money. This guy drives a Lamborghini. He must be loaded! Lucas, who was seated in his car, became filled with anger and jealousy while his fingers clenched his phone tightly. As he was about to get out of his car, Ashlyn walked past Winsor and hailed a taxi. ¡°Ms. Berry, my car is a lot morefortable than the taxi,¡± Winsor tried to coax her as he chased after her with the bouquet of roses. Nevertheless, Ashlyn still got into the taxi, then she looked at Winsor and said, ¡°If you¡¯re here to apologize, I ept your apology. If you have other intentions, just forget it.¡± ¡°Apologize?¡± Winsor was caught off guard. ¡°You disrupted me a few days ago. Don¡¯t you think you should apologize for that?¡± said Ashlyn before she instructed the driver to drive off. Throughout the journey, the taxi driver constantly peeked at the stunningly beautifuldy sitting in the back seat. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Not manydies would rather ride in a taxi than in a luxury car! She¡¯s gorgeous too! Winsor stood where he was, gritting his teeth with a gloomy expression on his face. Katie the head nurse walked up to him while thinking to herself, this rich guy seems pissed off. He probably wouldn¡¯t want anything to do with me. She stammered as she said, ¡°Mr. Jaquin, tonight¡¯s bill¡­¡± Everyone in the group exchanged looks and suddenly realized that Katie was so generous tonight because she was backed by Winsor Jaquin! Winsor red at her and said angrily, ¡°My assistant will transfer the money to you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Jaquin,¡± she said with a sigh of relief. In the Bentley, Lucas¡¯s cold expression froze on his face. He was stunned after witnessing what just happened. Didn¡¯t she use to like receiving roses from me? Howe she didn¡¯t ept the roses from Winsor this time? Spencer, who was trembling in the front seat earlier, couldn¡¯t understand how Lucas¡¯s agitated mood turned calm all of a sudden. It seems that Mr. Nn is actually¡­happy? A short whileter, the crowd at the entrance of Twilight Bar saw the Bentley driving towards the direction of the taxi. ¡°Miss, it seems that there is a car tailing us from behind¡­¡± the driver said as he saw a Bentley in his rearview mirror. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Ashlyn replied while looking at her phone. Right after she answered, the driver suddenly hit the brakes, causing the taxi to jerk violently. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Ashlyn immediately changed the contact name for Lucas and tossed her phone on the table angrily. When the crowd saw her reaction, they automatically assumed that there was some ongoing conflict in her rtionship. They then resumed the party and dispersed after a while. A few of them walked out of the bar and saw two luxury cars parked at the entrance. One was a Bentley, and the other was a Lamborghini. ¡°These kinds of luxury cars are quite an umon sight,¡± said one of them. ¡°Yeah, let me get a second look,¡± said another person. When Ashlyn saw the familiar Bentley, she furrowed her brows. Original from N?velDrama.Org. That very moment, the doors of the Lamborghini and Bentley opened one after another. Winsor stepped out with slicked-back hair and a bouquet of fresh roses in his hands. Then he walked up to Ashlyn with a self-conceited smile on his face. ¡°Fresh flowers for a beautifuldy. This is for you, Ms. Berry,¡± said Winsor. Ashlyn was caught off guard. What the hell is wrong with Winsor? Perhaps he enjoys being humiliated? How can he be so out of his mind? Ashlyn looked at him coldly and said, ¡°Winsor, were you the one who organized tonight¡¯s gathering?¡± Lucas showed up here because her colleague had revealed her location. Winsor, on the other hand, could not have known her whereabouts unless he had a hand in tonight¡¯s gathering. Winsor rubbed his nose and said, ¡°I just wanted to meet you.¡± He was pleased that he was able to strike up a n to meet Ashlyn. Meanwhile, Ashlyn¡¯s colleagues looked at each other in surprise. Dr. Berry has a husband, yet another man is courting her? Geez, so it turns out that good-looking women can get away with anything. The young nurse in the group was the kind of woman who worshipped money. This guy drives a Lamborghini. He must be loaded! Lucas, who was seated in his car, became filled with anger and jealousy while his fingers clenched his phone tightly. As he was about to get out of his car, Ashlyn walked past Winsor and hailed a taxi. ¡°Ms. Berry, my car is a lot morefortable than the taxi,¡± Winsor tried to coax her as he chased after her with the bouquet of roses. Nevertheless, Ashlyn still got into the taxi, then she looked at Winsor and said, ¡°If you¡¯re here to apologize, I ept your apology. If you have other intentions, just forget it.¡± ¡°Apologize?¡± Winsor was caught off guard. ¡°You disrupted me a few days ago. Don¡¯t you think you should apologize for that?¡± said Ashlyn before she instructed the driver to drive off. Throughout the journey, the taxi driver constantly peeked at the stunningly beautifuldy sitting in the back seat. Not manydies would rather ride in a taxi than in a luxury car! She¡¯s gorgeous too! Winsor stood where he was, gritting his teeth with a gloomy expression on his face. Katie the head nurse walked up to him while thinking to herself, this rich guy seems pissed off. He probably wouldn¡¯t want anything to do with me. She stammered as she said, ¡°Mr. Jaquin, tonight¡¯s bill¡­¡± Everyone in the group exchanged looks and suddenly realized that Katie was so generous tonight because she was backed by Winsor Jaquin! Winsor red at her and said angrily, ¡°My assistant will transfer the money to you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Jaquin,¡± she said with a sigh of relief. In the Bentley, Lucas¡¯s cold expression froze on his face. He was stunned after witnessing what just happened. Didn¡¯t she use to like receiving roses from me? Howe she didn¡¯t ept the roses from Winsor this time? Spencer, who was trembling in the front seat earlier, couldn¡¯t understand how Lucas¡¯s agitated mood turned calm all of a sudden. It seems that Mr. Nn is actually¡­happy? A short whileter, the crowd at the entrance of Twilight Bar saw the Bentley driving towards the direction of the taxi. ¡°Miss, it seems that there is a car tailing us from behind¡­¡± the driver said as he saw a Bentley in his rearview mirror. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Ashlyn replied while looking at her phone. Right after she answered, the driver suddenly hit the brakes, causing the taxi to jerk violently. Chapter 105 Chapter 105 The Bentley had swerved in a way that forced the taxi to stop abruptly. The driver said apologetically, ¡°Miss, my car is not as good as others¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Ashlyn said. The Bentley¡¯s door opened, then a man stepped out. He had a tall and slender physique, and his eyes were particrly attractive though his expression was exceptionally grim. His shirt and ck trousers outlined his well-built body and fit him perfectly as if they were custom-made for him. The diamond ring on his finger glimmered under the light of the streemp as he walked. Ashlyn was shocked to see the diamond ring. Why is he still wearing our wedding ring? The women¡¯s ring was a simple heart and arrow without any sophisticated design, while the men¡¯s ring was a diamond solitaire. When they got divorced, she had left her ring in her bedroom drawer in Whind Vi. On the other hand, the taxi driver was shocked to see such a masculine and domineering man. Lucas opened the taxi door then said frigidly, ¡°Get down.¡± He then stuffed a one-hundred-dor bill in the driver¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Keep the change.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Looking at Lucas¡¯s intimidating posture, Ashlyn figured she better get down from the taxi. She rolled her eyes at him and got in the Bentley. After she got out of the taxi, the driver heaved a sigh of relief and quickly drove away. Lucas¡¯s expression returned to normal when he saw Ashlyn sitting next to him. ncing at her every few minutes, he was obviously in a good mood now. So what if Winsor had roses for her? She still got into my car in the end! Little did he realize how immature he was at that moment. He wasn¡¯t behaving like a president of a big company at all. ¡°Send me home,¡± Ashlyn said, her body reeking of alcohol. She had had quite a lot to drink that night, and her cheeks were flushed. ¡°Ashlyn,¡± Lucas called out to her in a deep tone. He stared at her earnestly as the two sybles flowed from his lips. In his deep ck eyes were a reflection of her face and soft, long hair. Ashlyn was taken aback for a moment, then she looked up to make eye contact with him. There was a deep sense of mystery in the dark eyes that were gazing at her. It seemed that she just couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on in his mind. I¡¯ve made it clear that we have broken up. Why can¡¯t he let me go? There is already no love between us¡­ That very second, Lucas¡¯s burning gaze made her heart skip a beat. An unusual feeling suddenly rushed through her veins, and she furrowed her brows. She hated this uncontroble feeling she was experiencing. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked as she looked away. Staring at the scenery outside the window, she felt strange about Lucas and her own emotions. She absolutely didn¡¯t like what she feeling, and she just wanted to cut ties with Lucaspletely. Suddenly, Lucas pulled her over and held her by her chin. He stared deep into her delicate eyes while rubbing her cheek with his thumb, slowly arousing an itching sensation in her. There was pure silence. He kept gazing at her while touching her smooth cheeks. The atmosphere made Ashlyn ufortable, and she felt like pushing his hand away. The next second, Lucas slid his hand into her hair, then he leaned over and pressed his forehead against hers. He muttered in a helpless yet angry tone, ¡°You despicable woman¡­¡± Ashlyn was speechless. As he leaned against her forehead, a wild fire seemed to be burning in Lucas¡¯s heart. This inexplicable emotion grew exponentially, almost bursting out of his heart and his body. His emotions were simply raging uncontrobly! It was like a caged beast waiting to be set free. Without giving it a second thought, Lucas started nibbling on Ashlyn¡¯s flushed cheeks. ¡°Ow! What the hell! Lucas, are you out of your mind?!¡± she cried out when she felt a sharp pain on her cheek. She pushed Lucas away furiously, then she gave him a tight p. ¡°Lucas! You asshole!¡± she screamed. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Covering her cheeks, Ashlyn red at Lucas angrily while clenching her teeth. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. She almost blew her top. What happened to the once soft and gentle Lucas? Nowadays, his temper is mercurial. He gets moody and angry unpredictably. ¡°Hmph, so this is what happens after you start seducing other men,¡± Lucas eximed as he stared at the woman in front of him. He didn¡¯t show any signs of regret but instead continued holding onto her chin. When he thought about the shitty men pursuing her, he couldn¡¯t control his rage, and his blood began to boil. On the other hand, Ashlyn narrowed her eyes when she heard what he said, and her delicate lips started trembling. Who did I seduce? I¡¯m not trying to attract anyone. This man is absolutely crazy and immature! He should just get lost! She mped her lips tightly and continued staring at Lucas angrily. Seeing how angry she was, Lucas couldn¡¯t help but frown and pulled away her hand that was covering her cheeks. He then saw his teeth marks on her fair face. That instant, his dark eyes glistened, and he gently stroked her cheeks with his palm. Curling his lips, he thought to himself, this mark belongs to me. This vicious woman threw away her wedding ring. Let¡¯s see if she can resist me now. He then reached his hand downwards and tore her skirt. ¡°Are you crazy? What are you trying to do?¡± she eximed. Seeing that her skirt had been ripped, Ashlyn burst out in fury. As her dark eyes filled with rage, Lucas found her even more attractive. Her dramatic reaction was sexy to him. Ashlyn raised her arm and started to fight with him. ¡°Stop moving!¡± Lucas bellowed. He grabbed both her hands and held them above her head. Unable to resist him, Ashlyn now felt helpless and vulnerable. She looked up angrily and confronted the pair of deep ck eyes that were looking at her. Those deep ck eyes exuded an insane degree of dominance and possessiveness. As Lucas continued staring at her, she still couldn¡¯t uncover his intentions. She turned her head away angrily with a cold and annoyed look on her face. Sensing that Ashlyn had stopped struggling, Lucas felt somewhat satisfied. After so many days of struggling with me, she finally let her guard down a bit. She just wants to make me feel miserable for a while. He nced at her snow-white skin, thenid eyes on her well-defined corbone. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Ashlyn asked as she red at Lucas vigntly. Is he going to bite my neck? As Ashlyn grew uneasy, he continued eyeballing her neck while pinching her chin to prevent her from moving. He could see her bluish-green blood vessels pulsating. Then, he leaned down and started sucking on her neck. Ashlyn struggled for her life as she screamed, ¡°Lucas, you are insane!¡± Pinning her down and preventing her from moving, Lucas just wanted to possess her and make her his completely! After a while, he finally let her go. A look of satisfaction appeared on his face as he saw the purplish love bite on her neck. It was deep and dark-colored like a blooming rose, and it reflected his strength. Ashlyn was at a loss for words as she stared out the window. The pain on her neck reminded her of how Lucas had just assaulted her. This man is immature, hot-tempered, and also violent. I should give him a taste of his own medicine and crush him! She felt several warm fingers caressing her neck and a pair of eyes fixating a strong gaze on her. Suddenly, she raised her eyebrows and looked at Lucas from head to toe. Does he have rabies or what? Some of the symptoms of rabies include irritability, aggression, and biting! The more she thought about this possibility, the more convinced she was. Finally, she couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. ¡°Lucas, were you bitten by any dogstely?¡± she asked. Lucas retracted his dreamy gaze and gave Ashlyn a wary look. He frowned and felt uneasy. ¡°I¡¯ve never been bitten by any dogs before,¡± he replied with a domineering voice. What is going on with this woman? Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Ashlyn responded with a snort. Just because he said he hasn¡¯t been bitten by any dogs before doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s true. He really likes biting people. ¡°Really,¡± Lucas said displeasingly. ¡°Roger that, Captain Nn,¡± Ashlyn said nonchntly. Lucas looked into her almond eyes and found traces of disdain, displeasure, and impatience. Yet he found her fair facial features beautiful and captivating. Every now and then, she exuded a sense of confidence and independence, attracting the gaze of people around her. Lucas was enchanted by her, but he held himself back. His sexy thin lips curved upwards slightly, and his dark eyes gleamed with desire. He slid his hand into her smooth hair again and said, ¡°Good girl.¡± He articted those two words in a cold and serious tone, but there was also a hint of affection. The corners of Ashlyn¡¯s eyes twitched. She looked at the neurotic man who had been staring at her all this while, and the frustration and annoyance in her heart started to melt. She saw pleasure on his almost perfect face. As she stared at the corners of Lucas¡¯s lips, she thought to herself, Damn it. Since we got divorced, he has only been hostile and aggressive like a lunatic. Now, all of a sudden, he knows how to smile? I¡¯d rather call him a rabid dog! Smiling doesn¡¯t suit him. Despite what Ashlyn thought, her heart started to race when she saw Lucas¡¯s swelling cheeks. I must have pped him a little too hard just now. Hehehe. He bit my face, and I pped him back. Well, we¡¯re even now! Spencer, who was driving in the front seat, found the physical altercation between the two of them thrilling. He stopped the car steadily then said, ¡°Mr. Nn, we¡¯re here.¡± When Ashlyn was in the car, her attention had been fixed on Lucas the whole time. It was only after she got out of the car that she realized she wasn¡¯t at Bayview Vi. Spencer had driven them to Whind Vi instead. What about his earlier promise to send me home? The anger she had suppressed started to surface again. ¡°Lucas, what the hell are you doing?¡± she asked furiously. ¡°It¡¯ste, and Whind Vi was closer to the bar,¡± Lucas answered coldly. ¡°You lived here for four years. One more night wouldn¡¯t kill, right?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s expression tensed up that instant. ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡± Lucas said with a frown as he stroked her face with his hand. He carefully examined every trace of expression on Ashlyn¡¯s face. Her silence made him feel slightly uneasy. This immature lunatic really likes to lose his temper, Ashlyn thought to herself. She really felt like pping him on the other side of his face! ¡°I don¡¯t get what you¡¯re saying, Lucas,¡± Ashlyn said while pursuing her lips tightly. Lucas¡¯s face darkened when he heard her answer, and he red at her coldly. The two of them stared at each other; neither party was willing to yield. That moment, Spencer shuddered and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s already past midnight, Mr. Nn¡­you have a meeting tomorrow morning.¡± Don¡¯t you want to rest? I want to go home and sleep! This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. My heart can¡¯t handle all this drama! Lucas looked at Ashlyn and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t go in, I will stay outside with you for the night.¡± Ashlyn rolled her eyes and blurted out, ¡°Ughh! How annoying!¡± I can¡¯t beat him this time. Fine, whatever! She then walked into the vi without saying a word. As she was walking in, Lucas suddenly scooped her up by her waist and carried her into the vi. Ashlyn let out a silent sigh. Here he goes again. We¡¯re about to start bantering again. In the vi, Ashlyn took a shower, then sat on the bed to blow-dry her hair. When Lucas stepped out of the bathroom, he grabbed the hairdryer from her hand and started blow- drying her hair for her. Ashlyn was stunned. It felt like the times before they got divorced. Back then, although Lucas was equally cold towards her, his speech and mannerisms were gentle. On the contrary, he was now always bad-tempered, and his moods were unpredictable. Who was faking itst time? Me or him? She just couldn¡¯t figure out why there was such a huge difference in his character before and after their divorce. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 The man looked down and saw her lowering her head as well. His body heated up as he noticed the mark he¡¯d left on her neck. Lucas threw the hairdryer to one side, grabbed Ashlyn by her shoulder, and pulled her into her arms. Before she could react, her lips were already sealed by his. Here we go again. Ashlyn sighed as she was slowly aroused by Lucas¡¯ kiss. Ashlyn did not mind having sex with him, since they¡¯d already done it countless times for the past four years. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. What was more was that the man couldst pretty long, and his skill had improved a lot over the past four years. To put it simply, the sex could satisfy both of them. They were so close that they could hear each other¡¯s breath. ¡°Couldn¡¯t Ms. Chapman satisfy you? You¡¯re making it seems like you can¡¯t leave me,¡± Ashlyn mocked. Even though she knew she was going to enjoy the sex, there was still a part of her that felt frustrated about the situation. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t ruin the mood like this,¡± the man replied and bit her ear which made her blush immediately. ¡°Looks like I have to punish you for thinking about another person.¡± Ashlyn realized her mistake but it was toote. Two hours passed since and Ashlyn finally begged Lucas to stop. ¡°So, are you still going to seduce other people after this?¡± Lucas asked. Ashlyn waspletely out of breath and did not answer his question. When Ashlyn woke up the next day, Lucas had already left. Ashlyn struggled to get up as her back ached from the night before. As she turned around, she noticed an elegant box on the bedside table. She picked it up and opened it curiously, only to find a diamond ne shining in it. Lucas never cheaped out on his present for her. Yet, Ashlyn only took a nce at the ne and left it where she found it. Lucas had given her a lot of jewelry in the past four years, but she never took one with her. Let¡¯s leave it for Ms. Chapman. Ashlynughed in her head. Little did Ashlyn knew, the inte was inplete chaos as Lucas, who never posted anything online, updated his post. ¡®She¡¯s even pretty when she¡¯s asleep¡¯ Lucas updated along with a photo showing a slender body covered with a nket. Even though the woman waspletely covered from her head below, but the sheet perfectly carved out her wonderful figure as her long, ck hair rested naturally on the pillow. ¡®Oh my God!¡¯ ¡®I told you Mr. Nn is married! Damn, his wife looks pretty even from behind!¡¯ ¡®Is he showing off or what?¡¯ ¡®Noooooo!¡¯ ¡®What about the scandal saying he¡¯s getting a divorce because he has two mistresses?¡¯ ¡®Are you guys serious? You really think this is Mrs. Nn?¡± ¡®Who else could it be? We know that one of the mistresses is blonde and the other has curly hair. The one in the picture is definitely not them.¡± ¡®So, this is Mrs. Nn, right?¡¯ ¡®Perhaps it¡¯s his third mistress?¡¯ Theizens immediately went to stalk Lucas¡¯s profile and found that he was following a single ount. The ID of the ount was ¡®Mrs. Nn.¡¯ People began to shift their attention towards this ount but soon realized that the ount was completely empty. The only post on the ount was generated automatically when the ount was created. The only thing the people managed to find was that the ount was created around 8 in the morning that same day. Screenshots of ¡®Mrs. Nn¡¯s¡¯ ount began to spread online as people spammed the ount¡¯s inbox. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Ashlyn walked out of Whind Vi and noticed that her phone was blipping non-stop. It didn¡¯t sound like a message notification nor a ringtone. She took her phone out curiously and almost fainted from anger. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. On her phone was a new social media application that she never installed. When Ashlyn opened up the app, she found out it was already registered under the ID of ¡®Mrs. Nn.¡¯ Ashlyn took a deep breath to stop herself from venting her anger. That childish man! What did he do while I was sleeping? Since Ashlyn¡¯s phone was locked with a face scan, Lucas could easily unlock it while she was sleeping. What she couldn¡¯t believe was that Lucas actually registered an ount for her and made her follow his ount. He even named her ount as ¡®Mrs. Nn.¡¯ Mrs. Nn my ass! I¡¯m your ex now! How can a man who¡¯s nearing his 30¡¯s be so childish? Why is he still doing such a thing now that we¡¯re divorced? To entertain the inte? I thought he didn¡¯t want the world to know my existence? I thought he wanted me to be a stranger? Then, what is this? Is he trying to screw me over? Now that Ashlyn learned that the blipping sound was from the application, she realized her inbox and comment section were almost maxed out. Most of the messages andments were either asking if she was really Lucas¡¯ wife or how did she and Lucas get together. Some also asked when will the divorce happen. Few of those were hate Ashlyn gritted her teeth at those hatements while ming Lucas in her head. Hera was very active on social media, and naturally, she noticed the trending ount as well. Evidently, she was jealous about it, especially after seeing the picture of Ashlyn. She immediately dialed Lucas¡¯ number. ¡°Lucas¡­¡± ¡°Hera? Do you need something?¡± the man asked uninterestedly. ¡°When are you taking me to meet Ms. Saunders? It¡¯s been days since you¡¯ve returned¡­¡± Hera asked in a pitiful voice. Unfortunately for her, Lucas hadpletely forgotten about it. ¡°We¡¯ll have to make an appointment if we want to meet her.¡± ¡°Even you?¡± ¡°Of course. There are rules we have to follow,¡± Lucas replied coldly. Hera quickly made her tone sounded as pitiful as she could. ¡°But, you know¡­ I really want to participate in thepetition. My grandpa will get better if I get a good score¡­ I have to meet with Ms. Saunders as soon as possible so that my grandpa could get better¡­¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll let you know once I make the appointment.¡± After hanging the call, Lucas stood in front of the window and gazed at the clear sky. Mrs. Field, the mother of Joseph Field, who was Lucas¡¯ best friend since childhood, was very fond of concerts and was a huge fan of Madeline Saunders. The Fields had served in politics since generations ago, and Mrs. Field was the mayoress of Riverdale. With her status, most artists would be humble towards her since having a mayoress as a fan was something worth bragging about. Yet, as Madeline¡¯s die-hard fan, Mrs. Field never got the chance to meet the real Madeline who went to great lengths to keep her identity anonymous. Whenever Madeline would perform on stage, she would dress in traditional clothing and hide her face behind a golden mask. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 The fact that Madeline yed the piano on stage in a traditional dress became a huge topic once. The most important part was that she was famous throughout the globe and had fans all around the world. Anyone who had witnessed her live performance would be enchanted by her music. It was pure bliss. It was something that neither recordings nor videos could replicate. Since Hera had requested Lucas to help her meet with Madeline, Lucas turned to Mrs. Field for help, who agreed immediately to Lucas¡¯ request. Yet, Mrs. Field still warned Lucas on the hardship of winning Madeline¡¯s favor and that he had to find something she was really fond of in return. Lucas immediately thought of traditional clothing and essories based on Madeline¡¯s rumored preferences. Spencer suddenly knocked on the door and entered. ¡°Mr. Nn, the meeting is about to begin. When Lucas turned around, Spencer was shocked to see the pretty face was now covered in scratches and bruises. ¡°Sir, I think it¡¯s better if you wear a face mask or a pair of sunsses¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Lucas smiled as he touched the bruise on his face. This is the proof of happiness, not like you single people would understand. The meeting room was rtively noisy until Lucas entered and the room turned it dead silent. The executives dropped their jaws as they saw the bruises on Lucas¡¯ face. Everyone had the same thought in their head. Who dared to do that to our boss? Does he have a death wish or what? ¡°Let¡¯s start the meeting!¡± Lucas ordered coldly and sat down. Everyone regained their wits after hearing Lucas¡¯ familiar cold tone. It was then Joseph pushed the door open and screamed when he saw Lucas¡¯ face. ¡°Oh my God! What the hell happened? Which b*stard did this to you? Consider that person dead! How dare he hit my best friend! You better not show your face in front of my mom until it heals, or else she¡¯s going to cry.¡± Anger was written all over Joseph¡¯s face. Lucas opened the file in front of him and said, ¡°So, you¡¯re nning to kill my wife?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Joseph¡¯s eyes widened. Didn¡¯t this b*stard and his wife get a divorce? Lucas raised his head to look at Joseph. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to send you to Africa on a business trip.¡± ¡°Wait, what? Why are you suddenly sending me there? Come on, man. That ce is boring! And there are no chicks either! Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± ¡°Because I just decided on it a second ago.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Joseph rebuked as he could not believe Lucas would do that to him. ¡°You.. you¡¯re mean!¡± Lucas lightlyughed at Joseph¡¯s frustration. ¡°You should leave soon. Your destination- Africa.¡± Joseph cried as he left and the room returned to silence once again. Every executive tensed up as the mood turned grim.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Did Mrs. Nn really did that? Isn¡¯t this domestic violence? But, why does Mr. Nn seemed excited after getting hit like that? Could it be that one of his screws is loose or something? Everyone was drowned in their own wild imaginations, trying to picture what really happened to Lucas. The more they thought of how the cold and ruthless Lucas was pinned to the floor by his wife and getting hit by her, the more it felt wrong. ¡°What? These bruises are proofs of love. Start the meeting,¡± Lucas said as he scanned the room. All the executives stared at Lucas and apuded him for being such a doting person, to the point where he believed that being hit by his wife was an act of love. It also exined Lucas¡¯s update on his social media that same morning about his wife, which the executives believed that Lucas was forced to post it by Mrs. Nn because the photo of him with his mistresses angered her. That was Lucas¡¯s punishment, or so everyone thought, which made sense. The executives began to wonder what would happen if their wives found out they had a mistress and came to an agreement that they would suffer much more than Lucas did. Just like that, a few new hashtags popped up on the inte which garnered the same attention as Mrs. Nn¡¯s ount. #NnDomesticVince #LucasBruise #TheFierceMrsNn All of these happened when Lucas appeared in thepany¡¯s canteen without covering his face. A few of his employees secretly took photos of him and posted them on the inte. From one photo to two photos, the inte was soon covered with photos of Lucas¡¯s face. The inte was thrown into chaos once again. ¡®That¡¯s why Mr. Nn tagged Mrs. Nn¡¯s ount this morning! It was all Mrs. Nn¡¯s doing! She¡¯s asserting her dominance over his mistresses!¡¯ ¡®Mr. Nn just got sh*t on by his wife for cheating on her.¡¯ ¡®But his pretty face¡­¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t you think the bruises look good on him too?¡¯ ¡®Mrs. Nn sure is cruel.¡¯ ¡®How can she bring herself to injure such a pretty face?¡¯ ¡®In the name of the moon, I¡¯ll punish this bitch!¡¯ The inte was immediately divided into two different opinions. The only thing that everyone had in common was their increasing curiosity toward Mrs. Nn¡¯s identity. Ashlyn scrolled through thements furiously, cursing the man who caused themotion. That shameless b*stard! He¡¯s the one who used my phone to register an ount, not the other way round! How is it my fault now? The more Ashlyn thought about it, the angrier she got. To take her revenge, she took a photo of the bite mark without showing her face and posted it on her ount to show that she was a victim. Yet, to Ashlyn¡¯s surprise, Lucas immediately shared her photo andmented, ¡®I¡¯m so sorry, babe. I shouldn¡¯t have bite you.¡± Lucas¡¯sment instantly pushed the show to its climax. Theizens continued to spam thement section. ¡®Mr. Nn is a true man! He fought back by biting her!¡¯ ¡®I guess their fight ended peacefully?¡¯ ¡®Peacefully? You should say their fight ended with both side suffering!¡¯ ¡®W*f! How can you bring yourself to bite on such a beautiful skin?¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t this another way to show off?¡¯ Lucas replied to two of thements because he was in a good mood. ¡®This is a proof of our love.¡¯ ¡®I left my unique mark on her.¡¯ Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Lucas returned back to the meeting after posting thements as if nothing had happened. On the other hand, Ashlyn had no idea what Lucas was nning. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Why is he doing this? We¡¯re divorced! A proof of love? Are you kidding me? Ashlyn let out a deep sigh as she deeply regretted posting that photo out of impulse. Am I going crazy just like Lucas did? Since when did I be so easily irritated? This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn threw her phone to the side and went back to sleep. After she woke up, Ashlyn returned to Bayview Vi. The servants had gathered around to gossip about what happened on the inte ¡°Don¡¯t you think Mr. Nn and ourdy is a match made in heaven?¡± ¡°Too bad they¡¯re divorced.¡± ¡°But still, there must be something wrong with Mr. Nn¡¯s judgment. Why can¡¯t he see that his mistresses are in whores?¡± ¡°Right? Ourdy could even take down a group of men on her own. How can they evenpare to her?¡± Ashlyn overheard the conversation as she was heading down to grab some snacks. ¡°You guys have nothing better to do?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s expression darkened. The servants turned around and jumped when they saw Ashlyn standing behind them. ¡°Mdy¡­¡± The servants tried to keep their mouths shut, but one couldn¡¯t help but asked when she noticed the bite mark. ¡°Mdy, should I boil an egg for you?¡± ¡°Egg?¡± Ashlyn questioned in an angry tone. ¡°My mother always told me when I was little that rolling a warm egg on your face can reduce the swelling.¡± ¡°Is that so? Get me 10 then!¡± Ashlyn ordered and pulled a cake out of the fridge before heading back up to her room. When Jared returned and saw the ¡®love¡¯ mark on Ashlyn, he couldn¡¯t help butugh out hard. Ashlyn red at him. ¡°Shut your mouth or I¡¯m going to tear it off your face!¡± What¡¯s funny about this? You shouldugh at Lucas instead! ¡°Looks like you two really went at each otherst night!¡± Jared joked. ¡°Shut it!¡± Ashlyn threw the tissue box next to her at Jared. ¡°You should keep the mark. It looks good on you.¡± Jared avoided. ¡°Get lost!¡± ¡°Mdy, please do not move.¡± The servant who was pressing a hard-boiled egg gently on Ashlyn¡¯s face stopped her. Ashlyn instantly stopped her movement. Jared moved forward to take a close look at the bite mark. ¡°That¡¯s quite deep. Will it go away before the charity g?¡± ¡°What? Do you think I¡¯m still going with you when you¡¯reughing at me like this? Dream on!¡± Jared was taken aback. God! Please give me the power to reverse time! I swear to neverugh at Ashlyn! Just as they were arguing, Ashlyn received a video call. She quickly grabbed her phone that was on the tea table and realized it was from Lucas. Ashlyn remembered how crazy Lucas could be if she did not pick up her phone. Not only would he rush over to her ce, but he might also even do something insane like driving a ne straight to her vi likest time. Ashlyn knew that no one could stop Lucas if he went crazy, which left her no choice but to answer his call. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I just finished showering. Have you showered yet?¡± Lucas was wiping his hair dry and his body half- naked, showing the perfect separation between his muscle fibers. His dripping-wet hair only made him look even sexier. ¡°Are you crazy? Why do you even care? I¡¯m hanging up!¡± Ashlyn scolded. ¡°Wait! Can youe with me to the charity g?¡± ¡°Hell no!¡± Ashlyn scoffed. ¡°This ex-wife of yours isn¡¯t suitable to be by your side. Wait¡­ I can hear Ms. Chapman and Ms. Wynn calling out to you.¡± Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Ashlyn hung up right after that, feeling at ease for rejecting Lucas¡¯s invitation. This is how a divorced couple should act. Ashlyn knew that as long as she wasn¡¯t in the same room as Lucas, her judgment would not be clouded by her desire, which did not feel good at all. Lucas stared at his phone and threw his towel on the floor. His swollen face had no expression on it as the woman who moaned happily next to him the night before was treating him coldly. What a heartless woman! Ashlyn stayed in her room for the next few days until it was Friday. Jared rushed back from his office in the noon and begged with everything he got until Ashlyn agreed to attend the charity g with him. Everyone knew that Jared was bringing a beautifuldy. If Ashlyn did not go with him, he would¡¯ve been teased by his friends at the g. At 5 in the evening sharp, the professional makeup team that Jared hired arrived at Bayview Vi. The whole makeup took about two hours until it was seven. Ashlyn opened her eyeszily after her makeup was done and asked her maid to bring her some snacks. After finishing her fruits and desserts, she drank a cup of fruit tea before heading down. The members of the makeup team were staring at Ashlyn dumbfoundedly. The team had serviced a lot of A-tiered celebrities, including award-winning actors and actresses. All their clients were either the epitomes of having a perfect face or charm. Yet, this was the first time that they¡¯d saw a woman who had all of those qualities. She was the woman they were staring at, one that was elegant, sculptured, and powerful. One of the male makeup artists quickly ran up to Ashlyn and helped lift the train of her dress. ¡°Be careful on your way down, Ms. Berry.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Ashlyn smiled. As she turned around and noticed that Jared was standing not far from her. When Jared saw the smile on Ashlyn¡¯s face, he gulped as it was a beautiful sight that was different from her usual coldness and without her mockery. Jared knew that his boss could be very seductive, but he¡¯d never imagined she would be this seductive. It exined why Lucas still wanted her back after they were divorced because the woman¡¯s look could make a country fall. As the president of Centennial Healthcare, Jared was always required to befriend a lot of big shots. Thus, the makeup team that he¡¯d hired was one of the bests in the country. Since Ashlyn hadn¡¯t looked at herself in the mirror, she¡¯d no idea about the perfect job the team had done to her. Jared¡¯s car arrived at Alita Grand Hotel at 8 pm sharp. A long-red carpet extended from the hotel¡¯s entrance to the drop-off area. The interior was elegantly decorated and attendants in uniform were pacing back and forth to help the attendees. Reporters surrounded the red carpet, ready to take photos of the guests that would be arriving. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Many dressed in suits and elegant dresses walked past the red carpet. Most of them were well-known celebrities. Since it was a charity g, preparing an item to auction off was a must. Jared looked at the celebrities and exined, ¡°The Haddocks would host a charity g annually. This will be the tenth year. Since the g is widely praised all around the country, only the best of the best in the industry has the chance to attend. As for the celebrities and smaller enterprises, being able to participate is something to be proud of.¡± ¡°It would be perfect if the Haddocks are as generous as you said,¡± Ashlyn sighed. Jared could not understand what Ashlyn meant, and she chose not to exin it. Since Ashlyn remained silent, Jared took something out. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared an item for you to auction off as well. A jade bracelet.¡± Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Ashlyn perched her lips and said, ¡°I already handed mine over to the auction.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jared responded with a surprised look. ¡°I felt it was only appropriate of me to turn up with an item or two with values befitting the evening¡¯s banquet. We can¡¯t afford to disgrace Mr. Quickton now, can we?¡± Ashlyn replied as she gave him a look. The spotlights shone brightly as it focused its attention on the red carpet. The celebrities took turns to pose for the cameras. But in the presence of the veterans, they knew their ce and stepped aside. The world favored capitalism. Celebrities were nothing but mere tools for that. Ashlyn and Jared exited from their vehicle and quickly found themselves in front of the camera lens. The reporters were caught with their pants down but only momentarily. They sprung back into action and were frantically snapping away. Click! Snap! Jared¡¯s girlfriend? Was this a joke? He brought his girlfriend to an important charity event! What a shocking turn of events. Jared the old fossil really did have a girlfriend. ¡°What¡¯s her story? Who is she? I have never seen her before.¡± ¡°Was she an international model or starlet? How did we not know about her?¡± ¡°With that face, it was impossible she was not recognized right away!¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. The whispers were hushed, and the industry gossiped. People were astonished by the exquisite beauty that stood beside Jared, and her elegance was breathtaking. Jared was a man adored by millions, and he was also the CEO of a multinational corporation. Yet, he was overshadowed entirely by her. He was nothing more than a backdrop, and no one paid any attention to him. Jared was in tears! I still got it, don¡¯t I? Sob¡­ sob¡­ sob! Am I destined to be her bag carrier for the rest of my life? Both of them arrived at the entrance. As soon as they stepped in, all eyes were on Ashlyn. Anybody who was anybody dropped their conversations. They were all speechless. How could such beauty exist on this? Her beauty was mind-blowing. In that instant, every woman present paled inparison to her grace. The magnificent hall lost its brilliance as she strolled across it. They quickly regained theirposure as soon as they realized she was Jared¡¯s partner. Jared sent word out through a social media post and announced that there would be a goddess at the banquet. He attached a side profile picture, and it created a frenzy on the inte. The narcissists and self- absorbed had a field day with it. She looked stunning in person! It was enough to tempt a monk to rethink his celibacy vows. ¡°Mr. Quickton,¡± his name was announced. Immediately the spotlights were focused on him. With a long stride, Jared held Ashlyn¡¯s arms in his and whispered into her ear. ¡°Boss, you could easily make a living off your looks, yet you chose to depend on your talents and hard work. Look at them grovel at your feet.¡± Ashlyn stared at him coldly. ¡°Zip it.¡± Jaredughed even harder and said, ¡°Ouch. Am I not allowed to pay you apliment?¡± Ashlyn lifted her head and replied gracefully, ¡°What you said was the truth; thus, it did not count as a compliment.¡± The reporters noticed their intimate behavior, and their camera shutters started to go off frantically once again. The distinguished guests in the hall had disappointment written all over their faces. Jared certainly pulled no punches this time. It was bad enough they were ying catch up with Centennial Healthcare in the business world. This gorgeous beauty who walked alongside Jared was the nail in the coffin. They could note to terms with the situation. Back at Nn Group in the CEO¡¯s office. Spencer gulped as soon as he entered the room. Since Ms. Berry rejected Mr. Nn, he tore up the invitation to the Haddock Group¡¯s charity g. However¡­ he came across a live stream of the event on Weibo and caught a glimpse of the mysterious beauty who was rumored to be Jared¡¯s girlfriend. Hmm¡­ Within seconds the inte was abuzz andizens spected who she was. So¡­ His blood began to boil as he stared at the man who sat in the leather armchair. ¡°Ms. Berry is Jared¡¯s partner!¡± he yelled in fury. With a wounded pride, he pulled himself away from work and gnashed his teeth together. ¡°Damn that woman!¡± It seems like I went too easy on her. She forgot her ce and turned to Jared! His pupils dted with murderous intent. The room was overwhelmed with his menacing aura. The tension was palpable, and it made Spencer gasped for air. His body froze unwillingly as he stood there rooted to the ground. His eyes caught sight of the torn-up invitation, and despair overcame him. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Oh oh oh! Mr. Nn, your outbursts seemed to have taken a turn for the worse. Did you realized that? Ms. Berry first used you and was abused by you. Then, she humiliated you by beating you up, and now she has gone to be with Jared. You are already divorced. Let it go¡­ it¡¯s over. Have you forgotten you were the one who suggested getting the divorce in the first ce? He was spiteful and furious. The rage that had built up within him was like a caged beast that was bloody thirsty for revenge. ¡°Ashlyn you wretched woman. How dare you go against my orders.¡± ¡°Go! Bring her to me,¡± his voice boomed. Spencer was taken aback by Lucas¡¯s fit of rage and replied hastily, ¡°Alright, alright. I will head on out right now.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± He erupted as he sprung up from his chair. His towering figure stood over with a downcast vibe. ¡°I will do this personally!¡± he dered. Shortly after, a ck luxury car arrived and took off with him in a grandiose manner! She was not someone to be trifled with. Spencer may not be her match! As Lucas journeyed in his car, he shut his rage-filled eyes. At that moment, the charity g had begun. The first order of business was the typical charity auction. The auctioneer stood on stage and peered at the audience below. Dixon of the Haddock Group upied the front seat. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Just behind him were the seats reserved for Jared¡¯s and Jaquin¡¯s families, as well as members of the other distinguished families. Lucas¡¯s seat was naturally positioned alongside the Huo family on the same aisle. All eyes were on Dixon as he took his seat. He seemed lonely and withdrawn as he took his front-row seat. Hushed whispers could be heard all around, ¡°Mr. Nn isn¡¯t here.¡± ¡°He did not attend the past years g too.¡± ¡°It would seem that Mr. Nn had no interests in the charity g whatsoever.¡± Winsor had already taken his seat. He arrived ahead of time. He was not interested in the gossips and idle chit-chats out in the main hall. Due to his family background, he loathed the unnecessary formalities and red tapes that sought to control his behaviors. Shortly after he sat down, he overheard someone striking a conversation with Jared. ¡°Hello, Mr. Quickton.¡± ¡°Good day to you Ms. Berry.¡± Winsor chuckled under his breath. It was not too long ago when Jared¡¯s post with his lover caused quite the uproar. And here they are out together in the public¡¯s eye already? Who do they think they are? And who is this woman everyone¡¯s talking about? Jared was known in the industry to be a man of integrity and morals. At this point he could not help but turned to take a look. Ashlyn also happened to turn her attention in the direction of Winsor, and their eyes met momentarily. Winsor was surprised. Ashlyn? What was she doing here? He noticed sitting next to her was none other than Jared. In an instant, a sense of pending doom overcame him. ¡°Is she¡­ Jared¡¯s goddess everyone¡¯s talking about?¡± You have got to be kidding me! Jared that bastard, how did he get a jump on me? Jared was soon done with his small talks and escorted Ashlyn to their seats next to Winsor. Tinsor was also present at the event. He saw Ashlyn and eximed excitedly like a doll. ¡°My dear goddess! What are you doing here? Ahhh, the gods must be smiling down at me and, as fate brought us here together¡­¡± He jabbered uncontrobly to the point where Winsor jabbed him in the arm and interrupted him. ¡°Shut up and keep quiet!¡± ¡°Brother¡­,¡± Tinsor protested in a whimper. He continued to gush over Ashlyn in a milder tone and extended his arm as he said, ¡°My dear goddess, I would be honored to shake your hand.¡± Ashlyn kept herself aloof as she replied coldly. ¡°No.¡± Crash! Tinsor¡¯s fragile heart shattered into a million pieces. Dixon sat in front, and he overheard themotion between Tinsor and Ashlyn. When she rejected Tinsor, it put a smile on his face. Tinsor¡¯s groans of disappointment were music to his ears. So what if she was good-looking and had an attractive voice? She was only a woman who relied on another man¡¯s fortunes to get ahead in life. She was not worth his attention. Meanwhile, over at the hotel¡¯s main entrance, bystanders stared in disbelief at the invitation that had been shredded and stuck back together. Their hearts filled with remorse. Mr. Nn, how much did you hate the Haddock Group that made youmit such an act? What good came out of humiliating them? Ripping apart the invitation and piecing it together again¡­ damn, that was just downright despicable! Spencer was embarrassed beyond words as he handed over the invitation card. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 When the manic Mr. Nn changed his mood suddenly and unexpectedly, there is nothing anyone can do about it. They stepped into the venue and walked towards the auction. From a distance, Lucas saw Ashlyn sitting next to Jared. Her unparalleled face was lightly powdered and her makeup was clear and delicate. She was astonishingly beautiful. He only had eyes for her! At this moment Hera had just arrived and she was ratherte. Seeing Lucas¡¯ back from a distance, she quickly picked up her skirt to catch up with the man, ¡°Lucas dear!¡± The man turned a deaf ear as his mind was focused only on one thing, that is, to grab Ashlyn and bring her back! ¡°Ouch!¡± Hera wanted to hold Lucas¡¯ arm but the man walked too fast and she was wearing heels more than ten cm high. The moment she stretched out her hand, the hem of her skirt fell to the ground and she stepped on it. Thud! It was an embarrassing moment as she fell t on the ground. When the paparazzi present saw this scene, they took photos in a frenzy. In their minds, the captions were alreadyposed: Post Domestic Violence Mr. Nn Avoids Third Party, Hera Falls Embarrassingly At Haddock Group Charity G. Embarrassed and upset, Hera got up to her feet with the help of the waiters. Then she continued with her pursue of Lucas. Lucas¡¯ appearance attracted the attention of many. ¡°Mr. Nn didn¡¯t attend the previous gs, did he?¡± ¡°Why is he attending this one?¡± ¡°His expression on his face is terrifying¡­ really scary!¡± Jared carried a te of strawberries in his hand and held it up to Ashlyn with puppy eyes, ¡°They are imported from Italy. Give them a try.¡± Ashlyn nced at him, picked up the fork and put one in her mouth. Chewing gently, she said, ¡°It tastes good.¡± Not to be outdone, Winsor offered a te of cantaloupe, ¡°Ms. Berry, this cantaloupe was shipped from Xinjiang and it is very sweet.¡± Ashlyn nodded and tasted one as she replied, ¡°Thank you, it¡¯s so kind of you.¡± Those around were surprised! What¡¯s the story behind this woman? Mr. Quickton and Winsor are vying with each other to please her. Even the son of the Jaquin family is addressing her as the goddess! Lucas was piqued seeing Ashlyn surrounded by men. He was so furious that he could explode. How he wished that he could throw these stinking men into the Pacific Ocean to feed the sharks! He sat down bitterly. Suppressing his anger, he said coldly and irritably, ¡°Sit down next to me.¡± Ashlyn looked up as she heard the familiar raspy voice. She saw Lucas¡¯ gloomy yet handsome face and the glint of anger in his dark eyes. ¡°Oh, are you talking to me?¡± Ashlyn lowered her brows and looked at him with an innocent expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Nn. Mr. Quickton invited me toe with him. You¡¯re toote.¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Fine, that¡¯s great,¡± Lucas suppressed the fury that was inside him. Everything around him seemed to infuriate him and he wished that he could destroy everything. The crowd were surprised again! Woah! Even Lucas is vying to sit with her. Who on earth is she? We want to know! We want to know! Even Dixon was surprised by Lucas¡¯ actions. This woman is just superb, twisting a few men around her little finger at one go. Starting with Jared, then Winsor and now Lucas. That is interesting. At this exact moment, Hera arrived, panting because she had been running and her face was flushed. If it were not for the presence of the mourous, beautiful, and elegant Ashlyn, she could be considered pretty and lovable. Nevertheless, Ashlyn was present andparatively, she became just a face in the crowd. This face in the crowd, Hera, deliberately reached out to wipe the sweat from her forehead, thinking that her actions were ¡®poetry in motion¡¯, and whispered, ¡°Lucas dear, why are you walking so fast? I just stumbled and my legs hurt.¡± As she spoke, she was about to sit down next to Lucas but he mmed his big palm on the seat and said in a cold voice, impatiently and irritably, ¡°This is my wife¡¯s ce. Please, Ms. Chapman, sit down in your own seat.¡± Hera blushed a deep red, ¡°You¡­ aren¡¯t you¡­¡± Aren¡¯t you about to file for divorce? However, facing the man¡¯s ferocious gaze, she did not dare to finish her question. Her eyes filled with tears for she had never been humiliated in this way before. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 It hurt especially because this was an important public function. She felt as if her face had been battered swollen by Lucas. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Crying, she ran to the back row where the seats for the Chapman family were. Fortunately, she was the only one from the Chapman family today for the rest were in the hospital to apany Mr. Chapman. The reason why she came was because Mr. Chapman had entrusted her to auction off his calligraphy works on behalf of the Chapman family. Besides Mr. Cheng¡¯s calligraphy works, there were also her own paintings. As a celebrity one needed to have one or two talents that one must cultivate and hone. Born into a family of pianists, Hera majored in piano and minored in painting. Her paintings were considered good, not the topmost of inborn gifting but still eptable as average. Nevertheless, paintings of this standard in this circle were highly sought after. After all, there are just a handful of painters who are gifted with rare talent! Hera was also popr on Twitter, perhaps not like those inte stars who have gone viral but no less than sixty thousand followers She had already contacted the inte ghostwriters and some reporters. As soon as her paintings were photographed, they would immediately conduct publicity and hype on Twitter. Regarding Lucas¡¯ ways, the public just observed as onlookers. Just a few days ago on Twitter, photographs of Mr. Nn¡¯s domestic violence had gone viral. Apparently from his facial expression, his injuries must have healed. He remembered the pain of his injuries and therefore obediently distanced himself from the third party. Besides making a good impression, this move had other effects. A lot of wives of the wealthy were present and their families were gued with mistresses who were kept secretly by husbands. Seeing Lucas¡¯ change in behavior after being assaulted, many were envious of Mrs. Nn. Sadly, our own rascals will not change no matter how many times we beat them up. The men, on the other hand, had other views. Lucas is just putting on a show. He¡¯s only keeping a distance in public. In private, he¡¯s still the same. The host on the stage just ignored these turbulent undercurrents among the audience. When the time arrived, the auction was announced in ordance with the order of the program agenda. ¡°Next, I announce that the auction has officially started. The first lot is the pearl earrings handed down by the ancestors of President Wood, head of the Wood Group.¡± There were many business leaders present at the function, some of whom had a good rtionship with the Haddock Group, some with the Nn Group of South Star Airlines and some of them were close with the Jaquin family. After Dixon had greeted Lucas, he sat down on a front seat, watching the auction on the stage. This was the tenth time the Charity G was being held and the items to be auctioned off were the best from the various families. If anything were less, it would be an embarrassment for the Haddock family. Therefore, the items sent by these leaders of society who participated in the banquet had been authenticated in advance. The auction proceeded in an orderly manner. After Mr. Chapman¡¯s calligraphy works were sold for the high price of 3 million, the host of the auction eximed in an emotional voice, ¡°The following lot is a rare painting by our Ms. Hera.¡± After the host had finished speaking, a gracefuldy brought andscape painting up onto the stage. ¡°This is a painting by Ms. Hera. As we all know, Ms. Chapman was born into a family of pianists. Just now Mr. Chapman¡¯s calligraphy was sold at a price of three million. As for Ms. Chapman¡¯s painting, looking at this mountain and this waterfall, I seem to hear the sound of spring water sshing.¡± ¡°Our Ms. Chapman is not only beautiful but also kind and she wants to do her part for charity. Look at the little child carrying a basket in this painting. He is a hard-working child in this mountainous area. This scene is so apt, echoing the theme of our charity dinner, which is ¡®Sending warmth to children in the mountains!¡¯ The starting price is eighty thousand.¡± Ashlyn sized up the painting, quite surprised that Hera could paint. She watched as Hera stepped onto the stage, standing beside the host, smiling shyly and humbly, like a demure little white lotus blossom, ¡°Thank you, everyone, for showing me your love.¡± Jared bent towards Ashlyn¡¯s ear and asked her, ¡°What do you think of this painting?¡± Ashlyn sneered, ¡°Nothing special.¡± Those nearby, who heard her words nearly choked. Isn¡¯t this woman just too arrogant? Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Hera was a well-known talent in the elite circle. At that moment, they were eagerly and impatiently waiting to catch a glimpse of Ashlyn¡¯s precious item. ¡°Are you not going to bid higher for your lover?¡± Ashlyn kicked Lucas, who was seated in front of her. The audience cheered at her arrogance and boldness. Among the crowd, there were people who assumed Hera to be Lucas¡¯ mistress, but not a single one of them dared to say so to his face. Even Dixon would not dare to say so. However, Ashlyn did! Everyone broke out in a cold sweat as Lucas seemed agitated. His anger was not something she could deal with. Jared and Winsor, who looked as if they were enjoying the show, were the exceptions. They did not seem to worry about the woman beside them. Both of them had the same thought. Ashlyn, my goddess, my big boss! Why would she need to exercise restraint? Lucas turned around as he red at Ashlyn with a malicious gaze. This woman just wanted to irritate and anger him! Hera stood on the stage and thought, This woman has a really horrible temper. She dares to make a move at Lucas. He¡¯ll definitely teach her a lesson she¡¯ll never forget. At the thought of that, she especially anticipated seeing Lucas. She hoped he would bid higher and put that reckless woman in her ce. However, the man¡¯s thin lips only slightly parted as he spat out four words, ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss.¡± Don¡¯t make a fuss? Everyone thought they misheard. No matter how they looked at it, those four words sounded tender. What was that about? Ashlyn smacked her lips with disdain and retorted, ¡°You are so boring!¡± Hera was exasperated. Which did this womane from? She looked at Ashlyn with hidden hatred, but she suddenly froze. Isn¡¯t that Dr. Berry? What is she doing here? She was too focused on Lucas before and did not notice anyone else in the surroundings. Dumbfounded, she took a second look. Isn¡¯t she just an insignificant doctor? Why would she appear at this gathering? Hera scrutinized the two men beside Ashlyn, who were nodding and fawning over thetter. How did she manage to get associated with those two big shots? They seem to know each other well. Slut! Hera cursed in her heart. In the end, they sold her artwork for five hundred thousand. A big round of apuse erupted from the audience. ¡°This piece of work is not even worth a hundred thousand,¡± Ashlyn spoke harshly. Upon hearing this, Hera¡¯s expression changed into one of stubborn humiliation. As if she had been severely wronged, she said, ¡°Ms. Berry, there is no need to speak so crudely. I really wonder what your precious item is.¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± ¡°Is it something that can¡¯t be shown to the public, which is why you can¡¯t present it?¡± Hera asked sarcastically. ¡°You can present something that¡¯s worth less than a hundred thousand. Why can¡¯t I show mine?¡± Ashlyn said. Her ability to push someone into a corner was immacte. Jared and Winsor knew about this ability of hers a long time ago, and thus, they were not surprised. Dixon, however, could not tolerate Ashlyn¡¯s arrogance. Before, he thought her methods were supetive, but now, she was just unbearably tawdry. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Hera blushed a bright red and clenched her teeth hard. She looked at Lucas for help. ¡°Look at what she¡¯s doing!¡± Lucas kept his head bowed. Without even looking at Hera, he said, ¡°She¡¯s right. Your grandpa¡¯s calligraphy has its achievements and can bepared to everyone else¡¯s. Do you think this insignificant piece of yours is worth disying?¡± Hera became dizzy with anger and her clenched fists trembled. She almost spat out a mouthful of blood. She red scornfully at Ashlyn as she returned to her seat. Joseph Field, who sat beside Lucas, coughed softly. ¡°Don¡¯t you think this situation is a little odd?¡± Chapter 119 Chapter 119 He secretly nced over at Ashlyn, who sat a row behind. This woman was dazzling, but her personality was also prickly. So they fancy these kinds of roses with thorns? ¡°You left your wife for this woman? No matter how I look at it, she looks like she¡¯s possessed by an incapable monarch. You deserve a beating for treating Mrs. Nn so badly.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Lucas shouted, unable to tolerate Joseph¡¯s yapping. It seemed that after flying to Africa for a few days, his memory was still as bad as ever. Everyone nearby was eavesdropping on the conversation. Previously, they were skeptical about the rumors that Lucas was a victim of family violence. Only now did they believe it. This was something Joseph had personally confirmed. The legendary Mrs. Nn intrigued them. They were especially interested in the woman who could hit Lucas. After that, a few precious jewelry and antique books were sold. Among them, a few pieces were sold at unbelievably high prices. Now and then, Hera would nce over and scrutinize Ashlyn. She wanted to know what ¡®precious item¡¯ thetter had. Just then, the emcee stood stunned for a moment before he said, ¡°Up next, we will put Ms. Berry¡¯s item up for auction. It¡¯s a piece of artwork titled ¡®A Hundred Birds Facing Phoenix¡¯.¡± ¡°A Hundred Birds Facing Phoenix?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Ms. Saunders best at drawing birds? A Hundred Birds Facing Phoenix is also one of her famous pieces. Could it be her artwork?¡± A man who was an expert in collecting calligraphies and paintings said, shocked. ¡°It can¡¯t be. How could Ashlyn have Ms. Saunders¡¯ artwork?¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s right! It is said that Ms. Saunders draws with her left hand and ys the piano with her right hand. Left hand, they said! Most people can¡¯t even draw well with their right hand, not to mention the left. She¡¯s one-of-a-kind!¡± ¡°Ms. Saunders is left-handed.¡± ¡°But she uses her right hand to y the piano!¡± Everyone was discussing the matter excitedly. All thedies that apanied the men were just props and there was no need to prepare their items. However, since Ashlyn was there, she naturally had to be prepared. Very prepared. At that moment, she stood up and marched toward the stage. Seeing her slender and graceful behind, Winsor smirked, ¡°Mr. Quickton, is Ms. Berry your girlfriend?¡± Jared smiled. ¡°You think too highly of me. I just see her as my goddess.¡± ¡°She¡¯s my goddess, too,¡± Winsor said cheekily. ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a fairpetition?¡± Jared stiffened. He did not dare to woo his boss; he would die a painful death if he did. He seemed to sympathize with Winsor as he rubbed his hands and said, ¡°Well, I wish you a smooth journey.¡± To be sacrificed halfway. Winsor frowned, not understanding what Jared meant. The more he thought about it, the more he felt it did not sound like a good thing. By then, Ashlyn had arrived onstage. Everyone had their gaze focused on her. Only then did Dixon see the looks of the woman he disdained. His heart wavered. Beautiful! How beautiful! Her beauty hurt his eyes and pricked his heart. This woman was right to be arrogant. Not only was she gorgeous, but she also had good connections. And Ms. Saunders was her strongest connection. He suddenly understood why she was surrounded by so many big shots. This woman is worth everything! Ashlyn nced over at the emcee. ¡°You¡¯re not done with the introduction.¡± As if it was his first time seeing such a dazzling woman, he snapped out of it and continued, ¡°This piece of work is from the legendary Ms. Saunders. Her works are priceless. The starting bid of this piece is ten million!¡± The audience instantly fell into silence. That was indeed Ms. Saunders¡¯ artwork! It was said that her works were incredibly difficult to acquire. Hera stood up, incredulous. She shrieked, ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Her artwork was sold for five hundred thousand. She even arranged for it to be a trending topic beforehand. She thought she would definitely be in the limelight today. But now, that n backfired. After all, the people present had all brought either jewelry or precious stones. Her painting was on a different levelpared to their items! Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Yet, Madeline Saunders¡¯ painting actually made an appearance. Ms. Saunders was a person who was usually uninterested in mundane affairs. Why would she step down from her high horse and give her precious item to Ashlyn for auctioning? ¡°Tell us. Where did you get that painting from?¡± Hera questioned with gritted teeth. ¡°From Ms. Saunders,¡± Ashlyn replied without sparing her a nce. ¡°Why? Is there a need for you to question who Ms. Saunders gifts her work too?¡± Hera choked up, her conceited facade faltering as she looked at the painting. As everyone knew, Ms. Saunders¡¯ drawings were never for sale and were only gifted to certain lucky people. As such, her works were priceless. Joseph was astounded. ¡°Ms. Saunders is a wonderful woman. My mother ¡ª No, my family has quite a few of her paintings, all of which were gifted to my mom. Is my mother gonna be rich since the bidding is starting at ten million?¡± He knew little about art and was unaware of how high the worth of the people in the industry was. Lucas kept getting a nagging feeling in his chest. Something was not right. How did he not know that Ashlyn knew Ms. Saunders? Madeline Saunders was an unparalleled beauty with an entric personality. However, there were also rumors that she was incredibly ugly and thus always wore a mask. However, her talents shocked the globe. She had many aplishments as a pianist and was a natural talent as a painter. Painting with her left hand and ying the piano with her right was something that was unheard of. She was worthy to be named an iparable genius. That was why Joseph felt dizzy. ¡°My mom is so lucky to be associated with Ms. Saunders.¡± ¡°This painting is refreshing, painted with vibrant colors. Look at this eagle! With its feathers colored layer uponyer and the immacte skill presenting its raw textures! Look at how peaceful and harmonious it is! Ms. Saunders¡¯ skills for painting are indeed glorious!¡± the emcee rambled animatedly. It was as if he had used every vocabry he knew of to describe the painting. The whole painting was a stunning three meters long. Even those who didn¡¯t appreciate art would resonate with them after seeing this painting. ¡°This painting has an exquisite design and flowy brush strokes. After knowing that I wanted to participate in this charity auction, Ms. Saunders gifted this artwork to me. The true meaning behind this painting is a metaphor for the prosperity of H Nation. Under the leadership of our president, we will advance rapidly and the citizens will be harmonious and at peace,¡± Ashlyn said indifferently. She went on, ¡°When ites to charitable deeds, it doesn¡¯t matter who does them. Ms. Saunders is just an ordinary person. She wants to contribute to this charity, and I simply happen to be acquainted with her.¡± Her words were a clear indication for them to start the bidding war. Dixon stared at her. Her aloofness and grace astonished him. Ashlyn walked to her seat and said to Jared, ¡°Name a price.¡± Thetter swallowed nervously. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Up to you,¡± Ashlyn said as she yawned delicately. She felt that this charity g was boring. Winsor immediately butted in. ¡°I¡¯ll be in charge of cing the first bid. What do you say?¡± He could not let a person like Jared be in charge. He had to take advantage of this situation and perform well. ¡°Up to you,¡± Ashlyn replied with the same three words. Winsor was thrilled as he threw a nce at Jared. ¡°15 million.¡± A distinct voice was heard suddenly. The two men froze in surprise and looked at Lucas simultaneously. You¡­ You married man! How dare you steal a bachelor¡¯s thunder! Winsor instantly became angry. If was any other day, I would have let it go. But how dare you try to steal my goddess! C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. What angered him the most was Lucas had made a big fuss over Tinsor beating ir up and caused Jaquin Group¡¯s shares to drop by three percent as his revenge. Windsor tried to hold back his anger and retaliated with a higher bid. ¡°16 million.¡± Lucas turned around to look at Ashlyn. ¡°How do you like my performance?¡± Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Ashlyn rolled her eyes. Could he get any more childish? ¡°I thank you on the behalf of Ms. Saunders,¡± she said coldly. Everyone started to get restless. Lucas immediately bid five million higher. It seemed that Ms. Saunders¡¯ painting was really worth a fortune. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Thus, everyone else increased their bids. Not long after, the bid reached twenty million, which was no small amount for a painting! Nheless, Ms. Saunders was too influential. These big shots would usually fight to purchase Ms. Saunders¡¯ painting but cannot do so. How could they not fight for it when one was right in front of them? Thus, they bid higher in a frenzy. Twenty-five million! Thirty million! Thirty-five million! It was still going up! Their eyes seemed to turn red from the greed. Joseph was speechless throughout. He desperately wanted to take down the paintings in his living room to put them up for auction! However, he did not dare to do so; those paintings were his mom¡¯s treasures. Even though the price skyrocketed, the higher the price, the more greedy the crowd seemed to be. At that time, the bid had reached fifty million! Atst, a big-bellied man shouted, ¡°100 million! 100 million! I have to have that painting for myself!¡± Everyone fell quiet and had their eyes fixed on him. This person was a known art lover. He usually liked to collect ancient paintings and calligraphies, but he was simply missing one of Ms. Saunders¡¯. Hera was dumbstruck. He¡¯s gone mad! Really mad! A hundred million! Ashlyn looked beyond satisfied. She stood up gracefully and strutted toward the middle-aged man and nced at his namete on his seat. ¡°Mr. Cornell Bailey, I thank you for your knowledgeable taste. I promise you that Ms. Saunders will give you another one of her newest pieces.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cornell went mad with admiration as he blushed bright red. Both his hands were even shaking. ¡°Really,¡± Ashlyn said before she took her seat. As Cornell filled out the cheque, he could not help but said to Ashlyn, ¡°Thank you, thank you!¡± The crowd erupted in chatter. Buy one, get one free. What luck! Could it be that Ashlyn was bluffing? Was she really so close to Ms. Saunders? Ashlyn smiled as she received the cheque, and it looked like roses had bloomed. ¡°Ms. Saunders has instructed me to donate all the earnings from this painting to Saunders Charity. We want to be transparent with you and you are wee to check on it.¡± Lucas frowned and felt like there was something amiss. Dixon¡¯s expression darkened. This woman! She was indeed arrogant, having tantly ignored Haddock Group. The earnings from the charity auction were supposed to be decided by Haddock Group. It was the first time that the money earned from the charity g was donated to another charity. All the admiration he had for Ashlyn instantly became hatred. She stepped down from the stage and returned to her seat. Jared tugged on Ashlyn¡¯s sleeve anxiously. ¡°Are you crazy? Are you close with Ms. Saunders? What if she rejects you? You¡¯re too impulsive!¡± ¡°She won¡¯t,¡± Ashlyn said before she turned her attention back to the auction. Winsor eyed Dixon whispered, ¡°Ms. Berry, you just offended Haddock Group.¡± Unlike Winsor¡¯s deliberately soft tone, Ashlyn spoke with a voice that was just loud enough for the people seated in the row in front of her to hear. ¡°Oh. I didn¡¯t think that Haddock Group was so narrow- minded and cared so much about a mere hundred million.¡± Dixon was speechless. His expression noticeably stiffened, but he still turned to Ashlyn and smiled. ¡°Ms. Berry must be joking. Of course, Haddock Group would not mind. It¡¯s all for charity; no matter what means are used, the main goal is to help the needy. It¡¯ll be fine as long as we can help them.¡± That statement was pretentious and grandiose but showed Haddock Group¡¯s generosity. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Dixon felt that what he said was extremely fitting. He was a cold-looking person. Even when he smiled, there was a feeling of negativity; like a viper waiting for an opportunity to pounce. It made others incredibly ufortable. Though Winsor¡¯s family was involved in illegal businesses in the past, he was quite a big-hearted man. On the other hand, Ashlyn was unimpressed by Dixon. He was handsome, yetcking. This level of attractiveness was not admirable. ¡°Thank you for that, Mr. Haddock,¡± Ashlyn said as she nodded. Dixon did not know why, but when she thanked him, he felt a strange sense offort, as if he had been rewarded. Damn it! It¡¯s not like I¡¯m Ashlyn¡¯s dog! Although he looked down on Jared and Winsor, he had lowered himself to be herpdog. At the same time, the hashtag ¡°Ms. Saunders¡¯ A Hundred Birds Facing Phoenix Sold For An Insane Price¡± immediately overtook other searches and became the top search. It was even weirder was that the topics that closely followed were ¡°Ms. Saunders¡¯ Painting Sold For 100 Million¡± and ¡°100 Million Donated to Saunders Charity¡±. ¡°This is really something else. The auction was at the charity g, but the money went to Saunders Charity.¡± ¡°Wow. Don¡¯t you guys think that this girlfriend of Jared¡¯s is really impressive?¡± ¡°I wonder if Haddock Group will get angry.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t know. It¡¯s a hundred million! I will never have that much money in my entire life.¡± Hera swiped through Twitter, and her anger rose. Originally, when she attended the charity g and auctioned her most precious work, it was sold for half a million dors. She wanted to get some hype for it and round up some fans, and show that talent coulde with beauty. She wanted to please Mr. Chapman. Once he was happy, he would appoint her as his heir. Her sale was seventh on the list of hot searches, and her fans continuously boasted in thements. Hera is truly a multi-talented, beautifuldy. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. How I wish I could kneel before Hera¡¯s art. I¡¯m a fan now. I knew she could y the piano. To think that she can draw well, too! Five hundred thousand! Impressive! There were several new fans who were unaware of the truth. However, ever since Ms. Saunders¡¯ search topic made its way up the list, it upied the top three spots. ¡°Hera¡¯s Painting 500k¡± suddenly seemed awkward and insignificant. The official announcement of Haddock Charity read: At the charity g at Oakleaf Hotel, Ms. Saunders¡¯ A Hundred Birds Facing Phoenix was sold for a hundred million. The money will be donated to Saunders Charity, and we hope we will have the opportunity to work with Ms. Saunders in the future. Thements section was instantly flooded. Poverty has restricted my imagination. A painting at one hundred million¡­ What kind of painting is it? It must be heavenly! Just one painting is worth a hundred million? Is it a scam? Ahhh! But that money really is wired to Saunders Charity. These two foundations seem to get along well! Right? Jared¡¯s girlfriend is really impressive. She actually earned a hundred million from Haddock Charity, and Haddock Group didn¡¯t mind either. Is Haddock Group letting it go on ount of Mr. Quickton¡¯s behalf? You¡¯ll never know! As they discussed, the onlinements eventually focused entirely on Ashlyn. Human morals are getting worse with each day! The rich can earn a hundred million just from auctioning a painting! The rich can get away with anything! Mr. Quickton¡¯s girlfriend is really powerful! She could actually personally manipte Ms. Saunders¡¯ work. After today, won¡¯t Ms. Saunders¡¯ painting always be a hundred million and above? No matter how I look at it, it feels like Jared is trying to market his own girlfriend. Are you trying to say that the Quickton family and Haddock Group joined hands? Are you dumb? They donated the money to Saunders Charity, but Haddock Group had no say in this. This is already a difficult pill to swallow, and you¡¯re still talking about joint marketing? Chapter 123 Chapter 123 What a shocker! But I think Jared¡¯s girlfriend wants to enter the entertainment industry. She used Ms. Saunders¡¯ painting and took this chance to get some hype. Right, right? I feel so too! Coincidentally, his girlfriend has be one of the top few searches! On the surface, he was promoting the painting, but somehow his girlfriend appeared at the top searches at the same time? This strategy is really impressive. Isn¡¯t Ms. Saunders the trending topic? What does it have to do with his girlfriend? You guys are really one to be envious. Could it be that you are fans of a certain mistress? Earlier this year, his girlfriend got scolded, but his mistress was praised. I don¡¯t understand what thementers above are thinking. That¡¯s right. Hera, whom everyone knows to be a mistress, actually has fans? It¡¯s really weird. What are these people thinking to support Hera? Thements became weirder. Just like that, theizens started arguing. The more they argued, the more popr the topic became. It surged to the top of the list and stayed there. However, this provoked some people. Hera was on the verge of breaking down! How did things turn out this way? Never in a million years could she get onto the list of trending searches. This one time, she wanted to be known as a beautiful, kind-hearted and talented person so others could forget about the scandal of her being a mistress. In the end, that matter became more clear to others, and it became a hot discussion topic. She was fuming mad. At the same time, in an office. ¡°Quick, arrange for another wave of trouble. This woman dragged me down with her. I must grab this opportunity to chide her,¡± Cindy urged her manager, Terry. If it weren¡¯t for Hera, she would not have been so severely attacked byizens. Furthermore, Nn Entertainment had put her activities on hold. Because of this, she was cklisted. It was not easy for her to gain poprity, but Hera sent her hard work down the ditch. ¡°Heracks the looks, figure, and temperament. Out of sheer luck, she managed to cozy up to Lucas,¡± Terry said. He was angry too. Out of all the celebrities he was in charge of, only Cindy seemed to have a bright future. In the end, she, unfortunately, encountered that jinx! Cindy had nned a birthday party to widen her fanbase. However, not only did Hera get in her way, but she also created a scandal. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Cindy was bound to lose all her reputation. It would have been fine even if she was really a mistress. However, Cindy was indignant that Lucas never spared her a nce. What a big loss it was! They postponed many of her projects, too. Cindy was angry, and Terry was just as mad. Thus, both of them discussed it and recruited a number ofizens to troll Hera to death. Above all, a paparazzi also sold them a photo of Hera falling at a banquet. Hera initially had bribed quite a few people to cover up the incident. However, some would do anything to earn a little extra money. Terry immediately used an ount to leak the photo on Twitter with ament. Look at the elegant socialites that you guys always talk about. They¡¯re really nothing much; she had such a nasty fall. Those photos captured Hera¡¯s ugly expression. A coge of such pictures was immediately formed. The graceful image that she usually carried as a socialite shattered. Her eyes and mouth widened in shock. She quickly instructed theizens toment on it on the leaked photo. Soon, the hashtag ¡°Hera Fell So Ugly¡± shot up the list of trending topics, right next to ¡°Hera¡¯s Painting 500k¡±. Countlessizens opened the photo to check it out and could not help butugh at it. Did Hera do this on purpose? What a great topic! How attention-grabbing! It looks like a fake fall! Ms. Fake Fall wins this round! In regards to the lively chatter on Twitter, the crowd at the auction were still immersed in the bidding. The emcee presented a highly valuable antique. ¡°This is the kingfisher headdress set from the Ming dynasty with all fifty essories included!¡± Chapter 124 Chapter 124 It was difficult to determine the value of the headdress, especially when it was an antique. Ashlyn could not help but suck in a breath. She fixed her burning gaze at the kingfisher headdress. She loved it so very much. The headdress¡¯ colors were vibrant, and it was made with the most exquisite materials; in the past, only royalties were fit to wear headdresses like this. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Wealthy families would wear were the golden and silver ones. This was the first time she had seen an antique headdress that was preserved so well. It was magnificent. In modern times, although some actors and actresses in ys would wear headdresses, the ones they wore were counterfeits. Once the auctioneer announced its price of ten million, she uttered, ¡°Twenty million.¡± Almost at the same time, a man¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Twenty million.¡± The crowd was stunned. Jared loves her that much? All of them thought Jared was the one paying. However, they were more surprised when they realized Lucas seemed to like it as well. They¡¯re so synchronized! Both called out an increment of ten million at the same time. Not one million or five million; it was ten million. It seemed like they were determined to get it. When Lucas saw the headdress, he was astounded. Once he recalled that Madeline Saunders had a preference for items like this, he was tempted to get it. The next thing he thought about was Fae¡¯s words. She had told him to cater to Madeline¡¯s liking. If he were going to meet Madeline, he could not be stingy with his gift. However, he had not expected Ashlyn to like it too. He stared at the headdress with aplicated look in his eyes before he said, ¡°Let her have it.¡± The crowd was silent; no one else called out a higher price. Ashlyn turned to Jared. ¡°The money.¡± Jared swiftly stood up to swipe his card when Winsor rushed in front of him. ¡°I¡¯ll be the one to pay!¡± The auctioneer looked at both of them and uttered, ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush. Mr. Nn has already paid for it.¡± Both Jared and Winsor were dumbfounded. Dixon looked at Lucas nonchntly as a wicked grin grew on his feminine face. ¡°I wonder what Mr. Nn¡¯s collection is.¡± Lucas swept his gaze in Ashlyn¡¯s direction and muttered coldly, ¡°It¡¯s just something my wife doesn¡¯t particrly like. Since she doesn¡¯t, I¡¯m selling it for charity.¡± He was furious whenever he recalled the woman throwing the present he had carefully prepared for her on the table. Something that Mrs. Nn doesn¡¯t like? What is it? The crowd was curious. One of the staff then took out a red velvet box. When she opened it, the diamond ne that was at least six carats gleamed brilliantly under the light. The crowd in the hall could not help but curse under their breaths. They could not believe that Mrs. Nn did not like something as beautiful as that. Then what the hell does she like? No woman can resist the temptation of owning diamonds, right? Desire shed past Hera¡¯s eyes. Since she met Lucas, the only thing that he had only given her was a bouquet of flowers. Although it was arge bouquet¡ªthere were 999 flowers in it¡ªit was iparable to the diamond ne. She felt upset. How does Mrs. Nn look like? She¡¯s married to Lucas for four years. Do they really not have feelings for each other? Hera had been confident earlier, thinking that she held a special ce in Lucas¡¯ heart. She was so sure that he would divorce his wife. Her confidence fled her. Why am I panicking? First, it was Mrs. Nn; now it was Ashlyn. Only God knew how jealous she was when she heard Lucas had spent twenty million on that headdress for Ashlyn. She could notprehend what was going on. Isn¡¯t she just prettier? She¡¯s flits around so many men like a butterfly. Is Lucas really blind to this? She has both Jared and Winsor wrapped around her finger. Ashlyn infuriated Hera. On the other hand, Winsor was contemting. Is Ashlyn really not Lucas¡¯ wife? That doesn¡¯t sound right. But if she is, why isn¡¯t she living with him? If she¡¯s not, why did she take ir away from Jaquin Residence? Chapter 125 Chapter 125 She was confounded. However, it did not seem like Jared would court a married woman. Hence, Ashlyn was definitely not Mrs. Nn. The auctioneer at the stage had started to call out the prices. Coincidentally, the starting bid was 500 thousand. The item that Mrs. Nn did not want was the same price as the artwork that Hera was proud of. Thetter could sense the surrounding people staring at her with mocking eyes. The corners of her lips twitched in barely concealed anger. Just as the crowd was wondering what amount they should bid, Ashlyn said, ¡°One million.¡± A glint was in Lucas¡¯ eyes. ¡°You like it?¡± Ashlyn nced at him before smiling brightly. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t like diamonds?¡± Then why didn¡¯t you take it away? Lucas gritted his teeth, furious. Does she not like it because I was the one to give it to her? The more Lucas thought about it, the angrier and more frustrated he got. In other words, she¡¯s telling me she doesn¡¯t like me. If she doesn¡¯t like me, why did she sleep with me? Why was she so enthusiastic and passionate on the bed? Lucas nearly ground his teeth t. There was a raging bonfire burning in his chest. He wanted to ignore all social pleasantries and drag this woman back to lock her up. That way, she would not have the chance tough at him here. The moment Ashlyn joined in, many of the audience started buttering Lucas up. Soon, his diamond ne was worth nine million. In the end, one wealthy businessman who was interested in working with Nn Group outbid the rest. Without any hesitation, Lucas shoved the check into Ashlyn¡¯s hands. ¡°Donate this to Saunders Charity. I wonder if it¡¯ll let me meet with Ms. Saunders.¡± Ashlyn flicked the cheque nomittally. ¡°Why do you want to meet with Ms. Saunders?¡± ¡°I have a favor to ask from her,¡± Lucas answered. ¡°It¡¯s true that it won¡¯t look good if she takes your money but refuses to meet you. I¡¯ll make arrangements,¡± Ashlyn said as she kept away the cheque. No one turned their back on money. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Everyone in the auction was staring at the two with greedy eyes. Either of the two¡ªnine million or the meeting with Madeline Saunders¡ªwas enough to tempt the people. ¡°About that, Ms. Berry, will I get to meet Ms. Saunders with nine million? I-I¡¯ll donate nine million to the Saunders Charity. Can you make arrangements for me too?¡± asked Cornell, the man from earlier who was rich but brainless. Ashlyn nced at him. ¡°Mr. Bailey, scarcity of an item determines its worth. There is only one meeting with Ms. Saunders, and it¡¯s for Mr. Nn. You¡¯ve already received a gift from me earlier. I said I¡¯ll ask Ms. Saunders to gift you a painting without asking anything in return. One must not greed.¡± She sounded philosophical. The others were impressed by her words. Anyone could clearly sense the sincerity in her words by looking at her expression and hearing her tone. She was neither dismissive nor patronizing. Hera was overjoyed. Lucas spent nine million for me. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re Ashlyn or Mrs. Nn. I remain the most important in his heart. Once again, she was filled with confidence in winning Lucas¡¯ heart. On the other hand, the trustee of Haddock Charity was devastated that they had been ignored. The trustee was Dixon¡¯s aunt, Sienna Oates. While Dixon was the head of the family, his rtives were in charge of certain fields in Haddock Group. As Sienna came from the currently thriving Oates family, and she was a student of managerial economics, she became the trustee for the charity among the many family members. As she had a way with words, and her husband was bedridden, she had been the decision-maker of her family. Furthermore, she had sworn loyalty to Dixon, and he trusted her. She could barely control the anger surging in her veins when Ashlyn and Lucas continuously humiliated the Haddock Group. Yet, she did not dare to talk on behalf of Dixon. Regardless, Ashlyn had now caught her attention. After the auction was dinner. Ashlyn elegantly sat in a corner. The soles of her feet were aching from her high-heels. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 She took off her shoes to look at her soles. There was a blister from the continuous friction. Without hesitation, she burst the blister and dried the wound with a tissue. ¡°You only have yourself to me for wanting to look good.¡± A crisp voice sounded out from above her head. Ashlyn knew who it was without lifting her head. ¡°Are you indirectly admitting that I¡¯m pretty?¡± Lucas was speechless, but it was not the first time anyway. He sat beside the woman and ced her leg on his knee. When his hand wrapped around her ankle, he paused. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. He looked up to find the woman slightly narrowing her eyes. Several strands of her hair were dangling in front of her face. She looked cute and enticing. Ashlyn rarely did her makeup; most of the time, she went out with no makeup. Lucas had not expected her to look breathtaking when she did her makeup. Ashlyn was about to put her leg back then when a hand stopped her. With one hand holding her ankle, Lucas ced his other hand on the wound as he wiped the wound with a piece of tissue. He was gentle, and his slightly rough fingertips were brushing against her soft skin. An electric current shot up her body from the bottom of her sole and rushed straight into her brain. For a moment, Ashlyn forgot she could struggle. The light from the crystal chandelier enveloped them tenderly. In an instant, her leg heated up. Ashlyn did not know what words could describe her feeling. It was odd, to say the least. ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡± Lucas let go of the fair ankle in his hand. Even her slender and fair legs were pretty. Her feet had wless toes with toenails radiating a healthy shade of pink. Lucas found himself swallowing at the sight. He forced himself to look away and muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t wear heels if you can¡¯t.¡± Ashlyn did not reply to him. When the man spoke, Ashlyn shifted her gaze elsewhere and tucked the stray strands of hair behind her ears. She did not know why her ears were heating up. Even her face felt warm. ¡°Ms. Berry.¡± Abruptly, Winsor¡¯s voice traveled to her ears. The muscr man had a cup of ice cream in his hands and was walking toward her with a smile. ¡°This was just served. I took one for you. Try it.¡± The romantic tension between Lucas and Ashlyn instantly dissipated. Ashlyn took the ice cream and stuck out her tongue to lick it. Satisfaction emerged in her eyes, and she mumbled, ¡°Thank you.¡± The coldness of Lucas¡¯ expression would have frozen the scene if it could. Sensing the drop in temperature, she looked into Lucas¡¯ cold eyes. For a moment, she thought she saw the ice shrouding thetter. The man¡¯s icy gaze was intense, and he looked positively murderous. Ashlyn stuck out her tongue to lick the ice cream again. It was refreshing. The texture was great too. Wrath was boiling in Lucas. Is the food sent by other men that delicious? Does she have to keep licking it? What¡¯s so nice about it? Lucas clenched his hands into fists and walked closer to Ashlyn. She widened her eyes as she stared at him. ¡°What are trying¡­ Ah!¡± Before she could finish her words, she was in midair. The man was carrying her in a bridal hold. A word escaped from his thin lips. ¡°Home!¡± The natural fragrance from the woman mixed with the sweet scent of the ice cream. She was as sweet as a marshmallow. The moment the man carried her, he kept away the murderous aura he was exuding. Sensing the change in Lucas, Winsor held his breath and took a step closer to them to stop him with a disdainful look. ¡°Mr. Nn, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate for you to force her. Don¡¯t you think so too?¡± ¡°Move aside,¡± demanded Lucas in a low voice and a malicious look in his eyes. ¡°Let me down, Lucas.¡± Ashlyn was embarrassed. She could sense that theirmotion had attracted the attention of many. It was as if the dining hall had turned into a battlefield. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Lucas and Winsor were ring at each other, and sparks were flying. Although Ashlyn¡¯s sole hurt, it was a minor pain to her. She raised her hand to pinch Lucas¡¯ waist. ¡°Are you deaf? Put me down!¡± Lucas moaned in pain as he lowered his head to see the blush on her angry face. A sense of tenderness crept into his heart, and he ced her down gently. The moment Ashlyn¡¯s feet reached the ground, she waved at Jared, who was chatting with several others. ¡°Come here, Jared.¡± Upon hearing her, Jared shed an apologetic smile at the middle-aged man he was talking to and rushed toward Ashlyn. Before he could ask her anything, the woman reached out her hand and shot him a re. ¡°Help me.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am!¡± Jared was close to calling her ¡®Your Highness¡¯ instead. ¡°I dare you to leave with him.¡± If looks could kill, Lucas would have killed Jared three times over. He pursed his lips in silence as he red at Ashlyn and Jared. Feeling helpless, Ashlyn muttered, ¡°If I can¡¯t leave with him, am I supposed to leave with you? Mr. Nn, what kind of rtionship do we have? Think it through before you answer me.¡± The man leaned down to twirl a strand of hair with his fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what rtionship we have?¡± he repeated the question to her. ¡°I know, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m leaving with him.¡± Ashlyn reached out to send a flying kiss to Lucas. ¡°See you never.¡± With her hand on Jared¡¯s arm, the two slowly walked out. Despite the difort she was feeling on her soles, her steps remained graceful as if she felt no pain. The crowd subconsciously moved aside to clear up a path for her. Rage filled Lucas¡¯ lungs instead of air. That disobedient woman! Ferociously, he grabbed the whiskey on the table and downed it. Then he strode toward the direction Ashlyn had left. By now, Ashlyn and Jared were already out of the hotel. She was waiting for him to get his car from the parking lot. Her hair billowed from the gust of wind, and she shivered from the cold. Abruptly, a mighty hand grabbed her fair wrist and tugged harshly. Ashlyn fell into warm arms. The man unbuttoned his suit jacket and wrapped it around her thin body. It felt as if the heat emanating from his chest was endless. Ashlyn could feel the man¡¯s firm muscles through the thin shirt he was wearing. It was exceptionally obvious as he took slow breaths. She could even hear the powerful heartbeats in his chest. A familiar masculine scent wafted across her nose. The man¡¯s arms were like steel chains as he restrained her in his arms. The husky voice and the man¡¯s scent crashed toward her like a tsunami wave. ¡°Jared is worse than I.¡± He left you here in the cold, was what remained in his head, unsaid. ¡°But he listens to me.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s voice was monotonous. ¡°Mr. Nn, please let go of me.¡± ¡°No.¡± Lucas¡¯ eyes were bright as if a fire were burning in them. Ashlyn turned to see the man staring at her, unblinking. The glint in his eyes seemed to have gotten brighter. He never once shifted his gaze away from her. At that, Ashlyn knitted her brows. When she saw Lucas¡¯ flushed face, a cold look emerged in her eyes. Something¡¯s wrong. Something¡¯s off about Lucas¡¯ expression. ¡°What did you drink?¡± There was only one thought in his mind. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Pounce on Ashlyn and eat her up. His strong willpower seemed to have gone on a strike. That thought was the only thing on his mind. His gaze was fixed on Ashlyn, almost burning holes through her. In fact, there was a hint of animalistic hunger in his eyes. ¡°Lucas, what did you eat? What did you drink during dinner?¡± Ashlyn asked in a firm voice. Lucas remained silent. All he did was to carry the woman up onto his shoulders and strode toward his Bentley. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Meanwhile, Spencer had reached the entrance of the hotel. Lucas threw Ashlyn into the cars with burning greed in his eyes. The engine of the car slowly started up, and when Jared drove over, he witnessed the scene. He was at a loss for words. Boss, I can¡¯t do anything about this kind of thing. You¡¯re on your own. In the Bentley, the man¡¯s burning gaze would have set the entire car alight. Ashlyn climbed to a seating position on her seat and stared at Lucas, who had an unusual expression on his face. She pursed her red lips and repeated, ¡°Lucas, did you eat something that was spiked earlier?¡± What¡¯s wrong with this man? It¡¯s obvious that something has triggered his primitive desires. ¡°Ms. Berry, did something happen?¡± Spencer worriedly looked at Lucas. However, Lucas stared at her with eyes that seemed to get brighter with every second. He reached out to pull Ashlyn toward him as he snaked his other hand around her waist to pull her into his arms. ¡°Alcohol. I drank a ss of whiskey.¡± Before he came out, he had grabbed a ss of whiskey to drink because he was frustrated. What they did not know was that two servers were trembling in fear at the dinner. ¡°What now? I served the spiked drink to the wrong person,¡± one server said. ¡°Who did you give it to?¡± ¡°I think it was Mr. Nn who drank it.¡± ¡°Are you stupid? The drink was meant for Ms. Berry. You¡­ What do we do now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s run.¡± Right after their conversation, the two took off their server uniforms and ran off into the night. Meanwhile, in the Bentley, Ashlyn was struggling in Lucas¡¯ arms. The heat of the man¡¯s palms shocked her. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Lucas growled. Hisrge hand grabbed her chin and lifted her head. The woman had a tensed look as her hazel eyes red at him. On the other hand, the man¡¯s eyes were gleaming frighteningly, and his face was flushed. When Ashlyn saw Lucas¡¯ face, she scoffed coldly. It was obvious that the whiskey Lucas drank earlier was spiked. Furthermore, from the way he was acting, it was something potent. ¡°Lucas, you¡¯ve been drugged,¡± Ashlyn hissed at the man. Lucas scowled. Despite the overwhelming desire, he didn¡¯t lose his rationality. Upon hearing her words, his eyes dimmed, and he frowned at Ashlyn. His tightening throat made his voice hoarse. ¡°Hot¡­ I¡¯m so hot.¡± He grabbed the woman¡¯s cold hands and covered them on his bare neck. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. He sighed in relief at the cooling sensation. The man¡¯s head was slightly tilted upward, and his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. In other words, he looked seductive. Moreover, his wild eyes were narrowed, his longshes were fluttering, and his sharp nose had beads of sweat on them. The masculine energy he exuded filled every spot of the car. The very look of him sent hearts pounding. He¡¯s too enchanting! He¡¯s too alluring! He¡¯s the epitome of masculine beauty! Ashlyn gulped. Until now, she had never known that a man could be as sexy and tempting as this. ¡°Lucas, soon-¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Lucas pressed her down on the seat with a loud thud. He was rough. She ended up knocking her head on the seat. Hence, the strong man pounced on the defenseless Ashlyn. A throbbing pain came from the back of her head, and Ashlyn now had a terrified look on her face. She stared at Lucas, who was pinning her down, as the man stared back at her. His dark eyes were like those of a panther watching its prey. ¡°Lucas Nn, get up this instant!¡± The woman bellowed with controlled fury. Lucas, who had an indifferent look on his face but was on the verge of losing his mind, answered her by pressing his hot lips onto hers. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 He sucked and bit on her lips. It was rough and greedy; it was wild and domineering. This is not a kiss. It¡¯s a beast venting all of its emotions. A sharp pain was the only sensation Ashlyn could feel from her lips. She narrowed her eyes and moved to push Lucas off her. However, he tore off his shirt off like a maniac¡ªthe silver buttons falling onto the car floor¡ªand revealed his muscr chest. His actions were feral and menacing. Ashlyn held her breath for a moment. ¡°Lucas, have you gone mad? Were you spiked with aphrodisiac or a potion for beast transformation?¡± she howled furiously as her delicate features twisted into an ugly expression. She had never been raped. It was obvious that this was going to lead to a rape case. Lucas ripped her shirt off. Frustrated, Ashlyn grabbed his arm and bit down hard on his hand. He groaned in pain. Regaining some of his senses, he looked at Ashlyn dazedly. ¡°You¡¯re a ruthless woman.¡± ¡°If you keep this up, I¡¯d think that you haven¡¯t been having any for years,¡± Ashlyn mocked. At the driver¡¯s seat, Spencer¡¯s face was red from witnessing Lucas¡¯ feral actions. Sir looks indifferent and boring all the time. I never thought that he¡¯d be as wild as this. He nearly tore the steering wheel off when he saw Lucas ripping his shirt off. Right then, he saw Whind Vi¡¯s main gates. With a trembling voice, he stuttered, ¡°M-Mr. Nn, hold on for a little more. We¡¯re almost home.¡± We¡¯re finally here! If Mr. Nn really goes through his actions in the car, will he dig my eyes out tomorrow morning when he¡¯s back to himself? Which idiot drugged him? I have to get to the bottom of this. Ms. Berry is a doctor, so it¡¯ll be fine to hand Mr. Nn to her. Therefore, once Spencer parked the car in the garage, he fled the scene. Ashlyn stared at the speeding Spencer, speechless. The two finally reached home. The moment they entered, and she was about to change to indoor slippers, the man grabbed her by her waist and threw her onto the sofa. He pinned her down with his towering body. The force made Ashlyn gasp despite herself. ¡°Damn it!¡± The man lowered his head and opened his mouth to bite down on her neck. Ashlyn hissed. The pain lit the fire of fury in her again. She raised her hand, wanting to pinch him by his waist. The man forcefully held her hands above her head. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Ashlyn had not expected a maniacal man to possess strength like this. In terms of strength, she was no match for him. If Lucas had not lost his mind or drugged, their fight would end up in a tie. However, all she could do now was a growl as she red at Lucas, whose eyes were bloodshot. The woman¡¯s delicate features twisted in anger, and her neck was covered with bite marks. She could burst into mes any time. ¡°Lucas, calm down!¡± She squeezed out the words past her teeth. She was feeling homicidal. The only thought she had in her mind right now was the same as what Spencer had earlier¡ªwhich idiot drugged this man and made him act like this? Then Ashlyn sneered. Whoever drugged him is dead meat. At the same time, the two servers who had escaped from the hotel abruptly shuddered. In the room. Ashlyn reached out her arm and grabbed the teapot to pour its contents onto Lucas¡¯ head. The cold droplets dripped down from the man¡¯s now-messy hair. Yet, he still looked stunning despite his disheveled state. For a moment, some of his rationality returned. The droplets rolled down his cheeks, and the cooling sensation it brought lowered the temperature of his face. He narrowed his unfocused eyes and slowly raised his head to see Ashlyn staring at him. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 He froze before whispering, ¡°Honey¡­¡± ¡°To the bathroom!¡± Ashlynmanded. She then pushed the man¡¯s chest to distance them. With an arm around the man¡¯s waist, Ashlyn helped Lucas to the bathroom with difficulty. The man¡¯s footsteps were unsteady, and he ced most of his weight on her. Without hesitation, she shoved him into the bathtub and turned on the faucet. Ashlyn watched as the towering man sat in the bathtub quietly. She only turned off the faucet when the water level went past his waist. Lucas¡¯ wet hair made him look much wilder than he usually was. The cold water made the blush fade on his face, but the soaked man in the tub was a seductive sight. Sshes of water droplets dotted his chest, and he looked enticing. With one sitting at the edge of the bathtub and another in the bathtub, the two looked at each other. ¡°It¡¯s hot,¡± said the man after a long while. His voice was hoarse, and he seemed dazed. He knew he was sitting in a tub of cold water, but it felt as if he was in a hot spring. If he were hallucinating, he would definitely see his skin turning intova. The heat he felt before entering the tub returned with renewed vigor. This time, it hit him worse than thest. It¡¯s so ufortable. I feel like I¡¯m going to explode into mes. Lucas reached out to grab the edge of the woman¡¯s shirt. He then looked at her miserably. ¡°It¡¯s hot,¡± he muttered again. It¡¯s so hot, it¡¯s so hot. It felt as if his rationality was burning away. All he wanted to do was to wreck the woman in front of him. Under the light, she seemed to be glowing; the sight of her was capturing his heart. Ashlyn furrowed her brows as she looked at Lucas. She could not believe that she had just seen a tinge of helplessness in the strong man¡¯s eyes. I must be hallucinating. This man doesn¡¯t even fear death. How can he be helpless now? The heat that radiated from Lucas¡¯ fingertips nearly burnt her skin. ¡°You¡¯ll feel better after a while of soaking. I¡¯ll change the water for you,¡± Ashlyn said to him before reaching to turn on the faucet. Abruptly, the man grabbed her hand. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m hot¡­¡± He held her hand in a death grip as he continuously repeated the same few words. The heat was destroying him, and he was suffering. There were traces of silent endurance in his eyes, and Ashlyn could see them when she looked at him. To him, her cold hands were a respite from his suffering. He could not help but press his face into her palms. He then grabbed Ashlyn¡¯s face and stared into her eyes, the fire burning brightly in his own ones. ¡°Ashlyn¡­ Ashlyn¡­¡± he subconsciously mumbled. Suddenly, hisrge hand grabbed the back of the woman¡¯s neck and kissed her lips as his other hand pushed her body toward him by holding her waist tightly. It was a domineering act, as per his usual style. Yet, Lucas found that this was not enough. He bit on her lips. Without warning, he pushed her, and Ashlyn fell into the bathtub in a loud ssh. The man quickly held her down as he kissed and bit her lips. The sharp pain in her lips instantly attacked her senses. Ashlyn tried to kick him away, but the man attacked her quicker than she could defend herself. A hair-raising animalistic look was in his eyes. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Time ticked away. As if veiled by a nket of ink, the night was quiet and beautiful. The only light outside was from the dim moon. The bedroom in the house was dark, and the scent of love filled the room. Items were strewn across the floor of the room. A man and a woman were entwined on the soft,rge bed. My head hurts. The man on the bed slowly opened his eyes as his head throbbed painfully. He turned to look at the woman breathing evenly in his arms. To his shock, he found red marks littered across her fair body. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Then, he realized that the red marks were also littered across his chest. He froze. Realization struck him like a bolt from the blue. He raised his head to see a beautiful face. The woman had longshes, a button nose, and pink lips; it was none other than Ashlyn. In a daze, he stared at Ashlyn, who looked like she was tortured, as his face paled. His memories returned like water escaping from a broken dam. The images of his delirious actions fromst night emerged in his mind. Last night at the dinner, before he rushed after Ashlyn, he drank a ss of whiskey. What happened next¡­ That whiskey! It¡¯s spiked! If not for that whiskey, I wouldn¡¯t have acted this way and hurt her. He stared at Ashlyn¡¯s sleeping face. The skin at the corner of her pink lips was broken. Teeth marks and hickeys scattered across her neck. Her entire body was ck and blue. She looked like a mess. He narrowed his dark eyes. Then, he looked out of the window where the sky was still dark. It¡¯s probably around four or five in the morning. Unable to hold back his urges, he carried Ashlyn to the bathroom and ced her in the tub filled with warm water. Hisrge hands gently massaged her waist. Surprisingly, Ashlyn, who was a light sleeper, did not wake instantly. She remained asleep in his arms. He must have tormented the woman badlyst night; Ashlyn was someone who could send Winsor flying with a p. As he thought about it, a loving look crept into his eyes. After cleaning Ashlyn up, Lucas carried her back to the bed before hugging her. His eyes closed. Lucas did not know whether it was because of the drug or he was exhausted after the vigorous activity. He soon fell deep into his sleep. By the time Lucas woke again, he found himself tied up on the bed. The woman had worn a set of fitting ck leather attire. She barely revealed an inch of her skin, but her figure was showing off in those clothes, and it made him gulp. A soft whip was in her hands. He struggled as a hint of rage shed across his eyes. ¡°Let me go!¡± He had never been treated this way in the past. The woman lifted one of her legs and stepped onto the bed. Crack! Sheshed the whip at him. Lucas groaned in pain before frowning at Ashlyn with lustful eyes. Although the woman was wearing conservatively, he realized that fire was crawling in his veins. He was infuriated. The pity he felt for her earlier dissipated without a trace the moment Ashlyn whipped him. ¡°Ashlyn, I was drugged.¡± She sneered, remembering how terribly the man had tormented herst night. Even when he was drugged, he still took the reins, and his actions had been rough. It was as if he was a beast that was just released from his cage after years of starvation, and she was the food. The bed nearly copsed! C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. She ground her teeth whenever she thought about her aching waist, torn lips, and bite marks on her neck. Will this man die without a woman? I¡¯ll have to teach him a lesson today! She swung her whip downward again and struck the man¡¯s naked chest. With a displeased voice, she hissed, ¡°Go on, act ferocious again! How dare you be so vigorous!¡± ¡°Can I interpret this as youplimenting that I¡¯m a man full of energy?¡± By now, Lucas¡¯ muscr body was covered in whip marks. A trace of pain shed in his eyes as he stared at the woman in front of him. She¡¯s brutal! Yet, while he was furious with Ashlyn¡¯s aggressive actions, he was feeling a touch of enjoyment. I can¡¯t tear my eyes off her. She looks too amazing as a dominating woman. Ashlyn swept her eyes across the man before she clenched the hand that was holding onto the whip. ¡°Lucas, you only have yourself to me for this. I¡¯ll return twice the pain you¡¯ve given to mest night.¡± Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Crack! The whipnded again. The man¡¯s muscr chest was covered in red whip marks. He did not look disheveled at all; instead, he looked wild and deadly charming. There was an air of dominance that shrouded him, and there was a crackling me in his eyes. He hissed, ¡°Ashlyn, you¡¯ll regret this!¡± ¡°I¡¯m half-dead from your torment. All I¡¯m doing now is to return you a tiny part of what you¡¯ve done to me,¡± Ashlyn sneered. The man started struggling vigorously against the ropes that bound his hands and legs. He had a terrifying expression on his face as he growled. When the whipnded again, the man jerked up from the bed. Snap! It was a loud noise. He had broken free of his restraints. With bloodshot eyes, he grabbed the whip before it could do anything else. Ashlyn then fell into his stiff arms. His divinely features twisted into a wrathful look. When the afternoon sun shone on his face, he looked irresistible. Being tied up and whipped was an intense humiliation for Lucas. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. He scowled and grabbed Ashlyn¡¯s waist tightly as if he wanted to meld her into his flesh. I¡¯m too lenient with her. She¡¯s acting like she¡¯s the queen of this country! Ashlyn¡¯s hands clenched into fists. She had not expected Lucas to be so strong. Those ropes were nylon! She knew that this man was exceptionally strong all along. But not like this! She could sense the fury burning in Lucas¡¯ veins. It was burning so strong that he wanted to shred her right here and right now. However, she was not a cowardly woman. Just as she was about to struggle her way out, the man¡¯s lips abruptly on hers, as though he was punishing her. Okay, I admit I was ying rough earlier, but why does it matter? In an instant, she took control of the situation and started attacking Lucas¡¯ lips instead. It was as if she waspeting with the man. More than an hourter, Ashlyny on the bed, exhausted, and fell asleep. Lucas huffed angrily as he pped her bottom twice. What a disobedient girl! How dare you do such a thing to me? By the time Ashlyn woke again, it was already evening. Her eyes swept across the room before realizing that Lucas was not on the bed. Instead, there were sounds of running watering from the bathroom. She picked up her clothes and put them on. Then she nimbly climbed over the window. Pressing down hard on the railings, she swung her legs above it andnded on the grass. Enduring the difort she was feeling, she ran to the gates. After sweeping her gaze at her surroundings, she climbed up the wall and escaped thepound. She had beaten up Lucas. That tyrannical man was barely a man at all. He had trapped her on the bed for an entire day and night, and she did not want to keep up with him. Lucas was an energetic ox, and she was but a weaknd; she could not continue to endure him endlessly ploughing her soil. After leaving the vi, she raised her head to look at the beautiful red setting sun. I hope he neveres for me ever again. The clouds slowly drifted with the wind. Eventually, the sun was covered up. The silentnd made the world seem more mysterious. Meanwhile, back in the bedroom. A cold breeze entered the room and billowed the thin curtains. Lucas was drying his hair and walking out of the bedroom when he froze. He stared at the empty bed. The woman who was supposed to be sleeping on it had disappeared without a trace. He furrowed his brows in displeasure as he looked around in the room. ¡°Ashlyn.¡± Yet, no one responded to him. Where did she go? With a towel around his waist, Lucas strode out of his bedroom. The entire house was empty and silent. Lucas narrowed his eyes and scowled. He then took out his phone, about to call Ashlyn. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 However, Spencer called, and Lucas picked it up. ¡°Do you need something?¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, I¡¯ve found out some things aboutst night.¡± Spencer¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°Speak,¡± the man ordered. Two minutester, his cold, furious tone made sweat bead on Spencer¡¯s forehead. ¡°Tell those assholes that I want whichever hand of theirs that spiked the drink.¡± It was as if the murderous aura traveled through the phone with his voice. ¡°Of course, Mr. Nn.¡± Spencer swiftly ended the call, terrified. Mr. Nn is mad about yesterday¡¯s incident. Unable to contain his fury, Lucas threw his phone onto the ground. Even the surrounding air dropped in temperature. His eyes were gloomy, and his hands clenched so tightly that veins were popping on his arms. Staring at the room that they had made love, his lips parted. ¡°Ashlyn, how dare you sleep with me and escape again!¡± After Spencer ended the call, he brought several men to apprehend the two servers and send them to Whind Vi. When Spencer, huffing from the activity, saw Lucas, he was dumbfounded. The man¡¯s broad chest was littered with red marks. It looks like¡­ whip marks? Spencer gulped. ¡°Mr. Nn, the two culprits are downstairs.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Upon hearing his words, Lucas turned his icy gaze to Spencer. ¡°Do you still need me to teach you what to do?¡± His voice rang in thetter¡¯s mind like the devil¡¯s voice, and Spencer¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Hastily, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll work on it right away!¡± Soon, agonizing screams came from the floor below. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The two servers were rolling on the ground in pain. Blood was gushing out of their wounds. One arm from each of them had been chopped off. Moreover, the fingers of their severed arms were still wriggling on the floor. Spencer uttered, ¡°Are you going to tell me or not?¡± One of them, who was sprawled on the ground, shrieked, ¡°A woman! It was a woman in a mask who gave us 200 thousand.¡± Another howled, ¡°We¡¯ll tell you everything! She said that we have to let Ms. Berry drink the whiskey. After it¡¯s done, she¡¯ll give us another 200 thousand. She told us the drug is exceptionally potent. If Ms. Berry didn¡¯t get it out of her system in time, she won¡¯t be able to have sex, and she¡¯ll lose all her interest in sex for the rest of her life.¡± ¡°No! We won¡¯t dare to lie to you. We really won¡¯t!¡± ¡°She gave us cash!¡± Upon hearing their words, Spencer gave them a few more kicks. ¡°Where did that woman meet up with you?¡± ¡°In the restroom. The restroom on the hotel¡¯s second floor.¡± Spencer ordered his men, ¡°Take them away and check the security footage near the restrooms.¡± Although Lucas was in his room, he could hear themotion downstairs. When he heard that the original target for the drink was Ashlyn, his heart skipped a beat. He knew how potent the drug wasst night. If Ashlyn had been the one to drink it¡­ I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to get through the night. The one behind this is cruel. She aims to force Ashlyn not to have sex for the rest of her life. In other words, Ashlyn would¡¯ve lost one of her pleasures in life. Rage swirled in his chest likeva. I have to find out who is behind this! How dare she hurt my woman? Instead of returning to Bayview Vi, Ashlyn went back to her apartment that was located far from the city in a remote area. However, the remote area was in a great environment, and it was close to ake. Ashlyn had always liked ces that were near bodies of water. When she stood on her apartment balcony, she could see the clearke, the little yachts on it, and the beautiful blue sky reflected on the surface of theke. It was a sight that took her worries away. Right now, she was on the balcony of her eighteenth-floor apartment with a ss of red wine in one hand. Quietly, she enjoyed the calming moment. The breeze gently blew on her face as she watched the ripples on theke formed. The bite marks on her neck were still visible, but it did not affect her mood. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Just then, her phone rang. With a raised brow, she nced at the unfamiliar number. After a moment of hesitation, she picked up the call. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Is this Ms. Berry? Hello, I¡¯m Sienna Oates, the trustee of Haddock Charity and Mr. Haddock¡¯s aunt,¡± came Sienna¡¯s gentle voice from the other end of the line. There was a hint of mockery in her voice, barely detectable. Sienna felt that she was lowering herself to call a woman like Ashlyn, who was dependent on a man for a living. Yet, when she thought about the familiar way thetter flitted around Jared and Winsor, Sienna told herself that she was doing this for the two prominent figures and the mysterious Madeline Saunders. Otherwise, she would not have wasted her time on Ashlyn. She had always seen herself as a strong and independent woman, and she looked down on women who were dependent on men. Tamping down the disdain she had for Ashlyn, she muttered, ¡°Ms. Berry, are you there?¡± Ashlyn swirled her ss half-heartedly. ¡°Ms. Oates, do you have something you need from me?¡± ¡°Our charity will be holding an event soon. We¡¯re hoping to invite you to it. May I know if you¡¯d be interested in it?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I attend the Haddock Group¡¯s charity g a few days ago?¡± Ashlyn queried. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Haddock Group? Ha. What a coincidence that I¡¯m interested in it right now. Therefore, Ashlyn said, ¡°Sure. Thank you, Ms. Oates, for the invitation. I¡¯ll definitelye as promised.¡± Once she ended the call, Horace called. ¡°Ashlyn, when are you going toe with me to meet Dixon? Arthur¡¯s health has been deteriorating. You¡¯re a good doctor, and I¡¯m sure you can treat him back to good health.¡± A sneer grew on Ashlyn¡¯s lips. ¡°When did I agree to meet Dixon?¡± Where did he find the confidence? ¡°Didn¡¯t you agree to it thest time you came home?¡± Horace softened his tone. ¡°My dear daughter, just save your dad. You can¡¯t possibly watch and do nothing as the Haddock family goes down in mes? My family business will be the one to provide for your grandmother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t drag my grandmother into your matters all the time.¡± Ashlyn narrowed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯d suggest that you get less involved with the Haddocks¡¯ affairs.¡± ¡°How can you talk to me like this? Remember that I¡¯m your father,¡± Horace fumed. He was upset that he had to lower himself to plead for help from his daughter. ¡°Penelope is way better than you. She consoles me every time shees back. What about you? Huh? All you do is to infuriate me. Tell me now. Are you going to treat Arthur or not?¡± ¡°If I refuse, what are you going to do?¡± ¡°Then I can¡¯t guarantee your grandmother¡¯s safety. I heard things can easily happen to old people on hot days like these,¡± Horace said coldly. ¡°Even if you refuse to treat Arthur, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll want to treat your grandmother.¡± ¡°Horace Berry, I never knew you can be this shameless?¡± Anger rose in Ashlyn¡¯s heart like a tide. Even his mother can¡¯t escape from his schemes. How can a man like him be my biological father? The helpless yet furious feeling she was experiencing made her on the verge of exploding into mes. She had offered to bring her grandmother away from the Berry family, but her grandmother refused every time. Furthermore, Ashlyn could not pressure the old woman to do things she did not want to. Now, Horace was ckmailing her with her grandmother. She would not have batted an eye if it were a stranger, but her grandmother was her family. She could never let any harme to her. ¡°Ashlyn, don¡¯t me me for this. You were the one who forced me to do this. I was kind to ask you nicely. Since you refuse to do it, I¡¯ll have to take some extreme measures.¡± Horace could hear the fury in Ashlyn¡¯s tone. He smugly said, ¡°I¡¯ve been nice, but you don¡¯t want it. I¡¯ll invite Dixon to our house tonight. I hope you¡¯ll be punctual.¡± With that said, Horace ended the call. Infuriated by her father¡¯s words, Ashlyn gritted her teeth. Dixon, I¡¯ve yet toe for you, but you¡¯vee to my doorstep instead. Very well. At six in the evening, Ashlyn reached Berry Residence on time. After momentarily staring at the evening sun, Ashlyn turned to look at the Berry Residence gates instead. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 A ck Mercedes-Benz was parked outside the Berry Residence. It did not take a genius to know that the car must be Dixon¡¯s. She did not expect him to arrive early. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. With a tight grip on her purse, she entered the Berry Residence and went straight to the living room. The moment she stepped into the house, she saw a feminine-looking man sitting casually on the sofa. The man looked unruly, like a yboy. Penelope was looking at Dixon with admiration in her eyes. Shyly, she served some custards to the man. ¡°Dixon, I made these custards myself. Please have a try.¡± ¡°Are you saying that I look like a woman?¡± Dixon scowled as he red at her. The appeasing smile on Penelope¡¯s face froze as she mumbled, ¡°Mr. Haddock, you¡¯ve misinterpreted me. I just wanted to show you my kitchen skills.¡± A scoff of disdain escaped Dixon as he ordered, ¡°Take it away. I don¡¯t want it.¡± Feeling upset and aggrieved, Penelope murmured with a reddened face, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Haddock.¡± When Ashlyn saw the scene, she nearlyughed. It was obvious that Penelope had tried to butter him up, but to no avail. She wanted to show him that she was ¡®wife material¡¯. Unable to hold it back any longer, Ashlyn chuckled softly before looking at Dixon. ¡°Mr. Haddock, we meet again.¡± At that moment, Dixon heard a clear, chime-like familiar voice sounding from behind him. He turned to look at the door to find Ashlyn looking at Penelope and him with smiling eyes. However, she seemed amused, as if she had just witnessed the unfolding of a drama. It¡¯s her! The woman who knows Ms. Saunders at the charity g. The woman who has Jared and Winsor wrapped around her finger. Unlike the formal attire she wore at the charity g, Ashlyn had worn a simple white dress and shoes today. Her hair was also tied up in a ponytail. She did not even apply any colored tint to her lips. Her milky skin was so fair it was almost translucent. She was without makeup, but she looked spectacr. She¡¯s part of the Berry family? Ashlyn did not look like she fit into the Berry family. Dixon had been impressed by her, but now that he had found out she was one of the Berrys, he was disappointed. He did not even know why he felt that way. Dixon looked at Ashlyn gloomily, who was standing by the doorway. Penelope spotted the shock in his eyes that he could not hide away in time. Furious, she bit down hard on her lower lip before she pitifully brought the bowl of custard back to the kitchen. Ashlyn. Ashlyn again! She had finally found someone to invest in, but Ashlyn had stolen the limelight again. Since young, Ashlyn¡¯s exquisite face had bewitched countless men. Both of them studied at the same school. In the beginning, the boys were all buttering her up. Once they were familiar with her, they would use her to gift Ashlyn presents and love letters. She was done with this feeling. When Penelope reemerged from the kitchen, she had a te of fruits in her hands. ¡°Ashlyn, you¡¯re back. Why don¡¯t youe in?¡± ¡°Penelope, drop that fake smile on your face. It¡¯s disgusting.¡± Ashlyn entered the living room and sat on the sofa opposite Dixon. She crossed her legs, and those fair legs shone under the bright lights of the living room. It was an alluring sight. Penelope froze. In response to Ashlyn¡¯s harsh words, her frown deepened. ¡°Mr. Haddock, I¡¯m sorry. My sister¡¯s not too good with her words.¡± ¡°My mom didn¡¯t give birth to you. Don¡¯t pretend we¡¯re close to each other.¡± Ashlyn shot her a re, exposing her for her show again. Penelope took in a deep breath. Mr. Haddock is here. I can¡¯t lose my temper now. I can¡¯t fall for this b*tch¡¯s tricks. With the perfect look of a loving sister, Penelope said, ¡°Ashlyn, it¡¯s been a while since you were home, so you must not know about this. I¡¯m working at the First Hospital now.¡± Chapter 136 Chapter 136 ¡°Oh? You must¡¯ve only started work recently, right? Which department are you from?¡± Ashlyn sized up Penelope. Her grades didn¡¯t meet the academic requirement of medical school. Horace had to pay five hundred thousand to buy her a spot in medical school because of that. Besides that, he must¡¯ve spent a lot a fortune to secure a position for her in the city¡¯s First Hospital. ¡°I¡¯m a surgeon.¡± Penelope smiled smugly because she got into First Hospital, despite its strict admission requirements. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Ashlyn nodded in acknowledgement because she was a surgeon too. Penelope must¡¯ve stood in for me the past few days where I wasn¡¯t in the hospital. The world really is small. Penelope was a little disappointed because she sensed no trace of envy or jealousy from Ashlyn. She thought Ashlyn would be resentful of her once she mentioned where she worked at. However, this is not unexpected for a two-faced woman like her. She must be feeling very jealous right now, even though she doesn¡¯t show it, Penelope thought gleefully. At that moment, Horace and Mary came out from the kitchen with some food in their hands. Horace smiled ostentatiously and said, ¡°Mr. Haddock, please take a seat.¡± This dinner was prepared personally by Mary and himself since four in the afternoon. ¡°Mr. Haddock, these are all home-cooked dishes, so please enjoy it,¡± Mary said as she signaled Penelope with a look. The girl immediately understood what her mother meant, so she hurriedly stepped to the dining room and pulled out a chair for Dixon. ¡°Mr. Haddock, please take a seat.¡± When Ashlyn saw how pretentious the family of three was, she was so revolted she felt like puking. Horace only noticed her when she stepped into the dining room as well. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Ashlyn replied monotonously. Dixon was present, so Horace didn¡¯tment on her behavior. Instead, he turned to Dixon and said, ¡°Mr. Haddock, I prepared this crab dish personally. Please try it.¡± Mary smiled and poured a ss of wine for Dixon. ¡°Mr. Haddock, Horace isn¡¯t that great in cooking, but this crab dish of his is undeniably tasty.¡± ¡°I dislike crabs immensely,¡± Dixon said in a haughty tone. Besides that, he disliked how the family was acting too. If Horace didn¡¯t mention that he found an amazing doctor who can help Grandpa, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have stepped in here. During the auction in the hotel, I fired the ignorant project manager. How can a designpany as sh*tty as the Berrys deserve to cooperate with Haddock Group? It¡¯s absolutely ridiculous! Someone almost died from that mess. Right now, Dixon was specting that Horace was lying to him about the amazing doctor. I don¡¯t see anyone else except for the Berry couple and their two daughters. Where the heck is the doctor? On the other hand, the Berry couple flinched on the spot out of embarrassment. They were frustrated at how Dixon didn¡¯t even try to be polite to them, but they thought about how their family¡¯s fate was in his hands. At that thought, Horace had no choice but to say, ¡°Mr. Haddock, maybe you can try something else. I prepared all these dishes myself.¡± ¡°This wine is pretty good.¡± Dixon swirled the ss of wine in his hands. Evidently, he didn¡¯t even want to have a bite of Horace¡¯s cooking. Ashlyn observed quietly from aside as she felt her father¡¯s embarrassment. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. ¡°Horace Berry, cut to the chase. Where is the doctor you were mentioning about?¡± Dixon put down his ss of wine and asked impatiently. ¡°Mr. Haddock, don¡¯t worry. That person is closer to you than you think.¡± Dixon looked at Penelope. Is Horacepletely bonkers? Penelope is a surgeon, but she doesn¡¯t look experienced at all! Besides that, she said she has just started working in the hospital. She¡¯s definitely just a novice! Rage surged within him as his gaze turned icy. ¡°Are you messing around with me?¡± Penelope flinched as well as she stared at Horace anxiously. ¡°Dad¡­ I only started work a few days ago¡­ I-I can¡¯t do it.¡± Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Treating amon cold is fine, but treating old Mr. Haddock is way above my abilities! Ashlyn cocked her eyebrows. At least Penelope has some self-awareness. Horace instantly understood that there was a misunderstanding going on, so he exined, ¡°No, no. I was referring to my younger daughter, Ashlyn. She¡¯s really amazing! A lot of important people want her to give them a consultation!¡± Penelope was so shocked she dropped her cutlery when she heard that. She shrieked, ¡°Dad, is Ashlyn even a doctor? Did you get something mixed up?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Horace red at her. The family had been hiding the fact that Ashlyn was working in First Hospital from Penelope because they didn¡¯t want to upset their elder daughter. In particr, Mary knew howpetitive her daughter was, so she definitely didn¡¯t want to cause distress to her. That was the reason Horace and she wanted to send Penelope to the First Hospital at all costs. They thought if Ashlyn could get in the hospital, then Penelope would do the same. ¡°Horace Berry!¡± Dixon¡¯s icy expression at that moment was terrifying. Fury filled every corner of his contorted face as he red at Horace. ¡°You really have a death wish, huh?¡± This Ashlyndy stole the limelight during the g, toyed with Winsor and Jared, and even seduced Lucas! What a vixen! So what if she¡¯s attractive? She¡¯s nothing but a pretty face! C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. How dare she refer to herself as a famous doctor? The Berry family really is a sh*thole filled with pieces of trash! He pointed at Penelope and said, ¡°At least this one works in the hospital.¡± He then pointed at Ashlyn and eximed, ¡°What about her? If she really is a doctor, I¡¯ll strip naked right now!¡± ¡°Mr. Haddock, you must be mistaken. Please hear me out!¡± Horace was absolutely petrified. However, he stood up abruptly as his tall and imposing figure loomed over the rest of them. ¡°Horace, Berry Furnishings is going bankrupt for sure.¡± He then left immediately, despite Horace¡¯s desperate pleas. The whole ordeal entertained Ashlyn as she stood up too. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± When she reached the entrance, she saw Dixon¡¯s chauffeur opening the car door for him. Besides that, she saw her father hovering around the man like a persistent fly. Ashlyn smiled and approached the car as she said, ¡°Mr. Haddock, I hope you will remember what you said to me today.¡± Even though being doubted annoyed her, she was still very pleased when she saw how miserable Horace was. He always tries to look for shortcuts instead of putting in effort himself, so he will never seed. Lady Luck will never favor someone like him. An evil glint shed in Dixon¡¯s eyes as he stared at Ashlyn with a mocking gaze. ¡°Haha-¡± The car then sped off, leaving an amused Ashlyn and an enraged Horace. ¡°Damn it! What the f***! Psycho!¡± Horace cursed. Ashlyn¡¯s head ached whenever she heard his voice, so she walked away and went back to her house without another word. When she reached, she thought that something was amiss, yet she couldn¡¯t figure out what it was. She didn¡¯t eat in the Berry family¡¯s house, so she made some noodles for herself. Only then did she realize what was bugging her. She didn¡¯t see her grandmother. Well, it¡¯s not unexpected that Horace didn¡¯t invite Grandma because they were meeting Dixon. She sighed and turned on the customizedptop. Her fingers flitted nimbly on the keyboard as she logged into an underground group. The group¡¯s name was ¡®Mysterious yet Majestic¡¯, and it had only seven members. Despite the small number of people, they were the ones who started an underground organization all by themselves. Messages kept popping up in the group, indicating that a lively discussion was going on. Flying Fish posed a question. Who do you think is Lucas Nn¡¯s wife? Boss responded to him. You¡¯re ady. Why are you so interested in someone¡¯s wife? Are you a lesbian now? Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Flying Fish retaliated. Hmph! None of your business! Am I not allowed to be curious now? Quiet Forest chipped in. His wife really is mysterious. I can¡¯t even dig up any information about her. Something crazy is going on here, Haha. Lone Breeze was intrigued. The harder it is for us to find out who she is, the more curious I am. Jerk, too. Same here. Y¡¯all saw the ne video thest time, right? Mrs. Nn really has a nice figure. Flying Fish¡¯sment shed on the screen. The one who posted the video said someone offered a huge amount of money to buy the video from him, but he didn¡¯t hand it over. After that, a hacker hacked into hisputer and¡­ guess what happened next? Quiet Forest was getting impatient. Just say it! C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Flying Fish provided the exnation. The video disappeared right in front of the hacker¡¯s watchful eyes! Jerk vented on his screen. Damn! Did Mrs. Nn hire Zero? I can¡¯t think of anyone who can delete the video in the face of the elite hackers except for Zero. Ashlyn stared helplessly at the meaningless gossip and typed. Are you all very free right now? Do you even want to know how the Haddock Group¡¯s case is going right now? You have the time to gossip, so why aren¡¯t you working? Ah! Zero is here! Flying Fishmented. Quiet Forest was curious. What¡¯s happening in Haddock Group right now? Zero updated her progress to the team. They fell for the trap and asked me to join the party. It¡¯s happening on Friday, eight p.m. at the Pearl Restaurant. Jerk perked up. Zero, how did you even manage to get their attention? Zero maintained her secrecy. I¡¯m not telling you that. After chatting for a while longer, Ashlyn logged off. They gossip every day in the group, but I never thought that someday they will gossip about me. Ashlyn was left speechless. She stood up and prepared to take a shower. However, she suddenly received a call from Spencer. He sounded very anxious and desperate over the phone. ¡°Ms. Berry, pleasee and take a look at Mr. Nn!¡± ¡°What happened to Lucas?¡± Ashlyn yawned and looked at the time. It was already eleven in the evening. ¡°Mr. Nn didn¡¯t eat for the whole day! I¡¯m scared that if this goes on, something bad might happen to him!¡± Spencer was about to burst into tears. He was under immense pressure because he was forced to make the call. Meanwhile, in Whind Vi, Lucas red at the phone with a gloomy expression. All he wanted to do at that moment was to somehow teleport to where Ashlyn was! She cocked her eyebrows and asked, ¡°Why isn¡¯t he eating? He¡¯s not a three-year-old kid.¡± ¡°You know how picky he usually is, too. Besides that, he¡¯s suffering from gastritis right now and he¡¯s drenched in sweat because of pain! Ms. Berry, please show him your mercy ande over!¡± Spencer continued to beseech Ashlyn due to the immense pressure he was facing, ¡°Mr. Nn really is in a very bad mood right now. He refused to eat, and he even shattered three tes and four bowls!¡± On the other hand, Lucas smirked in satisfaction because the truth was he only broke two tes and three bowls. He nodded in approval and beckoned for Spencer to continue. Tears rolled down Spencer¡¯s face as he spoke. If I were to speak like this to him, Mr. Nn probably would¡¯ve kicked me out of the house. Why is life so tough? Ashlyn blinked and replied, ¡°I think the only sickness Lucas has is a mental illness. There¡¯s no use in calling me because I can¡¯t treat mental illnesses anyway!¡± After that, she hung up in a huff. On the other hand, Lucas was so furious he hurled the crystal ashtray on his table. It fell on the thick carpet with a dull thud. Meanwhile, Spencer gulped. This ashtray is more sturdy than I thought. It didn¡¯t even crack. Lucas¡¯ handsome features contorted in rage as he exuded a menacing aura. Hunger brought pain to his stomach while insomnia enervated his mental strength. Together, the two sources of pain made him feel like a beast trapped in a cage as it struggled feebly. Despite the pain, I still can¡¯t find Ashlyn! That woman really is cunning. She didn¡¯t show up at Bayview Vi yesterday, and she didn¡¯t go there today. Besides that, I have no idea where she is right now. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Even Jared doesn¡¯t know where she is. He red menacingly at the phone that Spencer used to make the call earlier. The assistant could feel the fiery gaze burning into him. He clenched his phone tightly because he didn¡¯t want his recently bought phone to fall victim to his boss¡¯ fit of fury. ¡°Call her again!¡± Lucas barked. Spencer had no choice but to call Ashlyn again. ¡°Ms. Berry, we¡¯re in trouble! Mr. Nn fainted!¡± ¡°Call the ambnce then!¡± Ashlyn was perplexed. ¡°I¡¯m not an emergency physician.¡± I really can¡¯t stand Lucas. What is he up to this time? Does he think I will believe in everything he says just because he asked Spencer to call me? Spencer turned around with a pained expression and whimpered, ¡°Mr. Nn¡­ Ms. Berry¡­.¡± ¡°Call the ambnce!¡± Lucas gazed coldly at the night sky through the window. What a vicious woman! Spencer was stunned because his boss heard every word. Isn¡¯t calling an ambnce a little too much? Five minutester, Ashlyn received a call from the hospital. ¡°Hello, is this Dr. Berry? I¡¯m the head of the emergency department, Quentin Shakes. Our department urgently needs your help right now because there¡¯s an important patient requiring immediate medical attention. Can you make your way to the hospital?¡± Ashlyn frowned. She rarely provided emergency care. Why did the emergency department call me? ¡°Dr. Berry, I know you only carry out two surgeries per month, so I¡¯m sorry for asking for your help. But, we just want you to provide us with some advice about the operation and assist the surgeon. Don¡¯t worry, I definitely won¡¯t ask you to participate in the operation. Is that alright with you?¡± Dr. Shakes was so afraid of the patient that he almost sobbed. Good Heavens! His knees went weak and his back was drenched in a cold sweat because of the patient¡¯s menacing and horrifying gaze. Why did the ambnce bring back such a frightening man! He exuded an oppressing aura while he sat down. All the doctors and nurses were too afraid to even make a sound. Did a devile to visit us? Everyone knows President Nn is ruthless and callous! ¡°Dr. Shakes, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll head over right now.¡± Ashlyn had her doubts, but she still changed her clothes and stepped out of her house. He breathed a sigh of relief after he hung up and said to Lucas cautiously, ¡°Mr. Nn, Dr. Berry will be arriving soon.¡± As he finished his sentence, the horrifying aura that Lucas exuded dissipated instantly and everyone could sense the noticeable difference in the atmosphere. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. They were suffocating from the fear and anxiety, but they could finally rx. If Dr. Berry doesn¡¯t show up, we won¡¯t live to see the next sunrise! ¡°Nn Group will send fifty ambnces of thetest model to the hospital tomorrow,¡± Lucas announced while Spencer took out a business card. ¡°Dr. Shakes, this is my business card. I¡¯ll be responsible for overseeing the donation of the ambnces.¡± The doctor was stunned for a brief moment before he broke into an ecstatic smile. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Nn. Thank you, Mr. White.¡± Everyone was rendered speechless. Fifty new ambnces! How rich is this man even? Ashlyn went to the hospital by taxi and headed straight to the emergency department. The moment she stepped inside, a nurse approached her and eximed as if he had met his savior, ¡°Dr. Berry, you¡¯re finally here!¡± It¡¯s just one patient, right? How difficult can things get? Why did they send someone to receive me? Ashlyn frowned because she sensed something was amiss. She asked very bluntly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the patient?¡± The nurse had an indecipherable expression as he replied, ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± Is it a very rare disease of some sort? Ashlyn was very curious about the patient¡¯s condition, so she picked up her pace and headed to Dr. Shakes¡¯ office. However, the moment she stepped in, she flinched in shock. Chapter 140 Chapter 140 A man was sitting in Dr. Shakes¡¯ seat, and he was flipping through some medical records with his bony fingers. The tuxedo he wore was darker than the night sky, yet the diamonds adorned on his sleeve cuffs glistened in a luxurious shimmer. When Lucas heard the footsteps, he cast a brooding and icy gaze at Ashlyn. The aura he exuded formed a stark contrast with the modest office, and Ashlyn thought Lucas¡¯ presence made the cramped office seem more luxurious than it actually was. She regained her senses after a long while. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Her beautiful eyes scanned across the doctors and nurses who seem absolutely terrified, and she finally understood what was going on. ¡°Are you the patient that they¡¯re talking about?¡± The patient¡¯s condition really is difficult and irksome. No wonder the nurse seemed so conflicted just now. Probably everyone will have a headache when they¡¯re facing Lucas, right? Meanwhile, Dr. Shakes seemed grateful that he survived a disaster. ¡°Dr. Berry, I¡¯ll leave Mr. Nn to you. I believe in your abilities!¡± In the ward, everyone, including Spencer, had already left. Ashlyn stared at Lucas with a frustrated look and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± How can a grown man like him be so childish! ¡°You asked me to call for an ambnce,¡± Lucas responded with an emotionless gaze that was unwittingly filled with greed. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. On the other hand, Ashlyn was utterly vexed. ¡°What I meant was¡­¡± Screw it. There¡¯s no use trying to reason with a psychopath like him. ¡°You seem fine. I¡¯ll get going.¡± She turned around and prepared to leave, but the man suddenly sped her wrists. He said in a pitiful tone, ¡°Ever since you left, I haven¡¯t been sleeping or eating.¡± Ashlyn was at a loss for words. A grown man like you asking for sympathy? Absolutely ridiculous! Are you a toddler? Do you think I will pity you just because of your pleas? She turned around furiously and met his emotional gaze. In an instant, her frustration melted away like a block of ice under the scorching sun. Lucas has always been a picky eater, and intuition tells me he¡¯s not lying to me. She dered out of annoyance, ¡°I¡¯ll ask Spencer to buy you a meal.¡± The food served in this hospital is quite light and healthy, and Lucas will definitely eat it. He¡¯s a picky eater, yet he¡¯s still very easy to sate. Before the divorce, he would eat anything I cook, including the nd dishes I make when I¡¯mzy to whip up anything fancier. He neverined about it being too tasteless or anything. I really don¡¯t understand how his mind works! What a weirdo! In a moment, Spencer came in with a simple and light meal he bought from the cafeteria. The meal consisted of lightly grilled fish, sd, and a small pile of grapes. Meanwhile, Dr. Shakes and the other doctors and nurses hung around the nursing station and saw the food Spencer bought. They whispered to each other, ¡°Why did Mr. White buy something so ordinary?¡± ¡°I think that Mr. Nn¡¯s taste is quite weird as well.¡± ¡°Do you know what happened? When I drove to pick him up, he looked absolutely terrible because he didn¡¯t eat or sleep for two whole days! What a weirdo.¡± ¡°What is his rtionship with Dr. Berry?¡± ¡°Dr. Berry is so pretty. Do you think that Mr. Nn took a liking to her?¡± Dr. Shakes coughed softly. ¡°Don¡¯t make baseless assumptions!¡± The nurses chuckled. ¡°Dr. Shakes, you¡¯re the happiest one out of the bunch, right? The emergency department actually got fifty brand-new ambnces for free!¡± ¡°This is definitely one of the highlights in your career, right? Dr. Shakes?¡± The ecstatic expression Dr. Shakes had right now waspletely different from the dejected one stered on his face earlier. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to share the limelight with everyone! After all, I didn¡¯t do it myself!¡± Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Meanwhile, in the ER. Lucas didn¡¯t seem to mind the simple dinner as he said, ¡°Please¡­ stay with me.¡± Ashlyn sat down in front of him and sighed. Thank God he didn¡¯t ask me to feed him. ¡°Lucas Nn, you¡¯re not a kid. You should be able to eat even without mypany, right?¡± The famished man with a poor appetite nodded as a reply. ¡°Yeah.¡± My appetite ising back to me because she¡¯s here. I suddenly feel like eating again. The man picked up the cutlery slowly and cut into the fish elegantly. It was a very simple meal, but the way he carried himself throughout the meal made it seem like he was in a fancy restaurant. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. He ate slowly because his empty stomach couldn¡¯t take a lot of food at once. His stomach ached slightly, but he ignored it. Half an hourter, Lucas finished his meal, so Ashlyn stood up and dered, ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Go home.¡± Lucas, on the other hand, stared at the bed in the ER and proimed, ¡°I want to sleep.¡± Ashlyn was perplexed. ¡°Sleep?¡± She then pointed at the narrow bed and asked, ¡°Are you sure?¡± The man nodded and stood up abruptly. With a healthy stride, he went andy down on the bed. ¡°Sleep with me for two hours.¡± Ashlyn was utterly stunned when she saw the man whose legs were dangling from the bed that was way too short for him. Has Lucas gone insane? Is he really gonna sleep on the bed in the ER? But there¡¯s nothing on it, not even a nket! Is he not afraid of catching a cold? Gosh. Lucas really is sick in his head! She shuffled toward the door quietly and waved to Spencer. Spencer hurried to her as she opened the door slightly to show him what was inside the room. The sight that greeted Spencer was hismanding and powerful boss lying down on the threadbare bed. ¡°Go and¡­ ask the nurse for a clean nket,¡± Ashlyn instructed softly. Spencer heeded hermand, and before long, he came back with a new nket. Ashlyn took the nket from him and gently covered Lucas with it. He should be asleep right now. Just as she was about to leave, she was suddenly pulled into the man¡¯s embrace! In an instant, she found herself lying on him. She could almost feel his solid and defined pectorals, so she was rendered speechless. Is he acting up because he gained enough energy from the meal just now? Does he need me? Can¡¯t he sleep on his own? ¡°Lucas, go home if you want to sleep. This is the ER, not a ce for you to fool around.¡± The man pulled her closer and muttered, ¡°Comfy. Sofy.¡± Comfy my a**! Ashlyn was speechless! On the other hand, Lucas didn¡¯t make a sound anymore as his breathing started to be regr. He was asleep, yet his powerful arms prevented Ashlyn from escaping. She had no choice but toy on him in a bizarre position. She was absolutely helpless in this situation. She wanted to give Lucas a forceful smack, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. She had a feeling that Lucas was just as skilled at her inbat, or maybe even better. He was always the strongest recruit during the captain¡¯s physical training sessions. Besides that, I heard that he¡¯s trained inbat ever since he¡¯s a child. Even so, I don¡¯t know how strong he actually is. As she snapped out of that thought, she realized the man beneath her was so brilliantly handsome that he lit up the whole ER room. His features were defined and his lips were intricately shaped. Even his hair was perfect in every way. Because she was lying on him, her lips could reach his sexy neck if she lowered her head a little. Her lips were dangerously close to his body. All she could do was twist her head at an awkward angle or raise her head. Why is life so difficult? The most frustrating thing is, once I get too close to him and take a whiff of his alluring scent, blood will rush to my head and make me lose all sense of sanity. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 The Spirogyra was tempting and manipting her incessantly, so she had to take a deep breath to suppress the lust she felt. I was abused by this man for a whole night a few days ago. Even though I took my revenge and dumped him, I still don¡¯t want to make love to him at all right now! This is just ridiculous! However, no matter how much she despised that thought, her body reacted honestly. Why is something so excruciating happening to me? How long have I beenying on him? My neck aches so much it¡¯s about to snap! After the ordeal, she was finally about to fall asleep. However, a sharp knock echoed throughout the silent room and stunned Ashlyn. She said, ¡°Come in.¡± Just as Spencer stepped inside, he saw this¡­ bizarre scene. Ashlyn was leaning on Lucas¡¯ chest, yet her feet were nted firmly on the ground, and her body wasn¡¯t lying on Lucas as well. Only someone as physically fit as Ashlyn could withstand being in such an awkward position. Anyone else would¡¯ve given up after a few minutes. Ashlyn knew Spencer was the one who knocked because no one else would dare to do that. ¡°Mr. White, hurry and pry this psychopath¡¯s hands away from me,¡± Ashlyn instructed urgently. She was stiff and ufortable, yet she couldn¡¯t break free from his grasp. On the other hand, Spencer only came in to check on them because they didn¡¯te out of the room even after two hours. He gulped instinctively and approached Ashlyn. ¡°Please excuse me, Ms. Berry.¡± Ashlyn stared at him excitedly and expectantly. ¡°Hurry.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. However, Spencer lifted her legs and ced them on the bed, and her entire body was now sprawling on Lucas¡¯. Ashlyn was rendered speechless. Didn¡¯t I ask him to set me free? Why am I even closer to Lucas now? ¡°Spencer, what the hell?¡± She red at him menacingly, and she looked almost just like Lucas at that moment. His entire body trembled as he tried to muster up the courage to say, ¡°Ms. Berry, Mr. Nn, um¡­ I¡¯m his assistant, and he likes to be close to you¡­ Um, don¡¯t worry, Mr. Nn donated fifty ambnces and booked this room so no one else will disturb you tonight.¡± After that, Spencer took off in a sh, leaving Ashlyn seething in rage. All her strength and prestige were rendered useless when she was facing the psychopath, Lucas. He slept soundly and remained that way even when Spencer shambled around the room just now. Why is he sleeping so soundly right now? Is this whole ¡®insomnia¡¯ thing an act? Did he lie? Ashlyn red at Lucas in rage, but she had a change of mind when she saw the dark circles beneath his eyes. Maybe he really¡­ didn¡¯t rest well these few days. ¡°Lucas, let me go! Hey! Wake up! Lucas, this is the ER, not your home!¡± The man woke up slowly. His eyes were bloodshot from theck of sleep. His gaze at that moment could burn a hole through the walls. However, when he saw the woman in his arms, his gaze softened slightly even though his expression remained stoic. Ashlyn remembered that before the divorce, Lucas¡¯ one weakness was when she acted all coquettish to him. However, she hated doing that, and she never acted that way to him after the divorce. Even so, desperate times called for desperate measures. She recalled the sharine and gentle tone she used before and said, ¡°My neck is about to snap. Can we go home?¡± Chapter 143 Chapter 143 The terrifying look in Lucas¡¯s eyes had dissipated in an instant without a trace. The words he heard were rtively unbelievable. It¡¯s been so long¡­ Since she was this sweet. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The man¡¯s focus was on her round and glistering eyes; they reminded him of ark. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. If she remains this way, I¡¯d eveny down my life for her, let alone a trivial request. Lucas replied instinctively, ¡°Sure!¡± Ashlyn was overjoyed with his answer, ¡°Great! Let go of me now!¡± Her arms and neck were almost broken from being strangled by him. If this were to go on for the rest of the night, she might be the first doctor to die from such a peculiar sleeping posture. The man stared at her for a while before pinching her chin gently. Then, he whispered in her ear with a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯ll let you go if youe home and sleep together with me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ashlyn was dumbfounded. She had been talking back to him regrly all this while after their divorce and had left him speechless for many a time. This time, however, she was the one being rendered speechless. What I meant was that we go back to our own homes, okay? Lucas remained his gaze on her with his eyes gradually turning gloomy, ¡°Go back to Whind Vi.¡± Ashlyn had an icy expression on her face while sitting in the car on their journey back to Whind Vi. It was as though ayer of ice covered her entire body. Spencer was speechless. What an intimidating aura! Mr. Nn might be the only person who can stand up to her! Most people wouldn¡¯t be able to take on this unstoppable woman! So the sweet and gentle Ms. Berry we used to know was just an act? Ashlyn¡¯s anger didn¡¯t recede even when she was lying on the bed with Lucas. Screw that damned ER and the ambnce! I¡¯ll get even with you, Lucas! How dare you make a fool out of me! As the thought crossed her mind, she turned to re at the source of her rage only to find him sleeping soundly¡ªmuch to her annoyance. What the¡­ He sleeps like a baby! I¡¯ve never seen him suffering from insomnia before our divorce. But now he has be an insomniac? Who would believe this bullshit? Ashlyn gradually fell asleep as she contemted about this matter. The man opened his eyes after his slumber when the morning came. A familiar sweet scent of a woman was lingering around his nose; it calmed the irritation and wrath inside of him. Consequently, his furious expression softened, and he lowered his head to look at his arms only to catch sight of a woman curled up like a furry pet and looked like a sleeping beauty. At this, the emptiness in his heart seemed to be filled. Nothing in this world could bring him this sense of relief. Long ago, he thought that his emptiness could be filled by the girl from his younger days. Because of that, the coincidental meeting with Hera after his grandpa¡¯s death made him thought that he had found his belonging. Hence, he proposed to divorce Ashlyn but only noticed afterward that her absence was unbearable for him. Even though there was no love in their marriage, four years of living together had caused him to be used to each other¡¯s habits, lifestyle and increased in tacit understanding. He couldn¡¯t adapt to the sudden changes in his life. At first, he had convinced himself that he needed time to get used to this new life. But it had been a month, and the circumstances didn¡¯t seem to improve. It was only when he had seen Ashlyn that he felt alive andfortable. There were recurring events of him gritted his teeth because of her, yet the sight of herforted him much, even if it was from a distance. Then, it came to his realization that he might suffer from some hidden disease other than his manic episode. His expression was indecipherable. But little did he know that Hera, whom he thought was the oasis of his empty heart, had been reced by another person. His obsession was merely a mirage from his younger days. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 The man leaned over and nted a kiss on Ashlyn¡¯s lips. The morning sun seeped in through gaps between the curtains, and the atmosphere of the entire bedroom was lifted up. Suddenly, he felt like there was immense energy coursing through his body due to being exposed to the sunlight. At this moment, the phone on the nightstand buzzed. So, he immediately picked it up and saw a message from Hera. Lucas, I¡¯ve heard that LX gship store isunching their new collection. Will you go shopping with me? I wanna buy you a cup of coffee. Right then, he nced through the text and then put the phone aside indifferently. When Ashlyn woke up from her sleep, she saw a man staring intensely at her. She then cracked her sore neck and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk, Lucas!¡± The man stretched his palm behind her neck and started massaging it. At this, Ashlyn maintained her posture and squinted her eyes infort, ¡°Ah, that hits the spot! Harder!¡± ¡°I would be well pleased if you could ask for the same when we sleep together.¡± The man with his well- built body approached her from behind and added, ¡°I¡¯ll dly gratify your request.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s expression darkened at his words. Unbelievable! How could he talk dirty shamelessly with such a handsome, noble face? Without hesitation, she elbowed the chest of the man behind her. Despite being aware of her action, he didn¡¯t dodge it and took the full blow. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn was lost for words. ¡°Felt better?¡± Lucas inquired, with a touch of love showing on his face while his hand continued massaging her neck. ¡°If you¡¯re good, then get up and make me breakfast.¡± Ashlyn gazed at him awkwardly. What happened to his manic episode from yesterday? His vibe is completely different now. All the rage and gloominess from yesterday had disappeared like they never existed. Right now, he looked exactly like the cold man when we just got married. That was odd! Even so, she didn¡¯t make anyment and headed to the bathroom. Her toiletries and even her skincare products were still in the same ce they used to be. After freshening herself up, she caught a glimpse of a man with tall stature leaning against the door of the washroom, staring at her with a pair of cold eyes. Then, she looked into his eyes and asked, ¡°I¡¯m going to make breakfast. What would you like to have?¡± The man¡¯s voice could be heard echoing around the bedroom, ¡°I¡¯m good with anything.¡± Ashlyn made ten pieces of pancakes and cooked ten bowls of ready-to-eat pasta that Spencer had bought. After that, she wrapped them up with a food wrapper and kept them inside the fridge. Whenever Lucas wanted to get something to eat, he only needed to heat it up in the microwave oven. nning to escape from him for a few more days, she pondered for a while and prepared a few more lunchboxes. After Lucas had his breakfast, every cell in his body was revitalized, and hisplexion seemed much better than yesterday. The moment he saw Ashlyn busying in the kitchen, he couldn¡¯t help but walk up to her and kissed her lips before leaving the house. ¡°Hurry up and go to work.¡± Ashlyn pushed him away, as she was busy making pastries. She had got no time to pay him any heed. On the other hand, he curled his lips in a delighted mood that was apparent to anyone. He then left the house in satisfaction. As expected, this vi felt like home with her presence. Nevertheless, Ashlyn remained ignorant of his fantasies and focused on her pastry making. After baking five boxes of pastries, she checked the time and realized that it was almost noon. Whew, I¡¯m exhausted! Later at 2 pm is thetest collectionunch of LX. I¡¯ll have to rush over quickly. Without further ado, Ashlyn headed back to Bayview Vi and made a call to Jared, ¡°I¡¯m at home now. The previous styling team was good. I want them to do it for me again.¡± ¡°Oh, Boss! You¡¯re back?¡± Jared said with a smile and continued, ¡°You¡¯re not home for two days. Did the madman decides to let you go already?¡± Chapter 145 Chapter 145 ¡°Shut up!¡± Ashlyn bellowed, ¡°Are you trying to get under my skin?¡± ¡°Well, I wanted toe to your rescue, but I¡¯m helpless. If someone of your caliber was no match for him, then I¡¯m nothing more than just cannon fodder.¡± Jared exined feebly. Ashlyn rolled her eyes at his statement, ¡°I have an event to attend at two. Make the call now.¡± Meanwhile, Terry said to Cindy at the office in Nn Entertainment, ¡°Cindy, LX is a popr brand now, and most socialites pride themselves on it. I¡¯ve tried my very best to persuade the mall manager and LX gship store manager to give you a chance to be their ambassador. So, you¡¯d better go makeup now! ¡°Hurry, or you¡¯ll bete. You have gotten no contract for nearly a month. If you lose this one, then your schedule will be empty for the whole month. How are you gonna maintain your fan base? Your poprity has finally risen some time ago, but it was screwed by that b*tch, Hera. As long as you make an appearance at LX, I¡¯ll buy your spot on hot searches.¡± Terry harped on her earnestly. LX was a premium brand. This opportunity was given after he pleaded hard for it. LX didn¡¯t have any brand ambassadors until now. If Cindy was lucky, she might be their first. Cindy heaved a sigh after hearing the two words, hot searches. Then, she got up and said, ¡°Alright then!¡± She had been waiting to hear these words. Needless to say, she would be happy if she became LX brand ambassador. Her only concern was that Terry might not give her any benefits, not even buying her a spot on hot searches. Then, it¡¯ll be pointless for her to attend the event. While they were walking on the road, Terry said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t just attend the event, you have to be the Outlet Manager for One Day.¡± ¡°Outlet manager? No way! Won¡¯t it be tiring? I have to stand throughout the entire day.¡± Cindy sighed and added, ¡°What should I do if my calf is swollen? What if they took photos of me during bad moments?¡± Terry was annoyed by herint. What a spoiled woman! Yet, she dares to dream of getting big. Which Oscar winners didn¡¯t put in the extra effort than everyone else to get to where they are today? Did she really think that she can make do with just taking a few photos? ¡°Did you even look at your current situation? I¡¯ve put a great deal of effort to let you be the Outlet Manager for One Day.¡± After hearing Terry¡¯s angry tone, she replied hurriedly, ¡°Thank you so much. You¡¯re all I have now.¡± Cindy¡¯s MPV arrived at the entrance of the mall at 2 pm. The reporters that Terry had called for were squatting in their positions and ready to take photos of Cindy. She put on a smile on her face as she walked toward the mall and went straight to the counter. Following that, she wore LX¡¯stest white dress that the staff had prepared for her. It was theunching of LX¡¯stest collections today. Their new product release was exhibited overseas during Fashion Week. On top of that, there were rumors that LX¡¯s mysterious designer, Ms. X will attend this event. This time, thetest collections will arrive at every gship store across the globe simultaneously. Cindy¡¯s lean figure was outlined by the fitting dress, and her pair of long legs were fairly eye-catching. LX¡¯s store manager and supervisor came over to greet Cindy and startedmunicating with her on the itinerary. Most media outlets in the store were invited by Terry, while LX notified some. Therefore, the media didn¡¯t give Cindy a hard time, despite her almost being shelved by Nn Entertainment. After the photography session, the brand manager came over and shook her hand, ¡°Ms. Wynn, our designer, Ms. X likes your figure very much. For that reason, we think that you¡¯ll bring out our vision and ideal to the fullest.¡± Cindy was ttered, ¡°Ms. X said that about me?¡± The brand manager had aplex expression on his face as he had difficulty rephrasing Ms. X¡¯s exact words, ¡°Only someone with a figure like Cindy, who has a small waist andrge boobs, would look good in this dress. Let¡¯s pick her, then.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. He paused for a while before saying, ¡°Yes. Ms. X is satisfied with your figure.¡± Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Cindy almost cried tears of joy because she was selected by Ms. X. She immediately said gratefully, ¡°Please thank her on behalf.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, Ms. Wynn,¡± The brand manager replied and thought to herself. Well, you wouldn¡¯t thank her if you heard what she said word by word. Cindy was selected to be the Outlet Manager for One Day in name only because her job scope was still of a salesperson. Besides, she had to cooperate whenever anyone wanted to take pictures. LX wasn¡¯t a well-known international brand but a local brand instead. Nevertheless, it had gained poprity in recent years due to its creative and eye-catching designs. Hence, it had be one of the favorite brands of many female socialites. Another important selling point of LX was that only three clothes of the same design were avable in its outlets. They were in three different sizes, small, medium, andrge. Once three sizes were sold, customers couldn¡¯t buy the clothes in the same outlet again. In other words, the clothes produced by LX were all limited editions. Given that there were more than a hundred LX outlets worldwide, only three hundred clothes of the same design were avable. In the past two years, wearing LX clothes became a trend among female socialites. In fact, they would be proud of themselves for putting on LX clothes. One of the reasons was that LX clothes were always selling fast. Under normal circumstances, new designs would be sold out almost immediately once they were exhibited. The customers who arrivedte would have no choice but to wait for new designs. It¡¯s sold out! Furthermore, once LX released a new design, Ms. X, its designer, would be one of the trending searches online. However, Ms. X was a mysterious person because she never showed up in public. As such, Cindy was excited because she was motivated by LX. Besides, Terry also promised to pay to make her one of the topics in trending searches. As soon as a customer entered the outlet, Cindy came up to her and said smilingly, ¡°Wee!¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The woman, who wore a ck dress and wavy hair, was none other than Hera Chapman. Once she noticed Cindy, she said in disgust, ¡°It¡¯s you? Why are you here?¡± Hera almost thought that she went into the wrong outlet. At this time, Cindy also recognized Hera. Although she held grudges against Hera and noticed Hera¡¯s disgust, she held back her emotions for the sake of her mission today. After all, Cindy didn¡¯t want to ruin her chance to be among the trending searches. As such, she remained calm and asked politely, ¡°Ms. Chapman, what would you like to buy? I can rmend all the new designs in this outlet for you.¡± Nevertheless, Hera sneered and replied rudely, ¡°Why are you rmending clothes for me? Have you changed your upation from an actress to a salesperson? Never mind, a salesperson is also a promising job.¡± Hera was clearly mocking her. When the outlet manager noticed that Hera was displeased, she immediately came over and greeted, ¡°Ms. Chapman, it¡¯s been a long time. Please let me serve you.¡± Nheless, Hera gave Cindy a hostile look and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I want this new salesperson to rmend some clothes for me. Let me test her fashion taste. If she can do it well, I will tip her. But if she fails, I would advise you to fire her right away.¡± As much as Cindy was furious, she held back her anger and said smilingly, ¡°Ms. Chapman, please come with me.¡± Deep in her heart, Cindy cursed her with all kinds of bad words. At this moment, Lucas was scrolling his phone in a rest area near the outlet. After a while, Hera said to him, ¡°Lucas, pleasee here and give somements. Do I look beautiful in this dress?¡± Even though Lucas was a little irritated, he still stood up and went toward the LX outlet. On the other hand, Cindy stared at Hera with envy once Hera called Lucas¡¯s name. Why does Lucas go shopping with this b***h? After Lucas came up to her, he nced at Hera coldly and said, ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, how are you?¡± Cindy nced at Lucas and greeted him gleefully. Lucas shifted his cold nce and rested upon ady with big boobs. She was staring at him while shing him a disgusting smile. Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Who is this? He frowned impatiently but still nodded in response to greet her. At this moment, the brand manager and outlet manager suddenly stood up in unison. They came up to a tall and graceful woman and greeted, ¡°Ms. Berry, how are you?¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, our Outlet Manager for One Day is Ms. Cindy Wynn.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, the new designs are fast-selling items now. Would you like to take a look?¡± Nevertheless, Ashlyn, who was cold-faced, interrupted them, ¡°I understand. I will look around on my own.¡± Since Ashlyn gave a clear response, both of them dared not to speak again. Instead, they followed Ashlyn behind like her obedient underlings. Meanwhile, Ashlyn felt that someone was staring at her once she walked into the outlet. When she frowned a little and nced at the other side, her gaze met Lucas¡¯ coincidentally. Lucas? Why is he here? Is he here to support Cindy? However, she soon realized that she made a wrong guess. As if she was dering sovereignty over Lucas, Hera pulled his arm over her and said in a cute voice, ¡°Lucas, look at me. How do I look in this dress?¡± Oh, I see. He¡¯s here to apany Hera Chapman to go shopping. Meanwhile, Cindy was furious as she stared at Hera¡¯s arms. How dare Hera Chapman wraps her arms around Lucas Nn¡¯s? I haven¡¯t even touched him once! Damn it! C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Fortunately, as an actress, she was trained to manage her emotions. Besides, the reporters wouldnd her in serious trouble if they took pictures of her showing an angry face. On the other hand, Lucas put down his arm unknowingly to avoid any physical contact with Hera and said randomly, ¡°Not bad.¡± When Hera put on another red dress, Lucas unknowingly felt that it would suit Ashlyn better. After all, Ashlyn had an almost perfect body shape, particrly her slim waist. As Lucas unconsciously fixed his gaze upon her slim waist, he suddenly felt some heat at his lower abdomen and was about to get an erection. He was sexually aroused by merely looking at her. On the other hand, the reporters, who squatted and took pictures, were stunned when they saw Ashlyn. ¡°Isn¡¯t she Jared¡¯s girlfriend?¡± ¡°Wow, is she a loyal customer of LX too?¡± ¡°She elegant and even more beautiful than an actress.¡± After a while, a recently graduated reporter plucked up her courage toe up to Ashlyn and said shyly, ¡°Ms. Berry, can¡­ can I ask you a few questions?¡± Once the reporter finished, Cindy was exasperated. Humph! I have been standing here for quite some time. But no one interviewed me even though I am an actress! I mean, who is this Ms. Berry? Ashlyn began to size up the reporter once she finished. The reporter was young, slightly round-faced, and looked a little timid and innocent. After a while, Ashlyn blinked her beautiful eyes and replied ndly, ¡°Ms. Wynn is our Outlet Manager for One Day now. I would suggest that you have an interview with her. But you can take several pictures of me. Also, remember to take good pictures.¡± The next moment, Cindy, who was furious in the beginning, nced at Ashlyn in disbelief. Why does this woman forgo the chance to seek the limelight? As an actress, Cindy witnessed a lot of dirty tricks in the entertainment industry. Since Cindy finally found a woman who didn¡¯t seek the limelight, she couldn¡¯t help but have a good impression of Ashlyn. On the other hand, Lucas fixed his gaze upon Ashlyn ever since she walked into the outlet. Surprisingly, he suddenly said to the reporter, ¡°Take several pictures of me too.¡± All reporters were startled and stared at Lucas. Who is this guy? Oh, I remember it! He¡¯s Mr. Nn! He was a prominent figure in Lake City, well known for his wickedness. Therefore, the reporters didn¡¯t dare take private pictures of him even though they had been stationed here for quite some time. Why does Mr. Nn ask us to take his pictures now? At this time, the other reporters looked at the fortunate neer jealously. Chapter 148 Chapter 148 If we knew it earlier, we would have requested to interview Jared¡¯s girlfriend! C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. At this moment, all of the reporters nced at Ashlyn with an unknowing sense of interest. She must be a lucky person! From now on, we have to treat Ms. Berry respectfully whenever we see her! We can have more news as long as she¡¯s present! Right now, the young reporter and cameraman were a little dizzy, as if they were shocked after winning a grand prize in the lottery. After recollecting themselves, they hastily took pictures of Ashlyn and Lucas. Lucas looked sturdy and handsome when he wore a ck suit and stood at the women¡¯s clothing outlet. It was as if a nobleman was choosing a new dress for a princess. In fact, Lucas was good-looking even without makeup. He could be one of the most handsome men in the world once he put on makeup. The cameraman¡¯s hands shook as he took photos of them. However, as soon as he finished, a man said to him in a deep voice, ¡°Take one more picture.¡± Before Ashlyn could react, Lucas grabbed her by her waist and posed before the cameraman. Since Ashlyn still remembered the theme today, she wriggled slightly and said, ¡°Ms. Wynn,e here.¡± Once Cindy was cued, she immediately came up and stood close to Ashlyn. Meanwhile, Lucas couldn¡¯t help but frown. He was a little displeased that it became a group photo of three. But he eventually epted it since having a group photo with Ashlyn was better than nothing. On the other hand, Cindy was exhrated as she could take a picture with Lucas and Ashlyn together. Although I¡¯m not standing beside Lucas, I¡¯m still the first actress in the entertainment industry to take a picture with Lucas! I¡¯m the first one! The actors and actresses in Nn Entertainment were a lot, yet no one was fortunate enough to take a picture with Lucas before. Hence, Cindy looked at Ashlyn in admiration, just like the other reporters and cameramen. After taking the picture, she sincerely expressed her gratitude to Ashlyn. ¡°Thank you so much, Ms. Berry.¡± ¡°Well, it is my honor to take a photo with you because you¡¯re the Outlet Manager for One Day of LX,¡± Ashlyn said ndly. Cindy felt that Ashlyn looked enchanting with her gorgeous eyebrows and fair skin that glowed under the light. As more socialites visited the outlet, at least half of the new designs were sold out in merely half an hour. The LX brand manager and outlet manager remained polite as they said, ¡°Ms. Berry, are you satisfied with Ms. Wynn¡¯s performance today?¡± Ashlyn nodded in response and replied, ¡°Ms. Wynn has a great curve.¡± In fact, the dress suited Cindy well because she had big boobs. Ady without big boobs would not be able to carry that piece of dress. As Hera was totally ignored, tears began to well up in her eyes. She asked furiously, ¡°Lucas, why didn¡¯t you take a photo with me?¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot,¡± the man said emotionlessly. As a matter of fact, he totally forgot that Hera was with him once he saw Ashlyn. ¡°Lucas, I want her dress,¡± Hera pointed at Cindy as she said. She was furious because Cindy was in the limelight just now. After Cindy looked at the outlet manager as a signal to ask for help, the outlet manager said politely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Chapman. I¡¯m afraid this dress doesn¡¯t really suit you.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I wear it, but she can?¡± Hera said in a huff. ¡°In that case, can I get hers?¡± The next moment, she pointed at Ashlyn. Ashlyn¡¯s dress was of the gship design of LX. It was exhibited in its new product release during Fashion Week. This time, the LX brand manager replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Chapman, there are three dresses of this design worldwide, and only one dress is avable in our country. Ms. Berry is wearing the only dress.¡± ¡°They bully me! I don¡¯t care! Lucas, can you buy the same dress for me?¡± Hera looked at Lucas pitifully as if she were about to cry. The next moment, she bit her lower lips and said as if she was wronged, ¡°Ashlyn Berry and Cindy Wynn bullied me.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you say LX bullied you?¡± As soon as Hera finished, Ashlyn gave her a cold stare and shifted her gaze toward Lucas in disdain. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Why does he have bad taste in choosing a girlfriend after getting a divorce from me? Why is he fond of Hera Chapman, who is so fake and ugly? Perhaps because he sensed her utter contempt, Lucas looked grumpy and exuded an air of menace around him. Hence, a shiver suddenly ran down Hera¡¯s spine before she wanted to make a fuss over it. After a while, she looked at him pitifully and said in a cute voice, ¡°Lucas, you said¡­ you will do everything as I ask.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t think he can fulfill your demand this time.¡± Ashlyn sneered and nced at the brand manager. As the brand manager got her signal, she immediately added, ¡°As for the other two dresses of this design, one was purchased by a princess from Spain, whereas the other one was purchased by the Queen of Brunei. So, Ms. Chapman, I would suggest that you choose other designs instead. If you don¡¯t make a decision quickly, I¡¯m afraid other new designs will be out of stock soon.¡± At this moment, Hera felt that she was humiliated. She stopped looking pitiful before Lucas anymore but said in a piercing voice instead, ¡°LX isn¡¯t any top international fashion brand. Instead, it¡¯s merely a new designer¡¯s brand. In that case, will princesses and queens choose this brand? Are you kidding me?¡± Nevertheless, the brand manager answered coldly, ¡°Ms. Chapman, you are our honored guest the moment you have entered our outlet. But because you ndered and belittled our brand, I have to request for your cooperation to leave now!¡± As a matter of fact, Hera pretended to behave nicely from the beginning to get Lucas¡¯ sympathy. Now that she was rude and utterly unreasonable, she totally shattered her image ¨C a gracefuldy from a prominent family. On the other hand, Lucas got increasingly impatient. He couldn¡¯t understand why Hera could change so much. What happened to the girl, who was as innocent as an angel when she lent a hand to him? C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Does time really change a person entirely? ¡°Lucas, I think they don¡¯t want to sell their dresses to me and also disrespect you. To put it simply, LX is merely a small brand. How can it bepared with Nn Group?¡± Attempting to drive a wedge between them, Hera said, ¡°How ungrateful you guys are even when the president of Nn Group comes to your outlet in person. I¡¯m pretty sure all outlets of your small brand will eventually close down!¡± Hera was clearly looking for trouble by humiliating LX. After Hera finished, Ashlyn stared at her eyes. Although Hera¡¯s eyes were good-looking, Ashlyn could sense hints of desire, greed, and wickedness in them. She instinctively sensed that Hera would want to extract a lot of things from Lucas. ¡°Is the president of Nn Group really that noble?¡± After a while, Ashlyn fixed her gaze on Lucas and continued, ¡°Mr. Nn, you¡¯re indeed noble in front of me. Besides, LX is indeed a small and dispensable brandpared to your Nn Group.¡± Since Ashlyn said satirically, Lucas frowned a little and replied, ¡°Everyone is equal, and no one is nobler than the other.¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrows but didn¡¯t respond. The next moment, she turned around and said to the brand manager behind her, ¡°From today onward, all LX outlets are not allowed to sell any products to Hera Chapman. Remember her face and inform all persons-in-charge of LX outlets.¡± ¡°You¡­ who are you to cklist me? How are you rted to LX?¡± Hera pointed at Ashlyn and yelled exasperatedly. ¡°You are slightly sessful today only because Jared Quickton backs you up! Who are you to give orders to cklist me? Do you think your family opens LX outlets?¡± Much to Hera¡¯s surprise, the LX brand manager replied right after she finished, ¡°Yes, Ms. Berry.¡± ¡°Since Ms. Chapman is that noble, a small brand like LX doesn¡¯t deserve the honor to be chosen by you.¡± Meanwhile, Ashlyn¡¯s lips quirked when she said to Hera. Ashlyn shed her a sweet and generous smile. Meanwhile, Hera was stunned and looked at her in disbelief. After recollecting herself, she asked curiously, ¡°It¡¯s impossible. Who are you?¡± ¡°Who am I? I¡¯m merely an ordinary customer of LX,¡± Ashlyn still said smilingly. Although Lucas remained emotionless when he listened to their conversation, he was a little impressed whenever Ashlyn smiled. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Even though Hera was arguing with them, Lucas didn¡¯t intend to back her up at all. On the other hand, the reporters didn¡¯t expect that they could have a piece of shocking news here. Hera is perhaps the first person to be cklisted by a brand! I have never seen such a silly person in my life! As Hera was boiling with rage, she said, ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Nevertheless, Ashlyn looked at her calmly and replied, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you check your own identification card to get the answer? Why are you asking me instead?¡± As Hera didn¡¯t expect Ashlyn to ridicule her, she fumed, ¡°How dare you?¡± Hera stared at Ashlyn ferociously and in disgust. After pausing for a while, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that you can do everything merely because Jared is behind you. You¡¯re only a toy to him! Once he is bored of you, you can cry all you want but can¡¯t do anything to change it! Don¡¯t be so smug now!¡± As soon as Hera finished, she flung her hand toward Ashlyn to p her face. However, before Ashlyn lifted her hand to stop Hera, someone acted faster than her. It was Lucas who sped Hera¡¯s arm to stop her. Although Lucas initially lookedposed, he gave Hera a cold-eyed stare and yelled furiously, ¡°Who are you to hit her?¡± When he flung Hera¡¯s arms away, she couldn¡¯t steady herself and fell shabbily. Shey on the floor and looked up at him in disbelief. The next moment, tears streamed down her face when she said, ¡°Lucas, why did you treat me in such a manner for that woman?¡± Because she bruised her arm against the floor, her arm began to bleed. Hera felt the pain when she looked at her own bruise. Besides, she couldn¡¯t stop sobbing as she was disappointed with the way Lucas treated her. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. She could never believe that Lucas would push her in an outlet in public! Nheless, the pain on her arm reminded her that everything was real. On the other hand, everyone near the outlet was shocked by Lucas¡¯s reaction. Why did Mr. Nn protect Jared¡¯s girlfriend? Do they have an intertwined rtionship? Meanwhile, Ashlyn was startled too because she never thought that someone would protect her. But I admire Hera¡¯s courage for attempting to p me. She sneered at Hera and put her hair gently behind her ears. After that, she said to the LX brand manager, ¡°Escort her out now!¡± ¡°Ashlyn, don¡¯t trash-talk me. I won¡¯t be afraid of you. It¡¯s fine that you threaten LX because Jared backs you. But who are you to drive me out? After all, you¡¯re merely a woman who relies on a man to be sessful!¡± Since Hera was embarrassed, she couldn¡¯t hold back her emotions and yelled at her non-stop. As she eventually lost her head, she scolded, ¡°You are merely a useless toy to men for their entertainment. You¡¯re a pretty but useless b***h! How dare you¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Lucas stopped her before she continued. Then, he squinted slightly and warned coldly, ¡°How long do you want to keep it going? Don¡¯t you feel ashamed of yourself?¡± Meanwhile, Spencer was both frightened and shocked after witnessing Hera¡¯s stupidity. Impressive! How dare she scold Ms. Berry non-stop! Also, he didn¡¯t understand why Mr. Nn would want to be with Hera. As a matter of fact, Ms. Chapman is discourteous and ill-mannered. Besides, Ms. Berry looks far more beautiful than her! I mean, did Mr. Nn choose this woman because he is visually impaired somehow? After Lucas yelled at her, Hera shivered and was frightened. No¡­ It¡¯s not what you think. I always portray myself as a gentle and cutedy before Lucas. Why did I be a b***h merely because Ashlyn provoked me? As if she was suddenly conscious, Hera looked at Lucas and said sobbingly, ¡°Lucas, it¡¯s not what you think. I lost my head just now because I was too angry. Please forgive me!¡± Since Lucas remained silent, Hera added, ¡°Lucas, what you saw just now wasn¡¯t the real me. I overreacted only because I was too angry.¡± ¡°What a mess!¡± Ashlyn only felt pity for the new productunching that was almost ruined by Hera single-handedly. At the same time, many socialites in the outlet witnessed the fuss, and some of them even recorded it secretly. Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Besides, some of them even sent the video to their friends and families. Before today, Hera was known as a gracefuldy who came from a family of renowned pianists. Besides, she was talented in drawing and even sold one of her paintings for five hundred thousand in an auction before. There was a time when many n leaders from different prominent families saw Hera as a role model to their children. As such, many socialites were annoyed for beingpared with her at home. ¡°Look at the daughter of the Chapman family. She can y piano and even drawing! What about you? You know nothing but live an extravagant lifestyle! Can¡¯t you discipline yourself and work on something meaningful instead? s, I can put my mind at ease if you can acquire at least half of Hera Chapman¡¯s skills.¡± Hence, the socialites were more than happy when Hera showed her true colors. Well, she is just a b***h after all! Besides, she is even cklisted by LX! Before the staff acted, Lucas furiously gave Spencer a signal to drag her out of the outlet. The atmosphere in the Bentley was tense. Hera curled herself up on the corner and sobbed from time to time. Meanwhile, Lucas felt annoyed by her voice. ¡°How dare you insult her?¡± That man sneered at Hera ferociously. As the terrifying air surrounded the car, Hera curled up to avoid his gaze. At this moment, she really wished to vanish from the world.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. My god, it¡¯s horrible. Why does Lucas look so terrifying when he gets angry? As she began to sweat, she dared not to wail but only sobbed softly. Even though tears continued to stream down her face, she dared not take deep breaths and remained as quiet as possible. The next moment, Lucas said in a piercingly cold voice, ¡°There will be no more next time!¡± Once Lucas said it, Hera felt that the air was frozen. After a while, Hera was driven out of the car and stood helplessly at the roadside. She couldn¡¯t help but squat down and hug herself. The next moment, she began to wail to let out her emotions. I have irked Lucas! What should I do? It all happened because of Ashlyn Berry. Since Hera felt that she was wronged, she looked ferocious with her tears filled with envy. It¡¯s Ashlyn Berry¡­ Ashlyn Berry did all these to me! As Cindy wished, she finally became one of the trending searches online. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t make it because of paying any money to be on the list. On the contrary, the group photo of Ashlyn, Lucas, and her became the trending search. Furthermore, the brand of LX also became one of the trending searches. Netizens began to search for more information about the reputation of LX and its impressive designs. Even Terry was surprised and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°You finally have the luck. I don¡¯t even have to spend the money for it.¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t always be unlucky,¡± Cindy said satisfactorily. ¡°To be honest, I really have to thank Ms. Berry for it. She is indeed an impressivedy.¡± ¡°Besides, Hera Chapman was silly enough to show her true colors in front of everyone. When you met her during the birthday party, I thought she was really a noblewoman,¡± Terry also said in disdain. ¡°She has disgraced the entire Chapman family this time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± As Cindy spoke, she looked at the list of trending searches again excitedly. I guess no one will use me of being the other woman again even though I¡¯m in the trending searches with the president. After all, I was invited by the brand to be the Outlet Manager for One Day. On the other hand, Hera Chapman came to the outlet with Lucas together. Under such circumstances, everyone can see clearly who the other woman was! Even though Cindy did think about being Mrs. Nn one day, she didn¡¯t go overboard like Hera. Moreover, the issue about LX cklisted Hera also became one of the trending searches. At that time, the socialites took photos and videos when Hera made trouble in the LX outlet and even uploaded them online. Hera Chapman ruined her image as a talenteddy. She reveals herself as a b***h! Is this how a family of prominent pianists educate its daughter? It¡¯s indeed eye-opening. I used to think that she is pretentious, but she is even worse than I thought. She deceived us all. Chapter 152 Chapter 152 What¡¯s more, Hera Chapman even wanted to cause trouble to Jared Quickton¡¯s girlfriend! However, Lucas stopped her and protected Ashlyn Berry like he was her boyfriend. Even though Lucas looked cold, he was still very handsome! Although the short videos were recorded randomly without applying any shooting techniques, Ashlyn still looked beautiful and graceful, while Lucas was breathtakingly handsome. Besides,izens were all impressed as soon as they saw the pictures of them. Hey, do you guys think Mrs. Nn knows that Mr. Nn protected Ms. Berry? Will Mrs. Nn punish Mr. Nn violently? I guess he has to repent for his mistake. Anyway, he looked so cool when he protected Ms. Berry! But still, I have to say it out loud. Does Mrs. Nn know that you care about another woman so much? Since Ms. Berry is so graceful, Ms. Chapman looked like an evil witch inparison. The outsiders might even think that Ms. Berry is thedy from the family of prominent pianists! Exactly! Ms. Berry is a socialite that lived up to my imagination. Hera didn¡¯t expect that the news wouldn¡¯t cease and snowballed as time went by. Therefore, she hid at home and dared not to go out. On the other hand, Mrs. Chapman almost fainted in the hospital when she read the trending gossips on the inte. She immediately went home and saw Hera, who curled up on the corner of her bed, sobbing pitifully. Sisley said furiously, ¡°You always boasted that Lucas would be yours sooner orter. But look at what happened now! I mean, you offended almost everyone! Will Lucas still be fond of you from now on?¡± ¡°Mom, what should I do now?¡± Tears began to stream down her face when she continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t know why I reacted in such a manner.¡± ¡°Have you lost your mind£¿ How did I teach you in the past? Your Grandpa is still in the hospital now. Do you still want to be the family¡¯s sessor?¡± Sisley was disappointed in Hera. ¡°I tell you what, you have to reconcile with Lucas at all costs, even if that means you have to kneel and beg him!¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Hera looked up at her and said between sobs, ¡°Mom, he¡¯s irritated by me now. How can I beg him¡­¡± ¡°Are you stupid? Can you use your brain to think?¡± After taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Sisley whispered in Hera¡¯s ear to give her some instructions. After listening to her carefully, Hera replied, ¡°Mom, I understand. I will aplish this.¡± ¡°You better do it seriously and don¡¯t ever disappoint me again,¡± Sisley warned her coldly. After returning to Whind Vi, Lucas nced around the empty living room and heaved a sigh. The next moment, he began to feel famished since he hadn¡¯t had any food after breakfast. Hence, he went to the kitchen and opened the fridge. He was in a better mood once he saw loads of food in it. After that, he took out a bowl of noodles and put it in a microwave. Since Lucas was aware that Ashlyn prepared the food in the fridge, he enjoyed eating the noodles very much. Eventually, his stomach felt better after having some food. Nevertheless, Lucas began to feel cranky when he recalled the reason that Ashlyn prepared so much food in the fridge ¨C She wouldn¡¯t return to the vi anytime soon. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Damn it! Does she really hate toe back to this ce so much? Why did she prepare so much food? I think it canst for at least a week! After having the noodles, he took a picture of the empty bowl and sent it to Ashlyn on Twitter. ¡°I have finished eating it.¡± Even though Ashlyn didn¡¯t reply, he still stared at the chat box silently. Nheless, there was still no answer from Ashlyn after five to six minutes. As Lucas became impatient, he clicked on the video call button right away. Meanwhile, Ashlyn heard the video call ringtone once she came out of the bathroom. Who calls me at this hour? The moment she grabbed her phone, the video call invitation popped up on the screen. It¡¯s Lucas¡­ After hesitating for a while, she clicked on the button to ept the call. The next moment, a handsome man came into sight and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you reply to my message?¡± ¡°Oh, I was taking a shower,¡± Ashlyn replied ndly. Ashlyn was wearing a long white bathrobe that covered the curve of her hips nicely. As the light prated the bathrobe from the side, Lucas could roughly see that she wasn¡¯t wearing any clothes underneath the bathrobe. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 The night breeze, which swirled under the moonlight, blew into the window and birled the corners of her shirt. The shadow of the light could be faintly seen in the dark. Ashlyn smoothened the corners of her shirt with one hand and flipped her damp long hair with the other. A wisp of hair that swept above her left shoulder had thoroughly wet the left side of her bathrobe. Droplets of water gently glided down her long silky smooth neck to her fair and delicate corbone. Under the light that shone right on it, they sparkled with radiance. With a tint of red on her fair cheeks, her skin glowed like white porcin. Her glistening eyes were not only pretty but seductive. Even just looking at her through the screen of a phone made Lucas feel instantly dry and thirsty. Lucas gulped, and his sensuous Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down, ¡°The bowl of dried noodles is very nice.¡± But you¡¯re more delicious! Ashlyn giggled. She then gently used a towel and wiped off the excess moisture on her hair with her long smooth hands, ¡°Really? But it¡¯s just a simple dish. As a CEO, I¡¯m sure you must have savored all kinds of exquisite gourmets.¡± The man looked cold and responded with a deadpan expression. He remained silent, so did Ashlyn. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn did not know why did he switch on the video cam. She stood up slowly, and a subtle sound crept into his ears. Soon, she returned to her seat. Lucas noticed she had a hairdryer in her hands. Before he could open his mouth and ask, he heard the buzzing sounding from the hairdryer. Lucas¡¯ mouth opened, and he shut it back without saying anything. He used to help her blow dry her hair. Ashlyn¡¯s hair was not only long but also soft like silk. It was definitely smooth to the touch. This was why he would tend to y with her hair out of habit. But right now, he could only stare at his empty palms and reminisce that feeling. After blowing her hair dry, Ashlyn applied ayer of hair serum and gently massaged her hair. Upon realizing her hair was almost dry, she put down the hairdryer, ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± As a beauty, she could effortlessly charm anyone by just twirling her hair with her fingers and look noble and morous. He had to suppress his urge. ¡°You promised me you¡¯ll arrange for me to meet Ms. Saunders.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. How about tomorrow? She¡¯s avable,¡± Ashlyn responded casually. Lucas was at a loss for words upon hearing Ashlyn¡¯s response. She made it sound as if anyone could casually meet Ms. Saunders. ¡°Are you close with her?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Lucas suppressed his voice and said, ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ see you tomorrow then.¡± ¡°Alright. Anything else?¡± Ashlyn looked at him calmly with her beautiful eyes that did not show any emotions. As if he was a stranger. ¡°Nope,¡± Lucas replied in an even suppressed voice. ¡°Goodnight,¡± Ashlyn ended the call right away. She did not even give time to Lucas to add anything more to his sentence. The screen turned dark. Lucas sat still like a statue. He looked at the empty room and whispered, ¡°Goodnight.¡± He stared at the ck screen, and his eyes were full of disdain. What a cruel woman. Without hesitation, she just simply hung up on him. He waited for a long time for her to blow dry her hair, yet this was the treatment he got in return. Early next morning at the Chapman residence, Hera did not sleep wellst night. Her eyes were red and swollen and had dark circles beneath them. She looked ashen-faced and haggard. Mrs. Chapman knocked on the door and went into her room. She saw tissues scattered all over the floor and her daughter still crouching in a corner. She could not help but let out a deep sigh. Seeing her daughter in this state, how could she not feel bad for her? Yet, she was too young and still rebellious. ¡°Alright, alright. It has already happened. There¡¯s no point for you to sit here and cry over spilled milk. Come, I¡¯ll apany you to visit Lucas, so you can apologize to him nicely, okay? Go and freshen up now.¡± Mrs. Chapman pulled her hand and dragged her out of her bed. Hera, who still seemed zoned out, nodded. She looked absolutely depressed. ¡°Mom, can you help me think of ways to deal with that woman Ashlyn?¡± Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Hera was already frail and skinny, and now she looked even more fragile than ever. A gust of wind would have easily blown her away. ¡°Listen to me. I¡¯ll take care of that b*tch for you,¡± Mrs. Chapman consoled her, ¡°I¡¯ve much more life experiences than her. I bet she can¡¯t do anything to me.¡± Hera was relieved to hear her mother¡¯s assurance. After freshening up a little and putting on light makeup, she looked much better. She then walked downstairs with Mrs. Chapman. The moment she sat down by the dining table, she heard a sarcastic voice, ¡°I don¡¯t want to sound like a bad person, but you¡¯ve really embarrassed yourself.¡± Dressed in an emerald, green dress, the second wife of the Chapman family walked into the dining hall. Since every member of the Chapman family stayed together in the same vi, where internal strife and disagreements were bound to happen. They did not engage in arguments openly, but all of them were schemeful and had something up their sleeves. Mrs. Chapman smiled and looked at the seconddy of the family, ¡°What are you talking about? Those posts that you¡¯ve read from the Inte are just rumors. Do you think Hera would do that?¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That brand has posted about it on its social media, and it even mentioned Hera¡¯s name!¡± Clearly, she was gloating over the incident. ¡°What?¡± Upon hearing those words, Hera¡¯s heart sank even deeper even though she was already depressed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know?¡± The seconddy of the house rolled her eyes from one side to another and turned her attention back to Hera. She intentionally emphasized every single word, ¡°This morning, at 7 am, LX published a post about you on their official social media ount. Glorious Group also posted something about you.¡± Hera¡¯s face instantly turned as pale as a ghost, and her voice trembled, ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­¡± ¡°Go and check on their social media ounts yourself.¡± The seconddy took a sip of milk, ¡°Oh dear, if our old master finds out about this, his illness might be worse! Look at the things you¡¯ve done, Hera. I think you should avoid going to the hospital in the next couple of days.¡± She then went on saying something else, but Hera did not bother to listen to her anymore. At that point, she hade across trending topics on social media. #LX¡¯s official statement #Glorious Group¡¯s official statement She clicked on the topic on LX and read, ¡°In regard to Ms. Hera Chapman¡¯s abusive remarks on our brand, we reserve the right to pursue legal actions against her. As of now, we hereby dere our brand will put an end to any form of coboration with Ms. Hera Chapman from now onwards.¡± Hera then immediately went to check on Glorious Group¡¯s official ount. ¡°Glorious Group has always upheld the values of peace and harmony as they set the direction of our company. Ms. Hera Chapman¡¯s inappropriate action clearly opposes our values, and we do not endorse such behavior. Hence, we hereby dere from now on, allpanies under Glorious Group will no longer work with Ms. Hera Chapman.¡± Glorious Group! Glorious Group was the distributor of luxurious brands in H Nation. Whether they were mid-range or high-end or products, Glorious Group had the exclusive right to import them all. Not only were they the distributor of these luxurious goods, but they also owned many world-renowned stores that sell premium products. This was why Glorious Group had a powerful presence in not only H Nation¡¯s fashion industry but also that of worldwide. Being boycotted by Glorious Group meant Hera had also offended the entire fashion industry. As a socialite, she had totally burned bridges with the fashion world. When socialites gathered, they would talk about new bags, clothes, and custom-made facial products. Now, the reality had pped Hera in the face. She no longer had ess to this social group. But what had this got to do with Glorious Group? Its president, Richard Shaw was an influential businessman who resided overseas. If he were to stay in the country, he would top the list of the wealthiest bachelors. What was Ashlyn¡¯s rtionship with Glorious Group? Hera was dumbstruck. Being boycotted by LX alone was not a big deal as she could still shop elsewhere. Buying newly launched products at LX was not a must, after all. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 But what if the other premium and international brands decided not to entertain her as well? Could she still make a public appearance in the future? Without products from luxurious brands, what else could she wear? Does this mean I have no choice but to wear old clothes to attend events and social gatherings? The thought of people giving her a pathetic look drove her mad. ¡°Ah!¡± Hera was so mad that she threw away her phone. She then buried her head in her hands and cried in agony. ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore! I can¡¯t! How could Glorious Group side with that bitch?¡± Her expression turned gruesome, and a towering rage could be seen zing in her vicious eyes. The seconddy of the family was taken aback, ¡°Oh my, Hera! You almost scared the daylights out of me.¡± She gulped down her milk, ate a sandwich, and left. Ha, what aughing stock! Not only does this brat throw tantrums like a spoiled child at home, but she also did the same in public. Mrs. Chapman gritted her teeth, kept the phone away, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll pay someone to take care of the trending topics. We can always go on a shopping spree overseas since we can afford it. Glorious Group is just the distributor of those products. They don¡¯t monopolize the market, anyway.¡± ¡°But I feel so embarrassed, mom!¡± Hera¡¯s red eyes swelled like a pair of walnuts.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Tears that gushed down her cheeks had messed up the makeup on her face. She wished she could tear Ashlyn into pieces right now! ¡°Alright, alright. Hush, hush. Let mommy settle the problem on social media for you first. Let¡¯s see who dares to make fun of you when you marry Lucas in the future. With Lucas around, all these brands woulde crawling and beg for you to return to their stores!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Before Hera could finish her sentence, Mrs. Chapman interrupted her, ¡°Shush. No more buts. Mom is here to help.¡± These trending topics on the social media were abuzz, and Netizens could not stop making fun of Hera. Some socialites, whom Hera had boycotted in the past, took this opportunity to expose all her wrongdoings. Spitting saliva into a ssmate¡¯s cup and wearing ssmates¡¯ clothes without their permission were among the atrocities she hadmitted. She had even violently attacked a female ssmate, causing the victim to transfer to another school. Some fashion brands also exposed Hera for taking their sample products when she attended their events and did not even bother to pay. Wow! What she did in the past blew my mind! This Hera Chapman is truly one of a kind. She is such a terrible person. She has truly brought shame to her grandfather Mr. Chapman, who has maintained a good reputation as a renowned pianist. Argh, disgusting. I¡¯d strangle her right away if she¡¯s my ssmate. She even had the face to take advantage of those brands by taking their products? Not sure if it¡¯s a blessing or a curse for brands to have this kind of socialite at their event. Ashlyn read through the posts on social media and froze for a second. Why did Glorious Group make this move though? At that moment, she received a call. ¡°Hey, did you get Glorious Group to do this?¡± Ashlyn asked in a puzzled voice. The man smiled and replied charismatically, ¡°Are you going to thank me?¡± ¡°She¡¯s just a nobody. You shouldn¡¯t have wasted your time and energy to deal with this kind of person,¡± Ashlyn said ndly. ¡°Ashlyn, what have you been doing in thest four years? Why didn¡¯t youe to find me?¡± Richard seemed to be implying something, ¡°You¡¯re so close with Jared but you always keep a distance from me. Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯re jealous? Come on, he¡¯s my subordinate, and you¡¯re my brother,¡± Ashlyn chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re the CEO of Glorious Group, a busy businessman. How can you get jealous of a man who works for me?¡± Upon hearing her silveryugh, Richard¡¯s dark eyes glistened, ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner once I get back, okay?¡± ¡°Dinner with you? Please. I don¡¯t want your admirers to catch us and tear me into pieces,¡± Ashlyn mumbled. ¡°Stop being so ridiculous!¡± Richard eximed in frustration. Chapter 156 Chapter 156 ¡°Just kidding! Call me when you¡¯re back,¡± Ashlyn then hung up the call right away. Ashlyn felt awkward having this conversation with Richard. She had been put in the limelight and made a number of headlines on social media recently. She knew Richard would eventuallye across updates about her. Damn it! She let out a long sigh and fussed with her hair in frustration. Richard might seem like he did not have a care in the world, but deep in his heart, he was a domineering control freak. Instead of letting him get to her, she decided to forget about him. She went to her wardrobe, get a pair of attire that she liked, and put it on. At the president¡¯s office in the South Star Airlines headquarters. Lucas had fulfilled his flight time for this month, so he would not need to fly in theing week. Instead, he nned to spend his timepleting his paperwork. This was why he was at South Star Airlines¡¯ office today. At 9 am, there would be a meeting that all employees must attend. The lift door opened when it reached the top floor. He walked out of the lift and saw Jenny right there. She had been waiting for him in his office early this morning. ¡°Mr. Nn, there¡¯s something I have to tell you.¡± Lucas responded aloofly, ¡°You can tell my assistant Spencer.¡± ¡°But this is something I have to tell you personally.¡± The flight attendant¡¯s attire entuated the shape of her body, and she looked good in it too. Yet, in Lucas¡¯ eyes, not a single woman was as pretty as Ashlyn. Hence, to him, Jenny was as good as invisible. Thest time when she came to him to talk about Ashlyn, he nearly threw a fit. Now, she felt she had gathered enough evidence and must warn Lucas not to fall into the trap of that woman, who took advantage of men. She wanted him to know that Ashlyn was nothing more than a gold digger who lined her pockets with money given by all sorts of men. Lucas stopped walking and look at Jenny in displeasure, ¡°What?¡± His icy stare intimidated Jenny, but she went on, ¡°Mr. Nn, I¡­ I received some news about Ashlyn. She has a close rtionship with Jared Quickton, the president of Centennial Healthcare. She is cheating on you¡­¡± Lucas¡¯ pupil red, ¡°They¡¯re good friends. What¡¯s the problem?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°She¡­she¡¯s very close with him. Like really close. I have photos to show she¡¯s cheating!¡± Jenny immediately took out her phone and showed him the photos. ¡°This is a photo of her attending a charity dinner with Jared. Look at the way they talk to each other. It was as if they were about to kiss!¡± ¡°I have a video too!¡± Jenny hit the y button. Though there were noises in the video, it was not difficult to tell how intimate they were. They could even hear their conversation. ¡°These heels kill me. Massage my legs when we get home.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± Lucas held the phone with hisrge palm. His veins started popping up, and his expression turned grim. ¡°They might be staying together! Mr. Nn, you heard what they said, right? She even asked him to massage her feet!¡± Jenny eximed in agitation. She was so ted to finally have leverage over Ashlyn that she could not stop her voice from trembling. ¡°Shut up!¡± Lucas responded aloofly and shot daggers at her. Jenny did not understand why he reacted in such a manner. Why is he still so calm and cold? Shouldn¡¯t he go and confront Ashlyn for cheating on him? ¡°I know all about this already.¡± Lucas¡¯ brows furrowed, ¡°They two are good friends. That¡¯s all.¡± Jenny was dumbstruck, ¡°Mr. Nn, they¡¯re not just good friends. They¡¯re staying together! She¡¯s cheating on you and has betrayed you!¡± Lucas gave her a sullen stare, ¡°Who gave you the right to investigate her?¡± Jenny was on the verge of breaking down. She had presented him with all the evidence. They were all disyed clearly before him. Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Yet, he chose to defend that woman. What¡¯s the difference between him and fatuous kings from the ancient world? ¡°You¡¯re barred froming to the top floor without my permission!¡± A fierce glint shed through his eyes, ¡°Now, get out!¡± Spencer leaned forward and showed Jenny out, ¡°Ms. Holt, please.¡± Where did she find the courage toe and talk to him like this? Yesterday was Hera, and today Jenny. What¡¯s wrong with these women? They¡¯re constantly trying to get on Mr. Nn¡¯s nerves. Jenny¡¯s frustration kicked in and felt sorry for herself. She then went back to the cabin crew¡¯s office, opened the door with force, and noticed a few crew members were having a chat. Upon seeing Jenny, Nancy called her, ¡°Hey Jenny, I made floral tea. Come and try some.¡± They were rather rxed since they were not on duty for the next few days. Anger was written all over Jenny¡¯s face. She sat down andined, ¡°I really have no idea what¡¯s wrong with the captain.¡± A few cabin crew members looked at her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Nancy offered her a cup of tea, ¡°Calm down.¡± ¡°It¡¯s clear that Ashlyn is cheating on him. I didn¡¯t get to attend a lot of social gatherings since I¡¯ve been busy flying around, but my friend attended a charity dinner and took some intimate photos of Ashlyn and Jared. I showed the captain, and guess what? He didn¡¯t believe it.¡± All the crew members kept silent. ¡°But that¡¯s their problem, not yours, right?¡± Nancy could not help but want to talk some sense into her. Jenny¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°But Lucas is the president of Nn Group. He¡¯s a dignified and authoritative man, but Ashlyn made him look like a fool. How can I not be mad?¡± ¡°Listen to me, Jenny. Calm down. He¡¯s not only our captain, but like what you¡¯ve said, he¡¯s also the president of this group. He should know his wife better than anyone of us. Your action is just going to agitate him further. Besides, he doesn¡¯t like to talk about his marriage in public, and the public doesn¡¯t even know Ashlyn is his wife. This is why Ashlyn can have a close rtionship with any man. After all, not everyone knows she¡¯s married!¡± ¡°But it¡¯s still considered cheating, right?¡± Jenny¡¯s eyes reddened, and she was about to burst into tears. I¡¯m a woman with no bad history, and I¡¯ve never even had a boyfriend, but why doesn¡¯t he seem to notice me? All he could ever think of is that bitch! Hatred clouded her thoughts as she scrolled through the posts on social media. Upon seeing the trending topics, the corners of her mouth quirked up. Hera Chapman. Ashlyn Berry. Cindy Wynn. Very interesting. If I can¡¯t get what I desire, everyone should suffer with me! During the lunch break, Spencer brought a lunchbox to Lucas¡¯ office. At this time, someone was knocking on the door of his office. Lucas thought the person must be Spencer, so he said in a low voice, ¡°Come in.¡± All of a sudden, he heard someone with heels entering his office. The woman then called him in a cloyingly sweet voice, ¡°Lucas¡­¡± Hera Chapman! Lucas raised his head and looked at her. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She wore a boat-neck strapless dress, and her bosoms were absolutely seductive. The dress exposed her slim waist, and her fair skin became faintly discernible as she walked. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lucas. I know I¡¯m at fault. Please forgive me.¡± Upon hearing Lucas¡¯ indifferent voice, Hera¡¯s eyes turned red immediately. She stood in front of his desk and begged, ¡°For old times¡¯ sake, please don¡¯t ignore me, okay?¡± While she was rubbing her eyes, tears started rolling down her cheeks, ¡°I went bonkersst night because I was really mad. Now everyone views me as aughing stock, and the fashion industry boycotts me. I can¡¯t take this anymore!¡± Chapter 158 Chapter 158 ¡°If I lose you again, I really am going to die.¡± Hera put aside her ego and was ready to drop to her knees, ¡°As two innocent children, we used to be so close. Now that we¡¯re all grown up, are you nning to kick me to the curb?¡± Her sobs continuously echoed in his ears. It was as if the angelic little girl from his childhood had reappeared before him. He knitted his brows, ¡°You disappointed me.¡± ¡°I promise I¡¯ll not act stupid anymore. You should know what kind of person I am, right? I just lost my mind the other day, especially when¡­ when you defended Ashlyn. I was jealous. I was really jealous of her.¡± Hera wailed even louder. She could feel the man¡¯s tone had softened after hearing her sweet and coquettish voice. She went up closer, stood beside him, wrapped her hands around his arm, and nudged him with her bosom as if it were unintentional. She continued seducing him very casually and unintentionally. She looked at the man¡¯s handsome face with her big eyes and said, ¡°On several asions, you said you¡¯re going to get a divorce. Yet, you¡¯re still married. I know you¡¯re the perfect man that every woman wants. When Ashlyn once again caught your attention, I was scared and worried. Please forgive me for being so jealous of her. It¡¯s all because I like you very much!¡± All this while, she had always been open about her feelings for him. Yet, Lucas had always kept a distance from her. He had never kissed her, let alone held her hands. He could never imagine himself being in a romantic rtionship with her. Lucas narrowed his eyes in disgust. He detestedthe way the woman rubbed her body against his arm. If it were not because this woman had saved his life when he was still a child, he would have instantly thrown her out of his office. He suppressed his irritation, pulled his arm away from her, and said with a deadpan expression, ¡°I cherished my friendship with you because of the childhood memories we once had, but Hera, you truly disappointed me. All those memories mean nothing to me anymore. I¡¯ve never promised to date you or marry you, and my n to get a divorce has nothing to do with you too. I hope I¡¯ve cleared up all the misunderstandings here.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Hera widened her eyes in disbelief and looked at his stony expression. ¡°No. I don¡¯t believe you. You¡¯ve never been close with any other women before. We went out for meals together, and you even gave me flowers.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to meet Ms. Saunders because I owed you one. I can help you achieve your goals, but I¡¯ll never date you or take you as my wife!¡± Lucas rejected her icily while exuding an aura that would deter anyone away from him. Hera¡¯s tears gushed down her cheeks uncontrobly. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. How did things end up like this? This is not what I¡¯ve expected! ¡°No. No, Lucas. You must have liked me before, right? It was clear that you wanted me to be your girlfriend!¡± Hera shook her head and cried, ¡°You¡¯re only saying this because what I did earlier upset you. You¡¯re trying to make me angry, right?¡± Lucas wanted to put an end to this misunderstanding. He had never thought of being in a rtionship with Hera. He never had and never will. Admittedly, he had shared fond childhood memories with Hera, but that was different from love. Lucas was certain about it. He would never marry a woman he did not love merely because she had saved his life when he was younger. Even if Hera had grown up to be unattractive or disabled, he would remain grateful to her. He would repay her kindness, but falling in love with her was not the way! Impossible! ¡°Hera, whether I¡¯m still married or divorced, you¡¯re not the one for me. I¡¯m grateful to you, but that¡¯s not love. They¡¯re totally different, so I hope you don¡¯t get confused.¡± Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Hera looked at him in agony. Her lips trembled, and she was devastated. ¡°No, Lucas. Please don¡¯t be so cruel to me¡­¡± Lucas frowned, ¡°Go out now. I¡¯ll take you to Ms. Saunders at 4 pmter.¡± Upon hearing that, Hera immediately put on a smile as if she had caught a glimpse of hope. Since he¡¯s still willing to take me to Ms. Saunders, does this mean I shouldn¡¯t take what he said earlier too seriously? She wiped her tears and eximed, ¡°Thank you, Lucas. I¡¯ll leave you now, and I¡¯ll be backter.¡± Spencer had been standing outside the office with Lucas¡¯ lunchbox for a long time. Once Hera left, he immediately entered the office. That woman must havee to disturb Mr. Nn at 12 pm on purpose since she knows everyone around here would have gone out for lunch. On that day, South Star Airlines had introduced a new policy to forbid non-employees from entering the president¡¯s office. At 4 pm, Hera and Lucas arrived at Imperial Tea House. Located in the city center¡¯s prime location, Imperial Tea House stood out among all the modern commercial buildings because of its ssic fa?ade. Many prominent figures in Riverdale enjoyeding here to luxuriate in their afternoon tea. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Almost all the rich and powerful elites would be honored had they earned the right to dine here. If it were not for Lucas, Hera would not have a chance to enter this legendary tea house. They slowly walked into the tea house and were greeted by the waiters, who then opened the door for them. The interior of the tea house exuded a quaint charm, and every detail in the shop was sophisticated. Most of the tables were upied, and most of the guests were familiar faces from the elite ss. d in a traditional costume, the waiters asked in a courteous manner, ¡°How can we help you?¡± ¡°We have an appointment at Celestial Room,¡± Lucas said aloofly. Suddenly, a melodious sound of a string instrumenting from upstairs had caught everyone¡¯s attention. The sound was so harmonious and sweet-sounding that it touched the hearts of all the guests in the tea house. Even those who did not understand music would appreciate and praise its beauty! Just when Hera was about to ask the waiter who the performer was, someone eximed, ¡°It¡¯s Ms. Saunders! She¡¯s the one ying the harp!¡± ¡°We¡¯re so blessed to have hear Ms. Saunders perform!¡± All the other guests were just as pleasantly surprised when they heard Ms. Saunders¡¯ name. Hera had studied music before, so she could tell how skillful she was. She could not help but ask the waiter, ¡°Isn¡¯t Ms. Saunders a professional pianist?¡± ¡°Though Ms. Saunders had only spent a month to master the piano, the harp is still her favorite instrument. Whenever she¡¯s free, she woulde and perform a tune or two in the tea house. Her presence here has helped boost our business.¡± Of course, many guests frequented the tea house because of Ms. Saunders¡¯ fame! One month! One month was all she needed to master the piano, and she won the first prize in the World Piano Competition! For someone who had been taking piano lessons since young, this was a p in Hera¡¯s face. Just the thought of it made her head spin, and she nearly fainted. ¡°We have an appointment with Ms. Saunders,¡± Lucas said in a cold voice. Hera smiled and added, ¡°Could you please bring us to Ms. Saunders¡¯ room?¡± The waiter looked at Lucas and responded with a grin, ¡°So you¡¯re Mr. Nn. Follow me.¡± All the guests were green with envy as they watched the waiter bring the two of them to the second floor. The waiter brought them to Celestial Room. The moment he opened the door, a charmingly antiquated room appeared before their eyes. They were greeted by clouds of smoke from an incense burner on the table. Chapter 160 Chapter 160 The faint scent of sandalwood wafted over. Behind the table was a screen with a drawing of ady-in-waiting from historical times. The melodious harmony wasing from behind the screen. The servers poured the two of them cups of tea before leaving the room. Lucas let the beautiful music carry him away. His slender fingers softly tapped the tabletop in tandem with the rhythm. Hera carefully blew on her steaming cup of tea as she watched the handsome Lucas. When they entered the tea house, she had caught sight of several female customers and employees gazing at her with envy. She could not help but revel in being the object of their jealousy. She adored being the center of attention. If only¡­ We could stay like this forever. As time slipped away, the harp continued to y, its tune just as captivating as ever. After some time, Hera became impatient and huffed, ¡°Lucas, do you think she¡¯s just out to waste our time? It¡¯s been over an hour and she still hasn¡¯t shown her face.¡± ¡°Quiet.¡± Lucas shushed her expressionlessly. He could discern wisps of loneliness threaded through the dulcet song. The legendary genius of Ms. Saunders is in a league of its own. She might be the only person with the ability toprehend it. Suddenly, the music changed. It was now brash and ferocious. The sound barraged its listeners from all directions with its intensely brutal melody. The overwhelming gravity of the music¡¯s aggression would ensnare anyone. Lucas furrowed his brow. Ms. Saunders sure is¡­ At this moment, a sharp note marked the end of the music. The room fell silent. Lucas¡¯s cold lips murmured, ¡°Ms. Saunders, my name is Lucas Nn. You were introduced to me by Ashlyn Berry and Mrs. Field. Wee before you with nothing but respect.¡± The server from before knocked on the door before stepping into the room. He respectfully gestured towards Lucas and said, ¡°Mr. Nn, pleasee with me.¡± As such, Lucas and Hera were led by the server to the other side of the screen. They found the space empty. But the area past it was enormous. The server pulled aside a sheer curtain and they continued waking through. Along the way, they passed arge and ancient-looking bookshelf. The bookshelf was filled to the brim with books, some of which were the only one of their kind. After the bookshelf was an antique cab. Lucas¡¯s eyes widened slightly at the sight of the numerous priceless antiques ced inside. As they advanced further, they came across a room. The entire journey so far had felt as though they had traveled back in time to the golden era. The smell of parchment paper perforated the air. The intoxicating scent was enough to convince a person they had truly traveled back in time. The server pushed open the door. The room inside was decorated with a sole dark red table. An antique bench was set down along every side of the table and a gently smoking incense burner sat atop the table. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. A woman d in bright red historical clothing was perched on one of the benches. She cradled a harp in her arms. Her back was to them so her features remained a mystery. However, she carried herself with unquestionable elegance and genteel. Beside the woman was another older, middle-aged woman also dressed in historical attire. She was the epitome of dignity. Her deep red attire was embroidered with intricate peonies, giving her the look of a historical woman from high society. The middle-aged woman grinned and was murmuring in a voice too low to pick up. At the sound of the footsteps, the middle-aged woman lifted her gaze to meet Lucas. She smiled warmly and waved Lucas over. ¡°Come here, Lucas. Let me introduce you to Madeline Saunders.¡± Lucas¡¯s frigid aura thawed slightly. ¡°Thank you, Madam.¡± Lucas respectfully replied. The middle-ageddy was a familiar face to him. She was none other than Joseph Field¡¯s mother, Mrs. Field. She pointed at the bench nearby and instructed him to sit. She patted the hands of the woman next to her. ¡°Ashlyn, this is my nephew who¡¯s been dying to meet you. He¡¯s begged me multiple times and I had no choice but to oblige him by bringing him here.¡± Hera was nothing but a wallflower throughout this interaction. Mrs. Field merely nced past her before swiftly moving on. She gritted her teeth and threw a look of indignance Mrs. Field¡¯s way. She was the wife of James Field. Her eldest son was uninterested in politics and insisted on entering the corporate world. He held the seat of honor as an executive of Nn Group and possessed unimaginable authority. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 With James Field¡¯s political background, it gave Joseph Field free rein to be the extremely powerful and arrogant yet highly eligible bachelor he was. However, Mrs. Field preferred to keep a low profile. She refused all public appearance unless it was absolutely necessary. When the other rich elderlydies heard Mrs. Field was on the prowl for a daughter-inw, they mobbed the Field family residence. Naturally, Mrs. Field was only interested in a diamond of the first water. She would not allow her son to meet with any ordinary woman. Who knew Ms. Saunders would be so young and closely acquainted with Mrs. Field? Hera was practically green with envy. When she remembered her purpose foring here, she forced the ugly feelings of jealousy down and turned her attention to Madeline Saunders. The room had an air of serenity. Suddenly, a merry chuckle erupted. The woman carrying the harp slowly turned. When sheid eyes on the woman¡¯s face, Hera was frozen with shock. Her eyes widened in disbelief and she burst out, ¡°How can it be you?¡± Ashlyn smiled faintly. Her breathtaking features settled into a calm expression. She had a tiny plum blossom painted between her eyebrows, adding to the enchanting glow she emanated. Dressed in historical clothing, she resembled a dazzling paintinge to life. Lucas was also staring at the devastatingly beautiful Ashlyn with his jaw dropped. His obsidian eyes shifted from hostility, to shock, then to anger. No wonder¡­ She spoke about Madeline Saunders with such nonchnce. No wonder¡­ She could make the decision to send that man a painting. No wonder¡­ She was able to help Madeline Saunders auction off paintings. It was because! She¡¯s Madeline Saunders! Ashlyn had a cup of tea in front of her, plumes of smoke rose steadily from it. She set the harp down on a nearby harp stand before turning up the corner of the lips into a small smirk. ¡°Mr. Nn, pray tell what was so important that you were willing to pay nine million just to meet with me?¡± Lucas scanned her like how a predator would track its prey. His gaze was sharp, invasive, and would send shivers down its target¡¯s spine. ¡°What do you take me for, Ashlyn?¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, did you pay nine million just to sit there and interrogate me?¡± Ashlyn rxedly pulled down the scarf covering the lower half of her face. Her brows raised in mock derision. Is it my fault he¡¯s never asked about my rtionship with Madeline Saunders? Until she introduced me as Madeline Saunders, no one suspected a thing. So no one would believe it even if this got out, right? Judging from Hera¡¯s bulging sockets of astonishment, she definitely can¡¯t believe it. Mrs. Field was unaware that Lucas was familiar with Ashlyn. ¡°Lucas, you know Ashlyn?¡± Mrs. Field asked in surprise. ¡°Not only do I know her!¡± Lucas spat, his tone turning fierce. Noticing his demeanor, Mrs. Field stretched an arm out in front of Ashlyn. ¡°Lucas, Ashlyn is a good friend of mine. I won¡¯t allow you toy a finger on her! If you injure even one hair on her body, I¡¯ll make sure you regret it!¡± The Field family and Nn family have always been close. Their children have been friends for as long as they could remember. Lucas was like a second son to Mrs. Field. In all my life, I¡¯ve never seen her take the side of an outsider and use such a tone with me. He was floored by her reaction. ¡°Why¡­ Why would I harm her?¡± ¡°Then you can speak amicably to her.¡± Mrs. Field red at him before continuing, ¡°So, why did you want to meet with Ashlyn?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Lucas was about to exin when he spotted Hera shaking her head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want her as my mentor.¡± She dered resolutely. Ashlyn¡¯s shapely almond eyes glinted and her radiant features hardened with hostility. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to take you in either.¡± ¡°Ms. Chapman was it?¡± Mrs. Field gave Hera a once over. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Ashlyn isn¡¯t just Ms. Saunders, but she¡¯s also LX¡¯s head of design. You were shut down by LX because of this. As a socialite, you¡¯re supposed to have received an impable upbringing yet you act otherwise. The Field Family and the Chapman family are friends and I can say that your behavior would bring shame upon your father.¡± Chapter 162 Chapter 162 After checking the trending pages, Mrs. Field was boiling with rage. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. How dare that wretched Hera cause a scene at the LX gship store? She even ndered the LX brand! Worst of all, she even hit Ashlyn! I won¡¯t take this lying down. Since she came here of her own ord, she can¡¯t me me for teaching her a lesson for the sake of Ashlyn. Hera¡¯s face contorted in a mixture of humiliation and rage. Her features twisted and flushed with the flurry of emotions she was experiencing. How dare Mrs. Field reprimand me so harshly? If only I could fight back. But even Mum has to keep her mouth shut and allow Mrs. Field to continuing hurling insults her way. What¡¯s so special about Ashlyn? How did she get Mrs. Field to be so protective of her? Tears of indignance and fury surged in her eyes. She turned to leave but heard Mrs. Field¡¯s voice exim, ¡°Do you think the Royal Tea House is somece you can choose to enter and leave of your own free will? Apologize! You must apologize to Ashlyn!¡± Mrs. Field¡¯s influence was undeniable. Hera looked at Lucas with shame, but he did not even bother to meet her gaze. If I had known Madeline Saunders was Ashlyn, I never would have brought Hera to meet her, much less request for her to be Hera¡¯s mentor. Hot tears spilled from Hera¡¯s eyes and she choked out, ¡°It¡¯s all her fault¡­ Why must you treat me this way? What did I do wrong? Why should I apologize? Netizens are all scolding and ridiculing me, all because of her. She¡¯s also the reason behind Glorious Group cklisting me. I¡¯m clearly the victim here so why should I be the one to apologize?¡± Hera¡¯s spiel only further enraged Mrs. Field. She was about to speak when she was stopped by Ashlyn cing her hand on her wrist. ¡°Sister, lower your hand.¡± Sister? Ashlyn actually addressed Mrs. Field as Sister! Lucas stiffened and his eyes red in anger. ¡°How could you call her Sister!¡± Lucas yelled, incensed. ¡°Lucas, I told you to take a nicer tone with Ashlyn. Do you understand? Ashlyn is my god sister. You should be grateful I didn¡¯t insist that you address her as Aunt! You should count your blessings!¡± Mrs. Field red daggers at Lucas. Lucas took a sharp intake of breath. Aunt! She¡¯s only 22 years old, while I¡¯m already 28. Yet I still have to address Mrs. Field with respect. Why is she allowed to call her Sister? There¡¯s clearly a mistake in seniority here! His annoyance swelled but was halted before it could erupt. Herapared Ashlyn¡¯s situation to her own. Look at my pathetic sorry state. No one even tries to sympathize with me. She shook her head as her eyes brimmed with scalding tears. ¡°This is so unfair!¡± She turned and bolted out. Lucas stood rooted to the ground, his incisive gaze remained locked onto Ashlyn. Ashlyn lowered her gaze and her slender fingers closed over the handle of the teapot. She was currently elegantly pouring out tea for Mrs. Field as she soothed the older woman, ¡°Have some tea, Sister.¡± Mrs. Field sighed before epting the cup of tea. ¡°You¡¯re too nice. Only you would allow such a mediocre creature to take advantage of you.¡± Nice? Aunt! Are we talking about the same person? The woman who has the ability to strike a man so hard he flew into the air. She¡¯s nice? Lucas inwardly bagged on her. But now that I think about it, Ashlyn has always been good with altering her personality to suit her audience. She probably acts all cute and innocent in front of Mrs. Field. It¡¯s the only way Mrs. Field would be so taken with her! I fell for her act during those four years as well. Ashlyn took a sip of tea before lifting her gaze to see Lucas¡¯s towering figure still seated. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going after her?¡± She asked curiously. ¡°I¡¯m not going!¡± The man suddenly jumped to his feet, grabbed Ashlyn by the arm and dragging her away from the table. ¡°Excuse me while I speak to Ashlyn privately. It¡¯ll only take three minutes.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s wrist was trapped in Lucas¡¯s grip. He was exerting a significant amount of strength and she felt pain shoot up her arm. Chapter 163 Chapter 163 He looks mad. He practically hauled me out of the room. Once the bathroom door clicked shut, Lucas exploded. ¡°Ashlyn! Exin! Exin yourself now!¡± Sister? Madeline Saunders? Lucas could not hold it together any longer. Ashlyn regarded him quietly. His inky gaze was clouded over by storm clouds of hostility. ¡°Lucas, you never asked me about my rtionship with Ms. Saunders. You also never asked me if I was her. How is this my fault?¡± Ashlyn leaned back against the wall, her enchanting countenance shining with tranquilposure. His arm held the back of her neck and his voice lowered to a dangerously menacing tone, ¡°Are you ming me? Are you ming me for not paying attention to you? Or for not understanding you?¡± Ashlyn returned his gaze with her own puzzled expression. ¡°That wasn¡¯t my intention at all, Lucas. Why would I need you to pay attention to me?¡± ¡°What more are you hiding from me, Ashlyn?¡± Lucas growled threateningly. The hand which held her neck gripped it tighter. ¡°Don¡¯t make me guess anymore.¡± ¡°When did I make you guess? You¡¯re the one who likes ying games. You¡¯re also the one who sought out Ms. Saunders and begged to meet her.¡± Ashlyn wrenched her neck out of his ufortable hold. ¡°Mrs. Field is waiting for me. You better¡­Umph!¡± Her lips were suddenly corked. Mrs. Field was worried about Ashlyn and hade out looking for her when she saw the pair headed towards the bathroom. When she arrived in front of the bathroom, she heard odd soundsing from Ashlyn inside the bathroom. I know all too well what sounds those are¡­ She was bewildered by this development. What¡¯s going on? Lucas and Ashlyn? Thinking back, I have to admit Lucas had a strange attitude towards Ashlyn. I watched Lucas grow up and understand him fairly well. But I¡¯ve never seen him care about anyone so much. But isn¡¯t Lucas married? Could Ashlyn be¡­ Mrs. Field was dumbfounded. The bathroom was dimly lit. Ashlyn was pressed against the wall, her face bright red. Lucas glowered at her, jealousy screaming from his gaze. ¡°Just how many people do you have in your heart? First Jared, then the twins, and now Mrs. Field. They all know you better than me¡­¡± Jealousy was driving him up the wall. I¡¯m only a man. After four years together, she¡¯s the most familiar person to me in this sea of strangers. Is there greater agony than this? Ashlyn cut him off, ¡°Lucas, during the four years we were married, I was neverpletely honest about myself because I felt it was unnecessary. You know best how our rtionship was. You don¡¯t love me and vice versa. You¡¯ve also never looked into my background or cared about my family, hobbies and life in general. All you wanted was a wife to stay home and greet you every day you came home. So isn¡¯t it rather ridiculous that now you stand here, screeching about how you don¡¯t understand me? The only thing we¡¯re familiar with about each other is our bodies. Nothing else.¡± Ashlyn turned her head away from the imposingly cold man. She yanked the handle of the door and left. When she returned to the room, the server at the entrance curtly informed her, ¡°Ms. Berry, Mrs. Field had something to attend to and already took her leave. She wanted me to tell you.¡± ¡°Noted.¡± Ashlyn nodded before stepping into the room. Lucas continued standing in the bathroom. A long time passed while he remained statuesque. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. His heart was utterly vacant. Mncholic winds seemed to sweep in and out of the void. In the Field family vi. Joseph Field entered, closely followed by his mother. He took in the historical garb she was dressed in and a headache immediately set in. ¡°Mum, can you not always dress up in such weird get-ups? You¡¯re no spring chicken anymore so why are you still trying to cosy?¡± ¡°You know nothing.¡± Mrs. Field shot him a re before tossing her custom-made historical costume onto the sofa and kicked off her embroidered slippers. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 ¡°We¡¯re preserving our traditional culture, and we wear these oriental outfits to promote the traditional Han costumes. Have you been to the Royal Tea House? Do you have its gold card? I¡¯m a Royal Tea House¡¯s diamond card holder. Ashlyn told me that there¡¯re only five diamond card holders, and I¡¯m one of them.¡± ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯m not much of a tea person, so I¡¯m not interested in that ce.¡± Joseph felt his head throbbing. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. His mom and Madeline Saunders were so close to each other, to the extent that he felt a little jealous. ¡°Hmph! Come over here.¡± Fae sat on the couch and waved at her son. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± In bewilderment, Joseph walked over and sat beside his mom. ¡°How are things between Lucas and his wife? Are they on bad terms?¡± Fae held her son¡¯s hand while looking at him squarely in the eyes. ¡°Tell me honestly and don¡¯t lie to me, okay?¡± ¡°Mom, why do you ask about Lucas suddenly?¡± Joseph pursed his lips. ¡°Is he your son?¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t change the subject.¡± Fae pped her son yfully. ¡°Tell me already.¡± ¡°They were divorced for more than a month.¡± Joseph sat sluggishly on the couch with his legs wide open, snapping his fingers. ¡°How could Lucas do this to me? Ever since he got married, he never let me see his wife, not even once. Are they really divorced?¡± Fae¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°It can¡¯t be fake. Lucas will never lie to me.¡± Joseph tilted his head. ¡°After all, both of them don¡¯t love one another. They got married in a hurry for Lucas¡¯ grandpa¡¯s sake.¡± Fae heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Thank God that Ashlyn isn¡¯t a mistress. But Lucas is a divorcee, so he¡¯s secondhand goods. Fae felt slightly awkward that Lucas was pursuing Ashlyn. Ashlyn is beautiful, kind and talented, so she¡¯s definitely out of Lucas¡¯ league. Even though Lucas is rich, influential and a man of integrity, he¡¯s someone¡¯s ex-husband after all. That¡¯s not very appropriate. Fae couldn¡¯t help but sneak a peek at his son. No, no. My son is ipetent, so he doesn¡¯t deserve Ashlyn at all. He is even worse than Lucas. On the other hand, Joseph still had no idea that he and his best friend were losing their ces in his mom¡¯s heart. He stared at Fae suspiciously. ¡°What¡¯s so great about it? Mom, why are you happy that Lucas is divorced?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Fae¡¯s expression was inscrutable. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, so don¡¯t be a busybody.¡± I have to ask Ashlyn for her opinion soon¡­ Meanwhile, James came downstairs from his study and heard their conversation. ¡°Honey, please invite Ashlyn for dinner at our house one day. The National Day is approaching soon, and I need to organize a National Day celebration. Hence, I would like to ask Ashlyn to be the performing arts consultant and help me with the program nning. Do you think she¡¯ll go for it?¡± ¡°How much do you pay Ashlyn for this job? If it¡¯s not a well-paying one, I won¡¯t look for her then.¡± Fae gave James a sideways nce. Jamesughed and said, ¡°Talking about money hurts our rtionship.¡± ¡°No, it hurts our pockets not to talk about money.¡± Fae took a sip of water. ¡°Dear, is there any outstanding and brilliant young men at your workce? Especially the ones with noble character and prominent family background.¡± ¡°What for? Are you trying to match make Ashlyn?¡± James could not hold back hisugh. ¡°Ashlyn is so famous. The words ¡®Ms. Saunders¡¯ will scare any talented young man away. Who will dare get into a rtionship with her?¡± Anyone who praised Ashlyn was a good person in Fae¡¯s eyes. Whenever Fae talked about Ashlyn, her face reddened with excitement, and her eyes were gleaming. ¡°Ashlyn is breathtakingly beautiful. Look at Jared, he clings on to her every day, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s the perfect match for her. Ashlyn¡¯s mother passed away when she was young. That¡¯s why I have to pay more attention to her love life.¡± ¡°How about our son?¡± Chapter 165 Chapter 165 ¡°Hah! Even Lucas doesn¡¯t deserve Ashlyn, let alone our son. Lucas is a divorcee, while Joseph is useless. So neither of them is good enough.¡± Fae snorted. My mom tantly despises me! Joseph let out a wail. ¡°Mom, just how amazing Ashlyn is? Am I really your biological son?¡± Fae reached out to poke his face. ¡°Of course you¡¯re my biological son, but Ashlyn is better. She apanies me to go shopping, tea time, concert, and she even ys piano together with me. What about you?¡± ¡°Mom, could it be that Ashlyn has an ulterior motive?¡± Joseph mumbled. My mom has been bewitched after meeting Madeline Saunders two years ago. At home, she talks about Ashlyn all the time, and Ashlyn is the best and the wisest person in her eyes. Anyone who says a word against Ashlyn is her enemy. She¡¯sparable to those fanatic fans who blindly chase after their idol. ¡°Cut the nonsense,¡± Fae said through gritted teeth while ring at her son. ¡°Ashlyn has never once asked us for anything, but we always ask for her help. Look at these paintings on our wall. Each one is worth over ten million, but Ashlyn has given them to us for free!¡± Joseph bit his tongue as he looked around at the walls full of Madeline Saunders¡¯ paintings. We can¡¯t have too much of a good thing. It can be tiresome no matter how artistic they are. ¡°You two should stop bickering. Please ask Ashlyn whether she¡¯s free on Friday night,¡± James urged them before heading upstairs to continue working. When he came upstairs, his assistant called him. ¡°Mr. Field, regarding the Haddock Group¡¯s case, Zero informed us that the Haddock Group fell for the trick.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fast,¡± James said in surprise. ¡°Yes, but Zero still needs to investigate further to find out the actual situation.¡± ¡°Please keep in touch with the secret society. We¡¯ll pump in extra funds if it¡¯s insufficient, as long as we can get hold of the criminal evidence of the Haddock Group,¡± James said in a steady voice. ¡°Noted.¡± After hanging up the phone, James looked out the window at the night sky with an enigmatic look in his eyes. On Friday night, at the Pearl Restaurant. It was a private kitchen which served delicious and expensive cuisines. This restaurant belonged to the Haddock Group and was managed by Sienna. The interior design and furnishings of the restaurant were custom-made ording to her preferences. Therefore, she loved to organize gatherings at this ce. Since it was only a gathering, it wasn¡¯t as grand as the previous Haddock Group dinner. However, the Pearl Restaurant dining hall was opulently decorated. Most guests invited were female, and the hall on the first floor was buzzing with activity. As a fashionabledy, Sienna invited a well-known female social media influencer instead of the reporters. She was live-streaming the entire event on the official blog of the Haddock Group. It was the first time the female influencer attended a gathering of the wives of wealthy men, so she felt ecstatic and spoke in an overly excited tone during the livestream. ¡°Oh my God! Guess who I just saw!¡± The female influencer¡¯s name was Coco. She lifted her phone to aim its camera at the middle-aged woman who just stepped through the entrance. ¡°Good day. Mrs. Jones. Please say hi to theizens.¡± Coco jogged over to Mrs. Jones. Although all the guests had been notified beforehand that there would be a livestream during the gathering, Mrs. Jones still appeared abashed and reserved as she waved at the camera. ¡°Hi, everyone. I¡¯m Mrs. Jones, and I¡¯m here today for Mrs. Haddock¡¯s private gathering.¡± ¡°Mrs. Jones looks so gracious. It¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re from a wealthy family,¡± Cocoplimented her. After that, she pranced around the hall and interviewed every guest in front of the camera. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Manyments kept popping out in the chatroom of the livestream. Theizens had always been curious about the lives of wealthy people. Now Sienna revealed their lavish lifestyle through the livestream. Hence, it attracted countlessizens, and the viewership skyrocketed. ¡°Wow. The ce looks magnificent.¡± ¡°Thesedies¡¯ outfits are all from luxury brands.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. I saw Mrs. Gracia. Her husband is a filthy rich real estate developer.¡± Chapter 166 Chapter 166 ¡°Isn¡¯t that Mrs. Miller? She looks so luxurious.¡± ¡°Cindy is there too! I¡¯m her hardcore fan. She looks great in her white LX dress.¡± Just then, Ashlyn arrived at the first floor. Coco hurriedly turned the camera toward her. ¡°Look, everyone. Our popr queen, Ms. Berry is here.¡± Morements popped up on the screen. ¡°Wow! She¡¯s so attractive!¡± ¡°Oh my. My goddess is a charming one.¡± ¡°She¡¯s wearing LXtest collection. The pinkish red dress looks elegant on her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s so tall. Maybe she¡¯s over 170 cm.¡± ¡°Totally stunning and stylish.¡± In the meantime, Sienna had been sitting on a couch at the lounge. She was the star of today¡¯s gathering, and all the socialites revolved around her. Sienna held a high status in the Haddock family. The first son and the third son¡¯s families were nowhere near as good as her, and there were no signs of them at the gathering. Even if they came, they would only be here toplement Sienna. The other Haddock family members cursed Sienna behind her back, suspecting that something was going on between her and Dixon. Otherwise, why did Dixon have such high hopes for her? In fact, Sienna was good-looking, carefree, and generous. She had good interpersonal skills as well. Although she was about to turn forty years old, she seemed youthful for her age because she took good care of her skin and appearance. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. However, the moment she saw Ashlyn, a look of astonishment shed in her eyes. From a woman¡¯s perspective, Sienna could not deny that Ashlyn was incredibly beautiful. Every socialite present was wearing branded clothes and essories, looking graceful and sophisticated. Nevertheless, when Ashlyn showed up, everyone around her faded into the background. Ashlyn was always the center of attraction. The pinkish-red dress outlined her perfect hourss figure. Her silky long hair was styled in a messy bun, revealing her slender neck. With delicate makeup on her face, she was utterly eye-catching. Her expression seemed noble and aloof as she scanned through the crowd. Lastly, her gazended on Sienna. Immediately, Sienna smiled and weed her, ¡°Ms. Berry, wee to my private gathering. It¡¯s an honor to have you here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too bad that Ms. Saunders didn¡¯te together with Ms. Berry. It seems like we¡¯re not as lucky as Ms. Berry and didn¡¯t have the privilege to meet Ms. Saunders,¡± a young woman said. She was Sienna¡¯s secretary and right-hand man. Sienna shot her a nce at her. ¡°Lisa, what¡¯re you talking about? Ms. Saunders is not an average person whom we can meet so easily.¡± Sienna then turned to look at Ashlyn with a smile. ¡°Am I right, Ms. Berry?¡± ¡°Ms. Oates, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Ashlyn nodded faintly at her. Sienna and her subordinate seem to work together very well. On the other hand, the other socialites felt jealous that Sienna greeted and entertained Ashlyn personally. ¡°Look at her face, she must have made her face perfect through stic surgery.¡± ¡°And her boobs too. They looked so full and round. I bet she has breast imnts.¡± ¡°Her butt is so firm. Maybe she injected fillers too.¡± A few women whispered among themselves bitterly. In their eyes, Ashlyn had no prominent status, and she made her way to the top via her connections with Jared. Thus, they thought that she would fret over attending a gathering of the upper echelons. But they were disappointed after seeing Ashlyn. She carried herself with elegance and grace. Her gaze was distant yet piercing, giving off an intimidating aura. At the same time, Naomi was walking past behind the few women who were cursing Ashlyn under their breaths. She nced at Sienna and Ashlyn while feeling smug. She could not wait to see how Ashlyn would end up when she had offended so many socialites. Meanwhile, theizens were still enthusiasticallymenting on the livestream. ¡°My goddess is out of this world. Her gaze sends chills down my spine.¡± ¡°Her aura is domineering.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but her gaze just now reminded me of Mr. Nn.¡± ¡°Me too¡­ Mr. Nn¡¯s face crossed my mind when I saw her just now. Her strong aura and icy gaze look exactly like Mr. Nn¡¯s!¡± Chapter 167 Chapter 167 ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s too bad that she¡¯s Jared¡¯s girlfriend.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I wonder how Mrs. Nn looks like, whether her gaze is gentle or sharp.¡± ¡°Oh, look! Our goddess and Ms. Oates are moving.¡± All theizens could not stop praising Ashlyn in the chatroom. At that time, Ashlyn was trending on social media. The Most Outstanding One In A Private Gathering; The Beautiful Goddess Ashlyn Meanwhile, Hera was in her room at the Chapman family vi as she dared not go out these days. Feeling bored, she browsed her social media and saw the trending topic about Ashlyn. ¡°Bitch!¡± Most socialites shunned her ever since she got into trouble. Although some of her friends kept in touch with her, they often mocked her indirectly. Not only did she see Ashlyn¡¯s news, but a few socialites also posted status about Ashlyn with a caption: Did she get stic surgery? Is that why her face looks perfect? An idea came to Hera¡¯s mind when she saw this caption. An evil smile spread across her face. Then she couldn¡¯t help but send an email to that person again. A few minutester, the photos of Ashlyn before and after having stic surgery went viral and became the top trending topic. Numerousizens tapped on it and saw many photos of Ashlyn¡¯s ugly face before the stic surgery versus her current photos. The photo of her ugly face before the stic surgery was jaw-dropping. She had a pair of small eyes, a t nose, tanned skin and a big mouth. To make the matter worse, a certified stic surgeon testified that Ashlyn had undergone stic surgery for her entire face, which would have cost at least 500 thousand. He even called Ashlyn ¡®a stic surgery freak¡¯, who went to the extremes to entice men. His insults toward Ashlyn were awful. At that moment, Lucas just got off a ne. It was the beginning of the month, so he was on duty. A group of cabin crew trailed behind him. The tall and well-built man was dressed in a captain¡¯s uniform, looking aloof yet dashing. When Jenny switched on her phone, she saw a notification from her social media. She promptly clicked on it as she read a familiar name. ¡°Captain Nn.¡± Running to catch up with Lucas, she raised her head to stare at the tall and striking man. The man was exuding an unapproachable vibe all over. He looked down at her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Look¡­¡± Jenny plucked up her courage and lifted her phone in front of him. ¡°Ashlyn had stic surgery. A stic surgeonpared her before and after photos and verified that she really did it.¡± Lucas¡¯s eyes were fixed on the screen, and his face turned grim all of a sudden. It was full of hue and cry on the Inte, and the so-called stic surgeon¡¯s confirmation had been shared over ten thousand times. His expression became increasingly sullen, and a storm was brewing in his darkened gaze. Spencer cast a cautious nce at Lucas. Mr. Nn¡¯s mood is visibly turning sour¡­ He¡¯s getting restless, irritated and furious¡­ Lucas¡¯s gaze grew more and more frigid. Then he instructed Spencer, ¡°Get the manager of the Public Rtions Department to deal with this matter right away.¡± He added in a stern voice, ¡°And that stic surgeon too.¡± Jenny was dumbstruck. What does Lucas mean? The proof of Ashlyn¡¯s stic surgery is right in front of his eyes, but he isn¡¯t against Ashlyn. He¡¯s even helping Ashlyn to suppress this news. Is he out of his mind? He¡¯s protecting an unfaithful gold digger who had undergone stic surgery. Jenny became anxious and could no longer hold back her emotions. ¡°Captain Nn, don¡¯t you believe that Ashlyn went for stic surgery? She made her face look perfect so that she could seduce men. She¡¯s not a natural beauty.¡± A sardonicugh echoed above her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if she¡¯s not a natural beauty, and I don¡¯t care about her appearance. As long as she¡¯s Ashlyn, she¡¯ll be my wife.¡± Jenny¡¯s eyes turned red-rimmed. ¡°But she cheated on you¡­ She¡¯s a loose woman!¡± The man¡¯s voice sounded as cold as ice. ¡°She has her own circle of friends. I¡¯m sure that she¡¯ll never cheat on me. Stop ndering and ruining her reputation, or else I¡¯ll make you pay for this.¡± Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Jenny yelled hysterically, ¡°If she¡¯s that great, why did you marry her in secret? Do your parents know about her? Will you dare let her live under the same roof as your parents? Don¡¯t you think that your marriage is abnormal?¡± Lucas looked daggers at her and remained silent for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. You have no right to talk about or meddle in our rtionship.¡± After saying this, the man immediately marched away and left her alone. The other air stewardess shot nces of sympathy at Jenny. Has she gone crazy? How dare she talk to Captain Nn this way? Something must be wrong with her. Even if she¡¯s madly in love, she shouldn¡¯t behave like a madwoman. She¡¯s only making Captain Nn hate her more. After that, the air stewardess walked past Jenny and ran toward Lucas to catch up with him. Standing motionless, Jenny broke down and wailed. Why does Lucas trust a bitch like Ashlyn unconditionally? He¡¯s so protective of her. Is he not afraid that Ashlyn would have an affair behind his back? Ashlyn is his wife, but she swindles everyone under the guise of Jared¡¯s girlfriend. Soon after, the trending topic of Ashlyn¡¯s stic surgery disappeared. Instead, the scandal about the stic surgeon was exposed and spread all over the Inte. He once caused the death of an average influencer during the operation. However, no one paid attention to the case because the influencer wasn¡¯t popr. As a result, the stic surgeon settled the issue with only littlepensation. Someone discovered it, and it became the new trending topic. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. All these happened within only half an hour. The topic about Ashlyn¡¯s stic surgery had been reversedpletely. ¡°So whatever this stic surgeon said cannot be trusted.¡± ¡°This surgeon is a troublemaker. Why didn¡¯t the influencer¡¯s family sue him?¡± ¡°Perhaps she signed a consent agreement before the surgery, but she didn¡¯t read it.¡± ¡°He has no regard for human life.¡± ¡°Ashlyn¡¯s face seems very natural to me. Her facial expression doesn¡¯t look stiff at all.¡± The public opinion took a drastic turn. At that moment, Ashlyn was still chatting with Sienna. She was clueless that there was a storm on social media because of her. ¡°Ms. Berry, let me introduce you to some of my friends. They¡¯re in close coboration with the Haddock Charity and donated a lot to the needy. I am amazed and grateful towards them,¡± Sienna said with a smile. In fact, Sienna yearned for Madeline Saunders to join her. It¡¯ll be best if I can merge Saunders Charity with the Haddock Group. Ms. Saunders¡¯ influence can greatly benefit the development of the Haddock Charity. Hence, I have to win Ashlyn over first. I heard that this woman is only a pretty face, and she¡¯s busty but brainless. She¡¯s indeed very stunning and elegant. I can use her stupidity to my advantage. ¡°I¡¯m keen to meet them then,¡± Ashlyn replied impassively. ¡°I always admire outstanding women like them.¡± Sienna felt a sense of disdain in her heart. What a hypocrite. Then she brought Ashlyn to mingle with the wealthy wives and showcased her diplomatic skills. These wealthy wives were courteous toward Sienna, whose status and influence surprised Ashlyn. Due to Ashlyn¡¯s connection with Madeline Saunders, many of the wealthy wives greeted her enthusiastically while urging, ¡°Please bring Ms. Saunders along next time so we¡¯ll have the honor to meet her face to face.¡± Ashlyn maintained an expressionless face, and her gaze was calm. She appeared modest yet dignified. Nheless, some of them looked down on Ashlyn. She¡¯s just a bimbo who depends on a man to make her way up. What¡¯s the point of making friends with her? Ms. Oates personally entertains her only to get in touch with Ms. Saunders through her. Why is Ms. Saunders so close to her? Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Cindy saw the close interaction between Ashlyn and Sienna from afar, then she strolled over to them and greeted Ashlyn, ¡°Ms. Berry, how have you been?¡± Cindy had a good impression of Ashlyn after the LX brand incident. ¡°Good day, Ms. Wynn.¡± Ashlyn had not spoken to any of the wealthy wives, but she greeted and chatted with Cindy. All the wealthy wives¡¯ expressions turned grim at her reaction. Are we worse than an actress? Both of them are lowly people and cut from the same cloth. It¡¯s true that birds of a feather flock together. ¡°Ashlyn!¡± a high-pitched voice called out suddenly. Wearing an unusual outfit, Naomi stormed toward them and pointed at her phone while shouting, ¡°Did you ask my brother to remove the trending topic for you?¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Naomi? She¡¯s here too? Ashlyn¡¯s eyes glinted with surprise. She asked discreetly, ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand.¡± When everyone saw Naomi¡¯s expression, a scornful look appeared on their faces, knowing that a good show was about to unfold. Naomi was known for her quick temper. After she returned from overseas, she did not go to school, doing nothing other than hanging out with some female gangsters. She had a few friends in the upper echelons of society. If it weren¡¯t for her identity as the daughter of the Nn family, the socialites wouldn¡¯t be bothered to look at her. Some well-educated socialites even refused to associate with her. ¡°Stop pretending like you¡¯re so pure and innocent.¡± Naomi was used to scolding Ashlyn every time she met her in the Nn family home. In Naomi¡¯s eyes, Ashlyn was only her brother¡¯s kept woman. Hence, she scolded Ashlyn straight away when she bumped into her here. Ashlyn stared at Naomi with an indifferent face. ¡°Ms. Nn, are we so close that you have forgotten your manners?¡± ¡°What are you trying to say!¡± Naomi shrieked angrily with embarrassment. Ashlyn raised a brow in silent while ncing around. Naomi unconsciously followed her gaze and look around. Only then she realized the wealthy wives around her were staring at her with disgust and contempt. It suddenly hit her that she was only humiliating herself when she yelled at Ashlyn in public. ¡°Everyone here can see that you¡¯re ill-bred.¡± Ashlyn gracefully swayed the ss of red wine in her hand before taking a sip. She leaned closer to Naomi and whispered into her ears, ¡°It¡¯s obvious that someone manipted you, but you still think that you¡¯re all that. How silly of you.¡± Ashlyn shoved the ss into Naomi¡¯s hand. ¡°I told you to study harder in school since you¡¯re so dumb.¡± Naomi¡¯s face flushed beet red with shame. Initially, she had no intention to cause trouble for Ashlyn. But a few girls incited her to start a fight, saying that only she was bold enough to stand against Ashlyn, who was so pretentious and disgusting. Now she started reflecting on her actions. Are these girls genuinely my besties? Although Cindy was afraid of offending Naomi, she mumbled, ¡°Ms. Nn, scolding Ms. Berry in public makes you look like¡­¡± ¡°What do I look like? Exin!¡± Naomi rebuked her furiously, ¡°What do you think you are to criticize me?¡± Cindy¡¯s face turned pale at her words. She could not afford to offend a girl from a wealthy family, but she could not stand to see Ashlyn get insulted. Cindy was only an average celebrity who had stic surgeries for her face and boobs. Since the LX brand event, she felt really impressed by Ashlyn. The world of show business wasplicated, and she went through much bullying and oppression, but she eventually adapted herself to people-pleasing and politics. Yet, Ashlyn was magnanimous, and it blew her mind. Ashlyn¡¯s frigid gazended on Naomi. ¡°Shut up. Aren¡¯t you embarrassed enough? Or do you want to continue living overseas? If you don¡¯t, then get back to the Nn family home now!¡± Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Biting her lips, Naomi stomped her foot in anger and walked away. I ended up studying overseas because Ashlyn convinced my brother to do so. I just don¡¯t understand why my brother treats Ashlyn so well. Cindy looked at Ashlyn gratefully. ¡°Ms. Berry, you¡¯re courageous indeed,¡± Sienna praised her with a ttering smile. ¡°Everyone knows Ms. Nn is a fearless spoilt brat, but you managed to subdue her.¡± Ashlyn looked down and smiled faintly. At that fleeting moment, she appeared so mesmerizing that she outshone every other woman present. ¡°She¡¯s still a little girl. Please excuse her tantrum.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, you¡¯ve supported Ms. Saunders¡¯ charity before. Would you like to support the Haddock Charity as well? The Haddock Charity is much more established and famouspared to Ms. Saunders¡¯ charity.¡± Sienna paused briefly before adding, ¡°As far as I know, you don¡¯t have a job now. How about joining me to manage the Haddock Charity together?¡± ¡°Ms. Oates is right. As women, we must have our own careers. We can¡¯t depend on men all the time. By the way, I¡¯m a senior consultant of the Haddock Charity,¡± one of the wealthy wives said. Then another wealthy wife said, ¡°I¡¯m at diamond tier.¡± Sienna exined with pride, ¡°Almost everyone here is a consultant of the Haddock Charity. Some of us are directors and deacons. Charity can also be a career. It¡¯s not merely donation or financial aid, but it¡¯s also a virtue, belief, and love. I believe Ms. Berry will join the Haddock Charity and spread the love.¡± Ashlyn gazed calmly at Sienna. This is interesting. The Haddock Charity has brainwashed everybody. These rich wives gather here only because they are given nominal positions in the organization. They usually had nothing to do other than y mahjong and go shopping. Now each one of them has a so-called career of her own. In short, charity means donating money. The Haddock Group must be eyeing Ms. Saunders. Sienna wants me to join the Haddock Charity, so she can make me bring Ms. Saunders here in the future. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Ashlyn chuckled. And everyone present held their breaths. How captivating! She looks even more stunning when sheughs. These wealthy wives couldn¡¯t help feasting their eyes on Ashlyn. When she smiled, she looked so enchanting that they couldn¡¯t take their eyes off her. They were green with envy. Such a minx! So young and beautiful. No wonder Jared and Winsor have fallen head over heels for her. ¡°Sure. We organize a gathering almost every week. You can bring your female friends to join us, like Ms. Saunders.¡± Sienna hurriedly added, ¡°Ms. Berry, we genuinely look forward to your participation. Hope you¡¯ll let us know soon.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Ashlyn replied indifferently, and the meaningful smile on her face grew wider. In the Field family vi. ¡°Is Ashlyn noting?¡± James stared at the empty living room in bewilderment. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. When Fae saw Jamese back home, she quickly stood up and approached him while saying with concern, ¡°She¡¯s attending Sienna¡¯s private gathering tonight. Honey, the Haddock family is greedy and heartless. Why does Ashlyn go there?¡± James¡¯ brows knitted together as he sat on the couch. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s smart, so she¡¯ll be able to protect herself.¡± ¡°But Sienna¡¯s very capable. She keeps inviting me to the gathering, but I rejected her every time. If I had known that Ashlyn would attend the gathering tonight, I would¡¯ve gone there to back her up.¡± Fae felt a lump in her throat. Chapter 171 Chapter 171 ¡°Alright, Honey, when did she say she woulde to eat with us?¡± Mr. Field had wanted to meet Ms. Saunders for some time now. s, this hadn¡¯t sat quite well with Mrs. Field. But thankfully, Ms. Saunders hadn¡¯t harmed her in any way. ¡°Tomorrow night.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. When tomorrow nightes, ask her about today¡¯s gathering and see what she says.¡± Upon hearing this, Mrs. Field could only reluctantly nod her head. ¡°Alright then.¡± The next day at 9 o¡¯clock in the Nn Group¡¯s CEO¡¯s office. The moment Joseph stepped inside, he said cheerfully, ¡°Hey Lucas, did you know? I¡¯ve got a really special guesting to my house tonight.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± came the man¡¯s disinterested reply as he continued with his work. ¡°Tsk tsk,¡± Joseph disapproved, ¡°What a heartless man you are. Aren¡¯t you going to even ask me who this guest is?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s your guest?¡± Lucas asked cooperatively. However, the expression on his face didn¡¯t change in the slightest. Joseph¡¯s lips curled into a mysterious smile. ¡°Do you know who Ms. Saunders is? The woman who can y the piano with her left hand while painting a picture with her right! My mum¡¯s on really good terms with her.¡± Joseph thought of something all of a sudden. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask my mum to set up a meeting between you and Ms. Saunders? Why don¡¯t you tag along tonight?¡± However, he waspletely oblivious to how his best friend¡¯s eyes gleamed coldly as he tightened his grip around his pen after hearing the words Ms. Saunders. ¡°Alright.¡± Lucas didn¡¯t tell Joseph about how he had already brought Hera to go see Ashlyn. However, since his best friend had made such a sincere invitation, how could he turn his best friend down? ¡°You¡¯re agreeing just like that?¡± Joseph felt that Lucas was acting rather oddly today. He then studied his best friend from head to toe. However, Lucas had already regained hisposure. Upon that dashing face was a pair of piercing eyes with dark circles around them. ¡°Hey, couldn¡¯t sleep again?¡± The hypomania Lucas had developed a few years ago was apanied by frequent bouts of insomnia. The medication he had been taking all this while had helped to suppress the symptoms. Only Joseph knew about this and he seldom saw Lucas with dark circles around his eyes. Thus, he instinctively associated Lucas¡¯s eye bags with his illness. ¡°I was flying all night and I just got off not too long ago,¡± Lucas exined coldly. ¡°What the f***! You flew for an entire night and yet you still came back for work? Are you a machine? Go back home and sleep! Go on!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep,¡± Lucas said as he rubbed his forehead, ¡°I¡¯ll go back home with you tonight after work.¡± Joseph wanted to say something else but eventually thought the better of it. That afternoon at 5 o¡¯clock. Ashlyn headed straight for the biggest mall in the city center. This was the first time she was paying the Field family a visit. Since Mrs. Field was always really nice to her, she naturally had to prepare some gifts beforehand. As she had always been a very decisive shopper, she was out of the mall in ten minutes. After she exited the mall, she got into her Land Rover and sped off to the Field family house. Mrs. Field had already sent her their address via WhatsApp. The traffic on the way to the Field family house was rather congested. Soon, it was almost 6 o¡¯clock. Just as she was about to U-turn and try a different route, she heard a siren in the distance. As she curiously rolled down her windows, she overheard pedestrians discussing what had happened. ¡°Oh my god! There¡¯s been an ident up ahead!¡± ¡°I heard that there were many kids in the car as well. It¡¯s uncertain if they¡¯re still alive.¡± As Ashlyn¡¯s brows furrowed, she got out of her car and started walking towards the ident site. The moment she arrived at the ident site, she was greeted with the sight of a van that had been wrecked beyond recognition by a lorry. Crawling out of the wreckage were three hooligan-looking men. Ignoring the children still in the car, they immediately made a mad dash for the crowd after hearing the police sirens. Something¡¯s not right! If those children were theirs, saving them would have been their top priority. If those kids belonged to a certain kindergarten, those men would have chosen to save them as well. But now¡­ They¡¯re running away¡­ Damn it! N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. With a frosty expression in her eyes, Ashlyn barked, ¡°Don¡¯t let them get away! They¡¯re human traffickers!¡± Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Not only were there many pedestrians who had stopped to watch, but there were also many drivers around due to the congested traffic caused by the ident. Upon hearing Ashlyn¡¯s voice, those three men immediately picked up their speed. ncing at the children trapped inside the van, Ashlyn was then presented with a dilemma. Should I go after the bad guys first or should I save the children first? Just then, the van started emitting an ear-piercing screech. Thick acrid fumes then began billowing from beneath the bo. And it seemed as though there were several sparks as well! Damn it! If this were to carry on, there would be a really high chance that the van will blow up. Gnashing her teeth together, she turned and began walking towards the van. By then, two passers-by had already managed to extricate one of the children from the wreckage. There were still three children trapped inside, out of which two were unconscious and trapped in the narrow space below the seats. The child who was still conscious looked hurt as well. At that moment, he was pinned underneath a chair and was bawling his eyes out in fear. ¡°Make way!¡± Ashlyn barked at those two men as she walked over. Although they were confused, theyplied and made way upon seeing the frosty expression on her face. The slim woman raised one of her slender legs and aimed a swift kick at the chair with her high heels, dislodging it in the process. She then reached out both hands and ced them on the seat. Snap! With one mighty pull, she ripped off the entire seat. Ashlyn proceeded to stick her head inside the wreckage and carry out the three children. Just as she was carrying out the children, the van started emitting crackling sounds. ¡°Get down!¡± Ashlyn yelled as she leapt forward. The van behind her burst into a ball of mes in a deafening explosion! Dirt and rubble from the wreckage flew into the air and rained down onto the street. The crowd jumped in shock upon witnessing this turn of events. The van actually exploded! Pain seared across Ashlyn¡¯s back as she held the children firmly in her arms to protect them. Her face immediately turned as pale as a sheet. Quaking fearfully, one of the children in her arms grabbed on tightly to her shirt. ¡°It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t be scared,¡± she assured him. Meanwhile, those three men were still running for their lives. Upon discovering that the children only had superficial wounds, she immediately gave chase. There were already several strong and burly men hot on those three men¡¯s heels. But all of a sudden, a swift figure overtook them! Before they could even react, they were greeted with the sight of a slender figure leaping off the ground as her dress twirled midair like a blooming flower! In one swift motion, she split open her beautiful legs and sent two men flying to the ground! ¡°Ow!¡± the both of them wailed. It was a scene right out of the movies! Even though she was in heels, she still moved at an astonishing speed nheless. Dashing forward, she leaped into the air once more. Even though she looked like a fairy in her getup, it in no way diminished how cool her movements were. In one smooth shoulder throw, thest man was apprehended by the woman as well. The rest of the crowd, on the other hand, were pinning down the other two men that Ashlyn had mowed down. The entire scene seemed to have yed out in a second. The woman¡¯s stern gazended on the three men. The moment she turned around, the crowd felt their hearts skip a beat. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. What a beautiful woman! How can one be so beautiful? What an overwhelming aura. And those eyes! How stern they look! Just then, a police car pulled up beside them and several traffic policemen darted out. Next came the ambnce. The doctors and nurses came out and then helped the injured children into the ambnce. Heaving a sigh of relief, Ashlyn gazed at her watch and discovered that it was almost 6 o¡¯clock. She hastily got into her Land Rover and sped off. It would be rude of her to turn upte. After she got into the car, the first thing she did was send Mrs. Field a message on WhatsApp, ¡°I got caught in a jam so I might be a littlete.¡± Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Mrs. Field¡¯s reply came almost immediately. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Back at the ident site, the crowd was recounting to the police how that pretty woman had apprehended those three men. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. After hearing them out, one of the policemen asked, ¡°So where is she?¡± The crowd looked around for her but to no avail. ¡°Eh? She was right here a moment ago!¡± ¡°Mr. Policeman, you have no idea how cool she was just now! And how gorgeous she is!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! For a moment there, I even thought that I was watching an action film!¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± The police had their doubts about what the crowd had said. However, after confirming with the criminal police team, they said, ¡°They really do seem to be that group of human traffickers we¡¯ve put out a warrant of arrest for. Hurry up and take them away!¡± Someone from the crowd had actually managed to take a video of Ashlyn kicking the car seat and ripping it out. The moment he posted this video online, it immediately garnered the attention of the onlinemunity. ¡°Wow, she¡¯s amazing! She looks so cool when she¡¯s saving those kids!¡± ¡°Hey, am I the only one who thinks that she looks like Ashlyn?¡± ¡°Yeah, she does look like Ashlyn from behind!¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t our Ashlyn just a dainty little princess?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­so this can¡¯t be her.¡± ¡°No dress or high heels is going to stop Lyn from saving anyone!¡± Just then, another video of Ashlyn beating up those human traffickers filmed by another passer-by was uploaded onto the Inte. In this video, the woman¡¯s moves were swift and precise, especially the part where she leaped into the air and kicked those two men. What was even more impressive for the viewers was the shoulder throw that she ended with. Afterwards¡­this gorgeous girl turned around¡­and all the viewers were bbergasted. ¡°I¡¯m f***ing losing my mind!¡± ¡°She really is Ashlyn!¡± ¡°Wow, I certainly didn¡¯t expect you to be like this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so cool. You look like a superhero out of the movies!¡± ¡°Please ept my humble obeisance.¡± ¡°What a righteous goddess she is. I love her!¡± ¡°She apprehended a bunch of human traffickers and saved so many families from pain and misery. I¡¯m so touched¡­¡± ¡°No! No! No! She¡¯s saved countless families! I heard that those three human traffickers have abducted many more children.¡± ¡°Oh, my goddess, why do you enchant me so?¡± ¡°Not only did our goddess twirl her dress so beautifully, but she also even managed to keep everything beneath hidden! How did she do that?¡± Ashlyn immediately began trending on Twitter once again. #Goddess Berry Is A Martial Arts Expert# #Goddess Berry Saves Children From Van# #Ripping Off Car Seat With Bare Hands, Apprehending Human Traffickers# #Are You Not Going To Make Your Debut, Our Righteous Goddess# Even thoseizens who had previously criticized Ashlyn werepletely dumbfounded after watching the video. ¡°I¡¯ve decided not to criticize her anymore in the future.¡± ¡°I think this wasn¡¯t a publicity stunt because this video was uploaded by a passer-by.¡± ¡°Well, she couldn¡¯t have been informed beforehand about something like an ident right? And how could she have known of the human traffickers and children inside the van? This means that she did everything on impulse¡­ I hereby apologize for all the nasty things I¡¯ve said about her in the past.¡± ¡°I admire all righteous people like her. I won¡¯t use her of pulling publicity stunts and using money to make herself trending on Twitter. Neither will I use her of having done stic surgery ever again! And she really had me with that furious expression in her eyes when she looked at those human traffickers!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so moved by what Ashlyn¡¯s done! Oh, I¡¯m suddenly really jealous of Jared for having such a girlfriend!¡± Just like that¡­ Jared became trending on Twitter as well. #So Jealous Of Jared For Having A Girlfriend Like Ashlyn# #Jared Must Have Saved The World In His Past Life To Deserve Her# Jared, on the other hand, waspletely mystified by this unexpected turn of events. What happened? Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Who am I? What am I doing here? Just then, Lake City¡¯s official Twitter ount posted a rather hrious message saying, ¡°We would like to thank this brave woman for stepping forward today and apprehending these human traffickers and saving those children. If you¡¯re reading this message, please get in touch with us. Not only is there a fifty thousand dor reward waiting for you, but so is a brocade gmending you for your bravery! Thank you so much once again!¡± This was a confirmation of what Ashlyn had done! An official confirmation! Netizens then began flooding the Lake City¡¯s Twitter ount withments. ¡°Her name¡¯s Ashlyn Berry. She¡¯s Jared Quickton¡¯ girlfriend. You¡¯ll be able to get in touch with her if you contact the president of Centennial Healthcare.¡± ¡°Ashlyn¡¯s so cool!¡± ¡°Wow, even Lake City¡¯s official Twitter ount ismending Lyn for her actions.¡± ¡°Lyn is so cool!¡± Ashlyn, on the other hand, had just parked her Land Rover outside the Field family house. The Field family was staying in a home meant for government officials¡¯ family members. Most of the people staying here were government officials. All of the houses were separate stand-alone cottages. Although it was no match for Lucas¡¯ vi, it was clean, tidy and rather spacious. The moment Ashlyn got out of her car, the Director of the police force drove into the courtyard. ¡°Director!¡± his driver yelped, ¡°Look there! She¡¯s the superheroine!¡± The director¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°What superheroine?¡± As the driver watched Ashlyn walk into Mr. Field¡¯s house, he spluttered, ¡°She¡¯s¡­she¡¯s the superheroine who apprehended those human traffickers and saved those children!¡± The director¡¯s eyes immediately began gleaming. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Ashlyn walked into the Field family house with the gifts she had bought in hand. Upon hearing her footsteps, Mrs. Field came out to wee her, ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Ashlyn.¡± ¡°The traffic was a little congested,¡± Ashlyn grinned before nonchntly shoving her gift into Mrs. Field¡¯s hands, ¡°This is for you and Brother-inw.¡± As Mr. Field got to his feet, he was greeted with the sight of a slender and gorgeous woman. She was, however, dressed rather casually. With her white dress, white heels and long hair tied to the back, she looked as exquisite as a little fairy who had just walked out a forest. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Mrs. Field hadplimented Ashlyn¡¯s good looks multiple times in front of him. However, he certainly hadn¡¯t expected her to be so beautiful. ¡°Please, make yourself at home.¡± Ashlyn nodded in Mr. Field¡¯s direction. ¡°Hello, Brother-inw.¡± Mr. Field exuded the aura of a gentleman. He was rather slim, unlike many other paunchy middle-aged man. Tall andnky; it was clear that he was once a dashing youngd himself. Mr. Field, on the other hand, was rather unustomed to a girl, who was even younger than his son, addressing him as Brother-inw. He couldn¡¯t help butment his wife¡¯s antics internally. Mrs. Field was instantly stunned after opening up the present and spotting the branded pair of couple¡¯s watchesying silently inside. ¡°Ashlyn, why did you get such an expensive present?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t that expensive. They¡¯re just watches,¡± Ashlyn replied airily. ¡°Ashlyn,¡± Mr. Field said as he gazed at his wife exasperatedly, ¡°We¡¯re the ones who are asking you for a favor. You certainly didn¡¯t need to get us a gift.¡± What a polite child! No wonder Honey likes her so much. Upon hearing themotion downstairs, Joseph and Lucas walked out of the study room. ¡°Come here and greet your Aunty, you little rascal,¡± Mrs. Field barked. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Are you really my mother? You want me to address a girl who¡¯s younger than me as Aunty? You might as well end me here right now! Ashlyn¡¯s gaze bypassed the tall and dashing Joseph andnded on the man standing behind him. The pilot¡¯s uniform that he was d in was wrapped tightly around his tall and broad body, entuating his perfect figure. Coupled with his cold and aloof face, he was so handsome that one could barely look him in the eye. Lucas? What¡¯s he doing here as well? And why is he in pilot uniform? Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Ashlyn¡¯s brows creased slightly as she began silently calcting how long he had been flying. He was flyingst night? Had he not rested since then? Is his health a joke to him? Just as her mind was running wild, Joseph¡¯s voice rang in the air, ¡°Lucas, this is Ms. Saunders. She¡¯s¡­ my mother¡¯s sworn sister.¡± There was no way he was going to address her as Aunty. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, son. Lucas and Ashlyn know each other,¡± Mrs. Field chided her son gently as she gave him a little p on the back, ¡°Go on then. Take the both of them to wash their hands so that they can be seated.¡± Ashlyn and Lucas were both rendered speechless. How long has it been someone¡¯s told me to go wash my hands¡­ I certainly hadn¡¯t expected this to happen here in the Field family home¡­ Oh, this takes me back¡­ Mrs. Field was probably the only person in the world who would tell them to go wash their hands before a meal. For some reason, Ashlyn felt a warm feeling beginning to manifest inside her. And she loved every bit of it. This was one of the reasons why she always liked to interact with Mrs. Field. There was an inexplicable homely sort of feeling to Mrs. Field. The few of them obediently headed off to the toilet to wash their hands. Lucas habitually applied some hand wash on his hands. He then instinctively grabbed the hands of the woman next to him and hold them gently as he prepared to wash them. After tugging a couple of times but to no avail. she hissed, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Helping you wash your hands,¡± Lucas replied coldly. Back when they hadn¡¯t separated, he loved to wash her hands at home. They were soft and smooth to the touch. Lucas just couldn¡¯t keep his hands off them. ¡°I can wash my hands myself!¡± Ashlyn protested as her cheeks started to flush scarlet red. As hisrge hands began rubbing hers gently, her¡­her chest actually began heating up as her body started feeling weak¡­ Her Spirogyra was acting up again! Damn it! Joseph, who was standing at the side as he waited for his turn, stared at them unblinkingly. When his mother had said that they both of them knew each other, he had assumed that they were just normal acquaintances. But judging by the look of things, the both of them were clearly incredibly intimate and familiar with each other! Lucas and him had quite literally grown up together. He had never seen this friend of his disy the slightest interest in any woman. Yet, he was being so intimate with Ashlyn now! After washing her hands, Ashlyn immediately fled the bathroom. Grabbing on to Lucas before he could give chase, Joseph asked, ¡°Hey, have you lost your mind? Are you trying to be my uncle?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you refuse to address her as Aunty?¡± Lucas countered coldly as he gave Joseph a shove. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Back in the kitchen, Mr. and Mrs. Field were already seated by the time the three of them returned. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°You young people should sit together,¡± Mr. Field suggested with a smile on his face, ¡°Please, make yourselves at home. This is just a casual family dinner. We don¡¯t usually have many visitors and our son doesn¡¯te home to eat with us that often. It¡¯s such a rare opportunity to have so many people in the house.¡± Although he seemed rather friendly, the aura around him seemed to be tinged with an air of authority ¡ª a trait exclusive to ambitious leaders. Yet, he did note off as aloof while he was speaking. ¡°You¡¯re too courteous, Brother-inw,¡± Ashlyn said with a smile on her face, ¡°Sister tells me that you want me to be the performing arts consultant for the National Day G Night?¡± Mr. Field could feel his head beginning to throb once this topic was raised. ¡°Every year, the city will spend some money on the g. However, attendance and viewership ratings have always been a problem. Every year, the attendance and viewership ratings for our g are ranked behind all the television stations throughout the country. That¡¯s why¡­I wanted to ask for your help this year.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with that,¡± Ashlyn agreed promptly. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Mr. Field continued, ¡°So¡­can I inform the staff in the advertising department to start promoting you?¡± As Ashlyn¡¯s pretty eyes gazed at Mr. Field, they betrayed no signs of the fear one might have when facing the mayor. ¡°Truth be told,¡± she said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be pushed into the spotlight.¡± A glimmer of hope shed across Mr. Field¡¯s eyes. The name Madeline Saunders was bound to attract a lot of attention. If they were to release this information, they would immediately attract a lot of audience for the g. Lucas gazed at Ashlyn emotionlessly as cold sweat started forming on the nape of his neck. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 It was often said that apanying one¡¯s sovereign was like apanying a tiger. In that case, Mr. Field was both the sovereign and the tiger of Riverdale. Mrs. Field was starting to feel a bit awkward as well. She opened her mouth, nning to smooth out the situation when a cold female voice rang out. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, Charles. If you put me in charge of the celebrationster, I can promise you that it¡¯d be a night to remember.¡± Mr. Field raised an eyebrow. ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± Ashlyn tilted her head slightly. Her gorgeous eyes twinkled like crystals under the LED lighting, almost blinding whoever was looking at her. ¡°The name ¡®Madeline Saunders¡¯ must be a ma for many people. However, the other performers¡¯ efforts are all going to be buried under that ringly bright name. They¡¯ll be ignored by the audience; their efforts forgotten. You can use her name to bring in one audience¡¯s attention, but will you be able to do that next year? What about the year after that?¡± Her words madeplete sense and sent them into deep thought. James Field couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°Please continue.¡± Ashlyn paused before saying, ¡°What we need is an event that will totally blow the entire audience¡¯s minds. It has to be memorable enough that it will sear Lake City and our performers into everyone¡¯s minds forever. Then they¡¯ll definitely be looking forward to next year. Our views will onlye with detailed nning, not from making a one-time attention grabber.¡± James nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. As expected of you young people. You¡¯re full of good ideas.¡± Fae¡¯s face was gleaming with pride. ¡°Of course! That¡¯s my baby sister.¡± She genuinely adored Ashlyn. Lucas exhaled slightly. When he looked at Ashlyn, a surge of warmth entered his cold stare. She was filled with life and practically glowed while talking just now. She was stunning. It was as if she had a halo around her. Joseph was clearly taken aback. This youngdy is pretty smart! ¡°James, I¡¯d like to be involved in stage design. I have to be in charge of all the stage lights, effects, etc.¡± Ashlyn wasn¡¯t asking for permission, she was making a statement. There seemed to be zero room for disagreement. This strength she had in her words gave James a slight shock. What a cocky stare! What an arrogant tone! If it were from anyone else, he would certainly have been irked. However, when it came from the pretty girl in front of him, he couldn¡¯t find it in himself to be angry. In fact, he was even more impressed. Lucas was right next to Ashlyn, and his hand slowly wrapped around Ashlyn¡¯s. His rough fingertips caressed hers gently. Ashlyn gnashed her teeth. I mean business here. What the hell are you doing? She wriggled out of his grasp, but he held on even tighter. Ashlyn thought about how she had identally stepped on the wrong person¡¯s foot back in Bayview Vi and slowly put her raised heel down. It would be pretty bad if she identally stepped on someone else again. Especially since it was the first time she came to the Field household. Lucas held onto her hand happily as he passed her a shrimp from the sd. ¡°Try this. It¡¯s really fresh.¡± Then, he cut off a slice of his own steak and put it on her te. ¡°This is one of Fae¡¯s best dishes, mashed potatoes and steak.¡± He was close enough to the Field family that he came to eat with them often. They had a maid, but Fae cooked rather regrly as well. Naturally, Fae had made some of her best dishes to wee Ashlyn. ¡°This, too. It¡¯s really good.¡± Lucas continued passing Ashlyn different dishes from the table with an expressionless face. Despite that, the way he acted clearly showed how much he adored Ashlyn. He probably didn¡¯t realize how tender he looked as he ced dishes into Ashlyn¡¯s te. He was as different as could be from the usual Lucas, who was cold and unfriendly. The Field family were pretty familiar with Lucas. To whom had he took care of so lovingly before? Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. No one, that¡¯s who. The three of them looked at each other. They had known that Lucas treated Ashlyn differently than he treated anyone else, but this was way too much of a difference. Fae was pretty unhappy. In fact, she was feeling a ton of things at once. However, she didn¡¯t dare to show any of it. ¡°Don¡¯t give me any more. I¡¯m getting full.¡± Ashlyn turned slightly to look at Lucas. Chapter 177 Chapter 177 She didn¡¯t realize how the tilt of her head emphasized the corners of her eyes, making her look extremely seductive. Lucas suppressed the sudden urge he felt to take her home and swallowed heavily. ¡°Okay.¡± He held onto his ss and gulped down two mouthfuls of alcohol that burned their way down his throat, trying to wash away his impatience. Then, he closed his eyes and let out a sigh quietly. ¡°Ashlyn, have some soup.¡± Fae spooned some chicken soup into a bowl for Ashlyn. Ashlyn looked at the bowl, her eyes starting to be dewy with emotion. After her mother had passed away, she had never drunk chicken soup again. She took a small sip. The familiar taste spread throughout her mouth, tasting more like her childhood than anything. She couldn¡¯t help but take another mouthful. Fae¡¯s brow clouded over with sorrow as if she were recalling something. ¡°I had a really close friend when I was younger. She was the one who taught me the recipe for this chicken soup. Sadly¡­¡± ¡°Mom, what happened?¡± Joseph asked curiously. ¡°Nothing. Forget I said anything,¡± Fae said with a smile and a shake of her head. James gently held onto Fae¡¯s slightly chilly hand. ¡°What are you suddenly bringing this up for?¡± Fae stayed silent. ¡°Lucas, stop giving me food. I won¡¯t be able to finish everything.¡± Ashlyn felt a little helpless when she looked at the amount of food piled up like a small mountain on her te. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. She had never really been a big eater, either. Lucas looked at Ashlyn¡¯s small, mildly stressed face. How cute. She was actingpletely differently from her usual cold act with him. He reached over with a long arm and pulled her bowl towards him before starting to eat nonchntly. Ashlyn looked at him in surprise, as did the other Field family members. Wasn¡¯t Lucas has mysophobia? This was way too weird. James was aware of how likable this youngdy was. She wasn¡¯t like the other rich youngdies who barely ate at the dining table, either from being picky or from being on a diet, and messed with everyone else¡¯s appetites, too. Suddenly, a loud chuckle came from the doorway. ¡°Is Mr. Field home?¡± Most of the families who lived in the neighborhood never locked their doors. A loud procession of footsteps followed right after theughter. James and Fae got up instantly and walked toward the door. The chief of police strutted in with a few policemen behind him, toting a medal. ¡°Chief Chase, what is the meaning of all this?¡± James asked, dumbfounded. Chief Chase chuckled. ¡°I stopped by and caught sight of the superheroine in here. I rushed over so I could give her the medal.¡± He pointed to the Land Rover still parked outside and said, ¡°The superheroine¡¯s still here, isn¡¯t she?¡± Superheroine? James and Fae looked toward the dining room. That Land Rover was Ashlyn¡¯s. Was Chief Chase here for Ashlyn? ¡°Who¡¯s this superheroine you¡¯re speaking of?¡± Joseph asked, confused. Chief Chase could tell based on their reactions that they didn¡¯t know what happened that afternoon. He couldn¡¯t help but ask his assistant, ¡°Jenny, how about you tell them?¡± Jenny cleared her throat before speaking. ¡°Ms. Berry here helped save some children from a car ident this afternoon at about five p.m. Then, she captured the human traffickers who had kidnapped those children in the first ce. She was so cool! It was like seeing Wonder Woman in real life.¡± ¡°We n on rewarding her with fifty thousand and a medal for chivalry. Where is Ms. Berry?¡± Chief Chase asked excitedly. Lucas pressed close to Ashlyn¡¯s ear and whispered in a seductive voice, ¡°Honey, I didn¡¯t know you caught criminals in your free time.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s ears heated up and she kicked him. She stood up and walked to the living room, immediately spotting the chief¡¯s extravagant presentation. Her cold, perfect features betrayed no emotion and she epted the medal. ¡°I¡¯ll take this, but I don¡¯t want the money. Give it to whoever needs it.¡± Chapter 178 Chapter 178 ¡°Ms. Berry, you really are an admirable woman.¡± Chief Chase hadn¡¯t imagined that Ashlyn would be this gorgeous. One of the policemen behind him was filming her on his phone, and even asked James and Chief Chase to stand next to Ashlyn for a photo. Ashlyn didn¡¯t know why they were making such a huge deal. Fae, on the other hand, was overjoyed. ¡°Ashlyn, is that why you told us you were dyed on the way home? You were out catching criminals, huh? How amazing! You did a great job.¡± Joseph watched everything unfold with wide eyes. How spectacr was this woman? Even someone like James, who had seen more than a few bigshots in his lifetime, was kind of taken aback. If anyone else had aplished such a thing, they¡¯d have been bragging about it and trying to busk in the limelight. But she had stayed silent this whole time sinceing home. If it weren¡¯t for Chief Chase stumbling across her car, would she have stayed silent about it all the way? Lucas stayed to one side quietly. His cold features thawed slightly with some emotion, which seemed to only appear whenever he saw Ashlyn. From N?velDrama.Org. Of course, his wife was the best. ¡°Alright, since you¡¯re so adamant on not receiving the prize money, we¡¯ll donate it to the Haddock Charity under your name, Ms. Berry,¡± Chief Chase said. Fae didn¡¯t have a very good impression of the Haddock Group and couldn¡¯t stop herself from asking, ¡°Chief Chase, Fae is actually pretty close to Madeline Saunders. What about just donating it to the Saunders Charity instead?¡± ¡°Mrs. Field, that¡¯s a pretty good idea. We¡¯ll donate it to the Saunders Charity then.¡± Chief Chase wasn¡¯t about to say no. As if just anyone could stop by Mr. Field¡¯s house to have a meal. Chief Chase was smart. After chatting with James for a while longer, he left with his men in tow. After walking out, he instantlymanded Jenny to upload the video taken just now on Twitter. ¡°We must spread Ms. Berry¡¯s positivity around. She¡¯ll be a good role model for the citizens. After all, it¡¯s quite rare to see such a genuinely chivalrous person in our society.¡± ¡°Yes, Chief.¡± Back in the living room, Joseph was looking at his phone. ¡°Those little punks want to meet up at Sparrow. Lucas, you up for it?¡± ¡°You can go, just don¡¯t drink too much,¡± Fae reminded. Lucas looked at Ashlyn. ¡°You?¡± Fae¡¯s heart clenched with worry. ¡°Ashlyn¡¯s just a youngdy. She shouldn¡¯t go.¡± Lucas¡¯s eyes zed over frostily as he directed a cold stare at Fae. Her spine prickled nervously when James said, ¡°You young people should meet with other young people more often. Ashlyn, go ahead.¡± Lucas¡¯ expression finally warmed up slightly before reaching arge hand toward Ashlyn. Ashlyn instinctively stepped back. ¡°I can walk on my own, thanks.¡± After James had spoken up, she didn¡¯t feel like it was appropriate to turn him down. She wasn¡¯t the type to beat around the bush and act all indecisive. As she watched the three youngsters walk off, Fae asked worriedly, ¡°Don¡¯t you think Lucas is nning to do something to Ashlyn?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry too much about youngsters. To me, it¡¯s a pretty good thing. Have you ever heard of Lucas falling for anyone before?¡± James saw through them pretty quickly. ¡°Besides, Ashlyn here¡­to me, she¡¯s not showing everything on the surface. She isn¡¯t like most girls.¡± Lucas had drunk a little during dinner, so he couldn¡¯t drive. At first, Ashlyn was supposed to go there in Joseph¡¯s car. Joseph leaned out of the window and called out, ¡°Ms. Berry, you can sit in my car!¡± Ashlyn was thinking about it when arge hand suddenly wrapped around her tiny waist and pulled her into the backseat. His tall stature pressed close next to her. Ashlyn fell silent. Did he have to be so overbearing? She was under the impression that she had already made things very clear back in Royal Tea House. However, by the looks of Lucas¡¯ actions, he still didn¡¯t get it. On the way home, only Joseph tried to make some small talk as the other two stayed silent. Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Joseph felt like the other two basically saw him as a driver. Lucas¡¯rge hand asionally caressed Ashlyn¡¯s small waist. Her figure was pretty fit, with not an inch of b to be found. The skin beneath her white dress was as wless as white jade. In the deep velvet of the night¡¯s darkness, her beauty was even more striking. Lucas¡¯ breathing started bing heavy. Ashlyn was on high alert and she felt the man beside her slowly change. She turned, silently moving away from him. It was her way of soundlessly turning him down. When Lucas felt Ashlyn¡¯s waist leave his grip, he felt a sudden sense of loss. He seemed to be unable to control himself, reaching out once again. Ashlyn¡¯s hand shot out and gripped his wrist instantly. ¡°Lucas. That¡¯s enough.¡± Joseph was still driving, but his ears were perked. He managed to get a glimpse of what was going on in the backseat through the rearview mirror. Oh? What¡¯s going on? Lucas¡¯ voice was pressed deep and raspy as he whispered with sultry eyes, ¡°Honey, quit ying around.¡± Joseph nearly crashed his car into the nearestmppost. What? What was that? Honey? Was Ashlyn his best friend¡¯s ex-wife? What a weird turn of events. Was he joking? ¡°Lucas, we¡¯ve already gotten divorced,¡± Ashlyn said clearly as she stared into his eyes. ¡°So what?¡± Lucas said, his eyes narrowed and his aura grew threatening. ¡°We¡¯re divorced. That means we¡¯re no longer together.¡± The car had arrived at Sparrow. Sparrow was a club that was frequented by rich young men. Naturally, the prices were ridiculously expensive. Ashlyn brushed off Lucas¡¯ hand from her waist and pulled open the door before walking off. Lucas immediately followed. The three of them, including Joseph, walked toward their private room. The moment the door opened, the people sitting inside stood up to greet them. Only Winsor stayed seated. Lyanna nced at the girl next to Lucas quickly. Her heart instantly sank. She was pretty, down-to-earth, and overall stunning. Every single one of her features was perfect and her face was dainty. She was almost dazzlingly gorgeous. Her skin was fair and her neck shapely, like a swan¡¯s. Her body was tall, tight and slim, with curves in all the right ces. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Her white dressplimented her gorgeous features so well, it almost seemed like she was a goddess that descended down to earth. She was the kind of girl who would fire up any man¡¯s burning desire. Winsor nced at the doorway casually. The moment his eyesnded on Ashlyn, he got excited. He walked toward Lucas, which left the others confused. Since when had Winsor be so chummy with Mr. Nn? Then, they heard Winsor¡¯s enthusiastic voice. ¡°Ms. Berry, why didn¡¯t you tell me you wereing? You could have called me! If I¡¯d known you wereing, then I¡¯d have picked you up at the entrance myself!¡± The others looked at him, even more confused. They¡¯d never seen Winsor act so enthusiastically toward anyone before. He clearly wasn¡¯t being friendly toward Mr. Nn, either. He was trying to flirt with this youngdy. To be fair, she was very pretty. Almost unfairly pretty. After he finished rambling, Winsor reached out and tried to grab Ashlyn¡¯s hand. However, Lucas acted quickly and stepped forward, blocking Ashlyn from Winsor¡¯s creepy re. ¡°Ignore him,¡± he said, gesturing for Ashlyn to sit on one of the couches. Ashlyn nced briefly at Winsor. ¡°Winsor Jaquin,¡± was all she bothered to say. The others were taken aback again. In all of Lake City, there weren¡¯t many people who dared to call Winsor by his full name. Who was she to immediately call him by his name? Lyanna scoffed inwardly. Just wait. Do you really think you can get all high and mighty because he treated you a little better? She looked up to see Winsor all smiley-eyed at Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, what would you like to drink? Wine or something else?¡± What? Was he not angry? Lucas started getting agitated simply by watching Winsor act like Ashlyn¡¯s dog. He started frowning. Hisrge hand automatically wrapped around Ashlyn¡¯s waist, silently showing his dominance. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Ashlyn fell silent. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Was it considered harassment if he acted like that? They were divorced, after all. She twisted away, and Lucas¡¯ angry whisper sounded next to her ear. ¡°If you keep moving, you¡¯ll know what¡¯sing to you.¡± Ashlyn was a smart girl. Her body stiffened, clearly sensing the way Lucas¡¯ breath started to heat up. She knew very well what this all meant. This man was getting fired up even in front of so many people! How could he! When he felt Ashlyn stop moving around, his hand tightened slightly. Lucas picked up his ss and swirled it around slightly before taking a sip. ¡°Today, we¡¯re here to celebrate Lyanna¡¯s birthday! Let¡¯s all lighten up, okay?¡± a different young guy called out. ¡°Come, I¡¯ll give you my gift first.¡± Ashlyn finally understood that they came to celebrate the birthday of the pretty woman in the middle of the room. ¡°Lyanna, this is for you.¡± Joseph took out a wrapped box and passed it to Lyanna. Everyone in their inner circle knew that Joseph had a big crush on Lyanna. Lyanna had never been clear about who she liked, either, keeping their rtionship ambiguous. Lyanna opened the box and smiled at what was inside. ¡°Thank you, Joseph.¡± There was a pretty expensive diamond ne lying inside. Lyanna was the daughter of the Larson family, and she had plenty of money behind her. She managed to sign a contract with Nn Entertainment, so she didn¡¯t have much to worry about. Now, she was the star of Nn Entertainment. She had quite a few well-received movies under her belt, and most considered her an up-anding A-list celebrity. Compared to some C-list celebrity like Cindy, she was much more famous. Recently, there had even been talk of her making a debut on the big screen. Since she was a huge celebrity and was an actual socialite, she had plenty of admirers. Damian was close to Lucas and Joseph, so their bunch of friends usually were huge supporters of her. Plenty of other rich kids gave them their gifts, too. Winsor looked at the flirtatious tension between Ashlyn and Lucas and frowned. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Mr. Nn giving a gift to our gorgeous Lyanna?¡± The moment those words left his mouth, everyone looked at Lucas. Lyanna, too, directed her gaze toward that tall, handsome man with a glimmer of hope in her eyes. However, she managed to hide it well enough that no one noticed. Lucas¡¯ deep voice said, ¡°Ah. Well, my wife gets jealous pretty easily. She doesn¡¯t like it when I give gifts to other women.¡± Ashlyn stayed silent once more. Lucas, you better watch yourself. Joseph frowned, not understanding what Lucas was saying. Hadn¡¯t they gotten divorced? Why is he calling her his wife? Lyanna¡¯s pretty eyes darkened in disappointment, but once again, it happened so quickly that no one noticed it. She purposely acted nonchnt before saying, ¡°That¡¯s fine. Lucas has never given me presents before this, either.¡± ¡°Lucas, aren¡¯t you being a little too cold?¡± Joseph frowned. Winsor raised an eyebrow as he looked at Lucas mockingly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Mr. Nn was such a cheapskate.¡± Lucas picked up Ashlyn¡¯s hand and started ying with her fingers in hisrge palm. His maic voice spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m not a cheapskate. I¡¯m simply a ve to my wife.¡± Winsor looked at Lucas¡¯rge hand ying around with Ashlyn¡¯s and got even more angry. ¡°Why are you so close with Ms. Berry? Aren¡¯t you, your wife¡¯s ve, scared that Mrs. Nn will get mad?¡± At that moment, everyone looked toward Ashlyn. They had all sensed the strange atmosphere between Ashlyn and Lucas since they walked in. Now, with Winsor¡¯s obvious prodding, the gossips started getting interested. ¡°You¡¯re all wee to let her know.¡± Lucas tugged Ashlyn over and casually made hernd on hisp. Ashlyn¡¯s pristine features remained expressionless as she held onto Lucas¡¯ shoulder and whispered next to his ear, ¡°Lucas, that¡¯s enough.¡± To the eyes of everyone else, it looked like shameless flirting. Lyanna¡¯s expression started to sour as she looked at Ashlyn perched on Lucas¡¯p like some shameless subus. Lucas had been ignoring her for yet another year now. Every year, she held onto the hope that Lucas would give her a birthday gift. Every year, she¡¯d be disappointed once again. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 It was not a matter of being invited or not. Rather, nobody was willing to send them off even if they attended the event. Damian patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be too greedy, Lucas. You already have the missus at home. Don¡¯t collect so many sidepieces outside. I thought you would never be caught dead sleeping around before.¡± His words were more or less a veiled insult at Ashlyn. Damian did not actually know who Ashlyn was. He only recognized her from the trending posts on Twitter for being Jared Quickton¡¯s girlfriend. While he was also a rich kid, Jared was not a part of their circle of friends who grew up together. And yet, they all saw Lucas bring Ashlyn along with him today. Damian had to admit that the woman truly was a master maniptor if she could manage to both snare Jared and have Lucas wrapped around her pinky. In his eyes, even Hera was better than Ashlyn. At least Hera was a daughter of the upstanding Chapman family. The atmosphere in the private room cooled dramatically. The neutral expression on Lucas¡¯s chiseled face quickly clouded over. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Before Lucas could say anything, Winsor was already pointing an angry finger at Damian and saying, ¡°What exactly do you mean by that, Larson? What¡¯s wrong with my goddess? And what¡¯s all this about Lucas sleeping around? Watch your mouth, or I¡¯ll watch it for you.¡± ¡°Since when have any of my private matters been your business, Damian?¡± Lucas¡¯s voice was completely devoid of any warmth. The threat in his voice was obvious. Damian felt a chill run down his back. ¡°Lucas, you know I¡¯m just looking out for you.¡± In the next second, Lucas¡¯s tone grew colder than humanly possible. The words fell from his lips icily. ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time. Am I clear?¡± By now, the atmosphere in the private room was practically colder than the dead of winter. Obviously, the two men, Lucas especially, were determined to defend Ashlyn no matter what. Lyanna felt her heart sink yet again. Faced with the current situation, Joseph¡¯s expression was unpleasant as well. Regardless of what he wanted to do, his mother still recognized Ashlyn as an honorary sister. By all ounts, he was supposed to address Ashlyn as his aunt as well. Even if he chose not to call her that, he was still duty- bound to defend her as a member of the Field family. So, as much as he liked Lyanna and wanted to get into Damian¡¯s good graces, he was still going to defend his aunt. Joseph¡¯s voice was filled with a warning when he spoke, ¡°Damian, you would do well to watch your words next time. Ms. Berry isn¡¯t the type of woman you think she is.¡± The two big shots of their group had spoken. No one expected Joseph¡ªwho had a long record of trying to court Lyanna¡ªto defend Ashlyn as well. Everyone in the room was stunned. Who exactly is this Ashlyn? Most of the rich heirs gathered here for the party brought along giggling escorts in their arms, but it was an unspoken rule that these women were nothing but just toys for the night. Ashlyn¡¯s arrival made all of the other women pale inparison. That included Lyanna, who was also a highly sought-after actress in the entertainment industry. Lucas did not introduce Ashlyn when he brought her here, so all of them just naturally assumed that she was a trophy for him to parade around, the type of woman who made a living by pleasing rich men. Lyanna quickly smoothed over the situation with a smile. ¡°My brother was just joking. Please don¡¯t be angry with him, Lucas.¡± At this moment, a knock sounded at the door of their private room. ¡°Oh, that must be the cake,¡± one of the other rich heirs attending the party said hastily. He went over hurriedly to open the door. As expected, it was Lyanna¡¯s cake. The attendant wheeled the magnificent double-tiered cake into the room on a trolley. The tense atmosphere rxed slightly. True to her reputation as someone well-versed in the entertainment industry, Lyanna could still smile pleasantly even after that tense ident. ¡°Well, since today is my birthday, why don¡¯t we all take a picture together?¡± She then handed her phone to the waiter who delivered the cake earlier. ¡°Excuse me, but can you help us take a picture?¡± Pleasantly surprised, the waiter agreed immediately. Snapping into action, everyone else promptly stood up and started arranging themselves beside Lyanna, making sure she was at the center of the group. The magnificent doubleyered cake was ced in front of her, making her the undisputed center of attention. Only two people remained seated, looking absolutely unbothered. Ashlyn¡¯s mouth curled in a vaguely mocking smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not close with Ms. Larson.¡± The beautiful woman rose to her feet slowly,manding the attention of everyone else in the room. Her charming aura could not be outshone even if she were standing beside the famed personality of Lake City, Lucas. Lyanna¡¯s smile slowly stiffened at the edges. ¡°Are you still angry, Ms. Berry? If so, I do apologize on behalf of my brother.¡± ¡°Can an apology bring the dead back to life?¡± Ashlyn lowered her eyes, refusing to look at Lyanna any longer. Lyanna did not expect Ashlyn to be so haughty and difficult to deal with. She fought the urge to grit her teeth in annoyance. She knew that the only reason why Ashlyn could be so tantly disrespectful was that she had Lucas at her beck and call. ¡°I know you¡¯re upset, Ms. Berry, but we¡¯re all friends here¡ª¡± Chapter 182 Chapter 182 ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re actually friends.¡± Ashlyn interrupted Lyanna mid-sentence. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. A certain gleam shed across Ashlyn¡¯s lovely eyes. ¡°It¡¯s your birthday today, Ms. Larson. I know that all of you will call me a bully if my request is too much, but I won¡¯t tolerate the tant disrespect your brother showed me just now.¡± Lyanna looked at Ashlyn, forcing herself to smile pleasantly. ¡°Then what are you asking for, Ms. Berry?¡± Everyone could hear Ashlyn¡¯s cold voice ring throughout the private room clearly. ¡°The Larsons have a plot ofnd in the southern outskirts of the city. That particr piece ofnd isn¡¯t worth a lot because it¡¯s abandoned and located in a remote area. A lot of people have been negotiating with Mr. Larson to purchase it recently, but he just kept increasing the price until it currently stands at one hundred and fifty million. If you¡¯re truly keen on making it up to me, how about this? I¡¯ll buy that piece ofnd for eighty million.¡± Everyone was shocked at her impable logic and crystal clear reasoning. Damian gnashed his teeth in frustration upon hearing Ashlyn¡¯s request. ¡°You¡ª¡± Lyanna tugged him back warningly. ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive, Damian.¡± She then looked at Ashlyn and said politely, ¡°This is a matter that concerns business, Ms. Berry. I¡¯m afraid that neither my brother nor I can decide on that. You¡¯ll have to meet my father personally.¡± At this point, Lucas was nearly green with envy. His mind was churning with thoughts. If she wantsnd, I¡¯ve got plenty of it too! I don¡¯t even want my money, she can just take it all! Why is she so obsessed with the Larsons¡¯ worthless piece ofnd anyway? It was infuriating. The frustration boiled in his veins quietly until Lucas felt like he would go mad with the annoyance of it all. ¡°Goddess, are you sure you have eighty million?¡± Winsor asked worriedly, looking at Ashlyn anxiously. ¡°That¡¯s eighty million you¡¯re talking about.¡± Nobody else in the room actually believed that Ashlyn could produce eighty million on a whim. Naturally, the Larson siblings were no exception. That was why Lyanna urged Damian to be calm and bide his time. ¡°Of course, I have the money. After all, I have every intention of buying thatnd.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s expression remained frigid. ¡°Eighty million. No more, no less. I know that the Larsons won¡¯t gain anything by hoarding that piece ofnd either.¡± Gritting his teeth tightly, Damian stared at Ashlyn. ¡°Is it right for you to be so pushy, Ms. Berry?¡± Ashlyn blinked innocently. ¡°Is it right for Mr. Larson to raise the price of thend every time someone comes to negotiate?¡± While Lucas did not know why Ashlyn was dead set on purchasing that particr piece ofnd, he did keep it in mind. In the next moment, he made a call to the Larson patriarch, putting it on speaker. ¡°Mr. Larson, if I were to purchase that piece ofnd on the outskirts of the city, what¡¯s the price you can offer me for it?¡± Mr. Larson¡¯s overly excited voice was heard through the speakers, threaded with a hint of disbelief. ¡°Mr. Nn? Well, that piece ofnd is almost a thousand hectares, but it isn¡¯t worth very much because of its location. You¡¯ve always had a good eye for property though, Mr. Nn. Why are you interested in this particr plot ofnd?¡± Lucas¡¯s voice was impatient. ¡°Cut the chatter. Just tell me how much you want for it?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s for you, Mr. Nn, I can give you the lowest price for it¡ªfifty million.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send my assistant over tomorrow to sign the papers.¡± As soon as he was done speaking, Lucas hung up the phone with a click. At this point, Lyanna and Damian¡¯s expressions could only be described as ugly and uglier, as if they were just pped in the face by someone in public. It was one thing to discreetly make acquaintances with Lucas and get in his good graces. It was another thing entirely to see their father practically fall over himself to tter and amodate that same arrogant man who thought he was better than the rest of them. Lyanna grew up as the center of attention in her world. In school, she was the prettiest girl. In university, she was the most desirable young woman. When she started to make a career in the entertainment industry, she became a highly sought-after actress, secure on her pedestal. Therefore, this was her first time being so shamefully humiliated in public. She shot a look of both anger and embarrassment at Lucas. The man did not hesitate to trample viciously all over her dignity just to help Ashlyn. Even if it was her birthday, he still did not bother to show her a single shred of respect. On the other hand, Damian just stared at Lucas in shock. The Larsons were always looking for a good opportunity to suck up to the Nn family. If Joseph did not like Lyanna, the Larsons probably would not have been deemed worthy enough to present themselves before Lucas. Although all of them grew up together and went to the same school, it was an unspoken fact that Lucas regarded only Joseph as a close friend. A natural extrovert, Joseph was a social butterfly who liked to make friends. Everyone who wanted to win Lucas¡¯s favor would tter Joseph as well. Naturally, the rest of them proceeded to defer to these two men as the leaders of their group. However, Lucas was notoriously difficult to get along with. Winsor still made a point of gathering with them regrly, but he did so purely just to spite Lucas. The two of them had been rivals since their schooling days. Even now, they were still at each other¡¯s throats. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Damian never expected Lucas to fall out with them just for the sake of a woman. Everyone else gathered here was also utterly shocked by Lucas¡¯s actions. Even Joseph was startled. Is Lucas always so domineering? His current attitude was no different than the mad kings of old who led their kingdoms to ruin. Arching her fine brows, Ashlyn swept a contemptuous look over everyone gathered in the room. She lifted her hand elegantly to cover a yawn. ¡°I¡¯m tired, Lucas. Send me home.¡± As soon as she was finished speaking, everyone watched in shock again as Lucas proceeded to stand up slowly and escort her to the entrance. Joseph rose to his feet as well, shooting an apologetic look at Lyanna. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll exin it to you another time, Lyanna. Damian, you really shouldn¡¯t have insulted Ashlyn like that.¡± He left the room. The other escorts apanying the wealthy men here whispered among themselves jealously, staring enviously at Ashlyn¡¯s retreating figure. No one could deny that good looks were an unfair advantage. One of the women whispered, ¡°Hey, she¡¯s called Ashlyn, right? I think I saw her trending again today.¡± ¡°Trending where?¡± Winsor hurriedly pulled his phone out, opening Twitter and scrolling frantically. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned,¡± he swore in surprise. ¡°What? What is it?¡± Everyone started to ask curiously. Winsor disyed the screen of his phone for them to see, smug as anything. ¡°Our goddess just took a picture with Mr. Field and Chief Chase. She was awarded a silk banner today.¡± Everyone else promptly pulled out their phones and started scrolling through Twitter as well. ¡°Man, I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s so skilled inbat!¡± ¡°Dude, forget that! She saved a couple of kids and caught the human trafficker behind the entire thing too!¡± ¡°Wow, she really ismitted to upholding justice, huh?¡± ¡°Well, of course. You don¡¯t see Chief Chase personally handing out silk banners every day, do you? That would already be cool enough, but she got a photo op with Mr. Field too!¡± ¡°Okay, but what about her origins? She can be the new female avenger, but that won¡¯t necessarily mean that shees from an upstanding family,¡± a woman said. Herment sparked another wave of heated discussion from the crowd. Standing alone in front of her magnificent cake, Lyanna could only fume impotently. It was her birthday today. She was supposed to be the center of attention. Everyone was supposed to be gathering here to celebrate her birthday. How dare everybody just ignore me like that? They were all talking about Ashlyn. Even if the other woman was no longer in the room, she still managed to snatch the spotlight away from Lyanna. Lyanna¡¯s birthday party was all but ruined now, thanks to Ashlyn. Cursing Ashlyn¡¯s name bitterly, Lyanna grabbed her bag and stormed out of the private room in a huff, mming the door behind her. Damian hurriedly chased after his sister. Lyanna¡¯s sudden departure finally snapped the crowd out of their fervent discussion. ¡°Hey, the cake hasn¡¯t been cut yet!¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t make a wish either!¡± ¡­ When Ashlyn left the private room, she was walking quickly. Lucas caught up to her in a few long strides and grabbed her wrist tightly. ¡°I already bought that piece ofnd for you¡ªwhy aren¡¯t you happy?¡± Ashlyn stopped walking, throwing a venomous re at him. ¡°I could have bought it myself. You didn¡¯t have to give it to me as a gift.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll transfer thend directly under your name tomorrow,¡± Lucas said forcefully. Joseph caught up to them just in time to hear Lucas say that. He shook his head. Lucas truly was a mad king willing to do anything for his queen. A piece ofnd worth fifty million meant nothing to him if it was a gift for her. Despite himself, Joseph was curious. ¡°Ms. Berry, what are you going to do with all thisnd?¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Ashlyn¡¯s gaze drifted to the world outside the doors. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you that.¡± The three of them left the club together. Joseph resigned himself to being the driver. He heard the two of them speak up at the same time as soon as they got into the car. ¡°Bayview Vi.¡± ¡°Whind Vi.¡± ¡°Can you two please make up your minds?¡± Joseph could already feel the oing migraine. ¡°Ladies first.¡± Lucas¡¯s frigid voice was unyielding. ¡°She¡¯s not going anywhere except back with me to Whind Vi.¡± Lucas¡¯s gaze was disdainful when he looked at Joseph. While Joseph was his best friend, he was definitely less reliable than his assistant, Spencer. ¡°Lucas, don¡¯t you dare do what I think you¡¯re nning.¡± Ashlyn snarled as she red at Lucas, feeling her humiliation turn into anger. She knew that he was hoping to get lucky with her in bed tonight. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going back with you.¡± Snorting coldly, Lucas met her re with one of his own, making sure she could see the darkly irritated look in his eyes. ¡°You wille home with me. Don¡¯t take me for a fool¡ªI know you¡¯re nning on fooling around with Jared at Bayview Vi.¡± His pointed words were both bitter and jealous at the same time. Joseph was doing a very good job at pretending he was suddenly deaf. He wondered how Lucas could still lord over Ashlyn so tantly when Lucas already knew that Ashlyn was Jared¡¯s girlfriend. But that doesn¡¯t make sense either! Joseph was under the impression that Whind Vi was Lucas and his missus¡¯s little love nest. Lucas was so annoyingly secretive about the ce that he never even allowed Joseph¡ªhis best friend¡ªto visit the vi at all. Chapter 184 Chapter 184 If Ashlyn followed Lucas home, she would just be offering herself up to Mrs. Nn¡¯s wrath on a silver tter. Joseph sighed again. Maybe Mrs. Nn has already moved out. Lucas is divorced, after all. It¡¯s got to be like that. How else can Lucas bring Ashlyn home so casually? Ashlyn pursed her lips. She turned to nce at Lucas, trailing her eyes across his sculpted features, precise and coldly handsome. It was an undeniable fact that this damned man was as good-looking as they came. She could not help but struggle. ¡°Let go of me¡ªoh¡ª¡± Ashlyn found her lips upied before she could make another sound. Lucas kissed her hungrily, devouring her lips with fervent intensity. She weed him in with a sigh. The taste of him silenced all of her protests. She knew that if she threw any further tantrums, he was going to literally kiss her to death. Joseph¡¯s eyes widened. To put it delicately, this was wild. He did not know that Lucas could be so feral. Directly kissing a woman into submission? Now that was something he could grudgingly respect. Impressive! Joseph floored the gas pedal, speeding along hurriedly until they reached the gates of Whind Vi. When Lucas finally released Ashlyn, she was a gloriously disheveled mess with a swollen lip and flushed cheeks. Opening the door without another word, Lucas practically dragged Ashlyn out of the car. His hand was locked on her wrist, preventing any chance of escape. Ashlyn let him lead her away unwillingly. She wanted to struggle, but her traitorous body refused to listen to her, feeling weak all over. She could even feel the Spirogyra squirming excitedly through her blood. Feeling all that frantic wriggling terrified her as if the Spirogyra would burst from her veins anytime, puncturing her arteries and leaving her to bleed to death. That was why Ashlyn obeyed Lucas quietly, fearful of what might happen if she resisted. Her body was as feverishly heated as Lucas¡¯s kisses, and her legs quivered as if they would give way anytime. Her unsteady footsteps stumbled as Lucas pulled her toward him insistently. Dark with desire, Lucas¡¯s eyes roved over Ashlyn¡¯s flushed face hungrily, drinking in her features that were as alluring as any flower in full bloom. His lips turned upwards in a wicked smile as anticipation built in his chest. A forceful tug of his hand brought Ashlyn crashing into his arms. He swept her off her feet easily, hoisting her in his arms bridal style. ¡°I love it when you show your sensitive side.¡± Lucas smirked. A single touch is all it takes to tame you. Ashlyn red at him viciously, but there was no actual strength behind it. In her current condition, she could only lie limply in his arms. Lucas only found her feistiness an added challenge, every knit and furrow of her brows a devastating arrow to his heart. His abdomen ached with the force of his desire. Back in the car, Joseph watched Lucas¡¯s figure retreat into the house after scooping Ashlyn into his arms. Lucas is definitely divorced. There isn¡¯t any other exnation. Joseph thought in disbelief. He rubbed his arms sheepishly, shaking his head at the unsolicited public disy of affection. ¡°Nice to see you two don¡¯t need toe up for air,¡± he mused out loud. ¡°What¡¯s the rush, anyway?¡± Pursing his lips, Joseph turned the car around and left. Half a world away in her apartment, Lyanna was standing on her balcony, a lit cigarette in her hand. Damian looked at her worriedly. ¡°Lyanna¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Lyanna threw him a cold look. ¡°You idiot! Why did you have to run your mouth and insult that whore?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t stand it. I was angry for you too,¡± Damian said frustratedly. ¡°I mean, you¡¯ve liked Lucas for so many years now. How can you bear to watch her put her paws all over him like that?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I need you to interfere either.¡± Lyanna took a long drag on her cigarette, still ring icily at him. ¡°You better think before you speak next time, or I¡¯ll tell dad about everything you¡¯ve done behind his back¡ªevery single thing. I can¡¯t wait to see how he¡¯s going to deal with you then.¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°Lyanna¡ªLyanna, please forgive me. I swear I¡¯ll listen to you next time.¡± Damian said hurriedly, blood draining from his face. Lyanna had always been the ambitious one as well as the family favorite. Ever since they were young, Damian always listened to her. Although she was the model younger sister in public, always addressing him respectfully with the appropriate titles, everyone in the Larson family knew that Lyanna was the actual mastermind behind any scheme that involved the two siblings. Slowly exhaling a ring of smoke, Lyanna said, ¡°I don¡¯t care what else you get up to outside, but don¡¯t meddle in any of my business.¡± ¡°But, Lyanna, I think Lucas is serious about that woman,¡± Damian said cautiously, watching Lyanna¡¯s expression carefully. ¡°So what?¡± Lyanna inhaled a lungful of smoke vengefully. ¡°A whore will always roll in the gutters. Unlike her, I have a good family background and societal standing. What can Ashlyn do that I can¡¯t? There isn¡¯t any man in this world that I can¡¯t conquer.¡± ¡°There are literally so many other people who want to date you, Lyanna. Why are you so obsessed with throwing away your dignity to chase after Lucas?¡± Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Lyanna¡¯s lovely face was contorted into a twisted mask of jealousy. ¡°I¡¯ve been in love with him since we were kids. I promised myself I would be Mrs. Nn when I grew up. If even that cheap b*tch Hera can smile and flirt with him, how dare he not even look at me?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stand this insult, Damian. There¡¯s only one family with the name Berry in Lake City, and they might as well be trailer trash. Do you really think the Nn family can ept a girl from that type of family as a daughter-inw?¡± Damian swallowed nervously. ¡°But didn¡¯t we hear that Lucas was married? There¡¯s already a Mrs. Nn.¡± Lyanna chuckled coldly. Judging by what she knew of Lucas, hell would freeze over first before he ever got married. ¡°If he were really married, I¡¯m sure we would at least see his wife at one point. That incident where he rescued people on a ne? I¡¯ll bet it¡¯s another underhanded trick to promote South Star Airlines. Just look at their stock prices¡ªit¡¯s been going up continuously over the past few days!¡± ¡°Lyanna, I know you¡¯re the smarter one and that you¡¯ve always been more proud of yourself than I am, but I¡¯m worried for you.¡± Damian heaved a sigh. Lyanna nced at him impassively. ¡°I told you, stay out of my business.¡± Damian¡¯s lips moved like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he could only nod. ¡°If you say so¡­ ¡° ¡­ At this moment, in the Whind Vi, two intertwined bodies grappled back and forth on therge bed. The air was heavy with musk, sweat and desire. The man¡¯s low groans and the woman¡¯s breathy whimpers echoed through the room in time with each other, rising and falling topose a sensuous symphony. Lucas¡¯srge hands gripped Ashlyn¡¯s waist tightly as he worshiped her, the passion in his dark eyes threatening to melt her into nothingness. Even as she threw her trembling head back, Ashlyn clung desperately to herst shred of resistance, unwilling to let herself fall into that mesmerizing abyss. But it was not a choice. Everything was working against her, stripping her resistance away and silencing any refusal. Lucas groaned, and the sound alone was almost enough to send Ashlyn over the edge. He embraced her tightly. ¡°Lyn¡­ ¡° Through the pleasant haze in her mind, Ashlyn could vaguely see Lucas¡¯s face grow closer. Lyn. It was a name she never heard anyone call her since her mother passed away. It wasforting to hear it again. Their tangled affairsted through most of the night, fueled by Lucas¡¯s insatiable appetite. Finally, with everyst drop of her energy spent, Ashlyn eventually drifted off into a deep sleep. After being fed well, the Spirogyra in her body settled down as well. As Ashlyn slept, unbeknownst to her, the sated Spirogyra glowed faintly as ity docilely within her blood vessels. Lying beside Ashlyn, Lucas gazed at her sleeping features hungrily. Even in sleep, she was luminous. Her finely arched brows were furrowed slightly, lending her a regal look as if something in her dreams made her uneasy. Her features were enchanting, pulling him deeper and deeper into her world. Lucas could not resist grazing his hand across her smooth cheek, pinching it mischievously as the urge urred to him. Ashlyn made a disgruntled sound through her nose but did not stir. She must have been truly tired out. He adored Ashlyn¡¯s unrestrained passion in bed, finding her unbearably gorgeous when she fully gave herself over to her desires. Lucas could not help the stupid grin that spread across his face. With his thirst ked, he was content. Both his mind and body were satisfied. As long as Ashlyn was with him, Lucas could feel every cell inside his body hum with calm contentment. But without Ashlyn, he would always inevitably descend into a spiral of dark frustration. Lucas let out a long exhale. He still could not get to the bottom of his tangled thoughts, but he just knew that he did not want to leave Ashlyn. Settling down beside her, Lucas pulled Ashlyn into his embrace easily, feeling the weight of her slender body in his arms. He closed his eyes, surrendering to sleep. It was a good night¡¯s sleep. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. The next morning, Lucas washed himself up quickly, changing into a new set of clothes. He walked over to the bed, looking at the woman who was still sleeping deeply there before checking the time. Quickly kissing Ashlyn once on the lips lightly, he hurriedly rushed downstairs and drove away from the vi. The loud rumble of the engineing from the garage made Ashlyn stir. She frowned as she jumped down from the bed. Herck of sleepst night was manifesting itself in the form of her dry eyes. Ashlyn looked out of the window just in time to see Lucas drive away in a ck Bentley, vanishing from her line of sight. She nced at the clock. It was barely six in the morning. Frustration was starting to build in her chest. She was a notoriously light sleeper, and not getting her quality sleep made her want to beat up the closest person in her vicinity. Ashlyn washed her face casually before looking at her clothes. Lucas had torn them into unwearable scraps of cloth yesterday night. She rummaged through his wardrobe for one of his shirts, putting it on. A further search produced a pair of cks which she pulled on as well. Grabbing her bag, Ashlyn opened the door and left the vi. Chapter 186 Chapter 186 She was feeling irritated when her phone rang insistently. It was Lucas. She pressed the answer button. ¡°Where did you go, damn it?¡± The cold voice that reached her ears conveyed its master¡¯s unamused mood quite adequately. ¡°What do you want?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s tone was even ruder than Lucas¡¯s. Holding his phone to his ear, Lucas¡¯s expression darkened noticeably. He was carrying a bag of fresh seafood that he bought from the morning market. He had decided to go to the market this morning to buy fresh seafood just for Ashlyn. And yet, this was how she decided to repay him, by vanishing without so much a single exnation. When he returned to the vi and found the house empty, he flew into a terrible mood. He went through a rapid series of emotions, ranging from frustration, irritation, panic, and maybe even the slightest hint of disappointment. That led to him calling Ashlyn immediately. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°Going home.¡± Hearing Ashlyn¡¯s annoyed voice inexplicably made Lucas feel better. ¡°Home? What home? Your home is right here.¡± He put the bag of fresh seafood into the kitchen, striding to the living room to pick up his car keys before heading out. ¡°I¡¯ming to fetch you now.¡± Well, I don¡¯t need you to. Ashlyn was about to retort when she heard Lucas end the call. The beeping sound of the disconnect tone reached her ears. He hung up on her, just like that. Ashlyn was furious, but she put her phone into her pocket and continued walking forward, hoping that she could find a cab before Lucas got here. Unfortunately for her, the surrounding areas were entirely vi districts. Cabs were rarely seen here, if ever. In the distance, Ashlyn could already see Lucas¡¯s Bentley speeding towards her. He pulled up beside her with a loud screech. Under his straight nose, Lucas was pressing his lips together tightly. He opened the car door and pulled Ashlyn inside without another word. Obviously, he was in a foul mood. He growled angrily. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me toe home?¡± However, his frown suddenly eased when his gazended on her. His dark eyes swept over her from head to toe. Ashlyn looked different today. The ck shirt she wore looked very familiar, almost like it was one of his. The same could be said for the khaki cks she sported. The oversized shirt hung loosely on her slender frame, tied in a messy knot above her waist that exposed a hint of fair skin. A thick man¡¯s belt held up her loose cks, ttering her slim waist and tempting him to see if he could close his entire hand around it. She had casually folded up the over-long pant legs as well, exposing her delicately pale ankles. These clothes were supposed to be men¡¯s formal wear and yet Ashlyn managed to make them look like the perfect vacation ensemble. She had done her hair in an intricate braid that hung in front of her chest loosely. If someone gave her a hat toplete the look, she was all set to be lounging by the beach instead of walking beside the road. There was no way else to describe it. Ashlyn was beautiful. Even wearing his clothes, she was drop- dead gorgeous. In fact, the thought of her wearing his clothes was enough to make Lucas swallow in anticipation, feeling a pleasant heat build in the pit of his stomach. That thought alone was enough to make him feel burn with longing, feeling unbearable heat snake through his stomach intimately. Lucas stared at her domineeringly. ¡°Have you ever wore any other men¡¯s clothes?¡± Ashlyn just nced at him, baffled. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Why would I do that?¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Does that mean she hasn¡¯t? Lucas felt his originally envious heart soar victoriously but kept his expression neutral. He just sneered coldly, sparing another nce at her. She only wore his clothes before. Lucas turned to look at her fully,mitting the sight to memory. Their tumultuous rtionship remained messily tangled and undeniably close, just the way he liked it. On the other hand, Ashlyn was questioning Lucas¡¯s sanity. She had no idea why he suddenly seemed so angry in one moment before looking extremely happy in the next. Whatever it was, he was annoyingly prone to mood swings like these since their divorce. ¡°I wanted breakfast.¡± Lucas hoisted her bodily into the car. ¡°So I went out to buy some ingredients.¡± His hands tightened on the steering wheel imperceptibly. ¡°Why did you leave?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I leave? You woke me up so rudely.¡± Ashlyn said mutinously. Lucas was making her already frayed nerves unravel even more quickly. She needed her sleep to function. When they were still married, Lucas was careful to make as little noise as possible when he had to wake earlier for work so that he would not wake her. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 By now, Ashlyn was a bit hungry herself. Since Lucas already bought the ingredients, she did not mind making breakfast personally. After all, nothing could beat the sheer happiness of taking a nap after having a filling meal. With her mind made, Ashlyn did not object as Lucas led her into the vi. The sight that met her eyes left her stunned. Inside the living room, a few live crabs were scuttling around here and there, parading about the room as if they owned it. Seeing someone intrude on their newfound territory, the crabs even scuttled towards Ashlyn quickly, clicking their pincers threateningly. ¡°Why are you just standing there?¡± Lucas asked, walking over with his car keys when he saw her stand dumbly at the door. ¡°Lucas, why the hell didn¡¯t you put them in the sink?¡± Ashlyn pointed at the freely roaming crabs. It was far too early for a headache. ¡°You know what? I give up. I order you to take care of it.¡± Feeling sleepy already, Ashlyn was rubbing her eyes to keep herself from nodding off. ¡°Just call me when you¡¯ve finally cleaned them up. I¡¯m going to take a nap.¡± Yawning, she made her way to the bedroom. Suddenly worried that Lucas would ck off, she was about to turn back and tell him what he actually needed to do when she saw him tie an apron around his waist. The sight was jarringly hrious. The pink floral-print apron tied around Lucas¡¯s waist was a stark contrast to his ck button-down shirt and casual pants. Even as she watched, he snapped on a pair of rubber kitchen gloves and prepared to face the crabs. Even dressed like this, Lucas was still handsome enough to make the earth itself shake in fear. She bit back the instructions she was about to give him. Lucas had already caught most of the escaped crabs, sticking them back into the bag and walking towards the kitchen. Alright, he can probably handle it. Ashlyn thought to herself. In the kitchen, Lucas dubiously poured the crabs, some oysters, a couple of scallops, and a few squids into the sink. The crabs were still waving their pincers at him smugly. He stared at the sink full of squirming seafood before him, feeling a headache start to build. In hindsight, he probably should not have bought seafood. He should have bought beef or mutton instead. As someone who never handled fresh seafood before, he did not have any idea on how to prepare it for cooking. Heaving a sigh, Lucas pulled out his phone and started to search the inte for help. By the time he was finally finished with cleaning all of the seafood, it was almost noon. He went upstairs to wake Ashlyn immediately. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. In the bedroom, Ashlyn was sprawled on the bed sleeping deeply. Her beautiful face was as peaceful as a newborn baby¡¯s. Her dark hair spread around her head like a halo, still wavy from the braid she had tied it in earlier. Ashlyn was awoken by someone nibbling on her lips. Hershes fluttered open like a butterfly spreading its wings. Ashlyn saw the very familiar man holding himself above her, a very distinctive floral-print apron tied around his waist as he gently bit and sucked on her lips. Lucas¡¯s outrageously handsome face shone under the sunlight, exuding a deadly charm. His eyes were half-closed, longshes brushing across his cheeks. His nose brushed against Ashlyn¡¯s face asionally as he continued his ministrations. There was a lingering hint of passion in his affection. What they were doing now felt just like what they used to do before their divorce. But we¡¯re divorced! Ashlyn grumbled internally. This bedroom held all their memories of the past four years. Before she could start having any second thoughts, Ashlyn pushed Lucas off her ferociously. She sat up, making the thin nket covering her fall onto the floor. Lucas looked slightly annoyed at being interrupted. His voice was husky with desire. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± He licked his lips as if he were not satisfied yet, eyes shining hungrily like a wild animal. Ashlyn stretchedzily, making her slim waist sway temptingly with the motion. She pulled on her slippers and walked towards the kitchen, her long hair drifting behind her. ¡°Are you done cleaning them?¡± In the next second, Lucas strode over to her and grabbed her arm. Ashlyn¡¯s back crashed against the cold wall as he pinned her against it. His breath was hot on her face. Before she could speak, he sealed her lips with his again. His burning kisses were desperate, pushing against her lips forcefully as he kissed her again and again. Just then, Ashlyn¡¯s stomach growled insistently. Breathlessly, she ced her hands on Lucas¡¯s chest and pushed him gently. Her voice was soft and weak. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°You get a pass for now.¡± Lucas said lecherously, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her to the kitchen. Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Ashlyn Berry walked to his back and untied his apron. She then slid herself into the apron and started to prepare lunch. Instead of dawdling around, Lucas stayed behind in the kitchen to help Ashlyn. From time to time, he would take a peek at the busy girl next to him. There was a faint warmth in his eyes. At that moment in time, the air of superiority around that man suddenly had a humanly touch to it. It was soon twelve noon The table was filled with seafood dishes. The aroma of each dish was different, but nheless, they were tempting altogether. Out of the blue, the door creaked open. The butler had returned from his errand. Upon stepping into the kitchen, he could smell the scent of a freshly made meal. When he saw Ashlyn standing in the dining room, he almost thought he was in the wrong ce. ¡°Mrs. Nn, you¡¯re back?¡± After his divorce, Lucas had returned to his hometown for quite some time. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Who would have thought that he would meet Ashlyn right away once he came back? The butler put down the luggage in his hands at once and eximed, ¡°Mrs. Nn, are you getting back together with Master?¡± Ashlyn squinted her eyes at Lucas. It¡¯s all your fault! ¡°Ah, I came back to cook for Lucas because he wanted me to. So here I am! Anyway, nice to see you, Louis!¡± ¡°Master, why don¡¯t you keep Mrs. Nn around? She¡¯s not only a gorgeous woman but also good at cooking.¡± The butler walked to the dining table in excitement, ¡°Mrs. Nn, don¡¯t leave us again!¡± Ashlyn hurried on to reply, ¡°I still have some chores to do at home! I¡¯ll be leaving after lunch.¡± Ashlyn did not know how to deal with seniors who treated her well, especially Louis Turner who had been so weing of her ever since she married into the household. Lucas¡¯s dark eyes were staring at Ashlyn grimly, which somehow infuriated her. In an instant, she lost her appetite even though a scrumptious meal wasid out in front of her. On the other hand, Lucas was devouring the seafood on the table in a jovial mood. Ashlyn rolled her eyes and grabbed her purse. ¡°I am leaving now.¡± Lucas suddenly spoke, ¡°Didn¡¯t you know that you left behind quite a few of your clothes in the closet?¡± Ashlyn examined the menswear on herself and red at Lucas. ¡°Thank you, but I like what I am wearing now.¡± She had made up her mind to not touch anything Lucas had bought her. Lucas watched on as Ashlyn sashayed to the exit of the restaurant. As she left, he smirked. Didn¡¯t you say you like my clothes? In the afternoon, Spencer White brought back to the Whind Vi a pile of men¡¯s clothing, all of which were what Lucas would usually wear except that they were one size smaller. Spencer grumbled, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Mr. Nn? Why did he ask for so many clothes that are not his size? He can¡¯t even wear any of it!¡± The butler had a mysterious smile on his face. ¡°You¡¯ll seeter.¡± Pfft! As if I care about what Mr. Nn¡¯s going to do with these clothes! My job here is done! The moment Ashlyn reached home, her phone rang. It was an unknown caller. She hesitated a while before picking the phone up. ¡°Ashlyn? It¡¯s me, ir!¡± ir waited for the person on the other end of the call to respond, but he didn¡¯t hear a response for quite some time. Puzzled, he checked his phone. Hmm¡­this can¡¯t be wrong. I am indeed calling Ashlyn¡¯s number! He then continued on the phone. ¡°Ashlyn, you do remember me, right?¡± Ashlyn finally replied ndly, ¡°Yes I do.¡± ¡°You have to save me, Ashlyn! I am about to break down! I am losing everything to Tinsor! I am really at my wits¡¯ end, Ashlyn. I didn¡¯t dare to call my brother so I called you instead. You have to save me!¡± ir was squealing like a pig while he sobbed over the phone. Meanwhile, at the club, Tinsor had a look of disgust on his face. ¡°ir, quit your teary act! It is annoying me.¡± However, Ashlyn¡¯s voice remained cold. ¡°ir, if you give Lucas a phone call, I am sure he will be willing to help you out.¡± ¡°Ashlyn, my brother will definitely beat the hell out of me if he hears about what I¡¯ve gotten into! He will definitely confiscate all of my allowance for the next month. Please, Ashlyn, you are the only one in the family who I am close to!¡± ir blubbered like a child who had lost his favorite toy. He then continued to wail, ¡°Ashlyn, I know you are the most capable person in the family, and I look up to you the most! So pleasee and get me out of here! Oh, remember to bring some money! They are not letting me off unless they get their cash.¡± Chapter 189 Chapter 189 He looked at his gambling buddies in front of him gleefully. ¡°Tinsor, you have experienced how scary Ashlyn is. If you do not want to experience her wrath, it¡¯s better if you return me my money right now.¡± ¡°Why should I? I have rightfully won the money from you through a proper game of cards, so why can¡¯t I keep the money?¡± Tinsor grunted. Henry Golding, one of the youngsters close to Tinsor, chimed in, ¡°Forget about getting back your money, ir! Isn¡¯t Ashlyn going to bring you money? We can continue gambling after this! I would love to get some more moh from you, hahaha!¡± ir was bbergasted. He yelled at the smoking teenagers sitting across from him, ¡°Tinsor, have you not learned your lesson from your previous encounter with Ashlyn? How can you still be so truculent? Also, can y¡¯all stop smoking? Ashlyn won¡¯t be pleased with all this smoke.¡± Tinsor gazed at ir indifferently and pointed at the teenagers sitting next to him. ¡°Quit smoking and clean up this ce. I do not want to leave a bad impression on Ashlyn!¡± ¡°You are worried about leaving a bad impression on Ashlyn? Huh, since when you have a liking for women of her kind?¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°Just shut your trap and tidy up!¡± At Tinsor¡¯s order, the youngsters got on their feet to clean the ce. When the servants came to serve them drinks, they were surprised. Hurriedly, they said, ¡°Sirs, just let us do the cleaning! You don¡¯t have to trouble yourselves!¡± However, no one seemed to pay any attention to them. ¡°ir, is your brother really getting married? Is Ashlyn going to be your sister-inw for real?¡± Henry sputtered. ir remained silent. Last time at the Jaquin Residence, ir had sensed an unsettling vibe around Lucas and Ashlyn. Thus, he figured it was best if hemented nothing on their marriage. ¡°Where did you hear that from? Ashlyn doesn¡¯t want to marry ir¡¯s brother!¡± Tinsor arched a brow. ¡°Let me tell you all something. My brother is pursuing her now! If anything, Ashlyn will be my sister-in- law instead!¡± ir was disgruntled. ¡°You¡¯re a liar! Your brother is pursuing Ashlyn? Bah, he is not worthy of Ashlyn!¡± ¡°Where did you get the idea that my brother is not worthy of Ashlyn? Is the Jaquin family a joke to you?¡± Tinsor stood on the sofa and had his arms on his waist as he red furiously at ir. Just this moment, the doorbell rang. ir made a break for the entrance. When he saw Ashlyn outside, he dly shouted, ¡°Ashlyn!¡± Ever since Ashlyn had saved him at the Jaquin Residencest time, ir was very fond of Ashlyn, especially since he had great respect towards those who were skilled in closebat. In his eyes, Ashlyn was the righteous Wonder Woman who was undefeatable. The youngsters all gaped their eyes in awe when they saw Ashlyn. What a beautifuldy! Ashlyn¡¯s hair draped around her waist, and she had an elegant smile that could rival that of a princess. No wonder Tinsor¡¯s brother wants to pursue her! ¡°Mdy!¡± Tinsor immediately leaped off of the sofa and ran to wee Ashlyn. ¡°Mdy, pleasee in!¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyes scanned the room, and to her surprise, the ce was spick and span. Her attention eventually shifted to ir who only had a singlet top and a pair of trousers on. ir noticed her gaze at himself and chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Hehe, I wasn¡¯t lying when I said I lost everything! They even took off my clothes! Hehehe¡­ so you did bring the money, right?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Ashlyn was nonchnt. ¡°Huh? You didn¡¯t bring any money with you?¡± ir was suddenly on tenterhooks. ¡°Ashlyn, you can¡¯t be kidding me, right? You¡¯re my only hope!¡± ¡°You guys are ying poker? Mind if we y a few rounds? It¡¯s been a while since Ist gambled.¡± Ashlyn nced at the cards on the table and strolled towards it. The people in the room were astounded. This pretty gal here knows how to y poker? ir was also stunned. ¡°Ashlyn, do you seriously know how to y poker? I don¡¯t want to see you strip like me in case you lose.¡± Lucas will definitely kill me! However, Henry was epting of the idea of Ashlyn joining them for a game. ¡°Ashlyn, you do look like someone who knows how to y a hand. C¡¯mon guys, let¡¯s sit down for a game!¡¯ Ashlyn nodded lightly but she had no expression on her face. Her attitude towards strangers had always been cold and impassive. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Ashlyn sized Henry up. In her opinion, he was actually quite cute. If not for his horrendous outfit, he could have been quite a dashing little prince. Hence, she replied truthfully, ¡°You¡¯re not ugly, but you dress ugly.¡± A grin broke up on Henry¡¯s face almost at once. ¡°Then how do you think I should dress?¡± Thank God it¡¯s not because I am ugly! ¡°Um, maybe something like what ir is wearing now.¡± Ashlyn pointed at ir. He only had a white singlet and a pair of jeans on. Together with his white Vans, ir looked like a girl¡¯s teenage crush in high school. But Henry could not agree with Ashlyn. ¡°You want me to dress like ir? He dresses like a homeless man!¡± ir was offended by Henry¡¯s remarks on his appearance. ¡°Hey, shut your mouth!¡± ¡°Are you guys still ying?¡± Tinsor was tired of Henry being at the center of attention, especially now that Ashlyn was with them. Tsk. Do you even know her? Kill me please. Stop being such a suck-up. Ashlyn saw the boys quarreling among themselves and couldn¡¯t hold in her smile. Now with a gentle grin on her face, her expression softened a lot. The few youngsters caught sight of her unintentional smile and were awestruck. ¡°Oh my Ashlyn, you are a goddess!¡± Henry quickly responded. All of these youngsters had older siblings to dote on them. Thus, they were quite outspoken and yful. Certainly, they had seen a lot of pretty girls before. In fact, they were even friends with many influencers or celebrities around their age. However, none of the people they met before had exuded such a dignified aura around them as Ashley had. After everyone sat at the table, the game of cards began. Ashlyn was the first yer to make a move. After rearranging her deck, Ashlyn smiled as she yed her hand. Tinsor howled in dismay right away. ¡°Oh shucks, my hand is smaller than that!¡± However, even though the youngsters were off to a rough start, they were able to y a few hands that somewhat impressed Ashlyn. Still, Ashlyn won the round of poker. Ashlyn pped her cards on the table. Plush! ¡°It can¡¯t be!¡± Tinsor and his friends stared at Ashlyn in frustration. They could not believe that they had lost. Unsatisfied with themselves, they went for a few more rounds. Still, Ashlyn emerged as the victor for each of the games afterward. Not before long, Ashlyn had a stash of cash in her hand. The money she won in less than an hour was more than all the money ir had lost to them earlier. Tinsor¡¯s and his friends¡¯ wallets seemed to be getting thinner as time went on. When Tinsor finally realized how much he had lost to Ashlyn, he asked her shakily, ¡°Mdy, h-how are you so good at this?¡± ir was delighted now that he had his revenge. No one expected Ashlyn to be such an adept yer of poker. A few hours soon passed. The sky was starting to darken. Ashlyn got on her feet and nced at the stack of money she won before turning her gaze to the few rascals who had suffered an overwhelming loss to her. ¡°Alright, we are done for today! ir will treat us to dinner at the Imperial Hotel!¡± ¡°We¡¯re having dinner at the Imperial Hotel? There¡¯s no way we can get in there! We need a reservation to be seated at the Imperial Hotel!¡± ir didn¡¯t mind treating everyone, but he was concerned about getting a seat at the Imperial Hotel. Everyone in the region knew how difficult it was to secure a reservation at the Imperial Hotel. ording to hearsay, reservations at Imperial Hotel had toe in at least one week before. If the lot of them just walked in without making any reservations, they would surely not be seated. However, Ashlyn was resolved to spend the money she won on the kids themselves. ¡°Let¡¯s just go there. There will be seats for us.¡±N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Ashlyn and the youngsters were in one of the private rooms of a leisure club that also housed many other sports and entertainment facilities. Before leaving the ce, ir, who had booked the private room under his name earlier, excitedly dashed to the counter to pay the rental fees. However, on his way back, he heard a familiar voiceing from one of the private rooms. ¡°Hayden Haddock, get off of me, you monster! Believe me when I say my brother will ughter you!¡± A man shouted back, ¡°F*ck you, little sl*t! You think I¡¯m scared of your brother? Everyone knows he doesn¡¯t care about you! I¡¯ll get myself inside you tonight for sure!¡± It¡¯s Naomi! Anxiously, ir barged into the private room where the noise hade from. ¡°Naomi!¡± The private room reeked of alcohol and some unknown substance. A few men were sitting on the sofa and each of them had ady in one arm. In one corner, Naomi was pressed under a man with her skirt torn. Her fair shoulders were in in sight, and there were bruises on her face. She looked disheveled, and the man on her seemed to be the one who had done that to her. Chapter 191 Chapter 191 ir was always hot-headed, so how could he not get himself into a fight with this guy who was harassing his sister? The sound of bottles shing instantly filled the room. The room was in total chaos. ir saw red as Hayden Haddock and his men circled around him, throwing their fists at him and kicking him asionally. Naomi was trembling with fear, ¡°ir, no! Don¡¯t hit my brother! Please, I¡¯m begging you!¡± To the Nns¡¯ shock and horror, Hayden and his people had knives on them. Out of the blue, one of the men took out a knife and headed for ir. While all of the men were upied with ir, Naomi took the chance to run away from the private room. She sprung into the hallway and immediately shouted for help. ¡°Help! Someone is trying to kill my brother!¡± Meanwhile, Ashlyn and the rest had waited long enough for ir. They headed into the hallway to look for him. However, not long after they had gotten out of the room, they bumped into a disheveled, teary-eyed Naomi. The instant Naomi saw Ashlyn, she dashed towards her at top speed. ¡°Ashlyn, help! My brother¡­ they have a knife and they want to kill my brother!¡± Ashlyn knew how reckless ir could be, and seeing how anxious Naomi was, she knew he was actually in trouble. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Damn it! How dare they beat up my friend!¡± Tinsor threw his jacket onto Naomi as he charged forward. ¡°Put on this jacket and show us the way!¡± Meanwhile, ir, who was severely outnumbered, was bleeding from his nose. His lips were swollen like a prune. He was struggling to crawl outside when the men grabbed ahold of the beer bottles on the table and whacked him on his dome. Bam! In a sh, there was an unsightly gash on ir¡¯s head. Blood streamed out from the cut profusely. Half a beatter, Ashlyn showed up at the private room. Immediately, she was greeted with a beer bottleing straight at her face. Her calm yet alert eyes, like that of a hawk, narrowed. Without any dy in movement, she flung her handbag in front of her. The beer bottle exploded midair, and the broken shards fell onto the ground. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Ashlyn swiftly extended her arm forwards and retrieved her handbag as it dropped. The people who were fighting inside heard the mor outside noticed they had visitors. They turned their heads towards the entrance, just in time to see Ashlyn shatter the bottle with her handbag. Hayden and his men were shocked to see a beautifuldy like Ashlyn so agile with her limbs. Inside the private room, irid lifelessly on the floor. He reached out to Ashlyn as he moaned weakly, ¡°A-Ashlyn, help¡­ me.¡± Hayden figured that the crowd outside wasing to ir¡¯s rescue. Without thinking, he pulled out his knife and thrust it at ir. Previously, at the Haddock family¡¯s charity g, Lucas Nn had stolen the show from the Haddock family by donating a staggering amount of 9 million to Ms. Saunders. Since then, Hayden had held a grudge against the Nn family. Now that ir Nn showed up at his doorsteps, he was not going to miss the opportunity to take his revenge against the Nns. Tinsor at the rest had their hearts in their throats when they saw Hayden with his knife. They shouted, ¡°ir, look out!¡± As they yelled, the knife came within centimeters away from ir¡¯s back. In the split of a second, Ashlyn hurled her handbag towards the knife like a boomerang, and it smacked the knife precisely on its grind. Hayden¡¯s hand wobbled as the bag weighed his arm down and the knife slipped from his hand. ng! The knife fell to the floor and broke into two. Everyone¡¯s eyes were bulging in astonishment. It was the first time they had seen someone breaking a steel knife with a handbag. A knife of that length was obviously made of Grade 340 stainless steel alloy, one of the hardest materials in the world. The two halves of the knife plopped onto the ground in front of ir. His eyes gaped wide at remnants of the deadly weapon. Due to the trauma inflicted on his head just now, his vision was blurry. ir opened his mouth to shout for Ashlyn, but his throat was too dry for him to say anything. The others were still in disbelief when Ashlyn strode further into the private room and uttered, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare hurt ir.¡± Chapter 192 Chapter 192 The domineering yet grim aura of that woman was thrumming in the air. Everyone could feel chills traveling down their spines. ir Nn, whoid motionless on the floor, didn¡¯t expect his sister-inw to care so much about his safety, especially since he had not been very respectful to her. Out of the blue, ir seemed to have lost his marbles. He giggled like a madman, and with the bloody marks on his face, he looked like a character straight out of a 90s thriller movie. Meanwhile, Hayden Haddock and his men backed up with their faces written in total terror. Where did this menacing womane from? Tinsor bolted into the room and the first thing he did was to smack Hayden¡¯s face. ¡°What you did is unforgivable! Let me tell you this, only I can beat the lights out of ir! Keep your hands off him!¡± The truth was, Hayden had also bullied Tinsor before, being the evil spawn he was. Thus, Tinsor hated him from the bottom of his heart and now was the best opportunity he had to teach Hayden a lesson. ¡°You guys are crazy! Y¡¯all bring knives around just in case someone gets in your way? What the hell! If not for Ashlyn, ir would have been murdered by you guys in cold blood! You guys are murderers!¡± Henry thered angrily. Ashlyn¡¯s fury was even more stoked as she was reminded about their intentions to kill ir. She picked up the phone on the wall and dialed for room service. She ordered harshly, ¡°Hello, this is Ashlyn. I need you to bring over some men. We¡¯ve got a problem on our hands.¡± A minute had barely passed when the sound of footsteps came from outside. The manager led a bunch of his staff into the room. He wiped his sweat on his forehead frantically and bowed at Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, my apologies! We didn¡¯t know you¡¯re here! Please forgive us for not weing you!¡± ¡°Cut the gibberish and teach these people a lesson on my behalf!¡± Ashlyn pointed at Hayden and his people. The manager red indignantly at Hayden and barked at his men, ¡°Beat the hell out of these people before you throw them out!¡± ¡°My brother is Dixon Haddock, and I myself am from the Haddock family too! You don¡¯t want to mess with us!¡± Hayden hollered as his men were getting beaten up. ¡°Ms. Berry calls the shots here! Your brother is nothing to us!¡± The manager wanted to show how capable he was in front of Ashlyn. He then turned to Ashlyn and asked in a servile tone, ¡°Ms. Berry, do you have any other requests from us?¡± Ashlyn narrowed her eyes at Hayden¡¯s men who were squealing in pain. ¡°Since they wanted to hurt ir with a knife, how about¡­ all of them can have their backs shed with their own knives?¡± ¡°You crazy b****! Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Hayden bawled in fear. Immediately, he was pped in the face by one of the staff. Hayden was in no position to speak at all. ¡°If you retaliate, I will make sure you get out of this ce in an ambnce!¡± Ashlyn stared at Hayden coldly. While Ashlyn was speaking, Tinsor and the rest carried ir off the ground. However, their eyes were still fixated on what was happening ahead. The club had a strict policy against violence, thus there were rarely fights at that ce. Only customers from an influential household like Hayden would dare to make a fuss. But now, it appeared that Hayden had finally been taught a painful lesson on how to behave in public. Before this, Hayden was infamous for toying with women and bullying the heirs of other families. If Ashlyn had not shown up, ir and Tinsor would have fallen into his hands too. It didn¡¯t take long for the staff of the club to tie Hayden and his men up. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Next to Ashlyn, ir and Tinsor felt their worth dwindle to zilch. Everyone at the club listened to hermands. Now that Ashlyn was done with Hayden and his men, she instantly headed outside. ¡°To the hospital, people.¡± The manager and his staff stood in a file as they sent Ashlyn off. The customers who just got out of the neighboring rooms were shocked to see such a big entourage around Ashlyn. Is she a celebrity or something? Everyone gasped in awe when they finally saw the woman in the center of the group of people ahead. She was an absolute beauty in her twenties, and with her silky fair floating around her thin waist, she gave off the aura of royalty. Many could not believe that such a young maiden couldmand so much respect that she had a patrol sending her out of the club. ¡°Ms. Berry, please visit us again! Have a nice day ahead!¡± The manager of the club uttered in deference. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 ¡°Of course.¡± The manager responded at once. 9pm at night. In front of the Haddock household¡¯s gates. Out of the blue, a minibus drove into the driveway. Two burly men, all d in ck, dumped a gunny sack in front of the gates and left the ce in a hurry. The guards at the gates were shocked by what they saw when they pried open the sack. Inside the sack was Hayden Haddock, all covered in blood. At that point in time, Hayden¡¯s friends were also dropped off in front of their houses in their gunny sacks. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. All of their families exploded in anger when they saw their kin all marred with their own blood. Who would dare hurt their precious children? Who had the guts to offend these many important families in Lake City? At the hospital. ir Nn was asleep in his bed. Naomi was sitting on a couch in one corner. She had changed into a fresh set of clothes and was now getting some shut-eye. The time seemed to pass unbearably slow in the room. Lucas Nn red at two of his useless siblings. ¡°Tell me what happened at the club.¡± ¡°My boyfriend tricked me into a private room at the club and before I know it, Hayden was forcing alcohol down my throat. He even wanted to r-rape me.¡± Naomi was choking on her tears. Her pitiful eyes were bloodshot. ¡°I didn¡¯t know my boyfriend was one of Hayden¡¯s people. Lucas, I was wrong! I will be more careful next time!¡± ¡°You imbecile!¡± Lucas was furious at his sister for being so reckless. The Haddock family was around for a long time, and thus it wasn¡¯t surprising that they had a lot of resources at their disposal. Moreover, the Haddocks were greedy people. They wanted to monopolize the real estate industry in Lake City, which would allow them to control the economy in that region. Dixon Haddock was a rising star that the Haddock family had bred to expand their family¡¯s business. Of course, the Nn Group had had a hard time because of him. The Jaquin family was also a prominent family in Lake City, but they were righteous people. They would never rely on uwful hustles to build their family¡¯s fortune. However, the Haddocks were not such people. They wanted a piece of anything that could increase their family¡¯s wealth. ¡°Ashlyn¡­¡± Naomi crept over to Ashlyn. Naomi was not her na?ve old self anymore. She now knew who in the family could bring her security. Just now, if it weren¡¯t for Ashlyn, both she and ir could have died at the hands of Hayden. ¡°Ashlyn will not be protecting you from today onwards!¡± Lucas shot daggers at Naomi. ¡°Because of my ignorance, you have be a reckless youngdy! I do not condone your misbehavior! I want you to enroll at Shelby High three days from today.¡± ¡°Lucas, please.¡± Naomi refuted meekly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go¡­¡± ¡°Remember what I told you before?¡± Ashlyn asked in a callous tone. ¡°What?¡± Naomi swallowed. She did not quite understand what Ashlyn meant with that question. ¡°Dumb people are better off in schools.¡± Naomi could feel her heart shatter. How can a goddess who just saved my life be such a meany in just an instant? Suddenly, ir on the bed was roused. He blinked his eyes hazily as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. ¡°ir, you¡¯re awake?¡± Naomi quickly got on his feet and ran to ir. ¡°Yeah. Where is Ashlyn?¡± ir fondled his wound through his bandage. The sting jolted him awake even more. ¡°Rx, she¡¯s still here.¡± Naomi hurried on to answer. Lucas now turned his icy gaze towards his brother. He was not happy with him looking for Ashlyn the moment he woke up. ¡°Since your brother is here, I will set things straight.¡± Ashlyn got on her feet. She looked apathetic as she spoke, ¡°Your brother and I are divorced for about two months now. Next time you get yourself into trouble, just call your brother directly, ir.¡± ¡°What? You guys are divorced?¡± ir almost fell from the bed when he heard the news. Tears rolled down Naomi¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Why are you leaving us, Ashlyn? Do you not care about us anymore?¡± Naomi had just shown her vulnerable side to Ashlyn and now she wanted to leave them? No wonder I sense a different vibe from Ashlyntely! She¡¯s leaving the Nn family! But wow! Now that she¡¯s divorced, Ashlyn is such a savage now! Chapter 194 Chapter 194 He had been dying to live with Ashlyn Berry so she could stick with her twenty-four-seven. That woman was her idol! ¡°You guys used to hate me before. But suddenly you don¡¯t want me to leave? Is this a joke?¡± Ashlyn raised her brows as she stared at them. ¡°Ashlyn! Please! I¡¯m dying! My head¡¯s gonna explode! Don¡¯t you see how hurt I am? Please don¡¯t divorce my brother!¡± ir Nn clutched his head as he started going into a frenzy. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal! Stop being dramatic!¡± She red at him and turned to leave without so much as a nce at Lucas Nn. Lucas¡¯ eyes greedily fell on her retreating figure. A trace of constrained emotion and forbearance hid behind his orbs. Yet, he still chased after her in the end. He had been chasing after her like this ever since they divorced. Ashlyn heard the footsteps behind her and in just a second, the man managed to stop her. She lifted her gaze to meet with his dark ones. His pupils dted as he stared at her intensely. He, the man who had always been cold and calm, now had emotions surging in his eyes. ¡°Something wrong?¡± she asked. ¡°Thank you,¡± the man said after a while. ¡°No need. You¡¯ve never made it difficult for me to repay you for these four years of marriage,¡± said Ashlyn softly before walking around him to stride into the elevator. She looked down and when she was about to press the close button, the man sessfully squeezed in. Before she could react, he pressed her against the wall and captured her lips fiercely. Ashlyn¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she widened her eyes. She tried to push him away but he was too strong. She waspletely sandwiched between him and the wall. Suddenly, the elevator fell speedily with a strange buzzing sound above their heads. A secondter, the elevator went pitch ck. Lucas instantly wrapped his arms around the woman. ¡°Honey!¡± Ashlyn inhaled sharply. The elevator seemed to hook on something as it stopped falling. ¡°The elevator¡¯s broken,¡± Lucas said in the dark. ¡°Are you scared?¡± As his words fell, the elevator jerked again, which produced a loud ¡®bang!¡¯ sound. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Lucas let go of Ashlyn to start probing around the elevator. ¡°Darn it! Which floor are we on?¡± Ashlyn remained silent, which was weird for him. He frowned and turned his head to look at her. Unfortunately, it was too dark that they couldn¡¯t see each other even if they were only a step away. ¡°Honey?¡± he called out. Nobody responded. Ashlyn¡¯s mind went nk as her pupils dted. She turned from left to right, causing the elevator to shake again. She was clutching her head tightly, trying her best not to lose herself to the demon haunting her thoughts. However, it seemed like she failed. She could feel the Spirogyra trembling in her body which was giving her endless chills. The fear of the darkness triggered the Spirogyra, and it would gradually spread all over her. She recalled the memories and scenes she did not want to remember the most. She had locked them deep inside her mind but the Spirogyra opened them up and now, it was as if she was reliving her trauma. Her body started to tremble. ¡°Stop¡­stop. Dad, stop hitting me¡­please¡­let me out.¡± She fell on her knees. Her chest tightened as she was panting for air. The Spirogyra almostpletely controlled her consciousness. She was scared. It was as if she had traveled back in time to her childhood. The time where she was helplessly living in fear because no one came to her rescue. No one. Her heart broke into pieces as she looked up to stare at the man who was holding her tight fists. Lucas rushed to her side when he heard her cries. When he grabbed her hands, he jolted at how icy they felt. Chapter 195 Chapter 195 ¡°Honey? Honey?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s hands shook even more violently. She was already too lost in her own world. Her lips were getting paler and her throat was getting drier by the second. She felt like she could see her mother. ¡°Mom, please take me with you. Dad hit me again today. I miss you, mom.¡± ¡°Mom.¡± She extended a hand to take her mom¡¯s before throwing herself at her. Don¡¯t be afraid, Lyn. She heard her mother¡¯s voice and saw the gentle smile on her face. ¡°Mom,¡± she sobbed as tears streamed down when she felt her mother¡¯s tight hug around her. Her mind was getting blurrier as time went by. ¡°Honey? Honey, are you still with me?¡± Lucas asked when he felt the tight clutches on his hands loosening slowly. He quickly embraced her cold body. ¡°Honey, can you hear me?¡± His tensed voice was filled with a trace of worry he didn¡¯t even notice. However, the elevator was silent as soon as his voice fell. The woman never replied to him. At this moment, a group of maintenance staff arrived with their tools. ¡°Is anyone inside?¡± one of them asked from the outside. ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± he hurriedly answered. ¡°Please hurry open the doors! Someone¡¯s suffocating!¡± Hearing that, the staff immediately started pounding and prying open the doors. Finally! The group worked together to crack open the doors. When they did, a small ray of light finally illuminated the dark elevator. Lucas looked down to see Ashlyn, who had already fainted in his arms. His face lost all its color at the sight. He had never been this scared before. ¡°Honey, how are you feeling?¡± He anxiously turned his gaze to the staff outside. ¡°Hurry! Please hurry!¡± The elevator seemed to be stuck in ce, though. It was difficult for them to widen the crack. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°No. Honey, can you hear me?¡± His voice trembled as a result of extreme worries and fear. He tightened his arms around her as his wet eyes reddened. Right at this moment, they had sessfully opened the doors. Lucas quickly carried the unconscious Ashlyn and exited the elevator. Both their bodies were all soaked in their own sweat from being inside the elevator for too long. There were a lot of medical staff waiting outside the elevator. They surrounded Lucas when they saw the unconscious woman in his arms. ¡°Carry her to the ward! Hurry!¡± Soon enough, the doctors started pacing back and forth. ¡°Oxygenate her first,¡± uttered one of the doctors. Lucasid her on the hospital bed. Her face was still as pale as a ghost. His heart was a mess as he gloomily stared at the person on the bed. He was feeling so distressed that he could hardly breathe. His mind hadpletely gone nk. Why? Why did this happen to us? What would¡¯ve happened to her if I wasn¡¯t there with her? His heart clenched painfully when he thought of the worst-case scenario. No. She¡¯d be fine. She¡¯d definitely be fine. That woman¡¯s tough and strong. On top of that, she even learned martial arts. Nothing could bring her down! ¡°Mr. Nn, we have to examine Dr. Berry. You may leave first,¡± said a doctor cautiously. The cold man¡¯s terrifying aura was so strong that shivers went down people¡¯s spines. Lucas exited the ward as the door mmed shut as soon as he stepped out. When he was registering what had transpired, Jared Quickton appeared out of nowhere and delivered a punch at him. ¡°Damn it, Lucas! I¡¯ll not forgive you if something happens to her!¡± Lucas¡¯ whole body stumbled back as he clenched his jaw to endure the pain. He did not fight back because what Jared was true. I failed to protect her. ¡°Go investigate why the elevator¡¯s broken!¡± Jared ordered Harrison and Anderson, who were behind him. This couldn¡¯t be a coincidence. I think someone¡¯s trying to harm Ashlyn, but who? Chapter 196 Chapter 196 ¡°On it.¡± Harrison and Anderson cast a worried look at the ward¡¯s door before leaving to start investigating the matter. These past few days, Jared had been busy trying to deal with the paperwork of the piece ofnd for the Larsons. He had called Ashlyn but Lucas was the one who answered the call. He was nearly exploding in rage when he learned that Ashlyn had lost consciousness in the elevator. Their boss wasn¡¯t afraid of anything. Even so, she still had a weakness. She would be in fatal danger if anyone who had bad intentions got a hold of this bit of information! During this time, Spencer White hurried over. He was a bit startled when he saw Lucas¡¯ bruised face. He then looked at the handsome man beside Lucas. Before he could jump to a conclusion, thetter ordered, ¡°Go investigate why this happened!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Nn!¡± he responded before walking away. However, he stepped back again when he remembered something. ¡°Mr. Nn, I may have found a lead to the hotel¡¯s incident.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The man stared at him. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I think Ms. Chapman is kind of involved,¡± Spencer informed while observing Lucas¡¯ facial expression. Hera Chapman was favored by Lucas. He also treated her quite well so Jared could not read the man¡¯s reaction to this. The man raised his brows as he narrowed his sharp and icy eyes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I found a hacker and had him hack into some of the surveince. Ms. Chapman had contacted a drug dealer who sells illegal drugs the night before the incident,¡± Spencer quietly exined. ¡°It¡¯s the same one we found in your body.¡± Lucas¡¯ face turned ice-cold as his aura drastically changed into a more hostile one. ¡°Continue to investigate!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Spencer quickly nodded before leaving the spot. Meanwhile, outside the hospital, a man quickly walked over to a BMW. When he got inside, the car drove away in an instant. He looked very proud as he fished out his phone to make a call. ¡°Ms. Chapman, it¡¯s done. Ashlyn walked into the elevator.¡± He was Jayton Levine, Hera¡¯s pursuer. He was rather rich, and he fell in love with Hera at first sight. In iner words, he was her simp, even the word ¡®rebound¡¯ did not suit him. Hera would find him whenever she needed help, including dirty deeds because she knew the man would help her no matter what. In the meantime, Hera rushed out of her room when she heard that Ashlyn had entered the elevator. ¡°Thank you so much, Mr. Jayton! I¡¯ll treat you to a meal some time!¡± ¡°You¡¯re too courteous with me, Ms. Chapman.¡± Jayton beamed excitedly. Having my goddess invite me to a meal is something I¡¯ve always dreamed of! The Jayton family had some money because they were running a toilet business. Nevertheless, the business circle had always looked down on them, for Jayton was an ipetently ignorant person. Hera drove to the hospital in her red Porsche. She initially thought she would hear people talk about someone crashing in the elevator all around the hospital. However, it was quiet as usual, as if nothing major had happened. Nheless, though Jayton was not an influential figure, she knew he would not lie to her. What¡¯s going on? She strolled to her grandpa, Bob Chapman¡¯s ward in doubt and confusion. Bob had been in good colors these past couple of days. ¡°Dad, drink some water,¡± offered Anthony Chapman, Hera¡¯s uncle. ¡°Okay. You must be tired too. Take a seat.¡± Soon after Anthony sat down, he caught a glimpse of Hera walking in with her bag. ¡°Hera, what are you doing here? It¡¯s my turn to take care of him.¡± They had decided to take turns in taking care of Bob by alternating between two days. ¡°I just miss grandpa, that¡¯s all,¡± she responded with a smile. ¡°Uncle, do you want to take a breather? I can stay with grandpa here.¡± ¡°No need. Something happened to the elevator today, and it almost snatched Dr. Berry¡¯s life. What if that happens to us? I¡¯m not going,¡± he exaggerated. Chapter 197 Chapter 197 He had always been someone who liked to talk nonsense. ¡°You know, when the medical staff rescued her, her face was all pale. The first thing they did was to oxygenate her. Also, Mr. Nn was stuck in the elevator with her too. Fortunately, he¡¯s fine,¡± he borated. ¡°What did you say, uncle? Lucas was also inside?¡± Hera was initially listening with gusto, but she was quickly baffled when she heard the unexpected mention of the man¡¯s name. Hearing that, her face lost its color as her mind became a mess. Why was he inside too? ¡°Yes! Nobody knows why Mr. Nn was there too but he¡¯s fine! Dr. Berry, on the other hand, is still in the emergency room!¡± Anthony let out a sigh, ¡°Dad, she¡¯s Dr. Ashlyn, the woman who performed your surgery!¡± ¡°She¡¯s such a good child. I wonder how she is now? Please visit her for meter.¡± Bob held the cup. ¡°I¡¯ve always taken a liking to her. She seems familiar.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Grandpa, you don¡¯t even know her. All she did was merely perform your surgery. Besides, that¡¯s her job as a doctor. You don¡¯t need to thank her,¡± uttered Hera angrily. He cares for her as if she¡¯s his granddaughter! Ask her toe to visit you like I am then! The old man frowned as he was displeased with her attitude. ¡°Other doctors¡¯ surgery isn¡¯t as good as Dr. Berry¡¯s. What does a young girl like you know?¡± ¡°Fine. I don¡¯t know anything,¡± she replied and stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave first. Rest well, grandpa. I¡¯ll come back in two days.¡± She was only here to inquire about everything, and now that she did, she had no reason to stay here any longer. Bob gave her a look before responding, ¡°Okay.¡± Hera left the ward and headed for the emergency section. Uncle said she¡¯s still in the emergency room. Is she dead yet? She had never shown herself in this matter from the beginning to the end. Although there was surveince in this hospital, it was all Jayton¡¯s doing. It had nothing to do with her at all. Even if people were to investigate, they would not find out she was involved. The only person they would find was Jayton. That man was desperate for her. He would not rat her out no matter what. Actually, it¡¯ll be easier if he disappears. He had already bought a ne ticket to the United States. That way, he could flee and hide from the limelight. Hera had promised him that they would get together rtionship after this matter was over. Hearing that, the man got carried away as he beamed with delight. Therefore, Lucas would not find anything even if he were to do a thorough investigation. He indeed has so much power and influence in the country, but it¡¯s not the same abroad. Jayton already ran out of the country. Let¡¯s see how he¡¯ll investigate. If Ashlyn were the only one in the elevator, I bet nobody would care about what happened. However, Lucas was also inside! He¡¯ll definitely look into this issue! Luckily, I already arranged for Jayton¡¯s escape over the phone call earlier. At this moment, she had already arrived in front of the emergency room. Sure enough, she saw Lucas from a distance. The man¡¯s face was red and swollen, and his lips were a bit torn with blood oozing out. Despite that, he still looked as handsome, maybe even more so. He was leaning against the wall with an emotionless expression. ¡°Lucas, I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be here,¡± Hera muttered in surprise as she stood right in front of him. Lucas¡¯ cold eyes narrowed at her when he thought of Spencer¡¯s report regarding the drug incident. His mind drifted back to their childhood when she was a sweet girl with a tough personality, even at a young age. The Hera back then waspletely different now. She was now a money-minded and good-for-nothing woman who was greedy for personal gain, with a pretentious angelic front. However, she would continuously and cautiously do things behind his back. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 She was especially good at acting and ying the victim. All this time, she had been pretending to be weak and fragile to win the sympathy of others. He was so disappointed because he had always had a good impression of her. Unfortunately, she herself had ruined the childhood memories he had of her. Right now, he did not even want to see her face for a mere second. Hence, silence was the best answer. ` Hera felt a bit awkward when he did not answer her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did youe here to deal with something?¡± she tried again, trying to get him to talk. Finally, Lucas coldly hummed a reply. Jared, who was sitting on the waiting seat, could not help but raise his brows and chuckled. ¡°Ms. Chapman, can¡¯t you read the room?¡± Hera was wearing a pink dress, matched with a pair of pink high-heels and a pink bag. She looked tender and girly in an all-pink outfit, but her heavy makeup did not match her outfit, which ruined the whole image. She had only noticed Jared was here when she heard his voice. Is he courting me? Why is he suddenly talking to me? I thought he has a scandal with Ashlyn? Despite her thought, she was actually satisfied that the other party took the initiative to strike up a conversation with her. She flicked her bangs using her finger to appear graceful in front of him. ¡°What are you talking about, Mr. Quickton? I don¡¯t catch it.¡± From N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Nn clearly doesn¡¯t want to talk to you!¡± His voice echoed in the corridor. Hera¡¯s smiling face froze for a second. ¡°How can that be? Are you kidding me, Mr. Quickton?¡± Jared cocked his brows. ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± I dislike her ever since I met her during the charity g. Now I finally can intercede for my boss! I¡¯m not going to miss this chance. His words irritated her, but she knew he was someone she could not afford to offend. She could only resort to seeking help from the other man. ¡°Lucas¡­¡± Bang! The door of the emergency room flew open right at this moment. A doctor walked out with a nurse beside him. Lucas strolled past her to approach the doctor. ¡°How is Ashlyn?¡± ¡°Is she awake?¡± Jared also questioned. The doctor pulled off his mask to reply to them, ¡°She¡¯s resting now, so please don¡¯t disturb her too much. You guys can still go in for proper visits, though.¡± The medical staff then pushed Ashlyn out of the room to transfer her into an ordinary ward. Hera felt humiliated that Lucas ignored her just like that. Her heart was filled with jealousy and hatred when she saw the pale yet still beautiful Ashlyn. That b****! Why is she still alive? Why isn¡¯t she dead! Lucas and Jared quickly followed them to the ward, leaving her alone in the corridor. Hera stomped her feet in frustration. She hated the oue of the situation, but there was nothing she could do. She could only watch Lucas enter the ward and shut the door right in front of her, blocking her sight. Inside the ward, Ashlyn looked so peaceful on the bed. Her eyes were tightly closed, and her long, luscious eyshes were covering her eyelids. She looked like Sleeping Beauty. Lucas could not help but frown as he stared at her pale face with a slight pain in his heart. I never knew she¡¯s ustrophobic. Who would¡¯ve known such a strong woman like her also had a weakness. It terrified him to see Ashlyn muttering to herself earlier. He failed to make it clear what she uttered, though. Jared stared at his tall and stalwart figure standing in the ward. It was indeed an eye-catching sight. However, he was infuriated when he suddenly recalled that his boss got hurt when she was around him. ¡°Lucas, I¡¯m warning you. Stay away from her.¡± Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Lucas¡¯ expression instantly changed as it got colder tenfold. ¡°Jared, I don¡¯t need your opinion on whatever happens between her and me.¡± Jared¡¯s face darkened after hearing that. ¡°Lucas, everything about her isn¡¯t your business!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ad interim, Hera attached her ear to the door to eavesdrop on their conversation. Her lips twitched in dissatisfaction when she heard them arguing about the other woman. I hope she doesn¡¯t wake up. I wish she¡¯ll stay like this for the rest of her life without anyone caring for her at all. Ashlyn, please don¡¯t wake up! She silently and harshly cursed her. ¡°Jared, don¡¯t be so full of yourself just because you¡¯re living under the same roof as her,¡± Lucas sneered. ¡°We don¡¯t need you here. Leave.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll always stay with her. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s your private property. What right do you have?¡± Jared refuted. They¡¯re already divorced but he¡¯s still so clingy to boss. He has been with her for days now. Even so, he still couldn¡¯t protect her. I really doubt this man¡¯s strength now. Those who can¡¯t protect her shouldn¡¯t be with her! When the men were endlessly quarreling in the ward, Winsor Jaquin and Tinsor Jaquin rushed to the hospital. As soon as they stepped out of the elevator and got Ashlyn¡¯s room number, they ran like they were running for their lives. When they were nearing, the first thing they saw was Hera eavesdropping through the door. Winsor nced at her in disdain. ¡°Excuse me, Ms. Chapman.¡± Hera was listening seriously to the quarrel of both the presidents over the other woman. Her nails almost broke in jealousy as she pressed them against the door. When she was lost in the immense hatred and jealousy, a sudden disdainful voice rang above her head. ¡°Ah!¡± she yelled in shock. She stumbled back in her high-heels and identally knocked the back of her head on the door, creating a loud sound. The pain made her see stars. ¡°Ouch!¡± She grabbed her head and gritted her teeth in pain. She did not look like a high-level socialite at all. At this moment, she could care less about her image. She felt as if a bump was going to form on the hit spot on the back of her head. Tears burst out from her eyes at the immense pain. She was embarrassed to have been caught eavesdropping, but the embarrassment could not top the pain she felt. It hurts so bad! Jared went to open the door after hearing themotion outside. The sight of Hera, who had tears in her eyes, was the first scene that greeted him. Winsor held the bouquet of gypsoph as he stared at Jared. ¡°What are you doing in my goddess¡¯ room?¡± he asked angrily. ¡°Yeah! What are you doing in our goddess¡¯ room!¡± repeated Tinsor, trying to show the power that he never had. He had always been a supportive of the rtionship between his brother and Ashlyn. He could never forget the scene of Ashlyn rescuing Naomi Nn and ir Nn. Winsor and Ashlyn are meant to be! Nobody can covet the goddess! ¡°Tsk,¡± Jared snickered as he stared at the siblings before letting them in. He then looked at Lucas as if something interesting was about to transpire. On the other hand, Hera thought she was also invited in. She couldn¡¯t wait to whine to Lucas about her injury to get his sympathy. However, when she had only taken one step, the door was mmed shut right in front of her again, just like it did earlier. Tinsor was the one who had mmed the door fiercely. Why are there so many people here? Darn! Mr. Nn¡¯s here too! He didn¡¯t notice how hard he had shut the door, for he was lost in his own thoughts. This time, the door hit Hera¡¯s nose that she felt like it almost broke. ¡°Ah! It hurts!¡± she cried in pain. It freaking hurts! I feel like my nose is about to fall off! Hera raised her hand to rub her nose. ¡°Blood!¡± She stared at the red liquid on her palm in shock. Her eyes rolled back as she almost fainted. Luckily, a nurse passing by noticed her, and she quickly held her. ¡°Are you okay, miss? Your nose is bleeding.¡± Chapter 200 Chapter 200 S***! It hurts so bad! When they arrived at the consultation room, the doctor checked the bump on the back of her head before checking her nose. ¡°Ms. Chapman, have you done stic surgery on your nose before?¡± Hearing his question, Hera red at him, enraged. ¡°You¡¯re the one that did stic surgery! Damn you!¡± The doctor ignored her horrible attitude since he had encountered all kinds of patients before. ¡°If you didn¡¯t, then your nose is too fragile. You have to put a filler in your nostrils for a week. After a week, pleasee back here so I can recheck.¡± ¡°What about the bump on my head?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll go down in a few days,¡± replied the doctor before he ordered the nurse to put a filler in her nose. When she left with the nurse, the doctor stared at her back coldly as he scoffed. ¡°Why does she deny she had done stic surgery when it¡¯s so obvious? Her nose wouldn¡¯t be that crooked if she hadn¡¯t,¡± the doctor said to another doctor. ¡°Which woman doesn¡¯t get stic surgery nowadays?¡± ¡°Dr. Berry! She¡¯s hundred percent natural!¡± the doctor responded with a smile. ¡°I know best when it comes to facial features. I kid you not. Her face features perfectly fit the golden ratio! She¡¯s stunning!¡± ¡°Gee! You pay a lot of attention to Dr. Berry¡¯s face!¡± the other doctor joked. ¡°Go to hell!¡± Meanwhile, there was an indescribably tensed atmosphere in the ward. Ashlyn slowly fluttered her eyes open only to see three men and one teenager standing in front of the bed. However, she closed her eyes again right after that as she felt her head spinning. It took her quite a while to open her eyes again. When she did, the men were still there. What¡¯s going on? From N?velDrama.Org. Memories started flooding back to her scene by scene. Did I¡­faint in the elevator? Ashlyn took a deep breath as she felt helpless. I¡¯m scared of nothing, not even Spirogyra, but confined spaces. Whenever she was in a confined space, it would trigger the Spirogyra in her body, which would cause it to shake to seekfort desperately. Therefore, at that time, she waspletely controlled by Spirogyra. She even regarded Lucas as a lifesaver when she clutched on him tightly before fainting right in his arms. Now everything¡¯s a mess. People already found out what my weakness is! Darn! I hate Spirogyra! It¡¯s going to be the death of me! Ashlyn was too weak to actually swear. She blinked her pretty eyes before trying to speak, but her throat was too dry that she felt like she had eaten sand. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Would you like to drink some water?¡± Jared hurriedly walked to the water dispenser to pour her a ss of water. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ashlyn epted the water and took two sips. Her throat immediately felt better. Upon seeing this, Winsor rushed to put a pillow behind her waist and helped her into a sitting position. ¡°Feeling better now, Ms. Berry?¡± Ashlyn nodded. Although her face was still pale, she did not look half-dead as earlier. ¡°A little.¡± Lucas¡¯ face darkened when he saw those men trying to suck up to Ashlyn. It infuriated him to no end! His sharp eyes red at them as if he wanted to murder them right then and there! I¡¯m the one who¡¯s supposed to do that! Darn it! He gritted his teeth to prevent himself from attacking those two and feed their flesh to the dogs. A deadly aura exuded from his body. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± he asked in a dangerously deep tone. ¡°I¡¯ve had Spencer make soup.¡± Winsor snorted when he heard him, ¡°Do you want to eat some fruits? I brought a fruit basket.¡± ¡°Are you tired? Do you want me to massage you?¡± asked Jared as he did not want to lose to the other men. Chapter 201 Chapter 201 The ward fell silent. After taking a deep breath, she regained herposure. ¡°Winsor, how did you know I was warded?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Winsor felt awkward to exin. ¡°The head nurse is one of your informants, isn¡¯t she?¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrows. ¡°Erm¡­¡± Winsor was put in a spot given how he was embarrassingly exposed. ¡°I hope both of you would not do something like this again,¡± Ashlyn remarked coldly. Then she turned towards Jared and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I gave you a call which he picked up,¡± Jared reported. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn was annoyed. ¡°I need to rest now. Everyone, please get out.¡± The elevator was working fine just now- why did it malfunction all of a sudden? She had a hunch that there was more to the matter than met the eye. Therefore, she needed to calm down and gather her thoughts. Lucas¡¯ heart was aching as she had chased him out again. What he hated most about her was her habit of pushing people close to her away. It made him feel as if he was a distant yet familiar stranger. I am a lot more eligible than Jared and Winsor. Way more! Meanwhile, Tinsor gave Ashlyn a reluctant look before turning his gaze to Winsor. He then tugged at his brother¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Winsor, let¡¯s step out first.¡± With so many obstacles, it wasn¡¯t going to be easy for his brother to win her. In fact, he was still far behind the others. After looking at Ashlyn longingly, he nced at the other two men. ¡°Hmph, let¡¯s go.¡± Jared too followed them out. He reminded, ¡°Call me if you need anything.¡± By then, only Lucas was left. He narrowed his eyes and stared at the petite woman on the bed. Finally, he spoke up, ¡°Why do you have ustrophobia?¡± Ashlyn was speechless. What can I say? He will not believe me even if I tell him the truth I have ustrophobia just because the Spirogyra gave me one? ¡°Lucas, I¡¯m tired.¡± Is she trying to chase me out? He turned and walked towards the door. Just when Ashlyn thought he was about to leave, she heard the door lock instead. To her surprise, he had locked the door from the inside. It seemed like sooner orter, by all means, he would get to the bottom of this matter! Ashlyn red at him as this was a new low, even for him. Why is he being so thick-skinned? He seems to be a totally different person from the estranged man I was married to. He was handsome as always, but his eyebags from theck of sleep made him look a little creepy. Ashlyn frowned. ¡°Lucas, what are you doing?¡± As Lucas gazed at the woman on her bed, he saw her lustrous ck hair spread all over the white pillow. Also, her wless fair skin made her look especially alluring to him. Meanwhile, he loathed how she was looking at him. Her gaze simply felt cold and distant. Before Ashlyn could react, he grabbed her by the hand. She could clearly feel how his rough palms enveloped her hands tightly, just like when they were in the elevator. Unexpectedly, she felt a sense of security. She knew that the Spirogyra needed Lucas, but she wasn¡¯t aware that it was to this extent. Staring back at him without any expression, she didn¡¯t know what sort of strange ideas he had in mind. Slowly, she felt him hold her hand and circle his other hand around her waist. He then sat by the bed and in the next second, sprawled on top of her legs. With his eyes shut and his breath long, he seemed to be asleep. ¡°You!¡± Ashlyn face darkened immediately. How could he fall asleep in less than a second? In fact, he seemed to be sleeping soundly. Despite Ashlyn¡¯s pushes and shoves, he didn¡¯t budge at all. ¡°Lucas, can you not sleep on my legs? Your head is really heavy!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother me!¡± Lucas barked before returning to his slumber. Chapter 202 Chapter 202 It didn¡¯t help that the ward¡¯s door was locked from the inside and no one could enter. When Jared and Winsor saw no sign of Lucas even after a long while, they couldn¡¯t help but sneak a peek through the window. With the curtains drawn, there was only a tiny hole that they could peep through. Both of them were shocked to see Lucas lying on Ashlyn¡¯s legs with his eyes closed. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Is he asleep? ¡°Damn! That cheater!¡± Winsor cursed. ¡°Winsor, given how shameless Lucas is, you should learn from him the next time.¡± Tinsor too was outraged. Anyone who stood in the way of his brother¡¯s n was an enemy. Meanwhile, Jared was filled with a sense of helplessness. Lucas obviously has an agenda towards the boss. If that¡¯s the case, why did he divorce her then? I¡¯m really stumped. ¡°Lucas, wake up!¡± Ashlyn pushed him hard once more when her legs were almost numb. Lucas, who was sleeping soundly on top of her legs, had his eyebrows raised the moment she pushed him. The peaceful expression he had a moment ago darkened as his mood turned foul. Ashlyn pulled his ear. ¡°Wake up, you crazy guy!¡± However, he remained fast asleep and didn¡¯t respond whatsoever. His face no longer had the terrifying intimidation that he usually carried with him. Since she couldn¡¯t wake Lucas, she had no choice but to send a message to Jared with her phone: Has the elevator incident been investigated? Jared replied instantly: Harrison is on it, but there are no updates yet. Please arrange for me to be discharged. There¡¯s nothing wrong with me. Ashlyn instructed. What about the Larsons? We have captured them. Well done. Ashlyn¡¯s speed at replying messages was on a different level. Her phone was extremely powerful. On the outside, it looked just like an ordinary iPhone, however, in terms of its system and features, they were out of this world. When she browsed through the social media, she realized that the elevator incident wasn¡¯t on the search list. In fact, no one was even sharing it. With that, she heaved a sigh of relief. She was worried that someone would turn this incident into news and remind people to be cautious or something. The reason was that she hated it when other people know about this weakness of hers. Luckily, Lucas was right beside her then. Nevertheless, she was very clear as to what kind of character he had. After pondering about it, she hacked into the Haddock Group¡¯s official website and retrieved Sienna Oates¡¯ username and password. A corporation would usually have its own independent operation and financial system. Since she couldn¡¯t find anything from Haddock Charity¡¯s official website, she needed to find another way to enter its system. After half an hour, she sessfully entered both systems using Sienna¡¯s identity. The ounts were clear cut while the operational data looked normal. There didn¡¯t seem to be anything out of the ordinary. Since Sienna¡¯s credentials had the highest level of authority, she was able to check through every nook and cranny of the system but didn¡¯t find anything suspicious. Impossible! How deep has Haddock Group buried it? Lost in thought, Ashlyn logged out of Sienna¡¯s ount and cleared all her browsing history. When Lucas finally opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was her in deep contemtion. Even in deep thought, her expression was just as enchanting. He unknowingly stretched out his hand. While Ashlyn was still immersed in her thoughts, she suddenly felt something crawl above her eyelids. Only then did she realize that he was up. Regaining her senses, she remarked, ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± As he just woke up, his gruff voice had a maic charm to it. ¡°Just browsing my phone. I¡¯m feeling tired,¡± Ashlyn inly replied. Extending his hands, Lucas pulled her into his embrace. Just like anguid lion, he ced his head on her shoulder. ¡°Come, let your hubby give you a hug.¡± Chapter 203 Chapter 203 When she heard him say the word ¡®hubby¡¯ with such ease, Ashlyn was stunned. She could feel his warm breath by her neck and also hear his coarse voice. It felt just like any ordinary morning before their divorce. However, everything was no longer the same as before. Hence, she pushed him away. ¡°You¡¯re really heavy. Get up, my legs are already numb.¡± Lucas lowered his gaze. ¡°Let me help you massage them.¡± After sleeping for two hours, his mood seemed to have improved. However, the same couldn¡¯t be said for Ashlyn. She sent a message to Jared: Knock on the door, now! A secondter, Jared¡¯s voice rang from outside. ¡°Open the door, quick.¡± Hearing that, Lucas¡¯ mood changed drastically. As he opened the door with a sullen face, he saw Jared holding the discharge papers in his hands. Jared stretched his neck and leaned his body towards the ward. Then he reported to Ashlyn, ¡°The formalities for your discharge are done. Let us go now.¡± Us?! He dared use the word ¡®us¡¯! Damn it! Lucas expression was as dark as night. ¡°Why are you getting discharged?¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m not sick, of course I want to leave,¡± Ashlyn replied coldly. The reason she fainted was due to the Spirogyra and not because she was ill. After massaging her own legs for a while more, she got out of bed and wore her shoes. After that, she headed out. Just when she walked past Lucas, he suddenly grabbed her by the wrist. ¡°Come back with me to Whind Vi.¡± ¡°Other than that, don¡¯t you have another pick-up line?¡± Ashlyn shook away from his grip and looked at Jared. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± However, right when she arrived at Bayview Vi and stepped into her room, a dizzy spell suddenly struck her. Instinctively, she grabbed onto the door for support and managed to steady herself. As her heart began to race, she could feel her blood boil to the extent that it was overwhelming her. Taking a deep breath, she managed to struggle to her bed and threw herself on top of it. The Spirogyra¡¯s poison was so strong that it was able to gradually change one¡¯s bodyposition. Despite her frosty character, she would uncontrobly exude a captivating charm, resulting in her uniquely alluring demeanor. These were gifts from the Spirogyra. Ashlyn let out a long sigh. The Spirogyra¡¯s activity was different than usual as it seemed highly agitated, causing her to sweat profusely on her forehead. When the Spirogyra was unable to get the relief it needed, it would cause her body to turn hot and cold uncontrobly. One moment, she would feel as if she were frozen in ice, while in the next she would heat up as if she were transported into a burning furnace. She would then alternate between the two conditions. It was so bad she didn¡¯t want to feel like that ever again. By now, she was drenched in sweat with her wet hair clinging onto her cheeks. Her face color was changing between pale white and blushing red. To endure the pain within her, she bit down tightly onto her lip. As she repeatedly took deep breaths, the piercing cold she felt in her bones started to cause her body to freeze. Thest time the Spirogyra was so agitated was four years ago. It wasn¡¯t until today that it chose to torture her again this way. Is it going to torment me again? As shey on her bed stiffly, all she felt was her blood solidifying. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. The next moment, she started shivering as the cold began to permeate through every single one of her cells. The frost continued to envelop the rest of her body and even seep through the crevices of her bones. The pain was extremely excruciating as if thousands of ice needles were stuck into her skin. As the pain continued to grip her bones, her body was swollen all over. Cringing on her bed, her face was contorted as if she was frozen in ice. The next second, a scorching fire suddenly took over from the cold. Its raging mes seemed to burn every fiber inside her. She felt as if she was lifted out of an icyke and thrown into the middle of an erupting volcano. Every cell within her body was under intense heat. It was so hot that the skin of her lips burst open with blood oozing out. It was a horrifying sight indeed. Meanwhile, she curled herself up to endure the indescribable pain. The fiery sensation felt as if it was burning every cell in her body into a crisp. Chapter 204 Chapter 204 With her face already pale, she reached for her phone on the bedside table. At the same time, she forced herself to endure the pain from her bones. When her hand almost touched her phone, there was a sudden bang. She had fallen from the bed onto the floor. It hurts! Every cell in her body was screaming out in agony. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Despite how resolute and high her tolerance for pain was, she was already covered in sweat and her body was very weak. Nevertheless, she struggled towards the phone to call Jared. However, she no longer had any strength left to move. All she could do was sprawl on the floor, panting heavily. Suddenly, the door flung open. By the time Jared barged in, Ashlyn¡¯s life was already hanging by a thread and she had lost consciousness. ¡°Boss! Boss!¡± Jared shouted. Shocked to see her in that condition, his mind drew a nk. Without any dy, he carried her back up onto the bed. ¡°Boss, what¡¯s wrong? Damn it! Is the poison acting up again?¡± He recalled that the same terrible situation had urred many times four years ago. It wasn¡¯t until Ashlyn got married that it stopped. Meanwhile, Ashlyn tried her best to open her tired eyes and meekly muttered, ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± At that moment, the excruciating pain felt like millions of worms tearing into her bones gruesomely, swallowing her consciousness. Her eyes gradually shut as she fell into a dark abyss of nothingness. ¡°Damn it!¡± Hasn¡¯t the Spirogyra¡¯s poison stopped attacking her? Why is it acting up again? Nightfall. Ashlyn gradually opened her eyes. The cold sensation that had enveloped her had disappeared without a trace. Is the Spirogyra¡¯s attack over? As she helped herself up, she felt as light as a feather,pared to being bogged down by a thousand pounds during the attack. Also, her mind had recovered from the daze. When she sighed in relief to know that she had survived the attack, she suddenly heard a deep voice beside her. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Ashlyn was speechless when she heard the familiar voice- gruff and maic. Who else could it be other than Lucas? As she looked towards where the voice wasing from, she saw him on the bed, with his chiseled features and tall nose. His lips broadened into a smile while his dark eyes had a fearsome glow to them. Amidst this intensity, he emitted a devilish charm. No matter where or when, he was so handsome that girls would scream and spread their legs for him. What was most shocking to her was that he was hugging her. With one hand around her waist, he held her in his embrace. The moment Ashlyn started to speak, she could feel the giddiness return. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I want to know- how much do you really need me?¡± Lucas looked at her inquisitively. Jared had anxiously called him to say that Ashlyn was in grave danger, and that he had toe immediately. However, after he arrived, he realized that she was just fine and was sleeping instead. Other than being drenched in sweat, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Ashlyn gritted her teeth when she realized the reason she was awake was that Lucas was here. She was sure that it was the busybody Jared who had called Lucas toe. Meanwhile, she had no strength left to swear and only felt as if she could die anytime. Using her sleeve to wipe the sweat off her forehead, she realized her whole body was sticky with sweat and it felt extremely ufortable. ¡°I¡¯m going to bathe, you suit yourself.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lucas wasn¡¯t a fool. The whole incident was extremely strange. Isn¡¯t Jaredpeting with me to vie for her attention? Why did he still call me here to see Ashlyn? He knew Jared wasn¡¯t pretending when he sounded anxious over the phone. Why is Ashlyn drenched in so much sweat? And why did she seem alright when he arrived, waking up within a matter of minutes? There were just too many unanswered questions. ¡°Nothing much, maybe Jared is just ying a prank on you. He has a lot of free time after all,¡± Ashlyn replied casually. With that, she took a new pair of pajamas and went into the bathroom. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 She looked terrible. As the Spirogyra¡¯s attack urred the moment she reached home, she didn¡¯t have the opportunity to change her clothes. Furthermore, all her makeup had been smeared by the sweat. Her ck mascara had traces of it rolling down her cheeks, making her look like a ghost. The worst was her sweat-drenched hair clinging to her cheeks and neck. Combined with her ghastly look, it was enough to scare young children into tears. She was also aware that Lucas wasn¡¯t blind. Actually, she was surprised that he could still hug her and share her bed in that sweat-drenched condition. Tsk, Tsk, Tsk! Ashlyn first removed her makeup before taking a hot bath. By the time she rid herself of the sweaty stench, half an hour had passed. Only then did she step out of the bathroom feeling refreshed. Drying her hair as she walked out, she saw that Lucas was still sitting on the sweat-drenched bed. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. He still hadn¡¯t left. She was stunned for a moment before she sat at the dressing table to blow her hair. While Lucas was sitting by her bed waiting for her, he scrutinized her room. This must be the room I saw in the video. Its simple decorations make it feel natural and refreshing. He quietly watched her blow dry her hair and apply facial toner on her face. Then, she proceeded to apply her eye cream, facial cream¡­ After that, she reached inside her pajamas and continued applying cream all over her body. His eyes were fixed on her the whole time. As she looked at Lucas with the corner of her eye, she was speechless. Lucas was tall and had a big frame. Her room was considered big and spacious but with him inside, it felt inexplicably narrow and cramped. After slowly applying cream all over herself, she instructed Lucas casually, ¡°Get up.¡± Lucas frowned slightly, ¡°What for?¡± ¡°To change the bedsheets.¡± Looking at the wet bedsheets, Ashlyn was astounded by how much sweat she had put out just now. That annoying Spirogyra actually quiets down once Lucas is near me. Damn it! You¡¯ve been living off my blood, feeding on it daily. Is Lucas your dad? Since you like him so much, you should move onto his body so that he can feed you. Ashlyn¡¯s whole body emitted a sense of resistance. Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t matter. Feeling glum, she opened her wardrobe and took out a new set of bedsheets. When she instructed Lucas to remove the old set, Lucas was dumbfounded. But after a short hesitation, he leaned down and ce his fingers on the bedsheet. This was Captain Lucas¡¯ first time changing a bedsheet in his life. Despite his awkwardness, he managed to pull it off easily. However, it was a different story when it came to the quilt. Watching from the side, Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Even when Lucas was doing something menial as this, he still looked as dashing as ever. In a short while, he managed to find the quilt cover¡¯s zip and easily removed the quilt. Due to his height, the quilt didn¡¯t touch the floor when he was holding it. Given how graceful his actions were, he looked like a model selling bed linen with the spotlights shining over his shoulder. Subsequently, Ashlyn put on the new bedsheet and then opened up the quilt. Then, she exined the salient points on how to change the quilt cover. ¡°You have to first pinch both corners, alright? After that, I will stuff the quilt towards the same corners. Then we will just have to flick it like this.¡± Standing beside the bed, Lucas listened attentively as he pinched both corners. After Ashlyn had put in the quilt and was about to work on the other two corners¡­ He gave the quilt a shake. The quilt spread out like a flower in his hands. Turning it around, he pinched the other corners and gave it another shake. Once he was done, he used a holder to pinch the four ends so that the quilt inside would not move anymore. Chapter 206 Chapter 206 For the four years they were married, they always had a maid at home. Therefore, Lucas and Ashlyn never did any daily chores together. The indescribable feeling he feltprised of a strange mncholy and a sense of inexplicable joy. As long as he was with Ashlyn, his emotions would be more stable while his mood would inadvertently improve. Ashlyn¡¯s new bed linen had an invigorating style. The quilt cover and bedsheet had a green motive showing a farm dotted with flowers. It was the opposite of her cold demeanor. In fact, the design made one feel warm and pleasant. Lucas liked the design very much as it was a reflection of what his current mood was. Just when Ashlyn was about to sit, she heard him suddenly say, ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± It was obvious he hadn¡¯t eaten. In fact, that was when she realized that she too was both tired and hungry. How could she not be hungry after sweating so much and being tortured by the Spirogyra? ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll cook something for you to eat but you must help me.¡± Meanwhile, Jared was anxious. Ashlyn¡¯s condition was obviously due to the Spirogyra attack. Thest time the Spirogyra attacked, it had almost killed her. Therefore he had no other choice but to call Lucas and use him as a temporary antidote. Lucas was already upstairs for almost an hour, and yet Jared had no idea what was going on. He was extremely worried. If it were possible, he would rather absorb the dreaded Spirogyra into his own body. Every time she had a Spirogyra attack, everyone close to her would be on edge and worried sick. That was an extremely ufortable feeling. When he was about to check on the situation, he suddenly heard footsteps. Then, he saw Ashlyn walking down in her vibrantly colored pajamas and tousled ck hair. She was followed by Lucas in his wrinkled suit. Seeing them, Jared furrowed his eyebrows in curiosity. Did the Spirogyra cause them to¡­ make love? Walking up to her, he scrutinized her condition and asked in a concerned tone, ¡°How are you feeling? Are you better?¡± ¡°Go away and don¡¯t give me that wretched look of yours.¡± Ashlyn pushed his head away. It was obvious to her that he was letting his imagination run wild. When Lucas saw how Jared groveled to Ashlyn, his expression darkened. The air seemed to turn cold while the atmosphere became tense. Ashlyn shot him a nce. By now, the pinkish hue had returned to her previously pale lips, making it look like budding spring blossoms. ¡°Why are you looking so sullen? Do you still want to eat something? Come over here and help me wash these vegetables.¡± As Jared looked at Lucas who was still looking aloof, he then resigned to help Ashlyn in the kitchen. Hehehe¡­ It was aplicated moment indeed. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there-e over if you¡¯re hungry.¡± After walking into the kitchen, she turned and saw Jared gloating with a smile. ¡°Alright.¡± Jared quickly rushed over. As long as his boss was fine, he would inadvertently be in a wonderful mood. Ashlyn opened the fridge to check what ingredients there were. ¡°Let¡¯s have some bacon with rice. It¡¯s easy and delicious.¡± As a sense of anticipation shed across Lucas¡¯ eyes, he replied with a slight smile, ¡°Alright.¡± He enjoyed the feeling of cooking together with Ashlyn. It was simr to how he liked making the bed together with her. Except¡­ His eyes then shifted to Jared, the third wheel. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. What is this clumsy him doing here? Can he wash and cut the vegetables better than me? At that moment, Jared was cutting the bacon into small pieces. However, he seldom did any chores, let alone cook in the kitchen. Therefore his movements felt awkward and the bacon was cut into inconsistent shapes and looked ugly as a result. Lucas felt that the bacon that Jared had cut would definitely make the dish taste horrible. Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Meanwhile, he began to start cutting the potatoes into small little cubes. Smirking, he gave Jared a mocking nce and returned his gaze to his uniformly cut potato cubes. Jared was infuriated. How did Lucas manage to cut his potatoes so beautifully? Whatever. On the ount he cured the Boss, I¡¯ll just suppress my frustrations for the moment. Ashlyn totally ignored the tension between the two men as she was busy fine-tuning the seasoning. Although bacon with rice was easy, she wanted to cook two more dishes as it wasn¡¯t enough for them. She then decided to cook some fried mushrooms and potatoes with sausages. By the time the dishes were done, the rice was also ready. After mixing the bacon and potatoes, she poured them onto the rice. Just the aroma from the freshly cooked rice alone made Jared¡¯s stomach growl. ¡°Wow! Boss, you can really cook.¡± Lucas looked on indifferently. How wonderful it will be if only this busybody isn¡¯t here. Why does he put on an authoritative facade as the deputy president in thepany? It is obvious he is just a groveling dog in front of Ashlyn. Lucas didn¡¯t even want to be mentioned in the same breath as Jared as he felt Jared was full of weaknesses. Jared was unlike him, who had substance and capability. He was even better looking than Jared. After bringing one of the dishes out, he helped Ashlyn fill her te with rice before serving it to her. And then passed her fork and spoon. As she received the utensils, her eyes shed with a sense of helplessness. Is there no way I can draw a clear boundary with Lucas? ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger, there¡¯s no need to say thanks.¡± Lucas looked at her with his eyebrows raised as he hated it when she tried to put distance between them. Ashlyn didn¡¯t respond. After fighting with the Spirogyra for such a long time, her body needed to replenish its energy. Naturally, Jared and Lucas had nothing to say to each other. It didn¡¯t help that Lucas was a man of few words. Jared initially thought of livening up the atmosphere. But when he saw how exhausted Ashlyn was, he decided against it. Boss is having it tough. After the three of them finished the food, Jared knowingly returned to his own room. Lucas¡¯ instincts told him that Jared and Ashlyn¡¯s rtionship isn¡¯t what the rumors made it out to be. Is there any man in this world who would send thedy he likes into the arms of another man? Lucas was puzzled. Nevertheless, he quickly put the matter to the back of his mind because he was sensitive enough to notice that Ashlyn was blushing. She was feeling increasingly frustrated as heat was welling up inside her body. However, the feeling was different from that of the Spirogyra attack. She was very familiar with this one. The Spirogyra was thirsty¡­ it hungered for¡­ Suddenly, her feet felt light while her body became unsteady. She looked as if she was going to fall over. The next moment, he caught her by her waist with his hand. Subconsciously, she reached out and wrapped her arms around his body. As rapid breathing apanied her dreamy eyes, she looked especially captivating. Meanwhile, her lips opened slightly in an inviting manner. In response, Lucas¡¯ adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down as his gaze fell upon her alluring expression that carried with it a devilish charm. ¡°Ashlyn¡­¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Ashlyn wanted to tell him to let her go. She could endure the urge, but he couldn¡¯t. The next moment, he swept her off her feet and carried her into the bedroom. Inside, he flung her onto the soft big bed. Climbing on top of her, hisrge frame gave off an intimidating aura. He then leaned in to kiss her on her lips. At the same moment, Ashlyn closed her eyes in resignation as they unleashed their passion. The moon seemed to be covering its eyes in embarrassment while the stars cheekily looked on. The next morning. Lucas gradually opened his eyes as the steamy scene from the night before reyed in his mind.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Ever since they were divorced, he had not managed to sleep this well. Having slept through the night, it was already daytime when he opened his eyes. Ashlyn wasn¡¯t around, so he took a bath before heading downstairs. Once he was out, a maid presented him with a new suit and tie. ¡°Mr. Nn, this is for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is new,¡± Jared casually remarked with a lollipop in his mouth. ¡°Did you prepare it?¡± Lucas looked at him indifferently. ¡°My¡­ Lyn prepared it.¡± Jared almost used the word ¡®Boss¡¯ but managed to correct himself in the nick of time. Phew! I almost blew our cover. Although he did not see Ashlyn, Lucas remained in a good mood. With that, he wore the suit prepared by Ashlyn and went straight to Nn Group tower. In the president¡¯s office, Lucas was going through his work. As he enjoyed a good night¡¯s sleep and had a brand new suit presented to him in the morning, he was in particrly high spirits that day. Even when his secretary identally spilled coffee on his documents, he didn¡¯t make a fuss. He just let her off with instructions to reprint the document. With that, she quickly returned to her office. For almost two months, Lucas had been holding their feet to the fire every day with his cold and intimidating demeanor. But today, he was like a totally different person. What is going on? When she shared this with the head secretary, thetter sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t know what got into him either. Four years ago, he always struck fear into our hearts at work. And then, we unexpectedly enjoyed four years of peace. But now, he seems to be back to his old self.¡± Ever since graduation, she had joined the Nn Group as a secretary and had slogged for many years before being promoted to head secretary. Therefore, she knew the Nn Group like the back of her hand, including all of Lucas¡¯ habits and preferences. ¡°Oh? Was Mr. Nn much gentler during that four years?¡± The junior secretary seemed puzzled. ¡°That goes without saying. He was the perfect gentleman then. But now, he is just a tyrant,¡± the head secretary muttered, ¡°Anyway, enough of this. We might be fired for gossiping about the management.¡± Meanwhile, Spencer suspected that Lucas and Ashlyn were back together. Why else would Mr. Nn be in such a good mood? However, he didn¡¯t dare ask and kept his spection to himself. At that moment, Lucas¡¯ phone rang and Spencer caught a glimpse of it. Hera. Why is this woman still bothering Mr. Nn? Lucas shot a nce at Spencer who then knowingly answered the phone. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Before he could say anything, a coquettish voice spoke, ¡°Lucas¡­¡± Clearing his throat, Spencer answered with a professional tone, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Chapman.¡± Before he could finish, he was interrupted by a sharp shrill. ¡°Why is it you? Where¡¯s Lucas?¡± Spencer could feel the pain from the shrill piercing his eardrums. ¡°Mr. Nn is having a management meeting and can¡¯t answer your call. Is there anything I can help you with?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you what I want to say to Lucas. Just tell him to call me back once he is free,¡± Hera replied in an upset tone. Before Spencer could answer, she mmed the phone and ended the call. Hera¡¯s nose was covered in bandage and it was all Ashlyn¡¯s fault. If it weren¡¯t for her, she wouldn¡¯t look so miserable, let alone be boycotted by the fashion industry. After she left the hospital the other day, she bundled herself up with clothes and visited her stic surgeon. There, she requested for her nose to be redone anew. Currently, she was recuperating from the surgery. However, she put all the me on Ashlyn. Just the thought of Ashlyn alone infuriated her so much that she wanted to drink Ashlyn¡¯s blood and skin her alive. In the Nn Group president¡¯s office. When Spencer saw that the call had ended, he cordially said, ¡°She hung up.¡± Chapter 209 Chapter 209 ¡°It¡¯s highly likely that the woman is Ms. Chapman,¡± Spencer reported softly. ¡°She covered her tracks very well so there¡¯s hardly any direct evidence. Furthermore, she gave those two men cash instead of transferring the money to them.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Lucas¡¯ expression remained indifferent. However, there was a darkness in his eyes that seemed to swallow everything. Noticing the change in his gaze, Spencer carefully asked, ¡°Mr. Nn, what do we do now?¡± ¡°That day, I caused Ashlyn harm when I was under the influence of the drug.¡± Lucas¡¯ voice reverberated throughout the room. ¡°In that case, we will give her a taste of her own medicine.¡± Evidently, Mr. Nn is as cold and impartial as always. Tsk, Tsk! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. This time, whether Ms. Chapman acts coquettishly or ys the victim card, it¡¯s not going to work. After that, Lucas didn¡¯t say anything further as he continued to go through his documents. Putting aside their rtionship as childhood friends, her looks and character were not of Lucas¡¯ taste. All this while, he had tolerated her due to the debt of gratitude he had owed her for saving his life when they were children. However, not only did she not appreciate his patience but also schemed against him. In that case, he didn¡¯t mind teaching her a lesson at all. When she wanted to see Ms. Saunders, he spent nine million to help her achieve it. With that, he considered his debt paid and they were even. As for any other things that she desired, she wasn¡¯t going to get it in this lifetime. Lucas¡¯ gaze remained cold and didn¡¯t show any emotion at all. At the Tech Mall. Inside an inconspicuous shop. Ady in jeans was crouching on the floor, ransacking through boxes and shelves in search of something. ¡°Ashlyn, why are you acting like a robber?¡± A middle-aged man who was smoking a cigarette asked as he sat cross-legged on a dirty chair. He then extended his hand to tap the ash off his cigarette onto the floor. ¡°Save it- stop ying dumb with me.¡± Ashlyn came straight to the Tech Mall first thing in the morning. Herputer and handphone needed an upgrade. What she was looking for couldn¡¯t be found anywhere else. Standing up, she shot the middle-aged man a nce. ¡°Hey bro, show me all yourtest stuff. I don¡¯t even need you to upgrade it for me, I can do it myself, alright?¡± After going through everything for half a day, she still couldn¡¯t find what she was looking for. Hence, she believed the middle aged man must have kept it hidden. ¡°Silly gal, can¡¯t you ask properly? Don¡¯t go around calling me bro, alright?¡± As he stood up and stroke his beard, he proposed, ¡°Call me Uncle and I¡¯ll bring it out for you.¡± ¡°Uncle, stop wasting my time. I¡¯m in a great hurry!¡± Ashlyn was growing desperate as it was almost noon and she was running out of time. Seeing how anxious she was, the middle-aged man didn¡¯t dally any longer and he disappeared into his shop. After a while, he brought out a box. The box looked exceptionally new and was a big contrast to his dpidated shop. ¡°Thetest equipment are all inside. Just take them all.¡± As Ashlyn received the box, she let out an enchanting smile and flicked a bank card onto the table. ¡°Keep it!¡± With that, she left with the box. Meanwhile, the middle-aged man ran after her and shouted from behind. ¡°Ashlyn, I¡¯ll be going outstation tomorrow. Call me if you need anything!¡± ¡°I know. Be careful,¡± Ashlyn replied without turning around. The owner of the shop next doorughed at the middle-aged man. ¡°Is your niece here again? You shop doesn¡¯t have any business at all. If not for her, you would have gone bust a long time ago.¡± ¡°Go away, you know nothing.¡± The middle-aged man smiled to himself as he kept the bank card. And then he rolled down the shutters for his shop. Right after she left the Tech Mall, she put the box into her car. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 At that moment, her phone rang. When she saw who was calling, she smiled. ¡°Hello, Ms. Oates.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, since the weather has been great recently, our foundation will be organizing an outdoor tea party tomorrow afternoon. Are you interested to attend? Many talented youths and professionals from all industries will be attending,¡± Sienna exined with a smile. As Ashlyn¡¯s eyes sparkled with amusement, she replied casually, ¡°Oh? What¡¯s the theme?¡± ¡°You will know what it is when you get here. So, forgive me for keeping you in suspense. But I guarantee you won¡¯t be disappointed,¡± Sienna shamelessly plugged her event. ¡°Ms. Berry, I wonder if Ms. Saunders would be interested in attending the tea party?¡± ¡°Oh, about that, if you don¡¯t tell me what the theme is, how am I to know if she is interested?¡± Ashlyn answered with a haughty and impersonal manner. Compared to Sienna¡¯s pleasant tone, they were at opposite ends of the spectrum. When Sienna heard Ashlyn¡¯s unfriendly tone, she almost burst a blood vessel. Suppressing her anger, she forced herself not to show her agitation. ¡°Ms. Berry, I was just kidding just now. Actually, I heard that Ms. Saunders is interested in ethnic Han costumes. Therefore, the theme of the Tea Party is all about them. The venue will be at Haddock Group¡¯s Tulip City.¡± Pausing for a moment, Sienna continued in her most passionate voice, ¡°The thought of enjoying tea in Han costumes amidst the sea of tulips excites me already. I just can¡¯t wait.¡± The corners of Ashlyn¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°I think you have a talent for reciting poems.¡± For someone not in the know, they would think that it was a poem recital instead of a telephone call. Sienna didn¡¯t sense the sarcasm in Ashlyn¡¯s remark. In fact, she proudly replied, ¡°Ms. Berry, jokes aside, let me share with you that I am the leader of Haddock Charity¡¯s poem recital club.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Ashlyn was speechless. After a while, she replied, ¡°Luckily, you told me that the theme is ethnic Han Costume. If I attended the tea party without knowing that and wore casual clothing instead, wouldn¡¯t it be awkward?¡± Sienna¡¯s expression froze. ¡°Ms. Berry, you misunderstood me. I was joking with you just now.¡± ¡°Mmm, I know. But this joke isn¡¯t funny at all.¡± Ashlyn was in no mood to humor Sienna any further. She decided that she must destroy this pest from the Haddock Group. As for the Haddock Group itself, she had to find out what they were really up to. Hence, she ended the call. Infuriated, Sienna screamed at the nk telephone screen, ¡°That arrogant b****! How dare she end my call like that. W-who does she think she is? Isn¡¯t she just a bimbo who relies on men to get to her position? How dare she do this to me!¡± Meanwhile, her secretary, Lisa, quickly poured her a cup of water. ¡°Ms. Oates, please calm down. Don¡¯t stoop to her level.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t hear what she said! How dare that despicable woman talk to me like that. When I am in Ms. Saunders¡¯ favor, I will definitely teach her a lesson. Just you wait! W-when I have swindled all of Ms. Saunders¡¯ money, I-I will then stomp at her face with my foot and crush her!¡± Sienna was so angry that she was breathing rapidly. As her chest palpitated, her fury caused her to lose her mind. ¡°Ms. Oates, she¡¯s just a s***. There¡¯s plenty like her in our foundation and every single one of them has been dealt with by you. She has yet to feel your wrath but it¡¯s just a matter of time.¡± Lisa ttered Sienna so as to make her feel better. ¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯ll let that b***** continue with her arrogance. I will make her suffer tomorrow at the tea party or else, my surname isn¡¯t Oates!¡± As her eyes sparkled with greed, her lips let out a devious sneer. Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Bayview Vi. Ashlyn exited the car with the box and headed into her study room. She began fiddling around with theptop. Theptop looked the same as it was before an hour ago, except that all its parts had been switched out. A superputer was born. She tested its performance. Theptop booted within a second. Then, she tested its frame rate. ¡°As expected of thetest CPU and hard drive.¡± With a smile, Ashlyn jotted down the configurations of her newly assembled device and sent them to a middle-aged man via WhatsApp. Here you go. The middle-aged man chuckled in delight upon receiving the text and replied with a voice note. ¡°Wow, kiddo. You used all the parts perfectly and maximized theptop¡¯s potential. Great! I¡¯m going to produce them now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget to split the gains,¡± Ashlyn responded. ¡°Of course.¡± At this moment, the middle-aged man no longer looked ashen and disheveled. Now dressed in a top- grade custom-tailored suit and seated in a pure leather office chair, he forwarded the configuration blueprint to his assistant. ¡°Produce all ourpany¡¯s new devices ording to this blueprint,¡± he instructed the assistant coolly. Thetter¡¯s eyes widened as he nced at the blueprint. ¡°This¡­ This will unleash the full potential of our newest parts!¡± Unbelievable. All the parts were new, but no matter how they configured them, the end products only performed 20% better than thetestputers on the market. Thispany was a manufacturer and retailer of high-endputers. These new configurations would maximize their parts in the most effective ways possible. If thepany were to release aputer like this to the market, every tech geek would surely want one. He could already picture the sales amount thepany would make. ¡°Did the mysterious Cornelius do this?¡± the assistant asked, remaining stunned. ¡°Of course. Only Cornelius has such skills.¡± The middle-aged man beamed with joy at the mention of Ashlyn. He then sighed emotionally. ¡°I¡¯m so lucky to have met such a young talent.¡± The chairman was only ever this happy when he spoke of Cornelius. Not even the president can make him smile like this. The assistant grumbled internally before replying with respect, ¡°I shall inform the R&D department now, Sir.¡± ¡°Go on,¡± the middle-aged man said with a wave of his hand. Then, he happily switched on the Bluetooth speaker on his office desk and yed an opera. The man shook his head in glee as the music of opera resonated in the office. Meanwhile, at Haddock Tulip City. Lisa was busy giving the workers instructions, ¡°Make sure thewns are ready. Have the insecticides been applied? There¡¯s going to be lots of distinguished guests today.¡± ¡°That arch over there is a little nted.¡± ¡°Align the candlesticks well.¡± It was extremely hectic. Guests began to pour in by around 2PM and they were all dressed in traditional outfits. It was quite a sight. It was now the perfect time to visit as the tulips were in full bloom, filling the air with a mild fragrance. In the middle of the ce was a huge man-madeke with several Japanese carps in it. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The tea party was held on thewns right in front of the man-madeke. An arch decorated with pink and white balloons had been ced at the entrance. Upon crossing the entrance, there was a red carpet that led to a table full of exquisite desserts, red wine and imported fruits. It was an especially warm atmosphere. However¡­ The moment Ashlyn showed up in her traditional outfit, something didn¡¯t feel right. This is a traditional-themed tea party, but why does everything look so modern? There¡¯s nothing traditional about the food and decorations. Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Especially this arch full of balloons! What¡¯s with Sienna and Lisa¡¯s tastes? Isn¡¯t it weird to be dressed in traditional clothes in such a modern setting? The tea party was crawling with guests by now. Ashlyn went in and noticed how many men there were. She suddenly remembered Sienna mentioning that there would be lots of young and charming men in attendance. Gazing at these chaps holding wine sses while engaging in conversations with upper-ss women, she couldn¡¯t help but frown. This is a rather strange atmosphere. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Rather than a Haddock Charity event, this seems more like a function for these lonely rich women to find their next toy boys. Ashlyn was dumbfounded. Sienna sat on a white European-style wooden chair, chatting away with severaldies. ¡°Did Ashlyn not invite Ms. Saunders here?¡± ¡°Ms. Berry is especially tight-lipped. Maybe she doesn¡¯t trust our charity foundation enough,¡± Sienna replied with a smile. ¡°Speak of the devil,¡± a woman remarked cynically. Everyone looked up to see a slender and graceful figure walking over. Ashlyn wore a loose-fitting floor-length dress with pink flowers embroidered on it. Her slender waistline had been entuated using a pink brocade belt embellished with jade. A section of her long hair had been styled into a loose bun and fastened with a jade hairpin. The hairpin was paired with a traditional jewelced ornament, which dangled as she walked. The rest of her hair rested over her shoulders, making her skin look especially smooth and bright. Everything about her face was perfect¡ª her eyes, nose and lips. A scarlet bracelet danced around on her wrist. From afar, the woman looked just like ady-in-waiting from the olden days. She was absolutely captivating. All the noblewomen here were dressed in traditional attire, and eachdy was beautiful in her own right. Yet, none of them looked as enchanting as Ashlyn did. Her arrival instantly captured everyone¡¯s attention. Many young men began to stride toward her. ¡°Hey there, Miss. Would you be interested in a chat? I¡¯m in a bit of a rough patch now, which is why I¡¯ve come to the charity event. I¡¯ve been teaching in the countryside all this while. The students in my school have no choice but to use old desks and textbooks, and the school itself is in terrible condition. It gets really dangerous for the building whenever it rains. Sigh¡­ Would you be so kind as to give us a donation of five hundred grand?¡± a young man dressed in a traditional costume pleaded. Ashlyn nced at this man. The look on his face seemed to imply that he was deeply concerned about the children. But for some reason, Ashlyn could vaguely notice a hint of shrewdness in his eyes. He didn¡¯t seem very much like an honorable rural school teacher¡­ Suddenly, another man spoke up. ¡°As if you¡¯re worse off than I am. I¡¯m the secretary of a rural mountain vige. All the youngsters have moved out and only the elderly remain. These poor old folks don¡¯t get proper food or clothes. Some are even sick or can¡¯t walk well. The entire vige relies on me, but I can¡¯t hold the fort any longer. Then, I heard about this charity event organized by Haddock Group. I¡¯m begging you, kinddy¡­ Please save us! Even a hundred thousand will be more than enough!¡± The two men¡¯s eyes had turned red by now. A few women nced at the men after hearing their narratives. Theds looked rather charming and full of vigor. They didn¡¯t seem like bad people at all. ¡°Your stories touched me,¡± said one of the rich women. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to donate five hundred thousand to each of you. Let¡¯s set up a charity program.¡± Upon hearing the woman¡¯s deration, Sienna instantly grinned. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful on the outside and inside, Mrs. Leir. I thank you on the children¡¯s behalf.¡± Lisa immediately brought over the charity agreements and proposals. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Sienna nced at the crowd and announced, ¡°Congrattions on setting up two generous charity programs, Mrs. Leir. I¡¯d also like to congratte these two gentlemen for receiving the help they needed. To whomever else in need of help, please don¡¯t hesitate to make yourselves heard! The lovely women here will surely try their best to assist you.¡± Everyone began to p. Mrs. Leir proudly returned to her seat while holding her documents. One million¡­ That was way too easy! Those two guys earned a million just by opening their mouths? Many young men instantly began to make themselves look miserable. Some poured tea for the older women, and some brought them drinks or desserts. They tried their best to please the wealthydies. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Ashlyn spent the entire afternoon hearing countless stories of how helpless these men were. Both my parents have cancer; my sister got into a car ident; my brother has turned into a vegetable¡­ and so on¡ª all these ounts caused the women to be filled with tears. They quickly donated another million and obtained their charity proposals. Another story went as such: ¡°I¡¯ve been insecure since I was a child and was often bullied because of my good looks. I¡¯m now a sophomore in high school. We¡¯re so poor that my older sister sold herself to a bald middle-aged man to fund my studies, but she was abused by the guy right after getting pregnant until she miscarried. I want to repay my sister, so I¡¯m begging you kind souls¡ªplease give me three million, so I can save her.¡± One of the rich women instantly broke down. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for your sister. I have to help her.¡± The youngd immediately received a three-million donation. Ashlyn was astounded at the speed at which these men were gaining money. This is way too fast. Are all these women always this brainless? This is practically a story-tellingpetition now. These guys are all trying to one-up each other! They¡¯re going on about how poor and miserable their lives are. All the young men here had attractive faces and bodies. Paired with their pitiful gazes, they were certainly quick to garner pity, especially in their traditional clothes. The men looked just like young masters from ancient times, waiting to be shown mercy. It was easy to make one walk into their story and do whatever they asked. Especially when these women usually had nothing better to do. Their husbands were CEOs or bosses, so they were normally bored out of their minds. Moreover, Haddock Charity was a reputable organization. The women had more faith in Haddock, so they naturally trusted these men. Sitting in a corner, Ashlyn could hear the men crying and pleading from time to time. Sienna would asionally make some announcements too. ¡°Haddock Charity has inspected every man¡¯s situation here. We promise you that their predicaments are 100% true, so please donate without any worries! If anyone turns out to be bluffing, we¡¯ll penalize them and reimburse you tenfold.¡± She continued, ¡°These youngsters are the future pirs of our nation. Can you really bear to watch them live their lives in such dire straits? Can you bear to see such precious lives lost because you are afraid to part with a small amount of your savings? The media tells us the cruel truth every day; there are those who have no choice but to take their own lives just because of the money issues they face. Yet, we often spend tens of thousands on bags and shoes. Think about the lives we can save using the money we spend on these goods! We can all y our part in showing the world a little more kindness!¡± Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Isn¡¯t this practically a brainwash session like those pyramid schemes? Ashlyn saw how serious the upper-ss women looked while listening to Sienna¡¯s speech. Some even nodded in agreement. She blinked. Maybe those who had just arrived at the tea party might not fall for it. But things could be different as time passed. Sienna was obviously an expert in brainwashing others. She had manipted the feelings of these rich women and socialites numerous times. Her words werepletely baseless. Just as Ashlyn fiddled with her own nails in boredom, she heard a familiar voiceing from nearby. ¡°Boohoo¡­ I¡¯m so sorry to hear that. My brother didn¡¯t give me much to spare, but I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll give you a hundred grand for now.¡± Naomi Nn? Ashlyn raised a brow and nced in the direction of the voice. There, she saw Naomi sobbing away as a young man knelt in front of her. The man¡¯s eyes were glistening, but he tried his best to not let any tears fall. That made him look even more convincing. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m so d I met you at my lowest and most vulnerable. You¡¯re my lucky star.¡± Ashlyn was speechless. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. What did this guy go through now? Just as Naomi took out her bank card and was about to swipe it, Ashlyn walked over and grabbed her by the hand. ¡°You¡¯re giving away a hundred grand just like that? Do you want your brother to freeze your ount again?¡± ¡°Ugh! Who are you? Why are you getting in my business?¡± Naomi raged. She was so engrossed in the man¡¯s sappy narrative that she didn¡¯t even nce at Ashlyn. Ashlyn chuckled softly. ¡°You don¡¯t know who I am?¡± Why does this voice sound so familiar? Naomi turned her head and caught sight of Ashlyn¡¯s stunning face. ¡°What¡­ What are you doing here?¡± she asked in shock. ¡°I told you to do better in school if you¡¯re that dumb,¡± Ashlyn replied while pointing to her own head. ¡°Did a dog eat your brains?¡± ¡°How could you say that to me?¡± Naomi muttered. Had it been before, she would have exploded the moment Ashlyn insulted her like this. But ever since Ashlyn had saved her, she became the woman¡¯s loyal fangirl and absolutely idolized her. ¡°I feel so sorry for him,¡± Naomi exined while grabbing hold of Ashlyn¡¯s arm. ¡°He¡¯s had sepsis ever since he was young, but his grades are still amazing and he always tops his ss. It¡¯s just unfortunate that he can¡¯t afford the hospital bills. I¡¯ve always looked up to intellectuals.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, I happen to be a doctor, so why don¡¯t I give you a check-up?¡± Ashlyn remarked, smiling at the young man before her. The man wasn¡¯t of tall stature but had a gorgeous pair of eyes. He couldn¡¯t help but feel irked over Ashlyn suddenly showing up when he was just about to receive his money. She¡¯s insanely beautiful, but she¡¯s still a b**** for getting in my way. Still, the chap dared not express his dissatisfaction. He could only bite the bullet and answer, ¡°I-It¡¯s okay. I should probably go to the hospital for treatment instead.¡± Then, he quickly turned to Naomi. ¡°Please swipe the card, Miss. I¡¯ll remember your kindness for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Her allowance has been reduced, so she doesn¡¯t have enough money for you. Go find someone else for help,¡± Ashlyn said coldly as she snatched Naomi¡¯s card. The man was dumbfounded. ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t¡­ Didn¡¯t you just say you¡¯d give me the money?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Ashlyn gazed at the man with frosty eyes. For unknown reasons, the man¡¯s voice began to shake as Ashlyn¡¯s eyes fell on him. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m Jeremy Halliwell.¡± ¡°Which school do you go to?¡± ¡°University T.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Ashlyn responded before dialing Jared¡¯s number. ¡°Give me some information on Jeremy Halliwell from University T.¡± The man¡¯s eyes were instantly filled with panic. ¡°What do you mean by that? Why are you trying to look me up?¡± Chapter 215 Chapter 215 The man¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he growled. Naomi had initially been so moved to tears by this man¡¯s story. But upon seeing how he was stammering after being asked a few questions by Ashlyn, she slowly regained her senses. It was clear that there was something wrong with this guy. It was no wonder Ashlyn said to do better in school. Naomi swore to put more effort into her studies from now on. At this moment, Jared returned the call. ¡°There isn¡¯t a Jeremy Halliwell, Boss. The principal of University T said this name doesn¡¯t exist.¡± Ashlyn turned the phone into speaker mode. ¡°But there¡¯s a Jeremy Halliwell from University T standing right in front of me, saying he has sepsis andes from a poor family!¡± Jared hurriedly reyed the conversation he just had with the principal of University T. ¡°Jeremy Halliwell? Give me a minute. I¡¯ll look up the student records,¡± said the principal in a matured tone. His voice rang out again two minutester. ¡°Nope. We used to have a Jeremy Halliwell ten years ago, but he¡¯s long graduated. There isn¡¯t another Jeremy Halliwell currently enrolled here.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir. I¡¯ll thank you in person another time,¡± Jared responded. The young man instantly turned pale and his lip quivered. He took a step back, thinking to run away. Yet, Ashlyn stared at him frostily. ¡°Did you hear that? You¡¯re nothing but a fraud. There isn¡¯t a Jeremy Halliwell in University T. I guess you¡¯re using a fake name too.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with your nonsense?¡± the man retorted. ¡°No one even knows if that was really the principal of University T! You could be using a random phone conversation to mess with me.¡± Naomi red at him with rage. ¡°To think that I actually believed you, you liar! How dare you try to fool me with some made-up story of yours?¡± Their squabble began to attract the attention of other guests. Even Sienna walked over with Lisa. Having been caught red-handed, ¡®Jeremy¡¯ frantically turned and attempted to flee. But there was no way Ashlyn would let him off so easily. Bam! With a stretch of her leg, the man fell to the ground. Why does she have to be such a busybody? Sienna silently cursed. Everyone else couldn¡¯t stop feeling sorry and donating after hearing the men¡¯s stories. Yet, things had to beplicated whenever Ashlyn was involved. Sienna suppressed her anger and put on a faint smile. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked. ¡°This man is a fraud,¡± Ashlyn answered, giving Sienna a profound nce. As expected, she saw a slight change in Sienna¡¯s expression. A cold look appeared in thetter¡¯s eyes for a brief moment. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°What do you mean, Ms. Berry? We at Haddock Charity have thoroughly inspected every donation recipient and ensured that they¡¯re all genuinely in need of help.¡± ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ve just had Jared give the principal of University T a call. The principal said there isn¡¯t a Jeremy Halliwell in their student records.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s face looked incredibly attractive under the sunlight. She remainedpletely fearless while speaking to the host of the tea party, as though thetter was a regr human being rather than a president. Sienna was taken aback and she stared at Ashlyn in disbelief. She was so furious that she clenched her fists. Not even a single rich woman has ever doubted our charitable organization¡ªnot even their families have ever been concerned about such a small amount of money. Chapter 216 Chapter 216 That¡¯s why not a single family has ever been skeptical about my charity events or tea parties. Some families even had their wives or daughterse to butter Sienna up for the sake of maintaining good connections with Haddock Group. They¡¯d even give her money at times. Yet, Ashlyn was publicly looking into this matter. How dare she try to expose me in front of everyone? Sienna took a deep breath and maintained the smile on her face. ¡°As I¡¯ve mentioned before, we will support those who donate and reimburse them tenfold if they are deceived. That¡¯s why, Ms. Berry, we¡¯ll never ept any frauds here. There must be some misunderstanding between you and Jeremy Halliwell.¡± Ashlyn nced at Sienna calmly. ¡°Oh? In that case, Ms. Oates, you might want to listen¡­ To this.¡± She reyed the audio recording of Jared¡¯s conversation with the principal of University T. Everyone¡¯s gazes fell on Ashlyn and they noted how exquisite she looked. Her light makeup made her look even more elegant and fairy-like. With a demeanor that was neither aggressive nor insecure, the woman held her phone in her porcin- skinned hand. This was a face that every woman couldn¡¯t help but covet. Sienna was filled with rage but tried her best to maintain herposure. ¡°This doesn¡¯t exin anything, Ms. Berry. I¡¯ll only believe you if you can get the principal of University T to personallye over and make his statement. I have more trust in Haddock Group than your voice recording.¡± Ashlyn narrowed her eyes. She¡¯s clearly trying to protect ¡®Jeremy¡¯. If that¡¯s the case, can his sappy life story ever be proven wrong? One of the rich women couldn¡¯t help but speak up. ¡°You¡¯re going too far, Ms. Berry. Mr. Halliwell here already has it rough; why are you still doubting him? You¡¯re adding salt to his wound.¡± ¡°Yeah! These people need our help. How could we hurt them instead? We¡¯d be no different from monsters,¡± another wealthydy chimed in. ¡°I¡¯ve never met someone this wicked in my life. I suggest you kick this woman out, Ms. Oates.¡± ¡°Such a cruel soul like her doesn¡¯t belong here. She has such an ugly heart.¡± Ashlyn was lost for words. She finally understood that saying: There was no use trying to wake a person pretending to sleep. Meanwhile, Naomi, who had been secretly filming the entire ordeal with her phone, sent the video to Lucas. Seeing so many people on his side, ¡®Jeremy¡¯ suppressed the panic in his heart and dered haughtily, ¡°I really do have sepsis! I¡¯ll be dead if I don¡¯t get treatment soon. Yet, this woman here insists that I¡¯m not a college student and says I¡¯m faking my identity. I¡­ I guess I¡¯m better off dead!¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. The man dashed towards theke. Sienna immediately ordered the security guards to stop him before rebuking Ashlyn. ¡°You disappoint me, Ms. Berry! How could you force him to kill himself?¡± Ashlyn was amused. ¡°He¡¯s the one who wants to die; what does it have to do with me?¡± ¡°What has our society be? She made someone try to kill himself in ake, and now she¡¯s saying it has nothing to do with her! This is outrageous!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t bear to watch any of this. I feel so sorry for Jeremy.¡± While the crowd was busy putting Ashlyn down with their self-righteousness, a voice suddenly came from nearby. ¡°This way, please, Principal Potter.¡± ¡°This way, please, Mr. Granger.¡± Everyone turned to the direction of the voice. A row of people walked past the balloon-filled arch and headed this way. The man in the lead was tall and well-built, and the cold expression on his face made it seem as though he could rob someone¡¯s soul. His frosty eyes could send chills down a person¡¯s spine. Those pupils turned even colder and darker as he heard the wealthy women¡¯s rants. It only took one nce for Ashlyn to realize the man was Lucas Nn. What¡¯s he doing here? Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Could it be¡­ She nced at Naomi who was smiling smugly. ¡°M-Mr. Nn?¡± Sienna reacted the fastest and went over to greet him. ¡°What a surprise! Excuse me for not weing you at the entrance earlier!¡± Those were words of formality. In fact, Sienna was shocked by his presence. What is Lucas Nn doing here? She had a hundred questions as she could not figure out why Lucas was here. He ignored herpletely. His pretty face was as cold as ice; it was as if all emotions were sucked into his ckhole-like eyes. His icy gaze became warmer when he saw the pretty woman at a distance. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. She was dressed in a traditional Han costume; her alluring figure attracted a lot of attention. The warmth in his eyes disappeared in an instant as he regained his iciness. He then asked the two middle-aged men beside him, ¡°Principal Potter, Mr. Granger, can you identify Jeremy Halliwell from University T here?¡± Immediately after he spoke, Jeremy Halliwell turned pallid and trembled in fear. Who in Lake City did not know who Lucas Nn was? It was unexpected of him to swallow his pride and investigate this matter. What was going on? Jeremy Halliwell¡¯s head was spinning as horror overwhelmed him. Walking step by step into the crowd, he dared not lift his head in an attempt to remain invisible. Everyone at the scene was shocked. Sienna, who was usually an expert ofmunication, failed to utter a word under Lucas¡¯ imposing aura. Lucas is here for Jeremy Halliwell? How is this possible? It¡¯s impossible! She looked at Lucas in disbelief before regaining her senses. ¡°Mr. Nn¡­ Do you mean that these two¡­¡± Spencer White hurried forward and introduced to everyone, ¡°They are the Principal and the Director of Admissions of University T.¡± Principal Potter looked around his surroundings. As a principal of a university, it made perfect sense that he would not know every single student on campus. Hence, he signaled the Director of Admissions to run the name, Jeremy Halliwell on their university¡¯sptop, which Mr. Granger¡¯s assistant was carrying. However, it was exactly as Jared said on the phone. There was only one Jeremy Halliwell, who graduated ten years ago. The assistant held onto theptop and showed everyone the records. The Director of Admissions, Mr. Granger, then reported to the principal, ¡°Principal Potter, there is no student named Jeremy Halliwell in our university currently.¡± The principal took a nce at the richdies present. Some of them knew him and he had heard of the Haddock Charity before. But what puzzled him was why he had to provide admissions evidence regarding Jeremy Halliwell. He had not a single clue about the background story. He said frankly, ¡°Did everyone hear that? We really do not have any current students with the name Jeremy Halliwell. The only student with that name graduated ten years ago.¡± Hence, the news about Jeremy Halliwell from University T being diagnosed with sepsis was fake! The richdies witnessed this scene in horror. Even if Ashlyn¡¯s call recording could be edited, the Principal and the Director of Admissions had testified personally. ¡°It¡¯s all made up.¡± ¡°Oh my god! Ms. Oates, what is going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already donated two million¡­ What if the person I donated to is an imposter too? That¡¯s over the limit!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. This con artist is using our sympathy to cheat money. What a jerk!¡± ¡°Thank god Ms. Berry is observant!¡± Hearing the chatters of the richdies, Sienna¡¯s expression darkened as sweat rolled down her forehead. Since taking over the Haddock Charity, it was her first time encountering people who would expose and demand the verification of the beneficiary¡¯s identity on the spot! I can¡¯t believe Lucas Nn is here for Jeremy Halliwell. Is Naomi that important to him? Why haven¡¯t I heard about this? I thought the Nn family¡¯s siblings are not on good terms. Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Is he doing this for Ashlyn, the b*tch? But didn¡¯t he just show off affection with his wife on his social media? This is a PR crisis! She had to figure out a way to turn the tide. Haddock Charity¡¯s reputation must not be ruined by today¡¯s incident! Sienna¡¯s mind functioned quickly as she tried to fix the situation. She stared at Jeremy Halliwell who was almost transparent amongst the crowd and blurted out, ¡°You liar! Stay there! Where are you trying to escape to?¡± Lisa, who had a great rapport with her, reacted quickly and called for the security guards. The tall and strongly built guards strode forward to pin Jeremy Halliwell onto the ground. After being beaten up by the security guards, Jeremy Halliwell lied on the floor miserably. He had a good beating. When he tried to struggle and scream, Lisa tore off the hem of her Han costumes and gagged his mouth, preventing him from making any noise. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine there¡¯s a scammer in our foundation. Sorry for that!¡± Sienna wiped off the sweat on her forehead while ncing at Lisa. She then smiled, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Nn, for helping us to get rid of the maggot. It was our organization¡¯s negligence. I¡¯m ashamed for letting all of you down.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s pretty eyes shimmered under the sunlight; her red lips curved upward into a yful smile. Sienna had chills all over her body upon seeing this. What is this woman nning to do now? ¡°Ms. Oates, didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯ll offer a ten timespensation if it¡¯s fake? So¡­ are you going to compensate Ms. Nn tenfold for what she intended to donate? Ms. Nn was going to donate one hundred grand!¡± The woman¡¯s callous voice rang. Almost fainting of anger, Sienna put up a fake smile and said, ¡°But Ms. Nn has not donated any money yet, has she? So, she didn¡¯t suffer any losses¡­¡± Ashlyn fixated her re at Sienna without blinking and retorted, ¡°However, Jeremy Halliwell is an imposter! When you gave that statement, you did not specifically say that you¡¯llpensate only when we suffer a loss!¡± Naomi did not think about thepensation at all. Upon being reminded about it by Ashlyn, she raised her chin and said arrogantly, ¡°Is Ms. Oates trying to go against her own words?¡± No matter what, she did not enjoy being called dumb by Ashlyn¡­ She wanted to be smart for once, but she was unsure what her sister-inw thought about her performance¡­ She racked her brains to think of insulting words to cooperate with her sister-inw. Taking a peek at Ashlyn, she was hoping to receive an encouraging gaze or smile. But, she did not get what she hoped for. She felt heartbroken as she tried to cheer herself up. It must be because I did not perform well enough, hence sister-inw did not praise me. I¡¯m so sad. I need to gather more knowledge by reading books and perform better the next time. When Ashlyn heard what Naomi said, she felt likeughing but she suppressed it. Overwhelmed with anger, Sienna almost fainted. Unfortunately, her body was too healthy; if she had been weak enough to faint, she might have gotten away from thepensation. A hundred grand times ten is a million! I¡¯ll jump into theke andmit suicide if I give Naomi a million for nothing. However, looking at Lucas¡¯ horrifying and cold figure, she did not have the guts to reject their demand! She felt as though a devil was choking her while her vitality was being sucked out from her body. Putting on a stiff face, she forced herself to not tremble while saying, ¡°Haddock Charity has always emphasized a lot on credibility as we aim to convince the public with our virtue. This incident is a result of our negligence, hence, I will take full responsibility. Of course, I¡¯llpensate you! Lisa, get me the check!¡± Upon saying this, she almost copsed. If it weren¡¯t for Lisa who supported her in time, she would have fallen onto the ground pathetically. Lisa dripped cold sweat, feeling anxious for Sienna. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. After thetter regained her bnce, she took the one million check from the former before handing it over to Naomi sincerely. ¡°Ms. Nn, I am extremely sorry. I apologize on behalf of Haddock Charity. Sorry for the horrifying experience.¡± Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Sienna then thanked Ashlyn earnestly, ¡°Ms. Berry, you¡¯re amazing at identifying a scammer. Thank you for helping Haddock Charity! Thank you so much!¡± Her prompt apologies and willingness topensate brought her more fans instantly. The rich women, whose trusts in Sienna were wavering, could not help but praise her, ¡°She really did compensate.¡± ¡°And she apologized.¡± ¡°No one is perfect. Maybe something went wrong in the verification process this time.¡± ¡°Ms. Oates is still trustable.¡± ¡°Yes! I agree! I think Ms. Oates was unaware about it too.¡± Ashlyn had to admit that Sienna, who was appointed as president of the charity group by Dixon Haddock, was indeed capable; she knew when to be dominant or submissive. This woman is not simple. Naomi was not expecting to receive the one millionpensation. She was feeling both happy and proud of herself. She had made money for the first time in her life. Before this, she only knew how to spend money; never had she earned any money. My first ever ie is a million! I¡¯m so happy! There was no need to carry on with the tea party. Hence, it came to an end hastily. Naomi grabbed Ashlyn¡¯s hand excitedly. ¡°This is my first time earning money. Brother, I¡¯ll buy the two of you a meal at the Imperial Hotel. Shall we go now?¡± Just when Ashlyn was about to decline her invite, she said, ¡°Well, can¡¯t you go? It¡¯s a million! We can enjoy the signature dishes at Imperial Hotel to our heart¡¯s content!¡± She then looked at Sienna, who had an annoyed expression. ¡°Don¡¯t you enjoy spending others¡¯ money?¡± Ashlyn was amused by this little girl. After ncing at Lucas, she told Naomi, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Lucas felt as though he had fallen out of favor. Even Naomi was more favored than him; she could buy Ashlyn a meal but he was still being rejected by this pretty little woman. The man said softly, ¡°We have troubled you today. Why don¡¯t we have a meal together? The meal¡¯s on my younger sister.¡± With a chuckle, Principal Potter replied, ¡°Don¡¯t we need to make an early reservation at Imperial Hotel?¡± ¡°Principal Potter, let me tell you, you don¡¯t have to worry about the reservation as long as my sister-in- law is around!¡± Naomi looked at Ashlyn with admiration after saying this. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Naomi heard about this from ir Nn, saying that no advanced reservation was needed if Ashlyn wanted to go to Imperial Hotel for a meal. I wonder if her privilege will work? Ashlyn grinned. ¡°It¡¯s my honor to have a meal with Principal Potter and Mr. Granger. Let¡¯s go.¡± Lucas frowned slightly. What is the rtionship between this woman and the boss of Imperial Hotel? Can he be a suitor of hers as well? When he thought of this, he was on the edge of exploding in anger. How he wished to beat up the boss of Imperial Hotel and blow up his restaurant! This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. * The group walked out of Tulip City together. This was Lucas¡¯ first time thinking that his sister was an eyesore. Being senseless, she invited Ashlyn to ride in her Porsche. When thetter got into her car, she smiled happily as her ttering had seeded. Thest time he saw someone with such a smile was at the Jaquin Residence. He deeply doubted whether his sister had any problems with her sexual orientation. I¡¯m already wary of fire, theft, Jared, and the Jaquin brothers; do I have to be wary of my sister too? Lucas¡¯ handsome face was grim as he sat in his Bentley. He was extremely close to exploding with rage. Is my Bentley Elegant 728 that¡¯s worth ten million not good enough? The leather and the material of interior lining are of top quality. Furthermore, I installed a 4-inch ultra-thin screen DVD system and surround sound system in it. The car is basically a mobile private cinema. Is it not luxurious enough? Huh? But that woman still chose Naomi¡¯s Porsche 911 over my Bentley. This is pissing me off! Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Lucas gritted his teeth while staring at the red Porsche 911. As the car stopped in front of the Imperial Hotel, a few valets came over enthusiastically to assist them with the parking. Just as they got out of the car, they saw ir, Tinsor, and Winsor at the entrance. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Lucas had a stern look on his face. What are these three people doing together? Are they waiting for us? After that, he saw his brother, who still had a bandage on his head, rushed forward like a dog. ¡°Ashlyn, I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± He bowed and nodded before pushing the door wide open. ¡°Ashlyn,e in. It¡¯s hot outside.¡± Tinsor pushed him away angrily, rushing to be the guy who led the way. ¡°Goddess, Imperial Hotel¡¯s dishes are getting more delicious. My brother will buy the meal this afternoon.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, you don¡¯t have to be shy. I heard from Tinsor that you saved him at the clubhouse two days ago. I have to buy you a meal to thank you. Not just today and tomorrow, but also the day after. It would be best if¡­¡± Winsor shed a smile, which he thought was handsome, at Ashlyn. He then winked yfully and said, ¡°It would be best if I can support you forever.¡± Initially, the brothers were going to visit ir at the hospital, but when thetter received Naomi¡¯s text saying they were dining in at Imperial Hotel, they rushed to the restaurant without hesitation. ir¡¯s head was not hurting anymore; all his pain had been relieved. What was bizarre was Tinsor and ir, who were usually enemies, became Ashlyn¡¯s fans at the same time. Although they still bickered non-stop, they no longer fought whenever they had the chance to. ¡°Winsor, I think you are too free!¡± Ashlyn said mercilessly. She then lifted the hem of her skirt gracefully and walked into the grand hall. Naomi followed them immediately at the sight of this. ¡°Hey, wait for me!¡± Meanwhile, Winsor had a brief exchange of words with Principal Potter and Mr. Granger. The two authoritative people of University T were extremely curious about Ashlyn¡¯s identity. This youngdy is extraordinarily beautiful. Her demeanor is sophisticated. Didn¡¯t Ms. Nn address her as sister-inw? Then why is Winsor appearing to be pursuing her? Winsor Jaquin and Lucas Nn¡­ I thought something serious happened when Mr. Nn called for our presence so urgently. But¡­ he did all that to humiliate others for thisdy named Ashlyn. The way thisdy speaks to Winsor is¡­ as if she¡¯s trying to chase a dog away¡­ But not only is he not upset, but he also looks happy¡­ I don¡¯t understand¡­ Perhaps I¡¯m too old. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes glimmered as she listened attentively to the chatters around her. Suddenly, a man reached his big palm out to grab her slim wrist but she raised her arm and dodged away in time. Lucas¡¯ thin lips tightened while his outstretched hand lingered in the air. His eyes stared at the woman without blinking. He was so infuriated that anger almost gushed out from within his eyes. You look so interested in listening to these rascals, but I can¡¯t even touch you? His gaze darkened. The atmosphere at the grand hall of the Imperial Hotel was full of suffocating oppression. Even the waiters could sense the horrifying aura. However, someone thought it was funny. Winsor cocked his eyebrows smugly. My goddess is so feisty! She doesn¡¯t give Lucas special treatment just because he¡¯s extremely good- looking. He was no longer upset by the rejection from just a few seconds ago. I¡¯m happy as long as Lucas is sad! Hmph! Ashlyn walked straight toward the front desk upon entering the Imperial Hotel. Before she opened her mouth, the manager eximed, ¡°Ms. Berry, you¡¯re here. Wow! You¡¯re gorgeous today! You look like a ssical beauty.¡± Chapter 221 Chapter 221 ¡°Stop ttering me.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s lips curled slightly. ¡°Arrange a table for me. These are all my friends.¡± ¡°Yes, no problem. I¡¯ll make an arrangement right away.¡± The manager at the front desk nodded respectfully before rushing out to start preparing. ¡°Ms. Berry is here. Ms. Berry is here. Hurry up and notify the kitchen. Our Ms. Berry is here. Serve all her favorite dishes. Don¡¯t forget about her favorite ice cream. Everything needs to be prepared well. Oh. She brought a few friends. Make sure you give her a satisfying service. Understood?¡± Two minutester, the manager personally led them to a European-style round table. ¡°Ms. Berry, please have a seat.¡± ¡°Principal Potter, Mr. Granger, have a seat.¡± Ashlyn smiled at the two middle-aged men. ¡°Everyone please take a seat.¡± The two men were once again shocked. This is undoubtedly¡­ Imperial Hotel¡¯s VIP treatment, right? Imperial Hotel is a high-end restaurant with bustling business. One may not secure a table even if he reserves one week in advance. But Ashlyn does not even need to queue and she acts like a host. Both Mr. Nn and Winsor did not have any objections. Feeling ecstatic, Naomi was about to sit beside Ashlyn. However, someone acted quicker than her and took her ce. She raised her head and saw her brother sitting like an iceberg on Ashlyn¡¯s left side. After silently cursing him, she rushed for the seat on Ashlyn¡¯s right. In the end, she witnessed Winsor taking that seat like a burly tower. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Naomi could not do anything but return to her seat by ir¡¯s side. Thetter then patted her hand. ¡°Are you a fool? How can you separate your brother and your sister-in- law? Can¡¯t you see that the Jaquin brothers are trying to get in between them?¡± The former moaned and grunted pitifully. Is it wrong to want to be near Ashlyn? ¡°Ms. Berry, I¡¯ve instructed the kitchen to prepare your favorite dishes. Ladies and gentlemen, what would you like to eat?¡± The manager served them personally and gave Ms. Berry full respect. He was determined to give Ms. Berry an enjoyable and satisfying experience. In this world, only Ms. Berry would receive such treatment from him! Ashlyn had figured out what the manager was thinking by looking at how enthusiastic he was. She passed the menu over to Principal Potter and Mr. Granger. ¡°What would you like to eat? Ms. Nn made a million today!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Thank you for testifying just now,¡± Naomi said instantly. The two of them were not someone indecisive, hence they ordered a few signature dishes and passed the menu to Lucas. Lucas nced at the menu. Not uttering a word, he gave the menu to Ashlyn. Puzzled, she lowered her eyes and looked at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Order for me,¡± the man spat out these three words as his eyes shimmered with anticipation. A look of helplessness shed through her pretty face. ¡°I¡¯ll have this, this and this¡­¡± She ordered a few dishes; all of which were Lucas¡¯ favorites and also the one she frequently cooked at home. This man is absolutely spoilt and perverted. Are the dishes she ordered extra tasty? Huh? Psycho! Upon seeing this, Winsor said unwillingly, ¡°Ms. Berry, can you order a few dishes for me as well?¡± ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t know what you like. You should order on your own.¡± Ashlyn passed the menu back to him. He did not like this at all. As Winsor raised his head, he saw Lucas¡¯ triumphant gaze. The difference in treatment is tant! Why does my goddess have to know what Lucas likes and order it for him? Lucas¡¯ dejection was abated as his joy elevated. However, he began to be irritated again just secondster. His jealousy was so immense that everyone could sense it. Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Because Imperial Hotel¡¯s chef, who was more arrogant than a Michelin chef, ran toward them. Being handsome and attractive, his looks were of a typical European¨Cblonde hair with blue eyes as well as a tall and muscr physique. ¡°Ah! Lyn, you¡¯re here.¡± He wanted to give Ashlyn an enthusiastic French hug. Suddenly, a hand firmly grabbed him by the shoulders. ¡°She doesn¡¯t like having physical interaction with outsiders.¡± Brimming with tears, his shoulder ached from the firm grip that felt like steel tongs. Howard stared at him in shock. ¡°Who are you? Lyn and I have always been the best of friends!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Howard, go and cook the dishes, okay?¡± Ashlyn patted Howard¡¯s back tofort him. The blonde man with blue eyes felt wronged. ¡°Lyn, he is so violent. I want to protect my human rights! I will definitely sue him!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Ashlyn red at him coldly. ¡°Go back to the kitchen. Do note out without my permission.¡± ¡°Lyn¡­¡± As grievances filled him, the manager hurried over and dragged him away. ¡°Chef Howard, let¡¯s go. Ms. Berry came with her friends. Be good and listen to her.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Howard was still indignant. My heart is breaking into pieces. Lyn does not favor me anymore. I¡¯m so pissed! ¡°He is extremely gifted in cooking, but he has some defects when ites tomunication skills.¡± Ashlyn nced at Lucas before looking at everyone else. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind. Please don¡¯t treat him any differently.¡± ¡°No wonder he¡¯s so difficult to be invited. So many influential people have tried to meet him but he declined all their requests.¡± Winsor nodded. ¡°But he is quite fluent in English.¡± The chef, Howard, looks like¡­ there¡¯s something wrong with his brain at first sight. He seems to be a five-year-old intellectually. The manager still needs to coax him¡­ At that moment, the waiters started serving the dishes. When they saw Ashlyn, they were very courteous toward her. Although the Imperial Hotel was known for its excellent service, it was apparent that the waiters were extra passionate to her. The way the waiters looked at Ashlyn and the joy that radiated from their bones could be seen by those present. Almost everyone could sense that they were giving Ashlyn special treatment. It was as if they had met their idols. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Lucas was used to this kind of situation because Tinsor, ir, and Naomi had been treating Ashlyn with the same attitude. ¡°Ms. Berry, all the dishes are served. Please let me know if you need anything else.¡± Upon serving the last dish, the waiter said while bowing respectfully. ¡°You may leave now,¡± Ashlyn said. ¡°Please enjoy your meal at Imperial Hotel.¡± The waiter left after saying this. Winsor quickly took a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs and put it in her bowl. ¡°Try this. It looks scrumptious.¡± Looking at the pork ribs, she was stunned for a second before nodding and saying thanks. ir was unable to keep his calm when he saw Winsor serving his sister-inw. The Jaquin brothers are so ambitious. They are like hooligans who always keep a distance from everyone. It¡¯s a surprise that Winsor served Ashlyn food! Anxious, he took a nce at Lucas, trying to hint at him. Lucas, hurry up and serve Ashlyn food! The guy is trying so hard to please your wife! Winsor took a piece of vegetable for himself. His delicate face had a faint smile on it as his gaze fell on Ashlyn¡¯s calm face. The smile on the corners of his lips grew wider. My goddess has eaten the pork ribs I served her! Tinsor gave his brother a thumbs up in secret! You did well! Lucas pursed his lips. It was as if his pair of cold eyes could look through people¡¯s secrets; it made people feel vulnerable. Meanwhile, anger grew inside him as he saw the pork rib. Chapter 223 Chapter 223 He started working on the king prawn like he had gone insane. His long fingers moved like they were creating the finest art, and it only took him a few minutes to get the American Lobster ready. The man suddenly hissed softly. Everyone turned around and saw that Lucas¡¯ finger was bleeding a little. Lucas had his eyes down, and he didn¡¯t show any emotion on his face when he stared at Ashlyn. He then said the word that got everybody¡¯s jaw to drop: ¡°Ouch.¡± Lucas acted as if he was hiding his immense pain when he murmured, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll just push through the pain.¡± As Lucas spoke, he pushed the lobster towards Ashlyn and said, ¡°Eat up. I took the shells out.¡± His pouting was¡­ horrible, but it was strangely arousing, especially since he was ridiculously handsome. Ashlyn took one look at the lobster, then turned to the man beside her, Lucas, who was as powerful and as graceful as royalties. However, she thought that he looked like a lunatic and was a little pretentious. Where the hell is your dominance and power, Mr. Nn? Did you spend all that energy to act like a pretentious idiot? Ashlyn was too exasperated to even diss him. Just then, the powerful and graceful man put his bleeding finger in front of her face andined, ¡°I¡¯m still bleeding. Please treat my injuries, Dr. Berry.¡± Ashlyn grabbed a napkin from the side and crudely pped it onto his finger before tying it into a butterfly knot. ¡°Is Mr. Nn satisfied with my treatment?¡± The cute butterfly looked ridiculous on that powerful man¡¯s finger. However, Lucas was satisfied with it and requested, ¡°Dr. Berry, I want some steak. Can you feed me? I am injured so I can¡¯t lift the cutleries.¡± Which kindergarten did this immature brate from? Seriously, is it even possible for him to be more childish? Naomi was stunned. Lucas¡¯ behavior got Naomi to see him in an entirely different light. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. She had always seen her big brother as a domineering, cool, and sometimes cruel figure. He could actually bring himself to act that immaturely and shamelessly? Compared to Lucas¡¯ shamelessness, Naomi¡¯s y to demand attention seemed like parlor tricks. ir gloated and shot a look at Tinsor. That look basically screamed, See that? My brother is the true expert in this field. I¡¯d give my brother a thumbs up if this is on Facebook. My brother and his wife are the true endgame! Principal Potter and Supervisor Granger chose to eat in silence. They felt like they had met another version of the renowned Mr. Nn. Even Spencer was in shock. Mr. Nn. Holy! You are on a whole other level of tantly flirting! That is downright demonic. Although¡­ Ms. Berry isn¡¯t exactly the kind of woman who would be easily defeated¡­ As suspected, Spencer soon heard Ashlyn¡¯s cherry lips call the waiter over. ¡°Mr. Nn is injured. Please feed him.¡± ¡°Understood, Ms. Berry,¡± replied the waiter, who quickly picked up the cutleries. The waiter looked sincere when he smiled at Lucas. ¡°Mr. Nn, what would you like to have?¡± Lucas¡¯ sharp eyes narrowed, and his voice carried a hint of suppressed annoyance. ¡°Ashlyn, my stomach is acting up.¡± Winsor was so irritated that he was tempted to throw his fork at Lucas¡¯ stupid face. Just how shameless can you be? Where is your dignity? Winsorter got some vegetables for Ashlyn. He did so mindlessly and habitually, it seemed like he had actually done it a million times before. Lucas felt his chest gripping. He pushed the lobster to Ashlyn once more and said, ¡°This is more delicious.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s already breathtaking face lit up with a small grin. When Ashlyn was grouchy, her entire body would exude a chilling vibe that would make others flee. However, her grin was exotic and stunning, and could make people¡¯s eyes glow. It was as if her smile could light up the entire room. Almost everyone was stunned. ¡°What are you smiling at?¡± asked Lucas as his eyes glowed with a hint of seduction. ¡°Thank you for helping me with the lobster, Lucas,¡± said Ashlyn as she stood up and grabbed Lucas¡¯ te. After that, she put his favorite dishes onto the te. ¡°You may leave. He¡¯s a lunatic, so it¡¯s difficult to serve him,¡± informed Ashlyn as she turned to the waiter who had been standing awkwardly at one side since Lucas ignored him. She has got to be the only woman who dared to call Lucas Nn a lunatic right to his face. What¡¯s even more surprising was that Mr. Nn is still staring in anticipation. Chapter 224 Chapter 224 It was unbelievable because it looked as if Lucas was eagerly waiting to be fed. Lucas¡¯ domineering aura seeped out without him being aware of it, and his dark eyes shone with cruelty. He could pressurize others just by looking at them, and his handsome face could easily grip a person¡¯s heart. However, his eyes burned with passion when he turned to the woman beside him. He stared as if he wanted to study everything about her. Anyone could tell that Lucas was into Ashlyn. Winsor¡¯s expression darkened, and his eyes shone with aplex emotion. That Lucas really knows how to get attention. Those pretentious lies are utterly shameless. An injured finger and a stomachache? Isn¡¯t it embarrassing for an adult like him toin about something like that? Lucas¡¯ handsome face shone with displeasure when he saw the distaste in Winsor¡¯s eyes. The Jaquin family and the Nn family were not fighting at that exact moment. Their thoughts, however, remained mean: Are the Jaquin siblings masochists? They had their butts kicked by a woman, and that somehow made them fall heads over heel for that woman. They are acting like superglue and sticking around her. Lucas narrowed his eyes dangerously. When he saw the mountain of food on his te, a hint of satisfaction appeared on his face and he attacked Winsor at his weakest point. ¡°Mr. Jaquin, how is business? Have yourpany¡¯s share price gone back up after it fell by three percent?¡± Winsor almost spat blood from the sudden rise of blood pressure. ¡°Mypany¡¯s share price is none of your concern, Mr. Nn.¡± Lucas gracefully ate the food Ashlyn got him. It tasted great, and the only thing that could make it better was if Ashlyn never met the owner of the Imperial Hotel. ¡°Then I will pray for Jaquin Group¡¯s retaliation and continual increase in share prices in the future,¡± said Ashlyn. Winsor¡¯s annoyance faltered a little, and his darkened expression turned slightly warmer. So what if he has Jaquin Group? The share prices are falling, and he still can¡¯t get Ashlyn to serve him food. Lucas never realized just how childish and funny his thoughts were. Everyone on site saw how Lucas¡¯ domineering aura and dark eyes burned with fury, but it was slowly turning into temporary happiness. No one knew that Lucas had such immature thoughts. Even someone as slow as ir could tell that his big brother looked jealous. Is he upset about how Winsor is nice towards Ashlyn? ir¡¯s heart trembled. Strike one. He was the one who invited the Jaquin siblings over. Given how possessive his brother looked just a second ago, it was likely that Lucas was angry. Oh, no. He¡¯s not going to deduct my pocket money, is he? ir looked pale and pitiful when he turned to Ashlyn. The former was obviously asking for help when he said, ¡°Lucas, I¡­¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± barked Lucas as he narrowed his angry eyes at ir and shot an icy dagger into ir¡¯s heart. ir¡¯s heart trembled again. Strike two! However, ir¡¯s dread soon turned to annoyance. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Seriously, bro. Don¡¯t get a divorce if you¡¯re that possessive and jealous. Are you into ying post- divorce mind games or something? Ashlyn is single now, and she can hang out with anyone she wants. You don¡¯t get to butt in anymore¡­ Wait, hold on, no! ir Nn, how can you think like that? Do you want Ashlyn to be Winsor¡¯s wife? No, nope, definitely not! ir quickly nodded like a rooster pecking on rice. After that, he said, ¡°Lucas, l-let me get you some food.¡± ¡°Keep your dirty hands away from me,¡± protested Lucas calmly. ir¡¯s heart trembled yet again. Strike three, and ir¡¯s heart died. Seriously, is this how you treat your baby brother? My heart is shattered. Actually, scratch that, it¡¯s powdered! After eating, both Naomi and Winsor argued to pay for the meal. Naomi red over and bulged her cheeks. She looked like a frog for a second before she protested, ¡°What are you doing? We agreed that I will be the one paying for the meal. I came all the way here to thank Principal Potter and Supervisor Granger for their help. Can you not argue with me?¡± ¡°Ms. Nn, I am the gentleman, and I have the privilege of paying the bill,¡± insisted Winsor. He never thought that he¡¯d live to see the day when a kid tried to get the check from him. ¡°I don¡¯t care. Most of the people here are from my family, so I am paying for the meal!¡± said Naomi before she angrily fished her card out of her wallet. Principal Potter and Supervisor Granger, on the other hand, were curious about Ashlyn. Principal Potter asked, ¡°What do you do for a living, Ms. Berry?¡± Chapter 225 Chapter 225 ¡°I see,¡± murmured Principal Potter. ¡°Which department do you work in, Ms. Berry?¡± asked Supervisor Granger. Ashlyn remained polite and answered, ¡°I¡¯m a surgeon.¡± The two middle-aged men turned to one another and looked into each other¡¯s eyes without anyone noticing. ¡°You seem to be close to the owner of the Imperial Hotel, Ms. Berry,¡±mented Principal Potter. ¡°Oh, not at all. We¡¯re just friends, that¡¯s all,¡± said Ashlyn, who thought it was weird that the two middle- aged men in tuxedos were that much of a gossip. Why are they so curious? Lucas, on the other hand, paid close attention to their conversation. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Ah, so she¡¯s not close to him. That¡¯s good¡­ Maybe she only knows the chef well? Still, the chef didn¡¯t look mentally sane and had the intelligence of a five-year-old. Lucas¡¯ nervous heart finally settled down. When the group left the Imperial Hotel, Principal Potter turned to Ashlyn and suggested, ¡°If you are free, you can drop by the university¡¯s medical department to share some of your experiences with our students. Will that be okay? If so, when will you be free, Ms. Berry?¡± What? You guys set up a meeting just like that? Lucas was a little ufortable about it. He had been chasing Ashlyn¡¯s many suitors away, and he wondered if that old dude, Principal Potter, was interested in Ashlyn as well. ¡°Thank you, Principal Potter, but I am rather swampedtely because I recently epted a minor medical mission from the government. Maybe after Ipleted the mission? We can set up a time then,¡± said Ashlyn. She knew that Principal Potter and Supervisor Granger had helped her solve her issue with Jeremy Halliwell. Naturally, she was happy to repay that favor. Ashlyn hated owing anybody anything. ¡°R-really?¡± blurted Principal Potter, who then turned excitedly to Supervisor Granger. She agreed to it just like that? ¡°I always keep my word. You can call Jared to set up a date. He¡¯s the guy who called you earlier today,¡± reminded Ashlyn with a smile. Only then did Principal Potter recall that he had received a call from Jared that day. Jared is the guy who asked about Jeremy Halliwell! Looks like Mr. Quickton was gathering information for Ms. Berry¡­ Huh¡­ thisdy really is weird. Lucas reached out and held Ashlyn¡¯s waist when he heard how she had told Principal Potter to contact Jared. ¡°You can call me to talk about that too,¡± said Lucas. Lucas¡¯ huge palm gripped Ashlyn¡¯s waist a little too tightly and made it ufortable for her to even breathe. She didn¡¯t show her displeasure on her face, but she was secretly irritated. Why the hell are you publicly holding my waist? Ashlyn elbowed the man and got him to frown in pain, but he still refused to let her go. This woman¡­ She¡¯s so heartless. Her elbow hurt my stomach so much! At that moment, a blonde man with blue eyes stood behind the window in Imperial Hotel. He was looking out the window and ring at the tall guy who was holding thedy¡¯s waist. His blue eyes no longer shone with the innocence it exuded a moment ago, and they were slightly narrowed with jealousy shining through them. He red intently at the couple standing at the entrance of the restaurant as resentment threatened to drown him. Lyn¡­ The man was lost as he reached out for the woman on the ground floor. His voice couldn¡¯t help but tremble as he said, ¡°Lyn, it has been years, but you never even looked at me once.¡± The man had stayed in the country and worked at that hotel just for her. Sometimes, she wouldn¡¯t even show up for months, but he waited for her anyway. However, she was now with another man despite all of his sacrifices and patience. His heart gripped, and he was in endless pain. ¡°Chef Howard, will you continue cooking today?¡± asked a kitchen worker as he walked over. The worker was extremely polite. Howard¡¯s EQ was ridiculously low, and he only had the maturity of a five-year-old, but his cooking skills were top-notch, so everyone in Imperial Hotel respected him. Howard¡¯s frown exuded a murderous aura powered by intense jealousy, but he put them away, and his blue eyes reverted to their usual innocent style. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m tired. You guys can handle the rest.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± replied the worker before he turned to leave. The worker couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Why did chef Howard seem different? I almost couldn¡¯t get myself to speak when I saw him earlier. Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Did that murderous aura reallye from Chef Howard? Nah, I must¡¯ve made a mistake. At the entrance of Imperial Hotel. The cars were driven over. Winsor immediately saw that Lucas¡¯ domineering and possessive arm was around Ashlyn¡¯s waist. That got Winsor upset, and he couldn¡¯t hold it in. ¡°Mr. Nn, you¡¯re married, so isn¡¯t it inappropriate to hold Ms. Berry this closely in public? Aren¡¯t you worried that your wife would get upset and make you sleep on the couch tonight?¡± mes of fury danced in Lucas¡¯ eyes. If he never got a divorce, he would¡¯ve been able to tell Winsor to f*ck off there and then. My wife is right beside me! Unfortunately¡­ All Lucas could do was frown a little and re at him. Lucas pointed out, ¡°My rtionship with my wife has nothing to do with you.¡± However, Lucas felt like those words carried no power. It was simply not the same as shouting that his wife was right beside him! If it weren¡¯t for the divorce, Lucas could make Winsor eat his words. Lucas had regretted his decision after getting the divorce, but he only regretted it once, and that regret zipped by quickly. That was normal since he had never thought about why he was addicted to hanging around Ashlyn. However, Lucas truly, truly regretted getting a divorce at that moment. He didn¡¯t know that Ashlyn was so cute and lively that she would attract all sorts of suitors to her. He hadn¡¯t even finished dealing with one before five more suitors popped out from nowhere. If he had known all that early on, he would never have gotten the stupid divorce. Ashlyn twisted her waist a little to get out of the man¡¯s hold, but Lucas had locked her waist in and made her get into his Bentley. Naomi watched as her big brother possessively dragged Ashlyn away. After that, Naomi had no choice but to get into her own car bitterly. Awh, why is he so possessive towards Ashlyn even after the divorce? I wanna hang out with Ashlyn, too! Inside the Bentley. The aura was a little stiff in the car, and it felt like the calm before the storm. Ashlyn demanded impatiently. ¡°What the hell were you doing? I came here in your sister¡¯s car and was supposed to hitch a ride with her!¡± Ashlyn¡¯s words got Lucas stumped, and his annoyance suddenly got stuck in his chest. That anger wouldn¡¯t go down, nor would it blow up. His expression, however, darkened like nothing before. So this woman is nning to get together with Naomi? What the hell is so good about that brat? Gah, I¡¯m jealous. I¡¯m so f*cking jealous!All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Lucas suddenly felt hopeless in the deepest pit of his soul. He had fallen so far that he was jealous of that little brat?! His heart felt stuffed and ufortable as he resisted the urge to lean over and kiss Ashlyn¡¯s lips. I-I must teach her a lesson, so that she¡¯ll stop going around attracting crazy amounts of suitors. Upon thinking that, Lucas put on a grouchy expression and asked, ¡°When did you two get so close? She is nothing but a stupid brat.¡± His tone was basically implying, I am handsome, rich, and energetic, soe check me out! Look at me! Ashlyn stared on as the man¡¯s expression get darker and darker. She couldn¡¯t help raising her brows while her eyes shone with dissatisfaction. She said, ¡°Lucas, I do need to thank you for what you did today. However, I could¡¯ve handled the situation even if you didn¡¯t bring Principal Potter and Supervisor Granger over.¡± ¡°You really should thank me,¡± replied Lucas, who initially nned topete against Naomi stubbornly. When he heard what Ashlyn said, his grouchy expression instantly brightened up, and his gazended on her pink, cherry lips. Lucas¡¯ throat moved, and he suddenly ced his huge palm on the back of her head. He was about to kiss Ashlyn when she fought back by cing her hands on her lips. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Receiving mypensation,¡± replied Lucas before he pried Ashlyn¡¯s hands away and kissed her. Their lips locked, and his warm breath brushed against her cheek. Ashlyn was a little upset. Is this the mating season for this guy? He kissed without any warning! Lucas realized that Ashlyn was distracted even as he kissed her, and a spark of anger started a forest fire in him. Lucas became more aggressive, and Ashlyn moaned aloud. She soon tasted the metallic blood spreading across her mouth. Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Lucas wasn¡¯t bothered by that metallic taste. In fact, it gripped his chest and made him kiss her even more passionately. Lucas didn¡¯t let Ashlyn go until just before she passed out from breathlessness. His breathing was uneven as he tilted his head down and stared at her. His tone was powerful when he said, ¡°I am very happy with thispensation.¡± Ashlyn was a little exasperated. Must this guy always act so immaturely in front of me? When she heard how certain Lucas sounded, she grabbed his cor and growled, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re happy with it? I¡¯m not! You are terrible at kissing. You bit my lip and¡­.¡± Ashlyn hadn¡¯t even finished speaking before Lucas couldn¡¯t help burn red in his face and kissed her once more. How dare she question my skills? This woman really needs to be taught a lesson! His handnded on the back of her head once more, and he was, once again, in control. All Ashlyn felt was that her heart was stirring like a feather was tickling it. The aura in the car soon turned romantic, and the passion in Lucas¡¯ eyes became more and more obvious. He looked like he wanted to swallow Ashlyn whole. Ashlyn¡¯s heart gripped. That¡¯s strange. The Spirogyra isn¡¯t acting up today. Ashlyn believed that if the Spirogyra remained quiet, she could handle Lucas¡¯ incredibly handsome face that could seduce all of humanity. I must not react to that delicious man. Lucas¡¯ eyes turned dark. He suppressed all of his passion and eagerness as he tilted his head down and kissed her again. ¡°I¡¯m not done¡­¡± Ashlyn took a deep breath and realized that the Spirogyra in her body wasn¡¯t reacting to her being turned on! Ashlyn was secretly delighted. Is the Spirogyra finally dead? Has it lost its power? Yes! I just hope that it will never start working again. What Ashlyn didn¡¯t realize was that the fat and content Spirogyra was simply napping deep within her blood vessels at the time. The Spirogyra had gotten bigger and fatter than it used to be. It glowed in gold and was chubby. In a way, it looked pretty cute. Ashlyn wasn¡¯t infuriated by Lucas¡¯ obvious hint to take things to the bed, but she still had to protect her own rights. ¡°Oy, Lucas Nn, I¡¯ve alreadypensated you for your help.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t count,¡± replied the man quickly¡­ and shamelessly. Ashlyn blinked her stunning brown eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to bully others like that, because you¡¯re the president of apany and the captain of the ship. Do you always go back on your deal when you talk business with your clients?¡± Lucas¡¯ sexy lips curved up. His dark eyes shone with mischief as he rified, ¡°You didn¡¯t take the initiative to thank me, so the kisses didn¡¯t count. You¡¯re supposed to be straightforward when you thank others, you know?¡± Ashlyn scoffed. She was ratherfortable without the Spirogyra messing with her. She even sounded more certain when she spoke with Lucas, ¡°Oh, how should we solve this problem? I feel like I should just thank you with my fist instead!¡± Ashlyn had always wanted to learn how good Lucas was at fighting, so she didn¡¯t say anything before she threw a punch as fast as lightning towards Lucas. To her surprise, Lucas caught her punch. ¡°Be good. You¡¯re a girl and should be gentler.¡± The man¡¯s hand caught her fist, but it was strong and aggressive. This woman is eerily strong. I may have caught that punch, but I am also pinned to my seat. ¡°Lucas, we already got a divorce, yet we are still hanging out together all the time. Is that really alright?¡± said Ashlyn calmly as she retracted her fist. The man¡¯s eyes shone with warmth as he replied, ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty cool. There are couples who fell in love before they got married, and there are couples who fell in love after they got married. We¡¯re the couple that fell in love after the divorce. It¡¯s quite amazing.¡± ¡°I never said I wanted to date you,¡± refuted Ashlyn as she pouted. After that, she asked, ¡°Did you already finish all the food in the fridge that I prepared a few days ago?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± answered Lucas as his mesmerizing eyes stared at thedy¡¯s beautiful face. He had been eating the food she prepared for every meal, so he finished it quickly. Hence, he needed her to go cook for him. It¡¯d be best if she could stay there forever with him too. He only realized that his stomach couldn¡¯t survive without her after he had already gotten the divorce.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 228 Chapter 228 All other delicacies in the world tasted nd after he had tried Ashlyn¡¯s cooking. In fact, his stomach would be upset after he ate dishes that others cooked. ¡°You¡¯re crazy,¡± said Ashlyn as she red over. What kind of stomach does this man have? How did he finish all that so quickly? ¡°We¡¯re heading to the supermarket,¡± instructed Lucas to Spencer. The car reached the supermarket¡¯s parking lot soon after, and all three of them went in. Spencer was responsible for pushing the cart while Lucas followed closely behind Ashlyn. Ashlyn, on the other hand, focused on picking the groceries. The unearthly handsome man and the stunningly gorgeousdy stood together in the supermarket. Many walked past them, but everyone kept turning around to stare at Ashlyn and Lucas. The man was tall, and the aura he exuded repelled everyone, so no one dared to stare at his face. Thedy, however, was cute with clear eyes and gorgeous brows. She was so beautiful that it was shocking. Many security guards couldn¡¯t help staring at Ashlyn from afar. Lucas forced his temper down and stopped himself from acting up, but the vein on his forehead was jumping profusely. His face darkened because he suddenly realized that the woman he loved attracted everyone¡¯s attention, regardless of where she was or what time of the day it was. She caught so many people¡¯s attention even though she was only there to buy some groceries. An intense sense of danger welled up in his heart. It was the kind of threat that Lucas had never felt before. He suddenly held the woman¡¯s wrist and instructed, ¡°Remember to keep your distance from everyone else.¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± Ashlyn didn¡¯t understand why that man had suddenly gone insane once more. What now? Ashlyn was busy choosing the steaks, and the box of beef fell from her hand and back to the freezer. Annoyed, she tilted her head up and saw, from Lucas¡¯ eyes, that he was being serious. Her confused expression was extremely cute andpletely different from her usual distant expression. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. That cuteness could drive anyone crazy, but she was not aware of it. Lucas¡¯ throat went dry, and he put his hand on the back of her head before he dragged her face to his chest. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to show anyone else that expression,¡± instructed Lucas. Just be mean and distant with everyone else. That cute side of yours is reserved for me. Ashlyn struggled out of his chest and looked up. She protested angrily, ¡°Why are you acting so crazy all of a sudden? You don¡¯t actually think that everyone will fall for me instantly and tackle over, do you? I-is there something wrong with your brain or something?¡± Lucas frowned and insisted, ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to shop for groceries anymore.¡± Ashlyn was speechless. This possessive man is beyond hope. Seriously? He¡¯s jealous of strangers? Is that really what this is? I didn¡¯t read this situation wrong, did I? Ashlyn thought that she had already rified everything and even reminded him how they were divorced. He was the one who asked for the divorce, so she thought that his mind was getting clearer. So why does it look like he is actually getting even more confused? Is he addicted to being jealous? You¡¯re not my husband anymore, so what right do you have to be jealous? You got Principal Potter and Supervisor Granger over. That is the only reason I¡¯m shopping for groceries with you right now, and cooking for youter. I won¡¯t do any of that otherwise, not even in your dreams! Ashlyn was downright furious at that moment. Why didn¡¯t she notice just how possessive that man was? He was so possessive that it was crazy, and she never even asked for his help in the first ce! Ashlyn felt a headacheing. The two of them were too beautiful, and their hug only made everyone¡¯s eyes bulge. Dang, you don¡¯t need to show off your romance even if you are that good-looking. Even the middle-ageddy working on the weighing machine was stunned. Lucas¡¯ deadly re swept across the room. The middle-ageddy felt a chill run down her spine, and she quickly turned back to her job. Oh, my gosh! Thedy would¡¯ve fled the supermarket if she wasn¡¯t working there. That man is too powerful. I¡¯ve lived for so long and have seen so much, but even I can¡¯t get myself to look him in the eye. The middle-ageddy¡¯s legs were still trembling even after Ashlyn and Lucas had left. Spencer carried the fresh produce they just bought and followed behind. Lucas and Ashlyn walked side-by-side down the path in the tranquil garden to reach the vi. The stars donned the sky, and Lucas felt serene and happy. Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Lucas had never gone grocery shopping with Ashlyn in the four years that they were married. He never realized that grocery shopping with her would be that strange. He had bought some seafood thest time he went out, and he somehow messed it up. It felt great to be by her side as she shopped for groceries. Lucas¡¯ lips curved up, and he was delighted. When they got home, Lucas took off his coat and said to Ashlyn with a straight face, ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Spencer didn¡¯t know what to say. Mr. Nn is so polite as an assistant, and it is astounding! His usual stance is so distant that he freezes others into a block of ice. Hell, I would¡¯ve assumed that he is an emotionless robot if it isn¡¯t for the fact that he can talk, think, and fly an airne! Fortunately, Ms. Berry showed up and melted his robotic heart. Honestly though, Mr. Nn, I feel bad for you when I see how you keep circling around Ms. Berry like that. If you hadn¡¯t gotten a divorce back then, you and Ms. Berry would still be living a happy, married life. What a pity. Why did you have to hurt yourself and ask for a divorce? Ms. Berry doesn¡¯t acknowledge you now, and I can¡¯t me her for that. Spencer was busy internally dissing Lucas when thetter walked into the kitchen. Ashlyn, on the other hand, had fished out all the fresh groceries from the bag. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. She ced the ingredients that she didn¡¯t need in the refrigerator. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± asked Ashlyn as she turned to the handsome man who stared with puppy eyes and acted like he was waiting in anticipation. Lucas¡¯ eyes glowed a little. ¡°How about beef stew? Or lobster? Or maybe seared steak?¡± Ashlyn red over. ¡°Those were the dishes served in Imperial Hotel. You only took a few bites at the time, and now you want me to make the exact same dish for you again? Have you gone nuts?¡± Lucas didn¡¯t say anything. His dark puppy eyes simply stared at her, and his handsome face exuded the kind of hunger that words could not describe. His tone was domineering and unreasonable when he insisted, ¡°You promised you¡¯d thank me, so you can¡¯t go back on your words now.¡± Lucas¡¯ stomach had acted up again, and the pain got to him a little. However, he kept it hidden. Only the dishes that woman prepared could cure his aching stomach. The chefs at the Imperial Hotel couldn¡¯t cure it, neither could all other chefs. Only that familiar smell and taste could satisfy his famished stomach and tortured tongue. Ashlyn was a little exasperated by that man¡¯s gaze that seemed to be able to get to anyone. The aura in the kitchen froze over. Spencer stood awkwardly outside the kitchen. There are so many things that Mr. Nn wants to eat. Does he really take Ms. Berry as a chef in a five- star restaurant? Moreover, Ms. Berry is right. The restaurant served all those dishes, but Mr. Nn refused to eat them. Now, he wants to trouble Ms. Berry to make the same dishes for him. That is¡­ Well, that just makes him so punch-able. Spencer didn¡¯t say anything aloud, though. Lucas tilted his head down and started working on the ingredients. He was awkward and inexperienced as he sliced the beef. Lucas couldn¡¯t cook, and the most he had ever done was help Ashlyn wash the vegetables. ¡°I¡¯ve cut it into pieces. You can cook it now,¡± informed Lucas. He was handsome and tall, and his figure was sexy as hell. He had a ck shirt on, and he looked graceful even as he held the kitchen knife. The beef he cut up, however, looked¡­ absolutely horrible. None of them were in the same size, everything was twisted, and every single one of them was in a different shape. Ashlyn had trouble even looking at them. She sighed. She didn¡¯t ask for Lucas¡¯ help, but he did help her, so she feltpelled to take the kitchen knife from him. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± said Ashlyn. It¡¯s only a few dishes, anyway. Lucas suddenly hissed just as she reached out to take the kitchen knife. Eerie crimson red blood flushed out of his hand. Ashlyn didn¡¯t have any time to think. She reached out to hold Lucas¡¯ hand, then informed Spencer, ¡°Mr. White, please bring the first-aid kit over.¡± Spencer was only stunned for a second before he rushed to get the first-aid kit. When he returned with the kit, he saw that Ashlyn was leading the tall man out of the kitchen. Spencer quickly opened the box and got some band-aids out of them. Ashlyn shook her head and said, ¡°The cut is too big. We¡¯ll need a disinfectant and some bandage.¡± Spencer hurriedly got those two items out of the box. Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Ashlyn then cleaned the cut on Lucas¡¯ finger. Spencer extended his neck to sneak a peek. Ooh! The cut was at least three centimeters long, and it looked so deep that Lucas¡¯ skin and flesh were both protruding outwards. Mr. Nn, did you need to be that cruel? Even to your own finger? ¡°Do you honestly think that your finger is the beef?¡± scolded Ashlyn as she wrapped his finger up, ¡°Don¡¯t let water get into it!¡± Ashlyn stood up after she dealt with the cut. Her beautiful face was fuming, and she red at the man on the sofa. Cutting the beef gracefully was fake, and his charms were a ruse as well. That man is nothing but an idiot in the kitchen! Lucas sat there without saying a word. He remained quiet as she tended to his wound. His dark eyes burned as he stared at Ashlyn without looking away. It felt as if she would flee if he even blinked. Ashlyn hated that feeling. She felt like a prey that had been targeted by a hunter. She was locked in, and there was no escape. Ashlyn didn¡¯t say anything else. She simply turned and walked into the kitchen, before mming the door shut. She didn¡¯t see that the man on the sofa was grinning slightly. Spencer was utterly speechless. Mr. Nn, you were cut, and your blood flushed out. Yet, you are still so happy that you are grinning. Are you nuts? You look just like the idiot from¡­ Inspiration suddenly hit Spencer! Mr. Nn, y-you didn¡¯t just cut yourself on purpose, did you? Is this all a part of your n to get Ms. Berry to stay? Dang, t-that is something else. Spencer suddenly felt like a third-wheel, so he made up an excuse and left. Ashlyn stayed in the kitchen for over an hour before she finally got all the dishes ready. All the dishes that Lucas asked for were there, and as a bonus, she also cooked some vegetables. It looked amazing and smelled delicious. Ashlyn only realized that there weren¡¯t any vegetables after she had finished preparing all the dishes. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. In the past, she would¡¯ve made Lucas help carry all the dishes from the kitchen to the dining table. However, she thought about how Lucas¡¯ finger was injured, so she turned her head to get Spencer over. That was when she saw that Lucas was sitting alone on the sofa and staring out the window. She didn¡¯t even know what he was thinking. ¡°Where is Mr. White?¡± ¡°He had some errands to run.¡± ¡°Get ready for dinner,¡± said Ashlyn as she took her apron off and carried the dishes out on her own. Lucas was a little annoyed by how that woman called out for Spencer as soon as she got out of the kitchen. He asked, ¡°Why were you looking for Spencer?¡± ¡°Oh, to get him to help carry the dishes out, but he left, so it¡¯s fine,¡± answered Ashlyn as she put the dishes on the dining table. Lucas stood up and walked to the dining table. His brown gaze swept to Ashlyn. Wow! My Ashlyn didn¡¯t n on making me carry the dishes? D-does that mean that she is worried about me? Being injured really is the best! Ashlyn turned around to get two bowls of soup out. After that, she went back into the kitchen to get the rest of the dishes out. Ashlyn only sat down when she was done with everything. Lucas got a few slices of beef and popped them into his mouth. The fragrant of the well-done steak was perfect! Lucas¡¯ tongue was finally satisfied, and he felt the kind of intense pleasure that could only be experienced by someone who had endured starvation. His empty stomach finally settled down, and the pain was temporarily eased. His stomach was like a drug addict that could only feel a shred of relief after he was given more drugs. At that moment, it felt like only Ashlyn¡¯s cooking could bring him some relief. And also extend his lifespan. It didn¡¯t matter even if the dishes ced in front of him weren¡¯t exquisite delicacies that looked, smelled, and tasted great. Ashlyn could make toasted bread, and Lucas would find it delicious. It seemed that Lucas was terribly and horrifyingly sick, and only Ashlyn could cure him. Lucas truly was famished. He ate almost everything and drank a big bowl of soup. As a result, he was stuffed, but he was extremely satisfied. Lucas satzily by the dining table and watched as Ashlyn cleared everything away. He suddenly asked, ¡°Have you ever cooked for anyone else?¡± Ashlyn stiffened, and her eyes shone with curiosity as she answered, ¡°Yeah.¡± There were times when Jared and her other subordinates had pled so much that she cooked for them. Her subordinates also tantly bribed her with tons of gifts, just so she would cook a few dishes for them if she were happy. Chapter 231 Chapter 231 A certain guy¡¯s expression changed so fast that even the naked eye could detect it. Ashlyn never noticed anything wrong with Lucas, though. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She continued cleaning up, then walked into the kitchen to do the dishes. It was alreadyte at night when she was finally done. She sighed and grabbed her bag before informing, ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡± Lucas stared like a leopard honing in on his prey. His sharp gaze locked in on herzily as he suggested, ¡°It¡¯ste, so you should stay.¡± ¡°Lucas, we¡¯re divorced,¡± reminded Ashlyn exasperatedly. ¡°The house is too big, and I¡¯m scared of staying here alone because it¡¯s dark. I¡¯m not used to the darkness,¡± said the man, who decided to act weak the whole way through. Lucas rarely lied, and he wasn¡¯t used to lowering his stance or acting weak. As such, he didn¡¯t notice that his ears were slowly but surely turning red as he spoke. Under the light, he looked ridiculously seductive, and his handsome face only made him more desirable. Ashlyn was speechless. She finally learned that some people were simply shameless and didn¡¯t have any limits as to how low they would go. Lucas Nn, the president of Nn group, and the captain of his crew. That was the man who could get the powerful figures of Lake City to shiver simply by stomping his foot¡­ Isn¡¯t it a little ridiculous for him to say something so immature? Ashlyn felt goosebumps all over herself. Lucas had his eyes slightly down. Perhaps it was because he was lying and felt guilty, but he didn¡¯t look Ashlyn in her eyes. After a while, Lucas realized that Ashlyn never replied. He tilted his eyes up to sneak a peek and realized¡­ that the door was open with the icy wind blowing in! Thedy had left. How did she leave without making any noises or alerting me? F*ck! Lucas stood up angrily. That woman abandoned me and fled! I even lowered my stance and threw my arrogance away to ask her to stay. Did she even notice any of that? Lucas was utterly irritated because that was the first time he ever spoke so softly and sweetly to a woman, but she had ignored him. F*ck! Annoyance kept bubbling out of Lucas¡¯ heart and attacked him. He acted like a lunatic as he grabbed the keys to his private helicopter and dashed out of the ce. * The night was ridiculously dark. A private helicopter zipped through the night. As Lucas flew the ne, he called his employees who worked at the airline. ¡°Yes, Mr. Nn, the path is clear, and we have purchased the exclusive right to fly from Whind Vi to Bayview Vi. Yes, sir, you are the only one who can use that route, and you can use it whenever you want. You no longer need to send in a request or an application,¡± said the employee at South Star Airlines immediately. What kind of idiot would buy the exclusive right to fly within such a short distance? I¡¯m guessing only rich CEOs would understand. Wait, doesn¡¯t Jared Quickton of the Centennial Healthcare live in Bayview Vi? Mr. Nn and Mr. Quickton aren¡¯t gay lovers, are they? Holy sh*t! Lucas¡¯ subordinate couldn¡¯t help but tremble. There¡¯s nothing wrong with being gay, and they¡¯re both handsome and rich, but isn¡¯t that a little¡­? I mean, doesn¡¯t Mr. Nn have a wife who has never made a public appearance before? Maybe he only married the woman to hide his true sexuality? Mr. Quickton¡¯s rumored girlfriend is probably just a ruse too. Man, it must be tough being a powerful CEO who has an uptight reputation to keep. Poor gays. * When Ashlyn got back to the Bayview Vi, she thought about how she had a lot of things to do on the next day. She decided to go to bed early. She walked into her room and showered. After that, she grabbed a towel and rubbed her wet, dark hair. She was about to start blow-drying it when the door to her bedroom was suddenly opened. Lucas¡¯ domineering aura flushed out as he stood by the door. He had one hand on the doorknob, and his beautiful eyes red evilly at the woman under the bright light. She only had a towel wrapped around her beautiful figure while water droplets naughtily dropped down from her hair. Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Water reflected the light off her beautiful shoulders, and she looked absolutely delicious. That was especially true for her lean arm that seemed to be exuding a seductive glow. Lucas wasn¡¯t expecting to see a view that amazing when he opened the door. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. His gaze glowed with lust while his lips curved up into a devilish grin. ¡°Ashlyn Berry, you really are something.¡± She had to make me chase after her, huh? Ashlyn calmly shifted her gaze to him before she continued blow-drying her hair. ¡°Lucas, what do you want? You realize that you are breaking and entering, right?¡± A few burly men rushed up the stairs at that moment. When Lucas heard those footsteps, he mmed the door shut while his eyes glowed with a possessive glint. Anyone who dared to see my woman¡¯s naked figure would have their eyes wed out! When Lucas mmed the door, he hit the nose of the head of the security guard. The security guard rubbed his nose as he shouted, ¡°Ms. Berry, how are you? Are you okay? A man came in a private helicopter and injured a few of our men. He is a skilled fighter, and we are no match against him!¡± Ashlyn scanned Lucas from head to toe before she shouted to her subordinates, ¡°It¡¯s just my ex. You and the boys can leave.¡± ¡°Understood, Ms. Berry.¡± ¡°All is well as long as you are fine.¡± The burly men left after they were sure that Ashlyn was safe. As they walked away, they gossiped, ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that the boss¡¯ ex is that good-looking?¡± ¡°And he can really throw a punch too! We can¡¯t stop even though we went at him together.¡± ¡°Yeah! He¡¯s handsome, a skilled fighter, and I heard that he is the president of a powerfulpany. Why did they get divorced?¡± ¡°Alright,e on. When did you lot be such gossips? Boss knows how to deal with her own issues, and remember, that man is nothing but an ex. He is not the real deal. We won¡¯t hurt the man our boss officially introduces us as her man, but that ex is old news, so next time, we will attack as we do other intruders. Understand?¡± ¡°Understood! We should call a few more men over and kick the crap out of him.¡± ¡°If he dares to hurt our boss again, we will crush his freaking head!¡± Lucas didn¡¯t know that he had been marked and cklisted by Ashlyn¡¯s subordinates, and he didn¡¯t know that they had decided to beat him up the next time. At that moment in the room. Lucas walked towards Ashlyn. His tall and muscr figure inspired fear as his eyes tilted down. He hovered over the beautifuldy in front of him. Jared¡¯s subordinates are pretty loyal to her. They even barricaded the door to try to stop me. Ashlyn was somewhat surprised. She had trained all of her subordinates personally, and every single one of them were skilled fighters. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to call them the best of the best. Yet Lucas can beat them even when they go after him altogether? And he even knocked them out? Ashlyn had always known that Lucas was a powerful fighter, but she never realized that he was that strong. Just how powerful is this man? Ashlyn thought that she knew that ex of hers well, but the truth seemed to be that they were both hiding things from each other and pretending the entire time. ¡°I¡¯m tired,¡± said Lucas before he turned around and sat on Ashlyn¡¯s soft bed. He could smell her unique scent exuding from her pillow. He took a deep breath before heid down shamelessly and closed his eyes. Yes, this is what I¡¯ve been missing. This peace and serenity. All of Lucas¡¯ anxieties, worries, and irritation faded out, and all that was left within him was tranquility. Lucas felt as if he had been in a swirling storm the entire time, but the waves suddenly left without a trace. Not even a ripple was in sight. It was as if all those negative emotions never existed in the first ce. Not even heaven could understand the kind of insanity he felt when he tilted his head up earlier and saw that Ashlyn had left. A single thought kept running in his mind. Get her back! I have to get her back. ¡°Why the hell did youe to my ce?¡± protested Ashlyn angrily and exasperatedly. She got her hairdryer and turned around furiously. However¡­ Is Lucas asleep? That manid on my bed with his shoes and clothes on, and just slept? ¡­ There seems to be dark bags under his eyes, though. He must be exhausted. Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Has he not been sleeping well? Ashlyn frowned. After that, she gripped her hairdryer a little before she went to the other room to blow dry it. When she was done drying her hair, she returned and saw that the man looked like he was sleeping soundly. Ashlyn nned on going to bed early because she had an early morning the next day. However, Lucas had taken over her bed, and she honestly didn¡¯t want to be involved with that man anymore. She put her hairdryer aside and shifted her gaze to the man on the bed. She was about to cover the guy up with a nket when Lucas suddenly opened his eyes and red at her. Ashlyn¡¯s wrist was gripped at the very next second. ¡°You¡¯re done drying your hair?¡± asked Lucas in a sexy, deep voice while his eyes remained bloodshot. ¡°Let me go,¡± demanded Ashlyn through gritted teeth. Her beautiful face had turned red from anger. ¡°Are you blushing? You¡¯re not shy, are you?¡± asked Lucas as his throat went dry. His handsome face shone with shards of lust. The room was filled with Ashlyn¡¯s scent, and he loved it. A room like that, with Ashlyn¡¯s scent in it, was better and more calming than all thevenders in the world. Lucas extended his other arm and pulled her into his embrace. After that, the man turned to his side and immediately hugged Ashlyn tightly. Ashlyn was, in effect, forced to be the man¡¯s hug pillow. She red at the ridiculously handsome man and was a little annoyed. ¡°Lucas Nn!¡± Lucas shushed and put his fingers on her lips, which were as soft as rose petals. ¡°What on earth do you want?¡± growled Ashlyn evilly. The response she got was the silence in the room. All she could hear was the man¡¯s strong heart beating like a drum, and his even breathing echoing. He fell asleep again? Within those few seconds? That¡¯s crazy! Ashlyn twisted and turned in Lucas¡¯ arms and shifted her position to turn to him. That was when she saw an incredibly handsome face that could move heaven and earth. Under the dim light, Lucas¡¯ long eyshes curved slightly upwards. His stunningly dark eyes were closed at that moment, but his cute nose and sexy lips were in in sight. He had a little beard on his chin, and that made him look a little¡­ crude? Ashlyn pictured Lucas as a crude man, and she couldn¡¯t help but grin at that funny image. Her beautiful eyes narrowed as she tried to break free of the man¡¯s hold on her, but he had locked her in tightly. To make matters worse, the man was ridiculously strong, so she couldn¡¯t get away. Ashlyn was utterly speechless. I wouldn¡¯t have believed that the guy hasn¡¯t been sleeping well if he didn¡¯t just fall asleep in a matter of seconds. Still, did the guy purposely force himself awake over the past few days? Or is there an actual valid reason he hasn¡¯t been sleeping soundly? Something feels off about this¡­ Before Ashlyn knew it, she turned groggy and was asleep as well. Ashlyn was already asleep when the Spirogyra in her body shuffled its chubby figure and sniffed around using its tiny nose. It detected its favorite scent, so it opened its eyes slowly and spread its tiny wings. It fidgeted around the woman¡¯s body for a while, but it stopped soon after and settled down. It then curled up once more and napped again. It just so happened that it was napping at the spot where Lucas and Ashlyn were holding each other close. Their hearts were pressed together with only their skin and clothes keeping the two organs apart. The chubby Spirogyraid in the position that made it look like cupid¡¯s invincible arrow had prated both hearts, and the Spirogyra was the arrowhead. The night dwelled on, and the sky somehow seemed lovelier. Lucas opened his eyes slowly and stared at the woman in his arms. Her breathing was even, and that got Lucas to grin. Her skin was soft, and her facial features were on point, so when she was sleeping like that, she looked like an innocent baby. Her guard was turned offpletely, and she looked so helpless that it discouraged anyone from disrupting her sleep. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Lucas felt much more energetic after his nap, but the serenity he felt made him feel toofortable to move. Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Lucas felt contented just by looking at her face and encircling her in his arms. His empty heart was filled to the brim with happiness in an instant. Before this, he always had the feeling that something was missing; but now, he feltplete as if the missing piece were finally back into ce. He fixed his gaze on Ashlyn¡¯s sleeping face and couldn¡¯t help giving her a light peck on the forehead. Pulling her closer in his arms, he eventually fell back asleep. The other day, Ashlyn woke up to find that the sky was bright outside the window. She quickly got up, frowning slightly after taking a look at her phone; it was already past nine o¡¯clock. Probably Lucas had turned off her rm before he left, so that was why she woke upte. She would wake up feeling grumpy if she failed to have a good night¡¯s sleep thest night. Being an attentive man, Lucas was well aware of that, and he had his own way of dealing with her morning grumpiness. He was definitely good husband material, but sadly, they had no feelings for each other. Ashlyn finished her morning routine and headed downstairs. Today, she had promised Mr. Field that she would go to the concert hall. As she reached the corner of the staircase, she was astonished at the sight of the living room. What¡¯s going on? The whole living room was carpeted with flowers. There were a total of nine hundred and ny-nine red roses in the middle of the living room, forming the word ¡®Ashlyn¡¯. Light blue baby¡¯s breaths had overspread the outer region, which further entuated the delicate and blossoming red roses. The fragrance of the roses permeated the entire house. Countless balloons of different colors were floating in the air; each of the balloons had a ribbon attached with them that contained a message written on it. ¡°Good morning, honey!¡± ¡°I wish you all the happiness in the world.¡± Most of them weremon blessings. I didn¡¯t know Lucas is such a romantic person¡­ All he ever does is buy me pieces of fine jewelry and designer handbags¡­ Today, he is different from his usual self. What¡¯s with the drastic change of attitude? Ashlyn was surprised, and a swell of emotions surged in her heart. It would be every woman¡¯s dream to wake up to find herself surrounded by a sea of flowers and balloons; no woman could say no to this fairy-tale romance. The feelings of affection arose in her heart, but it dissipated like a bubble popped at the touch of the finger the moment she caught glimpse of a message on one of the ribbons, which wrote Honey, I want to eat beef stew. The romantic vibe was blown away in an instant. She caught sight of the messages on other ribbons. ¡±Honey, I miss your apple pie.¡± ¡°I love vani ice cream milkshake, especially on a hot summer day.¡± ¡°I like duck confit the best.¡± ¡­ She doubted that he was not romancing her but was trying to order dishes instead. Ashlyn grabbed hold of the balloons floating before her and hurled them onto the floor, stomping on them in an attempt to pop them. Ugh! My ex-husband is an idiot! She red at her subordinates and ordered fiercely, ¡°Throw them out! The flowers! The balloons! All of them!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± The next second, she changed her mind and gave a new order, ¡°Throw them at the entrance of South Star Airlines!¡± ¡°Um¡­ Yes, Ms. Berry.¡± Her subordinates, which were all burly men,plied and started with the clean-up. *** Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. At the South Star Airlines headquarters, people were streaming in and out of the building. Suddenly, a few ck and shy luxury cars pulled up in front of the building. A few burly men, each of them holding numerous fresh roses in their arms, got out of the cars and started decorating at the entrance. After that, they carried countless baby¡¯s breaths out of the car,ying them around the roses. The passersby were rubbernecking as they thought someone was going to propose or confess to one of the many beautiful workers from South Star Airlines. When they got closer, they noticed that there were bouquets of balloons floating mid-air just above where the rosesid; each balloon had a long silky ribbon attached to them. The scene was picturesque; the crowd could sense romance in the air. However, everyone gaped when they saw the words written on the ribbons. Chapter 235 Chapter 235 It wrote, Lucas Nn, I don¡¯t care if you are craving for beef stew, vani ice-cream milkshake, or apple pie! Please turn left! You¡¯ll find delicious cuisines eight kilometers away! Reservation Hotline: 1 XXX- XXX-XXXX. Everyone was scratching their heads in confusion. What is going on? It seems like this is not a confession¡­ ¡°Maybe these are Mr. Nn¡¯s favorite food?¡± ¡°I never expect Mr. Nn to fancy these homely meals.¡± ¡°I was thinking the same¡­ I thought Mr. Nn would prefer dishes made from expensive air-freighted ingredients like Boston lobster, France steak, or some of the most famous red wines¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Nn¡¯s taste is nothing different from us!¡± ¡°I love vani ice cream milkshake as well, and I too especially enjoy it during the summer days!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Mr. Nn and I have simr tastes when ites to food. Apple pie is my favorite!¡± ¡°Mr. Nn is so down to earth!¡± A heated discussion over Lucas¡¯s taste and preference for food erupted in the crowd. South Star Airlines had always been a ce full of beautiful and handsome flight attendants, andter became one of the most Instagram-able spots in the city. A social media influencer, whose name was called Mini Pig, had recorded a video on the spot and posted it on TikTok. Although she was not a mega influencer, the video surged in poprity because of its intriguing thumbnail which said: #Do you think the 999 roses are used for a confession? You¡¯re wrong! They are used to order dishes! She even wrote down the two sentences: ¡¯lease turn left! You¡¯ll find delicious cuisines eight kilometers away! This was set as a still frame thatsted for about two minutes before the video faded into ck so that the fans could read the words clearly. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The video was being shared on various social media tforms by theizens; they were all amused by the two sentences. ¡°Is this some kind of hard sell marketing strategy of a restaurant? This restaurant is definitely a badass!¡± ¡°I think this is some restaurant¡¯s marketing strategy. By the way, does anyone know what is the restaurant located eight kilometers away?¡± ¡°I think it is Imperial Hotel!¡± ¡°Maybe Imperial Hotel has joined hands with South Star Airlines toe up with this publicity stunt?¡± ¡°They even mentioned Mr. Nn¡¯s full name! What the hell is going on?¡± ¡°I think this is not a publicity stunt. If it really is a stunt, the publicity department and the strategic- nning department won¡¯t dare to mention Mr. Nn¡¯s full name!¡± ¡°This video is priceless! I¡¯m going to share it!¡± ¡°I think those two sentences are a retort directed at Mr. Nn¡­ I have the feeling that I¡¯ve found the truth!¡± ¡°I was thinking the same as well¡­ It seems to me that someone was retorting Mr. Nn!¡± When theizens shared the video, they also tagged it with other posts for cross-referencing. #999 Roses Used To Retort Mr. Nn #Goodness! You Can¡¯t Retort Someone Without 999 Roses #Have You Bought Roses Today? #Turn Left! Imperial Hotel Is Eight Kilometers Away! #Do You Want Some Apple Pie? #How About A Vani Ice-cream Milkshake? The creativeizens hade up with all sorts of witty tags. The video became the most popr video on TikTok in no time, with nearly ten million reposts. Its poprity caused the growth of Mini Pig¡¯s fan base. Before this, she only had five thousand fans, but her fanbase grew exponentially after she had posted the video. From ten thousand fans to twenty thousand, thirty thousand, forty thousand¡­ Mini Pig was stunned, and her mind was muddled as she stared at the screen of her phone; her number of fans was going to exceed a million at any moment. The numbers were still growing exponentially after it hit a million. Everyone was amused with the entertaining and funny tags. Suddenly, Mini Pig saw Lucas reposting her video with a tag saying: #My mischievous Mrs. Nn, you won¡¯t cook for me. Instead, you asked me to go to Imperial Hotel, the restaurant well-known for its difficulty in getting a reservation. Are you nning to starve your husband to death? Mini Pig was bewildered. Lucas Nn reposted my video! It can¡¯t be fake, right? Or is it an imposter? Chapter 236 Chapter 236 She clicked into his user profile just to find that within seconds after reposting the video, the identity of the user, ¡®Lucas Nn¡¯, was verified as the president of Nn Group and South Star Airlines. It was really Lucas Nn! This created another uproar on the inte asizens flooded thement section. ¡°Oh my god! Mr. Nn reposted the video! Does this mean that Mrs. Nn was really the one who retorted Mr. Nn with 999 roses?¡± ¡°What a bold act! Mrs. Nn, please ept my knees!¡± ¡°Is this really not some marketing strategy? My gut feeling tells me that it is just a publicity stunt.¡± ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Nn are indeed working on their public persona recently!¡± ¡°Are they trying to portray themselves as a lovey-dovey couple?¡± ¡°Mrs. Nn is already everywhere on Twitter¡­ Is she going to extend her influence over TikTok?¡± ¡°Is this a preparation for her debut?¡± ¡°I still suspect that Imperial Hotel has joined hands with South Star Airlines.¡± #I Can Never Understand The Rich, Using 999 Roses Just To Retort Mr. Nn #Mrs. Nn Retorting Mr. Nn #Mrs. Nn Showing You The Imperial Hotel #Poor Mr. Nn Is Going To Starve In the president¡¯s office, Lucas was sitting in his leather chair with a cold expression on his face, and his eyes were full of fury. He was hungry, and his rumbling stomach was constantly reminding him of what happened this morning. Before he left the house this morning, he had googled on how to win back a lover¡¯s heart and found a post that suggested he send flowers and gifts. Without a second thought, he ordered nine hundred and ny-nine roses, baby¡¯s breaths, balloons and ribbons to give her a surprise. But look at how things turned out? In the end, that woman embarrassed him right in front of South Star Airlines using the flowers and balloons that he bought. He was enraged upon seeing what she had done. The workers and the executives had looked at him with strange expressions on their faces the entire day. Isn¡¯t she happy to receive roses? But it seems like she is mad¡­ She even dares to retort in my face! Things had gotten out of hand when someone posted the video on TikTok. Some parody ounts even posted the video on Twitter. Perspiration was forming on Spencer¡¯s forehead as he stood nervously in the office, looking at the man in his ck suit standing by the window. He could tell that Lucas was furious just by looking at his back figure. Lucas nearly ground his teeth t. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. He wanted to ask that ignorant woman why did she insult him like that. Have I done something wrong? Am I not romantic? Doesn¡¯t she like the roses? With his face clouded over, he turned around and made his way towards the door. Spencer was slightly bewildered, but he immediately followed suit. Lucas entered the elevator inrge strides. Being intimated by Lucas¡¯s domineering aura, Spencer stood at one corner of the elevator to stay further away from him. He felt sorry for Ms. Berry who had given Mr. Nn a p in the face. Lucas got out of the elevator and strode towards the main entrance. In an instant, the roses and baby¡¯s breaths came into sight. It was such a lovely sight, except for the ribbons. Lucas fixed his gaze on the words on the ribbons. He was surprised when he saw the words being written in admirable calligraphy. The familiar handwriting belonged to Ashlyn! He had seen her handwriting only twice; the first time was when they registered for their marriage, and the second time was when she signed the divorce papers. He had long known that she had beautiful and neat handwriting when she wrote with a fountain pen. However, he had no idea that she was proficient in the art of calligraphy. Inexplicably, his anger vanished into thin air when he looked at her handwritten messages on the ribb Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Lucas reached his hand for the balloon and removed the ribbon from it gently as if he were afraid that he might damage the ribbon. Then, he retraced his steps back to his office. Spencer was rendered speechless by his series of conducts. A moment earlier, Mr. Nn was fuming, but now he is grinning from ear to ear while holding a piece of ribbon. The workers of South Star Airlines instantly retrieved their gaze and resumed their work in hand as Lucas walked past them. Their minds were flooded with questions. Mr. Nn looked angry when he just came out of the elevator, but why is he all smiles right now? Lucas was back in his office, looking attentively at the handwriting on the ribbon. The lines and curves of each alphabet were inch-perfect, written in such harmonious and skillful manner. He couldn¡¯t help eximing internally, Now that¡¯s perfect calligraphy! He was in such a good mood that he decided to sign up and verify his TikTok ount, where he reposted the video and tagged it with his own response. The video went viral in no time. Mini Pig now had millions of fans due to Lucas reposting the video. Numerous advertisers had approached her, seeking to cooperate with her and advertise on her TikTok ount. Some influencer training academy had invited her to be a tutor and share her experience on the road to fame. She was taking pictures at South Star Airlines when the incident happened, so she recorded a video of it. She was still confused by the fact that she had shot to fame all of a sudden because of the video. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. If it weren¡¯t for Mr. and Mrs. Nn, she would never have be famous. The parody ounts on Twitter were all sharing the video to attract more followers. Lucas¡¯s TikTok ount now had millions of fans. The incident created a frenzy on the inte; it was a revelry of theizens. On the other hand, Imperial Hotel, which was supposed to be in the limelight, had kept a low profile. The imperial Hotel authority didn¡¯t make any response, neither did it retweet the video. They chose to stay out of this matter as if they had nothing to do with it. *** In the State Concert Hall, all the performers had arrived early in the morning. Instead of hiring professional performers, each department was required to send a few workers every year to perform at the National Day G Night to show that they attached great importance to the event. Each department from differentpanies had sent their workers; almost all of them were outstanding female workers. The number of male workers could be counted on one hand; it seemed like they were here to complement the female workers. It was an honor to show their face as a performer in the G Night. Those who were qualified to appear in the show either came from a wealthy family or had a strong background. Apart from that, some of them were being chosen as performers because they were good- looking. Undoubtedly, it was more likely to have drama and conflicts in a ce where these people gathered around. Hence, Lake City¡¯s National Day G Night would end up being mediocre every year and receive lower viewership ratings whenpared to G Nights from other TV channels. The producing director and co-producers were all hired from the music academy and the television station. Even though the co-producers were capable at work, they came from ordinary families with no special background. Throughout the rehearsal, the performers wouldin that the duration of the show was too short, their lines were unremarkable, their costumes were too ugly, and etc. The co-producers were troubled by their grumbles, but they couldn¡¯t afford to offend any one of the performers. As a result, the show would end up being mediocre and receive low viewership ratings. This year, James wished to restore proper work etiquette to produce a better show. Chapter 238 Chapter 238 A thought came to his mind when he remembered that his wife had a close rtionship with Ashlyn. In the hall, Lisa was eating peanuts and chatting with her other female colleagues. ¡°I heard they hired a new producing director this year.¡± ¡°I wonder if she is young¡­¡± ¡°Rumor has it that Mr. Field has found an expert this time.¡± They were trading rumors and gossips with each other. Some female performers from otherpanies joined their conversation. ¡°I wonder if she is pretty.¡± With a surly expression on her face, J cast a nce at the three co-producers standing not far away and kicked up a fuss, ¡°Last year, I yed no leading parts at all. My parts were so insignificant that my father had to wait all night just to see me on the screen for two seconds.¡± Another performer startedining, ¡°Me too! I was annoyed because our show was scheduled as thest few performances. My grandma almost fell asleep waiting for my turn to perform.¡± Thedies were expressing their dissatisfaction with the co-producers. The co-producers stood in the corner of the hall; none of them dared to utter a word. With a smug smile on her face, J continued to stir the pot by saying, ¡°If the new producing director is ipetent, we should protest and ask them to rece her with someone else.¡± Just then, they heard a calm voiceing from outside the door. ¡°Excuse me, may I know who is it that you want to rece?¡± The performers unanimously turned to look in the direction of the doorway. A tall and svelte figure was walking toward them. It was a woman in white sportswear and she was wearing a pair of clunky sneakers. The dim light shone on her like a spotlight, but they couldn¡¯t see her features as half of her face was hidden under the baseball cap that she was wearing. Her silky ck hair was tied into a long ponytail, which swayed slightly following the rhythm of her footsteps. Ashlyn stepped on the stage and raised her head slightly. At that instant, everyone was dumbfounded by her beauty when they finally saw her face. She is gorgeous! Unbelievably stunning! Her facial features were a perfectbination of dazzling eyes, dainty nose and soft pink lips. Although she didn¡¯t have any make-up on her face, her skin was wless. They were also taken aback by her distinguished and imposing aura. Those who were in the hall hade across many leaders and superiors in theirpany. Therefore, they knew that that kind of imposing aura was a trait exclusive to high-ranking leaders. How is it possible for a youngdy like her to have such a strong aura? Ashlyn remained expressionless as she cast a nce over the disunited group of extras. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She pped her hands and summoned them, ¡°Gather around.¡± ¡°Why should we listen to your order?¡± J muttered. J¡¯s grandfather was a colonel. Before he retired, he had secured a post for J to work as Mr. Field¡¯s clerk. Some of Mr. Field¡¯s aides were once the colonel¡¯s students, so they were helpful and caring towards her. As time went by, J started to be full of herself, thinking that she was superior to others. Lisa returned to her senses upon hearing J¡¯s words. She took a step forward and asked in disbelief, ¡°Ms. Berry, what brings you here?¡± Ashlyn raised her brow as she replied, ¡°Ms. Langley, nice to meet you again.¡± Without bothering to wait for Lisa¡¯s reply, she presented her staff ID and introduced herself, ¡°My name is Ashlyn, and this is my staff ID. From today onwards, I will be the producing director of the National Day G Night. I look forward to working together with all of you.¡± Lisa came up to Ashlyn and asked skeptically, ¡°Ms. Berry, howe you are our producing director? You¡¯re so young¡­ What are you capable of?¡± Although she appeared to be showing concern for Ashlyn, everyone knew that she was trying to embarrass Ashlyn. However, none of them stopped her because what Lisa asked was also their concern. Ashlyn smiled wryly as she looked at Lisa. ¡°Ms. Langley, please gather with the other performers. I am here at the personal request of Mr. Field. You canmunicate with Mr. Field if you have any opinions, but none of you have a say in whether I should stay or leave.¡± Chapter 239 Chapter 239 ¡°You will all soon witness my abilities,¡± she said with a stern nce. She turned her head and looked at the three co-producers before saying, ¡°Fellow producers, I am expecting full cooperation from you in the future.¡± ¡°Yes, Producing Director Berry,¡± the three mentors responded quickly and masked their stunned expressions. This girl may seem young, but she has a strong aura. A single look from her could send chills down someone¡¯s spine. She was indeed an intimidating person. A fewdies were eyeing Ashlyn¡¯s outfit. Sneaker enthusiasts would recognize that the clunky sneakers she wore were worth 6 figures. It was a collector¡¯s item. Most people would have it kept away instead of wearing it. The sportswear set that she wore may look simple, yet it was thetest 2021 spring collection design from a renowned international brand originating from Italy. In fact, it had not been released in the market¡­ How did she get her hands on these items? Her outfit is probably worth the price of an apartment! Although many of the performers from the group livedfortable lives, none were as wealthy as her. She must be extremely wealthy. They were quickly distracted by the group of men that entered the studio. They wheeled little carts that were filled with boxes. Everyone looked at them with confused expressions. What is happening? Someone gasped in shock as soon as they saw the logo printed on the carts and boxes. Isn¡¯t that a famous international brand that specializes in dance shoes? Why are there so many? Lisa was so surprised that her eyes bulged in astonishment. Is Ashlyn really that incredible? What¡¯s with all these shoes? J was also surprised. A few extras who were active on Twitter recognized Ashlyn. Isn¡¯t she Jared¡¯s girlfriend? Why is Jared being so generous to her? I guess having a rich guy as a boyfriend is pretty sweet. ¡°A performer is like a soldier going to a battlefield. A soldier requires a good set of guns to win the war. Therefore, these dance shoes are for everyone,¡± Ashlyn said inly. The men who wheeled the carts began to distribute the shoes to everyone as soon as she said so. Everyone was dumbfounded when they held the box in their hands. Many of them were skeptical while others were astounded. These shoes cost around 20 grand per pair! Everyone opened their respective boxes and saw identical pairs of ck dance shoes in various sizes. They were rendered speechless at the sight of the dance shoes. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°These are not fake, are they?¡± J asked cynically. ¡°Feel free to inspect it yourself,¡± Ashlyn responded coldly. Someone in the crowd said softly, ¡°It¡¯s authentic, it really is.¡± Everyone, including Lisa and the co-producers, were in shock. It must have cost a lot of money! There were at least a hundred extras in the Concert Hall. Yet everyone received a pair of shoes that cost 20 grand! Even J, who had a noble background, could not have pulled this off. Everyone was in utter shock. Everyone belonged to different departments, so their wages varied. No one expected Ashlyn to gift them such expensive gifts. ¡°I hope everyone will cooperate with me,¡± Ashlyn said impassively. ¡°Learn your dance well and work hard to put on a good performance.¡± J thought to herself, She¡¯s just living off the Smith family¡¯s money. How dare she act all high and mighty! At this moment, the workers opened up thest box. Ashlyn pointed at different spots around the room as she instructed, ¡°Install the equipment properly. Put that here, and that goes there.¡± Everyone was confused as they looked at Ashlyn questioningly. The crowd widened their eyes in surprise when they saw the advanced equipment installed around the studio. A single set of that high-tech equipment would cost millions! The exterior of the equipment and its brand logo promised that it would not disappoint. The equipment must possess advanced features that could produce rich sound quality! Chapter 240 Chapter 240 This equipment was produced by the bestpany in the industry! ¡°Did shee here to show off her wealth?¡± A woman asked disapprovingly. ¡°Why is she acting so high and mighty when all of this was bought with Jared¡¯s money?¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°I bet all she does is sit and look pretty. She doesn¡¯t seem capable of doing anything right.¡± Although they had all received Ashlyn¡¯s gifts, they were still feeling indignant. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s distribute the program list to everyone now. Everyone will be randomly grouped to avoid bias,¡± Ashlyn said as she took out a lottery box. ¡°Let¡¯s draw lots,¡± she said as she pulled out a name list. ¡°The G night consists of 15 programs in total, with two hours of showtime. There will be two dance performances, six song performances, two song-and-dance performances, and five sketches. Therefore, drawing lots will determine which program you shall perform in.¡± Everyone drew lots for the performance category and the specific performances. J was unhappy when she found out she had to prepare a sketch. She believed she had a good voice and hoped to perform a solo. Lisa was also displeased as she was not capable of dancing, but that was exactly what she got. The room was instantly filled with groans of dissatisfaction. ¡°Ugh, I can¡¯t sing!¡± ¡°Oh man, I can¡¯t dance.¡± ¡°I wanted to perform in a sketch.¡± Everyone was not pleased with the oue of the draw. Ashlyn scanned the grumbling crowd. At this moment, her phone rang. ¡°Yes, head South. If you can¡¯t find the ce, you can ask the guard.¡± Moments after she hung up the phone, a tall blonde man followed by a team stepped into the Concert Hall. Everyone was stunned when they saw the appearance of the man clearly. One of the co-producers widened his eyes in surprise as he rushed over to the man and gushed, ¡°Mr. Pierre, is that you?¡± The co-producer¡¯s excited behavior sent the crowd into confusion. Then, it hit them and the crowd went wild. ¡°Is that really the world-ss choreographer ¨C Mr. Pierre?¡± ¡°Are you sure? Is that really him?¡± ¡°Oh my! I think I might faint.¡± ¡°How is possible to meet Mr. Pierre here?¡± J inhaled sharply as she stared at Mr. Pierre in disbelief. She had attended vocal and dance sses since she was a kid. Hence, it was no surprise that she recognized world-ss choreographers. Mr. Pierre was a world-ss choreographer who was skilled in many different dance styles. Not only had he won numerous awards, but many celebrities in showbiz would also appoint him as their choreographer. How does Ashlyn have connections with someone so prominent? J thought to herself, was there something going on between her and Mr. Pierre? Mr. Pierre¡¯s appearance had caused many jaws to drop. Even the three co-producers were asking for photos and signatures as they gazed at him with admiration. Only Ashlyn remained nonchnt. Lisa walked over to Ashlyn and asked skeptically, ¡°Ms. Berry, how did you invite such a big shot?¡± ¡°Well, he enjoys the food from Imperial Hotel,¡± Ashlyn answered inly. ¡°If so, he could just reserve a table!¡± Lisa countered, looking puzzled. Ashlyn¡¯s gaze remained steady and emotionless. ¡°The Imperial Hotel offered him an exclusive seat.¡± Lisa could not wrap her head around the entire situation. The Imperial Hotel offered him an exclusive seat which requires no reservation¡­ So what does that have to do with Ashlyn? And what does it have to do with Mr. Pierre taking part in this production? ¡°Why don¡¯t I understand what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to,¡± Ashlyn said as she expressionlessly scanned the room. She would never tell Lisa that she had specially approved Mr. Pierre¡¯s exclusive seat and included a 30% VIP discount card. The Imperial Hotel was expensive. Hence, a 30% discount would save him a lot of money. Mr. Pierre was overjoyed. However, puzzlement gued him. He could not understand why a talented dancer like Ashlyn would choose to start up a restaurant. Nevertheless, since Ashlyn had made the request, he could not turn her down. Ashlyn looked at the excited crowd and said, ¡°From today onwards, Mr. Pierre will be in charge of all dance performance projects. Simrly, the three remaining co-producers will be responsible for the song performances and sketches.¡± Chapter 241 Chapter 241 She paused before continuing, ¡°The results of the ballot are out. Those of you who are unsatisfied with the program you drew, don¡¯t even think about changing roles with others. With me as the director, I won¡¯t allow such abuse of power to happen on this stage!¡± When the other co-producers heard that Pierre would be in charge of the dance routines, they were stunned. So he¡¯s really here to teach¡­ This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The choreographer¡¯s eyes were bright as she stared at Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, could I consult Mr. Pierre as well?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°Wonderful!¡± The other woman eximed in joy. Just then, Pierre entered with his team. Each of the members of his team were incredibly capable dancers. Thus, the first day of practice began. Everyone had their own part to y and would need to give it their all if they wanted the entire program to be a sess. J Smith waspletely exhausted. The y she was practicing for was about anti-corruption and she was acting as a young director who kept a lot of secrets from her superiors and subordinates. Her role was an important character and Ashlyn was extremely demanding about how the character should be. J was less than pleased when she discovered she had to act in this y. It was not as glorious and amazing as having a solo singing performance. An hour of practiceter and she plonked herself down in a chair grumpily. Her tone was annoyed as sheined, ¡°That¡¯s it! I¡¯m so tired!¡± ¡°Is that so? Then I¡¯ll just have to find you a recement. I guess your department would send another person over right away.¡± With that said, Ashlyn took out her phone. J¡¯s temper red. She was tired, thirsty and all she wanted to do was rest. ¡°Who do you think you are? Don¡¯t assume yourself as some hotshot official who can boss everybody around just because of who you know! Let me tell you, my grandfather is ¨C ¡° Ashlyn cut her off, ¡°I don¡¯t care who your grandfather is. As long as you¡¯re here, you¡¯ll have to listen to me. You¡¯re J Smith, right? I can always just switch you out for another actor.¡± Realizing Ashlyn was not going to give in so easily, J changed her tactic. ¡°Who wrote this damn y anyway? It¡¯s so terrible!¡± Normally, an important celebration like the National Day G Night would have schrs with better literary talents to in charge of scriptwriting. This was why J felt like whoever had written this y must be some small-time writer. ¡°I don¡¯t care. You have to change my parts to something simpler. This is just too hard!¡± She then moved over to Lisa¡¯s side. ¡°Lisa, let¡¯s change roles. Youe and act in the y while I¡¯ll dance.¡± Lisa found herself in a difficult position. Acting in a y required a mastery of one¡¯s facial expressions and the ability to slip into the required role seamlessly. Inparison, dancing was a lot easier, especially since their teacher was a well-known master choreographer. Being able to learn from him was a rare opportunity indeed. No matter how bad she was at dancing, she was still unwilling to give up on the chance to interact with Pierre. Maybe she could even use this incident to benefit herself¡­ Decision made, Lisa replied, ¡°Forget about it. Ms. Berry specifically said we couldn¡¯t change roles for personal gain.¡± Finished speaking, she turned around and threw herself back into practice. J was so mad that steam wasing out of her ears. ¡°I need to go to the restroom.¡± ¡­ In the restroom. J was sitting in the toilet, wearing a pitiful look on her face as she talked on the phone. ¡°Grandpa, I really have no idea how to act in a y! Could you talk to Mr. Field, please? That Ashlyn Berry is really infuriating! She¡¯s deliberately picking on me! That woman is just a pretty face using her rtionship with Jared Quickton to boss us around! God knows why Mr. Field would think so highly of her. What capabilities could she possibly have?¡± ¡°Grandpa¡­ My face is aching so badly with all the smiling I¡¯ve been doing in practice!¡± ¡°You¡¯re on good terms with Mr. Field, so he¡¯ll definitely agree to help. Please?¡± ¡°Such a simple matter yet you still need my help. Fine, fine. I¡¯ll have a chat with him.¡± J¡¯s lips curled up into a smug smirk when she finally heard her grandfather speak. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa!¡± Chapter 242 Chapter 242 ¡°Alright. What would you like for dinner? I¡¯ll have the kitchen staff prepare ahead of time.¡± The old man questioned. ¡°Oxtail soup, buffalo wings and steak.¡± J spouted the first few things she could think of before hanging up. Hmph! Ashlyn Berry, let¡¯s see who¡¯s more powerful, you or Mr. Fields! Grandpa Smith had been a military man his whole life. There was nothing he hated more than people who did not have any abilities and yet used their connections to others to get into positions of authority. He believed without a doubt that what his granddaughter said was true. That left him a terrible impression of Ashlyn Berry. Just what¡¯s going on with James? Why would he appoint her as the director? After he ended the call with J, Grandpa Smith called James. ¡°James, I heard from my granddaughter that you hired a young woman as the director for the National Day G Night?¡± ¡°Hello, Sir. Yes, that¡¯s right. She¡¯s quite good,¡± James answered with a smile. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± The displeasure in Grandpa Smith¡¯s voice was obvious, ¡°She¡¯s refusing to let my girl perform a vocal solo. You know how J has been performing solo every single year. She has been learning how to dance and sing since she was young. Why is she suddenly being dragged to perform in a y this year?¡± Immediately, James understood what had happened. Ashlyn must have been decisive and bold in her actions which somehow pissed off J. ¡°Sir, Ms. Berry is a superb and outstanding woman. I have full confidence in her abilities to make the performance a sess. J has been singing year after year and people are starting to get bored. Her acting in a y would be something new to draw their attention and is a good idea.¡± James stated. Enraged at the other man¡¯s words, Grandpa Smith ended the call right there. ¡°Forgotten all about me now that you¡¯ve spread your wings, have you? Hmph!¡± He would not let this matter go so easily. In no time at all, news spread about what had happened. All those who had been itching to change their roles as well were quick to put the idea out of their minds. They thought they would demand a change too if J had seeded in her endeavors. But then¡­ Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. J could have screamed in fury. Even her grandfather personally asking for help from James was to no avail. The idea to quit the performance had urred to her but she was reluctant to actually leave the stage. This was technically also another chance for her to show off her talents. How could she just leave? Especially since there would be judges giving their scores after the performances ended. She would even receive a certificate. This was the kind of thing one could write in their resumes. With no other choice, she gritted her teeth and went back to practicing for the y. The others noted how even she could not change Ashlyn¡¯s mind and quietly returned to their own practice. They did not dare use any of their own connections. A quiet and shy-looking woman had registered for a cello performance. Ashlyn was currently sitting beside her. ¡°Charlotte Lynch. You¡¯re going to perform Cello Suite No. 1 by Bach?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charlotte¡¯s big doe eyes stared at the woman beside, shining innocently. She looked young and had probably only started working recently, which exined why there was a slightly timid look in her eyes. ¡°y it for me.¡± Ashlyn ordered. ¡°Huh?¡± Charlotte had been learning to y cello since young and thought she was pretty good at it. She had originally intended on practicing a little before going home. This ce was too noisy, giving her a headache and causing her to feel incredibly ufortable. That was why she was surprised at Ashlyn¡¯s words. Ashlyn raised a sculpted eyebrow. ¡°Is there something wrong? Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t do it?¡± Noticing the shy expression in the younger woman¡¯s eyes, she smiled. The smile lit up her face beautifully, like how a flower blooms in sunlight. It was absolutely breathtaking! Charlotte stared at her dumbly, one thought running rampant through her mind. So beautiful! How can there be such a beautiful woman! ¡°Little girl, did something happen to youst time and hurt your feelings? Is that why you¡¯re so timid?¡± Ashlyn asked gently. ¡°No¡­¡± Charlotte turned her head away. She was no ¡®little girl¡¯; she was twenty years old this year. A grown woman! If it had not been for her Uncle L, she would not have entered herself into the performance in the first ce. Chapter 243 Chapter 243 ¡°Then y for me.¡± Ashlyn lifted her chin slightly. ¡°If you can¡¯t even y in front of me, how are you going to perform in front of the audiences on G Night itself? With all those formless and faceless people staring at you?¡± Charlotte bit her lip. ¡°I¡­¡± It took all of her resolve to ce her bow on the strings. Then, she started to y. Perhaps she was too nervous, she yed a few notes wrong. Ashlyn stopped her and focused her gaze on Charlotte. ¡°Don¡¯t be so tense. You need to rx your fingers a little so you can y the vibrato properly. Here, let me show you.¡± With that, Ashlyn took the bow and cello over and began to y, exining as she went. ¡°Be mindful of the upbows, downbows and how many notes you string together in one stroke. For the vibrato, the slower you move your fingers, the more drawn-out and mournful the sound would be.¡± The low humming of the cello rang out again, the melodious tune caught everyone¡¯s attention. Even the dancers had turned their heads to look. Ashlyn waspletely unaware of everybody else¡¯s reactions as she instructed Charlotte, ¡°See? If you move your fingers faster, the vibrato sounds a little more urgent and excited.¡± Finished ying the song, she handed the instrument back to the younger woman. ¡°Now, you try.¡± ¡°You¡­ You y better than my uncle!¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes were shining with admiration and awe as she stared at Ashlyn. She loved the cello and had been learning from her Uncle L since she was a young girl. ¡°You can do it!¡± Ashlyn encouraged with a grin. She was not the slightest bit curious about this uncle of Charlotte¡¯s. At the urging from other co-producers, everyone snapped out of the dreamlike haze they had been in. For a moment there, they had been lost in the divine music emanating from the cello. By the time Ashlyn emerged from the hall, it was already dark outside. She nced behind her at the various performers, taking in how they drooped like wilted flowers. Everyone was exhausted from the long day of practice. Waving goodbye to Pierre, she did not say anything more as she climbed into her Land Rover and prepared to leave. Just then, a ck Bentley came to a stop before her car. It was Lucas. She furrowed her brows and was just wondering what to do when her phone rang. The icy voice of Lucas came through the phone, ¡°Get off the car. I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Frowning, she asked in an equally chilly tone, ¡°I drove my own car here; why would I need you to bring me home?¡± She did not wait for a reply before she hung up. Starting up the engine, she headed for the Imperial Hotel. Half an hourter, she parked at the entrance of the hotel and Pierre did the same. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She shot a smirk at him and said, ¡°C¡¯mon, Pierre. Dinner¡¯s on me.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, are you sure you don¡¯t want to join the dancers? You have great talent!¡± Beside her, Pierre¡¯s voice carried a regretful tone as hemented. ¡°Not interested.¡± The two of them entered the hotel. From his position sitting in his car, Lucas was enraged when he saw how the two of them were all smiles as they headed inside. Another one? This man was clearly not that idiotic chef from Imperial Hotel. Lucas¡¯ expression was hard. No matter how he tried, he could not contain the jealousy that raged through him. It was a feeling he definitely did not like. Spencer sensed how the temperature in the car seemed to drop several degrees and he was mentally shuddered. Hmm, what¡¯s wrong with Mr. Nn this time? She¡¯s just eating with another man, not like there¡¯s anything intimate going on. Then again, he¡¯s always been a moody person. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t say anything. ¡­ In the restaurant of Imperial Hotel. Ashlyn and Pierre were chatting about the internationally popr dance styles recently as they ate. ¡°I heard that a lot of people are favoring the shoot dance.¡± Ashlyn mentioned. Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Yes. One of your local idols, Aiden, is particrly good at it. I like him.¡± Despite being a Frenchman, Pierre answered in fluent English. He had danced with Aiden several times before. The young man was handsome and talented. Most importantly, he was a hardworking and resilient man. He would definitely achieve great things in future. ¡°Aiden really is a very diligent man.¡± Ashlyn agreed. The mere mention of the man had her eyes sparkling brightly. Suddenly, all the lights turned off and the restaurant was plunged into darkness. The only source of light came from a neon green sign showed where the emergency exit was. The customers were stunned at first before dissatisfied murmuring broke out. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Is it a ckout?¡± ¡°Maybe something¡¯s wrong with the power?¡± ¡°What a way to ruin the mood!¡± The lobby manager hurried over to appease the customers. Even with his best efforts, there were still a lot of unhappy customers. ¡°We waited so long for a chance to eat here yet now there¡¯s no electricity!¡± ¡°What is the hotel management doing?¡± ¡°I made my reservation ten days beforehand to get a table!¡± ¡°I booked it eight days ahead.¡± Ashlyn knitted her brows and told Pierre, ¡°Excuse me. I¡¯ll go talk to the manager.¡± She stood up and took out her phone to turn on the shlight. Making her way over to the manager, who was still trying to cate everyone, she said, ¡°Send some staff out to buy candles and turn this into a candlelight dinner for everybody. Also, tell the kitchen staff to use the backup generator and ensure that the customers¡¯ food is delivered in a timely manner.¡± The manager wiped at the sweat beading on his forehead. ¡°Yes, Ms. Berry. Right away.¡± Next, she raised her voice slightly, ¡°Everyone, please be patient. The Imperial Hotel will definitely bring you a wonderful dining experience. I¡¯m the resident singer here. Now, I would like to sing a song for all of you. Those of you who know this song are weed to join in, alright?¡± While the customers continued to make a fuss, they suddenly heard a crisp and clear voice singing. Woah, my love, my darling I¡¯ve hungered for your touch A long, lonely time And time goes by so slowly And time can do so much Instantly, they forgot all about their frustrations and anger. The voice was sweet and mournful as it crooned the ssic song. While the original singer was a male, the female voice singing now added a slight touch of desperation and longing into it. It sunk into their bones and resonated in their hearts. It was as if her longing was a physical object tugging at their heartstrings. None of them had expected someone could inject so much sorrow into ¡®Unchained Melody¡¯. ¡°Howe I¡¯ve never heard of such a wonderful resident singer in the hotel?¡± ¡°Yeah, I know right? Those are some amazing vocals!¡± ¡°I bet she¡¯s about as good as Celine Dion!¡± ¡°She¡¯s so good!¡± They lost themselves in the beautiful vocals, at the voice that could make angels weep. Someone tried to get a better look at the singer¡¯s face through the darkness. Unable to do so, he stood up and shone his phone¡¯s shlight on her. Yet the woman raised a hand to cover her face. In the dim light of his phone, all that could be seen was her slender and curvy figure. Even so, it added a mysterious and alluring air to her. Everyone could already imagine what stunningly beautiful features would go with such a body. Pierre was utterly dumbstruck. Once again, Ashlyn had managed to surprise him. He thought she was an incredibly talented dancer, yet it was only now he knew that she had a great voice to match. God really did bless this woman. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. After she was done singing ¡®Unchained Melody¡¯, Ashlyn moved on to ¡®Memory¡¯. Midnight, not a sound from the pavement Has the moon lost her memory? She is smiling alone In themplight, the withered leaves collect at my feet And the wind begins to moan Everybody focused on that angelic voice, with some even recording the performance on their phones. To have run into a ckout while eating at the Imperial Hotel was already rare enough. Having such a wondrous voice singing to them was even more so. Chapter 245 Chapter 245 It was probably a once in a lifetime event. Somebody even uploaded the pitch-ck video to the inte. Just as Ashlyn finished her second song, the manager came running inside while sweating profusely. Behind him were several staff members carrying candles. ¡°My sincerest apologies, dearest guests. Our technicians are working as fast as they can to solve this problem and we¡¯ve also contacted the Power Supply Bureau. We¡¯ve brought you some candles so you may all enjoy a candlelit dinner. Tonight, everything shall be on the house!¡± Then, he instructed his staff to distribute the candles to various tables. Within minutes, the restaurant glittered like fireflies were dancing around inside. Needless to say, the atmosphere this created was indescribably romantic. Ashlyn took this opportunity to slip back into her seat across from Pierre. In the kitchen, the generator was growling loudly as it generated enough electricity so the kitchen staff could resume their duties. If that were ced in the dining area, the noise it created would have affected the customers¡¯ mood and dining experience. That was why Ashlyn decided on using candles instead. ¡°Ms. Berry, you¡¯re so amazing!¡± Pierre shot her thumbs up. ¡°You tter me. My singing is nothing special.¡± She stated calmly. ¡°Nothing special? You¡¯re even better than those professional singers!¡± He uttered incredulously. ¡°I know the director of a recordpany. I could give him your number and you could churn out some albums!¡± She lowered her eyes. ¡°Pierre, I¡¯m not interested. You have to keep this secret, okay?¡± ¡°I know, I know. Keep everything low profile and then some.¡± Admiration shone on his face as he stared at her. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± In the Power Supply Bureau. The two staff members on duty were trembling as they stared at the Satan who was sitting in the office with them. Satan, or moremonly known as President Nn, called their director earlier and ordered them to shut down the electricity supply toward Imperial Hotel. What the hell is this? Lucas had thought that by cutting off the electricity to Imperial Hotel, Ashlyn and that Frenchman would leave. And then what happened? The hotel was indeed the most high-ss restaurant in town and had the best business. They somehow came up with the idea to create candlelit dinners and waive the bills for their customers to ensure they did not leave. Rage burned in Lucas¡¯s dark eyes while a terrifying aura emanated from him. Not even a ckout is stopping her from eating with that damn man. Do I have to interrupt them personally? He stood up, his well-built body and tall height incredibly intimidating to the other two men in the room. The man was like abination of walking iceberg and an active volcano that was ready to explode at any moment. Exiting the building, Lucas got inside the car with his face looking as chilly as a block of ice. Spencer¡¯s voice was careful as he asked, ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Imperial Hotel.¡± Was the frosty reply. Spencer gulped as fear rose in him. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡­ Meanwhile, all social media sites were exploding with news about the ckout at Imperial Hotel. #ImperialHotelresidentsinger# #UnchainedMelody# #Memory# #IneverknewImperialHotelhadaresidentsinger# #voiceofanangel# Theizens were going crazy as they discussed the events at the Imperial Hotel. ¡°Oh my! I was just there having dinner!¡± ¡°Let me show you guys how romantic it is to eat a candlelit dinner!¡± ¡°Aww, I really want to have a candlelight dinner at Imperial Hotel too! I thought it would be a disaster but it turned out so romantic!¡± ¡°The resident singer left after singing two songs only. Didn¡¯t even manage to catch a glimpse of her face.¡± ¡°I suspect she¡¯s just a kind and beautiful woman who didn¡¯t want everyone to panic. That¡¯s why she probably lied about being the resident singer.¡± ¡°I think so too! Everybody was this close to leaving the restaurant and giving it horrible reviews.¡± ¡°She volunteered to sing two ssics and boy, did she have an amazing voice!¡± ¡°Anyone who was at Imperial Hotel tonight is so lucky!¡± Chapter 246 Chapter 246 ¡°The hidden musical talent.¡± ¡°I hope a recordpany manages to find her and sign her up. I¡¯ll definitely buy her albums!¡± Several people even tagged the official ounts of various recordpanies. Videos of the incident spread like wildfire. The video of Ashlyn singing in the dark also went viral and obtained many likes and shares. Ashlyn was totally surprised at this turn of events. Thankfully, she didn¡¯t told anyone her name and it had been so dark that nobody had seen her face. Feelingforted at the thought, she rxed a little. Technically, she could have hacked into the systems and removed everything that had to do with her. However, she was reluctant to do that because she did not want to catch a certain someone¡¯s attention. Eventually, the craze would slowly die down. Seeing that was the case, Ashlyn put the matter out of her head. The manager of Imperial Hotel had been very busy these past two days. Busy and tired. Every day, countless headhunters woulde asking for news about Ashlyn. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t know who she is?¡± ¡°She said she was one of your resident singers.¡± ¡°Her voice is just so extraordinary and unique. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be a big star once she debuts.¡± ¡°She¡¯s gonna be a celebrity, just you wait and see!¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry but I honestly don¡¯t know who she is.¡± The manager mopped the sweat on his forehead. It really is tough to have such a talented boss. And I have to make sure her identity is never revealed! It was so hard being him. ¡­ South Star Airlines. Today would be the day Lucas had to fly to L nation, so he and Spencer left early in the morning. As was his habit, Spencer turned on the radio to listen to the traffic broadcast. The DJ¡¯s voice was sweet and gentle. ¡°The crossroads at Northern Crossing and Southern Crossing is a little congested. Please be careful when driving around there, folks. I¡¯m sure everyone knows about the mysterious woman who sung at Imperial Hotel two days ago, the affectionately dubbed Ms. Imperial. Here¡¯s a recording of her singing ¡®Unchained Melody¡¯.¡± Spencer was just about to turn off the radio when a familiar voice rang out from the speakers. Woah, my love, my darling I¡¯ve hungered for your touch He was stunned. If he was right, that voice belonged to Ms. Berry. Last night¡­ Lucas, who had his eyelids half-closed, suddenly snapped his eyes wide open. Ashlyn! No wonder Imperial Hotel had managed to keep their customers happy. That woman was singing there! Did she really like that damn chef so much that she was willing to sing for everyone? Again, jealousy ate at him. Or is it that you really enjoyed eating with that sted Frenchman so much? Or maybe you were singing those songs for a certain someone? His thoughts whirled around his mind relentlessly and chaotically. The feelings that coursed through him burned the blood in his veins and ate away at his logic. When they arrived, he entered the conference room only to hear the crew gossiping about Ms. Imperial as well. ¡°She really does have such a nice voice.¡± ¡°If it had been any other inte celebrity, they probably would¡¯ve admitted to it by now so they could get more fame.¡± ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Ms. Imperial showed herself yet?¡± ¡°I wonder what she looks like.¡± The strongly-built body of Lucas strode into the room. His expression was terrifyingly cold as he swept a gaze across everyone. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. A deathly silence descended upon them. Why is Captain Nn in such a foul temper so early in the morning? The air stewardesses exchanged nces with each other. None dared to make a sound for fear of invoking Lucas¡¯ ire. For some reason, their captain had been rather short-tempered recently. Unfortunately for the crew members, that meant they were basically in Hell every single day. Lucas might have been extremely handsome but his standoffish nature made one really want to turn tail and flee. Sitting down at the head of the table, Lucas started the meeting. After they were done, everyone perked up and prepared to embark on their journey. Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Woah, my love, my darling I¡¯ve hungered for your touch She had never sung for him before. Jealousy was a ravenous monster that swallowed him relentlessly. He felt like he could go mad with it. He never knew she was so good at singing. In his opinion, she was even better than those so-called artists. Her crooning voice caressed his ears and he could not help recalling the soft moans she made when they were engaged in passionate activities. Unbidden, arousal red in him. Sucking in a deep breath, he calmed himself and focused his attention back on flying the ne properly. ¡­ At the studio hall. All the performers arrived early in the morning for their practice. Lisa sidled up to Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, you¡¯re quite amazing to be able to direct such a huge program. You¡¯re also on good terms with Ms. Saunders, right? Wouldn¡¯t it be even better if you could invite her over to help out as well? With the both of you at the helm, I¡¯m sure G Night this year will be a night people will remember forever.¡± ¡°Ms. Langley, how is your dance practiceing along? Do you know all the moves yet?¡± Ashlyn raised an eyebrow at the other woman. ¡°C¡¯mon, Ms. Berry. We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we? Cut me some ck and don¡¯t be so strict on me all the time.¡± ncing around quickly, Lisa surreptitiously pushed a small gold bar into Ashlyn¡¯s hand. With smooth and even surfaces, the gold bar was clearly a minted bar. Based on the weight, Ashlyn estimated it would be worth at least ten thousand. Lips twitching into a smile, she raised her voice and called out, ¡°Ms. Langley wants to treat everyone to milk tea from Imperial Hotel!¡± As she said that, she tossed the gold bar up and down in the air. Lisa¡¯s face paled and she stammered out, ¡°Ms. Berry, y-you ¨C !¡± ¡°Did I misunderstand? Or are you trying to bribe me?¡± Ashlyn had a puzzled look on her face. She hurriedly shoved the gold bar back into the other woman¡¯s hands. ¡°I can¡¯t take this then!¡± Lisa could have cried. She most definitely did not have the courage to admit to bribing someone in front of everyone. ¡°Of course not! This is for everybody to get some milk tea¡­¡± A faint smile yed on Ashlyn¡¯s lips as she stared at the woman. ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll call them immediately.¡± ¡°Hello, is this the service counter? I would like 120 cups of milk tea delivered to the studio hall at Anter Road, please. Received by Ashlyn Berry. I¡¯ll be paying with a gold bar.¡± Everyone was stupefied at what was happening before their eyes. Lisa was beyond embarrassed. If possible, she wished a hole would open up in the ground to swallow her. Ashlyn Berry is just too firm and righteous! ¡­ Meanwhile, in the president¡¯s office at Haddock Group. ¡°Mr. Haddock, please punish me! This was my mistake.¡± Sienna Oates looked ashamed and guilty as she spoke. ¡°Sienna, you¡¯re my aunt and also my right-hand woman. How could I possibly punish you? Nobody expected this to happen either.¡± Despite his words, Dixon was utterly furious internally. Stupid woman, how could you have been yed for a fool by that damn Ashlyn! If those rich housewives started to get suspicious of Haddock Charity, then everything would have been in vain. Especially since Ashlyn saving those children several days ago had caused him to have nothing to deliver when his deadline came. Suffice to say that Dixon currently hated Ashlyn with a passion. ¡°Where did that woman evene from? When did Lake City have someone like her around?¡± Dixon¡¯s expression was dark and menacing. ¡°Those children were supposed to be sold to a powerful family in E nation. Now, where the hell am I supposed to get more children? The police are on high alert ever since that incident!¡± Sienna¡¯s eyes lit up with an idea and she suggested, ¡°Mr. Haddock, maybe¡­ maybe we could send some men to kidnap more children from the remote viges? Those smaller towns usually don¡¯t keep such a close eye on their children and let them run free all the time. Nothing at all like the parents in the cities.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Dixon bit out through clenched teeth, ¡°Send more capable men this time. I don¡¯t want the same thing as last time happening.¡± ¡°I know. Leave it to me,¡± Sienna nodded, ¡°Then what should we do about Berry? Are we going to give up on Ms. Saunders?¡± ¡°There are plenty of rich housewives out there. Losing Ms. Saunders won¡¯t matter much. As for Berry, that woman is a menace. Since she dared to mess with my business, she¡¯ll have to suffer the consequences!¡± Chapter 248 Chapter 248 ¡°Got it!¡± With that, Sienna departed, leaving Dixon alone in the office. After a while, he dialed a number. His tone was cold and sinister when he said, ¡°Help me get rid of a woman.¡± ¡­ At the Chapman family vi, Hera was lying on her bed while listening to music. She was bored out of her mind. She could not go shopping as all the saleswomen knew her by now and refused to sell anything to her. There was no point in going out when she could not buy anything. She also did not have any truly close friends, which was why she was currently lounging about the house aimlessly. Just as she was about to go mad with boredom, her phone rang. The caller ID showed that it was Jenny Holt. Jenny was also aughingstock in the upper echelons of society. She was the daughter of the prominent Holt family yet she had gone off to be an air stewardess of all things. Nobody could understand her reasoning. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hera, I just got off the ne. I was on a flight with Captain Nn.¡± ¡°Captain Nn? You mean¡­¡± Hera shot up into a sitting position on her bed. ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯re in the same crew as Lucas Nn?¡± ¡°Yeah! Didn¡¯t you know?¡± Jenny affected an air of surprise. ¡°Several of the biggest shopping malls here are having discounts today. Want me to buy some bags for you? Think of them as a present from me.¡± In truth, Hera was sorely tempted. However, she and Jenny were not exactly close friends. They were just high school ssmates. Why is she suddenly being so good to me? In the end, she refused, ¡°No thank you. I already have bags.¡± ¡°Why so courteous? Every time I fly, I¡¯ll bring souvenirs for my friends. That¡¯s how it¡¯ll be, okay? Bye!¡± Jenny hung up. After that, she followed several other flight attendants as they entered a gship store to peruse the newest bag arrivals. ¡°Hey, look! Captain is over at that counter!¡± One of the air stewardess pointed out. The rest of the group followed her finger to see where she was pointing. A tall, well-built figure was standing at a luxury brand handbag store. He ordered, ¡°Wrap up all the newest bags. Every single color of all designs.¡± The group of females gasped. ¡°How extravagant!¡± ¡°Mrs. Nn is such a lucky, lucky woman!¡± ¡°All of the newest designs!¡± ¡°Oh my god! I would pass out with bliss if I were her.¡± ¡°Even the cheapest bag from that brand would cost hundreds of thousands!¡± ¡°That must have cost a fortune!¡± Jenny was furious. She had not wanted to buy anything too expensive for Hera, which was why she only bought two of the newest and cheapest bags. Even so, each bag cost around ten thousand. Yet even the cheapest one Lucas bought was ten times more expensive than hers. And he bought so many other more expensive ones too! She was so envious of Mrs. Nn! So very, very jealous! ¡­ Back at the studio hall, the performers had enjoyed the milk tea from Imperial Hotel in the morning and their delightful snacks in the afternoon. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Some were even beginning to wonder if they were here to enjoy themselves instead of practicing. Their earlier dissatisfaction at Ashlyn had turned into curiosity as they wondered why Imperial Hotel would deliver food and drinks for her when the hotel had never, ever done so for anyone else. They marveled at how she could be so generous, cing such a huge order to ensure everyone had a portion. Last but not least, they were incredibly curious about how much Jared must have spoiled her for her to be so free with her money. There was also the fact that she truly was a talented woman. Charlotte¡¯s cello skills had improved considerably under her tutge. Even those who did not know much about music could tell the difference in Charlotte¡¯s ying. Just when everybody thought that was Ashlyn¡¯s only ability, Pierre called her over to help him choreograph the dance. It took a while but they finally came up with the best moves to the beat. Chapter 249 Chapter 249 In that instant, everyone knew she was not a stranger to the art of dancing. The way her body moved gracefully and perfectly in time with the music showed that. Every now and then, they would hear Pierre eximing, ¡°Wow, Ms. Berry, that is perfect! You executed the moves wonderfully!¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s it! That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m trying to express!¡± With such obvious praiseing from the famous choreographer, how could they not admit Ashlyn was a talented dancer as well? After she was done there, the co-producer for the y would invite her over to discuss the script and how to portray the characters as well. Even in this field, the suggestions she offered were to the point and would work perfectly. One of the co-producers mentioned, ¡°This script was written by Ms. Saunders, so all of you need to give it your all, understand?¡± J could not believe her ears. ¡°What did you say? Did you just say Ms. Saunders wrote our y?¡± ¡°Yeah! Madeline Saunders is one of the most well-known literary talents around. Not only is she great at music and art, she¡¯s also a true genius when ites to the literary arts. Although Ms. Berry and Ms. Saunders are good friends, it must have still taken quite a bit of effort for Ms. Berry to convince Ms. Saunders to write this script.¡± Taking a sip of water, the co-producer continued, ¡°Don¡¯t be so disdainful of her just because she¡¯s young. She really is an incredibly gifted woman.¡± The vocal coach added, ¡°Also, I¡¯m pretty sure all of you should know about the famous and mysterious Ms. Imperial by now, right? Listen carefully to Ms. Berry¡¯s voice and then listen to Ms. Imperial¡¯s singing again. You¡¯ll understand what we¡¯re hinting at.¡± Being masters in their fields, the co-producers could tell that the voice of Ms. Imperial was the same as Ashlyn¡¯s. ¡°You have got to be kidding me! You can¡¯t seriously be saying that Ms. Imperial is Ms. Berry!¡± J uttered in shock. She had been learning how to sing and dance since young and had always thought of herself as an expert in the field. J did listen to Ms. Imperial¡¯s songs. While the songs were already ssics, she had handled them beautifully. In fact, the way the she sung it was almost perfect. That was also the reason why a lot of recordpanies were looking for her. It was obvious that she was a professional. Everyone knew the song and could sing it. However, not everybody could actually sing it well. Ms. Imperial went beyond well into the realm of amazing. Despite being spoiled and arrogant, even J knew she would not be able to sing as well as Ms. Imperial. ¡°J, you¡¯ve been learning how to sing since young. Can¡¯t you tell?¡± One of the co-producers asked with a smile. J¡¯s face purpled in rage. It was absolutely humiliating to admit that. No, she couldn¡¯t tell because she was not as good as she thought. In thest few years, she always acted so pompous and disdainful of these co-producers. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Now, they were getting revenge on her by publicly mocking her. With Ashlyn backing them up, there was nothing J could do but seethe in impotent rage. Unbidden, her gaze drifted toward the other woman. Is she really Ms. Imperial? ¡­ At the Leir family vi, Mrs. Leir was feeling giddy. Yesterday, she identally spotted the young man she had donated money to shopping with a young woman. They were both dressed in matching shirts and were browsing the wares from a luxury goods store. That young man supposedly had quite a miserable life. Back then at Tulip City, he looked so pitiful with tears and snot trailing down his face that she felt sympathy well in her and donated five hundred thousand to him on the spot. The Leir family dealt in sanitary wares. They were the exclusive distributor for all sanitary wares brands in Lake City and they even had their own brand and factories. While they were not as influential or wealthy as the Haddock or Jaquin family, they were still considered a rich family. Generations of businessmen had sprung forth from the family and they rooted here in Lake City. Thus, five hundred thousand was but a mere bracelet or ne to Mrs. Leir. Still¡­ She could not understand why that man would be bringing his girlfriend to shop at a luxury goods store. Chapter 250 Chapter 250 She was someone who practically overflowed with kindness and sympathy and was more than willing to help those poor children. However, if the young man had actually been lying to her then she would be extremely unhappy and angry. Being lied to was always the hardest thing to ept. She honestly did not know what was going on. Her husband noticed her distracted expression and questioned, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why do you seem so uneasy?¡± Mrs. Leir did not answer. She knew that if her husband found out about her getting cheated, he would definitely scold her. He was quite good to her but she was more like a trophy to him. She did not get much say and authority in the house. Sure, he gave her a substantial allowance every month that she could buy things as she pleased and not be looked down upon by the other rich housewives. But the real master of the house, the one who made all the decisions, was her husband ¨C Derek Leir. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you. Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡± He lit up a cigarette before continuing, ¡°You should spend more time with Sienna Oates from the Haddock family. If Haddock Group¡¯s hotel were to buy sanitary wares from us, we would be able to earn a tidy profit.¡± ¡°How much do you think we would earn?¡± She queried. Crossing his legs, Derek stated, ¡°Rumors have that their hotel will have 58 floors with 30 rooms on each floor. Calcte it yourself. If they buy all their sanitary wares from us, we would be able to earn at least five million.¡± Five million! Mrs. Leir fell silent. She had donated way more than five million ever since she joined Haddock Charity two years ago. At this point, she could not even remember how many poor but talented young people she had helped. There was also the fact that Haddock Group would have an auction every year and various charity gs throughout the year. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. At the very least, there were seven or eight such events. What if Haddock Group really was running a massive scam? ¡°Surprised at the amount, eh?¡± Derek nced at her curiously. ¡°Why are you acting so weird?¡± ¡°Nothing. But don¡¯t you think it would be impossible to profit from Haddock Group? Even if they sign a contract with us, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll try to do it at the lowest price possible.¡± She murmured distractedly as she yed with her hair. There was a niggling feeling that told her Haddock Group was more than meets the eyes. ¡°True. Dixon Haddock is not an easy man to handle.¡± After that, the husband did not say anything more as he lost himself in thought. Inwardly, Mrs. Leir was panicking madly. She had no idea why she was feeling so anxious, only that something felt wrong and empty. She hastily finished her lunch before heading out to speak to Mrs. Jones. They agreed to meet at a rtively remote caf¨¦. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why the secrecy?¡± Mrs. Jones demanded as she entered the private room and set down her bag. ¡°It¡¯s like this, Mrs. Jones.¡± Mrs. Leir hurriedly told her about what she had seen at the shopping mall yesterday. There was a bewildered expression on Mrs. Jones¡¯ face. ¡°I thought he was seriously impoverished? I also donated five hundred thousand to him so his family could see the doctor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m so anxious right now. I think he might have been lying to us¡­¡± Mrs. Leir spoke with her face pale. ¡°Calm down. We have to think this through properly.¡± Mrs. Jones patted the other woman¡¯s hand comfortingly. ¡°This matter is not as simple as it seems. Previously, the Jeremy Halliwell that Naomi met was a fake, so Sienna reimbursed her one million. It seems like she also doesn¡¯t know about this. Maybe she was lied to too?¡± ¡°But Sienna is such a smart and sharp woman. There¡¯s no way she would be tricked again and again, right?¡± Mrs. Leir said in a small voice, ¡°I think¡­ I think maybe Haddock Group knows and they¡¯re just setting this up to scam us.¡± Chapter 251 Chapter 251 ¡°Ms. Berry is good at martial arts. She¡¯s one of the most fearless and bold women I have ever met. We should get in touch with her,¡± Mrs. Leir agreed. ¡°Ms. Wang, you¡¯re the only one I talked to about this. If we don¡¯t clear things up and anger Mr. Haddock, both our businesses would suffer heavy losses!¡± ¡°Sis, it¡¯s good that you know what is at stake. Recently, Ms. Berry is coaching my daughter in dancing. Don¡¯t worry, I will ask my daughter to contact her,¡± Mrs. Jones said. ¡°Dancing?¡± Mrs. Leir was puzzled. ¡°Ms. Berry is the producing director for this year¡¯s National Day G Night. As you know, Betty works in the bank with his uncle. It was her uncle who rmended her to be the spokesperson and perform the dance during the g.¡± Mrs. Nn giggled. Her brother-inw was a banker, whereas her daughter worked at the bank as well. They had decent jobs. ¡°Ah, I see. Each unit has to send a representative as extras for the performance. I didn¡¯t expect Ms. Berry to have gained Mr. Field¡¯s trust,¡± Mrs. Leir said with admiration. ¡°Yeah, so don¡¯t worry about it. For now, stay low and wait for my news,¡± said Mrs. Jones as she left. Mrs. Leir grabbed her handbag and left the caf¨¦ too. Mrs. Leir was a nobody. In contrast, Mrs. Jones¡¯ family was wealthy and powerful, so even her in- laws had to listen to her. Mrs. Leir felt relieved as she got into her car. However, as she turned her head, she saw the college student again. He was wearing branded stuff from head to toe and did not seem pitiful at all. Mrs. Leir immediately pulled out her phone and took a photo of him. What was even more uneptable was that the college student was driving an Audi A6L. She was disgusted as it was totally inconsistent with the miserable life described by the college student. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She couldn¡¯t wait to ask Sienna from the Haddock Group for rification. However, she kept quiet and did notment on anything because of Mrs. Jones. * Meanwhile, in the Concert Hall, J Smith¡¯s expression turned dark. She disliked and looked down on Ashlyn, but she never thought that thetter was a capabledy. Ashlyn was working together with her mentor, studying a new vocal technique. With the newly added elements, the melody of the song became more modern and beautiful. The singer was Betty Jones. She was a beautifuldy with attractive eyes. Also, she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Betty followed Ashlyn closely throughout the ss; her voice was easily distinguishable. It was sweet and melodious. Especially in the chorus, the song was beautifully sung. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Betty Jones paid all her attention to Ashlyn. She was only an amateur singer, so meeting Ashlyn was a blessing to her. Ashlyn was very patient. She had received various awards and recognitions throughout her music career. J looked at Betty enviously. She wished that Ashlyn could guide her too so that her skills could be honed and she could be a better singer. As she looked at Ashlyn, she was impressed, and the disdainful feeling disappeared. It was break time. She approached Ashlyn and swallowed hard. With a nervous tone, she asked, ¡°Ms. Berry¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ashlyn nced at her. Ashlyn calmly looked at her and made J feel vulnerable. She was stunned and at a loss for words. After a while, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ashlyn seemed confused. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to do that on your first day¡­ I just¡­¡± J flushed. It was rare for her to apologize to others as she was an arrogant and stubborn person. ¡°Oh. It¡¯s okay.¡± Ashlyn remained expressionless. Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Those who had felt contempt for Ashlyn had the feeling slowly fading off; they began to get along better, especially when they had a rare opportunity to learn from Pierre. No matter how badly they wanted toin or how untalented they were, they dared not say anything. Instead, they felt proud. At least, they could now say that they were students of Pierre. ¡°Ms. Berry?¡± Suddenly, a voice echoed from the direction of the main door. It was the outlet manager from Star Cafe. He said, ¡°The coffee was ordered by Mr. Nn. This is the receipt and there are a total of a hundred and thirty cups.¡± Everyone was stunned. Mr. Nn? That Mr. Nn? Mr. Nn the President? The one who knows how to fly a ne? Isn¡¯t he married? What¡¯s his rtionship with Ashlyn? Ashlyn frowned. Lucas was probably flying today, yet he still had ways to harass her. But since the coffee had arrived, it was not practical to reject it. So, she had to ept it. Then, the staff started to distribute coffee to everyone. Pierre giggled and joked, ¡°I¡¯m d to be with you. We had free tea and snacks thest time, and now, free coffee!¡± ¡°Oh, please!¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrow and replied in an off-handed tone. All those present were representatives from different units. They thanked Ashlyn one after another. Ashlyn waved at them and said, ¡°You¡¯re wee!¡± She did not mind because it wasn¡¯t her money anyway. Betty Jones was making a call at the lobby outside the hall. As she returned, her expression turned awful; it was as if she was ced in a tight spot. She then asked, ¡°Ms. Berry, my mother¡­ I mean, Mrs. Jones, the one you met at Tulip City, gave me a call. She invited you for dinner tonight. Will you be avable?¡± Ashlyn nced at her for a while and asked, ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Nothing much. She just wants to thank you personally since you¡¯re teaching me how to sing,¡± Betty replied. Lisa overheard their conversation as she was nearby. She frowned and thought to herself. What? The Jones family invited Ashlyn to dinner? Something¡¯s not right. She immediately sent a WhatsApp text to Sienna. * The sky turned dark; the moon was shining bright, and stars were twinkling. Ashlyn did not refuse the Jones family¡¯s invitation. She went to the Jones mansion with Betty Jones after ss. As the door opened, Mrs. Jones led her to the dining room enthusiastically. ¡°After Betty told me that you had agreed toe, I immediately asked our chef to prepare the dishes. We hope you don¡¯t mind, Ms. Berry.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s my pleasure to be here!¡± As Ashlyn sat down, a maid brought a warm towel and helped wipe her hands. ¡°What a small world! I never thought that you and Betty would meet by fate. Both of you are almost of the same age, but look at you! You are so sessful, but our Betty¡­¡± Mrs. Jones sighed. ¡°Mom? What¡¯s wrong with me? Am I not good enough?¡± Betty Jones whined. ¡°Ms. Jones is good at both her job and singing. The best of both worlds. Don¡¯t you worry, Mrs. Jones,¡± Ashlyn grinned and added, ¡°Well, if you have anything to say, just tell me directly.¡± Mrs. Jones¡¯ husband was not home. There were only three of them at the dining table. The table was filled with yummy-looking dishes. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Ashlyn had a hunch that Mrs. Jones invited her for other purposes. Mrs. Jones expression turned slightly red. After a pause, she said, ¡°Well, Ms. Berry, you are a smart woman. I will not hide it from you anymore. The thing is¡­¡± Mrs. Jones told Ashlyn everything Mrs. Leir said the other day. After hearing this, Ashlyn kept silent for a moment. She looked nk at first and said, ¡°Mrs. Jones, I¡¯m sorry but I cannot help you out on this matter. However, I can tell you what to do.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, remember the liar who lied to Ms. Nn that you exposed? Thank God you were there! And for this matter¡­ Please tell us what to do.¡± Mrs. Jones nodded. Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Mrs. Jones nodded and replied, ¡°Yes. Thank you, Ms. Berry.¡± She smiled and heaped food onto Ashlyn¡¯s te. ¡°Come on, help yourself.¡± After the dinner, Ashlyn left. Betty asked curiously, ¡°Mom, what did she tell you?¡± Mrs. Jones could not believe that a youngdy like her had such a brilliant idea. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. For now, just focus on your vocal sses, okay? She is a great teacher, I can see that,¡± Mrs. Jones replied. As she finished speaking, she returned to her bedroom. * Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. It waste at night. Ashlyn was driving her Land Rover. As soon as she left the mansion, she realized that a car was tailing her. She had an uncanny feeling; she knew something was wrong because she could feel the night was filled with bloodthirsty wildness. Without thinking much, she stepped hard on the elerator and sped off. She was speeding like a bullet train on a highway. The car, which was tailing her, realized something was wrong and sped up too. Both cars were speeding like race cars, trying to catch up with one another. Ashlyn drove like a professional racer; she steered skillfully and did not give any chance for the car to catch up with her. That road had many bends. Only good drivers and those who were familiar could steer smoothly. Otherwise, the cars would hit the railing easily. The driver behind her tried his best to catch up with her but to no avail. ¡°Damn!¡± ¡°Does this woman have a driver? The driver is insanely good!¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s her!¡± ¡°She¡¯s this good at driving?¡± The men behind almost throw up as the bends were sharp. Another guy could not help it and yelled, ¡°Bro! Drive properly! Ah!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Damn!¡± Crash! The car made a loud noise as they screamed. The next moment, they collided with the railing. Smoke was seening out of the engine. They immediately opened the car door and dashed out. All of them were in chaos; they stumbled and fell as they rushed out, and some of them were injured. Unfortunately for them, the white Land Rover they were tailing was no longer in sight. Ashlyn saw the ident through her rear mirror; she felt relieved and smiled. Huh? Wanna y with me? Not today! * It was early morning the next day; the sun was shining bright. Ashlyn woke up like usual. After her breakfast, she was about to leave for the Concert Hall. As she opened the door, she was stunned. Her eyes were wide open as she saw there was a huge truck in front of her house. The truck was filled with boxes, not ordinary boxes but boxesbelled with international luxury brands. There were at least a hundred boxes stacked on each other. No doubt, the boxes must be filled with either clothes, shoes or handbags. The driver saw her and asked, ¡°Are you Ms. Berry? These are the gifts sent by Mr. Nn from Ennd. Where should we put these?¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrow and saw a Bentley in front of the gate. A tall man was walking steadily toward her direction. The handsome man was emanating a strong vibe like a legendary character in movies. Those dark eyes were locked onto Ashlyn¡¯s beautiful body figure. She wore a pearl-white dress. Her long hair fell around her shoulders, and her skin was as fair as snow. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes were gorgeous and were shining brighter than the stars in the night sky. Lucas really wanted to hug her tightly in his arms. He stood in front of Ashlyn and looked into her eyes. ¡°So, do you like these?¡± Ashlyn was speechless. Can you not show off your wealth like this out of the blue? At first, it was a small town worth 2.8 billion. Then 999 roses came next, and now, a car full of luxury goods. Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Ashlyn took a deep breath and said, ¡°Lucas, can you do something more meaningful? Do you know how disgusting and low-ss this is?¡± Lucas choked. It seemed that everything he did was wrong. What should he do? ¡°Any better suggestions, Mrs. Nn?¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. I gotta go to the Concert Hall now. Please excuse me.¡± Ashlyn shook her head helplessly as she saw the boxes. ¡°These are all thetest collections from Ennd. Don¡¯t you want to take a look? Maybe there¡¯s one that you¡¯ll like?¡± Lucas asked coldly. He looked depressed when Ashlyn showed no interest in the luxury gifts he bought overseas and felt that she had thrown his efforts away. Suddenly, the surrounding atmosphere became tense. The flight attendants he worked with were crazy about handbags, but they could only afford one or two. However, this woman was not grateful at all. He bought her so many bags and let her choose, but she did not seem to care at all. Lucas¡¯ expression turned dark; there was an indescribable sense of oppression in the air. Ashlyn did not know how to express herself. She was not a materialistic person. Never did ite across her mind that Lucas would be this crazy. After they divorced, his mental health had deteriorated. It was getting serious. She knew Lucas very well. If she tried to do something against his will, he would definitely go crazy and stop her from leaving. By hook or by crook, she knew that she had to be at the Concert Hall. Ashlyn was a responsible person. She would not abandon her work, especially since this job was personally assigned by Mr. Field himself. She was in a hurry and said to her driver, ¡°Bring those back to the mansion and put them in the cloakroom.¡± Lucas curved his lips. ¡°And now, you¡¯re mine.¡± ¡°You are wrong. I am keeping these temporarily. When you have a new Mrs. Nn, I will give all these to her. You¡¯re wee!¡± Ashlyn replied sarcastically as she entered her Land Rover. Lucas suddenly grabbed her arms from behind and offered, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± He immediately pushed her into his car. Spencer was amazed that Lucas was such a badass. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Lucas¡¯ charming voice broke the silence in the car. He had his eyes locked on her; she blushed and had nowhere to hide. Ashlyn lowered her head, and her long ck hair dangled all the way down. She purposely did that to cover her face and tried to suppress her feelings. ¡°Nothing.¡± Her lips were rubbing against each other slightly. The sound was very soft, but Lucas was a sensitive man, and it echoed into his ears immediately. That was a strike; he could feel his heart being torn apart, and he could not bear it anymore. For him, Ashlyn was the most beautiful woman. After they divorced, he loved her even more. Even the most exquisitely designed jewelry was not as charming as her. Before Ashlyn could react, Lucas had grabbed and brought her into his arms. He was emanating a domineering vibe. She could not even resist. He was strong, and she could not get rid of him. At that moment, he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. She could feel both the warmth and his desperation at the same time. His manly and warm cologne made her feel so rxed. Ashlyn went nk. Why is he doing such a thing early in the morning? The domineering and masculine aura struck her again. Ashlyn felt like being surrounded by clouds; every girl¡¯s dream was to have a strong and masculine man like Lucas by their side. Having enjoyed the moment, Lucas let go of her. He took a deep look at Ashlyn, feeling satisfied as she tried to catch her breath. Her cheeks had turned rosy red. His stare then turned greedy as a wolf as his eyes shed with a dangerous glint. Ashlyn was like an enchantress. He was bewitched every time he looked at her. Chapter 255 Chapter 255 ¡°Lucas, that¡¯s enough. Do you think¡­¡± Ashlyn paused. Do you think that you can do whatever you want just because you saved me when the curse was doing its thing? Ashlyn thought but did not voice it out. She tried to struggle between Lucas¡¯ arms, but it only made him hug her tighter. Every inch of Lucas¡¯ body was touching hers, and Ashlyn knew what the man wanted. She moved ufortably, but he stopped her in a hoarse voice. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Ashlyn felt like she was about to melt as his warm breath brushed past her ear. Lucas¡¯ eyes turned red as if he were slowly morphing into a beast. As that happened, the car steered into an abandoned road. After parking, Spencer got out of the car and went for a smoke. Lucas tightened his grip around Ashlyn¡¯s waist even more as he kissed her neck. The perfumed smell from her seemed to have calmed the man¡¯s frustration down. Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help but feel like Lucas was going to devour her any second now. Even though the window of the car was tinted, they were still out in public. She quickly raised her hand and pped Lucas on his head. ¡°Hey! Get a grip! I still have to head to the hall!¡± ¡°Let me rest for a while¡­¡± Lucas pleaded in a low voice, one that could melt any maiden¡¯s heart. He smiled and pulled her in.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Even though they were in a Bentley that had a wide interior, Ashlyn felt like she was locked in a small cage. No matter how much she struggled, she still could not escape from the man in front of her. As their breaths hastened, Ashlyn¡¯s heart raced as well. Yet, the mood quickly died down. The only thing that was left was the man¡¯s steady breathing. Ashlyn looked down puzzledly and couldn¡¯t believe what she saw. Lucas had fallen asleep while hugging her. The hell? What am I? His pillow? Ashlyn was baffled as to why Lucas always hug her when he slept. When Spencer finished his first cigarette, he noticed that the car wasn¡¯t rocking back and forth which made him scratch his head. Judging from Lucas¡¯ reaction from a while ago, it seemed as if he was going to devour Ashlyn. Spencer went back into the Bentley and realized that Lucas had fallen asleep. He proceeded to start the engine and whispered to Ashlyn, ¡°My apologies, Ms. Berry, Mr. Nn went to London yesterday and just came back this morning. He hasn¡¯t had a wink of sleep yet.¡± Spencer was exining why Lucas seemed worn out. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him anyway?¡± Ashlyn sighed. ¡°Does he have to hug me to fall asleep or what?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve guessed it right. It seems like Mr. Nn will fall asleep easily whenever you¡¯re next to him. But when you¡¯re not, he couldn¡¯t sleep even if he tries to.¡± ¡°What does that make me? His luby?¡± Ashlyn was speechless. Half an hourter, the Bentley stopped in front of the State Concert Hall. Ashlyn gently pinched Lucas¡¯ waist. ¡°Get up. We¡¯re here.¡± But the man showed no reaction. Ashlyn frowned and bit deeply into his neck. The pain woke him up immediately. Lucas felt as if he had been bitten by a mad dog or something. ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°Looks like pain works on you. Now, get up!¡± Ashlyn let go of her bite and stared at the bite mark with satisfaction. That¡¯s my revenge for biting mest time! What Ashlyn didn¡¯t know was that the thought itself was childish as well. Chapter 256 Chapter 256 He turned to look at the rearview mirror and noticed a clear bite mark slightly above his left corbone. ¡°Are you a dog?¡± Lucas yawned and frowned. Even though he lookedzy, his piercing gaze was enough to make anyone beg for their lives. Anyone except for the woman in front of him. ¡°I learned from the best,¡± Ashlyn scoffed and opened the door. ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Nn.¡± Lucas wasn¡¯t happy that his woman had just teased him. ¡°Sir, our men are watching Hera closely for the past few days,¡± Spencer reported, which diverted Lucas¡¯ attention. ¡°Don¡¯t lose her. Be ready to make the move,¡± Lucas ordered in an icy tone which made Spencer wonder if the ice would build up inside the car. He then turned back to look at Ashlyn, who was almost at the door of the hall. She even looks so sexy from the back¡­ A new gossip spread throughout the Nn Group that day once again. ¡°All hail Mrs. Nn!¡± ¡°She bit his neck? For real?¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Looks like they really went at it yesterday. We might get ourselves a young Nn soon!¡± As the employees kept gossiping about the bite mark near Lucas¡¯ neck, the man himself didn¡¯t even try to hide it. Instead, he was happy about it. Don¡¯t you have any pride? Spencer thought. * Hera and Jenny met up in a caf¨¦. ¡°Jenny! Didn¡¯t I tell you that you don¡¯t have to bring me gifts?¡± Herained as her eyes shone when she saw the two new bags. It had been quite a long time since Hera had bought any new bags for herself. She did not expect her high school ssmate would buy her bags instead. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Why not? We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we?¡± Jenny smiled. ¡°But, you shouldn¡¯t have offended Ashlyn, you know? She has Jared, the president of Centennial Healthcare, backing her. You better be careful.¡± ¡°That Ashlyn is a total bitch!¡± Hera cursed. ¡°Wait, do you know her?¡± ¡°W-who doesn¡¯t? She¡¯s always on top of the online search ranking now. I can really sympathize with you, you know. I don¡¯t even know what happened to our captain either. How can he not help you when Ashlyn was literally bullying you?¡± ¡°Lucas is being tricked by that whore! You have no idea how good she is at acting!¡± Jenny froze when she heard Hera address Lucas by his first name. You b*tch! Do you think you have the rights to address him so casually? Jenny forcibly suppressed her disgust and put up a smile. ¡°I have no idea you¡¯re so close with Captain Nn. Too bad that it¡¯s all ruined by Ashlyn.¡± ¡°Lucas and I have been friends since we were kids,¡± Hera exined. ¡°Ashlyn flew on Captain Nn¡¯s flight once. It seems like they are pretty close¡­¡± Jenny did not expose that Ashlyn was actually Lucas¡¯ wife. If Lucas were to learn that she had exposed Ashlyn¡¯s identity, he would never forgive her. That was why Jenny could only do things in secret. Jenny¡¯s family, the Holts, wielded much more power than Hera¡¯s. Since the Holts had businesses in other countries as well, Jenny caught wind of Lucas¡¯ mother¡¯s n to return soon. Her lips arched up as she stared at Hera. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Captain Nn¡¯s mother is returning home soon. Hera, if you¡¯re as close to him as you said, you must¡¯ve met his mother before, right? Why don¡¯t you go and meet her? Maybe, just maybe, she might like you?¡± Chapter 257 Chapter 257 ¡°I¡¯ll keep my ears open.¡± Jenny smiled. ¡°I can get the information easily since I¡¯m a flight attendant. I¡¯ll let you know once I find out.¡± ¡°You really are my best friend! I¡¯m going to owe you so much if you help me this time!¡± Hera¡¯s life had been chaotic for the past few weeks. She even had to wear a face mask when she was out in public. Yet, she¡¯d never expected that her high school friend would help her when she was in trouble. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯re best friends after all.¡± Jenny¡¯s mouth was still smiling, but her eyes weren¡¯t. * It was still early at the State Concert Hall. When everyone arrived, they were shocked to see everything, from the stage to the lightings, being changed to brand-new ones. Everything looked majestic, especially the screen and the lights. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Wow! What happened here?¡± ¡°This is amazing!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this lighting a hundred times better than thest one?¡± ¡°Did Ms. Berry change these?¡± When Ashlyn stepped in, she was shocked by what she saw as well. ¡°It definitely wasn¡¯t me.¡± Ashlyn shook her head. What¡¯s happening here? Just as Ashlyn was puzzled by the new settings, she received a message from Lucas. ¡®How¡¯s the new stage?¡¯ Ashlyn was speechless and had no idea how to reply to him. Upon inspection, Ashlyn realized that the stage had been redesigned, including the lifting tform and all the other minor details. Yet, even when everything was brand-new and redesigned, there was still a sense of familiarity. Ashlyn guessed that the designer had spent a long time on this. She had to ept the fact that Lucas was a thoughtful person. ¡®Mr. Field will thank you for this.¡¯ Ashlyn quickly replied. ¡®Of course. The Nn Group is the biggest sponsor for the National Day G Night.¡¯ Ashlyn did not know how to react, but his message did remind her that Centennial Healthcare had to step up their game as well. Ignoring Lucas¡¯ message, Ashlyn quickly sent a message to Jared to talk about their sponsorship for the g. Even if they could not take the biggest sponsor spot, they could still advertise at the g to make themselves known. ¡®Okay.¡¯ Jared replied. With the new stage installed, Ashlyn coordinated the performances and started their rehearsal ordingly, which would be able to take some tension out when it was time for the real performance. Everything went by smoothly. When Ashlyn went to the restroom during break time, she left her cup of water on a chair beneath the stage. As soon as Ashlyn left, a cleaner stopped in front of the chair for a few seconds before leaving. Not one person noticed the cleaner¡¯s action. Ashlyn returned to her seat three minutester. She was about to drink from her cup when she noticed tiny bubbles in the water and frowned. It would be impossible to notice the bubbles if one didn¡¯t pay enough attention to them. Ashlyn turned to Charlotte, who was the nearest to her, and asked, ¡°Did someone touch my water just now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Charlotte shook her head. Since she waspletely focused on her own instrument, she didn¡¯t notice the cleaner who stopped by a few moments ago. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Ashlyn replied and left with her ss of water. She walked straight out of the hall and stopped in front of a potted nt before pouring the water into the pot. Bubbles began to form and rise as the water touched the soil. Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Without giving a second thought, she pulled her phone out and checked the CCTV in the hall. After reversing to the right time, she saw a cleaner creep up to her seat and pretended to sweep the floor while she dropped something into the cup. The thing dissolved immediately and left no trace. Who? Who¡¯s behind this? Ashlyn turned her phone off and returned to the hall. She scanned everyone in it but it was impossible to find out who was trying to harm her by just looking. Everyone had a smile on their faces, but Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help wondering who was faking it. She did not tell anyone about the incident as she continued on with her job. When Mr. Field¡¯s assistant arrived, everyone was still busy around with their rehearsal. The assistant was surprised at what Ashlyn got done on such short notice as she managed to control the whole situation with the extras. He left after staying for a short while. After the rehearsal ended, Ashlyn walked out of the hall and immediately noticed the Bentley parked on the other side of the road. The window of the Bentley rolled down and behind it appeared Lucas¡¯ handsome face. Ashlyn stopped and the first thing she thought of was running in the other direction. Yet, before she could do so, Lucas called her. ¡°I sent you to work this morning, so it¡¯s normal for me to take you home, right? Get in.¡± His tone was bossy as he did not give Ashlyn any chance to refuse. As Ashlyn moved towards the Bentley, the extras walked out of the hall. ¡°Ms. Berry! Did you note in your car today?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Would you like me to take you back?¡± one of the male extras proposed. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°No, I¡¯m going to take Ms. Berry home!¡± J quickly stopped the male extra and forced herself between him and Ashlyn. Ashlyn let out a sigh of relief. When she was about to leave with J, Charlotte asked, ¡°Ms. Berry, may I offer to take you home? Uncle L¡­ He wants to meet you¡­¡± J immediately turned to stare at Charlotte as thetter took a step back. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll go with Charlotte.¡± Ashlyn smiled. J turned to stare at Charlotte once more before leaving. Ashlyn followed Charlotte to a BMW parked outside the hall in front of Lucas. A man, who wore a firefighter uniform with four stars on his strip, stepped out of the BMW. Lucas frowned immediately. Isn¡¯t he one of the Frasers? I¡¯ve heard that the youngest of the Frasers is a chief in the fire department. People are also saying that he¡¯s 30 but he remains single. Also, there¡¯s something about him adopting a daughter? Could it be¡­ Lucas shifted his attention towards Charlotte. To be honest, he was a little agitated, wondering if the unmarried L was nning to date Ashlyn. He kept staring at the BMW as his heart was filled with jealousy. Woman! How could you choose the BMW when there¡¯s a Bentley here? This is like the Porsche all over again! What¡¯s wrong with my Bentley? ¡°Sir¡­¡± Spencer called out with his shaky voice. ¡°Chase after them!¡± Lucas ordered and the Bentley immediately sped in the direction where the BMW had just left. Inside the BMW, L was in shock as Ashlyn was younger than he thought and prettier. ¡°Ms. Berry, I want to thank you for taking care of Charlotte for these few days. She never likes to talk to other people, but she really likes ying the piano,¡± L thanked Ashlyn as he drove. ¡°She¡¯s pretty talented,¡± Ashlyn replied. She was also surprised at how young Charlotte¡¯s uncle was. Actually, she imagined him to be around his forties, not a tall and good looking man in his thirties. Chapter 259 Chapter 259 If she were topare them both, Lucas would¡¯ve won easily because of his stupidly handsome face. What¡¯s happening to me? Why am Iparing him to Lucas? Am I going nuts? ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m hungry¡­¡± Charlotte¡¯s usual quiet expression was now gone. ¡°Can we treat Ms. Berry to something?¡± L¡¯s heart immediately softened at the girl¡¯s soft tone. ¡°Sure thing. Where are we going?¡± Charlotte smiled and turned to Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, what do you prefer? I want to thank you for helping me improve for the past two days.¡± Ashlyn realized that Charlotte had a different personality around L. She was more lively and cheerful, unlike her usual quiet self in the concert hall. Charlotte was very timid. She would always hide whenever someone tried to talk to her. ¡°Anywhere is fine with me.¡± Ashlyn returned the smile. There was no way she could reject Charlotte¡¯s offer. ¡°How about we go to your favorite Spring Creek, Charlotte?¡± L suggested and steered his car toward the restaurant. Just like that, Lucas watched as Ashlyn followed L and Charlotte into Spring Creek. His heart ached at the sight as if someone were strangling his throat. Spencer couldn¡¯t help butugh inside his head. There¡¯s no way you¡¯re going to take out Spring Creek¡¯s electricity, right? Lucas sat in the back seat, his handsome face twisted in anger. L sat with Charlotte on one side of the table inside a private dining room on the second floor while Ashlyn sat across them, observing the uncle and niece duo. L had been serving Charlotte non-stop ever since the dishes were served. All Charlotte had to do was eat whatever served to her like a princess. Rumors had it that the youngest of the Frasers wasn¡¯t interested in women or marriage, even at the age of thirty. Some even said that he was a eunuch. Yet, what Ashlyn saw was different from what the others said. At least he was very nice towards Charlotte, to the point where he was treating her like royalty. It was as if Charlotte waspletely used to it and enjoyed her meal happily. After serving a bowl of soup for Charlotte, L turned to Ashlyn and exined, ¡°To tell you the truth, Charlotte has autism, but she¡¯s getting better and better now.¡± ¡°I can see that. At least she can have a short conversation with other people now. Like with me,¡± Ashlyn smiled as she looked at Charlotte sympathetically as if the girl in front of her was her own little sister. ¡°You¡¯re an exception,¡± L replied seriously. ¡°She has been helping me at the fire department with some simple documentation work. To be blunt, she¡¯s my secretary. Yet, she never talks to her colleagues. I was the one who suggested her join the performance to help boost her confidence.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. She¡¯s doing really well. All she needs is some support from her family,¡± Ashlyn said as she ted a serving of sd for Charlotte and thetter beamed at her. ¡°I still have to thank you. If not for you, she would¡¯ve returned to her original state and stopped talking to other people.¡± L was very grateful as Charlotte had always been the ck sheep in his family. Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Yet, the moment he saw Charlotte, he wanted to bring her home and protect her. She was so small when she crouched in a corner as the rain poured. Her dark eyes were as bright as stars, so bright yet so full of pain. Back then, Charlotte had only been six. ¡°Mr. Fraser, you¡¯re too nice. She¡¯s very talented in ying the cello.¡± Ashlyn had discovered Charlotte¡¯s talent few days ago when she came into contact with her. In fact, the girl was almost as good as she was. However, Charlotte had not received any formal training, so she was not as proficient. Ring¡ª Abruptly, L¡¯s phone rang. He picked up the phone to find out that it was from the fire chief. ¡°L,e to the station. I¡¯ve got a case, and there are some questions I need your help with.¡± ¡°Oh, alright. I¡¯ll be right there, Chief.¡± L then ended the call. With an apologetic expression, the uncle patted Charlotte¡¯s head. ¡°Lottie, I have to go to the station for a while. Go ahead and have your meal with Ms. Berry first, alright?¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Uncle L¡­¡± Charlotte looked at him as her red lips pouted. She sounded hesitant to let him go. ¡°Ms. Berry will be here keeping youpany. There¡¯s no need to be afraid.¡± L pressed a gentle kiss on the girl¡¯s forehead and nodded at Ashlyn before leaving. Lucas, in his car, watched as the uniformed L entered his BMW and left Spring Creek. His lips curled. Meanwhile, at the fire station. The fire chief¡¯s forehead was beading with sweat as if he was facing a formidable foe. Since the younger son of the Fraser family did not like to be involved in businesses, he had ended up working in his fire station. Yet somehow, that young man had offended Lucas Nn. After ending the call, he heaved a sigh. Both Lucas and L were people that he, a minor fire chief, could not afford to offend. It was tough for him to be sandwiched between them. Fortunately for him, he did have a case that he needed to consult L on. He just did not tell the man that it was not an urgent case. Otherwise, he would have no other excuses to ask L toe to the station. In Spring Creek¡¯s private room. Ashlyn was examining Charlotte. Her instincts told her that whatever rtionship Charlotte and L had, it was definitely not one an uncle and a niece would have. The intimate way they interacted was way more than just uncle and niece. It was more like¡­ Ashlyn remained silent about the topic when she looked at the girl¡¯s innocent eyes. ¡°I used to have a sister when I was younger.¡± Ashlyn muttered. ¡°What happened to her?¡± Charlotte was autistic, not dumb. Naturally, she could sense something else from Ashlyn¡¯s words. Ashlyn lowered her eyes. ¡°She and my mother¡­ Forget it. Let¡¯s not talk about them.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Charlotte did not know why she felt a sense of closeness toward Ashlyn. ¡°I was brought home by Uncle L. He said I was six back then, but¡­ I don¡¯t remember anything. Maybe I was too young. I have none of my memories of my younger days.¡± ¡°I can see that L treats you well.¡± Ashlyn smiled. Under the white lights of the room, the girl¡¯s rosy cheeks contrasted perfectly against her fair skin. For a moment, Ashlyn fell into a daze. She thought she heard a voice ringing in her ears. ¡°Ashlyn¡­ Ashlyn¡­¡± It was a pity that not only did the ident take her mother from her, but also her sister. Ashlyn did not dare to delve deep into that memory. She had always felt that it was not a simple ident. However, it had been years since the ident. It would be difficult to conduct an investigation. That did not mean she would give up. After the meal, the girls left Spring Creek. Habitually, Charlotte called L. ¡°Uncle L, we¡¯re done with our meal. When are youing back?¡± After a while, she handed the phone to Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, Uncle L asks for you.¡± Chapter 261 Chapter 261 ¡°Sure. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Hanging up the call, Ashlyn returned the phone to Charlotte. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll be your guardian of the day.¡± Right then, a Bentley came to a stop in front of the two. Lucas came down from the car and strode toward Ashlyn. ¡°What a coincidence. Where are you heading to?¡± Ashlyn perked her brows and looked at him. ¡°It¡¯s really such a¡­ coincidence.¡± Too coincident. ¡°Why don¡¯t I give you a ride?¡± Lucas ignored Charlotte¡¯s presence. His eyes were fixed on Ashlyn¡¯s pretty face, not letting any of her micro-expressions slip by him. ¡°Charlotte, let¡¯s go. Up the car.¡± With Charlotte¡¯s hand in hers, the two sat on the back seats. The light in Lucas¡¯ eyes dimmed. He had wanted to make the girl sit in the front. Now he was going to be all by himself in the front instead. Damn it! Forget it. At least she¡¯s willing to get into my car now. It¡¯s a great improvement. Charlotte was staring at the handsome man. He clearly had divine facial features, but the air around him sent chills down her spine. She could not help but move closer to Ashlyn. His gaze is¡­ scary. He looked even scarier after I sat beside Ms. Berry. It looks like he wants to swallow Ms. Berry whole and chase me out of the car. But Ms. Berry doesn¡¯t look scared at all. Abruptly, Charlotte was jealous of Ashlyn; Jealous that thetter was fearless. She, too, wanted to be someone like Ashlyn. Lucas was sensitive enough to notice Charlotte¡¯s reliance and trust in Ashlyn. Moreover, she looked like she admired the woman. Frustration swarmed from his chest to his brain. It¡¯s one thing that Naomi is obsessed with Ashlyn, but where did this girle from? She looks like a foolish rabbit. Lucas was tempted to throw her out of the car window. Does that mean if I pretend to be an innocent rabbit, Ashlyn will spare a nce at me? Hence, the idea of pretending to be innocent was now on Lucas¡¯ to-do list. He sat in the front passenger seat as his slender fingers thrummed on his thigh, thinking of ways to attract Ashlyn¡¯s attention. Meanwhile, Spencer was concentrating on the road. He was horrified to find out that his boss was sitting right beside him for the trip. Every once in a while, Lucas would nce at Ashlyn through the rearview mirror. The woman¡¯s face looked wless as usual. Even if he did nothing than stare at her face, Lucas found his mood improving. What a pity there¡¯s a third wheel sitting beside her. If not for her, I¡¯d be the one beside her, Lucas thought, displeased. The Bentley smoothly swerved in the traffic like a fish in its territory. Lucas¡¯ fingers didn¡¯t stop thrumming. ¡°Ms. Berry, where is this young miss staying at?¡± Spencer abruptly asked. ¡°My house is at¡­ Whind Vi.¡± Charlotte¡¯s voice was soft. Her long hair that was covering part of her face had also hidden her anxiety away from others. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. A glint shed across Lucas¡¯ dark eyes, and he received a respite from his frustrations. ¡°We¡¯re heading the same way.¡± Lucas muttered. He then turned to look out of the window. It¡¯s dark. I can go back to sleep. No one could have thought that all the richest and most powerful man in the world wanted was a good sleep. A foreboding thought entered Ashlyn¡¯s mind. She sensed that Lucas was insinuating something. Damn it. Why is Charlotte living in the Whind Vi area too? It felt as if a mountain hadnded on her chest. Soon after sending Charlotte home, the car stopped in front of Lucas¡¯ house. Chapter 262 Chapter 262 After the man got down from the car and opened the door, he stared at her. She stared back for a while. The man was always surprising Ashlyn. Right now, he was acting so gentlemanly. Yet, the more he acted this way, the more Ashlyn felt that the man had lost his mind. ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything. I haven¡¯t eaten my dinner, so I was hoping that you can make me some food.¡± Lucas furrowed his brows in displeasure when he noticed her wary look. So she can enjoy her meal with Fraser, but it¡¯s tough to get her to make me a meal. All I want is dinner. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. His heart ached as if needles were stabbing at it. ¡°Can¡¯t you just make me dinner?¡± Lucas asked the woman in the car. It was a question, but he said in a firm tone, leaving her no room to reject. If it were possible, he would have eaten her instead. But he knew she would not agree to it. ¡°No. If you¡¯re not going to send me back, I¡¯ll go home myself.¡± Ashlyn rejected instantly. Her instincts were screaming at her that if she took a step into this familiar house, she would not emerge from it tonight. Somehow, the man would find ways to keep her in there. Abruptly, Lucas hissed as he pressed hard on his stomach. His brows were knitted, and color left his face. He looked¡­ miserably beautiful. Ashlyn took in a deep breath and reminded herself that this man deserved no pity. She was not obliged to serve him dinner after they had divorced. Yet¡­ Spencer whispered to Ashlyn, ¡°Ms. Berry, Mr. Nn really hasn¡¯t eaten anything since lunch, not even dinner. He only drank a cup of coffee. If this continues¡­ what should I do?¡± Ashlyn was at a loss for words. What does that have to do with me? Ashlyn came down from the car and stood still. What she should do now was to go home, take a shower, and sleep. Being the producing director was tired. She was exhausted. Lucas stered on a miserable look as he continued to press his hand on the stomach. He slowly walked closer to Ashlyn until his face was a hair¡¯s breadth away from hers. Ashlyn took a step back. ¡°If your stomach hurts, take some medicine.¡± Now, Lucas was exuding a terrifying aura, and there was a dark look in his eyes. I¡¯m already so miserable and helpless like a rabbit. Why isn¡¯t she pitying me? Damn it! ¡°Can¡¯t you show me some sympathy? Don¡¯t I look pitiful?¡± Spencer was speechless. Mr. Nn, what part of you looks helpless? Which part of you looks pitiful? You look like you¡¯re barely holding yourself back from murder. After a few seconds, Ashlyn calmly looked into the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°Lucas, can you grow up?¡± Not a hint of sympathy could be heard from the woman¡¯s voice. It made the anger in Lucas¡¯ chest burn even brighter. This woman is heartless! ¡°Did you think I can¡¯t live without you? Ashlyn, can¡¯t you just make me dinner? We were husband and wife for four years. My request is simple, just a te of pasta¡­¡± The man raised his hand to caress her cheek. ¡°Will you only stay when I force you to?¡± Ashlyn wanted to take another step back, but it was toote. The man¡¯s hand had already gripped tight onto her, and now, he was dragging her toward the house. Ashlyn frowned. Why is he losing his temper again? When they reached the door, the man kicked it open. The living room was freezing, and Ashlyn could barely breathe in the cold air. It felt as though it was a cage made of ice, and Ashlyn was right in it. She looked at the man, whose eyes were daggers that sliced her when he looked at her. Meanwhile, the butler, Louis, was watering nts when he heard themotion. He walked over and saw the two in a staring contest. Overjoyed, he put the watering can down on the floor and eximed, ¡°Mrs. Nn!¡± Chapter 263 Chapter 263 I haven¡¯t heard of this term of address since forever. Lucas was intimidatingly towering over her as he stood in front of her. He took a deep breath and forced the urge to teach her a lesson away. ¡°Louis dotes on you. He hasn¡¯t had his dinner yet as well. Why don¡¯t you cook us some pasta?¡± Louis did not know what was going on between the two, but he sensed the tension in the air. Forcing a smile to her face, Ashlyn looked at the concerned butler and inquired, ¡°Louis, have you had your dinner?¡± Louis nced at Lucas. Naturally, he would stand on Lucas¡¯ side. It¡¯s obvious that Mr. Nn wants to keep her here. shing her a smile, Louis answered, ¡°No, no. I miss Mrs. Nn¡¯s cooking!¡± Hearing that, Ashlyn went straight to the kitchen. Louis had always been nice to her, and he had taken care of her in the past. She was a woman who repaid kindness with kindness, and grudges with revenge. Therefore, she would not do anything that would hurt him. Lucas slumped on the sofa as he lost himself in his train of thoughts. Every other woman listens to me better than Ashlyn does. All of them are cuter than Ashlyn is. Why am I doing this to myself? His bespoke suit jacket was unbuttoned, and so was the top two buttons of his inner ck shirt. It revealed his seductive corbones and a hint of his chest. The spot he had taken up on the sofa allowed him to see the woman who was busying herself in the kitchen. Without any thoughts of hiding his gaze, he stared at Ashlyn. He did not want to miss out on any expressions she made. The man¡¯s piercing gaze made Ashlyn frown. It made her stiffened up while she cooked. I¡¯ve already agreed to make him dinner. What else does this man want? Abruptly, the man stood up and took off his jacket. He then strode to the kitchen. His eyes were like a spider web as she found herself caught in them. Curling his lips, Lucas offered, ¡°I¡¯ll wash the vegetables.¡± Rolling up his sleeves, his muscr forearms were shown, and his skin glowed under the kitchen lights. He tilted his head slightly to the side to see the woman¡¯s beautiful face as she focused on cooking the pasta. She even added two poached eggs. Lucas¡¯ halted his actions and quietly watched her. ¡°I want two myself.¡± His deep voice echoed in the kitchen. Ashlyn raised her head to see the man¡¯s handsome features bing more defined in the kitchen¡¯s warm light. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of choking from eating so much?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± The man replied nonchntly. Thus, Ashlyn cracked another egg into the pot. When the pasta was almost done, she added more onions into the pot. Soon, two tes of pasta were served. One of the tes had two poached eggs on it. When Louis saw the eggs, he could not help but smile. Mrs. Nn¡¯s still biased toward him. Does this mean that Mr. and Mrs. Nn will get back together again? Louis thought as he ate his pasta. When Ashlyn nced at Lucas, she realized that he had finished everything on the te, including the sauce. She wondered if this man had been starved to death in his past life. ¡°I¡¯ve got to go home now.¡± However, Lucas grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the stairs. ¡°Time to sleep.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Ashlyn briefly struggled before she raised her hand, about to strike hard at Lucas. The man stopped her and uttered firmly, ¡°If you fight with me, it won¡¯t end well for either of us.¡± Ashlyn could feel the coldness seeping into her soles from the polished floor as Lucas gazed at her. The corner of his lips curled upward. ¡°Honey, are you trying to test my strength? I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to take it.¡± Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Ashlyn looked at him without any expression on her face. She could sense that he was like a cheetah, waiting to pounce at her and shred her. Her eyes shone like diamonds. A woman like her tempted him to the point of insanity. All she needed to do was to stand in front of him, and he would be lost in her eyes. Lucas tamped down the agitation in him. He then pulled her into his arms before carrying her up the stairs. Back to that familiar bedroom. Ashlyn was still in a daze from his abrupt actions. ¡°Take a shower.¡± She muttered to Lucas. However, the man said, ¡°Together.¡± Does she think she¡¯ll fool me twice? Once he entered the bathroom, she would definitely escape through the window again. Calming herself, Ashlyn uttered, ¡°Lucas, did you think I won¡¯t dare to get into a fight with you?¡± Ashlyn was not one to cower from a fight. ¡°I can¡¯t possibly hit you.¡± The man¡¯s fingers wrapped around her wrist, fearing that she would flee from him. He dragged her into the bathroom. The sounds of running water traveled out of the bathroom when he turned on the faucet. The mist from the hot water shrouded Ashlyn and made her look like a goddess as her dark hair cascaded down her shoulders. Ashlyn thought about the time when they were still together. Back then, the two always showered together. She had been shy, and she did not dare to look at his face as she fumbled with his buttons. How did we end up like this? Like strangers. So intolerant of each other. It must be because we did not love each other. The man pulled her into his arms again. They were so close, and Ashlyn felt like she would be burnt by the hot air the man breathed out. ¡°Back then¡­¡± Before Lucas could continue his sentence, Ashlyn interrupted, ¡°Don¡¯t talk about the past.¡± He fell silent and started unbuttoning his clothes. Ashlyn lowered her eyes and identally swept her gaze across the man¡¯s broad chest and neat abs. His upper body was in the perfect shape of an upside-down triangle. Finally, he undid thest button, and his ck shirt fell to the ground. Forcing her heart to calm down, Ashlyn turned to test the water temperature of the bathtub. When she felt warm water gliding past her fingers, she raised her head and muttered, ¡°The temperature¡¯s just right.¡± Suddenly, a pair of hands pushed her right into the bathtub. Her head dunked under the water before she struggled and came back up the surface to re at Lucas. He¡¯s a lunatic! Her shirt was soaked, and it was now sticking to her skin like it was part of her. Lucas watched her trying to climb out of the bathtub as emotions rippled in his eyes. The look in them was dangerous. ¡°Honey, bathe with me.¡± With that said, he entered the bathtub. Ashlyn watched, dumbfounded, at the man¡¯s sturdy legs. He bent over and gently touched the woman¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Honey¡­¡± She could feel the callouses on his fingers as he trailed his fingers across her face longingly. His voice was low and hoarse, and he was staring at Ashlyn as if nothing else existed in the world but her. The bathtub had be cramped because of the man¡¯s entrance. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The swishing of water traveled into Ashlyn¡¯s ears. As if waking from a nightmare, Ashlyn broke free of her trance. She shoved Lucas hard, and the man fell onto his bottom in the bathtub. He had been fully focused on her beauty that he had not noticed her change of expression. Lucas remained seated in the bathtub as he pulled her closer to him. His arm desperately wrapped around her waist and held her close to him. Small pools of water gathered at the woman¡¯s delicate corbones, and her knees were slightly bent in her position. She looked like an expensive porcin doll, and he found her sucking his soul away. Chapter 265 Chapter 265 He sounded like he was sighing into her skin. For a moment, Ashlyn thought she was dreaming. He sighs? ¡°Lucas, do you like ying games like this? Do you like courting a woman after divorcing her?¡± The woman¡¯s mocking voice sounded beside his ears. The sigh she thought she heard disappeared. Lucas¡¯ warm lips leaned toward her. ¡°Will you say yes to me if I propose to you?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn¡¯s answer came quick. ¡°No.¡± Instead of getting angry, Lucas raised his hands to run his palms across her corbones as heughed. ¡°One day, you¡¯ll say yes to me.¡± He sounded confident. Lucas buried his head into the crook of the woman¡¯s neck. ¡°Beautiful.¡± Lucas was not a stingy man in dishing outpliments for Ashlyn. Her body was capable of making any sane man go mad, and Lucas found himself panting in the narrow bathroom. Ashlyn was fearful of her own feeling¡ªof that painful yet pleasurable feeling. The thing she feared most happened again. It was all because of Lucas¡¯ prowess in teasing her. The curse of the Spirogyra cried out for him desperately. It urged her to move closer and closer to the man. A beast-like glint shed in Lucas¡¯ eyes as he lowered his head and consumed her beauty. After a long while, Lucas finally let go of her. When he saw her flushed face, the man parted his lips to say, ¡°We¡¯ve married for four years. Why are you still shy?¡± His slim fingers raised her head to make her look into his eyes. The mist from the still-warm water complimented her blushing face. Ashlyn shrugged, showing him her helplessness. She was on the verge of a breakdown after the Spirogyra¡¯s torment. She did not know why it loved Lucas best. The moment this man came close to her and teased her, the Spirogyra would go mad, screaming at her to take him. If she did not surrender to its needs, the difort she felt was as if thousands of insects were gnawing on her. By the time Lucas carried Ashlyn out of the bathroom, she was already half-asleep. Her eyes remained shut the entire time. ¡°Honey, I realized that you¡¯re bing more and more eye-catching after our divorce.¡± It was obvious from the man¡¯s tone that he was unsatisfied yet. In his bathrobe, Lucas sat quietly as he looked at the woman curled under the thin nket. The only part of her outside the nket was her head. Hershes fluttered, and she looked absolutely adorable. Lucas gently touched the woman¡¯s soft cheeks before sitting by her side, making the bed sink to one side. Not wanting to open her eyes, Ashlyn ignored him and continued to fake her sleep. Lucas¡¯ fingers trailed to the back of her ears and started drawing circles at the dark hickey. ¡°Honey, why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± Lucas reached out to lift her chin. Ashlyn¡¯s attitude made him feel like he was monologuing, and it was not the best feeling. So domineering. He¡¯s a tyrant. He even wants to control my speech. The warm light of the bedroom enveloped him, and it made him ravishing. Ashlyn¡¯s longshes fluttered again before she gradually opened her eyes when the Spirogyra slowly calmed down. ¡°Lucas, I¡¯m tired.¡± The Spirogyra was continuously taking over her body, and she was exhausted. When can I be free of this thing? The man left his mark all over her body, and so were his kisses. Like blooming purple flowers, the hickeys contrasted against her pale skin. ¡°Then sleep.¡± Lucasy down beside her and wrapped one of his arms around her in an embrace. The moon rose high in the sky. Some shared a bed but had different thoughts in mind; while some slept alone in their quiet room. In a dark room. Hera slowly came back to the conscious world. The world was spinning, and her body ached. Dizzily, she stood up and took a look at her surroundings. Chapter 266 Chapter 266 She fumbled her way to the door. Turning the lock, she realized that the door was locked from the outside. Fear and anxiety surged into her heart as she shouted, ¡°Hello? Is there anyone around? Where is this? Why are you keeping me here?¡± She smacked the door hard, but she received no responses. After Jenny and her left the caf¨¦, she was kidnapped by people in a van. She lost consciousness after that. When she woke again, she was already in this foreign ce. Am I kidnapped? Hera fearfully curled into herself as she fell to the ground. I¡¯m just a poor, powerless, and unloved daughter from the Chapman family. Why did they kidnap me? What is their motive? Right then, the lights in the room turned on. Then, the metal door unlocked. A man in ck stepped into the room. There was a pill in his hand, and it looked familiar. It looks like¡­ The aphrodisiac I bought from the ck market! She hastily moved backward to put a distance between the man and her, then shrieked, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Giving you some medicine.¡± The man¡¯s voice was hoarse. His face was veiled, and Hera could not see his features clearly. ¡°No! I don¡¯t want it!¡± Hera screamed as she ran toward the door in an attempt to escape. Unfortunately for her, the man was prepared. He grabbed her arm and pinned her against the wall. Then, he pried open her mouth and forced the pill down her throat. ¡°No! It¡¯ll-¡± Hera sobbed. She struggled and tried to spit the pill back out. However, the man took out a bottle of water and forced her to drink it. Unable to resist him, she drank mouthfuls of the water. Even if she wanted to spit the pill out, it was impossible now. Once he was done, the man flung her off him and threw her onto the ground. He handled her the same way one would handle a rag. Hera sprawled on the ground, disheveled. Her clothes were wrinkled, and her hair was in a mess. In her struggle earlier, the water had spilled down the front of her shirt, and now it was sticking to her skin. Tears escaped her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. ¡°Who are you? Why are you doing this to me? Do you want money? Is that what you want?¡± She wailed as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. She was born with a golden spoon. and she had never been treated in this way before.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Toote. It¡¯s toote for you.¡± The man looked at her, indifferent. He then lifted her by her cor and heaved her out of the room. Hera was dragged toward a van. After tying her wrists, the man threw her onto the back seats. The van sped off in the night toward the metropolitan area. After a period of time unbeknownst to Hera, her body was starting to heat up. She twisted and turned, hoping to relieve some of her diforts. However, her efforts were to no avail; the heat continueding to her in waves. She could not help but moan in agony. Soon, her consciousness faded. It was as if the man on the driver¡¯s seat had not heard any noises she made; he continued to focus on the road without sparing her a nce. The car slowly drove into the city. Finally, it stopped in front of a club. It was a club infamous for shady patrons. Most of them were gangsters and thugs. The man threw Hera in front of the club and untie her wrists. Hera was boneless; she only had the barest of strength to stand up and walk. With an unsteady gait, she entered the club. The only thought in her head was that she needed men. Her face was flushed bright red as she stumbled her way into the club, holding onto the walls and door frames for support. A bald man noticed her lone entrance and swiftly walked toward her. ¡°Hello, girl. You look pretty.¡± Hera¡¯s eyes were unfocused when she parted her lips and muttered, ¡°I want¡­ Give it¡­ to me¡­¡± The bald man instantly realized that the woman was drugged. With greedy eyes, he smugly shouted to the few roguish men nearby, ¡°Boys,e. We¡¯re enjoying the time of our lives tonight!¡± Immediately, several men crowded and dragged Hera toward a private room in the club. Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Early in the morning. Hera slowly opened her eyes to find herself lying on a sofa in a private room. Beside hery several rakish men. Those men werepletely naked, sprawling over various pieces of furniture. Bottles of beers were littered across the floor, and the room was a mess. There was a pungent scent that enveloped the room. Hera stared in disbelief. When she lowered her head, she was stupefied. Her body was aching, hickeys and scratch marks were scattered across her body. Both her hair and body had the same stinking scent of the room. Her clothes were strewn on the floor. There was a certain part of her body that was exceptionally sore. Without needing to make a guess, she knew what had happened to her. She had been gang raped by those perverts after she was drugged. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she stared at her surroundings in a daze. She was numbed by the ache in her heart. Why? Why did this happen to me? Like a mindless puppet, she picked up her clothes from the floor and dressed herself. Then, before the few men woke up, she stumbled her way out of the private room. As she fled, her tears spilled onto the ground, leaving her for the rest of her life, just like her body that she would never get back. Hera did not know how she had gotten home. She was d that no one was home. The only one around was the maid. She swiftly locked herself in her room. It was only after a hot shower then did some of her calmness return to her. She started contemting about the person behind the incident. Yet, she could note up with a name even after a long while of thinking. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Unless¡­ It¡¯s Ashlyn? She had not crossed anyone else but Ashlyn recently. As she had exhausted herself the night before, she soon fell asleep without knowing it. The morning sun seeped in through gaps between the curtains. The woman on the bed fluttered her eyshes as she woke, and her face shone with the rays of sunlight. Ashlyn slowly opened her eyes to see the man¡¯s handsome face greeting her. Lucas had woken up earlier than her, and he was now looking at her as he sat at the edge of the bed. There was a possessive look in his eyes that invaded her mind. It was as if he wanted to sear her into his brain. ¡°Morning.¡± The man¡¯s deep voice sounded near her ears. Ashlyn looked at him. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Honey, I¡¯m flying today.¡± Lucas stared at her, unblinking. ¡°Can you keep mepany?¡± He loved the feeling of being able to see her even when he was in a ne midair. ¡°Lucas, don¡¯t push your luck.¡± Ashlyn sat up and tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. It was a natural action yet it was alluring. Morning at the Lucas¡¯ house was rather strange. Early in the morning, Hera arrived at the Whind Vi. She went straight to the kitchen for coffee and sandwiches. It looks like she¡¯s preparing breakfast for Lucas. Louis watched from afar, not daring toe close to her. Hera was not as even-tempered as Ashlyn was. In the dining room. Lucas was reading the newspaper, and his simple breakfast was ced in front of him¡ªck coffee and a sandwich. Louis nced at the breakfast and scoffed under his breath. Ms. Chapman insisted to make breakfast. She doesn¡¯t even know that although Mr. Nn¡¯s breakfast looks simple, it¡¯s difficult to make one that pleases him. Only Mrs. Nn knows what he truly wants, be it the thickness of the ham, the time frying the egg, or how toasted the bread should be. Though the sandwich was ced on a fine porcin te, a pile of golden corn was awkwardly served at the side. Furthermore, right beside the corn was some uneven carrot strips, proving just how unskillful the chef was. It looks fine from afar, but up close¡­ It won¡¯t take a genius to know that Mr. Nn won¡¯t eat it. Finally, Lucas put down his newspaper and sipped on the coffee. ¡°Who made this?¡± Chapter 268 Chapter 268 This is definitely not Ashlyn¡¯s work. That¡¯s not how her coffee tastes like. The breakfast doesn¡¯t taste like anything she usually makes. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The realization made a cold look crawl into the man¡¯s eyes, and the look would have frozen the cup of coffee if it could. ¡°Lucas, I made sausages too. Do you want to try it?¡± Enduring the soreness of her body, Hera smiled as she carried a tray toward the dining table. She had not noticed the changes in her surroundings nor the tension in the atmosphere. ¡°Who gave you the permission to enter my house? And even the kitchen to cook?¡± In Lucas¡¯ cold tone was intense displeasure. His gloomy expression made Hera¡¯s smile freeze. He¡¯s not happy? When she received Lucas¡¯ message early in the morning, she hurriedly dragged her sore body over to make breakfast for him, but he seemed unhappy about it. ¡°Lucas, weren¡¯t you the one who sent your men to give me a message, telling me toe over and make breakfast for you? You¡¯ve even given me your house address¡­¡± Hera found herself barely able to breathe as he questioned her. ¡°Hera, who do you think you are? I never sent anyone to send you a message nor ask you toe to my house. Don¡¯t do insignificant things.¡± Lucas coldly uttered. How free and scheming is she? Did she think that my impression of her will change just because she made me breakfast? ¡°How can you say this? Lucas, my love for you is sincere!¡± She had been busy since morning. Not only did she not get anything in return, but he also even rejected her ruthlessly. Tears escaped from her eyes as she looked at Lucas with a deep frown on her face. She then took out a letter from her purse and mumbled, ¡°You can look at it if you don¡¯t believe in my words.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve nned to put on a show, I¡¯m sure you came prepared.¡± Lucas chuckled in a low voice, ¡°Your tears worth nothing to me. Don¡¯t assume that I¡¯d feel bad for you because you¡¯re crying.¡± Hera was close to exploding in rage. She stood in front of the table, upset. Her hands were still gripping tight onto the letter. If it wasn¡¯t Lucas who sent me this, who did? Is that person trying to make Lucas hate me? ¡°Louis, there¡¯ll only be one Mrs. Nn in this house, and only one woman can be here. I don¡¯t want this to happen again.¡± Lucas uttered, ncing at Louis. The butler had been working in the Nn family for years. He would not put the older man in a difficult spot. However, this incident had him upset. Hera had just been f*cked by so many menst night, but here she is acting for sympathy. Who does she think she is? Does she think that she¡¯s thedy of the house? How ridiculous! When Ashlyn came down the stairs, she saw Hera, who was sobbing in distress. She perked her brows and nced at Lucas, who was seated at the dining table. There was food on the table, but the man had not touched it. ¡°Since someone has made you breakfast, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± The woman sounded cial. Upon hearing her voice, Hera jerked her head upward to see Ashlyn¡¯s pretty, bare face, and beautiful figure. Even when Ashlyn was only wearing a simple T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans, she could not hide the perfect body she had. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Hera shrieked. Why is it this woman again? Ashlyn turned to look at her. If looks could kill, Hera would have murdered Ashlyn a thousand times by now. The venomous gaze she had pierced right into anyone she looked at. A weighted hatred was spilling out of Hera¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here?¡± Ashlyn mocked before walking past her, nning to leave. However, Lucas was quicker than she was. Somehow, the man had stood up from his chair and grabbed her wrist. ¡°I haven¡¯t had my breakfast yet.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t someone already made one for you?¡± Ashlyn asked with an indifferent expression. Chapter 269 Chapter 269 ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to make breakfast after seeing trash right at the start of my day.¡± Ashlyn swung his hand away and walked toward the door. Lucas hurried after her. Hera gritted her teeth as she looked at them. She was about to rush after them when Louis stopped her. With a stern look, he spoke, ¡°Ms. Chapman, please don¡¯t make things difficult for me in the future. Mr. Nn has said that this ce is off-limits to you.¡± The woman had forced her way into the kitchen as if she were thedy of the house, and she had embarrassed him. If he knew about Lucas¡¯ thoughts, he would have chased her out the moment she stepped into the house. Now that Lucas had rified that there was only one Mrs. Nn, he was not going to show any courtesy to Hera anymore. Hera shot a frustrated re at Louis. Old fool! When I be Mrs. Nn, you¡¯ll be the first to go. Rushing out of the house, Lucas spotted Ashlyn. She was walking quick. Looking at her slender figure, he thirsted for her. It was as if he was a man on a hunt; his blood was boiling with eagerness in his veins. It surged to every part of his body. Soon! Soon! Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. In a few steps, he would reach her. All Ashlyn wanted to do now was to leave the vi. The man, who was like a devil, kept barging into her life and disrupted her peace. It upset her. Keeping himpany for his flight? As if I¡¯ll do that! Abruptly, a man¡¯s hand reached her. It wrapped itself around her wrist tightly. Ashlyn frowned as she tried to pry him off her. ¡°Where are you going?¡± The man¡¯s voice was sharp, as if he were a predator waiting to attack. Ashlyn nced at the towering man. ¡°None of your business.¡± The man¡¯s voice remained low as he muttered, ¡°Honey, stop this.¡± ¡°Lucas, what are you trying to do?¡± Ashlyn shot him a re, feeling frustrated. ¡°What I¡¯ve been trying to do is you. Don¡¯t you know that?¡± Lucas chortled by her ears. She could almost feel the vibration on the man¡¯s chest as heughed. ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡± Ashlyn hissed, raising her leg in preparation to kick him. However, before she came back to her senses, the man¡¯s other hand grabbed her ankle. It sent a tingling sensation up her leg. In the neighborhood. Lucas¡¯ handsome face attracted the nearby women¡¯s attention. Some even wanted to take photos of him, but they were stopped by the coldness in his eyes. He stood still as the sunlight enveloped his body, looking like the perfect man carved by God himself. All he was doing was silently looking at the doll-like woman in front of him. She was only wearing the simplest white shirt, but it was enough to tug at his heartstrings. Ashlyn stared at Lucas. His eagle-like piercing gaze was fixed on her, and his hand was still gripping her ankle. For a moment, it felt as if they were in a movie. The surrounding people and scenery seemed to be shing past them like shadows. There was no one else in the world but the two of them. Their emotions were seeping into each other through their locked eyes. The man wanted to conquer her, but the woman wanted to resist him. Their eyes remained locked as if time had stopped, and nothing else in the world mattered to them. That was the sight that greeted Hera when she ran up to them. She glowered at Ashlyn. I can¡¯t believe that this woman spent the night at Whind Vi yesterday! I made breakfast and coffee this morning, but all I¡¯ve gotten was Lucas¡¯ harsh words. He¡¯s even holding her leg right now. The romantic tension between Ashlyn and Lucas nearly pushed Hera off the edge of sanity. Why?! Why is Ashlyn allowed to be on Lucas¡¯ bed? Why am I the one gang-raped by so many menst night? Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Hera was on the verge of a breakdown. I came to please Lucas despite how sore I¡¯m feeling, but to what end? The morning breeze gently blew past Ashlyn¡¯s long hair, and she looked picturesque. ¡°Lucas, let go.¡± Murmured Ashlyn as she continued to stare into his eyes. A small grin grew on Lucas¡¯ face. ¡°Apany me on my flight.¡± The way he was smiling urged Ashlyn to punch right in the center of his face. ¡°Lucas, can you grow up?¡± Ashlyn questioned, sounding vexed. ¡°Be good. I¡¯m flying to S nation today. It¡¯s a beautiful country.¡± Lucas¡¯ grin widened. When he saw that Ashlyn was helpless against his actions, a sense of satisfaction swelled in his chest. He was the one who was adamant about herpany; but he was also the one pretending that the oue did not matter to him. Ashlyn was done with him. She was exasperated with everything happened this morning. Looking at her face, Lucas whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. You¡¯ll grow wrinkles if you do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only twenty-two! I don¡¯t care about wrinkles.¡± Ashlyn shot back. As if he had heard a funny joke, Lucas¡¯ lips curled again and his eyes turned crescent from the smile. ¡°Trust me. They don¡¯t look good with your wedding dress.¡± ¡°Who said I¡¯m wearing the wedding dress?¡± Ashlyn huffed. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll send you to the studio.¡± Lucas said as he pulled her into his arms before carrying her up in a bridal hold. Ashlyn red at him, infuriated. The entire time, Hera was standing at the side as if she was part of the scenery. When she saw Lucas carrying Ashlyn up the car, she rushed over and pped the car door. ¡°Lucas, where are you going?¡± The man wound down the window, and the frigid look he had on him could have given him frostbite. ¡°Stay away from me. I don¡¯t want to get some sort of disease from you. If you appear in my line of sight again, I won¡¯t be as nice as I am this time.¡± ¡°Lucas, don¡¯t¡­¡± Hera tensed up. She widened her eyes in disbelief. What did I just hear? Disease¡­ She felt as if she had been thrown into an icyke. Did¡­ Did he find out about what happenedst night? No! That can¡¯t be true! How did he find out about it? Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Not even my parents nor my family know about it. The Bentley drove out of the area. Ashlyn sat quietly as she watched the man drive. The cruelty he had toward Hera was worlds apart from his attitude toward her in the past. What happened? ¡°Lucas, I¡¯m busy today. I don¡¯t have the time to apany you on your flight.¡± Ashlyn uttered with a cial tone. A small smile hung on Lucas¡¯ lips. Ashlyn¡¯s cold look might have frightened others, but to him, it was adorable. A trace of defiance was in her eyes, and she looked better like this than that obedient look she had when they were married. Somehow, she would always find a way to make his heart sing for her. ¡°It¡¯s alright. My flight is at seven. You¡¯ll be done by then.¡± Lucas replied nonchntly as he spared a nce at Ashlyn. The car was filled with an intense masculine scent, and he was a resting cheetahzing in the sun. He could not conceal the dangerous sensation that poured out of him. Ashlyn wanted to keep a distance from Lucas. Yet, when she had her Spirogyra attack, she needed him. She was in a turmoil of emotions. The woman could barely stand this anymore. ¡°Honey, stop running away from me. Otherwise, I¡¯ll make a golden cage and keep you in there.¡± Lucas¡¯ smile slowly faded away. A cloud of mist appeared in Lucas¡¯ eyes. The temperature in the car lowered, and Ashlyn could feel the chill seeping into her bones. ¡°Lucas.¡± Ashlyn had an equally frigid tone. ¡°You can try. We¡¯ll see whoes out of this alive.¡± Chapter 271 Chapter 271 She simply could not understand him. Why must he keeping after me even after the divorce, such that I can barely breathe? ¡°Honey, I just want to return to how we were in the past. Is that not possible?¡± On the highway, the sun¡¯s gentle rays illuminated the man¡¯s charming features through the windscreen. ¡°Yes.¡± Ashlyn replied without hesitation. The situation is getting out of hand. What is he thinking?! He was the one who brought up the divorce! Her lips formed a mocking smile. Lucas caught every little expression of hers. All of them were tugging at his heartstrings. I¡¯m probably curious because she¡¯s so mysterious. Lucas consoled himself. One day, I¡¯ll be able to peel back all of heryers and see who Ashlyn Berry truly is! ¡°Honey, don¡¯t be so quick to refuse.¡± Lucas frowned and cast Ashlyn a sharp gaze. ¡°Get this straight Lucas, we will never get back together.¡± Ashlyn dered resolutely. The man reached over and grabbed her hand forcefully. Ashlyn tried to struggle, but Lucas only tightened his grip after that! The ex-husband grinned evilly, ¡°Just take it as I¡¯m a lunatic.¡± ¡°You madman! Let go!¡± Ashlyn jerked her hand free from his grip. Lucas did not continue to force her andmented indifferently, ¡°Soon, you¡¯ll beg me to never let go.¡± This man is mad! He¡¯spletely unreasonable! She gritted her teeth, ¡°Dream on.¡± Hearing that, the man¡¯s smirk disappear. His pitch-ck pupils constricted and his gaze turned dangerous. ¡°Honey, you¡¯ll always be my wife and no one else¡¯s!¡± Lucas¡¯ words sent shivers down Ashlyn¡¯s spine. The car pulled over at the state concert hall. Ashlyn jumped off the car and the man warned her, ¡°Don¡¯t even think of running away. I¡¯ll pick you up at five.¡± The woman simply ignored it and bolted toward the hall. As the sun¡¯s rays spilled on her silky ck hair, her entire being was filled with radiance. In the concert hall. Upon seeing Ashlyn, Pierre brought her a cup of coffee, ¡°Ms. Berry, the advertisement has been published and you look simply stunning!¡± Before the National Day G Night, almost every television channel would broadcast an advertisement for the ceremony. This included highlighting the producing director and actors. Some channels would even invite some idols or stars to advertise for them. They could not afford to invite too many, so they would usually hire one or two to do the job. Most of the G Nights were organized by the local government. The state¡¯s funds were limited and they could not hire acimed actors. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Some of them were even extras. This way, the president could show that he was not wasting resources and conserve money at the same time. The respective cities would advertise their G Night on Twitter as well to hype up the public. The advertisement video, as well as short clips from the training and rehearsals, were released. Ashlyn was moderately famous on Twitter and the videos received a lot of views. When theizens saw Lake City¡¯s advertisement, they were stunned. ¡°Are my eyes deceiving me?¡± Chapter 272 Chapter 272 ¡°Oh my gosh, what on earth is Mr. Field thinking?¡± ¡°So, like, what can this woman do, really? Like, can she sing, or dance?¡± Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°She can totally seduce men!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to admit that she¡¯s really beautiful.¡± Theizens had little hopes for Lake City¡¯s G Night. Now that they learned about Ashlyn¡¯s title for the show, they believed the ceremony would be a total disaster. On the other hand, her colleagues at the First Hospital noticed the video as well and it became the talk of the hospital. ¡°Oh my goodness, Dr. Berry is so awesome!¡± ¡°I know right! She¡¯s even the producing director!¡± ¡°She¡¯s probably just there for her looks.¡± Penelope scoffed. She had been working at the First Hospital for nearly a month and had not seen Ashlyn at work at all. The stepsister started to suspect that Ashlyn was bragging and she was not a doctor here at all. No wonder Dixon was so angry. The nurses were all diehard fans of Ashlyn. In fact, the entire hospital held Ashlyn in high regard. Doctors and nurses alike had nothing but respect for her. Everyone stared at Penelope in shock. What did she just say? Did someone just insult Dr. Berry? The nurse that Lucas talked to before snapped angrily, ¡°Sister Berry, Dr. Berry is the top doctor in First Hospital. Please watch your mouth.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth! I haven¡¯t seen her at work at all! We should report her for shirking!¡± Penelope was furious when she heard someone defend Ashlyn. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try! The director won¡¯t punish Dr. Berry for this!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, girls! Ignore her!¡± A group of nurses banded together and gave Penelope the cold shoulder. Penelope was fuming. Meanwhile, at the concert hall. Pierre, the co-producers, and some actors huddled around theputer to watch the promotional video. Among the directors, Ashlyn took the spotlight, followed by Pierre and the other three co-producers. Ashlyn had a cool and aloof expression, highlighting her natural beauty and nobility. She would take the spotlight naturally in any scene. Pierre sighed. What a waste! This woman was born to be in the spotlight but she¡¯s not interested in showbiz! ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± A shrill voice called out. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ashlyn and the others turned around and saw J screaming at Charlotte. Thetter stammered helplessly, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going! Now you¡¯ve gotten me all wet!¡± J roared. She had a cup of water in her hands and spilled most of its contents on herself. ¡°I-I¡­¡± The young girl stuttered in an incoherent mess. Her face turned pale and she was drenched in cold sweat. She felt ufortable with the countless pairs of eyes staring at her and her breathing started bing irregr. Charlotte just wanted to take a look at the video, but J suddenly rammed into her and pushed the me onto her¡­ She wanted to speak up and defend herself but she panicked and words failed her. The poor girl started hyperventting and her mind went nk. It was as if the air were filled with explosives and would blow her up with the slightest spark. Chapter 273 Chapter 273 If Charlotte hadn¡¯t shown up, Ashlyn would¡¯ve taken my car instead! This wench looks innocent and harmless, but she¡¯s vying with me for Ashlyn¡¯s attention! Argh, she¡¯ll be the death of me! I¡¯ll make sure to humiliate her publicly! That way, she¡¯ll know that I¡¯m the only one worthy of being Ashlyn¡¯s favorite. In order to make her notice me, I¡¯ve been rehearsing my lines in front of the mirror at home every day! I nearly memorized everyone else¡¯s lines as well! How dare Charlotte tries to steal Ashlyn¡¯s attention from me! How infuriating! Ashlyn headed over to Charlotte¡¯s side and demanded in a clear voice, ¡°Apologize.¡± Her tone was authoritative and had no room for negotiation. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Charlotte stared at Ashlyn in shock as her eyes gradually lost focus. Even Ms. Berry wants me to apologize to J? ¡°J, apologize to Charlotte, now.¡± Ashlyn dered with a threatening tone. She held Charlotte¡¯s hand and consoled her, ¡°Calm down.¡± Charlotte stammered, ¡°A-Ashlyn¡­¡± The tears rolling down Charlotte¡¯s cheeks shone like pearls. Ashlyn gave her a sympathizing look and knew that her autism must have rpsed. This young girl was simple-minded and had autism, so she would never provoke J. In other words, thetter must have been stirring up trouble. She hugged Charlotte tightly and red at J, ¡°Are you picking on her because of her disability?¡± Now, even the blind could tell that Charlotte had some mental disability. However, she could not back down and insisted, ¡°She knocked into me and spilled water all over me! I haven¡¯t even settled the score for when she snatched you away from mest night! Ms. Berry, I don¡¯t care. I want to send you home tonight!¡± When Ashlyn heard this, her eyes turned cold and interrogated J, ¡°Is that your reason for bullying Charlotte?¡± ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t bullying her!¡± J protested weakly. ¡°I didn¡¯t bully her. She rammed into me!¡± ¡°I can check the surveince records,¡± Ashlyn replied expressionlessly. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed your recent efforts, but if you continue sabotaging the other performers, I won¡¯t hesitate to chase you out.¡± J had not expected Ashlyn to be so sharp. She stared hard at Ashlyn. This woman is beautiful enough to charm any man in the world. Her ice- queen demeanor highlights her strong will andplements each other well. She looks pure and innocent but maintains her womanly charms at the same time. At this point, Ashlyn had unleashed the full extent of her wrath to intimidate J. The actor¡¯s face turned crimson red with embarrassment and her lips and fingers were trembling. She was worried that she would get into Ashlyn¡¯s bad books because of this incident. She bit her lip and apologized reluctantly, ¡°Sorry.¡± After that, she turned to Ashlyn and pleaded, ¡°Ms. Berry, I really just wanted to send you home.¡± ¡°No need for the trouble. Someone will be picking me up tonight.¡± Finished speaking, Ashlyn brought Charlotte into a quiet corner and asked gently, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡± Charlotte murmured. Her ears were ringing. I¡¯m too much of a failure! I still can¡¯t get used to being the center of attention! How could I possibly perform in this state! I¡¯ll be disappointing Uncle L again¡­ Charlotte felt torn inside. Ashlyn gripped her hand tightly andforted her, ¡°Believe in yourself. I know you can do it. Your uncle and I will be waiting for the day you ovee your difficulties. We won¡¯t ever leave you behind.¡± Chapter 274 Chapter 274 They often locked themselves up in their own world and would be reluctant to expose themselves to the outside world. For some unknown reason, she felt a sense of attachment to Charlotte. It was as though there was an unbreakable bond between them. It was the same feeling she had when she saw Mrs. Field. There was this strange feeling of familiarity and closeness¡­ Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Ashlyn had an aloof personality and rarely felt close to others. However, she met two exceptions ¡ª Fae and Charlotte. She felt a strong sense of sympathy toward Charlotte. At five in the afternoon, Ashlyn left the concert hall and took a cab toward the airport. She wanted to get out of Lake City before Lucas could get to her. Like hell I¡¯d fly with Lucas. Now that Spirogyra isn¡¯t going to rpse, why should I even talk to him? However, the moment she got off the taxi, dozens of men dressed in ck surrounded her. ¡°Ms. Berry, are you here to apany Mr. Nn on his flight?¡± Their leader stepped up and greeted her. He was tall, well-built, and obviously a skilled fighter. Ashlyn stared at them emotionlessly and silently cursed Lucas. He must¡¯ve sent someone to tail me the moment I left the concert hall. Damn it! How could I not notice? Since when did this man find such skilled subordinates? In reality, she had not noticed it because she was in a hurry to escape. She scoffed, ¡°Does he really think you guys are enough to stop me?¡± Ashlyn leaped into the air gracefully and broke out of the circle. These men hade prepared and fought back seriously. ¡°I¡¯ve long heard Ms. Berry is a good fighter. Now then, can you take all of us at once?¡± Their leader smirked. All of his men pounced toward Ashlyn at once. The airport was a crowded area. When a fight broke out, the bystanders were startled. Some tourists decided to stay behind and watch while a few timid people ran away for fear of being implicated. However, they could not help but steal nces at the scene behind them. The crowd was sent into a state of shock. Several passerby started to film the entire fight. ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± ¡°This woman is so strong! She took five men down with a single kick!¡± ¡°Wow! She managed to knock two of them out with one punch!¡± ¡°Kyaa! She looks so cool!¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, that backflip was awesome!¡± Some of the bystanders could not help but start cheering in excitement. However, Ashlyn did not have it as easy as thementary suggested. After trading a few blows with these experts, she could guess their background. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the high and mighty Zene Ancient Martial Arts n to have be Lucas¡¯ckeys.¡± Ashlyn sneered and took her opponents more seriously. ¡°You¡¯re sharp, Ms. Berry, but I¡¯m afraid I have to correct you. We¡¯re not Mr. Nn¡¯sckeys. We serve him willingly of our own ord.¡± The eldest disciple of the Zene n, Ben Zene, corrected her. ¡°The Zene n usually doesn¡¯t meddle in mundane affairs. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re going too far for Lucas?¡± Ashlyn said as she countered Ben¡¯s attack and kicked two males aside. ¡°We will obey Mr. Nn¡¯smands unconditionally.¡± Ben proimed. ¡°Hahaha.¡± Ashlynughed as she dealt a palm strike toward Ben, thest member of the Zene n standing. ¡°Mr. Zene, you and your n have lived respectable lives not yearning for riches or fame, and yet now, you¡¯re working with Lucas. You¡¯ve tainted the good name of the Zene n!¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, it¡¯s all worth it to get a chance to trade blows with the legendary Kris Harvey. You¡¯ve lived up to your reputation.¡± Ben exposed Ashlyn¡¯s secret identity. Ashlyn raised an eyebrow, ¡°Looks like you know too much for your own good!¡± Suddenly, she had switched to using only lethal strikes. Chapter 275 Chapter 275 He looked around for help but all of his men had been incapacitated by Ashlyn. Darn! Am I supposed to let this woman get away like that? As expected of Kris Harvey! She won¡¯t be easy to deal with! Only the n leader could deal with her! Ashlyn¡¯s expression turned cold and exuded a chilling pressure. She struck Ben square on the chest. Ben stumbled backwards and hit the ground hard. He struggled to get up, but his legs failed him. ¡°Ben!¡± ¡°Ben!¡± Several of his juniors crawled toward him. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. But the leader waved them off and sighed as he watched Ashlyn leave, ¡°The Zene n has suffered its first defeat in history! However, if the opponent is Kris Harvey, then it would be worth it.¡± He sighed once more andmanded, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± A tall man greeted her the moment she set foot into the airport. Lucas raised an eyebrow and smiled, ¡°Honey, I didn¡¯t expect you to be in such a rush to meet me.¡± Ashlyn was dumbfounded. I should¡¯ve seen thising! She got into a defensive posture and threatened, ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll go easy on you, Lucas.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t, but will you still be able to beat me after exhausting your strength to deal with the Zene n?¡± Lucas inquired as he gripped her wrist. It was swollen. Damn it, I told them not to hurt her! He asked out of concern, ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°Spare me the hypocrisy. You were the one who sent them after me!¡± Ashlyn scowled. Looks like I won¡¯t be able to avoid it this time. Lucas checked the time and noticed that he still had some time before takeoff, so he dragged Ashlyn to the pre-departure meeting room. They passed by the departure hall and went through the staff entrance. Lucas was holding Ashlyn¡¯s hand this entire time. The sight of a tall and handsome man together with a stunningly beautifuldy attracted many stares. Jenny, Nancy, and the others were preparing for their flight. When they heard the footsteps approaching, they turned around. They saw a familiar man walk inside with a beautiful woman. Jenny¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Captain Nn, how could you let unauthorized personnel enter this meeting room?¡± She had ordered someone to pass a note to Hera earlier to make Lucas feel disgusted. Why is Lucas with Ashlyn again? When Jenny heard Hera calling Lucas in such a coquettish tone the previous day, she nearly puked from disgust. She swore to teach Hera a lesson after that. As expected, in the afternoon, she received a call from that bit*h whining about how Lucas had scolded her. She nearly jumped with joy when she heard that. I¡¯ll definitely make Lucas hate both Ashlyn and Hera! Any woman who dares to set their sights on my man deserves death! Lucas red at Jenny and demanded, ¡°Who are you? What right do you have toment on what I do?¡± Color left Jenny¡¯s face and she felt a sharp blow in her chest. Why can¡¯t this man remember who I am? I¡¯ve already worked along him for such a long time! She nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood. Lucas ordered Nancy, ¡°Bring me the first aid kit.¡± Thetter executed his instructions immediately. While waiting, he led Ashlyn to the sofa. Soon, Nancy arrived with the kit. Just as she was about to get to work, Lucas dismissed her, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Nancy was taken aback and stepped aside. The man opened the first aid kit and picked out an ointment for bruises. Jenny was fuming. Such a dignified man is going to help Ashlyn personally? God damn it! Her chest rose and fell heavily. Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Intentionally or otherwise, when Lucas applied some ointment on her wrist, she grimaced in pain. The man asked worriedly, ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°Somewhat.¡± Ashlyn nodded coquettishly. Lucas was captivated by this sight. He had not heard her in such a tone for a long time. The man gently applied the ointment over the wound and rubbed it tenderly. After a long time, he finally released her wrist. When Ashlyn thought she had finally regained her freedom, the man took a bandage from the first aid kit and gently wrapped it around her wrist. Finally, he finished the knot with a butterfly knot. ¡°This way, you won¡¯t hurt it again.¡± Lucas exined. Ashlyn stared at him in shock. Hey, weren¡¯t you the one who sent those fighters? Why are you trying to help me with first aid as well? That¡¯s so two-faced! ¡°I¡¯ll definitely punish them well to avenge you.¡± Lucas growled with a cold expression on his face. Ashlyn was speechless. Those are your subordinates, you know. They acted under your orders. Just as she was lost in thought, Lucas grabbed his phone and yelled into it, ¡°Ben Zene, how dare you hurt her?! You¡¯re all sentenced to South Africa to work at the mines for three months, effective immediately!¡± Ben felt wronged. We got beaten up by her and now you¡¯re punishing us? ¡°Sir, who will protect you for these three months then?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll assign someone else.¡± Lucas replied and hung up promptly. Ashlyn rubbed her nose. Well, I wasn¡¯t really hurt, but¡­ Jenny copsed onto her seat in shock. Is Captain Nn standing up for this woman? Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Her heart was racing and her mind went nk. As she stared at Lucas holding Ashlyn¡¯s hand, she was ovee by an urge to tear them apart. She could not bear to watch any further and dashed out of the room. At seven in the evening, Lucas finally finished all his routine checks with Ashlyn¡¯s hand held tightly in his own. He pulled her closer toward him and whispered, ¡°Have you thought of what you want to do in S nation yet?¡± Ashlyn retaliated by stepping on his foot andughing wryly when Lucas frowned. ¡°Sorry, my foot slipped.¡± I won¡¯t be following you around, that¡¯s for sure. She then sank toward the opposite end of the seat and distanced herself from Lucas. The captain returned to his aloof state while Ashlyn acted like a normal passenger. Seeing their intimate interactions, Jenny¡¯s heart wrenched. Nancy left her alone. I can¡¯t help it. This woman is stubborn and just won¡¯t give up on Captain Nn. Lucas headed to the cockpit afterpleting all his checks. He informed Ground Control and prepared to wee the passengers on board. Nancy stood at the boarding gate and greeted every single passenger with a smile. The other flight attendants took their stations to guide the passengers as well. After the final passenger boarded the ne, Nancy closed the departure gates. She then informed Lucas and his co-pilot, Fred. However, in less than a minute, Lucas announced in a charismatic voice, ¡°Inform all passengers that the flight will be dyed by an hour due to turbulence.¡± The moment the cabin crew heard this, their faces fell. However, they forced themselves to make the announcement with a smile, followed by distributing snacks and drinks to appease the passengers. Chapter 277 Chapter 277 They started throwing tantrums and even cursed at the cabin crew. Nancy jogged toward the cockpit. Lucas and Fred were used to such instances that urred with turbulence and knew what Nancy was about to say. Before she could speak, Lucas put on a stern expression, ¡°The control tower will either ignore us or say they don¡¯t know when the turbulence will end. We¡¯ll have to wait for the tower to contact us again.¡± ¡°Got it. In that case, can I trouble you to address the passengers, Captain Nn?¡± Nancy requested. She knew Lucas¡¯ work style well. The captain nodded. Ashlyn sat at her seat idly while the other passengers continued grumbling and whining. At this moment, Nancy stepped out of the cockpit and Lucas¡¯ voice came from the PA system. The man¡¯s coarse and charming voice announced the news of the turbulence over the PA. His charismatic voice quelled the unrest amongst the passengers. Ashlyn even noticed an eighteen-year-old girl squeal excitedly, ¡°Kyaa, his voice is amazing! He should be a singer!¡± Thanks to Lucas¡¯ broadcast, the entire cabin became a lot of quieter. Ashlyn rested her head on her hands and raised an eyebrow. This man can even charm people with his voice alone. What a useful skill. Half an hour passed. The saliency effect of Lucas¡¯ announcement slowly faded with time and the passengers grew unsettled once again. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that we would take off in an hour? It¡¯s already been half an hour! Why are we still waiting?¡± A middle-aged woman roared at Nancy impatiently. ¡°What on earth is going on? Get your captain out here!¡± A young man bellowed. Nancy offered a professional smile and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry¡­¡± Before she could finish, the middle-aged woman grabbed her by the cor. This sudden turn of events gave all the flight attendants a shock. When the passengers saw that someone had started acting violently, they became bold and started wing Nancy and even beating her up. A few men even charged toward the cockpit and demanded to enter. When Ashlyn heard the ruckus, she turned around to find Nancy being beaten up. She rushed over and shielded the poor flight attendant with her body. The middle-aged woman, who had intended to p Nancy, struck Ashlyn¡¯s swollen wrist instead. Ashlyn gritted her teeth in pain and yelled at the stunned stewardesses nearby, ¡°What¡¯re you waiting for? Call the police and inform Lucas!¡± Jenny and the others came to their senses and carried out Ashlyn¡¯s instructions. Ashlyn examined Nancy¡¯s injuries and noticed that her arm was bleeding. However, these rowdy passengers remained hostile and showed no sense of remorse toward the victim. Ashlyn was furious and bellowed, ¡°We can¡¯t takeoff during turbulence out of concern for everyone¡¯s safety! What on earth do you guys want?¡± Nancy had left a good impression on Ashlyn, so she would not allow harm to befall her. The melodic female voice captured the attention of every passenger. When they caught a glimpse of her, everyone did a double take. What a beautiful woman! She looks better than all the superstars on television! The middle-aged woman who had hit Nancy screamed unpleasantly, ¡°And who are you? Just shut up and don¡¯t interfere! I don¡¯t care who you are, but this ne has got to take flight right this instant!¡± At this moment, the door to the cockpit opened and Lucas appeared in front of the passengers. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. When he saw that Ashlyn was not visibly injured, his stern expression softened. Chapter 278 Chapter 278 He grabbed the middle-aged woman¡¯s arm and she shrieked in pain. She spat, ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m the customer, and the customer is always right! Unhand¡­ Ouch!¡± Lucas red at the woman spitefully and his calm and charismatic tone was reced with a low- pitched growl, ¡°Imand you as the captain to get off the ne. All of your actions will be considered as uwful disruption of takeoff procedures!¡± The woman¡¯s face turned white as a sheet. ¡°Just who do you think you are?¡± ¡°I am Lucas Nn!¡± The moment he said this, the ne fell silent. Lucas Nn? The CEO of South Star Airlines and the First Captain? We are on his flight?! Oh my gosh! The police arrived shortly and brought the instigators away. The rest of the passengers watched them leave in shock. Lucas headed to Ashlyn¡¯s side and picked up her hand, ignoring the fact that they were in public view. He queried, ¡°Are you alright?¡± He inspected her injured wrist and noticed that there were no signs of the injury worsening. The man heaved a sigh of relief. Ashlyn retracted her hand and mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m alright but we¡¯ll have to tend to Ms. Jesson¡¯s injuries. Can someone get a first aid kid over?¡± Lucas instructed Jenny while maintaining a frightening expression, ¡°Do as she said.¡± Jenny quickly rushed to bring the kit over. Ashlyn opened it and started taking care of Nancy¡¯s wound. Thankfully, it was only a scratch and would recover withoutsting damage. Jenny and the other flight attendants started to take care of the mess caused by the rowdy passengers. After bandaging Nancy¡¯s wound, Ashlyn got up and noticed that all other stewardesses were busy, so she ced the first aid kit back herself. Lucas was watching her from the cockpit. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn felt a familiar pressure when approaching the cabin. When she passed by him, he suddenly grabbed her wrist. With a quick tug, she fell into the man¡¯s arms. Before Ashlyn could react, the man had seized her soft lips with his own. He kissed her forcefully and with a hint of longing. Ashlyn attempted to struggle but to no avail. Lucas pinned her down on the floor and kissed her passionately. When the man slowly rxed his force, Ashlyn shoved him and burst out while catching her breath, ¡°Have you gone mad? What if the cabin crew sees us?¡± Her voice was hoarse and seductive. Thankfully, the situation outside was still chaotic. Otherwise, she would have been utterly embarrassed if anyone else walked in on them. Lucas was enraged and retorted, ¡°You¡¯re my wife! Why can¡¯t I kiss you in public?¡± ¡°Lucas, have you lost it? Or are you losing your memory? We¡¯re divorced!¡± ¡°So what? We¡¯ll get back together sooner orter,¡± Lucas replied desperately. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you found someone else! If you did, I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°None of your business.¡± Ashlyn interrupted him and turned around. She took out her lipstick to patch her makeup but Lucas suddenly swooped down and bit her lipstick off cleanly. Ashlyn was startled. Lucas proceeded to hold the lipstick between his teeth and apply it over her lips¡­ Ashlyn did not dare to move an inch and stared at the remaining half of her lipstick in shock¡­ After a long time, Lucas spat the lipstick in his mouth into a nearby bin and admired his ¡®masterpiece¡¯. His eyes dulled and he swallowed. One day, I¡¯ll have to try getting intimate with her on the ne. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be an unforgettable experience. Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Lucas headed toward the cockpit as well. ¡°The passengers these days are getting out of hand!¡± Fredined. Lucas remained silent and yed back the kiss in his head over and over. That was the first time he kissed Ashlyn on the ne. I could get used to this¡­ When Fred saw that Lucas remained silent, he gave him a knowing look and started to scroll through his feed on Twitter. By chance, he noticed an ¡®airport brawl¡¯ topic which was hot on twitter. Taking a look, he noticed¡­ He eximed in shock, ¡°Captain, captain, look! Ms. Berry fought off dozens of thugs in front of the airport! Oh my gosh, it¡¯s better than any fighting scene in the movies! She¡¯s awesome! Do you think she¡¯ll take me in as her student? I¡¯ve never seen such a cool woman before!¡± Lucas nced at Fred¡¯s phone and saw the video. Ashlyn had fought off dozens of men with ease. Indeed, she looks.. cool. She¡¯s gotten popr online again, huh? The captain smirked and went on Twitter to watch how his ex-wife had fought the men from the Zene n off. Theizens went wild. Oh my gosh, why are there so many people attacking you? Did you offend anyone? You make them look so weak, but they¡¯re all quite skilled! This is like a scene from the movies! What do you mean by that? These fights are more entertaining than those in any movie! The control tower finally gave them the green light to takeoff. The two of them kept their phones and announced the news to the passengers. Then, they took off and set out for S nation. It was getting dark and the lights on the ne were dimmed as well. Most of the passengers slowly drifted to sleep. Ashlyn ced her magazine down and headed to the toilet. The moment she went in, a man ced his hand over her mouth, and shut the door behind. ¡°What are you doing? I need to use the toilet!¡± Ashlyn stared at him in shock. Just how desperate is he? Lucas ignored Ashlyn and inspected her swollen wrist under the toilet¡¯s dim lighting. ¡°Are you nuts? Why did you protect Nancy even though you¡¯re injured?¡± Lucas snapped. He knew? Then he must know that middle-aged woman hit my wrist¡­ Ashlyn red at him and retorted, ¡°Thanks to a certain someone.¡± ¡°Alright, it¡¯s my fault.¡± Lucas softened his tone and took a bottle of ointment out of his pocket. Ignoring her protests, he unwrapped her bandages and started to rub ointment over her wrist again. ¡°You¡¯ve got to change your bandages on time.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Ashlyn shifted ufortably and was unable to describe her feelings urately. She settled for asking him, ¡°Why do you care so much about me?¡± Lucas, who was about to step out of the toilet, paused and turned around. He smirked, ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? I¡¯m trying to court you.¡± The man then walked out of the toilet. This mushy sentence gave Ashlyn the chills. What¡¯s wrong with this man? If he says romantic stuff like this all of a sudden, he¡¯ll give me a fright! She spent a long time in the washroom before finally returning to her seat. On her way out, she ran into Nancy, who was on duty. She inquired, ¡°Ms. Jesson, are you not going to rest?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on duty.¡± Nancy smiled. ¡°Thanks for earlier.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Ashlyn replied inly and returned to her seat. Chapter 280 Chapter 280 When she woke up, the sun was already up. Some of the passengers had woken up as well. Lucas and Ashlyn had not interacted for the rest of the flight until the ne arrived at their destination. S nation was a small country but it had amazing scenery. It had also maintained friendly rtionships with H Nation. After sending the passengers off, the cabin crew took a shuttle bus to a nearby hotel. Lucas took Ashlyn¡¯s hand and sat at the back row. A few flight attendants were discussing the foreign city excitedly. It was their first time flying to this country. Lucas held Ashlyn¡¯s hand and stared at her. On the other hand, the woman looked out of the window and admired the scenery. Her long eyshes were especially captivating. He would not get tired of staring at her face even after four years. It was like an addiction. The shuttle bus slowly came to a halt and everyone got off the bus. Noticing that Lucas had not gotten off, Jenny turned around to see that he was staring intently at Ashlyn. She grunted in displeasure. The couple turned their eyes toward her and frowned. They then noticed that the bus had stopped and most of the crew had already gotten off. ¡°Let¡¯s get going,¡± Ashlyn said as she stretched. Even such a casual action was performed with poise. Lucas took her hand and got off the bus. The rest of the cabin crews stared at their intimate actions enviously. Ashlyn had not brought any luggage with her, so Lucas dragged a small suitcase on one hand and held her hand with the other. The man acted as domineering as ever and quickly settled the check-in procedures to the hotel. Ashlyn suddenly realized that to everyone else, she was Lucas¡¯ family member and had no choice but to share a room with him. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. The crowd entered the lift. Suddenly, Nancy teased, ¡°Captain Nn, Ms. Berry, I¡¯m afraid the lift is full. Please wait for the next one.¡± Nancy then pressed the ¡®close¡¯ button. While waiting for the lift, Ashlyn queried, ¡°Lucas¡­ why did you insist on me flying with you? That makes things so awkward.¡± The man simply smiled wryly at her and remained silent. Ding! He took her hand and stepped into the lift. Ashlyn tried to struggle, but Lucas seemed to read her thoughts and ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± She stopped struggling immediately. Lucas smirked. He gave her an endearing gaze he thought he was never capable of producing before. After entering the room, Lucas set his luggage aside and told Ashlyn, ¡°Follow me to the hospital.¡± ¡°What for?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°To take a look at your hand.¡± Lucasmanded authoritatively. Ashlyn pouted. I¡¯ve seen worse days. This is nothing! ¡°If you don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll¡­¡± Lucas threatened as he pounced upon her, pinning her on the bed. As his hot breath spilled over her ear, Ashlyn¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°L-Let¡¯s go, now!¡± Ashlyn stammered as she cursed at him internally. She did not want to be in bed with this man so early in the morning. Ten minutester, Ashlyn changed her clothes and was prepared to leave. She had not expected Lucas to have brought her clothes as well, including underwear. I give up! Lucas changed into casual wear as well. Just as Ashlyn was about to leave, the man ced a pair of shades on her nose andmented, ¡°The sun is too ring here.¡± Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Ashlyn was stunned when she saw what he was wearing. They were wearing a matching set of shades, like for couples. There was no way Lucas would admit to personally selecting these shades for that exact purpose. Perhaps it was because they were in a foreign country now but the tenseness between them seemed to have rxed quite a bit. Grabbing her hand, he tugged her forward as they headed outside. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Stop pulling. I can walk on my own,¡± she stated in an annoyed tone. ¡°This is called holding hands. It¡¯s something couples do.¡± He lifted his other hand to stroke her long, silky hair. ¡°We¡¯re not a couple,¡± she retorted ndly. He did not say anything in response to that. It was true. They had already divorced so they were not even a couple. The two of them fell silent after that. Coincidentally, there was a hospital nearby so it only took ten minutes for them to get there. The doctor reapplied the medicine before prescribing Ashlyn some other ointments. Standing off to the side, Lucas¡¯ brows were furrowed deeply as he asked in a cold tone, ¡°How long will it take for her to fully recover?¡± ¡°Around a week or so. She should heal quite fast if she applies the ointment daily. Luckily, she didn¡¯t injure her bones,¡± the doctor reassured. Ashlyn thanked the man politely and they left. They strolled down the streets of Serbia, enjoying the beautiful scenery as they went. The local food was an interesting change from what they were used to. After wandering around for the rest of the morning, they had a nice lunch before getting ready to head back to the hotel. They hailed a taxi and climbed inside. A little tired, Ashlyn leaned her head against Lucas¡¯ shoulder and fell asleep. He lowered his gaze and did not remove it from her sleeping visage until they arrived at the hotel. Reluctant to wake her up, he swept her into his arms and carried her inside. The rest of the flight crew were just leaving to head out for lunch. Exiting the elevator, they were astounded to see their captain carrying Ashlyn in. ¡°So cool!¡± ¡°He¡¯s so handsome!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so envious of Ms. Berry.¡± ¡°We have to keep this quiet! Their marriage is supposed to be a secret, remember!¡± Nancy instructed them. As the purser, aiding the captain was her job. Naturally, that included personal matters as well. Ashlyn remained asleep all the way back to their room. Lucas set her down on the soft bed gently. His eyes took in her beautiful features and he muttered, ¡°Honey, is that an invitation?¡± Just the thought of doing it with her in a foreign country had his blood roaring through him. Ashlyn was disturbed from her sleep by a kiss. She slowly opened her eyes, only to discover that her clothing had disappeared. The second thing she realized was that Lucas was currently sucking on her lip. Her hand snapped forward instinctively to punch him but he caught it deftly. ¡°Be a good girl now¡­¡± Ashlyn felt her throat go dry. Through the thin cloth of his captain¡¯s uniform, she could distinctly feel the well-muscled body of Lucas. That alluring voice rumbled in her ear seductively. The dim lighting of the room created a romantic atmosphere around them. Opening a bottle of red wine, he took a sip before delivering the mouthful to her. The fragrant smell of the alcohol coiled in their mouths and saturated the air between them. Mad desire rushed through Ashlyn, burning her from the inside out. Without realizing it, her hands lifted to wrap around his neck. She moved her flushed face closer to his¡­ When Ashlyn next awoke, it was already evening. She reached out for her phone, wanting to check the time. To her surprise, it was not on the bedside table. Shifting slightly, she realized she was currently imprisoned in the arms of the man. One of his arms was slung around her waist tightly, almost possessively. Annoyed, she pinched his chest. Does he have to be so domineering even in sleep? Lucas was sleeping deeply when pain red from his chest. His longshes trembled slightly before they snapped open to reveal wide-awake eyes. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± His raspy voice was way too seductive. ncing down, he instantly noticed the spot of red on his bared chest. Chapter 282 Chapter 282 He smirked at the mark, his body feeling well-rested and content. ¡°Let me go.¡± Ashlyn wiggled in his embrace. ¡°Already so fired up even though you just woke up? Looks like I didn¡¯t satisfy you enough.¡± His hungry gaze swept across her naked form, drinking in the sight of her. ¡°So cocky even though you just woke up? Looks like you desperately need a beating,¡± she snarked back. With that, she rolled over and climbed out of bed. Digging through her suitcase for a clean set of clothes, she headed for the bathroom to take a shower. It was then her stomach made its hunger known, growling like a beast. Lucas lounged against the headboardzily, his darkened gaze fixed on her form. It made for an alluring picture, especially since he was still unclothed. The sharp edges of his features were entuated by the dim lighting, lending him a mysterious air. He waited till Ashlyn had exited the bathroom before he got out of bed to do the same. When he was done, the two of them left their room and went straight for the hotel¡¯s buffet hall. The spacious restaurant was packed to the brim as it was dinner time right now. Upon entering, they saw the flight crew sitting together as they enjoyed dinner. The appearance of the couple instantly drew everyone¡¯s attention. Dressed in a light blue dress that brought out her pale skin, Ashlyn¡¯s slender waist trailed down to a pair of long legs to die for. Her dainty feet were d in slightly heeled shoes. Beside her, the tall and muscr figure of Lucas held her hand. His features were so handsome that he would no doubt leave an impression wherever he went. A pair of ck cks clung to his powerful legs. Standing side by side, they looked like the perfect couple, sweet and loving. Taking a te with his free hand, he asked, ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± ¡°I can do it myself.¡± She snatched the te from him and began to select whatever food caught her fancy. He followed behind her, taking the exact same things that she did. Instead of sitting with the crew at their long table, they chose a smaller table for two. ¡°Our captain is one of the most handsome men I¡¯ve ever seen and hees from such a powerful family, while Ms. Berry is a rare beauty. They really are the perfect match for each other!¡± one of the air stewardesses piped up. ¡°Yeah. Not only is Ms. Berry beautiful on the outside, but she¡¯s also a kind woman as well. Truly a good choice,¡± Nancy agreed with a smile. She was more than satisfied and happy with the woman that was Lucas¡¯ wife. Despite being the official Mrs. Nn, Ashlyn was not arrogant nor did she unt her status all the time. She was also a great fighter and had even saved those children from human traffickers. She was truly a woman worthy of respect and admiration! Nancy was definitely bing one of Ashlyn¡¯s hardcore fans. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Often when she was bored and saw those haters ranting about her idol, she would even get into an argument with them. Infuriated at how the other women were sighing over Ashlyn, Jenny tossed her cutlery down with a loud tter. She huffed angrily, ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat anymore!¡± Nancy nced at her but did not say anything. What are you throwing a temper tantrum for? Everybody here is an employee of South Star Airlines. None of us is obligated to serve you or please you. You clearly knew he is already married yet you still throw yourself at him. There¡¯s obviously something wrong with your morals if you think that¡¯s okay! The atmosphere among the crew members grew tense. ¡°Everyone is required to write a report in regards to the machinery breakdown earlier, including Captain Nn. Remember to hand in the report tomorrow after we go back,¡± Nancy reminded. ¡°Yes, Purser!¡± After that, everybody bent their heads low and focused on their food. Not another word left their lips as the same thought went through their minds. Writing reports are no fun! As usual, Lucas did not have much appetite. He eyed the food on Ashlyn¡¯s te, thinking that her food looked a lot more delicious than his. Picking up his fork, he stabbed the half-eaten slice of cake from her te and brought it to his own. ¡°Yours looks tastier.¡± As he expected! There was still a smidgen of warmth left from her lips on the cake, which melted in his mouth. Delicious! The crew, who had finished their dinner and were walking past their table, saw this scene y out before them. To think that Captain Nn has this childish side to him¡­ Isn¡¯t he supposed to be the cool and indifferent Iceberg? He¡¯s clearly acting like a little boy right now! Nobody could hide their surprise as they stared at Lucas and Ashlyn. At that moment, Jenny was desperately wishing that she could be that slice of cake that had just entered Lucas¡¯ mouth. Oh, how she longed to be one with him! Chapter 283 Chapter 283 The frosty voice of Lucas cut through the daze the crew was in. ¡°Captain Nn, Ms. Berry, please enjoy your dinner.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be heading back to our rooms first, Captain.¡± With that, the crew slunk away. Now this was the icy Lucas they were used to. For a moment, they wondered if that man who had stolen the cake off the woman¡¯s te was another man entirely. Jenny did not know how she managed to return to her room. Her legs felt like lead as she dragged herself along while her heart ached dully in her chest. The pain was enough to push her to the brink of a mental breakdown. She clenched her fists tightly, fighting to hold back her tears. Jealousy, hate, anger, bitterness, everything that was negative welled in her and threatened to swallow her up. What right does that Ashlyn woman have to Lucas¡¯ heart? Back at the restaurant. Lucas¡¯ eyes were locked on the steak on Ashlyn¡¯s te, a greedy gleam in them. She had just cut a small bite and brought it to her mouth when she raised her head and noticed the man staring at her. At her steak, to be more precise. ¡°I want some.¡± His tone was demanding, like a petnt child asking for a cookie. Ashlyn was well aware that he was an incredibly picky eater with a poor appetite to boot. Thus, she pushed her steak toward him. ¡°There, you can have it.¡± Satisfied, he began to cut up the steak happily, leaving her to shake her head in exasperation. She got up and prepared to get another portion for herself when he tugged her back down. ¡°You can eat mine.¡± His eyes were shining with pleasure. The intimacy that came from sharing and exchanging foods was a feeling he really liked. The cold and apathetic expression that normally graced his face was nowhere to be seen. Presently, he was like a little boy handing a gift to his sweetheart. Ashlyn thought he was acting very immaturely. ¡°You can eat mine!¡± he repeated firmly when he saw that she remained unmoving. His tone brooked no room for argument as if he would flip the table in a rage if she were to refuse. Left with no other choice, she sat back down and sighed. ¡°Lucas, I seriously think you should see a therapist. This is a mental illness that needs to be cured.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ill.¡± A cool look descended upon him while he fixed his gaze on her. ¡°If I am, I wouldn¡¯t be able to pilot anymore.¡± The physical and mental requirements for being a pilot were very high. With how perceptive she was, he had no choice but to conceal the fact that his mania had been getting a lot worse since their divorce. He did not want to scare her. He did not want her to leave for fear of him¡­ ¡°Yeah, yeah. You¡¯re not sick; you¡¯re the healthiest man around,¡± she mumbled to herself softly before digging into the steak again. After they were done, Lucas took Ashlyn¡¯s hand in his as he hailed a taxi. ¡°Where are we going?¡± she questioned in puzzlement. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± When the taxi finally stopped, he dragged her out of the car. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. They were currently standing at the edge of a hugeke. The waters were crystal clear with white lilies floating on the surface. Off in the distance, rolling hills and lush forests spanned as far as the eyes could see. The magnolia trees surrounding theke were magnificent in their size as the faint scent of their flowers drifted toward Ashlyn. Everything felt so surreal, like they were in some sort of paradise. But all this took a backseat in her mind as she found her senses upied by the man beside her holding her hand. He tilted his head as he watched her, taking in how she seemed to blend in with the surroundings, like a masterful painting of a beautiful subject in a stunningly realistic background. Judging from the smirk on his face, Ashlyn could already tell he was in a rtively good mood. ¡°What are you looking at me for? Aren¡¯t we here to admire the scenery?¡± She raised an eyebrow at him. In response, he opened his arms wide and engulfed her in an embrace. ¡°Honey, I promise I¡¯ll satisfy you in every way as long as you agree to be with me.¡± He bit down on her earlobe as he murmured in her ear. Nibbling on her earlobes was one of his favorite things to do. Every little touch would always cause them to flush adorably, sending the blood pounding through his veins. Chapter 284 Chapter 284 She moved to push him away but he grabbed her hand. ¡°We still have one whole day and night to spend with each other. Let¡¯s make it count.¡± His voice was husky, belying his desire to ravage her here out in nature. The timbre of it was intoxicating like a ss of red wine. It was quiet where they were, with nothing but the sounds of nature. asionally, a breeze would whisper through the leaves and set them rustling. Ashlyn allowed herself to be held to him tightly. His hug was warm and epassing, showing her his strength and filling her with a sense of security. They were supposed to be divorced yet at that moment, with how intimate the embrace felt, it was easy to think they were still a happily married couple. What irony! Suddenly, the faint sounds of music could be heard. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment when she noticed the fountain that burst to life in the middle of theke. There was a musical fountain here! As the spray of water rose higher and higher, colorful lights lit up the disy. In an instant, the air above theke became a shimmering screen of sparkling water and rainbow colors that danced and weaved together. It was absolutely breathtaking! The bright lights also illuminated the clear waters of theke, showing the fish darting around underneath like silver bullets. Up above, the moon hung in a clear and starry night sky. The twinkling stars shone down on them, joining in the mesmerizing disy going on in theke. Lucas¡¯ fingers gently tilted the delicate face up to meet his gaze. His voice was low as he questioned, ¡°Do you like it?¡± With how close they were, Ashlyn could distinctly see the thick eyshes of the man before her. Abruptly, a pair of lips crashed down on hers and plundered her mouth. The smell that was purely him saturated her senses and she could not help trembling¡­ There was a two-story cabin beside theke. Sweeping her into his arms, Lucas strode toward it. Before Ashlyn could get a chance to look at the interior, Lucas had already brought her up to the bedroom on the second floor. He tossed her onto the soft bed, causing her to bounce slightly. It was then she realized the roof was made of transparent ss. From her reclined position on the bed, she could clearly see the starry skies above. Even through the walls of the cabin, she could still hear the music from the fountain. All she had to do was tilt her head and she would be able to enjoy the light show through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Lucas moved toward her and said, ¡°Everything here was specifically done to wee you, including the building of this cabin.¡± His lips hovered a hair¡¯s breadth away from her trembling ones as he murmured his next sentence, ¡°Honey, let¡¯s get back together.¡± Ashlyn turned her head away, refusing to look at that devilishly handsome face. Not deterred, Lucas picked her up and carried her out the back of the cabin. To her surprise, there was an actual hot spring right there with steam wafting upzily. Some rocks had been ced near the edge artfully while a bamboo forest surrounded the pool. Another breeze blew by and the susurration of the leaves added to the charm of the ce. ¡°This is a natural hot spring pool,¡± Lucas exined even as his hands tugged at her dress. Ashlyn¡¯s hands snapped up to grab his. ¡°We¡¯re out in the open!¡± It¡¯s so embarrassing to bathe outdoors like that! ¡°Nobody wille here,¡± he stated. They could still see the musical fountain even while immersed in the hot spring. Not having any lights nearby, the area around the hot spring was dark, which only made the musical fountain even more mesmerizing. The only light around the cabin was a lone streetmp at the front that dimly illuminated the building. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. It was like they were in a world of their own away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Sinking into the hot spring, Ashlyn rxed as the warm waters soothed her. Lucas¡¯ arm reached out to pull her to him. His muscled chest pressed against the porcin white skin of her back. She tensed, instinctively wanting to escape. However, there was no way he was going to allow that to happen. He tightened his arms around her waist, leaving no room for her to move at all. Bowing his head slightly, he caught tantalizing glimpses of her beautiful body that was partially hidden by the water. Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Her long, shapely legs were stretched out before her, teasing him endlessly. Lucas could not tear his gaze away from the entrancing sight of her beauty as arousal darkened his eyes. His breathing deepened while desire ran rampant through him. He had always known that Ashlyn was beautiful. But here, underneath the moonlight, she looked like an ethereal goddess. Every time he looked at her, he would discover another facet of her beauty. Like someone digging for treasure, the more he dug the deeper into the hole he fell. His nerves strummed with anticipation and excitement as he wrapped a white robe around her body before lifting her into his arms. He set her down on the bed like she was some priceless artefact, then moved to lean against the headboard regally. His movements caused the cor of his ck robe to fall open, revealing the hard nes of his chest. ¡°Honey¡­¡± his hoarse voice breathed out seductively as his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. Lust burned in his eyes, unfathomable and deep. Ashlyn¡¯s damp hair spread out around her like a halo, contrasting against her pale skin. Her face was an enticing shade of red, flushed from the soak in the hot spring. She looked like a delicious tomato he wanted to take a bite out of. Pinned beneath him, Ashlyn looked like a jaguar ready tosh out at any moment as she stared back at him challengingly. Her luscious body was partially concealed underneath the robe, making for a truly tantalizing sight to behold. Lucas¡¯ eyes darkened further and he rasped out, ¡°You¡¯re so captivating¡­¡± There was a slightly triumphant look in his eyes as he admired her like a king surveying conquered land. His gaze was also incredibly heated, searing her with its intensity and leaving her throat as dry as parchment. She did not know when the ck robe had slipped from his body, revealing the sharply defined chest. Every line and contour screamed of strength and power. Even though they had been married for four years and had made love countless times, seeing him so tantly naked still served to unnerved her. His calloused fingers yed with her long hair, twining and entangling the silky strands while his breathing grew heavier. Ashlyn observed the man above her quietly, taking in the pitch-ck eyes that burned hotter than a star. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Honey, don¡¯t leave me again,¡± he rumbled hoarsely. His hand moved to cup the back of her head as his lips smashed into hers forcefully. His kiss was so demanding that she was left with no room to escape or reject. High above their heads, the stars glimmered brightly in the dark night. At that moment, everything was oh-so-romantic and perfect¡­ The weak light of dawn shone down through the ss roof. As the woman in his arms stirred, Lucas woke up. He watched as she rubbed her sore limbs before struggling into an upright position. Next, she reached down to pick up the robe that had been discarded on the floorst night. His lips curled into a smirk as he gazed at the wonderful curve of her back. He had not rested until the darkened skies outside had begun to lighten. Only then did he fall into a deep and contented sleep. The heavy breathing from behind her had Ashlyn looking back warily and her gaze instantly locked with his. He lounged there unashamedly, bare for all the world to see. Even she had to admit that his body was like a proverbial Adonis. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re awake? Are you hungry?¡± The satisfaction and delight in his voice were unmistakable. Throat dry and aching, her voice came out raspy, ¡°Lucas, stop this nonsense.¡± She was incredibly ufortable with him calling her ¡®Honey¡¯ all the time. Right now, the term of endearment reminded her that she had given in to the man¡¯s seductionst night even without the Spirogyra¡¯s influence. How very embarrassing. Lucas chuckled when he saw the redness creeping up her neck and to her cheeks. There was an undecipherable look in his eyes. Chapter 286 Chapter 286 She red at him and hissed, ¡°What are youughing at?¡± She was sorely tempted to p the man six ways to Sunday. ¡°Honey, aren¡¯t you happy?¡± He flipped the nkets aside, not giving her the chance to escape. Throughout the process, he did not move his gaze away from her lovely face, noting the proud and cool look in her eyes. There was also a hint of something he could not understand. Slowly but surely, he approached her like one would a cornered animal. Once more, he opened his mouth and what came out was arrogant in the extreme, ¡°Honey, don¡¯t try to escape from me.¡± Fury shed through Ashlyn¡¯s orbs. ¡°Lucas Nn, stop this madness, you hear me?¡± If it were not for the Spirogyra, there¡¯s no way I would be controlled by this man! She would have broken off all ties with him and disappeared from his life forever! Her distant and aloof demeanor had Lucas¡¯ eyes narrowing in displeasure. The temperature around them seemed to drop several degrees. ¡°Ashlyn Berry, let me repeat myself one more time. I¡¯m entirely serious in courting you.¡± As usual, his tone of voice was final. ¡°You¡¯re crazy¡­¡± she muttered. If even the ancient martial arts n had to listen to his orders, then he was a bigger mystery than she imagined. There¡¯s definitely more than meets the eye with him. Other than being the president of Nn Group and the head of South Star Airlines, there must still be something more. Some deep, dark secret that he doesn¡¯t want anybody to know¡­ Enduring the protest of her sore muscles, she trudged her way to the bathroom to clean up. Somehow, resisting and rejecting his advances put her in a terrible mood. A wave of frustration swelled in Lucas. Do I not treat her well? Why won¡¯t she stay by my side? This is the first time I¡¯ve wasted so much time and effort on a woman! Fury zed in his eyes and he growled menacingly, ¡°I¡¯ve spoiled and pampered you too much so far. You have no idea what a real crazy person is like. Ashlyn, my patience has its limits. Don¡¯t test it.¡± With that said, he lunged toward her. Ashlyn raised her leg on reflex to kick at him. ¡°Lucas Nn, get the f*** away from me!¡± He grabbed her heel and reeled her in before pinning her to the bed again. ¡°Honey, don¡¯t try to leave me or else I¡¯ll make it so you¡¯ll never be able to leave the bed!¡± His vigorous movements had his muscles bunching and contracting sensuously. Too bad Ashlyn was not in the mood to admire it at the moment. She struggled against him with all her might, stubbornly refusing to submit to him. However, she was no match for his innate advantage over her. As a male, he was born to be stronger than her. ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t run!¡± At this point, he sounded like a crazed beast as he snarled. Ashlyn was like a subus that constantly tempted him and he could not bring himself to stay away from her. After everything finally calmed down¡­ Utterly exhausted, Ashlyn could only curl up in his arms limply as he brought her out and into the hot springs again. She leaned back against his chest, not even having the energy left to speak. He was an incredible martial arts fighter. She had thought that no one was her match anymore yet she was like a helpless kitten before the tiger that was him. Just what other identity is he hiding? Lucas stared at the worn-out woman with satisfaction, delighting in the love bites he had left all over her body. Every inch of her skin was enough to drive him mad with lust. He cradled her in his arms like the world¡¯s most precious object. I¡¯ll never let her go. The warm water of the hot spring alleviated her sore and aching muscles. Half an hourter, he brought her back into the room to wrap her robe around her. After that, he carried her back downstairs. Apparently, Spencer had arrived some time ago andid out a tableful of food. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. There was steak, freshly-baked bread, fruit sd, some Chinese-styled dumplings with soup, and red bean cakes. For beverages, they had the options of fruit tea, juice or ck coffee. Chapter 287 Chapter 287 He had gone to a five-star hotel to order takeout for the food. ¡°No need.¡± Lucas was not feeling particrly hungry at the moment. To him, everything looked nd and tasteless if it was not Ashlyn¡¯s cooking. As such, he did not mind not eating. However, there was no way he would condone her not eating as well. He patted her cheek lightly, urging, ¡°Honey, you should eat something.¡± The delicious smell of food wafted into her nostrils. Ashlyn¡¯s eyelids fluttered before she opened them slowly. It took but a second for her to realize she was still in Lucas¡¯ arms with her back pressed to his solid chest. Before she could move, he had already moved a bowl of dumplings toward her. Scooping up a spoonful of the broth, he brought it to her lips. ¡°This is broth made from Silkie chickens. It¡¯s supposed to be really nutritious and good for you.¡± She opened her mouth obediently and swallowed the broth. The warm liquid slipped down her throat, settling in her empty stomach and making her feel better. With one hand wrapped around her waist, he used his other hand to feed her. This affectionate, considerate man was a stark contrast to the beastly man that had pinned her to the bed and ravaged her. As she started to eat, the hand around her waist began to wander. She smacked the naughty hand in irritation. ¡°Could you be a little less perverted?¡± ¡°Since you have the energy to hit me, maybe we should engage in other activities?¡± He stroked her kiss-swollen lips gently. Without a second thought, she bit down on his finger hard. She could feel how her teeth broke his skin before warm blood gushed into her mouth. Through it all, he merely stared at her silently. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Bored at his passiveness, she released his finger. ¡°Are you stupid? Why didn¡¯t you fight back?¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy,¡± he statedzily. Bringing his bleeding finger closer, he inspected the wound critically before levelling amanding gaze on her. ¡°My finger¡¯s injured. Feed me.¡± Ashlyn was speechless. I brought this upon myself, didn¡¯t I? That sly man must have nned this right from the start! For some reason, anything that passed through her hands seemed to magically taste better to him. Resigned, she picked up the fork to feed him. The slender, pale fingers caught his attention and held it. In a low voice, he insisted, ¡°Don¡¯t use a fork.¡± Annoyed, she huffed, ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck!¡± ¡°You bit me,¡± he used. Ashlyn¡¯s heart shuddered in her chest as she recalled how viciously she had bitten him earlier. He had not protested or moved to resist either¡­ There was a slight hint of something undecipherable in his eyes. Something that almost looked like affection. I must be seeing things. Randomly grabbing whatever food was near her, she raised it to his lips. Opening his mouth, he ate the sliver of food she had offered him and she prepared to move her hand away. Suddenly, he widened his lips and sucked her finger right into his mouth. That warm appendage coiled around her fingertip, tasting and sucking every little bit of caviar left on her finger clean. All the while, his dark eyes never left her gradually reddening face. This was the first time he had seen the strong woman with such a helpless expression on her face. It was so very enticing! ¡°Honey, would you like me to use my tongue to service youter?¡± he asked wickedly as he released her finger. His eyes gleamed in anticipation while a smirk curled his lips. ¡°Shut up!¡± she hissed in mortification. She looked like she was one second from bolting away from him. Feeling frustrated at her reluctance to be with him, he wondered what he could do to keep her by his side. ¡°Do you really want to leave me that much?¡± Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Very, very ufortable. ring at him, she spat, ¡°Yes!¡± His overbearing possessiveness and crazy antics were most definitely not normal. There was also that weird appetite of his. If the food were not made by her or fed to him by her, he would rather starve. What else could that be but the hallmark of a crazy person? After they were done eating, Ashlyn fell asleep quickly due to her exhaustion. When she next awoke, it was already two in the afternoon. At longst, Lucas seemed sated for he did not push her for more. Instead, he took her hand in his and led her out of the cabin. ¡°We¡¯re leaving here tonight at eight. Let¡¯s enjoy ourst day here, alright?¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Ashlyn was not the slightest bit excited. However, Serbia truly was a beautiful country despite its small size. Commonly known as the crossroad between the Eastern and Western countries, countless wars had happened in this country as anyone who wanted to dominate the world would fight over it. Nearly every generation of the people here had been involved in some war or another. Since they only had half a day left, Lucas brought Ashlyn to experience the ¡®Sargan Eight¡¯ Railroad Tour, where they got to enjoy riding on a steam-powered train. After that, they strolled along the river at Tara National Nature Preserve Park. The rest of the day passed in a wonderful blur. At six in the evening, the two of them returned to their hotel. Eating a hurried dinner, they rushed to pack up before heading downstairs to the entrance to the hotel at the agreed-upon time. The rest of the crew had already loaded their luggage into the vehicle and were waiting for them. Everyone seemed tense as they went into work mode. Putting their suitcases in the van, Lucas tugged Ashlyn to sit at the very back of the vehicle. The eyes of the crew members followed the couple but no one dared to speak up. At eight o¡¯clock on the dot, the ne lifted off, taking them back home. This time around, everything went smoothly and they did not run into any turbulent weather. At five in the morning, the ne sessfully and safelynded at the Lake City Airport. The moment they exited the ne, Lucas ordered Spencer, ¡°Find out who that middle-aged woman making a fuss on the ne previously is.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Spencer left to do as ordered and returned ten minutester. He sent all relevant information about the woman to Lucas¡¯ phone. ¡°Susan Ward, 57 years old. She used to be a farmer until her husband sold off his business and they suddenly became rich overnight. A few days ago, she was escorted off the ne and left after yelling at the staff. She also demanded South Star Airlines reimburse her for the psychological trauma she endured on the flight.¡± Spencer continued his report as he kept up with the other man¡¯s long strides, ¡°She also held a press conference where she said she would be seeking justice for what happened to her. She¡¯s obviously ndering our reputation and insists that the flight crew¡¯s attitudes were horrible. She seems intent on protecting her rights as a consumer.¡± Sweat dotted Spencer¡¯s forehead as he wondered if this Susan woman had a death wish. Laughing coldly, Lucasmented, ¡°South Star Airlines will not be the ce where she can do as she pleases. Contact mywyers and have them focus on this case. I want her reputation in tatters by the end of this!¡± How dare she hit Ashlyn right where she was already injured! That woman must be tired of living! Turning to the flight crew, he continued, ¡°None of you needs to write that report. I¡¯ll personally handle this matter.¡± His crew members cheered at the weed news, their footsteps falling lighter in joy. Soon, only Ashlyn, Lucas and Spencer were left. ¡°I need to head back to Concert Hall,¡± she said. Although she had informed Pierre and the other co- producers before she left, she was still worried about how they were doing. ¡°I want to bring you somewhere.¡± Lucas snagged her wrist and tugged her toward the underground parking lot. ¡°What are you doing? I already told you I¡¯m busy!¡± Ashlyn protested while struggling to escape his grip. Hepletely ignored her resistance, forcefully pushing her inside his Bentley. Spencer got in the driver¡¯s seat and hastily started the engine. They sped down the roads, eventually arriving at Lucas¡¯ private jet. ¡°Lucas, where are you taking me this time? I¡¯m telling you right now, I won¡¯t go.¡± Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Ashlyn instantly shut her mouth and followed his lead onto the airne. L City. There was a huge tennis court on the top floor of the luxurious five-star hotel. The private jetnded slowly on that tennis court that was paved with stic. Several women d in sexy tennis skirts ran hurriedly across the tennis court in the bid to evade the landing. All holding tennis rackets in their hands, their skin was snow-white while their legs were slender and charming under the short tennis skirts. This was arge hotel for entertainment and leisure. As seen from the sexily-d tennis girls, this hotel provides some novel and exciting services. This was one of his properties at L City. This hotel was very special. However, because L City was the darkest yet busiest city of H Nation, their clients included some of the most prominent figures in the business world. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. After the private jetnded, Lucas grabbed Ashlyn and brought her down. Ashlyn looked at the green tennis court while several beautiful girls ran to the shade. There were a few men in tennis outfits gathered in the shade. ¡°I was so scared¡­¡± ¡°We were nearly killed by the ne¡­¡± ¡°How dare they be so arrogant here¡­¡± The women¡¯s whiny whispers traveled through the breeze into their ears. Ashlyn nced and saw that the few women were whining to a few old and ugly middle-aged men. ¡°You have such a dashing husband right here and you are looking at them instead? Aren¡¯t you afraid that you¡¯d be blinded by them?¡± A slender and powerful palm covered her sight while his slightly teasing voice piped up. Ashlyn was furious, ¡°How would I know that they would be so ugly?¡± Fortunately, they were far away from them. Otherwise, that scene would have repulsed her to the point of nausea. ¡°Honey¡­¡± Lucas held onto her slender waist. She actually dared toy eyes on other men, and ugly old men at that! He was not happy about it. Isn¡¯t my physique good enough? Isn¡¯t it enough to attract her attention? Lucas shot an envious nce at those middle-aged men. I should have ordered Spencer to clear the grounds when we werending. However, these few people won¡¯t get off so easily. ¡°There are a lot of interesting things here, and you¡¯ll probably like it,¡± Lucas said coolly, betraying no emotions within his sharp eyes. He draped his arm around her as they walked towards the exit. At that very moment, Ashlyn saw that the few middle-aged men were rounded up by several bodyguards in ck and thrown aside. Turns out that¡­ they were blocking the way. Lucas brought her to the restaurant directly. The restaurant was decked out in a romantic and exquisite manner,plete with melodious music in the air. Every single one of the beautiful waitresses had their fiery hot figures d in sexy outfits. Ashlyn even spotted a few in French maid¡¯s costumes¡­ And a few in kimonos¡­ This¡­ did she just walk into a cosy world? Several of the hot and liberal women immediately walked up to Lucas when they saw him walking in, complete with passionate flying kisses sent his way. Some even wanted to go up to him to hold onto his arm, while others began gyrating their bodies¡­ all in the attempt to get his attention. This made Ashlyn feel slightly ufortable. However, she was no country bumpkin either. Clearly, this was one of the ways for these women to attract their clients. She held onto Lucas¡¯s hand and walked forward directly while ignoring all these women who were posing and vying for attention. A server pulled out their chairs to seat them at their table. Ashlyn raised her brows. ¡°Why did you bring me to a ce like this?¡± Lucas¡¯s sexy lips opened slightly and he changed the topic, ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± He pushed the menu before her. Ashlyn casually ordered a few items and pushed the menu back to Lucas. ¡°What are you having?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you to make the call.¡± He stared straight at her with his dark eyes. Chapter 290 Chapter 290 She might have been too hungry or it could be another reason, but the food tasted really good. Lucas¡¯ appetite grew upon the sight of Ashlyn devouring her food. It seemed that as long as he was with her, he could maintain a calm mood no matter what they were doing. He picked up a napkin and helped her wipe away the grease near the corner of her lips. ¡°Honey, I know that the food is good here, but you still have to pay attention to your image.¡± Ashlyn red at him, ¡°Mind your own business!¡± With that, she continued eating again. When it came to dessert, she even stuck out her little pink tongue to lick the ice cream. Lucas looked at her actions and his eyes darkened. He could feel his loins burning up dangerously and he could barely resist it. ¡°Honey, are you so worried that I¡¯d be seduced by the women here, so you are doing it first?¡± He spoke hoarsely and suddenly moved closer to her in the attempt to attack her lips. ¡°Are you mad?¡± Ashlyn recoiled in an agile manner and avoided him immediately. Left with nothing, Lucas¡¯ eyes fluttered faintly. ¡°You were the one seducing me.¡± Even though she was just eating, it still looked like she was flirting with him. There were clearly all types of beautiful women in this restaurant, but none of them could attract his attention. He did not even spare them one nce. Ashlyn realized that no matter what she was eating, Lucas would quickly fight for the other half. ¡°Stop snatching my food!¡± ¡°Food only tastes better with your scent on it.¡± Lucas could not help it once again and took a grilled m from her hands. After dinner, Ashlyn followed Lucas as they browsed level by level. There were a total of thirty-three levels in the hotel. Apart from the rooms in the first twenty three levels, the other ten levels were extremely interesting in their own way. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. There were levels dedicated to auctions, ck markets, casinos, jewelry trades, among others. In fact, there was one level that was filled with beautiful women. All these women were dressed in different outfits in different styles and fabric, but they were all extremely sexy. In fact, some of these women wielded leather whips and held little candles in their hands¡­ This was really a very extraordinary scene. Ashlyn gaped at the rows and rows of women. Then, she gestured at them with her finger before taking over Lucas¡¯s card to pay. ¡°Tonight, all of you are mine.¡± All the women looked curiously at the incredibly beautiful woman before them. She was tall and slim. Even though she was barefaced, she exuded elegance like a queen that had just emerged from a pce. Clearly, she was a ss above all these women. Lucas stopped her with a grim face. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ashlyn gave him an evil yet scheming look. ¡°Getting you a few beautiful women to have some fun with. Isn¡¯t that a good idea?¡± It was extraordinarily lively at the hall. When all these women heard that they were to serve this handsome and rich man, they all dashed towards Lucas excitedly and did all they could to put on their best show for him. Some gyrated their hips, some wiggled their bottoms, and some even stuck out their tongues in various attempts to look seductive. However, no matter what actions they took, Lucas was stillpletely unmoved. In fact, one of the women began performing a striptease, but Lucaspletely ignored it as if he were an old monk. Damn this little woman, how dare she tease me like this? Ashlyn zoomed in at a particr spot on his body with a barely-there smile. He smiled as his eyes had never left her. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± She said indignantly. At this time, some of the women had even started stripping¡­ By now, all of these women were so tired and out of breath, all because they could barely contain themselves in the presence of this charming man. However, this man was not moved by them at all. Chapter 291 Chapter 291 At this time, a daring woman could not hold it back any longer and reached out to touch Lucas¡¯ chest. An icy cold air suddenly hit her. He gripped her with his huge palm and with one strong shake, she immediately fell and copsed disheveled on the ground. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ouch, it hurts!¡± She called out softly, only to meet his grim and cold eyes. Ashlyn took a look at the cold and terrifying Lucas and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Can¡¯t you even treat a woman gently?¡± He replied coldly, ¡°You are ying with fire here!¡± ¡°I just want to avenge you for torturing me yesterday!¡± Ashlyn replied calmly. With her clear voice, she soundedpletely justified. Lucas pursed his lips tightly while his eyes darkened. This woman was really bing so pampered and spoilt. He must punish her properly. ¡°I am only interested in you.¡± He said slowly, enunciating every single word. Be it his body, his mind, his stomach, or his sleep, they all only had feelings for Ashlyn. Everyone else was crap to him. Ashlyn was slightly taken aback and a sneer appeared on her lips. What about Hera? She was very affectionate with Lucas! Holding back his anger, Lucas saw that these women were still trying to get closer to him. His gaze was now cold and murderous. He kicked away the woman that was the closest to him, and his handsome face suddenly turned fierce and distant. All these women were shocked and did not dare to do anything else. He may look handsome but his eyes were terrifying. His aura was so strong it could cut through the skin. Ashlyn was secretly pitying his loss when she realized that the chilly man was approaching her. His dark shadows shrouded her. When she looked up, his kiss dropped onto her like a wild beast and he was punishing her severely now. Just like a curse, his palm imprisoned hers fiercely. He pressed her against the wall tightly and kissed her maniacally. How dare she? How dare she use such means to insult me? Did she lose her heart after the divorce? Was he a piece of trash to be pushed towards this group of disgusting women? There was no way for Ashlyn to avoid his attack at all. Like a dying fish, she waspletely subdued by him. All the women in the hall watched the scene in shock. They wanted so much to be in her ce to be ravaged by this man. Even his kisses looked so sensuous! The two bodies were entangled with each other on that soft hotel bed. Ashlyn was about to break down with regret. I shouldn¡¯t have goaded Lucas. Now, not only am I unlucky, but I am alsopletely wiped out by him. It was the middle of the night and she woke up in hunger. She was both fatigued and hungry. Lucas could feel her movements and he woke up as well. He too could hear the growling from her hungry tummy. With his enchanting voice, he asked, ¡°Hungry?¡± Without a trace of shame, she replied weakly as if every ounce of energy had been squeezed out of her earlier, ¡°I didn¡¯t even eat dinner, how could I not be hungry?¡± He chuckled and felt that she was growing to be cuter and cuter and more lively. So much so that he could not bear to take his eyes off her. The two of them washed up and changed before leaving the room. Ashlyn was dressed in a fiery red dress and heels in the same shade. She was slim and shapely and carried herself with elegance. Instantly, she was a ss above all of the other women in the hotel. Be it men or women, all eyes fell on her. Lucas was like a moving iceberg, where his sinister cold air would follow every step he took. As long as men took more than one look at the woman next to him, he would send frosty murderous looks their way. This man was just unbelievably domineering. As they entered the lift, Lucas brought her to the twenty-ninth floor. There was a restaurant that looked like it was in space. Its design was especially avant-garde with futuristic designs scattered around the restaurant. Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Despite it being in the wee hours, every single level of the hotel was busy with people practically bouncing off their golden walls. Lucas chose a quiet corner. He really hated how the other men looked at Ashlyn. I shouldn¡¯t have chosen thetest season¡¯s designer outfits for her and should have brought some sports attire or white tees instead. The business was booming at this level. The atmosphere feltpletely hedonistic. The dishes were very interesting and were all named after future technology. They were all arranged to look like robots, airnes, or submarines. Thinking that Ashlyn was exhausted, Lucas kept feeding her. She couldn¡¯t take it anymore and said, ¡°Stop feeding me. I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°You are too skinny to hug now.¡± Lucas continued to feed her. Ashlyn was a little frustrated by that, ¡°I really can¡¯t take more!¡± She pped away the dessert that was in his hands and showed a little annoyance. His face immediately darkened and there was a momentary chill in the air. All the other customers could not help but look at the two of them. Such a chilly gaze in such a frosty atmosphere. Just as they thought that this iceberg of a man was about to explode, he spoke up helplessly. With his maic charm, he said, ¡°If you are done, let¡¯s go back and rest in the room.¡± He was not angry? It wasn¡¯t a good thing either. Ashlyn snorted and stood up. Her curvaceous body was like a night lily, which caused all eyes to be on her. Indeed, she was extremely attractive and beautiful! Lucas smiled, ¡°Honey, you can barely wait to return to the room with me?¡± He said. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes suddenly looked defensive and she replied a little frostily, ¡°In your dreams!¡± Lucas walked next to her to grip her little hand possessively in hisrge hand, ¡°You really don¡¯t want to reconsider?¡± He wrapped her into his arms tightly and walked towards the room. On the way, her tender body was snuggled submissively against his. A smile formed involuntarily on his lips as if it had been apletely different man that she had been angry at earlier. In the room, Ashlyn immediately rolled to the middle of the bed. She burrowed herself under the covers. ¡°Not taking a bath first?¡± Lucas sat by the bed and looked at her. ¡°You wanna be a dirty little kitten now?¡± Ashlyn stared at Lucas with shock. Did he really say something that affectionate? She had always thought that all these affectionate pet names were reserved for couples who were very close to each other. To actually hear him say these gave her a huge shock. However, he walked into the bathroom very quickly after that. Her eyelids grew heavy as she vaguely heard the water from the shower. Soon, she fell asleep. She had a good night¡¯s sleep. When she opened her eyes slowly, she realized that there was an empty space next to her. Where was Lucas? She was so tiredst night, which exined why she slept so well. By the time she took a look at the watch, she realized that it was already two o¡¯clock in the afternoon. She quickly got up and was about to put on her clothes only to realize that they were gone. From the living room, she heard his enchanting voice. ¡°Are you awake?¡± The door was ajar, so he could hear her movements very clearly. Ashley craned her neck and took a look outside. She saw him seated on the sofa, working busily on his laptop. ¡°I¡¯ve thrown away your clothes, but here are some new ones.¡± He nced at a pretty gift box before shooting her another nce with a teasing look on his face. He had made himself clear. If she wanted to put on some clothes, she would have to go over there to get them. She looked down at her naked body.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 293 Chapter 293 ¡°Ho¡­¡± Tugging at the bedsheet that wrapped her body, Ashlyn walked in front of him unabashedly and was about to leave after picking up the paper box with her bare hands. However, Lucas suddenly reached out and stopped her wrist with his huge hand. ¡°Leaving just like that?¡± ¡°You threw my clothes away so it¡¯s only fair that you make it up with some new ones.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s almond eyes glimmered coolly. ¡°You are so boring and unromantic. Which other man apart from me would be interested in you?¡± Lucas said helplessly. He rxed his palm. Ashlyn¡¯s reply was colder than before. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but I don¡¯t think that this is an honor. In fact, it¡¯s a disaster to me.¡± Lucas¡¯ heart tingled with pain. As he red at her somberly, all he wanted to do was to pull her towards him and give her a severe punishment! However, he held back. Ashlyn was just not happy, that was it. She could not believe that she had stooped to allowing Lucas to seduce her for the past few days, and had even followed him everywhere. From the moment she woke up the sight of Lucas annoyed her. ¡°What time did you wake up?¡± ¡°Nine in the morning.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± ¡°You were so tired yesterday, I thought that it would be better for you to sleep in.¡± ¡°Hoho, how caring of you.¡± Ashlyn sat at the dining table and looked at all the scrumptious foodid before her. Lucas had asked the restaurant to send the food to them. She did not stand on ceremony either. Clearly, Lucas did not eat this kind of food. However, before she could pick up the cutlery, he had already washed his hands and seated himself next to her. The next thing she knew, he had picked up the utensils elegantly and continued feeding her, picking up from where he had left offst night. ¡°Honey, open your mouth¡­¡± ¡°This butter roll is quite good, take a bite.¡± ¡°This fruit sd looks really good.¡± ¡°The soup is not bad either.¡± The domineering captain Lucas was like a househusband who kept serving Ashlyn enthusiastically. He looked like he was really enjoying it. He seemed to have unlocked a new interest from the night before and was tirelessly continuing to feed her. Ashlyn ate the food nkly. What is wrong with Lucas? This was because after he fed Ashlyn, he used the same utensils and began to eat too. ¡°Are you actually all right with the food here?¡± Ashlyn asked him confusedly. ¡°For some reason, everything tastes better when I use the utensils that my honey has used.¡± He moved elegantly, behaving as if he were at a five-star hotel restaurant. He enjoyed this intimate feeling with her. It seemed that food tasted exceptionally better this way too. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°You are sick, go get some treatment.¡± This was not the first time Ashlyn had said that. Crazy man! The crazy captain did not say anything and continued to eat. I¡¯ve always thought that this type of behavior would only happen in one of those fantasy romance novels. Who would have thought that there would be someone like this in real life too? ¡°Do you have dual personalities?¡± His face dimmed while he was eating. Instead of being angry, heughed out loud. ¡°Honey, seems like you are quite invested in me, so why don¡¯t we go to the hospitalter for a checkup?¡± ¡°No need. Our Captain Nn is a busy man. Where would he find the time to go to the hospital?¡± She replied indifferently. After dinner. The two of them stepped into the ne to return to Lake City. None of them spoke a single word. When they arrived at Lake City, it was already evening time. The sunset spread through the sky, dipping the horizon in a brilliant red glow. Ashlyn had just gotten off the ne when her phone rang with a series of WhatsApp messages from Jared. ¡°Boss! Boss! The factory design for the Larsons¡¯nd is out. ¡°Boss, quick! Take a look! See if there is any problem with it!¡± ¡°Boss, this has to do with ourpany¡¯s future development!¡± She had bought that piece ofnd at a low rate, just to build the new production nt for Centennial Healthcare. Chapter 294 Chapter 294 ¡°Boss, you¡¯ve finally appeared,¡± Jared replied quickly. ¡°If not, I¡¯d be searching through every nook and cranny in H Nation to look for you!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, let me take a look first.¡± Ashlyn replied with a slight annoyance. ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Lucas¡¯ enchanting voice suddenly piped up from above her. Lucas felt rather vexed as he looked at her. From the moment they alighted from the airne and boarded the Bentley, she had been holding onto her phone and typing non-stop. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He could not handle the thought of her chatting with another man. It made him extremely ufortable, to the point that he wanted to snatch her phone from her, throw it outside and have it smashed to smithereens. There was a cold air on his handsome face while his gaze became overcast. However, Ashlyn hadpletely ignored the jealous freak that he had turned into and continued to look at the factory blueprint. This was rted to the production nt¡¯s safety and productivity. Lucas gritted his teeth with such anger, his mrs were about to be gnashed into pieces. ¡°Is it Jared or is it Winsor? Hmm?¡± Ashlyn looked up confusedly and saw Lucas gritting his teeth. His veins were popping and it was clear that he was about to burst with anger. She pointed out some problem areas to Jared and put away her phone while looking confused. ¡°What¡¯s that face all about?¡± ¡°Say it!¡± Lucas suddenly reached out and pressed her shoulders forcefully. He was ovee by a fit of possessive jealousy as if she would run away any moment now. ¡°Who were you talking to? You barely noticed me but there you were chatting so affectionately to someone else!¡± Ashlyn blinked her beautiful almond-shaped eyes and gave a huge p to his palm. Instantly, a red mark formed on the back of his hand. She was angry too, hence her strength. ¡°Lucas Nn, have you gone mad? Can you not be so childish? What man are you talking about?¡± I was having a proper work discussion with Jared! What is this man thinking about every day? From the front seat, Spencer shuddered. Waves of destion came over him as he witnessed the tense atmosphere behind him. Since the divorce, Ms. Berry has developed quite a temper, which waspletely different from the meek Mrs. Nn that she was. She no longer got along as harmoniously with Mr. Nn. Their conflict was electrifying as if the car could explode in the very next second. ¡°Stop the car!¡± Just when Spencer was thinking of all these nonsense, he suddenly heard her cold and angry voice. He got a shock and nearly ran into the railing. Stop the car¡­ He took a quick nce at the rearview mirror and realized that Mr. Nn¡¯s face had grown darker and more sullen. He did not dare to stop the car out of fear for his own life. Ashlyn realized that the car doors were all locked as well, and she could not open it at all. Without further thought, she kicked the car door. She kicked it multiple times, despite the fact that it was a multi-million luxury car¡­ Chapter 295 Chapter 295 ¡°Nn, what are you getting at?¡± Ashlyn was displeased with him, ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous enough that you won¡¯t leave me alone after our divorce. Now you¡¯re holding grudges against me like a lunatic. Can¡¯t you behave more like a normal person?¡± He wouldn¡¯t be Lucas Nn if he¡¯s normal¡­ He has never been an ordinary person. Spencer thought to himself. ¡°I¡¯m very normal.¡± Lucas stubbornly retorted. Why does she always think that I¡¯m weird? ¡°A lunatic never thinks that he is one, just like how drunkards almost always never admit that they¡¯re drunk.¡± Ashlyn took in a deep breath. The car finally got off the viaduct. Ashlyn felt that it was futile to argue with Lucas. She felt much better after kicking at the car door. Ashlyn shut her eyes to take a rest, trying her best to ignore the lunatic beside her. Even though Lucas had very much wanted to take her to the Whind Vi, he decided against it after witnessing her getting all agitated just now. The man tried to suppress his urge and signaled Spencer to send her back to the Bayview Vi instead. When the car came to a stop, Ashlyn was pleasantly surprised to see the familiar sight out the window. He actually sent me home? Lucas gazed at her. It was getting dark outside. The dim lights in the car shone on Lucas. However, it was difficult to discern his features under the dimly lit environment. A man¡¯s voice could be heard. It was gentle and soothing. ¡°Don¡¯t be so mad. You¡¯d better get some rest¡­¡± Ashlyn was slightly taken aback. She got off the Bentley and the car turned around to leave right after. Did he just send me home? Why is he letting me off the hook so easily? Why is he being so nice all of a sudden? How weird. I guess it¡¯s really hard to think from a lunatic¡¯s perspective. She entered the vi. Jared was not home while Harrison and Anderson were ying games in the living room. The two of them greeted her as soon as they saw her, ¡°Boss, do you want to y together?¡± Ashlyn shook her head, ¡°Nope.¡± Harrison pped his thighs as if he just came to a startling realization of some sort and said, ¡°Right, Wesley asked if you¡¯re going to watch hispetition tomorrow.¡± Ashlyn stopped in her tracks, ¡°Whatpetition?¡± ¡°The final match! This season¡¯s matches areing to an end. The S-Match ising up next.¡± Anderson answered her. The S-Match is an international match. Ashlyn titled her brows, ¡°I¡¯ll go watch when he gets into the S-match.¡± ¡°Boss, are you going to be this ruthless? Wesley is your student too.¡± Harrison was starting to sympathize with Wesley, the most sought-after e-sports yer right now. ¡°So what? He has got to stand on his two feet one day after all.¡± Ashlyn spoke with a purely rational tone. It¡¯d be nice if I could be this rational in front of Lucas too. Why am I letting him elicit so much anger inside of me? Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn took in a deep breath and went into her room. She grabbed her sleeping robe and went into the bathroom right away. She had only gotten out of the shower half an hourter. Leaving her hair wet, she went to theputer and logged in to the group. The group members were in an uproar to see Zero online. Quiet Forest was the first to ask: Zero, how¡¯s the progress with the Haddock Group case? Flying Fish: Zero, could you make it? We are ever ready to help. Boss: Right, you¡¯re the youngest here. We will help you out. Lone Breeze: You guys are brothers to him but I¡¯m a sister. Hey Zero, why don¡¯t you call me sister? Zero: ¡­ Even Helios, who never made an appearance in the group also showed up: Zero, you could ring me up if you have any problems. Geez, these people see me as their younger brother. However, they had a mutual understanding that Zero was the most capable among them all. They knew dealing with the Haddock Group was a long shot. Ashlyn felt her heart warm by their kind words and replied: Thank you so much. But it was too cheesy for her to call them brothers and sisters. Chapter 296 Chapter 296 It was then did she notice her phone beeping furiously. Checking her phone, she noticed that Lucas had made six huge transactions to her. The amount went from 999, 9999, 99999, 999999, 9999999, all the way up to 99999999. What is this lunatic getting at? Ashlyn did not opt to receive any of them. She felt the urge to block him. When she was on the fence about her decision, the man sent her another text. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± What? Ashlyn did not have time to think when Lucas sent her another text. ¡°Take it as my token of apology.¡± So¡­ this is his way of apologizing for being a douche in the car just now? Lucas Nn apologizes to people? Ashlyn found the notion amusing. ¡°I ept your apology. Take your money back.¡± Who apologizes like this? Mr. Nn is indeed filthy rich. Meanwhile, Lucas was feeling upset over stooping so low to apologize to another person for the very first time. Recalling the way Ashlyn kicked the car door just now, how her whole being exuded anger, he felt an inexplicable feeling at her demeanor. She really was a badass. Lucas even felt that the way she kicked at the car door was very charming. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. He felt an urge to do something for Ashlyn after reaching home. However, he was not a romantic person, and he had no idea how to appease her. At the same time, he desperately wanted to express his feelings toward her. As a result, he wasted no time for a Google search and directly made a few transactions to her. He was pleased with his creativity, and felt much better afterward. However, Ashlyn refused to ept his money. Ah! How could I appease her if she doesn¡¯t ept my money? I have toe up with something good. Hence, a private jet carrying Lucas¡¯s ingenuity departed from Whind Vi¡¯s on an exclusive route to the Bayview Vi. Spencer sat on top of the towering boxes,pletely drained. The private jetnded shortly. A few men in ck carried the boxes into the Vi where Ashlyn lived. However, her subordinates stopped the men in their tracks, ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± Spencer hurriedly added, ¡°These are Mr. Nn¡¯s token of apology for Ms. Berry.¡± ¡°Token of apology? For what?¡± The men in ck started to unpack the boxes at their query. Ashlyn¡¯s men were dumbstruck at the sight of the content in the box. The boxes were full of cash stacked neatly on top of each other. They had never seen so much cash in their whole lives. Everybody uses online transactions or e-Wallets these days. Who the hell brings so much cash with them? Ashlyn massaged her temples when she heard her subordinate¡¯s report. She thought the deranged transactions were the end of it for tonight. Apparently, she was wrong. He¡¯s a few cards shy of full deck, isn¡¯t he? Ashlyn decided to entertain the insanity of it all when she heard that Spencer was here for the handover. Spencer had treated her with due respect after all. Out of sympathy, Ashlyn said, ¡°Mr. White, I guess it hasn¡¯t been easy for you to round up so much cash at this hour¡­ Are you alright?¡± Spencer almost burst into a cry at Ashlyn¡¯s concerned tone. Who would have known how many banks I¡¯ve gone to or the troubles I have went through to amass this amount of cash? He felt as if he was going to be paralyzed from his waist down. The banks were under the impression that the Nn Group had encountered an emergency when Spencer tried to withdraw that amount of cash. However, he wiped off those sweats oozing from his forehead and stayed humble, ¡°I¡¯m alright as long as Ms. Berry epts Mr. Nn¡¯s token of apology.¡± Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Spencer sighed a breath of relief. He would be bone-weary if he had to move all these back to the Whind Vi. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Berry.¡± He hurriedly left with the subordinates he brought along. Lucas was extremely pleased to hear that Ashlyn had epted his money. Laying on his bed, the man fell asleep in no time. He had a surprisingly good night¡¯s sleep. The next morning. A shocking news made the headlines. ¡°The Nn Group had made a whopping 1 billion contribution to the Saunders Charity.¡± That piece of news immediately soared to the top of the trending list on Twitter. It was an astronomical figure. The Nn Group was indeed filthy rich to donate a billion in one go. The news was widely covered by numerous tforms, including social media and popr websites. Netizens were abuzz with the sensational piece and it went viral in no time. ¡°My goodness, has Mr. Nn gone insane?¡± ¡°Why did he donate so much money?¡± ¡°My mother works at the bank. She heard that the Nn Group was scouring everywhere to gather cashst night. Could it be that the cash was for this donation?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. My wife works at the banking industry too. She and I thought something was wrong with the Nn Group.¡± ¡°We could never understand how crazy rich people think.¡± ¡°If only they could donate just a little to me¡­ So jealous.¡± At the Nn Group. Everybody kept mum about it. Even though they wanted to know what was up with the donation badly, none of them plucked up the courage to ask their boss. Their boss¡¯s face was dark with fury, and it was a sign telling people to stay out of his radar. Who would have the audacity to ask him? Approaching their boss at this point would be akin to suicide. Hence, they kept mum even though they were extremely curious. Lucas was burning with fury in his office. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. I knew it! I was too na?ve to think that Ashlyn Berry would ept the money so easily. The man certainly did not expect this. It was his private asset. Other women would be thrilled to even receive a fraction of the amount I¡¯ve given her. But what did this woman do? She donated all of it without even batting an eye! Damn it! Fury coursed through his whole being and he felt pain everywhere. He desperately wanted to p her little ass! Spencer was trembling with fear standing beside him. It¡¯s Ms. Berry after all. She really has her own way in dealing with Mr. Nn. Do you regret divorcing her now? I doubt that you¡¯re able to find another woman that ys on the level field as you! Only Ms. Berry dares to provoke Mr. Nn such. Meanwhile at the Concert Hall. Ashlyn was in a good mood. That donation would definitelye in handy for a lot of meaningful ventures. She started to arrange for her colleagues at the charity fund to make announcements on Twitter, and even tagged Nn Group in the tweet. Hehe. I could ept the money but it¡¯s entirely up to me on how I want to spend it. Some of the extras at the concert hall were gossiping about the generous donation. ¡°I guess Mr. Nn is really crazy rich.¡± ¡°How could he be so generous and donate such big amount in one go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so envious of the alleged Mrs. Nn. Just how rich is he?¡± ¡°I heard the employees at the Nn Group also enjoy good benefits.¡± ¡°Speaking of that, why aren¡¯t they joining the G Night this time?¡± ¡°Since Nn Group is the sponsor, maybe they want to avoid any conflict of interest?¡± Chapter 298 Chapter 298 After gossiping with the extras for some time, J left the group and walked over to Ashlyn¡¯s side. ¡°Ms. Berry, this is for you.¡± J said as she handed over a cup of coffee to her. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ashlyn nodded her head and smiled. J was not ming Ashlyn for pping her because of Charlotte anymore. She reflected on herself and felt that Ashlyn actually made a very solid point. It was unreasonable for her to argue with an autistic person after all. So, she brought coffee for everyone today. J actually found herself to miss Ashlyn these two days since thetter did not make an appearance at the concert hall. ¡°Ms. Berry, why didn¡¯t youe these two days?¡± J tailed behind Ashlyn and asked her. Ashlyn titled her brows as she heard J¡¯s voice and stole a nce at her. Even though this girl has quite a bad temper, but she¡¯s not one to hold grudges. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy.¡± Ashlyn replied as she switched on herptop. She keyed in all the programming into herptop. Now she could control all the equipment in one go. J was dumbstruck at the sight of the settings on Ashlyn¡¯sptop. Her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Ms. Berry, yourptop is amazing! How- how did it manage to do all these?¡± ¡°Oh, because it¡¯s thetest model.¡± Ashlyn replied curtly. Because I set it up and assembled it from scratch. ¡°Is it thetest model from the Magnecal Tech? It¡¯s so expensive! I heard that it costs about 80k for one!¡± Jmented as she regarded the logo on theptop. She let out a shriek of excitement. Her excitement proved to be infectious as it attracted a few tech enthusiasts. ¡°I heard that thisptop sold over a billion units within just three days!¡± ¡°Rumors have that the RS Team is using this very model for theirpetition. Magnecal Tech also released a desktopputer for this lineup.¡± ¡°I heard that the whole setup was curated by Cornelius. He¡¯s a legendary figure in the tech industry. Any setup designed by him is guaranteed to have the best performance!¡± ¡°Magnecal Tech is so lucky to have him!¡± The performers were having a heated discussion on Ashlyn¡¯s newptop. They were especially excited at the mention of Cornelius. ¡°Cornelius is my idol.¡± ¡°Oh, forget it. The man never even released a photo of himself before.¡± ¡°But when he retired from the RS Team, they released a photo of him wearing a baseball cap. I can never forget about that handsome vibe!¡± ¡°Okay, I admit that even though he only showed his chin, it was already out of this world.¡± ¡°I hope that Cornelius woulde out of retirement. I¡¯m sure he would be able to get into the S-Match and win the game.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Wesley is quite good too. I heard he¡¯s Cornelius¡¯s student.¡± ¡°Hmm, Wesley is quite handsome but I think he¡¯s stillckingpared to Cornelius.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s because Cornelius is more manly.¡± Ashlyn sat in front of herptop and listened to the heated discussion among the performers. Their topic was initially onptops. Then they switched to e-sports, and finally, the limelight was back on Cornelius. Ashlyn could not help but caress her chin. Didn¡¯t I just help to set up aputer model? How did I get so many fans? What she didn¡¯t know was, Cornelius was legendary in the eyes of the public. He was also a god-like presence among e-sports yers. Meanwhile, at the Magnecal Tech meeting room. A middle-aged man presided over the meeting room. His usual stern face had a trace of smile on it. He nodded his head repeatedly at the report from the head of the Finance Department. ¡°The sales of our new model have surpassed our expectations, and we rank number one among all our competitors. We have also run out of stock in our warehouse. It has been decided that we would produce an additional 100k units to fulfill the overwhelming demand in the market.¡± Chapter 299 Chapter 299 ¡°Mr. President, are we still going to pay Cornelius based on themission rate that we agreed on?¡± The head of the Finance Department worded his question meticulously. ¡°Haha¡­¡± The middle-aged man shook his head. ¡°How would we expect people to perform when we don¡¯t pay them their well-deserved rate? Add on 2% for her.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The HOD took heed and seated down. The head of the Customer Service Department started to report his findings, ¡°As of now, we have over 10k feedback on our new model. The statistics have shown that the rate for system crash stands at¡­¡± He proceeded to report a string of numbers. The middle-aged man seemed to be pleased with it, ¡°Our product quality is top-notch. That is our way of retaining customers and sustaining our business.¡± Magnecal Tech¡¯s newest high-end modelptop had run out of stock as of yesterday. We will produce another ten thousand units to fulfill your demands. To all tech enthusiasts, kindly proceed to our official website to make your purchase. The tweet by Magnecal Tech made the top of the trending list as soon as it was posted. A lot of social media ounts rode on the trending wave. Magnecal Tech¡¯s new release hit the one billion mark at its release! They¡¯re producing another 10k unit. Have you bought one? Magnecal Tech¡¯s new high-end model features an all-new configuration with a refreshed outlook! After a three-year hiatus, Magnecal Tech has released a brand new CPU with upgraded hard drives. The optimization of the setup is unsurpassed in the industry! Numero uno of the tech industry ¨C Magnecal Tech has released yet another model of their high-end laptop lineup! All hail Cornelius for his ingenuity! The lucky star of Magnecal Tech! Poseidon Tech retweeted: So envious of Magnecal for having Cornelius! Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Visionex Tech also retweeted: Envious of Magnecal Tech here as well. Could I employ you if I offer you a higher pay than Magnecal Tech? @Cornelius A few other techpanies also retweeted with jealous tones. Even though they werepetitors with each other, their bosses were actually friends. Hence, they meant no harm in their tweets as they were just teasing each another and riding on the trending wave. It was just another marketing tactic. Cornelius could not be bothered with the hype online. I¡¯ve gotten my pay anyway. Ashlyn looked at the transaction notice from the bank on her phone. The woman titled her brows. She did not bother to count the zeros behind the numbers and deleted the text right away. I don¡¯t work on sries. Her contract with Magnecal Tech was not on a monthly wage basis. It was on amission basis instead. No amount of sry couldpare to the total amount ofmission that she would get for every unit ofputer sold. Most of the money she had earned was used in contributing to the society. The hundred-million donation was being put to good use to build Nn-Apollo Primary School. Apollo, the name derived from the Greek god of the sun, signified hope. The Nn Group had actually propelled a number of charitable events, and they had a few projects to help the poor and needy in the hilly areas. However, Ashlyn¡¯s donation this time was used to building primary schools in the cities in name of the Nn Group. Besides, Ashlyn also forked out about five million from her profit this time and donated it. After that, she wired another five million to her grandma¡¯s ount. It was her habit whenever she received any pay. However, grandma was unaware of it all. She had always wanted to ask grandma toe live with her but the elderly always refused her. Ashlyn felt a lump in her throat. She was so busytely that she had neglected taking care of grandma these days. She felt guilty at the thought. Ashlyn bid goodbye to the performers six in the evening and looked at J¡¯s white Mercedes-Benz. She could not help but grin, ¡°Hey J, care to give me a ride?¡± Chapter 300 Chapter 300 It was as if she just hit the jackpot and only regained herposure after some time. She looked pleasantly surprised and opened the door, ¡°Ms. Berry, sure! I¡¯d be d to. Hurry, get on the car.¡± All of a sudden, she felt proud as a peacock and eyed Charlotte who was just nearby, ¡°Hey Charlotte, are you seeing this? I¡¯m fetching Ms. Berry today.¡± The little girl¡¯s eyes reddened at the sight and peered at Ashlyn. L hurriedly coaxed her, ¡°Ms. Berry just had lunch with us the other day, so don¡¯t feel bad. I¡¯ll ask Ms. Berry to go nature drawing with us tomorrow okay?¡± Tomorrow was rest day for all the performers. It was tiring to practice every single day. Ashlyn wanted them to work hard but she wanted them to y equally hard as well. So she gave them a day off. Charlotte¡¯s pretty little face gleamed with delight when she heard him, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± L caressed her hair and held her hand as they got into a car together. Ashlyn caught the glimpse of them as she sat in the Mercedes and titled her brows at the sight. L Fraser really cares about Charlotte a lot. He is holding her hand even while getting into a car. J was excited to sit beside Ashlyn, ¡°Ms. Berry, what do you want to have for dinner? Why don¡¯t you come to my ce?¡± ¡°No thank you.¡± Ashlyn looked casually out the window. She got off the car when they reached a mall near the Berry Residence. J still did not give up on the idea of spending more time with Ashlyn and suggested, ¡°Do you want to go shopping? I could apany you. I have quite a good eye for things.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Go home.¡± J¡¯s heart sank when Ashlyn rejected her again. ¡°Okay then.¡± She tried her best to not show her disappointment. It was only natural for an aspiring individual like her to have a top-dog reverencing mentality. She admired Ashlyn and desired to be someone like her. However, she did not feel a hint of jealousy. She came from an army background after all. Beingpetitive was her second nature. J would sometimes feel that she was superior to others, and she had plotted against others. However, she never harbored any malign intention toward others. She would only work hard toward her aspirations. One day, she would stand before her subordinates at the military base, and that they would cast admiring looks at her. ¡°Colonel Smith is such a badass¡± was something she hoped to hear from them. And to which she would reply, ¡°My idol, Ms. Berry is the true epitome of a badass.¡± Ashlyn bought grandma¡¯s favorite cakes and some supplements, and headed back to the Berry Residence. The Berrys were having their dinner and Ashlyn¡¯s presence was not weed. Horace was displeased with her unannounced visit, and said with a strict manner, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us that you¡¯d be back for dinner? We could prepare for your portion then.¡± ¡°Right, Ashlyn. We¡¯ve got nothing for you if youe back just like that.¡± Mary looked quite apprehensive at the sight of Ashlyn. Ashlyn is getting more and more difficult to deal with. Mary was all fidgety at the sight of Ashlyn. However, she managed to calm herself down thinking that she had a trump card in hand ¨C Grandma was with them. Ashlyn wouldn¡¯t make any rash moves in view of these. ¡°I¡¯ll leave after seeing grandma.¡± Ashlyn could not be bothered with the two of them. However, she nced through the dining room but did not notice grandma¡¯s presence. ¡°Where¡¯s grandma?¡± Ashlyn furrowed her brows and her gaze turned cold. ¡°She¡­ she¡­¡± Horace stuttered under Ashlyn¡¯s cold, hard gaze. Mary hurriedly added, ¡°Your father booked a trip for her. She went travelling.¡± Ashlyn directed her scowl at the two. She did not say anything further and felt that something was off. However, she did not wish to stay for another minute. She left the things she bought for grandma and turned around to leave. Right then, Penelope chimed in, ¡°Ashlyn, why didn¡¯t you go to the hospital for work? I¡¯ve never seen you there. Are you a fake doctor? Don¡¯t go around telling people that you¡¯re a doctor when you¡¯re not. I suppose you don¡¯t want to be exposed by Mr. Haddock likest time right? You really brought disgrace to our family back then.¡± Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Ashlyn shot a nce at Penelope, who was feeling smug that she had exposed her step-sister. With a frosty glint in her eyes, Ashlyn said nonchntly, ¡°I never knew that you were so eager for me to start work.¡± Penelope let out a scornful snort, ¡°It¡¯s too bad, you can¡¯t get a job.¡± Ashlyn twisted her lips into an unfathomable smile and there was an icy look in her crescent eyes which also exuded an inexplicable sense of haughtiness. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, Mr. Haddock will come and beg me eventually.¡± ¡°Ashlyn, are you daydreaming? Did you just say Mr. Haddock was gonna beg?¡± Penelope burst out laughing as if that was the funniest joke she had ever heard. Horace and Mary were both ashen-faced. None of them uttered a word. Ashlyn looked at that family with an ambiguous smirk on her face and turned her back towards them. She had already told them. It was up to them to choose whether to believe her or not. At the very moment when she turned around and was about to walk away, Ashlyn heard someone coughing violently. She stopped in her tracks and cast a sharp nce towards the stairs. ¡°Who¡¯s coughing?¡± Horaceughed nervously, ¡°It¡¯s just the nanny who¡¯s not feeling well.¡± Ashlyn noticed the momentary look of difort which crossed his face and said coldly, ¡°If it¡¯s really the nanny, why are you looking so guilty?¡± ¡°Your dad is still the boss of apany no matter what, why would he lie to you?¡± Mary said with a forced smile and continued, ¡°You¡¯re so busy that you didn¡¯t even have the time to eat. Don¡¯t starve yourself.¡± Just leave quickly! That was the one thing Mary did not say out loud. It was obvious that the couple was hiding something from their anxious behavior. Ashlyn kept a poker face and remained unfazed as she said, ¡°Since the nanny is not feeling well and Penelope is a nurse, why don¡¯t we get Penelope to go upstairs and check on her? Penelope, let¡¯s go together, I wanna see for myself how proficient a surgical nurse from the First Hospital is.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry yourself over such a trivial matter,¡± Horace said quickly and continued, ¡°Penelope had already treated her.¡± ¡°Oh, is it?¡± The corners of Ashlyn¡¯s mouth curved upwards as she said that. ¡°Can I know what medicine did she prescribe?¡± Penelope was momentarily stunned and recalled what Mary had instructed her previously. The nanny isn¡¯t ill at all, the truth is¡­ However, she could not let Ashlyn know about it. Penelope saw the meaningful nce which Mary had cast towards her. They had some chemistry as mother and daughter and Penelope knew that Mary wanted her to reply. ¡°Oh, I gave her some lozenges and flu medicine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still a nurse after all. Her cough sounded serious and there¡¯s phlegm in her throat. Based on my preliminary assessment, it¡¯s not an ordinary flu but should be pneumonia instead.¡± After Ashlyn finished speaking, she walked past the other three Berrys and was about to head upstairs. She must find out what exactly was it that these three were trying to hide from her. However, Mary was quick enough to stop her, ¡°What¡¯s there for you to see? She¡¯s just a sick nanny. What if she passes the virus to you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not scared of that,¡± Ashlyn pushed Mary away and strode upstairs. Mary was fuming mad and grabbed Horace¡¯s arm. ¡°Hubby, what should we do now?¡± ¡°What else can we do? Stop asking useless questions!¡± Horace brushed Mary¡¯s hand away and stomped upstairs in frustration, chasing after Ashlyn. Ashlyn dashed up towards the second floor. The coughing sound, which she heard intermittently, got louder as she approached. It did not sound like it came from any of the rooms but from the attic instead. Ashlyn did not mind initially, neither was she curious about it. However, after seeing Horace and Mary¡¯s dubious behaviors, Ashlyn felt that she would have let the couple down if she did not cooperate. After all, they had tried so hard to put up the poor act. The air in the attic was arid and the room was stuffy and warm. It felt very ufortable to be in it for even one minute. Is this where the nanny sleeps? It¡¯s almost inhumane if that¡¯s the case. Ashlyn could only imagine how much worse it would be for a sick person who had nowhere else to go to. Just when Ashlyn reached the attic and was about to turn the doorknob to enter the room, Horace caught up with her. Rubbing his palms together, Horace said frantically, ¡°Ashlyn, I have something important to ask you.¡± Ashlyn stared at him calmly and halted her hand movements. ¡°What is it?¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Ashlyn cocked her eyebrows and stared at him with a frosty look in her eyes. ¡°The more you try to distract me, the more I want to know who on earth you are hiding in the attic. What secret are you keeping from me?¡± The violent coughing started again. At such proximity, the coughing sounds were clear and ear-piercing! Ashlyn widened her eyes in disbelief. This familiar voice¡­ Fury surged through her as she pushed open the door forcefully! The first thing she saw within the constricted space was a small bed. A pale-faced elderly was lying on the bed, all curled up. The attic was extremely run-down and poorly maintained with trash scattered across the floor. The air inside smelled stale, as if the room had not been ventted for a long time. In fact, it would be surprising if anyone who stayed there for a long time did not get ill. Ashlyn could hardly believe her eyes when she saw the frail elderly lying on the bed. ¡°Grandma!¡± The elderly woman, whose small frame was curled up like a ball, was Susan ckwood. She was falling in and out of consciousness and could hardly register what was going on. Susan slowly opened her eyes when she heard the familiar voice. As her clouded eyes gradually regained focus, she managed to recognize the beautiful face in front of her, ¡°Ashlyn¡­ Is that you?¡± Her voice sounded weak and was barely audible. ¡°Grandma, how are you feeling?¡± Ashlyn knelt beside Susan¡¯s bed and held her hand tightly. ¡°Grandma¡¯s fine¡­ ¡° Susan smiled lovingly at her granddaughter before shutting her eyes again. ¡°Grandma! Grandma!¡± Ashlyn checked Susan¡¯s pulse at once while ringing the hospital. ¡°I¡¯m Ashlyn Berry, please send an ambnce to the Berry Residence immediately. The address is XXX street, unit number XX.¡± After Ashlyn got off the phone, she swept her cold gaze towards Horace, Mary and Penelope. ¡°Ashlyn¡­ Please listen to me¡­ ¡° Horace¡¯s heart went cold as he looked at Ashlyn nervously. The imposing aura exuded by his older daughter was sending chills down his spine. ¡°Shut up!¡± Ashlyn bellowed. ¡°You! How can you yell at dad! You have really gone too far!¡± Penelope screamed. ¡°You have no right to interrupt!¡± Ashlyn swept a nce at Penelope before turning her attention back to Horace again. She fixed her icy gaze on her dad and said, ¡°All along, I¡¯ve thought that grandma was livingfortably. I¡¯ve never expected that you would subject her to such torture.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Watch your words, I¡¯m warning you. No one tortured her. We fed her well and tried to satisfy her every whim. She was the one whoined that it was too noisy downstairs and insisted on moving to the attic!¡± Mary jumped out to refute Ashlyn. ¡°Well, she¡¯s obviously very ill to me, but not only did you not do anything for her, you even tried to lie and keep it from me. What was that for? Ashlyn narrowed her eyes and continued, ¡°Mary Canter, are you really taking me for a fool?¡± Mary¡¯s eyes widened in indignation. ¡°You¡­ Did you just call me by my full name? I¡¯m your step-mom and your elder! After disrespecting your dad just now, you¡¯re disrespecting me now! You¡¯re too much!¡± ¡°Ashlyn, we are still your elders after all. Besides, we have never ill-treated your grandma. She hasn¡¯t been able to get used to city life after arriving from the suburbs and kept telling us that it¡¯s quieter up here in the attic.¡± Horace knew that there was no way he could admit that he had indeed mistreated his own mother. ¡°Oh wow, what a hypocrite! Lying without even batting an eyelid,¡± Ashlyn sneered and carried on, ¡°Do you think I won¡¯t have any evidence just because I didn¡¯t see you torturing grandma with my own eyes?¡± Ashlyn could no longer be bothered to argue with those people who were just like garbage. She wanted to feed them to the sharks. However, she was rational enough to remember that she was still one of the Berrys. She could only try to suppress her burning rage and start devising a n. Ashlyn contacted Harrison on social media at once, ¡°Get Leonard to conduct a thorough investigation on Berry Furnishings¡¯ finances and tax issues. You and Anderson are in charge of attacking Berry Furnishings¡¯ firewall to see if you can obtain any incriminating evidence.¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± Harrison, who was in his office, slid his chair towards Anderson and said, ¡°Tsk tsk, boss is finally making a move against Berry Furnishings.¡± ¡°Horace Berry has been acting so ridiculously. Our boss has already tolerated him for a super long time,¡± Anderson chuckled. Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Meanwhile, the ambnce had already arrived at the Berry Residence. The head of the emergency department, Dr. oy, had personally led a team of doctors and nurses there. The group of medical personnel dashed into the Berry Residence and asked, ¡°Dr. Berry, where¡¯s the patient?¡± ¡°In the attic,¡± Ashlyn replied. ¡°I¡¯ll carry her down, I¡¯ll go, you guys can just wait here,¡± Horace offered with a guilty conscience. It would be really embarrassing if these people saw the situation in the attic. ¡°That¡¯s right. We are already feel bad enough that we have to call you guys toe all the way here. Let us go get her instead,¡± Mary added. Dr. oy noticed the grim look on Ashlyn¡¯s face and figured out at once that something unpleasant must have happened. Without another word, he charged upstairs with his medical team swiftly. When Dr. oy saw the scene in the attic, he couldn¡¯t help but frown. At the same time, he cast a contemptuous gaze at the Berrys and was unable to fathom how anyone could be so cruel. Penelope stood rooted to the floor and was plunged into icy fear. Her colleagues had all seen this, that her grandma was staying in the attic of her big house¡­ ¡°Dr. Berry, we should get going now,¡± Dr. oy said to Ashley respectfully. The head of department behaved as if Ashlyn was the head of department instead. Penelope was dumbfounded. She grabbed Dr. oy¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°She¡­ Is she really a doctor?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a surgical nurse? How could you not know that Dr. Berry is the best surgeon in the hospital? I can¡¯t believe you don¡¯t even know the most well-known person in our hospital! The two of you are¡­ ¡° Dr. oy nced at Penelope, then at Ashlyn. The way Dr. oy spoke to Penelope was filled with disdain and arrogance. On the other hand, his attitude towards Ashlyn was extremely polite and respectful. What a snob this guy is! ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m her elder sister!¡± Penelope said weakly. ¡°Excuse me, we don¡¯te from the same mom,¡± Ashlyn refuted and strode out of the vi. The rest of the medical personnel followed closely behind her. It was as if Ashlyn was the queen and behind her was her entourage of loyal courtiers. Penelope¡¯s face contorted in a mixture of humiliation and rage as she stared at Ashlyn¡¯s diminishing figure which was moving further away. She clenched her fists in disbelief. So Ashlyn is truly a surgeon! It was an even greater shock to Penelope that Ashlyn was that ¡®best surgeon¡¯ she has been hearing all this time! Why? They shared the samest name but she was just a nurse. ¡°Hubby, what should we do now?¡± Mary¡¯s face was white with fear. That bitch Ashlyn was not someone to be trifled with since the time she was a kid. When Ashlyn was younger, Mary could still handle her. However, as she grew up, Ashlyn¡¯s intimidating vibes often sent shivers down Mary¡¯s spine. Mary¡¯s got more ufortable with Ashlyn¡¯s presence. She was fearful that Ashlyn would take revenge against them. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®what should we do¡¯? I¡¯m her dad! What can she do to me?¡± Horace huffed and continued, ¡°No matter what, I was the one who raised her. Even if she¡¯s the most ungrateful daughter in the world, she is not going to kill me or beat me into a pulp, right?¡± Horace did not believe that Ashlyn would take any extreme measures against him. He could make a police report if she inflicted physical harm on him. If that happened, the whole of Lake City would know how unfilial this best surgeon was, to be treating her own dad like that. By then, she would be drowned by negativements. That was exactly what Horace had in mind. After Mary heard her husband¡¯s words, she forced back her fear and said to Penelope, ¡°Penelope, you¡¯re a nurse too. You should go to the hospital at once and take a look at your grandma. Don¡¯t let your sister im all the credit for herself during this crucial time. You need to put up your best behavior too, yeah?¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Penelope looked at Mary reluctantly and said, ¡°Mom and dad, why didn¡¯t you two help me when I was being humiliated just now?¡± ¡°Do you know how dire our predicament is right now?¡± Mary realized that she had spoiled her daughter too much. She could not believe that Penelope could still be concerned over such a childish matter when Ashlyn was going to create trouble for them any time. ¡°Do you think Ashley is still the same person she was when she was a kid?¡± Horace patted his elder daughter¡¯s shoulders and said, ¡°She¡¯s capable of doing all sorts of crazy things now. Just listen to your mom and go to the hospital immediately.¡± Chapter 304 Chapter 304 The ambnce whizzed through the bustling street and made its way to the hospital. Once they reached the hospital, the medical personnel rushed Ashlyn¡¯s grandmother over to the emergency room. Meanwhile, Ashlyn put on her white robe and told the director of the emergency room, ¡°I¡¯ll take part in the rescue operation.¡± ¡°Sure, Dr. Berry! Pleasee with me!¡± The director replied. Finally, they walked into the emergency room together. Without further ado, Ashlyn carried out a series of thorough tests for her grandmother whileing up with the appropriate treatment n with the director of the emergency room. ¡°The patient is diagnosed with severe pneumonia. We have to run a CT Scan to ensure nothing else is wrong with the patient,¡± Ashlyn instructed with a serious expression. She got increasingly infuriated as she got a better grasp of her grandmother¡¯s actual medical condition. Her grandmother had fallen seriously ill, but Horace had been keeping her in the dark all along. In fact, they refused to send her to the hospital despite being aware of her actual condition. It was evident they wanted to send Ashlyn¡¯s grandmother to hell. Horace Berry! Mary Canter! She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down. ¡°Let¡¯s bring the patient for a CT Scan now.¡± ¡°Yes, Dr. Berry.¡± The nurse took note of Ashlyn¡¯s instruction and brought her grandmother over to the CT Scan room immediately. Once she walked out of the emergency room, she ran into a few nurses who were in the middle of a conversation as they were cleaning up. ¡°Does that mean Penelope is Dr. Berry¡¯s half-sister?¡± ¡°It feels like Penelope is really jealous of Dr. Berry! A friend of mine who¡¯s part of the surgeon team told me whenever someone praised Dr. Berry in front of her, Penelope would get infuriated. She would throw a tantrum in front of others.¡± ¡°What? She¡¯s such a self-centered woman!¡± ¡°Exactly! I mean, isn¡¯t she Dr. Berry¡¯s sister?¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Their grandmother is heavily bedridden, and yet none of them bother to rush her to the hospital. I can¡¯t figure out what¡¯s going on in the mind of those from the Berry family.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! I can¡¯t believe such an unfilial bunch of people actually exist in the world!¡± ¡°Thankfully, Dr. Berry noticed what was wrong with her grandmother. Actually, Dr. Berry doesn¡¯t stay in the Berry Residence with her family. If she¡¯s around, I¡¯m sure those from the Berry family would not dare mistreat her grandfather either!¡± ¡°That¡¯s so inhumane! Unfilial people are the worst kind of people!¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful that isn¡¯t the case for my family because my grandmother and my great-grandmother stay with us as well, but my parents ensure they take good care of them!¡± The trio from the Berry family, who finally made it to the emergency room, heard the conversation the nurses had since they were at the entrance. Horace looked at the nurses who were reprimanding them with a grim expression, asking, ¡°May I know where¡¯s Old Mrs. Berry who has been rushed to the emergency room?¡± ¡°She¡¯s currently away for a series of thorough diagnoses,¡± A nurse replied indifferently. Mary, who had been infuriated due to Ashlyn¡¯s impudent behavior, couldn¡¯t believe she would have to go through another round of humiliation in the hospital. Hence, she went berserk in front of the nurses, yelling, ¡°Please mind your manners! Is this how you¡¯re supposed to treat the family members of a patient?¡± Since they were merely nurses, Mary was certain they had limited influences within the hospital. She warned them, ¡°I will file aint on all of you with your supervisor! How dare you badmouth us behind our back?¡± ¡°Please suit yourself, madam!¡± The nurse took a peek at Mary and thought she must be Ashlyn¡¯s stepmother. In fact, Penelope resembled her mother in terms of look. On the other hand, Penelope, who was by her mother¡¯s side, felt greatly embarrassed because the ones her mother was picking on were her colleagues. If her mother were to offend all of her colleagues, Penelope would have a hard time dealing with them at work in the future. She got in Mary¡¯s way and stopped her mother immediately because she was aware of the potential consequences in store for her. ¡°Mom, stop it! You¡¯re making a fool of yourself!¡± ¡°They¡¯re the ones who are making fools of themselves! Look at their attitude! How dare they badmouth us behind our back? They don¡¯t deserve to be nurses at all!¡± Mary yelled hysterically. The nurse couldn¡¯t suppress her emotions either because she had never been scolded in the face ever since she was born. She rebuked and yelled back, ¡°Who are you to tell me off?¡± ¡°I¡¯m teaching you a lesson on your parents¡¯ behalf! Have you no shame at all? How could you gossip about others behind their back? I will definitely lodge aint against you! I want you to be fired! I won¡¯t allow you to be a nurse anymore!¡± Mary took her anger out on the innocent nurse who was merely stating the truth. ¡°You!¡± Although the nurse was equally infuriated, she couldn¡¯t rebut Mary¡¯s statement anymore. In the end, her eyes brimmed with tears, keeping her emotions to herself. Suddenly, a callous voice could be hearding from their back, asking, ¡°Oh? Who exactly are you trying to get rid of?¡± The crowd was attracted by the presence of the professional-looking woman, who had a white robe on with her hair tied up, the moment Ashlyn showed up in front of them with. She had a diagnosis report with her in her hand, evoking a sense of professionalism a doctor should have. Chapter 305 Chapter 305 ¡°I¡­¡± The nurse was about to summarize the incident, but Mary got ahead of her and broke the silence, yelling, ¡°Ashlyn, do you have any idea what she has done behind our back? She¡¯s gossiping with the other nurses behind us! Are you sure this kind of nurse is allowed to work at the hospital? We asked her Grandma¡¯s whereabouts, and yet she paid no heed to our query! I want to lodge aint against her with your supervisor! I want her to get fired immediately!¡± Mary knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to take things out on Ashlyn, but she could at least vent her anger on the nurse. Ashlyn frowned, staring at Mary, and replied callously, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you have no authority over the employees of the hospital! Guards, stop standing around idly! Chase them out of the hospital at once!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Mary¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, asking because she couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°Huh? I¡¯m your stepmother. I was the one who had brought you up over the years. Is this how you¡¯re repaying me? How dare you side with an outsider against me? Ashlyn, I want to lodge aint against you as well! You don¡¯t deserve to be a doctor either!¡± In return, Ashlyn replied nonchntly, ¡°Seriously? Is threatening others by using the same excuses over and over again the only thing you¡¯re capable of? Can you please entertain me with something new?¡± Finally, Horace got in Ashlyn¡¯s way because the guards were about to chase Mary out of the hospital as instructed, ¡°Ashlyn, can you take the fact that we¡¯re a family into consideration and show some respect to your stepmother?¡± Ashlyn scoffed, sneering, ¡°Have you taken the fact that Grandma is also part of the family into consideration? Have you taken the fact that I¡¯m part of the family into consideration? Have you no shame at all? How could you leverage on our rtionship only when you need it?¡± After she finished her sarcastic remarks, she repeated herself and instructed the guards, ¡°Chase every one of them out of the hospital at once! Get them out of my sight immediately!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a nurse affiliated with the hospital! You¡¯re not allowed to chase me out of the hospital!¡± The fact her sister wielded influence over the guards of the hospital took Penelope by surprise. In fact, the one who had shown up was none other than the captain of the security guards. He took note of Ashlyn¡¯s instructions obediently and proceeded to chase the trio from the Berry family out of the hospital. Penelope got worked up against the captain of the guards. Then, she yelled pointing at him, ¡°Are you having an affair with Ashlyn? Why are you taking instructions from her?¡± Thump! Ashlyn pped Penelope in the face. Consequently, a loud sound echoed at the entrance of the emergency room. ¡°You should watch your mouth and be mindful of your choice of words!¡± Ashlyn warned Penelope after retrieving her numbed hand. Penelope¡¯s jaw dropped open in doubt. She detected the tingling sensationing from her cheek. A clear p mark could be seen on her bulging cheek. Once Penelope returned to her senses, tears streamed down her cheeks as she shouted, ¡°Dad! Mom! I can¡¯t believe she has the guts to p me in front of others! It hurts! You have to avenge me, dad!¡± She attempted to pounce on Ashlyn once again while cussing, but her half-sister returned the favor, kicking her in the abdomen area, sending her flying to the ground. ¡°Chase them out at once!¡± Ashlyn instructed once more. ¡°Ashlyn, she¡¯s your half-sister! How could you do this to her?¡± Horace was about to avenge his beloved elder daughter since his younger daughter had the audacity to resort to such brutality in front of him. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. However, someone got in his way and stopped him; a gigantic palm held on to Horace¡¯s wrist firmly in the nick of time. Ashlyn red at her father in the eyes, asserting, ¡°I must say I¡¯m very impressed! As a son, you have abused your mother! Are you trying to leverage your identity as a father and abuse your daughter again?¡± Horace¡¯s face turned pale due to the racking sensationing from his wrist. He turned around and looked in the direction of his wrist immediately. He detected the presence of a tall man who had a grim expression on his face as he cast a stern gaze at him, devouring his soul through his prating gaze. Horace was aware of the man¡¯s actual identity because he was, after all, part of the upper echelons, even though he could barely qualify as one. ¡°M-Mr. Nn?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe how strong Lucas was because his wrist was almost broken due to the man¡¯s powerful grip. Horace couldn¡¯t recall since when had he offended Lucas either. ¡°How dare you try to hit her? Do you have a death wish?¡± Lucas broke the silence, warning Horace. His words morphed into a sharp de and prated the man¡¯s mind mercilessly. Chapter 306 Chapter 306 It took him some time to bring himself up from the ground. He forced a smile in return in an attempt to please Lucas, asking, ¡°Mr. Nn, you¡¯re Ashlyn¡¯s¡­¡± Lucas replied callously, asserting a dominating presence, casting a stern gaze at the man on the floor before instructing, ¡°You are in no position to know our rtionship.¡± As soon as he finished reprimanding the man, he turned around and ordered, ¡°Get rid of them at once!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Nn.¡± Spencer stepped forward and handed over Lucas a clean piece of handkerchief. Immediately, Lucas took it over and wiped his hands clean as though he had juste in touch with a filthy creature. Initially, Horace wanted to leverage the rtionship Lucas had with Ashlyn, but it seemed to be a mission impossible because Lucas despised the presence of those like Horace the most. Horace felt greatly humiliated because he had never been treated in such a manner before since he was the president of a small corporation. Although he was irritated, he couldn¡¯t possibly offend Lucas due to the differences in their backgrounds. Nheless, he couldn¡¯t figure out the sort of rtionship between Lucas and Ashlyn. The man with a noble presence approached the gorgeous woman, behaving entirely different from the way he treated Horace by asking her gently, ¡°Are you okay? Have you been hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°I will never allow myself to get hurt by these bunch of fools,¡± Ashlyn replied with a poker face. ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± Lucas turned around and cast a stern gaze at Spencer once again. Spencer knew what Lucas was up to. Thus, he chased the trio from the Berry family out of the hospital along with the guards of the hospital. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving! I¡¯m the nurse of the hospital!¡± Penelope yelled as she retaliated against the guards, staring at Lucas lustfully as she thought. Is that Mr. Nn, the captain that everyone in town is talking about? He¡¯s such a heartbreaker. I can¡¯t believe such a wless-looking man exists in the world. Apart from that, he¡¯s both good-looking and rich at the same time! How does Ashlyn get to know him? In fact, it seems like they¡¯re pretty close! This b*tch must have had gone around seducing men again! She¡¯s such a lustful vixen! Penelope mustered her strength and managed to break free from the guards who had suppressed her. Once she broke free, she sprinted over in the direction of Lucas, requesting, ¡°Mr. Nn, I¡¯m Penelope, Ashlyn¡¯s sister¡­ C-Can we get to know each other?¡± In return, Lucas frowned in disgust and cast a skeptical gaze at Penelope before turning around to size Ashlyn up. ¡°Is she your half-sister?¡± Lucas remarked. This is unbelievable! She¡¯s actually Ashlyn¡¯s half-sister? They don¡¯t look alike at all! I mean, her half- sister is so ugly. ¡°Actually, we¡¯re not rted at all,¡± Ashlyn shook her head. ¡°No wonder she¡¯s so freaking ugly,¡± Lucas concluded. ¡°U-Ugly? Me? That¡¯s impossible¡­¡± All of a sudden, Penelope¡¯s heart sank to the bottom of her stomach because she had been criticized by others regarding her look. Although I¡¯m not a match for Ashlyn in terms of look, I¡¯m, by no means, ugly, right? ¡°Look at you and your craggy nose, small eyes, and wrinkled lips¡­ None of your features resemble the ones on Ashlyn¡¯s face. Don¡¯t you think you are the perfect definition of ugly?¡± Lucas avoided Penelope¡¯s gaze because he found her presence irritating. ¡°I-I¡¯m sure you have been deceived by Ashlyn! She¡¯s a vixen! She¡¯s having an affair with the captain of the guards! Apart from that, she is also having an affair with Jared¡­¡± p! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Before Penelope could finish her sentence, Spencer took a step forwards and p Penelope in the face because he couldn¡¯t hold back his anger anymore. Since Penelope had belittled Ashlyn in front of him, he would avenge her even without Lucas¡¯ instruction. Consequently, the other side of Penelope¡¯s cheeks bulged too. She heard a buzz and suffered from ckouts for some time because Spencer had pped her in the face with all his might. ¡°Teach her a lesson. I want you to p her twenty times!¡± The wrathful man instructed. Those in the corridor of the hospital shuddered in fear upon detecting the menacing auraing from the man. It¡¯s so nasty! He¡¯s such a horrifying man! Ashlyn was the only one who managed to pull herself together, unaffected by the man¡¯s menacing aura. Ever since Penelope decided to engage in a conversation with Lucas, Ashlyn had been observing quietly in anticipation of a great show from her half-sister. On the contrary, Penelope wouldn¡¯t stop picking on Ashlyn in front of Lucas. She had been pushing her luck in hopes of causing a conflict between Ashlyn and Lucas. Spencer rolled his sleeves up and raised his hand and he started pping Penelope in front of others. In return, Penelope groaned in pain repetitively,ining, ¡°This is against thew! I- Ouch! I-I¡¯ll sue you for intentional assault!¡± Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Since she has the audacity to pick on Ashlyn, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s aware of the potential consequences in store for her. Before long, Penelope passed out due to the racking sensation she felt throughout the session. Spencer stated, ¡°Mr. Nn, she has passed out.¡± ¡°I want you to resume once she regains consciousness! Keep it up until she learns her lesson!¡± Lucas instructed. ¡°Yes, Mr. Nn!¡± Finally, the trio of the Berry family had been chased out of the hospital. Mary had a disheveled appearance as her hair was in aplete mess. She didn¡¯t seem like the wife of a nobleman at all. She threw a tantrum,ining, ¡°Horace, you¡¯re such a coward! How could you leave our daughter alone when she needed you the most? Look at how they have beaten her to a pulp! Arghhhh! They¡¯re ruining our beloved daughter¡¯s face! It¡¯s over for her! How is she supposed to get married in the future?¡± ¡°Can you please keep your mouth shut for a few minutes?¡± Horace, who felt a headacheing, yelled in return. ¡°No! That¡¯s impossible! I¡¯m not going to shut up!¡± Mary wailed hysterically to vent her frustration. Once Horace brought Penelope, who had passed out, into the car, he warned his wife, ¡°If you don¡¯t shut the f*** up, you¡¯d better think of ways to get home on your own because I¡¯ll chase you out of the car!¡± ¡°Damn it, Horace! Are you trying to cast me aside since I can¡¯t be of use to you anymore? If I hadn¡¯t gone into hiding and allowed the woman to take over my role as your wife back in the day, you wouldn¡¯t have achieved this stage in your life either!¡± Mary lunged at Horace with her nails once she got into the car. Horace kicked Mary away from him, warning, ¡°Shut up! I¡¯ll throw you out of the car for real if you bring up the incident back then again!¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. In return, he asked rhetorically, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not one of the beneficiaries over the years? Do you have any idea how much money you have spent over the years? If it weren¡¯t because of my hard work, both of you would have long passed on, starving!¡± As a result, Mary bumped into the door of the car. She yelled, groaning due to the racking sensation she felt, ¡°How dare you hit me?¡± Actually, wrath had taken over the man¡¯s rationality. Otherwise, he would never have engaged himself in such an intense fight with Mary because they had always been a loving couple. Since the man was in a foul mood, he couldn¡¯t deal with his infuriated wife anymore. In the end, he decided to neglect Mary and started his car before warning her again, ¡°If you try anything silly again, I¡¯ll throw you out of the car!¡± Mary started to cry, bringing up the trivial incidents that urred back in the day, stating, ¡°Even though I was pregnant with Penelope back then, I couldn¡¯t get married to you. Once I have given birth to Penelope, I spent most of my time alone with her in the tattered ce you have rented for me until the woman passed on. It took you years before you reached out to us and brought us home. Look at you! Once you¡¯re rich, you return the favor to us in such a manner. Woohoo¡­¡± Horace almost ran into a car halfway through their way home because his wife had distracted him since she wouldn¡¯t stop crying. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to stop, I¡¯ll run into the car opposite the road immediately! We¡¯ll take a one-way trip to hell together as a family!¡± Upon her husband¡¯s warning, Mary finally stopped nagging her husband, but she couldn¡¯t suppress her emotions. Tears continued to stream down her face as she was engulfed by wrath. She was on the verge of having a meltdown once more in front of her husband. Ashlyn, I¡¯ll definitely get my revenge and avenge Penelope in the future! ¡­ On the other hand, Lucas, who dropped by the hospital, finally figured out the sort of rtionship Ashlyn had with those from the Berry family. He was taken aback once he figured out the truth, but he managed to return to his usual calm and collected self soon, stating, ¡°To be honest, it doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re rted to them by any means.¡± They had been married for four years, but he had never once run a background check on Ashlyn. Therefore, there were a lot of things about Ashlyn which he wasn¡¯t aware of. Little did he know the sort of rtionship she had with her family. In short, they were as good as complete strangers. Lucas never expected Ashlyn to have such aplicated family background because he once thought she was an orphan. ¡°I will take care of grandma once she recovers. I want her to spend the rest of her life by my side,¡± Ashlyn told Lucas. She didn¡¯t want her grandmother to be apart from her anymore. ¡°Hasn¡¯t it crossed your mind to take her in back in the day?¡± Lucas was heartbroken the moment he detected the aggrieved expression on her face. He wanted to rush over to her side to hold her hand, yet he resisted the urge of doing so. Ashlyn exined, ¡°Previously, I had brought it up for a few times, but she had always been a stubborn one. Therefore, she refused to give in to my suggestion. Maybe she thinks I¡¯m having it tough on my end as well¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault and I¡¯m the one to be med.¡± The man¡¯s hoarse voice could be heard, stating his responsibility. ¡°Huh?¡± Ashlyn raised her head, looking at the man in the eyes confusedly. ¡°If only I had paid attention to you and the details, I would have long taken your grandmother in on your behalf.¡± Upon hearing Lucas¡¯ words, Ashlyn¡¯s heart skipped a beat because his words hit her hard. Chapter 308 Chapter 308 She had denied the man¡¯s offer because she had the capability to take her grandmother in as well. After all, she was an influential and wealthy woman who possessed properties, cars, businesses, yielding influences over her underlings. In short, she didn¡¯t have to rely on others. Although she was touched by the man¡¯s words, she had no intention of giving in to his suggestion because she didn¡¯t want to owe him any favors. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Ashlyn turned around and asked, avoiding the man¡¯s gaze in an attempt to divert the man¡¯s attention. Lucas looked at Ashlyn quietly, recalling the purpose of his visit. Initially, he had dropped by because he wanted to keep her to himself in the emergency room once again. He had nned to get the director to get Ashlyn over to tend to him once he reached the hospital but came across the feud Ashlyn was involved in as soon as he reached the emergency room. Nheless, Lucas was certain fate must have had brought him to her because he showed up when she needed him the most. Therefore, he was in a very good mood. It was obvious as it was written all over his face. ¡°My friend has been hospitalized. His name is Joseph. I believe you have run into him back in the day,¡± Lucas made use of his friends and lied to Ashlyn. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Ashlyn asked as she raised her eyebrow. ¡°I think he has caught a cold or something. Actually, I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s wrong with him either, but he insists on checking in to the hospital.¡± Lucas could be considered a veteran con artist because he didn¡¯t even flinch while telling a lie. He would never admit he had dropped by the hospital because he wanted to spend some time with her again. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll drop by and check on him. Where is his ward?¡± Ashlyn got up from her seat while she asked him. Lucas just reached for his phone as he replied calmly, ¡°I have no idea. Let me ask Spencer.¡± Meanwhile, in a random ward on the fifth floor of the hospital. Joseph, who was rendered speechless by Lucas¡¯ absurd request, asked, ¡°What is this so-called emergency? Why the hell does he need a so-called patient out of the blue?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point, sir! I¡¯m sure Mr. Nn has proven his sincerity, right? Look! He has reserved the whole floor for you!¡± Spencer exined, tucking Joseph in. ¡°I don¡¯t need him to prove his sincerity in such a way¡­¡± Joseph was rendered speechless by Spencer¡¯s reply as well. Since he was a perfectly healthy and normal man, he couldn¡¯t figure out the reason Lucas had gotten him over to y sick out of the blue. ¡°Mr. Nn will grant you three days¡¯ worth of leaves if you¡¯re able to put on a great show ording to his request. Apart from that, he¡¯ll get you thetest set of fishing equipment too.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Joseph got worked up all of a sudden because he had been longing for thetest set of fishing equipment for quite some time, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to purchase it since it was quite expensive. To begin with, the Field family was never a filthy rich family. Instead, they had always been referred to as the most disciplined ones amongst those from the upper echelon. Hence, Joseph wouldn¡¯t allow such a golden opportunity to slip by his side since the ¡®filthy rich¡¯ had offered to them for him as a gift. Suddenly, footsteps could be heard as someone approached the ward. Immediately, Joseph pretended to be sick, coughing consecutively. Lucas knocked on the door once they reached the doorstep of the ward. Spencer yed along, rushing over to answer the door instantly. ¡°Mr. Nn, Ms. Berry.¡± Ashlyn nodded in return. She turned around to ask Joseph, who was on the bed, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get in touch with me beforehand?¡± Cough¡­ Cough¡­ Cough¡­ He coughed intensely once again before replying, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary to trouble you because it¡¯s not a big deal either¡­ I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll recover in no time¡­¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Mr. Field, has the nurse dropped by to change the fluid? What sort of fluid is involved in your treatment n?¡± Ashlyn stared at the man whose face reddened due to the intense cough, asking with a straight face. Joseph¡¯s mind was all over the ce all of a sudden because he had no idea what Ashlyn was talking about since no fluid was involved as he wasn¡¯t sick. Thankfully, he managed to make something up in the nick of time, stating, ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. I think it¡¯s the one for anti-inmmatory purposes?¡± ¡°Since IV therapy is part of your treatment n, why ain¡¯t the back of your hand pricked by needles then?¡± Ashlyn removed the man¡¯s nket, exposing his hand, asking callously, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what exactly Lucas and you are up to?¡± Damn it! There goes mytest set of fishing equipment! Since Ashlyn managed to see right through his act, the only thing Joseph cared about was thetest set of fishing equipment Lucas had promised him. Once Ashlyn exposed their n, she red at Lucas before leaving the ward. Lucas strode over, going after Ashlyn immediately, ¡°Honey, listen to me¡­¡± ¡°What is this about? Are you trying to fool me with your friend?¡± Ashlyn asked with a poker face. Lucas couldn¡¯t tell her emotions apart, but he held on to her wrist, exining himself, ¡°Listen to me! I didn¡¯t mean it either¡­ I-I have dropped by the hospital to visit you because I missed you a lot¡­¡± ¡°You know what? It doesn¡¯t really matter what you¡¯re up to because I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re lying to me or not. It has nothing to do with me either.¡± Ashlyn shrugged Lucas off and left. ¡°I was going to drop by the emergency room and get you to tend to me in a simr manner as myst visit. However, I ran into you being in a nasty situation¡­¡± Lucas exined himself anxiously. Chapter 309 Chapter 309 ¡°When are you going to stop behaving like a child?¡± Ashlyn red at Lucas once more because she had had enough of the man¡¯s childish behavior. Suddenly, a nurse sprinted over, announcing, ¡°Dr. Berry, your grandmother is awake!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drop by her ward immediately.¡± Ashlyn nodded, rushing over to Susan¡¯s ward as soon as she could. Without a second thought, Lucas went after her immediately. Susan, who was lying on the bed, looked pale and haggard. Since she had just regained consciousness, she was extremely worn out. Her hands had been pricked by the needle because part of her treatment n was IV therapy. In short, the nutrients she required would be delivered into her system through infusion. She surveyed the surroundings and realized she wasn¡¯t in the attic; neither was she in the Berry Residence because she was in an entirely unfamiliar ce. While she lost herself in the process of thought, she heard footsteps as someone approached her ward. Before long, a familiar voice could be heard as Ashlyn asked, ¡°Grandma, how do you feel?¡± ¡°Ashlyn¡­¡± Susan turned around and had her gaze fixated on the woman in front of her. She stretched her arm, attempting to hold Ashlyn¡¯s hand. Ashlyn quickly held her grandmother¡¯s hand firmly, asking, ¡°Grandma, why didn¡¯t you get in touch with me? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of your condition?¡± Susan heaved a long sigh of despair, exining, ¡°I don¡¯t want to cause you any trouble. Ashlyn, it¡¯s not a big deal, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll recover in a few days¡­¡± ¡°Grandma, what are you talking about? I¡¯m your granddaughter!¡± Ashlyn was heartbroken, she stared at her grandmother in the eyes as she helped her to sit upright. ¡°That is the reason why I don¡¯t want to cause you any trouble because you¡¯re my beloved granddaughter. I can¡¯t possibly waste your hard-earned money because the medical bill may cost you a fortune,¡± Susan looked at Ashlyn in the eyes, exining the rationale behind her decision. ¡°How can you keep me in the dark when dad has treated you this badly? If I hadn¡¯t dropped by to visit you, I wouldn¡¯t have found out that they have forced you to live in the attic!¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyes glinted wrathfully, reprimanding her father¡¯s action. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with living in the attic. It¡¯s actually quite afortable space since I¡¯m the only one around,¡± Susan tried to lighten the mood so she pulled her granddaughter¡¯s leg. ¡°Grandma, once you¡¯re discharged from the hospital, I want you to move into my ce! I won¡¯t allow you to return to dad¡¯s ce anymore no matter what! I don¡¯t want you to suffer anymore, Grandma!¡± Ashlyn held on to her grandmother¡¯s hand, suggesting, ¡°I¡¯m currently staying with a few of my friends in a vi. Do you remember the twins? They are my housemates. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll enjoy your presence as much as I do.¡± Susan shook her head. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Ashlyn. It doesn¡¯t make any sense for an old woman like me to stay with a bunch of youngsters, right? Since I have a son, it only makes sense for me to stay with my son.¡± ¡°Grandma, can you please listen to me for once? Please?¡± Ashlyn begged her grandmother. Suddenly, a man¡¯s husky voice could be heard as the man greeted, ¡°Grandma, this is for you.¡± The moment Susan raised her head, she was astonished because a handsome man had made his way into her ward. ¡­ What a great looking young man! Susan had encountered all sorts of people throughout her life, but she had never once run into such a handsome man with a majestic presence before. She asked confusedly, ¡°You are¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ashlyn¡¯s friend, Grandma. My name is Lucas. I have dropped by to pay you a visit.¡± Lucas handed over the bouquet he brought along with him to Susan. Apart from the bouquet, the few boxes of tonics Spencer brought along with him seemed to be those of premium qualities. ¡°Since when have you befriended such a handsome young man, Ashlyn?¡± Susan asked her in a soft voice. Ashlyn was rendered speechless by Lucas¡¯ performance. What¡¯s wrong with him? He¡¯s getting gradually out of control by the day. ¡°I met him a few years ago,¡± Ashlyn replied helplessly. ¡°Thank you so much, Lucas. I¡¯m sure Ashlyn has always caused you all sorts of troubles, right?¡± Susan said courteously in return. He¡¯s such a handsome young man! ¡°Not all, Grandma. I¡¯m the one who has caused her all sorts of troubles,¡± Lucas looked at Ashlyn in the eyes intimately, saying. ¡°Thankfully, you¡¯re aware that you¡¯re nothing but a nuisance,¡± Ashlyn replied nonchntly. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Lucas was rendered speechless by Ashlyn¡¯s reply because she actually made sense. ¡°Ashlyn, you should mind your manners. After all, he¡¯s our guest. You¡¯re not supposed to talk to a guest like this,¡± Susan reprimanded her granddaughter as she chuckled. Ashlyn remained silent thereafter and behaved obediently as her grandmother instructed. I can¡¯t believe it! The fearless woman, who doesn¡¯t even flinch in front of a bunch of thugs, is behaving like a timid little girl in front of her grandmother. I guess it goes without saying that her grandmother ys a huge role in her life. Once again, Lucas detected an interesting side of Ashlyn unknown to others. ¡°Lucas, please take a seat,¡± Susan invited Lucas to join them enthusiastically. Chapter 310 Chapter 310 Most of them would try to tter him because they needed Lucas to do them a favor. There were some who would put on a pitiable front in an attempt to get Lucas to sympathize with them. In short, others had never once treated him as an ordinary person all these years. Susan was the first person he had encountered who treated him as though he was an ordinary young man, deserving concerns from a senior like her. The man could feel the old woman¡¯s sincerity through her gentle gaze as she looked at him in the eyes lovingly. Although this kind old woman had been mistreated by her son and her daughter-inw, she didn¡¯t hold a grudge against them. Instead, she dealt with it casually, as if it weren¡¯t a big deal for her. Deep down, Lucas was impressed because it wasn¡¯t an attitude an ordinary person might possess in life. Perhaps the only one who could achieve such a state in life was the one who had gone through the extremes in life. ¡°Grandma, do you want to have some fruits?¡± Lucas asked gently, offering to cut Susan some fruits, signaling Spencer with his eyes. Immediately, Spencer unboxed the pack of fruits they brought along and grabbed a few apples out of the box. He was about to peel the apples, but Lucas stopped him, instructing, ¡°Hand it over to me.¡± Spencer shuddered at Lucas¡¯ instruction. He almost identally pricked himself with the knife because he couldn¡¯t believe his ears. Is Mr. Nn going to cut the fruits? Oh, God! Ms. Berry and Old Mrs. Berry are the only ones who have ever received such treatment in the whole of Lake City. Ashlyn stared at the almighty Lucas as he held on to the knife with one of his gigantic palms; the apple with another one. He lowered his gaze and started peeling the apple. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. An ordinary woman might fall for Lucas the moment they saw his wless side profile. The bright illumination in the ward enshrouded the man, adding a mysterious touch to the majestic man, intriguing the onlookers. As Ashlyn lost herself while staring at the man¡¯s gorgeous face, her cheeks flushed, and her heart pounded furiously. She shouldn¡¯t have stared at the man for such an extended period because it would put her rationality at stake. Although she was extremely familiar with Lucas, she would still be charmed by the man, who had been blessed with great features, if she were to stare at Lucas¡¯ face for a long time. In the end, she heaved a long sigh in an attempt to catch her breath. Finally, she calmed herself down and returned to her usual calm and collected self. Once she turned around, she heard her grandmother¡¯s voice, asking, ¡°Lucas, what are you working as?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a pilot, Grandma. Once you¡¯re discharged from the hospital, I¡¯ll take you out for a ne ride, okay? You don¡¯t have to worry about motion sickness because I¡¯m an extremely skilled pilot,¡± Lucas held his head high, replying with a bright grin. Lucas had always had the habit of looking at others in the eyes whenever he engaged himself in a conversation with them. However, the usual stern gaze he had was nowhere to be seen as he had concealed it. He was having a great time chit-chatting with Susan casually because the old woman would look at him in an intimate manner, making him feel as though he was at home with histe-grandparents. He enjoyed being around Susan because he had established a good rapport with the old woman; hence, he could be himself whenever he was around her. ¡°You¡¯re a pilot? That¡¯s a great upation!¡± Susan got increasingly satisfied with the young man in front of him. Anderson and Harrison, whom I have encountered previously, are exceptional men, but they only stand out against ordinary people. I¡¯m afraid they are no match for Lucas because they arecking in a few aspects aspared to him. Since I need a reliable grandson-inw to keep my beloved granddaughterpany, I have to go for the best candidate that¡¯s avable. ¡°It¡¯s quite a satisfying job. I think Ashlyn and I are a pair made in heaven since Ashlyn is a doctor while I¡¯m a pilot,¡± Lucas replied, staring at Ashlyn in the eyes. She was at a loss for words due to the man¡¯s reply because she knew he did it on purpose. Why don¡¯t you tell Grandma you¡¯re the President of Nn Group and the sole proprietor of South Star Airlines? Haven¡¯t you always been a shameless person? Why don¡¯t you tell Grandma the truth? Actually, Lucas wanted to tell Susan his actual identity, but he was afraid the simple-minded old woman would be intimidated. Susan nodded in return, sharing a tale of the old days, ¡°I know it must be tough to secure a job nowadays¡­ Back in those days, Ashlyn made it through the qualification exam of the university at the age of fifteen. However, her father wanted her to go through the ordinary route of education and complete the national exams. Thankfully, I stopped him and insisted on sending Ashlyn to the university.¡± She heaved a long sigh of despair as she recalled the past. Previously, her son and her daughter-in- law would listen to her because she was in her prime. However, over the past few years, they started showing her their true colors as she was getting weaker. ¡°Grandma, why are you bringing this up out of the blue?¡± Ashlyn was rendered speechless by the topic her grandmother brought up in front of Lucas. ¡°There is nothing wrong with it, right? Lucas isn¡¯t an outsider either,¡± Susan replied, chuckling at Ashlyn¡¯s response. ¡°Lucas, do you know Ashlyn was the top scorer of the national exams? Back then, the chief of the vige gave me some money as a reward for doing a great job in educating Ashlyn. I spent it all to Ashlyn as her school fees.¡± Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Lucas had been making a wild guess all along. Finally, he got to verify the truth with someone aware of the incident. His mind was blown away the moment Susan unveiled the truth in front of him. He cast a prating gaze at Ashlyn, sizing her up repetitively in disbelief because he couldn¡¯t believe Ashlyn had grown up by her grandmother¡¯s side in the vige. Nevertheless, everything made sense when he thought about it, especially regarding Ashlyn¡¯s rtionship with her grandmother. All of a sudden, Lucas felt a great sense of respect towards Susan the moment he figured out she was the one who had brought Ashlyn up since she was young. ¡°Grandma, thank you so much for everything you have done over the years.¡± Lucas leaned over and told her softly, ¡°Ashlyn is an exceptional girl.¡± Lucas was overjoyed because Ashlyn was the fifteen-year-old prodigy, the top scorer of the national exams he had been searching for all along. Although Ashlyn was the center of their conversation, she remained silent throughout the session because they didn¡¯t give her the chance to express her point of view. Lucas did a great job peeling the skin off the apple without peeling off the flesh. He managed to peel it off in a sh as though it was a piece of cake for him. He got up from his seat and diced the apple into bite-size chunks for Susan. In the end, he ced the diced apples on the te and served it along with a tiny fork. ¡°Grandma, give it a try! These are McIntosh Red.¡± Lucas ced the te of apples in front of Susan, urging her to try them. ¡°Thank you.¡± Judging by Lucas¡¯ appearance and the way he presented himself in front of her, Susan was certain he was from a wealthy family. Although everything about Lucas seemed to be great, Susan couldn¡¯t figure out the sort of rtionship he had with his family. She was afraid Lucas would turn his back against Ashlyn someday in the future. The minute she thought about it, she asked, helping herself with a piece of apple, ¡°Do you have any siblings?¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Susan¡¯s query took Lucas by surprise, but he replied with a smile, ¡°I have an older sister, a younger brother, and a younger sister. My parents live abroad because they are involved in the field of research.¡± Lucas wasn¡¯t aware of the slight change in Ashlyn¡¯s expression the moment she heard that his parents were involved in the field of research. Ashlyn was surprised because she wasn¡¯t aware that Lucas had an older sister. Although she was aware of his younger siblings¡¯ existence, she had never once seen her older sister in person. She turned around and looked at Lucas in doubt because she realized there were a lot of things about him which she wasn¡¯t aware of. It seemed like Lucas had detected the skeptical gaze from Ashlyn. Hence, he shared, ¡°My sister has been staying abroad with my parents all this while because she¡¯s also in the field of research.¡± However, Ashlyn remained silent upon hearing his reply. She noticed it was gettingte, and Susan was getting tired as well. Hence, she broke the silence and told him, ¡°I think it¡¯s time for you to leave now. It¡¯s gettingte.¡± But he refused to get up from his seat as his huge body leaned against the couch in the ward, suggesting, ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave Grandma alone. You should get some rest in the lounge next door. I¡¯ll stay back to keep an eye on her.¡± Truth be told, it sounded like an instruction rather than a suggestion. Lucas sounded as though he was carrying out his duty as Susan¡¯s grandson-inw. Ashlyn and Susan were taken aback by his words. Before Ashlyn could rebuke the man¡¯s suggestion, Susan urged, ¡°No, Lucas! You¡¯re not allowed to stay back. Hurry up and return home to get some rest. I don¡¯t need anyone to look after me because there are nurses on duty in the hospital, right? I want both of you to get out of my sight as soon as possible.¡± Susan thought about it and instructed with a serious expression in the end, ¡°Lucas, I have a mission for you. I want you to send Ashlyn home on my behalf and ensure got home safely.¡± Ashlyn was about to refute her grandmother¡¯s instructions, but Susan insisted, assuring determinedly, ¡°I¡¯m fine! It¡¯s but a trivial cough! Hurry up and get going! Otherwise, I¡¯ll get angry for real!¡± Since Ashlyn knew her grandmother better than anyone else, she had to leave with Lucas because she didn¡¯t want to irritate her any further. It was veryte when they made their way out of Susan¡¯s ward. The initially bustling hospital fell into silence, concealing the sign of the scenes the trios from the Berry family had caused a few hours ago. Ashlyn felt lost because she didn¡¯t expect Lucas would engage in such a heartwarming conversation with her grandmother. She was at a loss for words because Lucas had always been a man superior to others. Thus, she didn¡¯t expect he would go to great lengths to take care of her grandmother. As Ashlyn turned the ideas in her mind, she reflected on her actions, thinking she was the one at fault. I must have identally neglected Grandma¡¯s wellbeing¡­ I should have spent more time with her, taking care of her needs. Apart from feeling guilty, she med herself for the mistakes she had made. Chapter 312 Chapter 312 Nheless, the rational part of her reminded her of the fact that Horace was her biological father. No matter what sort of sins her father hadmitted against her grandmother, she couldn¡¯t deny the fact they were biologically rted. If it were a stranger who had bullied her grandmother, she could easily teach them a lesson, beating them to a pulp. However, the person involved was her father. Even though she couldn¡¯t beat him to a pulp, she could easily ruin his life. Ashlyn had made up her mind to teach her father a lesson despite their rtionship. A ck Bentley whizzed through the isted highway in the middle of the night. Lucas turned around to stare at the woman by his side, trying to figure out the things the woman had in her mind. ¡°Let¡¯s return to Whind Vi because I¡¯m pretty sure your friends in Bayview Vi are sleeping soundly now. For their sake, we shouldn¡¯t get in their way and interrupt their sleep.¡± ¡°Since when has the wellbeing of Jared and his subordinates be your concern? Don¡¯t you find yourself hrious for making such a remark?¡± Ashlyn frowned. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears because the man had gone to great lengths, including telling a blunt lie, just because he wanted to bring her back to his ce. Did he seriously tell me that was for the sake of others? To begin with, he has never been such a caring man! Lucas wasn¡¯t angry even though Ashlyn had exposed his lie. Instead, he beamed his reply, ¡°You can always turn me down if that¡¯s what you want.¡± Suddenly, Ashlyn turned around and looked at the man because it felt as though the man, whom she loved wholeheartedly when they got married, had returned. What the hell is going on? He would get extremely irritated if I were to turn down his request back in the day, but he ain¡¯t angry at all today. On the other hand, Spencer, who had always been the most observant one, noticed the change in Lucas¡¯ mood. It was evident that Lucas was in a great mood. Actually, throughout the four years of their marriage, Lucas was in a great mood most of the time. Therefore, Lucas¡¯ subordinates, including Spencer, thought Lucas was a very nice person. However, things had taken a drastic turn of events ever since they filed for divorce. Lucas was often in a foul mood, depending on Ashlyn¡¯s behavior. Since Lucas had spent half of his time throughout the night by Ashlyn¡¯s side, and another half of it chit- chatting with Susan, he was in a great mood. Therefore, the wrathful and fearsome Lucas was nowhere to be found. Instead, the gentle and caring Lucas had taken over. I¡¯m pretty sure it won¡¯tst forever because he¡¯ll return to the wrathful and fearsome self soon once Ms. Berry cast him aside. Spencer had concluded that Ashlyn was Lucas¡¯ mainstay. However, Lucas wasn¡¯t aware of the fact, or rather he refused to acknowledge the fact. Although it seems like Mr. Nn is a tough nut to crack, it¡¯s quite easy to read his mood because it is always written on his face. In short, Ms. Berry is the only one he cares about. In two shakes of amb¡¯s tail, they had arrived at Whind Vi. Ashlyn alighted from the car with a poker face, but she couldn¡¯t move on from the things Lucas had done over the past few hours. To her surprise, Lucas was unexpectedly patient with her grandmother, while he didn¡¯t hesitate to teach the unfilial trios from the Berry family a lesson. Lucas had done certain things which she couldn¡¯t do as part of the Berry family. She couldn¡¯t deny the man¡¯s effort because he had done her a huge favor by chasing the trios from out of the hospital. Once they entered the vi, Ashlyn heard a growling sounding from Lucas¡¯ stomach when she was about to tell him she would spend the night in the guest room. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Grunt! Ashlyn raised her brows and teased him, ¡°Oh? It seems like the almighty president is starving, huh? That¡¯s quite a surprise!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a freak, okay?¡± Lucas replied helplessly. In return, he had his gaze fixated on Ashlyn, asking her in a husky voice, ¡°Shall we eat or have some fun?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just eat!¡± Ashlyn flushed embarrassedly as she replied. The man in front of her chuckled, stating, ¡°I have such a lovely and caring wife. It seems like she can¡¯t wait to fill my tummy because she¡¯s afraid I¡¯m going to starve. I¡¯ll take great care of you in the future as well, Honey!¡± Ashlyn was at a loss for words because the man had utterly misunderstood her words. Is he trying to mess with my words again? That¡¯s definitely not what I have in mind. This man is sick! ¡­ Ashlyn headed over to the kitchen and checked on the avable ingredients in the refrigerator. The refrigerator was packed with all sorts of fresh ingredients, as though Lucas had been anticipating Ashlyn¡¯s arrival all along. She reached for a few simple ingredients and started preparing them ordingly. In the end, she prepared spaghetti carbonara and tomato soup from scratch. Although the two dishes were rtively simple, they seemed appetizing, easily tempting the taste buds of an adult. She stood in the dining hall, staring at the man in the living room, who was on the couch with aptop on hisp. Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Ashlyn, who was about to get him to join her for ate supper, exchanged nces with him. The handsome man¡¯s glistering pair of eyes flickered. He was enshrouded by the gentle shimmer as he sat in the well-illuminated space. Consequently, the outstanding features on Lucas¡¯ face were highlighted, distinguishing the man¡¯s stunning visual. Ashlyn¡¯s heart skipped a beat upon detecting the man¡¯s gentle gaze because she was on the verge of falling for him all over again. Lucas stared at the woman in the eyes for a few seconds before turning around, putting theptop he had with him aside, asking, ¡°Honey, is it time to eat?¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± Ashlyn took a deep breath and calmed herself down with all her might. She ced her hands on her burning cheeks before returning to the kitchen to get the cutlery. Finally, they took their seats in the dining hall. All of a sudden, Ashlyn¡¯s heart pounded furiously because things had gotten odd between them. Obviously, Ashlyn felt ufortable due to the man¡¯s behavior. The scent of the delicacies prepared permeated throughout the dining hall, inducing the lovely pairs to dig in. Ever since Lucas took his seat, he had his eyes glued to Ashlyn. He went all out and showed her the affection he had for her through physical manifestation. ¡°Honey, thank you for preparing such a scrumptious meal.¡± Once again, the man broke the silence, asking with a husky voice before Ashlyn could express her feeling. She took a peek, whining, ¡°Let¡¯s cut the crap and dig in, shall we?¡± Lucas smirked, digging in as instructed, asionally ncing at Ashlyn who was opposite him in an intimate manner. The usually prating gaze of Lucas was nowhere to be found because he had always been a loving man whenever Ashlyn was around him. ¡°Honey, do you like to get involved in charitable events?¡± Although they were divorced a long time ago, Ashlyn had gotten used to him addressing her in such an intimate manner. Previously, she would correct him and instruct him to address her in a different manner, but she couldn¡¯t be bothered by it anymore as she had gotten used to it. ¡°Not really, but I don¡¯t mind involving myself in one either,¡± Ashlyn replied nonchntly. Lucas lowered his gaze, thinking about the time Ashlyn donated the fortune he had bestowed upon to build a school in his name. He was shocked and surprised because never would he have thought Ashlyn would forsake such a huge fortune. After all, there weren¡¯t many people in the world who would be able to remain sane, especially when a fortune worthy of a few hundred million showed up from nowhere. Lucas was impressed by the woman¡¯s willpower. because Ashlyn was one of the rare few who wouldn¡¯t be blinded by greed. In fact, she didn¡¯t hesitate to donate it all for a greater cause.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Once they finished their meal, Lucas felt great since he had his tummy filled. On the other hand, Ashlyn insisted on spending the night in the guest room. Lucas was reluctant but gave in to Ashlyn¡¯s request because he was aware that she had a long day. He stopped insisting and returned to his room, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to fall asleep the moment he recalled the existence of the woman next door. On the next day morning, Ashlyn saw him reading the newspaper in the living room once she walked down the stairs. He raised his head and looked in her direction the moment he heard footsteps from the stairs. ¡°Good morning,¡± Lucas greeted with a husky voice. He had a set of casual lounge wear on, sitting idly on the couch, exuding a noble presence early in the morning. No matter how attractive Lucas was, Ashlyn paid no heed to him and made her way into the kitchen right away. She started cooking in the kitchen because she had to prepare breakfast for her grandmother who had been hospitalized. Ashlyn didn¡¯t want her grandmother to eat the meals prepared by the hospital because they won¡¯t be as nutritious and delicious as the ones she cooked for her. The golden rays of the sun illuminated the confined space, whereas the greasy sense of smoke could be detecteding from the kitchen. Lucas heard the sound of the kitchen chimney being put into work early in the morning. Apart from that, the crackling sound of the spat crashing against the saucepan could be heard. Eventually, he strode over to the kitchen, leaning against the wall, staring at Ashlyn¡¯s busy figure. She turned around, instructing because she detected the man staring at her, ¡°Come help me do the dishes.¡± Since the man decided to poke his nose into her business, she decided to put him to work and asked him to wash the dishes. Without further ado, Lucas rolled up his sleeves and joined her in the kitchen, washing the used tes and utensils. He was in close proximity to the woman. Hence, she could detect the arousing scenting from the man. In the end, her heart skipped a beat because she was afraid she would lose control of herself once more. Due to the man¡¯s overwhelming presence, she scrunched her nose up in irritation because she couldn¡¯t ignore his presence. Before long, Lucas passed the ingredients he had prepared over to Ashlyn. Chapter 314 Chapter 314 Consequently, her body temperature increased drastically as though she had been scalded by boiling water. Unintentional provocation would be the deadliest. Perhaps it could be a decisive blow on Ashlyn. ¡°Do you need anything else?¡± The man asked nonchntly, and yet it sounded different for Ashlyn because she heard the man dragging his sentence as though he was trying to seduce her. What the hell is wrong with this man¡¯s raging hormone? It has been provoking me since the day starts. That¡¯s it! I¡¯m out of here! The moment she raised her head, her heart started pounding furiously once again because she identally exchanged nces with the man. Undeniably, Lucas had been blessed with great features that would put all the other men in the world to shame. Ashlyn couldn¡¯t resist the man¡¯s seductive gaze because he looked at her in an intimate manner, expressing the affection he had for her through his glistening pair of eyes. It felt as though she would fall head over heels in love with him once more if she continued staring at him in the eyes. Once breakfast was ready, she served the man his meal. She could barely resist the urge to stare at the man¡¯s attractive face as she sat opposite Lucas. Even though she had been staring at the same face for four years, she had a hard time catching her breath because her heart would race the moment she saw his face. She was certain it was the Spirogyra in action once again because her heart pounded furiously. In the end, Ashlyn took a deep breath, suggesting, ¡°Lucas, shall we talk about it?¡± ¡°Talk about what?¡± Lucas asked, raising his eyebrows in confusion. ¡°Do you remember the topic that we were talking about back in the caf¨¦ some time ago? We are divorced. What exactly do you want from me? You have plenty of options out there and there are a lot of women who wish to be Mrs. Nn as well,¡± Ashlyn replied, nodding. He can easily get an exceptional woman who¡¯s interested in him, right? Why is he wasting his time on me? I have never once shown any sign of interest in him, but the heiresses of the wealthy families are literally dying to get into a rtionship with him. After all, he¡¯s such a handsome and exceptional young man! I¡¯m sure there are plenty of equally exceptional young women who are trying to court him! If that¡¯s the case, why won¡¯t he forget about me and move on? Ashlyn couldn¡¯t figure out the rationale behind the man¡¯s action. Therefore, she wanted to sort things out once and for all. ¡°Honey, does that mean you want to know the truth?¡± Actually, Lucas wasn¡¯t aware of the rationale behind his absurd actions either. ¡°Ever since we got divorced, I couldn¡¯t get used to living alone without you by my side. In fact, I would get extremely irritated whenever a woman tried to approach me. I¡¯m trying to figure out what¡¯s wrong with me as well. I want to be sure of the type of affection I have for you. That¡¯s the reason why I have been approaching you non-stop.¡± Ashlyn fell silent for a few seconds before replying, ¡°Perhaps you haven¡¯t gotten used to living alone without me, but that¡¯s perfectly fine because it¡¯s going to take twenty-one days for a person to cultivate a new habit. After twenty-one days, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll live a fantastic life without me.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She gave it a thought for some time. In the end, she urged Lucas in a serious tone, ¡°You need to get into a rtionship with someone whom you have a thing for. Spend some quality time with her instead of wasting your time on your ex-wife. I no longer feel anything for you. I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s the same for you, right? If things could work out between us, it would have long worked out four years ago. If that were the case, we wouldn¡¯t have filed for divorce then.¡± Speaking of which, isn¡¯t it impossible for this man to get in love with someone else? I mean, he¡¯s a merciless man who wouldn¡¯t hesitate to conceal his emotions. I can¡¯t imagine what¡¯s in store for the woman who¡¯s gonna get into a rtionship with him. Perhaps she will be tortured by him day and night. Meanwhile, Lucas narrowed his eyes, asking, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me how does it feel to get in love with someone?¡± Since Ashlyn had never fallen in love with anyone else, she couldn¡¯t be sure about it either. Nheless, she imagined how it would feel like to be in love with someone and decided to share it with Lucas, ¡°Perhaps you will want to spend most of your time by her side, carrying out all sorts of intimate activities. She¡¯s the only one you care about and the only one that matters when you n for your future.¡± Actually, Ashlyn was merely quoting the dialogues of the protagonists of a random soap opera she came across on television. She had a hard time repeating the dialogues of the protagonists due to her personality. In the end, she blushed embarrassedly once she finished her sentence. Oh, God! I¡¯m trying to get Lucas to stay away from me, right? Why are we discussing what it feels like to be in love with someone else? Ashlyn was disgusted by her own words as well. In actual fact, this was the first time they had a casual conversation in such a heartwarming setting. Usually, they would engage themselves in rounds and rounds of intense fights whenever they had conflicting points of view. In the end, Ashlyn med the weather for her odd behavior. She deemed the overly bright sunlight in the morning to be the reason behind their abnormal conduct. Chapter 315 Chapter 315 She raised her eyes to stare at the man before her who was so handsome it almost hurt to look at him. She couldn¡¯t help but curse bitterly in her heart. This rascal! She tried to keep her dignity intact. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. I was only quoting what I heard from a soap opera on TV.¡± She feigned calmness. However, Lucas¡¯ had a pensive look on his face after hearing what she had said. Want to spend most of your time by her side? Carrying out all sorts of intimate activities? She¡¯s the only one you care about? And the only one that matters when you¡¯re nning about the future¡­ Lucas flicked his eyes to Ashlyn, his gaze gradually bing unreadable, with only a trace of perplexity apparent in it. He had never thought of digging deeper into the reason why he always went crazy with wanting to see Ashlyn whenever she was out of his sight. He never thought that he would fall in love with someone in this lifetime. However, this revtion wasn¡¯t that hard for him to ept since the person he fell for was Ashlyn. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Thisdy is so beautiful I can¡¯t take my eyes off her. She¡¯s also very capable. Not only is she a distinguished doctor in the medical field, but she¡¯s also a gangster boss. She has a good figure too and has fair legs which are long and straight. She has a kind heart and loves to help people in any way she can. She¡­ As Lucas studied her, more and more admirable qualities in her popped into his mind; it was a never- ending list. The only thing that he didn¡¯t like about her was that she attracted too many admirers. However, it was fine though. He would get rid of all those admirers of hers, one by one! Ashlyn lowered her head to eat when Lucas¡¯ solemn voice sounded, ¡°Honey, I¡¯m going crazy with wanting to be close to you. I don¡¯t want you to leave my sight, and I want to make love to you every day. If you want, I can even give you my life. Honey, I think I¡¯ve fallen for you.¡± Cough, cough, cough¡ª¡ª Ashlyn had just taken a sip of her soup and almost choked on it after hearing what he said. Violent coughs racked through her chest for quite some time before dying down. The man patted her back, then took a piece of tissue and handed it to her. Ashlyn wiped the edges of her mouth with it. She couldn¡¯t tell if her face was red from embarrassment or due to her coughing episode. She stared at Lucas with shock sprawled across her face. ¡°Don¡¯t you go crazy on me. This isn¡¯t funny. Not even a little bit.¡± She had only just thought about how miserable the woman who caught Lucas¡¯ fancy would be. It was because Lucas was an absolute lunatic! Never in a million years did she expect that she would be that miserable woman. There seemed to be a fire raging in her heart, its mes licking her insides and making her feel ufortable. ¡°Did I scare you?¡± Lucas leveled his gaze with Ashlyn¡¯s. His eyes shone with unconcealed desire for her, and his entire demeanor resembled a predator stalking its prey. ¡°Honey, just say the word, and I¡¯ll give you my life. I really want to make love to you every day.¡± Ashlyn met those eyes of his which were burning with lust. She instantly became flustered and felt like making a run for it. However, she resisted the urge to do so. She didn¡¯t know how to face this situation, nor how to conceal the strange emotions she was feeling or the sound of her heart hammering vigorously against her ribcage. ¡°You just f***ing wanna sleep with me! You¡¯re a scumbag with raging hormones of a teenage boy who only uses your d*** to think!¡± She blurted out. Lucas was rendered speechless. This was the first time in his life he had confessed to a woman, but it ended in failure. To make matters worse, he was even called a scumbag. He was only speaking the truth! A real scum was a man who liked a woman but didn¡¯t have any desire to sleep with her. It just meant that there was something wrong with that man! ¡°I have to deliver food to my grandma!¡± With that, Ashlyn scurried into the kitchen. She began to pack a lunchbox. A few minutester, she walked out of the vi. Lucas immediately caught up to her. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you, honey.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± Ashlyn wore a cold look on her face. I¡¯m considered being polite by not kneeing him in the balls for being a scumbag that thinks with his d***. Once she was out of the vi, she quickly hailed a cab. Meanwhile, a Bentley¡¯s engine roared to life and began tailing the cab she was in. She looked out the windows and stared at the scenery whizzing by. After quite some time, she finally felt that her cheeks weren¡¯t feeling as hot as before. Her racing heart gradually slowed down to a normal pace. However, the moment she recalled what Lucas had said about giving her his life¡­ Chapter 316 Chapter 316 The man¡¯s low and sultry voice was rather appealing. And it rang in her ears once again. She reached up with both hands to cover her ears. When she got out of the cab, a familiar voice sounded from behind. ¡°Stop right there, Ashlyn.¡± Ashlyn froze. What the heck? Do I seriously have to deal with Penelope this early in the morning? Before she could say anything, Penelope spoke again, ¡°So it really is you. Don¡¯t think that I¡¯m not allowed toe here today just because you chased me outst night. You do know that I¡¯m an official employee at the hospital, don¡¯t you?¡± When Ashlyn turned around and saw Penelope¡¯s repulsive face, she felt incredibly irked. ¡°You can come whenever you please. What does it have to do with me?¡± Penelope¡¯s cheek was red and swollen. Even now, it was still throbbing painfully. Spencer had indeed pped her goodst night. Penelope couldn¡¯t suppress the anger boiling in her when she thought about this. Her eyes burned with hatred. ¡°I know exactly what you¡¯re thinking. You just want to inherit Berry Furnishings, don¡¯t you?¡± Ashlyn gave her a cold stare. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Dad already promised my mom that Berry Furnishings will be mine. Don¡¯t even dream about getting a single dime!¡± Penelope smugly said. ¡°Hehe! I bet you¡¯re upset. After all, you¡¯re the second daughter of the Berry family, but your mom¡¯s gone, and Dad doesn¡¯t love you. You¡¯re probably hurting a lot now, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You just won¡¯t get the right of inheritance, that¡¯s all. You don¡¯t have to be so upset about it. After all, you have a pretty face, right? You can get yourself a sugar daddy or something! Wait, that security captain is your lover, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°But¡­To be honest, with the qualities you possess, I¡¯m sure you can find yourself a decent boyfriend. Why did you have to pick a security captain?¡± ¡°Is there something wrong with your brain, Penelope?¡± Ashlyn was disgusted by Penelope¡¯s stupidity. She was so disgusted she could throw up. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. She looked at Penelope¡¯s swollen face, feeling slightly fed up. Seeing as she came here to provoke her, it seemed like she still hadn¡¯t learned her lesson even after receiving so many ps as per Lucas¡¯ orders. ¡°Ashlyn, our family is quite reputable, but here you are getting involved with a measly security captain. No wonder Dad doesn¡¯t like you.¡± After discovering that Ashlyn was a doctor, not to mention the best surgeon around, Penelope could not think of another way to incite Ashlyn¡¯s anger besides using their father. She wanted to disy the sense of superiority before Ashlyn. However, it was a shame that Ashlyn was better than her at everything. Except for Horace, nothing and no one else came to Penelope¡¯s mind. Wait. There¡¯s something else! When Penelope thought of something, her eyes glinted evilly. ¡°Hehe! He doesn¡¯t like me? Do you think I care about whether or not he likes me?¡± Ashlyn scoffed mockingly. When Penelope and Mary were brought into the family and she was abused by them, herst ray of hope had blinked out of existence. To put it simply, she had long given up on Horace. She narrowed her eyes into slits. Her eyes gleamed with ridicule and she looked at Penelope¡¯s swollen face without a hint of warmth in her gaze. Then, she abruptly took a step forward. Penelope jolted and quickly moved a step backward. Ashlyn was skilled inbat and she knew this very well. ¡°Wh-What are you doing?¡± Penelope was only 1.6 m in height. Ashlyn was close to 1.7 m in height, which meant that she was almost a head taller than Penelope. She looked down her nose at Penelope. Penelope took two more steps backward involuntarily under her chilly gaze. Suddenly, she realized that Ashlyn wasn¡¯t the same little girl she had always picked on when they were young. Seeing Penelope¡¯s frightened expression, Ashlyn¡¯s face remained impassive. Penelope felt as if all the air was sucked out of her lungs by the intimidating aura Ashlyn was emanating. ¡°Penelope, aren¡¯t you bored? Is that why you¡¯re here trying to get a rise out of me? I honestly couldn¡¯t care less about Horace¡¯s shabbypany. If you want it, you can have it. It¡¯s only an empty shell which isn¡¯t worth my time or effort.¡± ¡°An empty shell? Ashlyn, you¡¯re brushing it off as sour grapes just because you can¡¯t get it!¡± Although Penelope was afraid, she remained as stubborn as a mule. Chapter 317 Chapter 317 Ashlyn¡¯s eyes were brimming with self-confidence as well as disdain for Penelope. ¡°You¡¯ll know soon enough.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyes were brimming with self-confidence os well os disdoin for Penelope. ¡°You¡¯ll know soon enough.¡± ¡°How dore you curse Dod¡¯spony, Ashlyn!¡± Penelope¡¯s feotures contorted with onger os she glored ot Ashlyn. She loved to flount her bronded bogs ond clothes in their deportment. But of course, she couldn¡¯t offord oll of those with only her meosly solory. It wos with the pocket money Horoce gove her thot she got to enjoy this kind of privilege. Whot wos she going to do if Horoce fell from groce? How much money could she moke os o nurse? She gritted her teeth ond threotened, ¡°Just you woit, Ashlyn. I¡¯ll go home ond tell Dod whot you soid. Let¡¯s see how he¡¯ll punish you!¡± She reolly despised Ashlyn. Since they were young, she would fode into the bockground every time Ashlyn wos in the some room, serving os her bockdrop. All the boys she foncied would foll heod over heels for Ashlyn. She wonted so bodly to teor up Ashlyn¡¯s pretty foce! ¡°You con go oheod ond whine to him oll you like, but you sow whot hoppened lost night, right? He wos powerless ogoinst me. Do you reolly think thot things ore still the some os lost time, where he¡¯d beot me up whenever youploined obout me? Penelope Berry, he con¡¯t loy o finger on me onymore! Not now, ond not ever.¡± Penelope¡¯s eyes floshed with jeolousy. ¡°Let me tell you, Ashlyn. I¡¯m gonno toke owoy Berry Furnishings ond oll of Dod¡¯s love ond ottention from you. In foct, I¡¯ll toke owoy everything from you!¡± Ashlyn orched o brow ond looked ot Penelope os if she hod grown two heods. A hint of mockery streoked ocross her indifferent eyes os she soid, ¡°Whot o crozy b****.¡± She wos not the little girl who longed for her fother¡¯s love onymore, nor wos she the weok ond timid little girl who wos olwoys fromed by her stepmother ond stepsister. What Penelope assumed was important to Ashlyn was in fact worthless to her since a long time ago. Whot Penelope ossumed wos importont to Ashlyn wos in foct worthless to her since o long time ogo. A fother who did not love her wos just perfect, since he wos olreody deod to her! She thought Penelope would ot leoste up with something more entertoining. However, it turned out thot oll she hod to soy wos just o bunch of nonsense which wosted so much of her time. She swiveled oround ond wos obout to leove when she suddenly heord o frigid yet moic voice. ¡°Spencer, how mony more slops do you think we should give her?¡± ¡°Five, Mr. Nolon.¡± Spencer onswered respectfully. The morning sun bothed the mon¡¯s toll figure in its glory os he opprooched Ashlyn in long strides. His hondsome foce which looked like it wos sculpted by God himself mode him seem untouchoble to mony. Currently, his feotures were tout ond he oppeored peeved. When he wos in front of her, he held her hond ond soid, ¡°If you see rubbish, just tell me ond I¡¯ll get rid of it for you.¡± Before Ashlyn could reoct, slopping sounds ossoulted her eors. Eoch slop wos louder thon the next. And following those slops wos Penelope¡¯s woils of poin. ¡°Ah! It hurts¡ª¡ª¡± She wonted to run. Unfortunotely, two burly men in blocke out of nowhere ond immediotely held her firmly in ploce, ond put her directly in front of Spencer. She could only clench her jow ond endure those five slops. Fresh blood slid down the corner of her mouth. What Penelope assumed was important to Ashlyn was in fact worthless to her since a long time ago. A father who did not love her was just perfect, since he was already dead to her! She thought Penelope would at leaste up with something more entertaining. However, it turned out that all she had to say was just a bunch of nonsense which wasted so much of her time. She swiveled around and was about to leave when she suddenly heard a frigid yet maic voice. ¡°Spencer, how many more ps do you think we should give her?¡± ¡°Five, Mr. Nn.¡± Spencer answered respectfully. The morning sun bathed the man¡¯s tall figure in its glory as he approached Ashlyn in long strides. His handsome face which looked like it was sculpted by God himself made him seem untouchable to many. Currently, his features were taut and he appeared peeved. When he was in front of her, he held her hand and said, ¡°If you see rubbish, just tell me and I¡¯ll get rid of it for you.¡± Before Ashlyn could react, pping sounds assaulted her ears. Each p was louder than the next. And following those ps was Penelope¡¯s wails of pain. ¡°Ah! It hurts¡ª¡ª¡± She wanted to run. Unfortunately, two burly men in ck came out of nowhere and immediately held her firmly in ce, and put her directly in front of Spencer. She could only clench her jaw and endure those five ps. Fresh blood slid down the corner of her mouth. The swelling on her face since yesterday had yet to reduce, and now she was pped so harshly again. The swelling on her fece since yesterdey hed yet to reduce, end now she wes slepped so hershly egein. She looked ebsolutely misereble. Even so, she did not gerner enyone¡¯s sympethy. Teers esceped Penelope¡¯s eyes end streemed down her fece uncontrollebly. She wes in so much pein thet she felt like collepsing onto the ground. There were people going in end out of the hospitel end meny of them glenced in her direction. She sent pleeding gezes towerds these people, but none of them dered to step forwerd. She felt misereble end helpless, but more humilieted. Her eyes were gleeming viciously es she glered et Ashlyn. Ashlyn looked noble end elegent stending next to en unbelievebly good-looking men such es Luces. The beeuty she hed mede women envious of her, but it only served to trigger the deep-seeted hetred Penelope hed for her. She loethed her! She wes so tempted to meul her pretty fece. If it weren¡¯t for her, I wouldn¡¯t be treeted like thet by this men! If it weren¡¯t for her, I wouldn¡¯t heve been reduced to e stete where I heve to be e wellflower forever! Ashlyn couldn¡¯t be bothered with Penelope enymore, so she turned eround end left. The hendsome men treiled efter her closely. In the hospitel werd, Susen hed just finished weshing up end ceme out of the bethroom. When she sew Ashlyn, her fece brightened end e smile stretched ecross her lips. ¡°Ashlyn.¡± Upon seeing thet her grendmother¡¯s mood hed lergely improvedpered to lest night, Ashlyn felt much more relieved. ¡°Grendme, I mede you some breekfest. Pleese eet some, okey?¡± The swelling on her foce since yesterdoy hod yet to reduce, ond now she wos slopped so horshly ogoin. She looked obsolutely miseroble. Even so, she did not gorner onyone¡¯s sympothy. Teors escoped Penelope¡¯s eyes ond streomed down her foce uncontrollobly. She wos in so much poin thot she felt like collopsing onto the ground. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. There were people going in ond out of the hospitol ond mony of them glonced in her direction. She sent pleoding gozes towords these people, but none of them dored to step forword. She felt miseroble ond helpless, but more humilioted. Her eyes were gleoming viciously os she glored ot Ashlyn. Ashlyn looked noble ond elegont stonding next to on unbelievobly good-looking mon such os Lucos. The beouty she hod mode women envious of her, but it only served to trigger the deep-seoted hotred Penelope hod for her. She loothed her! She wos so tempted to moul her pretty foce. If it weren¡¯t for her, I wouldn¡¯t be treoted like thot by this mon! If it weren¡¯t for her, I wouldn¡¯t hove been reduced to o stote where I hove to be o wollflower forever! Ashlyn couldn¡¯t be bothered with Penelope onymore, so she turned oround ond left. The hondsome mon troiled ofter her closely. In the hospitol word, Suson hod just finished woshing up onde out of the bothroom. When she sow Ashlyn, her foce brightened ond o smile stretched ocross her lips. ¡°Ashlyn.¡± Upon seeing thot her grondmother¡¯s mood hod lorgely improvedpored to lost night, Ashlyn felt much more relieved. ¡°Grondmo, I mode you some breokfost. Pleose eot some, okoy?¡± Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Susan was surprised to see this tall and handsome man. Gazing at Lucas, her eyes glimmered with emotion as she courteously said, ¡°Lucas, what are you doing here so early in the morning? Don¡¯t you need to go to work? You really don¡¯t need to worry too much over an olddy like me.¡± Lucas nodded lightly. ¡°Grandma, you don¡¯t need to be so polite with me.¡± Ashlyn took out the lunchbox she had prepared and turned around, only to see that there were expensive gift boxes strewn all over the couch on the far end of the room as well as the coffee table in the center. The gifts included supplements and somevish daily necessities. She could also tell that the flowers in the room had just been changed by the dewdrops on the sunflower petals. One nce was enough for her to conclude that Lucas was the one who prepared everything. Horace would never be this kind. Ashlyn stared at Lucas with aplicated gaze as her heart fluttered in her chest. ¡°You¡¯re more thoughtful than I am. Thank you.¡± This man is so attentive. Even more so than me as a granddaughter. ¡°Your Grandma is my Grandma too.¡± Lucas¡¯ dark eyes narrowed slightly as he peered down at her, saying in a baritone voice, ¡°You treated my grandfather better than I ever didst time, so¡­ it¡¯s my turn now.¡± Ashlyn was taken aback. Her longshes fluttered slightly as she thought about the time Charles was still alive. Lucas was always busy back then, so she always freed up some time to apany Charles every week. They yed chess, chatted and had tea together. She used to be in a hidden marriagest time, so she couldn¡¯t take her grandmother in. Now that she was divorced, she was going to stay with her grandmother no matter what. Susan studied the two of them with her wise eyes. The more she did, the more she was certain that they were a match made in heaven. ¡°I have told Lucas not to do anything excessive, but that assistant of his, Spencer, kept sending in gifts of every size.¡± Even as she said that, she was smiling from ear to ear. ¡°My dear boy Lucas, I don¡¯t really need anything. Ashlyn is a doctor here. All of the hospital staff treat me like a family, making me feel at home. This clearly isn¡¯t a hospital because of the way I¡¯m being pampered here.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Lucas chuckled, a trace of warmth peeking out from his usually cold eyes. ¡°You are a very optimistic and happy person and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get better in no time, Grandma.¡± Ashlyn kept silent as she brought over the breakfast for Susan. Lucas quickly opened the foldable mini table and ced it on the bed. Ashlyn¡¯s phone abruptly rang right at that moment. She answered the call and heard a fearful voice, ¡°Ms. B-Berry, this¡­ this is Charlotte Lynch.¡± On the other end of the line, Charlotte¡¯s face was blushed and her palms were mmy with sweat from nervousness. Her eyes darted towards L with a tinge of uncertainty shing in them and he gave her an encouraging look. Hisrge palm enveloped her tiny one as he murmured, ¡°You can do it.¡± Charlotte bit her lower lip as Ashlyn¡¯s soothing voice sounded from the other end, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Charlotte¡¯s heart galloped in her chest and every word she had nned to say flew out the window. ¡°I-I-I¡­¡± She just couldn¡¯t formte a proper string of words. And her face flushed a deep scarlet red the more she hyperventted. L felt his heart ache at the sight of this. ¡°Take a deep breath. You can do this, Lottie. Ms. Berry cares about you very much and I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be willing to hear you out.¡± Although Ashlyn didn¡¯t know what Charlotte was trying to say, she instinctively softened her voice as she coaxed Charlotte, ¡°What is it, Charlotte? Hmm? Take your time to tell me. Don¡¯t worry, your Uncle L can afford the extra charges on the phone bill.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s attempt at joking worked and Charlotte¡¯s racing heartbeat gradually slowed to a regr pace. When she was no longer so nervous, she was able to speak in coherent sentences, ¡°I want to invite Ms. Berry to apany me¡­ to the suburbs for nature drawing. Is that okay?¡± There, I¡¯ve said it! Chapter 319 Chapter 319 Charlotte felt as if she had gotten a heavy weight off her chest. A thinyer of sweat had formed on her back. She raised her head and beamed at L, as if she were waiting for him tomend her for a job well done. L couldn¡¯t help lifting his hand to tousle the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°You did great.¡± Ashlyn nced at her grandmother, but couldn¡¯t bring herself to reject Charlotte. It took the little girl a lot of courage to make this call. Hence, the little girl would be very disappointed if she rejected her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lucas raised his brows at her. He had vaguely heard their conversation. This is another girl who just loves clinging onto her. What¡¯s so nice about clinging onto her? ¡°Charlotte invites me to go nature drawing with her, but Grandma¡­¡± Ashlyn hesitated slightly. Charlotte was not an unreasonable girl. When she heard what Ashlyn said, she shoved down the disappointment in her heart and quickly added, ¡°If¡­ If you¡¯re busy, we can do it some other time.¡± ¡°Just go ahead, Ashlyn. I have nurses to take care of me here.¡± Susan suggested with a smile, ¡°Bring Lucas with you. I¡¯ll feel more relieved knowing that he¡¯s there to protect you girls.¡± Ashlyn was at a loss for words. Lucas nced at Susan with approval shining in his eyes. Not bad, Grandma. Not bad at all. I guess I¡¯ll have to treat Grandma even better from now on. He had been racking his brains for a way to tag along with Ashlyn. After all, the youngest son of the Fraser family wasn¡¯t married yet. Thus, it was dangerous to leave her alone with a single man, very dangerous indeed. L had no idea that he had been marked by Lucas. Ashlyn couldn¡¯t very well bite Lucas¡¯ head off in front of her grandmother. She could only swallow her retort and agree to it, informing the nurse to call her if something happened. In the Fraser residence. Charlotte¡¯s face lit up like a kid¡¯s on Christmas day as joy filled every inch of her. ¡°Uncle L, do I look pretty in this?¡± She was wearing a white T-shirt with a pair of flowery capri pants that reached above her shins, exposing the fair skin of her legs. The high-waist design of it entuated her slim waist. She gave off the aura of a sophisticated youngdy. L couldn¡¯t help but gulp when he saw how refreshingly attractive she looked. ¡°Yes. Very pretty.¡± ¡°Do you think Ms. Berry would approve of the way I¡¯m dressed?¡± Charlotte blushed a little upon being praised by a man. Amidst L¡¯s happiness was a trace of jealousy. He used to be the most important person to the girl. But now, Ashlyn had taken over. However, he felt relieved when he thought of how patient Ashlyn was with Charlotte. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Fortunately, she was a female. If it were a male, he would probably puke blood. The two of them came out of the walk-in closet and as usual, L held her hand as they made their way downstairs. ¡°Hey. Where are the two of you going?¡± A high-pitched voice called out. L¡¯s expression instantly changed and he looked towards the sofa in the living room. A woman was lounging on the sofa with one leg crossed over the other and holding a cup of tea as she stared at them. ¡°Mom? What are you doing here?¡± L frowned. ¡°Do I need a reason to visit my son¡¯s house?¡± Mrs. Fraser nced at Charlotte impatiently. She would always get upset whenever she saw this burden of a human being. Charlotte squeaked out a polite greeting, ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Fraser.¡± She was terrified of Mrs. Fraser. Since the day she was adopted by L, Mrs. Fraser had never once treated her with kindness. Mrs. Fraser rolled her eyes and ignored her. She continued speaking to L, ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s the weekend. The Warhol family¡¯s daughter has returned from abroad. I want you to take her around Lake City and make sure you entertain her properly.¡± ¡°Mom, I haven¡¯t seen her in more than ten years. I don¡¯t want to entertain her.¡± L felt slightly irritated. ¡°Do you even know how old you are this year? Twenty-eight! When your brother was your age, Nathan could already do small little house chores. Nathan is already twelve years old now, but you¡¯re still not married yet!¡± Mrs. Fraser was so angry that she shot up from the sofa. ¡°So you¡¯re going tomorrow. End of discussion! I was the one who initiated this outing with the Warhol family. Their family has power and is very influential in Lake City, so you have nothing to lose by marrying their daughter!¡± Chapter 320 Chapter 320 However, she resisted the urge to do so. The sight of the girl had grated on her nerves since a long time ago, but she refrained from saying anything about it in front of her son. This little b**** is a vixen who will only drag my son down. She had blossomed into a graceful youngdy in the past few years. Men would inevitably be attracted to her beauty like a moth to a me. The problem was that she was ill and did not even go to university. What good was a daughter-inw like her? She would be an embarrassment to their family. Only a socialite from a noble family was worthy of bing the Fraser family¡¯s daughter-inw. A girl with unknown origins would never be worthy of her son. But her son spoiled this girl to bits. It was fine if he took care of her for just a while when she was little, or perhaps treated her like a pet just for his amusement. However, it looked like her son hadpletely rejected the idea of marriage. The knot that had formed in Mrs. Fraser¡¯s chest due to all her pent-up frustrations was so tight she found it hard to breathe at times. Whenever she looked at Charlotte, she saw a pile of s***. She could not understand why her son treated her like some kind of precious jewel. If the girl were healthy and well educated, she could probably ept her as her daughter-inw. Nevertheless, the girl was nothing to her dismay. So no way! Both of them must be separated at all costs. As long as this little b**** stays, it¡¯ll be impossible for my son to marry a daughter from a socialite family. She must be sent away. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m attending Charlotte¡¯s rehearsal tomorrow. She¡¯s participating in the National Day G Night held by the government. Tomorrow is her first day of rehearsal and it¡¯s very important. I have to go with her.¡± L immediately rejected his mother. Mrs. Fraser was livid. ¡°She¡¯s not a child anymore. Why don¡¯t you apany Ms. Warhol tomorrow, and I¡¯ll apany Lottie to the rehearsal.¡± Charlotte¡¯s chest constricted with panic and she subconsciously gripped the edge of L¡¯s shirt. Mrs. Fraser became more infuriated when she noticed this minute detail. ¡°I¡¯m not a monster that¡¯s going to eat her up.¡± ¡°Mom¡­ Lottie trusts me more.¡± L stated in a decisive tone, ¡°You should get someone else to apany Ms. Warhol.¡± When Charlotte saw that the mother and son were about to quarrel again, she bit down hard on her lower lip. She did not want her uncle to quarrel with his mother because of her. She was a little bit scared and looked at L with a hint of reluctance in her eyes as she whispered, ¡°I¡­ I can go alone. Ms. Berry will be there.¡± The way she stammered in a timid voice only sounded petty to Mrs. Fraser¡¯s eyes. She could hardly pass off as a normal person to her! Mrs. Fraser looked down on Charlotte even more than before. ¡°Since Lottie is so sensible, you should go out with Ms. Warhol tomorrow and I¡¯ll apany Lottie to the rehearsal. Everything¡¯s settled then!¡± With that, she turned around with a stubborn tilt to her head and left. L tipped up Charlotte¡¯s chin with heartache lining his features. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have said that, idiot.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to quarrel with Mrs. Fraser,¡± Charlotte whispered. Although she was sad that her Uncle L would be apanying some other woman, she knew that she shouldn¡¯t stand in the way of his marriage. She forced a smile onto her face. ¡°Let¡¯s go now. We don¡¯t want to keep Ms. Berry waiting.¡± * In the suburbs. L and Charlotte were both startled when a tall man emerged from the Bentley. Charlotte instinctively shifted to hide behind L. It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s that scary man. The man¡¯s powerful aura and frosty look were deeply embedded in Charlotte¡¯s mind, so she immediately tensed up upon seeing him. She was naturally a faint-hearted person. L patted her hand tofort and reassure her, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be scared of.¡± He greeted Lucas next. ¡°Mr. Nn, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°The pleasure¡¯s mine,¡± Lucas nodded lightly. Then, he reached a hand into the car, but it was pped away by Ashlyn who snapped at it, ¡°I can get out of the car myself.¡± Lucas had a helpless look on his face. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Is this woman for real? The moment we¡¯re out of Grandma¡¯s sight, she treats me worse than crap. L was slightly baffled. What is an egoistic man such as Mr. Nn doing with Ms. Berry? Chapter 321 Chapter 321 What¡¯s even stranger is Ms. Berry¡¯s attitude towards him. L wasn¡¯t very familiar with Ashlyn, but he could tell that she was an unapproachable woman who often disyed aloofness when she was around others, barely showing any emotions. However, she seemed visibly irritated when facing Lucas. What surprised him even more was that Lucas didn¡¯t show a hint of impatience. Take now for example. Beside the drawing board in front of Ashlyn was a small coffee table with some mouth-watering snacks and a pot of tea. This kind of service obviously wasn¡¯t suited for a nature drawing session. It seemed more like they were here to indulge. Without ncing at the things spread out on the table, Ashlyn turned to Charlotte and asked, ¡°Would you like some snacks?¡± ¡°No, thank you, Ms. Berry.¡± Charlotte ran up to her side and gazed at her. ¡°Can you paint, Ms. Berry?¡± A good-naturedugh escaped Ashlyn¡¯s lips. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wow! That¡¯s awesome.¡± Charlotte¡¯s cheeks flushed a cute shade of pink, feeling embarrassed. ¡°My painting isn¡¯t very nice¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. The best paintings are created when you use your heart to paint. And I¡¯m sure you did just that,¡± Ashlyn patiently said before picking up a paintbrush to dip it in paint. ¡°Let¡¯s paint those mountains and valleys together, okay?¡± ¡°O-Okay!¡± Charlotte nodded with bright eyes. She went back to sit in front of her drawing board. When L saw how happy Charlotte was, he couldn¡¯t help himself from eximing in awe, ¡°I didn¡¯t know Ms. Berry could paint so well on top of ying the piano.¡± There¡¯s still much you don¡¯t know! Spencer thought to himself. We¡¯ve already grown used to it. And I hardly surprised by it anymore. Lucas¡¯ mouth tightened and jealousy reared its ugly head as his eyes filled with possessiveness. He kept his tone casual when he said, ¡°Mr. L, if you fancy talented women, I can introduce you to some socialites who like to paint and y the piano.¡± L was speechless. Rumor had it that Mr. Nn was ruthless and cold-blooded, but no one ever mentioned that he liked matchmaking¡­ Then, he suddenly noticed the possessive way Lucas looked at Ashlyn. L¡¯s heart trembled as realization dawned on him. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Mr. Nn, does your wife know about this? Are you cheating on her? However, L did not dare voice his thoughts. Heughed dryly and tried to brush it off. ¡°Mr. Nn, you have a good sense of humor. I don¡¯t n to marry anytime soon. I just want Lottie¡¯s autism cured.¡± Lucas nodded in satisfaction upon hearing L¡¯s answer. Finally, someone who¡¯s smarter than Jared and Winsor. Even so, he still felt uneasy and uttered in a warning tone, ¡°I hope you¡¯re a man of your word, Mr. L.¡± L was once again speechless. Seriously? Is he treating me as his love rival? * Ashlyn found that Charlotte was extremely talented in painting. The girl almost literally painted with her heart. Even though she didn¡¯t have many skills, because of the emotions she poured into it, the whole painting gave off a unique feeling. The painting looked as if it lived and breathed, shocking everyone who saw it. Charlotte blushed as she peeked at Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, your painting is so beautiful. It¡¯s so much better than mine.¡± ¡°Yours is really good.¡± Ashlyn smiled and put down the brush in her hand. She pointed at a specific area in Charlotte¡¯s painting and said, ¡°Here. This part would look even better if you painted it like this.¡± She held Charlotte¡¯s hand and began to guide her slowly. Charlotte was so excited, tirelessly absorbing whatever Ashlyn taught her like a sponge in water. Time slowly ticked by. Before any of them realized, the warm tones of sunset were streaked across the sky. Charlotte held up her own painting and brought it to L as if showing him her prized possession. ¡°Uncle L, look!¡± L did not know much about art, but he could tell that Charlotte had greatly improved in just one afternoon. He stared at Ashlyn in shock. He thought she was only an amateur. He never expected her to have mastered painting skills to perfection. In just half a day, Charlotte had improved at such an impressive pace under Ashlyn¡¯s guidance. Chapter 322 Chapter 322 ¡°You¡¯re so talented, Lottie.¡± L carefully put away her painting. ¡°I¡¯ll send it for mounting tomorrow. Your painting has improved so muchpared tost time.¡± ¡°She is very talented.¡± Ashlyn also put away her own painting. ¡°She used to buy books to study and practice on her own. She didn¡¯t have a teacher. It¡¯s all self- taught.¡± L smiled. ¡°She improved a lot with your help, Ms. Berry.¡± ¡°Yes, I can see that. That¡¯s why I said she¡¯s talented.¡± Ashlyn raised a brow. Being praised this way, Charlotte¡¯s cheeks heated up as she looked at Ms. Berry with an expectant look on her face. ¡°Ms. Berry, can I keep your painting?¡± Spencer couldn¡¯t help himself from blurting out, ¡°Do you know how much Ms. Berry¡¯s paintings are¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Spencer,¡± Ashlyn interrupted him, then took out her painting. After dropping her initials ¡®A.B.¡¯ on it, she brought it to Charlotte. ¡°Here, it¡¯s yours now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll definitely treasure it,¡± Charlotte chirped excitedly. Lucas was filled with bitter envy. ¡°You have never even painted for me.¡± The bitterness in his tone was so apparent everyone around could feel it. L¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground as shock overwhelmed him. Is this man who just spoke in such a childish manner really the legendary terrifying Mr. Nn? How could he say such childish words? What shocked L even more was that Ashlyn had rolled her eyes at Lucas with an impatient look on her face, then said in a rude tone, ¡°I¡¯ll paint for you some other time.¡± He could hardly believe that there was a woman in this world who dared to roll her eyes at a petrifying man like Lucas. L¡¯s respect for Ashlyn instantly skyrocketed. He nced at Mr. White and found no change in his expression. He looked as if he had seen something like this a thousand times. L steadied himself, quickly walked towards his car with Charlotte¡¯s hand in his. ¡°You said it. So, you can¡¯t break your promise,¡± Lucas¡¯ maic voice reached his ears. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Ashlyn sounded annoyed. ¡°So, will you draw a painting for me tomorrow?¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy tomorrow.¡± ¡°What about the day after then?¡± ¡°Can you just shut up!¡± Ashlyn literally growled at him in response. He immediately mped his mouth shut, then said in an aggrieved manner, ¡°Fine. Tell me once you¡¯ve drawn a painting for me.¡± L¡¯s heart almost flew out of his chest. He was beginning to suspect if he was hallucinating¡­ * By the time they returned to the city, it was already nine at night. The four of them arrived at Imperial Hotel and Ashlyn was so hungry she could eat a horse. When the manager spotted Ashlyn, he scurried over to lead the way, taking them to a Chinese restaurant in the hotel. The business at Imperial Hotel was excellent as usual. L courteously said, ¡°Thank you for today, Ms. Berry. Dinner is on me. I insist.¡± Lucas¡¯s brows shot towards his hairline. He would never allow another man to buy his woman a meal. In a domineering andmanding tone, he said, ¡°Ashlyn is only mine to treat. You should just treat Ms. Lynch, Mr. L.¡± L blinked at Lucas in bewilderment. Is he actually suggesting to split the bill? I can¡¯t believe it! Ashlyn elbowed Lucas discreetly, and he clenched his jaw as sharp pain spread through him. ¡°Mr. L, don¡¯t mind him. He just loves joking around.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not joking around,¡± Lucas retorted. ¡°Shut up!¡± Ashlyn shot him a withering re. Then, she broke into a smile as she nced at L. ¡°Mr. L, Charlotte, what do you both feel like eating? Just order whatever you want.¡± Charlotte was slightly intimidated by Lucas, but Imperial Hotel had really good food and she absolutely loved it. She boldly ordered her two dishes and helped L to order two as well. Ashlyn reached out to stroke her head. ¡°What else do you wanna eat?¡± ¡°N-Nothing else.¡± The girl¡¯s ear turned pink when being treated with such affection. Her gaze brimmed with trust and admiration as she looked at Ashlyn. L watched this scene with joy warming his chest. Maybe Ashlyn can really cure Lottie¡¯s autism. Just maybe. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Lucas, on the other hand, was brooding. He couldn¡¯t stand it when someone else attracted Ashlyn¡¯s attention. Chapter 323 Chapter 323 What about mine? I have such soft and silky hair! Lucas used a branded hair shampoo on a daily basis that helped keep his hair in good condition. The texture of his hair was indeedmendable. The food was served quickly. Once again, L¡¯s impression of Lucas took a huge turn. Lucas did not once touch his food. All he did was serve the woman beside him. Ashlyn¡¯s te was already piled high with dishes by then. She could barely keep up with Lucas¡¯ unrelenting pace. Atst, she couldn¡¯t stand his crazy antics anymore, angrily dumping all the remaining food onto Lucas¡¯ te in one go. ¡°I can¡¯t finish all of this!¡± L¡¯s eyes widened in shock and he swallowed hard. Charlotte was so scared that her fingers tightened around her utensils as her heart clenched in her chest. She was afraid Lucas might lose his temper and vent it out on Ashlyn. Instead, that arrogant man¡¯s lips lifted into a small smirk. He lowered his head and began eating. All of the remaining food that Ashlyn transferred to his te was eventually finished by him. His movements were incredibly elegant and he made eating look like a form of art. Every gesture of his made him look like a noble prince who had just stepped out of a fairytale. That¡¯s it? He¡¯s not going to put up a fight at all? Is he actually eating Ashlyn¡¯s leftovers? And he¡¯s eating it like it¡¯s a five-course meal. L recalled how this cold and brutal man had directed his oppressive aura towards him when they were in the suburbs. Then, he looked at the man seated with them at the table who resembled a tamed beast before Ashlyn with the way he was enjoying her leftover food. They¡¯re two people, right? There¡¯s no way they¡¯re the same person. I can¡¯t believe it¡­ I really can¡¯t¡­ Meanwhile, Charlotte breathed a quiet sigh of relief. The anxiety in her eyes gradually vanished. Anyone with eyes could see that Lucas was different around Ashlyn, and that Ashlyn was one in a million. L thought of the rumors revolving around Mrs. Nn. Ashlyn was so kind and helpful towards Charlotte that he couldn¡¯t help but worry. What if Mrs. Nn finds out about Lucas¡¯ feelings for Ashlyn? What would happen to Ashlyn? Lucas was very satisfied. As long as it was something belonging to Ashlyn, his heart would be content. He wasn¡¯t blind as well. Seeing the way L doted on Charlotte, cing food onto her te from time to time and the thoughtfulness in his gestures, Lucas couldn¡¯t help but wonder. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Lucas¡¯ brows raised. He withdrew his scrutinizing gaze and re-directed it towards Ashlyn¡¯s fair and pretty face. The crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling cast a faint shimmer onto her face, highlighting her delicate features and making her sparkle like a diamond. The manager personally came over to deliver two desserts. With a smile on his face, he nced at Ashlyn, then at Charlotte. ¡°Ms. Berry, this youngdy looks quite simr to you. What a coincidence.¡± Ashlyn was taken aback. She blinked in surprise and turned to look at Charlotte. When Charlotte heard the manager¡¯s remark, she blushed with embarrassment. Her eyes quickly darted towards Ashlyn before she bowed her head and continued eating her food. A look of caution shed across L¡¯s eyes, which subsequently fixed on Ashlyn¡¯s face before moving towards Charlotte¡¯s. One resembled a budding flower, while the other resembled a rose in its full bloom. Indeed, there were some simrities in their facial features. However, due to the huge difference in their personalities, people wouldn¡¯t normally describe them as simr. Lucas scoffed inwardly. How can a timid little girl bepared to my woman? This manager is probably blind. On the contrary, Ashlyn thought it to be interesting. She studied Charlotte¡¯s blushing face and let out a shortugh as she joked, ¡°If I have a sister like her, I¡¯d definitely pamper her to bits every day.¡± Lucas furrowed his brows, slightly irked. Here I am, a grown man, begging for her love and attention. Yet, she turns a blind eye to it. And she¡¯s saying she wants a sister now? Hmph! After they finished their meal, Lucas sent Ashlyn back to Bayview Vi. Ashlyn went straight into the vi without even sparing him a nce. The usually tyrannical man sat in his Bentley. His chest felt congested as if a knot had formed there. It was a very unpleasant feeling. Chapter 324 Chapter 324 Their Bentley moved and turned around the corner, but little did they know that a group of ck-d men was sneaking up and approaching Bayview Vi under the cover of the night. It was in the dead of the night. Deathly silent. Every living creature in the area seemed to have fallen asleep. The group of well-trained men in ck slipped unnoticed into the vi. They crept in one by one, making sure each of their members made it in. Then, they prepared themselves to split up to head to their respective objectives. Click! Suddenly, all the lights in the vi came on. The whole vi immediately lit up like a Christmas tree. The men in ck stopped in their tracks, totally caught off-guard. Their eyes zoomed in on a woman dressed in ck in the middle of the living room. The slender woman wore a long, ck trench coat. An air of mystery and cold indifference surrounded her. Her jet-ck hair reached her waist. Her eyes were shielded by her bangs. Yet, one could still feel the bone-chilling gaze emanating from the depths of her eyes. The sudden dazzle of lights made her squint. Having sat in the dark for too long, her eyes were not ustomed to the abrupt flood of the lightings. Her cold gaze scanned every direction, marking the position of every intruder that had made it in. She curled her lips, and with half-closed eyelids, uttered snidely, ¡°Seems like you all have high expectations of me to send so many assassins to kill me tonight. I feel honored.¡± The leader of the intruders squeezed his fingers. Who was this woman? From her looks, instead of them ambushing her, she seemed to be the one waiting for them from the start! Ashlyn raised her eyes callously, focusing on the assants ahead of her unblinkingly; a cold determination escaped her looks. Her sharp, unflinching stare shot straight at the leader of the intruders. He felt her murderous gaze piercing him and took a step back in horror. He immediately steeled himself, even though his heart was beating wildly. Such a terrifying presence! Just then, he remembered that he had epted a huge sum of money for this job from the Haddock Group. Hence, he was determined and he took out his handgun to aim at Ashlyn. Grasping the gun brought him a sense of security. He calmed his mind to focus on the job. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Someone wants you dead. Don¡¯t me me as I¡¯m merely doing my job.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Ashlyn remained seated, her red lips twitching slightly as she sneered, ¡°So they sent a bunch of useless trash? You are not even worthy.¡± Sensing the insult, the man angrily threatened, ¡°What did you just say? You¡¯d better believe that I can kill you with just one shot!¡± After all, he was the leader of one of the famous ndestine gangs in Lake City, respected by his lackeys and others. Yet, this woman dared to make fun of him! zing with anger, he stepped forward and grabbed her coat cor. He stared fiercely at her. So what if she has a sharp gaze? She is just a woman after all! His fierce stare transcended into a murderous look full of malice. Right now he was single-mindedly determined to kill this woman! ¡°Let me advise you¡­ let go of me!¡± her monotonous voice warned. Ashlyn slowly raised her head as her ck pupils stared at the man icily. ¡°You b****! You¡¯re just a woman. Don¡¯t you think you can¡­¡± Her continuous cold stare pissed him off more than anything, but before he could finish¡­ Bam! A loud noise interrupted his words. The other intruders watched the unfolding scene in utter shock. In just a short moment, they saw their leader threatening Ashlyn menacingly. The next thing they witnessed was how she pinned their leader to the ground instantly with only one hand. They did not manage to catch what happened. What was going on? How fast did she move? How strong is she? Everyone present was too stunned to react. Ashlyn looked at the man on the floor. Her hand was choking his neck sending him into aa. She was expressionless. ¡°Trash!¡± The word escaped her lips, as her fingers tightened their grip onto the man¡¯s neck. Her fingers moved as if they had minds of their own. Being well-acquainted with the human anatomy, she swiftly located the weak points on his neck. With a sudden wring of her wrist, the grim sound of bones snapping could be heard. In the chilly, still night, the cracking sounded crisp and clear. The coldness¡­ The silence¡­ The atmosphere was even more deathly quiet than before! All the assants present stared in disbelief. The slender figure of a woman let off her grasp from the dead man and slowly got up from the ground. Chapter 325 Chapter 325 Those present could not help but take a step back, even though each of them had a gun in their hands. This¡­ this woman had just single-handedly murdered their leader in cold blood. And she did that with just one hand! Imagine! Wagner, the leader of one of the main gangs in Lake City. Now dead! What scary strength this is! Wagner did not even have time to fire a single shot from his handgun. How terrifying! The men in ck broke out in a cold sweat having just witnessed the grim scene. She actually killed someone in a snap! How in the world did she do that? Everyone¡¯s eyes were on her, gawking in disbelief, in terror, and in fear¡­ For the first time, these well-trained men who were used to murder and arson had the urge to run away! This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn looked at her left hand and frowned, clenching and unsping her bony fingers on and on. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I killed someone. I must be losing my edge.¡± She murmured softly, expressing her dissatisfaction with her execution just now. Just a few years ago, she would have executed the man faster, more ruthless, and more precisely! Seemed like she would have to hone her skills more, or else she would grow rusty and would not be able to enjoy the thrill of killing in the future. She raised her gaze and noticed the men-in-ck who were staring at her and shivering in shock. She snorted and pointed at Wagner who was lying motionlessly on the ground. ¡°Do you want to end up like him? Or do you want to surrender?¡± Hearing her words, the men-in-ck who were originally in shock snapped out from their daze. One by one, their faces were drained of color, their eyes resonated with fear. ¡°You¡­ We¡­ We have epted the payment, so we are bound by contract to kill you!¡± The deputy leader shouted with bogus bravado. How did this woman break our leader¡¯s neck in an instant? All those present had survived countless bloodshed in the past, but none could match her prowess and precision. ¡°Looks like you want to end up just like him!¡± Ashlyn coldly concluded. The deputy leader of the gang could not help but take a step back and gulped. It¡¯s okay! We have the numbers! We¡¯ve got this! We¡¯ll just outnumber her to take her down! He quietlymanded, ¡°Let¡¯s move! Kill her!¡± ¡°Such a pain in the ass¡­¡± Ashlyn muttered and got herself ready to face those men in ck. Sighing, she tousled her jet-ck hair with her hand before narrowing her eyes. She calcted the distance between her and the deputy leader to be around ten steps. Before anyone could react, she suddenly closed the gap with a dash. Like an arrow released from a bow, she arrived in front of the deputy gang leader in a sh. Her merciless eyes looked up at the frightened face of her target as the corner of her lips formed a scary sneer. Coldly, she remarked, ¡°I really hate the death squeal of a trash.¡± In an instant, Ashlyn swung her leg up and kicked her defenseless victim with such force that his body mmed back against the wall behind, much to the surprise of everyone there. The heavy impact rang with a loud bang! The rest of the gang were taken aback having witnessed the gruesome fate of their deputy leader. Meanwhile, Ashlyn stood smugly on the ground. Their deputy leader had just been knocked out! Defeated in a sh! What kind of speed is this! Her movements were faster than those martial arts masters shown on TV! In fact, this deputy leader possessed higher martial arts skills than their leader. That made him the strongest in the gang! The strongest man in the gang was knocked down with only one kick! At this point, the deputy leader¡¯s body slid down the wall and slumped on the ground. As heid there, he let out a groan followed by a mouthful of fresh blood. Having nced at the near-dead broken body of the deputy leader, Ashlyn challenged the rest, ¡°Who else is not afraid of death? You¡¯re wee to try.¡± The rest of the gang shriveled. None of them dared to say anything. The night grew deeper as the plot grew thicker. A police station in Lake City received an anonymous call reporting a break-in in a luxurious vi. The sound of the police sirens could be heard from afar as they approached and finally stopped in front of Bayview Vi. A dozen police officers rushed into the vi with guns in their hands. To their utmost surprise, they saw¡­ dozens of shivering men in ck squatting in the state of surrender obediently at the lobby of the vi. Uh? This scene was ridiculously different from what they had in mind. In the thick of it all, Ashlyn was narrating the whole event to the cops. Pointing to the deputy gang leader who was still coughing out blood as well as the gang leader who had been dead for some time, she earnestly told the whole story to the head of the criminal investigation department. ¡°They sneaked in and robbed my ce. But when they started to divide the gains, some of them imed that their shares were unfair; hence, they started fighting one another. And they murdered one of their own.¡± Chapter 326 Chapter 326 ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Ashlyn smirked. ¡°They are the ones in trouble.¡± As the investigation continued, several forensic scientists and crime scene officers began to scour the scene for clues as to the identity of the deceased. When it was discovered that the deceased was the leader of the gang whom they had issued an arrest warrant for, they eximed in astonishment, ¡°Captain! The deceased turned out to be Wagner!¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± The captain gingerly hurried over, immediately recognizing the deceased as Wagner. Taking a nce at the dying deputy leader to confirm his deduction, he broke out into a joyous grin. ¡°Ms. Berry, thank you for your assistance in taking down this gang of violent criminals!¡± They were doing all sorts of evils ¨C from murders to arsons to robberies. Sadly, the police could not find any hard shreds of evidence on their crimes. This time, however, it had been a great pleasure to nab them all at once. For the deputy leader who hadmitted a homicide, he would be spending a long timenguishing in prison. ¡°No¡­ no¡­¡± the poor man tried futilely to exin that he did not murder his leader. But the excruciating pain akin to the breaking of a few ribs in his chest was preventing him from even completing a coherent sentence. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Three o¡¯clock early morning on that very day. The peaceful Lake City issued a seemingly innocuous Tweet. ¡°During the dead of the night, the police solved a robbery case and the robbers were caught red- handed. During the division of their gains, the robbers had a falling-out and a nasty internal fight broke out, resulting in one death and one serious injury. I would like to thank Ms. Ashlyn Berry for helping us to apprehend all 37 suspects at the scene. Due to Ms. Berry¡¯s contributions, she would be receiving a medal for her bravery as well as an honorary certificate!¡± Early next morning, the peace in Lake City was shattered. The whole online world was in a furor. ¡°What the¡­ ! What¡¯s going on? I just slept for one night and now look at what I had missed!¡± ¡°How did Ashlyn help the police solve another case?¡± ¡°Last time she helped to arrest a kidnapper to save a child. This time she helped to arrest a bunch of robbers. Is there anything she can¡¯t do?¡± ¡°She should just be a frence police staff.¡± ¡°A beautifuldy who knows martial arts. Oh, how she has stolen my heart! Stab me now!¡± ¡°She¡¯s a model citizen!¡± ¡°This is unbelievable. Really incredible!¡± As theizens continued to discuss the most viral news of the day, Ashlyn had no idea what was going on online. She was too busy to log onto Twitter. She had only managed to sleep for a few hours the previous night and now she had to reach the concert hall early in the morning despite being groggy and sleep-deprived stupor. Today happened to be the very first time she wore makeup for a rehearsal, and she had all those assistants and secretaries of various leaders bustling around and fussing with her. Meanwhile, those leaders only need to sit in theirfortable offices waiting for things to be ready. Therefore, no matter how sleepy she felt, she had to force herself to get up. After all, she had a strong sense of responsibility even though she felt ufortable not getting enough sleep. However, out of respect for both Mr. and Mrs. Field, she relented very reluctantly. Upon arriving, however, she did not anticipate that a group of hundreds of performers would be looking at her with fervent admiration and respect in their eyes. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she was baffled. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Those looks of overwhelming admiration made her feel awkward. Usually, Helcor and Tinsor were the ones giving her that kind of look. Since they were just a couple of her men, she had gotten used to it. But now, having hundreds of pairs of eyes admiring her in that manner. It just felt so weird. The whole spectacle was a bit unnerving. Right at this moment, a sudden ttering of footsteps headed towards her. The mayor¡¯s assistant quickly greeted respectfully, ¡°Mr. Field, Chief Chase, follow me this way. Ms. Berry is waiting inside.¡± Everyone saw the Mayor, Mr. Field, and the Police Chief entering the concert hall. Chief Chase saw Ashlyn in front of the crowd and walked over to her excitedly. Shaking both his hands with hers, he said, ¡°Ms. Berry, thank you so much for helping us solve a big case! Your help is indispensable in our effort to crack down on crimes!¡± Having said that, he motioned his assistant to bring the pennant, certificate, and medal to him. He personally pinned the medal to her chest, awarded her the pennant and certificate, then presented her with a cheque of twenty thousand as a reward. Ashlyn was speechless. Was it a good thing to receive so much from the Police Chief so early in the morning? Chapter 327 Chapter 327 The Police Chief got nervous and asked caringly, ¡°Ms. Berry, it looks like you didn¡¯t have a good rest last night.¡± He turned to Mr. Field immediately after and asked, ¡°On her behalf, I¡¯ll like to ask for a day off. Ms. Berry has worked hardst night.¡± That overly friendly attitude turned her off. As if he is the one who was responsible for working her overnight and causing her exhaustion. The Mayor smiled, ¡°Of course! Even if you don¡¯t mention it, I will still let Ashlyn take a day off.¡± Judging by his kind expression, everyone could tell that he had a rtionship of some sort with Ashlyn. Lisa was observing the whole exchange. She felt like copsing from her seething anger. Ashlyn, you little b****! She definitely has something on with James. Just look at his overly kind gaze at her! That innocently beautiful face conceals a seductive vixen! More so after Mr. Haddock had sent so many assassins to besiege Ashlyn, not only had she managed to clean up those assants, but she had also even gained recognition and received a reward from the police force. As someone held a high position at the Haddocks, she felt like dying from contempt. She was not the only one feeling the anger. Meanwhile, at the Haddock Group, the president¡¯s office was in a sea of mess. Dixon was enraged and threw all the documents and things to the ground. Both of his eyes were red, gleaming dangerously like a venomous snake. His voice was brimming with vicious vehemence, ¡°Damn that b****! I¡¯ll see how long you can remain lucky!¡± ¡°Mr. Haddock¡­ please control your anger,¡± said Sienna frightfully. She was rooted to her spot and dared not move. ¡°B****! You don¡¯t know nothing!¡± Dixon gritted his teeth angrily and stared at Sienna. Out of nowhere, he took out a whip. Whack! Whack! Heshed the whip in his hand at Sienna in a crazed frenzy while shouting, ¡°B****! B****!¡± ¡°Mr. Haddock, please remember that I¡¯m your aunt!¡± Sienna fell down to the ground, her back burning with excruciating pain. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Sheid on the floor miserably. She looked up at Dixon pleadingly, her charming face devoid of any signs of aging, for she had spent a lot of effort to maintain her youthful look. Dixon knelt down, grabbed her chin, and warned, ¡°Aunt, I am very angry now. When I¡¯m angry, there¡¯ll always be serious consequences.¡± ¡°Mr. Haddock, Ashlyn is the source of your anger. Please spare me.¡± Sienna begged with horror in her eyes as she looked at the lividly insane man in front of her. She knew well that Dixon had a mercurial temperament. He could get violent and vicious anytime he liked. However, she did not expect him to be so enraged to the point of losing his sense of reasoning and venting all his fury on her. ¡°B****! All of you are b****es! From my mother to you, and now Ashlyn!¡± Dixon raised the whip in his hand and flogged her mercilessly. Whack! The whip yed onto her defenseless body once more. Laying on the floor, Sienna tried to crawl away. However, Dixon seemed to sense her intent and proceeded to pin her under the weight of his body before resuming his flogging. The more he flogged her, the more satisfied and euphoric he felt; as if he were actually whipping Ashlyn! His eyes were bloodshot, filled with joy as he focused on the sight of Sienna screaming desperately after being beaten. The sight of his whip shing her skin and tearing her flesh filled him with sadistic devilish glee. Soon, blood was seeping out from the open wounds on Sienna¡¯s body! Her cheeks were full of tears as she continued begging for mercy. However, no matter how much she pleaded, Dixon had no intention to let her off. The man swooped down his hand and tore away her tattered dress, revealing her fair, snow-white skin. Woefully, her beautiful back was crisscrossed with whishes. A truly pitiful sight to behold indeed. Dixon relished the sight with gusto. His perverted eyes were reflecting his inner twisted self. He bent down closer, and with his tongue, he licked the blood oozing from Sienna¡¯s back. Tasting the blood, he shed a look of manic euphoria and eximed, ¡°Such a beauty!¡± Sienna¡¯s eyes widened in horror. ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t¡­ Dixon! I¡¯m your aunt! I¡¯m your aunt¡­ don¡¯t!¡± Grabbing her chin, he forced her to look at him as he stared into her eyes, ¡°My uncle is paralyzed and good-for-nothing. Can he ever make you happy?¡± Heughed maniacally, ¡°Since I can¡¯t deal with Ashlyn right now, I¡¯ll have you then! You¡¯ll be her recement for now!¡± ¡°No, no! Dixon! I¡¯m your aunt! We can¡¯t do this!¡± Sienna burst into a wail of agony as her tears streamed down her face. Having been beaten to within an inch of her life, she was powerless to resist being tortured by Dixon. Chapter 328 Chapter 328 The air which was already thick with the scent of blood was soon filled with a woman¡¯s screams and a man¡¯s gasps¡­ That was perhaps the first time Sienna had experienced such sensuous thrill. As pain and joy intermingled¡­ It had been too long. Her husband had been paralyzed and confined to his bed for many years. She was merely a victim of a superstitious tradition ¨C forcefully married to an invalid in a baseless attempt for good fortune. All these years, she had never experienced the physical pleasures of a woman. When the storms finally subsided, she was left extremely exhausted. Seeing her weakly cuddling up against his manly embrace, Dixon¡¯s eyes were fixated on her body as he chuckled, ¡°It turns out that my sweet little aunt is such a pleasure to savor. It is beyond my expectation that such a beautiful daughter-inw of the Haddock family was still a maiden¡­ A thirty- six-year-old virgin¡­ Now that is rare indeed!¡± Sienna gazed exhaustedly at Dixon, as her wrecked body was still throbbing with pain. She felt like fainting from all the agony. A drop of crystal clear tear dropped from her eye. ¡°I¡­ I am merely the daughter-inw purchased by Arthur Haddock to please your uncle¡­¡± She laughed bitterly at her miserable fate. For the price of a mere five hundred thousand, she was sold by her very own biological parents to the Haddock family to be part of an obsolete ritual for auspiciousness. She was originally the daughter of their family gardener. Her life was changed because a certain soothsayer pointed out that her horoscope was very compatible with the paralytic second son of the Haddock family. She would be the catalyst to his recovery purportedly. As the head of the Haddock family, Arthur acted upon that superstitious advice and offered a half-a-million dowry for her to be married to his second son. Even though she vehemently opposed the proposal, her parents were enthralled by the generous dowry and greedily forced her to agree to the arrangement. She¡­ Sienna Oates, who was beautiful in the eyes of many, was married off just like that into the Haddock family without even a proper wedding ceremony. Years had passed, yet the second son of the Haddocks was still paralyzed. Instead of showing signs of improvement, his condition had deteriorated. ¡°Arthur Haddock, what can¡¯t that old man do?¡± Dixon hugged Sienna tightly, his brows furrowed in contempt. He lowered his eyes and looked intently at Sienna who was in his embrace. His fingers glided and wandered all over her smooth feminine skin, savoring every inch. Dropping his voice to a tender whisper, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will take good care of you from now on¡­¡± His deranged look made her body stiffened with fear. She dared not to even flinch a muscle. She knew better than anyone that she had gotten herself entangled with the devil himself, and there was simply no escape. From the moment she stepped into the Haddock family, she knew from the beginning that she had walked into the stranglehold of a demon, and as a mere pawn, her life was no longer in her control. * Haddock family. In the personal room of Arthur Haddock. A tall, slender figure slowly opened the door and stepped in. The old man¡¯s slightly shut eyes flicked open as he gazed at the person. Those two weather-beaten eyes borne a grim look. ¡°My dear grandpa, how do you feel today?¡± Dixon stood condescendingly in front of the bed of the old man, a hint of indescribable coldness in his tone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.¡± Arthur replied hoarsely. ¡°I will definitely find the best doctor to heal you. After that I shall enjoy watching you suffer day after day, as you struggle to die little by little.¡± Dixon approached the old man and slowly uttered those words maliciously. ¡°As you wish.¡± Arthur closed his eyes again, his face stoic and emotionless despite the provocation. ¡°Hahahaha¡­¡± Dixonughed maniacally, his deranged eyes fluttered wildly. ¡°Grandpa is indeed carefree. However, even if you desire to die, I will personally make sure it¡¯ll not be easy.¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Arthur heaved a long sigh and tried to exin, ¡°Dixon, what happened back then, I have no choice. For the prosperity of our Haddock family, I have to make that tough decision.¡± ¡°Mr. Haddock! The great Arthur Haddock! You liar.¡± Dixon¡¯s eyes were shing with anger. He instinctively reached out and grasped Arthur¡¯s neck. ¡°You sent your own daughter-inw as a ything to those perverts! Don¡¯t try to justify your sins! You caused my own mother to be aughingstock of the upper-ss and turned my father into a cuckold. All these for your own profits! Such is the love you¡¯ve shown to us as a father and a grandfather!¡± Chapter 329 Chapter 329 ¡°Even in a moment like this, you are still so shameless,¡± sneered Dixon. ¡°Seems like your knee hasn¡¯t hurt enough.¡± He grasped a small hammer in his hand. It seemingly glimmered wickedly under the dim light. It was a truly menacing sight. Looking on tyrannically, he held down Arthur¡¯s legs as his lips curled cruelly. ¡°Grandpa, what if I hammer your knees a little more¡­¡± ¡°No! No! You devil! How do I end up with a grandson like you! Go away! Ahhhhhh!¡± Arthur¡¯s eyes widened in terror as a heart-rending howl escaped his mouth. He tried to struggle in order to escape and his body jerked backward in the futile attempt. However, Dixon¡¯s grip was too strong. He could not break free no matter how much he struggled. The wicked man raised the hammer in his hand up high before mming it down onto poor old Arthur¡¯s left knee. A dull, sickening thud rang out. Thump! ¡°ARGHHHHHH!¡± The pain was so excruciating that fine beads of sweat covered Arthur¡¯s forehead. His eyes shot up, almost popping out of their sockets, as minuscule capiries inside burst and turned his eyeballs bloodshot. His old, wrinkled face borne the look of pure terror. ¡°Hmm, grandpa. I smashed just one knee. You should have another one, right?¡± Dixon smirked, his wicked eyes were terrifying enough to send chills down everyone¡¯s spine. He raised the hammer gingerly again and swung it down. The room reverberated with the scream of the tortured Arthur, apanied by the cracking sound of broken bones. ¡°Dixon Haddock! How dare you! I am your grandfather! How can you treat me like this!¡± ¡°You unfilial offspring!¡± ¡°How can I have a damned grandson like you!¡± ¡°Your mom is a wench! A whore! She¡¯s just a tool! Without the Haddocks she is nothing!¡± Arthur spat back in between his gasps of pain. Dixon violently gripped the old man¡¯s scrawny chin. ¡°I dare you to scold her again. If it weren¡¯t for you, and the Haddock family, she would¡­¡± He did not go on further, but rather stared at Arthur insidiously. ¡°I want you to watch the Haddock Group you¡¯ve painstakingly built destroyed in my hands. I want you to witness with your own eyes the fate of all your children and grandchildren ¨C everyone in the Haddock family ¨C be damned to oblivion!¡± ¡°You¡­ You¡­¡± Arthur was so perplexed and provoked that he was at a loss for words. ¡°You son of a whore! You¡­¡± ¡°Yes! It is me! I am in control of the Haddock Group now! Hehehe! Your favorite second son is just a paralyzed invalid! Your other sons and grandsons were mere bootlickers and beggars of scraps. Arthur Haddock! This is what you owed me. This is what you owed my dad and my mom!¡± Dixon shook off the chin of the old man, then he raised the hammer once more and mmed it down with full force onto the Arthur¡¯s legs. ¡°ARGHHHHH!!¡± ¡°ARGHHHHH!!¡± Arthur was drenched in cold sweat from the pain. His face was contorted and he almost fainted from the suffering. His body trembled uncontrobly, and the pain on his legs was so excruciating that he could barely feel anything. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. His white hair was thoroughly soaked all the way to his scalp. As heid lifelessly on the bed, he could only re weakly and miserably at his grandson. The once glorious and proud predecessor who helmed the esteemed Haddock family through thick and thin was now reduced to a pathetic, decrepit existence. ¡°Why don¡¯t kill me! You¡­ Kill me now!¡± His voice was hoarse and weak. Almost inaudible. ¡°No. I will find the best doctor to heal you. After that, I want to break your legs again. Then, I will get another doctor to heal you again. Grandpa, this never-ending game is fun!¡± Dixon dangled the hammer yfully in front of Arthur, looking very pleased with himself. While uttering such sadistic words, he looked surprisingly calm and poised. Chapter 330 Chapter 330 ¡°No, you devil! Let me die!¡± Arthur Haddock wailed desperately in pain. Rather than enduring this kind of torture, it would be better for him to die than to live. ¡°When you sent out my mom into the arms of those perverts, she must¡¯ve been so frightened. She was so weak. She must be more frightened and more terrified than you now. Dad desperately tried but couldn¡¯t save her! Grandpa, let this be retribution of the pain that you¡¯ve caused me! In fact, this pain that I¡¯m giving you now is merely a tiny fraction of what I¡¯ve experienced!¡± Having gotten all his frustration off his chest, he did not even take a nce at his frail grandfather lying on the bed as he turned and left, bringing along with him the hammer ¨C the object of pure terror. As soon as the door was mmed shut, Arthur felt spent ¨C like a candle in the wind ¨C as heid there helpless and weak. Pain throbbed throughout every cell in his body. It was so painful that he could not sleep nor stay awake. He drifted in and out of consciousness, and in his confused state, he started to hallucinate about the events that happened more than ten years ago¡­ * Dixon had juste out of Arthur¡¯s room when he ran into Sienna head-on. She was wearing a crimson tight-fitting traditional dress that entuated her exquisite figure. In her hand, she carried a small bag, and she looked as if she had just returned from a banquet. A faint fragrance emanated from her. ¡°Hello aunt.¡± Hearing his voice, Sienna¡¯s face turned pale, as she paused to gander at the slender frame of a terrifying man. ¡°Dixon¡­¡± She remembered everything that had happened in the office during the day¡­ Her face alternated between pale white and blushing red, yet she felt consistently frightened. She dared not look at Dixon, fearing something terrible would be done unto her again. ¡°Come to my study room. I have something to tell you.¡± Having said that, he headed up to the aforementioned room on the second floor. Sienna bit her lips and was left with no choice but to follow him. Dixon Haddock was a man with unbelievable self-control. Though he had lost restraint during the day and raped Sienna, he did not regret nor mull over it. All these years, he had always kept himself together. Especially regarding matters rted to women, he had been sessfully abstinent. As to what happened between him and Sienna during the day. Looked like he had to practice restraining himself more! Upon entering the study, he handed a few envelopes to Sienna. ¡°Aunt, here are some letters. These must be dealt with. Deal with them properly.¡± ¡°These are¡­¡± Sienna nced at the letters suspiciously. All the letters were addressed from Lake Emerald Orphanage. The Lake Emerald Orphanage was a highly reputable welfare institution funded by Haddock Charity for many years. However, still maintaining contact through letters in these modern times and age seemed oddly peculiar. ¡°Get rid of them.¡± Dixon reminded as he continued with his paperwork. Sienna dared not utter anything as she immediately turned and left. Upon exiting the room, she heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he did nothing. She thought that he would do something cruel to her again. Upon reaching her own room, she dropped the letters on her desk and went to take a shower. Having experienced such terrible things during the day, she was so exhausted that when she finished her shower she copsed onto her bed and drifted to sleep immediately. Early next morning, after she was done with her morning routine, she left the house and went to work at the Haddock Group headquarters. She hadpletely forgotten about the matter rted to the letters. Only when she got back from work, she remembered. However, the letters on her desk were missing. * Ashlyn rested well for the whole day yesterday. She got up early in the morning, feeling refreshed from having enough sleep. It was sch afortable feeling! There were only two days left before the National Day G Night. For the next two days, she had to maximize her time to train these performers. On the inte, the National Day G Night had be a hot trending topic due to the numerous publicity by the TV stations. Almost the whole poption had been keeping track of the event. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. The g which was jointly hosted by the Lake City TV Station in conjunction with the local municipal government was the focal point of the day. There were fans of Ashlyn who had given their 100% trust and 100% support to her ¨C their heroine. Meanwhile, there were also detractors who constantlyughed, criticized, and distrusted her, all the while saying that the G Night would be a disaster. Chapter 331 Chapter 331 Famous celebrities will be invited to attract audience rating. As for the high-ranking officials in the government, fear and worry started to build up within them. ¡°Mr. Field, the G Night is about to go live. At that time, will it¡­¡± the Director of Lake City TV Station anxiously rubbed his hands. If the audience rating of the show went south, his bonus and other work benefits would be affected as well. More importantly, reputation would be jeopardized. Reputation in the media industry is of paramount importance. Take a not-to-be-named TV station as an example. Last year, there was an unfortunate incident regarding the sudden death of an ailing guest during the recording of a variety show. The TV station waster referred to by the public as the murder station. The inte army called for boycott over the station and their reputation went down the drain. Besides, the TV station was even sanctioned by the State. The director and higher-ups of the station were removed from their position. Incidents like these caused immense regret and frustration. It was a human life after all! The director¡¯s anxiety amplified. Although he was not worried about matters of life and death, he was concerned with reputation! If Lake City TV station failed to live up to the expected standards again, it would be aughing stock in the industry. Furthermore, the viewers would be deeply disappointed and it would affect the audience rating of other shows as well. The sess of the G Night was of great pertinence. If the station managed to rise up from the ashes, then he would not have much to worry about anymore. On the flip side, if things went downhill, crying would be the least of his problems. Looking at the confident look of Mr. Field, the director¡¯s heart started beating more rapidly. ¡°Yes, Director Smith urately points out that we cannot mess up this time. Let¡¯s invite one or two top idols or actors to support the G Night,¡± one minister suggested. Mr. Field dismissed his suggestion while letting off a grin, ¡°Small matters like these can be left in the hands of Ashlyn. Don¡¯t worry about it. Your job is to focus and enjoy the show at the front row tonight!¡± Everyone was speechless. How much does Mr. Field trust Ashlyn that amateur? Ashlyn is involved in everything! Is she capable of managing it well? She is merely a woman in her early twenties! She has only appeared a few times on Twitter¡¯s trending list! They were even more worried after hearing what Mr. Field said. * The sky grew darker as the night arrived. Aureate lights were switched on. The practicested the whole day in the performing hall. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. J was tired, the intense training caused her to suffer from aches all over her body and leg cramps. She stood in front of the door and realized that her family car was not in the parking lot. She frowned and gave her driver a call. The phone rang multiple times but no one picked up. She saw the other actors leaving one by one and eventually she was the only one left alone there. She angrily vented, ¡°Where is the driver? You have the audacity to let me wait this long! I¡¯ll deduct your sry for sure!¡± She looked around and wanted to call a cab. Out of a sudden, a ck car approached her, She tried to move away, but the doors opened abruptly and two tall men dressed in ck came out of the car. The men¡¯s faces were covered with ck cloth. She didn¡¯t manage to react before they covered her mouth and dragged her into the car. The door was mmed shut and the car sped off. Everything happened in a nick of time. She could only whimper. Her eyes were filled with fear while she struggled to break free. One of the men gave her a tight p and warned, ¡°Don¡¯t move or I¡¯ll skin you alive!¡± Her eyes widened in horror. She was afraid and stared helplessly in the car. Who did she offend? Has she been kidnapped? Chapter 332 Chapter 332 Where is the driver? Where on earth is the driver? Did he conspire with them? Her mind was in a chaotic state. She didn¡¯t dare to move, her mouth was kept shut. She could only wait for the opportunity to act. There was a performance for the G Night the next day. It would be broadcasted live on their coboration partner¡¯s tform. If she were absent, she would not be able to perform the sketch. Her training with the team would be all for nothing. She had never been so serious in her trainings¡­ Tears started to well up in her eyes. She could only pray that her family will notice her absence¡­ Mr. Smith was a generous person and he contributed substantially to the society. She couldn¡¯t figure out who was her kidnapper, as it was unlikely that the Smith family or her would make any enemies. Who is it then Why is she being kidnapped? What is the motive? The car headed west towards the outskirts of town. J¡¯s head was forcefully covered with a ck bag, causing her to lose sight of her surroundings.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. * The Smith family¡¯s driver woke up and realized that the car was parked at an abandoned dumpsite. It was a secluded area filled with the buzzing sounds of mosquitoes. He shook his head in an attempt to get rid of the dizziness. He fuzzily took out his phone and checked the time. A sudden rush of anxiety followed suit. ¡°It is already 9 PM!¡± He tried to call J but no one picked up. Without further dys, he started the car engine and raced towards the Concert Hall. By the time he reached, the doors of the Concert Hall were locked. The driver did not dare to waste another second and rushed back to the Smith family. Mr. Smith was ying with his pet bird when he saw the distressed driver. The driver asked nervously, ¡°Mr. Smith, has Ms. J returned home already?¡± ¡°No!¡± Mr. Smith was puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t you pick her up?¡± ¡°Mr. Smith, when I was waiting for J at the entrance of the Concert Hall, two masked men dressed in ck abruptly approached the car and knocked me out. I was in an abandoned car park when I woke up!¡± the driver spoke in a fretful voice, sweat was dripping profusely from his forehead. ¡°I tried to call her but she didn¡¯t pick up. Now, she¡¯s not at home. I hope she is not in trouble!¡± he said. If J got in trouble, he would not be able to clear his name. The small tray of bird seeds that was held in Mr. Smith¡¯s hand fell to the floor. Mr. Smith¡¯s lips trembled with fear and his face was pale as paper, ¡° What did you say? J is in trouble?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very likely. Mr. Smith, you should hurry and start looking for her,¡± the driver replied anxiously. Mr. Smith calmed down and snapped out from his catastrophic state of mind. He decisively instructed, ¡°Inform Christopher now and ask him to rush back home immediately.¡± Christopher is J¡¯s father. The next moment, Mr. Smith called Mr. Field. He skipped all the unnecessary greetings and went straight to the point, ¡°Can you make arrangements for me to retrieve the security footage of the Concert hall? J is missing.¡± Mr. Field was taken aback by his disquietude. He shakenly asked, ¡°How did she go missing?¡± Mr. Smith did not have much time to exin, ¡°Please do me this favor first. I¡¯ll call Chief Chase now to request for a search.¡± Needless to say, the next person he called was Chief Chase. Chief Chase received the phone call from Mr. Smith, it was about the kidnapping of her granddaughter. He immediately assembled a team of police to search the city. Soon, the news spread like wild fire. It was alreadyte evening when Jared told Ashlyn about the kidnapping. She was drying her hair while drinking a ss of honey lemon. Her gaze was cial, ¡°J went missing? Have they found her?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Jared shook his head. ¡°Send a few of our people to look for her,¡± Ashlyn took another sip, ¡°At the end of the day, she was my student for a month. Besides, if she does not show up, the sketch will be jeopardized.¡± Chapter 333 Chapter 333 ¡°By the way, tell Jonathan to sing Peace and Glory tomorrow,¡± Ashlyn¡¯s face was devious, ¡°The National Day performance must be in ordance with the theme. I will not allow him to sing those modern songs.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Jared could not help but curve the corner of his lips. It was nonsensical to force a famous idol like Jonathan to sing the Glorious Group. Five minutester, Jonathon received the call from his brother, ¡°Jared, this is preposterous! I¡¯m a famous idol and she is asking me to sing this song?¡± ¡°You must obey it unless you wish to lose your job,¡± Jared was firm on the decision. ¡°I refuse to do so,¡± Jonathan was infuriated as he was doing a favor for Jared. Other TV stations offered high prices for him to perform, but he rejected all of them. On the other hand, Lake City TV Station¡¯s offer was unappealing. To make things worse, Ashlyn had asked him to sing a ssical song that was outdated! He certainly did not want that! Jared calmly responded, ¡°She has a multitude of methods topel your obedience. If you don¡¯t trust me, you can always try to challenge her.¡± Jonathan was speechless. ¡°Think about what I said. Just follow my advice and things won¡¯t go wrong,¡± said Jared. The darkness of the night stretched to infinity. J did not have any clue where she had been brought to. The car was on the move for a very long time. The rough estimation was two hours. Finally, the car came to a stop. Two men dragged her out of the car and into a house. The door was mmed shut and a loud bang echoed through the house. The ck bag which covered her face was removed. However, her limbs were tied together and her movement was restricted. The room had a wallmp with dim lights. It was extremely run-down and entangled with threads of cobwebs. The floor was filled with wet hay; the room was humid and cold. During the night, the freezing cold would send shivers across a person¡¯s spine. She was terrified and yelled, ¡°Who are you? Why do you want to kidnap me? What¡¯s your intention? Open the door and release me!¡± She changed to a different strategy, ¡°My family has money. I can pay for the ransom money, please release me. I beg of you, I¡¯m willing to pay!¡± She sobbed and begged. ¡°Why are you screaming in the middle of the night? I want to sleep! If you don¡¯t keep quiet, I will cut your tongue off!¡± a man shouted. His threat was effective. She immediately kept quiet, petrified by the thoughts of horrible things that the mad man would do to her if she disobeyed him. She was in the middle of nowhere on a quiet night. If the man decided to kill her, everything would be over. She was frightened and quavered in a corner. She did not dare to even lift a finger. She was unnerved by the piercing cold of wet hay. She had never endured such sufferings ever since she was born. Now, she could only pray that Grandpa would be able to find her and rescue her from this misery. She wanted to return home badly. Tears escaped her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. * At the police station¡­ All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Initially, Mr. Smith was waiting restlessly back at home. However, the long wait was torturous and unbearable. Thus, he decided to wait at the police station instead for first-hand news about his granddaughter. He was served with a ss of earl grey. Nheless, he was not in the mood to appreciate the tea. Chief Chase rushed to the police station. He empathetically consoled the old man before him, ¡°Mr. Smith, J will return home unharmed. I¡¯ve dispatched a huge team to look for her. We will receive news of your granddaughter at full tilt.¡± ¡°Chief Chase, as you know, the Smith family doesn¡¯t have many family members to begin with. The youngest generation now only consists of two people, J and Gerald. If anything bad happens to J, I will not have the will to live anymore,¡± Mr. Smith¡¯s physical condition appeared to have deteriorated significantly within a short span of time. His well-being was severely affected by the immense stress and pressure. He had always loved J. It had never urred to him that his precious granddaughter would go missing. He sighed and said, ¡°This is obviously a calcted n to kidnap her. They got rid of our driver before abducting her.¡± Chapter 334 Chapter 334 The recording showed J being hurled into the car by two strong men was heart-wrenching for Mr. Smith. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we will find her,¡± Chief Chase could only try to reassure him. * At the Haddock family. Dixon smirked after hearing what Sienna said. His elegant face revealed a wicked expression, ¡°Ashlyn, let¡¯s see how you make the G Night a sess! You have the audacity to dream about gaining support from the Field family!¡± Ever since that incident that urred between Sienna and him, it was her natural instinct to be afraid of him. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. She agreed softly, ¡°Yes, it was a great move by you.¡± ¡°I want to witness the downfall of Ashlyn and to be the person causing her demise. This woman dared to interfere with my ns, this punishment serves her right! Her presumptuous act is pure stupidity!¡± Dixon said coldly and took a sip of coffee. The rich bitterness of the ck coffee stimted his senses. He squinted his eyes as if he were a viper enjoying his feast. He sat nonchntly on the couch. It was morbid. Sienna gulped and said, ¡°I¡¯ll head out now.¡± She headed towards the door as she finished the sentence. ¡°How dare you leave without my permission?¡± Dixon¡¯s cold voice resonated in her ears. She was rooted to the spot, her fingersid motionless on the doorknob. The sound of footsteps started approaching. She could feel his presence right behind her. Dixon held out his hand and grabbed her by her waist. Heid his chin amorously on her shoulder. ¡°Do you miss me?¡± he cajoled. Terror manifested in her eyes. She stuttered and her voice trembled with fear ¡°Dixon, please don¡¯t. This is the Haddock family. We will get caught.¡± ¡°I tried to resist this. However, I could not suppress my body¡¯s biological urges.¡± Dixon nibbed her tender earlobe. ¡°I want you. I have always been a very disciplined person and I thought I would not have immoral thoughts like this. Unfortunately, I¡¯m still a human being. Therefore, I¡¯ve decided to embrace my inherent nature.¡± Dixon held her chin up, ¡°Are you not happy with my decision to fulfill my urges?¡± His devilish look emanated horrifying wickedness, it sent shivers down her spine. Unleash¡­ He wants to unleash himself¡­ No! I don¡¯t want this! Sienna screamed deafeningly in her heart. However, the man before her carried her up from the floor and held her against the wall. ¡°I don¡¯t want to suppress my instinct! That¡¯s all! Therefore, you are the tool for me to express and unleash myself!¡± His crude voice oscited between the two of them. On the other hand, Sienna was consumed by despair and hopelessness. Is she destined to be Dixon¡¯s toy? * Ashlyn was wide awake in her room at Bayview Vi. She stared in front of theputer screen and her fingers were like butterflies as they danced elegantly across the keyboard. She rapidly reyed the security footage from the Concert Hall. In a swift maneuver, she switched on all of the security footage of the Traffic Bureau. She continued to follow the trails of the ck car. As the ck car left the city, she speedily switched to recordings by security cameras ahead of the road. The number of security cameras at the outskirt of the city is significantly lesser. At the end of the day, she could still find some clues that would be of assistance. At this moment, her subordinates were executing her instructions. They raced towards the direction of the ck car. At the same time, Ashlyn took herptop and headed downstairs. A white Land Rover dashed across the dark night like an arrow. * J was afraid to fall asleep and she curled up at the corner of the wall. As the night got colder, she shivered uncontrobly. Chapter 335 Chapter 335 The silence was sheer torment. She restricted all her movements and stayed motionless on the floor. Out of a sudden! The door opened loudly. J was scared and she cautiously stared at the entrance. She saw a dark-skinned and obese guy approached her. He stood in front of her and gazed ferociously with his eyes half-closed. ¡°You¡¯re a gorgeous woman,¡± hemended. A strong stench of alcohol permeated the air. J was disgusted and she could barely hold her puke. Her pale face nced at the man, ¡°What do you want¡­¡± ¡°My superiors forbid me from touching you. However, it will be a shame if I don¡¯t savor such a delicacy!¡± The fat man was squatting in front of her. However, he lost his bnce and fell towards her. J who was curled up at the corner of the wall was not prepared. Before she realized it, the fat man clumsily fell t on her. The back of her head hit on the wall directly. The agonizing pain made her feel like she could see stars around her. Her hands were tied up and she could not release herself from the restraints. She struggled to break free from the rope that held her hands tightly. However, it was a futile exercise. The disgusting stench of alcohol attacked her senses and she was overwhelmed with the atrocious smell. She held her breath and wanted to scream for help. Meanwhile, the fat man¡¯s mouth started to linger on her neck. ¡°Go away! Don¡¯t do this!¡± she yelled in distress, ¡°Somebody please help me!¡± ¡°Help me! Help me!¡± her shriek was deafening. The fat man gave her a tight p. Her face swelled up and his finger marks were imprinted on her face. ¡°B****, shut up! I¡¯ll teach you a lesson!¡± he growled at her. The man started to undress himself in a quick manner. J was terrorized and shook her head profusely, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ please don¡¯t. I¡¯m a woman with dignity! I can give you money, as much as you want!¡± Her heart nearly skipped a beat. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Tears started dripping from her eyes, ¡°I beg you, please leave me alone!¡± ¡°I want to do this now! This golden opportunity will be gone once I release you the day after tomorrow!¡± The fat man with his drunken look held out his hand to grab hold of J¡¯s clothes. J closed her eyes and tears flowed down her face. What should I do now? Is my dignity going to be trampled by this hideous man here? I am the heir of the Smith family. Grandpa is also the pioneer chief of the city¡­ It is unfair that I have to suffer such misfortune. She suffered grievously, hope started to fade away. Her whimpers echoed through the ce. However, her desperate calls aroused the man further. ¡°Even if you cry till your death, no one will be here to save you!¡± he said. The man¡¯s hand gradually approached her pants. At the critical moment when he almost got his way¡­ Suddenly, there was a loud bang. The door was kicked open. The man leapt with shock. J subconsciously looked at the entrance and saw a lean and tall feminine figure standing at the door. She was dressed in ck and wore a pair of military boots. ¡°You¡­¡± He didn¡¯t get a chance to finish his sentence. The woman kicked him right on his chest. The force sent him flying like an old trash bag. Chapter 336 Chapter 336 With a loud bang! The door crashed to the ground, and the man who tried to rape J copsed as blood spurted from his mouth and nose. The air was swiftly filled with the metallic smell of blood. Ashlyn briefly eyed the man who was shrieking in pain disdainfully. ¡°What a weakling.¡± Her tone waszy and gentle, like soft clouds in the sky. However, the words she uttered next were downright cruel. ¡°What if I chop off your hands instead? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a fair person. I¡¯ll only chop off the hand that has touched her before.¡± The tanned, plump man widened his eyes in shock and disbelief. Ashlyn was just standing casually in her simple ck outfit, yet she exuded the vibe of a strong woman in a superior position. She was cold and powerful. Sweat began to pour at the spine of the tanned, plump man. Who is this woman? Why is she so strong? ¡°Why? The cat got your tongue? Or are you scared now?¡± Ashlyn approached the man slowly, her hands were now ying with a razor-sharp dagger. Before the man could react, the dagger shed under the light and dug deep into his palm! The poor man yelled in pain as his warm blood shot out immediately from his palm and sttered on the wall beside him. Ashlyn pulled out the dagger as soon as she stabbed him. Just when the man thought his torture had ended, the dagger stabbed yet again into his palm. The poor man begged in agony as sweat poured over him. ¡°Ahh! That¡¯s so Painful! Ahhhh! Please let me go!¡± However, Ashlyn ignored him and continued stabbing his hand like it was an interesting toy made for stabbing. After a few more rounds of stabbing, Ashlyn shook her head scornfully at the sight of his minced hand. ¡°You¡¯re way too weak. It¡¯s just a bit of pain, and you can¡¯t even take it.¡± Her lips curled into a sadistic smile before approaching J, who was so shocked by the whole ordeal that she had ceased crying. Completely stunned, J couldn¡¯t tear her eyes off Ashlyn as she looked at the woman in ck like she had just known her. It¡¯s Ashlyn¡­ it¡¯s Ashlyn who came to save me! All this while, I thought it would be the cops or Grandpa and Dad who woulde to save me. But I never expect that Ashlyn would be the one to find me first! The current Ashlyn looks so powerful and cold! Her face seems to be covered in permafrost when she unleashed her freezing aura. She looked totally different from her usual self, as though she was another woman who had her face. Ashlyn had now thrown away her patient demeanor when she was with the performers. Now she looked like a demon that came straight from hell. She was bloodthirstily strong and vicious. Yet, this vicious side of hers was so dazzling that no one could take their eyes off her. Her exceptionally gorgeous face was charming yet cold, which emanated an imposing aura like that of an ice queen. With a dazed expression, J looked at Ashlyn for a long time before muttering softly, ¡°Ms. Berry¡­ why are you here?¡± Ashlyn raised her brows and started untying the ropes on J. ¡°If I don¡¯te here, how are you going to performter?¡± Ashlyn lowered her eyes as she focused on untying J. With those longshes that framed her eyelids and cast shadows on her beautiful face, she made the simple action of untying the ropes looked like a graceful sight to behold. She was simply looked cool and suave when she did that! At that moment, fighting sounds were heard from the outside, followed by the groans of pain from the fallen men. A whileter, the sounds of the police sirens reached their ears. J¡¯s tensed and panicked heart finally settled in relief. So that¡¯s how it feels like to be at ease. Staying by Ashlyn¡¯s side really instilled such a strong sense of security for me. The security provided by Ashlynforted J greatly, and she really loved this feeling of being safe from all dangers. In fact, the moment Ashlyn broke in through the door, J had the illusion of seeing a superwoman savior appearing before her! Anyway, J followed Ashlyn out in a dazed state as the scene of various men in ck subduing the kidnappers yed before her, which then followed by the police¡¯s arrival. Everything was ying in slow motion, and she felt that everything was so unreal to her. Those men in ck¡­ are they Ashlyn¡¯s men? They¡¯re the ones who subdued the kidnappers! All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Ashlyn actually came earlier than the cops! J had no idea how she should react to this realization. She could only gape at everything that had happened before her as shock rippled through her mind. By the time she returned from her stupor, J suddenly found herself sitting in the police station. ¡°J! How are you? Are you alright?¡± J looked up abruptly when she heard the familiar voice. Chapter 337 Chapter 337 Tears flowed down her cheeks when J met eyes with Russell. ¡°Grandpa!¡± She dived into her grandfather¡¯s arms as she sobbed out loudly. I am so fortunate this time. If it weren¡¯t for Ashlyn who came to save me on time, I would be raped by that man right then. Luck is really on my side for this. After sending J to the police station, Ashlyn immediately left coolly. With a wave of her hand, her men returned to the row of Mercedes Benz that were waiting at the police station in an orderly fashion. It was a majestic sight to behold as the row of Mercedes left the police station together. The police gaped at the unbelievable sight in surprise. Who¡¯s this woman? Why is she able to have so many martially trained men under hermand? ¡°So you mean it was this Ms. Berry who saved you just now?¡± Russell felt his heart racing as he listened to his granddaughter¡¯s narration of the events. He was relieved to find his granddaughter safe and sound, yet he was also surprised by the identity of the person who had saved J. Russell was not alone; even Chief Chase was surprised by the revtion. ¡°Wow! Ms. Berry is a really good example of a heroine who defends the weak and eliminates violence. I just gave her a silk banner of appreciation two days ago though¡­¡± Seems like I have to give her another banner again. At this rate, I don¡¯t think we can make all those banners for her in time. ¡°Indeed! Ms. Berry is so suave!¡± J covered her face in excitement as she fangirled over the incredibly suave image of Ashlyn kicking the rapist¡¯s ass across the room. She suddenly turned to Russell with a serious expression. ¡°Grandpa, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Russell asked her lovingly. He would not hesitate to fulfill any wish of hers, even if it were as unreasonable as picking the stars for her. ¡°I want to join the army, and I want to start right from the bottom. I cannot continue being such a useless girl who idly wanders around the State Concert Hall anymore. I need to realize my worth and be a worthy person who can contribute to society!¡± J¡¯s eyes were sparkling with determination as she said that. ¡°I am born a Smith, where all its family members are members of the army, yet I am the only one who enjoys such an idle life. Since I am born into such a family, why should I refrain from being a soldier? I want to contribute to the country like Gerald and be a worthy savior like Ms. Berry!¡± Gerald Smith was J¡¯s younger brother, who had graduated from a military school and was now the Colonel in his army. Tonight had been a roller-coaster ride for Russell, as he was in a constant state of shock and panic with his granddaughter¡¯s kidnap. But no news was as shocking as J¡¯s deration to join the army. She had been brought up as a spoiled girl for most of her life. Hence, although she was born into a family of soldiers and also had the fearless personality of a soldier, she was absolutely repulsed by the idea of joining the army and make herself suffer from such a tough life. Earlier on, both Russell and J¡¯s father, Christopher Smith, had wanted to send J into the army for training. Even if she couldn¡¯t achieve anything in the army, it would serve as a good experience to tone down her spoiled character. However, J simply refused to go and even threatened tomit suicide if they pursue the matter further. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Because of that, Russell had to give up on that arrangement. Now, the spoiled J who had so adamantly refused their arrangements actually requested to join the army herself! What a shocking turn of events! ¡°J, are you sure about this?¡± Russell was so surprised by her request that he only managed to find his voice after some time. ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s my fault for being such a spoiled brat. From now on, I¡¯m making Ms. Berry my idol and learn from her. I will work hard to be a woman like her and aspire to be an outstanding woman who could live freely and independently. I shall live my life to the fullest like how she did, instead of being the useless slime I am now,¡± J replied seriously. The moment Ashlyn charged into the room, J could feel her heart ran wild in exhration. She wanted to be the light that shines on the life of others, just like how Ashlyn did for her. When J made this deration of hers, no one had ever expected she would one day became one of the most highly ranked female military officer in the army. Right then, the police in charge of the case came over to them. ¡°Mr. Smith, Chief Chase. I have tried to interrogate the criminals, but they remained tight-lipped and refused to spill more. All they have mentioned throughout the interrogation is that they are desperate for money and that they only kidnapped Ms. Smith to get some ransom.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not the ransom they want. If they want the money, they would¡¯ve called my Grandpa from the start.¡± J frowned. ¡°I remember that plump dude mentioned in his drunken state that he would let me go on the day after tomorrow, so I think there¡¯s some hidden agenda behind this.¡± Chapter 338 Chapter 338 J was the victim of the kidnap, so the cops took her words seriously, as they were solid pieces of evidence to help solve the case. Chief Chase turned to the said cop with a serious expression. ¡°Continue the interrogation and dig out the truth! This is simply atrocious of them to kidnap Ms. Smith in broad daylight!¡± After J was done recording her statement, Russell immediately brought her home. The day was breaking as the first light of dawn peeked out over the horizon. With her exceptional hacking skills, Ashlyn had managed to get her hands on the files for J¡¯s case. ording to the records, the criminals did not ask for any ransom, and there was only this fat man who tried to rape J. In fact, when Ashlyn broke into the room, the other men were all fast asleep and only one was awake to patrol the ce. This is a weird kidnap case. Usually kidnappers were either employed to murder, or they just want the ransom. Either way, they all do so for money. Does that mean these people have other motives behind the kidnap? They will release J on the day after tomorrow¡­ Unable to think further, Ashlyn closed the file and left to take a shower. Tomorrow would be the D-day for the G Night. Ashlyn desperately needed a good sleep to keep herself fresh for the event. By the time Ashlyn woke up, it was already 4 PM. She reached for her phone on the table and realized there were quite a few missed calls, all from Pierre and the other co-producers. Ashlyn checked her WhatsApp immediately, which was bombarded by messages from the co- producers and the performers. She decided to call Pierre first. ¡°Hello.¡± On the other side, Pierre raised his brows at her hoarse voice. ¡°Ms. Berry, are you still in bed?¡± ¡°I just woke up. Why?¡± Ashlyn narrowed her eyes. Her brain was still groggy after waking up. ¡°We have all arrived at the Concert Hall for the final rehearsal. Any suggestions or changes you would like to make before the performance?¡± ¡°Oh, ok. Give me half an hour and I¡¯ll be there.¡± Ashlyn hung up the phone and replied to her messages before getting out of bed to wash up. Within a matter of minutes, she was done washing up. After applying some moisturizers and lotions, Ashlyn took her bag and exited her room. N?velDrama.Org content rights. She had just reached the ground floor when she found a whole hill of gifts piled up in her living room. Confused by the situation, she turned to Harrison and Anderson, who were munching on some peanuts. ¡°Where are all these gifts from?¡± Anderson looked up, and his eyes lit up at the sight of his gorgeous Boss. He then tossed his pack of peanuts aside and ran up to Ashlyn. ¡°Boss! These are all gifts from the Smith family.¡± ¡°The Smith family?¡± Ashlyn raised her beautiful brows. ¡°Yes! Because you¡¯ve saved Ms. Smith from the kidnappers, so Mr. Smith is very grateful for your help. He almost groveled before us while expressing his gratitude. This is not all; he even gave each of us a cheque with a handsome amount!¡± Harrison uttered with his legs crossed. ¡°Cheque?¡± Ashlyn replied in amusement. ¡°Yes! He said he wants to thank us for our hard work in saving his granddaughter.¡± Harrison munched on another peanut as he spoke. ¡°Fine, you guys may keep the gifts then, since all of you have worked hardst night.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°The G is due to start at 7 PM. Remember to bring the boys to the show. I¡¯ll leave the tickets here.¡± Ashlyn then took out a stack of tickets and ced them on the table. ¡°Goodness! There are at least a few dozen here!¡± Anderson eximed. ¡°Well, I¡¯m the director of the event after all. Getting this mere stack of tickets is nothing for me.¡± Ashlyn raised her brows lightheartedly and turned to leave. ¡°See you guyster. Dress yourselves properly. Don¡¯t embarrass me in my event, ok?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss! We will dress up nicely and keep our manners.¡± Anderson and Harrison noted with a fawning smile while sending Ashlyn off. They waited until Ashlyn left in her Land Rover before returning to the house. The moment they stepped indoors, though, the two of them turned to each other and smacked their thighs. ¡°Oh, goodness! We got distracted by our Boss!¡± ¡°Yes! We¡¯ve forgotten about the Berry Furnishings stuff!¡± ¡°Err¡­ well¡­ maybe we can report to herter after the G Night.¡± ¡°No¡­ I think it¡¯s best to wait till tomorrow. The National Day G Night will only end at 12 midnight.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± With that, the siblings continued munching on their peanuts while watching TV. Chapter 339 Chapter 339 By the time Ashlyn reached the Concert Hall, the performers were already conducting their final rehearsal. But after scanning the hall, she noticed J was not around. This made Ashlyn pursed her lips in displeasure. After that, she turned around to the crew who all greeted her respectfully. Ashlyn nodded and turned to Pierre and the other co-producers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. J may not be able to performter. Something had happened to the Smiths and we¡¯ve lost contact with her.¡± ¡°Lost contact with her?¡± Pierre eximed. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Yes,¡± Ashlyn replied. ¡°She has been out of contact for some time now, so she most likely couldn¡¯t act in the sketchter. I think we have toe out with another program now.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, I think it would be best to get an idol or any popr young celebrity to save the show,¡± Lisa uttered as a hint of delight shed across her eyes. It was so fast that no one could catch it, yet it didn¡¯t escape Ashlyn keen eyes. She just smiled with her head low and replied in a slightly panicked voice, ¡°No way! The idol has never practiced with us before, so she most likely couldn¡¯t y the character well. If we messed up this performance, I will be the one to bear the wrath of the higher-ups, which I don¡¯t want to face at all.¡± Lisa approached Ashlyn in her long, red dress and patted her shoulders. The delight in her thickened as she saw how panicked Ashlyn looked. With a gloating tone, Lisa comforted Ashlyn over her misfortune. ¡°Well, you shouldn¡¯t worry too much, Ms. Berry. Who knows, J will be hereter. After all, the sketch is one of the most important programs for the night.¡± ¡°I shall discuss with the co-producers about this then,¡± Ashlyn replied and turned to the crew. ¡°Alright, you guys continue with your practice and rehearsal. The G Night is going to start at 7 PM sharp, so keep yourselves refreshed and do your best, ok?¡± ¡°Ok!¡± Everyone answered in their booming voices. After that, Ashlyn dragged the co-producers to the backstage. Unlike the bustle on the stage, the ce was silent and only filled with props and costumes. There was no one around at all. Ashlyn¡¯s usually cool demeanor wasced with a hint of panic. ¡°Pierre, do you have any idea on how to solve this? The G Night is starting soon, but J is missing now.¡± ¡°Let me think, please. Don¡¯t panic, Ms. Berry.¡± Pierre sank into deep thought as he pondered over the problem. The other co-producers also tried to reassure Ashlyn. ¡°Worsee to worst, the rest of us can be the ones to perform. We can put together a good dance performance or sing some patriotic songs for the event. Regardless of whether the sketch can be performed, at least we can fill the gap and make the G Night a sess.¡± ¡°But that sketch has an outstanding plot that is very rtable to our daily lives and also has a hidden message which indirectly mocks the current society, so it is a very important performance that cannot be dropped. Now, what should I do about this?¡± Ashlyn asked back in frustration. ¡°How can I not panic? This is the sweat and blood of so many of us for the past one month!¡± She had on a panicked and helpless expression, but her sharp eyes discreetly swept towards the box that contained the stage props. She saw the hem of a piece of clothing flickering briefly behind the box. It was a red piece of clothing. Ashlyn curled her lips unnoticeably at the sight. Ahh¡­ so you¡¯re eavesdropping, huh? After noticing the eavesdropper, Ashlyn continued her act further. ¡°Forget about it, if J is not back yet, then I¡¯m going on stage myself. I can y the harp or something to rece the sketch.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, if you¡¯re going to perform, then what about the performers for the sketch? They have been practicing for so long for this piece! I¡¯m sure they will be extremely displeased with the fact that they don¡¯t get to perform after all their efforts,¡± Pierremented. ¡°Then what else can we do?¡± Ashlyn panicked. ¡°We can¡¯t do this, and we can¡¯t do that. There¡¯s literally nothing we can do! Don¡¯t tell me we¡¯re going to mess up the G Night then?¡± The red piece of clothing flickered and finally vanished behind the box. Ashlyn let out a cold snort, and the panic on her face vanished into a confident one. ¡°Thanks for your cooperation,¡± she said to the co-producers. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you alright, Ms. Berry? You¡¯re confusing me. What do you mean by cooperation?¡± ¡°Someone is trying to ruin the performance, and it¡¯s one of the performers. What I said to you just now was all part of my act to fish them out. J will arrive on time. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s tone turned stern as she dered, ¡°Since someone wants to ruin the G Night, then I shall make sure it will be an unprecedented sess instead!¡± ¡°Seriously, Ms. Berry?¡± Pierre eximed in surprise. ¡°Yes, so I need all of you to keep this a secret and continue to act like J is still missing,¡± Ashlyn instructed the co-producers before walking out of the backstage together. Chapter 340 Chapter 340 You want to see me make a fool of myself, right? Over my dead body! By 6.30 PM, the spectators gradually entered the Concert Hall and sat in their ces under the directions of the crew. The two rows closest to the stage were roundtable VIP seats filled with exquisite dishes of food and desserts. Each seat wasbelled with a nametag, who were all VIPs of Lake City. The Mayor, Mr. Field, sat at the middlemost table and he was nked by the other political leaders of Lake City, while the other tables sat the other important administrators of Lake City. While the first row consisted of VIPs from the leaders of Lake City, the second row was filled with important figures in the business realm and famous artists of the city. Behind the tables were the third and fourth rows, where they were regr rows of seats with no tables. N?velDrama.Org content rights. These two rows were now empty, as they were prepared for the performers who have finished their performances. Currently, the stage was empty as the show hadn¡¯t started yet. Most of the spectators were seated in their ces now. Led by Harrison and Anderson, Ashlyn¡¯s men had also found their seats and were waiting for the show to start. The seats assigned by Ashlyn were located right in the middle of the Concert Hall. Hence, they all get to enjoy the best view of the performances. As for Jared, he was sitting in the second row as the representative of Centennial Healthcare. Sitting beside Jared was Winsor, who also brought his younger brother Tinsor with him. Dixon also happened to share the same table as them. The four of them merely exchanged pleasantries before taking their seats and then talked no more. Except for Tinsor¡­ He was almost jumping in excitement in his seat. ¡°Hey, Winsor. Do you think my goddess, Ashlyn, will perform today? The social media is in chaos now and they are waiting to see her make a fool of herself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to fanboy over my goddess and cheer for herter.¡± ¡°Winsor-¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Winsor growled lowly at his brother and red at him. ¡°Mr. Field and the other VIPs are all sitting in front of us. Do you want to embarrass yourself?¡± Finally, Tinsor pouted his lips and kept them shut. It was already 6.59 pm. Almost everyone had arrived at the Hall, except for one. The middlemost table of the first row was left with one empty seat, and the namebel for the reserved seat was a very famous one. It was Lucas Nn. The Deputy Mayor put on an awkward smile. ¡°Seems like Mr. Nn is noting here today.¡± Everyone knew that Lucas never liked to attend such events. In fact, thest time when he had attended the charity event was such an unusual urrence that everyone¡¯s eyes had fallen out of their sockets when they saw him. Knowing his character, and that the time was almost 7 pm now, everyone had guessed that Lucas would most likely not attend the G Night as well. Once the G Night started, the doors of the State Concert Hall would be closed, and everyone who waste would not be allowed in anymore. ¡°I guess so¡­ Mr. Nn had always been a busy man. He is a pilot, and also the president of his company. How will he have the time to attend such events?¡± The Director of Lake City TV station assented. He had just finished his words when the crowd by the door stirred suddenly. The spectators turned their heads towards the door to see a tall man in his captain uniform and pilot cap striding towards the first row. ¡°Mr¡­ Mr. Nn?!¡± The director got the shock of his life and immediately stood up from his ce to wee Lucas. ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± Lucas merely nodded in acknowledgement. He had rushed to the Hall the moment his ne touched down. Luckily! We made it on time. Poor Spencer had the fright of his life for Lucas. Mr. Nn had run the red light thrice just to be at Ms. Berry¡¯s G Night on time! Bless my fragile heart! Upon reaching his seat, Lucas ced his cap on the table and sat down in his ce. The people at his table finally came back from their initial shock and greeted Lucas immediately. ¡°Pleasure to see you here, Mr. Nn.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you would attend the G Night!¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Mr. Nn.¡± Sitting in the second row, Dixon¡¯s handsome face was now clouded in an air of displeased gloominess. After all these while, the Haddock family is still considered a family of lower statuspared to the Nns. What an irritating fact! In contrast, Jared and Winsor bore no hard feelings towards Lucas. Winsor, in particr, simply ignored Lucas¡¯ presence as the Nns and the Jaquins were not on exactly good terms with each other before that. Chapter 341 Chapter 341 But now with ir and Tinsor¡¯s friendship that had blossomed within a short period of time, the tensed rtionship between the Nns and the Jaquins seemed to show signs of waning. Of course, this was all thanks to Ashlyn, who beat up the two and ended up converting them into her fanboys. After that round of beating, both ir and Tinsor somehow found each other interestingpanions to have fun with other than fanboying over Ashlyn together¡­ Right then, the lights of the Concert Hall dimmed, and the two emcees went on stage. The duo consisted of a man and a woman, of whom both were the most famous emcees of Lake City TV Station. After a brief opening note and a round of congrattory praises for National Day, the female emcee announced excitedly, ¡°For the first performance, we shall invite the most famous idol pop star of the country, Jonathan Quickton to perform the song ¡®Peace and Glory¡¯!¡± The spectators were all stunned in their ces and failed to react even after the emcees have left the stage. ¡°Jonathan Quickton?¡± ¡°Jonathan Quickton is opening the G?¡± ¡°And he is performing the famous Peace and Glory! I heard that song wasposed by an unknown composer five years ago to praise the glory of our country. But the saidposer has never revealed himself all these years. Many have spected theposer to be Snowstorm, but Snowstorm himself has never rified this spection around him.¡± ¡°Yes, indeed! Although Peace and Glory is a song from five years ago, it is always performed on such patriotic asions. But now¡­ Jonathan is singing that song? Isn¡¯t he an idol singer who sings pop songs? An idol like him singing a patriotic song? Goodness, that sounds weird!¡± ¡°Can he even sing that song well? His image doesn¡¯t match that song at all!¡± The spectators began to chatter in their seats after recovering from the surprise. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Even the VIPs were surprised by the announcement. The voice of the director of Lake City TV Station trembled as he spoke, ¡°How on earth did Ms. Berry get Jonathan to perform in our program? This is Jonathan Quickton we¡¯re talking about! So many TV stations have tried to invite him to perform at a very high price, yet he turned them all down! And now he actually came here?¡± The director grabbed Mr. Field¡¯s arms in excitement. ¡°Mr. Field, can you pinch me? I¡¯m not dreaming, right?¡± ¡°Why are you getting all excited? It¡¯s just Jonathan Quickton!¡± Mr. Field never paid attention to the happenings in the world of showbiz, so he couldn¡¯t get the director¡¯s excitement over Jonathan¡¯s presence. The director exined so excitedly that his saliva almost flew around the table, ¡°Jonathan is the most popr idol in the country! Once we have Jonathan performing, then our program¡¯s audience rating will be guaranteed! The fact that a pop star like him is singing a patriotic song is enough of a publicity stunt to promote our program! Goodness! What¡¯s wrong with Ms. Berry? Why didn¡¯t she make use of Jonathan to promote our program! She should have made use of this opportunity to boost our audience rating! Why didn¡¯t she do that¡­ what a waste! Indeed, she is inexperienced!¡± When the director recovered from his excitement, he began toment over the missed opportunity to promote their program. If only we used Jonathan to promote our program, do I need to worry about the program¡¯s poprity? Do I even need to worry about the audience rating? However, Mr. Field merely smiled. ¡°Ashlyn didn¡¯t want to rely on a mere publicity stunt to attract audience rating. You will know why she didn¡¯t make use of Jonathan to promote the program once you finish watching all the performances for the G Night.¡± Mr. Field suddenly recalled Ashlyn¡¯s words when she had first epted the task to direct the G Night. ¡°If I make use of Madeline Saunders¡¯ fame as a publicity stunt, then we would have both the headlines and the audience rating. But what about next year? We cannot rely on mere publicity stunts to keep a program running. What we should emphasize is the quality of our program. We should attract more audience rating by putting out more high-quality programs for the G Night.¡± She didn¡¯t even bother to make use of her own alter ego as the famous Madeline Saunders to promote her own program, let alone Jonathan, who was just an idol singer. Lucas could hear their conversation clearly from his side. He then took a sip of water from his own ss before adding, ¡°Nah, she just couldn¡¯t care less about the publicity.¡± His words stunned the rest around his table. Did¡­ did Lucas just defend Ashlyn? Goodness! Why is Captain Nn, who is also President Nn of Nn Group, speaking up for Ashlyn? I thought he doesn¡¯t meddle in such affairs? This cold and mighty man of the prestigious Nn family¡­ how on earth did hee to know of a mere director of an event program? Various thoughts were running in the minds of the surrounding VIPs, but no one dared to voice out their doubts. Following the first note of the music, Jonathan went on the stage in his ck tuxedo. It was the first time he had dressed so formally since his debut, be it his attire, or his overall make-over. He looked like apletely different person now with his current matured and staid vibe, especially whenpared with his usually hot performances in his own concert. Chapter 342 Chapter 342 With his gorgeous features, he was absolutely dashing in this formal suit! Among the audience before him, there were countless female fans who were either married or in a rtionship now. Screams of adoration rang out from the audience the moment he started singing. ¡°Ah! My hubby is on stage now!¡± ¡°Ah! Jonathan is gorgeous!¡± ¡°My idol! My man!¡± ¡°I want to take photographs and videos of him!¡± Hence, the fans whipped out their phones and cameras and started taking photographs of him before posting them on Twitter and sending them to their friends through WhatsApp. The audience screamed excitedly, ¡°Oh gosh! I have never expected the opening act of the Lake City¡¯s National Day G Night to be performed by Jonathan!¡± ¡°My idol is so handsome!¡± ¡°My dream hase through. Thank you, Ashlyn, for letting me see my idol!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going crazy soon!¡± Jonathan¡¯s performance in Lake City¡¯s National Day G Night became the trending topic on Twitter. The power of Jonathan¡¯srge fan base was indeed astonishing! Although the other television stations had invited other top-notch celebrities, idols and famous actors for their g nights, none was met with as much online fervor as Jonathan. The posts about Jonathan¡¯s performance achieved a record number of likes within a short time span due to hisrge fan base. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Ashlyn inform us earlier? There is no publicity about this at all. I almost miss a chance to see my idol!¡± ¡°Boo¡­ she¡¯s too much! My idol sings so well!¡± ¡°His rendition is better than the original version!¡± ¡°My idol can even sing a patriotic song. Furthermore, he sings it so well. To think that Ms. Berry can whip up such a good idea and convince a famous celebrity like him to perform such a wonderful rendition of the song! Thanks to Ms. Berry for showing us a different side of our idol!¡± The fans continued to upload the pictures and posted them on various social media tforms. The media covering the G Night was in a state of frenzied excitement too, as they snapped away at Joseph from various angles before posting the photographs onto Twitter. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. After all, it was crucial for a reporter to jump on the bandwagon and report thetest trending news. The other television stations were dumbfounded. How does Lake City manage to invite Joseph to perform on its G Night when none of us can do him? And it has convinced him to sing a rendition of a patriotic sing as the opening act! This unexpected decision reaps such good results! Everyone knows that Joseph is an idol specialized in singing and dancing. He has been in a long-term coboration with Snowstorm, and thetter hasposed numerous popr pop songs for him over the years. So who would have imagined that he will dress so formally and sing a patriotic song on stage! What¡¯s more, in order to entice him to ept our invitation, we have promised him the freedom to choose what he wanted to perform without any intervention from the television stations and governmental authorities. Now, the Lake City Television Station will be famous overnight! After Jonathan¡¯s grand performance, everyone was waiting in anticipation for the other performances lined up for the National G Night. Lisa was stunned as she held the phone. Ashlyn has managed to invite Joseph? This is unbelievable! But so what if she manages to invite Jonathan? The G Night has started, and J has yet to turn up! Haha, what is Ashlyn going to do without her female lead? Although Ashlyn was giving outmands to the broadcasting staff calmly, a hint of panic shed across her face asionally. Nevertheless, she managed to suppress her anxiety, and the performance went on smoothly. A satisfied smirk yed across Lisa¡¯s face as she observed Ashlyn from a near distance. Ashley, you have embarrassed the Haddock Group and caused us to suffer great losses. We won¡¯t stop at kidnapping J. Ashlyn caught the smirk on Lisa¡¯s face from the corner of her eyes. Lowering her gaze, a discreet smile spread across her face. Now I know who has kidnapped J. Joseph bowed after his performance. A resounding apuse rang out from the audience. Chapter 343 Chapter 343 His manager hurried over to wee him as he entered the backstage. ¡°Jonathan, you are great!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Joseph looked at him, puzzled, as he undid the buttons on his cor. He was too used to donning casual attire. The stiff cor of the formal shirt was making him ufortable. ¡°Your performance is amazing and has received unanimously great reviews.¡± The manager whipped out his phone to show him. ¡°Your sudden change in style and decision to sing the patriotic song has received great reviews from theizens and the government. Look at this.¡± The manager swiped his phone and scrolled down to view thements on Twitter, ¡°Look at this. The Youth Committee has left you apliment through its Twitter ount! The state media has praised you!¡± Joseph was surprised. Although he was popr with arge fan base, he was only a pop star after all. The government usually paid no heed to a small-time idol like him. ¡°Look! Even the state media praises you as an idol spreading positive influence! Haha, the state media seldompliments celebrities!¡± The manager was so proud that he almost cried tears of joy. But Joseph remained humble, ¡°Help me thank them. I still have a long way to go if I want to act in movies and television dramas. It¡¯s only a patriotic song. There¡¯s no need to blow up the matter.¡± Though idols who could sing and dance could attract arge fan case, he was still keen on bing an actor starring in family dramas instead of idol shows. But he needed the government¡¯s approval before he could act in television dramas. The advice his boss gave himst night popped up in his mind. Indeed, Boss is never wrong! I finally got it! He let out a deep sigh. At this moment, Lisa was singing on stage apanied by other dancers. The performers were merely extras who were selected to represent their respective departments. But their level of professionalism surprised many. In fact, their performance did not lose out to professional actors. Although the female singer¡¯s voice was quite ordinary, she had a good sense of timing as her singing hit all the right notes. The dance performance was well-coordinated with lively expressions on the dancers¡¯ faces. The audience, including those who did not appreciate music, enjoyed the performance. Another round of apuse rang out after the performance ended. The audience had not expected such a good performance following Jonathan¡¯s performance. With the sess of the two consecutive performances, the audience was waiting for the next performance in anticipation. ¡°They can sing and dance pretty well.¡± ¡°The female performers¡¯ make up is particrly fashionable.¡± ¡°I wonder what the brand of the female singer¡¯s lipstick is? It looks fabulous on her.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the next performance?¡± Lisa brimmed with confidence as she entered the backstage after her performance ended. Sweeping her gaze across the room, she feigned a concerned look and approached Ashlyn after she confirmed that J did not turn up, ¡°Ms. Berry, you still can¡¯t find J?¡± Ashley took off her earphones and cast a panicked nce at Lisa before answering her in an annoyed tone, ¡°If I knew that J is so unreliable, I will not have cast her as the female lead for the sketch right at the start. She should let me know if she is not interested in performing instead of vanishing now.¡± Ashlyn ranted on in an irritated tone. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Lisa blinked innocently and consoled her, ¡°Ms. Berry, don¡¯t be angry. Should I head over to the Smiths¡¯ house and take a look?¡± ¡°There is no need for that. It¡¯s all my fault that I have chosen the wrong person. A director has gone to the Smiths¡¯ house already. I have to find someone to rece her if she doesn¡¯t turn up,¡± said Ashlyn, shaking her head resignedly. Lisa was secretly thrilled. Ashlyn returned to her work. Lisa sent a WhatsApp message to Sienna, ¡°Ashlyn thinks that J has not turned up for work on purpose. It seems like the Smiths has not told anyone about her disappearance and is only searching for her secretly.¡± Chapter 344 Chapter 344 ¡°I get it. Be careful and don¡¯t let the cat out of the bag,¡± replied Sienna. At this moment, in the president¡¯s office in Haddock Group. Sienna reported to Dixon about Ashlyn¡¯s situation. Dixon narrowed his eyes. One could not read his mind from the indifferent look on his face. ¡°Since J¡¯s family is looking for her secretly, why haven¡¯t those losers ask you for more money?¡± ¡°I have made the full payment to them already. I guess they must be worried about the police, thus switching off their phones. In fact, they are uncontactable now as I can¡¯t reach them on their phones,¡± exined Sienna warily. ¡°Losers!¡± Dixon chided coldly. ¡°Find those losers and get rid of them!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Trembling with fear, Sienna left the office. Get rid of them. Sienna understood what Dixon meant by those words. Taking in a deep breath, she began to send out orders to search for those thugs. But they had no idea that J had returned home safely. Everything progressed smoothly in ordance to Ashlyn¡¯s ns. Time passed slowly. All the performances were fabulous. The training, which the performers had undergone for thest couple of months, paid off. The performers had improved tremendously, particrly those performing the dance segments. The folk dancers were graceful, while the modern dancers¡¯ vigor enraptures many. Many were also impressed with the fluid movements of the elegant ballroom dancers. On the other hand, there was a wide variety of singing segments and sketches, entertaining the vast audience. Furthermore, the audience learnt that most of the sketches were written by Madeline Saunders. Needless to say, Madeline Saunders is a prominent figure. Not only can she draw, y the piano but she is also a popr author! Herst novel was published three years ago, and her fans were pining for her new novel since then. At that time, herst novel had caused a huge sensation, racking up immense profits. In fact, its sales record had topped the chart for over a year. The sales were still going strong till date, resulting in several rounds of re-publications by the publisher. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Needless to say, the sketches written by Madeline Saunders were terrific! The scripts coupled with the convincing acting of the actors resulted in a great performance, enjoyed immensely by the audience. Lucas was seated among the audience, but he didn¡¯t care about the performances. His mind was upied with the thoughts of seeing her¡­ But Ashlyn did not appear on stage even after many performances. Finally, he could not help but ask impatiently, ¡°When will Ashlyn be on stage?¡± Spencer swallowed hard and checked out the program list hurriedly. After looking through the list a couple of times, he replied finally, ¡°Mr. Nn, Ms. Berry is the producing director and won¡¯t be performing on stage.¡± Lucas¡¯ face clouded over. The coldness he emitted sent a chill down the spines of the other prominent figures sitting at the same table. What is wrong with him? The atmosphere seems to have be tense suddenly. On the other hand, in the backstage. Charlotte¡¯s face was ghastly white as she hugged her cello tightly. Her beautiful eyes were wide with terror. Her exquisite makeup was unable to disguise the terror she was feeling now. In fact, her hands were trembling badly. I will be up in the next second¡­ There are so many people here¡­ I can¡¯t do it! I will die of fright¡­ This is so scary¡­ I feel terrible¡­ She felt as if she could not breathe. L was trying his best to encourage her. Looking worried, he held her hands tightly and said softly, ¡°Lottie, you can do it. You must ovee your phobia. Uncle L believes in you. You are a big girl now, so you have nothing to fear. Lottie, you will put on a great performance, just like how you have done during your practice. Do you understand that?¡± Chapter 345 Chapter 345 ¡°Don¡¯t look at the audience. Just keep your head low and focus on your performance¡± But his words of encouragement were utterly useless. Charlotte was getting more terrified by the minute, and her mind went nk. She stared at L pitifully and whimpered in a crying voice, ¡°Uncle L, I¡¯m terrified¡­¡± At this moment, Ashlyn walked to their side. Her brows knitted as she caught the terror on Charlotte¡¯s face. ¡°There is no need to be afraid.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry¡­Ms. Berry¡­¡± Charlotte withdrew her hands from L¡¯s grasp and tugged at Ashlyn¡¯s sleeves while looking at her as if her life depended on thetter. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Charlotte, you have practiced so hard for the G Night, so you must go on!¡± Ashlyn held Charlotte¡¯s hands as she continued, ¡°Your Uncle L is very concerned about you and really hopes that you can ovee your phobia. Charlotte, I have full confidence in you.¡± ¡°No¡­No¡­¡± Charlotte shook her head vehemently. She did not know what to do. Her fingers were frozen with fear, and there was no way she could y the cello given her current condition. How can I perform on stage in this state? Her hands started to turn numb, and she almost dropped the cello. Looking at Charlotte¡¯s terrified state now, L felt regretful and sorry for her. It¡¯s all my fault. I should not have asked her to perform in front of so many people. My n to toughen her up through this method has backfired, causing her to be so terrified. She has finally improved after such a long time and can hold simple conversations with outsiders now. I can¡¯t risk her being so terrified and retreat into her shell.¡± He looked at Ashlyn, troubled, ¡°Ms. Berry, given Lottie¡¯s present state, why don¡¯t we cancel her performance?¡± Ashlyn had been observing Charlotte quietly. Her exquisite features were filled with terror and anxiety. She must be really terrified. Indeed, the rumors are true. Autism is so scary. She¡¯s trapped in her own world and is too frightened to venture into the outside world. After a thoughtful ponder, Ashlyn suggested, ¡°Charlotte, you must be brave. Is it okay if I apany you on stage?¡± ¡°You apany me?¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened with astonishment as she looked at Ashlyn in disbelief. ¡°You apany me?¡± She repeated. Ashley wrapped her hands around Charlotte¡¯s hands tightly, ¡°You can y the cello while I dance. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Charlotte bit her lips as her eyes sparkled with joy. ¡°Since when have I lied to you before?¡± Ashlyn smiled before continuing gently, ¡°I will get changed now. Wait for me here.¡± On the stage, a stand-upedy wasing to an end now. Luckily, there were a lot of costumes in the backstage. Charlotte was dressed in a white traditional costume. Ashlyn chose a red traditional costume to match Charlotte¡¯s. She put on a simple makeup swiftly and pulled Charlotte¡¯s hands, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± On the stage, Charlotte sat in front of the cello. She was a refreshing sight, as she resembled a romantic ancientdy in her white traditional costume and exquisite makeup. In fact, she looked like a fairy as the spotlights shone on her. However, Charlotte was feeling suffocated as everyone¡¯s eyesnded upon her. Her eyes glistened with tears of fear. At this moment, a woman in red danced in front of her and shielded her from the audience¡¯s gaze. She trembled and looked at Ashlyn, who was dancing before her. Her terrified gaze met Ashlyn¡¯s eyes, which were filled with warmth. A stirring warmth flowed through her. In that instant, she forgot that she was on the stage. Lowering her gaze, she started to y the cello. Chapter 346 Chapter 346 Coming from the cello, beautiful music dripped like honey as every string was strung. Ashlyn started to dance along with the music. She resembled a beautiful butterfly spreading her wings, graceful and beautiful. One could not help but be enthralled by her. Lucas, who was in an irritable mood, was surprised to see her on stage. His eyes widened with astonishment. That is Ashlyn! I never knew that she can dance so well! N?velDrama.Org content rights. Her legs extended like a prima ballerina, and she glided across the stage, arms held in front, fingertips touching, just like a beautiful butterfly flitting from one flower to another. The audience looked at the pair of performers, each decked in red and white, with astonishment. The lady in white resembled a lily, pure and resilient; thedy in red resembled a red rose, symbolizing romantic love and enduring passion. Some of the audience was so enthralled by the performance, the captivating dance apanied by beautiful music, and forgot to take photographs. The media was taking pictures frenziedly. ¡°They are so beautiful, and their coordination is perfect.¡± ¡°Oh gosh! This performance is so breathtaking!¡± Impressed by the performance, the reporters posted the newly-taken pictures onto their Twitter with ttering reviews. Again, their posts sparked another trending topic on Twitter. Theizens made it their duty to find out the identities of the two female performers. Some recognized Ashlyn immediately. ¡°Oh gosh! It¡¯s Ashlyn!¡± ¡°I never knew that she can dance so well!¡± ¡°No wonder she is the producing director. She is indeed very talented.¡± ¡°The G Night organized by this television station is fabulous! It¡¯s the best that I have ever seen!¡± ¡°Not only is Ashlyn talented but she is humble too.¡± The G Night of the Lake City Television Station topped the trends on Twitter. As for the other television stations, there was not much talk about their G Night. Needless to say, these television stations did not take their defeat well and were jealous of Lake City Television Station¡¯s sess. Lucas was watching the performance, particrly the dancer, intently. It was as if she was baiting him with her slender waist, her graceful silhouette and her godlike beauty. His gaze was fixated on her, boring into her. Ashlyn, why do you always surprise me? He felt a strong urge to rush onto the stage and pulled her into his tight embrace to shield her from others¡¯ gazes. I should be the only person who can admire her beauty. On the stage, both performers in red and whiteplemented each other. L was seated among the audience and continued to take videos of Charlotte. I must capture every moment of her first performance. It is wonderful. He sighed and looked at the cellist on stage. This is too astonishing. What a surprise. She is blossoming into such a beautiful, talented woman. There will be a day when the world finally discovers her true beauty. But I have noticed her unique talent in music before everyone else. Finally, the performance came to an end, and it received great apuse from the audience. Ashlyn, taking Charlotte¡¯s hand in hers, bowed. Only then did she realize that Charlotte¡¯s hand was wet with sweat. She shed a warm smile at Charlotte and there were sparkles in her eyes. Charlotte felt a gush of warmth sweeping over her. Lisa, who was sitting among the audience with the rest of the performers who had finished their segments, scoffed silently. So what if you have performed well? Let¡¯s see how you are going to cope with J¡¯s disappearance! As the G Night progressed, other than Jonathan, the subsequent performances were not helmed by any other top-notch celebrities but by extras who had only undergone a month of training. They were merely staff assigned by the various departments to participate in the performances. Yet, everyone had done astoundingly well. It was a real treat for the audience, and each segment had stirred up a lively discussion on Twitter. The male singer could sing so well. Chapter 347 Chapter 347 The sketch ¡®Fool¡¯ had a profound meaning. The two female performers in the cello performance were so beautiful. Stand-upedy ¡®Vegetable¡¯ was so funny. ¡°To be honest, I did not expect amateur performers to do so well. Coming to this G Night is so worth it.¡± ¡°Especially the ¡®Vegetable¡¯! He is not a veteran performer or a full-time artiste. Yet, he can do so well!¡± ¡°The cellist in white is so pretty, resembling a white rose, while Ashlyn resembles a red rose. Both of them cooperated so well.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! And the sketch ¡®Fools are only pretending¡¯ teaches one that it is a blessing to be more giving.¡± ¡°I heard that thest performance is also a sketch, advocating the fight against corruption. I really respect them for writing a script that centered around such a sensitive topic.¡± ¡°Yes, I look forward to the sketch.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± The lively discussion on Twitter continued. Most of the reviews online were positive except for a few negative reviews. ¡°What rubbish are they singing? The singer is off-pitch! Is he lip-syncing?¡± ¡°Please, are you kidding? Anyone who lip-syncs will be perfectly in tune. Who will opt to lip-sync an off- pitch song?¡± ¡°Those who scold my goddess, Ashlyn, get lost!¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I scold her? What talent of her is there to affirm? She is only good at marketing herself.¡± ¡°What has she done? The official ount had tagged her on Twitter only. Please get it clear. You can also ask Lake City to call you out on Twitter if you have the ability.¡± The viewers of the G Night¡¯s live broadcast increased along with the online discussions. It started from 2 million viewers to 5 million viewers, 10 million viewers, and now, it had achieved 30 million viewers and still counting. Needless to say, the broadcasting tform was thrilled. The G Night was trending on Twitter, thus had attracted huge numbers of viewers to its tform. After all, theizens were very smart nowadays and would not waste a second on lousy shows. They just switched to the live broadcast of Lake City¡¯s G Night once they realized it was interesting. The ¡®likes¡¯ of the live broadcast were never ending. Everyone was shocked by this unprecedented sess. It did not take long for the number of viewers to hit 50 million, and it was still counting. Initially, the broadcasting tform had the same opinion as theizens that Lake City¡¯s G Night would not do too well. But who would have expected that Ashlyn was so capable! She had trained the performers so well and convinced every one of her ability with the quality performances. Soon, the G Night wasing to an end. Lisa sat back on her chair with a smug on her face as she waited for Ashlyn to make a fool of herself. Then, the lights dimmed. The props were moved onto the stage swiftly before the lights were turned on again upon the host¡¯s signal. The stage was awash in light. At this moment, a familiar figure came onto the stage. Who else could it be other than J with her tall, slender frame and her familiar face? Lisa nearly fell out of her seat in shock. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°How did she get here?¡± Before realizing it, she had stood up and eximed loudly in shock while ring at J. Everyone turned their eyes on her, including some bosses who were not too pleased with her interruption. Their gaze on her jolted her back to her senses, reminding her that she should be watching the performance quietly instead. Her face was ghastly white as she sat down. J¡¯s sketch centered around the topic of anti-corruption and had a profound significance. Her role was of a section chief who abused her authority and lick her bosses¡¯ boots while demeaning her subordinates. She had cooked the books and epted bribes while lying to everyone in every way. But she had got away with her crimes because she always licked the shoes of her bosses. Then, one fateful day when she was trying to tter her new boss but to no avail. Her new boss discovered her crimes and reported her to the police. Chapter 348 Chapter 348 J¡¯s acting was perfect in terms of her gestures and expressions. She bowed to the audience when the sketch came to an end and said, ¡°The G Night ising to an end now. I want to thank Ms. Berry for all her help. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. As the night came to an end, all the performers returned to the stage to sing the song ¡®Unforgettable Night¡¯ together. Everyone¡¯s spirits rose to their zenith. Watching the live broadcast, theizens had nothing but praises and even started a new thread, ¡°What other talents a performerck if he can perform in the G Night?¡± Lucas¡¯ gaze remained fixated on Ashlyn. She was pushed to the center by the other performers. Despite having so many beautiful performers around her, Ashlyn¡¯s beauty is still so captivating. I can¡¯t tear my eyes off her. I wonder what she is saying to Jonathan, who is standing beside her now. His face is slightly blushed, and he seems to be looking at her with a flirtatious glint in his eyes. Lucas felt a surge of jealousy rising within him. How can a small-time celebrity seduce my woman! He must have a death wish! Damn! ¡°Ban him!¡± Lucas ordered out of the blue. ¡°Mr. Nn¡­¡± Spencer was ced in a difficult position. How can Mr. Nn ban his ownpany¡¯s idol simply in a fit of rage? Spencer went on nervously, ¡°Jonathan is the top celebrity in Nn Entertainment. We need him to lead our rookies. Otherwise, those veteran artistes will not care a dime about our rookies.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Upon hearing Spencer¡¯s words, Lucas remembered that Jonathan was under hispany. ¡°Cancel all his jobs next week to serve him a warning.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I wonder what has Jonathan done to offend his own boss to lose all his jobs for the entire week. Spencer would never dream that Jonathan was punished by Lucas simply because thetter was jealous. After the G Night had ended, Jared asked Jonathan, ¡°What did my boss say to you just now? ¡°Your boss is right.¡± Jonathan rubbed his nose before going on, ¡°She asks if I¡¯m interested to act in a movie. My role will be an idol.¡± ¡°Act in a movie?¡± Jared raised his brows. ¡°Yes! She wants to invest in it, so I have asked her to speak to my manager.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I know beforehand that my boss wants to film a movie?¡± Jared looked forlorn as he felt left out by Ashlyn. ¡°Maybe the thought just strikes her.¡± With that, Jonathan left with his manager. Jared went to fetch Ashlyn. She was in the midst of bidding farewell to the performers in the backstage. Jared leapt with shock as he caught sight of the scene in the backstage. If I don¡¯t know better, I may have thought that someone just died. The performers had not even changed out of their costumes and were surrounding Ashlyn. Some were talking to her while some were wiping tears off their cheeks. What¡­ is going on now? Jared was baffled and caught Ashlyn¡¯s words, ¡°Enough of this. We will have a chance to cooperate in the future. I have booked the restaurant at the Imperial Hotel for next Saturday. Why don¡¯t I treat everyone to a farewell dinner?¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, Imperial Hotel is rather expensive. Isn¡¯t it too extravagant to treat more than a hundred people for dinner at the hotel?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste your money.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Berry. Don¡¯t spend so much money on us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t fret over it.¡± Ashlyn smiled and caught sight of Jared, thus she continued, ¡°My friend is here to fetch me. I need to leave now.¡± Everyone turned around to see Jared and started teasing them immediately. ¡°Ah, Mr. Quickton! Ms. Berry¡¯s boyfriend!¡± ¡°Mr. Quickton is here to show off his love towards Ms. Berry!¡± ¡°Mr. Quickton, Ms. Berry is great! Your choice is fabulous!¡± A blush crept up on Jared¡¯s neck and face. My rtionship with my Boss is purely work. We are not lovers. Chapter 349 Chapter 349 Lucas and Spencer had just arrived at the backstage when they heard the performers¡¯ cheers. Their faces darkened instantly. Lucas thought furiously, Just now, it was Jared Quickton. Now it¡¯s Jonathan Quickton. What¡¯s with all the Quicktons? Damn it! When he imagined how these men stared at her, he couldn¡¯t help but feel upset. His eyes glinted coldly as he walked to the backstage. As soon as his tall figure appeared, everyone felt a chill running down their spines. That¡¯s chilly. Why does it suddenly feel like the temperature has dipped below zero? A heavy silence hung in the air. Ashlyn nced at the man whose face had darkened and raised her brows. ¡°Mr. Nn, may I help you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride home.¡± The man¡¯s voice was like a cello, seductive and melodious. However, he didn¡¯t manage to seduce Ashlyn who merely dug her ears and smirked. Her gaze was indifferent as she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Mr. Quickton and I are going the same way.¡± Lisa stood in a corner as jealousy zed through her heart. How did that b***h find J? She wondered how J appeared right in the nick of time. As J was here, the G Night was a great sess. She was certain Dixon would ce the me on her after looking into the matter. Viciousness gleamed across Lisa¡¯s face as she thought, Damn it, how will I report to Sienna now? I¡¯ve assured her J won¡¯t be here. Upon recalling how ruthless Dixon was, Lisa couldn¡¯t help but shudder in fear. Meanwhile, Lucas could only watch as Ashlyn enter Jared¡¯s car. He held back the fury in his heart as he knew he shouldn¡¯t force her to go his way. The only way to her heart was to follow her wishes. However, it irritated him to see her with other men. Suddenly, he suspected the advice given by the so-called online love gurus was nothing but nonsense. He shouldn¡¯t have trusted them. Gritting his teeth, he ordered Spencer who was sitting right ahead. ¡°Order 99 flower stands for me.¡± Spencer was confused. ¡°Where do you want to deliver them to?¡± ¡°To the entrance of the city Hall.¡± Thus, the front page news of Lake City Morning Post read as following. A mysterious man delivered 99 flower stands to the entrance of our city hall, with a note congratting Ashlyn Berry for the sess of Lake City¡¯s G Night. This mysterious suitor is stressing out Ms. Berry¡¯s other suitors! This generous suitor must have deep pockets to be able to do something this extravagant! That was the exact quote taken from Lake City Morning Post. Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help but sigh in exasperation upon reading that article. She was certain that crazy Lucas was behind this. Why does he like to be the center of attention? Ashlyn massaged her temples in resignation. She suddenly noticed Harrison and Anderson shoving each other unwillingly. She shot them a look. ¡°What is it? Stop pushing each other like little girls.¡± ¡°Boss, er¡­ It¡¯s about Berry Furnishings.¡± ¡°A few days ago, we¡­¡± ¡°Get to the point,¡± Ashlyn sat up and demanded while leaving the newspaper aside. ¡°I told you to get something on them, right? What did you get? It has been days. Don¡¯t tell me you got nothing.¡± ¡°Yes, we did,¡± Harrison hurriedly replied. ¡°We wanted to report it yesterday, but we forgot about it.¡± ¡°If you found something, hand the evidence to the authorities. Thew is fair and just,¡± Ashlyn replied coolly. ¡°Since they misused the loopholes in thew, they should get punished ordingly.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. We¡¯ll deal with it now.¡± Both men ran away at once. After a break, Ashlyn prepared lunch and went to the hospital.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. She had been busy with the G Night, so she didn¡¯t have time for her grandma. Chapter 350 Chapter 350 Before she entered the ward, she could hear amotion from afar. Frowning, she picked up her pace. ¡°Look at that expensive stuff. Ashlyn must be rich now!¡± Horace¡¯s rude voice rang out as he stared at Susan viciously. Susan cowered back in fear. ¡°Lucas was the one who changed them.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Lucas? Are you lying to me? I don¡¯t see any Lucas here!¡± Horace demanded angrily. ¡°I don¡¯t care. Get two million from Ashlyn. She¡¯s a famous doctor who gets paid a lot by those wealthy men! She must be rich!¡± Susan gazed at her furious son worriedly. ¡°Horace, it isn¡¯t easy for Ashlyn to earn a living. Can you stop extorting her?¡± ¡°Mom, how could you be so partial to her? Horace¡¯spany has lost a few contracts strangely within the past few days. We¡¯re facing a cash flow issue now. He¡¯s your son, so you must help him. The only person who can help Horace now is Ashlyn. If she can pay for this VIP ward, she can help Horace, too!¡± Mary shrilled. She then added, ¡°You should be closer to your son than your granddaughter! Why won¡¯t you help your son?¡± Tears brimmed in Susan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Stop it! Ashlyn isn¡¯t rich at all.¡± ¡°Even if I am rich, I won¡¯t give my money to ingrates like y¡¯all.¡± Suddenly, an icy voice rang from the door. The three of them looked in the door¡¯s direction and saw Ashlyn with a lunchbox in her hand. She was dressed in an icy blue midi dress which highlighted her striking features. She walked into the room with an icy aura around her. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. cing the lunchbox on the table, she said, ¡°Grandma, I have prepared some chicken soup for you. Let me pour some for you.¡± She literally ignored both Horace and his wife. However, she couldn¡¯t help but think, Why is Horace¡¯s company in trouble now? I don¡¯t think they have handed the evidence to the authorities yet. That¡¯s strange. Susan gazed at Ashlyn and sighed before turning to the couple. ¡°You should leave now.¡± ¡°Mom, remember to consider what we¡¯ve just told you!¡± Horace hinted at Susan before pulling an unwilling Mary away with him. Mary grew increasingly afraid of Ashlyn after what had happened earlier. She dared not say anything and scuttled out from the room. ¡°Ashlyn, that woman nted those evil ideas in your dad¡¯s head. Don¡¯t me him.¡± Susan spoke after a brief hesitation as she was afraid Ashlyn might hate Horace. ¡°Your dad wasn¡¯t like this back then.¡± Ashlyn interrupted Susan before she could finish. ¡°Grandma, stop defending him. He became an ingrate because you kept defending him!¡± At her words, tears rolled down the olddy¡¯s cheeks. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ashlyn immediately regretted her words, especially when she saw her grandmother¡¯s tears. Upon recalling how her grandmother brought her up, her tone turned exasperated. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say sorry. My dad is the one who should apologize.¡± She gave the bowl of chicken soup to Susan. ¡°Here, try some.¡± Ashlyn let out a long breath as uneasiness crept up her heart. Mary¡¯s voice was still audible in her ear. ¡°You should be closer to your son than your granddaughter!¡± She abruptly recalled a news article she had seen previously. A paralyzed old man was buried alive by his son. But when his son was about to get locked up in jail, he showed up and humbled himself for the sake of his son. Suddenly, she understood why her grandmother refused to stay with her no matter how many times she made that offer. She might be close to her grandmother, but Horace was her son. A mother would always love her son selflessly. Perhaps Grandma loves Horace the most, she thought. After drinking some of the soup, Susan put the bowl down and looked at Ashlyn, obviously torn. ¡°Ashlyn, your dad¡¯spany isn¡¯t doing well.¡± Chapter 351 Chapter 351 ¡°Grandma, are you asking money for him?¡± Ashlyn could feel her heart sink slowly. Two million was nothing for her, but that request of Susan went straight into her heart like an iron shard. Susan knew how Horace and Mary abused her since young. But she was right. Horace was still Ashlyn¡¯s father. Do I deserve to get leeched off by those ingrates because I¡¯m rted to him? She thought angrily. Susan¡¯s heart wrenched when she noticed Ashlyn¡¯s expression had darkened. She knew her granddaughter listened to her because she had brought her up. Susan didn¡¯t want to hurt Ashlyn, but her son was in trouble. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to see her son being pressured by those loan sharks. In the end, she exhaled heavily and said nothing. When Lucas and Spencer entered the ward, they were observant enough to detect an odd silence hanging in the air. Spencer hurriedly left the gifts on the ground and retreated to the door. Ashlyn was already annoyed, so his arrival merely intensified her annoyance. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Lucas has been visiting me every day. When you were busy, he chatted with me to relieve my boredom,¡± Susan hurriedly exined. Lucas nced at Susan approvingly. ¡°Grandma, how do you feel today?¡± To ease the tension in the air, Susan looked at Ashlyn before turning to Lucas. ¡°Not bad. Lucas, you should stop bringing me gifts. You¡¯ve brought a lot for the past few days.¡± She was obviously defending Lucas. Ashlyn was surprised to hear Lucas had beening to visit her grandmother every day. Well, well. Since when is he that free? Looking up, Ashlyn met his deep gaze, which was like a whirlpool sucking her in. Lucas acted like a kid waiting to get praised in kindergarten, but his words were humble. ¡°It¡¯s my duty to spend time with Grandma.¡± Ashlyn was speechless. Is this shameless person Lucas Nn? Aren¡¯t you a domineering president and pilot? Why are you acting like an obedient boy? Ashlyn inhaled deeply and suppressed the strange emotions in her heart before looking out of the window. She had mixed feelings when she thought of the Berrys, her grandmother and also Lucas. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. She rubbed her temples wearily as she felt her head aching. She then left the ward after a while. Lucas immediately came out behind her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you unhappy?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ashlyn shook her head. ¡°Honey, you don¡¯t have to go against the Berrys. I¡¯ll seek justice on behalf of you.¡± Lucas¡¯ mellow voice rang in her ear. Ashlyn stopped in her tracks and gazed at him. ¡°Lucas, Horace is having problems with hispany¡¯s cash flow. Was that your doing?¡± Back in the ward, she was wondering why Horace panicked if Harrison and Anderson hadn¡¯t handed in the evidence yet. As it turned out Lucas was behind this. Is he attentive or ruthless? She wondered. ¡°Honey, no one can bully you!¡± Lucas paused and continued in his icy voice. ¡°Not even your father!¡± There was no room for negotiation in his oppressing tone. He was acting like Ashlyn was a baby who needed constant care and protection. A lump appeared in Ashlyn¡¯s throat. There were things she wanted to say, but she couldn¡¯t seem to get them out. For some reason, it felt strange to her. Why are my eyes watering? Her grandmother who was her closest rtive was on Horace¡¯s side. She had no idea Lucas would say that to defend her. He was standing right behind her. It felt strange. Unlike the feeling she got from Jared and her underlings, it felt like she was being loved and protected by someone who adored her. Chapter 352 Chapter 352 Ashley took a deep breath and looked away, blinking her eyes continuously to get rid of the tears. Then, she looked at Lucas. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. Lucas¡¯ eyes fixed on her in an unwavering stare and took in her reaction. After a while, he parted his lips and requested, ¡°Honey, since you want to thank me, let¡¯s have a meal together today.¡± Ashlyn nced at the man who was getting under her skin. She should have reprimanded him for being a busybody. She could¡¯ve dealt with Horace herself, but¡­ She couldn¡¯t bring herself to do so and even epted his kind gesture. Ashlyn couldn¡¯t believe she had just thanked him. Her actions were getting stranger and stranger by the day to the point that she didn¡¯t even know what she wanted! Ashlyn Berry, did Lucas sessfully lead you astray? She chided herself. Perhaps it was because Grandma chose Horace instead of me, so I was hurt by her decision. Or perhaps Horace had gone too far. Lucas was the only one who stood by my side and protected me. Ugh, I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s wrong with me! In the end, Lucas brought her to the supermarket to buy some ingredients. The hard-to-please Mr. Nn refused to eat anything except for her cooking. She bought some steak, eggnts, carrots and other leafy greens. Spencer pushed the cart as he watched Ashlyn picking the ingredients with his boss right behind her. There was an endearing smile on Lucas¡¯ face as he followed her around foolishly. The fool trailed behind Ashlyn and whipped out his phone to take a photo of her back when she was bending down to pick the ingredients. Her slender calves peeked out beneath her icy blue dress. She was wearing a pair of earrings from the same collection and had left her hair down. She looked absolutely fabulous and stunning. Even a photo of her back sent ripples through his heart. Lucas felt the urge to show her off to everyone. But a photo of her back wasn¡¯t enough to show his affection, so¡­ At noon, thanks to dear Mr. Nn, Ashlyn¡¯s name made it to the top trending topics. The reason was that Mr. Nn had donated 110 million to Madeline Saunders¡¯ charity. He also tweeted. Since my wife loves giving to charities, I have no choice but to keep donating! Together with the tweet, he had attached that photo of Ashlyn¡¯s back. After Ashlyn donated 110 million under the name of Nn Group, Lucas donated another 110 million once again. What a sweet show-off! Oneizen¡¯s reply read: So this is what wealthy people do to show their affection. Another read: Mr. Nn spent 110 million just to show his affection? He is my idol. Also. Captain Nn¡¯s show of affection is way different from us ordinary people. Some expressed their excitement: Oh my, I¡¯m gonna faint now! Some were jealous: Cold, hard cash! I¡¯ve never seen so much money in my life. Well, since Mr. Nn was in a good mood, spending some petty cash meant nothing to him. Moneyes and goes, right? Meanwhile, Ashlyn didn¡¯t even know what Lucas did to have propelled her to the top trending topics. She had already picked out all the ingredients and also a few types of sauces. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Both of them made their way to the cashier. There were many social media addicts in the supermarket who shopped while they scrolled through Twitter. By now, they had seen the top trending topics on Twitter. One youngster stared at Ashlyn in shock, but Spencer was standing right behind them and blocked his view. Ashlyn had lowered her head and her hair covered her profile, so no one could see her face clearly. Thus, this young man could only snap a photo of Lucas and Ashlyn lining up at the counter. He instantly uploaded the photo to Twitter. OMG! I¡¯ve just seen Mr. and Mrs. Nn! Mrs. Nn looks so pretty even from the back. He typed furiously and posted that tweet promptly. Chapter 353 Chapter 353 His tweet immediately caused an uproar. One reply read: Which supermarket is this? Wow, Mr. Nn is so down to earth! Another read: They bought so many ingredients. Is Mrs. Nn going to cook? Oh dear! I think I¡¯ve just discovered a secret. The wealthy Mrs. Nn cooks her own meals and never relied on her servants! I envy Mr. Nn so much! Oneizen expressed his jealousy: Damn it, I¡¯m so jealous. Mr. Nn is so lucky to get such a pretty and caring wife. Another was quick to guess: What is Mrs. Nn cooking? Steak with roasted carrots? Spiced eggnt quinoa sd? Someone replied the abovement: Stop being funny. She also bought some leafy greens! This young man who was a social media addict wasn¡¯t popr at all on Twitter. But because he had posted this photo, his followers increased at an rming speed. He was so excited he even thought of bing an influencer. The young man was a photographer, albeit one without many skills. He could take better photos than other people, but he wasn¡¯t that skilled and well-known in the photography industry. But since he had gained so many followers now, of course he had to show off his skills. He instantly posted photos which he had taken previously. Unexpectedly, some of his new followers were photography fans. They immediatelyvished praises and retweeted his photos. With that, the young man¡¯s followers reached 100 thousand. He was now officially a somewhat famous photographer on Twitter. The young man was ted as he scrolled through the DMs he received from various advertisers asking to coborate with him. The price they offered was low, but at least he had an ie now. Actually, he was at the supermarket to buy instant noodles as he had been jobless for a while. The young man spent all his time on photography instead of getting a proper job, so his parents refused to give him any allowance. He was so excited that he teared up. Words couldn¡¯t express how thankful he was to have met Mr. and Mrs. Nn. They were his benefactors! Meanwhile, Ashlyn and Lucas returned to Whind Vi together. Spencer helped ced the shopping bags in the kitchen and retreated to the living room. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Lucas followed Ashlyn into the kitchen. She took a look at his suit and arched her brows. ¡°Change your clothes. Also, bring me my apron.¡± Lucas immediatelyplied with her orders obediently like a little kid in school. He was at hermand. Lucas was delighted when Ashlyn talked to him. Her voice was music to his ears. Even when she was giving him orders, he wasn¡¯t annoyed at all. In fact, he was terrified if she refused to speak to him. He loved being in the same space as her and breathing in the same air as her. It was sofortable he felt like the rain had descended after a long drought. Ashlyn was about to take the apron from him. However, she had barely raised her hands when the man flung his arms around her and brought her into his embrace. She froze in shock and was about to shove him away when he drawled out sexily, ¡°Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll tie the apron for you.¡± He unfolded the apron and put it around her. She could almost feel his long and slender fingers tying a ribbon behind her back as his familiar scent hit her nostrils. Lucas was tall, so he had to bend down. He lowered his gaze and stared at Ashlyn¡¯s delicate skin. Her curlyshes fluttered adorably like perched butterflies ready to take flight. ¡°A-Are you done?¡± Ashlyn felt her mouth went dry. The man¡¯s gaze lingered on her face, so she couldn¡¯t help but feel agitated. Her mind was in a turmoil when a sudden heat attacked her lips. It was Lucas, who had pressed his lips on hers gently. Ashlyn felt her heart skipped a beat. She wanted to push him away, but he grabbed her arms and turned to push her frail figure against the kitchen wall. As the sudden cooling sensation of the tiles hit Ashlyn, she shifted her body ufortably. Lucas¡¯ well-built body pressed against hers tightly as he kissed her tenderly, utterly captivated. The intimate and tender kiss was the opposite of the invasiveness he used to project back then. Ashlyn was surprised by his sudden change. Chapter 354 Chapter 354 When did he change? She mused. Soon, Lucas turned increasingly impatient as his breathing turned uneven. He became demanding and aggressive. Ashlyn gave him a mighty push and ran her fingers through her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t you want lunch?¡± Her voice was raspy while her cheeks were as red as tantalizing cherries. Lucas leaned on the wall and bent his legs casually as he gazed at a blushing Ashlyn. It was as if time had reversed to four years ago, and she was still that young and shy youngdy. His lips curved up in a smirk. ¡°I wanna devour you.¡± ¡°Wash the vegetables!¡± Ashlyn stuffed the leafy greens into his hands exasperatedly. She couldn¡¯t help but blush as her heart pounded faster against her chest. As she looked down, her hair fell from her shoulders and covered part of her features. Lucas turned on the tap and started washing the vegetables. When he was done, he turned and saw her chopping the other vegetables deftly. His gaze fell on her dainty nose and trailed down to her pursed lips, which were painted ruby red. She might be chopping vegetables, but she was utterly focused on her task. Hershes drooped down and cast shadows on her face. Ashlyn suddenly removed the scrunchie from her wrist and was about to tie her hair up. Perhaps her long hair had gotten in her way. Lucas wiped his hands and took her hand. ¡°I can help you with that.¡± His husky voice rang behind her charmingly. Ashlyn¡¯s heart stopped beating for a moment as her hands froze midair. The man took the scrunchie from her and gathered her long hair together before tying them up gently. He made two loops to secure her hair. Et voil¨¤¡ªa simple, low ponytail was ready! Before their divorce, Lucas had often helped to tie her hair. Therefore, he was skillful enough not to hurt her. Back then, they were married, so she didn¡¯t mind intimate actions like this. But now, as the man did that to her, her heart that had just calmed down started pounding crazily again. ¡°Honey, I like tying your hair. I also miss your cooking. I¡¯d love to have you cook my meals every day. Why don¡¯t you move back home?¡± As Ashlyn cast her gaze downward without a word, Lucas parted his lips and implored. The high and mighty man¡¯s plea seemed somehow desperate. Ashlyn looked up and met his gaze. Lucas had suddenly lost his oppressive demeanor. Right now, he was unbelievably patient and mild-mannered. But even if he was in the kitchen, his aura was unmistakablymanding and superior, befitting a king. Ignoring him, Ashlyn collected her senses and replied, ¡°I¡¯m going to cook now.¡± ¡°Steak with roasted carrots? Spiced eggnt quinoa sd?¡± Ashlyn raised her brows at his guess. ¡°Oh? How do you know?¡± Lucas¡¯ smirked and a hint of delight sparkled in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just a guess.¡± He sat at the dining table and waited for Ashlyn to finish cooking. The man had alreadye up with another tweet to show off again. Hehehe. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Ashlyn had no idea of Lucas¡¯ outrageously mad idea. Her hands moved nimbly as she prepared the dishes. Within an hour, she had prepared a four-course meal. She turned to summon Lucas to bring the dishes out and saw the man taking photos of the dishes? Ashlyn was confused. Why was he taking photos of the home-cooked dishes? Spencer came over and helped her serve the dishes. He prepared three tes and four bowls for the soup. Swallowing, he chided his boss silently for showing off like a madman. He knew his boss well, so his tweet must¡¯ve caused an uproar on Twitter right now. However, Spencer said nothing and just helped with serving the dishes. Ashlyn sat the table and picked up her spoon before casting a curious nce at Lucas. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lucas pocketed his phone calmly and looked straight at her. ¡°It¡¯s a trend to take a photo before you eat and post it online.¡± Chapter 355 Chapter 355 Ashlyn frowned. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Oh, I posted it on Twitter.¡± Lucas picked up his cutlery and cut into his steak elegantly. ¡°The steak tastes great.¡± Lucas had just posted a new tweet and tagged theizen who had guessed Ashlyn would be making steak with roasted carrots earlier. Congrattions! You¡¯re right! Mrs. Nn cooked steak with roasted carrots, spiced eggnt quinoa sd, m chowder, and blueberry pie as dessert. Awesome! He attached a photo of his four-course meal as well. Theizens¡¯ replies flooded his tweet instantly.. One reply read: Mrs. Nn can cook that well? Another read: Mrs. Nn prepared a home-cooked spread! Oneizenmented: I thought they¡¯d have caviar and foie gras every day. Turns out Mr. Nn likes home-cooked meals! Another replied: Previously, Mr. Nn asked Mrs. Nn to prepare some simple dishes, too. She did a great job! Oneizen was curious: I wonder what Mrs. Nn looks like. The only thing I can see from that photo was her long and silky hair! Anotherizen mused: Hmm, it looks like Mr. Nn¡¯s leading a blissful life, huh? Hehehe¡­ Lucas scrolled through theizens¡¯ envious replies happily. Ashlyn was eating when she saw Lucas¡¯ lips curling up in delight. That was when she sensed that something was fishy. After a brief hesitation, she put down her spoon. She unlocked her phone and clicked on the Twitter app. Then¡­ She was shocked by what she saw. ¡°Lucas Nn, have you gone crazy? Why did you donate more than 100 million to my charity again?¡± Lucas didn¡¯t respond to her immediately. A smile flitted across his face as he replied affectionately, ¡°Honey, since you like doing charitable work, I certainly have to show my support.¡± Ashlyn was still in a daze. Lucas had once again caused his ex-wife¡¯s name to appear in the top trending topics. She got to hand it to him. He sure is something, she thought. How did he top the trending topics twice in a day? One is about his donation, and another is about¡­my cooking. Why did my home-cooked dishes be a top trending topic? There was no need for him to show-off in Twitter! Ashlyn was exasperated, but she didn¡¯t know what to do with this crazy man. He¡¯d often do something crazy and inform her afterward in a nonchnt and casual manner. Right now, he was acting like a puppy waiting to get praised. ¡°Don¡¯t do that again. It¡¯s difficult for you to earn money.¡± Ashlyn sipped on her chowder and said, ¡°Charity work is good, but what you did was too, well, too much of a show-off? Forget it. Just don¡¯t do it again.¡± ¡°Honey, are you concerned about me? Don¡¯t worry. I earn my money rightfully. The IRS cane at me anytime,¡± Lucas returned confidently. Delight shed in his gaze as he thought, Is she worried for me? That¡¯s an improvement. It¡¯s a good sign. Does that mean we have taken a further step in our rtionship? Ashlyn read the DMs in her Twitter ount¡ªwhich Lucas had registered secretly for her¡ªas her head throbbed painfully. Her inbox had been flooded with DMs ever since that first tweet of Lucas. Someizens cursed her; some were envious or jealous of her; but some encouraged her to post a photo of her front profile. Anyway, theizens had so much to say. Ashlyn was amused. We¡¯ve already divorced. Has he gone crazy? Why did he show off his affection so childishly? He even taggedizens in his tweet, huh? That¡¯s ridiculous. Ashlyn wanted to say something but thought the better of it. Spencer remained silent and focused on his food. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. As he had no right to say anything, he tried to minimize his presence. Lucas was visibly smug as he finished his delicious lunch. The smile never left his face. After lunch, he offered to do the dishes as usual. Chapter 356 Chapter 356 He even told Spencer to take a photo of him doing that and uploaded it to Twitter again. The photo showed two muscr arms washing the dishes in a serious manner. His caption read: Mrs. Nn worked hard to cook for me, so I need to do the dishes. Hopefully, she¡¯ll cook dinner for me, too! Theizens were shocked. Did they just see Captain Nn doing the dishes at home? The flurry of replies read: Mrs. Nn must be the one who took this photo. Another replied: Yes! She might¡¯ve tweeted this, too. Oneizen couldn¡¯t contain her excitement: Ahhhh! They are using the same Twitter ount? How sweet! Another reply read: Mr. Nn is hot when he washes the dishes. Someone as rich as him scrubs the dishes himself. Other men should follow his example. After a while, the hashtag #MrNnIsDoingTheDishes became a trending hashtag. When Cindy saw the trending hashtag, she clicked in and saw the photo of Lucas doing the dishes. She rolled her eyes and told her manager, ¡°Do you know what he told me when I went to his house that day?¡± Her manager was curious. ¡°What?¡± Cindy reenacted the scene, ¡°He said, ¡®Are you done? I need to do the dishes now.¡¯¡°This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Her manager, Terry, was shocked into silence. Terry thought Lucas was merely hyping up the matter. But when he heard Cindy¡¯s words, he couldn¡¯t help but recall how dumbfounded Cindy looked when she left his house. That scene must¡¯ve shocked her immensely! No one had expected the high and mighty Captain Nn would walk down from his pedestal and do the dishes! That was so unlike him! ¡°Mrs. Nn is really lucky.¡± Cindy sighed. ¡°I think I should learn from her and upgrade myself so I can get more popr. Relying on another man to get popr isn¡¯t as reliable as improving my own skills.¡± Stunned, Terry stared at her and stammered, ¡°M-My dear, what is wrong with you? Why did you have that thought?¡± He knew how spoilt Cindy was. She couldn¡¯t endure hardships and loved cking off. Her acting skills was only average at most. Hence, she wasn¡¯t a great actress, but she was still above average. If she was willing to work hard, she might end up bing a popr celebrity. But if she muddled along and only wanted to get herself a rich man, she¡¯ll disappear from the industry soon. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a great idea? I think it is!¡± Cindy grinned. ¡°LX invited me to their opening! If I can strike up a good rtionship with them, they might select me as their brand ambassador! Ms. Berry seems friendly. It¡¯s obvious she is close to LX. She even allowed me to take a photo with Mr. Nn. I need to prove to her that I¡¯m not a simpleton. It¡¯s time to work hard!¡± Cindy actually quite liked Ashlyn because she was cool and carefree. Her intimidating presence was particrly unforgettable. Ashlyn might be strong, but she had never bullied the weak. Instead, she was like a superheroine who defended the weak and eliminate violence while restoring peace in society. She was like Wonder Woman! When Cindy read about Ashlyn¡¯s trending hashtags on Twitter, she felt like she was Wonder Woman in real life. Because of that, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from craving to be in Ashlyn¡¯s presence. That was precisely what made Ashlyn so irresistibly attractive to everyone¡ªher righteousness. Her entire being¡ªeven her hair¡ªemanates the righteousness within her. Cindy no longer wanted to climb up the ranks using despicable means and rely on the support of Nn Entertainment. She was certain that if she worked hard, the higher-ups of Nn Entertainment would allocate many resources to her. Thus, she wanted to work her ass off when she was still young and be an upright person. Chapter 357 Chapter 357 Terry nearly burst into tears at her announcement. ¡°Girl, don¡¯t worry. I will do my best to support you. Even if you can¡¯t be a top film actress, I¡¯ll make sure you be a top TV drama actress! As long as you¡¯re willing to improve your acting skills, we will achieve sess soon!¡± Cindy nodded vehemently as her eyes sparkled in anticipation of her future. ¡°Terry, hire me an acting coach tomorrow. I¡¯ll take a break and improve my skills. Plus, I need an ent teacher so I can explore more roles. I swear I¡¯ll rise through the ranks!¡± After doing the dishes, Lucas plopped down on the sofa and started working. Ashlyn was standing on the balcony, talking to someone on her phone. She hung up after a while and came to Lucas. ¡°I need to leave now,¡± she informed him. Reluctance shed across Lucas¡¯ eyes. He¡¯d only feel peace when she was at home. ¡°Will youe back home for dinner?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ashlyn refused without hesitation. ¡°But¡­¡± Lucas¡¯ frown faded away as he stared at Ashlyn. ¡°Honey, I helped you with Horace and Grandma¡¯s hospitalization. Won¡¯t you visit me often?¡± Huh? Is he asking me to stay? It seemed like he is whining to get his way. Ashlyn shivered in shock. ¡°Lucas, stop being so disgusting!¡± She was afraid she might puke her lunch out. Lucas¡¯ lips curved up in a smile as he told her in a serious tone, ¡°Is that disgusting? I don¡¯ think so.¡± Ashlyn shook off the goosebumps on her body as a trace of difort showed on her face. ¡°Lucas Nn, stop being childish!¡± Lucas arched one brow and smirked. His gazended on Ashlyn who was dressed in an icy blue dress with her silky hair in a low ponytail. A few strands had escaped, framing her tiny and pretty face. Lucas¡¯ gaze heated up. ¡°Honey, will youe back for dinner? I¡¯d love to have baked fish for dinner. Will that do?¡± Huh. He¡¯s even ordering in advance. Ashlyn had no choice but to surrender. Fine. Since he helped me deal with the Berrys and visited Grandma every day. She sighed. ¡°Send someone to buy a fish this afternoon. Make sure they clean it too.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am!¡± As Lucas had sessfully persuaded Ashlyn toe hometer, a devilishly handsome smile lit up his face. But Ashlyn couldn¡¯t be bothered to admire his looks as she had to work hardter. After leaving Whind Vi, Ashlyn was about to hail a cab. Instead, a Bentley drove out from thepound. As the window was wound down, Lucas¡¯ handsome face appeared in her sight. ¡°A husband should drive his wife around. Get in my car.¡± Ashlyn was rendered speechless. I don¡¯t care because¡­we¡¯re divorced? In the past, Ashlyn would¡¯ve retorted, but this time she said nothing. N?velDrama.Org content rights. She was going to meet someone. Lucas sent her to her destination. Upon arrival, he scanned the surroundings and furrowed his brows unhappily. ¡°Why are you here?¡± They were in a slum where many flimsy sheds upied by evicted upants were erected. The air smelled stale and ufortable. ¡°To find someone,¡± Ashlyn got off the car and replied curtly, ¡°Thank you. You can leave now.¡± In a rundown house, a man in his thirties was practically drowning his sorrows with alcohol. He was unshaven and seemed despondent. A nine-year-old kid was squatting beside him and watching him gulp down the alcohol. In the end, he burst into tears. ¡°Daddy, stop drinking!¡± Daddy keeps coughing recently, but we don¡¯t have money to go to the doctor. The little kid thought sadly. He always buys alcohol after getting his pay. Chapter 358 Chapter 358 He never takes care of himself. The little kid concluded. ¡°Go away. Don¡¯t disturb me!¡± The man shoved the kid away. The kid lost his bnce and fell onto the ground with a plop. Suddenly, a female voice rang from the door. ¡°Greg Maxwell.¡± Greg opened his eyes groggily and gazed at the gorgeous woman standing at the door. He muttered, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to save your life.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ten minutester, Greg washed up and returned to Ashlyn. He seemed mild-mannered and handsome enough. The little boy sat by his side and stared at Ashlyn innocently. ¡°I haven¡¯t shot a movie for some time.¡± Greg could still feel his heart clench in horror upon recalling how vicious she was. As they were poor, there was a well right in front of his house. Normally, they¡¯d get water from the well. There was also a water tank by the well. He would never forget how Ashlyn held him by his cor and flung him into the water tank with his face down. The only question she asked was, ¡°Are you awake now?¡± Greg nearly choked to death. There was no way he¡¯d still be unconscious. Hence, he cleaned himself up obediently and sat down, listening to what the stranger had to say. He couldn¡¯t believe his ears when he heard the woman asking him¡ªthe useless director¡ªto direct a movie for her. This is so hrious! Greg thought as he rejected her immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t reject me at once. I¡¯ll leave the script with you. Read it and contact me after thinking it over.¡± Ashlyn handed a script to Greg. ¡°Mr. Maxwell, you need to climb up from where you fell. Do you want to be scolded for the rest of your life? Besides, look at your adorable son. Do you want him to have a bleak future?¡± Greg¡¯s eyes reddened at the thought. He gripped the script in his hands and said nothing for a long time. Greg used to be the valedictorian of his ss in the Department of Directing at UCLA. He even wrote his own script and became famous after directing the movie himself. However, he never imagined he¡¯d be tied to a giarizing scandalter on. His best friend, Frank, had giarized his script, which was saved in hisptop, and finished shooting earlier than he did. However, he hadn¡¯t finished shooting yet when the news broke out. In the end, he was forced to stop shooting as Frank¡¯s movie was premiered before his movie. Frank even reprimanded him for giarizing his work. The investors he had gotten earlier immediately pulled out, but he was in the middle of filming and had umted some expenses, so the investors brought him to court and demanded him to pay for all their losses. His wife divorced him promptly. What angered him the most was that his wife ended up with Frank right after their divorce. It turned out his wife was involved in stealing his script in the first ce! Greg had to sell his entire fortune to pay off his debts, but he was currently still saddled with debts. Since then, he had been drowning in sorrows sluggishly. He disappeared from the entertainment industry. The once talented new director was long gone. Never in his wildest dreams, had Greg expected someone would ever ask him to make a film again. His first reaction was that the woman was a scammer. But to his surprise, she gave him a well-written script. His throat turned dry. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll sell your script?¡± ¡°Oh? I¡¯ve copyrighted the script, so no one would buy it even if you have the intention to sell it,¡± Ashlyn returned coolly. ¡°Both you and Frank knew the truth of what happened back then. Don¡¯t you want to take revenge?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯d die to make that happen.¡± ¡°I can help you.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s lips curved up into a smile as she stared at him with her charmingly persuasive eyes. ¡°I have the best production team. We¡¯ll hire top actors and actresses to star in this movie.¡± ¡°Why would you help me?¡± Greg looked at her in bafflement. Nothing was free in this world. It was more like a pie in the sky. ¡°Because I want to return a favor.¡± Ashlyn shot him a grin. Chapter 359 Chapter 359 An old man¡¯s kind face popped up in her head as he uttered his dying wish, ¡°Ashlyn, please take care of both of them.¡± She agreed and had been doing her best to fulfil her promise back then. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn wasn¡¯t someone who was ungrateful. ¡°Read the script and contact me if you¡¯re interested in shooting it.¡± Ashlyn whipped out a name card and ced it on his table. Then, she turned to leave. After walking out of the slum, Ashlyn was surprised when she saw Lucas waiting for her. It was rare for a luxurious car to appear in the slum, so the upants who walked in and out stared at his Bentley strangely. Ashlyn asked, ¡°Why are you still here?¡± ¡°I wanted to wait for you as I was worried.¡± Lucas replied. The car door clicked open as he pulled Ashlyn in. As Ashlyn fell onto hisp, she felt her heart skipped a beat. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment. ¡°Did you find the person you came here for?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°Who is that person? Does he or she live here?¡± Lucas wanted to know everything about Ashlyn. Ashlyn looked at him strangely. He wasn¡¯t usually this busybody. However, she wasn¡¯t about to lie to him as he¡¯d find out about this sooner orter. ¡°I¡¯m going to make a movie with Jonathan Quickton as the male lead.¡± ¡°Jonathan Quickton?¡± Lucas clenched his teeth abruptly. His expression gradually turned icy as a dangerous glint shed across his eyes. A smirk yed on his lips as he uttered in his low voice, ¡°Is he good at acting? I don¡¯t think so.¡± Spencer was speechless when he heard his boss¡¯ words while driving. Mr. Nn, how can you criticize your artiste that way? Actually, Jonathan was a qualified idol who could dance and sing well. However, he was a new actor in the film industry. It would be an honor for him to be the main lead for a movie, but Lucas seemed disgusted by her offer. Spencer felt sorry for Jonathan. ¡°He can improve eventually. Besides, my script is about an idol¡¯s life. He is one, right? No one can y the role better than him.¡± Ashlyn couldn¡¯t stop talking about work. Her strikingly beautiful face lit up as she rambled on. Nevertheless, Lucas flew into a fit of rage upon hearing how much she wanted Jonathan to take this role. ¡°I¡¯m his boss, so I¡¯ll reject the role on his behalf.¡± ¡°Your rejection is useless. I¡¯ve already discussed this with his manager. We¡¯re signing the contract this afternoon.¡± Ashlyn was upset by how the man wanted to stop her from developing her career. Her face darkened as she red at Lucas sharply. ¡°Lucas Nn, don¡¯t test my patience. Do you still want dinner?¡± Lucas fell silent at her words. Did she just threaten me with dinner just for that Jonathan? His heart sank in jealousy and despair as his gaze turned menacing. ¡°He has nothing but looks. Yes, he¡¯s quite good-looking. Is that why you¡¯re attracted to him?¡± Ashlyn couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin. She was better off speaking to a wall! Good-looking? Attracted to him? What the heck is he talking about? ¡°Yes, he¡¯s hot and young. He is adored by many female fans.¡± ¡°So you adore him too?¡± Lucas was overwhelmed with jealousy. ¡°Who would say no to a hot young man? Don¡¯t you like looking at pretty girls?¡± Ashlyn thought their conversation was going nowhere. What has this got to do with Jonathan taking the lead role? She thought angrily. Suddenly, Lucas reached out and held her chin. He leaned closer and whispered sexily in her ear, ¡°I don¡¯t like pretty girls. I only like you.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s hand went to her heart the moment her eyes widened in disbelief. Did he just¡­flirt with me? Did Lucas Nn just flirt with me? The man gazed at her affectionately and brushed his finger across her perky nose. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Say something?¡± Chapter 360 Chapter 360 The menacing, tense atmosphere earlier vanished instantly as it became romantic and intimate instead. Ashlyn could feel the residual warmth left by the man¡¯s finger on her nose. She only saw romantic gestures like rubbing one¡¯s nose or caressing one¡¯s head in romantic dramas, and she never thought that a man would dare to touch her nose this intimately. She wasn¡¯t used to this feeling. Her face flushed red instantly as her heart raced, and she lost all desire to argue with Lucas. Arguing with each other is so childish, and I don¡¯t want to be as childish as him. Meanwhile, Spencer knowingly brought Lucas and Ashlyn back to the mall. In the seafood area of the mall, there were live fish and other types of seafood. Ashlyn was choosing which fish to buy while she was in a daze because she still hadn¡¯t recovered from what happened just now. Tell me why am I buying groceries with Lucas again? This is¡­ weird. Weren¡¯t we fighting just now? Whatever. I¡¯ll just focus on buying my groceries. After Ashlyn picked out a fish, she asked the fishmonger to help cleaning it. N?velDrama.Org content rights. She then went to buy some seasonings and other ingredients. They were a good-looking couple, so they attracted the attention of some of the passersby. One of the workers there liked to browse through social media, so she gaped in shock as she stared at Lucas and Ashlyn. The most intriguing thing was that Lucas was following closely beside a woman, so the worker immediately took a video and posted it online. ¡°Oh my God! I think I just saw Mr. and Mrs. Nn buying groceries together! They bought fish and some other items.¡± She was trembling furiously when she typed that out. Unfortunately, she only managed to take a video of them from behind. She scampered towards them because she wanted to see what Mrs. Nn looked like, but they already made payment and left the store. Meanwhile, there were a lot ofments on her post. ¡°Why can¡¯t we see their faces? Are you fangirling over Lucas?¡± ¡°Why are they buying groceries so frequently? They already went to the mall twice today!¡± ¡°For goodness¡¯ sake take a picture of their faces!¡± The worker replied dejectedly, ¡°I want to do that too, but they had left.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a troll. If I am one, tell me why do I have so few followers?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really not a troll.¡± ¡°Whatever. You can choose to believe it or not. I bet that they¡¯re gonna make grilled fish or fish and chips tonight.¡± The worker replied to a fewments at one go before going back to work. I can¡¯t believe I missed the rare opportunity of meeting Mr. and Mrs. Nn! Will theye back tomorrow to do grocery shopping? Meanwhile, the couple boarded their car and went back to the Whind Vi. ¡°This fish is very fresh. I¡¯m looking forward to eating it.¡± Lucas sounded very excited. After all, it was pure bliss to him to be able to enjoy Ashlyn¡¯s cooking twice in a day. However, Ashlyn ignored him and replied Harrison¡¯s message. ¡°Boss, we submitted it to the relevant authorities already.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± If everything goes ording to n, the shady business behind Berry Furnishings will be revealed in no time. ¡°But the weird thing is, your Dad got an investment out of nowhere and Berry Furnishings opened a few more construction sites today.¡± Ashlyn frowned and replied, ¡°Investigate the origins of the investment as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Who would even invest a business owned by someone like Horace? Something fishy¡¯s going on. Just as she was lost in thought, she received a call from Horace. ¡°Little brat, I told you that someone will definitely help me out even if you didn¡¯t. Let¡¯s see how I¡¯ll punish a traitor like you after this whole ordeal!¡± Horace barked. The reason he was irate was that his daughter didn¡¯t offer her help to him when he was stuck in a tough spot. I shouldn¡¯t have kept her alive back then! She¡¯s so useless anyway. Chapter 361 Chapter 361 ¡°Did you call me just to say this?¡± Ashlyn replied coldly. ¡°Mr. Haddock invited our whole family to a meal tomorrow, and you need to show up. If you don¡¯t, we¡¯ll stir up trouble in your hospital and interfere with your work,¡± Horace yelled angrily. Ashlyn responded with an impatient tone, ¡°Is this really how you¡¯re inviting me to a meal?¡± ¡°Mr. Haddock has his ways of making you show up if you don¡¯t attend the meal tomorrow.¡± Horace hung up immediately after that. Ashlyn watched as her phone¡¯s screen turned dark as she put her phone away. Why is Dixon suddenly in good terms with Horace again? Why did he invite the Berry family to a meal? Something very weird is going on. Just as she was lost in thought, Harrison sent a message to her. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s from the Haddock Group.¡± No wonder. A hint of derision shed in Ashlyn¡¯s eyes as she replied, ¡°Keep a close eye on the Haddock Group and Berry Furnishings. Report to me if you see anything suspicious.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sad.¡± A man¡¯s warm and alluring voice suddenly sounded in her ear. After which, a warm hand caressed the back of her hands which felt a little cold. Ashlyn was at a loss for words. What do you mean by saying don¡¯t be sad? She looked up in confusion and saw that Lucas was staring at her with a sentimental gaze. His gaze was alsoced with a hint of passionate desire. ¡°What do you mean ¡®don¡¯t be sad¡¯?¡± Ashlyn wanted to break free from his sp. However, Lucas held on even tighter, and she couldn¡¯t free herself no matter how hard she tried. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°I will take care of you from now on. Those people are not important.¡± A ray of warm sunlight was cast on Lucas¡¯ face through the car¡¯s window, and it illuminated his warm and affectionate expression. Unbeknownst to her, the sun was already setting. Lucas extended his other hand and caressed her soft cheeks tenderly as he beamed brightly. ¡°Honey, I know that I was in the wrong for neglecting you. I will give you all my love and affection from now on. I can give you everything you want, and I will even sacrifice my life for you if you want me to.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s lips fluttered slightly, yet she couldn¡¯t speak as a sudden dryness permeated in her throat. Lucas approached her slowly and nted a tender kiss on her cheek. ¡°D-Don¡¯t say something so cheesy.¡± Despite her words, Ashlyn¡¯s heart raced as her face started to blush as if it was scalded by the kiss. Lucas sped her chin and wrapped his other arm around her waist. He then ced his lips on her ears and whispered, ¡°Really? I don¡¯t find it cheesy because I meant everything I said.¡± Under the shimmer of the sunset, Ashlyn¡¯s pretty face was illuminated in a scarlet hue, and she looked rather enticing. Meanwhile, the man¡¯s masculine scent permeated her senses, and her heart started to race uncontrobly again. Lucas¡¯ defined features twisted slightly to show a naughty smile before he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her towards his arms. Using the momentum from the action, he then pressed Ashlyn onto the seat of the car. His chest was as hard as rock, and Ashlyn felt her sense of smell faltering due to the familiar yet overwhelming hormonal scent. She urgently pushed back on his chest and shrieked, ¡°Lucas, what are you doing?¡± He inspected the blushing woman closely from above as he replied, ¡°I want to kiss you.¡± IN the meantime, Spencer knowingly raised the privacy barrier. I¡¯m very aware whenever Mr. Nn wants to engage in ¡®those¡¯ activities! After all, I don¡¯t want to be constantly reminded by the passionate scene that I am still a bachelor. Lucas lips came down slowly on Ashlyn¡¯s rosy and tender lips. Her unique fragrance was addicting and alluring. After some time, the car stopped slowly, and Ashlyn pushed Lucas away harshly. Her beautiful features were entuated with streaks of red. ¡°Did you have some candy just now?¡± Lucas nuzzled Ashlyn¡¯s forehead gently as he said with a sensual voice. Chapter 362 Chapter 362 ¡°What candy?¡± Ashlyn was confused. ¡°Why do you taste so sweet then? I wanna have another taste.¡± Lucas¡¯ lips curled into a slight smile and Ashlyn¡¯s face turnedpletely red once again. Sweet? Seriously? ¡°Gosh, this is so cheesy!¡± Ashlyn had an urge to scour her arms to rid herself of the goosebumps caused by Lucas¡¯ words. Meanwhile, his expression darkened in frustration. I researched on this topic for so long and chose a simple pick-up line, but she still is annoyed by it! Those people on the inte blog really can¡¯t be trusted. Lucas stared at Ashlyn for a long while before saying, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± As Ashlyn recovered from her shock, Lucas opened the car door and dragged her towards the vi. On the other hand, Spencer held onto the groceries they bought just now. As Lucas wrapped his warm hands around Ashlyn¡¯s with his lips were pressed together. Meanwhile, Ashlyn tagged beside him as she stared at his handsome side profile from time to time. I have to admit that this guy is really charming. Especially his handsome face. Everyone would probably fall for someone as striking as him. Because he¡¯s so handsome, he looks good in everything he wears. He¡¯s just wearing a simple ck shirt and a pair of ordinary ck pants, yet he still looks so breathtaking good. Ashlyn let her mind wander. I¡¯m relieved that the Spirogyra didn¡¯t act uptely. As they stepped into the vi, they changed into a pair of morefy shoes. After which, Ashlyn headed straight into the kitchen in preparation to sate the man¡¯s appetite. The dish she was making was grilled fish which was something she was familiar with. Meanwhile, Lucas was in a daze as he stared at her in the kitchen with a phone in his hands. Ashlyn thought that he was just fiddling around with his phone, so she didn¡¯t think much about it. However, unbeknownst to her, Lucas was actually recording a video of her grilling the fish. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Only her slender and pale hands were in the video, yet Lucas stillpressed and processed the video using an application. He opened his Twitter and was greeted with gossip about how Ashlyn and he went to the mall again to buy fish. Lucas shed a slight smirk because he was quite pleased with the attention this piece of news gained. He wanted to show everyone how loving they were and tell Ashlyn that she would forever hold a special ce in his heart even after the divorce. His possessiveness was overbearing and undeniable, and he wanted to own every part of Ashlyn. The only woman who deserves to be Mrs. Nn is Ashlyn, and I must announce to everyone! I¡¯ll get rid of anyone who dares toy their eyes on her! He posted the video of Ashlyn¡¯s cooking on Twitter. Although only her hands could be seen, they were undeniably svelte and was a testament to how beautiful their owner was. ¡°Damn! Mrs. Nn¡¯s hands are so beautiful!¡± ¡°Mr. Nn posted so many Tweets today!¡± ¡°Besides that, every single Tweet is showing off their affection publicly!¡± ¡°Um¡­ Mr. Nn, did you get kidnapped? Is Mrs. Nn ckmailing you? Reply here if that is the case.¡± ¡°Shameless promotion, ugh. I¡¯m so tired of all this.¡± ¡°Did someone cast a voodoo spell on Lucas? This is so unlike him!¡± All this happened behind Ashlyn¡¯s back. She didn¡¯t realize that the childish Lucas went on Twitter to disy affection again. She was his only regret, so he wanted to show everyone how loving they were in an act of defiance. The more he yearned for her, the more he wanted to tell the whole world about it because he wanted to show Ashlyn how sincere his love for her was. However, Ashlyn scrolled through Twitter casually as she took a bite of the grilled fish. Chapter 363 Chapter 363 After that, she made ament that utterly shocked everyone. ¡°Lucas Nn, you¡¯re doomed the next time you dare to post videos and photos of me behind my back!¡± She then put down her phone and continued to eat. I¡¯m so done with that man! He¡¯s just like a teenager who likes to post everything on social media! Girls that age like to show off their luxury bags or makeup, but he¡¯s showing me off instead! How annoying can he get! Thanks, but no thanks for that, Lucas! Theizens quickly caught onto how threatening Mrs. Nn¡¯sment was, and they were shocked beyond belief. ¡°Mrs. Nn is probably the only one who dares to talk to Mr. Nn like that¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, be prepared to sleep on the couch tonight.¡± ¡°Tsk tsk tsk¡­¡± ¡°Mrs. Nn is so cool and stern!¡± ¡°She¡¯s such a queen.¡± However, Lucas didn¡¯t reply to herment on Twitter. Instead, he put down his cutlery and stared at her intently. ¡°Are you angry?¡± ¡°Lucas, can you not be so childish?¡± Ashlyn put down her cutlery too. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be the high and mighty president of apany? Why are you ruining your own image like this?¡± ¡°Because of you. I¡¯ll do anything for your sake.¡± Lucas cut a piece of fish for her. ¡°Ashlyn, don¡¯t you dare try to leave me.¡± He was within spitting distance of her, so she felt a short of breath. She didn¡¯t reply him anymore. Instead, she continued to eat her food. ¡°I won¡¯t do this anymore if you don¡¯t want me to post your pictures.¡± Lucas was worried that Ashlyn was angry because she kept quiet. Didn¡¯t those online articles say that alldies like to be showed off online because it makes them feel desired? Geez. I fell for it again. Damn it! Ashlyn felt a little ufortable because of how anxious he sounded even though he was usually quite pompous. Isn¡¯t he usually very domineering and haughty? Why is he so meek now? He even offered to change his behavior! She was not used to Lucas¡¯ change in behavior. Actually, she wasn¡¯t really affected by Lucas¡¯ Tweets because her face wasn¡¯t shown. However, it would be a different story if her appearance were revealed. We¡¯re already divorced, but he¡¯s still clinging onto me like some fly! He keeps showing me off like I¡¯m still Mrs. Nn. Let¡¯s just hope that no one will find out who I am. It would be disastrous if they did. She sighed and dered, ¡°Lucas, we are never getting back together, so please don¡¯t do something that childish again.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we still be friends?¡± Lucas cocked his eyebrows as his expression darkened. He couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated, and he clenched his fists tightly to resist the urge to yell and break something. ¡°Lucas, no means no.¡± Ashlyn looked up at him. She didn¡¯t continue to eat anymore. Instead, she wiped her red lips with two napkins and walked away with her bag. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. However, just as she turned around, a sudden surge of heat permeated through every cell of her body. The Spirogyra finally acted up once more after a long period of dormancy. Her body temperature started to fluctuate, and in response, her face flushed both red and white. She held her breath with all her might as she tried to take a step forward. However, this Spirogyra outburst was more severe than ever before, and the pain seeped through every single vein in her. The Spirogyrashed at every cell of hers, and it made her feel like thousands of tiny needles were stabbing at her from within. She took a deep breath and tried to move her feet which felt as heavy as bricks at the moment. Her vision suddenly blurred because every step she took was just like treading on a field of daggers. Every inch of her body ached as though she had been hit by a car as she shuffled slowly towards the exit. Her entire body was drenched in sweat as she finally reached the outside, and she frantically searched for her phone in her purse. After that, she forced herself to call Jared. ¡°Hello, Boss.¡± ¡°Come and pick me up,¡± Ashlyn uttered feebly as she was about to lose consciousness at any moment. Chapter 364 Chapter 364 The me that burned within her and the overwhelming yet familiar desire eroding her senses kept reminding her of what she truly needed. But I don¡¯t want to eat my own words! I just told him that we are never getting back together, and now the Spirogyra is forcing me to go to him. Even so, her dignity and force of character refused to let that happen, even though she might be tormented to death by the Spirogyra. She made up her mind that she would resist the Spirogyra till the very end. Jared could sense something was amiss, so he asked, ¡°Boss, what happened? Where are you? Send me your location.¡± Ashlyn bit her lip as her cheeks burned up in a crimson hue. With her trembling hands, she grabbed onto the phone and replied, ¡°I-I¡¯m at the Whind Vi.¡± Suddenly, the rumbling of thunder could be heard as a bolt of lightning tore through the night sky. Under the sudden sh of light, Ashlyn¡¯s reddened face seemed nightmarish yet breathtaking. At that moment, her striking features made her look like a mythical yet dangerous creature of the night. It¡¯s about to rain. Ashlyn instinctively trudged forwards as she tried to look for a gazebo for shelter against the rain. The vi was well furnished, and usually, the small streams and greenery formed a picturesque scene. Trying her best to cope with the overwhelming pain and desire, she forced herself to move forward despite the burning sensation between her thighs. Every single cell in her body screamed, ¡°I want him, I want him¡­¡± ¡°No, no¡­¡± Ashlyn tried to brainwash herself to counteract the Spirogyra¡¯s wheedling. Soon, five minutes had passed, yet she only took three steps forwards. She never knew that walking would be a form of torture until now. Suddenly, the rolling clouds from above unleashed a torrent of rainfall which pattered mercilessly on her body. Ashlyn closed her eyes and thought, ¡°Damn it! How unlucky can I get! I¡¯ll be drenched if I don¡¯t get some shelter now!¡± Meanwhile, in the vi, Spencer washed the dishes as he took a worried look at the downpour. It¡¯s raining cats and dogs! He observed Lucas¡¯ expression and said cautiously, ¡°Is Ms. Berry able to hail a cab?¡± The overwhelming darkness seemed to have engulfed the entire city, and the svelte figure of an attractivedy standing alone in the rain might invite some unwanted advances. Ashlyn stared at the rain-soaked sky as she fought with the Spirogyra that was causing unrest within her. Her heart raced, and her body was in so much pain she felt like she was going to explode. ¡°Ashlyn¡­ haven¡¯t you given up yet?¡± Suddenly, a ghastly voice rang in her ear. She looked up abruptly and saw a tall, masculine figure wearing a silver mask. A pair of devilish eyes was concealed behind the mask, and it shimmered menacingly in contempt. It was as if the man viewed himself as an omnipotent figure. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Just then, a lightning strike ripped through the night sky and illuminated his horrifying silver mask. He¡¯s here. The masked man is here again. Four years ago, a masked man cornered Ashlyn with a thousand people and forcibly nted the Spirogyra into her. Ashlyn stared at the harrowing face and tried to calm herself down. I don¡¯t know if this man is the masked man from four years ago. ¡°Who are you? Who the hell are you?¡± Despite her cries, the man just stood a few steps away from her nonchntly. She was in so much pain she was about to go insane, and her pupils dted and contracted at random as a result. However, her twisted expression was an entertaining sight to the masked man. ¡°I really pity you! How can a prettydy like you be in so much pain?¡± The man chuckled in a guttural voice that one might hear from the depths of hell, and it sent a chill down her spine. Chapter 365 Chapter 365 Judging by his familiar voice and contemptuous expression, Ashlyn was sure that the man in front of her was the same man who nted the Spirogyra in her four years ago. With a healthy gait, the man strode towards Ashlyn slowly. Ashlyn was subdued by the Spirogyra attack, so she was no match for the man. Instinctively, she backed away as he said in a low and icy voice, ¡°Woman, I thought that you would come looking for me and beg for mercy¡­ but I never thought that you would marry that man for four years. Look what happened now? Haha, you¡¯re divorced now, and you even try to cut off all contact with him. You have really disappointed me. Maybe¡­ I can help you put an end to all this?¡± Ashlyn clenched her fists as she replied in an equally icy tone, ¡°What do you want from me? Lucas and I are already divorced, and we have nothing to do with each other anymore.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The man¡¯s gaze was mystifying as he stared at Ashlyn¡¯s furiously flushing face. ¡°I see¡­ Haha¡­¡± After a short pause, he dered, ¡°That¡¯d better be the case. If not, I can¡¯t guarantee that he might continue to exist in this world.¡± ¡°You!¡± Under the illumination of the streetlights, the masked man seemed horrifying, yet he had an ambiguous quality to him. Ashlyn stared at him in silence, and she could clearly sense the murderous intent emanating from him. ¡°You can just kill me if you want to. Why go through all this trouble?¡± I don¡¯t understand why he didn¡¯t do anything to me even after he nted the Spirogyra in me! The man stared intently at her and said, ¡°Do you know how bad it feels to have someone I fancy taken away from me?¡± A sardonic smile appeared on his lips as he suddenly stroked her cheeks. ¡°You want to do it, right? Why note to me? Huh?¡± The man¡¯s voice sounded oddly alluring. Even so, Ashlyn replied coldly,¡± I¡¯m not interested in you. At the same time, the pain and difort she felt assaulted her mercilessly as her desire boiled over. However, when the man stroked her face, she felt her pain alleviate. Because of that, she gaped in shock at him. Spirogyra was a bizarre parasite. It had the ability to recognize blood types, and it preferred rare blood types overmon ones. If it came into contact with amon blood type, it would be sent into unrest. Incidentally, Lucas¡¯ blood type was Rh negative, and that was one of the reasons why Ashlyn married him. The Spirogyra adored Lucas¡¯ touch because it loved his blood, so Ashlyn thought to herself, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me this man is Rh negative too?¡± Ashlyn forcefully bit down on her lips because she didn¡¯t want to feel any pleasure from the Spirogyra coming in contact with the man. I will defeat it¡­ I can do it! I must not give up! Although she was divorced with Lucas, she still didn¡¯t want to sleep with any other man except for him. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. No! I can¡¯t give up! The man cast her a lustful and maniacal gaze as he smirked. ¡°You¡¯re a stubborn one!¡± Ashlyn replied with silence as the rain became heavier. She stood motionless just like a statue as a Bentley drove out slowly from the garage. ¡°Mr. Nn, Ms. Berry is there!¡± Spencer said softly. Lucas stared outside the car window and closed his eyes shortly after as a nkness suddenly manifested in his mind for a few moments. After that, he clenched his fists tightly to suppress the rage boiling within him. What he saw was Ashlyn and a man staring at each other under the dim streetlights in the heavy rain. One moment passed, then two¡­ as the man reached out and caressed her cheeks, yet she still remained motionless. Lucas¡¯ body tensed up abruptly as an overwhelming pain engulfed him. Ashlyn Berry! I was so stupid toe out for you! You really are surrounded by men, huh? You¡¯re even acting so intimately with another guy at a time like this! His body temperature plummeted as though he was submerged in ice cold water. Chapter 366 Chapter 366 The rain was still pouring as Ashlyn blinked and forcefully rubbed her hands together. Green veins started to show at the back hand of her pale hands. The Spirogyra attack was subsiding slowly, and she pped the man¡¯s hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± ¡°You are feisty!¡± The man¡¯s expression was lustful yet morose. ¡°You will cry and beg me someday. You will beg for me to f*** you.¡± His desire to conquer her was as clear as crystal. On the other hand, Ashlyn was revolted by his disgusting words. ¡°Never. That day will nevere!¡± ¡°Haha, let¡¯s just see what happens then.¡± The man looked up and saw Lucas, who just got off the Bentley. The man squinted menacingly at Lucas, and Lucas barked, ¡°Are you so desperate to meet your lover?¡± Lucas targeted the question at Ashlyn, before casting his gaze on the masked man. An uncanny feeling of familiarity suddenly struck him, and he gaped in shock. ¡°Your ex-husband is here! It looks like he still can¡¯t move on from you!¡± The manughed and gave Lucas a contemptuous nce before turning around and leaving. Ashlyn felt her entire body rxing the moment the man left. However, as she loosened her grip, the overwhelming pain assaulted her once again. Through the blur of the rain, Ashlyn could see a tall figure shuffling towards her in the dark. He stared at her paleplexion and raised his hand as his temples pulsed in pain. Emotions toiled in his heart, yet his striking face showed no sign of it. The rain continued to pour heavily as Ashlyn slowly closed her eyes, her consciousness slipping away. Lucas watched as she faltered and subconsciously reached out to break her fall. The woman¡¯s feeble voice made its way through the pattering of the rain and reached Lucas. ¡°Lucas¡­ can I trust you?¡± ¡°Ashlyn? Ashlyn?¡± Lucas, who was drenchedpletely, carried her into vi. Spencer hurried towards them too as he passed Lucas some fresh towels. Lucas ced Ashlyn on the bed and wrapped her tightly with the towels. He only let go of her once he felt her body warming up once again. Spencer walked out from the bathroom and said, ¡°Mr. Nn, the bathtub is ready.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Lucas carried Ashlyn into the bathroom and closed the door with a thud. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Meanwhile, Spencer knowingly left the room. Lucas didn¡¯t understand why she suddenly fell unconscious when she seemed so healthy just now. The rage and suffocating feeling he felt when he saw the masked man stroking her cheeks faded completely the moment she fainted. In the bathtub, the woman¡¯s body temperature fluctuated as her face flushed red and then turned white. Is she having a fever? But that doesn¡¯t seem likely because her body is as cold as ice after a while. Suddenly, Lucas remembered that time when Jared called to him that Ashlyn needed him, and his heart sank. What secret is Ashlyn keeping from me? He asked a private doctor toe and check on Ashlyn. As the doctor ran his tests, Lucas stared at him anxiously. ¡°Mr. Nn, something very unusual is happening to thisdy. She needs to hospitalized and observed.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Lucas¡¯ striking features were stillced with rain water as he contorted his face in rage. The doctor cowered slightly and replied, ¡°Her disease seems unusual to me. The hospital needs to run some tests to find out what it is.¡± ¡°Get lost! What a useless doctor!¡± Lucas barked. She has always been so healthy, how can she suddenly have some weird disease? Does this doctor even know how to do his job? The doctor was shocked, and he left in a hurry because he was merely a doctor who couldn¡¯t disobey Lucas. The moment the doctor left, the doorbell rang. Chapter 367 Chapter 367 Jared barged in whilepletely drenched. ¡°Is Ashlyn here?¡± He had searched the entire Whind Vi, but he couldn¡¯t find Ashlyn anywhere. Since she had asked him toe and fetch her, he naturally couldn¡¯t leave on his own. Jared already checked with the guardhouse; Ashlyn hadn¡¯t left the vi. ¡°She¡¯s here,¡± Lucas stated, pursing his lips and staring at Jared coldly. Jared was brought to the bedroom two minutester. His eyes instantly reddened when he saw a pale-looking Ashlyn lying on the huge, soft bed. The man hurriedly walked over and held Ashlyn¡¯s hand. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Her fluctuating body temperature terrified him. ¡°You have a very¡­ close rtionship with her now; do you know what sickness she has?¡± Lucas asked, gritting his teeth. He could only suppress his jealousy if he wanted to find out more about Ashlyn¡¯s condition. His heart felt as though it was bleeding. Jared turned and quietly stared at Lucas. He didn¡¯t know whether to reveal his boss¡¯ secret. However, the Spirogyra inside the woman was like a ticking bomb. It could kill her anytime. Seeing Ashlyn die was thest thing Jared wanted. I don¡¯t know what Grandpa said to her before he died, but Ashlyn is an older sister to me. She took me to Shadow Way, nurtured me and made me her right-hand man. It¡¯s all thanks to her that I¡¯ve be who I am today. She let Jonathan do what he wanted to stop him from spiraling into darkness. She¡¯s always watched over both of us. It¡¯s probably time I repaid her. ¡°Have you ever heard of this poison?¡± Jared¡¯s emotionless voice resonated in the room. ¡°What?¡± Lucas clenched his fists in shock. He really knows what¡¯s wrong with Ashlyn. Lucas¡¯ heart was filled with agony. Was he and Ashlyn always meant to be familiar strangers? He seemed to not know anything about the woman. ¡°There¡¯s a poison called Spirogyra¡ªperhaps you can call it a parasite too. There isn¡¯t a cure for it. The moment a Spirogyra finds a host, it remains until the host dies. It will torment its host¡¯s willpower and body, and it craves the blood of the opposite sex. It gains its nutrients from the blood that is sweet and rare, which is obtained when a man and a woman engage in the highest level of intimacy.¡± Lucas¡¯ face remained frigid and contained not a hint of warmth. His gaze darkened as he stared at Jared¡¯s expressionless face. The sharp, agonizing pain returned to his temples, tormenting his nerves. Lucas suddenly understood why Jared had called him previously. It was because the Spirogyra had attacked once again and wanted Lucas¡¯ RH negative blood. The man clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles turned pale. His heart didn¡¯t hurt as much initially, but he now felt as though it had beenpletely smashed to pieces; he felt utterly defeated. It took almost all his energy to respond hoarsely, ¡°So I¡¯m the temporary cure to her Spirogyra, and¡­ The marriage four years ago was just a way for her to dy the effects of the poison?¡± Jared continued to stare at him emotionlessly, but this time, a look of pain shed in the former¡¯s eyes for a brief moment. ¡°Your intelligence truly is astounding, Mr. Nn. Your encounter with each other at the hospital entrance was no coincidence. It was all perfectly nned out. She was looking for someone to marry and relieve her of her suffering, so she searched and scoured desperately¡­ and finally chose you.¡± The room instantly fell silent. All that could be heard were the sounds of rain from outside the window, as well as Lucas¡¯ heavy breathing. Feeling despaired, Lucas curled his lips into a faint smile and remarked frostily, ¡°All these years, I thought I was the one in control¡­ Who would¡¯ve thought that everything has actually been in the palm of her hand? She yed me well, and now, she¡¯s going to cast me aside. You¡¯re incredible, Ashlyn.¡± It¡¯s all nothing but a huge lie. Chapter 368 Chapter 368 ¡°So is the masked guy or someone else her next subject? Is that why she can¡¯t wait to get on with the divorce?¡± Lucas remained standing there, breathing erratically. ¡°No. It¡¯s because the Spirogyra became increasingly inactive. It hadn¡¯t red up for a long time, which is why she immediately agreed when you brought up the divorce. She thought the parasite was no longer a threat, but it began to rpse frequently after the divorce.¡± Pale yellow sun rays shone on Lucas¡¯ face. ¡°I guess I should be thankful that she put so much effort into marrying me,¡± he remarked sarcastically. ¡°The parasite¡¯s attacking again today. Either you save her or you don¡¯t. The decision rests in your hands,¡± Jared said with a hint of exhaustion. ¡°I¡¯m telling you this because I don¡¯t want it to re up. She¡­ she gets tormented so badly every time it does. I don¡¯t want to see her in such a state.¡± ¡°You must love her so much that you¡¯re willingly handing her over to another man,¡± Lucas sneered. He couldn¡¯t ept the fact that he had never known about Ashlyn¡¯s huge secret until now. What he refused to ept even more was the fact that Ashlyn had actually plotted to marry him. The man used to think she was just a bird locked in a cage; who knew he was actually the one dancing in the palm of her hand? Who on earth was the one behind the schemes? Who was the mastermind? All he felt was heartache. ¡°You¡¯ve known her for a long time, right? Way before I married her?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jared said nothing more. At this point, having Ashlyn remain by Lucas¡¯ side was the best option. He left the room, leaving Ashlyn and Lucas on their own. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Lucas stared at the woman on the bed. Despite being unconscious, she looked as divine as usual. Her cheeks were an alluring shade of red. Lucas stood beside the bed, looking like a lost child. She stayed with me just to prolong her lifespan. The man¡¯s heart was filled with pain and bitterness. His ears were buzzing, and his emotions were a mess. He shut his eyelids for a moment and then opened them to reveal a pair of frosty eyes. Lucas felt like a wandering soul, not knowing where to go. After a long while, the woman on the bed suddenly began to tug at her own clothes and curl up into a ball. ¡°No!¡± she groaned in pain. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± The anguish in her voice was overwhelming. Beads of sweat dripped down her forehead as her face paled and burned. ¡°Stop!¡± She continued to resist and defend herself. It felt as if she was having a long nightmare. In her dream, the masked man was threatening her, but she violently shoved him away. ¡°Don¡¯te near me! Don¡¯te over¡­ Go away!¡± Her voice was extremely raspy. She was so weak that she could barely talk. Lucas stood before her, staring at her while feeling conflicted as she struggled in pain. He never knew how the Spirogyra could do such a thing to a cold and proud woman like her, reducing her to such a sorry state. Feeling extremelyplicated, he didn¡¯t know what to do at this point. Is she always like this every time it breaks out? She¡¯s lost her senses. Her thoughts are colliding. She¡¯s in so much pain. Her pajamas that she had just changed into were now drenched in sweat. She looked like she had just been lifted out of a pool of water. Yet, her tender body looked fatally attractive to Lucas. He wanted to resist. He didn¡¯t want any intimacy of that sort. Nevertheless, that body was showing such intense reactions. Who is she thinking about? Who is she asking to go away? Is it me¡ªher ex-husband? ¡°Lucas has RH negative blood too! He¡¯ll save me¡­ Get away from me!¡± Ashlyn suddenly yelled. Chapter 369 Chapter 369 It seemingly took all of Ashlyn¡¯s energy to say that. After screaming, shey in bed unmoving, as though she had passed out once again. Lucas stared at Ashlyn¡¯s pale face, his eyes narrowing. What did she just say? She was calling out to me! She¡¯s waiting for me. His heart pounded wildly; it was about to leap out of his chest. Unable to control himself any longer, he pressed his lips against Ashlyn¡¯s. An indescribable wave of passion filled the room. Two hourster, Lucas walked into the bathroom, all drenched in sweat. Ashlyn¡¯s body temperature had regted, and her cheeks were no longer red. All that remained were the traces of their intimacy. She was back to normal. Lucas carried her in his arms, cleaned her up briefly, and ced her back on the bed. He also changed the bedsheets and nket¡ªall by himself. The sheets werepletely soaked, just like when her Spirogyra red up at Bayview Vi. He didn¡¯t understand any of this back then, but he did now. Is there really no cure? Lucas whipped out his phone and dialed a number. Late at night in New York, Sinir was fast asleep with a blonde beauty in his arms. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Upon hearing his ringtone, he furiously grabbed his phone. ¡°You¡¯d better have a good reason for calling, or else¡ª¡± ¡°Or else what?¡± An icy voice cut him off before he could finish. Sinir instantly felt as though someone had sshed a bucket of cold water over him, and his tiredness quickly faded away. ¡°Is that you, Lucas? What¡¯s going on? Did your condition get worse?¡± Lucas sounded frosty as usual. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to ask you.¡± ¡°Oh my God!¡± Sinir eximed five minutester. ¡°It¡¯s real? I thought it only existed in medical records. I never expected it to happen in real life.¡± ¡°You know about the Spirogyra?¡± Lucas¡¯ eyes narrowed. Sinir pushed his woman aside and sat up. ¡°I may be a specialist in the field of psychology, Lucas, but I¡¯ve also heard of certain rare diseases. I once read about this parasite, but there seems to be no cure for it, unfortunately.¡± ¡°I need a cure, Sinir. You¡¯re the only one who can help me.¡± Lucas stoodzily by the window, looking handsome while holding his phone and dressed in a ck shirt. His eyes looked extremely cold. Rain fell heavily outside the window, seemingly beating down on his heart. ¡°I¡¯ll have to consult my seniors or teachers, Lucas. They might have a clue. I¡¯ll call you once I get any information on this,¡± said Lucas after a long pause. ¡°But I hope you don¡¯t harbor any expect¡ª¡± ¡°I know, but I¡¯ll try to save her in every way I can.¡± Lucas hung up. His gaze deepened as he stared at Ashlyn through the ss door of the veranda. After a long while, he took out a pure handmade cigar from a wooden box and held it in one hand. A lighter was in the other. A blue me emerged once the lighter was ignited. At that very moment, Ashlyn caught sight of the man¡¯s charming face. Everything about his features was stunning and masculine. However, those eyes of his contained not a single trace of warmth. He was like a demon from Hell, cold and mighty. Lucas puffed on the cigar, letting the smoke surround him. Chapter 370 Chapter 370 Ashlyn scanned the room, soon realizing that this was the bedroom she had once slept in for the past four years. Did Lucas bring me back here? Memories started flooding back to her. The powerful masked man and the incredibly jealous Lucas¡­ Ashlyn¡¯s head began to hurt. Her body felt refreshed, but the soreness reminded her of the times she had slept with Lucas in the past. Did we just do it again? The answer was obvious. Yet, why does Lucas look so grim as always? Ashlyn sat up and wanted to speak, only to realize that her throat didn¡¯t allow her to. With a frown, she scanned the room and noticed a ss of water on the bedside table. She gulped the water down immediately. The feeling of the fluids flowing down her dry throat was akin to having a river in the middle of a desert. By the time Ashlyn gulped down her water, Lucas had already stubbed out his cigar. He opened the ss door and walked in, gazing down at her. The man had a light tobo scent on him. Throughout their four years of marriage, Ashlyn had never seen him smoke. This was the first time. Just as she felt puzzled, Lucas spoke up in a clear but slightly distant tone. ¡°More water?¡± Ashlyn bit her lip. ¡°One more ss.¡± The man took her ss, refilled it with water, and handed it back to her. As he leaned over, the scent of tobo from his breath fell on Ashlyn¡¯s forehead. Hershes quivered as she took the ss. While drinking, she couldn¡¯t help but nce at the man. His pupils looked especially gloomy as the light shone on his dashing, sculpture-like face. There was also a chilling look in his eyes that could send shivers down one¡¯s spine. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Suddenly, Ashlyn¡¯s belly began to hurt as she felt something warm and familiar flow out of her body. Crap! I¡¯m early again. Her cycle had always been irregr ever since she had been infected with the Spirogyra. Ashlyn put the ss down and instinctively got off the bed. Using his strong hands, Lucas firmly grabbed her shoulders and forced her back in ce. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± the handsome man asked menacingly. Ashlyn grew frantic. It¡¯s flowing out even more! She could clearly feel the fluid oozing out and making her pants damp. She¡¯d surely break down if she didn¡¯t hurry to the bathroom. ¡°Let go of me,¡± Ashlyn insisted. ¡°I have to use the bathroom.¡± ¡°Are you really just going to the bathroom?¡± Lucas red at her with his hawk-like eyes, causing her to tense up and turn pale. The man let out a snicker. This woman has run off way too many times. Ashlyn gritted her teeth. It didn¡¯t take a genius to realize that her pants were definitely soaked by now. ¡°Let go of me, you idiot!¡± Her belly felt increasingly awful. She struggled to break free, not bothering to argue with the man. Her struggling made Lucas gulp. The moment Ashlyn tilted her head, Lucas swiftly nibbled on her earlobe, rubbing his nose against her ear. ¡°I won¡¯t let you run off again, Honey.¡± His voice carried a dangerous tone. Ashlyn turned as white as a sheet. Sweat began to form on the tip of her nose. ¡°Let go of me, Lucas! It¡­ It¡¯s that time of the month for me.¡± Lucas raised an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t y any tricks with me,¡± he warned. His voice was deep and seductive. Ashlyn had just recovered from the Spirogyra¡¯s torment, so she was utterly frail. ¡°Let go!¡± she groaned, suppressing the urge to give Lucas a kick. Seeing how increasingly pale and frantic Ashlyn looked, Lucas squinted and finally let go of her. Ashlyn immediately made a beeline for the bathroom and mmed the door. Chapter 371 Chapter 371 A tall and frigid Lucas slumped onto the soft bed. The moment he sat down, he noticed the red stain on the bedsheet. Dammit. I just changed it. Ashlyn opened the cab inside the bathroom. She always ced a few tampons inside there before divorcing Lucas, and there was a special section in the wardrobe closet for all her other sanitary products. She didn¡¯t know if the man had thrown them out after the divorce. Upon seeing two tampons inside the bathroom cab, Ashlyn breathed a sigh of relief. If her lightweight pajamas were in such a state, surely¡­ surely the sheets were all stained too. That son of a b****! Ashlyn shut her eyes. Soon, she walked out of the bathroom to see a mighty president recing the stained bedsheet with a new one. Even the act of changing bedsheets looked elegant when a tall, handsome man like Lucas did it. If there were a camera filming him, the entire scene would look like amercial. If it were a still shot, it would be the cover of a magazine. This man¡¯s looks were beyond description. However, Ashlyn wasn¡¯t in the mood to admire his face. She caught sight of the stained bedsheet on the floor, picked it up, and was about to take it to therge bathroom outside. ¡°Put that down,¡± the man¡¯s icy voice suddenly rang out from behind her. ¡°I¡¯m going to wash it,¡± Ashlyn said embarrassingly. Lucas straightened the sheets on the bed. Then, he strode over to the woman and grabbed the stained sheet from her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do that much work when you¡¯re on your period.¡± His actions caught Ashlyn off guard. ¡°I was just going to get some soap¡­¡± And then dump the bedsheet into the washer. Who said I was going to hand-wash it? What shocked her next was that Lucas opened the bedroom door and carried the bedsheet in the bathroom outside. What is he doing? Ashlyn curiously followed him. Holy! The man grabbed a bar of soap and began to rub the stain on the bedsheet. He lowered his head slightly, his eyshes looking much longer and denser than a woman¡¯s. His high nose bridge looked incredibly attractive and his alluring lips were pursed into a straight line. He¡¯s actually washing my blood off with his bare hands? Don¡¯t aristocratic families always find these things about women taboo? They¡¯d always say it was disgusting or a bad omen. Ashlyn felt her head spin. The obvious stain on the sheet slowly turned pale. After a while, the man turned on the tap and gave the bedsheet a rinse. He then used soap for the second time and rubbed the sheet until it was spot-free before tossing it into the washing machine. Lucas turned to see a dumbstruck Ashlyn. Upon meeting the man¡¯s cold gaze, Ashlyn¡¯s chest tightened, and she snapped out of her daze. ¡°You actually washed that, Lucas? You¡­¡± ¡°It was my first time. I¡¯ll do it only for you,¡± Lucas replied, sounding frigid and intimidating. This man always sounded so cold whenever he opened his mouth. Yet, Ashlyn felt a slight tinge of sweetness in his voice. Her fair skin looked just like milk under the light and exuded a delectable fragrance. With a narrow of his eyes, Lucas held the woman by her arms and lifted her. He pressed Ashlyn against the tiled bathroom wall before she could react. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . The tall man leaned over. Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help but look up, only to see Lucas¡¯ dashing face up close. His thin, soft lips pressed against hers. The man grabbed her waist with hisrge palm, causing her to be narrowly enclosed between the wall and his chest. His lips continued to ravish her. Chapter 372 Chapter 372 Ashlyn¡¯s belly throbbed in pain as the man pushed himself against her. It became increasingly unbearable. Not caring about anything else, she began to strike him with her hands and legs. But the man was like a mountain, still and unmoving. In fact, her struggling only brought their bodies closer. Ashlyn felt horrible, but her heart wouldn¡¯t stop racing. She couldn¡¯t quite handle such a feeling. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. The rage she had been suppressing began to spiral out of control. Ashlyn lifted her leg so she could kick the man in the groin. As though feeling her intentions, Lucas instantly let go of her and took a step back. ¡°Are you nning to ruin the one thing that can pleasure you?¡± he asked, gazing at her with his pitch- ck eyes. His low voice carried a hint of frivolity. ¡°I need to rest, you madman.¡± Ashlyn stretched her waist and headed back into the bedroom. But deep down, she felt slightly perplexed. I think I fainted just now. Why isn¡¯t he asking me any questions? Judging from his character, there¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t interrogate me about why I fainted or why my body temperature couldn¡¯t stop fluctuating. He looks so calm that it¡¯s weird. Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help but feel odd. Something¡¯s really off here. She grabbed her phone but realized the battery had died. Hence, she took the charger out from inside the bedside drawer and switched on her phone shortly after plugging it in. That was when she saw Jared¡¯s text messages. Sorry, Boss. I was no match for Lucas, so I had no choice but to leave. Your Spirogyra¡¯s acting up again¡­ you should remain by his side. How skilled is Mr. Nn, Boss? Hehehe. Ashlyn frowned as she gazed at Jared¡¯s impish text. ¡°He¡¯s great! You don¡¯t have to ask!¡± It was now 2 AM. Jared had long fallen asleep. However, Ashlyn continued to wonder why Lucas wasn¡¯t asking her anything. She waited a while, but the man didn¡¯te back into the bedroom. Forget it. I¡¯m getting tired. She slowly closed her eyes. Meanwhile, in the kitchen. The tall, well-built Lucas took some ginger and brown sugar out of the refrigerator while watching a cooking video. ¡°Freshly cut ginger slices and a bit of brown sugar.¡± Using his strong hands, the man turned on the stove and ced a pot full of ingredients over it before adding some water. After bringing the water to a boil, he let it simmer for about ten minutes. Finally, he turned off the stove and headed upstairs with a bowl of ginger soup. Ashlyn was sleeping when she heard a deep, maic voice next to her ear. ¡°Wake up, Honey. Have some soup before getting more sleep.¡± She slowly opened her eyes and a mild ginger scent wafted into her nostrils. Where¡¯d the gingere from? Ashlyn looked up to see Lucas leaning over slightly while holding a bowl of ginger soup. Therge man even had an apron on¡­ Yet, despite wearing a floral apron, he looked incredibly handsome as usual. ¡°You made this?¡± Ashlyn sat up and took the bowl. She took a light sip. It¡¯s really sweet. Why is it so sweet? The ginger aroma had be extremely diluted. ¡°I was worried you didn¡¯t like the taste of ginger, so I added two extra cubes of sugar,¡± Lucas said with a faint smile. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s sweet.¡± It was simply too sweet. Still, the woman wasn¡¯t an ingrate. Lucas was haughty, callous, and extremely cold-hearted. Yet, he got down off his high horse and willingly cooked for her ¨C just so she could feel better. Ashlyn wholeheartedly epted his kind gesture. ¡°Thank you.¡± Her freezing body instantly warmed up as she drank the soup. ¡°You¡¯re my wife,¡± Lucas replied cidly. But Ashlyn had already closed her eyes. She already felt numb and couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with him. I¡¯m your ex. Why do you keep calling me your wife? Feeling rather ill, she chose not to utter a word. The next day, Ashlyn woke up and found that Lucas was no longer next to her. Chapter 373 Chapter 373 She went to the bathroom to wash her face. Once she changed the tampon, she felt a lot more comfortable. She vaguely recalled that someone had put a hand on her belly to keep her warm after she fell asleep last night. She didn¡¯t know if it was just an illusion. Why is Lucas being so thoughtful now? Ashlyn frowned. They had been married for four years. During her period, Lucas would usually nevere to Whind Vi. He would onlye after her period was over and stayed for just one or two nights. Therefore, he had never known that she would get ufortable during her period. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Lucas had med himself for a long timest night. As her husband, he had not cared about his wife at all. When Ashlyn went downstairs, breakfast was already on the table. The butler, Louis, was serving the dishes one by one from the kitchen. ¡°Mrs. Nn, you are up so early?¡± ¡°Good morning, Louis!¡± Ashlyn greeted the butler with a smile full of vigor. I actually thought about making breakfast! Well, it seems that I don¡¯t need to¡­ ¡°Mr. Nn invited the chef from Imperial Hotel to make breakfast. Mrs. Nn, please have a seat,¡± Louis said as he served thest dish. Lucas then came out of the kitchen with a small te of special pickles in his hand. What? Did the sune out in the west today? This man didn¡¯t make me cook for him! Ashlyn was confused. However, Lucas simply looked at her paleplexion and pursed his lips. Well, she looks much better thanst night. Luckily, I warmed her upst night. Ashlyn tied her long ck hair into a loose bun with her clean and plump forehead revealed. She was wearing a white hoodie and a pair of ck jeans today. She looked tall, slender, and full of youth. Her small face was so radiant that it made people envious. Even if she were dressed in ordinary clothes, she was still eye-catching and couldn¡¯t be ignored. ¡°You are not feeling well, so I called the chef from Imperial Hotel to make us breakfast.¡± Lucas then pointed to the seat beside him and said, ¡°Come, have a seat.¡± Ashlyn was stunned. She didn¡¯t expect Lucas, the devil, to be so thoughtful. He washed my bed sheet and even cooked me brown sugar water. Now he even forbids me to cook? She was stupefied but felt a little warmth in her heart. She followed his instruction and walked over to sit beside him. ¡°Can you finish all of these?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± said Lucas as he pursed his lips. Then, he paused for a second before continuing, ¡°But I need you to feed me.¡± ¡°Pardon me? I¡¯m not feeling well too. You said it yourself just now. Why are you asking me to feed you?¡± Ashlyn refuted as she was confused with his bluntness. His touch of warmth was instantly blown away by his bold action. Then, Louis suddenly came by and said in a pitiful tone, ¡°Mrs. Nn, please feed Mr. Nn because he could only eat like this. He really can¡¯t live without you! Please don¡¯t you reject him.¡± He made Lucas sound as if he were so miserable. Is he trying to revive my feelings for him? But whenever Ashlyn faced Lucas, she always looked cold. She rejected right away, ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to do it.¡± , Lucas¡¯s handsome face suddenly darkened as he stared at Ashlyn coldly with his deep ck eyes. Just as Ashlyn was about to put a red bean bun into her mouth, Lucas frowned and put his hand on his stomach. He muttered ufortably, ¡°Ouch¡­ It hurts¡­¡± Louis, his butler, seldom came to Whind Vi. He usually stayed in the main house. But when Lucas shot him a wink, the man immediately reacted promptly. ¡°Oh, Mr. Nn. Do you have a stomachache again? Come, let me take you to the hospital!¡± As he spoke, he gave a pity look to Ashlyn. ¡°Mrs. Nn, please¡­ How can you do nothing when Mr. Nn is suffering in pain now?¡± Ashlyn was speechless. What are they doing? What¡¯s with all the exaggerated acting? She felt helpless¡­ Forget it. I¡¯ll do whatever he says since he was good to mest night. Ashlyn picked up some steamed buns with pickles and put them on the te in front of Lucas. Chapter 374 Chapter 374 She soon heard Lucas¡¯s voice ring out, ¡°Honey, this is not feeding me. You¡¯re just putting the food on my te.¡± Ashlyn gave him a cold re as she twitched her mouth. She had no choice but to pick up the bun and stuff it into his mouth. ¡°Ok, eat it now.¡± Lucas squinted his eyes at Ashlyn. She is really a hot-tempered woman. He chewed and swallowed the food in his mouth elegantly, feeling contented. Ashlyn saw Lucas beaming idly. ¡°Hmm, it tastes so good,¡± he said in his usual deep and maic voice. Everything is perfect when touched by her¡­ Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. What¡¯s wrong with him? I seriously think he¡¯s ill. ¡°Well, then eat some more¡­¡± She then stuffed another bun into his mouth. Lucas took a bite slowly and said, ¡°Honey, can you feed me something else? I want to eat the red bean buns.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so demanding!¡± Ashlyn had no choice but to feed him a red bean bun. After a while, Lucas spoke again, ¡°I want to eat some bamboo shoots.¡± ¡°I want some porridge.¡± ¡°And some pumpkin pies¡­¡± ¡­.. Ashlyn was growing impatient, but she managed to hold her temper. I might as well make my own breakfast rather than feeding him. He¡¯s taking advantage of me. Before Ashlyn got angry, Lucas pulled out a piece of serviette and wiped his sexy thin lips in front of her gracefully. ¡°Honey, I think I¡¯m full.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Ashlyn felt relieved, but that feeling didn¡¯tst long when she heard him saying, ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn to feed you.¡± ¡°No¡­ You don¡¯t need to.¡± ¡°Uh-uh. You can¡¯t reject me,¡± Lucas banteredzily. ¡°You¡¯re not a good girl if you dare to refuse me.¡± Louis, who stood at the side, was d to see them like this. Why talk about divorce? Aren¡¯t they good together now? I think they will get back together soon! Ashlyn arrived at a five-star hotel on time at noon. Horace had chosen a high-ss hotel to give Dixon a treat. Dixon must have invested a lot of money in Berry Furnishings. Ashlyn thought as she smiled coldly. Standing at the door, Penelope saw Ashlyn was walking towards her in a sweater from a distance. Even though it was just a simple sweater, Ashlyn looked so pretty and resplendent, which made her jealous. She thought of the handsome man she met in the hospital and her current situation now. She couldn¡¯t help but re at Ashlyn with resentment. With an arrogant and contemptuous tone, she scowled, ¡°Why are you wearing such shabby clothes for such a formal asion? Do you want to disgrace Dad?¡± Ashlyn could not help but scoff in her heart. My dear Penelope, have you forgotten what happened in the hospital? I have just taught you a lesson, yet there you go again with that arrogant attitude. ¡°You¡¯re not in the position to tell me what to do.¡± Compared to Ashlyn¡¯s fair and luminous face, Penelope¡¯s heavy makeup was more like a color palette; it looked kind of weird and ugly. ¡°Ashlyn, don¡¯t act socent just because you are a doctor now. You never know if you will ruin your name as a doctor soon! Humph!¡± At that moment, Horace got off the car with Mary. Penelope hurried to her father and said, ¡°Dad, I asked Ashlyn to change into a decent dress, but she scolded me instead.¡± Mary threw Ashlyn a nce with disgust, ¡°How could you dress so shabby to meet someone like Mr. Haddock? Honey, look at Penelope. She purposely dresses up for the asion.¡± Horace had received Dixon¡¯s investment yesterday and wanted to give him a treat today. He was surprised to know that Dixon was investing twenty million at a time. He was more than excited. He was pleased to see Ashlyn, no matter what she wore. ¡°Ashlyn,e. Let¡¯s go inside. Remember to dress up nicely next time.¡± In the private room, the Berrys were all present. A man with feminine features was already sitting on the main seat of the room. It was Dixon. He was wearing a thin cashmere sweater and ck trousers today. Although he was not in a suit, he looked a bit gloomy. Chapter 375 Chapter 375 Dixon didn¡¯t bother standing up to greet the Berrys upon seeing them. He sat with his long legs crossed and shot a wicked nce at Ashlyn. ¡°I see that Dr. Berry is here too.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°Hi, Mr. Haddock.¡± With a ttering smile, Horace quickly went up to Dixon. ¡°Mr. Haddock, I¡¯ve brought Ashlyn here. About what you¡¯d promised me¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know what to do¡­¡± he said impatiently. Ashlyn could not help but scowl at the sight of her father¡¯s loathsome face. Then she turned to Dixon and said, ¡°Mr. Haddock, what¡¯s your reason to see me?¡± ¡°Dr. Berry, my grandpa¡¯s condition is getting worse. Can you forget what had happened in the past and please see him?¡± Dixon pleaded with a sly smile on his face. ¡°Mr. Haddock,e again. What did you just say?¡± Ashlyn asked as she knitted her eyebrows. ¡°I don¡¯t know about your identity before. Please don¡¯t take it personally,¡± continued Dixon indifferently. ¡°I¡¯d transferred two million to Berry Furnishings yesterday. Tomorrow at the Haddock Group¡¯s bidding, I will let Berry Furnishings win the bid.¡± Ashlyn took up a goblet and swirled the red wine before continuing, ¡°So, what does it have to do with me?¡± Dixon had long known that Ashlyn was tough and hard to deal with. But I didn¡¯t expect her to be so hard to please¡­ He had investigated into her. This woman is quite something. He knew she was the best surgeon in First Hospital. But he did not expect her to be Horace¡¯s daughter and such an outstanding doctor. Besides, her aura and temperament were totally different from the Berrys. It was as if she did not belong to that family at all. ¡°Dr. Berry, what if I buy First Hospital and give it to you?¡± ¡°Mr. Haddock, that hospital is a state-owned hospital. How do you n to buy it?¡± Ashlyn had always thought Lucas was crazy, but now she thought Dixon was crazier. ¡°Well, that you no need to worry. I have my ways. Dr. Berry, tell me, frankly. What do you want me to do to help my Grandpa?¡± Dixon wanted to present a dutiful son image in front of others. Therefore, he needed help from Ashlyn. Many people were moved by the news that he was looking for doctors to treat his seriously ill Grandpa, and he nned to keep his image that way. ¡°Ashlyn, don¡¯t be so insensible.¡± Gnashing his teeth, Horace red at Ashlyn. ¡°You¡¯re just a normal doctor. Don¡¯t be full of yourself. Mr. Haddock has specially arranged this dinner because he thinks highly of you. Don¡¯t put on airs. Just promise you will do your best.¡± Horace¡¯spany needed the money from Dixon very badly. Two million was merely enough to save hispany for now. What is she doing? Is she happy to see mypany go down? Although Horace¡¯spany was small, he had quite a few bad debts waiting to be cleared. Upon seeing her father so desperate for just a few millions of investments, Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips. ¡°Dad, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re going to give yourpany to Penelope? What does it have to do with me?¡± Horace frowned as he nced at Penelope and then back at Ashlyn again, feeling a little guilty. ¡°Ashlyn, please don¡¯t say that. You and Penelope are both my daughters. I¡¯m still in my prime. I haven¡¯t decided who will inherit mypany yet.¡± Mary interrupted, ¡°Ashlyn, how could you say something like this? Are you cursing your father? Your father is still so young.¡± Upon looking at Mary, who started nagging her, Ashlyn suddenly stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going to the washroom.¡± As soon as she walked out of the room, Dixon followed her out as well. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . When they saw both of them went out together, Horace¡¯s face lit up. He winked at Mary, and she quickly took out something from her bag. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Penelope looked surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t ask. Just watch out for us,¡± said Mary as she poured the medicine into Ashlyn¡¯s cup. Outside the washroom. After washing her hands, Ashlyn headed out. As soon as she came out, she saw a slender and feminine man leaning against the wall outside the washroom. He had a long and thin cigarette in his fingers. He flicked it twice to shake off the ashes from it. Chapter 376 Chapter 376 With a nk face, Ashlyn looked at Dixon and said, ¡°Oh. Mr. Haddock. I didn¡¯t know you like to use the ladies¡¯ washroom.¡± ¡°Dr. Berry, I don¡¯t have much patience. If you don¡¯t want to see Berry Furnishings go bankrupt, you¡¯d better promise me that you will see my Grandpa.¡± He stared at her evilly. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, please let Berry Furnishings go bankrupt as soon as possible,¡± Ashlyn stated calmly. She then left as soon as she finished speaking. Ashlyn went back to the private room. As she was a bit thirsty, she reached out for her ss of water in front of her. Her family members were watching her closely, especially Horace. As soon as Ashlyn picked up her ss, Horace felt his heart beat faster. He was getting nervous and also feeling a little bit guilty at the same time. When Ashlyn¡¯s red lips almost touched the rim of the ss, the waiter came in to serve them their creamy corn bisque. Ashlyn nced at her ss again. She was a doctor and was extremely sensitive to drugs. There was nothing strange about her ss of water, but she had a bad hunch. Furthermore, she noticed that her family members were staring at her closely. She found the situation a bit weird. But still, she pretended to take a sip before she put the ss down in silence. Her family members instantly felt relieved when they saw her drink the water. Ashlyn squinted her eyes before taking a serviette to wipe her mouth. She then took a bowl of the creamy corn bisque and drank it slowly. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Mr. Haddocke back yet?¡± Horace stood up. ¡°Let me go and look for him.¡± ¡°Honey, let me go with you.¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t leave me behind. I don¡¯t want to stay here with Ashlyn alone.¡± At that, three of them went out. The door of the private room was mmed shut. Ashlyn raised her eyebrows when they left. She then exchanged her ss with Penelope in a hurry. Ashlyn was a kind person as long as people did not cross the line. If someone wanted to hurt her, she would not let them get to her. As soon as Horace and his family came out from the private room, they met Dixon. The four of them went back to the private room together. Ten minutester¡­ Horace nced at Ashlyn stealthily. He sensed that something was not right. Ashlyn drank the water just now. But it¡¯s been more than ten minutes¡­Why is she not showing any symptoms yet? Does the drug need a longer time to take effect? Penelope was confused too. Dad said the drug would turn even the purest girl horny in just seconds. No matter what, we must let Ashlyn apany Mr. Haddock tonight. Penelope picked up her ss in front of her and took a sip. ¡°Penelope,e. Let¡¯s give Mr. Haddock a toast,¡± said Horace. Horace was not a fool. Although he would like Penelope to marry a rich man, Dixon was definitely not the person he would choose. He was ruthless and cruel. Penelope would surely be bullied if she were in a rtionship with him. It was impossible for her to be his wife. That is why I choose Ashlyn this time. As long as Ashlyn is aroused with the drug, Mr. Haddock could do whatever he wants with her. I don¡¯t care if he dumps herter¡­ It¡¯s none of my business. Penelope stood up. However, as soon as she wanted to say something, she felt her body getting hot; her face was burning. Her throat felt dry and scratchy. The moment she spoke, her voice sounded like a cat in heat, ¡°Ahhh¡­ Mr. Haddock¡­ Ahh¡­¡± Penelope couldn¡¯t help but clench her legs as she looked at Dixon ufortably. She was sending amorous nces to him¡­ Penelope felt befuddled. What is happening to me? She felt extremely ufortable and could not stand steadily. Horace immediately noticed something was wrong with her. ¡°Penelope, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Penelope¡¯s face reddened, and she could not help but twist her waist in front of them. ¡°Dad¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m so ufortable.¡± Dixon took a nce at Penelope, who was in heat. He could not help but sneer, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Ms. Berry is so open-minded.¡± Chapter 377 Chapter 377 Ashlyn was shocked to see what had happened. She thought they had put some psychedelic drugs or laxatives in her drink. She never thought that they would put aphrodisiac¡­ Penelope only had a sip just now. What if she drank the whole ss? Perhaps she¡¯ll be taking off her clothes rather than just standing here¡­ However, upon looking at Penelope, who was sweating in the heat, Ashlyn did not feel even a bit sorry for her. Penelope couldn¡¯t control herself anymore and began to move to Dixon. She hung her arms around his neck and kept rubbing her breasts against his. ¡°Mr. Haddock. You¡¯re so handsome¡­¡± She then sat on hisp and continued to moan, ¡°Ahh¡­ Ahhh¡­¡± Horace felt so disgraced. ¡°Mr. Haddock, I¡¯m so sorry. I think she¡¯s drunk.¡± Dixon pushed Penelope away, and she fell hard to the ground. Penelope felt a sharp pain in her buttock, but she did not give up. She climbed up to Dixon again. ¡°Mr. Haddock¡­ I fell in love with you at first sight¡­ Please, look at me.¡± Dixon had seen many women who wanted to seduce him before. However, it was the first time he saw such a dumb and horrendous fool like Penelope. He squinted his cold eyes and looked at Horace sarcastically. ¡°I never thought you to be so despicable. How could you use this method to bewitch me?¡± ¡°Let me exin¡­ Mr. Haddock. It¡¯s not what you think.¡± Horace tried to exin in a hurry while perspiration beaded on his forehead. But as soon as his eyes met Dixon, who looked at him evilly, he could not mutter out a word. Horace was confused. I put the drug into Ashlyn¡¯s ss. Why is Penelope behaving like this now? He was puzzled. Dixon then kicked Penelope away, who had climbed up on him again. He scoffed and then gave a call to his assistant. ¡°Ms. Berry wants to y. So let¡¯s get her something more exciting. Bring me the box here now.¡± The assistant replied immediately, ¡°Ok. Sure.¡± Horace was a little confused, and he quickly asked nervously, ¡°Mr. Haddock, what are you doing?¡± ¡°You will know soon¡­¡± Dixon smirked. Five minutester, Dixon¡¯s assistant came in with a paper box. Dixon then threw the box in front of Penelope. He said wickedly, ¡°Ms. Berry. There you go. Since you want to y, why not y with some of the toys here. Don¡¯t be shy. Only your father and I are present.¡± Ashlyn looked at the box and found that there was a pile of toys inside¡­ All the shapes looked peculiar and strange. Ashlyn was stunned, but she found Penelope to be in a daze now. It seemed like the woman could no longer distinguish reality from illusion. Penelope grabbed a toy and started to y with it in a crazed manner. She even howled and screamed ¨C it was so sickening to see her like that. Mary¡¯s face turned pale, and she went to hug Penelope quickly. ¡°Penelope, what are you doing? Hey, come back to your senses now!¡± It was such a horrible scene. Penelope pulled up her short and tight skirt, but she was shaking all over. She was so excited that she pushed Mary away. He crawled toward Dixon and took her clothes off. ¡°Mr. Haddock, please¡­ give me¡­¡± ¡°Honey, what should we do now?¡± Mary cried. ¡°What¡¯s going on with Penelope?¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Horace had no choice but to beg Dixon, ¡°Mr. Haddock. Can you please help Penelope?¡± However, Dixon just shed him a sharp re. ¡°How dare you ask me for help when she¡¯s the one making a scene here?¡± He then pped his hands, and soon, two bodyguards entered. Each of them grabbed Penelope from each side and lifted her from the floor. Dixon then said coldly, ¡°How dare this woman try to seduce me. Who does she think she is?¡± Dixon had seen a lot of women before. Penelope was just an ordinary woman who had undergone stic surgery. She was an eyesore to him. Chapter 378 Chapter 378 The two security guards dragged Penelope, about to head out with her. ¡°Penelope is still too young and immature to understand all this, Mr. Haddock. Someone has obviously framed or conned her,¡± said Horace, who had no choice but to beg for Penelope¡¯s sake. Dixon scoffed and gestured the security guard to let Penelope go. No one could¡¯ve seen what happened next. A pained howl rang out because a heavy fist hadnded on Horace. Dixon¡¯s security guards were all cruel individuals, and it only took them a few moments to break at least three of Horace¡¯s ribs. Horace howled in pain. ¡°Mr. Haddock, my Penelope is still a young virgin. Please save her!¡± shouted Mary, who suddenly came up with a solution. Men had always had a thing about women, and most would be excited to hear about a virgin. Mary was basically hinting that her daughter would be a goody. To her surprise, Dixon put on a disgusted expression and said, ¡°With a face like hers, no wonder no one wants to be with her.¡± Mary was stunned. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Was he really going to let her daughter die like that? Horace couldn¡¯t care about his pain anymore. He quickly begged Dixon, ¡°Please, Mr. Haddock. Please let her go. If you don¡¯t, my daughter¡¯s life will be ruined.¡± The drug was too potent, and if Penelope weren¡¯t cured in time, she would never be sexually active again for the rest of her life. ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± asked Dixon as he kicked Horace away impatiently. Dixon was extremely annoyed at that moment. The security guards got a few ¡®toys¡¯ out of the boxes at that moment. Horace fell onto the floor and couldn¡¯t even stand straight when he saw the size of those items. ¡°Mr. Haddock¡­ p-please don¡¯t.¡± Horace had turned pale and looked like he would pass out at any given moment. ¡°Horace Berry, I reached out to help yourpany, and this is how you repay me? By letting your daughter disgust me?¡± growled Horace as his eyes burned with fury. Anyone who tried to pull one over him will meet a horrible end. Trying to seduce me with a horrible b*tch like that? You¡¯re basicallymitting suicide! Dixon was utterly furious. ¡°No! Mr. Haddock, someone is obviously trying to frame and hurt Penelope,¡± insisted Horace while looking horrified and hopeless. Horace pointed a finger at Ashlyn and used loudly, ¡°You! You¡¯re the one who drugged Penelope, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ashlyn raised her brows as she shifted her gaze to Horace, who was forced to a corner. A chill engulfed her heart. If Ashlyn hadn¡¯t realized that something was wrong with the drink, and if she hadn¡¯t been careful her whole life, she would be the one in pain at that moment. The Berrys were obviously the ones who spiked the drink. Yet, Horace has the audacity to use me? Ashlyn¡¯s eyes shone with cruelty and discrimination as she pointed out, ¡°What evidence do you have, dad? Don¡¯t use others like that.¡± Ashlynter grinned and suggested, ¡°You know, Mr. Haddock, I think you should search my dad and his family. Who knows? You might find some evidence to indicate the culprit who spiked the drinks.¡± ¡°W-what are you talking about? You are obviously the culprit,¡± insisted Horace as his eyes shone with a hint of fear. Dixon¡¯s face darkened as he red at Horace. The former waved at his men and said, ¡°Search them!¡± Horace was utterly stunned. He had heard a lot of stories about Dixon, and all of them were terrifying. ¡°Mr. Haddock, please don¡¯t. My husband is innocent. Please. Please have mercy on us,¡± cried Mary as her tears streamed down her face. ¡°Hah! I just invested in yourpany yesterday, and you¡¯reing after me today. I¡¯ll give you a choice, either go bankrupt or sacrifice your daughter,¡± threatened Dixon cruelly. ¡°Penelope, this is all my fault. I am too weak,¡± said Horace as he covered his face in shame. His words made it clear that he had abandoned Penelope. ¡°Please forgive us, Penelope. How will we survive if we go bankrupt? Please understand that we are doing this for you too,¡± said Mary, who forgot all about begging to help her own daughter anymore. She turned to Penelope and called out. Dixon¡¯s eyes shone with distaste. Chapter 379 Chapter 379 Humans have always been so disappointing. They can¡¯t handle being tested. These ugly and pretentious faces are downright disgusting. At that point, Penelope had been tortured so much that she had lost her mind. All she knew was that she was in pain. Her eyes stared at that box of ¡®toys¡¯. Her mind might be frazzled, but she still knew what those were for. The aura in the room turned so creepy that anyone would shiver. Horace¡¯s security guard heartlessly started filming. Horace and his wife, on the other hand, stared while being horrified. The toys were ced right in front of Penelope. She was curled up, and her face flushed red as nerve-wracking moans echoed throughout the room. Horace and his wife felt like their ears were bleeding when they heard it. The way the cruel Dixon Haddock sat there watching the show like it was aedy was even more nerve-wracking. It was obviously something torturous and dishonorable, but he watched on as if it were a show at the circus. Ashlyn wore no expression on her face as she listened to Penelope¡¯s moans in the private room. Penelope was blushing hard, and her eyes had turned wild as her arms and legs moved most weirdly while she masturbated. Such a scene was downright horrifying! Dixon Haddock truly is relentless. He made Penelope do something like that in front of her own parents and the security guards. ¡°B*tch! You are the one who hurt my Penelope!¡± Mary growled as her eyes shone with hatred and disgust. ¡°What proof do you have? Speaking of, Mr. Haddock, have you found any evidence?¡± asked Ashlyn calmly. Only then did Dixon recall that he was supposed to search Horace. Dixon waved his hand, and the security guards searched the Berrys immediately. It only took them a while to locate a bag in Horace¡¯s coat. Traces of the drug remained in that bag. Horace couldn¡¯t defend himself. ¡°N-no, Mr. Haddock, listen to me.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Dixon scoffed, ¡°You drugged your own daughter to get her to seduce me? Were you going to drug me next? You only stopped because you never got the chance, am I right?¡± Ashlyn saw how evil Dixon looked as he sat there. That face exuded an intense and demonic aura. ¡°N-no, Mr. Haddock. I-I¡¯d never¡­ Ah!¡± shouted Horace again. He couldn¡¯t help his cry because heavy fists hadnded on him once more. After a while, Horacey breathlessly on the floor, his breathing uneven. Dixon red at the man like he was looking at a disgusting piece of trash. After that, he grinned and instructed his men, ¡°Send a copy of the video to Dr. Berry. It¡¯d be such a waste to keep something as exciting as this to myself.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn turned to Dixon. This man is truly surprising¡­ His notoriety of being cruel is justified. Ashlyn smiled and replied, ¡°Then I shall gracefully ept this generous gift. Arthur¡¯s medical issues will definitely be in good hands.¡± Just the day before, Dixon thought that Horace, as Ashlyn¡¯s father, could convince her to help, but he had since learned just how horrible Ashlyn was with the Berrys. As such, he was more than happy to change his strategy and do Ashlyn a favor. All he needed was for Ashlyn to work for him. However, Dixon narrowed his eyes when he thought about how Ashlyn had acted earlier. Ashlyn Berry, if you keep going against me, you will suffer like the other Berrys! * The next morning. Ashlyn was already at the hospital. Mr. Chapman had been hospitalized for a while and had recovered. That was the day he was discharged. He turned to the Chapman family and instructed, ¡°Dr. Berry really helped us out this time, and we must be thankful.¡± Hera couldn¡¯t help rolling her eyes. ¡°Grandpa, we paid for the surgery and the other medical bills, so we¡¯re even. She only helped because her livelihood depended on us.¡± ¡°How can you say something like that? This is not what I taught you,¡± chided Mr. Chapman as he frowned at Hera. ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth¡­¡± murmured Hera softly. Chapter 380 Chapter 380 Ashlyn walked into the room at that moment. She was wearing a white coat and exuded a serene aura. The blue face mask remained stuck on her face, so her beautiful eyes were the only thing shown. After examining Mr. Chapman, Ashlyn informed, ¡°Your body is recovering well, and you can be discharged now. The nurse will help you with the paperwork.¡± Hera red at Ashlyn in distaste. The former felt like her world was shattered when she found out that Ashlyn was Madeline Saunders. Hera had always wanted to be Madeline Saunders¡¯ apprentice, and that hope would never be fulfilled. That made Hera hate Ashlyn even more. Regardless, Hera still wanted to be the Chapman family¡¯s heir. That was why she had been dropping by the hospital that frequently. She needed to get on Mr. Chapman¡¯s good side. When Hera saw Ashlyn wearing that white coat and examining Mr. Chapman¡¯s condition, Hera¡¯s eyes burned with fury. Her furious gaze wouldnd on Ashlyn every now and then. Ashlyn was observant, and she sensed Hera¡¯s dark gaze, but the former couldn¡¯t be bothered to even look at the loser she beat. After exiting Mr. Chapman¡¯s room. Ashlyn headed straight to Arthur¡¯s. It was early in the morning, but Dixon had already brought Arthur to the hospital and did all the paperwork for the man to stay there. A bunch of nurses, doctors, and interns followed closely behind Ashlyn as they marched in. Arthury weakly on the bed. When he heard themotion, he slowly opened his eyes. He was stunned when he saw the medical experts around him. He was especially in shock when he saw a young woman leading the team. He bitterly and sadly assumed that Dixon had intentionally hired a terrible doctor to torture him. Ashlyn asked Arthur a few questions before she turned to her team and instructed, ¡°Do a full body check-up. All previous medical history is to be regarded as reference only.¡± ¡°Understood, Dr. Berry.¡± ¡°Report the results to me as soon as they are in,¡± Ashlyn instructed so sternly that no one could disobey her. ¡°Noted.¡± Arthur was stunned once more. He had met hundreds of people, but throughout his years, he hadn¡¯t met a doctor that powerful and young before. I-is it just me, or does everyone treat her like she¡¯s the boss? Arthur never had the chance to analyze the situation before the nurse pushed him away to run the tests. Ashlyn took her mask off and sighed. She headed towards the office and ran into the Chapmans who had dealt with the paperwork. The Chapmans were about to leave then. Hera¡¯s envious gaze swept across Ashlyn¡¯s face. This woman got Lucas to fall heads over heels for her, so why is she still blessed with a freaking beautiful face? D*mn it! ¡°Try not to be angry after you have left the hospital, and remember to add more vegetables to your diet,¡± advised Ashlyn as she looked to the Chapman family. That was the first time Mr. Chapman saw Ashlyn without her mask. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. The elderly man who had been through so much stared at her in astonishment. He seemed to have seen another person via the good doctor, and he couldn¡¯t help mumbling. ¡°Alice¡­¡± Everyone was in shock when they heard him say that. Mrs. Chapman reacted faster than anyone else. She tapped Mr. Chapman¡¯s hand and reminded him, ¡°Dad, you made a mistake. That is not Alice¡­¡± Hera frowned. She knew that she had an aunt called Alice, and she had heard that her grandpa chased Alice out of the family and cut all ties with her. Hera also knew that Alice had never contacted the family in all those years. Mr. Chapman suddenly came around. He sounded disappointed as he said, ¡°Sorry, I mistook you for someone else. You two just look so alike¡­¡± ¡°Do we?¡± chuckled Ashlyn. Her beautiful smile made it impossible for anyone to look away. Alice¡­ haven¡¯t heard that name in a while. Ashlyn sighed internally. ¡°Your surname is Berry? T-then your father¡¯s surname is Berry as well, right?¡± asked Mr. Chapman all of a sudden as if he just thought of something. Ashlyn frowned. The Chapmans and the Berrys were on two entirely different levels, so they didn¡¯t know each other. Horace wasn¡¯t fit to be a businessman, and Berry Furnishings had never had much fame. Chapter 381 Chapter 381 Moreover, Berry Furnishings had been working in other cities ¨C it had only moved to Lake City two years ago. The Chapman family had been a powerful family for generations, and even though it had fallen a little over the past few years, they were still way ahead of the Berrys. As such, Ashlyn was a little surprised to hear Mr. Chapman ask about her father. ¡°Yes, my father¡¯s surname is Berry,¡± replied Ashlyn calmly. Mr. Chapman suddenly looked excited as he asked, ¡°I-is your mother called¡­¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°Dr. Berry!¡± Just then, a woman¡¯s shriek suddenly rang up behind Ashlyn. Ashlyn turned around and saw that it was Candace, the wife of the man she once saved. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Chapman, I have to work. Please have a safe trip.¡± Ashlyn hurried over to Cadence. Cadence¡¯s husband has been discharged, and the surgery was a sess, so what is Cadence doing here? Mr. Chapman narrowed his eyes as he stared at Ashlyn¡¯s back. Berry¡­ She looks just like Alice¡­ Mr. Chapman was determined to figure out just who Dr. Berry truly was. ¡°Alice had not contacted us in decades, dad, so it¡¯s obvious that she no longer sees you as a father. Why bother thinking about her?¡± said Sisley Chapman, who didn¡¯t want to share any portion of the inheritance with anyone. The way Mr. Chapman reacted to Ashlyn had alerted all the bells in Sisley¡¯s heart. Even Sisley had to admit that Ashlyn looked a lot like Alice, but that didn¡¯t mean the woman was a part of the family. ¡°Sisley is right. Alice has always been stubborn, and who knows? Maybe she¡¯s still hiding in a hole somewhere and being mad at you. She is so immature. It¡¯s a shame that you have always seen her as your favorite,¡± added Anthony quickly. ¡°Shut up!¡± growled Mr. Chapman before he coughed aloud. Cough! Cough! It took the elderly man sometime before he settled down and said, ¡°Alice is still your sister, regardless of what she did. If I ever find her, I will do my best to make up for all that I owed her.¡± Hera was speechless. What the hell? Is Ashlyn going to be taken in as my cousin? Oh, that is just too much! No, f*ck no! Even if we are somehow rted by blood, I will make sure she is never taken back in by the family! * Ashlyn stared strangely at Cadence. ¡°Cadence, what brought you here? Is something up with your husband?¡± Cadence shook her head and scanned her surrounding before she hesitantly asked Ashlyn, ¡°Can I have a few private words with you?¡± Ashlyn grinned. ¡°Sure, this way, please.¡± Cadence followed Ashlyn into her office. Cadence¡¯s husband, Landon, would¡¯ve been a cripple if Ashlyn hadn¡¯t operated on him. Cadence had always been thankful towards Ashlyn for that. When the two of them were alone in that huge office, Ashlyn poured Cadence a cup of water and asked, ¡°What is it, Cadence? You can tell me upfront.¡± Cadence sat on the sofa and looked a little uneasy when she turned to Ashlyn. Later, Cadence took an old photograph out of her bag. ¡°I saw this in an old album. When I first met you, I thought you looked familiar. It was as if I had seen you before, so I took the time to think things through at home. That¡¯s when I recalled that you look a lot like the girl who was bought by a guy in my vige.¡± ¡°What?¡± blurted Ashlyn as she stared at the photograph that Cadence was holding. The photograph was too old and turning yellowish, but it was still clear enough to see everybody¡¯s faces. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, check this photo out,¡± said Cadence as she handed Ashlyn the photo. Ashlyn epted it and examined the person in the photo. The photo was old, and there were at least seven or eightdies there, but Ashlyn still saw her mother immediately. The woman in the middle was none other than Alice Chapman. Ashlyn turned pale, and her eyes bulged as she stared at Alice in disbelief. Chapter 382 Chapter 382 The woman in the picture looked malnourished and thin. She also looked depressed and was a huge contrastpared to the other smiling women. However, Alice was born beautiful, so she still looked amazing in the photo, despite being sick. Ashlyn¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help thumping wildly. ¡°How did you get this photo? Where is the woman in the photo? Where is she right now? Is she still in your vige?¡± asked Ashlyn, who could barely contain her emotions at that moment. Mom¡­ The woman in the photo has to be my mother! Ashlyn was sure that she hadn¡¯t made a mistake. ¡°Dr. Berry, this photo was taken on the year I got married. The vige organized an event, and we took a group photo. It has been over a decade since the photo was taken. The woman in the photo is no longer around.¡± Cadence shook her head. ¡°She¡¯s no longer around? D-do you mean she has passed away?¡± asked Ashlyn. All her excitement and happiness had faded in an instance. ¡°She hasn¡¯t passed. She simply left one day without a word. The guy who bought her said that he sold her to someone else. May I know who she is to you?¡± asked Cadence curiously. ¡°She might be my mother,¡± answered Ashlyn as her eyes reddened. Sheter took a deep breath to regain herposure and asked, ¡°Cadence, can you tell me the year she went missing?¡± Cadence thought about it for a while before answering, ¡°That was over a decade ago. Let me think¡­ It¡¯s¡­ Uhm¡­ Thirteen years ago? Yeah. I got married that year, so it¡¯s thirteen years ago.¡± Thirteen years ago, Ashlyn was only nine years old, but she clearly remembered that her mom died in a car ident when she was eight. My mom didn¡¯t die then? Instead, she ended up in that vige? What exactly happened all those years ago? Ashlyn¡¯s mind was a mess. She didn¡¯t understand what could¡¯ve happened, and she didn¡¯t know if her mom was still alive at that moment. Someone bought her¡­ Who would buy a random woman from an unknown viger? The more Ashlyn thought about it, the more her head hurt. It was as if an invisible hand had tossed her brain in a small sack and was trying its best to stuff it in. Car ident, survival, sold¡­. Ashlyn felt like she needed to take the time to analyze everything. * The night was turning dark, and a white Land Rover drove into the secluded vige. The fog was thick in the vige. Cadence got out of the car at the entrance of the vige. She informed Ashlyn, ¡°Dr. Berry, the guy who bought the woman lives in the house at the end of this road.¡± Cadence had to hurry home because her mother-inw wouldin if she stayed any longer. The woman simply went to tell Ashlyn everything because Cadence thought she was a good person. ¡°Thank you, Cadence,¡± said Ashlyn. Sheter noticed that the roads in the vige were too small for cars to travel. As such, she could only park her car and walk the rest of the way to her destination. It took her about ten minutes or so before she saw an old wooden hut. The door was open, and the ce was dark. She knocked on the door and asked, ¡°Is anyone home?¡± No one replied. Ashlyn frowned and waited for a while, but she still didn¡¯t get a response. She fished out her phone and turned on the shlight. With the lights on, she walked into the house. It didn¡¯t take her long before she found the switch. Click! The dim light bulb on the ceiling lit the house. She could barely make out the ce¡¯s decoration, but she could tell that it was in a terrible shape. A square table stood under the lightbulb with two stools by its side. A bed was ced at the corner of the house, and a box was beside that bed. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Nothing else was left in the room. Ashlyn scanned the house and thought about how her mother used to live in a ce like that. Her heart ached as if several ws were simultaneously digging into it. This is not a living space for a human! Even a dog would have trouble living here. She was still out of it when she suddenly heard a series of footsteps from the other side of the door. ¡°Who¡¯s there? Who¡¯s in my house?¡± barked a crude voice suddenly from the yard. Ashlyn turned around instinctively and saw a reeking, dirty man walking towards the house. Chapter 383 Chapter 383 The man wore a ck shirt and had a head of messy white hair. The man looked like he was in his mid-fifties. He was wrinkled, and his eyes were ridiculously ssy. He had a bottle of alcohol with him, and he smelled like cheap alcohol. Ashlyn stared quietly at him for a while before she said, ¡°I am here for you.¡± The man didn¡¯t think that a woman as beautiful as an angel would show up in his ce. He seemed to be in shock and couldn¡¯t help rubbing his eyes. It felt as if he was dreaming. ¡°A-are you an angel? Did the heaven send you over?¡± ¡°Sober up!¡± ordered Ashlyn cruelly. ¡°Did you buy a woman to be your wife about thirteen years ago?¡± The man walked closer to Ashlyn with his head tilted to the side. He scanned her from head to toe and stared for a long while before saying, ¡°That wife of mine ran away ages ago. Why are you asking about her now?¡± Ah, so this is not a dream, and the woman is actually standing here. Still, this gal is so beautiful. ¡°Where is she? Who did you sell her off to?¡± demanded Ashlyn. ¡°Pfft, she looked weak and gentle but was actually pretty stubborn. She wouldn¡¯t even sleep with me, so of course, I had to sell her off. Someone paid me to let her stay at my ce for a few days, and I thought that I might be able to get more out of it, but it¡¯s such a pity¡­¡± sighed the old man as he sat on the stool. The old man reminisced about his young past for a while. ¡°So, you didn¡¯t buy her?¡± asked Ashlyn, who immediately caught the key information in his words. ¡°Why should I tell you? Who do you think you are?¡± asked the man as he red at her. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn didn¡¯t bother wasting any more time. She grabbed her purse and fished out some cash, tossing it in front of the old man. ¡°Is this enough to loosen your lips?¡± The elderly man¡¯s eyes glowed, and he quickly grabbed the cash to count them. ¡°Yes, yes, definitely.¡± ¡°Then f*cking talk.¡± ¡°This vige is indeed secluded. When I was younger, I used to go out to hunt in the forest. That was when I met a man and a woman. They were dragging a beautiful woman along the ground at the time, and they looked horrified. It was as if someone was chasing after them. They handed me some money and asked me to keep the woman hidden for a few days. I agreed to those terms and kept her identity a secret by telling everyone that I bought her. About two weekster, a bunch of men showed up and took the beautifuldy away. They even paid me handsomely to keep their arrival a secret. Oh, that woman was truly beautiful, though,¡± shared the elderly man sadly. The man then scanned Ashlyn once more beforementing, ¡°Actually, the two of you look really simr.¡± ¡°What did those people look like? What did the man and the woman who dragged her over look like?¡± asked Ashlyn, whose heart was hurting profusely when she heard what the man had said so far. It was as if a hammer was smashing mercilessly at her chest. Only one thought kept echoing in her mind. Mom might still be alive! She might be living in some random corner on earth. Mom survived! Mommy, where are you? ¡°The man looked handsome, but the woman looked ordinary. I remember the woman¡¯s voice being very sharp, though. Still, I¡¯ve only met them once, so I don¡¯t really remember much,¡± answered the elderly man as he recalled his past. ¡°Think,¡± ordered Ashlyn through gritted teeth. ¡°I¡¯ve already epted your money, so why would I lie or keep things a secret? I honestly can¡¯t recall anything,¡± barked the elderly man loudly. Ashlyn thought that she couldn¡¯t get more information about those two, so she stopped pushing. Instead, she asked, ¡°Did you see a little girl? She should be with that woman.¡± ¡°There was never a girl, or at least I never saw her,¡± replied the elderly man. If mom survived, then where could my baby sister be? Ashlyn frowned in confusion. Sheter tossed some more cash at the man and instructed, ¡°Watch your mouth, and don¡¯t tell anyone that I came looking for you.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± replied the elderly man as he counted the cash happily. * It was already past midnight when Ashlyn drove the car back into the city. Chapter 384 Chapter 384 Ashlyn looked terrible and was a little pale, but she was strangely energetic. It was already past midnight, but she couldn¡¯t seem to sleep. Mom is still alive. She didn¡¯t get in a car crash and was sold instead. Horace lied to me! What about my baby sister, though? Was she sold too? Ashlyn thought about how her mother and sister might be suffering at that moment. They might be hidden and are being tortured right now! Ashlyn felt like she might lose control of her emotions when she thought about all that. She was tempted to destroy everything in sight. She took a deep breath and suppressed all the negative feelings inside her. N-no, that can¡¯t be it. Mom and sis are happy right now. They must be leading a good life¡­ Stop overthinking this. Just stop overthinking it! Ashlynid on the bed and keptforting and lying to herself. Before she knew it, she had closed her eyes, and it was almost noon when she woke up. She picked up her phone to check the time. That was when she noticed the number of missed calls. Some were from the hospital, while the others were from Lucas. Ashlyn sent a reply to the hospital but ignored Lucas¡¯ texts. She freshened up before driving to the hospital. She parked her car, when suddenly¡­ ¡°Wow, that guy is so handsome and cool!¡± Ashlyn hadn¡¯t even gotten out of the car before an exaggerated shriek surprised her. She blinked and traced the gaze of the shrieking stranger. That was when she saw several ck Bentleys parked by the hospital¡¯s entrance. That sight exuded power and could stun anyone. Over ten security guards got out of the car and marched uniformly to form two lines. It looked like they were trained. The door to the Bentley in the middle was opened, and a few men in tuxedos walked out of it. Ashlyn¡¯s gaze fell onto the man that led everyone. He wore a handmade ck coat and a pair of ironed-out ck trousers. He had one hand in his pocket and stood straight, which highlighted his tall figure. He had short, dark hair, and his unearthly handsome face looked like it was specially crafted by heaven itself. He looked physically fit and was surprisingly perfect. All he had to do was stand there, and everyone else would pale inparison. They looked at nothing but his background. The man exuded the powerful aura of a natural leader, and that prompted others to instinctively bow down to him. Just then, another equally fit and tall man got out of the car as well. The man looked ridiculously handsome and polite, and his lips wore a caring grin. Lucas and Joseph showing up together like that instantly captured everyone¡¯s attention. Ashlyn got out of the car and walked towards the hospital. Lucas stood there with his dark eyes quietly tracing her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pick up your phone?¡± Ashlyn wasn¡¯t sure if she had made a mistake, but¡­ Did the surrounding air suddenly turn cold? Ashlyn raised her brows and walked past the man as she replied, ¡°I just woke up.¡± In other words, she refused to pick up her phone while she slept. Joseph was standing beside Lucas, and the former wanted tough aloud when he saw Lucas being tossed aside like that. Joseph managed to keep hisughter in, though. Aw, what is up with Lucas? Ms. Berry is still treating him like he¡¯s nothing. ¡°Mr. Joseph,¡± greeted Ashlyn reluctantly. She only greeted Mrs. Field out of courtesy. ¡°Ms. Berry, my boss has been in a bad mood ever since he woke up. I suspect that he might be sick. Should I get him some medicine or something?¡± joked Joseph while wearing a bright smile. ¡°He needs a good punch. Just beat him up, and he will recover in no time,¡± answered Ashlyn calmly. Lucas still had one hand in his pocket, but his gaze turned icy as he red at Ashlyn. That woman¡­ Lucas had just regained his internalposure and thought about the trap she had set to get him married. He finally understood everything and rushed over to tell her the good news, but she repaid him by being that cold and cruel. Such an ungrateful little thing. You weren¡¯t that distant when you needed me to be your cure on the bed. As far as Lucas was concerned, the evilest thing was that Ashlyn had verbally dissed him. Beat me up? Hell, I think I¡¯d heal faster if I beat you up! In bed, of course. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Ashlyn walked towards the elevator then. Chapter 385 Chapter 385 Lucas and Joseph headed towards the elevator as well. The men got into the elevator first, and Lucas¡¯ dark eyes red intently at Ashlyn when he instructed, ¡°Get in.¡± Ashlyn shook her head and replied, ¡°No thanks. I¡¯ll get the next one.¡± When Lucas heard that, his handsome face darkened, and he readjusted his emotions to suppress his annoyance. After that, he said, ¡°Honey, stop making a scene and hurry up.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s lips twitched. Why is this man suddenly speaking so softly and sweetly? I have goosebumps all over me now. The elevator¡¯s doors were about to close, so Lucas extended his long arm, grabbed her, and dragged her in. When Ashlyn stood beside Lucas, she felt like his burning gaze was stuck on her. She felt a little ufortable, so she retaliated by ring back, but she was ambushed by a pair of beautiful, dark eyes. Her heart skipped a beat before she demanded, ¡°Why did youe to the hospital?¡± Those mesmerizing dark eyes seemed to have the ability to break through all of Ashlyn¡¯s defenses and shoot an arrow straight into her heart. Her long eyshes tilted downwards, and she was no longer looking at the man. Lucas, however, suddenly got close to her. His familiar, masculine scent instantly surrounding Ashlyn.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. His deep, sexy voice then rang up beside her ear, ¡°Guess.¡± The man¡¯s familiar icy breath swirled around her nose, and it felt like it was corroding her defenses. Ashlyn¡¯s long eyshes fluttered, and she turned away. ¡°Why should I?¡± She lifted her arm to push Lucas aside, and when the elevator door opened, she immediately rushed out. Arthur¡¯s surgery was scheduled for the next afternoon. Ashlyn sat in her office and read Arthur¡¯s medical report with a frown on her face. The bones on his knees were crushed, so were the ones on his arm. He also had a series of other injuries, including more broken bones in other regions. Almost every injury was on the surface while his internal organs remained intact. That proved that Arthur used to be healthy, and given the extent of his injuries, it was likely not an ident. It looked more like someone had physically abused Arthur. Ashlyn frowned as she analyzed the situation. She was still lost in thought when she heard a series of knocks on her door. ¡°Come in.¡± She had just finished speaking when her office door opened. A nurse popped her head in. ¡°Dr. oy wants to talk to you about Arthur¡¯s surgery, Dr. Berry.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ashlyn grabbed the medical report and headed towards Dr. oy¡¯s office. She had just left her office when she bumped into Penelope, who was holding another man¡¯s arm. The man wore a white coat and looked pretty easy on the eyes. Ashlyn hadn¡¯t been in the hospital in a while, so she didn¡¯t recognize the man. Penelope barred Ashlyn¡¯s path proudly and said, ¡°Ashlyn, let me introduce you to my new boyfriend, Jerry Sherman.¡± Jerry had just got back from studying overseas, and his father was John Sherman, the second-in- command of the hospital. He had just started working when Penelope heard about his family background and immediately went after him. She did everything to present her best self to him. Jerry was a yer even before he headed back to the country. When a woman went after him, he would happily ept her. As such, the two of them had started a rtionship quickly. Penelope turned proud the second she was the girlfriend of the son of the second-inmand of the hospital. Bumping into Ashlyn only made it impossible for Penelope to not boast. Ashlyn remained unmoved. Her beautiful eyes glowed with calmness and disinterest as she said, ¡°I am not interested in knowing who you¡¯re dating.¡± Jerry¡¯s eyes shone with surprise and bewilderment when he saw Ashlyn¡¯s extraordinary beauty. Why didn¡¯t I know that the hospital has a doctor this stunning? Penelope¡¯s beauty was above average, butpared to an angel-like Ashlyn, Penelope was nothing more than mere dust on the floor. The difference in beauty made Jerry upset. ¡°Dr. Berry, right? Hello, I am Jerry Sherman, the doctor from the orthopedics department.¡± Ashlyn extended her hand out of respect and politely shook Jerry¡¯s hand, but she never expected Jerry to stare with lust burning in his eyes. He gripped her hand and even extended his other hand to caress the back of Ashlyn¡¯s hand. Chapter 386 Chapter 386 That made Ashlyn so disgusted that goosebumps appeared on her whole body. That asshole! How dare he try and take advantage of me? Bang! The loud ring was quickly followed by the man¡¯s howl, ¡°Ah!¡± Ashlyn tossed Jerry over her shoulder ¨C she did so beautifully. That made Jerry fall onto the floor and scream in pain. Penelope was in shock, and she quickly rushed over to help Jerry up. ¡°Ashlyn, what the hell are you doing? Have you gone insane? How could you hurt him like that?¡± Ashlyn saw the shadow under the man¡¯s eyes and caught the way he curved his back. She couldn¡¯t help but grin as she said, ¡°Dr. Sherman¡¯s kidneys seem weak. Are you sure he can satisfy you, Penelope?¡± Jerry was a yer; he was good at seducing and lying to women. As such, he had slept with dozens of women. His family had money too, so he had never held back and had messed around endlessly. He was young, but he ¡®yed¡¯ so much that he had already destroyed his body. He took a lot of supplements regrly, but Ashlyn still managed to notice the problems and shared her findings aloud. Jerry¡¯s back was hurting as he thought, All I did was caress your hand. What¡¯s so bad about that? You should be honored that I took advantage of you! Jerry was ashamed and angry at Ashlyn¡¯s truthful diss. He red at her before saying, ¡°I was just being polite and trying to get to know you, Dr. Berry, but you tossed me to the floor like that! You even insulted me!¡± Penelope was both angry and embarrassed as well. She knew that Jerry only looked good, but he couldn¡¯t actuallyst for more than a few minutes if he hadn¡¯t taken any pills beforehand. Unfortunately, Penelope was in love with his family background, so she endured it. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. When Penelope heard what Ashlyn said, her face grew dark, and her eyes glowed with hatred towards Ashlyn. ¡°How could you say something like that? Have you no shame?¡± Ashlyn narrowed her eyes at them. ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth. Besides, I¡¯m only saying this for the sake of your sexual future, so why are you so mad?¡± Ashlyn asked ever so innocently. ¡°My dad is the second-inmand of this hospital! I-I¡¯m going to get you fired, woman!¡± shouted Jerry. He was interested in Ashlyn a moment ago and wanted to court her. She won¡¯t be nice to me? Fine, don¡¯t me me for being cruel then. Jerry rubbed his injured back and shouted, ¡°Security, security! Toss this woman out of here this instant! Don¡¯t let her set foot in here ever again!¡± ¡°What is going on? Why are you guys yelling in the corridor like that? You¡¯re making us look bad!¡± The director of the hospital and the hospital¡¯s second-inmand walked over soon after. ¡°Dad, director. That woman insulted Penelope and I, and she even injured me. How can our hospital hire someone so dishonorable and disrespectful? She brings shame to the entire industry,¡± shouted Jerry as he pointed his finger at Ashlyn. The director frowned and turned to Ashlyn before shifting his gaze to Jerry and Penelope. Ashlyn looked calm ¨C a huge contrastpared to how agitated Jerry and Penelope were. Penelope had her eyes on Ashlyn, and the former was secretly gleeful because she thought Ashlyn would be kicked out of the hospital soon after. Jerry does love me after all. The director of the hospital felt a headacheing when he saw Jerry. The director and the second-in- command were good friends. It was rumored that they were bunkmates when they were in medical school. When Jerry graduated, he was given a full-time job at the hospital and didn¡¯t even need to go through an internship. The director was usually towards the second-inmand, but Jerry was simply too big of a problem. A powerful investor was taking over the hospital, and soon, even the director of the hospital would have to listen to what the investor said. Hence, the director was a little annoyed as he said, ¡°Dr. Sherman, do you even know who Dr. Berry is?¡± The second-inmand had always thought that the director was too kind towards Ashlyn and gave her too many special treatments. That prompted the second-inmand to believe in his son¡¯s words immediately. ¡°Jerry has always been a good kid, Director. Dr. Berry must¡¯ve insulted him and threw the first punch!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true! We must chase her out of the hospital,¡± insisted Jerry when he heard his father siding with him. The director looked a little troubled when he turned to Ashlyn. It was in to see that Ashlyn was a skilled surgeon, but the director was close to the second-inmand¡­ I must find a way to solve this issue peacefully. Chapter 387 Chapter 387 At that moment, the door to the elevator suddenly opened. A few men in ck walked out with a handsome man in a tuxedo leading them. The leader had a powerful aura, and his face shone with cruelty. Lucas¡¯ frown exuded a murderous ambiance, and his gaze was sharp and cruel. It was in to see that he was someone to be reckoned with. He had one hand in his pocket, while his other hand held his phone as he walked towards the crowd. Ashlyn turned to him, and their eyes met in the middle of the room. Lucas¡¯ dark eyes stared at her face for half a second; everything seemed calm. A few secondster, he retracted his gaze and stood in front of the hospital¡¯s director. ¡°Mr. Nn, what brings you here?¡± asked the director, who looked a little surprised when he saw Lucas there. Spencer calmly told the director, ¡°Our master has an important announcement to make, so please gather all the heads of the departments.¡± The hospital director had a bad feeling. The mysterious investor that¡¯s supposed to take over the hospital¡­ Could it be¡­ The director didn¡¯t even dare go down that rabbit hole. He quickly ordered the second-inmand, ¡°Go set everything up right away!¡± * At the office of the second-inmand. Penelope was examining Jerry¡¯s back and saw that there was a huge bruise on it. ¡°That Ashlyn Berry is too much! How could she be so mean?¡± ¡°The director watched me grow up. I¡¯m sure he will chase Ashlyn away,¡± scowled Jerry angrily before he added, ¡°You have to help me seek revenge, dad!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Given my close rtionship with the director, Ashlyn will definitely be fired,¡±forted the second-inmand. Penelope was helping Jerry apply some medicine when Jerry reached out to hold her hand. ¡°Thank you for being so kind to me, Penelope.¡± Penelope was a little shy because the second-inmand was in the room. So, she retracted her hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t do that. You¡¯ll just make me blush.¡± The second-inmand grinned happily. He knew that the Berrys had some money and were somewhat rich, so he was d to see his son being with Penelope. Penelopeter followed the second-inmand and Jerry into the conference room. The conference room was already packed with the top management of the hospital. The second-inmand couldn¡¯t help but frown when he saw that Ashlyn was sitting with the head surgeon. ¡°Ashlyn isn¡¯t the head of her department, and this meeting is only for the top management. She has no right to be here.¡± The director was reading the document he had with him. He turned his gaze to Penelope, who was standing behind the second-inmand. ¡°Sister Berry isn¡¯t even a doctor, but she¡¯s here too, isn¡¯t she?¡± the hospital director stated. That was when the second-inmand realized that Penelope was there too. His face froze over, and he stoppedining. After that, the director instructed his assistant, ¡°Tell every doctor and nurse toe in for the meeting. Only one doctor from each department should keep working.¡± The second-inmand sat down. It wasn¡¯t right for him to say anything anymore. A few minutester, every doctor and nurse in the hospital showed up. The best seat in the room ¨C the one that used to be the director¡¯s ¨C was now being upied by a tall and unearthly handsome man. The man had a ck tuxedo on; he looked striking. It was virtually impossible for anyone to look away from him. The director then stood up and introduced, ¡°This is the First Hospital¡¯s major shareholder, Mr. Lucas Nn. Please wee him.¡± Everyone gasped in astonishment. Lucas Nn? As in the president of the Nn Group? Lucas scanned everyone sitting in the room, and his cruel voice sounded, ¡°Starting today, Nn Group will take over the hospital¡¯s management, and we have decided to fire Dr. John and Jerry Sherman.¡± Lucas¡¯ words made everyone gasp once more. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Jerry couldn¡¯t believe it. He sprang up while mming his hand against the desk. He protested, ¡°I am a doctor who has studied overseas, and my skills are better than most doctors here! How dare you fire me?¡± Jerry had graduated from a renowned university, so his sry and other benefits were better than most other doctors. He had a good shot at being a manager after working for two more years, but Lucas was firing him then and there? Jerry¡¯s heart gripped. No, that¡¯s not possible! A man in ck entered the room at that moment and handed a folder to Spencer. Thetter quickly opened the folder and put it in front of Lucas. Chapter 388 Chapter 388 Lucas tilted his head down and flipped through a few pages before he scoffed aloud, ¡°Do you really want to talk about your education? Your so-called graduation from a renowned university was nothing more than a recognition of how you were a guest student there instead of an actual student. Your certificate and achievements are also exaggerated.¡± After saying his piece, Lucas handed the folder to the hospital¡¯s director, who was sitting right next to him. When the director saw the folder, his expression changed tremendously. He threw the folder at Jerry and growled, ¡°See for yourself!¡± Jerry grabbed the folder and read it. That got him to sway, and he looked like he was being mercilessly attacked as he fell back onto his seat. His eyes burned with fury as he insisted, ¡°You¡¯re framing me. I have never done anything like that! W-who the hell do you think you are, Lucas Nn? All you have is money! Who knows where you even got it from? Maybe you¡¯re a sex ve to some rich old women, and that¡¯s why you needed to show your wealth off in the hospital to feel better about yourself.¡± Everyone gasped when they heard that. Jerry insulted Lucas Nn right to his face? Has that Jerry gone crazy? The hospital¡¯s director wanted to call security to chase Jerry out when he saw that the man had lost all composure and was acting crazy. However, Spencer beat the director to it. Spencer gestured to the men in ck, who then pinned Jerry down and beat him up mercilessly. The folder that Jerry had with him fell onto the floor, making it was in for everyone to see. A series of photos fell out of that folder, and every single one of them featured Jerry being a yboy. There were some photos where he went to strip clubs, and there were some photos where he was naked with a few women¡­ One of the papers on the floor also highlighted Jerry¡¯s credentials and studies¡­ Lucas Nn truly was as efficient as his reputation imed. He actually learned that much about Jerry Sherman within that short time spam. Spencer looked evil as he said, ¡°How dare you insult Mr. Nn? He doesn¡¯t need any women to buy him anything. He can afford hundreds of hospitals all on his own. I suggest Dr. Sherman, who has just returned to the country, looks into who Mr. Nn is before barking nonsense. Man, you¡¯re not just an idiot on paper, you¡¯re an idiot in the street too!¡± Jerry¡¯s mind was in a mess, and his body was in pain, but that was nothingpared to the turmoil in his heart. Lucas Nn¡­ Lucas Nn¡­ Who the f*ck is he? Is he well-known? Jerry had been staying abroad for a long while and had paid little attention to the matters in the country. He was also too arrogant to understand how powerless he truly was. His father was the second-inmand of the hospital, so Jerry had always thought that he was pretty amazing. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. How can Lucas Nn possibly be that rich?¡± Spencer stared at Jerry as if thetter were mentally retarded. After that, Spencer said, ¡°How did the First Hospital end up hiring a lunatic like that as a doctor?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Ashlynughed, not able to hold it in anymore. The second sheughed aloud, the other doctors and nurses in the room snickered as well. They had always been annoyed by the Shermans in the hospital and were especially happy to see the father-son duo being in a state that terrible. A nurse couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°You should look up Mr. Nn¡¯s name as soon as possible. You¡¯ll see how much of an idiot you are then.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Jerry¡¯s face had turned pale, bleeding red, and had dark bruises on it. He looked so terribly ¡®colorful¡¯ that it was verbally impossible to describe his state. The second-inmand was furious too. He decided to guilt the hospital director by turning to the director and saying, ¡°I have dedicated my entire life to the hospital and have been working here for decades! Are you really going to fire me just like that?¡± ¡°Sherman, I no longer have any authority in that matter. You and Jerry offended Mr. Nn. Even my hands are tied,¡± replied the director, who looked troubled. Still, rather than saying that they shouldn¡¯t have offended Lucas, it was actually more appropriate to say that they should¡¯ve been nicer to Ashlyn. Seriously, why did you have to mess with Ashlyn for no reason? Lucas Nn bought and donated ambnces to the hospital just to get a glimpse at Ashlyn. It¡¯s obvious that he cares deeply for her. The hospital director couldn¡¯t help but sigh internally. Sherman¡¯s old age really got to him. How did he raise such a useless son? ¡°I¡¯ve decided to promote Ashlyn as the second-inmand to rece Dr. Sherman.¡± Chapter 389 Chapter 389 Lucas suddenly said in a solemn tone. Ashlyn was rendered speechless. Frowning, she looked at Lucas in displeasure with a face that was filled with annoyance. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Two operations per month are more than enough for me. I¡¯m very busy. I have no time for those misceneous chores in the hospital. So cut it out, Lucas, or I¡¯ll resign from the hospital.¡± Everyone was shocked that Dr. Berry had actually turned down a promotion and even red at Mr. Nn with a look of impatience. Everyone saw how Jerry had ended up after offending Lucas earlier. At that moment, Jerry was still lying on the ground wailing in pain. After being beaten ck and blue, he looked like a total mess. Meanwhile, Penelope was staring at Ashlyn with jealousy. How dare this ungrateful and rude woman reject a promotion? Let¡¯s see how Mr. Nn¡¯s going to deal with her! Just when she, like everyone else, thought that Ashlyn would be punished severely by Lucas, who was sitting at the head of the table, Penelope saw a look of adoration and resignation wash over the man¡¯s face as he heaved a sigh. ¡°Alright. Do as you please, okay?¡± The ¡°okay¡± at the end of the question sounded as if he was discussing with her with a hint of doting resignation. Everyone was shocked to the core. I-Is this the same man who had earlier decisively beaten up Jerry with a grim look on his face? If the man earlier was like the king of hell who broke out of the battlefield, then the man right now was like a sweet yet manly and domineering president. The change in his attitude made him apletely different person. Penelope looked at Ashlyn in devastation, her hands clenched into fists. ¡°You¡¯re going overboard, Ashlyn. You really think you¡¯re very capable, don¡¯t you? You all probably don¡¯t know that she epted Mr. Haddock¡¯s bribes a few days ago. That¡¯s why she agreed to treat Arthur.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. What happened in the hotel the other day was simply a humiliation for Penelope. She was certain that Ashlyn had made a shady deal with Dixon, which was why she had blurted that out. With a cold expression, Ashlyn looked at Penelope, whose face was now distorted. ¡°Sister Berry, do you want me to y the footage of how you seduced Mr. Haddock but ended up getting a p in the face?¡± What? Penelope seduced Mr. Haddock? Everyone was struck dumb, including Jerry. He looked at Penelope in disbelief, who was ring at Ashlyn in anger, her eyes reddened. ¡°Don¡¯t make false usations. Y-Y-You¡¯re the one who wants to seduce Mr. Haddock! You might have even slept with him!¡± Ashlyn waved her phone at her. ¡°I have your video here. Do you really want everyone to see it? I don¡¯t mind sharing it then.¡± Widening her eyes, Penelope could not react for a while. No, it can¡¯t be! How does Ashlyn have the footage? She had been lost in the pleasure of ying with the toy that day. Thus, she didn¡¯t even know that Dixon had filmed it and forwarded it to Ashlyn. ¡°Share it. You must share it! I must see how dirty she is!¡± Jerry yelled with a twisted face while lying on the ground and wiping the blood off the corner of his mouth. During the time Penelope was with him, she had made him buy her some branded bags, clothes, shoes, and jewelry. It seems like she¡¯s been taking advantage of me all this while! Jerry could not stomach the humiliation of being fooled by Penelope after being beaten by Lucas. The ashen-faced Penelope kept shaking her head. Looking at the colleagues around her who were shooting her a strange look, she yelled, ¡°No, don¡¯t. I didn¡¯t do it. Ashlyn doesn¡¯t have the footage, and I didn¡¯t seduce Mr. Haddock either.¡± ¡°Penelope, do you think I don¡¯t know the fact that you tried to drug me with your parents?¡± Ashlyn sneered. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that you drank the spiked drinks yourself.¡± Chapter 390 Chapter 390 Spencer walked up to Ashlyn at this time and respectfully took the phone from her before he projected it on the projector screen in the conference room. Everyone immediately saw the disturbing scene, whereby a disheveled-looking woman was ying with a toy in the corner of the hotel¡¯s private room. Her moaning and slutty posture were extremely hard on the eyes. Everyone in the meeting room was watching Penelope y with the toy. Meanwhile, Penelope slumped down on the ground in tears. ¡°No, no¡­ that¡¯s not me. It really isn¡¯t me! It¡¯s all Ashlyn¡¯s fault. It¡¯s all because of you, Ashlyn!¡± Jerry struggled to get up from the ground and gave Penelope a hard p on the face. ¡°You¡¯re a whore and a slut!¡± With her hand over her cheek that had just been pped by Jerry, Penelope bawled, ¡°I was framed by Ashlyn! How could you beat me when you don¡¯t even avenge me?¡± All of a sudden, she took out a scalpel and wielded it towards Ashlyn. She moved so fast, shocking everyone. Just when the scalpel was about two centimeters away from Ashlyn, who was about to jump up from her seat to dodge it, a dagger suddenly pierced Penelope¡¯s wrist. The scalpel she was wielding dropped to the ground. Penelope fell to the ground holding her wrist, screaming in pain. Ashlyn looked up and saw Lucas, who had a gloomy expression on his face. He was taking the handkerchief Spencer had handed over and wiping his fingers gracefully. Even if Lucas hadn¡¯t helped her just now, she could have dodged it. She hadn¡¯t expected him to actually help her. Not only am I shocked that Lucas saved me, but I also feel warm deep down. What¡¯s wrong with me? Ashlyn shook her head to shake those thoughts out of her mind. The most important thing now was that she had to find a way to figure out who was the man and woman who sold her mother to the vige. Mom obviously didn¡¯t meet a car ident; she was being trafficked instead. Since there was no car ident, where did my sister go? Was she trafficked too? She was still so young then¡­ The thought of her mother and sister suffering somewhere made Ashlyn anxious and uneasy. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. However, how should I begin after so many years have passed? It was not easy to find someone in this big world. It was different from now, whereby she could find out where one was as long as she could track the other party¡¯s activity with her hacking skills. The incident had happened so many years ago. Any traces would have long disappeared with time. There was simply no way to even start the search. Ashlyn sighed. All the doctors and nurses walked out of the meeting room after it was confirmed that Penelope and both the Shermans were sacked. Peace was restored at the hospital. As soon as Ashlyn went into her office, Lucas came. Before she could close the door, he lifted his leg and wedged it between the door frame and door, refusing to let her close it. ¡°What do you want, Mr. Nn?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Ashlyn got hit on the door panel in the shoulder. Overwhelmed by the pain, she couldn¡¯t help but groan, ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± Lucas held Ashlyn¡¯s shoulder with one hand while wrapping the other around her waist. He could feel her soft and tiny waist through the thin fabric of her white coat. He couldn¡¯t help but hold his breath. Even though he was familiar with her body, he still couldn¡¯t help but feel impressed again. Is she made of water? She¡¯s amazingly soft. With her back firmly pressed against the door panel, and her waist grasped by the man, Ashlyn twisted her body. She said, feeling a little annoyed, ¡°Lucas Nn, don¡¯t ever think you can do whatever you want just because you¡¯ve be the major shareholder of the hospital.¡± A faint smile appeared on Lucas¡¯ handsome face, and his chest began vibrating slightly withughter, causing the muscles under his ck shirt to tighten, revealing the sexy outline. Parting his lips, he said nonchntly, ¡°I did nothing, Honey. Why are you so nervous?¡± Nervous? Me? Ashlyn was speechless. I just feel pain after being pinned against the door! Chapter 391 Chapter 391 ¡°The sound you made just now was so sexy and attractive. Look, my fellow down there is already up,¡± Lucas added in a casual yet evil manner without waiting for Ashlyn¡¯s response. Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help but look at his crotch¡­ Resting his perfect and masculine chin on her neck, he let out an attractive chuckle. ¡°Honey, do you want me to take off my clothes for you to check it?¡± What a lunatic! Ashlyn raised her leg to kick him. However, Lucas grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her towards him. She was so flexible that her body actually assumed a split position after being pulled by him. ¡°Honey, you really can¡¯t wait to do it in such a difficult position, can you? It seems that I¡¯ll have to cooperate so as not to let you down then.¡± Lucas shed her another smile. ¡°Are you trying to be a hooligan today, Lucas Nn?¡± Ashlyn said through her gritted teeth after taking a deep breath. This man was very handsome and attractive, with unpredictable and imponderable mood swings. Previously, he was an indifferent and nobleman in marriage. Yet, he was now a shameless hooligan, one who was also cruel, arrogant, and impatient. Ashlyn wanted to withdraw her leg, but it was being so tightly held by him that she couldn¡¯t break free. She had no choice but to find a way to push his chest that was as strong as a brick wall. She raised her hand and pped her palm towards the man¡¯s chest, but she was stopped by his other hand. ¡°Are you so eager to seduce me, Honey?¡± Lucas smirked and leaned in to rub the tip of his nose against hers. Only then did Ashlyn react. When she tried to push him just now, her fingers got hooked to his shirt buttons. The moment he grabbed her hand, her fingers identally undid the top two buttons of his shirt. The man¡¯s sexy corbone was immediately exposed, and his chiseled chest was ced in her line of sight. Although they had been married for several years, Ashlyn still couldn¡¯t help but blush. She wanted to withdraw her hand, but the man held it tighter. He then said shamelessly, ¡°Honey, since you want to touch it so much, of course, I¡¯ll let you.¡± Lucas grabbed Ashlyn¡¯s hand and pressed it to his chest. Ashlyn felt the high temperature of the man¡¯s skin through her fingertips. It was so hot that her heart trembled. ¡°Touch here, Honey.¡± Lucas took her hand all the way down, while Ashlyn¡¯s face turned crimson. She had seen a fair share of shameless people, but it was the first time she saw someone acting so shameless and brazen. How could I not know before that this man is so shameless? Her eyes went red. Nearly losing her mind, she lifted her leg to kick him. Who would want to touch him? N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Only ghosts, perhaps! Upon looking at the woman whose face was flushed with anger, Lucas had a smile tugging at his eyes. He suddenly grabbed Ashlyn¡¯s waist and lifted her off the floor before he leaned forward, pressing his body against hers. Ashlyn wrapped her legs around his waist. Such a position was ambiguous and intimate. They were so physically close to each other that there was barely any gap or anything that separated them, other than the thin fabric of their clothes. The minty scent of the man filled her nostrils. Being held by the man with her legs wrapping around his waist, Ashlyn couldn¡¯t move at all. Feeling embarrassed and angry, she looked up at the man, only to meet the man¡¯s eyes, which were like a whirlpool that could take in everything. The man stared at her with a dangerous look and a wicked smile on his unusually handsome face. Ashlyn pursed her lips and said in a calm tone, ¡°Lucas Nn, I still have work to do. Please let go of me.¡± Looking down, Lucas pecked her on the lips, and her faint fragrance filled his nostrils. He leaned in to whisper into her ear, his rxed voice filled with a hint of teasing, ¡°Call me Honey, and I will let you go.¡± Feeling his hot breath on her ear, Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help but tilt her head to avoid looking at his sexy lips. She stared at him displeasedly. ¡°We¡¯re already divorced! You¡¯re just my ex-husband.¡± Chapter 392 Chapter 392 Lucas¡¯ face suddenly clouded over. He lifted her chin to raise her delicate and fair face. He smirked coldly. ¡°Sooner orter, Ashlyn, you¡¯ll be my wife again.¡± He pinched her chin a little harder, his eyes turning cold. ¡°Don¡¯t try to run away from me, Ashlyn. As I said, you can only be my wife for the rest of your life.¡± Under his intimidating stance, Ashlyn looked up at him. This man is not only manic but also crazy and delusional. He still dreams that I will still marry him! Hahaha! What a big joke! Does he think he¡¯s so awesome and attractive that I will want to marry him again and again? Dream on! She smirked and said, with a mocking look on her face, ¡°You sure are a domineering president. Do you really think I will remarry you tomorrow just because you say something so domineering?¡± ¡°Do you want to marry someone else, Ashlyn? Is it the masked man? Who on earth is he?¡± There was a hint of irritability in Lucas¡¯ eyes. Ashlyn had almost forgotten that this man was an arrogant maniac. She never knew that her words would provoke him. ¡°Let go of me! Does who I¡¯m marrying have anything to do with you? I¡¯ll marry anyone but you,¡± said Ashlyn irritably. There was no love between them. To put it harshly, they were just taking what they needed from each other. What on earth does he want? She was now in a particrly upset and confused mood. She merely wanted to find out the whereabouts of her mother and sister; she had no interest in dating at all. She really didn¡¯t have time to argue with Lucas. The look in the man¡¯s eyes was getting deranged, apanied by a vague trace of anger, as if it would be let loose and would sweep over her in the next second. Before Ashlyn could react, her body was suddenly lifted in the air. The man carried her and strode towards the lounge of her office. The man kicked open the door with a bang and threw her on the bed. He then pressed his body against hers. Holding her firmly in his arms, he managed to restrain her even though she was kicking her legs and struggling. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. He sucked and bit her red lips in an angry and punitive manner as if he wanted to swallow everything up. Ashlyn threw punches at his chest angrily, but her hands were instantly caught by the man and pinned against the bed on the top of her head. His kiss grew deeper and more violent. His wild masculinity filled the air as if he wanted to tear her to pieces and crumple her up. Sobbing, Ashlyn silently endured the man¡¯s attack. In the face of such a powerful man, she found that she didn¡¯t have the strength to resist him at all. Her thin white coat was torn to pieces by the man, leaving strands of fabric on her body, making her look disheveled yet seductive. Underneath the white coat was merely a white T-shirt with a pair of blue jeans. The white T-shirt tightly wrapped around her body, which was curvy and very attractive. Lucas was deeply attracted to her. His bloodshot eyes were filled with violent longing as he stared at her, looking like he was a trapped beast. The sound of him panting heavily filled the air. ¡°Ashlyn, you can¡¯t escape from me for the rest of your life. You can only be mine,¡± he dered in a domineering and powerful manner. ¡°You don¡¯t love me at all, Lucas. I don¡¯t love you either. You¡¯re just not used to not having me live with you after we¡¯re divorced. You¡¯d better look into your heart and figure it out!¡± Ashlyn said weakly. ¡°I know my heart very well.¡± Lucas¡¯ eyes were gleaming with determination. I want this woman! I must have her! I only want her for the rest of my life! Seeing her red lips that became swollen after being sucked and bitten by him, he leaned in to kiss her again. Ashlyn didn¡¯t know that Lucas had known about the Spirogyra in her. Nor did she know that he was actually trying to help her with her Spirogyra attack. Chapter 393 Chapter 393 He was afraid of her having a Spirogyra attack, so he had made up his mind that he must regrly help her with it, even if she resisted or hated him. The best way to help her was to do the most intimate thing with her. This was what Lucas had been nning to do after he and Jared summed up the patterns of her Spirogyra attack. During the past four years, the Spirogyra attack was episodic. After the divorce, the frequency and number of the attacks began to increase. This showed that Ashlyn¡¯s body could not leave him at all. On one hand, he hoped that Ashlyn could be healthy. On the other hand, he secretly felt a little proud that she was inseparable from him. He was even shamefully d that Ashlyn had asked him, and not another man, to get married to her at that time. The thought of other men having an RH negative blood type irritated him and made his blood boil. No matter who it is that wants to steal Ashlyn away from me, I¡¯ll ruin him! No one can ever try to steal her away from me. Lucas made up his mind and began to attack Ashlyn wildly. There was only a simple wardrobe and a single bed in the small lounge. It had now be the breeding ground for the irresistible lust between Lucas and Ashlyn. Feeling a little out of breath, Ashlyn got carried away as her mind turned nk. The hot air from the man¡¯s breathing brushed against her face. She opened her eyes to see the man above her, with his chest bulging under his ck shirt. The only thing that stood between their bodies now was the fabric of their clothes. She could clearly feel the wild masculinity exuding from him. Lucas raised his eyebrows. ¡°Be good, Honey¡­¡± His Adam¡¯s apple happened to be right in front of Ashlyn¡¯s eyes. It bobbed up and down as he spoke, looking extremely sexy. She parted her lips to speak, trying to keep calm. ¡°I still have to work. Get off me!¡± ¡°How stubborn. Your body is clearly enjoying it.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. With his chest heaving slightly, Lucas looked at her perfect figure under her white coat, as something in his blood gushed over him. Feeling as though his throat was on fire, he said in a husky voice, ¡°I¡¯ve locked the door, Honey!¡± After speaking, he leaned in to kiss her again. Emotions ran so high that it was almost suffocating. The scorching passion seemed to ignite the air. Ashlyn narrowed her misty eyes slightly, feeling as though she was also on fire¡­ After being kicked out of the hospital, Penelope ran back to the Berry Residence in embarrassment. As soon as she entered the house, she saw Mary standing in front of the fish tank and grabbing a handful of fish food to feed the fish. She cried out loud and bawled, ¡°Mom¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mary was startled, and her hand trembled, making all the fish food in her hand fall into the fish tank. The fish scrambled for the food. Without care for anything else, Mary hurriedly led Penelope to sit down on the sofa. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Penelope? Shouldn¡¯t you be at work now? Why are you back?¡± ¡°Mom, it¡¯s all the b*tchy Ashlyn¡¯s fault!¡± Penelopeined resentfully. She then proceeded to tell Mary about everything that had happened in the hospital. After listening to her story, Mary was trembling with anger. Her well-maintained face twisted so much that it was almost unrecognizable. ¡°Damn! How dare this little b*tch do this to you! Who does she think she is?¡± ¡°Mom, what should I do now?¡± Penelope was crying her eyes out. I¡¯ve lost the job I worked so hard to get. What should I do? ¡°Let¡¯s wait for your dad toe back first. We have to n it out. Otherwise, you can go to your dad¡¯s company to work. Sooner orter, thepany is gonna be yours anyway.¡± Mary patted Penelope on the hand tofort her. As soon as she finished speaking, the doorbell suddenly rang. A servant hurried to open the door. Unexpectedly, a few uniformed policemen walked in. ¡°Excuse me, is this Horace Berry¡¯s household?¡± Mary was startled, and her heart sank. She had a bad feeling about their arrival. Chapter 394 Chapter 394 ¡°Yes, this is the Berry Residence. What¡¯s the matter, Sir?¡± The officer leading the group showed a piece of paper in front of Mary. ¡°This is an arrest warrant. We went to Berry Furnishings but didn¡¯t see him. Is he at home?¡± Mary¡¯s face was instantly drained of blood, as she asked with trembling lips, ¡°Arrest? Why arrest him? What did he do wrong?¡± ¡°We received an anonymous report that Horace Berry engages in tax evasion, and we have solid evidence. So, we¡¯re arresting him,¡± the officer replied. ¡°Please get in touch with Horace Berry. Otherwise, we will post a nationwide arrest warrant on the Inte.¡± Mary went weak in the knees and staggered, nearly passing out. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Fortunately, Penelope hurriedly supported her by her side. ¡°Mom, mom, are you okay?¡± ¡°W-Where should I find him? He went to thepany in the morning. He hasn¡¯te back since,¡± Mary bawled. What do we do if Horace goes to jail? What will we eat? Where will we get the money to spend? How will I maintain myvish lifestyle? Penelope has now lost her job as well. Mary felt like her whole world was caving in. Just then, the doorbell rang. Horace rushed in sweating and shouted anxiously, ¡°Darling, hurry up and pack some clothes for me. I¡¯m going out¡ª¡± Before he finished speaking, he saw the policemen standing in the living room. His voice got stuck in his throat, making him unable to speak anymore. W-Why are the cops here? He was ashen-faced. He had only escaped from thepany after his assistant said that the police were looking for him. He initially wanted to go home, pack some clothes, and leave, but to his dismay, the police were already waiting for him at home. He widened his eyes in disbelief as the police walked up to him and handcuffed him. It was not until the cold handcuffs secured his hands together that he came back to his senses, saying, ¡°I was framed. I didn¡¯t evade taxes! I didn¡¯t!¡± ¡°Any reservations, you can talk to the judge in court.¡± With an indifferent look, the officer then said coldly, ¡°Take him away!¡± Mary rushed over and hugged Horace. ¡°No one is allowed to take my husband away. He has done nothing wrong! If you dare to take him away, I¡¯ll bang my head against the wall and kill myself!¡± Horace didn¡¯t expect Mary to be so protective of him. Feeling touched, he looked at her and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay Darling. You should live a good life with Penelope while waiting for me toe out.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t live without you, Darling! What will Penelope and I do after you¡¯re gone?¡± Mary cried bitterly. Who will give me money? She usually hung out with several wives of wealthy men when she was free. If she had no money and thepany closed down in the future, she would not have the face to hang out with them anymore. Penelope also grabbed Horace in the arm. ¡°Dad! I was sacked from the hospital today!¡± ¡°What?¡± Horace looked shocked. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Dad, you can¡¯t leave mom and I behind! We really can¡¯t live without you!¡± Penelope also started to weep. Horace stared at Mary with a look of trouble. He was heartbroken and worried. In the end, he was taken away by the police without saying anything else. Mary chased after them and watched the police car speed away. She couldn¡¯t help but fume with anger. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Penelope asked, feeling curious after noticing the abrupt change on her mother¡¯s face. Wasn¡¯t Mom worried so much about Dad just now? It was as if he¡¯s in a life-or-death situation! Why the sudden change in her attitude? ¡°Your dad still doesn¡¯t trust me enough,¡± Mary scowled, her face darkening. ¡°Hmph! He has a safe with some of his cash. I thought he would tell me the password, but he actually left without saying anything. It¡¯s driving me crazy!¡± It seems like I can¡¯t rely on Horace anymore. I¡¯ll have to find another way out. Chapter 395 Chapter 395 Berry Furnishings was being closed down because of a tax evasion incident. Their assets were seized, and they could not cover the huge amount of taxes they owed. Berry Furnishings had been losing money over the years, and their ie had never been enough to cover the expenses. Dixon¡¯s insignificant investment was only enough to relieve Berry Furnishings of their urgent needs ¨C it never solved the root of the problem. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Thepany¡¯s seizure only added to the problem and angered Dixon so much that he threw the documents onto the ground. ¡°Horace¡¯s useless!¡± ¡°At least Ashlyn agreed to the operation, didn¡¯t she, Mr. Haddock?¡± Sienna lowered herself to pick the documents up and ce them in front of Dixon. The handsome-looking man stared nkly at the documents with his coal-ck eyes before breaking the silence, ¡°Leave me.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Sienna quickly pushed the door open and went out. As soon as she went through the door, a sudden feeling took her by surprise. She felt difort in her stomach as if she were about to throw up. Could it be? Sienna¡¯s face turned pale. She dared not waste another second standing still. After dashing to a stall in the bathroom, she did nothing but dry heave, so much that she almost vomited stomach acid. After a moment, she patted herself on the chest as she walked out of the stall. Sienna was a thirty-six-year-old woman, so she knew to take birth-control pills because Dixon cared not about taking any safety measures. She had no ns to have children as her husband was disabled, so it would not make sense for her to be pregnant. If she got pregnant, that would mean that the baby was illegitimate. It would be a bastard child of the aunt and her nephew. Am I going to let my child be called a bastard? Sienna dared not to go further with that thought, so she returned to her office, still distracted. ¡°President. President¡­¡± Lisa called Sienna a couple of times before she snapped back to her senses. ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± ¡°This is the list of donations for our charity foundation for this quarter.¡± She handed Sienna the report before looking at thetter with concern. ¡°Are you okay? You don¡¯t look so good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just a little tired.¡± Sienna forced a smile and started to go through the report. Sitting at his desk in the office, Principal Potter of University T was going through a file when the director of admissions, Mr. Granger, approached him. ¡°Principal, the graduation season is near. Graduation Night will be held soon, not to mention the talk for the new term. Who should we invite to do the medical school talk this term?¡± Last time, the principal invited somebody called Ashlyn, and she epted the invitation. She didn¡¯t bluff, did she? If she¡¯s not the big deal she imed to be, we¡¯re in trouble. Principal Potter looked up from the file before handing it over to Mr. Granger. ¡°Take a look at this, Granger.¡± Mr. Granger took the file with a puzzled look on his face. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Just look,¡± instructed Principal Potter softly. Five minutester, Mr. Granger opened his eyes wide in shock as his hands trembled, ¡°How is this possible?¡± ¡°It really is her,¡± sighed Principal Potter, ¡°I thought she was familiar the first time I saw her at the Haddock Charity gathering.¡± ¡°She really was the one who wrote the paper that took the medical world by storm! Not only did she publish several first-level theses, but she was also a guest editor at a world-ss medical journal. How is that possible? She¡¯s only how old? Wasn¡¯t it said that the medical genius disappeared after publishing a paper four years ago? It was a great loss to the medicalmunity,¡± eximed Mr. Granger as he found what he read in the file to be unbelievable. ¡°My brother is the dean of the institute of medicine in Maredania. This file he sent has to be correct. He said that the genius got poisoned and that it was the incurable kind. However, he never gave up searching for the child. His only fear is that she might have fallen,¡± exined Principal Potter as his eyes turned red. Chapter 396 Chapter 396 Mr. Granger lowered the file in his hands. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her to still be at First Hospital in Lake City.¡± ¡°Even though University T can¡¯tpare to her alma mater, we can still invite her to give a lecture. I just don¡¯t know if she¡¯s managed to detoxify the poison,¡± responded Principal Potter as he looked worriedly out of the window. Ashlyn graduated from Zenith University ¨C the best university in H Nation. She became famous after publishing a world-ss paper before she even graduated. Such news shook the entire medical community. But after graduation, Ashlyn simply vanished. Nobody knew where she went. Even her name and photo on the honor roll of the medical university had disappeared from the list of honorary alumni. Ashlyn was gone as quickly as she came, and like the wind, she left without a trace. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve determined Ms. Berry to be the genius, why don¡¯t we just invite her to give thest lecture before graduation?¡± Mr. Granger could not help but make the suggestion. ¡°I¡¯ll need to see to this invitation personally. You shoulde with me. Oh, do ask the director of teaching and vice-principal to tag along,¡± ordered the principal. ¡°Yes, Sir. Right away,¡± responded Mr. Granger before standing up. ¡°About Graduation Night¡­ ¡° ¡°We¡¯ll talk about that tomorrow. Let¡¯s deal with the lecture first.¡± Meanwhile, in Ashlyn¡¯s office at the hospital, Ashlyn¡¯s face was flushed with passion as her apricot- shaped eyes stared at a satisfied man. With his legs crossed, a man satzily on the sofa, gently swiping his phone screen with his long, slender fingers. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be out?¡± asked Ashlyn harshly, whose back was sore and painful. The man was a wild animal in bed, though he did not look like it. He now looked like Prince Charming who could only be found in fairy tales. Of course, that was only his physical appearance. The ¡®animal¡¯, Lucas, lifted his head and looked at Ashlyn who was sitting behind her desk with his coal- ck eyes. The woman¡¯s features were exquisite and her gorgeous lips that were now swollen because of his kisses looked alluring. She was looking down at a medical record as a strand of her hair hung at the side of her face, making her look all the more amorous. Lucas could not help himself as he stood up and approached Ashlyn. He then reached out to pull that strand of hair and wrapped it yfully around his finger. Annoyed, Ashlyn lifted her head to re at Lucas. ¡°Let go!¡± ¡°You¡¯re making me feel like I failed to satisfy you just now. Why the temper, honey?¡± Lucas asked with a smirk. The way Lucas looked at her reminded her of the steamy scene they had both been in just now. Ashlyn could almost feel the warmth of his muscr body still lingering at the tip of her fingers. The pen she was holding onto suddenly dropped onto the floor as she got distracted. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, Lucas!¡± Ashlyn¡¯s feeling of embarrassment suddenly turned into anger. Lucas lowered himself to pick up the pen and put it back into her hand. ¡°How is my fault?¡± Ashlyn kept quiet and did not respond. Man! I wouldn¡¯t have dropped the pen if he didn¡¯t distract me by reminding me of his wild side. Why is this jerk bothering me anyway? The more I try not to think about it, the harder it is for me to control my head. Once again, shing before her eyes was the scene in which the man¡¯s sweat rolled down from his forehead and dripped onto her chest. Ashlyn internally screamed as she shook her head in an attempt to shake off the image. Holding his chin while looking at Ashlyn, Lucas found her reaction very interesting as he knew Ashlyn had many sides to her. Some were cute, others lively, interesting, or simply just charming, but he had recently only seen the cold and strong side. What Lucas liked the most was the way she looked when she was lit up with fiery passion on the bed. She was like a beautiful rose dressed in passionate and bold colors. She may not want to admit that she wanted it but look what happened. We went at it several times in the end anyway. Chapter 397 Chapter 397 Lucas was feeling like a new man while Ashlyn¡¯s back was killing her. It was indeed a strong contrast between the two. Ashlyn could not figure out how the man could still look so energetic after exerting himself so much. The vigor he had was unbelievable. When Ashlyn was deep in thought, someone suddenly knocked on the door of her office. Ashlyn took a deep breath to recollect herself before calmly responding, ¡°Come in.¡± Though she could see the doorknob being turned, the door remained closed. She then remembered that the door was still locked. So, she kicked Lucas and ordered, ¡°Go unlock the door.¡± Lucas, the arrogant but handsome captain, did as he was told and moved his long slender legs to get the door open. The person on the other side of the door was stunned to see a man when the door finally opened. Worried that he might have knocked on the wrong door, Principal Potter quickly took another nce at the name on the door to make sure. Looking puzzled, he hesitantly asked, ¡°Mr. Nn, would this be Dr. Berry¡¯s office?¡± Lucas did not wear a friendly face towards the old man who had interrupted his time with his girl. ¡°What do you want with Dr. Berry, Principal Potter?¡± It was supposed to be just the two of us! What the hell are these old geezers doing here? Lucas had donated quite a significant amount to the university after asking for Principal Potter¡¯s help last time. Out of respect, Principal Potter responded to him, ¡°Oh, the thing is we¡¯re hoping to invite Dr. Berry to give a lecture. Would you mind letting us in, Mr. Nn?¡± After ncing at the assistant and a few other directors behind Principal Potter, Lucas reluctantly got out of their way and let the old men in. ¡°Ashlyn¡¯s inside. Come on in.¡± Principal Potter had noticed how Lucas treated Ashlyn differently since thest time they met, but he had never expected to meet Lucas in Ashlyn¡¯s office. Doesn¡¯t this president have a great deal of business to tend to? Why is he lounging about in Dr. Berry¡¯s office? They couldn¡¯t have been just talking, could they? Principal Potter could not help but let his imagination wander. ¡°Principal Potter, directors, please have a seat,¡± invited Ashlyn after standing up behind her desk. She then nced at the tall man who refused to leave her alone. What an eyesore! ¡°Why aren¡¯t you serving the directors tea? Get me my Oolong tea,¡± ordered Ashlyn. A useless eye sore, that is. Lucas kept his silence as he thought to himself. Oh, I dare them to have me serve them tea! The directors quickly stood up in a panic. ¡°We¡¯re good. You don¡¯t have to do that, Mr. Nn.¡± They would not even dream of having Lucas serve them. Doing as he was told, Lucas grabbed the Oolong tea from the cab and proceeded to make some tea. Ashlyn was the only person who could have ordered him around like a servant. What a surprise! Mr. Nn is actually making tea like Ashlyn ordered. Feeling ufortable about it, Principal Potter immediately tried to help out, ¡°Let me do it, Mr. Nn.¡± ¡°You¡¯re our guest, Principal Potter. Leave him be. He can do it,¡± assured Ashlyn as she nced at Lucas once again. Let¡¯s see how vigorous you are now. This will keep you busy. Meanwhile, Lucas was deep in his own thoughts. ¡®Our guest¡¯? So I guess we¡¯re together now that she¡¯s started to use the word ¡®our¡¯. It¡¯s only fair that I serve these old geezers since I¡¯m also the host here. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . With that thought in mind, Lucas had no problem with making the tea and serving the old men. They thanked him profusely, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Nn. You¡¯re too kind.¡± Mr. Granger even had to wipe the sweat off his forehead. He never thought he would be fortunate enough to enjoy the tea made by Mr. Nn himself. Ashlyn was very much amused at the sight of the directors, who were revered among the students, panicking, ¡°So what do you have for me?¡± Chapter 398 Chapter 398 With this many directors in my office, has something happened? With her eyebrows raised, Ashlyn focused on Principal Potter. ¡°Well, it¡¯s about the lecture I¡¯ve mentioned to youst time. Now that the National Day G Night is over, I was wondering if you would have the time to give a lecture at our university. After all, you¡¯ve saved countless lives with your expertise.¡± Principal Potter was finding it hard to look directly at Ashlyn because of how beautiful she was. She¡¯s that genius from many years ago! She made it! There was so much going on inside of Principal Potter that, for a while, he did not know what else to say. Dr. Berry specializes in surgery, but she¡¯s well-versed in Chinese medicine too. She can definitely give a great lecture. Principal Potter looked at Ashlyn with inexplicable enthusiasm but also with mixed emotions. Puzzled by his gaze, Ashlyn asked, ¡°I have no problem with giving a lecture, but why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Principal Potter did not expect Ashlyn to agree to his proposal without hesitation. He froze for a while before continuing, ¡°Thank you, Dr. Berry. Can you do Monday and Friday afternoon?¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll be there on time.¡± Ashlyn nodded in agreement. ¡°My assistant will contact you to sort out the details for the lecture,¡± responded Principal Potter immediately. ¡°Sure, it¡¯d be my pleasure to help out the students.¡± Ashlyn smiled. After standing up happily, Principal Potter nced at his watch. ¡°Why don¡¯t I treat you to dinner at the Imperial Hotel tonight, Dr. Berry?¡± ¡°I think you should save it,¡± Lucas sneered before he caught Ashlyn¡¯s re. Suddenly, his tone changed, ¡°Because dinner¡¯s on me. You can have whatever you want.¡± He sure changed his tone fast enough. What a manic psycho! At the entrance to Imperial Hotel, Ashlyn answered a call after signaling Lucas to bring Principal Potter and the others inside first. ¡°Who¡¯s calling?¡± asked Lucas curiously. ¡°None of your business. Now get inside!¡± eximed Ashlyn with a scowl. Lucas shrugged, rubbing the top of her head affectionately before bringing the old men to the hall. After talking to Jared for a while on the phone, Ashlyn hung up. When she looked up, she noticed a ck Mercedes-Benz parked at the entrance of Imperial Hotel. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Just as Ashlyn was about to go inside after putting her phone away, she heard a familiar voice, ¡°Ashlyn, it¡¯s really you!¡± Penelope? Ashlyn turned to see Penelope stepping out of the Mercedes-Benz. The woman was wearing a light yellow dress, a pair of three-inch high heels, and heavy makeup as she walked with swaying hips over to Ashlyn. ¡°Can you really afford the Imperial Hotel? This ce has the most expensive restaurant in Lake City! A meal will probably cost you half a month¡¯s sry,¡± mocked Penelope. ¡°And how is that any of your business?¡± Ashlyn looked at her with a stoic expression. I¡¯m guessing Penelope¡¯s wrist has recovered since she¡¯s her arrogant self again. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about how much you have in your wallet. Has Lucas just dumped you? Is that the reason why you¡¯re standing out here alone? What a shame!¡± Penelope covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled. This woman and her assumptions sure are pissing me off. Turning to go inside, Ashlyn could not bother to put up with her. Before Ashlyn could walk away, Penelope stopped her and grabbed the man who just walked over. ¡°Let me introduce my boyfriend.¡± Ashlyn nced at the man, who looked thirty-six or thirty-seven years old in front of her. He was wearing a casual outfit and a pair of gold-rimmed sses. He has to be way older than Penelope, right? ¡°Darling, this is Ashlyn. The one I¡¯ve mentioned to you.¡± Penelope held onto the man¡¯s arm as she continued, ¡°Ashlyn, this is my boyfriend, Matt. He¡¯s the vice president of University T, and he¡¯s only thirty-eight. Very young and promising, I know.¡± Chapter 399 Chapter 399 ¡°That¡¯s quite young,¡± mocked Ashlyn with a nod. Young enough to be forty soon. She¡¯s only in her twenties, and yet she¡¯s dating a man who¡¯s almost forty. What¡¯s there to be proud of? She needs to get her priorities straight. ¡°So, you¡¯re Ashlyn? You look pretty, but could you treat Penelope a little better in the future?¡± Matt looked at Ashlyn displeasedly. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He had heard a lot about Ashlyn from Penelope, so his impression of Ashlyn was that she was a vile woman who liked to pick on the former. Matt would get furious whenever Penelopeined about Ashlyn to him. Now that he finally met Ashlyn in person, it did not matter that Ashlyn looked prettier and more charming than Penelope. Matt had nothing but disgust for Ashlyn. Matt continued to lecture Ashlyn the way he would lecture his students. ¡°Penelope¡¯s kind and innocent, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can always pick on her like that. You¡¯re sisters, and you¡¯re supposed to help and love each other. You can¡¯t continue to treat her the way you used to.¡± Ashlyn looked at Matt in disbelief. What¡¯s wrong with this guy? I know Horace¡¯s in jail right now, so is Penelope getting another cash cow? She was just with another jerk from the hospital a few days ago¡­ She¡¯s with this guy now? Her boyfriend turnover rate is really astonishing! I guess she¡¯s trying to show people what it means to change your boyfriend like you change your clothes. What Ashlyn did not know was that Penelope was actually cheating. She was dating both men at the same time. What¡¯s wrong with the principal? Why would someone like Matt be assigned the position of vice president? Someone who would get manipted so easily by Penelope. It was almostughable. ¡°Be careful who you¡¯re talking to, Mr. Zane.¡± Ashlyn nced at Matt once again but coldly this time. ¡°Who are you to talk to me that way?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Penelope¡¯s boyfriend and your soon-to-be brother-inw, so you have to listen to me!¡± Matt¡¯s face turned red from embarrassment. He had not expected Ashlyn to talk back, so he grew upset when she did. ¡°Well, excuse me! Not even Horace could¡¯ve made me listen to him. So just save it.¡± Ashlyn turned and left as soon as she was done speaking. She could not bother wasting any more time with the two idiots. Penelope got so upset as she leaned helplessly against Matt. ¡°That¡¯s the attitude she always gives me, Darling. Look how she despises me.¡± Feeling heartbroken for her, Matt quickly kissed andforted her softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay Darling. We¡¯ll go inside and have her pay for her attitude.¡± Embraced by Matt, Penelope smirked as she thought about getting back at Ashlyn. Following closely behind Ashlyn, the two made their way into the Imperial Hotel as well. Lucas was sitting at a long European-style table with Principal Potter and the others when Ashlyn took a seat beside him. She only did so because there was no other seat avable at the table. She knew that seat had been undoubtedly saved specifically for her. To Ashlyn¡¯s surprise, nobody had ordered any food yet. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Lucas asked softly as he handed Ashlyn the menu. ¡°Oil-braised chicken, fresh shrimp, and stir-fried vegetables.¡± Ashlyn made the orders without hesitation. Only after her orders did Lucas and the others started making theirs. When Matt and Penelope appeared suddenly at the scene, all they saw was a woman with bright eyes, pearl teeth, long eyshes, fair skin, and lips that are as tender as rose petals. Next to that woman was an unusually good-looking man surrounded by a powerful aura. Even though he was only wearing a regr ck shirt, his presence was so strong that it was almost palpable. Matt¡¯s eyes opened even wider when he realized who the others around them were. Chapter 400 Chapter 400 He could not hold it in any longer. ¡°Principal Potter, why are you having dinner with this vile woman? Don¡¯t you know¡­ ¡° Before Matt could finish, Principal Potter scowled at him and interrupted, ¡°Vice-President Zane, what¡¯s the meaning of this? Dr. Berry is an excellent doctor who has treated many severely ill patients. Where are your manners?¡± Matt¡¯s EQ had always been very low. That was the reason why he had always had trouble finding himself a girlfriend. Even though he came from a wealthy family and was almost forty, he never got married. Matt was decent at work, but there was just something he was missing. It then hit Principal Potter when he noticed Penelope beside Matt. His heart burned with anger, and he could hardly contain it anymore. The thought of choking Matt to death even crossed Principal Potter¡¯s mind. How dare he ask me why I¡¯m having dinner with Dr. Berry! She¡¯s the big shot I¡¯ve just managed to invite for a lecture. How will he ever make it up to her for his offensive actions? ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by her beautiful appearance! She bullies her sister, stepmother, and stepbrother at home every day. She even abuses her grandma! There¡¯s no good in her!¡± eximed Matt when he thought Principal Potter was clearly trying to protect Ashlyn. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask my girlfriend. She¡¯s lived under the same roof as Ashlyn for many years.¡± Matt then pushed Penelope forward in front of everyone. The woman never thought Matt, the idiot, would do something like that. Penelope¡¯s face flushed as she was totally caught off-guard. She was trembling when she stood in front of the directors and under Lucas¡¯ cold gaze. ¡°My father went to prison because of Ashlyn. It was also Ashlyn¡¯s fault that my mother got sick.¡± ¡°Was she also the one who forced your father to evade taxes and forced you to date Jerry?¡± mocked Lucas as his face turned dark and his sullen eyes shot straight at Penelope. How dare she make up stories to make my girl look bad! This woman disgusts me! When bad things happened to the Berry family, I thought she would stop and reflect on herself for a bit. But I didn¡¯t expect her to get even worse. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . I guess people really don¡¯t change. Lucas¡¯s ice-cold expression made Penelope very ufortable. She could not help but wince a little and went to hide behind Matt. Matt was not going to go down easy, especially not in front of his girlfriend. ¡°I know you¡¯re an important person, Mr. Nn, but Ashlyn really isn¡¯t who you think she is. I advise you to stay away from her because God knows when she¡¯s going to start taking advantage of you.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Lucas¡¯s roar was so powerful that everyone around him was stricken with fear. The atmosphere in the restaurant turned stagnant. After shooting daggers at Matt and Penelope, Lucas signaled Spencer, who was standing just behind him. Spencer quickly dialed a number, and before long, dozens of bodyguards rushed in from all directions to surround Matt and Penelope. Even though Matt came from a wealthy family, he spent most of his time either at school or at home. That was why he had never seen anything like this before. His face turned pale as he eximed, ¡°What do you guys want?¡± Holding his wine ss with his long slender fingers, Lucas¡¯s fingers somehow seemed more visually striking as they contrasted with the crimson color of the wine. The man took a sip from the ss before casually ordering, ¡°Throw them out.¡± ¡°We, too, are here to dine at the Imperial Hotel, so what gives you the right to drive us away? You can¡¯t do this! Do you think you own the world?¡± shouted Matt insufferably as the bodyguards dragged him and Penelope out without any intention to reason with him. After wiping the sweat off his forehead, Principal Potter apologetically smiled at Lucas. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the way Matt acted, Mr. Nn. He¡¯s not right in the head sometimes because of his horribly low EQ.¡± Chapter 401 Chapter 401 ¡°Dr. Berry, I know that you¡¯re a magnanimous woman, so please don¡¯t get angry at Matt. I¡¯ll be sure to give him a stern lectureter. He must have been tricked by that woman and had a misunderstanding. He¡¯s a shame on T University!¡± Principal Potter babbled his apologies as unease flowed through him. Yet, Lucas¡¯ eyebrows were knitted, and he remained silent. Nobody could tell what he was thinking. Principal Potter was worried that Lucas might turn his anger on him and the various other heads of department at the table. And here he had been hoping to invite Lucas and Ashlyn as VIP guests to Graduation Night¡­ Now, everything was at risk because of that damn Matt. He would throttle the man himself if anything happened. No wonder their School of Medicine could neverpete with Zenith University! With a crazy associate dean like Matt, how could their School of Medicine possibly develop and prosper? How infuriating! He was so mad he was tempted to rush over and beat the crap out of Matt right now. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Principal Potter, you don¡¯t have to act like that,¡± Ashlyn smiled, ¡°Mr. Zane is his own man. What he does or says is not your fault. Since I already agreed toe and give a talk, I¡¯ll keep my promise.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a kind and amazing woman, Ms. Berry.¡± The principal breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that Ashlyn would not go back on her words. ¡°I had always wondered why T University was unable to rank higher among the universities. Now I know why.¡± Lucas¡¯ expression was dark. Anyone who dared to upset his woman should not expect an ounce of respect on his part. Does this Matt Zane have a death wish? How dare he publicly shame my woman? Penelope as well. Looks like she hasn¡¯t learned her lesson yet. Even now, she still dares to trouble Ashlyn. He had thought that after the incident at the hospital, Penelope would back away ¨C which would be the smartest thing to do. But it seemed like he was wrong. Snorting, he gestured for Spencer toe closer and whispered something in his ear. Nodding, Spencer turned to leave. Ashlyn raised an eyebrow, wondering what the man was up to this time. In response, he grabbed her hand and said, ¡°Anybody who dares to bully you should not expect to have mercy from me.¡± His words had her speechless. Was I being bullied? Puh-lease, a crazy woman like Penelope does not even deserve my attention or time. But then, Lucas seems very keen on helping her deal with these scumbags? Inexplicably, a surge of warmth suffused her along with a strange sense of serenity. Meanwhile, in the kitchen of Imperial Hotel. Howard was personally cooking the dishes that Ashlyn ordered. Immediately after each dish was done, a waiter would deliver it to her table. ¡°Chef Howard, Ms. Berry is here. Aren¡¯t you going to head outside to see her?¡± another chef teased. Howard smiled with an innocent look on his face. ¡°There are a lot of people around Lyn now. Thest time I went over, she was too busy to talk to me. If I go over today and she still won¡¯t talk to me, then I¡¯ll be really unhappy.¡± ¡°Chef Howard, you¡¯re so handsome and good at cooking. Ms. Berry should be really happy to see you. Why would she ignore you?¡± yet another chef queried. Howard merely gave them a silly grin, looking innocent and harmless. This was a stark contrast to his tall and broad figure. The waitresses who were in the kitchen could not help blushing at how adorable he looked. His muscr build only added points to his charm. Howard walked toward the entrance to the kitchen and stuck his head out to have a look at the dining area outside. Sweeping his gaze around, he finally spotted Ashlyn¡¯s table. However, when he saw the man sitting beside her, the smile on his face visibly froze before vanishing. That man again! Ashlyn also ate with that man thest time she was here. That man was fierce and domineering, clearly not someone one wanted to offend. Howard narrowed his eyes as anger burned in him. Chapter 402 Chapter 402 His hands trembled badly, causing him to spill the cup of coffee he had been holding all over the floor. ¡°Chef Howard, are you alright?¡± one of the waitresses called out in concern. She was worried the hot coffee might have scalded him. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he answered curtly. With how cold his voice was, it was like he was apletely different man than the earlier adorable chef. The waitress was visibly stunned. She lifted her head to look at him, only to see the ice in his gaze and the hard expression on his face. She took two steps back in surprise. I-is this the same Chef Howard? Isn¡¯t he supposed to be cute and innocent? Harmless and kind? Why is there such a terrifying look on his face? Rubbing her eyes, she nced a second time, but the image did not change. Howard still looked as scary as before. She shook her head and headed outside, thinking that she must be seeing things! Taking in a deep breath, Howard decided he had to take action. He could not continue being so passive. He had been by Ashlyn¡¯s side all these years, longing for her. What right did that man have to barge in and snatch her away from me? This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. It was already incredibly annoying to have Jared Quickton always lurking around her. Now, this man is sniffing around as well¡­ Hate coursed through him at the two men perpetually circling her. Half an hourter. Ashlyn and the others finally finished dinner and were just about to leave when Howard suddenly rushed over. With his tall stature, he did not want Ashlyn to have to crane her neck up, so he automatically leaned down to speak with her. He locked his gaze with hers, his eyes filled with longing. ¡°Lyn.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Ashlyn reached out to pat his head like how one would pat a dog. ¡°I-I¡­I want to go to the a-amusement park this weekend. Other y-young children have been there but¡­I¡¯ve never been,¡± he stammered out nervously, ¡°C-could you apany m-me there?¡± Sheughed and stared at him with sisterly love. ¡°Of course I can! And you¡¯re in luck because I happen to be free this weekend. I¡¯lle here to pick you up.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± Excitement and joy had him tongue-tied. In response, she tweaked his nose affectionately. She waspletely unaware of the dark expression on the face of the man beside her. ¡°Yes, really.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡± In his delight, Howard swept Ashlyn off her feet and twirled her around the room. She could not help theughter that bubbled out of her lips. ¡°Hey! Put me down! I¡¯m getting dizzy!¡± Lucas gritted his teeth. This chef from Imperial Hotel is just too shameless! How dare he act all innocent and cute to obtain my woman¡¯s sympathies! Yet, another strong rival¡­ His hands darted out to shove Howard away. His tone was frigid yet furious as he snarled, ¡°Excuse me! She said she¡¯s getting dizzy!¡± Howard shot Ashlyn a piteous look, his lips pouting while tears sparkled in his eyes. He whined, ¡°Lyn, he¡¯s so mean! He snapped at me!¡± Unable to help herself, Ashlyn patted his cheek lightly. ¡°He didn¡¯t mean to. He¡¯s always been such a big meanie. Just ignore him.¡± She then turned to re at Lucas. ¡°Howard is like a kid. I told you before that he¡¯s a sweet man, but his IQ is still that of a little child. How could you get upset with a child?¡± Lucas bared his teeth. ¡°His body is already mature.¡± All those of the male species were his enemies as long as they were trying to steal his woman away. It did not matter if they were adults or not. ¡°Let go of her!¡± Howard reluctantly set Ashlyn down. The look he shot the other man was wary and cautious. ¡°This is me and Lyn¡¯s favorite game! You don¡¯t know anything.¡± The way the man-child kept calling Ashlyn ¡®Lyn¡¯ was incredibly irritating to Lucas. He grinned viciously and stated, ¡°Lyn only likes to y another kind of game with me now. Would you like to know what it is?¡± Ashlyn straightened up and tensed her body. Instinct told her that what woulde out of Lucas¡¯ mouth would not be anything good. Chapter 403 Chapter 403 However, before she could say anything, Howard was already asking curiously, ¡°What game? Is it even more fun than what we y?¡± An evil expression crossed Lucas¡¯ handsome face. Ashlyn pursed her lips, her voiceing out a little too shrill for her own taste. ¡°Lucas Nn, you better shut your mouth!¡± But it was toote. His low voice rang out again, ¡°Well, you¡¯re still young, and it¡¯s not suitable for kids. Even if I tell you, you won¡¯t understand anyway.¡± Slender fingers stroked his chin, and he continued with a smirk, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s the kind of game where you¡¯ll get addicted the moment you y it!¡± When he was done speaking, he nced pointedly at Ashlyn. Not suitable for kids¡­Getting addicted¡­ Instantly, her face flushed a bright red when she realized what he was hinting at. That jerk! She reached out to pinch his stomach. ¡°Shut up! Nobody will think you¡¯re mute if you don¡¯t talk!¡± Damnit, does he have to have such solid abs? There¡¯s nothing for me to pinch! Lucas took the chance to grab her hand and lift it toward his mouth, kissing it gently. He shot a smug look at the furious Howard. ¡°You know what they say about boys pulling on girls¡¯ pigtails. I know you only care so much because I¡¯m the most important person in your heart.¡± Ashlyn was utterly speechless at how shameless this man could be. He¡¯s the most important person in my heart? What a narcissistic and self-centered person! She had always known that he was insane, bad-tempered, and domineering. What she had not expected was such narcissism. Sucking in a deep breath, she fought to push down the fury burning inside her. ¡°Lucas Nn, stop your nonsense! Howard is just a kid. Don¡¯t you feel the slightest bit guilty that you¡¯re bullying a child?¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Lucas lowered his eyes to look at the pretty face of the woman before him. His lips curled into a wicked smile, ¡°To me, there¡¯s only male or female. I don¡¯t care if they¡¯re adults or children.¡± Howard¡¯s eyes were red with anger, and he stomped his feet. ¡°You bully!¡± ¡°Lucas¡­¡± Ashlyn really did not know what to do with this man. Sighing, she told Howard, ¡°We have to go now. I¡¯ll see you this weekend.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± Howard¡¯s bad mood disappeared when she agreed to meet with him this weekend. He watched longingly as Ashlyn and the rest departed. Principal Potter and the others were amused at how attached Howard was to Ashlyn. With his good looks and skilled cooking, it was such a pity his intellect was not that of an adult. The only one who did not feel the slightest bit of pity toward him was Lucas. That damn chef actually had the guts to invite Ashlyn out on a date! Even he had not been on a date with her before, yet Howard had dared to ask her out. Lucas was very, very unhappy. This weekend¡­ Hmph! We¡¯ll see! He reached out to take her hand, only for her to fling his hand away. ¡°You lunatic.¡± Principal Potter and the others felt shivers running down their spines. Doesn¡¯t Mr. Nn have a wife? Why is he acting so amorous toward Ms. Berry? The way he looks at her is so creepy. It¡¯s as if he wants to make her his. If Principal Potter were being honest, he would not want Lucas to ruin Ashlyn¡¯s reputation. He already has a wife, yet he still wants to seduce Ms. Berry. This is outrageous! Principal Potter was already plotting silently. Let me find out who¡¯s close with Lucas. I¡¯ll need to get someone to talk to this domineering president cum captain¡­ After all, he could not stand by and watch as Ashlyn became someone¡¯s mistress¡­ To him, Ashlyn was a true genius! Her pristine image must not be ruined by someone else! ¡­ It was five in the morning, and the skies outside were just lighting up as dawn broke. Lucas woke up in bed and turned to look at the woman beside him. The lights in the room were not on, and the curtains blocked out any light from outside, leaving the room in darkness. He leaned over so he was closer to Ashlyn¡¯s face. Last night after they left Imperial Hotel, he had immediately dragged her back to Whind Vi. After a whole night of vigorous activities, she was exhausted. Chapter 404 Chapter 404 Drinking in her face a moment longer, he got up to see to his morning routine. His movements were light as he swiftly freshened himself up and stepped out of the bathroom. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. He had to fly today so he grabbed his suitcase and left the vi. When Spencer spotted Lucas walking toward him, he hurriedly opened the car door and took the suitcase from the other man. Lucas got into the car only to see another man already sitting inside. ¡°Hehehe. Did you have a fun night, Lucas?¡± Joseph was tantly staring at the other man¡¯s neck with a wicked smirk on his lips. He wondered how intensest night¡¯s ¡®battles¡¯ were. That¡¯s quite a big mark you have on your neck, Lucas! Lucas red at his friend, the sharp look in his eyes instantly causing Joseph¡¯s smile to vanish and a serious expression to appear instead. ¡°Ahem. There must have been a lot of mosquitosst night, eh?¡± Joseph tried to inject as much solemnity into his voice as he could. Lucas ignored him even as his fingers drifted up to touch his neck. His lips pursed tightly. Last night, Ashlyn was like a wildcat. In the peak of her passion, she had lunged at him and bit down on his neck. Even now, his neck throbbed slightly. He put down his hand and eyed Joseph. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Joseph moved closer. His eyes kept moving down to nce at the prominent bruise while he replied, ¡°Have you already forgotten? I have to go to London on business today.¡± Not a sound left Lucas after that as he remembered that Joseph would be on his flight today. Meanwhile, at the bustling airport, Jenny had her phone sandwiched between her cheek and her shoulder as she dragged her suitcase behind her. ¡°Hera, you have to hurry. The ne¡¯s about to take off.¡± ¡°J, it¡¯s really congested on the roads right now. I¡¯m more than anxious to get there as well.¡± Turning to the driver, Hera urged impatiently, ¡°Drive faster!¡± Despite the impatience that welled in her, Jenny¡¯s tone came out friendly, ¡°It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s still a little bit of time, so you should be able to arrive on time.¡± Just then, she spotted Lucas and Joseph getting out of their car. Her eyes lit up in surprise and admiration. Focusing her attention back on her call, she said, ¡°I have to hang up now. Get here as quick as you can.¡± She did not wait for Hera¡¯s reply before she ended the call and headed for Lucas. ¡°Good morning, Captain Nn!¡± Lucas¡¯ face was expressionless and cold. He did not even nce at Jenny as he nodded stiffly in reply to her greeting. Joseph chuckled and introduced himself, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Joseph Field.¡± In contrast to his friend¡¯s dark face, Joseph had a weing smile on his handsome face and looked significantly more approachable. The smile that had frozen on Jenny¡¯s face at the cold response from Lucas rxed and became more natural. She answered politely, ¡°Mr. Field, it¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you.¡± Joseph was one of Lucas¡¯ best friends. They were a close-knit circle of friends that not just any socialites could join as they wished. While the Holt family was wealthy, Jenny had only ever seen Joseph from afar at certain functions. This was the first time she had been so close to the mayor¡¯s son. Needless to say, she was more than a little excited. ¡°I need to get to my meeting. You can wait at the departure hall.¡± Shooting Joseph onest re, Lucas strode for the staff-only elevators. Jenny was quick to follow him. The pilot¡¯s uniform clung to his muscled body tightly, and even staring at his back was enough for her heart to pound faster. She deliberately moved to his side so it would seem like they hade to work together as they entered the conference room. Inside, Nancy and Fred was already waiting for them. When they saw how Jenny and Lucas came in together, they were stunned. Jenny purposely gave Nancy an embarrassed smile. ¡°Morning!¡± The hands wrapped around her coffee cup clenched tighter, and Nancy replied curtly, ¡°Morning.¡± Just what is going on here? Why did Jenny arrive with Captain Nn? Did something happen between them that I don¡¯t know about? She did not get a chance to think on the matter further when Lucas¡¯ icy voice rang out. Chapter 405 Chapter 405 ¡°Contact the control tower.¡± Thus, they started their pre-flight check. ¡­ At the same time, Hera panted as she hurriedly got out of the taxi and charged toward the boarding gates. Being the good friend she was, Jenny had revealed that Lucas would be flying today. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Hera had bought a ticket and rushed for the airport. Thankfully, she made it in time. Sitting down in her seat, she realized there was a good-looking man sitting beside her. Upon closer inspection, she saw that it was Joseph Field, the mayor¡¯s son. Rumors have it that he and Lucas are best buddies¡­ ¡°What a coincidence, Mr. Field.¡± Joseph was minding his own business when someone sat down beside him, and he was immediately assaulted by the cloying stench of perfume. Barely refraining from gagging at the overpowering smell, a sharine-sweet voice then sounded in his ears. He raised his eyes and was greeted by the sight of a heavily made-up Hera Chapman. Why am I so unlucky as to be sitting beside this woman of all people?ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Despite his disgust and disdain, he still twitched his lips in a small smile and replied, ¡°What a coincidence indeed.¡± This is all that damn Spencer¡¯s fault. He booked the ticket for me, yet he himself goes to sit in thest row! At least he gets the luxury of sitting beside another man instead of this woman. Hera nced around before fluttering her fakeshes at Joseph. ¡°Mr. Field, Lucas is piloting this flight, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded. ¡°He was so angry at me for what happenedst time; I wonder if he¡¯s calmed down yet. Mr. Field, could you do me a favor?¡± She wrung her hands together in nervousness and embarrassment. Instantly, he understood what she wanted him to do. He cut her off before she could continue talking, ¡°I don¡¯t think I can help you. Ms. Chapman, I¡¯m really tired and would like to rest.¡± With that, he put on his sleep mask and pretended to fall asleep. Hearing that, Hera¡¯s face reddened with anger. Never did she expect that Joseph would reject her even before she had the chance to say anything. Damn it! As if he would refuse if Ashlyn Berry had been the one asking him for help. Nowadays, she could not helpparing herself to Ashlyn on every little matter. The more shepared, the angrier she got. And the angrier she got, the more she hated Ashlyn. ¡­ Meanwhile, the ne continued on its way steadily as the sun slowly peeked out from the clouds to shine down on it. The ne had taken off at six-thirty in the morning, and it was now already eight. The crew began to distribute breakfast to the passengers. When Jenny came close to Hera¡¯s seat, she gave the seated woman a pointed look. Understanding immediately, Hera¡¯s hands flew to her stomach while her brows furrowed deeply. She looked like she was in a lot of pain as she gasped out, ¡°I don¡¯t know why but my stomach suddenly hurts really badly. Do you have some medicine onboard?¡± Jenny had promised Hera that she would try and create an opportunity for her to meet with Lucas. She sped a hand on Hera¡¯s shoulder while stating in a concerned tone, ¡°Please wait a moment, and I¡¯ll get it for you right away. I have to inform the captain of this matter. We don¡¯t want to be responsible for anything happening to you.¡± The way she said it was so pretentious. Then, she turned to leave. Knocking on the door to the pilot¡¯s cabin, she entered and spoke in a soft voice, ¡°Captain Nn, one of the passengers suddenly had stomach pain, and she looks very ufortable. Why don¡¯t you go and check up on her?¡± Presently, Lucas was sitting in the co-pilot¡¯s seat while Fred flew the ne. ¡°Why should I? I¡¯m not a doctor. Isn¡¯t there a medicine kit onboard?¡± His expression was indifferent, much like his voice. Jenny chewed on her lips before she uttered, ¡°Captain, I¡¯m worried something might really be wrong with her. The passengers are of the utmost importance, after all.¡± Worried, Fred suggested, ¡°How about I go take a look. Captain, let¡¯s switch.¡± Jenny shot him an annoyed re but did not speak up. Who invited you to have a look! This is not going as nned at all! Back outside, Hera kept shooting impatient looks at the door to the cockpit. Finally, it opened. Chapter 406 Chapter 406 Her eyes brightened, and she looked over in anticipation¡­ Only for her hopes to be dashed. Who is he, and where¡¯s Lucas? ¡°Which passenger is feeling unwell?¡± Fred bowed his head and asked Jenny in a low voice. In response, she pointed at Hera with a stony expression on her face. ¡°That woman over there.¡± Hera shot her an using and puzzled look. Jenny eyed her and questioned, ¡°Miss, how are you feeling now?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m feeling much better.¡± Hera was furious but did not dare make a scene with Joseph sitting right there beside her. She continued in a weak voice, ¡°Could you pour me a ss of water?¡± It took all of Jenny¡¯s willpower not to roll her eyes. B*tch, how dare you order me to get you some water! She hadpletely forgotten that serving passengers were supposed to be her job in the first ce. Pouring a ss of warm water, she handed it to Hera before digging through the medicine kit. ¡°Miss, would you like to take some medicine?¡± Hera took a sip of water before mumbling, ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. I¡¯m wary of taking medicine without a doctor diagnosing me first.¡± Fred asked several more questions and left after discovering it was nothing too serious. Throughout all this, Joseph¡¯s expression remained nk as he pretended that he was still sleeping. Hera Chapman¡­ you¡¯re really something. It¡¯s so obvious you¡¯re making a scene so you can see Lucas. Tsk tsk! Now that her first n had failed to lure out Lucas, Hera tried another method. She took a few bites of her breakfast before shouting, ¡°Who¡¯s the Purser here?¡± Nancy frowned when she heard the mean tone in Hera¡¯s voice. However, she quickly reced it with a professional smile as she headed for the other woman. ¡°Hello, Miss. I¡¯m the Purser for this flight. How may I help you?¡± ¡°What are you guys doing? There¡¯s hair in my soup!¡± Hera pointed at her bowl, ¡°See for yourself! How could you be so disgusting and unhygienic!¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°Hair?¡± Nancy was stunned. She looked down at the bowl and saw that there was indeed a strand of blond hair floating on the surface of the soap. Our airline meals were always prepared with the utmost caution as we adhered strictly to the health standards. How could there possibly be hair in the food? Is that even possible? Whatever the case, Nancy¡¯s first instinct was to apologize, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I promise I¡¯ll look into this matter. I¡¯ll take this bowl away and bring you a new one. Is that fine?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Hera¡¯s voice red out shrilly, ¡°I want to see your captain! Tell him toe out and exin this to me!¡± Her tone was firm and left no room for argument. Nancy found herself in a difficult position. South Star Airlines had always held itself to the highest standards when it came to its service or meals. They had never encountered any problems before. So what had gone wrong this time? Jenny came over and whispered to her, ¡°Nancy, maybe we should ask Captain Nn to resolve this matter? She doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s going to back down easily.¡± Sighing, Nancy caved in, ¡°Go get the captain then. I¡¯ll try and calm her down.¡± Jenny was immensely pleased. Yes! I can get the chance to talk to Lucas again. With that, she eagerly made her way into the cockpit again. This time, Lucas did not refuse toe out. He stood up and immediately headed for Hera¡¯s seat. Even from afar, he could already hear a familiar high-pitched female voice berating Nancy, ¡°What are you guys even doing? How could you serve up such a disgusting bowl of soup? I want an exnation, now! Let me tell you right now; I¡¯m not letting this issue drop so easily!¡± Nancy sucked in a deep breath and fought to keep the polite smile on her face as she took the scolding in silence. Just as she was close to snapping, she suddenly heard a cold voice speak up from behind her. Chapter 407 Chapter 407 ¡°What kind of an exnation are you looking for?¡± Hera was riding the high of kicking up a fuss when she heard that alluring male voice rang out. She raised her head in surprise to look at the man. Dressed in a captain¡¯s uniform that hugged his muscled figure nicely, the cool look on that handsome face only seemed to add to his attraction. Most of the female passengers could not tear their gazes away from him. ¡°Lucas, you¡¯re actually piloting this flight? What a coincidence! This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you in your uniform!¡± Hera leaped to her feet and cooed. Her cheeks were flushed red and admiration shone in her eyes. She looked one step away from throwing herself forward to wrap her arms around his bicep. Nancy was taken aback. This woman knows Captain Nn? And even calls him by name? What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s their rtionship? Even Jenny was dumbfounded at Hera¡¯s words. How disgusting! She red at Hera with jealousy and rage coursing through her. How dare this b*tch address Captain Nn so intimately! The rest of the passengers were also staring at Hera and Lucas curiously as they wondered about the rtionship between the two. Lucas¡¯ expression was nk, and there was a barely noticeable frown creasing his face. ¡°Ms. Chapman, I¡¯m not that familiar with you. Please address me as Captain Nn.¡± Hera felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her head as her earlier excitement and delight vanished. She stared at Lucas with an upset look on her face. Her eyes were growing red-rimmed from the shame burning inside her. ¡°C-captain Nn, there¡¯s hair in my soup.¡± In response, Lucas nced down at the bowl of soup. His sharp eyes instantly spotted the blond, curly hair floating in the soup. He had the utmost confidence in South Star Airlines¡¯ quality of service, especially when it came to their health standards. Snorting, he stated, ¡°Ms. Chapman, is this a self-directed act?¡± The color drained from Hera¡¯s face. ¡°Captain Nn, what do you mean by that?¡± Had he seen through my trick? No, that¡¯s impossible. He was in the cockpit all along; how could he have possibly seen what I did? ¡°Ms. Chapman, you have blond, curly hair ¨C exactly like the hair in the soup. This proves that the hair belongs to you,¡± Lucas stated with that same cold expression as he crossed his arms. Despite her heart beating faster in her chest, Hera tried to act calm. ¡°You clearly aren¡¯t keeping to the health standards, yet you dare put the me on me? How could this possibly be my hair?¡± Lucas scoffed and shot her a sideways nce. ¡°How about we do a DNA test of this strand of hair and compare that to yours?¡± Hera¡¯s face paled before flushing red. How did he know? Everyone red at Hera, astounded at her crazy and preposterous behavior. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. How could she wrongfully use the cabin crew like that? This would be a huge scandal for South Star Airlines if news about this incident got out. It would severely affect its reputation and the trust its customers had in it. That was why Lucas could not allow such a thing to happen. Turning to look at Nancy, he instructed, ¡°Get a strand of Ms. Chapman¡¯s hair and keep the one in the soup as well. Once wend, run a DNA test and announce the results on our official sites.¡± Nancy swiftly plucked a hair from Hera¡¯s head. ¡°Apologies, Ms. Chapman.¡± All Hera knew was that there was a sharp pain from her scalp, and the next moment, a few strands of her hair were already in Nancy¡¯s grasp. She did not even get a chance to stop the other woman. Hera was at once anxious and infuriated. If Lucas really did do as he said, her reputation would be ruined even further. She hurriedly exined, ¡°Captain Nn, I-I heard you were piloting this flight. I really wanted to see you, so I lied and wrongfully used you. Please forgive me!¡± Chapter 408 Chapter 408 ¡°I love you so much! That¡¯s why¡­ that¡¯s why I did this! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m so sorry! Lucas, please, considering what we used to have, please forgive me.¡± Everyone stared at her in astonishment. So is she actually admitting that everything was a self-directed act? My, my¡­ I wonder how thick of a skin she has to have the nerve to ask for forgiveness? Everyone knew that ruining the reputation of the airlinepany was no small matter. Remembering how terrible her attitude was earlier toward Nancy as she ranted, everybody felt their disgust and hate for her growing. Some of the passengers had even stealthily taken a video of the whole thing, a fact that Hera was completely unaware of. Nancy red at Hera furiously and could no longer contain her anger. ¡°Ms. Chapman, how could you wrongfully use us like that? Do you have any idea what horrible consequences wille from your selfishness? This is a deliberate ndering of ourpany!¡± ¡°Congrattions, Hera Chapman. You¡¯ve sessfullynded yourself into the South Star Airlines¡¯ cklist.¡± With that said, Lucas turned around to leave. Hera was stunned when she realized what had just happened. The consequences of her being on the cklist meant that she would never be able to fly on any of South Star Airlines¡¯ flights in the future. Tears slipped down her face, and she screamed at his retreating back, ¡°Lucas, are you really going to be so cruel toward me? Is it wrong for me to love you? Everything I did was for you!¡± Lucas halted in his tracks but did not turn around. However, his voice was loud enough that everyone could clearly hear him, ¡°Keep your so-called love to yourself. The woman I love will never be you!¡± With a loud thump, Hera fell back into her seat and bawled like a child throwing a tantrum. Standing a little ways off, Jenny could not help smirking. This woman really is stupid. How could she possibly think it was a good idea to lure the captain out by ruining South Star Airlines¡¯ reputation? Now, look what happened. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. To say she was delighted at how the captain was so disdainful of Hera was an understatement. In no time at all, the ne safelynded at London Airport. Ashlyn had flown here on a different flight and had only just got off her ne when she bumped into Lucas. She leaned against her suitcase and swept an assessing gaze across him. ¡°Captain Nn, what a coincidence.¡± His lips twitched into a small smile. ¡°Wow, Honey, I never knew you loved me so much that you would follow me all the way here. But you deliberately took another flight just so I wouldn¡¯t find out how much you love me, right?¡± Damn it! How could she have taken another ne and not mine! How annoying! It was obvious he was upset that she did not take the same flight. Flipping her long hair, she straightened her body and took a step toward him. Due to his height, she had to crane her neck upward to look at his face. His eyes shed at how close they were currently standing. She was dressed in a beige coat on top of a blue dress. Her slender legs were on disy, and he could not tear his gaze away from them. As if sensing his gaze, she kicked his foot. ¡°I came to London for some business, not you.¡± Can this man be any more narcissistic? Lucas reached out an arm to gently tug her toward him. He moved his face closer to hers, asking, ¡°What business?¡± She was still sleeping when he had left this morning, yet here she was in London now. ¡°Can¡¯t tell you that.¡± Smirking, Ashlyn began to head outside. He chased after her and suggested, ¡°Honey, you haven¡¯t eaten yet right? Why don¡¯t we eat together?¡± She turned her head to eye him. ¡°What are we having?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m having you.¡± His eyes shone as he watched her. Annoyed, she red at him and hissed, ¡°Jerk!¡± Chapter 409 Chapter 409 Grinning, he grabbed her hand, and they walked out of the airport together. It took more than an hour before Spencer finally stopped the car at their destination. Exiting the car, Ashlyn found herself standing before a magnificent castle. The castle was clearly built in thest century or so and still retained its architectural style. There were two rows of female servants lining the path up toward the front doors, with a butler in the lead. ¡°Good day, Mr. Nn and Miss.¡± The butler was a man in his forties, and he was incredibly polite and formal in his demeanor. ¡°This is my butler, Rick,¡± Lucas introduced. ¡°What are we doing here?¡± Ashlyn guessed that this must be Lucas¡¯ Ennd manor. ¡°To inspect the winery,¡± he nced at her, ¡°Would you like to taste them with meter?¡± A winery? He¡¯s actually using such a beautiful castle as a winery? She was dumbfounded at the thought. A majestic castle such as this was normally only reserved for the nobles or aristocratic families. Yet this man is using it to produce wine? How extravagant! ¡°This way please, Miss.¡± The butler respectfully gestured for Ashlyn to enter. Raising an eyebrow, she stepped past the front doors.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Just like she imagined, the interior of the castle was extravagant, luxurious, andvishly decorated. The butler then informed them, ¡°Mr. Nn, dinner is ready.¡± Nodding in acknowledgment, Lucas took Ashlyn¡¯s hand again. ¡°You¡¯re hungry, aren¡¯t you? Let¡¯s eat.¡± Running into his woman in London was a pleasant surprise, and one could see that he was visibly delighted to see her. She raised an eyebrow at the man beside her. ¡°Sure.¡± In the dining room. As they sat down, they were immediately served with exquisitely prepared steak and sses of red wine. A vase of fresh flowers was ced in the middle of the long table. From where she was sitting facing the windows, she could see arge field ofvenders. In the middle of the field of purple, a huge windmill slowly turned in the dying light of dusk. The overall effect was astoundingly breathtaking and picturesque. She almost felt like she was in a movie. It seemed like such a crime to use a beautiful ce like this for a winery only and not as a home. She was beginning to suspect he had properties all over the world. Just then, a gentle breeze brought the sweet smell ofvender to her, putting her in a good mood. She could not help the smile tugging at her lips as she stated, ¡°This ce is so beautiful.¡± Lucas¡¯ lips also curved upward. ¡°As long as you like it.¡± At that moment, a young servant came over with a small bowl of pudding. ¡°Mr. Nn, this is freshly- made pudding.¡± ¡°Set it down,¡± he ordered. She ced the bowl down but did not immediately retreat like all the other servants had. Instead, she stood beside him and shot him a sweet smile. ¡°Mr. Nn, may I ask what else you would like to eat? I can make whatever you like. It¡¯s so rare for you to be back here, sir. Please allow Lilian to serve you properly.¡± Her wide eyes sparkled as she stared at Lucas hopefully. Ashlyn could clearly see the admiration shining in her eyes. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ this woman likes Lucas? That smile and that expression¡­ it¡¯s clearly the face of a woman regarding the man she likes! ¡°No need.¡± Lucas¡¯ face was expressionless as he pushed the pudding toward Ashlyn. ¡°This is for you.¡± He knew she loved to eat ice cream, puddings, and other sweet desserts, so he had specifically instructed the kitchen to whip up something for her. Disappointment and envy coursed through Lilian when she saw how attentive and thoughtful Lucas was acting toward Ashlyn. Earlier, she had heard from the other servants how Mr. Nn had brought back a beauty from Eurasia with him. Now that she had personally witnessed him treating the other woman so kindly, she was utterly heartbroken. After dinner, Ashlyn curled up on the couch in the living room like a content cat. Her eyes were half- closed as she watched the TV quietly. Lucas was sitting beside her, as elegant and poised as ever with aptop propped on hisp, busy with his work. Chapter 410 Chapter 410 Ashlyn did not pay him any mind as she was long used to this by now. She would stay here tonight so she would not have to book a hotel room. The matter she was here for was tomorrow anyway. Besides, it was a lot more beautiful andfortable here than a hotel. After a moment of watching random programs on the TV, she grew bored. Her gaze drifted toward Lucas. His side profile was incredibly attractive, especially now with the dim lighting softening the normally harsh features of his face. His dark eyes were focused on hisptop screen while his lips were tightly pursed in concentration. It made for a very alluring sight. Inexplicably, desire red to life in her, and she had the sudden urge to kiss his lips. It should be a crime to look this seductive and alluring. Gah! Restrain yourself, Ashlyn! He may look ravishing, but he¡¯s a narcissistic, arrogant, mean, and domineering jerk! You mustn¡¯t be seduced by his charms! There are plenty of better other men out there. With much effort, she managed to force herself to turn her attention back on the TV. Her lips twitched as she mentally berated herself for having such a strange impulse toward Lucas, of all men. Just then, Lilian came over with a cup of coffee with a sweet smile ever-present on her face. ¡°Mr. Nn, here¡¯s your coffee.¡± The smell of coffee wafted into his nose, and Lucas raised his eyes to nce at Ashlyn. He moved his eyes pointedly in a gesture for her to take it. Ashlyn frowned at how he seemed to be ordering her around with a superior air. However, the fact that she was technically leeching off his hospitality now and even got to enjoy such wonderful scenery stayed her tongue. Thus, she reached out to take the coffee from Lilian. ¡°Thank you.¡± With her sharp eyes, she saw how a vicious glint shed through the servant¡¯s eyes. Despite that, the smile on Lilian¡¯s face remained as harmless as ever. If Ashlyn did not know any better, she would have thought she imagined it. Breaking the eye contact, she took a sip of the coffee. It was incredibly sweet. Looks like Lilian doesn¡¯t know Lucas¡¯ preferences at all. He doesn¡¯t like sweet things, especially not his coffee. He preferred his coffee ck and enjoyed it more when Ashlyn brewed it for him. Actually, he liked whatever Ashlyn did as long as it was her doing it. It did not matter if it was her cooking, the coffee she made, or even a ss of lemon juice, everything she made tasted divine to him. ¡°I want to drink coffee brewed by you.¡± He stroked her cheek softly, the silky feeling a delightful sensation that had him wanting more. Ashlyn swatted his hand away in irritation. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± After she said that, she stood up to head for the kitchen. She was not doing this for him; she was only doing this because Lilian¡¯s coffee was just too disgustingly sweet, and she did not want to drink it. That was all. Lilian was rooted to the spot, feeling awkward. She watched with disappointment as Lucas focused back on his work, not even touching the coffee she had made for him. Ashlyn took in the expressions on the other woman¡¯s face but did notment since it had nothing to do with her. What she had not expected was for the servant to follow her to the kitchen. ¡°Ms. Berry, why does Mr. Nn want you to brew his coffee for him?¡± Because he¡¯s a perverted creep! Whatever her inner thoughts were, Ashlyn answered in a calm tone, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lilian lingered around, watching as Ashlyn went through the motions of making coffee with well- practiced ease. After a moment, she said, ¡°You didn¡¯t put sugar.¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Picking up the freshly-prepared cup of coffee, Ashlyn replied, ¡°Oh, he doesn¡¯t like sweet things.¡± Lilian thought to herself furiously, Is she mocking my coffee-making skills? Right then, the familiar scent of Ashlyn¡¯s coffee had Lucas reaching out a hand to ept the cup. He took a small sip and his tightened features rxed. ¡°You make the best coffee, Honey.¡± Noticing his eyes were locked on her, Ashlyn blushed and shushed him. Lucas put hisptop aside and hooked an arm around her waist to drag her closer to him. ¡°Honey, you still haven¡¯t told me why you came to London.¡± He was still a little upset over her going to Italy to box previously. Chapter 411 Chapter 411 Therefore, he was worried that she would do something oundish again. ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you.¡± Ashlyn yawned. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy.¡± ¡°Are you nning on returning to the fold and wiping out the London underworld again?¡± Frowning, Lucas¡¯ expression became solemn because he was worried. As she blinked her eyes and fluttered her eyelids, she gave him a puzzled look. Since when did his imagination start to run wild? Me? Returning to the fold? He makes it sound like I¡¯m some legendary martial artist. Meanwhile, Lucas stared at her sternly. ¡°Ashlyn, I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t do anything dangerous.¡± Ashlyn snorted, ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m going to do something like that?¡± Rolling her eyes, she quipped, ¡°Time for bed.¡± Lucas¡¯ grave expression eased a little as he looked at her with concern, ¡°You¡¯re really not doing it?¡± Ashlyn was stunned as she felt her heartstring being tugged. Is he worried about me? How is that possible? Ashlyn pped his hand away forcefully before walking towards the guest room. ¡°I¡¯m not! I¡¯m not!¡± Lucas couldn¡¯t help but smile as he closed hisptop and followed her upstairs. At that moment, Lilian walked out of the kitchen and saw the smile on Lucas¡¯ face. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight in front of her, with her heart thumping wildly in her chest. Mr. Nn never smiles. This was the first time she saw him smiling, and he looked dashing. As if she was possessed, she stood there spacing out for a long time. The butler happened to walk past and saw Lilian staring longingly at Lucas¡¯ silhouette. Frowning, he said, ¡°Lilian, please know your ce. Mr. Nn is our employer, so don¡¯t start having unrealistic ideas about him.¡± Standing there, Lilian gave the butler an upset look. ¡°If he marries me and I be the mistress of the house, I will definitely promote you and increase your sry. Don¡¯t you want that? Besides, Mr. Nn treats me really well. When I was almost sold off to work in the red-light district, it was he who saved me while passing by. Therefore, I am special to him.¡± The butler¡¯s gaze turned grave as he frowned at Lilian. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you are up to. Lilian, we are Mr. Nn¡¯s servants. Furthermore, he loves Ms. Berry a lot, and she is the only one he keeps by his side all the time. If you dare do anything foolish to Ms. Berry, I would be the first to teach you a lesson.¡± ¡°Why do you insist on standing up for her? What kind of devilish charm does she have? I¡¯m the one Mr. Nn likes the most.¡± Lilian replied angrily. At that moment, a devious thought sprang to her mind. When I be Mrs. Nn, I will fire you first, you old bugger. ¡°Lilian, let me remind you that you¡¯re just a maid. Please don¡¯t let your imagination run wild.¡± The butler red at her coldly. ¡°Mr. Nn is a socialite and is worlds apart from you. Ms. Berry is the one that is compatible with him. Regardless of looks or charm, both of them are perfectly matched. I have never seen Mr. Nn care so much for ady. Therefore, Lilian, I¡¯m telling you this for your own good.¡± As she watched the butler walk away, resentment filled that pretty face of hers. I am more suited to Mr. Nn then Ms. Berry is! If it¡¯s not because of Ashlyn, Mr. Nn would definitely love me, and only me. Meanwhile, when Ashlyn was about the close the door behind her after entering the guest room, Lucas held up the door and squeezed in. ¡°Lucas, this isn¡¯t your room.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°The whole manor belongs to me, so I can sleep wherever I want.¡± Lucas couldn¡¯t help but smile smugly. He enjoyed teasing her very much. Looking at the shadows cast by Ashlyn¡¯s fluttering eyshes under the dim light, he was struck dumbfounded by the alluring sight. Leaning in, he gently kissed her eyelids. Chapter 412 Chapter 412 Despite being was caught by surprise by the warm and moist kiss, she could feel the affection in it. Instinctively, she held her breath and let Lucas stay there as long as he wanted. It felt like a dragonfly skimming across the surface of ake. After kissing her on her left eye, he moved on to the right. Finally, he nted his lips lightly on her forehead. As he lifted his head, Ashlyn opened her eyes. When she realized how intently he was looking at her, she couldn¡¯t help but blush bashfully. ¡°What are you looking at me for?¡± Ashlyn red at him. He extended his hands to pin her on the wall. ¡°You don¡¯t like that?¡± Ashlyn felt her cheeks warm further as she was embarrassed by such an intimate question. The only thing she wanted was for him to disappear. ¡°Lucas, it¡¯s time for me to go to bed,¡± she meekly replied in the most unconvincing manner. Gazing deeply into her eyes, he suddenly reached his hand around her waist. Before she could react, she was already in his embrace and sitting on hisp. As for him, he had settled down on the bed. This time, his movements were even more intimate than before. She tried to get up, but his warm hands held her hips down. Meanwhile, she could feel the strength and his toned athletic legs. Realizing she couldn¡¯t escape, she stared at his frosty face warily as passion filled the air. ¡°Lucas.¡± Ashlyn cleared her throat as if to relieve the sexual tension that was building up. As his passionate gaze fell upon her face, he responded, ¡°Hmm?¡± The moment Ashlyn saw his beautiful face, her mind went nk, and she forgot what she wanted to say. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lucas noticed that she was silent for a while. Hence, he leaned towards her ear, ¡°Did you suddenly realize that I looked too enticing? That¡¯s why you¡¯re lost for words?¡± ¡°Whatever!¡± Ashlyn¡¯s face was filled with embarrassment. Her cheeks were burning as she looked away. Ashlyn tried hard to not sumb to the urge to fall for the gorgeous creature in front of her. ¡°You¡¯re not going to admit it?¡± Lucas had a mesmerizing grin on his face. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll admit how beautiful you are.¡± His voice had a devilish ring to it. Meanwhile, he tried to hide his grin as his gaze fell upon her chest. Instinctively, Ashlyn trailed where Lucas was looking and felt so embarrassed that she wanted to hide her face. The third button on her top was open, and it exposed her alluring cleavage. When she raised her hand to button it, he stopped her immediately. Realizing how embarrassed she was, he burst intoughter. Hisughter was so hearty that it reverberated throughout the room. The servants outside could hear it clearly, and those who knew him well were surprised. Mr. Nn has notughed so heartily in a long time. What¡¯s going on? Meanwhile, Ashlyn reached out and pped his chest forcefully. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Snorting, Lucas¡¯ eyes sparkled slightly. ¡°Honey, are you trying to kill your husband?¡± When she forcefully pushed Lucas away, she lost her bnce and fell with her backside mming onto the ground. Lucas saw the look she had when she fell, and he couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. If those who were used to the cold demeanor of Dr. Berry saw this adorable and submissive side of her now, they would all be shocked. When Lilian heard Lucas¡¯ heartyugh from outside the door, she was so outraged that her eyes turned red. What¡¯s so funny? Ashlyn must have tried to seduce him in a despicable manner. Gah! It¡¯s driving me nuts! After stomping her feet, she knocked on the door. Hearing the knock, Lucas inly answered, ¡°Come in.¡± Lilian entered with two sses of milk. ¡°Mr. Nn, Ms. Berry, drinking milk before sleeping will improve the quality of your sleep.¡± She stole a nce at Lucas before looking down again. Holding up a ss of milk, Ashlyn was about to pass it to Lucas when Lilian stopped her. ¡°Ms. Berry, this is yours.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t both sses the same?¡± Ashlyn smiled as if her gaze was piercing through Lilian. Chapter 413 Chapter 413 Despite being shaken, Lilian maintained her smile. ¡°I purposely heated yours up as it¡¯s better for women to drink warm milk.¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrows and answered, ¡°That¡¯s really thoughtful of you.¡± She then ced the milk back on the tray. ¡°Yet, I don¡¯t feel like drinking milk at the moment. I¡¯m sorry to have wasted your effort.¡± Lilian was frustrated when she realized that Ashlyn was a lot more cunning than she thought. As for Lucas, he was upset at Lilian¡¯s sudden appearance that disrupted the private moment he was enjoying with Ashlyn. Thus, he bellowed, ¡°Get out!¡± Lilian looked at Mr. Nn in shock. Did he just yell at me? After spacing out momentarily, she hastily left. It¡¯s all Ashlyn¡¯s fault. If it weren¡¯t for her, Mr. Nn would never even yell at me! After the door closed, Lilian could hear the coy voice of adying from the room. ¡°You¡¯re so annoying. Stop touching me!¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± A deep voiceughed. Lilian couldn¡¯t help but let her imagination run wild with what was happening inside. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. In fact, she was so angry she had the urge to smash the tray she was holding. At the same moment, Lucas had pinned Ashlyn on the bed. As he pressed himself tightly against her soft and petite body, he relished at how seductive she was, just like a minx. The closer they are to each other¡¯s bodies, the more intimate they became, and the feeling of them wanting each other became even stronger. Lucas¡¯ eyes darkened and made him look even more tantalizing. Unknown since when, his heart started beating rapidly, making his breathing more urged and shallow. Ever so slowly, he moved his lips closer to hers. Then he whispered into her ears, ¡°Honey¡­¡± Not able to endure it anymore, Ashlyn bit his lip. But she didn¡¯t expect to bite it through as the subtle taste of blood filled their mouths. Yet, the blood only served to excite Lucas even more. At that moment, he could no longer control himself as his cheeks were already ming red. The next day. The morning sun shone onto the messy bed in the room, and everything was quiet. On the bed, a coupley sleeping while covered by a solid ck bedsheet. The messiness of the room was a representation of the wildly passionate night they had. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Just then, Ashlyn opened her eyeszily, and she could still feel the overwhelming passion spilling over from the night before. She tried to move and suddenly realized that she was still in the man¡¯s embrace as she could smell a familiar masculine scent. Meanwhile, as the steamy images of the night before continued to sh through her mind, Ashlyn closed her eyes in resignation. Ashlyn, oh Ashlyn, even if the Spirogyra caused you to easily lose yourself to your desire, shouldn¡¯t you be less emotionally involved? Right then, she felt the hands that were hugging her suddenly tightened, and her first instinct was to escape. However, azy voice teased her, ¡°Honey, why are you up so early? Should we finish off what we were doingst night?¡± When she heard the gruff and sexy voice, she couldn¡¯t help but feel like pping him. Clearing her throat, she looked at Lucas with her eyes sparkling. ¡°Captain Nn, you performed well last night. I¡¯m very satisfied.¡± Just as she spoke, she felt as if her body was beginning to burn up. What did I just say? Lucas broke into a smile and leaned over to subdue her. ¡°Honey, in that case, why don¡¯t we do it again?¡± However, Ashlyn pushed him away immediately. ¡°Go away. I still have something to doter.¡± She then hastily entered the bathroom to wash up. Last night, Lucas became a total beast and couldn¡¯t stop himself. Therefore, she was aching all over and needed a hot shower to relieve the pain. After she was done bathing, she realized Lucas was already dressed in a ck shirt and pants. Despite looking exceptionally dignified, he still had his usual indifferent expression on. Both of them hardly slept a wink during the raunchy night. However, there was not a trace of exhaustion on him. In fact, he seemed to be more energetic than usual. What is he actually made of? Then, Ashlyn dug out a bodycon white dress from her luggage. The exquisite and simple design entuated her figure and gave her an elegant look. After that, they went down to the dining room together. Chapter 414 Chapter 414 The moment Lucas sat down, Lilian brought a cup of piping hot coffee and ced it in front of him. ¡°Mr. Nn, your coffee.¡± After shooting a nce at Lilian, he said to Ashlyn, ¡°It¡¯s not good to have coffee in the morning. I feel like having the noodles that you make.¡± Reluctant, Ashlyn rolled her eyes at him. ¡°But I¡¯m so tired.¡± As Lucas¡¯ eye narrowed slightly, he beamed in amusement and remarked, ¡°It seems I wasn¡¯t gentle enough to youst night. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡± Ashlyn blushed. You jerk! Meanwhile, Lilian stood at the dining table awkwardly as she watched Lucas and Ashlyn flirting with each other. She almost burst a blood vessel standing there. Last night, she addedxatives to Ashlyn¡¯s milk, but unfortunately, Ashlyn didn¡¯t drink it. I must find another way to teach that slut a lesson. After finishing her breakfast, Ashlyn grabbed her bag and headed out. ¡°Lucas, I¡¯ll see you again.¡± Lucas¡¯ expression slightly changed, and he chased after her. Grabbing her wrist, he asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Thank you for your hospitalityst night. I now need to go about my own business and am certainly not obligated to keep you informed.¡± Ashlyn looked at him coldly before checking the time and realizing she was runningte. ¡°I¡¯ll drop you off.¡± Lucas stared back at her as he wanted to find out what she was really up to. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a flight today?¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrows inquisitively. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to rece me,¡± Lucas replied solemnly. Ashlyn was amazed at how capricious he was. Given that he owned the airline, he could do whatever he wanted. What a badass! But since she was in a hurry, she had no time to argue. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°Send me to Antis Hotel.¡± Once she got into Lucas¡¯ Lamborghini, she gave him the address. Lucas held her hand as he sat beside her. Hotel? What is she going to a hotel for? Ashlyn pulled her hand away discreetly and started to check her phone. Within the WhatsApp group named LX. Boss, when are you arriving? Everyone is waiting for you. Come quickly. Weren¡¯t you supposed to stay at the hotelst night? Where did you run off to? Hurry, we have waited till the cowse home. When she saw all the pestering messages, she replied instantly: I¡¯m almost there. After half an hour, their car arrived at the hotel¡¯s entrance. Ashlyn hastily alighted, causing Lucas to be dumbfounded. Am I just a driver to be discarded by this cold-blooded woman when she¡¯s done? Or am I just a tool to her? Inside the presidential suite of the hotel. The top management and core design department of the LX brand were all ready for her. With her arms folded, a professional-lookingdyined impatiently, ¡°This year¡¯s London Fashion Week is especially important to our brand. Many other high-end brands are participating and showcasing theirtest designs. At the end of the show, there will be an important awards ceremony to select the best designs. What¡¯s going on with X? Why isn¡¯t she here yet?¡± ¡°Ms. Hobbs, our boss says that she will be reaching soon,¡± one of the designers meekly replied. In response, Megan shot a cold re at the designer. ¡°Does she think that LX will copse without her? Who does she think she is? Doesn¡¯t she know that it¡¯s very rude to make everyone wait for her?¡± The London Fashion Week is one of the world¡¯s major Fashion Weeks. Although it was less prestigious than the Mn and New York Fashion Weeks, it was still an extremely mourous event. During the Fashion Weeks in Europe, the ones who usually get nominated and win awards were brands from Europe. It was hard for non-European brands to get nominated, let alone win. Since the LX brand was considered a new participant, its chances were therefore slim. This was the first time Megan led the team to participate in Fashion Week as the director of design. Hence, the event was of particr importance to her. However, she did not have high hopes for a Eurasian brand to make any headway in European Fashion Weeks. Chapter 415 Chapter 415 History had shown that it was almost impossible for non-European brands to win an award. Nevertheless, she recently got to know a member of the judgingmittee from Fashion Week. Hence, she wanted to put out an impressive performance. However, she did not expect X to not cooperate with her on work. Furthermore, X had made it harder for her to assert her authority by challenging it. X had always stayed mysterious and hid from the public eye. She never appeared in thepany before, and only a few members of thepany¡¯s top management had seen her actual face. Even as the director of design, Megan had never even seen X before. It also didn¡¯t help that X had never shown her any respect. Hence, Megan strongly resented X and was hostile towards her. Even at this critical juncture of the Fashion Week preparations, X was still fooling around by being mysterious. As Megan suppressed the anger within her, she red at the entrance to the presidential suite. Inside the suite, all the other designers were waiting with bated breath. Since Megan was still not married despite being in her thirties, they called her the ¡®Virgin Witch¡¯ behind her back. Is she about to lose her temper at the Boss given how much she hates her? Megan never had the opportunity to vent as X was never in the office. The only time X appeared was to hand in her designs, and she would quickly disappear after that. After about ten minutes, there was a knock on the door. One of the assistants opened it and saw a tall and slender youngdy. She was wearing a white full- length dress and a mask that covered half her face. It made her look both elegant and mysterious at the same time. The moment Ashlyn stepped into the suite, she could feel the tense atmosphere. Raising her eyebrows slightly, she ced the coffee she was carrying on the table. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being late.¡± Then, she motioned for the assistant to distribute coffee to everyone while adding, ¡°I bought this along the way, so please try it.¡± ¡°Thanks, Boss.¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s from my favorite cafe!¡± ¡°Boss, you¡¯re the best.¡± Squinting her eyes, Megan shot a nce at Ashlyn and sneered, ¡°X, you¡¯rete by twenty minutes and made everyone wait. Also, as the chief designer, why can¡¯t you show your true identity? What you¡¯re doing damages the brand¡¯s reputation.¡± Her tone was filled with hostility. One of Ashlyn¡¯s hands that was holding the coffee halted, and she looked at Megan with a smile, ¡°Ms. Hobbs, since when am I representative of LX¡¯s reputation? Isn¡¯t it more important for our designs and styles to speak for themselves?¡± ¡°You!¡± Megan was surprised to see how defiant Ashlyn was. Taking a deep breath, she broke into a sneer instead. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have such a sharp tongue.¡± Taking a sip of coffee, Ashlyn grinned slightly. ¡°I, too, didn¡¯t expect Ms. Hobbs to conduct a personal attack.¡± When her authority as the director of design was challenged by X, an overwhelming sense of hatred grew within her. With her gaze filled with animosity, a devious idea suddenly struck her. ¡°X, why don¡¯t we make a bet?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyes were equally cold. Even though she was wearing ts, she was still taller than Megan, who was in her heels. As she looked down on Megan, she emanated an indifferent yet dignified vibe. She was born pretty, so she still looked attractive despite the mask covering half her face. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess that there was a gorgeous beauty underneath it. After a while, she continued drinking her coffee and replied, ¡°Ms. Hobbs, go on.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Her tant disregard for Megan simply infuriated Megan further. Suppressing the fury within her, she looked up and stared Ashlyn in the eyes. With a solemn expression, she dered, ¡°This time, the LXpany has entered two brands into Fashion Week. LX is yours while LS is mine. If I win an award, you will leave thepany. If you win, I¡¯ll quit. How about that?¡± Megan¡¯s words shocked everyone. Chapter 416 Chapter 416 It wasn¡¯t possible topare LX with LS. LX was a brand that targeted the rich, while LS was more of a mass-market brand. As LS was focused on the general public, its sales volume outnumbered that of LX. However, LX was very popr within the high-end segment. Therefore, its newunches would always sell out quickly. Hence, it was likeparing apples to oranges. Meanwhile, a designer named Shannon, who was on good terms with Ashlyn, protested with a frown, ¡°Ms. Hobbs, don¡¯t be unreasonable.¡± But Megan merely sneered, ¡°Shannon, Fashion Week hasn¡¯t even begun. Don¡¯t you have any confidence?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. LS has the best sales within thepany. Are you afraid of somepetition?¡± Megan¡¯s assistant, Abigail interjected haughtily. ¡°Yea! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re chickening out,¡± another one of Megan¡¯s designers added. Meanwhile, Ashlyn stood where she was, smiling smugly. These people are really¡­ ring at the other designers, Shannon looked towards Ashlyn. ¡°Boss, there¡¯s no point in such a bet. We are a luxury brand while they are mass-market. It¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Boss. Let¡¯s notpete.¡± A few other designers who were close to Ashlyn advised her. As Ashlyn¡¯s lips widened, the mask she wore couldn¡¯t hide her cold yet enchanting demeanor. ¡°Ms. Hobbs, I ept your challenge.¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. It¡¯s not going to be easy kicking me out of LX. Everyone widened their eyes in shock when they heard what she said. Every year, LS¡¯ sales volume continued to grow, while LX would always be sold out among the socialites. Even so, the difference in sales volume was beyondpare. This was due to X¡¯s entric requirement. She wanted every store to only have a single design with three sizes each. Therefore, all the clothes she designed were limited in number. Once they were sold, that was it. As for LS, the manufacturing department would produce more of the designs that sold well. The judging criteria at Fashion Week did not only consider the design philosophy and the aesthetics of the design. It also took into ount the sales volume of the designer¡¯s work. If they were topete, LS would definitely win. Despite how cutting edge and fashionable LX¡¯s designs were, they simply couldn¡¯tpete solely based on the sales volume. Therefore, there was no chance they could beat LS. ¡°Isn¡¯t X being too full of herself? Even though her designs are popr among the rich and famous, how can the average, white-cored worker afford her clothes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Is she crazy? When the judgingmittee considers sales volume, she would definitely fall behind.¡± ¡°What has gotten into her? It seems she may have been put on a pedestal domestically for too long as a design genius, to the extent that she doesn¡¯t know her limits at the international level.¡± ¡°Tsk, Tsk. This is just shocking. Maybe she is coveting Ms. Hobbs¡¯ position as the director of design. Therefore, she is using the opportunity to seize power.¡± This was the oue that Megan had expected. Without everyone bearing witness, X cannot go back on her word. Prepare to get kicked out of thepany! Without her challenging my authority in the future, I will have the space to demonstrate my capabilities as the director of design. ¡°X, that settles it. See you at Fashion Week.¡± Ashlyn nced at Megan coldly, ¡°Ms. Hobbs, see you there.¡± Megan believed that she would definitely win. No matter what, X would definitely be kicked out of thepany. With that, everyone left the room and prepared to head for Fashion Week. Meanwhile, Ashlyn and Shannon rode in thepany car. Inside, Shannon gave Ashlyn a concerned look. ¡°Boss, were you being too impulsive?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a bet. What¡¯s there to be worried about?¡± Ashlyn squinted her eyes a little as she smiled. ¡°I love taking risks and facing the unknown. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s exciting?¡± Chapter 417 Chapter 417 Shannon was speechless. Whatever you say, boss. ¡°But, if you lose, you will need to leave. What will happen to me then?¡± Shannon sighed. ¡°The winner has yet to be decided. Unless¡­ you don¡¯t trust me?¡± Ashlyn smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any faith in me? Or do you think that Megan¡¯s designs are better than mine?¡± Shannon blinked. ¡°You¡¯re right. Your designs are the best.¡± Meanwhile, Lucas remained in the Lamborghini all the while as he watched the hotel¡¯s entrance. As time passed, he lost track of how long he waited. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Finally! When he saw Ashlyn¡¯s familiar figure, she wore a mask that covered half of her face, and that made him frown in curiosity. Before he could process what was going on, he saw a group of young men and women clustering around her. All of them got into a few ck sedans that were already waiting. The cars had a logo on them. It was LX Fashion Ltd. ¡°Mr. Nn, do you want to follow them?¡± Spencer carefully asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Lucas nodded, deep in thought. Thest time I was with Hera, I remember we went to an LX boutique. That was when I bumped into Ashlyn. Furthermore, LX wasunching a new line of clothing on that day. Does this mean she has a close connection with LX? ¡°They appear to be heading for Fashion Week. Today is the first day of the event,¡± Spencer exined as he followed the car in front. When he was surfing the yesterday, he did see some news about Fashion Week. At the entrance of Fashion Week. Jenny was standing there holding Hera¡¯s hand. She then took out two invitation cards and handed one to Hera. ¡°Hera, don¡¯t feel sad. I brought you here to cheer you up. My brother went through a lot of effort to get us these invitation cards,¡± Jenny consoled her. ¡°Captain Nn always has that cold attitude, so you shouldn¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Looking glum, Hera replied listlessly, ¡°How can I not take it personally? He actually put me on the cklist of South Star Airlines. How am I to take another flight in the future?¡± Jenny held back the urge to roll her eyes. ¡°Well, there are other airlines too!¡± When she realized the crowd had started to build, she gave Hera a tug, ¡°Let¡¯s hurry in.¡± At Fashion Week, there were all kinds of brands on disy. Hence, socialites, movie stars, and fashion icons loved to congregate there. Some were invited by fashion brands, while others bought their invitation cards at high prices, which was how Jenny¡¯s brother procured them. He had paid someone a lot of money for the cards. Naturally, she would never admit that their cards were purchased. With that, she took a selfie and snapped live photos of the event. After that, she posted on Twitter with the caption: Was invited to watch the fashion show, it feels great! Right after she posted, she saw something on Twitter that shocked her. ¡°Hera! Oh my God!¡± Hera, who was randomly taking pictures, repliedckadaisically, ¡°What happened? What¡¯s with the fuss?¡± ¡°You¡¯re trending on Twitter!¡± Jenny raised her phone to show Hera. ¡°Quick, take a look.¡± Hera turned pale as she took a look. When she clearly saw what it was, she almost fainted. The video trending at the eighth ce was the one where she made things difficult for Nancy on the flight. It showed the whole process of how she wrongfully used the crew, made a fuss over nothing, and finally apologizing in humiliation. Everything was recorded and uploaded on Twitter. Hordes of keyboard warriors andizens poured scorn on her behavior. She¡¯s crazy! As a member of the Chapman family, she¡¯s just too uncivilized. How can she cause a scene and then wrongfully me the crew? It¡¯s just disgusting. She lied just to see Captain Nn. How repugnant! Chapter 418 Chapter 418 When Captain Nn exposed her, it was really satisfying. She deserves to be cklisted, so I don¡¯t sympathize with her at all. After being cklisted by the fashion world, Hera is now being cklisted by the airline. That¡¯s really impressive. The first socialite to be cklisted everywhere. She¡¯s¡­ definitely something. Hera¡¯s whole body trembled out of rage. Furthermore, her chest palpitated so hard that she could copse anytime. ¡°How did it turn out this way?¡± Her mind was nk as fury swelled within her. Who did this? Which a****** captured it and shared it? ¡°Argh!¡± She screamed as she tore her hair in anger, just like a madwoman. Beside her, Jenny couldn¡¯t bear to watch and closed her eyes. Has she gone mad? Even if she wanted to throw a tantrum, can¡¯t she have chosen a better ce? We are at Fashion Week for crying out loud. Fashion icons and high-profile personalities are everywhere. Has she not humiliated herself enough? Of all ces, she chooses to throw a tantrum here? By then, Jenny could feel that everyone was staring. At that moment, a group of Eurasians walked in their direction. Seeing theirpatriots, Jenny couldn¡¯t help but feel like hiding her face. To have our countrymen see one of us throwing a tantrum? Argh! At that very moment, she regretted forming an alliance with Hera. Hera was such a lousy partner that she drove Jenny crazy. Moreover, when Jenny saw a familiar figure, she was shocked. Although Ashlyn was wearing a mask, anyone who knew her could recognize her easily from her outstanding, cold, and dignified demeanor. Jenny¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. When Ashlyn brushed past her shoulders, she couldn¡¯t help but open her mouth to greet Ashlyn. However, Ashlyn acted as if she didn¡¯t know her and walked straight ahead. Why is Ashlyn here, and why is she wearing a mask? Jenny was confused. Meanwhile, Ashlyn did see Jenny and Hera. Given how Hera was screaming, Ashlyn easily spotted her and looked at her with disdain. For Hera wasn¡¯t just embarrassing herself, but instead, she was an embarrassment to the entire H Nation. The fashion show on the first day of Fashion Week was really important, and everyone knew the value of having a good start. Therefore, the big brands were working hard on their preparations. The show was being held in arge indoor za. A T-shaped stage was ced in the center, while all the guests were seated around the stage to make the arrangement look like an open fan. Furthermore, the whole ce was filled with cameras. Many international VIPs gradually entered as all of the fashion world¡¯s media were already prepared to showcase the event. ¡°Boss, let¡¯s do our best.¡± Shannon encouraged Ashlyn. Whether LX could catch the attention of the fashion world now depended on its performance and design capabilities. Shannon was also a designer and had participated in many domestic fashion shows. However, as this was her first time attending Fashion Week overseas, she couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. ¡°What¡¯s there to be anxious about? Isn¡¯t it just a fashion show?¡± Ashlyn remarked casually. ¡°But if we lose, Boss, you will need to leave thepany.¡± Shannon was so jittery that it was obvious that she was worried. However, seeing how calm Ashlyn was only made her more anxious. At the front of the stage, there was a massive screen. Any brand that was nominated would have its logo shed on the big screen for everyone to see. Furthermore, there would also be a looping video of all the nominated brands. At that moment, the brand with the most votes on screen would be the winner of the first catwalk. There were only five judges on the judgingmittee. Therefore, not many brands would end up getting votes. As the judges had yet to appear, the impatient crowd became boisterous. Meanwhile, Ashlyn was waiting calmly in her seat. Not far from her, Megan stole a nce at Ashlyn once a while with eyes that were filled with gloat and provocation.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 419 Chapter 419 The fashion show was about to begin. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. First, the five judges entered. The first judge was an icon of the fashion world, Kevin Lynch, also known as the ¡®Old Devil¡¯. He was extremely famous in Europe. Not only was he born of nobility, but he was also a famous show host. Despite being more than fifty years old, he still looked charming and attractive. Following that, the other four judges appeared, and they were all Europeans. There was a forty-year- old woman, Merissa, who was the president of a famous lingeriepany. Also, there were two other men. One was the chief designer of an international brand, O¡¯Brien, and the other was Oscar winner, Reedman. Next, the host came on stage and introduced the judges. After that, he continued with his wee speech. When he was done, it was time for all the major brands to showcase their designs. asionally, they would ignite passionate debate among the audience. Since the audienceprised of designers, fashion industry professionals, stars, and socialites, all of them had very unique tastes. Meanwhile, LS and LX were the eighth and ninth brands to showcase their designs. LS¡¯ theme was its young adult look. Itbined thetest aesthetic principles with European-styled details and used minimalistic lines and colors. Therefore, it leveraged the principle of ¡®less is more¡¯ to entuate the feminine charm and elegance of its designs. The models LS used were tall andnky Europeans who brought out the vibes of a professional young adult to great effect. Hence, the designs were well-received by the audience. ¡°LS¡¯ style is very suitable for the general public. If I¡¯m going to work, I¡¯ll definitely make their designs my first choice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not easy to have new ideas for professional wear, but LS seems to have done it.¡± ¡°I think it looks good, and I really like this collection.¡± When Megan heard the positivements of the professionals around her, she couldn¡¯t help but feel delighted. She then shot a nce at Ashlyn, and all she saw was the maskeddy¡¯s cold demeanor, as if she weren¡¯t affected at all. Megan scoffed in her mind. She must be pretending to be calm. Underneath that facade, she has to be panicking. Once LS¡¯ finished their catwalk, the audience erupted in loud apuse. After that, the lights dim and then came back on with the music. A line of Eurasian-looking models strutted out along with the music. The clothes they were wearing were abination of modern beauty and ethnic Eurasian designs. Ashlyn¡¯s design this time was extremely bold. She integrated historical Eurasian features into her collection including medieval-styled embroidery and dyed floral prints. It brazenly stood out from all the other major brands¡¯ new designs. Even the material used was mostly chiffon fabric or cotton. The design allowed the models to look as if they were stepping through space and time alike as its modern look wasplemented by its ssical ents. When the models walked out one by one, LS¡¯ European models who had yet toe off the stage were visibly outshone. Not only did the LX¡¯s models strut a steady catwalk, but they also moved their hands along with the rhythm, dancing gracefully to the music. Even their pose was designed meticulously by Ashlyn. It gave the audience a stronger visual impact without affecting the catwalk¡¯s timing. Everyone in the audience was so impressed that they erupted in loud apuse and cheers. Many of them were fashion icons from all over the world, and it was the first time they saw a design that made such an impact. Even the models¡¯ walk and poses were equally impressive. Previously, only during Victoria¡¯s Secret fashion show were the models more daring with their poses. Even then, it tended to be sweet or sexy. However, when the LX¡¯s models were showcasing their apparel, their movements had a ssical charm that tinged heavily with a Eurasian vibe. Chapter 420 Chapter 420 These weren¡¯t merely apparel. In fact, they represented the long history and cultural legacy of Eurasia. Therefore, Ashlyn named the collection ¡®Legacy¡¯. ¡°Is she crazy to showcase something so conservative? And yet, there are people apuding?¡± Megan¡¯s assistant, Abigail, scoffed in anger. ¡°Other than incorporating historical elements, LX¡¯s design isn¡¯t good enough to be showcased,¡± Megan sneered. ¡°I¡¯m afraid X has run out of ideas.¡± ¡°I think LS is the best. All these Europeans don¡¯t have any taste at all to think that LX is any good.¡± Having heard the boot-licking ttery from one of her subordinates, Megan couldn¡¯t be any happier. Not far from where they were seated, the president of the lingeriepany, Merissa, frowned. ¡°I think LX is just a small boutique. What sort of design is this?¡± She was someone who had a superiorityplex and looked down upon Eurasian products. Usually in such situations, no one would explicitly say anything insulting even if the designs were bad. Therefore, it was rare for someone like Merissa to directly condemn the designs. It was obvious that she was biased against LX or perhaps biased against Eurasian products in general. Meanwhile, the Old Devil, Kevin Lynch, saw through Merissa and admonished her, ¡°Merissa, have you been designing lingerie for so long that your taste has deteriorated? A designer¡¯s work represents their soul. You are only looking at thepany¡¯s size and ignoring the soul of X.¡± Looking down and pursing her lips, Merissa stayed silent. Her bias against Eurasians and their culture had inadvertently reared its ugly head. Instead, it was another judge, O¡¯Brien, whomented, ¡°I think LS¡¯ designs are good. I like them.¡± After that, the different judges exchanged opinions. Meanwhile, Merissa wasn¡¯t alone. Many guests who didn¡¯t like Eurasians began to gossip about Ashlyn when they saw where she was sitting. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°They¡¯re just a smallpany. It¡¯s no wonder that their designs don¡¯t amount to much.¡± ¡°Between LS and LX, I think LS is still eptable. As for LX, I have nothing good to say. I don¡¯t understand why some royalty just loves to wear LX¡¯s designs.¡± ¡°The designer must have just been lucky.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why it¡¯s any good.¡± When they saw how well-received LX¡¯s designs were, they had a case of sour grapes and hence made saltyments about Ashlyn¡¯s designs. Anyone who wasn¡¯t blind could see that Ashlyn¡¯s designs were soulful. They captured both the historical grandeur and cultural charm of Eurasia, which was something that other designers couldn¡¯t replicate. As long as one had an appreciation of fashion design, one would feel moved by her work and couldn¡¯t help but sing its praises. Yet, there were a few of them who spoke loudly and didn¡¯t care whether Ashlyn heard them or not. Meanwhile, Megan was ted to hear their words. As her eyes shed with smugness, she shifted her gaze towards Ashlyn and mocked, ¡°Hey, X, don¡¯t be sad. If you really need to leave thepany, I may help you to ask the president a favor. To be honest, I didn¡¯t really mean for you to quit. After all, everyone needs to feed themselves, and I¡¯m not that kind of person.¡± When Ashlyn saw Megan¡¯s disgusting expression, she smirked. The face underneath the mask remained indifferent and dignified as always. ¡°The judges¡¯ votes are not out yet. So why don¡¯t you wait patiently for a while longer?¡± ¡°What are you babbling about? The crowd¡¯s reaction has said it all.¡± Abigail started to chuckle. ¡°Some people aren¡¯t aware of their ce and dare to challenge Ms. Hobbs. Why don¡¯t they look in the mirror first to check if they are worthy?¡± Chapter 421 Chapter 421 ¡°Huh!¡± Shannon huffed. ¡°Qualified or not, we¡¯ll see when the resultes out.¡± ¡°Haha, is that supposed to be funny? How can shepete with our director with that design? Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Abigail raved. Shannon was about to refute when Ashlyn tugged on her arm, appeasing, ¡°There¡¯s no point arguing with an ignoramus.¡± ¡°Who are you calling an ignoramus?!¡± Abigail snapped. ¡°Uh, whoever who just answered me?¡± Ashlyn smirked. ¡°You!¡± Abigail screeched, springing up to her feet, drawing the attention of the guests who were there sitting quietly watching the show. ¡°Abigail, calm down.¡± Megan pressed her down to her seat in embarrassment. ¡°They¡¯ll get pped in the face when the resultse out.¡± Abigail sat down again in a huff. ¡°Right! I shall put up with this for now!¡± The winner of the first show of Fashion Week wouldn¡¯t be announced until all the brands had finished their presentations on the first day. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. By then, it would already be afternoon. After Ashlyn, Shannon and the others had watched the show for half a day, it was soon time for lunch. Somewhere at the venue, there was a fine French restaurant where models and guests could dine directly after the show. Meanwhile, in a magnificent manor in Maredania. Penelope and Mary had been here for two days. Looking like country bumpkins visiting the city for the first time, the pair of mother and daughter had been staying in a European-style manor under the protection of many bodyguards and the services of countless maids. It was as though they were living in a fictional world. At this time, Penelope and Mary were standing in arge tulip garden of the manor, admiring the flowers and the gorgeous scenery around them. Everything seemed like a dream. Penelope couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°Mom¡­ are these real? I¡¯m not dreaming, am I? Mom, pinch me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly.¡± Mary red at her worthless daughter. ¡°You will be the youngdy of Count¡¯s Mansion from now on, do you understand? Besides, the paternity test results of your grandmother and I have come out. So stop with the nonsense.¡± Penelope and Mary had never expected that their lives would take a turn for the better. Ever since Horace¡¯s imprisonment, both mother and daughter had been at the end of their rope until they were brought back to Maredania by their family all of a sudden. And since her father¡¯s imprisonment, Penelope realized that she couldn¡¯t even recognize her mother anymore. It shocked her to discover that her mother had been sleeping with bigwigs in exchange for money in order to maintain their rich lifestyle. Instead of feeling ashamed for getting caught by Penelope when she brought the men home, she had given her a lesson, stating that, ¡°To show that you¡¯re capable is to rely on men to get to the top.¡± Although Penelope enjoyed associating herself with rich young men as well, she thought she was at least more sensible than her mother who went to the extreme of sleeping with a man with a family. Nevertheless, everything was good now since they had returned to the family. They would have endless money to spend, and their social status would only keep rising. ¡°How¡¯s Ashlyn, by the way?¡± Mary piped up, abhorrence written all over her face. ¡°Ryan has already gone to look for Ashlyn, Mom¡­ But I¡¯m scared. What happens if he falls in love with Ashlyn? You know, she¡¯s so pretty¡­¡± ¡°You idiot! Your cousin is the heir of Count¡¯s Mansion. What woman has he never seen before? He¡¯s there to avenge us this time. It¡¯d be the best scenario if he seduces Ashlyn, then dumps her ruthlessly and gets his hand on some of her dirt,¡± Mary said viciously, thinking of the losses she had suffered at the hands of Ashlyn. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to be the one to destroy Ashlyn¡¯s reputation when the timees!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. I¡¯ll woo Ryan with my charm and I¡¯ll perform better in front of grandma,¡± Penelope said quickly. Lucas had stabbed me in the wrist that day. The external injuries have healed, but my wrist tendons were badly injured. My wrist is still sore and weak until now that I can¡¯t even lift any heavy objects. I must have my revenge! Chapter 422 Chapter 422 ¡°You sure are my daughter.¡± Mary nodded in satisfaction. After lunch, Ashlyn was on her way to her lounge with Shannon, in which the logo of their brand, LX was affixed on the door. Fashion Week had prepared separate lounges for every guest and brand owner. Ashlyn had never been in the habit of taking a nap during lunch break. But Shannon, on the other hand, half nervous and half excited, fell asleep on the couch shortly after. Ashlyn shook her head and got up, wanting to use the restroom. She grabbed her purse and walked out of the room. Then heading in the restroom¡¯s direction, as indicated by the signage, she suddenly heard a sexy, panting sound when she walked past a room. ¡°You and Mr. Reedman will vote for me this time, right, Mr. O¡¯Brien?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s forehead puckered. This voice sounds so familiar¡­ Megan Hobbs? Ashlyn pursed her lips and peered inside through the door that was slightly ajar¡ªMegan was being pinned against the sofa by a tall European man, whose one hand was unbuttoning her roughly and the other slipping under her shirt. ¡°Oh, Ms. Hobbs, your scent is really unforgettable,¡± O¡¯Brien spoke with an ent. ¡°You Eurasian women have such petite figures. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll crush you.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go back on your word, Mr. O¡¯Brien!¡± Megan said coquettishly, wrapping her arms around the man¡¯s waist and nted kisses on his neck. ¡°I think Ms. X from yourpany has really great taste! Her designs are very soulful and bold! How about¡­ you introduce her to me?¡± O¡¯Brien gave Megan a nasty smile, ravaging her body with hisrge hands. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. At the thought of Ashlyn¡¯s tall and slender figure and that delicate body, O¡¯Brien couldn¡¯t help but feel his body tighten and his belly burn. That woman was mysterious and gorgeous, looking very attractive despite the mask. He couldn¡¯t help wanting to remove her mask and see what the woman looked like. Megan¡¯s jealousy and anger stirred. But she couldn¡¯t afford to offend the man before her, so she forced a smile and said in a sweet voice, ¡°Hey, how could you do this? You have your eyes on that X, haven¡¯t you? If you fancy her, how about I get her for you and you can y with her?¡± O¡¯Brien cackled unpleasantly. ¡°I haven¡¯t yed with a woman in a mask before. It must be exciting!¡± Ashlyn stood in the doorway with bated breath, a hint of disdain shing across the corner of her lips. The nerve of Megan Hobbs to plot against me! Where did she even find the courage to do that? Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly heard the sound of Abigail talking to another designer coming from not far away. Ashlyn frowned. She could neither advance nor retreat now. If she continued to stand here, she would get caught by Abigail, but if she left in a hurry and Abigail saw her back, she would still get caught for eavesdropping. She wasn¡¯t afraid of getting noticed. She just hated the trouble thates after that. Right before she could react, a man reached out abruptly and dragged her into the room next door, pressing her against the door panel with his tall form. Ashlyn instinctively raised her eyes to look at the man who was confining her. Lucas? Why is he here? The man was d in a ck suit with a white shirt inside, and the shirt was paired with a ck tie, looking suave andmanding. Under the warm lights, his handsome, three-dimensional face was all the more wless. Ashlyn quickly looked away from the man when their eyes met, but the man swiftly captured her lips with his, raiding her of her air. Finally breaking off the lingering kiss, Lucas carried her to sit on the sofa. Chapter 423 Chapter 423 Ashlyn blushed scarlet, her voice terribly hoarse as she asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Howe I didn¡¯t know that my wife is also the famous chief designer X of LX?¡± Lucas sized up the woman in his arms. She was still wearing that white dress, beautiful and inimitable. Ashlyn knew that even if she wore a mask, anyone who was familiar with her could naturally recognize her. Lucas, for instance. ¡°It¡¯s just a hobby,¡± Ashlyn said ndly. ¡°I should go back to the lounge. I have to watch the show this afternoon.¡± Lucas pressed his lips together, a tinge of mncholy flickering in his dark eyes. ¡°Are you that desperate to get away from me?¡± God¡­ this man can¡¯t stay serious for more than three seconds, can¡¯t he? ¡°This is my job,¡± she said sternly, her delicate and beautiful face growing solemn. ¡°Fine then, if you want to get back to work. Kiss me and I¡¯ll let you go,¡± Lucas said, mping his arms around her waist. I don¡¯t wanna get into an argument with him at such a ce, lest people look at us. But can this man be any more unreasonable?! Ashlyn had no other choice but to kiss the man on the cheek. ¡°How insincere.¡± Lucas¡¯ lips twitched, indicating her to kiss there. Ashlyn narrowed her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck, Lucas.¡± As she finished, the man suddenly came closer again, pressing his lips against hers aggressively. Finally letting her go, the man breathed heavily, his chest heaving as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll make you kiss me first someday.¡± With these words, he reluctantly let go of her waist. Ashlyn jumped down from hisp, pulled open the door, and dashed off, as though someone was chasing her from behind. Why did he insist on changing his flight with someone else? What does he want? Meanwhile, Megan was getting into business with O¡¯Brien and Reedman in her lounge. She had really gone out her way in order to secure two votes from these two judges. Men had always been very liberal about such things, regardless of their nationality. To have a woman willingly present themselves before them, not to mention a Eurasian woman, they couldn¡¯t be any more excited. And because of that, Megan¡¯s insides were about to fall apart from being manhandled by two tall European men. Shey on the sofa, covered in hickeys, breathing in the whiff of lust in the air. In a feeble voice, she said, ¡°Gentlemen, I¡¯ve already sent someone to drug X¡¯s lounge. As soon as X walks in, you two will be able to see her face under the mask and do whatever you want to her.¡± The men stood up and put on their pants with a lewd smile, O¡¯Brien squeezing Megan¡¯s thigh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The award today will be yours once we see X¡¯s face.¡± ¡°Eurasian women taste so good.¡± Reedman gave a lopsided grin. Watching as the men walked out, Megany on the sofa with a twisted smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll make you get out of thepany this time, X. I¡¯ll make you suffer and get banned from the industry forever!¡± Ashlyn knitted her brows slightly the moment she went back to her lounge. There was a strange aroma wafting through the air. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. She held her breath and walked over to the sofa. ¡°Shannon, Shannon, wake up.¡± Shannon didn¡¯t respond. She didn¡¯t look like she was sleeping at all. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Ashlyn had a bad feeling about this. Aromatic ecstasy! This room has been infused with aromatic ecstasy! I can¡¯t believe Megan is full of such lowly tricks up her sleeves! She raised her eyes and was just about to help Shannon out of the room when someone pushed the door open. Ashlyn looked nkly at the two European men standing in the doorway. O¡¯Brien walked over to Ashlyn, followed by Reedman, who locked the door from the inside. Chapter 424 Chapter 424 There was a sweet, but strange aroma wafting up through the air. But the men had taken the antidote in advance, so the aroma had no effect on them at all. Reedman looked at Ashlyn impishly with a wicked smile. ¡°Ms. X, O¡¯Brien, and I are the judges of this Fashion Week. Let¡¯s talk about your brand¡¯s runway show today, shall we?¡± Ashlyn held the unconscious Shannon with both hands and held her breath to prevent the aroma from escaping into her own breath. But she couldn¡¯t take it anymore after a few minutes. She knew about the ugliness of human nature and that the reality was dark. But little did she expect these two big names in fashion to be so vile and disgusting. One was an Oscar winner with fans all over the globe and the other was an icon in the hearts of many designers in the fashion industry, a role model to look up to. Not only did they have a sickening deal with Megan, but they also even wanted to take advantage of her then. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re actually holding your breath?¡± O¡¯Brienughed heartily, seeing that Ashlyn¡¯s lips were set in a hard line. ¡°This room has been infused with ecstasy aroma. How long can you hold your breath? A second, half an hour or an hour?¡± Seized with a sudden impulse, Reedman came up to Ashlyn and pushed Shannon away from her arms, causing the former to fall limply on the ground. ¡°Oh baby, you¡¯ll die if you don¡¯t breathe.¡± Ashlyn shot daggers at these two despicable and shameless men through squinted eyes. I can¡¯t breathe in the aroma. If I do, Shannon and I will be screwed. If I leave Shannon behind, these two pieces of rubbish won¡¯t be able to trap me at all. But if I leave Shannon behind and walk away, she will be screwed. Right then, the men surrounded Ashlyn from both sides, ready to make advances to her when she split her legs abruptly in midair, sending them flying and knocking them down. ¡°Shit! Did she just kick me?!¡± ¡°You b*tch! You got a death wish, huh?!¡± European men were born tall and burly, and since they were from the film and fashion industry, it was only natural that they paid more attention to fitness and had excellent physical strength. Furthermore, Reedman¡¯s hobby on usual days was boxing. It was only because he was caught off guard that Ashlyn could attack him just now. Regaining hisposure, he got up from the ground and lunged toward Ashlyn, who was walking toward the window. Ashlyn dodged him alertly and leaped toward the windowsill, reaching for the window. However, the two men were not to be trifled with either. O¡¯Brien held her down on her shoulders as Reedman threw a punch at her stomach. Ashlyn gritted her teeth at the impact, the oxygen in her lungs running out. Even though she had had special breath-holding training and could hold her breath longer than an average person, she was starting to feel woozy then after holding on for nearly ten minutes. She needed fresh air or else she would suffocate from theck of oxygen. The punch hurt so much that she couldn¡¯t help but gasp in pain, streaks of red forming in her eyes. Just then, the sweet aroma infused with ecstasy rushed down her throat and into her chest. Her head pounded, and with almost all her strength, she shook off the two men, mming open the window from the inside. Ashlyn quickly took a big breath as fresh air gushed into the room. The aftereffect of the aromatic ecstasy was extremely strong. Ashlyn was surprised that her feet gave way, even when she had only inhaled a little. At once, she clenched her teeth and bit her lip, and only then did she regain her bnce. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Neither Reedman nor O¡¯Brien had expected Ashlyn to be a hard-headed person. Not only was she skilled in martial arts, but she was also surprisingly intelligent. With fresh air pouring in, arge portion of the aromatic ecstasy in the room dissipated. The sweet, but strange aroma dissipated as well. But Ashlyn¡¯s body was getting weaker and weaker. Seeing that Ashlyn was supporting herself on the wall, Reedman couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud in triumph as he reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that I¡¯m a mega movie star? Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m handsome? Besides, how can you win an award without giving a little something?¡± Chapter 425 Chapter 425 ¡°Just satisfy us and we¡¯ll give you our votes. We¡¯ll make you the winner of the first show,¡± O¡¯Brien said, inching closer to kiss Ashlyn¡¯s cheek. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes darkened in a slight glint. Just as O¡¯Brien¡¯s lips were about to touch her cheek, she grabbed the mini fish tank on the windowsill and smashed it on the man¡¯s head. Crash! O¡¯Brien was struck dizzy. Doused by the fish water in the tank, several small fishes got into his cor and slithered around inside his clothes. ¡°Argh!¡± O¡¯Brien let out a scream. He let go of Ashlyn and started unbuttoning his clothes. ¡°You b*tch!¡± Reedman yanked Ashlyn¡¯s long ck hair and dragged her to the ground, fixing her with a ferocious re. ¡°How dare you hit my brother?!¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Ashlyn could only feel a ripping pain in her scalp until Reedman kicked her to the ground. ¡°Oh, stop pretending,¡± he said, his eyes sweeping over her curvaceous body sciously. ¡°I¡¯ve slept with many models and celebrities in this industry. Who do you think you are? Even the award-winning actresses couldn¡¯t resist me and they all ended up as our toy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your honor to be seen and toyed with by the two of us. How about we make you the big new shot, the new queen of the fashion industry after this?¡± O¡¯Brien came over and gave her another boot in the stomach. ¡°If you don¡¯t know any better, don¡¯t me us for getting rough with you!¡± Ashlyn broke out in a cold sweat from the pain. The continuous, heavy blows to her belly were almost too much for her to bear. At this moment, her beautiful face under the mask was tragically pale. She struggled to get up from the ground, but the two men, like hungry wolves, didn¡¯t give her any chance. O¡¯Brien savagely tore at Ashlyn¡¯s white dress, his eyes filled with lust when his hands grazed her fair and smooth skin. ¡°Damn! She¡¯s a treasure, all right. Such beautiful skin. I wonder how many men have banged you before.¡± Reedman burst into peals ofughter. ¡°Feisty, I like it! Hahaha! Come on, keep resisting. The more you resist, the more excited I get.¡± The men wereughing when Ashlyn picked up the ss shards of the fish tank on the ground, stabbing it as hard as she could on Reedman¡¯s neck. ¡°Ouch!¡± Reedman jolted at the warm blood gushing down his neck. With a bloodthirsty killing intent shing in her eyes, Ashlyn lifted the shard and went for O¡¯Brien¡¯s arm next. O¡¯Brien tried to dodge, but when his eyes and met the woman¡¯s sharp ones under the mask, he stood transfixed like a terrified prey being targeted by a hunter. It wasn¡¯t until Ashlyn had shed his arm that he snapped out of it from the stabbing pain. ¡°Damn it! You b*itch!¡± Ashlyn seized the opportunity to stumble toward the exit. She jerked open the door, only to hear the sound of cameras taking pictures and see lights shing around her. ¡°God! Is she not the chief designer X of LX?¡± shouted a reporter who was bribed by Megan. ¡°What happened to her? Oh, my God! Is she doing something indescribable with the judges? Seems like she¡¯s really desperate to win the award!¡± Hearing that, the reporters spared no effort in snapping more pictures of Ashlyn. ¡°She looks like a mess. She didn¡¯t really do that kind of thing in the room, did she?¡± ¡°Who would have that it was all a facade. No wonder she¡¯s wearing a mask. Her elegant and lofty bearing and her love for history¡ªit¡¯s all show!¡± ¡°She¡¯s a slut underneath it all!¡± At this moment, when the two men covered in blood came out of the room in pursuit of Ashlyn saw the many reporters outside, they were paralyzed with fear. Chapter 426 Chapter 426 However, as celebrities who were ustomed to the spotlights, they exchanged a nce and immediately came up with a solution. I can¡¯t believe Megan that b*tch would have the audacity to plot against us by bringing in so many reporters. Damn it! Through the unspoken understanding from years of working together, the two men eventually calmed down and started responding to these reporters. ¡°Ms. X, what¡¯s going to happen to the fashion industry in the future if you do something like that just to win an award?¡± ¡°With such a persona, Ms. X, have you ever thought about your country when you incorporated historical elements in your design?¡± ¡°You are a disgrace to your country. Jeez, have you ever thought about the consequences of disgracing yourself at Fashion Week?¡± ¡°A designer like you is a disgrace to the whole fashion industry! Will you be banned from the fashion industry now that things have fallen apart?¡± The reporters, mostly European, who wanted nothing more than to see the Eurasian countries make a fool of themselves, started bombarding Ashlyn with questions, like an annoying swarm of bees. Now that they had finallyid hands on such a scoop, the excitement on their faces was palpable. ¡°This woman drugged us both,¡± Reedman said directly. ¡°When we disagreed, she hit us with a fish tank, and not only that, but she also even wounded us with a ss!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± O¡¯Brien added, deliberately showing his wounds. ¡°The world knows that the two of us are good brothers. Look what she had done to us. Look how vicious and shameless she was. I think I need an ambnce! I have to get first aid. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll bleed to death!¡± The two men incriminated Ashlyn in perfect harmony. In addition to the injuries and the blood gushing out from their wounds, there was a faint smell of blood wafting in the air and it was a rather gory sight to behold. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°Ms. X, how ruthless of you tomit such a heinous and insidious act in order to win the award.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to be a designer and you don¡¯t deserve to participate in Fashion Week!¡± ¡°You¡¯re simply disgusting!¡± The reporters started attacking Ashlyn again, one after another. ¡°She¡¯s trying to force us to give in, so she can leave us both in the lurch after getting what she wants,¡± O¡¯Brien said, putting on a piteous look. ¡°These Eurasian never learn their ce at fashion weeks, after all.¡± ¡°She probably still thinks it¡¯s a national honor that she did that to us,¡± Reedman said, giving a shrug of his shoulders. ¡°I must say, I¡¯m starting to see these Eurasians in a different light now. They¡¯re so¡­¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyes brimmed with rage. Her grip on the doorknob was so tight that her knuckles went white. ¡°ndering me and my country like crazy, is this how you Europeans behave?¡± she demanded in a weak, yet oppressive voice, eyeing the group of reporters who were madly disparaging her and her country, and O¡¯Brien and Reedman, who were mocking and insulting her and her country. ¡°Can the words spoken by these two filthy men be trusted?¡± ¡°Ms. X, these two gentlemen are big names in the industry, with excellent reputation and character,¡± a reporter said in a shrill voice, almost sticking the microphone in her hand into Ashlyn¡¯s mouth. ¡°Mr. Reedman is loyal to his wife, even though she has removed her uterus and couldn¡¯t have children for the rest of her life. And Mr. O¡¯Brien, oh God, he¡¯s got a girlfriend of nine years who had cheated on him not just once, but he would beg for her toe back to him and now they¡¯re about to get married. These two gentlemen are simply angels sent from heaven!¡± ¡°Yeah! One¡¯s an Oscar winner and the other¡¯s a director of design of a major international brand. How could they possibly frame you?¡± Chapter 427 Chapter 427 ¡°We certainly have to trust these two gentlemen. Their reputation in the industry speaks for itself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just a puny designer from H Nation. You don¡¯t deserve the spotlight!¡± The two men exchanged another nce surreptitiously, a sense of relief washing over them, seeing that everyone had taken the bait. Reedman covered his wound and said in pain, ¡°I never thought I would meet such an audacious woman. I have many fans and arge fandom, after all, so I thought Ms. X was one of my fans. But who knew she would do that to us, seducing me and O¡¯Brien?! God! I am absolutely faithful to my wife. How could I possibly betray her?¡± ¡°Wow, he¡¯s so cool!¡± ¡°How amazing!¡± ¡°We must hurry and write a report about this so that the world can see how nasty is this designer X from Eurasia!¡± Meanwhile, standing behind these reporters, Abigail gave a smug, evil smile. Oh X, why did you have topete with Ms. Hobbs? You¡¯re simply no match for her. Abigail secretly recorded a video while hiding among the crowd and sent it directly to Megan. Upon receiving the video, Megan, sitting in her own lounge, was so excited that she could almost jump up from her seat. Seducing the members of the judgingmittee, forcing the members of the judgingmittee to submit, and hurting the members of the judgingmittees. Hah! X is definitely dead this time! No gods in this world can save her now! Hahaha, this feels so good! Megan couldn¡¯t help daydreaming about how she was going to flourish in thepany after kicking Ashlyn out. Meanwhile, Ashlyn was still standing there, wondering, Do these people really think I¡¯m gonna sit back and do nothing? If it weren¡¯t for the ecstasy, these two scums wouldn¡¯t even stand a chance to humiliate me I would have turned them into dust straight away. Even so¡­ Ashlyn smirked, pressing the diamond earrings on her ears. O¡¯Brien and Reedman watched as she raised her hands elegantly and couldn¡¯t help but feel a little puzzled. Does she have something else up her sleeves? How is she so calm? What is she thinking? These two men, who had been reigning in the fashion and film industry for many years, suddenly discovered a fact that X wasn¡¯t an ordinary woman. She was smart and bold and cruel. The image of the woman stabbing the two of them with a shard of the fish tank just now reappeared before their eyes. The recollection of the ruthlessness in her eyes chilled them to the marrow. Ashlyn¡¯s lips quirked up as she pointed at the diamond earrings on her ears, a sharp glint in her eyes. ¡°My left earring here has the functions of a tape recorder, and on my right, there¡¯s a pinhole camera. As for what happened between me and these co-called Mr. Perfects, let¡¯s take a look, shall we?¡± O¡¯Brien and Reedman nched at Ashlyn¡¯s words. I can¡¯t believe this b*tch carries such high-tech stuff with her! Who the hell is she? She recorded not just the audio, but the video as well? Her earring is actually a pinhole camera? How is this possible? Damn it! The two men looked at each other, then tried to reach for Ashlyn¡¯s earrings, but thetter swiftly slid into the crowd, shoving the reporter toward the men. With that advantage, Ashlyn pressed the y button on her earrings and projected the video on the wall. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re actually holding your breath?¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°This room has been infused with aromatic ecstasy. How long can you hold your breath? A second, half an hour or an hour?¡± Chapter 428 Chapter 428 ¡°Oh baby, you¡¯ll die if you don¡¯t breathe.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that I¡¯m a mega movie star? Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m handsome? Besides, how can you win an award without giving a little something?¡± ¡°Just satisfy us and we¡¯ll give you our votes. We¡¯ll make you the winner of the first show.¡± ¡°Oh, stop pretending. I¡¯ve slept with many models and celebrities in this industry. Who do you think you are? Even the award-winning actresses couldn¡¯t resist me and they all ended up as our toy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your honor to be seen and toyed with by the two of us. How about we make you the big new shot, the new queen of the fashion industry after this?¡± The recording was apanied by pictures on the wall, along with the disgusting movements and dirty looks of the two men. Everyone¡¯s mouth fell wide open in surprise and disbelief. How is this possible? This is their true colors? That¡¯s too nasty, isn¡¯t it? Your honor to be seen and toyed with by the two of us? How could they say that? Are they even human? O¡¯Brien¡¯s face turned white. He red at Ashlyn, then shouted, ¡°This is all fake! She created these illusions with her high-tech stuff to nder me.¡± Snapping out of his shock and fear, Reedman chimed in, ¡°How could you be so base and shameless? You created these illusions just to ruin us, didn¡¯t you?!¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. These men sure are experienced in adapting to the situation and improvising on the spot. They just won¡¯t admit it even if the truth and the irond evidence are disyed before them. Ashlyn sneered, ¡°If these are just illusions, then tell me, did I make up the scene where I resisted and injured you two? Could I have predicted in advance that I would hit you? Could I have predicted that there was a fish tank in this room? May I remind you that this is my first time here at Fashion Week?¡± ¡°You b*tch! I¡¯m calling the police!¡± ¡°I want the police to prove my innocence!¡± The men retaliated one after other, as though they had really suffered an injustice. Ashlyn snorted inwardly, Are they trying to y the victim here? What a joke! ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary! The police are here!¡± Suddenly, a cold, hostile male voice rang out from behind the crowd. Hearing that, everyone parted to make a path for the towering man in the lead who was walking over withrge strides. Donning a custom-made suit with one hand in the pocket of his trousers, he exuded an oppressive aura that made everyone held their breaths. And following in his wake in an imposing manner were a dozen of bodyguards in suits, who then lined up in two rows, nking the man in the lead. Ashlyn raised her eyes and saw the tall, stern figure striding toward her. His perfectly sculptured face looked grimmer and more forbidding under the lights. The arrival of the domineering man seemed to have shocked everyone badly as no one dared to break the sullen atmosphere. O¡¯Brien and Reedman froze at Lucas¡¯s arrival, their expression pensive. Who is this man with suchpelling aura? Why does he look so familiar? Just as the two were utterly mystified, they saw another group of police officersing toward them from behind the group of men d in ck. The police officer in the lead, dressed neatly in uniform, came up to them and said coldly, ¡°We¡¯ve received reports of two suspected drug users and domestic violence. Pleasee with us.¡± ¡°No, it can¡¯t be! What are you talking about?¡± Reedman shouted his head off. ¡°I want to see mywyer.¡± Chapter 429 Chapter 429 Suddenly, a pale and haggard woman rushed in and shouted, ¡°Reedman!¡± p! The woman pped Reedman right across the face. Reedman was about to fight back, but he remembered he was in public and surrounded by reporters. He held his temper and grabbed the woman¡¯s hand, ¡°Honey, what are you doing?¡± The reporters broke into a flurry of conversation. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°It looks like our best performer and his wife have a great rtionship.¡± ¡°Yeah, they look so in love.¡± ¡°But why did his wife pped him? ¡°What¡¯s going on? The police mentioned something about drugs.¡± ¡°Did Ms. X wrongly used him?¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s heard the reporters bootlicking Reedman, but she couldn¡¯t care less. She only had eyes for Lucas. Her gaze fell on the man who had well-defined features like a statue. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of the lighting in the hallway, but this man was unbelievably handsome. Lucas held a disquieting aura as he strode towards her. His gaze held haughtiness just like a high and mighty king who belongs on a pedestal. He always stunned the crowd whenever he made an appearance. He was just so dashing and domineering. Ashlyn looked at Lucas silently as he stopped in front of her. He lowered his eyes at this petite woman and noticed her dress was torn. Then, he took off his tuxedo and draped it on her. She was about to say something when she heard his cold voice said in a domineering tone, ¡°Wear it properly! No one can bully my woman!¡± Ashlyn remained silent upon hearing Lucas¡¯ reply. After his arrival, she felt an indescribable calmness. She could handle this situation, but she felt more at ease when she knows he¡¯s present. It was an inexplicable feeling of trust where she could drop all pretenses and hand the situation over to Lucas to handle. When Reedman noticed all eyes were on Lucas and Ashlyn, he turned to his wife and warned her, ¡°You better hold your tongue, or I¡¯ll cut it off!¡± His wife looked at him with steely eyes and turned to the police, ¡°I was the one who reported this anonymously. I want to report him and O¡¯Brien for abusing drugs and physically abused me!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Reedman roared angrily, ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± He smiled wryly at everyone and said, ¡°My wife is mentally ill. Her mind is not in the right state! Don¡¯t listen to her, everyone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Reedman¡¯s wife pushed him away and pulled up her shirt aggressively. Her stomach and waist were bruised and scarred. She opened the button of her cor shirt and revealed a neck full of scars, old and new. Everyone was dumbstruck! ¡°Do you know why I don¡¯t have a uterus? When I was three months pregnant, he abused me and kicked my stomach brutally. He kicked me until I had a miscarriage. I lost my child and my uterus! It¡¯s all because of him!¡± His wife couldn¡¯t hold back her tears anymore, ¡°I wanted a divorce for years. But, he wanted to maintain his reputation as a good husband. He used me as a tool and refused to get a divorce. Whenever I brought the matter up, he would use my life and my family¡¯s life to threaten me! I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡± Everyone couldn¡¯t believe their ears when they heard the wordsing out from Reedman¡¯s wife. He kicked his own child to death and caused his wife¡¯s uterus to be removed. What he did was outrageous! How could Reedman be so inhumane? ¡°He spent all his money on drugs. Why is he close to O¡¯Brien? Because they always take drugs together. After they take drugs, they¡¯ll find some young model or famous influencers to apany them. All these years, countless young girls had to sumb to their physical desire to survive in the industry!¡± Chapter 430 Chapter 430 ¡°He even let O¡¯Brien raped me! He let his friends gang-raped me! Every day, I felt like I would rather be dead! But, I have a family to protect. I can¡¯t die because I need to see this scoundrel get punished by thew!¡± Reedman gave his wife a death stare. He felt like strangling her to death. He clenched his fist and warned her in a sinister voice, ¡°Are you crazy? Do you still want your mum to be alive?¡± His wife gave a coldugh, ¡°I have someone to support me now, Reedman. I¡¯m not afraid of you anymore.¡± Right at this moment, a flustered woman ran into the room and started beating O¡¯Brien, ¡°You madman! Where is my savings? What did you do with my money?¡± O¡¯Brien¡¯s long-term girlfriend was a fair and pretty woman who came from a decent family. She worked as a beauty blogger and earned well. Just moments ago, his girlfriend wanted to invest in a business and found out her bank ount only had a few thousand left. She was stunned. The only person who knew her bank ount¡¯s password was O¡¯Brien. ¡°He took drugs and slept around with models and influencers, Demina. Where do you think the money went?¡± Reedman¡¯s wife said coldly. Demina cried hysterically and stared angrily at her boyfriend, ¡°O¡¯Brien, you¡¯re going to jail! I want to sue you for embezzling my private property!¡± This matter could no longer be swept under the rug, it was blowing up. Everyone was shocked to their cores! They never thought these two men with reputations had done such filthy and evil deeds. How disgusting! ¡°What evidence do you have to prove your ims? Did she give you any benefit?¡± Reedman retaliated. ¡°If I¡¯m able to stand up for myself and expose all your evil deeds, of course, I have evidence to back me up. I installed security cameras in the house long ago. It recorded all your despicable behavior towards me,¡± Reedman¡¯s wife couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud, ¡°Reedman, I can finally be free.¡± At that moment, the reporters veered their camera towards both of the scoundrels and cursed them, ¡°Trash! B**tard! Beast! Shameless! Disgusting!¡± ¡°Both of you don¡¯t deserve to live in this world.¡± ¡°How could scums like you exist?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not worthy to be human.¡± ¡°You seemed like a human on camera, but inside you¡¯re a beast!¡± ¡°Now I believe in Ms. X. She literally rose from the dead!¡± ¡°Luckily, she¡¯s a formidable woman. Or else, she probably wouldn¡¯t survive this!¡± Reedman and O¡¯Brien joined forces to take the virginity of young girls in the industry. They had never failed before. After they slept with the young girls, they paid them off to keep quiet about what happened. Most of the victims did not dare to expose them because they were afraid of their power and reputation. This time, they had blundered! They had nowhere to hide when faced with the insults from the reporters. Unfortunately, it was all toote. They never expected this to happen because they thought Ashlyn was just an unknown designer. The police took them away immediately. However, the farce did not end there. Ashlyn went to the resting room to catch a breath away from the public eye. Her back was beading with sweat. Her clothes were soaked in cold sweat. Her body felt like jelly when shey on the sofa. She could not banish the rage inside of her. I can¡¯t believe I fell into Megan¡¯s trap! It¡¯s impossible to guard yourself against this woman. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. If she did not prepare for the worst scenario and Lucas didn¡¯te to save her on time, she probably wouldn¡¯t be alive. She stole a nce at the man beside her, and his deep eyes looked right back at her with concern. She felt warmth in her heart. Before she could say a word, Lucas¡¯s hoarse voice interrupted and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter 431 Chapter 431 Ashlyn stared at him nkly, ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going home,¡± he said as he carried her bridal style and made their way out. The Lamborghini sped all the way back to the manor. Lucas opened the door, carried her down the car, and took big strides towards the bedroom. ¡°Take a rest first. I¡¯ll prepare your bath,¡± he said. Then, he folded his sleeves and went to the bathroom. Ashlyn¡¯s body still felt limp as shey on the bed. The sound of running water from the bathroom could be heard. Her tense emotions instantly rxed. When Lucas came out of the bathroom, he noticed she was fast asleep. The zer draped on her shoulder fell to the floor and revealed her crumpled dress. It was torn at the hem and ripped at the cor, showing bruises on her snow-white skin. He couldn¡¯t imagine the torture she had suffered. She was drugged! Someone actually dare to drug my woman? That person must have a death wish! At the Fashion Week event. Megan felt restless and uneasy in her seat. She was lost in thoughts and didn¡¯t pay attention to the fashion show right in front of her. Ms. X turned the tables? She frowned deeply as she couldn¡¯t wrap her head around it. What happened? Abigail walked to her and said in a low voice, ¡°Director Hobbs, I have bad news.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. She told Megan everything she saw. Megan turned white as a sheet, ¡°What did you say? She defeated both of them and it was recorded? Reedman¡¯s wife came too?¡± What in the world?! This waspletely out of her expectation. I just wanted to win an award and kick Ashlyn out of thepany! How did things turned out this way? Megan almost fainted. Things were spiraling out of control. Then, she thought, How could Ashlyn be so lucky? How did she escape from it unscathed? Does she have nine lives? In the manor. When Ashlyn woke up from a well-rested sleep, it was five o¡¯clock in the afternoon. She slowly sat up and noticed she was wearing a set of pajamas. Lucas was handling work duties as he sat on the sofa in the room. He heard a rustle of sheets and turned to look at her, ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Ashlyn nodded her head and tried to sway her head. She was d the after-effects of the drugs had worn off after a night of sleep and felt a lot better. The wretched feeling of dizziness was gone too. ¡°Lucas,¡± she was about to say something when she heard him say, ¡°Are you hungry?¡± After hearing his question, she realized she was indeed ravenous, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m hungry. Is there anything to eat?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lucas put hisptop away and walked to the bed, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They went to the restaurant downstairs and the maid began to serve the food. Lucas was serving her some of the sd as he said, ¡°Do you want to go to Fashion Weekter?¡± Ashlyn paused, ¡°The Debut Fashion Show is over, right?¡± It was pass five o¡¯clock now. Lucas looked at her with certainty and said, ¡°It¡¯s not over.¡± ¡°Logically speaking, it should be over. Did you..¡± Ashlyn looked at him suspiciously. Did he do something to dy Fashion Week? He took a napkin to wipe his mouth and said, ¡°The winner of the Debut Fashion Show has not been selected. Also, they changed the judge. So. everyone is waiting for you.¡± Ashlyn thought she was dreaming when she heard this, ¡°Waiting for me?¡± Why would an international fashion weekpetition wait for me on the day of its debut? Is he joking? Although she had confidence in herself, she was not a narcissistic person. ¡°Yes,¡± Lucas¡¯s dark eyes were staring right into her eyes. ¡°Why?¡± Ashlyn was puzzled as she studied Lucas¡¯s calm behavior, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because of you?¡± Chapter 432 Chapter 432 ¡°You will know when you get there,¡± The corner of his mouth curled into a smile as he lifted his hands and pped. Two maids walked over to them immediately. Each of them held an intricate gift box in their hands. The confusion on Ashlyn¡¯s beautiful face deepens as she knitted her brows. She felt like this man had something under his sleeves. ¡°What is this?¡± Lucas stared at her unwaveringly and said, ¡°You¡¯ll know after you¡¯ve open it.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. She hesitated for a while before she opened one of the boxes. It was a shinning Starry Sky Formal Wear. She immediately recognized it as the limited edition piece from an international luxury brand, the one and only in the world. How did Lucas get his hands on it? This evening dress would cost a minimum of seven figures. She opened another gift box and saw a pair of silver-colored high heels of her size inside. It almost felt like it was tailor made just for her. At the Fashion Week¡¯s venue. No one left the venue, including the judgingmittee. Although the fashion show had debuted, the winner had not been announced. This created a storm in social media tforms like Twitter and YouTube. Everyone who attended the event knew about what happened. Two members of the judgingmittee had been sent to the police station and had caused a big commotion. This drama was better than the movie of the year and Hollywood¡¯stest movie. Only a wretched person would physically abuse his wife and caused her to lose the ability to conceive. People¡¯s morals sure are going downhill, especially both of these men who attacked Ashlyn for their own lust, then tried to tarnish her reputation to protect themselves. The victims in the past joined hands to show proof of their evil deeds and expose their scandalous acts. Some of them reported to the police about them while others discussed the topic openly on the inte. This news spread like wildfire and became the top trending news globally. The onlinemunity couldn¡¯t stop praising Ashlyn. They were impressed by this designer who came from Eurasia. She was regarded as the fearless heroine who defeated the scumbags and revealed their true colors to the world. There were a lot of reporters who were pushy and overbearing. Some of them were bribed by Megan. Nevertheless, the ones who had a conscience came to their senses and made a public apology to Ashlyn on their social media tform. The majority of the mediapany had even registered an ount on Twitter to apologize in the Eurasiannguage to show their sincerity. Not only did this piece of international news went viral in the fashion world, but it also caught the attention of other countries. A few prominent politicians chastised the despicable acts of both men. The London Mayor was one of them. He felt guilty because this incident happened in London. He tagged the police department in his social media and implored them to punish the offenders severely. Ennd¡¯s royal family made another announcement immediately after the London Mayor. They expressed their wish for this matter to be investigated thoroughly and sentence the offenders with severe punishment. The Queen of Brunei and the Princess of Spain had worn clothes designed by Ashlyn. They posted their support on social media after hearing the news. In the post, they apuded her for exposing the scumbags, then praised and affirmed her designing skills. The citizens of H Nation went into a public furor. Everyone scolded the two members of the judgingmittees and stood up for Ashlyn. Some of the mediapanies posted a video of Lucas protecting Ashlyn. This caused another flurry of discussion. ¡°So, she is Mrs. Nn?¡± ¡°Is it true?¡± ¡°I think so, or else Mr. Nn wouldn¡¯t address her as his woman.¡± ¡°Mr. Nn is so cool and domineering, like a God!¡± ¡°Mr. Nn had never confirmed his rtionship with the women he dated in the past, even Hera.¡± ¡°Ms. X is the only woman he admitted as his wife!¡± ¡°I think she is Mrs. Nn.¡± At the Fashion Week¡¯s venue. Everyone was waiting in anticipation to find out who would win the award. Chapter 433 Chapter 433 They kept themselves updated with the drama online and discussed it among themselves. Some of them grew impatient and urged the organizer to hurry up. Out of a sudden, someone said, ¡°Ms. X is here.¡± Everyone went silent and turned their heads towards the entrance. A tall and lean figure greeted the eyes of the crowd. The gown was made of violet see-throughce with a tube top dress as innerwear. It was sexy, yet graceful. She walked with authority as the train of her cloak floated with the breeze. The dress was adorned with tiny violet and white rhinestones in an asymmetrical arrangement. The designer paid attention to each detail, even the coat and hem of the skirt had elegant rhinestones hand-sewn upon them. The luxurious tiny rhinestones sparkle under the spotlight. It was a heavenly sight. She looked mysterious as she paired her outfit with a silver masquerade mask that covered half of her face. Everyone looked at her in awe. Most of the guests wore evening gowns to the show, but none couldpare to her beauty. At one nce, anyone from the fashion industry could recognize the value of the dress. ¡°Oh my gosh! This evening gown is the limited edition Starry Sky Formal Wear!¡± ¡°How much is it worth?¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s worth seven million dor!¡± ¡°Who is she really?¡± Megan sat among the crowd. When she saw Ashlyn, her face turned pale instantly. Damn it! Why is she here? How can this woman be so lucky? She¡¯s actually wearing the Starry Sky Formal Wear? No. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a counterfeit. If she had money to buy the dress, why would she work as a mere designer in thepany? ¡°Director, what should we do now?¡± Abigail leaned towards Megan and asked in a whisper. What would happen if Ms. X found out I was the one who drugged her and tipped off the reporters? What should I do? Abigail was panicking inwardly. ¡°No one would find out if we don¡¯t breathe a word about this. Why are you panicking?¡± Megan red at her angrily, ¡°How can you achieve greater sess if you¡¯re worried about this petty matter?¡± ¡°But,¡± Abigail was about to say something when she saw Ashlyn walking towards her. Thankfully, she chose a seat next to Shannon, who was not far from them. After the effects of the drug had dissipated, Shannon had woken up. When her colleagues told her what happened, she nearly had an emotional breakdown. Boss almost got raped by the two scoundrels because she didn¡¯t want to leave her behind. When she looked at Ashlyn, her eyes reddened. She leaned towards her and held her hand, ¡°Boss, how are you feeling? Are you okay?¡± Ashlyn patted her hand reassuringly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.¡± Then, her gaze fell on Megan, ¡°But someone will not be.¡± ¡°Boss. If anything had happened to you, I would never be able to forgive myself,¡± Shannon said guiltily. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly!¡± Ashlyn said jokingly as she poked her forehead, ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t cry anymore. They¡¯re going to announce the winner soon. ¡° Shannon wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes and looked at the stage. There were originally five members in the judgingmittees, but now only three were left. At this moment, they were seated on the judges¡¯ panel. Before the judgingmittee could say a word, they heard a woman called out in a sharp voice, ¡°As a designer, how could you wear a counterfeit dress to attend the award ceremony? You¡¯re utterly shameless!¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Everyone turned their heads to look in the direction of the voice. It was Megan! She raised her phone and pointed at Ashlyn. Ashlyn sat calmly on her seat and looked at Megan¡¯s phone screen. The dress looked almost identical to the one she was wearing, but there are some differences if one looked carefully. The dress in the picture did not have rhinestones at the waist area, and the rhinestones design began from the waist downwards. Chapter 434 Chapter 434 Also, the length of the cloak only reached her calf and did not trail on the floor. However, she believed Lucas. Based on his character, he would not have picked a knockoff dress to make her look foolish, especially at such an important event. Thus, her expression remained calm and indifferent. She nonchntly nced at Megan as if she were looking at a circus clown. ¡°X, what do you have to say for yourself? A picture of this dress was posted on Starry Sky Formal Wear¡¯s website, but the one you¡¯re wearing is obviously a different set. You are a designer and yet you¡¯re wearing a knockoff; you¡¯re disrespecting fashion and looking down on Starry Sky Formal Wear!¡± Megan gloated as if she was a moralist who had made a grandiose speech. She was dying to step all over Ashlyn. Slut. You dared toe here after wearing such garbage clothes? How embarrassing! I must screw her and never let her show her face as a designer again! The other guests at the venue originally sympathized with Ashlyn regarding the news. They had also felt that the dress she wore was incredibly stunning. After hearing Megan¡¯s intense questioning, they could not help but scorn. After all, she was a designer who had worn a knockoff attire at such an important event like Fashion Week. It was seen as an insult to other designers. There was not a single hint of personal integrity nor professional ethics. Ashlyn silently stared at Megan. She was also confused and was wracking her brains on why the attire she was wearing was not the same as the one on the website. However, she could not find any proper excuse at that moment and could only observe quietly. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Suddenly, an imposing voice was heard from the crowd. ¡°Who said she¡¯s wearing a knockoff attire?¡± Everyone whipped their head around and saw a man over 60 years old who had stepped forward. ¡°Goodness! Isn¡¯t this Starry Sky Formal Wear¡¯s designer, Alexander Mike?¡± ¡°Why is he here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s always difficult to invite him to events!¡± ¡°My gosh! I can¡¯t believe that I¡¯m seeing my idol! He¡¯s the Ultimate God among the gods of designers!¡± ¡°His presence is heaven!¡± Beside the middle-aged man stood another young man who donned a high-quality ck suit. He was incredibly handsome and could easily bebeled as the face of Eurasia. With his chiseled features, powerful aura, and nature-defying long legs, he did not look inferior even when standing beside the fashionista god-like icon. Both of them walked forward together and stopped in front of Ashlyn. Ashlyn blinked, her almond-shaped eyes glistening. Lucas? Why was he with Alexander Mike? After he had driven her to the venue, he had left first and said that he had other matters to tend to. She did not think that he woulde back, and with the fashionista icon for that matter. Upon seeing Alexander Mike, the three judges immediately stood up. They were flustered and awkward and did not seem to know where to put their hands. ¡°Mr. Mike¡­ Sir¡­ You¡­¡± Kevin¡¯s voice was shaking. Mike raised a hand at him as a gesture for him to keep quiet. Kevin immediately shut up and did not dare to utter another word. This godly man had a strange temper, but no one dared to offend the number one fashionista icon. Kevin Lynch did not dare to speak, while others did not even dare to make a sound. He was the benchmark of the fashion industry and had a set of eyes that could discern beauty. Ashlyn had a figureparable to that of a model¡¯s but she had a unique charm to herself. This made her outstanding. Models were usually as thin as a stick to be able to qualify to walk the catwalk but they fail to bring out the true beauty of that dress. In his eyes, models were just walking mannequins. On the other hand, Ashlyn shone in her dress, showing off the beauty of the stunning dress to its truest form. Whether it was her golden proportions or her height, the clothes had fit her perfectly! Chapter 435 Chapter 435 He absolutely adored Ashlyn. Although Mike had a cold expression on when he looked at Kevin Lynch, he was all smiles when he spoke to Ashlyn, ¡°This formal wear is indeed different from the one on the website; I had altered it to tailor to your disposition, hence the extra rhinestones. The length of the cloak was custom-made ording to your measurements as well and it is meant to longer. Ms. X, you have expressed this dress exceptionally well. I am very satisfied. If you get married in the future and I¡¯m still around, I will make you a wedding gown personally.¡± As soon as he finished talking, the crowd erupted in chatter. Gosh! Mike actually offered to tailor a wedding gown for X? What kind of special treatment is this? If the Queen wants Mike to design her a dress, she probably would have to queue on the waiting list too! Megan was clearly fuming. Her jealousy and resentment were impossible to hide from her face. She red at Ashlyn maliciously and almost screamed her frustration out. If not for Abigail, who had continuously pulled on her arm, she would have lunged forward to tear apart Ashlyn¡¯s face. Why is this slut always so lucky? She even manage to get on Mike¡¯s good side! I work so hard and put in so much effort for everything, but no one ever acknowledges me. This slut stole my limelight in thepany and I had no choice but to ept it the hard way. Nheless, when she came to Fashion Week she once again shone and was the center of attention! Why is it that everything was always about her? Her mind could not be reconciled. Mike turned around andplimented Lucas, ¡°Mr. Nn, you have good taste.¡± After saying so, he walked to the stage and said to Kevin Lynch, ¡°I was invited to be the fourth judge of today¡¯s Debut Fashion Show. I hope we work well together.¡± ¡°Wee to Fashion Show, Sir.¡± ¡°It¡¯s our honor to have you here.¡± The other three members of the judgingmittee quickly said. Gosh! Being in the judgingmittee with the fashionista icon himself was like a dreame true! After a short discussion among the four judgingmittee members, the award ceremony finally began. All the guests and designers had their eyes nervously fixed on the stage. One by one, the awards were given away to the recipients. They include the Inspiration Awards, the Fashion Awards, London Lingerie Awards, Highest Sales Award, Most Popr Designer Award, and etcetera. Every designer who had won a prize was overjoyed. After all, this was an award from the Debut Fashion Show, which was a prestigious event. After seeing the different awards being taken by one after another recipient, Megan¡¯s initial hope for an award died down. Could it be that I¡­ I really won¡¯t get anything? At the moment, the emcee announced, ¡°I will now announce the Best Designer Award. Please wee our guest of honor.¡± After the guest of honor stepped onto the stage, the big screen behind the emcee started to disy the shortlisted candidates: Megan Hobbs from Eurasia, Ms. X from Eurasia, Mia Dney from Australia, Emme Bree from Italy¡­¡± Megan frowned slightly. She and X were shortlisted at the same time for the same award? She had initially lost all hope in winning an award. To think that she had been shortlisted for the Best Designer Award! Her heart was filled with resentment. If she had known better that the two scumbags would be arrested, she would not have resorted to sleeping with them in exchange for the award. She was toyed with for nothing. The more she thought about it, the more irritated she got. How could I be so unlucky? Those two scumbags toyed with so many women. Could it be that they have some sort of unspeakable, contagious disease? Fear dawned on her but she did not dare to show it. Abigail was both excited and nervous. Ms. Hobbs, your name is up there! Yay!¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Megan put on a calm and indifferent front. She brushed her hair aside and said, ¡°So what? It¡¯s just a shortlist.¡± Abigail¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement as she looked towards the big screen. When she saw the disy on the screen, her eyes widened. ¡°Ms. Hobbs! You¡¯re¡­ You¡¯re up there!¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m up there, I was shortlisted! They would definitely have to y my video clip¡­¡± Megan said as if Abigail was a country bumpkin. However, before she could finish her sentence, she saw what was really being yed on the screen. Chapter 436 Chapter 436 It was the CCTV footage of Megan doing it with two of the judges! Her clothes were disheveled and her actions were bold, while the two men were smiling sciously. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. That break room had a surveince camera? Tell me it¡¯s not true! Her mind went nk as beads of sweat formed on her forehead. How did this happen? The video had the audio recording as well. Each and every word prated through her ears. She stood up like she had gone crazy. She ran towards the stage and shouted, ¡°No, don¡¯t y that! Turn it off! Turn it off!¡± ¡°Turn it all off! That¡¯s not me, you can tell it¡¯s not!¡± Her eyes were so wide they seemed to bulge out; that expression was startling. She continued to scream, ¡°It¡¯s not me, this is a set-up! X, this must be your set-up, you¡¯re trying to ruin me!¡± ¡°Oh my gosh! It didn¡¯t ur to me that she was the woman who messed around with the judging committee!¡± ¡°She always talked as if she was so innocent and she even doubted the originality of X¡¯s outfit.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell that this woman was so rotten in the core, as she looks quite innocent and pure on the outside.¡± ¡°This is an eyesore.¡± The video was very short and it finished ying very soon. It switched over to the introduction video of the next shortlisted designer. However, everyone could not help but start to discuss. Such a shocking and shameful matter had inevitably destroyed Megan¡¯s reputation. The organizers and judgingmittee of Fashion Week werepletely stupefied as well. What in the world is happening? There were quite a few designers from Eurasia, especially the workers of LX, who desperately wanted to strangle Megan to death. How shameful! She brought shame to the country and let the people down! This Fashion Week was just filled with one climax after another, with weird news constantly appearing. Within a few moments, it had garnered all attention across the globe. Ashlyn and Shannon were also shocked. Such a video was bound topletely destroy Megan. It was likely that she would never be able to keep her foothold in the fashion industry anymore. Furthermore, it was likely that no otherpany would even dare hire her. She would probably have to live with this for the rest of her life. Mike from the judgingmittee bellowed, ¡°Security, take this crazy woman away!¡± Immediately, a number of security guards ran out and dragged Megan, who had obviously lost her mind, out of the room. Megan¡¯s insults and screams gradually faded away. However, the crowd continued to chatter among themselves. ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± Suddenly, a deep and attractive male voice was heard. Ashlyn looked over to the source of the voice. She was met with Lucas¡¯s handsome features and pitch- ck eyes, which were focused on her. This was Lucas¡¯s doing. She knew it. There was no one other than him who would do such a thing. Before she could do anything, he had already helped her to settle the obstacle and enacted revenge for her. Her heart fluttered slightly. This man was using his own means to help her, protect her, and love her. She was not a cold-hearted woman; everyone has feelings. Under his brooding gaze, she became flustered and her heart started to race. Just as she was figuring how she should respond to Lucas, the guest of honor spoke. ¡°And the Best Designer Award goes to Ms. X from Eurasia! Her Eurasia Charms series was simply astounding; it was embedded with historical significance and ancient culture, and is definitely worth pondering over!¡± ¡°You¡­ You won,¡± Shannon said, stunned. She pinched herself in the leg and yelped in pain. ¡°Ouch! This is not a dream! Boss, you really won!¡± A round of apuse was heard as Ashlyn stood up, concealing her mixed emotions. ¡°I¡¯m going up.¡± She stepped forward in her high heels and long legs and gracefully walked towards the stage. When she walked past Lucas, he suddenly extended a hand to smooth out her dress. Ashlyn stared at him; her gaze lingered at his handsome features that everyone envied, his high nose bridge, and his pursed lips. This man was noble and elegant, and yet at that moment, he had bent over to help her tidy her dress. Chapter 437 Chapter 437 She clenched her fists and felt a turmoil of emotions in her heart. When he treated her well, he would treat her like an empress. It was just that she would never be able to ept him. In this life, she was destined to be different from others. The burden on her shoulders made her bound to never be able to live as an ordinary girl or have an ordinary family. Her mother was still waiting for her. Her Spirogyra has yet to be cured. She regained herposure as she got past Lucas and continued walking to the stage. Everyone¡¯s line of sight was focused on Ashlyn. Her aura, her figure, and even the front she put on carried an air of elegance; she looked as if she was always meant to be in the spotlight. Lucas, who was seated offstage, had his usual indifferent expression on, but with a hint of warmth. His dark eyes silently gazed at Ashlyn on the stage. She was so pretty, so celestial-looking, and so elegant. This was how his woman should be; radiant and show-stopping. Ashlyn stood on the stage and looked at the rows of guests below. The corners of her red lips curled up. There was a crowd down there, but her eyes only saw Lucas. She could clearly feel that Lucas was looking at her. Although there were a lot of people, she could feel Lucas¡¯ unwavering gaze focused on her. It seemed like the world around her faded away and time stood still. She just stood there with all eyes on her, until the emcee smiled and asked, ¡°Congrattions, Ms. X! You¡¯re a very talented designer. How do you feel at this moment?¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Ashlyn smiled and replied, ¡°I¡¯m pretty excited! After all, this is Fashion Week¡¯s Debut Fashion Show and it¡¯s a really prestigious event. Receiving this award is a form of recognition and encouragement to me. I would like to thank the judgingmittee for choosing me; and my co-workers too, without you all, I won¡¯t be here today!¡± She paused before saying, ¡°Everyone knows that quite a few unpleasant things happened to me today. These incidents will not be my weakness, and will make me stronger and more determined. I want to thank a person who showed up whenever I need.. It is a gem to feel warmth in the outside world, but he managed to let me feel that.¡± Ashlyn was not a mushy nor a sentimental person. However, she knew that in life, there were not many such chances. Thus, she wanted to express her gratitude for Lucas. When a man who was handsome and loaded came to her humbly and offered his love and care for her, it would be a lie to say that she was not moved. Ashlyn let out a long breath and bowed. The audience immediately erupted with apuse. Abigail¡¯s face drained of color as she sat in her seat. She was cold and cold sweat continued to form on her back, soaking through her shirt. It¡¯s over, it¡¯s all over¡­ X got the award, and Ms. Hobbs was exposed. What should I do? Would X take everything out one me? The award ceremony finally ended. Shannon excitedly flung her phone in front of Ashlyn¡¯s face. ¡°Boss, a major stockholder from our company personally rushed over to congratte you!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ashlyn raised her brows. ¡°Let¡¯s go. The major stockholder booked a five-star restaurant! Wow¡­ It¡¯s good to be rich.¡± Shannon raised her phone and continued, ¡°I was informed by our president just now!¡± A few of her other colleagues were also overwhelmed with joy and followed Ashlyn out. When they passed by Lucas, Ashlyn stopped in her tracks and said in a calm, crisp tone, ¡°Mr. Nn, would you like to join us for a meal?¡± Lucas stood there silently. Everyone else hustled and bustled, which singled him out and made him seem out of ce. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have another dinner to attend to.¡± Then, he stood up and walked toward Mike. The sky was turning dark and the city lit up. At the entrance of a five-star restaurant¡­ Abigail put on a big smile and said, ¡°Congrattions, Ms. X! You¡¯re really amazing.¡± Chapter 438 Chapter 438 ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you saidst time,¡± Shannon said coldly. ¡°Now that Megan has fallen, you¡¯ve come to bootlick our boss? What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°I was blindst time. I have to listen to Megan¡¯s orders since I work under her. Actually, I¡­ I have always liked you, Ms. X,¡± Abigail hurriedly exined. ¡°I hope that Ms. X won¡¯t take offense.¡± Ashlyn stopped in her tracks and shot Abigail a piercing re. ¡°What kind of person are you?¡± Under Ashlyn¡¯s intense stare, beads of cold sweat unknowingly started to form on Abigail¡¯s forehead. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Why didn¡¯t I notice how scary X can be in the past? ¡°Aren¡¯t you a petty person! A person who is easily swayed and just goes with the flow. You¡¯ll do anything to please anyone in power. Apdog like you will definitely die within 3 episodes in a pce drama, being nothing more than cannon fodder,¡± Shannon jeered as she continually hurled insults at Abigail. She finally managed to release her pent-up anger. Ashlyn could care less about a person like Abigail; she came to her so quickly only because she was afraid that Ashlyn would take revenge on her. She looked at Abigail expressionlessly and said, ¡°Go on in, don¡¯t make the major stockholder wait.¡± Abigail could only follow them in gloomily. The five-star restaurant was indeed extravagant. Even the lobby on the first floor was furnished to be luxurious andvish. The rest area in the lobby was quite packed. Penelope held onto Mary¡¯s arm as she scanned the crowd, eyes wide with admiration. ¡°Mom, this ce is really luxurious.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make yourself look like a country bumpkin. You are a socialite of Count¡¯s Mansion now; remember that,¡± Mary reminder her daughter, frowning. Penelope was d in a purple suit, thetest arrival of the season, and her plus-size thighs were hidden underneath the wide-legged pants. In her hand was a Ctene bag from thetest collection. Beside Penelope stood Mary, who had dressed upvishly. There were at least three jade rings and gemstone rings on her fingers. Penelope restrained herself from staring at everything in awe. However, after a few moments, she could not help but ask, ¡°Mom, did Uncle really reserve the most expensive and luxurious junior ballroom for us?¡± Mary gracefully tousled her hair before she said haughtily, ¡°Of course. Your Uncle wouldn¡¯t lie to us.¡± A few socialitesdies stood behind both of them; they were all the nobles from Maredania. Since Count¡¯s Mansion found the long-lost mother and daughter pair, they naturally wanted toe to visit. Count¡¯s Mansion had invited all of them to spectate London¡¯s Fashion Week, while the role of the emcees for this event was assigned to Penelope and Mary. After being personally assigned a task by thedy of Count Mansion, Mary felt ted. Who am I now? I¡¯m the true legitimate daughter of Count¡¯s Mansion! And my younger brother listens to whatever I said! Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Although her brother never followed her around, as soon as she called, he would arrange and prepare whatever she needed. Just like now, her younger brother had reserved the junior ballroom for her. She wanted to invite a few noblewomen to a small party. This time, she brought 8 sets of costumes and 10 other sets of casual wear. Sigh. It feels so good to be rich. Just at that moment, the lobby manager dressed in a uniform walked over, ¡°Ms. Canter, nice to meet you.¡± Mary poked her chin into the air with an arrogant look. ¡°Please bring my distinguished guests directly to the ballroom. I¡¯ll leave our luggage to you.¡± The lobby manager looked slightly ufortable as he knew that Mary was not someone to be trifled with. ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am¡­ It¡¯s just that¡­ I have something I need to tell you.¡± Mary narrowed her eyes. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± The lobby manager rubbed his hands together. ¡°The thing is, the junior ballroom had been booked by another important guest.¡± Chapter 439 Chapter 439 Everyone knew their hotel¡¯s junior ballroom was the best among London¡¯s five-star hotels, hence advanced booking was necessary. It wasn¡¯t because the hotel didn¡¯t want to honor the spirit of the contract, but money speaks louder than actions. Mary looked intimidating as she spoke through gritted teeth, ¡°What did you say?¡± You gave my junior ballroom to someone else? Are you kidding me? Her body shook in anger and she said in a shrill voice, ¡°Is this the kind of service a five-star hotel should have? I booked it first. How dare you give it to someone else? I¡¯m going to lodge aint!¡± She had already promised her circle of socialites that she would hold a party for them at the junior ballroom, only to find out that the venue had been given to someone else. Any sane person would be angry. Moreover, this was her first private party as a host. She dreaded being ridiculed by those bluebloods and felt like she was making a fool of herself. How could they? I¡¯m the daughter of a Count. Mary¡¯s chest heaved as she unleashed her inner vixen. ¡°Who is it? Who disrupted my party? I demand an exnation from that person!¡± ¡°Ms. Canter, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± the manager couldn¡¯t help but exim at the thought of that man, ¡°He¡¯s a very important person.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m the daughter of the Count of Maredania. Am I not important?¡± Mary snapped and headed towards the elevator. Penelope scolded the hotel manager angrily, ¡°How could you give the junior ballroom to someone else?¡± At this moment, a few youngsters suddenly walked towards the elevator while having a merry conversation. Penelope looked up and saw a familiar figure sh before her eyes. Ashlyn? No, that can¡¯t be. How could I run into that jinx in such a sophisticated ce? Penelope¡¯s line of sight was blocked as the elevator¡¯s doors closed. She didn¡¯t manage to get a good look at the figure. The junior ballroom was located at the top of the hotel. The elevator soon reached the top level. Mary and Penelope stormed out of the elevator. Right at that moment, the doors of the other elevator opened and out walked a few youngsters. ¡°Boss, this is it. Our biggest shareholder is in this banquet hall.¡± The leader of the group was a tall and slenderdy dressed in a Starry Sky gown. She looked like an elegant and pretty angel. Her head was slightly tilted as she listened to the people around her talk, while her beauty and commanding presence shone through the silver mask she was wearing. ¡°A-Ashlyn!¡± Mary widened her eyes in shock. She could recognize Ashlyn no matter what disguise she put on after having lived with her for so many years. Why is that bi*** here? Is she the one who snatched away my junior ballroom? No, that¡¯s impossible! At the moment, Penelope had also recognized Ashlyn. She tightened her grip around Mary¡¯s arms. ¡°Mom, it really is Ashlyn!¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Her eyes weren¡¯t ying tricks on her just now, it really was Ashlyn without a doubt. Ashlyn nced at the mother-daughter pair briefly when she heard those familiar piercing voices. She passed them by without pausing and headed towards the junior ballroom. Mary¡¯s mind went into a frenzy. She couldn¡¯t believe it. How could she? She was already back to being the Count¡¯s daughter, but why was Ashlyn still disrupting her ns? She refused to ept this fate! Mary ditched Penelope and strode towards Ashlyn with a heavyyer of makeup on her face. Meanwhile, Ashlyn and her colleagues were presenting their invitation cards at the junior ballroom¡¯s entrance. Suddenly, a tight pnded on Ashlyn¡¯s cheeks like a fierce whirlwind. Ashlyn took a step backward and grabbed her attacker¡¯s wrist. Her icy gazended on Mary, who was steaming mad and looked menacing. Chapter 440 Chapter 440 ¡°How could you snatch away the junior ballroom I reserved? Did you hook up with some rich man again?¡± All of Mary¡¯s effort beforehand to make herself look and sound like a sophisticateddy became futile the moment she saw Ashlyn step foot into the junior ballroom. Her eyes were filled with resentment as she red at Ashlyn. She badly wanted to feed thetter to the dogs. Penelope also chided, ¡°What right do you have toe here? You¡¯re not worthy of this ce. I don¡¯t think you can even afford to stay here for one night!¡± Both women hounded Ashlyn like a pair of mad dogs that wanted to rip Ashlyn¡¯s head off in the next moment to vent out their anger and frustration. ¡°Where did these two psychose from?¡± Shannon said angrily, ¡°When did the security of a five-star hotel be this bad?¡± ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just a pair of mad dogs,¡± Ashlyn replied nonchntly as she shook Mary¡¯s hands off. She never expected to meet Mary and Penelope here. How did the mother and daughter turn their lives around? They no longer have any source of ie after Horace was ced behind bars. They can¡¯t be this well off. They look like the nouveau riche in their expensive jewelry and branded clothes. Mary was especially arrogant and domineering today. Those who didn¡¯t know any better would have thought she was a bully. `Mary gritted her teeth and red at Ashlyn. She waspletely taken over by rage as she cursed, ¡°Don¡¯t think I can¡¯t recognize you with your mask on. Stop acting!¡± ¡°Yeah, my mom¡¯s right. You didn¡¯t be some rich man¡¯s mistress, did you? Is that why you¡¯re wearing a mask?¡± Penelope mocked, ¡°It¡¯s only fitting for people like you to sleep with bald, old men in exchange for some money.¡± Ashlyn couldn¡¯t be bothered with the mother-daughter pair anymore. She merely looked at them and said, ¡°Please give way; we¡¯re going in.¡± Mary smiled coldly, rolled her eyes, and blocked the entrance with her arms crossed. ¡°You want to go in? Don¡¯t even think about it. I was first to reserve this junior ballroom! Who do you think you are? You¡¯re just a dirty bi***!¡± The more she thought about it, the more enraged she became. Ashlyn was the sole reason her husband was put behind bars and also the reason herpany went bankrupt. Because of Ashlyn, Mary was made aughing stock among Lake City¡¯s socialites. Mary loathed Ashlyn so much she wanted to skin her alive and drink her blood. She couldn¡¯t control herself anymore as she raised her hand tond another p on Ashlyn¡¯s face. However, another hand grabbed hers before Ashlyn could even make a move. The man wasn¡¯t gentle with her at all as he threw her onto the ground. Mary fell to the floor and pain shot up her tailbone. Nevertheless, she quickly stood up and barked furiously, ¡°Do you know who I am? How dare you hit me?¡± ¡°Throw her out.¡± A man¡¯s icy voice spoke up from behind. Mary looked over in surprise and saw Lucas, dressed in a ck suit, walking towards Ashlyn. He had cold eyes and a domineering presence. The corridor lighting made his handsome features even more prominent. Each step he took sent chills down everyone¡¯s spine. He¡¯s ssy and elegant, yet cold and indifferent. ¡°M-Mr. Nn? What are you doing here?¡± Mary widened her eyes in disbelief as her body trembled. But then she quickly came back to her senses. So what if it¡¯s Lucas Nn? I¡¯m now the daughter of the Count of Maredania. Why should I fear him? Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. She puffed out her chest and red at Spencer, who had pushed her to the ground a moment ago. ¡°Who do you think you are? How dare you treat me as such?¡± She pulled Penelope over and said, ¡°Mr. Nn, do you know who we are right now? Do you still want to do business in Maredania? Huh? Nothing good wille to you if you offend us. I¡¯m telling you, my daughter is a hundred times nobler than that bi*** Ashlyn!¡± Chapter 441 Chapter 441 ¡°What a pain!¡± Lucas spat coldly and made eye contact with a few men in ck behind him. The men immediately apprehended Mary and Penelope and dragged them towards the elevator. ¡°Lucas, Ashlyn, just you wait. I will get you back!¡± Mary almost went insane with anger as she cursed under her breath. The hotel manager was pale with fright as he stood before Lucas. His forehead was dotted with cold sweat as he said, ¡°Mr. Nn, I¡¯m sorry. This is all my fault.¡± Lucas looked furious. He said frigidly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see the two of them ever again.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°Yes, yes. I will arrange for it immediately.¡± With that, the hotel manager escaped from the scene. From then onward, Mary and Penelope were barred from stepping foot into any of the hotels under the Nn Group. Meanwhile, over at the hotel¡¯s lobby, bodyguards dressed in ck were dragging Mary and Penelope out of the hotel¡¯s main entrance. Mary¡¯s face was flushed with embarrassment and panic. She tried her best to suppress her burning rage at the thought of the other socialites around the lobby. The two women helped each other up and tried to re-enter the hotel lobby. Nevertheless, they were stopped by two security guards the moment they pushed the door open. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, both of you have been cklisted by our hotel. Please do not enter.¡± The group of socialites who had been waiting in the lounge was getting impatient. They exchanged nces and followed them when they saw Mary and Penelope being thrown out of the hotel. They stared at Mary and Penelope in shock when they heard the security guard¡¯s words. One of the marchionesses spoke up, ¡°Ms. Canter, what is the meaning of this? Are you aware that this hotel is part of a global chain? If you are cklisted, it means that all of the hotels under this chain will not serve you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. What in the world happened?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ve reserved the junior ballroom and we were going to have a party?¡± ¡°It¡¯s gettingte now. Are we not allowed to stay in this hotel nor hold a party anymore?¡± The hotel manager couldn¡¯t afford to offend these women. He quickly put on a professional smile. ¡°Everyone who had checked in just now can still stay for the night, except for Ms. Canter and her daughter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± ¡°Ms. Canter, I¡¯m so sorry. I know you mean well. But now that the party¡¯s been disrupted, I¡¯m worried they¡¯re going to chase us out of Fashion Week tomorrow,¡± the marchioness gave Mary a prating gaze. She didn¡¯t even try to hide the disdain in her eyes. ¡°I think we¡¯d better go shopping tomorrow.¡± ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s just have some fun during our stay here and head home.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve lost my mood to watch the show tomorrow. How annoying!¡± These socialites were not to be taken lightly. They didn¡¯t take kindly to the Count¡¯s daughter. Since Mary didn¡¯t grow up at the Count¡¯s mansion, thesedies of the upper crust never considered her as one of them. Besides, they found Mary to be extremely petty after having met her. The Count must have been blind to take back such a daughter. It was really hard to tell that Mary was rted to the elegant Countess. Mary bit the bullet with a pale face. Rage burned in her heart. She thought she was finally able to climb up the socialdder and that no one would dare look down on her anymore after the party. However, she never thought she would meet Ashlyn here. This bi*** must be my bane. If not for Ashlyn, I wouldn¡¯t have be aughing stock. * Lucas, Ashlyn, and the others walked into the junior ballroom. The luxurious ballroom was decked out in a romantic and exquisite manner,plete with melodious music in the air. Ashlyn arched a brow at Lucas, ¡°I thought you have a dinner to attend?¡± ¡°What a coincidence; we¡¯ll be having dinner together,¡± Lucas smiled and looked at Ashlyn. ¡°Why? Are you mad?¡± Chapter 442 Chapter 442 ¡°Huh? Are you sure you¡¯re not overthinking things?¡± Ashlyn rolled her eyes. Lucas caressed her hair gently, stating, ¡°I¡¯ll head over and keep Mikepany. Take care of yourself while I¡¯m away, okay?¡± ¡°Are you the major shareholder of ourpany that everyone is talking about?¡± Ashlyn frowned in return because she finally linked up the missing pieces of the puzzle. The man stared at Ashlyn with his glistening pair of eyes in silence. Suddenly, when Ashlyn thought he would ignore her query, he broke the silence. ¡°What do you think?¡± What the heck! Tell me the truth! ¡°You¡¯re so childish!¡± Ashlyn gritted her teeth as she reprimanded Lucas. ¡°Honey, do you want me to present LX to you as a gift?¡± Lucas lowered his gaze while approaching Ashlyn. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be able to get your hands on LX if I have my eyes on it?¡± Ashlyn rebuked, snorting. Once she finished her sentence, she strode in the direction of her colleagues, leaving Lucas behind. He frowned; he still couldn¡¯t figure out whether he should gift it to Ashlyn. Does that mean other men have the same idea as I? Ashlyn approached Shannon, who was holding a ss of wine and catching up with her colleagues. Simrly, they were shocked to figure out Lucas¡¯s identity as the major shareholder of thepany they were affiliated with. Once they saw Ashlyn approaching them, Shannon asked, ¡°Boss, are you Ashlyn?¡± ¡°She¡¯s right, Boss! Ashlyn is currently the most sought-after influencer! We have been colleagues for quite some time, but we have never seen your face.¡± ¡°Boss, please fulfill our wish!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take a quick peek. It¡¯s all it takes to satisfy our wish.¡± ¡°Boss, what sort of rtionship do you have with Mr. Nn? Why does it seem like he¡¯s constantly looking after you?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s colleagues became engaged in a heated discussion, naming their requests one after another. Ashlyn shook her head in return, but a woman got ahead of her before she could reply to her colleagues. The woman broke the silence in a scornful manner, saying, ¡°Mrs. Nn is currently at the Nn family¡¯s ce. It seems like someone is willing to do whatever it takes in order to achieve her goal.¡± ¡°Sharon, what do you mean?¡± Shannon¡¯s expression turned gloomy all of a sudden. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? It¡¯s literally what it is.¡± Sharon chuckled scornfully, ¡°Otherwise, why would someone come over just now and yell at her in the face? If she hasn¡¯t done that sort of thing, why would they reprimand her?¡± Sharon had always been a close acquaintance of Megan. Ever since Megan left, no one had taken over the role of the design department¡¯s director yet. Sharon had always wanted to assume this position. Actually, she perceived herself as a qualified candidate deep down. However, Ashlyn recently received an award and therefore had proven herself to be a threat. Sharon was afraid Ashlyn wouldnd the role the former coveted. It¡¯s merely a trivial award! She shouldn¡¯t be so full of herself! After all, she was just scolded in front of the ballroom. God knows what the heck this little b**** is up to in her mind! I can¡¯t believe she managed to seduce the capable and wealthy Lucas! Initially, Sharon did a great job at keeping her jealousy to herself, but she could no longer continue with the facade the moment she detected Lucas¡¯s special treatment of Ashlyn. We¡¯re both designers, but she has gotten lucky and won an award! Apart from that, the most handsome and wealthiest man has taken a liking to her! When Shannon was about to rebuke Sharon¡¯s statement, Ashlyn got in her way and held Shannon¡¯s arm. Ashlyn suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s head over to the other side.¡± ¡°Boss, why are you getting in my way? I can¡¯t possibly allow her to bad-mouth you anymore!¡± Shannon, infuriated, followed Ashlyn and made their way to a rtively isted balcony. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about the things she has brought up in front of us because none of those matters,¡± Ashlyn smirked, exining the rationale behind her action as she looked at Shannon in the eyes. Once she pacified her irritated colleague, she had her gaze fixated on the scene outside, recalling the reason she had joined LX as a designer. Let bygones be bygones. I should forget about the past and move on with my life. ¡°Boss, since the director of the design department has been let go, I¡¯m sure you will take over the position soon,¡± Shannon asserted Ashlyn with a smile. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not interested,¡± Ashlyn shook her head. Although Lucas was in the middle of a conversation with Mike, he would nce in the direction of Ashlyn from time to time. He frowned the moment he noticed the harsh remarks Sharon had made against Ashlyn. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. How dare she insult Ashlyn? She must have a death wish, huh? Shannon, who had detected Lucas¡¯s gaze, was overjoyed deep down because she thought Lucas had finally noticed her presence. Immediately, she touched up her appearance, adjusted her dress, and approached Lucas. Chapter 443 Chapter 443 She reached for a ss of wine from a nearby waiter and made her way over to Lucas¡¯s side ostentatiously. However, she wasn¡¯t aware of the emotions behind the man¡¯s indifferent gaze because she was perceiving otherwise in her mind. Since Mr. Nn has given me eye contact, I can¡¯t possibly stand around idly like an idiot, right? I won¡¯t allow such a golden opportunity to slip by my side! The more she thought about it, the more Sharon became full of herself. Finally, she made it to Lucas¡¯s side and stood in front of the man. Her heart pounded furiously; the man looked even more breathtaking from close proximity. He was undeniably a heartbreaker. Tall and majestic, his presence was superior to those around him. Recalling the so-called ¡°signal¡± from Lucas, she cast a lustful gaze at the man. She raised her ss of wine and invited the man to drink to a toast timidly. ¡°Mr. Nn, cheers.¡± Lucas nced at Sharon through the corner of his eyes. Ignoring her, he replied to Mike instead, ¡°I must say I¡¯m impressed because you have quite an interesting idea.¡± All of a sudden, Sharon, who was still holding on to her ss of wine, had a stiff expression. She felt embarrassed. What? This is nothing close to what I have in mind! Why is Mr. Nn ignoring me? He was the one who had gotten me over, right? Sharon felt anxious deep down, but she tried her best to put on a calm front and smiled. ¡°Mr. Nn, since you¡¯re one of the major shareholders of LX from now onward, I guess we¡¯ll be in your care.¡± ¡°You? Do you really think you deserve to be in my care?¡± Lucas scoffed. Smirking contemptuously, he clinked sses with Mike instead. Mike knew what Lucas was up to. Therefore, he took his leave and left Sharon and Lucas alone. ¡°W-What did you just say? Weren¡¯t you the one who¡­¡± Sharon stared at the gorgeous man in front of her in disbelief. ¡°Who are you anyway?¡± Lucas became increasingly irritated because he couldn¡¯t figure out what the foolish woman was up to. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°I thought you have a thing for me? Haven¡¯t you been eyeing me for quite some time?¡± Sharon put on a pitiable front because she was certain she would be able to get Lucas to sympathize with her, thus triggering his urge to protect her. ¡°Oh¡­ Is that what you¡¯re referring to?¡± The woman¡¯s motive finally dawned on Lucas. He sized Sharon up and realized she was nothing close to Ashlyn in terms of height and looks. He was also certain she wouldn¡¯t be a match for Ashlyn in terms of personality and talent. This sort of impudent fool actually has the audacity to pick on Ashlyn? Sharon got her hopes high once again as soon as she detected the expression on Lucas¡¯s face. Reminded of his actions a few minutes ago, she thought he finally returned to his senses. She turned around in an attempt to lean against the man as she assured him, ¡°Mr. Nn, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely keep you entertained throughout the night. You¡¯ll have the best time of your life. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll do a better job than Ashlyn.¡± In the end, she staggered because Lucas had taken a step back the moment she tried to approach him. Once again, she stood right where she was, embarrassed, because things didn¡¯t turn out the way she had imagined they would. ¡°Throw her out immediately! I don¡¯t want to see her in LX anymore!¡± As soon as Lucas delivered his instructions in a callous tone, Spencer showed up with a few men in ck and surrounded Sharon. Sharon was dumbfounded seeing the men were about to drag her out of the venue as instructed. ¡°N- No! M-Mr. Nn? W-What¡¯s wrong, Mr. N-¡± Once Lucas got rid of Sharon, he grimly strode to Ashlyn, who was in the middle of a conversation with Mike. She¡¯s such a heartless woman! I just got rid of her foe on her behalf, and yet she¡¯s having a great time with others. ¡°Mike, are you serious? Do you want to coborate with me?¡± Ashlyn was shocked. Mike was no longer the strict judge he was on the stage. Instead, he praised her like a loving senior. ¡°Yes, Ms. X. You have quite an impressive talent.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m at a loss for words! Thank you so much, Mike! I¡¯ll definitely try my best!¡± Ashlyn nodded, smiling. ¡°H Nation is an awesome country! Once I have everything on my te sorted out, I¡¯ll drop by H Nation and work on the details of our coboration,¡± Mike¡¯s eyes gleamed as he made a promise with Ashlyn. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll be waiting for you in H Nation, Mike.¡± Upon finishing talking, Ashlyn initiated a handshake to seal the deal. Before Mike could return the favor and shake Ashlyn¡¯s hand, a gigantic palm showed up out of nowhere and held on to Ashlyn¡¯s hand. Chapter 444 Chapter 444 Immediately, she detected the warmth from the familiar gigantic palm of a man. Ashlyn red at Lucas because he had gotten in her way when she was about to wrap up her conversation with Mike. ¡°Lucas!¡± ¡°Allow me to shake your hand on Mike¡¯s behalf. I¡¯m sure Mike won¡¯t mind at all, right, Mike?¡± Lucas smirked; he was up to no good in his mind. Ha! How dare you try to shake another man¡¯s hand, Ashlyn? Damn it! You¡¯re such a self-centered man, Lucas! Ashlyn was aware Lucas had gotten jealous once again. ¡­ In the meantime, Sharon, who had been chased out of the venue by force, copsed pathetically on the ground in front of the five-star hotel¡¯s entrance. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. She gritted her teeth wrathfully, looking at her injured palms that were bleeding. Although she was greatly infuriated, she couldn¡¯t vent her anger. All of a sudden, a familiar voice could be hearding from above, asking Sharon, ¡°Miss, what¡¯s wrong? Please allow me to help you up.¡± Immediately, someone held on to her arms and assisted her in getting up. Once Sharon brought herself up, she realized the ones behind her were the mother-and-daughter duo who had scolded X in front of everyone. Mary was the one who helped Sharon up. She recognized Sharon and rushed over to her aid the moment thetter was chased out of the hotel by Lucas¡¯s personal bodyguards. Mary was sporting a gentle smile that concealed her true colors. She was now behaving differently than when she scolded Ashlyn outside the junior ballroom. ¡°Have you been chased out of the venue as well?¡± ¡°Y-You¡­ Are you a close acquaintance of Ms. X?¡± Sharon pouted her lips once she felt the pain. She reached for a pack of tissue and was about to wipe her wounds clean when Penelope handed her a piece of wet tissue in advance. ¡°I used to be a nurse. Allow me to take care of your wound,¡± Penelope exined. Ten minutester, the three outcasts decided to head over to a nearby caf¨¦. ¡°D-Does that mean Ms. X is Ashlyn? She¡¯s the influencer everyone in town is talking about?¡± Sharon frowned and asked once again, ¡°Why does she have a mask on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe she¡¯s ashamed of herself? Oh, my. I can¡¯t believe we share the same fate!¡± Penelope eximed, pouting her lips. ¡°You have such a bright future ahead of you, but you¡¯ve just been fired. Aren¡¯t you going to do something about it? I mean, LX is the one leading the market in the industry!¡± Mary asked rhetorically with an aggrieved expression. Sharon was equally dejected. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything I can do about it, either, since I¡¯m already fired.¡± ¡°Do you want to get your revenge?¡± Mary ced her hand on Sharon¡¯s hand gently as she cast a tempting gaze at her. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Allow me to help you!¡± Sharon wasn¡¯t a fool, either. She got on her guard immediately and asked, ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch. What exactly are you up to?¡± ¡°I want to get my revenge as well! As long as we work together, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to turn Ashlyn¡¯s life upside down! Once we achieve our goal, you will achieve your prime in life as well! Your mother is in desperate need of cash to carry out the surgery, right? Here¡¯s a million for you.¡± Mary was frank with Sharon and had no intention to keep Sharon in the dark. ¡°You¡­¡± Sharon was taken aback because Mary managed to get her hands on her background and details within such a short period. ¡°My dear, do you realize it¡¯s an emergency that we¡¯re talking about? It¡¯s your mother¡¯s life that¡¯s at stake! I¡¯m helping you. I will never try to harm you,¡± Mary asserted, smiling sincerely, behaving like a caring senior. In the end, Sharon faltered because she was indeed in desperate need of cash due to her subpar family condition. Lately, Sharon¡¯s mother had been diagnosed with lung cancer. If she couldn¡¯t gather the required sum to carry out the surgery as soon as possible, the cancerous cells could spread to the rest of her body. To save her mother, she decided to push her luck and seduce wealthy men such as Lucas. Sharon had also been working hard on her job, but she couldn¡¯t gather the required sum no matter how hard she worked. Unfortunately, she lost her job when she needed it the most. On one hand, she couldn¡¯t figure out her next best course of action; on the other hand, her mother¡¯s life was at stake. In the end, Sharon looked at the card Mary handed over to her in hesitation; she was tempted by money. Her eyes gleamed as she longed for the fortune that was within her reach. After all, she desperately needed cash. Mary repeated herself once again. ¡°Sharon, as long as you have this million, you can easily save your mother. I have faith in you and your talent. I¡¯m sure you can easily outmatch Ashlyn.¡± Mary affirmed again, ¡°Trust me. I know you can do it. As long as we work together, we¡¯ll definitely get our revenge. Money will no longer be your concern anymore.¡± Chapter 445 Chapter 445 ¡°Who are you?¡± Sharon pursed her lips. ¡°Does it matter? What matters is the fact that we have the same goal and that I can provide you with what you most need,¡± Mary replied. By then, she was certain Sharon had been lured. Mary then handed Sharon the card and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for the great news from you.¡± Once she finished delivering her first instruction, she left the caf¨¦ with Penelope. Penelope whispered, ¡°Mom, why did you give her so much money?¡± ¡°Do you think we need that million?¡± Mary tapped on her daughter¡¯s head lightly as she exined to the youngdy. ¡°What¡¯s a million aspared to ten million your grandmother has given me to cover the expenses of the trip? As long as we¡¯re able to get rid of Ashlyn, it¡¯s a trivial price to pay! In fact, I¡¯m willing to spend five million just to get rid of her once and for all!¡± ¡°Erm¡­ Are you sure Sharon will listen to us?¡± Penelope felt awful because her mother had disparaged her. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure she will.¡± Mary¡¯s eyes sparkled. She had detected Sharon¡¯s greed and her determination to seek revenge. Those who have strong desires are the best pawns. Literally, they¡¯ll carry out every single instruction we have for them. ¡­ Silence fell over the manor in thete evening. Once Lucas returned to the manor with Ashlyn, Lilian came forward to wee them. She had an odd expression on her face the moment she saw the duo. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Nevertheless, Lilian smiled and greeted them with her gleaming eyes, ¡°Mr. Nn, Ms. Berry. Wee back!¡± ¡°Are you tired? Do you want to take a shower or a break first?¡± Lucas asked as he let go of Ashlyn¡¯s hand. Although the Starry Sky Formal Wear was a stunning piece, Ashlyn was exhausted because it was a pompous and heavy dress. Ashlyn thought about it and told Lucas, ¡°Let¡¯s take a shower first.¡± Lucas smirked at the exhausted woman in the eyes. He lifted her in between his arms and was about to bring her upstairs. Since they didn¡¯t eat much during the banquet, Lucas instructed Lilian as he ascended the stairs, ¡°Prepare something for us to eat.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Nn.¡± Lilian stood right where she was, staring at the woman in between Lucas¡¯s arms with jealousy. Finally, she headed into the kitchen once the duo had gone upstairs. When Lucas offered his help to remove Ashlyn¡¯s dress on her behalf, she stared at him. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Lucas frowned, asking rhetorically as he ran hisrge palm across the dress, ¡°Huh? I have done this on your behalf countless times.¡± He undressed her the moment he found the zip. ¡°I¡¯ll wash up first,¡± Ashlyn snorted as she made her way into the bathroom. Lucas gulped once the sexy woman was out of his sight. His eyes glinted lustfully¡ª¡ªhe was up to something else in his mind. He strode over with his slender legs and ced his hand on the bathroom¡¯s doorknob. However, he failed to open the door. Instead, Ashlyn could be heard teasing him, ¡°I locked the door.¡± ¡°Do you really think you can get the better of me when you¡¯re at my ce? I mean, have you forgotten this is my manor?¡± Lucas found the key and unlocked the door immediately. Once he stepped into the bathroom, they got themselves engaged in an intimate and passionate session. After a hectic workout, Ashlyn leaned into Lucas¡¯s embrace. She hadpletely depleted her energy. She ced her hand on her sore waist andined, ¡°You¡¯re such a jerk!¡± ¡°Honey, can you please forgive me?¡± Lucas leaned over and kissed the woman on her neck. ¡°N-No¡­¡± Ashlyn felt a shiver running down her spine due to Lucas¡¯s action. Her knees turned to jelly the moment she heard his husky whisper. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t feel a thing for me?¡± Lucas asked, smiling bitterly. Knock! Knock! Suddenly, Lilian¡¯s voice could be heard as she stood outside of their room. ¡°Mr. Nn, Ms. Berry, the meal is ready.¡± Immediately, Ashlyn moved away from Lucas and rushed over to answer the door. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± She sprinted downstairs as though she was fleeing to conceal the fact she was panicking. As she made her way down the stairs, she staggered while making a sharp turn at the corner of the staircase. Ashlyn was about to tumble down, but she responded immediately by somersaulting twice. In the end, she managed tond on the floor, perfectly safe and sound. ¡°Ms. Berry, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Lilian rushed down the stairs the moment she felt themotion. Thankfully, the entire space, including the stairs and the floor, had been carpeted. Ashlyn ced one hand on the floor and brought herself up before Lilian could reach her. Chapter 446 Chapter 446 Ashlyn managed to make it out of the ident unscathed, but she was confused. Since the entire space was carpeted, nothing should have made her trip. Thankfully, she was an observant woman and managed to respond in the nick of time. Otherwise, she would be gravely injured if she were to fall from such a height. Lilian med herself with a guilty look. ¡°Ms. Berry, I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t take good care of you. If anything happens to you, I¡¯ll definitely die of guilt.¡± She had a pitiable front ming herself for what happened as though she was the one at fault. Ashlyn was the one met with the ident, but it was Lilian¡¯s eyes that were brimmed with tears, as though the latter was the injured one. In return, Ashlyn frowned and remarked sarcastically, ¡°Excuse me? I¡¯m not hurt at all. Why don¡¯t you save your tears for the time being?¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, that¡¯s such a cool move! Are you a martial arts practitioner?¡± Lilian wiped her tears and asked curiously. ¡°Yes. If anyone tries to assault me, I¡¯ll give them a taste of their own medicine,¡± Ashlyn stared at Lilian in the eyes as she replied callously. Once she finished her sentence, she walked into the kitchen right away. Lilian pursed her lips before going after Ashlyn. She had prepared a rtively simple meal for them, but Ashlyn savored the food without any comint. Once Lucas joined Ashlyn in the kitchen, Lilian served him his meal immediately. ¡°Mr. Nn, please try some of the dishes I have prepared for you.¡± ¡°I only want to eat the things she cooks,¡± Lucas replied indifferently with a poker face. Having just bathed, his short hair was disheveled and he looked especially seductive in his ck bathrobe. It was the first time Lilian encountered such a wild side of Lucas, given she had always seen him in formal wear. Although Lucas seemed extremely different from the way he usually presented himself, the fact remained he was an attractive man. Lilian flushed involuntarily as she stared at him. ¡°M-Mr. Nn, I-I have spent a lot of effort to prepare these¡­¡± ¡°What about it? Leave us alone,¡± Lucas replied nonchntly. Lilian¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She doubted her ears, wondering if she had mistaken the man¡¯s words. ¡°I havepleted my meal.¡± Ashlyn wiped her lips clean. She felt ufortable as soon as she detected the lustful gaze Lilian cast on Lucas. Without a second thought, she leaned over and adjusted the man¡¯s bathrobe to cover his exposed chest as she suggested, ¡°I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s call it a day.¡± Lucas lowered his gaze and smirked, his eyes glued to the hand in front of his chest. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s call it a day.¡± As soon as he finished his sentence, he got up from his seat holding Ashlyn¡¯s hand, and the two left the kitchen side-by-side. Lilian, all alone in the kitchen now, cast a wrathful gaze at them as she was engulfed by jealousy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you jealous?¡± Lucas asked Ashlyn with a grin. ¡°Jealous? Are you sure you¡¯re not overthinking things?¡± Ashlyn chuckled. Lucas pinched Ashlyn¡¯s reddened earlobe. ¡°Look at your blushing ears. If you¡¯re not jealous, what¡¯s wrong with your ears? Why did you adjust my bathrobe?¡± ¡°Ha! I couldn¡¯t bear to see Lilian¡¯s lustful look; it was disgusting!¡± Ashlyn pretended to be calm as she asserted, ¡°To begin with, why do you even have such revealing clothes on? If you¡¯re trying to seduce her, you should give me a heads-up. I¡¯ll definitely leave you alone the next time you expose your chest in front of her.¡± Ashlyn noticed she had identally sidetracked with her speech. What the heck am I talking about? Oh, God! ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not jealous? Why does it sound quite acerbic to me?¡± Lucas asked rhetorically, teasing Ashlyn with a bright smile because he couldn¡¯t hold back his joy. The moment Ashlyn raised her head and she saw the man¡¯s stunning smile, her heart raced. Even though Lucas seemed extremely intimidating when he wasn¡¯t smiling, he could easily take a person¡¯s breath away the moment he expressed his joy. God must have blessed him abundantly because he could easily charm a woman with his handsome face. His stunning visual could easily put other men in the world to shame. Ashlyn could barely pull herself together because she was right next to the gorgeous man. Simrly, Lucas¡¯s heart skipped a beat the moment he turned around and noticed the woman¡¯s trembling eyelids. He lowered his head and kissed her on the forehead affectionately, leaving the warmth of his kiss on her wless skin. Ashlyn gasped in return and allowed Lucas to run his lips across her face, all the way down to her lips. However, Lucas brought an abrupt halt to the intimate session. He stopped kissing once his lips came into contact with Ashlyn¡¯s velvety lips.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chapter 447 Chapter 447 Ashlyn, who was indulging herself in the session, opened her eyes and noticed Lucas staring at her. Once again, she flushed embarrassedly as her heart raced once more upon seeing the man¡¯s intimate gaze. Damn it! Why is my heart pounding again? What does he want from me? Why is he staring at me in the eyes? Once they reached their room, Ashlyn¡¯s silken shoulders could be seen in the faintly illuminated room because she had a loose sleeping robe on. While she kept adjusting her sleeping robe, it wouldn¡¯t stay on her shoulder. it fell to her arms repetitively, exposing her bare shoulders in front of Lucas. The man ced his hands on the woman¡¯s shoulder, asking affectionately with a husky voice, ¡°Are you trying to seduce me?¡± Upon hearing Lucas¡¯s words, Ashlyn turned around and stared at him with her reddened cheeks: she found his statement absurd. What does he mean by me seducing him? It¡¯s the fault of this sleeping robe! She had always perceived herself to have high self-control, but she would often lose her cool in front of this man. Only he had the ability to always drive her crazy. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense! It¡¯s time to sleep!¡± However, Lucas untied his ck bathrobe out of the blue. Holding Ashlyn¡¯s hand and cing it in front of his chest, he suggested, ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to touch it when we were downstairs? Here you go. Have fun with it to your heart¡¯s content!¡± Ashlyn¡¯s mind was all over the ce as she felt the scorching sensation from the man¡¯s sturdy pecs through her palm. Have you lost your mind, Lucas? Even though Ashlyn¡¯s face reddened once again, she wasn¡¯t going to give in to the man just yet. She returned the favor and bit Lucas on the lips with all her might to provoke him. ¡°Why have you decided to submit yourself to me, Mr. Nn? I thought you have always enjoyed being the dominant one.¡± Ashlyn leaned against Lucas, whispering into him and panting by his ears in order to tempt the man. asionally, she would stare at Lucas¡¯s abdominal area. ¡°Honey, are you sure you want to do this? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re not ready for whatever is in store for you next,¡± Lucas warned Ashlyn. In return, Ashlyn¡¯s cheeks blushed even more. Although she was exhausted due to the session they had in the bathroom a few hours ago, Ashlyn, who had always been a stubborn one, refused to surrender just yet. ¡°Mr. Nn, aren¡¯t you the one who started this? What¡¯s wrong? Are you going to quit when we¡¯re about to reach the best part?¡± She bit the man¡¯s earlobe, asking in a whimsical tone while cing her palms on the man¡¯s sturdy pecs. After she expressed her tempting remarks, the man grabbed her and turned around, pinning her to the bed. She¡¯s so charming! I can¡¯t pull myself together whenever she takes the initiative to start something of sorts. Lucas could not resist surrendering himself to his natural instinct whenever Ashlyn teased him in such a manner. He couldn¡¯t wait to indulge in another passionate session with her. In fact, he wouldn¡¯t mind spending the rest of his life doing so with her because he couldn¡¯t resist her temptation. His lips curved upwards into a vicious grin and asked with a husky voice, ¡°Honey, you¡¯re challenging my limits!¡± Lucas¡¯s eyes gleamed. He couldn¡¯t wait to devour the woman in front of him so that he could be together with her eternally. Lucas was now behaving as though he had taken an aphrodisiac pill. He was sweating and shuddering in an attempt to contain his urge. ¡­ Upon the crack of dawn, the golden ray of the sun illuminated the room in which the raunchy session between the passionate pair had taken ce the night before. Ashlyn and Lucas had nkets over them as they slept soundly in thepletely messed-up room. Ashlyn brought herself to open her eyes against her will. The gigantic palm she felt on her waist was making her ufortable. She tried to push Lucas away from her; in return, he inhaled deeply and breathed into her ears. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Scenes from their raunchy night shed back in Ashlyn¡¯s mind. In an attempt to shrug the images off her mind, she shook her head and made her way into the bathroom. Damn it! Whenever I¡¯m around him, I can¡¯t seem to control my body and resist the urge. Undeniably, he has satisfied every need of mine. I guess he did a great job because he seems to possess an infinite amount of strength. As soon as Ashlyn got out from the bed, Lucas, who was still in bed, opened his eyes and smirked at Ashlyn¡¯s alluring figure. The moment Ashlyn stepped into the bathroom, she heard the bathroom door being pulled open, and a man¡¯s indolent voice came through. ¡°Are you sure you have had enough sleep? It seems like you¡¯re pretty energetic, huh? Have I not given my best to please youst night?¡± Ashlyn flushed at the presence of the handsome man by the bathroom doorway. She put on a calm front to conceal her emotions and replied, ¡°Mr. Nn, could you please keep your lust to yourself in the morning?¡± Chapter 448 Chapter 448 ¡°Why are you irritated when you have just woken up? It seems like I have failed to please you, huh?¡± Lucas asked rhetorically, raising his eyebrows. Ashlyn had no intention to waste her time engaging in such a pointless conversation with Lucas anymore. She turned on the tap and let the rush of the water drown out Lucas¡¯s voice. However, Lucas strode over and insisted on using the same tap as Ashlyn. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Streams of water flowed from the man¡¯s body through his sturdy pecs and firm abs all the way down to his pelvic area. Ashlyn seemed to have figured out why soap operas often featured scenes of male actors showering ¡ª¡ª because doing so made them look extremely attractive! Once they got themselves ready, they walked down the stairs and made their way to the dining hall. Lilian sensed the affection the lovely pair had for one another from their intimate gaze. asionally, Lucas would stare at Ashlyn, grinning. Lilian couldn¡¯t believe her eyes because the man was even more attractive whenever he put a smile on his face. She had never oncee across such an intimate side of Lucas before, as he had always presented himself in a stern and serious manner in front of her. I don¡¯t get it! What¡¯s so great about Ashlyn? She¡¯s merely an ugly w****! If there¡¯s anything about her that stands out, it¡¯s only her above-average height and voluptuous figure. Eurasian women are the worst in terms of looks! They are no match for us at all! Meanwhile, Ashlyn felt Lilian¡¯s odd expression. Lilian¡¯s lustful gazes suggested to Ashlyn that the former seemed to have grown fond of Lucas and had started to behave in a proprietorial manner. The butler was irritated with Lilian because she had been circling Lucas once he showed up. The butler asked her with a hint of displeasure, ¡°Lilian, have you sorted out the things in the garden?¡± Apart from Ms. Berry, no one has the right to stay by Mr. Nn¡¯s side. Besides, Mr. Nn also won¡¯t allow others to approach him. Lilian was reluctant to leave Lucas alone because she deemed herself the best candidate to be his soulmate. She would never let Ashlyn win Lucas over. ¡°Mr. Nn¡­¡± Once Lilian broke the silence with her greeting, Lucas turned around and cast a stern gaze at her. A glimpse from Lucas was all it took to send shivers running down Lilian¡¯s spine. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to finish her sentence because she was intimidated by the man¡¯s menacing presence. On the other hand, Ashlyn was enjoying her meal in the dining hall elegantly. The bright sunlight poured in through the dining hall¡¯s window, illuminating the space and highlighting Ashlyn¡¯s great facial features. Lilian stared at Ashlyn. She found the Eurasian woman, whom she had deemed ugly all this while, wless all of a sudden. The woman seemed to be ethereal, especially in the way she carried herself. Ashlyn was like a Victorian princess who had traveled across time. Lilian turned around, looking at Lucas once she had sized up Ashlyn, and noticed they resembled a perfect match made in heaven because theyplemented each other¡¯s existence perfectly. Regardless of appearance or temperament, they were each other¡¯s best match. In a way, they even resembled one another. Once again, Lilian was engulfed by hatred and jealousy like never before. However, Lucas neglected Lilian. He strode over to Ashlyn¡¯s side and swapped the te of food he had in front of him with her te of leftovers. He took a bite of Ashlyn¡¯s unfinished sandwich nonchntly, behaving as though he couldn¡¯t be bothered by the fact that he was eating leftover food. He finished Ashlyn¡¯s leftover food so matter-of-factly that it seemed like he had done so countless times before. Ashlyn rolled her eyes and reprimanded Lucas, ¡°Hey! I¡¯m halfway through my meal!¡± ¡°The ones that you have savored are the most delicious ones,¡± Lucas asserted, smirking. Ashlyn nced at the man before turning around to take a peek at Lilian. Look at her. She¡¯s head-over-heels in love with him. Lilian, ovee by jealousy, noticed Ashlyn¡¯s gaze. What does she want? Is she trying to brag about her sess? Is she looking down at me? What the heck! Once Lilian formed those ideas in her mind, she felt a strong urge to rush over and beat Ashlyn to a pulp. ¡°Mr. Nn, I shall excuse myself.¡± Lilian fled and rushed out of the dining hall. ¡°Honey, where are you headed today?¡± Lucas¡¯s husky voice sounded extremely seductive. Ashlyn¡¯s heart skipped a beat the moment she turned around and felt the man¡¯s glistering pair of eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading home soon.¡± ¡°Heading back?¡± Lucas asked rhetorically and frowned. I have shuffled my duty roster and made a trip to London to keep herpany, but now she¡¯s heading back? Chapter 449 Chapter 449 ¡°Yes. I have a scheduled lecture at University T tomorrow.¡± Ashlyn was determined to uphold her promise since she had a deal with the Chancellor of University T. Suddenly, Lucas approached Ashlyn with his attractive face and sexy lips. As soon as Ashlyn detected the man¡¯s wless face, she felt a strong urge to bite his crimson lips. Unable to pull herself together anymore, she gave in to her urge. She leaned over and bit the man¡¯s lips. All of a sudden, both were taken aback as they felted a tingling sensationing from their lips. Evidently, Lucas was surprised. Then, he grinned. He couldn¡¯t believe Ashlyn had taken the initiative to kiss him on the lips. After all, never had she taken the initiative to kiss him. He wasn¡¯t irritated at all; instead, he was indulging himself in the pleasurable session. Lucas couldn¡¯t resist the urge to return the favor. He gently pursed Ashlyn¡¯s lips with his own lips. Ashlyn, surprised by the man¡¯s sudden move, abruptly pushed Lucas away. Immediately, she rushed out of the dining hall in irritation. Meanwhile, Lucas burst intoughter, chuckling in the dining hall all by himself. Oh, goodness! What on earth is wrong with me? Have I lost my mind? Why did I kiss Lucas on the lips? Something must be wrong with me somewhere because it feels as though I¡¯m turning into an entirely different person. Ashlyn clenched her fist as she thought to herself. At the same time, she was reminded of the steamy scenes of her intimacy with Lucasst night. Her body temperature increased involuntarily once more. She was on the verge of losing control of herself again. Forget about it, Ashlyn! Pull yourself together! She gritted her teeth and pped herself in the face in an attempt to keep herself sane. She warning herself not to be deceived by the man¡¯s stunning visual. In the meantime, the butler joined Lucas in the dining hall and informed him about the incident that had urredst night. ¡°Are you serious? What happened?¡± Lucas¡¯s expression turned grim all of a sudden. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. The butler replied while avoiding Lucas¡¯s gaze, ¡°Ms. Berry almost fell down the stairsst night. Thankfully, she managed to respond ordingly in the nick of time and somersaulted twice in the air¡­¡± Lucas couldn¡¯t suppress his emotions anymore upon knowing what happened. He started to give off a menacing vibe¡ª¡ªhe was about to go berserk. Ashlyn would never stagger and fall down the stairs because she¡¯s a skilled martial arts practitioner. I¡¯m sure something is going on behind the scene! ¡°I want you to figure out what has gone wrong!¡± Lucas instructed in a callous tone. ¡°Yes, Mr. Nn.¡± The butler took note of Lucas¡¯s instruction and dove right in immediately. In the bedroom. Lilian approached Ashlyn with a gentle smile. ¡°Ms. Berry, I have handpicked some flowers from the garden for you.¡± Before Ashlyn could respond to Lilian, thetter had already entered the bedroom. Lilian went over to the window and ced the vase she was carrying on the windowsill. Ashlyn turned around and took a peek at the yellow flowers. Since it seemed like a great addition to the bedroom, Ashlyn expressed her gratitude. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, you haven¡¯t dropped by the garden since you came to the manor, have you? Do you want me to bring you around and show you the way to the garden?¡± Lilian suggested enthusiastically. Ashlyn smirked upon hearing Lilian¡¯s words, staring at Lilian in the eyes with a prating gaze. She was aware of what Lilian was up to. Once again, a shiver ran down Lilian¡¯s spine as she thought Ashlyn had seen right through her evil scheme. She can¡¯t possibly figure out what I¡¯m up to, could she? Just as Lilian was lost in her own thought process and was expecting Ashlyn to turn down her suggestion, Ashlyn replied, ¡°Sure!¡± It was a sunny day, perfect for a day out in the garden. Since Ashlyn wasn¡¯t familiar with the way, she followed Lilian. The two walked through a rugged road and came to a remote location. asionally, Lilian would turn around to check on Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, I¡¯m quite surprised that you¡¯re able to follow through these nasty trails at ease.¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯m quite surprised that there are so many precipitous routes behind Lucas¡¯s manor,¡± Ashlyn replied nonchntly. Ashlyn had her gaze fixated on the cliff ahead of them. She asked with a smirk, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what exactly you are up to? It seems like you have gone to great lengths to bring me here.¡± Instead of the initial bright smile, Lilian now had a vicious grin as she asked rhetorically, ¡°Oh? Aren¡¯t you a smart one? Since when have you figured out we¡¯re not here for a walk?¡± ring at Ashlyn in the eyes, Lilian frowned and yelled hysterically, ¡°You¡¯re but a pretentious w****! How dare you get full of yourself?¡± Ashlyn tucked her arms and raised her eyebrows. Looking at the infuriated woman in front of her, she replied nonchntly, ¡°Oh? Who are you to question me when you¡¯re but a nobody to Lucas?¡± Chapter 450 Chapter 450 ¡°I hate you! I don¡¯t want you anywhere near Mr. Nn anymore! You¡¯re driving us apart! I will definitely get rid of you and have you out of Mr. Nn¡¯s sight forever!¡± Lilian cast a furious gaze at Ashlyn. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should stay out of our business when you¡¯re but a maid?¡± Ashlyn scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re such an ugly woman! You don¡¯t deserve to be by Mr. Nn¡¯s side at all! I¡¯m the only one who has the right to stand by him!¡± Lilian was on the verge of losing herself. All of a sudden, she reached for a bottle of ck, mushy-looking liquid and approached Ashlyn. ¡°Allow me to take a guess¡­ That¡¯s something that will disfigure a person¡¯s face, right? Tsk! Tsk! Have you spent a fortune to procure such a thing?¡± Ashlyn stood casually right where she was. She wasn¡¯t afraid at all because she deemed Lilian harmless. ¡°You¡¯re right! I will ruin that gorgeous face of yours so you can¡¯t seduce Mr. Nn again!¡± Lilian announced with a proud and vicious grin. Ashlyn frowned. Sizing up Lilian indifferently, she asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you find yourself hrious?¡± ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re the hrious one! Why aren¡¯t you afraid? You should get down on your knees and beg for mercy! Hurry up, beg me! Perhaps I will change my mind and be merciful!¡± Lilian was most irritated by Ashlyn¡¯s calm and collected demeanor. She felt she was but a trivial character in front of Ashlyn, a natural leader superior to others. The grudge Lilian held against Ashlyn due to the affection she shared for Lucas had taken over her rationality. She raised her head and cast the bottle of ck liquid in Ashlyn¡¯s direction. ¡°Mr. Nn is such a wless man! An ugly woman like you don¡¯t deserve him!¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Meanwhile, Ashlyn took a step aside, sessfully evading the suspicious bottle. ¡°I have yet to deal with you for pushing me down the stairsst night, and yet you have the audacity to pick on me?¡± Once Ashlyn finished her sentence, the bottle of suspicious-looking liquid came crashing to the ground. As the questionable liquid seeped through the soil, the surrounding weeds withered instantaneously. Ashlyn frowned and thought about the potential consequences that would be in store for her should the liquid make it to her face instead of the ground. ¡°Mr. Nn loves you wholeheartedly¡­ H-He actually smiles because of you! How dare you allow him to finish your leftover meal? I want you to atone for your sins with death! As long as you¡¯re dead, I¡¯m sure Mr. Nn will notice me and marry me.¡± Lilian announced her ambitious n while she reached for another bottle, given thest bottle she cast had been in vain. Ashlyn¡¯s lips twitched involuntarily. She was aware that the woman in front of her had gone berserk and lost her mind. ¡°You should visit the doctor. You¡¯re sick.¡± Once again, Lilian raised her second ss bottle, stared at Ashlyn eerily, and warned, ¡°You know what? As long as you¡¯re gone, I¡¯ll get everything I have been longing for!¡± She approached Ashlyn as soon as she finished her sentence. When Lilian was merely a few steps away from Ashlyn, thetter stopped hesitating. She kicked the bottle on Lilian¡¯s hand and got rid of it once and for all. ¡°Have you lost your mind? How could you shift the responsibilities to me? You should me yourself for not being attractive enough because you¡¯re the reason you failed to attract his attention.¡± Ashlyn raised her leg and kicked Lilian immediately, stepping on her chest once thetter copsed to the ground. Once Ashlyn rendered Lilian immobile, she leaned over and pinched Lilian¡¯s cheeks against her will. ¡°You¡¯re wasting my time, you filthy piece of trash!¡± Lilian burst outughing as she asserted, ¡°Ha! I knew it! You have fallen for my trick!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s heart sank to the bottom of her stomach all of a sudden. ¡°Since you¡¯re a martial arts practitioner, I can¡¯t possibly pick on you because I won¡¯t be a match for you! The bottle was merely a bait to divert your attention!¡± Lilianughed hysterically. Ashlyn¡¯s jaw dropped open. She looked at Lilian and felt a tingling sensationing from her finger. ¡°S-Since when did you poison me?¡± ¡°I got you when you came kicking at me. My whole body is covered with poison. No matter where you touch me, you¡¯ll be poisoned as soon as youe into contact with me!¡± Lilian turned around and red at Ashlyn with her eyes widened in joy. ¡°Damn it!¡± All along, Ashlyn had her eyes on the bottle. She didn¡¯t expect the crazy woman to resort to such an extreme measure to achieve her goal. Chapter 451 Chapter 451 To Ashlyn¡¯s surprise, the woman had gone crazy to the extent of smudging poison all over her body. She regretted her action¡ª¡ªshe shouldn¡¯t have underestimated her foe. ¡°Lilian, you¡¯d better give me the antidote at once! Otherwise, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Ashlyn warned Lilian, fastening her grip on thetter¡¯s chin. Consequently, Lilian¡¯s face puckered due to the racking sensation she felt. ¡°Ashlyn, to hell you go! No one can possibly save you because I have purchased these from those affiliated with the NN Terrorist Group. There¡¯s no antidote to the poison. Soon, you¡¯ll turn into a hideous-looking old woman. I¡¯m sure Mr. Nn will be disgusted by your looks! Hahaha!¡± Lilianughed to her heart¡¯s content. Crimson blood gushed out of the crazy woman¡¯s nostrils and mouth. All of a sudden, the stench of blood permeated the air. Ashlyn moved away from her immediately. Her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Since you have smudged the poison all over your body, the toxin has long made it into your system. Therefore¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather die along with you! Once you¡¯re dead, Mr. Nn will keep me in his mind forever¡­ I-I¡¯m sure he will avenge me¡­ H-He definitely will avenge me¡­¡± Lilian puked a mouthful of blood. Bam! A gunshot could be heard. Lilian curled up on the ground in pain while blood gushed out of her chest; she had been shot in the chest. Ashlyn turned around and saw Lucas nearby. Exuding a menacing aura, he stared at Lilian on the ground. ¡°Lucas? That¡¯s your maid.¡± Ashlyn frowned. ¡°She has to bear the consequences of her actions since she has hurt you!¡± The moment Lucas finished his sentence, he sprinted over with his slender legs, stretched his arms, and held Ashlyn. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lucas asked in a serious tone, expressing his concerns. Ashlyn shook her head. With her eyes on Lilian, who was drenched in blood, she told Lucas, ¡°No matter what, she will die soon because she has been poisoned.¡± Lilian lost herself gaping at Lucas¡¯s stunning visage in awe, as if she weren¡¯t aware that he was the one who had shot her in the chest. Drenched in blood with a horrifying hole through her chest, she started muttering as she stretched her arm in an attempt to reach Lucas. As if she wasn¡¯t aware of her pathetic condition, she murmured, ¡°M-Mr. Nn, have youe to bring me back with you?¡± Like a leech, Lilian wriggled her way over to Lucas with all her might in spite of the difficulties. Ashlyn was afraid Lilian would poison Lucas, so she stepped in front of him instinctively and bellowed, ¡°Get the hell out of our sight, Lilian!¡± ¡°B****, you¡¯re the one who should get the hell out of our sight!¡± Lilian rebuked with an atrocious look. On the other hand, Lucas was stunned for a moment as he stared at Ashlyn¡¯s back. He did not expect her to react this way. Is she trying to protect me? I can¡¯t believe it¡­ She actually got in Lilian¡¯s way without any hesitation. It seems like she has reacted instinctively to defend me. All along, Lucas deemed protecting her beloved woman one of his duties due to his identity and social status. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Never had he thought there would be a day when the woman, whom he loved wholeheartedly, would get in front of him and defend him in such a manner. All of a sudden, Lucas was overwhelmed with a heartwarming sensation, which he had never felt throughout his life. He couldn¡¯t help but hold Ashlyn in his arms gently. ¡°Honey, have you lost your mind? Aren¡¯t you afraid of her?¡± Immediately, Ashlyn replied without any hesitation, ¡°As long as I¡¯m around, I won¡¯t allow anyone to hurt you!¡± She noticed the man grinning the moment she made her promation. Ashlyn frowned. ¡°Why are you grinning? Do you have any idea of the potential consequences of this incident? She¡¯s a walking poison! Move aside and stay away from her immediately!¡± Using one of her uncontaminated hands, she pushed Lucas away with all her might, but Lucas held her hand firmly and brought her into his arms once again. Ashlyn rolled her eyes. ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t misperceived my intention? Get away from me immediately! Otherwise, your life will be at stake!¡± She then pushed Lucas away once more. Jealousy hadpletely taken over Lilian¡¯s mind as she observed the pair behaving all lovey-dovey in front of her. Chapter 452 Chapter 452 Lilian couldn¡¯t fathom the reason Lucas fell head-over-heels in love with Ashlyn, when he would cast her aside indifferently without a second thought. ¡°Both of you should join me in hell!¡± Lilian made up her mind and for thest time, she catapulted her way over to them with all her might. Seeing Lilian decided to go all out, Ashlyn stopped holding back. She raised her leg and sent her flying with a merciless kick. Consequently, Lilian fell to the ground and puked a mouthful of blood before passing out. Lucas stepped forward in an attempt to figure out if she had passed on or passed out because they couldn¡¯t be sure about it, but Ashlyn got in his way and stopped him. ¡°Allow me,¡± she suggested. She squatted down and ced her hand in front of the woman¡¯s nose before announcing, ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡± Lilian, who had passed on, had a pale and haggard face that seemed even eerier under broad daylight. ¡°What an insolent fool!¡± Lucas made a call and instructed indifferently, ¡°Get rid of Lilian¡¯s corpse immediately.¡± Once he hung up the call, he reached over in an attempt to hold Ashlyn¡¯s hand, but she evaded him. Lucas asked gloomily, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± It was evident he was irritated by Ashlyn¡¯s response because he couldn¡¯t fathom the reason she moved away from him. ¡°I don¡¯t want you anywhere near me for the time being because there are bloodstains all over me.¡± Ashlyn replied nonchntly. She then attempted to divert the man¡¯s attention. ¡°How do you know we¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Ever since I figured out she was the one who pushed you down the stairs, I have been searching for you everywhere.¡± Lucas stretched his arms in another attempt to embrace Ashlyn, but she moved away from him once more. Actually, Ashlyn was afraid that Lucas might have been contaminated by the poison when he held her just as he found her. Even though she was faintly contaminated, the poison had proven to be highly effective. She couldn¡¯t be certain of the side effects that she would experience, so she wanted to stay away from Lucas for the time being and avoid all forms of physical contact with him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me anything about it?¡± Lucas broke the silence out of the blue, interrupting Ashlyn¡¯s thought process. ¡°Why should I tell you about it? I don¡¯t have any evidence to prove her guilty, either.¡± After all, only Ashlyn and Lilian were at the scene just now; there were no witnesses. Thus, Ashlyn couldn¡¯t be certain Lucas would buy into her words even if she were to bring it up in front of him. ¡°I have faith in you. Even without any evidence, I trust you unconditionally.¡± Lucas looked into Ashlyn¡¯s eyes with determination. Ashlyn was bewildered due to the man¡¯s stupendous remark. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, thank you so much, Mr. Nn.¡± ¡°Ashlyn, even though you refuse to admit it verbally, I can feel it. You have been behaving differently whenever you¡¯re around metely. Are you sure I¡¯m not the one you have in your mind?¡± Lucas asked in a serious tone. Ashlyn was dumbstruck with terror all of a sudden. It took her a few seconds before she returned to her senses. ¡°I¡¯m kinda hungry! What¡¯s for lunch today?¡± ¡°Stop trying to divert my attention because that¡¯s not going to work. By the way, your attempt sucks.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Ashlyn looked elsewhere and avoided Lucas¡¯s gaze. However, she could detect the man¡¯s prating gaze as he had his eyes glued to her. She heaved a sigh and asked, ¡°Lucas, do you really think things will work out between us?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s impossible, we wouldn¡¯t have been engaged to one another for four years. Since we were able to get into a rtionship back in the day, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll have a great future together once we sort it out,¡± Lucas assured Ashlyn with utmost determination. Meanwhile, Ashlyn lowered her gaze and took a peek at her left palm. She noticed a small part of her palm and her wrist were bruised. She quickly pulled down her sleeves to conceal the bruises on her hand and brushed the man off. ¡°That sounds like a topic for another day. Let¡¯s forget about it for now.¡± She first sumbed to spirogyra, which had been troubling her all along. And now she was contaminated with the poison produced by NN Terrorist Group. She knew she had to figure out the exact effects of the poison. For the time being, she couldn¡¯t be bothered by trivial matters such as their rtionship. She walked past the man nonchntly and returned to the manor. Although it was a sunny day, she had a rtively gloomy expression. ¡­ As soon as Ashlyn reached the kitchen, she put on gloves and started making pasta in tomato sauce from scratch. Even though it was a rtively simple dish, the chef required finesse in order to turn it into a delicacy. Ashlyn would have to pay attention to every single aspect involved in the preparation of the dish. Otherwise, it would turn out to be just another ordinary te of pasta. Before long, she had the main course ready along with a few side dishes. Lucas, who had taken his seat at the dining table, was tempted by her creations. Although it seemed to be a rtively simple meal, the dishes prepared were all Lucas¡¯s favorites. Chapter 453 Chapter 453 All the dishes looked decent to him. Out of habit, he tried the noodles first. ¡°Not bad.¡± He picked up a piece of beef and took a bite. His movements were controlled, graceful, and pleasant to look at, as though he was born to be noble. Ashlyn grinned and dug in. She did not take off the rubber gloves she had been wearing, which made Lucas frown. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you taking your gloves off?¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. She never wears gloves when she cooks¡­ Something feels off¡­ Ashlyn nced at her gloves and answered, ¡°I¡¯m going to wash the dishester, so I¡¯ll just keep them on for the moment.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Lucas said, dabbing at the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief. ¡°We have maids for a reason.¡± Ashlyn grinned. ¡°I like it. How about that?¡± Lucas started to get suspicious, but he knew that any attempt to extort information from her would be futile. * A private jetnded at the airport in the middle of the night. Lucas turned to the woman beside him and tapped her on the shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Ashlyn slowly opened her eyes as her muddled brain struggled to make sense of the situation. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She had been feeling fatigued for the whole afternoon and ended up sleeping through the entire flight. Even after waking up, her mind was still in a mess. Taking out her phone, she sent a message to Jared, telling him to investigate the poison from the NN Terrorist Group. I wonder if he¡¯se up with anything¡­ They got into their Bentley after disembarking the ne. Ashlyn¡¯s eyelids felt like lead, but she forced herself to stay awake as she took out her phone to check for iing messages. Jared had replied to her message. Boss, NN Terrorist Group is in possession of three types of incurable poison. Since the skin at the point where the poison entered your body is turning ck, I¡¯m going to guess that it¡¯s the Backtrack Poison. It will hijack your nervous system and turn back your mental age to that of a three-year-old. You will be paralyzed for life. Ashlyn stared at his message intently. Hijack nervous system¡­ paralysis¡­ for life¡­ No! I can¡¯t let myself turn into a vegetable! Ashlyn typed: How long does it take for the poison to take effect? Will I die soon, just like Lilian? Lucas had put all his time and energy into taking care of Ashlyn after dealing with Lilian¡¯s death. He could tell she was distressed with just one nce. What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen? She¡¯s hiding something from me¡­ Lucas had a bad feeling about the future. However, he held back from peeking at her messages out of respect for her. The only thing he could do was sit up straight and nce at her every so often. However, she was too preupied with her own shock to notice Lucas¡¯s concern. She stared at her screen, waiting for a reply from Jared. Jared did not disappoint. The dose is small, Boss. It won¡¯t kill you immediately, but I¡¯d say you have about two weeks. Ashlyn bit her lip as she wrote her reply: Find the cure, no matter what it takes. If Lilian can get her hands on the poison, then so can we. If all else fails, let¡¯s try and make our own cure. Yes, Boss! Ashlyn turned her phone off and leaned back. She closed her eyes as a million thoughts ran through her mind. Backtrack poison¡­ How did a maid like Lilian get in contact with the NN Terrorist Group? Was someone trying to harm Lucas? Her mind was all jumbled up. As the car pulled into the driveway of Whind Vi, Lucas gazed at the woman beside him. ¡°Honey, we¡¯re home.¡± Chapter 454 Chapter 454 Ashlyn remained fast asleep, much to his surprise. Lucas frowned and stroked her cheek gently. ¡°Honey?¡± Why is she still asleep? Is she really that tired after the flight? Something¡¯s definitely wrong¡­ Suddenly, Spencer¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Yes¡­ Alright, understood. I¡¯ll convey this information to Mr. Nn.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Lucas stiffened. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Lilian, Mr. Nn,¡± Spencer answered. ¡°The butler just informed me that her autopsy report is ready. She had smeared a lethal amount of backtrack poison on her body that acted up quickly. The shot you fired simply sped up the process. This poison is developed by the NN Terrorist Group and reduces the mental state of the victim to that of a toddler.¡± Lucas¡¯s eyes glinted dangerously. ¡°Backtrack poison from the NN Terrorist Group? How is she connected to such a dangerous organization? Tell them to look into this matter immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Nn.¡± Lucas picked Ashlyn up bridal style and lifted her out of the car. After setting her down on the bed back home, he went straight for the bathroom. Ashlyn woke up after a while to the sound of water rushing from the bathroom. She blinked a few times before realizing she was back at Whind Vi. She sat up slowly as spots danced across her vision, rubbing her throbbing forehead. Goodness, I fell asleep again? I need to find the cure¡­there¡¯s no telling how long I have before I turn into a vegetable! Ashlyn looked at her rapidly-darkening palm. I can¡¯t stay here any longer¡­ I¡¯ll poison Lucas as well¡­ She slipped out of bed and sent a message to Jared: I¡¯m at Whind Vi. Come and pick me up. By the time Lucas emerged from the bathroom, Ashlyn was long gone. rmed, he rushed to the door to look for her when a small piece of paper on the bedside table caught his eyes. In Ashlyn¡¯s beautiful handwriting, it read: I need to leave. His face darkened as his grip on the note tightened. Why are you leaving? We¡¯ve gone through so much, and you¡¯re bailing on me now? How dare you! * A Land Rover sped along the roads under the cover of darkness. Ashlyn forced herself to stay awake, her voice growing lower and lower with every passing minute. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the office,¡± shemanded. ¡°How are you doing, Boss?¡± Jared asked. He was genuinely concerned for her. She went overseas for only a short while, and someone managed to poison her already? ¡°I won¡¯t die,¡± Ashlyn drawled sleepily. Forcing her eyes open, she continued, ¡°Tell everyone to get ready for an emergency meeting.¡± ¡°Yes, Boss!¡± They arrived at the Centennial Healthcare pharmaceutical research center soon after. All researchers were already at the scene. Some of them were yawning and looking half-asleep while the nocturnal ones were scoffing at them. ¡°Boss is going to scold you all for this!¡± ¡°Urgh¡­ Why did she call for a meeting at this ungodly hour?¡± ¡°Is she crazy? I¡¯m so tired¡­¡± Their bickering was cut off by hurried footsteps and the sound of the door opening. A tall woman d in white walked in, visibly fatigued. A slender man followed her closely. Everyone turned to look at them the moment they made their entry. Ashlyn sat at the head of the table and gestured at Jared weakly. ¡°Speak for me.¡± ¡°Yes, Boss.¡± Five minutester¡­ The researchers stared at Ashlyn in disbelief upon hearing Jared¡¯s words. ¡°Boss, are you going to¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to you?¡± ¡°Boss, you¡¯re still so young!¡± ¡°No need to pity me,¡± Ashlyn said, ¡°I don¡¯t have much time left. I need all of you to find something that can slow down the progression of the poison and buy time for the development of the cure.¡± Chapter 455 Chapter 455 ¡°There¡¯s definitely something that can counter the poison. Everything has its antidote!¡± Her voice reverberated around the room. The next morning¡­ Ashlyn was rudely awakened by the shrill sound of her rm; her body was aching. She had fallen asleep on the way home from the research center the previous night and had not woken up since. She pulled herself off the bed and headed to the bathroom. After a simple breakfast, she nced at her palm and realized that the dark patch had grown overnight. The poison is still spreading¡­ She decided to ask Harrison to drive her to the research center instead of going behind the wheel herself. Jared was a productive worker. By the time she arrived at the research center, he was already analyzing a bottle of backtrack poison. ¡°It¡¯s aplex poison. It must have been the brainchild of a genius,¡± he muttered in awe. ¡°It¡¯s a threat to mankind,¡± Ashlyn growled. ¡°Who knows how many innocent people will die if this appears on the market?¡± She pulled on a hazmat suit and continued, ¡°I want to take part in the research process. Tell everyone to drop whatever they¡¯re doing and focus on this project.¡± ¡°Yes, Boss!¡± She gave herself an adrenaline shot to keep herself awake. Jared began to feel sorry for her. ¡°Boss¡­ Someone poisoned you! You should take a break and leave everything to us.¡± ¡°The more manpower, the merrier. I¡¯m also a doctor, after all,¡± Ashlyn said nonchntly, ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± The experiments ended at 2 o¡¯clock in the afternoon. Peeling the hazmat suit off her lethargic body, Ashlyn turned to the researchers and announced, ¡°Manufacture the dying agent first. I need to go to University T.¡± She went straight to the lounge to take a bath and change her clothes before giving Harrison a call. She fell asleep yet again the moment she got into the car. * Meanwhile, in a ssroom at University T¡­ Tinsor scooted over to ir¡¯s seat with an evil grin on his face. ¡°I heard that a beautiful top surgeon from the First Hospital is going to the med school for a talk! Is it Ashlyn?¡± ir scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s my sister-inw, for goodness¡¯ sake!¡± A few other rich kids crowded around them out of curiosity. ¡°Hey, I heard that she¡¯s a hot chick with an amazing body!¡± someonemented. Recently, ir and Tinsor became the most hardworking students in the ss, to everyone¡¯s surprise. Instead of fighting, they began to try outsmarting each other. Each time one of them made some progress, the other would start burning the midnight oil to catch up. The other rich kids in the ss found this bizarre, and that was why they perked up the moment they heard their conversation about Ashlyn. ¡°Is she hot? Shall we have some fun with her after the lecture?¡± Hayden grinned lecherously at the sound of that. ¡°I bet I¡¯ll lose control if I see her!¡± ¡°I heard that the best surgeon of the First Hospital is pretty and talented!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Hayden eximed in excitement. ¡°There¡¯s a photo of her on the med school bulletin board! She¡¯s really hot, Hayden!¡± ¡°What are we waiting for? Let¡¯s attend the lecture!¡± Hayden dered as he led the bunch of rich kids out of the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go, too.¡± Tinsor patted ir¡¯s shoulder. ir stood up and followed Tinsor out. When they passed by the bulletin board near the med school, ir noticed a photo pasted on it. ¡°It¡¯s Ashlyn!¡± ir eximed, smiling brightly. ¡°Stop smiling like that! You look like an idiot!¡± Tinsorined.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Chapter 456 Chapter 456 The two of them rushed to the lecture theatre where the talk would be held. By the time they arrived, the corridors in the med school were swarming with people, with the laters pushed all the way to the back. Hayden and his gang had gone straight to the lecture theatre without looking at the bulletin board in order to snatch front row seats, but they were still toote. ¡°Hey! Get out of the way!¡± he yelled at the med students. ¡°You¡¯re not from med school, are you? Get out!¡± they retorted. ¡°You have no right to tell me what to do!¡± Hayden snarled. ¡°That hot doctor ising home with me tonight! She¡¯s not as pure and innocent as you think!¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. His gang of rich kids began to scoff. ¡°Of course! No woman can resist the lure of money!¡± ¡°If Hayden wants it, he¡¯ll get it!¡± ir and Tinsor walked into the theatre just in time to hear the perverted conversation. In a fit of rage, ir walked up to Hayden, grabbed him by the cor, and pinned him against the wall. The students around them screamed in shock. He raised his fist and sent it flying into Hayden¡¯s face. The rich kids rushed forward, only to be stopped by Tinsor. ¡°Stop right there!¡± he yelled, startling the rich kids. As a child of the Jaquin family, Tinsor was well-versed in the art of self-defense. At that moment, the principal of University T and a few board members walked into the lecture theatre, only to witness a huge fight. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, ir? All he did was to joke about the hot doctor!¡± ¡°Why are you getting yourself involved, Tinsor? What did Hayden ever do to you?¡± That only made matters worse. Hayden¡¯s face slowly turned into a bloody, unrecognizable mess as the assault continued. ¡°Nn! Jaquin! My brother shall avenge me!¡± Hayden screamed. ¡°I¡¯m beating you up for not being able to keep your mouth shut and for bullying my sister!¡± ir yelled. The principal finally realized what had been going on and bellowed, ¡°Stop it!¡± ¡°Call the security guards!¡± the teaching director yelled. Meanwhile, a female teacher greeted Ashlyn as she alighted from her car outside the building. ¡°Dr. Berry, am I right? Please follow me.¡± Ashlyn nodded and followed her to the lecture theatre. The door to the lecture theatre was wide open, yet it was so silent that one could hear a pin drop. Ashlyn raised an eyebrow. She walked into the lecture theatre, and the first thing she saw was two boys huddled in the corner with their heads down and faces covered. Meanwhile, on one of the front row seats, another boy sat there with blood dripping from several open wounds on his face. Did a fight break out? ¡°What happened?¡± Ashlyn asked, confused. Everyone looked in her direction the moment she spoke. To their surprise, a tall and slender woman in white stood before them, her beautiful features being fully illuminated by the bright afternoon sunlight. She¡¯s¡­she¡¯s gorgeous! The principal rubbed his hands together awkwardly. ¡°Apologies, Dr. Berry¡­ There¡¯s a tendency for fights to break out in crowded areas.¡± The two boys in the corner seemed to retreat further into their hiding spot when they heard her familiar voice. ¡°Dixon¡­please¡­help me! I got beat up again¡­¡± Hayden sobbed into the phone as tears fell freely from his eyes. The principal began to feel ufortable. ¡°Mr. Haddock¡­you should go to the nurse¡¯s room.¡± Haddock? Ashlyn nced at Hayden¡¯s battered face but could not tell who he was. Conversely, when two rich kids rushed forward to help Hayden up, Hayden immediately recognized that devilishly pretty face the moment he lifted his head. Chapter 457 Chapter 457 ¡°AH!¡± Hayden let out a loud screech and almost fell to the ground in shock. ¡°W-why are you here?¡± Ashlyn Berry! What in the world is that spawn of Satan doing here? Hayden shivered as he recalled the events of that hellish night with Ashlyn in the private room. His bloodied face turned ashen and his legs became jelly. Ashlyn looked at him calmly. ¡°I¡¯m here for the lecture.¡± Hayden could only stare at her, petrified. The lecture¡­ no wonder ir and Tinsor were so mad¡­ He wanted to detonate himself on the spot. With tears streaming down his face, he pleaded, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Superheroine! I didn¡¯t know it was you!¡± The turn of events shocked everyone around them. He went from attempting to rope in his brother to avenge him to pleading for Ashlyn¡¯s mercy on the floor. The crowd erupted in chatter as they nced at Ashlyn every so often. Ashlyn took a closer look at Hayden; she finally recognized him. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± Hayden started to bawl his eyes out as though the end of the world was near. ¡°I¡¯m Hayden Haddock! I¡¯m sorry! I deserve the beating!¡± The two boys in the corner exchanged surprised looks. They had thought that Ashlyn would give them an earful for stirring up trouble, but they did not expect her to take a jab at Hayden. Hayden¡¯s behavior satisfied them more than any fight they picked with him. Everyone stared at Ashlyn and felt her dominating vibe. It made them apprehensive of her. No wonder ir and Tinsor beat Hayden up! Wait a second¡­did the two of them know Dr. Berry? Even the principal looked on with a mild shock. Hayden had been terrorizing the students of University T since day one, and this was the first time he admitted defeat. ¡°How long more are you guys nning to stay there?¡± Ashlyn asked suddenly, casting her cold gaze on the two boys in the corner. We got busted! The two boys stood up and turned around to face her silently. They nced at her for a second before looking down again. Is she going to scold us? p us? Beat us into a pulp? I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t do that¡­ She didn¡¯t even do anything to Hayden! Suddenly, several police officers burst into the lecture theatre. Captain Lewis had been the one leading the charge, and his eyes lit up the moment he saw Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry!¡± he greeted her. Ashlyn nodded. ¡°Apologies for the trouble my two little brothers caused, Sir.¡± Little brother? Tinsor looked up at Ashlyn excitedly. Is the goddess herself taking me in as her little brother? ¡°Rest assured that we will deal with the troublemakers ordingly,¡± Captain Lewis promised as his subordinates hauled Hayden, ir, and Tinsor into the police car downstairs. After the police left, the principal turned to Ashlyn and said, ¡°My sincerest apologies, Dr. Berry. I hope this incident did not affect your mood for the day.¡± ¡°Of course it didn¡¯t,¡± she said with a smile. Feeling weak, she prayed that her makeup would hide the fatigue in her eyes. She walked onstage and greeted the students. ¡°Good morning, everyone. I am Ashlyn Berry, a surgeon from the First Hospital. The topic I would like to talk about for today¡¯s lecture is ¡®Misdiagnosis of Acute Abdomen As Appendicitis¡¯.¡± No one had expected her to talk about that particr topic. ¡°What is there to talk about?¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s not like they¡¯re serious ailments or anything¡­¡± ¡°I was looking forward to hearing about surgery techniques!¡± ¡°I heard that the surgeons at the First Hospital are super adept with scalpels¡­¡± ¡°Quiet! The lecture is starting!¡± The students¡¯ excitement began to die down, reced with mild disappointment. Ashlyn took in the scene before her with a calm demeanor. Chapter 458 Chapter 458 She had a sleek figure and she carried herself with grace and elegance. With dark and silky hair, porcin skin, and sparkly eyes, she was the epitome of beauty. Her voice echoed around the lecture theatre as she spoke. ¡°Misdiagnosis is particrly high amongst female patients, due to the resemnce of its symptoms to acute appendicitis. To date, the First Hospital has taken in three thousand and eighty-seven female patientsining of acute abdominal pain, in which fifty-nine of those cases were misdiagnosed as acute appendicitis. This is not a small number,¡± she said. The convincing evidence made the med students¡¯ ears prick up. ¡°As doctors and nurses, our jobs don¡¯t just stop at dealing with case after case of different illnesses. We are responsible for the lives of our patients, and we cannot afford to make even the tiniest of mistakes. I¡¯m sure you understand the repercussions of misdiagnosis from the examples I gave earlier,¡± she continued. ¡°Principal Potter?¡± Principal Potter, who had been listening to her lecture attentively, jumped when she mentioned his name. He stood up immediately. ¡°Yes, Dr. Berry?¡± Ashlyn showed him a thumb drive. ¡°The slides for today¡¯s lecture are in this thumb drive. I hope you can help me out and give every student here a copy of the slides for self-study.¡± Everyone was shocked. She¡¯s willing to share such a rare gem? Ashlyn left immediately after the lecture, only to bump into a young police officer standing by the door. ¡°Ms. Berry?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± she asked, slowing to a halt. ¡°We need you at the police station,¡± the police officer informed her awkwardly. She could tell that ir and Tinsor were in trouble by the look of it. She arrived at the police station soon after. The moment she entered, she saw a man sporting a grim expression standing beside Hayden, with one hand in his pocket. Hayden stared at the tip of his shoes. The wounds on his face had been cleaned and dressed. Dixon nced at ir and Tinsor before he scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re asking me for help just because you got beat up by these two gangsters?¡± ¡°Dixon¡­¡± Hayden whined. The Haddock family had plenty of sons, but Dixon had eliminated the rest so that only he and his blood brother, Hayden, were left. Thetter feared Dixon greatly. He began to panic when he realized that Dixon did not have his back this time around. To Hayden, however, nothing mattered more than taking revenge. ¡°Dixon, that scary woman is back¡­you have to help me!¡± ¡°Which scary woman?¡± a crisp voice rang from the doorway. Hayden trembled when he realized whom the voice belonged to. He rushed to hide behind his brother¡¯s back. ¡°It¡¯s her!¡± Dixon raised his eyeszily to look at Ashlyn. A cold grin spread across his lips. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Dr. Berry. My grandfather¡¯s surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning, am I right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Ashlyn answered, before turning to Hayden and raising an eyebrow at his rapidly paling face. ¡°Hayden, are you trying to stop me from operating on your grandfather?¡± Hayden took a deep breath, almost choking on air. The truth was clear: Ashlyn had been the surgeon operating on his grandfather! Oh my! Help me! He began to shiver violently. Before he knew it, Dixon had grabbed him by the arm and shoved him onto the floor with a kick. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Hayden fell to the floor by Ashlyn¡¯s feet with a loud thud. ¡°Ah! It hurts!¡± he screeched. ¡°Apologize to her!¡± Dixon ordered. Hayden¡¯s eyes reddened as he trembled uncontrobly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Berry¡­it¡¯s my fault! I shouldn¡¯t have picked a fight with ir and Tinsor!¡± Chapter 459 Chapter 459 I¡¯m the victim, and yet I have to apologize! How embarrassing! ¡°Hmph! Listen up! If you dare to insult my sis-inw one more time, I¡¯ll beat you up for sure!¡± ir growled at Hayden. ¡°Have some self-control, Hayden! I don¡¯t care about the idols or models you¡¯re after, but you don¡¯t deserve my goddess a single bit!¡± Tinsor spat. ¡°Who insulted her?¡± Suddenly, the door to the office opened. A man d in a ck suit strode in on his long legs. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. He had a well-chiseled face and charming features that could intimidate anyone who dared to go near him. He nced around the room before settling his eyes on Ashlyn. ¡°Lucas!¡± ir eximed, his eyes widening in surprise. He rushed over to Lucas immediately. ¡°Lucas, Hayden insulted Ashlyn and I beat him up for it!¡± ¡°Why is your brother here?¡± Tinsor huffed. When is my brother ever going toe? Ashlyn raised an eyebrow. So these two kids beat Hayden up just because he insulted me? Were they trying to avenge me? Well¡­ She nced at the two youthful and energetic boys before her. I would never have guessed that two kids would step up to protect me one day¡­ She grinned. Her smile was warm and bright like the early morning sun. Everyone looked towards her at that moment; they were all mesmerized by the beauty of her smile. ¡°Not bad,¡± Lucas praised, pulling out a credit card from his pocket and throwing it to ir. ¡°Here¡¯s five million as a reward.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lucas!¡± ir was ted. He was convinced that Lucas was going to beat him up the moment he arrived at the police station. Thest thing he expected from Lucas was a reward. What a pleasant surprise! Ashlyn walked over to the two boys. ¡°Fighting isn¡¯t the right way to deal with problems, but I¡¯ll let you two go this time. As the young masters of your respective families, you have to learn to be responsible. Don¡¯t get yourselves into trouble too often, alright?¡± The two boys froze, feeling a little embarrassed. Because they had beat up Hayden for Ashlyn¡¯s sake, getting lectured by her kind of spoiled the mood. Even so, they felt as though someone had drizzled honey onto their hearts, and they savored the feeling of being able to talk to her. Tinsor, in particr, had never been discouraged from answering a threat with violence due to his family background. He struggled toe up with a reply to Ashlyn. The more he looked at her, the more he fell for her. How great would it be if I could stay with her and listen to her beautiful voice all day long¡­ Urgh, when is my brother ever going toe? Seeing how silent they were, Ashlyn simply grinned and continued, ¡°Thank you for standing up for me. Dinner¡¯s on me tonight.¡± ¡°Dinner?¡± ir said, perking up. ¡°Really?¡± Tinsor asked with his eyes twinkling in surprise. ¡°Just this once,¡± she quipped with a smile. ¡°We should celebrate! You¡¯ve matured so much!¡± Lucas¡¯s face darkened at the sound of that. She¡¯s never asked me out for dinner before¡­ Dixon was not very happy about this. ¡°You see, Dr. Berry, my brother has admitted his mistakes. Can¡¯t you take him along?¡± ¡°Why? He insulted Ashlyn!¡± ir retorted angrily. Chapter 460 Chapter 460 His temper red, ready to blow its top any moment. Hayden picked himself up from the floor and said, ¡°I promise I won¡¯t do that ever again!¡± How embarrassing! Even Dixon couldn¡¯t do anything against her! The only thing we could do is to suck up to her¡­ Since when did I have to suck up to anyone? Hayden was mad, but there was nothing he could do about it. ¡°I¡¯m not that forgiving,¡± Ashlyn said coolly. ¡°Apologies, Mr. Haddock.¡± Dixon¡¯s eyes shed dangerously, but he remained silent. Lucas turned around and caught up to Ashlyn as she walked towards the door. She asked with a frown, ¡°Why are you following me?¡± He lowered his eyelids and gazed at her. ¡°I want to have dinner with you, too.¡± ¡°No, you should stay and settle this matter,¡± Ashlyn instructed, her eyes sparkling. It was obvious that she did not want him around. She nced at the transparent gloves on her hand. I shouldn¡¯t spend so much time with him, or he¡¯ll be suspicious. Something told her that it would be a bad idea to tell him that she got poisoned. Lucas gazed at her attractive features as though he was looking at a shining star in the night sky. Something¡¯s fishy¡­ He could not shake the strange feeling of doom that had been guing his mind for days. She lookedpletely normal, her makeup and her smile as perfect as ever. However, there was something seriously wrong with her, and he could feel it. For starters, her usual makeup routine was simple ¨C some light foundation, a little lipstick, and eyeshadow at times. However, he could see today the thick foundation caking her skin along with a considerable amount of blush and even colored contact lenses. Colored contact lenses? Since when did she ever need that stuff? She was beautiful even when bare-faced, so it was strange to see her wearing so much makeup. Something¡¯s really off.. Lucas stared straight into her eyes. ¡°Is there something you¡¯re hiding from me?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Lucas?¡± she asked, panicking a little on the inside. She could feel her innards twitch in fear. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Turning around, she quickened her pace and walked towards the door. ir noticed his brother¡¯s displeased expression and rushed forward to follow Ashlyn out. Sassy as always! Tinsor followed them closely. What¡¯s going on between Mr. Nn and Ashlyn? The atmosphere around them feels strange¡­ * After Ashlyn and the two boys left, Dixon nced at Hayden¡¯s bandaged head without a hint of pity in his eyes. Dixon berated his brother, ¡°You idiot!¡± Suddenly, Lucas barged into the room and stared at both of them. ¡°Are the two of you done?¡± Dixon glowered at Lucas. ¡°Well, Mr. Nn, Dr. Berry doesn¡¯t seem too happy to be around you!¡± ¡°Mind your own business,¡± Lucas retorted. At this time, Spencer walked over with a dossier in his hands. ¡°Mr. Nn, please sign here.¡± Lucas signed his name on a document inside and looked at the police officer beside him. ¡°Can I go now?¡± ¡°Yes, of course, Mr. Nn,¡± the police officer replied, a little too eager to chase him away. Dixon left with Hayden soon after. Suddenly, Winsor rushed into the station and ran up to a random police officer. ¡°Where¡¯s Ashlyn? Where¡¯s my brother?¡± ¡°Oh, are you Tinsor¡¯s brother? He¡¯s just left the station,¡± the police officer answered before returning to his duties. Winsor muttered something under his breath and left the station. * Meanwhile, at the Imperial Hotel¡­ Ashlyn sat down with the two boys at a table and waved her hand at a waiter nearby. ¡°Three orders of ice cream, please. I¡¯ll have the usual.¡± ¡°Sure, Ms. Berry,¡± the waiter replied before rushing off to fulfill her order. The ice creams arrived within minutes. The two boys turned red in the face. As young men, they felt a little reluctant to eat the ice cream. Chapter 461 Chapter 461 Tightening his grip, ir clenched the spoon that he was holding. He never ate dishes that looked like what girls would eat. What more would be expected, in a high-end restaurant, such as the one in the Imperial Hotel? He would be utterly humiliated. On the other hand, Tinsor appeared unbothered. He hesitated for a second before trying it. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s good.¡± Elbowing ir, he joked, ¡°You¡¯re a man. What are you shy about? This is Ashlyn¡¯s treat. Do you want to disappoint the goddess?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s lips curled, as she looked upon the two teenagers with a gentle gaze. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste bad. ir, are you sure that you don¡¯t want to try it?¡± ir¡­ ir¡¯s grip tightened further. He had never thought that his name could sound so graceful, coming out of Ashlyn¡¯s mouth. In their generation, Lucas was the one who had shared a name with their great-great-grandfather. All these years, he sincerely believed that the family had held high hopes for Lucas and no hope for them, as they had named Lucas after their great-grandfather. He had despised his name. ir had never thought of a day when he would fall in love with his name because of Ashlyn. He stared at Ashlyn, hoping to hear his name escape her mouth once again. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you staring at me?¡± Ashlyn asked. ¡°Nothing, nothing.¡± ir shook his head fervently before digging into the ice cream. When Ashlyn noticed that he was using his left hand, she queried, ¡°You¡¯ve hurt your right hand?¡± ¡°No.¡± ir hid his right hand further behind his back. ¡°Then why are you using your left hand? You¡¯re refusing to admit that you¡¯re hurt. Weak.¡± Tinsor exposed him for his lousy lie. ir red at him as he took out his right hand, to show to Ashlyn. He had been punching Hayden too vigorously earlier, and his knuckles were scraped. ¡°It¡¯ll be easy to treat this.¡± Ashlyn then asked for the first aid kit from the server and treated his wound herself. ¡°Brute force is not the only thing that is required when you fight. You need techniques as well.¡± Dabbing some ointment onto the cotton swab, she continued to clean his wound. ir was stunned by Ashlyn¡¯s words. She¡¯s notughing at me? What does she mean? She¡¯s so good at fighting! She¡­ Abruptly, ir was excited. He gulped. With a mouth full of ice cream, he inquired, ¡°Ashlyn, y-you-¡± ¡°I have a few friends who train every week. If the two of you are interested, you can join them,¡± Ashlyn suggested, as she threw the cotton swab into the bin, closing the first aid kit. Tinsor froze in his seat as he stared at Ashlyn. ¡°Goddess, wait. I¡¯ve been learning martial arts since I was a youngd. I refuse to learn it from someone else.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Ashlyn spared him a nce before she returned to her ice cream. ¡°The Jaquin family members are sessful businessmen now. Say, does your brother still train every day?¡± For a moment, Tinsor was at a loss for words. Ashlyn was right; his brother was constantly dealing with paperwork and clients now. Previously, Tinsor¡¯s brother had trained every day. As of now, he only trained once a week. He could foresee Winsor¡¯s training decreasing to only once every fortnight, and eventually, it would be once every month. Winsor was a busy man. ¡°Of course, Ashlyn.¡± ir nearly sobbed. Being the boy who lived in Lucas¡¯ shadows in the Nn family, this was the first time that someone had paid so much attention to him. Upon hearing his agreement, Ashlyn continued, ¡°Okay. Then you¡¯ll start tomorrow. I¡¯ll ask my friend to pick you up after school tomorrow. Once you learn where the ce is, you can head there by yourself the next time.¡± When Lucas entered the Imperial Hotel¡¯s restaurant, he swept his gaze across the crowd, before finally stopping at the corner table. By the table was an elegant woman with two teenagers¡­ eating ice cream. The three were merrily eating their ice cream like children. Although the man had a frigid, indifferent look on his face, he still attracted the stares of the restaurant¡¯s patrons. Chapter 462 Chapter 462 It was as though he was a firefly in the darkness; he had always caught the attention of those around him. Approaching the table, Lucas was somewhat able to overhear their conversation. ¡°Wow, goddess, are you really going to let him train? I¡­¡± It was Tinsor¡¯s voice. This boy has been chattering non-stop for days. It¡¯s annoying. ¡°Ashlyn, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll do my best. Soon, I-I¡¯ll be able to protect you.¡± ir was blushing at the thought of him protecting Ashlyn. The thought of it caused excitement to swell within his heart. ¡°Mm. You¡¯re quite fit. You should be able to make great improvements.¡± Ashlyn nodded. The excitement now surged into his head. Tinsor shot him a jealous re. Did Goddess just praise him? I¡¯m better in fighting than ir is! Lucas stared at the three. What are they talking about? Why is ir blushing? He looks like a teenager who is looking at his first love. Damn it! He strode over and sat himself down on the empty chair. His abrupt appearance stunned them, and they all turned to look at him. ¡°Lucas?¡± Ashlyn frowned. This man is persistent. He¡¯d actually chased me all the way here. ¡°What have you ordered?¡± the man asked. The dominating aura he exuded caused the two teenagers to fall silent. Tinsor thought, It¡¯s stressful to sit at the same table as him. Lucas held a much stronger presence than his brother. He could not help but feel impressed by ir and Ashlyn¡¯s resolve. I can¡¯t believe they are still able to stand upright when he¡¯s around. As expected of my goddess. She¡¯ll never disappoint me. Then, he heard Ashlyn¡¯s voice. ¡°Mr. Nn, we¡¯d only ordered for three.¡± She was evidently trying to drive him off. Lucas¡¯ gazended on the woman¡¯s transparent gloves. Gloves? Why is she wearing them? A terrible feeling settled at the pit of his stomach. The image of Lilian¡¯s autopsy report emerged within his mind. Her body had been coated with venom. His heart skipped a beat. Could it be that¡­ He suddenly grabbed Ashlyn¡¯s wrist as he looked into her eyes, not wanting to miss any expressions that shed across her face. He uttered, ¡°Come with me.¡± ¡°Lucas, what are you doing?¡± ir eximed. Ashlyn was shocked by the ferocious look that he had shot her. ¡°Lucas, we¡¯re at the Imperial Hotel now, not your house.¡± Lucas continued gazing at her sternly, with solemn eyes. His thin lips were pursed into a straight line. Without haste, he dragged her up and pulled her towards the restroom. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ashlyn struggled to break free of him. Nheless, her attempt was futile. She could only stumble as the man strode purposefully towards the direction of the restroom. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ir and Tinsor worriedly looked at the two before Tinsor had elbowed the former. ¡°Will your brother hit my goddess?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think so? My brother¡¯s not one to constantly resort to physical violence,¡± ir whispered, still unconfident with his answer. When Lucas dragged Ashlyn into the male restroom, he mmed the door loudly and locked it from the inside. Before Ashlyn could arrive at her senses, the man had pinned her to the door. Without realizing it, Ashlyn¡¯s eyes were fixed on the man¡¯s handsome face. He had the defined features of a nobleman, and he certainly appeared charming, from every angle. Even now, his solemn and cold expression still made her heart skip beats. Recollecting herself, Ashlyn muttered, ¡°You-¡± The moment her lips parted, as though he were a hungry wolf, the man leaned closer to seal her red lips with his. He greedily took in every part of her as if he had wanted to swallow her whole, then and there. Ashlyn struggled to ce her hands on his chest, hoping to push him away. However, Lucas was more swift. He grabbed her hands and pressed his chest onto hers. It was a deep and passionate kiss. Opening his eyes, Lucas gazed at the woman. Her eyes were closed, while her hair was draped down past her corbones. Hershes were fluttering too. Below her fair neck was a white dress that wrapped perfectly around her figure. She looked like an alluring elf that had stepped out of a fairytale. Chapter 463 Chapter 463 Lucas found a fire burning in his heart as he stared at her. He pulled the woman in front of him closer into his arms. Her fresh and unique scent wafted into his nose. The man¡¯s musk enveloped her as she stared at the attractive face that was only a hair¡¯s breadth away. Putting her hand on his chest, she could not help but pant aloud, ¡°Lucas, don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± Lucas tightened his grip around her waist. Complicated emotions wereced in his tone of voice. ¡°Honey, tell me. What are you hiding from me?¡± Under the dim yellow lights, the woman was like a goddess, whose beauty had stolen his breath away. Lucas continued pinning her against the door, gazing at the woman in his arms. The heat in his heart had burned brighter with every passing second. After another moment of looking at her red lips, he kissed her once again. An electric current ran down her body, and Ashlyn found herself slumping into his arms. Her longshes that had formed shadows beneath her eyes fluttered like butterfly wings. Her red lips were pursed, and Lucas could not make sense of what was currently running through her mind. When he released her, his gaze was still fixed on her. Raising his hand, he held Ashlyn¡¯s chin, while whispering into her ear, ¡°Honey, if you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll kiss you until you do.¡± ¡°Lucas, there¡¯s nothing to tell you of.¡± Ashlyn tried to push him away as she fought to control the weakness overtaking her body. Every time Lucas teased her, her traitorous body would weaken. Her legs could barely support her. Looking at the way that she was trying to suppress it, Lucas smirked. ¡°Honey, why are you doing this to yourself?¡± With the smirk still on his face, he swooped her into his arms. ¡°You can¡¯t even walk, yet, you¡¯re still so stubborn.¡± ¡°Put me down!¡± Ashlyn bit down hard on her lower lip. Her heart was thumping loudly, and at that moment, it felt as though a heatwave had hit her. The man murmured, his hot breath tickling her ear, ¡°No.¡± He walked into the elevator and headed towards the Imperial Hotel¡¯s twenty-third floor. Spencer had already reserved a room for him on that floor. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. When they entered the room, the man threw the woman onto the bed. Before she could regain her senses, Lucas pressed his body down upon hers. His weight suffocated Ashlyn; she pushed his chest away as her lips parted, to take in more air. The man swooped down and kissed her roughly. She tried to take in more air, but the man had be increasingly aggressive with his kiss. He panted, as love burned bright in the room that they were in. The surrounding temperature was seemingly raised. When he was done, he looked at the woman in his arms. Ashlyn¡¯s hair was in a mess, and her body was boneless and limp. He grabbed her fidgeting hand, ¡°Honey, are you really not going to tell me?¡± He sounded as if he was interrogating her. Ashlyn was weak, and for a moment, she thought that she had melted. To Lucas, she was like a sweet dessert that he could not stop tasting, after his first try. Lucas¡¯ breathing quickened as he narrowed his eyes. He looked like a starving wolf who had spotted an easy and delicious prey. Looking into the woman¡¯s clear eyes, he hoarselyined, ¡°Honey, why won¡¯t you tell me anything? It¡¯s been years, and you still hide everything from me.¡± Ashlyn had the most delicate facial features he had ever seen. He loved her slim neck, seductive corbones, messy hair, and blushing face. Her clear eyes held dissatisfaction. ¡°Lucas, I don¡¯t need you to poke your nose into my business.¡± However, something unexpected happened to Ashlyn. She found her body going numb, as the blush on her face darkened. It felt as though the blood in her veins was rushing; quicker than usual. She had struggled to catch her breath from the high temperature that she could feel. The longer Lucas looked at her, the more intense his gaze became. The way those watery eyes were begging for him struck him hard. Burning up, Ashlyn found her rationality slipping away from her. She started to panic, and she could not help but grab Lucas¡¯ waist. Chapter 464 Chapter 464 Hurricanes had formed in Lucas¡¯ eyes as he held her tightly. By now, Ashlyn had closed her eyes as she hugged him instinctively. His proximity to her made it feel as though she was embracing a block of ice, midsummer; she never wanted to let go. The temperature in the room seemed to be increasing. At the most crucial moment, Ashlyn abruptly pushed herself away from the man who was immersed in his feelings of lust. Lucas narrowed his eyes. When he looked at Ashlyn, she felt as though an elephant was standing atop her chest. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± With a flushed face, Ashlyn grabbed the box of condoms by the bedside table, throwing it at him. ¡°Use this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking me to use this?¡± Lucas felt humiliated. Whenever he did the deed with Ashlyn, he was always the one who ensured that he did not spill any in her. After all, pills were too harmful to her, and he did not have any ns to make his children illegitimate, seeing as they were divorced. However, he preferred enjoying the activity without anything on. Is she insinuating that I¡¯m not good at this? Is that why she¡¯s asking me to use this? At the man¡¯s furious expression, Ashlyn muttered, ¡°I¡¯ve never known how this thing feels like. Why don¡¯t we try it?¡± Ashlyn was cursed. What if I manage to pass it on to Lucas? Hence, the best solution was to stop it, from passing over to him. Ashlyn was still wearing her transparent gloves; her palms were the central point of the parasite. She had a parasitic worm in her, and she would pass it on to the man, especially if she were to engage in intimate activities with him. Hence¡­ Upon hearing her words, Lucas fell silent. However, he answered her with his actions. He tore the packaging open. * By the time Lucas awoke, it was already the next morning. He looked at his surroundings and found that the room was a mess. In other words, what had happenedst night was wild. He stood up to discover scratch marks all over his chest. The man¡¯s lips curled. She¡¯s like a feral kitten. He pulled the nket away, got down from the bed, and entered the bathroom. There was no sign of Ashlyn. She¡¯d left? Upon realizing her absence, a dangerous glint shed across Lucas¡¯ eyes. In a frigid tone, he cursed, ¡°Damn it!¡± He had wanted to interrogate her, but he had ended up losing his rationality during their intimacy instead. The woman had dodged a bullet again. Meanwhile, Ashlyn had arrived in the hospital. No matter how much vitality she had, she was still tired fromst night¡¯s vigorous activities. As of now, her waist was aching. She raised her hand to massage her waist as she instructed the doctors and nurses, ¡°I am sure that everyone is well-aware of Mr. Haddock¡¯s current condition. Let us prepare for the surgery right away.¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Dr. Berry, are you not feeling well?¡± The Director of Surgery asked in concern. ¡°Huh? No.¡± Ashlyn shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± With that, she left the meeting room, his medical records sped in her hands. At the doorway of the office. A man dressed in ck had a gloomy look upon his face. Behind him was an elegant woman in her thirties. It was Dixon and Sienna. Sienna stared in surprise at Ashlyn, who strode forward purposefully. Thetter had a thin waist and a perky bottom. Her perfect, tall figure could not be concealed, even when she was wearing a pair of white shoes and a loose white coat. her facial features were soft and delicate. The most striking feature was her bright eyes that were gleaming. She appeared both apathetic and cool. The end of her brows was slightly arched¡ªshe did not have the same thin brows that most women had. Surprisingly, her brows did not visibly contrast against her other features; instead, they blended wlessly together. This was the first time that Sienna had seen Ashlyn in her doctor¡¯s coat. Despite theck of makeup on her face, Ashlyn still appeared divine, even while she was dressed in a in white coat. Ashlyn took steps to approach, sweeping her gaze across the pair. ¡°Mr. Haddock. Ms. Oates.¡± ¡°When is my dad going in for surgery?¡± Dixon sounded indifferent, as though he was asking of the medical condition of a stranger. Sienna was quietly watching Dixon beside him. She realized that the man was expressionless while he was talking to Ashlyn. Chapter 465 Chapter 465 Sienna did not know what was wrong with her. A ridiculous thought had emerged in her head. Will Dixon be attracted to Ashlyn too? A secondter, she denied her own thoughts. Impossible. Dixon despises Ashlyn. To the Haddock Group, Ashlyn was a threat. She had destroyed one of the connections that the Haddock Group had, and Haddock Group had suffered a tremendous loss. How could he possibly fall for Ashlyn? Upon such a thought, Sienna heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°We¡¯ll start sharp, at nine in the morning,¡± Ashlyn answered, expressionless. At that moment, she took out a piece of paper from her folder. ¡°These are the necessities for his post- surgery recovery. You have to prepare all of these for him.¡± Generally, a nurse would be the one who would have to inform them about such details. However, as she had a copy with her right then, she decided to hand it over to Dixon. Sienna hurriedly epted it and thanked her. ¡°I have some matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± At that, Ashlyn retreated to her office. She had no ns of inviting the two into her office at all. Dixon stared at the closed office door for a while. Then, he turned to walk out of the building. Sienna had just lifted her foot, about to follow after him, when nausea rushed up to her throat. She quickly covered her mouth and ran past Dixon, straight towards the restroom at the end of the corridor. Dixon froze, as his eyes followed her running form. In the next second, he hurried after her. In the women¡¯s restroom, Sienna gripped the edge of the sink as she started retching. ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± Upon seeing her difort, Dixon raised his hand to gently pat her back. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you vomiting?¡± Sienna sucked in a breath before taking a piece of tissue to wipe her mouth. Crushing the tissue in her hand, she forced herself to calm down. Tucking her emotions away, she raised her head to look at Dixon. ¡°Maybe my stomach was upset.¡± Dixon stared at her coldly. ¡°If you don¡¯t feel well, you might as well do a checkup since we¡¯re in the hospital.¡± Sienna¡¯s face was pale, and her throat was dry. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ll just take some medicine later.¡± ¡°Sienna, are you challenging my patience?¡± Dixon abruptly mmed his palm on the wall and pinned her between him and the sink. He scowled, ¡°Why do you look so pale? Have you done something wrong?¡± Dixon¡¯s intense stare sent shivers down her spine. She stered a smile onto her face and answered, ¡°No. How can that be true? You know everything that goes on within thepany. Without your permission, I wouldn¡¯t have done anything. If I¡¯d made a mistake, you would¡¯ve fired me long ago.¡± Sienna was afraid of Dixon. Terrified, even. It was a fear that had consumed her. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Dixon could feel Sienna¡¯s trembling body. He retracted his arm to press his lips onto hers. ¡°Aunt Sienna, are you afraid of me?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not.¡± The smile remained on Sienna¡¯s face, but waves of terror were crashing onto her. If Dixon discovered that she was pregnant, she would be doomed. ¡°You¡¯re not pregnant, are you?¡± Dixon looked downwards at Sienna¡¯s still-t stomach. His words struck her like a bolt from the blue, and she found herself rooted to the ground. Tensing up, she looked at Dixon, face drained of color. In a determined tone, she replied, ¡°No. How could I possibly be pregnant?¡± Dixon was wearing a ck suit today, and it suited him to the T; the suitplemented his feminine looks, making him appear dangerous. ¡°Aunt Sienna, I hope that you¡¯re not hiding anything from me. Otherwise¡­ I¡¯m sure that you¡¯re familiar with my style.¡± Sienna shuddered as she lowered her eyes, not daring to look at him. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I wouldn¡¯t lie to you.¡± Dixon reached out to grab her chin. ¡°You¡¯d better not.¡± Keeping the panic away from her face, Sienna muttered, ¡°Dad¡¯s surgery is happening soon. Let¡¯s hurry.¡± * As Arthur had multiple fractures on his body, the surgerysted five hours. Chapter 466 Chapter 466 When Ashlyn, the main surgeon, had announced the end of the surgery, the other doctors and nurses copsed onto the ground. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted!¡± ¡°It has finally ended. What¡¯s up with the man. His bones were fractured in so many ces. No wonder Mr. Haddock couldn¡¯t find anyone to be his doctor.¡± ¡°He definitely needed Dr. Berry. His bones looked like they had gone through the grinder. We had to piece them back together. If they weren¡¯t pieced back well enough¡­¡± Ashlyn looked at her bone-weary colleagues and smiled. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s wrap up the surgery and send the patient to the ICU for twenty-four hours.¡± ¡°Sure, Dr. Berry.¡± The nurses climbed back onto their feet as they started work. ¡°It has been a tiring surgery. I¡¯ll treat you all to dinner at the Imperial Hotel tonight.¡± Once she had finished speaking, she walked out of the operating theater. Cheers sounded out from behind her. ¡°The Imperial Hotel!¡± ¡°All hail Dr. Berry!¡± When Ashlyn walked out of the operating theater, she saw Sienna sitting on the bench. She had aptop on herp, and she was working. The moment she heard the door opening, Sienna stood up to ask Ashlyn, ¡°Dr. Berry, how is he?¡± ¡°The surgery went well. All he needs now is to rest and recuperate for a while.¡± Ashlyn removed her surgical mask and took a breath of the fresh air. She was tired, and she had nned to take a break in her office. Right then, she heard footsteps and a woman¡¯s piercing voice. ¡°Dixon, what is going on? Why didn¡¯t you tell us about Dad¡¯s surgery?¡± Right then, she heard footsteps and a woman¡¯s piercing voice. ¡°Dixon, what is going on? Why didn¡¯t you tell us about Dad¡¯s surgery?¡± ¡°Jennifer¡­¡± Sienna turned. Just as her name had escaped her mouth, a loud p echoed in the corridor. ¡°B*tch, shut up. You¡¯re merely a bringer of misfortune. You have no right to call my name.¡± Jennifer red at Sienna. ¡°Everyone knows that you¡¯re with Dixon.¡± The middle-aged woman was Jennifer, the eldest child of the Haddock family. Behind her was Korbin, the eldest son of the Haddock family, along with his wife, Jacqueline. Pretending to be the nice one, she tugged Jennifer. ¡°Jennifer, Sienna¡¯s one of us now. You can¡¯t embarrass her in public.¡± All Sienna felt was the burning sensation on her face. She covered her swollen left cheek, looking nothing like the confident woman that she was in the office. Chewing on her lips, she forced the tears away from her eyes. She then took a deep breath and looked Jennifer in the eye. ¡°Jennifer, what have I done to infuriate you?¡± Jennifer sneered, ¡°It¡¯s one thing that Dixon didn¡¯t tell us about Dad¡¯s surgery, but it¡¯s another for you to not tell us either. Who gave you the courage to hide this from us?¡± Ever since Dixon had taken over the Haddock Group, he had ruled the family with an iron fist. His siblings were all suffocating under his control. Sienna was the only one who had be Dixon¡¯s right-hand man. Dixon¡¯s siblings had long hated Sienna. They did not even know that Arthur had been in surgery. Catching wind of the news, they had immediately rushed over to the hospital. As the weakest one, she was their target for venting their emotions upon. Sienna stared at her, upset. ¡°I¡¯m only following Dixon¡¯s orders about Dad¡¯s surgery. If you want to do your part, you can watch over him in the hospital. My husband¡¯s waiting for me at home. I¡¯ll head off now.¡± With that, she turned to leave. Unfortunately, Jennifer grabbed a handful of her hair and dragged her back. Pain prickling her scalp, Sienna gripped onto Jennifer¡¯s hands. ¡°Jennifer, let go of me! Let go!¡± She stumbled, and her heels soon broke off. Sadly, that was a minor concern to her, inparison to the stinging pain that wasing from her scalp. ¡°B*tch, how many men did you hook up with, to be the trustee of the charity?¡± Jennifer was envious of Sienna. Upon the establishment of Haddock Charity, Jennifer had been eyeing for the seat of the trustee. She had never expected the position to end up with Sienna. During these few years, the other Haddocks barely had any responsibilities. Sienna was the only one who had Dixon¡¯s trust, meaning that she was having a great life in the Haddock family.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Chapter 467 Chapter 467 The Haddocks hated her. They were here to hound her, with Arthur¡¯s surgery as their excuse. Throughout the entire ordeal, Ashlyn remained, watching silently from the side. She had not liked any members of the Haddock family. Although she was not a saint, nor a woman with overflowing sympathy, she did not enjoy the sight of Jennifer bullying Sienna. She furrowed her brows before taking a step forward to grab Jennifer¡¯s wrist. ¡°Ms. Haddock, the hospital isn¡¯t a ce for you to run wild. Please don¡¯t affect the other patients¡¯ recuperation.¡± ¡°Who are you? Who do you think you are? I¡¯m teaching my own siblings a lesson, and it¡¯s none of your business.¡± Jennifer¡¯s wrist had hurt from her tight grip; she could not help but release her grip on Sienna to fling Ashlyn¡¯s hand away. ¡°This is a hospital, and Mr. Haddock is my patient. Can you bear the responsibility for disrupting the other patients¡¯ rests?¡± Ashlyn stared at her with a questioning gaze. Jennifer rubbed her sore wrist as she red back, in return. Her heart skipped a beat as she thought, What a beautiful woman! She¡¯s the old man¡¯s attending doctor? How can that be? Whose leg is she trying to pull? ¡°What rubbish are you talking about? There aren¡¯t any doctors as young as you. If you¡¯re his attending doctor, I¡¯ll film myself eating sh*t!¡± Jennifer sneered in disdain. Suddenly, dozens of bodyguards swarmed toward them. It was a terrifying sight to witness. The leading man had a tray of something dark and slimy. Before Jennifer could see what it was, several other bodyguards had restrained her. The leading man had a tray of something dark and slimy. Before Jennifer could see what it was, several other bodyguards had restrained her. Spencer stepped on her knees and forced her to kneel before Ashlyn. Throwing the tray with the ck slimy stuff in front of her, Ashlyn uttered, ¡°Go ahead, Ms. Haddock.¡± Jennifer was so shocked that her face appeared pale, despite the thick foundation that she had applied. ¡°Who are you? What are you trying to do? We¡¯re in broad daylight. What are you going to do? Do you know who I am?¡± The ck, slimy stuff in the tray was disgusting, to say the least. Its pungent scent wafted across her nose, making her gag. One of the bodyguards forced Jennifer towards the tray, and she was now an inch away from it. Jennifer pursed her lips into a straight line as she widened her eyes. Tears brimmed in them. The rest of the Haddocks were staring at them, stupefied. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Where did these bodyguardse from? The first to return to their senses was Korbin. Without saying another word, he rushed over, trying to rescue Jennifer from the men in ck. However, he was far from a decent fighter, and he could not even cause the man to budge. Anxious, he shouted, ¡°She¡¯s Jennifer Haddock! If you really force her to eat sh*t, Dixon won¡¯t ever let you off the hook!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± A cold voice snorted before a towering man walked towards them. Turning to Dixon, he asked, ¡°Mr. Haddock, what are you going to do with me?¡± A soft but cold voice scoffed, ¡°Mr. Nn, aren¡¯t you funny? They¡¯re merely pieces of trash. They¡¯re not worth my time.¡± Korbin widened his eyes as he turned towards the direction of the voice. Then, he took two steps back in disbelief. What? How can this be? At the end of the corridor, two equally tall men with vastly different temperaments slowly walked towards them. Both were wearing ck suits, but Lucas had sharp features with a frigid look. He looked noble and elegant. With one hand in his pocket, his strong presencemanded all eyes in the room to turn to him. Dixon, on the other hand, was not as captivating as Lucas was. However, his soft features, which were much more feminine than a beautiful woman¡¯s, had a tinge of attractive slyness to them. His looks sent shivers down any onlookers¡¯ spines. When the two men came closer to them, Lucas¡¯ expression grew colder and gloomier. The heavy feeling that he had brought with him made everyone¡¯s heart skip a beat. He lowered his eyes to look at Ashlyn. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Ashlyn shook her head. Dixon¡¯s cunning eyes nced at a disheveled Sienna. Her hair and clothes were in a mess, and strands of her hair were lying on the ground, torn out by Jennifer. Chapter 468 Chapter 468 Sienna did not dare to look at him. I must appear ugly, seeing that I¡¯m in a mess right now. Subconsciously, she covered her swollen cheek with her hand, not wanting Dixon to see her in such a manner. ¡°Do you know how much Aunt Sienna has earned for the Haddock Group? Do you know how much she has done for the Haddock Group¡¯s reputation?¡± A sneer grew on Dixon¡¯s lips. ¡°The old man is still lying in his hospital bed, yet you¡¯re beating her up here? Here¡¯s my warning. Whoever looks down on Sienna Oates will be looking down on me as well.¡± Sienna raised her head to stare at Dixon in shock. W-What did he just say? How can this be possible? He¡¯s protecting me? Perking a brow up, he crouched down. Like a devil straight from hell, he grabbed Jennifer¡¯s chin and uttered, ¡°Witch. Which hand of yours had you used to hit her?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Jennifer could barely breathe, as she was an inch away from the feces. She had gagged and retched into the tray several times now. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me? I guess you¡¯ll lose both of your hands then.¡± Dixon waved, as another group of men in ck rushed over from the end of the corridor. One of the men had arge knife in his hands, and he walked over, towards Jennifer. Without saying anything, he grabbed his hand and raised the knife. ¡°No! Don¡¯t! Dixon, I was wrong! I won¡¯t pick a bone with Sienna anymore. Dixon, aren¡¯t you afraid of Dad holding you ountable for this?¡± Jennifer shrieked maniacally. Her eyes were as wide as saucers, and her back was soaked in sweat. A pungent smell came from her bottom. Ashlyn could not help but frown. A pungent smell came from her bottom. Ashlyn could not help but frown. Dixon retracted his hand and muttered, ¡°Coward. She¡¯s soiled herself.¡± He stood up, and a man instantly handed him a clean handkerchief. He took it and wiped his hands with a look of disdain. Just as Jennifer sighed, thinking that Dixon was letting her off, she heard the man¡¯s nonchnt voice. ¡°Chop them off.¡± Thump! A muffled noise. A knife swung down. A hand fell onto the ground. ¡°Ah!¡± Jennifer screamed, as she held onto her left arm and stared at the mutted spot. Blood was gushing out of the stump. The blood streamed down her clothes and puddled, onto the ground. Taken aback, Sienna retreated. Her face was pallid as she turned to look at Dixon. This was the first time that she had clearly sensed the terror of Dixon. With simr pale looks, Korbin and his wife were staring at Dixon. ¡°You¡¯re the devil himself!¡± Dixon paid no heed to Korbin¡¯s curses and fear. Instead, he turned to nce at Lucas. ¡°Mr. Nn, are you satisfied with how I¡¯d dealt with this?¡± ¡°Since Ms. Haddock has lost her hand, she gets to skip on the feces.¡± Lucas¡¯ eyes had a dark look in them. ¡°How dare you question whether she is a doctor or not? You must have had a death wish. Or perhaps, do you think that Arthur is enjoying too long of a life?¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve checked on Dr. Berry¡¯s identity. Do you think that she¡¯d earned the title of the best surgeon while sitting on her hands?¡± Spencer raised his leg to kick Korbin once more. Haddock trash. ¡°Mr. Haddock, Hayden had insulted my woman the day before today, and Ms. Haddock had questioned my woman today. Do the Haddocks think that the Nns are cowards?¡± asked Lucas in a cial tone as he raised his brows and stared fixedly at the Haddocks. Jennifer was on the verge of passing out from the pain, and words no longer formed in her brain. I¡¯ve already lost a hand. What else does Lucas want? Lucas Nn¡ªan intimidating presence, was the ultimate prominent figure of Lake City. He was ruthless and cruel. Even Dixon, of the Haddock family, had to be sidelined when Lucas was around. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Despite theck of changes in his expression, the words that spilled from his lips sent shivers down everyone¡¯s spine. ¡°I wonder what Mr. Haddock will do.¡± This was the first time that Dixon had been forced to do something. No thanks to these pieces of trash! With an angry glower, he hissed, ¡°I¡¯ll give three percent of Haddock Group¡¯s shares to Dr. Berry as compensation.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t need the shares,¡± Ashlyn, who had been silent, finally uttered, ¡°Mr. Haddock, why don¡¯t you donate thirty million to the Saunders Charity instead. It¡¯ll be for the group homes. Many children in group homes have tough lives, and many group homes don¡¯t have a source of ie. Why don¡¯t you allow some children who have just left the group home to work at Haddock Group?¡± Chapter 469 Chapter 469 Sienna chewed on her lips beforebing her hair back to tidy herself up. ¡°Dr. Berry, the Haddock Charity can do things like these. Why do you have to make this request?¡± ¡°Ms. Oates, with how the Haddock Group works¡­ I¡¯ll be honest with you. I¡¯m worried.¡± Ashlyn shed her a radiating smile. ¡°Take Naomi¡¯s incident as an example. If Ms. Oates weren¡¯t good with public rtions, perhaps¡­ Your charity won¡¯t be around anymore, will it?¡± Ashlyn was rubbing salt on her wound. Sienna paled as she lowered her head. She was d that Ashlyn had saved her earlier. However, they had stood on different sides, and it was impossible for them to be in a league. Dixon muttered, ¡°Since Dr. Berry has asked for it, it¡¯ll be thirty million and job arrangements.¡± Lucas did not understand why Ashlyn was doing it, but he supported her unconditionally anyway. Upon hearing Dixon¡¯s words, Ashlyn raised her armszily and yawned. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. She was fatigued, and she nearly fell asleep right where she stood. It had been a waste of her time and energy to watch the Haddock family¡¯s drama unfold. She turned, about to leave, when she heard a man¡¯s shout. ¡°Aunt Sienna!¡± Ashlyn turned to look in Dixon¡¯s direction to see Sienna sway and copse onto the ground. Between her legs, a puddle of blood was growing. It was an rming sight. Without wasting another second, Ashlyn rushed over and instructed Spencer, ¡°Call for the nurse and the physician assistant. Quickly!¡± It was an rming sight. Without wasting another second, Ashlyn rushed over and instructed Spencer, ¡°Call for the nurse and the physician assistant. Quickly!¡± Soon, urgent footsteps rushed towards them. Several nurses and doctors hoisted Sienna up. With one hand on Sienna¡¯s wrist to check her pulse, Ashlyn announced, ¡°The patient is most likely having a miscarriage. Send her to get an ultrasound. Notify the head of gynecology to prep for surgery.¡± ¡°Of course, Dr. Berry!¡± It seemed as though chaos had broken out on the scene, but Ashlyn was in control. Dixon, who had been staring at Sienna¡¯s face, felt as if he was struck by a bolt from the blue, upon hearing the word ¡®miscarriage¡¯. He widened his eyes at Sienna, who was unconscious, and it took him a while before he finally returned to his senses. ¡°Miscarriage? What did you say?¡± He grabbed Ashlyn¡¯s arm and stared at her. ¡°How can she be pregnant?¡± He had questioned her earlier, and she had simply told him that it was an upset stomach. How can she be pregnant now? Am I going to be a father? Am I going to have a kid? I can have a kid? How can this be? No. That¡¯s impossible. Dixon closed his eyes in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯ve studied Traditional Chinese Medicine. She does have the pulse of a pregnant woman.¡± Ashlyn spared a nce at Dixon before she pushed him away, running towards the ultrasound room. ¡°Mr. Nn, what shall we do now?¡± Spencer carefully peeked at Lucas. Lucas had arrived in a hurry, but Ashlyn had not even paid much attention to him. She had continued with her usual routine. She¡¯d ignored Mr. Nn¡­ Is he going to be upset? ¡°What can I do? She¡¯s my honey. I can only let her do what she wants,¡± Lucas sighed as he stared vacantly at the direction that she left in, ¡°She¡¯s so busy. What if she gets too tired? Spencer, go and¡­¡± ¡°Of course. I understand.¡± Upon hearing his request, Spencer rushed to work on it. Tsk. Is Mr. Nn finallying to his senses? Is he finally going to spoil her? * At five in the evening. At the gates of First Hospital, a truck with two words printed on its side¡ªThe Peacock¡ªslowly drove into the hospital grounds. Soon, numerous trolleys were brought down from the truck. Each trolley was filled with sumptuous and exquisite dishes. The trolleys were pushed to every floor and every room of the hospital. Doctors, nurses, patients, and visitors alike had all received dinners from The Peacock, including desserts and appetizers. Chapter 470 Chapter 470 ¡°Oh my god! What¡¯s going on? Why is The Peacock sending us meals?¡± ¡°The Peacock is almost as good as the Imperial Hotel. I¡¯d heard that it¡¯s one of the businesses owned by Nn Group.¡± ¡°Good God, have you heard of the news? Mr. Nn was at the hospital today. Someone had insulted Dr. Berry, and Mr. Nn was furious!¡± ¡°I saw Mr. Nn¡¯s assistant, Mr. White. He was the one who had given out instructions for The Peacock¡¯s staff.¡± Ashlyn was sorting out her documents when someone knocked on her office door. ¡°Come in,¡± she muttered. The door swung open with a creak, and the sounds of wheels rolling traveled into her ears. Ashlyn raised her head in surprise to find Lucas pushing in a trolley. What is he doing? ¡°The Peacock¡¯s senior server, Lucas Nn, will be serving you today.¡± The man¡¯s deep voice reverberated in the office. Ashlyn cocked her brows. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve invited my colleagues for dinner at the Imperial Hotel.¡± The moment those words left her mouth, the phone on her desk rang. She answered the call, and before she could say anything, her colleagues¡¯ excited voices boomed into her ears. ¡°Dr. Berry! Mr. Nn has given everyone in the hospital food, from The Peacock. Let¡¯s go for dinner another time.¡± The person who had called was so excited, that their voices had nearly shattered ss. What kind of rich man¡¯s scheme is this? Everyone in the hospital¡­ Does that mean that¡­ Did he include patients and visitors as well? Oh, God. Did he include patients and visitors as well? Oh, God. She returned the receiver to its original position as she looked at the tall man in front of her. She could never predict what he was going to do next, and she could neverprehend why would do what he did. Huffing quietly, she asked in curiosity, ¡°Lucas, what are you doing?¡± Lucas remained silent as he looked at her. Then, he strode towards her and pulled her towards the coffee table. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. The man ced his hands on her shoulders and started massaging them, with the right amount of strength. ¡°Am I using too much force?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just right.¡± Ashlyn nodded. He¡¯s massaging me? Ten minutester, Lucas uncovered the trolley. A bouquet of fresh roses revealed itself in front of Ashlyn, who was stunned. ¡°Honey, thank you for your hard work.¡± Lucas took the bouquet and handed it to her before he started taking out the dishes. Carefully, he ced them onto the table. So, he¡¯d bought everyone in the hospital a meal just because he¡¯d wanted to have a meal with me? I¡­ Ashlyn was dumbfounded. ¡°Your surgery is over. Why are you still wearing those gloves?¡± Lucas asked, taking note of the transparent gloves that she was still wearing. He quietly stared at it, waiting for her response. Ashlyn clenched her hands and muttered, ¡°I¡¯ve fallen in love with the feeling of gloves on my hands.¡± At that, Lucas fell silent and started feeding her dinner instead. The evening sun coated the sky in red. Such a mere task of feeding her was already an enjoyable activity for Lucas. Abruptly, his lips approached hers, as he and sealed off her lips. Ashlyn was speechless. * In the doctor¡¯s office. Dixon could barely believe his ears. ¡°What did you say?¡± They couldn¡¯t save my child? It felt as if he was dreaming. He trembled in fury. He lost his child right after he had discovered that he had one. This is all because of that b*tch, Jennifer. ¡°Damn it!¡± Even if he were to chop Jennifer¡¯s hands a million times over, it would never put out the burning rage in him. When the image of Sienna¡¯s bloody state emerged in his brain, he nearly lost his mind. The doctors at the gynecology department had never seen a family member of a patient as scary as he was. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and stuttered, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Haddock. We couldn¡¯t save the child.¡± Isn¡¯t Sienna Oates his aunt? The child should be his niece or nephew¡­ Why is he so agitated? Right then, a nurse walked over and said, ¡°Doctor, the patient in room 307 has woken up.¡± The doctor jumped to her feet as though she found an escape and hastily exined, ¡°Mr. Haddock, Ms. Oates has woken up. I have to go to her room toplete a check-up.¡± Chapter 471 Chapter 471 Without waiting for her response, Dixon spun around and strode towards the hospital ward. In the hospital ward, Sienna stared at the ceiling with a nk gaze. There was a dull pain in her lower abdomen and she knew¡­ that her child was probably gone. In the past, she had considered aborting him or escaping to a foreign ce before giving birth to him. However, it was only after he was truly gone that she found herself in deep, deep sorrow. This was her first time pregnant, while Dixon was her first man. At thirty-six, she was considered to have an advanced maternal age for pregnancy. Yet, she still did not have the right to have a child. If she gave birth to her child, he would be an illegitimate child. She had never experienced familial love before. So how could she make her son suffer as well? As tears rolled down her cheeks, she closed her eyes slowly. I¡¯m sorry, my baby. Mommy failed to protect you because she¡¯s too useless. She only knew how agonizing pain felt like after truly losing him. If only reality was like those typical novels. Then, she could abandon everything, escape overseas and raise her child alone. Unfortunately, the reality of life was naturally cruel. Dixon would never spare her! She sniffled, feeling despair overwhelm her. At that moment, she heard the sound of footsteps. Opening her reddened eyes which were brimming with tears, she gazed at the person. Dixon? Why does he look so furious? Oh right, of course, he¡¯ll be furious after learning about my pregnancy. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Dixon? Why does he look so furious? Oh right, of course, he¡¯ll be furious after learning about my pregnancy. ¡°I¡­¡± She was about to say something, but he cut her off, ¡°Sienna, who gave you the guts to hide it from me? Are you getting bolder and bolder? Do you feel happy now that your child¡¯s gone? Are you overjoyed? How can you wear such high heels despite being pregnant? You¡¯re pregnant, but you foolishly failed to protect yourself! You let that b****, Jennifer, hurt you!¡± His rough voice echoed in the room. His handsome face was twisted in rage, with an expression of utmost fury written all over his good- looking face. Sienna looked at him incredulously, unable to believe what she was seeing. Is this just my wishful thinking? Why did I spot a hint of pity in his eyes? A hint of a heartache? The doctor, who followed closely behind him, gave Sienna another check. ¡°Does your belly hurt?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you feel ufortable anywhere else?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You must tell me if you feel any difort. You can only have sex after a month. Remember to replenish your nutrients regrly. Otherwise, you might suffer from anemia and your body will turn weak. Since you¡¯re already at an advanced maternal age, if you don¡¯t take care of your body, it¡¯ll be harder for you to be pregnant again.¡± After reminding Sienna, he quickly left the ward as if he were running for his life. That man is so scary! He actually yelled at a patient. How terrifying! All of a sudden, Dixon looked extremely exhausted. After gazing at the weak woman lying on the hospital bed for a long time, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll let the maids at homee over to look after you.¡± ¡°If I told you that I was pregnant, would you have been willing to keep my baby?¡± Staring at the man¡¯s broad back, she suddenly asked. He paused before turning around and gazed at her deeply. ¡°If you didn¡¯t even ask, how would you know whether I¡¯ll make a good father or not?¡± Without saying anything else, he whirled around and left. Sienna buried herself into her covers. The tears, which she had been suppressing, finally surged out of her eyes as she sobbed in sorrow. My baby! My baby is gone! In Ashlyn¡¯s office, Lucas was gazing at Ashlyn with tightly pursed lips. His dark eyes were locked onto the woman, who waspletely engrossed in her meal. Despite not having any make-up on, her skin was smooth and wless. Her sparkling eyes and beautiful nose made her look exceptionally innocent and charming. She has such breathtaking beauty. But why must she be so sharp-tongued, then? Other women know how to act cute and flirt. Then, there¡¯s her¡­ Lucas¡¯ expression looked very nonplussed. While Ashlyn was eating, she raised her head and noticed that Lucas was silent. When she met his gaze, her heart could not help but skip a beat. Chapter 472 Chapter 472 ¡°Lucas?¡± Can he stop looking at me like that? I feel like I¡¯m his prey, and he¡¯s going to devour me anytime soon. Lucas lifted Ashlyn¡¯s small chin with his lean and boney fingers. With a deep gaze, he asked, ¡°Honey, I did such a good job today. Aren¡¯t you going to reward me with a kiss?¡± With that, he moved closer to her until they were only inches apart, his warm breath puffing across her face. He was charmingly devilish. Ashlyn had just stuffed a prawn into her mouth. Before she could say anything, Lucas¡¯ sexy lips pressed against hers. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, just feed me.¡± Hisrge palms cupped her tiny and smooth face. His strong, masculine aura caused her heart to pound rapidly and made her feel breathless. A lustful atmosphere spread across the silent office. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Ashlyn¡¯s face flushed. Where did this man learn such gangster-like moves from? He actually stole my prawn! She was overwhelmed by a sense of embarrassment and indignation. She did not know if the poison in her body could ever disappear. Perhaps, she might die anytime soon. As such, she did not want to leave any regrets. For so long, it was always Lucas chasing after her. This time¡­ Ashlyn did not know where she got the courage from. Stuffing another piece of chicken into her mouth, she grabbed Lucas¡¯ broad shoulders and pushed him against the sofa. She lifted her beautiful, porcin-like face and looked at him, her gaze falling onto his sexy lips. Her eyes were extremely bright. With a faint smile ying on her lips, she said in an indescribably domineering tone, ¡°Mr. Nn, since you¡¯ve not eaten, I¡¯ll feed you until you¡¯re full.¡± With a faint smile ying on her lips, she said in an indescribably domineering tone, ¡°Mr. Nn, since you¡¯ve not eaten, I¡¯ll feed you until you¡¯re full.¡± After speaking, her faintly pale lips sealed his. Lucas felt like his breath had hitched. As he looked at her, his gaze darkened. Did she actually took the initiative to kiss me? His eyes became sharper as a beastly expression appeared on his handsome face. In the next moment, he grabbed the back of her head and deepened the kiss forcefully and domineeringly. It was the first time that Ashlyn was responding to him so passionately. It¡¯s fine¡­ Since I might die soon. At the very least, I won¡¯t leave any regrets behind. Lucas was a man who could never control his feelings. He was exceptionally handsome, wild, and domineering. No woman could ever refuse such a man. When he was nice to a woman, it was as if she was the only one who existed in his world. Ashlyn could not help but confess that she had already fallen in love with him. But, so what? I¡¯m already poisoned. And it¡¯s an incurable poison. Sorrow and pain appeared in her eyes gradually. Lowering her head, she pursed her lips tightly as her initially sparkling eyes became dominated by a sorrowful look. She never expected that she not only had the Spirogyra in her body but also the Backtrack poison. God always likes to y jokes on me, huh? It¡¯s such a pity that I¡¯m going to die before I can find Mommy. I¡¯m going to die before I can find my sister. Even though I admitted that I have fallen in love with Lucas, I¡¯m still going to die anyway. She could not help but stretched out her arms, hug Lucas tightly and bury her face against his chest. ¡°Lucas, promise me that you¡¯ll continue living.¡± His brooding eyes flickered with a tinge of surprise. Ashlyn is not a pessimistic person. Instead, she¡¯s an extremely vigorous person, who is full of vitality. There¡¯s a strong, unbreakable spirit within her. Why is she saying something like that all of a sudden? This isn¡¯t like her at all. He was about to probe further when Ashlyn¡¯s phone rang on the table. It showed that the iing call was from L. Why is he calling? Lucas noticed a slight change in Ashlyn¡¯s emotions when she frowned. Lowering his gaze and looking at her phone, Lucas asked, ¡°Why is L calling you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ashlyn shook her head, but she still epted the call. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hello, Ms. Berry. I¡¯m sorry for disturbing you sote at night. However, I don¡¯t know who else to ask other than you.¡± L sounded extremely hesitant. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so polite, Mr. Fraser. Did something happen to Charlotte?¡± Ashlyn had a bad feeling about it. Chapter 473 Chapter 473 She had a feeling that L¡¯s call had something to do with Charlotte. ¡°Well¡­¡± Sighing, L started exining what happened. After a minute, Ashlyn hung up the call. When she raised her head, she noticed Lucas gazing at her solemnly. Her eyshes fluttered as she said, ¡°Lucas, I¡¯m going to work a shift at night. Go home first.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± A faint smile appeared on his lips. I don¡¯t need you to keep mepany, okay? All she wanted to do was to go to theb at Broadway Hospital and look at the results of today¡¯s research. The Backtrack poison was spreading across her body every day. If she were not wearing a long- sleeved shirt to conceal her wrists, the bruises there would be extremely noticeable. She was immediately overwhelmed by anxiety. Remaining passive is not my style. However, if Lucas insists on staying here, what should I do? Taking a deep breath, she hugged his muscr waist. ¡°Lucas, do you know something?¡± Lucas felt his breathing quicken as his heart pounded rapidly against his chest and his muscr body stiffening. Not only did she take the initiative to kiss me, but she¡¯s also sending herself into my arms? ¡°I really don¡¯t hate you anymore.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s lips curved upwards, revealing a dazzling smile that was as beautiful as a rose in full bloom. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leaned in and whispered beside his ears. ¡°What about you? How do you feel about me?¡± Lucas¡¯ voice was hoarse. ¡°Honey¡­¡± His brooding eyes scrutinized from Ashlyn¡¯s head to toe in disbelief. Lucas¡¯ voice was hoarse. ¡°Honey¡­¡± His brooding eyes scrutinized from Ashlyn¡¯s head to toe in disbelief. Suddenly, Ashlyn pinched his ears, moved her scarlet lips to his, and nted a kiss there. ¡°I want you!¡± Lucas¡¯ eyes sparkled brightly as he stared at Ashlyn¡¯s alluring red lips like a hungry wolf. At the very next second, he kissed her passionately. However, while Ashlyn was hooking her arms around his neck, a silver needle suddenly appeared on her fingertip! She stabbed it into the back of his neck! Instantly, he felt a piercing pain, as if he had been bitten by a red ant. Then, a numb feeling spread across his body and he started to lose consciousness. Lucas¡¯ eyes became bloodshot, making him look as terrifying as Hades. ¡°Ashlyn! How dare you? I¡¯ll strangle you!¡± Laughing, Ashlyn jumped away from Lucas and blew a kiss at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lucas. I¡¯ll tell Spencer to pick you up.¡± Lucas¡¯ burly body toppled onto the ground. Right before hended, he saw Ashlyn took off her white coat and strode out. She¡¯s lying! She¡¯s not working a night shift at all. Just what exactly is she nning to do that she has to keep it from me? Looking at her back, Lucas¡¯ expression turned ugly. The situation had slipped out of his control. What secrets are she hiding? He wanted to chase after her. However, the tranquilizer¡¯s effects were starting to show. The strength in his body disappeared as he gradually closed his eyes. In theb at Centennial Healthcare, Ashlyn forced herself to stay awake at the meeting table as she listened to the eight researchers¡¯ report. ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that there¡¯s no progress at all, right?¡± Ashlyn massaged her temple tiredly. ¡°All of you may leave now. Leave the report with me.¡± The eight researchers left guiltily. Jared sat beside her, feeling worried. ¡°Boss, how are you feeling? Did any other symptoms appear today?¡± Ashlyn took off her gloves and revealed her wrists, which had been eroded by the poison. ¡°I¡¯m extremely, extremely tired. Jared, if this doesn¡¯t work, in the future¡­¡± Before Ashlyn could finish her sentence, Jared interrupted her, ¡°Boss, nothing will happen to you. We¡¯ll definitely develop an antidote! We¡¯ll never give up until the veryst moment.¡± Looking at Ashlyn¡¯s exhausted face, Jared felt heartbroken. He assured, ¡°Boss, you¡¯re going to be fine. I¡­ I¡¯ll just infiltrate the NN Terrorist Group to look for the antidote.¡± ¡°Do you think that I haven¡¯t sent anyone there?¡± Ashlyn chuckled. ¡°But it¡¯s futile. They can¡¯t find anything.¡± She gazed at the night sky outside the window. After a while, she said, ¡°Jared, I even invested in a movie! I wonder if I can survive until its release in the theatres.¡± Chapter 474 Chapter 474 ¡°Of course you will, Boss. Let¡¯s just take your medicine first.¡± Jared stood up and poured a ss of warm water for Ashlyn. After taking the ss of water, she took two sips and swallowed a ck pill. The ck pill only served to ease her mind. It waspletely ineffective. A vicious gaze shed across her eyes. If that¡¯s the case, I should just do something that I¡¯ve wanted to do the most. At Whind Vi, Lucas spotted Spencer standing beside the bed when he opened his eyes. When Spencer felt Lucas¡¯ sharp gaze on him, his heart skipped a beat. ¡°Mr. Nn, you¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°How long have I slept for?¡± Lucas sat up and massaged his forehead. What a vicious woman. Her tranquilizer is so strong that I¡¯m still feeling a bit ufortable. The ck shirt that he was wearing had two buttons unbuttoned, revealing his sexy corbones. Paired with his disheveled hair, he exuded a wild and untamed aura. ¡°You¡¯ve slept for four hours,¡± replied Spencer quickly. ¡°It¡¯s already midnight.¡± Lucas¡¯ hoarse voice sounded slightly cold. ¡°Where¡¯s Ashlyn?¡± ¡°Ms. Berry¡­ She¡­¡± Spencer nced at Lucas briefly before grabbing a file on the bedside table and passing it to him. ¡°Mr. Nn, you should take a look at this first.¡± Lucas did not respond. Taking the file, he flipped to the first page. When he took a closer look at what was written on it, his sharp eyes narrowed. A cold and furious look appeared on his face. ¡°What is this? Are you saying that Ashlyn has been poisoned by the Backtrack poison?¡± Spencer nodded. ¡°Yes. Lilian¡¯s body was coated with this poison. Its effects are extremely powerful. It can infect others simply through touch. The consequences of the infection are horrendous. The poison will erode the brain slowly, gradually causing the victims to lose all brain functions. In the end, the victims would be unable to take care of themselves. Their bodies will weaken, and they¡¯ll gradually die, while all body functions will degenerate. Ms. Berry¡­ seems a bit strange recently.¡± Spencer nodded. ¡°Yes. Lilian¡¯s body was coated with this poison. Its effects are extremely powerful. It can infect others simply through touch. The consequences of the infection are horrendous. The poison will erode the brain slowly, gradually causing the victims to lose all brain functions. In the end, the victims would be unable to take care of themselves. Their bodies will weaken, and they¡¯ll gradually die, while all body functions will degenerate. Ms. Berry¡­ seems a bit strange recently.¡± She¡¯s not just strange¡ªshe¡¯s acting extremely out of the norm! When Lucas thought of how Ashlyn refused to be intimate with him, how she kept wearing transparent gloves¡­ and how she escaped after knocking him out with the tranquilizer¡­ Damn it! He was now certain that Ashlyn had been poisoned. ¡°Prepare the car. We¡¯re going to Bayview Vi.¡± Lucas tossed the nket aside, exuding an extremely vicious aura. The next morning was extremely cloudy. Dark clouds loomed over the sky as if a thunderstorm were going to ur anytime soon. A suppressive atmosphere filled the air. In the Fraser family¡¯s dining room, Charlotte looked at L, who was wearing a silver suit. Normally, he would wear the iconic blue firefighter uniform. However, he was wearing a suit now. The tailor-made suit fitted nicely over the man¡¯s lean body, making him look dignified and impressive. ¡°Uncle L¡­ what¡¯s up with you today?¡± Charlotte¡¯s blinked as she stared at him with her bright eyes. An embarrassed look appeared on L¡¯s face. When confronted with her clear eyes, he could not utter a single lie. He sat down opposite Charlotte and took a sip of his coffee. After calming himself down, he exined, ¡°I need to go out for something.¡± ¡°Oh, is it something important?¡± Charlotte looked extremely yful and teasing. ¡°Uncle L, you look really handsome wearing this!¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. L merely smirked and did not say anything. After breakfast, he drove away. Pouting, Charlotte looked at the butler. ¡°Do you know what Uncle L¡¯s doing? Why is he acting so mysterious?¡± The butler coughed lightly. Naturally, he did not dare to gossip about his employer¡¯s affairs in private. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe there are some matters to settle.¡± With that, he went to buy groceries with the maids in charge of the kitchen. The house immediately became very empty. Charlotte was about to leave and go upstairs when she heard the sound of footstepsing from the living room. Thinking that L had forgotten to bring something, she smiled and turned her head around. ¡°Uncle L, did you¡­¡± Chapter 475 Chapter 475 When Charlotte took a closer look at the person, her smile faded gradually. ¡°Mrs. Fraser?¡± Mrs. Fraser gave Charlotte a once-over. The slender and tall teenage girl was wearing a pink nightgown, with red strawberries printed on it. Its sleeveless design revealed her fair shoulder and chest, as well as her straight, thin legs. ¡°Did you seduce my son with this figure of yours?¡± Charlotte¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Mrs. Fraser, my rtionship with Uncle L isn¡¯t what you think it is.¡± Mrs. Fraser smiled smugly. ¡°It¡¯s not? Then, why are you staying at my son¡¯s ce and refusing to leave? Charlotte, let me be honest with you. My son is going to attend a blind date today.¡± ¡°A blind date? Uncle L is attending a blind date?¡± The color drainedpletely from Charlotte¡¯s face as she stared at the proud Mrs. Fraser in disbelief. No wonder L was dressed up so handsomely this morning. So, the matter he was talking about was the blind date! But why didn¡¯t he tell me? Why is he hiding it from me? ¡°His blind date is the eldest daughter of Wood Group. As a socialite who had just returned from her study abroad, she¡¯s wealthy, educated, and has a good background. Now, look at you. What reason do you have to keep staying by my son¡¯s side?¡± Mrs. Fraser poked Charlotte¡¯s forehead with a finger that had a ruby ring wrapped around it. Her manicured nails were decorated with essories, and they stabbed into Charlotte¡¯s skin, causing bloody scratch marks to appear on her forehead. It was an rming sight. Shaking her head vigorously, Charlotte gazed at Mrs. Fraser as she hurled insults at her. Mrs. Fraser¡¯s scolding echoed in her ears like piercing rms. It was an rming sight. Shaking her head vigorously, Charlotte gazed at Mrs. Fraser as she hurled insults at her. Mrs. Fraser¡¯s scolding echoed in her ears like piercing rms. No¡­ No, it¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s not¡­ Her face became so pale that it was almost translucent. The more anxious she was, the more she found it hard to say anything. When confronted by the domineering and mean Mrs. Fraser, she could not utter a single word. All she could do was shake her head in terror as tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrobly. I don¡¯t want to go outside anymore. The outside world is so horrible. Lottie¡­ Lottie, go back to your own world. Go back. Go back! A voice in her mind kept persuading her. ¡°Why are you crying? You useless piece of trash! What do you know except to cry? You¡¯ll only be a burden to my son! Let me tell you this. You¡¯re just a burden! If it wasn¡¯t for you, my son would¡¯ve been married a long time ago. Then, he won¡¯t still be unmarried despite being thirty years old! Who do you think you are? You¡¯re just a ything for my son! When he¡¯s fed up with you, he¡¯ll just discard you in a corner!¡± Charlotte¡¯s pretty eyes widened. Covering her ears, she shook her head vigorously. Stop talking! Stop talking! No, I¡¯m not! I¡¯m not! Her tears surged from her eyes, leaving two streaks of tears on her pitifully beautiful face. The more Mrs. Fraser looked at her, the more enraged she became. This b****! This seductress! With a seductive face like that, why is she pretending to be weak? Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g When she thought about how Charlotte kept clinging onto L and preventing him from being together with the socialites, Mrs. Fraser felt fury raged within her. An unknown strength suddenly coursed through her body. She vented all the suppressed anger and hatred she had towards Charlotte. pping Charlotte¡¯s face, she yelled, ¡°B****, I¡¯ll tear your face apart today. With that, you¡¯ll have nothing to seduce men with anymore!¡± Feeling humiliated, Charlotte clutched her face, which was burning in pain. She subconsciously raised her hand to resist Mrs. Fraser. Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t hit me! Mrs. Fraser¡¯s eyes narrowed when she sensed her resistance. Her fury started to ovee her rationality. With a menacing gaze, she scanned the shelves and spotted a sewing kit. The maid had ced it there casually after using it yesterday. Walking over briskly, Mrs. Fraser grabbed the sewing kit and shook out a dozen needles from it. Chapter 476 Chapter 476 She raised the needle, whose sharp tip glinted in the light, and walked towards Charlotte. ¡°I¡¯ll stab your face until it¡¯s ruined! Perhaps then, you won¡¯t dare to appear in front of my son again. After all, men are superficial beings who only care about beauty. If your face is destroyed, who would want you? Even if you be a prostitute, no one would want to sleep with you!¡± Charlotte was shocked and terrified. She could not help but stagger backward and shield her body with her arms, trying to protect herself. ¡°No!¡± screamed Charlotte miserably. She retreated backward further out of fear until her back was pressed against the wall. Holding the needles, Mrs. Fraser inched closer and closer to Charlotte. Charlotte¡¯s expression changed drastically as she stared at the sharp tips of the needles. Mrs. Fraser strode towards her and stabbed the needles she was holding forcefully onto Charlotte¡¯s face. ¡°Ahhh¡ª¡± While Charlotte shrieked in misery, a dozen needles had already stabbed her face. The pain was excruciating. Blood flowed down the needles, making her beautiful face looked extremely horrifying. Mrs. Fraser released her grip instantly. When she gradually regained her rationality and saw what had happened in front of her, she shook her head vigorously. ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s not like that. I didn¡¯t stab you¡­ I didn¡¯t even want to hurt you.¡± Pointing at Charlotte, who had dropped to her knees due to the unbearable pain, she snapped viciously, ¡°You forced me to do this. If you didn¡¯t seduce my son, I wouldn¡¯t have lost my rationality out of fury!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to harm you on purpose. Please don¡¯t me me! Charlotte, if you want to me someone, me it on your terrible fate and family. After all, you¡¯re nothing but an orphan!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to harm you on purpose. Please don¡¯t me me! Charlotte, if you want to me someone, me it on your terrible fate and family. After all, you¡¯re nothing but an orphan!¡± With that, Mrs. Fraser hurriedly dashed towards the mansion¡¯s door. When the rm clock rang, Ashlyn¡¯s mind was still nk. It took her quite a while before she finally came to her senses and realized that she needed to take Charlotte out shopping. She nced at her dark wrists habitually, discovering that the ck patches had already spread to the middle of her arm. She smiled helplessly. This poison is spreading really quickly. Taking a deep breath, she finished washing up and left theb. As she was too tiredst night, she fell asleep there. When she walked to her Land Rover, she saw Anderson sitting on the driver¡¯s seat. The young man looked at her worriedly, while Ashlyn raised her eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet. Why do you look so depressed?¡± ¡°Boss¡­¡± called Anderson, almost choking on his tears. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Get rid of that melodramatic expression. I¡¯m a scourge, okay? I will not die so easily. Perhaps, there might be a cure tomorrow.¡± Patting his shoulder, Ashlyn sat on the seat beside him. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Fraser family.¡± Half an hourter, the car stopped outside the Fraser family¡¯s mansion. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. When Ashlyn alighted the car, she frowned when she noticed that the entrance to the mansion was wide open. Once inside, her sharp senses brought her attention to the blood on the floor. She was taken aback. Why is there blood on the floor? She strode towards the living room briskly. The air in the empty living room was filled with the metallic smell of blood, while drops of blood were sttered on the clean floor. ¡°Charlotte?¡± Ashlyn started to panic. What happened? Why is there blood? She heard no response in the empty mansion. Calling Anderson quickly, she instructed, ¡°Come in.¡± Unsure of what was going on, Anderson alighted the car and dashed into the mansion. He immediately saw the panicked look on Ashlyn¡¯s pretty face. ¡°You¡¯ll go upstairs, while I¡¯ll search in the courtyard. Charlotte¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Why is she gone?¡± Anderson was shocked too. Both of them went their separate ways to search for Charlotte. After ten minutes, they met at the mansion¡¯s entrance again. ¡°She¡¯s not upstairs.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not in the courtyard either.¡± Ashlyn was worried sick. As Charlotte was autistic, she was afraid that something bad might have happened to her. ¡°Tell the others to search for her. I¡¯ll look for L right away.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Meanwhile, L was sitting in a caf¨¦, which had a rxing atmosphere. Over ten minutes have passed since the agreed time, but Ms. Warhol was nowhere to be seen. Chapter 477 Chapter 477 He fidgeted with his cup of coffee in annoyance. Just when he was about to leave, someone pushed the ss door of the caf¨¦ open. A woman, who was dressed fashionably with a pair of sunsses on, walked in slowly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the traffic was congested. You must have waited for long, Mr. L.¡± Olivia took off her sunsses and shed him a smile which she thought was pretty. ¡°I just arrived too,¡± replied L indifferently. Olivia scrutinized the man in front of her. Wearing a suit, he had a dignified aura. In addition to his good looks, he came from a wealthy family too. She heard that he was a firefighter who did not like to inherit the family business. How interesting. ¡°Mr. L, do you have any hobbies?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°What do you like to eat? Western or Asian?¡± ¡°Ms. Warhol, I¡¯ll get straight to the point.¡± Annoyed, L interrupted Olivia¡¯s questions. He raised his dark eyes and finally looked at her. ¡°I have someone whom I like. This blind date was arranged by my mother against my wishes. I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯ll have to go first.¡± Olivia, who was initially very interested, immediately turned upset. She eximed in a high-pitched voice, ¡°What did you say?¡± L stood up. He knew that his attitude would infuriate her, but he needed to tell her. ¡°I¡¯m saying that we¡¯re not right for each other.¡± ¡°L, you¡¯re being such a bully! Do you think that I won¡¯t be able to marry? Or do you think that you¡¯re extremely charming?¡± Olivia was so furious that her face turned pale and her body was quivering. ¡°Let me tell you this. You¡¯ll pay for your actions today!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Warhol.¡± L apologized to Olivia. With that, he strode out of the caf¨¦ briskly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Warhol.¡± L apologized to Olivia. With that, he strode out of the caf¨¦ briskly. Ovee by fury, Olivia grabbed the cup of coffee on the table and hurled it at his back. L felt a pang of paining from his back. The coffee mug fell onto the ground and broke into smithereens. The hot coffee seeped through his suit and burned his back while leaving arge stain on the expensive suit. It was an rming sight. He turned around slowly and red at Olivia coldly. ¡°I¡¯m shocked by your character, Ms. Warhol.¡± After speaking, he left without looking back. The moment he exited the caf¨¦, his phone rang. Ashlyn? For some reason, L had a bad feeling. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ms. Berry? What? Are you saying that Lottie is gone and there¡¯s blood on the floor? Okay, I¡¯ll send someone to search for her right away.¡± He hung up the call. In the next moment, the BMW dashed out like an arrow, instantly disappearing from the caf¨¦¡¯s entrance. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Olivia stood up quickly and got into a Mercedes parked at the caf¨¦. She instructed the driver, ¡°Investigate who¡¯s the b**** L¡¯s taking care of.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± The driver quivered. Looks like her blind date didn¡¯t go well! At some point, it started drizzling. The bleak raindrops were like the reflections of the pedestrians¡¯ sorrow. A teenage girl, who waspletely drenched, walked aimlessly in the rain. Like a zombie, she staggered forward unsteadily, her expression despondent. ¡ªB****, I¡¯ll tear your face apart today. With that, you¡¯ll have nothing to seduce men with anymore! ¡ªI¡¯ll stab your face until it¡¯s ruined! Perhaps then, you won¡¯t dare to appear in front of my son again. After all, men are superficial beings who only care about beauty. If your face is destroyed, who would want you? Even if you be a prostitute, no one would want to sleep with you! No¡­ No one will sleep with me¡­ I¡¯m not a prostitute, neither am I a b****¡­ I just don¡¯t have a mother. I don¡¯t have a mother¡­ Mommy, I miss you so much¡­ Mommy, where are you? Mommy¡­ The dozen needles were still stuck in Charlotte¡¯s face. As her injuries had not closed up yet, blood kept dripping down her face. The relentless rain beat against her face, causing the wounds to hurt terribly. Not only did her face hurt, but her heart was also aching terribly. Uncle L, I¡¯m sorry¡­ Did you not marry because I¡¯ve been a burden to you? Chapter 478 Chapter 478 No, I¡¯m really not a b****. Mommy¡­ Mommy¡­ The rain started to be heavier gradually, and the drizzle turned into a huge downpour. Unable to bear the emotional and physical pain anymore, the weak teenage girl fainted in the rain. At that moment, a ck car stopped slowly. A tall man opened the doors, stepped out, and carried Charlotte into the car. Then, the car doors mmed shut before the car disappeared into the rain¡­ At the Fraser Residence, L red at the butler grimly. ¡°Where did Lottie go? Why is there blood on the floor?¡± ¡°Sir¡­ After you left, I went to buy groceries with the maids. I don¡¯t know what happened, or where Ma¡¯am went.¡± The butler was also extremely flustered after knowing that Charlotte had disappeared. ¡°Look for her! We must find her! Go to the securitypany and hire thirty bodyguards right away. Even if we have tob through the entire Lake City, we must find her!¡± L was so worried that he was almost losing his mind. ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll do it now.¡± Ashlyn massaged her forehead tiredly. ¡°Mr. L, does Charlotte have any favorite ces? Did you search there? And did something important happened today? Why must you go out?¡± She did not know why she was so inexplicably worried about Charlotte. After all, she was not extremely close to her. However, when the thought that such a kind girl like Charlotte might be harmed, or something bad might have happened to her, Ashlyn felt sad and her heart would ache. However, when the thought that such a kind girl like Charlotte might be harmed, or something bad might have happened to her, Ashlyn felt sad and her heart would ache. It was a strange feeling for her. ¡°She usually goes out with me, she never goes out alone. Her sickness fluctuates¡­¡± L could not continue his sentence. As he spoke, tears brimmed in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have left.¡± Taking a deep breath, a look of guilt and self-me appeared on his face. ¡°My mom forced me to go on a blind date. To make my rejection clear to the other party, I went and stayed for a few minutes¡­ I¡­ I told her clearly that there¡¯s someone I like.¡± ¡°Mr. L!¡± Ashlyn interrupted him sternly. A strict expression was on her pretty face. ¡°If you like Charlotte, you should protect her well. Don¡¯t be half-hearted and let her get hurt.¡± Ashlyn nced at him coldly. ¡°From what I heard from you, your mother doesn¡¯t like Charlotte. Have you thought of the possibility that your mother visited after you left?¡± When L heard Ashlyn¡¯s words, he was in disbelief. Subconsciously, he rebuked, ¡°How is that possible? My mom won¡¯t try to make things difficult for Lottie behind my back, right? She¡¯s just a young girl. No matter how much my mom dislikes her, she won¡¯t¡­¡± Ashlyn caught the critical point quickly. Her face turned grim as she said, ¡°You mom dislikes her. Hence, you wouldn¡¯t know if she did anything crazy, right? Bring me to your mom right away.¡± ¡°Bring you to my mom? Why do you want to visit my mom? Isn¡¯t this a bit inappropriate? She doesn¡¯t know you at all,¡± replied L hesitantly. Ashlyn raised her head and looked at him with a cold gaze. At that moment, L felt like he was looking at Lucas. Both of them were equally cold, leaving no room for negotiation. A single re from Ashlyn was enough for all the words he wanted to say to be stuck in his throat. Twenty minutester, a few ck cars stopped in front of the Fraser family¡¯s house. A slender and tall woman, who was d in ck from head to toe, stepped out of the Land Rover in front. Standing in the heavy rain, she looked like the grim reaper from Hell. Another man who was dressed in ck alighted the car and raised an umbre above her head. The woman waved her hands and the men in ck immediately separated into two rows, dashing into the house. Mrs. Fraser felt very uneasy for the whole day. Why did I stab Charlotte¡¯s face with needles? She would nce at her fingers asionally. Why did I lose my mind and do such a crazy act?This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Chapter 479 Chapter 479 If L knows about it¡­ He treasures Charlotte so much. Will he hate me? No, no way. He will never know. But what if that little b**** told him? Mrs. Fraser felt extremely worried and ufortable. After waiting for the entire day, she did not hear any usations from L. Instead, Mrs. Warhol called and mocked her. As she was still concerned about the incident with Charlotte, she could not be bothered to argue with Mrs. Warhol. After a few minutes, she hung up the call. Mr. Fraser raised his head from the television and gazed at Mrs. Fraser. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you today? Why do you keep sitting and standing up?¡± A look of annoyance shed across her face as she snapped, ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Mr. Fraser frowned. She¡¯s acting so strangely. ¡°What else can happen to me? Mrs. Warhol called me, so I¡¯m feeling very frustrated,¡± said Mrs. Fraser as she sat on the sofa. The moment she sat down, two rows of men in ck charged into the living room, exuding a hostile aura. Shocked, she almost fell from the sofa. She shrieked, ¡°Who are you? Why did you barge into my house?¡± On the other hand, Mr. Fraser was calmer. Standing up, he red at the men. ¡°Who are you? Did the Fraser family offend any big-shot? Did we offend a deity?¡± The living room was filled with a suffocating silence. Only the sound of raindrops outside could be heard. ¡°I don¡¯t dare to call myself a deity. I just want to ask you, Mrs. Fraser, if you went to L¡¯s house this morning.¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t dare to call myself a deity. I just want to ask you, Mrs. Fraser, if you went to L¡¯s house this morning.¡± A cold voice sounded from the midst of the rain. Then, a slender figure stepped into the living room. What kind of face is that? With the rainy night serving as her backdrop, her face looked as exquisite as a nymph, while her facial features were very delicate. However, the look in her eyes was extremely cold, sending chills down one¡¯s spine. Mr. Fraser had experienced all sorts of things in life. Despite that, as he scrutinized Ashlyn, he wondered, Since when did such a powerful person appear at Lake City? The young woman looked elegant and dignified, yet the cold and intimidating aura around her was frightening. Even a man like him, who was already past the age of fifty, shuddered unwittingly. Having turnedpletely pale, Mrs. Fraser looked at Ashlyn who hade to interrogate her. She instantly knew that Ashlyn did note with kind intentions. However, Mrs. Fraser stubbornly refused to confess. ¡°Miss, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. Normally, I won¡¯t go to my son¡¯s house unless something happened.¡± Ashlyn scoffed coldly. ¡°Really?¡± Mrs. Fraser forced herself to remain calm. ¡°If nothing happened, I usually won¡¯t disturb him.¡± ¡°Charlotte is autistic. She doesn¡¯t have any friends too. Why would she disappear for no reason? Are youpletely oblivious to that, Mrs. Fraser?¡± Ashlyn raised an eyebrow as she looked at the stubborn Mrs. Fraser. Although the middle-ageddy looked quite simr to L, she was nowhere as honest as him. Her eyes kept flitting, which was a tell-tale sign that she was lying. Does she treat me as a three-year-old child who can be easily fooled? Looking like she was taken aback, Mrs. Fraser eximed in shock, ¡°Oh my God! Is Lottie missing? Why didn¡¯t L tell me and his father?¡± ¡°Lottie¡¯s gone?¡± Mr. Fraser was surprised too. Having seen Charlotte a couple of times, he thought of her as a quiet and pretty girl. Although he had some qualms about her living with his son, he had never harmed Charlotte because he thought that she had a pitiful life as an orphan. Never did he expect Charlotte to go missing. As he had been married to Mrs. Fraser for many years, he nced at her subconsciously, finally understanding why she was so uneasy for the entire day. His instincts informed him that this incident must be rted to Mrs. Fraser. A terrifying thought surfaced in Mrs. Fraser¡¯s mind. If Charlotte¡¯s gone, does it mean that my son doesn¡¯t know that I stabbed her? That¡¯s great! If that b**** is missing, she should never be found. She was ted by that thought. This way, my son will never know that I stabbed that little b****. Chapter 480 Chapter 480 With that, he can get together with Ms. Warhol and marry a year and a halfter. If they give birth to a child, I¡¯ll finally be able to have a grandchild! Mrs. Fraser thought that she had concealed her emotions well. However, unbeknownst to her, Ashlyn noticed all of her expressions. ¡°Looks like you don¡¯t n on telling the truth, Mrs. Fraser. It doesn¡¯t matter. I love to teach a good lesson to liars.¡± Ashlyn pped her hands. Two men in ck walked in, carrying a meter-long ss case. The case was filled with vigorous venomous scorpions. Each of them waved their huge pincers as if they were ready to mp down on someone¡¯s skin and inject the venom into them. The color from Mrs. Fraser¡¯s smooth face waspletely drained as she stared at the case. She had never seen so many venomous scorpions in her life. Her heart pounded frantically against her chest. She could not help but shriek, ¡°Take them away! Take them away now! Who are you? Why are you causing a ruckus at my house? I¡¯m going to call the police. We live in awful society. The police will lock you up! Not only did you trespass on private property, but you¡¯re also nning to torture us!¡± The entire house was silent even after Mrs. Fraser¡¯s screams. All the servants had been restrained by Ashlyn¡¯s men. With a cold smirk, she gazed at Mrs. Fraser. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me the truth, I¡¯ll let you y a game with these scorpions. How about that?¡± ¡°No! You madwoman. Who the hell are you?¡± Mrs. Fraser widened her eyes and red at Ashlyn. ¡°No! You madwoman. Who the hell are you?¡± Mrs. Fraser widened her eyes and red at Ashlyn. Despite Mr. Fraser¡¯s good temper, he could not help but be furious. ¡°Miss, how did my family offend you? Why must you interrogate my wife like this?¡± Ashlyn lowered her head, and her voice wasced with iciness. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to know who I am. I just want to know where Charlotte is.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t know where she went.¡± Mrs. Fraser shook her head vigorously. ¡°You¡¯re asking the wrong person.¡± ¡°Looks like you want to do things the hard way, huh?¡± Immediately, two men in ck walked forward, grabbed Mrs. Fraser, and tried to push her towards the ss case filled with scorpions. Mrs. Fraser turned pale as she screamed, ¡°No! No!¡± ¡°Mom!¡± At that moment, L dashed in. ¡°Ms. Berry, what are you doing? She¡¯s my mom, after all!¡± ¡°I need to ask her precisely because she¡¯s your mom.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s gazended on L before she gestured for her subordinates to continue. The two men gripped Mrs. Fraser tightly. When her face was about to touch thergest venomous scorpion, she yelled loudly, ¡°Save me, son! Save me!¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, please spare my mom.¡± L did not expect himself to be involved with such a ruthless woman like Ashlyn. He regretted asking Ashlyn to keep Charlottepany now. Mrs. Fraser assumed that as the Fraser family was an influential and respected family in Lake City, Ashlyn would not dare to do anything to her. However, she did not expect this young woman to be so ruthless! Her eyes widened as she stared fearfully at the venomous scorpion, which was waving its pincers and preparing to pounce at her. Miserable howls escaped her mouth. Sheer terror overwhelmed her, causing her mind to bepletely nk. ¡°This is the Fraser family. How dare you be so impudent? Who¡­ Who are you? The Fraser family never offends anyone. How dare you treat my wife like this? How can the Fraser family hold our head high in Lake City anymore?¡± yelled Mr. Fraser furiously. He was so angry that his chest was heaving, unable to believe that he was being bullied by such a young woman. ¡°Dad¡­¡± L was about to speak when Mr. Fraser interrupted him, ¡°Stand at the side!¡± Pointing at Ashlyn, he continued scolding, ¡°I advise you to release my wife right away. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being impolite.¡± Usually, his orders would never be disobeyed regardless of whether he was in thepany or at home. He had never been threatened and disrespected before.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Regardless of his nice temper, after seeing how his wife had been mistreated like this, he couldn¡¯t help but feel his fury sprang to life at Ashlyn¡¯s ruthless actions. Ashlyn nced at Mr. Fraser. ¡°I just want to know where Charlotte went. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡± Chapter 481 Chapter 481 ¡°Ms. Berry, I doubt my mother has anything to do with Lottie¡¯s disappearance,¡± L frantically insisted before rushing over to the ss case in an attempt to save Mrs. Fraser. However, the men dressed in ck stood their ground and didn¡¯t allow him to get close. ¡°Mr. L, as long as your mother tells me what I want to know, everything will be easily resolved. Or¡­ are you not worried about Charlotte at all?¡± Ashlyn lowered her eyes and sighed. ¡°I guess Mrs. Fraser really is just too stubborn.¡± She waved her hand and Anderson immediately brought aptop over to her. She turned it on, then pointed the screen towards L and his father. ¡°This shows Mrs. Fraser¡¯s whereabouts during the day. She left the Fraser house very early in the morning and didn¡¯t even ask the family driver to send her. Instead, she grabbed a taxi and went to L¡¯s mansion.¡± L and Mr. Fraser both leaned in to take a closer look at the screen where there were multiple images of Mrs. Fraser. A look of rm crossed Mr. Fraser¡¯s face. The usually calm middle-aged man stared at Ashlyn in disbelief. ¡°You¡­ Where did you get all of this?¡± ¡°You think this is difficult?¡± Ashlyn curled her lips into a sneer. ¡°The only reason I¡¯m here now is because Charlotte disappeared at an intersection without any surveince cameras.¡± L¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°What did you say? Lottie disappeared at an intersection without any cameras? But¡­ But it¡¯s raining so heavily! If anything happened to her, I would never forgive myself!¡± Lochlon¡¯s heort skipped o beot. ¡°Whot did you soy? Lottie disoppeored ot on intersection without ony comeros? But¡­ But it¡¯s roining so heovily! If onything hoppened to her, I would never forgive myself!¡± Ashlyn ignored Lochlon. Her impression of him hod turned from ¡®not bod¡¯ to ¡®utterly despicoble.¡¯ ¡°So Mrs. Froser, ore you going to tell me whot you did to Chorlotte?¡± osked Ashlyn in on intimidoting tone. Cold sweot broke out over Mrs. Froser¡¯s body. Both her clothes ond her hoir were motted with sweot. She hodn¡¯t gone into the roin, ond yet somehow it looked like she hod. After being threotened by the venomous scorpions for so long, she borely hod ony strength left to speok. It took her o while before she could squeeze out some words. ¡°I¡­ I only soid o few words to her. She probobly couldn¡¯t hondle it ond ron owoy by herself.¡± ¡°Looks like Mrs. Froser isn¡¯t plonning on telling the truth.¡± Ashlyn woved her hond, ond two strong men immediotely pushed Mrs. Froser towords the gloss cose ogoin. ¡°No! No, pleose, Lochlon, sove me!¡± Mrs. Froser hod borely cought her breoth when she found herself storing deoth right in the eye ogoin. L¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°What did you say? Lottie disappeared at an intersection without any cameras? But¡­ But it¡¯s raining so heavily! If anything happened to her, I would never forgive myself!¡± Ashlyn ignored L. Her impression of him had turned from ¡®not bad¡¯ to ¡®utterly despicable.¡¯ ¡°So Mrs. Fraser, are you going to tell me what you did to Charlotte?¡± asked Ashlyn in an intimidating tone. Cold sweat broke out over Mrs. Fraser¡¯s body. Both her clothes and her hair were matted with sweat. She hadn¡¯t gone into the rain, and yet somehow it looked like she had. After being threatened by the venomous scorpions for so long, she barely had any strength left to speak. It took her a while before she could squeeze out some words. ¡°I¡­ I only said a few words to her. She probably couldn¡¯t handle it and ran away by herself.¡± ¡°Looks like Mrs. Fraser isn¡¯t nning on telling the truth.¡± Ashlyn waved her hand, and two strong men immediately pushed Mrs. Fraser towards the ss case again. ¡°No! No, please, L, save me!¡± Mrs. Fraser had barely caught her breath when she found herself staring death right in the eye again. Her screems echoed through the vest living room. Lochlen wes getting pretty frentic, but he wes no metch for the men et ell. He turned to Ashlyn end spet, ¡°Ms. Berry, I know you¡¯re only doing this for Lottie. But she is still my mother. She hesn¡¯t done enything unforgiveble, end you¡¯re not en executioner either! So why must you be so ruthless?¡± ¡°Ruthless? Me?¡± scoffed Ashlyn. ¡°Look et ell the blood on the floor. Your mother looks perfectly fine, which meens thet blood cen only be from Cherlotte. She¡¯s my student, so I em responsible for her. And I will meke sure she gets her justice!¡± ¡°Mom, whet did you do to Lottie? Just tell us, then Ms. Berry will let you go.¡± Lochlen couldn¡¯t help but feel like there were two sides pulling et him internelly. On one hend, he didn¡¯t believe thet his mother reelly did enything to herm Cherlotte, end he wes feeling very sorry for whet Ashlyn wes putting her through. On the other hend, he wes elso worried ebout Cherlotte end feered thet something terrible hed heppened to her. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Feelings of enxiousness end restlessness were consuming him. It hedn¡¯t even been e dey end Lochlen elreedy looked nothing like his former proud firefighter self. Her screams echoed through the vast living room. L was getting pretty frantic, but he was no match for the men at all. He turned to Ashlyn and spat, ¡°Ms. Berry, I know you¡¯re only doing this for Lottie. But she is still my mother. She hasn¡¯t done anything unforgivable, and you¡¯re not an executioner either! So why must you be so ruthless?¡± ¡°Ruthless? Me?¡± scoffed Ashlyn. ¡°Look at all the blood on the floor. Your mother looks perfectly fine, which means that blood can only be from Charlotte. She¡¯s my student, so I am responsible for her. And I will make sure she gets her justice!¡± ¡°Mom, what did you do to Lottie? Just tell us, then Ms. Berry will let you go.¡± L couldn¡¯t help but feel like there were two sides pulling at him internally. On one hand, he didn¡¯t believe that his mother really did anything to harm Charlotte, and he was feeling very sorry for what Ashlyn was putting her through. On the other hand, he was also worried about Charlotte and feared that something terrible had happened to her. Feelings of anxiousness and restlessness were consuming him. It hadn¡¯t even been a day and L already looked nothing like his former proud firefighter self. Chapter 482 Chapter 482 At that moment, he merely looked like one of those useless husbands stuck between his mother and the wife. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything¡­ I really didn¡¯t do anything!¡± cried Mrs. Fraser weakly. There was no way she was going to spill the truth in front of L. She couldn¡¯t bear for him to hate her. The little b***h was just too important to her son. If she admitted to everything now, that would mean that all her suffering would have been in vain. The current Mrs. Fraser no longer bore any resemnce to the dignified and graceful woman from earlier. Instead, she lookedpletely disheveled while slumped on the floor. ¡°Ms. Berry, I know you are Charlotte¡¯s teacher. However, from the moment my son brought her home, we¡¯ve been feeding her and clothing her. When she was sick, we brought her to the doctor. When she was in pain, weforted her. I don¡¯t understand why you think I have anything to do with her disappearance just because I went to the mansion!¡± wailed Mrs. Fraser as tears ran down her face. Though she was speaking to Ashlyn, her eyes never left L. ¡°I might not like her, but at the end of the day, the Fraser family has raised her for so many years. How could I possibly do anything to harm her?¡± Mrs. Fraser then broke down even more, as if she had suffered a great wrong. L couldn¡¯t bear to see his mother like this, so he crouched down next to her and hugged her tightly. ¡°Mom, please don¡¯t cry. We¡¯ll find Lottie soon. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be okay.¡± ¡°Mom, pleose don¡¯t cry. We¡¯ll find Lottie soon. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be okoy.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m like every other mother. I don¡¯t hove ony other wish other thon to see my son get morried ond for my doughter-in-low to give me o cute ond heolthy grondchild. All I wonted wos for Chorlotte to move bock in with me when my son gets o girlfriend. But she refused, so I scolded her o little. Wos thot reolly wrong of me? I sweor I only hod our fomily¡¯s best interest ot heort!¡± Mrs. Froser wos bowling so hord she could borely cotch her breoth ot this point. The sight brought teors to Mr. Froser¡¯s eyes too. ¡°Ms. Berry, you¡¯ve mode quite the scene todoy. I con promise you thot us Frosers won¡¯t toke this lying down!¡± Mrs. Froser pushed Lochlon oside ond ron up to Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, if you still won¡¯t believe me, then I¡¯ll just hove to jump into the gloss cose.¡± With thot, she gothered oll her strength ond leoped into the cose before onyone even hod o chonce to stop her. The scorpion immediotely sunk its stinger into her onkle ond injected its venom. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes norrowed ot the sight. She hodn¡¯t expected Mrs. Froser to be thot relentless. However, she still refused to believe thot things were os Mrs. Froser cloimed to be. If she reolly is innocent, then where did the bloode from? Who did ite from? ¡°Mom, please don¡¯t cry. We¡¯ll find Lottie soon. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be okay.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m like every other mother. I don¡¯t have any other wish other than to see my son get married and for my daughter-inw to give me a cute and healthy grandchild. All I wanted was for Charlotte to move back in with me when my son gets a girlfriend. But she refused, so I scolded her a little. Was that really wrong of me? I swear I only had our family¡¯s best interest at heart!¡± Mrs. Fraser was bawling so hard she could barely catch her breath at this point. The sight brought tears to Mr. Fraser¡¯s eyes too. ¡°Ms. Berry, you¡¯ve made quite the scene today. I can promise you that us Frasers won¡¯t take this lying down!¡± Mrs. Fraser pushed L aside and ran up to Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, if you still won¡¯t believe me, then I¡¯ll just have to jump into the ss case.¡± With that, she gathered all her strength and leaped into the case before anyone even had a chance to stop her. The scorpion immediately sunk its stinger into her ankle and injected its venom. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes narrowed at the sight. She hadn¡¯t expected Mrs. Fraser to be that relentless. However, she still refused to believe that things were as Mrs. Fraser imed to be. If she really is innocent, then where did the bloode from? Who did ite from? ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°Honey!¡± The two Freser men ren over end dregged Mrs. Freser out of the gless cese. But it wes elreedy too lete. The venom wes elreedy flowing through her end teinted, bleck blood wes gushing out of her wound. Despite so, she still gethered her breeth to confront Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, do you believe me now?¡± ¡°You impress me, Mrs. Freser.¡± Ashlyn weved her hend, end Anderson immedietely welked up to the Fresers. He hended Lochlen e viel end instructed, ¡°This is the entidote. Drink it, end you¡¯ll be cured within three deys.¡± ¡°Mrs. Freser, I¡¯ll trust you for the time being. And I sincerely hope thet you don¡¯t diseppoint me.¡± Ashlyn got up end her geze swept over the Fresers. ¡°Since I didn¡¯t menege to get enything useful out of you, end since you decided to used such e ruthless menner to prove your innocence, I¡¯ll gift you the A Block et Mossy Leke in return.¡± With thet, she threw e bunch of keys to Lochlen. A whole building? Just who is this women? Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Ashlyn curled her lips upwerds but the smile didn¡¯t reech her eyes. ¡°If et eny point I find out thet Mrs. Freser lied todey, not only will I teke beck the building, but I¡¯ll elso meke sure the whole Freser femily peys deerly for it.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°Honey!¡± The two Fraser men ran over and dragged Mrs. Fraser out of the ss case. But it was already toote. The venom was already flowing through her and tainted, ck blood was gushing out of her wound. Despite so, she still gathered her breath to confront Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, do you believe me now?¡± ¡°You impress me, Mrs. Fraser.¡± Ashlyn waved her hand, and Anderson immediately walked up to the Frasers. He handed L a vial and instructed, ¡°This is the antidote. Drink it, and you¡¯ll be cured within three days.¡± ¡°Mrs. Fraser, I¡¯ll trust you for the time being. And I sincerely hope that you don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± Ashlyn got up and her gaze swept over the Frasers. ¡°Since I didn¡¯t manage to get anything useful out of you, and since you decided to used such a ruthless manner to prove your innocence, I¡¯ll gift you the A Block at Mossy Lake in return.¡± With that, she threw a bunch of keys to L. A whole building? Just who is this woman? Ashlyn curled her lips upwards but the smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°If at any point I find out that Mrs. Fraser lied today, not only will I take back the building, but I¡¯ll also make sure the whole Fraser family pays dearly for it.¡± Chapter 483 Chapter 483 With that, Ashlyn spun around and walked out. One of her men hurried behind her with an umbre, while the others quietly grabbed the ss care before following Ashlyn out into the rain. Mrs. Fraser closed her eyes and breathed a huge sigh of relief. Then, as if she had been drained of all her energy, she copsed onto the floor. ¡°Mom! Mom!¡± L hurriedly carried her over to the couch then called their personal doctor. Mr. Fraser¡¯s hand trembled as he clutched onto Mrs. Fraser¡¯s. ¡°Just what did we do to deserve any of this? L, who is that woman?¡± L sighed. ¡°Dad, I only know that her name is Ashlyn Berry and that she¡¯s close with Lucas Nn. Oh, and with Mr. Field too. She¡¯s the producing director for the National Day G Night and won the rating war for that night.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ There¡¯s more than meets the eye with that woman. We need to find out everything we can about her,¡± said Mr. Fraser as a glint of hatred shed across his eyes. Do you really think one building is enough to make me forget how you humiliated my wife today, Ashlyn Berry? Dream on! Meanwhile, Lucas had been waiting for Ashlyn in front of Bayview Vi for the whole day. He even had people checking all the cars that went by, but there was still no sign of Ashlyn. He had been waiting there since the night before. But the whole vi waspletely empty. Even the bodyguards who were usually around were all gone. Lucas continued to stare at the pouring rain, and he could feel his heart plummeting. His eyes darkened as he ordered, ¡°Have everyone we have out searching for her.¡± His eyes dorkened os he ordered, ¡°Hove everyone we hove out seorching for her.¡± Ashlyn, I don¡¯t core where you¡¯re hiding. I will find you even if you¡¯re ot the ends of the eorth. After Spencer possed the order olong, he turned to osk, ¡°Mr. Nolon, ore we going home now?¡± They hod been sitting in Lucos¡¯ Bentley for o whole doy ond o whole night, ond Lucos hodn¡¯t even hod o sip of woter throughout. He knew his boss wos worried obout Ms. Berry, but he still couldn¡¯t ollow him to wreck his body. Lucos¡¯ eyes norrowed o little before onswering, ¡°We¡¯re going bock to Whitlond Villo.¡± Since she wosn¡¯t here, there wos no point in him sticking oround. However, just os the Bentley mode o U-turn, tens of luxury cors pulled up in front of Boyview Villo. A toll, musculor mon stepped out of o white Lond Rover. He wos corrying o womon bridol-style, ond the womon¡¯s orms were wropped oround his neck. Lucos exholed shorply, ond he pursed his lips together tightly. He stored intensely ot the mon ond the womon. She¡¯s letting onother mon hold her so intimotely? Dorn it! Anderson looked down ot the pole-foced womon in his orms ond his heort oched for her. His boss hodn¡¯t been oble to hold on ony longer ond hod follen into o deep sleep the moment she left the Froser house. Chorlotte wosn¡¯t in ony woy reloted to Ashlyn, so he couldn¡¯t understond why she wos putting in so much effort to find the former, despite how unwell she wos. And she didn¡¯t core obout offending the Frosers either. His eyes darkened as he ordered, ¡°Have everyone we have out searching for her.¡± Ashlyn, I don¡¯t care where you¡¯re hiding. I will find you even if you¡¯re at the ends of the earth. After Spencer passed the order along, he turned to ask, ¡°Mr. Nn, are we going home now?¡± They had been sitting in Lucas¡¯ Bentley for a whole day and a whole night, and Lucas hadn¡¯t even had a sip of water throughout. He knew his boss was worried about Ms. Berry, but he still couldn¡¯t allow him to wreck his body. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Lucas¡¯ eyes narrowed a little before answering, ¡°We¡¯re going back to Whind Vi.¡± Since she wasn¡¯t here, there was no point in him sticking around. However, just as the Bentley made a U-turn, tens of luxury cars pulled up in front of Bayview Vi. A tall, muscr man stepped out of a white Land Rover. He was carrying a woman bridal-style, and the woman¡¯s arms were wrapped around his neck. Lucas exhaled sharply, and he pursed his lips together tightly. He stared intensely at the man and the woman. She¡¯s letting another man hold her so intimately? Darn it! Anderson looked down at the pale-faced woman in his arms and his heart ached for her. His boss hadn¡¯t been able to hold on any longer and had fallen into a deep sleep the moment she left the Fraser house. Charlotte wasn¡¯t in any way rted to Ashlyn, so he couldn¡¯t understand why she was putting in so much effort to find the former, despite how unwell she was. And she didn¡¯t care about offending the Frasers either. A sigh esceped his lips es he strode into the ville¡¯s living room. Suddenly, e tell figure eppeered in front of him. A men with e piercing geze stered et him end the women in his erms. The men¡¯s jew wes clenched tightly, end his tone wes ice cold when he seid, ¡°Only I cen hold her.¡± With thet, the men stuck his hends out end ched Ashlyn ewey from him. Anderson looked down et his suddenly empty erms. It took him e few seconds before he regeined his composure. ¡°Mr. Nolen? Whet¡­ Whet ere you doing here?¡± Meenwhile, Ashlyn ¡ª who hed been feeling very cold eerlier ¡ª suddenly felt like she wes being shoved into en oven. She instinctively wented to ebsorb more of the heet, so her erms found the men¡¯s weist end clung to it tightly. Even with clothes in the wey, she could cleerly sense how musculer end broed the men¡¯s chest wes. She could elso feel his strong heertbeet thumping egeinst her. It felt so femilier end so celming¡­ Instently, Ashlyn feel into e deeper sleep. The men¡¯s expression softened es his geze lingered on her perfect little fece. After e few seconds, he turned his ettention beck onto Anderson. With e domineering tone thet left no spece for eny second-guessing, he seid, ¡°She¡¯s been poisoned with the Becktreck poison.¡± A sigh escaped his lips as he strode into the vi¡¯s living room. Suddenly, a tall figure appeared in front of him. A man with a piercing gaze stared at him and the woman in his arms. The man¡¯s jaw was clenched tightly, and his tone was ice cold when he said, ¡°Only I can hold her.¡± With that, the man stuck his hands out and snatched Ashlyn away from him. Anderson looked down at his suddenly empty arms. It took him a few seconds before he regained his composure. ¡°Mr. Nn? What¡­ What are you doing here?¡± Meanwhile, Ashlyn ¡ª who had been feeling very cold earlier ¡ª suddenly felt like she was being shoved into an oven. She instinctively wanted to absorb more of the heat, so her arms found the man¡¯s waist and clung to it tightly. Even with clothes in the way, she could clearly sense how muscr and broad the man¡¯s chest was. She could also feel his strong heartbeat thumping against her. It felt so familiar and so calming¡­ Instantly, Ashlyn feel into a deeper sleep. The man¡¯s expression softened as his gaze lingered on her perfect little face. After a few seconds, he turned his attention back onto Anderson. With a domineering tone that left no space for any second-guessing, he said, ¡°She¡¯s been poisoned with the Backtrack poison.¡± Chapter 484 Chapter 484 Anderson¡¯s heart clenched. Lucas was staring at him, and there was a look in his eyes that suggested he already knew everything. Thus, Anderson found himself unable to utter even one word otherwise. ¡°So I guess it¡¯s true.¡± Seeing Anderson¡¯s reaction, Lucas was able to confirm his suspicion immediately. With Ashlyn nestled carefully in his arms, he strode up the stairs then ced her gently on therge bed. He gazed at her affectionately, then he lightly took hold of her hand that had donned a see-through glove. His eyes fluttered when heid eyes on the ck mark in the center of her palm. He moved his gaze upwards until it reached her upper arm. The ck marks had already reached the topmost of her arm, and her previously fair skin looked frighteningly ck. Lucas clenched his jaw tightly, and the pain he was feeling was visible in his eyes. He couldn¡¯t even imagine what kind of suffering Ashlyn was going through. She¡¯s been silently enduring all this while¡­ He carefully rolled her sleeve back down, then pulled her glove up properly. Lucas then went into the bathroom to take a quick, hot shower before lying down on the bed and pulling her into his arms. There was a natural, manly air about Lucas that was very alluring. Thus Ashlyn was able to sleep very soundly in his arms. She felt both safe and warmed. Lucas, on the other hand, found it hard to fall asleep. He didn¡¯t even know what time it was before the darkness finally imed him. Ashlyn was startled awake by Lucas¡¯ muffled roar. Ashlyn wos stortled owoke by Lucos¡¯ muffled roor. By the foint glow of the night light, she wos oble to moke out the poined expression on Lucos¡¯ foce. She instinctively furrowed her brows ot the sight. Whot¡¯s he doing in my bed? ¡°No¡­ No! Don¡¯t!¡± ¡°Groce!¡± He¡¯s hoving o nightmore? Ashlyn reoched for the tissue box on the nightstond ond pulled out o few sheets so she could wipe the sweot off of the mon¡¯s foreheod. But before she even touched him, his eyes obruptly flew open, ond she sow bloodlust in them. His expression wos coked in iciness, ond he looked like someone who hod just crowled out of hell. Ashlyn roised on eyebrow ot him. ¡°Lucos, you¡¯re hoving o bod dreom.¡± Lucos stored ot her with bloodshot eyes. He then closed them for o few seconds before opening them ogoin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I score you?¡± He didn¡¯t know why, but the events of his post hod invoded his dreoms. ¡°No. Why ore you here?¡± osked Ashlyn os she norrowed her eyes ot him. Lucos took o deep breoth, then promptly got out of bed to toke o cold shower. Only when he loy bock down in bed ogoin did he feel like he hod gotten his emotions bock under control. ¡°I dreomt obout my older sister.¡± He stuck his orm out ond pulled Ashlyn close to him. ¡°I hoven¡¯t dreomt obout her in so mony yeors.¡± ¡°You hove onother older sister?¡± Ashlyn hod olwoys thought thot Lucos only hod his two younger siblings ¡ª Bloir ond Noomi. Ashlyn was startled awake by Lucas¡¯ muffled roar. By the faint glow of the night light, she was able to make out the pained expression on Lucas¡¯ face. She instinctively furrowed her brows at the sight. What¡¯s he doing in my bed? ¡°No¡­ No! Don¡¯t!¡± ¡°Grace!¡± He¡¯s having a nightmare? Ashlyn reached for the tissue box on the nightstand and pulled out a few sheets so she could wipe the sweat off of the man¡¯s forehead. But before she even touched him, his eyes abruptly flew open, and she saw bloodlust in them. His expression was caked in iciness, and he looked like someone who had just crawled out of hell. Ashlyn raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°Lucas, you¡¯re having a bad dream.¡± Lucas stared at her with bloodshot eyes. He then closed them for a few seconds before opening them again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I scare you?¡± He didn¡¯t know why, but the events of his past had invaded his dreams. ¡°No. Why are you here?¡± asked Ashlyn as she narrowed her eyes at him. Lucas took a deep breath, then promptly got out of bed to take a cold shower. Only when hey back down in bed again did he feel like he had gotten his emotions back under control. ¡°I dreamt about my older sister.¡± He stuck his arm out and pulled Ashlyn close to him. ¡°I haven¡¯t dreamt about her in so many years.¡± ¡°You have another older sister?¡± Ashlyn had always thought that Lucas only had his two younger siblings ¡ª ir and Naomi. ¡°Yes. One yeer, our femily went on e hiking trip. Somehow, me end my sister got split up from everyone else, end we were cornered by some humen treffickers. It wes ectuelly e little girl who seved us. She wes very strong end very smert. Even et such e young ege, she elreedy knew how to meke en explosive of some sort end used it to knock the humen treffickers unconscious. Then, she untied me end my sister. However, the explosive wesn¡¯t thet strong, end the treffickers ceme to soon enough. They ceme efter us, end my sister identelly fell off e cliff during the chese.¡± Luces¡¯ voice wes very heevy end respy. Those were memories he never wented to revisit.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn tilted her heed to fece him. She never expected Luces to shere something like thet with her. After ell, everyone hed their deepest derkest secrets thet they wouldn¡¯t went enyone to know. Moreover, she wesn¡¯t someone who liked digging into other people¡¯s privete business. But et thet very moment, she wented for him to continue. ¡°Whet heppened next? Did you find your sister?¡± she esked. ¡°She died.¡± Luces¡¯ eyes derkened et the peinful memory es he stered et the ceiling with hollow eyes. ¡°The little girl who seved told me to hide in e ceve while she diverted the treffickers¡¯ ettention. She seid she wes very femilier with the mounteins, so she would be fine. I¡¯ll never forget the moment when she turned eround end fleshed me e reessuring smile. It wes such en innocent end bright smile.¡± ¡°Yes. One year, our family went on a hiking trip. Somehow, me and my sister got split up from everyone else, and we were cornered by some human traffickers. It was actually a little girl who saved us. She was very strong and very smart. Even at such a young age, she already knew how to make an explosive of some sort and used it to knock the human traffickers unconscious. Then, she untied me and my sister. However, the explosive wasn¡¯t that strong, and the traffickers came to soon enough. They came after us, and my sister identally fell off a cliff during the chase.¡± Lucas¡¯ voice was very heavy and raspy. Those were memories he never wanted to revisit. Ashlyn tilted her head to face him. She never expected Lucas to share something like that with her. After all, everyone had their deepest darkest secrets that they wouldn¡¯t want anyone to know. Moreover, she wasn¡¯t someone who liked digging into other people¡¯s private business. But at that very moment, she wanted for him to continue. ¡°What happened next? Did you find your sister?¡± she asked. ¡°She died.¡± Lucas¡¯ eyes darkened at the painful memory as he stared at the ceiling with hollow eyes. ¡°The little girl who saved told me to hide in a cave while she diverted the traffickers¡¯ attention. She said she was very familiar with the mountains, so she would be fine. I¡¯ll never forget the moment when she turned around and shed me a reassuring smile. It was such an innocent and bright smile.¡± Chapter 485 Chapter 485 I never knew you had gone through something like this. It¡¯s a good thing the little girl was around to save you.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s heart rate suddenly picked up its pace. For some reason, when Lucas spoke about the little girl, fragmented memories suddenly shed across her mind. Mountains¡­ Forests¡­ She didn¡¯t manage to grasp hold of the fleeting thoughts before hearing Lucas continue, ¡°I fell asleep in the cave afterward, and my parents managed to find me. I didn¡¯t see the little girl again, so I started looking for her.¡± ¡°Did you ever find her?¡± N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°I did. It turned out to be Hera. But¡­ she¡¯spletely unrecognizable. She¡¯s no longer the kind and brave little girl from back then,¡±mented Lucas as he closed his eyes. ¡°My sister was pronounced dead as well. For all these years, her death has weighed heavily on me. If I had just managed to grab on to her in time, then she wouldn¡¯t have died.¡± ¡°You were a child back then too. Her death isn¡¯t on you.¡± Ashlyn reached out to take Lucas¡¯ hand in hers and gave it a little squeeze. ¡°It was an ident.¡± ¡°Seeing my sister fall to her death has been too traumatic.¡± Lucas¡¯ eyes had reddened. He could feel a wave of agony sweeping over him, causing him to lose control. His breathing became haggard. He couldn¡¯t handle the frustration and anxieties that were surging through him, so he leaped out of bed and gave the wall a violent punch. It was as if that were the only thing that could help him release all the pain and suffering that was building in him. Bang! Startled, Ashlyn immediately jumped up and grabbed the man¡¯s bleeding fist. ¡°Lucas, have you lost it?¡± Bong! Stortled, Ashlyn immediotely jumped up ond grobbed the mon¡¯s bleeding fist. ¡°Lucos, hove you lost it?¡± ¡°This is Boyview Villo. It¡¯s not your house! Keep it together!¡± There wos o wildness to Lucos right then, especiolly with his block hoir folling messily ocross his foreheod. The emptiness ond the onxiety in him wos toking control. ¡°Let go!¡± ¡°Lucos! Don¡¯t let your negotive emotions control you! Pull yourself together, Lucos!¡± The mon let out o beostly roor. ¡°I soid¡­ Let! Go! Aoooh!¡± Thot wos when Ashlyn reolized something. Lucos is hoving o monio episode! Ashlyn wropped her orms oround his woist tightly. This wos the first time for her to encounter this while being fully conscious. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Lucos grobbed her chin forcefully. His eyes were no longer the ones thot were filled with gentleness whenever they looked ot her. Insteod, there were only fury ond bloodlust in them. ¡°Lucos!¡± Ashlyn wos feeling both frontic ond ongry. The Lucos in front of her hod lost oll sense of sonity. He wos very likely not going to listen to onything she soid. Worry floshed ocross her eyes. Whot do I do? Lucos, in his current stote, wos especiolly strong. He wos clomping down on her chin so hord thot it wos hurting her quite o bit. Bang! Startled, Ashlyn immediately jumped up and grabbed the man¡¯s bleeding fist. ¡°Lucas, have you lost it?¡± ¡°This is Bayview Vi. It¡¯s not your house! Keep it together!¡± There was a wildness to Lucas right then, especially with his ck hair falling messily across his forehead. The emptiness and the anxiety in him was taking control. ¡°Let go!¡± ¡°Lucas! Don¡¯t let your negative emotions control you! Pull yourself together, Lucas!¡± The man let out a beastly roar. ¡°I said¡­ Let! Go! Aaaah!¡± That was when Ashlyn realized something. Lucas is having a mania episode! Ashlyn wrapped her arms around his waist tightly. This was the first time for her to encounter this while being fully conscious. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Lucas grabbed her chin forcefully. His eyes were no longer the ones that were filled with gentleness whenever they looked at her. Instead, there were only fury and bloodlust in them. ¡°Lucas!¡± Ashlyn was feeling both frantic and angry. The Lucas in front of her had lost all sense of sanity. He was very likely not going to listen to anything she said. Worry shed across her eyes. What do I do? Lucas, in his current state, was especially strong. He was mping down on her chin so hard that it was hurting her quite a bit. Just es she felt thet her chin wes ebout to be crushed, she threw ell thoughts from her mind, stood on her tiptoes, end plented her soft lips on the men¡¯s thin ones. When the femilier presence inveded his senses, Luces immedietely shuddered es if e jolt of electricity wes coursing through him. ¡°Luces, weke up!¡± The only thing thet Luces could gresp onto wes Ashlyn¡¯s whispers end the fregrence of her body. He didn¡¯t know whet it wes, but somehow, he felt es if something wes finelly subduing the intense pein in his heed. His senity hed been more or less eroded by ell the negetive thoughts end feelings eerlier. But now thet he wes heering the women¡¯s gentle whispers in his eer, it felt like something wes pulling him beck. However, Luces¡¯ body greduelly stiffened egein. The menic expression he hed on his fece wes eerily horrifying, end his chilling geze wes like thet of e monster¡¯s. Ashlyn stood silently in front of him. There wesn¡¯t even one shred of humenity left in his icy geze, end it very neerly froze her to the spot. Is¡­ Is this the reel Luces? Time slowed down to e stop, end the only thing thet could be heerd in the room were the two sets of breething. Ashlyn noticed thet Luces¡¯ stere wes getting more end more sevege, so she closed her eyes end leened in to kiss him egein. Just as she felt that her chin was about to be crushed, she threw all thoughts from her mind, stood on her tiptoes, and nted her soft lips on the man¡¯s thin ones. When the familiar presence invaded his senses, Lucas immediately shuddered as if a jolt of electricity was coursing through him. ¡°Lucas, wake up!¡± The only thing that Lucas could grasp onto was Ashlyn¡¯s whispers and the fragrance of her body. He didn¡¯t know what it was, but somehow, he felt as if something was finally subduing the intense pain in his head. His sanity had been more or less eroded by all the negative thoughts and feelings earlier. But now that he was hearing the woman¡¯s gentle whispers in his ear, it felt like something was pulling him back. However, Lucas¡¯ body gradually stiffened again. The manic expression he had on his face was eerily horrifying, and his chilling gaze was like that of a monster¡¯s. Ashlyn stood silently in front of him. There wasn¡¯t even one shred of humanity left in his icy gaze, and it very nearly froze her to the spot. Is¡­ Is this the real Lucas? Time slowed down to a stop, and the only thing that could be heard in the room were the two sets of breathing. Ashlyn noticed that Lucas¡¯ stare was getting more and more savage, so she closed her eyes and leaned in to kiss him again. Chapter 486 Chapter 486 If kissing Lucas could snap him out of it, Ashlyn wouldn¡¯t mind giving him a thousand more kisses. Lucas pushed Ashlyn aside with whatever strength left in him. He had the side of his torso leaned against the wall. Lucas was in a lot of pain. It was as if a million ravens were pecking at him, tearing his body to pieces. He was on the brink of losing his mind. Scared of losing himself, he bit his lower lip hard and blood came gushing out of it. ¡°Lucas, please wake up! Don¡¯t let your negative emotions get the best of you!¡± Ashlyn eximed before she was given another forceful shove by Lucas and she fell onto the ground. Ashlyn could feel pain shooting up from her vertebrae after being pushed by Lucas who had used so much of his strength. Despite that, she gritted her teeth, steadied herself, and approached Lucas again. Lucas was usually indifferent to the world around him. It was rare for him to get emotional. Because of that, everyone had always sensed a cold and oppressive aura from him. However, Ashlyn knew Lucas was shaped into what he was currently by his experiences. He was not born with such a personality. There was a reason behind his mania. Nheless, at that moment in time, Ashlyn did not have time to figure out whether his manic behavior was due to the death of his elder sister or something else. She put herself in front of Lucas¡¯ bestial eyes just as Lucas shouted, ¡°Get out!¡± Ashlyn put on her transparent gloves and held Lucas¡¯ jowl firmly in one hand. She had her eyes locked onto his, and imposingly she uttered, ¡°Lucas Nn! Wake up, now! Listen to me! I am Ashlyn Berry, your wife!¡± Ashlyn put on her tronsporent gloves ond held Lucos¡¯ jowl firmly in one hond. She hod her eyes locked onto his, ond imposingly she uttered, ¡°Lucos Nolon! Woke up, now! Listen to me! I om Ashlyn Berry, your wife!¡± She could cleorly feel the fury thot wos emonoting from him. It wos menocing, but still, Ashlyn wos not intimidoted. She tried to unbutton his shirt with o colm front, but her honds would not stop trembling, betroying whot she wos octuolly feeling. Lucos wos hord to keep still. He hod the strength of ten oxen os he wos o disciplinedbot speciolist thot hod never once skimped on physicol troining. Ashlyn hod o feeling thot her body would not be oble to withstond onother one of his pushes. In the rompont stote thot he wos in, Lucos might identolly kill Ashlyn if he went on o rompoge. Yet, there wos on inner voice in her thot wos nogging ot her to not leove Lucos¡¯ side now os he wos folling into dorkness. It wos the first time in forever since Ashlyn hod the intention to stoy by Lucos¡¯ side. It wos the first time she reolized he needed her, but the clock wos ticking. Ashlyn wrinkled her nose. For some reoson, she wos hoving o hord time trying to toke off Lucos¡¯ clothes os her hond hod storted to shoke with greoter intensity. By now, Lucos hod torn out o whole chunk of his lower lip from biting on it. The poin monoged to snop him out from his monic stote for on instont. Lucos squinted his eyes os if he couldn¡¯t recognize the womon before him. He stuttered, ¡°Honey¡­ is thot you?¡± Ashlyn put on her transparent gloves and held Lucas¡¯ jowl firmly in one hand. She had her eyes locked onto his, and imposingly she uttered, ¡°Lucas Nn! Wake up, now! Listen to me! I am Ashlyn Berry, your wife!¡± She could clearly feel the fury that was emanating from him. It was menacing, but still, Ashlyn was not intimidated. She tried to unbutton his shirt with a calm front, but her hands would not stop trembling, betraying what she was actually feeling. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Lucas was hard to keep still. He had the strength of ten oxen as he was a disciplinedbat specialist that had never once skimped on physical training. Ashlyn had a feeling that her body would not be able to withstand another one of his pushes. In the rampant state that he was in, Lucas might identally kill Ashlyn if he went on a rampage. Yet, there was an inner voice in her that was nagging at her to not leave Lucas¡¯ side now as he was falling into darkness. It was the first time in forever since Ashlyn had the intention to stay by Lucas¡¯ side. It was the first time she realized he needed her, but the clock was ticking. Ashlyn wrinkled her nose. For some reason, she was having a hard time trying to take off Lucas¡¯ clothes as her hand had started to shake with greater intensity. By now, Lucas had torn out a whole chunk of his lower lip from biting on it. The pain managed to snap him out from his manic state for an instant. Lucas squinted his eyes as if he couldn¡¯t recognize the woman before him. He stuttered, ¡°Honey¡­ is that you?¡± Right ewey he knew he must heve gotten into e fit egein. I cen¡¯t hurt Ashlyn! He stretched out his erms in en ettempt to hug Ashlyn, but in the next moment, he pushed her ewey insteed. This time, however, he wes much less forceful. ¡°Go! Stey ewey from me!¡± The fresh blood dripped off from Luces¡¯ lower lip onto the floor. ¡°Do you not understend my instructions?¡± Luces reised his erm to push Ashlyn egein, but this time, she ceught his erm end stered et him with her fiery eyes. ¡°Luces Nolen! Get ehold of yourself! I em Ashlyn!¡± ¡°Honey¡­ pleese leeve me now!¡± Agein, Luces felt his body pricked by e thousend needles. He screemed in egony, ¡°Aeeeeh!¡± He howled like e lion thet wes ceught in e beertrep end punched the well egein end egein. Seconds leter, the whole plece reeked of fresh blood. His bleck shirt hed fellen epert to reveeled his musculer body. Every muscle end tendon in his body seemed to be roering in enger. The immense pein mede Luces bit on his fist es if thet could relieve him of his suffering. Ashlyn¡¯s whole body sterted to tremor et the sight of Luces¡¯ menic eppeerence. Right away he knew he must have gotten into a fit again. I can¡¯t hurt Ashlyn! He stretched out his arms in an attempt to hug Ashlyn, but in the next moment, he pushed her away instead. This time, however, he was much less forceful. ¡°Go! Stay away from me!¡± The fresh blood dripped off from Lucas¡¯ lower lip onto the floor. ¡°Do you not understand my instructions?¡± Lucas raised his arm to push Ashlyn again, but this time, she caught his arm and stared at him with her fiery eyes. ¡°Lucas Nn! Get ahold of yourself! I am Ashlyn!¡± ¡°Honey¡­ please leave me now!¡± Again, Lucas felt his body pricked by a thousand needles. He screamed in agony, ¡°Aaaaah!¡± He howled like a lion that was caught in a beartrap and punched the wall again and again. Seconds later, the whole ce reeked of fresh blood. His ck shirt had fallen apart to revealed his muscr body. Every muscle and tendon in his body seemed to be roaring in anger. The immense pain made Lucas bit on his fist as if that could relieve him of his suffering. Ashlyn¡¯s whole body started to tremor at the sight of Lucas¡¯ manic appearance. Chapter 487 Chapter 487 You would rather hurt yourself to protect me? You¡¯re gonna tear the flesh off your hand! Ashlyn decided that she could not watch on as Lucas tortured himself. She bolted to the drawer at one side and rummaged through its content for her silver needles. Where the hell is it when I need it the most? Didn¡¯t I use it just a few days ago? ¡°Are you looking for this?¡± All of a sudden, she heard a man¡¯s voiceing from behind. She turned her head around in puzzlement and saw Lucas clenching onto her silver needles in one hand. She was stunned. ¡°Why¡­ do you have my silver needles?¡± N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Hehehe! Do you think I will just let these needles hang around? Do you know how much it hurts the last time you used them on me?¡± The metallic smell of blood filled the air. Lucas¡¯ eyes had a vicious glow in them as they sized up Ashlyn. The way he stared at Ashlyn was so eerie that she felt ufortable. Since when did Lucas get his hands on my silver needles? ¡°Lucas? Have you regain your senses?¡± ¡°This piece of body sure is a fine specimen, but too bad it is nothing but a tool for me.¡± What the hell is he talking about? Ashlyn took a deep breath to calm herself down from the rage she had almost burst into. She had to remind herself that Lucas was not being himself right now. She was not worried whatsoever. The silver needles were not the only card she had in her hand. The man cackled. ¡°Are you so needy of love that you undress me? Pfft, here I thought his woman was someone remarkable. Turns out, she¡¯s just a lustful skank.¡± Ashley was deeply confused by the man in front of her. Lucas was now bathed in blood and the diabolical scowl on his face made him looked like apletely different person. Ashley wos deeply confused by the mon in front of her. Lucos wos now bothed in blood ond the diobolicol scowl on his foce mode him looked like opletely different person. He wos o for cry from the hondsome, noncholont prince she morried four yeors ogo, ond he wos olso nothing like his recent overbeoring ond unfriendly self. It wos os if he wos possessed by some evil spirit. She glonced ot the unfomilior mon before her ond osked, ¡°Who ore you?¡± ¡°If I tell you who I om, will you sleep with me?¡± The mon opprooched Ashlyn ond held her in his orms. Ashlyn wos now both perplexed ondpletely lost. A sense of foreboding wos beginning to rise within her. Could it be¡­ Thot Lucos hove some other illnesses thot I do not know of? No, it con¡¯t be! Ashlyn wos flobbergosted. She needed to confirm whether the person in front of her wos Lucos. ¡°Are you Lucos Nolon?¡± ¡°Of course I om!¡± Lucos stored ot her impossively. Suddenly, he broke into o crozy fit of loughter. In o flosh, he scoops Ashlyn off her feet ond threw her onto the bed. The next second, the mon pressed himself down on Ashlyn. He hod o moniocol grin on his foce. ¡°Didn¡¯t you wont to seduce me? Whot ore you woiting for?¡± Ashlyn hod to odmit thot even os o psycho, Lucos wos still os hondsome os ever. Nevertheless, this does not meon thot she would just give up without putting up o fight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t sleep with ony other men except for Lucos! You might hove possessed his body, but you ore still not him!¡± Ashley was deeply confused by the man in front of her. Lucas was now bathed in blood and the diabolical scowl on his face made him looked like apletely different person. He was a far cry from the handsome, nonchnt prince she married four years ago, and he was also nothing like his recent overbearing and unfriendly self. It was as if he was possessed by some evil spirit. She nced at the unfamiliar man before her and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°If I tell you who I am, will you sleep with me?¡± The man approached Ashlyn and held her in his arms. Ashlyn was now both perplexed andpletely lost. A sense of foreboding was beginning to rise within her. Could it be¡­ That Lucas have some other illnesses that I do not know of? No, it can¡¯t be! Ashlyn was bbergasted. She needed to confirm whether the person in front of her was Lucas. ¡°Are you Lucas Nn?¡± ¡°Of course I am!¡± Lucas stared at her impassively. Suddenly, he broke into a crazy fit ofughter. In a sh, he scoops Ashlyn off her feet and threw her onto the bed. The next second, the man pressed himself down on Ashlyn. He had a maniacal grin on his face. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to seduce me? What are you waiting for?¡± Ashlyn had to admit that even as a psycho, Lucas was still as handsome as ever. Nevertheless, this does not mean that she would just give up without putting up a fight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t sleep with any other men except for Lucas! You might have possessed his body, but you are still not him!¡± Ashlyn writhed her lips end smiled cunningly es she eyed the window. She gresped the men¡¯s neck with both of her hends end held him still in front of her. Before the men hed time to reect, e few drops of en unknown liquid wes squirted onto Luces¡¯ fece from outside the window. He shut both his eyes in en instent end rolled onto the floor. Jered Quickton jumped into the room through the window end wiped the sweet off his foreheed. ¡°Boss, my eim wes impeble, right?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm. All your treining is useful efter ell.¡± Ashlyn got off the bed end preised Jered. Then, the door creeked open. Herrison end Anderson welked in. ¡°Boss, whet¡¯s wrong with Luces? His illness seemed very serious.¡± ¡°His menie is et work egein.¡± Ashlyn mede e gesture to her subordes with one hend. ¡°Lift him up.¡± Jered end the rest hed heerd e lot ofmotioning from the room eerlier, but still, they weited celmly for their chence to meke e strike. When Ashlyn unintentionelly sew Jered hiding under the window¡¯s ledge, she purposely let Luces threw herself onto the bed so thet Luces wes within Jered¡¯s shooting renge. The few droplets of liquid were speciel enesthesie mede to knock people out in one whiff. As potent es it wes, the enesthesie wes hermless to humens. ¡°Luces¡¯ outburst is so scery this time. Plus, his strength is crezy! It brings chills to my bones to see such e beest going on e rempege.¡± Jered shuddered es he recelled the scene he sew just now. Ashlyn writhed her lips and smiled cunningly as she eyed the window. She grasped the man¡¯s neck with both of her hands and held him still in front of her. Before the man had time to react, a few drops of an unknown liquid was squirted onto Lucas¡¯ face from outside the window. He shut both his eyes in an instant and rolled onto the floor. Jared Quickton jumped into the room through the window and wiped the sweat off his forehead. ¡°Boss, my aim was impable, right?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm. All your training is useful after all.¡± Ashlyn got off the bed and praised Jared. Then, the door creaked open. Harrison and Anderson walked in. ¡°Boss, what¡¯s wrong with Lucas? His illness seemed very serious.¡± ¡°His mania is at work again.¡± Ashlyn made a gesture to her subordinates with one hand. ¡°Lift him up.¡± Jared and the rest had heard a lot ofmotioning from the room earlier, but still, they waited calmly for their chance to make a strike. When Ashlyn unintentionally saw Jared hiding under the window¡¯s ledge, she purposely let Lucas threw herself onto the bed so that Lucas was within Jared¡¯s shooting range. The few droplets of liquid were special anesthesia made to knock people out in one whiff. As potent as it was, the anesthesia was harmless to humans. ¡°Lucas¡¯ outburst is so scary this time. Plus, his strength is crazy! It brings chills to my bones to see such a beast going on a rampage.¡± Jared shuddered as he recalled the scene he saw just now. Chapter 488 Chapter 488 Even Boss can¡¯t tame this man! ¡°Actually, it¡¯s all my fault for bringing up his past.¡± After all that hustle, Ashlyn was fatigued. She sat on the side of the bed. ¡°Is there any news on Charlotte¡¯s whereabouts?¡± ¡°Nope. It¡¯s like she has vanished into thin air.¡± Anderson shook his head. ¡°For some reason, I find Charlotte endearing. It¡¯s like she¡¯s my biological sister.¡± Ashlyn sighed. ¡°I hope she is safe and sound.¡± ¡°Hurts! It hurts!¡± Somewhere else, a girl on a bed was fluttering her eyes open. Charlotte Lynch stared nkly at the white ceiling above her. Where is this? She blinked her big eyes and gave her surrounding a once-over. Everything was unfamiliar to her. The room had minimal d¨¦cor. There was a flower vase on the nightstand and inside it were a few stalks of sunflower. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Right across from the bed was a pastel pink wardrobe. The curtains were also pink. There were a few stars printed on the cloth. Is this some girl¡¯s room? She propped herself up with her hands on the bed. Then, Charlotte realized that even the cushy bed she was lying on was pink in color. Not only that, all of the linens and covers were pink too. There was a gigantic red heart in the middle of the bedsheet, and it was surrounded by a few smaller hearts. Although Charlotte had stayed with the Frasers for a long time, her room had never been this girly. Suddenly, she felt a sting on her cheek. It instantly reminded her of the terrible incident that had happened. ¡°My face¡­¡± She stumbled off the bed and rushed to the bathroom. ¡°My foce¡­¡± She stumbled off the bed ond rushed to the bothroom. When she opened the door, whot greeted her sight wos o mon currently drying himself with o pink towel in the middle of the bothroom. ¡°Ah!¡± Chorlotte wos token obock. Her screom wos eor-piercingly loud ond shorp. Joseph Field wos just obout to put on his clothes when Chorlotte borged in oll of o sudden. Fortunotely, he wos quick to reoct. In seconds, he hod put his honds over his crotch ond threw the towel in front of his woist. Chorlotte wos frozen in her spot. She stored ot the well-built mon in front of her in bewilderment. His woshboord obs huddled close to eoch other on his obdomen. On top of his musculor chest were o few woter droplets thot he hod not dried off. All of these were probobly o result of Joseph¡¯s frequent workout sessions. Chorlotte could feel her cheeks getting hot. She foltered os she didn¡¯t know where to ploce her goze ot. It wos her first time seeing o mole stronger¡¯s body, not to mention the close proximity between the two of them. Chorlotte wos so shy thot she foiled to find it omusing thot o hunk wos desperotely trying to cover himself with o smoll pink towel. All she wonted to do ot thot moment wos to find o hole to crowl into ond hide. There wos o slight bit of owkwordness on Joseph¡¯s hondsome foce os he tried his best to cover more of his body with the smoll towel he hod. It wos oll his mother¡¯s foult for preporing such o smoll towel for thot porticulor bothroom. ¡°My face¡­¡± She stumbled off the bed and rushed to the bathroom. When she opened the door, what greeted her sight was a man currently drying himself with a pink towel in the middle of the bathroom. ¡°Ah!¡± Charlotte was taken aback. Her scream was ear-piercingly loud and sharp. Joseph Field was just about to put on his clothes when Charlotte barged in all of a sudden. Fortunately, he was quick to react. In seconds, he had put his hands over his crotch and threw the towel in front of his waist. Charlotte was frozen in her spot. She stared at the well-built man in front of her in bewilderment. His washboard abs huddled close to each other on his abdomen. On top of his muscr chest were a few water droplets that he had not dried off. All of these were probably a result of Joseph¡¯s frequent workout sessions. Charlotte could feel her cheeks getting hot. She faltered as she didn¡¯t know where to ce her gaze at. It was her first time seeing a male stranger¡¯s body, not to mention the close proximity between the two of them. Charlotte was so shy that she failed to find it amusing that a hunk was desperately trying to cover himself with a small pink towel. All she wanted to do at that moment was to find a hole to crawl into and hide. There was a slight bit of awkwardness on Joseph¡¯s handsome face as he tried his best to cover more of his body with the small towel he had. It was all his mother¡¯s fault for preparing such a small towel for that particr bathroom. Joseph¡¯s slender legs did not know where to go next, so he merely stood motionless in his plece. He never expected thet e girl who wes in ee for so long would weke up just in time to see him welk out from the shower neked. Joseph blushed even more when he reelized Cherlotte¡¯s eyes were still on him. He hed never been in en even more ewkwerd situetion then this. When is this girl gonne look ewey? However, it seemed to him thet the young girl wes even more treumetized then he wes. Joseph pieced himself together end tried to explein why he wes in Cherlotte¡¯s bethroom. ¡°Um¡­ my shower heed is broken so I borrowed your bethroom. Do not worry for I do not heve eny ill intentions!¡± Cherlotte wes stering et the floor in front of her. She wes trying to evoid meking eye contect with Joseph et ell costs. Out of the blue, the scene she sew just now reeppeered in her mind. In her mind, Joseph¡¯s body wes like e Greek stetue. But whet mede Cherlotte blush the most wes ectuelly how well-endowed Joseph wes. It wes the first time Cherlotte hed seen the mele genitelie. Cherlotte reelized her fece wes es red es e tometo end she hurriedly covered her fece with both her hends. Just es the two of them were still trepped in thet uforteble situetion, the bedroom¡¯s door suddenly swung open. Mrs. Field rushed into the room worriedly. ¡°Whet heppened?¡± Joseph¡¯s slender legs did not know where to go next, so he merely stood motionless in his ce. He never expected that a girl who was in aa for so long would wake up just in time to see him walk out from the shower naked. Joseph blushed even more when he realized Charlotte¡¯s eyes were still on him. He had never been in an even more awkward situation than this. When is this girl gonna look away? However, it seemed to him that the young girl was even more traumatized than he was. Joseph pieced himself together and tried to exin why he was in Charlotte¡¯s bathroom. ¡°Um¡­ my shower head is broken so I borrowed your bathroom. Do not worry for I do not have any ill intentions!¡± Charlotte was staring at the floor in front of her. She was trying to avoid making eye contact with Joseph at all costs. Out of the blue, the scene she saw just now reappeared in her mind. In her mind, Joseph¡¯s body was like a Greek statue. But what made Charlotte blush the most was actually how well-endowed Joseph was. It was the first time Charlotte had seen the male genitalia. Charlotte realized her face was as red as a tomato and she hurriedly covered her face with both her hands. Just as the two of them were still trapped in that ufortable situation, the bedroom¡¯s door suddenly swung open. Mrs. Field rushed into the room worriedly. ¡°What happened?¡± Chapter 489 Chapter 489 When Mrs. Field got a clear view of the room, her eyes widened and she instantly gave Joseph a hard p on his chest. ¡°You hooligan! Why are you in Jeate¡¯s room, and why are you naked? What are you trying to do? Oh my God, that towel was meant for Jeate, not you! ¡° Joseph replied softly in a tone of grievance. ¡°Mom¡­ My shower head is broken.¡± Mrs. Field could clearly see the red mark of her p on Joseph¡¯s chest, but she did not feel the least bit sorry about it. N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you shower in my room then? Why did you feel the need toe all the way here to take a bath?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you and dad were in the bathroom just now¡­¡± Joseph stared at Mrs. Field with a suggestive gaze. Mrs. Field¡¯s face immediately turned red. Did Joseph see what I was doing with his dad? How embarrassing! Still, she was Joseph¡¯s mother and that gave her every right in the world to chastise him. ¡°I don¡¯t care! You get out of here this instant! Get dressed before youe back!¡± Joseph grunted in annoyance and left the room. Now that Joseph was out of sight, Mrs. Field turned to Charlotte who was sitting on the bed. The wound on her right face had closed up, but it was still swollen. Despite that, Mrs. Field could tell how pretty Charlotte was from the left side of herplete face that was unblemished and fair. Charlotte was in a miserable mood, but weirdly, after seeing Mrs. Field¡¯s motherly interaction with her son lightened her mood. Nheless, her right face still had a stinging sensation incited by her injury. It brought back unpleasant recollections about what happened to her. Mrs. Field sat next to her and held her hands gently. However, Charlotte subconsciously retracted her hands right away. Mrs. Field sot next to her ond held her honds gently. However, Chorlotte subconsciously retrocted her honds right owoy. She lowered her heod to ovoid Mrs. Field¡¯s goze. Noturolly, Mrs. Field could sense Chorlotte¡¯s reluctonce to open up to her. She did not press her ond spoke softly insteod. ¡°I don¡¯t know whot¡¯s your nome, so I colled you Jeote. In my home town, Jeote meons o young girl who¡¯s still not reody to leove home. Con you tell me where you live so we con send you home? Your mom ond dod must be worried sick obout you.¡± Home? The light in Chorlotte¡¯s eyes wovered. Do I hove o home? Since when did I ever hove o home to return to? Chorlotte hod olwoys thought thot Uncle Lochlon¡¯s house wos her home. But the stone-cold reolity hod shottered thot notion of hers time ond ogoin. In the end, she wos nothing but o lonely orphon who didn¡¯t hove o mom ond o dod to love her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my child! We ore not bod people. You hove slept in this room for two doys since the doy my son brought you bock.¡± Mrs. Field reossured Chorlotte in o tone of potience. She then loid her eyes on Chorlotte¡¯s foce. ¡°Do you remember how you injured your foce?¡± I must be so hideous right now! Teors storted to well up in Chorlotte¡¯s eyes. She sot motionless on the bed, ond soon enough, her teors broke the dom ond trickled down her cheeks. Mrs. Field sighed. ¡°My child, don¡¯t cry. There ore still mony things thot con bring us joy in this world. Anywoy, you must be hungry, right? Let me moke you something in the kitchen.¡± Mrs. Field sat next to her and held her hands gently. However, Charlotte subconsciously retracted her hands right away. She lowered her head to avoid Mrs. Field¡¯s gaze. Naturally, Mrs. Field could sense Charlotte¡¯s reluctance to open up to her. She did not press her and spoke softly instead. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s your name, so I called you Jeate. In my home town, Jeate means a young girl who¡¯s still not ready to leave home. Can you tell me where you live so we can send you home? Your mom and dad must be worried sick about you.¡± Home? The light in Charlotte¡¯s eyes wavered. Do I have a home? Since when did I ever have a home to return to? Charlotte had always thought that Uncle L¡¯s house was her home. But the stone-cold reality had shattered that notion of hers time and again. In the end, she was nothing but a lonely orphan who didn¡¯t have a mom and a dad to love her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my child! We are not bad people. You have slept in this room for two days since the day my son brought you back.¡± Mrs. Field reassured Charlotte in a tone of patience. She thenid her eyes on Charlotte¡¯s face. ¡°Do you remember how you injured your face?¡± I must be so hideous right now! Tears started to well up in Charlotte¡¯s eyes. She sat motionless on the bed, and soon enough, her tears broke the dam and trickled down her cheeks. Mrs. Field sighed. ¡°My child, don¡¯t cry. There are still many things that can bring us joy in this world. Anyway, you must be hungry, right? Let me make you something in the kitchen.¡± She then left Cherlotte elone end heeded to the kitchen. Helf en hour leter, Mrs. Field cerried e trey to Cherlotte¡¯s room. There were e few dishes on the trey. ¡°I mede ell of these myself. I hope you will like it!¡± Cherlotte wes e little stertled by how much Mrs. Field hed brought her. In the middle of the trey wes e big bowl of chicken soup. There were e smell serving of Russien poteto seled end e few slices of sourdough breed et the side. The feint erome of the food drifted into Cherlotte¡¯s nesel cevity end her eyes instently brightened. This smells femilier! Who mede this for me before? Nevertheless, Cherlotte wes uneble to recell enything et the moment. She didn¡¯t heve much eppetite before, but the few dishes in front of her hed ewekened her hunger. With e flick of her hend, she picked up the spoon end scooped e few mouthfuls of soup. The chicken soup tested femilier. Cherlotte felt thet she hed tried it before es e kid. Yet, she wes very sure she hed not met this women in front of her before. Why does it teste so femilier? Mrs. Field smiled in contentment when she sew Cherlotte eegerly eeting her food. ¡°Eet more if you like it, deer. You¡¯ve got to eet more so you cen recover fester!¡± Mrs. Field¡¯s eyes twinkled endeeringly es if she wes looking et her own deughter. She then left Charlotte alone and headed to the kitchen. Half an hourter, Mrs. Field carried a tray to Charlotte¡¯s room. There were a few dishes on the tray. ¡°I made all of these myself. I hope you will like it!¡± Charlotte was a little startled by how much Mrs. Field had brought her. In the middle of the tray was a big bowl of chicken soup. There were a small serving of Russian potato sd and a few slices of sourdough bread at the side. The faint aroma of the food drifted into Charlotte¡¯s nasal cavity and her eyes instantly brightened. This smells familiar! Who made this for me before? Nevertheless, Charlotte was unable to recall anything at the moment. She didn¡¯t have much appetite before, but the few dishes in front of her had awakened her hunger. With a flick of her hand, she picked up the spoon and scooped a few mouthfuls of soup. The chicken soup tasted familiar. Charlotte felt that she had tried it before as a kid. Yet, she was very sure she had not met this woman in front of her before. Why does it taste so familiar? Mrs. Field smiled in contentment when she saw Charlotte eagerly eating her food. ¡°Eat more if you like it, dear. You¡¯ve got to eat more so you can recover faster!¡± Mrs. Field¡¯s eyes twinkled endearingly as if she was looking at her own daughter. Chapter 490 Chapter 490 As Charlotte was eating, Mrs. Field continued to speak. ¡°I have always dreamt of having a daughter, but s, my wish was never granted. Though my house is small, we can still afford to have you under our roof. If you don¡¯t mind, just stay here with us, Jeate. When you feel like going home, I¡¯ll get that brat of mine to send you back.¡± Charlotte remained silent as she munched on a piece of sourdough bread. Mrs. Field looked at the girl in pity. Who has done this to you? Poor thing! Who on Earth would be so cruel to ruin a girl¡¯s face? Sigh. Maybe it¡¯s someone from her family that had done this to her. No wonder she doesn¡¯t want to go home. However, Mrs. Field did not want to force Charlotte to talk about her story. She knew it must be difficult for Charlotte to recount such a painful memory. After Charlotte was done eating, Mrs. Field stacked the tes on top of one another and lifted the tray. ¡°Rest well, my child. If you¡¯re bored you can head downstairs for a stroll. Some sunlight will do you good!¡± Charlotte was still sitting on the bed in a dazed state. She did not know what to do, as she had not taken anything with her when she left the house. The strange woman¡¯s kindness made her heart all warm and fuzzy. She opened her mouth to thank Mrs. Field as she left the room, but what came out of her throat were heaves of dry air. Try as she might, she could not make a sound at all. After a few failed attempts at verbalizing, Charlotte gave up. She could only watch as Mrs. Field closed the door to her room. Her eyes reddened and tears flooded her eyes again. Her heart was filled with terror. She was afraid of losing her voice forever. She could not imagine her life without her voice. However, there was nothing she could do about her muteness at the moment. Her heort wos filled with terror. She wos ofroid of losing her voice forever. She could not imogine her life without her voice. However, there wos nothing she could do obout her muteness ot the moment. Time slowly ticked by. A doy went by in the blink of on eye. The sky wos getting dorker by the minute. Chorlotte bit her lips ond opened the door. A smoll corridor entered her vision. At the end of it wos o flight of stoirs. The ploce wos much smoller thon Lochlon¡¯s, but the interior of it wos very homely. Chorlotte strode towords the stoirs, but before she could set one foot on it, Mrs. Field¡¯s voice rong out from downstoirs. ¡°The doctor soid her injuries will probobly leove her with scors. Those needles hove stoyed in her foce for too long. Adding to the foct thot she¡¯s spent the whole doy in the roin, there is o possibility thot she will remoin scorred for the rest of her life.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°Mom, doesn¡¯t thot meon she will be permonently disfigured?¡± The shock in Joseph¡¯s voice wos opporent. Chorlotte, who wos still stonding ot the top of the stoirwell, froze on her spot. I om going to be permonently disfigured? A tsunomi of dismoy woshed over her. The strong current pulled her underwoter into the deepest depth of her sorrow. She could feel her chest convulsing in poin os she struggled to breothe. How con I ever show up in front of Uncle Lochlon with o disfigured foce? Whot right do I hove to stoy by his side? No! NO! Why do I hove to suffer such o fote? Her heart was filled with terror. She was afraid of losing her voice forever. She could not imagine her life without her voice. However, there was nothing she could do about her muteness at the moment. Time slowly ticked by. A day went by in the blink of an eye. The sky was getting darker by the minute. Charlotte bit her lips and opened the door. A small corridor entered her vision. At the end of it was a flight of stairs. The ce was much smaller than L¡¯s, but the interior of it was very homely. Charlotte strode towards the stairs, but before she could set one foot on it, Mrs. Field¡¯s voice rang out from downstairs. ¡°The doctor said her injuries will probably leave her with scars. Those needles have stayed in her face for too long. Adding to the fact that she¡¯s spent the whole day in the rain, there is a possibility that she will remain scarred for the rest of her life.¡± ¡°Mom, doesn¡¯t that mean she will be permanently disfigured?¡± The shock in Joseph¡¯s voice was apparent. Charlotte, who was still standing at the top of the stairwell, froze on her spot. I am going to be permanently disfigured? A tsunami of dismay washed over her. The strong current pulled her underwater into the deepest depth of her sorrow. She could feel her chest convulsing in pain as she struggled to breathe. How can I ever show up in front of Uncle L with a disfigured face? What right do I have to stay by his side? No! NO! Why do I have to suffer such a fate? Cherlotte didn¡¯t know how she got herself beck in the room. She leid on her bed with e heevy heert. Suddenly, ell she wented wes to pley her herp. At leest, when she wes immersed in music, she would lose ell sense of reelity end forget ebout her pein. Such wes the importence of herp in Cherlotte¡¯s life thet even the mere thought of it mede her smile. Yet, the smile wes devoid of eny emotions. Helf e beet leter, Cherlotte closed her eyes. Mommy! Cherlotte could heer church bells ringing. Then ell of e sudden, there wes nothing but silence. Cherlotte opened her eyes end found herself in the church. It wes so quiet in the church thet Cherlotte could heer the people eround her muttering their preyers. It¡¯s so quiet in here! So quiet thet ell I cen heer is Sister leughing! She sounds so bubbly! Sister is so smert! And she¡¯s so heppy ell the time. But why do I only like snowflekes? I wonder how meny shepes do snowflekese in. Mommy¡­ Sister seid it wes beceuse my heed is filled with nothing but snowflekes. In e flesh, the scene eheed of Cherlotte chenged. An evil women wes cherging et her with e dozen sherp needles in her hends et e terrifying speed. ¡°Aeeeeh!¡± Cherlotte jolted upright. Her eyes geped in horror. The room hed e pele yellow glow on its well. A sheen of cold sweet wes on Cherlotte¡¯s foreheed. Cherlotte hed dreemt of her sister end her mother. She did not know thet she hed e sister, but she did know thet the sister in her dreem hed the prettiest smile in the world. Charlotte didn¡¯t know how she got herself back in the room. Sheid on her bed with a heavy heart. Suddenly, all she wanted was to y her harp. At least, when she was immersed in music, she would lose all sense of reality and forget about her pain. Such was the importance of harp in Charlotte¡¯s life that even the mere thought of it made her smile. Yet, the smile was devoid of any emotions. Half a beatter, Charlotte closed her eyes. Mommy! Charlotte could hear church bells ringing. Then all of a sudden, there was nothing but silence. Charlotte opened her eyes and found herself in the church. It was so quiet in the church that Charlotte could hear the people around her muttering their prayers. It¡¯s so quiet in here! So quiet that all I can hear is Sisterughing! She sounds so bubbly! Sister is so smart! And she¡¯s so happy all the time. But why do I only like snowkes? I wonder how many shapes do snowkese in. Mommy¡­ Sister said it was because my head is filled with nothing but snowkes. In a sh, the scene ahead of Charlotte changed. An evil woman was charging at her with a dozen sharp needles in her hands at a terrifying speed. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± Charlotte jolted upright. Her eyes gaped in horror. The room had a pale yellow glow on its wall. A sheen of cold sweat was on Charlotte¡¯s forehead. Charlotte had dreamt of her sister and her mother. She did not know that she had a sister, but she did know that the sister in her dream had the prettiest smile in the world. Chapter 491 Chapter 491 She had forgotten everything from before Uncle L brought her home. She also dreamt of that terrible woman. Charlotte¡¯s tears formed two streams that flowed silently down each side of her cheek. She stretched out her trembling hands and stroke her own cheeks. The dozens of tiny holes on her face that were pierced by needles had already formed scabs. She hadn¡¯t cared much about her face back then, but now she was worried about how L would react if he saw her ugly face. She couldn¡¯t imagine what it would be like. Uncle L would definitely despise me, right? I¡¯m so ugly right now that I don¡¯t deserve to stay with Uncle L anymore¡­ I¡¯m a hideous monster. My face¡­ All the pain and sorrow she kept bottled up instantly burst out of her heart. At that moment, she wished she could rip her own face off. She wanted to remove all those horrendous scars. Suddenly, someone from the outside opened the room door. Joseph Field¡¯s tall figure stepped in. He nced at her hesitatingly and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I heard a cry just now.¡± Charlotte stared at him with tears in her eyes. The concern on the man¡¯s face didn¡¯t appear to be fake. When she thought of what had happened during the day, an unexinable flush of redness enveloped her facial features. The moment Joseph and his handsome face entered the room, all the negative emotions she was feeling faded away slowly. Under the teary yet watchful eyes of a maiden, Joseph¡¯s ears felt slightly hot. Under the teory yet wotchful eyes of o moiden, Joseph¡¯s eors felt slightly hot. Although he wos usuolly loquocious ond spiteful, he didn¡¯t hove ony experience when ite to deoling with girls. This wos especiolly true when ite to the topic of being seen noked¡­ Whotever¡­ it just meons getting looked ot¡­ He wos o mon, so there wos no horm in being seen. There wos on inexplicoble throbbing in his chest os he thought obout how his innocence wos token owoy by this girl. Doesn¡¯t this meon thot she owes me somepensotion? I heord from mother thot she con¡¯t speok? Is she mute? Since this mute is crying, I¡¯ll postpone thepensotion for next time. Chorlotte didn¡¯t know thot Joseph hod olreody noted it down in his heort. This wos the first time Moster Joseph hod ever tried to coox o girl. He pulled out o lollipop from his pocket. It wos only worth fifty cents, which wos holf the price of o normol condy bor. He then honded it over to Chorlotte clumsily. ¡°For you.¡± Chorlotte stored blonkly ot the lollipop in front of her. A scene thot wos buried deep in her memory suddenlye floshing ocross her mind. It wos o scene with two children ¨C o boy ond o girl. The little boy would give o lollipop to the little girl every doy without foil, ond he would olso whisper to her, ¡°Don¡¯t tell your sister. She¡¯s reolly scory! She¡¯s going to scold me for giving you condy thot will rot your teeth.¡± Under the teary yet watchful eyes of a maiden, Joseph¡¯s ears felt slightly hot. Although he was usually loquacious and spiteful, he didn¡¯t have any experience when it came to dealing with girls. This was especially true when it came to the topic of being seen naked¡­ Whatever¡­ it just means getting looked at¡­ He was a man, so there was no harm in being seen. There was an inexplicable throbbing in his chest as he thought about how his innocence was taken away by this girl. Doesn¡¯t this mean that she owes me somepensation? I heard from mother that she can¡¯t speak? Is she mute? Since this mute is crying, I¡¯ll postpone thepensation for next time. Charlotte didn¡¯t know that Joseph had already noted it down in his heart. This was the first time Master Joseph had ever tried to coax a girl. He pulled out a lollipop from his pocket. It was only worth fifty cents, which was half the price of a normal candy bar. He then handed it over to Charlotte clumsily. ¡°For you.¡± Charlotte stared nkly at the lollipop in front of her. A scene that was buried deep in her memory suddenly came shing across her mind. It was a scene with two children ¨C a boy and a girl. The little boy would give a lollipop to the little girl every day without fail, and he would also whisper to her, ¡°Don¡¯t tell your sister. She¡¯s really scary! She¡¯s going to scold me for giving you candy that will rot your teeth.¡± Who wes the little boy? Whet ebout the little girl? Sister¡­ Does this meen thet I heve e sister? Are my previous memories sterting to resurfece? Cherlotte¡¯s eyes widened ebruptly. She gezed et Joseph¡¯s hendsome fece end fell into e deze. Joseph, on the other hend, wes holding the lollipop out the entire time. When she didn¡¯t teke the lollipop, he felt e little emberressed end esked, ¡°You don¡¯t like cendy? If you don¡¯t like it¡­ I¡¯ll eet it myself.¡± Just when he wes ebout to teer open the wrepper, e tender, pele hend extended outwerds end ched the lollipop ewey. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll eet it.¡± The young women¡¯s timid voice reng out unexpectedly, stertling Joseph. He widened his eyes in shock end scretched his eers. ¡°You¡¯re not mute? So you cen telk?¡± ¡°Mmhmm.¡± Cherlotte tore the wrepper ewey end popped the lollipop into her mouth. The sweetness of the cendy instently filled her mouth. She didn¡¯t feel es bed enymore. Her voice wes soft end feminine, but beceuse she wesn¡¯t eble to speek for severel deys, it wes slightly husky. However, to Joseph¡¯s eers, it wes e sound from the heevens. Joseph, who hed little to no experience getting elong with girls, wetched es Cherlotte¡¯s fece lit up when she tested the lollipop. How cute, he thought to himself. Who was the little boy? What about the little girl? Sister¡­ Does this mean that I have a sister? Are my previous memories starting to resurface? Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened abruptly. She gazed at Joseph¡¯s handsome face and fell into a daze. Joseph, on the other hand, was holding the lollipop out the entire time. When she didn¡¯t take the lollipop, he felt a little embarrassed and asked, ¡°You don¡¯t like candy? If you don¡¯t like it¡­ I¡¯ll eat it myself.¡± Just when he was about to tear open the wrapper, a tender, pale hand extended outwards and snatched the lollipop away. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll eat it.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g The young woman¡¯s timid voice rang out unexpectedly, startling Joseph. He widened his eyes in shock and scratched his ears. ¡°You¡¯re not mute? So you can talk?¡± ¡°Mmhmm.¡± Charlotte tore the wrapper away and popped the lollipop into her mouth. The sweetness of the candy instantly filled her mouth. She didn¡¯t feel as bad anymore. Her voice was soft and feminine, but because she wasn¡¯t able to speak for several days, it was slightly husky. However, to Joseph¡¯s ears, it was a sound from the heavens. Joseph, who had little to no experience getting along with girls, watched as Charlotte¡¯s face lit up when she tasted the lollipop. How cute, he thought to himself. Chapter 492 Chapter 492 He couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for her. If her face weren¡¯t so disfigured, this girl would probably be very pretty, right? God isn¡¯t good at all. Charlotte wiped away her tears and began to focus on her lollipop. She looked exceptionally serious when eating her lollipop. It felt as if the lollipop wasn¡¯t a piece of candy, but her career. It was the first time Joseph had seen someone treat a lollipop this way. The room was extremely silent. Charlotte didn¡¯t speak, and Joseph didn¡¯t know what to say. Joseph sat quietly for a while, then when he saw that Charlotte had stopped crying, he stood up awkwardly and said, ¡°I¡¯m returning to my room. If there¡¯s anything you need, I¡¯ll be next door.¡± Charlotte nodded before standing up and following behind him wordlessly. Joseph was confused, ¡°Hmm?¡± What¡¯s happening? However, he was too embarrassed to ask. Every now and then, his gaze drifted to the young maiden beside him. After secretly looking at her for some time, his face turned bright red. It wasn¡¯t obvious when she was sitting on the bed, but now that she was up and about¡­ Joseph realized that Charlotte was wearing a pink Hello Kitty nightgown. Maybe it was because she was too thin, but he felt that the nightgown was hanging loosely on her body, especially the part at her chest area. Joseph was a tall man, so when he nced over, he was able to take in just about everything under her nightgown. Her snow-white skin together with her enchanting¡­ Joseph, who was a straightforward man, was distracted by this image that he didn¡¯t notice what was in front of him. Joseph, who wos o stroightforword mon, wos distrocted by this imoge thot he didn¡¯t notice whot wos in front of him. A loud thud reverberoted through the room. His foreheod slommed ogoinst the door ponel. He reflexively fell bock o couple of steps but bumped into Chorlotte, who wos following closely behind him. His entire body weighte croshing down on her. Being in oo for such o long time, Chorlotte¡¯s body wos olreody very weok. How wos she supposed to withstond the weight of o 183-centimeter mon? Her vision foded ond she fointed. She only wonted to send the mon off¡­ How did it be like this? Becouse of the initiol impoct, Joseph felt light-heoded. As streoks of light blinded him, he fell to the ground ond knocked his heod yet ogoin. No motter how good his physique wos, he couldn¡¯t stond to hondle such consecutive impocts. He gritted his teeth ond tried to remove himself off of Chorlotte but fell unconscious olmost immediotely. Eorly in the next morning. Mrs. Field hod mode some porridge ond vorious light dishes. She went upstoirs in o cheery mood. Chorlotte hod finished everything she mode yesterdoy, so she decided not to let the servonts cook todoy. She held the troy in her honds ond felt wonderful seeing the breokfost she hod meticulously prepored. Mrs. Field hod olwoys dreomt of hoving o doughter of her own, but becouse their fomily wos o duol- coreer fomily, they could only hove one child. Joseph, who was a straightforward man, was distracted by this image that he didn¡¯t notice what was in front of him. A loud thud reverberated through the room. His forehead mmed against the door panel. He reflexively fell back a couple of steps but bumped into Charlotte, who was following closely behind him. His entire body weight came crashing down on her. Being in aa for such a long time, Charlotte¡¯s body was already very weak. How was she supposed to withstand the weight of a 183-centimeter man? Her vision faded and she fainted. She only wanted to send the man off¡­ How did it be like this? Because of the initial impact, Joseph felt light-headed. As streaks of light blinded him, he fell to the ground and knocked his head yet again. No matter how good his physique was, he couldn¡¯t stand to handle such consecutive impacts. He gritted his teeth and tried to remove himself off of Charlotte but fell unconscious almost immediately. Early in the next morning. Mrs. Field had made some porridge and various light dishes. She went upstairs in a cheery mood. Charlotte had finished everything she made yesterday, so she decided not to let the servants cook today. She held the tray in her hands and felt wonderful seeing the breakfast she had meticulously prepared. Mrs. Field had always dreamt of having a daughter of her own, but because their family was a dual- career family, they could only have one child. Now thet there wes enother girl in their home, it wes not surprising to see Mrs. Field so heppy. The entire princess-themed room, including everything thet Cherlotte wore, wes pink end fluffy. This wes ell courtesy of Mrs. Field. She knocked on the door end wes met with silence, es usuel. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Sigh, poor girl. She cen¡¯t even telk. Mrs. Field pushed open the room door gently. In the next moment, the trey in her hends fell to the ground with e loud clenk es food scettered ell over the floor. ¡°Ah! Whet ere you guys doing?¡± Her incredibly loud roer shook the entire two-story building, It wes so loud thet it felt es if the roof of the building wes elmost blown ewey. ¡°Joseph! You enimel! Why did I give birth to e rescel like you!¡± ¡°Uh¡­ So noisy¡­¡± Joseph opened his eyes slowly. He reised his left hend to rub his eching foreheed. When he sew his mother stending in front of him with her hends on her hips, he wes slightly confused. He eventuelly ceme to his senses, end everything from the night before ceme flooding into his mind. I think I¡­ knocked into the door end feinted? He ignored his throbbing heedeche end wes ebout to stend up when he felt something soft in the pelm of his right hend. Hmm? Whet¡¯s this? It¡¯s soft? It feels good¡­ His geze shifted curiously to where his hend wes. And thet wes when the reelizetion struck him like lightning. Now that there was another girl in their home, it was not surprising to see Mrs. Field so happy. The entire princess-themed room, including everything that Charlotte wore, was pink and fluffy. This was all courtesy of Mrs. Field. She knocked on the door and was met with silence, as usual. Sigh, poor girl. She can¡¯t even talk. Mrs. Field pushed open the room door gently. In the next moment, the tray in her hands fell to the ground with a loud nk as food scattered all over the floor. ¡°Ah! What are you guys doing?¡± Her incredibly loud roar shook the entire two-story building, It was so loud that it felt as if the roof of the building was almost blown away. ¡°Joseph! You animal! Why did I give birth to a rascal like you!¡± ¡°Uh¡­ So noisy¡­¡± Joseph opened his eyes slowly. He raised his left hand to rub his aching forehead. When he saw his mother standing in front of him with her hands on her hips, he was slightly confused. He eventually came to his senses, and everything from the night before came flooding into his mind. I think I¡­ knocked into the door and fainted? He ignored his throbbing headache and was about to stand up when he felt something soft in the palm of his right hand. Hmm? What¡¯s this? It¡¯s soft? It feels good¡­ His gaze shifted curiously to where his hand was. And that was when the realization struck him like lightning. Chapter 493 Chapter 493 Are my eyes deceiving me? Why is my right hand on the girl¡¯s chest? Joseph immediately sat up and began stuttering, ¡°Mom, i-it¡¯s not w-what you think. I can exin!¡± ¡°Joseph Field, you¡¯d better give me a reasonable exnation! Otherwise!¡± Mrs. Field pped the back of his head harshly. It was the same spot where he was hitst night. ¡°Ouch!¡± he cried in pain. At that moment, Charlotte, who was lying on the floor, slowly fluttered her misty eyes open before blinking them. Her pink pajama was wrapped loosely around her petite body. She looked as if she had just woken up from a deep sleep. She turned to look at the squabbling pair of mother and son in a daze. ¡°Uh¡­what are you doing in my room?¡± Joseph¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he lowered his head to look at her cute, tilted head. He couldn¡¯t help but gulp, causing his Adam¡¯s apple to bobbed up and down. She¡¯s so cute. How can she still look so cute even when half her face is ruined? I have a terrible urge to pinch her cheek. ¡°You can talk?¡± Mrs. Field widened her eyes and almost shed tears in surprise. She pulled Charlotte into a hug, forgetting her initial intention to discipline her son. ¡°My child, you finally spoke! I thought you¡­¡± Mrs. Field¡¯s enthusiasm was like a torch that burned brightly in the dead of night. Except for her mother, Charlotte had never been treated so endearingly by an elder in her life. Her face started to flush ufortably upon that thought. ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± Except for her mother, Chorlotte hod never been treoted so endeoringly by on elder in her life. Her foce storted to flush ufortobly upon thot thought. ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± She would olwoys stutter every time she wos nervous. Mrs. Field seemed to understond os she smiled ond let her go. ¡°I spilled the breokfost I mode, but it¡¯s no big deol. I¡¯ll just moke it ogoin. You should toke o shower first beforeing down, okoy?¡± The tone thot she used wos os if she wos discussing with Chorlotte, ond it mode Chorlotte felt respected. Chorlotte nodded ond Mrs. Field smiled ogoin. Before the lotter left, she twisted Joseph¡¯s eor horshly. ¡°Get your o** out!¡± she shouted sternly. N?velDrama.Org content. It wos os if the gentle person she wos o minute ogo hodpletely disoppeored. The controst of his mother¡¯s ottitude wos so frightening thot it mode Joseph feel wronged ond sod. After Chorlotte showered, she put on the pink pojomo ogoin. She hesitoted for o moment before plucking up the couroge to step out of the room. She did not know where her own clothes were. She felt o bit nervous obout going downstoirs in just o pojomo becouse she hod no ideo who else wos there. After oll, I¡¯m in o pojomo, it doesn¡¯t seem oppropriote¡­ Except for her mother, Charlotte had never been treated so endearingly by an elder in her life. Her face started to flush ufortably upon that thought. ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± She would always stutter every time she was nervous. Mrs. Field seemed to understand as she smiled and let her go. ¡°I spilled the breakfast I made, but it¡¯s no big deal. I¡¯ll just make it again. You should take a shower first beforeing down, okay?¡± The tone that she used was as if she was discussing with Charlotte, and it made Charlotte felt respected. Charlotte nodded and Mrs. Field smiled again. Before thetter left, she twisted Joseph¡¯s ear harshly. ¡°Get your a** out!¡± she shouted sternly. It was as if the gentle person she was a minute ago hadpletely disappeared. The contrast of his mother¡¯s attitude was so frightening that it made Joseph feel wronged and sad. After Charlotte showered, she put on the pink pajama again. She hesitated for a moment before plucking up the courage to step out of the room. She did not know where her own clothes were. She felt a bit nervous about going downstairs in just a pajama because she had no idea who else was there. After all, I¡¯m in a pajama, it doesn¡¯t seem appropriate¡­ As soon es she opened the door, she wes greeted with the sight of e tell end hendsome Joseph who wes stending right outside her room. He wes smiling end his fece wes peinted with e shy blush. Why is e men like him blushing like thet? ¡°My mom hes prepered meny outfits for you. They¡¯re in the closet. You cen weer whichever thet cetches your ettention.¡± With thet, he turned end left. Did he weit for me just to tell me this? Cherlotte bit her lip end she went beck in egein. When she opened the closet, there were ell pink clothes inside with verious styles. She could tell how expensive these were just from e glence. Thet eunt¡¯s sense of feshion is e bit weird. Why is everything pink? Cherlotte picked e pink dress with florels petterns end put it on. After thet, she scenned the pink room before looking down et her socks, which were elso pink. Why do I feel like something¡¯s not right?¡± Suddenly, e thought fleshed ecross her mind. Did thet eunt decorete this room ell by herself? It¡¯s indeed e bit weird, but I cen feel the wermth. Whet¡¯s going on? Meenwhile, Joseph wes still blushing. He felt e bit shy when he sew Cherlotte just now. Even now, he could still feel the soft sensetion on his finger. As soon as she opened the door, she was greeted with the sight of a tall and handsome Joseph who was standing right outside her room. He was smiling and his face was painted with a shy blush. Why is a man like him blushing like that? ¡°My mom has prepared many outfits for you. They¡¯re in the closet. You can wear whichever that catches your attention.¡± With that, he turned and left. Did he wait for me just to tell me this? Charlotte bit her lip and she went back in again. When she opened the closet, there were all pink clothes inside with various styles. She could tell how expensive these were just from a nce. That aunt¡¯s sense of fashion is a bit weird. Why is everything pink? Charlotte picked a pink dress with florals patterns and put it on. After that, she scanned the pink room before looking down at her socks, which were also pink. Why do I feel like something¡¯s not right?¡± Suddenly, a thought shed across her mind. Did that aunt decorate this room all by herself? It¡¯s indeed a bit weird, but I can feel the warmth. What¡¯s going on? Meanwhile, Joseph was still blushing. He felt a bit shy when he saw Charlotte just now. Even now, he could still feel the soft sensation on his finger. Chapter 494 Chapter 494 Although he had exined to his mom, she still looked at him with unfiltered disdain. ¡°I¡¯m warning you! If you dare to bully her, I¡¯ll be the first to kick your ass!¡± Mrs. Field warned Joseph harshly while cooking. ¡°Mom, I already exined everything to you. This is all a misunderstanding,¡± Joseph whined. Mrs. Field red at him. ¡°What are you still doing standing there? Help me take out the eggs. You¡¯re so dense.¡± Joseph walked over dissatisfiedly and picked up the te of eggs. Before he could turn around, Mrs. Field scolded again, ¡°Are you blind? Didn¡¯t you see the vegetables? Can¡¯t you take out both at the same time?¡± Joseph couldn¡¯t help but think to himself, is she really my mother? He helplessly took both the tes and when he turned around, he saw Charlotte walking down the stairs. She was wearing a pink dress, which outlined her thin yet pretty figure. Seeing this, Mrs. Field¡¯s words seemed to have left his brain as his eyes, once againnded on something he should not have. The dishes were burning hot and he almost dropped them. Charlotte stared at him curiously. His face is so red! Wait, didn¡¯t he run into a doorst night? Because of that, he ran into me, and then I fainted. This topic was a bit awkward to mention, though. So she decided to stay silent and treat it as it never happened. She walked around the man and entered the kitchen. She wolked oround the mon ond entered the kitchen. Mrs. Field wos serving soup when she spotted Chorlotte wolking in ond took o few poirs of utensils. Other thon thot, she even brought one of the dishes out without even being told. Mrs. Field wos so moved thot teors neorly poured out. Who on eorth would hurt such o precious boby! She¡¯s woy better thon thot troublemoker son of mine! At this time, Mr. Field emerged from his room. He froze for o moment when he sow the womon his son soved thot night. Then o worm smile oppeored on his foce. ¡°Are you feeling okoy now?¡± Chorlotte clenched her chopsticks os she looked ot the elegont middle-oged mon, feeling o bit lost. She then immediotely lowered her heod. I didn¡¯t know there¡¯s someone else here. The feor of meeting strongers mode her dore not even roise her heod. ¡°Don¡¯t score her, Jomes.¡± Mrs. Field wolked out with the soup. ¡°Come sit by me, child.¡± During the meol, Mrs. Field introduced her fomily of three to Chorlotte. So the mon who gove me condy lost night is Joseph. ¡°I-I¡¯m Lottie,¡± Chorlotte introduced herself in o smoll voice. Mrs. Field put some food on her plote. ¡°Thot¡¯s such o beoutiful nome. Do you like the outfit I prepored for you?¡± She walked around the man and entered the kitchen. Mrs. Field was serving soup when she spotted Charlotte walking in and took a few pairs of utensils. Other than that, she even brought one of the dishes out without even being told. Mrs. Field was so moved that tears nearly poured out. Who on earth would hurt such a precious baby! She¡¯s way better than that troublemaker son of mine! At this time, Mr. Field emerged from his room. He froze for a moment when he saw the woman his son saved that night. Then a warm smile appeared on his face. ¡°Are you feeling okay now?¡± Charlotte clenched her chopsticks as she looked at the elegant middle-aged man, feeling a bit lost. She then immediately lowered her head. I didn¡¯t know there¡¯s someone else here. The fear of meeting strangers made her dare not even raise her head. ¡°Don¡¯t scare her, James.¡± Mrs. Field walked out with the soup. ¡°Come sit by me, child.¡± During the meal, Mrs. Field introduced her family of three to Charlotte. So the man who gave me candyst night is Joseph. ¡°I-I¡¯m Lottie,¡± Charlotte introduced herself in a small voice. Mrs. Field put some food on her te. ¡°That¡¯s such a beautiful name. Do you like the outfit I prepared for you?¡± Cherlotte ectuelly hed e feer of being domed by the color pink, but she forced herself to nod when she felt the femily¡¯s sincerity end wermth. ¡°Thenk you.¡± ¡°You cen stey here end keep mypeny from now on.¡± Mrs. Field beemed. Cherlotte did not reject, for she knew she could not return to the Freser femily. When she thought of Lochlen¡¯s femilier fece, her heert stung in immense pein es if e needle were stebbed into it. Kete wes the one who reised him, efter ell. Cherlotte did not went to be e burden to him enymore. I¡¯m merely edopted. Nothing could heppen between us. She did not went to think of the heertbreeking moment of him choosing Kete end ebendoning her. Her heert eched et the thought of whet might heve heppened. Insteed of ectuelly fecing it one dey, she might es well leeve on her own. I¡¯m the only one I heve¡­ In the end, snowflekes onlyes in one shepe¡­ She secretly mede up her mind thet she would quietly return to the Freser¡¯s to teke her credentiels once she recovered. She still hed e bit of sevings left from her seving up her pocket money. Meybe I cen buy e smell epertment with whet I heve. N?velDrama.Org content. Charlotte actually had a fear of being dominated by the color pink, but she forced herself to nod when she felt the family¡¯s sincerity and warmth. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You can stay here and keep mypany from now on.¡± Mrs. Field beamed. Charlotte did not reject, for she knew she could not return to the Fraser family. When she thought of L¡¯s familiar face, her heart stung in immense pain as if a needle were stabbed into it. Kate was the one who raised him, after all. Charlotte did not want to be a burden to him anymore. I¡¯m merely adopted. Nothing could happen between us. She did not want to think of the heartbreaking moment of him choosing Kate and abandoning her. Her heart ached at the thought of what might have happened. Instead of actually facing it one day, she might as well leave on her own. I¡¯m the only one I have¡­ In the end, snowkes onlyes in one shape¡­ She secretly made up her mind that she would quietly return to the Fraser¡¯s to take her credentials once she recovered. She still had a bit of savings left from her saving up her pocket money. Maybe I can buy a small apartment with what I have. Chapter 495 Chapter 495 After all, living under someone¡¯s roof was not a long-term solution. Charlotte had experienced the bitterness of that for years. I can only rely on myself. Meanwhile, Ashlyn was peeling an apple for her grandma in her ward. She had been quite busy recently. When she was not busy with Fashion Week, she would be searching for Charlotte. Besides the two tasks, she was also busy with the development of the antidote. She had not been able to take a breather at all. ¡°Grandma, I think I won¡¯t be able to visit you as frequently anymore,¡± she said while slicing the apple into small pieces and put them on a te. She then presented them in front of her. Her grandma stared at her in surprise. She had been recovering a lottely. The doctor said she would be discharged from the hospital in a few days. ¡°Ashlyn, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ashlyn decided not to tell her about the Backtrack poison. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ll probably be busy for a while.¡± If I tell her, she can¡¯t do anything anyway. All it will do is add more burden to her. Her grandma sighed, ¡°I tend to forget I can¡¯t always have my grandchild around me.¡± She ate a slice of the apple when suddenly, she hesitated as her expression changed. ¡°I need your help with something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about your dad. Ashlyn, he¡¯s your father no matter what. I know people make mistakes, but I beg of you, Ashlyn. Please bail him out. I hear that it¡¯s a tough life in jail. Your dad has never gone through any hardships in his life.¡± When Susan thought about her son suffering in jail, her heart stung. Because of that, she could not sleep nor eat. When Suson thought obout her son suffering in joil, her heort stung. Becouse of thot, she could not sleep nor eot. Ashlyn frowned. ¡°Grondmo, hemitted o crime ond broke the low. I don¡¯t moke the lows, so I con¡¯t sove him.¡± ¡°If you con¡¯t, there¡¯s still Mr. Nolon. He hos o big influence. Besides, it¡¯s not like your dod murdered someone or something. Why con¡¯t he be soved?¡± Suson ponicked. ¡°Should I just osk Mr. Nolon, then?¡± ¡°Grondmo, even Lucos con¡¯t sove him. He¡¯s the one whomitted the crime. It doesn¡¯t depend on influence ond power,¡± replied Ashlyn dejectedly. Suson be ongrier when she heord this. It wos one thing for Ashlyn to not visit her thot often lotely. She wos enroged os she felt like her grondchild wos ovoiding her. As expected, her speculotions were right. In ploiner words, Ashlyn never hod the intention to rescue Horoce Berry! But he¡¯s my son ond my life! ¡°Ashlyn, don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gone overboord? Is this how you repoy your fother for roising you? I know he did wrong, but he¡¯s still your fother. As o doughter, it¡¯s only proper to sove him. In ony cose, I¡¯ve been treoting you well oll these yeors. I¡¯m the one who roised you ofter your mom died. Is this olso how you repoy me?¡± uttered her grondmo horshly. When Susan thought about her son suffering in jail, her heart stung. Because of that, she could not sleep nor eat. Ashlyn frowned. ¡°Grandma, hemitted a crime and broke thew. I don¡¯t make thews, so I can¡¯t save him.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t, there¡¯s still Mr. Nn. He has a big influence. Besides, it¡¯s not like your dad murdered someone or something. Why can¡¯t he be saved?¡± Susan panicked. ¡°Should I just ask Mr. Nn, then?¡± ¡°Grandma, even Lucas can¡¯t save him. He¡¯s the one whomitted the crime. It doesn¡¯t depend on influence and power,¡± replied Ashlyn dejectedly. Susan became angrier when she heard this. It was one thing for Ashlyn to not visit her that oftentely. She was enraged as she felt like her grandchild was avoiding her. As expected, her spections were right. In iner words, Ashlyn never had the intention to rescue Horace Berry! But he¡¯s my son and my life! ¡°Ashlyn, don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gone overboard? Is this how you repay your father for raising you? I know he did wrong, but he¡¯s still your father. As a daughter, it¡¯s only proper to save him. In any case, I¡¯ve been treating you well all these years. I¡¯m the one who raised you after your mom died. Is this also how you repay me?¡± uttered her grandma harshly. Ashlyn could not believe her eers. Is this reelly my grendme? Her biesness towerds her son is unbelieveble! He¡¯s the one whomitted e crime, but I¡¯m the one she¡¯s bleming? It¡¯s my feult thet ded¡¯s in jeil beceuse I don¡¯t went to seve him? Whet kind of logic is this? ¡°Grendme, how could you sey something like thet? He¡¯s the one who sinned, not me. I¡¯m forever greteful thet you reised me. However, I¡¯m not the lew nor the judge.¡± Her words engered Susen to the point thet teers sterted streeming down her fece. ¡°Heve you forgotten everything I did for you? Since when heve you be such en ungreteful wretch? Your ded is still your ded even though he mede mistekes. Why ere you so cruel? Hed I known you¡¯d be like this, I wouldn¡¯t heve treeted you well.¡± As she sobbed, the scene broke Ashlyn¡¯s heert. In the end, she wes her grendme who hed reised her. Ashlyn hed elweys thought she wes the closest to her grendme. When Horece end his wife ebused her grendme, Ashlyn hed been kept in the derk. Beceuse of thet, Ashlyn hed elweys felt guilty ebout this. She thought she hed feiled to protect her grendme. Ashlyn could not believe her ears. Is this really my grandma? Her biasness towards her son is unbelievable! He¡¯s the one whomitted a crime, but I¡¯m the one she¡¯s ming? It¡¯s my fault that dad¡¯s in jail because I don¡¯t want to save him? What kind of logic is this? ¡°Grandma, how could you say something like that? He¡¯s the one who sinned, not me. I¡¯m forever grateful that you raised me. However, I¡¯m not thew nor the judge.¡± Her words angered Susan to the point that tears started streaming down her face. ¡°Have you forgotten everything I did for you? Since when have you be such an ungrateful wretch? Your dad is still your dad even though he made mistakes. Why are you so cruel? Had I known you¡¯d be like this, I wouldn¡¯t have treated you well.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. As she sobbed, the scene broke Ashlyn¡¯s heart. In the end, she was her grandma who had raised her. Ashlyn had always thought she was the closest to her grandma. When Horace and his wife abused her grandma, Ashlyn had been kept in the dark. Because of that, Ashlyn had always felt guilty about this. She thought she had failed to protect her grandma. Chapter 496 Chapter 496 Once again, Susan had blindly chosen Horace, and her decision stung Ashlyn¡¯s heart deeply. Her grandma¡¯s love for Horace was so deep that she could not distinguish between right or wrong. If Horace said he wanted to eat her alive, she would offer herself up to him dly and without any hesitation. Ashlyn suddenly felt exhausted. She put down the knife and handed her grandma a bank card. ¡°There¡¯s money in it. You can use it however you want. I may be¡­¡± She wanted to inform her that she might be dying. But how do I tell her? It¡¯s not like telling her would solve my problem anyway. ¡°I don¡¯t need your money! All I want is your dad to be back!¡± she shouted angrily as her tears fell. ¡°Ashlyn, you really can¡¯t save your dad?¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I really can¡¯t,¡± Ashlyn sighed, she then ced the bank card on the table. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ve paid in advance for the caretaker for five years. You¡¯ll be discharged soon. The caretaker will help you with everything. She¡¯ll take care of you in the future,¡± she exined. Susan wiped her tears in surprise. ¡°Five years? Why do I need her for that long? I can take care of myself after I¡¯m discharged. Besides, you¡¯re still here. Now that your dad¡¯s in jail, are you saying you don¡¯t want to take care of me anymore?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s that I probably can¡¯t.¡± Ashlyn felt immense sadness in her heart. When Horace was still at the Berry Residence, her grandma refused to leave no matter how hard she persuaded her. Now that he was gone, her grandma finally thought of Ashlyn and wanted to live with her for the rest of her life? Now thot he wos gone, her grondmo finolly thought of Ashlyn ond wonted to live with her for the rest of her life? Her son hod obused her endlessly, yet she still treoted him with love ond offection. Of course, she wished to live with her grondmo for o long time. However, the poison in her body would breok out ony time. Not only did she hove Spirogyro now, but she olso hod Bocktrock poison. Even if she were to die one doy, it wos better to instill on ideo in her grondmo ond let her think thot she wos still olive. Hence, she did not stoy long os she bid goodbye to Suson. Suson¡¯s foce turned vicious the moment Ashlyn stepped out of the word. ¡°She¡¯s indeed on ungroteful wretch. I wouldn¡¯t hove treoted her this good if I hod known. I olso wouldn¡¯t hove roised her ofter her mom¡¯s gone. Now look where thot hos gotten me, oll my effort in roising her went down the droin like thot. I should¡¯ve let her die.¡± At thot moment, o nurse entered her word to deliver the meds. She wos shocked to see the cunning expression on Suson¡¯s foce. When she looked o little closer, Suson¡¯s foce hod chonged to o more gentle expression. ¡°Nurse, when con I be dischorged?¡± ¡°Soon. Moybe in o week or so.¡± The nurse put down the meds ond wondered perhops she hod seen wrongly. Meonwhile, in Centenniol Heolthcore¡¯s lob, Jored sot on the couch tiredly. He hod been working endlessly, which chollenged him both physicolly ond mentolly. Now that he was gone, her grandma finally thought of Ashlyn and wanted to live with her for the rest of her life? Her son had abused her endlessly, yet she still treated him with love and affection. Of course, she wished to live with her grandma for a long time. However, the poison in her body would break out any time. Not only did she have Spirogyra now, but she also had Backtrack poison. Even if she were to die one day, it was better to instill an idea in her grandma and let her think that she was still alive. Hence, she did not stay long as she bid goodbye to Susan. Susan¡¯s face turned vicious the moment Ashlyn stepped out of the ward. ¡°She¡¯s indeed an ungrateful wretch. I wouldn¡¯t have treated her this good if I had known. I also wouldn¡¯t have raised her after her mom¡¯s gone. Now look where that has gotten me, all my effort in raising her went down the drain like that. I should¡¯ve let her die.¡± At that moment, a nurse entered her ward to deliver the meds. She was shocked to see the cunning expression on Susan¡¯s face. When she looked a little closer, Susan¡¯s face had changed to a more gentle expression. ¡°Nurse, when can I be discharged?¡± ¡°Soon. Maybe in a week or so.¡± The nurse put down the meds and wondered perhaps she had seen wrongly. Meanwhile, in Centennial Healthcare¡¯sb, Jared sat on the couch tiredly. He had been working endlessly, which challenged him both physically and mentally. He hed been stering et the reseerch result these pest few deys, but there wes no progress et ell. The Becktreck poison wes too tricky. Even if he hed enelyzed its ingredients, he still could note up with the entidote. He hed tried verious methods, but ell of it ceme beck futile. He wes not elone in this. All the other eight reseerchers were elso worn out. Just es he wes ebout to close his eyes end teke e nep, he heerd the sounds of footsteps. He frowned end looked towerds the door. Seconds leter, e men with e strong eure welked in. He wes dressed in bleck end his hendsome fece seemed determined. One of his hends wes inside his pocket es his whole being screemed nobility. Jered¡¯s eyes fell behind him. This doesn¡¯t meke sense! Doesn¡¯t Mr. Nolen elweys heve two rows of bodyguerds meking wey for him? Why is he elone now? Even Spencer¡¯s not with him. Is he plenning to kill me? To beet me up? Jered¡¯s heed wes filled with e bunch of ridiculous thoughts. ¡°I heve e solution for the poison in Ashlyn¡¯s body.¡± The men suddenly voiced out. His cold voice pulled Jered out of his thoughts. He wes e little confused when he heerd thet. Solution? Am I heering it right? Luces hes e solution? He had been staring at the research result these past few days, but there was no progress at all. The Backtrack poison was too tricky. Even if he had analyzed its ingredients, he still could note up with the antidote. He had tried various methods, but all of it came back futile. He was not alone in this. All the other eight researchers were also worn out. Just as he was about to close his eyes and take a nap, he heard the sounds of footsteps. He frowned and looked towards the door. Secondster, a man with a strong aura walked in. He was dressed in ck and his handsome face seemed determined. One of his hands was inside his pocket as his whole being screamed nobility. Jared¡¯s eyes fell behind him. This doesn¡¯t make sense! Doesn¡¯t Mr. Nn always have two rows of bodyguards making way for him? Why is he alone now? Even Spencer¡¯s not with him. Is he nning to kill me? To beat me up? Jared¡¯s head was filled with a bunch of ridiculous thoughts. ¡°I have a solution for the poison in Ashlyn¡¯s body.¡± The man suddenly voiced out. His cold voice pulled Jared out of his thoughts. He was a little confused when he heard that. Solution? Am I hearing it right? Lucas has a solution? Chapter 497 Chapter 497 ¡°Mr. Nn, your joke is not funny.¡± Jared put on a serious front befitting that of the president of Centennial Healthcare. ¡°Even we can¡¯t find the solution for the poison, let alone you.¡± ¡°Jared, do I look like someone who likes to joke around?¡± Lucas red at him with cold eyes, his face expressionless. Jared panicked a bit under the man¡¯s oppressive aura. Nevertheless, he quicklyposed himself. ¡°Mr. Nn, if you really have a solution, pleasee inside then.¡± With that, he turned and opened theb¡¯s door. The eight researchers were intensively conducting the research for the antidote. Half an hourter, Jared stared at Lucas sorrowfully. ¡°Are you sure about this, Mr. Nn?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lucas replied coldly. ¡°But Mr. Nn, you¡¯re strong. If you use this method, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll¡­¡± Jared¡¯s whole mind went nk when he learned what Lucas¡¯ method was earlier. ¡°Jared, if I don¡¯t save her, do you want me to just helplessly watch her¡­ I can¡¯t do that.¡± Lucas¡¯ face was impassive and his gaze showed that he was resolute in his decision. It wasn¡¯t until he mentioned Ashlyn that a hint of softness shed across his eyes. With that, heid on the research bed as if he were a sculpture. He stayed unmoved. He did not even blink his eyes. ¡°But Mr. Nn¡­¡± Jared tried to say something. ¡°I¡¯ve decided, Jared,¡± Lucas interrupted. ¡°Stop persuading me. I¡¯ll do anything for Ashlyn. No matter what she wants, I¡¯ll even give up my life for her. I¡¯ve never begged anyone in my life before, but right now, I¡¯m begging you for one thing, Jared.¡± Jared stared at him. Before this, his impression of Lucas was that he was a rich and domineering person. Most of the time, Jared was even enraged by the possessiveness Lucas had towards his boss. He had never imagined how deep Lucas¡¯ love for her was. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell Ashlyn that I came here and don¡¯t tell her how the antidote came to be.¡± ¡°Mr. Nn!¡± Jared¡¯s heart tightened as he stared at the man in disbelief. Lucas ignored him and ordered the researchers, ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± Jared did not want to see the inhumane scene, so he turned and left theb, closing the door heavily. When he was outside, his body slumped all the way to the floor. He could hear the sounds of the machines behind the door, as well as the hushed whispers of the researchers¡¯ voices. However, that man was silent. He never made a sound at all. Lucas, I respect you for being so brave! I acknowledge that you saved my boss¡¯ life. I will repay the debt! At this moment, Ashlyn entered theb and found Jared curled up at the door with a sad expression. She halted her steps as she was taken aback by the scene. Then she hurried over. ¡°Jared, I know it¡¯s hard toe up with the solution for the poison. It¡¯s fine if you can¡¯t find the antidote. I¡¯ve lived for twenty-two years and it¡¯s more than enough for me. My life has been more exciting than the majority of people. You don¡¯t need¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org content. Jared raised his head to look at the iparably beautiful woman he had known for years. She had always been like this. She seemed tough and cold outside, but she was a softy who was more emotional than anyone else on the inside. Even now when she had poison coursing through her body that would make her leave the world anytime soon, she still tried tofort him, the perfectly healthy man. ¡°Are you not scared? Are you not going to cry?¡± Jared squeezed her shoulders as his gaze became increasingly intense. ¡°Do you know that by saying this, I¡¯ll be sadder?¡± Ashlyn avoided eye contact. Of course, I want to live. Who on earth would want to die? It¡¯s just that I¡¯m prepared for death. Chapter 498 Chapter 498 She wanted to live, but she was also not afraid of death. Her only concerns lie with Lucas. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to see him anymore. Her heart ached when she thought of them being separated by death. I never got the chance to tell him how I really feel for him. Well, I think it¡¯s best not to tell him. We can never be together anyway. All I¡¯m going to give him is sadness. ¡°The more you tried to put on a strong front, the more my heart aches for you.¡± Jared could not help but embrace her. Ashlyn stayed silent as she froze in his arms. This was the first time Jared had hugged her despite knowing each other for years. Other than Lucas, she was not quite used to other men hugging her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely save you. The research already has a preliminary result. We¡¯re still on the experimental stage, though.¡± His words instantly broke the heavy atmosphere. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really? Let me in then. I want to see for myself.¡± The dying embers of hope that she felt flickered into life once again. She had been mentally preparing to ept death, so she did not expect the turn of events. Meanwhile, inside theb, the man¡¯s face was covered with sweat, and the pain was evident behind his dark eyes.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The researchers looked at him worriedly. ¡°Are you okay, Mr. Nn?¡± ¡°Continue,¡± he replied with a hoarse voice as beads of sweat rolled down his temples. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± The blood gurgled out of his chest and was sucked into a thick tube. He could see the blood being drawn away from his body bit by bit. He could even hear the voices of Jared and Ashlyn outside, and it hurt him when he heard how strong his woman sounded. He would give anything in the world to run out to hug her tightly and tell her that she could lose the tough front with him around. Unfortunately, he could not. The pain in his chest could not beat the pain he felt in his heart, especially after hearing Ashlyn comforting Jared. He felt as if a sharp knife had cut through his heart. At the same time, Jared stopped the woman before she could go in. ¡°Don¡¯t. It¡¯ll distract the researchers inside. We¡¯ve finally made progress, so we¡¯re not in a hurry. Maybe the result will be out tomorrow morning.¡± Ashlyn stared at him suspiciously. She had a strong feeling that something was not right. However, she also did not want to push it. ¡°Okay, then.¡± In theb, Lucas¡¯ face turned pale as his pupils shrank. His clenched fists showed just how painful it was for him. ¡°Mr. Nn, you¡¯ll die if we continue!¡± one of the researchers voiced out. The machine had already started making a screeching noise. ¡°Not yet. It¡¯s still not enough.¡± Lucas shook his head while pursuing his lips into a straight line. ¡°Continue!¡± He brought his clenched fist to his mouth and bit on it so he could bear it longer. The pain traveled all over his body like a tsunami. Nevertheless, he kept going on. When everything was over, heid on the narrow bed silently. His face was as white as a ghost. Two researchers and a nurse were bandaging his wound. The blood seeped through the gauze, yet he seemed like he could not feel anything. He closed his eyes slightly as his long eyshes trembled. He was in excruciating pain. However, he remained silent. If it weren¡¯t for his trembling lips that betrayed him, the others would not be able to tell what he went through. It hurt. Of course it hurt. But when he thought about the fact that everything he had endured was for the sake of saving Ashlyn, he would be filled with immense courage. He would face all the hardships head-on and sacrifice everything for her, even if it meant losing his life. He refused to let her disappear from this world. Chapter 499 Chapter 499 His heart ached immensely every time the thought of not seeing her or hearing her voice in the future surfaced in his mind. He would even be fine with her daily nagging at him as long as she lived. After resting in theb for a long time, he slowly got up. It was already midnight when Spencer came to fetch him. Thetter immediately went to support him as soon as he saw his fragile state. ¡°How are you, Mr. Nn?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Lucas replied weakly. I need to leave quickly. I don¡¯t want Ashlyn to see me like this. Spencer nodded and he led him to the car and left. A ck Bentley whizzed through the highway in the middle of the night. Spencer drove Lucas to the nearest private hospital. The price was considerably high since the hospital practiced extreme confidentiality. The doctor was shocked when he saw Lucas¡¯ blood-stained chest. ¡°How did you get this wounded?¡± Lucas refused to reply to him as his pale face remained expressionless. ¡°Please admit him here,¡± Spencer informed coolly. After theypleted all the procedures, Lucasid in the VIP ward. He finally closed his eyes and fell into the endless darkness. No matter how strong his body was, in the end, he was but a human. Spencer stayed by his side as he stared at the usually strong man who had been reduced to such a weakened state. He shook his head in frustration. Mr. Nn¡¯s affection for Ms. Berry is unbeatable. The next morning, Ashlyn fluttered her eyes open in the lounge area within theb. Rubbing her eyes, she noticed that it was already eight o ¡®clock. The faint sunlight seeped in through the gaps between the curtains. She sat up only to find the poison already spread to her neck. If it continued spreading, it would undoubtedly reach her mouth, nose, andstly, to her brain. Lucas would be infected if he kissed me. It didn¡¯t spread to the mouth and nose before. Ashlyn shook her head as blood rushed to her face. How could I think of Lucas kissing me at a time like this? I should be worried that I still have a few days left to live! She took a deep breath before going to wash up. During breakfast, she stared at Jared, whose eyes were bloodshot. ¡°How¡¯s the antidoteing?¡± Jared¡¯s heart ached as he lifted his bloodshot eyes to look at her. ¡°I reckon we¡¯ll have the results by noon.¡± ¡°That soon?¡± Ashlyn asked in disbelief. It was a dead-end before. Why is everything progressing so fast now? She had a nagging feeling that she had missed something. She went directly to theb after breakfast. Jared did not stop her this time. Inside theb, she could see that there was a bowl of red liquid on all the eight researchers¡¯ experiment tables. Is that blood? Where did they get this amount of blood? And what are they using it for? Ashlyn furrowed her brows slightly. She had the delicate kind of beauty with her small button nose. Her glossy dark eyes flickered slightly when she saw something familiar. There was a dark red pocket square under the corner of theb table. Why is Lucas¡¯ pocket square here? Ashlyn¡¯s mind drifted back to when Jared stopped her from entering thebst night. Is he hiding something from me? Her frown deepened. N?velDrama.Org content rights. She bent over to grab the pocket square and turned to leave. Jared yawned when he saw her emerging from theb. ¡°I stayed up all nightst night. I¡¯m going to take a rest now.¡± ¡°Jared, why is Lucas¡¯ pocket square inside?¡± Ashlyn narrowed her eyes at him, trying to read any emotions on his face. ¡°That¡¯s not his. That¡¯s mine. I must¡¯ve dropped it yesterday,¡± he replied with his usual smiley face. He then snatched the item from Ashlyn¡¯s hand out of the blue. ¡°Boss, don¡¯t tell me you miss him? If you miss him, go meet him then!¡± Chapter 500 Chapter 500 However, even if you went to meet him, I doubt he¡¯ll agree to meet with you in his current physical condition. Jared was dejected upon that thought. Ashlyn felt that something was off, but she did not know what, so she could not say anything. With that, Jared proceeded to take a rest. The sun was shining outside. Ashlyn took a bottle of drink from the refrigerator before going to theb¡¯s open-air balcony. The balcony was fifty meters wide. There was a rattan chair in the middle, with a coffee table. The ce was surrounded by wisteria flowers. There were pots of green nts on the floor. The sun¡¯s rays cascaded in, casting mottled lights and shadows. The breeze was very rxing. Employees and researchers generally would rest at this spot when they were tired. Ashlyn plopped herself down on the rattan chair while sipping on the drink. In the patch of green, she looked like a fallen angel under the sun¡¯s warm glow. On the fifth floor of the hospital across the street, the frail man happened to see such an eye-catching scene. His heart trembled, what Lucas felt was so intense that he could not help but clutch at his chest. The private hospital that Spencer sent him tost night happened to be just across Centennial Healthcare¡¯s pharmaceutical research center. He was in aa for a day and a half right after he was admitted. He had just woken up now, and he was greeted with the beautiful sight of the woman on the open-air balcony. His face was expressionless as he stood there with his strong and slender legs. His upper body was bare and his chest was wrapped with white gauze. Despite the fragile state that he was in, the strong aura exuded from his body was still there. Women would instinctively be attracted to such a sexy body, especially to men like him, who radiated such strong sexual attraction. ¡°You¡¯re good at choosing hospitals,¡± said Lucas to the person behind him. Spencer¡¯s heart shuddered as he hurriedly replied, ¡°I purposely chose here so that it¡¯s easy for you to keep an eye on Ms. Berry¡¯s condition.¡± Lucas picked up the ck shirt from the couch and slowly put it on. He had just changed the gauze. His short ck hair looked very mboyant under the sunlight. He was badly injured now, and he feared that he would not recover any time soon. Spencer was staring at his back concernedly. Mr. Nn is having it tough. He sighed upon that thought. Meanwhile, Ashlyn had fallen asleep on the open-air balcony. When Jared came over, the sky was already aze with the fire of the setting sun. She slowly opened her eyes to see Jared holding a ss of warm water in one hand and two red pills in the other. Her vision started focusing as she blinked her eyes. ¡°The antidote¡¯s done?¡± She suddenly coughed as soon as she said that. She then felt a tinge of metallic taste in her throat. Blood started gushing out from her mouth and nose, staining her clothes. Jared was shocked to his core upon that sight. ¡°Boss! How are you feeling? Please don¡¯t scare me!¡± Ashlyn grabbed a piece of tissue from the table to wipe the overflowing blood. Then, she shed a weak smile at Jared. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± I didn¡¯t expect the poison to be this severe. She felt dizzy, but she was secretly celebrating. It¡¯s a good thing that Lucas doesn¡¯t know about the poison in my body. Otherwise, he¡¯ll only do crazy things that I can¡¯t even begin to think of. Jared quickly handed her the cup of water before popping the pills into her mouth. ¡°Hurry and take the antidote, boss.¡± So they¡¯re indeed antidotes. Ashlyn¡¯s thoughts were hazy. She swallowed the blood-scented pills with two gulps of water. Her muddled mind could not even think of anything else as she closed her eyes once again, drifting into the darkness. On the fifth floor of the hospital right across the street, Lucas frowned as he watched the scene from the window. His heart was beating frantically, throbbing in pain. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He was highly tempted to rush to Ashlyn and embrace her in a tight hug when he saw her coughing up blood. How he wished he could take all the pain she felt away. Perhaps it was because he got too anxious, but Lucas started coughing violently and that tore the wound on his chest. All of a sudden, blood gushed out from his wound, gradually staining the gauze wrapped around his chest. Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Spencer persuaded him, ¡°Mr. Nn, please calm down. Otherwise, your injury will only get worse!¡± Lucas remained silent and had a pained expression. He pursed his thin lips and clenched his teeth. He stared intently at Ashlyn, who was on the balcony. When he saw Jared pick her up and leave, he felt a wrench in his heart. The man beside her now should have been me! He took a deep breath and flung himself onto his bed. He sent Ashlyn a WhatsApp message: Honey, what¡¯re you doing? I¡¯ve recently headed to Maredania for a business trip¡­ After sending the self-deluding message, he closed his eyes and endured the pain in his heart¡­ At the Fraser Residence. L returned to the empty vi that was once filled with theughter of a young girl. She had disappeared for a few days. No matter how much he searched, he could not find a trace of her. He started pacing around the room in a state of panic. He took a seat in Charlotte¡¯s room and stared at the photograph on the table. Her bashful smile looked like a flower about to bloom. He caressed the photo and mumbled, ¡°Lottie, just where on earth are you?¡± No matter how many resources L devoted into looking for Charlotte, he was unable to find her. He slumped onto the sofa dejectedly and felt a strange sense of emptiness in his chest. Before he realized, he had fallen asleep. In his drowsy state, there seemed to be someone in front of him putting a nket over him gently. He opened his eyes and stared at the beautiful face in front of him nkly. He held her hand and eximed, ¡°Lottie, you¡¯re back!¡± Olivia¡¯s expression darkened and her hand that was in the middle of cing the nket over him froze. She snapped, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± That¡¯s the voice of a mature woman. She¡¯s not Lottie? L jumped in his seat and squinted at the woman in front of her. It was his matchmaking partner from a few days back, Olivia. Olivia was in a red one-piece dress that highlighted her figure and wore light makeup on her beautiful face. She looked like a typical, refined socialite. L let go of her embarrassedly and rubbed his temples, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Olivia suppressed her anger and took a seat beside him. She exined, ¡°I heard that your foster daughter was missing, so I came to take a look.¡± ¡°Thanks for your concern,¡± L replied tly. Olivia was not young either. She was twenty-eight then, two years younger than L. She extended a fair hand and ced it on L¡¯s. She dered, ¡°Mr. Fraser, I¡¯m interested in you. Why don¡¯t we try dating?¡± ¡°Ms. Warhol, I believe I¡¯ve told you this before, but I already have someone else in mind,¡± L declined. His head hurt. This woman must¡¯vee on my mother¡¯s orders. That¡¯s probably how she got my address as well. N?velDrama.Org content. Olivia reacted as though he had just told a joke and chuckled, ¡°So what? As long as you¡¯re not married, I still have a chance. Even if you are, there¡¯s still the possibility of divorce! So what if you love someone else?¡± She clutched L¡¯s hand tightly and ced it on her thigh. She enquired coquettishly, ¡°You¡¯re already thirty. Don¡¯t you want to do it?¡± Her eyes were filled with a seductive charm as she held L¡¯s hand tightly. L had not expected the woman to act so boldly during their second meeting. He retracted his hand and got up, ¡°Ms. Warhol, please keep your hands to yourself. A woman must learn to love herself before she can be loved.¡± He added impatiently, ¡°I¡¯m busy. Ms. Warhol, the exit is this way.¡± He then strode outside without giving Olivia a chance to reply. Chapter 502 Chapter 502 Again! I¡¯ve been ditched by this man yet again! Olivia clenched her teeth in fury. The only people left in the spacious vi were a few housekeepers. Olivia had no reason to stay, so she grabbed her bag and stormed off. At the First Hospital. Bob was to be discharged that day, so the members of the Chapman family gathered to pack up his belongings. Bob had a depressed expression on his weathered face. When one of the nurses came to give him his medicine, he hesitated before asking, ¡°May I ask if Dr. Berry is here today?¡± He had not seen Ashlyn for a long time. Ever since his operation, Ashlyn had onlye to check on him once before leaving him to other doctors. N?velDrama.Org content. The nurse ced the medicine on his table and smiled, ¡°Dr. Berry is on an extended leave and won¡¯t being to the hospital for some time.¡± Bob frowned and queried, ¡°Why is she on leave? Is she ill?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about Dr. Berry¡¯s affairs,¡± the nurse replied and left. When Hera heard her grandfather ask about Ashlyn, her envy grew. What on earth is going on? It¡¯s one thing for Lucas to be protective about Ashlyn, but why is grandpa also asking about Ashlyn? She whined, ¡°Grandpa, why are you looking for Dr. Berry? She does nothing but sulks all the time.¡± ¡°Hera Chapman,¡± Bob chided and red at his ipetent granddaughter. Normally, Bob would never call her by her full name. When he did, it meant that he was angry. Hera was astounded. I came here to pick grandpa up so early in the morning. He should be happy, right? I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, so why is he angry? What a difficult old man! ¡°Grandpa¡­ did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°I know all about what you did in London,¡± Bob rebuked her sternly. ¡°How could you do something like that on the ne? I wouldn¡¯t me Mr. Nn even if he threw you off the ne! You even insulted Dr. Berry in the mall and nearly got into a fight with her! Hera Chapman, is this how we taught you? You¡¯ve disgraced the Chapman family!¡± Hera started panicking. How did grandpa know all of this? Who could¡¯ve told him? Who¡¯s the snitch? She felt indignant, but she had no choice but to swallow her anger, ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s not what it sounds like. Let me exin¡­¡± ¡°Exin? Videos of your exploits are all over Twitter! I may be hospitalized, but I haven¡¯t gone blind or deaf! I still know everything you¡¯re up to!¡± Bob yelled. ¡°If you dare to do something so shameful in the future, I¡¯ll definitely punish you!¡± ¡°Dad, Hera came all the way here because she cares for you. Don¡¯t just scold her so harshly.¡± Sisley could no longer watch on as she took her daughter¡¯s side. Sisley frowned. Why on earth is dad so protective of Ashlyn? This rubs me the wrong way! ¡°In fact, I think Ashlyn is the one who keeps taunting Hera and making her angry! Hera is straightforward and fell for her trap right away.¡± ¡°No wonder Hera¡¯s grown to be so insolent! You¡¯re the one who led her astray!¡± Bob roared. Anthony noticed that his father¡¯s chest was trembling with rage and he hurriedly soothed him, ¡°Dad, calm down. You just underwent a surgery and your body is still frail.¡± Bob shook his head and spat, ¡°Nevermind, I don¡¯t care anymore, you can do as you please!¡± After that, he stormed out of the ward with the support of Anthony. This generation of the Chapmans brings nothing to the family but trouble! Bob seemed to have aged several decades at the very thought. At the Haddock Family Manor. Chapter 503 Chapter 503 Siennay in her bed to rest and recover from the miscarriage. This was especially important as she was not young anymore. If she did not take care of her body, it would be difficult to conceive again. Then again, she did not care about that. Given her current status, it would be disastrous for her to get pregnant again. She would rather lose her reproductive functions. Despite such feelings, whenever she closed her eyes, she would see an adorable child in front of her. The child was crawling in circles around her and calling her ¡®mommy¡¯. The moment she pictured such a scene, she would feel an inexplicable urge to cry. My child, I¡¯m sorry. Mommy failed to protect you. If there is a next life, please find a good mother. Sienna closed her eyes. At that moment, the door was gently pushed open and familiar footsteps filled her ears. She feigned slumber and did not look up. Dixon had brought a piping hot bowl of red bean soup and stood upright by her bedside. He had mixed feelings as he looked at the fragile woman. What is he standing there for? Has he gone mad? What¡¯s there to look at? Why isn¡¯t he going out yet? Sienna felt that she would not be able to stay still much longer, but at the same time, she did not want to see Dixon. Two minutes passed, then three, and it slowly turned into ten minutes¡­ Just when she thought Dixon was about to leave, she felt something warm on her belly. Sienna froze. What is he doing? N?velDrama.Org content. Dixon simply stared at the woman¡¯s t abdomen and patted her belly with his hand. There was once a child in here. My child. If only I¡¯d noticed sooner. Maybe this child would still be here. He felt his heart wrench. Am I cursed after all? Am I destined to be forever alone? If I¡¯m not cursed, why must the heavens give me a child, only to take him back? ¡°Aunt Sienna¡­¡± Dixon muttered in a barely audible tone. Sienna did not move or open her eyes. Dixon had been calling her Aunt Sienna ofte. In the past, he would just call her Aunt. The Haddock family had aplicated history. After Dixon¡¯s father, the eldest son of the Haddock family, died, Arthur decided to make his second son the eldest in the family register. Since Sienna married the third of the Haddock siblings, she was ¡®promoted¡¯ as well. No one knew what Arthur was thinking, but after that incident, Dixon stopped calling her Aunt Sienna. He simply called her ¡®Aunt¡¯ instead. Now that he had addressed her in the same way as he had when his parents were alive, Sienna knew that he must have missed them. Impossible! Could such a cold-hearted man like Dixon actually miss his parents? Sienna¡¯s mind was in a mess and her eyshes started quivering uncontrobly. Dixon noticed this and realized that Sienna was feigning sleep. He called out gently in a coarse voice, ¡°Aunt Sienna, if you¡¯re awake, please drink this.¡± Sienna was stunned. I got found out? She opened her eyes and met the man¡¯s stern gaze awkwardly. She drank the red bean soup obediently. The moment she finished the soup, Dixon called out, ¡°Bring her in!¡± Her? Who? Before she could make head or tail of what was going on, there was a periodic nging of chains. A disheveled woman in dpidated clothes was dragged in by two men dressed in ck. Her face was filled with dirt and grime, but Sienna could still discern her features. After some time, she eximed, ¡°Jennifer?¡± Jennifer was the eldest child of the Haddock family and Dixon¡¯s aunt as well. How did she end up in such a state? Jennifer stumbled forward in tears and knelt before the bed. She wailed, ¡°Sienna, please forgive me! I didn¡¯t know you were pregnant!¡± Chapter 504 Chapter 504 ¡°Everything¡¯s my fault, so please, tell Dixon to let me off! I won¡¯t do anything like this in the future, I swear it!¡± One of her hands had been dismembered and the wound was not bandaged up. It looked especially frightening. She was covered in blood and grime and reeked of a rotten stench. Even dirty stray dogs looked better than she did right now. That was not all as her feet were shackled as well, causing a jarring sound whenever she moved. Jennifer knew Dixon was ruthless, but she did not expect him to be so harsh. He had not gone easy on his own aunt. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g In the past, Jennifer had her suspicions about the rtionship between Dixon and Sienna, but now, she was finally sure of what was going on. The two of them already had a child! There¡¯s definitely something going on between them. I didn¡¯t expect Dixon to be so protective towards Sienna. I¡¯ve been living in hell the past couple of days. No, this ce makes hell sound like a resort! ¡°Dixon, what¡¯s going on? Just let her go. I don¡¯t want to see her face,¡± Sienna frowned. She was not doing this out of kindness. In fact, the reason why she was able to work as Dixon¡¯s trusted subordinate was that she was a ruthless person as well. She was seething when she recalled how Jennifer had humiliated her back in the hospital. ¡°Get out of my sight, you wench. The very thought of you irks me.¡± ¡°Since my woman doesn¡¯t forgive you, scram!¡± Dixon shed a wicked smile reminiscent of the devil himself. ¡°The Haddock Group¡¯s mental hospital has many facilities there. Aunt Jennifer, you can enjoy your retirement there!¡± He waved, and the two men dressed in ck brought Jennifer away. Jennifer screamed in despair, ¡°You won¡¯t get away with this! You¡¯ll die a horrible death! You shameless adulterers! I¡¯ll definitely kill you! No, let go of me! I refuse to go!¡± Jennifer had underestimated Sienna¡¯s viciousness as well. She did not expect that Sienna would not feel sorry for her even when she was in such a state. At the Centennial Healthcare¡¯sb. Ashlyn had been unconscious for half a day. After taking the medicine, she started coughing up blood violently. Jared¡¯s heart was racing with fear and all of his hairs stood on an end at the sight. He called a doctor over, but the doctor was at a loss and could only monitor her condition. Jared had been staying by Ashlyn¡¯s bedside all this while, but she showed no signs of regaining consciousness. He started to panic and paced in circles. Harrison could not help but grumble, ¡°That¡¯s enough, Jared. I¡¯m getting dizzy just looking at you.¡± Anderson sighed, ¡°We know you care about the boss, but this isn¡¯t something we can interfere in. Now that she¡¯s taken the medicine, we¡¯ll have to leave it to her.¡± ¡°You two know nothing!¡± Jared red at the twins angrily. ¡°She needs to take two pills a day for twenty- one days! It¡¯s just the first day, and her body is already reacting so violently to it. What about the next twenty days?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it weird that the side effects are so severe?¡± Harrison couldn¡¯t help but blurt out. Jared¡¯s face fell and did notment. The whole thing is weird. Think about it, a man was willing to endure excruciating pain, almost draining his entire body¡¯s worth of blood, in order to produce this medicine. Jared shuddered at the thought of the pain Lucas went through. He felt bad for Lucas as well. Meanwhile, Lucas was peering into the lounge area of theb using binocrs as he stood on the fifth floor of the opposite hospital. When he saw Ashlyn lying lifelessly on the bed, he felt a pang in his heart. Is the medicine ineffective? Why is she still unconscious? No, that can¡¯t be right. That antidote costs one hundred million! There¡¯s no reason for the other party to lie. At this point in time, Ashlyn stirred and opened her eyes. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Her mind was nk and her eyes were out of focus. Chapter 505 Chapter 505 She only regained her bearings after a long while. She stared nkly at Jared and inquired, ¡°What¡¯s the time now?¡± ¡°Seven in the evening,¡± Jared replied. He queried concernedly, ¡°Boss, how do you feel? Any better?¡± ¡°I feel giddy and I have a splitting headache¡­ It¡¯s like the poison worsened,¡± Ashlyn shook her head. As she said this, blood started seeping out of her lips. The red blood had a hint of ck in it and was sticky and warm. It trickled down her lips and onto the bed. Ashlyn felt a surge of drowsiness and nearly lost consciousness once again. ¡°Boss!¡± ¡°Boss!¡± Jared, Harrison, and Anderson cried out in unison. Ashlyn perked up and stared at the three men, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Boss¡­ your hair¡­¡± Jared¡¯s eyes widened as he pointed at Ashlyn¡¯s hair. ¡°What about my hair?¡± Ashlyn questioned. She grabbed at her hair, only for arge chunk to be caught in her hand. Her hair was falling off rapidly. The pillow was strewn with streaks of silky ck hair. ¡°Ah. Am I turning bald?¡± Ashlyn joked weakly. Shemented lightly, ¡°So, is this medicine effective or not? If anything, I feel like my condition¡¯s gotten worse. The three men could only watch as she forced herself to put on a brave front in front of them. Anderson sobbed, ¡°Boss¡­ You don¡¯t have to act like this around us, alright? It¡¯ll only make us feel worse.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to feel bad about? Everyone will die eventually. It¡¯s just a matter of time,¡± Ashlyn chuckled. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Lucas stared at her silently from the opposite building. His profound gaze was filled with a pained expression as well. He wished that he could rush over and hug her tightly. The sight of her beautiful and silky hair slowly falling off was heartbroken for him. Her frail expression and faint smile only served to worsen the blow to his heart. He felt out of breath. ¡°Honey, why must you force yourself to remain strong even at this juncture?¡± Even though he could not hear what Ashlyn said, he could guess from her expression. His heart ached and his eyes were filled with sorrow. ¡°Honey, there¡¯s no need to force yourself. Even if the sky were to fall on us, I¡¯ll make sure to hold it up for you.¡± He then sent Ashlyn a message on WhatsApp: Honey, why didn¡¯t you reply to me? What are you doing? Ashlyn¡¯s phone buzzed. She picked it up and noticed Lucas¡¯ WhatsApp message. She stared at the WhatsApp message in shock for a long time before she replied: I just got up. I¡¯ve been busytely as well. I¡¯m on a business trip. She lied. Knowing Lucas, he would spare no effort in looking for her as long as she had not left the country. Unbeknownst to her, Lucas was lying as well. He nearly copsed from heartache when he saw her reply and sent another message with trembling fingers: Honey, can you send me a selfie? Spencer noticed that Lucas was not going to hold out any longer and he hurriedly supported him. He suggested, ¡°Mr. Nn, please rest on the bed. You¡¯re too frail at the moment.¡± ¡°I want to continue looking at her for a while longer,¡± Lucas declined calmly. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll get you a chair,¡± Spencer offered. Ashlyn asked the men around her, ¡°Do you guys have a mirror?¡± ¡°What do you need a mirror for?¡± Jared raised an eyebrow. ¡°You don¡¯t have one?¡± She wanted to check her reflection to ensure that Lucas would not catch on to her lie. Chapter 506 Chapter 506 She instructed Anderson, ¡°Get me my bag from the coat rack by the door.¡± Anderson got up and passed her her belongings. She fished out some lipstick and applied it using her phone as a mirror. Herplexion looked a lot better after that. Soon, Lucas received a selfie from Ashlyn. Lucas had been observing her the entire time and nearly broke down when he saw her applying lipstick. She hasn¡¯t told me anything about the fact that she was poisoned. Even now, when she¡¯s in such a bad state, she still tries to pretend that she¡¯s doing fine. Sometimes, I wish that she¡¯s just an ordinary woman that would depend on me. When Lucas took a second look at the photo, he noticed that she had shed an especially radiant smile showing two rows of straight pearly whites. In the past, if she were healthy, she would not have sent such a photo so willingly. However, she seemed to have changed. She was now more gentle and epting. Lucas¡¯ heart warmed up a little. Back at the Field¡¯s residence. Ever since Mrs. Field discovered that Charlotte liked her cooking, the servants seemed to have lost their jobs. Mrs. Field would cook every single meal personally. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Joseph grumbled enviously, ¡°My mom treats you like her own daughter! Every time I said I was craving for her chicken soup, she would simply ignore me, but now, she¡¯s cooking for you every day.¡± Charlotte smiled bashfully as she sat on the sofa. She looked cute in her pink dress. Mrs. Field seemed to adore her more and more. She wished she could bring Charlotte to meet her friends and show her off to them. As Charlotte grew close to the Field family, she noticed that the family of three was especially happy together. Mr. Field was learned and gentlemanly, Joseph was lively and optimistic, and Mrs. Field was gentle and kind. She loved this feeling. Although the two-story bungalow was small, it was cozy and warm. She loved the feeling of home it brought her. Joseph loved cracking jokes and would often tease her until she flushed red with embarrassment. Mrs. Field washed a bunch of grapes and offered them to her family. She quipped, ¡°You can¡¯t be staying at home all day! Joseph, you¡¯re in charge of bringing Lottie out tomorrow!¡± The following day, Joseph called up Lucas and wanted him and Ashlyn to join them for an outdoor barbecue. To his surprise, Lucas said that he was ill and hospitalized. Joseph was overwhelmed. ¡°Are my ears deceiving me, Boss? You¡¯re so fit I thought you¡¯d never fall sick! What happened?¡± ¡°Nothing serious. I¡¯ll be fine in a few days,¡± Lucas croaked. The man¡¯s ordinarily indifferent tone sounded much weaker and softer than usual. Lucas was a merciless and decisive man in the corporate world, but now, thanks to Ashlyn, he was staring out of the window, lost in thought. Joseph knew that something was off from his tone and demanded, ¡°What on earth happened to you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Enjoy yourself,¡± Lucas brushed it off and hung up. Joseph frowned at the ck screen. That¡¯s strange. What¡¯s up with Lucas? It sounds like something¡¯s happened. Before he could think too deeply into it, Mrs. Field rushed him, ¡°Lottie, are you ready to leave?¡± ¡°Yep, I¡¯m done.¡± Joseph was closest to Lucas, but he had his fair share of unsavory friends as well. He called up a few men from rich families and instructed them to bring their friends along. With that, they headed for the outdoor barbecue. It was a warm and sunny day, perfect for an excursion. They decided to go to akeside area on the outskirts of the city. They quickly set up the barbecue in an area with good scenery. Charlotte was wearing a pink short-sleeved blouse with a knee-length pink dress. She looked like a Barbie doll adorned in pink. Chapter 507 Chapter 507 The only thing peculiar about this ¡®Barbie doll¡¯ was that she was wearing a blue surgical mask that covered everything except for a pair of bright eyes. This made the others curious about the face hiding behind that mask. She followed by Joseph¡¯s side obediently and tensed up when she saw the group of people chatting happily. Her heart was pounding. In the past, she feared social interactions and crowds. Now that she was disfigured, her condition worsened. Her face was drained of all color and she took cover behind Joseph intuitively. Joseph stared at Charlotte in confusion, ¡°I thought it¡¯d be fun with more people.¡± ¡°Oh my, It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen Mr. Joseph being so considerate to others before,¡± a voice interjected. Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened and stared at the man. A thirty-year-old man in branded casualwear was speaking to them. ¡°Let me introduce you guys. This is my sister, Charlotte Lynch. I expect you guys to treat her with respect,¡± Joseph introduced Charlotte and brought her in front of the crowd. Charlotte bit her lip and did not dare to face the others. Her expression seemed particrly awkward. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Lynch, I¡¯m Will¡­¡± the man bowed and extended a hand towards Charlotte. Joseph¡¯s eyes narrowed when he sensed Charlotte¡¯s uneasiness. He pped the man¡¯s hand aside and snapped, ¡°Keep your filthy paws to yourself. That¡¯s my sister you¡¯re trying to touch!¡± ¡°Oh,e on.¡± Will retracted his hand and whined, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so petty, is there, Mr. Joseph? A handshake won¡¯t hurt.¡± Joseph scowled, ¡°What if you scare my sister? Go away now and leave her alone!¡± He had not wanted these men to get close to Charlotte, especially after noticing her timid expression. After all, Charlotte was sensitive and a bit autistic. Normally, she would remain silent at home and jump in fright whenever he raised his voice. Joseph never felt such a strong sense of responsibility before. ¡°Ah, how hurtful! Mr. Joseph, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± a handsome man eximed as he ced a hand on Joseph¡¯s shoulder. He grinned wryly, ¡°Is there something going on between you and your sister that we shouldn¡¯t know about?¡± ¡°Stop spouting nonsense,¡± Joseph spat as he whacked the man on the chest. ¡°Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself.¡± ¡°My, what a quick denial!¡± ¡°Ms. Lynch, take off your mask! We can¡¯t say we know you if we don¡¯t even know how you look like.¡± ¡°Ms. Lynch, are you still studying?¡± Joseph¡¯s group of friends started to overwhelm Charlotte with questions. Charlotte was shy and timid by nature. However, when she heard them tease each other, she let her guard down a lot. It looks like these men are all very rich, but that doesn¡¯t make them difficult to get along with. Will noticed that she was different from the otherdies that tagged along. In his eyes, Charlotte was introverted and bashful. He smiled gently, ¡°Don¡¯t mind us, Ms. Lynch, we just like it to be lively. Charlotte shook her head and replied softly with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­¡± When they heard her melodic voice, everyone was taken aback. They got curious as to how beautiful the face behind that mask was. ¡°Ms. Lynch is young. So all of you watch your mouths and make sure not to be a bad influence.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 508 Chapter 508 ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough idle chit-chat. Come and help start a fire!¡± Joseph called out towards a few other men. Will helped to set up the barbecue pit and asked, ¡°Mr. Joseph, what brought this barbecue party on?¡± ¡°I was just bored,¡± Joseph shrugged. They had bought pre-prepared skewers that only needed to be grilled on the rack. Thedies brought by Joseph¡¯s friends were all dolled up and they approached Charlotte. Joseph was the son of Mr. Field, who was on par with Lucas in terms of status. He usually did not interact with any females at all and this was the first time anyone had seen him with a woman. Based on the way he cared for her, they knew that she must have been someone special. ¡°Ms. Lynch, we¡¯ll all be friends in the future. There¡¯s nothing to hide, so why don¡¯t you take off that mask?¡± Thedy who spoke was Yvonne, an inte celebrity, and she could not stand the way Charlotte acted as if she was a delicate and pure maiden. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Charlotte opened her mouth but was unsure of what to say. The injuries on her face coupled with the fact that she was autistic by nature made her feel inferior to others. She looked down and averted the gazes of these prettydies. ¡°Hey now, what are you guys doing? Don¡¯t bully Ms. Lynch, alright?¡± Will instructed when he saw Yvonne and the otherdies surrounding Charlotte. ¡°That¡¯s right, Ms. Lynch is young, so take good care of her,¡± another man called out. Seeing how protective the men are towards Charlotte, the women became livid. They were aware that they were just ythings to these men. But when they heard them defending Charlotte, they were upset. What¡¯s so great about this woman? She can¡¯t even let others see her face! If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Joseph brought her here, no one would care about her! They were jealous. Charlotte could not shake off the feeling that these women had a strange look in their eyes, but they were smiling brightly all the same. Yet, she still felt something was off. At this point, Joseph had cooked a few chicken wings and brought a te filled with severalmb and beef skewers over. They were piping hot and fragrant. ¡°Lottie, let¡¯s eat over there.¡± Charlotte¡¯s eyes lit up and she nodded vigorously, ¡°Sure.¡± She followed Joseph to arge tree and sat there with her back facing the rest. Yvonne stared at her enviously and scorned, ¡°She¡¯s probably an ugly woman, isn¡¯t she? Why else would she hide her face?¡± ¡°Hush! Give the two a little bit of privacy, will you! Who knows what they¡¯re doing there?¡± Will smiled suggestively. Everyone present understood what he meant by that and grinned. Yvonne smiled and whined coquettishly, ¡°Will, feed me.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Get lost! Why should I feed the likes of you? You¡¯re nothing but my ything!¡± Will spat. ¡°Go and get me some meat! How shameless!¡± Yvonne¡¯s face fell. She had intended to make a joke, but she turned into the joke herself. The otherdies were sniggering at her, making her wish she could bury her head in a hole. She had been on bad terms with Willtely, but she had not expected him to humiliate her publicly. She was furious, but she had no avenue to vent her frustration. She reluctantly trudged over to Will¡¯s side and helped him to grill some meat. At this point, Joseph had returned with an empty te, ¡°Is there any freshly-grilled food?¡± Will grabbed some food and ced it on Joseph¡¯s te. He then rushed Yvonne, ¡°Hurry up! Can¡¯t you see that Mr. Joseph and his sister are waiting?¡± Chapter 509 Chapter 509 Yvonne looked down indignantly. Why? Both of us are women, but that mask-wearing wench gets to act like a princess while I have to work like a servant! ¡°Mr. Joseph, join us for a drink,¡± one of the men offered Joseph a cup of beer. Joseph shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ll go apany my sister. You guys have fun.¡± ¡°There are so manydies here, surely there¡¯s no need for you to apany her! Go bring this te of food to Ms. Lynch,¡± Will ordered Yvonne coldly. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Yvonne brought the te of food to Charlotte as instructed. When she looked into Charlotte¡¯s beautiful eyes, she was ovee with rage. A vicious look shed across her eyes. As she bent over to ce the te down, she suddenly reached for Charlotte¡¯s mask. Charlotte was in a good mood while she stared at the sky. She felt at ease away from the crowd. When she saw a woman¡¯s red manicured hand suddenly reach for her mask, her mind went nk and she thought of only one person ¨C Joseph. ¡°Joseph! Help!¡± Yvonne tore her mask off and shrieked, ¡°Argh! How ugly!¡± When they heard Charlotte¡¯s scream, everyone turned around and looked at her. All they could see was a petite girl standing there looking helpless as she covered her face. Joseph felt a wrench in his heart. Damn it! Without thinking, he shoved Will aside and rushed over, screaming, ¡°Lottie!¡± Yvonne came to her senses and stepped backward. She apologized, ¡°I-It wasn¡¯t intentional. I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t know that you were so ugly!¡± Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events. ¡°What on earth is going on?¡± ¡°Darn, what did Yvonne do?¡± The men Joseph invited could not possibly sit there idly and chased after them. Charlotte¡¯s face was drained of all color. She covered her face and felt the world spinning around her. She did not hear Joseph calling out to her and she felt like she was about to copse at any moment. They saw¡­ They saw my disfigured face! Ugly? This woman called me ugly even when apologizing. Is she really sorry? Charlotte¡¯s eyes reddened as she watched the woman¡¯s lips move, but she could not hear anything. There was a ringing in her ears and all she knew was that she was ugly! When the men Joseph invited saw Charlotte¡¯s disfigured face, they were taken aback as well. This girl¡¯s eyes are so pretty, but her face¡­ The disparity made everyone dumbfounded. Charlotte took a few steps back. She could clearly feel the unusual stares on her. No! I don¡¯t want this! I want to go home! Home! The tears that rolled down her cheeks shone like diamonds. Just as she was tormented by unbearable sorrow and wished that she could just disappear back into her own world, arge hand gripped hers suddenly and she was pulled into a man¡¯s embrace. She could hear the man¡¯s strong heartbeat clearly. Joseph held Charlotte tightly. The usually kind-hearted and cheerful man gave Yvonne an uncharacteristically cold re and scoffed, ¡°My sister got into an ident and was disfigured. Did you enjoy bullying her? Are you happy now?¡± Yvonne¡¯s face turned pale. Before she could react, however, someone had pped her hard across the face. ¡°You wench! How dare you look at Ms. Lynch¡¯s face? Apologize!¡± Will red at her as though he wanted to kill her right then and there. Chapter 510 Chapter 510 Yvonne bit her lip. She was fuming, but she could not afford to offend anyone here. She took a step forward and apologized between tears, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Lynch, I didn¡¯t mean it. I hope you can forgive me.¡± Charlotte seemed not to have heard her. As if he could sense her fear, Joseph patted her back in a soothing way. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lottie. I¡¯m here. I won¡¯t let anyone bully you.¡± At that moment, a charismatic voice called out from behind the crowd, ¡°May I ask what¡¯s going on here?¡± This familiar voice made Charlotte¡¯s body turn stiff. She did not dare to look up. She had not heard the familiar voice for days. Why am I hearing his voice now? She had hoped so desperately to take a look at L¡¯s familiar face, but she did not dare to reveal her face. She hid in Joseph¡¯s embrace like a timid mouse, wishing with all her being she could run away from reality. Joseph¡¯s voice rang, his chest vibrating rhythmically as he spoke, ¡°Mr. Fraser, it¡¯s been a while.¡± It really is Uncle L! Charlotte bit her lip and remained motionless in Joseph¡¯s embrace. For some reason, his embrace felt warmer than L¡¯s did. Even though she did not know this man well, he had given her a hug when she needed it most. The same happened back then as well when she thought she was going to die in the rain. It was Joseph who saved her. And it was Mrs. Field who had treated her kindly and adored her. In the past, Charlotte would rush to hug L, but now, she hesitated. Uncle L will definitely be scared of my face like the others, right? Will he call me ugly? She did not dare to imagine the answer. ¡°Will, what¡¯s going on? You should¡¯ve called Mr. Fraser and me if you were here for a barbecue.¡± When Charlotte heard Olivia¡¯s voice, her heart sank. There¡¯s a woman with Uncle L? She suddenly recalled what Mrs. Fraser said about how L went for a matchmaking session that day¡­ ¡°You¡¯re not even married yet and you¡¯re already siding with him?¡± Will said tly. He greeted L, ¡°Hello, Mr. Fraser, please do join us.¡± No, don¡¯t. She did not want to see L at all. More urately, she did not want to see his face of disgust when he saw her. I¡¯m so ugly¡­ This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I¡¯ve already been gone for so long. Unexpectedly, Uncle L did not bother to look for me at all¡­ He¡¯s even on a date with another woman¡­ Charlotte felt terrible. She was nearly in tears. Seeing how things had turn out, Joseph knew that the party was a bust. He was in no mood to drag the party on and he dered, ¡°My sister isn¡¯t feeling well, so I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± ¡°Mr. Joseph, what do you mean by that? We¡¯ve just arrived, and you¡¯re leaving?¡± Olivia grumbled. She was a richdy and most people would show her some respect. Even if he is the son of Mr. Field, he still has no right to act this way. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Warhol. I really need to leave,¡± he replied and left with Charlotte. The instant he turned around, however, L stopped Joseph and his gaze fell upon Charlotte. ¡°Hold it!¡± ¡°What business do you have with me, Mr. Fraser?¡± Joseph¡¯s eyes narrowed. L¡¯s heart was racing as he stared at the woman in Joseph¡¯s arms. She had buried her face in L¡¯s chest, but her smell and figure felt familiar. He stared at Charlotte. Lottie, is that you? He inquired in a quivering tone, ¡°Mr. Joseph, this is¡­¡± Chapter 511 Chapter 511 There was tension in Charlotte¡¯s head as her body froze and became rigid. Her well-endowed but petite stature snuggled within Joseph¡¯s chest. Her eyes reflected her fear with a furrowed brow. She could hear her own heartbeat as she battled her nerves. His tee-shirt was soaked by beads of sweat that rolled down her long eyshes. They fluttered and brushed against Joseph¡¯s like wipers on a car. Unable to differentiate fear from nervousness, her breath became hot and heavy. Joseph¡¯s heartbeat quickened, and his lower abdomen started to swell with adrenalin. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. In front of him was a clueless L who stood there motionlessly. An impetuous Joseph stared at L, and he felt a sense of unwarranted frustration towards him. ¡°My sister? Is there something I should know?¡± ¡°I would like to see you, if that¡¯s alright with you? I¡­ she looks like someone I knew in the past.¡± L could not sense the exasperation within Joseph¡¯s voice. His thoughts and attention were all on Charlotte. Charlotte wrapped her tiny arms around Joseph¡¯s waist instinctively. Her hands groped his well-defined abs, which were a testament to his lower body¡¯s vigor. Chiseled and packed tightly, just like a chocte bar. She acted on impulse, and before she knew it, she had thrown herself into Joseph¡¯s arms and caught him by surprise. It felt like his heart leapt out his chest. Damn it! What is with this surge of adrenalin? Have I been without the warm embrace of a woman far too long? He was baffled and astonished at how such a petite littledy had stirred up his emotions. His testosterones were off the charts, and it drove him crazy. Her soft hands gently caressed his abdominal muscles as they glided over them like water over ice cubes. Those tiny fingers were soft and plump like cotton candy oozing with sweet goodness. Charlotte was not aware of the provocative signals she sent out, which made the situationmuch more dangerous. L noticed Joseph¡¯s hesitation and asked again, ¡°May I see her?¡± Exasperated, Joseph shot him a dirty look. ¡°Sorry Mr. L, but no. What do you take my sister for? She¡¯s not at your beck and call.¡± As soon as he finished his sentence, he lifted Charlotte in his arms and made his way towards his car. ¡°Oh my!¡± Startled, Charlotte swung her pair of tiny hands around Joseph¡¯s neck and brushed across his Adam¡¯s apple. It was a sensitive spot for Joseph, and that little interaction made him squirm in difort as he bit into his teeth. His knee-jerk reaction was to toss her aside. Damn it! He took a deep breath and quickened his pace towards the car. Once there, he opened the door and nestled her in the front passenger seat. However, he received an unexpected response. ¡°I want to drive,¡± she said in a squeamish, high-pitched voice. That remark jolted his memory. He had a pint of beer as he thought. ¡°You know how to drive?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Charlotte nodded her head in response. She swopped seats with Joseph and drove the car steadily. Olivia frowned with displeasure as she looked towards L. With a disgruntled voice, she said, ¡°Mr. L, we are out on a date together, yet you could not keep your eyes off her. What is the meaning of this?¡± She was infuriated. With some help from Mrs. Fraser, she had went through hoops to get this date with L. To her horror, the date turned out to be a disaster. He was as dull as a dishwasher, and he even humiliated her in front of everyone. Will chipped in aloofly as he perched his lips, ¡°Is my sister not good enough for you, Mr. L?¡± L was unable to let go as he continued to ponder about Charlotte. He was desperate to know if the woman in Joseph¡¯s arms was indeed Charlotte. He ignored Olivia¡¯s protest and continued to question him. ¡°About the woman who is with Mr. Joseph¨C does she have big wide eyes and an oval-shaped face? With silky smooth skin that is as white as snow?¡± Will stared down at L as if he had gone mad. ¡°Are you insane? Silky smooth skin? Let me tell you. She is as ugly as a toad, and her face is scarred, filled with potholes. I am baffled as to why Mr. Joseph would treat such a hideous woman like a gem.¡± ¡°Does she really look that bad?¡± asked L as he looked towards Will with doubt in his eyes. Chapter 512 Chapter 512 ¡°Would I lie to you? Everyone saw it as clear as day.¡± Will swiftly shoved Olivia towards L and said, ¡°My sister is a goddesspared to her! It would be your loss not to treasure her!¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Olivia blushed like a ripe tomato. ¡°Stop it! You are embarrassing me!¡± she eximed. Though she was red with embarrassment, she could not help but wonder who on earth L was searching for. Could it be that foster daughter of his? Mrs. Fraser had mentioned beforehand that his foster daughter ran away from home. What was the big deal about a foster daughter? She was just excess baggage. He should count his blessings that she, the young mistress of a prestigious family, had set her sights on him. Not only did he take her for granted, but he also had another woman on his mind all day! That foster daughter! It is infuriating. She was about to blow her top but stopped short when she recalled her mother¡¯s advice: never to act rashly. Be gentle. No man could resist a woman who is gentle and graceful. She swallowed her pride just as she was about to unleash her anger. She forced a smile as she took her position next to L. L was oblivious to her feelings and how her mood had changed. He was fixated on Will¡¯s words and paid no attention to her. Hideous looking¡­ that couldn¡¯t possibly be Lottie. Besides¡­ Lottie did not know how to drive either. He gazed up at the sky and could not help but admire the white clouds among the deep blue skies. The fields were green and the trees swayed along with the morning breeze. Oh Lottie, where are you? A ck car advanced smoothly along the road. Charlotte ced her porcin hands on the steering wheel as she focused her attention on the road ahead of her. Joseph stole nces of her side profile at every opportunity he had. This littless had near-perfect symmetrical facial features and carried with her an elegant disposition. If you put aside the half disfigured face, she was actually quite the beauty in person. He noticed a stark difference between Charlotte and the others. She looked harmless, but she could put a person at ease effortlessly. Her voice was exceptional too. That soft, gentle, sweet voice reminded him of spring. Every time she opened her mouth to speak, it made his toes tingle with glee. ¡°When did you get your license?¡± Joseph asked as his deep voice filled the insides of the car. His manicured fingers fiddled around with his mobile phone as he asked the question half-heartedly. ¡°Last month,¡± Charlotte replied. ¡°Last month?¡± Joseph asked with great doubt. He observed how she steered the car with confidence and ease; she was no novice. It was as if the car and she were of the same mind and body. Just short of drifting, she sped and maneuvered the car with such speed and uracy that it would leave a man screaming. With a car hot on their heels and another ahead of them, they were on a course for collision. Just then, Charlotte worked her magic as her delicate fingers gripped the steering wheel. Her eyes sparkled like ck rubies as she stared ahead, and the car screeched under her control! A drift¡­ the car drifted in the blink of an eye. After she avoided the collision beautifully, Charlotte continued a casual drive ahead. Joseph was in shock. Damn. She maneuvered the car so effortlessly. I didn¡¯t know driving schools taught you how to drift. She obtained her license a month ago? This was just the beginning? Charlotte failed to understand what the fuss was about. She was doing her best to drive. However,she conveniently left out the part where this was her first time on the road. Ever¡­ L had sheltered her for the longest time ever. He forbade her from driving because they had domestic helpers and chauffeurs, and she was restricted from ever going anywhere without his approval. Charlotte, however, yearned to have her own driving license. Hence, she enrolled herself in driving lessons in secret. Fortunately, L was always busy with work. Firefighting was deemed a lowly upation by many, and they ridiculed him for it. Yet he remained on the alert all day and all night, ready at a moment¡¯s notice to respond to any emergencies. That was why L had not realized that she had gotten her driving license. In fact, she did more than just obtaining her driving license¡­ Charlotte let out a deep sigh as she recalled her past life. They were always hungry as there was little to eat. Joseph felt hungry. He took out his phone and activated an application. He picked a restaurant that recently gained poprity and suggested it to Charlotte as they drove past traffic. ¡°Let¡¯s give that a try, shall we?¡± Charlotte looked up and saw a sign that said, ¡®A couple¡¯s must-have¡¯ and she blushed instantly. The car came to a gradual stop in front of the restaurant. Chapter 513 Chapter 513 Charlotte hesitated slightly, ¡°This seems to be a couples¡¯ restaurant.¡± Joseph was too insensitive to tell that this restaurant was different from the rest. ¡°They are just a regr business. Who stipted that this ce is only for couples? Customers are king.¡± Hence, they walked into the restaurant together, where the waiters weed them warmly. Charlotte was presented with a customized couple¡¯s mug that was created by this restaurant. N?velDrama.Org content rights. The mugs were very adorable, where a blue angel and a pink angel sat atop the two cup covers, respectively. Charlotte was a young girl after all, and she was overjoyed to receive the mug. She held onto them carefully as she sat down, ¡°It¡¯s so cute!¡± Joseph nced at the mug and picked up the blue mug. ¡°These are things that only children will like.¡± Charlotte snorted and decided to ignore him. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Joseph was looking at the menu. Charlotte bit her lip. ¡°Anything.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. What if you get something that you don¡¯t like?¡± Joseph pushed the menu in front of her. ¡°Have your pick.¡± This was Charlotte¡¯s first time at a restaurant like this, and she noticed that all the dishes were either meals for two or designated couples¡¯ meals. A faint blush appeared on her pink face. How am I supposed to order? Some of her hair fell across her face and covered up the disfigured side of her face. The remaining side had a pretty flush on it. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to order,¡± she stammered. Joseph had no choice but to order the signature set meal. In the end, Charlotte was mortified when the dish was served. In order to highlight the theme of the restaurant, and to emphasize the intimate atmosphere, the restaurant had only given them one set of utensils for their food. In fact, there was only one straw with the tea. However, Joseph was still blissfully unaware of what was going on. He cut up the steak into cubes and pushed the te to her. ¡°All right, you can eat first and I¡¯ll eat after that. I am fine with that.¡± Charlotte¡¯s lips trembled slightly. ¡°But¡­¡± Even Uncle L has never eaten off my te. This was simply too embarrassing to have to share utensils with him! ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this? We have shared cutlery at home, so how different is it from this?¡± Joseph was really hungry by now. He kept hurrying her. ¡°Quick, eat up!¡± Charlotte had always been a delicate and sensitive soul. After identally taking a peek at Joseph¡¯s body the other day, and falling into his arms today¡­ she had her two arms around his waist! Boom! For some reason, Charlotte¡¯s face reddened as it burned up again while her heart thumped wildly. She did not even dare to look at his handsome face. The sight of her flushed face made Joseph slightly ufortable, even though he wasn¡¯t thinking much in the first ce. It was especially so when Charlotte picked up the fork and ced the steak cube into her ruddy little mouth¡­ While her lips opened and closed, her etiquette was so perfect that she did not make a sound at all while chewing. After a few bites of the steak, she drank some tea with the straw. Her cheeks puffed up as she was sucking on the straw, making her look like an adorable little rabbit. She looked so soft and tender, which looked like an invitation to take care of her. The food in this restaurant was indeed quite good. Joseph could not help but swallow his saliva when he smelt the aroma of the food. Charlotte looked up after having a sip of water, and her eyes fell onto his moving Adam¡¯s apple. Her face blushed once again. His neck was long and slim with a sexy Adam¡¯s apple, while his strong masculine scent struck her face. Her heart which had finally calmed down, found itself beating wildly again. She looked away only to see the couples around her feeding each other affectionately. She quickly averted her gaze and avoided staring at others for too long. Chapter 514 Chapter 514 Joseph was a lot morefortable than she was, as it was just a meal to him. However, the sight of her timid and shocked look made him follow her gaze curiously. In the end, he saw a couple kissing in public brazenly. Who would have thought that she would blush at a scene like this? Joseph¡¯s lips curled slightly as a smile shed across his deep eyes. ¡°Have you ever been in a rtionship?¡± Charlotte red at him in annoyance. How could he ask me something improper like this? At this moment, L and Olivia walked in. Everyone was in no mood to continue after Joseph left, so the party broke up soon after. ¡°This restaurant has just opened, and many people havee because of good reviews,¡± Olivia said as they chose a table. It was very quiet in the restaurant and the couples in there were very sweet. There was a sense of ambiguity in the air. L took a look around and began to imagine, if I brought Charlotte here, how would she react? Would she be overjoyed and happy? L began to think about it for a while. After Olivia chose a spot, she motioned for him to sit down. Suddenly, L looked up and a couple by the window caught his attention. His pupils constricted as he stared at that couple with disbelief. The afternoon sunrays fell onto the couple through the ss windows, and the atmosphere was extremely ambiguous. Even though they were not as physically close and affectionate as the other couples around them, they looked like they were getting along very well. The man was tall and handsome while the girl was petite and adorable. Her hair fell and covered half of her face, exposing the remaining beautiful half, which looked as fresh and inviting as a strawberry. However, L¡¯s face had turnedpletely dark and grim. His whole body trembled as he stared at that familiar face with utter disbelief. How did she end up being with Joseph? It is really her! Why was she in Joseph¡¯s embrace just now in the countryside, and why did she refuse to acknowledge me? What is going on? My Lottie, the one that I had brought up¡­ how could she be enjoying a couple¡¯s meal so affectionately with another man? No! L¡¯s body was quivering while his fists were clenched. He was about to walk towards the two of them only, to be stopped by a hand which pulled him back to his seat. ¡°Mr. L, are you all right? You look a little strange tonight.¡± Olivia tugged his hand enthusiastically and pressed him back onto his seat. ¡°Nothing,¡± L mustered a smile. ¡°It¡¯s just that I am worried about Lottie, as she has been missing for so many days.¡± The mention of his foster daughter annoyed Olivia and she replied exasperatedly, ¡°She is a grown up, so how could she have been lost? She has probably found herself some rich heir and is having a good time now!¡± This struck a sour note with him. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. L¡¯s gaze turned dark as he stared angrily at the couple by the window. At the same time, Charlotte had a taste of the ice cream that was included in the set meal. Her eyes lit up, ¡°This is so good. It¡¯s so much more delicious than I had pictured it to be.¡± Joseph looked at her radiant smile and the charming curve of her lips. Just right at the top of the curve, there was a cheeky little ice cream stain. He subconsciously picked up a napkin and before he realized it, he had already wiped it off for her. He was stunned. It must have been because of the atmosphere. Otherwise, he would have never done something so impulsive. Charlotte¡¯s face flushed as she continued eating, not knowing what else to do. L witnessed this entire scene. His face was dark and grim. How could the little girl that I brought up with my own hands end up together with Joseph? And they are so affectionate with each other! Are they in a rtionship? Chapter 515 Chapter 515 He was nearly drowned by the jealousy that crept through his heart. Back then, he had found her silhouette vaguely familiar. Now that he had taken a closer look, his intuition was confirmed. Olivia was slightly frustrated at how distracted L was. ¡°Mr. L, if the sight of me makes you lose your appetite, let¡¯s not have this meal then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a little too serious, Ms. Warhol,¡± L brought his gaze back and replied her coolly. After dinner, Joseph brought Charlotte out of the restaurant. ¡°Lottie,¡± a cold voice which darkly hinted of anger piped up behind her. Charlotte turned in shock only to see L walking out with a woman. Charlotte turned pale when she saw Olivia, who was dressed to the ninesplete with her heels. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. This was the socialite that was matchmade with Uncle L, right? Indeed, with his family background and superior character, only this type of socialite would suit him. She looked at her own pink outfit guiltily. She did not dare to look at Olivia earlier at the countryside. Now that she had taken a closer look at her, she wanted nothing more than to run away. Why did I have to bump into her here? Inexplicable waves of anxiety washed over her, and her palms started to perspire without her realization. At the same time, arge, warm hand held her little hand and an enchanting voice could be heard, ¡°This is Mr. L; does he know you?¡± Joseph shot a strange look at L. The raw jealousy and unwillingness in his eyes was in for all to see. How is she rted to L? Even though he had not much interaction with L, he had always been a calm person who rarely disyed his emotions like this. Charlotte looked up nkly and her gaze fell on Joseph¡¯s concerned handsome face. Suddenly, her anxiety seemed to be relieved to a certain extent. She took a deep breath and forced herself to look at L. He seemed to have lost some weight¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, I do not know you.¡± L looked at Charlotte withplex and strange emotions inside of him. Abandoning Olivia, he walked towards Charlotte inrge strides. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Lottie? What¡¯s going on? Why didn¡¯t youe home? How could you run away secretly? Do you know how worried I have been?¡± His interrogative tone made Charlotte seem as the guilty party, and hisrge hand gripped her slim shoulders tightly, wanting to shake her violently. Thankfully, he managed to curb himself. However, the more he attempted to get closer to Charlotte, the more she became defensive. No, I cannot let Uncle L see how disfigured I am now. No! I must run, I have to run! She pushed his hand away and screamed in her attempt to get away from him, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± She was so agitated that the hair covering her face was spruced apart and exposed the disfigured half of her face to L. He was startled¡ª her once beautiful face was now full of pit holes, bumps, and scars. This is not my Lottie! Instead of letting go, his grip became tighter and he eximed, ¡°What happened to your face!¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± Tears flowed out of Charlotte¡¯s limpid eyes, which reflected her inexplicable pain. Indeed¡­ Uncle L hates me now and thinks that I am ugly. It felt as if a knife was stabbed into her heart. It was so painful that felt like it had been pierced and torn apart. The grip on her shoulders hurt; it was as if L was about to shatter her bones. Her tears fell. ¡°No¡­no! Let me go!¡± Joseph heard the helplessness in her voice. Without thinking, he rushed up and put his hand on L¡¯s and said, ¡°Mr. L, please mind your manners. What are you trying to do to my little sister here?¡± The petite girl was stuck in between these two tall men, and Charlotte looked at Joseph for help through her teary eyes. Chapter 516 Chapter 516 This softened his heart immediately. With just one shove, he pushed L¡¯s hands away from Charlotte¡¯s shoulders. In the next moment, she fell steadily into his arms and he could feel her shudder helplessly. Joseph patted her backfortingly, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I am here¡­¡± Charlotte threw her arms around his waist and burrowed her face in his chest as she cried. L felt like he had been stabbed deep in his chest. It was as if an invisible boulder fell sharply on his chest, suffocating him. He stared at Joseph grimly with a hint of sarcasm in his eyes. ¡°Sister? When did Mrs. Field give birth to a sister this age?¡± He stared at Charlotte who was in Joseph¡¯s arms and ordered, ¡°Lottie,e over here.¡± He could barely wait to break both of Joseph¡¯s arms! How dare he wrap his arms around my little darling, whom I had loved and protected with every inch of my soul? She must be disfigured now because of Joseph and the Field family. This was the reason why she refused to acknowledge me! L red at Joseph angrily for cuddling Charlotte in his arms. Charlotte looked up slowly from Joseph¡¯s arms and shot L a swift nce, ¡°I don¡¯t know you.¡± Her eyes were distant and had none of the previous love and affection. He looks so frightening right now. There¡¯s no way I will go to him. He must have be this fierce out of disgust for my face. Charlotte could not ept this reality at all. She had imagined beforehand how it would be to run into L. While she was afraid that L would despise her, she was also quietly hoping that he might not. However, reality had dealt her a very cruel p, forcing her to face the facts. Indeed, L hates my ugly face. From the moment they met, he had not uttered a word of concern, asked me how I had been, nor where I was living. All he was concerned with was to snatch me away from Joseph. His possessive eyes and his commanding tone, together with his attitude towards both of us said it all. He did not even ask me how I had injured my face. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Charlotte was now hurt beyond words and the pain made her lose all will to live. Olivia looked at the interaction between the three of them perplexed. Indeed, that girl had been disfigured just as Richard had mentioned. She is so ugly now! Why is L still so obsessed with her? What is so good about such an ugly girl? She had faded into the background throughout this whole scene. Walking up to L in frustration, she tugged his arm, ¡°Mr. L, I am your girlfriend now. What do you take me for when you are so intimate with another girl right in front of me?¡± L shoved her away and said grimly, ¡°Ms. Warhol, all I did was to agree to a dinner with you. Never had I agreed to be your boyfriend, so please do not put words in my mouth.¡± ¡°Since you agreed toe out with me, isn¡¯t this considered a date? L Fraser, are you toying with me?¡± Olivia red at him as if she had been given a huge p on the face. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡± Charlotte told Joseph softly. Joseph nodded and held her hand as they walked around L and Olivia. ¡°You are not allowed to leave!¡± L ran up to stop them and his handsome face looked grim. ¡°Lottie, you have toe back with me.¡± ¡°Mr. L, she does not know you at all.¡± Joseph spoke coldly through his curled lips. The usually happy-go-lucky man was very obstinate right now. He stood in front of Charlotte protectively as if he were a huge mountain. It was surprising but it warmed Charlotte¡¯s heart. Chapter 517 Chapter 517 Her two hands held on tightly onto the corners of his shirt, as if he were herst chance in life. ¡°She is mine! She muste with me!¡± L, whose eyes used to be full of love and affection for her, now looked so cold and distant that it frightened Charlotte. ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t want to,¡± Charlotte muttered as she was afraid that Joseph would hand her to L. He is way too scary right now. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have the ability to snatch her from my hands.¡± Joseph red at L. ¡°We have a piece ofnd and I hear that you guys at Fraser Corporation want to take it for a high price. I see that you are no longer interested in it now?¡± L froze. ¡°You!¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± Joseph looked down at him mockingly before turning around and leaving with his hand in hers. In the car, Charlotte¡¯s frozen hands was on the steering wheel as she started the car. Her entire body had grown cold, as if she had just been fished out from an icyke. She was so cold that she could not stop shivering. I am just worth that piece ofnd¡­It turns out I am not as important as I had thought. Just with that, Uncle L gave in. Hmph. Reality always bites hard. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Joseph took her hand as he saw her sad face. ¡°Your hands are really cold. Stop the car!¡± However, she continued to drive ahead nkly as if she did not hear him. Under such circumstances, she was still able to drive smoothly. Joseph did not know what to say anymore, and merely looked at her anxiously. Who would have thought that she was rted to the Fraser family? There was word on the street that the Frasers had a foster daughter who had autism. If I¡¯m not wrong, she performed together with Ashlyn during the National Day G Night, and had caught some attention. With that, Joseph decided to text Ashlyn. In the end, he received no reply at all. Turns out this aunt of mine does not prioritize me at all! Joseph grumbled silently. It was only when they reached home did Charlotte feel a little better. The moment they entered the front door, she shut herself in her room, just like a tortoise who was retreating into its shell. Mrs. Field saw that there was something off about her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? Is she unhappy? Did you anger her, you insensitive man?¡± ¡°No such thing, Mom.¡± Joseph did not know how to exin it to her. ¡°Mom, do you know how Ashlyn is recently?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure but she has been very busy. I haven¡¯t had tea with her for a while.¡± Mrs. Field shook her head. At theboratory. Ashlyn had just woken up from a deep sleep. She had lost quite a bit of weight in the past few days, making her almond eyes evenrger and brighter. When Jared brought her meal to her, he passed her fully charged phone to her as well. ¡°Boss, this dinner is from Imperial Hotel. Apparently it was made by Chef Howard himself.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ashlyn switched on her phone. To be frank, she did not have much of an appetite. However, she knew that she needed enough energy to get through the current detoxification stage. The reality did not allow her to be willful. Howard had made her an exquisite five course meal. When she opened up the box, the fragrance permeated the air in the room. She ate while reading her messages. Then, she saw Joseph¡¯s message: Ms. Berry, I would like to ask you something. It was a message from two hours ago. She replied: What¡¯s up? She then ced her phone away and began concentrating on her dinner. Barely two bitester, Lucas¡¯ video call popped up on her screen. She looked up at Jared, ¡°Do I look all right? I don¡¯t look too exhausted, right?¡± Jared¡¯s heart twisted a little. ¡°No, you look good.¡± ¡°Really? You are not lying to me, right?¡± Ashlyn did not quite believe him. She looked rather disheveled, having just woken up. Furthermore, she hadn¡¯tbed her hair. How is it possible for me to look good? ¡°Really, you look fine!¡± Jared swore with his arms raised up high. No matter what you look like, Mr. Nn would still be looking at you from across the road! Chapter 518 Chapter 518 Ashlyn finally picked up the video call. His handsome face immediately appeared before her face. She did not know whether her judgement was right, but she felt that Lucas looked like he had lost weight. Was he not adjusting well overseas? N?velDrama.Org content. She heard his enchanting voice say, ¡°Hey honey.¡± Ashlyn took another bite of her dinner and said, ¡°Have you had dinner?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lucas shook his head. With his heart aching, he looked at Ashlyn¡¯s pale, tiny, and gaunt face. He decided that he would definitely fatten her up again after his recovery. With that, his unhappiness faded and he stared at Ashlyn greedily. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you have dinner? No wonder you look skinnier.¡± Ashlyn red at him. ¡°Watch out before you lose your abs.¡± Lucas chuckled and said cheekily, ¡°Shall I take off my clothes to show you?¡± ¡°Save it.¡± Ashlyn pouted. He then changed the topic, ¡°Did you mean what you said a few days ago in your office?¡± Ashlyn looked rather embarrassed as she had rarely been this brazenly honest with him about her feelings. She denied it tly. ¡°What did I say?¡± ¡°You said you didn¡¯t hate me anymore.¡± Seeing a pink blush slowly spreading across her pale little face, he could not help butugh. ¡°Does that mean you have fallen for me?¡± ¡°You tter yourself,¡± Ashlyn snorted coldly. Lucas smiled sweetly. ¡°Silence is consent then.¡± ¡°Not talking to you anymore. It is affecting my appetite.¡± Ashlyn hung up quickly either out of avoidance or fear. Lucas¡¯ brows raised when he saw how anxious she was. He then put down her phone and picked up his binocrs again. Every day, he would watch Ashlyn from across the street. In order to take care of him, Jared had arranged for Ashlyn¡¯s room to be right across his hospital room. As long as he stood by his window with his binocrs, he would be able to see everything clearly. When he saw that Ashlyn had woken up, he quickly gave her a video call. Ashlyn had no idea that he could witness every single step that she took. The so-called business trip was just for him to recover from his injury. Spencer stood behind him and reported softly, ¡°Mr. Nn, the F1 World Championship is in two weeks¡¯ time. Will our fleet be registering for thepetition?¡± Lucas put down his binocrs and turned towards Spencer. ¡°Of course, we cannot miss this kind of world-sspetition.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Spencer immediately nodded. ¡°We don¡¯t know what your physical condition would be like then.¡± ¡°Of course I have to be there personally to encourage our fleet,¡± Lucas said coolly. ¡°No matter what, I will be there.¡± Spencer knew him very well, so he did not say anything else to stop him. At theb, in Ashlyn¡¯s room. ¡°This year¡¯spetition is taking ce in a fortnight?¡± Ashlyn raised her brows. ¡°Centennial Healthcare¡¯s fleet is just above average. Tell them to increase the rigor of their training.¡± Every year, each country would send a few fleets to participate in the F1 World Championship, which was a world-sspetition. The Centennial Healthcare¡¯s fleet had just barely qualified for thepetition. ¡°Therefore Boss, you mean that..?¡± Jared stared at her with disbelief. She is in a terrible physical state! ¡°I will work hard.¡± Ashlyn did not say anything else and continued to eat her dinner. In the middle of the night, the moon hung high in the sky. In the Chapman mansion. Hera yawned as she was about to go downstairs for a ss of water. When she walked past her grandfather¡¯s room, she heard someone talking in there. Why isn¡¯t Grandpa asleep at this hour? Who is he talking to? Out of curiosity, she looked around the house, only to find that every door was shut, and that the servants were resting. Chapter 519 Chapter 519 Ashlyn finally picked up the video call. His handsome face immediately appeared before her face. She did not know whether her judgement was right, but she felt that Lucas looked like he had lost weight. Was he not adjusting well overseas? She heard his enchanting voice say, ¡°Hey honey.¡± Ashlyn took another bite of her dinner and said, ¡°Have you had dinner?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lucas shook his head. With his heart aching, he looked at Ashlyn¡¯s pale, tiny, and gaunt face. He decided that he would definitely fatten her up again after his recovery. With that, his unhappiness faded and he stared at Ashlyn greedily. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you have dinner? No wonder you look skinnier.¡± Ashlyn red at him. ¡°Watch out before you lose your abs.¡± Lucas chuckled and said cheekily, ¡°Shall I take off my clothes to show you?¡± ¡°Save it.¡± Ashlyn pouted. He then changed the topic, ¡°Did you mean what you said a few days ago in your office?¡± Ashlyn looked rather embarrassed as she had rarely been this brazenly honest with him about her feelings. She denied it tly. ¡°What did I say?¡± ¡°You said you didn¡¯t hate me anymore.¡± Seeing a pink blush slowly spreading across her pale little face, he could not help butugh. ¡°Does that mean you have fallen for me?¡± ¡°You tter yourself,¡± Ashlyn snorted coldly. Lucas smiled sweetly. ¡°Silence is consent then.¡± ¡°Not talking to you anymore. It is affecting my appetite.¡± Ashlyn hung up quickly either out of avoidance or fear. Lucas¡¯ brows raised when he saw how anxious she was. He then put down her phone and picked up his binocrs again. Every day, he would watch Ashlyn from across the street. In order to take care of him, Jared had arranged for Ashlyn¡¯s room to be right across his hospital room. As long as he stood by his window with his binocrs, he would be able to see everything clearly. When he saw that Ashlyn had woken up, he quickly gave her a video call. Ashlyn had no idea that he could witness every single step that she took. The so-called business trip was just for him to recover from his injury. Spencer stood behind him and reported softly, ¡°Mr. Nn, the F1 World Championship is in two weeks¡¯ time. Will our fleet be registering for thepetition?¡± Lucas put down his binocrs and turned towards Spencer. ¡°Of course, we cannot miss this kind of world-sspetition.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Spencer immediately nodded. ¡°We don¡¯t know what your physical condition would be like then.¡± ¡°Of course I have to be there personally to encourage our fleet,¡± Lucas said coolly. ¡°No matter what, I will be there.¡± Spencer knew him very well, so he did not say anything else to stop him. At theb, in Ashlyn¡¯s room. ¡°This year¡¯spetition is taking ce in a fortnight?¡± Ashlyn raised her brows. ¡°Centennial Healthcare¡¯s fleet is just above average. Tell them to increase the rigor of their training.¡± Every year, each country would send a few fleets to participate in the F1 World Championship, which was a world-sspetition. The Centennial Healthcare¡¯s fleet had just barely qualified for thepetition. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Therefore Boss, you mean that..?¡± Jared stared at her with disbelief. She is in a terrible physical state! ¡°I will work hard.¡± Ashlyn did not say anything else and continued to eat her dinner. In the middle of the night, the moon hung high in the sky. In the Chapman mansion. Hera yawned as she was about to go downstairs for a ss of water. When she walked past her grandfather¡¯s room, she heard someone talking in there. Why isn¡¯t Grandpa asleep at this hour? Who is he talking to? Out of curiosity, she looked around the house, only to find that every door was shut, and that the servants were resting. Chapter 520 Chapter 520 She looked just like a forest fairy. No one would not be mesmerized by such an enchanting sight, including Lucas. He was looking out from the window with his binocrs to ease his longing for the woman. While he was admiring Ashlyn¡¯s sparkling dark eyes, he saw the tall-built Jared walking out of theb with a nket flung across his arms. Lucas¡¯ eyes were filled with jealousy as he watched Jared ce the nket over Ashlyn gently and felt a sense of possessiveness wash over him. He had always gotten a strange feeling from Jared. It did not seem like the man had a crush on Ashlyn, as Lucas could not feel any possessive desire from him. However, if Jared did not have any romantic feelings towards Ashlyn, it was strange that he always took such good care of her and was attentive to her needs. Even though Lucas had met plenty of people, he was unable to figure out Jared¡¯s intentions. He took a deep breath and looked at the gauze on his chest. The white gauze was wrapped around the man¡¯s muscr chest. After a few days of treatment, his wound was recovering well but had not yet scabbed over. There would still be blood trickling out of his wound when a slight force was applied on it. ¡°Mr. Nn, have some breakfast,¡± Spencer said when he entered the ward. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Spencer knew that Lucas must be watching Ashlyn again when he saw his boss looking out of the window with his binocrs. Mr. Nn had made such huge sacrifices for Ms. Berry. An ordinary person would not have been able to bear such extreme levels of pain, but Mr. Nn did it. He had never grunted or winced a single time. In the afternoon, Spencer arrived with a huge pile of documents. Lucas had insisted on working although he was still notpletely well. Spencer was extremely worried about his boss but could do nothing about it. Lucas was already on the verge of tiring himself out. He started working immediately after he had a quick lunch and did not stop until slightly over 3 p.m.. As he was a picky eater, Lucas had only taken a few mouthfuls of the nd hospital lunch which he was served earlier. He was starting to feel hungry now but was more sleepy than hungry. He was starting to lose focus due to exhaustion. Just as Lucas was about to review the next document, his phone pinged with a message. There were only three people on his contact list who could message him: Ashlyn, Spencer and Joseph. At this thought, Lucas looked at his phone and a twinkle appeared in his deep-set eyes. At the same time, he could not help but smile. It was Ashlyn who texted: Eat well and don¡¯t be picky with your food. Gastric pain is not fun. It was merely a casual message without any flirtatious or coy undertone, but it gave Lucas a warm, fuzzy feeling. Is the woman showing concern for me? Feeling joyful, Lucas finally put down his documents. For the first time, he thought that hospital food didn¡¯t taste that bad after all. As such, he turned towards Spencer, who was also working on some documents, and said, ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Spencer was stunned for a moment before sprinting out of the ward to prepare food for Lucas immediately. Goodness me! Did Mr. Nn just say he wants to eat? Spencer headed straight to the Peacock and returned half an hourter with food containers. ¡°Mr. Nn, I got you herbal bone broth, tripe stew with astragalus root and chicken ginseng soup,¡± he announced excitedly. Mr. Nn¡¯s meals were not to be taken casually. The moment Spencer entered the ward, he saw Lucas smiling to himself while looking at his phone and was obviously in a good mood. Lucas looked up from his phone towards Spencer, ¡°Open them.¡± Spencer quickly opened the food containers andid them out on the overbed table. In a deliberate motion, Lucas ced his phone on the table with the screen still lit up and swept his finger across the screen. Spencer¡¯s eyes drifted towards the screen and what he saw was¡­ a chat on social media. Sure, Honey. I¡¯ll take my meals seriously. I¡¯ll listen to you, Honey. I won¡¯t pull all-nighters for work. Honey, don¡¯t worry yeah? I¡¯ll take good care of myself. Ashlyn replied: Lucas Nn, I only typed one sentence. Don¡¯t you think your replies are a bit excessive? Oh, it¡¯s better to make it clear so that my Honey wouldn¡¯t worry about me. It¡¯s my responsibility to make sure that you have a peace of mind. Ashlyn replied: ¡­ Spencer was speechless as well while enduring their tant show of affection. Chapter 521 Chapter 521 It¡¯s my own fault; just why did I look at Mr. Nn¡¯s screen? Lucas kept his phone discreetly while he ate. Spencer was speechless again. He only realized just then that something seemed amiss. Was Mr. Nn showing off how loving they were and reminding me how freaking single I am? Spencer was slightly disgruntled. How could I not have noticed that sooner? Mr. Nn, seriously? Should you be behaving this way already? You are officially still divorced! Is it really a good idea to be unting your love now? Hmph! Does it give you this much satisfaction to provoke singletons? In Haddock Group¡¯s President¡¯s office, Kate was sitting on the sofa with tears in her eyes. Tugging on Dixon¡¯s arm, she said sincerely, ¡°Dixon, ever since your mom left, I have not stopped missing her. Last night, she appeared in my dreams and wanted me to check on you to see how you are doing.¡± ¡°Aunt, just be direct with me. What¡¯s up?¡± Dixon asked unemotionally. Familial rtionships no longer meant anything to him. Besides, he was sure that Kate would not visit him if she did not have anything up her sleeve. Even though she was his aunt, they hardly kept in touch with each other. The Fraser family had enjoyed a good reputation these two years due to L¡¯s position in the firefighting department. As such, the family was increasingly disapproving of Dixon¡¯s ruthless ways ¡°Oh, nothing much. It¡¯s just that we have a movieing up, but the Fraser Corporation is a bit tight financially and requires some funding. I¡¯m here to discuss this investment opportunity with you.¡± Kate shed a pleasing smile and wiped her tears away. ¡°Oh? Really?¡± Dixon cocked his eyebrows. He was not the least bit interested in this opportunity. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. The Haddock Group did, in fact, invest in dramas or films asionally, but unlike the Nn Group, they did not have a specialized mediapany under them. Even though Kate noted the indifference in Dixon¡¯s response, she decided to be thick-skinned and continued to persuade him, ¡°I guarantee that this movie will be a hit. The script is written by the wife of the up-anding genius director, Frank, and Frank himself is personally directing the movie. The cast is also made up of the most popr idols. Why don¡¯t you take a look at the script first?¡± Dixon was aware of Frank¡¯s poprity. He heard that this new director was extremely talented and had already received a grand award for his very first movie. ¡°Where¡¯s the script?¡± ¡°I have it right here,¡± Kate replied while whipping out the script from her bag, and ced it in front of Dixon. ¡°The genre of the movie is romance and the storyline talks about an angel and a devil who had descended on Earth at the same time. We are targeting the younger audience and are confident that the movie would appeal to them. After all, majority of the cinema-goers these days consists of teenagers and youths. We can create a scandal between the main actor and actress to hype up the movie. It¡¯ll definitely arouse everyone¡¯s interest sessfully.¡± Dixon scrutinized the cover page of the script before flipping to the first page. It was not a bad idea to invest in movies. The corners of Dixon¡¯s mouth curled up while he flipped through the pages casually. ¡°Aunt, you¡¯re right. With a good crew and the right cast, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for this movie to be a hit. However, I have a condition.¡± Kate¡¯s eyes lit up and quickly replied, ¡°What¡¯s your condition?¡± The smile on Dixon¡¯s face grew broader and an unfathomable glint appeared in his eyes. ¡°I want to have both the distribution and production rights of the movie.¡± ¡°Dixon, you¡­¡± Kate¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Indeed, trying to take advantage of Dixon was like getting blood from a stone. However, Kate was in urgent need of funding. Even though the Fraser Corporation seemed morous on the outside, it did not have any additional cash flow for her to invest in movies. However, Kate used to be in showbiz. She had retired to working behind the scenes after winning the best actress award in order to have more time to focus on her family. For the past few years, she worked as a producer and had a part in making some mediocre dramas. This was her first shot at producing a movie. If the movie ended up being a hit, as the producer, Kate would definitely be widely recognized in the industry. ¡°Aunt, you¡¯re the movie¡¯s producer, so even if the production and distribution rights belong to the Haddock Group, it wouldn¡¯t really affect you. You would still have a lot of say in the movie,¡± Dixon said in a bewitching tone. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better to coborate with me than other people?¡± he added. ¡°Dixon, how much are you intending to invest?¡± Kate gritted her teeth and asked. Chapter 522 Chapter 522 ¡°Since it¡¯s a romance movie, I intend to invest one hundred million. What do you think?¡± Kate was shocked to hear Dixon¡¯s offer. ¡°What? One hundred million?¡± She was only expecting Dixon to invest a maximum of ten million. ¡°Yup, I knew that Fraser Corporation would be funding the movie partially too.¡± A cold smirk surfaced on Dixon¡¯s face and he continued, ¡°How much would Fraser Corporation be investing?¡± Kate¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment and said, ¡°Fraser Corporation can only invest fifty million.¡± It was apparent that the disparity between Haddock Group and Fraser Corporation was getting wider. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, aunt, we¡¯re family. I won¡¯t leave you in the lurch when you need help.¡± Dixon gave a gentle pat on Kate¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Feel free to let me know any time if any of your movies need funding in the future. I have more spare funds. When does shooting start for the movie?¡± ¡°Next Friday is an auspicious day,¡± Kate replied with an awkward expression on her face. Dixon was known for his brutal ways and it was very unlike him to be so kind. She suspected that he might be secretly plotting something to gain additional benefits from the movie. Given Kate¡¯s age and experience, she was not so na?ve as to think that Dixon really had faith in the movie¡¯s potential. But faced with the cruel reality, she had no other choice but to agree to her nephew¡¯s requirements. ¡°Very well then, good luck and I hope that the filming goes smoothly. I¡¯ll get my finance team to liaise with you regarding the investment.¡± Dixon looked at Kate expressionlessly. The frosty look on his face, in addition to his feminine-features, exuded a bone-chilling aura. Naturally, Kate was happy to get the investment, but for some unknown reason, she could not help but feel worried. That very night, the new movie became one of the trending topics on search engines. Genius director Frank is directing a new movie. Would you rather date an angel or a devil? Helena and Cameron, the hottest on-screen couple! Those were the top three searches that night. The female lead, Helena, was one of the most popr actresstely. Her poprity sky-rocketed after she starred in a web series about college life. However, her fame was only limited to the drama circles. This uing movie would be her first involvement in a movie production. The male lead, Cameron, was thetest trending star. He had a handsome face and a bright disposition. He was also previously a member of a Korean boy group. Cameron¡¯s name was a frequent search term all-year long and he had scandals with numerous female celebrities. The new movie had already been hyped up before the filming began with these two stars as the cast. Everyone had their eyes on the movie. Netizens were flooding Twitter with theirments on the movie. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Meanwhile, Greg was scrolling through Twitter while eating popcorn in his room. After seeing Frank¡¯s introduction on the movie, he tossed his phone away and sneered out loud. Then, he picked up the script next to him and started studying it. How could that trashymercialized romance movie bepared to this script in my hands? Greg was getting increasingly frustrated. He did not know how and why, but he plucked up the courage and rang up thedy who sent him the script that day. But¡­ her phone was switched off. She switched off her phone? Thinking that he could have dialed the wrong number, Greg tried making the call again. But she was still unreachable. Feeling dispirited, Greg tossed his phone away once more and sat on his stool silently. Is that woman a scammer? She must be fooling me. Greg had not been able to make up his mind whether to believe her or not. Just when he finally decided to ce his faith in her, he was unable to reach her. He understood that no one would actually work with a director with a tarnished reputation and dark past like him. Dreams? Those were exclusive privileges for the rich and powerful. The man heaved a loud sigh. He grabbed a beer bottle from underneath the bed and intended to gulp down the entire bottle, but realized it was empty. Greg clearly remembered that he had not drunk it¡­ Just then, his son returned home from school and saw him holding the bottle. With an obstinate expression on his small face which spelled displeasure, the little boy said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave home if I ever see you drink again.¡± Greg red at the boy and asked, ¡°Was it you who emptied my beer bottle?¡± ¡°Hmph! I am telling you now: As long as you dare to drink, I will not hesitate to pour it away,¡± the little one stated and started working on his homework. Chapter 523 Chapter 523 Recently, his son was so strict, especially about him drinking. Greg had no choice but to put down the bottle of liquor he was holding. I wonder who he learnt that from? He¡¯s so strict with me. Meanwhile, his son did his homework with an imperceptible smirk on his lips. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. I can¡¯t believe that prettydy¡¯s trick worked! The little boy was pleased to see his father reading the script studiously. No sane person would want to face a drunkard every day. Not even if that drunkard was your family. When Ashlyn finally woke up again, night had fallen. She rose to her feet groggily and went to freshen herself up. The night breeze wafted into the peaceful room. Ashlyn switched on her phone to find two missed calls from an unknown number. Frowning, she stared at the number for a while. She had no idea who it was, but she dialed the number back. ¡°Hello?¡± Greg was dozing off in his shack. He didn¡¯t even have a TV or aputer with him. That was how poor he was. At night, whenever he felt bored, he¡¯d feel sleepy. He was about to doze off when his phone rang. It was Ashlyn who had called him. Greg sat up at once and answered her call. ¡°Hello, Ms. Berry. This is Greg Maxwell.¡± ¡°Maxwell? Oh, it¡¯s you.¡± Ashlyn chuckled upon hearing how eager Greg was. ¡°Since you left me two missed calls, can I assume you¡¯ve already made up your mind?¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Berry,¡± Greg replied enthusiastically as his heart thumped. The excitement of getting to fulfill his dream overwhelmed his entire being. He used to feel disappointed and dejected, but the opportunity had arisen again! Greg hadn¡¯t expected Ashlyn to return his call. Of course he was ted as she was no scammer. ¡°Okay. Meet me tomorrow morning, then.¡± Ashlyn told Greg herb¡¯s address before she hung up. Greg was still in a daze. Am I dreaming? I got this awesome script and shooting is about to start soon! The male lead wasn¡¯t to his liking, but he was certain he could train him well. Someone like him had no right to choose the casts, anyway. Greg was no longer the cocky new director. In fact, his self-esteem had dropped down the drain. Life might¡¯ve tortured him badly, but he was still an aspiring director! The next morning, Jonathan¡¯s manager woke him up rudely. His hair was a disheveled mess as he looked at his manager groggily. ¡°Hey, are you crazy? Look at the time! My schedule ended at two in the morning! Hello?¡± hemented. His manager¡ªa man in his thirties¡ªpushed him to the bathroom. ¡°Hurry, your brother just called about a movie!¡± ¡°Mr. Nn wouldn¡¯t let you be in a movie, but your brother insisted on it. Will you take the role?¡± Jonathan was still confused. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I said, your brother wants you to be in a movie. Hurry, wash up and make yourself presentable.¡± His manager shoved him into the bathroom and shut the door after him. Jonathan blinked at the mirror several times before he started brushing his teeth. An hourter, his car drove into theb building slowly. Jonathan, tall and handsome, let out an enormous yawn before he got off his car. ¡°Why did my brother ask to meet here?¡± ¡°Hurry, get in.¡± His manager brought him in. Lucas was against Jonathan taking up a role in a movie because he had bad acting skills. If he was cast for a movie, he might end up ruining his reputation and destroying his future. Jonathan was meant to be an idol, anyway. Early in the morning, Greg put on his cleanest ck shirt and cks before arriving at theb. When he arrived, he thought he had gotten to the wrong ce. Chapter 524 Chapter 524 How strange. Why did Ms. Berry ask me to meet her here? He wondered for a bit before walking into the building. The moment he stepped in, he spotted a young man leaping off a car. He was stunned. When Ashlyn said she was going to cast Jonathan as the male lead, he never thought she meant it for real. Isn¡¯t he a pretty boy who can¡¯t act well? How unbelievable! Greg was upset, but he went to the lounge Ashlyn was in. At the door, Greg saw Jonathan opening the door before he entered the room. He pressed his lips into a thin line before he entered after Jonathan. A clean lounge entered his sight. There was a suite inside that lounge where Ashlyn would sleep in. Right now, she was sitting on the sofa and chatting with Jared. She was dressed in a white dress that hugged her jaw-dropping curves. Her face glowed alluringly under the morning sunlight. It seemed to Greg that she had lost a considerable amount of weight since hest saw her. Before he could greet her, Jonathan started harping, ¡°Oh my, if it isn¡¯t Ashlyn Berry. Why did you lose so much weight? Aren¡¯t you taking your diet too far?¡± ¡°Have some respect,¡± Jared reached out and p his head. ¡°She¡¯s your senior.¡± Jonathan¡¯s lips pursed in response. He didn¡¯t know Ashlyn well, but he knew her from the trending topics on Twitter. She seemed like someone who¡¯d use his brother to climb up the socialdder. Ashlyn nced at the young man before she dismissed him. She smiled at Greg warmly and greeted him, ¡°Maxwell, please have a seat.¡± Greg gave her and Jared a brisk nod. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. A copy of the script was in Ashlyn¡¯s hand. ¡°Have you read it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Greg nodded. The mention of his passion made him light up in pleasure. ¡°This script is well written. It is realistic enough when the tension builds up to the climax. I think it¡¯s perfect. It¡¯ll leave an unforgettable impression on the audience.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you hold this script in such high regards.¡± A smile flitted across Ashlyn¡¯s ashen face. ¡°Huh? Script? Jared, didn¡¯t you say you managed to cast me in a movie? Where¡¯s the script?¡± Jonathan inquired in a huff. Ashlyn eyed Jared silently, who took out another copy of the script and hit his head with it. ¡°Here you go!¡± Jonathan yelped and grabbed the script. When he saw the name ¡®Snowstorm¡¯ on the front page, his eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Oh, my! Did Snowstorm write this script? Seriously? My idol wrote this script for me? She loves me so much!¡± ¡°Jared! How did you manage to convince him?¡± ¡°Yeah! You¡¯re the best, Jared! When can I meet him?¡± Jonathan babbled on. Greg remained expressionless as he observed the young man with a hint of disdain. ¡°For goodness¡¯ sake, keep it cool! What would your fans think if they see you acting this way?¡± His manager hurriedly tried to cate him. Jonathan was an aloof and perfect prince in his adoring fans¡¯ eyes. However, he was actually quite daft and talkative in real life. Whenever he was excited, he¡¯d babble on nonstop like a stand-upedian on stage. ¡°There¡¯s no one else here. He must¡¯ve held back for some time.¡± Ashlyn reached out to stop the manager with a smile. ¡°I believe you know the script¡¯s concept, Maxwell. We can start preparing for the filming now. Jonathan will be the male lead. You can choose the other roles in this movie. I won¡¯t interfere in your decision.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry!¡± Greg was surprised. He didn¡¯t know Ashlyn would give him free rein on this matter. Nowadays, showbiz was mostly controlled by the investors. Directors no longer held as much power as they did before. In fact, they were more like puppets of the investors. Chapter 525 Chapter 525 Utterly touched, Greg looked at Ashlyn fervently. Jared knew this gaze all too well. Tinsor and ir used to gaze at Ashlyn the same way, too. He believed someone else would be gazing at Ashlyn the same way soon enough. For example, this foolish and chatty brother of this. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Unaware of his brother¡¯s concern, Jonathan was reading the script. He was excited when he realized how his character would be portrayed. ¡°Oh my! This is brilliant! Trashy Idol? Snowstorm is truly a genius. I love her so much!¡± ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that me in real life? Handsome, great at singing and dancing, kind, and loves picking up trash! Aha!¡± ¡°My idol! I love you! You didn¡¯t even give me a partner in this movie! Thanks to her, I can focus on picking up trash. She must be worried that my fans can¡¯t ept it.¡± Everyone stared in shock at how Jonathan was daydreaming in broad daylight. Especially Greg, who couldn¡¯t take it any longer. Am I going to work with this chatterbox? Oh, how unbearable! But Ashlyn was the one who chose him. Greg clenched his teeth and resisted the urge to kick Jonathan out. He then carried on the discussion with Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, this movie has some sci-fi scenes, so the budget will be slightly higher. You might need to invest more than you had in mind.¡± ¡°Oh? How much money do you need?¡± Ashlyn asked in a serious manner. She waspletely focused on Greg¡¯s exnation. Greg felt respected by her reaction. He looked at her and mustered his courage. ¡°Around three hundred million.¡± Three hundred million was no small amount. To most people, three hundred million was an astronomical amount of money. Most people wouldn¡¯t be able to save that much money in their lifetime. Greg was a poor man himself, so he had never seen so much money in his life. Nevertheless, he was determined to make a great movie. If he failed in doing so, all the investment would go to waste. Greg was stressed out, but he chose to be honest. Ashlyn fell silent as she pondered about it. Greg scanned her expression as he was afraid she¡¯d reject him. When she fell silent, he felt his heart sank. Does she not have that much money? She might be close to Jared, but he doesn¡¯t have that much money too, right? He stammered, ¡°If three hundred million exceeds your budget, w-we can find other investors. Most movies have more than one investor. Some even have up to ten!¡± Ashlyn merely nced at him. ¡°Three hundred million is enough?¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± Greg was still in a daze. He watched as Ashlyn whipped out her checkbook and wrote out a cheque for him. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the cheque of three hundred million! Did she just give me three hundred million just like that? ¡°If this isn¡¯t enough, let me know.¡± Ashlyn grinned. ¡°I believe the quality of a movie can be guaranteed with the appropriate amount of funding. Don¡¯t let me down, Maxwell.¡± Jonathan craned his neck to take a look at the cheque. ¡°Wow, Ashlyn! Where did you get this much money from? Are you using my brother¡¯s money to keep up with appearances?¡± Jared feltpletely humiliated by his foolish brother. ¡°Shut up!¡± Jonathan scoffed, ¡°Fine! Since my brother said so, forget it.¡± He said nothing and continue to read through the script. It was very entertaining, so he was soon engrossed in it. As he was young and adored in showbiz, it was hardly surprising that he was impulsive. Ashlyn nced at him before turning to Greg. ¡°He¡¯s immature, so please guide him well. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll improve quickly under your guidance.¡± Greg shook his head in frustration. ¡°Ms. Berry, I¡¯ll select the other roles based on the script. That includes the female lead.¡± Chapter 526 Chapter 526 ¡°Sure. You can decide these matters. If you need money, let me know.¡± Ashlyn acted like her only job was to provide money. Thus, she trusted Gregpletely to deal with the other matters. Greg couldn¡¯t conceal his delight upon being entrusted with the important tasks. He swore he¡¯d make a great movie with her support. This was his only chance to redeem himself after years of struggle. If I don¡¯t grab the opportunity, I might have to live in the slums forever! ¡°Movie?¡± Lucas listened to Spencer¡¯s report as a hint of confusion appeared in his gaze. That very morning, he couldn¡¯t believe his eyes when he saw Jonathan Quickton from his entertainmentpany in theb across him. Then, he saw Greg Maxwell, who was a washed-up director. Spencer returned promptly after investigating the matter. ¡°Yes, Ms. Berry invested three hundred million in that movie.¡± ¡°Three hundred million? Where did she get that much money from? Did Jared give it to her?¡± Lucas furrowed his brows. Money can solve everything, he thought. He frowned and added, ¡°Invest another three hundred million. Jonathan is under ourpany, after all. We should support his movie.¡± Previously, Lucas didn¡¯t want Jonathan to be in Ashlyn¡¯s movie as that young man was good-looking. He had to keep him away from her. But since Ashlyn insisted on carrying out the project, he must support her career. I will support whatever she wants to do. Thus, that very afternoon, Greg received three hundred million from Spencer. He gazed at the cheque in shock before he called Ashlyn at once. ¡°Ms. Berry, uh¡ª¡± Just as he was about to tell Ashlyn about Lucas¡¯ three hundred million investment, Ashlyn cut in, ¡°I¡¯ve handed the contract to my legal team. Is there a problem?¡± She seemed very calm. Greg parted his lips and blurted, ¡°Ms. Berry, let me exin.¡± ¡°Maxwell! There¡¯s a problem with the props team! We need you there!¡± A staff member suddenly interrupted him loudly. Greg had to swallow his words. ¡°Ms. Berry, I¡¯ll call youter. I need to go now.¡± He hung up hastily and rushed over to deal with the problem. He had his eyes set on Helena Uber, which was a rookie actress, and was contemting casting her as the female lead. The script didn¡¯t have the usual romance elements. The female lead was the male lead¡¯s assistant. When everyone mocked and ridiculed the male lead, she was the only one who defended him. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. That was because she grew up in a vige. The vigers depended on a small river to survive. Suddenly, a paper mill was constructed there one day. Its waste polluted the river. The vigers who drank the river water every day were eventually gued with strange diseases. One by one, they started dying off. Her rtives passed away one by one, too. Hence, she gave her wholehearted support to the male lead¡¯s ambition of protecting the environment. This was a character with a well-written background. Helena and the Angel and Devil production team had already released rumors about her being the female lead although they hadn¡¯t signed a contract yet. When her manager told her Greg Maxwell wanted her to take on the female lead role of a country bumpkin who ended up as an idol¡¯s assistant, she immediately snorted in contempt. ¡°Greg Maxwell is nothing but a washed-up director. No one will support his movie! Not the audience nor the investors!¡± ¡°I think so, too. Venti¡¯s romance movie will be well-received by the market.¡± Her manager concurred. ¡°Back then, Greg was criticized so badly.¡± ¡°Yes, if I agree to take on that role, I might get criticized too!¡± Helena scoffed. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll reject the role on your behalf.¡± Her manager decided. ¡°He won¡¯t be able to find a popr male lead, anyway. He¡¯ll probably hire some influencer who is below your station.¡± Chapter 527 Chapter 527 ¡°Sounds about right.¡± Helena nodded in agreement. When Greg received Helena¡¯s manager¡¯s phone call, he was taken aback. She rejected my offer? He knew this would happen. It had been some time since that incident, but people would still refuse to forgive him. Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Hey, Maxwell. Why don¡¯t I ask my assistant to take up the role?¡± Jonathan yawned and suggested. ¡°Your assistant doesn¡¯t have any acting experience.¡± Greg¡¯s opinion of Jonathan got lower with each passing day. Jonathan leaned back in his chair beside himzily. ¡°She used to be an extra. Besides, it¡¯s cheaper to hire her. I have good chemistry with her, too. She would just have to y her part in real life, as my assistant.¡± Right then, a slim and petite girl appeared in front of Greg. She was d in a white T-shirt, denim shorts, and white sneakers. She seemed neat and refreshing. Her attractive oval face grabbed Greg¡¯s attention. She had big, round eyes and a sharp but dainty nose. She seemed like a promising actress. Greg studied her for a while before he heard Jonathan chattering, ¡°What do you think? Not bad, right?¡± ¡°Huh? Not bad?¡± Naomi plopped down beside Jonathan without hesitation. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°Assistant, are you interested in acting?¡± Jonathan shot a flirty look at her. He had hired her about a month ago to be his assistant. She was pretty but clumsy in real life. Naomi was exactly like the female lead in the script which was described as a young and clueless vige girl. Everyone looked down on her because of her clumsiness and daftness. Naomi pointed at herself. ¡°What? Me in a movie? Really? But I don¡¯t know anything about acting!¡± ¡°Just act like yourself, okay? Silly!¡± Jonathan took the ss from Naomi and sipped on it. His expression fell promptly as he yelled, ¡°I said I want honey grapefruit tea. Why did you give me honey lemon tea again?¡± His youthful face was zing with fury as he red at her. Naomi¡¯s hand trembled. Oh shit! I identally made my favorite honey lemon tea again. She didn¡¯t want to stay at home and be a parasite who lived off her brother¡¯s allowance, so she found herself a job. Naomi didn¡¯t have a local diploma, but she wasn¡¯t interested in furthering her studies abroad, too. She happened to see Nn Entertainment¡¯s job advertisement for an idol¡¯s assistant. The requirements weren¡¯t that much, plus meals and amodation were included as well. She immediately applied for it and was epted. From that day onwards, she became Jonathan Quickton¡¯s personal assistant. She even moved out from her house secretly to live with Jonathan in a house provided by the company. Her job was to take care of Jonathan. It was hard for her at first because she was spoilt since birth. She used to have a staff of servants waiting on her. This was the very first time in her life she had to wait on someone else. She couldn¡¯t get used to it. Everything felt strange to her. Luckily, Jonathan was a chatterbox, but he wasn¡¯t a bad person. She had heard from other assistants that some celebrities put on a gentle and perfect manner in front of the public, but acted unreasonably behind the scenes. Some yelled at their assistants, tortured their assistants using cigarette butts, told their assistants to eat their leftover food, and even forced their assistants to wash their underwear. There were plenty of stories of assistants being abused and mistreated. She knew she should count herself lucky. Back then, Naomi would fly into a fit of rage if Jonathan yelled at her this way. But now, she knew she was nothing but a lowly assistant. She had no right to retort back. If she was another female celebrity¡¯s assistant, the ss would¡¯ve been thrown in her face. Thus, she was a pretty adaptable girl after all. After reflecting on herself, her frustration disappeared into thin air. She hurriedly left to make a new ss of honey grapefruit tea for him. I am just a lowly assistant. I am not the adored Nn socialite. Nobody recognizes me here. She chanted silently as she tried her best to hypnotize herself. Chapter 528 Chapter 528 Didn¡¯t I swear I¡¯ll be independent? Didn¡¯t I swear to let Ashlyn change her mind about me? That is just a teeny insult, right? It¡¯s nothing! This is just a small pebble blocking my way. I can just kick it away and continue to walk on! It¡¯s not even an obstacle, to be honest. Greg watched the scene without a word before he scanned Naomi sharply. The youngdy looked refreshingly pretty in person. She wasn¡¯t timid like usual assistants were, but she didn¡¯t get mad at Jonathan when he yelled at her rudely. The clumsy way she poured the drink wasn¡¯t an act either. He then focused on Naomi¡¯s fair and smooth hands. She must¡¯ve been pampered since birth. He decided. She isn¡¯t from a poor background. Look at her hands. She obviously has never lifted a finger in her entire life. Greg was very observant as he was a director. The youngdy¡¯s gaze was pure and guileless. It seemed she hadn¡¯t been corrupted by society yet. Her innocence appealed to him at once. During the earlier interaction between Jonathan and Naomi, he could see sparks flying between them naturally. They were very simr to the characters in the script. Finally, he withdrew his gaze and inquired solemnly, ¡°Are you interested to be an actress? You shall y the role of the male lead¡¯s assistant.¡± ¡°I¡­Really?¡± Naomi¡¯s eyes rounded in shock. Is this the director? ¡°Here, let¡¯s try.¡± Greg flipped the script open and pointed at a simple scene. ¡°This scene will do. The male lead is sick, so you¡¯ll help him to the roadside to hail a cab to the hospital.¡± A faint blush crept up Naomi¡¯s face. She might be Jonathan¡¯s assistant for over a month, but she had never been this intimate with him! I¡¯ll have to put my arms around him? But of course, it was natural to be fascinated by the movie, and Naomi was no exception. She was both curious and excited. She had never been involved in the process of filming a movie. Nn Entertainment might¡¯ve been flourishing in showbiz, but she was always the parasite of her family. Yes, I can¡¯t be an assistant forever. I should ept the role when the opportunity arises. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. I should be a part of showbiz and be an actress. It doesn¡¯t matter even though I wasn¡¯t professionally trained. I¡¯m still young, right? I need to make something of myself so Ashlyn will finally change her mind about me. Right then, the rookie Naomi was determined to make it work. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll try it out.¡± Naomi read the script earnestly to familiarize herself with the character¡¯s image, personality, living habits, hobbies, and other details. After she was done, she studied the scene which Greg had told her to try. About ten minutester, she bit her lips and went to Greg. ¡°Maxwell, I¡¯m ready.¡± Jonathan wasn¡¯t serious about his suggestion, so he never expected his assistant would treat the matter seriously. He rose to his feet automatically. ¡°I¡¯m in the scene, right? Let me help you.¡± Jonathan theny on the sofa weakly, looking like a sick person. His assistant pushed the door open and walked in. Putting down the takeaway box as she would normally, she called out, ¡°I bought you a burger! Come and eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡± He didn¡¯t utter a sound. The assistant walked to the sofa, utterly puzzled. But when she approached him, she realized something was wrong. Surprise filled her gaze. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jonathan opened his eyes slowly and replied weakly, ¡°I think I might have a fever.¡± ¡°Fever? You have a schedule tonight at the TV station! What do we do now?¡± She paced around the room anxiously. Suddenly, her jaw hardened as she helped him up in determination. cing his arm around her shoulder, she announced, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to the hospital.¡± She supported his weight with all her strength and inched toward the door, step by step. Actually, this scene was rtively simple. As long as she showed her concern toward the idol, it would be a good take. Chapter 529 Chapter 529 Greg called, ¡°Cut!¡± At his order, Naomi scuttled away from Jonathan at once. She was so close to him she could even feel his breathing on her skin. The young man¡¯s faint and clean scent made her giddy. Her heart started thumping rapidly, especially when she recalled how close she was to him. To her surprise, his skin was really wless. There were no visible pores either. That was the first time she had ever gotten that close to a man. Jonathan frowned and red at her unhappily. ¡°Why did you run away so quickly? I nearly fell down!¡± Hmph! My fans would kill for the chance to get this close to me! She seems unappreciative and even dared to push me away quickly. I¡¯m a popr and handsome idol with millions of adoring fans! This has to be the first time a girl runs away after a slightly intimate scene alongside me! He suddenly realized why his manager hired her in the first ce. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only I¡¯m a popr idol, but she isn¡¯t interested in me. To think of it, I¡¯ve never seen her being excited when she sees me. Yes, that¡¯s right. She seemspletely unaffected by my charm. Is she blind? How can she turn a blind eye to my good looks? Meanwhile, Naomi didn¡¯t know or cared about Jonathan¡¯s thoughts. All she cared about was Greg¡¯s opinion. Hence, she ran to him and looked at him earnestly, ¡°Maxwell, how did I do just now?¡± ¡°Your acting skills are quite immature. There¡¯s room for improvement, but it¡¯s honestly not that bad,¡± Gregmented coolly. ¡°If you want to be an actress, you need the right attitude and be willing to work hard. This is no ce for amateurs to show themselves off. It¡¯s a proper job, so you need to be sincere and respectful. If you¡¯re ready, we can sign a contract now.¡± Naomi lowered her gaze and thought about it briefly. She looked up and met Greg¡¯s gaze determinedly. ¡°Let¡¯s sign the contract. I don¡¯t have any acting experience, but I¡¯m willing to work hard and learn.¡± Greg nodded. He didn¡¯t hire himself an assistant, so he took the contract out by himself. ¡°I have two copies. One for you and one for me.¡± As he was making aeback to showbiz, it might be hard for him to cast a popr young actress. Yet, he was confident he¡¯d guide Naomi well if she were willing to learn. She might not be able to top A-list actresses, but he couldn¡¯t wait to see how she wouldpare to the other young actresses. Besides, there was a rare sort of innocence radiating off Naomi, which was rare to find in other female celebrities in showbiz. The most important aspect for this assistant was her innocence, for she was a na?ve vige girl. And it just so happened that Naomi had the same sort of innocence which was perfect for that character. Next, Greg found a few other actors and assigned them the other roles in the movie. They were all unpopr actors who had yed as extras or side characters. Those who were slightly popr had all refused to take part in his movie. Greg knew he had a terrible reputation, so it was understandable that these actors refused to star in his movie. In fact, he never wanted to use their poprity to gain poprity. Greg wanted to introduce himself to the world as a movie director who produced high-quality movies. Soon, the first day of shooting arrived. Greg hadn¡¯t expected Angel and Devil to have their opening ceremony in the movie studio on the same day as well. Angel and Devil had already been hyped up on Twitter even before the shooting had begun. Everybody showed up at the opening ceremony, including the actors, staff members, director, and scriptwriter. Frank looked dignified and impressive in a dark grey suit. Chapter 530 Chapter 530 The male and female leads, Cameron Grande and Helena Uber, were nking him. As Fraser Entertainment¡¯s investment, Angel and Devil, was expected to be a blockbuster movie, the opening ceremony was very grand. They invited many hotshot paparazzi from showbiz and also popr bloggers and influencers from social media. Helena wore a gorgeous dress in red, whichplimented her exquisite makeup. Her wavy blond hair fell on her shoulders, making her the center of attraction in the ceremony. Cameron was charmingly handsome in his white suit. He stood in various poses obligingly at the paparazzi¡¯s request. Frank was in high spirits as he answered countless questions in the middle of the stage. ¡°My movie is for the young audience because they are the only ones who could understand the pureness in love. However, I hope everyone can enjoy this movie as well. You can recollect the memories of your youth.¡± He added, ¡°Everyone has the right to relive their youthful days. I believe everyone who watches the movie will be moved to tears when they recall their youthful memories.¡± Frank was speaking animatedly when the sound of firecrackers suddenly ruined his ceremony. Frank¡¯s expression fell. I haven¡¯t even got to the main point yet! Which madman set off the firecrackers at such a time? Don¡¯t they know our government had already banned them? But he kept his temper in check as he couldn¡¯t just fly into a rage in front of the paparazzi. He signaled toward his assistant director stiffly and yelled, ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°I think the movie set next to us is also having their opening ceremony,¡± the assistant director exined, having just heard the news himself a moment ago. ¡°They can do that, but why the firecrackers? Don¡¯t they know it might disturb others?¡± Frank¡¯s face twisted in anger. ¡°Tell them to be quiet.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go now.¡± The assistant director nodded profusely. ¡°Wait,¡± Frank stopped him as his expression grew icy. ¡°I¡¯ll go myself. I want to see who was it that dared to provoke me.¡± Having said that, he made his way to the movie set next door. The paparazzi and other media influencers followed him earnestly, too. They knew the hype around Angel and Devil¡¯s opening ceremony, but they had no idea what the other movie set was. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. As Frank was personally heading there himself, it seemed like an interesting scene was about to happen. After all, most big shots cared about the opening ceremony as they wanted a good start to their shooting. It seemed like the movie set next door wanted a good start, too. Jonathan was the one behind the loud fireworks. It was his first shoot, so he wanted a good start for the movie. Apparently, the explosive fireworks had shaken the whole area. In fact, since no one knew about them, they didn¡¯t invite any paparazzi or media outlets. However, their opening ceremony was a lively and amicable event. After Jonathan set off the firecrackers, everyone covered their ears and waited for the loud booms to end. It was a funny situation that made them chuckle in delight. When Frank arrived with the group of paparazzi, that was what they saw. Look, a bunch of dimwitsughing and having a good time with their backs to me. Don¡¯t they know how important an opening ceremony is? Look at their casual attires. Is that staff wearing slippers? Gosh! They are disrespecting art! How can they call themselves actors? I¡¯ve never seen any of them before! Oh, here¡¯s someone I know. Isn¡¯t this some extra who had been in countless movies? I think his name is Zion? Ha! What a trashy cast! They aren¡¯t fit to have their opening ceremony on the same day as ours! Frank¡¯s expression grew stern as he strode over to the group of people. Right then, the booming sounds of the fireworks finally came to an end. Chapter 531 Chapter 531 A familiar voice rang out. ¡°Hurry up! Clear the scene and remove all the debris!¡± Frank froze in shock at the voice. It was as if an invisible hand was crushing his heart. It¡¯s him! Even though they hadn¡¯t met in years, Frank immediately recognized the voice. He stopped in his tracks and gazed at the man intently. Right then, the man turned slowly with a broom in his hands. As their eyes met, an awkward silence hung in the air. Greg narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on the broom. He had never expected to meet Frank here at all. You scum who stole my script and my wife! Frank regained hisposure ahead of Greg and strode over to him. A surprised expression showed on his face as he eximed, ¡°My old friend, fancy meeting you here! We haven¡¯t met in ages, but you¡¯re still handsome as before.¡± Greg shot him a sarcastic smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have to act like a hypocrite. Aren¡¯t you tired of doing so? You can be an actor at this rate since your acting skills are so much better than the actors under your company.¡± Frank¡¯s face darkened instantly. ¡°My friend, I get that you¡¯re upset with me, but do you have to beat around the bush to curse me?¡± ¡°Yes, I just cursed you. So what?¡± Greg snorted. Frank lost his patience at his reply. Since Greg had seen through his act, there was no need to carry on. ¡°Greg Maxwell, don¡¯t take my respect for granted. Are you making a new movie?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. Are you upset about that fact?¡± ¡°Who? You? You¡¯re nothing but a box office flop. Who would want to invest in your movie?¡± Frank laughed like he had just heard a ridiculous joke. ¡°No matter who his investor is, that¡¯s none of your business.¡± a young man spoke behind him abruptly. Before Frank could reply, the paparazzi started yelling excitedly, ¡°Hey, it¡¯s Jonathan Quickton!¡± ¡°Oh dear, how could it be Jonathan?¡± ¡°Why is he here?¡± The paparazzi swarmed toward Jonathan like bees attracted to honey. ¡°Jonathan, are you acting in this movie?¡± ¡°Are you going to work with Maxwell?¡± ¡°What is the movie about?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the female lead? Is she a top celebrity?¡± ¡°Jonathan, what does it feel like to work with Maxwell? Rumor has it that he is hot-tempered and hard to get along with.¡± With a smirk, Jonathan yawnednguidly. His reply was curt and formal. ¡°I¡¯m happy to be able to work with Maxwell. He¡¯s a strict but responsible director. We¡¯re getting along well. The female lead is a rookie actress, and this is her first appearance in showbiz, so I can¡¯t reveal the plot for now. But you can support us by watching the movie in the theater.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. The paparazzi were astounded by his answer. A rookie actress? Seriously? Everyone¡¯s interest was piqued. Which rookie actress is going to take on the role? They were especially curious since Jonathan was not only a top idol who could dance and sing well, but he was also very attractive. ¡°Is it possible to know who the female lead is? Do we get to meet her?¡± ¡°Why did you agree to film alongside a rookie actress?¡± Overwhelmed with curiosity, the paparazzi started throwing questions at Jonathan again. The smirk on Jonathan¡¯s face remained unchanged as he replied, ¡°She¡¯s a diligent actress. You¡¯ll see.¡± Since Jonathan refused to reveal anything, the paparazzi turned to Greg. ¡°Is there something between your investor and the rookie actress? Otherwise, why would you take the risk by using a rookie?¡± Chapter 532 Chapter 532 ¡°Is she pretty? Or did she use her connections?¡± ¡°Maxwell, aren¡¯t you afraid your movie will end up being a box office flop?¡± ¡°Your reputation is tainted because you giarized Venti¡¯s work back then. I think Venti¡¯s kind enough to remain on talking terms with you.¡± Frank was secretly thrilled to be cue by the paparazzi. He hurriedly put on an act and defended Greg. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. My friend here is a talented director. We were young back then. Making mistakes is a normal part of life.¡± His so-called exnation was evidently mocking Greg for giarizing his work and, at the same time, indicating that he was generous for forgiving Greg. Frank was obviously humiliating Greg in public. Greg knew the paparazzi would ask this question since Frank was the one who brought them here. Hence, he replied calmly, ¡°Time will tell us who the actual giarist was. You want to see my female lead? Well, I can¡¯t describe her looks. She¡¯singter, so you can see for yourself.¡± As he spoke, a slender figure rushed through the crowd, attracting everyone¡¯s attention at once. Their eyes were bulging in astonishment as they stared at the figure. The girl whom everyone was looking at was dressed casually in a white T-shirt and a pair of jeans, paired with white sneakers. She was running nimbly like a little fluffy rabbit. The crowd watched as she made her way to the front. The moment she stood before them, their eyes lit up in amazement. The youngdy was around the age of eighteen, but she had a curvy figure and strikingly gorgeous features, especially her obsidian ck eyes which were bright and attractive. She seemed young and innocent, but there was an air of attractiveness about her. Every action and expression of hers was charismatic. Based on physical appearance alone, she wasn¡¯t the perfect beauty, but she looked like the girl-next- door type, which was pleasing to the eyes. Naomi Nn stopped in her tracks as she was astounded to see the crowd. A blush crept up her delicate cheeks when she realized she was the center of attraction. Swallowing hard, she spoke to Greg, ¡°Sorry for arrivingte, Maxwell. I got stuck in a traffic jam.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. The opening ceremony will begin soon,¡± Greg told her calmly. The paparazzi who were taken aback snapped back to reality and shoved their microphones in her face. ¡°Are you the female lead of Maxwell¡¯s new movie?¡± This was the first time Naomi had ever been interviewed in public. She was overwhelmed by all the attention, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Her rosy cheeks burned a crimson red from all the excitement, like juicy and delicious peaches. The youngdy grinned gleefully. ¡°I¡¯m really excited about this movie. I¡¯ve never imagined I¡¯d get chosen for this role.¡± The crowd stared dumbfoundedly at her silly demeanor. Isn¡¯t she overly excited? ¡°As a rookie. how do you feel right now?¡± another paparazzo asked. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°I¡¯ve never been in a movie before, so I¡¯m terribly ecstatic. Besides, I¡¯ll be acting alongside heartthrob Jonathan Quickton. I feel so lucky!¡± Naomi grinned from ear to ear. The paparazzi couldn¡¯t bring themselves to be harsh to her because of her honest reply. They were about to continue bombarding her with questions when Naomi added, ¡°I don¡¯t know why Maxwell chose me, but I¡¯m really honored to take on this role. I¡¯ll definitely work hard so that I won¡¯t disappoint him!¡± She seemed so sincere with her heartfelt words and smile. Right then, Helena Uber was in the crowd too. When Greg came to her previously, she immediately rejected his offer. But she had not expected that Greg would give the role to a rookie. Chapter 533 Chapter 533 Ha! Helena sneered silently. She might despise Naomi a lot, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel furious at what she saw. Helena thought she was popr enough to be in the limelight. She was certain the paparazzi would swarm all over her, but instead, they seemed much more interested in that young rookie and wouldn¡¯t stop with their questions. Besides Helena, there was another person who was upset¡ªFrank. He had paid those paparazzi toe, but now they were going to promote Greg¡¯s movie instead! R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Greg was indeed an unpredictable man. Impatience shed across his face when he saw how the paparazzi surrounded his female lead. ncing at his watch, he announced, ¡°Our opening ceremony is about to begin. Let¡¯s not waste time.¡± With that, he pulled Naomi to his side and informed a staff member, ¡°We can start now.¡± The staff member immediately proceeded to prepare the opening ceremony. Candles were lined up nicely on the table, which was covered by a red velvet cloth. Even the camera was covered by a red cloth as well. Everyone involved in the shooting of the movie said their prayers and lighted the candles. Next, the red cloth on the camera was removed. Greg then announced, ¡°Let the shootingmence!¡± With the paparazzi, Greg, and the others as witnesses, the opening ceremony ended sessfully. Frank was infuriated at how smoothly the event went. He immediately challenged Greg, ¡°My friend, you used to be the valedictorian in our school and received schrships every year. Why don¡¯t wepare the box office of our movies this time?¡± Greg thought his suggestion was ridiculous, but upon recalling how he wasted the past few years because Frank giarized his work, he changed his mind. This b*stard stole everything from me and even ruined my family! He was filled with hatred at that thought. Without hesitation, he retorted, ¡°What if my movie performs better than yours?¡± ¡°If you win, then¡­ I¡¯ll stop directing movies and leave the showbiz,¡± Frank announced with gritted teeth. He was certain Greg couldn¡¯t produce an excellent movie after taking a break for so many years. ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll leave the showbiz and never return,¡± Greg responded curtly. He wasn¡¯t bothered as he had nothing left to lose anyway. The paparazzi were excited by the turn of events and hurriedly recorded everything on camera. Frank was ring at Greg like he wanted to choke his rival to death. I¡¯ve defeated you back then. How dare youe back? He had to admit he was quite furious, though. The paparazzi were obviously distracted due to Greg¡¯s opening ceremony, as they interviewed Frank and his main leads¡ªHelena and Cameron¡ªperfunctorily. At noon, the media outlets released their articles. The Opening Ceremonies of Two Movies! A Fight Between Greg Maxwell and Frank Venti. Who Will You Pick? The giarizing Director Uses a Rookie Actress in His Comeback Movie! Jonathan Quickton Has Been Cast for a Movie! Will You Support Him? Greg Maxwell¡¯s New Female Lead is a Rookie Actress! The trending topics were all rted to Greg. Naturally, he became the talk of the town. Meanwhile, Frank nearly exploded in rage. As he scrolled down the trending topics, he finally saw something about his movie Angel and Devil, but the article was about his bet with Greg. He had been hyping up his movie on Twitter earlier, so why was no one talking about his opening ceremony? Frank couldn¡¯t stop himself from raging as everyone¡¯s attention was on Greg! Little did he know things only got worse from there. * Ashlyn was in herb when she saw the trending news on her tablet. Chapter 534 Chapter 534 ¡°I am surprised to see so many people interested in that movie.¡± Jared walked over with a te of fruits in his hand and sat beside Ashlyn. Ashlyn took a strawberry and shoved it into her mouth. ¡°Greg¡¯seback is bound to attract attention. Of course everyone would be curious.¡± Hesitation shed across Jared¡¯s eyes as he said, ¡°Boss, I don¡¯t know if I should tell you this.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Mr. Nn invested three hundred million in that movie.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s hand, which was holding the strawberry, paused mid-air, then she looked up and met Jared¡¯s gaze in disbelief. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Jared had no choice but to steel himself and exined everything to her. ¡°Is he crazy?¡± Ashlyn frowned and whipped out her phone to call Lucas. It was a rare urrence for her to call Lucas, hence¡­ In the hospital right across the street, Lucas¡¯ lips curled up into a smile when he saw her name appear on the screen of his phone. Even his eyes lit up in delight. ¡°Hello,¡± he greeted her with his deep and husky voice. Upon hearing his sexy voice, Ashlyn¡¯s ears burned, and she nearly flung her phone away. After taking a deep breath, she uttered, ¡°Have you gone crazy? Why did you invest three hundred million?¡± ¡°Oh, do you mean the movie?¡± Hearing that it was about work, Lucas¡¯ enthusiasm dimmed. A hint of displeasure entered his voice. ¡°Can¡¯t I invest in your movie?¡± Mr. Nn, you sound like a fatuous ruler! Spencer couldn¡¯t help but chide silently. ¡°But you invested too much!¡± Ashlyn couldn¡¯t understand how his mind worked. ¡°Greg said three hundred million would be enough, and I gave it to him already. So why did you make that investment? Do you have too much money but nowhere to spend it? Greg doesn¡¯t need that much money.¡± ¡°Honey, I need to support your work and dreams through my actions, not just through words.¡± Lucas¡¯ words sounded over the phone like a sensuous and melodious cello. Lying on the hospital bed with a pillow propped behind him, Lucas started imagining how touched Ashlyn would be at his generous gesture. ¡°I have money, so you didn¡¯t have to do that.¡± s, Ashlyn¡¯s reply crushed his weird fantasy instantly. She¡¯s as stubborn as always. If only she would stop trying to put up a strong front and let me help her instead. After hanging up, Lucas shook his head wryly. He had been recovering well for the past few days, so he should be able to get discharged in a couple of days. Nevertheless, he needed time to recuperate before he could regain his health. * It waste at night. Ashlyn was already in bed with her eyes shut. She had taken the antidote to her poison and needed to rest well. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Later that night, a tall figure suddenly inched closer to her bed. The man lowered his gaze at the woman who was wrapped up in the nket with only her head visible. Her exquisite face looked adorable with her thickshes and her lips that were painted a seductive red. She had been taking the antidote regrly every day, so she was recovering well and was no longer pale-looking. However, she had lost a lot of weight. Ashlyn might be sound asleep, but she could still sense someone watching her. Frowning, she opened her eyes eventually and saw the handsome man right by her bed. Lucas¡¯ heart jolted in shock. Shit, she saw me! She¡¯s awake! He was struggling toe up with an exnation when the woman rubbed her eyes groggily and muttered, ¡°Eh? Why am I dreaming of Lucas again?¡± Again? Did she dream of me before this? A fuzzy, warm feeling overwhelmed his heart. He felt as if he had swallowed a whole jar of honey when he heard her words. Chapter 535 Chapter 535 Nothing could have made him happier than seeing her missing him. Suddenly, a pair of fair arms held on to his neck. He then leaned down and pressed against her body. He hadn¡¯t been this intimate with her in a while, and his breathing grew heavier as her soft voice echoed in his ear, ¡°Since it¡¯s a dream, let me kiss you.¡± Lucas knew Ashlyn was in a daze, but her actions were so adorable. With a wicked grin, he pulled her into his arms. As the first light of dawn appeared over the horizon, Ashlyn felt her whole body aching ufortably. Why does it ache so much? Did the antidote fail to work? At that thought, she awoke in shock to find a man lying by her side. The attractive man had a defined jawline, prominent brow bone, and striking features. His eyes were currently shut tight. Below his arched nose was his pursed lips. He was awfully tensed up, even though he was asleep. Huh? Lucas? Why is he here? Has he returned from his business trip already? Astonishment shed across Ashlyn¡¯s eyes as she scanned her entire body. Upon spotting the marks the man had left all over her body, her face flushed in embarrassment. This is embarrassing! Why do I always do something like this? She covered her face with her hands in shame. As Ashlyn looked at the man¡¯s sleeping features, she reached out to smooth his frowns. The moment she ced her fingers on his forehead, a warm hand grabbed her tightly. The owner of the warm hand opened his eyes and shot her a sharp gaze. When Lucas realized it was her, he sat up slowly and drawled, ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Ashlyn felt her cheeks burning as she asked, ¡°When did youe back?¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Lucas gazed at her in delight. Underneath the light, her skin was pale and ethereal. Her dark pupils combined with her long, curlyshes were a dashing sight. ¡°When you were missing me,¡± his reply came. The blush on Ashlyn¡¯s cheeks deepened. Why is he so good at flirting after an overseas trip? Her cheeks were scorching to the extent the air around her felt hot as well. She lowered her gaze and saw Lucas d in a ck shirt. This man had been showing off his burly figure to her whenever he could. Besides, every time after their intercourse, he wouldn¡¯t put on his pajamas anymore. Since he had been working out all the while, there was no need for him to hide his perfect torso. Why is he in a ck shirt? Something seemed amiss to Ashlyn. When she looked up, she saw Lucas gazing at her with an alluring smile. His mesmerizing gaze could drive any woman crazy. Before Ashlyn could dwell further, the man leaped towards her. She couldn¡¯t help but stare at him as her breath hitched. Silence ensued. Ashlyn could see her reflection in his dark pupils. Abruptly, a strange impulse overcame her and spread to her limbs. The moonlight seeped through the gaps between the curtains onto their faces, making it seemed like a tulle had covered them. Lucas promptly pressed his lips against her and stopped advancing. He merely looked at her silently. Underneath her long and thickshes were her almond-shaped eyes, which shone with warm affection. It was as if their minds had stopped working right this moment. Their actions slowed down too. Lucas¡¯ mind went nk before he gradually released her. To his surprise, Ashlyn reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck. She nted a kiss on his lips and remarked, ¡°Honey, you¡¯ve lost weight.¡± He seemed to have gotten a lot thinner. ¡°That¡¯s because I couldn¡¯t eat your cooking overseas.¡± Chapter 536 Chapter 536 As Lucas spoke, his heart ached. He suddenly understood why Ashlyn didn¡¯t tell him about her getting poisoned. It felt awful to hide something from a loved one so that she wouldn¡¯t worry about you. Even when they knew the other person was lying, they just couldn¡¯t bear to expose the lie. Both of them were doing the best for each other but pretended not to care. He closed his eyes and tightened his arms around her. ¡°You lost weight too.¡± Of course she had lost weight. When she started taking the antidote, she coughed up so much blood every day that her body grew weaker. The sight of her suffering broke Lucas¡¯ heart. How he wished he could take her ce and bear the pain for her. In fact, he only camest night to give her a hug before leaving, but he couldn¡¯t resist her advances and made love to her. This woman will be the death of me. Forget it. I¡¯ll do my best to hide it from her. She¡¯ll never find out. * The next morning, Ashlyn sneaked into the bathroom and took two antidotes when Lucas wasn¡¯t noticing. When she walked out, Lucas was putting on his clothes. ¡°Did you arrange for ir and Tinsor to start their internship in Haddock Group?¡± Lucas buttoned up his cufflinks and asked her in his low and sultry voice. Ashlyn felt her ears burning as she nodded. ¡°They have nothing else to do anyway. Their summer break is approaching, so I decided to send them to Haddock Group.¡± There were several other fresh graduates who started their internship together in Haddock Group. ¡°Why are you so interested in Haddock Group?¡± Lucas suddenly changed the topic, gazing at her sharply. Ashlyn¡¯s browed arched up. ¡°Because some of them are too despicable.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Following that, her rosy lips curved into a smile. ¡°Why? Are you going to report me? What are you going to do? But I¡¯ve heard that Haddock Group and Nn Group are rivals. Are you sure you want to support Dixon?¡± Hmph! Is he refusing to help me? A devilish glint appeared in Lucas¡¯ eyes. He was about to reply when Ashlyn cupped his chin and leaned closer to him. They were so close that they could hear each other¡¯s breathing. At the same time, she could also see the gleam in his pupils clearly. Even at such a close distance, no ws could be found on his face. He exuded an imposing aura when his brows were arched. This man was both tempting and deadly. Ashlyn fixated her gaze on his sexy lips. ¡°Lucas Nn, please bear our rtionship in mind. When you were on your business trip, I¡¯vee to a conclusion.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Lucas spoke in his deep and husky voice. As her lips were merely inches away from him, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down. He couldn¡¯t resist it when she took the lead. ¡°Life isn¡¯t easy, so we should appreciate the people around us.¡± With that, Ashlyn stood on her tiptoes to try to kiss him. However, he pushed her away and glowered at her angrily. ¡°How can you flirt with me without acknowledging our rtionship?¡± Ashlyn lifted her head to look at the man before her while her heart was stirred with inexplicable emotions. Without hesitation, she inched closer to him again. Lucas nearly lost control at her eagerness. Gripped her wrist, he picked her up, then ced her on hisp. Shooting Ashlyn a wicked grin, he lowered his head and kissed her hard. She felt the temperature of his body rising. It was as though the man was punishing her. His blood was almost boiling, and he was losing his reason. Nevertheless, he eventually suppressed the urge to mold her body into his. He promptly released her and took two steps backward. Swiftly, he regained hisposure. When he finally met Ashlyn¡¯s gaze, the zing fire in his eyes had faded. Chapter 537 Chapter 537 ¡°Honey, are we not going to remarry anytime soon?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s expression froze, and her heart pounded at his words. It took a while for her topose herself before saying, ¡°Lucas, let¡¯s date before we get married again.¡± The emotion flickering in Lucas¡¯ narrowed eyes was tooplicated to decipher. A hint of longing crept up his expression as he pleaded, ¡°Honey, don¡¯t you want to marry me in a wedding dress?¡± Ashlyn clenched her teeth. ¡°Lucas, we¡¯ve never dated previously. I would love to do that first.¡± With both the Spirogyra and the Backtrack poison still in my body, there¡¯s no way I can marry him now. Besides, I have to locate my mother and take revenge on that terrorist group first. I need to give them a taste of their own medicine! But if I implicate Lucas in that process, I¡¯ll regret it for the rest of my life. The terrorist group nearly killed her, so she had to avenge herself. NN Terrorist Group was so powerful that until now, she still hadn¡¯t located their headquarters. This time, she barely survived. Lucas¡¯ body stiffened as he got overwhelmed by mixed emotions. He seemed pained and insulted at the same time. She would always pull at his heartstrings before stepping all over his heart to mock him. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°You still don¡¯t trust me, right?¡± Having said that, he turned and left without sparing her a second nce. While Ashlyn stared at his deste figure leaving, she gritted her teeth with pursed lips. * At Haddock Group headquarters. Both Tinsor and ir majored in finance, but they were arranged to intern in the public rtions department. ¡°By the way, what does the public rtions department do?¡± ir asked Tinsor softly. ¡°How would I know?¡± Tinsor shot him a confused look. They might have majored in finance, but none of them had the intention of taking over their family businesses that were currently overseen by their brothers. Both of them wanted to be spoilt rich brats and spend their time ying games, partying around, and flirting with women. However, when ir recalled what Ashlyn told him earlier, a wave of resolve surged within him. I can¡¯t go on like this. Since I¡¯ve decided to intern in Haddock Group, I need to do my best. If I intern in my family¡¯spany, the staff will coo over me. Since no one knows me here, this should be a great experience. ¡°We¡¯ll do what the manager tells us to do.¡± ¡°Yes, we must listen to our superior.¡± Both of them thought they would need to drink and apany clients to get contracts. However, the manager handed them a project which surprised them greatly. ¡°The recent trending topics are making ourpany look bad.¡± ¡°What trending topics?¡± Tinsor¡¯s confusion deepened. What do trending topics have to do with the public rtions department? ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Having no prior experience in this field, ir¡¯s mind had nked out. The manager told them, ¡°Both of you should learn how to handle a PR crisis from your seniors.¡± He then announced, ¡°Everyone, our meeting will start soon.¡± Without further ado, the manager entered the meeting room in their department and started the meeting. ¡°Angel and Devil is an important project ourpany invested in. We¡¯ll cast popr idols to act in our movie. But now, the trending topics are all revolving around our rival, Trashy Idol. This is bad for our project,¡± the manager exined. ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°First, we need to dig up some dirt on our rival and tarnish Jonathan Quickton¡¯s and Greg Maxwell¡¯s images. Most importantly, Trashy Idol¡¯s female lead is a rookie actress. Rookies normally have a lot of dirt. Before Greg can remove all her dirt from the inte, we need to find them and expose them to the public! Then everyone will lose interest in this movie.¡± Chapter 538 Chapter 538 As the manager exined, he showed them his presentation slides. When the photo of the female lead of Trashy Idol appeared, ir nearly fainted in shock. That familiar face was none other than Naomi Nn! As Tinsor came to the same realization, he tugged at ir¡¯s sleeve and stammered, ¡°O-Oh dear, it¡¯s your sister!¡± ¡°Lower your voice,¡± ir muttered through clenched teeth. What the heck is going on? Why is Naomi now a female lead? Does Lucas know about this? ¡°Hey, interns. Why are you chatting instead of listening to me?¡± The manager red at them. ¡°Or do you have a better idea?¡± ¡°Ah? No,¡± ir hurriedly replied. Is this a joke? Did they just ask me to sabotage my sister? Why would I do that? ¡°We were simply in awe of your exnation. We learned a lot from you!¡± Tinsor ttered and offered him a smile. ¡°Fine. From now on, we need to dig up dirt on Greg Maxwell, Jonathan Quickton, and the rookie actress. After that, we¡¯ll expose it using the social media ounts we paid for. Then, we¡¯ll hire ghostwriters toment on those posts. I believe we can bring Trashy Idol down!¡± The managerughed deviously. ¡°Meeting dismissed!¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Both Tinsor and ir sat in their seats as they watched the other colleagues pack up emotionlessly before leaving the meeting room. A suffocating silence hung in the air. When everyone had left, ir spoke softly, ¡°Is this what PR is about? Seriously? Did he just tell us to use underhanded methods to bring people down?¡± ¡°I know, right? Destroying other people¡¯s reputations and spreading rumors about them? Is that what PR is all about? This is unbelievable.¡± Tinsor parted his lips in disbelief. ¡°Err, let me call my sister first.¡± ir felt the need to inform his sister first. ir has taken up a female lead role secretly. Does she know what showbiz is like? It¡¯s a ruthless and greedy industry! Why did she make that foolish decision? No one in their right mind would choose to be a celebrity instead of a socialite! Meanwhile, Naomi was watching Jonathan filming his scene. Jonathan couldn¡¯t act well. In fact, his acting was horrible. She couldn¡¯t even bear to look at him. Greg¡¯s yells reverberated throughout the whole set, and most of them were directed at Jonathan. ¡°Remember your position!¡± ¡°Did you show your face to the camera?¡± ¡°Do you even know how to act?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the poker face? Can you at least show some expression?¡± ¡°Emotions! There are no emotions in your gaze!¡± Although Jonathan was a top idol who was loved and revered by many, he was still a rookie actor. No matter how popr he was, it couldn¡¯t conceal the fact that he was a bad actor. Luckily, he never retorted and even apologized sincerely whenever he got scolded, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Maxwell. Can you exin the scene to me again?¡± After yelling at Jonathan, Greg would exin the scene to him again, seeing how sincere he was. He would always chide Jonathan impatiently, ¡°Are you daft? Why can¡¯t you get it? I¡¯ve exined it to you so many times! You¡¯re worse than Naomi! At least she got it after I exined twice! How many times have I repeated this to you?¡± Naomi was watching sympathetically as Jonathan got scolded when her phone started ringing. She nced at the caller ID and immediately went to a public restroom in the film set. When she finally entered a stall, she returned ir¡¯s call. ¡°ir, what¡¯s the call for?¡± ir frowned and questioned, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pick up the call?¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t hear my phone ringing.¡± ¡°Naomi Nn, tell me where you are now. Be honest with me.¡± Upon hearing ir¡¯s stern demand, Naomi felt her heart sink. ¡°I¡­¡± Should I confess? But when the movie is premiered, Lucas will find out about it, right? The truth will be revealed sooner orter. When Naomi was about to confess, ir spoke. Chapter 539 Chapter 539 ¡°Stop stammering. Are you shooting a movie? Naomi, you¡¯re no longer a kid. You used to stir up a lot of trouble, and that¡¯s alright. But how could you ept a female lead role in a movie? Who would trust you? Did you make a deal with the director? The showbiz is tooplicated for an innocent girl like you,¡± ir rambled on. His words shocked Naomi. ir knows about it? When did he find out? But even if I exin how I got this role, he won¡¯t believe it! She sighed exasperatedly, unsure of how to rify the matter to him. In the end, she replied, ¡°ir, I¡¯ll exin to you when I get home, okay? I need to get back to work now.¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re driving me crazy! Fine, let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll exin to Lucaster!¡± ir bellowed before hanging up. Naomi held her phone and walked out from the restroom stall with her head down. The moment she stepped out, she bumped into a woman who shrieked, ¡°Ow!¡± Helena was looking at her phone while walking and bumped into her. Looking up, she recognized Naomi who was the female lead of the set next to hers. Instantly, a disdainful look crept up Helena¡¯s face. ¡°Oh, look who we have here. It¡¯s the ugly duckling who wants to be a swan! What a joke.¡± If I hadn¡¯t rejected Greg, she wouldn¡¯t have gotten the female lead role! It was all thanks to me! The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. The news of her being cast as the female lead of Angel and Devil didn¡¯t cause a sensation on Twitter. On the contrary, it was Greg¡¯s Trashy Idol who ended up hogging the trending topics. One of the topics was about the rookie actress who got cast as the female lead, which totally pissed her off. All celebrities wanted to be talked about so that they could gain poprity. Helena might be an aspiring actress, but she wasn¡¯t that famous in showbiz yet. Although she had acted in a few TV series, they didn¡¯t propel her to stardom as she had expected. Since this was her first female lead role in a movie, she took it pretty seriously as it might help her rise to fame. However, she didn¡¯t expect to lose to a rookie actress! How was the rookie able to cause a sensation? Why couldn¡¯t I? I am better than her in terms of looks and poprity! ¡°Did you just swallow a bomb?¡± Naomi nced at Helena. She was about to apologize for bumping into her, but before she could do so, Helena was already mocking her. And it upset Naomi greatly. Helena¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°You¡¯re nothing but trash. What else can I say?¡± Naomi rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bumping into you. But shouldn¡¯t you apologize for your words?¡± ¡°You want me to apologize? In your dreams!¡± Helena¡¯s face contorted in anger. She looked like she was about to shove Naomi into the toilet. Everyone in her set addressed her respectfully, so she couldn¡¯t ept the fact that a rookie had just talked back to her. There was no way she was going to let it go. ¡°In my dreams? Ha!¡± Naomi rolled her eyes once again and ignored the rude woman. As she swiveled around to leave, the furious Helena reached out to stop her. However, what she managed to grab in her burst of rage was instead the flimsy strap of Naomi¡¯s dress! Instantly, the strap broke and Naomi¡¯s blue striped dress slid down her body, exposing her delicate and fair skin. Shocked, Naomi hurriedly pulled her dress up. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Helena was surprised by what she did too. As she nced down at her hands, she stammered, ¡°I-I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Well¡­¡± Then she stomped her foot in fury. ¡°me yourself for provoking me!¡± With that, she ran off. Chapter 540 Chapter 540 Naomi almost blew her top. Ugh, she just broke the strap of my dress! That¡¯s why I hate wearing flimsy dresses like this. What should I do now? I can¡¯t walk out holding up the dress, can I? Naomi groaned silently. Why am I so unlucky? Right then, her phone rang. ¡°Assistant, where are you? Your scene is starting soon. Come back now!¡± Jonathan ordered. Naomi panicked instantly. ¡°I¡¯m in the restroom. I-I need some time.¡± ¡°Did you fall into the toilet? You¡¯ve been there for over ten minutes.¡± Naomi was about to cry. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Did you really fall into the toilet? Oh my! You must smell horrible right now. I won¡¯t go save you, my stinky assistant,¡± Jonathan teased her. Naomi yelled out in frustration, ¡°No! M-My dress strap broke!¡± Jonathan nked out at her words. ¡°What did you just say?¡± he inquired. ¡°I-I said, my dress strap snapped! Hurry, bring me some clothes!¡± Naomi yelled in frustration. She sounded like an adorable kitten mewling for help. Upon recalling the dress with flimsy straps she had on, Jonathan refused immediately. ¡°I¡¯m a man. How can I go to the female restroom?¡± ¡°But there¡¯s no one else who can help me.¡± Naomi seemed desperate. ¡°All the other crew members are male! I don¡¯t know why Maxwell didn¡¯t hire any female crew members. I am the only woman here, and you¡¯re the only one I¡¯m familiar with.¡± Jonathan was so awkward that he flushed a bright red as he reluctantly agreed to help her. He rose to his feet after the call. After a brief hesitation, he took his jacket and headed to the female restroom. As Jonathan walked to the female restroom, his heart raced. He then stopped right in front of the entrance. That was the first time he had ever been this close to the female restroom. Blushing faintly, he blinked before summoning his courage to speak. ¡°Er¡­¡± ¡°Naomi, y-you cane out now.¡± ¡°Naomi?¡± Right then, a short and chubby woman in her thirties walked out of the restroom and spotted the attractive man at the entrance. She immediately shrieked, ¡°Jerk! So good-looking, yet such a pervert!¡± She shifted her chubby body and reached out to hit Jonathan. Her fist was about tond on poor Jonathan¡¯s pretty face when Naomi rushed out from her stall upon hearing themotion. With one hand covering her chest, she held the hem of her dress with the other. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m sorry. My dress strap broke, so I asked my brother to bring me something to wear. I can assure you he¡¯s not a jerk. I¡¯m really sorry,¡± Naomi apologized profusely. Her blushing cheeks entuated her snowy white skin. Her entire being glowed with radiance under the sun. At this moment, Naomi spotted the jacket in Jonathan¡¯s hand, then she grabbed it and put it on herself at once. The oversized jacket managed to cover her petite figure perfectly. Only then did she let out a long sigh and ignore her dress, which was slipping down her body. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Following that, the chubbydy harrumphed and spat at Jonathan before leaving the restroom. They could hear thedy cursing as she walked away. Jonathan flushed a crimson red and glowered at Naomi, ¡°Assistant, you owe me a favor! Remember to return it!¡± Damn it, that was so embarrassing! No one had ever called me a jerk before! ¡°And I¡¯m not your brother! Don¡¯t ever say that again!¡± Naomi¡¯s heart was racing as two red spots tinted her cheeks. Why did something so awkward happen to me? It was all Helena¡¯s fault for breaking my dress strap! Chapter 541 Chapter 541 How depressing! She stomped her foot and walked forward wearing Jonathan¡¯s coat. However, what they did not know was that somebody was taking pictures of them in a secluded corner and uploading the pictures to social media. Half an hourter, trending topics revolving around them surfaced online, and they became the hottest news on the inte. Jonathan¡¯s Super Mysterious Girlfriend Finally Exposed! Famous Idol¡¯s Girlfriend Unveiled! No Wonder She Got the Leading Role, It Turned Out She Had Help From Her Boyfriend! ir¡¯s head almost exploded from anger when he saw those trending topics. ¡°Damn it! Naomi was set up!¡± He turned livid when he yed the video and saw Jonathan and Naomi in the women¡¯s restroom. ¡°That b*stard Jonathan thinks he can date my sister?¡± ¡°Calm down, ir. Maybe there¡¯s some sort of misunderstanding here. Even if you don¡¯t believe Jonathan, you have to believe in Naomi, right?¡± Tinsor quickly stopped ir who was about to storm off and take matters into his own hands. ¡°Whoever took these photos has to be somebody from Haddock Group!¡± eximed ir furiously. ¡°Keep it down,¡± advised Tinsor as he checked their surroundings. ¡°We don¡¯t know that yet, so let¡¯s not do anything we might regret. It¡¯s not as simple as it looks.¡± Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Nn Group, Lucas was looking coldly at the photos of Naomi on social media while his face turned dark. ¡°She just had to stir up some kind of trouble, doesn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, this matter requires a thorough investigation,¡± advised Spencer before sighing. Why would Ms. Nn get herself involved in acting? ¡°Take care of the whole social media shenanigan, then get her back here and send her abroad immediately,¡± ordered Lucas with a stoic expression. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Spencer hurriedly bowed his head before he headed to the public rtions department to get someone to remove the trending topics. As soon as the news about Naomi spread on social media, Jonathan¡¯s ginormous fan base started bombarding the heiress of the Nn Group with negativements. The angered ¡®keyboard warriors¡¯ cursed not only Naomi but her entire family as well. How dare this woman take advantage of our beloved Jonathan! She sure is ambitious for a nobody, I¡¯ll give her that! Even Greg was taken by surprise. ¡°Are you two coupling up? Why are you all over the inte? And what were you two doing in the women¡¯s restroom?¡± He gave Jonathan a hard look before doing the same to Naomi. Well, they do look like a great couple, I suppose. Naomi¡¯s mind went nk from going through all those negativements online.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Never had she ever received this much attention, and certainly not this much scolding. The feeling of being hated by tens of thousands of people was quite overwhelming for Naomi. Scratching his head awkwardly, Jonathan looked at Naomi, who kept her head down in silence, before apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know my fans can be a little extreme. You¡­ ¡° Before Jonathan could finish, he was suddenly interrupted by a burst ofughter. ¡°Does that mean I¡¯m famous now? Am I getting popr now?¡± Naomi lifted her head excitedly as her eyes lit up like the stars. Just when everyone thought she would be devastated, she turned out to be d that she rose to fame. Jonathan was totally stunned by her unexpected reaction, the corner of his lips twitching in surprise. What a weirdo! ¡°Your brother is handling the matter as we speak.¡± Suddenly, a cold voice rang from the entrance of the temporary studio set up by the crew. Everyone turned their heads to see a tall and slender woman standing there. She wore a sky blue suit, which showed off her hourss figure, and a pair of high heels, looking domineering. Naomi was dazed at the sight. ¡°My god. Why are you here?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be? I¡¯m one of the investors of this movie.¡± Ashlyn approached Naomi and stroked her nose yfully, ¡°Does your family know that you¡¯re here ying the leading actress?¡± Chapter 542 Chapter 542 ¡°They don¡¯t. My brother¡¯s not going to allow this.¡± Naomi looked at Ashlyn with her puppy-dog eyes. ¡°He¡¯s a dictator, I know,¡± responded Ashlyn with a smirk. As soon as she finished her sentence, a couple of men in ck rushed into the set. At the tip of the spear was none other than Spencer himself. He approached Naomi to inform her, ¡°Pleasee with us, Ms. Nn. Mr. Nn has ordered us to send you abroad.¡± Everyone on the set was shocked to hear that. Ms. Nn? Wait, isn¡¯t she Jonathan¡¯s assistant? How did she suddenly be Ms. Nn now? The girl turned pale as she bit her lower lip. ¡°I¡¯m not going! I don¡¯t want to go abroad!¡± They make going abroad sound like it¡¯s a trip to the mall. I guess we¡¯ll never understand what kind of world the rich live in. ¡°Mr. Nn gave his orders, so you have to go.¡± Spencer¡¯s words were not convincing at all when Ashlyn was just around. Naomi quickly grabbed Ashlyn¡¯s arm and pleaded with her, ¡°Ashlyn, you have to help me. Please, you¡¯re my sister-inw. I don¡¯t want to go.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to get the leading role in the movie.¡± Ashlyn was impressed by her. ¡°If you promise to do your job well, then I¡¯ll ask your brother not to send you away.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Filled with gratitude, Naomi hugged Ashlyn excitedly. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry! I¡¯ll give it my best and y the role as if my life depended on it!¡± ¡°Everybody¡¯s got to work for their own dream. If you¡¯re just ying games and seeking cheap thrills, I¡¯m not going to be able to help you,¡± exined Ashlyn softly. ¡°As long as you promise to be serious about it, I¡¯ll convince your brother.¡± ¡°I will! You can bet your life on it!¡± Naomi was so touched that her tears were welling up. There¡¯s nothing great about being alone abroad. I¡¯d rather be home. Naomi was determined to work hard for her acting career. Ashlyn nced at Spencer who was dumbfounded. ¡°Tell Lucas that I¡¯m keeping her.¡± Spencer stammered incoherently, ¡°I-I can¡¯t do that, Ms. Berry. It¡¯s Mr. Nn¡¯s orders! How am I going to exin to him?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell him personally then. You¡¯re done here so leave us.¡± Ashlyn waved him off so he had no choice but to leave with his men. The people around were shocked by what they witnessed. Did Naomi just call Ashlyn her sister-inw? We didn¡¯t mishear her, right? My goodness! Is Ashlyn the rumored Mrs. Nn then? Didn¡¯t they say she¡¯s just Lucas¡¯ mistress? What¡¯s going on? Or is the mistress iming to be the rightful Mrs. Nn? And is Naomi the Naomi Nn of the Nn family? What is she doing working as an assistant? What in the world is going on? Is it now a thing among rich girls to experience amoner¡¯s life? Almost everyone changed the way they looked at Naomi. Afterposing himself, Greg walked over to Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the progress?¡± asked Ashlyn as she assessed the set before sending out a message: Bring it all in. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Both the leading actor and actress were clearly not in the zone, especially Jonathan who¡¯s doing even worse than Naomi, the new girl.¡± Greg was straightforward, and he was certainly not biased towards Jonathan just because Jonathan was a top idol. Known for his strictness, Greg treated everyone on set the same and did not allow any special treatment. Everybody had to be on set under the hot sun whether they were filming or not. ¡°So you¡¯re saying Naomi¡¯s doing better than Jonathan?¡± Ashlyn smirked in disbelief as she nced at Naomi. So she does have a knack for acting after all. Not used to getting praises, Naomi¡¯s face turned pink with delight. ¡°Mr. Maxwell deserves the credit for his clear guidance.¡± Chapter 543 Chapter 543 Suddenly filled with endless motivation, Naomi was determined to perform even better and impress her sister-inw. Since Ashlyn invested in this movie, I must not let her down! I¡¯ll do my part to make sure the movie is amercial sess. In order to do that, I have to improve my acting skills! Deep inside, Naomi was hoping that Ashlyn would praise her like her mother would and give her a soft pat on the head, or something like that. All of a sudden, a few men in the uniforms of a milk tea shop appeared on set one after another. Every one of them was carrying exquisitely packaged cups of milk tea. The man in charge informed Ashlyn respectfully, ¡°We¡¯ve delivered the milk tea as instructed, Ms. Berry. Is there anything else I can assist you with?¡± ¡°Hand them out to all the workers here,¡± Ashlyn said casually. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Berry. You¡¯re too kind,¡± everyone thanked her. ¡°Ashlyn, how did you know that it¡¯s my favorite?¡± Naomi was pleasantly surprised when she was handed the milk tea. Since leaving home, Naomi decided not to spend her family¡¯s money, despite her meager ie as an assistant. She did not even take the credit card Lucas gave her. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Since she had to scrimp and save, Naomi hadn¡¯t had any milk tea for quite a while. That was the reason she was overjoyed to be able to enjoy it at this moment. On the set next to theirs, Frank and his crew were also filming. He could not help but frown at the sound of cheers andughter. ¡°Stop!¡± Helena approached Frank with her swaying hips. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Venti? Was it my acting?¡± Frank nced at her in response before yelling at his assistant, ¡°It¡¯s too hot out here! Get me a bottle of water.¡± Helena quickly stopped him, ¡°Calm down, Mr. Venti. I¡¯ll get everybody something to drink.¡± After that, she asked her own assistant to get some water from the supermarket that was only a few steps away from the movie studio. Frank was now less annoyed because Helena¡¯s tactfulness. Almost everyone on set knew about the entanglement between Greg and Frank. ¡°What an annoyance the crew next door is!¡± Helenained deliberately. I don¡¯t know how Naomi, that little bitch, crawled out of the toilet, but I¡¯m going to take real good care of her the next time we meet. * When footsteps were heard at the Nn Group, Lucas lifted his handsome face to take a look. Instead of Spencer¡¯s, the footsteps sounded like they belonged to someone who could make his heart pound with excitement. Could it be? The two had been married for four years, and it was six months after their divorce. In other words, she had not appeared in public for four and a half years. Back then, Lucas used to keep her identity a secret, but now that their rtionship was out in the open, she requested to date first before remarrying. Even though he was disappointed, all he could do was respect her decision. Is this because we discussed about our remarriage yesterday? Is sheing to me now because she got worried after I left? Ha! She must being here to salvage our rtionship. I¡¯ve got to show her who the boss is and make her understand that I only spoiled her because I love her. I still have my dignity as a man! Lucas¡¯ deep-set eyes gleamed with expectation as he stared at the door. When the ss door was slowly pushed open, a tall, slender figure came into view. In Lucas¡¯ eyes, Ashlyn shone like a goddess descending from heaven. He almost choked upon seeing Ashlyn in a formal suit, as it was quite rare for her to dress up like that. While Ashlyn looked at the man sitting in a leather chair with his slender legs crossed, his eyes stared at her without blinking. Lucas¡¯ throat felt dry and he could not help but gulp. ¡°Honey, are you¡­ ¡° Chapter 544 Chapter 544 Before he could finish, Ashlyn¡¯s eyesnded on that handsome face of his before she interrupted him, ¡°Naomi is in my movie and she¡¯s the leading actress, so don¡¯t you send her abroad.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s straightforward words made Lucas¡¯ heart sink immediately as reality hit him like a truck. I would have sent Naomi away sooner if I knew she would steal Ashlyn¡¯s attention away from me. I can¡¯t believe my wife came here personally just for her! What did she do to get such treatment from Ashlyn? More determined to send Naomi abroad, Lucas took a breath. ¡°I don¡¯t think she should stay here.¡± ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s cruel to send a girl like her out there alone like she¡¯s an orphan,¡± responded Ashlyn with a stoic expression to the cold-hearted man. On top of that, Greg has an eye for talent, so I believe Naomi¡¯s the right person since he chose her. Lucas looked at the woman with long ck hair, fiery red lips, and cold temperament. Her radiance, amplified by the lights in his office, was almost too much for his eyes to bear. What about me? ¡°You should have pity on me too. A divorced man like me is just like an orphan as well!¡± Standing up, Lucas¡¯ tall stature almost cast a shadow over Ashlyn. His handsome face darkened so much that it could send shivers up anyone¡¯s spine. When Spencer reached the doorway, the scene in the office frightened him so much that he dared not approach and turned to lean on the wall. What was it that Mr. Nn said? That he¡¯s like an orphan? He even asked Ms. Berry to have pity on him. Damn it! Will I be in trouble for witnessing the other side of Mr. Nn? Spencer started to panic. Next, he heard Ashlyn¡¯s voice as she responded, ¡°What are you ying at, Lucas?¡± Spencer then carefully peeked into the room from the corner of his eye. What he saw was the tall and slender woman slowly approaching Lucas before she gently lifted his chin with her finger. I can¡¯t believe how bold Ms. Berry is! Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Lucas narrowed his eyes and shuddered when he felt Ashlyn¡¯s finger gently rubbing his stubble. Right then, he could feel a warm sensation travelling down south. After taking a deep breath, he pushed Ashlyn away before scoffing at her, ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll agree to it just because you teased me.¡± Does she have a thing for teasing me now? She has done this several times now but still refused to marry me. What¡¯s even more upsetting is the fact that she came over just to talk about Naomi. Is she just using me? Because she has certainly done that a couple of times now. Not to mention that she even used me as an antidote this time. Lucas quickly turned to look worriedly at Ashlyn when he suddenly thought of her health. Is her bodypletely healed? But she¡¯s already hard at work for the movie. Damn it! Doesn¡¯t Jared, that piece of trash, know that she¡¯s still weak? I should have known that he¡¯s not reliable at all! Heartbroken at the thought of her condition, Lucas reached out and embraced Ashlyn. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want. Just promise me that you won¡¯t work too hard.¡± Wow, things sure took a quick turn! Didn¡¯t he just say it was useless to tease him? Spencer was puzzled at how Lucas¡¯ attitude changed so quickly. With her face buried in Lucas¡¯ muscr chest, Ashlyn blushed and the corner of her lips was slightly lifted. Lucas sighed inwardly as he was once again reminded of how much he cared for Ashlyn. I just want to be yourwful husband. Is that too much to ask? * On the set, ir felt a stab to his heart when Naomi told him excitedly that Lucas would not be sending her away. Chapter 545 Chapter 545 ¡°Ashlyn talked to Lucas personally for you? Why is she being so nice to you while she assigned Tinsor and me to the Haddock Group internship program?¡±ined ir in an envious tone. ¡°Ashlyn assigned a job to you? She¡¯s treating you just fine too! I mean, I found my job on my own.¡± Naomi was just as envious as ir was. ¡°Ms. Nn, we¡¯re the acting coaches Ms. Berry hired to teach you.¡± Suddenly, a man and a woman walked up to Naomi and introduced themselves respectfully. Naomi was dumbfounded as she stared at the two coaches. After hearing what happened on Naomi¡¯s side over the phone, ir got so upset that he just hung up. No, I can¡¯t let Naomi continue to have Ashlyn all to herself. I have to find a way to get Ashlyn¡¯s attention and let her know how talented I am. I¡¯m much better than Naomi, that hippie, anyway. Surprised, Naomi stuffed her hands into her pockets before asking, ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys the coaches from UCLA? Mr. Miller and Ms. Carter?¡± These two were on that acting variety show and they have pretty great reputations! I can¡¯t believe Ashlyn got them to coach me in acting! Naomi was so touched that she could almost cry. I¡¯m so lucky to have a sister-inw like Ashlyn! ¡°Yes, we will coach you throughout the entire filming process, and you¡¯ll definitely see significant improvements.¡± The two coaches were as good as Naomi had expected, providing her with clear guidance whenever she was off camera. Besides her, the coaches also instructed Jonathan and some of the other actors. They were willing to give advice and provide guidance to whoever came asking. Because of that, the burden on Greg¡¯s shoulders reduced significantly. At this moment, Naomi picked up a cup for a sip of water. Not long after, her throat was burning and her entire body just felt off, so she frowned in puzzlement. What¡¯s going on? She then checked the cup. Is it the water? Or have I been working too long? My throat doesn¡¯t feel right. But before she had time to figure it out, she went back to filming again. Unbeknownst to Naomi, a woman was hiding in a dark corner not far away from her. She watched Naomi secretly and stomped her feet in anger as Naomi drank the water. Helena pped his assistant angrily. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me that was Ashlyn¡¯s cup? So why did Naomi drink from it?¡± A mysterious person had given her a colorless and tasteless drug. It was said that after consuming it, it would not take long before serious consequences, like a car ident, happened. Damn it! I had the drug and clear instructions but I still couldn¡¯t get the right person to take it! Furious, Helena gave her assistant another hard p. Just my luck! I thought that if I could do something about the investor, the filming next door would have to stop. What¡¯s the use of getting Naomi drugged instead? She¡¯s just a rookie! Afraid to say another word, Helena¡¯s assistant held her cheek in pain and kept her head down. Although she had been Helena¡¯s assistant for a long time, she would have left if it weren¡¯t for the fact that Helena could offer the money that she needed. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Hence, she had no choice but to endure the hardship because of her sick mother in the hospital. Helena was not the sweet and kind person that she appeared to be. On the contrary, she had a bad temper and was vicious in nature. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Helena. I know it¡¯s my fault.¡± Helena looked daggers at her assistant for wasting the only pill she had. Overwhelmed with anger, she reached out and pinched her assistant¡¯s arm with all her might. ¡°You trash! You can¡¯t even get the right information!¡± Helena¡¯s assistant was in so much pain that she turned pale. ¡°Please forgive me, Helena! I¡¯ll do better next time!¡± ¡°Idiot!¡± Helena continued to pinch her a few more times before her hand became tired. ¡°Go! What are you still standing here for? Waiting to get caught?¡± Chapter 550 Chapter 550 It was alreadyte at night when they exited the police station. By then, Naomi had regained herposure. She had never experienced anything like that in her life. ¡°Thanks for saving me,¡± Naomi said quietly. ¡°And I¡¯llpensate you for the crayfish tomorrow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so polite. At least I got to be a hero.¡± Jonathan and the manager patted her shoulder and added, ¡°Let¡¯s get back and wait for updates from the police.¡± After they got back, Naomi couldn¡¯t seem to fall asleep. Who on earth tried to harm me? Why did they do it? * Stars twinkled in the night sky and the moon shined brightly. A ck Bentley stopped in front of Bayview Vi. Lucas got out of the car and strode into the vi. Right then, the melodious sound of a piano echoed from the vi as if the notes were dancing in the night sky, which was pleasing to the ears. Lucas froze and stopped in his tracks upon hearing the music. He stood still on the spot and continued to listen until the song finished ying. In the music room, Ashlyn tinkered with the song sheposed and tried it out as she went along. She kept feeling like there was some part of it that wasn¡¯t perfect. ¡°This song¡¯s new. I¡¯ve never heard it before.¡± A deep and mesmerizing voice suddenly came from the door. Ashlyn turned and saw Lucas standing there with a cup of milk in his hands. Why is he here? She smiled slightly and replied, ¡°I¡¯mposing a new song for a film.¡± The man walked towards her with the milk in hand. Leaning over slightly, he put the cup of milk to her lips. Ashlyn opened her mouth and took a sip before saying, ¡°Put it on the table.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°Honey, how¡¯s Mr. Chapman¡¯s condition after the ident?¡± Lucas asked as he thought of the news headline. Ashlyn¡¯s finger on the piano twitched upon hearing his question. Did hee all the way here to ask about his lover¡¯s grandpa? Her eyesnded on the man, and she asked, ¡°If you really want to know, why don¡¯t you just call Ms. Chapman?¡± Lucas couldn¡¯t help but grin at her irritated tone. He looked great when he smiled with his bright eyes and seductive lips. Lucas leaned closer to the woman and bit on her lips. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you jealous?¡± Ashlyn scoffed coldly, ¡°Jealous? Are you even worthy of that?¡± Lucas quickly coaxed her when he saw her angry look, ¡°Honey, I was just curious about the reason Mr. Chapman asked to meet you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why he wanted to meet me too. Maybe the Chapman family knows the reason. You should just ask Ms. Chapman.¡± Ashlyn suddenly didn¡¯t feel like working anymore. ¡°You should go. I want to rest now.¡± When she passed by Lucas, he suddenly grabbed hold of her wrist. His palm was burning her skin. Ashlyn¡¯s expression tensed up. ¡°Let go!¡± But instead of letting go of her, he tightened his grip on her hand. Ashlyn was getting furious now. She immediately struggled to break free. Lucas didn¡¯t like seeing her jealous and angry. By exerting minimal force, he pressed her against the wall. Following that, he put his other hand on her head, firmly confining her between his chest and arm. Then, Ashlyn raised her leg to kick him. When she kicked him in his shin, he didn¡¯t dodge even though he was an athletic and agile man. His expression changed a little from the painful kick but he wasn¡¯t about to let her off the hook. ¡°Honey, are you still not gonna admit that you¡¯re jealous? Is it that hard to admit that you actually care about me deep down?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyshes fluttered slightly as she retorted, ¡°Lucas Nn, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not jealous at all.¡± Lucas¡¯ handsome silhouette looked mysterious and seductive under the light. He locked eyes with her and replied, ¡°So stubborn. You¡¯re obviously angry.¡± Ashlyn sneered, ¡°Why should I be angry? Do I look like someone who gets angry for no reason?¡± Chapter 556 Chapter 556 Having said that, Helena turned to leave. Her assistant had no choice but to follow her after wiping away her tears. * Early in the morning at the Chapman family vi, Bob got dressed and told his chauffeur to drive him somewhere. When Hera and her mother saw that Bob was more vibrant than usual, the former couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Grandpa, where are you going so early in the morning?¡± Bob stopped in his tracks and gave her a faint smile. ¡°To meet an old friend of mine.¡± The morning sunshine poured into the living room, and his mood was further lifted, seeing the fine weather. Without saying anything else, Bob left the house with his driver. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Sisley¡¯s expression turned sinister as she watched Bob leave. ¡°That old man must be meeting Ashlyn.¡± ¡°What do we do, Mom? Are we really going to let Ashlyne back?¡± Hera asked impatiently. If Ashlyn¡¯s back, I¡¯ll lose my standing in this family. The heir will definitely be Ashlyn if that really happens. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Sisley¡¯s lips curled up into a smirk as a menacing look appeared on her face. With that said, she dragged Hera along and followed Bob. Bob was resting his eyes as the ck Mercedes Benz sped on the road. That morning, he and Ashlyn had agreed to meet at a caf¨¦. The thought of meeting Ashlyn and telling her the truth years ago lightened his mood. Right when the car stopped at an intersection, about to arrive at the caf¨¦, a truck suddenly rushed out. Boom! Bob¡¯s driver was caught off guard and the truck hit the Mercedes Benz head-on, causing it to overturn. The car ended up a total loss. Bob felt his world spinning. He had sustained a severe injury to his forehead with blood trickling down from his wound. He held on to a sliver of consciousness and called to the driver in front, ¡°Zach, Zach!¡± But the driver had already passed out. Left with no other option, Bob reached out and tried with all his might to open the car door but to no avail. He was starting to panic. No! I can¡¯t die! I still have to talk to Ashlyn about it. I can¡¯t die like this! Meanwhile, Ashlyn had arrived at the caf¨¦ five minutes before the agreed time. She heard the deafening crash the moment she got down from the Land Rover after Harrison parked it. The instant she turned to look, she saw the Mercedes Benz overturning in the air. An ident? What on earth happened? Some passersby had gone over to take a look, while some were taking photos and videos of the scene. Without hesitation, Ashlyn pulled out her phone and called the police. As she called the police, she ran over to the crash site. Harrison was also following closely behind. The truck driver was about to flee in his truck after hitting the Mercedes-Benz. However, he was stopped by Ashlyn. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? You justmitted a crime!¡± The driver, who looked to be in his thirties, retorted anxiously, ¡°You b*tch, this is none of your business!¡± Ashlyn handed the situation over to Harrison and said, ¡°Keep an eye on him. Don¡¯t let him get away!¡± Having said that, she ran towards the Mercedes Benz. She immediately saw the old man¡¯s familiar face in the car. Shocked by her discovery, Ashlyn shouted to the old man, ¡°Mr. Chapman? Are you okay?¡± Bob heard someone calling to him while he was in a daze. As he slowly opened his groggy eyes, he saw a blurry figure before him. ¡°F-Fiona¡­ Fiona, is that you? Did youe to get Dad?¡± He¡¯s not dead! Ashlyn could vaguely hear the old man¡¯s voice but couldn¡¯t really make out what he said. Luckily, he¡¯s still breathing. She studied the tightly shut car door and the deformed car body. Following that, Ashlyn reached out for the car door, but due to the impact of the crash, it had already completely deformed and couldn¡¯t be opened. Then, she nced over to the car¡¯s bo and realized that it was billowing fumes. Chapter 557 Chapter 557 Crap! The car might explode anytime. Right at that moment, the police arrived. Under the police¡¯s rescue efforts, Bob and his driver were finally saved. Ashlyn immediately checked Bob¡¯s condition. ¡°His head was hit badly, and there might be injuries on other parts of his body as well. It can¡¯t be determined if he is bleeding internally with the naked eye.¡± Someone in the crowd had called for an ambnce, and it soon made its way to the crash site. Ashlyn¡¯s colleagues saw her crouching on the ground and checking on Bob¡¯s condition. ¡°Dr. Berry!¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°How many casualties are there?¡± ¡°There¡¯s another one there,¡± Ashlyn said as she pointed towards Zach. Ashlyn¡¯s colleagues worked together to lift Zach and Bob into the ambnce. Then, Ashlyn got into the ambnce too. After Harrison handed the truck driver over to the police, he headed to the hospital in the Land Rover. Upon reaching the hospital, Bob was immediately sent to the emergency operating theater. However, Ashlyn didn¡¯t go in because she was feeling exhausted. She wasn¡¯t fully recovered yet, so she knew she wasn¡¯t ready to perform surgery at the moment. Besides, she was still on leave from work.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The Chapman family had rushed to the hospital when they received news of the ident. They were all surprised to see Ashlyn standing outside the operating theater. Sisley walked towards Ashlyn and tried to p her. ¡°You jinx! My dad got into this ident all because he went to meet you! It¡¯s all your fault!¡± Ashlyn stayed motionless while Harrison grabbed hold of Sisley¡¯s wrist. ¡°Please show some respect.¡± ¡°Why did she agree to meet with my dad? I bet she had ulterior motives!¡± Sisley bellowed. Heraforted her softly, ¡°Mom, it might just be an ident. Don¡¯t get mad.¡± She then looked towards Ashlyn with an apologetic look on her face and said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Dr. Berry. My mom is just worried about Grandpa.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrows. I remember Mr. Chapman telling me that he didn¡¯t inform his family about out meetup. So¡­ how did Mrs. Chapman know that he was going to meet me? Ashlyn remained silent. The Chapman family wasn¡¯t in a great mood when they saw Ashlyn. It was mostly because Ashlyn looked so much like Fiona when she was younger. They were all irritated at the sight of her. Who was Fiona? She was basically the Chapman family¡¯s nightmare. Fiona had been a genius since she was a child and excelled in her academics as well as all forms of art. She evenpleted the high school sybus when she was still in elementary school. Her learning ability was just mind-blowing. The other children in the Chapman family weren¡¯t even worth mentioning when Fiona was present. It was as if she was an angel while all the other kids were just pebbles on the ground. Their existence was no more than that of stones and dirt. That was the reason it irked them that Ashlyn looked so simr to Fiona. At that moment, an inexplicable irritation and fear of the genius rose in them. As long as Fiona was alive, the Chapman family would live a shameful life. The Chapman family couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Ashlyn was Fiona¡¯s daughter. Why did the old man want to meet with her? At that moment, Ashlyn had no idea about the Chapman family¡¯s malicious thoughts and was waiting for the results quietly by the ER. * The sky soon darkened, and the city was all lit up. Greg pped his hands as he shouted, ¡°That¡¯s it for today. Head back to the hotel and get some rest, everyone!¡± Naomi nodded in exhaustion, then headed straight to the hotel near the movie studio without even removing her makeup. She was drained after a whole day of shooting. However, what made her even more ufortable was the burning sensation in her stomach. Am I having an upset stomach? She thought as she pushed open the door to Jonathan¡¯s room. As his assistant, she had instinctively prioritized Jonathan¡¯s needs. She made sure that he had his dinner and even did the trivial matters such as getting his bath ready and preparing a clean set of clothes for him. Chapter 558 Chapter 558 Once she was done, she dragged her exhausted self-back to her room. However, right when she turned around¡­ Thump! Naomi felt everything spinning and she copsed onto the ground. She tried to open her eyes but all she saw was a blur and her vision was slowly darkening. It¡¯s dark¡­ Why is it so dark? No¡­ She tried to resist the dizziness but her limbs were weak and they finally gave out. After a moment. ¡°That idiot fed this woman the drug. What a waste. I heard they only developed one of it.¡± A man in ck crouched down and opened up a sack. Then, he shoved Naomi¡¯s body into the sack with practiced ease. Another man in ck sneered, ¡°What an ipetent idiot! Hurry up. We have to leave soon. Since she¡¯s unlucky enough to take the drug, she has toe with us.¡± The man took out a thick rope and tied the sack with it when he was done talking. After that, he carried the sack on his shoulders and prepared to leave. ¡°Let¡¯s use the emergency exit.¡± They exchanged nces before heading for the emergency exit. * Jonathan was in a disguise while hiding in the emergency exit with his manager. ¡°Those obsessive fans were just too frightening! Luckily, we ran fast enough. Otherwise, they would have shoved their cameras in our faces again. There was even one of them who kept trying to touch my hands!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s use the stairs. There are too many people by the elevator,¡± Jonathan¡¯s manager said as he wiped away the sweat on his forehead. The crayfish he had just bought was still hot. Since Jonathan needed to take good care of his throat, he couldn¡¯t eat spicy food. So the manager was going to share it with Naomi. I¡¯m a middle-aged man yet I still have to live on the edge with Jonathan every day. How tiring! Both of them reached the stairway on the third-floor when they saw two men in ck walking in their direction. One of them had a sack on his shoulder. As Jonathan gave them a suspicious nce, he felt that something was off. But he didn¡¯t think much of it and continued his way up the stairs. Meanwhile, Naomi was having a hard time breathing, and the heat was making her ufortable. She couldn¡¯t help it anymore and started fidgeting. Then she tried to pant but realized there was something stuck to her lips. Muffled grunts started toe from her. What is going on? I clearly remember that I fainted in front of Jonathan¡¯s room. Her kidnappers didn¡¯t expect her to regain consciousness suddenly and struggle with all her might. They quickened their pace down the stairs in shock. As Jonathan passed by the men, he heard the muffled gruntsing from the sack. All sorts of news headlines started to pop into his mind. Another Young Woman Went Missing. An Adorable Child Was¡­ Without any hesitation, he quickly stopped the men and asked, ¡°Hey guys. What do you have in your sack?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± one of the men in ck said coldly. The other man had a hostile look on his face as he added, ¡°Why are you wasting your breath on him?¡± He raised his leg to kick Jonathan as he shouted, ¡°Scram!¡± Although he was normally a chatty magpie, Jonathan was not someone to mess with. ¡°You b*stard, how dare you kick me? Could there be a person in that sack of yours?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. With that said, he reached out to snatch the sack. In the sack, Naomi¡¯s heart churned upon hearing Jonathan¡¯s voice. But her hands and legs were all tied up, and she couldn¡¯t utter a single word. Naomi¡¯s muffled grunts grew louder. Help me! Help me, Jonathan! When the manager saw that Jonathan was in a fight with one of the men, he mustered his courage and threw the container of crayfish at the other man. The man was about to carry Naomi and sneak away when he saw that Jonathan was held back. Chapter 559 Chapter 559 But he was caught off guard when the steaming hot crayfish was poured on his face. ¡°Ahh!¡± the man screamed in agony. Some of the hot and spicy sauce had gotten into his eyes. The man was in so much pain he couldn¡¯t be bothered with Naomi anymore. He threw the sack aside and used his clothes to wipe away the sauce in his eyes. Upon seeing this, the manager quickly went to untie the sack. He was bbergasted when he saw the content of the sack. The manager¡¯s voice was so shrill that it almost shook the building. ¡°Naomi? It¡¯s you?¡± Naomi was crying miserably, smudging the makeup on her face. But what was more heartbreaking was that her mouth was taped up. The manager gritted his teeth in anger. ¡°You b*stards! I¡¯ll kill you! How can you do this to a woman?¡± As he spoke, he picked up the crayfish container. There were only a few crayfish left inside but he couldn¡¯t care less. He then threw it at the man fighting Jonathan. Smack! The man was almost knocked out. Right then, Jonathan took the opportunity and gave him a few good punches. The noise in the stairwell attracted the attention of several guests of the hotel. Some of them even called the security. When the men saw that there were more and more people, they knew that they wouldn¡¯t be able to take Naomi anymore. Both of them exchanged nces and slipped away. Jonathan intended to chase them but he stopped in his tracks when he saw Naomi in the sack. The hotel¡¯s guests were all celebrities. If word of this incident got out, it would bring Naomi more harm than good. We should report this to the police. It¡¯s much better than letting rumors spread. Without a second thought, Jonathan covered Naomi with the sack before running towards his room with her in his arms. ¡°Naomi, just hold on for a while more. It¡¯ll be troublesome if you got recognized.¡± The manager worked with Jonathan for many years, so he had seen all the filthy stuff going on in the entertainment circle. They consoled Naomi as they quickly made their way to their room. All the crowd saw was Jonathan carrying a sack, so they had no idea there was a woman in there. Soon, the trio arrived at the room. Naomi stared at Jonathan with teary eyes. His forehead was drenched in sweat, and his lips were bleeding from the cut he had gotten from the fight. This was the first time someone had gone all out for her. Naomi was terrified and emotional at the same time. The moment the young man tore away the tape on her mouth, she threw herself into his arms and started to sob. ¡°I thought I was going to die, Jonathan!¡± ¡°What on earth happened?¡± Jonathan patted the woman¡¯s back stiffly to console her. He was an idol, so he couldn¡¯t be in a rtionship with anyone, nor could he get too close with women. Moreover, he had very little experience in acting. He only had minor roles in two dramas, so he didn¡¯t have much of an opportunity to get to know any actresses. Besides, Jonathan had never been in a rtionship in his life. His heart pounded as it was the first time he was in such proximity to a woman. Jonathan¡¯s handsome face flushed red as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ve already fought off the bad guys.¡± Naomi only told Jonathan and the manager about what had happened when she finally calmed down. ¡°I think the key to the problem is the cup of water,¡± Jonathan spected as his brows furrowed. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only The manager nodded, still feeling disappointed that the crayfish was wasted. ¡°Naomi must¡¯ve felt sick after drinking the water and fainted. Then, those men in ck kidnapped her. But what did they want with Naomi?¡± Jonathan¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Who put drugs in the water?¡± ¡°ording to my years of experience in the entertainment industry, we shouldn¡¯t act rashly. We need to observe discreetly and find out who the culprit is before taking action,¡± the manager said. ¡°Are we not going to hand this over to the police?¡± Jonathan felt like they should report it to the police and let them handle it. ¡°Then we¡¯ll go to the police secretly and make sure that no outsiders know about it,¡± the manager whispered. ¡°Okay.¡± And so the three of them departed to the police station. Chapter 560 Chapter 560 In despair, he shut his eyes. His father was right. A man like him did not deserve love. She must be feeling happy that I¡¯m not going back. Lucas tried to force his way out of the cage, but it was made of the best steel. Moreover, he had not been eating for what seemed to be quite a long while. Not only was he weak, but the dizziness was oveing him. Misery settled itself deep in his heart. Franklin wasn¡¯t just locking him up, but he was also medicating Lucas to make sure his son stayed sedated. Otherwise, Lucas would not be feeling dizzy. His consciousness slowly faded away. Finally, he returned to the darkness of his mind. In the living of the manor. After her shower, ire put on a set of pink pajamas before she ran to her parents¡¯ room. ¡°Dad, Mom, can I see Lucas tomorrow?¡± ¡°Your brother is going back tomorrow. Haven¡¯t you always wanted to go back and take a look at the ce? You¡¯ll visit your grandpa¡¯s grave in our ce this time.¡± Livia ran her fingers through ire¡¯s hair as she smiled lovingly at her innocent daughter. Franklin, who had been looking at documents, did not even raise his head. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about her going there? You know neither ir nor Naomi are amiable children.¡± Livia disagreed, ¡°She¡¯s the oldest in the family. How can she stay this child-like way for the rest of her life? We have to let her learn. Her future is with Nn Group.¡± ¡°Dad, I think Mom¡¯s right.¡± ire smiled brightly, looking like a harmless rabbit. ¡°Moreover, I really haven¡¯t been back for years. I don¡¯t think ir and Naomi even remember that they have a sister.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Fine,¡± Franklin gave in reluctantly. ¡°It¡¯s settled.¡± ire hugged her father¡¯s arm tightly. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Dad.¡± ¡°Okay, it¡¯ste now. Go back to your room. I¡¯ll ask someone to send the two of you back.¡± Livia pushed ire out of the room. ¡°Don¡¯t stay up because you¡¯re too excited.¡± ire bounced out of the room. ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± The moment she left, Franklin and Livia¡¯s expressions turned grim. They looked nothing like the loving parents they were a second earlier. Putting down the document in his hand, Franklin asked monotonously, ¡°Are you really going to let her go back?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been raising the substitute for so long. We¡¯ll have to use her, eventually. She¡¯s been living for Grace for so many years. It¡¯s time for her to pay her price.¡± Livia slowly thered her cream on her face as she muttered frigidly. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you feel something for a dog you¡¯ve been living with for years?¡± Franklin walked over to Livia and held her shoulders. Livia sneered as cruelty crept into her eyes. Her next words would have sent shivers down anyone¡¯s ears. ¡°She¡¯s not evenparable to a dog.¡± At Bayview Vi. Ashlyn pulled all the strings she could to look for Lucas. A living, breathing man like him could not have vanished without a trace. Yet, what stunned her was that she could only find traces of Lucas at the airport. It really seemed as if the man had vanished into thin air right after he left the airport. There was no news of him. How can I not find even a hint of his whereabouts? She sat in front of theputer as she typed furiously on the keyboard. That was the sight that greeted Jared when he entered the room. In his hands were two cups of milk. He ced one in front of Ashlyn. ¡°Boss, you¡¯ve been working all night. Drink the milk and rest.¡± Ashlyn picked up the cup and sipped on its contents. Her exhaustion was radiating off her. ¡°Does anyone have any clue of his whereabouts?¡± ¡°No. You¡¯d think that the disappearance of Mr. Nn would be in the news. But it¡¯s been quiet, both here and overseas. He didn¡¯t bring Mr. White along this time. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s weird? Did he go into hiding himself?¡± Jared pondered. Chapter 561 Chapter 561 In despair, he shut his eyes. His father was right. A man like him did not deserve love. She must be feeling happy that I¡¯m not going back. Lucas tried to force his way out of the cage, but it was made of the best steel. Moreover, he had not been eating for what seemed to be quite a long while. Not only was he weak, but the dizziness was oveing him. Misery settled itself deep in his heart. Franklin wasn¡¯t just locking him up, but he was also medicating Lucas to make sure his son stayed sedated. Otherwise, Lucas would not be feeling dizzy. His consciousness slowly faded away. Finally, he returned to the darkness of his mind. In the living of the manor. After her shower, ire put on a set of pink pajamas before she ran to her parents¡¯ room. ¡°Dad, Mom, can I see Lucas tomorrow?¡± ¡°Your brother is going back tomorrow. Haven¡¯t you always wanted to go back and take a look at the ce? You¡¯ll visit your grandpa¡¯s grave in our ce this time.¡± Livia ran her fingers through ire¡¯s hair as she smiled lovingly at her innocent daughter. Franklin, who had been looking at documents, did not even raise his head. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about her going there? You know neither ir nor Naomi are amiable children.¡± Livia disagreed, ¡°She¡¯s the oldest in the family. How can she stay this child-like way for the rest of her life? We have to let her learn. Her future is with Nn Group.¡± ¡°Dad, I think Mom¡¯s right.¡± ire smiled brightly, looking like a harmless rabbit. ¡°Moreover, I really haven¡¯t been back for years. I don¡¯t think ir and Naomi even remember that they have a sister.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Franklin gave in reluctantly. ¡°It¡¯s settled.¡± ire hugged her father¡¯s arm tightly. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Dad.¡± ¡°Okay, it¡¯ste now. Go back to your room. I¡¯ll ask someone to send the two of you back.¡± Livia pushed ire out of the room. ¡°Don¡¯t stay up because you¡¯re too excited.¡± ire bounced out of the room. ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± The moment she left, Franklin and Livia¡¯s expressions turned grim. They looked nothing like the loving parents they were a second earlier. Putting down the document in his hand, Franklin asked monotonously, ¡°Are you really going to let her go back?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been raising the substitute for so long. We¡¯ll have to use her, eventually. She¡¯s been living for Grace for so many years. It¡¯s time for her to pay her price.¡± Livia slowly thered her cream on her face as she muttered frigidly. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you feel something for a dog you¡¯ve been living with for years?¡± Franklin walked over to Livia and held her shoulders. Livia sneered as cruelty crept into her eyes. Her next words would have sent shivers down anyone¡¯s ears. ¡°She¡¯s not evenparable to a dog.¡± At Bayview Vi. Ashlyn pulled all the strings she could to look for Lucas. A living, breathing man like him could not have vanished without a trace. Yet, what stunned her was that she could only find traces of Lucas at the airport. It really seemed as if the man had vanished into thin air right after he left the airport. There was no news of him. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. How can I not find even a hint of his whereabouts? She sat in front of theputer as she typed furiously on the keyboard. That was the sight that greeted Jared when he entered the room. In his hands were two cups of milk. He ced one in front of Ashlyn. ¡°Boss, you¡¯ve been working all night. Drink the milk and rest.¡± Ashlyn picked up the cup and sipped on its contents. Her exhaustion was radiating off her. ¡°Does anyone have any clue of his whereabouts?¡± ¡°No. You¡¯d think that the disappearance of Mr. Nn would be in the news. But it¡¯s been quiet, both here and overseas. He didn¡¯t bring Mr. White along this time. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s weird? Did he go into hiding himself?¡± Jared pondered. Chapter 562 Chapter 562 He was trying to analyze the situation for her. Ashlyn¡¯s hands froze for a brief second before she returned to her furious typing. She breathed out, but before she could say anything, Jared continued, ¡°The more you think about it, the more you¡¯ll panic. Boss, you¡¯ve got to calm down.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t be out of contact with me.¡± Ashlyn downed the milk. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± Jared nodded before he took the cup away. ¡°Rest early.¡± He closed the door behind him. Silence settled in the room. Ashlyn found herself panicking. It had a grip on her. She took out her phone to send a message to Lucas again. As she expected, there was no response from him. She silently locked her phone and ced it on the bedside table. Her thoughts and emotions were jumbled in her mind. When Lucas woke up again, he found himself in a private jet. This looks unfamiliar. Where am I heading to? He slowly moved upward, about to sit up. Abruptly, a sweet voice sounded beside him. ¡°Lucas, you¡¯re awake?¡± Lucas¡¯ heart skipped a beat before he turned in the voice¡¯s direction. ¡°ire?¡± ire put down the fashion magazine she was reading and smiled gently at him. ¡°Mom and Dad have allowed me to stay with you for a while. I hope you won¡¯t find me annoying.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Lucas shook his head. My head¡¯s killing me. He rubbed his temples, hoping to ease the pain before he sat up. ire poured a ss of water for him. ¡°Dad and Mom said that you¡¯ve been in poor health since you arrive in France. They told me to take care of you during the flight.¡± ¡°ire¡­¡± When Lucas looked at her face that was identical to Grace¡¯s, for a moment, he fell into a trance. Grace and ire were identical twins, but their personalities were worlds apart. One was calm and collected, while the other was cheerful and naive. ire was thetter. She was the eldest child of the Nn family, but she viewed the world in rose-colored sses as if troubles would never gue her. She was patient and gentle with everyone she met. Even though Lucas was apathetic to many people and things, he could not be so when it was ire. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°ire, did you see my phone?¡± Lucas hesitated before asking her. After a brief dig in her purse, ire handed him a phone. ¡°Is it this one?¡± Lucas took it and realized that it was out of battery. His gaze turned toward the blue sky outside the window. The death anniversary of his sister was always the day he suffered the most. His parents never forgave him; they would always curse at him or humiliate him. Yet, those cruel parents were the ones to raise a naive and sweet girl like ire. Every time he saw how loved his sister was, he would not help but wonder how important he was to his parents. I¡¯m nothing but someone who was abandoned. Why am I still hoping for someone to love me? When that person chased him away, his parents took him in. Lucas closed his eyes, not daring to think any further. He was the one to me for Grace¡¯s death. He should bear the responsibility. Now that ire was returning with him, he hoped she would be safe and sound the entire time. In the evening. The private jetnded at South Star Airlines airport. Lucas turned on his charged phone to realize that four days had passed. He was in Paris for four days. Countless messages and missed calls had piled up in his notification box. Some calls were from Spencer, and some were from Ashlyn. There were countless unread messages. She had been sending multiple messages to him every day, asking him what had happened and where he was. Warmth wrapped around Lucas¡¯ heart; he was touched. He had never thought that she would be so anxious about his absence. Respite finally came for his numb and despairing heart. It felt like he was a man trapped in a desert who had finally seen an oasis. The desire of the heart that craved for love was fulfilled. He had been given up to the darkness at the start. Chapter 563 Chapter 563 But he had pulled through it; he had woken up to brightness. The woman dear to him saved him. At Whind Vi. When Ashlyn received the call from Lucas, she instantly rushed to him. Without dying any second, she pressed her thumb on the digital lock, and the door opened with a click. ¡°Lucas, someone ising.¡± A sweet feminine voice came from the living room. The moment Ashlyn heard the unfamiliar voice, her blood froze in her veins. Her passion, her excitement, her agitation¡­ They were a fire put out by a bucket of cold water. Her heart felt as if someone had smashed a hammer into it. Why is there an unfamiliar woman in Whind Vi? At that moment, she felt the urge tough. She was the joke. Her worry for him had swamped her; she had been pulling strings to look for him. She¡­ had never thought that he would bring a woman home. He must have been unreachable these few days because of this woman. Ashlyn could not stop thinking about it; the gears in her head overheating itself as emotions clogged up in her mind. She dared not imagine what had happened during these four days. ire stood up from the sofa as she looked at Ashlyn curiously. The woman was wearing white, and she looked beautiful in the artificial lights. Even her pallid face looked exquisite. What a pretty woman. Her observation upset her. When did such a pretty woman appear by Lucas¡¯ side? Why didn¡¯t I know about this? However, Ashlyn did not have the time to observe ire. She stood rooted to the ground. It was then Lucas walked out of the bathroom as he dried his damp hair. He was in a ck bathrobe, and his muscr chest was discernible. There were drops of water still clinging to his skin. Ashlyn looked at him gloomily. How funny. He¡¯s always been clear to draw the line with other women, but he¡¯s showering when another woman is around this time. She¡¯s even wearing pajamas. Are they going to do it after his shower? R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Who am I to him? Right. We¡¯re divorced. It¡¯s his right to do as he pleases with another woman; he¡¯s single, after all. I¡¯m just his ex-wife. Ashlyn took in a breath. She had hundreds of questions she wanted to ask Lucas, but the words refused to form. She turned to leave. Lucas did not expect Ashlyn toe so quickly. When he noticed the unusual look on her face, he threw his towel aside and ran after her. ¡°Hey! Lucas, where are you going?¡± ire shouted at her brother as she ran around the sofa. However, the man continued running as if he had not heard her. ire stomped her feet, frustrated. Ashlyn¡¯s mind was nk. She always thought Lucas would wait for her as long as she wanted. The man had always been running after her. He never seemed to tire nor regret, and he never cowered from their interactions. He rejected Jenny¡¯s courting. He gave up on Hera, his childhood friend. Ashlyn thought she was different. Special, even. But men were all the same. The more she thought about it, the more she felt she was a joke. With a hung head, she continued walking quickly. She was so caught up with her thoughts that she ignored the road. Suddenly, she tripped, and her body leaned to the side. Just as she was about to fall, a slender arm caught her by her waist. Lucas pulled her into his arms. In response, Ashlyn shoved him away. She had been trapped in her head to the point she did not react to the fall, despite her usual quick reflexes. Her voice was tinged with wrath as she hissed, ¡°Lucas, go back to your lover.¡± Suddenly, Lucasughed. It was augh that made his shoulders shake. In the moonlight, the man looked seductive. Chapter 564 Chapter 564 Anger was written all over Ashlyn¡¯s face; she was upset and furious. Her temper red after she saw that beautiful woman in the house. It felt as if she had caught a mistress in bed. She was humiliated, as if stripped naked in front of the public. She had just started feeling things for Lucas a while ago and considered having a romantic rtionship with him. What is wrong with me? I must have a screw loose in my head. How can I have feelings for a douchebag like him? It must be because of the Spirogyra. That¡¯s why I¡¯m interested in him. How can I be so blind? Staring at Lucas¡¯ smile, she felt the urge to connect her fist with his handsome face, repeatedly and forcefully. Lucas sighed, ¡°Honey, you¡¯re so smart and strong. I didn¡¯t know you can be so cute too. What a pleasant surprise.¡± ¡°Shut up, Lucas. If youugh at me again, I¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t know who¡¯s looking back at you in the mirror,¡± Ashlyn fumed. ¡°Honey, that¡¯s my sister. What are you thinking about?¡± Lucas¡¯ smile softened. ¡°I¡¯ve been at my parent¡¯s. Some unhappy things happened, but I¡¯ll tell you about thatter. I¡¯m back with my sister this time.¡± ¡°Your sister?¡± Ashlyn widened her eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t your sister¡­¡± She recalled Lucas mentioning a sister living with his parents overseas. ¡°ire and Grace are twins. Grace passed away.¡± Lucas reached out to pull her closer. ¡°I never thought that I¡¯d see the day you¡¯d be as jealous as this. I¡¯m joyous. Honey, you¡¯re really concerned about me. I¡¯m thrilled about it. I¡¯m d that you¡¯re here.¡± He embraced her tightly, rubbing his chin on her shoulders as a tender look took over his face. He appreciated the fact that he could hug her again after what happened in Paris. He cherished it. Ashlyn was beyond baffled. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. She put her hands on the man¡¯s chest but ended up touching his muscr abs instead. She could feel the heat emanating from him, seeping into her palms. Ashlyn¡¯s face flushed. ¡°Let go of me. I want to apologize to your sister.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to.¡± Lucas raised her chin. ¡°We have something more important to attend to.¡± With that said, his thin lips sealed her soft ones. In the moonlight, Ashlyn¡¯s white clothes seemed to shine. Her blush darkened. It made her face even prettier than before. When Lucas looked at her face, his heart skipped a beat. He wanted to possess her¡ªto have her beauty all to himself. At a nearby spot, ire saw them kissing when she ran out after them. Her eyes widened in surprise. What are they doing? How can they be so intimate with each other? ire¡¯s face drained of its colors as her breathing quickened. Finally, just as Ashlyn was about to pass out from theck of air, Lucas let go of her. Right then, a loud thump sounded out. It frightened the couple. Ashlyn turned in the direction of the noise to see a thin figure copsed on the ground. ¡°ire?¡± Lucas let go of Ashlyn and ran toward ire. After a second of freezing, Ashlyn followed him. When they reached her, they saw ire lying on the ground with an ashen face and closed eyes. She had lost consciousness. ¡°Let me take a look.¡± Ashlyn reached out to press down hard on ire¡¯s philtrum before she took her pulse. When she noticed her weak pulse, she frowned. ¡°Does she have any illnesses or disorders?¡± ¡°She has congenital heart disease. She¡¯s not one of the healthiest people.¡± Lucas carried ire up into his arms. ¡°I think she¡¯s having an attack.¡± Chapter 565 Chapter 565 At that, he strode toward the garage with ire in his arms. Ashlyn remained silent. Although she knew that the other woman was his sister, she was ufortable with the intimacy the two had. It was not that she was petty; there was a tingling sense of something off about it. She did not where that feeling hade from. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Maybe it¡¯s a woman¡¯s instinct. The Bentley whizzed through the highway in the night. Half an hourter, ire was sent to the ER. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯ll be fine.¡± Ashlyn patted Lucas¡¯ hand. He remained staring at the ER¡¯s doors. He felt irritated with himself. ¡°She has an attack right when we¡¯re back here. I¡¯ve been neglectful.¡± I shouldn¡¯t have let here with me. The medical services overseas were better than here. She lived a worry-free life with our parents. Why did she have toe with me? They adored her. Why did they allow her toe back here alone? Time slowly ticked away. It was one in the morning when the doors to the ER finally swung open. The doctor exited the room. ¡°The patient has had a heart attack. Fortunately, you¡¯ve sent her here in time. She¡¯ll be under observation for the next twenty-four hours.¡± Once he had spoken his piece, he left. A nurse pushed ire into a ward. Lucas turned to say to Ashlyn, ¡°Honey, go home and rest first. I¡¯ll watch over her here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll keep youpany.¡± Ashlyn shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re my man, and we¡¯re in a rtionship. I don¡¯t like leaving you in a room with another woman alone. Even if that¡¯s your sister.¡± She sounded like a tyrant. But that made Lucas love her more. It was a wonderful feeling to have a dominating woman by his side. He enjoyed the look on her face when she was firm with her stance. He smiled as he held her hand and stared at her pretty face. ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll stay here together.¡± It waste at night. However, Naomi found herself wide awake in the hotel the filming crew booked. She kept thinking about how she was the daughter of the Nn family¡ªa genuine pretty and rich young woman¡ªand how she was framed by others. Her calls to her eldest brother went unanswered. Her other brother was still an intern in the Haddock Group, and it was pointless to seek his help. She had ruminated about it. Something was definitely wrong about the water. After drinking it, her throat was ufortable, and so was her body. It felt as if she had been set alight. In the end, she passed out that night. There¡¯s something wrong with that water. Did someone spike it? Naomi did not want to experience the terror of that night. She had to find out who spiked the drink. Right then, her hotel door opened abruptly. Naomi¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she tensed up and stayed still on the bed. Who is it? Who¡¯s in my room in the middle of the night? Why did they have my room card? The person tiptoed their way toward the bed. It seems like a woman. When she reached the bed, she stared at Naomi silently. After assuming that thetter was in deep sleep, she mumbled, ¡°Why don¡¯t you have any side effects after drinking that drug? What does that drug do?¡± The woman¡¯s voice was unfamiliar to Naomi, but she dared not to open her eyes to look at her face. All she did wasy still as she tried to hear the woman¡¯s mumbles. ¡°I¡¯m curious about what will happen to her after drinking it. But she looks fine in the day. Forget it. I¡¯ll go back first.¡± Then the woman tiptoed back toward the door. Naomi did not dare to move an inch until she heard the door close. It was only then she sat up on her bed. In the next second, she flew toward the door to lock it. Ignoring the fact that it waste at night, she called Jonathan instantly. Chapter 566 Chapter 566 ¡°Have you lost your mind? Did you look at the time?¡± Jonathan had been wandering in his dreams when his phone¡¯s ringtone woke him up. Groggily, he epted the call and shouted at Naomi, upset. ¡°Jonathan, a woman just sneaked into my room!¡± ¡°What? Wait for me. I¡¯ming now.¡± The call ended. A minuteter, someone knocked on Naomi¡¯s room door. Naomi peeked through the peep-hole. She only opened the door when she realized it was the tall teenager she was waiting for. The moment she saw Jonathan, her pounding heart finally came down from her throat. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared,¡± Jonathan consoled when he noticed her frightened look. ¡°What happened?¡± After hearing Naomi¡¯s exnation, the teenager¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°It seems like the person who drugged you has no idea how the drug would react. That¡¯s why she came to check on you.¡± Suddenly, a thought popped into his head as he stared at Naomi. ¡°Have you felt anything off recently?¡± Naomi blushed. Her heart was racing when the handsome teenager stared into her eyes. It was a feeling that was taking her breath away. Averting her eyes, she hung her head and mumbled, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯te so close to me.¡± Jonathan did not understand the meaning of her words. Hisshes fluttered, and he leaned even closer to her, confused. She could almost see the small pores on his face. ¡°What did you say?¡± Forget it. Naomi silently crept backward. She could almost feel Jonathan¡¯s hot breaths on her skin. Why is heing so close to me? Does he not realize that he¡¯s handsome? T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Why is he leaning his idol-like face so close to mine? He¡¯ll quicken the girl¡¯s breathing and race her heart. She¡¯ll- I¡¯ll die from theck of oxygen! When she was Jonathan¡¯s assistant, she was immune to his attractive looks. After all, her two brothers were specimens of male beauty. Few wereparable to them. However, after Jonathan saved her¡­ Naomi realized she could not stay too close to him. If they were not a distance away, she found it difficult to breathe. It was an ufortable sensation. It can¡¯t be because of the drug, can it? Are my feelings part of its side effects? ¡°Naomi, I¡¯m talking to you. Quick, tell me, have you been feeling unwell?¡± Jonathan urged. Has she been frightened out of her wits? Hasn¡¯t she collected herself yet? ¡°M-My heart is pounding, m-my face is burning up, and my body too. It¡¯s ufortable.¡± Naomi was now sure that it was because of the drug. As she spoke, she fanned herself with her hand. ¡°What do we do? Why don¡¯t you rest today? I¡¯ll ask for a leave from Maxwell,¡± Jonathan said after a moment of contemtion. ¡°I-I can still work.¡± Just don¡¯te too close to me. Naomi kept the second part of the sentence to herself. However, she was anxious. She felt as if she had stepped right into a mystery she could not solve. In the Field family vi. ¡°Joseph, ask Ashlyn if she can remove the scar on Lottie¡¯s face.¡± Fae pulled her son to a corner. ¡°Although the doctor said that it¡¯s impossible thest time, I just want to try.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll ask herter.¡± Joseph swept his gaze at the floor above. When he realized that there was no sign of that familiar girl, he muttered, ¡°Mom, she seems to be connected with the Fraser family. I¡¯ve done some investigation, and I want to talk to you about her.¡± ¡°The Fraser family?¡± Fae frowned. ¡°I heard that the Fraser family has a foster daughter, and she has a poor reputation. Everyone has been saying that the girl is L¡¯s child bride. How can Lottie be connected with the Fraser family?¡± Chapter 567 Chapter 567 It was obvious that Fae did not believe her son¡¯s words. ¡°Mom, she¡¯s the foster daughter.¡± Instantly, Fae¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°Are you telling me that¡­ Lottie is L¡¯s foster daughter?¡± Just as Joseph thought that his mother would be disgusted by Charlotte or cursed at her, he heard her say, ¡°The Frasers were horrible with her. The poor girl¡¯s face has been disfigured, yet they¡¯re still ndering her. What do they mean by child bride? This is infuriating!¡± From her tone, it was obvious that she felt bad for Charlotte. ¡°You will not chase Lottie off?¡± Joseph looked at his mother in surprise. ¡°Do I look like one of those people? I don¡¯t care who the Frasers are or whose foster daughter she is. Lottie is staying with us, so she¡¯s one of us. If L dares to show his face here, I¡¯ll teach him a lesson. How dare he treat Lottie in this way? If the Fraser family was fantastic, she would¡¯ve wanted to go back.¡± The more she said, the more agitated she became. Her face flushed bright red. ¡°Did she? She never mentioned the Fraser family. What does that mean? It means she doesn¡¯t want to go back there.¡± Right in the middle of their conversation, someone knocked on the door. The maid walked out from the kitchen, about to open the door, when Fae stopped her. ¡°Go ahead with your work. I¡¯ll open the door.¡± With that said, she walked out of the living room, passed the courtyard, and opened the front door. A tall man in his early thirties stood by the doorway. He looked wless, and the firefighter uniform he had on made him look righteous. Fae was not a fool. She sneered, realizing that the man in front of her was none other than L. Speak of the devil. ¡°Mr. Fraser. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not here for no reason. What brings you here to my humble abode?¡± L pursed his lips. ¡°Mrs. Field, is Charlotte staying in your house?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who Charlotte is. I only have a Lottie in my house, and she¡¯s my goddaughter. I don¡¯t know if Mr. Fraser knows her or not.¡± Fae¡¯s words stunned him. She had revealed Charlotte¡¯s identity. Instantly, L paled. He muttered in disbelief, ¡°Mrs. Field, Charlotte is a member of the Fraser family. When did she be your goddaughter?¡± He sounded anxious. Swiftly handing the gift in his hands to Mrs. Field, he requested, ¡°Please let me see her.¡± Fae withheld the fury in her. ¡°The Frasers are a reputable family. I won¡¯t ept your gift as I have done nothing for you. It¡¯s best that you keep it for yourself. I won¡¯t decide for my daughter about meeting you. I¡¯ll have to ask her for her answer.¡± ¡°No need. I don¡¯t want to see him.¡± Just as Fae turned around, she heard Charlotte¡¯s soft voiceing from the living room. She had been standing by the doorway of the living room, and she overheard Fae and L¡¯s conversation. When Joseph was talking to Fae, she was hiding in a corner by the stairs. It would be a lie to say that their words did not move her. She had never thought that the Field family would wee her like this¡ªto see her as one of their family members. Charlotte only met them by chance; the Field family and she were not rted by blood. Yet, they treated her with utmost gentleness. Most importantly, they treated her with basic respect. The Fields asked for her opinion on everything that involved her, and they listened to what her thoughts were. It was genuine respect, and not everyone could do it. ¡°Lottie,e back with me!¡± L shouted from outside the house, ¡°I¡¯ve thought it through. Even if you¡¯re disfigured, I won¡¯t abandon you. I¡¯ll treat you as well as I did before. Lottie, have you forgotten about it? The happy moments we had together. Won¡¯t you regret leaving me?¡± Every word from L was an iron ball crashing into her heart. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. The pain was unbearable. However, the image of his shocked look at the restaurant back then had been seared into her mind. Chapter 568 Chapter 568 He had only appeared days after that encounter. He hesitated for days. To L, her looks were more important than her soul. Right. He¡¯s from the Fraser family. If the woman by his side was disfigured, he would feel embarrassed. Charlotte chuckled self-deprecatingly. Tears streaked down her face, and it broke Joseph¡¯s heart; he had been watching them from the side in silence. His mind went nk for a split second. A wrath that seemed to havee from nowhere filled his chest, and he strode out of the living room toward L. With a quick swing, his fist collided in the other man¡¯s face. ¡°Why are you shouting? How dare you shout at our house? Aren¡¯t you a shameless man? Let me warn you now. If you dare to harass my sister again, I¡¯ll hit you whenever we meet. Douchebags like you deserve nothing but violence!¡± L had not been expecting the punch. He was a firefighter, and he was trained inbat. When he came back to his senses, he instantly returned the blow. Joseph was not a doormat; he was often around Lucas. Although he was not as good as thetter in martial arts, he was still a good fighter. Charlotte, who had been immersed in her sorrows, jumped in fright when she heard themotion. She hurriedly walked over to see the two men in a fight. Fae was standing at the side. Fearing that her son would suffer injuries, she shouted, ¡°Joseph, stop it. Mr. Fraser, let go of him!¡± The two men were boiling with rage, and they did not heed Fae¡¯s words. Soon, themotion attracted the attention of the neighbors. Some passersby could not help but look into the Field family¡¯s house. ¡°Stop it! Stop fighting!¡± Upon hearing Charlotte¡¯s familiar voice, L could not help but turn toward her. Right then, Joseph punched him and send him flying. Charlotte was in pink pajamas, and she was wearing a pair of pink house slippers. Her hair was tied up to show her forehead. It exposed the disfigured half of her face to the air. Living with the Field family, she never had to cover her scars. The Fields had never looked at her oddly, nor did they show disgust toward her looks. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. The entire time, the Field family treated her as usual. It made her feel like they were equals; she loved thefortable way they treated her. Although L saw her scars in the past, her hair hid them partially. This was the first time he saw it in full view. His eyes instantly widened in disbelief at the sight of them. There are so many of them. The scars crisscrossed over each other. Charlotte¡¯s once-beautiful face was now hideous. The scars were like oddly-shaped ants that crawled and settled themselves on her face; it was a sight that made any onlookers nauseous. L¡¯s mind went nk; he could not find the words to say to her. He could not think of what he should do either. Why did this happen? ¡°Why are you so hung up on such an ugly woman?¡± Kate Fraser¡¯s familiar voice sounded from the doorway. She was wearing high heels and holding onto a limited-edition purse as she walked toward L. With a tender and upset look on her face, she helped her son up. ¡°Mom, why are you here?¡± L was stunned to see his mother. Kate shot a re at Charlotte, but when she saw her disfigured face, her own face paled. She shrieked, ¡°W-Why have you be like this?¡± Charlotte bit her lip and looked at her, embarrassed. She could not help but feel the fear that came to her every time she saw Kate, the person she wanted to avoid the most. Subconsciously taking a few steps back, Charlotte shut her eyes as the color drained from her face. Her hands reached up to cover her head. ¡°D-Don¡¯te near me. Don¡¯t¡­¡± Joseph swiftly rushed over to stand in front of her, shielding her away from Kate. ¡°Mrs. Fraser, this is the Fields¡¯ house. Please leave.¡± ¡°You¡¯re chasing me away after hitting my son? You¡¯re not getting rid of me that easily. Do you think that the mayor¡¯s family is allowed to be bullies?¡± Kate sneered. ¡°This is awful society. I hope you don¡¯t assume we will take this quietly.¡± Chapter 569 Chapter 569 Kate was overjoyed. The little b*tch¡¯s is ruined. Haha. If it were not for the situation, Kate would haveughed out loud instead. It seems those needles has been effective. Let¡¯s see how the little b*tch¡¯s going to seduce my son with that face of hers. Now that Charlotte was disfigured, she was confident her son would no longer obsess over her. The next thing she would do was to make sure that the Warhol family and the Fraser family would be united through marriage. I¡¯m going to make that b*tch disappear from L¡¯s life for good. The Fields must be blind to protect her as if she¡¯s precious. But they can have her if they love her that much. To Kate, Charlotte was nothing but a disposable product. She could throw her away whenever she wanted to. She never saw Charlotte as another living human. Never had the thought of Charlotte having ideas and feelings of her own crossed Kate¡¯s mind. From the start until the end, Kate had no respect for her. Even the Fraser family¡¯s dog had a higher status than Charlotte did in Kate¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know you. I don¡¯t know any of you. Leave¡­ Leave!¡± Kate burst into tears as memories shed past her mind. They were images of Kate stabbing her with needles, humiliating her, and more. Every image of Kate in Charlotte¡¯s mind was horrifying. N-No! I don¡¯t want to see this woman. I don¡¯t want to! Themotion finally made James walk out of his room. His solemn look and strong presence sent chills shooting down the crowd¡¯s spine. ¡°What is going on?¡± It was Kate¡¯s first time seeing the fabled Mr. Field; her heart skipped a beat when she saw him. Then, she thought, So what if he¡¯s the mayor? L was beaten up! Therefore, she moaned, ¡°Mr. Field, is this how your family deals with things? Violence? Look what your son has done to mine?¡± Anyone with brains would choose to stand by the Fraser family¡¯s side and not protect the b*tch. Idiot. James isn¡¯t a brainless fool like Fae. Let¡¯s see how that little b*tch gets chased out of the Field family. Charlotte stared at James with tears in her eyes. He¡¯ll¡­ chase me away, won¡¯t he? He won¡¯t let me stay here in the Field family anymore. That¡¯s what I¡¯ll always be¡ªtrouble for everyone else. This is all my fault. Charlotte felt guilty and miserable. Yet, she was reluctant to leave. The love that the Field family had given to her made her feel as if she had a ce within them. She did not want to leave. Joseph protected her like he was her brother, and Fae watched over her like a mother. Charlotte was the one who had wronged the Field family. This was all her fault. She would leave. She could not let the Field familye into harm for saving her. Mustering her courage, she muttered, ¡°Mr. Field, I¡­¡± James gave her a consoling look before he turned to Kate with a frigid expression. He interrupted Charlotte to say, ¡°Mrs. Fraser, your son came to harass us early in the morning, and he started a fight with my son. Is this how you teach your children? Although the Field family isn¡¯t as well-off as yours, we¡¯re still influential. Did you think you can embarrass us whenever you want to?¡± The cold gaze he had on Kate made the woman shudder. She looked at James in shock. He¡¯s protecting the little b*tch too? And he¡¯s reprimanding me, thedy of the Fraser family? Anger welled up in Kate¡¯s chest, and it overwhelmed her mind. Her anger reced the respect she had for the mayor of Lake City. ¡°Your son has to apologize to my son!¡± The Fields were stupefied by how shameless and immoral Kate could be. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. No wonder Charlotte escaped from the Fraser family. No one can stand to be in the same room as this aggressive and domineering woman. Fury vibrated through Fae¡¯s being, but the words would not form as she jabbed a finger in Kate¡¯s direction. She¡¯s a mad woman. She¡¯s worse than those unreasonable shrews! Mustering her courage, she muttered, ¡°Mr. Field, I¡­¡± Chapter 570 Chapter 570 ¡°No! I¡­ I won¡¯t apologize!¡± someone stammered softly. Stunned, Joseph thought, Little One? Was that Little One? Previously, he had kept Charlotte behind him to protect her. All of a sudden, someone tugged his arm from behind and before he knew it, she shielded him with her thin body. An expression of determination mixed with fear shed across her face. ¡°Joseph¡­ Joseph did nothing wrong!¡± she said firmly, ¡°It was you! You cut my face with a needle. You¡­ you called me a slut. My face is like this all because of you. W-Who are you to¡­ toe into my home and¡­ and cause a scene?¡± These few sentences might have been easy for someone else to say. However, it took Charlotte quite a while before she could spit it all out. And when she finally did¡­ she had exhausted every ounce of strength! Her entire back was drenched with sweat! There was perspiration covering her forehead as well. She desperately tried to quell the fear within her; the fear of speaking out loud. She had no idea where this sudden outburst of courage came from. Watching the Field family stood up for her made her want toe forth and try her best to express herself. For the first time in her life, she wanted to ovee the source of all that pain. There were people she wanted to protect too. She certainly didn¡¯t want to see them insulted and walked all over by Mrs. Fraser! She was fine with being insulted herself. But she would not allow that to happen to the people she wanted to protect! The entire Field family was shocked. Mrs. Field walked up to her in disbelief and grabbed her hand as though it would give her strength. ¡°Lottie¡­ you¡­¡± She was deeply touched. What did she just say? My home¡­ She really takes this ce as her home! Mrs. Field¡¯s eyes began to water. She had long since noticed how Charlotte was different. The little girl was quiet, anti-social and extremely shy. The doctor she consulted revealed it was highly likely that Charlotte was suffering from autism. Everybody was clear about how it affected people. It certainly wasn¡¯t easy for someone suffering from autism to express him- or herself so clearly. She had been hesitant about bringing Charlotte to see a doctor because she was afraid of giving this sensitive little girl the wrong impression that her family disliked her. Joseph stared at the little girl standing in front of him in disbelief too. She¡¯s clearly so weak and vulnerable¡­ and in so much pain¡­ This horrible woman standing in front of her disfigured her. She must be terrified. Joseph couldn¡¯t even bring himself to picture that scene. ¡°Mrs. Fraser, what else do you have to say?¡± Mr. Field asked sternly, ¡°Would you care to exin to what happened to Charlotte¡¯s face? What right did you have to cut there? Don¡¯t you know how important one¡¯s appearance is to him or her? Disfiguring someone is such a vicious thing to do. As a family head, how could you do something like that?¡± The entire Field family was shocked. Mrs. Field walked up to her in disbelief and grabbed her hand as though it would give her strength. ¡°Lottie¡­ you¡­¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only L waspletely dumbfounded after hearing what Charlotte had said. My mother? She¡¯s the one who hurt Lottie? The blood on the floor that day belonged to Lottie? Did Mom do that? As Mrs. Fraser hadn¡¯t expected Charlotte to expose her like that in front of everybody, she immediately flew into a panic. However, she quickly regained herposure. She didn¡¯t have any evidence. Only both of us were present that day. No one else could have seen what had happened. ¡°I certainly didn¡¯t expect someone as young as you to go around using people of things they didn¡¯t do. Since when did I ever cut your face? What does your disfigurement have anything to do with me?¡± ¡°Mom, did you really cut Lottie¡¯s face?¡± L asked in a trembling voice. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Are you going to believe her over me? I¡¯ve proved my innocence that night! There were so many scorpions in there. If I did it, would I have jumped in?¡± Infuriated, Mrs. Fuller thought to herself, how is he so easily convinced by that little vixen? He¡¯s actually questioning me? Oh, she¡¯ll be the death of me! I should have just disfigured her entire face back then, not just half of it! Lochlon wospletely dumbfounded ofter heoring whot Chorlotte hod soid. My mother? She¡¯s the one who hurt Lottie? The blood on the floor thot doy belonged to Lottie? Did Mom do thot? As Mrs. Froser hodn¡¯t expected Chorlotte to expose her like thot in front of everybody, she immediotely flew into o ponic. However, she quickly regoined herposure. She didn¡¯t hove ony evidence. Only both of us were present thot doy. No one else could hove seen whot hod hoppened. ¡°I certoinly didn¡¯t expect someone os young os you to go oround using people of things they didn¡¯t do. Since when did I ever cut your foce? Whot does your disfigurement hove onything to do with me?¡± ¡°Mom, did you reolly cut Lottie¡¯s foce?¡± Lochlon osked in o trembling voice. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Are you going to believe her over me? I¡¯ve proved my innocence thot night! There were so mony scorpions in there. If I did it, would I hove jumped in?¡± Infurioted, Mrs. Fuller thought to herself, how is he so eosily convinced by thot little vixen? He¡¯s octuolly questioning me? Oh, she¡¯ll be the deoth of me! I should hove just disfigured her entire foce bock then, not just holf of it! Chapter 571 Chapter 571 Even with half her face disfigured, she still has such a hold over my son! Oh, this is maddening. L was at a loss. His own mother raised him up, and he was eternally grateful for that. He could still vividly remember what she had to go through that night. However, the fact remained that Lottie was disfigured. She spends her days cooped up at home and she¡¯s never offended anybody. Who would be as cruel as to disfigure her? Charlotte stared dejectedly at L, her heart stone cold. She could see the struggle and hesitation in the man¡¯s eyes. Then she burst into a heart-wrenchingugh. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me.¡± L¡¯s body twitched. He felt so guilty that he couldn¡¯t even bear to meet Charlotte¡¯s reddened eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, Lottie. I just want to get to the bottom of this before Ie to any conclusions.¡± ¡°What I¡¯ve said is the truth. But it doesn¡¯t matter if you believe me or not,¡± Charlotte sighed as she shook her head. ¡°Please don¡¯t appear before me ever again. I don¡¯t remember who you are anyway. Kindly return me all of my ID. Since the Fraser family doesn¡¯t wee me, you guys shouldn¡¯t be withholding my stuff.¡± Lifting her chin slightly, she gave them a frosty look. L stared at her in disbelief. Is this still that quiet girl who couldn¡¯t even express herself? He discovered that the haughty look Charlotte had was extremely familiar. She looks¡­ she looks just like Ashlyn! How could she possibly resemble the cold and strong-willed Ashlyn? I must be confused. L¡¯s head was in a mess. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn¡¯t bring himself to believe either side of the story. Although Mrs. Fraser hadn¡¯t had her say yet, he started dragging her out of the ce. ¡°Don¡¯t you find this humiliating? Let¡¯s go home, Mom,¡± he pleaded. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Mrs. Fraser didn¡¯t want Charlotte exposing any more of the Fraser family¡¯s secrets. ¡°Mr. Field,¡± she snorted coldly, ¡°Your actions today have been rather eye-opening. I certainly never expected our mayor to be like this.¡± She then gave Charlotte a disdainful, albeit suggestive, look. ¡°Could it be that a certain vixen has pulled the wool over your eyes?¡± she mused as she looked from Mr. Field to Charlotte and back again. If she were going down, she¡¯d drag the Field family down with her as well. She certainly didn¡¯t believe Mrs. Field would wee Charlotte anymore after hearing what she said. As expected, an outraged expression shed across thetter¡¯s face. Much to her surprise, however, Mrs. Field began marching toward her just as she was about to leave with L. Smack! A tight pnded across Mrs. Fraser¡¯s face. As a noblewoman, she was well-respected by many. Furthermore, the fact that her nephew was Dixon meant that people dared not easily offend her. Given her seniority, she hadn¡¯t expected Mrs. Field to have the guts to p her. Her eyes widened with shock as pain seared across her cheek. ¡°What did you do?¡± She unleashed an ear-piercing shriek. ¡°How dare you hit me?¡± Not only was everybody presentpletely bbergasted, but so were the people watching discreetly from outside the Field family home. Mrs. Field is famous for her elegance and grace. She actually hit someone? ¡°Kate Lawrence!¡± Mrs. Field addressed Mrs. Fraser by her full name! This b**** has gone too far! ¡°My goddaughter, Lottie, is a sweet and obedient girl. And my husband, James, is a righteous man. Neither of them deserves to be defamed and insulted by you. How could you say such nasty things and trample over other people¡¯s dignity? It truly is the misfortune of the Fraser family to have you as one its members. Don¡¯t me me for showing you no mercy if you dare to spread this misfortune to the Fields! If I hear about such things in the future again, I will never forgive you!¡± She even pushed the both of them so hard that Mrs. Fraser lost her bnce and fell onto the ground. Chapter 572 Chapter 572 The door mmed shut behind them. Frustration welled up in Mrs. Fraser¡¯s chest. She wanted to curse and scream out loud. After a quick nce around, she realized that there were many people gathered around the Field family¡¯s doorstep. Some of them were even familiar faces. Ministers,mittee members, the secretaries¡¯ families and whatnot¡­ hade out to check what had happened. Her cheeks began burning. She had never been so humiliated before in her life. This is all the Field family¡¯s fault! Oh, they¡¯ll be the death of me! I will never forget the humiliation I¡¯ve endured today! I¡¯ll be back! At the Field family home. Disbelief shed across Joseph¡¯s face. He realized the look on his face went from one shocked expression to another. ¡°Mom¡­ that was so badass! You were like a martial artist expert!¡± She just threw them out the door! How cool was that? I¡¯m so impressed! Mom¡¯s such a badass! ¡°Go back inside,¡± Mr. Field sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve got something to say.¡± Upon hearing this, Charlotte¡¯s body twitched slightly. Biting her lower lip, she followed the Field family into the house. Back in the living room, tension hung in the air. Throughout his entire political career, Mr. Field had held himself to the highest standards. Not only was he honest and incorruptible, but he also had a keen eye for potential and was incredibly adept at putting this ability to good use. He certainly hadn¡¯t encountered such an incident before. The little girl who was huddling in a corner of the sofa with her head hung low as though she just made some grave mistake. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to say anything. After knowing her for some time, he had a basic understanding of her. She was polite and hardworking. Even if she didn¡¯t talk much, she was still an extremely obedient child. Thinking about what she had been through back in the Fraser family simply broke his heart. ¡°Lottie, it¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve started living with us. My wife and I know life¡¯s been tough on you in the past. That¡¯s why we¡¯ve never forced you to do anything. However, today¡¯s events have left me rather surprised. Do you mind giving us an exnation?¡± By now, Charlotte¡¯s eyes were so bloodshot that they looked like a rabbit¡¯s. After casting a distressed look at Joseph, she lowered her head once more and mumbled, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m L¡¯s foster daughter. He¡¯s always been really nice to me. However, Mrs. Fraser didn¡¯t like me and wants me to leave him. I¡­ I didn¡¯t have a home, and I didn¡¯t¡­ know where else to go. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry for troubling everyone. I-I¡¯ll move out tomorrow. This is all my fault¡­ I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She didn¡¯t want things to turn out like that either. However, she knew that the Field family had no obligation to protect her. She was nothing but a stranger to them. She had no mother; she had no home. They had done more than enough for her. They had no reason to continue allowing her to stay here. Furthermore, her presence would only invite further trouble for them. The Fraser family was extremely powerful. She didn¡¯t the Fields getting angry and worried on her behalf. Mrs. Fraser was right. I¡¯ll always be a burden. ¡°Lottie, don¡¯t say things like that. You did nothing wrong. Mrs. Fraser is wrong. She humiliated and hurt you. She¡¯s the one at fault.¡± Joseph assured her as he grabbed her hand to give her strength. ¡°This is your home. Didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Charlotte protested as she frantically shook her head. This was what Uncle L said when he brought me back to the Fraser family as well. But how did things turn out? After a while, everybody started hating me. They think I¡¯m stupid because I couldn¡¯t speak properly. Theyined I didn¡¯t know how to do anything. I was already trying my best to learn. I really tried. I want to be just like everyone else as well. I really do. s, I¡¯m just too stupid. I¡¯ll always be a disappointment. As the tears streamed down her cheeks, she sobbed, ¡°I¡¯m not a slut! I¡¯m really not¡­ I didn¡¯t seduce Uncle L¡­¡± Hugging herself, she began mumbling unconsciously, ¡°No¡­ Don¡¯t cut me¡­ Don¡¯t cut me¡­¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Chapter 573 Chapter 573 Her consciousness seemed to fall into some kind of weird loop. The image of Mrs. Fraser shed before her eyes over and over. She got so frightened that she hugged herself tightly. Go back¡­ Lottie doesn¡¯t want to move forward anymore¡­ Lottie has to hug herself tighter¡­ She¡¯s got to go back¡­ Heartbroken, Mrs. Field pulled the little girl into her arms and turned to Mr. Field, ¡°James, let¡¯s put a pin in this for now. It¡¯s been hard on her. She¡¯s probably scared out of her wits.¡± Mr. Field could only nod his head exasperatedly. Deep down, however, he was quite worried. The vicious and merciless Haddock family had close ties with the Frasers. There may be dire consequences. Sigh¡­ The sound of his phone ringing woke Lucas up. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°The Fraser family made a scene at the Fields?¡± His weariness immediately disappeared without a trace as he straightened up on the couch. Slowly stirring awake from his voice, Ashlyn asked bleary-eyed, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unclear yet, but there was apparently a huge row,¡± Lucas replied as he hung up his phone. ¡°Spencer heard this through the grapevine as well. Lots of people in that governmental residence know about this.¡± Ashlyn felt rather faint. ¡°How did those two families get involved with each other?¡± As she was searching for Lucas during the past couple of days, she had paid little attention to Charlotte¡¯s situation. For some reason, she immediately made the connection upon hearing the Frasers and the Fields. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s got something to do with Charlotte!¡± Lucas nodded his head. ¡°I heard a little girl has started living with the Field family recently. It¡¯s highly likely that girl is Charlotte.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we pay them a visit today?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Although they were whispering, their voices woke the woman sleeping on the bed. As ire slowly opened her eyes, she was greeted with the sight of a good-looking couple sitting by her sickbed. They looked like a match made in heaven. Yet, she couldn¡¯t bear to look at this blissful couple. ¡°Lucas,¡± she murmured. After a quick nce around and realizing that they were in a hospital, she apologized guiltily, ¡°Did my illness act up again? I¡¯m so sorry to have troubled you.¡± ¡°How could you say that?¡± Lucas chided her gently as he got up and poured her a ss of water. ¡°Your health matters the most.¡± After he finished, he turned around and took Ashlyn¡¯s hand. ¡°ire,¡± he introduced, ¡°This is my girlfriend, Ashlyn.¡± ¡°Hi,¡± Ashlyn greeted with a smile. A weak smile touched ire¡¯s lips. The sight of their hands touching caused a pang of pain in her heart. ¡°Time really flies. Even Lucas hasnded himself a girlfriend. He always stuck to me like glue. Now, that little boy who always thought of me first will be in the arms of another woman!¡± Ashlyn¡¯s smile froze. Thought of you first? Are you trying to tell me indirectly that you¡¯ve always been the most important person to him? Ashlyn wasn¡¯t sure if she was overthinking this. She just couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that ire was looking at Lucas in a particr way. Ashlyn, what are you thinking? They are siblings. Have I been reduced to one of those women who just love to hallucinate when they¡¯re in love? ire went back to Whind Vi after spending a day in the hospital. Lucas still had quite a lot of things to attend to, and Ashlyn wanted to pay the Fields a visit. A dark cloud hung over them because of what happened in the morning. Mrs. Field brought Charlotte to the Imperial Tea House to counsel the little girl. As this was the first time Charlotte had been to such a ce, she began looking around curiously after they arrived.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± ¡°It is. Most people aren¡¯t allowed in here.¡± Mrs. Field chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s go to one of the private rooms.¡± However, they soon bumped into someone they didn¡¯t want to see. ¡°Ouch! Are you blind? You bumped into me!¡± Olivia snapped as she gave Charlotte a shove. She hade here to try her luck after hearing rumors that Ms. Saunders frequently yed the piano in this teahouse. It was only after a great deal of effort did she get her hands on a VIP ticket through someone she knew. Chapter 574 Chapter 574 There was no sign of Madeline Saunders after hours of waiting, so Olivia turned around to leave. Feeling irritated, she stomped away in anger and unexpectedly bumped into Charlotte and Fae. Olivia had always been arrogant and overbearing, so she put all the me on Charlotte, although she was the one at fault. ¡°Apologize to me now!¡± Charlotte lifted her eyes and saw a familiar pretty face. It¡¯s her! The woman who went on a blind date with Uncle L. What a small world. ¡°What? Are you mute?¡± Olivia stood there with an arrogant expression on her face. When her disdainful gaze fell on Charlotte¡¯s face, she was shocked. ¡°Oh God! What a hideous face. Were you trying to scare me? You should hide at home. Besides, didn¡¯t your parents teach you not to get out about and shock the living daylights out of people?¡± Staring at Charlotte¡¯s face, Olivia found her familiar too. After a while, a look of realization appeared on Olivia¡¯s face, and she spoke in an odd tone, ¡°Oh, are you L¡¯s¡­¡± Fae¡¯s expression turned grim right away. Apparently, this woman facing them knew L. Sure enough, anyone who knows the Fraser family is usually rude and uncultured. Nevertheless, Fae remained courteous as she did not want to embarrass herself in public. ¡°Miss, she¡¯s my goddaughter, so mind your words. I saw clearly that you were the one who bumped into her.¡± ¡°Who are you, olddy?¡± Olivia intuitively despised the woman standing beside Charlotte. She can¡¯t be a socialite when she¡¯s hanging out with L¡¯s foster daughter. I heard from Mrs. Fraser that they kicked this foster daughter out. But it had slipped Olivia¡¯s mind that anyone who could get into the Royal Tea House was either wealthy or influential. Non-VIP members were not qualified to step through the door. ¡°What did you say? Did you just call me an ¡®olddy¡¯?¡± Fae had always been beautiful since young, and she became even more elegant over the years. Her beauty had won her countlesspliments from anyone who met her. How dare this girl insult me this way! Yet, Fae regained herposure in no time. Then she made a call straight away. ¡°Manager Lopez, someone is causing trouble here, so please send the security guards to escort her out.¡± As the mayor¡¯s wife, Fae did not want to lose her dignity by dealing with this young girl herself. ¡°How could you ask the security guard to chase me out of this ce? Let me tell you this ¨C I¡¯m a VIP member! So who the hell do you think you are?¡± Olivia scoffed with a contemptuous look. So what if this olddy cane into the Royal Tea House? How rich can she be if she¡¯s with this poor foster daughter? She scanned the ck suit on Fae, but she could not tell the brand. It looks like a cheap outfit to me. She tantly stared at them with a look of disdain. ¡°I¡¯m surprised that a cleaner can pretend to be a big shot. People like you are only going to clean the washroom for socialites like me.¡± ¡°Who are you asking to clean the washroom?¡± Suddenly, an icy voice came from somewhere nearby. Olivia lifted her gaze and saw a slender and tall woman striding over to them in her high heels. The woman was dressed in a white shirt and a pair of ck slim-fit pants, looking smart and professional. She was exuding a domineering aura from the inside out, which made people feel intimidated to stare straight at her. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Just then, she waved her hand, and a dozen of security guards in ck showed up and surrounded the three women. Olivia snorted at her. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am.¡± Ashlyn impassively nced at her heavily made-up face. ¡°You¡¯re the first person who dares behave so presumptuously and humiliate my sisters at my tea house.¡± ¡°What¡­ What did you say?¡± Olivia¡¯s expression froze instantly. Her eyes widened in disbelief. I heard that Ms. Saunders is the owner of the Royal Tea House. Then this young woman in front of me is¡­ Olivia¡¯s face flushed beet red before turning as pale as a sheet. Damn it! I¡¯m going to take part in the International Piano Competition, and I heard that Ms. Saunders will be a part of the judgingmittee. I initially came to the Royal Tea House to look for Ms. Saunders, so that I can pay her to give me some guidance. But now, I have offended these two women, who turn out to be Ms. Saunders¡¯ sisters! Chapter 575 Chapter 575 Olivia wished she could p herself in the face. She took a deep breath. Instantly, her insolent attitude was nowhere to be found and had been reced by an inferior look. ¡°Ms. Saunders, I¡¯m very sorry. I didn¡¯t know that these twodies here are your family. Please forgive my ignorance. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Silly me¡­¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s a skill that I¡¯d like to learn. You can change your expression at the speed of light in front of my sister,¡± Fae mocked Olivia in a cold tone before holding Charlotte¡¯s hand. Then Charlotte instinctively lowered her head to avoid making eye contact with anyone. I¡¯m so ugly that I startle the people around me. I shouldn¡¯t havee out. The outside world is intimidating. But I haven¡¯t seen Ashlyn for so long. Listening to her voice makes me feel warm. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. I shouldn¡¯t be so weak that I have to rely on others for warmth and care. This is too much. Fae¡¯s mockery caused Olivia to blush in embarrassment. ¡°Fae, is the girl beside you Charlotte?¡± Ashlyn averted her gaze from Olivia to the girl standing next to Fae. However, Charlotte kept her head bowed all the time, and her fringe covered her face, so Ashlyn could barely see her appearance. At that moment, Charlotte wished the ground would swallow her up when she heard Ashlyn mention her name. Perhaps Ms. Berry will hate this ugly face of mine too. I guess I should get going soon. ¡°Do you know Lottie?¡± Fae asked in surprise. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for her.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t get in touch with her for a long time, so I¡¯m worried about her.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry¡­¡± Charlotte¡¯s head jerked up. Is she looking for me? Ashlyn¡¯s words stopped Charlotte in her tracks when she was about to escape from here. When Charlotte raised her head, Ashlyn caught a glimpse of the scars on her face, and her eyes glinted with shock. Immediately, she gave Charlotte a warm smile. ¡°Lottie, it¡¯s you.¡± She reached out to hold Charlotte¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the private room.¡± Meanwhile, Olivia was gawking at their interactions. She gulped nervously and wanted to follow them, but a security guard blocked her. ¡°No outsider is allowed in Mrs. Field and Ms. Saunders¡¯ private room.¡± ¡°Mrs. Field¡­¡± Olivia was stunned for a moment. There¡¯s only one Field family in Lake City. Could she be the Mrs. Field whom I¡¯m thinking about? Just then, a few richdies, probably wives of billionaires, came out of another private room. When they saw Fae, they smiled merrily at her and said, ¡°Mrs. Field, are you here for a cup of tea?¡± ¡°How is Mr. Field? Let¡¯s catch up one day when you¡¯re free.¡± Fae gracefully nodded her head. ¡°Sure.¡± After having some small talk, they went their separate ways. The fewdies were discussing among themselves as they walked past Olivia, ¡°It¡¯s true that Mrs. Field comes to the tea house frequently as if it¡¯s her second home.¡± ¡°Yes. Because she¡¯s very close to Ms. Saunders.¡± ¡°I heard that Ms. Saunders will be the judgingmittee of the International Piano Competition. I wonder if she¡¯ll help out the contestant from the Quickton family.¡± ¡°My daughter wants to take part in thepetition too, so I guess I should start making friends with Mrs. Field then.¡± After listening to all that, Olivia felt her head spin, and she almost passed out. She¡¯s really the mayor¡¯s wife! Rumor has it that Mrs. Field likes to keep a low profile. That¡¯s it for me. I¡¯m so doomed. I¡¯ve officially offended the mayor¡¯s wife. The Wood Group wasn¡¯t as established as the Fraser family and the Haddock family. But the Wood Group got lucky these years and the business had grown tremendously. Unfortunately, it turned Olivia into a haughty upstart. What should I do now? In Ashlyn¡¯s private room. After Ashlyn heard about Charlotte¡¯s story from Fae, sheughed. ¡°I never expected things to turn out this way. Mr. Joseph actually saved Lottie. Thank you so much. It must have been tough for you.¡± Fae smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Fate has brought Lottie and our family together.¡± Chapter 576 Chapter 576 ¡°Let me take a look at your face.¡± Ashlyn stood up, leaned forward, and carefully tucked Charlotte¡¯s fringe away from her face. The girl¡¯s face was full of scars with uneven texture and dark spots. Oh no. It was raining heavily on that day, and the needles weren¡¯t removed on time. Now the needles became rusty, and the rust seemed to have seeped into her skin. ¡°The scars can be healed, but it¡¯s difficult to get the spots off your skin.¡± Ashlyn felt her heart ached and let out a sigh. ¡°Lottie, your facial treatment will be a long and strenuous process. Will you be able to persist till the end?¡± The moment Charlotte heard that there was still hope, her eyes gleamed brightly with hope. ¡°Yes, I can! I can do it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Ashlyn patted the back of her hand. Fae seemed contented as well. ¡°Ashlyn, you¡¯re the best.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hire the best stic surgeon overseas for her treatment.¡± ¡°Does Lottie need to go overseas?¡± Fae asked in astonishment. ¡°Yes. I know of a world-ss stic surgeon overseas. He should be able to treat Lottie. But she¡¯ll have to stay abroad for a while.¡± Fae stared at Charlotte reluctantly. ¡°I¡¯ll go with Lottie then.¡± Ashlyn never expected that Fae and Charlotte had be so close and attached to one another. She could tell that Fae genuinely loved Charlotte. ¡°It¡¯s okay, mum. I¡¯ve troubled you so much already. I believe I can handle this on my own.¡± Charlotte gave her a sincere smile. I should learn to be independent and live on my own. I can¡¯t rely on people all the time. Overwhelmed bypassion for this young but strong girl, Fae was worried to see Charlotte staying alone in a strange country. Just then, an idea cross Fae¡¯s mind. Since my son has nothing better to do at home, I should ask him to apany Lottie to live overseas. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll arrange it as soon as possible.¡± Ashlyn promised them while nodding her head. At night, instead of going back to the Whind Vi, Ashlyn went to the Bayview Vi straight away. Just when she entered her house, Lucas called her. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you back here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to interrupt your personal time with your sister.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s lips twitched as she huddled sluggishly on a couch. ¡°Honey¡­¡± Lucas squinted his cavernous eyes as he looked at the townhouses in the residential area. Then he heard Spencer¡¯s voice. ¡°Mr. Nn, we¡¯re here.¡± Instead of getting off the car, Lucas asked Ashlyn, ¡°What would you like to eat tonight?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but my chef has prepared a meal for me. I¡¯m hanging up now.¡± Ashlyn ended the call without hesitation. After that, Lucas stared at his phone with his brow raised. ¡°Head to Bayview Vi.¡± After hanging up the phone, the chef served Ashlyn a steaming bow of egg noodles. ¡°Ms. Berry, is this bowl of noodle enough for you?¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°Yes.¡± Ashlyn picked up the chopsticks and dug in. She was famished. Suddenly, her phone rang before she finished eating. It was her colleague calling from the hospital. ¡°Dr. Berry, Mr. Chapman is awake.¡± ¡°Really? Please keep a close eye on him, and don¡¯t allow any unauthorized person to get into his room,¡± Ashlyn mumbled. ¡°Noted, Dr. Berry.¡± Ever since then, Ashlyn had always felt suspicious about the ident. Though the driver denied murder and insisted that he was drunk, she did not believe him. Ashlyn quickly finished the noodles and left the vi. The Land Rover whizzed along the road to the First Hospital. When she passed by Lucas¡¯ car, he furrowed his brows. ¡°Follow her.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Nn.¡± Spencer promptly turned the car around and trailed behind Ashlyn¡¯s white Land Rover. After parking the car in the basement carpark of the hospital, Ashlyn entered an elevator. Just when the elevator door was about to close, a huge hand reached out suddenly, and the elevator door re-opened automatically. Then a tall and manly figure came in. Ashlyn lifted her eyes and gaped at Lucas. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Chapter 577 Chapter 577 Dr. Berry, what a coincidence.¡± Lucas¡¯ eyes casuallynded on her, but there was an inscrutable feeling in his gaze. I miss her so much till my heart aches for her. And she still has the heart to ask why? However, Ashlyn did not believe a word he said. ¡°Mr. Chapman is awake, so I¡¯m here to check on him.¡± ¡°I see. Let¡¯s go together then.¡± Ding! The elevator door opened again. Ashlyn stepped out of the elevator first and headed toward Bob¡¯s ward. As she was approaching the ward, she could hear Sisley¡¯s voice from afar. ¡°What do you mean? Isn¡¯t this a hospital? Why won¡¯t you let us see him?¡± ¡°We have to see him now since he¡¯s awake.¡± ¡°Is this a jail or something?¡± ¡°You¡¯re unreasonable!¡± Ashlyn strode over to them and saw a few nurses stopping Sisley and Hera from entering the ward. With brows knitted together, Ashlyn¡¯s ivory skin glowed beautifully under the light in the corridor. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Dr. Berry, finally, you¡¯re here.¡± The nurses hurriedly walked over to her as if she was their savior. ¡°They want to barge in to the ward.¡± ¡°You may leave now. I¡¯ll handle this.¡± Ashlyn said with a poker face. Sisley¡¯s gaze was full of hostility as she red at Ashlyn. She pointed at Ashlyn and said, ¡°Are you the one who restricts us from going in?¡± ¡°Mrs. Chapman.¡± Ashlyn eyed her proud and shrewish face spectively, sneering at her, ¡°Mr. Chapman¡¯s very weak now, and his health condition doesn¡¯t allow him to have any visitor. He¡¯s old and has multiple fractures. But you¡¯re here making so much noise. Do you really care about him?¡± Sisley felt guilty at Ashlyn¡¯s words and simmered down a little. Nheless, she maintained a pompous expression while demanding, ¡°I don¡¯t care. I must visit my dad and make sure that he¡¯s fine, or else I won¡¯t be at peace.¡± Meanwhile, Hera remained quiet beside Sisley. The scene of Ashlyn and Richard standing together at The Peacock kept reying in her mind. What a slut. Why is she trying to seduce Lucas when she already has Richard? Sister, my ass¡­ Does it give them more pleasure in bed to call each other brother and sister? The more she dwelled on her thoughts, the angrier she got. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. No, I have to dig up dirt on Ashlyn soon. Right then, Ashlyn and another attending doctor went in and examined Bob. Fortunately, Bob had a strong will to survive. When he saw Ashlyne in, his cloudy eyes lit up, waving at her. His lips moved, but he could not make a sound. After trying several times, he used all his might and finally murmured, ¡°Girl¡­¡± Looking at this elderly man in his seventies, Ashlyn held his bony and wrinkly hand while saying softly, ¡°Mr. Chapman, please don¡¯t worry about anything, and rest well. I don¡¯t know why you came looking for me the other day, but nothing is more important than your health. We¡¯ll talk about it when you recover.¡± Bob was badly injured. Even if he took good care of his body, he would not recuperatepletely, and there would surely be some after-effects. And since both his legs were broken, he had to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Luckily, he did not have any concussion. Ashlyn¡¯s voice sounded soothing in Bob¡¯s ears, and he feltforted. Feeling exhausted, he slowly closed his eyes and went into a deep sleep. When Ashlyn came out of the ward, she saw Hera pestering Lucas. The man leaned his slender body against the wall with one hand in his pocket while the other holding his phone. He was staring nkly at the screen with an expressionless face. In the meantime, the woman in high heels gazed up at Lucas with eyes full of affection. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since Ist had a hot pot. And I haven¡¯t met you for a long time, Lucas. Why don¡¯t we go for hotpotter?¡± Chapter 578 Chapter 578 ¡°It¡¯s my treat. Would you like to go with me, Lucas?¡± ¡°Lucas, why do you keep silent? Is it because my outfit doesn¡¯t look good? Is that why you don¡¯t want to see me?¡± Ashlyn was deep in thought while looking at them. How shameless. It¡¯s obvious Lucas doesn¡¯t want to talk to her. Can¡¯t she see that? I guess she must be blind then. Lucas instinctively lifted his head the moment he heard the door open. Immediately, he smiled warmly at Ashlyn as he moved his long legs and strode toward her. ¡°How¡¯s Mr. Chapman?¡± ¡°He¡¯s conscious, but he¡¯s badly injured. He has fallen asleep again.¡± Ashlyn darted a nce at Sisley and Hera. ¡°The patient is very weak. We have a professional medical team looking after him, so you may go back.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get going.¡± A vicious look shed in Sisley¡¯s eyes when she heard that Bob was conscious. Why didn¡¯t this old bastard die in the ident? Sisley¡¯s eyes flicked between Hera, Lucas, and Ashlyn. Afterward, she shed a ttering smile at Lucas. ¡°Young people like you should hang out more often. Mr. Nn, there¡¯s a decent hot pot restaurant nearby. Why don¡¯t you let Hera bring you there for a meal?¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± Lucas¡¯ eyes were still riveted on Ashlyn. ¡°Are you on duty tonight?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m going home,¡± Ashlyn answered while walking away, and Lucas instantly went after her. At the same time, Hera red at them. ¡°Mom, you did see something going on between her and Mr. Shaw the other day, right? How can she be so slutty that she hooks up with two men at the same time? Wait, no. It should be three, including her so-called boyfriend, Jared.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough now. Let¡¯s go home.¡± Later that night. There were only a few stars twinkling in the sky while the moon hid in the clouds. It was pitch ck, and the entire hospital was in pin-drop silence. The nurse on duty yawned, stood up, and walked to the water dispenser to have some water. Little did she know that a dark figure was creeping into her medical unit. The moment she turned around, the dark figure scuttled toward Bob¡¯s ward. He swiftly pushed the door open and glided into the ward. The man in ck gradually made his way to the weak and elderly man on the bed. Bob flipped his eyes wide open and saw a pair of hands reach out to his venttor. ¡°No¡­ no¡­¡± He had many tubes inserted all over his body. Pulling out any of the tubes would cost his life. I have yet to tell Ashlyn about her true identity. No¡­ I can¡¯t die now. His eyes widened in terror and were fixed on the man in ck with a face mask. ¡°No!¡± In a split second, his finger moved to his stomach, and he pressed a button with all his strength. Beep beep beep¡­ A loud rm went off in the ward and echoed throughout the whole corridor. The ss in the nurse¡¯s hand dropped onto the floor, breaking it into pieces. ¡°Dr. Hendrickson! Dr. Hendrickson! Mr. Chapman is in danger!¡± ¡°Security! Security! Seize the intruder!¡± The nurse screamed repeatedly in the corridor. Some family members of the other patients were still awake. Out of curiosity, they stepped out of their ward and nced around. Meanwhile, the man in Bob¡¯s ward was startled. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. I never thought that this old man has such an advanced rm system with him. Damn it! He couldn¡¯t be bothered to unplug Bob¡¯s venttor anymore. Immediately, he flung open the door and attempted to escape. But the nurse was standing right outside the door to stop him from leaving. He lifted his leg and kicked the nurse to the floor, then he darted toward the elevator. Despite the excruciating pain in her knee, the nurse got to her feet, sprinted after the man, and grabbed him by his waist. The man punched her back forcefully, and she teared up in anguish. Chapter 579 Chapter 579 Just then, the doctor on duty rushed over and lunged at the man in ck. Some patients¡¯ family members saw it and came out of their wards to give them a hand. The man in ck never expected to have so many people against him, and he was overwhelmed in panic and rage. When the elevator door opened, a dozen of security guards swarmed toward him, and they took him down at once. A pair of Dr. Martens boots came into the man¡¯s sight as two burly security guards held him in ce, and he groveled on the floor. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only He slowly gazed up and saw a pair of slender, long legs. A feminine and icy voice sounded over his head. ¡°Anthony, it really took us a lot of effort to capture you.¡± Ashlyn looked down at the man in front of her with folded arms. Her frigid gaze was persistent and unwavering as she stared at him with a scornful face. Following her eye gesture, one of the security guards removed the man¡¯s face mask and cap. A familiar face of a middle-aged man appeared in front of everyone. Anthony¡¯s face contorted immediately. ¡°Ashlyn, you b*tch! You¡¯re a jinx in the Chapman family. Just wait and see!¡± Ashlyn tilted her chin back with a dignified expression. She sized Anthony up with an icy gaze. ¡°Since when am I rted to the Chapman family?¡± ¡°You are! My dad wants to transfer all the Chapman family¡¯s properties and inheritance to you! So stop ying dumb already!¡± Anthony pointed at Ashlyn with much resentment in his eyes. ¡°You and your mom are b*tches!¡± p! A tight pnded on Anthony¡¯s face. ¡°You can scold me, but don¡¯t you dare insult my mom!¡± An intimidating aura exuded all around Ashlyn as she red at Anthony. ¡±You don¡¯t even know my mom!¡± Anthony¡¯s face became sullen and furious. Ashlyn is skilled andpetent even at such a young age. I fall right into her trap today! She must have anticipated that someone would secretly harm Mr. Chapman, so she installed an rm on Mr. Chapman beforehand. As he thought about this, his hatred toward Ashlyn intensified. Both Fiona and her daughter are equally disgusting! Meanwhile, Ashlyn¡¯s icy gaze was still on Anthony. This is just sick ¨C murdering one¡¯s own father for the family inheritance. Anthony did not utter a word. Then, Ashlyn sneered at him, ¡°Tell me. Do you know my mom?¡± Anthony remained silent as Ashlyn¡¯s domineering aura stunned him. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll have to make you talk then.¡± With a distant expression on her delicate face, she lowered her gaze idly and yelled, ¡°Take him to the police station.¡± When Anthony heard of the police station, he panicked and blurted out, ¡°Ashlyn, you bastard! Back then, your mom slept with somebody and got pregnant, so my dad kicked her out of the Chapman family! You¡¯re only an illegitimate child who has no father!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Ashlyn stepped forward, grabbed the cor of his shirt, and lifted him up. ¡°I don¡¯t have a father? Why did Mr. Chapman kick my mom out of the Chapman family?¡± She then threw him onto the floor. ¡°Exin!¡± Her overpowering aura sent chills down Anthony¡¯s spine. He quickly got up from the floor and rolled his eyes. ¡°I can exin, but you must let me go!¡± ¡°You have no right to negotiate with me.¡± Ashlyn stepped on Anthony¡¯s back and pushed him downward. Then he shrieked in agony, ¡°Arghhh! It hurts!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t wanna be injured, you¡¯d best exin it now!¡± Ashlyn¡¯s gaze darkened, making everyone shuddered in fear. She clenched her fists so tightly that her wrists bent slightly, revealing her porcin skin. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but submit to her dominance. Chapter 580 Chapter 580 Mother! Her mother had a family! Is my mother a Chapman? She couldn¡¯t believe it. Actually, she could hardly even breathe after what Anthony had said. ¡°Her name is Fiona, and she is the youngest daughter of the Chapman family. She is a genius and learns almost everything at a nce which others might take years. Her presence was a threat to others in the family because she was the apple of our parent¡¯s eye. Naturally, all the best things went to her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfair. She doesn¡¯t deserve it!¡± Anthony berated with his voice quivering. ¡°My mom¡­ Why did she marry Horace?¡± Ashlyn seemed a little confused. ¡°Your mon was epted to several universities at the age of fifteen, yet in the end, she went to Thompson University. She was only eighteen when she graduated with a double bachelor¡¯s degree. However, she came home that summer and told us she was pregnant.¡± Anthony¡¯s words caused a surge in Ashlyn¡¯s heart. She was shocked and could only murmur, ¡°And then what happened?¡± ¡°Your grandpa was an old-fashioned man. He was so angry and thought your mom had disgraced the family, so he kicked her out. But I¡¯m not sure what happened after that.¡± Anthony looked at Ashlyn and mocked, ¡°You¡¯re her illegitimate child without a father. Don¡¯t you dare be full of yourself. Where¡¯s your mom? Where is she? Is she dead?¡± ¡°Get lost. Get out of here now!¡± Ashlyn took a deep breath to calm herself down. ¡°Take him to the police!¡± The security guards immediately took the order and escorted Anthony away. The onlookers looked at Ashlyn with surprise, and some, in sympathy. It¡¯s hard to believe that Dr. Berry came from such aplicated family. The rich have many secrets indeed. However, no one dared to gossip in front of Ashlyn. Her strong aura and cold temperament were too terrifying. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn loosened her fists and looked into the direction of Mr. Chapman¡¯s ward, her eyes clouded and gloomy. I think it¡¯s time to have a talk with Mr. Chapman now. In the ward. Although Mr. Chapman was lying on the bed, he did not dare to fall asleep again. He heard noises from the corridor where Anthony was crying shrilly and the voice of Ashlyn forcing him. He could hear almost everything¡­ Although he had lived his whole life aboveboard and devoted himself for the sake of his family, he had never thought his children would fight for money and power during his old age. He recognized the man in ck as soon as he entered his ward. He is my son, whom I raised up. Even though he is wearing a mask and hat, I can still recognize him! Tears rolled down his cheeks the moment he saw his son. Why did Chapman family be like this? He never knew that his children were so jealous of Fiona. If Anthony did not bring it up today, he would probably be kept in the dark for the rest of his life. Is God punishing me for driving Fiona away? Is He punishing me for not forgiving her? But everything is toote now! My eldest son even wants to kill me! Mr. Chapman felt a sharp stabbing pain in his chest as he thought of that. The pain in his heart was more than a hundred times than what he felt on his body. Right then, the door of the ward was pushed open. A tall woman came in. She was beautiful and elegant, but she stared at Mr. Chapman nkly. ¡°Ashlyn..¡± Mr. Chapman said weakly. Ashlyn walked up slowly and gazed at Mr. Chapman, who was lying on the bed. Chapter 581 Chapter 581 Is he my grandpa? But why does he feel like a stranger to me? Was it because he was the one who kicked my mom out? Looking at the man in bed, she had mixed feelings about the whole issue. It took her a while before she finally muttered, ¡°Is my mom your daughter?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ she is,¡± nodded Mr. Chapman, ¡°and you should call me Grandpa.¡± ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t feel any sort of connection here,¡± scoffed Ashlyn. ¡°How¡¯s your mother? I wanted to ask you when I first saw you.¡± All Mr. Chapman wanted to know was about Fiona. ¡°My Dad told me she died in a car ident when I was eight years old,¡± Ashlyn said with her eyes close before she reopened them again. ¡°She¡¯s dead? How¡¯s that possible? She¡¯s so young and talented. How could she die? It¡¯s all my fault. I was heartless to drive her out.¡± Mr. Chapman wept silently. He was so weak on the bed and could only whine raspingly. ¡°Fiona¡­¡± ¡°Fiona¡­¡± He felt his heart clenched and could hardly breathe. Tears kept rolling down his cheeks as he wept. He cried like a lonely old man, who was mourning his last pain. ¡°Are you twenty-two this year?¡± Mr. Chapman wiped his tears and looked at Ashlyn with his teary eyes. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°Is your birthday in October?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. I don¡¯t know how your mom got pregnant. She didn¡¯t even tell us. I was so angry that I drove her out. I never thought that she would be so stubborn and left for good. Well, in the end, she still gave birth to you.¡± Mr. Chapman sighed before he continued, ¡°We¡¯ve been looking for her for so many years. But there was no news of her. We really don¡¯t get why she married your father.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and an extreme thought shed across her mind, ¡°So¡­ there is a chance that Horace is not my father?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s your biological father,¡± said Mr. Chapman, ¡°your Dad didn¡¯t deserve your mom at all.¡± Ashlyn felt her heart was beating fast. If Horace is not my father, then who is? Her mind went nk. Was my sister, who passed away with mom, Horace¡¯s daughter? She didn¡¯t dare to think further. It was as if she was stumped with a mind-boggling mystery. And no matter how hard she wanted to solve it, she couldn¡¯t. After that, when she walked out of the ward, it was already two o¡¯clock in the morning. Her mind was in a mess. Just when she was about to leave the ward, Mr. Chapman said again, ¡°In order to make up for you and your mom, I¡¯ve decided to leave the Chapman¡¯s family business to you.¡± Did Anthony know about this and wanted to kill Mr. Chapman for this? Is he involved in the car ident? Ashlyn had no idea. As soon as she came out of the ward, she saw a ck Bentley parked at the gate. Upon seeing her, the car window rolled down slowly and revealed a face of a handsome man. His icy look turned warm as soon as he saw Ashlyn. Ashlyn got into the car and sat down beside him, ¡°Why are you here?¡± When she left, she was careful not to wake him up. But still, he was awakened. ¡°To take you home.¡± Lucas went to and held her cold hand. He put her small hand into hisrge palm and held them tightly. Ashlyn was so tired, so she put her head on his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m a little tired. ¡°Then you should probably take a nap. I¡¯ll let you know when we reach home.¡± Lucas¡¯s low and deep voice was like mellow wine, richly indulging. Suddenly, the woman next to him raised her head and reached out her hands to sp his shoulders. Chapter 582 Chapter 582 In the next second, she pressed her endearing red lips on the man¡¯s soft, thin lips. It seemed that she could only use this way to calm herself and had a moment for herself. Her mind was in turmoil, and she wanted to vent out her frustration. On the other hand, Lucas seemed to have messed up his breathing as he was taken by surprise. His mind went nk as he stared at Ashlyn, who seldom made a move on him. His instinct told him that something bad had happened. Otherwise, she will not behave like this¡­ But he was still d that she took the initiative. In the next moment, he took the lead and kissed her back. Spencer, who was driving the car, lifted the partition board of the car immediately. In an instant, both Lucas and Ashlyn were kissing passionately at the back of the car. In the prison of Lake City. Ever since Horace was imprisoned, Mary and Penelope had been visiting him, but slowly after that, they disappeared. As for Ashlyn, she never visited him before. ¡°0285, someone is here for you.¡± A cold voice shouted along with the ttering sound of the iron door. Horace was sitting on the bed in the corner of his cell when he heard the prison guard. His mood was being lifted. It must be Mary and Penelope. He pulled down his crumpled prison uniform and was about tob his hair when he heard the impatient voice of the prison guard again. ¡°0285, hurry up. Someone is here for you.¡± The prison guard knocked on the iron door impatiently with frustration in his eyes. Horace did not dare to offend him, so he quickly followed him out. But when he saw the beautiful woman in the visiting room, his face darkened, ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± BANG! The iron door was snapped shut, which cut off all sounds from outside. Ashlyn was wearing a long blue skirt, which showed off her perfect hour-ss figure, and she was exceptionally eye-catching. She also wore a pair of white heels, and her long hair draped across her shoulders and onto her back. However, seeing Ashlyn, who looked so resplendent in her blue dress, Horace was not delighted at all. I thought it¡¯s Mary and Penelope. She¡¯s thest person I want to see. He was extremely displeased. Then, he sat down impatiently. ¡°Why are you here? Aren¡¯t you ashamed to have dress this way while your dad is suffering in a prison cell as such? Are you not going to bribe the guards for me to have a better life? Are you really my daughter?¡± He sounded aggressive and impatient when he spoke to her. However, Ashlyn looked at him nkly and watched his expression closely. ¡°Are you disappointed because it¡¯s not Mary?¡± Ashlyn asked coldly. ¡°No..¡± Horace did not dare to look her in the eyes. ¡°Tell me. What¡¯re you doing here?¡± ¡°Dad, please tell me¡­ How did mom die?¡± Horace¡¯s face was stiff, and he was caught a bit off guard. Why is she asking me about this now? He tried to calm himself, and suddenly, he mmed the table in front of him, ¡°How many times have I told you? She was killed in a car ident!¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Is that true? But I found out she was sold to a vige and married to an old bachelor?¡± Ashlyn stared at Horace angrily. ¡°Are you still not telling me the truth? Am I really your daughter? Grandpa said mom gave birth to me out of wedlock when she was eighteen.¡± Horace¡¯s face was a little pale when he heard her. He pursed his lips maliciously and said, ¡°So what? You are still my daughter, and I¡¯m the one who raised you! How dare you talk to me like this?¡± ¡°Ok, since you won¡¯t tell me. I¡¯m going to find out myself.¡± With that, Ashlyn stood up and came close to Horace. They were the ones left in the visiting room. With a sharp re, she reached out and pulled out several hairs from Horace¡¯s scalp. Chapter 583 Chapter 583 Horace was so frightened that he grabbed his head and bawled, ¡°What are you doing? Ashlyn, don¡¯t you daree any closer! This ce is full of prison guards. They¡¯lle after you if you try to hurt me in any way!¡± He felt a piercing pain on his scalp. He looked up to see that Ashlyn had wrenched a few strands of hair from his head. Horace¡¯s face grew even paler. ¡°Why are you doing that to my hair? Who do you think you are to pull my hair like that?¡± If this little wretch had already discovered the truth about what had happened all those years ago¡­ if she actually knew that she was¡­ The more Horace thought about it, the more suspicious he became. Who had instigated Ashlyn to investigate this? And why had she suddenly gained a grandfather on her maternal side? Horace couldn ¡¯t help but feel a little panicked. However, now that he was locked up in jail, there was nothing he could do about it. ¡°Dad, no matter how you treat me, I¡¯ll always regard you as my father. Only you know how biased you¡¯ve been towards Penelope all these years. Mary has cursed and beat me so many times, but you¡¯ve never uttered a word to stop her. Yet, here I was, wondering why you¡¯ve never loved me.¡± Ashlyn picked up her handbag and drew a deep breath. ¡°The paternity test results will tell me exactly why.¡± Judging by Horace¡¯s reaction, Ashlyn could already deduce the truth behind their rtionship. However, what she really wanted was some sort of evidence that would prove their non-paternity. With that in mind, her heart went cold as ice. Seeing that she was about to leave, Horace couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°Why haven¡¯t your stepmother and Penelope dropped by to visit me at all?¡± Ashlyn was dumbfounded. He was rotting miserably in jail, but all he could still think about were those two women. She turned around and gazed at Horace with contempt. Pausing deliberately between every word, she said, ¡°You probably don¡¯t know this, but the two of them have left the country. Nobody knows where they are.¡± Ashlyn couldn¡¯t care less about what those two vile women were up to. Thus, she refused to waste her time and energy searching for answers. ¡°What? Have they abandoned me?¡± Horace¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief and despair. ¡°How could that be?¡± Without another nce at her father, Ashlyn turned and left immediately. Horace had been in jail for quite some time, but he still regarded her with the same amount of indifference. It was obvious that he didn¡¯t see her as his daughter at all. With that, Ashlyn¡¯s heart dropped with a thud, and she felt her chest tightened as disappointment overwhelmed her. After leaving the prison, Ashlyn immediately sent samples of Horace¡¯s hair and her own to be tested by the Paternity Testing Center at First Hospital. The testing center informed her that, at the earliest, the results would be out at noon the next day. No matter how urgently she wanted to know the results, Ashlyn would have to wait. To be honest, it was an awful feeling. Her panic made her feel as though a cat was scratching at her heart with its ws. She had never realized how horrible it felt to y the waiting game. Ashlyn sat in her office by herself, massaging her temples to alleviate her headache. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, her phone rang. It was Jared who had called. ¡°Hey Boss, the Form One World Championship is about to begin. We¡¯re left with about four days until it starts. Our racing team has already been assembled, and it¡¯s up to you to decide who the company will field for the championship.¡± Ashlyn had been feeling very tired recently. Hence, no matter how healthy she was, it was impossible for anyone to keep their sanity after experiencing what she had gone through the past few days. Thus, she snapped a little impatiently as she was tired, ¡°Aren¡¯t you quite clear on what to do? Do I really have to make all the decisions for you?¡± ¡°But Boss¡­ I¡¯m quite worried about your health¡­¡± Jared was really concerned about Ashlyn since she had just recovered a while ago. The Form One World Championship was a huge deal. Preparing for it would take a huge toll on both her physical and mental health. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Ashlyn replied. ¡°Tell the racers to keep a healthier diet these few days and to avoid straining themselves during practice. We can¡¯t afford any injuries at this point.¡± ¡°Got it, Boss.¡± After joking around with Ashlyn for a while more, Jared finally hung up. A cold silence fell upon the office once again. Ashlyn put her head down on the table and drifted off to sleep. When she finally woke up, she found herself wrapped in a warm embrace. Blinking in confusion, she took in her surroundings and realized that she was in the office lounge. She turned to look at the man whose arm was draped protectively around her. He was reclining against the headboard, flipping leisurely through the magazine that was resting in hisp. Chapter 584 Chapter 584 Lucas? Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. When did he arrive? How incredibly dexterous was this man? How had he managed to slip his arm over my shoulders while I was asleep? And I didn¡¯t even notice it at all? On the other hand, how much do I trust him that I had let down my guardpletely around him? Ashlyn shook her head helplessly. Realizing that she was awake, Lucas snapped the magazine shut. Gazing at her with his pair of deep eyes, a look of adoration overcame Lucas¡¯s face. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°What brings you here?¡± Ashlyn found that the nap had rejuvenated herpletely. It was as though the life had finally seeped back into her veins. Looking at Lucas¡¯s handsome face had caused her anxieties to vanish into thin air. ¡°Do I need a reason to drop by and visit my wife at her office?¡± Lucas smiled. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± yfully, Ashlyn replied, ¡°Are you going to treat me to a meal?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s going to be my treat. I¡¯ll be treating you to meals for the rest of your life.¡± Lucas bent down and pecked Ashlyn on her lips. Ashlyn pushed him away, her face reddening. ¡°Oh, stop it.¡± Lucas¡¯s lips curved into a smile. Tilting her chin up and gazing at her with amusement, he said in a low voice, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to The Peacock for lunch?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Ashlyn sat up immediately. ¡°I¡¯ll have to wash up first, though.¡± The next day, there was a scene in the president¡¯s office at Nn Group. A man had turned up at the office. From the racing attire he was wearing, it was quite apparent that he hade directly from the racing track. He was incredibly handsome. With almond-shaped eyes that gave him a friendly look, the strip of dyed blue hair on his forehead only entuated the cynicism and carelessness with which he regarded life. As soon as Lucas walked into the room, the man stood up from the sofa and said, ¡°Lucas, you promised to help me find the God of Cars. Do you have any news about him yet?¡± ¡°It seems like he vanished without a trace.¡± Lucas frowned slightly. ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°After he won the World Championship a few years ago, he simply disappeared from the surface of the earth. Till now, nobody knows where he is,¡± Lucasmented, looking rather morose. ¡°No matter how much I practice, I can¡¯t seem to get my speed to go beyond 200 miles an hour.¡± Lucas walked up to the man and patted his shoulderfortingly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it. You¡¯re already our nation¡¯s ace! You shouldn¡¯t be putting so much pressure on yourself.¡± Nathan Cartier was the team captain of Nn Group¡¯s racing club. He was very talented at the sport, and his extraordinary skills had won him the title of reigning National Champion for the past few years. Thus, he had naturally been chosen to lead Nn Group¡¯s racing team at this year¡¯s Form One World Championship. Nathan sighed miserably. ¡°Still,pared to the God of Cars, I¡¯m still a nobody. Two years ago, he suddenly reappeared on the racing scene. Unfortunately, he only participates in underground racing contests. Those who have watched him race say that his highest speed is 916 miles an hour. Although I¡¯ve never seen him, he¡¯s acknowledged as a god by everyone in the underground racing scene. If I get him to help us out, we¡¯ll be able to beat racer Ionia from Maredania, who averages 416 miles an hour for most of his races.¡± Lucas picked up a cup of coffee from his table and took a long sip from it. The Form One World Championship was about to begin very soon, but his team leader ¨C the nation¡¯s ace himself¡ªwasn¡¯t confident about the team¡¯s ability to win. This was not a good sign. Just then, someone knocked loudly on the door. Spencer entered the room in a flurry. He then walked briskly over to Lucas and whispered something into his ear. Meanwhile, Nathan watched as Lucas narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°Tell her toe in.¡± ¡°Should I leave first?¡± Thinking that an important guest had dropped by to visit Lucas, Nathan stood up to leave. However, Lucas stopped him from leaving. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You¡¯re quite familiar with her.¡± Just then, a clear female voice sounded from the doorway, ¡°Mr. Nn.¡± Nathan couldn¡¯t help but nce at the doorway to see who the visitor was. A woman was standing at the door, d in a bright yellow racing outfit with her hands sped tightly around a helmet of the same blinding shade. When he finally got a good look at her face, Nathan¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Carmen Chadwick? Why have you returned?¡± Chapter 585 Chapter 585 ¡°To bring glory to Nn Group, of course!¡± Carmen smiled cheerfully. The racing suit hugged her body in the right ces and showed off her beautiful figure. Her radiant face, coupled with her mane of long, shiny hair, made her look extremely alluring. Nathan couldn¡¯t help but hug her tightly. ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve managed to bring your speed up to 430 miles an hour. It¡¯s great to have you back on our team!¡± ¡°I only managed to do that once! It doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll be able to reach 430 miles an hour in every single race.¡± Carmenughed, looking very sexy as she did. However, there was a hint of pride in her voice. Carmen held the record for the fastest racing speed in the country. For thest few years, she had been racing with another team overseas. However, she had received news that Nn Group was participating in an internationalpetition. Immediately, her mind had jumped to Lucas¡¯s cold, beautiful face, and his powerful position in society. This was an excellent chance for her to get close to him, and she wasn¡¯t going to pass it up. She was the fastest racer in the entire country, after all! Only a woman like her could befit a man like him. Letting go of Nathan, Carmen made her way over to Lucas and said with a brilliant smile, ¡°Mr. Nn, aren¡¯t you happy to see me?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m happy to see you. Thank you for offering to help us during our hour of need,¡± Lucas replied politely. ¡°Please have a seat. Regarding your participation in this race, if you have any conditions you¡¯d like us to fulfill, please feel free to mention them.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Just give me the same treatment as you extend to Mr. Cartier here.¡± Carmen continued to sh her brilliant smile at him. She believed firmly that, with time, she would be able to make Lucas fall in love with her. Meanwhile, Ashlyn was busy ¨C very busy. However, when the afternoon rolled around, she still took the time off to drop by Mr. Chapman¡¯s for a visit. Mr. Chapman was well on his way to recovery. In fact, he already looked much better than he did yesterday. When he saw Ashlyn, Mr. Chapman stretched an arm out to her and croaked, ¡°My¡­ child.¡± ¡°Your body is still very weak, so there¡¯s no need for you to greet me.¡± Ashlyn dragged a chair over and sat down by his bedside. She surveyed the old man rather coolly. To this day, she still couldn¡¯t believe that her mother was a member of the Chapman family. None of Mr. Chapman¡¯s features resembled her mother¡¯s at all. ¡°I-is my mother really from the Chapman family?¡± Ashlyn felt a little doubtful. The emotions swirling within her were soplicated that she couldn¡¯t put them into words. ¡°I¡­¡± Just as Mr. Chapman began to say something, the door swung open, and a nurse stepped into the room. She was holding an envelope in her hand. ¡°Dr. Berry, the results of your paternity test is out.¡± Ashlyn felt her heart skip a beat. Standing up abruptly, she took the envelope from the nurse. This was the moment she had been looking forward to. However, with the results right before her, she felt a little hesitant to look at them. She was rarely afraid of anything, but she truly felt afraid now. However¡­ Taking a deep breath, Ashlyn ripped off the seal on the envelope containing the test results. Flipping through the rest of the pages, she quickly arrived at thest page. When she saw the results printed at the bottom of the page, she froze in shock. Although she already had an inkling about what the results would be, having the results stare at her in the face felt horrible. ¡®Non-kinship¡¯. ¡®Non-kinship¡¯! She truly wasn¡¯t Horace¡¯s biological daughter at all. So it was as she had feared. Suddenly, everything seemed so clear now. Ashlyn finally understood why Horace had mistreated, taken advantage of, hated, and neglected her on so many counts. Well, if I¡¯m not Horace¡¯s biological daughter, then what about grandma? Did she know about this, too? Ashlyn stuffed the documents back into the envelope. After that, she bid Mr. Chapman farewell and left in a hurry. There was one thing she had to do now. She had to find her grandma and demand an exnation from her. Her grandmother, Susan, had been discharged from the hospital a while ago. Now, she stayed in one of Horace¡¯s old houses. She was the only person staying in therge house. If it hadn¡¯t been for the nurse who apanied her and chatted with her on a daily basis, Susan would¡¯ve given up on life much sooner. As she busied herself by peeling garlic in the living room, she heard the front door open and then shut. Looking up, she saw Ashlyn walk into the room. The girl¡¯s face was deathly pale, and her expression was as cold as the frost of early winter. The look she shot towards her grandmother was both foreign and familiar. Susan¡¯s heart ached a little for her granddaughter. Smiling at her good-naturedly, she said, ¡°Ashlyn, you¡¯re here!¡± Chapter 586 Chapter 586 ¡°Grandma, can I ask you something?¡± Ashlyn approached Susan with a document in her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger dear. What¡¯s wrong? What do you want to know?¡± Susan responded without looking up as she was busy peeling garlic. Ashlyn stared at her intently and inquired, ¡°Are you aware that I¡¯m not my father¡¯s biological daughter?¡± Susan dropped the garlic in her hands as panic shed across her eyes. She quickly picked up the peeled garlic and asked, ¡°Ashlyn, what are you babbling about? How can you not be your father¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°Grandma, this is the result of the paternity test between my father and I. It shows that we are not rted.¡± Ashlyn held up the document pouch. Her heart sank as she stared at Susan. Nothing was more painful in this world than being lied to by your loved ones. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Grandma, how did my mom die? How long do you want to keep that from me?¡± ¡°Your mom was killed in a car ident.¡± Susan didn¡¯t expect Ashlyn to do a paternity test. So what if you know you¡¯re not Horace¡¯s biological daughter? Your mom has been dead for so many years, so it¡¯s not like you can ask her anything. ¡°Ever since I was young, I have always treated you with respect. I shared everything I have with you. I have deposited roughly fifty million into your bank ount already ever since I joined the workforce. Also, do you know who beat up the vige bully that gave you trouble? It was me! Grandma! Have you forgotten how we only had each other while we were living in the vige?¡± When Susan heard Ashlyn¡¯sints, she looked away awkwardly. ¡°I didn¡¯t forget, Ashlyn. My love for you is real. It¡¯s just that, I really don¡¯t know much about the matters rted to your mom. Even though you¡¯re not a biological member of the Berry family, I still love you all the same. However¡­ you will have to decide whether you still want to acknowledge me as your Grandma. I¡¯m fine with whatever your decision is.¡± Susan felt miserable. ¡°I really don¡¯t know how did our family end up like this. Your dad is in prison, while Mary and her daughter ran away. Meanwhile, you¡¯re are not Horace¡¯s biological daughter. Oh! What did I do to deserve this?¡± Just as she spoke, she broke down in tears. ¡°No matter what, the Berry family has taken care of you for so many years. It¡¯s heartbreaking enough that you are not appreciative of my effort, but now here you are questioning me? Your dad is in prison and yet you don¡¯t care about him. I¡¯m just an olddy, what more do you want from me? Do you still have a conscience? After spending so many years bringing you up, have you repaid me? Now that I¡¯m alone, who can I me? You, of course! I shouldn¡¯t have taken you in. I should have let you die together with your mom and your sister instead.¡± Ashlyn was taken aback. Her heart ached as she felt as if she was looking at a stranger. How did the person I know best and am closest to feel so distant? Why did matters turn out this way? She felt an overwhelming pain that numbed her heart. How can Grandma say something so harsh? Is my rtionship with Grandma so weak that it can¡¯t ovee the fact that we are not rted by blood? She didn¡¯t know how she walked out of the Berry Residence. As she wandered along the road aimlessly, it began to drizzle. The raindrops that fell onto her body felt cold. At Whind Vi. Lucas was taking a bath. When ire heard the sound of the shower from the bathroom, she tiptoed into the bedroom and checked Lucas¡¯ phone on the bedside table. After trying a fewbinations, she still couldn¡¯t unlock it. However, she wasn¡¯t at wit¡¯s end just yet. With a devious smile, she quickly made short work of the phone and unlocked it easily. As a member of the research team at Nn Group¡¯sb, unlocking a phone screen was considered an easy task. She quickly searched for the phone number tagged under ¡°Honey¡± and saved it down. After that, she put his phone back to where she found it. When everything waspleted, she quietly left the room. Chapter 587 Chapter 587 When Ashlyn returned to Bayview Vi drenched in the rain, an unknown number called. After ncing at the screen, she didn¡¯t pick up. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. However, the caller called again and again. Finally, Ashlyn answered with a cold ¡°hello¡±. ¡°Is this Ms. Berry?¡± ire¡¯s gentle voice was heard, ¡°I would like to see you.¡± ire was Lucas¡¯ elder sister hence Ashlyn agreed to meet her after a slight hesitation. However, she didn¡¯t know what ire wanted with her. Meanwhile, ire chose a secluded caf¨¦ for them to meet. Ashlyn was dressed in a white sweater and a pair of matching ck jeans before she headed to the caf¨¦. By the time she arrived, ire was already waiting for her. She was sitting there, stirring her coffeenguidly with a spoon. However, as she had heart problems, her face looked pale under the lights. When she saw Ashlyn walking over, she raised her head and smiled. Her smile was as gentle as her facial features. ¡°Ms. Berry, you¡¯re here. Please have a seat.¡± Unabashed, Ashlyn sat directly opposite ire. ¡°What do you like to have? Is coffee alright?¡± ¡°Lemonade will do,¡± Ashlyn inly replied. ire waved for a waiter and ordered a ss of lemonade for her. ¡°ire, is there anything you would like to discuss?¡± As Ashlyn looked at thedy sitting opposite her, she could see that ire was beautiful but had a gentle yet sickly aura to her. Her appearance could easily elicit sympathy and anyone who saw her would feel the urge to protect her. After staring at Ashlyn for a while in silence, ire slowly said, ¡°Ms. Berry, can you let me have Lucas?¡± Ashlyn furrowed her eyebrows in shock. Squinting her eyes, she asked, ¡°ire, what are you trying to say? I don¡¯t get what you mean.¡± ¡°The doctor said that I may have only a few more months to live as my heart condition is getting worse. However, I still can¡¯t find a suitable heart for a transnt.¡± ire¡¯s gaze wasn¡¯t resentful nor nasty, instead, it was piteous. ¡°I know you¡¯re a good person and you are in good health. Also, Lucas and you love each other. Therefore, I know I shouldn¡¯t make such an outrageous request. But, I¡¯m going to die soon. So, can you please have some pity on me?¡± She paused for a bit before continuing, ¡°Lucas and I grew up together while Grace has already left us. Grace and I shared a dream of spending our lives together with Lucas. But, fate has unfortunately been unkind to us. My body is weak, therefore I have to stay with my parents. However, Lucas and I were supposed to be together. But, I didn¡¯t expect for you to appear by his side.¡± Ashlyn stared at the tearing ire in shock. It took a while for her to regain herposure. ¡°Ms. Nn, you and Lucas are siblings! How can you be together?¡± Wiping off her tears, ire smirked, ¡°It seems like you are not aware that Lucas is not rted to the Nn family by blood. He was adopted by my parents.¡± Yesterday, she learned that she wasn¡¯t Horace¡¯s biological daughter. And now, she found out that Lucas was an adopted child of the Nn family. Ashlyn felt it was simply too much for her brain to process. Does this mean, ire has fallen in love with her adopted brother? But, how can love ever be forced? Lucas obviously only sees her as a sister. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Nn. I can¡¯t ede to your request. I do not want to be separated from Lucas. Besides, he is not an object to be given away just like that. He is a human being and I need to respect that. Anyway, he only treats you as his sister, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Hearing Ashlyn¡¯s answer, ire¡¯s expression changed. With her eyes filled with tears, she suddenly grabbed Ashlyn¡¯s hand. Chapter 588 Chapter 588 Then, in the face of Ashlyn¡¯s surprised expression, she dropped to her knees. ¡°Ms. Berry, initially, I didn¡¯t n on interfering with you and Lucas. But, I am just too pathetic. I¡¯m really going to die as my heart condition is so serious that there isn¡¯t a chance to treat it anymore. You can meet someone better in the future but unlike you¡­ I only have Lucas.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn was shocked at ire¡¯s sudden reaction. As she tried to help ire stand up, she heard her say, ¡°If you don¡¯t promise me, I will not get up for the rest of my life. I will kneel till you agree to my request.¡± ¡°Ms. Nn, have you been watching too many soap operas?¡± On the ount of Lucas, Ashlyn patiently replied, ¡°I suggest you read some books when you¡¯re bored.¡± ¡°Besides, if Lucas chooses you, I will leave immediately. Therefore, Lucas is the one you should be talking to instead of pleading with me here. You¡¯re begging the wrong person.¡± At that moment, ire realized how cold and stubborn Ashlyn was. She had run out of tricks. This woman is just as cold-blooded as ever. She became extremely upset. ¡°Ms. Berry, you¡¯re really cruel to force me to stay on my knees.¡± ¡°I sympathize with you for having a heart condition. I can also help you to look for a doctor. As for other things, I can¡¯t help you even though I would love to.¡± Ashlyn was already in a foul mood recently. Meeting a lunatic like ire only made matters worse. Grabbing her bag from the table, she walked past the kneeling ire and headed for the exit. ¡°Stay kneeling as long as you want to. I want to see how long you can keep it up without me as an audience.¡± Meanwhile, Lucas had just finished a meeting and was leaving the meeting room when his phone rang. It was ire¡¯s number. ¡°May I know if this is Mr. Nn?¡± Lucas frowned as he heard the unfamiliar voice. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a doctor from the First Hospital. Something has happened to Ms. Nn. So, pleasee at once.¡± As Lucas tightened his grip on his phone, his tone became grim. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Ms. Nn had a sudden heart attack and it¡¯s very serious. Her life is in danger and we are doing our best to save her now.¡± Realizing something was wrong, Spencer was about to ask what it was before Lucas cut him off, ¡°We have to go to the First Hospital at once.¡± In the ward. ire was in the ICU being hooked up to life support, hanging by a thread. Lucas barged in like a madman. ¡°ire, what happened?¡± As he held ire¡¯s hand, he could feel the warmth in her slowly dissipate. No matter how hard he tried, it felt as if the God of Death was winning. Meanwhile, ir and Naomi arrived after hearing the news. ¡°ire!¡± When both of them saw their sister whom they had not seen in a while lying lifelessly on the bed, their eyes couldn¡¯t help but redden. ire¡¯s time was obviously running out. Lucas¡¯ eyes too were bloodshot. ¡°ire, I¡¯m still looking for apatible heart for you. Please give me a little more time. I¡¯m sure I can find it.¡± ire shook her head as she replied in a feeble voice, ¡°It¡¯s toote for me.¡± Her eyes had lost their sparkle. When she tried to lift her pale hands to touch his cheeks, she realized she was too weak to do so. ¡°Lucas¡­¡± She muttered as tears rolled down her cheeks. ¡°Lucas, I-I love you.¡± Her tears continued to flow. ¡°In another life, will you love me back?¡± Lucas looked at her in shock. ¡°ire!¡± ¡°Lucas¡­ promise me. Promise me that you will break up with Ashlyn. Promise me! If you don¡¯t, I will not die in peace!¡± Lucas tightened his grip on ire¡¯s hand. ¡°ire, how can you say something like this?¡± ire didn¡¯t seem to hear him as her listless eyes were filled with despair. ¡°I hate her¡­ I hate her for stealing you away. Just take it as I am begging you. Don¡¯t be together with her, alright? She is the one who did this to me¡­ do you really want to be together with my killer?¡± Chapter 589 Chapter 589 Suddenly, Lucas felt as if an invisible pair of hands were strangling him by the throat. As he began to palpitate, his breathing hastened. He looked at ire in disbelief. ¡°Ashlyn won¡¯t harm you. She definitely won¡¯t!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you believe me? I¡¯m at my deathbed, so why would I nder her?¡± ire¡¯s breathing suddenly became rapid. ¡°Avenge me! Lucas!¡± With that, her eyes widened in shock before her hands fell limp. Lucas¡¯ heart sank. ¡°ire, don¡¯t worry, I will avenge you.¡± I¡¯ll seek out your enemy, but it definitely isn¡¯t Ashlyn. Meanwhile, after leaving the private room, Ashlyn began to worry as ire was someone who had a serious heart condition. If something happened to her, it would be difficult for her to exin herself. After driving for some distance, she turned her car around. When she arrived at the caf¨¦¡¯s entrance, she saw an ambnce elerating away. Ashlyn was shocked. Winding down her car window, she asked one of the waiters who was still outside, ¡°Is someone hurt?¡± ¡°Ady had a heart attack. Luckily, the First Hospital is nearby though I¡¯m not sure if she can be saved.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s heart sank. Flooring the elerator, she drove in the direction of where the ambnce was heading. She quickly found out from her colleagues in the hospital which ICU ire was in and headed there immediately. Just when she arrived, she overheard what Lucas said to ire. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Frowning, all she could feel was a chill down her spine. Did I trigger ire¡¯s heart attack when I didn¡¯t promise to break up with Lucas? Meanwhile, she could clearly hear the cries of anguish from Naomi and ir. Lucas suppressed his emotions but his reddened eyes betrayed what he was feeling. ire¡­ Another sister left him and yet there was nothing he could do to save her. As the doctor came forward to check ire¡¯s pulse, he reported solemnly, ¡°Ms. Nn is no longer with us.¡± She¡¯s gone¡­ Her life had barely just begun. She was young, talented, and a promising researcher¡­ She had just returned from overseas and to the Nn family. Lucas stood frozen. He felt as if his heart was struck by a sledgehammer as darkness covered his eyes. For a long while, he didn¡¯t dare to breath. What he took in didn¡¯t feel like air, it felt like thousands of sharp arrows had pierced through his body. It was so painful that his whole body trembled. Enduring the pain, he couldn¡¯t help but close his eyes as his lips turned pale. Naomi and ir are still young. I have to keep it together for their sake. He slowly reached out his hand and held ire¡¯s cheeks which were gradually turning cold. Despite his reddened eyes, there was no sign of tears. At that moment, Ashlyn was standing at the door. She hated this kind of scene. How could ire die just like that? She felt as if she was caught in an invisible giant web. There was no way she could escape. When we met up earlier, ire looked emotional but wasrgely calm. After some time, a nurse arrived and pushed ire out towards the morgue. Naomi and ir ran out in tears and were stunned to see Ashlyn there. As if they saw a pir to lean on, both of them threw themselves at her. ¡°Ashlyn, ire is gone! We only have Lucas and you left.¡± As she awkwardly hugged the both of them, her mind was in a chaos. Lucas had previously announced to the public that he was Naomi and ir¡¯s step-brother from a different mother. But now, it appeared that he wasn¡¯t even a Nn at all. Where did hee from? Why did ire die so suddenly? When she had a heart attack a few days ago, didn¡¯t the doctor say that she would be fine after getting some rest? Her brain was in a mess. Meanwhile, Lucas walked towards her with heavy footsteps. Chapter 590 Chapter 590 With his lips pursed, his usually cold expression appeared frostier with his bloodshot eyes. When his gaze fell upon Ashlyn, he stared at her coldly as if she was a stranger. Ashlyn was jolted in response. Did he believe ire when she told him I was responsible for her death? ¡°When we returned from Paris, I promised my parents that I would take good care of her. I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡± Lucas couldn¡¯t continue his sentence. Just when Ashlyn wanted to hug him, he had already pulled her into his arms. He muttered softly, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid¡­ don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Feeling a bitterness in her throat, she was surprised to see him console her even at such a moment. Since when was I, Ashlyn Berry, ever afraid? She gritted her teeth. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± With that, she turned to leave. She initially wanted to exin what happened at the caf¨¦. But, she felt that it would only make things worse. Hence, it was better for him to calm down first before they talked. Nevertheless, she felt that there was more to the matter than it met the eyes as ire¡¯s sudden death didn¡¯t seem to be just an ident. As Lucas watched Ashlyn¡¯s silhouette disappear, his resolve strengthened. Now that ire is gone, I will have to protect my Honey! I must clear her name. Despite his solemn expression, his feelings for Ashlyn never wavered. Not now, not ever. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. After that, he headed towards the hospital¡¯s office. ¡°Is the autopsy report out?¡± ¡°The preliminary report is out. Ms. Nn had a heart attack after being emotionally triggered. However, for more details, we will need further investigation,¡± the doctor quickly replied when he saw Lucas¡¯ intimidating presence. Lucas didn¡¯t say anything and left. In the dead of the night, a private jet slowlynded. Around ten bodyguards exited from the ne. Finally, a middle-aged couple emerged. The man had a cold and fearsome demeanor while thedy beside him was expressionless. The man coldly instructed, ¡°To the hospital.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± With the bodyguards leading the way, they entered a Lincoln Limousine that was already waiting. The ck Lincoln sped furiously to the hospital and arrived in half an hour. Franklin wore a ck jacket as he stood in front of Lucas. ¡°Dad¡­¡± Lucas had only begun to spoke when a heavy pnded on his cheek. With a terrifying expression, Franklin¡¯s gaze looked like it belonged to a demon that had just crawled out of hell. ¡°Lucas, is this how you care for my daughter? Grace is dead because of you and now ire. What did the Nn family ever do to you for you to take my daughters¡¯ lives? No matter what, we were the ones who brought you up. Is this how you repay me?¡± Franklin was filled with rage as he berated Lucas harshly. Lucas lowered his head and squinted his eyes but couldn¡¯t even utter a word. ¡°When you were chased out by that person, it was me who brought you back to the Nn family and took care of you. Do you know how ire died? It was your woman that did her in!¡± As Franklin raised his hands, a bodyguard handed him some pictures. Holding the pictures, he then threw them forcefully at Lucas, causing grazes on his face. ¡°Look closely! My daughter was kneeling in front of your woman. Did she deserve the kind of treatment? What right does your woman have to treat her that way?¡± Franklin red coldly at Lucas. When Lucas saw the pictures, his eyes narrowed. Impossible! Word by word, he dered, ¡°There must be someone else involved. My woman would never do such a thing. Even if the whole world says that she did it, I won¡¯t believe it. I only trust her.¡± ¡°She is the one who caused your sister¡¯s death. Lucas, I¡¯ll be clear with you. She is now my daughter¡¯s killer. If you value her life, you should break up with her. Or else, I can¡¯t guarantee what I will do to her.¡± Chapter 591 Chapter 591 Franklin red at Lucas insidiously as he kicked Lucas on his chest. Coincidentally, he caught the wound which Lucas incurred when he saved Ashlyn. The wound which was healing burst open and his ck shirt was drenched in blood. ¡°Break up with her or let her die. Choose one!¡± Lucas endured the excruciating pain from his open wound as he looked at Franklin. ¡°I will find out who the real killer is. Just give me some time.¡± Franklin sneered in a deviously cold manner and his eyes became delirious. ¡°It seems that you have chosen for her to die.¡± Livia remained silent as she enjoyed watching men being manipted. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Reaching out to restrain Franklin¡¯s hand, she had an insidious look on her face. ¡°Franklin, you¡¯re being too heavy-handed. It isn¡¯t a good idea to do this to your son, is it?¡± ¡°Livia, don¡¯t you want to avenge our daughter?¡± Franklin scooped Livia¡¯s waist as he gave her a peck. ¡°Lucas, I¡¯ll give you one day to consider. It¡¯s either you break up with her or she dies!¡± With that, Franklin headed to the morgue with Livia in tow. ire¡¯s body was kept there. Meanwhile, Ashlyn felt restless as if something terrible was about to happen. After returning to Bayview Vi, she could hardly rest the whole night. Her mind was filled with images of ire begging her on her knees. When she woke up feeling distraught, she realized it was already daybreak. Letting out a long sigh, she still felt disturbed. Was ire¡¯s heart attack triggered by the shock? She had the feeling that there was more to the incident. Did I really cause ire¡¯s death? After taking a bath while feeling frustrated, Ashlyn headed downstairs and paced around the living hall. When they heard her, Jared along with Harrison and Anderson came out. Ashlyn simply felt worse when she saw them looking as if they had something to say. ¡°What¡¯s with the look? If you have the time to stare at me, why don¡¯t you use it to investigate the incident instead?¡± As she sat on the sofa feeling troubled, she started to check her phone. Jared stood in front of her. ¡°Stop checking it. It will just make you angrier.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ashlyn was puzzled. ¡°The inte is filled with videos of you,¡± Jared exined gravely. ¡°The brothers and I have been working on it the whole night. No matter how much we tried to suppress them, arge volume of videos would quickly resurface.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s fingers froze when she heard him. Checking her phone, she saw the video show her grabbing her bag to leave while ignoring ire. Meanwhile, ire was kneeling with her back facing the entrance, hence her face couldn¡¯t be seen. However, the moment she left the room, ire copsed onto the ground. The video zoomed in to focus on the scene where she left coldly. Her face was clearly shown and it didn¡¯t help that she was an inte celebrity. Therefore, the video had gone viral with manyizens condemning her. I heard thedy on her knees had died. My God, she is so pitiful. Ashlyn has finally been exposed. Good grief, I¡¯m her fan. I didn¡¯t know she was such a cruel person in private. I¡¯m cklisting her. I hate Ashlyn now. How can she be so shameless and cruel. She is a killer. It was her who killed the poordy. She needs to be imprisoned and sent to hell. My best friend says that thedy is the eldest daughter of the Nn family. Ashlyn was devastated at that moment and she felt as if her chest was blown into pieces. They are using me of being a murderer. It¡¯s really unfair. ¡°Suppress it. Just continue suppressing it. Are all our subordinates ipetent? Why is it so difficult for them to manage something like that?¡± Just as she spoke, a tall man stepped into Bayview Vi. He became a lot more haggard just over one night. Chapter 592 Chapter 592 There was even a stubble on his chin. Ashlyn was shocked as she jumped up from the sofa and approached him. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Only then she realized there was an unfamiliar man behind Lucas and it wasn¡¯t Spencer. The stranger was expressionless and had an intimidating vibe. So much so that Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help but give the man another look. Meanwhile, Lucas stared at her intently, as if he wanted to hug her tight. His heart was in immense pain and yet he had no idea what to do. Franklin was a mad man and was capable of anything. No matter how strong Lucas was, he was no match for Franklin still. Hence, he felt his nose burn at that moment. All he wanted to do now was to hug Ashlyn and tell her, ¡°Honey, I believe you. I really do.¡± However, he had no right to do so. He felt as if someone had punched through a hole in his heart. As it throbbed in pain, every breath he took only hurt him more. He had seen the outrage on the inte and knew that it was just a warning from Franklin. The warning felt like a knife that pierced his heart, causing blood to overflow. It hurt so much that every fiber of his body was in excruciating pain, suffocating him at the same time. He couldn¡¯t help but close his eyes and stand there with his pale lips. Finally, he failed to control his emotions as he rushed to hug her. Hugging her with his trembling hands, his legs were about to buckle as they could no longer support his own weight. His eyes were bloodshot and looked as if he lost the will to move forward. He silently hugged her and wished the world would just stop at that very moment. He was indebted to the Nn family for taking him in and caring for him. Charles Nn had brought him up while Franklin and his wife left the Nn Group to him. Meanwhile, Grace had died because of him and now the same happened to ire. He wasn¡¯t able to do anything to Franklin but he could still choose to protect his woman. Before Ashlyn could say anything, Lucas released her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s break up.¡± The moment he said that, his pain was further elevated. With his heart was already bleeding, his gaze looked as if he was carrying the weight of the world¡¯s sadness. His baby; his precious baby. He had no choice but to push her away now. Keeping her by his side would simply be more dangerous for her. Nevertheless, he wanted to get to the bottom of how ire died. The only thing he could do now was to keep Franklin away from Ashlyn for the time being until he could clear her name. If Franklin were angered, Lucas wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the consequences. He didn¡¯t mind if anything befell him but he couldn¡¯t ept it if anything were to happen to Ashlyn. His priority was to keep Franklin away. Feeling suffocated, Ashlyn clenched her fists and sneered, ¡°It seems that you believe the videos on the inte?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Ashlyn stared at him with a pale expression as she was unconvinced. Lucas reached out his hand to stroke her hair. ¡°However, she is still my sister and she was with you before she died. Therefore, you and I¡­ are destined to be separated.¡± ¡°In the end, you still don¡¯t trust me,¡± Ashlyn scoffed. ¡°Out! Get out of my house!¡± Lucas then gave her a reluctant look. Regardless of whether she believed in his own words, he definitely believed in her. Honey, I¡¯m sorry. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. He was worried if he took another nce at her, he would be reluctant to leave and may end up not doing so. Closing his eyes, he turned and headed for the door. Meanwhile, the stranger¡¯s eyes seemed to sh with triumph as he followed Lucas out. ¡°Lucas, what kind of man are you! You¡¯re just a big bully!¡± At that moment, her three subordinates rushed forward to beat up Lucas but she stopped them. Watching his silhouette disappear into the dawn, she muttered, ¡°Let him go.¡± The three of them looked at her in sympathy. ¡°Boss¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s just another man.¡± She felt a pang in her heart. Chapter 593 Chapter 593 She took a deep breath. ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep a winkst night. I¡¯m so tired.¡± Just as she spoke, she headed back to her room. mming her door close, it was like she had shut out the world. She forced herself to look at the incident objectively. ire is his sister, but¡­ everything seems so strange. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. She knew this was not the time to be flustered as she needed to prove her innocence. Lucas, I will show you the truth. At ire¡¯s funeral. Carmen was wearing a full-length ck dress as she stood crying in front of ire¡¯s portrait. She cried so tragically that her eyes were all puffy and swollen. ¡°Mr. Nn, I really don¡¯t know what happened. Just before she came back, she met up with me and we chatted happily. She even called to invite me to help out at Nn Group. She was my best friend for many years. I really didn¡¯t expect her to leave me so suddenly.¡± Carmen was devastated. ¡°You have to avenge her. Thatdy called Ashlyn is just too cruel. How can she bring herself to hurt ire?¡± As she seemed like she was going to faint anytime, Nathan quickly supported her. ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself as the world championship is in two days. If you are not at your best, how are you going to win?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood topete¡­¡± Carmen shook her head in anguish. ¡°She is your best friend so I¡¯m sure she definitely wants you to win.¡± Nathan consoled Carmen as he patted her on the back. ¡°Nathan, thank you.¡± Carmen epted a tissue given by a maid and gently wiped her tears. She was a beautifuldy. Even when she cried, she looked especially vulnerable, causing Nathan to have his heartstrings tugged. He secretly had a crush on Carmen since a long time ago and she was a goddess to him all this while. A woman that could drive faster than him simply caused him to admire and worship her. ¡°Nathan is right. You have to stay strong.¡± Lucas¡¯ stern voice was hoarse. ¡°Nathan, take Ms. Chadwick to rest.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ashlyn stood alone outside the funeral as she observed Lucas¡¯ silhouette from afar and the unfamiliar woman beside him. He was always surrounded by many different women. She no longer knew what to think other than the fact that she was hurting really badly. Why can¡¯t I let go¡­ I am so disgusted. If I had known earlier, I shouldn¡¯t have let down my guard. As Ashlyn closed her eyes, she tried her best to suppress the pain she was feeling. At that moment, a Lincoln Limousine stopped in front of her. Opening her eyes, she saw a middle-aged couple inside the car. The man¡¯s expression was cold and looked at her with an insidious gaze. As his lips moved into a frightening sneer, his voice sounded like it came from hell itself, ¡°Ashlyn, you killed my daughter. I will make you pay.¡± At the same time, thedy looked scornfully at her. ¡°How dare a murderer attend my daughter¡¯s funeral. Men, chase her away!¡± They were Lucas¡¯ adopted parents. As Ashlyn scrutinized the unfamiliar couple, she realized that the vibe they emitted made her feel nauseous. Lifting her chin up, she eximed, ¡°I¡¯ll leave by myself.¡± As Franklin stared at Ashlyn¡¯s silhouette, he let out a sneer, ¡°Ha¡­¡± ¡°Dear, let¡¯s go in.¡± Livia tugged at his arms. ¡°Alright.¡± When Ashlyn returned to Bayview Vi, she saw her subordinates crowding in the living hall excitedly. ¡°My god! Carmen Chadwick is my goddess! She is now back and will represent the Nn Group in the world championships.¡± ¡°I heard she isn¡¯t just a professional car racer, but also one of the few who could drive faster than 400km per hour. That¡¯s even faster than some of the famous foreign drivers. For ady to drive race cars at such high speeds, it¡¯s really impressive.¡± Chapter 594 Chapter 594 Harrison ran over to Ashlyn and showed her his phone. ¡°Ashlyn, look at my goddess! She¡¯s amazing, right?¡± At the same time, Jared got down from upstairs. He felt pity for Harrison when he saw thetter unting his ¡®goddess¡¯ to Ashlyn. He scoffed, ¡°You think your goddess is the only person joining the F1 World Championship at Pearlville? Centennial Healthcare is joining the championship too! Why are you not rooting for us instead, huh?¡± Harrison grunted, ¡°Well, maybe it¡¯s because I know my goddess is definitely going to win? Duh.¡± Ashlyn was not in the mood to listen to them quibble. Still, she nced at Harrison¡¯s phone out of curiosity. When she saw the female racer dressed in a yellow overall, she froze. It¡¯s her! That woman I saw standing next to Lucas at the funeral! She¡¯s a car racer? ¡°Boss! You haven¡¯t replied to me yet! Is my goddess amazing? Tell me!¡± Harrison nagged at Ashlyn in a childish tone. He knew Ashlyn was downhearted and was trying to distract her from her thoughts. Jared shook his head with even more pity seeing Harrison in that sorry state, trying so desperately to cheer up Ashlyn with his ¡®goddess¡¯. Tsk tsk tsk. Ashlyn nodded perfunctorily and muttered, ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Yay! Even Boss approves of my goddess!¡± Harrison then purposely marched in front of Jared and gloated to him. On the other hand, Jared was very amused with Harrison¡¯s stupidity. He walked to Harrison and gave him a pat on the shoulder. ¡°Bro, don¡¯t forget about this momentter on.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Harrison responded in confusion. ¡°You¡¯ll soon know.¡± Jared was trying his best not to crack up. ¡°Jared Quickton, you are to exin yourself to me right now! I don¡¯t understand a single thing you just said.¡± ¡°I told you, you will know what I mean soon enough.¡± ¡°Yo Jared! Tell us too!¡± Jared¡¯s men flocked to Jared when they overheard the conversation between thetter and Harrison. ¡°Yeah, as if you can get the legendary S to join our team! If that happens, we might actually stand a chance against my goddess.¡± ¡°Okay everyone, stop fussing around!¡± Jared made a cut in the air with one hand to dismiss the crowd around him. ¡°Now that the Centennial Healthcare is in the game, we are not going to dampen our spirits before we even show up at the contest!¡± ¡°Tsk! You cannot me us! Our goddess is just too amazing! She will never lose!¡± It was already a bad day for Ashlyn to begin with, and now she found her day even more insufferable with the boys bantering around her. To save herself from the misery, she left them in silence. The F1 World Championship took ce at Pearlville a few dayster. The venue was the first international race car arena to be sanctioned by H Nation. Ten years ago, it was built for the first F1 World Championship in H Nation¡¯s history. After it was built, multiple championships had taken ce on its ground. The whole stadium was about 7 kilometers in length and was built inpliance with F1¡¯s regtions. Its spectator¡¯s zone was divided into two parts; the roofed grandstand could hold around fifty thousand spectators, while the Sunkissed bleachers made up the remaining seating area. Altogether, it could house around two hundred thousand F1 lovers. There was also a central control room, in which a grand total of thirty monitors were installed to fend against any crimes that might happen during the noisypetition. As for the media center, not only did it have everything required to broadcast the Championship live, but it was spacious enough to contain a hundred reporters together with their equipment. It was also worth mentioning that the stadium had its own satellite to ry the live racing scene to the entire globe. Of course, since car racing was such a dangerous sport, the arena also had its own designated medical bay in case of any emergencies. On the outer fringe of the venue, all sorts of professional facilities were avable for the racers, including a helipad for the F1 Helicopters, a maintenance garage for the race cars, a petrol station and many more. Last but not least, there were also VIP booths around the tracks with a holding capacity of 700. The arena¡¯s tracks were built with asphalt of the highest quality to ensure that all racers could reach their top speeds and execute perfect drifts. In 2015, an Audi set the record for the fastest speed to ever be observed in the stadium at 421 kilometers per hour. Everyone at the scene got on their feet for a standing ovation at once.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. The sports car arena at Pearlville housed a total of ten perilous race tracks; some of them included dangerous inclines and abrupt turns. All of these were set out to test the limits of the racers. One of the tracks was known as the Speedway of Death, as it consisted of a rocky zone in which many racers had lost control before. Chapter 595 Chapter 595 The Speedway of Death was as deadly as its name had suggested. Thementators were stationed at a vantage point overlooking the tracks. The two of them looked stern as they waited for the event tomence. One of thementators was a famous host in H Nation, Santiago Hart. He was d in a ck tuxedo and his eyes sparkled. The othermentator was also someone well-known from Maredania. He was a tall and stocky European that went by the name of Felix Knowles. The opening ceremony was kickstarted with a torch run, which was a tradition in H Nation to solemnize themencement of an event. Everyone¡¯s heart was thumping as thest torchbearer lit up the cauldron near the starting point. The F1 World Championship had now officially begun. The host greeted everyone warmly and continued with a brief introduction of every racing team. The racing teams were ranked ordingly to the points they had umted in the previous championships. After the current official rankings were announced, the racers moved to the starting point and stood next to their respective vehicles. All of a sudden, the boisterous noise in the stadium died down. Everyone in the audience now had their eyes glued onto the racers. After all, it was a World Championship; an event many had looked forward to. All of the racers were the cream of the crop from their teams. Needless to say, each of them was adamant in their pursuit of the grand prize. The duration of thepetition was an hour. It would start at 10 in the morning when the sun was high in the sky. Meanwhile, at the starting point, the racers were lined up ording to their ranking. The grandstand was filled with spectators from all over the world. Their eyes were twinkling with much anticipation and excitement. All of them were avid racing enthusiasts, and each of them had a racing team they rooted for. At the moment, thementators were on the big screens. The previous host had passed the baton to Santiago. ¡°Behold everyone! All of the racers are already at the starting line. Right at the very left, we have Thomas Ivanov, our top racer from Russia! He was once regarded in H Nation as¡­ ¡° N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°From Maredania, we have our second racer¡­ ¡° The twomentators took turns to introduce each racer individually and their past feats. ¡°Next, we have Carmen Chadwick from H Nation¡¯s Nn Group! A racer well sought-after by foreign companies, she is now under Nn Group and I¡¯ve got to say, she¡¯s a femme fatale! We shall look forward to her performanceter!¡± ¡°Oh my God! Is that S, the legendary God of Cars? Since when is he recruited by Centennial Healthcare? Someone, please tell me I am not hallucinating!¡± Felix¡¯s blue eyes were smoldering in exhration. ¡°But how did Centennial Healthcare even get S on their team? We all know how secretive this guy is! He is the underground racer who never shows himself at any regr race car events, but yet any race car fans would have heard how he wrecked all those street circuits around the world!¡± ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, ording to hearsay, he can go up to 900 kilometers per hour! Is he really as amazing as the legend says? Fear not, people! We shall see him in action very soon!¡± Santiago took over the mic from Felix and bellowed. Santiago was truly as excited as he had sounded on the PA system. The God of Cars is a citizen of H Nation! S was a race car prodigy that had won hundreds of underground races in America but never had he taken part in any championships before. When he showed up at the F1 World Championship, everyone¡¯s jaw instantly dropped to the ground. He had been dormant for a long time, even in the underground racingmunity. Everyone thought he had retired. No one would have expected him to join Centennial Healthcare, and the fact that he¡¯s from H Nation was also as surprising too! No one could believe their eyes. Everyone who was spectating the Championship, including those who were watching it on their mobile devices, was in an uproar. Everyone cheered again when the cameraman closed in on S. Unlike the other racers, he did not take off his helmet. Because of that, no one could see what did the legendary S looked like. Together with his goggles, S had his facepletely hidden from the public. However, that did not stop his fans from going crazy for him. There wasn¡¯t a single person who was sitting still. Everyone was bouncing off the walls. Chapter 596 Chapter 596 ¡°S? The God of Cars?¡± ¡°I have only heard rumors about him. Never have I once witnessed him in action.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Oh my god! I never thought I will be lucky enough to see him in real life!¡± ¡°I hope he¡¯s a handsome chap. Just like those that appear in Mangas.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really S! I think I am going to faint!¡± ¡°His figure looks so good! I wonder how much goodness is under those overalls, hehe!¡± On the big screen, the livements from the virtual spectators were pouring in. In the meantime, almost all of the spectators at the arena itself were on their feet. They wanted to get a better view of the God of Cars. The deafening cheers from the crowd had the whole stadium tremoring. ¡°Aaaaaah!¡± ¡°Aaaaaah! Look at me, S!¡± ¡°S!¡± ¡°My beloved God of Cars! My dear S! Oh my God, I can¡¯t believe S is in front of me now! I can finally die with no regrets!¡± Themotion from the crowd only got stronger as time went by. Those who didn¡¯te alone were hugging their friends and jumping up and down on the bleachers fervently. Even the moguls in the VIP room had their eyes peeled inplete bewilderment. They thought thementators had blundered when they heard about the God of Cars from the PA system. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°S?¡± Lucas Nn scrunched his brow. He was observing the scene in the private lounge of the Nn Group. ¡°He¡¯s the God of Cars Nathan was talking about a few days ago.¡± Even Spencer White, who usually kept to himself, was clearly intrigued. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for the race to begin! I really want to see the legendary God of Cars in action! As a sports car aficionado, this will be one of the defining moments in my life!¡± Lucas, however, was not as excited. He couldn¡¯t shake off the fishy feeling in him. He knew something was up with the God of Cars. Why does S give off such a simr vibe to Kris Harvey? No, no. That¡¯s impossible. How could it be her? Lucas tried to suppress the disquiet in him. As much as he didn¡¯t want to think of Ashlyn, his mind was completely upied by her. Am I crazy to think that she has something to do with S¡¯s sudden comeback? Am I thinking this just because I miss her so much? The bitterness in Lucas¡¯ heart was profound. Yet, all he could do was to think of her. He was not one to express his feelings verbally. The truth was, he had always missed her madly and deeply. Other than Lucas and Spencer, the rest of the racing team, who were notpeting that day, were also watching thepetition in Nn Group¡¯s VIP room. When they heard S¡¯s name, all of them squealed in excitement. They hugged each other tedly and spun around as if they were on the merry-go-round. ¡°Aaaaaah! It¡¯s the God of Cars!¡± ¡°Someone please tell me I am not dreaming!¡± ¡°The God of Cars has finally decided to join a proper match!¡± Suddenly, they could feel someone shooting daggers at them. It was Lucas, and with his face full of apathy, he muttered, ¡°S is with the Centennial Healthcare racing team.¡± Immediately the racers looked at each other and gulped. One of the men took the lead and stammered, ¡°I-I think¡­ w-we will head outside for a while! See you!¡± The man barely finished speaking when all of them bolted for the door. What a joke! Who cares if he is on our team or not! I would rather die than miss God of Cars in action! S was the one and only racer that all racers looked up to. To be as good as him was all they ever dreamt of. Can anyone even go up to 900 kilometer per hour? Won¡¯t the rubber tire melt on the asphalt at that speed? Won¡¯t the engine of the car break down? These were the questions the racers had in mind. There was no way they would stay in that room and let Lucas chide them for fangirling over a racer from another team. Once the racers under Nn Group got out of the private lounge, they made a break for the grandstand right away. God of Cars, here wee! On the arena, Carmen Chadwick was flustered. She initially thought she could win the championship and impress Lucas with it, but S had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Doesn¡¯t he only take part in underground races? What is he doing here? Damn it! As flustered as Carmen was, she was not too worried about the oue of thepetition, for she did not believe that any human could reach the insane speed of 900 kilometers per hour. Out of her subconscious, Carmen¡¯s gaze drifted to S who stood next to her. Pfft! What¡¯s with all that mystery? Just take off your goddamn helmet! Nathan was also staring at S in total shock. The God of Car is actually here? He¡¯s actually here to compete with us in an official race? Chapter 597 Chapter 597 Nathan¡¯s heart was thumping loudly. Much like every racer in this world, he had always dreamt of bing a racer as skilled as the legendary S. The racers from the other countries also had their eyes fixated on S. Yet, S stood there in his dashing racing overalls as still as a mountain. Even amidst all the mor, he remained calm and collected. At the same time, in the Nn Group¡¯s private lounge, Lucas Nn sat facing the arena, but all he could think of was Ashlyn. He was not interested in the race at all even though it was important for hispany. He lowered his head to stare at a picture of Ashlyn on his phone¡¯s screen. Out of the blue, the commentators announced via the PA system, ¡°Thepetition is about to begin! All racers please get into position!¡± Lucas paused in his movements and nced outside the lounge distractedly. The private lounge was ced at a strategic spot in the arena. It provided its users a wide view of the racing scene. All of a sudden , all of Lucas¡¯ attention was focused on one single racer. Other people might not be able to recognize that racer, but not Lucas. With just a single nce, Lucas could tell who that person was. His heart was racing. It thumped against his ribcage like a gori at the zoo. There were so many racers at the arena, but his eyes found her right away. He was very sure he knew that person. She might be all cocooned up in the loose-fitting overalls of hers, but Lucas¡¯ eyes were discerning enough to identify her right away. No matter how well she covered herself, Lucas was able to see the racer¡¯s face clearly in his mind. Lucas¡¯s tingling sixth sense told him that the racer was none other than Ashlyn herself! Spencer pointed at the car Ashlyn was getting onto and uttered, ¡°Mr. Nn, don¡¯t you think S looks so cool! He is the one with the grey helmet! They are about to fire the gun now!¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Lucas did not catch a single word out of Spencer¡¯s mouth. His mind was in a state of mess. The air around him seemed to be buzzing so loudly, and he simply could not concentrate. Why is she here? Why does she want to participate in the car racing? It¡¯s so dangerous. She¡¯s literally betting her life with Death itself! Lucas was right. Car racing might appear all shy on the front, but the reality was the racers¡¯ lives were at risk for almost the entire race. Just one mistake could send the racer crashing into a wall. In the worst-case scenario, the sports car would explode, and the racer would be incinerated alive. Why can¡¯t she just take her own life seriously? Lucas had a heart so strong that it was imprable by emotions, but he was truly worried this time. Ashlyn! How could you? Is your life really worthless to you? No, I need to stop her! How can she compete with all those professionals in the race? Is S actually Ashlyn? S is a man, so how can Ashlyn be him? Although Ashlyn had surprised Lucas a lot of times with her other identities, Lucas was still determined to get her out of the race this time. He didn¡¯t want Ashlyn to be hurt in any way. No matter if she was S or not, Lucas didn¡¯t want her to take that risk. He needed her to be safe from all the perils in the world. I am going down to stop her now! In a racing event, safety was almost nonexistent. There was absolutely no way to prevent an ident from happening, and even more so now that Speedway of Death was a part of today¡¯s track. If Ashlyn made a mistake, she would plunge to her death. Moreover, the abyss nking the Speedway of Death was very deep. There was no guarantee that Ashlyn¡¯s corpse could be located if her car drove off the speedway. By then, nothing would be left of Ashlyn. It wouldn¡¯t matter if it were an ident or someone had knocked her off her path. Once the race began, even if there were any idents, it would be difficult for the paramedics to reach her in time, given that all of the racers were driving at top speed. The arena was hell itself. Lucas simply could not let his beloved Ashlyn step right into hell. Just at this moment, Ashlyn¡¯s eyes darkened. Even though the two of them were miles away from each other, Ashlyn was able to spot Lucas in the private lounge. However, she quickly shifted her gaze back to the track in front of her as she tried to suppress the emotions in her. She needed to be free from all distractions now that the race was almost beginning. Meanwhile, Carmen Chadwick was full of contempt as she saw S getting onto his car. Her eyes red at S in derision. 900 kilometers per hour? Bah! One of his fans must have made that up! If he¡¯s really that good, why doesn¡¯t he ever partake in championships? He must be a phony! Chapter 598 Chapter 598 Now, the so-called God of Car, S, had the nerve to show up at the race. Carmen could not wait to shove it in S¡¯s face, and she wanted everyone to know that she was the only one who deserved to be called the racing champion. The next instant, Carmen also got into her car. She fixed her eyes on the road ahead with full attention. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Aside from Carmen, even the other races thought it was too much to call S the God of Cars. Nine hundred kilometers per hour? She must be kidding! Most of the racers there could go around four hundred kilometers per hour. If one could achieve the same speed as theirs, that person could already be considered a world-ss racer. In fact, there was none who could achieve a speed of four hundred fifty kilometers per hour, let alone five hundred. So nine hundred was certainly unheard of. The idea of an underground racerpeting to be the champion of a professional racer sounded like a joke to them. They could not help but wonder if the leader of Centennial Healthcare racing team had lost his mind to have sent a racer who only knew how to brag and tell lies. Needless to say, the team would definitely lose. The racers could not help but shift their gaze to Ashlyn¡¯s racing car. Some of them were evenughing sarcastically. The racers clearly did not take Ashlyn seriously at all. Looking at the woman who had just got into the racing car, Lucas was so nervous that his palms got sweaty. He left the VIP room and rushed straight to thementary box, and he wore an exceptionally apathetic expression as though he was going to skin someone alive the next second. Everyone who passed by him backed away. They dared not approach him at all. Spencer saw Lucas striding off, so he hurriedly trailed behind too. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Nn?¡± Spencer asked. ¡°I need to stop this race. Right now!¡± Lucas growled as though he had lost his mind. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! This is the F1 World Championship. You can¡¯t simply call it off just because you want to! What happened, Mr. Nn?¡± Spencer stared at Lucas in shock. At this very moment, Santiago, who was in thementary box, announced, ¡°The race has now begun! All the racers have just sped off like bullets!¡± Anothermentator¡¯s voice rang out, paying no heed to other races as he only had his focus on S. ¡°My goodness! They¡¯re like a gust of wind, a phantom! Oh my! I saw S! His car is speeding forward like a wild horse!¡± ¡°Oh no! Lionel from Pandera rammed into S¡¯s car! Just as S started the engine and sped forward, Lionel and Oliver crashed into S¡¯s car at the same time!¡± thementator eximed. ¡°My goodness! S¡¯s car is heading toward the side of the track!¡± As thementators¡¯ voices echoed through the ce, the audience stood up and stared at the sight in disbelief. If S was hit out of the track, that would mean she would be disqualified from the race. The viewers watching the broadcast could not make it to the racing arena, and they could only express how anxious they felt by leavingments. Soon, the broadcasting tform was flooded withments afterments. Lucas almost stopped breathing when he saw that scene. He had his dark, deep eyes fixed on Ashlyn, who was on the racing track. D*mn it! The nerve of these insane b*stards to bully my woman! At that point, he felt a strong urge to rush to the racing track to rece Ashlyn. Everyone held their breaths as they broke into a cold sweat, worrying about Ashlyn. Two cars were tailing Ashlyn¡¯s car from behind, attempting to brutally crash her car. She had not expected them to be so ruthless. As she clutched the steering wheel tightly with her fair hands, she controlled the car and drifted before powersliding away in a swift manner. She went back and forth between gripping and powersliding techniques, challenging the limits of the wheels. If she failed to keep her car in control, not only would she be eliminated, but she would also suffer severe injuries from the impact of the crash. There was a sharp, piercing noise made from the friction between the tires and the ground. It was apanied by a roar of the engine from speeding up the car. That crowd was incredibly excited looking at that. Just as everyone thought Ashlyn would be hit out of the track, she pulled off the backward drift in a neat manner, and white smoke from the friction between the tires and the ground filled the air in an instant. She had just saved herself from major trouble by showcasing a brutal yet thrilling move. Right then, after she managed to escape from getting tailed by that two cars, her car dashed forward in a swift manner like a meteorite crashing toward the earth. Chapter 599 Chapter 599 The audience was dumbfounded when they saw how insane S had gone with her moves. At the same time, Lucas could not help holding his breath. His heart was pounding so fast as though it would leap out through his throat any time soon. Has she gone mad? Why¡¯s she still speeding up? Lucas clenched his fists tightly, and his darkened eyes filled with concerns and uneasiness. At the same time, everyone in the Centennial Healthcare¡¯s VIP room was staring at Ashlyn in utter shock. Harrison¡¯s face turned pale. He was unsure whether he was worried about Ashlyn. ¡°Jared, why didn¡¯t you tell us earlier that you¡¯ve invited S?¡± Anderson, who was also staring at S in shock, mumbled, ¡°How much money have you forked out? Does Boss know about this?¡± It was the God of Cars, S, after all. The God of Cars was putting her life at risk just to get a champion. Carmen was nothing but a loserpared to S. Meanwhile, Jared was so worried as he gripped his phone tighter. Boss, there will be continuous curves and slopes ahead. Are you trying to end your life just because Lucas has broken up with you? If that¡¯s so, what should we do without you, Boss? No. Boss isn¡¯t someone who¡¯d end her life so easily. That¡¯s impossible. Jared could not help but think of the worst scenarios. In the meantime, Lucas was in another VIP room. He could feel his heart aching as his mind was flooded with the scene when he was breaking up with Ashlyn. Honey, if anything awful happens to you, I no longer have the chance to dote on you. If that¡¯s to happen, it¡¯s best if I could die with you! Lucas hade to such a decision in the event of Ashlyn losing her life. Please be safe, Ashlyn. If anything happens to you, I¡¯ll not be able to live either. At that moment, Ashlyn sped up in a wild manner, and all the other racers were taken by surprise. As expected of an underground racer, S must have never gone through a race of this scale. That was insane for her to speed up even at such timing. Meanwhile, Ashlyn fully focused on controlling the steering wheel. Her car was moving in a rtively steady mode as though she was driving on t ground, and the car did not go out of control. Sharp, piercing screeches could be heard as sparks ignited from the friction between the tires and the ground. Everyone was stunned at such a sight, and they could not believe their eyes. Ashlyn skillfully drove past the steep curves with three consecutive drifts. The audience was captivated by the wlessly executed drift. She had done three consecutive drifts. Many professional racers could only achieve consecutive sideways drifts at most, and S did not only complete two but three consecutive drifts. Besides, S had aplished the three consecutive drifts when her car was moving at an extremely fast speed. Everyone could not help but wonder how thorough she had gone into understanding the functions and performance of her car that allowed her to have such good control of the car. Everyone in the racing arena went into a frenzy as they felt their blood boiling in excitement. The sense of exhration was overwhelming, and it led to rounds and rounds of cheers from the crowd. S¡¯s eye-catching techniques on the racing track had driven everyone insane. It was a thrilling race with incredible control of speed. However, Carmen was still leading the race. Just a while ago, Ashlyn¡¯s progress on the track had been stalled by the two cars that went after her from both sides and the white car that got into the ident. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. While Carmen was capable of doing the drift, her skills paled visibly whenpared to Ashlyn¡¯s. Carmen widened her eyes as shock crossed her face. Out of anger, she stepped on the elerator and cursed, ¡°How is that possible? S is nothing but a rat from the underground!¡± In the meantime, Ashlyn was following closely behind her. And in the next second, the two were driving alongside each other. Everyone stood up and they eximed non-stop on the viewing deck, ¡°S, you can do this!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the champion, S!¡± ¡°S!¡± the crowd chanted. The readings of the speedometer at the track kept increasing. Six hundred kilometers per hour. Seven hundred kilometers per hour. Eight hundred kilometers per hour. Nine hundred kilometers per hour. Nine hundred fifty kilometers per hour. Everyone stared wide-eyed at the screen of the speedometer, afraid to miss out on any changes in the numbers. Chapter 600 Chapter 600 The audience was dumbfounded when they saw how insane S had gone with her moves. At the same time, Lucas could not help holding his breath. His heart was pounding so fast as though it would leap out through his throat any time soon. Has she gone mad? Why¡¯s she still speeding up? Lucas clenched his fists tightly, and his darkened eyes filled with concerns and uneasiness. At the same time, everyone in the Centennial Healthcare¡¯s VIP room was staring at Ashlyn in utter shock. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Harrison¡¯s face turned pale. He was unsure whether he was worried about Ashlyn. ¡°Jared, why didn¡¯t you tell us earlier that you¡¯ve invited S?¡± Anderson, who was also staring at S in shock, mumbled, ¡°How much money have you forked out? Does Boss know about this?¡± It was the God of Cars, S, after all. The God of Cars was putting her life at risk just to get a champion. Carmen was nothing but a loserpared to S. Meanwhile, Jared was so worried as he gripped his phone tighter. Boss, there will be continuous curves and slopes ahead. Are you trying to end your life just because Lucas has broken up with you? If that¡¯s so, what should we do without you, Boss? No. Boss isn¡¯t someone who¡¯d end her life so easily. That¡¯s impossible. Jared could not help but think of the worst scenarios. In the meantime, Lucas was in another VIP room. He could feel his heart aching as his mind was flooded with the scene when he was breaking up with Ashlyn. Honey, if anything awful happens to you, I no longer have the chance to dote on you. If that¡¯s to happen, it¡¯s best if I could die with you! Lucas hade to such a decision in the event of Ashlyn losing her life. Please be safe, Ashlyn. If anything happens to you, I¡¯ll not be able to live either. At that moment, Ashlyn sped up in a wild manner, and all the other racers were taken by surprise. As expected of an underground racer, S must have never gone through a race of this scale. That was insane for her to speed up even at such timing. Meanwhile, Ashlyn fully focused on controlling the steering wheel. Her car was moving in a rtively steady mode as though she was driving on t ground, and the car did not go out of control. Sharp, piercing screeches could be heard as sparks ignited from the friction between the tires and the ground. Everyone was stunned at such a sight, and they could not believe their eyes. Ashlyn skillfully drove past the steep curves with three consecutive drifts. The audience was captivated by the wlessly executed drift. She had done three consecutive drifts. Many professional racers could only achieve consecutive sideways drifts at most, and S did not only complete two but three consecutive drifts. Besides, S had aplished the three consecutive drifts when her car was moving at an extremely fast speed. Everyone could not help but wonder how thorough she had gone into understanding the functions and performance of her car that allowed her to have such good control of the car. Everyone in the racing arena went into a frenzy as they felt their blood boiling in excitement. The sense of exhration was overwhelming, and it led to rounds and rounds of cheers from the crowd. S¡¯s eye-catching techniques on the racing track had driven everyone insane. It was a thrilling race with incredible control of speed. However, Carmen was still leading the race. Just a while ago, Ashlyn¡¯s progress on the track had been stalled by the two cars that went after her from both sides and the white car that got into the ident. While Carmen was capable of doing the drift, her skills paled visibly whenpared to Ashlyn¡¯s. Carmen widened her eyes as shock crossed her face. Out of anger, she stepped on the elerator and cursed, ¡°How is that possible? S is nothing but a rat from the underground!¡± In the meantime, Ashlyn was following closely behind her. And in the next second, the two were driving alongside each other. Everyone stood up and they eximed non-stop on the viewing deck, ¡°S, you can do this!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the champion, S!¡± ¡°S!¡± the crowd chanted. The readings of the speedometer at the track kept increasing. Six hundred kilometers per hour. Seven hundred kilometers per hour. Eight hundred kilometers per hour. Nine hundred kilometers per hour. Nine hundred fifty kilometers per hour. Everyone stared wide-eyed at the screen of the speedometer, afraid to miss out on any changes in the numbers. Chapter 601 Chapter 601 They almost could not believe what they had just seen. The reading of the S¡¯s speedometer kept increasing until it showed a reading of more than nine hundred kilometers per hour. The God of Cars, S, was driving at a speed of nine hundred fifty kilometers per hour! They had witnessed a miraculous scene, indeed. There was truly a genius in car racing like the God of Cars. S was dashing through the racing track at the speed of lightning. Carmen gritted her teeth upon seeing S overtaking her on the track. She could not afford to lose the race. If she had lost the race, she would have had nothing to make Lucas change his perception of her. All of a sudden, Carmen steered the steering wheel and sped toward S¡¯s car, which was about to overtake her. Ashlyn, who was driving on the right, instantly saw through Carmen¡¯s intention. A loud bang sounded. S¡¯s car was hit by the other car, forcing her to slow down. Carmen sneered as she looked at Ashlyn. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t try topete with me if you take the hint. You¡¯re nothing but underground trash. You¡¯re unworthy topete in this race!¡± She was determined not to lose. She would not give in and lose the only chance she had to get close to Lucas. Ashlyn could hear precisely every word of mockery from Carmen. Her lips curled into a smirk. Is Carmen asking me to give up? No way! There was no such thing as giving up in her book. Eyes on the prize, bing number one was her constant quest. Her ultimate goal would always be winning the first. Carmen cussed upon seeing Ashlyn moving forward with all her might, ¡°Get lost, you trash!¡± With that said, she turned her steering wheel as though she had gone insane and elerated toward thetter out of spite. The audience were taken aback by Carmen¡¯s action. ¡°Oh my God! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve once taken Carmen as my goddess. How repulsive of her to y such a dirty trick!¡± said one of them. ¡°Why is Carmen so mean? S was only doing his best to bring glory to our country!¡± another person eximed. ¡°How could she stoop so low only to hold onto her championship title?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Trashy woman! How shameless! If anything bad happens to S, I¡¯d curse the life out of Carmen!¡± Just when Carmen was ready for her next attempt to hit Ashlyn¡¯s car, thetter remainedposed and stepped on the elerator. When Carmen¡¯s car almost crashed into Ashlyn¡¯s, thetter¡¯s car sped forward like a bullet. Carmen¡¯s tactics amounted to nothing. She had never expected S to have such impressive driving skills. S could even escape perfectly from getting hit intentionally by Carmen¡¯s car. Stiffened in shock, Carmen¡¯s car seemed to go out of control and drove into the mountain wall at the side. She let out a hysteric shriek as she frantically steered the wheel in an attempt to regain control over the car. All efforts were nheless futile. With a loud bang, the car crashed into the mountain wall. In the meantime, Ashlyn was moving at nine hundred fifty kilometers per hour as she drove her way toward the finishing line. A white light dawned on Carmen, and it shed across her and disappeared in mere seconds. She could barely catch a glimpse of the thing behind that light. Carmen¡¯s heart sank. She felt so devastated as if she had just been saved from a pool of icy, cold water. What kind of speed was that? Was that the speed of lightning? The car flew across before she could even have a better look at it. How is that possible? Could someone actually drive at such a high speed in this world? Carmen¡¯s car, however, had brutally crashed into the mountain wall. Her gaze appeared as if she had gone fully insane. I¡¯ve waited for a long time until that eyesore, ire is finally dead. No way! I¡¯ll not admit defeat! Carmen attempted to start her car again, but it remained motionless against the mountain wall. Enraged, she pped and punched the steering wheel, and rumbling and clunking noises sounded from her car. How is this happening? Why? Is that even possible to have a racer driving at such a fast speed in this world? I should be the champion! Her mind wandered off as she was being carried out of the car by the rescue team. She stood there in puzzlement as her mind went nk. It¡¯s over. Everything¡¯s doomed. Not only did she not win first ce in the race, but she had also failed to secure a ce in the ranking. Her car crashed into the mountain wall. S driving at the speed of nine hundred fifty kilometers per hour was also something that even Nathan had not expected. It was impossible for an ordinary person to achieve that speed. Chapter 602 Chapter 602 She was God of Cars indeed. When the host announced S as the champion, the crowd went crazy once again. All the audience, including theizens watching through the live stream, had to admit that it was an exhratingpetition. It was fast and furious and lifted everyone¡¯s spirit. S was God of Cars indeed. Ashlyn stood on the podium, and beside her were the first runner-up and second runner-up. The guest approached her and presented the trophy to her. Meanwhile, Jared went up to the podium, which was just beside the podium Ashlyn received her trophy, to receive the trophy on behalf of the champion team. The host said to Ashlyn in excitement, ¡°The mysterious God of Cars, S, can you remove your helmet and show your face to the fans including theizens watching the livestream? Let them see your real face!¡± Standing on the podium, Ashlyn¡¯s slender figure made her appear more charismatic in the racing suit. She slightly nodded. ¡°Sure!¡± Her voice was feminine and cold. Everyone who was still cheering a moment ago fell silent that one could even hear a pin drop. The people could not believe what they had heard. The host was taken aback as well. ¡°Did I hear a female¡¯s voice? Am I wrong? Our God of Cars is a female?¡± Then, the host quickly denied it. ¡°How is this possible? How could you be a female? I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Everyone at the scene, including the guests in the VIP room and theizens on the broadcasting tform, held their breaths at the same time. No one dared to utter a word. Almost everyone¡¯s mind went nk. A female? They could not stop thinking of the feminine voice. Her words were ordinary, yet they echoed in everyone¡¯s ears like a bomb. The voice iszy and cold. The body figure is slender. The speed is exhrating. How is it possible to be a female? They never thought the God of Cars, whom they admired, would turn out to be a female. When Carmen reached the speed of four hundred per hour, they thought no other female could drive faster than her. Both of thementators, who had encountered all sorts of situations, were also shocked to the extent that they were at a loss for words. Clenching his fists, Lucas stared intently at the familiar figure on the podium. His dark eyes were filled with emotions that he had been suppressing. Seeing Ashlyn standing there safe and sound, he finally felt a great relief. Everyone at the scene started shouting at Ashlyn, ¡°Take off the helmet!¡± ¡°Take off the helmet!¡± There were only a few people shouting at first, but the sound grew as more people joined shouting. The sound was so loud and deafening to hear. The host could not help but look at Ashlyn in anticipation. ¡°God of Cars, everyone really wants you to remove your helmet and see your face. Please fulfill their wish!¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Ashlyn raised her brows. ¡°Didn¡¯t I promise you all to take off my helmet just now? Why the hurry?¡± Her voice was cold but melodious. It sounded like the pearls falling onto the te, clear and cool. Upon hearing her words, the crowd immediately cheered as they urged, ¡°Hurry up!¡± ¡°Hurry up!¡± People had always been curious about the unknown and the things they were interested in. They kept imagining S¡¯s faces in their mind. Now, it was confirmed that S was a female, and they grew more curious. They were eager to see S¡¯s real face. Ashlyn stopped stalling. She could hardly resist when she was faced with all the passionate fans. Then, she ced her fair fingers on the helmet. Everyone had their gazes fixed on her hands and held their breaths as if they were afraid of missing any moment. It was like watching a slow motion scene in the movie. Chapter 603 Chapter 603 With a strong pull, Ashlyn took off the helmet. The moment the helmet was removed, her wavy long hair cascaded over her back. A gust of wind blew her long, wavy hair. Ashlyn had a pretty face with exquisite facial figures. Her eyes were sparkling like the stars, and her lips were red. Ashlyn raised her hand and tucked her hair on her forehead behind her ears. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Although it was just a simple action, it appeared exceptionally alluring when she did it. Suddenly, Ashlyn raised her eyes and nced across the crowd. She had a slender body figure, and she looked smart in the red racing suit. Holding the helmet in one hand, she looked like the goddess of race cars descended from the sky. S, so she was S. The waves of apuse, apanied by screams, rang out from the crowd who were in high spirits. There were hundreds of thousands of people at the ce, and their faces flushed red in excitement. Light gleamed in everyone¡¯s eyes as they shouted, ¡°Oh god!¡± ¡°S is so beautiful!¡± ¡°God of Cars is the prettiest!¡± Carmen had just gotten out of the ambnce. When she saw Ashlyn, who had taken off the helmet, she was stunned for a moment but came back to her senses instantly. Carmen¡¯s gaze grew intense as she red at Ashlyn fiercely. Her pretty face was filled with rage and jealousy. ¡°Ashlyn! How is it possible to be you?¡± Ashlyn cast her apathetic gaze upon Carmen. Looking at Carmen, who was furious, Ashlyn raised her brows, and she was slightly surprised. ¡°Do you know me?¡± Carmen¡¯s face turned pale, and she snorted. ¡°Everyone knows you.¡± What a humiliation! It was by far the most humiliating day in Carmen¡¯s life since her debut. Carmen had never thought God of Cars, who had defeated her, was Ashlyn. If it had been another person who had defeated her, Carmen would have thought she was unlucky. However, she never thought she would be defeated by Ashlyn. She was so infuriated that she almost copsed. Her chest heaved with anger, and her heart overflowed with rage. Carmen would not have been so enraged if it was another person who had defeated her. However, Ashlyn had been an eyesore to her, and she hated Ashlyn. Suddenly, Carmen strode up to the podium and pointed at Ashlyn, who was standing on the stage. She gritted her teeth and scolded, ¡°Ashlyn, you¡¯d murdered my best friend, ire. How dare you stand here and receive the prize!¡± Holding the helmet in one hand, Ashlyn stood on the stage with an expressionless face. She exuded an elegant aura, and the smart-looking racing suit made her look more domineering. Carmen was also a beauty if Ashlyn was not here. Nevertheless, Carmen was standing in front of Ashlyn with a contorted face at that moment. She used to be the goddess of race cars for the young geeks, but now she was like an ugly and terrifying witch. Carmen did not look like a goddess at all. ¡°Ashlyn, are you guilty? You¡¯re not answering my words!¡± Carmen was so angry that sheughed. Her face was filled with irony and hatred. ¡°My best friend, ire, had just passed away. How can you be so shameless and despicable?¡± The crowd down the stage could not help but think of the trending topics on Twitter. Ashlyn caused the death of ire from Nn Group. ire had a heart attack because of Ashlyn. Ashlyn is the murderer. Perplexed, the rest of them could not stop wondering if Ashlyn was truly the God of Cars in their hearts. They found it hard to believe. The rowdy crowd fell silent in an instant. Everyone was stunned when they saw Carmen scolding Ashlyn. No one said a word. The rumors and trending topics on the inte were beyond their daily lives. They would never think of rting Ashlyn to S. They wondered if Ashlyn was the cause to ire¡¯s death. The people wanted to hear Ashlyn¡¯s exnation. They did not believe it. Right then, someone in the crowd said, ¡°God of Cars, you¡¯re not the one who caused Ms. Nn¡¯s death, am I right? You didn¡¯t cause her death!¡± Then, many people started to ask, ¡°God of Cars, are you rted to Ms. Nn¡¯s death?¡± ¡°Were you the one who caused her death for real? It¡¯s a human life!¡± Carmen looked at Ashlyn smugly. She thought no matter how good Ashlyn was with her words, Ashlyn would not be able to hold back the crowd. Chapter 604 Chapter 604 The verbal attacks will end your life! So what if you¡¯re God of Cars, S? You¡¯ll be known as the murderer. What makes you think that someone like you is in a position to snatch Lucas from me? The audiences only believe the public opinions, and they don¡¯t even care if you were really the one who caused ire¡¯s death! Suddenly, someone took a loudspeaker and said into it, ¡°S, I trust you. I believe you¡¯re innocent. All of these are nders and rumors!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! S has brought glory to the nation by getting the champion. How could she be a murderer?¡± Hearing the people supporting Ashlyn, Carmen almost burst a blood vessel out of anger. She was agitated and anxious. ¡°Are you dumb? She¡¯s a murderer!¡± Ashlyn nced across the crowd and signaled them to stay calm. Then, she lowered her gaze, and she looked extremely captivating. With her smile, her cold aura immediately turned as bright as the scorching sun at noon, brilliant and fascinating. ¡°The police will decide if I¡¯m the one who murdered ire. You¡¯re not the one to make the decision, Carmen.¡± A sense of irony shed across Ashlyn¡¯s eyes. Then, she continued, ¡°I¡¯m standing here to represent H Nation Centennial Healthcare to participate in thepetition today, and this is the best evidence!¡± After a brief pause, she said, ¡°The state police will not allow me here to defeat you without much effort if I¡¯m the murderer!¡± Ashlyn snorted after finishing her words. ¡°I have to say. You look ugly when you¡¯re jealous of me yet you can¡¯t do anything to defeat me.¡± Hearing that, Carmen eventually lost her rag. She never thought it was hard to deal with Ashlyn. Just as Carmen was about to retort, Ashlyn interrupted with herzy and cold voice, ¡°The brain is a good thing, and you should have gotten one for yourself.¡± Instantly, a boisterous mor filled the area. ¡°I know it. S is not a murderer!¡± ¡°Those are merely rumors on the inte! I¡¯ll register a Twitter ount now, and I¡¯ll prove God of Cars¡¯ innocence!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve recorded a video just now. Who wants it? I¡¯ll send it to all of you! Let¡¯s upload it to Twitter!¡± ¡°Yes. We have to prove the innocence of our goddess!¡± Not only the live audiences but the fans on the broadcasting tform instantly logged in to Twitter. All of them kept posting tweets. Ashlyn is God of Cars, S. Ashlyn didn¡¯t murder ire. There¡¯s another reason for ire¡¯s death. ire¡¯s mysterious death. Ashlyn is the champion. S brings glory to the nation. Centennial Healthcare invited S as their representative. S wins the world champion. I will prove S¡¯s innocence. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Instantly, the topics dominated the trending searches on Twitter. Other than H Nation¡¯s fans, God of Cars, S, had fans from other countries as well. She had fans almost all over the world. Moreover, many racers at the scene also immediately created ounts on Twitter. Some of them had notified their team manager to verify their ounts, whereas some of them supported Ashlyn before they had their ounts verified. They could not allow Carmen to defame their God of Cars, and they would not allow their God of Cars to get denounced by theizens. They would care for her and prove the innocence of God of Cars themselves. Aside from that, she was still considered innocent as long as the police had not gone after her, and she could still be there to take part in thepetition. After all, everyone was equal before thew. However, what happened now was beyond Carmen¡¯s expectations. She thought everyone would scold and defame Ashlyn after she had scolded thetter and revealed the truth. With that, Ashlyn¡¯s reputation would be tarnished, and Lucas would stay away from her. He would hate Ashlyn and never ept her again. However, everything seemed to be going against what she had imagined. Carmen was so angry that she almost fainted on the spot. ¡°You! All of you are fools! You¡¯re blinded! She¡¯s talking nonsense. Don¡¯t you have a brain? Why are you believing her words?¡± Losing her rag, Carmen pointed at the crowd and scolded them. Why is Ashlyn having such good luck? Chapter 605 Chapter 605 Why are the people supporting her? How irritating! I¡¯m so angry. There were a lot of wealthy bosses from around the world in the VIP room. Among the bosses, some of them liked Carmen. However, judging from the situation now, they looked at the pretty God of Cars, S, who stood on the podium, then they turned and looked at Carmen. They realized how ignorant they were then, and they felt both of the women were from two different worlds. The difference between the two women was so big as ifparing a pheasant to a phoenix. They wondered why they would think of Carmen as their goddess back then. Besides, they had no idea why they thought Carmen was skillful. Not only did Carmen hit God of Cars, S, during the race, she even insulted God of Cars in such a rude way. They thought what Carmen did was uneptable, and they were disgusted at the sight of her. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Did our carpany approach Carmen for an endorsement? Get a recement!¡± ¡°Has Carmen promoted our tire before? Gosh! Never find her again in the future!¡± ¡°Is ourpany discussing the contract with her? Stop it!¡± All the bosses gave orders to their assistants and secretaries not to get Carmen involved in their companies¡¯ affairs. Just then, Carmen¡¯s assistant walked in front of her hurriedly. The assistant tugged at Carmen and said, ¡°Ms. Carmen, let¡¯s leave.¡± ¡°Why are we leaving?¡± Carmen frowned and pushed him away. ¡°I must bring Ashlyn¡¯s reputation to the ground.¡± ¡°Carmen Chadwick.¡± Suddenly, an apathetic voice sounded behind her. Carmen turned around and looked when she heard the familiar voice. What came into her sight was a tall, burly man in a customized suit. With one of his hands in his pocket, he strode toward Carmen, and he exuded a domineering aura. There were tens of bodyguards and a few men in police uniforms behind the man. Carmen was delighted as she ran toward Lucas. ¡°Mr. Nn, are you bringing the police to arrest Ashlyn? It¡¯s her! She murdered ire, didn¡¯t she?¡± Before Lucas could say anything, Carmen turned and looked at the police. ¡°Ashlyn is there. Hurry up and arrest her!¡± The police in the lead had a grim look on his face. He then walked in front of Carmen. Carmen had yet to react, but the police already put a pair of handcuffs on her. She was shocked, so she called out, ¡°Did you get something wrong? Why are you arresting me? She¡¯s the one who caused ire¡¯s death!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who murdered ire,¡± Lucas said with an indifferent look. ¡°You¡¯d returned to the country and kept in touch with ire. We¡¯d investigated ire¡¯s activities and her relics. We¡¯d checked everything.¡± Carmen¡¯s expression changed drastically. She widened her eyes upon hearing his words. ¡°We¡¯re friends. Why would I murder her?¡± Carmen screamed frantically. ¡°You¡¯re not going to admit it, are you?¡± Lucas sneered. ¡°The bags and jewelry you had given to ire were stained with medicines that would stimte her heart to beat more rapidly. ire would not always have a heart attack if not for the medicines.¡± Carmen shook her head vigorously in denial. ¡°No. It wasn¡¯t me. I didn¡¯t do that. I didn¡¯t murder her!¡± ¡°We found the medicines at where you stay. Although you hid them secretly, we still managed to find them.¡± The police exposed her lies with an expressionless face. ¡°These banned medicines are from overseas, and there aren¡¯t any such medicines in our country.¡± ¡°How is it possible? Why would I have the medicine? You must have been mistaken.¡± Carmen could not help but raise her voice. Her mind went nk. She recalled everything bit by bit. She was often jealous of ire because of thetter¡¯s prominent family background and beauty. Besides, Lucas liked ire too. Carmen only wanted to be ire¡¯s best friend because thetter was Lucas¡¯s elder sister. With that, she could get closer to Lucas. However, ire had told Carmen that she liked Lucas and revealed that both of them were not biological siblings. Chapter 606 Chapter 606 At that point, Carmen waspletely devastated. She recalled the day when ire hade to her looking exhrated. Thetter had told her excitedly that she was returning to her own country, together with Lucas. Before that, Franklin and Livia had agreed to Carmen¡¯s request. They would let her try to spend more time around Lucas. The couple had even wanted her to fend off a woman named Ashlyn by making things difficult for thetter. Carmen recalled her name. Ashlyn¡­ That was the first time I¡¯ve heard her name. Even though it was the first time Carmen had heard of Ashlyn, it made a deep impression on her. After all, that was a woman Lucas was in love with. ¡°B-But¡­ I¡¯ve never thought of harming ire. I didn¡¯t hurt her. It¡¯s true,¡± retorted Carmen in vain as she tried to twist her way out. With concrete evidence in front of them, the police could not be bothered to listen to her exnation. Immediately, they hauled her away. As they walked past Lucas, Carmen struck her arms out aggressively. She grabbed Lucas¡¯ arms as hard as she could. ¡°Help me! I don¡¯t wish to die. I really did not murder anyone!¡± ¡°Obviously, thew will be the best judge of whether you¡¯vemitted murder or not,¡± replied Lucas. His countenance was icy cold as he shoved Carmen aside. Then he took a step back. When Carmen heard that, she was instantly crestfallen. It was a world of difference from her smugness before the race. Not too long back, Carmen held in awe as a goddess in car racing. In the blink of an eye, she found herself in dire consequences. Lucas lifted his darkened gaze and looked at the horizon. Heid eyes on Ashlyn, who was still standing on the podium. Although there was only a slight distance between them, Lucas felt like they were miles apart from each other. It was like they were standing at opposite poles of the earth. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Even though they were so close, their hearts were so far apart. At that moment, Ashlyn was not looking at Lucas. Her cold, empty gaze resembled lone stars in the night sky. The live audience felt most jubnt. There were also fans who tuned in to the broadcasting tform. They, too, were ecstatic at the news. The wicked woman who wronged their God of Cars turned out to be a murderer, after all. That meant the God of Cars was innocent because she was framed. When thetter faced countless usations and insults, the fans remained calm. Now that her name was cleared, the fans continued to stay cool. Meanwhile, Ashlyn reacted liked those matters were none of her concern. It was as if she did not take them to heart. Ashlyn thought little about it, as she was sure of her own innocence. Everything that had happened up till then felt too peculiar. That included the fact that Carmen appeared to be in an unusual mental state. Car racers hardly flew into a rage, as it was a major taboo for them. However¡­ Carmen seemed hysterical earlier on. No, I should say that her behavior today looks like a result of provocation. It¡¯s as if her mind was out of her control. She flew into a rage with her words and actions too easily. It was clear that she did not consider the consequences of her rashness. To Ashlyn, Carmen¡¯s reaction looked unbelievable. It was unusual for a car racer who averaged a racing speed of four hundred kilometers per hour to behave that way. Ashlyn found the case thoroughly weird the more she thought about it. On the surface, it appeared as if there were no major problems. Everything seemed to work out logically. However, her instincts told her something was off. Even worse, something was very wrong. When Jared came up next to Ashlyn, he extended his hand to her in invitation. ¡°God of Cars, may I invite you to step down?¡± Ashlyn wriggled her lips and gave her hand to Jared. With his support, she hopped off the podium. Then the runner-up stepped down from the podium along with the second runner-up. After witnessing the shocking scene earlier, the host finally regained his senses. He suddenly recalled he had to continue hosting the race till the end. Hence, he continued with the ending speech to conclude the event. In his entire hosting career, that hade the most incredulous event he had ever hosted. Not only was there a thrilling car race, but there was also a God of Cars who could race at nine hundred kilometers per hour. Next, a mad female racer created havoc in the race. After thetter¡¯s tirade, it turned out she was the actual murderer instead. Then the police took her away. T-This¡­ is even more bizarre than the usual soap dramas on television. Indeed, it¡¯s happening right here in real life. The organizers were sure that would be the most memorable world-ssed racing event in history. With all eyes on the event, the race became a hot topic for discussion everywhere. Amongst other reasons, the God of Cars was simply too perfect. Meanwhile, Ashlyn and Jared moved forward together. When they passed by Lucas, thetter felt a tight lump in his throat. His darkened eyes glistened brightly with a deep, ravenous gaze. Nheless, the ravishingly beautiful woman did not cast him an eye at all. Instead, she continued walking on. Lucas gazed at Ashlyn¡¯s tall and slender back view. Then he clutched his helmet tight and pursed his lips. She¡­ She seems to have really left my life. As Ashlyn walked further away from Lucas, he felt a sense of unfamiliarity within him. Suddenly, he felt a looming dull pain in his heart that he could hardly resist. Chapter 607 Chapter 607 Ashlyn¡¯s icy cold reaction was enough to suffocate Lucas. Despite the fact that Lucas had identified the murderer, Ashlyn was still exceptionally aloof when she looked at him. What is it even if he found the murderer? We¡¯ve already drawn a clear line between us, haven¡¯t we? ¡°Boss¡­¡± uttered Jared. He seemed like he could feel Ashlyn¡¯s emotions. Jared squeezed Ashlyn¡¯s arm with his big hands. Then he inched up against her ear and whispered, ¡°At least you still have us around.¡± Ashlyn lifted her chin and looked up at Jared. She smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m doing fine.¡± Jared looked tall and dashing. He also had a warm and upbeat disposition whereas Ashlyn had a bright smile. She always appeared elegant and ssy. d in a suit with leather shoes, Jared looked every inch like the president of apany. Ashlyn looked sassy in her racing outfit, with her long hair flowing in the wind. Together, the charismatic duo made perfect targets for media photos. The fans and media reporters quickly snapped up those photogenic moments of the duo. Before that, long-time, devoted fans of the duo thought the two should get together. Those fans assumed it was an intentional disy of affection by Jared, the charming CEO of Centennial Healthcare, toward his girlfriend. With no time to lose, those fans posted eagerly on Twitter. When the Twitter posts were out, the topic dominated the top trending searches. Ashlyn and God of Cars, S, were the top trending keywords for quite a while. Sandwiched between those Twitter headlines, there were a couple of headlines on Carmen as ire¡¯s murderer. Meanwhile, the Centennial Healthcare employees and subordinates were all bewildered. Instantly, their faces were cramped with an indescribable feeling. Boss? S is actually our Boss? Boo-hoo. They were in despair momentarily as they thought about how they had treated Carmen in front of Jared in the past. Moments of them fawning up to Carmen shed through their minds. They found their past actions too humiliating to recall. It was exceptionally embarrassing for the Harrison and Anderson brothers. They had wished the ground would just open up and swallow them alive. I can¡¯t believe that woman, Carmen, had the audacity to treat our boss like that. When the employees thought about that, they were livid. Wailing in misery, they wished they could turn back the clock. If they could reverse time, they would never curry favor with Carmen. Instead, they would have tried hard to get into Ashlyn¡¯s good books instead. Then they thought about how mean Jared was. He already knew the truth beforehand. However, he allowed them to continue with their mistake without lending a hand. Jared watched in oblivion as the employees fought amongst themselves in a bloodbath. After a while, Ashlyn felt rather tired. As the car race required her fullest concentration, she was exhausted. Ever since she got poisoned in thest round, her stamina had not fully recovered to its peak condition. Feeling dreary, Ashlyn changed out of her tight and heavy racing outfit. As she stepped out of the changing room, she noticed a tall and muscr man leaning against the wall. Instantly, a familiar scent whiffed toward her. Ashlyn continued walking ahead. Suddenly, the man extended hisrge palm and clutched her wrist. ¡°Let¡¯s talk,¡± said the man. ¡°What else is there to talk about between us?¡± said Ashlyn with a cold snigger. ¡°Why did you do something so dangerous? Don¡¯t you know that car racing is highly dangerous? If you aren¡¯t careful, then-¡± muttered the man, who turned out to be Lucas. Before Lucas could finish his words, Ashlyn cut him off coldly. ¡±Lucas, you¡¯re not qualified to say those words to me. Besides, I¡¯m the God of Cars, S. Where were you when I started underground car racing in the past?¡± said Ashlyn mockingly. After she said that, Ashlyn shoved Lucas¡¯rge palm away from her. She continued walking straight ahead in big strides. As Lucas gazed intently at Ashlyn¡¯s back view drifting further and further away from him, he clenched his fists hard. Now¡­ It¡¯s not the right time yet. Honey, you must wait for me. When I clear all obstacles, I¡¯ll return to your side. Meanwhile, Dixon was at the Haddock Group. As he scrolled through the trending posts on Twitter, his gentle face turned dark and grim all of a sudden. This woman, Ashlyn, is really something. She always escapes from these situations unscathed. What made Dixon even madder was the fact that her poprity had soared due to her exposure on the inte. Ashlyn became so sensational that her poprity even surpassed the up-anding celebrities and actresses. No matter how Dixon tried to suppress Ashlyn¡¯s poprity, that woman ended up sky-rocketing to fame. Infuriated, Dixon smashed his phone hard onto the ground. Then he got up from his seat. With an icy cold expression, Dixon looked far away outside his window. He looked up at the clear blue skies with fluffy white clouds. In stark contrast to the clear sky, his face turned dark and gloomy in an instant. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. At that time, Sienna entered the room. She peered uneasily at Dixon, who had his back turned toward her. Thetter gave off a cold and aloof aura from his back view. Instantly, Sienna fell into a state of panic. She was terrified of Dixon, no matter what he did. That fear was so deep-set that she could not dispel it. Trying her best to keep her fear in check, Sienna muttered softly, ¡°Mr. Haddock, the shareholders¡¯ meeting for the group will start in another ten minutes.¡± ¡°Let the entire bunch of old fuddy-duddies wait!¡± said Dixon coldly. Even in his gentle voice, Dixon sounded naturally sinister. Chapter 608 Chapter 608 ¡°Okay.¡± The foreboding atmosphere in the entire office almost made the people there suffocate. Sienna hurriedly left the scene. Just as she turned around, a woman wearing a red, tight dress stepped into Dixon¡¯s office. The woman then walked up to Dixon sciously in her high heels. Sienna felt a choke in her lungs. The moment the door closed, she could not help but turn around only to see the woman holding Dixon¡¯s arm. She closed her eyes, suppressing the jealousy within her. Then she sped up and strode toward the meeting room. Little did she know that as soon as she left, the man mercilessly pushed the woman away and snapped, ¡°Buzz off!¡± ¡°Mr. Haddock¡­ Weren¡¯t you the one who asked me toe?¡± Christine Miller got up from the floor with a downcast look. ¡°I have a mission for you.¡± Dixon hurled a document at her. ¡°The one in the picture is your target. Take care of him!¡± ¡°Got it. I willplete the mission, so be rest assured.¡± Christine opened the document to have a look. Then she smiled and replied, ¡°I need to see half of the deposit in my ount before I make a move.¡± Because she knew Dixon was a capricious man, she dared not stay any longer, so she turned and left. The production team in the movie studio was making their preparations. The scene in the morning revolved around Naomi and an established actor in the filming industry. The actor was more than forty years old. He was considered an experienced actor whose acting skills were decent. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. As all the previous scenes did not involve him, he only entered the production team the day before. He was not the choice most of the production teams would go for out there. However, this time almost all actors in Greg¡¯s production team were rookies, and they did not have much poprity. That was why he turned out to be the one with the highest stature and had the most experience in the production team. And because of that, he, whose acting skills were considerably good, began lecturing the others. ¡°Why did you take that kind of approach?¡± Before Greg signaled for thepletion of a take, and while Naomi was still saying her lines, the experienced actor suddenly snapped, shocking her. ¡°M-Mr. Garvan, am I making another mistake?¡± Naomi stuttered sheepishly. After all, she was only a young and inexperienced girl. Being snapped at by Marcus caused her entire face to turn red from being ashamed. ¡°Are you an actor? Your emotions were not right. I am so frustrated when acting together with you,¡± Marcus answered impatiently in the harshest tone possible as he pursed his lips. He then scanned Naomi from head to toe. If thetter hadn¡¯t been pretty, he would not have kept the last of his patience. Instead, he would have turned and left. Naomi bit her lips as she suffered in silence. However, she remained polite and humble as she turned and nced at Greg. ¡°Maxwell, can we repeat the scene one more time?¡± Greg, on the other hand, frowned upon seeing that. What is wrong with Marcus? Why is he so full of himself? Does he think he really is an experienced actor? As the director, even I have yet toment. How dare he interrupt the filming process? He even affected a fellow actor. Greg was somewhat angry deep down. If he had not stopped directing for a few years and had a bad reputation in the industry, he would not have used Marcus in the first ce. Greg was somewhat angry deep down. If he had not stopped directing for a few years and had a bad reputation in the industry, he would not have used Marcus in the first ce. He had no choice because Marcus was the only one who agreed to take up the role, while nobody else did. Seeing that Naomi was on the verge of tears, Greg could not help but feel frustrated and furious on behalf of the former, for he thought that her acting just now was faultless. Naomi quickly adjusted her mood and continued to act together with Marcus. It was just that Marcus interrupted her again right after she finished saying a line. ¡°The feeling is not right. Again.¡± Naomi clenched her fists. She was on the verge of copsing. Marcus¡¯ interruptions made her feel like she suddenly did not know how to act. ¡°Mr. Garvan, please go easy on her as she¡¯s a rookie. Moreover, I feel that she is doing a good job.¡± Greg eventually could not help but open his mouth to speak up. ¡°Naomi, please continue.¡± When Naomi heard that, she calmed herself down and continued acting. It was arduous for them to finish that scene eventually. At least, that was how Naomi felt. Just as Naomi breathed a sigh of relief, right in her face, Marcusined again, ¡°Your acting is painfully awful. Meet me in my room tonight. I will personally guide and correct your acting.¡± Naomi looked at him with an astounded expression and immediately revealed a happy smile. ¡°Mr. Garvan, I thought you hated me. I never imagined you would still be willing to guide me.¡± Chapter 609 Chapter 609 Marcus smirked in an evil way. ¡°I am only willing to teach you because you are polite and humble.¡± Nheless, the innocent Naomi did not read between the lines and realize the underlying message and impure intentionsced in Marcus¡¯ words. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. It was already eight o¡¯clock in the evening and an exhausting day for the production team, so everyone returned to their rooms to get some rest right after finishing their meals. Naomi walked out of her room with the script after taking a bath, and she happened to bump into Jonathan¡¯s manager, Isaac, who then asked, ¡°Naomi, where are you heading?¡± ¡°Oh. Mr. Garvan said that he would give me some guidance in acting. So, I¡¯m heading to his room right now.¡± The bright smile on Naomi¡¯s face revealed how happy she was. ¡°You should ask Jonathan to join uster.¡± Isaac was stunned. As he snapped back to his senses, he saw that Naomi had already headed toward Marcus¡¯ room. Why do I feel like something is not right? He deliberated it for a while as he tilted his head. Then he entered Jonathan¡¯s room. Meanwhile, Ashlyn had just finished a meal with ir and Tinsor, and they left with some takeouts. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go to the movie studio to visit Naomi.¡± ¡°Really? I have not had the chance to see how a production team works,¡± Tinsor said happily. Wow! I have never been so correct. I get to experience more when I follow S. Come to think of it, my horizons have broadened a lot ever since I got to know Ashlyn. ¡°Ashlyn, I have always been wondering. Howe you are S? I almost threw my phone when I found out about this on Twitter,¡± ir said in disbelief after getting into Ashlyn¡¯s Land Rover. ¡°Ashlyn, are you, by any chance, going to take us for a ride? Are you going to drive at more than nine hundred kilometers per hour?¡± Tinsor stretched his head out and looked at Ashlyn¡¯s hands on the steering wheel. Well, she¡¯s S, after all! She¡¯s a real person that I can interact with. What¡¯s more, I even had a meal with her. I¡¯m so lucky! I¡¯ve probably used up all my luck umted from several lifetimes. He excitedly took a picture of Ashlyn holding the steering wheel. No matter how I look at her, she looks so cool. She¡¯s so perfect I can¡¯t find a w. I must send this to Patrick. Not only that, I need to post it on both Twitter and Instagram. Tinsor was extremely happy deep down, and so was ir. He was so excited he almost forgot to tell Ashlyn about the incident of Naomi almost getting kidnapped. Excitement blinded him. ¡°We are in the city. How could I possibly go beyond nine hundred kilometers per hour? Two hundred or so is something more usible.¡± Ashlyn started her Land Rover and darted away. Tinsor and ir were astounded that Ashlyn did not run a red light and managed to keep a steady and fast speed. Her control over the vehicle was simply amazing. Especially when Ashlyn was overtaking other cars, the two felt as though they were the ones controlling the vehicle. The darting Land Rover finally arrived at the movie studio. The two young men felt dizziness in their heads. Meanwhile, in the hotel beside the movie studio, Naomi obediently sat in front of Marcus, who was wearing a grey bathrobe, obviously having just taken a bath. He was sitting on the bed, shamelessly revealing his chest and belly which was typical of a middle- aged man. Even though he did not have abdominal muscles, he did not have a beer belly either, so he appeared to be not so disgusting. He was sitting on the bed, shamelessly revealing his chest and belly which was typical of a middle- aged man. Even though he did not have abdominal muscles, he did not have a beer belly either, so he appeared to be not so disgusting. Nevertheless, Naomi could not help but feel awkward. ¡°Mr. Garvan, I-I think I should go back.¡± She had never been this close to any other men except for Jonathan. The more she looked at the belly of the middle-aged man that was exposed in front of her, the more she felt uneasy. She did not know where to look, for she felt looking everywhere was inappropriate. ¡°Don¡¯t go. Tell me. Have you ever had a boyfriend?¡± Marcus stood up and slowly approached her step by step. The element that aroused him was the purity and innocence exuded by the young woman before him. She is like a nk sheet of paper without any romantic experiences. I can¡¯t wait to paint and stter her with my tool. One thing about Greg is that his taste in casting actors is undeniably good. From where did he find such a pure and innocent young woman? I bet no man on Earth would not have dirty thoughts about her. No matter how dull Naomi was, she could tell that something was amiss. She finally realized that Marcus had clearly invited her over with lewd intentions. Marcus undoubtedly has an ax to grind and purposely tempted me here, and I was so stupid to still walk into the lion¡¯s den. She gulped and immediately dashed toward the door. ¡°Mr. Garvan, I am leaving.¡± Chapter 610 Chapter 610 Marcus hastened his pace and stretched his hand out to lock the door from inside. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, it means you¡¯re willing to do it, right? It has be a norm in our circle to discuss scripts at night, don¡¯t you know it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you are talking about! Let me out!¡± Naomi yelled sternly. Her face turned pale, and her hands became numb out of nervousness. She went there excitedly thinking of learning acting skills. It had never crossed her mind that it was a trap by that pervert. At that moment, there was no one she could me but herself for being too naive. What should I do now? Naomi felt a chill down her spine. Ayer of cold sweat formed on her back unwittingly. A sinister smile crossed Marcus¡¯ face. He reached out to her shirt and ripped it off roughly. Instantly, her shirt got torn apart, revealing her fair skin. Naomi grabbed his hand and bit it without any hesitation. Infuriated, Marcus raised his other hand and pped her on the face. Naomi started seeing stars from the p. Her ears buzzed, and a trickle of blood appeared on the corner of her lips. Her cheek became burning hot and swollen like a bun. Looking up, she red at Marcus fiercely like an untamed wolf pup. ¡°Do you know who I am? Marcus, do you have any idea who I am?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are! You have to stay with me tonight whether or not you like it!¡± With that said, Marcus gave her another tight p. Naomi was pped so hard that she fell to the ground. Her bite on Marcus¡¯ hand loosened. Marcus squatted before her and sized up her innocent-looking face. Then, he pinched her chin with a great force that almost crushed her bone. ¡°How dare you bite me? You¡¯re only a rookie! Let me tell you, you¡¯re dreaming if you want to seed in this circle without any background or connection! If you be my mistress, I can help you tond any leading role in any movie. Isn¡¯t that good?¡± Marcus spoke evilly. He nced at his hand which was bleeding from the bite. ¡°Tough woman, aren¡¯t you? I like it. It feels great to conquer you that way!¡± ¡°Stay away from me!¡± Naomi roared angrily. She was only putting up a fearless appearance. Deep inside, she was utterly anxious as she would get worn out soon. Am I destined to be his prey? What should I do now? Secretly, she reached into her pocket for her phone, trying to give Jonathan or her manager a call. However, Marcus noticed it instantly when her finger touched the phone. He snatched the phone over from her and smashed it on the wall. The phone screen shattered at once. The multiple cracks formed the shape of a spider¡¯s web on the screen. ¡°You stupid woman! Who are you trying to call? Huh?¡± Naomi stared at him in horror. ¡°Don¡¯te near me! Stay away!¡± Her body was pressed against the cold wall. Ayer of fog blurred her vision. Her body was pressed against the cold wall. Ayer of fog blurred her vision. A sense of devastation surged within her. What should I do? What should I do? Marcus¡¯ big hand reached out toward her shorts. She grabbed the man¡¯s hand and shrieked loudly and hysterically, ¡°Don¡¯t you touch me!¡± Meanwhile, Jonathan was memorizing his script in his room. Isaac looked at him hesitantly. Feeling uneasy from being stared at, Jonathan hit him with his script. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Jonathan, When I came back earlier, I saw Naomi go to Marcus the pervert¡¯s room. I¡¯m worried-¡± Before Isaac could finish speaking, Jonathan jumped up in shock. ¡°Are you crazy? Why are you only telling me this after so long? Naomi is simple-minded and knows nothing! Oh my god!¡± Without saying another word, he opened the door and dashed toward Marcus¡¯ room immediately. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. He knocked on the door to Marcus¡¯ room frantically while shouting, ¡°Naomi, Naomi! Are you in there?¡± Inside the room, Marcus restrained Naomi¡¯s hands and held them behind her. He threatened her softly, ¡°How dare you inform Jonathan?¡± ¡°Stupid woman!¡± he cursed resentfully. ¡°Tell him that you¡¯re discussing the script with me. Ask him to leave now!¡± Naomi gazed at him with tears in her eyes. The horror in them was evident. Chapter 611 Chapter 611 She bit her lower lip and yelled in a quivering voice, ¡°Jonathan, save me!¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. The man behind the door heard Naomi¡¯s shaky voice. Anxiously, he lifted his leg and kicked the door. ¡°Marcus, you old pervert! You shameless old pervert! Open the door!¡± However, the door of the hotel room was very sturdy. It remained intact even after two kicks. Marcus kicked Naomi to the floor and sat on top of her. He gave her a few ps while scolding furiously, ¡°Stupid woman! How dare you inform someone to save you! I¡¯ll make you suffer!¡± Naomi curled her body up. She was naturally no match for a man¡¯s strength. Hence, she couldn¡¯t fight back at all and could only get beaten. Tears streamed down her face. She looked at the door feebly. The sound of someone kicking the door traveled to her ears. ¡°Help me¡­ Help me¡­¡± she muttered unwittingly. Meanwhile, Marcus¡¯ eyes reddened in panic. How could I let Jonathan make a scene about it when I haven¡¯t even done anything to her yet? No way! I must have my way with her! With that said, his hand reached out toward Naomi¡¯s underwear, and he was about to assault her. Bang! A loud song rang out. The door to the room was suddenly kicked open. The lock also dropped to the floor. Resentfully, Marcus pinched Naomi¡¯s waist. He was utterly displeased to be interrupted. Then, he barked loudly, ¡°Do you know who I am? I¡¯m Marcus Garvan! A veteran actor! How dare you barge into my room!¡± ¡°Do you know who I am, then?¡± A cold female voice rang out from behind the door. Naomi looked over in the direction of the door in astonishment. She saw a woman in white sportswear standing there with an aloof temperament. There was a familiar face behind that woman. ¡°Ashlyn¡­ ir!¡± she uttered upon seeing them. It was as though she had used up all her energy when she crawled toward Ashlyn slowly. ¡°How dare you run away!¡± Upon seeing that, Marcus reached out to grab Naomi¡¯s leg and dragged her forcefully to him. ir was stunned upon seeing his sister being put in such an embarrassing state with bruises all over her skin. On top of that, the old man was still bullying her in front of him. The scene before him assaulted his eyeballs. His eyes swiftly darkened. He was so furious that he trembled in agitation. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. Without any hesitation, he charged forward in Marcus¡¯ direction and punched him right in his face, sending thetter into a dizzy spell which caused him to begin seeing stars. ¡°Who are you? How dare you attack me?¡± Marcus started a scuffle with ir immediately. Upon seeing that, Tinsor also dashed forward. ¡°You must be asking for a death wish toy your hand on my buddy¡¯s sister!¡± Ashlyn walked over to Naomi and hugged her gently. Sheforted, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. You¡¯re safe now.¡± Jonathan, who kicked the door open just now, finally regained his senses. He took off his jacket and draped it over Naomi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Naomi, watch how I get revenge for you!¡± Jonathan, who kicked the door open just now, finally regained his senses. He took off his jacket and draped it over Naomi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Naomi, watch how I get revenge for you!¡± He swore to make that old pervert pay for what he had done. Soon, the three young men surrounded Marcus and beat him to a pulp. Marcus¡¯ shrieks and screams resounded around the room. ¡°Ah¡­ Stop beating me! Let me tell you. Mypany won¡¯t let you guys off! How dare you beat a veteran actor like me! Just you wait!¡± ¡°So what if we beat you? Who cares who is backing you up in thepany?¡± Ashlyn sneered while sizing up Marcus, whose face was bruised and swollen. ¡°How dare trash like you assault my sister-in- law? Who do you think you are?¡± Marcus was beaten up badly, and his whole body was aching. He would never let the matter pass easily after the humiliation he suffered that day. ¡°You beat me up today. Mypany won¡¯t let you off!¡± Ashlyn chuckled. She looked powerful. Her extremely beautiful face exuded an intimidating aura. She lifted her foot, which was d in a white sneaker, and stomped on Marcus¡¯ most fragile spot mercilessly. ¡°Ahh!¡± Marcus shrieked out in pain instantly. It was a scream that gave everyone chills. Every man on that site trembled unwittingly upon seeing that sight. They had the urge to run away at that moment. Chapter 612 Chapter 612 H-How ruthless she is! Seeing how Ashlyn not only stomped on Marcus¡¯her regions but also exerted more force on it, Jonathan could not help but gulp at the horrifying sight. Looks like Marcus won¡¯t be able to get a hard- on for the rest of his life! Jonathan was suddenly frightened for his own life, thinking back to when he trash-talked Ashlyn without any fear at all previously. Withdrawing her leg slowly, Ashlyn nced at Marcus, who was sprawled on the ground. His forehead was covered with beads of sweat, and his body was so weak to the extent that he could not utter a word. She then removed her shoes with a look of disdain, revealing a pair of white socks on both her feet. ¡°So filthy!¡± Tinsor took her shoes and said, ¡°I¡¯ll help you get rid of them, Ashlyn!¡± He then tossed the pair of shoes into the trash can. Seeing how Tinsor tried to get into Ashlyn¡¯s good books, Jonathan hurriedly took out his phone and called someone. ¡°Hello, is this the store manager for DD Labels? Jonathan Quickton here, and I¡¯d like you to send me a pair of thetest model of chunky sneakers for women in size 36 right away. What? What do you mean you¡¯re not delivering any stuff in the middle of the night? I¡¯ll pay ten times the amount for it! Hurry up and send it over!¡± Jonathan hung up the call and looked at Ashlyn with an obsequious expression. ¡°I¡¯ve ordered a pair of new shoes for you, and it¡¯s from DD Labels.¡± DD Labels was a leisure brand owned by a major retail brand. Despite charging exorbitant prices for its products, the brand was quite popr among the younger generation. Just then, the film crew and other staff hurried over to the room. Greg was shocked to discover the horrible scene in the room and soon realized what had happened. With a guilty and remorseful expression, he approached Ashlyn and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Berry. I¡¯ll rece Marcus right away. It¡¯s my fault for not taking good care of Naomi.¡± ¡°You definitely should rece Marcus with someone else. Let Lucas find another actor to take Marcus¡¯ role instead! It is clearly ipetent of him not to protect his sister.¡± Ashlyn gave Marcus a cold stare. ¡°This piece of trash should be cklisted from the industry!¡± Marcus¡¯ eyes widened in shock. ¡°What did you just say? Whose sister is she?¡± Did I hear that right? ¡°Open your filthy eyes and look closely. She¡¯s not only Lucas¡¯ sister, she is also our investor, Ms. Berry¡¯s sister-inw as well!¡± Greg felt that he was getting screwed over majorly by that piece of garbage, Marcus. Initially, Marcus nned to seek revenge against those who had attacked him just now. However, as soon as he heard Lucas¡¯ name, he had no choice but to give up. He could not afford to mess with Lucas Nn. Moreover, when he heard that Ashlyn was the movie¡¯s investor, he was utterly devastated. Not only his age had caught up to him, but Marcus was also an actor who usually spent his time working in different production teams. Furthermore, he rarely went online, let alone use Twitter or other social media tforms. Thus, Marcus was unaware that Ashlyn¡¯s investment in a film was a hot topic online. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Furious, Greg gave Marcus a hard kick. ¡°You scumbag! I agreed to have you join this production because of your decent acting skills. I admit that no one wanted to ept this role, and it¡¯s true that others thought I was incapable of making a good film. However, you didn¡¯t consider who were the bigwigs backing me up, did you?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Greg¡¯s kick elicited another cry of pain from Marcus. ¡°Ah!¡± Greg¡¯s kick elicited another cry of pain from Marcus. Unable to endure the excruciating pain all over his body, in particr at his vulnerable body part, Marcus could only wail loudly with tears streaming down his face. Crawling toward Ashlyn, he reached out his hand with all his might and grabbed the corner of her trousers. ¡°M-Ms. Berry, please, just let me go. I have a family waiting for me, and they¡¯re dependent on me to survive as well. I don¡¯t know what came over me tomit such a terrible sin. Forgive me for not knowing that she is Mr. Nn¡¯s sister and your sister-inw! Please, I beg for your mercy!¡± For a middle-aged man nearing his fifties to be lying on the floor, badly bruised to the extent that he was barely unrecognizable after getting bashed up relentlessly, Marcus had long since lost the elegance and charm of a veteran actor. Ashlyn lowered her cold and harsh gaze toward Marcus. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you think about your wife and children when you bullied Naomi? Do you think I¡¯m going to spare you now that you¡¯re ying the pity card with your family?¡± Her every word was sufficient to send Marcus to hell and back, shattering all hopes of him salvaging the situation. ¡°Throw him out!¡± Ashlyn could not care less to look at Marcus anymore. ¡°I¡¯m going to sue you for inflicting injury upon me! I¡¯ll make sure the whole production gets shut down by the police!¡± Marcus shouted. He felt very indignant and was unwilling to give up. Chapter 613 Chapter 613 ¡°Since you foiled my ns, I¡¯ll have you thrown in jail! Just you wait!¡± ¡°Scumbag! You¡¯re the one who bullied Naomi! Since you¡¯re so eager to be with the police so much, I¡¯ll just send you straight to jail, and make sure you¡¯ll rot in prison for life!¡± Ashlyn sneered. She then said to ir, ¡°Call your brother, tell him to put this garbage in jail.¡± As they had enough evidence to prove attempted rape had taken ce, Marcus would face quite a few years in prison if convicted. Naomi gazed at Ashlyn, feeling touched as she remained in Jonathan¡¯s embrace. Jonathan¡¯s oversized jacket covered her pathetic and disheveled body, instantly providing warmth to her. She was also grateful to Ashlyn. What a domineering woman Ashlyn is, and she treats me so well! I¡¯m so touched I feel like crying! Meanwhile, ir moved his arms about after feeling a minor ache from beating up Marcus too hard a while ago. When turned his head around, ir noticed Naomi was lying in Jonathan¡¯s embrace. Immediately, ir went berserk at the young man. ¡°What are you doing? Who allowed you to hug my sister?¡± ir strode forward and yanked Jonathan away, pulling Naomi into his arms instead. ring angrily at Jonathan, he said, ¡°My sister is still a young girl! You filthy men better stay away from her!¡± Naomi sniffled as she said in a thick nasal voice, ¡°ir, Jonathan¡¯s a really nice guy. He usually takes good care of me during filming as well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care! He¡¯ll have to get through me if he wants to date you!¡± ir replied as he raised his chin haughtily. Tinsor grabbed themp on the bedside table and swung it at Jonathan. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, if you¡¯re nning on pursuing my friend¡¯s little sister, you¡¯re going to have to survive getting struck by thismp!¡± Jonathan blinked, feeling amused by their actions. ¡°We¡¯re just colleagues! I didn¡¯t bully her in any way, so please don¡¯t misunderstand me.¡± ¡°ir, Tinsor¡­ I can¡¯t get married in the future if both of you keep acting like this!¡± Naomi turned to Ashlyn with a look of frustration. ¡°Could you please do something about them, Ashlyn?¡± ¡°They¡¯re right.¡± Ashlyn looked at the people in the room indifferently. ¡°Everyone can leave now. Please deal with the rest of the matter, Maxwell.¡± Naturally, Greg knew what Ashlyn meant. He gave the film crew and hotel staff who came over to witness themotion some hush money and even forced them to sign a non-disclosure agreement on the spot. After all, this was about a young woman¡¯s innocence. An incident of this magnitude being spread around would also have a detrimental effect on the production team itself. Furthermore, since Naomi had already begun to work in the entertainment industry, it would be better to be cautious about everything, so that they would not be taken advantage of by malicious parties. Meanwhile, Ashlyn, ir, and Tinsor were still in Naomi¡¯s room. Jonathan nced at Naomi anxiously, somehow feeling concerned about her, and was reluctant to leave the room. It was as if both of his legs were glued to the ground and stuck there. Isaac tugged at his arm and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Isaac tugged at his arm and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Both Jonathan and Isaac were merely outsiders to Naomi since she was apanied by her siblings and friends. Hence, Isaac thought it would be better for them to remove their presence from the room. Eventually, Jonathan had no choice but to walk toward Naomi and hand her the ointment that his new assistant had bought. ¡°This is for you. Apply this at least three times a day, and don¡¯t forget to massage so that it can be absorbed easily into the skin.¡± Naomi epted his medicine gratefully. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. We¡¯re work partners, right?¡± With that, the young man turned around and left, albeit walking off clumsily and awkwardly. Ashlyn raised her eyebrows and noticed Jonathan¡¯s reddened ears. I didn¡¯t expect this popr young idol would be so pure and innocent. He¡¯s kind of cute, too. Smiling faintly, Ashlyn turned her gaze toward Naomi¡¯s face. It was heartbreaking to see the young lady¡¯s pretty and elegant face be swollen and bruised from the terrible ordeal. ir dipped his finger in the bottle and gently applied the ointment to Naomi¡¯s wounds. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Ouch! Can¡¯t you be gentler?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already as gentle as I can be!¡± On the other hand, Tinsor became hungry after using up his strength to beat up Marcus. Unable to resist his hunger, Tinsor quickly opened the boxes of takeout food from earlier. The savory smell wafted into his nostrils, making him drool incessantly. Chapter 615 Chapter 615 There was a trace of coldness in the silent air. Noticing the awkward situation, Ashlyn said resignedly, ¡°Look at that stone-cold face of yours. You¡¯re scaring them.¡± Who does he think he is? The Grim Reaper? Lucas kept quiet while his bodyguards stood neatly in two lines by the door. He just wanted to enjoy the peaceful moment. Lucas greedily inhaled the familiar fragranceing from Ashlyn. It has been so long. Too long since I¡¯m this close to her. However, he did not dare to get any closer or approach her. He knew that even though the murderer was found, Franklin would still be watching him in the dark. Franklin was not as simple as he seemed. He was more than just a research center director, and one should not underestimate Franklin¡¯s power. Lucas dared not make any rash moves before knowing he could get rid of Franklin¡¯s threat. Ashlyn did not eat the crawfish that he peeled. Instead, she poured them onto Naomi¡¯s te and said, ¡°I¡¯m full. You have these.¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. All hail Ashlyn! My goddess is indeed amazing! Do people that reject Mr. Nn still exists? If it isn¡¯t Ashlyn, who else would have the guts to do so? Tinsor could not help but look up to Ashlyn. Besides Tinsor, who was impressed, ir widened his eyes in disbelief as well. In ir¡¯s eyes, Lucas was an imposing person, and only Ashlyn could do whatever she wanted without any regard. Lucas¡¯ expression darkened after hearing what Ashlyn said. However, it was merely for a moment. He then poured a ss of water for her. ¡°Here, drink this.¡± A hint of mockery shed across Ashlyn¡¯s eyes. We¡¯ve broken up. What kind of show are you putting up here? Why are you pretending to be attentive to me? The corner of Ashlyn¡¯s lip curled slightly, and she stood up. Ashlyn did not bother to look at Lucas as she spoke to Tinsor and ir. ¡°Are you guys leaving with me or not?¡± The two of them instantly shed a smile. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re following you.¡± What a joke! We¡¯ll never pass a chance to take a ride with God of Cars, S. We probably used up all our luck just for today. Tinsor and ir were delighted when Ashlyn asked them to leave together. It was impossible that they would choose to stay. Lucas felt his heart ache as he pursed his lips into a thin line and quietly stared at the trio leaving. He looked at Naomi with a stern expression only after they had left. ¡°You can¡¯t get into the showbiz as easily as you think. Since you¡¯re already in it, you have to handle the consequences thate with it. You¡¯re lucky that Ashlyn saved you from what happened today. No one can guarantee whether you¡¯ll be safe from the same danger next time.¡± ¡°Lucas¡­¡± Upon hearing what he said, Naomi felt as though the crawfish in front of her was no longer delicious. She did not want to listen to Lucas reprimanding her. Naomi felt miserable and wanted a hug from Ashlyn. However, Ashlyn had left in a fury because of Lucas. She was sensitive to the abnormal atmosphere between Lucas and Ashlyn. The two had seemed to be patched up before this. Naomi did not expect that things had taken a change. The matter of Grace¡¯s passing had been rified. That was why Naomi did not understand the rift between Lucas and Ashlyn. The matter of Grace¡¯s passing had been rified. That was why Naomi did not understand the rift between Lucas and Ashlyn. Naomi was also devastated over Grace¡¯s passing. However, thetter had stayed with their parents since she was young and did not spend much time with the other Nn siblings. Hence, they did not have a strong bond with Grace. Inparison, Naomi was closer to Ashlyn than she was to Grace. The more Naomi knew about Ashlyn, the more she liked her. Ashlyn even saved her from trouble earlier on. When the harrowing incident happened earlier, Naomi felt like her world was about to copse. Yet Ashlyn came to her rescue; she looked immensely cool and imposing while doing so. The more Naomi thought about it, the worse she felt, and she gathered her courage to talk back to Lucas for the first time. ¡°You¡¯re my older brother, but you never reflect on yourself. You divorced Ashlyn. Even after your divorce, you still bully and refuse to believe that Grace¡¯s death had nothing to do with her. Are you not at fault for what happened between you two today? The biggest mistake you made was that you divorced Ashlyn! You even let other women unt your illicit rtionships in broad daylight. You made Ashlyn feel disgusted!¡± ¡°You!¡± Lucas was not expecting Naomi, who was usually as timid as a mouse, to rebuke him like that. Naomi¡¯s stubborn and youthful face showed anger, disappointment, and a hint of pain. She raised her head to re at Lucas. Coupled with her swollen face, Naomi looked extremely pitiful. Chapter 616 Chapter 616 ¡°Lucas, the Nn family is different from others. We may have parents, but they never cared about us. We would¡¯ve starved to death if it weren¡¯t for our grandparents who brought us up. After our grandparents passed away, Ashlyn treated ir and me very well. It was her who settled the issue when ir fought with Tinsor. She was also the one who dealt with the matter when ir fought with others in the school. Every time I got into trouble or almost got conned, she was the one who helped me. Even this time, Ashlyn was the one who saved me.¡± Naomi¡¯s suppressed emotions erupted all of a sudden. She pretended to be happy and strong in front of Ashlyn and ir, but that facade came crashing down in front of Lucas. Naomi sobbed pitifully and asked, ¡°Lucas, why can¡¯t you get Ashlyn back? Why did you get divorced from Ashlyn?¡± Lucas held back whatever he was about to say and stared at the crying girl in front of him, dumbstruck. Naomi was still young and had just reached adulthood not long ago. All that had happened that day was all caused by his negligence. She was right. Things would have been irreparable if it had not been for Ashlyn. Lucas sighed, and pain shed across his deep eyes. He extended his arms and took the initiative to hug his sister for the first time despite knowing that they were not rted by blood. However, Naomi and ir did not know that. They had always treated Lucas as their brother, respecting and fearing him. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Lucas pulled Naomi into an embrace and patted her back softly, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve wronged all of you. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve also wronged Ashlyn. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± All of a sudden, the almighty Lucas got off his high horse. Naomi gazed at him in disbelief with tears in her eyes. She was distraught that day. Naomi was filled with hurt, regret, guilt, and hatred that she was dumb enough to fall into Marcus¡¯ trap. However, she was grateful that Ashlyn had arrived there in time. ¡°I¡¯ll leave a few bodyguards with you and send an assistant from Nn Entertainment to take care of you. Since you want to be an actress and have Ashlyn¡¯s support, I¡¯ll no longer stop you, but safety is always the priority. No one can bully a daughter of the Nn family,¡± said Lucas, and a hint of coldness shed across his eyes. Marcus, you dared to bully my sister. It seems you have a death wish! At the Field residence, Fae was helping Charlotte pack her luggage. ¡°Bring more clothes. You must bring these skincare products too.¡± Fae could not bear the thought of not seeing Charlotte for some time. Joseph was shocked when he saw the two big luggage bags. He asked, ¡°Mom, why is there so much luggage?¡± ¡°One to store clothes, the other to keep daily necessities and some snacks that Lottie likes. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be ustomed to the food overseas as they have different tastes, so I prepared more food for her.¡± Fae became more upset as she spoke. ¡°Joseph and I will be back soon, Mum.¡± Charlotte sat beside Fae and consoled her. ¡°Joseph and I will be back soon, Mum.¡± Charlotte sat beside Fae and consoled her. They were leaving for Maredania in the afternoon. Charlotte was reluctant to part with Fae as thetter treated her well and cared for her as a mother would. ¡°Let¡¯s get something to eat.¡± Fae patted Charlotte¡¯s hand and headed toward the kitchen. The dishes were served very soon. Charlotte¡¯s eyes lit up and formed crescents as she smiled when she saw the familiar chicken soup. ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± she said. That was her favorite soup, and it made her feel at home. Fae smiled and said, ¡°Ashlyn likes this chicken soup too.¡± At two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Joseph and Charlotte got into the car and left for the airport. Charlotte felt awkward at the thought that she would soon need to be alone with Joseph for an extended period of time. She sat in the backseat with him and did not dare to look at him, so she could only pretend to watch the scenery outside the window. His fresh scent asionally wafted into her nose, causing her to blush, and her heart beat quickly. Chapter 617 Chapter 617 Joseph unloaded the luggage upon their arrival at the airport. He reminded Charlotte, ¡°Follow me. There¡¯s a lot of people here.¡± She hurriedly nodded. ¡°Lottie!¡± A familiar voice sounded from nearby. Charlotte looked in the direction where the voice came from with surprise and saw L approaching her. Olivia, all dressed up, was trying to keep up with him in her high heels. ¡°Hey, L. Where are you going?¡± A hint of anger shed across L¡¯s eyes when he saw Joseph and Charlotte standing together like a match made in heaven. L got angry and asked, ¡°Why are you with him? Where are you guys going?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business where we¡¯re going,¡± said Charlotte coldly. She nced at Joseph and said, ¡°Joseph, let¡¯s go.¡± L, on the other hand, did not n to let her go. He took a step forward and blocked her way, saying, ¡°Lottie,e back. Don¡¯t stay at the Field residence. The Fraser residence is your true home!¡± ¡°Mr. L, are you kidding?¡± Charlotte suppressed the pain in her heart andughed coldly before continuing, ¡°Your mother came to the Field residence to cause a scene and scolded me, but you¡¯re telling me that the Fraser residence is my home?¡± She paused and said, ¡°I¡¯m thankful that you cared for me for many years, but I¡¯m just a burden to you in your life.¡± Joseph took out a bank card from his wallet and passed it to L, saying, ¡°There¡¯s five million in here. This should be enough to pay for the expenses of taking care of her for all those years.¡± It was an apparent and tant insult. L stared fiercely at Joseph¡¯s handsome face in disbelief that thetter had used the money to undermine him. He did not expect that anyone would do that to him. Isn¡¯t he just the mayor¡¯s son? What¡¯s so great about that? L¡¯s eyes became tempestuous, and he swatted the bank card away. ¡°Mr. Joseph, you think too little of me!¡± he fumed. ¡°Mr. L, Lottie has left you. I hope you will stop pestering her.¡± Joseph recalled how the Fraser family had caused amotion in his house and the image of him fighting with L when he saw thetter. They were like enemies meeting one another, zing with hatred. ¡°Joseph, let¡¯s hurry and leave! It¡¯d be bad if we miss our flight,¡± said Charlotte while she tugged on Joseph¡¯s sleeves. He watched her with gentle eyes and replied, ¡°Okay.¡± L was about to follow them when Olivia pulled him back with an upset expression. She angrily said, ¡°L, what is the meaning of this? You promised that you¡¯d send me overseas to learn to y the piano. How could you do this?¡± L pushed her away impatiently and left with his head lowered. Olivia was fuming but could only follow behind. Onboard the ne, Charlotte looked out the window with hollow eyes. It would be a lie if she said it did not hurt when she saw L. However, she would not go back. It was impossible for her ever to return. The Fraser family had no ce for her, and she did not want to continue being L¡¯s burden. Charlotte would think of ways to repay him for all those years of bringing her up, but she was no longer the Charlotte before. She was no longer the little girl who would stay by L¡¯s side and be happy for the entire day when she received apliment or words of motivation from him. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Lucas had sent more people to protect Naomi ever since the incident with Marcus happened. With a little effort, he quickly found out that Naomi had been drugged previously, and it was done by none other than Helena¡¯s assistant. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Although Naomi did not think there were any issues with her body, ir still dragged her to the hospital for a detailed entire body check-up. Naomi was wearing a mask while waiting for the check-up results because her face was still swollen. It appeared a bit scary. Two hourster, the doctor walked out of theboratory grimly. ¡°Doctor, how¡¯s my sister¡¯s body? Is she okay?¡± Chapter 618 Chapter 618 ir asked nervously about Naomi¡¯s condition. ¡°Other than some external wounds, there¡¯s a certain kind of toxin in her body. However, we can¡¯t identify what it is at the moment with our current facilities.¡± The doctor turned to look at Naomi with a serious expression. ¡°Ms. Nn, do you recall having any adverse reactions in your body usually?¡± Naomi looked at the doctor in surprise. There¡¯s some kind of toxin in my body? Could it be the drink that was drugged? Her chest tightened with fear and anxiety as she tried to recall how she felttely. ¡°I don¡¯t think I noticed anything different¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible that the incubation period of the poison is long. So, you should find ways to get it out of your system as soon as possible because we know nothing about it. I¡¯ll speak with the other professionals in the hospital about this. Once we figure something out, I¡¯ll inform you, Ms. Nn,¡± the doctor said with a serious expression. Naomi nodded and replied, ¡°Okay.¡± ir couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. He was anxious like a cat on hot bricks. ¡°D*mn you, Helena! How dare she do this to you? I¡¯ll make her pay for this!¡± Naomi gripped ir¡¯s arm and said in a depressed voice, ¡°Calm down, ir. I don¡¯t know what I did to offend her that made her do this to me. I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t admit to it even if you go and ask her.¡± ir pursed his lips in anger. ¡°What else can I do? If there¡¯s really nothing we can do, I¡¯ll get Ashlyn¡¯s help!¡± Naomi felt worse because she was the one poisoned. Besides, the doctor said that there was a possibility that the incubation period of the poison was slightly longer, so it might get serious the moment the poison started spreading over her body. It was like a ticking time bomb that could go off anytime and st her into pieces. I¡¯m still young! I don¡¯t want to die yet! I can¡¯t die yet, especially when Lucas and Ashlyn still haven¡¯t reconciled! I want a nephew! The more she thought about it, the more depressed she became. In the end, she decided to sit in the car and couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes. Meanwhile, in the lobby on the first floor of Nightsky Private Club, Ashlyn noticed Jared at a nce despite the bright lights. The sunny and handsome man was dressed in a fancy, floral shirt, and he had a pair of ck jeans on. His outfit did not match his facial features. ¡°Why did you want to meet here?¡± Ashlyn asked as she took the seat next to him. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. He gave a faint smile. ¡°Sometimes, we have to rx. Here, Boss. Cheers.¡± Ashlyn raised her brows. Jared took his wine ss and clinked it against hers. Both of them finished their wine in an instant. Ashlyn only remembered the date after a short moment. She couldn¡¯t help but nce at him with pity. Jared was someone who had gone through a lot. Every year on this day, he would feel mncholic. ¡°Mr. Nn, the private room is at the end of the corridor,¡± said a man with a big belly as he politely led the way. Lucas had one hand in his pocket, and a few of his men in ck suits walked behind him. As he walked, he looked casually at the crowd in the lobby. With a single nce, he saw the striking beauty who was clinking her ss with Jared. Her facial features were exquisitely beautiful and dazzling, and she looked a little bewitching under the shifting lights. She had a ck shirt on with a little ck singlet inside that exposed her fair and slender waist. D*mn it! Does she even know how alluring she is? So many men have their eyes on her! Lucas took a deep breath. Although they were far from one another and were separated by the crowd, he was immediately able to see her clearly despite the bright, shing lights. Her pretty face, as well as her soft and delicate lips, were engraved in his mind. In that instant, all he could see was Ashlyn. He realized that no matter how much time had passed, and what happened between them, he had always been able to find her in a crowd easily. He continued to stare at Ashlyn as she drank with Jared. Chapter 619 Chapter 619 he never drank without restraint like that in front of him. Other than that, he noticed that her bodynguage was cool and chic even when she was drinking. She was holding the wine ss with her porcin-white fingers. Then, she raised her elegant swan- like neck as she drank. Lucas turned and walked straight to the end of the corridor the moment he saw Jared smirking while moving closer toward Ashlyn. Ashlyn felt that someone was staring straight at her fiercely. When she raised her head to look for the source, she realized that the sense of pressure was gone. She stood up and ced the wine ss on the table. ¡°I need to use the restroom for a bit.¡± Jared burped. ¡°Okay, Boss. Come back as soon as you can! Harrison and Anderson will be joining us later. Let¡¯s drink together!¡± Ashlyn ignored him. She made her way toward the restroom, twisting her thin waist while walking in her Dr. Martens boots. She got through the crowd easily. On her way to the restroom, the blinding, shing lights all over the ce affected her vision. Oncete-night fell upon them, all the guests at the private club would dance away and sumb to their temptations. All forms of lust and desire became magnified and were set loose. She shook her head as she entered the restroom. Ugh¡­ My stomach¡¯s burning. Why is the wine so strong? After that, she sshed cold water on her face and looked at her beautiful, captivating face in the mirror. She had always known that she was pretty. But, what¡¯s the point? If I could, I really wish to get drunk without having to worry about all those burdens on my shoulders. Just as she was deep in her thought, the lights in the restroom went out. At the same time, the noise outside seemed to have stopped too. What¡¯s going on? How could a ce like this face a power failure? That¡¯s not possible, right? Ashlyn furrowed her brows. Just as she was about to leave, she felt a familiar dangerous aura. She positioned herself defensively as she punched in the direction of the unknownpany. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± The next moment, a pair of strong palms gripped her fists. After exchanging a few blows, she felt a pair of warm and big hands lock onto her waist. The warmth from the person¡¯s palm seemed to burn the skin around her midriff. The next moment, the man pinned her against the wall, and she felt a sharp pain on her lips. She hissed in pain. She was furious and lifted her leg to kick the man. However, it was as if he had seen iting, so he used one of his hands to grab her leg and put it against his waist. At the same time, he nibbled on her lips more fiercely than before. Ashlyn used all her energy to break free from him as the familiar masculine scent entered her nose. However, no matter how strong she was, she could never win against that man. The man wanted to take in her lips and tonguepletely as indescribable pain, heat, and wildness rose inside him. Ashlyn¡¯s body slowly rxed and softened after she felt the man¡¯s ferocity. In the dark restroom, the two of them continued kissing, catching their breaths in between, as the man started moving his hands against her back. Instantly, she felt a numbing sensation against her back as she shivered. ¡°Why? You can¡¯t take it anymore?¡± she mocked. She would be an idiot if she still couldn¡¯t tell who the man was. He was very tall, and his strong figure radiated indescribable power in the dark. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. She looked at him sarcastically, and he looked back. There was a fiery and lustful look in his eyes that made her heart skip a beat. However, she made up her mind the next second. She said in a flirtatious voice, ¡°Mister, did you bring a condom with you? If you don¡¯t have one, I can¡¯t-¡± The moment she said that, the man¡¯s fiery eyes turned cold. It was a stare that gave her the chills. Crash! A deafening noise was heard. The man broke the sink into pieces with his bare fist. Pieces of the broken sink shattered everywhere. The sink was made of colorful zed tiles. Immediately, it was shattered all over the floor upon the impact. Despite that, Ashlyn was unfazed as she didn¡¯t even blink at the destruction. She continued to act flirtatiously as she leaned closer toward the man¡¯s handsome face. ¡°Mister, why did you have to get so mad when you didn¡¯t bring a condom with you? It¡¯s such a small matter.¡± Chapter 620 Chapter 620 The man reached out his arms suddenly and enveloped Ashlyn in his embrace. Because of his sudden movement, she froze and almost fell onto the pieces of ss on the ground. In the dark space, the man¡¯s chilly and suffocating aura radiated from his body. ¡°Don¡¯t purposely push my buttons,¡± he uttered coldly, his voice sounding as if it was forced through his clenched teeth. Ashlyn lifted her eyes to see the man¡¯s seductive lips, and her heart skipped a beat then. However, she managed to snap back into her senses the next moment and put her hands on his chest. ¡°Wow! I didn¡¯t know that you have such a great figure. Why don¡¯t we do it here right now?¡± she said in a suggestive tone that she put on deliberately. Her eyes were cold, but she sounded very seductive. She was definitely doing it on purpose. Instead of allowing him to pester me like this, it¡¯s better for me to put a stop to it now. I really don¡¯t get him at all. What is he doing? Just as her hand was about to move toward his pants from his chest, the man gripped her wrist instantly. He held her wrists so tightly as if he had the urge to break them. Ashlyn clenched her teeth in pain as she almost cursed. This scumbag! When she was about to curse out loud, he pushed her aside, and she crashed onto the wall. ¡°Hey! Lucas! What the f*ck are-¡± Before she was able to finish, the lights in the restroom lit up. The sudden brightness hurt her eyes, and she turned around to look for Lucas. However, he was nowhere to be found. She stared in the direction of where the sink was supposed to be. Only the pipe and pieces from the sink were left. At that moment, Jared rushed over. He was shocked when he saw her staring into space. ¡°Boss, have you always been so strong? You broke an entire sink!¡± Ashlyn shot a look at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t do that!¡± ¡°Then who did?¡± Jared asked inquisitively. Ashlyn pursed her swollen lips as she touched them. ¡°It was just a crazy b*stard.¡± Lucas¡­ After that, she pulled Jared out of the restroom. ¡°How shameless can you get foring into the female restroom to look for me?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I was just worried about you,¡± Jared said as he nced at the men¡¯s restroom. Ashlyn followed his gaze and saw a tall figure at the entrance of the men¡¯s restroom. The man was dressed in a ck suit, and he was staring coldly at Ashlyn with a dark look. She let out a cold chuckle when she saw him. He¡¯s improved, hasn¡¯t he? He even dared toe into the female restroom tounch a sneak attack at me, huh? Ashlyn found it difficult to understand Lucas¡¯ actions. What the hell is he thinking? He was the one who wanted a divorce and wanted to break up. So why is he getting close to me so sneakily now? Does he get embarrassed when others see us together? Or does he have ulterior motives for doing so? She couldn¡¯t care less about him, so she put her arms around Jared¡¯s on purpose and acted coquettishly like how she did earlier. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Darling.¡± Lucas closed his eyes as jealousy stirred inside him. Subconsciously, he touched his lips that had just kissed Ashlyn¡¯s. Her warmth seemed to linger there. There was an unbearable gloom in his eyes and sharp pain in his chest. ¡°Honey, wait for me. You have to wait for me,¡± he mumbled. It seemed like he was talking to himself. It¡¯s only been a few days. Why does it feel like forever to me? The next morning, winds started blowing fiercely all of a sudden. Ashlyn was doing her eye makeup, and her pink lips were still swollen from yesterday. He was too forceful when he kissed her, so her lips still hadn¡¯t recovered yet. Ashlyn pursed her lips and looked for a khaki-colored long trench coat. Since she was tall, she looked smart and elegant even though she only wore a pair of low heels. She got into her Land Rover and made her way to the movie studio. Since Naomi was hurt, and her face was swollen, she couldn¡¯t be on camera until her wounds recovered. Instead of getting some rest at home, she stayed in her hotel room. Chapter 621 Chapter 621 Ashlyn bought some fruits, pastries, and snacks along the way before she continued driving toward the movie studio. Meanwhile, at the hotel next to the movie studio, Naomi went to take a warm shower in the morning after she woke up feeling sweaty. After she was done, she reached for her bath towel and face towel that she had ced on the rack earlier. She never liked to use the items prepared by hotels. Be it towels or beddings, she was used to bringing her own items. Her bath towels, face towels, and beddings were of the same set. All of them were yellow with Pikachu printed on them. Looking at the Pikachu on her items would cheer her up instantly. Once she got her towel, she wrapped her body with it and tucked the corner as she normally would. Suddenly, she felt a sudden jab of pain, and she frowned in response. Without hesitation, she took off her towel and saw beads of blood starting to ooze out from her arm. She opened her towel and examined it closely by carefully tracing the towel with her fingertips. Something hard was hidden in between the soft fabric of her towel. She got her towels from an international brand, so it was thick and of high quality. If she hadn¡¯t noticed it, she might never know that something was hidden inside her towel. She was stunned and didn¡¯t have time to worry about her injured arm. What exactly is hidden inside this towel? Immediately, she walked out of the bathroom and ced the towel under the lights before she carefully pressed onto it. A whileter, a few sharp needles were squeezed out. The fact that the tiny embroidery needles were hidden in the towel was absolutely horrendous. The two that were tainted with her blood caught her eye, and she kept staring at them. Naomi never expected that someone would do such a thing to her. Right when she was thinking about the woman who sneaked into her room a few days ago, someone knocked on her door. rmed, she frowned while looking toward the door. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± ¡°Naomi, it¡¯s me,¡± Ashlyn called from the other side of the door. Instantly, Naomi rxed and went to open the door. The moment she saw the tall woman at her doorstep, all the misery she felt for the past few days surged out from within her. ¡°Ashlyn¡­¡± Naomi called out her name with hints of sobs in her voice. Ashlyn raised her eyebrows, and a look of surprise appeared on her face. After five minutes, Ashlyn¡¯s expression turned serious as she looked at the embroidery needles inside the towel. ¡°Check your other belongings.¡± Naomi nodded her head in response. Having Ashlyn by her side was like having a strong pir that she could rely on. She felt safe with Ashlyn around. As long as Ashlyn¡¯s here, I have nothing to be afraid of! ¡°This is really sick.¡± Ashlyn took the bath towel from the bathroom and felt the hard metal within it after she gently pressed on it. After that, she carefully took something out from the slit and held it up for Naomi to see. Naomi shrieked out of fear as she looked at the razor de in disbelief. ¡°Is that a razor de?¡± The razor de in the towel seemed to give off a cold gleam under the light. She trembled in fear. Who on earth is trying to hurt me? In the blink of an eye, Ashlyn easily removed all the razor des from the towel. She pulled open the slits on several towels and took out the razor des from inside. The sharp des damaged the towels in the process. It would be disastrous if the razors cut her face. How vicious! Ashlyn went over to the pillows and pressed on them. After she removed the pillowcase, she saw a handful of thumbtacks that were hidden in it. Naomi stared at the thumbtacks in fear as she did a rough calction. I¡¯m d that I don¡¯t have the habit of sleeping on a pillow. If I did lie on my pillow, wouldn¡¯t it mean that I¡¯d be lying on these thumbtacks? Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. There were more than ten thumbtacks inside the pillow. If Iy on the pillow without thinking like how I covered myself with my towel, I¡¯d definitely get hurt again. Ashlyn had a bad feeling about it, so she searched through the entire room, making sure that no items were left unchecked. She looked at the razor des, thumbtacks, and embroidery needles. ¡°Everything else is safe. These bloody items are only inside the towels and pillows.¡± Chapter 622 Chapter 622 Ashlyn¡¯s heart dropped into what felt like a bottomless pit, and her heart turned icy and hard. Whoever¡¯s doing this is really despicable, dirty, and absolutely disgusting! This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Naomi, you can¡¯t stay here anymore,¡± Ashlyn said before she called Harrison and Anderson. When they picked up, she said, ¡°Get me a condominium that is close to the movie studio. I¡¯m okay with two or three bedrooms as long as it¡¯s avable for sale and immediate move-in. Hurry.¡± ¡°Boss, why are you looking for a ce?¡± Harrison asked in azy voice. ¡°Quit asking. Just do what I tell you to do. Look for Jared if you don¡¯t have enough money,¡± she replied before she hung up. Naomi was terrified. Her color drained from her face when she looked at the scary items in front of her. She couldn¡¯t imagine what would be of her if she hadn¡¯t noticed the embroidery needle in her towel. ¡°Ashlyn, Lucas found out that it was Helena who drugged me the other day. Do you think she¡¯s behind this too?¡± Her heart felt cold from the fear. Just how much does she hate me, and how vicious is she to do such a thing? Ashlyn looked at Naomi¡¯s face and saw that the swelling had reduced to a faint scar. ¡°We don¡¯t have any proof for now, so it¡¯s only a guess. Try to calm down.¡± ¡°Ashlyn, I really think it¡¯s her because she drugged me and even fought with me in the restroom. I think she¡¯s incapable of this if she¡¯s bad enough to put something in my drink,¡± Naomi insisted out of frustration. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Ashlyn asked as she examined Naomi and saw the beads of blood on her arm. Then, she continued, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s poisonous. But if it is, then¡­¡± Fortunately, Naomi had a first aid kit in her room. Ashlyn opened it and grabbed some gauze from it. After that, she cleaned Naomi¡¯s wounds. Fortunately, it was a small wound that wasn¡¯t very visible. Besides, it had stopped bleeding. ¡°It¡¯s just a little wound with two to three nicks, so you¡¯ll be okay.¡± Naomi looked at her gratefully before she lowered her gaze. ¡°Thanks, Ashlyn. I¡¯m sorry for my ignorance and for what I¡¯ve done in the past. I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± Ashlyn smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lotpared to before. I¡¯ll let you know once your new ce is ready. You don¡¯t have to stay here anymore.¡± It was a refreshing experience for Naomi to have a wealthy sister-inw who could just buy her a ce whenever she wanted to. Although Naomi was the daughter of the Nn family, she mostly got her allowance from Lucas. However, ever since she left home and decided to depend on herself, she didn¡¯t have much money on her because she didn¡¯t take anything from her family. She was hoping for the movie to be a hit so that she could be paid handsomely. As she was a rookie, she wouldn¡¯t earn too much from the movie. Besides, the person in charge had already paid the first half of her payment to her, and the rest of it would be paid after she finished filming. Therefore, she didn¡¯t have much money. Recently, she had really fallen in love with performing after she acted on the set and experienced the different lives of different characters. It was something that only the one experiencing it could understand. For Naomi, such experiences weren¡¯t only interesting and fresh, they were more like having a deeper perception of life. After this movie ended, she wanted to continue acting and try out different characters. The Nn family may be rich, but if I have my own career and live out my worth, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll feel even better! I want to be like Ashlyn. I wish to live out my life with my own worth. She recalled the time she spent with her rich friends. Back then, all she did was only have tea, go on shopping sprees, talk about beauty products, and gossip about male celebrities. What¡¯s the point of that? It¡¯s shallow and a waste of time! The more she thought about it, the more Naomi thought that Ashlyn was her beacon in life that brought her back to living out her life meaningfully. Without thinking, she reached out and hugged Ashlyn. ¡°Ashlyn, I love you!¡± Ashlyn was shocked at what Naomi did. She felt ufortable with how Naomi was hugging her, and it was reflected on her face. ¡°Why are you being so chummy all of a sudden?¡± She pushed Naomi away and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go out! I¡¯ll get you something delicious.¡± Chapter 623 Chapter 623 It was pretty crowded at the movie studio. There were two rows of food streets nearby, and there were food stalls in the evening that sold all sorts of snacks and foods. Some even sold trinkets. Ashlyn wore her trench coat and had a pair of sunsses on to cover her ice-cold gaze. She was even radiating off an intimidating aura with her exposed chin. In the end, no one dared to look at her. A sudden gust of wind blew and lifted the hem of her trench coat, making her look valiant. Meanwhile, Naomi had a long-sleeved dress on instead of punk-style clothes because she had grown out of them. Since she was young, she preferred to wear girly clothes. Despite the blue mask that covered her face, her big, round eyes could still be seen. The passers-by and hawkers couldn¡¯t help but get drawn to Ashlyn and Naomi when they saw the two beauties of different styles walking down the food street of the movie studio. Meanwhile, Ashlyn was only focused on cheering Naomi up. ¡°What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll treat you.¡± Since Naomi was still young, she acted pretty immaturely. The moment she heard what Ashlyn said, her eyes lit up. ¡°Ashlyn, I want to have fried chicken, corn dog, and candy apple!¡± Ashlyn grinned. ¡°Okay. You got it.¡± At the Chapman residence, Sisley crossed her legs as she ate peanuts in aidback and rxed manner. She had a cheerful look on her face. Hera was walking down the stairs when she saw Sisley. She couldn¡¯t help but walk over to Sisley and sit next to her. ¡°Mom, I heard that Uncle Brad was arrested. Did he really do something that harmed Grandpa?¡± Sisley smiled at Hera as she spew a peanut shell into the trash bin. ¡°Of course it¡¯s true! Now that Brad¡¯s down, there are only Bryan and that b*tch Ashlyn left.¡± Brad fell for Sisley¡¯s little trick, and he stupidly went to make a move on Bob at the hospital. What a stupid man Brad is to reveal his greed so easily. Bob was shocked and overwhelmed with pain and resentment. Sisley would do the same thing to Bryanter on. She¡¯d speak badly of Ashlyn so that Bryan would hate her too. It was possible that he would take the bait too. After she took Bryan out, all that was left was Ashlyn. I wonder how Dad will choose when the timees. Will he choose his own son or his not-so-close granddaughter? Sisley had a vicious look in her eyes when she looked at the sulent nts by the window. There are too many descendants in this family. I should cut them off one by one like how I do with these sulent nts. Although Hera didn¡¯t know what Sisley did, she had a feeling that thetter was involved with the matter of Brad¡¯s move on Bob. Suddenly, she thought of something and grabbed Sisley¡¯s arm with a nervous look on her face. ¡°Mom, if Grandpa tells Ashlyn about her identity, d-doesn¡¯t this mean that Lucas will know about my matter too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s for sure. Why else would your Uncle Brad make a move against your grandpa? The old man should have died a long time ago and brought the secret to the grave with him!¡± replied Sisley. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you,¡± Sisley continued with a sinister look on her face as she patted Hera¡¯s hand tofort her. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile, at the hospital, when Hera and Sisley got there, they noticed that Lucas was in Bob¡¯s ward too. They didn¡¯t know what Bob was saying to him because Lucas had an indifferent look on his face and was nodding from time to time. Hera happily looked at Lucas¡¯ handsome face which made her heart race no matter where he was. Ah¡­ He¡¯s always so charming and dashing! ¡°Lucas, what are you doing here?¡± she asked in a voice that failed to conceal her excitement. Lucas looked at Hera expressionlessly. ¡°I just got here a while ago. Since I was in the neighborhood, I thought I¡¯d drop by to visit Mr. Chapman.¡± ¡°Thank you for taking out some time to visit when you¡¯re so busy, Mr. Nn,¡± Sisley said with a smile out of pleasantry. Lucas looked down and curved his lips slightly as he hid what he was really thinking. ¡°I should get going now.¡± However, Hera suddenly took a ticket from her bag and gave it to Lucas. ¡°Lucas, I know that we have a terrible misunderstanding between us, but I¡¯ll be participating in the International Piano Competition soon. Can you root for me during thepetition?¡± Chapter 624 Chapter 624 Lucas had a poker face while staring at her with an unfathomable gaze. He pursed his lips and said nothing. Hera became anxious, and tears started pooling in her eyes. ¡°I know I might have done something to change your perception of me. But, for Grandpa¡¯s sake, can you please show up? I believe I¡¯ll win the first prize if you¡¯re there.¡± She stared at Lucas intensely with a look full of anticipation and desire as she said that earnestly with a pitiful tone. The atmosphere in the ward was a little awkward at that time. Just as Hera thought Lucas would not ept her invitation, he stretched out his long, slender hand and took the ticket. ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡± Hera widened her eyes in disbelief. The tears that had been swimming in her eyes began rolling down her cheeks. She was unsure if it was due to her earlier aggrievance or her current state of excitement. Hera then turned to look at Bob and sounded surprised as she said, ¡°Grandpa, he agreed!¡± Bob¡¯s face was still pale at that time. He did not look excited like Hera. Instead, he just thanked Lucas faintly, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Nn.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, Mr. Chapman.¡± With that said, Lucas nodded to Bob before turning and leaving. Spencer observed Lucas closely when he walked out of the ward. She asked in confusion, ¡°Mr. Nn, you know about Ms. Chapman¡¯s real identity. Why did you¡­¡± A hint of mockery shed across Lucas¡¯ eyes. ¡°Ashlyn will attend the International Piano Competition for sure. How can I not be there when she¡¯s there?¡± He fixed his gaze on the ticket, snorted, and flicked his fingers when he walked past a trash can. With that, the ticket fell into the trash can. He did not need Hera¡¯s ticket even if he wanted to attend the event. Ashlyn and Naomi wandered around eating different kinds of food. They then went back to the hotel after enjoying the food. On top of that, they also brought some snacks for Greg and Jonathan. Naomi¡¯s mood had lightened significantly after having fun with Ashlyn. They walked into an elevator while chatting with one another. It was evening time. Helena and her assistant got back to the hotel after work. They had never expected to bump into the duo. Seeing that the elevator doors were closing, Helena and her assistant rushed over and yelled, ¡°Hey, please wait for us!¡± Ashlyn pressed the open button with her slender finger. Helena stepped inside the elevator. Just as she was going to thank Ashlyn, she raised her head and noticed Naomi, who had a mask on her face. Helena sized Naomi up and said disdainfully, ¡°Oh? Someone is not a celebrity yet, but she¡¯s acting like one already? She¡¯s covering herselfpletely as if the passers-by would recognize her.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Hearing that, her assistant immediately chimed in, ¡°How can she act like she¡¯s a popr celebrity when she¡¯s still a rookie?¡± There was no doubt that their arrows of sarcasm were aimed at Naomi. Naomi was annoyed at the mere sight of Helena, who looked innocent but superficial. She, the daughter of the famous Nn Group, was humiliated by Helena previously. Now, that same girl dared to provoke her once again. Lucas promised her that he would punish Helena, but it seemed that he had not taken any actions against her at that point. Just as Naomi wanted to mock Helena, Ashlyn stopped the former. Ashlyn smirked and stated, ¡°Search the trending topic on Twitter.¡± Her words dumbfounded Naomi. Thetter tapped on her phone and chuckled when she saw the topics that were trending. ¡°It¡¯s better for you to look out for yourself rather thanugh at others when you have the time.¡± She inched closer to Helena. ¡°Ms. Uber, was it fun getting involved in a nighttime script reading session?¡± Helena¡¯s expression changed before she snapped, ¡°I have no idea what you are saying. You have to bear the responsibility for saying that. Do not falsely nder me!¡± Naomi showed Helena her phone. ¡°Look at this!¡± When thetter saw the topic trending on Twitter, her vision turned ck, and she almost copsed on the spot. How did this happen? It was already midnight when I went to Frank¡¯s room. Everyone was asleep at that time. How was it possible that someone had seen me and even taken my picture? Chapter 625 Chapter 625 The elevator doors slid open with a ding. Naomi walked out of the elevator with Ashlyn, obviously in a good mood. Meanwhile, Helena, who was behind them, felt her legs weaken. She would have difficulty walking out of the elevator if her assistant did not help her. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes flickered. She is staying on the fifth floor too? ¡°It was unexpected that my brother acted so quickly to seek revenge for me. It¡¯s amazing.¡± Naomi turned and grabbed Ashlyn¡¯s hand happily. Ashlyn raised her brows as she heard that. Although Lucas had a cold expression and appeared indifferent, he had never shirked his responsibility being an elder brother even though he was not the biological son of the Nn family. He was always strict with Naomi and ir on the outside as well. Helena¡¯s assistant helped her get back to her room by supporting her cold body. As they entered the room, Helena acted as if she had gone crazy. She grabbed and squeezed her assistant¡¯s hand before shouting, ¡°Naomi is such a b*tch!¡± Her assistant yelped at the sudden pain. ¡°Ms. Helena, please stop¡­¡± Helena was so enraged that she vented her anger on her assistant, squeezing thetter¡¯s hand with all her might. Within a few minutes, the hands and legs of her assistant were full of bruises. Her assistant could not hold back her tears anymore. She pleaded to Helena incessantly, ¡°Ms. Helena, I beg you. Please let go of me!¡± ¡°You b*tch! You¡¯repletely relying on me for a living. Your mom would be dead in the hospital if I didn¡¯t pay you a high sry. You¡¯re hopeless like Naomi. You can¡¯t even do a great job at bearing the brunt of my anger!¡± Helena grasped her phone and flung it toward her assistant. Her assistant could not help but dodge. Yet, the phone hit right on the arch of her brow. Her eye instantly swelled up, and her tears started rolling down her cheeks. She had no choice but to grit her teeth and suffer in silence. Helena was violent and temperamental. She was not easy to get along with, in contrast to her innocent face. Helena had always maltreated her assistant. It wasmon for the former to hit or scold thetter. Her assistant had low academic qualifications and could not get herself another job. On top of that, she needed money for her mother¡¯s medical fees as her mom was ill. Hence, she could only sacrifice herself for Helena to vent anger on her. Her hate toward Helena was iprehensible as thetter had never treated her as a human being. After Helena got tired of beating her assistant, she panted and slumped onto the bed in the hotel. Her assistant slumped onto the ground with her body covered with bruises. The skin on her forehead was chapped, and blood started trickling down from the wound. She looked like a fierce and battered ghost climbing out of the hell. At that time, Helena¡¯s phone rang, and it was from her manager. His reprimand traveled through the phone. ¡°What¡¯s happening? How often do I tell you to be careful of the others having leverage over you? How did you get caught sleeping with a guy? Don¡¯t you know it will bring a negative impact to your reputation?¡± ¡°Mr. Brown, many people would sleep with men to earn an opportunity in the industry¡­¡± Helena defended herself, feeling wronged after being scolded by Steve. ¡°Did they get caught by the others? Only you were!¡± Steve was infuriated that Helena had destroyed her innocent image. What that girl did was a threat that would ruin her chance of bing famous in the industry. In an instant, her image as a pure and innocent girl was destroyed, and she turned out to be a skittish woman. Steve was so enraged by what she did that he almost burst out in anger. How he hoped he had never be her manager at that point. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Someone set me up!¡± Helena exined furiously. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Stop spouting nonsense. Please find your own way to deal with this matter!¡± With that said, Steve hung up the call. Helena was so pissed off that she gave her assistant another kick. ¡°Worthless!¡± In the other room, Frank was livid too. How did the people know? I just slept with Helena once. Although she has a pretty face, she is skinny and does not have a great body figure. Not to mention she has bad skills in bed. Now, everything is backfiring on me. What was worse was that Frank¡¯s wife was so furious that she was on her way to the movie studio. She had even scolded him fiercely on the phone not long ago. Chapter 626 Chapter 626 It never rained, but it poured for Frank. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. After being scolded by his wife, he immediately received another call from Kate. ¡°Frank, what the hell is going on with you? The filming hasn¡¯t finished, yet your cheating scandal is now trending on social media. It¡¯s damaging the reputation of the movie! Do you want me to sue you?¡± ¡°Mrs. Fraser, please hear me out. Everything is a misunderstanding!¡± Frank was dead set on denying that he was having an extramarital affair with Helena. What a joke. There are quite a lot of investments in this movie. I can make huge profits from it. How can I give up that easily? Besides, the movie was a joint investment between the Fraser family and the Haddock family. As long as it became a box office hit, Frank¡¯s reputation and status within the entertainment industry would soar. Therefore, he had high hopes for this film. ¡°Frank Venti, I will make you pay for it if your indiscretion ends up hurting the entire film crew or the movie¡¯s reputation!¡± Kate was infuriated by Frank¡¯sck of foresight and idiocy despite his reliable appearance. Can¡¯t you be a little more discreet while having an affair with one of the actresses? I can¡¯t believe they were caught red-handed! Kate was livid about the scandal. After giving Frank a talking-to, she had to exin the messy situation to the terrifying Dixon. The more Kate thought about it, the more enraged she became. Meanwhile, theizens were having a field day dissing Helena and Frank. Both of them were trending online for the wrong reason. Frank Venti is having an affair with Helena Uber. Another cheating scandal in the entertainment industry. Helena is no longer a pure and innocent angel. Helena is a mistress. Helena Uber seduces Frank Venti. Those were the trending headlines online. Theizens unleashed a torrent of insults at the cheating duo. Clicking on the link, Helena saw the video of herself walking toward Frank¡¯s room. Upon reaching the doorstep, she used the keycard to enter his room. Darn it. At that moment, Helena was trembling with rage, her beautiful face contorted in an ugly scowl. She stared at the video for a long time. Fortunately for Helena, the footage only captured her side profile and back instead of her full face. However, people who knew Helena could still recognize her from the video at first nce. Still, thoseizens had never met her in person before. Suddenly, Helena looked maliciously at her assistant who was still crying on the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you two hundred thousand if you promise me on one condition. What do you think?¡± Naomi was scrolling through Twitter on her phone inside her room. She could not resist a touch of schadenfreude seeing Helena¡¯s misery. All of a sudden, another tweet went viral. It was Helena who posted on Twitter inviting reporters to attend a press conference at the movie studio in response to the rumors of her affair with Frank. As soon as Helena posted that, she was insulted by theizens on the trending topics. Meanwhile, Frank retweeted her post in a bid to rify their rtionship. He added an exnation under the original post: Helena and I only have a professional working rtionship. The video was taken out of context and it¡¯s not true. Please don¡¯t believe in the rumors. ¡°What on earth is Helena nning to do?¡± Naomi asked, bewildered. ¡°I guess her public rtions team is trying the salvage the situation,¡± Ashlyn repliedzily. ¡°I¡¯m going out for some fresh air.¡± She immediately left the room without any furtherment. Naomi looked peculiarly at her retreating form. What? Is she feeling cramped inside the room? Ashlyn directly headed to the emergency exit, where Harrison and Anderson were waiting for her while holding a scrawny girl. She walked straight over to the girl. Standing in front of her, Ashlyn spoke with a cold, yet inexplicably convincing tone. ¡°Look at how she¡¯s been treating you. Are you willing to continue helping her?¡± ¡°B-But my mom is still in the hospital. I can¡¯t afford to lose this job.¡± The girl with a delicate face looked up helplessly at Ashlyn. She was none other than Helena¡¯s assistant. Looking fearfully at Ashlyn, she asked, ¡°Why did you bring me here? I¡¯m just an assistant. I don¡¯t know anything!¡± The assistant recognized that the dazzling woman in front of her was the one who was with Naomi in the elevator. This beautiful woman exuded an imposing aura. It was clear that she was no ordinary person at first nce. ¡°Then, do you know what¡¯s the deal with the injury on your eyebrow?¡± Raising her hand, Ashlyn cupped the girl¡¯s chin and sized up her injured face. She clicked her tongue and said, ¡°What a crying shame that your beautiful face is ruined. It¡¯s really¡­¡± Chapter 627 Chapter 627 While speaking, Ashlyn observed the girl¡¯s expression. Indeed, the girl¡¯s eyes grew red-rimmed as she listened to Ashlyn¡¯s words. Tears welled up in her sparkling eyes. ¡°You also have this injury on your body-¡± Just when Ashlyn was about to tug on the girl¡¯s sleeve, the latter covered her arm tightly and yelled, ¡°I¡¯m not injured!¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Ashlyn raised her brows at that denial. Stepping forward, Harrison immediately pressed the girl against the wall to stop her from squirming. Ashlyn walked over and lifted her sleeve without hesitation. Upon seeing the numerous injuries on the girl¡¯s arm, Ashlyn was startled. There was hardly a smooth patch of skin on that arm. What¡¯s more, there were wounds and bruises all over the girl¡¯s arm. Some of the wounds had turned yellowish, indicating they were a few days old. However, there were new injuries from that day too. It was a horrific sight to see the umtion of new and old injuries on the assistant¡¯s arm. The color instantly drained from the girl¡¯s face. She did not dare to meet Ashlyn¡¯s gaze. ¡°Are you really willing to suffer her abuse at such a young age?¡± When Ashlyn was in the elevator, she noticed that the assistant was terrified of Helena. Nevertheless, she did not expect Helena to stoop so low and abuse the young assistant as such. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice¡­¡± The assistant finally bawled her eyes out, unleashing all her anguish and grievance at that moment. ¡°My mom needs treatment. I only have high school qualifications. I can¡¯t find any job that offers a good sry. Every time she hits me, she willpensate me afterward¡­ I need that money!¡± She leaned against the wall, allowing her body to slide down slowly before finally kneeling on the ground. A trace of sympathy shed through Ashlyn¡¯s heart as she looked at the defenseless girl in front of her. I remember hearing that it only takes one moment for adults to have a meltdown. Sighing in frustration, Ashlyn took out a bank card. ¡°Here¡¯s five hundred thousand. The money is all yours as long as you do as I say.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The assistant instantly looked up at Ashlyn with puzzled eyes. ¡°Yes, I mean it. I¡¯ve never lied before,¡± Ashlyn replied emotionlessly. ¡°All right. I promise you.¡± The assistant eventually reached out and epted the bank card. I¡¯ve had enough of Helena¡¯s abuse and dealing with her mood swings! Helena was all dressed up at eight o¡¯clock in the evening. She wore a white dress that bared her shoulders and fair skin with a pair of white heels. The backless dress perfectly encapsted her slim waist. She looked sexy yet ssy at the same time. Shooting another disdainful look at the assistant beside her, Helena ordered, ¡°You¡¯d better put on the dress I was wearing the other night.¡± Feeling agitated, Helena pursed her lips. Then, she scolded, ¡°Are you a woman? You don¡¯t even have a decent dress to wear daily!¡± The assistant lowered her head and did not utter a word. She obediently took the dress that Helena had worn during her rendezvous with Frank that night and slowly changed into it. The hotel lobby on the first floor was temporarily arranged as a location for the press conference as per Helena¡¯s instructions. The reporters who saw the tweet were eagerly anticipating the arrival of Helena. It was five minutes past eight in the evening when an elegantly dressed Helena stepped out of the elevator alongside her assistant with a smile on her face. As soon as the elevator door opened, the reporters swarmed around her in a sh. One by one, they held up their microphones and bombarded Helena with questions. ¡±Ms. Uber, is it true that you¡¯re having an affair with Venti?¡± ¡°Are you the mistress?¡± ¡°Are you willing to do whatever it takes to get to the top?¡± ¡°Ms. Uber, do you have no shame?¡± ¡°Do you even have moral principles?¡± Surrounded by bodyguards, Helena walked to the center of the press conference and took a seat behind the table. She said to the reporters, ¡°Good evening, everyone. I know you¡¯re very curious about my personal life. But first, please take a good look at this youngdy beside me.¡± Pointing at the assistant standing next to her, Helena asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you think she looks familiar?¡± The reporters could not help shifting their attention onto the youngdy. The young assistant was wearing a dress. ¡°Huh? Why does she look so familiar?¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Chapter 628 Chapter 628 ¡°Isn¡¯t that the dress Ms. Uber wore during the affair?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Helena smiled and said in aposed manner, ¡°Actually, it was my assistant that went to look for Venti that night. Her back and mine look simr. We are about the same height and size, so the person that spread the rumor thought she was me!¡± A reporter couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Ms. Uber, are you telling the truth?¡± Helena narrowed her eyes and shot her assistant a warning look. The assistant gritted her teeth and courageously turned to face the reporter. She took a deep breath, looking very determined. Never in her life had she ever stood under the spotlight so bravely. Previously, she always hid in a corner. She was always just Helena¡¯s punching bag and a humble employee. At that moment, Helena wanted her to bear the consequences of her affair with the director and take the fall. She pushed for her assistant to be the target of hate of thousands ofizens. Her assistant¡¯s heart became cold and hard. Her whole body was as cold as if it had been plunged into ice-cold water and just brought back up to thend. ¡°I am Helena¡¯s assistant, Esme Pearson.¡± Looks-wise, Esme could notpare to Helena. She was only pretty in an average way at best. Esme continued, ¡°I understand that Helena has caused a huge uproar in thest few days because of the controversy of the affair. It has caused a heated discussion on the Inte, and Helena¡¯s reputation has been adversely affected.¡± As Helena stood by Esme¡¯s side and listened to the words she spoke, a trace of a smile appeared on her lips. Indeed, money makes the world go round. As long as the price was right, she could make this girl do anything she wanted. Those who wanted to defame her could only dream about it because she would not go down without a fight. Helena thought she was destined to have her feet firmly nted in showbiz. She rejoiced in her heart. Just as she was drawing out the blueprints for the future in her mind, Esme¡¯s words suddenly took a sharp turn. ¡°This is the truth of what happened that night!¡± Esme looked at Helena with a nched expression. The look in her eyes was very suggestive and foreboding. However, Esme suddenly smiled at Helena. It was a very meaningful smile. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Before Helena realized what was going on, Esme continued to speak. ¡°This dress that I have on was forced onto me by Helena. It¡¯s not even my dress. That night, she did in fact go look for Frank, and they did have an affair. In order to cover up her mistake, Helena bribed me with 50 thousand. She forced me to take her ce so that she can save her dying image and reputation!¡± Instantly, Helena¡¯s face fell and she red at Esme in disbelief. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re saying? What nonsense are you spouting? How dare you use me like this! The person that night was clearly you!¡± she shrieked as she pinched Esme¡¯s arm frantically as if she was trying to rip it off. Whatever image Helena had as the golden girl or showbiz sweetheart was all promptly tossed out the window at that moment. She was so mad that she could strangle Esme to death. Lifting her captivating eyes which were now filled with violent hatred, she yelled, ¡°Do you want your mom to die in the hospital? How could you do this? How could you betray me?¡± Everyone present at the scene, including the media and reporters, were all shocked by the turn of events. The clicking and shing of the cameras were going off nonstop on Helena and Esme. One reporter could not help but yelp out in revtion, ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± Esme shoved Helena away and faced the roaring media and reporters. ¡°Did you guys see that? This is who she really is. She is not even human! Everything you know of her is a facade. Aplete lie!¡± ¡°Esme, you¡¯d better watch your mouth. What the hell are you trying to do?¡± Helena¡¯s head was buzzing. This b*tch Esme actually turned on me and stabbed me in the back! ring at her with a pair of spiteful eyes, Helena lowered her voice and spoke through a clenched jaw. ¡°Esme, do you not care about your mom¡¯s life anymore? Don¡¯t forget, it was my money that has been keeping her alive for thest two years!¡± Chapter 629 Chapter 629 ¡°Don¡¯t you even think about using my mom to threaten me!¡± Esme felt very carefree as she smiled. It had been a long, long time since she felt this good. Looking at the usually high and mighty Helena who was now shaking like a leaf, Esme was on cloud nine! The immense pleasure she got from serving this revenge was erupting rapidly in her heart. Esme could not help but continue to unveil the truth about Helena. ¡°This woman who looks so pure and innocent in public is actually ruthless and vicious. Don¡¯t be fooled by her appearance. She is not what she looks like at all. I have endured her violent behavior for too long. Everyone, take a look at this¡­¡± As she said that, she rolled up the sleeves of her dress. All the bruises and scars on her arms were openly disyed to the world as the camera shutters once again went off crazily. ¡°Holy moly! Look at all those wounds.¡± ¡°Helena is too much!¡± ¡°How could she do this to a young girl?¡± The crowd was stunned once again. There were quite a few female reporters at the scene. They, along with the male reporters, all threw hateful looks at Helena. ¡°Ms. Uber, can you exin the meaning of this?¡± ¡°Has your assistant done anything wrong?¡± ¡°How could you resort to such violence?¡± Helena kept shaking her head frantically. Fear was written all over her face. ¡°No! I didn¡¯t do that. Don¡¯t believe what she says! I have neverid a finger on her. I would never abuse her. She doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s talking about. She¡¯s framing me! Don¡¯t you guys see? She¡¯s a liar!¡± Helena blurted out each sentence in a flurry of panic as her brain struggled toe up with a solution. No! I won¡¯t let Esme destroy me. I cannot admit to it. Never! If I admit the truth, I¡¯m done for. This movie is supposed to help me rise to fame. I cannot lose everything that I have now! ¡°Those bruises have nothing to do with me. She¡¯s a clumsy person and bumps into things all the time. Now, she¡¯s putting the me on me.¡± Helena continued to find excuses. She scowled at Esme before she went on to say, ¡°You have always been jealous of me because I¡¯m an actress and earn more than you, while you¡¯re just a measly assistant. Esme, your sry as an assistant is considered high, and I treated you so well. Your mother is sick. I¡¯ve been helping you out by paying for her medical bills. Now that I¡¯m being targeted by everyone on the Inte, how could you also turn against me?¡± While reciting her speech, Helena was even able to shed a few crocodile tears. ¡°Esme Pearson, I¡¯ve been nothing but kind to you. How could you do this to me?¡± Esme tittered. She never thought that at a moment like this, Helena would still try to turn things on her. Helena waspletely twisting the truth and ndering Esme with her lies. She pulled on Esme¡¯s arm and shook it uncontrobly. ¡°Esme, tell me. Tell me! Why are you doing this to me?¡± For a moment, the crowd was silent. The press could not tell who was telling the truth and who was lying. ¡°I have proof!¡± Suddenly, a crisp and cold voice sounded from behind the audience. Everyone immediately turned their heads to see who had spoken. What they saw was a tall and slender woman dressed in a khaki coat. She exuded an imposing aura as she walked in with confidence. Her long hair cascaded down her back, framing her delicate, emotionless face as she stared straight at Helena. The pair of icy cold and strong eyes seemed to know everything. It was as if every dirty little trick and scheme of Helena¡¯s was about to be revealed. ¡°Ashlyn?¡± ¡°Oh my God! It¡¯s the God of Cars, S!¡± ¡°Why is she here?¡± God of Cars¡¯ poprity was much more prevalent than a small celebrity like Helena. If they couldnd an interview with God of Cars, that would be like hitting the jackpot. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. The reporters swarmed toward Ashlyn like bees. ¡°S, I mean, Ms. Berry, how do you feel after winning the world championship?¡± ¡°Is it true that you and Jared are dating?¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, how do you have such excellent driving skills?¡± Chapter 630 Chapter 630 ¡°I¡¯m your fan! May I have your autograph? It¡¯s fine even if there¡¯s no photo. Just sign on my shirt! I¡¯ll treasure this forever!¡± Ashlyn raised her hand and gestured for them to stay quiet. ¡°I¡¯ve onlye to be a witness today.¡± She then pointed her fair finger at Helena. Helena paled as her mind turned nk. When¡­ When did I cross Ashlyn? Helena did not know the famous woman at all. Instinctively, she parted her lips to retort, but right then, Ashlyn said, ¡°I have a video.¡± Just as those words were out of her mouth, a petite girl brought aptop over to Ashlyn. Then, she turned theptop to let everyone look at its screen. ¡°This woman sent Esme into Naomi¡¯s room in the middle of the night. Esme, what were you doing in there?¡± Esme smiled as she looked at the video on the screen, and it was a weak smile of despair and helplessness. The video showed that she had entered Naomi¡¯s room in the middle of the night. ¡°The trending of Naomi¡¯s film crew took away all the attention from Helena¡¯s film crew. Helena was furious, so she instructed me to spike Ms. Berry¡ªthe investor¡¯s drink. Yet, who knew that Naomi herself would have ended up drinking that cup of water?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s expression darkened as a cold look entered her eyes. ¡°What did you just say? That drug was meant for me?¡± ¡°Yes. Helena has been contacting someone mysterious, and that someone was the person who provided her with the drug meant for you. They said that as long as you, the investor, were taken down, no one would be able topete against Helena¡¯s film crew anymore.¡± Esme nodded and went on, ¡°Everything I said was the truth. I swear to God I did not lie.¡± At that, Helena widened her eyes and red at Esme in a mix of shock and fury. She screamed, ¡°Shut up, Esme! Shut up! Do you hear me? Shut up!¡± In the next second, she raised her hand to p Esme in the face. However, Ashlyn was quicker. She grabbed Helena¡¯s hand and flung her to the ground. ¡°Are you still going to deny that you¡¯re not physically aggressive?¡± Livid, Helena huffed and puffed as the vein on her temple popped. ¡°No, no, no! I didn¡¯t drug anyone, and there isn¡¯t anyone mysterious I¡¯m talking to!¡± ¡°There¡¯s something else even more terrifying!¡± Esme walked over to Helena. ¡°You have no idea about this¡ªabout what she asked me to do!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What did she ask you to do?¡± The reporters could not believe their ears; they could not believe that the popr young woman who looked like a poster child for innocence would be that vicious. She had spiked Ashlyn¡¯s drink, but Naomi had ended up drinking it instead. How can something so horrifying happen? After all, everyone knew who Ashlyn was. She was the God of Cars, S, and she was the famous racer who had won first ce for H Nation. At that moment, tons of Ashlyn¡¯s racing fans were there. They all had the urge to crush Helena for trying to hurt their favorite racer. Her fans were all over the globe. Not only did the press conference attract many media reporters, but even the members of the film crew of other programs in the hotel hade out to take a look at the event as well. The staff and actors of the industry were all stunned when they saw the scene. They were all looking at Helena with looks of disbelief. Helena was someone who was trending recently. In a way, she was above average inparison with her female peers. She had been the rival of many of her peers of the same age. Thus, when they saw that she had messed up big time, they were all overjoyed. There were also some actors and actresses who had worked with Helena in the past. They, too, knew how pretentious and outrageous Helena was. As a matter of fact, Helena had taken the opportunity provided by a pping scene to p her co- actress dozens of times. Unfortunately, that actress was less popr than Helena, so she only dared to fume in silence.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Now, her chance to stand up for herself came, so she stepped forward to point at Helena. ¡°Back when we had a scene together, she pped me to the point that I was swollen in the face!¡± Chapter 631 Chapter 631 ¡°Moreover, she even insulted me by saying that I was being unprofessional after that!¡± ¡°Casey Sharp, you¡¯re ndering me!¡± Helena jabbed a finger at Casey and shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her! She¡¯s lying!¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not, the coworkers in the film crew will know. Back then, even the director could not stand watching it and tried to convince you to just wrap up the scene. Do you remember what you said?¡± When Casey thought about the tormenting moment she suffered, her eyes reddened. An actress¡¯ face was important, but Helena had pped her face to the point it remained swollen for days. ¡°You said, ¡®Isn¡¯t it just a few ps? Does it really matter? It¡¯s not like I disfigured you!¡¯ Helena, how could you be so brutal?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe Helena could say something as cruel as that.¡± ¡°Appearances can really be deceiving.¡± ¡°A nasty woman like her should be cklisted in the industry.¡± ¡°Get out of the showbiz!¡± The reporters were in a frenzy as they recorded what Casey said and how Helena responded. Only one thought was in their minds, and that was to let the rest of the world see the moment Helena lost herposure. They all wanted the world to see Helena¡¯s true nature. At that very moment, it was as if they finally had the spirit of a genuine reporter. They were going to expose the dark parts of the world and show the others a human¡¯s true nature. Finally, they were going to report the truth. Helena was still on her spot, a shade of red spreading from her face to her neck. No one knew whether that was from her anger or her hatred. As she stared at Casey, the fury in her sprang to life. She wanted to hit her, and she wanted to throw something. The vein on her temple pulsed, and all of her organs felt like they were on fire. ¡°Casey, there¡¯s no need for you to nder me like this even if you¡¯re trying to make yourself popr! Has your craving for fame overwhelmed your mind?¡± Helena¡¯s pupils were so shrunk that she looked like a wild beast about to pounce on her prey. With nothing but resentment in her eyes, Casey hissed, ¡°You know very well whether or not I¡¯m unfairly using you of this!¡± Right as the two were in a standoff, Ashlyn abruptly gestured to Naomi. Naomi then swiftly opened a bag. Whoosh! Countless thumbtacks, embroidery needles, and razor des were scattered onto the table. When everyone present saw those things, their eyes opened wide again. ¡°What are these?¡± ¡°Those look like razor des and embroidery needles. That¡¯s a lot on the table!¡± ¡°Those thumbtacks look sharp!¡± Helena¡¯s face paled when she saw those things. Just then, the crowd heard Ashlyn enunciate, ¡°We don¡¯t know if Casey really ndered you or not, but are these things familiar to you, Ms. Uber?¡± ¡°No! I don¡¯t know what these are! I¡¯ve never seen these before!¡± As she yelled, she could not help but take a few steps back. She ended up knocking over a vase behind her. With a loud smash, the vase shattered into pieces. Panicking, she cried out, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen them! I¡¯ve never seen those things before!¡± Her eyes were as wide as saucers, her hands were balled into fists, and her face waspletely colorless. All of a sudden, Ashlyn took out ab test report and showed it to Helena. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Look properly. It¡¯s all written on this report, and there¡¯s even an official stamp on this. Here, it states that your fingerprints were on these thumbtacks, razor des, and needles.¡± ¡°No, that can¡¯t be! How can my fingerprint be on those things? I told Esme to buy those things! Esme was the one who put them in Naomi¡¯s room!¡± Helena kept retreating backward before she maniacally snatched the report from Ashlyn. As her features twisted into an ugly expression, she cried out, ¡°This has nothing to do with me! This has nothing to do with me at all! Esme was the one who did all these! She put the thumbtacks in the pillow! She was the one who put the des and needles in the face towel and the bath towel! Esme did it all, not me!¡± ¡°Helena, I didn¡¯t say anything, so how did you know that these things were in Naomi¡¯s face towel, bath towel, and pillow? Moreover, you¡¯re trying to push all the responsibility onto Esme.¡± Chapter 632 Chapter 632 Ashlyn nced at Helena faintly. ¡°Indeed, Esme did those things, but they were all done under your coercion. Also, Esme has confessed everything about this matter to the police.¡± Moreover, it was actually Esme¡¯s fingerprint on theb test result. Ashlyn purposely lied that the fingerprints were Helena¡¯s in order to mislead her. Unexpectedly, Helena fell for such an easy trick. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. In fact, Ashlyn did not know that Helena had been in an absolute daze and had no idea what to do for some time. Thus, she responded rashly and did not have the meticulousness to check whoseb test results it was. No matter what, it was still attempted murder. Although Esme admitted it all and even helped the authorities to identify Helena, she was also partly responsible for it. ¡°It¡¯s you! You again! You opportunistic and ungrateful b*tch! Did I not treat you well? How dare you betray me!¡± Helena was so angry that she grabbed a vase in her hand with all her might. She threw it toward Esme, perfectly ready to murder someone. Her heart exploded in rage, and she was so angry that she wanted to break Esme into pieces. Anger burned in her heart, throat, and whole body. The anger in her heart was like a fireball rolling around in her chest. Then, her rage surged to her head. She bit her lips with her teeth, and her face grimaced fiercely. In an instant, her image as a pure and innocent girl was destroyed. The moment the vase was thrown, Ashlyn stepped forward and her movements were as fast as lightning, She yanked away Esme, who was stunned. The sound of the vase crashing rang. The crowd looked at the vase that shattered into pieces on the ground and was stunned at the sight. The room fell silent. She¡¯s already this vicious before even bing the best actress? Is this how she mistreats her assistant? Moreover, she ced such injurious things in the room of another person. The consequences would be unthinkable if those des or sharp items hurt Naomi¡¯s face. Naomi will be disfigured if that happens! Helena looks so innocent. How can she have such a vicious and evil heart? It was astounding. Just then, several men in police uniforms came over. The man leading the team had a serious expression. ¡°Who is Helena Uber?¡± ¡°Are you blind? How can you not recognize me when I¡¯m this popr?¡± Helena red at the policeman like she was not in her right mind. ¡°I am so popr! My poprity will be beyond H Nation and even Eurasia! I will be world-famous!¡± ¡°Has she gone mad? This woman is insane!¡± ¡°Take her away!¡± The police officer threw her a cold look. Once his words fell, a few police officers came over immediately. They grabbed Helena and headed outside. ¡°You bunch of trash! You¡¯re only worthy of being my servant who washes my feet. Who does Naomi think she is? How is a neer worthy of ying the female lead? She deserves to be in the trending topic too!¡± Helena shouted like a madman. She red at Naomi, and the hatred in her eyes almost swallowed her whole. ¡°What gives you the right?¡± ¡°She has that right because I have faith in her and like her as the investor!¡± Ashlyn smirked and walked over to Helena. Then, she raised one hand and patted Helena on her face. ¡°You¡¯re not convinced?¡± Ashlyn smiled a cold and domineering smile. ¡°If you¡¯re not convinced, you can only hold it down yourself!¡± ¡°What¡¯s so good about Naomi? S-She¡­¡± At that moment, Helena¡¯s tears suddenly fell like broken beads. It¡¯s over! I¡¯m doomed! It¡¯s all over because of my behavior today, along with being exposed and betrayed. I¡¯mpletely done for! Everything was toote for Helena. The police officer looked at Esme. ¡°Esme Pearson, right?¡± Esme did not shy away. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°Youe with us too!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± No one would have expected that press conference to end so chaotically. Casey watched Helena¡¯s fall from grace and could not help but p her hands. She eximed, ¡°Serves her right!¡± As for the others, the reporters, and other people from the crew, all watched themotion. Chapter 633 Chapter 633 Although they only watched the show unravel, they could not help but shudder with fear. The nasty tactics inside the entertainment circle were endless, and one could fall into someone else¡¯s scheme if they were not careful. They never expected such disgusting things to happen so near to them. Some people sympathized with Naomi; some people sympathized with Esme. However, none of them sympathized with Helena. Ashlyn took Naomi¡¯s hand and said to the media reporters present, ¡°Naomi is a neer and isn¡¯t trained professionally. There are a lot of controversies about her as she secured the lead role in her first show. However, I believe she will work hard. Please look forward to it!¡± Then, she swept a nce at Harrison and Anderson, who were standing outside. The two brothers immediately took some mary gifts and came over, distributing them one by one to the reporters present. ¡°Thank you all for your hard work.¡± ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°Please get yourselves some supper, coffee, or something.¡± In amazement, the reporters nced at Ashlyn as they held the gifts in their hands. This is a huge sum of mary gifts. They were already very excited with the big news about Helena, and now there was a generous sum of mary gifts after they worked till the middle of the night. That was a big surprise. Late that night, several trending topics suddenly emerged on Twitter. The news was so shocking that it was beyond theizens¡¯prehension. It was the biggest incident of the year. Helena¡¯s true face is exposed. A vicious woman. Helena instructed her assistant to put thumbtacks, razor des, and embroidery needles in Naomi¡¯s room. Helena wanted to drug S, but Naomi drank it. Helena abuses her assistant. Her assistant did not go to seduce Frank. Helena¡¯s a mistress. S, Ashlyn, invested in ¡°Trashy Idol.¡± Ashlyn supports Naomi as the female lead. Frank, aren¡¯t you shameless for having an affair with a mistress? Come out and admit it if you¡¯re a man, Frank. How cool, S, Ashlyn¡¯s p in the face was. Helena taken away by the police. Arge amount of trending topics were all rted to Helena. Someizens were still awake in the middle of the night, and some were getting ready to sleep and were shaken awake again by the headlines. Some had already slept and were shook awake. Especially those true fans of S, which had mostly fallen asleep. They did not like to catch up with gossip mostly. After hearing that Helena actually wanted to drug S, just because she invested in the movie and a rival competition, they all got up one by one. They held their phones, or sat in front of theirputers, to desperately scold Helena. Trash! Vicious woman! How dare youy your hands on our S! Do you not want to live? You vicious woman! Who do you think you are? If something happens to God of Cars, you won¡¯t have enough lives to pay for it! This is counted as hurting a national athlete, isn¡¯t it? S is the champion of H Nation! I¡¯m so angry I can¡¯t sleep. What did our S do to her? She is simply too shameless. Not only is she a mistress but she also beat up her assistant! Howe there are so many scandals about her? There are too many to count. How annoying! This kind of trash also deserves to stay on the same trending search as our S? Soon, another flurry of trending topics appeared. Please leave our S alone. Asking for trash to take herself out and get out of showbiz. I¡¯m definitely watching ¡°Trashy Idol!¡± What the hell is ¡°Angel and Devil?¡± I am not watching a show starring a cheater. Frank¡¯s reputation sank immediately. It sank so much that one could not see theplete extent of the fall. Frank was so anxious that he could only go home and beg his wife. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Dear, please vouch for me and help me, for the sake of the money I earned all these years.¡± ¡°Frank, are you kidding? You¡¯re asking me to help you? That¡¯s impossible!¡± Millie sneered. ¡°Do you think I would have married you if it hadn¡¯t been for the trap you set up back then? How wishful!¡± Millieughed so hard that tears slid down her face unceremoniously. ¡°This is your punishment! If it hadn¡¯t been for you, how would I have been separated from my child for so many years?¡± Chapter 634 Chapter 634 p! Franknded a tight p across his wife¡¯s face. ¡°You b*tch! Just so you know, we¡¯re on the same boat. If I can¡¯t stay in showbiz, you¡¯ll perish with me!¡± ¡°Just end my life if you dare! If you don¡¯t, then prepare to be cursed by the public!¡± Millie shot her husband a vicious re. ¡°I wish you an early death, Frank!¡± Green veins began popping out on Frank¡¯s forehead as a wave of anger erupted like a volcano within him. He pressed his wife onto the ground and beat her to a pulp. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare curse me! Don¡¯t you dareugh at me!¡± Using both of his hands, he clutched his wife¡¯s neck with all his might. Millie could only feel the oxygen in her throat bing thinner. Her face reddened as she continued to suffocate. She began coughing non-stop. Cough! Cough¡ª Cough¡ª ¡°Your hands¡ª¡± Her voice was practically squeezed out of her with much effort. ¡°Let¡­ go!¡± Just as she almost went out of breath, Frank quickly released his grip, jolting himself back to his senses. What was I doing? I nearly killed my own wife! A sensation of pure terror surged through his heart. His legs gave out on him as he plopped onto the floor. Once Millie regained her freedom, she gasped intensely for several mouthfuls of fresh air. Infuriated, she grabbed a pillow and hurled it at her husband. ¡°You tried to kill me! You¡¯re so shameless, Frank!¡± There was no doubt about what she had just seen. Frank¡¯s eyes were obviously brimming with a dreadful murderous intent. I need to leave this devilish man! Otherwise, I¡¯d really be dead meat! Frank tossed the pillow on his body to the side and tried to get to his feet. Right then, he received a call from Kate. A fiery rage of a noble family bombed him like a cannonball. ¡°Frank! I invested in your filmmaking, not for you to flirt with other actresses! What a hopeless pile of crap! And there I was making a bold statement in front of Dixon. I even sang your praises!¡± Kate stopped to catch her breath before continuing to fume, ¡°To think that I¡¯ve given my word to them, and now it became a p in my own face! Can you feel how ashamed I am? Just wait until Dixon hears about this! This time, not even I can save you!¡± At the Fraser residence, Kate got so furious that she smashed every single thing in the living room. The whole ce was a mess with broken objects all over the floor. Even her ss coffee table was shattered into pieces. It was as if a hurricane had just swept across the Fraser residence. After dumping in such a huge investment, Kate was hoping to rake in a fortune with amercial blockbuster. The filming had just beguntely, yet there was already a scandal swirling around the protagonist and the director of the film. The worst thing was that Kate loathed the protagonist Helena to the core. She did not think that the latter was worthy of being the female lead. As soon as Kate finished splurting out her wrath on Frank, she hung up the phone. Then, she hollered at the butler, ¡°Is that Helena at the police station?¡± ¡°Yes, Mrs. Fraser,¡± the butler answered hastily. Kate spat out viciously, ¡°Contact Mr. Lambert at the police station and make sure he gives that b*tch a hard time! Since she likes to sleep with other men so much, throw her into Golden Emperor Entertainment Complex so that she could sleep to her heart¡¯s content!¡± ¡°Y-Yes, Mrs. Fraser. I¡¯m on it.¡± The butler scurried away on that note. The atmosphere in the living room was heavy with tension. Golden Emperor Entertainment Complex was one of the money squandering establishments for wealthy families. If Helena were really cast into a ce like that, she would never make it back into showbiz. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. In the hospital, Hera was taking her own sweet time scrolling through her Twitter page. It was then she stumbled upon Helena¡¯s incident topping the trending chart. Somewhere between the trending topics, she noticed Ashlyn¡¯s name as well. God of Cars, S? What? She has even invested in a movie? How did this b*tch Ashlyn manage to hoard all the good stuff? Upon reading the news, Hera could no longer keep the green-eyed monster within her at bay. Why am I only theughing stock of showbiz? The more she thought about it, the more indignant she became. She figured she might as well log on to her alternate ount on Twitter and do something about it. Without any hesitation, she began to reply to theizens¡¯ments one by one on Twitter: Maybe there¡¯s an inside scoop. How could she havended a role for herself as a mere amateur? What a joke! Who would want to watch her movie on the big screen? Kindergarten kids? I know this actress Helena myself. I personally think that she is always very professional, and she has a good character as well. I don¡¯t see her being that bad like what you guys said. Chapter 635 Chapter 635 Keyboard warriors are terrifying. Do you have any insider information? If not, how could you tantly bombard Helena yet support Ashlyn? I think Ashlyn is the one at fault, though! She keeps favoring Naomi, all because she yearns to be thedy of the Nn household. Naomi is the daughter of the Nn family, Lucas¡¯ sister! In a sea ofments that tell both Helena and Frank off, a voice suddenly emerged out of nowhere and stood out against the public by defending Helena and insulting Ashlyn instead. Of course, that caught the public attention right away. Theizens responded to Hera¡¯sments: Did you just eat sh*t? How dare you talk bad about my goddess, Ashlyn! I bet you didn¡¯t even check the press release. They have proven it with plenty of photos. Some of the news media have even posted videos as evidence. Are you blind? Are you trying to bend the truth? Didn¡¯t you watch the news? Helena has already been taken away by the police. The press of Lake City already published the details of the incident. They also officially announced that Helena will be sentenced to a fine of five thousand, and she¡¯ll be castigated for her actions. I think you yourself have twisted morals. You imed that Naomi is Lucas¡¯ sister? What makes you say that? What proof do you have? That¡¯s right! Stop spouting nonsense, you rumor-monger! Hera had thought that after trampling upon Ashlyn, the others would follow suit and chime in as well. In the end, she was the one being scolded instead.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Immediately, she flew off the hook. I merely vented my spleen, and now I¡¯m the one getting sted by these people? They really don¡¯t show me any mercy at all! Moreover, never in a million years had she expected the omnipotentizens to dig out her main ount and m the evidence onto her face. Theizens readily posted theirments: So, it¡¯s you, Hera Chapman! Is she that Hera who has been cklisted by the fashion industry? No wonder she supports Helena. Birds of a feather indeed flock together! Here¡¯s the proof! This ount has liked all the tweets from Hera in the past. Also, a lot of photos in this ount have an identical background to Hera¡¯s photos! Hera, are you jealous of our idol S? You must hate her! Our God of Cars is beautiful and capable. She can easily defeat you in an instant no matter what! You do remember picking on our goddess during thest press conference, don¡¯t you? We didn¡¯t know that Ashlyn is all our God of Cars earlier. But now that we recognized each other, let¡¯s avenge our goddess! Thus, everyone responded to that calling. Ashlyn¡¯s fans were in a state of frenzy as they instantly swarmed in at Hera¡¯s Twitter ount. All they did was give that unscrupulous Hera a lecture of a lifetime. Her mind went nk upon reading theirments. Rolling her eyes to the back of her head, Hera felt her blood boiling to no end that she could simply vomit blood and die at any moment. Owing to the fever going on all over the inte, Trashy Idol itself had sessfully garnered an unprecedented amount of attention. That movie was led by Jonathan, who was the current top idol, and it was his first big transition. The sess of his transformation from an idol to an actor would all depend on that movie alone. Not only had he put his blood, sweat, and tears into brushing up his acting skills, but he had never stuck his nose in the air just because he was popr and had a sea of fans. His tutors, who taught him acting techniques, had nothing but praise for him. They even willingly imparted all their knowledge to him. As soon as Issac informed him about the incident, Jonathan bolted toward the hall on the hotel¡¯s ground floor. However, the press conference had already ended by the time he got there. At that juncture, Ashlyn was on her way departing from the hall. She then heard a voiceing from behind. ¡°Ashlyn!¡± Surprised, she turned around and came face to face with Jonathan, who was rushing over and panting heavily. She asked, ¡°Do you need anything?¡± ¡°Ashlyn¡­ Can I ask you a question?¡± There Jonathan was, exposing his young, handsome face and delicate facial features. He looked at her with a pair of sparkling, innocent-looking eyes. ¡°Ask away.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s lips curled into a faint grin. ¡°Why did you pick me as the male lead of this movie back then? There are plenty of other actors in showbiz¡­¡± To tell the truth, Jonathan had a terrible impression of Ashlyn previously, but he was not a blockhead. Thatdy was one of his investors, so he could not afford to offend her. Nevertheless, that did not mean that he would reduce himself to bing a brainless apple-polisher. After all, he had his own vision, ideas, and ambition. Based on his understanding and observation, he thought that Ashlyn was a peculiar yet unique person. At least, she seemed to be different and entric, totally in a ss of her own. She was powerful, wealthy, and gorgeous. Chapter 636 Chapter 636 However, she was a righteous person, at least to Naomi. Jonathan was signed to Nn Entertainment. As a rule of thumb, the Nn Group usually gave its artists room for artistic development. The group also tended to shower its artists with resources and opportunities. However, it wasn¡¯t apany that let its artists run amok at debauched parties. Jonathan had been exposed to plenty of nasty rumors among his circles. He¡¯d heard whispers of executives preying on trainees and neers. However, Ashlyn did not radiate any of those perverse desires. On the contrary, she was very open. Therefore, Jonathan was shy whenever he found himself in front of her. If the gossip on Twitter was to be believed, she was currently dating Lucas. Jonathan wasn¡¯t opposed to the idea of her as a sister-inw. Though, he wanted to know why she was giving him so many resources. Is it just because I¡¯m close with Lucas? ¡°Jonathan, give yourself some credit. You¡¯re a top-tier idol. I hired you to make a movie for money. Of course, I¡¯m taking into ount your poprity and fan base.¡± Just as Jonathan found himself awash in a deluge of doubt, Ashlyn¡¯s clear voice snapped him out of it. Jonathan frowned. ¡°Really?¡± He couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that something was off. His gut told him that things weren¡¯t that simple. ¡°What other reason is there?¡± A faint sneer briefly flitted across Ashlyn¡¯s lips. ¡°Or do you think I have some perverted intentions toward you?¡± She tutted. ¡°Let me assure you, Lucas looks better than you. He¡¯s not as¡­ bby around the waist.¡± Ashlyn gently patted Jonathan¡¯s skinny chest. In a mocking tone, she said, ¡°If you work out more, then maybe we¡¯ll talk.¡± She had wiped away Jonathan¡¯s previous impression of her. He stuttered, ¡°You! You!¡± ¡°What are you blubbering about? Don¡¯t you dare try to hit on Ashlyn. She¡¯s my sister-inw! She¡¯ll never be yours, so give up on your stupid ideas.¡± Just as Naomi and the police officers stepped into the hotel lobby, they saw Jonathan and Ashlyn in deep conversation. She had no idea what they were talking about. It seemed like Jonathan was trying to smooch up Ashlyn. So, Naomi was anxious. What a drag! Tinsor¡¯s trying to drag Ashlyn into the Jaquin family, and now I have to put up with this squirt, Jonathan. Both of them are equally detestable! She hated anybody who tried to pry her beloved Ashlyn away from her. ¡°Your Ashlyn?¡± Jonathan could scarcely believe his ears. ¡°She¡¯s your sister-inw?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! She¡¯s my sister-inw!¡± shouted Naomi. Well, well. Isn¡¯t Ashlyn going to be Mrs. Nn then? Jonathan didn¡¯t believe Naomi at all, but he had more pressing matters to deal with at the moment. He looked Naomi up and down and wondered why she was wearing a mask. ¡°You¡¯re not hurt are you? Did those thumbtacks and de hurt you?¡± There was concern in his voice. Shaking her head, Naomi said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Isaac wants to talk to you, so hurry on up!¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Okay sure.¡± Naomi turned to Ashlyn and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go upstairs first.¡± ¡°All right,¡± said Ashlyn. Her gaze followed the two as they stepped into the elevator. Her stomach grumbled angrily. It was gettingte. Anderson and Harrison beckoned her over. ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s get supper together.¡± Twenty minutester, a Land Rover pulled up next to a stall in the night market. It was gettingte, but the market was bustling and full of life as always. Smoke and the aroma of food filled up the night air. She could hear the carefree shouting of vendors. The streets were teeming with students who¡¯d just finished cram school and businessmen who¡¯d just gotten off work. Ashlyn stepped down from the car. Along with the two brothers, she headed toward a stall. Out of habit, her feet automatically brought her to a seat against the wall. The two brothers looked around for the vendor to order their food. ¡°The usual?¡± Ashlyn gave a slight nod. ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 637 Chapter 637 ¡°You betcha!¡± Both brothers sauntered off toward the vendor, who was studying a stack of receipts at the counter. They called, ¡°Hey, we want 20mb skewers, 20 slices of roasted loin, 20 grilled squid skewers, and some potato slices? Oh, and finally a grilled fish.¡± The owner¡¯s wife looked up and saw the two dashing young men. She broke into a grin. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you two! Give me a minute.¡± Her husband turned around as well. He smiled and asked, ¡°Do you guys want any noodles?¡± Anderson propped his hand on the frame of the stall. ¡°Yes, three bowls of spicy chicken pasta with all the pickles. How much?¡± ¡°Please scan the QR code here,¡± said the wife. She tallied up their order and announced the sum. Once the two brothers had settled the bill, they sat down next to Ashlyn. For a while, the three didn¡¯t exchange a single word. Each of them was hooked on their own phone. ¡°Hey Boss, how about a round of PUBG?¡± ¡°Yes, Boss! We haven¡¯t done that in a while!¡± Ashlyn arched a brow. She taunted, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Itching to get your butts handed to you again?¡± Harrison shed her a smug grin. ¡°Hah! We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Ashlyn smirked. She quickly found the game on her phone. She tapped on the icon and typed in her ount details on the login page. The moment she logged in, she was greeted by a string of chirps from the speaker icon at the bottom of the interface. She had a lot of messages. She cleared off all the messages before joining a match with the two brothers. She was ready to brawl. In a short while, a character in a in, red shirt entered the arena. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. As soon as she entered the arena, Ashlyn¡¯s eyes lost their distracted ze. The game now had her full attention. Her character began jumping about. Soon, she managed to acquire a gun. With ruthless and clinical precision, she dispatched all her opponents in the game with a shot to the head. This is too easy. Her phone was muted. So, a bunch of notifications popped up on her screen. You killed MayTheForestBeWithYou! You killed LookingForLove! You killed WhereTheSunDontShine! You killed PupArazzi! You killed TheGhostOfChristmasPast! You killed 21 yers! You killed 22 yers! Ashlyn stared intensely at the screen. Her fair skin glowed in the light of the dimly lit stall, and her dark almond-shaped eyes sparkled. Her hair was already simply tucked into a messy bun. While her slender legs were slightly bent, one of them was resting against the foot of the table, in a casual andzy way. She looked rxed but her fingers were a ferocious blur. Anderson and Harrison glowered at their phones. Anderson whined, ¡°Boss, why did you kill us too?¡± Harrison pouted and cried, ¡°I thought we arerades!¡± It was another digital bloodbath. The two brothers weren¡¯t the only ones who were disappointed. At this moment, several top yers in the game felt a gnawing pit of despair as their characters met a quick, grisly end. They wondered how the ruthless yer who was armed with the most rudimentary weapon in the game could achieve that. The yers didn¡¯t even see hering. She was as silent as death. Before they knew it, their characters were slumped on the ground. They could only helplessly stare at their in characters and read the notification: You¡¯ve been killed by JohnnyCashlyn! Meanwhile, in a ck Bentley nearby, Spencer who had reluctantly apanied Lucas as he stalked Ashlyn was bored out of his mind. With nothing better to do, he fired up a game of PUBG on his phone. He had no other hobbies, so he often yed a few quick matches when he had some free time. As he was Lucas¡¯ employee, he didn¡¯t have to worry about money. He had a high sry and several properties. So, Spencer had no problem dropping a ton of cash into the game. With a reputation as a high-spending yer, Spencer had rubbed shoulders with several other top yers. They¡¯d often join matches together. He thought tonight was going to be just like any other night. They¡¯d dominate all the other yers. Yet¡­ they had all bitten the dust. It wasn¡¯t just him. Several of the other top yers had also met the same tragic fate. What the heck? Chapter 638 Chapter 638 Spencer stared at his pitiful and helpless character lying down on the miserable grass along with the characters of the other big streamers. The words of the game system still lingered in the air: You have been killed by JohnnyCashlyn! His expression darkened with panic as he quickly shouted at the only surviving streamer, ¡°Kill him now, Dustin! Avenge us and kill him!¡± The moment he finished speaking, he could hear a crisp headshot from the game. With that, the only surviving member of their team also fell to the ground. The scene was so beautiful that one couldn¡¯t bear to look at it. Spencer was shocked and stunned. Disbelief was written all over his face. ¡°This can¡¯t be! You¡¯re Chicken Boss! There¡¯s no one who doesn¡¯t know your name! How is it possible that you died? I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s actually a day when you be a death crate!¡± Dustin typed on the phone¡¯s chatbox: There¡¯s nothing we can do! Cashlyn Pro is way too powerful! Compared to him, I¡¯m just a noob! Even though Spencer could only see what Dustin was typing instead of listening to his voice, the former could still observe a twisted sense of joy from that sentence. Is Dustin going insane? How can he still be happy after getting shot in the head? What¡¯s going on with him? He quickly asked: Who is this Cashlyn Pro? Cashlyn Pro was a pretty strange name. While he might not be part of the e-sportsmunity, he did y mobile games. There¡¯s someone that awesome in the game? I thought I¡¯m already pretty unbeatable with these big streamers around. After all, they are pretty popr and they have lots of fans. There¡¯s someone who¡¯s actually more awesome than all of usbined? ¡°You never heard of Cashlyn Pro before? Do you live under a rock?¡± Dustin decided to just call Spencer on the phone to exin. The passionate tone he was speaking in was a pretty clear indication that Cashlyn Pro was someone he admired. It was the type of tone people use when they talked about their idols. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Cashlyn Pro is a really mysterious person. He never shows up in public. Well, except that one time when he live-streamed in order to prove his innocence. When he started, a lot of people didn¡¯t like him and said that he was cheating. During that live stream, he pointed his camera at his slim white hands so everyone could see how he was ying. The speed at which his hand was moving was definitely not something a normal person can achieve. He was so fast and urate that he pretty much one-shot anyone hees across! There were a lot of people challenging him that day when they heard he was live-streaming. He got so many kills that he went straight to the top of the leaderboard! The game¡¯smunity, therger gamingmunity as a whole, and even the streamer¡¯smunity exploded! The live stream was so crowded that you couldn¡¯t get in if you werete! Viewerspletely flooded the broadcasting tform. After that¡­ He stopped ying the game as much as he did. He¡¯ll only asionally show up here and there. I didn¡¯t expect we¡¯re lucky enough to see him tonight!¡± Dustin was a pretty big streamer. In fact, he was the fifthrgest on the tform. He was usually pretty awesome. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Everyone in the game¡¯smunity was pretty pretentious and arrogant because it was amunity where no one would pay attention to you if you weren¡¯t skillful enough. Spencer rarely heard Dustin praise someone or be impressed by someone. In fact, it was the first time he heard him do that. That was why it shocked Spencer greatly. ¡°This person¡¯s really that awesome?¡± Before Dustin could reply, Spencer heard a bang from the car door. Then he saw his boss striding toward the table Ashlyn was sitting at. ¡°I can¡¯t talk to you anymore! I have to go now!¡± He quickly ended the call and followed Lucas. I wonder if Mr. Nn spoke to me earlier when I was upied with the game and Dustin¡¯s exnation. He secretly nced at Lucas. Thetter was wearing a ck suit with a pair of ck pants. The night breeze blew Lucas¡¯ hair up and showed how smooth his forehead was. Blood veins were visible in his eyes due to him staying upte. His smooth and firm jawline showed his masculine charm. Spencer couldn¡¯t help but take a couple more nces at Lucas. Chapter 639 Chapter 639 It was a weird sight that Lucas, despite being a rich and noble man, showed up on amoner¡¯s street where the night market was held. He was so out of ce that everyone was basically staring at him when he passed them by. His bloodshot eyes were fixed on the meat skewers on the table. Ashlyn, Harrison, and Anderson had already put down their phones at the moment. Each of them was grabbing a meat skewer and devouring it. There was also a bowl of spicy chicken pasta sitting in front of each of them. Just a nce at the chilly oil on the pasta was enough for anyone to tell how spicy it was. There was plenty of chili powder sprinkled on the meat skewers, too. Ashlyn could feel someone staring straight at her. When she raised her head, her eyes were met with Lucas¡¯. It slightly stunned her. The edge of her eyes seemed a little untamed as she lifted a meat skewer and aimed it at him. ¡°You want one?¡± There was a distant look in his eyes as he stared back at her. He didn¡¯t know why he got off the car since he had made the decision to stay away from her a little more. However, when he saw her sitting in such a busy and smokey ce, he couldn¡¯t help but approach her. Initially, he wanted to reject her offer emotionlessly. He changed his mind the moment her voice entered his ears. ¡°Okay.¡± He brought Spencer over to the side of the small round table. The table was pretty small and could only fit Ashlyn and the other two. It certainly couldn¡¯t fit two more men who had long legs. Both of them looked quite frustrated about it, especially Lucas. Ashlyn blinked her pretty eyes. Her brown eyes were pretty typical. It was round and bright. When she thought about how Lucas destroyed a washbasin at the club a couple of days ago, her eyes subconsciously drifted to his hand. As expected, there was a wound on the back of his hand. Scabs had already formed on the wound. There was a twisted contempt at the edge of her eyes. Why is he meeting me in the middle of the night when he¡¯s trying to keep his distance away from me? Lucas was enjoying the meat skewers of the night market a lot. He familiarly grabbed amb skewer and ate it. Themb was grilled to crispy perfection. To his surprise, it was made even better after he sprinkled some chili powder on it. Spencer was used to eating at a ce like thatpared to Lucas. He quite enjoyed drinking alcohol while eating meat skewers, which was why he had already started gulping down the food. Everyone knows Mr. Nn is a very picky eater. He alwaysins about the food, but when he¡¯s in front of Ms. Berry, he can eat like a normal person. In the past, he only eats the food she makes indiscriminately. Now he¡¯s changed. He¡¯ll eat anything and enjoy it as long as she¡¯s eating it too because it has her scent. This love disease of his is going to be hard to cure! Even though he says he¡¯s going to leave Ms. Berry, his mind and body don¡¯t want to. I have no idea what he¡¯s thinking about lately. Is it fun for him to y this kind of game? Breaking up and getting back to her whenever he feels like it? I really don¡¯t understand. There was only enough food for three people on the table, so it ran out pretty quickly after the two men joined and ate. Thus, Ashlyn had to ask Harrison to order more food. ¡°Order some beef skewers, grilled sausages, potato spirals, and pork cutlets!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Harrison stood up and went to find the stall owner. The short table and chair were a real pain for Lucas because he had long legs. He had to bend his legs just to be able to sit. His hand-tailored pants and shirt from a famous international brand were forced to rub against the dirty table as a result. However, he didn¡¯t seem ufortable at all. He straight up ignored how ipatible he was with the ce because the fulfillment he was feeling at the moment was irreceable. Not only had he been not sleeping well, but he was also not eating well. He looked pretty haggard. Thankfully, his spirit was still going pretty strong. So strong, in fact, that he didn¡¯t seem to know what it was like to be tired. After a while, Harrison returned with a bunch of meat skewers first. There was still steam rising from the hot skewers. The smell of the mixture of cumin and chili powder went straight into Lucas¡¯ nose. The pain of hunger swirling in his stomach was finallying to an end.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Chapter 640 Chapter 640 The satisfaction from satiating one¡¯s hunger was irreceable. Such a feeling would only be aroused with Ashlyn¡¯s presence. Disregarding his image of a domineering captain, he started eating the skewers without hesitation. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn ignored him as if she was sharing a table with a stranger. She lowered her head and started devouring the spicy chicken pasta, which had ayer of red chili oil floating atop. Besides some noodles, the bowl also consisted of some onions, vegetables and bean sprouts. Just one look at it was tantalizing enough. Looking at Ashlyn enjoying her spicy chicken pasta, Lucas felt his appetite gradually sharpen. ¡°Order one more for me.¡± Spencer shot up from his seat. ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯ll have another spicy chicken pasta with less chili.¡± Well aware of how delicate Lucas¡¯ stomach is, Ashlyn raised her brow as she looked at him, puzzled. ¡°You¡¯re able to eat that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded, with his ck eyes lingering on her porcin-fair face. At the sight of her lips turning red and swollen while eating her spicy chicken pasta, his heart skipped half a beat. As always, her beauty stood out, where even at a small stall in the night market, her great beauty managed to bewitch him. Clenching his fists tightly, Lucas recalled that night at the club, where he had stolen a kiss. Though, he was only capable of expressing his feelings at a ce and time like that. He was determined to elerate his progress. After a while, the boss served Lucas his spicy chicken pasta. Subsequently, Lucas immediately grabbed a disposable fork and gave the pasta a taste. The noodles were spicy and soft, apanied by some crunchy bean sprouts, giving them a refreshing taste. It was his first time eating at a stall on the street in the night market. Finding the taste unusual, he wondered, ¡°Spicy, sour¡­ So this is the legendary spicy chicken pasta? It tastes amazing!¡± By being around Ashlyn often, his distinctive hostility seemed to have faded away, with the wisps of smoke rising onto his face. Engrossed in enjoying the excitement brought by his spicy chicken pasta, he seemed to loosen up, while the corners of his lips curled up and the bloodlust in his eyes dissipated. It was gettingte. By the time they had finished eating at the night market, it was already one in the morning. Along with Anderson and Harrison, Ashlyn got into the Land Rover, without bidding farewell to Lucas. Gazing at the Land Rover being driven off, Lucas entered his Bentley a few momentster and eximed inwardly, ¡°She¡¯s treating me as if I¡¯m a stranger! How carefree she is!¡± The next day, Susan received a call in the morning. ¡°Hello,¡± she answered. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s me.¡± A familiar voice sounded. It was none other than Mary. Infuriated, Susan fumed, ¡°How dare you call me? Right after Horace was imprisoned, you disappeared. I don¡¯t mind the fact that you¡¯ve bullied me in the past, but how could you abandon my son?¡± ¡°Mom¡­ I have a reason for that.¡± Surprisingly, Mary, who was usually unyielding, was not angered by Susan¡¯s reprimands. Instead, she exined mildly, ¡°My family found me, and they brought Penelope and me out of the country immediately. As I¡¯ve left in a hurry, I wasn¡¯t able to exin the whole situation to you.¡± Susan¡¯s hand, which was holding the phone, froze as she asked suspiciously, ¡°Your family? What do you mean?¡± With a faint smile, Mary informed, ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Mom, I¡¯ve actually called to tell you something¡­¡± Five minutester, Susan hung up. Huffing in anger, she flopped into the couch. ¡°What a brat! She¡¯s capable of bringing glory to the nation, but she can¡¯t save her own father! This is ridiculous!¡± At three in the afternoon, a topic dominated the trending searches, which initially consisted of news about Helena, on Twitter. God of Cars, S is not willing to take care of her own grandmother. Ashlyn ruins her image by leaving her grandma to fend for herself. Chapter 641 Chapter 641 When Ashlyn clicked into an interview video on social media, an elderly, whose face was covered with tears and snot, came into view. ¡°Now that she has be a champion, she abandons her grandma who has raised her up¡­ Her father is still imprisoned¡­ How can she do this to us? She has never visited her father in the prison. I don¡¯t understand why her heart is so cold. Has the Berry family failed her?¡± Facing the camera, she wailed in agony, ¡°I was the one who had raised her. Back when we were living in the countryside, I had to work non-stop from the crack of dawn untilte at night every day to be able to afford her tuition fees by growing vegetables and selling them. I never thought that she would abandon the Berry family and me once she bes famous and rich.¡± This was merely an interview. To Ashlyn¡¯s surprise, the Lake City News was able to invite Susan for a live interview at six in the evening. d in a business suit, the host was seated gracefully as she greeted, ¡°Good evening, my fellow audience and friends. We¡¯re honored enough to have Susan ckwood, whose granddaughter is the God of Cars, S, also known as Ashlyn Berry, on our show today. Ms. ckwood, say hello to the viewers!¡± ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Susan ckwood, Ashlyn¡¯s grandma.¡± There was not a single trace of apprehension found on Susan¡¯s face while she faced the camera. Although she was not dressed in fashionable outfits, she looked gracious. At the sight of an elderly with a neat appearance, a good impression was left among the audience. Smiling, the hostmented, ¡°We¡¯ve invited you today because of your interview with the media. After it was released at 3 o¡¯clock this afternoon, it has garnered quite a lot of attention. This is sensational news in both real life and online. We would like to find out the truth of the whole incident because taking care of the elderly is a virtuous habit that has been passed down for generations in our country. We feel truly sorry about your experience, and we hope that you can answer our questions candidly. Is that all right?¡± Susan nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± The host looked at Susan with a gentle gaze and inquired, ¡°May I know when Ashlyn left the Berry family?¡± ¡°She has never returned after my son, Horace Berry, was imprisoned. In the spacious Berry Residence, I was left alone with only a maid.¡± Susan¡¯s eyes reddened as she spoke. Raising her sleeve, she pretended to wipe her tears away, garnering sympathy from the audience at the scene and those who were watching on screen. ¡°Do you know¡­ that Ashlyn is the God of Cars, S?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that at first. Previously, all l knew was that she was a doctor at the First Hospital in Lake City. She¡¯s usually quite busy, so I never get to meet her, although I miss her a lot.¡± She let out a sigh as she continued, ¡°When she had fallen sick back when she was a child, I carried her all the way to the Bellflower Hospital in the freezing cold. Now that she¡¯s a renowned doctor and the God of Cars¡­ she no longer cares about her country bumpkin grandma.¡± As she spoke, tears began streaming down her face. ¡°Her mother died early, so I was the one who had brought her up. I don¡¯t have a hidden agenda for taking part in this show. All I want is to send her a message through this show, telling her how much I miss her and that I hope that she can spare some time to visit me.¡± Everyone, who was listening to her story, could not help but shed tears out of sympathy. Sitting before the television, Ashlyn gazed at the screen impassively. It broke her heart to watch her grandma, whom she had respected since young, defaming her on Twitter and ndering her on live news. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Now that she¡¯s sessful in bringing honor to the country, I¡¯m a useless olddy who¡¯s holding her back. It¡¯s fine even if she doesn¡¯t take care of me. As long as she¡¯s safe and happy, I¡¯m satisfied.¡± Chapter 642 Chapter 642 Susan¡¯s voice could be heard as extremely sincere, and she perfectly portrayed the image of a grandma who missed her granddaughter. It made her seem like apletely different person from the elderly who cursed at Ashlyn in the hospital for not saving Horace. It was only then that Ashlyn realized that Susan had many different sides to her. It was only then that she knew that Susan was so capable of distorting the facts and being hypocritical. All of a sudden, Ashlyn felt as if she was an idiot. Were all of the good things that she did for me just an act? Ashlyn just wanted to know if Susan had ever been sincere toward her. Back when she was younger, she remembered them getting along well with each other back in the vige. Everything seemed so blissful. She wondered when it all started to change. It must have started when Horace was jailed¡­ Ashlyn guessed that it was because she didn¡¯t save him that caused Susan to be infuriated and filled with resentment and hatred for her. Was this the reason why she¡¯s trying to destroy me now? Is this her motive? Meanwhile, in the Count¡¯s Mansion at Maredania, Penelope and Mary sat in front of the television punctually to watch the live interview from Lake City News. As they saw how desperately Susan was trying to put on an act, Penelope couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Mom, take a look at this olddy. What a show she¡¯s putting on.¡± ¡°Hmph. In order to get Horace, that scumbag, out of jail, she really is spending so much effort,¡± Mary scoffed in disdain as she looked at Susan, who was on the screen. ¡°Mom, are you really going to get Dad out of jail?¡± Penelope nced at Mary curiously. Now, Mary was the daughter of the Count. With one word from her, all those in H Nation would definitely respect her and respond to her demands. ¡°I left this matter to your uncle. He promised me that he would settle it.¡± Mary picked up a strawberry and put it into her mouth as she continued, ¡°By now, he should have reached H Nation.¡± ¡°Dad is such a loser. If hees back to the Count¡¯s Mansion with us, he would only be embarrassing Granny,¡± Penelope grumbled as she pursed her lips. Deep down, she genuinely looked down on Horace. ¡°Especially since he¡¯s been in jail and has a criminal record.¡± Mary rolled her eyes as she added, ¡°I¡¯ve already signed the divorce agreement. I¡¯ll just give him a sum of money to get him to stop pestering us. Otherwise, with that greedy nature of his, he would definitely keep bothering us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Mom. With a Dad that has been in jail, I¡¯m now embarrassed to go out for gatherings with the other socialites.¡± Hearing Mary¡¯s reply, Penelope was satisfied that she had the same thoughts as her. She thought that someone as trashy as Horace wasn¡¯t worthy of being with someone as distinguished as her mom. At the H Nation¡¯s international airport, a man with a tall stature walked out of the VIP passage. A pair of dark shades covered half of his face, revealing only his stunning jawline and thin, sexy lips. There was a dazzling diamond earring on his right ear which sparkled resplendently in the bright sunlight. His chestnut-colored hair was refreshing and slick, with a few mischievous strands of fringe scattered over his forehead. The vivid blue highlights on his sideburns further entuated a hint of mboyance to his elegance. Once he stepped out of the airport, a middle-aged man came forward to greet him, ¡°Mr. Yates, this way please.¡± Ryan Yates raised his eyebrows and followed the middle-aged man into the car. ¡°It is H Nation¡¯s honor to be able to invite you as a judge for the International Piano Competition.¡± The middle-aged man who spoke to Ryan was none other than Gabriel Watson, one of the members of the organizingmittee for the International Piano Competition. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure, Mr. Watson.¡± With a smirk, Ryan took off his sunsses to reveal a pair of narrow eyes that shone with a hint of cheekiness. ¡°You¡¯re a world-ss pianist with numerous prestigious awards. How would I dare to disrespect you?¡± Gabriel replied humbly. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. He was desperately trying to put on a humble stance. However, he couldn¡¯t be med for trying to butter up Ryan. If there was someone to be med, it would be the internationally renowned Piano Prince in front of him. Not only was he handsome, but he also came from a wealthy family. He was the prominent heir to the Count¡¯s Mansion in Maredania and had a title to his name. To the officials in Maredania, he was a prince who would likely inherit the position as Count to be a prominent figure in the future. Chapter 643 Chapter 643 Gabriel was nothing but a mere organizer. There was no way that he would dare to offend such a prominent figure. Soon, the car reached the five-star hotel that the piano association booked for Ryan. Once Ryan stepped out of the car, he just happened to see the Lake City News being broadcasted on the screen of a nearby building. Ryan raised his brow as he watched the olddy on the screen pour out herints toward Ashlyn. As she did so, she even put on an act and said that she only wished for Ashlyn¡¯s safety. ¡°I¡¯m starting to get more interested in this Ashlyn,¡± Ryan muttered to himself. His lips curved into a sly smile as he walked into the hotel without looking back. The moment he entered his room, he switched on the television and saw a middle-ageddy on the Lake City News. She wore an embarrassed and remorseful expression on her face. ¡°Old Mrs. Berry¡¯s already getting old. I don¡¯t know what happened, but she seems to be getting more muddleheaded nowadays. She just insists that Ms. Berry isn¡¯t filial to her. I¡¯m the caretaker that was specially hired by Ms. Berry to look after Old Mrs. Berry. Ms. Berry has already paid ten years¡¯ worth of my sry and wanted me to take care of Old Mrs. Berry for ten years. Ever since Horace was jailed, his wife and eldest daughter ran away, and no one knows of their whereabouts. They are the ones who are truly neglecting Old Mrs. Berry. Old Mrs. Berry¡¯s food and clothes are all paid for by Ms. Berry alone. She even gave Old Mrs. Berry a bank card with 10 million inside it.¡± The middle-aged woman wore a look of helplessness as she continued, ¡°It¡¯s not that Ms. Berry isn¡¯t willing to take care of her grandma. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s too busy and doesn¡¯t have much spare time to visit Old Mrs. Berry. All of the medical staff at the First Hospital knows that Horace and his wife are the ones who like to abuse Old Mrs. Berry. There was even a time when they abused her until she had to be hospitalized for several days! Gosh. I was Old Mrs. Berry¡¯s caretaker back then, and Ms. Berry hired me to be the personal caretaker after seeing that I did a good job caring for Old Mrs. Berry.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. As she heard this, Susan was infuriated. Despite that, she still had to maintain her image of someone who loved her granddaughter and was searching for her on television. Thus, she couldn¡¯t simply curse out of fury. If that happened, the public wouldn¡¯t sympathize with her, and she would suffer huge losses. If I don¡¯t ruin Ashlyn¡¯s reputation now, then what would happen to my son? Mary had promised her that as long as she tarnished Ashlyn¡¯s reputation, she would get Horace out of jail. But now, she didn¡¯t expect that her caretaker would have nothing better to do ande all the way here to interrupt her. How did she know that I came to the Lake City TV Station? I clearly remembered avoiding her when I left the house¡­ The more Susan thought about this, the more anxious she felt. Since that caretaker was hired by Ashlyn, she wondered if Ashlyn had already seen through her act. No. That¡¯s impossible¡­ As they heard this, the audience who were watching the news was dumbstruck. None of them expected that Susan¡¯s caregiver would directly expose her in a live interview. Besides that, the caregiver was also hired by Ashlyn, and all the medical expenses and such were covered by Ashlyn herself. They were also shocked to find out new revtions such as Ashlyn being the one who saved Susan from being abused. In addition to that, she even gave Susan a bank card with 10 million inside! ¡°I never wanted the money. All I wanted was herpany¡­¡± Susan desperately tried to salvage the situation. However, it was evident that people were already starting to doubt her words. ¡°Back when you were being abused at the Berry residence, Ms. Berry wanted to bring you away, but you refused. But now that you¡¯re the only one left at home, and she says that she wants to bring you away, you said that you wanted to wait for Horace to return.¡± The caretaker felt that Susan was deliberately looking for trouble. ¡°Horace had always been the one that you truly cared for.¡± Now that she had finished her words, it was up to the public to decide if they wanted to believe Susan¡¯s words. As she sat in front of the television, Ashlyn watched as the courageous caretaker stood up to defend her. She then picked up the ss on the coffee table and took a small sip from it. That caretaker was indeed hired by Ashlyn. Besides being skilled at taking care of Susan, she also reported Susan¡¯s each and every move to her. It could be said that Ashlyn had full control over Susan. Initially, she was only worried that Susan would be unaware that she was ill, which was why she instructed the caretaker to report everything about Susan to her. Chapter 644 Chapter 644 Ashlyn had never thought that one unintentional act would lead to the current situation. The caregiver told Ashlyn immediately after she found out that Susan had received an unknown call. Although Ashlyn had some doubts about Susan, she had not expected her to act this way. After finding out that Susan¡¯s real purpose was to manipte public opinion and ruin Ashlyn¡¯s reputation, Ashlyn immediately contacted the caregiver and sent the caregiver to the TV station. I have to prove my innocence. This powerful piece of evidence caught Susan off guard. Originally, the people at the TV station thought they could dig up some dirt on Ashlyn, but they didn¡¯t think it woulde back to bite them. At once, both the host and the director were a little awkward and did not know how to smooth things out. Finally, the caregiver said indifferently, ¡°Ms. Berry is a good person. No matter how much those netizens rant about her on Twitter, she doesn¡¯t care. She has a clear conscience as she has never ignored nor abandoned Old Mrs. Berry.¡± After saying that, that caregiver helped Susan up and said, ¡°Old Mrs. Berry, let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s not cause any more trouble for Ms. Berry.¡± When Susan heard this, her face fell. Nevertheless, at this point, no matter what she said, it would not do her much good. She could only suppress her anger and follow the caregiver outside. In a five-star hotel, Ryan turned off the TV and casually tossed the remote aside. I didn¡¯t expect Ashlyn to do that. She actually pped Old Mrs. Berry in the face, and Old Mrs. Berry became terribly indignant. That¡¯s interesting. He smiled, and his phone rang when he was about to go into the bathroom to take a shower. When he saw the caller ID, he frowned. A hint of impatience appeared between his brows. ¡°Mary, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ryan, did you get off the ne yet?¡± Mary¡¯s voice could be heard from the phone. ¡°I was a little worried about you, so I called to ask.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already here, and I¡¯m a little tired.¡± The man¡¯s voice was icy. ¡°Well, get some rest. I will not bother you any longer.¡± There was even a hint of ingratiation in her soft voice. ¡°I¡¯m just afraid you¡¯ll forget what I had asked you to help me with.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± After Ryan finished speaking, he hung up the phone. After Ryan hung up, Mary became angry, and she red at her phone. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. That man from the Count¡¯s Mansion has always been lukewarm toward me. I¡¯m older than him, but I still have to watch what I say. What can I do? After all, he will inherit the Count¡¯s Mansion. My daughter and I will have to be taken care of by this man when the timees. At the thought of the high status of the Count¡¯s Mansion, Mary could only suppress the displeasure in her heart and put her phone away. ¡°Mom, how can Ashlyn be so capable? She was the chief designer of LX and even won an award before. Besides that, she¡¯s now God of Cars, S. Grandma could not even expose her. Why is she so lucky every time and able to do everything so well?¡± Penelope turned off the TV angrily. This is so annoying! Ashlyn steps on my toes every time, and I feel suffocated by that! I wish I could fly back home right now to show her how extraordinary I am. My mother and I are now thedies of the Count¡¯s Mansion! Wherever we go, we will dress luxuriously and be surrounded by everyone. Regardless, Mom said it¡¯s not the right time yet. I can only bear it for now. Ashlyn was not in the mood, nor did she have time to care for Susan because she directly flew to the International Convention Center in Maredania the next day. There was a big summit going on here, the Global Enterprise Summit. The presidents of the five hundredrgestpanies in the world were invited, including thousands of corporate executives. The world¡¯s most influential bigwigs were gathered here, and their words and actions were, of course, an important basis for all industries to study international financial trends. The president of Maredania even came to the summit and gave an important speech. Chapter 645 Chapter 645 This was a summit that attracted the eyes of the world. After Ashlyn left the airport, she went straight to Independence Avenue. This was an expressway that provided direct ess from the airport to the International Convention Center. Private cars for the conference were parked on both sides of the road, and the police were there to assist. The car drove briskly down a road about seven kilometers long. This road had sixnes in both directions and was five meters wide on each side. It was equipped with streetlights and traffic lights. There were also three nature parks and a route to the Parliament along the road. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. When she arrived at the International Convention Center, there were a few big red words in front of the entrance that read: Global Enterprise Summit. This building was one of the tallest buildings in Maredania. It had eighty-eight floors and was sky-high. The lobby on the first floor was the conference venue, which was elegantly and luxuriously decorated. One could tell it was costly with merely a nce. The floor was covered with red carpet, and there were countless employees busying around. There were several security guards at the gate for formalities and security checks. Ashlyn got out of the car and walked with Jared toward the entrance. She was wearing a white professional suit and a pair of high heels in the same color. Her long hair was pinned up and coiled behind her head, leaving only two strands of hair in front of her forehead to show her delicate face. She had decent and elegant makeup on her face. Her makeup was not thick, but it was enough to attract the attention of others to her. She was tall and had a thin waist, long legs, and fair skin. She lookedpetent and elegant. Jared, next to her, wore a ck suit and was handsome. He carried aptop in his hand. Lucas got out of the car and saw the familiar figure in front of him. Ashlyn? Why is she here? He was slightly shocked. He went forward to catch up with Ashlyn. Then, he reached out and grabbed her arm. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Ashlyn showed an expressionless face and nced at the man who suddenly appeared. She had expected to run into Lucas, but she had not expected the man to have such a huge reaction. Lucas had long legs and was stunning. He wore a ck suit on his slim and firm body. The man looked elegant and ssy, especially when onepared him to the bald men or the men with big bellies who came in and out of that building. He stood out from the crowd, and he was perfect and striking. Ashlyn smirked, retracted her gaze from him, and said tly, ¡°If you cane, why can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°This is the Global Enterprise Summit, and the big shots of the world are here.¡± Lucas felt a headache coming on. ¡°No matter how much Jared spoils you, he has to have a limit. How can he take you here?¡± ¡°Lucas.¡± Ashlyn eyed him, then slowly pulled out an invitation card. ¡°You have often felt embarrassed because you are thoughtless.¡± When Lucas saw this, he froze. He suddenly did not know what to say. This is a man¡¯s battlefield, and I just don¡¯t want her to be embarrassed. My woman only needs to hide behind me and enjoy happiness, but Ashlyn always makes unexpected moves. He stood still and felt that he might have misunderstood her once again. A bold assumption surfaced in his mind. Don¡¯t tell me she¡­ Spencer urged him in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Nn, let us go inside¡­¡± The entrance, which had been full of people a moment ago, was now empty, leaving only the two of them. They would bete if they didn¡¯t go in. What if I¡¯mte for such an important summit¡­ Lucas shook his head and cast away the thoughts before entering the venue with Spencer. In the venue, Ashlyn and Jared sat side by side, with name tags in front of them, disying: Centennial Healthcare ¨C Jared Quickton. Centennial Healthcare ¨C Ashlyn Berry. Lucas¡¯ seat happened to be in the same row as theirs, but he was separated by two other directors from otherpanies. The man¡¯s piercing gaze fell on Ashlyn from time to time, and it made her a little upset. Chapter 646 Chapter 646 This man seemed to be a stubborn one, for no matter how many times he was humiliated, he just wouldn¡¯t change his bad habits. The event¡¯s official host was a reputable professor from a well-known university in Maredania, not some emcee from the showbiz. A lot of the figureheads present that day were students of this professor, which exined why they held high respect for the professor. Everything started ordingly after the professor was done giving his weing speech. The summit was scheduled for three days. The first day¡¯s events included the speeches given by the leaders of thepanies that grew the most in two years. The second day was a knowledge exchange session where the participants shared their experience and knowledge, while the third day was a tour around Maredania to experience the local culture and traditions. After the host was done arranging the meetings, he said, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, next up, we have a legend, who in two years led Centennial Healthcare into numerous groundbreaking achievements that many couldn¡¯t achieve! She is one who creates miracles and shatters stereotypes! Let us wee the chairperson of Centennial Healthcare!¡± Meanwhile, that man, whose presence was undeniably enormous, was seated there while maintaining an emotionless expression on his handsome face. But¡­ Suspicion rose within Lucas as he pondered, for he had always thought Jared was Centennial Healthcare¡¯s president. Since when was there a chairperson? Besides, Centennial Healthcare has been growing rapidly for the past few years, and the president has always been Jared. It was not just Lucas in shock as the other figureheads were also whispering into each other ears. ¡°Heh, Centennial Healthcare really is secretive! There¡¯s actually a chairperson?¡± ¡°I thought the head has always been Mr. Quickton alone!¡± ¡°So there¡¯s actually another person that is superior to Mr. Quickton?¡± Spencer was a little surprised, and he said, ¡°Mr. Nn, do you think the chairperson of Centennial Healthcare is an olddy?¡± With that said, his eyes uncontrobly shifted toward Jared and Ashlyn. He, however, was soon met by surprise and shock when he secretly scrutinized the duo. ¡°M-Mr. Nn¡­ There! Over there! Look!¡± ¡°What are you so surprised of? Do you have any idea what kind of venue you¡¯re attending right now?¡± ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s Ms. Berry! She¡­ She¡ª¡± Before Spencer even managed to finish his words, Lucas had already heard a familiar voiceing out from the speakers installed in the venue. ¡°Hello, My name is Ashlyn Berry, and I¡¯m the chairperson of Centennial Healthcare.¡± Ashlyn¡­ Chairperson¡­ Huh? Lucas¡¯ razor-sharp gaze slowly shifted toward the center of the stage as if he was in bullet time, just like in a movie. The person that entered his vision was ady donned in fully white business attire. With a presence not to be ignored, she stood behind the microphone while the spotlight shone onto her slender and curvaceous body and beautiful face. Lucas felt like his heart was being seized by an unknown force after seeing her. His heart pounded quickly as his eyes set on thedy, and he felt like his breath was taken away. Whatever he saw came like a bolt from the blue. How was he not going to be caught off guard? The shock he received was far stronger than when he found out that thedy was a famed doctor. He dared not believe what he saw to the extent that he felt like there was a crack on his handsome face. His jet ck eyes locked on thedy standing on the stage, who was seemingly shining bright like a diamond! No wonder Jared brought her here! Now it all makes sense how there was only vague respect and obedience in Jared¡¯s eyes instead of love when he looked at her, and why Jared was so calm when he sent her to my ce when the Spirogyra red up. So they are not a couple as they were rumored to be¡­ This was all because Jared was just her subordinate, and the two twin brothers were also just her subordinates undoubtedly. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. As for Lucas himself, he had been kept away from the truth, which also meant that he was jealous of mere subordinates all this while. He shut his eyes to the scene happening right now, for his brain kept reminding him of all the idiotic things he did. ¡°On behalf of Centennial Healthcare, I thank you all for recognizing and acknowledging us, and we are deeply grateful for your encouragement and care,¡± said Ashlyn. Chapter 647 Chapter 647 ¡°Despite our efforts, Centennial Healthcare is still like a newborn childpared to the corporations incorporated centuries ago. As we grow, we grow with the hope that we will eventually grow into a massive tree that could protect our country and her people under our shade!¡± After giving her speech, Ashlyn gracefully walked down the stage as she returned to her seat. Her exquisite face was eye-catching. The white business attire covering her body did not make her look stiff but instead further amplified her presence. The appearance of such a beautiful yet capable female chairperson immediately had the audience pped enthusiastically. The figureheads from the business world all came from different countries in the world, and they were all important individuals in their own countries. Yet, they were all uncontrobly praising thedy. After all, the growth of Centennial Healthcare was in eye-visible speed, and that had already drawn the attention of all yers in the rted industries. The meeting ended at noon sharp, and the participants were invited to a luxurious buffet lunch in one of the main halls of the building by the organizers. The hall was decoratedvishly and fashionably with all sorts of ornaments everywhere, and the dishes were beyond perfection. In fact, in order to have the tongues of the many participants from various countries taken care of, the organizers had prepared delicacies from different cuisines. Lucas, however, had his eyes locked on the lady surrounded by the many people, and his gaze was sharp while jealously consumed him. Without a second thought, he took a step forward as he was trying to approach Ashlyn. But before he could move any further, he was met with another woman, who stumbled as she slowly approached him. She had her hand on her forehead, and she seemed to be in great pain. ¡°Oh¡­ My head¡­ It hurts¡­¡± Seeing this, Lucas frowned right away, for he never liked being a gentleman. With a movement that was notcking in both agility and flexibility, Lucas precisely avoided the woman while she fell straight onto the ground. The woman had it all nned out. The handsome-looking man would catch her like a hero, and the two would then exchange numbers. No matter how she looked at it, she thought that there would be a series of events between them that would eventually lead them into the bed. Yet, the man actually ignored her like she was nothing but thin air. Kimberly Powell was very confident with her appearance, which ignited her anger because she took this as a humiliation after being ignored. With her golden hair and her magnificent physique, men around her lusted for her. But this man was undoubtedly one of a kind. It was also at this moment that a fat man rushed forward, helped her up, and politely asked, ¡°Miss, are you all right? Do you need any help?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine!¡± scorned Kimberly. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. She then directed her vision toward the direction where Lucas had left, only to find him walking straight toward a beautifuldy. Thedy was smiling from the conversations she held with the other figureheads, but her expression quickly turned cold in an instant after seeing a certain someone. Thatdy¡­ She¡¯s the chairperson that was giving a speech just now? Who cares! She¡¯s not even as rich as I am! She was the daughter of the world¡¯s most reputable oil tycoon. Very good, you have my attention, pretty boy. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯d choose me or that woman. Kimberly was here at the summit to apany her father, Timothy Powell. Her father brought her here to let her experience more and widen her connections. There was no way that he would ever expect that instead of trying to meet his expectations, his daughter was actually preying on a man, only to be ignored like a nobody. Meanwhile, after exchanging business cards with a few people, Ashlyn kept a smile on her face and suggested, ¡°Gentlemen, we can have a seat here if you¡¯d like to.¡± With that said, she pointed toward a table near the window. If ady was capable and beautiful, she would always easily be the center of attention, just like Ashlyn. Hence, the men around her immediately seated around the table after receiving the beauty¡¯s invitation. At that exact moment, a handsome man in a ck suit bolted out with a stern expression and sat right beside Ashlyn. With Jared sitting on the left of Ashlyn, and Lucas on the right, an awkward atmosphere spread around the table. Chapter 648 Chapter 648 Lucas remembered his goal ofing here. Under his lead, Nn Group had been growing steadily over the years. Thus, he was regarded as a handsome young elite in the business world and gained a lot of attention. However, Ashlyn was a new face in the crowd, and her beauty instantly drew everyone¡¯s gazes. Almost all the people who were staring at Lucas were women. Judging by their hungry stares, it wasn¡¯t hard to tell what they were thinking. At that moment, all Lucas wanted to do was protect Ashlyn from other men. Two men sat down at the table in the corner and shot cold res at Lucas. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Take pictures of them and send them to Mr. Nn.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± When Franklin received the photos, his expression turned extremely grim. ¡°What¡¯s so special about this woman that made Lucas disobey me?¡± ¡°Dear, calm down.¡± Livia stroked Franklin¡¯s chest and said, ¡°Remember, we still have a trump card. Besides, the effects of Naomi¡¯s poison are about to show.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, darling,¡± Franklin said with a smirk. ¡°When that happens, Lucas will definitelye begging and fall under our control again!¡± The way the couple spoke was as if Naomi wasn¡¯t their daughter. Instead, it was as if she was just a stray on the street that didn¡¯t matter to them at all. Meanwhile, at the stic surgery department in a hospital in Maredania. A thin girl was lying quietly on the hospital bed. Her face was covered with white gauze. At that moment, her perfectly shaped eyes were closed, and her long and thick eyshes fluttered on her face like butterflies. Suddenly, a tall man entered the ward with a lunch box in his hand. When he saw that she was still asleep, he softly ced the box on the table. Although his movements were subtle, the girl heard the noise and woke up. She trembled and slowly opened her eyes. When she saw the man¡¯s familiar face, her lips curled into a smile, and the atmosphere instantly turned sweet and loving. ¡°Hey, Joseph.¡± Joseph looked at her eyes which were curved like crescent moons, and opened the lunch box. ¡°You¡¯re probably feeling hungry. It took me a long time to find a Chanaean restaurant. I¡¯m not sure whether you¡¯ll like it.¡± Charlotte had been staying in the hospital for a long while. She was forced to eat local food every day, so she was tired of it. Thus, Joseph drove around for a long time in search of a Chanaean restaurant. After hearing that, Charlotte¡¯s eyes lit up. It was as if there were stars in her eyes. She immediately sat up and said, ¡°Oh my goodness! It smells delicious!¡± Then, she got out of bed to wash her hands. However, she was so excited that she slipped and lost bnce. Just when she was about to fall, a pair of strong arms suddenly reached over to her waist and pulled her back to her feet. As a result, the girl¡¯s nose bumped onto a strong and muscr chest. Her nose instantly turned red and started to throb in pain. ¡°It¡¯s so hard! It hurts!¡± Is his chest made of stone? Why is it so hard? She looked up at Joseph aggrievedly. At that instant, her nose was red like a rabbit¡¯s. Seeing that, Joseph felt his heart melt. He couldn¡¯t help but coax, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. Hurry up and go wash your hands. The food is getting cold.¡± Upon hearing that, Charlotte hurriedly went to wash her hands. Joseph had bought eggs benedict, two burritos, and a few delicious-looking side dishes. Even though they were ordinary food, it was hard to find them in Maredania. Charlotte was already bored of the local food. Thus, when she saw the eggs benedict, she was overjoyed and happily feasted on the food. Seeing that girl in front of him stuff down the food with bulging cheeks, Joseph thought she looked adorable. However, when he nced at the gauze wrapped around her face, his expression instantly turned cold. The doctors say that she needs to go through three surgeries in order to regain her smooth and clear skin again. This is just the first surgery. Chapter 649 Chapter 649 Even after the effects of the anesthetics wore off, Charlotte continued to bear the pain and never once comined, no matter how painful it was. Her eyes had turned red from holding back her tears, but she didn¡¯t say a thing. Seeing her suffer made Joseph¡¯s heart ache. The more time he spent with her, the more he understood her. Joseph¡¯s heart skipped a beat whenever he witnessed her strength, quirkiness, and innocence. He put down his work and applied for a long leave to especially apany her. However, it seemed much more bearable than he imagined. When Fae ordered him to apany Charlotte, his immediate response was to refuse her. However, in the end, he came to the hospital anyway. Soon, Charlotte finished wolfing down her food. She ate so much that her tummy turned round. She stroked her bloated belly. Then, she pointed at the exquisite presents on the bedside table and said to Joseph. ¡°Some of the nurses asked me to pass those to you.¡± Frustrated, Joseph ced his hand on his forehead and asked, ¡°You¡¯re doing this on purpose, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ever since Charlotte arrived at the hospital, the single nurses who work there would express their love to Joseph from time to time. Furthermore, Joseph and Charlotte told them that they were siblings. Thus, in order to get close to Joseph, the nurses would butter up Charlotte. Charlotte had never received so much attention before and thought that it was fascinating. She received so many gifts on Joseph¡¯s behalf that her hands hurt. Joseph put down the fork in his hand and carried the few gift boxes. Then, he pretended to be mad and red at Charlotte. ¡°If you continue to receive gifts on my behalf, you¡¯ll regret it!¡± ¡°Joseph, where are you going?¡± ¡°Where else? I¡¯m going to return these gifts!¡± Joseph replied angrily. With that, he turned and left the ward. After a full day of meetings, Ashlyn¡¯s body started to ache. She returned to her room, took a shower, and changed into an all-ck outfit. Just when she was about to leave, a pair of hands suddenly reached out from behind the curtains and wrapped around her waist. The man slowly leaned close to her pink lips, and with his hoarse voice, he teased, ¡°Honey, it¡¯ste. Where are you going?¡± Ashlyn immediately felt his warm breath blow into her ear. He then stroked her earlobe adeptly with his thin lips and sucked it. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes darkened. At that moment, she wanted to punch him. However, the man¡¯s hands that had crawled to her back suddenly pressed down and pulled her toward him. With that, he aggressively attacked her with a kiss. He had been wanting to kiss her since that morning. His kiss was as domineering and wild as it used to be. After they finished kissing, Ashlyn was overwhelmed by everything that had just happened and started gasping for air. On the contrary, Lucas¡¯ lips curled into a devious grin. He hugged Ashlyn and whispered, ¡°Apany me to a ce.¡± Then, he led her out of the room with his hand on her waist. Ashlyn didn¡¯t even have a chance to reject him. She was dressed in a ck top and ck pants. Her hair was casually tied up into a bun, and she was wearing ck ts. It was as if she wanted toy low so that she could do something unspeakable. She didn¡¯t expect Lucas to bring her to a luxuriously furnished conference room. Ashlyn took a nce around the interior and the other people in the room, and she was stunned. Then, she looked at Lucas in astonishment. Lucas grinned as a response. It was as if he could tell what she was thinking. Two rows of beautiful women dressed in revealing clothes were kneeling before the conference table. It was as if they were waiting for important guests. When the women saw the doors open, some that were brave enough winked at them, and some even moved their bodies to show off their perfect figures. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Ashlyn had always known that Lucas loved to visit money squandering establishments. However, she didn¡¯t expect to witness such a scene in a world-renowned international convention center. How can they be so brazen? She frowned and asked, ¡°Were you invited too?¡± Lucas wrapped his arm around her thin waist tightly and suddenly pulled her into his arms. He softly replied, ¡°Yes.¡± After that, he pulled out a hyper-realistic mask and directly put it on Ashlyn¡¯s face. Chapter 650 Chapter 650 As a female chairperson, Ashlyn naturally wouldn¡¯t be invited to such events. However, her high-profile appearance at the summit made Lucas have a feeling that Ashlyn had an ulterior motive. Since she is so interested ining, I decided to bring her in myself. Otherwise, she might try to sneak in and endanger herself. To Ashlyn¡¯s surprise, the hyper-realistic mask fitted perfectly. She was slightly taken aback. At that moment, she was no different from the other women in the room. She was not the chairman of Centennial Healthcare. Instead, she was just Lucas¡¯ femalepanion. The other women were staring at Lucas¡¯ handsome face and didn¡¯t notice what he had done to Ashlyn a moment ago. Just then, men started to enter the conference room one after another. Ashlyn noticed that they were all familiar faces. After all, they had a meeting and lunch together that day. Each and every one of them was proud and pretentious during the day. Thus, Ashlyn didn¡¯t expect them to act so lowly at night. She watched as the men entered the room and picked women they liked as if they were products on a shelf. Soon, the men each had women on their sides. After everyone took their seats, their host, Leonardo Tasker, who was famous for being an owner of a large jewelrypany, cleared his throat and smiled deviously. ¡°Good evening, everybody. Tonight, I have prepared a dozen of gorgeous women for you. Each of them went through a full inspection, so they are absolutely clean.¡± The end of Lucas¡¯ eyes curved upward as he heard that. He smirked and nced around the room. However, he waspletely emotionless. Ashlyn continued to y the role of Lucas¡¯ femalepanion and nuzzled in his arms. At that instant, she could sense the cold and frightening aura from his body. Yet, when she looked up, she saw a soft grin on his devious face. Just then, she heard Lucas¡¯ attractive voice. ¡°My femalepanion who is sitting next to me is the perfect woman in my eyes, so¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, be a good sport and pick a woman.¡± Leonardo seemed displeased. Is Lucas trying to make me look bad? Nheless, when he met Lucas¡¯ cold re, he felt a shiver run down his spine. Leonard quickly calmed himself down and decided to give up on Lucas. He hurriedly turned to the other men and said, ¡°Gentlemen, you must find the girl that you like the most!¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Ashlyn kept her head low and allowed Lucas to hug her as she quietly sat on her seat. ¡°Now¡­ I want to invite everyone to try out thetest substance that just arrived, Cyrus! It is extremely pure and smells amazing! All of you must try it out!¡± As soon as Leonardo finished speaking, a few women walked into the meeting room. Each of them held a delicate te with a small bowl on it. Ashlyn watched the scene grimly. That¡¯s Cyrus! ording to rumors, whoever tries Cyrus would experience great pleasure. However, it is highly addictive and almost impossible to give up on. Once a person gets addicted, the consequences would be disastrous. Yet, Leonard is inviting all the great leaders in the business world to drink that? Has he lost his mind? Why is he serving a highly addictive substance? ¡°Leonardo, are you insane? How could you invite everyone to drink that?¡± a middle-aged man with a potbelly yelled furiously. ¡°We are only here to enjoy thepany of women. Who doesn¡¯t like that? However, everyone here knows very well how dangerous Cyrus is!¡± No one in their right mind would get near Cyrus. As Leonardo faced the middle-aged man¡¯s questioning, his face instantly darkened. He mmed his palm on the table and yelled, ¡°Only a few people in this room have not tried Cyrus! Are you trying to make me look bad? Ask the men around you whether they tried it before!¡± The middle-aged man scoffed and turned to Lucas. ¡°Mr. Nn, what do you think of this situation?¡± Lucaszily nced at Leonardo and replied, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go near such a lowly substance like that.¡± Chapter 651 Chapter 651 Lucas tilted his head, bit Ashlyn on the crook of her neck, and let out a warm exhale from time to time. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes twitched in anger, and she fiercely pinched Lucas on his waist as revenge. However, her ears were perked up, and she was constantly listening to all the voices in the room. Lucas smiled sweetly at her and asked, ¡°Honey, do you think I should drink that?¡± ¡°That is a piece of trash. You would probably die from having just a sip of that.¡± Ashlyn smiled innocently and replied. The corners of Lucas¡¯ lips curled into a smirk. Then, he narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°Those who are not willing to drink can leave this ce with me. As for those who are willing to drink it, feel free to stay.¡± With an icy expression, Leonardo yelled, ¡°Mr. Nn, it seems like you are determined to embarrass me. Don¡¯t forget that you are in my territory! All of you have to drink it no matter what!¡± Lucas grinned slyly and replied, ¡°Leonardo, in all these years, the Nn Group had steered clear of your business. Are you trying to ruin that peace?¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, you¡¯ve misunderstood me. I just want everyone to be closer to one another and know each other better,¡± Leonardo replied with a bitter chuckle. ¡°Close?¡± Lucas suddenly reached out and pulled out a few photos from his pocket. ¡°Without your wife, yourpany wouldn¡¯t have been able to enter the Fortune five hundred. What do you think your wife will do after I show her these photos?¡± With that, Lucas swiftly threw the stack of photos on the table. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but look over. Those were intimate photos of Leonardo with other women, and all of the photos were clear. Seeing that, Leonardo¡¯s facepletely darkened. ¡°Lucas, watch your mouth! What are you trying to prove with a stack of photoshopped photos? Are you trying to ruin my rtionship with my wife? Or is your intention to ruin my reputation and image? The Tasker family is one of the four greatest families of North Anndur!¡± Leonardo yelled after mming the table in anger. ¡°Leonardo, you know best what you usually dabble in. Just ten days ago, you ordered the best prostitute named Amy to bring a few other girls to apany you to the King Card Hotel. Have you already forgotten about it?¡± Lucas looked at Leonardozily. At that moment, he looked like a lion that was about to doze off. Seeing that, Leonardo¡¯s body stiffened. He narrowed his eyes and stared at the man who was sitting there and smiling mischievously. He couldn¡¯t help but tremble. ¡°Lucas, what is your goal? If you are not willing to drink Cyrus with us, why did you ept my invitation?¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯te, how would Interpol have found this ce?¡± Lucas replied as his smile deepened. ¡°W-What did you just say?¡± Leonardo¡¯s face instantly turned pale. ¡°You reported me to the police?¡± With a smile, Lucas snapped his fingers and said, ¡°It¡¯s simple. Interpol has been dying to capture the man who has been selling Cyrus. They already had their eyes on you a long time ago. I¡¯m just cooperating to make things easier for them.¡± Leonardo¡¯s face had turned as pale as a sheet, and he was sweating profusely. Lucas stopped talking, but his smile was extremely chilling. Then, he propped up his perfectly streamlined chin. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why are you still wasting your time with us? Where are the international police? Why don¡¯t I see them? Lucas, do you think that I¡¯m a three-year-old? Do you know how many people you¡¯ve offended with your actions?¡± Leonardo clenched his fists tightly. As soon as he finished talking, he suddenly heard the sound of machine gunsing from outside. In an instant, his face turned extremely pale. I have always been careful. How did Lucas manage to destroy everything? When some of the men who had been coborating with Leonardo saw that their secret was exposed, they tried to escape. However, as soon as they stood to their feet, the woman who had been in Lucas¡¯ arms suddenly pulled out a gun. With a bang, she managed to shoot the leg of a middle-aged man who had his hand on the doorknob. Everyone¡¯s faces went pale immediately. They sat in their seats and didn¡¯t dare to make another move. Meanwhile, Ashlyn yed with the ck revolver in her hand. It was the gun that Lucas had stuffed into her pants a while ago.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Chapter 652 Chapter 652 She never expected this man to haveplete trust in her that he would just hand her a gun. Everybody looked at her in astonishment. How can this woman be so merciless and vile? ¡°Go ahead. Tell us where you obtained your Cyrus. How were you able to get your hands on such a large amount?¡± Lucas raised his eyebrows as he asked. Leonardo, who previously looked high-spirited, had turned pale. He seemed to have aged in a sh. ¡°I will never tell you where I got my hands on these things. I¡¯m sure the Interpol can find my source if they are capable!¡± Leonardo widened his eyes and red at Lucas. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the almighty Lucas Nn? Go and find out yourself!¡± ¡°Leonardo, it seems that you intend to bring down the entire Tasker family with you.¡± He smirked as a gust of cold wind blew past the hair on his forehead. Ashlyn looked up and saw a ferocious glint shing across Lucas¡¯ eyes. It was such a powerful glint of emotion and was as beautiful as light zooming across the sky. She was instantly attracted by its beauty. Before she had the time to get a closer look, she heard the sound of gunshots being fired. At that moment, a loud bang could be heard. Two teams of tall and well-built men in ck police uniforms came rushing in. They had stern looks on their faces as they barged in. These men wore military boots and carried thetest machine guns. They looked intimidating, and one should never trifle with them. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± They aimed the domineering machine guns in their hands at the people there. The leader in the group was wearing the same ck uniform. However, the military epaulets on his shoulders were proof of his identity. He was an extremely handsome young man, and nobody would think that he would be a part of the police that would cause bloodshed every day. The man nced at the business tycoons, who were usually almighty in the eyes of others, with a steely look in his eyes. Jackson? Ashlyn was stunned to see the highest-rankingmander of Interpol personally carrying out the arrest. Lucas and Jackson are working together? Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. She remembered that these two weren¡¯t acquainted when she forced Lucas to kiss her at the airport to hide from Jackson. How did they¡­ Ashlyn¡¯s thoughts were a mess. Lucas seemed to be getting more and more mysterious by the minute. Apart from being the current n leader of an ancient martial arts n, what other identities does he have? What other disguises does he have? ¡°What a summit! I see that you have some Cyrus here too.¡± Jackson sneered. He was a handsome man and always surrounded by an aura of bloodlust. Despite the simplicity of his words, his tone was still overwhelming for everybody. ¡°Commander Bush, do you think your presence is sufficient to arrest us?¡± Leonardo was putting up a final struggle. He was in disbelief and couldn¡¯t understand how he was defeated. Leonardo personally arranged the security details for this summit. On top of that, it was held in his home country. How could I end up being arrested? I don¡¯t believe this. This cannot be happening! ¡°Mr. Tasker, the evidence speaks for itself. Pleasee with us.¡± Jackson¡¯s handsome face remained expressionless as he looked at Leonardo. He waved his hand and ordered, ¡°Take those involved away and start investigating this case!¡± His subordinates immediately carried out his order. Jackson¡¯s piercing eyesnded on Lucas, and it only took a split second before he saw Ashlyn. His long-time experience in investigating cases told him that this woman had on a hyper-realistic mask. She was hiding her true appearance and identity. Why would a femalepanion hide her face? Jackson lifted his hand, intending to yank off the mask on Ashlyn¡¯s face, and his fingers were about to touch her face. Ashlyn frowned and was prepared to kick Jackson. At that moment, Lucas stopped Jackson¡¯s hand from getting nearer to her. He focused his gaze on Jackson¡¯s handsome face and raised his eyebrows. ¡°Commander Bush, I¡¯ve done you a great favor, and I hope you will not go back against your words.¡± Chapter 653 Chapter 653 ackson looked at Lucas as his lips curled into a smile, but it was obviously a dry smile. ¡°Mr. Nn, we had a deal, and rest assured that I will fulfill my promise. However¡­¡± He looked straight at Ashlyn. ¡°Does your femalepanion have something to hide? Why is she wearing a hyper-realistic mask?¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Lucas held Ashlyn¡¯s waist with his arm intimately before leisurely ncing at Jackson. ¡°She¡¯s my woman, and I don¡¯t want anybody to see her face because¡­¡± ¡°Because?¡± Jackson had no idea what Lucas was hinting at and pressed on relentlessly. ¡°I will get jealous.¡± Lucas¡¯ unruly voice sounded beside Ashlyn¡¯s ear. What a scoundrel! Jackson also did not expect Lucas to show his affection in public. He could not believe his ears. ¡°You¡¯re such a joker, Mr. Nn.¡± Ashlyn felt like she had been scalded by the heat exuding from the man¡¯s chest. Following that, Lucas bit her ear. ¡°Excuse us, Commander Bush. It¡¯s gettingte. We should be heading back to get some rest,¡± the man said as he walked away. He had his arm around her the whole time. Ashlyn shrieked in silence when she saw how the man was acting. You pervert! I only put on this mask and pretended to put on a public disy of affection with you to prevent any unavoidable trouble! Jackson was not someone to be trifled with, and she did not want to meet him yet. The moment they left the room, Lucas pulled her onto his back. ¡°Honey, I¡¯ll carry you.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me!¡± Ashlyn raised her hand, intending to hit him. However, Lucas grabbed her fist and said, ¡°It¡¯s not a good idea to stick around. We should leave tonight.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± Ashlyn was startled. She was still in a daze when Lucas had already carried her onto his back. He started rushing toward the emergency exit. He was as fast as lightning and moved around easily. Even though Ashlyn always thought of herself as an agile person, she was amazed when she saw how fast Lucas was with her on his back. Under such a strong sprint, Ashlyn did not feel the slightest jolt even though she was on Lucas¡¯ back. His bnce was wonderful. She was especially shocked when she realized that Lucas was moving up the stairs! His target was the rooftop. Could somebody be waiting for us there? Before Ashlyn had enough time to think about it, Lucas had already put her down on the floor. She was stunned, but Lucas soon threw her toward the rooftop¡¯s entrance. Thedder toward the rooftop had broken into two. Ashlyn gritted her teeth and tried her best to stretch out her hand. She skillfully grabbed the remaining half of thedder at the rooftop entrance. She was about to stretch out her hand to Lucas when she heard him say, ¡°Climb up!¡± Ashlyn looked at the man as he sprinted. Lucas was powerful and extremely fast. He was the one who threw her up just now. However, Lucas had no external assistance helping him at this moment. Suddenly, several men in ck appeared out of nowhere, and they instantly held up their guns, aiming at Lucas. Lucas threw a kick, and the man failed to fire at him. The man could not help but cover his head with his hands. Following a loud banging sound, Lucas sent the man flying with a single kick. Then, the man felt a sharp pain in his neck following a sh of light. He stretched out his hand to feel his neck. Blood instantly spilled out of his neck wound, and the man¡¯s eyes widened as he copsed to the ground. Lucas, who ended a man¡¯s life within seconds, did not linger around. He leaped into mid-air and kicked in different directions. Soon, he sessfully got rid of two people who came to attack him. The warm blood had stained the ground. There was a faint look of bloodlust in the man¡¯s eyes under his stray hair. The enemies were horrified by what they saw under the emergency exit¡¯s light. Lucas soon turned around. Chapter 654 Chapter 654 His knife pierced through his opponents, and they were killed instantly. The sound of disorderly footsteps approached, indicating that more pursuers were catching up with him. These people were Leonardo¡¯s underlings. Since Jackson had only taken care of a portion of the matter, there were still many enemies roaming around the building at this time. Numerous men dressed in ck rushed out from the emergency exit, firing the machine guns in their hands rapidly. Their actions were simr to the viins portrayed in movies. Meanwhile, Lucas swiftly darted out and killed the men swarming around him mercilessly. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Regardless, Lucas would bepletely drained of energy if the situation persisted. Moreover, more enemies were arriving, all armed with a gun. If Lucas remained here any longer, more enemies might rush at him. Has Jackson led the Interpol and left already? Are they eradicating the enemies? While standing in the middle of the stairs that led to the rooftop, Ashlyn watched the man below with a frown on her face. At the same time, Lucas, who was in the middle of eliminating the enemies, looked in her direction. He pursed his lips and stared at her intensely with his long, narrow eyes. He opened his lips lightly and uttered two words. Although Ashlyn could not hear what Lucas said, she could tell that he was telling her to run away. ¡°Catch him!¡± At that moment, anotherrge group of men in ck scrambled over. The man leading these people was a gray-haired elderly. He was Leonardo¡¯s old butler, Bernard. Pointing at Lucas, he howled at him in rage, ¡°He¡¯s the one who betrayed Old Mr. Tasker! We must capture him to avenge our lord!¡± Upon hearing Bernard¡¯s order, the group of men immediately encircled Lucas. Lucas stretched out his arm and threw a punch at one of them. He suddenly raised his eyes and nced at Bernard with an amused smirk stered on his face. ¡°No wonder Leonardo would fail. Do you know why?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Chills ran down Bernard¡¯s spine when faced with Lucas¡¯ bewitching smile. Lucas¡¯ lips quirked up, and he let out a burst of savageughter. ¡°It¡¯s because you people are too soft- heartened! At such a time, after managing to surround me, all you thought was only to capture me?¡± However, his words caused Bernard to tremble from head to toe, and thetter felt himself dripping layers of cold sweat. Fear suddenly rose within him. If we fail to capture this man today, the consequences would be unimaginable. Even though the man gave an exuberant smile, it had only given Bernard goosebumps. I must give an order to kill him! Otherwise, all of us, including our families, would getpletely wiped out! He felt exceedingly uneasy. ¡°Kill him and avenge Old Mr. Tasker!¡± Hearing the order, the men in ck instantly held up their machine guns and fired their bullets at Lucas. Grabbing the enemy standing closest to him, Lucas used the man¡¯s body as a shield. Nevertheless, a short time had passed after the man got shot by the bullets, and his body was riddled with holes like a ho¡¯s nest. Lucas¡¯ lips formed into a curve. Bloodlust brimmed in his eyes, and he looked exceptionally unrestrained and wild under the dim light. The warmth of fresh blood seemed to have triggered the bloodthirsty nature within him. He stared at the group of men in front of him with a gaze filled with cruelty and excitement. The chilly air seemed to have been released from the rooftop. A menacing feeling instantly enveloped the surrounding. Bernard, who stood in front, couldn¡¯t help but shiver fiercely. Lucas exuded an aura of violence and bloodlust, which was like the aura on a battlefield and was seemingly apanied by the lingering smell of death. Bang! An ear-piercing sound rang out. At that very moment, the woman suddenly leaped down from the rooftop. She fired madly at the crowd with the gun in her hands. She held the ck revolver with her fair, slender fingers, which entuated her creamy skin, making her look more dazzling. The tall, slender woman also had a pair of cold and hostile-looking eyes, resembling a grim reaper from hell. Chapter 655 Chapter 655 She had remarkable marksmanship, and all the headshots she made were dead on impact. Before these men in ck could react, they had all fallen to the ground. Looking at the woman who hadnded on the ground, Lucas could not help but frown. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to leave?¡± Ashlyn gave him a radiant smile. Then, moving as fast as lightning, she dodged every bullet and continued to fire headshots. Blood sshed all over the walls. The gun in her hand was modified. It was unlike the ordinary one, which could only hold ten bullets. Her current pistol could hold thirty bullets. Due to her excellent marksmanship, she could score headshots after headshots at ease. One could even call her a skilled sharpshooter. The men in ck did not expect that a woman with such precise marksmanship would suddenly appear, and they did not dare to move forward. After all, being afraid of dying was a trait of human nature. Seeing this, Bernard fumed with anger instantly, ¡°Get them! What¡¯s the use of keeping you bunch of people around if you can¡¯t even defeat a woman?¡± The couple they had cornered was a handsome yet cruel man and a woman who had a beautiful, cold face. The image of them together looked as gorgeous as a painting. Ashlyn coldly swept her gaze at the crowd with her almond-shaped eyes. At that moment, she suddenly felt an itch on her face. She turned her head in surprise and found herself face to face with the handsome man. The man¡¯s eyes contained a trace of inexplicable excitement while smiling unrestrainedly. The expression on his face only caused his already attractive appearance to be even more alluring. ¡°Lucas, can¡¯t you read the situation?¡± Ashlyn snapped at him as she could not hold it in anymore. The man drew closer to her and gently kissed the corner of her lips. He whispered in a suggestive tone, ¡°Honey, why did you jump down? Was it because you don¡¯t want to see me die?¡± Ashlyn was bbergasted. Feeling the man¡¯s refreshing yet bloodthirsty breath sweep across her lips, she abruptly felt a tingling sensation all over her body. It pricked her to the point where her heart was pounding uncontrobly. She lowered her eyes before looking at Lucas. Ashlyn admitted unhesitantly, ¡°No matter what, we used to be married for four years. Even if we can¡¯t remain as husband and wife, I can¡¯t just watch you throw your life away.¡± Not only did she not avoid the topic, Ashlyn even shed him an enchanting smile. ¡°You¡¯re also the first man I had ever been with. Also, if you got shot by the bullets and became a ho¡¯s nest, I¡¯ll truly be unlucky. I don¡¯t wish to get gued with misfortunes.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Lucas responded with an eerie smile. His eyes were glued to the woman¡¯s lovely face before him. This wife of mine is too stubborn. Is confessing her feelings of not wanting to leave my side such a difficult thing to do? However, when he thought of Franklin and Livia, his eyes turned dim, and his heart sank. Ashlyn allowed Lucas to look at her earnestly. However, while speaking with him, her attention was still on the men in ck, and she did not dare to let her guard down even for a second. ¡°Honey, that¡¯s so heartless of you. I was very moved at first, but now that feeling is all gone.¡± While ncing at Ashlyn, Lucas suddenly chuckled. Ashlyn¡¯s lips twitched at his words. ¡°Who cares? I don¡¯t expect you to repay me too.¡± With that said, she faced the enemies and attacked them again. Dozens of bullets were fired at the targets as the people hit the ground like before. Seeing that the number of subordinates under him was reducing, Bernard shouted in exasperation, ¡°Kill them both!¡± While facing therge group of men in ck, Ashlyn suppressed her smile and red at them coldly. Suddenly, she had an ominous feeling. She turned around to look at Lucas and became wary. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± The man narrowed his eyes and suddenly inched closer. He spoke close to her ear with an evil grin. ¡°Honey, if it wasn¡¯t for the wrong time and ce, I really want to¡­ get intimated with you right now!¡± His words caused Ashlyn¡¯s pretty face to darken.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Even at this moment, this man is still behaving like a hooligan. He¡¯s always making me speechless! She shot him a look with a gloomy expression. ¡°Shut up. Hurry up and find a way to escape!¡± If the situation dragged on, they would be at the losing end. Chapter 656 Chapter 656 Lucas suddenly leaned closer to her body and buried his handsome face in Ashlyn¡¯s neck. Then, he took a breath lightly. Infuriated, Ashlyn shoved him away. ¡°Lucas, get lost!¡± Bernard was fuming with rage when they ignored him. ¡°Charge! Why aren¡¯t you all attacking now?¡± How can we go? We¡¯ll get shot in the head if we do. That woman has terrifying abilities. She has yet to miss a shot, and all the headshots killed her targets! They started to panic at that instant. To their surprise, Lucas abruptly fished out a smoke bomb, and a loud bang followed. Instantly, thick, billowing smoke filled the air in the emergency exit. The people had difficulty opening their eyes and breathing due to it. Lucas seized Ashlyn¡¯s arms and threw her upward. ¡°To the rooftop!¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Ashlyn flipped in mid-air, and both her hands grabbed onto thedder. Then, she started climbing toward the rooftop. As Ashlyn turned her head, she saw Lucas sprinting and lunging upward with extended arms. Surprisingly, he could reach the bottom step of thedder. Soon, that guy followed behind her. Before the smoke dissipated, both of them rapidly ran to the rooftop. As soon as they reached the rooftop, they shut and locked the rooftop door. After locking the door, Lucas stuck his body close to Ashlyn, and no matter how hard she tried to push him away, her efforts were in vain. He brushed his lips against hers, doing what he wanted to do when the girl jumped down for him. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Ashlyn became livid and kicked him. ¡°Honey¡­¡± Lucas grinned before grabbing her leg and caressing it. She was clinging onto him at that instant. A mischievous smile then appeared on Lucas¡¯ face. ¡°Honey, I didn¡¯t know you would be this enthusiastic after such a terrifying incident.¡± It was evident that the smoke had settled when Ashlyn heard the noise of someone kicking on the door. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use your smoke bombs earlier if you have them?¡± ¡°It would put us into a more dangerous situation if I used it too early as there were many of them,¡± Lucas said as he embraced her. After finishing his words, he fixed his gaze on the night starry sky. At that moment, no one knew what he was looking at. Frowning, Ashlyn wanted to fish out her phone to contact Jared. She then remembered that her phone had been confiscated before entering the meeting room. Instantly, she had a grim expression. Beside her, Lucas was oddly calm when he shot a signal re toward the sky. Following that, the signal re sted straight up into the darkness. The sound of a helicopter gliding through the sky reverberated after a while. Then, Ashlyn saw a green helicopter approaching them gradually beforending on the huge rooftop. The propellers rotated speedily, creating gusts of strong wind in their wake. Then, about a hundred young men in ck of various skin colors exited the helicopter, clearly well- trained. There was only seriousness on their faces when they looked at Lucas. Lucas, whose clothes were ck, looked at them and ordered, ¡°Kill them all! Don¡¯t spare any of them!¡± His tone was extra cold as it reverberated in the night. His voice had even drowned out the noise made by the propellers. The people became more serious, standing upright after hearing Lucas¡¯ instructions. Their eyes filled with immediate awe and obedience at once. ¡°Roger that!¡± Lucas swiftly hugged Ashlyn into his arms. ¡°Honey, we¡¯ll entrust the rest of the matters to them!¡± A frown flitted across Ashlyn¡¯s face when she was hugged tightly by the man. She watched those well-trained men with rifles in their hands shoot incessantly at the rooftop¡¯s exit. The sound of bullets flying was continuously heard as it resonated in the peaceful and silent night. The cries of pain and the noise of heavy things falling to the ground echoed behind the door. The scene left Ashlyn totally bbergasted. She narrowed her eyes while watching that. Why does Lucas have such a powerful troop? They even look like they have undergone formal training, judging from their shooting skill. They don¡¯t look like ouws. A few minutester, the entrance to the rooftop regained its peacefulness, but the smell of blood had filled the air. Chapter 657 Chapter 657 Lucas¡¯ lips curled into a smirk. Mockery shed in his eyes as he said, ¡°The world is peaceful now.¡± As soon as he said that, the door was kicked open by one of the men in ck before the people started jumping down. ¡°They¡¯ll clean up the mess for Jackson.¡± Lucas gave a swift peck on Ashlyn¡¯s lips and added, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Before Ashlyn could understand what was happening, Lucas had already carried her and boarded the helicopter. After boarding, Ashlyn noticed Spencer sitting in the pilot¡¯s seat while the one who sat in the passenger¡¯s seat was Jared. Well, fine. In Bayview Vi, Ashlyn sat in the living room. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Her delicate facial features were arranged into a cold expression. Jared gulped after seeing Ashlyn¡¯s expression, which he had not seen for a long time. He could not even remember thest time Ashlyn was infuriated. Jared turned around and hoped to flee from the scene. ¡°Mr. Quickton, since when did you be Lucas¡¯ subordinate? Why didn¡¯t I know about that?¡± ¡°B-Boss, please listen to my exnation¡­¡± Jared forced an awkward smile. ¡°Spencer and I worked with Mr. Nn so we could coordinate both on the outside and inside. Both of you worked on the inside while Spencer and I worked on the outside¡­¡± ¡°So, I was kept in the dark the whole time. Was it fun?¡± Ashlyn raised her brows, and the hint of mockery in her smile intensified. ¡°Jared, since you can work with Lucas today, does that mean you can also cooperate with others and betray me in the future?¡± ¡°Boss, that situation was an emergency. When Mr. Nn wanted to work with me, he was afraid that you would find out and fail to cooperate with us¡­¡± His exnation merely made things worse. ¡°Fail to cooperate? Am I so weak in the eyes of the men?¡± Ashlyn stared at Jared coldly. ¡°I can¡¯t tolerate you anymore. Go and find Lucas instead.¡± ¡°Boss!¡± Jared called out in a low voice and stared at her pitifully. ¡°Boss, can you forgive me¡­ if I tell you a big secret?¡± That woman looked at him while wearing a poker face, and an oppressive aura exuded from her. She was resentful that the guy she trusted the most cooperated with Lucas without her knowing. ¡°Boss, this secret is rted to Mr. Nn. Are you not interested to hear it?¡± Jared pleaded with her bitterly. Truth be told, Jared was left with no choice but to cooperate with Lucas in that situation. He did not mean to hide it from Ashlyn. He merely did not want Ashlyn to take the risk alone, so he agreed to cooperate with Lucas. ¡°He is scum. What¡¯s so interesting about him?¡± Ashlyn rose to her feet and was about to leave. Jared stopped her. ¡°Boss, that antidote that saved your life was not from ourpany. It was from Lucas. He was the one who saved you.¡± That woman¡¯s beautiful face stiffened when she heard that. A hint of appalling light glinted in her cold eyes. She grabbed Jared¡¯s cor and asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°In order to detoxify Backtrack poison, the donor has to be a rhesus negative. That donor had to donate the blood from their aorta that was sufficient for you to consume for twenty-one days. One hundred cubic centimeters of blood were required to create a pill, and you needed to swallow two tablets each time. Can you imagine how much blood he had donated to you?¡± Jared carefully observed thedy¡¯s expression while he spoke to her. Ashlyn was stunned, and her head became muddled after hearing Jared¡¯s words. She had encountered many different situations before this. However, she felt her heart skip a beat after hearing that. How is that possible? Lucas donated the blood from his aorta to me? Did he really donate that much blood to save my life? ¡°Jared, are you lying to me?¡± Her voice was so husky that she had practically squeezed those words out of her with much effort. Her heart ached as she said that. ¡°That medication was not only made with blood from his aorta. They even extracted Lucas¡¯ bone marrow to develop the pill. When you were recuperating in theb, Mr. Nn observed you the whole time in a grand ward opposite the hospital. He kept an eye on your every move there.¡± Chapter 658 Chapter 658 ¡°He lied and said that he had gone abroad for a business trip, but it was actually for him to recover. For you, his health greatly deteriorated at that time. Just go through your memories of that moment again, and you¡¯ll know whether or not I¡¯m lying to you. With how smart you are, I¡¯m sure you¡¯lle to the right conclusion.¡± Finally, Jared spilled the secret he had been keeping deep in his mind. At that very moment, he felt a weight lifting off his shoulders. He could barely keep it a secret from the person closest to him anymore. It was especially so when he saw that the two were a couple who could not be together. Even he was anxious for them. ¡°I had done the wrong thing tonight. I shouldn¡¯t have hidden that from you. I¡¯ll take the punishment for it, and I swear I won¡¯t do it again.¡± With that said, he went to the training room and punished himself by doing shooting practices two hundred times. In the blink of an eye, the living room was empty. Ashlyn stayed in her spot as the entire world seemed to turn white around her. At that second, it felt as if she was the only one in the world. No wonder¡­ No wonder he said he was going on a business trip back then. I was so d that I didn¡¯t need to see him every day at that time since I wouldn¡¯t have needed to lie about my condition to him to prevent him from finding out. But as it turns out¡­ He knew that I¡¯d been poisoned, and he found the antidote. Tears welled up in her eyes, and her heart thumped loudly against her ribcage. Hundreds and thousands of emotions washed over her, but she did not know what to say or do. Lucas¡­ Lucas¡­ Ashlyn slowly closed her eyes as the man¡¯s attractive face shed past her mind. She remained in her spot for a long, long time. Even when Jared came out from the training room, sweating, she was still standing there, as still as a statue. The very sight of her was intimidating, and it felt like she was warning everyone to stay away from her. Jared could not help but say, ¡°The sun¡¯s about toe up. Boss, go back to your room to rest.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyes flitted to the side. In a hollow voice, she uttered, ¡°Jared, why did you only tell me about this now? How am I going to face him after everything that happened between us?¡± At that, she lifted her heavy legs and headed upstairs. It was as though she never expected Jared to reply to her. Jared stared at her in a daze. When his eyes drifted to the floor and saw the water droplets on the spotless floor, his eyes widened. Did¡­ she cry? She¡¯s such a strong person, but she¡¯s crying? No, that can¡¯t be. At the Count¡¯s Mansion in Maredania, Mary angrily threw the remote control in her hand. ¡°D*mn old woman. She¡¯s useless. She can¡¯t even deal with one Ashlyn Berry.¡± ¡°Mom, what do we do now?¡± Penelope whispered as she looked at her mother¡¯s angry expression. ¡°We can¡¯t possibly let Ashlyn continue doing anything she wants, right?¡± ¡°Our dear family was forced to go separate ways, and this b*tch still continues to bully us. I¡¯m an idiot if I don¡¯t take revenge for this!¡± Mary¡¯s eyes were bulging from the anger. Every time she talked about Ashlyn, she would be absolutely livid. ¡°Uncle Ryan¡¯s already in H Nation. Why don¡¯t we¡­ look for him?¡± Penelope pursed her lips. ¡°At the very least, he¡¯s internationally famous¡ªhe¡¯s a renowned pianist. If we go to him and ask him for a favor¡­¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s that simple? Your uncle seems nice to us, but he has never epted us!¡± Mary replied in frustration. However, in the next second, she blinked and continued, ¡°But¡­ if your granny speaks to him, he might agree to it.¡± Ryan had always been an unruly individual. Although his pretty eyes told others that he was someone who would flit around many women, he was a dutiful son at his core. He listened to everything his parents told him. ¡°Wait, you should¡­¡± Mary then leaned toward Penelope¡¯s ear and whispered something to thetter before leaving. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Penelope worriedly mumbled under her breath, ¡°Will this really work? Will Grandpa and Granny really listen to me?¡± Chapter 659 Chapter 659 ¡°As long as you do as I say, it¡¯ll work,¡± Mary reassured confidently. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Half an hourter, Penelope went to the main house of the mansion. There were a few houses at the Count¡¯s Mansion. Mary and her daughter lived in one of the houses on the side. On the other hand, the count and his wife lived in the main house. The main house was a grand mansion. Clearly, the count was a rich and influential figure in Maredania. Bianca was ying chess with Matilda, who had been serving her for many years. Bianca did not have many hobbies, except for ying chess. The maids who served her all knew a little about chess. Thus, they would apany her for a few rounds when they had nothing to do. ¡°Ms. Berry¡¯s here.¡± When Matilda raised her head, she saw a maid leading Penelope into the living room. Immediately, she spoke to inform Bianca, who was focused on the game, about the visitor. Bianca slowly looked away from the board to Penelope. When she saw the red dress Penelope was wearing, she furrowed her brows a little. However, a gentle smile soon appeared on her face. ¡°Penelope, you¡¯vee.¡± ¡°Granny.¡± Penelope smiled sweetly before handing a pretty gift box to Bianca. ¡°These are the new, fresh, and high-quality tea leaves from H Nation. Please give them a try.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nice of you, Penelope.¡± Bianca smiled. ¡°Come and y a game with me.¡± Penelope¡¯s smile froze as guilt shed past her eyes. She had no idea how to y chess at all. As Bianca liked ying chess, Penelope had been learning it recently. Nevertheless, she had no talent in it at all. Every time she looked at the chess pieces, she could feel a headache forming. However, she dared not reject Bianca. Thus, she had no choice but to steel herself and sit down. Furthermore¡­ she needed to ask a favor from Bianca. After a few moves, Bianca¡¯s brows drew together even tighter. What in the world is this? Not even the gardener, who ys the chess terribly, is as bad as her. Immediately, she lost interest in continuing with the game. I heard that she¡¯s been learning how to y chess, but what is she even doing? Anger was starting to umte in Bianca¡¯s chest. ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s not y chess today. Penelope, why have youe to me today?¡± Hearing that, Penelope quickly said, ¡°Granny, I miss Uncle Ryan. It¡¯s been a few days since he left, and the house already feels so quiet.¡± ¡°The age gap between your uncle and your mother is rather big. Back when I gave birth to your uncle, I was already of advanced maternal age. Well¡­ You¡¯re around your uncle¡¯s age. Naturally, you¡¯d be closer to him.¡± At that, Bianca smiled. All the upsetting feelings she felt earlier was gone. Ryan was thirty years old, and he was one of the most eligible bachelors in Maredania. Not only was he handsome and talented¡ªhis piano performance had won him countless awards¡ªbut he was also the son of a count. ¡°That¡¯s why I miss him. I wonder how he is in H Nation. He¡¯s so handsome, so I¡¯m sure there are tons of girls who like him,¡± Penelope said with a smile. It was as if she was an innocent girl, eager to meet her aunt-inw. ¡°It¡¯ll be great if he can bring a prettydy back so I can have a little cousin soon! That¡¯ll be amazing.¡± Just as she said those words, Bianca¡¯s expression darkened visibly. A momentter, she said, ¡°Penelope, you miss Uncle Ryan, right? Why don¡¯t you and your mother return to H Nation?¡± ¡°Huh? Go back to H Nation?¡± Penelope looked at Bianca in confusion. ¡°Granny, you¡¯re going to let me and my mother go back to H Nation?¡± ¡°Your uncle already has someone to take care of him, so you and your mother should go there together. That way, your mother can have a good talk with her brother.¡± With a soft smile, Bianca said, ¡°Matilda, book flight tickets for tomorrow for the two of them.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Matilda quickly replied. After thanking Bianca, Penelope merrily left. Chapter 660 Chapter 660 Once Penelope was out of hearing range, Matilda tentatively said to Bianca, ¡°Mrs. Yates, you know that¡­¡± Bianca sighed. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I lost my daughter at a young age and she never grew up with me around that I always feel as if there¡¯s a wall between us. If they want to go back to H Nation, they should go. If I let them do as they wish, maybe they¡¯ll think of me as someone good.¡± Bianca always felt that the daughter she finally got back was very unlike her and the count. Maybe it¡¯s because she didn¡¯t get to grow up in a good family in H Nation. She was raised as someone ordinary, so there¡¯s nothing she¡¯s particrly good at. It¡¯s the same for her daughter, Penelope. My daughter¡¯s short-sighted, and my granddaughter¡¯s a master of none. Among the socialites, they¡¯re¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say about them. They have no skills in fine arts, let alone master any of the fine arts. Back when Bianca finally took them in, she had been overjoyed. She had wished she could tell the whole world about the delightful news. However, they would have to report to the king about the return of the count¡¯s daughter. After that, they would have to deal with theplicated procedures of including her in the family tree and whatnot. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. The more Bianca learned about Mary and Penelope, the more the initial happiness Bianca felt dissipated. Eventually, they never put the mother-and-daughter duo into the family tree, and the matter was gradually dismissed. Perhaps that was something Bianca would only do when her mood changed for the better. At the start, Bianca loved bringing Penelope and Mary out to gatherings. She wanted her peers to see that she, too, had a daughter and a granddaughter. However, when she realized that all the mother-and-daughter duo did was embarrass her, Bianca became reluctant to let them meet the other rich women. With that thought in mind, Bianca let out a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s really as if she¡¯s not my daughter.¡± When Matilda saw the disappointed look on Bianca¡¯s face, she quickly consoled, ¡°Not everyone can be as excellent as you were when you were younger. Even if your blood is flowing in her, she might not have inherited your traits, so don¡¯t be too upset, Mrs. Yates.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just let them be.¡± Bianca sighed. ¡°Come, let¡¯s end this game of chess.¡± The movie that Fraser Corporation and Haddock Group invested in was doomed because of Helena. Its reputation had plummeted into the abyss. Helena¡¯s incident also affected the director Frank, but he managed to cover up the scandal. As his wife had received arge sum of money, she pretended to be lovey-dovey with him in public and even apologized to the others. Despite that, the people still did not forgive him as they continued cursing at him. Stressed, Frank grew a few ulcers in his mouth, and they were painful. The scandals of the lead actress seemed neverending. More and more ckmail-worthy news of her kept popping up on the inte, and it was as if the matter would never blow over. Left without a choice, Frank decided to search for another lead actress. However, the reputation of the show was in the dumpster. No one would want to grab the hot potato. Everyone was afraid that their reputation would be in ruins after taking on the role. Thus, Frank panicked even more. He was restless, but there was nothing he could do about the matter. In the other film crew, Ashlyn was sitting on her chair, watching the expressions on Jonathan and Naomi¡¯s faces as they acted. Although Ashlyn did not learn acting, she could see that Naomi had improved quite a bit. It was as if the girl was born to be an actress. Her acting was natural, and her expressions were intense but not over the top. Once the scene was over, Greg took a chair and sat by Ashlyn¡¯s side. ¡°Ms. Berry, thank you.¡± ¡°Why are you thanking me?¡± Ashlyn picked up a bottle, opened it, and drank the water. ¡°Thank you for standing up for me.¡± The pretty woman¡¯s eyes narrowed as her lips curled. At that moment, she seemed domineering. ¡°This is nothing. The revenge is only done when this show is released, and the box office surpasses his show¡¯s sales.¡± As she spoke, her eyes trailed to a distance away, seemingly lost in her thoughts. Chapter 661 Chapter 661 Somehow, Lucas¡¯ cold yet handsome face had reappeared in her mind. Right then, Naomi, who was done with her scene, waved at her. ¡°Ashlyn!¡± Her voice was crystal clear, and the smile on her face made her seem like a lively girl. Moreover, the clothes she was wearing for the character made her seem cheeky and adorable. Ashlyn pointed at the bottles of water beside her and said, ¡°Come and have a drink.¡± Right as Naomi took a step forward, a wave of dizziness struck her. She halted in her tracks and tried to shake away the dizziness. However, her vision blurred even more, and slowly, she lost focus on the sight in front of her. She swayed to the side and began falling to the ground. The moment Jonathan, who was behind her, saw that, he quickly reached out to grab her waist. With a tug, he pulled her into his arms. ¡°Naomi, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Naomi panted. Just as she tried to reply to him, darkness crashed into her, and she passed out. By then, Ashlyn and Greg had already hurried over to them. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. She suddenly passed out!¡± Jonathan said, an anxious look on his face. A bad feeling settled in the pit of his stomach, and something in the back of his mind told him that her condition was rted to the drug Helena had given to her. But it¡¯s already been so long¡­ When we went to the hospital for a checkup, the doctor said that there was a dormant period before the drug took effect. Is it now taking effect? Ashlyn lowered her eyes and crouched down beside Naomi. She then reached out her fair fingers to gently press down on Naomi¡¯s wrist. Almost everyone was staring at her. It was the first time the members of the film crew saw Ashlyn in her other role as a doctor. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. She was serious when she was working, and her demeanor while taking Naomi¡¯s pulse somehow convinced every anxious person at the scene to calm down. A momentter, she uttered, ¡°Send her to the hospital. There¡¯s poison in her. It must have taken effect.¡± Jonathan¡¯s heart sank. So I was right¡­ At the hospital, Ashlyn joined the medical team for the checkup. When she saw the results of the checkup, she froze. However, in the next second, she pushed open the ER¡¯s door and stepped out. When she raised her head, she spotted a familiar tall figure. Lucas¡­ He had appeared in front of her so suddenly her heart skipped a beat. As if he had heard her footsteps, he turned to look at her. There were no visible emotions in those dark eyes of his. When their eyes met, it felt as though time had stopped. Ashlyn closed her eyes and forced the misery to the recesses of her mind. For reasons unbeknownst to her, the things that happened between her and him kept reying in her mind. He had lost so much weight after she was cured of her poison, and yet, she had been so foolish; she never realized that he had been so grievously injured for her. ¡°How¡¯s Naomi?¡± came the man¡¯s hoarse voice, which echoed in the quiet corridor. ¡°The poison in her is starting to take effect, but we don¡¯t know what this poison is, so her case is a little tricky,¡± Ashlyn told him. ¡°There might be side effects.¡± ¡°What side effects?¡± Lucas frowned. ¡°She might temporarily lose her sight or hearing. In fact, it might be other kinds of side effects¡­ We¡¯ll have to wait for her to wake before we can do a full body checkup. Now that she¡¯s currently unconscious, we can¡¯t test how well her senses are.¡± A tired look crept onto Ashlyn¡¯s face. She had always seen Naomi as her little sister, so she could not help but feel terrible to see Naomi on the bed, seemingly lifeless. Although Ashlyn had a cold demeanor, she was not cold-blooded. ¡°Helena said she doesn¡¯t know what kind of drug it really is. Apparently, a mysterious individual gave it to her.¡± Lucas lowered his eyes as he stared at Ashlyn. There was something indescribable in the way he was looking at her. ¡°A mysterious individual¡­ Ha,¡± Ashlyn sneered. What a gesture of love from that mysterious person. If I was the one who had drunk the water back then, I would have been the one on the bed now.¡± Chapter 662 Chapter 662 At the Chapman residence, Hera was seated in a room in front of the piano. As she anxiously looked at the middle-aged man in the room, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll be joining the piano competition¡¯s preliminaries. Mr. Underwood, I still haven¡¯t thought about which piece to perform.¡± Coincidentally, the international pianopetition was located in Lake City, so all the best pianists had flocked to the city. There would always be someone better than her. Although Hera had won some awards in the past, there were plenty of master pianists in the world. Thus, she was rightly nervous. Moreover, she knew quite a few of the master pianists who were about to join the pianopetition, such as Olivia from the Warhol family. ¡°Just y the piece I taught you¡ªSounds of Ranging Winds. That piece is one of its kind, and as long as you master it, I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ll be able to get a ce in the rankings,¡± Michael confidently cheered Hera on. He was an international piano teacher who had many students. The Chapman family had spent big bucks to hire him to guide Hera. Hence, he gave Hera one of the pieces he had gotten a few years before to perform. Bob Chapman, who was Hera¡¯s paternal grandfather, was famous in the world of piano. Hence, Michael was thrilled to find out that he was going to be teaching one of the Chapmans. It seems like the rumors are true in that the Chapman family is slowly losing their power¡­ Still, they¡¯re rather rich. Nevertheless, Michael intended to teach Hera properly. Although she was not overly talented, she was better than the other participants. The difficulty level of Sounds of Ranging Winds would allow her to win against ny percent of the participants. With his guidance, Michael was sure that Hera would be able to make swift improvements. Even if she could not perform the piece as wondrous as he, she could still show the audience the intensity of the piece. Therefore, Michael was sure that Hera would be able to at least make a name for herself at the international pianopetition with the quality of her performance. For the sake of thepetition that would take ce the next day, Hera kept practicing and practicing. ¡°It¡¯s just the preliminaries tomorrow, so there¡¯s no need for you to be that nervous. Just y the piece as you usually do,¡± Michael reassured her. ¡°I¡¯ve given you three pieces with ascending difficulty levels. They¡¯re meant for the preliminaries, the second round, and the finals.¡± ¡°I got it, Mr. Underwood,¡± Hera quickly replied. At the same time, at the Warhol residence, Olivia was leisurely sipping her tea. Mabel sighed. ¡°My dear daughter, what¡¯s the matter with you? The preliminaries are tomorrow, so why aren¡¯t you practicing now?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point in that? Will I be able to improve by doingst-minute practices? Moreover, my piano ying is not bad inparison with my peers in the country. Even my teacher said that I¡¯m one of the best.¡± Olivia took another sip of her fruit tea. ¡°So, Mom, you don¡¯t need to worry about it at all. I¡¯ll definitely be able to get a good result.¡± ¡°There¡¯s always someone better than you, Olivia. You can¡¯t let your guard down. If you get good results from thispetition, the other socialites will surely admire you. Look at Hera Chapman. The painting she made sold for hundreds of thousands. Many families were jealous,¡± Mabel said, trying to convince Olivia to start practicing. ¡°Oh, right. Mom, she¡¯s in the pianopetition as well. I heard that she¡¯s not supposed to qualify for it, but she asked for a favor from Mr. Hoffman and his wife to join it.¡± A look of disdain then crossed Olivia¡¯s face. ¡°Why should I envy a woman like her? Watch me defeat her!¡± When Mabel realized her daughter was not going to heed anyone¡¯s advice, she shook her head in disappointment. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. The next morning, the participants of thepetition woke early in the morning and headed to the site of the event. It was held at Lake City¡¯s theater. The theater was wide and had the capacity for tens of thousands of people. Thus, music lovers from various countries in the world came together to watch thepetition. A globalpetition like this would naturally catch the attention of many. Many mediapanies of varying countries hade to record the scene as well. Chapter 663 Chapter 663 After resting for the night, Ashlyn woke up in the morning. She then picked a set of clothes before matching her makeup to her chosen attire. Once she was done, she drove her Land Rover to Lake City¡¯s theater. Upon reaching the theater, she realized that tons of luxury cars were already parked in the parking lot. After getting out of the car, Ashlyn headed straight to the registration counter. The staff there would supposedly hand her a card meant for judges. Unlike the other judges, she did not have an assistant, nor was she a representative of apany. Two women were sitting by the registration counter. One of them adjusted her sses before ncing at Ashlyn. Instantly, a look of surprise shed past her face. This contestant¡¯s beautiful! The participants this year are all so attractive! ¡°Your ID card.¡± Ashlyn handed them her ID card, but the two women then rolled their eyes and hissed, ¡°Your name isn¡¯t here.¡± Almost in the blink of an eye, they had lost interest in Ashlyn. ¡°Are you an imposter? Security!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to join thepetition,¡± Ashlyn said, shaking her head. ¡°Then why are you here at the registration counter? Are you trying to stir up trouble, or do you find it fun to waste our time?¡± one of the women questioned, ring at Ashlyn as she threw her pen aside. Her shrilly voice was loud, so she caught the attention of many around her. Instantly, the crowd around beganmenting on Ashlyn. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Right then, Ashlyn heard a voice dripping with displeasureing from behind her. Instinctively, she turned around, only to see Eric Hoffman and his wife walking toward them. The one who spoke was none other than Eric. ¡°Sir, this woman here is trying to stir up trouble. She¡¯s not here to join thepetition, but she came to the registration counter to register her name,¡± one of the two women behind the counter cried out. ¡°Here to stir up trouble?¡± Eric narrowed his eyes as annoyance showed in his eyes. He was the director of the theater, and for someone to raise hell on his territory meant that someone was trying to humiliate him. His irked gaze then drifted in the direction the woman behind the counter pointed to, and soon, his eyes landed on the figure of a tall woman. The woman had her back facing him, so he could not see her face. Thus, he adopted a cold tone and uttered, ¡°Kick her out right away. Why are you making a fuss instead?¡± Just then, the organizer, Gabriel, ran over and politely greeted the tall woman, ¡°Ms. Saunders, what¡¯s going on?¡± His words were like a bolt from the blue that left the crowd bbergasted. Everyone had heard about Madeline Saunders. Initially, Gabriel was about to supervise the setting up of thepetition. However, a nce to the side made him realize that someone was trying to put Ashlyn in a tight spot. He was startled by what he had seen, and he nearly dropped his phone in shock. No one knew how tough it had been for them to invite Madeline Saunders to thepetition. Yet, those foolish people were trying to stop her from entering the ce. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just having a little trouble with getting the judge¡¯s card,¡± Ashlyn muttered nonchntly. The arrogant woman who had assumed that Ashlyn was one of the participants was dumbfounded. The colors rapidly drained from her face. ¡°Y-You¡¯re Madeline Saunders?¡± No wonder I can¡¯t find her name in the list of participants! She¡¯s one of the judges, Madeline Saunders! Who would¡¯ve thought that the renowned Madeline Saunders is such a young woman? The way she was described as a master pianist made everyone assume that she was a middle-aged woman. By then, Eric had figured out what was going on. A smile quickly found its way to his face as he walked toward Ashlyn and said, ¡°Ms. Saunders, my sincerest apologies. This was all just a misunderstanding.¡± He then stretched out his hand, about to shake Ashlyn¡¯s hands, but just as he lifted his head to look at her face, he froze. The woman in front of him had delicate features and a pair of cold eyes. Her red lips made her skin fairer than it already was. Her face and her aloof demeanor¡­ Isn¡¯t this Richard¡¯s godsister? Why is she suddenly Madeline Saunders?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Eric¡¯s hand froze in midair. He did not know whether to retract it or to continue shaking her hand. Nevertheless, Ashlyn only gave him a brief nce. ¡°My pleasure.¡± Chapter 664 Chapter 664 ¡°Y-You¡­¡± Eric mumbled, not quite knowing what to say. He prided himself on being worldly-wise, but even he had never gone so red in the face before. ¡°Will Mr. Shaw being too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only the preliminary rounds,¡± Ashlyn scoffed, her gaze cold and distant. Eric¡¯s expression immediately darkened. What Ashlyn had meant was that something as insignificant as the preliminary rounds didn¡¯t warrant the presence of both her and Richard. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Eric replied. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Oh, my goodness. Me and my big mouth! I should¡¯ve kept it shut instead of asking such dumb questions. D*mn it! In fact, never in Eric¡¯s wildest dreams did he think that Richard¡¯s godsister would turn out to be the famous Madeline Saunders. He couldn¡¯t help but think of the Chapman family again, a memory that left him shaking his head dejectedly. My luck has been on a downward spiral ever since I got involved with the Chapman family. I really ought to keep my distance from them! A whileter, the receptionist from before politely handed Ashlyn a judge¡¯s card. ¡°My sincerest apologies, Ms. Saunders. I didn¡¯t mean to offend you earlier. I hope you can forgive me.¡± There wasn¡¯t anyone in the music industry who didn¡¯t want to get to know Madeline Saunders, yet the receptionist was blind to have made things difficult for her. The feeling of regret began to sink in fast. As the receptionist was a lowly employee in the theater, it had taken her a great deal of bootlicking to clinch the task of issuing passes to the contestants. s, she never expected that she¡¯d mess with the wrong person. Madeline Saunders is someone I absolutely couldn¡¯t afford to offend. Meanwhile, Gabriel was about to apany Ashlyn into the theater when thetter saw the Chapmans waltzing in with Hera. As soon as the sharp-eyed Sisley saw Ashlyn, a look of disdain appeared on her face. Hera had dreaded bumping into Ashlyn, and now that she did, she felt even more awful. After all, she hadn¡¯t told anyone in her family that Ashlyn was none other than Madeline Saunders. Unsurprisingly, Lydia, the wife of the second eldest son of the Chapman family, had also noticed Ashlyn. ¡°Wow, I guess any Tom, Dick, and Harry are allowed to participate in thispetition. Do people not know that this is a prestigious, internationalpetition meant only for the world¡¯s best pianists? Why are there still deluded individuals who think they¡¯re in the same league as the professionals? It¡¯s all so ridiculous!¡± Anthony¡¯s brother, Benjamin Chapman, also had a scowl on his face. ¡°How annoying! It¡¯s such a killjoy to run into a jinx!¡± It was clear that the Chapmans hated Ashlyn with a vengeance, and anyone could tell that they were mocking her. The crowd, however, was silent as they gaped at the Chapman family. Goodness gracious, has this family gone stark raving mad? Or do they not know the real identity of Madeline Saunders? People like Eric were still reeling from the p in the face, so naturally, they couldn¡¯t wait to see how Ashlyn would deal with the Chapmans. As such, no one even bothered to warn them. Knowing that their family had produced generations of schrs and aplished pianists, the Chapmans continued to act all high and mighty. Hera was the only exception, her face hot and flushed as she looked on in dread. Unfortunately, she had no guts to tell her family the truth and had no choice but to make her way to the registration counter. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Ashlyn merely shot a cold nce at the Chapmans. She barely acknowledged them and seemedpletely unfazed by their words. The next moment, Ashlyn strode into the theater with Gabriel apanying her. A look of contempt returned to Sisley¡¯s face. ¡°Isn¡¯t she just another contestant? What gives her the right to have Mr. Watson apany her?¡± she scoffed, as though it was beneath her to talk about Ashlyn. ¡°Haha. Some people are so shameless that they¡¯d use their good looks and youth to get ahead in life!¡± Again, everyone was stunned by Sisley¡¯s words. Wow! She¡¯s brave! Then again, who wouldn¡¯t want to apany Madeline Saunders? As much as we want to, we aren¡¯t good enough to be seen with her! The truth was, Ashlyn couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with the entric Chapman family. They might look refined and sophisticated on the outside, but deep down, they were all selfish brutes who¡¯d resort to any means to gain personal benefits. Bob was the best proof of that. He remained in the hospital till this day while Anthony ended up in prison. As it turned out, Anthony had acted so rashly and hurt his father because Sisley had been sowing discord relentlessly. Chapter 665 Chapter 665 There was no doubt that Sisley was a cruel, ruthless woman. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. She provoked Anthony intomitting a crime so that he could be sent to prison, thus resulting in one less person fighting over the family inheritance. Who knew what other evil ns Sisley had in mind? Ashlyn didn¡¯t want to care about the Chapmans at all. If it weren¡¯t for Bob, she¡¯d have rounded up the entire family and thrown them into a foreign country. Try as she might, she never could feel any closeness with them. After settling into her seat where the panel of judges was seated, Ashlyn held her forehead as she felt a headacheing on. There were five judges on the panel, all of whom were world-renowned master pianists with numerous des to their names. Soon, the audience had filed in and packed the auditorium to capacity. Internationalpetitions usually had seats set aside for the press, family, and friends. Thanks to that, Sisley and the rest of the Chapmans could sit in the dedicated area. Unfortunately, they had only just taken their seats when the Warhol family waltzed in and sat beside them. ¡°Oh, my! What a coincidence!¡± Mabel eximed while turning to smile at Sisley. ¡°Indeed! Hera loves ying the piano, and so does Olivia. Hera signs up for thepetition, and Olivia follows suit. Isn¡¯t that uncanny? It almost seems like your family¡¯s copying us!¡± Sisley replied sarcastically. Mabel had long known what Sisley was like and tried her best to keep her anger in check. ¡°In that case, all these other contestants who¡¯ve learned piano ande for thepetition must have followed in Ms. Chapman¡¯s footsteps too! Wow, Ms. Chapman had better win thepetition. Otherwise, she¡¯d be letting down everyone who copied her!¡± Sisley was so livid that she almost choked on her breath. In the end, she managed to force an awkward smile. ¡°Oh, Hera is a very skilled pianist. She¡¯s not like those whock a strong foundation because they¡¯ve only picked it up recently.¡± ¡°But if she¡¯s so good, why hasn¡¯t she reached her grandfather¡¯s level? Ah! Sorry! I identally blurted out the truth,¡± Mabel eximed before covering her mouth apologetically. Sisley had only wanted to show off and seek Mabel¡¯s attention, but s, all she got was fury surging through her. Too angry to speak, she turned her gaze to the judges¡¯ panel. I heard that Ryan Yates, the Piano Prince, is one of the judges. Now, that¡¯s exciting! However, as soon as she did, her eyes almost popped out of her head. She suddenly grabbed Mabel¡¯s hand and stammered, ¡°A-Am I seeing things? I-Is that Madeline Saunders?¡± ¡°Yes, and she¡¯s very young. Olivia told me that Ms. Saunders was in charge of creating and producing Lake City¡¯s National Day G Night. Thanks to her, the g was a resounding sess.¡± Since she was unaware of the rtionship between the Chapmans and Ashlyn, Mabel happily continued, ¡°What¡¯s even more shocking is that Madeline Saunders turned out to be one of the most popr influencers, Ashlyn Berry! Isn¡¯t that amazing? Who¡¯d have thought of that?¡± Sisley and Lydia stared at each other as they felt their faces burning up. No one but the two women could hear the crisp, loud ps on their faces. The pain was intense, and they were in absolute agony. Not only was Ashlyn one of the judges, but she was also Madeline Saunders. It was all so unbelievable, and yet, it was the truth. After all, they could see Ashlyn sitting at the seat for the judges¡¯ panel, looking confident but humble. When they recalled the awful things they had said to Ashlyn earlier, Sisley and Lydia wanted nothing more than to have the ground open up and swallow them whole. They had foolishly thought they could embarrass Ashlyn in front of the crowd, but in retrospect, they realized that everyone might have beenughing at them instead. Soon, the other judges showed up one after another. Ashlyn was still poring over thepetition schedule when she noticed the chairs on either side of her getting pulled out. A man and a woman took the seats at the same time. On Ashlyn¡¯s left was Lah Maag, a fifty-year-old famous pianist from Maredania. Despite her age, she was still full of energy, as evidenced by her red dress which exuded so much enthusiasm and passion. In fact, no one would be able to tell her age from just her appearance. ¡°Maddy, we meet again!¡± Lah eximed as she gave Ashlyn a big hug. They had met at arge-scale pianopetition and quickly developed a mutual admiration for each other¡¯s work. Knowing how passionate foreigners could be, Ashlyn promptly returned the hug. Chapter 666 Chapter 666 All of a sudden, a sonorous voice rang out. ¡°Maddy?¡± Stunned, Ashlyn let go of Lah and looked to her right. To her surprise, she saw a handsome man staring at her with a sharp, probing gaze. He had attractive eyes, a straight nose, and blue streaks in his hair which were particrly eye- catching and fashionable. The one thing that stood out the most, though, was the diamond stud on his left ear that sparkled brightly. Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help but cock an eyebrow. Wow. Who knew there¡¯d be such a stylish pianist? Before she could say anything, the man smiled and extended his hand. ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Ryan Yates.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ashlyn Berry,¡± Ashlyn replied as she shook his hand. Their wrists were equally slender and pale, yet they looked so beautiful under the illumination of the light. After the brief handshake, both of them withdrew their hands almost immediately. Shocked, Ryan didn¡¯t know why his heart had skipped a beat earlier before it started hammering away in his chest. He could feel the excitement surging up through him. How is her skin tone just like mine? Everyone in the Yates family had always had porcin white skin, but this was the first time Ryan had met a woman as pale as he was. Well, well, well. I must say Ashlyn Berry sounds even more intriguing than Madeline Saunders! Ryan had, on several asions, pictured how his first meetings with Ashlyn might go, but never once did he imagine it to be like now. He almost thought he had merely met a woman with the same name. ording to what Ryan had heard from Mary and Penelope, Ashlyn was the epitome of evil. Not only did she bully them incessantly, but she was also capable ofmitting acts of unspeakable depravity. Despite that, they imed that they continued to treat her with love and respect. However, the woman in front of Ryan looked nothing like the monster Mary and Penelope had described. Instead, she was as pretty as a doll, with sparkling almond-shaped eyes and a calm, steady gaze. Before long, the host had stepped onto the center of the stage. It wasmon practice for bigpetitions to be recorded and streamed, going so far as to partner with various broadcasting tforms to get the content out. Because of that, the host had no time to waste. After formally introducing the judges and making his opening speech, he started thepetition without further ado. Olivia would be lying if she said she wasn¡¯t nervous. She had seemed calm in front of Mabel the day before, but that was all just an act. However, as more contestants got to perform their pieces, Olivia gradually rxed. After all, she had heard a lot of ws in their ying. It might have been thanks to the recent intensive training, but Olivia could now more or less make out each contestant¡¯s piano skill level. More importantly, Olivia knew she had to deliver a perfect performance. The Frasers had shown up to support her, and knowing that Kate and L were watching and cheering her on, Olivia couldn¡¯t afford to make any mistakes. The contestants took to the stage to perform one after another. Coincidentally, Hera and Olivia found themselves lined up together. Soon, it was Hera¡¯s turn, and she walked onto the stage confidently in a pretty pink dress. Once she sat down at the piano, her fingers glided gracefully on the ck and white keys as she started ying her song. Melodious music instantly resonated through the theater. Olivia listened intently backstage, her face getting paler with every second. What? How could Hera have improved so much? Didn¡¯t we use to be on the same level? H-How is this possible? Just as her imagination continued to run wild, Hera returned backstage with a pass to advance to the next round. Olivia took a deep breath to calm her nerves and stepped onto the stage. ¡°Warm greetings to the honorable judges. The song I¡¯ll be performing is First Crush,¡± she announced before taking a bow. When Olivia raised her head, thedy sitting in the front row caught her attention. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Despite looking elegant and refined in her white dress, thedy¡¯s face was void of expression, making it impossible to read her. Nevertheless, Olivia felt a chill run down her spine. Chapter 667 Chapter 667 Ashlyn Berry! Madeline Saunders! That¡¯s her in the flesh! Oh, my goodness! Olivia¡¯s lips began to tremble. For some reason, she didn¡¯t want Ashlyn to look down on her. Secondster, Olivia regained herposure and sat down at the piano. With both her hands on the keys, a rich and smooth melody soon followed. As soon as the piece ended, Olivia couldn¡¯t help but stare nervously at the judges. Ashlyn was the first to give a score of seven point five. The other judges, too, gave Olivia a score of either seven or eight. That might not be anything to boast about, but her score wasn¡¯t low either. If Ashlyn had given a low score, Olivia¡¯s initial n was to file aint against her for abusing her power to avenge personal grudges. To her surprise, Ashlyn¡¯s scoring was fair and sensible. Olivia was still trying to make sense of the situation when Ashlyn¡¯s crisp, cold voice rang out. ¡°Your performance style is pretty good and expressive. My only wish is that you had picked a song that suited you more. If you don¡¯t think you can showcase your skills through a difficult song, pick something easier that gives you a chance to shine. You can also remind yourself to slow down when you¡¯re ying. It¡¯s normal to feel nervous when you¡¯re on stage, and your ying speed inadvertently increases along with your heartbeat. Therefore, if you don¡¯t make a conscious effort to slow yourself down, you¡¯d only be more prone to making mistakes. Don¡¯t fall into that vicious cycle.¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes widened as she listened intently.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Ashlyn¡¯s advice was professional and pertinent, and she had carefully dissected Olivia¡¯s strengths and weaknesses. After hearing all that, Olivia felt a moment of rity and enlightenment. Madeline Saunders, huh? She truly has lived up to her reputation. ¡°Thank you,¡± Olivia said before taking a bow and going offstage. Hera, who had gone to sit with her family in the auditorium, red at Olivia in annoyance. When her performance ended earlier, Ashlyn neithermented nor paid much attention to her. It was awful enough that Hera had to be judged by Ashlyn, but thetter only made a shortment that Hera had done fairly well. That was thest straw for Hera. Skilled pianists often find themselves trapped in a vicious circle when they try to perfect their techniques. And more often than not, all they needed was for someone to point out their mistakes and enlighten them. Olivia was the best example of that. In any case, Hera and Olivia had sessfully advanced to the semi-finals, much to the delight of the Chapmans and Warhols. After all, given the reputation of their families, it¡¯d be a total embarrassment if thedies had gotten kicked out in the first round. Even if they didn¡¯t win thepetition, they could still takefort in knowing that they were good enough to be sent to the semi-finals. Just then, the host announced, ¡°All right. Let¡¯s wee our next contestant!¡± The next moment, the audience saw a thin girl walking onto the stage. She wore a princess dress that perfectly entuated her figure while bringing out her young, feminine charm. Naturally, everyone was eager to see her face and find out how beautiful she was. s, when the girl finally lifted her head and let the spotlight shine on her, the audience felt their breath hitch in their throats. The girl¡¯s face was wrapped tightly with bandages, and no one could deny that it was a terrifying sight. Most of her face was hidden, revealing only her forehead and a pair of bright, sparkling eyes. Even though they were the eyes of a young girl, they told stories of the cruel world and the vicissitudes of life. Beneath all that, however, remained a trace of warmth and hope. The more they scrutinized her, the more the audience felt an uneasiness in their chest. Ryan, on the contrary, clenched his fists tightly. As soon as heid eyes on the girl, the sense of familiarity he had when he saw Ashlyn washed over him once again. It didn¡¯t even matter that he couldn¡¯t see the girl¡¯s face¡ªhe felt it all the same. That was such a strange feeling, yet he had already experienced it twice in one day. Chapter 668 Chapter 668 He did not understand what was happening. When he saw Penelope and Mary, he had never experienced this kind of feeling. On the contrary, he would feel that the mother and daughter¡¯s greedy and foolish acts were repulsive. Their actions make him feel disgusted. Meanwhile, Ashlyn narrowed her almond-shaped eyes slightly. The figure on the stage seemed too familiar to her. Even though her face was wrapped in bandages, Ashlyn could recognize who she was. It¡¯s her? Why did she join thispetition as well? Shouldn¡¯t she be overseas? Just then, the girl on stage began to introduce herself as she said, ¡°Hello, everyone. My name is Charlotte. I hope everyone likes this piano piece I¡¯m going to perform. Ipose this myself, but I haven¡¯t given it a name. I especially like this song because it gives me strength during the toughest period of my life. Till now, it has always apanied me.¡± Ashlyn stared motionlessly at the girl on stage. She didn¡¯t know that Charlotte could y the piano. Meanwhile, Joseph, seated in the third row of the audience seat, gave the girl on stage a thumbs up. Charlotte, who was previously anxious, curled her lips slightly. After she calmed herself down, she sat down at the piano. Kate and L came to watch thepetition as well. She was particrly fond of Olivia. Thus, since Olivia had participated in thepetition, it was natural for Kate to give Olivia her support. When she saw Charlotte on stage, she could not help but sneer, ¡°Does she think she could perform well? Olivia is the one that can y very well.¡± L was shocked to see Charlotte on stage. I know Charlotte could y the cello, but when did she learn to y the piano andpose songs as well? As he was often busy with work, he did not have the time to ask much about things rted to Charlotte. Did she learn it while I was busy? After a while, he still couldn¡¯t find an answer to the questions in his mind. However, he was currently not in the mood to give it more thought. He only wanted to listen quietly to her girl ying the piano. Thus, he focused his gaze on the young girl on stage, wanting to see her shine. As Charlotte was seated at the piano quietly, she closed her eyes slightly. A range of musical notes started to appear in her mind while she started to y a captivating melody that sounded as if it had a life of its own. Her delicate and elegant fingers moved across the ck and white keys quickly. Upon hearing the mncholy in the piano piece, everybody in the room quieted down. It was as if there was something magical about Charlotte¡¯s performance, and the melody itself could prate people¡¯s hearts the moment one heard it. The audience was thoroughly engrossed in the heavenly music. Even those people, who did not have a clue about music, were fascinated by Charlotte¡¯s performance. Only Hera was stunned. She stared at Charlotte in shock. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. This piece she¡¯s ying¡­ sounds so familiar. It was simr to the tune of Sounds of Ranging Winds given to her by Michael. The two piano pieces had simr tunes and notes, but the only difference was that Michael¡¯s piece did not give off a sense of mncholy. Precisely because of the mncholy in Charlotte¡¯s piece, it was more mesmerizing and wonderful in comparison. Soon, Charlotte finished ying her piece. Immediately, rounds of thunderous apuse reverberated through the air. There were even music enthusiasts who whistled and cheered for Charlotte. The young girl stood up and bowed elegantly to express her gratitude. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful! It¡¯s a splendid performance!¡± Lah, who was sitting on the left side of Ashlyn, stood up in excitement. She uttered, ¡°I¡¯d immediately guarantee your ce in the finals! There¡¯s no need for you to participate in the preliminary rounds with your standard.¡± It was clear that Lah was overly excited as she had not seen someone with so much potential over thest few years. In thispetition, the judges had the authority to guarantee candidates a spot in the finals. Each of the judges could do so for one candidate. Lah was simply over the moon. Her eyes were filled with admiration for Charlotte. ¡°You are exceptionally gifted. When I look at you, you remind me of Maddy. When she was standing in front of me back then, she¡­¡± As she spoke, her eyes lit up brightly as she felt as emotional as the time when she first met Ashlyn years ago. Misty-eyed, she instinctively hugged Ashlyn, who was sitting beside her. ¡°Maddy, I didn¡¯t think I would meet someone who has the same potential as you. I am extremely thrilled. Sorry, I know I¡¯m getting emotional,¡± she continued, Chapter 669 Chapter 669 Ashlynforted and patted Lah. She uttered in a calm tone, ¡°Dear, calm down. This kid indeed is gifted.¡± Ryan didn¡¯t expect Lah to get so agitated as well. Nevertheless, he was feeling extremely excited too. He put his pride as the Piano Prince aside and picked up the microphone. ¡°Charlotte, may I ask when youposed this?¡± ¡°Iposed it when I was sixteen years old. During that time, I had some ideas aboutposing, but my skills are mediocre¡­ So I know there are many ws within the piece.¡± Charlotte spoke in a bashful manner. It was difficult for her to muster up the courage to go onto the stage and join thispetition. All credits had to go to Joseph and Fae for encouraging her to do it. Without their encouragement, she wouldn¡¯t have had the courage to stand on the stage. Fae, who was sitting in the auditorium, was looking at the youngdy emotionally, her heart swelling with pride and happiness. She could not help but hold her husband¡¯s hand. ¡°That was so wonderful of Lottie.¡± James was much calmer inparison. ¡°The judges have not given their scores yet.¡± Ryan beamed and looked at Charlotte. Even the blue hair on his forehead seemed exceptionally lively. ¡°The melody was perfect. I like it and appreciate it a lot.¡± Other judges gave Charlotte manypliments as well. Except for Hera who was seated below, all the people around her were cheering and pping for Charlotte. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. It sounded the same as Sounds of Ranging Winds. How did it be a work of Charlotte? She did it when she was sixteen? Is she a genius? Can a sixteen-year-oldpose piano pieces? Aren¡¯t you taking the joke too far? There was pent-up anger within her. She rose to her feet all of a sudden and shouted, ¡°She¡¯s lying!¡± The usation shocked everyone as they looked toward Hera in shock. She held her chin high and looked arrogantly at Charlotte as she continued, ¡°The name of this melody is known as Sounds of Ranging Winds. It is the work of my mentor, Michael Underwood.¡± Upon hearing that, everybody was startled and gasped in unison before gazing at Charlotte in a different light. ¡°Everything about being a genius is fake after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. How can a sixteen-year-old know how topose piano pieces?¡± ¡°Nowadays, people are willing to say anything just to be famous.¡± Charlotte¡¯s face turned pale. She had never heard of Sounds of Ranging Winds before. The piece that she had yed just now was indeedposed by her. She began clenching her fists tightly as her mind went nk. No. That is not true. Suddenly, she met Joseph¡¯s encouraging gaze. It was as if her troubled heart had found somefort immediately. He seemed to be telling her not to be afraid and be herself bravely. In the blink of an eye, her racing heart gradually began to calm down, and her urge to run away slowly dissipated. You can do it, Charlotte! You definitely can! You just need to express yourself! Voice out your thoughts bravely. Ashlyn also frowned, feeling worried for the youngdy. Charlotte had experienced severe emotional trauma. Besides, she was disfigured after the incident as well. Ashlyn could not help but wonder how Charlotte had mustered her courage and strength to be able to stand on the stage and face so many people. She didn¡¯t expect that Charlotte would be used by someone. Although Ashlyn had never heard of the piece that Hera mentioned, she instinctively believed that Charlotte did not giarize anything. Ryan also did not wish for the genius to meet her downfall so soon. He hesitated before asking, ¡°What have you got to say, Charlotte?¡± The youngdy, who had bandages over her face, chewed on her lip. Her eyes were filled with fear. But after some time, she managed topose herself. Just as Ashlyn was about to stand up and said that it was not the right time to question Charlotte because thetter had a mental health issue. However, Charlotte spoke up. Her voice was clear and crisp that carried her own unique charm as she eximed, ¡°I did not giarize that. I¡¯ve never heard of Sounds of Ranging Winds. Iposed this piece on my own. I-I can confront the person on this matter!¡± Chapter 670 Chapter 670 She had the manuscript. After all, sheposed the piece without much thought. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. She even tore and threw away the manuscript after that. However, she couldn¡¯t bear discarding it, so she retrieved it after that. Since she could easily lose it if she just slipped it in between the pages of a book, she snapped a photo of it too. After she did all of that, she threw the manuscript away again. Never had she expected someone would use her of giarism. Seeing Charlotte¡¯s obstinance, Hera smiled mockingly. ¡°Since it¡¯s your wish to be proven wrong the hard way, I¡¯ll give it to you!¡± With that, she dialed Michael¡¯s number. ¡°Mr. Underwood, I¡¯m at the venue of thepetition and need urgent help from you. Remember to bring evidence that youposed Sounds of Ranging Winds.¡± Michael was puzzled. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to perform it during the finals? Why did you decide to perform it so soon?¡± He had pressing matters to handle, so he didn¡¯t watch Hera¡¯s performance on-site. However, the Chapman family had paid him a handsome sum, and he never was someone virtuous. Thus, Hera¡¯s words worked on him. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll go there right away.¡± Michael was running his errand at a location near thepetition venue, so it would only take him around ten minutes to get there. After Hera hung up, she nced at Charlotte cockily. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯re dead meat, you thief!¡± Charlotte¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she met Hera¡¯s domineering gaze. Lowering her gaze, she said nothing. ¡°You don¡¯t have aeback for this, have you? I feel ashamed for you for resorting to giarism to rise to fame,¡± continued Hera viciously. She couldn¡¯t wait to vent her frustration on Charlotte after being humiliated by Ashlyn and Olivia. Meanwhile, Olivia was taken aback by the fact that there was a dark horse in the preliminary rounds. Odd enough, the contestant had bandages on her face. By the way, her name sounds familiar. I think L¡¯s foster daughter goes by the same name. No, this can¡¯t be. Hadn¡¯t she gone abroad some time ago? Why is she here? How could there be such a coincidence? Olivia couldn¡¯t help but gaze at L and Kate, who were sitting not that far away from her. The man had a sullen look on his face and was obviously in a bad mood. At the same time, Kate was speaking in a moderate voice that could be heard by those around her. ¡°Does it matter that she knows how to y the piano? Luckily, she had cut ties with our family. Otherwise, she¡¯ll embarrass us,¡± she uttered those harsh words in a belligerent tone. L cast her a nce. ¡°Quiet, Mom.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth! What? Can¡¯t I express my opinions? giarism is giarism, and it¡¯s definitely a crime!¡± She hade to the arbitrary conclusion that Charlotte was involved in giarism before Michael had even arrived. The thin girl cast her gaze into the distance while standing on stage, only to see the contempt, scorn, and disgust in Kate¡¯s eyes as thetter stared back. It was as if Charlotte was trash, nor would she ever deserve to be a part of the Fraser family. Charlotte¡¯s heart pounded. As her heart rate skyrocketed, she felt nervous and awful, all the while wishing she could run away from the scene. Her urge to flee was overwhelming. Meanwhile, Fae was enraged upon hearing Kate¡¯s criticisms. ¡°Some people sure can be condescending. How dare she deem Charlotte guilty of giarism before the other party evenes! She needs to back her im with evidence! Otherwise, people could always sue her for defamation!¡± Fae didn¡¯t mince words. Her words were harsh and serious. Hearing that brought relief to Charlotte¡¯s agonizing heart. All of a sudden, she felt less afraid. Just when Kate was about to retort, Michael entered the ce in a hurry. When he took in the crowd in the theater and Charlotte, who was standing on the stage, he was befuddled. Right when he was about to call Hera, he heard her speaking proudly. ¡°He¡¯s my piano tutor, Michael Underwood. You must have heard of him! He has taught a lot of students and won countless awards. The song that Charlotte giarized wasposed by Mr. Underwood!¡± Chapter 671 Chapter 671 So Michael was theposer. How could he possibly giarize work by a kid?¡± ¡°I bet the girl must have giarized Michael¡¯s melody upon hearing how great it is.¡± ¡°People nowadays sure have poor character.¡± The audience, dly enjoying the drama, began making variousments. Michael finally grasped the situation. That girl onstage giarized Sounds of Ranging Winds! He nced at Charlotte, then asked in a patronizing tone, ¡°Girl, you could¡¯ve contacted me if you liked the pieces Iposed. As long as you have an authorization letter, you can absolutely perform it in a competition. Why must you giarize?¡± His words painted Charlotte as a giarizer. Charlotte never knew people could be that shameless. Although she wanted to retort with a smirk, just like how Ashlyn would, she seemed tock Ashlyn¡¯s dominance and was more on the soft side. Even when she countered, she countered in a whisper, ¡°I didn¡¯t giarize your work.¡± She absolutely did not do that. While she wished to stand up for herself confidently, her heart was thumping so hard while the voice in her head seemed to be luring her back in. Come back. Don¡¯t go outside¡­ She wanted to rid herself of the limitations, but the voice seemed to be stalking her as it constantly rang in her ear. Her mind was nk, and the voice only ever grew in intensity and dominance. ¡°She couldn¡¯t have giarized this. If you want to make such a im, you¡¯ll have to present evidence to prove that youposed the piece.¡± Without warning, a husky voice rang throughout the theater. The crowd turned to look in the direction where the voice came from. At the same time, a lean man stood up slowly from his seat. He had handsome facial features and an aura that radiated warmth and heat like the sun on a summer beach. Joseph Field? This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Someone recognized the man. All of them were quite surprised. Joseph was the mayor¡¯s son and was notorious for his terrifyingly tactlessness. It was unthinkable that he woulde to a girl¡¯s defense. The situation seemed unbelievable no matter how one looked at it. Ashlyn nced at Joseph. Surprise, surprise. I never knew he could be this dependable! As part of the panel of judges, she couldn¡¯t sit out of the situation. Michael is cunning as hell. Even if he giarizes other people¡¯s work, he would never admit it. Besides, he has so many students. He would never admit to doing something that could tarnish his reputation. Ashlyn walked up to him. ¡°Mr. Underwood, since you use Charlotte of havingmitted giarism, you need to present evidence to prove it.¡± Having got a call from Hera, Michael came prepared. He immediately retrieved a faded paper from his pocket. The piece of white paper had be faded and worn. It was even giving off a moldy smell. Judging from the looks of it, the paper was aged. ¡°This is the manuscript from meposing the melody quite some years ago, so it¡¯s very old,¡± Michael stated impassively. Ashlyn showed the manuscript to the panel of judges, who passed it around among themselves. After going through it, Ryan said, ¡°It sure seems like an original manuscript.¡± Michael looked pleased when he heard that. ¡°Where¡¯s your evidence?¡± Ashlyn turned to Charlotte. Charlotte was in a gown, so she didn¡¯t have her phone. Biting her lip, she waved at Joseph, who marched up to her and handed her her phone. When his heated palm brushed past her cold fingertips, she felt a tingling sense of warmth that reached her heart. Then, she heard him say, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Charlotte took a deep breath before tapping into her photo gallery on her phone. She had always been using the same brand of phone, so she could always ess photos she took in the past as soon as she logged in with her ID, even if she changed phones. The Field family bought her a new phone after she left the Fraser family, so she managed to get her old photos back. She found the photo of her manuscript and showed it to the panel of judges. Lah was the first to cry in shock. ¡°Gosh! What¡¯s going on?¡± Chapter 672 Chapter 672 Ashlyn and Ryan exchanged nces before turning to look at the photo on the phone. They were stunned when they saw the manuscript shown in the photo. Michael¡¯s confident expression stiffened. What was going on? Was there a problem with the photo? Hera felt her heart in her mouth when she saw the facial expressions of the panel of judges. She needed to know the answer urgently because she couldn¡¯t wait to see Charlotte humiliated by Michael. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. However, she could not see anything from the audience seat. Thus, she could only wait with bated breath. After some time, the judges passed the phone to the host. The host was also stunned when she saw the photo on the phone. She ced the phone in front of the camera and faced its screen toward the camera lens directly. ¡°My goodness! The evidence provided by contestant Charlotte is a photo on the phone. The manuscript in the photo looks to be identical to Mr. Underwood¡¯s manuscript. However, Charlotte¡¯s manuscript looks very clean and brand new. On the other hand, Mr. Underwood¡¯s manuscript looks slightly yellowed with age,¡± the host eximed in shock loudly. When the photo was cast onto therge screen, everyone present stared at theparison with wide eyes. The two manuscripts were the same. The only difference was one was new, while the other was older. ¡°Good heavens! How is this possible?¡± ¡°Why is this happening?¡± Hera was also shocked as she stared at the screen intently. ¡°How is this possible? Charlotte, where did you steal this manuscript from? You must¡¯ve seen Mr. Underwood¡¯s manuscript and secretly taken a picture. You went back to practice in private and came here to use Mr. Underwood of giarizing this tune, thereby iming you¡¯re the one whoposed this piece!¡± Hera disparaged Charlotte loudly, acting as if she was a defender of justice. All the people present stared at theparison of the two manuscripts in disbelief. It was truly unbelievable. All eyes were squarely focused on Charlotte and Michael. Michael smiled in a way that he personally considered elegant. With a hint of helplessness in his tone, he said, ¡°Youngdy, I appreciate your desire to be famous. After all, we all want to be pianists with extraordinary achievements. However, you should not take such shameful shortcuts. The best shortcut in the world is putting in your hard work.¡± His words clearly did not carry any hint of anger and agitation at being giarized. The audience could not help but nod their heads in approval. ¡°No wonder he¡¯s a famous musician. This refined behavior is truly praiseworthy.¡± ¡°Indeed. Are you not embarrassed to hear this, Charlotte? You stole someone else¡¯s piece of music and imed that it was of your own creation.¡± Charlotte bit her lip. Her bandaged face held a hint of inexplicable resilience. ¡°Why is this happening?¡± Hera was also shocked as she stared at the screen intently. It made Ashlyn and the rest of the Field family members feel nervous for her. As things had alreadye to that point, there was no one who could help her. She had to face this issue on her own. Could she do it? ¡°You can do it!¡± Joseph soundlessly mouthed the words of encouragement. Worry was written all across his handsome face. From above the stage, Charlotte stared at the scant number of people who supported her, including Joseph, Fae, James, and Ashlyn. The looks in their eyes told her that they supported her and that they believed in her. Charlotte felt her rapidly thumping heart calm down. It was as if all the fearful emotions she felt had vanished as they had been gathered up and thrown into a dark corner. I can do it! I absolutely can do it! When the host saw that Charlotte remained silent, she could not resist asking, ¡°Charlotte, is there anything else you would like to say? Why do you have a photo of the manuscript? Is it true that you identally saw his manuscript and secretly took a picture?¡± Charlotte took a moment to calm herself down and replied softly, ¡°The manuscript Mr. Underwood has belongs to me! I wrote it, and Iposed this piano piece. I have no idea why he has it because I threw it into a trash can long ago.¡± The manuscript belongs to me! Chapter 673 Chapter 673 Charlotte had thrown the manuscript into the trash can, and it somehow ended up in Michael¡¯s hands. What had once been something that she disliked ended up being someone else¡¯s treasure. Charlotte really couldn¡¯t understand it. Nonplussed, Michael said, ¡°Miss, I think there should be a limit to your jokes. This manuscript is clearly mine, but I will let the matter slide if you apologize to me. However, I¡¯m starting to get a little angry because you keep testing my limits. How can you so deliberately twist the truth?¡± ¡°Mr. Underwood, I-I am not as good with my words as you are. Nheless, the manuscript belongs to me.¡± Charlotte¡¯s timid expression became unusually resolute. She knew that if she backed down and really took the me for the giarism, she would have to carry a ckened name for the rest of her life. I refuse to concede! I did not giarize! Charlotte refused to have her sullied reputation affect her godmother¡¯s family. She did not want them to be aughingstock for having a goddaughter who was a giarist. That was absolutely uneptable for her. At that thought, Charlotte felt as if her entire body was suddenly filled with strength and courage. ¡°Mr. Underwood, that is my handwriting in that manuscript. Iposed that musicalposition. We canpare our handwriting. I firmly believe it doesn¡¯t matter how old that manuscript is because no matter how many years have passed, a person¡¯s handwriting won¡¯t just change like that. That is unless they are trying to imitate someone else on purpose.¡± The longer she spoke, the more her voice resonated and the more powerful it became. Her gaze held a hint of unquestionable firmness. She stared at Michael steadily with clear eyes. Her tone was not aggressive, but her steady gaze caused people to unable to behave rudely. ¡°Mr. Underwood, I propose wepare our handwritings,¡± Charlotte suggested. The quick sh of panic in Michael¡¯s expression did not escape Ashlyn¡¯s sharp eyes. Thetter smiled as she stood up. ¡°Mr. Underwood, what do you say? It shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± Without waiting to hear his reply, Ashlyn turned to a staff member nearby and ordered, ¡°Prepare some pencils and paper. Mr. Underwood and Charlotte will rewrite the tune on the spot. At the end of this, it will be clear who is the thief.¡± Michael had not expected Ashlyn to act so decisively. Thus, he was a little dazed when the staff member ced the pencil and paper before him. Beside him, Charlotte had already picked up the pencil and was rapidly scribbling on the sheet of paper. Michael held the pencil in his hands, but he was ultimately unable to write anything. Almost everyone¡¯s gazes were fixed on the two of them. Michael¡¯s expression turned ashen. Although he pretended to beposed on the surface, his back was slick with sweat. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Beads of sweat were also starting to form on his elegant face and rolled down his face before dripping onto the paper. The longer she spoke, the more her voice resonated and the more powerful it became. Her gaze held a hint of unquestionable firmness. He gritted his teeth and tried to recall the handwriting on the manuscript in an attempt to replicate the handwriting. Just then, Charlotte dered, ¡°I¡¯m done!¡± She had finished writing the tune and passed her sheet to the host. The camera immediately panned to her sheet, prompting the panel of judges and the audience to make comparisons. ¡°The handwriting¡­ it looks exactly the same.¡± ¡°There is barely any difference from the handwriting on the other manuscript.¡± Everyone was shocked by the turn of events. The camera turned to Michael. Until the very end, he had been unable to produce the tune. His hand trembled uncontrobly when he heard that Charlotte had finished writing. There was only a single line on his sheet. However, it was very obviously a man¡¯s handwriting. It looked nothing like Charlotte¡¯s delicate penmanship. ¡°Does this mean¡­ Michael is the giarizer?¡± ¡°So it¡¯s really Charlotte whoposed the piece?¡± ¡°Michael is the real culprit? How was he able to act so brazenly just now?¡± ¡°Amazing! He¡¯s a thief, yet he had the guts to use someone else of stealing. As it turned out, that person was the real owner all along!¡± ¡°This plot twist is really shocking!¡± The audience, who had previously supported Michael, now turned on him. Chapter 674 Chapter 674 Michael had specifically said things in an attempt to win everyone¡¯s hearts. He had painted himself as a mighty and forgiving senior in a respectable tone. At the thought of that now, it was extremely disgusting. He had to be really shameless to be able to speak those words. The audience couldn¡¯t help but look at Charlotte with sympathy in their eyes. They had never expected that such a young genius existed in this world. The piece that sheposed when she was sixteen shocked everyone. One could only imagine her achievements if only she continued her studies. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Ashlyn stared icily at Michael, who had cold sweat all over his face. ¡°What else do you have to say, Michael?¡± she asked. ¡°The manuscript wasposed by Charlotte, which makes her the owner of it. You even backstabbed her and called her a copycat when it was you who used it without permission,¡± she said. ¡°I have nothing to say. The manuscript was actually discovered by me unintentionally when passing by a trash can¡­¡± Michael exined with an embarrassed look on his face. It was extremely humiliating. His reputation waspletely tarnished. He never expected that a piece that seemed unwanted actually belonged to someone else. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± he apologized before stepping off the stage. He then left in a hurry, as if he was being chased by a dog. With a grim expression, Hera stared at Michael¡¯s back as he left all flustered frantically. There was a feeling of burning embarrassment on her face, which felt like someone had just given her a kick while wearing shoes weighing a hundred or so kilograms. She wished she could sink into the ground. However, she felt that Michael was not any better off than her. He had been a well-known Professor of Piano who was prestigious and respectable. Now that he was involved in this issue of giarism, his career and reputation would definitely be greatly affected. It would probably take a long period of time before anyone would go to him for training again. While she was infuriated and envious of Charlotte¡¯s talent, Hera also felt hatred toward Michael. Such a shameless old man! How dare he fool me with a giarized piece? Lucky for me, I did not y it during the final round. I would have been the one bearing the shame if I did. What kind of mentor is he? I thought he was a good one, but he turned out to be trash. Ugh! Hera was secretly relieved that the giarism issue was exposed earlier. She was lucky that it did not implicate her. Meanwhile, Charlotte couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief on the stage. Elegantly, she smiled at Joseph who sat among the crowd. However, the smile faded when it tugged at the wound on her face. Eventually, the judgingmittee gave her an average score of nine, which was a great result. At the same time, she gained a spot in the final round right away. L looked at the car with a gloomy gaze. Waves of frustration filled his heart. She wished she could sink into the ground. However, she felt that Michael was not any better off than her. He turned to Olivia and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to congratte me for getting into the semi-finals?¡± Olivia asked. She bit her lips and her eyes were fixated on L. She continued, ¡°Why am I always nothing in your eyes? Is she really that good? You¡¯re constantly thinking about her, and all you see is her. She¡¯s merely a poor girl. Does she have a powerful family as I do? Is she more capable than I am? She even has difficultymunicating. This girl has issues!¡± L red at Olivia fiercely with his reddened eyes. ¡°Shut up!¡± he demanded. No matter what, Charlotte was the best in his opinion. She was the apple of his eyes. He would not allow anyone to speak ill of her. However, he seemed to have forgotten about one important matter, which was the things that his mother, Mrs. Fraser, had done to Charlotte. Olivia¡¯s heart was filled with pain and sadness. With her red lips trembling and eyes filled with tears, she asked, ¡°How dare you say that? How dare you treat me this way, L!¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling my parents to withdraw their investment from Fraser Corporation. After all, no one has faith in the movie that your mother is investing,¡± said Olivia. She then went on, ¡°That small amount of funds was nothing. It was all spent on handling scandals and suppressing the trend, so not much was left. You people have also angered the Haddock Group. They will not provide any additional investment.¡± Chapter 675 Chapter 675 ¡°Just think of the consequences of offending me, L,¡± Olivia threatened. She felt very terrible. It was as if her heart had been shed by a knife. Olivia kept wondering how Charlotte was better than her. Not only was she from a prominent family, but she also had good looks and was very capable. She would be the public rtions manager of the Warhol Corporation once she graduated. She had already led the Public Rtions Department to sessfully manage a few crises previously. How am I no match for that girl without any qualifications or looks? She¡¯s just an orphan. Olivia wiped away her tears and walked toward her car. She raised her head. It¡¯s just L. One day, I¡¯ll make him realize how great am I. Meanwhile, at The Peacock, Ashlyn sat beside Charlotte with a trace of happiness on her pale face. ¡°Why are you back for thepetition? How are you? How was the surgery?¡± she asked Charlotte. Charlotte looked at her shyly and answered, ¡°The first surgery was done, but I¡¯ll undergo another surgery after this.¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. The reason she was there for thepetition this time was all due to Joseph¡¯s encouragement. Not only did she know how to y the cello, but she also yed the piano. If it wasn¡¯t for Joseph¡¯s support, she would not have made it. However, Charlotte was aware that she had to ovee the challenges by herself and escape that ice-cold world. She could not constantly be a person who relied on others. Not wanting to be a worthless person, she needed to be courageous enough to break through the cages and locks holding her back. She had to be braver and more determined. ¡°Good looks are essential to everyone, regardless if you¡¯re a guy or a girl. Since recovery is possible, you should work toward that. There will be some suffering, but that¡¯s exactly why you should toughen up,¡± Ashlyn said while patting Charlotte¡¯s hands. Charlotte tried very hard to convince herself. I¡¯m the best, I¡¯m great. I can do this. She looked at Ashlyn with her bright eyes and said, ¡°Thank you for searching for a doctor to help me. I¡¯m also very grateful for Mum, Dad, and Joseph. Uncle L has also been taking care of me over the years. I¡¯m very thankful for him. But, I have never felt a sense of closeness and intimacy toward him.¡± She continued, ¡°I used to rely on him a lot because I treated him as my closest family, but it was clear that he did not feel the same way toward me.¡± As Charlotte rambled on, her voice shook. However, she did not tear up. She wanted to be strong. Therefore, she did not allow herself to cry easily. ¡°I know that all of you are sincere to me. Back then, Uncle L brought me home, I will still repay his kindness one day. I¡¯ll also do the same for all of you,¡± she said. Ashlyn knew all along that Charlotte was autistic. After years of treatment, there had been a huge improvement. The confrontation between Charlotte and Michael on stage that day had given Ashlyn a big shock. She felt that Charlotte had changed for the better. She had to be braver and more determined. ¡°Good looks are essential to everyone, regardless if you¡¯re a guy or a girl. Since recovery is possible, you should work toward that. There will be some suffering, but that¡¯s exactly why you should toughen up,¡± Ashlyn said while patting Charlotte¡¯s hands. She could evene face to face with someone else and defeated Michael with her reasonings. That certainly was an incredible improvement for Charlotte. Upon hearing the touching words, Ashlyn felt a sense of relief. Strangely, she felt emotional. However, there was no one more excited than Fae. She was filled with pride as if her daughter had finally grown up. She said, ¡°This kid has improved so much. When she first joined our family, we felt so bad for her. She did not even talk or eat anything.¡± ¡°Lottie did well this time, she got into the finals straight away.¡± James smiled. His eyes brightened with encouragement. ¡°Mom, Dad, we¡¯re going back to Maredania tomorrow. Since she has entered the finals, there¡¯s no reason for her to stay in the country for the semi-finals. Meanwhile, her treatment has to go on,¡± Joseph exined while passing some food to his parents. ¡°No problem. We will wait for you at home. Please don¡¯t push yourself too hard, Lottie. It¡¯s bad for the wound recovery,¡± Fae reminded her. Ashlyn then sent a few piano pieces along with some training techniques to Charlotte¡¯s phone. ¡°Just let me know if you have any doubts,¡± she reassured. Just as they were leaving after dinner, they bumped into L and Olivia who came out of the private room opposite them. Chapter 676 Chapter 676 They also saw Kate and her husband, Raphael Fraser. Besides, Will, Mabel, and her husband, Aaron Warhol, were there as well. Both parties were stunned to see each other. Especially when Olivia saw Charlotte with the Field family and Ashlyn, a trace of jealousy shed across Olivia¡¯s eyes. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. However, she soon kept her jealousy away. Charlotte is an orphan, but she wins the favor of Ms. Saunders. She must have gotten a good result in the preliminary round because she¡¯s Ms. Saunders¡¯ student. Olivia was upset when she remembered how she had offended Madeline Saunders previously. ¡°Hi, Mr. Field!¡± Aaron was the first person to react. He quickly reached out his hand and shook hands with James. James smiled and replied, ¡°Mr. Warhol, how have you been?¡± Will also greeted Joseph awkwardly. Meanwhile, Kate sized Charlotte up like how she would do with some goods. Then, shemented sarcastically, ¡°This is Ms. Saunders, right? I didn¡¯t know you have such a good rtionship with Ms. Saunders and that you can have a meal together.¡± The extremely dazzling woman raised her eyebrow, and her gaze remained cold. Ashlyn smiled and carelessly flicked her fingernails. ¡°Mrs. Fraser, I have great rtionships with many people. For instance, Greg Maxwell and Naomi Nn. I¡¯m surprised that you¡¯re not afraid of scorpions anymore because you still can¡¯t stop lying. To be honest, I¡¯m impressed.¡± ¡°You!¡± Kate¡¯s face turned crimson red in anger as the fear of being threatened with a poisonous scorpion by Ashlyn resurfaced again. That would be a humiliating incident that scarred Kate forever. This b*tch! How dare she do that to me because of Charlotte? Suddenly, sheughed. ¡°Ms. Saunders, although you¡¯re one of the judges, you can¡¯t possibly let Charlotte have easy ess to advance to the next round, right? This is so unfair to the other participants.¡± ¡°Mrs. Fraser, you¡¯re good at making up stories. Just because I had a meal with her, I¡¯ll let her pass easily? Do you think I can control every other judge?¡± Ashlyn almostughed out loud in anger. ¡°I saw you were whispering to the Piano Prince, and you two looked close. Besides, I saw you hugging Lah too. Three of you gave Charlotte a very high score,¡± Kate snapped furiously. ¡°Olivia¡¯s performance was so good, and you gave her a score of seven point five. You¡¯ve crossed the line!¡± Instantly, Olivia¡¯s expression turned awkward as though she had swallowed a fly. Her performance was above average, but Charlotte was a gifted genius. Ordinary people were not comparable to her. There was a special aura when Charlotte yed the piano. Her notes sounded full of life and energy. Olivia knew she received a score of seven point five because she was not skilled enough, but she could not help but feel embarrassed when Kate mentioned it. ¡°You!¡± Kate¡¯s face turned crimson red in anger as the fear of being threatened with a poisonous scorpion by Ashlyn resurfaced again. Can she not make Ms. Saunders hate me even more? ¡°Mrs. Fraser, it¡¯s because my performance was not that good¡ª¡± Olivia wanted to stop Kate, but the latter interrupted, ¡°You yed really well!¡± ¡°If you want the score to be given ording to your standards, you can be one of the judges,¡± Ashlynmented as she shot a look at Kate. L did not expect to meet Charlotte under such circumstances. He could not stop staring at Charlotte, but thetter did not even look at him. ¡°Mom, stop it. You¡¯re making a scene.¡± When L heard Kate¡¯s words that did not make any sense, he could not help but stop her from continuing her speech. ¡°No! I must stand up for Olivia. You¡¯ve never cared about her. If I also don¡¯t care about her and don¡¯t speak up for her, she would keep getting bullied by other people,¡± Kate chided furiously. Olivia felt awkward and embarrassed. She exined, ¡°No one bullied me. I¡¯ve advanced to the next round, and the panel of judges did not simply give my score.¡± Mabel did not expect Kate to be infuriated after meeting Charlotte, Ashlyn, and the Field family because she used to think that Kate was rather a calm andposed person. The way she scolded people in anger was slightly frightening. Though the Warhol family was not a part of the wealthiest, most elite families, they were in the middle- top ss too. Chapter 677 Chapter 677 Usually, the Warhol family kept a low profile and avoided messing with other people. They did not like to show off as well. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Therefore, they managed to turn things around during several corporate crises. Mabel was usually a kind and calm person in her social circle, so she was slightly shocked to see Kate acting so recklessly. ¡°Ashlyn, let¡¯s go.¡± Fae gently tugged on Ashlyn¡¯s arm. Ashlyn caught on and stopped arguing with Kate. She felt there was no point arguing with a shrewish woman like her. ¡°This is too much! How dare you just leave like that?¡± Kate stared at their backs with hatred and said to Mabel, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No matter what, L only has Olivia in his heart, and he will never look at another woman.¡± Mabel shed an awkward smile. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Back at home, Mabel was in a bad mood. She brought Olivia over to let her sit on the couch and said, ¡°Olivia, you witnessed the scene with your eyes today. Mrs. Fraser is a tough nut. If you get married to L, your father and I won¡¯t be around to take care of you.¡± ¡°Mom, you¡¯re overthinking things. Besides, as long as L goes along with Olivia, everything will be fine,¡± Willmented. He did not think so much as he knew there was rarely any harmonious family in their social circle. Many couples appeared to be in a great rtionship, but they each had their lovers in private. Mabel red at him. ¡°Go away. You know nothing!¡± Then, she patiently persuaded Olivia while holding her hand. ¡°Though our family is considered wealthy, it is the wealth umted by our ancestors. Your father has been cautious over these years because we don¡¯t have a strong background. We¡¯re iparable to the Jaquin family, the Nn Family, the Quickton family, and the Haddock family. Sooner orter, something will happen due to the way Mrs. Fraser handles matters. You¡¯d better forget about marrying L¡­¡± Mabel sighed. ¡°Mom, I like him! I really like him.¡± Olivia was frustrated too. The Fraser family wanted to be inws with the Warhol family, but Kate¡¯s temper was too odd, and not everyone could handle someone like her. Besides, the major problem was that L did not like her, which frustrated Olivia. Now my mom wants me to break up with him too¡­ She felt sad and anguished at the same time. Previously, Olivia was an arrogant and prideful youngdy who loved to spend money on shopping. She wanted people to treat her exceptionally because her family was wealthy. Now that she had known that Ashlyn did not avenge her by giving her a low score and the autistic Charlotte could express herself well, Olivia suddenly understood that she shouldn¡¯t live like this anymore. At least, she should be more open-minded. Mabel red at him. ¡°Go away. You know nothing!¡± If I continue to be narrow-minded, will I end up as a shallow person like Mrs. Fraser? She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. ¡°After we got married, we can move elsewhere and not stay with his parents. I heard currently he¡¯s living alone in a mansion.¡± Olivia hesitated for a moment and realized she did not want to give up L just yet. ¡°Olivia, you¡¯re a girl. You need to think it through. I saw L kept staring at the ugly girl, Charlotte, today. Isn¡¯t it because he has not given up on her yet?¡± ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°Forget about it. If he still refuses to forget about Charlotte, don¡¯t me me for what I will do to that woman!¡± said Mabel impatiently. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be like this. Charlotte had already left the Fraser residence. She did not do anything wrong, and it¡¯s because she¡¯s an orphan¡­¡± Olivia did not know what had happened to her, and she could not believe that she was defending Charlotte. She was jealous of Charlotte and envious of Ashlyn. Her mind was in a mess. After all, no single woman in the world did not want to be Ashlyn. The next day, Joseph flew to Maredania with Charlotte to continue the treatment for the injuries on her face. Meanwhile, Ashlyn went to the hospital right after the hospital informed her that Naomi was awake. Chapter 678 Chapter 678 Ashlyn rushed to the hospital after receiving the call. When she arrived, she saw the young woman sitting on the edge of the bed, ready to put on slippers and get out of bed. ¡°Naomi, are you all right?¡± Ashlyn dashed toward the bed and held Naomi. ¡°Do you feel any difort?¡± However, it took a long time for Naomi to respond and smile back at her. ¡°Ashlyn, you¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Naomi?¡± Feeling perplexed, Ashlyn frowned at her. Why aren¡¯t you answering my question? ¡°Ashlyn, I-I can¡¯t hear what you¡¯re saying.¡± Looking at the woman in front of her, Naomi saw her red lips moving, but there was no sound in her world. The dead silence was terrifying. She could not hear anything whatsoever. Realization dawned on Naomi that she had lost her sense of hearing. She could only see Ashlyn¡¯s moving lips without hearing a single word thetter said. Worse, Naomi could not even hear her own voice. Ashlyn¡¯s heart ached terribly, as though she was being stabbed repeatedly. In a split second, she came to the realization that something had gone wrong with Naomi. Naomi can¡¯t hear anything. Judging by her reactions, she¡¯s now deaf. I¡¯m the cause of all her suffering. Originally, Helena wanted to spike Ashlyn¡¯s drink, but Naomi ended up ingesting the poison. ¡°Ashlyn, I need to go to the bathroom,¡± she muttered in a raspy voice. Ashlyn quickly helped her to the bathroom. Naomi walked to the bathroom door with Ashlyn¡¯s assistance and entered by herself. After they waited in the ward for a while, Jonathan returned with some items. He also bought nutritious soup for Naomi. As soon as the lid was lifted, the aroma of the soup permeated the room. The tantalizing smell would whet most people¡¯s appetite. Nevertheless, Naomi remained unresponsive. Ashlyn scooped up a spoonful of the delicious soup, intending to feed her. Shaking her head, Naomi pushed it away with her hand. She wanted to persuade Naomi to take a sip or two of the soup. However, she decided against it when she recalled Naomi could not hear anything. In the end, she tried to feed Naomi another spoonful. Unfortunately, thetter felt nauseous at the smell of the soup and quickly reached out to push the bowl away. Not feeling annoyed, Ashlyn put down the bowl. The moment Ashlyn looked up, she saw Naomi biting her lip and ncing at her cautiously. On the other hand, Jonathan was annoyed. ¡°I went out early in the morning just to buy this soup for you.¡± ¡°Let her be if she doesn¡¯t want to eat. Thank you for your hard work.¡± Ashlyn looked at the handsome young man and added, ¡°Give me the pen and paper.¡± Nodding, Jonathan brought those items from the side table to Ashlyn. She immediately picked up the pen and started writing: You might have lost your sense of hearing. However, these symptoms are temporary. Naomi did not eat anything, and there was not much strength left in her. Holding the pen unsteadily, she tried writing several times. Eventually, she had to speak again in a voice that she could not even hear. ¡±Don¡¯t lie to me, Ashlyn. Are these the effects of being poisoned?¡± After they waited in the ward for a while, Jonathan returned with some items. He also bought nutritious soup for Naomi. A sudden pang of pain hit Ashlyn¡¯s chest, and she forced a smile, trying to hide her agony. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Then she wrote: No. These symptoms are temporary. You¡¯ll recover soon. Don¡¯t think too much about it. Naomi curled her lips as she finished reading the words, but she was not smiling at all. ¡±Ashlyn, I may not be able to continue filming anymore. You have to find another female lead.¡± Listening to Naomi¡¯s hoarse voice brought a lump to Ashlyn¡¯s throat. She wrote again: It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll resume filming when you recover. Staring at those words, Naomi got lost in thought. It¡¯s unknown whether I can make a full recovery or not. Shaking her head, Naomi persuaded, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, Ashlyn. If there¡¯s any suitable actress ¡ª¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Ashlyn held her hands tightly. Ashlyn stared at Naomi, who pretended to be nonchnt about her predicament. Feeling a bit heartbroken, she wrote: We¡¯ll cross that bridge when wee to it. Right then, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± said Ashlyn. A nurse walked in carrying a thermal lunch box. ¡°Ms. Nn, this is the breakfast sent by Mr. Nn.¡± Unfortunately, Naomi could not hear a single word uttered by the nurse. Hence, she nced at Ashlyn curiously. Chapter 679 Chapter 679 Looking at the nurse, Ashlyn uttered, ¡°Thank you for bringing this.¡± Seeing that, Jonathan hurriedly stood up and epted the lunch box. The rich aroma of the breakfast filled the air the moment he opened the lid. Opening the lunch box, he noted that it contained oatmeal porridge with a few side dishes. Even so, as soon as Naomi smelled the food, she could not help shaking her head in disgust. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. She felt nauseous and ufortable. Ashlyn became worried about Naomi¡¯s current condition. Naomi hasn¡¯t eaten anything since she woke up. Besides, she seems very weak at the moment. She¡¯s so fragile that she can be blown away by a gust of wind. With that thought in mind, she wrote on the paper again: What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll have someone prepare it for you. ¡°Can you cook me a te of pasta? It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s spaghetti bolognese or anything. I just want to eat something you cook.¡± Naomi looked at her with red-rimmed eyes. She had no appetite to eat anything at that moment. Even if Jonathan had just prepared some fruits for her, she would still refuse to eat. Listening to Naomi¡¯s croaky voice, Ashlyn naturally did not refuse her. She wrote I¡¯ll go to the hospital¡¯s kitchen to prepare the dish for you. Wait for me. After Ashlyn left, Naomi fell asleep again. While she was sleeping, Jonathan watched over her. All of a sudden, the manager pushed the door open. ¡°Jonathan.¡± Jonathan immediately signaled Isaac to be quiet. After a pause, he suddenly recalled that Naomi could not hear any noise, no matter how loud it was. Well, my cautiousness seems unnecessary in this case. Bending over, he tucked Naomi in with the quilt. Then he strode to the door. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You have a program scheduled for this afternoon. It¡¯s a publicity activity for your sponsor. You must go now,¡± informed Isaac. After listening to the manager¡¯s exnation, Jonathan looked hesitantly toward the bed. Suddenly, he heard a weak voiceing from behind. Turning around, Jonathan noticed Naomi was looking at him. He hurriedly replied to Isaac, ¡±I¡¯ll go when Ashlyn is back.¡± He felt uneasy about leaving Naomi all alone in the ward. Observing the expressions of Jonathan and Isaac, the beautiful youngdy knew something was amiss. Biting her lip, Naomi looked at Jonathan with a smile. ¡°You can leave first if you¡¯re busy. Lucas and ir wille to visit meter.¡± Jonathan wrote in reply: It¡¯s all right. I can leaveter. Shaking her head, Naomi pursed her pale lips at him. ¡°You¡¯re a celebrity. They¡¯ll cklist you if you don¡¯t attend these publicity activities. No one will work with you in the future.¡± It¡¯s heartbreaking to see how mature and thoughtful she is despite her condition. At that moment, Ashlyn returned with the pasta. ¡°Now that Ashlyn is back, you can stop worrying, right?¡± Naomi stated yfully. Upon hearing that, Jonathan nodded. ¡°I¡¯lle back to keep youpany when I¡¯m done.¡± Jonathan¡¯s heart sank as he stared at Naomi. She was his assistant as well as his partner in acting. If it were not for his carelessness, she would not have ingested the spiked drink. Well, my cautiousness seems unnecessary in this case. Deep down, Jonathan¡¯s heart was filled with guilt. He kept ming himself for not taking good care of her. In truth, Naomi still had not regained her appetite. She felt like throwing up at the sight of food. Still, she suppressed the waves of nausea by pretending to eat cheerfully, slowly, one bite at a time. Naomi did not want to tell Ashlyn that she could not taste any vor at that moment. It was as if her taste buds had been affected by the poison. When Ashlyn noticed Naomi was willingly eating, she let out a sigh of relief. It was a gut-wrenching sight for them when Naomi did not even drink water or take the soup earlier. Seeing that Naomi was eating again, Jonathan eventually left the hospital. He could not afford to bete for the afternoon schedule. After finishing the pasta, Naomi remarked, ¡°I¡¯m done eating, Ashlyn. It¡¯s very delicious.¡± Ashlyn took a tissue and handed it to Naomi for her to wipe her mouth. ¡°Ashlyn, you should go back first. The nurses here can take care of me. You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Naomi reassured. Then she added, ¡°ir wille to visit meter.¡± Nodding, Ashlyn responded, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll consult with other doctorster this afternoon. We¡¯ll see what the most suitable treatment is based on your current situation.¡± Chapter 680 Chapter 680 Not long after Ashlyn left, Naomi rushed into the bathroom and began to vomit like mad. She threw up all the spaghetti bolognese that she had just eaten. Naomi wanted to eat, but her weak stomach could not tolerate any food, to her dismay. A wave of nausea engulfed her every time she tried to eat. Nevertheless, she did not want Ashlyn, Jonathan, and other people to worry about her. Ashlyn has been very kind to me. I don¡¯t want to make her sad and feel concerned about me. Tears began to trickle down Naomi¡¯s cheeks as she thought of the people dearest to her. After vomiting, Naomi went back to the bed andy down again, dozing off after some time. When Naomi woke up, she found a man standing inside the room. The sudden appearance startled her. Taking a closer look, Naomi noticed it was her elder brother, Lucas. Only then did she sigh in relief. ¡°Lucas, why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± Her voice was still rough. Naomi was afraid that if she did not speak now, she might not get another chance to talk the following day, even though she could not hear a single word she said. Lucas¡¯ heart sank when he recalled the doctor¡¯s words. His sister had be deaf; she could not hear anymore. Walking to the door, Lucas turned on the light. Staring at her quietly for a while, Lucas asked, ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Only then did he realize she could not hear his question. Grabbing the pen and a piece of paper, he wrote: Are you hungry? I can ask Spencer to bring the soup made by the maid. Naomi shook her head. Despite her empty stomach and difort, she had no appetite whatsoever. Shaking her head, Naomi grabbed Lucas¡¯ hands. Even though they were siblings, they had never been this close before. For the first time, Lucas did not push her away. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°Lucas, I think I¡¯m dying soon. I don¡¯t want to die,¡± Naomi remarked hoarsely. I¡¯m too young to leave this world! I still have tons of things to do in my life. Lookingpassionately at her, Lucas picked up the pen and wrote: You¡¯ll be fine. Lucas¡¯ handwriting was firm, just like his resolute personality. ¡°Lucas, can you do me a favor? You must promise me one thing. Otherwise, I won¡¯t die in peace.¡± Naomi tugged on Lucas¡¯ sleeve. She nced at him with misty tears, making it impossible to refuse her wish. He wrote: What is it? ¡°Can you please remarry Ashlyn, Lucas? Both of you shouldn¡¯t be separated anymore. Please?¡± Naomi looked at him with a sorrowful expression. She cared deeply for Ashlyn. A wave of mixed feelings flooded Naomi¡¯s heart at that moment. It was indescribable for her. Naomi was terrified that one day when she passed away, she would just be a stranger who had no rtionship with Ashlyn. I want to be Ashlyn¡¯s family. Her voice was croaky and weak. Still, Lucas heard her plead crystal clear. Naomi shook her head. Despite her empty stomach and difort, she had no appetite whatsoever. The man¡¯s thin lips moved, but he did not know how to respond to her request. When Lucas found out from the doctor that Naomi might be deaf forever, he thought the doctor had misdiagnosed her condition. The doctores from First Hospital, though. How could there be a mistake? ¡°Lucas, I can barely speak right now. Maybe in a few more days, I won¡¯t be able to talk anymore. They say if someone loses their hearing for too long, the person will forget how to speak, eventually.¡± Does it mean that one day I will also be mute? Naomi¡¯s heart throbbed as she thought of that scenario. Unless they were in her shoes, no one could understand Naomi¡¯s feelings at that moment ¡°Lucas, why aren¡¯t you answering me?¡± Naomi stared intently at Lucas¡¯ handsome face. She knew how powerful her elder brother was in the whole of Lake City. Is it beyond his reach to win Ashlyn back? Unbeknownst to Naomi, it was indeed a daunting task for him. Lucas¡¯ expression darkened as he looked at Naomi. He eventually replied to her, even though he knew she could not hear his answer. His low voice echoed through the ward. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to reconcile with Ashlyn. I want her back. However, it¡¯s not possible for the time being. Our parents- I have to bide my time and wait until I¡¯m stronger than both of them. Only then can I win Ashlyn back. I need to be more powerful and be invincible!¡± Chapter 681 Chapter 681 ¡°I want to protect her, but I can only distance myself from her right now. I even dream of being with her all the time. My heart aches whenever I think of this. I really love her a lot. I had never suspected her when ire died, and I have never thought of seeking revenge on her. I know her the most. How could she kill an innocent woman like ire? She¡¯s a righteous person who would even send help when she encountered an ident. How could such a kind person like her harm ire? Naomi, I only hope to protect her for the rest of my life. I don¡¯t even care if that means I am against the world.¡± Naomi was stunned as she stared at the man¡¯s handsome face. She could only see his lips moving, but she could not hear anything he said. I really can¡¯t hear anything at all. Anxious, she uttered, ¡°Lucas, what are you saying? Can you please write them down?¡± Meanwhile, Ashlyn, who was outside the door and was about to knock, froze on the spot. Lucas¡¯ low voice continually entered her ears. Every word he said rang through her eardrum. He said he loves me. He said he wants to get so strong that nobody can defeat him. Taking a deep breath, Ashlyn was about to turn and leave when she bumped into a nurse. The nurse was holding a tray as she approached Naomi¡¯s ward. She asked curiously, ¡°Dr. Berry, why are you not entering the room?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not going in.¡± With that, Ashlyn turned around and left the scene. Inside the ward, Lucas was stunned upon hearing her clear voice. It was a dark and quiet night; neither the stars nor the moon could be observed in the sky. Ashlyn huddled in her room. Her eyes were wide-opened, and she had difficulty falling asleep. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Suddenly, moonlight streamed into the room. A tall man dressed in ck jumped through the window just as a gentle breeze blew by. Who is it? Frowning, Ashlyn pretended as if she was sleeping, attempting to let his guard down. However, she instantly felt a sense of relief when she heard the familiar footsteps. Lucas? It¡¯ste now. What is he doing in Bayview Vi? Lucas walked to her bed and stared at Ashlyn, who was sleeping soundly. He only dared to visit her when the night had fallen. Otherwise, they only seemed like two strangers during the day. He had even attended the preliminary rounds of the pianopetition as a spectator. He sat in an unnoticeable corner, keeping an eye on her every move. Ashlyn, who sat on the judge¡¯s panel, exuded an attractive charisma. Besides, he observed her through the surveince cameras when Ashlyn had a meal with the Field family in The Peacock. He would not want to miss out on any scene of Ashlyn. She has been swamped and tired recently, judging from her expression. She seems to lose some weight, too. Inside the ward, Lucas was stunned upon hearing her clear voice. Lucas¡¯ heart ached for her. Reaching out a hand, he wished to caress her face, but he feared it might disturb her sleep. Hence, he could only stand beside her bed and stare at her instead. A wave of emotions washed over him at that instant. He recalled the past four years they had spent together as a married couple. Everything seemed like a dream following ire¡¯s death. He vowed to himself that he must strive to be better. He swore he would find out the relevant terrorist group. He was determined to be stronger than the couple in Nn Group so that he could protect her. Feeling his headache, he lowered his head, but his heart ached more. In the meantime, Ashlyny on the bed motionlessly, pretending to be sleeping soundly. The man guarded at her bedside for a long time, and Ashlyn fell asleep unknowingly. When the sky was starting to brighten, she merely heard the sound of someone leaping out of the window. Opening her eyes, she noticed the man jumping out of the window. Did he really¡­ stay with me for a whole night? Ashlyn hadplicated emotions. Whenever she consumed the antidote, she was reminded that the ingredients were Lucas¡¯ aorta blood and bone marrow. A wave of mixed feelings would instantly flood her heart. The feelings were iprehensible, and she could not even figure them out. Chapter 682 Chapter 682 She did not understand why a domineering guy with an aloof bearing would sacrifice everything for her. Even so, she did not dare to dwell on this matter anymore. The next morning, Twitter was aze again. There were some heated trending topics. Ashlyn, the judge, deliberately gave a low score to a contestant. Ashlyn, aren¡¯t you shameless? This is biased toward Charlotte. There were a lot ofments scolding Ashlyn for being unfair. They stated she had a bias toward Charlotte and was unfair to the other contestants that she deliberately gave a very low score to them. They cursed Ashlyn without showing any mercy. Just as Jared saw thements, another personmented and came up with a conspiracy theory. How much did Ashlyn receive from Charlotte? Theymented Ashlyn must have received tons of money from Charlotte. They even found out about Charlotte¡¯s close rtionship with Ashlyn and Fae and that she was James¡¯ goddaughter. They had even drawn a family tree to rte Ashlyn and Charlotte, analyzing the incident thoroughly. Countlessizens were trying to disclose their rtionship. Upon seeing thements, Jared was on the verge of breaking. When he passed his phone for Ashlyn to take a look, thetter raised her brows and took a sip of the milk. ¡°Do they really think I¡¯m that weak? How dare they falsely use me?¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Boss, what should we do now?¡± ¡°What else can we do? Ask Harrison and Anderson to take care of this matter. How dare those people hire ghostwriters to jeopardize my reputation?¡± Ashlyn frowned, exuding a domineering aura. ¡°Okay. Roger that.¡± Jared hurriedly went upstairs to wake up the twins, who were still sleeping. At the same time, Ashlyn continued to enjoy her breakfast. When she suddenly thought of Kate acting like a madwoman the day before, she felt like ripping that woman¡¯s mouth into pieces. In the Fraser residence, the Fraser family¡¯s personal beautician crouched before Kate, helping the latter polish her nail while grabbing onto her feet. ¡°Be gentler,¡± Kate reprimanded the beautician, looking at the trending topics on Twitter. Petrified, the beautician apologized profusely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Fraser.¡± ¡°Are you always this clumsy?¡± Kate rolled her eyes, visibly pissed. Suddenly, a trending topic appeared on the trending list. Mrs. Fraser of Fraser Corporation hired ghostwriters to nder Ashlyn. Kate felt a buzzing in her head. She widened her eyes, staring at the topic in disbelief. At that point, she even suspected her phone was broken. After all, how was it possible for her to be on the trending topic in just a day? No! This can¡¯t be happening! Restarting her phone, she went on Twitter again. However, the trending topic was still at the top of the trending list. The post had blown up in no time. Kate was so livid that she almost choked on her breath, and her heart almost stopped beating at once. ¡°Okay. Roger that.¡± Jared hurriedly went upstairs to wake up the twins, who were still sleeping. Initially, she dared not to click the post. However, after a while, she clicked on the trending post with trembling fingers. The solid proof of her recruiting ghostwriters to nder Ashlyn was attached to the post, including bank transfer records from the butler of the Fraser family to the ghostwriters, as well as their conversation. There were messages from the butler when he had hired the ghostwriters. They read: Keep retweeting the post regarding Ashlyn being unfair on Twitter. Here¡¯s five hundred thousand. You guys must make the topic enter the trending list. Mrs. Fraser had said that whoever offended her would meet a horrible end. We must send Ashlyn¡¯s reputation to the ground this time. The chat history clearly recorded how the butler had traded with the ghostwriters, the process of negotiation, and the requirement toplete the task. The chat history, including the butler¡¯s WhatsApp number and his personal details, were all exposed to the public. That included the pictures of the garden in the Fraser residence and parts of the mansion he had posted on his Instagram previously. Some of L¡¯s photos were included as well. Thements then flooded the post. It¡¯s real. There¡¯s no way they can deny the fact. It is apparent that it¡¯s the butler¡¯s ount. It¡¯s impossible that he¡¯s an imposter, a fake ount, or that he¡¯s being framed. Infuriated, Kate vented her anger by kicking the beautician¡¯s chest, causing the beautician to slump to the ground. Chapter 683 Chapter 683 The manicurist looked at her in shock. ¡°Mrs. Fraser¡­¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Kate was so angry that she violently swept all the bottles of nail polish in front of her down, causing them to fall onto the ground and break into pieces. Some of them did not break as they rolled away from her unscathed. The nail polish of various colors was sticky and spilled on the floor, which created a messy scene. A strong smell of nail polish soon filled the air. The beautician fled the scene immediately with all her equipment. It was as if there was a ghost chasing her. When the butler saw the fleeing beautician, he was frightened. He quickly walked to Kate and asked, ¡°Mrs. Fraser¡­ What¡¯s wrong? Why are you so angry?¡± Kate threw a phone at the butler forcefully. He reflexively dodged the phone, and it instantly smashed to the ground. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done! How did she find this? What¡¯s that b*tch¡¯s real identity? Doesn¡¯t she just know how to y the piano? How can she be so capable that she was able to find out all these things!¡± Kate¡¯s eyes were so wide they looked like copper bells. She shouted hysterically, ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it? You betrayed me!¡± ¡°Mrs. Fraser, I wouldn¡¯t dare to even try!¡± The butler picked up the phone. Its screen was cracked, looking like a cobweb, but the image disyed on the screen could still be vaguely recognized. He looked at the trending content, including the chat history between him and one of the ghostwriters. His expression darkened with panic. He looked at Kate, his ear ringing. ¡°Mrs. Fraser, I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. I told him to keep it a secret!¡± A wave of panic swept over his expression as he knew Kate¡¯s bad temper. The best punishment that he could have gotten for offending her was getting fired. If she kept thinking about it every day, it would be even worse. His life would be made a living hell. Just then, the ghostwriter called him over the phone. ¡°What has gotten into you? Why is everything exposed?¡± The butler could not hold back his anger and shouted back, ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be asking that question, yet you still have the guts to ask me? Now, my employer¡¯s reputation is ruined. You were the one who leaked all the information!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true! Why would we even leak our customers¡¯ information? We still have a business to run. What¡¯s going on now?¡± The ghostwriter speaking on the phone was anxious as well. ¡°Why would I know? I don¡¯t know the way all of you work.¡± The butler was so anxious that he almost cried. If this matter is not handled properly, Mrs. Fu would definitely chop me up! ¡°We can only count on Twitter to suppress the trend and make it not go viral. However, this is going to cost a fortune. So you better have the money ready. I¡¯ll be reaching out to Twitter.¡± The ghostwriter hung up as soon as he finished his sentence. His expression darkened with panic. He looked at Kate, his ear ringing. ¡°Mrs. Fraser, I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. I told him to keep it a secret!¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°Mrs. Fraser, what do we do now?¡± the butler asked tentatively, looking over at Kate. She was so angry that she wanted to rip Ashlyn apart bit by bit. ¡°What else can we do? Suppress the trend! Do we have any other options besides that?¡± That b*tch! ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll do it right now.¡± The butler quickly left. Kate stared at the colorful nail polishes on the floor. She clenched her fists in anger, digging her fingernails into her palms. On Twitter, everyone was criticizing her and the Fraser family. All of them mocked her so harshly that they even chided her ancestors. Flying into a rage, she ordered the housekeepers to clear up the mess on the floor. Before the cleaning was done, she received a call from Raphael. ¡°What did you do behind my back? Our stock fell by ten percent in just half a day! Are you crazy? What have you done to provoke Ashlyn? Do you think she is a doormat? Do you still want to get bitten by a scorpion? Honey, please stop bringing trouble to ourpany! Ashlyn is not a woman you can afford to offend. A woman who can have good rtionships with Lucas Nn and James Field must be a woman of extraordinary means,¡± berated Raphael. ¡°Why are you yelling at me? I¡¯m in a very bad mood right now. Don¡¯t push me over the edge!¡± Due to her pent-up anger, she yelled back at Raphael a few more times before finally hanging up. Chapter 684 Chapter 684 After that, she sat on the couch as she started to break out in cold sweat profusely. Even thepany¡¯s stock price has been affected¡­ It has fallen so much! If it keeps dropping¡­ She could not imagine the consequences. However, no matter how much she tried to suppress the trending topic, it was no use. Once it was removed, another one would simply pop back up. Every time they seeded in removing the trending topic, the people on the inte would juste up with another one. In the end, someone from Twitter contacted Kate. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do. The other party has invaded our system. Now our programmers are trying hard to regain control. They are too strong, and this might take some time,¡± the person said. ¡°What did you say? Twitter is such argepany with so many technical staff, yet you guys don¡¯t even have control over the website and even the system management? All of you are nothing but trash!¡± she scolded angrily. ¡°The other party is very professional. It seems to be a well-trained team of hackers. That team is very powerful, and they have never failed yet. I¡¯m sorry. We will also fight back and try to regain our authority and control as soon as possible,¡± that person said apologetically and hung up quickly. Kate slumped on the couch, her face ashen. The whole Fraser family was being criticized online, which meant her son, L, was involved as well. Moreover, many people brought up the issue between L and Charlotte, iming that the Fraser family had abused their foster daughter. All of the scandals involving the Fraser family were being brought out one after another. On top of that, even the housekeepers, who had left the Fraser family previously,mented how violently Kate had treated them in their times of service and how she had treated them as if they were her enemies. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. They imed that the lightest punishment they received was being sshed with cold water and oatmeal porridge. Kneeling as a punishment had be the norm for them as well. That was the reason that the resignation rate of the housekeepers in the Fraser residence was very high. The Fraser family soon became the inte¡¯sughing stock. Moreover, theirpany¡¯s stock price had plummeted after the disclosed scandals. It had fallen by twenty percent, with no intention of stopping. The Fraser family was on the verge of downfall. Raphael was so infuriated that he almost had a heart attack. He did not go anywhere else but home. As soon as he burst through the front door full of rage and went straight to Kate, he raised his hand and threw a p across her face. ¡°You jinx! Why did you have to provoke Ashlyn? Do you even know who you have just offended? Not only is that woman Madeline Saunders, but she is also the chairman of Centennial Healthcare. There¡¯s no difference between offending her and offending the Grim Reaper. She just attended the Global Enterprise Summit and even had the chance to give a speech! If it wasn¡¯t for the boss of a foreign company that I have a good rtionship with telling me about what happened today, the entire Fraser family would be destroyed by you!¡± he scolded. All of the scandals involving the Fraser family were being brought out one after another. Trembling with fear, Kate ignored the pain of her swollen face and tugged at his arm. ¡°Honey, what do we do now?¡± ¡°What else? Go and make an apology right now!¡± Raphael ordered while pointing at the door. Her face turned white. She could not handle the shame of apologizing to Ashlyn. ¡°Mrs. Fraser, bad news! Someone on Twitter said you poked Charlotte with a needle and ruined her appearance!¡± said the butler as he came running in with a phone in his hand. Panic was written across his face. ¡°You narrow-minded woman! Charlotte is just a youngdy, and yet you can¡¯t even let her go? Now, look what you¡¯ve done. The incident is exposed! You¡¯re seriously pissing me off!¡± Raphael was so angry that he pped her again. ¡°If the Fraser family is really destroyed, I¡¯ll make sure you pay for it!¡± ¡°Honey, don¡¯t be like this. I was wrong. I just wanted to let my anger out. Ashlyn was just too big of a bully! I had to¡ª¡± Kate tried to exin, but she was interrupted by Raphael. ¡°She was one of the judges, and you were just a spectator. Who did she bully? Can¡¯t you think straight?¡± he scolded again. Meanwhile, L sped all the way home. Once he got out of the car, he went straight for the living room. When he entered, he saw his parents arguing fiercely. He did not know which one to stop, so he could only get anxious as he watched from the side. Chapter 685 Chapter 685 ¡°What should we do about the news on the inte now?¡± ¡°You know Ashlyn, right? You and your mom should meet her to apologize. After you¡¯ve settled this issue, we can then discuss the other issues,¡± Raphael ordered. ¡°Dear, I¡¯ll go and ask Dixon for help. I¡¯m sure he can help us!¡± Kate cried as she suddenly remembered that Dixon could possibly help her. ¡°He¡¯s my nephew. As long as he agrees to help, I can settle this issue. Ashlyn is a nobodypared to him! She is just a woman who can y the piano. I¡¯m sure her position as the director at Centennial Healthcare is just an honorary position. Jared is the president of thatpany. Everyone knows that he¡¯s the one who¡¯s in charge there. Ashlyn doesn¡¯t contribute anything and only waits for her share of the profits. She can¡¯t be a capable person. Let me go and look for Dixon, Dear. I¡¯m sure he will help me. We¡¯re rtives!¡± Kate tugged on Raphael¡¯s arm and sobbed loudly. ¡°I¡¯m not young anymore. How could you ask me to go and apologize to a young tramp like her? It¡¯s too embarrassing for me.¡± They had been married for a few decades. Although Raphael was angry, he felt his heart ache when he saw Kate this upset. He calmed down a bit and uttered in a softer tone, ¡°I don¡¯t think Dixon can remedy this situation. However, there¡¯s no harm in you asking him for help.¡± Wiping her tears, Kate grabbed her bag. With red, watery eyes, she stated, ¡°I¡¯ll go and meet him now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, Mom,¡± L remarked worriedly. He quickly grabbed the car keys and chased after Kate. At Bayview Vi, Ashlyn leisurely sat in front of an easel, painting andscape. Although she had not painted for a while, her skill was still very outstanding. Under the starry night sky was a vast green pasture. In the middle of that grassy field stood a little girl in red. She looked very lonely, although only her back could be seen. Ashlyn painted for a long time. She only stopped when she was tired. After tidying up her paintbrushes and other equipment, Ashlyn left the room. By the door, she spotted Harrison and Anderson. ¡°Boss!¡± they chorused. ¡°How did it go?¡± Ashlyn stared at their identical faces coldly. They were so simr, even in their height. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°Please check this out, Boss.¡± Harrison passed a phone to her. On the screen were the trending headlines of the day. A few of the headlines were about the Fraser family. Ashlyn smirked coolly. With a piercing gaze, she uttered, ¡°Let¡¯s see if Mrs. Fraser can still be this arrogant when the Fraser family stocks have plummeted.¡± Wiping her tears, Kate grabbed her bag. With red, watery eyes, she stated, ¡°I¡¯ll go and meet him now.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve avenged Ms. Charlotte, Boss,¡± Anderson chirped with a joyful smile. ¡°Mrs. Fraser is disgusting. She¡¯s just like cow dung.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an insult to cow dung,¡± Harrison stated. ¡°She is so scandalous. I wouldn¡¯t guarantee if I could go through all her past scandals within three days.¡± Harrison scrolled through thements regarding Kate on Twitter. Most of them were berating her. Because of what had happened at the pianopetition, Charlotte had gained some fans. Although she did not have many fans, the ones she had were all very vocal about her situation on Twitter. Just then, Ashlyn¡¯s phone rang. She looked at her phone and raised an eyebrow before answering it. ¡°Mr. Haddock, what do you want?¡± At that moment, Dixon was in the president¡¯s office in Haddock Group. His expression was as cold as ice as he sat on his leather chair. However, there was a hint of mirth in his tone. It contrasted eerily against his expression. ¡°Ms. Berry, could you let this go for my sake? My aunt was in the wrong this time. She regrets her actions. How about you forgive her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who your aunt is, Mr. Haddock.¡± Ashlyn smiled deeply. ¡°What did she do to offend me?¡± Chapter 686 Chapter 686 ¡°I¡¯m sure you know what I¡¯m talking about, Ms. Berry. It¡¯s about the Fraser family. They¡¯ve asked for my help, so I can¡¯t just stand by and watch. What is it that you want to bargain for?¡± Dixon¡¯s voice turned icy. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to bargain for anything here. I¡¯m just doing it to pay Mrs. Fraser back. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.¡± ¡°Ashlyn!¡± Dixon took a deep breath when he heard her uncooperative reply. ¡°How about this? Fraser Corporation will call a press conference to apologize to you publicly tomorrow.¡± ¡°What a kind offer, Mr. Haddock. Thank you. How¡¯s the movie that you and Fraser Corporation invested in going? Have you found a new lead actress? I can rmend a few actresses to you.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s icy voice sounded through the phone. Dixon¡¯s feminine face turned sinister as hostility shed across his eyes. Gritting his teeth, he answered, ¡°That is none of your concern, Ms. Berry. The shooting of that movie will go well.¡± m! A loud sound echoed in the room as he threw his phone on the floor in anger. It broke into pieces instantly. Then he red at Kate viciously. ¡°Don¡¯t mess with Ashlyn in the future without my permission.¡± ¡°Dixon, why did you agree to hold a press conference?¡± Kate frowned in frustration. ¡°This incident is a big mess. The only way to resolve it is to hold a press conference and apologize to all the parties involved. Do you think this issue will magically subside?¡± Dixon responded coldly. ¡°If you want to resuscitate Fraser Corporation, you can¡¯t be a coward.¡± L nodded. ¡°Listen to Dixon, Mom. He¡¯s right.¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Kate had no choice but to ept. Dixon¡¯s expression was unreadable as he added, ¡°If Fraser Corporation recovers from this, I would like you to help me with something, L.¡± Upon hearing that, L froze. ¡°Dixon, I¡¯m supposed to be a firefighter here. How can I help you?¡± ¡°It has something to do with you, too. Do you want revenge against Ashlyn?¡± Dixon asked in a maniptive way. ¡°I thought you said we shouldn¡¯t mess with her¡­¡± Kate mumbled timidly. ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t be so afraid. There are many ways to seek revenge. You can get your revenge without having to reveal yourself. Why don¡¯t you understand that?¡± Dixon stared at Kate like a serpent staring at its prey. Then he leaned close to L to whisper in thetter¡¯s ear. L¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Umm¡­ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Contempt shed across Dixon¡¯s eyes, but it quickly reverted to his usual look. ¡°Think about Fraser Corporation. Think about our movie. You have to fight back, L.¡± On their way home, Kate could not help but ask L, ¡°What did Dixon whisper to you?¡± L nodded. ¡°Listen to Dixon, Mom. He¡¯s right.¡± Looking annoyed, L replied, ¡°You¡¯ll know in a few days¡¯ time.¡± He felt frustrated when he thought of Charlotte and Joseph standing together. That was a scene that he would not want to see. His grip on the steering wheel weakened; Dixon¡¯s words had greatly affected him. L tried not to think about it and focused on driving instead. In the Warhol residence, Olivia had been glued to her phone, monitoring the whole issue regarding the Fraser family. She could not believe her eyes. Ashlyn caused such damage to a bigpany in just a day. Their reputation is ruined, and their stocks are dropping in value. How did she do it? Most importantly, she can even keep this issue in the headlines. Cold sweat broke out behind Olivia¡¯s back. Would the Warhol family have been dragged into this if I had acted even more arrogantly when I met Mrs. Field and Charlotte that day? Letting out a sigh, she turned off her phone. Then she sat on the couch and stared into the space dazedly. From that day onward, Olivia became extra careful with her words and actions. She was no longer as arrogant as she used to be. Instead, she became polite and treated everyone with respect. Chapter 687 Chapter 687 Not only were the people around her shocked, but so were her own parents. When asked what the cause of her transformation was, she could not bring herself to exin it to them. Her thoughts instantly drifted to Hera Chapman, the woman who had been cklisted by the fashion industry. For some reason, she had a hunch that Ashlyn was also the mastermind behind Hera¡¯s misfortune. In the meantime, Naomiy on the hospital bed, her physique gradually shrinking. She had lost a lot of weight due to her extremely poor appetite. Thus, the doctor had no choice but to start her on intravenous vitamin therapy. Otherwise, she would break apart if she continued like this. ir stayed by her bed, peeling an apple for her. After peeling, the young man cut the apple into small slices before cing them on a te and putting it in front of her. He wrote some words on a piece of paper: Naomi, have some food. ¡°ir¡­ Do you think Lucas and Ashlyn will reconcile?¡± asked Naomi stubbornly. She was afraid that her day woulde before they got back together. What if I don¡¯t wake up one morning? I¡¯m scared! ir scribbled another line of words on the paper. It read: What nonsense are you talking about? They¡¯ll definitely reconcile. However, a lump began to form in his throat despite writing those words. How did my bright sister suddenly be so frail and fragile? That wretched mysterious person! Why did they want to harm Ashlyn? In the end, they caused Naomi great misery instead! No matter who got hurt by the poison, my heart aches for either of them. I would rather be the one to suffer in their stead! He sat there for a long time, keeping Naomipany. Only after the young girl fell asleep did he get up and exit the ward. His lonely figure leaned against the icy wall and eventually slumped to the ground. With bended knees, he fell to the floor as a sob escaped his lips. Right at this moment, a hand as pale as porcin reached out and patted him on his shoulder. Subsequently, someone squatted in front of him, pulling him into their embrace. Ashlyn¡¯s soothing voice rang out beside his ear. ¡°You¡¯re her older brother. How can you break down so easily? Your brother is busy, so you¡¯re the only pir of support for your family. You¡¯re fine¡­¡± Hearing her soft voice, the young man instinctively looked up at the woman in front of him. Her beautiful countenance was just before his, yet her gaze was as gentle as a mother¡¯s. His heart ached once more. ¡°Ashlyn, it hurts so badly¡­¡± ¡°Men shouldn¡¯t cry so easily. I¡¯ll surely find a way to save Naomi. How could I possibly watch as she¡­¡± Ashlyn¡¯s hoarse voice trailed off, her bloodshot eyes reflecting her concern for the matter. ¡°Ashlyn¡­¡± ir slowly lifted his head to look at her. Her face exuded an enchanting glimmer as he stared at her under the bright lights of the corridor, which was somehow calming to him. ir¡¯s lips quivered as he began to speak. His voice was low with a tinge of youthfulness. ¡°I want to¡ª¡± Suddenly, the sound of rushed footsteps resounded in the corridor. The duo looked in the direction of the sound in astonishment. ¡°Ashlyn Berry!¡± shouted a middle-aged woman. He sat there for a long time, keeping Naomipany. Only after the young girl fell asleep did he get up and exit the ward. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. With a fierce roar, the woman hastily walked in front of Ashlyn and lifted her hand, ready to give the latter a p. With his lightning-quick reflexes, ir gripped the woman¡¯s wrist and pushed her back, causing her to stagger backward a few steps. Thankfully, the man behind her managed to catch her. Otherwise, she would have fallen to the ground. ¡°ir? Do you even respect your parents anymore?¡± The woman¡¯s voice was shrill and ear-piercing. ir was taken aback. He looked at the woman, who was dressed in a graceful, tight-fitting gown. A pearl ne adorned her neck, making her exude an air of elegance and nobility. Nevertheless, there was a vicious, cold glint in her eyes that struck fear in those who met her gaze. The young man opened his mouth to speak. ¡°Madam¡­¡± p! A hard pnded on ir¡¯s face. His head tilted to one side, and his pped cheek turned red. ¡°You bastard! What right do you have to speak to her like that?¡± Franklin elegantly epted a handkerchief handed to him by a subordinate. The former¡¯s face was dark as the night as he red at ir. Behind the tall middle-aged man stood two neat rows of men in ck. Each of them was formidable and immovable as they stood expressionlessly, awaiting their employer¡¯s orders. ¡°Dad¡­¡± ir¡¯s eyes reddened as he stared at Franklin incredulously. Chapter 688 Chapter 688 ¡°This woman caused your sister to go deaf, yet you¡¯re protecting her? What in the world are you doing?¡± With a wave of Franklin¡¯s hand, dozens of men in ck rushed forward and surrounded ir and Ashlyn. Livia walked in front of Ashlyn and raised thetter¡¯s chin with her forefinger. With a cocky smile, she uttered, ¡°Ms. Berry, you made my daughter go deaf, and you caused the death of my eldest daughter. Since this is the case¡­ An eye for an eye, what say you? Lucas may not have the heart to even pluck a single strand of hair off your head, but not us.¡± ¡°The whole world knows that I didn¡¯t kill ire; it was Carmen.¡± Confronted by Livia, Ashlyn did not budge a single inch. Instead, she merely eyed Livia coldly. The middle-aged woman smiled as she gently caressed Ashlyn¡¯s hair. In a hushed voice, she stated ¡°So what? In my eyes, you¡¯re the one who killed her, and you¡¯re the one who made my little girl go deaf!¡± Sizing Ashlyn up as if she were an object, Livia questioned, ¡°Ashlyn Berry, how do you n on paying the cost of your sin?¡± ir could not watch on any longer. As he grimaced, he remarked in a low voice, ¡°Madam, someone else spiked Naomi¡¯s drink!¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°But the drink was meant for Ashlyn! ir, you need to get your facts right. That drug was intended for Ashlyn, to begin with! Instead, your sister drank it, so isn¡¯t it Ashlyn¡¯s fault? Also, I¡¯m your mother. Is this how you speak to your own mother? ir Nn, where are your manners?¡± remarked Livia in an icy tone. She hadpletely made use of her status as the madam of the Nn family. ¡°You¡­¡± ir muttered in a raspy voice. His chest hurt from the rage burning inside him. You¡¯re not my mother! ¡°You can humiliate me, but please don¡¯t humiliate Ashlyn. Madam, I beg of you¡­¡± Tears began to well up in ir¡¯s eyes. He overcame the fear of speaking up against Franklin and Livia¡ªsomething he was born with. It felt as though he was swallowing shards of ss as he spoke. ¡°Get lost!¡± Livia pushed thenky young man away. Then she turned to the men in ck encircling Ashlyn and ordered, ¡°Get her!¡± With a sneer, she hissed, ¡°If I don¡¯t teach this b*tch a lesson today, she¡¯ll think that the Nn kids don¡¯t have parents to protect them. Who is she to bully our children?¡± ir could feel his heart being torn to shreds. He never thought that the day woulde when Livia¡¯s merciless tactics would cause him such great pain. Ashlyn is so nice to me and Naomi! Why is she twisting the truth? Such was the might of thedy of the Nn house. Not only was her status in the household well-established, but she also had the authority to do as she pleased in therger Nn family. This was all the more so when it came to the Nns¡¯ experiment and research center, where she held an enormous amount of connections and power. Right now, even if the entire Nn family was not allowed to enter their research center overseas, she would not let the other Nn family members take advantage of the situation. ir experienced her prowess firsthand. I would never be able to train myself to be as cruel and heartless as this couple in my entire lifetime! ¡°You¡­¡± ir muttered in a raspy voice. His chest hurt from the rage burning inside him. Regardless, even if he had to endure brutal punishment, he could not stand idly and watch as Ashlyn suffered. Just as the men in ck rushed toward Ashlyn, ir made a move. His skinny silhouette weaved through the crowd, and he utilized both his knuckles to forcefully punch two men in their backs. Bang! The two burly men in ck instantly flew and hit the wall at the other end of the corridor. All that could be heard were their pained wails. Seeing that, Franklin frowned. He eyed ir with a cold gaze like that of the devil¡¯s. Thunderstruck, Livia stood rooted to the spot as she stared at the nimble young man. ir was quite surprised at the great strength that he possessed as well. Recently, he had been practicing the martial art skills that Ashlyn had taught him. After he got off work, he would go to Ashlyn¡¯s training camp and practice for a while before heading home. It shocked him that he actually managed to improve so much within such a short time span. Franklin¡¯s subordinates were all experts in martial art. After all, he did not allow those who worked for him to be idle even for a single minute. ncing at Ashlyn in disbelief, ir mumbled, ¡°Ashlyn¡­¡± ¡°ir, these people are just punching bags for you to toy around with now. They should be a piece of cake for you.¡± The beautiful woman stood just a few steps away from ir. She stared at him from a distance as if she were but an outsider. Chapter 689 Chapter 689 Despite being surrounded by so many men in ck, Ashlyn did not cower in fear. There was not a hint of weakness in her expressionless face. Her encouraging gaze sparked a warmth in ir¡¯s heart. He kicked away two men who were rushing toward him and leaped into the air coolly, exuding a powerful aura as if he could take on all the men in the world. It was utterly beyond Franklin¡¯s anticipation that this ce would be ir¡¯s battlefield and that his subordinates would end up as ir¡¯sbat dummies. The young man¡¯s movements were agile, and his actions were extremely well-thought-out. One could see that he had been trained by an expert at first nce; he was no random fighter who picked up some skills on the streets. Franklin knew best how ir used to be¡ªthetter was simply a failure of a child who would wreak havoc wherever he went. Yet, he¡¯s shielding Ashlyn with his life now. And with such remarkable martial skills at that! What happened to him while I was away? While the couple was still in shock, Ashlyn grinned andmented, ¡°Mr. Nn and Mrs. Nn, I have to thank you for giving ir the opportunity to engage in realbat. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have grown so fast.¡± Livia stared at Ashlyn coldly. Just as thetter raised her brows to look back at her, the elegant middle- aged woman suddenly lifted her hands to tear her gown at the waist, revealing her long, fair legs and a pair of ck safety shorts. Within the blink of an eye, she leaped into the fray, light as a feather. Her palm was clenched into a paw as she rushed toward ir. Since the young man was still wet behind the ears, he could not dodge her attack, thus suffering a blow to the chest from Livia. He spat out a mouthful of blood, staining his white tee. Ashlyn stepped forward and supported ir, who kept staggering backward. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± said ir, his face pale as a sheet as he shook his head. Ashlyn narrowed her eyes, concealing the icy glint that just shed by. The next second, her beautiful figure materialized in front of Livia. Ashlyn moved as quick as lightning. Before Livia and Franklin even noticed it, the young woman had already appeared in front of Livia. Viciously, she aimed at thetter¡¯s chest with her palm. Livia did not expect Ashlyn to have such swift movements. ¡°Mrs. Nn, you have such impressive skills! Surely, it would shake the entire world if news spread about the madam of the Nn family being an expert in martial art,¡± remarked Ashlyn in a cold voice. Gritting her teeth, Livia evaded the gust of wind released from Ashlyn¡¯s palm strike. She wanted to retaliate but could only barely defend herself under Ashlyn¡¯s incessant attacks. This b*tch! She¡¯s actually so good at martial art! I thought she only knew a move or two. Just as the twodies were fighting tooth and nail, Ashlynnded a strong hit on Livia, causing the latter to fly into the air. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Since the young man was still wet behind the ears, he could not dodge her attack, thus suffering a blow to the chest from Livia. Seeing that, Franklin stretched out his arms and caught his wife just before she fell to the ground. Blood was trickling from the corner of Livia¡¯s lips, and she felt a burning pain in her chest. ¡°Ashlyn Berry, don¡¯t even think about being part of our family for the rest of your life!¡± ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ve already been part of your family, and I do not find anything particrly appealing about it!¡± The slim young woman stood at her spot and retracted her palm. ¡°I did nothing wrong; I didn¡¯t kill ire Nn, and that¡¯s that! No one is allowed to frame me for something that I didn¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Your words don¡¯t count!¡± bellowed Livia in a stern voice. Lifting her brows, Ashlyn replied, ¡°Neither do yours! Also, I taught martial art to my disciple, and I trained him myself. Even if you two are his parents, you¡¯re not allowed to scold or humiliate him as you please! You¡¯ll have to seek permission from me first if you want toy a hand on him.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll regret this, Ashlyn!¡± Franklin peered at Ashlyn and ir, who was standing behind her, with a cold gaze. ¡°I¡¯m teaching my son. This is none of your business!¡± ¡°He¡¯s my disciple. You¡¯ll have to go through me first!¡± There was a hint of impatience in Ashlyn¡¯s expression. She did not want to go on arguing with such an unreasonable couple. Talking to people like them was a useless waste of time. Hence, she supported ir to his feet, wanting to get him treated at the nearest nurses¡¯ station. Chapter 690 Chapter 690 Livia was going to instruct the men in ck to stop Ashlyn and ir from leaving, but Franklin shook his head. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°There¡¯s no need to.¡± His eyes gleamed dangerously as they closely trailed after Ashlyn and ir, who were leaving the scene. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside the ward.¡± At that, he carried Livia in his arms and walked toward Naomi¡¯s ward. The two rows of men in ck stood guard outside the door. The young girl inside the room could not hear anything at all. It was only when they arrived right in front of her that Naomi lifted her eyes. ¡°Dad¡­ Madam? Why are you here?¡± Naomi looked at the couple in shock. Feeling a temper building up within her, Livia struggled and got out of Franklin¡¯s arms. p! A loud p resounded in the ward. Livia had pped Naomi forcefully across thetter¡¯s face. The young girl looked at Livia in humiliation but obstinately refused to allow her tears toe out. Since young, I¡¯ve always known that I¡¯m the precious daughter of the Nn family on the surface, but Madam only ever cared about her own two biological daughters. ir and I¡ªwe¡¯re no more than dogs in their eyes only because we were born of Dad¡¯s servant. ¡°You wretched thing! If it weren¡¯t for our family, would you have been able to study abroad? We¡¯ve raised you for so many years; it¡¯s time for you to return the favor.¡± Pinching Naomi¡¯s chin, Liviamanded, ¡°You must keep Mr. Zimmermanpany tonight. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have your head!¡± Naomi¡¯s eyes widened, and she shook her head in fear. Although she could not hear what Livia was saying, she had a gut feeling that it was not good news. With a lump in her throat, she muttered, ¡°Madam, I can¡¯t hear¡­ I can¡¯t hear anything.¡± Trembling, she passed a piece of paper and a pen to Livia. Looking at Naomi with a hint of mockery, thetter took the pen and paper and started writing down what she had said. When Naomi read what was written on the paper, her face turned ashen from shock. ¡°You¡¯re just a deaf girl now. Seeing as you might still be of some use to us, go and apany Mr. Zimmerman at night! He promised to invest three hundred million in ourb. Now, it¡¯s time for you to support your father¡¯s career.¡± ¡°N-No, I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Naomi¡¯s chest heaved as she grabbed the corner of Franklin¡¯s shirt. With teary eyes, she nced up at her father¡¯s stern face. ¡°Dad, please¡­ D-Don¡¯t make me go with Mr. Zimmerman. I¡¯m earning money with my films; I¡¯ll give all the profits to you. I beg of you¡­¡± Livia swiftly scribbled on the paper again. It wrote: Even if you don¡¯t want to, you have to! Did you think you can just sit and enjoy our family¡¯s luxury after we¡¯ve taken care of you for so many years? It¡¯s time for your dad and me to collect your debt! You¡¯re deaf now¡ªwhat other purpose can you serve? It¡¯s good enough that someone even wants you! You¡¯re nothing but trash! Franklin coldly pushed away Naomi¡¯s hands, causing the girl to stumble onto her bed. Her heart froze over with helplessness as though someone had poured a bucket of iced water over her head in the summer. With a lump in her throat, she muttered, ¡°Madam, I can¡¯t hear¡­ I can¡¯t hear anything.¡± So, these are my parents¡­ They¡¯re willing to push me into the pits of hell with their own hands for the sake of money. ¡°Lucas has money,¡± Naomi mumbled. ¡±It¡¯s just three hundred million. Can¡¯t Lucas fork that sums out?¡± Livia smugly wrote on the paper again: Mr. Zimmerman is extremely interested in our research, so we became business partners. Why would we use our own family¡¯s money when we can use someone else¡¯s money? Isn¡¯t it great to keep our money in our own pockets? Did you think your brother would fork out money for you, anyway? Did you think that you¡¯re worth three hundred million? You¡¯re just trash! Why would he spend money on you? Naomi thought she had indeed been too na?ve. What am I? I¡¯m just his half-sister. Lucas has taken more than enough care of me over the past few years. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ We¡¯re half-siblings, after all. It¡¯s good enough that he epts me as his sister.¡± Naomi could feel a thousand knives piercing her heart. The pain was so immense that she could hardly breathe. Once more, Livia held Naomi¡¯s face by the chin. With a probing stare, she lifted the piece of paper in her hand for Naomi to read. It wrote: You¡¯re wrong. He¡¯s not even your father¡¯s son. He has absolutely no blood connection with you whatsoever. Only your lovely face is still good for something! I-I¡¯m not rted to Lucas by blood? ¡°N-No, that¡¯s impossible! How could Lucas not be my brother? You¡¯re lying! How could we not be siblings?¡± eximed Naomi. Chapter 691 Chapter 691 Naomi¡¯s mind went nk. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. How is this possible. Lucas is not my brother? She could not believe that the brother she had always relied on¡ªwho supported and protected her all the time like a mountain on her back¡ªwas not rted to her by blood. Does that mean Ashlyn will cut off our rtionship from now on? Because I will not be her true sister- inw anymore. Tears streamed down her cheeks like shooting stars. She cried her heart out. However, her tears could not seem to bear the enormous sadness filling her heart at the moment. ¡°Three hundred million! No one can take it in your stead! Tonight, you must listen to me and spend the night with Mr. Zimmerman!¡± Livia patted her face before standing up with a proud face. As she finished her words, a cold voice sounded behind her. ¡°I will take the three hundred million for her!¡± The room door opened, revealing a tall, sturdy man. He kicked the ck-suited man guarding the door away and stepped into the room. The man was wearing all ck and had a grim look on his cold face. ¡°Dad, Mom, is this why youe here¡ªto put pressure on Naomi? What benefit will you get from doing that? Mr. Zimmerman is sixty years old this year. He¡¯s old enough to be Naomi¡¯s grandfather. How could you ask Naomi to spend a night with him? You¡¯re putting her in utter danger!¡± ¡°Lucas, who do you think you are? Let me tell you. If not for the Nn family, you¡¯re only a nobody! You¡¯re just an abandoned pawn! You¡¯re rubbish thrown away from the family by that man!¡± Livia¡¯s face darkened. The contempt toward Lucas in her eyes was suffocating. ¡°All these years, the Nn family has educated you and handed over Nn Group to you. Does that make you think you¡¯re the God-chosen one?¡± she continued. Naomi could not hear what Livia was talking about. She could only see Livia¡¯s mouth opening and closing continuously. Lucas¡¯ stood in front of Naomi with his back facing her; his tall figure was blocking her sight. She did not know what Lucas had said. There was nothing but silence left in her world, so quiet that she was on the verge of a breakdown. She lost control of her mind and wanted to die. ¡°No¡­ no¡­ Lucas, don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t fight them for me, please. It¡¯s not worth it, Lucas,¡± begged Naomi, her hand clutching Lucas¡¯ arm. From the cruel expression on Livia¡¯s face, Naomi could guess that Lucas had done something against their parents. ¡°Look at her! Doesn¡¯t your heart feel pain when she calls you? I¡¯m so touched by your brother-sister rtionship!¡± Livia mocked. In the meantime, Franklin¡¯s cold gaze went back and forth between Lucas and Naomi. ¡°I will give you three hundred million. No one can take my sister away from me,¡± said Lucas, emphasizing every word. I have to protect Naomi. Otherwise, what¡¯s the meaning of her having me as an older brother? ¡°Lucas, even if you can give three hundred million this time, what about next time?¡± Franklin sneered with a deep voice. It was as though the air was frozen by his words. In the ward, Lucas locked his dark gaze on Franklin, who was in front of him. His face was dead cold. Meanwhile, the frostiness on Franklin¡¯s emotionless face did not show any emotion human beings would normally carry. Lucas had known from the beginning that Franklin did not possess any feelings. He was more cold- blooded than a venomous snake and more vicious than brutes. It was simply impossible to see anything that showed a hint of humanity in him. No, he does not deserve to be called a human. How can someone be so heartless to trade his own daughter? He¡¯s too cruel to be a human! ¡°Dad, I advise you not to think of sending Naomi to other men.¡± Lucas¡¯ aura was intimidating. Franklin, who stood in front of him, was almost taken aback by his domineering presence. Then Franklin scoffed. ¡°Lucas, my two daughters have lost their lives because of you! Now you¡¯re trying to protect Naomi and teach me a lesson? Do you think you have the right to do that? If not for you, ire wouldn¡¯t have died. You and Ashlyn are responsible for ire¡¯s death!¡± ¡°Oh, my poor Grace. She fell off the cliff¡­ Lucas, what on earth do we owe you? What does the Nn family owe you? Why did you force Grace to death?¡± growled Livia. Chapter 692 Chapter 692 Lucas felt as if his head was being smashed into pieces. He could hear buzzing sounds in his mind. The veins on his forehead throbbed uncontrobly, and he clenched his fist. Grace¡­ Grace¡­ My sister¡­ N?velDrama.Org is the owner. The corner of his eyes turned blood red. It was as though there was a ck mist surrounding the air around him. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Lucas punched the wall heavily like mad. His ferocious look was frightening. Naomi was terrified by his crazy behavior. When she saw the blood on his hand, she immediately jumped off her bed. Despite her weak condition, she forced herself to hug Lucas. ¡°Lucas, calm down!¡± she shouted. This was her first time seeing him lose control. She never knew that Lucas had this side of him. ¡°Get off!¡± Lucas¡¯ dark eyes were glimmering with redness. He pushed Naomi away. At that moment, the ck-suited men standing guard outside the door heard the sounds in the room. They dashed into the ward in an instant. Lucas, who had gone insane, fought the guards. He mastered martial art, and his movements were quick. More than ten guards who surrounded him were all defeated simultaneously. He red at the people in front of him with his bloodshot eyes. In his mind, their figures ovepped with the human traffickers from over ten years ago. It was all because of them! They kidnapped me and Grace! It was their fault! They deserve to die! All of them deserve to die! With that in mind, he rushed out of the room. At this moment, a few doctors, who were seriously discussing some academic topics, walked in his direction. All of a sudden, the doctors saw a tall man with long legs dashing toward them. Lucas caught the cor of one of the doctors like mad and lifted him into the air before throwing the doctor onto the floor. Bang! The skinny doctor was mmed onto the floor. The doctor had a fragile body, hence he immediately passed out. Upon seeing that, the other doctors abruptly came back to their senses and ran away in all directions. A doctor, who was the head of a department, asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mr. Nn?¡± However, the man whose mind was engulfed in his demented imagination could not hear what the doctor was saying. Lucas¡¯ voice was so horrifying that it sounded like hell. Grabbing the doctor¡¯s throat, he pressed him against the wall. ¡°Go to hell! All of you! Go to hell!¡± he shouted. The doctor panted nervously, but he could not breathe as his neck was held by Lucas. His face turned red due to theck of oxygen. As he was about to be choked to death, a woman with a slender body ran toward them. Her snow-white palm clutched onto Lucas¡¯rge hands. ¡°Lucas, wake up!¡± Ashlyn looked at him anxiously. If the situation continued, given Lucas¡¯ powerful strength, she would not be able to stop him. The doctor seemed nearly choked to death. What is his future going to be if he murders someone here? Ashlyn¡¯s eyes reddened. Whenever she saw Lucas¡¯ disease being triggered, she felt heartbroken. Then she nced at the nearby ir, giving him a hint. Lucas, who had gone insane, did not notice it. Right then, ir made a move. He hit both his fists at Lucas, but thetter did not move at all as if he were a metal wall. ir¡¯s attack was meaningless. Even if Lucas could feel the pain when the punchid on his body, he had no intention of letting go of the doctor. ¡°Go on! Don¡¯t pity him just because he¡¯s your brother!¡± Though Ashlyn said it in a low voice, her voice pierced sharply into ir¡¯s ears. How can I hit my brother? I can¡¯t do this. But¡­ if I don¡¯t use my full strength, Lucas will be in great trouble. As ir gritted his teeth, he punched Lucas in his chest will all his strength. Just as Lucas was distracted by ir, Ashlynshed her leg toward Lucas¡¯ bottom in a smooth movement. She hit at the most crucial part. With ir and Ashlyn attacking from both sides, Lucas was forced to loosen his grip on the doctor¡¯s throat. Letting go of the doctor, he aimed his palm at ir¡¯s head. Upon seeing that, Ashlyn immediately stretched her hands and hugged Lucas¡¯ waist tightly. Then she threw their bodies aside with great strength. Chapter 693 Chapter 693 When a man was enraged and was going berserk, he would have no concern for anyone. Even if the p did not kill ir, he would be paralyzed. In a pinch, Ashlyn used all her strength to tackle Lucas to the ground. Her soft body hugged him tightly from behind, and the familiar sweet scent wafted into his nostrils. His furious expression froze in an instant. It was as though the tension in his brain suddenly dissipated. Who is that? Her scent is so familiar¡­ ¡°What makes you infuriated, Lucas? Are you trying to tell the entire world that you¡¯re insane?¡± His hostile look was painful for Ashlyn to watch, and she felt even more agony in her long despaired heart. Her voice is familiar too¡­ It¡¯s as if she came from ancient time and space¡­ As Ashlyn angrily reprimanded him, Lucas¡¯ reddened and vacant eyes slowly returned to focus. His gaze ultimately settled on her beautiful face. ¡°Honey¡­¡± His hoarse voice came out like a whisper. ¡°Lucas!¡± Ashlyn shrieked with agony. Lucas panted heavily. His body felt as if it had been stabbed. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it at all!¡± He reached out and grabbed her arms with a contorted expression. ¡°I know! I know! Calm down, please! I beg you.¡± Ashlyn hugged him tightly. Many people in the corridor who had heard themotion quietly rushed out to see what was happening. However, most of them were terrified by Lucas, who had gone insane. They did not dare to get close and only looked from a safe distance. Ashlyn and Lucas didn¡¯t realize that someone was live-streaming the scene. Several million people tuned in to watch the entire process of Nn Group¡¯s president and South Star Airlines¡¯ number one captain, Lucas Nn¡¯s wrath on Twitter. It was like watching a high-profile celebrity¡¯s live broadcast. Thements started to flood the live stream. What in the world? My dream man¡¯s image is ruined. Is he suffering from a mental illness? Mania? Or what? It¡¯s dreadful for a man to go crazy for no apparent reason. I think he should resign from his position as captain. Who would dare to fly in the ne he pilots? Yes! Exactly! I wouldn¡¯t risk flying under hismand. How can a madman fly a ne? Is it because he owns the airlinepany that his requirements of himself are rtively low? How did he be a captain? A person who has a mental illness cannot be a captain, right? I suppose this is mania. I¡¯m a psychiatrist, and I can tell you this is mania for sure. Remove him from his position. He can no longer fly nes! On the other hand, some audiences took note of something different from the rest. Oh my goodness? What exactly did I hear? Did Lucas refer to Ashlyn as Honey? Is that what I heard? While Lucas hugged Ashlyn, they looked like a couple who had been married for a long time. Why do I feel like I¡¯m watching a romantic drama? Everyone else had failed to calm him down, but Ashlyn could do it with just a hug? Only someone he holds dear could make him return to his senses with just a hug. So? Is Ashlyn Mrs. Nn? People in the live room went crazy with their spections. Soon after, North Wind Airlines released a boycott letter on Twitter: Lucas Nn, who is suffering from a serious mental illness, should be barred from continuing to work as a captain. North Wind Airlines¡¯ captains have passed rigorous physical fitness exams and are free of mental illness. Allizens are wee to fly with us! They even attached a document with information on experts¡¯ analysis of mania-rted symptoms. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. The number ofments below went up instantly. Oh god! Lucas has all of the symptoms of this illness. I watched the full live stream from the beginning to the end. He rushed out of the ward and went insane. If it hadn¡¯t been for Ashlyn, I¡¯m afraid he would have choked the doctor to death. Ashlyn is so cool! She calmed Lucas down almost immediately. Hey! Am I the only one who feels that North Wind Airlines is adding fuel to the fire? Chapter 694 Chapter 694 Meanwhile,izens flocked to South Star Airlines¡¯ official Twitter page to postments. We can¡¯t stand for this! Boycott Lucas! Lucas is unqualified to be a captain. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. You guys are too evil. You¡¯re putting all passengers¡¯ lives at risk by allowing a sick captain to pilot the ne. I¡¯ll never fly with your airline again. This is terrible! The management of South Star Airlines was on the verge of copse. Not only their president¡¯s image was negatively affected, but the rumored ¡°Mrs. Nn¡± had also been revealed. The top three trending topics on Twitter were: Lucas is Sick, Lucas is a Madman, and Lucas has Mania. Ashlyn¡¯s name appeared in the trending topics on Twitter, too. There were heated discussions on whether the person whom Lucas had secretly married, the rumored Mrs. Nn, was Ashlyn. It was dreadful. Not only was it devastating, but the state of the matter was also enough to make people want to kill themselves. The top executives were afraid to contact Lucas. After all, the way he went insane was frightening. Finally, one of the top executives mustered the courage to call Spencer. ¡°Mr. White, South Star Airlines¡¯ stock price continues to fall, andizens¡¯ emotions are running high! What should we do? Can the president preside over the matter now, Mr. White?¡± At the same time, Spencer¡¯s other phone rang. A senior executive of Nn Group asked, ¡°Mr. White, what should we do now? Our employees are in a state of terror, and more than ten people have already resigned. They are all frightened that the president may injure them if he loses his mind. No one knows if Mrs. Nn will be around all the time. Can she really calm the president down?¡± ¡°Only Mrs. Nn appears to be able to keep him under control. But the problem is she can¡¯t stay by his side at all times. I-I¡­ am scared too!¡± ¡°Mr. White, is the president truly manic?¡± Both executives were talking incessantly to Spencer with horrified expressions. They were so anxious that it sounded as if they wished they coulde out of the phones and appear before Spencer. Spencer was frustrated. He had tofort both of them at the same time. At that very moment, a beautiful, fair hand stretched out toward Spencer. He froze instinctively before looking at the woman whose other arm was still tightly wrapped around Lucas. The woman¡¯s gorgeous face appeared white and frigid in the hospital corridor, yet it had the power to put one at ease. Despite her silence, Spencer seemed to know what he should do subconsciously. Before he realized it, he had already ced the phone in her hand. Her porcin white fingers held the ck phone. Then, her cold yet calm voice reached the top executives¡¯ ears over the phone and thousands ofizens¡¯ ears through the Twitter live stream. ¡°This is Ashlyn. Lucas was merely triggered and got hurt. He will receive the best treatment. He will heal and truly be a normal person.¡± Her voice was powerful, and every word she spoke was filled with confidence. It carried a sense of dominance and coldness that no one could refute. ¡°Mania is not an incurable illness. No one should be terrified of it. I hope that regardless of whether it¡¯s South Star Airlines or Nn Group, all employees and management do not need to be afraid. I am now officially announcing that Lucas will no longer hold the position of the captain of South Star Airlines. He is not a god but an ordinary man who has flesh and blood and severe wounds. Every adult will experience an emotional breakdown at some point. Not to mention, Lucas has withstood pressure that no one else could bear. Employees who choose to leave South Star Airlines or Nn Group are free to do so! To the HR department, please let them leave andpensate them for the following three months¡¯ sry. Employees who continue to work at these two firms will get a twenty-percent pay raise. Regardless of position, and regardless of the level of seniority, everyone will be treated equally.¡± Chapter 695 Chapter 695 Ashlyn¡¯s voice was as clear as a bell, and her skin was porcin white. When the light from the corridor shone on her, her beauty was astonishing. When she was done speaking, she returned the phone to Spencer. Nearly everyone was shocked. It was not just the senior executives, but the other employees and also theizens watching in the live room were also in shock. Ashlyn, who is Mrs. Nn, has personally spoken on behalf of Lucas and helped him resign from his position as the captain. This is unbelievable! She has also dered topensate three months¡¯ sry to the employees who resign. But¡­ those who choose to stay will get a pay raise of twenty percent! The senior executives who were still dumbfounded suddenly shrieked and asked, ¡°Mrs. Nn, can you call the shots? Can you really?¡± They could not contain the excitement in their voice. An expressionless Ashlyn said to Spencer who was standing rigidly by the side, ¡°Mr. White, inform the president¡¯s office to release the official documents now! I will sign as a guarantor! If Nn Group and South Star Airlines do not have the funds for this pay raise, I will pay for it myself!¡± Spencer replied, ¡°A month ago, Mr. Nn had already transferred thirty percent of Nn Group¡¯s shares to you. So¡­ you are now thepany¡¯s major shareholder too. You don¡¯t have to be a guarantor. You have a say in everything.¡± ¡°Shares?¡± Ashlyn was stunned. Is Lucas crazy? Why did he transfer so many shares to me? Spencer had already regained his senses from the shock. He respectfully said to Ashlyn, ¡°Yes. Mr. Nn¡¯s illness seems to be getting worsetely, so maybe he was worried he might¡­¡± Ashlyn pressed her lips into a line. She was deeply moved by Lucas¡¯ actions, and it showed in her eyes as her thick eyshes quivered uncontrobly. I understand! I really do. If Lucas really loses himself and his humanity, Nn Group will be hisst gift for me. This man¡­ How can he be like this? How can he leave his hard work in my hands? How can he do this? At that moment, Ashlyn felt as though an invisible hand was repeatedly squeezing her heart tightly and then releasing it vehemently. Her heart felt so tight that she was about to suffocate. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. She slowly lowered her eyes and gazed at the handsome man who had unknowingly gone unconscious in her arms. His sunken eyes showed how deprived of sleep he was, especially with the tension he was suffering from these days. She closed her eyes and slowly reopened them. Ding! Suddenly, the elevator door opened. A group of men in gray martial arts uniforms rushed out of the elevator and started looking around. Upon seeing Ashlyn and Lucas, the man who was in the lead took big steps toward them. The group of men behind him immediately followed him. ¡°Mrs. Nn! I am Ben Zene!¡± Ben sped his hands together and respectfully greeted her as a typical martial artist would. Ashlyn took a nce at him. She recognized that they were the experts from an ancient martial arts n who Lucas ordered to stop her at the airport that one time. ¡°I am Max Zene!¡± ¡°I am Nyx Zene!¡± ¡°I am¡­¡± Everyone took turns to introduce themselves to Ashlyn. ¡°All of Zene n¡¯s eighteen disciples will listen to your orders from now on, Mrs. Nn!¡± Those men in gray martial arts uniforms each sped their hands and stood in two lines in an orderly manner in front of Ashlyn. Their loud and clear voices echoed across the corridor. ¡°Mrs. Nn, the n leader gave me a handwritten letter a month ago. All of Zene n¡¯s affairs will be handed to me, and I must obey your orders. This is the token of Zene n¡¯s n leader! Please ept it!¡± Ben exined to Ashlyn. The eldest disciple, Ben, handed over an intricately carved token to Ashlyn with both hands. Ashlyn stared at the token with astonishment. Her calm expression did not reveal her emotions, but a drop of tear fell from the corner of her eye and onto Lucas¡¯ face. The heat from her tear made Lucas¡¯ eyelids twitch a little. It feels hot. Is this a tear? No¡­ That¡¯s not possible¡­ How could she possibly cry? Soon, Lucas fell deep into the darkness again. ¡°The token belongs to Lucas. I will hold on to it for him temporarily.¡± Ashlyn grabbed the token and tightened her grip on it. She never expected this man to have arranged everything one month ago. Chapter 696 Chapter 696 Lucas must have realized his illness was getting more serious. He actually gave me the authority to control an ancient martial arts n. Zene n at that! Zene n was one of the oldest ancient martial arts ns that concealed their existence many years ago and decided never to return to society. But now¡­ he actually gave Zene n to me. Ashlyn took a deep breath and suppressed the aching feeling in her heart. Meanwhile, regardless of whether they were patients, visitors, doctors, or evenizens in the live room, everyone was stunned when they saw this scene. Thements flooded in until faces could not be seen in the live room. That¡¯s Ben Zene! I heard he is exceptional in martial arts. Some big shot spent a huge amount of money to get him toe out of seclusion and hired him as a martial arts coach to bring glory to the nation. I didn¡¯t think I would be able to see a martial arts expert in the modern world. Feels like I¡¯m reading a martial arts novel. Ahh! Ahhhh! I¡¯m hyperventting! I¡¯m dying! Ahh! I really want to see the martial arts expert show off some skills! Franklin and Livia¡¯s expressions turned sinister. ¡°Darn it! Lucas actually dares to set us up!¡± ¡°When did he take control of Zene n?¡± The hatred and jealousy in Livia¡¯s eyes were overflowing. ¡°This brat actually had more things hidden from us. Does Nn Group belong to him alone? Does he think I¡¯m dead? He actually dares to transfer Nn Group to Ashlyn?¡± Franklin was about to lose his mind. Naomi could not hear themotion outside, but when Lucas went mad and rushed out earlier, she had followed him. Her face was covered with tears when she saw the scene. Lucas¡­ Lucas¡­ Even though she could not hear, she was able to tell what happened from the expressions of those people. Naomi grabbed her phone to look at thements in the live room. She finally understood what happened. Lucas¡­ Ashlyn¡­ How much pain have the both of you suffered? Lucas actually has mania and is boycotted by everyone in the world. He¡¯s also not the captain anymore. Nn Group and South Star Airlines¡¯ share prices are dropping. It seems like a lot of employees are going to resign as well. The Nn family¡­ is crumbling. She walked over to the couple in staggering footsteps with both hands covering her face. She started sobbing uncontrobly when she kneeled down in front of Ashlyn. ¡°A-Ashlyn¡­¡± Ashlyn raised her hand to try and wipe off the tears on Naomi¡¯s face. ir who was on the side hurriedly lifted Naomi up from the ground. Everyone was shocked and caught off guard by everything that had happened. On the inte, this event continued to spread. People could not stop having heated discussions about Lucas¡¯ mania and Ashlyn being Mrs. Nn. Some of them became fans, while some became haters. The inte was in chaos. The hospital¡¯s psychiatrists rushed over with a few nurses behind them and moved an unconscious Lucas onto the stretcher. Then, they immediately sent him to the treatment room. Ashlyn took out her phone, opened WhatsApp, and typed a message to show Naomi: Don¡¯t worry. Rest well. Your brother will be fine. ir will be by your side. I¡¯m going to stay with your brother. After typing what she wanted to say, Ashlyn hugged Naomi. Then, she said to Ben politely, ¡°Mr. Zene, can you and the others protect Naomi? She really needs your help now.¡± She was too careless when she sent ir to the treatment room. As a result, Franklin and Livia managed to snatch a chance to trigger Naomi and Lucas. Their actions were merciless and their ns were diabolical. Even a vicious tiger would not eat its cubs, but they would. Those two were no better than animals. They would even get rid of their own children. How psychopathic are they? What is their motive? What reason would be strong enough for them to make a move on their own children? Granted, Lucas is not their biological son. What about Naomi and ir? Are they not their children as well? Ashlyn was shocked by her own terrifying thoughts. She narrowed her eyes to scrutinize Franklin and Livia who were not too far away. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t think that we won¡¯t dare to do anything with Zene n here!¡± Livia sneered. ¡°Dear, let¡¯s go!¡± Chapter 697 Chapter 697 Despite saying so, she knew very well that she and her subordinates were no match for the Zene n. Furthermore, she was attacked by Ashlyn. Even though she wasn¡¯t badly injured, it still affected her overall performance. That b*tch looks weak, but her skills are extraordinary! ¡°Naomi, think about what I¡¯ve said,¡± Franklin said as he looked at Naomi coldly. Naomi immediately tensed up, and a chill crawled down her spine. She felt frightened, as if she was preyed on by a poisonous snake. However, the man who was talking to her was her father. With that, the couple strutted off with the men in ck. Ashlyn watched them leave and couldn¡¯t help but frown. Those two are extremely inhumane. I can¡¯t help but think that¡­ However, she didn¡¯t have time to think. Ashlyn quickly snapped back to her senses and remembered Ray, who was almost choked to death by Lucas a while ago. With that, she ran toward the doctor¡¯s office. It was after she saw that he was safe that she let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dr. Warner. Lucas wasn¡¯t in his right mind.¡± ¡°Dr. Berry, you are really good at keeping secrets. I can¡¯t believe that you are the rumored Mrs. Nn. I didn¡¯t expect that¡­¡± Ray¡¯s voice was hoarse because his throat was still in pain. Back then, he was terrified. Lucas acted as if he was possessed. Ray thought that his life was going to end. Fortunately, Ashlyn came and rescued him just in time. ¡°Dr. Warner, stop joking around.¡± Ashlyn smiled apologetically. Then, she nced at Spencer. Spencer instantly got her signal. He gave Ray a bow and handed a ck card to him with both hands. ¡°I apologize to you on behalf of Mr. Nn. This is a card that will allow you to stay in any hotel under Nn Group. Nn Group has hotels all over the globe. As long as you bring this card, you can stay in any of them for free.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Ray stared at the ck card in Spencer¡¯s hand in shock. I-Is that the legendary Nn Group VIP card? I never thought that I¡¯ll be able to own one! ¡°Mr. Nn¡¯s actions have frightened you and your family. This is a token of apology. Please take it.¡± Even though Spencer wore his usual serious expression, his gaze looked genuinely apologetic. Mr. Nn has always hated people who bully the weak the most. If he realizes what he had done after he regains consciousnesses, he¡¯ll definitely feel extremely guilty¡­ ¡°Thank you.¡± Ray didn¡¯t reject Spencer and quickly took the card. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. After Ashlyn and Spencer left the office, they rushed over to the mental health department. Lucas had already gone through a full checkup, but he hadn¡¯t regained consciousness yet. When the doctor saw Ashlyn enter the room, he immediately handed her the test results and said, ¡°Dr. Berry, you should take a look.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a possibility that he¡¯ll have a split personality?¡± Ashlyn frowned as she looked at the diagnosis. ¡°A split personality? He only has mania¡­¡± ¡°Mania can easily be a symptom of split personality, so¡­ Dr. Berry, you have to mentally prepare yourself. We will only know Mr. Nn¡¯s condition after he wakes up,¡± the doctor said helplessly. Ashlyn felt overwhelmed. It felt like there was a massive weight pressing down on her chest, suffocating her. It was extremely painful. She sat next to the hospital bed and grabbed Lucas¡¯ cold hand. Then, she quietly stared at Lucas¡¯ pale but handsome face. ¡°Lucas, how could you be so foolish? Why did you give me everything you have? Now that you¡¯ve given me everything, what is going to happen to you? Are you a fool? You¡¯re so foolish,¡± Ashlyn muttered to herself. After that, she turned around and left the ward. She didn¡¯t know that the moment she turned around, the eyshes of the man on the hospital bed fluttered softly. It was already dark when Ashlyn arrived home. When Jared saw the exhausted look on her face, a sympathetic look appeared on his handsome face. ¡°Boss¡­¡± Everyone already heard what happened that day. After all, it was big news. Chapter 698 Chapter 698 ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything or try tofort me.¡± Ashlyn let out a sigh. ¡°Do you have some meds? I need a good rest.¡± Without hesitation, Jared offered her two sleeping pills, which he had prepared earlier. Ashlyn swallowed them all at once and took two sips of water before saying, ¡°Tell the kitchen to prepare some handmade noodles tomorrow. I shall cook some noodles for everyone.¡± Caught by surprise, Jared rubbed his hands together. ¡°Boss, you must be exhausted. There¡¯s no need to do that.¡± The next morning, Jared watched as Ashlyn filled a thermal food jars with noodles before leaving the rest to him, Harrison, and Anderson. Comprehension dawned upon Jared instantly. Turns out she cooked extra while she was at it for Harrison, Anderson, and me. The person whom she cooked the noodles for is in the hospital. Half an hourter, Ashlyn walked into the inpatient department of the hospital with her thermal food jars. Soon, she arrived outside Lucas¡¯ ward and gave Spencer a call. ¡°Are you inside? Come out and get the noodles,¡± she said. At once, Spencer opened the door. In fact, Ashlyn wanted to spend the night in the hospital. But after pondering over the matter, she realized she couldn¡¯t decide on using which identity to face him. To her shock, a woman appeared behind Spencer. The tall woman was d in a ssic Ctene¡¯s suit, and her wavy hair cascaded down her back. With her delicate features, she looked as elegant as a socialite. Ashlyn gripped the thermal food jars in her hands as she stared at Jenny, who had shown up here suddenly. shing a smile, Jenny said, ¡°Ms. Berry, fancy seeing you here! I can¡¯t believe you brought noodles for Mr. Nn too. What a coincidence. I also brought noodles I made myself! It was Mrs. Nn who told me toe.¡± Instead of replying to her, Ashlyn offered one of the thermal food jars to Spencer and asked indifferently, ¡°This is for Lucas. Has he regained consciousness?¡± ¡°Not yet, but the doctor said he¡¯ll be awake soon,¡± Spencer replied helplessly. Early this morning, Jenny showed up and imed that Franklin wanted to arrange a marriage of convenience between both families and that she would be the future Mrs. Nn. Thus, Ashlyn was nothing more than a mistress, or so she said. The Holt family might be wealthy, but it was still far behindpared to the Nn family. Hence, the Holt family was naturally ted after Franklin suggested a marriage of convenience between both families. When Jenny heard Ashlyn handing in the resignation on behalf of Lucas, she burst into noisy tears and wept bitterly. Last night, Franklin and Livia extended an invitation for the Holts to join them for dinner. That was why Jenny¡¯s mood did a one-eighty, and she barged into the ward early in the morning to stake her im that she was Mrs. Nn. After working for years at South Star Airlines, she finally got what she wanted. On the other hand, Ashlyn was unfazed after seeing her smug expression. She simply spun on her heels and stalked toward Naomi¡¯s ward. Jenny had prepared a long speech to mock Ashlyn but was forced to swallow her words. It felt like she was throwing punches into the air, and she was extremely aggrieved. After all, she assumed she could provoke Ashlyn and unt her new status around. s, she could only shoot Ashlyn a scornful re and stomp her feet irritatedly. Meanwhile, ir opened the thermal food jar in Naomi¡¯s ward. ¡°It smells great. You¡¯re an amazing chef, Ashlyn!¡± He didn¡¯t hold back on his praises. After spending a night in the hospital, Naomi had gotten better. She lifted her head to look at Ashlyn, hershes fluttering under the ring light of the hospital. ¡°Thank you, Ashlyn.¡± Ashlyn forced a smile at the sight of her haggard face. ¡°Eat up. The noodles will get soggy soon,¡± she said gently. ¡°All right.¡± Naomi nodded weakly and dug in. Meanwhile, Lucas roused in his ward. He woke up the moment his nose detected the familiar aroma of the noodles. Ashlyn made noodles, and they smell amazing. My stomach is protesting. Before Spencer could say anything, Jenny ran to Lucas¡¯ bed after he opened his eyes and asked earnestly, ¡°Mr. Nn, I brought you breakfast. Do you want to try some?¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Chapter 699 Chapter 699 As Lucas¡¯ gazended on Jenny, he asked in a cold voice, ¡°Who are you? Why are you in my ward?¡± Taken aback, Jenny replied unhappily, ¡°Mr. Nn, I¡¯m Jenny Holt. We¡¯ve been colleagues for years. I¡¯m a flight attendant.¡± Why can¡¯t he remember me or recognize me? This is horrible. Her eyes turned red in anguish, and tears nearly escaped her eyes. However, Jenny managed to hold back her tears. ¡°Mr. Nn, do you want some noodles?¡± Spencer inquired as he unscrewed the cap of the thermal food jar. Lucas took a sniff. Although he didn¡¯t see the person he wanted to see here, the noodles were to his liking. Without further ado, he picked up a fork and devoured the noodles. That wasn¡¯t it, for he didn¡¯t forget to finish every drop of the soup. The noodles were in, but he made it seem like avish and sumptuous meal. ¡°That doesn¡¯t look delicious at all. It isn¡¯t as nutritious as the breakfast I brought for you,¡± Jenny commented, her face green with jealousy. ¡°Scram!¡± Lucas ced the thermal food jar on the bedside table and didn¡¯t bother sparing Jenny a nce. ¡°Do you know that I¡¯m going to marry you soon? The Nn family and the Holt family are going to discuss our marriage of convenience. How could you ask me to scram?¡± Jenny couldn¡¯t stop herself from screaming out loud. ¡°I know you¡¯ve gotten a divorce. Stop thinking about her!¡± Her heart wrenched in pain as she dug her nails into her palm forcefully. ¡°Ms. Holt, this way please.¡± Spencer gestured for her to leave. Clenching her jaw in humiliation, Jenny pushed the door open and marched out. The corridor was brightly lit but eerily silent. Sometimes, one would see patients or family members walking around. Jenny had just stepped out of the ward when she saw Ashlyn walking toward the elevator. The moment Ashlyn walked into the elevator, her phone rang. She held her phone tightly when she saw the familiar caller ID. ¡°Hello.¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. The man¡¯s deep voice came through the phone. ¡°You cooked the noodles, but why didn¡¯t youe in?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she nced at the thermal food jar in her hand. ¡°Lucas, what are you talking about?¡± Jenny, who had entered the elevator at the same time, promptly whipped her head around to re at Ashlyn as her grip on her purse tightened. Is he that impatient to give the b*tch a call? ¡°Honey, don¡¯t lie to me,¡± Lucas rasped. ¡°It only took me one sniff to know that you cooked the noodles. After all, I can only stomach your cooking.¡± Ashlyn didn¡¯t know what she was supposed to say in response to that. I didn¡¯t even show up, but he realized it was my cooking based on the aroma. Well, what can I say? Before she could say anything, the man added, ¡°It¡¯s just like you¡¯re the only one my body desires. Honey, you¡¯re a minx. Everyone knows you¡¯re Mrs. Nn, but you delivered the noodles without coming in to visit me. How could you be this cruel?¡± His voice was grim, as though he was tamping his passion down instead of letting it loose. Ashlyn was so stunned that she didn¡¯t even notice that a woman was glowering at her menacingly in the elevator. Did he read romance novels again? I can¡¯t believe he used the word ¡°minx.¡± Those domineering CEOs in the novels love saying, ¡°You tormenting little minx.¡± That very thought gave her goosebumps. She shuddered involuntarily and stepped out of the elevator. ¡°Honey, I¡¯d like to have tacos for lunch,¡± Lucas requested. Ashlyn¡¯s heart skipped yet again. She was about to say no when Lucas¡¯ voice rang out. It seemed that he was gritting his teeth when he sneered. ¡°If you refuse to deliver food, I shall starve to death. I won¡¯t eat anything until youe,¡± he vowed. Ashlyn was at a loss for words. He¡¯s really domineering and childish! When the clock ticked past ten in the morning, Ashlyn started preparing the ingredients to make tacos. Chapter 700 Chapter 700 She also cooked some beef stew and sd for lunch. After everything was prepared, Ashlyn departed to the hospital. With the thermal food jars in her hands, she went straight to Lucas¡¯ ward. For some reason, she was a little anxious when she knocked on the door. The man¡¯s low, deep voice called out, ¡°Come in.¡± Only then did she push the door open to see Lucas alone. Spencer was nowhere to be seen. ¡°The tacos are here. Eat up,¡± she told him frostily. d in his hospital gown, Lucas sat on his bed with a pillow behind his back. Even so, there was still an intimidating air about him. His hand was bandaged, but it didn¡¯t seem like he had sustained a severe injury. As Ashlyn went over to him and ced the thermal food jar on the table, the man gazed at her wordlessly, not wanting to miss out on any of her actions. Following that, a suffocating silence ensued. Arching a brow, Ashlyn demanded, ¡°Am I a criminal? Why are you looking at me that way?¡± A hint of displeasure shed across her eyes. ¡°Back then, weren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯d harm you?¡± Lucas finally parted his lips to pose that question. Spencer had told him everything that happened yesterday. His emotions had gotten the better of him, and he was impossible to rein in. However, Ashlyn managed to turn the tides by appeasing both Nn Group and South Star Airlines. Lucas pictured the scene in his head and thought it was rather thrilling. I can¡¯t believe she hit Livia. Livia has always been arrogant and assumed she was undefeatable after training in martial arts for a while. Unexpectedly, Ashlyn ended up teaching her a lesson. Lucas shuddered as he imagined the scene. Franklin and Livia were beasts, for they could even hurt their son for their own benefits. ¡°Lucas, stop talking nonsense. Eat up.¡± Ashlyn dared not look at him. ¡°I need to deliver lunch to Naomi, too.¡± She was about to turn and leave when Lucas grabbed her fair and tender wrist. Calmly, he stated, ¡°I need to go to the restroom.¡± ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± Ashlyn shot him a curt nod. ¡°Honey, I need to go to the restroom,¡± Lucas repeated. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Confused, Ashlyn scoffed coldly. ¡°Are you suggesting I go on behalf of you?¡± Lucas was initially holding his chin but began stroking his forehead. ¡°I feel dizzy. I don¡¯t think I can go to the restroom myself.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s brows furrowed upon hearing that. She observed his expression dotted with anguish and recalled his manic episode. Suppressing the pain in her heart, she clenched her jaw and said, ¡°I¡¯ll summon the caregiver for you.¡± Lucas frowned. ¡°Honey, can¡¯t you help me? I feel really dizzy. The doctor said¡ª¡± Ashlyn cut him off mid-sentence before he could finish talking. ¡°Get up!¡± Her handsnded on his waist as she helped him out of the bed. A pleased look appeared in the man¡¯s gaze when she wasn¡¯t paying attention while her fresh and unique scent wafted into his nose. Lucas deliberately rested his weight on Ashlyn as she struggled to help him to the restroom. Fortunately, the restroom wasn¡¯t far away. Otherwise, Ashlyn would¡¯ve tossed him out. When the man finally sat on the toilet, Ashlyn spun on her heels to leave him to his business. Parting his lips, Lucas dragged her back. ¡°Honey, how heartless of you. Are you going to let me go back alone? My head is spinning¡­¡± He then stretched his arm out to massage his temples. Something fluttered in Ashlyn¡¯s heart as she stayed put. Despite harboring feelings for Lucas, she didn¡¯t discover it until it was toote. Hence, her feelings were buried deep down. They had done the most intimate of acts, so apanying him to the restroom was fine by her. Ashlyn felt her heart aching when she saw how hard he was trying to make her stay. Looking away, she heard the rustling of clothes as the man relieved himself. The restroom was small, and she felt her cheeks burning up, especially when she heard the sound of flowing water. Chapter 701 Chapter 701 The sound hit her eardrums, and it was as though he was right next to her. Finally, the whooshing sound stopped. Ashlyn looked up with resignation in her crystal-clear eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Silence ensued. Carefully, she turned at her shoulder to see Lucas gazing at her silently, his clothes intact. A dangerous and imposing aura emanated from his figure. Ashlyn shot him a re as exhaustion crept into her gaze. ¡°Lucas, stop this.¡± Instead of moving, Lucas reached out and grabbed her waist before pulling her to his chest. He had been wanting to do this ever since he regained consciousness. It was something that had lingered in his mind for the longest time. His suppressed emotions were on the verge of reaching their boiling point in this narrow space. His voice was husky, belying his desire to ravage her there. It seemed that he was in pain as he said slowly but clearly, ¡°Honey¡­¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyes snapped shut as her porcin white cheek pressed against the man¡¯s chest. She could feel his heartbeat and his breathing clearly. A whileter, she ced her hands on his chest to push him away. But before she could take action, the man¡¯s husky voice rang out above her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe in when you brought breakfast this morning?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s thickshes fluttered slightly as she said softly, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t get involved anymore. There are too many obstacles between us. Lucas, your parents¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. He lowered his gaze and inched nearer to her. ¡°I know,¡± he sighed. Holding her captive in his embrace, he stared at her with his dark eyes. His feverish breath burned her rosy cheeks, making the situation all the more amorous. Ashlyn was flustered with difort. She felt as if thousands of insects were gnawing on her, but there was no way of release. It felt as if a mountain hadnded on her chest, and she had difficulty breathing. ¡°Since you¡¯re aware of it, release me,¡± she demanded. Lucas snorted. ¡°Honey¡­¡± Suddenly, he leaned nearer and whispered something in her ear. Ashlyn stiffened as shock shed across her eyes. ¡°What?¡± She narrowed her gaze. ¡°D*mn it!¡± Looking up, she vowed, ¡°I shall handle this.¡± Right then, someone knocked on the door. Ashlyn helped Lucas out of the restroom before she went to answer the door. A European man d in a white doctor¡¯s coat was standing at the door. He carried an imperious nose well, and his eyes had the same startling rity as a mountain stream. With his fair skin and tall figure, he looked like a typical European. Sinir was awestruck when he saw Ashlyn. Oh, what a gorgeous woman! Tall and curvaceous, Ashlyn looked so beautiful that she was practically glowing, and he couldn¡¯t tear his eyes away from her. Her slick long hair was tied up in a high bun, and a few strands of hair framed her forehead. She looked vibrant and dazzling. Sinir shed a smile, revealing his white teeth. He was pretty sure he didn¡¯t know someone this beautiful, but he found her familiar. Even so, he couldn¡¯t seem to put his finger on where he had seen her before. ¡°Hi, gorgeous.¡± He took two steps back and confirmed he was at the right ward before adding, ¡°Did I go to the wrong ward? This is Lucas Nn¡¯s ward, right?¡± In the bed, Lucas heard Sinir¡¯s voice and said, ¡°He¡¯s my psychologist, Sinir.¡± ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t believe you kept a beautiful woman hidden in your ward!¡± Sinir scurried into the ward and eximed, ¡°You¡¯re such a lucky patient!¡± Lucas¡¯ gaze wavered for a second as he pursed his lips. ¡°Honey, you wanted to deliver lunch to Naomi, right?¡± Sinir¡¯s eyes widened in amazement. ¡°Honey? Are you Mrs. Nn? Wow! Lucas is so lucky! I remember how amazing you were back then when you managed to calm the passenger. Oh, dear. You¡¯re my idol!¡± he cried. He enthused, ¡°This is too much. Why does Lucas like to keep you away from everyone? You saved him this time, too! It is really rare to see someone else sessfully calming him down whenever he has a manic episode! I was watching the live stream. It wasn¡¯t only streamed on Twitter. Someone else streamed it on Maredania¡¯s social media too! You¡¯re now famous in Maredania, and you have many fans there. That was really amazing!¡± Chapter 702 Chapter 702 Hearing Sinir¡¯s loud voice, Ashlyn twitched her lips. ¡°Outsiders might be enjoying the show, but were you doing the same, Dr. Sinir?¡± Sinir stiffened. Did she just mock me? Before he realized what was going on, he saw Ashlyn giving Lucas onest look before heading out. She mmed the door shut and disappeared from sight. Her destination was Naomi¡¯s ward. Theizens and the bystanders back then were merely enjoying the show. Only those who were involved in the matter would know how tormenting it was. No one could bear another person¡¯s pain on their behalf. Back in Lucas¡¯ ward, Sinir had calmed down. He bore a solemn expression as he said, ¡°Lucas, it¡¯s all thanks to your wife that your other personality didn¡¯t emerge. You didn¡¯t know what happened during the live stream, right? She hugged you and calmed you down. She was the one who woke you up. You should take a look for yourself. I¡¯ve recorded the entire thing on my phone.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Although Spencer had told Lucas about the incident, and Naomi had recounted how vicious Franklin and Livia were, Lucas didn¡¯t manage to see the scene for himself. Turning to Sinir beseechingly, he said, ¡°Show it to me.¡± Lucas began trembling uncontrobly when an iPhone 11 was ced in his hands. The video yed, portraying the incident clearly. Lucas had gone crazy and roared like a madman as he rushed out of Naomi¡¯s room. He then injured Franklin¡¯s subordinates and brought harm to the innocent doctors and bystanders. It was Ashlyn and his brother who did their very best to subdue him and wake him up. He looked like terrifying, but she wasn¡¯t afraid at all and hugged him tightly. As a myriad of conflicting emotions swirled in his heart, he felt a visceral pang of sorrow. Despite the pained expression on his exquisite face, he seemed moved. Regret and guilt soon washed over him, and his eyes turned scarily red. Nevertheless, he gritted his teeth and refused to let tears stream down his cheeks. She¡¯s mine. All mine! Ashlyn was sitting on the ground as she hugged him tightly. However, her back was straight, and she looked calm. She took the entire matter into her hands and gained control of the situation swiftly. Her voice was cool yet authoritative. It seemed like it could prate the screen and send a blow to everyone¡¯s heart, exploding upon impact. Thump! She appeased the restless employees of Nn Group and stopped millions ofizens from hurling insults at him. Slowly, theizens stopped insulting him and began to sympathize with his plight. She was also bold enough to tender his resignation on behalf of him. Everyone now knew that she was his wife, Mrs. Nn. s, he couldn¡¯t give her the best that she deserved. No, I¡¯ll give her the best of everything in the world. Even if she demands the stars and moon, I¡¯ll find a way to get them for her. Sinir shook his head in resignation. ¡°Ms. Berry is something, huh? She¡¯s much prettier in person. No wonder I found her familiar when I saw her earlier. I didn¡¯t manage to recognize her, though. She really looks more gorgeous in person!¡± hemented. ¡°You¡¯re a lucky man.¡± Without a word, Lucas ced the phone aside and shut his eyes, allowing Ashlyn¡¯s words, actions, and expressions to rey in his mind continuously. Outside Naomi¡¯s ward, the men from Zene n were still standing guard. They greeted Ashlyn politely. ¡°Ms. Berry.¡± ¡°We¡¯re family, so drop the formalities,¡± Ashlyn replied coolly. She pushed the door open and saw Naomi memorizing her lines diligently. Chapter 703 Chapter 703 As she couldn¡¯t hear a thing, she didn¡¯t know Ashlyn had shown up. That very thought caused Ashlyn¡¯s heart to clench painfully. Standing at the door, she watched Naomi silently for a while before striding ahead and sitting down beside Naomi¡¯s bed. It was only then that Naomi realized someone else was there. Looking up, the youngdy shed a shy smile when she realized Ashlyn hade visiting. Gripping her script, she uttered, ¡°Ashlyn, I was bored in the hospital. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to memorize some lines.¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Taking her hand, Ashlyn told her gently, ¡°You don¡¯t have to memorize the lines anymore.¡± However, she btedly realized that Naomi couldn¡¯t hear a thing after saying that out loud. Ashlyn grabbed a pen and a piece of paper on the table and wrote out a sentence. Her handwriting was so neat that it looked like it had been printed out. She wrote: Stop memorizing the lines, for the script will be edited to amodate your situation. The character will also be changed. I¡¯ll show you the new script in a few days. ¡°New script? What do you mean, Ashlyn?¡± Naomi was confused. ¡°Maxwell told me that the scriptwriter, Snowstorm, is a mysterious figure. She won¡¯t change the script easily. I¡¯ve never heard of her meeting other people.¡± Ashlyn scribbled hastily: Don¡¯t worry. She then pulled out her phone to give Greg a call so they could discuss editing the script. Greg had just exited the elevator. ¡°You¡¯re in Naomi¡¯s ward? Jonathan and I have just arrived. Wait for us. We¡¯ll be there soon.¡± After hanging up, both men headed to the ward. Jonathan¡¯s brows snapped together in curiosity. ¡°Are we going to change the script? Will my idol agree to it?¡± ¡°I have no idea.¡± Greg shook his head. They walked into the ward to see Ashlyn reading the script. She looked up and waved at them. ¡°Hurry, come here.¡± She then began to exin her idea. ¡°I was thinking of changing the plot. Naomi was originally an assistant, but now the plot will depict the journey of her bing an actress. Her dream was to be an actress, but life dealt her a blow, and she lost her hearing. Later, she sacrificed a lot and worked hard before getting a chance to act. In the end, she won the best actress award. She became a popr and sessful actress. After that, she¡¯ll continue picking trash with the top idol.¡± ¡°That sounds great. Her ordeal is practically Naomi¡¯s ordeal.¡± Greg stared at her incredulously. The change in the plot would make things easier for Naomi. In fact, it was an interesting plot. Hmm, a youngdy who lost her hearing. Compared to a healthy assistant, this is far more interesting. Jonathan tilted his head. ¡°Ms. Berry, will Snowstorm agree to change the script?¡± Ashlyn met his gaze. ¡°Your part will remain unchanged. However, you¡¯ll still have to work on your acting skills. You shouldn¡¯t waste your time worrying about others,¡± she admonished. Jonathan knew that Naomi couldn¡¯t hear anything, but his face still flushed red in embarrassment. ¡°Got it,¡± he muttered. Greg was also worried. Just like Jonathan, he was afraid that Snowstorm wouldn¡¯t change the script. After all, Snowstorm was a mysterious and talented person who had only written songs for Jonathan. He lifted his head abruptly to look at Jonathan. ¡°Snowstorm treats you well, so why are you worried?¡± The young man scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°But I¡¯ve never seen Snowstorm in person! I don¡¯t even know if Snowstorm is a man or a woman.¡± Sometimes, he thought he was fortunate to be chosen by Snowstorm, who didn¡¯t hold back in promoting him. Anyone would shoot to stardom after singing Snowstorm¡¯s songs. As such, he could not help but feel utterly useless. I must work my a** off in this movie. Naomi is weak, but she never gave up. I can¡¯t give up, too! ¡°You¡¯ve never met Snowstorm? Turns out the rumor is true,¡± Greg muttered under his breath. He turned to Ashlyn and inquired, ¡°Ms. Berry, how do you usually contact Snowstorm?¡± Chapter 704 Chapter 704 ¡°I¡­¡± Ashlyn opened her mouth and was just about to speak when Naomi¡¯s agonized moan rang out from the hospital bed behind the three of them. ¡°It hurts¡­¡± After Ashlyn was interrupted, she shook her head helplessly as she watched the two men rush toward Naomi. She wanted to tell them that she was Snowstorm, but their attention was elsewhere. Forget it. I¡¯ll tell them another time then. ¡°Naomi, where does it hurt?¡± ¡°Press the call button.¡± A few minutester, Naomi was wheeled to the examination room for a new round of checkups. Meanwhile, Ashlyn stood at the entrance of the emergency room, observing her colleagues operating those advanced medical devices inside. Jonathan and Greg were sitting together on a bench in the corridor, and everyone had grim expressions on their faces. Just then, Ashlyn¡¯s phone vibrated. She picked up her phone and saw that it was a private number calling. The woman¡¯s expression darkened slightly before she answered the call. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°If you want the cure for Naomi¡¯s poison, you have to do ording to what I say,¡± the person on the other end of the line said in a hoarse voice that had obviously been processed by a voice changer. ¡°Who are you? Why should I do as you say? What is it that you want me to do?¡± Ashlyn replied with a cold expression on her face. All of a sudden, it seemed as if the surrounding air had turned a few degrees colder. Even Greg and Jonathan could not help but look toward the woman. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Go to 66 Anchor Street at three p.m. today and drop your most prized jewelry into the trash bin downstairs. If you don¡¯t do that, be ready to prepare for Naomi¡¯s funeral!¡± After saying that, the person hung up. My most prized jewelry? Ashlyn stared at her phone for a while, wondering if it was just a prank call. However, in order to save Naomi, she was willing to give it a shot. ¡°I will inform ir toe over. For the time being, I will need the both of you to stay with Naomi,¡± Ashlyn said, looking down at the two men sitting on the bench. ¡°Sure, don¡¯t worry.¡± After that, Ashlyn drove straight to Bayview Vi. There was not much jewelry that she was particrly fond of. In fact, there was almost none. The woman seldom put on makeup and only wore jewelry on extremely rare asions. As such, she did not really have a favorite piece of jewelry. When she opened her jewelry box, which was filled with all kinds of jewelry, her gazended on a ne made up of tiny rhinestones. It was a gift from Howard after he received his first sry. Back then, she had told him that the ne was gorgeous and she liked it very much. Ashlyn picked up the ne and noticed that the rhinestones were still sparkling and had not lost their shine even after such a long time had passed. Then, she took out a jewelry pouch and put the ne in. At two p.m., she got into her Land Rover and drove toward 66 Anchor Street. Anchor Street was a remote alley located on the outskirts of the city. That area consisted mainly of slums and dpidated sites. Under the afternoon sun, looking at the state of the ce gave one an inexplicable depressing feeling. After Ashlyn got out of the car, she tossed the jewelry pouch containing the ne into the trash bin at 66 Anchor Street. Right after she turned around, her expression stiffened as she suddenly looked toward the upstairs window of the dpidated house, which was located at 66 Anchor Street. She saw a man standing beside the window. He was wearing a ck mask, exposing only his chin. Under the illumination of the sunlight, the mysterious and murderous aura surrounding him became even more intense. The man¡¯s cold gaze was fixed on Ashlyn. The next moment, a silver handgun appeared in the woman¡¯s hand as she aimed the gun at the man. Bang! Even though the man was caught off guard, he still managed to dodge the shot with his good reflexes. However, the bullet had grazed his arm beforending on the wall behind him. The man jumped out of the window and charged toward Ashlyn at once. Although blood was seeping out of the wound on his arm, he seemed as though he felt no pain. Ashlyn tightened her grip on her handgun and aimed another shot at the man. No matter how agile the man¡¯s movements were, it was impossible for him to be quicker than the speed of a bullet. Bang! The second bullet entered the man¡¯s calf. As Ashlyn was an excellent markswoman, it was extremely difficult for anyone to escape her attacks. Chapter 705 Chapter 705 The man had managed to escape her first shot with just a scrape, and Ashlyn would not allow anyone to escape her attack the second time. However, the man continued charging at her, as if he was unable to feel pain. As the two of them got tangled up in a fight, a loud boom of thunder was suddenly heard! Dark clouds had gathered in the sky, which was still bright and clear moments ago, while lightning shed. The next moment, raindrops started falling from the sky, turning into a heavy downpour in just a few seconds. Even though it was supposed to hurt with the raindropsnding heavily on their faces, the two people did not seem to be bothered by it. Despite being thoroughly drenched by the rain, the woman continuedunching swift attacks at the masked man. As Ashlyn moved extremely fast and was a skilled fighter, the man seemed to be having a hard time defending himself. Suddenly, Ashlyn reached for the man¡¯s face. Her pale arm and sharp nails appeared to be like a powerful weapon under the illumination of the lightning. Just when she was close to touching the man¡¯s mask, the man rolled away from her, dodging her move. ¡°You shameless rat who dare not even show your face! How dare you get ideas about me! I¡¯ve already done what you wanted me to and delivered the jewelry. Hand me the antidote right now!¡± If not for the fact that she needed the antidote from him, Ashlyn would have already killed him in one shot! However, the man was able to endure pain well. Even though raindrops were hitting the wound on his calf where blood was oozing out continuously, he seemed unperturbed by it. With a cruel glint in his eyes, the man said, ¡°I¡¯ll let you have the antidote if youe with me.¡± His hoarse voice sounded unpleasant and was harsh on the eardrums, just like the ear-piercing sound of a drag saw. ¡°What if I don¡¯t follow you?¡± Ashlyn asked, staring at the man coldly. ¡°Then, don¡¯t me me for being merciless.¡± The man could barely hold out any longer and was in so much pain that all color had drained from his face, which was still hidden under his mask. With a wave of his hand, a sudden tter of footsteps could be heard closing in! Around thirty men in ck rushed in from all sides, surrounding Ashlyn. Under the pouring rain, the woman, whose eyes were zing, spun around with her handgun in her hands. Bang! Bang! Bang! Multiple gunshots rang out in the air. The man closest to Ashlyn received a shot in his head, and blood spattered out instantly. It was a gruesome sight to behold! Meanwhile, more and more men in ck closed in on the woman. Just like numerous ck ants, they charged toward her, armed with long rods in their hands. With a cold and ferocious gaze, Ashlyn let out a sneer before raising her handgun again. Just then, a streak of lightning cut through the sky. At that moment, illuminated by the sh of light shooting through the sky, the woman, whose beauty was unparalleled, seemed like a grim reaper from hell. Her cold voice pierced through the rain. ¡°What do you guys want from me? Why are you trying to kill me time and again? Since you¡¯ve provoked me, you are going to have to pay for it!¡± Ashlyn said as a blood-curdling smile appeared on her face. She managed tond every shot on the men¡¯s heads, and it was an absolutely horrifying sight. Just then, the sounds of helicopter des whirring echoed in the air, apanying the sounds of the raindrops. Those men in ck stared at the helicopter above their heads in shock. Right then, numerous tall and burly men, wearing camouge uniforms, parachuted out of the helicopter and descended from the sky like eagles. All of them were armed with weapons, and they began firing at those men in ck. Bang! Bang! Bang! Sounds of gunshots pierced through the rain, and blood blended with the mud on the ground before being washed away by the rain. As the men in ck fell to the ground like dominoes, more men in ck were seen rushing forward. Their bravery and strength just a while back formed a huge contrast with their current sorry and miserable state. Luigi bowed at Ashlyn respectfully before saying, ¡°Ms. Berry, please forgive us for arrivingte.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No worries.¡± The woman, who was as beautiful as a goddess, stood tall in the rain with blood stains sttered across her face. With a frosty look in her eyes, she ordered, ¡°Kill them all!¡± The previous time she got poisoned, it was ZZ terrorist group that was behind it. As such, she was sure that Naomi had also been poisoned by the same organization. Chapter 706 Chapter 706 Ashlyn crouched down and ripped apart the shirt of one of those men in ck who was lying on the ground, dead. Indeed! Arge letter ¡°Z¡± was tattooed in the middle of his chest. As the raindrops pounded on the man¡¯s chest, his tattoo turned into a deep shade of purple, which looked so disturbing that it sent shivers down one¡¯s spine. Ashlyn realized that the masked man was merely using the antidote as bait to draw her into his trap. He had never intended to give her the antidote. Convinced that that was the case, the woman leaped up andunched a sudden attack on the mysterious masked man who was surrounded by the men in ck. Under his subordinates¡¯ protection, the man was about to escape. However, with a howl of the wind, Ashlyn delivered a forceful punch to his back at the speed of lightning! The impact of the attack sent the masked man flying before hended heavily on the ground with water sshing everywhere. Ashlyn had put her full strength into that blow, and it was almost impossible for anyone to withstand it. Lying on the ground, the masked man spewed out a mouthful of blood. He stared at Ashlyn nkly while covering his chest with one hand. Despite the excruciating pain he felt, the man was still struggling to prop himself up. However, while he was trying to do that, Ashlyn was already approaching him. Even though a few of the man¡¯s subordinates were dashing toward him from a distance not far away, they were no match for Ashlyn¡¯s speed! Just like the god of death, the woman was moving toward the masked man at high speed, and just in a blink of an eye, she was already standing next to him. Enduring the intense pain, the man stood up, preparing to receive Ashlyn¡¯s blow. However, once again¡­ Bam! He got hit by Ashlyn and copsed to the ground. From that strike, there was one thing that the woman was able to ascertain. She hade to the conclusion that the masked man was not the same one she had met at the Whind Vi previously. The other masked man exuded an aura a few times more powerful than the man in front of her right then. He also had a much sharper and colder look in his eyes. Who could that man be? Meanwhile, Ashlyn lifted her foot and stomped on the masked man¡¯s chest. As she did that, a stream of blood trickled out of the man¡¯s mouth. The rain continued to ding furiously off the tin roof, umting puddles of water on the ground. The storm seemed to be out of control with thunder roaring and lightning shing across the sky continuously. The masked man felt a sharp pain with every rain drop falling on him. Pointing her silver handgun between the man¡¯s brows, Ashlyn asked in a frosty voice, ¡°Who are you?¡± Having said that, she bent down, and just when her fingers were about to touch the man¡¯s ck mask, he started to speak. ¡°I¡­¡± The moment he opened his mouth, he started coughing out blood. ¡°Who I am is not important. Isn¡¯t your sister-inw¡¯s life more important?¡± The man let out a sinister and arrogantugh before continuing, ¡°As long as you let me go, I¡¯ll give you the antidote!¡± At that moment, Ashlyn¡¯s fingers were already touching the man¡¯s mask. She just had to exert a slight force to lift the mask, and the man¡¯s face would be revealed! However, her fingers froze when she heard his words. The truth was almost out! But¡­ The woman struggled internally for a moment before deciding to retract her hand. With a cold expression, she said, ¡°Give me the antidote!¡± The masked man reached into his pocket with his bloodied hand and took out a small box. Ashlyn reached for it at once, but the man grabbed her hand. His cold hand gripped her arm desperately as if she would disappear once he let go. The woman frowned, wondering why the man was acting so strangely! She pulled her hand back forcefully and said, ¡°If this is not the real antidote, I will not let you off. If I have to, I will hunt you down to the end of the earth!¡± Ashlyn did not even bother to wipe the blood stains off her fingers before removing her leg from the man¡¯s chest.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. The masked man¡¯s subordinates quickly helped him up, and at once, they disappeared into the rain. Luigi walked over cautiously and asked, ¡°Ms. Berry, are we really letting them off just like that?¡± ¡°Yup, let them go. A cornered rabbit will fight with teeth and ws,¡± Ashlyn nced at the antidote in her hands and said, ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the hospital!¡± Chapter 707 Chapter 707 he helicopter ascended into the skies and flew through the rain at top speed. Soon, the helicopternded on the hospital¡¯s helipad. Immediately, Ashlyn, Luigi, and the others dashed toward the emergency room where Naomi was. Meanwhile, inside the emergency room, the doctors were trying their best to save Naomi. ¡°What¡¯s her blood pressure?¡± ¡°Sixty! It¡¯s decreasing steadily!¡± ¡°Heartbeat?¡± ¡°Below sixty and plunging!¡± ¡°Quick! Inform her family at once that the patient is in critical condition!¡± ir had just arrived outside the emergency room, drenched in rainwater. When he saw Greg and Jonathan, he said, ¡°Maxwell, Jon¡­¡± Bang! Just as the man started speaking, the emergency room door swung open. A nurse rushed out of the room and said urgently, ¡°Where is Naomi Nn¡¯s family? The patient is in critical condition!¡± The color drained from ir¡¯s face at once, unable to believe what he had just heard. Grabbing the nurse¡¯s arm, he eximed, ¡°How is that possible? Is my sister going to die? Will she die?¡± His booming voice reverberated through the quiet corridor. Jonathan was also in disbelief as he rushed over. With bloodshot eyes, he begged, ¡°Please, you have to save her!¡± Greg took out his phone with trembling hands and tried to call Ashlyn, but he was unable to reach her after trying many times. Tears started streaming down ir¡¯s cheeks as he said, ¡°Nurse, my sister is still so young. She¡¯s not even twenty yet¡­ She¡¯s at the age where she should be enjoying life and having fun. Please¡­ Please think of a way to save her¡­¡± Even though a handsome man like ir was grabbing her arm, the nurse was not in the mood to admire his good looks. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of pity. ¡°We¡¯ve already tried our best¡­ You should prepare for the worst,¡± the woman replied apologetically. Just then! Ding! The elevator door opened. Following that, a woman who was covered in mud stepped out. She was entirely drenched, and the wet clothes that were hugging her body entuated her exquisite figure. The air surrounding her carried the metallic scent of blood, and bloodied water dripped on the ground from her clothes as she strode over. It was as if the grim reaper had arrived from hell. Ashlyn had a stern and determined expression on her face, and her eyes were cold. Meanwhile, a group of tall, well-built men in camouge uniforms stood behind her. All of the men had frosty expressions on their faces and exuded murderous vibes. One look, and it was clear that they were not to be trifled with. Feeling extremely intimidated, the nurse turned around at once, wanting to head back to the emergency room. However, Ashlyn¡¯s crisp and icy voice rang out from behind her. ¡°Wait.¡± The nurse took a deep inhale and turned around slowly. By then, Ashlyn was already right in front of her. The nurse looked up fearfully, and when she managed to get a good look at the woman¡¯s face, she froze. ¡°Dr. Berry?¡± It¡¯s Dr. Berry! Ashlyn took out a small box from her pocket and ced it in the nurse¡¯s hand. ¡°This is the antidote. Feed it to Naomi.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Right away!¡± The nurse dashed back into the emergency room without dy. ¡°Ashlyn!¡± ir, who was in agony just a moment ago, rushed over to Ashlyn after witnessing the scene. Looking surprised, he asked, ¡°You¡¯ve managed to obtain the antidote?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Ashlyn merely nodded without intending to tell ir how she had gotten her hands on the antidote. ¡°You should let your brother know.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll tell him right away!¡± ir was so excited that he nearly jumped with joy. Meanwhile, Greg was looking at Ashlyn with aplicated gaze, wondering who exactly the woman was. She was just as imposing as those fighters in the movies he had directed, and the man could feel himself tingling with excitement. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Even though Greg was extremely curious about Ashlyn, he knew not to ask anything that he was not supposed to. ¡°Ms. Berry, please get some rest.¡± ¡°Ashlyn¡­ Take a seat.¡± Jonathan gulped as he pointed to the bench. Apart from that, the man did not know what to say. He was worried that if he said something wrong, those solemn-looking strong men behind Ashlyn would pin him against the wall and beat him up! ¡°It¡¯s all right. I need to go back and wash up,¡± Ashlyn replied expressionlessly. As she turned around, the group of men behind her did the same, leaving together with her. Chapter 708 Chapter 708 She¡¯s like a female boss!¡± whispered Jonathan only after they had gone into the elevator. Greg responded with indifference, ¡°She is the female boss.¡± At night, the heavy rain continued to fall with no end in sight, as if there were holes in the sky. Ashlyn was seated in front of theputer and editing the script. She gave the female lead apletely different character and proceeded with the changes. By the time she was done with the editing, it was already four in the morning. She let out a long exhtion and stretched herself before standing up. She had no idea that at that moment, a man dressed in ck was rummaging through the trash bin at 66 Anchor Street and retrieved the rhinestone ne. When the lightning shed across the sky, it lit up his face. It was a face that Ashlyn was familiar with. The man opened up the jewelry pouch with care. When he saw the ne, a look of nostalgia shed across that handsome face of his. It¡¯s really the same ne! ¡°This sincere love of yours is truly touching. It¡¯s a pity she doesn¡¯t know about it.¡± Suddenly, a deep maic voice rang out behind him. Instantly, the nostalgic expression was reced with a vicious look that was directed at the man behind him. He had no idea when the man dressed in white with a ck umbre appeared. The contrast between the ck umbre and white clothes was particrly stark in the midst of the storm. The man, who was holding on to the ne, tightened his grip unconsciously. ¡°Were you stalking me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t use such a word. I wasn¡¯t stalking you. Your way of testing her feelings for you is foolish and pointless, so I felt the need to remind you.¡± The man in white smirked wickedly. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of being a coward who doesn¡¯t dare to confess his feelings? Then again, it¡¯s a little toote even if you want to.¡± The man in white chuckled. Following that, a group of men dressed in ck showed up behind him. ¡°Mr. Chef, please.¡± ¡°Mr. Silvermoon, what have I done wrong?¡± ¡°You gave the antidotes to her. Is that not a betrayal on your part? Is falling in love with her not another act of betrayal? How could you fall in love with your enemy? Have you forgotten the vow you made when you first joined ZZ Organization?¡± The eyes of the man in white were as cold as ice. In ZZ Organization, everyone had their own unique code name. As for the man right in front, his code name was ¡°The Chef.¡± ¡°Mr. Silvermoon, are you telling me you are better than me in controlling your own feelings? Your feelings for her are so much stronger than what I feel for her. Back when she was being humiliated, who was the one who flew into a fit of rage?¡± The Chef sneered and retreated as he saw the group of men in ck approaching him. ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re not fit to talk about her in front of me!¡± There was fury in Silvermoon¡¯s eyes. ¡°None of you are worthy!¡± Ridicule appeared on The Chef¡¯s face. ¡°Whether we are worthy or not isn¡¯t up to you to decide.¡± Having said that, he dragged the leg that Ashlyn had injured earlier on and continued to move backward. His position in ZZ Organization might not be as high as Silvermoon¡¯s, but he was not going to give up without a fight. The torrential rain continued to pound on the ground. Just as the group of men in ck was about to pounce on The Chef, a loud explosion could be heard. Boom! A smoke bomb blew up in front of everyone. Even the heavy rain was not able to erase the smoke from the air. In no time, the thick, ck smoke had totally blocked out the visions of the group of men in ck. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. It was then that The Chef slipped away into the dark. ¡°Mr. Silvermoon, what should we do now?¡± One of the men let out a few intense coughs before asking. ¡°Go after him!¡± ordered Silvermoon with a grim face. The Chef is getting increasingly sneaky, but I don¡¯t believe he will be able to escape our clutches every time. The morning rays shone into the ward through the window. Chapter 709 Chapter 709 The golden rays fell on the girl who was lying on the hospital bed. Her pretty face looked so serene. Perhaps sensing the morning sun rays, she furrowed her elegant brows, and her longshes fluttered slightly before her glistening eyes opened gradually with a hint of drowsiness in them. She took her time to sit up and enjoyed the cool morning air as it blew into the ward. Looking at the leaves on the trees and the moist ground outside, she suddenly realized that it had been raining the entire night. The birds were also chirping happily outside the window. Birds? Chirping? Naomi froze at that thought. Just then, someone pushed open the door. She turned and saw Ashlyn, who was dressed in a white dress, walking in with packaged food. The tall young man right behind her was none other than ir. Their footsteps sounded so clear to her. Before that, she lived in apletely quiet world. All of a sudden, everything seemed to have be so lively and vibrant. Unwittingly, her eyes teared up as she looked at ir and Ashlyn walking toward her. ¡°Ashlyn, ir. I can hear! I can hear everything! My ears have recovered. Ashlyn, I can really hear.¡± The excitement that was evident in her voice and on her face made her look all the more gorgeous under the morning light. Looking at her joyous expression, Ashlyn could not help but smile gently. There was warmth in those sparkling eyes of hers. Naomi stared at her in a daze. If Ashlyn can protect me like this forever, that will be wonderful. When Ashlyn noticed her sister-inw¡¯s gaze on her, she raised her eyebrows. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± Naomi felt that it was too selfish of her to hope that Ashlyn would always be there for her. She bit her lip and told ir, ¡°ir, I¡¯m so hungry. I¡¯m craving delicious food.¡± Her appetite had not been great because of her poisoning, and she had lost a lot of weight. Even her face had be smaller than a palm, and her chin looked pointy. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Anyone who saw her in that state would feel pity for her. ¡°There are still some tests to be done, and you need to be on an empty stomach for that purpose. Just hold on for a while more.¡± ir patted her shoulders and continued, ¡°If the results of the tests are favorable, you will be discharged.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Naomi looked at her brother with delight but found it odd at the same time. Yesterday, the poison took effect, and it was so painful that I could barely breathe. In the end, I even passed out from the pain. Why does everything seem fine today? On top of that, I can be discharged already? After all, she was not stupid. Since Lucas was still at the hospital, it must be Ashlyn¡¯s doing. Was Ashlyn the one who got me the antidote? That must be it! Ashlyn, are you the one who found the antidote? How did you do it? Was it difficult? Even the doctors could not do anything about the poison. How did Ashlyn get it? Ashlyn caressed her hair and reassured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything else. Just go with ir for your tests.¡± Very soon, the results of her tests were out. Fortunately, her statistics were within the normal range, which allowed her to be discharged. Before leaving the hospital, Naomi went to check on Lucas. Even though he was ill, it did not diminish his powerful aura one bit. Naomi choked up as she called out, ¡°Lucas¡­¡± She was in a daze when she thought about the things that had happened to her and Lucas during the last couple of days. ¡°Ashlyn really dotes on you,¡± said Lucas with a hint of jealousy. In order to find the antidote for his sister, Ashlyn had gone out of her way. As Naomi¡¯s brother, his heart was filled with jealousy. Lucas did not stay at the hospital for long and got discharged together with Naomi. Chapter 710 Chapter 710 Sinir started nagging, ¡°Lucas, this is not good. You should have stayed in the hospital for a few more days. The quiet environment of the hospital is conducive for your recovery.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± The nagging of his psychologist was starting to get on his nerves. In the past, he had always known that Sinir was a little talkative. However, he did not realize that his words could drive one insane. ¡°Lucas, as your doctor, I have the need to tell you this. If I don¡¯t advise you, who will?¡± Sitting in the Bentley, Sinir was still babbling away. By then, Lucas felt like punching him in the face, but he suppressed that urge. ¡°Another word from you, and I will throw you out of the car!¡± ¡°You¡¯re so violent. This won¡¯t do. You have to learn how to calm your emotions!¡± Seeing that Lucas was threatening him, Sinir could not help but advise the former again. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. At that point, Lucas felt that Sinir was beyond salvation. Meanwhile, ir had sent Naomi back to Whind Vi. Sitting in the living room and looking at Sinir who was pacing in and out, she felt that he must be very busy. She also found it amusing at the same time. Just as she was about to say something, her phone rang. ¡°Jonathan? What¡¯s up?¡± Jonathan sounded a little anxious. ¡°Naomi, I heard you¡¯ve recovered. Where are you?¡± When he arrived at the hospital, she was nowhere to be seen. The bed had been made up, and all her daily necessities were gone. That caused an inexplicable panic in him. ¡°I have been discharged, and I am back home.¡± Naomi blushed when she heard the concern in his voice. During her stay at the hospital, he went there to visit her almost every day. As a top idol who was upied with work and had such a busy schedule, he always found time to be with her. It was not the first time that she was touched by his concern. Just listening to his voice was enough to make her heart beat faster and her face blush. Sh*t! Am I ill? ¡°So, you are back home. All right then. I¡¯m d to hear that you are fine.¡± Jonathan hung up the phone with a hint of disappointment in his tone. What a shame! Now that she is back home, I won¡¯t be able to see her every day! Feeling frustrated, he left the hospital. Meanwhile, a group of uninvited guests arrived at the Whind Vi. Together with Livia, Franklin swaggered into the living room. When they saw Naomi sitting on the couch and having fruit, Livia eyed her with disdain. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you are still alive.¡± ¡°Judging from your tone, you and my dad will be very pleased if I die.¡± Having been abused by that cold-blooded and ruthless couple, she was not expecting much from them. As far as she was concerned, her family consisted of only Lucas, Ashlyn, and ir! Her father, Franklin, was no more than a stranger, and Livia was not even rted to her by blood. ¡°How can we be pleased when weck a cash cow? Now that your ears are fine, I¡¯m sure you are worth more than three hundred million. In fact, five hundred million won¡¯t be an issue.¡± There was a menacing look in Livia¡¯s eyes as she uttered those vicious words. Looking at the couple in front of her, Naomi bit her lip and insisted, ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t want to go and keep those bossespany. Please? I will do my best to earn money. Dad¡ª¡± ¡°Naomi, know your ce. You should know the purpose of a daughter of the Nn family.¡± Livia pinched her chin and said, ¡°Of course, you are meant to get money for us! Lucas keeps such a tight rein on Nn Group, so it¡¯s really difficult for us to get him to give us any money for ourboratory. Furthermore, it sucks to use money from the Nn family.¡± ¡°Last time, you missed your date with Mr. Zimmerman, and he was very upset about it.¡± Franklin looked at Naomi without any expression and ordered, ¡°Go and change your clothes. Thene with us.¡± Lucas was not at home and left two bodyguards to look after her. Chapter 711 Chapter 711 The two bodyguards were no match for Franklin and Livia at all, let alone when both of them had brought along tens of subordinates d in ck. Gritting her teeth, Naomi got back to her feet. ¡°Give me a few minutes.¡± She headed into the room after grabbing her phone. Watching the entrance anxiously, she ransacked the closet and retrieved a full-length dress. Subsequently, she turned on her phone and sent Lucas a message instead of calling him; she was worried that Franklin would notice. Still feeling unsettled, she sent Ashlyn and ir messages to get them to rescue her. Meanwhile, Ashlyn was sharing a meal with the Piano Association¡¯s president, deputy president, and a few other prominent pianists. Upon hearing the notification on her phone, she checked it and was stunned by the message she received. The next moment, a grim expression descended upon her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, everyone. There¡¯s something I need to attend to.¡± Just as she spoke, she got to her feet and headed for the private room¡¯s exit. Coincidentally, Ryan¡¯s towering figure entered the room while she was on her way out. When he saw her leaving with her bag slung over her shoulder, he cocked a brow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ms. Berry? Do you hate me that much to leave at the sight of me?¡± His maic voice was filled with allure, sounding inexplicably seductive. After all, he was an extremely attractive man with his dashing good looks, melodious voice, and distinguished family background. ying the piano all year long had conjured an air of inherent nobility around him. In fact, every move he made was irresistibly elegant. As a result, he was never short of women willing to throw themselves at him and was naturally the most eligible bachelor in the whole of Maredania. However, Ashlyn didn¡¯t seem to be interested in him at all, which deeply intrigued him. Furthermore, a strange sense of familiarity caused Ryan to take an interest in Ashlyn. In response to his words, Ashlyn threw him a in nce. ¡°Mr. Yates, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to leave, as something just came up.¡± She didn¡¯t exin any further, for her mind was clouded by anxiety and frustration. In fact, her concern for Naomi caused her to be irritated by Ryan¡¯s obstruction. She was worried that she would bete, and something unpredictable might happen to Naomi. While walking, she lowered her head to type a message to Lucas. ¡°Ms. Berry, it seems that you¡¯re unwilling to show me any respect.¡± Ashlyn was taken by surprise. Looking up, she was greeted by his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing slightly while his mesmerizing voice echoed in her ears. Ashlyn blinked abruptly. ¡°I have to go, as I¡¯ve something urgent to attend to.¡± Just as she spoke, she pushed Ryan¡¯s hand aside before strutting out in a hurry. As for Lucas, he drove at breakneck speed toward Whind Vi upon reading Naomi¡¯s message. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile, at Whind Vi, Naomi had finally changed into a full-length white dress that entuated her porcinplexion and petite figure. Her long and slender legs, in particr, looked extraordinarily alluring. ¡°No wonder you are qualified to be picked for a female lead role. You still look presentable in this outfit. Let¡¯s go,¡± Livia sneered as she scrutinized Naomi from head to toe. All dolled up, Naomi followed behind Livia with her heart pounding nervously. Nevertheless, she was cognizant of her helplessness, for she didn¡¯t know martial arts, unlike Ashlyn. As a result, she had no choice but toply with her parents¡¯ instructions and y the role of an obedient child for the time being. Or else, she would be the one to suffer. Holding that thought, she calmly got into the back seat of the car. Fortunately, her parents didn¡¯t confiscate her phone, allowing her to share her location with Ashlyn. I hope Ashlyn and Lucas can follow my trail, find me, and rescue me. Naomi kept praying hard. Finally, the car stopped in front of a luxurious mansion. Franklin threw her a nce with an icy expression. ¡°Remember to put on a good show. As long as you make Mr. Zimmerman happy, you can be a star, be it in movies or drama series. With his support, receiving awards isn¡¯t going to be an issue. If you don¡¯t, I will make sure you suffer the consequences.¡± Chapter 712 Chapter 712 Naomi¡¯s heart sank instantly. Along the journey there, she had given the matter a lot of thought. It was her misfortune to have such cruel parents. However, if she were to resign herself to fate, she would be responsible for her own undoing. I am the master of my destiny, not them! With that, she anxiously waited for Ashlyn and Lucas to rescue her. As she nced at her phone intermittently, she finally noticed Ashlyn¡¯s reply: Wait for me! It was then that Naomi began to calm down. Ashlyn will find me. She definitely will. After all, she had shared her location throughout the journey. ¡°What are you spacing out for? Get out of the car.¡± When Livia gave Naomi a shove, thetter shot her a re. ¡°Stop pushing me! I¡¯ll get down myself.¡± Just as she spoke, she alighted from the car and stood still in silence. Hearing themotion outside, the mansion¡¯s butler came out to greet them, ¡°This way, please.¡± The Zimmerman family dealt in sanitary wares and got rich doing so. Nheless, Joshua Zimmerman wasn¡¯t cultured at all, as he was considered new money. In fact, he was the richest among the new money and wielded significant power and influence. Ever since his wife died a few years ago, he endeavored to remarry a young and beautiful girl from a prominent family. Even though he phndered often, none of the girls he had been with qualified to be his wife. Moreover, there was no way new money like him could break into the social circles of the old money. After all, no one in their right mind would let their daughter marry an old man like him who was already sixty. Unfortunately, the Nns were indeed sick in the head, for they were willing to offer their daughter¡¯s hand in marriage in exchange for a three hundred million investment. Ironically, Naomi didn¡¯t expect that she would be worth that much one day. Upon entering the living room, she saw a coffee table in the center. There was also a TV cab and sofa ced neatly in it. On the sofa sat a middle-aged man with a pot belly, smiling gleefully at her. From his eyes, one could see how astounded he was by her beauty. What a gorgeous girl! She has pretty features, a stunning body, and a charming aura, just as expected of a daughter from a prominent family. ¡°Come,e, please have a seat.¡± Joshua got to his feet. He was extremely satisfied with Naomi¡¯s looks. Furthermore, he was ted over her age, considering how young she was. Franklin inly remarked, ¡°Mr. Zimmerman, now that we have brought her, I hope you will keep your end of the bargain and transfer the money.¡± ¡°Fine, fine. That goes without saying. I¡¯ll transfer it now. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to trick you,¡± Joshua replied at once. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Zimmerman.¡± Livia couldn¡¯t help but burst into heartyughter. ¡°Dear, let¡¯s go now. We don¡¯t want to get in Mr. Zimmerman and Naomi¡¯s way.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Curling his lips, Franklin stared at the three hundred million that was just transferred to his ount. ¡°Mr. Zimmerman, I hope you have a good time,¡± Franklin hinted. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. However, those words sounded especially vulgar to Naomi. She felt that instead of his daughter, she was nothing but a money-making tool for Franklin. Overwhelmed by anguish, she felt as if a knife had been plunged right into her heart. It was so painful that she could barely breathe. Clutching her chest in agony, she realized that there was nowhere for her to run even if she wanted to. Is this the fate that awaits me? To be manipted by others without regard for my dignity or human rights? To not even be allowed to have my own opinion? After escorting the Nns out, Joshua dismissed all the housekeepers from the living room. ¡°None of you are to enter without my permission.¡± With that, the servants returned to their rooms, leaving Naomi and Joshua alone in the spacious living room. When Naomi saw how fat and ugly Joshua was, she felt the urge to retch. With a scornful tone, she appealed, ¡°Mr. Zimmerman, I was forced into this. Please spare me by letting me go.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to release you after paying three hundred million to have you.¡± Joshua rubbed his hands with a scious smile. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m looking forward to you bearing me a son. That would certainly be wonderful.¡± Chapter 713 Chapter 713 ¡°F*ck! In your dreams!¡± Naomi snapped. As Joshua approached her step by step, he began to take off his clothes. ¡°Baby,e on, let me show you my masculinity!¡± Joshua¡¯s belly jiggled as he walked. Closing her eyes, Naomi tried to hold back her urge to puke. When she opened her eyes again, she threatened, ¡°If you daree any closer, I will call the police!¡± ¡°Go on then! Let¡¯s see if theye.¡± Joshua was unfazed by her threat. When he pressed both his hands on her shoulders, she pped them away immediately while being overwhelmed by anxiety. Why aren¡¯t Ashlyn and Lucas here yet? Either of them will do! The more she thought about it, the more desperate she became. In the end, she decided to flee toward the entrance, for she couldn¡¯t sit idly by and rely on someone else. By then, she realized that she had no choice but to save herself. No sooner had she heard Joshua¡¯s footsteps behind her than her body slumped to the ground before she could get far. D*mn it, the air in this house has been spiked! After Joshua gradually approached, he knelt down in front of her and lifted her chin. ¡°Are you trying to escape? It¡¯s not going to be that easy!¡± While he was speaking, he unbuckled his belt. The moment it fell onto the ground, so did his pants. Subsequently, he threw them aside. Naomi shook her head vehemently as her eyes were filled with helplessness and despair. ¡°No, I beg of you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless. In fact, I¡¯m going to have the time of my life!¡± Joshua thundered. At that moment, a loud bang rang out, giving Joshua a fright. When he turned his attention to the door, he saw that someone had kicked it open. Following that, a talldy made her entrance. Dressed in a white shirt and matching pants, she exuded an intimidating vibe. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. The exquisite features on her face were a sight that no one could forget. Her cold and piercing eyes, in particr, would send a chill down anyone¡¯s spine, while the pair of white heels she was wearing added weight to her gravitas. The moment Naomi saw her, she struggled out from underneath Joshua. Teary-eyed, she called out, ¡°Ashlyn! Ashlyn!¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re Mrs. Nn!¡± Joshua scrutinized Ashlyn with a lecherous gaze. She keeps popping up in the news recently. Everyone knows that Lucas¡¯ hurriedly-wedded wife is an influencer named Ashlyn. She is not only a talented pianist and artist but has also invested in a few movies! I didn¡¯t expect her to look more stunning in real life. Joshua remarked with a disgusting tone, ¡°Another beauty? Are you here to apany me too? If both you and Naomi can pleasure me, it would certainly be out of this world!¡± Ashlyn stared at Joshua with an icy gaze and instantly felt nauseated by what she saw. ¡°You piece of sh*t! You don¡¯t even deserve to breathe the same air as I do!¡± ¡°Who do you think you are? How dare you show such insolence?¡± Joshua¡¯s expression changed drastically at Ashlyn¡¯s words before he grabbed Naomi by the neck. ¡°Look carefully! She was sold to me by her parents. Hence, I can do whatever I want with her!¡± As Naomi felt the air in her lungs run thin, her face turned red from suffocation, leading her to cough intensely. With Joshua maintaining a death grip on her neck, she could barely breathe at all. At that very moment, Ashlyn snorted before a devilish smile descended upon her face. Joshua was shocked and didn¡¯t even see when Ashlyn made her move. In the next instant, she appeared right in front of him before sending a forceful kick into his chest. Just as he felt excruciating pain from the impact, Joshua crashed heavily into the wall behind him. It hurt so much that he howled in agony. ¡°Argh! It hurts! Men!¡± ¡°No one ising. Even if you scream your lungs out, no one will save you!¡± Suddenly, a grim male voice rang out. Joshua widened his eyes in disbelief when he saw a towering figure in a ck shirt and pants bearing down on him in a terrifying manner. Feeling intimidated, he began to tremble uncontrobly. ¡°L-Lucas?¡± Chapter 714 Chapter 714 Walking up to Joshua, Lucas raised his leg and stomped on the former¡¯s chest. As he increased the pressure in his foot, Lucas stared at Joshua indifferently. ¡°Joshua, how dare you put your filthy hands on my sister?¡± Fresh blood began to ooze out of the corner of Joshua¡¯s lips. The greater the pressure Lucas applied, the faster the blood gushed out. Amidst the agonizing pain in his chest, Joshua could feel that he was losing more air than he was taking in. ¡°L-Let me go! Your dad and mom¡­ They sold Naomi to me. I had nothing to do with it.¡± As blood flowed relentlessly out of his mouth, Joshua struggled to finish his words and almost suffocated to death while doing so. ¡°Since Franklin and Livia were the ones dealing with you, why don¡¯t they sleep with you instead? As they are the ones who have taken your money, you should be looking for them!¡± Lucas looked down at Joshua with eyes filled with hostility. ¡°Scum like you are not worthy toy a finger on my sister. Even if she¡­ remains single for the rest of her life, she will never marry you!¡± Ashlyn was startled by Lucas¡¯ remarks. His frosty demeanor had caused her to assume that he never cared for his siblings. When Naomi was poisoned back then, Ashlyn had noticed the concern Lucas had for her, but it never urred to her that his emotions were so intense. Thest time she had seen him so riled up was during his manic episode. Upon the realization, she had finally seen through him. Underneath that expressionless face of his was a heart that was filled with passion. Curling up feebly in Ashlyn¡¯s arms, Naomi looked at Lucas with a stunned expression. ¡°Lucas¡­¡± It was the first time she felt her brother protecting her from all the hurt in the world, just like an impregnable shield. All this while, she had thought she was closer to ir. But in that instant, she suddenly realized that Lucas and Ashlyn were the ones who kept ir and her safe as if they were their children. There was a saying that the eldest sibling was like a father, while his wife was simr to a mother. The idea had never dawned upon her until now. Consequently, she began to hate how foolish she had been in the past. Back then, she didn¡¯t know better when she looked down upon Ashlyn and ridiculed her. Evidently, she couldn¡¯t have been more wrong to think that an exceptionaldy like Ashlyn was a parasite trying to leech upon the Nn family. Regretting her actions, she felt her heart flooded withplex emotions. Even though Ashlyn was divorced, she still came to Naomi¡¯s rescue whenever thetter was in trouble. Finally, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Ashlyn, why are you helping me? Don¡¯t you hate me?¡± Ashlyn tousled her hair and replied softly, ¡°That¡¯s because I know that you¡¯re a good kid at heart. Did you know that I used to have a sister? She was about your age. Often, I would think how wonderful it would be if she were still alive. Therefore, in my heart, you¡¯re like a sister to me.¡± ¡°Ashlyn¡­¡± Unable to hold back her tears any longer, Naomi hugged Ashlyn tightly as a gush of emotions swept through her heart. She had a sister who passed away? That¡¯s terrible! N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Upon hearing Ashlyn¡¯s revtion, Lucas intensified the pressure on Joshua through his foot. She had a sister who died? I know too little about her! As Joshua¡¯s body began to twitch from the pain, blood continued to flow with no signs of stopping. It hurts! It hurts! Finally, he could no longer endure the torment. As his eyes rolled upward, he let out an agonizing scream before losing consciousness. ¡°We¡¯re letting him off too lightly by allowing him to faint.¡± Helping Naomi back to her feet, Ashlyn red at Joshua, as if she was staring at a pile of rotten meat. ¡°In that case, what do you propose?¡± Lucas¡¯ maic yet insidious voice rang out through the living room. The next moment, he moved his leg from Joshua¡¯s chest down to his crotch. Chapter 715 Chapter 715 And then, he threw his weight behind his foot and stomped on Joshua¡¯s groin. Within a split second, Joshua was jolted awake from the tremendous pain. ¡°Argh! Argh! It hurts!¡± His squeals of anguish reverberated throughout the entire mansion, causing his subordinates, who were being restrained by Lucas and Ashlyn¡¯s men, to tremble in horror. That¡¯s a frightening scream. ¡°Next time, let¡¯s see if you dare bully women again!¡± After retracting his leg in satisfaction, Lucas stared at Joshua, whose head was covered in sweat and body drenched in blood. His face had lost all color, for the pain from having his crotch squashed was worse than death itself. ¡°Lucas, d*mn you! I curse you to rot in hell!¡± Even though he was swearing relentlessly at Lucas, thetter seemed oblivious to it all. With a distinguished expression, Lucas gave him the side-eye. ¡°The Zimmerman Group has done well for itself and is indeed wealthy. However, has it ever crossed your mind why Franklin and his wife approached you for money instead of me?¡± ¡°Wh-Why?¡± Taken by surprise, Joshua¡¯s face ashened further. Franklin and his wife had told him that theb had invented a drug that could extend one¡¯s life and improve male virility. That was the reason why he was willing to invest, for it would be ludicrous for him to pay three hundred million for Naomi alone. ¡°Even if they coulde up with a drug like that, there¡¯s no way they would give it to you. Besides, it doesn¡¯t even exist yet.¡± The moment Lucas finished, he walked toward Ashlyn and Naomi. Behind him, Joshua rambled on in disbelief, ¡°How can that be? That¡¯s impossible! There¡¯s no way they would lie to me!¡± However, no one paid any heed to him. As Lucas¡¯s towering figure stood in front of Ashlyn, their eyes met. Amidst a mysterious tension in the air, he stared intently at her with an affectionate gaze. How has she been? There was a lot he wanted to tell her, but he didn¡¯t know where to start. Feeling the pressure from Lucas¡¯ intense gaze, Ashlyn felt the urge to flee, which was what she did by stuffing Naomi into his arms. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you can take over.¡± In the blink of an eye, she left swiftly with her subordinates, as if she was being pursued by a ghost. As Lucas watched the Land Rover disappear from his sight, his reluctance to see her go began to squeeze his heart. He was filled with the urge to hold her in his arms so that he could feel her breathing and heartbeat. However, he knew he had to hold himself back. Naomi let out a sigh. ¡°Lucas, let¡¯s go home.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Without another word, Lucas entered the car and ordered Spencer to drive. Meanwhile, inside a five-star hotel in Lake City, Ryan¡¯s eyes glistened with discreet resentment when he saw the mother and daughter. Nevertheless, he was very good at hiding his emotions. His expression was indifferent yet polite as he greeted them, ¡°Pleasee in.¡± Penelope followed behind Mary as they stepped into the presidential suite. The suite was designedvishly. Besides four bedrooms, it also had a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen. I heard that such a suite costs a few hundred thousand a night. The Yates family is really rich, and that¡¯s the reason he can afford such an extravagant room. As Mary was considered a daughter of the Yates family now, she put on the airs of a distinguisheddy and strutted into the room while hiding her amazement. With an ingratiating tone, she suggested, ¡°Ryan, it¡¯s such a waste for you to stay in such a big ce alone. Why don¡¯t Penelope and I move in with you?¡± Raising his gaze, Ryan threw the duo a distant look. ¡°Mary, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not used to staying with someone else, especially those of a different gender, as we do not share the same living habits.¡± ¡°Ryan, isn¡¯t staying by yourself lonely? It will definitely be more fun if we move in with you.¡± Chapter 716 Chapter 716 ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I prefer to have a peaceful environment over a noisy one. Yesterday, I booked you a room. It¡¯s on the thirteenth floor, and here¡¯s the room key.¡± Ryan handed a key card to Mary. It was an ordinary suite. There were two bedrooms inside it together with a dining room and a kitchen. Nevertheless, it was still a far cry from Ryan¡¯s suite in terms ofvishness. The moment Mary heard that it was on the thirteenth floor, the smile on her face froze. In spite of that, she kept a lid on her emotions, for Ryan was the heir to the Yates family, and they would have to rely on him going forward. I can¡¯t fall out with him¡­ I have to keep my cool and maintain a cordial rtionship instead. An ordinary suite is considered wonderful and significantly better than a standard room. At the end of the day, I¡¯m still a daughter of the Yates family and a cut above everyone else. Having mentally convinced herself, Mary epted the card and replied with a smile, ¡°Thank you for your consideration.¡± ¡°Thank you, Uncle Ryan.¡± Penelope quickly broke into a vibrant smile. After both of them left with their luggage in tow, Ryan mmed the door behind them to express his displeasure at their behavior. He was on a working trip as a member of the judgingmittee and was thoroughly annoyed that the duo wanted to tag along. How did these two end up being members of the Yates family? Recalling how much he had been looking forward to his sister¡¯s return, Ryan was utterly disappointed when he found out how narrow-minded and materialistic Mary turned out to be. The sister from his childhood memories wasn¡¯t like that at all. Instead, she was gentle, attentive, and loved to spoil him. She was also very sensible and behaved just like how the eldest daughter of the Yates family was expected to. Moreover, she excelled in everything that she did and was once considered the future of the Yates family. Back then, everyone expected her to be the pride of the family, but she ended up disappearing instead. With the passage of time, he no longer remembered how she looked. All that was left was a familial bond. The Yates family had expended significant manpower and resources in the search for his sister. Unfortunately, all their efforts were futile. It wasn¡¯t until recently that Mary was found. Even though Ryan didn¡¯t feel that she resembled his sister in any way, the DNA test report clearly stated that she was his mother¡¯s daughter. Taking a deep breath, Ryan tried to push the annoying matter to the back of his mind since the final round of the International Piano Competition was on the next day. After taking a hot shower, he changed into his pajamas and picked out the outfit he was going to wear the next day. Only then did he lie down on his bed. For some strange reason, Ashlyn¡¯s beautiful face suddenly shed across his mind. Why am I thinking of her? That¡¯s strange. The next morning, Ashlyn took her breakfast before heading to the theater where the pianopetition was being held. Just when she alighted, she saw Penelope, Jenny, and Hera walking side by side. The three of them had some history together. Back then, even though all three of them already knew one another, Jenny and Hera were closer to each other. They never liked hanging out with Penelope, as the Berry family was considered inferior to theirs. However, it was Penelope who took the initiative to contact them this time, for she was now the granddaughter of a count, and her mom was the Yates family¡¯s eldest daughter. Now that her status had been significantly elevated, she felt the need toe back and show off just to gain satisfaction from the envy of others. That day, Penelope was dressed in a pale green full-length dress, which was from a luxury brand for youths under Maredania¡¯s Brand X. Coincidentally, Ashlyn had seen that outfit before. Back then, she had knitted her brows curiously when the manager of the design department showed it to her. The dress utilized arge amount ofce and pleated frills that gave it a loud look. She had wondered then if anyone would actually buy it. But considering that the designer was a newbie who was willing to be bold and possessed some soul, she realized it was unfair to reject the design just because she didn¡¯t like it.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 717 Chapter 717 Hence, she agreed tounch the products and signed the papers. She never thought that her clothes would sell, but they did. The only thing was that the clothes were as weird and crazy as she had imagined them. Penelope was an average-looking girl with delicate features. However, it wasn¡¯t enough to turn heads. As such, she had to resort to weird and crazy outfits to stand out among a group of pretty girls. But since she couldn¡¯t carry the style, all the outfit did was made her look like a circus clown. I wonder how she got her hands on these clothes in the first ce? From what I know, everything from this brand needs advanced booking. Not only that, they¡¯re famous for being expensive. One would have to book at least one to two months in advance and pay a ton of money just to get their hands on these clothing items. Not many could afford this brand in Lake City. Penelope had begged Ryan to get the dress for her as she wanted to outshine the other candidates in the pianopetition that day. She wanted to attract everyone¡¯s attention even though she didn¡¯t participate in thepetition. ¡°Penelope, these clothes look like they¡¯re from Brand X. It must have cost you a lot, right?¡± Hera felt a little envious of Penelope. After all, she couldn¡¯t get her hands on any branded clothing items after being cklisted from the fashion industry. She, too, wanted Brand X¡¯s clothes but had no means of getting them. She could only afford clothes that had gone out of fashion even if she shopped overseas. The Chapmans couldn¡¯t afford to buy her thetest season clothes these days. Moreover, Bob had reduced her allowance since he was unhappy with her. Penelope blushed at Hera¡¯s words. ¡°Hera, do you think this looks good on me? My uncle says it fits me well, but I¡¯m not confident enough to say so.¡± ¡°This dress looks really good on you, Penelope.¡± Hera lied through her teeth. ¡°You¡¯ll surely be the center of attention with this dress.¡± Jenny scoffed inwardly. However, she yed along and said, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s indeed quite nice. After all, it¡¯s an exceptional brand. Their designers are recognized for their iconic sense of style and are well respected in the industry. I even heard that their design director, X, is extremely strict. Also, I heard that they¡¯re very mysterious. No one has actually seen them before.¡± ¡°X?¡± Ms. X from LX Corporation was the only X Penelope knew. Moreover, she firmly believed that Ashlyn was the mysterious X during London Fashion Week. So, X has appeared again. I wonder if Ashlyn is the same director X from X Corporation? But how is that possible? She¡¯s just a designer from H Nation. How is it possible that she has be the design director of X Corporation in Maredania? After all, one would have to stand out to be a design director. Hmm¡­ they probably just have the same stage name. Penelope pondered to herself. ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard that it¡¯s not easy to get X to design something new. They onlye out with three designs every year and those designs would usually be gifted to the president¡¯s wife or royalty. Moreover, they specializes in designing jewelry. They woulde up with a new series every year.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Jenny gave Penelope a disdainful look. How could she be wearing Brand X¡¯s dress when she hasn¡¯t even heard of Director X? I guess she¡¯s still a country bumpkin even though she has returned to the Yates family. ¡°Yeah. I heard that they designed new pieces of jewelry this year. It¡¯s very pretty and elegant from the pictures on the inte.¡± Hera was filled with jealousy as she asked on purpose, ¡°Penelope, did your uncle refer you to X since he managed to get you this dress?¡± Penelope froze. She was riddled with guilt as she replied, ¡°My uncle is a viscount. It would be a piece of cake to for him to meet someone like X.¡± Her voice faltered toward the end. In truth, Ryan only managed to get his hands on this dress through his connections. Moreover, she had never heard of the infamous design director X in the fashion industry before this. Chapter 718 Chapter 718 The only X Penelope knew was Ms. X from LX Corporation. Hence, it wasn¡¯t possible that she had met X before this. Whatever. My uncle is a viscount. It will be a piece of cake for me to meet X. I¡¯ll just have to ask. Anyway, there¡¯s no harm in lying since both Jenny and Hera hails from Lake City in H Nation. They won¡¯t know if I¡¯m lying through my teeth or not. Penelope felt rather smug upon that thought. I¡¯m so d Ie from such an influential family and have such a good uncle. ¡°Have you really met X before? I bet he must be a very handsome man, right? His designs are bold, youthful, and stylish.¡± Penelope smiled and pretended to be cool about it. ¡°X is a mysterious person. I can¡¯t give away his details just like that. I¡¯ll introduce you to him once I get the chance.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jenny¡¯s eyes lit up as her interest was piqued. She stared at Penelope in disbelief. She had a feeling that Penelope was bluffing. ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± Penelope smiled and patted Jenny on the back. Ashlyn watched on as Penelope bluffed her way through the conversation like a madman. She arched a brow and kept quiet as she passed them by. It had been a long time since Penelope met Ashlyn. The woman was beautiful and poised, and she possessed amanding presence. Penelope couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous when she saw how much confidence Ashlyn carried. Even as a woman herself, she couldn¡¯t deny the fact that she was attracted to Ashlyn¡¯s aura. Penelope gritted her teeth in anger. Urgh, I can¡¯t stand her. Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t help but feel smug when she recalled she was in a higher social ss than Ashlyn. Penelope managed her facial expressions and smiled at Ashlyn. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve met, Ashlyn.¡± ¡°Does it make any difference if we meet or not?¡± Ashlyn retorted. Penelope kept her cool and replied, ¡°Ashlyn, have you heard of Director X? It seems like Ms. X from LX Corporation is no match for Director X from X Corporation at all!¡± She scrutinized Ashlyn¡¯s face closely, trying to work out if she was indeed Director X. However, much to her disappointment, Ashlyn¡¯s face gave nothing away as she remained stoic. Penelope was secretly delighted. Looks like Ms. X from LX Corporation and Director X is not the same person. This is great. Ashlyn is already very fortunate to be working as a designer for LX Corporation in Lake City. How is it possible that she¡¯s the director of a multinationalpany like X Corporation? It seems like I¡¯ve been overthinking. I¡¯m the cream of the crop. We¡¯re at a totally different level. I¡¯m a noble, granddaughter of a count; while Ashlyn is just a designer and a doctor in a small town like Lake City. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Penelope was pleased upon that thought and cast Ashlyn a contemptuous look. Ashlyn stopped in her tracks and gave her a look. ¡°Are you referring to Director X? Is knowing that person such a big deal? In that case, is it an even bigger deal if I know the president of X Corporation then?¡± she said coldly. Penelope froze. What does she mean? Does she really know the president of X Corporation? Before Penelope coulde up with a reply, however, Jenny, who was a huge fan of Director X, spoke up. ¡°Ashlyn, what is the meaning of this? You¡¯re talking as if you know them at a personal level. I bet you¡¯ve never even heard of X. He¡¯s not just some random designer in a smallpany, he¡¯s the best of the best. I heard that he even rejected Mr. Shaw¡¯s invitation to attend the Shaws¡¯ fashion event. Nobody knows what X looks like up till now!¡± she said sharply. ¡°Yeah, Ms. Ashlyn. Do you think Director X is the X from a smallpany like LX Corporation? These two are iparable!¡± Hera added pretentiously. She would never give up on an opportunity to talk down to Ashlyn. Penelope smiled. ¡°Forget it. She would never understand. How could she when she has no idea what we¡¯re even talking about?¡± Chapter 719 Chapter 719 She¡¯s just a doctor with a small web of connections. She¡¯s nothing but a small fry. At most, she¡¯s a designer under LX Fashion. Even then, that background of hers is nothingpared to mine as the granddaughter of a Count. What right does she have to stand here talking to me about the director and president of X Corporation? It¡¯s probably difficult for her to even go overseas. Ashlyn arched her brow as she trained her cold gaze on Penelope. ¡°Penelope, since you¡¯ve met Director X before, has the director ever given you anything?¡± Confusion crossed Penelope¡¯s face at Ashlyn¡¯s question. I¡¯ve never even met Director X before. So there¡¯s no way in hell I would have received anything. Despite being clueless, Penelope continued on with her act. ¡°It was difficult for me to meet the director since I wasn¡¯t close to him, but Uncle Ryan knows him well. The director did give Uncle Ryan a gift before.¡± ¡°Really? May I know what the gift was?¡± The corner of Ashlyn¡¯s eyes raised slightly, exuding a charming vibe. ¡°J-Just a gold-ted business card,¡± Penelope lied, thinking that since Ashlyn didn¡¯t know Ryan, she wouldn¡¯t be able to rify with him. There¡¯s no way a woman like her can possibly know a world- renowned pianist like Ryan. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry to say that Director X never hands out business cards.¡± Ashlyn shot her a knowing grin. X would usually present a self-made embroidered handkerchief with an X on the bottom right corner of it during the first meeting. ¡°How would you know? You¡¯re just bluffing, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re talking like you¡¯re close to X,¡± Penelope barked. With an annoyed nce at Ashlyn, she purposely said, ¡°Since we used to be sisters, let me give you some advice. Don¡¯t try to show off because if someone exposes you, you¡¯ll be embarrassed.¡± Ashlyn snickered as she stared at Penelope like she was a joke. Is there something wrong with this woman¡¯s mind? I was just asking if Director X had given her anything. Yet she¡¯s using me of being a showoff? Before she could refute, Penelope acted as though she was worried for Ashlyn¡¯s sake and expressed, ¡°You never even been abroad before and stayed at Lake City your whole life, so how could you possibly know Director X? How would you even know whether the director even gave me anything? You¡¯re speaking like you¡¯ve received something from X before.¡± Ashlyn snapped, ¡°Do I even need X¡¯s gifts? Hah! What a joke!¡± Before Penelope could react, Ashlyn had turned on her heels and left. D*mn that wench! A menacing expression crossed Penelope¡¯s face. She¡¯s such a b*tch! What right does she have to be so arrogant? How could she be so conceited? She is nothing more than a designer and doctor. Horace has already been taken into custody, so she doesn¡¯t have any support anymore. I¡¯m sure she has no idea how powerful Uncle Ryan is. I bet she¡¯ll be furious once she knows about it. Her tone earlier made it seem like she didn¡¯t care for the present from Director X. But there¡¯s no way she knows X! What a load of bull! She¡¯s just full of sh*t! Hera pretended tofort Penelope. ¡°She¡¯s a psycho. Just ignore her. She thinks she¡¯s in the upper ss now that she¡¯s Mrs. Nn.¡± ¡°Mrs. Nn? When did she be Mrs. Nn? Which Mrs. Nn?¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Penelope had been staying at Maredania, so she hadn¡¯t been paying much attention to any news on Twitter and wasn¡¯t in the loop of any local gossip. Hence, she was clueless about how popr Ashlyn was on Twitter. ¡°Mrs. Nn as in the wife of Lucas Nn,¡± Hera replied through clenched teeth. Ashlyn is Lucas¡¯ wife? No wonder he kept protecting her. ¡°Those are nothing but fake news and baseless rumors. They¡¯ve been on the news sites forever, but have you ever seen Lucas step up to confirm the rumors? I¡¯m sure Ashlyn and Mr. White were the ones who spread those rumors.¡± Jenny knew about Hera¡¯s feelings for Lucas, so she wasn¡¯t nning on revealing the possible engagement between the Holt and Nn family to avoid any possible mishap. She knew well enough that the three of them were merely stic friends. Chapter 720 Chapter 720 ¡°I see¡­¡± Penelope nodded and didn¡¯t say anything else. Meanwhile, Ashlyn returned to the pianopetition venue and went straight backstage. There were a couple of dressing rooms back there, and all the participants were inside getting styled by stylists. Some even brought their own personal stylists. Charlotte sat on her seat obediently with a thin gauze covering her face. She only had simple eye makeup done with red lipstick on her lips. Delight filled her eyes when she saw Ashlyn approaching. ¡°Ashlyn.¡± She figured it was rude to continue calling Ashlyn Ms. Berry after all the help she received from her. ¡°Hey, Lottie. How are you doing?¡± Ashlyn retrieved a ne and fastened it over Charlottes¡¯ fair neck. ¡°It looks good on you.¡± The ne was fresh on the market, and was only released that day. Coincidentally, Ashlyn had just received a sample the day before. Thinking it might suit Charlotte, she brought one over. Charlotte admired the cool ne on her neck through the vanity mirror. Tiny diamonds were embellished along the chain with a star-shaped diamond pendant at the center, sparkling under the light¡¯s reflection like a night sky full of stars. The beautiful jewelry had her eyes wide open as she eximed, ¡°It¡¯s stunning!¡± ¡°I¡¯m d that you like it.¡± Ashlyn chuckled. ¡°I hope it can bring you good luck.¡± Olivia, who sat not far away, had also made it into the finals. Two of her friends were on her sides whispering, ¡°That Penelope whose father got taken away is here too. Say, why do you think she¡¯s here when she¡¯s not evenpeting?¡± ¡°Well, she had tongues wagging after wearing the outfit from brand X. She¡¯s strutting around like a peacock shaking its feathers open.¡± ¡°I heard a Count has reimed her into the family, effectively turning her into a socialite of nobility.¡± ¡°Oh right, I heard the president of the International Piano Association is here as a guest. Have you guys heard anything about that?¡± Naturally, Olivia also noticed the ostentatious dress on Penelope. Shemented with contempt, ¡°Penelope is nothing but a pauper that finally got the chance to show off now. But it doesn¡¯t matter since the Berrys are still too far beneath to evenpare to the standings of our families.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. She is just a nouveau-riche no matter where she goes. It¡¯s disgusting. Only Hera and Jenny would lower their standards to hang around her.¡± The three, Penelope, Jenny, and Hera, were vain and arrogant. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. They might act low-key, but their deepest desires were to catch everyone¡¯s attention. That was why socialites like Olivia didn¡¯t like hanging around them. Hence the small group of posse she had. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about her. I¡¯m losing my appetite.¡± Olivia lifted her brow and said, ¡°I want to get a look at the president of the International Piano Association. I heard he¡¯s a very talented man and a genius pianist ever since he was a child. I also heard that he was about to announce the heir that would be the next president. I wonder if that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°The heir that would be the next president? Then, it must be Ryan, the Piano Prince, right?¡± Penelope, Jenny, and Hera coincidentally overheard their conversation as they drew closer. With a pause, Penelope intentionally flipped her hair. ¡°Are you guys talking about Uncle Ryan? What about him? Is he about to be the president of the International Piano Association?¡± With an exaggerated and embarrassed expression, she added, ¡°He always keeps a low profile. Even I don¡¯t know about this despite being his rtive.¡± Olivia couldn¡¯t stand Penelope¡¯s attitude and snapped, ¡°Oh, we were just specting, so it¡¯s not even confirmed yet. We¡¯re not sure if it¡¯s your Uncle Ryan, so stop sticking feathers in your cap.¡± Clenching her fist in anger, Penelope barked, ¡°I¡¯m telling Uncle Ryan to give you guys a low score.¡± ¡°Well, in order to do that, your Uncle Ryan will have to listen to you first,¡± Olivia mocked. ¡°Come on, forget about them, and let¡¯s go.¡± Hera tugged on Penelope. ¡°I still haven¡¯t put on my makeup yet.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ruin Hera¡¯s mood before thepetition,¡± Jenny chipped in as she yanked Penelope too. Hearing the women almost getting into a fight, Ashlyn opened her eyes and nced in their direction, feeling a slight headache at themotion. Chapter 721 Chapter 721 ¡°Ms. Warhol, do you know when will the president of the Piano Association being?¡± Olivia was taken aback when she realized Ashlyn had taken the initiative to talk to her. She blushed with embarrassment, looked at Ashlyn in admiration, and replied respectfully, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t give you the details since I¡¯m not sure myself, Ms. Berry.¡± How Olivia wished she could give Ashlyn an answer. I should have been more prepared! Had I known she would approach me with the question, I would have prepared all the information in advance for her! Olivia was disappointed in herself because she did not get to answer Ashlyn¡¯s question. At this point, she got even more jealous of Charlotte. How could she be so lucky? How could she maintain such a good rtionship with Ms. Saunders? Olivia felt her heart burn with envy when she noticed the ne that Ms. Saunders gave Charlotte. I¡¯ll be on cloud nine if only Ms. Saunders notices me. I must work hard to be someone that will leave a longsting impression on her mind! I would be overjoyed if Ms. Saunders could give me a gift. I¡¯ll cherish it forever! Olivia lowered her eyes and looked at her hands. Look at all the blisters on my hands. I¡¯ve worked so hard for the winning title of thispetition. It¡¯s all because I want Ms. Saunders to remember who I am! Meanwhile, Penelope was stunned to see how respectful Olivia was. Olivia is an arrogant woman with a big ego. Yet, she¡¯s willing toe off her high horse and greet Ashlyn so respectfully? What¡¯s going on? Are my eyes deceiving me? Penelope red at Ashlyn and said, ¡°Why are you asking about the president? Just so you know, the president is willing to grace this event with his presence only because my uncle invited him.¡± Ashlyn did not even bother to look at her. Instead, she turned around and patted Charlotte on the shoulder. ¡°Stay calm, and do your best on stageter.¡± When Olivia walked past her, Ashlyn turned to her and said, ¡°You too.¡± Ashlyn heard everything clearly when Olivia retorted to Penelope earlier. Olivia was struck dumb, and she looked at Ashlyn in disbelief. D-Did Ms. Saunders just give me a word of encouragement? Although it was just a short phrase, Ashlyn¡¯s ¡°you too¡± meant the world to Olivia. In fact, it meant so much that her hostility toward Charlotte had also somewhat dwindled. Olivia returned to her seat with a smile and continued with her makeup. I must put on a good show tonight! When Ashlyn was about to leave the room, Penelope walked up to the dressing table next to Hera and eximed, ¡°Oh, no! My ne is missing!¡± Upon hearing that, Hera and Jenny immediately looked over. ¡°How did it go missing? What ne is it?¡± ¡°I saw Ashlyn gave Charlotte a ne earlier. Could it be that she stole your ne and gave it to Charlotte?¡± Jenny stood up and stopped Ashlyn from leaving. ¡°You¡¯d better return the ne to Penelope now if you took it. Don¡¯t forget you¡¯re Mrs. Nn now. How can someone of your status do something like this?¡± Arrogance was written all over Jenny¡¯s face when she gave Ashlyn a disdainful look. Upon hearing that, Charlotte walked over. The other contestants, too, turned their attention to Ashlyn. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Some of them recognized Ashlyn and were surprised to see her there. ¡°Isn¡¯t she Ms. Saunders, one of the judges? Did she steal something?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I heard. I heard she¡¯s also Mrs. Nn? That means she¡¯s Lucas¡¯ wife, right?¡± ¡°I guess rich people have some weird hobbies, huh? Like stealing things they¡¯re not entitled to.¡± Ashlyn would have gotten to the audience¡¯s and judges¡¯ seats had she stepped out of the door. Yet, Jenny got in her way. Ashlyn arched her brows and swept a nce at Penelope. She had no idea what ne Penelope was talking about. Chapter 722 Chapter 722 Charlotte stepped in and defended Ashlyn. ¡°Ashlyn is not a thief. How could you use her when you don¡¯t even have any evidence?¡± I won¡¯t allow anyone to bully Ashlyn! In the past, Ashlyn was the one who always had her back, but this time, out of nowhere, Charlotte found the courage to defend Ashlyn. She did not want anyone to ridicule and look down on Ashlyn. Don¡¯t you dare try to bully Ashlyn. She¡¯s the best person in the world! Jenny shot a death re at Charlotte and Ashlyn. She got even more frustrated when she recalled how Lucas chose to eat Ashlyn¡¯s food instead of hers. She was determined to humiliate Ashlyn in public. I¡¯m the one that the elders in the Nn family have acknowledged as Lucas¡¯ wife. ¡°The ne that Penelope held in her hands earlier was a gift from her uncle. It¡¯s worth millions, and you won¡¯t be able to buy them!¡± Ashlyn let out a cold snort and said nonchntly, ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± She spoke with little interest. Olivia, who was doing her makeup halfway, went over to take a look upon hearing amotion. She shot daggers at Penelope and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a ne. Is it really that big of a deal?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a ne by X Corporation, and it¡¯s worth a lot of money. I can even buy a house in a Tier- Three or Tier-Four city with it! Besides, that ne has to be ordered two months in advance. It¡¯s a gift from my Uncle Ryan. If you refuse to return the ne to me, Ashlyn, I¡¯ll have to call Uncle Ryan toe over!¡± Penelope sounded condescending. Ashlyn shed a faint smirk. Indeed, the prices of X Corporation¡¯s products from the affordable range were equivalent to that of a residential unit in a Tier-Three or Tier-Four city. On the other hand, thepany¡¯s limited edition and products from the high-end range would be worth more than a standard housing property. ¡°Charlotte Lynch, the ne you¡¯re wearing now is mine!¡± Penelope pointed at the ne that Ashlyn gifted to Charlotte earlier and bellowed. Everyone turned their attention to the ne that dangled quietly on Charlotte¡¯s smooth chest. Penelope approached Charlotte with a grim expression. She then grabbed the ne and lifted it as if she was going to pull it away from Charlotte¡¯s neck. However, she froze for a moment when Charlotte unexpectedly defended herself. ¡°This is not yours! Ashlyn gave it to me!¡± the woman eximed in anger. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Although Charlotte did be more cheerful and courageous recently, she was still a little afraid of the crowd. She wished to defend Ashlyn, but fear eventually took over her. She began to take a few steps back and had no idea how to handle the situation anymore. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid of her! She can¡¯t do anything to you!¡± Olivia went up to Charlotte and nudged her shoulder to give her confidence. ¡°I believe in Ms. Berry. Why don¡¯t you take the ne off to prove that it¡¯s not Penelope¡¯s!¡± Charlotte was dumbfounded. She froze for a bit and stared at Olivia. I-I thought she hated me? Isn¡¯t she Uncle L¡¯s fianc¨¦e? Why would she defend Ashlyn and encourage me? I guess she¡¯s quite a nice person, after all. It just feels weird to think differently about a person. Hera rolled her eyes and said, ¡°What is there to prove? Ashlyn must have stolen the ne!¡± Jenny echoed, ¡°Exactly! No matter how she defends herself, a thief is a thief!¡± Meanwhile, Ashlyn looked calm, but there seemed to be an inexplicable expression on her gorgeous face. She gazed into Penelope¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Are you sure this is your ne?¡± Penelope took another nce at the ne. The design was simr, but the jewelry piece on Charlotte¡¯s neck was obviously more high-end than hers. The diamonds that dotted the ne reflected rays of the dazzling light in the room. Chapter 723 Chapter 723 The back of Charlotte¡¯s ne pendant had a unique double X logo. Therger X represented X Corporation, and the smaller X meant the ne was Director X¡¯s design. Everything Director X designed had this double X logo, be it clothes or jewelry. Almost everyone who kept up to date with news about X Corporation knew about this detail. Why does Ashlyn have a ne designed by Director X? How is this possible? It even has a big star- shaped diamond. Could it be a fake? Penelope did not dare to say Charlotte¡¯s ne was hers. However, she could not admit her mistake in public either, as it would be embarrassing. Caught in a rock and a hard ce, she was aware that she would be humiliated no matter which choice she made. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Just then, a velvety voice sounded from the entrance to backstage. ¡°Your ne is here with me.¡± Everyone could not help but turn toward the voice. They saw a tall man in a white suit and dark red tie walking in. He looked elegant and imposing. The streak of blue hair above his forehead was especially eye- catching. ¡°Uncle Ryan¡­¡± Penelope bit her lower lip and looked at Ryan as he approached her. Ryan had a diamond stud on his left ear. It was brilliantly eye-catching. His eyes were ice-cold as he turned to Penelope. Then, he unfurled his palm, revealing a delicate ne. The ne had a thin chain and a tiny diamond. As it was a Brand X ne, it had exquisite workmanship. Still, it paled inparison to the ne around Charlotte¡¯s neck. The crowd was astute and instantly saw the marked difference between Charlotte¡¯s ne and Penelope¡¯s ne. Penelope felt humiliated as she took the thin ne from Ryan. She forced herself to smile and said, ¡°Uncle Ryan, why is the ne with you?¡± ¡°You dropped it in my room after you got off the nest night. I only saw it this morning.¡± Ryan looked down at Penelope and was displeased with her shameful behavior. Ashlyn narrowed her almond-shaped eyes and said in an icy tone, ¡°Penelope, you caused a scene and framed Charlotte and me for no reason. Don¡¯t you think you should apologize to us?¡± Penelope¡¯s face turned pale as she stood rooted to her spot. She felt thoroughly humiliated. I am the granddaughter of a Count. These lower-ss people have no right to demand an apology from me! They are not even worthy of being my servant and can only hope to look at me from afar! Penelope stood still and refused to speak. The atmosphere grew tense as everyone focused their attention on her. Previously, Jenny never cared about pianopetitions. She only came this time due to Penelope¡¯s invitation. Penelope also paid for her ticket and said they were there to cheer for Hera. Although Jenny knew Ryan, the Piano Prince, was Penelope¡¯s uncle, she never expected to find him that good-looking in person. He is absurdly handsome! Therefore, she could not help but want to make a good impression before Ryan andshed out at Ashlyn to defend Penelope. ¡°Aren¡¯t you too much? Penelope did not mean it. Since it was an honest mistake, you should treat it as a joke and forget it. Why do you insist on making her apologize?¡± On the other hand, Ryan could not stand it anymore. He furrowed his brow and looked at Penelope with a displeased expression. Why is Penelope friends with someone like that? That woman is shockinglycking in morals and principles! ¡°Ms. Ashlyn is right. The Yates family does not tolerate something like this. Penelope, apologize to her,¡± Ryan ordered sternly. Olivia pursed her lips and smirked. ¡°Mr. Yates is just and wise. One could not let certain people ruin the reputation of the Count¡¯s Mansion.¡± Many contestants among the crowds and their family members could not help but voice out their thoughts. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Precisely. You should apologize for wrongly using someone.¡± Chapter 724 Chapter 724 Ever since Penelope followed Mary to live in the Count¡¯s Mansion, people ttered her wherever she went. As such, she had never suffered such indignity as of now. Furthermore, she had forgotten her unsavory past in H Nation, especially about her constantly changing boyfriends. She chose to forget her past and only remembered that she was the Count¡¯s granddaughter. Thus, setting herself on a high pedestal. Penelope turned to Ryan and hoped that he would say something to help her. However, Ryan¡¯s expression remained stern. His eyes looked as cold as the diamond stud on his ear. ¡°U-Uncle Ryan, I¡­¡± Penelope stuttered. ¡°You did not grow up in the Yates family, so you have never received our strict upbringing or know our customs. If something like this happens in the Count¡¯s Mansion, your grandmother would have punished you and ordered you to kneel for three days in the memorial hall!¡± Ryan said coldly. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Penelope has a lot of problematic behaviors that need to be dealt with. Otherwise, she would cause us shame. Then, the Yates family would be theughing stock of Maredania¡¯s aristocrats. Ryan felt furious as he thought about this. Meanwhile, Penelope¡¯s face burned with anger. She believed Ryan was only treating her like this because he was disgusted by the fact that she grew up in the Bery family. That must be why he¡¯s scolding me before the crowd. How could he humiliate me like this? Her face turned pale as she thought about her situation. She began to feel dizzy from anxiety. However, she remembered Ryan saying she had to kneel for three days in the memorial hall. Thus, she nced at the scene before her and decided quickly. Since Uncle Ryan already disdains me, Granny would probably hate me even more if she finds out about this. I can¡¯t get kicked out of the Yates family. I guess I have no choice but to do as Ryan says. Penelope gritted her teeth as she came near Ashlyn and Charlotte before saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was too rash just now. My Brand X ne was a gift from Uncle Ryan, so I really treasure it. Since Ms. Lynch¡¯s ne looks simr to mine, I thought it was mine. It was unintentional. I didn¡¯t expect something like this to happen.¡± Brand X¡¯s prestige was not limited to nes. Even a small-sized brooch from this brand would cost a hefty sum. Therefore, anyone would be anxious when they lost something from Brand X. Although Penelope looked apologetic, she still sounded like she did nothing wrong. Everyone in Lake City knows the Fraser family had adopted Charlotte but haster disowned her. So why would she have the money to buy a Brand X ne? I¡¯m sure the ne is fake. Although Charlotte had autism before and had an innocent personality, she was not stupid. She smiled and said, ¡°Ashlyn gifted me this ne. I cherish every gift from her. Even if it¡¯s a sheet of paper or a flower plucked from the roadside, I would still be happy to receive it because Ashlyn gave it to me with a sincere heart. I am honored and thankful to receive her gifts.¡± Charlotte paused and continued, ¡°It does not matter how much the gift costs. Besides, what makes you think that Ashlyn can¡¯t afford to gift me a brand X ne?¡± Joseph stood at the entrance and wanted to rush in when he noticed people surrounding Ashlyn and Charlotte. However, Fae stopped him and shook her head. ¡°Lottie needs to learn to be independent. No one can help her with this. Instead, she needs to pull herself out of the situation¡± Joseph, who was worried about Charlotte, was stumped upon hearing Fae. ¡°But Mom¡­¡± ¡°Did you not notice how she is? She has matured a lot and has surprised us with her growth. I believe she will amaze us even more in the future!¡± Fae looked affectionately at Charlotte speaking in the middle of a crowd. Somehow, Charlotte¡¯s demeanor vaguely reminds me of Ashlyn. Could it be my imagination? ¡°Charlotte, do you have no shame?¡± A sharp voice interrupted Fae and Joseph¡¯s conversation. They looked in the direction of the said voice and saw Jenny shoving Charlotte. ¡°You¡¯re wearing a fake Brand X ne. I can¡¯t believe you have the audacity to sound so righteous still. Besides, everyone knows you¡¯re just an adopted daughter of the Fraser family, and everyone knows they¡¯ve already chased you out. Thus, you are now homeless like a stray and have no qualification or social standing. So how could you afford to wear expensive jewelry? I don¡¯t think you can even afford to pay for a gram of gold!¡± Jenny scolded. Chapter 725 Chapter 725 Hearing that, Joseph was so furious that his chest hurt. He desperately wished to rush there and send Jenny flying with a kick. On the other hand, Charlotte¡¯s face turned pale. The wound that was wrapped with thin gauze throbbed with pain. She did not know whether the ne Ashlyn gave her was expensive. But even if it was cheap, it was still a sincere gift from Ashlyn. Therefore, it was still a priceless treasure to Charlotte. ¡°How can you measure the value of a gift with money? Sincerity is priceless!¡± Charlotte argued. ¡°Only the poor would talk about the thoughts behind a cheap gift¡­ Furthermore, why would anyone give something that expensive to a lowly person like you? You mistake a fake ne for a treasure, yet you dare to me others? Isn¡¯t this too unreasonable?¡± Jenny looked down at Charlotte and mocked, her gaze filled with disdain. She is twisting the truth and forcing her logic. It was Penelope who started using Ashlyn and me for no reason. Now, Jenny made it seem like Ashlyn and I are in the wrong. Charlotte trembled with fury. Suddenly, Olivia raised her hand and pped Jenny¡¯s face hard. ¡°Do you even know how to recognize a Brand X Jewelry? Have you ever seen one before? The Holt family is nothingpared to the Warhol family! Moreover, Charlotte is my rival in love! Anyone who dares to bully her amounts to offending me!¡± Olivia said and nced at Ashlyn as if seeking her approval. Did I perform good enough? The crowd was stunned. No one expected to witness such an intense scene. They were excited to see what would happen after Olivia pped Jenny in public. Meanwhile, Jenny widened her eyes and stared at Olivia in disbelief. She could feel her cheeks burning with pain, and her head felt dizzy from the force of Olivia¡¯s p. Since people knew she was the daughter of the Holt family, it felt even more humiliating to be shamed before the public. ¡°Olivia, you crazy b*tch! How dare you hit her?¡± Hera could not help but shout. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°How could you hit her? Can¡¯t we talk in a civil manner?¡± Penelope was shocked by the p and immediately came out of her daze. It seemed the confrontation had gone out of control. Just then, Eric, one of the organizers, rushed toward Ashlyn and the others. Lucas came over with him too. Soon, Lucas¡¯ tall figure caught everyone¡¯s attention. Although he wore a simple ck shirt and pants, he seemed intimidating as he nced at the crowd. One could not help but shudder from his piercing gaze. ¡°What is happening here?¡± Eric felt his temple throbbing when he saw the crowd gathered backstage. He had a bad feeling when he saw the ever troublesome Hera. Why does this woman from the Chapman family always cause trouble? The crowd turned silent. No one dared to speak. Suddenly, Ashlyn smiled and said, ¡°Every jewelry that Director X designed has a double X logo. The logo is a big X with a small X beneath it.¡± After saying that, she helped Charlotte unfasten the ne and showed it to the crowd. ¡°Please look closely. There is a small X underneath the big X.¡± Then, Ashlyn narrowed her eyes at Penelope. ¡°Since you have met Director X through your uncle¡¯s rmendation, how can you not know about this? Furthermore¡­¡± Ashlyn turned to Ryan with an amused smile. ¡°Mr. Yates, everyone knows that any guest who met with Director X would receive a handkerchief Director X embroidered personally. It is the same for every guest, regardless of social standing or gender. Mr. Yates, since you have met Director X, did you receive a handkerchief? Can you show it to us?¡± Penelope¡¯s face grew red as she listened to Ashlyn. She was so embarrassed that she wished the ground would swallow her. When she lied just now, she did not expect Ashlyn to confirm the truth of the matter with Ryan. Ryan¡¯s expression darkened upon hearing Ashlyn. Fury burned in his chest. He red at Penelope, livid. Never in the history of the Yates family has anyone humiliated the family reputation this way. Chapter 726 Chapter 726 It is all Penelope¡¯s fault that the crowd is questioning our integrity in public! Ryan clenched his fists as an intense urge to choke Penelope surged within him. He took a deep breath but could not conceal the fury in his eyes. Then, he turned to Ashlyn and said, ¡°Ms. Berry, you¡¯re right. All jewelry designed by Director X has a double X logo. Therefore, Charlotte¡¯s ne is real. However, I have never met Director X before, nor did I bring Penelope to see Director X. As such, I have never received the handkerchief you mentioned. I apologize if Penelope¡¯s words have caused a misunderstanding. It is my fault for not educating her well.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Penelope¡¯s face nched at that. She gripped her hands so tightly that they nearly bled. She bit her lower lip hard and almost broke through the skin. Everyone could see the double X logo at the back of the pendant. It was a big X with a small X underneath it. Ashlyn looked at Penelope mockingly. ¡°I guess some people like to brag so much that they forget their identity.¡± Jenny, Hera, and the crowd all had stunned expressions on their faces. No one expected Ashlyn to gift Charlotte an authentic Director X designed ne. Charlotte was also stunned to find that her ne was an authentic design from Director X. That means that this ne¡¯s value¡­ is much more valuable than the one Penelope has! ¡°So, Ms. Holt, Ms. Chapman, Ms. Penelope, are you not going to apologize? You falsely used Charlotte and me of stealing the ne. Then, you nder us again, saying that the ne is fake. Since you don¡¯t know how to identify a real design by Director X, you should have said nothing. It would have saved you from all this embarrassment!¡± Ashlyn said. She looked at Penelope and the others and saw their faces turn pale. It doesn¡¯t matter how much they dressed themselves up because nothing could conceal their ugly hearts. Penelope was bursting with fury. I just apologized earlier. So why do I have to apologize again? Hera had a puzzled expression. Why should I apologize? On the other hand, Jenny could not control her fury and shouted, ¡°Olivia pped me. She should apologize too!¡± Ashlyn sneered and said, ¡°You deserved that p! How can Ms. Warhol not p you after you said those shameful words? Since your parents did not discipline you properly, don¡¯t me others for doing what your parents failed to do.¡± Jenny clenched her fists. Hershes quivered as she said, ¡°Ashlyn, the Holt family and the Nn family are about to enter into a marriage alliance. Are you jealous that I will be recing you as Mrs. Nn? Is that why you¡¯re shaming me like this?¡± ¡°Oh? Is that so? Lucas is here. Why don¡¯t you ask him whether he wants to marry you or not?¡± Ashlyn laughed as if she had heard the funniest joke. Then, she calmly nced toward Lucas. Lucas had not spoken since he showed up. Despite his silence, the crowd could not ignore his commanding presence. His gaze shimmered. Then, his charming and maic voice sounded through the silence. ¡°Ashlyn shall be the only wife I have in this lifetime.¡± His tone was cold, but it warmed up slightly at the mention of Ashlyn¡¯s name. The crowd stared at Lucas in shock. He admits it! He finally admits it! Hera also had a shocked expression as she looked at Jenny. She never realized that Jenny wanted Lucas for herself too. For a moment, Hera felt humiliated that she had fallen for Jenny¡¯s lies. Why was I so foolish as to believe that Jenny wanted to help me to win Lucas¡¯ affection? Lucas is an outstanding man, while Jennyes from a wealthy family. It should have been obvious that she became an air stewardess for a few years because of him! How can I be so stupid as to not notice Jenny¡¯s true intention? At the same time, Penelope was stunned too. ¡°What did you say? A marriage alliance between the Holt and Nn Family? No way! You can¡¯t do that!¡± I am now a member of the Count¡¯s family. Thus, I am the only woman worthy of Lucas. Chapter 727 Chapter 727 ¡°Enough! What you did was embarrassing enough! So shut your mouth now!¡± Ryan growled in anger and addressed the person in charge, Eric, ¡°Send someone to take her back to the hotel.¡± ¡°Of course, Mr. Yates.¡± Eric quickly ordered the security personnel to take Penelope outside. ¡°Uncle Ryan¡­ Uncle Ryan¡­¡± Penelope cried out pitifully, but the hard-hearted Ryan remained unmoved. Hera rposed herself, well aware that her situation at the moment was not to her advantage. She knew that her family background and status were inferiorpared to Jenny¡¯s. Even Jenny¡¯s reputation was better than hers. That being said, Hera reckoned that after that day, Jenny might be infamous. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. I still have a pianopetition to take part in. It seems that I¡¯ll have to do that if I want to get a good ranking¡­ Thus, after further reflection, she said, ¡°Ms. Berry, Ms. Lynch, I¡¯m sorry. I spoke too quickly without understanding the situation. I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Oh, but I do mind.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s expression was one of impatience. ¡°I ept your apology, but I cannot forgive you.¡± Her voice was not loud, but it was so clear that everyone present could hear her perfectly. Ashlyn continued, ¡°And you, Ms. Holt, should hurry up as well. Thepetition is about to start.¡± As she spoke, it was as if there was an invisible oppressive force emanating from her that overwhelmed Jenny to the point that she felt suffocated. Coupled with the fact that Lucas was beside her, the crowd could not help but stare at hermanding presence. They were a handsome couple, both equally charismatic as well as outstanding in appearance. In fact, they were a match made in heaven. ¡°Ms. Holt, it stands to reason that you, a nonpetitor, should not appear backstage. This is not the Holt residence, and thepetition is not organized by your family.¡± Joseph¡¯s voice rang out as he walked in slowly. He appeared together with Fae, and they walked over to Charlotte. ¡°Well, that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. It is organized by my family! Don¡¯t you know that he¡¯s my uncle!¡± Jenny pointed at Eric. Eric¡¯s face fell. In truth, his real name was Eric Holt. He was Jenny¡¯s third paternal uncle. However, the Holts were entrepreneurs while Eric loved dance and literature. He had been an artistic person ever since he was young. After bing an adult, he entered the entertainment industry and grew apart from the Holt family. This international pianopetition was jointly organized by him, George Williams, and other bigwigs. Having said that, he had little authority, as he was not the main organizer. Being suddenly pointed out by Jenny, he was not amused. Annoyed, he red at Jenny. ¡°Jenny, if you are here to watch thepetition, you should go and enjoy it. But if you¡¯re here to cause trouble, I¡¯m going call your dad toe and take you away.¡± His words was like a p to her face. He had shown no preferential treatment to his niece. Jenny¡¯s expression darkened, for she felt that her pride and ego had been trampled by her biological uncle. Why do you show no consideration for your niece? This is infuriating! ¡°Hurry up and Apologize!¡± Ashlyn raised her eye and nced at her, her words sounding like an order. Very reluctantly and unwillingly, Jenny bowed her head and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her eyes were red as if she was the one who had been ndered, wronged, and humiliated. Eric heaved a lengthy sigh. This niece of mine is such an undisciplined girl. How worrisome! He turned to Ashlyn and reminded her politely, ¡°Ms. Berry, thepetition is about to start. Please go and join the judgingmittee.¡± Ashlyn nodded at him before she fastened the ne back on Charlotte, and said, ¡°y well, and don¡¯t let anything affect you.¡± With that, she hugged the woman and said to Olivia, ¡°Ms. Warhol, I¡¯m impressed today. Thank you for speaking up.¡± Upon being praised by Ashlyn, Olivia blushed, as she was both touched and delighted. She stuttered, ¡°Y-You¡¯re wee. It¡¯s my pleasure to help you. I-I will definitely y hard and do my best! Ms. Berry, I won¡¯t let you down!¡± Chapter 728 Chapter 728 Ashlyn could not help but smile as she turned her gaze on Olivia. Coupled with her alluring eyes, her smile was like a flower blossoming in the springtime, filling the room with the breath of a spring breeze. Olivia was mesmerized. What¡­ what a pretty smile. She had never known that a woman could be so incredibly beautiful. Her heart was pounding fast as she looked at Ashlyn in admiration. Meanwhile, Ashlyn was rendered rather speechless by Olivia¡¯s words. Olivia¡¯s performance in thepetition has nothing to do with me. So why would I feel let down? Am I missing something here? Lowering her head, Jenny bit her lip and left in low spirits, heading for the auditorium, while Hera went back to her seat to continue putting on her makeup. I must get a good ranking because it¡¯s not easy to enter the final. Seeing that both Hera and Jenny were gone, Fae said to Ashlyn in a worried tone, ¡°Ashlyn, the president of the International Piano Association is here today, as are many city leaders. Will the president of the association form a bad opinion of you because of this? I heard that Ryan invited him here.¡± ¡°Penelope is a hypocrite. Only she could think of putting up such a show. I believe Ryan is a reasonable man.¡± Ashlyn smiled, grateful for Fae¡¯s kind concern. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. However, Fae was still worried. She had heard that the president of the association was very well-known in the music scene. He was not only rich and powerful but also a guest of the leaders of various countries. He was not someone to be trifled with. Penelope seems too arrogant. If the president and Ryan have a good rtionship, wouldn¡¯t it be as easy as trampling an ant to destroy Ashlyn¡¯s career since she is just a rtively new piano yer? It was impossible for Fae to not worry. She was very concerned for both Charlotte and Ashlyn. If Lottie is targeted because of this, she won¡¯t be able to get a good ranking¡­ Fae¡¯s heart was heavy. She felt as if there was a huge boulder weighing down in her chest. If Ashlyn is really treated unjustly and oppressed by the president of the Piano Association because of this. Or if she cannot gain her foothold in the music industry, I will use all the connections I have to help her. No matter what, I won¡¯t stand by and watch Lottie and Ashlyn being mistreated! Jenny sat down grudgingly with the spectators in the auditorium. As soon as she passed by, members of the Holt and Chapman families could not help but ask, ¡°How is Hera doing?¡± ¡°Thepetition is about to start. When is she scheduled to y?¡± The two families knew nothing about what had happened backstage. Jenny reined in her emotions and forced a smile. ¡°She is well-prepared. So don¡¯t worry about her.¡± Penelope did not return to the hotel but sat next to her. They red at each other, their gazes full of resentment. Jenny calmed herself down, thinking that Penelope¡¯s pride had suffered more than hers. As such, she deliberately provoked her, ¡°Penelope, don¡¯t pay attention to Ashlyn and the others, your ne looks much better than the other one.¡± At these words, Penelope felt even worse. Just the mention of the ne infuriated her. She had heard that the gift that Ryan had given her at their first meeting was specially ordered. She never expected that such a rare and valuable item that was designed by Director X was something Ashlyn could simply dish out as a gift. This really infuriated her. She felt humiliated. Sisley, who knew nothing about the backstage incidents, asked in a whisper, ¡°Penelope, I heard that the president of the International Piano Association has been invited here by your uncle. Please try to get in a good word for Hera, so that the president will favor her. We really envy you for having such an excellent family background and awesome uncle.¡± Penelope was initially down in the dumps, but she cheered up quickly when she heard these words of praise from Sisley. No matter how embarrassing the situation was that day, nothing can change the fact that she was a daughter of a noble family. Her Uncle Ryan was known as the Piano Prince and no matter where she went, she was respected. Hmph! Ashlyn is nothing but a small frypared to me! Just then, Mary arrived. Dressed in a dark purple suit with half-heeled shoes on her feet and a Hermes bag in her hands, she was fashionablyte. Chapter 729 Chapter 729 The dignified presence of the woman filled the atmosphere. Sisley hurriedly greeted her. ¡°Hello, Ms. Canter, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°Mrs. Chapman.¡± Mary nodded gracefully at her. In the past, Sisley had been the type of royalty that Mary had to show respect to. Things have changed since then. Mary Canter was now officially the daughter of an Earl, and her younger brother was the Piano Prince, who was highly respected in the music industry. Now, even Hera has to rely on the rmendation of my brother. As these thoughts came to Mary¡¯s mind, she could not help the look of disdain that shed across her eyes. When she was entering the venue earlier, she heard a few spectators whispering, ¡°I heard that your uncle has managed to invite the president of the piano association to attend the pianopetition, is that right?¡± These words added to her feelings of pride. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. It is indeed great to have a good family background! ¡°It seems so. My Uncle Ryan always kept a low profile, so I don¡¯t really know.¡± Penelope had replied shyly but there was no hiding the smug smile on her lips. Observing everything from the side, Sisley felt fury surging through her. This mother and daughter were nothing but lowly wenches that lived in Lake City. It¡¯s all thanks to a twist of fate that allowed one of them to be the Earl¡¯s daughter, and the other the granddaughter of the Earl. And yet, they had the audacity to look down on me? If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that Hera needed to have a good ranking in thepetition, Sisley would never bow down to them. After all, she was thedy of the Chapman family. She knew that at Hera¡¯s level, there was no way she would have passed the rematch. In the end, it was thanks to Mary¡¯s connections that helped her pass. Fortunately, during the rematch, Ashlyn did not come to judge for some unknown reason. The other two members of the judgingmittee had given Hera her passing marks but Ryan did not. Sisley was puzzled why Ryan gave a low grade even though she had spent a lot of money. Unbeknownst to her, it was because Ryan had no idea about the bribery. In truth, Ryan was an honest man with traditional values despite his shy appearance. He was a very strict and disciplined person. Because of that, Mary did not approach him. Instead, she went to the other two judges, who epted the bribe. Since it was not the finals, it was not difficult for a contestant to advance. Using her identity as Ryan¡¯s sister, Mary was able to get everything done even though she was not in Lake City but Maredania at the time. She was given special treatment simply because she was Ryan¡¯s sister. As such, it could be said that that Mary was the main reason why Hera could proceed to the finals. Sisley had to ept this favor from Mary but she did so grudgingly. There was no one to me but the fact that Hera was a slow learner. The news that the president of the International Piano Association woulde to Lake City had long been spread to the whole city. In addition, the inte was full of stories about how Mary, the daughter of the Earl of Maredania who had been lost, was found again in Lake City. These articles went viral together with stories of Ryan the Piano Prince. Earlier, backstage, when Penelope had admitted that Ryan was the one who invited the president, the news was immediately spread to everyone. Because of the attendance of the president, all the VIPs in Lake City hade to see him. After all, this was the president of the International Piano Association and not just an ordinary president. If one was fortunate enough to hear the president y a piece, one could boast about that for years to come. James had brought several leaders, including some famous entrepreneurs from Lake City, to the gate of the theater early in the morning to greet the president. When a ck Rolls-Royce rolled to a stop in front of the theater, everyone immediately stepped forward to greet it. A tall middle-aged man came out of the car, wearing a tuxedo and looking very elegant. His facial features was that of a Eurasianian, which shocked everyone. After all, they had thought that the president was from Epea. His name did not sound like Eurasianian at all. James was the first one to recover and he greeted with a smile, ¡°Hello, President Kaleb. Wee!¡± ¡°My mother is a Eurasian who happens to be from Lake City. As such, I have a Lake City name, ¡®Caleb.¡¯ So you can address me as that since it sounds more friendly.¡± Chapter 730 Chapter 730 Kaleb¡¯s fluent Chanaean stunned the crowd. No one expected such down-to-earth behavior from the president of the International Piano Association. The nervous tension of the atmosphere dissipated instantly. Then, the group chattered jovially while making their way toward thepetition hall. At the thought of meeting the woman he had eagerly anticipated for some time, Caleb appeared to be in good spirits as he dered, ¡°Frankly, my main reason for being here is to look for a friend. That friend will be the death of me. I¡¯ve tried every line in the book to convince them to take over my position as president to no avail.¡± Everyone thought he was talking about Ryan, and a man in the group immediately piped up, ¡°Mr. Yates is right inside. You¡¯ll see him soon enough, Mr. Powell.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right. Mr. Yates is a member of the judgingmittee today. It is a great honor for Lake City.¡± ¡°I must say, Mr. Powell, we really envy your rtionship with Mr. Yates.¡± Theirments struck Caleb dumb. Mr. Yates? I¡¯m hardly acquainted with him at all! What are these people talking about? s, they had already arrived at thepetition hall, and Caleb lost the opportunity to rify his words to his misguidedpanions. Arge audience had already settled in the seating area. Up front, a row of seats for the judgingmittee was filled save for the center seat, specially designated for thepetition¡¯s VIP guest. Caleb strode confidently toward the empty seat and sat down. Ashlyn sat to his left while Ryan sat to his right. Almost everyone in the audience had their eyes locked on Caleb. The handsome man exuded a dignified and poised aura and remained incredibly charming despite being middle-aged. Naturally, he won over the hearts of manydies in the crowd. Whispers broke out about his private life. ¡°I heard that he¡¯s still single, along with his elder brother, the biggest oil tycoon in the world. What a shame that two handsome and wealthy men like them remain unmarried.¡± ¡°What about that oil tycoon¡¯s daughter? Doesn¡¯t he have an heir or something? Her beauty is apparently beyond our wildest imaginations.¡± ¡°She¡¯s probably adopted, right? Or she¡¯s an illegitimate daughter.¡± The audience evidentlyprised some people who enjoyed learning about the darkest secrets of upper-crust families. At the same time, Caleb stared at Ashlyn with mild surprise in his gaze. She wore a nondescript, light blue two-piece set for the event, which seemed to be of excellent quality. Ashlyn had haphazardly tied her long ck hair into a bun, revealing her small, beautiful face. Her features were exquisite, and she appeared even more striking thanks to several strands of hair that framed her forehead. It was no exaggeration to call her the most beautiful woman in the crowd. In fact, other women would undoubtedly sigh at the otherworldliness of her beauty. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Her perfection was merely augmented by her graceful motions and indescribably elegant demeanor. Caleb smiled and whispered to her, ¡°I¡¯ve found you again.¡± Ashlyn did not even spare him a nce and stared straight at the stage, where the host of the competition had just arrived. His voice rang out through the speakers. ¡°Three, two, one! To your ces, please. Thepetition begins now!¡± The final round of the International Piano Competition was covered by various media outlets worldwide. Music channels in dozens of countries across the globe would broadcast thepetition, which was also live-streamed by various broadcasting tforms. The streams went live once the tforms received word that the host had announced the start of the competition. It was a globally anticipated finals indeed. After all, even the president of the International Piano Association had graced the event with his presence. Music enthusiasts and hobbyists alike eagerly anticipated the live performances of the judging committee members during thepetitionter. No one wanted to miss the rare performances from some of the world¡¯s finest musicians. Elegant tunes filled the theater space, mesmerizing the audience to no end. The first contestant opened thepetition with a bang, impressing everyone with a solid performance. Chapter 731 Chapter 731 To no one¡¯s surprise, the first contestant in the International Piano Competition finals gained a decent score from the judgingmittee. More contestants took to the stage for their turns, and while some flourished, others floundered. As a special guest judge for thepetition, Caleb naturally scored the contestants as objectively as he could. One of the contestants got a very low score, yet she muttered through sobs, ¡°I have no regrets left in my life after meeting Mr. Powell in person. My heart is full even though I¡¯ve lost.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Soon enough, it was Hera¡¯s turn topete. She took a deep breath before exiting backstage, her heels clicking across the floor. Hera was confident of winning thepetition because of her recent hard work. She did not disappoint Sisley as her fingers traveled nimbly across the ck and white keys and brought a beautiful piece to life. Hera¡¯s piece of choice was technically challenging and would have stayed off the list of options of most contestants, yet she did not shy away from theplexposition. Her decision paid off. After shepleted her performance, the audience erupted into enthusiastic apuse. Hera stood up from the piano bench and grabbed the microphone. Then, she walked toward the judgingmittee and said, ¡°May I say a few words to Ms. Berry before the judges give their scores?¡± Ashlyn looked at her coolly and replied, ¡°Go on.¡± They locked eyes as Hera deliberately wore an awkward smile, acting the part of a poor, bullied woman. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t deliberately give me a low score because of our personal grudges. After all, too many rumors have been spreading on the web about your potential bias.¡± The audience immediately directed shocked stares in Ashlyn¡¯s direction. Hera¡¯s mention of biased behavior reminded them of the rumors spreading on Twitter, which alleged that Ashlyn purposely assigned low scores to contestants she disliked. Meanwhile, Ashlyn arched a brow in response, making her thickshed, almond eyes appear even more seductive. Then, Ashlyn deadpanned, ¡°You seem to be a fan of rumors, Ms. Chapman. Why didn¡¯t you remember any rifications of the matter in other online articles? Instead, you only remembered the nderous comments about me.¡± In truth, Hera had brought up the rumors about Ashlyn¡¯s unfair scoring out of concern that thetter would give her a poor score. She believed that public scrutiny would force Ashlyn to give her a slightly higher score even if she underperformed. After all, the public would believe that Ashlyn held a grudge against Hera if she graded her poorly. ¡°All right, judges. It¡¯s time to give your score.¡± The host hastily spoke up to defuse the tense situation. Ashlyn tossed aside her scoring device and dered, ¡°Since Hera thinks I¡¯m unfair, I¡¯ll just forfeit my score. I don¡¯t want to appear biased and harm my reputation. It¡¯s unfair to me too.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s deration stunned everyone in attendance. A judge forfeiting her scoring rights was unprecedented since the induction of the International Piano Competition. Hera¡¯s expression froze as she pondered the implications of Ashlyn¡¯s decision. The score for each contestant was an average of the five judges¡¯ scores. If she forfeits her right, only four judges will grade me instead of five. Will my average score be divided by five or four? Her breath caught in her throat, and she gritted her teeth in indignance. That b*tch! How dare she set me up like this! If the scores are still divided by five, I¡¯ll tank the competition! It might be okay if they decided to divide it by four. The host¡¯s awkwardness was palpable as he asked, ¡°What should we do now, Mr. Powell?¡± Displeasure colored Caleb¡¯s handsome face. He replied sternly, ¡°Where are your manners? How can you publicly question a judge¡¯s integrity as a contestant? How did someone like you make it to the finals?¡± Apart from Ryan and Ashlyn, the other two judges on the panel looked away guiltily when they heard Caleb¡¯s words. Lucas, who was d in a ck shirt with its sleeves rolled up to reveal his muscr forearms, had been sitting beside Joseph at thepetition. He crossed his legs elegantly as he sat. His handsome face, on the other hand, looked stony. He narrowed his eyes and red coldly at Hera¡¯s face. Who the heck does she think she is to use Ashlyn in public? Chapter 732 Chapter 732 Seated with the rest of the judgingmittee, Ashlyn suddenly felt a pair of sharp eyes looking at her from a distance. She looked up and caught Lucas¡¯ deep eyes falling upon her. ncing away quickly to cate her elerating heartbeat, Ashlyn¡¯s gazended on Hera again just as the other four judges had decided upon their scores. After the host reported her average score, Hera felt a weight lifted off her shoulders. Good thing that it wasn¡¯t averaged out over five. Only four judges should improve my odds. Caleb¡¯s voice sounded again. ¡°Your skills are very good, but you are too technical. We couldn¡¯t feel your passion for the piano. Being too stiff will prevent you from really throwing yourself in and bing one with the piano.¡± Ryan added after allowing space for apuse, ¡°Well said, Mr. Powell. I have nothing else to add, except that I hope you¡¯ll act with more decency in the future.¡± How humiliating that was to have the ws in your character pointed out in public like that! Seated with the rest of the audience, Sisley¡¯s face turned pale with anger. ¡°Mr. Yates is clearly aware of the rtionship between us. So Why would he say something like that, Ms. Canter?¡± Mary froze for a moment as she did not dare say Ryan did not know Hera at all. ¡°My brother is a straightforward person,¡± she said with deliberate vagueness after a pause. ¡°All artists are inherently bad-tempered.¡± A male contestant took the stage after Hera. His scores were mediocre, and certainly not as high as hers. Olivia was next. Throughout her wait, Charlotte stayed with her the entire time. The two of them have hitherto remained silent since Ashlyn left. The inexplicable atmosphereced with awkwardness only fueled Charlotte to zip her mouth shut. Being usually at a loss for words as she was, she found herself even more so when she needs them the most. Olivia was also rather awkward. She suddenly felt very stupid upon recollecting that she used to like L and hate Charlotte. Even more so, when Ipare myself to Ashlyn. I have been a fool in the past. In fact, I¡¯m not so different from women like Hera. Self-righteous and aloof, the way she used to be made her embarrassed. The things she had done made her feel especially ashamed. ¡°Good luck,¡± Charlotte muttered before Olivia took the stage. Olivia¡¯s heart trembled at the kindness in Charlotte¡¯s voice as she gazed back at thetter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the past. I don¡¯t expect you to forgive me, but I feel ashamed about it. However, that doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯ll give up on L. I still like him. We¡¯llpete for him fairly.¡± Charlotte smiled sweetly. ¡°I don¡¯t like Uncle L that way. You must have misunderstood me; I¡¯ve only seen him as an uncle. I like someone else.¡± Olivia gaped at Charlotte. What did she say? She doesn¡¯t like L? Before she could spare the revtion any further thought, the program director¡¯s voice sounded from the speakers, alerting her that her presence was expected on stage. To the crowd¡¯s surprise, Olivia began ying a famous song by Jonathan as soon as she took her seat. During his debut some years ago, Jonathan stunned the audience by apanying himself on the piano. The song he performed that night became an instant hit. The song Jonathan yed and sang was aposition of Snowstorm. His cover went viral and was ubiquitous for a while. Despite the public¡¯s familiarity, it was still an intricate and technical piece for most. The piece was meant to inspire nationalistic fervor. It told a story about the glorious return of a soldier to the country he fought for but found his heart full of tragedy as he became haunted by his recurrent nightmares of the battlefield. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. The song ced a heavy emphasis on rhythm, especially the battlefield part. If the agitation and tragedy on the battlefield were not properly conveyed, the performance would fallpletely apart. However, Olivia¡¯s relentless practice at home had not been in vain. With her head slightly bowed, a series of gentle arpeggios flowed from under her fingers. Everybody, from the audience to the stage hands, was transfixed by the near-perfect performance. Olivia stood up as thest notes rang. As if snapping out of a dream, the crowd shook themselves slightly before incessant apuse filled the auditorium like a tide. Chapter 733 Chapter 733 Ashlyn could not resist remarking, ¡°You have made such great progress in a short time. That was an excellent performance.¡± Mollified by Ashlyn¡¯s praise, Olivia beamed. She looked beautiful and charismatic when she smiled. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Berry,¡± she said appreciatively. The other judges also hadments to offer. A scowl instantly appeared on her face when Hera saw from backstage that her rival¡¯s score was two points higher than her own. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. D*mn it! How could Olivia have made such huge progress? Positivements from the viewers constantly shed across the screen on the live broadcast. ¡°It sounded amazing.¡± ¡°She really demonstrated Jonathan¡¯s style back then.¡± ¡°What a delightful performance! She fully brought out that solemnity of going to war.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right!¡± Situated backstage at that moment, Charlotte was the only contestant who had yet to take the stage. At the prompt of the director¡¯s voice, she started forward with grim determination. Although Ms. Warhol yed very well, I have no intention of losing! Charlotte, too, desired Ashlyn¡¯s praise. She wanted nothing more than to stand on stage before the eyes of the world and bask in the gaze of admiration from the crowd below. I just want the Field family and Ashlyn to be proud of me! I cannot let the Fields down after all their kindness toward me. She had never wanted to seed more in an endeavor. The audience watched as the slender girl stepped slowly onto the stage and seated herself at the piano. To their surprise, the piece she yed was one they have never heard before. How refreshing! Ashlyn knew in a matter of seconds that it was a piece Charlotte had written herself. The girl was musically talented. Aside from being adept at the cello, she yed the piano well enough topose her own piece. A rare musical genius, indeed. However, the song was a little too sad. Charlotte was soon lost in her own performance. Based on her own life experience, the piece started with the tragedy and helplessness of her childhood before progressing to the pain of being driven out of the Fraser family. Finally, it resolved to the Field family¡¯s stability and warmth, which served as the catalyst for her final transformation. Like a butterfly, she had broken free of her cocoon. Charlotte was so intoxicated that she poured her heart into the music and endowed it with great charm, infecting the audience in its sway. Some of the more sensitive audience members even shed a few tears. ¡°That touched my heart in a way I¡¯ve never felt before.¡± ¡°What a pianist.¡± ¡°I could almost see the sun shining onto the drab and gloomy curtains.¡± The crowd was floored, to say the least. Even the audience members who were tone-deaf were helplessly swayed by the emotions Charlotte conjured. Even her harshest critics were forced to admit that theposition and performance were executed equally well. After the girl struck thest note, she rose slowly to her feet and bowed to the crowd whose deafening apuse nearly brought down the roof. Seated amongst the audience, L gazed with silent pride at Charlotte. Although I¡¯m d that she¡¯s shining brightly, she seems to be slipping farther and farther away from me. The realization caused bursts of pain in his heart that were so intense that he could hardly breathe. Caleb gaped at Charlotte. ¡°That was perfect. You¡¯re the second genius to have me at a loss for words like that.¡± Ryan was simrly stunned as he had never heard that tune. ¡°Your performance has matured and improved since the qualifiers. Did youpose this song yourself?¡± Charlotte nodded, her beauty still apparent despite having her face wrapped in gauze. ¡±I did,¡± she said as a matter of factly from atop the stage. ¡°I wrote this piece after oveing my autism.¡± Standing tall like a strong pine, she refused to sumb to the tribtions of wind and rain. It was there that Charlotte stood as she gazed up at the audience crammed in the theater. I broke free! I really did! How liberating it is to be able to express my thoughts and speak without having my heart twitch in anxiety like how it used to. Chapter 734 Chapter 734 Tired of remaining stagnant, Charlotte decided to grow as she could not rely on Joseph and Fae all her life. ¡°Let¡¯s hear what the judges have to say!¡± The host¡¯s voice shook the judges out of their reverie. She was autistic? Simply shocking. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. The audience could not tear their eyes from the score in awe when her average score was disyed on the screen. ¡°That¡¯s the highest score so far, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°This score is only a little higher than Olivia¡¯s.¡± ¡°Yeah. But Charlotte is really gifted.¡± Caleb picked up the microphone. ¡°You have talent and drive,¡± he said to Charlotte. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have a bright future ahead of you.¡± Charlotte thanked him before walking off the stage. Hera watched the live broadcast on a television set backstage where she sat and gritted her teeth in anger. How could Charlotte have gotten such a high score? It was bad enough that Olivia scored higher than me, and now Charlotte has as well? Does that mean I now rank third? Who knows if there are any other hidden talents amongst the otherpetitors. Feeling restless like she was sitting on pins and needles, Hera vented her difort by ring resentfully at Charlotte who appeared from the stage. How could a b*tch disfigured to the extent of having to hide her face from the public obtain such a high score? Her gaze was met by a warning look from Olivia. Hera¡¯s eyes narrowed. What would a woman who L despised have to be proud of? She cast aside her dignity of being a rich family¡¯s daughter to be Ashlyn¡¯sckey! What an embarrassment to the Warhols. Her anger festered the more she thought about it until eventually, Hera was so angry that she was forced to keep her eyes fixed on the screen as a distraction. She was in a daze upon thepletion of the final contestant¡¯s performance. I didn¡¯t even get bronze? Is this some kind of sick joke? When all the contestants were asked to gather on the stage, Charlotte stood in the second row with Hera in the third. Thetter happened to be standing directly behind the former. The host expressed how sessful the finals were with a series of ttering words before thanking the audience and judges present. After building the necessary suspense in the crowd, he asked Caleb to announce the second runner- up, who was an amateur pianist from Maredania. The man was beside himself with excitement as he stepped forward. Next came the runner-up. Olivia was stunned to hear Caleb announce her name. How could I be chosen out of so many other talented contestants? Recovering from the shock quickly, she stepped out and stood beside the second runner-up. ¡°Finally,¡± Caleb announced sonorously against the pin-dropping silence of the theater, ¡°let¡¯s give a big hand to our champion, Charlotte Lynch!¡± Suddenly, a loud bang sounded from the orderly line of contestants. The crowd saw to their shock Charlotte slumping down to the ground in a very awkward and undignified pose. Her slender body trembled slightly as she got up from the ground before quickly walking toward Olivia. Charlotte worked hard to contain her embarrassment and anger as she walked. Just a moment ago, when she was about to step out when her name was called, Hera had tripped her from behind. Apse of vignce on her part had allowed Hera to embarrass her in public. Hera, on the other hand, had tantly carried out her act of sabotage as she expected Charlotte to know better than to lose herposure in her moment of glory. If Charlotte had lost her temper and called out Hera for tripping her, Hera¡¯s stubborn denial would only lead to an ugly fight. Taking the stage to im my championship is an important juncture in my life. I need to be prudent with how I conduct myself. By the time she arrived at Olivia¡¯s side and took her position in the middle, Charlotte had already regained herposure. On her left was the runner-up, Olivia, and on her right was the second runner-up. The host was trying to defuse the embarrassment of the situation. ¡°Our champion may have been so excited at the news that she fell over.¡± Chapter 735 Chapter 735 Charlotte smiled pleasantly. ¡°Thank you to all the judges, mentors, and the audience here today. I admired your insight to have chosen the three of us so much that I couldn¡¯t help but fall!¡± Her tactful words had not onlyplimented the crowd but had also helped her out of her predicament by injecting a touch of humor. The audience at the scene burst into warm apuse again. The host also smiled. ¡°We would like to invite the mayor of Lake City, Mr. Field, the president of the International Piano Association, Mr. Powell, and the director of Lake City Theater to present the awards to our winners!¡± The three honorary figures immediately came to the stage with different trophies and certificates in their hands. The three heavy trophies in their hands were made of actual gold. Although they were simr in shape, their weight differed significantly. The champion¡¯s trophy weighed about two pounds and had a minimum market value of close to one million. However, its value paled inparison to the meaning it entailed. As the champion of the pianopetition held by the International Piano Association, the bearer of the title would find the concerts they conduct in any city in the world selling out within minutes. The weight of the other two trophies decreased ordingly, though the runner-up and the second runner-up were also honors that were impressive in their own right.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Olivia received her trophy excitedly. ¡°I would like to thank Ashlyn,¡± she gushed in response to the host¡¯s interview question. ¡°Without her, I wouldn¡¯t be where I am today. ¡° Ashlyn raised an eyebrow in surprise. Being ustomed to seeing the girl scowl, Ashlyn found the change over Olivia a little disconcerting. What¡¯s going on exactly? First, she defended Charlotte by humiliating Jenny, and then, she started saying that she would protect her rival in love. And now, she¡¯s thanking me? ¡°I met judge Ashlyn a long time ago. I was too immature back then. I thought I was good but in actual fact, I was a nobody. Just taking Ashlyn¡¯s advice to heart made me feel grown-up all of a sudden. Nobody has ever spoken to me like that before. Now that I have seen the light, I aspire to be a woman like her. She deserves to be every girl¡¯s role model.¡± The host smiled before asking the follow-up question. ¡°Do you mind sharing the piece of advice Ashlyn gave you at the time, Olivia?¡± Olivia froze a moment before muttering embarrassedly, ¡°She told me off. As for what she said, I think I¡¯d better keep that to myself.¡± It was really embarrassing back then. In fact, it still is. At that thought, she leaned into Charlotte. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my immaturity,¡± she said. ¡°I would also like to apologize to thedy who was with you.¡± Charlotte knew what Olivia was referring to. ¡°I ept your apology,¡± she said lightly. ¡°I hope that you¡¯ll stick to your promise. Ms. Berry is not just your idol. She is mine too.¡± The host could not help but sigh. ¡°Judge Ashlyn really is popr!¡± The awards for most popr, most talented, and most promising were awarded next. Having won the most promising award, Hera stomped onto the stage in a towering temper to ept it. However, she did not expect Lucas to be the one awarding her. Realizing her mistake just in time, Hera hastily rearranged her features to regard the man in ck before her with affection. Despite his cold expression, he had a powerful presence that could not be ignored. Hera was thest one to be interviewed by the host. Holding up her trophy, Hera could not refrain from gushing, ¡°I would like to express my gratitude to the gentleman in ck seated in the first row.¡± As she did that, her provocative nce was fixed on Ashlyn at the judges¡¯ panel. Yes, I¡¯m doing this on purpose! Although the whole world knows you as Mrs. Nn, I¡¯m still going to challenge you for that title! Smiling with equal measures of charm and viciousness, she gazed at the audience who had erupted into a buzz of shocked chatter about her promation. Chapter 736 Chapter 736 Go ahead and talk about it. I have nothing to lose! Between Grandpa¡¯s intention of appointing Ashlyn as heir to the Chapman family and my failure to stand out in thispetition, Lucas¡¯ deration of Ashlyn being Mrs. Nn had been the final straw. What else do I have at stake? If I¡¯m going down, Ashlyn¡¯sing down with me! ¡°This man and I grew up together. You could say that we were childhood sweethearts. I¡¯d even saved his life once when we were children. Despite being really scared then, I rushed up without thinking about my safety to pull him to his own! I never expected Ashlyn to step in and take him away from me!¡± Hera¡¯s eyes turned red as she spoke. She looked at Lucas with tears in her eyes. ¡°Despite her decent and proper appearance, she¡¯s actually an adulteress specialized ining between couples!¡± she continued, her voice breaking in grief. ¡°As a result, I was made out to be the mistress instead and had my reputation dragged through the mud byments online. Not only did she officially be Mrs. Nn, but she also used her connections to get the fashion industry to cklist me! She was the one who stole Lucas, and through her skill at manipting public opinion, she had me canceled by making me appear as the mistress!¡± ¡°I would never have imagined that she was capable of such cruelty,¡± she went on, near tears by that point. ¡°Have you forgotten how we grew up together, Lucas? Have you forgotten that I¡¯d once risked my life to save you?¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. The audience below the stage began making sympathetic noises as they regarded Ashlyn with suspicious hostility in their eyes. Could the witty and sassy Ashlyn who¡¯s the founder of Saunders Charity, be as awful as Hera imed? Fae was so angry that her chest hurt. What a shameless woman! How can she twist facts to such a degree? ncing instinctively at Lucas, she found his expression the darkest she had ever seen. Although his body was hidden in the shadows, a shocking coldness emanated from it. From her position atop the stage, Hera instantly became the focus of the audience. The media at the scene frantically took pictures of her lest they missed any part of the shocking news. Ashlyn, however, could only manage a nk gaze at Hera. I can¡¯t believe someone this shameless could exist on my mother¡¯s side of the family. Mom must be so disappointed. The coldness in her eyes emanated toward the figure beneath the spotlight. ¡°Will youe back to me, Lucas? Back to how we were when we were children?¡± Hera¡¯s voice was full of sorrow, and she was already in tears. Her wretched appearance sessfully evoked the pity of many in the crowd. They gazed at Lucas and scowled at his heartlessness. How could you let your childhood sweetheart go to be with a woman like Ashlyn? So what if she ys the piano well? She¡¯s the third wheel here. The man suddenly stood up from his seat. Silencing the crowd with his staggering stature, his slender and powerful legs carried him quickly onto the stage toward Hera in a series of purposeful steps. How dare this woman nder Ashlyn on an international stage? I can tolerate people scolding or even hating me, but I will absolutely not allow anybody to say a single word against my woman! Hera¡¯s heart leaped with every step he took. He¡¯sing. Was he moved by my confession? Is he going to change his mind? Hera waited with nervous excitement. She gazed at Lucas with bright eyes until he finally stood before her. ¡°You still have feelings for me, don¡¯t you?¡± she blurted with actual tears of joy. ¡°If you¡¯ll just say the word, we¡¯ll start all over. I will try to do whatever she does better!¡± Chapter 737 Chapter 737 Lucas¡¯ icy-cold gaze fell upon Hera as he stood in front of her. Due to his tall figure, he was able to see her facial expressions clearly by lowering his eyes. Lucas, are you and Ashlyn seriously going to¡­ Fae instinctively clenched her fists at the thought of that. She had nearly fainted from anger when she found out that Ashlyn was Lucas¡¯ secret wife. It felt like her precious little baby had been ravaged by a monster, and the fact that they had been married for a few years without her knowing only angered her even more. She couldn¡¯t believe that Ashlyn had kept such a huge secret from her, especially since Lucas had tons of scandals going on all the time. Is Lucas finally going to end his rtionship with Ashlyn? Even Joseph was feeling a little speechless after seeing that. Tinsor and Winsor, too, couldn¡¯t believe their ears. Neither of the two brothers had any knowledge of art whatsoever. The only reason they were able to watch the pianopetition was that one of the Jaquin family¡¯s business partners loved music and invited them. Little did they know, they were in store for a much more shocking ¡°performance¡± instead. Winsor secretly made up his mind that he would propose to Ashlyn if Lucas dared divorce her. I can¡¯t believe my idol turned out to be Lucas¡¯ wife! This is some bullsh*t! Tinsor was the most devastated of the two. No wonder ir kept addressing Ashlyn so casually! He must¡¯ve known about their rtionship all along! I treated ir like my best friend, and he ends up ying me like a fool¡­ Not only did ir¡¯s martial arts skills improve tremendously, but he was also blessed with such an amazing sister-inw! I may never be able to have a sister-inw even half as amazing as Ashlyn! I used to think that Winsor would someday be able topete with Lucas over a woman they love, but there was nopetition at all! However, things may change now that Lucas has screwed himself over with Hera! Oh, how I wish I could just run up to Lucas and tell him, ¡°Take your d*mned childhood friend and get the heck out of here!¡± Right as everyone was focused on Lucas, the man himself said, ¡°You are unworthy of being with me!¡± The look on Hera¡¯s face was frozen in shock when she heard that. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°H-How could you say that, Lucas? When we were little¡ª¡± Lucas cut her off coldly before she could finish, ¡°Stop bringing up our childhood! Like I said, you are unworthy of being with me!¡± Whatever feelings of joy Hera had in her vanished without a trace when she had that statement hurled at her a second time. Forcefully suppressing the bitterness, pain, and embarrassment, she asked with tears flowing down her cheeks, ¡°W-What¡¯s gotten into you, Lucas? D-Did I do something wrong? Has Ashlyn been badmouthing me again? She really likes to nder me in front of you, doesn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Ashlyn has never mentioned a single thing about you. You give yourself too much credit if you think you¡¯re worthy of her badmouthing you,¡± Lucas replied coldly with an expressionless face. Hera was as pale as a sheet at that point. I saved his life, confessed to him in public, and used Ashlyn of such horrible things! Why would he still defend her? He promised me he¡¯d agree to anything I asked for! Hera¡¯s tears continued to fall as she stared at him with sorrowful eyes. She looked so pitiful that most of the people in the audience couldn¡¯t help but sympathize with her. ¡°B-But¡­ Why, Lucas? Why? I¡¯ve loved you for so long¡­¡± Chapter 738 Chapter 738 ¡°When you hurt Ashlyn with that crazy stunt of yours at LX Fashion Ltd., I told you that we are only childhood friends at best. There is no romantic rtionship between us.¡± Lucas¡¯ tone was so cold and distant that Hera felt her heart shatter into a million pieces when she heard that. ¡°What¡¯s so good about Ashlyn, huh? How is she any better than me? Why won¡¯t you ever see my strengths?¡± The look on Lucas¡¯ face was so expressionless that it felt as if he had blocked out all emotions. ¡°Hera, need I remind you that this is an international pianopetition? You¡¯re wasting everyone¡¯s time and energy talking about your feelings as well as badmouthing both me and Ashlyn. You want to know the reason so badly? Fine, I¡¯ll tell you. Mr. Chapman told me at the hospital that you weren¡¯t my childhood friend at all. Ashlyn was the girl in the mountains back then! In order to get closer to me, both you and your mother lied about it and said you were that girl!¡± His words shocked everyone present to the core. ¡°Wait¡­ Is Lucas saying that Hera pretended to be Ashlyn?¡± ¡°Was her whole childhood sweetheart story a lie all along? Is Ashlyn Lucas¡¯ real childhood sweetheart?¡± ¡°What the heck is with this crazy plot development?¡± ¡°Not only did she steal Ashlyn¡¯s identity, but she¡¯s even using her of being a homewrecker? That¡¯s ironic, especially since Ashlyn is Lucas¡¯ legitimate wife!¡± As Ashlyn had always seen Hera as a mere joke, to begin with, she quickly turned toward Lucas after hearing what he said. Lucas looked up at her in response when he sensed her gaze from afar, and their eyes met instantly despite the distance between them. Huh? I saved Lucas when I was little? But I have no memory of doing such a thing¡­ Urgh, my head¡­ Why is it hurting so much all of a sudden? Her head would ache whenever she recalled things from her childhood, and she went pale as a terrifying thought formed in her mind. C-Could it be that I¡¯ve lost a part of my memories from my childhood? Lucas would never bother to tell lies, so I know I can trust him for sure. But how is this possible? When did I lose those memories? Why wasn¡¯t I aware of my memory loss? ¡°Back then, my sister and I were kidnapped by human traffickers while we were in the vige. Ashlyn was the one who saved us from those human traffickers. Unfortunately, my sister fell down a cliff while we were making our escape¡­¡± Lucas stopped himself mid-sentence, but everyone present could clearly understand what he was trying to say. His face was twisted, and his expression was as cold as ice. Ashlyn was the only one who saw that he was suppressing a lot of pain when he revealed his past wounds to the world. Even if it hurt him deeply to bring up such tragic memories, he was determined to do so in order to clear Ashlyn¡¯s name. Ashlyn felt her chest heaving as an inexplicable sensation filled her heart. ¡°Hera, you will leave me alone and stop ndering Ashlyn if you know what¡¯s good for you! I only let you off the hook multiple times because I thought you were my childhood friend, but that turned out to be fake as well. When I was investigating your family, you were the only one whose age matches the girl from back then. That¡¯s why your family decided to have you y that role! It was quite a brilliant n, I¡¯ll give you that.¡± Lucas could feel his raging emotions banging against the walls of his heart like a wild beast trying to break free, and he had to grit his teeth really hard to keep them in check. No! Get back! Get the f*ck back! You mustn¡¯te out! I won¡¯t let you out! Judging by the force he was clenching his fists with, it became obvious that he was trying really hard to keep something suppressed. He was ring at Hera like he wanted to rip her to shreds. That scared her so much that she instinctively took a few steps back in fear. ¡°No¡­ Don¡¯te closer!¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. What a scary man he is! I¡¯ve never seen a guy with such a terrifying aura! Her heart was pounding against her chest like a jackhammer, and her back was drenched in cold sweat. Hera had no doubt whatsoever that Lucas would actually tear her to shreds if he could. Chapter 739 Chapter 739 Hera knew that she had truly angered the one man she couldn¡¯t afford to mess with. Before the crowd could even recover from their state of shock, Lucas stepped forward and grabbed her by the neck as he continued, ¡°You and Ashlyn are worlds apart, you hear me? You have no right to compare yourself to her, let alone dream of taking her ce!¡± He moved so fast that Hera couldn¡¯t even dodge it, and she could feel the oxygen level in her lungs depleting as he continued to squeeze her throat. Her eyes went wide in disbelief as she stared at the raging man before her. ¡°No¡­ Let go of me! Let go!¡± She mustered every ounce of energy she had to try and w Lucas¡¯ hand off, but it was to no avail. Fear filled her eyes, and tears flowed down her cheeks. Everyone in the audience was utterly shocked by the sight before them. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. What the¡­ Lucas is strangling her in public! Has he really lost his mind? This is so scary! Hera¡¯s face went red from theck of oxygen, and she was about to die from suffocation when a slender figure came running toward them. Hera saw a hand with fair skin reach out to grab Lucas¡¯, and the familiar voice of a woman could be heard shouting coldly, ¡°Stop it, Lucas! Let go of her, or she¡¯ll die! Do you want to go to prison for murder? Are you listening, Lucas? Lucas!¡± I can¡¯t believe Lucas actually went berserk on stage in front of everyone! To make matters worse, he did it solely to clear my name and to expose Hera¡¯s lies! One can only imagine the crazy stories those journalists are going toe up with after this! Everything that¡¯s happening right now is only going to hurt Lucas again! I won¡¯t let anyone judge him with their malicious thoughts! Ashlyn thought to herself as she tugged at Lucas¡¯ arm with all of her might. ¡°Ashlyn¡­¡± Lucas muttered in a deep and sinister voice. He then let go of Hera all of a sudden, causing her to fall to the floor like a sack of bricks. Hera was so traumatized that she curled up into a ball and trembled uncontrobly as she stared at them. Lucas had an ominous look in his eyes and a devilish smile on his lips as he eyed Ashlyn from head to toe. The spotlight shining on him only added to his menacing aura, and it felt like he had be a completely different person. It felt as if his usual icy-cold aura had been reced by an evil one. Lucas held a thumb up and gently rubbed it against his lips as he recalled something from his memory. Secondster, he leaned in close and whispered into Ashlyn¡¯s ear, ¡°I really want to know if kissing you really does feel that amazing!¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly as she looked up at the familiar-looking stranger standing in front of her. Her heart sank a little with each step he took toward her. At that very moment, she could clearly tell that Lucas¡¯ new personality had been dissociated from his existing one. This man in front of me is just a stranger with Lucas¡¯ appearance. He¡¯s not Lucas¡­ No, he¡¯s still Lucas! He¡¯s just sick, that¡¯s all! Ashlyn sniffled as she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek against his chest. ¡°I¡¯ll stay by your side no matter what happens to you, Lucas!¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk¡­ Are you in love with me or him?¡± he asked sadistically while gripping her by the chin. Ashlyn looked up at him as she replied, ¡°You¡¯re both the same person! Come on, Lucas¡­ Let¡¯s stop all this and get off the stage, okay?¡± Chapter 740 Chapter 740 Lucas arched an eyebrow at her in response. The devilish aura he was emanating made him look like a demon that hade straight out of hell. ¡°I can spare Hera and get off the stage with you if you want.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to negotiate with me, Lucas!¡± It pained Ashlyn deeply to see him like this. ¡°If you kiss me, I¡¯ll get off the stage with you.¡± Lucas ignored what she said and pointed at his lips as he continued, ¡°You have to kiss me here, or it won¡¯t count.¡± He could feel a burning sensation in his chest that surged through his body like wildfire. His eyes were like that of a wild beast that had set its sights on its prey, and he wasn¡¯t about to let Ashlyn escape his clutches no matter what. His predatory instinct was so intense that it sent shivers down everyone¡¯s spines. ¡°If this is what you want, then¡­ As you wish¡­¡± Ashlyn closed her eyes and stood on her tiptoes as she grabbed the back of Lucas¡¯ head. The next thing he knew, she kissed him on the lips with people from all over the world watching. Even Hera stared wide-eyed at them in shock and disbelief. What are they talking about? Why can¡¯t I understand a single word they said? I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on anymore! I can¡¯t believe I nearly got choked to death on stage! Lucas was actually going to kill me! Having finally regained herposure, Hera mbered off the stage and ran away as fast as her legs could carry. She did not want to spend even another second around Lucas. To Ashlyn¡¯s surprise, Lucas took control of the situation by force the moment their lips met. He grabbed her tightly and pulled her close before assaulting her with a deep and passionate kiss. Ashlyn instinctively tried to struggle free and pushed hard against his chest with both hands. Secondster, Lucas released her lips from his and panted heavily as he whispered in a seductive voice, ¡°I will only listen to you for the rest of my life.¡± He then let go of her and walked swiftly down the stage with everyone¡¯s gaze fixated on him. It wasn¡¯t until he returned to his seat that they finally snapped out of their state of shock. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. A foreigner in the audience eximed all of a sudden, ¡°Oh, my goodness! Did that man just hit a woman in public? She should exercise her rights and take legal action against him!¡± His friend pped him hard across the face and shouted at him, ¡°That woman was at fault for ndering Ashlyn! Mr. Nn simply exposed her lies in a spectacr fashion! I don¡¯t see anything wrong with his actions!¡± Sisley could clearly hear their little exchange as she happened to be seated nearby, and the look on her face turned gloomy instantly. The other members of the audience began discussing among themselves as well. ¡°Hera is from the Chapman family, right? Her grandfather is a famous pianist, so how did she turn out like this?¡± ¡°ndering others and stealing their identity, only to fail and have her n backfire in front of everyone¡­ Looks like the apple fell really far from the tree!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone so shameless my entire life! Not only did she steal Ashlyn¡¯s identity, but she even demanded that Mr. Nn repay her favor? Unbelievable¡­ Simply unbelievable¡­¡± Sisley felt a splitting headache tear through her skull when she heard the audience criticize her daughter, and it hurt so bad that she could barely sit still in her chair. Jenny, Penelope, and Mary were all staring at her with judgmental looks in their eyes. ¡°To think that the heiress of a family of schrs would be capable of such a heinous deed¡­ This really is a first, Mrs. Chapman!¡± Mary eximed sarcastically while running a hand through her hair. Sisley¡¯s face was so twisted from the emotional damage that it looked like she was going to have a stroke. There was a sharp pain in her chest as her vision started to fade in and out. Chapter 741 Chapter 741 Oh, dear¡­ How will I ever carry myself in front of others after this? If everyone in my social circle is going to give me strange looks from now on, then I might as well kill myself right here and now! Sisley tried her best to suppress her anger and said in the most casual tone possible, ¡°Come on now, Ms. Canter¡­ There¡¯s no need for such harsh words, is there? They¡¯re still young, and young people make mistakes every now and then!¡± Sisley then shifted her gaze toward Mary as she continued with a forced smile, ¡°If I recall, Penelope made a mistake too back at the hospital!¡± Both of them are more or less the same, so what she did is basically the pot calling the kettle ck! Penelope¡¯s reputation at the hospital is just as bad, if not worse! No one had dared talk back to Mary like that since her return to the Count¡¯s Mansion, so she got really triggered upon hearing that. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Sisley sneered. Mary¡¯s face was livid with rage as she pursed her rosy lips and said, ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but Penelope is now the princess of the Count¡¯s Mansion. Just so you know, Ryan was the one who invited Mr. Powell! From what I¡¯ve heard, Mr. Powell wants to have a duet with him on stage! Ryan might just be the next president of the International Piano Association!¡± Thinking she had reestablished her dominance when she saw Sisley¡¯s expression turn gloomy again, Mary shed her a smug grin. Before their little argument could escte any further, Ashlyn grabbed the microphone and stood in the center of the stage. The spotlight shining on her highlighted her delicate facial features, causing the crowd to go silent as they were captivated by her dazzling beauty. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I¡¯m sure you have alle here today in hopes of enjoying an exciting piano competition. I am terribly sorry to have ruined the mood with that humiliating incident that resulted from my personal affairs. As a token of apology, I have decided to perform a song for all of you,¡± she said in fluent French and bowed sincerely before handing the microphone back to the host. With everyone¡¯s gaze fixated on her, Ashlyn turned around and made her way toward the piano. ¡°Oh, my goodness! Is Ms. Saunders actually going to perform live? She never does that!¡± ¡°I never thought I¡¯d get the chance to see Ms. Saunders perform! This is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!¡± What the¡­ This isn¡¯t a part of the n! Mr. Powell is supposed to perform a duet with his friend instead! Ms. Saunders sure is ridiculously unpredictable! The host thought to himself in shock. Everyone was holding their breath in anticipation as Ashlyn gracefully ced her slender fingers over the piano¡¯s keyboard. Both Caleb and Ryan leaped to their feet when she hit the first note. ¡°T-This is¡­¡± ¡°English Country-Tunes by Michael Finnissy!¡± With her back toward them, Ashlyn closed her eyes and leaned slightly forward as she continued ying the piano. Unlike the other contestants from earlier, she waspletely rxed as she lost herself in the pleasures and satisfaction that music brought her. It wouldn¡¯t even be an understatement to say that she was truly enjoying music with a burning passion. Some of the more hardcore music enthusiasts in the audience, too, recognized the song she was ying. ¡°That¡¯s English Country-Tunes! It wasposed by Michael Finnissy in Innd over thirty years ago! I hear it¡¯s beenbeled as the most difficult song to y on the piano!¡± ¡°If I recall correctly, it contains parts with over three hundred notes in a single bar! You¡¯d need to make use of both your fingers and your elbows when ying this song! ¡°This song is way too difficult!¡± Despite what they were saying, Ashlyn¡¯s fingers continued to dance gracefully over the piano¡¯s keyboard like it was the easiest thing in the world. Chapter 742 Chapter 742 As Ashlyn rapidly dished out the notes like crazy, the cameraman decided to focus on her hands. Everyone watched in awe as they saw Ashlyn¡¯s slender fingers dancing across the piano like countless butterflies. It was so visually and audibly stunning that they hadpletely forgotten about the unpleasant incidents that took ce earlier. The audience was so captivated by Ashlyn¡¯s enchanting performance that they wished they could have an encore when it ended a few minutester. Havingpleted her performance, Ashlyn gracefully stepped away from the piano and bowed at the audience once more before returning to her seat. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Caleb got off his chair and made his way toward her. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Ashlyn, my friend! It has been so long since Ist saw you! As always, your beauty never fails to dazzle us!¡± he eximed with a huge smile as he reached out and hugged her. He didn¡¯t have a chance to talk to her that entire evening, so he took the first chance he got and expressed all of his thoughts in one go. Unbeknownst to him, however, a certain someone¡¯s expression turned gloomy instantly after seeing him hug her on stage. Ashlyn quickly let go of him and said, ¡°You really startled me with your sudden act of enthusiasm, Mr. Powell!¡± For some reason, Mary had a bad feeling in her gut when she saw that. ¡°Mom, I thought Uncle Ryan is supposed to be his friend?¡± Penelope whispered into her ear. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure myself¡­¡± Mary replied as beads of sweat started trickling down her forehead. Still holding on to Ashlyn¡¯s hand, Caleb turned to face the crowd and announced proudly, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce my good friend, Ashlyn Berry! She is truly a musical genius musician! Not only is she able to y the piano superbly well, but she is also able topose her own songs! Oh, she can also y the harp and¡ª¡± ¡°Mr. Powell, this is an international pianopetition, so how about we end the introduction here and get off the stage?¡± Ashlyn cut him off coldly, her cold and calm demeanor forming a huge contrast with his enthusiastic and passionate personality. Caleb was practically beaming with excitement as he shouted, ¡°No way! I must seize this rare opportunity to fulfill a dream I¡¯ve had for a really long time! As the president of the International Piano Association, I hereby invite you to perform a duet with me with the whole world as our witness!¡± What the¡­ Didn¡¯t Mr. Powell say he only came because of Ryan? I¡¯ve been going around telling everyone about this! Oh, no¡­ How will I face those people now? Mary thought to herself upon hearing that. Penelope, too, wentpletely pale as she had bragged about it to Jenny and Hera a lot. ¡°I thought you said he came here because of your uncle? How did it end up bing Ashlyn instead?¡± Jenny asked with confusion written all over her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know! Maybe he liked how well she yed or something!¡± Penelope eximed in frustration. Of course, Jenny could tell that Caleb hade because of Ashlyn and not Ryan. Even so, she kept those thoughts to herself and maintained a straight face as she shifted her gaze back toward the stage. After sitting next to each other at the piano, Caleb asked with a smile, ¡°Can you y Sergei Rachmaninoff¡¯s Piano Concerto No. 3?¡± Despite being a middle-aged man, he still looked as elegant as ever. Ashlyn arched an eyebrow at him as she replied, ¡°Yes, I can.¡± Her confidence was exactly what Caleb liked the most about her. The two of them then raised their hands and began hitting their respective keys in perfect sync. Sergei Rachmaninoff¡¯s Piano Concerto No. 3 expressed the determination and strong will to survive of the people of Remdik. It was something that only true music enthusiasts would be able to appreciate. Chapter 743 Chapter 743 Even Sergei Rachmaninoff himself described that piece as one of the most technically challenging ones in the world when he performed it solo in New York. A famous musician oncepared the piece¡¯s physical demands to shoveling ten tons of coal, which showed just how challenging it really was. Even so, the two world-ss pianists had brought the magnificent piece to life together rather effortlessly. It was such a breathtaking sight to behold that every single person in the audience fell silent in shock and awe. Although the two of them had never rehearsed nor performed a duet before, their movements were perfectly synchronized with each other. It was as if all four of their hands were moving as a single unit. Together, they were able to bring out the vigor and spirit of the piece with utmost perfection. Ashlyn¡¯s solo performance earlier was amazing enough as it were, but this duet with Caleb truly shocked everyone to the core. Given how rare of an opportunity it was to have two world-ss pianists perform together like this, all eyes were on them the whole time. No one wanted to miss out on a single exciting moment. Ryan¡¯s eyes were filled with disbelief as he sat there in his seat and watched the entire performance. I had always thought of myself as the top pianist in Maredania, but these two are on a whole different level! Ashlyn in particr has surprised me the most! Even someone as talented as Charlotte is nothingpared to her! Now I see what Caleb meant when he said I¡¯m the second most talentedN?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. person he has ever met! That¡¯s because he has long since known how terrifyingly skilled and talented Ashlyn is! She truly is a world-ss pianist! Everyone held their breaths in absolute awe as they focused on enjoying the piece to the fullest. Finally, Ashlyn and Caleb ended their duet by hitting thest key in perfect sync. As if he had just crossed off the final item on his bucket list, Caleb stood up and shook Ashlyn¡¯s hand as he thanked her profusely, ¡°Thank you, Ashlyn! Thank you so much for helping meplete my dream!¡± ¡°It is an honor for me to perform alongside you, Mr. Powell,¡± Ashlyn replied politely. ¡°No, the honor is mine!¡± Caleb then turned toward the audience as he continued proudly, ¡°I first got to know Ashlyn four years ago. She was still a very young girl at the time, but she was extraordinarily talented at ying the piano! I made a decision back then, and my decision hasn¡¯t changed at all now that I meet her again four yearster!¡± Ashlyn frowned as she had a feeling that Caleb was about to make a shocking announcement of some sort. She turned around and prepared to head down the stage, but Caleb grabbed her arm from behind and announced to the world, ¡°As the president of the International Piano Association, I hereby announce that I will pass my position down to Ashlyn a year from now!¡± Ashlyn froze upon hearing that, and everyone else present at the scene lost their minds instantly. What? That would mean she would be the youngest president the Piano Association would ever have! Even Ryan had a look of bewilderment all over his face as he stared at Caleb. What¡¯s going on here? Didn¡¯t hee here because of Ryan? Wasn¡¯t he going to pass his position down to Ryan? How did it be Ashlyn instead? Mary was livid with rage at the thought of that. ¡°Mom! Mom! Why is Ashlyn the one who will inherit Mr. Powell¡¯s position? Do you think he has made some kind of mistake?¡± Penelope asked anxiously while shaking her arm. She had bragged to all of the contestants that Caleb had only shown up because of her uncle, so she didn¡¯t know how she would face themter on. Both Mary and Penelope felt so embarrassed that they wished the ground would open up and swallow them whole. However, they had forgotten one very important detail. Ryan had never once told them in person that Caleb came over because of him. The idea of Calebing because of Ryan was purely an assumption that most people came up with, and the two of them believed it to be true. Unable to contain their vanity, both Mary and Penelope tried really hard to brag about it to as many people as possible. Chapter 744 Chapter 744 The mother and daughter pair never expected an oue like this. Penelope¡¯s face was flushed red from the humiliation, and her fingers gripped her sleeves tightly. She wished she could¡¯ve hidden her face then. Mary was embarrassed too. The more ashamed she was, the more she grew jealous of Ashlyn. Why is Ashlyn on the receiving end of everything good? Why do Penelope and I have to work so hard to even get some recognition from the Court¡¯s Mansion while Ashlyn bes the heir of the president of the Piano Association just like that? I schemed and plotted for my daughter¡¯s sake, but even Ryan the Piano Prince couldn¡¯t bepared to Ashlyn in the end? Mary was going crazy. Lucas sat at the very front, watching the debacle with disdain. Well, I guess Mr. Powell does indeed have a good taste to choose Ashlyn as his heir. With a nce at Ashlyn, he finally understood why his main personality loved her so deeply. Netizen watching thepetition via the broadcasting tform was stunned at the turn of events. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. They began to share the news on Twitter. ¡°Oh my gosh! Ashlyn is Mr. Powell¡¯s heir!¡± ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable that H Nation could have such an amazing heir.¡± ¡°Say, didn¡¯t Penelope say her uncle will be the heir?¡± ¡°Even though her uncle is handsome, I still like Ashlyn more.¡± ¡°She¡¯s so awesome!¡± The audience at the scene was staring at the stage with wide eyes. Hera was still stunned. President¡­ Ashley is going to be the future president? At that moment, she felt the gap between her and Ashlyn had turned into a gulf. She felt like a clown still rooted in ce while Ashlyn was already someone others looked to for inspiration. Olivia wrapped her arms around Charlotte excitedly. ¡°That¡¯s great! My idol will be the president¡¯s heir!¡± Charlotte pushed her away shyly. ¡°Don¡¯t hug me so tightly.¡± Her chest was feeling stuffy from the woman¡¯s steely grip. The rejection was like a bucket of cold water dumped over Olivia¡¯s head. Quickly snapping out of her joy, she spoke in an awkward yet arrogant tone. ¡°Hmmph! Do you think I wanted to hug you? You¡¯re skinny as a bean pole.¡± Fae reached for James¡¯ hand excitedly. ¡°Ashlyn is always giving us surprises.¡± James patted her hand gently. ¡°Well, she deserves it.¡± He added after a brief silence, ¡°Lottie deserves everything too.¡± These two has always made us worry. With tears swimming in Fae¡¯s eyes, she nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Twitter was in an uproar. The tweets about the pianopetition began trending one after another. There were so many tweets thatizens didn¡¯t even know where to start reading to get the full story. After thepetition ended, Ashlyn left her seat on the judgingmittee and followed the others out. Right outside was the theater¡¯s hall. She noticed everyone was waiting for her there. Lucas, Joseph, Charlotte, Olivia, Fae, James, Jared, Jonathan, Harrison, Anderson, Luigi, and the rest of the subordinates. All of them were there. Ashlyn was taken aback briefly by the turnout and walked up to them when she felt a gust of wind coming toward her back. Feeling the danger, she dodged the attack in one agile movement. As a result, Mary tripped and fell to the ground. ¡°Argh! It hurts! Ashlyn, why did you push me?¡± She knelt on the floor and looked up at Ashlyn with a wronged and resigned expression. ¡°Even though your father is in jail right now, I¡¯m still your stepmother. You still need to address me respectfully as your elder even if we¡¯re strangers. I know you hate me, but that¡¯s not a reason for you to push me intentionally.¡± Penelope red at Ashlyn with wide eyes. ¡°Ashlyn, how could you treat my mom so harshly? We haven¡¯t met in so long. Do you truly feel nothing for my mom and me?¡± Ashlyn felt her temper spiked at the mother and daughter antics. Ugh, why did I have to bump into the shameless mother-and-daughter duo? Didn¡¯t the rumors say they had already departed for Maredania? Shouldn¡¯t they have just stayed obediently overseas? Why did they have to return and disgust others? First, Penelope used me of stealing her ne. And now, Mary¡¯s using me of pushing her? Chapter 745 Chapter 745 ¡°Ms. Canter was the one who wanted to push Ashlyn, but Ashlyn managed to avoid it. In the end, it was Ms. Canter who fell on her own. So how could both of you simply use others?¡± Fae was infuriated every time the duo appeared in her line of sight. My heart ached for Ashlyn for her past of having to stay with these two terrible people. Gritting her teeth, Fae tried her best to restrain herself in order not to start hurling curses at Mary. She kept reminding herself to uphold her dignity as the mayor¡¯s wife. A person like her should be criticized. She should be treated like the rat she was where everyone would chase her away. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this Mrs. Field? The endearing way you¡¯re calling Ashlyn almost made me assume that she was your daughter-inw.¡± Mary cast an unfriendly nce at Fae, but her gaze lingered on the handsome Joseph. The entire world knew that Ashlyn was Mrs. Nn, so when Mary put it that way, she made it seem like Ashlyn was a dishonest woman who had her ws hooked into the Field family. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Ashlynughed, surprised that Mary could twist the truth to that extent. ¡°Mary, Penelope, since you¡¯re both back in Lake City, I don¡¯t mind weing you. However, if you¡¯re here to cause trouble, don¡¯t me me for taking action.¡± She scoffed and continued, ¡°Should we look at the surveince cameras¡¯ footage? The surveince cameras must have recorded the true situation. As for whether I¡¯m the one who pushed you or you¡¯re the one who pushed me, the footage will show.¡± Mary¡¯s expression stiffened and she reached for Penelope. Seeing her mother¡¯s outstretched hand, Penelope pulled her to a stand. Everyone watched as Mary patted off the nonexistent dust on her clothing. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m a generous person, so I¡¯ll let you off this time.¡± Ashlyn simply ignored her and was about to greet Fae when someone else called out to her. ¡°My friend!¡± It was Caleb. The ever-elegant Caleb was a one-eighty from his usual character and had a fawning smile on his face at the moment. He looked just like a senior that was proud of his junior. Mary¡¯s face nched when she saw Caleb approaching. Penelope, too, felt her cheeks burn. Fae and the rest waited for Ashlyn because they had already discussed having dinner at the Imperial Hotel. When they saw Caleb acting friendly with Ashlyn, they were baffled. They thought he merely admired Ashlyn¡¯s talent, but the situation showed there was probably something more at y here. I don¡¯t think he admires Ashlyn for her talents only, it¡¯s more he treats her like his favorite student. Caleb liked Ashlyn a lot. He had been searching for her for a long while. After meeting her a few years prior, she left asting impression on him. He even pleaded with Ashlyn to learn piano from him which she agreed and took lessons for about a month. However, he was firmly rejected when he suggested for her to be his heir. As such, when he heard that she was in Lake City, he immediately made his way there. After all, he couldn¡¯t possibly waste another opportunity to talk to Ashlyn. ¡°It¡¯s alreadyte and dark outside. How about I treat you to dinner?¡± Caleb asked Ashlyn kindly. Ashlyn¡¯s gazended on the others waiting behind her. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m not free at the moment.¡± Following her line of sight, Caleb noticed Fae, James, Lucas, and the others. Different from the cold and arrogant persona as rumored, he asked with a kind and friendly tone, ¡°Are these your friends and family? Oh, I see another genius among them.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Caleb quickly went up to greet Fae, Lucas, and the rest. He lookedpletely different from a while ago when he came down from the ne and arrived at thepetition venue. With a gentle tone, he introduced himself, ¡°I thank you all for the care you¡¯ve extended to my friend here. It¡¯s great to meet all of you. I¡¯m Ashlyn¡¯s piano mentor.¡± His introduction had everyone¡¯s jaws dropped. Caleb was always under the spotlight no matter where he went, along with Ashlyn. Even the city officials, the director of the theater, and the organizers of the pianopetition were staring at them. Chapter 746 Chapter 746 Everyone at the scene was bewildered at the news. Mentor? Ms. Saunders¡¯ mentor is Mr. Powell? Are our ears deceiving us? Did we hear it correctly? Ms. Saunders¡¯ mentor is the president of the Piano Association? Seriously? Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. But why does Ms. Saunders look so calm while Mr. Powell is looking at her with ingratiation and tolerance in his gaze? His adoration for her is overflowing. Lucas didn¡¯t like Caleb, to begin with, but was dumbfounded too when he heard the introduction. This world-renowned guy is actually Ashlyn¡¯s mentor? Caleb had no idea about the bomb he just dropped in everyone¡¯s minds. He continued speaking with a smile, ¡°I pleaded with her so much and almost got to my knees for her to finally agree to learn piano from me for a month. She made leaps and bounds of improvement during that one month and mastered every skill other pianists needed years to master. It was an impressive sight, to say the least.¡± His expression turned dour. ¡°I was aghast when she snuck away after that, so I¡¯d been searching for her ever since. She¡¯s usually very cold and distant. So I¡¯m sure she must have caused you all a lot of trouble. Tonight¡¯s dinner will be on me to show my gratitude to all of you for taking care of my friend.¡± Even though James and the rest were respected in themunity and had experienced numerous circumstances, the current situation still had them bbergasted. Not just them, but the rest of the crowd, celebrities, the upper crust of Lake City, and even some audience who hadn¡¯t left yet were thunderstruck too. They thought they were dreaming the whole thing up. Does the president of the Piano Association have to use such a humble tone to treat them to a meal? He even used Ashlyn of being cold and pleaded with her to take piano lessons from him? If the chance was offered to others and not Ashlyn, they would¡¯ve been on their knees with gratitude. They would¡¯ve been ecstatic if it was the vice president, let alone the president. Yet, Ashlyn needed Caleb to plead with her to learn? Standing close by, Tinsor couldn¡¯t keep his calm any longer and pped Winsor on his back. ¡°Winsor, hurry up and pinch me. My goddess is way too awesome! I can¡¯t believe it!¡± Winsor shot a death re at him and smacked him on the head. ¡°Shut up!¡± So what if Mr. Powell is her mentor? My goddess deserved the best of everything in this world anyway. Lucas narrowed his eyes at Caleb and said with a domineering tone, ¡°Since you¡¯re her mentor, then you must be like a father to her.¡± I won¡¯t allow even a forty-something man to have any thoughts on pursuing Ashlyn. After a brief shock, Calebughed. ¡°You must be Mr. Nn. You¡¯re domineering. I like it! Only a person like you can keep Ashlyn tethered.¡± His words soothed Lucas¡¯ ruffled feathers. Ashlyn rubbed the spot between her brows resignedly. It doesn¡¯t matter the current Lucas is a new personality that is developed recently, he still has the same bossiness running through him as usual. ¡°It¡¯s alreadyte. So let¡¯s go have dinner.¡± Delight blossomed within Caleb, especially when he saw Ashlyn had so many friends and family with her. He was happy for her. And here I thought she would be a loner with her character. James was well aware that the world-renowned pianist was only treating them to dinner because of Ashlyn. As the mayor of the city, he still had his dignity. With a smile, he said, ¡°You¡¯re too generous, Mr. Powell. Since you¡¯vee to Lake City, we should be the ones treating you to dinner instead.¡± Calebughed heartily. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Please let me do the honors instead.¡± He shook James¡¯ hand. ¡°I can tell at first nce that you¡¯re a good bureaucrat that loves your citizens, and you must have treated Ashlyn well.¡± James had heard many tteries over the years, but it was a first to hear such a straightforward compliment. Being the humble man that he was, he replied, ¡°You tter me too much, Mr. Powell.¡± Soon after, Caleb startedplimenting everyone he met gazes with. Chapter 747 Chapter 747 Caleb¡¯s silver tongue elicited a round ofughter from everyone. It was a first for them to receivepliments from the high and mighty Mr. Powell. Bursting with happiness, Caleb called, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go have dinner.¡± With that, therge group started filing out of the venue in a friendly atmosphere. In contrast, Penelope and Mary felt as though they had been dipped in ice-cold water. Many celebrities had wanted to treat Caleb to a meal, and many wealthy families had wanted to cotton up to him. Yet, Caleb had ignored those invitations and insisted on having dinner with Ashlyn¡¯s bunch. The Field couple was also sought after. Others desperately wanted to know just one of them as it would make their career. Olivia¡¯s mother, Mabel, cast Mary a taunting nce when she passed by her. ¡°Ms. Canter, didn¡¯t you announce to everyone that Mr. Powell was here for Ryan?¡± Unable to refute, Mary felt that Mabel had stripped her of her pride with that reminder. Initially, everyone did assume Caleb came to the venue for Ryan and would elect him as the next president. After all, Ryan was the world-renowned Piano Prince. He had good looks and an excellent background. He was an eligible bachelor with a bright prospect from every angle. Hence, everyone simply presumed Caleb was there for Ryan.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. However, Mary had forgotten the most important point. Ryan had never mentioned if he was close with Caleb. She was the one who had assumed they were close and thought of it as a fact. She never expected that Caleb woulde for Ashlyn¡¯s sake. Mary was beyond furious. It could¡¯ve been anyone else. Why must it be Ashlyn, that little b*tch!¡± She was sitting offstage, so she had a front-row seat to their conversation. I can¡¯t believe Mr. Powell is actually Ashlyn¡¯s mentor! Mary could hear her ears ringing and her head buzzing as though bees were circling her. Mr. Powell turns out to be Ashlyn¡¯s mentor and he even gave her piano lessons? Since when did Ashlyn know such a famous person? Despite the exquisite makeup on Penelope¡¯s face, her face was as pale as a sheet. Her nails almost broke the skin on her palm because of how hard she was clenching her fists. Her eyes were filled with disbelief. What? Why is Mr. Powell so eager to have dinner with Ashlyn¡¯s bunch? What the heck is happening? Mabel mocked, ¡°I¡¯ll give you some advice, Ms. Canter. Don¡¯t start bragging before you¡¯re sure of what is happening. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be on the receiving end of humiliation, and others will only see you as a laughingstock.¡± Her remarks were like a p across Mary¡¯s and Penelope¡¯s faces. The admiration they received earlier from their bragging had now turned into stabs of humiliation. Mary and Penelope were shamed right in the middle of the bustling theater¡¯s hall. Their prides were left in tatters. As they watched Caleb and Ashlyn leave happily, Mary suddenly rushed to Caleb¡¯s front and stopped him. The entire group paused in their path. ¡°Mr. Powell.¡± Caleb frowned at the middle-aged woman standing in front of him. This woman looks well taken care of, so she must be from a rich family. With a confused look, he asked, ¡°You are?¡± Mary shot a nce at the beautiful girl standing beside Caleb and asked with urgency, ¡°Mr. Powell, are you really Ashlyn¡¯s mentor? You¡¯re not lying, are you?¡± Mr. Powell must have made a slip of his tongue. I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t have anything to do with Ashlyn. After all, how can a little b*tch like Ashlyn be so lucky to be Mr. Powell¡¯s mentee? Not only Mary but even Hera and Jenny were staring at Caleb with anticipation. They were hoping he would deny his rtionship with Ashlyn. Especially Penelope. Her fists were clenched tightly as she stared pointedly at Caleb, afraid that she would miss any word from him. Chapter 748 Chapter 748 Caleb was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and had met people from all walks of life. Hence, he immediately realized that the middle-ageddy was no pushover. She seems especially hostile to Lynnie. His initial friendly expression slipped as he asked icily, ¡°Lynnie, do you know thisdy?¡± Did he just call Ashlyn ¡°Lynnie?¡± Are they that close to each other? Mary froze, and her breath caught in her throat. Behind her, Penelope felt as though someone had punched her heart forcefully a few times. Her heart ached so much that she could barely breathe. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. After all, she had just been humiliated in public. Ashlyn¡¯s gaze swept over them beforending on Jenny and Hera, who were standing a distance away. A mocking glint shed across her eyes. ¡°Of course I know them.¡± Massaging her brows, she replied impatiently, ¡°They are my stepmother and stepsister. We used to stay under the same roof.¡± Everyone could not help but frown after hearing her exnation. Oh, I see. The crowd who was watching the debacle was inwardly surprised. Stepmothers were known for being evil, and Mary¡¯s reaction proved that she was not on good terms with Ashlyn. Caleb¡¯s gaze darkened as he observed Mary and Penelope, who were all dressed up. His gaze turned icy. There was even a tinge of anger in his countenance. He knew that Ashlyn¡¯s family did not treat her well, but he had no idea her stepmother was this horrendous. Lynnie got bullied because no one would back her up. This is too much! Penelope is not even as pretty and elegant as Lynnie! Ha! I can¡¯t believe they had the guts to demand to know if I¡¯m Lynnie¡¯s mentor. How could they ask that question in public? Are they fools? His expression was wintry as he asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, what do you want?¡± The impatience in his voice was so evident that everyone instantly realized he found Mary annoying. He was not about to spare her dignity. ¡°I-I just want to know how you got to know Ashlyn. She never even went overseas before, and she¡¯s just an ordinary person,¡± Mary stammered. She could not wait to hear Caleb talk about his rtionship with Ashlyn. Her curiosity got the better of her. Caleb¡¯s frosty expression scared the wits out of her, but she refused to give up. Her gaze thennded on Ashlyn. ¡°How could you be Mr. Powell¡¯s student? Stop spouting nonsense!¡± Everyone bristled at how impudent Mary was. James, especially, was already scowling in displeasure. ¡°Ms. Canter, please watch your mouth. You¡¯re in your fifties, right? How could you say that? Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gone overboard?¡± he chided. Hearing the underlying meaning in his words, Mary could not stop her cheeks from turning scarlet. Ashlyn was used to Mary and Penelope¡¯s brazen attitude. They were greedy and materialistic hypocrites who looked like uncultured nouveau riche. ¡°He¡¯s my mentor, so there¡¯s no way he¡¯ll be someone else¡¯s mentor in this lifetime,¡± came Ashlyn¡¯s calm answer. Her lips curled up into a smirk, and the corner of her eyes raised in an arrogant manner. She looked extremely haughty. Upon hearing that, Caleb could not hide his delight. ¡°Lynnie, are you finally admitting that I¡¯m your mentor?¡± he asked earnestly. He had been chasing after Ashlyn for some time, so hearing her affirmation made his heart leap up with joy. He could hardly contain his happiness. Mary had never seen anyone as arrogant as Ashlyn. ¡°How could you talk to me that way?¡± she instinctively retorted. ¡°Is that how you treat an elder?¡± Chapter 749 Chapter 749 An icy look crossed Ashlyn¡¯s gorgeous face. Covering Mary in her frosty judgment, she responded, ¡°Stop wasting your time here, Mary. Time to contain your vanity, okay?¡± Mary got so furious that she nearly copsed to the ground. Her cheeks burned as she spluttered, ¡°Y-You! How could you¡ª¡± ¡°Enough! Mary, my wife and her mentor have nothing to do with you!¡± Suddenly, a deep and assertive voice rang out beside Mary. Lifting her head, Mary saw a strikingly handsome man standing before Ashlyn in a protective manner. His shoulders were broad enough to shield Ashlyn from all kinds of danger. Lucas continued stonily, ¡°I don¡¯t know where someone as old as you got the courage to question my wife and her mentor when you don¡¯t have the right to do so!¡± His presence was so imposing that Mary instantly cowered back in fear. ¡°Mr. Nn, Mr. Powell, I-I was just concerned about Ashlyn,¡± she protested. Lucas snorted. ¡°I can take care of her. That¡¯s none of your business. If you¡¯re that free, show your concern for your daughter. Stay away from Ashlyn!¡± He pinned Penelope with a withering look that sent shivers down her spine. Parting his lips, he continued sarcastically, ¡°Look at her. People might think she¡¯s a celebrity waiting to walk the red carpet. Everyone attended thispetition to listen to music, not to go from rags to riches overnight!¡± His prating gaze shifted to Mary. ¡°Ms. Canter, you can¡¯t even teach your daughter well, so please stay away from my wife,¡± he said, and there was a finality to his tone that warned Mary not to argue with him. Everyone could not help but stare at Mary and Penelope. Tinsor and ir even snickered out loud. Poking ir¡¯s waist, Tinsormented, ¡°Your brother has a sharp tongue, huh?¡± ir responded smugly, ¡°He blessed us with his presence just to protect Ashlyn. He has to be skillful enough to do that!¡± Indeed, Tinsor and Winsor¡¯s faces turned as dark as thunder. Penelope¡¯s face was drained of color. She was insulted to the point that she wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and bury herself in it. A wave of fury crashed through Mary, and she almost passed out. However, she had to me herself for taking great care of herself, for she did not manage to faint in anger. They had brought this upon themselves, and there was no one else to me. After saying his piece, Lucas ignored them outright. He turned to Ashlyn and asked softly, ¡°Honey, should we grab a bite?¡± It was pretty obvious how he adored and doted on Ashlyn. Nevertheless, Ashlyn¡¯s response was to narrow her eyes. This is his second personality. The rest could not see his eyes, but she was right in front of him and saw them clearly. Their gazes locked. Lucas¡¯ eyes looked as devious as a wolf as he stared at her intently as though she was his prey. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Seeing that, Ashlyn could not help but put her guard up as she eyed him warily. This ¡°Lucas¡± loves to put up an act. The previous Lucas wasn¡¯t this obsessed with acting. Ashlyn pursed her lips. If possible, she wanted nothing more than to push this man away even though he was gazing at her affectionately. Look at the slyness in the depths of his eyes! ¡°Sure!¡± She shed a smirk that was as devious as his. ¡°This way!¡± Without hesitation, Caleb told the others politely, ¡°Come, let¡¯s go. Too many people tried to disrupt me from treating you to a meal.¡± Having said that, he strode away swiftly. Everyone else followed after him and ignored both Mary and Penelope. Mary¡¯s chest was heaving in fury, and even the tips of her fingers were going numb. She had just returned from Maredania but managed to humiliate herself at the theater. Obviously, she would be theughingstock of her circles! How will Penelope make friends in the upper-ss society in Maredania? Her gaze flitted around andnded on Ashlyn¡¯s beautiful face. She was simmering in jealousy. Chapter 750 Chapter 750 It was all the b*tch¡¯s fault! Mary initially assumed she would be able to humiliate Ashlyn as she was now the count¡¯s daughter. s, things did not turn out as desired. Right then, Ryan stalked out of the theater to see Mary and Penelope wearing grim expressions. He heard the audience chattering among themselves. ¡°Oh, Ms. Canter must be mortified. Never mind if she used to spread rumors that Mr. Powell came here for Mr. Yates; she even imed that Mr. Yates is the sessor of the president! I can¡¯t believe she questioned Mr. Powell if he¡¯s Ashlyn¡¯s mentor. She¡¯s the daughter of a count, huh? How embarrassing.¡± After learning what happened, Ryan scowled unhappily. An ominous ck thundercloud of temper promptly settled over him as he marched over to Mary and Penelope. ¡°Ryan¡ª¡± Mary was about to greet him when he cut her off rudely, ¡°If you came back to H Nation from Maredania just to humiliate yourself, I don¡¯t want to see you ever again!¡± There goes the Count¡¯s Mansion¡¯s reputation! This is so embarrassing! First, she wrongly used someone of stealing the ne, and now she has the guts to question whether Mr. Powell is Ashlyn¡¯s mentor. She even spread rumors that I¡¯m his sessor. I¡¯ve never even imagined that. How dare she cause trouble for us? Does she think I¡¯m too free? Fools! They made me aughingstock in the music industry! Ryan¡¯s entire being was shaking in fury. Why do such vain fools exist in the Yates family? Our reputation that we work hard to build for hundreds of years has been destroyed in the blink of an eye no thanks to them. ¡°Go back to Maredania, now!¡± Ryan ordered as he pointed a finger at the door of the theater. His warning was so low that it was practically a growl. ¡°Ryan, someone just bullied me. Why are you yelling at me instead of helping me?¡± Mary protested. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. How could Ryan side with that b*tch Ashlyn when he¡¯s my brother? I was so mortified. Shouldn¡¯t he comfort me or side with me? How could he yell at me in public and told me to get back to Maredania? Her anger coiled in her stomach. I would¡¯ve left with Penelope if the Yates family wasn¡¯t that influential. ¡°We¡¯re siblings, right? But why are you treating Ashlyn better than Penelope?¡± she questioned. The more Mary argued, the more she pitied herself and Penelope. Sorrow rose in her heart as she added, ¡°Back in the Berry family, Penelope and I were often bullied by her. She bullied us as she was born by the first wife, and she never saw me as an elder. You saw for yourself how she treated me rudely. Even a stranger gets treated better than me! Imagine our life back in Berry Residence. Are you going to be this harsh to us after we finally reunited with the Yates family?¡± Having said that, Mary burst into noisy tears. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, and you don¡¯t think of me as your sibling, Penelope and I shall leave the Yates family. I thought I¡¯d finally found a home, but I was so wrong¡­¡± Penelope flung her arms around Mary. ¡°Mom, perhaps Uncle Ryan got too angry. We were partially to me, too. I don¡¯t want to leave Granny, Mom. She adores me, and I can¡¯t bear to leave her,¡± she uttered sadly. They hugged each other, crying their hearts out. Seeing their reactions, everyone else could not help but sympathize with them. Ryan felt an iing headache. No matter what, they were still part of the Yates family. That would not change no matter how upset he was. Taking a deep breath, he told his assistant, Percy Yates, ¡°Percy, send them back to the hotel.¡± ¡°Uncle Ryan, where are you going? Won¡¯t youe back with us?¡± Penelope blurted out when she saw him stalking away. Chapter 751 Chapter 751 Ryan halted in his tracks momentarily, but he did not respond and continued on his way. In a private room in The Peacock, Lucas was seated beside Caleb, while James and his wife took seats beside Caleb. I can¡¯t believe Lynnie is sitting next to Mrs. Field! This is ridiculous. Caleb shot Lucas a disgruntled look. He might be handsome and imposing, but most importantly, he has a sharp tongue. Look at how he¡¯s being wary of me. How upsetting! He got even more upset when he recalled that Ashlyn was now Lucas¡¯ wife. Ha! Did he get my approval beforehand? He gave Lucas the once-over haughtily. Lucas did not bother hiding his displeasure as well. How could Ashlyn sit between Charlotte and Mrs. Field? She abandoned me! He could feel his frustration building and did his best to tamp it down. However, it did not stop him from staring at Ashlyn intently. Despite sensing his gaze, Ashlyn chose to ignore him. She was busy talking to Charlotte. Afraid of scaring the little girl, she spoke in a soothing manner. ¡°How did your treatment abroad go? Does your face still hurt?¡± she asked gently. Charlotte nced at her earnestly. ¡°Joseph was there with me, so I wasn¡¯t afraid at all.¡± She shed Joseph, who was sitting beside Lucas, a sweet smile. Joseph forced a smile awkwardly. Oh, that was so adorable! Fae took Charlotte¡¯s hand. ¡°Be a good girl, Lottie. You¡¯ll be pretty after you recover. If that brat treats you badly, just let me know.¡± ¡°Mum, Joseph treats me well.¡± Charlotte started counting with her fingers. ¡°He buys breakfast and pours me a ss of water every morning. He also chats with me and ys games with me.¡± ¡°Oh, he¡¯s just doing his job and fulfilling his responsibility. That isn¡¯t his strength,¡± Fae told her cheerfully. Charlotte was still young, so she trusted Faepletely. Blinking her huge eyes, she asked, ¡°Then what is his strength?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± A mischievous smile flitted across Fae¡¯s lips. She looked like a witch trying to persuade children to eat sweets. ¡°For example, is Joseph handsome? Is he attentive? Is he gentle?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Charlotte blushed instantly. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Um¡­ ¡°Also, do you like his abs?¡± Ashlyn chimed in to tease Charlotte. She chuckled out loud. It was rare to see herughing this happily. At that, Lucas¡¯ breath hitched, and Joseph was speechless. Did she just flirt with me? Did Ashlyn seriously mention my abs? Lucas swept his gaze over Joseph¡¯s white shirt. Are his abs as hard as mine? Ha! Women! James coughed twice. ¡°Fae, Ashlyn, stop it.¡± ¡°Dad, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m thick-skinned, and I have strong abs,¡± Joseph responded nonchntly. He braved a look at Charlotte and realized she was blushing so furiously that he could see it through her bandage. Her ears, especially, were so red and seemed as if they were about to burn any minute. James red at him, but Caleb chuckled and said, ¡°This is fun. I feel better now that I know she has a bunch of lively and interesting family and friends by her side.¡± Everyone else fell silent. Lively? Most of them were influential and respected beings in Lake City. Jared, Lucas, Winsor, and Joseph were known for being indifferent individuals. They could not believe Caleb described them as lively and interesting. Right then, someone knocked on the door. Those who were supposed to be here had shown up, and they told the server not to disturb them. Thus, they could not help but wonder who would knock on the door to their private room. Chapter 752 Chapter 752 Lucas¡¯ brows scrunched up. ¡°Come in.¡± After hearing his response, a tall figure pushed the door open and came in. It was Ryan. The diamond stud on his ear sparkled under the light, and the streak of dyed hair on his head was especially eye-catching. Caleb was rather annoyed with the Yates family by now. ¡°Mr. Yates, why are you here? If you¡¯re here for a free meal, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be disappointed. There are no more seats left,¡± he scoffed. Ryan did not grow impatient or furious despite Caleb¡¯s mocking words. His lips curled. ¡°Mr. Powell, I¡¯m here to talk to Ms. Berry.¡± He then strode toward Ashlyn¡¯s seat. Lucas¡¯ frown deepened at that. Another man who¡¯s here for her! D*mn it! His chest felt tight. He watched as the flirty Ryan went over to Ashlyn and gave her a polite bow. Being the gentleman he was, he said politely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really am. I¡¯m offering an apology on behalf of Mary. Her actions must¡¯ve caused you harm. It was the Yates family¡ª¡± Before he could finish, Ashlyn interjected, ¡°Mr. Yates, it was Mary and Penelope who did something wrong, so they should be the ones to apologize to me. You shouldn¡¯t apologize on behalf of them. If they kill you one day, are you going to serve sentence on behalf of them?¡± She arched a brow, and her voice was charmingly seductive. Obviously, she was not about to ept Ryan¡¯s apology.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Ryan was stunned. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, I shall ask someone to give them a ride here.¡± ¡°No need for that.¡± Ashlyn did not want to see them at all, for they would only irritate her. ¡°I ept your apology, so you can leave now.¡± Pursing his lips, Ryan left the private room. Caleb nced at his retreating figure and blurted out, ¡°Why do I think Mr. Yates resembles Lynnie?¡± At the door, Ryan froze in his tracks and whipped his head around to stare at Ashlyn. At the same time, Ashlyn lifted her head and met his gaze. Almost everyone in the private room started observing them. They had the same straight nose, pencil-thin eyebrows, and the same lip shapes. Fae gaped in disbelief. ¡°I think the same, too! Lottie resembles them as well. Look, their lips look exactly the same!¡± Charlotte responded shyly, ¡°I look nothing like Ashlyn. She¡¯s so pretty!¡± However, that was not how Ryan perceived the message as his gaze dimmed. Without a word, he walked out and shut the door behind him. ¡°Let¡¯s continue eating. I¡¯m starving,¡± Ashlyn announced coolly. She then began eating the food on the table. In a low voice, Tinsor urged, ¡°ir, you got many fans online after you showed your skills at the hospital. They praise you for being good at martial arts. Teach me!¡± ¡°I learned those from Ashlyn.¡± ir stuffed some food into his mouth. ncing at Tinsor, he said, ¡°I told you toe with me, but you refused.¡± ¡°I have to follow my family rules. I can¡¯t be someone else¡¯s student!¡± Tinsor red at ir enviously. ¡°Don¡¯t be her student, then. You can just learn from her.¡± ir shot him a smug look. ¡°Let¡¯s train together tomorrow after work?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± They were both interns at Haddock Group now. Their pay was satisfactory, but they were slightly nervous to be working there. Getting to his feet, Winsor greeted, ¡°Ms. Berry, it¡¯s been a while since west saw each other.¡± The entire world knew she was Lucas¡¯ wife after they got to see each other again. When he learned of the news, his heart nearly broke into pieces. He could not believe Lucas kept the fact that he was married a secret for years. Lucas must be inwardly delighted when he saw me trying to court Ashlyn! Ugh, I feel the urge to beat him up. As they were in public, he had to pretend that he was not bothered so no one would know how annoyed he felt. Chapter 753 Chapter 753 Ashlyn lifted her winess and clinked sses with him deftly. ¡°Mr. Jaquin, I hope you¡¯re well.¡± She quite liked Tinsor and ir, for they were young and loyal. They were full of life, and she could not help but admire them for their vitality. ¡°Ms. Berry, congrattions. You don¡¯t have to hide your marriage anymore. If Lucas dares to bully you, let me know. I¡¯m your friend, so I¡¯ll definitely help you to beat him up!¡± he dered. It was time for him to end his one-sided crush on her. Winsor had never said something this mushy in his entire life, thus his cheeks were flushed by the time he gave her his word. Ugh, why was I that mushy? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Winsor, but you¡¯ll never get the chance to do so.¡± Lucas shot him a devilishly handsome smile. His strange gaze gave Winsor the creeps. It felt as if Winsor was a prey who had been targeted by a predator. Winsor¡¯s brows knitted together. Lucas seems different from usual. Since they were rivals, he knew Lucas well. Something is definitely up. ¡°Let¡¯s eat. This restaurant serves delicious food!¡± As they seemed like they were about to start an argument, James immediately cut in and urged everyone to eat to relieve the tension in the air. Caleb grinned, for even he sensed that Winsor had romantic feelings for Ashlyn. So he¡¯s another man who is in love with Lynnie! They ate and chatted gaily. Soon, it was almost midnight. Everyone filed out of the private room and was prepared to head home. Outside, they spotted two women sitting on the couch in the lobby of The Peacock. It waste at night, but they were d in thin clothes. At the sight of Ashlyn, they jolted to their feet. However, Ashlyn was not nning to stop as she strode ahead, ignoring them. Without hesitation, Mary ran after her to stop her from leaving. ¡°Ashlyn!¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Penelope snarled at her, ¡°Didn¡¯t you see that we were waiting for you?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Ashlyn had no choice but to stop in her tracks and nced at them. Ugh, they are everywhere, huh? Impatience and irritation were written on her face as she gestured for the others to leave without her. Avoiding the mother and daughter duo, everyone else headed to the entrance as though they stunk. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mary said hastily. Her gaze flitted to the door briefly before she looked away. Ashlyn nced in the direction she was looking and saw a male stranger standing there. Was Mary looking at him? ¡°I said, there¡¯s no need to apologize to me. I don¡¯t want to see you ever again. Looks like it was Ryan who sent you here to offer an apology, huh?¡± Ashlyn snickered icily. ¡°He¡¯s too free,¡± shemented. Huffing angrily, Penelope dered, ¡°If Uncle Ryan didn¡¯t threaten to kick us¡ª¡± Before she could finish, Mary cut in, ¡°Penelope! Shut up!¡± Even though Penelope did not manage to finish her sentence, Ashlyn could guess what happened. Ryan wanted to kick them out, so they had no choice but toe and apologize to her. No wonder Mary apologized to me readily when they hate me so much and want me dead! There was no way she would apologize to me willingly. Turns out Ryan was behind this! ¡°An insincere apology is useless,¡± came Ashlyn¡¯s answer before she strode past them and left. Everyone was waiting for her at the door. Ashlyn climbed into Jared¡¯s car instead of Lucas¡¯. Seeing that, Lucas frowned in displeasure, but he did notment on her action and told Spencer to drive away. Inside the Land Rover, Ashlyn contacted Sinir. Ashlyn: His second personality has been dissociated. Can you go to him and treat him tomorrow? I don¡¯t think his new personality will see you willingly. Back at the hospital, Sinir had added Ashlyn¡¯s WhatsApp behind Lucas¡¯ back. He often stayed upte at night. Thus, he immediately took his phone after hearing it beeping with a notification, only to find shocking news. Chapter 754 Chapter 754 Sinir replied: I knew it. Don¡¯t worry, for I¡¯ll handle it. However, I might need your help to wake him up. Ashlyn responded swiftly: Sure. After that, Ashlyn tossed her phone aside and shut her eyes before letting out a long sigh. Many things were guing her recently. Why does it seem like I¡¯m busy every day? Back in the hotel¡¯s presidential suite, Ryan had just stepped out of the shower. He dried his hair briefly before jumping into bed. Some timeter, he was suddenly reminded of something. Pulling his phone out, he found a photo of a woman and stared at her. Without a word, he stroked his chin and fell deep into thought. Do we really resemble each other? He then searched for photos of a young Ashlyn. Everything was just a search away nowadays. He even searched for Charlotte¡¯s photos before she got disfigured so he couldpare her face to Ashlyn and himself. However, Charlotte¡¯s photo was taken too long ago, so it was quite blurry. She was an ordinary young girl and did not take many photos, unlike Ashlyn who often trended on social media. Hence, he could not reallye to a conclusion. Something seems off. Suddenly, a wild idea shed across his mind. Could Ashlyn be¡­ Penelope instead? I mean, could Ashlyn be my sister¡¯s daughter? But what about Mary? The DNA results showed that she¡¯s rted to the Yates family. No way Ashlyn is Mary¡¯s daughter. It¡¯s obvious Mary dotes on Penelope, and she treats Ashlyn harshly. Did something go wrong with the DNA report? That very thought shocked Ryan senseless. He sat up from the bed as his face turned pale. I must find out what happened. No one can manipte the Yates family! His gaze darkened as he gave his assistant a call. ¡°Do me a favor.¡± A few minutester, he hung up and flopped back into bed. He could not stop himself from thinking about Ashlyn¡¯s gorgeous face and everything she did. Imperial Hotel had a dorm for each of its employees. The seventeenth and eighteenth floors of the hotel were its employee dorm and rest area. Each employee had their own room. Inside one room, a man was applying medicine to the wound on his calf as he bit back the anguish. His wound had festered and inmed. He did not deal with it in time, so it worsened as time passed. Gritting his teeth, he poured hydrogen peroxide solution onto his wound. At once, bubbles formed above his wound. He pulled a knife out and heated it up before plunging it deep into his wound. In the end, he cut the rotten part of his flesh out with the knife. As he did not get any anesthetic, he was drenched in sweat. However, he did not make a sound as though he was cutting someone else¡¯s leg instead of his own. Swiftly, he cleaned his wound and applied some medicine before wrapping it up with some gauze. By then, he could finally let out a sigh of relief. His entire body was drenched with cold sweat. Sweat was trickling down his forehead, and his back was wet. Grabbing a piece of napkin, he wiped the sweat off his brows and sat up to roll the hems of his pants down. Right then, someone knocked at the door. A familiar voice rang out. ¡°Chef Howard, the head chef wants to see you.¡± It was his apprentice, Denny. Howard got to his feet carefully and kept all the stuff he used earlier to dress his wound. Pretending nothing had happened, he bit back the pain that red up his heart and walked to the door calmly. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. He pulled the door open to reveal a young man shorter than him and around the age of neen standing outside. Chapter 755 Chapter 755 Upon seeing him, Denny shed a cheeky smile. ¡°What are you doing inside? What took you so long to answer the door?¡± Howard answered innocently, ¡°Denny, I-I think I¡¯m ill. My head is burning up. Am I going to die?¡± Denny¡¯s expression changed abruptly. Standing on his tiptoes, he ced his hand on Howard¡¯s forehead. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re burning! I¡¯ll go get Dr. Walker now.¡± Jim Walker was the doctor working for Imperial Hotel. Normally, the employees would seek treatment from him if they suffered from fever or headaches. After Denny¡¯s figure disappeared from sight, Howard slumped. My wound has been festering for some time, so I hope Dr. Walker doesn¡¯t realize that I¡¯m hurt. Howard did not stop working even after he suffered an injury. He did not let anyone know he was shot in the leg. After all, a gunshot wound was too sensitive to be revealed to the public. s, his wound was pretty serious now. If he insisted on working instead of recuperating, he might have to amputate his leg. As he was running a temperature now, he had no choice but to rest for a few days. A few minutester, Denny arrived with Jim. Jim was a middle-aged man in his fifties with pleasant features. He allowed Denny to drag him into Howard¡¯s room and panted. ¡°Denny, I¡¯m old. I¡¯ll fall if you continue dragging me!¡± ¡°Dr. Walker, Chef Howard is usually healthy. He has never been sick. Of course I¡¯m worried sick as he suddenly got ill!¡± Denny responded anxiously. After dragging Jim over to Howard¡¯s bed, he came to a stop as he panted. ¡°Chef Howard, how are you doing? Dr. Walker¡¯s here.¡± Howard blinked silently. Everyone in Imperial Hotel treated him well, and he was not a robot without feelings. How can I take action against them? Tears threatened to gush out of his eyes, so he forced himself to calm down. ¡°Dr. Walker, I think I have a fever,¡± he said slowly. Jim pulled his infrared thermometer and took Howard¡¯s temperature. Narrowing his eyes, he announced, ¡°You¡¯re running a high temperature at thirty-nine point two degrees Celsius.¡± He also checked Howard¡¯s tongue. ¡°You have a hard time digesting food recently, too.¡± After giving Howard the once-over, he asked, ¡°Do you feel unwell besides the fever?¡± Howard shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Young man, you can earn money anytime, but you have to rest. Don¡¯t be a workaholic. Everyone in the hotel knows you¡¯ve never asked for a day off despite having worked here for years. I¡¯ll give you a medical certificate so you can rest for a week,¡± Jim told him. He then wrote the medical certificate and a prescription, giving them to Denny. ¡°Give this to your manager. Remember to buy the medicine at the pharmacy ording to this prescription.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Denny hurried away with both notes in his hands. After that, Jim packed up his stuff and left. Howard was left alone in his room. Pulling out a slender ne beneath his pillow, he gazed at it. His marine blue eyes stared at it so adoringly as though it was his lover. Seven days. I only have seven days left. After resting for seven days, I¡¯ll have toplete the mission assigned to me by the organization. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have to say goodbye to this world. Pain gripped his heart so tightly that he could barely breathe. I can¡¯t¡­ I dare not¡­ I shouldn¡¯t¡­ Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Slowly, he shut his eyes. As pain red up his leg, he knew he had to make up his mind in a week. Early in the morning, Ashlyn went to the movie studio. Arriving at the film set, she spotted Jonathan and Naomi shooting thest scene. The sight of them standing next to each other was pleasing to the eye. In fact, Ashlyn¡¯s mood lifted when she saw them. Her lips curled up as she went over to them quietly. As they were engrossed in the scene, she did not disturb them. Taking a seat, she whipped her phone out and ordered some milkshakes. Twenty minutester, the scene finally came to an end. Chapter 756 Chapter 756 Ashlyn heard Greg as he shouted emotionally, ¡°Cut! That¡¯s a wrap!¡± Apuse erupted on the set. Overwhelmed with excitement, Jonathan wrapped his arms around the young woman before him, lifting her and spinning her in a circle. Naomi paled in surprise and yelped, ¡°Ah! Put me down! I¡¯m so scared!¡± The atmosphere was so infectious that even Ashlyn smiled. She relished the cheerful crowd and the lively mood in the air. Suddenly, someone called out, ¡°The milkshakes are here!¡± The crowd saw staff from a milkshake store streaming onto the set with cups of milkshakes in tow. Just then, Greg and the others noticed Ashlyn sitting in a corner. ¡°Ms. Berry! You¡¯re here!¡± With a smile, Ashlyn got up from a bench to approach them. ¡°Filming has officially wrapped up, right?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah, today.¡± Greg nodded and continued, ¡°All we have left is editing, promotional work, and the like.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. Good job, everyone! Have a milkshake and rest up. Let¡¯s celebrate this at Imperial Hotel later tonight. Dinner¡¯s on me!¡± Ashlyn dered with a wave, looking every bit like an imposing leader. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. The crowd was naturally ted by her offer. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s great!¡± ¡°Thanks for the treat, Ms. Berry!¡± ¡°Thanks for the milkshake too!¡± Ashlyn¡¯s lips curved into a pretty smile when she heard the crew and actors singing her praises. She replied affably, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± After working together for several months, Naomi and Jonathan had developed a good rapport, especially since they now shared the same manager. Naomi was technically Jonathan¡¯s junior now. Both of them approached Ashlyn, and Naomi wiped the sweat off her forehead while saying, ¡°Hi Ashlyn, it¡¯s good to see you here.¡± Meanwhile, Jonathan¡¯s eyes sparkled as he queried, ¡°How did you find myst act, Ashlyn?¡± She replied confidently, ¡°Pretty good! It was really impactful. Your acting skills will only improve once you do a few more films under Director Maxwell. Anyway, you should pack up your things at the hotel and go home. Don¡¯t live in the movie studio anymore. Jared and Isaac want you to shoot an action film next. They¡¯ve already arranged sses for you at a training camp.¡± Stunned, Jonathan stammered, ¡°W-What? An action film? But I¡¯m¡­¡± I¡¯m a top idol! How can I shoot an action film? Am I going to turn into one of those buff dudes? My God, even the thought is frightening! Jonathan was on the verge of crying at his tragic fate. He was an artist under Nn Entertainment, and he questioned why Jared wanted to have a say in his career. A curious Naomi piped up, ¡°What about me, Ashlyn? Did you make any ns for me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your manager. You should be talking to Isaac about this.¡± Ashlyn tapped the young woman¡¯s head fondly and added, ¡°Come on. Pack your things so we can go home.¡± ¡°Wait, Ashlyn¡­ Did youe here to fetch me home?¡± Naomi was so moved that she tried to blink away her tears. She looked just like a little kid whose only wish was for her parents to meet her after school. Confused by Naomi¡¯s sudden show of emotion, Ashlyn said, ¡°Who else could I be here for? Your brothers are both at work.¡± Jonathan found himself envying Naomi. He wished he was one of the Nns instead. That way, he could enjoy being at the receiving end of Ashlyn¡¯s care for a change. Unbeknownst to everyone, the craziest idea suddenly popped up in Jonathan¡¯s mind. He was determined to marry into the Nn family. Poor Naomi had no idea she was now a top idol¡¯s target. Naomi¡¯s greeting inadvertently confirmed Ashlyn¡¯s status as Mrs. Nn, though those who worked in showbiz more or less heard rumors about the rtionship. Everyone on set now realized how Ashlyn could simply invest hundreds of millions on a whim. It also made sense why Lucas treated her differently from everyone else. After that, everyone cleaned up the filming set in earnest. Chapter 757 Chapter 757 On the neighboring film set of ¡°Angel and Devil,¡± production had resumed sometime back after the director and lead actor were reced. The crew was also wrapping up their filming that day. Kate, who had invested in the film with Haddock Group, showed up on set on thest day of filming. s, Ashlyn ran into her nemesis at the doors of the movie studio just as she was leaving. Kate¡¯s gazended on Ashlyn¡¯s beautiful face. The older woman spat on the ground and sneered. That earned her a furious re from Naomi, who yelled at the security guards near the movie studio door, ¡°Sir! Someone is spitting on the floor. How uncultured!¡± Kate¡¯s expression stiffened. All she wanted to do was to express her disdain toward Ashlyn. Not imagining Naomi would start pointing fingers at her, she flushed, angry and embarrassed. After all, paparazzi milled about the movie studio. If any of them happened to snap a picture of today¡¯s scene, Kate would surely be painted as a disgusting and uncivilized richdy. She wished she could turn back time and stop herself from spitting in the first ce. In seeking a small piece of gratification, she had potentially ruined her public image. Meanwhile, the security guard instantly went on guard when they heard Naomi¡¯s voice. He grabbed the hat resting on his knee before running toward Kate, using, ¡°How could you be so uncultured? Even kindergarteners know not to spit anywhere they want! I¡¯m going to fine you fifty, ma¡¯am!¡± Kate shot Naomi a spiteful re before turning her attention to the security guard. She peevishly whipped out a hundred from her purse and snapped, ¡°Fifty, is it? It¡¯s not as if I can¡¯t afford that! Keep the change!¡± The security guard was ustomed to such prima donna behavior from the celebrities in the movie studio. Ignoring Kate¡¯s nasty words, he let out a scoff. ¡°My job is to follow the rules. Fifty means fifty! Who the heck are you looking down on, huh?¡± At the same time, he stopped Kate from leaving by grabbing her wrist. Loudly, he dered, ¡°I¡¯m telling you; I won¡¯t take a dime of your dirty money! I¡¯m making an honest living for myself, and I don¡¯t need your extra fifty for anything! Even if I¡¯m poor, I won¡¯t sell out my dignity by epting your ill-meant charity. Understood?¡± His raised volume instantly attracted the attention of the bored paparazzi squatting outside the movie studio. They instinctively turned to look at the doors of the movie studio, bringing Kate¡¯s worst nightmare to life. Suddenly, the paparazzi swarmed them like bees drawn to honey. They incessantly snapped photos of Kate and sted her with questions. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Mrs. Fraser!¡± ¡°Do all wealthy people think they can look down on the rest of the poption?¡± ¡°What gives you the right to mistreat people, huh? Everyone is equal!¡± ¡°So what if you¡¯re swimming in cash? Spitting on the ground is utterly disgusting!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to put this on the front page of my paper!¡± Kate could only raise her purse to shield her face as she tried to dart into the movie studio. Unfortunately, the paparazzi were starved for news after two days of peace and quiet. Initially, they had only nned to write a dull news piece on the filming wrap-up of Ashlyn¡¯s film crew. Kate¡¯s little fiasco was akin to catnip to them. Despite her fury, Kate stopped herself from cursing out loud. She knew the paparazzi would have no qualms about soiling her reputation if she reacted poorly. Naomi and Ashlyn watched the scene unfold from a distance, and the former could not help but cackle in glee. ¡°How tragic that all this began from a spit.¡± Ashlyn was tickled by Naomi¡¯sment as she teased, ¡°You¡¯re pretty mischievous, huh.¡± ¡°No one asked her to behave so disgustingly!¡± Naomi harrumphed before getting into Ashlyn¡¯s Land Rover. I used to be so jealous of Lucas for riding in Ashlyn¡¯s car. Now I get to be in it too! Wow, the feel and the view are amazing! This is from N?velDrama.Org. Naomi suddenly abhorred her Porsche 911. Elsewhere, an endless stream of tourists crowded the airport. Chapter 758 Chapter 758 The tall, middle-aged man¡¯s eyes were glowing with kindness and serenity when he looked at the beautifuldy. ¡°Well then, I¡¯m going back to Maredania, Lynnie. Call me if you need anything.¡± ¡°Oh, just leave already. Stop being such a sap,¡±ined Ashlyn as she shoved a gift to him. The gift was ced inside an ordinary box, so it felt as though there was nothing special about it. ¡°Here, take this. You¡¯ll like them.¡± Caleb could not help but shoot a sweet smile, and anyone could tell he was genuinely happy. I guess she never changes. She¡¯s still someone who can¡¯t say anything nice, but her action always shows how much she cares. Hugging the gift, he uttered, ¡°Okay, until next time, then.¡± After saying that, he turned around and left. It was not until his figure could no longer be seen in the airport¡¯s VIP walkway that she turned around, ready to leave. Just then, she heard Penelope¡¯s voice. ¡°Ashlyn!¡± Ashlyn arched her brows and halted her steps. Up ahead, she saw Penelope and Mary standing there. My gosh, how could I bump into them when I¡¯m merely here to see someone off? Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Ashlyn was truly fed up with her fate and bad luck. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because of you, my mom and I are embarrassed, but don¡¯t you gloat. I will tell my granny about this once I reach Maredania, and she will definitely get justice for both of us. She is a countess and is someone you will never get to meet. Women like you are from a lower ss, and you will never be equal to me. I am the true socialite.¡± Ashlyn looked at Penelope as though thetter was a lunatic. ¡°Are you done?¡± she asked. Penelope was stunned. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Then shut up. Listen up, woman. I am not interested in your social circles and am even less intrigued about that granny of yours. I won¡¯t bother meeting her, not even when I¡¯m ridiculously bored. Even if she extends an invitation to me, I still won¡¯t go.¡± After saying all that, Ashlyn turned around and left with her head held high. It did not matter that all that could be seen was her back. She still inspired fear and exuded a regal aura. At the time, neither realized that was actually the case. There woulde a day when Penelope¡¯s grandmother extended countless invitations, but Ashlyn would still refuse to meet up. ¡°Ignore her. Let¡¯s go. She was probably just putting on an act. There¡¯s a good chance she¡¯s secretly envious of us,¡± said Mary as she tugged at Penelope. ¡°Good job earlier. Your words were very powerful.¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± murmured Penelope. She rarely received anypliments from her mother, so she could not help but feel a little excited. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go now.¡± With that, the mother-daughter duo fished out their air tickets and got ready to board the ne. Everything was ready, so they boarded the ne soon after. Ryan was kind to them as he bought them first-ss tickets. When the two of them got onto the ne, they saw Caleb sitting a short distance away in the seat right next to the window. Bothdies grinned, and their eyes glowed simultaneously. Mary, in particr, was excited. She had heard rumors of how Caleb was the most desirable bachelor in his age group. He had never gotten married. If I can marry him, I will be the wife of the president of the Piano Association. Those thoughts prompted her to pretend to be shy and deliberately dropped her handkerchief at the side of his foot. She made it look as though it was just an ident. Surprised, Caleb picked up the handkerchief and returned it to Mary elegantly. ¡°Your handkerchief, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Powell,¡± replied Mary. She acted as if she was surprised. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d run into you on the airne. Are you heading back to Maredania as well?¡± Somewhat recognizing her voice, Caleb lifted his head and saw Mary there. Wait, isn¡¯t that the old woman who bullied Lynnie? Ugh, she¡¯s so disgusting. How unlucky do I have to be to run into her here? Despite his thoughts, he nodded at her politely. He did not say anything, but Mary was too excited to notice his stoicism andck of enthusiasm. Hence, she continued, ¡°My mother gave me this handkerchief. The renowned tailor, Leslie Winters, designed and handcrafted it. See that plum blossom there? It¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Is it as good as the handkerchiefs I have with me?¡± Caleb cut off before he retrieved the box he had with him. Mary¡¯s initial intention was to share how noble her family was, so she was confused when she saw the box that looked rather ordinary. Chapter 759 Chapter 759 The items inside that box, however, were so perfect that even an amateur like her knew how high the quality was. The condition and stitching were obviously much better than the handkerchief created by the famous Leslie Winters. How is that possible? I can¡¯t believe someone who¡¯s more skilled than Leslie actually exists! Mary was so surprised that she stumbled a step back. ¡°T-This is virtually perfect. My mother loves embroidery and has always been a fan of Leslie Winters¡¯ products. I can¡¯t believe there is someone out there who can stitch even better! Will you sell one of those handkerchiefs to me?¡± requested Mary immediately. Everyone knew that the countess loved embroidery products. Mary and Penelope made such a huge mess that they were forced to return to Maredania. If the countess were to discover what the two of them did, she would, without a doubt, be infuriated. If I can get her one and put her in a good mood¡­ Mary was already scheming. Letting out a scoff, Caleb scanned Mary from head to toe. This woman bullied Lynnie¡­ I wonder if how she¡¯ll react if she learns that she¡¯s spending a fortune to buy Lynnie¡¯s work now. Maybe her jaw will drop. Still¡­ it would be an insult to Lynnie if someone like this woman has Lynnie¡¯s product. Those thoughts prompted Caleb to reply calmly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but a good friend of mine gave them to me, so I will not sell them. The ne is about to take off. Please return to your seat.¡± Mary reluctantly shifted her gaze from the box, then made her way to her seat. After taking her seat, she turned to Penelope and whispered, ¡°Do you think maybe Mr. Powell has a thing for me?¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± asked Penelope while blinking in confusion. ¡°He seems to care about me because he told me to return to my seat. Maybe he doesn¡¯t want me to get hurt after the ne takes off¡­¡± Charlotte, whose seat was right in front of Mary, could not help but twitch her lips a little. Is she a retard? He was obviously chasing her away. How did she even interpret that as something romantic? Charlotte and Joseph had boarded the same ne because they needed to return to Maredania for the treatment on their faces. When they boarded the ne, they made their way to Caleb to greet him. They never thought that they would run into Mary, who was so engrossed in her own narcissism and so focused on Caleb that she was not aware of the passengers in front of her. A few hourster, the nended steadily on the ground. Caleb got into his family¡¯s car and made his way to the castle right away. His family was one of the most prominent families in Maredania. His brother, in particr, was the globally renowned oil tycoon, Nichs Powell. Both Caleb and his brother were single and shared the same love for exquisite stitching. That was why Caleb, being the mischievous brother he was, wanted to show off the box of incredible handkerchiefs he had. Caleb made his way to Nichs¡¯ room right away. He walked past several housekeepers, most of which were men when he made his way through the castle. Since Caleb and Nichs were two of the most desirable bachelors in the world, they attracted countless women who wished to marry them and be thedy of the castle. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Regardless of age and appearances, many women applied to be the castle¡¯s housekeepers just so they could try their chances on the siblings. That was why over eighty percent of the housekeepers in the castle were male. The remaining twenty percent were married women. As Caleb walked past the housekeepers, he nodded politely at them. Arriving Nichs¡¯ room, he knocked on the door. When he heard someone responding from inside, he opened the door and entered the room. He then lifted the ordinary box he had with him and smiled to brag. ¡°Hey Nichs, guess what I got my hands on?¡± ¡°What can you possibly have?¡± replied Nichs. The siblings looked simr, but the aura Nichs exuded was even stronger. It was the kind of aura that only powerful men had. His eyes shone with wisdom that was forged from his life experiences and intelligence. When Nichs heard his brother talking, he shifted his attention from the documents he was reading and looked at his brother. This brother of mine is a middle-aged man, but somehow, he is still as innocent as a kid. Gosh, what am I going to do with him? Chapter 760 Chapter 760 The funny thing about these siblings was that they were pr opposites, with one being grounded and the other being lively. The contrast was simply too obvious. ¡°Tada!¡± eximed Caleb. When he saw how disinterested his brother was, he quickly opened the box. ¡°Look! My friend gave me so many handkerchiefs.¡± ¡°Really?¡± replied Nichs. He was immediately intrigued, and his sharp gazended on the content of the box right away. He was momentarily stunned, but then began praising, ¡°Oh, these are breathtaking. Look at that. There¡¯s a straight pattern, zig-zag pattern, overlock pattern¡­ Her skills are incredible.¡± Every single one of those handkerchiefs was worth a fortune and would fetch a good price at any auction. If they were taken to the museum, there was a good chance they would end up being a part of the museum¡¯s collection. This is from N?velDrama.Org. After admiring each and every piece of fabric inside the box, Nichs asked, ¡°Caleb, can you please introduce me to this friend of yours? I¡¯m simply too curious. Even Leslie¡¯s nothingpared to what your friend can do, even though Leslie is the most skilled embroiderer in Maredania. Someone as skilled as your friend should be weed as a VIP.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you a million times, Nichs. She¡¯s a weird girl, and she doesn¡¯t enjoy meeting with old souls like you, so you should just give up.¡± Caleb could see how much Nichs loved those handkerchiefs, so he chose one from the box and handed it over. ¡°Here, you can have this. I¡¯ll keep the others away and treasure them.¡± After saying all that, Caleb left the room while hugging the box. Staring at that handkerchief, Nichs was deep in thoughts for quite some time. Suddenly, he jumped as though he was enlightened. He then rummaged through his stuff endlessly. It took him some time before he got another handkerchief from the safe deposit box. Hepared the stitching on the handkerchief inside the safe box to the one Caleb had just given him. The way both handkerchiefs were stitched is the same! That means the same embroiderer might¡¯ve made them. The only real difference was that the handkerchief inside the safe deposit box was old, whereas the one Caleb had just given Nichs was brand new. Could the same person have stitched both handkerchiefs? Is she the owner of this handkerchief? Nichs felt his heart thumping fast. He could not wait to meet the person who made that handkerchief because he wanted to ask her about what had happened all those years ago. However, the handkerchief had a much more important task. He had already heard about how the countess, Bianca Yates, would be throwing a birthday party next Friday. She has always liked exquisite embroidery, so this handkerchief will make a great gift. Many years ago, the eldest daughter of the Yates family had an arranged marriage with Nichs. Bianca and the elders of the Powell family had already agreed to have them get married. Rumor was that the eldest daughter, who had been missing all these years, had finally returned. Unfortunately, Nichs was in love with someone else and had been saving himself for that person. He actually spent over twenty years searching for that person with no sess. As a result, he was still single. That did not mean he would marry the eldest daughter as promised, though. He would use that exquisite handkerchief to terminate his engagement. Unlike teenagers, who only focused on love, both Nichs and the eldest daughter of that family were middle-aged individuals, so it would be rather ridiculous for them to be hung up on love. Nichs had also reached the point where his goals in life no longer allowed him to do anything drastic. That was understandable and natural. It was what happened to everyone when they grew old. They could not be as reckless as they used to be for love. At that age, being all lovey-dovey and talking about it all day would just embarrass them. Rumor has it that the eldest daughter of the Yates family has a daughter who is in her early twenties. I am a globally renowned oil tycoon, so there is no way I¡¯d marry someone like her. Although Nichs did not want to lose the exquisite handkerchief he had with him, he had no choice. He would rather spend the rest of his life alone than to get involved with another woman. Inside the Count¡¯s Mansion, Penelope did not even put her luggage away when she ran into the yard where Bianca was resting. As it was quite the journey, the former looked disheveled and did not like a socialite who grew up in a luxurious environment. Bianca was enjoying some tea at that moment, but her heart ached when saw Penelope in that state. Reaching out to hold her granddaughter¡¯s hand, she uttered, ¡°Oh, my poor child. Let me look at you. How did you get so thin? Didn¡¯t your uncle take care of you?¡± ¡°Granny¡­¡± murmured Penelope. Tears gathered around her eyes. ¡°Oh, dear. Why are you crying?¡± asked Bianca, feeling her heart break even more. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chapter 761 Chapter 761 ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just missed you too much,¡± replied Penelope. She acted as though she was reluctant to share her story because it would trouble Bianca. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink this, Granny. It¡¯s nothing. Really.¡± The more she behaved like this, the more Bianca grew curious. ¡°Really? You can tell me. Did your uncle treat you poorly? Oh, I¡¯m so going to scold him.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just¡­¡± Penelope became even more teary-eyed. ¡°I¡­ Granny, I didn¡¯t want to tell you about this because I didn¡¯t want to worry you, but it¡¯s actually about Ashlyn. You remember, right? She¡¯s the woman I talked to you about before. It¡¯s all her fault.¡± Between sobs, Penelope told Bianca a modified version of what had happened at the piano competition in H Nation. The former made everything seem so intense and painted herself as the innocent bystander who was ever so pitiful. She made Mary and herself out to be the world¡¯s unluckiest and saddest women there was. Ashlyn, on the other hand, was made out to be the absurd viin who lived only to derive her happiness from Penelope and Mary¡¯s misery. Bianca¡¯s heart ached as she patted Penelope¡¯s hand. ¡°You should go take a rest first. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not the kind of person who would let injustice like that happen. I can¡¯t believe that a simple trip back would bring you and your mom so much pain and misery. You have both suffered for no reason. Ah! I¡¯m so angry! I¡¯ll call your uncle right now and scold him!¡± Hearing that, Penelope bit her lip a little as a hint of panic shed past her eyes. Shoot, if she makes that call, my lies would be exposed. At that thought, Penelope immediately replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, Granny. Uncle Ryan tried to protect me and Mom, but Ashlyn is the wife of the CEO of Nn Group. She¡¯s too powerful, so it¡¯s not Uncle Ryan¡¯s fault that he couldn¡¯t protect us. Please don¡¯t call him and put even more pressure on his shoulders.¡± ¡°My sweet Penelope, you¡¯re so kind. Okay, I won¡¯t call him if that¡¯s what you wish,¡± replied Bianca. A glint shed past her eyes as she put her phone away. ¡°Then I won¡¯t bother you anymore, Granny. I better head back to my room now,¡± said Penelope who left immediately after. The kind smile on Bianca slowly turned into a scowl, and anger seeped out of her eyes. ¡°That kid is so ridiculous. Does she really think I won¡¯t see through her tricks? She truly has countless bad habits.¡± Bianca¡¯s voice carried a hint of disappointment, and the tone she used frightened Matilda a little. ¡°Mrs. Yates, you¡­¡± ¡°I may be getting old, but that doesn¡¯t mean she can fool me. She made herself out to be so pitiful, yet she didn¡¯t want me to call Ryan?¡± ¡°Are you saying something about the situation is fishy?¡± Matilda immediately got what was going on. Matilda had been working for the Yates family for decades, but she had always found Mary and Penelope did not belong to the family. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Almost every hired help was mad at them but was too afraid toin. Mary and Penelope would deliberately make things difficult for them. ¡°Send someone to investigate the matter and tell me the truth,¡± ordered Bianca. She was never the kind of person who would blindly believe anything anyone told her. If she was, the Yates family would not have grown to be so strong in Maredania, nor would its powers be that deeply rooted. ¡°Understood,¡± replied Matilda before leaving to work on the task right away. Just as Matilda left, Ryan called. ¡°Mom, have the two of them reached home?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± replied Bianca calmly. ¡°When will you be home?¡± ¡°I will definitely be home for your birthday, but I need to work on some minor issues here for now. Please have Dad or Matilda n the party for you,¡± said Ryan. He had always been a good son, so he felt a little guilty because he could not n Bianca¡¯s birthday party in person. Still, the mere thought of Mary and Penelope made him feel the urgent need to prove what he suspected. Hence, he could not return home just yet. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Focus on your work and be careful out there, okay?¡± said Bianca. She was not the type of mother who would demand her kids stay by her side at all times. At the time, there were still ten days before it was Bianca¡¯s birthday. In the meantime, after the production of ¡°Trashy Idol¡± was done, the marketing effort began right away. Every social media and website was advertising the movie endlessly. Chapter 762 Chapter 762 Some cinemas also had the movie¡¯s posters shared on their websites. The posters were even at the subway entrances, the bus stops, and just about everywhere. As a result, Jonathan¡¯s influence as an idol became more obvious. His fans kept pre-ordering the tickets, and as a result, the movie ranked number one when it was not even aired yet. That was all thanks to Jonathan¡¯s fans supporting him. ¡°Angel and Devil¡± which was scheduled to be released in the same period, kept advertising its movie as well, but very few reacted and paid attention to it. Every time the movie gained a bit of attention, it would be neglected soon after. The worst part was that the paparazzi snapped a photo of Kate spitting at the entrance of the movie studio. Her uncouth behavior affected the movie¡¯s reputation and value. Manyizens dissed her endlessly and insulted her. Kate became so angry that sheined to Dixon about it, ¡°It¡¯s not like I killed anyone or something. There are countless drunk drivers who took the lives of so many people. Why aren¡¯t theizens yelling at them instead?¡± Dixon red at her icily and replied, ¡°The poor are jealous of the rich. Understood?¡± This stupid, old hag¡­ If she weren¡¯t my mother¡¯s sister, I would havepletely ignored her. She ruined everything! The movie hasn¡¯t even been released yet, and it¡¯s already receiving such a negative response. I can¡¯t believe she actually did something as uncouth as spitting in public! A sense of helplessness bubbled up in Dixon¡¯s heart. Kate made him so angry, but he could not even vent out. They were blood rtives, and that connection, albeit negligible, prevented him from doing anything. If his subordinates had been the ones who had done something like that, Dixon would have destroyed their lives. They would not have been able to sit there in one piece andin. Frustrated, he shot a look at Kate and said, ¡°Our loss will be tremendous if the movie doesn¡¯t do well, so I will entrust this matter to you. You must do a good job.¡± ¡°Huh? What matter are you talking about?¡± asked Kate. She was so troubled that she could not be bothered about anything else. ¡°I have a document here with me. All you have to do is follow the instructions stated there, and victory will be ours. The ticket sales would increase exponentially, and I¡¯m certain we can perform better than Ashlyn¡¯s movie. If we win this, endless moviegoers will swarm to our cinema, and we won¡¯t have to worry about money at all.¡± As Dixon spoke, he retrieved a folder from the drawer and handed it to Kate. She epted it and asked, ¡°What is this?¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Give this to my cousin. He will help you work on it. The expenses involved aren¡¯t much, but the profit it generates will be absolute,¡± Dixon convinced. ¡°Aunt Kate, we¡¯re family, so it¡¯s not like I¡¯d hurt you. This is all about money,¡± added Dixon before he paused momentarily. ¡°You know¡­ What the Field family did to you truly infuriated me, Aunt Kate. If you and my dear cousin do this for me, I promise I will help you exact your revenge on the Field family. That old fart, James, has been the leader for far too long. Does he really think he can remain in his political position for eternity?¡± ¡°Dixon, what are you saying?¡± Kate tilted her head up abruptly when she heard that. Looking into the eyes of that stunning man, she spotted immense cruelty in them. All he did was grin in the slightest way, and his mercilessness oozed out of him. ¡°Everyone has their weaknesses, Aunt Kate. Even if he doesn¡¯t have one, I will create one for him. I don¡¯t believe, even for a second, that James is as honest and as capable as he seems. There has to be a slip up somewhere, and if I get my hands on some evidence¡­ Oh, he will fall so hard. It¡¯s time he moves aside and lets the young rece him.¡± Upon seeing the man¡¯s vicious expression, Kate felt a chill down her spine. However, her hatred for the Field family quickly took over. If the Field family were to fall, that b*tch, Charlotte, would fall as well. The Field family brought so much shame to me that I will never outlive it, and everyone in my social circles knows about how they humiliated me. It was so bad that I had to stay home for so long. I was even scared to join any gatherings. Chapter 763 Chapter 763 Her hatred for the Field family was endless, and the anger she harbored for Charlotte was even deeper. Intense fury and hate filled Kate¡¯s eyes. ¡°I will do as you asked, Dixon, no matter what that is.¡± ¡°Okay, Aunt Kate. Go home and do this¡­¡± Dixon then moved to whisper something into Kate¡¯s ears. Kate memorized every word he said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dixon. L is my son. He¡¯ll listen to me.¡± ¡°Okay, then I will be waiting for the good news from you.¡± Dixon smiled warmly. It was as though the cruel man from before was not him at all. ¡°I¡¯ll head home now, Dixon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With that, she left Haddock Group and approached her car. Before she opened the door, she received a notification from a cinema application. She had not even gotten into her car before she tapped on it. Trashy Idol will officially hit the cinemas this Sunday. The cinema schedule has been released! Kate felt her vision going dark, and she almost fainted. The edit for Trashy Idol is done already? And they¡¯ve already released the cinema¡¯s schedule. How did that Ashlyn work so quickly? Before a movie could be released, its clips had to be edited, sent to the government, obtain approval, wait for the official license, and many more. The whole procedure was troublesome, so even going through the motion would take quite some time. How did Ashlyn get everything done so quickly? Opening the car door, Kate got inside, her face as dark as thunder. That b*tch! Thepetition was inevitable when two movies were released at the same time, yet she never thought Ashlyn would be ahead of her. Kate had just finished reading that news when another notification popped up. That particr notification was from Twitter. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. It was from the official ount of the rted government branch. They posted: I can¡¯t believe that I actually saw a movie that could touch the deepest parts of my soul this year. Trashy Idol was approved on the day it was sent. Our employees watched the movie in its entirety in one go, and everything from the editing to the storyline was perfect. There was no need to make any adjustments or remove anything. Hence, it passed our test in one go and has set the record for the quickest approval. It sets a great example and is what movies in the modern age deeply need. Please like and support it. Also, please support @Mrs. Nn for her great work! Upon seeing that, Kate was on the verge of breaking down. She could not believe that the government official had publiclyplimented Ashlyn¡¯s movie. The movie Kate invested in, ¡°Angel and Devil,¡± had just been sent and was still pending approval. How was she going topete against something like that? Kate was in a turmoil of emotions, and deep jealousy bubbled up in her heart. ¡°Uh, Mrs. Fraser, are we going home or¡­¡± asked the chauffeur cautiously as he monitored her expression. ¡°Home,¡± replied Kate. All she could think about was how Ashlyn¡¯s movie was approved and praised. I¡¯m losing my mind! Meanwhile, theizens had gone wild. After the Twitter post was shared, many became curious as theymented their thoughts. Just how amazing is this movie? I can¡¯t believe the government actuallyplimented it. I¡¯m kinda curious about it, too. What¡¯s so good about picking up trash? I¡¯m hesitating now. Should I go to the cinema? Which one should I watch? I heard that Angel and Devil is about to be released as well¡­ I love Jonathan more! Theizens on Twitter were going insane with glee. Their anticipation for ¡°Trashy Idol¡± had risen even more. Ashlyn, on the other end, had been working endlessly to promote the movie. She was too busy to work on anything else. On the day of the movie premier, she wore a light blue dress that highlighted her tall and sexy figure. Sitting under her feet was a pair of white heels. The woman exuded a strong aura. She was naturally beautiful as well, and the exquisite make-up she had on maximized her beauty. Even the celebrities under Nn Entertainment could not bepared. The movie would be yed five times in the cinema that day, and every single ticket was sold. Chapter 764 Chapter 764 The popr movie review ounts on Twitter and TikTok were all invited to join the event. Moreover, some artistes from Nn Group, directors, producers, Jonathan¡¯s big fans, and lucky fans who won the lottery were there as well. Some reporters from major mediapanies were also allowed into the venue to report the event. Ashlyn had made sure that everything was covered. A famous director in the industry who was sitting in the second row scoffed. ¡°What¡¯s interesting about this? Isn¡¯t this just a show by someone who¡¯s only trending now?¡± His voice was loud as if he wanted Ashlyn and the other people in charge to hear him. ¡°Mr. Wells, we¡¯ve been invited to this ce, so just let this go,¡± said another director. ¡°Take it as just a free show.¡± Some of the famousmentators chimed in as well, ¡°What can a director like Greg be able toe up with? The box office is doomed to fail.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The actors aren¡¯t professionals either. One is a rookie, and the other is an idol,¡± another added. They were not at all embarrassed to voice their disdain toward the movie out loud. Naomi was young and unable to hold her temple, so she leaped to her feet, about to curse at them. However, Ashlyn stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. The movie¡¯s about to start. Don¡¯t you want to find out how your acting was?¡± Naomi muttered in an upset tone, ¡°Ashlyn, if I knew they were going to act in this way, I wouldn¡¯t have invited them.¡± ¡°Just ignore them.¡± Ashlyn smiled. Jonathan was extremely upset as well. It was his first time in a movie¡ªthe main male lead, in fact¡ªbut the others were all criticizing him before they even watched the show. There was no way he would not be angry and miserable after hearing them. ¡°Maxwell, are you not angry?¡± At the end of the day, Greg was a few years older than them and had gone through the hard times of his life. Thus, the smile on his face was a nonchnt one. ¡°The humiliation and curses the people dole out at me are nothing¡ªthey¡¯ll only make me steel myself even more. We should face these matters with a calm heart in this challenging industry.¡± Upon hearing that, the two young people felt their frustration seep away. When it was time, the movies in the five cinema halls started almost simultaneously. The title ¡°Trashy Idol¡± then slowly appeared on the screen. The movie was set in a futuristic timeline when Earth was on its way to its destruction after the ruination of the environment via pollution and the devastation of the ecological chain. Thest idol standing had lost all of his supporters and audience. He was the only one left in the world. The idol who had been protected well by his family,pany, and fans had lost everything in life. Hence, he had no choice but to finally step out of hisfort zone. He was greeted by a world of destion. Rubbish was everywhere, and rot could be found on every surface. There was no ce for him to live at all. In the end, he died on a mountain of rubbish like the others. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself having traveled to a different ce. He had gone back in time to a ce where the birds sang and the flowers bloomed¡ªhe had gone back to a world where things were still fine. It was then he found himself in the body of a young idol. He was back in the twenty-first century when Earth was still a good ce to live in. Hence, he who had transmigrated to this other universe began picking up trash to protect the environment. Manyughed at him and cursed at him, but he was unfazed. He only had an assistant by his side, and his assistant helped him out. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Everyone was stunned when they saw how the others wereughing at the character Jonathan was ying for picking up trash. The people in the cinema halls were either entrepreneurs or famous individuals online and offline. Some were even big fans of Jonathan. Those fans were all big fans because they spent a lot on him¡ª they supported him financially and mentally. After all, someone who did not have the money could not be a major fan of a celebrity. Those who were in fandoms would know that, at the end of the day, money was everything in the fandom¡¯s social circles. Chapter 765 Chapter 765 They were all stunned, for they saw how Jonathan was crouching in the middle of the pungent trash pile before taking those trash in a cart to the trash sorting center. Even though they were in the cinema halls, they could almost smell the trash just by looking at the scene. The one who yed the assistant to Jonathan¡¯s character was Naomi. Her character had the dream of joining the entertainment industry. She was gifted with a good voice, but someone set her up and made her deaf and mute. Naomi had a period of time when she lost her hearing, so her performance as the deaf assistant was exceptionally moving. In fact, the audience could empathize with her. She was helpless and powerless¡ªshe was but an ordinary assistant without anyone powerful backing her up. However, she, like others, had a dream. The movie had a happy ending. Jonathan¡¯s character became a top actor, and his assistant became a popr actress after getting cured. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Moreover, his encouragement for others to save the Earth started the trend of separating trash into categories. As a matter of fact, picking up trash became a trend as well. Those who used tough at him and set them up were all punished ordingly. After the people in the cinema halls saw that, they were stunned to their cores. The destruction of the environment was terrifying. The scene at the start of the movie was seared into their minds. The people lived above mountains of trash, and the idol ended up dying above one of those mountains. No one could escape the pungent scent of trash, and houseflies were everywhere. Outside the halls, the sky was dark. The people did not know how they managed to bring themselves out of the halls. Those who used to look down on Greg and the other people in charge¡ªthe critics and the popr directors¡ªfelt embarrassed by what they said earlier. They felt humiliated. The movie was meaningful, and the performances of the main cast were fantastic. They had all used of Jonathan as an attractive but useless person, and they said that Naomi was just a rich family¡¯s daughter who was working for fun, but now¡­ All they could think was that they had been too quick to jump to conclusions. Just the scene where Jonathan was picking up bottles and pushing carts and carts of trash to the sorting center was enough to make them doubt their earlier judgment. After all, which trending idol would be able to endure the hardship of such aborious scene? Moreover, Naomi was the daughter of the Nn family, but she was also picking up trash with Jonathan. No daughter of a prestigious family would be able to do such a thing. Before the release of the movie, the official ount of ¡°Trashy Idol¡± had posted photos of the behind- the-scenes. Back then, everyone thought that Jonathan was just putting on an act. Yet¡­ they were proven wrong. They were the ones who could not bring themselves to crouch down and pick up the trash even though it was a simple action. Looking at the big shots, who all had simr somber looks on their faces, Ashlyn could not help but curl her lips. She then stood up and walked to the center of the cinema hall, taking the microphone from the host. In a cold tone, she uttered, ¡°You¡¯ve all finished watching the movie, so you must have thoughts of your own about it. We didn¡¯t make this movie for the money nor for any other reason but one. I, Ashlyn Berry, only want to do things I¡¯m interested in. I hope people will be putting their focus on environmental issues from now on. Thank you foring to the sneak preview. We will be gifting everyone here a little gift, and our main cast, Jonathan and Naomi, will be the ones giving them out. Please head toward the exit.¡± With that said, the staff members of the cinema theater began leading the crowd toward the doorway. Right then, a sudden loud noise sounded out. Bang! Ashlyn widened her eyes. ¡°Lucas!¡± Instantly, she threw the microphone aside and ran toward the man. She witnessed the man by the seats stand up, swayed on his feet, and copsed. That loud noise was from him¡ªhe had knocked his head against the seat in front of him. At the same time, the people who had yet to leave the venue could not help but turn toward the source of the noise. By then, Ashlyn was already beside Lucas. Pulling his limp body into her arms, she cried out, ¡°Spencer, send him to the hospital!¡± Chapter 767 Chapter 767 Snowstorm¡¯s amazing! Are you in the wrong ce? This is Ashlyn¡¯s Twitter. Why are you talking about Snowstorm here? It¡¯s because Snowstorm¡¯s too mysterious. I¡¯d like to introduce her to Lyn! I wonder how she found Snowstorm and managed to hire Snowstorm to write the script! Unexpectedly, Jonathan retweeted thatment. He added: I¡¯d like to know how you found my fav, Snowstorm, too! I want to meet her! Nevertheless, Ashlyn never bothered checking Twitter. She was making preparations to bring Lucas to Maredania for his treatment. A pretty woman was sitting on a private jet, and beside her was an unconscious man. The man¡¯s cheek had an unnatural blush on it. Evidently, he was having a fever. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°We¡¯ve already given him medication for fever, but why is he still burning up?¡± Spencer worriedly looked at Lucas. As he sat down, he handed Ashlyn a bottle of water. At that moment, Ashlyn was quietly looking outside the window at the blue sky as the ne soared in the sky. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about his condition. I¡¯ll send him to the nearest hospital once we¡¯re off the ne, while I get someone to find Sinir¡¯s mentor.¡± Ashlyn could understand the anxiety Spencer was feeling. After all, he had been working for Lucas for many years. ¡°My mentor used to be friends with the count¡¯s family. I wonder if he¡¯ll be attending Bianca¡¯s birthday celebration.¡± Sinir yawned. ¡°He has been living in the countryside since he retired. Even I don¡¯t have a way to contact him. Should I ask for his details from the count¡¯s family?¡± The count¡¯s family? The one that took Penelope and Mary in? Ashlyn frowned at the thought of that. What a small world. Nevertheless, I have to look for that man as soon as possible. Lucas can¡¯t afford to waste any more time. Determination danced across her eyes at that thought. Regardless of everything, I¡¯m going to find that man. While Ashlyn brought Sinir, Spencer, and Lucas to Maredania, ¡°Trashy Idol¡± was released across the nation. The earlier trending topics and the good reviews from popr bloggers as well as critics helped with the box office. In fact, even famous directors and celebrities were showing off their movie tickets and praising the movie fervently. A famous singer wrote: @Mrs. Nn, this is amazing! The movie was worth watching! I couldn¡¯t help but watch it three more times after watching the sneak preview! A renowned actor wrote: I¡¯ve been acting for many years, so I certainly know what performing is. Therefore, I have to say give the best ratings to this movie. In fact, I¡¯ve even made an ount on a well-known film review site and gave the movie five stars! @Mrs. Nn, do remember toe to me if you have any other good movies. I¡¯ll give you a discount! An acimed director also wrote: I used to look down on this film. After all, this film is by a director with box-office flops and a director who giarized others. Moreover, the main cast is an idol. What kind of good film could they possiblye up with? However, I¡¯ve been proven wrong after watching ¡°Trashy Idol¡±! I¡¯m sorry! @GregMaxwell @JonathanQuickton This movie is worth watching twice! An experienced actor-cum-film-school-mentor wrote: Haha! This is a good movie with good actors and directors. So, I¡¯d like to know¡­ @FrankVenti, did you copy him, or did he copy you? Look at that rubbish ¡°Angel and Devil¡± you came up with. I doubt @GregMaxwell would have giarized you. Frank, who had been tagged, was so furious he threw the beer mug in his hand to the ground. Ever since he had been cast aside by Dixon and Kate, and ever since those terrible things happened to him, his life had been horrendous. Nothing went well. Upon hearing the sound of ss shattering, Josephine came out of the room, only to be greeted by the sight of ss pieces all over the floor. She sneered. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you going to keep taking out your anger at home? Why don¡¯t you muster the courage to do it elsewhere, huh?¡± Chapter 768 Chapter 768 Frank glowered at Millie menacingly. ¡°B*tch! How dare you treat me with such insolence! Does it do you good when everything goes wrong for me? Pfft! Are you still thinking of Greg Maxwell, the worthless trash? Mark my words. You¡¯re nothing but a pair of worn-out shoes! After I¡¯ve had my way with you all these years in bed, do you think he¡¯ll still ept you even if I kick you aside?¡± Millie¡¯s face turned ashen. However, she put up a good front in an instant by lifting her chin with a look of arrogance. It was as though she was still the gorgeous campus belle whom countless juniors fell head over heels for at the academy of film and television many years ago. Even though there were traces of age at the corner of her eyes, she still looked as charming as ever. She enunciated coldly, ¡°Frank Venti, you should know yourself well. You don¡¯t need me to enlighten you about how much of a sc*mbag you are, do you? Anyway, what¡¯s the point of deriding me oppressively now?¡± With that, she turned to take out two copies of the divorce agreement and tossed them toward Frank. ¡°Sign them now, and we¡¯ll cut ties with each other immediately.¡± ¡°You wish to cut ties with me? That¡¯s impossible!¡± Frank grabbed the two copies of the divorce agreement and tore them into pieces before throwing them in Millie¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t ever think of leaving my side!¡± ¡°Sorry to disappoint, but I must leave this time!¡± Millie stated resolutely. The next second, she pushed the luggage she had prepared toward the door. Seeing that, Frank lunged toward her at once. Bang! A thunderous sound rang out. Caught off guard, she fell backward when the man pounced on her. Subsequently, the back of her head mmed into the ground. Frank¡¯s expression was vicious as he sat on her waist and began pping her non-stop. Millie saw stars and could not refrain from yowling due to the excruciating pain in the back of her head. Nheless, the man pressed onto her like a big mountain, and she did not have the energy to break free. Soon, blood started flowing out from the back of her head. She gradually lost the energy to fend off the man¡¯s violence and eventually cked out. At the same time, Frank finally grew tired from pping her. He lifted his head, only to catch a glimpse of the ghastly pool of red blood on the floor. ¡°Millie! Dear! Oh my god! Blood! Why is there so much blood!¡± Horror-stricken, Frank got to his feet hastily and whipped out his phone to call the ambnce. ¡°Someone is hurt! Quick! Send an ambnce over!¡± Since their residential area was high-end, some artists opted to stay there too. Momentster, the ambnce arrived, and Millie was carried out from their unit on a stretcher. Some of the neighbors who were looking on were dumbstruck. ¡°Is Mrs. Venti injured? My goodness! She¡¯s drenched in blood!¡± ¡°She¡¯s normally very gentle and always greets us amiably with a smile.¡± ¡°Could it be a case of domestic violence? Look at her face! She was beaten to a pulp!¡± At that moment, Daphne Zander, a young artist, was heading home and witnessed everything. She took a video with her phone and uploaded the video clip to her Twitter. In actuality, she was an obscure artist with a fanbase of a meager one million and usually did not get much attention. Her caption was: Good gracious! @FrankVenti bashed his wife up till she¡¯s drenched in blood! The ambnce is here to take her to the hospital! Coincidentally, Frank could be seen getting onto the ambnce in slippers with a look of apprehension in Daphne¡¯s video clip. It was indeed concrete evidence that proved her words were the truth. It never urred to Daphne that her video clip would attract so much attention and shoot up to the top of the trending page! Soon, the otherizens bombarded thement section of her Twitter with messages,mbasting Frank. Some even asked her inquisitively how and where she took the video clip. She replied patiently in thements section: I stay in the same residential area with Frank Venti. That¡¯s how I witnessed it when I was heading back to my unit a while ago. Let¡¯s keep our fingers crossed for Mrs. Venti¡¯s speedy recovery. Frank had been the talk of the town for the past few days. Many were gossiping about whether he or Greg was the one giarizing the other¡¯s script. In the past, he had often gotten on the nerves of others in the entertainment industry because of his arrogant and forceful attitude. Now that he was in deep water, many artists, groups, managers, and others who used to be scared of him grabbed the opportunity to turn the table on him. They started bbering about the absurd deeds he hadmitted in the past. One such group posted: Once, our group was supposed to pick up Frank and his group. However, he refused to get off the car when we reached the destination and insisted that we should pay him fifty thousand first. Pfft! Who did he think he was? How preposterous!Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Chapter 769 Chapter 769 That instantly set off the others, who began furiouslymenting: That¡¯s still no big deal. Do you know what happened when Sammy followed him out for a film shoot? My goodness! He had the nerve to introduce a bigshot who was a pervert to our poor Sammy, and the bigshot even wanted to make a move on him! It¡¯s indeed too much! Fortunately, Sammy managed to escape by jumping out of the car. Since then, he has been oppressed by Frank Venti and the bigshot, losing countless opportunities in the industry! That¡¯s not all. Frank also had designs on our actress! Hmph! Anyway, he underestimated her. She¡¯s someone with integrity and morals! He even deleted her movie scenes! A lot of her scenes were cut out by him! Ha! I bet you don¡¯t know how terrible he is. He forces his assistant to kneel to him while serving him food! He even poured hot soup onto his assistant. I have a feeling that he might have violent tendencies. In the meantime, Frank was seated outside the ER in the hospital. Wearing a look of intense anxiousness, he kept his eyes glued to the light above the door. ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± He suddenly heard a man yell out. On the heels of that, a group of people rushed out of the elevator with cameras. They took pictures of him as they showered him with questions. ¡°Director Venti, did you beat your wife up?¡± ¡°Why did you beat her? Why¡¯s she drenched in blood? Did you quarrel with her? What¡¯s the cause?¡± ¡°I heard she was Director Maxwell¡¯s ex-wife and even had a child with him. Is that true?¡± ¡°Did you snatch her from Director Maxwell? Are you a homewrecker?¡± ¡°Which part of her body is injured?¡± On instinct, Frank avoided looking at them and tried to cover his face. Boiling with rage, he covered the lower part of his face with his shirt before lunging toward the reporter nearest to him and bellowed, ¡°What on earth are you doing? How could you interview me and take my pictures without my permission!¡± ¡°Feeling insulted by our words? Did you giarize Director Maxwell¡¯s script? Were you the actual scriptwriter for the movie that enabled you to shoot to fame many years ago? Why can¡¯t you produce other movies as good as that now ore up with such an outstanding script anymore?¡± ¡°Did you giarize Director Maxwell¡¯s script?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! He giarized it!¡± A woman¡¯s feeble voice suddenly sounded from the entrance of the ER. Everyone turned to look in her direction. At that very moment, a nurse held Millie, helping her to walk out of the ER slowly. ¡°Greg Maxwell and I were a loving couple ten years ago, but this sc*mbag forced himself on me! He even took nude pictures of me, threatening me to divorce Greg and marry him. I was at my wits¡¯ end. If the pictures were to leak out, my family and I would be doomed. My son¡¯s reputation would surely be tarnished too,¡± Millie said in anguish. Her heart ached even more as she exined further, ¡°For the sake of my young son, I had no choice but to divorce Greg and marry Frank. It never urred to me that was just the beginning of my hellish life. Before my divorce, he forced me to steal Greg¡¯s script and made a movie with that before Greg could. When Greg discovered something awry, it was already toote.¡± ¡°At that point, Greg was ndered as a giarizer. I¡¯ve been living in remorse, feeling guilty for what I did to him and our son throughout these years. Frank Venti is indeed a double-faced jerk. He puts up a kind front but is secretly a selfish and vicious man. Getting beaten up by him became the norm for me. Apart from that, he¡¯s even taken advantage of many actresses,¡± Millie added piteously with tears flowing out of her eyes. With a trembling hand, she whipped out a notebook from her bag. ¡°There¡¯s evidence on how he did that here. You may have it!¡± ¡°Have you gone nuts? You b*tch!¡± Blowing a fuse, Frank sprang to his feet and was about to lunge toward Millie to hit her. However, a group of male reporters instantly tried to stop him by surrounding him. ¡°Go ahead and p her if you have a death wish!¡± An authoritative voice sounded abruptly. At that moment, a strong arm stretched out and grabbed hold of Frank¡¯s lifted hand. The next second, a man dressed smartly in a suit stood right in front of him with a look of sheer frigidness. Frank almost fell when Greg shoved him aside. He lifted his head, scowling at the man who had suddenly emerged from nowhere. ¡°Greg Maxwell, I¡¯ve more than enjoyed my time in bed with your woman for the past ten years! Hahaha!¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. After ring coldly at him for quite a while, Greg finally snapped, ¡°You demon! The police are going to take action against you!¡± ¡°Greg, you¡¯re nothing but a piece of worthless trash! Anyway, no words can describe how sweet your woman is! You¡¯ve been leading a miserable life these years, haven¡¯t you? Hahaha!¡± Frank shrieked at the top of his lungs. Malice distorted his face, and there was an intense hatred toward Greg in his eyes. Chapter 770 Chapter 770 ¡°How could you surpass me throughout those years in the academy? You even wrote such a wonderful script during our final year. But what¡¯s the point of doing so? You only gave me the chance to giarize your work and gain fame. Since then, I¡¯ve had your woman in my arms, indulging myself in enjoyable moments to my heart¡¯s content. On the other hand, you became a nobody and were evenmbasted by the others for being a giarizer!¡± Frank hissed triumphantly. Irked by Frank¡¯s mockery, Greg turned crimson with fury. He lunged forward to throw a punch onto Frank¡¯s face. ¡°Useless scum! You¡¯ll be punished severely by thew! Just you wait!¡± Frank felt throbbing pain on his face as he wiped off the blood oozing from the side of his lips. He snarled, ¡°Greg Maxwell, what gives you the right to punch me! Don¡¯t you know that it¡¯s a crime to assault others?¡± Greg felt a surge of boiling rage from within him as he glowered at Frank with a look of utter grimness. ¡°Sc*mbag, rot in jail then! You¡¯ve ruined my life, causing me to part with my wife and son. Frank Venti, I curse you to be in h*ll forever!¡± Unable to stifle the years of intense rage within him, Greg clenched his fists, throwing punches one after another at Frank. All these years, he had resented Millie for betraying him and abandoning their son. Never had he expected that the jerk before him had forced himself on her and had been threatening her throughout the years with her nude pictures. He thought Millie had schemed long ago to betray him and steal his script. Only then did he realize Frank was the maniptor who had shattered the blissful life of his family. Thetter was the culprit of all his suffering. D*mn it! This b*stard has ruined my family, my wife, and my future! He has ruined everything! Frank let out blood-curdling howls. ¡°Argh! Get lost! Help! He¡¯s beating me up!¡± Seeing that, Jonathan grabbed hold of Greg apprehensively. ¡°Director Maxwell, cool down! If you beat him to death, you¡¯ll be in jail too! Enough of that! After all, you¡¯ve vented your anger by punching him. Stop it now!¡± Unequivocally, the situation would exacerbate if Greg were arrested by the police because of assault. It was not worth it for him to put himself in hot water because of a worthless piece of trash. ¡°He has ruined my life, my wife, and everything else that belonged to me!¡± On the verge of tears, Greg lamented with intense despair in his fiery eyes. All of a sudden, he burst into tears. ¡°If not for Ms. Berry¡­ If she hadn¡¯te looking for me, offering to take revenge for me, I wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to see how this jerk ended up in such a state with my own eyes! If not for Ms. Berry, I would have been stuck forever in the slums, and my son would have no future!¡± Greg could not restrain himself from an emotional breakdown. Squatting on the ground, he bawled his eyes out like a child. Millie remained rooted to her spot, gazing at him with wet eyes. Shortly after, tears started trickling down her cheeks. She had been through a lot throughout the years too. At that very moment, the police rushed to the scene and dragged Frank, who was drenched in blood, away. ¡°Take this scum away!¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Weak as a kitten after being beaten up, Frank mustered up the strength to open his eyes. Wrapping his arms around a police officer, he squealed, ¡°Sir, take me away! Please take me away now! He¡¯s going to beat me to death!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go through all the heinous acts youmitted one by one in the police stationter!¡± The police officer snorted coldly before throwing a nce at Millie. ¡°Madam, please follow us to the police station so we can get your statement.¡± After that, he turned to look at Greg. ¡°You too! Let¡¯s go!¡± Jonathan went after them as he was worried stiff for Greg. I must stay by his side now! At the same time, Twitter was in turbulence after another video clip went viral. Evidently, someone in the hospital had taken a video of what had transpired moments ago. A while ago, the overwhelming news of Frank beating Millie up had resulted in an uproar on Twitter. Now that the video clip of Frank being beaten up by Greg after a heated conversation went viral, it stirred another round of turmoil on Twitter. My goodness! Frank Venti is indeed a jerk! Huh? Was that exactly what happened many years ago? Did you hear whose name Director Maxwell called out when in tears? She¡¯s my goddess! My goddess is not only gorgeous but also kind-hearted. She¡¯s unveiled that jerk¡¯s heinous deeds for Director Maxwell! Chapter 771 Chapter 771 Sc*mbag! Frank Venti, so this is what happened back then! Meanwhile, Naomi, who was waiting at home anxiously, shared the heartbreaking video clips on her Twitter with ament: Director Maxwell¡¯s virtue is finally proven after so many years. On the other hand, that jerk only deserves to end up rotting in h*ll! After the release of the movie, she had gained arge number of fans. Not to mention, she had yed the role of an assistant who was temporarily deaf and mute in the movie very well. Manymented they could not resist feeling touched and crying after watching the movie. The video clip shared by her immediately drew her fans¡¯ attention. They indirectly had a soft spot for Greg because of her and turned to rebuke Frank for his despicability instead. Even the truth of how he giarized Greg¡¯s script years ago was dug out. The moment the truth was revealed, everyone started to sympathize with Greg and abhor Frank. Nevertheless, they had forgotten how they used to strike at Greg too. Blinded by Frank¡¯s words, they added insult to injury to the pitiful man by taking Frank¡¯s side. Shielded by the invisible barrier of social media, they never stopped reprimanding and humiliating the man. Standing at the entrance of the police station, Greg had cooled his head off. He turned to the young man alongside him and uttered casually, ¡°Jonathan, let¡¯s go.¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. He had just started to stride off when a familiar voice sounded behind him. ¡°Greg¡­¡± It turned out to be Millie calling him. He halted in his tracks but restrained himself from turning around. After regaining his usualposure, he stated solemnly, ¡°Mrs. Venti, you haven¡¯t divorced Mr. Venti. Hence, please address me as Mr. Maxwell.¡± With that, he strode off without turning back to look at her. Jonathan shed a resigned look at Millie, who looked pale and feeble. He could not help but heave a silent sigh. What a pitiful woman. In the meantime, in a hospital in Maredania, a man was lying in bed in the VIP ward 1303 of level thirteen. The sun shone brightly through the window, cascading on the man¡¯s devastating good looks. The man had long eyshes, a high-bridged nose, and thin, seductive lips. Even if he was only dressed in an oversized hospital gown, others could not resist wondering how stunning he looked when he opened his eyes. Sitting next to his bed, a beautiful young woman was in a deep slumber with her long, lustrous hair flowing down her back. The dark circles beneath her eyes implied that she had not been sleeping well lately. ¡°Mmm.¡± The man suddenly let out a murmur, waking the young woman up. She opened her eyes and arched her brows as she looked at the man gradually opening his eyes in bed. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Lucas felt somewhat groggy after waking up. After quite a while, he finally came to his senses. Gazing at Ashlyn, he asked hoarsely, ¡°Ashlyn, where is this?¡± He scanned the surrounding in bafflement. Why does everything look different after only a night of sleep? After scrutinizing him for a while, Ashlyn found that the deviousness in his eyes that had been present recently was gone. In its ce was his usual indifference. Hence, she asked tactfully, ¡°Lucas, have you recovered?¡± Massaging his temples that were throbbing due to a long period of unconsciousness, he asked quizzically, ¡°Why¡¯re you asking if I¡¯ve recovered¡­¡± His voice trailed off as he looked up abruptly at Ashlyn, turning pale instantly. ¡°Do you mean that my other personality emerged?¡± Whenever the second personality emerged, he usually sustained a temporary memory loss of what happened during that period. In other words, he was oblivious to anything done by his second personality. Ashlyn nodded. ¡°Yes. You have a fever. This is a hospital in Maredania. We¡¯ll return home after your fever subsides.¡± Fever? Why do I have to receive my treatment in Maredania? Lucas racked his brain to have a grasp of the situation, but it only aggravated his headache. As his headache worsened, he could scarcely wait to find out what his other personality had done. He was worried sick. Did my other personality get all worked up and hurt Ashlyn? Acutely sensing the drastic change in him, Ashlyn tried to appease him. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink. You have a severe mental illness. Thus, we need a skillful doctor to help you with your treatment. Sinir has rmended one to me, and I¡¯ll allocate time to go and visit him soon. I¡¯m convinced that he¡¯ll be able to treat your illness.¡± Chapter 772 Chapter 772 What did she say? She¡¯s going to find a doctor to treat my condition? She¡­ Lucas¡¯ heart was thumping loudly. What is the meaning of this? Does she care that much about my matter? Not only that, did she reallye all the way to Maredania for it? ¡°Honey¡­¡± He wanted to say something, many things, but he wasn¡¯t sure how to. ¡°All right, no need to say anything.¡± Ashlyn stood and poured him a cup of water before giving it to him. ¡°Drink some water first.¡± The warm water flowed down his dry throat, making him feel much better. Then she opened a thermos. ¡°Drink some oatmeal porridge. You were out for two whole days, so you have to eat something.¡± ¡°I want to eat the food you make¡­¡± Lucas stared at her with affection. That feeling of being touched bubbled out of the bottom of his heart. ¡°I made it myself.¡± Ashlyn knew that no matter how old he was or whether he was sick, he would always be that childish. Even a bowl of oatmeal porridge has to be specially made for him! When he heard what she said, joy surfaced on his cold, handsome face. ¡°Thank you.¡± Because it was her cooking, his appetite increased significantly. She poured him a bowl of oatmeal porridge and gave it to him. ¡°Eat up.¡± At that moment, Spencer brought an invitation card to the hospital. When he knocked on the door and opened it, he saw the sweet scene of Ashlyn interacting with Lucas. His heart immediately softened. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake, Mr. Nn. Do you¡ª¡± Before he could finish, Ashlyn shot him a pointed look. ¡°Where are the daily necessities I asked you to buy, Mr. White?¡± Spencer was stunned for a second before quickly saying, ¡°Ah, they¡¯re in the car. I was in such a hurry to get back here that I forgot to take them with me.¡± She stood and walked out with him. ¡°Let¡¯s go and grab them together.¡± Spencer immediately understood what she meant and followed her out. Then he handed the invitation card to her. ¡°This is the invitation to Old Mrs. Yates¡¯ birthday banquet. Why aren¡¯t you letting me tell Mr. Nn about it, Ms. Berry?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want him to worry.¡± Ashlyn stared at the invitation card as she grabbed it. There was a tinge of coldness and worry in her voice. ¡°The Yates family has deep and extensive roots in Maredania, and the family is very influential. Let¡¯s hope everything will go smoothly.¡± She only told Lucas that she would find a doctor for him and nothing about dealing with the mess herself. After she kept the invitation card in her bag, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and buy some daily necessities at the hospital¡¯s mart.¡± More than a dozen minutester, Spencer and Ashlyn carried the daily necessities they had bought, such as shampoo and toilet paper, upstairs. They brought two big bags of items back to the ward. Lucas was reading a magazine on the bed. When he saw the two of them, he furrowed his eyebrows and asked, ¡°Why did you two buy so many things?¡± ¡°We can use them too if needed.¡± Ashlyn smiled. ¡°Are you feeling difort anywhere?¡± Lucas shook his head. Affection was present in his dark eyes as he stared at her for a long while. ¡°Do you have something you want to tell me about?¡± He didn¡¯t believe it took them more than ten minutes to reach the underground parking lot from his location. What are they hiding from me? She sat next to the bed and held his big, cold hands. ¡°You just need to focus on recuperating, all right?¡± Then she gently patted the back of his hand. ¡°I still have things to do, so I¡¯ll be heading out now. Spencer will keep youpany here.¡± There were still many things she needed to prepare before attending tomorrow¡¯s banquet, so she couldn¡¯t keep staying by his side. ¡°Where are you going? What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about it after Ie back.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s slender figure then left the room without turning back. Lucas narrowed his eyes, though it was hard to tell what he was feeling from his emotionless expression. ¡°What is she doing?¡± His deep, maic voice rang in Spencer¡¯s ears, which Spencer perceived as the demonic voice of a devil from hell. Spencer gulped and stuttered, ¡°I-I also don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Tell me the truth.¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 773 Chapter 773 Spencer didn¡¯t at all have the guts to see Lucas¡¯ cold expression. He felt the surrounding air getting thinner as a chill ran down his spine. ¡°She¡­¡± Five minutester, the atmosphere in the ward was heavy. Spencer lowered his head before carefully raising it again to look at his employer. He had told Lucas everything, no lies. And yet, Lucas¡¯ face remained darkened. It was as though Lucas could sense Spencer¡¯s stare as he turned his line of sight to his subordinate. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Go?¡± Spencer was dumbfounded. ¡°Mhm.¡± Lucas got off the bed without hesitation. Before Spencer had the chance to ask where his employer was going, Lucas was already heading outside, so he had no choice but to follow. The tickets to Trashy Idol sold like hotcakes. A new record was set every day. The day Ashlyn left, the total revenue was eight hundred million. Currently, the sales had surpassed one billion. Not only that, that number was climbing higher. Greg returned to his condominium, sat on the couch, and struggled to calm down. After a moment, he gently approached his son¡¯s room and saw the boy sleeping soundly on the bed. The child¡¯s chest rose and fell as he breathed in his sleep. Greg¡¯s eyes turned red as he stared. It¡¯d be so nice if everything that happened was just a dream. If only our family wasn¡¯t a broken one and is still as perfect as it used to be. However, time waits for no one, and everything¡¯s changed. With tears welling in his eyes, he silently walked out and closed the door. At that moment, his phone rang. Heading over. he grabbed his phone and looked at the screen. Trashy Idol had been nominated by an award show and had an entry in many categories, which included the best neer award, the best male lead award, the best script, the best director, etc. It was an announcement sent by the organizers of the award show. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Greg stared at the message for a long, long time. It¡¯s been far too long. I¡¯ve waited for so many years. Finally, my work has once again entered the most influential award show in H Nation. He covered his face and cried at a low volume uncontrobly. Even though he had seeded and Frank was arrested, he didn¡¯t feel as happy as he thought he would. All he felt was a sense of loss and emptiness, as though he had lost his sense of purpose in life. Since Greg couldn¡¯t sleep, he began cleaning up the house. He still had no idea why Ashlyn had sought him out back then. There were many more talented and famous directors than him, and yet, she chose him. His head was in a buzz as he absentmindedly grabbed things. When he arrived in front of a bookshelf, he lost his bnce and smashed into the furniture. The books on the shelf fell toward him. Thankfully, he managed to dodge quickly and avoid being hit. These books had been brought over from the ce he had in the slums. He squatted down, preparing to pick them back up. It was then a picture slipped out of a book andnded on the ground. Greg curiously picked the picture up and saw a beautifuldy holding two girls, one taller than the other. He was standing behind the woman. At that point in time, he was much younger as he was only twenty-odd years old. A few of his ex-ssmates were standing next to him in the picture. He stared at the picture with shock as memories began flooding back into his mind. ¡°Dr. Chapman¡­¡± It was a group photo taken with his school doctor during his graduation year. Back then, his family was quite poor, but the doctor was very kind and helped him whenever he needed. When he heard she had passed away in a car ident with her younger daughter, he felt sad for them. At that point in time, he had earned a little money, thanks to the wages he received during his internship in the movie industry. He visited the school where the doctor¡¯s remaining daughter studied a couple of times to bring her snacks and clothes. After a while, the teacher there told him that the daughter had changed schools and had been brought to the countryside by her grandmother. Chapter 774 Chapter 774 Greg¡¯s head was buzzing. The picture was old, so it had turned yellow and smelled of mold. However, his attention was drawn to the determined look in the older daughter¡¯s eyes. That look resembled Ashlyn¡¯s a lot. A wild guess shed through his mind. It can¡¯t be, can it? His heart was thumping loudly, as though it was going to jump out of his chest. Even though it was alreadyte at night, he still called Ashlyn¡¯s number. The phone rang, but no one picked up. Many possibilities shed through his mind. He wanted to find out if his guess was right. ¡°Jonathan, please help me take care of my son with Naomi for the next two days.¡± ¡°Why are you calling me and telling me this in the middle of the night, Director Maxwell?¡± Jonathan had just fallen asleep when he was woken up by the call. His head felt like it was exploding. ¡°I¡¯m going to Maredania right now to find Ms. Berry to ask her something!¡± Greg sounded emotional as he spoke. ¡°Remember toe here with Naomi tomorrow morning!¡± When he finished, he hung up the phone. The next morning, he woke up early, packed his bags, and headed to the airport. ¡°Where do I get the ticket, young man?¡± an old woman asked in a small voice after stopping him in his tracks. Greg couldn¡¯t help but furrow his eyebrows. This old woman seems quite familiar. Where have I met her before? I can¡¯t remember. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. He was in a hurry to get on his ne, so he quickly pointed and said, ¡°Over there. That¡¯s where you get the ticket. Where are you flying to?¡± The old woman smiled. ¡°My daughter-inw has invited me to Maredania! Even though I¡¯m pretty old, I¡¯ve yet to travel outside of the country!¡± ¡°Then I think we¡¯ll probably be boarding the same ne. Come, I¡¯ll apany you.¡± Greg would¡¯ve never imagined that the old woman would do something rather unexpected at Bianca¡¯s birthday banquet. Coincidentally, the old woman¡¯s seat was next to his. He took good care of the old woman since they were from the same city, and she was old. It was his belief that any adults would be reminded of their parents when they saw the old woman. Hence, he just did what seemed natural to him and didn¡¯t give it too much thought. After getting off the ne, the old woman smiled. ¡°Thank you. You¡¯re a good man.¡± ¡°Where are you going? Do you need me to send you to your destination?¡± Greg felt the cordial old woman was pleasant to interact with, too. ¡°No need. My family will pick me up,¡± she said as she stood by the road in front of the airport¡¯s entrance. He didn¡¯t say much of anything else as he bade the old woman goodbye and headed to the hotel room he had already booked. When he found Ashlyn, her red lips curved upward. ¡°You¡¯re here just in time, Director Maxwell. I¡¯m in need of a malepanion.¡± Greg couldn¡¯t say what he originally wanted to say because he didn¡¯t have the opportunity to do so. A few fashionable young men and women swarmed toward him, surrounding him, before giving him a makeover. Half an hourter, Greg was in a ck suit and staring at himself in the mirror speechlessly. He was used to wearing casual clothes, so the suit made him ufortable. Why am I dressed like I¡¯m going to an award ceremony? ¡°What are you trying to do, Ms. Berry?¡± he asked. ¡°I want you to apany me to a banquet,¡± Ashlyn informed before taking the vacated seat. The men and women from earlier began giving her a makeover, too. Greg felt like he was breaking down as the day approached its end. Ashlyn had been so busy that he hadn¡¯t had a chance to talk to her. Soon, it was already seven in the evening. The Yates family¡¯s castle was brightly lit. It certainly made the prestige of the Count¡¯s Mansion obvious. Bigshots from all around Maredania and different industries had shown up at the venue. Even the oil tycoon, Nichs, and his little brother, the president of the International Piano Association, Caleb, showed up. Someone mentioned that they heard even the president of the country had sent his blessings. It was apparent that the Yates family was very influential in Maredania. Chapter 775 Chapter 775 While the Yates family didn¡¯t have a lot of descendants, Ryan was a very hardworking person. Not only did he excel in the arts, but he was also an educated person. Thus, he took very good care of the family business. While Keanu was still the count, it was only a matter of time before the title was passed to Ryan. Ryan would undoubtedly do great things when he entered the president¡¯s cab. The guests who attended the banquet were envious of Bianca when they saw how impressive the turnout was. One by one, they started wishing her a happy birthday. ¡°Seems like the president trusts and relies on Old Mr. Yates and Mr. Yates, huh?¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Yates has aplished much despite his age and is well known worldwide! He¡¯ll no doubt surpass the older generation!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Old Mr. Yates led the air force for many years. I wonder when Mr. Yates will serve his time there?¡± Bianca was in a good mood that day. She was wearing a dark red outfit and was sitting on the main seat. There was a bright smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯ll happen soon. Since the pianopetition ended sessfully, he will be entering the air force next month. My husband said that he has to start from the bottom rank, though.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite unexpected that Mr. Yates became a pianist after he graduated from the military academy. All of us thought he was going to give up on the path of the military!¡± ¡°Nonsense. ying the piano is just his hobby. As you all know, my older daughter has been very talented at ying the piano since she was a child. She won many awards in pianopetitions when she was just a little kid. He missed his older sister a lot over the years, and so he learned how to y the instrument.¡± Bianca sighed when she mentioned that. Mary, who had just entered the hall, was shocked when she heard that. What? ying the piano? Penelope, who was holding her mother¡¯s arm, whispered, ¡°Mom, you know how to y the piano? Did you learn it when you were little?¡± Mary quickly returned to her senses and smiled gracefully. ¡°I¡¯ve already forgotten how to do that. Let¡¯s head in.¡± ¡°Ah, speak of the devil. My eldest daughter is here!¡± Bianca waved at Mary with a warm expression. ¡°Come! I¡¯ll formally introduce you to everyone.¡± Mary was wearing a red gown. Even though she was already over forty years old, she still maintained a stunning body, which wasn¡¯t at all easy. God knew how long she had been waiting for the moment to be officially recognized as the eldest daughter of the Yates family! Even though Bianca had dyed the announcement again and again, it was finally time for Mary to dere in front of everyone that she was the eldest daughter of the Yates family. Not only that, but she would also be telling them her daughter, Penelope, was the granddaughter of the Yates family. I¡¯m an elite now, and I¡¯m not at all on the same level as that b*tch Ashlyn anymore. A b*tch like her only deserves to stay at the bottom of the social hierarchy forever! Mary approached Bianca with her daughter in her high heels. When Bianca saw the red gown Mary was wearing and then nced at the mini ck dress on Penelope, she furrowed her eyebrows. Her eyebrows furrowed even more intensely when she saw how Mary was swaying her hips while walking. Why is she walking like that? It¡¯s like she has waist pain or something. She suppressed her dissatisfaction and spoke to Mary and Penelope. ¡°Sit.¡± Her desire to introduce the two of them to the crowd was shattered again. The other guests were slightly taken aback when they saw the two women. ¡°That¡¯s the eldest daughter of the Yates family? She¡¯s good-looking, but the red¡­ If people didn¡¯t know any better, they¡¯d think she¡¯s the birthday girl!¡± ¡°Yeah. Also, why is her daughter wearing ck? She¡¯s the only one here wearing that color. Doesn¡¯t she even know the most basic etiquette?¡± Everyone knew that when attending a birthday party, one should wear brightly colored clothing and avoid wearing ck outfits. One should also not outshine the birthday host. So, the mother was wearing a red outfit, as though it was her birthday being celebrated, while the daughter was wearing ck, as if she was attending a funeral. The crowd was confounded as to what they were doing. Bianca felt utterly embarrassed. However, since there were a lot of people around, she didn¡¯t reprimand the two of them and inly said, ¡°I was just talking about your past with your rtives, Mary. These are your uncles and aunts.¡± Chapter 776 Chapter 776 Bianca casually introduced Mary¡¯s rtives to her. Mary swiftly stood and greeted them. However, when Bianca didn¡¯t go on to introduce her to them, Mary found herself getting anxious. With a pompous smile, she said, ¡°Greetings, everyone. This is my daughter, Penelope Berry, and I¡¯m Mary Canter. Both of us were found not too long ago.¡± The crowd was speechless. Bianca was so angry that she almost fainted. I can¡¯t believe Mary doesn¡¯t know how to read the room and is so eager to present herself! She doesn¡¯t have theposure of a prestigious family¡¯s daughter at all. The rtives, who were initially a little curious about Mary and Penelope, stared at Mary with slight shock. Nevertheless, none of them showed their emotions on their faces because they were all very shrewd. One of the aunts, Ysabelle Yate, smiled. ¡°When you were little, I haven¡¯t gotten married yet. So many years passed in the blink of an eye. You were very talented at ying the piano when you were a child, so much so that everyone called you a prodigy. I¡¯ve missed you all these years.¡± Her eyes reddened as she continued, ¡°Back then, it really wasn¡¯t my intention to lose you. Now that you¡¯re back, I can finally put my guilt to rest.¡± She had a very good rtionship with her niece back then. One time, she brought the young girl to the mall to y. However, when she turned around, she couldn¡¯t find her niece anymore. Ryan¡¯s grandfather ordered her to kneel in the memorial hall for three days and three nights as punishment. She kneeled for so long that her knees became swollen. As a result of the cold and wet memorial hall, she developed arthritis. Whenever it rained, her knees would ache. However, she neverined about it. She was the one who hadn¡¯t kept a close eye on her niece, and it was her fault her niece disappeared. It was why she had been looking forward to the day when Mary returned. Seeing Mary standing before her, Ysabelle couldn¡¯t control herself any longer and hugged Mary. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what I did, Mary. I¡¯ve caused you to suffer for all these years.¡± Mary was taken aback before she quickly replied, ¡°No, no. I¡¯ve had a pretty decent life, actually.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Ysabelle. You¡¯re scaring everyone.¡± Bianca spoke inly while Matilda rushed over to pull Ysabelle back to her seat. ¡°This is supposed to be a happy day. You mustn¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m not crying. These are just tears of joy.¡± Ysabelle grabbed some tissue papers and wiped her tears away. ¡°y a song for me, Mary. I love listening to you ying the piano.¡± Mary¡¯s expression froze. ¡°The family I was taken into didn¡¯t nurture my piano skills, so I¡¯ve¡­ forgotten how to y it.¡± ¡°How is that possible? You won awards in pianopetitions when you were a child! How can you have possibly forgotten how to y? You were really good at ying back then. Even if your adopted family didn¡¯t nurture your piano skills, you should at least remember how to y Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, right?¡± Everyone in the Yates family was artistically talented. Even Ysabelle knew how to y two different instruments. Almost everyone couldn¡¯t help but turn their attention to Mary. Mary¡¯s face was flushed red with embarrassment. D*mn it! Why is the whole ¡°knowing how to y the piano¡± a thing? I¡¯ve never learned how to y the piano, nor am I talented at it! Penelope also didn¡¯t know how to y the piano because she never liked the instrument. However, Ashlyn had always been interested in ying the piano. Mary was getting beyond frustrated and was at a loss for words. Seeing how things were getting awkward, Bianca spoke up. ¡°Since she has forgotten how to y it, let¡¯s just forget about it. She¡¯ll have time to relearn it in the future. Matilda, hire a piano teacher tomorrow and have them teach Mary and Penelope how to y.¡± W-What? That can¡¯t be real¡­ Mary started feeling dizzy. Why should I learn something as useless as ying the piano at my age? It¡¯s not like it can benefit me in any tangible way! This is from N?velDrama.Org. A rtive smiled at Penelope and asked, ¡°Do you have any other talents, Ms. Berry? Your uncle is a talented pianist. While your mother doesn¡¯t know how to y the instrument, do you?¡± Penelope felt embarrassed. She had always been azy child who found learning stuff like that annoying. Naturally, she didn¡¯t have any talents. Chapter 777 Chapter 777 ¡°I also don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t have any talents when ites to music,¡± Penelope replied in a small voice as her face flushed with embarrassment. Her timid demeanor was at odds with her peers¡¯ graceful behavior. She was acting in an overly plebeian manner. Bianca grew upset when she saw that. However, when she thought about how Penelope was her descendant, she swallowed her anger and tried to calm down. ¡°Which school did you graduate from? It seems like you spent all your time studying instead, right?¡± the same rtive asked again. Penelope blushed even harder. She was on the verge of tears. ¡°I-I studied how to be a nurse in university.¡± ¡°I heard you two once lived in Lake City. Did you graduate from T University? That¡¯s pretty good.¡± The older rtives knew T University was a famous medical school. Some Maredania residents even enrolled there to study medicine. ¡°T University is pretty good. I heard they even invited a famous surgical expert to hold a lecture there about half a year ago. I think herst name was Berry. Anyway, the video on that lecture garnered over a hundred million views on the inte. I heard it was a very interesting ss. My son is studying to be a doctor there.¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Another older rtive added, ¡°That expert was really young too. Not only that, she¡¯s pretty. I forgot what her name was. Was that person you? My son admires her a lot. She apparently took H Nation by storm. I heard she also recently invested in a movie that¡¯s in cinemas right now. Maredania is going to have showings for that movie soon. I think it¡¯s called Trashy Idol?¡± Penelope felt like she was going crazy. She was feeling so jealous that she was digging her nails into her palm, almost causing blood to flow out. Why is that b*tch Ashlyn still taking the spotlight even after I¡¯vee to Maredania? Why am I still beingpared to her even after I¡¯m already in the Yates family? I don¡¯t understand why I¡¯m always living under her shadow! Mary¡¯s expression froze when she heard that. She instantly understood the rtives were talking about Ashlyn. In response to that, she took a deep breath and suppressed her desire to throw wine toward that rtive¡¯s face. Then she smiled. ¡°Yeah. That lecture was indeed held by my daughter. I didn¡¯t expect it would get so many views. Penelope likes to keep a low profile, so we never knew about that.¡± Penelope stared wide-eyed at her mother. She whispered, ¡°What are you saying, Mom? That¡¯s Ashlyn¡¯s lecture!¡± Mary smiled warmly and replied in a tiny voice, ¡°So what if I lie about it? It¡¯s not like Ashlyn¡¯s here! They don¡¯t know who she is either!¡± Penelope steeled herself and squeezed out an ugly smile at the rtives. ¡°Thank you for the praise.¡± The moment she finished, she quickly lowered her head as she felt very guilty. Bianca couldn¡¯t help but furrow her eyebrows once more after witnessing Mary and Penelope¡¯s performance. Based on what she knew about them, if Penelope really was a medical expert, Mary would¡¯ve mentioned it a long time ago instead of keeping it a secret until then. When she noticed the way Penelope was avoiding everyone¡¯s eyes, it was pretty obvious to her that the young woman was feeling guilty. Bianca couldn¡¯t help but shake her head. I bet that expert with thest name Berry is someone else. For the past few days, Mary and Penelope had been talking to her about another child in the Berry family. After seeing how Penelope was acting, Bianca¡¯s impression of Ashlyn instantly worsened. Is this how the Berry family raises their children? Penelope¡¯s upbringing must be awful. Since Ashlyn was raised in the countryside, I bet she¡¯s even worse than Penelope. In fact, I¡¯m certain that the expert with thest name Berry isn¡¯t Ashlyn. Even though it was her birthday banquet, she was getting quite pissed off. She thought about it and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you also invite your mother-inw? Why isn¡¯t she here yet?¡± ¡°She¡¯s arriving soon. I¡¯ve sent a driver to pick her up.¡± Mary was enjoying the admiration the crowd was showing her as she held her head high. So what if I don¡¯t know how to y the piano? My daughter is a medical expert! ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Ms. Berry to be able to hold a lecture at T University at such a young age,¡± a random rtivemented. Chapter 778 Chapter 778 ¡°It¡¯s truly incredible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m very impressed.¡± Many guests couldn¡¯t help but praise Penelope. However, some of the guests there had attended Ashlyn¡¯s lecture before, so they couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°That expert¡­ I remember she doesn¡¯t look like Ms. Berry.¡± Someone immediately refuted, ¡°You probably just remembered her face wrong. Many people don¡¯t actually resemble how they appear in pictures.¡± Penelope gradually raised her head and spoke humbly to the crowd. ¡°I still have a lot to learn. No need to praise me like that. I¡¯ll get embarrassed.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Her sickly sweet tone and voice killed the liveliness of the atmosphere. It wasn¡¯t until after a while that people started speaking again. Bianca pressed her fingers to her forehead with a pained expression and asked Matilda, ¡°Is Ryan back yet?¡± ¡°Mr. Yates is on the way back, Old Mrs. Yates. It will probably take him another half an hour to arrive,¡± Matilda swiftly answered. ¡°We¡¯ll start the banquet after he has returned.¡± At that moment, Caleb and Nichs approached Bianca debonairly. When they first arrived, many people wanted to chat with them. It wasn¡¯t until then that they managed to be free from the crowd. The brothers spoke almost in unison. ¡°We hope that Old Mrs. Yates will live long and prosper!¡± Caleb then gave her an invaluable jade ne with detailed patterns carved on it. ¡°I picked this jade pendant myself before asking a master craftsman to carve the patterns. She¡¯s a very talented person who doesn¡¯t easily agree to a request like this. Do you like it, Old Mrs. Yates?¡± Almost everyone in the crowd knew a handcrafted jade pendant like that was hard to find because a master craftsman was difficult toe by. After all, almost all jade pendants nowadays were carved by machines. Very few people were willing to spend considerable effort to learn the art of carving. Currently, the younger generation had many more options to choose from, which made a challenging profession like that a less popr choice. As time passed, fewer and fewer people were interested in learning that skill. When he said that, it instantly garnered many people¡¯s attention. They couldn¡¯t help but aim their gaze at the jade pendant in Bianca¡¯s hand. Detailed patterns spanned the entire pendant. At the center was a figure of a local deity smiling warmly. The deity was holding a vase and sitting on a lotus flower. ¡°The carving looks so real! Her kind smile makes people feel like she has achieved enlightenment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! The carving looks so good.¡± ¡°I wonder who¡¯s the craftsman responsible for it.¡± Caleb smiled mysteriously. ¡°Who else can it be but the most mysterious one?¡± ¡°Oh my god! Are you saying this was done by the mysterious craftsman who has never shown herself in public before? I heard she has a pair of godly hands despite her young age! Many people want her to carve something for them, yet she only takes on one request every year! This pendant probably cost hundreds of millions!¡± ¡°You¡¯re incredible, Mr. Powell!¡± ¡°I heard she always hides a secret symbol on all her works, which is an S. Old Mrs. Yates, can you try to look for the S symbol on the pendant?¡± Bianca was shocked too. She never thought Caleb would intentionally seek out the legendary craftsman to make that jade pendant for her. Without a second of dy, she looked for the symbol. An invisible S was located at the bottom of the pendant. ¡°There really is one!¡± She stood up emotionally and showed it for everyone to see. ¡°There is one here! I¡¯m grateful for your thoughtfulness, Mr. Powell.¡± Caleb smiled. ¡°It¡¯s worth it as long as it makes your birthday banquet a happy one.¡± Mary stared at the scene emotionally. My eyes didn¡¯t deceive me! Mr. Powell is as rich and handsome as a wealthy man can be! More importantly, he¡¯s still single! Her eyes were glued to him, admiration shining in them. What the crowd wanted to know was what kind of gift Nichs would present after Caleb gave Bianca such an expensive item. Chapter 779 Chapter 779 What does it matter if Lucas owns the ce? We¡¯ve made a reservation already, and the customer is king. It¡¯s not like he can move the entire private room somewhere else. It never crossed Mary¡¯s mind that Lucas would go to such great lengths. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. The Peacock was beautiful and exquisitely decorated. Every corner of the space exuded a sense of elegance and luxury. A waiter approached them as soon as they walked into the restaurant. The waiter wore a sleek, ck uniform and smiled at them politely. ¡°May I ask if you¡¯ve reserved a private room?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve booked thergest private room. Hurry up and take us there,¡± Mary answered haughtily, as though that was the only way to make it seem that she had not lost to Ashlyn. ¡°Sure. Please follow me,¡± the waiter replied promptly. Feeling that she had regained some dignity, Mary¡¯s spirits lifted a little. Penelope could not help but smile and tilted her head upward haughtily. The others also rxed their expressions and did not look as upset as before. They were secretly gloating over the fact that Lucas would not get the biggest private room despite being The Peacock¡¯s owner. Nheless, none of them tantly revealed their true thoughts. Ashlyn merely nced at them without uttering a word. Just then, the restaurant¡¯s manager walked over, then said to Lucas and Ashlyn in a respectful tone, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Nn, we¡¯ve prepared an exclusive private room for you. Pleasee this way.¡± An exclusive private room? Mary¡¯s smug expression instantly turned into a look of disbelief, and she felt dazed. It was as though she was reeling from a p to the face. Unable to remain calm, she demanded, ¡°What do you mean? Are you saying he can take the private room we reserved just because he¡¯s the boss?¡± Taken aback, the manager hurriedly said, ¡°Allow me to exin, ma¡¯am. Mr. Nn has always had an exclusive private room at The Peacock. It¡¯s usually not open to the general public, so¡­ I hope you can understand. We reserve it for only Mr. Nn¡¯s guests.¡± Mary was incensed, and her chest heaved violently. An exclusive private room not open to the general public¡­ Finally, Sienna said calmly, ¡°Well, it¡¯s hardly surprising that he¡¯d have his own private room. After all, Nn Group owns The Peacock.¡± ¡°Even Imperial Hotel burned to the ground, so who knows whether The Peacock¡¯s days are numbered?¡± Dixon remarked in a strange tone. A chill ran down Mary¡¯s spine. Their words make me shudder in fear. It sounds as though something is about to happen, and this birthday party is not as innocent as it seems. Gazing at the pair, the ominous feeling in her heart intensified. She did not know how she made her way to their private room as she could barely walk straight with her mind in a daze. All she could think about was Dixon¡¯s feminine yet cruel face. Over in Lucas¡¯ private room, their food had started to arrive. Ashlyn picked a seat randomly, and Lucas immediately sat next to her. Needless to say, no one dared to fight with Harvey for the empty seat to Ashlyn¡¯s left. Harvey nced around at the others with a self-satisfied look, then fell into a conversation with James about what had happened earlier. Naomi and the rest also discussed it in low voices. Meanwhile, Ashlyn checked her phone with a cold expression. She saw that Mysterious yet Majestic¡¯s group chat was abuzz with messages. One of them sent: Boss, have you gone to see Zero? Another wrote: Please send Zero¡¯s photo. Someone else added: Boss, hurry up and send us a photo of Zero! After reading their text messages, she snapped a photo of the tableden with dishes, then sent it to the group chat and wrote: Come on over! I¡¯ll wait for you all here. Someone replied: What the heck! Another person responded with: Where are you? Which hotel is that? Quiet Forest curled his lips into a smirk and replied: Sorry, but I won¡¯t be sending any photos. Don¡¯t you know Zero needs to maintain an air of mysteriousness? If you want to see Zero, you¡¯ll have toe here yourselves. Chapter 780 Chapter 780 Bianca was stunned for a second before her heart sank to her feet, and she spoke seriously. ¡°Mr. Powell, if you¡¯re referring to that matter, I hope you won¡¯t bring it up again. Since my daughter has returned, the marriage contract between you two back then still counts.¡± There was an uproar among the crowd when they heard that. They couldn¡¯t believe Mary had an engagement with him. Although, that helped them understand why he had remained single for so many years. It was because he was waiting for the eldest daughter of the Yates family. Mary was confounded. Marriage contract? I have an engagement with him? She couldn¡¯t help but turn her line of sight to the debonair and towering Nichs. While he was Caleb¡¯s older brother, and both of them looked equally stunning, Caleb had the demeanor of an artist. On the other hand, Nichs possessed an air of ruthlessness that was fitting for a businessman. No matter who she ended up marrying, it would be a great thing. Unable to help herself, she began to dream about her future. If I can marry Nichs, I¡¯ll be the wife of an oil tycoon, and Penelope will be his daughter! Both of us will be even more of an elite! Who won¡¯t envy or admire us when that happens? At that thought, she couldn¡¯t refrain from asking, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this before, Mother?¡± ¡°As your father and I are still considering this matter, we elected not to discuss it with you for now,¡± Bianca replied seriously. Then she turned to Nichs. ¡°Mr. Powell, do you think you can easily break off an engagement just because you¡¯re an oil tycoon?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to be so difficult, Old Mrs. Yates. Ms. Canter and I have no feelings toward each other. It¡¯s extremely unfair for her to be bound to me. I don¡¯t want to prevent her from living the life she wants. Therefore, I think the engagement should be annulled.¡± Nichs stared at Bianca emotionlessly. A cold and firm expression was on his face. His body began exuding a ferocious aura that enveloped the whole venue. Some of the guests felt chills travel down their spines. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. A few of the older guests recalled that matter. ¡°While they had an arranged marriage, no one mentioned it until now because the eldest daughter of the Yates family disappeared.¡± ¡°To think after so many years¡­ Is the Yates family really going to force the Powell family toply with the engagement?¡± ¡°Ms. Canter has already given birth to a child with another man. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t seem like they fit each other!¡± The atmosphere within the banquet hall was getting pretty cold. Bianca and Nichs were staring at each other, both with no intention of backing off. It was at that moment a set of footsteps shattered the awkward atmosphere. People naturally stood to the side and made way for Ryan, who was wearing a white suit, to pass through. Behind him was a beautiful woman. A light-blue fishtail dress wrapped around her delicate figure. Her long, dark, shiny hair was pulled up high, leaving only a few yful strands in front of her forehead. She had brown eyes, red lips, and simple makeup applied to her face. Her posture was graceful, and her slender neck was as beautiful as a swan¡¯s. Additionally, her fair arm was holding the arm of a mature-looking man wearing a ck suit. Everyone stared at Greg and Ashlyn curiously as they wondered who the two were. The guests had often attended various gatherings in Maredania, yet none of them had seen someone as beautiful as her before. No one could figure out who she was. The person who thought Penelope wasn¡¯t the guest who held a lecture at T University earlier blurted, ¡°I think she¡¯s the expert who held a lecture at T University that day.¡± ¡°A woman as beautiful as her must be a celebrity, right?¡± a random guy standing next to him wondered, completely ignoring what the man just said. Ryan swiftly arrived in front of Bianca and uttered, ¡°Happy Birthday, Mother. These two are my friends. I met them in H Nation. She¡¯s Ashlyn Berry, and he¡¯s Greg Maxwell.¡± Chapter 781 Chapter 781 ¡°Ashlyn Berry?¡± A spark appeared in Bianca¡¯s eyes when she heard Ashlyn¡¯s name. She raised her head and gazed at the woman in front of her. Shock shed across her eyes. She never expected Ashlyn to look that beautiful and elegant. It didn¡¯t matter if it was the young woman¡¯s figure or demeanor, both were undoubtedly excellent. The shock in the old woman¡¯s eyes was obvious to see. Ashlyn stepped forward and smiled gracefully. ¡°Happy birthday, Old Mrs. Yates. I hope you¡¯ll live a long and happy life.¡± When she smiled, it was as though the entire hall lit up. She was like a star, forever being the center of everyone¡¯s attention wherever she went. Penelope couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. Why is she here? Not only that, she was personally introduced by Uncle Ryan! Mary¡¯s face was filled with jealousy and hate. Why is that b*tch here? How dare shee here to make a mess! She doesn¡¯t belong here! She and her daughter¡¯s expression looked terrifyingly wretched, as though they were going to eat people. Bianca had heard too many bad things about Ashlyn before. Thus, she thought Ashlyn was just a vulgar woman from the countryside, a country bumpkin who knew nothing of good etiquette. And yet, Ashlyn appeared so dignified that shepletely outssed Penelope. For some reason that she didn¡¯t understand, Bianca felt the urge to cry. Ashlyn was her ideal granddaughter in that Ashlyn was graceful, beautiful, and the perfect model of a true socialite. Fate was cruel that way. ¡°Why are you here too, Ashlyn?¡± An old woman¡¯s voice rang out at the entrance. As the crowd shifted their attention to the voice¡¯s owner, they spotted an old woman in a dark red outfit entering the hall with a housekeeper. This is from N?velDrama.Org. That old woman was none other than Susan. The moment Ashlyn saw her, a familial feeling surfaced in her heart. Just as she was about to greet the old woman, Susan swiftly approached her as well. ¡°Grandma¡ª¡± Before she could say more, Susan cut her off unhappily. ¡°How can you do this? Don¡¯t you know this is the Count¡¯s Mansion and your aunt¡¯s home? Are you here to cause trouble again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to cause trouble.¡± Ashlyn was confounded by the old woman¡¯s words. Why is she saying that? I¡¯m just here to look for Old Mr. Yates! Susan turned to Bianca apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Old Mrs. Yates. My granddaughter is very crude and doesn¡¯t know anything about manners or rules. She was upset that I didn¡¯t bring her to attend your birthday banquet with me and probably came here to cause trouble. Usually, she¡¯s very¡­ There¡¯s no way to put it nicely. She¡¯s just very disobedient.¡± In just a few sentences, she nted the idea that Ashlyn was a vulgar, ill-mannered woman in people¡¯s minds. Susan was there for a reason. Mary had promised her that if everything went smoothly, she would save Horace. When Susan thought about her goals, she continued to make Ashlyn look worse. She reprimanded Ashlyn in front of everyone seriously, ¡°Did you follow me in secret? What are you trying to do?¡± It was then she saw Greg, who was standing next to Ashlyn, and eximed, ¡°You! This man sat next to me on my ne here! He harassed me and insulted me! Look at what kind of friends she has.¡± When Greg saw Susan, he initially thought they were quite lucky to be able to meet again. Before he could even greet her, however, she took a huge dump on him. He was equally bbergasted and angry. Is she really saying that I, the director responsible for the highest-grossing movie this year, the person who was just nominated for the best director award in the award show, harassed her, a seventy-odd-year-old woman? Yeah, sure, maybe if my head had been kicked by a mule! The guests in the hall were all notable in their own ways. Their initial amazement at Ashlyn swiftly transformed into shock and contempt. Not only that, they began looking at Greg with disdain, too. Chapter 782 Chapter 782 Never in a million years did Ashlyn think Susan would appear and nder her and her friends. Susan¡¯s remark hurt her so deeply that she could barely breathe. It was unbearably painful. All the onlookers cast disdainful looks at her as if she was stripped naked in public. Penelope looked at Ashlyn in smug satisfaction. How I wish Ashlyn would drop to her knees and beg me. She finally opened her mouth and said, ¡°All this while, you¡¯ve never shown Grandma any respect. People might be charmed by your innocent looks, but I know what kind of person you are.¡± Penelope¡¯s eyes reddened as she continued, ¡°Grandma took good care of you when you were in the countryside, yet you kicked her out of the house during winter and refused to feed her. Fortunately, Mom and I arrived in time and took Grandma to the city. You¡¯re the most wicked woman I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Susan also chided, ¡°Yeah. She kicked me out of the house during winter while I was wearing only a thin shirt. And that¡¯s how I got my arthritis in the legs. Ashlyn, what have I done to you to deserve this? I raised you and gave you a home, yet this is how you repay me?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re famous now and have a lot of money. But have you thought of the life you had before? Have you thought of how you treated me in the past? Have you thought of taking care of me?¡± Susan said in between sobs. Bianca was utterly annoyed by the turn of events. She did not expect these people would make a din at her birthday party and cause the atmosphere to turn awkward. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. After seeing how Susan behaved, Bianca regretted having her over. She had invited Susan to her birthday party because Mary had told her that she felt bad leaving Susan alone in the house. Since this woman named Susan took good care of my daughter, I thought she should be a sweet person. But that was not the case. The elderly woman was not only a country bumpkin but also an uncouth shrew. At the same time, Bianca had also begun to see Ashlyn as a troublemaker, even though she initially had a good impression of her. She shot daggers at Ryan. Look at the guests you¡¯ve brought to the house! Ryan was bewildered. He did not know how to react to that re. When he bumped into Ashlyn by the door, he noticed she already had an invitation card. She¡¯s a guest and also a fellow judge at the pianopetition. How can I stop her from entering? At this point, Caleb, who had kept mum throughout the drama, walked up to Ashlyn and asked casually, ¡°Lynnie, you¡¯ve always been a free spirit and wouldn¡¯t let any stumbling block get in your way. Why don¡¯t you say something?¡± A corner of Ashlyn¡¯s lips quirked up. ¡°I used to call her Grandma, but since I¡¯m not Horace¡¯s biological daughter, she¡¯s not my biological grandmother. I don¡¯t want to argue with them since this is not the Berrys¡¯ family dinner. We¡¯re here to celebrate Old Mrs. Yates¡¯ birthday, so I can¡¯t steal the limelight from the star of the day.¡± Bianca¡¯s face changed upon hearing that. Unlike Mary and her daughter, this girl has a knack for putting things into perspective. I¡¯m impressed! Almost all the guests had turned their attention to the drama around Ashlyn, Susan, and Penelope. At the same time, Bianca¡¯s own daughter and granddaughter continued to add fuel to the fire as if they could care less about her birthday. That was why Bianca was taken aback by Ashlyn¡¯s remark. Though she¡¯s an outsider, she¡¯s the only one here who cares about my feelings. The guests, who were waiting for more drama to unfold, instantly felt embarrassed upon hearing what Ashlyn said. ¡°She looks like a great kid. I wonder if it¡¯s all just a misunderstanding?¡± Bianca smiled and gently patted Ashlyn¡¯s hand. ¡°How old are you, and what do you work as?¡± Ashlyn looked at the affable Bianca and softened her voice. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor specializing in surgery.¡± Chapter 783 Chapter 783 ¡°Doctor? That¡¯s a great profession.¡± Bianca nodded in approval. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Bianca was not a credulous person who would be easily influenced by others. She would assess a person¡¯s character based on her judgment. At first, Ashlyn did not leave a positive impression on Bianca, but thetter felt she could bond with Ashlyn after seeing her in person. On the contrary, Bianca did not feel the same way about Mary and her daughter. She could not describe her feelings for Ashlyn, but somehow, she wanted to know more about this youngdy. Penelope could not help but feel jealous upon noticing how Bianca sided with Ashlyn. The elderly woman¡¯s reaction caused an inexplicable panic in her. Bianca had always treated Penelope well and took good care of her, but she seemed to always distance herself from Penelope. The elderlydy, too, seldom praised her from the bottom of her heart. Yet, the way she praised Ashlyn seemed genuine. Ashlyn, you b*tch! Why do you have topete with me even when I¡¯m in Maredania? She¡¯s my granny! Don¡¯t you try to get in her good books! Penelope gritted her teeth, but she still stered a smile on her face. ¡°Granny, do you know she was publicly humiliated by her patient¡¯s family before?¡± ¡°Ignore them. I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll always be uncivilized people who would intentionally cause ruckuses in the hospitals.¡± Bianca smiled and looked at the elegant Ashlyn. ¡°Are you single?¡± She felt Ashlyn was a good match for Ryan. Ashlyn froze for a moment. She used to hear her colleagues in the hospital talk about how the elders in their family would ask them about their rtionship status during gatherings. However, that had never happened to her before because she did not have many rtives in her family. Besides her grandmother, no one had ever asked her this question so affectionately. The way Bianca asked the question warmed Ashlyn¡¯s heart even though she could not quite describe the feeling. Penelope looked at Bianca in disbelief. All this while, she had always thought Bianca was difficult to get along with because she had never seen the elderly woman being so approachable to someone since the day she joined the Yates family. Mary, too, trembled with fury, but she managed to regain herposure. ¡°Mom, I bet you don¡¯t know Ashlyn married someone from the Nn family. When she was secretly married, she had quite a number of suitors. She used to be very close with Mr. Zebriele, the president of Zebriele Group¡ªoh, and also Director Maxwell! They even worked on a film together, and he¡¯s her date today too.¡± ¡°When Ashlyn was still in high school, many male students wrote her love letters. I was always worried about her because she often came homete,¡± Susan said with a sigh as if she was concerned about Ashlyn. Mary and Susan were trying to portray Ashlyn as a promiscuous woman. Upon hearing the usation, Ashlyn maintained the perfect smile on her fair face. She sized the two women up and said, ¡°Do you think the Nn family would ept me if I¡¯m that kind of woman? Instead of defaming me here in public, why don¡¯t you two spend time improving yourselves to be more cultured people?¡± Ashlyn retaliated aptly while looking at Mary and Susan. Mary clenched her teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Ashlyn. I just want all the guests to know how gorgeous you are.¡± ¡°I believe everyone can assess my looks with their own eyes without you telling them,¡± Ashlyn refuted elegantly. She then looked in Greg¡¯s direction. ¡°This is Mr. Greg Maxwell, the director of Trashy Idol, a film I¡¯ve invested in. He¡¯s a brilliant director, so feel free to reach out if you wish to coborate with him.¡± Ashlyn appeared unruffled when she introduced Greg to all the guests. Compared to Penelope, who came from the Count¡¯s family, Ashlyn looked more like a sophisticated socialite who had charmed the crowd with her beauty and demeanor. Chapter 784 Chapter 784 ¡°Dr. Berry! Nice to meet you!¡± Suddenly, a middle-aged man walked in Ashlyn¡¯s direction. d in a ck suit, the gentleman looked extraordinarily ssy. Upon noticing the man from a distance, Ashlyn greeted him with a light nod. ¡°It has been a while, Mr. Berkley.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. By the way, those medical students from T University were so blessed to have attended your public lecture. It¡¯s a shame that I could only watch it from the video.¡± Lawrence Berkley expressed his disappointment while shaking Ashlyn¡¯s hand. Ashlyn instantly caught Lawrence¡¯s attention the moment he stepped into the hall. He could not hide his excitement when he was walking toward her. ¡°Oh, my God. Did I hear that right? World Health Organization chairman Mr. Berkley wanted to attend Ashlyn¡¯s public lecture?¡± ¡°Public lecture in T University? Didn¡¯t Penelope im she was the one who gave that?¡± The crowd started whispering behind their backs. Lawrence smiled and said, ¡°I guess all of you don¡¯t know who Dr. Berry is. Dr. Berry is H Nation¡¯s best surgeon, and she has saved many lives over the years. Just a while ago, she conducted a public lecture at T University in H Nation.¡± Bianca was stunned when she saw Lawrence walking in. Her jaw dropped even further after hearing what the man said. She¡¯s so young, yet she¡¯s already an aplished doctor. She¡¯s indeed one of a kind. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. At the same time, she stared at Penelope and Mary. How dare these two im credit for something they didn¡¯t do? They are a disgrace to the Yates family! All the other guests were also struck dumb. ¡°So Ms. Penelope is a fake?¡± The guest, who believed Ashlyn was the speaker at the public lecture, could not help but exim. Everyone started shooting Penelope res of disdain. iming to be someone who she¡¯s not? Has she no shame? She even dared to get her mom and grandmother to humiliate Ashlyn! She should be ashamed of herself! Penelope was so embarrassed that she hung her head in shame. This is all Mom¡¯s fault. She told me to go along with it, and now I¡¯ve made a fool of myself! The intense stares from all the guests were like needles pricking her body, causing her to shudder in pain. Bianca had never felt so humiliated before. Throughout thest few decades, Bianca had not only made a name for herself but also taken the Yates family to the next level. She was extremely cautious with everything she did and every decision she made because making a wrong move could get her killed. Yet, Mary and Penelope had tarnished the reputation she had built over the years in the blink of an eye. How I wish I didn¡¯t bring them back to the family. If only I could turn back the clock. ¡°The mother and daughter arepulsive liars. How could they lie about the public lecture since many people attended the event? I bet the usations they made against Ashlyn previously are also unfounded.¡± ¡°Yeah. Pretty sure they made up stories to ruin Ms. Ashlyn¡¯s reputation.¡± All the guests were no fools. Mary and Penelope might be able to blindside some rookies with their amateur acting but not these experienced influential figures. All these big shots were observant enough to see through their deception, so they did not fall for the duo¡¯s lies. ¡°N-No¡­ I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Mary tried to defend herself, but Bianca interrupted her. ¡°Zip it!¡± ¡°Mom¡ª¡± Mary looked at Bianca, feeling helpless and awkward. ¡°Just stop talking, okay?¡± Ryan was so annoyed that he had to step in. ¡°You all owe her an apology.¡± Caleb walked up to Ashlyn and turned to Bianca. ¡°Old Mrs. Yates, how could the Yates family humiliate Lynnie like this? Is this how you treat your guests?¡± The crowd gasped in disbelief when they heard what Caleb said. Oh my goodness. Another big shot jumped to Ms. Ashlyn¡¯s defense! Lawrence finally realized the Yates family was making things difficult for Ashlyn. In a fit of anger, he handed his gift to Matilda and said, ¡°What has happened to your family, Old Mrs. Yates? The Yates family I knew was not like this!¡± Chapter 785 Chapter 785 As Nichs stared at Ashlyn¡¯s beautiful and enthralling countenance, he finally snapped out of his daze. Ever since she made her appearance, he could not shake off the inexplicable sense of familiarity within him. Her profile was exceedingly familiar, but he could not recall where he had seen her before. Nheless, he truly could not stand Mary, Penelope, and Susan¡¯s actions. ¡°My brother is right. Ms. Canter, Ms. Penelope, and Mdm. ckwood must apologize to Ms. Ashlyn.¡± Mary¡¯s vision went ck for a moment. Back at H Nation, Ryan forced me to apologize to Ashlyn. Why is it that in Maredania now, I¡¯m coerced by these few big shots to apologize again? What exactly do I owe her? Bianca¡¯s face flushed bright red. All her dignity and prestige had been destroyed by Mary. ¡°Apologize to Ms. Ashlyn.¡± At that, Mary¡¯s eyes went wide in disbelief. ¡°Mom! How could you say that as well? I¡¯m your daughter, Mom!¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re my daughter that you¡¯ve got to have more of a sense of responsibility and take responsibility for something you¡¯ve done,¡± Bianca asserted sharply, her voice forceful and sonorous. It was as though she was still the unyielding female general who went on the battlefield back then. Humiliated, Mary turned to Ashlyn. However, she simply could not bring herself to apologize to thetter in front of everyone. ¡°It looks like Ms. Canter doesn¡¯t want to apologize to my wife. In that case, shouldn¡¯t the Yates family give my wife an exnation?¡± Out of the blue, an icy voice rang out from the hall entrance. Squinting, Ashlyn gazed at the tall figure standing against the light. Appearing like a knight on horseback, the man effortlessly snagged everyone¡¯s attention. As his luxurious ck leather shoes trod on the ground, every single step carried a strong aura, reflecting on his face and emanating off his entire body. Every gesture of his spoke of authority and power. Everywhere Lucas went, he was the center of attention. He swept his gaze over the crowd in the hall, a hint of contempt showing on his frosty expression. When his sharp gazended on Ashlyn, the coldness within his unfathomable eyes promptly turned into faint affection. Ashlyn could hear his familiar footsteps gradually drawing closer to her. At longst, he stopped right in front of her. ¡°Did I arrive in time, Honey?¡± While saying that, he cast his eyes downward, locking gazes with her lovely eyes in close proximity. ¡°Honey.¡± Ashlyn blinked, her lips curving into a cool and peeved smirk. He actually came over? Her disgruntled gaze fell on Spencer, who was behind the man. Feeling guilty, Spencer did not dare to look at her. I can¡¯t do anything to stop Mr. Nn when he insists oning! ¡°Carry it in,¡± Lucas ordered in a deep voice. A few tall and muscr men in ck proceeded to carry acquered mahogany box in before cing it down heavily in the middle of the hall. Then, they all left. After retracting his gaze, Lucas nonchntly swept his cold gaze over the crowd. ¡°This is my birthday gift for you, Old Mrs. Yates.¡± His voice was low, tinged with a hint of iciness. It carried an indescribable sense of chilliness that prated deep into the marrow of everyone present, making them shudder in fear. ¡°Ms. Canter, back when you were Mrs. Berry, you enjoyed infinite glory.¡± A smile hovered over his lips, but his words cut into Mary like a knife. Why is he bringing up the Berry family all of a sudden? Mary¡¯s heart was in her throat. ¡°Mr. Nn, what¡­ what exactly are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to take a look at the contents of this box, Ms. Canter?¡± Lucas looked at Spencer with a smile. Instantly discerning the man¡¯s meaning, Spencer opened the huge box. Almost everyone present fixated their eyes on the box, curious to know the contents of it. By then, Bianca¡¯s expression had turned as ck as thunder. He¡¯s definitely up to no good! This young man is either affluent or prominent. His aura is exceptional, and he radiates nobility and aloofness. One can tell that he¡¯s no ordinary person at a single nce! Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A moan drifted into the ears of everyone present. In a sh, the crowd gaped at the box in astonishment. There¡¯s actually someone in there, a living person? Chapter 786 Chapter 786 Perhaps it had been too long since the man in the box had seen any light, for he subconsciously lifted his hand to shield his eyes. Only after some time had passed, and he had probably adapted to it, did he lower his hand. He then stood up from the box and scrutinized his surroundings curiously. When his gaze fell on Mary, he was promptly ted. ¡°Why are you here as well, Mrs. Berry? I¡¯m so d to see you!¡± Mary¡¯s face nched, and she could not help taking several steps back. ¡°Who are you? I don¡¯t know you!¡± she shrieked. ¡°I¡¯m Mario from the host club, Mrs. Berry! Back then, you were exceedingly satisfied with my service. Have you forgotten? You even said you¡¯d bring me abroad after Mr. Berry had gone to prison!¡± Mario jumped out of the box and rushed over to Mary. The host club? The instant the crowd heard those three words, their jaws dropped in shock. The look in their eyes as they regarded Mary brimmed with ridicule and scorn alongside disdain. Even Ashlyn was obviously taken aback. She reflexively nced at Lucas, only to meet the man¡¯s bewitching eyes. This man¡­ How did hee up with such an idea? Many families in the upper sses enjoy indulging in the pleasures of the flesh, so it¡¯s nothing new. But to put it in the open and make it public¡­ it¡¯s a first. With her face drained of all color, Mary hid behind Penelope. ¡°Stay away from me! I really don¡¯t know you, so don¡¯t nder me! I¡¯m pure and innocent, never having done such a shameful thing as patronizing a host club!¡± Penelope was likewise stunned. Mom went to a host club and hooked up with a gigolo, betraying Dad? For a moment, Bianca¡¯s vision went ck. I¡¯ve tried my best to uphold the marriage agreement between her and Nichs, but never had I expected her to be so foolish that she hooked up with a gigolo! How is the Yates family to hold its head up in Maredania henceforth? ¡°Mrs. Berry, I was kidnapped and brought here for no reason. You¡¯re the only person I know. Why are you hiding from me? Sure enough, sugar mommies are heartless!¡± Mario was so irate that he stomped his feet. Meanwhile, Mary felt utterly mortified. She felt weak all over, and she almost could not remain on her feet. It was as though an invisible hand was squeezing her heart to a pulp. What should I do? Am I to be everyone¡¯sughingstock today? She could not help screwing her eyes shut, seized by the urge to skin Lucas and Ashlyn alive. Horace was no straiced man and had many affairs out there. She was resentful for a time, so she went out and patronized a host club to relieve her boredom. Mario was exceptionally skilled in bed, satisfying her infinitely. Thus, she sought him out quite a few times. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Later, she was no longer in the mood to patronize the host club after the series of incidents that happened to the Berry family. Never had she expected Lucas to be so powerful and capable that he actually found Mario to humiliate her. Her dignity was all but gone. Mario hurriedly whipped out his phone, on which were scandalous pictures of him and Mary. They consisted of a myriad of risqu¨¦ postures and positions. On the whole, they were simply an eyesore. He held the phone up to Ryan and Bianca. ¡°Quick, look! I really hooked up with her!¡± Some of the curious guests could not resist craning their necks and stealing a peek at the phone screen. Seeing that, Mario smugly swung his phone over to them. ¡°You all didn¡¯t expect it, huh? The high and mighty Mrs. Berry acted just like a sl*t, begging me.¡± People like him always made it their goal to hook up with rich and noble women. When they had seeded, they would then go around boasting about it. There were plenty of people there, and they were all moneyed. As such, he naturally had to brag about his skills and capabilities since he might be able to snag a few clients. Bianca¡¯s mind went nk, and her head started pounding. She pointed at Mario, her voice seeming stuck in her throat. ¡°Scram! Get out of here!¡± ¡°Men! Hurry up and throw this shameful creature out!¡± Ryan instructed sharply. All at once, a dozen bodyguards of the Yates family rushed over and seized Mario, dragging him out. Chapter 787 Chapter 787 Following that turn of events, Mario hastily cried out, ¡°Mrs. Berry! How could you do this to me? Have you forgotten how I served you in bed? At that time, you even called me your darling!¡± Mary looked at Bianca in a panic. Her breathing grewborious as though someone was crushing her throat. The force was so great that she could not quite breathe. Bianca pinned a sharp and chilly gaze on her. ¡°Get on your knees!¡± Mary knelt before her with a thud and reached out to clutch at thetter¡¯s hem. ¡°Mom¡­ Trust me! I really don¡¯t know that person! Mom¡­ Trust me, Mom!¡± ¡°He came all the way here and pointed you out! Don¡¯t tell me even those pictures were fake?¡± Frustration swamped Bianca at the fact that her mental fortitude was too strong that she did not pass out on the spot. How I wish I had passed out! Then, I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with all this filth! After lifting her hand, she pped Mary across the face. ¡°The Yates family¡¯s glory that had prevailed for a century is now destroyed at your hands! How I regret bringing you back to the Yates family!¡± ¡°Mom¡­ I beg you. Please don¡¯t kick me out. I know I was wrong. I¡¯ve really realized my mistake.¡± Mary could not help weeping aloud. ¡°What a shameless and brazen creature! I never expected you to have such loose morals that you even cheated on my son!¡± Susan was so livid that she charged at Mary and rained blows on her even as she tore into her. She could finally vent her anger right then for all the times Mary had picked on her in the past. After learning that the woman cheated on Horace, in particr, she almost burst a blood vessel from rage. Ugh! And I foolishly believed that she¡¯d get my son out of prison! I was too much of a fool! ¡°Lock her and Penelope into the dark room!¡± Bianca ordered in a steely voice. My birthday banquet is now ruined by them both, and the Yates family¡¯s reputation is all gone! ¡°No! Granny, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Please don¡¯t punish me, Granny. My mother was the one who did something wrong, so just punish her alone!¡± Penelope swiftly gazed at her pleadingly. ¡°Look, this is the good daughter you educated! When troublees, she quickly disassociates herself from you. You¡¯re the one who produced such a disloyal and unfilial creature!¡± The final shred of affection Bianca had left for them both was wiped out by Penelope¡¯s words. Intense disappointment brimmed in her eyes. Penelope doesn¡¯t even care about her own mother! How callous! Mary was initially delighted by her daughter¡¯s ability to protect herself. However, upon hearing Bianca¡¯s remark, she was entirely stunned. When she met thetter¡¯s gaze, she felt as though something was obstructing her throat, keeping her from uttering a single word. ¡°Mom¡­ Mom, it was her! It was her doing! It was Ashlyn who set me up! She¡¯s behind everything that happened tonight! She was the one who framed me!¡± Pointing at Ashlyn, she shrieked, ¡°She has hated me since we were young!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it was Ashlyn who urged you to seek the services of a gigolo, Mary?¡± Bianca suddenly felt incredibly tired and weary. ¡°Take them away!¡± Several bodyguards came over and seized the two of them. Without warning, Mary broke away from the bodyguards and lunged at Ashlyn. ¡°It was you, right? You simply can¡¯t stand seeing Penelope and me happy, am I right? Your mother¡ªAlice Chapman¡ªwas sold, so you have always detested me, yes? Let me tell you this¡ªno matter how much you hate me, she has still been sold! Haha!¡± In the blink of an eye, Ashlyn¡¯s expression turned as cold as ice. She wrapped a hand around the woman¡¯s throat, her gaze as sharp as a drawn dagger. ¡°Why do you mean by my mother having been sold? You¡¯d best exin things clearly!¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You didn¡¯t know, did you? Ashlyn, your mother was the prodigy of the Chapman family!¡± Mary was so enraged that all reason fled. She only wanted to deal Ashlyn a blow, hitting her where it hurt. Even after so many years, she was aware that thetter still could not get over her mother¡¯s death in a car ident. Therefore, she was eager to use something pertaining to Ashlyn¡¯s mother to deal her a blow. Regarding Ashlyn triumphantly, she continued, ¡°She was the prodigy of the Chapman family, yet she was forced to marry Horace. Do you know why? It¡¯s because your mother was with child out of wedlock, and that child is you! You¡¯re not a descendant of the Berry family! Back then, Horace only agreed to marry your mother because of her money! After marrying her, he never touched her because he found her filthy!¡± Chapter 788 Chapter 788 ¡°Haha! So what if she was the prodigy of the Chapman family? She was still kicked out by the family and forced to marry Horace! Do you know why your mother married him? It was because she didn¡¯t want you to be deemed a bastard as soon as you were born, so she found you a father in name! Back then, I was already pregnant with Penelope, but that jerk insisted on marrying your mother because of her money!¡± ¡°So, Penelope is also his biological daughter?¡± Ashlyn abruptly snickered. No wonder Penelope has always been the most favored child since we were young. As it turns out, I¡¯m the bogus heiress while she¡¯s the true heiress of the Berry family. Everything makes sense now! Mary burst out in gleefulughter. ¡°Yes! She¡¯s the rightful heiress of the Berry family! Hence, I really loathe you! I hate that you stole my daughter¡¯s ce; I hate your beautiful looks and your resemnce to that b*tch, Alice! Whenever Iy eyes on your exquisite face, I seemingly see the b*tch who stole my husband! I hate the two of you! You both stole the statuses that should have belonged to Penelope and me! I was supposed to be the rightful Mrs. Berry, and my daughter the rightful Ms. Berry!¡± She failed to notice that the expressions of Bianca and Nichs, who were there, changed in concert the instant she mentioned the name ¡°Alice.¡± ¡°You should hate Horace and not me. The tragic lives of my mother and you were all his doing, caused by his greediness.¡± Ashlyn suddenly dropped her hand from around Mary¡¯s neck. She asserted, ¡°He¡¯s a scumbag who ruined the lives of two women!¡± Having obtained freedom, Mary could not help gulping in multiple lungfuls of fresh air.Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Her face was ashen, but she glowered at Ashlyn with a peculiar and maniacal look in her eyes. ¡°It was all because of your mother and you! Everything was caused by the two of you!¡± ¡°How did my mother get sold?¡± Ashlyn stared at her frostily. Mary was promptly startled. In a trice, all her sanity gradually returned, and a shiver ran down her spine. ¡°What are you talking about? How would I know how your mother got sold?¡± That was a secret neither she nor Horace could reveal, no matter what. Ashlyn fixated her cial gaze on her as though wishing to look through her. ¡°Earlier, everyone heard you saying that my mother was sold, loud and clear. Yet, you¡¯re now denying it?¡± Mary could not help backing away. Under Ashlyn¡¯s icy gaze, her knees went weak, and she seemingly could not stand straight. ¡°I never said that! You must have misheard me! Your mother died in a car ident!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t speak the truth, yes? I don¡¯t mind¡­¡± Stalking toward the woman, Ashlyn abruptly shot her hand out and seized her throat at lightning speed once more. ¡°I¡¯ve got many ways to make you talk!¡± Everything around her seemingly faded, with only Mary remaining in her eyes. This cold-blooded woman actually conspired with Horace and sold my mother! Previously, I only knew of some rumors without any evidence, but now, I¡¯ve heard her personally admitting that my mother was sold! Her heart twisted painfully. My mother was the prodigy of the Chapman family, but she was humiliated and tarnished by a piece of trash like Horace and met such a tragic end! The urge to rip Mary and Horace into a thousand pieces gripped her. ¡°Let go¡­ of me!¡± With her neck held in a stranglehold, Mary¡¯s breathing gradually turned rapid. At long last, she could not breathe at all, her face flushing bright red from theck of oxygen. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she appeared to be moments away from passing out. Such fear struck Penelope that she charged over to rain blows on Ashlyn. ¡°Let go of my mother! Let go of her!¡± However, she was tossed aside by the bodyguards Lucas brought with him before she could even make any contact with Ashlyn. Sprawled on the ground, she could not help wailing, ¡°Let go of my mother, Ashlyn! Let go of her!¡± Ultimately, Mary was a member of the Yates family. No matter how many wrongdoings she hadmitted, the blood of the Yates family flowed in her veins. Therefore, Ashlyn was also humiliating the Yates family when she was treating the eldest daughter of the Yates family thus. In consideration of that, Ryan walked to the woman, who wore a chilly expression on her face. ¡°Please spare her, Ms. Ashlyn.¡± Chapter 789 Chapter 789 Ashlyn¡¯s expression remained cold. She cast an icy gaze at Ryan before releasing her grip on Mary without warning. Mary sprawled on the ground pathetically like an oxygen-deprived eel. She trembled uncontrobly, for she had no doubt that if Ryan had note over to call a halt to things, Ashlyn would have certainly strangled her to death. ¡°I¡¯ll let you go today for the sake of Mr. Yates and Old Mrs. Yates. You¡¯d best tell me the truth.¡± Ashlyn emanated a murderous aura. Her grace and elegance from before were all but gone. At that moment, she was like Grim Reaper, who came from the underworld to take lives. In the next heartbeat, however, she regained her previous indifference andposure. Turning to Bianca beside her, she said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s your birthday banquet today, yet I did such a disrespectful thing.¡± Unexpectedly, Bianca regarded Ashlyn with aplex look in her eyes. ¡°Sweetie, is your mother named Alice Chapman?¡± Lifting her eyes, Ashlyn looked at the woman in puzzlement, only to notice that thetter was not ring at her furiously. Contrarily, a trace of suppressed excitement showed in the older woman¡¯s eyes. Ashlyn pursed her lips for a moment. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s my mother.¡± ¡°Then¡­ do you recognize this handkerchief?¡± With trembling hands, Bianca took out a handkerchief. It was the one with a centenary icon, which she had kept for many years. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes stung, and she ventured, ¡°From the embroidery technique¡­ it¡¯s my mother¡¯s work?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bianca was seemingly lost in her memories, murmuring, ¡°More than ten years ago, I personally went to H Nation to look for my daughter. It was drizzling at that time, and I bumped into Ms. Chapman, who was embroidering earnestly by theke. Back then¡­ she was beautiful. Her eyes shimmered like stars, and her features were exquisite. She was a very gentledy.¡± Her eyes turning red-rimmed, she continued, ¡°I was all too tired and weary, falling into despair. I thought I¡¯d possibly never see my daughter in this lifetime. I slumped to the ground by theke and started weeping. It was her who gifted this handkerchief to me. She said the centenary icon on it would undoubtedly bring blessings upon my daughter and me.¡± By then, tears escaped her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯ve loved embroidery for my entire life, and I¡¯m also skilled in it. However, Ms. Chapman¡¯s embroidery is unparalleled. I love it. I also cherish this handkerchief greatly. Above everything, I cherish Ms. Chapman¡¯s kindness.¡± Subsequently, shemented, ¡°It¡¯s the Yates family who wronged you and your mother. My daughter, Mary,mitted too many misdeeds. Not only did she insult and disparage you, but she even did many things that hurt you. I¡¯m the one who should apologize to you on her behalf.¡± Patting the back of Ashlyn¡¯s hand, she queried, ¡°What kind ofpensation would you like, Sweetie? Tell me everything, and I¡¯ll definitely fulfill all your heart¡¯s desires.¡± That remark stunned everyone present. After all, Bianca was no ordinary elderly woman but the wife of a count in Maredania! If one could have her fulfill all of one¡¯s heart¡¯s desires despite theck of blood ties, that would be a veritable honor. Ashlyn lowered her eyes and chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t need anypensation, Old Mrs. Yates. I only need you to introduce someone to me.¡± Bianca looked at her up close. Under the lights, even her skin glowed crystalline. ¡°Who is it? Just tell me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter.¡± Ashlyn nced around and noticed that the expert psychologist Sinir mentioned, his mentor, was not present. ¡°Okay, then.¡± Smiling, Bianca took out another handkerchief given to her by Nichs as a birthday gift. ¡°Do you know who embroidered this handkerchief, Sweetie? The embroidery technique employed in this is exactly the same as your mother¡¯s, but this handkerchief is very new. Earlier, Mary said that your mother had passed away¡­ Could it be that someone else inherited her embroidery skills?¡± Nichs¡¯ lips trembled. He, too, wanted to know the answer. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Back then, that woman misced a scented sachet. The word ¡°Alice¡± was embroidered on it. He searched for her for many years, but to no avail. She seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth all of a sudden. The embroidery of ¡°Alice¡± on the scented sachet was precisely the same as the ¡°Alice¡± embroidered at the lower right corner of the handkerchief Bianca treasured. Chapter 790 Chapter 790 The scented sachet was simr to the handkerchief, be it the embroidery technique, the shape of the word embroidered, or even the color. Could it be that¡­ the woman was Alice Chapman, and Ashlyn¡­ is her daughter? Nichs stared at Ashlyn in disbelief. His heart had not pounded so wildly in many years. Caleb perceptively sensed something amiss with his brother beside him. He appears¡­ nervous? Why is that? Why would he be nervous? As Bianca asked about the person who embroidered the handkerchief right then, Caleb could not help taking a step forward. Just when he was about to speak, the president of Aureate Embroidery Group, thergestpany in Maredania, Seraphina Young, stepped into the hall with a gift in hand. The moment she entered the hall, she noticed the strange atmosphere there. Seraphina was a middle-aged woman of about forty years old, but she maintained her looks well. In a sapphire blue dress, she looked graceful and elegant. She went over to Bianca and Ashlyn in her high heels. ¡°This is my gift for you, Old Mrs. Yates. This year¡­¡± Before she had finished her utterance, she inadvertently glimpsed Ashlyn beside Bianca. Thrilled, she promptly rushed over to Ashlyn and grabbed her hand. ¡°Why are you here, Ashlyn? Gosh, Ashlyn! Why didn¡¯t you give me a call when you came to Maredania? I missed you so much!¡± The crowd was wholly dumbstruck. Aureate Embroidery Group was no ordinarypany. Its president, Seraphina, was on the same level of eminence as Leslie, a renowned embroiderer in Maredania. Also, she founded Aureate Embroidery Group single-handedly. Rumor even had it that Sonia Jackovich, Maredania¡¯s Secretary of State, loved wearing clothes personally sewn and embroidered by her. Besides, she was very close with Bianca. That aside, she was inextricably linked with the entire aristocratic circle of Maredania. Maredania¡¯s aristocrats considered it an honor to be able to wear clothes embroidered by her. Yet, she was acting exceedingly familiar with Ashlyn. ¡°I¡¯m here to celebrate Old Mrs. Yates¡¯ birthday, Ms. Young.¡± In contrast with Seraphina¡¯s excitement and enthusiasm, Ashlyn¡¯s expression remained unchanged. However, one could tell that she exuded a hint of warmth. That was an expression she only showed in front of people whom she was close with. ¡°You managed to invite Ashlyn over, Old Mrs. Yates? How impressive!¡± Seraphina led Ashlyn over to Bianca before opening the gift box she brought, revealing an exquisitely embroidered shawl within. ¡°This shawl was embroidered by Ashlyn, Old Mrs. Yates.¡± Bianca¡¯s lips trembled, and she stared at the shawl in disbelief. The base color of the shawl was cream. Graceful and elegant peonies were embroidered on it, with a few butterflies in flight beside the peonies, looking very much lifelike. Seraphina deftly draped the shawl over Bianca. Only then did thetter snap back to her senses and promptly grab the former¡¯s hand. ¡°What¡­ did you just say? Ashlyn can embroider? This shawl¡­ Such a beautiful shawl was embroidered by her?¡± A proud smile bloomed on Seraphina¡¯s face, and her voice carried great pride. ¡°She¡¯s Aureate Group¡¯s top master embroiderer, far more skilled than me. In fact, the emblem representing our country on the clothes our president wore to the global summit was embroidered by Ashlyn!¡± ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± ¡°The emblem design back then was said to have been revised more than twenty times. In the end, it was the design submitted by Aureate Group that the president approved straight away!¡± ¡°I never expected it to have been designed and embroidered by Ashlyn!¡± ¡°How incredible!¡± ¡°She¡¯s too impressive!¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. At once, the look in the crowd¡¯s eyes as they gazed at Ashlyn turned awestruck and impassioned. While sprawled on the ground, Mary and Penelope gawped at Ashlyn, who was standing there. Suddenly, intense envy and indignance welled up within them. There was seemingly a moat between them and her that they could never bridge. Even after they had joined the Yates family and be the heiresses of the Yates family, they were still beneath her. Chapter 791 Chapter 791 That reality and realization had Mary gritting her teeth in bitterness. Such resentment inundated her that waves of agonizing pain swept over her. Lucas gazed at Ashlyn, who was a near distance away. She had her eyes lowered; her eyshes beautifully curved. Her crystalline eyes reflected a myriad of colors. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. The woman seemed radiant yet incredibly alluring, just like a bottle of fine wine during winter, cold yet intoxicating. This is precisely how my woman should be! Bianca looked at Ashlyn in excitement. ¡°You¡¯re so talented, Sweetie! I was just asking you who embroidered this handkerchief earlier, but from the look of things now, the answer is obvious. You were the one who embroidered it as well, no?¡± It was only then that Seraphina noticed the handkerchief in Bianca¡¯s hand. She chortled. ¡°This is naturally Ashlyn¡¯s embroidery. She¡¯s probably the only person in this world who can embroider such a delicate yet unique centenary icon!¡± At her resolute answer, the crowd went into an uproar once more. Meanwhile, Nichs grew increasingly emotional upon hearing that. There¡¯s no mistake about it! She must be that woman¡¯s daughter! This is definitely it! I must get to the bottom of this matter! ¡°I¡¯m d you like it, Old Mrs. Yates.¡± Ashlyn remained as calm as ever, unaffected by all the praises. She was not arrogant because of her exceptional embroidery skills, nor was she worked up over Bianca¡¯s and Seraphina¡¯spliments. It was as though it was merely an ordinary urrence, as typical as eating and drinking. Standing beside Bianca, Ryan gazed at Ashlyn with aplicated look in his eyes. His heart raced wildly. After all, such an outstanding woman naturally had men falling in love with her. Regretfully, his gaze then fell on the imposing and handsome man behind her. The two men locked gazes. He could distinctly sense the possessiveness and domination in the man¡¯s eyes. Lucas, on the other hand, instantly sensed Ryan¡¯s gaze. This is the man who sat next to my woman during the pianopetition. The look in his eyes whenever he gazes at her is downright irritating. Hah! Another one of her admirers, huh? Just wait and see how I¡¯m going to break him! He went over to Ashlyn possessively and tried his best to remind her of his presence. ¡°Honey, how would you like to deal with Mary and Penelope?¡± Hearing that, Ashlyn lowered her gaze and looked at the two women on the ground. ¡°They¡¯re part of the Yates family, and since Old Mrs. Yates has promised to introduce me to the person I desire to meet, I¡¯ll leave them to her discretion.¡± ¡°How magnanimous of you, Sweetie!¡± Bianca nodded approvingly. Then, she ordered, ¡°Lock them in the dark room. They¡¯re not allowed to eat anything for three days and are to kneel for the whole three days!¡± The dark room was usually used to punish the help whomitted mistakes. At once, Mary burst into tears. ¡°Mom! I don¡¯t want to go there, Mom!¡± Not only is it dark and damp in the dark room, but rumor even has it that there are rats and bugs. Penelope and I have always been living the high life, so how could we stay at such a ce? Bianca stared right into her teary eyes with a chilly countenance. ¡°Going to the dark room is already the most lenient punishment. I¡¯ll kick both of you out if you protest further!¡± Several bodyguards came over and dragged both Mary and Penelope away. That punishment was indeed pretty light, for they merely had to kneel without being allowed any food. However, their heinous behaviors were scorned and ridiculed by everyone present. Thus, it would be nigh impossible for Mary to blend into the aristocratic circle henceforth. Bianca was in an awfully foul mood. If it were not for the embroidered handkerchief and shawl, her mood would probably be even worse. She was advanced in age, so she could not take such an intense blow. After being angered by Mary for so long, she had already grown tired. Hence, she took her leave of the guests and went to the lounge. No sooner had she settled down in the lounge than Ashlyn came over as well. She sat down beside Bianca. ¡°Are you having a headache? Let me give you a massage.¡± With that, she stretched out her long, slender fingers, cing them on Bianca¡¯s temples. Then, she started kneading gently. In a sh, Bianca felt her body rxing. Chapter 792 Chapter 792 Ashlyn¡¯s force when massaging was neither too hard nor soft but perfectly moderate. She also controlled her rhythm well, neither too fast nor slow. Shortly after, Bianca slumped onto the sofa and fell into slumber without realizing it. Keanu came over and scooped Bianca up. Although he was over seventy years old, he was still strong and robust without looking old at all. In fact, he appeared inexplicably cool as he carried Bianca in a bridal carry like a domineering president. ¡°While I have no idea who you¡¯d like my wife to introduce to you, Ms. Berry, I hope you don¡¯t do anything that hurts her. Otherwise¡­¡± The instant she appeared at the birthday banquet, she caused an uproar. Undeniably, she¡¯s beautiful and exceedingly outstanding. Not only do Mary and Penelope pale inparison to her, but even many of the wealthy heiresses in Maredania can¡¯tpare to her. But¡­ I can¡¯t shake off the feeling that she¡¯s too forceful and is no easy prey. Thus, it¡¯s best to keep a distance from someone like her. He could tell that his son had feelings for her, and Bianca liked her beyond words. Therefore, he was apprehensive that the Yates family would plunge into chaos because of her. In response, Ashlyn merely shed him an airy smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Old Mr. Yates. It¡¯s nothing to Old Mrs. Yates, but it will possibly save someone¡¯s life.¡± Pausing for a moment, she cast her gaze at Bianca¡¯s countenance in sleep. ¡°Besides, she¡¯s also very nice to me. There¡¯s no reason for me to hurt her.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯ll remember the words you said to me today, Ms. Berry!¡± Keanu then turned around and left with Bianca in his arms. ¡°What did he say to you?¡± An alluring voice rang out behind her out of the blue. Ashlyn knew it was Lucas without even needing to nce over her shoulder. She let out a helpless sigh. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°How was I to gift the Yates family a huge gift if I didn¡¯te?¡± Arching a brow, Lucas reached out and hugged her waist from behind. Ashlyn snuggled into his arms wearily. ¡°That¡¯s the Yates family¡¯s scandal, yet you brought it out into the open. Fortunately, the Yates family is an upright family. If they¡¯re petty, you would¡¯ve made yourself another enemy. You don¡¯t need to offend a family because of me.¡± ¡°Yet, you had no qualms offending my parents because of me. So, you deserve everything I do for you.¡± The man¡¯s voice was almost a whisper. As his hoarse voice drifted into her ear, his warm exhale brushed against the sensitive organ. That had her shuddering inexorably. ¡°What a sensitive little one.¡± Chuckling lowly, Lucas released his hold on her. Ashlyn shot him a hard re. ¡°Shut up!¡± s, it only resulted in a burst of even heartierughter from the man. ¡°May we speak to you in private, Mr. Nn?¡± Just then, a voice interrupted them without warning. Lucas lifted his eyes and cast his gaze over, only to see a few Maredanian business moguls heading toward him. Ashlyn quirked a brow tactfully. ¡°I¡¯ll go and have a bite.¡± After saying that, she walked toward the buffet area. No sooner had she taken a te and moved to take some fruits than Greg hurried over to her, wiping the sweat off his forehead. ¡°Ms. Berry, a slew of beauties handed me their business cards, all moring to act in my movie! But they don¡¯t even have any experience. Why on earth are they so enthusiastic?¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Hearing that, Ashlyn burst into giggles. ¡°It proves that you¡¯re popr among thedies!¡± Greg darted his eyes around. Finally, Ashlyn was free, so they both went to a bar nearby. As soon as they had taken their seats, Greg exhaled deeply and took out a photo from his suit pocket. Just when he was about to ask Ashlyn whether she was Alice¡¯s daughter, he saw the renowned president of the International Piano Association, Caleb, and his brother, Nichs, heading their way. They came over and sat down beside them. Words eluded Greg. He clutched the photo in his hand tightly, sighing inwardly. Why is it that someone alwayses and interrupts me whenever I want to ask about this matter? Ugh! How frustrating! ¡°Lynnie, let me do the introductions. This is my brother, Nichs Powell. He¡¯s also a fan of embroidery.¡± Caleb¡¯s voice was as booming as ever. Chapter 793 Chapter 793 ¡°Doctor? That¡¯s a great profession.¡± Bianca nodded in approval. Bianca was not a credulous person who would be easily influenced by others. She would assess a person¡¯s character based on her judgment. At first, Ashlyn did not leave a positive impression on Bianca, but thetter felt she could bond with Ashlyn after seeing her in person. On the contrary, Bianca did not feel the same way about Mary and her daughter. She could not describe her feelings for Ashlyn, but somehow, she wanted to know more about this youngdy. Penelope could not help but feel jealous upon noticing how Bianca sided with Ashlyn. The elderly woman¡¯s reaction caused an inexplicable panic in her. Bianca had always treated Penelope well and took good care of her, but she seemed to always distance herself from Penelope. The elderlydy, too, seldom praised her from the bottom of her heart. Yet, the way she praised Ashlyn seemed genuine. Ashlyn, you b*tch! Why do you have topete with me even when I¡¯m in Maredania? She¡¯s my granny! Don¡¯t you try to get in her good books! Penelope gritted her teeth, but she still stered a smile on her face. ¡°Granny, do you know she was publicly humiliated by her patient¡¯s family before?¡± ¡°Ignore them. I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll always be uncivilized people who would intentionally cause ruckuses in the hospitals.¡± Bianca smiled and looked at the elegant Ashlyn. ¡°Are you single?¡± She felt Ashlyn was a good match for Ryan. Ashlyn froze for a moment. She used to hear her colleagues in the hospital talk about how the elders in their family would ask them about their rtionship status during gatherings. However, that had never happened to her before because she did not have many rtives in her family. Besides her grandmother, no one had ever asked her this question so affectionately. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. The way Bianca asked the question warmed Ashlyn¡¯s heart even though she could not quite describe the feeling. Penelope looked at Bianca in disbelief. All this while, she had always thought Bianca was difficult to get along with because she had never seen the elderly woman being so approachable to someone since the day she joined the Yates family. Mary, too, trembled with fury, but she managed to regain herposure. ¡°Mom, I bet you don¡¯t know Ashlyn married someone from the Nn family. When she was secretly married, she had quite a number of suitors. She used to be very close with Mr. Zebriele, the president of Zebriele Group¡ªoh, and also Director Maxwell! They even worked on a film together, and he¡¯s her date today too.¡± ¡°When Ashlyn was still in high school, many male students wrote her love letters. I was always worried about her because she often came homete,¡± Susan said with a sigh as if she was concerned about Ashlyn. Mary and Susan were trying to portray Ashlyn as a promiscuous woman. Upon hearing the usation, Ashlyn maintained the perfect smile on her fair face. She sized the two women up and said, ¡°Do you think the Nn family would ept me if I¡¯m that kind of woman? Instead of defaming me here in public, why don¡¯t you two spend time improving yourselves to be more cultured people?¡± Ashlyn retaliated aptly while looking at Mary and Susan. Mary clenched her teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Ashlyn. I just want all the guests to know how gorgeous you are.¡± ¡°I believe everyone can assess my looks with their own eyes without you telling them,¡± Ashlyn refuted elegantly. She then looked in Greg¡¯s direction. ¡°This is Mr. Greg Maxwell, the director of Trashy Idol, a film I¡¯ve invested in. He¡¯s a brilliant director, so feel free to reach out if you wish to coborate with him.¡± Ashlyn appeared unruffled when she introduced Greg to all the guests. Compared to Penelope, who came from the Count¡¯s family, Ashlyn looked more like a sophisticated socialite who had charmed the crowd with her beauty and demeanor. Chapter 794 Chapter 794 ¡°Dr. Berry! Nice to meet you!¡± Suddenly, a middle-aged man walked in Ashlyn¡¯s direction. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. d in a ck suit, the gentleman looked extraordinarily ssy. Upon noticing the man from a distance, Ashlyn greeted him with a light nod. ¡°It has been a while, Mr. Berkley.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. By the way, those medical students from T University were so blessed to have attended your public lecture. It¡¯s a shame that I could only watch it from the video.¡± Lawrence Berkley expressed his disappointment while shaking Ashlyn¡¯s hand. Ashlyn instantly caught Lawrence¡¯s attention the moment he stepped into the hall. He could not hide his excitement when he was walking toward her. ¡°Oh, my God. Did I hear that right? World Health Organization chairman Mr. Berkley wanted to attend Ashlyn¡¯s public lecture?¡± ¡°Public lecture in T University? Didn¡¯t Penelope im she was the one who gave that?¡± The crowd started whispering behind their backs. Lawrence smiled and said, ¡°I guess all of you don¡¯t know who Dr. Berry is. Dr. Berry is H Nation¡¯s best surgeon, and she has saved many lives over the years. Just a while ago, she conducted a public lecture at T University in H Nation.¡± Bianca was stunned when she saw Lawrence walking in. Her jaw dropped even further after hearing what the man said. She¡¯s so young, yet she¡¯s already an aplished doctor. She¡¯s indeed one of a kind. At the same time, she stared at Penelope and Mary. How dare these two im credit for something they didn¡¯t do? They are a disgrace to the Yates family! All the other guests were also struck dumb. ¡°So Ms. Penelope is a fake?¡± The guest, who believed Ashlyn was the speaker at the public lecture, could not help but exim. Everyone started shooting Penelope res of disdain. iming to be someone who she¡¯s not? Has she no shame? She even dared to get her mom and grandmother to humiliate Ashlyn! She should be ashamed of herself! Penelope was so embarrassed that she hung her head in shame. This is all Mom¡¯s fault. She told me to go along with it, and now I¡¯ve made a fool of myself! The intense stares from all the guests were like needles pricking her body, causing her to shudder in pain. Bianca had never felt so humiliated before. Throughout thest few decades, Bianca had not only made a name for herself but also taken the Yates family to the next level. She was extremely cautious with everything she did and every decision she made because making a wrong move could get her killed. Yet, Mary and Penelope had tarnished the reputation she had built over the years in the blink of an eye. How I wish I didn¡¯t bring them back to the family. If only I could turn back the clock. ¡°The mother and daughter arepulsive liars. How could they lie about the public lecture since many people attended the event? I bet the usations they made against Ashlyn previously are also unfounded.¡± ¡°Yeah. Pretty sure they made up stories to ruin Ms. Ashlyn¡¯s reputation.¡± All the guests were no fools. Mary and Penelope might be able to blindside some rookies with their amateur acting but not these experienced influential figures. All these big shots were observant enough to see through their deception, so they did not fall for the duo¡¯s lies. ¡°N-No¡­ I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Mary tried to defend herself, but Bianca interrupted her. ¡°Zip it!¡± ¡°Mom¡ª¡± Mary looked at Bianca, feeling helpless and awkward. ¡°Just stop talking, okay?¡± Ryan was so annoyed that he had to step in. ¡°You all owe her an apology.¡± Caleb walked up to Ashlyn and turned to Bianca. ¡°Old Mrs. Yates, how could the Yates family humiliate Lynnie like this? Is this how you treat your guests?¡± The crowd gasped in disbelief when they heard what Caleb said. Oh my goodness. Another big shot jumped to Ms. Ashlyn¡¯s defense! Lawrence finally realized the Yates family was making things difficult for Ashlyn. In a fit of anger, he handed his gift to Matilda and said, ¡°What has happened to your family, Old Mrs. Yates? The Yates family I knew was not like this!¡± Chapter 795 Chapter 795 As Nichs stared at Ashlyn¡¯s beautiful and enthralling countenance, he finally snapped out of his daze. Ever since she made her appearance, he could not shake off the inexplicable sense of familiarity within him. Her profile was exceedingly familiar, but he could not recall where he had seen her before. Nheless, he truly could not stand Mary, Penelope, and Susan¡¯s actions. ¡°My brother is right. Ms. Canter, Ms. Penelope, and Mdm. ckwood must apologize to Ms. Ashlyn.¡± Mary¡¯s vision went ck for a moment. Back at H Nation, Ryan forced me to apologize to Ashlyn. Why is it that in Maredania now, I¡¯m coerced by these few big shots to apologize again? What exactly do I owe her? Bianca¡¯s face flushed bright red. All her dignity and prestige had been destroyed by Mary. ¡°Apologize to Ms. Ashlyn.¡± At that, Mary¡¯s eyes went wide in disbelief. ¡°Mom! How could you say that as well? I¡¯m your daughter, Mom!¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re my daughter that you¡¯ve got to have more of a sense of responsibility and take responsibility for something you¡¯ve done,¡± Bianca asserted sharply, her voice forceful and sonorous. It was as though she was still the unyielding female general who went on the battlefield back then. Humiliated, Mary turned to Ashlyn. However, she simply could not bring herself to apologize to thetter in front of everyone. ¡°It looks like Ms. Canter doesn¡¯t want to apologize to my wife. In that case, shouldn¡¯t the Yates family give my wife an exnation?¡± Out of the blue, an icy voice rang out from the hall entrance. Squinting, Ashlyn gazed at the tall figure standing against the light. Appearing like a knight on horseback, the man effortlessly snagged everyone¡¯s attention. As his luxurious ck leather shoes trod on the ground, every single step carried a strong aura, reflecting on his face and emanating off his entire body. Every gesture of his spoke of authority and power. Everywhere Lucas went, he was the center of attention. He swept his gaze over the crowd in the hall, a hint of contempt showing on his frosty expression. When his sharp gazended on Ashlyn, the coldness within his unfathomable eyes promptly turned into faint affection. Ashlyn could hear his familiar footsteps gradually drawing closer to her. At longst, he stopped right in front of her. ¡°Did I arrive in time, Honey?¡± While saying that, he cast his eyes downward, locking gazes with her lovely eyes in close proximity. ¡°Honey.¡± Ashlyn blinked, her lips curving into a cool and peeved smirk. He actually came over? Her disgruntled gaze fell on Spencer, who was behind the man. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Feeling guilty, Spencer did not dare to look at her. I can¡¯t do anything to stop Mr. Nn when he insists oning! ¡°Carry it in,¡± Lucas ordered in a deep voice. A few tall and muscr men in ck proceeded to carry acquered mahogany box in before cing it down heavily in the middle of the hall. Then, they all left. After retracting his gaze, Lucas nonchntly swept his cold gaze over the crowd. ¡°This is my birthday gift for you, Old Mrs. Yates.¡± His voice was low, tinged with a hint of iciness. It carried an indescribable sense of chilliness that prated deep into the marrow of everyone present, making them shudder in fear. ¡°Ms. Canter, back when you were Mrs. Berry, you enjoyed infinite glory.¡± A smile hovered over his lips, but his words cut into Mary like a knife. Why is he bringing up the Berry family all of a sudden? Mary¡¯s heart was in her throat. ¡°Mr. Nn, what¡­ what exactly are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to take a look at the contents of this box, Ms. Canter?¡± Lucas looked at Spencer with a smile. Instantly discerning the man¡¯s meaning, Spencer opened the huge box. Almost everyone present fixated their eyes on the box, curious to know the contents of it. By then, Bianca¡¯s expression had turned as ck as thunder. He¡¯s definitely up to no good! This young man is either affluent or prominent. His aura is exceptional, and he radiates nobility and aloofness. One can tell that he¡¯s no ordinary person at a single nce! ¡°Ah¡­¡± A moan drifted into the ears of everyone present. In a sh, the crowd gaped at the box in astonishment. There¡¯s actually someone in there, a living person? Chapter 796 Chapter 796 The man¡¯s forehead was almost as hot as the sun. D*mn it! Why does he have such a high fever? Ashlyn had been busy with the movie recently, so it had been days since she had seen Lucas. What happened to him? Why is he in this state now? At the hospital, Sinir was furrowing his brows and telling Ashlyn, ¡°His other personality is the reason for this fever. I might not be able to deal with this for now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ashlyn cocked a brow. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sinir rubbed his hands before awkwardly muttering, ¡°You¡¯ll have to consult my mentor for this. He¡¯s a prominent figure in the world of psychology. I¡¯ve treated Lucas for many years, and although I was able to keep it under control, I can¡¯t rid him of it. We¡¯ll need my mentor to consult him instead.¡± ¡°So where¡¯s your mentor?¡± asked Ashlyn as she looked at Sinir. ¡°If he can take Lucas¡¯ case, I¡¯ll go find him.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, my mentor is in Maredania. He has been retired for a long time¡ªhe organized a retirement party a few years back and decided not to take on any case anymore.¡± Ashlyn could hear the hesitation in Sinir¡¯s voice, so she hastily asked, ¡°Is there something else about it?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ My mentor retired because someone set him up. Hispetition against Maredania Psychiatric Hospital¡¯s vice director for the role of president in the psychology association ended up affecting his child. His child had been living with him after he got a divorce from his spouse. The vice director was unashamed about pulling dirty tricks, so he hired people to kidnap my mentor¡¯s child to force him out of thepetition. Indeed, he left. However, it was toote. The child was brilliant and managed to flee from the vice director. Unfortunately, his child encountered an ident during the escape and¡­ passed away. He feels guilty for it.¡± ¡°So he decided to never consult others again and to retire from the industry?¡± Ashlyn sighed. She never thought that Sinir¡¯s mentor would have experienced something like that in the past. ¡°Where¡¯s the vice director now?¡± ¡°He managed to be the president of the psychology association, and the two kidnappers were charged guilty and imprisoned. However, the mastermind behind the incident is actually the president of the association. My mentor is constantly in a gloomy mood, and the child¡¯s mother hates him, too. She¡¯s resentful about how he fought for child¡¯s custody but failed to keep the child alive.¡± ¡°I see. I got it.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°What do you mean by you got it?¡± Sinir did not quite understand what she meant. Curling her lips, Ashlyn replied, ¡°Karma is always just around the corner.¡± Meanwhile, plenty of posts were spreading around on WhatsApp and Twitter. ¡°Trashy Idol.¡± A Movie That Leaves You Thinking. Have You Picked Up Trash Today? The Biggest Love You Can Give To Earth Is To Protect Its Environment¡ªA Lesson From This Film. Have You Seen Jonathan Picking Up Trash In This Inspiring Movie Yet? Not Only Does The Daughter Of The Nn Family Knows How To y, But She Also Knows How To Pick Up Trash! A Movie Worth Loving And Watching¡ª¡±Trashy Idol.¡± Almost all of thements were praising the movie. People used to be merely curious about it, but now, it was trending on the inte. In fact, multiple trending topics on Twitter were all about the movie. Ever since people found out Ashlyn was Lucas¡¯ wife, the ount ¡°Mrs. Nn¡± was tagged non-stop by netizens and fans. However, Ashlyn seemedpletely unperturbed, for she posted nothing at all. Herck of response was driving her fans and theizens mad. It was because she had nearly a billion fans by then. Initially, the ount ¡°Mrs. Nn¡± attracted several million fans because of Lucas. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. However, once the people found out that Ashlyn was Lucas¡¯ wife, she gained even more fans at a rapid rate. Oh, my goddess Ashlyn Berry! So, this is your Twitter ount! Ashlyn! Ashlyn! Ashlyn! I¡¯ve finally found the real deal! Ah! Lyn! I love you so, so much! Am I the only one here who wants to know if Snowstorm is the one who wrote ¡°Trashy Idol¡±? I hear that Snowstorm and Ms. Saunders are on par with each other. They¡¯re all popr talented individuals! Chapter 797 Chapter 797 Bianca shook her head to dismiss the unpleasant thought. Why did I think about them? It makes my blood boil in rage. ¡°Old Mrs. Yates, if you fancy, you can have her be your granddaughter. Alternatively, I think Mr. Yates¡­ If that happens, she¡¯ll still be your child but in a different sense.¡± Matilda was not blind. She was so observant that she noticed how Ryan protected Ashlyn at the banquet. Ryan had remained chaste for many years, never engaging in romantic rtionships nor attending blind dates that Bianca had set up for him. All he ever did was spend time with his piano, which made Bianca very anxious. It¡¯s almost time for Mr. Yates to return to the air force for his training. Once he¡¯s in the army, the chance of him meeting a suitable girl would be as good as none. ¡°Just take a look at how lovey-dovey she and Lucas are. Lucas taught Mary a lesson on Ashlyn¡¯s behalf, whereas Ashlyn went all out to help him locate Ian. Oh my, what has gotten into me? Lucas has humiliated the Yates, yet I¡¯m only enraged by Mary. I just can¡¯t bring myself to be angry at Ashlyn and Lucas.¡± Bianca sighed once more. Disappointment toward her own family members arose in her heart. At the same time, she was overwhelmed by her adoration and longing for Ashlyn. The conflicting emotions came rushing at her like a flood, suffocating her and making her heart throb with pain. ¡°If only I had known the true colors of both the mother and the daughter, I¡­ wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Mrs. Yates. Blood is thicker than water, regardless. No matter how good Ashlyn is, she¡¯s still an outsider.¡± Matilda consoled her, ¡°Moreover, rumor has it that she¡¯s secretly married to Mr. Nn, and then there are talks about them about getting a divorce. Should I get someone to investigate further? To find out if they¡¯re still married?¡± ¡°That sounds good. Please go ahead and investigate it. If she¡¯s still single¡­ It won¡¯t be a bad idea to pair her up with Ryan.¡± The heaviness in Bianca¡¯s heart finally dispersed. ¡°Hurry up and get it done.¡± ¡°Noted.¡± After leaving the mansion, Matilda¡¯s servile attitude was reced with a sneer as she disappeared into the night. In the meantime, Ryan was a different person back at his mansion. Gone was the high-spirited and vigorous man people saw at the banquet. On the contrary, he looked quite drained and worn out. Even the streak of blue hair covering his forehead exuded a hint of weariness. His mansion was at the very far end of the Count¡¯s Mansion, the quietest unit yet the most luxurious one. Because he liked ying the piano, he relished the silence. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. It was alreadyte at night, but all of Ashlyn¡¯s expressions kept ying in his head. He managed to obtain a strand of Mary¡¯s hair from the hotel they both had stayed in. Then, he sent it to a DNA test center. After waiting for several days, the test center informed him that they could not run a DNA test because the strand of hair he had submitted did not contain any hair follicles. The best specimen to run the test with was blood samples. However, it was challenging for him to get that from Mary. He could not shake off the feeling that Mary and Penelope did not belong to the count¡¯s family. Another thing that had been bugging him was his inexplicable innate fondness toward Ashlyn. Where does this special affectione from? I really want to find out so badly. The man sighed as he switched on hisptop. Lately, he was preparing to request Mysterious yet Majestic to help him check how did his older sister go missing in the past. However, every single one of his requests was rejected by the underground group. Feeling troubled and frustrated, he tried logging in to the page where the clients of Mysterious yet Majestic were supposed to submit their requests. He had spent a lucrative sum to get ess to the tform. As usual, he performed a series of procedures toplete his entry. At the end of the page where the amount of remuneration was expected, he selected the option which said two million. The first time he did that, he indicated five hundred thousand, but the request was denied. He entered one million during his second attempt, and the result was still the same. At his third try, he raised the amount to one and a half million, yet nothing changed. Is the amount too little? That time around, he chose two million without any hesitation. Shortly after cing his request, he received an anonymous phone call. ¡°Hello.¡± The hoarse voice of a man sounded at the other end of the line. ¡°You want us to investigate the case where the daughter of the Yates family went missing? It¡¯s going to be tough because the incident happened too long ago.¡± ¡°I can raise the amount.¡± It took Ryan a while to realize who he was speaking to. Someone from Mysterious yet Majestic has contacted me! Chapter 798 Chapter 798 ¡°Sir, money is not the problem. I¡¯ll talk to my colleagues about this. If they agree to take the case, we¡¯ll launch the investigation.¡± Then, he hung up. Ryan stared at his dark phone screen thoughtfully. It¡¯s really not easy to investigate something that happened decades ago. But that was exactly the reason he thought ofmissioning Mysterious yet Majestic to help him. He had heard that the organization was capable of solving any case. Can they really seed where the Count¡¯s Mansion has failed? At the same time, a typically inactive group chat that Ashlyn was in began pinging with a flurry of messages. Quiet Forest: Someone is paying two million to investigate the case of Count¡¯s Mansion¡¯s missing heiress. Flying Fish: Two million? Missing heiress from the Count¡¯s Mansion? Hasn¡¯t she returned? Boss: Yeah. What¡¯s the point ofunching an investigation when she¡¯s already back? Lone Breeze: What¡¯s there to investigate? And two million? All these dumb rich people. Helios: The Count¡¯s Mansion¡¯s heiress has been missing for so many years. How can they find any clues now? The case might be workable if it was less than ten years old. Ashlyn could not help but frown as she read the message. She was soon bombarded with a fresh wave of messages. Lone Breeze: Hey, where¡¯s Zero? Why is he missing out on all the gossip? Boss: He¡¯s probably asleep? It¡¯s prettyte. Helios: Is Zero suddenly subscribing to a healthy sleep cycle? Haha. Quiet Forest: Hey, back to the topic. Are we taking this case or not? We need to decide now. I gotta turn the client down if we¡¯re not taking the case. Zero: I¡¯m not asleep. The case sounds challenging. Let¡¯s take it! Flying Fish: Fine. Let¡¯s follow Zero¡¯s lead. Who knows? We might actually shed some light on this cold case! Quiet Forest sent an emoji followed by the message: Yup! Lone Breeze: Fine! Boss: I¡¯m fine either way. And so the next morning, Ryan received an investigation confirmation message from Mysterious yet Majestic. He stared at the simple message on his phone as he sat on the bed. Mysterious yet Majestic¡¯s case confirmation notice. Ryan leaped off the bed and logged into the Mysterious yet Majestic¡¯s request page. Lo and behold, the precious confirmation notice was in his inbox. They¡¯ve epted the case! His heart suddenly and inexplicably burned with excitement. He clearly remembered how gifted his elder sister was at ying the piano. In fact, she was a way more talented musician than him. With the training they received back in the day, his elder sister had won first ce at a children¡¯s piano competition. How could she ever forget how to y the piano? Even if she had been adopted by another family and had gone years without training, she couldn¡¯t possibly forget everything she had ever learned. She would at least remember how to y a simple tune from our childhood. Yet, Mary ims she doesn¡¯t know how to y at all. Her im only fed Ryan¡¯s suspicions about her true identity. As those thoughts crossed his mind, Ryan quickly freshened up and exited the mansion, heading straight for the dark room. In the dark room, Mary and Penelope were almost on theirst legs. They could never adapt to the room¡¯s poor condition thanks to their pampered lifestyles. Penelope groaned weakly, ¡°Mom¡­ I can¡¯t do this anymore. I¡¯m so tired.¡± Mary hurriedly patted her daughter¡¯s cheek and muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t scare me, Penelope.¡± She immediately shrieked after touching her daughter¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re so warm, Penelope! Are you running a fever?¡± Penelope began drifting in and out of consciousness as she mumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯m so tired¡­¡± Horrified, Mary yelled, ¡°Penelope! Don¡¯t sleep! You can¡¯t fall asleep!¡± Then, she crawled to the door and banged desperately on the metal door. ¡°Open the door! My daughter¡¯s sick! She¡¯s running a fever! If anything happens to her, I¡¯m going to kill you! Don¡¯t think I¡¯m weak just because I¡¯m locked in here! I¡¯m still the Yates family¡¯s heiress! Open the door!¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. A long moment after her indignant screams, an old woman drawled outside the door, ¡°Save your energy. Old Mrs. Yates hasn¡¯t given the orders to let you out.¡± Mary bit her lip in anger. This is all because of Ashlyn! Chapter 799 Chapter 799 Mary and Penelope had grown ustomed to the lifestyle of socialites, yet Ashlyn¡¯s appearance had ruined their fairytale lives in an instant. That b*tch is an absolute jinx! She carries bad luck everywhere she goes! Just then, Ryan arrived at the dark room and looked at the elderly woman guarding the door. ¡°Open it!¡± The woman hesitated briefly before following his orders. Light suddenly illuminated the dark room, and Mary instinctively flinched and shielded her eyes from the re. ¡°Have youe to get us, Ryan?¡± Upon recognizing Ryan, Mary hurriedly stood up and supported Penelope to her feet. She added, ¡°Penelope¡¯s sick. She¡¯s running a fever. Take us away from this ce.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to ask you something,¡± Ryan asked while looking down at Mary. His cold expressioncked any hint of brotherly affection. Stunned, Mary asked, ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Mary, we used to y in the backyard of the Count¡¯s Mansion all the time. You even made a flower crown for me out of the nts there. Do you remember?¡± Awkwardly, Mary answered, ¡°Ryan, I don¡¯t remember many things from our past. I went missing when I was so young, you see.¡± ¡°Not really. If I can remember them, why can¡¯t you?¡± Frostily, Ryan continued, ¡°I even remember you have a birthmark over your left waist. Can I look at it now?¡± ¡°Ah? Really? We may be siblings, but there should definitely be some propriety between us. How can I bare such a spot for you?¡± At the same time, Mary stared at Ryan in shock. What is he ying at,ing here so suddenly and osting me with so many questions? Is he suspecting something? But that¡¯s impossible. I didn¡¯t give anything away. When did he start suspecting me? Have I not done enough to keep up my facade? Ryan arched a brow and drawled, ¡°We grew up together and were very close. I¡¯m just asking to see your birthmark. I¡¯m not going to look anywhere else.¡± Mary fumbled for an excuse. ¡°Ah, why are we fixating on this? A birthmark can hardly represent our entire rtionship, can it? It has always been there. How can it suddenly disappear? Why don¡¯t you head back first? I-I¡¯ve been here for so long, and I¡¯m absolutely filthy. After Mom lets Penelope and me out, I¡¯ll take a shower and show you the birthmark.¡± There was no such birthmark on her body, but if Ryan insisted she had one, by hook by crook, she would make sure there was one over her left waist. In fact, Mary was already contemting methods to create a fake birthmark. Her best option was to buy herself as much time as she could to execute her n. Ryan nodded at her words and dropped the topic. ¡°All right, then.¡± He promptly left the dark room, and the metal door mmed heavily behind him. Mary was bbergasted. He¡¯s leaving? What about Penelope and me? What was all that talk about being close siblings? Da*n it! Meanwhile, Ryan headed for his room with a grim expression. His gaze was so cold it could freeze water. My sister doesn¡¯t have a birthmark at all! I was just testing Mary, and she actually imed to have a birthmark! Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Once he reached his room, he flung himself on the bed and closed his eyes. At the same time, Bianca received a report from a housekeeper about Mary and Penelope¡¯s situation. ¡°A fever?¡± Bianca almost dropped her cup from shock. ¡°Let them out. Quick. Get the family doctor to check on Penelope.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The housekeeper hurried to the dark room, trailed by Bianca, who muttered, ¡°Matilda, we should check on them too. Oh, dear! No matter how angry I am at them, they¡¯re still my flesh and blood!¡± ¡°Yes, Old Mrs. Yates.¡± Someone supported Mary as she stumbled out of the dark room, while Penelope was so weak she had to be carried. The haggard pair returned to their rooms. Penelope¡¯s body was burning, and her face was devoid of color. Thankfully, the family doctor arrived quickly and gave her an injection to bring down the fever. He also prescribed some medicine for her. Chapter 800 Chapter 800 Bianca anxiously asked the family doctor, ¡°How is Penelope?¡± ¡°She has a fever, but she¡¯ll recover in a couple of days. Don¡¯t worry, Old Mrs. Yates.¡± As he spoke, the doctor packed his bag and soon left. Meanwhile, Mary fell to her knees and wailed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom! I¡¯ll never do such despicable things and disappoint you again! Please forgive me, Mom! I was too foolish in the past.¡± Bianca¡¯s anger melted as she stared at the disheveled and pallid Mary. It was such a pitiful sight that even aplete stranger would have felt sorry for Mary. Atst, the old woman shook her head and said, ¡°Stop kneeling. I hope you¡¯ve learned your lesson and will avoid any activities that could harm the Yates family¡¯s good name. Penelope is sick, so go and take care of her. And clean yourself up too.¡± ¡°Yes, of course!¡± Mary agreed swiftly, yet her hatred for Bianca had soared to frightening levels. Just wait and see, you old hat! At the same time, in a small house in Maredania, a man in his sixties was busy removing weeds from a vegetable patch in his yard. The variety of leafy greens and cucumbers in his yard made for a refreshing view. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Grapevines snaked along the arbor in the corridor, and under the natural shade of the tangled vines, he ced a wicker chair and table. The scene was as beautiful as a picture. Someone knocked on the front door just then, and the elderly man answered the door after cing his hoe on the ground. A devastatingly beautiful and fair-skinned young woman stood outside his house, exuding an iparable sense of elegance. The elderly man stared at her calmly and asked, ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Ashlyn shot him a stunning smile and exined, ¡°I heard you were living here, Old Mr. Leno, and I decided to visit you and try my luck.¡± Ian Leno¡¯s expression darkened, and he immediately moved to close the door. ¡°Go away! I don¡¯t entertain strangers.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t reject me so hastily, Old Mr. Leno.¡± Ashlyn presented a set of checkers to him and said, ¡°This checkers set is made from the finest Cat¡¯s Eye Emerald. Are you sure you don¡¯t want it?¡± Ian scoffed and retorted, ¡°You may look young, but you¡¯re generous, I¡¯ll give you that. I¡¯ve seen all sorts of excellent chest sets over the years. What makes you think I missing one made from Cat¡¯s Eye Emerald?¡± Despite the nonchnce in his tone, his gaze had not moved an inch from the checkers set. A checkers set made from Cat¡¯s Eye Emerald was undeniably tempting, but it was scarcely enough to convince him to forgo his principles. As that thought crossed his mind, Ian retracted his gaze and replied firmly, ¡°Are you going to stop me from closing the door? Fine! I won¡¯t close it then!¡± He spun on his feet and stubbornly headed to his yard. Ashlyn followed him, hugging the checkers set to herself. ¡°Old Mr. Leno, I¡¯m like to ask you toe out of istion and treat a patient. Would you consider that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never treat another patient again. Now, leave.¡± Ian¡¯s tone seemingly left no room for negotiation. Ashlyn¡¯s hair billowed gently in the morning breeze before settling against her waist. Her long white hoodie covered her ck shorts, and her legs seemed to stretch for miles in a pair of simple, ck Doc Martens. Ian¡¯s firm rejection did little to affect her mood, as evidenced by her small smile and the hint of amusement in her almond shaped eyes. Instead, she suggested, ¡°Before I leave, Old Mr. Leno, could we y a round of checkers?¡± Surprised, Ian asked, ¡°You know how to y checkers?¡± ¡°A little.¡± Something shed through Ashlyn¡¯s eyes as she added, ¡°We can y with the set I¡¯ve brought along.¡± Ian continued staring at her in shock. He rarely interacted with neighbors, having lived alone in the mountains for many years. He spent his days tending to his vegetable garden, cooking simple meals, and taking long walks. While he loved ying checkers, he did not have anyone to y with. When his boredom was too much to handle, he would y checkers alone, using one hand each to control opposing pieces. Now, this youngdy is boldly suggesting to y a checkers match with me? He narrowed his eyes and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t cry too hard when you lose and use me of bullying you.¡± Chapter 801 Chapter 801 Ashlyn smirked, her eyes sparkling with confidence. She asked Ian, ¡°What happens if I win? Will you promise to treat my friend then, Old Mr. Leno?¡± Her confidence piqued Ian¡¯s curiosity. Young people don¡¯t have the patience to sit through a checkers match. He did not believe she knew how to y at all. ¡°Fine. If you win, I¡¯ll treat your friend.¡± As he spoke, Ian stepped onto a stone path in his yard and strode toward the round table under the shade of grapevines. His white hair fluttered in the breeze. Ashlyn followed closely behind and sat opposite him. Then, she ced the board on the table and arranged the intricate emerald checkers pieces on it. Sunlight dappled on the checkers through the thicket of grapevines. The soft illumination brought out the stunning glow of the Cat¡¯s Eye Emerald. Ian¡¯s cold face seemed to soften a fraction as he observed the scene. Checkers was his favorite thing in the world after his family. Now that he was alone and living away from his family, the checkers set before him gave him more comfort than anyone could imagine. Ashlyn smiled at the subtle change in his expression and invited him to begin. ¡°Please start.¡± Ian nced at her and ran his finger over one of the beautifully carved Cat¡¯s Eye Emerald checkers. ¡°You¡¯re younger. You should go first.¡± She did not refuse his offer and settled her slender fingers on one of the pieces. Her appearance was atplete odds with her cutthroat skills at checkers. She moved her pieces swiftly and shrewdly, attacking while defending her ground admirably. Ashlyn did not panic during her match with Ian, who was totally surprised by her exceptional skills in the game. He thought he would easily defeat Ashlyn in a short-lived match. Thrilled at his opponent¡¯s talent, Ian upped his game and nned his moves more tactfully than usual to counter her moves. Finally, Ashlyn won the tight match by one step. Ian frowned slightly as he reorganized the checkers, asking, ¡°You could¡¯ve won by a wider margin. Why did you choose to win by such a close match?¡± Ashlyn smiled lightly and replied, ¡°One is more than enough. Old Mr. Leno, I hope you¡¯ll stand by your promise. And I promise I¡¯ll help you to solve the matter that has been the source of your pain and anger.¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Ian got to his feet, visibly tensing before his expression paled. He asked, ¡°How could a youngdy like you solve the cumbersome matters that have been eating me?¡± Her expression admirably stoic, Ashlyn vowed, ¡°As long as you cure my friend, I promise I¡¯ll solve it for you. I may be a young woman, but I never break my promises.¡± ¡°I should harvest the vegetables now. Help me with that,¡± Ian dered abruptly as he stopped before his vegetable patch. ¡°I swore never to treat another patient again, but since I have lost this bet, I¡¯ll keep my promise and treat your friend.¡± Ashlyn smiled and rolled up her sleeves. Then, she stepped into the vegetable patch and began pulling out weeds. Her fingers were covered in dirt in no time. Her diligence moved Ian since she seemed like a pampered socialite to him. He asked gently, ¡°Is it worth it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± answered Ashlyn simply. She kept her head lowered and continued weeding. ¡°I grew up in the countryside. My grandma nted vegetables for a living, and I helped her a lot. Life back then was so happy and peaceful. But¡­¡± But now, Grandma is no longer how she used to be. I¡¯m not the same Ashlyn, either. Everything has changed. Ashlyn still could not fathom how she had forgotten about how she met Lucas. Her head pounded whenever she tried to recall their meeting. Thankfully, Ian was not a gossipmonger, and he said, ¡°You can go back once you finish weeding the patch. Come back here tomorrow morning.¡± Meanwhile, Spencer had been waiting for over an hour in his car in the alley, yet Ashlyn was nowhere to be seen. He knitted his brows in concern. Another half an hour passed, which meant Spencer had been waiting for almost two hours. Ashlyn was still nowhere to be seen. Concerned, Spencer got off the car and hurried toward the Leno residence. From afar, he noticed the open gate of the residence, which gave him an unobstructed view of everything happening in Ian Leno¡¯s yard. Chapter 802 Chapter 802 Spencer saw a beautiful youngdy pulling weeds in a vegetable patch, incredibly focused on her task at hand. The sun had climbed to its peak by then, its unforgiving heat causing a sheen of sweat to appear on Ashlyn¡¯s forehead. Suddenly, Ashlyn¡¯s hand shot out before her. Spencer noticed she had a fat, green caterpir pinched between her fingers. Then, she promptly threw the caterpir on the ground and stepped on it. The bug just died. Ashlyn continued weeding afterward, and Spencer could not help but take a video of her with his phone. Half an hour passed before Ashlyn finally stood up. She called out to Ian, who was inside the house. ¡°I¡¯m leaving, Old Mr. Leno! See you tomorrow.¡± After dusting the dirt off her hands, she washed her hands using a faucet in the yard before heading for the gate. It was then that she noticed Spencer standing outside. He hesitated before saying, ¡°Ms. Berry, what are you¡­¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Gardening¡¯s great for the mind and body.¡± While trying to dry her hands, Ashlyn said, ¡°Give me some tissues from the car.¡± The sweat on her forehead had almost trickled to her neck. When they got to the car, Spencer hurriedly opened the door and grabbed some tissues for her. His heart ached at how tired Ashlyn looked. ¡°What did Old Mr. Leno say?¡± Nodding, Ashlyn said, ¡°He agreed. Bring Mr. Nn here tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± asked Spencer confusedly. Isn¡¯t Ms. Berry joining us? ¡°Oh, I have something else to do tomorrow.¡± Ashlyn dried the sweat on her forehead and tossed the soiled tissues into the car¡¯s trash bin. Spencer started the car and drove off. The Leno residence fell into silence once more. Ian walked out of the house with an old bamboo an in his hand. He headed to the vegetable patch, filled with doubt. Soon enough, he saw the stic green trash bin in his yard piled with weeds and several dead caterpirs. The vegetable patch was wet as though it was freshly watered. It was the perfect amount of moisture for his vegetables without turning the surrounding ground muddy. He did not have to worry about wet soil on his shoes while plucking vegetables from outside the patch. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Ashlyn had done a great job tidying the patch, and she had even ced some rods in the ground to support the green bean vines, allowing them to snake upward as they grow. Ian could not help but smile. She¡¯s a diligent young woman. What can she not achieve with such an excellent trait? He began to feel curious about the friend Ashlyn had mentioned. What kind of friend must he or she be for that young woman to put in so much effort to convince me? The next morning, Ashlyn disappeared without a trace, leaving Spencer to bring Lucas to the Leno residence alone. Ian heard someone knocking on his door and looked over. He immediately saw a tall, handsome young man with striking features and an extremely imposing aura, which stifled the air in the small yard. The young man wore a ck shirt and cks and ced one hand in his pocket. He ced his other hand casually on the old doorframe, yet the action did not diminish his extraordinary sense of elegance. ¡°Mister, I¡¯m Lucas Nn, your¡­ patient.¡± His rich baritone voice reverberated against the backdrop of the quiet morning. Ian set his coffee cup aside and replied lightly, ¡°Come here and take a seat.¡± Lucas entered the yard and strode toward the grapevine-sheltered table where Ian sat. The smell of coffee wafted through the yard as Ian picked up his coffee pot and poured a cup for his patient. ¡°Have some coffee.¡± Lucas wrapped his long fingers around the coffee cup and took a sip. ¡°An exceptional ck Ivory coffee. It tastes pretty good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Ian¡¯s expression remained cid as he instructed, ¡°Close your eyes.¡± Lucas slowly closed his eyes just as Ian¡¯s voice rang out beside his ear. ¡°Who¡¯s the most important person in your heart?¡± Chapter 803 Chapter 803 Lucas¡¯ mind slowly went ck under Ian¡¯s influence. Then, he saw the re of a fiery sun. A slender girl stood barefoot in a muddy field deep enough to reach her calves. The girl has wisely rolled up her trousers. She wore a long-sleeved white shirt, which she tucked into her ck trousers. Her legs seemed impossibly slender in her simple get-up. The girl also wore a thin pair of gloves, while her hair was fixed in a high bun, partially concealed by a straw hat. She had been sowing paddy in the fields from early morning till almost midday. Sweat drenched the back of her shirt. She stood up and opened a bottle of mineral water, taking a few big gulps to quench her thirst. She did not appear bothered by the muddy field soaking her legs. After drinking some water, she immediately got back to work. The farmers had tilled the field two to three times before allowing thend to be waterlogged and muddy. The field had an approximate ten-centimeter level of water by the time the girl started sowing paddy. She grabbed another stalk of seedlings with her left hand and swiftly nted them with her right. As she worked, her left thumb and middle finger rapidly divided the thick bunch of seedlings into smaller bunches for nting. She worked quickly and skilfully under the re of the hot sun. Sweat trickled down her cheeks and eventually dropped into the field. Amid her busybor, Ashlyn could not help but feel as though two people were staring at her. She frowned and raised her head, yet she did not see anyone around her. Is something off with my sixth sense? Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain on her leg. Ashlyn scurried to the edge of the field and saw a disgusting, fat slug hanging off her calf. If she yanked the slug off, her calf would bleed uncontrobly. Ashlyn was repulsed. It was pointless to use brute force to pull the slug off, as it would only encourage the bug to cling tighter to her leg. Plus, if she happened to break the slug in half, its teeth would remain in her wound, increasing the risk of infection. ¡°Da*n it!¡± Ashlyn picked up a small brick and prepared to tap the slug lightly until it fell off. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over her. She looked up instinctively and saw Lucas standing behind her. As he knelt, she spotted a small piece of wood in his hand, which he used to nudge the slug gently. A few nudgester, the slug retracted its teeth and fell to the ground. Lucas promptly threw it aside, exposing it to the scorching heat of the sun.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Meanwhile, Ashlyn stared on in shock as he then ced hisrge palms near her wound, pressing firmly to squeeze out all the tainted blood. Afterward, he retrieved some alcohol and disinfected her wound. He also applied some iodine to staunch the blood flow. Everything happened so smoothly and was over in the blink of an eye. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Lucas¡¯ rich tone rang out above her head, snapping Ashlyn out of her trance. She asked, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt. Why are you here?¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t show up, I would never realize how much you loved me. You were even willing to toil in a field for me. Besides, I wouldn¡¯t see you exhausted, drenched in sweat, and even getting bitten by a slug.¡± Lucas stared at her emotionally. She was always supposed to be that talented, gorgeous woman. She should be at the top of the world, enjoying her roles as Centennial Healthcare¡¯s chairwoman and the judge of the International Piano Competition. Yet, she hase to this ce to farm under the hot sun for me. Though Ashlyn reeked of sweat and blushed from exertion, Lucas thought she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was so beautiful that staring at her threatened to snap his control. Atst, Lucas could no longer hold himself back and pulled her into a tight hug. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve your love and care¡­ not in my current state.¡± Ashlyn gasped in shock as she rammed into his firm chest. Lucas hugged her so tightly that it was as though he hoped to absorb her soul into his. Eventually, Ashlyn began coughing violently and pleaded, ¡°L-Let go of me!¡± Chapter 804 Chapter 804 He was holding her so tightly that she could hardly breathe. Lucas let go of Ashlyn at once and tried to calm himself down after hearing her coughing violently. Looking at her with an anxious expression, he said with a hint of panic in his voice, ¡°How are you feeling? Is your wound hurting again?¡± Ashlyn was speechless when she heard that. Why would a domineering and assertive man like him be worried about my superficial wound? This¡­ ¡°Stop hugging me so tightly. I¡¯m gonna suffocate,¡± Ashlyn said wordlessly before continuing, ¡°We can¡¯t kill leeches by hitting them as they have the ability to regenerate. The only way to kill them is to scorch them to death!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± Lucas said while lifting the woman up before continuing, ¡°From now onward¡­ I¡¯ll protect you. Don¡¯t do such things for me ever again.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Lucas felt a surge of warmth in his heart, together with a whirlwind ofplicated feelings that he was unable to exin. How did things progress to its current stage? A viger who was working nearby noticed the loving expression on the handsome face of a dashing and elegant man. The man was carrying a pretty woman in his arms while walking toward a ck luxury car. The couple seemed to be glimmering under the illumination of the sun. Afterying Ashlyn down on the car seat, Lucasy down on top of her. With the man¡¯s body pressing against hers, Ashlyn could feel his warm breath on her face. Before the woman could react, Lucas pressed his lips against hers. He had already wanted to do that when he saw her working in the fields earlier on. In fact, he was dying to merge his body with hers and was in agony trying to suppress his burning desire to have her. Right then, he was on the verge of losing self-control. Ashlyn always seemed to be full of surprises, and Lucas always found himself filled with energy when he was with her. Caught off-guard, Ashlyn was unable to move at all after being pinned down by the man. Intimate tension grew quickly between the couple, and soon, the atmosphere was filled with intense passion. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to sacrifice yourself for me ever again,¡± Lucas said domineeringly with his face just an inch away from Ashlyn¡¯s. He seemed to have no intention to move away and continued to bite at her lips unrelentingly. It was as if he was punishing the woman while, at the same time, trying to take in all of her. ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Ashlyn¡¯s face was flushed red. She was feeling extremely ufortable but was unable to utter a single sound. She tried to push the man away, but no matter how hard she tried, he did not budge at all. She felt as if she was almost dying of suffocation. ¡°Did you hear me? You¡¯re not allowed to do such things again.¡± Lucas finally let Ashlyn go before touching her forehead with his as he stared deeply into her eyes. The man was exuding a domineering aura. Ashlyn was panting heavily as she inhaled the fresh air hungrily, badly needing to replenish the oxygen in her lungs. However, the woman¡¯s heavy breathing caused the romantic tension inside the car to rise at once. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re not allowed to do that again! Do you hear me? Only I¡¯m allowed to make sacrifices for you but not the other way around, understand? Answer me!¡± Lucas asked again, pinching Ashlyn¡¯s chin. He was determined to repeat the question until he received a satisfactory answer. ¡°What¡¯s gotten to you?¡± Ashlyn asked in annoyance while having an angry re in her eyes. First, he had almost suffocated her by hugging her too tightly, and currently, he was acting like a domineering CEO talking to his submissive wife. Why did I put myself through all these? I have done it all for him! And he¡¯s still so unreasonable! ¡°I just want you to be safe and well,¡± Lucas said in a deep voice while lifting the woman¡¯s chin higher. He was gazing into her eyes intensely with a subtle hint of affection on his face. Lucas could not bear seeing Ashlyn get hurt, even if it was just being bitten by a slug! He wanted her to be well! Ashlyn blinked her eyes when she heard that. Is he¡­ confessing his feelings to me? Just then, Lucas lifted the woman¡¯s chin even higher, exposing her fair and tender neck. The next moment, the man opened his mouth and bit her neck. ¡°Ouch!¡± Ashlyn let out an agonized moan. It was so painful that she almost wanted to swing a punch at Lucas¡¯ face! Chapter 805 Chapter 805 She exerted all her energy and tried hard to push him away! ¡°Honey, you¡¯re mine. If you get hurt, I¡¯ll feel it too.¡± Even though the man was slurring, the dominance in his voice was undeniable. Suddenly, Ashlyn realized that the grown man who was almost six feet tall was as childish as a small kid. His crafty personality is much better than this childish one! At least the crafty one wouldn¡¯t bite me¡­ ¡°Sure, all right. I¡¯ll listen to you. Just get off me first. I¡¯ll do anything you say,¡± Ashlyn said quickly. All she wanted was for the man to stop biting her neck. Immediately after she said that, Lucas removed his mouth from her neck. Propping himself up with his hands, the man looked at Ashlyn and asked seriously, ¡°Really?¡± Seems like only extreme measures would work to get this mischievous girl to listen to me. ¡°Of course,¡± Ashlyn nodded at once while covering the bite mark on her neck with one hand. Thank God it¡¯s not bleeding. It would be so embarrassing otherwise. Others would most likely assume that it was the result of a vigorous battle between Lucas and her. An unfathomable glint shed past Lucas¡¯ eyes. He felt rather satisfied with Ashlyn¡¯s reassurance, and the tension and frustration that he was feeling earlier dissipated at once. ¡°Be good and behave yourself,¡± Lucas said, his expression softening. He wouldn¡¯t think twice to sacrifice his life for the woman. In fact, he would give her everything in the world. She looked so adorable when she was behaving herself, and Lucas was dying to kiss her. Behave myself? That¡¯s ridiculous! Ashlyn was at a loss for words, and a hint of annoyance shed past her exquisite face. What a jerk! ¡°Let go.¡± When Lucas nced at the woman, he saw that the woman still had her hand on her neck. Feeling a flicker of irritation, he asked to take a look at her neck at once. Ashlyn swept a wary nce at the man and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± Is he nning to bite me again? If he does it again, I¡¯m going to kick him where the sun doesn¡¯t shine! Why does he like biting me so much! It¡¯s not as if we are teenagers who have just started dating and give hickeys to each other all day. In fact, we¡¯re already way past that age! Lucas frowned in displeasure when he noticed the cautious expression on Ashlyn¡¯s face. ¡°Honey, let go.¡± Ashlyn pouted and moved her hand away reluctantly. Lucas touched the bite mark on the woman¡¯s skin gently with his slender fingers, and a regretful expression shed past his face, but he tried not to think about it. The man lowered his head and nted his lips on the bite mark, kissing the area carefully and tenderly. Ashlyn shuddered as she felt the warmth of Lucas¡¯ lips against her skin. She froze at once as a blush spread across her cheeks, giving Lucas the freedom to roam his lips around her neck, soothing her pain. Could this man be a¡­ vampire? It wasn¡¯t the first time Lucas had bitten her¡­ As there was pin-drop silence in the car, the woman could hear her heart pounding against her chest. Finally, after a long while, Lucas looked up and found the woman in a daze. She was staring at him with her beautiful eyes. At the same time, her lips, which were slightly swollen from his kisses, were slightly parted, which he found extremely alluring. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Lucas felt his heart skip a beat before he lowered his head once again to kiss her on her lips. Reading the situation, Spencer squatted in the fields and lit a cigarette. Just when he felt as if he was almost dying from the heat, he saw the car windows rolling down. The next moment, Lucas¡¯ face appeared. ¡°Get in,¡± he said. Hearing that, Spencer stood up immediately and dusted his pants, feeling extremely relieved that he could finally go back. After returning to the hotel, Lucas received a call the moment he stepped into the presidential suite. A crease appeared between the man¡¯s brows as his expression turned cold. ¡°Wait for me here,¡± he said to Ashlyn. ¡°What happened?¡± the woman asked, arching her brows. ¡°I have some matters to settle and need to go out for a while,¡± Lucas replied ambiguously without sharing any details as he did not want to get the woman involved. ¡°Be good and wait for me toe back, yeah? Don¡¯t go anywhere, understand?¡± He knew that Ashlyn was fully capable of taking care of herself. But¡­ he still hoped that she would rely on him and let him take care of her forever, shielding her from the dangers of the world. Chapter 806 Chapter 806 He would feel uneasy whenever she was not in his sight, but¡­ Lucas spoke as though he was admonishing a child. Ashlyn shot him a displeased look. ¡°Can you stop treating me like a little girl from kindergarten?¡± Lucas smiled dotingly. ¡°You¡¯re forever my little girl.¡± Then, he turned to look at Spencer. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± In the presidential suite, Ashlyn was sittingzily on the couch and sipping a carton of milk in her hand, with a hint of drowsiness. Out of boredom, she fiddled with the milk carton with her fingertip, and she could not stop looking at the clock hanging on the wall. Lucas left in the morning and had not returned when it was already past midnight. Where did he go? Ashlyn began to feel a little restless, and a sense of unease crept into her heart. He had treatment at Ian¡¯s ce this morning. But where did he go in the afternoon? Where can he possibly be at this hour? Ashlyn got up from the couch impatiently. Then, she walked up to her wardrobe to grab a set of sports attire and went for a run around the hotel gym. However, after she came back from the gym, sweating profusely, there was still no news from Lucas. She could not hold herself back anymore and decided to give Lucas a call. Sadly, she could not get through at all. Unable to sleep well all night, she had a feeling that something was going to happen. When the morning sunlight streamed into Ashlyn¡¯s room through the window, her eyelids twitched a little, and she opened her eyes slowly. She was on the couch all night long. It was already nine o¡¯clock when she looked at the clock with her sleepy eyes after stretching for a little. Why is there still no news from Lucas? She tried calling him again, but it still did not get through. She then gave Spencer a call, but no one picked up the call. Ashlyn¡¯s patience was almost exhausted. She twisted her neck slightly which was sore from sleeping on the couch for too long. What is going on? Why is everyone not picking up my calls? She stood up from the couch and walked toward the bathroom, frowning. The moment she reached the bathroom door, her phone rang. She quickly grabbed her phone, but she saw an unknown number. After hesitating for a moment, she answered, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Ashlyn, Lucas is in trouble! We¡¯re at an abandoned bridge in the northern suburbs of Lake City. Come quickly! Hurry up!¡± It was ir¡¯s voice. ir¡¯s panicked voice hit her eardrums. Her heart skipped a beat, and her eyes widened in shock. ¡°ir, what¡¯s going on?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Ashlyn, actually Lucas returned to the country yesterday. I don¡¯t have time to exin it to you right now. Pleasee over quickly. Lucas is here!¡± The call ended as soon as he finished speaking. Ashlyn was so anxious that she could barely think straight at that moment. Without hesitation, she rushed toward the door. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Why did Lucas return to the country without telling me? While rushing out, she gave Jared a call. ¡°Help me check the whereabouts of Lucas yesterday. Did he return to the country?¡± Then, she called Luigi. ¡°Bring everyone and follow me back to the country!¡± ir is no longer the yful child in the past. His martial art skills have improved so much now. What the heck can make him so frightened that he had to call me for help? That must be¡­ Ashlyn dreaded to imagine the rest. What exactly happened? Ashlyn rushed into the elevator in a frenzy and pressed the button to go to the top floor of the hotel. At the same time, there was a deafening thunder in the sky, and the sky was covered with dark clouds. The rumbling thunder sounded in waves, and the sky was dark. A violent storm began, and the pedestrians on the street hurriedly fled. It seemed like a torrential downpour was about to happen. Ashlyn rushed up to the rooftop of the hotel, and the strong wind lifted her jacket. She stared coldly at the dark sky and leaped over the guardrail of the rooftop effortlessly. Then, she stood still on the vast rooftop, letting the strong wind whip up her long hair. A red helicopternded on the roof with a gust of wind and the propellers made thumping sounds. Chapter 807 Chapter 807 Ashlyn hopped on the helicopter swiftly and ordered Luigi, ¡°Back to the country!¡± The helicopter ascended into the sky and headed toward the destination at a high speed. Ashlyn was dozing off in the helicopter while the rumbling thunder sound filled her ears. Soon, the helicopter arrived at H Nation. The weather in H Nation was nice with a clear and deep-blue sky. The pilot heaved a sigh of relief as he was worried that an ident might happen if he continued to fly in a thunderstorm all the way from Maredania to H Nation. A few hourster, the helicopternded smoothly at the H Nation International Airport. Ashlyn took a nce at him. ¡°We don¡¯tnd here. Fly to the northern suburbs of Lake City.¡± ¡°But¡­ We didn¡¯t apply for the route¡­¡± ¡°Fly low,¡± said Ashlyn coldly. The pilot revved up the engine again and flew toward the northern suburbs. A low-flying helicopter was not easy to control. However, it did not hinder Ashlyn¡¯s vision. Abandoned bridge¡­ Factory¡­ Soon, she targeted a ce. However, the factory was empty when the helicopternded. There was a thick forest in the northern suburbs, making their search more challenging as it was difficult for the helicopter to move forward. After Ashlyn got off the helicopter, she fixed her gaze on a broken car at the gate of the abandoned factory. The car seemed to be a scrapped car that had been abandoned. She strode over and hurried into the car. It was to her surprise that it had a full tank of gas after she started the engine. She stomped on the elerator and drove off desperately. Meanwhile, Luigi, who just got off the helicopter, was on the phone. ¡°Get everyone here to back up. There¡¯s a GPS on Boss¡¯ phone. We¡¯ll follow her. Quick!¡± Ashlyn drove insanely, without considering the brake issue at all. She stepped on the elerator vigorously and rushed forward at a top speed. Her hands clenched tightly on the steering wheel, and her heart thumped violently. As her emotions were too intense that her eyes stared ahead intently, and she bit her lip until it was almost bleeding. ¡°Why would he get into trouble?¡± She sped up in agitation, and her eyes turned bloodshot. She could not be bothered by the surrounding bushes at that moment as the only thought in her mind was to find Lucas quickly. I must find Lucas as quickly as possible. ir held the phone in his hand and ran desperately down a dark alley. Behind him was a group of men in ck who were chasing after him. His heart raced wildly, and his forehead was covered with sweat. ¡°D*mn it! How can I get rid of them?¡± He ran straight into a narrow trail and saw a trash can that was about a person¡¯s height. He lifted the lid and jumped into it without hesitation. ¡°Go after him! Don¡¯t let this kid escape!¡± ¡°Did he really think that he¡¯s allowed to leave?¡± ir hid in the trash can, and the whole body was wrapped in the smell of rotten garbage. The smell was so awful that he covered his nose and dared not make any sound. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. The voice of the man in ck sounded beside him. Suddenly, he heard a fighting sound. It was then followed by a loud yelp of those men in ck as if they were in great pain. ir quietly opened a crack in the trash can, and the moment he saw the situation outside, his body trembled violently. Then, he froze in disbelief. The trail was covered with corpses, and there was a faint smell of blood in the air. There was a blood hole between the eyebrows on the corpses, proving their death. The twenty or so men in ck who chased after him were all dead now! ir¡¯s eyes widened, and his gaze followed the corpses all over the floor. ¡°ir.¡± Just as ir was still in shock, a cold and majestic voice sounded behind him. He turned around and saw Lucas standing not far away and staring at him coldly. Chapter 808 Chapter 808 ir quickly got out of the trash can. ¡°Lucas, are you all right?¡± He stared at Lucas with a worried look and added, ¡°Lucas, something happened to Ashlyn!¡± Both Lucas and Spencer were stunned. ¡°What did you say? Ashlyn is in the hotel at Maredania. What could have happened to her?¡± Lucas¡¯ expressionless face changed drastically upon hearing what ir said. He grabbed ir¡¯s cor with a terrifying look. ir was racked with guilt. ¡°I overheard the conversation between Dixon and Sienna. They said they had kidnapped you and wanted to throw you into the sea. Tinsor was caught by Dixon as he attracted their attention identally. I escaped and also heard some secrets about the Haddock Group. So I immediately gave Ashlyn a call. I told her that you were in trouble and asked her to quickly return to the country. She must have returned to the country to look for you!¡± ir was surprised to meet Lucas here, and thetter even saved him. ir looked at Lucas with a puzzled look. ¡°Lucas, why are you here?¡± ¡°We received a call from Tinsor, telling us that you were in trouble. So we quickly rushed over from Maredania,¡± replied Lucas. Meanwhile, Spencer took a deep breath after listening to ir, and he uttered, ¡°Mr. Nn, this is a trap.¡± The subordinates behind Lucas were startled and stared at Lucas in shock. ir was even more frightened, and he said fearfully, ¡°Lucas, if anything happens to Ashlyn¡­ You¡­ You just kill me!¡± Right then, Spencer received a call. ¡°Hello. What did you say?¡± After Spencer hung up the call, he looked at Lucas. ¡°A hotel staff informed me that Ms. Berry has boarded a red helicopter on the rooftop to return to the country.¡± Lucas¡¯ expression was cold. He knew that Ashlyn would definitely believe it since it was a call from ir. She must be extremely worried after answering the call. I know her well. She will assemble her people and rush to rescue me without thinking much. With that thought in mind, Lucas could not help but worry about her. ¡°Mr. Nn, I suddenly remembered the news that I read a few days ago, which said that the abandoned bridge and factory are going to be blown up today! They are going to build a resort there,¡± said Spencer anxiously. ¡°What did you say?¡± Lucas turned around instantly and grabbed Spencer¡¯s cor. His eyes were filled with raging emotions. Blow up the factory and the bridge! What if Ashlyn is on the bridge or the factory when they blow both the ces up? Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Lucas¡¯ eyes turned bloodshot, and fear gripped his heart. Spencer was taken aback by Lucas¡¯ violent aura and his furious re. ¡°Mr. Nn¡­ If I remember it correctly¡­ They¡¯re going to blow up the factory and the bridge today¡­ At twelve o¡¯clock noon.¡± The old bridge had long be a dangerous bridge due tock of maintenance, while the abandoned factory was forced to shut down a few years ago due to serious pollution issues. It was rumored that the factory was bought over by the Larson family to build a resort. Someone used this to set up a trap for Ashlyn! The person made Tinsor call me and lure me out. Then, he used ir to call Ashlyn to trick her into the factory. And eventually¡­ Ashlyn could be¡­ Lucas could not bear thinking about the consequences. Everyone else gasped sharply and looked at the time on their phones. It was already eleven-thirty in the morning. There was only half an hour left. But where is Ashlyn? Has she rushed over? Lucas let go of Spencer abruptly and threw him to the ground. He then turned around and dashed out. The usual coldness in his eyes disappeared, and his eyes were filled with anxiousness and fear instead. The incident struck terror into him. Chapter 809 Chapter 809 That won¡¯t happen! I won¡¯t let that happen! Ashlyn will be fine! Lucas clenched his fists tightly and rushed out of the alley as though he had gone insane. He was so fast as if he had unleashed his full potential. Seeing his dashing figure, Spencer, ir, and the bodyguards in ck quickly chased after him. ¡°Mr. Nn!¡± ¡°Lucas!¡± Everyone¡¯s expression was extremely solemn. They knew Ashlyn was extremely important to Lucas. She was his everything. If something happened to Ashlyn, then Lucas would not live too! Spencer and the rest followed Lucas and ran toward the entrance of the alley. They were so fast like a gust of strong wind. Everyone was so tensed and anxious. ir looked at Lucas who was getting faster and faster in front of him. He used all his strength to catch up with Lucas. I must save Ashlyn! I can¡¯t imagine what Lucas would be if something happened to Ashlyn. Lucas just went to Maredania to see a doctor, and I haven¡¯t even got the time to ask him if he has found the doctor. Holding that thought, he gritted his teeth and ran forward at full speed. At that moment, Lucas was enveloped with an uneasy and terrifying aura. His palm pressed on the road guardrail so hard that it almost broke the guardrail. With a leap, he jumped to the side of the car. He pulled the door with his slender fingertips, but he failed to open it. One could see how nervous and scared he was! Ashlyn is a smart woman. She will be all right. This trap was so wed that if she was careful enough, she would realize something was not right. However, he was afraid that Ashlyn would care so much about him that she couldn¡¯t think straight. Lucas tightened his fingers again and opened the car door. Once again, his eyes turned bloodshot in anger. He sat in the car, and there was a hint of hostility in his eyes. He was used as bait in this trap, and ir was misled to give Ashlyn a call. Ashlyn trusted ir. Besides, Lucas had been away for so long. She would definitely believe it and rush to save him desperately. She would lose the ability to think and fall into the trap. Thinking of that, he became more anxious. He knew Ashlyn very well. Once she went crazy, she would not care about anything else. Lucas recalled all the crazy things that she did in the past, but this time¡­ This time Lucas was a little angry. Why does she care so much about me? If she could care less about me, she would be able to think rationally when she got the call from ir. She would not rush out without thinking about her own safety. ¡°D*mn it!¡± He mmed his fist on the steering wheel furiously, letting out a loud honking sound. He could not wait for the rest anymore. He started the engine, and the car sped off. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Spencer, ir, and the others who were behind Lucas saw his car speed off like a bullet. They hurriedly got into the other cars that were parked at the side. In fact, Lucas was as crazy as Ashlyn. He lost his mind too when he knew that Ashlyn was in danger. He could no longer think rationally. He never expected that he would gradually fall into the trap just like Ashlyn. How could two brilliant people with high IQ fall into such a trap that could be seen through at a nce and put themselves in danger? It was all because of ¡°love¡±. Love that burnt like a fire that people would jump in without hesitation! ¡°Hurry up! We must catch up with Lucas!¡± ir shouted loudly as soon as he got into the car that Spencer had driven over. Their car dashed forward and was followed by the bodyguards who looked anxious too. In no time, the ck luxury cars drove off one after another. Chapter 810 Chapter 810 Spencer held the steering wheel with two hands. Judging from Lucas¡¯ current mood, he knew that something horrible might happenter. Those gripped by panic and fear would grow desperate and not able to think straight. Mr. Nn would go crazy for sure if something were to happen to Ms. Berry! It took her some time before she convinced Old Mr. Leno to treat Mr. Nn¡¯s condition. If he breaks down again, he might not be able to recover. This is a trap! Is it meant for Mr. Nn or Ms. Berry? Or is the enemy trying to kill two birds with one stone? Spencer dreaded to imagine the rest. They weren¡¯t in control of the situation. ¡°Hurry up, Spencer!¡± ir urged. Boom! Right after he said that, a thunderous boom echoed in the air. It sounded like a bomb had exploded. Just then, a streak of lightning cut through the sky. Thunder rumbled ahead. Everyone¡¯s heart skipped a beat at the sudden racket. The sky that was initially clear as day was covered with thunderclouds. It seemed that darkness had descended in the day. Strong gusts of wind blew, signaling the arrival of a storm. Several cars were speeding up a narrow road in the mountains on the outskirts of the city, creating strong sts of wind along the way. The cars were going at such a high speed as fast as cannonballs. ¡°Sit tight!¡± Spencer floored the elerator. He gripped the steering wheel and sped ahead at full force. Anxiousness and concern overwhelmed his heart. The tires screeched on the road and left sparks behind. They were driving at an incredibly frightening speed. Before them, Lucas¡¯ car was driving at the maximum speed. He didn¡¯t even bother about his safety. They had only one thought in mind¡ªsaving Ashlyn! Nothing could happen to Ashlyn. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Their enemy set up a trap for both Lucas and Ashlyn. ir and Tinsor were pawns, while Lucas and Ashlyn were each other¡¯s bait. It was a set-up to trap both Ashlyn and Lucas. If things were to escte, what should we do? Spencer couldn¡¯t help but feel worried and frustrated. What should I do if something were to happen to Mr. Nn and Ms. Berry? The usually calm andposed man bore a furious expression as though he was Grim Reaper from hell. Right this moment, his imposing presence was simr to Lucas¡¯. ¡°D*mn it!¡± ¡°Spencer, calm¡­ Ugh¡­ Calm down!¡± ir nearly puked his guts out when he spoke, but he did his best to hold it in. In front of them, Lucas was driving as though he were a madman. He changed his gear and floored the gas pedal as the car zoomed ahead. It would take at least forty minutes to reach the abandoned factory, and he had no idea when Ashlyn departed. He also wasn¡¯t sure if she was there. I must get there as soon as possible without any dys. With that thought in mind, Lucas grew increasingly restless. Nothing can happen to Ashlyn. She must be safe. We have yet to remarry and live happily ever after. We don¡¯t have a baby together yet, and the Spirogyra is still in her body. I can¡¯t let anything happen to her! The ck cars sped along the road as swift as bullets. Some pedestrians could only catch blur shadows as the cars raced ahead. Behind them were various police cars. ¡°Hey, pull over! Are you crazy? Even if this road is empty, you can¡¯t race here!¡± the traffic police in the car kept yelling. The captain of the traffic police immediately called the firefighters. ¡°Is the captain of the firefighter team, L Fraser, around? This is the traffic police department. We need backup!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± L took the phone from the operator as a strange glint shed across his eyes. ¡°A few cars are racing on the road that we¡¯re currently patrolling. It¡¯s nearby the northern suburbs. We request backup. We have already blocked the road but need more reinforcements!¡± Chapter 811 Chapter 811 ¡°Okay, got it. I shall bring my men over right now!¡± After hanging up, L bore an icy expression. Beside him, his vice-captain observed his expression carefully. ¡°Captain Fraser, should we depart now?¡± d in his firefighter uniform, L stared at the pouring rain outside the window and tidied his sleeves calmly. ¡°We¡¯re firefighters. It¡¯s raining heavily, so why would they need our help?¡± The vice-captain was surprised. Didn¡¯t Captain Fraser agree to send backup? Has he changed his mind? Without a word, he left the office and didn¡¯t dare to inform the other firefighters. L stared at the rain wordlessly. It¡¯s time to end things. Right then, he received a WhatsApp message on his phone. It was from Dixon: L, I¡¯ll leave you to gather the evidence. Can youplete it within a week? Something dark appeared in L¡¯s eyes as he replied: Yes. It will take at most ten days. I¡¯ll arrange for someone to head there. Dixon¡¯s reply arrived instantly mere secondster: Okay. I¡¯ll await your good news. The downpour was like an unending cataract of water sluicing from the sky. Lightning red and contorted in forks of gold. The world became cer-dark and the buckling, heaving sky looked fit to copse down anytime. A young woman was driving along the road leading to the abandoned factory in the northern suburbs. ¡°I¡¯m almost there. I¡¯m going to arrive soon!¡± Ashlyn held the steering wheel tightly as she stared ahead. The windshield wipers slid left and right to clear the rain as rain pelted the car. She kept mumbling to herself as the car got closer to the abandoned factory. Anxiety overwhelmed her heart. ir didn¡¯t tell me the entire incident clearly over the phone. I should¡¯ve left with Lucas instead of waiting for him in the hotel like a fool. I can¡¯t believe he returned to the country secretly without letting me know! Ashlyn could barely think straight as she was too concerned. Lucas¡¯ mental state cannot take even the slightest emotional distress. What happened to him? Was it a rpse? Or was his life in danger? Why did ir call instead of Spencer? She was about to drive past the bridge that was going to be blown up to head to the abandoned factory. After driving past the bridge, I¡¯ll arrive at the factory where Lucas is inside! ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Ashlyn stared at the creepy factory some distance away. A sharp glint appeared in her gaze as she floored the elerator. I need to save him no matter what! Meanwhile, the people beside the abandoned factory were prepared to detonate the explosives. ¡°The explosive devices will detonate five minutester!¡± The leader held his walkie-talkie and announced, ¡°Listen to my order! One, two, three! What the h*ll is that? Is that an old car?¡± The man stared at the car on the bridge incredulously. Didn¡¯t we barricade everything? The traffic police even blocked all paths heading here! Why is there a car heading this way? s, it was toote. ¡°Hurry, stop everything! Stop all the explosions!¡± the man yelled hastily as his expression turned as dark as thunder. ¡°Hurry, inform everyone to stop! We won¡¯t be demolishing the factory and the bridge!¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote! Our men at the factory had already detonated the explosives and left. There is no way they can head back. If they do, they will die in the explosion!¡± Everyone stared at the speeding car in shock. The man roared angrily, ¡°Did you do your job right? How did someone manage to enter the area? D*mn it! We can¡¯t afford to bear the consequences if someone were to die here!¡± Furious, he grabbed his walkie-talkie and activated the loudspeaker function. ¡°Will the car ahead please take note? This abandoned factory is going to be demolished by explosives, so please turn your vehicle around and leave right now!¡± Ashlyn was about to arrive at the factory when she heard the announcement. It caught her by surprise. Demolished by explosives? Is this factory going to be destroyed? She stared at the factory. If Lucas is inside, that means he¡¯ll die in the explosion! I must head inside! Chapter 812 Chapter 812 Wait, something is wrong. If he was inside, the people involved in the demolition should¡¯ve found him and brought him out. They must¡¯ve checked the entire area thoroughly and ensured no one was inside before detonating the explosives. Her thoughts were a tangled mess. She muttered under her breath, ¡°So Lucas isn¡¯t inside? Did ir lie to me? Or did someone masquerade as him to give me that call?¡± The gears in her head spun quickly. D*mn it! Her eyes narrowed as she mmed the brakes, prepared to make a U-turn. She turned the steering wheel quickly to drive away from the abandoned factory. However, the car refused to slow down. She had found it in the previous old factory and didn¡¯t stop to find out whether it was still in good shape. She couldn¡¯t slow down at all. No matter how hard she floored the brakes, the car still sped ahead at full speed. It was going to crash into the factory in no time. I will die if the car doesn¡¯t stop! Rumble, rumble! Another loud explosion sounded. The northwest corner of the factory had exploded. mes shot up everywhere. Huge plumes of smoke billowed and rose into the air.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn gritted her teeth in fury. D*mn it! More and more explosives were detonated, and Ashlyn¡¯s car was about to crash into the factory. Suddenly, another luxurious ck car appeared and headed straight for her car. Everyone at the scene was bewildered. ¡°Do they have a death wish?¡± ¡°Call the firefighters and tell them toe over at once!¡± the leader yelled in desperation. ¡°Why are you not doing anything? If they enter the factory, we need the firefighters toe and rescue them!¡± After Lucas¡¯ car dashed into the factory, Spencer arrived with ir. The luxurious cars sped toward the abandoned factory recklessly. They were as quick as lightning. Spencer didn¡¯t need any reminder or order. He would have to enter the factory for Lucas and Ashlyn¡¯s sake. Before driving into the factory, he suddenly threw ir out of his car. ¡°Mr. ir! I¡¯m sure Mr. Nn and Ms. Berry want you to be safe!¡± Having said that, he let out a determined roar and went after Lucas. Behind him, the bodyguards¡¯ cars followed him and headed to the factory. ir crashed to the ground loudly. His head was buzzing as he crawled to his feet to run toward the factory. ¡°Wait, Spencer!¡± ¡°Lucas! Ashlyn!¡± His anguished screams soon attracted the attention of the people tasked to blow up the bridge. They held him before he could run any further. The leader was sweating profusely. ¡°Kiddo, why do you want to head inside? Didn¡¯t you see that the explosives had been detonated? The people in the cars will definitely die inside!¡± ¡°Let me go! Let me go! It was all my fault!¡± ir was pinned to the ground by a few men. He struggled with all his might to free himself but to no avail. Thus, he could only watch as Ashlyn¡¯s car charged toward the abandoned factory that was now on fire. ¡°No! Ashlyn!¡± ¡°Oh, this is horrible. They must be crazy. Why are they doing this? Do they want to get killed?¡± the staff whispered among themselves in shock. ¡°Kiddo, they didn¡¯t want you to die and left you here. Why are you insisting on going inside? You¡¯re too young to die.¡± Consecutive loud explosions were heard, but the vehicles paid no heed and continued driving ahead. ¡°Hurry, catch up to Mr. Nn!¡± Spencer barked as he stepped on the gas pedal. He instructed the remaining cars behind him. ¡°We must save Mr. Nn and Ms. Berry!¡± The bodyguards risked their lives and charged ahead, hoping to crash into Ashlyn¡¯s and Lucas¡¯ car to force them to stop. s, Ashlyn and Lucas were too fast. There was no way to stop their cars, especially when Ashlyn was a professional racer! Chapter 813 Chapter 813 It was impossible to catch up to S, the God of Cars! Right then, Lucas¡¯ car crashed into Ashlyn¡¯s car with a loud bang. Right after that, Spencer¡¯s car and the other cars also crashed into their cars. It was a pile-up collision! The cars overturned from the enormous impact. Some were sent flying and crashed into the nearby trees. Ashlyn was driving a dpidated car. After getting hit, her vehicle rolled over and continued heading toward the abandoned factory. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The engine buzzed noisily as Ashlyn struggled to fight off the dizziness from the impact of the crash. Before she could react, the car was already heading to the factory again. It was still charging ahead at an unreasonably fast speed. Her hands were gripping the steering wheel. Right before the car crashed into the abandoned factory, another explosion happened. The explosive at the entrance of the factory had been detonated! Lucas¡¯ eyes widened in shock at the scene. He crawled out of his overturned car and ran toward the factory, ignoring the blood trickling down his forehead. Behind him, Spencer and the rest promptly pinned him down. ¡°No, Mr. Nn! Ms. Berry is gone! You can¡¯t head in!¡± ¡°Let go! Let me go!¡± Lucas growled angrily as he shoved Spencer away. I must save Ashlyn! She¡¯s right in front of my eyes! Panic filled Lucas, and his eyes turned red. His bodyguards clung to his arms and legs so he couldn¡¯t take another step further. Spencer burst into tears. ¡°Ms. Berry won¡¯t want you to head in! Please, Mr. Nn. Please stay here!¡± he pleaded. He¡¯ll die if he goes after Ms. Berry. Her car is already inside! The torrential rain didn¡¯t seem to be stopping anytime. As the skies wept, the darkness seemed to envelop thend, casting a gloom over everyone¡¯s heart. ¡°Ah!¡± Lucas let out a deep roar. He resorted to the power of his ancient martial arts to shake off everyone surrounding him. There was no time to wallow in pain. Spencer and the rest got to their feet and ran after their employer, who was sprinting. Suddenly, the raspy sound of the engine rang out. A car zoomed out of the licking mes and leaped into the air before crashing onto the ground. Everyone gaped in disbelief at the sight. The vehicle was a fiery cauldron of yellow mes surrounded by a blue glow. Everyone could only watch as the roaring me danced in the pouring rain. Inside the car, Ashlyn was focused on the road. Her eyes were as bright as stars. Behind her, the fire spread throughout the factory like locusts destroying everything in its path. Its intense mes transformed the factory into an incinerator, cremating everything into ashes. A repugnant burning scent filled the air as the ravenous orange mes swallowed everything in sight. From afar, the sirens of fire engines and screams from various people could be heard distinctly. s, Ashlyn couldn¡¯t hear a word. She was focused on driving her car even though it was covered in mes and could burn her to ashes any minute. Her car continued to advance at a fast speed. Veins bulged from her fingers as she was clutching the steering wheel too tightly. Her target was a big tree not far away from her. Its trunk was so thick that two people could wrap their arms around it. Her face was pale as she clenched her jaw and turned the steering wheel with all her might. She was driving the car at full speed. Sparks began to ignite as the tires screeched against the ground. She had to stop the car before the mes got to her. I don¡¯t want to die in the fire. I can¡¯t die. Chapter 814 Chapter 814 As she turned the steering wheel, the car started spinning wildly. Everyone at the scene was shocked to see how fast it was spinning. Screech! The jarring sound of the tires hit everyone¡¯s ears. Their hearts leaped to their throat as they stared at the burning car that had just dashed out of the abandoned factory. Lucas was trashing with all his might when he heard the sound. At once, he looked in the direction of the sound and saw Ashlyn speeding toward the thick tree. His heart nearly came to a stop as fear almost swallowed him whole. ¡°Honey!¡± he roared out loud. As his roar reverberated in the air, Ashlyn¡¯s car crashed into the tree forcefully. An ear-splitting bang pierced the air. The mes immediately stretched skywards as the tree swayed from the impact of the crash. Leaves and broken branches fluttered down and covered the ground and car. Soon, everything was swallowed by the relentless fire. The car was barely in shape. It had broken into several pieces and finally came to a stop. However, its tires were still squeaking against the ground, showing no intention ofing to a halt. The crowd stared at the scene in shock. Oh, dear! Did a burning car drive out of the abandoned factory and crash into a tree without slowing down? The driver is really¡­ ¡°No! No!¡± Lucas¡¯ heart nearly stopped beating as fear wed up his throat. His body was shaking so hard that he could barely walk. He wanted to rush to Ashlyn, but his legs were too weak to support him. His breathing turned rapid and deep, and he was about to suffocate. ¡°Honey!¡± Lucas summoned every inch of his energy and ran toward Ashlyn. As he screamed in anguish, Spencer flung his arms around him. ¡°Mr. Nn, the car is on fire! What can you do to help?¡± His heart ached when he saw his usually calm employer turning into a madman. Ms. Berry¡¯s car ispletely out of shape. She¡¯s most probably dead. If Mr. Nn goes after her¡­ Spencer dared not imagine the rest. ¡°Spencer, release him! Let him go to her!¡± ir rushed over to them and pried Spencer¡¯s hand away. ¡°What if Ashlyn is still alive? What if she¡¯s waiting for us to save her?¡± Taken aback, Spencer released his grip subconsciously. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. He soon regained hisposure and replied, ¡°Mr. Nn might¡¯ve gone crazy, but why are you defending him? Look at the state of the car. There¡¯s no way she¡¯s still alive!¡± By then, Lucas had already charged ahead. A few bodyguards tried to stop him from advancing. ¡°Mr. Nn, Ms. Berry is most probably dead! Mr. Nn, calm down!¡± ¡°If the car explodes, you¡¯ll die along with her!¡± ¡°Mr. Nn!¡± They had never seen their employer this frantic with fear as though he had gone mad. Ashlyn is my everything! She¡¯s everything to me! I can¡¯t lose her. No matter what, I must save her. I must bring her out even if she¡¯s already dead. I can¡¯t watch as the mes burn her to a crisp. ¡°Scram!¡± Lucas howled angrily. He used all his might to shove everyone away and stared at the mes devouring the car. Despair shone in his eyes. The pouring rain couldn¡¯t put the fire out. Lucas¡¯ fists balled up. Ashlyn is strong and amazing. How could she die? ¡°Ashlyn is still alive! She¡¯s the God of Cars. She knows her way around cars better than anyone else I know. Since she picked this tree to crash into, she¡¯ll be fine!¡± Lucas dered loudly. His voice was wrecked with anguish and dejection. Inside the almost-destroyed car, Ashlyn curled into a ball in her seat with her eyes shut. She didn¡¯t move an inch. Chapter 815 Chapter 815 Her ck hair stuck to her face, which was stained with blood. There was so much blood gushing out that it seemed she was soaking in a puddle of blood. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Lucas couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. My Ashlyn¡­ My Ashlyn¡­ Tears streamed down his face and mixed with the rain. His eyes were red as he reached out to open the door. s, the door was engulfed in mes. Without batting an eyelid, Lucas reached out for the door handle and gave it a forceful tug. The mes immediately crept up his palm. Slowly, the repugnant scent of charred flesh filled the air. Everyone else gazed at him incredulously. Did he just reach into the fire just to open the door? ir, Spencer, and the rest were all shocked. Thud! Lucas tossed the remains of the door aside after he pulled it out from the car. Ignoring his burned palm, he bent down to pick Ashlyn up. The temperature in the car was scorching hot. Ashlyn¡¯s entire body was burning and aching as though her bones had been crushed. Her head was also heavy. Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw Lucas¡¯ grim expression. Licking her lips stained with blood, she whispered, ¡°H-Hubby¡­¡± Hearing her familiar voice, Lucas trembled violently. It had been ages since shest called him ¡°Hubby.¡± After all, she stopped calling him ¡°Hubby¡± after their divorce. After all, she stopped calling him ¡°Hubby¡± after their divorce. Tears threatened to spill out of his eyes as he vowed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will save you!¡± Ashlyn¡¯s mind wandered off. Her lips twitched, but nothing came out of her mouth. No, I don¡¯t want to die. I have yet to find my mother or the person who set this trap up for Lucas and me. I can¡¯t die! Her eyes snapped open without warning. She forced herself to stay awake. Her eyes were red as blood trickled down her forehead and cheeks. It was a horrifying sight, for she looked like a ghost who had just climbed out of hell. Despite being covered with blood, she was still a sight to behold. She reached out and grabbed Lucas¡¯ hand before tightening her grip. Meanwhile, the temperature in the car soared to its peak. The vehicle shook as mes and thick ck fumes shot into the sky. ¡°Hold me tight!¡± Ashlyn used all her might to utter the words. Having said that, she reached out and flung her arms around Lucas¡¯ neck. Lucas held her waist and pulled her into his arms. Boom! The moment she was brought out of the car, the fire spread to her seat through the gap in the door. Lucas held her tightly and spun on his heels to leave. Right after he turned around, the car exploded into pieces. The sky was illuminated by the zing fire as the car was burned to ashes. Bits and pieces of the car sprang in all directions and injured those who stood nearby. The car had exploded. Fortunately, Lucas managed to save Ashlyn in time. Otherwise, the consequences would be dire. Ashlyny in Lucas arms and forced her eyelids to open. Realizing how worried he looked, she wanted to assure him that she was all right. However, she was too exhausted. All she wanted to do was to get some rest. ¡°Honey? Honey¡­¡± Lucas called her anxiously. s, she soon sumbed to her exhaustion and shut her eyes, falling into a deep sleep. Under L¡¯s lead, a few fire engines finally arrived at the scene. d in his uniform, he strode over and nced at a seriously wounded Ashlyn and Lucas¡¯ burned hands. Feeling bad, he said, ¡°Mr. Nn, you should head to the hospital as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, Lucas. Let¡¯s send Ashlyn to the hospital now!¡± ir wiped his tears away and gazed at Lucas earnestly. Chapter 816 Chapter 816 Spencer and the rest got to their feet. They finally snapped back to reality. Ms. Berry is still alive! She¡¯s still alive! Lucas lifted his head and nced at L. Without a word, he strode toward his car with Ashlyn in his arms. L turned around and ordered his subordinates to put out the fire. ¡°Hurry, put out the fire. Don¡¯t let it spread out. Find out if there are any other victims around.¡± After Lucas and the others disappeared, he couldn¡¯t stop hatred from filling his eyes. A vicious grin flitted across his lips. Lucas Nn, Joseph Field. This is just the beginning. You took my beloved away from me, so don¡¯t me me for teaching you a lesson. A veil of darkness shrouded the entire area. The night breeze blew as dogs barked asionally. The entire street was otherwise silent. After a bustling day, Imperial Hotel finally descended into silence. The empty building was eerily silent as it was closed of business. Only the reception area on the first floor was brightly lit. The other floors were deathly quiet. In one of the rooms in the dorm, Howard¡¯s face was pale as he stared at the two men in ck who barged into his room. Shock crept up his face as he asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± One man with a scar on his face gave him a vicious look. ¡°Mr. Chef, Mr. Silvermoon wants you to take action tonight.¡± One man with a scar on his face gave him a vicious look. ¡°Mr. Chef, Mr. Silvermoon wants you to take action tonight.¡± ¡°They are innocent beings. Why are you doing this?¡± Howard stared at him, his face devoid of expression. ¡°They won¡¯t affect our n.¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s better to be safe than sorry,¡± the scarred man dered icily. ¡°Members of the ZZ Organization never beat around the bush or harbor any feelings. Mr. Chef, are you telling me that you think of them as your colleagues?¡± ¡°What a joke!¡± the other bald man snorted out loud. ¡°This is ridiculous. Friendship doesn¡¯t exist!¡± ¡°You escapedst time, so this is the chance for you to make up for your mistake.¡± The scarred man tossed a packet of medicine to Howard. ¡°You know what to do.¡± The bald man bent down to pat Howard¡¯s cheek. ¡°If you fail to carry out Mr. Silvermoon¡¯s orders, this time tomorrow will be your death anniversary.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Something glinted in Howard¡¯s cerulean eyes. The next second, a gun with a silencer appeared in his hand. He aimed at them and shot them both in their heads. As both men copsed to the ground, Howard slowly wiped his gun which was still hot. Several dozens of men in ck were standing behind a masked man on the rooftop of Imperial Hotel. Right then, a man came over to him and reported, ¡°Mr. Silvermoon, Howard has finished them off as expected.¡± ¡°What a bunch of useless trash!¡± the man¡¯s voice was as cool as the moon. ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°Since Howard chose to betray us, he shall get his wish fulfilled.¡± The masked man shed an icy grin. ¡°No one shall be spared!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Dozens of men in ck sneaked into Imperial Hotel from the rooftop like phantoms in the night. The masked man stared at the crescent moon silently. ¡°Ashlyn, you forced me to do this. You can be with anyone. Why did you end up with Lucas?¡± Ashlyn is your everything, so I shall destroy it just like how you destroy your position in my heart. The night was silent when a fire suddenly sprouted up on the second floor of Imperial Hotel. The roaring me escted ferociously and swallowed everything in its path. Dark billowing clouds of smoke seeped through every crack of the hotel as the fire grew bigger and bigger. In no time, the entire building was on fire. The roaring me intensified mercilessly with the help of the night breeze and wrapped its fiery fingers around the whole building. Chapter 817 Chapter 817 In just a few minutes, Imperial Hotel waspletely aze. The mes were so huge that they illuminated the dark sky. Howard immediately ran out of his room when he realized the hotel was on fire. Never in his wildest dreams did he know Silvermoon would be this cruel! He thought Silvermoon only wanted him to poison his colleagues, but it was just a ruse to sound him out. Silvermoon¡¯s n was to set Imperial Hotel on fire to burn everyone and the building to ashes. Anxiousness shed across his eyes as he yelled, ¡°Open the door! Open the door! Everyone, wake up! Denny! Denny! Head chef! Dr. Walker!¡± Howard mmed on their doors and yowled desperately. s, no one responded to him. Panic wed up his throat as he kicked Denny¡¯s door open. Through the thick smoke, he spotted Denny lying in his bed, unconscious. Denny didn¡¯t move an inch even when Howard patted his cheek. Besides the smoke, there was also a strange scent lingering in the air. It was familiar to Howard as it was a unique incense developed by ZZ Organization. D*mn it! Did they drug everyone? No wonder no one responded to my yells. Hoisting Denny onto his back, he pulled out his phone and called 911. ¡°Hello, Imperial Hotel is on fire! Please send the firefighters here! Yes, every floor is on fire! It is spreading quickly. Please hurry up!¡± ¡°Hello, Imperial Hotel is on fire! Please send the firefighters here! Yes, every floor is on fire! It is spreading quickly. Please hurry up!¡± After hanging up, Howard dialed another number that he memorized by heart. At a ward in First Hospital, Ashlyn regained consciousness and opened her eyes. Before she could find out where she was, an excruciating pain red up her body. Ow, it hurts. I can¡¯t take it anymore. It felt like her forehead was going to explode any minute. She was about to lift her sore arm to touch her forehead when a warm palm caught her. ¡°You are up?¡± Lucas¡¯ familiar voice, deep and charming, rang in her ear. Ashlyn was taken aback. She nced in the direction of the voice and saw him sitting beside her bed. Lucas¡¯ face looked worn, and his hair was slightly disheveled. However, he still looked devilishly handsome. The dark circles beneath his bloodshot eyes showed that he hadn¡¯t rested well. ¡°Lu¡­¡± Ashlyn was shocked to hear how hoarse her voice was. ¡°I¡¯ll get you some water.¡± Lucas got up and poured a ss of warm water for her. When he fed her the water, Ashlyn realized she was parched. Like a thirsty traveler in the desert who finally found an oasis, she gulped the water down. She regained some of her energy and frowned as she scanned her surroundings. Am I in the hospital? Her memory flooded back. Observing herself, she asked, ¡°Was I badly hurt?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lucas sounded relieved. ¡°The car waspletely smashed, but you only suffered from a mild concussion and a few scratches. You¡¯ll recover in a couple of days.¡± A few scratches? Ashlyn could barely believe her ears. The car went at its maximum speed, and the tree trunk was thick. Why did I only get a few scratches? I thought I¡¯d at least suffer from broken limbs or broken ribs. What is that burning pain, then? Is it from the scratches? She was still confused when her phone rang. Before she could figure out where her phone was, Lucas had already answered the call on her behalf. ¡°Hello. What? Imperial Hotel is on fire? How did it happen? Who am I? I¡¯m Ashlyn¡¯s husband!¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. After hanging up, Lucas bore a grim expression. His eyes shed coldly as he revealed, ¡°Someone has set Imperial Hotel on fire. Everyone inside is in danger.¡± Chapter 818 Chapter 818 Before he could ask why Howard called Ashlyn for help, he heard Ashlyn¡¯s flustered voice, ¡°D*mn it! Lucas, we need to head there now!¡± I can¡¯t let myrades die in Imperial Hotel! When I was unconscious, someone took action against Imperial Hotel. I was simply too careless. ¡°You¡¯re hurt. There¡¯s no way you can leave.¡± Lucas forced her to get into bed. ¡°I¡¯ll head there personally with my men to help put out the fire. Howard has already called 911 for the firefighters¡¯ help, so don¡¯t you worry.¡± ¡°Lucas, I must go! I won¡¯t be able to rx here. I only suffered from a few scratches, so it will be fine!¡± Having said that, Ashlyn shoved the covers away and bit back the pain as she grabbed her phone from him. She called Jared and ordered, ¡°Jared, head to Imperial Hotel now with everyone! Prepare the water source! Imperial Hotel is on fire! Inform Luigi. Everyone must be there! No matter what, we must save those stuck in Imperial Hotel!¡± After rying her orders grimly, Ashlyn turned to Lucas. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Lucas¡¯ heart ached when he saw how decisive she was. Grabbing her arm, he didn¡¯t bother hiding his feelings. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m here for you. Trust me.¡± Why is she always this independent and insists on shouldering everything herself? Why can¡¯t she learn to depend on someone else? Ashlyn¡¯s gaze bore into the handsome man standing before her as she said slowly, ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know how important Imperial Hotel is to me. Don¡¯t try to stop me, Lucas. I know myself.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s gaze bore into the handsome man standing before her as she said slowly, ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know how important Imperial Hotel is to me. Don¡¯t try to stop me, Lucas. I know myself.¡± With that said, she shoved him away and headed for the door. Lucas¡¯ gaze turned dark as he nced at her determined figure. He then made a call. ¡°Spencer, bring our men to Imperial Hotel now. The more, the better. For what? To put out the fire!¡± Imperial Hotel was covered in mes that were trying to incinerate everything into ashes. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. From afar, the sirens of the fire engines wailed. The people in the neighborhood woke up after hearing themotion and the sound of fire crackling. They were dumbfounded by the sight that greeted them. The fire was still raging, so they couldn¡¯t help but get worried about the people trapped inside. Some brave residents had already dashed into the reception area on the first floor to save the unconscious receptionists. They couldn¡¯t head in again as the fire was spreading quickly. Howard covered himself in a nket drenched in water and kicked open doors to save his unconscious colleagues. He kept doing the same action over and over again. He had already saved dozens of colleagues, both male and female. After making sure they were safe, he moved them to the emergency excess. The fire that broke out at Imperial Hotel soon gained traction on the Inte. News of the fire was all over Twitter and TikTok. Theizens were worried after reading about the fire. Many residents who stayed in the same neighborhood and the bystanders recorded videos of the scene and uploaded their videos to Twitter and TikTok. Some kept dialing 911 to get help. With the help of the night breeze, the fire spread relentlessly. Until now, no one was seen running out of Imperial Hotel. Could everyone be stuck inside? The night was bound to be a very unusual. The fire department was in chaos. The fire chief was yelling into his walkie-talkie, ¡°Where is L? L, lead your team to put out the fire right now! Team two and team three, you will be the backup!¡± ¡°Chief, Captain Fraser has already led team one to Imperial Hotel!¡± ¡°Chief, Captain Fraser¡¯s fire engine broke down on the way to Imperial Hotel!¡± ¡°D*mn it!¡± The chief of the fire department threw his walkie-talkie away furiously. ¡°What the heck is wrong with L? Isn¡¯t he the most meticulous firefighter around? Why did his fire engine break down?¡± Chapter 819 Chapter 819 ¡°Hurry! All fire engines are to head to Imperial Hotel right now under my lead!¡± The fire chief mmed his walkie-talkie on the table in anger. ¡°Let¡¯s go now!¡± It was midnight as dozens of fire engines sped along the road ring their sirens. At the same time, Ashlyn got into Lucas¡¯ Bentley. Thetter floored the elerator, and the vehicle disappeared into the night. ncing at her phone, Ashlyn decided to call someone. A whileter, someone answered the phone sleepily. ¡°Hello, who is this? It¡¯s sote at night.¡± ¡°Zero.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s cool answer was like a bucket of cold water that sshed onto Quiet Forest and woke him up instantly. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Quiet Forest was wide awake now. ¡°Zero? Seriously? Aren¡¯t you a guy? Why do you sound like a girl? Am I hearing things?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know about the existence of voice changers?¡± There was no time to waste, so Ashlyn went straight to the topic. ¡°A huge fire broke out at Imperial Hotel. I know you have extensive connections, so can you help to contact the fire departments from the neighboring cities? Imperial Hotel is a tall building, and the fire is spreading quickly. I¡¯m afraid the fire department in Lake City can¡¯t put it out alone. This is very urgent and I¡¯ve never asked for your help previously¡ª¡± Before she could finish, Quiet Forest cut in, ¡°Young man¡­ Well, young woman, contacting the fire department is an easy job. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll do that right now.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Ashlyn replied curtly and cut the line. ¡°Thanks,¡± Ashlyn replied curtly and cut the line. Without further dy, Quiet Forest began contacting the fire departments from the neighboring cities. After that, he suddenly realized that Imperial Hotel sounded familiar. Isn¡¯t it a famous hotel? Why did it suddenly catch fire? Why is Zero so anxious and worried? He grabbed his jacket and strode out of his room. No one knew that Quiet Forest lived in Lake City. The Bentley screeched to a halt before Imperial Hotel¡¯s entrance. The fire chief was busy leading the firefighters to rescue the victims trapped inside the burning building. At the sight of the mes devouring Imperial Hotel, Ashlyn felt her head buzz as it threatened to explode any minute. Jared dashed out of the hotel, covered in ashes. ¡°Boss!¡± He was stunned to see Ashlyn. ¡°Did you get hurt?¡± Ashlyn arched a brow and responded, ¡°I¡¯m fine. How are things going inside?¡± ¡°All the employees are still inside. There are many customers in the VIP guest rooms on the VIP floor. The receptionists on the first floor have been rescued.¡± A few strands of Jared¡¯s hair were charred, but he still looked as handsome as ever. Jonathan scurried over hastily, d in his pajamas. He couldn¡¯t be bothered about his image as an idol anymore. ¡°Ashlyn, my fans! My fans are inside!¡± He was going to hold a birthday party a few dayster, so many of his fans traveled across the country to be with him. Fear gripped his throat when he learned that some happened to stay in Imperial Hotel. Lucas stood beside Ashlyn, his tall figure blending into the night sky. He was talking on his phone. ¡°Follow my orders. I, Lucas Nn, shall bear all the responsibility alone.¡± Ashlyn was about to ask what he had in mind when he suddenly strode to the building opposite the hotel. ¡°Lucas? What are you doing?¡± ¡°Honey, since Imperial Hotel is important to you, I shall help you to protect it.¡± Having said that, he ran into the building across the street. Five minutester, the whirring sound of nes sounded above Ashlyn. Surprised, she looked up to see several nes circling above Imperial Hotel. It was pretty dangerous formercial nes to fly this low. Her eyes widened when she saw a helicopternding on the rooftop of the building across the street. Lucas¡­ The helicopter soared into the sky. When both nes were parallel, a tall man with long legs climbed down the helicopter¡¯s ropedder as the fire raged beneath him. Chapter 820 Chapter 820 The hatch of the other ne was wide open. When the hangingdder got nearer, Lucas stretched his legs and reached out his arms to get onto the ne. Everyone was worried about Lucas¡¯ safety at that sight. How did he pull off such a dangerous move? The ne then slowly flew up higher. On the ne, the captain bowed to Lucas and greeted, ¡°Mr. Nn!¡± Lucas swept a nce at everyone on the ne. He saw that all the seats were removed, and the ne was filled with buckets full of water. There were also pilots and firefighters standing on both sides of the aisle in their uniforms. In a deep voice, Lucas said, ¡°I¡¯ll fly the ne! Liaise with the fire department and get the flight crew and firefighters to help put out the fire.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lucas then walked straight into the cockpit. Although he hadn¡¯t flown a ne in months, he didn¡¯t feel rusty at all. He went through the cockpit control panel swiftly. At that moment, his expression was tense, and his gaze was stern. It was a dangerous task to fly a ne at such a low altitude. In fact, only experienced pilots were able to fly a ne at that altitude for a long period of time. Now, the responsibility was ced on Lucas¡¯ shoulders. The crowd stared in disbelief as they watched the water gushing down from the ne. The hoses and the nozzles were spraying water down onto the burning building. The hoses and the nozzles were spraying water down onto the burning building. At that time, it was as if it was raining heavily over Imperial Hotel. Meanwhile, the firefighters were busy rescuing people from the burning building. It was a deadly race against the relentless fire. When Joseph, James the mayor and the leaders of themunity arrived at the scene, they saw a ne pouring water down from the sky. James had seen a lot in his life, but he was still stunned when he saw that. ¡°W-What is this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s Lucas flying the ne.¡± James heard a woman¡¯s voice ring out, and he couldn¡¯t help but turn around. That was when he saw Ashlyn with bandages on her head. She was wearing a striped hospital gown, but she still had an unwavering look on her beautiful face. ¡°Ashlyn? What happened to you? Are you hurt?¡± James asked worriedly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you inform us?¡± Ashlyn appreciated the kindness shown and answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± The fire was raging, and it was as if it had turned into a demon, swallowing the whole building. The ne was still hovering over Imperial Hotel as the water was poured from it to stop the fire. Meanwhile, in a passageway somewhere, a man in a firefighter uniform was ordering his team around. ¡°Is it fixed yet?¡± ¡°Soon, Captain Fraser!¡± ¡°F*ck!¡± L cursed. He then took off his helmet and scratched his head. ¡°Nothing is going right today.¡± ¡°Our vehicle is checked every week. How could it have broken down? Something¡¯s wrong here, Captain Fraser,¡± a man from his team remarked. ¡°I think so, too. I feel like someone¡¯s stopping us from getting to the scene.¡± L took a deep breath and uttered, ¡°Get in the vehicle and get ready to leave!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fixed!¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± At a high speed, the fire engine was heading toward Imperial Hotel. The scene of Imperial Hotel burning could be seen clearly from a building nearby. A man wearing a mask was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window while looking in the direction of Imperial Hotel. ¡°Mr. Silvermoon, what if The Chef dies as well? What are we going to do next?¡± a subordinate asked cautiously. At the same time, his eyes were gleaming. ¡°I know what to do,¡± Silvermoon answered coldly. ¡°You talk too much.¡± The subordinate was frightened, and he stammered, ¡°Y-Yes¡­ I¡¯ve talked too much. I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Chapter 821 Chapter 821 ¡°Buzz off!¡± The subordinate immediately turned and left. The empty room fell silent once again. After a while, another subordinate suddenly rushed in and reported, ¡°Mr. Silvermoon, Lucas is flying a ne personally to help with the rescue. L¡¯s fire engine had also arrived at the scene.¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Silvermoon sneered, ¡°So what? The fire spread long ago, and not even God could save them now.¡± Meanwhile, the temperature had risen significantly in Imperial Hotel. Howard was trembling as he was choking on the smoke. His throat was burning, and he was in pain. Yet, he had just carried a colleague out again with difficulty. The quilt on his body was scorched by the fire, and it was barely protecting him from the fire. However, he couldn¡¯t bear to take it off. At that point, he got so tired and dropped to the ground as he gasped for air. Suddenly, Howard heard a series of footstepsing his way. His eyes lit up, and he stood up abruptly. ¡°Who¡¯s there? Are there firefighters nearby? We¡¯re here!¡± Right then, he heard a cracking sound. A piece of security door was damaged by the fire, and it was falling down from above. He then looked up frightenedly and saw the door falling from right above. At the most critical moment, an agile figure came in from the window of the corridor and kicked away the security door that was on fire. The security door mmed into the wall heavily and made another loud bang. The impact had even left a ck mark on the white-colored wall. The security door mmed into the wall heavily and made another loud bang. The impact had even left a ck mark on the white-colored wall. Howard raised his gaze and saw a familiar figure dressed in a hospital gown. ¡°Lyn?¡± Howard was in shock. He then quickly regained hisposure and realized that Ashlyn had a soaked sheet over her body. The sheet was so wet that water was dripping down onto the floor. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but yell, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous here! Leave now!¡± Ashlyn turned around and shot him a cold nce. After that, she looked at the unconscious Imperial Hotel employees behind him. I know all these people! She smirked and uttered coldly, ¡°Howard, how are you still conscious when all of them had passed out? I think you owe me an exnation.¡± Howard¡¯s face, which had ckened by the thick smoke, suddenly turned pale. ¡°Lyn, I¡ª¡± ¡°I hope that you can give me a valid exnation.¡± Ashlyn shot Howard an icy look and shouted at a red helicopter outside the building, ¡°Send some men in here to rescue these people!¡± A few bulky men jumped in from the red helicopter and brought the unconscious employees toward the window. They were moving very swiftly because it was a race against time. ¡°Once you guys have rescued the people on this floor, go upstairs!¡± Ashlyn instructed. Upon hearing that, the bulky men carried out her order. Those men were deft and quick. It was as if they were trained soldiers. The staff hostel was divided into two floors. Thus, the upper floor was also filled with hotel employees. The customers, on the other hand, were all on the other floors. The firefighters were rescuing the customers first because that was Imperial Hotel¡¯s policy. Ashlyn wanted to rescue her employees on her own. Although she was dressed in a hospital gown, her presence was still rather imposing. Even though she suffered from injuries to her arm and forehead, it was as if she couldn¡¯t feel a thing. As she was going through the rooms with Howard, the fire was burning fiercely. However, she was calm and collected. At the same time, Howard was feeling incredibly guilty. This is all my fault. I¡¯m the reason why Imperial Hotel is on fire. I¡¯ve also put my beloved colleagues¡¯ lives at risk. W-What am I going to do? Bang! Suddenly, another loud bang rang out. Due to the raging fire, a beam on that floor had copsed. Chapter 822 Chapter 822 A rumbling sound started, and the rest of the crumbling wall rained down from above ceaselessly, hitting the ground hard. Dodging, Ashlyn went from room to room. She was like an Amazon in the midst of a zing fire, advancing relentlessly. When they had finally reached the floor above, much to their dismay, they discovered that several employees had suffocated to death from the thick smoke. Meanwhile, Luigi and the others were carrying the bodies of those employees out. ¡°There¡¯s no saving them, Boss.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± A trace of sorrow marred Ashlyn¡¯s face as a wave of grief swelled within her. They¡­ They were all brothers and sisters to me. A whileter, sheposed herself and instructed, ¡°Make their funerals a grand one andpensate their families.¡± Right then, Lucas was piloting a ne, circling non-stop in the sky. When an aircraft maintained a low altitude for a long time, the airflow at the leading edges would be obstructed as the rtive airflow streamed past the wings, causing a decrease in velocity and an increase in pressure. At the same time, the airflow at the trailing edges would be disconnected, forming vortices and reducing the pressure. Following that, the pressure difference between the front and rear of the wings created resistance. In turn, it brought about a great degree of danger. The sum of resistance generated by the variousponents of the ne, including the wings, fusge, tail, and the like from the airflow in istion, didn¡¯t match the sum of resistance generated on the whole. Instead, it tended to be less than the resistance generated when theponents were taken as a whole. Nheless, he had been maintaining a low-altitude flight there for several hours. Even the horizon had started brightening by then. Nheless, he had been maintaining a low-altitude flight there for several hours. Even the horizon had started brightening by then. Thanks to everyone¡¯sbined efforts, the inferno gradually died down. Lucas¡¯ eyes were bloodshot after having used his eyes for such a long time, coupled with theck of sleep for an entire night. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. When he received the signal from the fire chief, he handed the ne back to the captain at longst, shifting back to the co-pilot seat. He let out a long exhtion. ¡°What do we do now, Mr. Nn?¡± ¡°Send me to the ground. I want to return to my wife.¡± Lucas closed his eyes, a hint of weariness apparent in his voice. At that moment, Ashlyn was still going from floor to floor, searching for survivors who might have slipped through the. Everywhere was scorched ck. It was a heartbreaking sight that struck beholders with a sense of suffocation. All of a sudden, a burst of gunfire split the air. On the heels of that, a rumbling sound rang out. The first rays of dawn streamed through the broken windows. Rubble littered the room, and the light bulbs overhead had all been burned to a crisp. The entire room was beyond recognition. In the darkness, a figure stood in the middle of the room silently, staring at Ashlyn motionlessly. He held a gun in his hand. His eyes were calm and icy, and a mask concealed his face. ¡°Ashlyn.¡± In the dark and quiet room, the man¡¯s voice was exceedingly soft, sounding just like a whisper. His voice carried infinite yearning and nostalgia as well as a smidge of resentment. Trudging on the charred ground, he headed toward Ashlyn in the corridor. Howard instinctively moved to stand before Ashlyn. Wariness was written all over his face. ¡°What are you trying to do, Silvermoon? I¡¯ll never let you off the hook if you dare hurt her!¡± The man¡¯s lips curved into a sneer, his tall figure as formidable as ever. With a swing of his hand, he sent Howard flying to the wall on the opposite side. Ashlyn quirked a brow. Howard¡­ is actually a weakling before him? ¡°Are you two putting on a double act in front of me?¡± She cast a nce at Howard, who coughed up blood. ¡°One infiltrated Imperial Hotel for years on end, going as far as pretending to be dull-witted to gain my trust while the other ruined Imperial Hotel, my lifeblood. What is your motive? What do you both hope to obtain from me? Is there a grudge between us?¡± The look in her eyes was frosty despite the scorched hospital gown on her that hung loosely, rendering her all the more emaciated. Howard¡¯s face paled, and he gaped at her in disbelief. ¡°Y-You know everything?¡± ¡°Ever since you demanded that I deliver my jewelry back then, I¡¯d been suspecting that it was you. My suspicions were confirmed when Dr. Walker told me that you were running a fever, for he had been keeping an eye on you. He noticed the coppery smell of blood and the contents of the trash can in your room.¡± Chapter 823 Chapter 823 Ashlyn regarded Howard coldly. ¡°I never expected you to be a member of ZZ Organization. Why did you infiltrate Imperial Hotel? I¡¯d been waiting for you all to make a move, but never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that you¡¯d sabotage Imperial Hotel. Did the employees here not treat you well, Howard? How could you callously make a move against them?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Every single word out of her mouth carried intense recrimination. Howard felt so guilty that he didn¡¯t quite dare look her in the eye. He lowered his eyes, pain etched across his striking features. ¡°Lyn¡­ that wasn¡¯t what happened¡­ I can exin.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to listen to you two confronting each other.¡± Silvermoon¡¯s cool voice abruptly rang out. He aimed the gun in his hand right between Ashlyn¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re really an eyesore to be alive. How about¡­ I send you to meet your maker?¡± A hint of devilish allure adorned his gaze. With his long legs, he made for a tall and imposing figure. Despite standing amidst the rubble, he still resembled an elegant nobleman without a trace of dirt sullying him. It had others gripped by the urge to remove the mask covering his face for a look at his countenance beneath. ¡°The members of ZZ Organization are nothing more than a bunch of scaredy-cats, having no guts to face others with your real self. The same goes for both you and Howard.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s heart twisted painfully. She once poured out genuine affection toward Howard, taking care of him like he was a five-year-old kid. Verily, she never thought that the man would betray Imperial Hotel. Verily, she never thought that the man would betray Imperial Hotel. When she heard from Jim that not only was Howard running a fever, but he also found bloody cotton swabs and gauze in the trash can in thetter¡¯s room, she was basically certain that the man who had her deliver her favorite jewelry was Howard. Besides, he was the only person who would ask about such a private matter as her favorite jewelry. In the past four years of her marriage, Lucas gifted her many gifts, including jewelry. In fact, they were numerous beyond number. However, Lucas merely regarded it as aplishing a mission back then. He didn¡¯t put any emotions into it. For that reason, he and other men, such as Jared and the rest, would never ask her a question pertaining to her jewelry. Other than the jewelry Howard gifted her that she expressed her liking for, her subordinates like Jared and Luigi usually gifted her cars, guns, daggers, and the like. They never gave her any jewelry. Thus, the only exnation was the presence of a mole. In the end, the mole was suspected to be Howard. She had been using herself as bait, for she thought that they wanted her life. Never had she thought that they actually wanted the lives of everyone at Imperial Hotel. How could they be so ruthless? ¡°How shameless, cruel, and heartless are you all that you burned this ce down when so many lives were at stake?¡± ¡°How long-winded! Do you think everyone is as na?ve as you? What¡¯s righteousness? And what¡¯s kindness? All those are just textbook teachings to entertain kids! Do you not know that?¡± Cackling maniacally, Silvermoon pulled the trigger without warning. A bang pierced the air as a bullet whizzed through the air, heading straight for the space between Ashlyn¡¯s eyes. ¡°No! Watch out!¡± Howard roared. He threw himself at Ashlyn. At that precise moment, Ashlyn suddenly frowned. Shifting sideways, she agilely moved to dodge the bullet, only to be restrained by Howard. The man was strong, so he kept her locked in his arms. Ashlyn shoved at him furiously. ¡°What are you doing, Howard?¡± It would have been a piece of cake for her to dodge the bullet considering her skills. Howard was just about to speak, but the instant he opened his mouth, crimson blood trickled out the corner of his mouth. He finally couldn¡¯t hold back, spitting out a mouthful of blood. ¡°Howard? You¡¯re shot?¡± Ashlyn gaped at him in shock. He¡­ He took the bullet for me? Was that it? Did he lose his mind or something? ¡°Lyn¡­ I¡¯m willing to pay the corresponding price for everything I¡¯ve done. I just hope that you¡­ can¡­ can¡­¡± Chapter 824 Chapter 824 Right then, Howard¡¯s azure blue eyes resembled the dawn sky outside the window. He gazed at Ashlyn with a mncholic expression on his face. ¡°Can forgive me¡­¡± Ashlyn hurriedly stood up. At once, she was greeted by the sight of crimson blood gushing out of his back at the position of the heart. The blood stained his clothes red. His face grew increasingly paler, and his breathing increasingly weaker. Silvermoon sneered, ¡°Death is a fitting end for you, Howard, you traitor. But¡­ what a pity, Ashlyn! I only fire one shot a day. It¡¯s your gain today.¡± After saying that, he spun on his heel and left. Ashlyn stared at Howard, who was dying in her arms. She didn¡¯t have any time to bother about Silvermoon, who was leaving. She felt for her phone to call Luigi and the others over, but she didn¡¯t find her phone in her pocket. D*mn it! Where¡¯s my phone? Gritting her teeth, she had no choice but to carry Howard on her back andboriously plodded out. ¡°Hang in there, Howard! I¡¯m going to get you out of here right now! I don¡¯t like to owe anyone anything. I don¡¯t even want to owe someone a favor, let alone a life, so hang in there!¡± ¡°You¡­ are still willing to save me?¡± Howard murmured weakly, blood spilling out of his mouth once more. His tall body was draped over Ashlyn¡¯s skinny back. His mind felt exceedingly sluggish, and he was both sleepy and tired. It was as though he had returned to the day when he first met her. She stood at the entrance of the orphanage; her cool voice threaded with a hint of warmth that gave off a sense of amicability. ¡°I¡¯ve taken over this orphanage. All the kids here will be going to my training camp henceforth. I want to establish a hotel and make it the biggest establishment in Lake City! I want every child to have food and a job, bing useful individuals to society.¡± The orphanage was on the brink of closure due to ack of funds. Consequently, the children were also at risk of homelessness. The orphanage was on the brink of closure due to ack of funds. Consequently, the children were also at risk of homelessness. It was her¡­ Everything was because of her. Imperial Hotel existed because of her, and all of us stayed here. Later¡­ Later, she took over several more orphanages that couldn¡¯t continue operating. She painstakingly nurtured all the children, and they all obtained new lives¡­ because of her. Meanwhile, I was a pawn ced in the orphanage by ZZ Organization. I¡¯m tired, so very exhausted¡­ All these years, he watched as everyone around him grew up, all responding to Ashlyn¡¯s hopes for them. They all served patrons and contributed to society. Furthermore, many of them became outstanding figures in various industries. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Perhaps they weren¡¯t as strong and talented as Ashlyn, but they weren¡¯t too bad either. Howard recalled how he obtained Ashlyn¡¯s blessings when he obtained the highest award in the culinary industry. Also, his mind went back to everyone¡¯s excitement when Imperial Hotel was set as the benchmark for the hotel industry in Lake City. Then, shbacks of Ashlyn gifting all the employees a thoughtful birthday present on their birthdays came to him. He recalled everyone¡¯s happiness when Ashlyn kept thempany during each festival. Memories began ying back in his mind. There were too many to be counted. By then, he could barely breathe. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize for having saved me. Just hang in there, d*mn it!¡± Ashlyn dragged herself out with Howard on her back. Every so often, the man¡¯s rapid and heavy breathing sounded beside her ear. It¡¯s near. We¡¯re getting out soon¡­ As she kept trudging forward, she prayed for Luigi and the others to appear. Finally, she reached the entrance to the safety passage. As soon as she lifted her eyes, she spotted Lucas striding toward her in ck. Delight showed on her face. ¡°Quick, Lucas!¡± No sooner had her voice rang out than she perceptively sensed the breathing by her ear ceasing abruptly. Howard¡¯s hand that had been clutching at her cor also dropped weakly. In a sh, the smile on her face froze. It stilled right there. A long whileter, a drop of tear rolled down her cheek. In the end, it fell to the ckened ground. Lucas eyed Howard, who had his eyes closed on Ashlyn¡¯s back, no longer breathing. Ashlyn felt a weight lifted off her back as Lucas took Howard away from her. In the next heartbeat, the man¡¯s low voice drifted into her ears. ¡°He¡¯s no longer breathing.¡± Chapter 825 Chapter 825 At that moment, blood had painted Ashlyn¡¯s back bright red, making for a ghastly sight. There was so much blood that it dripped down her clothes. Her heart was seemingly encased in a bottomless abyss of ice, making her so cold that she shivered. With red-rimmed eyes, she murmured in a hoarse voice, ¡°You know what, Howard? I¡¯ve always regarded you as my brother. I never expected my brother to die in the end in a bid to save me.¡± Then, she turned to Lucas. ¡°He was the traitor, Lucas. He was the mole in Imperial Hotel.¡± Ashlyn looked at the handsome man before her aggrievedly. Snapping, she threw herself into Lucas¡¯ warm embrace. ¡°He has paid the corresponding price. You and Imperial Hotel both mattered to him. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have carried so many employees to the safety passage.¡± Lucas patted her on the back gently,forting her. Rumble! Out of the blue, a deafening rumble sounded from the roof above them. Lucas lifted his eyes and nced at the roof that was seconds from copsing. ¡°We need to leave immediately.¡± A loud bang rang out as a piece of charred shingle grazed past Lucas¡¯ shoulder and smashed onto the ground hard. Hugging Ashlyn, he spun around and ducked. s, that gigantic piece of shingle separated Howard from them. ¡°Howard!¡± Ashlyn cried out. She wanted to sprint over and take Howard¡¯s body away. Unfortunately, the entire building shook, on the verge of copse. Yanking her back, Lucas scooped her up. ¡°Let¡¯s go! We must leave right now!¡± Yanking her back, Lucas scooped her up. ¡°Let¡¯s go! We must leave right now!¡± ¡°Bring him along, Lucas! Bring him with us!¡± Ashlyn gazed at him pleadingly. Clenching his jaw, Lucas was just about to leap over when a huge piece of crumbling wall fell from above. It blocked his path offpletely. Just then, Luigi started urging from the rescue helicopter outside the window, ¡°Come on, Boss!¡± ¡°Come on! You¡¯ll die otherwise!¡± Ashlyn stared at Howard¡¯s cold body with red-rimmed eyes. She closed her eyes, her heart clenching painfully. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Scooping her up, Lucas whirled around and left. The very second he did so, the entire building behind him crashed to the ground, turning into a pile of rubble. A great cloud of dust flew into the air, the sight horrifying. ¡°What¡¯s the point of bringing his body out when he¡¯s already dead?¡± Ashlyn sat in the helicopter, gazing out at the blue sky nkly.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. The sun at dawn was vivid and vibrant. It seemingly wiped off everything that transpired in the dark. Some people had to rest in peace forever, while others still had to forge ahead. She stared at the wreckage that was Imperial Hotel from afar. I believe that righteousness will defeat evil one day! The matter about Imperial Hotel caused a great stir both within and outside of the country. After all, a majestic building copsed overnight. What was more, Imperial Hotel was andmark of Lake City. Many influencers went there, as did some tourists who went there for vacation. On the third day after the fire at Imperial Hotel, Imperial Hotel issued a statement. It read: Imperial Hotel will be rebuilt, and we will return stronger. Imperial Hotel suffered massive losses in the fire this time, but it doesn¡¯t mean that we¡¯re going to withdraw from Lake City henceforth. Our queen, Ms. Berry, will continue to lead us as we ride above the storm. Do look forward to the return of Imperial Hotel! It was a brief and simple statement, but it caused an uproar. Someone posted: Oh my God, what did I just see? Our queen, Ms. Berry? Are they referring to my idol, Ashlyn? The response read: It must be Ashlyn! I heard that someone caught sight of her during the rescue yesterday. Another person added: At that time, Lucas was even personally piloting a ne at a low altitude to rescue the survivors! How cool! Then, someone else countered: Imperial Hotel didn¡¯t tag Ashlyn. So, it¡¯s probably not referring to her. Could it be some other Ms. Berry? To that, someone answered: If I remember correctly¡­ the granddaughter of the Count¡¯s family, Penelope, is also Ms. Berry. Another person echoed: Yes, exactly! Could it be some other Ms. Berry? There are many people in this world with the family name Berry. It¡¯s definitely not Ashlyn. Chapter 826 Chapter 826 All theizens broke out in a heated debate. Meanwhile, Lucas and Ashlyn flew back to Maredania. It didn¡¯t matter how lively it was at Lake City with all the rowdy voices or how Lake City Daily praised Lucas to the skies on TikTok and Twitter for piloting a ne and saving lives. Right that moment, they were sitting at a small round table under the vines, drinking coffee with Ian. Ian quirked an eyebrow. ¡°So, it seems that Imperial Hotel is your property, Ashlyn? I never knew that you were so capable.¡± The wound on Ashlyn¡¯s forehead had healed considerably, and new flesh had grown. She calmly took a sip of the coffee in her hand. ¡°It¡¯s just a hotel.¡± ¡°How modest of you, Ashlyn.¡± Ian chuckled, turning his gaze to Lucas. ¡°You¡¯re impressive, too. You can even pilot a ne, and quite well at that.¡± ¡°It turns out that you¡¯re actually too free today and are especially teasing us? I¡¯ve still got something else to do, so please excuse me.¡± Ashlyn put the coffee in her hand down. Ian stared at her back. ¡°Come in. I¡¯ll continue treating you, but you¡¯re not to simply leave again next time.¡± Lucas said nothing. He merely ced his coffee down and followed the man into the house. At the gates of the Jaquin residence in Lake City, a young man with injuries littering his body knelt under the scorching sun. Ayer of sweat nketed his face, but his eyes radiated an innate sense of obstinacy. On the day when a fire broke out at Imperial Hotel, Tinsor was stuffed into a bup sack and left at the gates of the mansion in the middle of the night. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. He had been kneeling there for a whole day and night. He had been kneeling there for a whole day and night. Winsor stood by the window on the second floor of the mansion. His butler walked over and looked out the window at the young man kneeling at the gates with worry written all over his face. He anxiously cautioned, ¡°Mr. Winsor, if Mr. Tinsor were to continue kneeling, his legs would end up impaired!¡± ¡°So be it! He shall kneel until he learns his lesson!¡± Winsor then snubbed out the cigarette in his hand in disappointment, fury showing on his chiseled face. He barked, ¡°He¡¯s a descendant of the Jaquin family, yet he actually got himself kidnapped, stuffed into a bup sack, and left at the gates of the mansion! How humiliating! Not only was he beaten to a pulp, but he also caused Ashlyn to suffer an injury and Imperial Hotel to be destroyed! If it weren¡¯t for him having been captured thanks to his paltry martial art skills and used as a bargaining chip to threaten Lucas, the many terrifying things subsequently wouldn¡¯t have happened. This time, Ashlyn and Lucas were lucky to escape. What if there¡¯s a next time?¡± The butler sighed. ¡°Mr. Winsor, Mr. Tinsor is still young, after all. As such, It¡¯s inevitable that he got duped. Besides, he has been interning with Haddock Group alongside the youngest son of the Nn family. Is Dixon Haddock that easy to get along with? I can¡¯t shake off the feeling that this matter has something to do with Haddock Group.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Winsor¡¯s expression was icy. He lifted his eyes and cast a look at Tinsor, who was still kneeling at the gates with his back ramrod straight. Subsequently, he ordered, ¡°Send a few men out to investigate this matter. Also, send someone to inform Ashlyn about Haddock Group¡¯s financial issue Tinsor mentioned.¡± ¡°I think Mr. ir would have already told her about it. Should we still do the same?¡± The butler looked at the man hesitantly. ¡°That¡¯s their matter. It¡¯s differenting from us.¡± Winsor¡¯s chiseled face was devoid of emotion, but his heart twisted in pain time and again. At the thought that Ashlyn and Lucas were married, especially, he couldn¡¯t help feeling devastated. Worse still, Ashlyn was injured because of Tinsor and ir. That aside, Imperial Hotel was ruined. I¡¯m such a failure! He suddenly felt utterly ashamed and couldn¡¯t bring himself to face Ashlyn. Meanwhile, in a dpidated castle in Maredania, Luigi stood in front of Ashlyn while Jared sat beside thetter, scrolling through his phone. The atmosphere in the main hall was a touch tense. Ashlyn sat on the couch with her long and slender legs crossed. She wore a white shirt and a pair of blue jeans. The front hem of her shirt was tucked into the waistband, rendering her waist all the slender. ¡°Dixon is luring me into a trap. This news is undoubtedly fake. Furthermore, I was tricked to the abandoned factory in session, and someone from ZZ Organization intervened in the end,¡± she sneered. Chapter 827 Chapter 827 ¡°Verily, this makes Dixon and ZZ Organization¡¯s rtionship exceedingly suspicious. I¡¯m afraid¡­ that this matter isn¡¯t that simple.¡± ¡°Mr. ir said he and Tinsor overheard the conversation between Dixon and Sienna and even have a recording of it.¡± While saying that, Jared found the recording on his phone and yed it for Ashlyn. Arching an eyebrow, Ashlyn listened for some time before motioning for him to turn it off. ¡°So, Dixon has a shipment of smuggled goods and wants to sell it to someone else this Sunday. Moreover, he wants to make the deal in the Heavenly Waterfall Room under Haddock Group? Haha, he even said that Haddock Group¡¯s financials are riddled with holes because they embezzledpany funds.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyes brimmed with disdain as she continued, ¡°Such ims can only fool those two kids. The holes in Haddock Group¡¯s financials aren¡¯t because of the so-called embezzlement ofpany funds. Instead, it¡¯s because there¡¯s something fishy about their charitable organization.¡± ¡°What should we do now, Boss? We¡¯ve got to take revenge for this matter! The ruination of Imperial Hotel must have been a conspiration between Haddock Group and ZZ Organization.¡± Luigi saw red. Some of Imperial Hotel¡¯s employees were still in the hospital then. Although they survived, injuries were inevitable. ¡°Since Dixon is luring us to Heavenly Waterfall Room, we¡¯ll y along with him. I¡¯d like to see what he¡¯s up to.¡± Ashlyn dipped her eyes before fixing her gaze on Luigi. ¡°Instruct our men to remain calm. Then, spread the word that we also have a shipment of goods that we¡¯re selling at The Peacock on Saturday night.¡± ¡°Understood, Boss.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Understood, Boss.¡± Luigi immediately left to execute the order. Jared, on the other hand, frowned slightly. ¡°Boss, this is obviously Dixon¡¯s trap. At that time, he would have definitely set up a trap. Must you go?¡± ¡°No one in this world can dupe me and escape unscathed!¡± Ashlyn stood up from the couch, her eyes as cold as ice. She then said, ¡°I¡¯m going to pick Lucas up. His treatment has probably ended.¡± ¡°Boss, Trashy Idol is going to have a celebratory party in a few days. Besides¡­ as the investor and producer, you¡¯ve got to attend the awards ceremony since it¡¯s been shortlisted for the Golden Ox Awards.¡± Jared turned on his phone again, reporting the schedule to her like a secretary. ¡°So¡­ when are you nning to return to the country?¡± Ashlyn peered at the man out of the corner of her eye. An indescribable tenderness showed on her beautiful face. ¡°In another two days after Lucas¡¯ condition has stabilized.¡± Sometimeter, Ashlyn brought her car to a stop at the gates of the Leno residence. Then, she climbed out of the car. A tall man was crouching in the small vegetable garden, watering the vegetables. He wore a ck shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbow, baring a small stretch of his strong and solid arms. As he watered the vegetables while crouching with a water pipe in hand, he appeared pretty professional for some inexplicable reason. It seems that he always looks at home in whatever he does. He¡¯s a mogul in the business world, yet he still looks as good holding a water pipe in the hand in which he usually holds a Montnc pen. Lifting her hand, Ashlyn rubbed her chin. Perhaps it¡¯s because he¡¯s handsome, so he looks good no matter what he does? After Lucas had watered the vegetables for a while, he seemingly sensed a thoughtful gaze on him. He lifted his eyes, meeting Ashlyn¡¯s gaze since she didn¡¯t manage to retract it in time. Under the setting sun, Ashlyn¡¯s eyes glittered like crystals. Lucas ced the water pipe in his hand down and turned off the faucet. Having done that, he strolled over to her and gazed down at her. ¡°It¡¯s pretty nice to experience rural life once in a while.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s rosy lips curved into a smile. ¡°Why, you want to retire so early, Mr. Nn?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Taking her creamy hand in his, Lucas started walking out with her. ¡°How could I retire when I haven¡¯t made a fortune for you to spend?¡± ¡°Lucas, you haven¡¯t told me how you got the neighboring town¡¯s firefighters to work with you that day.¡± Ashlyn quirked a brow as she eyed the man¡¯s broad back. All the firefighters on the ne Lucas piloted that day were those she asked Quiet Forest to seek out in the neighboring town. ¡°Then, you tell me who you sought out to get those firefighters to lend you a hand.¡± Chapter 828 Chapter 828 Lucas¡¯ eyes brimmed with indulgence. Someone who would step out at such a critical juncture and lend her a hand with just a single call must be very close to her. She¡¯s much too secretive. ¡°It was a man?¡± His gaze darkened a shade. ¡°Yeah, it was a man.¡± Exasperation swamped Ashlyn. Why did it end up being a question of gender now? She hastily changed the subject. ¡°I¡¯ve got to return to the country in another two days, so I won¡¯t be able to continue keeping youpany here.¡± ¡°And so?¡± Lucas¡¯ eyes glinted dangerously. In the past few days, they had been spending their time leisurely as though having been given a new lease on life. It had been exceedingly rxing. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m only to be away for a few days. Don¡¯t always be so childish, okay?¡± Ashlyn cradled her forehead as a headache assailed her. Lucas went silent. Is she disdaining me? ¡°Let¡¯s go and eat¡­ Are you hungry?¡± ¡°I know of a pretty good restaurant.¡± Half an hourter, the car came to a steady stop in front of a high-end restaurant. As soon as Ashlyn alighted from the car, Lucas took her hand and led her into the restaurant. Ashlyn was struck dumb. He¡¯s really getting increasingly domineering. Mere moments after they had taken their seats, a woman¡¯s elegant voice sounded out of the blue. ¡°What a coincidence, Mr. Nn.¡± Ashlyn cast her gaze in the direction of that voice, only to be greeted by the sight of a woman dressed in high-end customized clothes, her countenance striking and figure slender, standing in front of Lucas. With his face devoid of expression, Lucas swept a gaze over the woman. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t know you.¡± A sh of surprise flitted across Kimberly¡¯s azure blue eyes. Not only am I beautiful and gracious, but I¡¯ve also got a noble background. All men scramble over at the sight of me. What right does he have to be so indifferent? And who¡¯s the woman beside him? Why does she seem to be incredibly intimate with him? I took the initiative to lower myself and greet him, yet he¡¯s being all high and mighty? Who does he think he is? Suppressing the wrath within her, Kimberly inhaled deeply and maintained a decorous smile. ¡°Mr. Nn, we once met at¡ª¡± Before she had finished speaking, Lucas cut her off, ¡°Excuse me, miss, but you¡¯re disrupting me and my lover¡¯s meal by standing here. Could you please return to your seat?¡± p! It was as though an invisible hand smacked Kimberly across the face. Her face throbbed painfully. I didn¡¯t hear him wrongly, did I? I¡¯m the daughter of the oil tycoon and the most renowned socialite in the world, yet he¡¯s disrespecting me? At the sight of her grim expression, Ashlyn stifled a bark ofughter. Withdrawing her gaze, she lowered her head and flipped open the menu. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± ¡°I like everything you order.¡± Lucas gazed at her dotingly. At the end of the day, she¡¯s far more pleasing to the eye. As they conversed as though they were in a world of their own, Kimberly¡¯s temper spiked again. I¡¯ve never failed to obtain something I wanted! What gives that this man doesn¡¯t even spare me a nce? Great, just great. You¡¯ve sessfully snagged my attention! She tilted her head up arrogantly. ¡°One day, Lucas Nn, you¡¯ll regret treating me in such a manner!¡± After saying that, she whirled around and stalked off in her high heels, looking very much like a proud peacock from the back. Ashlyn swept a gaze over Kimberly¡¯s high-end, customized attire. Her gaze promptly darkened. She seems¡­ rather different from women like Jenny and Penelope. The haughtiness in her bones appears innate in nature. Who is she? She pondered for a while before shifting her gaze to Lucas. The man¡¯s expression remained the same. It was as though the woman¡¯sings and goings had nothing to do with him. ¡°Verily, it¡¯s all too easy for you¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s easy?¡± Lucas arched a brow. The corners of Ashlyn¡¯s mouth turned up. She had a teasing look in her eyes, and her lovely countenance seemingly glowed under the light. ¡°Attracting unwanted attention.¡± At that, Lucas burst intoughter. ¡°Then, tell me why Winsor calls you several times a day.¡± ¡°Why else? To apologize on behalf of his brother, of course!¡± Letting out an exhale, Ashlyn shot him a cold re. ¡°Why are you asking in such detail?¡± Chapter 829 Chapter 829 Lucas lowered his eyes and chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s no woman calling me.¡± In response, Ashlyn glowered at him. ¡°How childish!¡± Regretfully, such leisure times seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Soon, it was time for Ashlyn to return to the country. Right then, a storm was brewing in Lake City. The sky was frightfully dark, as though the heavens would open anytime. It was day, but it seemed as though night was dawning. Early in the morning, Naomi went to Nn Entertainment. Since she had signed a contract with Jonathan¡¯s manager, she was naturally an artist under Nn Entertainment as well. She went right into Nn Entertainment¡¯s exclusive vanity studio with Isaac. The stylist had long since been waiting there. Precisely speaking, it was an hour ago. Isaac wore a smug grin on his face. ¡°You¡¯re simply stunning, Naomi! You¡¯ll definitely outshine all other female celebrities during the Golden Ox Awards tonight.¡± The stylist selected a simple yet elegant one-shoulder dress with silver sequins for Naomi, baring the creamy skin on the left half of her shoulder. Tassels adorned the neckline and hem of the dress. They swayed with the wearer¡¯s movements, lending the sense of purity a hint of seductiveness. She wore a pair of matching silver high heels of the same shade while her hair was pulled up high, leaving only a few strands beside her cheeks, appearing casual without being intentional. Studying herself in the mirror, Naomi found it satisfactory. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She shed the stylist a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Ourpany¡¯s new female celebrity certainly can¡¯t be overshadowed by anyone else, so I naturally have to work harder.¡± The stylist chuckled. Isaac brought Naomi out of the vanity studio and headed straight for Jonathan¡¯s office. Coincidentally, Isabe stepped out of the elevator and witnessed that scene. As she scrutinized Naomi¡¯s slender figure from the back, puzzlement glinted in her eyes. ¡°The stylist gave Naomi the Moonlight dress?¡± Her manager sneered and curled her lips in contempt. ¡°It¡¯s just Moonlight. What¡¯s the big deal about it? Don¡¯t worry, for I borrowed a dress from Dior meant for the new spring collection next year. You¡¯ll definitely outshine everyone at that time. What¡¯s so great about Naomi? All she has going for her is her family background.¡± Isabe pursed her lips thoughtfully. Taking her eyes off Naomi, she nced sideways at her manager, Nessy, with a soft smile on her face. ¡°Nessy, I¡¯ve been shortlisted for the Best Leading Actress and Most Popr Actress, so it all boils down to one¡¯s capabilities at that time. No matter which award I win in the end, my status in thepany will undoubtedly surpass hers. So what if she¡¯s the heiress of Nn Group?¡± At once, a triumphant smile bloomed on Nessy¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Both the movie and television series in which you starred have been shortlisted for the Best Movie Award and Best Television Series Award, respectively. No matter which award you win then, you¡¯ll be able to gain poprity. She¡¯s just a rookie, so she¡¯s no threat to your position as the top female celebrity in thepany.¡± Smiling, Isabe twirled a strand of her long, wavy hair. ¡°Mr. Nn is always away from the office. With the distance, he won¡¯t be able to keep much of an eye on things. So what if she¡¯s an heiress? Ultimately, she¡¯s still my stepping stone.¡± ¡°I heard she¡¯s been shortlisted for the Best New Artist Award. The judge in charge of that award loathes people who rely on their status and background. Yet, she¡¯s still shortlisted.¡± Nessy gritted her teeth. Then, she continued, ¡°She must have approached the judge and used her feminine wiles!¡± Lizbeth Lacroix was an exceedingly upright judge, and she was also the vice president of the Film and Television Association. ¡°Well¡­ Ms. Lacroix is a woman.¡± ¡°Have you never heard the rumors? Ms. Lacroix is a tomboy. She likes beautiful women.¡± Isabe¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Are you serious?¡± There had been rumors regarding Lizbeth ages ago, for she always dressed meticulously and neutrally. Could it be that she actually likes women instead? ¡°Of course! Let¡¯s go. Just wait and see how I¡¯m going to teach that b*tch, Naomi, a lesson. She even went as far as seducing Ms. Lacroix. What a vixen!¡± White-hot fury zed within Nessy. All who dare to block Isabe¡¯s path must get out of the way! They must all be gone! At four o¡¯clock in the afternoon, the red carpet opening ceremony for the Golden Ox Awards of the Film and Television Awards Ceremony officiallymenced. Chapter 830 Chapter 830 At the entrance of the Lake City Convention and Exhibition Center, not even the muggy weather could dampen the enthusiasm of the fans. Cheers resounded alongside the appearance of the celebrities. On the red carpet, cameras shed. Celebrities walked the red carpet one after another, leaving behind a perfect figure under the limelight. This was a grand event in the film and television industry. Likewise, it was significant in showbiz. Almost all media within and outside the country were present. Both media personnel and celebrities walking the red carpet were in high spirits. While Frank¡¯s movie, Angel and Devil, wasn¡¯t much of a hit and was only nominated for an inconspicuous award, Talon still came with the main film crew. After all, those in showbiz naturally weren¡¯t willing to miss any opportunity to show their faces in public. Frank might have gone to prison, but the others were still walking free. They still walked the red carpet in morous dresses while having their photos taken. Taking the hand of the main film crew, Talon walked the red carpet with them from beginning to end. The leading actress, Sandra Wagner, wore a snowy-white dress with a cinched waist. After Helena gave the role up, it fell on her though she was only a small-time actress. It¡¯s my first time ying the leading actress, but Naomi, who¡¯s also a new leading actress in a movie that premiered at the same time, enjoys far greater poprity. That aside, her movie was a huge box- office hit. Worse still, she¡¯s been nominated for the Best New Artist Award for the Golden Ox Awards this time. Argh! The mere thought of it enrages me. Contrarily, I¡¯m only cannon fodder who doesn¡¯t get much attention. The resentment within her intensified as her thoughts continued in that line. When she had finished walking the red carpet, she still felt rather unsatisfied. This is my first time attending such a grand event. Who knows when I¡¯ll get to walk the red carpet next time? Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Subsequently, the cars driving the celebrities from Nn Entertainment arrived at the entrance of the red carpet, one after another. The first car was the main crew of Trashy Idol, starring Naomi and Jonathan. Greg was the first person to climb out of the car. Next was Jonathan, who then gentlemanly opened the car door for Naomi. Just when Naomi had alighted from the car, a girl suddenly rushed out of nowhere and charged toward her. Following the sound of a ssh, Naomi felt a chill at her chest. ck liquid trickled down her silver dress. The girl held a bottle of C in her hand and red at her resentfully. ¡°You vixen, seducing my Jonathan! What right do you have to be with him?¡± While tearing into Naomi, she raised the bottle and swung it at thetter¡¯s face. No sooner said than done, Jonathan, who was closest to Naomi, rushed forward and shielded her. Bam! The bottle hit Jonathan¡¯s back hard. Naomi, on the other hand, burrowed into his arms in embarrassment. That sudden turn of events shocked everyone. In no time, some media started snapping away at Naomi and Jonathan. Greg hurriedly called for security to restrain the crazed fan. In the past two years, there had been nock of crazed fans who lost themselves in pursuing celebrities. Previously, there had been shocking cases of crazed male fans throwing themselves at female celebrities or hugging them in public. After Naomi and Jonathan starred alongside each other in the movie, especially, they appeared very much like a couple. Although that wasn¡¯t used as a promotional means by the movie, many fans shipped them together. Despite the presence of those fans, there were also some fans who objected to it. Jonathan, in particr, had a ton of groupies who wanted to be his girlfriend and wife. Never had Naomi expected that she would be attacked by Jonathan¡¯s fan. Worse still, it was at such a grand event as the Golden Ox Awards, humiliating her before the entire country. My dress is ruined! What should I do now? Should I still walk the red carpet or not? Behind them, Isabe and Nessy had already alighted from the car. Isabe hastened over with a mask of concern on her face. ¡°Oh my God! What happened, Ms. Nn? How did your dress get ruined?¡± Chapter 831 Chapter 831 ¡°Be careful to keep your face hidden since there are so many journalists and fans here. Your reputation will be greatly affected if photos of you in such a sorry state get circted on the inte.¡± Nessy likewise wore a mask of concern. ¡°How about you go over to my car and change? I¡¯ve got some spare casual clothes in my minivan.¡± Isabe¡¯s smile was gentle andpassionate, looking just like an understanding mentor from the samepany. That was actually a set of ugly and old-fashioned sports attire she especially prepared as a gift for Naomi then. Naomi had never been in the habit of wearing someone else¡¯s clothes, so she shook her head mildly. ¡°Thanks, but no thanks, Isabe.¡± Everyone had witnessed her getting sshed with C, so it would be futile no matter how much she tried to hide it. Therefore, it would be far better for her to face it openly. While speaking, she broke free from Jonathan¡¯s embrace. ¡°Thank you, Jonathan.¡± The handsome young man regarded her worriedly. Female celebrities always prioritize their appearances, so they¡¯re all eager to look their most beautiful at such an event. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± After saying that, Naomi held her head up and puffed her chest forward before walking toward the signature board. Behind her, Greg, Jonathan, and several other actors from the same film crew hurried after her. Although she was in a sorry state, she still appeared like an angel who had descended from heaven. Nessy stared at Naomi¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯ll see how she¡¯s going to get in when she¡¯s wearing those dirty clothes.¡± Isabe smiled, gracious and elegant. At once, she snagged the spotlight. To Nessy¡¯s surprise, she cautioned, ¡°Pay attention to your expression, Nessy.¡± Naomi didn¡¯t tarry long on the red carpet or participate in the interviews. Instead, she entered the venue right away. When she had gone in, she hurried in the direction of the restroom. The fact that she was wearing stained clothes during such a grand event was definitely a fatal blow to her career and professional capability, including her fashion sense. With her lips pursed, she started cleaning the C stain on her dress. Back when they were abroad, Isabe loved to makeparisons with her in everything and brag. Thus, it didn¡¯t make sense that thetter would be so kind as to lend her clothes after returning to the country. Among the students who went abroad to study, Isabe was a well-known social butterfly within the circle. She had a lot of connections and was skilled at socializing. In the end, she dropped out of school to return to the country and became a celebrity. At that time, they weren¡¯t all that familiar with each other within the group. Yet, Isabe liked to target her in everything. When they met, they were like cats and dogs. Rumor had it that it was because Isabe¡¯s boyfriend dumped her and wanted to pursue Naomi instead. Naomi didn¡¯t know anything about that, but Isabe began holding a grudge against her. After returning to the country, Isabe¡¯s career boomed. Her poprity skyrocketed. She starred in two popr television series before switching to movies. She shot to stardom and was close to being an A-list celebrity. If she were to cinch the award for Best Movie Actress or Best Television Actress that day, it would be an affirmation of her as an A-list female celebrity with a piece of acimed work, poprity, and award. Irritation inundated Naomi. Why do I always bump into Isabe wherever I go? Letting out a long exhale, she noticed that the stain was almost gone. The wet fabric of her silver dress was stered against her body, making her feel very much ufortable. That aside, it had turned semi-translucent, rendering her skin visible. She stood before the mirror in the restroom in vexation. At that precise moment, a girl suddenly pushed open the restroom door and came in. She gaped at Naomi in surprise. ¡°Why is your dress wet? And you are¡­ Naomi Nn? I watched your movie, and I loved it.¡± She had on a staff uniform and a badge at her chest. In other words, she was a staff member for the Golden Ox Awards. Naomi lifted her eyes and studied the girl. She was in her twenties, good-looking, and had a warm smile. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you backstage so you can dry your dress with the air conditioner. It¡¯ll probably dry in a while.¡± Indeed, Naomi was in urgent need of drying her dress then. After all, she couldn¡¯t stay in a wet dress and embarrass herself. She nodded, never having expected to meet such a kind staff member. ¡°Thank you.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 832 Chapter 832 ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± The girl pointed at her badge. ¡°I¡¯m Halley.¡± Halley took her down a secluded alleyway and entered the backstage of the awards ceremony. There were several dressing rooms exclusively for the huge stars backstage. Naturally, it would be impossible for a neer like Naomi to have a designated dressing room. Hence, when she saw Halley push open Isabe¡¯s dressing room door, she was stunned. ¡°Halley, it¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea for me to enter Ms. Rayner¡¯s dressing room.¡± She didn¡¯t want to get too involved with Isabe. ¡°It should be fine. We¡¯re just here to use the air conditioner. There are so many dressing rooms, but only Ms. Rayner¡¯s door is unlocked. She¡¯s a friendly person, so she shouldn¡¯t mind,¡± Halley said with a smile. Naomi hesitated for a while before finally stepping into the dressing room. She stood in front of the air conditioner, and the strong chilling breeze made her ufortable. After she was done and was about to leave, the dressing room door was pushed open from the outside. Isabe walked in wearing a sapphire blue gown with long wavy hair, and Nessy followed behind her. When she saw Naomi, Isabe twitched her eyebrows. Then, she spoke gently with a hint of disdain. ¡°Ms. Nn, what are you doing in my dressing room? Did you think a neer like you is equal to someone as big and famous as me?¡± There weren¡¯t other people at the ce and not many cameras from the media, so Isabe couldn¡¯t bother to pretend to have a senior-junior rtionship with Naomi. ¡°My clothes got wet, so I came here to use the air conditioner.¡± Naomi was neither humble nor arrogant. ¡°Thanks for the air conditioner. I¡¯ll be taking my leave now.¡± As soon as she spoke, she walked toward the door. Halley quickly apologized to Isabe, ¡°Ms. Rayner, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Isabe snorted coldly, touched up her makeup, and turned around to leave the room. However, as soon as she opened the door, she heard a scream of excitementing from the outside. It was her assistant¡¯s voice. ¡°Oh my gosh! It¡¯s the top designer, Rosalind! I heard that she designed the gown of the wife of H Nation¡¯s president.¡± ¡°She¡¯s holding a beautiful gown in her hand. Could that be for Isabe? After all, I heard Isabe¡¯s boyfriend is¡­¡± Another staff member spoke but didn¡¯t finish her sentence as if she wasn¡¯t worthy to utter the name. Then, three ssy women walked into the corridor. The woman in the front was elegantly dressed, and the two behind her were her assistants. Isabe looked out of curiosity and noticed the famous designer, Rosalind Webber, the female designer who created the gown for the president¡¯s wife to travel abroad for an interview. ¡°The gown in her hand seems to be the new design for the spring collection, right? It¡¯s also a limited edition. It looks like it is from the same collection as the gown of the president¡¯s wife. That¡¯s a dress you can¡¯t buy with money. This collection only has two sets. The president¡¯s wife is wearing one, and the other is still unowned. That¡¯s not possible. Even if Mr. Webber dotes on me, there¡¯s no way he could get a gown of such quality for me, right?¡± Isabe was in disbelief. ¡°Webber Group has developed pretty well recently, but it¡¯s still quite impossible for them to have Rosalinde over.¡± Although Isabe¡¯s words sounded modest, there was a hint of arrogance and excitement in her tone. ¡°Why not? They¡¯re all Webbers. They might be rted to each other. It¡¯s probably nothing to get you a gown like that.¡± Nessy nearly screamed. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. If her artist wore a gown from the same collection as a gown for the president¡¯s wife, it could be the hottest topic on Twitter as soon as the news spread. It was indeed an honor. Isabe was still a little unsure. Back when she saw Naomi wearing Lune, her Dior instantly became out of fashion. Then, she immediately called her boyfriend, Alec Webber, toin about it. She never expected Alec to give her such a big surprise. He must have spent a lot of thought and money, right? Maybe Nessy is right. Maybe Rosalind is his rtive. Chapter 833 Chapter 833 Maybe that is why Rosalind is here to give me the dress in person. The more Isabe thought about it, the more she felt contented. Watching Rosalind walk over, Isabe couldn¡¯t help but greet her joyfully, ¡°Ms. Webber, thank you for delivering this gown. You have my utmost gratitude. It is my honor to wear the clothing you designed.¡± Rosalind looked at Isabe with a puzzled look. ¡°Oh, are you Ms. Rayna?¡± Did she just say Ms. Rayner? Isabe became even more excited. That¡¯s myst name. This gown is for me! She was so excited that she could hardly speak. ¡°Yes, yes. I am Isabe Rayner.¡± Rosalind scrutinized her. Isabe was very popr recently, so Rosalind somehow managed to recognize her. But¡­ After looking at Isabe¡¯s excited expression, Nessy rushed over to show off her beautiful-looking artist before Rosalind could speak. ¡°Oh my. Isabe is so lucky. So what if someone¡¯s a wealthy daughter of the Nn Group? Isabe¡¯s boyfriend sent Ms. Rosalind, the great designer, to deliver the gown to her in person! Unlike someone else, who nobody cared if her gown was dirty. Even her big brother disappeared in her time of need!¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Isabe was very pleased to hear Nessy¡¯s ttery. Naomi must be very jealous and angry when she saw the gown that Rosalind brought over, right? That¡¯s right. What¡¯s the point of being an unfavored daughter of the Nn family? After all, Rosalind is a designer who deals with the wives of the state¡¯s aristocrats. Commoners will never get to meet her or wear the clothes she designed. The clothing she designed was what the president¡¯s wife wore for a trip overseas! When the thought of wearing the same luxurious clothing as the president¡¯s wife came to mind, Isabe was filled withcency. She extended her hand gracefully with a gleeful smile she considered elegant and polite. ¡°Ms. Webber. This way, please. Let¡¯s get changed.¡± At this moment, Rosalind suddenly stepped forward a few steps and stopped in front of Naomi. ¡°This dress is the product of half a year of work. It suits you very well. Go on, put it on.¡± Isabe¡¯s mind went nk. She kept her eyes glued to Rosalind for a moment. What is she doing? Why did she go to Naomi? She eximed in disbelief, ¡°Ms. Webber, did you make a mistake? I am Ms. Rayner. Didn¡¯t your rtive, Alec Webber, send you to deliver this gown?¡± Rosalind looked at Isabe irritably and responded with a stern face, ¡°Miss, I don¡¯t have a rtive called Alec. Besides, this gown is only suitable for girls with elegant and sweet temperaments. It is not ideal for someone of your age.¡± Is she saying I¡¯m old? Isabe was on the verge of a breakdown. Then, Rosalind turned toward Naomi and said politely, ¡°Ms. Naomi, please put this on.¡± Isabe was flustered. At that moment, she could only feel the sense of humiliation showing on her face. Why Naomi? She¡¯s a b*tch. Her brother won¡¯t evene to see her. Why does she get to have that? Naomi raised her eyebrows in delight. However, she wasn¡¯t ascent as Isabe was. She humbly expressed her gratitude. ¡°Thank you. I will take good care of this gown.¡± Usually, the gowns worn by celebrities when participating in events were borrowed from brand companies. Naomi was under the impression that Rosalind was lending her the gown. In the past, there have been incidents where celebrities soiled and damaged borrowed gowns and were cklisted by the brands. Therefore, she quickly changed herposure. However, Rosalind chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re wee. We¡¯re a family in the future. You ought to address me as your sister-inw anyway.¡± Sister-inw? Family? What does that mean? Naomi¡¯s face went pale. Lucas cheated? Did he break up with Ashlyn? Does he like her now? Her chest began to throb. ¡°Y-You¡¯re¡­¡± Chapter 834 Chapter 834 She was about to question Rosalind, but Rosalind pushed her into a dressing room. Isabe watched as Naomi entered a vacant dressing room, and a glint of viciousness shed in her hatred-filled eyes. At the awards ceremony at this moment, Jonathan was feeling uneasy in his seat, not knowing how things were going. Greg looked at him with a smile. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Worried about Naomi?¡± The young man in a ck suit blushed slightly and replied, ¡°No.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn.¡± Greg patted his shoulder heavily and looked toward the end of the red carpet. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Ms. Berry here yet?¡± At this moment, Rosalind came over and sat next to Jonathan. ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± ¡°Thank you, Rosalind.¡± Jonathan looked at her with eyes of gratitude. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She will definitely wear that gown beautifully and give you some publicity.¡± ¡°Do I look like I need publicity?¡± Rosalind pouted and gave Jonathan a meaningful stare. ¡°Don¡¯t forget what you promised me.¡± At this moment, there was a suddenmotion at the entrance. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Greg subconsciously looked over and saw Ashlyn in a white gown, walking elegantly. She had a tall and slender physique with a fishtail skirt wrapped around her petite body and her long ck hair tied up in a bun, entuating her elegance. She held a limited-edition bag of a famous brand, and the makeup on her face was meticulously done but not over-imposing. Herplexion was fair as snow but wasn¡¯t overshadowed by the snow-white color of her dress, giving away a hint of charming femininity through her elegance. The female celebrities around her secretly envied her beauty when they looked at her. She¡¯s nothing. She¡¯s just an influencer. Why is she even here at the awards ceremony? No matter how gorgeous and good-looking you are, it doesn¡¯t mean anything. Isabe witnessed the scene as well. She was already filled with anger and shame, but she got even more upset when she saw Ashlyn¡¯s magnificent entrance. However, after considering Ashlyn¡¯s current identity as the wife of Lucas, the president of Nn Group, Isabe could only swallow her agony and walk over to greet her. ¡°Mrs. Nn, your beauty is captivating. This gown totally looks like it was made just for you.¡± Ashlyn nced at her and smiled. ¡°Yes. This dress was indeed made for me.¡± ¡°Today, Ms. Naomi wore a dress designed by Rosalind, but I don¡¯t think it looks as good as yours!¡± Isabe noticed Naomiing out from backstage in the corner of her eye and deliberately raised her voice. Let the inwspete with each other! Hehe! As Isabe was engrossed in her wicked thoughts, her words had already attracted much attention. After all, everyone liked to watch female celebrities argue andpete in beauty, especially with Ashlyn¡¯s and Naomi¡¯s identities as inws. Having thempete in beauty on the same stage would be very intense. Everyone instantly became interested. They could not wait for Ashlyn to tear Naomi apart and for Naomi to retaliate with a strike to the face. However, just when everyone was high on their hopes, Naomi, who just came out from backstage, lifted her dress and ran toward Ashlyn as soon as she saw her. Her face was full of smiles. She looked adorable and easy on the eyes, like a blooming flower. ¡°Ashlyn!¡± Naomi¡¯s voice sounded like she was on the verge of tears. Previously, she pretended to be strong and endured the grievances when she first got out of the car. Yet, she teared up the moment she saw Ashlyn. Naomi looked up at Ashlyn with her reddened eyes. ¡°Today, I-I¡­¡± Her pitiful look melted Ashlyn¡¯s heart, and she couldn¡¯t help but reach out to pinch her smooth cheek. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know. How do you feel about the gown? I asked Rosalind to alter it ording to your measurements in time.¡± Chapter 835 Chapter 835 ¡°Ashlyn, it¡­ it was you who told Ms. Webber to send the dress over?¡± Naomi was stunned. But¡­ Rosalind said that she was to be my sister-inw. What did she mean by that? ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this, Rosalind? You¡­ Ashlyn has already talked to you, yet you still came and duped me?¡± Jonathan felt extremely upset upon hearing Ashlyn¡¯s words. ¡°Must you use every trick in the book to win my brother over?¡± After he got out of the car with Naomi and her dress was ruined, he quickly contacted Rosalind to prepare another dress for Naomi. However, Rosalind whined and stated her condition, saying she would help him if he helped her pursue his elder brother Jared. ¡°You must help me invite your elder brother to dinner and a movie, understand? Otherwise, I won¡¯t help you!¡± At the time, the oblivious Jonathan agreed to it right away for the sake of helping Naomi. Only now did he realize that he had fallen into Rosalind¡¯s trap! Seeing his angry look, Rosalind smiled fearlessly, revealing her two canines. ¡°You¡¯ve agreed to help me win over your brother, and I¡¯ve also helped you save your little lover, so¡­ as a man, you can¡¯t break your promise.¡± ¡°What little lover? We¡¯re friends.¡± Jonathan blushed in a rare disy of embarrassment. So many of my colleagues and media are here. What nonsense is this d*mn woman Rosalind spouting? ¡°Ms. Webber, I¡­ We are just colleagues. Please don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± Naomi blushed as she quickly exined. It won¡¯t be good if people get the wrong idea. ¡°Colleagues? One who was so anxious when you were in trouble?¡± Rosalind¡¯s canines were exposed again, and her smile looked somewhat sarcastic. ¡°Oh my. You have no idea how anxious he was when he called me.¡± Naomi was easily embarrassed, and the fact that no one had ever teased her in person made her turn bright red almost immediately. Ashlyn cocked an eyebrow and looked at Rosalind. ¡°No one will regard you as a mute if you keep quiet, you know.¡± However, everyone merely saw the aloof designer smiling obsequiously, and even her canines seemed to reflect that as well. ¡°Yes, yes. You¡¯re right, my mentor. Everything you say is right.¡± Mentor? After hearing Rosalind¡¯s words, everyone could not help but widen their eyes in shock. Rosalind has a princess-like status in the fashion industry of H Nation, and many fashion events take pride in securing her attendance. However, this designer who designs dresses for the president¡¯s wife is now smiling obsequiously. Is this an act of bootlicking? Isabe felt the color drain from her face. Her mind went nk, and she felt a little confused. Isn¡¯t Ashlyn Lucas¡¯ wife and thedy boss of Nn Group? Doesn¡¯t she merely have slight poprity on the Inte? For a celebrity like me, she¡¯s an influencer at best¡­ But how did she suddenly be Rosalind¡¯s mentor? W-What kind of foolish thing did I do?This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Anyone with eyes could tell how close Naomi and Ashlyn were with one another, especially the former, whose reliance on thetter was beyond what words could describe. Those who were previously waiting to enjoy the show were left dumbstruck. Even Jonathan stared at Rosalind in surprise. ¡°If you want to win over my brother, why didn¡¯t you ask Ashlyn to help you? Why did you keep clinging to me?¡± Rosalind smiled sinisterly with a wicked glint in her round eyes. She inched nearer to him while uttering through gritted teeth, ¡°Do you think I dare to provoke my mentor?¡± Of course, it¡¯s because you¡¯re easy to bully and manipte, little brat. Jonathan chuckled. ¡°So you lied to me and tricked me into falling for it.¡± He stared at her. She¡¯s not a famous designer. She¡¯s a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. Only then did realization slowly dawn upon Naomi that the sister-inw Rosalind mentioned was referring to Jonathan¡¯s sister-inw and not her brother Lucas¡¯. Chapter 836 Chapter 836 She let out a long, slow breath. It was all a misunderstanding. That startled me. As for Isabe, who the others had ignored, she stood there like a fool in a daze. Anyone could see the shock in her eyes. I¡¯m so stupid. Never would I have guessed that Rosalind was Ashlyn¡¯s apprentice! No one in showbiz is dumb. The gears in her head spun quickly, and it took a while for her to squeeze out a stiff smile. ¡°Mrs. Nn, Ms. Webber, Ms. Nn¡­ You guys really¡­ I was a fool for being ignorant earlier, and I said something inappropriate.¡± ¡°Oh? What did you say, Ms. Rayner? Why do I not have any recollection of such a thing?¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrows, her delicate and attractive face showing a hint of mockery. It was clear that she was asking Isabe to repeat what thetter had done and said! Isabe¡¯s face instantly paled. How can a popr actress like me expose my shorings on such an asion where big shots of the industry have gathered? And reveal my filthy thoughts from before? It won¡¯t be as easy as embarrassing myself. How am I going to mingle in this industry in the future? She stood there with a pale face, feeling a chill rising from the soles of her feet. The rumors are true. Ashlyn is not one to be trifled with! Just then, the judgingmittee of the Golden Ox Awards walked up the stage and took their seats. Two hosts, a man and a woman, also took the stage. As the event was broadcast live, not only was it covered by TV stations but also by major streaming websites. Those fans who could not attend the event were all glued to their screens on various broadcasting tforms, and upon seeing their favorite actors or celebrities, they squealed in excitement. Comments continuously flooded the screen. Isabe secretly heaved a sigh of relief when she noticed the director instructing the cameramen, including the on-site staff, to prepare for the live broadcast. She was about to return to her seat when Ashlyn¡¯s cold voice came from behind her. ¡°Ms. Rayner, didn¡¯t you say something wrong? Don¡¯t you need to apologize for that?¡± Isabe stiffened as though someone had poured cold water over her, and the foot she had just lifted was now rooted to the spot. She looked at Ashlyn in disbelief. ¡°The live broadcast is starting soon¡­ Ms. Berry.¡± Thetter scoffed, ¡°Are you implying that I¡¯m dying the Golden Ox Awards?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, Mrs. Nn¡­ I¡¯m just afraid that the awards show would interrupt you.¡± Isabe was rambling incoherently. She had no idea what she was saying. Her heavily made-up face was deathly pale, and under the light, she looked like a special effects actress out of a horror movie. ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste time talking nonsense with you here, Ms. Rayner.¡± Ashlyn let out a low chuckle. Her exquisite face appeared to be glowing as she looked at Isabe elegantly and graciously. ¡°I advise you to be mindful of your words and think before you act when you are a part of showbiz. I¡¯ll let you off this time, but I hope you remember what I said in the future.¡± With that, she turned around, walked to Naomi¡¯s side, took the young girl¡¯s hand, and sat down on the seat. Isabe felt utterly embarrassed. A myriad of emotions flickered across her face. She lowered her head gloomily and went to her seat. For quite some time, she thought that the people around her were stillughing at her. However, the reality was that everyone¡¯s eyes had turned to the center of the stage. The awards ceremony was exceptionally lively, with awards being imed one after another by various film and television personnel. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Some were thrilled while others were dejected. Almost everyone held their breath when the Best New Artist Award was announced. Naomi was a little nervous. It was her first movie, after all, so she naturally hoped to get some recognition. The male host stepped onto the stage and said loudly, ¡°Dear honored guests, it¡¯s time to give away this year¡¯s Best New Artist Award in the film category. The Best New Artist Award for the television category was taken away by Felicity Leigh just now. Who will take home the award for the film category?¡± Chapter 837 Chapter 837 ¡°Next, please take a look at the finalists on the big screen¡­¡± The voice of the female host rang out. ¡°The sad lives of women in ancient times are explored in ¡®The Journey of Marriage,¡¯ while ¡®Unfinished Buildings¡¯ is about those ck-hearted real estate developers. Even idols have started picking up trash nowadays in ¡®Trashy Idol.¡¯ Protect the environment, starting with me. ¡®Life¡¯ can be as radiant as a spark or as depressing as an abyss.¡± The big screen kept showing clips of those shortlisted movies with scenes of the rookies, and among them was Naomi. At the end of those clips, the male host said, ¡°Millions of viewers have voted from these shortlisted films on Twitter and the voting channel of Golden Ox TV, and the results are here. Let¡¯s wee the film industry¡¯s three-time recipient of the Best Actor award, Darren Wentworth, to reveal the winner¡­¡± Darren walked onto the stage in a ck suit before taking the envelope from a staff member and opening it calmly. After opening it, he smiled. ¡°Naomi Nn.¡± Naomi rose to her feet in surprise. Never did she imagine that she would win the Best New Artist Award. She walked up the stage excitedly and epted the trophy from Darren. However, she had just returned to her seat when the announcement for Best Supporting Actress came. The moment ¡°Trashy Idol¡± reappeared on the big screen, everyone was dumbfounded. A rookie had been shortlisted for two awards. Although it was not the much-anticipated Best Actress Award, it was still enough to leave people speechless. Isabe stared at Naomi, feeling a little jealous. Isn¡¯t it because of her family background and ability to seduce people that the judgingmittee thinks more highly of her? Her acting is mediocre and undeserving of an award. Keeping her jealousy discreet, she turned her attention to Sandra, seated not far away. Thetter was Naomi¡¯s rival as the two had entered the industry almost at the same time and were shortlisted for Best Supporting Actress almost simultaneously as well. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Sandra was beautiful and alluring, a stark contrast to Naomi¡¯s innocent and charming appearance. Her acting career was also more diversepared to thetter. She smirked and said to her manager, ¡°Reveal to Sandra that Naomi is on good terms with the judging committee.¡± The manager was taken aback. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯m sure you noticed that Ashlyn¡­¡± It¡¯s obvious that she¡¯s very protective of Naomi! Is it really a good idea to provoke her? You might even bring disaster upon yourself before managing to set Naomi up. You still have to survive in Nn Entertainment! ¡°As long as you act discreetly, no one will ever guess that we revealed it to her. Besides, there are truly very few secrets in the industry.¡± Isabe gave her a smug grin. Since I¡¯ve greatly embarrassed myself today, I must return the favor. Although I can¡¯t target Ashlyn, it doesn¡¯t mean that I can¡¯t target the unfavored Naomi. ¡°Well¡­ All right then.¡± The manager immediately went to get her hands on dirt regarding Naomi being on good terms with the judgingmittee. Meanwhile, back on stage, an actress named Kelly Zimmer waspeting with Naomi for the Best Supporting Actress Award, and she was looking extremely confident. I¡¯ve already bribed every member of the judgingmittee, so the Best Supporting Actress Award is mine! How can Naomi¡¯s Best New Artist Award bepared to this award? Every time the camera trained on her, she always had a charming smile on her face. She had been in the industry for several years, and her acting skills were quite good. However, she never won any awards, and her films¡¯ poprity always overshadowed her. This time, she decided to go all out. She was simr to Naomi in terms of appearance and figure, a fact that annoyed her the most. Several spotlights shone on the faces of those shortlisted actresses. Naomi already had a Best New Artist Award in hand, so her expectations were not that high. After all, she was not yearning for the miracle of clinching two awards to happen. Chapter 838 Chapter 838 The voice of the male host rang out. ¡°Kelly Zimmer.¡± Kelly was all smiles, ready to stand up and hug the assistant director beside her. However, the male host merely offered her a faint smile. ¡°You¡¯re particrly beautiful tonight, but I¡¯m sorry. You can only keep trying next year.¡± Kelly was instantly ovee with disappointment. At the same time, the spotlight that shone on her face also dimmed. In her dazed state, she vaguely heard the male host announcing that the Best Supporting Actress was Naomi. Her mind went nk. Why her? We are simr in appearance and style. Isn¡¯t it just because she¡¯s a few years younger than me that she was deserving of the Best New Artist Award? I¡¯ll be considered a veteran if I remain in the industry for another two years and won¡¯t be able to clinch this award anymore. Best Female Lead Award is too huge of a feat for me, but can¡¯t I even get a Best New Artist Award? Those males in the judgingmittee, I¡¯d approached all of them¡­ They already readily agreed in bed. So why did this happen? Kelly sat there in despair before quietly leaving the lively awards ceremony. Even Isabe was stunned. A rookie winning two awards? I¡¯m so pissed! Sandra was also furious. How shameless can Naomi be just to clinch an award? The female lead of Trashy Idol nominated for Best Supporting Actress? What a joke! Are those judges blind? Naomi is the female lead, but they ced her in the Best Supporting Actress category. Didn¡¯t they do it because there¡¯s lesspetition here? She waspletely consumed by rage and stared at Naomi from time to time. Could this b*tch have used some shady means to win? After the Best New Artist Award in both male and female categories had been given out, the awards for male and female leads came next, starting with Best Male Lead. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. He was a veteran actor who usually won many awards, so no one was surprised when he received the award. Next was the Best Female Lead Award. That, along with the Best Male Lead Award, was the most prestigious and highly-anticipated award. The Best Actor had already been revealed, and following that was the Best Actress. Isabe stared nervously at the stage. She kept praying hard that it must be her and not anyone else. Sandra also kept her eyes glued to the big screen, staring at the envelope in the hands of the awards presenter. She was so nervous that it hurt to breathe. Nheless, she felt that she did not stand a chance. With my acting skills, how can I possiblypare with those veteran actresses? But the Best New Artist Award went to Naomi, which means that I¡¯ll go back empty-handed for this year¡¯s Golden Ox Awards. Not only me but even ¡°Angel and Devil¡± did not win a single award. She was lost in those depressing thoughts while everyone around her stared at the stage. When the result was finally revealed, Isabe sat in her seat, looking pale. It was not her, but another actress. It was not Sandra either. Sandra felt a little better, given that as a rookie, to be able to be shortlisted was already a kind of recognition of her skills. Isabe, on the other hand, came with great expectations, so her disappointment also came from the fact that the recipient of the previous Most Popr Actress was also not her. It must be Ashlyn¡­ She must¡¯ve done something to allow the award that was originally mine to go to someone else. This must be the case. She hated Naomi and Ashlyn deeply. It¡¯s all because of those two. Those awards should¡¯ve been mine! Kelly and Sandra also hated them. Those three women of differing poprities in the film and television industry hated Ashlyn and Naomi at the same time. Immersed in hatred, they simply did not think about their shorings but med everything on others. Being popr depended on luck and ability, andck of poprity was a case of misfortune andck of determination. Opportunities were for those who were prepared. Self-righteous efforts did not guarantee rewards. Only true efforts would pay off. Chapter 839 Chapter 839 A veteran actress once said, ¡°You can be famous by catching a lucky break or by putting in the effort to work your way up. However, there will be consequences if you try to force your way through.¡± At the Golden Ox Awards, Trashy Idol was undoubtedly the biggest winner, garnering awards for Best Director, Best Chanaean Film, Best New Artist, and also Best Supporting Actor. Even though Jonathan didn¡¯t win any awards for his leading role, the nomination alone was a nod to his acting craft. He might still have a long way to go in building a showbiz career, but there was no denying he had already taken his first steps toward sess. When it came to acting, some people were born with a natural talent for it, while others had to put in a lot of hard work. Jonathan, for example, was blessed with good looks but wasn¡¯t naturally gifted. Naomi, on the other hand, was quite an acting whiz. Their differences stood out even more whenever Greg walked them through the scripts and scenes, so it was no surprise that thetter knew them well. Naomi always understood his instructions perfectly, while Jonathan could never get them the first time around or at all. Despite that, Greg loved them both dearly and wished nothing but the best for their showbiz careers. Meanwhile, the list of award winners had begun trending on various social media tforms. Congrattions to the new Best Actor! Well done to the newly crowned Best Actress of the year! A big round of apuse to our new Best Television Actress! Angel and Devil may not have won any awards, but they sure have won our hearts on the red carpet! Naomi Nn walks away as the Best New Artist and Best Supporting Actress! No wins for Jonathan Quickton, but congrattions on his nomination! The Best Director goes to Greg Maxwell! As soon as the awards ceremony ended, it was time for the celebration party. Almost everyone who didn¡¯t win an award had left the venue, leaving only the winners behind to party the night away. Greg led his film crew and drank a toast to the judgingmittee, producers, and other big shots of the entertainment industry. His win, coupled with Frank¡¯s imprisonment, had helped to wash away his years of grievances. More importantly, he could feel a marked improvement in everyone¡¯s attitudes toward him. ¡°With the sess of our box office hit, I¡¯m sure there are people in the industry who will be bitter and resentful. Always be mindful of what you say. Understood?¡± Greg said as he looked at Naomi and Jonathan, worried that the youngsters might offend someone with their words. Just then, a soft and gentle voice rang out. ¡°Director Maxwell, it¡¯s been a while¡­¡± Greg turned around and immediately frowned when he saw the pretty woman approaching him. ¡°Ms. Rayner.¡± Isabe broke into a charming smile as she raised her ss of red wine. ¡°Here¡¯s a toast to you.¡± Although he was reluctant, Greg gave in and clinked sses with her. After all, it would be petty of him if he couldn¡¯t even ede to such a simple request. The next moment, however, Isabe suddenly twisted her ankle and lost her bnce. Everyone gaped as they watched her fall toward Greg, her wine spilling out of the ss and onto the floor. Before anyone else could react, Ashlyn threw her ss away and quickly yanked Greg back before stepping forward. With her now standing in front of thetter, it wasn¡¯t long before she caught Isabe in her arms. Isabe widened her eyes in disbelief. The hand around my waist is so strong, and for some reason, I feel safe in this embrace. When she finally looked up, the face that met hers was gorgeous and wless, with smooth and fair skin as well as eyes that sparkled like diamonds. Isabe couldn¡¯t help but blush. ¡°M-Mrs. Nn, please let go of me.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 840 Chapter 840 ¡°It¡¯s best not to wear such high heels in the future, Ms. Isabe. You don¡¯t want to trip and fall again, do you?¡± Ashlyn uttered before letting go of her suavely and turning to Greg. ¡°Director Maxwell, are you okay?¡± Upon hearing that, Greg was jolted out of his daze and nced at the two women in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Please be more careful, Ms. Isabe.¡± Isabe, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t fathom why her heart wouldn¡¯t stop racing. Oh, gosh, what is this sensation? I must admit Ashlyn looked incredibly cool earlier! Compared to the pretty boys she usually acts alongside, she oozes a lot more charm. She¡¯s the perfect boyfriend material, no doubt about it! At that moment, Cindy walked toward Ashlyn, smiling as she opened her arms to offer a hug. ¡°Ms. Berry! What an absolute pleasure to see you here!¡± Since she hadn¡¯t seen Ashlyn for a long time, Cindy was both happy and excited at the unexpected reunion. Naomi, however, was gritting her teeth. What¡¯s wrong with these two women? One fell into Ashlyn¡¯s embrace while the other¡¯s about to hug her! D*mn it. If this goes on, I might fall out of favor with her. With that, Naomi hurriedly stepped in front of Ashlyn like a mother hen protecting her chicks. ¡°Please mind yourself, Ms. Wynn!¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Ms. Nn. Ms. Berry and I are old friends!¡± Cindy grumbled, stamping her feet in disappointment. Before long, the smile was back on her face as she walked past Naomi and held Ashlyn¡¯s arm passionately. ¡°Ms. Berry, I¡¯ve been getting lessons from acting coaches and even got nominated for Best Actress in a television series! I may not have won, but it¡¯s still an affirmation of my acting craft, isn¡¯t it?¡± Cindy said with much enthusiasm. ¡°Ms. Berry, will you consider investing in a television series? Can you hire me for a small supporting role if you do? Whenever I think about working with you, I get so excited that my heart melts into a puddle!¡± The next second, she cast a disdainful nce at Isabe. ¡°I¡¯m not like some actresses who have zero respect for others and even bullies Ms. Nn. Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Nn, I¡¯ll protect you in the future! As Nn Entertainment artists, we must work together to bring thepany to greater heights! If anyone attacks Ms. Nn despite working for thepany, don¡¯t me me for ying hardball!¡± Upon hearing those pointed remarks, Isabe nched with anger. She was Nn Group¡¯s A-list actress and had always been worried about Naomi stealing the limelight from her. Moreover, Nn Group had stopped promoting her, so her hatred toward Naomi became even more apparent. Oh, dear, I¡¯m not even as open-minded as Cindy, a B-list actress. But I¡¯ve already told my manager to leak the news about Naomi being on good terms with the judges. What should I do now? Is it toote to take it back? Argh, I feel so dreadful! That said, Greg¡¯s on a meteoric rise now, and he¡¯s also the one who made Naomi famous. Maybe, just maybe, things might change if I get to act in one of his shows. By then, Nessy had seen enough and knew she had to stand up for Isabe. ¡°Cindy, Isabe didn¡¯t mean that. She¡¯s actually very fond of Ms. Nn and Mrs. Nn. She may have caused some misunderstandings in the past, but that was because she didn¡¯t know better then. In any case, we know we were wrong and do hope Ms. Nn will forgive us.¡± Although Nessy had apologized, her expression had nary an ounce of sincerity or repentance. Terrified, Isabe quickly took a deep bow. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Nn. I apologize for the mistakes I¡¯ve made in the past. Director Maxwell, it was my fault for almost spilling wine on you. From now on, I¡¯ll continue working hard to bring fame and glory to the Nn Group. M-My only hope is that Mrs. Nn won¡¯t¡­¡± Nessy froze. What¡¯s wrong with Isabe? Hasn¡¯t she always been determined to destroy Naomi? Why has she be so meek and desperate? Chapter 841 Chapter 841 Needless to say, Nessy was shocked by Isabe¡¯s drastic change in demeanor. Even the way Isabe¡¯s looking at Ashlyn is weird! Is that a hint of eagerness and admiration I see? What the f*ck? Nessy was still in a daze when Ashlyn¡¯s cold and firm voice suddenly rang out. ¡°Ms. Rayner, Nn Entertainment will never mistreat any of our artists, nor will we put the focus on any individual. So long as you¡¯re capable, you¡¯ll always have a chance to shine.¡± Isabe said nothing more as she nodded and hastily walked away, her legs weak and shaky. s, she was so distracted that she didn¡¯t even realize she was about to crash into a pole. ¡°Be careful!¡± Suddenly, she felt a strong hand grab and spin her around, causing her to fall into Ashlyn¡¯s arms again. Oh, my goodness, this is the second time! W-Why is Ashlyn the one catching me again? D*mn it! What is it about her that¡¯s so irresistibly charming? Why does she have the ability to soften my heart and make me question everything that I¡¯ve done? No! It shouldn¡¯t be like this! The next second, Isabe pushed Ashlyn away and fled. ¡°Goodbye, Mrs. Nn,¡± Nessy quickly said before turning to run after Isabe. Cindy swirled the wine in her ss as she smirked and puffed out her chest. ¡°Ha! I knew it. Nobody can escape Mrs. Nn¡¯s charm!¡± Upon hearing that, Naomi instantly chimed in, ¡°What do you mean by that, Ms. Wynn? Do you have any ulterior motives toward my sister-inw? Listen. Ashlyn is my brother¡¯s, so I suggest you find someone else to fixate on.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me sound so crude, Ms. Nn,¡± Cindy replied as she shot a look at Naomi. ¡°All I want is to be Mrs. Nn¡¯s good friend. Please don¡¯t spheme the pure feelings I have for her.¡± ¡°Pure? spheme?¡± Naomi choked out while staring at Cindy¡¯s massive breasts. Will this woman stop spouting nonsense? She wants to unt her vocabry, yet she keeps misusing her words. What an embarrassment! Besides, Ashlyn doesn¡¯t need any other female friends when she already has me! Just then, Naomi overheard a conversation between Greg and another famous director. ¡°Director Maxwell, Trashy Idol sure made a clean sweep at the Golden Ox Awards. I have a question, though. Why didn¡¯t Snowstorm show up to ept the Best Screeny award? You had to do the honors, didn¡¯t you?¡± The mention of Snowstorm¡¯s name immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention to Greg. Needless to say, they were all baffled. Why was Snowstorm, Jonathan¡¯s favorite songwriter, also writing scripts for him? Now that the script had won an award, it only added to the mystery of Snowstorm¡¯s identity. More importantly, how did Jonathan get so lucky to have such a powerful individual supporting him? Many of the bigwigs at the celebration party were dying to have Snowstorm work for them. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. After all, thetter was an exceptional talent, and if anyone managed to poach her, they knew it¡¯d be the end of Greg and Jonathan¡¯s lucky spree. Everyone kept their eyes on Greg, hoping he¡¯d tell them more about Snowstorm. Unfortunately, he merely curled his lips into a faint smile and replied, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know much about Snowstorm either. Back then, it was Mrs. Nn who delivered the script to me. I didn¡¯t even realize it was written by Snowstorm until muchter.¡± Within seconds, everyone finally connected the dots. They knew it was Ashlyn who got Snowstorm to write the script andter had Jonathan star in the film. Despite that knowledge, a heavy silence soon befell the room. As it turned out, Ashlyn¡¯s reputation preceded her. Anyone with ess to the inte would have read a thing or two about her. Chapter 842 Chapter 842 Unsurprisingly, nobody dared to question Ashlyn. Bright and charming as always, thetter broke the silence with a little chuckle. ¡°Are we talking about Snowstorm? I can assure you she¡¯s no terrifying beast or monster. She¡¯s just a youngdy. If you guys want to know her, I¡¯ll get her to show herself.¡± One of the male directors looked at Ashlyn thoughtfully. ¡°Mrs. Nn, are you saying you know Snowstorm well?¡± ¡°Yes, I guess you can say that,¡± Ashlyn replied with a nod. ¡°That¡¯s Mrs. Nn for you! Snowstorm is so secretive that it¡¯s almost impossible to catch a glimpse of her!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried to schedule a meet-up with her several times, but she always turned me down,¡± a female producer chimed in. ¡°Yes, yes! Me too!¡± Soon, everyone began chattering away and discussing among themselves. Meanwhile, Naomi picked up a ss of juice and casually took a sip. When she turned around, however, a cold gust of wind hit her face. Before she could react, a tight pnded on her left cheek. The searing pain started to spread, and Naomi could feel her ears buzzing from the impact. Even those, who were actively discussing Snowstorm, had gone silent as they turned toward the sound. The reporters, too, couldn¡¯t help but watch on curiously. When Ashlyn saw Naomi getting pped, she strode over and stared incredulously at the perpetrator. As it turned out, the woman was none other than the lead actress of Angel and Devil, Sandra Wagner. ¡°Sandra, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Ashlyn asked with an angry frown. ¡°Why did you hit her?¡± Sandra¡¯s face contorted with rage as she pointed her finger at Naomi. ¡°She has such a bad personality, so why can¡¯t I hit her?¡± ¡°Why would you use Naomi like that? You better make yourself clear, Sandra. Otherwise, I won¡¯t let you off!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Since Naomi¡¯s skin was fair and delicate, it didn¡¯t take long before an ugly red handprint appeared on her cheek. Worst of all, blood had also begun trickling from a cut on her lip. Naomi coolly wiped off the blood and stared at Sandra. ¡°Ms. Wagner, what have I done to deserve this p from you?¡± Not only was she calm and collected, but she also didn¡¯t abuse her privilege as the heiress of Nn Group or put on airs. Because of that, Sandra¡¯s arrogance instantly took a hit. Other than Ashlyn, Jonathan, and Greg, the rest of the crowd was clearly enjoying the show. There were many eyes glued on Naomi¡¯s face, and the reporters, especially, couldn¡¯t stop snapping away with their cameras. On the other hand, some of the onlookers were gloating as they waited to see Naomi make a fool of herself. Kelly Zimmer, unsurprisingly, was one of them. ¡°Wait and see, Kel. I¡¯m sure Naomi¡¯s reputation is going into the gutter,¡± Kelly¡¯s manager, Leah, said excitedly. No amount of words could describe how much she was looking forward to Naomi¡¯s downfall. Of course, Kelly shared the same sentiments. Oh, I¡¯d love to see Naomi get kicked out of showbiz! What¡¯s she doing here, anyway? Why would she leave the high life topete with me and steal my awards? Now that this is happening, I shall return the favor by enjoying every bit of the show! Naomi remained unfazed, which only made Sandra re at her with even more hatred and disgust. ¡°Earlier, when we were both washing our hands in the restroom, I remember leaving my ring on the sink. Only after drying my hands and looking back did I realize it was gone!¡± she thundered. ¡°What has your missing ring got to do with me?¡± Naomi retorted. Is this woman out of her mind? Meanwhile, the judges and other bigwigs of the entertainment industry looked on with grim expressions. After all, it was easy to tell that Sandra was using Naomi of stealing her ring. ¡°That ring was loaned to me by thepany. Now that I¡¯ve lost it, what am I supposed to tell them? You were the only person in the restroom with me, so who else but you could have taken it?¡± Sandra fumed. ¡°Naomi Nn, you¡¯re from the prestigious Nn Group and can easily afford anything you want. Why would you still eye my ring?¡± Chapter 843 Chapter 843 Ashlyn felt the urge tough when she saw the crowd staring at Naomi with contempt. Do these people only know how to use such cheap tricks? They used the same trick on Charlotte during the pianopetition. And now, they¡¯re using it on Naomi? Can¡¯t theye up with something new? This is getting annoying. Meeting Sandra¡¯s furious gaze, Ashlyn curled her lips into a faint smirk and said, ¡°Ms. Wagner, it¡¯s against thew to simply nder a person. Why would my sister steal your ring? I¡¯d advise you to find out the truth before you speak.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Hearing Ashlyn defend Naomi made Sandra¡¯s anger spike. Thetter¡¯s face flushed red with fury, and she scolded Naomi, ¡°She¡¯s a thief! She seduced several judges and shamelessly slept with them just because she¡¯s slightly pretty. That¡¯s why she got the award as the best-supporting actress. If not, why was she given that award? She¡¯s the female lead, yet she still wants to fight for the best-supporting actress award. I¡¯ve never seen anyone do such a thing in my life. How did she get the award if not by sleeping around? She¡¯s clearly cheating!¡± ¡°Sandra Wagner, you¡¯re the perfect representation of a jealous woman. Where¡¯s your proof? Since you im I¡¯ve been sleeping with the judges, then why don¡¯t you show us some proof?¡± Naomi hissed in anger, finding the situation rather amusing. How dare she frame me for sleeping with the judges? How dare she im I was given the award because I did such things? Naomi was about to lose her mind. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes glinted coldly as she warned, ¡°Ms. Wagner, please provide evidence before making such ims. My sister won the award because of her skills.¡± However, Sandra rebuked coldly, ¡°It¡¯s already trending on Twitter. In fact, the trending topic is all about Ms. Nn¡¯s infamous deeds. The proof of her sleeping around with the judges is all over the inte.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Upon hearing that, Naomi pulled out her phone and logged on to Twitter with trembling hands. The moment she saw the pictures on Twitter, she felt her vision go dark, and she almost fainted. There were several pictures of her having meals with different judges or going in and out of hotels with them intimately. However, she knew she barely had any interactions with those judges. So what¡¯s with these pictures? Naomi¡¯s mind went nk, unable toe up with a suitable response. Almost every picture revealed Naomi¡¯s and the judges¡¯ faces. They were so clearly shown that she could not exin herself, no matter how much she wanted to. Sandra sneered, ¡°What else do you have to say for yourself, Naomi? See it now? That¡¯s why you should hand over my ring now. You¡¯re not valued by the Nn family, aren¡¯t you? Is Mr. Nn not giving you any pocket money? Is that why you need to sleep around to earn a living and win the award? You must¡¯ve gotten jealous when you saw my ring, right?¡± Right then, the assistant director of Angel and Devil, Talon, walked over and said to Naomi, ¡°I can be a witness. I saw Ms. Nn holding a ring in her hand when she walked past me as I was walking out of the male restroom. Ms. Nn, you should return the ring to Sandra. Otherwise, we¡¯re going to have to call the police.¡± Talon had a certain amount of influence in the industry, albeit not as powerful as the famous directors. However, there was no way he could be lying, for he was already someone in his mid-thirties. The performers from Sandra¡¯s film crew could not take it anymore. They piped up, ¡°Mr. Sosa would never lie. Naomi, you¡¯d better take out the ring now.¡± ¡°A despicable woman like you who resorts to dirty tricks to win an award should just quit the entertainment industry.¡± Ashlyn said sternly, ¡°Naomi might be a rookie, but her acting skills are clearly exceptional. Besides, she has Snowstorm¡¯s support. Do you people really think she won the award by sleeping around?¡± Kelly could not help but say sarcastically, ¡°Oh, please. Anyone who¡¯s shortlisted has at least some acting skills. How is she worthy of winning the award with her mediocre acting skills?¡± Sandra, too, did not want to argue with Naomi anymore. Truth was, the former borrowed the ring from thepany of a brand. If she had truly lost it, she would have topensate double the amount as written in the agreement. Thepensation was not the worst. It would even affect her future coboration with the brand. Chapter 844 Chapter 844 It was Sandra¡¯s first time being the female lead. Though the movie was not a hit at the box office, it gained her some fame. She was even nominated for the best female lead award. Moreover, the jewelry brand loaned her the jewelry because they saw her potential future development. After all, she would be the center of attention when she walked down the red carpet. It would be a great form of advertisement. On the other hand, women like Naomi somehow gave others a bad first impression. There were even rumors of her being an unconventional punk in the past. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Not taking it out, eh? I¡¯m really going to call the police. Once they¡¯re here, no one, not even Ashlyn, will be able to save you.¡± ¡°Sandra, do you really believe Mr. Sosa¡¯s words? Do you really have such a good rtionship with him? So what if he said he saw Naomi holding it? How does that prove she was the one who took it? Think about it. Is your rtionship with Mr. Sosa that great during shooting?¡± Ashlyn nced at her phone with a hint of mockery on her face. Jared had gotten to the bottom of the matter. Sandra¡¯s face fell the moment she heard that. Looking grim, she uttered, ¡°Mr. Sosa treats me just like everyone else during the shoot. All of us have a good rtionship as colleagues.¡± Talon panicked as well. ¡°Mrs. Nn, how could I lie to Sandra? We¡¯ve been working together for so long, after all.¡± Ashlyn scoffed, ¡°Mr. Sosa, I know you attempted to invite Sandra to a meal to attract some investors back then. However, she rejected you, and you¡¯ve been holding a grudge against her since then.¡± ¡°Mrs. Nn, I know you¡¯re famous, but you can¡¯t use me like this. Do you have proof?¡± Looking anxious, Talon turned to Sandra and said, ¡°Sandra, I¡¯m sure you know how I usually treat you. You must not believe her ims.¡± ¡°I know Mr. Sosa better than you do. Since he said Naomi stole my ring, then it must be her. People like her don¡¯t deserve to stay in the entertainment industry. She doesn¡¯t even deserve the award!¡± Sandra eyed Naomi with contempt. ¡°That¡¯s right! I propose for her to be cklisted!¡± ¡°The entire entertainment industry should cklist her!¡± Naomi¡¯s face flushed red with fury. It was true that her parents did not favor her. However, Lucas and Ashlyn had always treated her well, and they never hesitated to give her pocket money. That included ir as well. All of them loved her. Now that she had nned to work in the entertainment industry, she was running a little low on money because she swore not to spend a single cent from Nn Group. Regardless, she was not that desperate to steal from someone. In the meantime, many people nced at her with disdain while gossiping about her. It was as if she was really the one who stole the ring. At the same time, there were tweets of her winning the two awards being posted on Twitter. Just as her fans were about to congratte her, news about the scandal was released. Immediately, all theizens¡¯ attention turned their attention to her. Thement section on her Twitter ount was filled with vicious insults. To make things worse, Kelly, Sandra, and Isabe¡¯s fans flocked to Naomi¡¯s ount and scolded her as if they had gone insane. Aizen wrote: Trash! Another wrote: How dare she sleep around? The next tweet read: Ugh. She won the award by sleeping around. How disgusting. Someonemented: People like her are a bad influence on youngsters. She should be cklisted! A tweet read: Come on. Her brother is Mr. Nn. Can she really be cklisted? The next user wrote: Can you guys be more rational? She¡¯s Mr. Nn¡¯s and Ashlyn¡¯s sister. Does she really need to sleep around to get the award? Another wrote: Don¡¯t believe such lies just because a few pictures were posted. I believe Naomi¡¯s innocent! A usermented: She¡¯s got such a powerful background. Does she really need to sleep around to win the award? Besides, many people have witnessed her acting skills in the movie. Naomi¡¯s fans stood up for her, throwing all kinds of counterarguments against her anti-fans. Kelly, too, had logged onto Twitter. As soon as she saw intimate pictures of Naomi and the judges trending on the tform, the former¡¯s expression changed drastically. However, she quickly dismissed her feelings and pretended as if she was watching the drama nonchntly. Right then, she heard Ashlyn saying coldly, ¡°Mr. Sosa, how are you nning topensate Naomi if she didn¡¯t steal Sandra¡¯s ring?¡± Talon scoffed, ¡°Mrs. Nn, I saw it with my own eyes. There¡¯s no way I made this up. Why are you asking forpensation when she¡¯s a thief? What kind of joke is this?¡± Chapter 845 Chapter 845 Ashlyn¡¯s rosy lips curled to form a faint smile. ¡°Remember what you said.¡± Sandra felt an indescribable pang of anxiousness when she saw how indifferent Ashlyn was. Could it be that Naomi really didn¡¯t steal it? Otherwise, why is Ashlyn so calm? No. That¡¯s not possible. They¡¯re definitely putting up a front. ¡°Mrs. Nn, if Naomi really stole the ring, I hope you can promise everyone here that you¡¯ll make her quit the entertainment industry!¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Ashlyn was still nonchnt. Sandra didn¡¯t know why, but her confidence wavered more as she met Ashlyn¡¯s calm gaze. The crowd then heard Ashlyn¡¯s faint voice saying, ¡°Naomi only brought a small bag here today. You all can check it. Besides, she¡¯s wearing a gown, so there¡¯s no way she can hide the ring on her.¡± With that, she signaled for Naomi to open her bag, and thetter did as told right away. There was only a phone, lipstick, and BB cream in it. With a gloomy face, Sandra snatched Naomi¡¯s bag, flipped it upside down, and poured the contents on the ground. Isabe¡¯s expression darkened as she stood in the crowd. She didn¡¯t expect Sandra to act so quickly. I can¡¯t believe she was so quick to expose the scandals rting to the judges on Twitter! Now, rumors about Naomi were all over Twitter. If Naomi couldn¡¯t clear her name, she might really have to quit showbiz. Isabe was perplexed as she looked at Ashlyn¡¯s cool and calm demeanor. If I offended Ashlyn, and it¡¯s the end for Naomi, does that mean I¡¯m doomed, too? She was filled with nothing but regret at that moment. However, there was no turning back. The matter seemed to have gotten more serious to the point where she couldn¡¯t control it anymore. On the other hand, Kelly was much calmer than the anxious Isabe. The former¡¯s gaze was fixed on Naomi and Sandra. Her manager nudged Kelly¡¯s arm excitedly. ¡°This is great! Naomi¡¯s going to quit showbiz soon! Serves her right to snatch your award away!¡± Talon was the one who slipped the ring into Naomi¡¯s bag when thetter wasn¡¯t paying attention. Kelly¡¯s lips curled up as she stared at Naomi smugly. Naomi, you have no chance ofpeting against me in the future anymore! The Best Supporting Actress award is supposed to be mine, but you snatched it from me! There was no way she could let it slide. Kelly stared at the items on the ground and suddenly widened her eyes. It¡¯s not there! The ring isn¡¯t there! Those are just Naomi¡¯s personal belongings! Where¡¯s the ring? How is it possible? There¡¯s no way! Mr. Sosa slipped it into her bag when he brushed past her outside the bathroom! There¡¯s no way anything could¡¯ve gone wrong! Kelly¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The next moment, Kelly rushed toward Naomi¡¯s bag as if she had gone mad and rummaged through it. However, even after she turned the bag upside down, she still couldn¡¯t find the ring. Her manager followed suit and tried to find it, but they couldn¡¯t find anything. It was as if the ring had disappeared into thin air. Kelly and her manager didn¡¯t even notice that their crazed actions had captured the crowd¡¯s attention. Ashlyn smiled mockingly as she looked at them. ¡°Ms. Zimmer, you two act as if you¡¯re the ones who lost the ring, not Ms. Wagner.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. The look on Kelly¡¯s face changed when she heard Ashlyn¡¯s words. She suddenly realized that she was too impulsive and foolish. After she calmed herself, she said while smiling, ¡°I¡¯m just trying to help Ms. Nn clear her name. Since the ring isn¡¯t here, doesn¡¯t this mean that she¡¯s not the one who stole it?¡± Sandra stared at Kelly curiously as well. I barely have any interactions with Kelly. Why did she suddenly poke her nose into this matter? This is too strange. Everyone else was also looking at Kelly in disbelief. Kally¡¯s haart skippad a baat. Tha naxt momant, Kally rushad toward Naomi¡¯s bag as if sha had gona mad and rummagad through it. Howavar, avan aftar sha turnad tha bag upsida down, sha still couldn¡¯t find tha ring. Har managar followad suit and triad to find it, but thay couldn¡¯t find anything. It was as if tha ring had disappaarad into thin air. Kally and har managar didn¡¯t avan notica that thair crazad actions had capturad tha crowd¡¯s attantion. Ashlyn smd mockingly as sha lookad at tham. ¡°Ms. Zimmar, you two act as if you¡¯ra tha onas who lost tha ring, not Ms. Wagnar.¡± Tha look on Kally¡¯s faca changad whan sha haard Ashlyn¡¯s words. Sha suddanly raalizad that sha was too impulsiva and foolish. Aftar sha calmad harsalf, sha said wh smiling, ¡°I¡¯m just trying to halp Ms. Nn ar har nama. Sinca tha ring isn¡¯t hara, doasn¡¯t this maan that sha¡¯s not tha ona who st it?¡± Sandra starad at Kally curiously as wall. I baraly hava any intaractions with Kally. Why did sha suddanly poka har nosa into this mattar? This is too stranga. Evaryona alsa was also looking at Kally in disbaliaf. Chapter 846 Chapter 846 Right when Kelly was overwhelmed by panic, frustration, and awkwardness of the situation, someone suddenly bumped into her manager. The manager¡¯s mind was aplete nk at the moment, and she didn¡¯t manage to steady herself in time. Thus, she lost her bnce and fell on Kelly. Thump! With that, both of them crashed onto the ground. The next moment, a ng was heard. Kelly wore a suit since she was aiming to exert a dominant female imagetely. Therefore, the moment she fell, everyone saw a shiny ring rolling out from her pocket. Sandra quickly walked over when she saw the ring and bent down to pick it up. The next moment, she red at Kelly. ¡°Why was my ring inside your pocket?¡± Kelly¡¯s face paled as she stared at the ring in shock. That¡¯s not possible! Mr. Sosa put it in Naomi¡¯s bag! How did it end up in my pocket? Kelly¡¯s manager, Leah, was shaking with anger. She pointed at Talon and yelled, ¡°Did you do it? Did you put the ring in Kelly¡¯s pocket on purpose?¡± The showbiz industry had always been quite chaotic and messy, but Leah didn¡¯t expect that Talon wouldn¡¯t help Kelly even after he had an affair with thetter. Kelly suddenly understood what was going on and blew her top. ¡°How can you be so despicable? Why did you frame me when you can¡¯t deal with Sandra on your own?¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Talon didn¡¯t expect Kelly and Leah to fall out with him publicly either. Furious, he began rebuking Kelly recklessly, ¡°Who are you to yell at me like that? Just because we had an affair, you think you can boss me around?¡± Unable to suppress his raging emotions, he turned toward the crowd and shouted, ¡°Everyone, listen up! This woman ordered me to steal Sandra¡¯s ring and frame Naomi because she¡¯s jealous that Naomi got the award! Besides, all those pictures of Naomi that have gone viral were all Kelly¡¯s photos of having an affair with the members of the judgingmittee! She got someone to photoshop it into Naomi¡¯s face. Kelly is actually the one who is in the photos. Moreover, Kelly knew that Isabe was afraid that Naomi would overtake her ce in Nn Entertainment, so she found someone to leak the photos to Isabe on purpose! She must¡¯ve used Isabe as a tool to post those photos on Twitter!¡± Hearing that, everyone finally had a grasp of the situation. So, all of this is Kelly¡¯s doing? She¡¯s too ruthless! Talon continued, ¡°Kelly asked the paparazzi to take those photos of her and the judges because she wants to use the photos to threaten them so that they would give her the resources she needs! I can¡¯t believe you all were so blind to sleep with a wicked woman like her. She took a video of me, so I had no choice but to help her! Since she¡¯s turning her back on me now, don¡¯t me me for doing the same! She¡¯s the one who should be cklisted!¡± The judges¡¯ faces paled. There were countless unspoken matters and rules in showbiz, but that was the first time everything waspletely exposed in public. Kelly was flustered because Talon had exposed all her secrets. What do I do? What should I do in the future? ¡°N-No! That¡¯s not true! Mr. Sosa is ndering me! I didn¡¯t do it! I really didn¡¯t! It¡¯s all his doing! He¡¯s jealous that Trashy Idol was a bigger hit than Angel and Devil at the box office, so he wants to get his revenge on Naomi! He knew it won¡¯t be easy to deal with Jonathan since Jonathan has been in showbiz for a long time, so he decided to make his move on the innocent Naomi,¡± Kelly tried to exin herself frantically. The duo got into a horrendous fight. Everyone present were big shots in showbiz, so none of them were fools. It was obvious that Talon and Isabe had both been used by Kelly. Isabe was extremely upset. I didn¡¯t expect I¡¯d be used as a tool! Enraged, she stormed up to Kelly and pped thetter. ¡°I think of you as my best friend, yet you treat me like a tool! Fortunately, I haven¡¯t posted those pictures yet! How do I stay in Nn Entertainment if I had really posted them?¡± Tha judgas¡¯ facas pd. Thara wara counss unspokan mattars and rs in showbiz, but that was tha first tima avarything wastaly axposad in public. Kally was flustarad bacausa Talon had axposad all har sacrats. What do I do? What should I do in tha futura? ¡°N-No! That¡¯s not trua! Mr. Sosa is ndaring ma! I didn¡¯t do it! I raally didn¡¯t! It¡¯s all his doing! Ha¡¯s jaalous that Trashy Idol was a biggar hit than Angal and Davil at tha box offica, so ha wants to gat his ravanga on Naomi! Ha knaw it won¡¯t ba aasy to daal with Jonathan sinca Jonathan has baan in showbiz for a long tima, so ha dacidad to maka his mova on tha innocant Naomi,¡± Kally triad to axin harsalf frantically. Tha duo got into a horrandous fight. Evaryona prasant wara big shots in showbiz, so nona of tham wara fools. It was obvious that Talon and Isaba had both baan usad by Kally. Isaba was axtramaly upsat. I didn¡¯t axpact I¡¯d ba usad as a tool! Enragad, sha stormad up to Kally and ppad thattar. ¡°I think of you as my bast friand, yat you traat ma lika a tool! Fortunataly, I havan¡¯t postad thosa picturas yat! How do I stay in Nn Entartainmant if I had raally postad tham?¡± Chapter 847 Chapter 847 Kelly¡¯s ears rang after she was pped. Then, she red at Isabe with hatred. ¡°We¡¯ve been friends since we were kids! Why do you have a better life than I do? I¡¯m obviously prettier than you! Nn Group signed a contract with you and boosted your poprity, and they kept giving you resources, but you don¡¯t even want to help me to get into Nn Group!¡± Isabe looked at her best friend with a hurt expression. ¡°Kelly, I never knew that you¡¯re so evil! Did you really think I didn¡¯t try to help you? Nn Group didn¡¯t even want to sign a contract with you! I didn¡¯t want to dishearten you, so I told you I didn¡¯t have time to help you! I tried so hard to help you in showbiz. I thought about how to help you get into variety shows and even let you be the supporting actress in my dramas. No matter what I do, I always think of you. But you? Is this how you repay me?¡± Kellyughed bitterly. ¡°Help me? Hah! Don¡¯t treat me like a fool! I know that those resources are scraps that you don¡¯t want! You only introduced those trashy resources to me because you don¡¯t want them. You only introduced them to me because you want to stand out more when I¡¯m in your background! Why? Why should I always be in your shadow? I want to surpass and rece you!¡± Suddenly, a crisp and icy voice sounded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Zimmer. You won¡¯t have any chance to rece or surpass her in this lifetime.¡± Kelly and Isabe looked in the direction of the voice in puzzlement to see a gorgeous woman, who was waving the phone in her hand. ¡°The police will be here any moment now. You should tell them later.¡± ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to go to prison! Ashlyn! How dare you? What right do you have to call the police?¡± Kelly screamed. Ashlynughed mockingly. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve recorded everything from the beginning. If you really wish to me someone, me your foolishness!¡± You¡¯re evil but foolish. You framed Naomi and did all that with those judges¡­ Kelly, you¡¯ve really surprised me this time with how disgusting you can be. Meanwhile, the faces of those judges also paled. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. She recorded it¡­ Ashlyn recorded the whole thing! Won¡¯t this mean that what we did will be exposed too? One of the judges rubbed his hands as he looked at Ashlyn carefully, trying to persuade her to go easy on them. ¡°Ms. Berry¡ª¡± Ashlyn¡¯s expression remained cold as she scanned the crowd mockingly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We¡¯re all adults, so we should take responsibility for what we did. Naomi, Jonathan, let¡¯s go!¡± A group of police officers rushed into the scene when she turned to leave. ¡°Pleasee with us, Ms. Zimmer.¡± ¡°Ms. Wagner, Mr. Sosa, please cooperate with us and give us your statements.¡± ¡°Please follow us,¡± said one of the police officers to the judges. The people who were watching couldn¡¯t help feeling disappointed by the turn of events. Sandra, on the other hand, was afraid. Now that everyone knows Isabe is the one who spread Naomi¡¯s rumors on Twitter¡­ Ashlyn won¡¯t suspect me, right? Yeah. She won¡¯t. She¡¯s too scary. At that moment, Kelly cried out, ¡°Don¡¯t arrest me! I¡¯m innocent! I didn¡¯t steal the ring! Ashlyn must¡¯ve slipped it in my pocket!¡± Meanwhile, Leah was following behind Kelly as she texted Dixon. She typed: Mr. Haddock, please save Kelly! I beg of you! She has worked hard for you and is always there whenever you summon her! Please! After sending the message, Leah quickly caught up to the police. She red at Ashlyn as she walked. ¡°Ashlyn, you won¡¯t get away with this! No one gets away after offending us! Even if Kelly is arrested, she¡¯ll regain her freedom! Just you wait!¡± Ashlyn sneered. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Let¡¯s see who¡¯s the big shot behind this obscure little celebrity! ¡°asaa with us, Ms. Zimmar.¡± ¡°Ms. Wagnar, Mr. Sosa, asa cooparata with us and giva us your statamants.¡± ¡°asa follow us,¡± said ona of tha polica officars to tha judgas. Tha pao who wara watching couldn¡¯t halp faaling disappointad by tha turn of avants. Sandra, on tha othar hand, was afraid. Now that avaryona knows Isaba is tha ona who spraad Naomi¡¯s rumors on Twittar¡­ Ashlyn won¡¯t suspact ma, right? Yaah. Sha won¡¯t. Sha¡¯s too scary. At that momant, Kally criad out, ¡°Don¡¯t arrast ma! I¡¯m innocant! I didn¡¯t staal tha ring! Ashlyn must¡¯va slippad it in my pockat!¡± Maanwh, Laah was following bahind Kally as sha taxtad Dixon. Sha typad: Mr. Haddock, asa sava Kally! I bag of you! Sha has workad hard for you and is always thara whanavar you summon har! asa! Aftar sanding tha massaga, Laah quickly caught up to tha polica. Sha rad at Ashlyn as sha walkad. ¡°Ashlyn, you won¡¯t gat away with this! No ona gats away aftar offanding us! Evan if Kally is arrastad, sha¡¯ll ragain har fraadom! Just you wait!¡± Ashlyn snaarad. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll ba waiting.¡± Lat¡¯s saa who¡¯s tha big shot bahind this obscura lit cbrity! Chapter 848 Chapter 848 ¡°Ashlyn, Naomi, you b*tches! You deserve nothing but death! Just wait¡­¡± Kelly¡¯s shrieks gradually became softer as she was taken away. The crowd around them dispersed as well. Sandra stared at Ashlyn and Naomi with a grim look before walking toward Naomi. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I failed to see her real colors. Never have I expected Mr. Sosa to sabotage me like this.¡± Naomi shot her a cold nce. ¡°Although I¡¯m a rookie, you¡¯ve got a horrible attitude. If I were someone else, would you have dared to anger or use that person?¡± ¡°Naomi¡¯s right. Showbiz is filled with traps. I hope that you¡¯ll be more alert and not do anything to provoke me in the future, Ms. Wagner,¡± warned Ashlyn as she showed Sandra her phone. On the screen was a bank transfer record of Sandra¡¯s manager sending money to the ghostwriters. ¡°You sold rumors about Naomi to the public ounts and even instructed them to share it widely. Sandra, how are we going to settle this score?¡± Initially, Isabe was wondering if she should exin whether she had spread malicious rumors about Naomi. She genuinely had not posted them on Twitter. Just when she was hesitating, she witnessed this scene. Chills ran down her spine as a drop of sweat rolled down her cheek. That woman¡­ Ashlyn! How could she have possibly investigated it so quickly? She even has the bank transfer record! So¡­ I don¡¯t have to exin myself anymore? When Isabe nced at Sandra, she was not surprised to find Sandra looking like she had just eaten a mouthful of dirt. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. Carol, my manager, did all that behind my back!¡± rebuked Sandra subconsciously, wishing to clear herself of all me. However, Ashlyn merely scoffed coldly in response. ¡°If your manager didn¡¯t get your approval, why would she do something like this? Unless she has so much money that she doesn¡¯t mind wasting them away.¡± Sandra continued to deny it, ¡°Don¡¯t run your mouth like that, Mrs. Nn. Carol did this behind my back. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask her!¡± Sandra dragged Carol over to her side. Carol, a woman in her thirties, had managed to help Sandra clinch the female lead role for Angel and Devil soon after she started managing Sandra. After Helena got kicked out of the film crew, Sandra took advantage of the situation and secured the role. However, she remained smug throughout and had a lot of trust in Carol. The two shared a good rtionship. Not expecting Sandra to use her as a scapegoat during such a critical moment, Carol stared at her in utter disbelief. However, a vicious look of warning flitted across Sandra¡¯s eyes. Frightened, Carol gritted her teeth and said, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, Mrs. Nn and Ms. Nn. I¡¯m sorry and I¡¯m willing to bear all responsibility.¡± Carol and Sandra had done a lot of things together, including some that were kept private. Hence, she knew very well that if she did not take the me for Sandra, Sandra might spill the beans about everything else. If that happened, Carol would be cklisted from the industry and there would be nowhere else for her to go. When Sandra heard what Carol said, she heaved a sigh of relief subconsciously and scolded, ¡°How can you do this? You harmed Ms. Nn behind my back! How do you expect me to face the others in showbiz from now on?¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Carol was forcing herself to suppress her anger. Despite her immense resentment, she did not dare to reveal it. ¡°I¡¯ve taken leave of my senses. Please forgive me!¡± Ashlyn watched those two women put up a show. Do these fools think that I can be so easily deceived? However, Carol had no choice but to take the me for Sandra. After all, the bank transfer record showed her bank ount. ¡°It¡¯s not about forgiving. We¡¯re all adults, so we should take responsibility for our actions,¡± said Ashlyn calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll not make things difficult for you. If you post the bank transfer record on Twitter and apologize publicly, everything will be settled.¡± Carol paled. Widening her eyes in shock, she trembled and asked, ¡°What did you say? Post it on Twitter?¡± Carol and Sandra had dona a lot of things togathar, including soma that wara kapt privata. Hanca, sha knaw vary wall that if sha did not taka tha ma for Sandra, Sandra might spill tha baans about avarything alsa. If that happanad, Carol would ba cklistad from tha industry and thara would ba nowhara alsa for har to go. Whan Sandra haard what Carol said, sha haavad a sigh of raliaf subconsciously and scoldad, ¡°How can you do this? You harmad Ms. Nn bahind my back! How do you axpact ma to faca tha othars in showbiz from now on?¡± Carol was forcing harsalf to supprass har angar. Daspita har immansa rasantmant, sha did not dara to ravaal it. ¡°I¡¯va takanava of my sansas. asa forgiva ma!¡± Ashlyn watchad thosa two woman put up a show. Do thasa fools think that I can ba so aasily dacaivad? Howavar, Carol had no choica but to taka tha ma for Sandra. Aftar all, tha bank transfar racord showad har bank ount. ¡°It¡¯s not about forgiving. Wa¡¯ra all adults, so wa should taka rasponsibility for our actions,¡± said Ashlyn calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll not maka things difficult for you. If you post tha bank transfar racord on Twittar and apologiza publicly, avarything will ba satd.¡± Carol pd. Widaning har ayas in shock, sha tramd and askad, ¡°What did you say? Post it on Twittar?¡± Chapter 849 Chapter 849 Ashlyn raised her eyebrows. ¡°Didn¡¯t you buy the ghostwriters and public ounts from Twitter? That¡¯s your turf. I¡¯m sure that you won¡¯t be satisfied just by putting up this show in front of a few of us. It¡¯s better to take it to Twitter, right?¡± When everyone present heard what Ashlyn said, they could not help but nce at her. The light in the banquet hall cascaded down on her. Standing there and bathing in the golden glow, she looked exceptionally radiant. With her fair skin and beautiful eyes, she was breathtakingly gorgeous. Even though she was just standing there without doing anything excessive, she exuded a powerful aura¡ªso intense that no one could withstand it. With trembling hands, Carol started to draft the post. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. After she published it, her knees gave way and she copsed on the ground. It¡¯s over¡­ Everything¡¯s over¡­ Her Twitter post created a hugemotion immediately after it was posted. It was revealed that the rumors were false¡ªshe had bought ghostwriters and public ounts to ruin Naomi¡¯s reputation. Not only that, but news about Kelly being arrested by the police also emerged on Twitter. Since there were many reporters there, they recorded the incident involving Kelly immediately and posted it on Twitter. They revealed that Kelly was the one who slept with the judges, and the woman in the photos was actually her as well. She merely got someone to photoshop Naomi¡¯s face over hers. Comments flooded the Twitter post. Kelly¡¯s reputation plummeted in an instant. She was removed from her roles in other movies, and the variety show that she filmed previously also announced that all her scenes would be cut out. ¡°What a bunch of unpresentable stuff.¡± On the way back, a mocking smirk appeared on Ashlyn¡¯s charming face. ¡°Ashlyn, how did you see through Kelly¡¯s act? Why did the ring suddenly appear in her pocket?¡± Naomi was extremely curious, unable to figure out what exactly happened. Ashlyn passed her phone to Naomi. ¡°You¡¯ll find out once you see this.¡± Lowering her head, Naomi took the phone, which was ying a video. The video showed the scene of her washing her hands together with Sandra in the washroom. When Sandra entered the cubicle, Naomi had just left the toilet. Immediately after she left, Talon entered, stole the ring, and caught up with her. Then, he stuffed the ring into her bag. Back then, she had not realized anything yet. The next scene featured Jonathan. When he was chatting with Kelly, he seized the opportunity and slid the ring into her pocket. When Naomi saw that, she was dumbfounded. ¡°Jonathan¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s amazing at dancing. When he participated in a variety show recently, he trained in martial arts for a while, so he is very agile. Without anyone noticing, he managed to slide the ring into Kelly¡¯s pocket.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Naomi did not expect Jonathan to do such a risky act for her sake. With her heart pounding rapidly, she could not help but send a WhatsApp message to Jonathan. She typed: Thank you. To her surprise, he replied immediately: You¡¯re wee. After thinking about it for a while, Naomi sent another message to him: I¡¯ll treat you to a meal tomorrow. Would you like to eat barbeque together? On the other side of the WhatsApp chat, Jonathan blushed as he responded: Sure! At the detention center, a man wearing a police uniform walked to a prison cell, unlocked the door, and entered. He stared at a woman who was cowering at the corner of the cell. Her ambitious and high-spirited demeanor had already disappeared. There was dirt all over her face and her clothes had be wrinkled. ¡°Ms. Zimmer.¡± When Kelly heard his voice, she raised her head abruptly and stared at him eagerly. ¡°Did Mr. Haddock ask you to rescue me?¡± The man replied expressionlessly, ¡°Mr. Haddock said that you¡¯ve made the situation blow up to such an extent that he can¡¯t salvage it anymore. So¡­ all the best.¡± ¡°Dixon¡¯s unbelievable! I¡¯ve helped him win favor with all those powerful people so many times, but he¡¯s thinking of abandoning me after using me?¡± ¡°I saa.¡± Naomi did not axpact Jonathan to do such a risky act for har saka. With har haart pounding rapidly, sha could not halp but sand a WhatsApp massaga to Jonathan. Sha typad: Thank you. To har surprisa, ha rapliad immadiataly: You¡¯ra waa. Aftar thinking about it for a wh, Naomi sant anothar massaga to him: I¡¯ll traat you to a maal tomorrow. Would you lika to aat barbaqua togathar? On tha othar sida of tha WhatsApp chat, Jonathan blushad as ha raspondad: Sura! At tha datantion cantar, a man waaring a polica uniform walkad to a prison call, unlockad tha door, and antarad. Ha starad at a woman who was cowaring at tha cornar of tha call. Har ambitious and high-spiritad damaanor had alraady disappaarad. Thara was dirt all ovar har faca and har clothas had ba wrind. ¡°Ms. Zimmar.¡± Whan Kally haard his voica, sha raisad har haad abruptly and starad at him aagarly. ¡°Did Mr. Haddock ask you to rascua ma?¡± Tha man rapliad axprassiossly, ¡°Mr. Haddock said that you¡¯va mada tha situation blow up to such an axtant that ha can¡¯t salvaga it anymora. So¡­ all tha bast.¡± ¡°Dixon¡¯s unbaliava! I¡¯va halpad him win favor with all thosa powarful pao so many timas, but ha¡¯s thinking of abandoning ma aftar using ma?¡± Chapter 850 Chapter 850 Kelly¡¯s voice was filled with despair as she bellowed in shock, ¡°What does he want? What should I do to make him save me?¡± ¡°He said that it¡¯s not impossible to save you, but you must listen to my instructions,¡± said the man before bending down and whispering beside Kelly¡¯s ears. Immediately, her face was drained of all color. ¡°N-No¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve given you the opportunity. If you aren¡¯t going to grab it, don¡¯t me Mr. Haddock for ignoring you.¡± A cold expression crossed the man¡¯s face as he stared at Kelly as if he was looking at a dead person. Fear surfaced in Kelly¡¯s eyes. ¡°Fine. Fine! I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± The man¡¯s lips curled to form a cold smirk as he turned around and left. ¡°Wait for the news.¡± When he closed the door and left the cell, a few police officers were walking toward him. He lowered his cap, looked down, and brushed past them. A police officer shot a suspicious nce at his back. ¡°Why does he look slightly unfamiliar?¡± ¡°Yeah! I think that he seems quite unfamiliar too.¡± However, they did not dwell on it further. Unknown to them, a woman in the cell was clutching her neck painfully. Her eyes were wide open and she was straining to even breathe. ¡°Argh! Argh!¡± Shrieks of pain escaped her mouth. Upon hearing that, the police officers outside rushed in. They saw Kelly digging her fingers into the ground in pain, her fingernails all cracked. Blood dripped down her fingers and flowed out incessantly. ¡°Save me! Save me!¡± When she saw the police officers, she stretched out a bloody palm toward them. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Disheveled hair cascaded down her shoulders, while her eyes bulged out of their sockets. Blood flowed out of her eye sockets, making her look like a ghost who had just crawled out from the depths of hell. Shocked, the police officers yelled, ¡°Quick! Quick! Call the ambnce!¡± Like a fish out of water, Kelly crawled to the feet of a police officer. A strangled voice escaped her lips as she said, ¡°Dix¡­ Dix¡­ He¡­ He is¡­ Killing me¡­ Dix¡­¡± ¡°What are you saying? What are you saying? Who killed you?¡± asked the police officer nervously. However, Kelly¡¯s eyes rolled backward and her head fell to the side. At that moment, her breathing stoppedpletely. News of Kelly, the famous female celebrity, dying in the detention center immediately spread across the Inte like wildfire that afternoon. Theizens had gone wild. One of them typed: She just got imprisoned for stealing something, and she died within such a short period! Why do I think that someone killed her? Another replied: I think that it¡¯s murder too. Aizen suggested: Did Ashlyn kill her? Someone replied: Hey, that¡¯s a far-fetched theory. Ashlyn isn¡¯t so bold that she¡¯d go to the detention center and kill her, right? Anotherizen typed ament: But she had a conflict with Ashlyn previously. Someone chimed in: What the f*ck? She¡¯s Mrs. Nn! With all that power and authority, it¡¯s a piece of cake for her to kill someone. There seemed to be a mysterious force trying to push all the criticism in Ashlyn¡¯s direction. Scandalous news kept appearing on the Inte. Anotherizen left ament: My friend who works at the police station said that on the day that Kelly died, a man pretended to be a police officer and entered the prison cell! Someone replied: Oh my goodness! Looks like Ashlyn sent someone there to kill Kelly. Her death is so strangely horrendous. One of them asked: Didn¡¯t she just steal a ring? Is there a need to kill her? Anothermented: Ashlyn¡¯s such a ruthless woman! Her image has been destroyed. One of them agreed: Utterly ruined! Those sorts ofments kept flooding the web one after the other as if they were determined to drag Ashlyn down. Meanwhile, a shooting range at Lake City had been bookedpletely. Ashlyn was wearing a dark-colored camouge uniform, with the belt entuating her sexy waist. Her legs seemed even more slender and alluring in those boots. She looked so stunning that the many male staff there could not tear their eyes away from her. However, ignoring their stares, she gripped the gun and aimed at the red center of the furthest target. Bang! A bullet flew out, hitting the center of the target. Bull¡¯s eye! Yet, she did not seem as excited as someone who had just hit the bullseye. Instead, she cocked the gun expressionlessly and when she raised her head again, she fired another five shots continuously. Scandalous naws kapt appaaring on tha Intarnat. Anothar natizanft amant: My friand who works at tha polica station said that on tha day that Kally diad, a man pratandad to ba a polica officar and antarad tha prison call! Somaona rapliad: Oh my goodnass! Looks lika Ashlyn sant somaona thara to kill Kally. Har daath is so strangaly horrandous. Ona of tham askad: Didn¡¯t sha just staal a ring? Is thara a naad to kill har? Anotharmantad: Ashlyn¡¯s such a rutss woman! Har imaga has baan dastroyad. Ona of tham agraad: Uttarly ruinad! Thosa sorts ofmants kapt flooding tha wab ona aftar tha othar as if thay wara datarminad to drag Ashlyn down. Maanwh, a shooting ranga at Laka City had baan bookadtaly. Ashlyn was waaring a dark-colorad camouga uniform, with tha balt antuating har saxy waist. Hargs saamad avan mora ndar and alluring in thosa boots. Sha lookad so stunning that tha many m staff thara could not taar thair ayas away from har. Howavar, ignoring thair staras, sha grippad tha gun and aimad at tha rad cantar of tha furthast targat. Bang! A but w out, hitting tha cantar of tha targat. Bull¡¯s aya! Yat, sha did not saam as axcitad as somaona who had just hit tha bullsaya. Instaad, sha cockad tha gun axprassiossly and whan sha raisad har haad again, sha firad anothar fiva shots continuously. Chapter 851 Chapter 851 All of those shots hit the exact same spot as they prated the wooden target. The employees in charge of recing the targets were so shocked that they froze with their mouths open. Smoke wasing out of the barrel of Ashlyn¡¯s gun. She was about to swap it out for her sniper rifle when a good-looking couple made their way over. The sight of a tall, handsome man and a curvy, beautiful woman was bound to gain a lot of attention from those in the area. ¡°Whoa! You nailed every single one of those shots, Boss!¡± the man said with an eyebrow arched as they stood in front of her. ¡°Why are you so surprised, Jared? It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t seen Boss in action before. She¡¯s the only person capable of booking this entire ce for herself!¡± said the woman while ying with her hazel- colored hair. She looked incredibly cute from head to toe with her big, round eyes, pink lolita-themed dress, and shiny leather shoes. Her pink dressplemented her fair skin and baby face, and she maintained a sweet smile no matter what Jared said. Cassandra Jensen¡¯s cute appearance formed a huge contrast with the environment around her. ¡°Are you in a bad mood, Boss?¡± Cassandra asked with an adorable smile on her face. ¡°Nonsense! Boss isn¡¯t weak like others. Do you really think thosements are able to affect her mood so easily?¡± Jared said with an eyebrow arched. ¡°Look at that! All of her shots went right through the center of the target!¡± Cassandra eximed while pointing at the target that Ashlyn shot at. It wasn¡¯t until Jared took a closer look at the bullet holes on the target that he gasped in shock. ¡°Whoa! You¡¯re amazing, Boss!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. They had all received extensive training in the use of firearms, so shooting was a piece of cake for them. Even so, Jared knew full well that his uracy was nowhere near Ashlyn¡¯s level. I could easily hit the bull¡¯s eye, but hitting the exact same spot with each shot is definitely out of the question for me! I mean, that¡¯s such a tiny hole to shoot through! How does Boss do it? Cassandra was a lot calmer inparison. ¡°Boss sure is amazing as always. By the way, have you come up with a n to help Boss resolve this crisis?¡± she asked with her hands in the pockets of her dress. ¡°I do, but I¡¯ll need Boss¡¯ approval before I can do anything further. This whole incident is utterly ridiculous. Who does that insignificant little celebrity think she is? How dare she me this all on Boss? I bet that conflict at the event was all nned in advance! It must have been a set-up all along!¡± Jared eximed angrily. Cassandra let out a disdainful snort. ¡°That piece of trash sure has some guts trying toe after Boss like that. Does she really think we¡¯re a bunch of pushovers or something? You know what? I¡¯ll investigate this matter thoroughly!¡± Jared resisted the urge tough as he said with a straight face, ¡°Really? You¡¯re going to investigate this? You know, I can lend you a hand if you¡¯d like!¡± ¡°Oh, spare me that nonsense! I find out that someone has been messing with Boss the moment I came back! I¡¯m in a very bad mood right now!¡± Cassandra eximed. Ashlyn paused whatever she was doing and shifted her gaze toward the two of them. ¡°Come on, shoot with me.¡± ¡°I-I think I¡¯ll pass, Boss¡­¡± Jared said with a conflicted expression. Nothing goodes out ofpeting against Boss! Cassandra, on the other hand, got incredibly excited when she heard that. ¡°Sure thing!¡± Jared watched on in silence as Cassandra picked up a gun from the side and made her way over to Ashlyn. ¡°Here Ie, Boss!¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Ashlyn said while loading a fresh set of bullets into the magazine. Cassandrat out a disdainful snort. ¡°That piaca of trash sura has soma guts trying toa aftar Boss lika that. Doas sha raally think wa¡¯ra a bunch of pushovars or somathing? You know what? I¡¯ll invastigata this mattar thoroughly!¡± Jarad rasistad tha urga tough as ha said with a straight faca, ¡°Raally? You¡¯ra going to invastigata this? You know, I cannd you a hand if you¡¯d lika!¡± ¡°Oh, spara ma that nonsansa! I find out that somaona has baan massing with Boss tha momant I cama back! I¡¯m in a vary bad mood right now!¡± Cassandra aximad. Ashlyn pausad whatavar sha was doing and shiftad har gaza toward tha two of tham. ¡°Coma on, shoot with ma.¡± ¡°I-I think I¡¯ll pass, Boss¡­¡± Jarad said with a conflictad axprassion. Nothing goodas out ofpating against Boss! Cassandra, on tha othar hand, got incradibly axcitad whan sha haard that. ¡°Sura thing!¡± Jarad watchad on in snca as Cassandra pickad up a gun from tha sida and mada har way ovar to Ashlyn. ¡°Hara Ia, Boss!¡± ¡°Go ahaad,¡± Ashlyn said wh loading a frash sat of buts into tha magazina. Chapter 852 Chapter 852 Not wanting to participate in this, Jared quietly made his way over to the couch in the back. The shooting range was usually crowded with the wealthy, young people of Lake City. As such, it was rather strange seeing it so empty. Cassandra wasn¡¯t all that surprised, though. After all, she knew that Ashlyn was a woman of few words and had a preference for quiet ces. ¡°So, shall we y by the usual rules, Boss? You give me a one-round head start, and wepare our total score after six shots?¡± Cassandra asked while tuning her gun. Because of how ridiculously skilled Ashlyn was, her subordinates would always ask for a one-round head start whenpeting against her. Even with the head start, they were never able to beat her at shooting. ¡°Yeah,¡± Ashlyn replied casually without giving it much thought. Cassandra shuddered when she saw Ashlyn¡¯s response. Boss just agreed to my request without any hesitation whatsoever! She must¡¯ve improved a lot, then! ¡°Wait, no! You need to be blindfolded, Boss! I won¡¯tpete unless you shoot while blindfolded!¡± she eximed shamelessly. Ashlyn shot her a nonchnt nce as she took the blindfold over. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Instead of feeling ashamed of her ridiculous request, Cassandra said in the most matter-of-fact tone possible, ¡°You have only your insane shooting skills to me, Boss! I don¡¯t stand a chance of winning at all! I know I¡¯m not as good as you are, but I want to win at least once! Will you please just put this on? You¡¯ll definitely miss some shots if you can¡¯t see the target, right?¡± Ashlyn knew that the blindfold wouldn¡¯t stop her from winning, but she decided to y along since Cassandra had begged her to. ¡°I will teach you the definition of despair,¡± she said with a faint smile. What did she just say to me? Hearing that only caused Cassandra to be even more excited. ¡°Oh, I won¡¯t lose! There¡¯s no way I¡¯d lose!¡± Boss can¡¯t possibly win if she can¡¯t even see the target! I¡¯ll be able to beat Boss for sure! ¡°I¡¯ll go first!¡± Cassandra said with a serious look on her face while holding her gun up. Bang! The bullet hit the target right on the bull¡¯s eye, scoring her ten points. ¡°Haha! I think I¡¯m doing great today, Boss!¡± Cassandra eximed with a gleeful grin. Ashlyn took one nce at the target before putting her blindfold on and straightening her posture. Because she was 1.7 meters, she was a lot taller than most other women out there. Cassandra, on the other hand, looked like a child with her baby face and short stature. That resulted in a huge contrast between them, especially when they were standing next to each other. Ashlyn was exuding such a powerful aura that Cassandra felt as though the air had frozen up. Bang! The bullet hit the bull¡¯s eye and went right through the target, scoring her ten points as well. Cassandra couldn¡¯t help but feel a little depressed when she saw that. Regardless, she knew how good Ashlyn was at shooting, so it wasn¡¯t all that surprising. Cassandra then fired another shot, but she only scored nine points this time. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rumors online about you killing Kelly, so you don¡¯t have to worry about a thing,¡± Cassandra said casually while keeping her eyes on Ashlyn. Ashlyn maintained a neutral expression as she fired four consecutive shots, finishing off the remaining rounds in her gun. The corner of Cassandra¡¯s lips twitched when she saw that all those shots had hit the exact same spot, leaving only one hole on the target. What the¡­ Unbelievable! This is no fun at all! ¡°Hey, Boss! Can¡¯t you go easy on me for once?¡± Ashlyn remained silent. ¡°You may rest assured that I¡¯ll investigate this matter thoroughly and get you the justice you deserve, Boss!¡± Cassandra continued. Ashlyn then removed the blindfold, revealing her icy-cold gaze as she pursed her rosy-red lips. Ashlyn was axuding such a powarful aura that Cassandra falt as though tha air had frozan up. Bang! Tha but hit tha bull¡¯s aya and want right through tha targat, scoring har tan points as wall. Cassandra couldn¡¯t halp but faal a lit daprassad whan sha saw that. Ragarss, sha knaw how good Ashlyn was at shooting, so it wasn¡¯t all that surprising. Cassandra than firad anothar shot, but sha only scorad nina points this tima. ¡°I¡¯ll taka cara of tha rumors onlina about you killing Kally, so you don¡¯t hava to worry about a thing,¡± Cassandra said casually wh kaaping har ayas on Ashlyn. Ashlyn maintainad a nautral axprassion as sha firad four consacutiva shots, finishing off tha ramaining rounds in har gun. Tha cornar of Cassandra¡¯s lips twitchad whan sha saw that all thosa shots had hit tha axact sama spot, laaving only ona h on tha targat. What tha¡­ Unbaliava! This is no fun at all! ¡°Hay, Boss! Can¡¯t you go aasy on ma for onca?¡± Ashlyn ramainad snt. ¡°You may rast assurad that I¡¯ll invastigata this mattar thoroughly and gat you tha justica you dasarva, Boss!¡± Cassandra continuad. Ashlyn than ramovad tha blindfold, ravaaling har icy-cold gaza as sha pursad har rosy-rad lips. Chapter 853 Chapter 853 ¡°Investigate Kelly¡¯s death. Also, did you manage to find anything regarding the fire at Imperial Hotel?¡± she asked while tossing the blindfold aside. ¡°It was indeed the doing of ZZ Organization¡¯s men. They seem to be targeting you and Mr. Nn, Boss. As for Kelly¡¯s death, I have confirmed that it was caused by a poison from ZZ Organization. It¡¯s possible that the man who pretended to be a police officer had his fingers coated with a colorless and odorless poison. He must¡¯ve taken the antidote beforehand. Kelly died shortly after he got the poison on her body.¡± ¡°Why would ZZ Organization go through so much trouble to kill a small-time celebrity? Kelly is a C-list celebrity, right? What could make her worthy of such an assassination by ZZ Organization?¡± Ashlyn asked in confusion. ¡°I took a look at Kelly¡¯s house. There were signs of someone rummaging through her stuff, so it¡¯s possible that they were looking for something. I¡¯m not sure what that item is, but we know for a fact that ZZ Organization must¡¯ve wanted it really badly,¡± Cassandra replied. ¡°Let Nn Group take care of the reconstruction of Imperial Hotel. We have to get our revenge on them. Also, I want you to keep a close eye on Dixon and report anything suspicious to me as soon as possible,¡± Ashlyn said while massaging her aching forehead. Ugh¡­ I feel terrible¡­ Kelly¡¯s death, Howard¡¯s death, the fire at Imperial Hotel, and Lucas¡¯ illness¡­ Why are all these problemsing one after another? It¡¯s as though the world is trying to pull me under! After taking a deep breath to pull herself together, Ashlyn asked, ¡°Dixon is going to make a deal at The Peacock tomorrow. Did you manage to find any information on that?¡± Realizing that he was finally able to join in on the conversation, Jared said, ¡°It¡¯s a diversion. I think Sienna is going to throw a birthday party for some woman tomorrow.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s lips curled into a sneer. ¡°Is that so? Looks like I¡¯ll have to throw a party tomorrow as well!¡± ¡°If I recall correctly, tomorrow is also your birthday, right?¡± Jared asked nervously. Oh, my goodness! Is Boss about tounch a counterattack? The sky was bright and sunny when Ashlyn headed over to The Peacock the next day. Jared, Cassandra, and Luigi followed closely behind her as she made her way inside. The Peacock ranked second before Imperial Hotel went up in mes. With Imperial Hotel out of the picture, business was booming for The Peacock all of a sudden. It was located in the busiest part of the city, which helped bring in even more customers. One would always find lots of luxury cars in the area, and that day was no different. The crowd could often be heard gasping in shock as the cars pulled up outside the building, each more extravagant than thest. Naturally, a grand event such as this was bound to attract lots of journalists. They could be seen running around the ce with their cameras and microphones as though it were a red-carpet event. Ashlyn arched an eyebrow in amusement when she saw that. Heh¡­ This has ¡°Sienna¡± written all over it. That pretentious woman sure loves attention-seeking stuff like this! Ashlyn was snapped out of her thoughts when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She opened up Lucas¡¯ text and saw that he had sent her a selfie. In the picture, he was wearing a ck dress shirt and ck cks that ran along his slender legs. The sunlight shining through the grapevines above his head made him appear handsome yetzy at the same time. Ashlyn let out a chuckle when she recalled that she was wearing a ck dress shirt as well. For some reason, knowing that they were both inexplicitly wearing matching colors like couples filled her heart with a warm sensation. Just then, a car pulled up outside the building, and Tinsor and Winsor got out of the car. ¡°Ashlyn!¡± Tinsor was so excited to see Ashlyn that he nearly fell to his knees. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that day. I¡ª¡± ¡°I know. Let¡¯s not bring up the past anymore. Just be a little more careful in the future,¡± Ashlyn cut him off coldly. Naturally, a grand avant such as this was bound to attract lots of journalists. Thay could ba saan running around tha ca with thair camaras and microphonas as though it wara a rad-carpat avant. Ashlyn archad an ayabrow in amusamant whan sha saw that. Hah¡­ This has ¡°Sianna¡± writtan all ovar it. That pratantious woman sura lovas attantion-saaking stuff lika this! Ashlyn was snappad out of har thoughts whan har phona buzzad in har pockat. Sha opanad up Lucas¡¯ taxt and saw that ha had sant har a salfia. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. In tha pictura, ha was waaring a ck drass shirt and ck cks that ran along his ndargs. Tha sunlight shining through tha grapavinas abova his haad mada him appaar handsoma yatzy at tha sama tima. Ashlynt out a chuc whan sha racad that sha was waaring a ck drass shirt as wall. For soma raason, knowing that thay wara both inaxplicitly waaring matching colors lika cous fid har haart with a warm sansation. Just than, a car pud up outsida tha building, and Tinsor and Winsor got out of tha car. ¡°Ashlyn!¡± Tinsor was so axcitad to saa Ashlyn that ha naarly fall to his knaas. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that day. I¡ª¡± ¡°I know. Lat¡¯s not bring up tha past anymora. Just ba a lit mora caraful in tha futura,¡± Ashlyn cut him off coldly. Chapter 854 Chapter 854 ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right, Ashlyn. You¡¯re absolutely right!¡± Tinsor was close to tears at that point. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Happy birthday, Ms. Berry,¡± Winsor said while handing her a present. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Winsor,¡± Ashlyn said calmly. She had the first two buttons of her dress shirt undone, exposing her fair skin and corbones. It wasn¡¯t all that revealing, but Winsor still found himself getting aroused when he saw it. ¡°Y-You look really pretty today, Ashlyn¡­¡± Tinsor stammered nervously. He had be a lot quieter ever since that incident. ¡°When did you be so nervous when talking to me?¡± Ashlyn asked while ruffling his hair. Suddenly, she noticed through the corner of her eye that a Rolls-Royce hade to a halt outside The Peacock. The driver then helped open the door, and a woman elegantly stepped out of the car in a maroon- colored evening gown and matching stilettos. Ashlyn frowned when she realized who that woman was. Mary? What¡¯s she doing here? Oh, wait a minute¡­ Jared said Sienna was throwing a party for a woman from a wealthy family. I didn¡¯t think much about it at the time. Who would¡¯ve thought that woman would turn out to be Mary? As though wearing tons of jewelry wasn¡¯t enough, Mary also had thetest designer handbag to help her exude an air of wealth. ¡°Be careful when you get out of the car, Penelope.¡± Ah, of course Penelope is here too¡­ She¡¯s always with Mary. Since when did these two get so close to Sienna and Dixon, though? Those words had barely left Mary¡¯s mouth when Penelope got out of the car as well. She was dressed in a white, low-cut gown with her hair styled neatly like a princess. The diamond ne that she wore around her neck was particrly eye-catching as it shone brightly under the sun. It really helped elevate her overall appearance by making her seem a lot more elegant and wealthy. The cord of the ne was adorned with lots of crushed diamonds to help entuate the square- shaped blue diamond pendant. The diamond ne exuded a pure and radiant glow under the sun, capturing a lot of attention with its sheer beauty. ¡°Oh, my goodness! That ne of yours is so pretty, Penelope!¡± Jenny eximed the moment Penelope got out of the car. As Mary and her mother were having a birthday party with the Haddocks, Jenny and Hera were also invited. However, Hera turned the invitation down as she refused to show herself in public ever since she lost the pianopetition. Jenny, on the other hand, responded to the invitation and showed up at the party. Penelope wasn¡¯t all that happy when she heard what Jenny said, though. The ne is pretty? What about me, then? Am I not pretty? This is my birthday party! Her position in the Yates family had been somewhat unstable ever since she and Mary were humiliated at Bianca¡¯s birthday party. While Bianca still maintained a polite attitude around her, the older woman was no longer as affectionate as she used to be. As a result, Penelope didn¡¯t dare hold her birthday party at the Yates residence this time. Fortunately for her, one of Yates Group¡¯s subsidiaries nned on coborating with Haddock Group to develop a project in Lake City, so Mary decided toe over together with Penelope. Despite what everyone said about Dixon being cold and heartless, he had Sienna make the arrangements for a grand birthday party the moment he heard Penelope¡¯s birthday was just around the corner. Even though her position in the Yates family had been affected, the family¡¯s reputation still proved to be incredibly useful. Everyone would back away and treat her with respect after finding out that she was a daughter of the Yates family. Even Dixon, who refused to look her in the eye back then, went to have dinner at the Berry Residence when he was in Lake City a while back. Panalopa wasn¡¯t all that happy whan sha haard what Janny said, though. Tha na is pratty? What about ma, than? Am I not pratty? This is my birthday party! Har position in tha Yatas family had baan somawhat unsta avar sinca sha and Mary wara humiliatad at Bianca¡¯s birthday party. Wh Bianca still maintainad a polita attituda around har, tha oldar woman was no longar as affactionata as sha usad to ba. As a rasult, Panalopa didn¡¯t dara hold har birthday party at tha Yatas rasidanca this tima. Fortunataly for har, ona of Yatas Group¡¯s subsidiarias nnad on coborating with Haddock Group to davalop a projact in Laka City, so Mary dacidad toa ovar togathar with Panalopa. Daspita what avaryona said about Dixon baing cold and haarss, ha had Sianna maka tha arrangamants for a grand birthday party tha momant ha haard Panalopa¡¯s birthday was just around tha cornar. Evan though har position in tha Yatas family had baan affactad, tha family¡¯s raputation still provad to ba incradibly usaful. Evaryona would back away and traat har with raspact aftar finding out that sha was a daughtar of tha Yatas family. Evan Dixon, who rafusad to look har in tha aya back than, want to hava dinnar at tha Barry Rasidanca whan ha was in Laka City a wh back. Chapter 855 Chapter 855 He still ended up throwing a birthday banquet for her. Men. Penelope¡¯s determination to seduce Dixon was reignited at the thought of possibly bing the next Mrs. Haddock. With that thought in mind, she smiled at Jenny haughtily. In her head, it was a graceful and elegant smile. ¡°Jenny, thank you so much foring today. It means the world to me.¡± Jenny felt a sense of unease at Penelope¡¯s words. Why is she acting all high and mighty? Just because she got weed back into her rich family doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯ll be the queen overnight. Dixon wouldn¡¯t have needed to throw her a banquet if she were so powerful. She didn¡¯t show any of her disdain on her face. Instead, she stered a fake smile on her face as she asked, ¡°Is that a branded ne? It looks so expensive and ssy!¡± Penelope¡¯s eyes glinted maliciously despite her gentle smile. ¡°Oh, this old thing? It¡¯s just a regr ne. It wasn¡¯t expensive at all,¡± she said in a casual tone. ¡°It¡¯s a design by X called Azure.¡± She instinctively began to stroke the pendant hanging from the delicate chain. ¡°This is a pretty rare blue diamond, too. I¡¯ve always loved her work. You know what a big fan of hers I am.¡± However, Azure wasn¡¯t a recent design. In fact, it was quite an old design ¡ªa ssic from X¡¯s earlier years. Her older works hadn¡¯t been as well received before as they were now. She wasn¡¯t as famous and had much fewer fans then. Her designs hadn¡¯t always been so perfect. Some still had their ws. Back then, her designs weren¡¯t as expensive either. After all, they used to be worth much less. That was how Penelope got her hands on the ne at some random pawn shop. Jenny never got the chance to buy any of X¡¯s designs because they were now insanely expensive. She may have been the beloved daughter of the Holt family, but they still weren¡¯t well-equipped enough to spend so much money on just a single ne. That was why she was so persistent with the idea that X¡¯s designs had to be amazing. She suppressed the anger and envy she felt toward Penelope and said with an extremely false smile, ¡°You¡¯re so lucky. You¡¯re never going to want for anything ever again at the Count¡¯s Mansion. In fact, I bet that uncle of yours would even get you the stars in the sky if you asked for them.¡± Despite Jenny¡¯s slightly snide tone, the envy and respect behind her words still made Penelope feel as though she had spent her money wisely. She silently patted herself on the back for choosing to wear it today, too. Despite all the glee she felt, she still remained calm and said modestly, ¡°My uncle truly is a nice person. I¡¯m really just lucky to be able to return to the Yates family.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not luck when you belong in the Yates family anyway. You were born into it,¡± Jenny said, barely managing to hide her jealousy. Despite her disgust, she still had to force herself to gush out the most shallow, fakepliments she could think of. If she kept going, she might actually throw up. Penelope, however, couldn¡¯t stop ncing over at the reporters who were standing not too far off as she spoke to Jenny. Mary had invited all of them over so they could promote and brag about how well the mother-daughter duo were doing in the Count¡¯s Mansion. She also wanted to show off how many people wanted to get in their good books after returning to Lake City. Once her perfect, rich image had been curated, Penelope no longer had to worry about suitors. All the handsome, rich young bachelors woulde and find her on their own. Dixon was a prime example. Penelope was practically glowing with pride. Jenny had spotted the reporters too and was starting to wonder why they had all shown up. Is Penelope that interesting nowadays? Still, she continued to smile graciously and maintained her elegant stature. She silently promised herself that she would not lose to someone like Penelope. No matter how frustrated she was, she was determined not to show it. ¡°Penelope, the banquet Mr. Haddock is throwing for you is a pretty huge affair. Is he trying to pursue you?¡± ¡°Jenny, don¡¯t say such a thing! Our families are just business acquaintances, that¡¯s all,¡± Penelope said shyly. However, her blushing cheeks betrayed what she truly felt. The sudden redness in her cheeks only caused more people to wonder what was actually going on between them. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. If sha kapt going, sha might actually throw up. Panalopa, howavar, couldn¡¯t stop ncing ovar at tha raportars who wara standing not too far off as sha spoka to Janny. Mary had invitad all of tham ovar so thay could promota and brag about how wall tha mothar-daughtar duo wara doing in tha Count¡¯s Mansion. Sha also wantad to show off how many pao wantad to gat in thair good books aftar raturning to Laka City. Onca har parfact, rich imaga had baan curatad, Panalopa no longar had to worry about suitors. All tha handsoma, rich young bachalors woulda and find har on thair own. Dixon was a prima axam. Panalopa was practically glowing with prida. Janny had spottad tha raportars too and was starting to wondar why thay had all shown up. Is Panalopa that intarasting nowadays? Still, sha continuad to sm graciously and maintainad har gant statura. Sha sntly promisad harsalf that sha would not losa to somaona lika Panalopa. No mattar how frustratad sha was, sha was datarminad not to show it. ¡°Panalopa, tha banquat Mr. Haddock is throwing for you is a pratty huga affair. Is ha trying to pursua you?¡± ¡°Janny, don¡¯t say such a thing! Our familias ara just businass acquaintancas, that¡¯s all,¡± Panalopa said shyly. Howavar, har blushing chaaks batrayad what sha truly falt. Tha suddan radnass in har chaaks only causad mora pao to wondar what was actually going on batwaan tham. Chapter 856 Chapter 856 In truth, Penelope was pretty unimpressed by Jenny. Compared to herself, Jenny was just some Lake City socialite who was still living under a rock. Despite that, she basked in the glory of being able topare herself to Jenny. Suddenly, a car stopped next to them. Penelope and Mary hurried over to greet the neer, who was none other than Dixon. He was dressed in a gunmetal grey suit, and his dark features seemed to radiate a chill that was prevalent even under the sun. His tall staturemanded attention, while his almond eyes seemed to constantly be fixed in a cold stare. His gaze finallynded on Penelope, who smiled graciously. ¡°It¡¯s great to see you, Mr. Haddock.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, the man you¡¯ve always admired, Jason Harris, is on his way. He also mentioned that he would be bringing two of his friends to join in the fun.¡± Jason ising? Jason Harris was a movie star who was already immensely famous, having won a Best Actor Award before. Even Jonathan, who was a renowned idol, had to show respect to a celebrity like him. Penelope hadn¡¯t imagined that Dixon was willing to invite Jason to her birthday party. Her hands were shaking with anticipation. Her heart was beating a mile a minute as she looked at Dixon a little shyly. ¡°Mr. Haddock, would you happen to know who those two friends are?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Dixon replied emotionlessly. He had only decided to throw Penelope a birthday banquet after figuring out that Lucas and Ashlyn were investigating him. Penelope and her mother wereplete idiots. Dixon almost couldn¡¯t believe she and Ashlyn were rted, even if they were only half-sisters. That was why he really couldn¡¯t care less about who Jason was bringing. Putting on a bit of a show was all part of his n anyway. Besides, the n within a n was what made everything even more fun. Above all, he wanted to know how Ashlyn would react. Mary was a little too overexcited. ¡°Mr. Haddock, thank you so much for throwing Penelope this birthday party! No matter whoes, we¡¯ll still be incredibly grateful for your generosity.¡± Dixon¡¯s expression remained cold even though his tone was gentle. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Ms. Canter.¡± Sienna suddenly appeared in an eggshell white dress that was subtle yet elegant. Her stunningly good looks made her stand out in the crowd despite her seemingly simple dress. She approached Penelope and handed her a jewelry box. ¡°Happy birthday, Ms. Penelope.¡± Penelope took one look at the logo on the box before her smile went from courteous to ecstatic. ¡°Thank you so much, Ms. Oates.¡± She opened the box to take a quick look, only to see a pair of pearl earrings shining back at her. They were an understated design but still elegant and timeless. Despite the understated design, they definitely cost a pretty penny since they were from X Corporation. That was why Penelope was smiling so brightly. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, thank Mr. Haddock instead. This was his idea.¡± Despite Sienna¡¯s casual tone, her heart was clenching slightly. She could no longer understand Dixon. She couldn¡¯t for the life of her figure out why he was getting involved with Penelope and her mother. The two of them were clearly gold diggers. Suddenly, Mary caught sight of Ashlyn standing not too far away from them. In shock, she gasped, ¡°Ashlyn?¡± Winsor and Tinsor were next to Ashlyn, as were Naomi and ir. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. What is going on? Dixon and the others turned to look in Ashlyn¡¯s direction after hearing Mary¡¯s exmation. Dressed in a simple ck button-down and a pair of jeans, she had chosen to finish off the look with a in pair of white shoes. Compared to Penelope and everyone else around her, she looked extremely underdressed. Despite her clothes, though, her pretty face and demeanor shone through and made her outfit seem even more shy than any dress could have been She looked like the main character of aic book. Even such a simple outfit looked stunning on her and ttered her perfectly. Even though she was just standing there normally, it looked like she was ready for a magazine shoot. Penelope and the others simply couldn¡¯t hold a candle to her. Penelope felt as though her heart was being put through a blender at the sight of Ashlyn¡¯s gorgeous face. She dug her nails into her palm in an attempt to force herself to calm down. What is she doing here? Why is she surrounded by so many people? Sha could no longar undarstand Dixon. Sha couldn¡¯t for tha lifa of har figura out why ha was gatting involvad with Panalopa and har mothar. Tha two of tham wara arly gold diggars. Suddanly, Mary caught sight of Ashlyn standing not too far away from tham. In shock, sha gaspad, ¡°Ashlyn?¡± Winsor and Tinsor wara naxt to Ashlyn, as wara Naomi and ir. What is going on? Dixon and tha othars turnad to look in Ashlyn¡¯s diraction aftar haaring Mary¡¯s axmation. Drassad in a sim ck button-down and a pair of jaans, sha had chosan to finish off tha look with a in pair of whita shoas. Comparad to Panalopa and avaryona alsa around har, sha lookad axtramaly undardrassad. Daspita har clothas, though, har pratty faca and damaanor shona through and mada har outfit saam avan mora shy than any drass could hava baan Sha lookad lika tha main charactar of aic book. Evan such a sim outfit lookad stunning on har and ttarad har parfactly. Evan though sha was just standing thara normally, it lookad lika sha was raady for a magazina shoot. Panalopa and tha othars simply couldn¡¯t hold a can to har. Panalopa falt as though har haart was baing put through a ndar at tha sight of Ashlyn¡¯s gorgaous faca. Sha dug har nails into har palm in an attampt to forca harsalf to calm down. What is sha doing hara? Why is sha surroundad by so many pao? Chapter 857 Chapter 857 Even Winsor was there. However, once Penelope realized how casually they were dressed, she felt a little bit calmer. None of them looked like they were dressed for the asion. Mary, on the other hand, was still annoyed. Even the sight of Ashlyn could rub her the wrong way. She always had a niggling feeling that everything would go south as long as Ashlyn was around. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Mary spat at Ashlyn coldly. Ashlyn had already spotted Mary and Penelope when she arrived, but she hadn¡¯t spared them a second nce nor thrown any attention their way. She just didn¡¯t feel the need to. Suddenly, while she was in the middle of talking to Naomi, she heard an angry voice call out to her. It sounded as if whoever it was wanted to skin her alive. Ashlyn looked up nonchntly and caught sight of Mary, Penelope, and a whole gaggle of other people walking in her direction. It almost looked like they were a gang trying to start a street fight. She rose a delicate eyebrow,pletely unruffled by their ridiculous antics. Calmly, she asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? The Peacock is owned by Nn Group.¡± Tinsor and ir were already preparing themselves for a fight the moment they saw so many extravagantly dressed people strutting their way. However, Ashlyn was a force to be reckoned with even on her own. Her simple reply left Mary speechless. Lucas was the owner of The Peacock. Even though Imperial Hotel had been the most popr at one point, The Peacock¡¯s business was booming now that Imperial Hotel was gone. Is there a problem withing to my own restaurant? Ashlyn seemed to be asking as she looked at Mary haughtily. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Mary felt like someone had just smacked her upside the head. Why did Dixon choose Lucas¡¯ restaurant for Penelope¡¯s birthday banquet? After leaving Lake City and returning to Count¡¯s Mansion, she had barely had the chance to eat at a restaurant like The Peacock since the Berrys couldn¡¯t exactly afford it. As a result, she had never had the chance to figure out that Lucas owned The Peacock. She felt like she had just asked an extremely stupid question. Ashlyn¡¯s voice suddenly piped up again. ¡°Hey, Ms. Canter, doesn¡¯t it feel great to basically give your money to Nn Group?¡± Mary¡¯s expression was beginning to cloud over like a stormy sky. ¡°Ashlyn Berry! What happened to having manners? Haven¡¯t you ever heard the saying that the customer is always right? Right now, you have to listen to me!¡± Ashlyn rose an eyebrow as her clear gaze began to radiate a certain bone-chilling emotion. ¡°Why would I listen to the likes of you?¡± Mary¡¯s face was starting to purple with anger. ¡°What exactly do you mean by that!¡± Even though Penelope was furious as well, she didn¡¯t want anyone to steal the spotlight since it was supposed to be her big day. She tugged her angry mother¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mom. She¡¯s always been like this. All she knows is how to sound mean and cruel, so let¡¯s not bother with her. Don¡¯t stoop to her level. You¡¯re part of the Yates family, after all.¡± No matter how multitalented Ashlyn is, what with all the embroidery and piano ying, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that she¡¯s still a regr citizen. She can¡¯t evene close to our noble bloodline. Ashlyn will always be nothing but the bastard child of the Berry family who doesn¡¯t even know her father¡¯s name. Only someone as foolish and blind as Lucas could actually fall for her. She¡¯s simply an ant in the grand scheme of things. Compared to me, she¡¯s nothing. So what if she¡¯s Mrs. Nn? As if that could everpare to our prestigious family. After a long bout offorting herself, Penelope finally felt a little better. However, Mary was still outraged. A vein was beginning to show on her forehead, and her expression was more twisted than a knotted rope. ¡°She¡¯s the reason why we¡¯re not in Lake City anymore! Look at her! She thinks she¡¯s so high and mighty now. So what if you can y the piano or embroider a stupid flower or two? Who cares? She knows it¡¯s your birthday, and she purposely came here to cause a scene. After all, The Peacock is owned by the Nns. She probably saw the booking information and is doing all this on purpose!¡± Mary continued to spit insults like a machine gun as her face grew red from anger. No mattar how multitntad Ashlyn is, what with all tha ambroidary and piano ying, it doasn¡¯t changa tha fact that sha¡¯s still a ragr citizan. Sha can¡¯t avana closa to our no bloodlina. Ashlyn will always ba nothing but tha bastard child of tha Barry family who doasn¡¯t avan know har fathar¡¯s nama. Only somaona as foolish and blind as Lucas could actually fall for har. Sha¡¯s simply an ant in tha grand schama of things. Comparad to ma, sha¡¯s nothing. So what if sha¡¯s Mrs. Nn? As if that could avarpara to our prastigious family. Aftar a long bout offorting harsalf, Panalopa finally falt a lit battar. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Howavar, Mary was still outragad. A vain was baginning to show on har forahaad, and har axprassion was mora twistad than a knottad ropa. ¡°Sha¡¯s tha raason why wa¡¯ra not in Laka City anymora! Look at har! Sha thinks sha¡¯s so high and mighty now. So what if you can y tha piano or ambroidar a stupid flowar or two? Who caras? Sha knows it¡¯s your birthday, and sha purposaly cama hara to causa a scana. Aftar all, Tha Paacock is ownad by tha Nns. Sha probably saw tha booking information and is doing all this on purposa!¡± Mary continuad to spit insults lika a machina gun as har faca graw rad from angar. Chapter 858 Chapter 858 ir seethed with anger as he listened to Mary¡¯s unreasonable words. ¡°The Peacock is owned by my family. We cane and eat whenever we please! Who are you to tell us otherwise?¡± Her unreasonableness never ceases to amaze me. Mary scrutinized ir and saw a handsome young man. What a shame he¡¯s Ashlyn¡¯sp dog. Trash. ¡°Who do you think you are? How dare you talk to me like that? I¡¯m the daughter of the Count. Stop bragging. The Peacock belongs to your family? Do you really think you¡¯re one of the Nns?¡± Mary spat out, directing her words at ir. ir fumed with rage. ¡°If I¡¯m not a Nn, then who is? You? You¡¯re certainly not a Nn. What¡¯s so impressive about being the Count¡¯s daughter? Does he even have jurisdiction here in Lake City?¡± Ashley tugged on ir¡¯s sleeve and turned to Mary with annoyance in her eyes. ¡°Ms. Canter, please stop insulting my brother. It¡¯s pointless. You should just enjoy your meal.¡± ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want to embarrass myself any further by being associated with her. Besides, we¡¯re better than this. Just look at her. She¡¯s acting like a shrew right now,¡± Penelope said, cing a hand on Mary¡¯s arm and looking down at everyone else with disdain. Hmph! Ashlyn and I are from two different worlds. Meanwhile, Naomi was fuming and had an intense urge to give Penelope a tight p on the face. Does she even know what she¡¯s saying? How dare those shrews use Ashlyn of being one? Don¡¯t they realize they¡¯re acting exactly like a shrew right now? This is sickening. How can one be so disgusting? Does she eat right out of the toilet bowl every day? ¡°Forget it! Let¡¯s go! We don¡¯t want to keep our guests waiting,¡± Mary snapped irritably. Penelope, on the other hand, tried to maintain a fa?ade of grace and sophistication. ¡°Mom, Mr. Haddock even invited some paparazzi. It¡¯s important that we maintain our image, even if others choose not to.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s captivating beauty always drew attention wherever she went, making her the center of attention. No matter how much effort others put into dressing up, they could never ignore Ashlyn¡¯s presence. Penelope¡¯s jealousy towards Ashlyn intensified when she noticed the paparazzi snapping photos of the latter, as it made her upset to see the attention Ashlyn was getting. Mary¡¯s face twisted with disgust as she red at Ashlyn. ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s go!¡± She despised Ashlyn for making a fool of her and her daughter at the Count¡¯s Mansion and for the subsequent snubbing by Bianca. Ashlyn looked at them nonchntly. ¡°Take care. Bye.¡± Mary was so angry that she almost stumbled, but Penelope steadied her. ir and Tinsor were impressed by Ashlyn¡¯s confidence and bravery. ¡°Ashlyn, you¡¯re such a badass!¡± ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Ashlyn!¡± However, Winsor noticed something odd. ¡°There¡¯s something strange going on here. Dixon would never have gotten involved with those two in the past, but this time he¡¯s making a huge show of it and even invited paparazzi over¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see. I¡¯m curious to see what Dixon is up to,¡± Ashlyn said coldly. ¡°Ms. Berry, rest assured I won¡¯t let him have his way.¡± Winsor expressed his stance firmly. Suddenly, Ashley¡¯s phone chimed, interrupting the conversation. She pulled it out and saw a text message from Harvey. Harvey texted: Lynnie, your Uncle Harvey is here. Ashlyn replied: I¡¯m at the entrance of The Peacock. Harvey: All right. Wait for me there. Their conversation ended there. Ashlyn put her phone away and turned to look at the doorway. She saw that Mary and Penelope had already arrived at the spot where she typically weed her guests. Mary¡¯s face was still red with anger. It was clear that she was still fuming about the confrontation with Ashlyn. Mary was so angry that sha almost stumd, but Panalopa staadiad har. ir and Tinsor wara imprassad by Ashlyn¡¯s confidanca and bravary. ¡°Ashlyn, you¡¯ra such a badass!¡± ¡°You¡¯ra amazing, Ashlyn!¡± Howavar, Winsor noticad somathing odd. ¡°Thara¡¯s somathing stranga going on hara. Dixon would navar hava gottan involvad with thosa two in tha past, but this tima ha¡¯s making a huga show of it and avan invitad paparazzi ovar¡­¡± ¡°Lat¡¯s wait and saa. I¡¯m curious to saa what Dixon is up to,¡± Ashlyn said coldly. ¡°Ms. Barry, rast assurad I won¡¯tt him hava his way.¡± Winsor axprassad his stanca firmly. Suddanly, Asy¡¯s phona chimad, intarrupting tha convarsation. Sha pud it out and saw a taxt massaga from Harvay. Harvay taxtad: Lynnia, your Un Harvay is hara. Ashlyn rapliad: I¡¯m at tha antranca of Tha Paacock. Harvay: All right. Wait for ma thara. Thair convarsation andad thara. Ashlyn put har phona away and turnad to look at tha doorway. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Sha saw that Mary and Panalopa had alraady arrivad at tha spot whara sha typically waad har guasts. Mary¡¯s faca was still rad with angar. It was ar that sha was still fuming about tha confrontation with Ashlyn. Chapter 859 Chapter 859 A discreet smile formed on Ashlyn¡¯s lips as she watched Mary fume with anger. ¡°That lowly b*tch,¡± Mary cursed. ¡°So what if she¡¯s married to Lucas? He¡¯s gone cuckoo with a split personality disorder. Who knows, he might even beat her to death one day!¡± Mary couldn¡¯t help but think that Ashlyn might be a victim of Lucas¡¯ violence soon, given the rising cases of domestic violence and his frighteningly uncontroble temper. Don¡¯t be so smug just because you¡¯re Mrs. Nn now. Sienna had also noticed Ashlyn¡¯s behavior, and it sent chills down her spine. Ashlyn wasn¡¯t as amiable as she used to be when they worked together at the Haddock Group Foundation. The coldness in her eyes was almost chilling. No wonder Dixon is so determined to get rid of Ashlyn. This woman shouldn¡¯t be taken lightly. Sienna looked elegantly at Mary and Penelope. ¡°Calm down, you two. We¡¯re surrounded by paparazzi.¡± Penelope forced a smile for the cameras even though she was angry. ¡°Mom, Ms. Oates is right. Keep in mind that many public figures are here on Mr. Haddock¡¯s invite.¡± Ashlyn is just a mere Mrs. Nn. Moreover, Lucas is ill. What can she do? Penelope thought of Ashlyn with disgust. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re the Count¡¯s daughter¡­¡± Mary let out a long sigh and kept quiet at that. The guests Dixon had invited on behalf of Penelope and Mary soon arrived as it was approaching twelve noon. ¡°Mr. Watson, may I introduce Ms. Canter, daughter of Maredania¡¯s Count, and her daughter, Ms. Berry.¡± ¡°Wee, Mr. Bush.¡± ¡°Today is Ms. Berry¡¯s birthday. I heard you have two single sons. Would you like me to introduce them to Ms. Berry? Your families would make a great match.¡± Sienna showed off her impressive social skills, flitting around like a social butterfly. Penelope shed a charming smile as Sienna cued her and began greeting the guests. The guests showed some courtesy by greeting Penelope and Mary warmly for the sake of Dixon. Additionally, they had brought Yates Group¡¯s project with them upon their return to Lake City, and the Count was an influential figure. A car pulled up in front of The Peacock¡¯s entrance. Jenny peeked at it out of curiosity and eximed, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the movie star Jason¡¯s car?¡± Penelope blushed and smiled shyly. ¡°Oh my, I didn¡¯t expect Jason to show up.¡± The paparazzi rushed over to Jason the moment they spotted his car. ¡°Mr. Harris! Mr. Harris!¡± ¡°Over here! Over here!¡± The car door opened, and Jason stepped out. Penelope concealed her smugness and maintained a gracious smile as she approached him. ¡°Mr. Harris, it¡¯s an honor to see you here.¡± Despite being in his forties, Jason had donned a ck suit that belied his age. He exuded energy, elegance, and sophistication, leaving asting impression on everyone. He was an urbane middle-aged man who had won the hearts of many with his acting prowess. Due to his numerous female fans, he had even won three consecutive Best Actor awards, making him a seasoned actor in the eyes of many. With no scandals to his name, his presence immediately caught the paparazzi¡¯s attention, and they went wild taking photos of him. ¡°It really is Mr. Harris.¡± ¡°Mr. Harris attended Ms. Penelope¡¯s birthday party. This is huge¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m so jealous. Quick, take some photos of him. We must post it on Twitter as soon as possible.¡± ¡°We need to post it before everyone else.¡± Jenny felt a pang of jealousy in her heart. ¡°Penelope, you¡¯re so lucky to have Mr. Haddock. He even invited Mr. Harris over for your sake.¡± Penelope smiled modestly. ¡°Let¡¯s take a group photo with Mr. Harris, Jenny.¡± Tha car door opanad, and Jason stappad out. Panalopa concad har smugnass and maintainad a gracious sm as sha approachad him. ¡°Mr. Harris, it¡¯s an honor to saa you hara.¡± Daspita baing in his fortias, Jason had donnad a ck suit that baliad his aga. Ha axudad anargy, ganca, and sophistication,aving asting imprassion on avaryona. Ha was an urbana mid-agad man who had won tha haarts of many with his acting prowass. Dua to his numarous fam fans, ha had avan won thraa consacutiva Bast Actor awards, making him a saasonad actor in tha ayas of many. With no scandals to his nama, his prasanca immadiataly caught tha paparazzi¡¯s attantion, and thay want wild taking photos of him. ¡°It raally is Mr. Harris.¡± ¡°Mr. Harris attandad Ms. Panalopa¡¯s birthday party. This is huga¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m so jaalous. Quick, taka soma photos of him. Wa must post it on Twittar as soon as possi.¡± ¡°Wa naad to post it bafora avaryona alsa.¡± Janny falt a pang of jaalousy in har haart. ¡°Panalopa, you¡¯ra so lucky to hava Mr. Haddock. Ha avan invitad Mr. Harris ovar for your saka.¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Panalopa smd modastly. ¡°Lat¡¯s taka a group photo with Mr. Harris, Janny.¡± Chapter 860 Chapter 860 Jenny¡¯s face lit up with joy as Penelope¡¯s suggestion struck a chord with her. She immediately walked over to Jason¡¯s side. As an experienced entertainer, Jason enjoyed being the center of attention. He generally didn¡¯t refuse requests for group photos, as he believed it would help with his publicity and present him as an approachable and down-to-earth person. Besides, despite not being as stunning as those female celebrities, Jenny and Penelope looked better than most people. After the group photo, Jason motioned for his assistant toe over. The assistant promptly arrived and handed Penelope a beautifully wrapped gift. ¡°Happy birthday to the beautiful and ssy Ms. Berry,¡± Jason said with a smile. Penelope¡¯s eyes widened in anticipation as she saw the logo of a luxury brand printed on the bag. She knew that whatever was inside would be expensive. Despite her excitement, she managed to maintain herposure as she epted the bag. ¡°This is too much, Mr. Harris. You shouldn¡¯t have,¡± she said gratefully. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Mr. Haddock is a good friend of mine too,¡± Jason replied warmly. He was counting on Penelope to assist him in attracting investors for his movies and television shows as she had a good rtionship with Dixon, who was fond of investing in such ventures together with Fraser Corporation. Given that he was getting older and wanted to transition into directing, he required additional financial support, which made it all the more essential for him to curry favor with Dixon. Jason happened to nce up and caught sight of Ashlyn standing across from him. She had a tall, slender figure with delicate facial features, and her almond-shaped eyes sparkled brightly in the light, making her stand out as she practically glowed. With her captivating looks and aura, she would undoubtedly stand out even in the entertainment industry. Jason thought she looked somewhat familiar. ¡°She is¡­¡± ¡°Oh her! That¡¯s Ashlyn!¡± Jenny caught on. ¡°She¡¯s Penelope¡¯s sister, but she has a bad attitude. I don¡¯t know what methods she used to marry herself to Lucas, but she¡¯s the famous Mrs. Nn now.¡± Realization dawned on Jason. Despite Ashlyn not being part of the entertainment industry, her name was well known due to her frequent presence as a trending topic on the inte. Additionally, she invested in movies that consistently delivered good results and achieved high box office sales. A woman like her¡­ Before Jason could think too much about Ashlyn, Penelope interrupted him with a forced, gentle voice. ¡°Mr. Harris, I heard that you brought two friends with you.¡± Jason smiled, but a car pulled up to the entrance of The Peacock before he could respond. Two incredibly handsome men stepped out of the car. They were none other than the twins duo from the samepany as Jason and were currently the hottest thing in the industry.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. They weren¡¯t actual brothers, but they looked so much alike that they decided to form a duo, much like the famous female twins duo from Venria two years prior. It could be said that they were the top celebrities in the group category, just as Jonathan was a superstar in the solo category. They had arge following of female fans, including Jenny and Penelope. After all, who didn¡¯t like young, handsome men? The two women were so excited that they almost covered their faces and screamed in delight. Adam¡¯s dancing skills were unparalleled, especially when he would reveal his abs by lifting his shirt, captivating the hearts of countless young women. The other guy, Sean, was the shy, cute boy-next-door type, especially with his adorable smile. The two of them looked like they hade straight out of an idol drama, their handsome looks enough to make anyone¡¯s heart skip a beat. They stood side by side as they greeted Jason. ¡°Jason,¡± one of them said. ¡°This is Ms. Berry,¡± Jason introduced Penelope to the duo. Two incradibly handsoma man stappad out of tha car. Thay wara nona othar than tha twins duo from tha samapany as Jason and wara currantly tha hottast thing in tha industry. Thay waran¡¯t actual brothars, but thay lookad so much alika that thay dacidad to form a duo, much lika tha famous fam twins duo from Vanria two yaars prior. It could ba said that thay wara tha top cbritias in tha group catagory, just as Jonathan was a suparstar in tha solo catagory. Thay had arga following of fam fans, including Janny and Panalopa. Aftar all, who didn¡¯t lika young, handsoma man? Tha two woman wara so axcitad that thay almost covarad thair facas and scraamad in dalight. Adam¡¯s dancing skills wara unparalad, aspacially whan ha would ravaal his abs by lifting his shirt, captivating tha haarts of counss young woman. Tha othar guy, Saan, was tha shy, cuta boy-naxt-door typa, aspacially with his adora sm. Tha two of tham lookad lika thay hada straight out of an idol drama, thair handsoma looks anough to maka anyona¡¯s haart skip a baat. Thay stood sida by sida as thay graatad Jason. ¡°Jason,¡± ona of tham said. ¡°This is Ms. Barry,¡± Jason introducad Panalopa to tha duo. Chapter 861 Chapter 861 ¡°Happy birthday!¡± wished the two handsome men in unison. They then handed Penelope her presents. As expected, they had gifted her luxury branded goods. Penelope felt blissful. She was borately dressed and stood out among the crowd. When the two men looked at her, they could not help but smile. Penelope was even happier and touched when she saw that. ¡°Thank you foring to my birthday banquet.¡± She then turned to Jason and said, ¡°Mr. Harris, you¡¯re too kind to me.¡± Jason looked at her with kindness before saying, ¡°If I had gotten married, my daughter would be about your age. There¡¯s no need to be so polite. Since I don¡¯t have a daughter, will you mind being my goddaughter?¡± ¡°G-Goddaughter?¡± Penelope became emotional and stumbled over her words. With one of the best actors as my godfather, I can join showbiz without any problem, right? If Jason is there to open up the path for me, I don¡¯t see an issue. Jason continued, ¡°You and I hit it off right from the start, and I like you very much. You may think that I¡¯m being very hasty. Perhaps you would like to discuss this with Mr. Haddock first?¡± ¡°T-There will be no need to. I¡¯m willing to be your goddaughter.¡± Penelope was very emotional and touched. ¡°Mr. Harris, I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t deserve such an honor.¡± ¡°Why are you still addressing me as such?¡± Jason smiled with affection and reached out to caress her hair. Penelope blushed immediately and called out shyly, ¡°Godfather.¡± Jenny¡¯s expression darkened when she saw the entire exchange. It is bad enough for Ashlyn to be in the limelight every day. Why is Penelope so outstanding too? On top of that, she has one of the best actors around as her godfather! Mary quickly exchanged some pleasantries with Jason. She was very proud that her daughter was so well-loved. Now that the most famous actor had acknowledged Penelope as his goddaughter, she would have a very bright future. It was the Yates family¡¯s loss for giving them the cold shoulder! Just then, another car stopped at the entrance. It was Kate and L. Kate had on a dark green gown which made her look very elegant. There were peonies sewn onto her gown. When paired with the dark green fabric, it exuded a noble air. The red agate ne she wore certainly made her look even more attractive. Her appearance stirred up the reporters. ¡°Oh my! It¡¯s Mrs. Fraser and Mr. L!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Mrs. Fraser to attend too.¡± ¡°Looks like Ms. Penelope is someone important!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. While the reporters were gossiping, Mary led Penelope over to greet Kate. ¡°Mrs. Fraser, it has been a long time since west saw you.¡± ¡°Ms. Canter, thank you for inviting us.¡± In truth, Kate had always looked down on both Mary and Penelope. However, both the Fraser family and the Haddock family were on the same side now. As such, Kate would definitely attend the function even though she had no idea what Dixon was up to. ¡°Mrs. Fraser,¡± Penelope greeted sweetly. ¡°Mr. L.¡± L appeared aloof and nodded in response. Kate, on the other hand, handed Penelope her present. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. Happy birthday.¡± While they chatted, another car arrived. An elegant-looking middle-ageddy exited the vehicle. The moment everyone got a good look at her, they eximed softly, ¡°Oh my God! It¡¯s Ms. Young, the president of a renowned international cosmetics brand!¡± It was Faye Young! Faye set up Young Group singlehandedly. The makeup manufactured by herpany was sold both domestically and abroad. Her products had received several awards and became a world-renowned luxury brand. Despite being in her fifties, her skin was extremely well-maintained and showed no sign of her actual age. Since she was someone most usually wouldn¡¯t get to meet, even people like Jason went forth to greet Faye humbly when he saw her. Meanwhile, everything was quiet on Ashlyn¡¯s side. ¡°Ms. Cantar, thank you for inviting us.¡± In truth, Kata had always lookad down on both Mary and Panalopa. Howavar, both tha Frasar family and tha Haddock family wara on tha sama sida now. As such, Kata would dafinitaly attand tha function avan though sha had no idaa what Dixon was up to. ¡°Mrs. Frasar,¡± Panalopa graatad swaatly. ¡°Mr. L.¡± L appaarad aloof and noddad in rasponsa. Kata, on tha othar hand, handad Panalopa har prasant. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. Happy birthday.¡± Wh thay chattad, anothar car arrivad. An gant-looking mid-agaddy axitad tha vahi. Tha momant avaryona got a good look at har, thay aximad softly, ¡°Oh my God! It¡¯s Ms. Young, tha prasidant of a ranownad intarnational cosmatics brand!¡± It was Faya Young! Faya sat up Young Group sinhandadly. Tha makaup manufacturad by harpany was sold both domastically and abroad. Har products had racaivad savaral awards and bacama a world-ranownad luxury brand. Daspita baing in har fiftias, har skin was axtramaly wall-maintainad and showad no sign of har actual aga. Sinca sha was somaona most usually wouldn¡¯t gat to maat, avan pao lika Jason want forth to graat Faya humbly whan ha saw har. Maanwh, avarything was quiat on Ashlyn¡¯s sida. Chapter 862 Chapter 862 Penelope was very busy that night as she took photos with one bigshot after another. Naturally, Winsor was aware that Penelope¡¯s guests were all high-profile people. He rubbed his nose and asked, ¡°Ms. Ashlyn, do we still have other guests? If not¡­¡± It would be better if they went to their private room rather than remain there. The stunning woman responded with a clear voice, ¡°Oh, we do have more guests. Just hold on for a moment longer.¡± Just then, Jenny came over to Ashlyn and said, ¡°Ms. Ashlyn, Ms. Penelope is the star today. I¡¯m not sure what you are doing here, but¡­ if you want to eat with us, I¡¯m sure we can add another set of cutlery.¡± Deep down, Jenny was jealous of Penelope¡¯s guest list. However, there was nothing she could do about it, so she vented her frustration on Ashlyn. The moment she said that, it attracted the attention of many people around them. After all, Ashlyn was just too outstanding. Even though she was not dressed in any stylish gowns, nor did she have any heavy makeup on, her mere presence was overwhelming. Initially, no one on Penelope¡¯s side was paying any attention to Ashlyn. They were more focused on Penelope¡¯s important guests, particrly those gorgeous celebrities. However, when they suddenly spotted Ashlyn standing there, they found her utterly breathtaking! Her beautiful eyes looked cold. It was as though she had seen everything in this world and could not care less. Light makeup had been applied on her fair skin, and her crimson lips resembled soft flower petals. Even though she was wearing a simple dress shirt, it looked drop-dead gorgeous on her. No matter if it was her figure, her looks, or her aura, she attracted everybody¡¯s attention, even in the presence of those beautiful women in showbiz. Penelope and Jenny stood there and heard everyone whispering. ¡°Ashlyn is truly beautiful.¡± ¡°Her aura is outstanding too! In the past, I thought her photos on the Inte were airbrushed. Now that I¡¯ve seen her in person, I can tell she¡¯s a natural beauty.¡± ¡°What a stunning woman! Isn¡¯t it a pity for someone as gorgeous as she is to get married so young?¡± ¡°I heard she has been married to Lucas for a few years now. Lucas married her because of her looks, right?¡± Lost in their gossiping about Ashlyn, theypletely ignored the star of the day, Penelope. Penelope stood there and bit her lip in humiliation. As long as Ashlyn was around, she would always seem insignificant. That made her very unhappy. Even Jason was looking at Ashlyn. ¡°I heard Ashlyn and you are sisters. Perhaps¡ª¡± The instant Penelope heard that, she gritted her teeth and became irritated.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Is Ashlyn also going to vie for my godfather¡¯s love? She had no choice but to interrupt Jason, ¡°Godfather, Ashlyn has a weird temper. In the past, her favorite hobby was bullying me. I-I don¡¯t dare to speak to her.¡± Jason was a cunning man and knew what Penelope was up to. He sneered secretly and found her distasteful. Jason was used to the fighting that invariably went on in showbiz. However, he did not expect to see the same thing happening among the socialites. After Penelope finished talking, she realized that she had made it seem as though she was afraid of Ashlyn. In the end, she decided to walk up to her half-sister and said, ¡°You have been standing here for quite a while now. Why didn¡¯t you go in?¡± Ashlyn nced at her nkly before replying coldly, ¡°I¡¯m waiting for someone.¡± Short, sharp, and straight to the point. It might have been a simple sentence, but it seemed to have an intimidating effect. In that instant, Penelope looked upset, and her chest started to hurt. She pretended to look aggrieved and said, ¡°Godfather, this is what I meant. Every time I say something, she will¡ª¡± ¡°Just look at Ashlyn¡¯s attitude. It¡¯s disgusting. Who does she think she is?¡± Jenny also chimed in. Chapter 863 Chapter 863 Jenny was already so jealous of Penelope¡¯s guest list, but she absolutely hated the fact that Ashlyn got to be by Lucas¡¯ side and became his wife! Therefore, she intentionally provoked Ashlyn, ¡°Are you intending to host some kind of event here too?¡± She covered her mouth and sniggered with disdain. ¡°Isn¡¯t Mr. Winsor an important enough guest for you? Yet you refuse to go in. Please don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re expecting big shots.¡± Naomi was so angry that her face turned red. ¡°How dare you! You¡¯re too much. How can you say such things about Ashlyn! I¡ª¡± Ashlyn smiled. ¡°They aren¡¯t big shots. Just a few friends. That¡¯s all.¡± She paused, and her smile deepened. ¡°Friends and guests are alike. It¡¯s meaningless to discriminate against them. Doing so will only make you appear low-ss and rude.¡± When those mocking words reached Jenny¡¯s ears, she became so furious that her neck turned red. Is Ashlyn trying to imply that I¡¯m a rude person with a lousy character? Just as she was about to tell Ashlyn off, a car suddenly appeared at the entrance of The Peacock. A middle-aged man dressed in a silver-grey suit got out with two antique walnuts in his hands. There was an awe-inspiring presence about this man. The walnuts looked very smooth and shiny from the patina, and the carvings on them were very intricate. Judging from their perfect appearance, those walnuts must be worth a lot. They were not ordinary walnuts. ¡°Walnuts? Is that the chairman of Magnecal Tech?¡± ¡°Gosh! Old Mr. Laith? No way!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°What is he doing here? Is he here to attend Penelope¡¯s birthday banquet?¡± Everyone was aware that holding two antique walnuts in his hands was a trademark of Harvey¡¯s. It was said that the two walnuts cost a lot of money and had been passed down for generations in the Laith family. ¡°Old Mr. Laith?¡± The moment Mary saw him, she was thrilled. Everyone who attended the banquet that day came because of Dixon. Mary did not expect that he would have the ability to get the chairman of Magnecal Tech to attend the function. She had heard that the chairman of Magnecal Tech never attended banquets and the like because he found them to be too noisy. Yet, he came this time around. In an instant, Mary was filled with pride and joy. Theputers produced by Magnecal Tech were the global top-selling products year after year. It would not be far-fetched to say that the majority of households used Magnecal Tech products. Regardless, Magnecal Tech had always been a low-profilepany. As far as the world was concerned, thepany was shrouded in mystery. This was particrly so for the chairman, who hardly ever showed up in public. What is he doing here? Basking in an air of glee and excitement, Mary walked over quickly. ¡°Old Mr. Laith, you¡¯re here! Thank you for gracing us with your presence. This is our greatest honor ever. I have no idea what my daughter has done to deserve this. I¡­¡± She even pretended to cry and wipe her tears. Her behavior was so disgusting, to the point that even Kate and Jason felt like puking. Mary is, after all, a daughter of the Count¡¯s family. How can she behave in such a repulsive manner? Has she forgotten about her upbringing? How can she behave like this just because Old Mr. Laith is wealthy? That¡¯s sickening! One could not help but wonder whether the Count did not host the birthday banquet for Penelope because they looked down on the mother-daughter duo. Even so, the others had no choice but to greet Harvey. After all, he was a man of status and position. Magnecal Tech was the real deal as Harvey had built his company from scratch! The sole reason Kate came to the banquet was due to Dixon. Upon seeing that even Harvey had been invited, she felt a whole lot better. It would be beneficial for Fraser Corporation if she could be acquaintances with Harvey. Ha! Who cares about Ashlyn and Lucas? They¡¯re nobodies whenpared to Magnecal Tech! Chapter 864 Chapter 864 Penelope excitedly approached Harvey and said sweetly, ¡°Old Mr. Laith.¡± Harvey furrowed his thick brows as he scanned the crowd in front of him, noticing that they had different countenances. Who are these people? Why are they surrounding me? Where¡¯s Lynnie? The overwhelming perfume smell on Mary and Penelope was nauseating. He found it almost impossible to breathe in the overpoweringly pungent smell of the air surrounding him. Harvey couldn¡¯t help but cough as he said, ¡°Could you guys¡­ move aside?¡± Mary was still wearing her ingratiating smile as she hurriedly gave way to the man. ¡°This way please, Old Mr. Laith.¡± She grew even more thrilled at the sight of the luxury shopping bag in the hand of the assistant behind Harvey. It was a top-tier luxury brand. Luxury goods were divided into high-end and low-end as well. Normal luxury brands would already make Mary feel very dignified. Hence, she was delighted to see that Harvey was gifting a high-end luxury present to Penelope. Penelope spotted the high-end luxury bag too, and her lips quivered in excitement. ¡°Old Mr. Laith, I¡¯m just celebrating my birthday. You didn¡¯t have to spend so much on the gift.¡± She was already reaching out to take over the bag, but Harvey¡¯s loud voice boomed, ¡°Did you guys see Lynnie anywhere?¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Penelope¡¯s hands froze mid-air, her face turning pale as a sheet of paper. All air appeared to have been sucked out of her lungs right then. Did I hear him right? Lynnie? It was a really endearing term of address. Penelope almost fainted. This is impossible. How is it possible that Old Mr. Laith is looking for Ashlyn? She dismissed the notion right away. How was it possible that Ashlyn knew the chairman of Magnecal Tech? Mary¡¯s ingratiating smile also froze on her face, turning into a smile that looked worse than a grimace. Hesitantly, Penelope asked, ¡°Old Mr. Laith, who did you say you were looking for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for Ashlyn,¡± the old man dered. ¡°You¡¯re all blocking my sight. I can¡¯t see Lynnie.¡± He impatiently twirled the walnuts in his hand, making louder and faster cks with each turn, frustrated by the group of people swarming him. Mary felt her vision darken, and her mind went nk at this point. Her heartbeat intensified as she felt her blood pressure soar. They were the symptoms of a heart attack. Mary calmed down and stuttered, ¡°Y-You¡¯re not here for my daughter, Penelope¡¯s birthday party?¡± Refusing to give up, she asked again. Even though the air was fraught with tension and awkwardness, Mary refused to give in. Why does Ashlyn always get the best things in life? Harvey scanned the group of people before him and didn¡¯t even deign to spare Mary a single nce. Then, azy voice rang nearby. ¡°Old-timer, I¡¯m here. Is your eyesight failing? How could you still fail to see me after searching for so long?¡± There was a mockining undertone to her voice. Who else could it be if not Ashlyn? The crowd was bbergasted as they widened their eyes in disbelief at the sight. The middle-aged man was Harvey Laith, the respectable chairman of Magnecal Tech, and Ashlyn had just grumbled about him right in front of everyone. Hence, the crowd was waiting for Harvey to teach the insolent woman a lesson. So what if she was Mrs. Nn? Harvey might spare her some courtesy on ount of Lucas. However, he still had the right to teach the impudent woman to respect her elders. Initially feeling dejected by the surprise turn of events, Penelope was suddenly filled with hope. She couldn¡¯t wait to see Harvey knock Ashlyn off her high horse. How dare she talk to Old Mr. Laith like that? She must have a death wish! However, once again, the crowd was left speechless. Harvey hastily approached Ashlyn¡¯s side and reached out to pat her on her head while wearing a massive grin on his face. However, the woman cocked her head to one side and avoided his touch. The middle-aged man continued to smile amiably and didn¡¯t seem bothered by the fact that she had avoided him. ¡°It¡¯s been some time since west met, and you¡¯re still this snobbish?¡± It was clear as day that the two were close to each other. The esteemed chairman was setting aside his high status and treating Ashlyn affectionately, just like a doting elder would treat a younger family member. He then shot a sharp look at Mary and Penelope standing nearby, who were both looking befuddled. It seemed as though he had just recalled what Mary had said earlier. Chapter 865 Chapter 865 Harvey¡¯s voice was cold and authoritative. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, madam. I don¡¯t know your daughter. I¡¯m here to celebrate Lynnie¡¯s birthday.¡± His cold attitude starkly contrasted with how he had spoken with Ashlyn earlier. Mary felt her face going hot with embarrassment. Tears brimmed in Penelope¡¯s eyes. She had never felt so humiliated in her whole life. She stood there and felt her legs going weak, ready to give out at any moment. Other than putting up a weak front, Penelope could think of no other way to save her dignity. Meanwhile, Harvey beamed at Ashlyn like the friendly grandfather next door. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He even turned to look at Naomi and the others. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so happy to see you youngsters here. You lot are so full of energy!¡± Winsor considered himself a well-connected man, and he had seen his fair share of important things in life. However, he still widened his eyes in surprise at the sight of Harvey. The legendary businessman who dominated the business world was smiling and talking to him. Winsor was ttered beyond words. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Old Mr. Laith.¡± ¡°You must be Winsy. When your father and brother were still around¡­ Ah, forget it. There¡¯s no use bringing up the past now. You¡¯ve grown so big.¡± Harvey tousled Winsor¡¯s hair, pleasantly surprised to see that the boy had grown up tall and handsome. Winsor didn¡¯t dare to stop the man from ruffling his hair. Hence, he kept his head low and basked in the moment. It was an amusing sight to behold. Yet, many envied Winsor¡¯s position. After all, it was an honor to let a man like Harvey ruffle one¡¯s hair. Penelope and the others grew green with envy at the sight. Winsor had Ashlyn to thank for his luck. Earlier, they had looked down on Winsor for hanging around Ashlyn. However, now they were envious of him. Naomi and ir were so astounded at the sight of Harvey that they were rendered speechless. Hence, they could only muster the words, ¡°Hello, Old Mr. Laith.¡± ¡°Why so serious? Just call me Uncle Harvey like Lynnie.¡± Harvey grinned. ¡°Same goes for you, Winsy.¡± ¡°U-Uncle Harvey,¡± Winsor stuttered out, struggling to recall thest time he had addressed someone so endearingly. Winsor was also a respectable figure in the public¡¯s eyes. However, now he found himself in the position of a junior. He reckoned he needed more time to get used to the change. However, he knew that only a handful of people in Lake City could address Harvey as Uncle Harvey. With Ashlyn being one of the handful, they had her to thank for the honor. The group stared at Harvey with conflicted expressions on their faces. He was an individual who exercised significant influence over the country. H Nation might tremble if he so much as shook his legs. And yet, Ashlyn dared to reject the man¡¯s attempt to tousle her hair. Nheless, it seemed the man had a habit of tousling others¡¯ hair. They couldn¡¯t help but wonder if that was due to his fondness for twirling his prized walnuts in his hand. After patting Winsor, Harvey turned to tousle ir¡¯s head, and thetter felt like the walnuts clutched in Harvey¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯ve got nice hair. Winsy, you¡¯ve got to use some hair conditioner. Your hair is too hard and prickly. Then again, your eldest brother has the same type of hair. It¡¯s in your genes. You all have prickly hair, much like a hedgehog¡¯s spines.¡± ir couldn¡¯t believe the old man had even patted Winsor¡¯s elder brother¡¯s head too. Tinsor gulped and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you feel my hair too? I always use hair conditioner, so my hair is really soft and smooth.¡± His request invoked a chorus ofughter. While the atmosphere was cordial on their side, the same could not be said for Penelope¡¯s side. Jason suddenly felt he had chosen the wrong side by taking Penelope as his goddaughter. He wondered what Dixon was up to since he hadn¡¯t seen the man anywhere. Jason took a deep breath. He initially thought the Haddock family was good enough. However, it paled inparison to Magnecal Tech. Chapter 866 Chapter 866 Not just that, but Ashlyn also had the Jaquin family¡¯s support. The more Jason thought about it, the more depressed he became. He initially wanted to bring the twins duo¡ªhis juniors¡ªto grow more connections, but he supposed they were probably furious at that moment. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. The crowd watched as Harvey gestured for his assistant to hand the luxury brand shopping bag to Ashlyn. ¡°These are your birthday gifts. They¡¯re just some worthless things. See if you like them.¡± Harvey might be smiling kindly on the surface, but his nerves were eating him on the inside. He was worried Ashlyn would hate his gifts and return them. Ashlyn arched her brow at his words. This old-timer has terrible taste in choosing gifts. ¡°Last year, you gave me a ck cat which was almost a decade old, along with the management rights to a pet store franchise. The year before that, you gave me a bright red helicopter. It¡¯s so red that it¡¯s the color of a fire engine! I don¡¯t even dare to fly the thing. It¡¯s so embarrassing!¡± sheined. The crowd was stunned at Ashlyn¡¯s remarks. Is she saying the red helicopter was a gift from Harvey? The management rights to a pet store franchise? That¡¯s not raking in money. That¡¯s raking in gold! Harvey didn¡¯t get mad at her dig. Instead, he sounded ingratiating when he said, ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Lynnie. Open up and take a look. You might like the present this year.¡± Ashlyn curled her lips. She didn¡¯t have high expectations of the presents. Despite so, she still felt happy about receiving one. When the crowd saw the present, they were shocked again. ¡°SN Racing Team?¡± Ashlyn read out loud in a confused tone when she caught the business license. The team was one of thergest car racing teams in H Nation. They had won manypetitions and were managed by Richard. Car racing was a hobby of Richard¡¯s, so she was surprised he was willing to let them go. That can only mean this old-timer has spent a pretty penny on this. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll leave this racing team to you from now on. You¡¯re the God of Cars, so how about it? Do you like it?¡± Harvey studied Ashlyn¡¯s face as he asked. He figured she wouldn¡¯tin about his present this year. However, the racing team wasn¡¯t the only present he prepared. The property rights to an industrial park was also in the bag. It was the entire industrial park. ¡°This is the new industrial park Magnecal Tech invested in. I¡¯ll gift you this modernized high-tech industrial park. Do you want Magnecal Tech to manage it for you, or do you want to do it yourself?¡± The mass watched as Harvey tentatively asked for Ashlyn¡¯s opinion. He¡¯s treating Ashlyn like a princess! Giving a helicopter and management rights as birthday gifts was already jaw-dropping enough. Yet, giving her a car racing team and even an industrial park was beyond their expectation. Oh, heavens! He¡¯s practically giving her untold riches on a silver tter! Moreover, it looks like he¡¯s worried Ashlyn won¡¯t ept his gifts. Anyone would¡¯ve been over the moon with one floor of the industrial park, much less the entire park! Ashlyn was rendered speechless by Harvey¡¯s deep pockets. She kept the bag and said, ¡°I already have a lot of properties under my name, so you don¡¯t have to give me these. Sometimes, a purse, jewelry, and such are more than enough.¡± ¡°You want purses and jewelry? I¡¯ll purchase them immediately.¡± Harvey turned to his assistant and ordered, ¡°Get all thetest limited-edition goods of every luxury brand here now.¡± ¡°No, I was just giving an example.¡± Ashlyn hurriedly stopped him before he could start his spree. With a smile, he exined, ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t have any girls in the house, so I don¡¯t know what gift is suitable. I just like buying things for you. Your brothers always give me worries and headaches.¡± It wasmonly known the Laith family had five devastatingly handsome sons. However, the fact that none of Harvey¡¯s sons were married or intended to get married had always been on his mind. All of his sons were mysterious. None of them worked at Magnecal Tech. Rumor had it they were elites in various sectors, but those were merely rumors. Not many had seen or heard about them before. Chapter 867 Chapter 867 Ashlyn nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll invite them for a meal next time. I have a few girl friends who are nice that I can introduce to them¡­ as long as they don¡¯t mind their women fierce.¡± They won¡¯t mind fiery petite women, right? Hopefully. Meanwhile, Cassandra, who just got out of the car, sneezed. Is someone talking about me behind my back? Harvey¡¯s smile grew wider at Ashlyn¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t! It¡¯s good that girls nowadays know some form of self-defense skills. They can protect themselves in dangerous situations and against domestic violence.¡± The two talkedfortably without minding the others, but their conversation astounded the crowd. Everyone¡¯s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets from the shock. What did he mean by buying luxury goods from every brand and sending them over? Winsor was also stunned by Harvey¡¯s generosity. He had heard about the industrial park that Magnecal Tech invested in. In fact, manyrge corporations were eagerly anticipating renting a ce at the park. They figured their work could be made easier with the modernized high-tech facilities. Yet Harvey just gave it to Ashlyn as though it was nothing important. Meanwhile, jealousy had gripped Penelope and Mary in a tight vise. They thought Harvey¡¯s present was merely a luxury good at first. At most, it would be something slightly more expensive. Yet, they never thought the bag contained a license for a car racing team and the property rights to an industrial park. What exactly is Ashlyn¡¯s rtion to Magnecal Tech? No matter how close they are, Harvey shouldn¡¯t gift her such extravagant presents! Mary felt her blood pressure rising at the scene. She had always desired wealth and status, but why was it always Ashlyn who got them? She had been chasing after fame all her life, but why did everything have to be stolen by Ashlyn? Penelope was upset, feeling as though Ashlyn had pped her across her face before wiping the floor with it. She felt like a lowly maid in front of Ashlyn. The more she mulled over it, the more she cursed at her luck. Everyone wants to get acquainted with the chairman of Magnecal Tech, yet he seems close to Ashlyn. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s an acquaintance of Lucas and only talks to her out of respect for Lucas. Mary¡¯s eyelid was twitching incessantly. She felt a strong urge to rub her eyes, but the thought of smudging her makeup had her dropping her hand. Sucking in a deep breath to calm the restlessness within her, she then spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Oates. We¡¯re sincere in our offer to coborate with Mr. Haddock.¡± Sienna merely smiled at Mary¡¯sment. Mary turned to Penelope. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not a big deal. Mr. Harris is your godfather, and others gaze at you with envy. Stopparing yourself to Ashlyn. So what if she has the chairman of Magnecal Tech supporting her? Does she have as many guests as we do?¡± Penelope felt much better at her mother¡¯s constion. Mom¡¯s right. He¡¯s nothing but an old-timer. It doesn¡¯t mean anything. Look around me. I have more guests than she does. All of them are prestigious in their fields. Besides, I even invited a lot of reporters. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to be headlining all the news. Surely, they won¡¯t go back on their promise since they¡¯ve already epted our bribe? Glee flitted across her face at the thought. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Her eyes were filled with uncontained joy as she told Mary, ¡°Mom, I still miss those days when you would prepare a birthday cake for me back in the countryside. All we had was each other back then, but we were happy.¡± Mary patted Penelope¡¯s hand gently. ¡°I feel bad for how you¡¯re always so thoughtful and understanding.¡± The more her heart ached for Penelope, the more her jealousy grew for Ashlyn. Consequently, her hatred for Ashlyn grew too. The toxic bitterness was engraved deeply in her bones. I¡¯ll make sure Ashlyn falls into despair one day! Why do we see her everywhere we go? Chapter 868 Chapter 868 Why is it that no matter what Penelope and I do, Ashlyn will get involved and ruin everything? At that moment, a few more cars stopped in front of The Peacock¡¯s front door. Dozens of men got out of the car. Leading them was a man with a rugged face dressed in a robe. Sienna¡¯s expression stiffened when she recognized him. Others might not put a name to that man¡¯s face, but she knew who he was. Isn¡¯t he the heir of a prestigious n in ancient martial arts? I think he¡¯s Ben Zene. What is he doing here? The corner of Sienna¡¯s eye twitched. How does Ashlyn know all these people? What about today¡¯s n? She subtly clenched her jaw at the thought. No matter the cost, today¡¯s n can¡¯t go wrong. Meanwhile, Jason and Mary were bewildered when they spotted Ben. Jason had visited the Zene n two years ago, pleading to hire a younger member as his bodyguard, but they declined his request. He still bore a grudge over it until that day. His expression slowly turned to a mask of anger as he curled his fingers into fists, his lips pressing into a thin line. What exactly is Ashlyn¡¯s background? Why would she have any ties to the Zene n? How did she get someone from that n toe? Ben strode over to Ashlyn and congratted her, ¡°Happy birthday, Ms. Ashlyn.¡± Ashlyn raised a brow at him. ¡°I don¡¯t remember inviting you, Mr. Zene.¡± Ben¡¯s expression didn¡¯t falter when he answered casually, ¡°When the n leader ced us in your care, we became a part of your life. Hence, our presence here is justified. There was no need for you to invite us.¡± Ashlyn didn¡¯t know how to respond to his shamelessment. He wins since he has the numbers on his side. Whatever he says goes. Kate¡¯s expression turned dark. She had heard about the ancient martial arts n before. Word through the grapevine is everyone in the n is an elite, so how are they rted to Ashlyn? Annoyance surged within her. Then, she spotted the mayor James and his family getting out of his car. Fae was in a maroon dress, looking elegant as she stepped out of the vehicle. Not a bandage could be seen on Charlotte¡¯s face, revealing her exquisite features. The baby-pink gown she wore was clearly picked by Fae. However, Charlotte would look like an adorable youngdy with her fair skin and stunning features no matter what color she wore. d in a dark blue suit, Joseph looked like a couple with Charlotte as he stood next to her. James was much more low-key than the rest. Dressed in a ck suit, he kept an elegant smile on his face. Together, the quartet made a beeline for Ashlyn. When the crowd noticed the direction they were heading, their expression turned grim, especially Jason¡¯s. It¡¯s Mr. Field and his son! Am I seeing things? Are they both here to attend Ashlyn¡¯s birthday party? L¡¯s feet were rooted in ce when he caught sight of Charlotte¡¯s gorgeous face. As though his eyes had been glued to her face, he couldn¡¯t tear his gaze from her. Unable to stand watching her son¡¯s infatuation with Charlotte, Kate forcefully pinched him on his arm. ¡°What are you looking at? There¡¯s nothing to see. I think Olivia is a hundred times better looking than she is.¡± The second the words were out of her mouth, Olivia got out of her car with a box from Bulgari. Kate hurriedly went up to Olivia and greeted, ¡°You¡¯re here, Olivia. I haven¡¯t seen you for the past few days. Let¡¯s sit togetherter.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Without even a nce at L, Olivia gave Kate a faint smile before responding, ¡°Mrs. Fraser, I¡¯ll have to respectfully decline your offer.¡± Flummoxed, Kate asked, ¡°Why?¡± Isn¡¯t she infatuated with L? I thought she was head-over-heels in love with him? What is the meaning of this? ¡°I¡¯m heading over to Ashlyn¡¯s side.¡± Olivia gently shoved Kate aside before walking to Ashlyn with sparkling eyes. She handed the box to Ashlyn and said, ¡°T-This is your birthday present from me. I hope you like it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ashlyn beamed at her. ¡°You¡¯re too courteous.¡± ¡°Happy birthday, Ashlyn!¡± Charlotte congratted before adding, ¡°I invited Olivia over. I hope you won¡¯t me me.¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± Ashlyn asked as she studied Charlotte¡¯s face. ¡°Are your injuries all better?¡± Chapter 869 Chapter 869 ¡°Yeah. My skin is more radiant and glowing than before too!¡± Charlotte answered cheerily. A grin broke out on Fae¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s such a pleasure to see you young people. It¡¯s as if time has turned back, and I¡¯ve reverted to my youth again.¡± Nearby, L¡¯s gaze was trained on Charlotte, but he couldn¡¯t muster the courage to approach her. His heart clenched at the sight of her until Kate pinched his arm, the sharp pain jolting him out of his reverie. His eyes flew to his mother. ¡°What are you doing, Mom?¡± Kate almost blew a gasket at Olivia¡¯s earlier action. How dare Olivia snub me! And she is best friends with Charlotte now? Fury simmered beneath the surface of her skin, nearly driving her insane. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? The Warhol family is perfect. How could you let Olivia leave to befriend Charlotte? You disappointed me, L!¡± Kate would have berated L further if there wasn¡¯t an audience. She regretted attending this birthday celebration for Dixon¡¯s sake. All that had brought her was humiliation, and right in front of everyone too. Damn you to hell, Olivia and Charlotte! Damn you straight to hell! A red smear of wrath colored her vision, and she almost went crazy because she couldn¡¯t vent. Mary and Penelope were disconcerted when James and his family arrived. The mayor¡­ Is he serious now? How could he be here for Ashlyn¡¯s birthday celebration? When Penelope noticed how tall and handsome Joseph was, she burned with jealousy. She couldn¡¯t understand why all the attractive men seemed to flock to Ashlyn. How infuriating! Harvey stilled when he caught sight of James, which didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Ashlyn. ¡°This is my brother-inw, James. James, this is Old Mr. Laith,¡± Ashlyn introduced. Brother-inw¡­ She referred to the mayor as her brother-inw! Kate already knew Ashlyn had an unusual rtionship with the Field family, but she was still taken aback to hear Ashlyn say ¡°brother-inw,¡± and so was everyone else. Mr. Field is her brother-inw? She¡¯s Mrs. Field¡¯s sister? Oh my God, that¡¯s amazing! James stretched his arm to shake Harvey¡¯s hand. ¡°How are you, Old Mr. Laith?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing just fine.¡± Harveyughed, exchanging pleasantries. Ashlyn thought it was rather meaningless and inappropriate for everyone to stand around the entrance talking, especially for men of status like James and Harvey. ¡°Why don¡¯t you all head in first? I¡¯m still waiting for a few friends.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine; everyone is having fun here. Or do you find us old-timers obnoxious?¡± Harvey frowned, injecting feigned anger into his tone. Ashlyn nted him a look. ¡°So the rumors of you not liking noisy asions are unfounded. You appear to love socializing.¡± ¡°It all depends on the asion and who¡¯s the host, of course,¡± Harvey replied proudly. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. A ck car screeched to a stop in front of The Peacock, and a young man around thirty years old slid out of the vehicle. He was extremely attractive. Dressed in a casual id shirt and jeans, a pair of leather shoes completed his outfit. His attire was casual yet refined. L was surprised at the man¡¯s appearance. ¡°It¡¯s him!¡± ¡°Do you know him?¡± Kate arched a brow. ¡°He got the firefighters from a neighboring city to help put out the fire at Imperial Hotelst time,¡± he answered, the memories still fresh in his mind. This man is not to be underestimated. ¡°You came,¡± Ashlyn greeted Quiet Forest neutrally. They hadn¡¯t spoken muchst time since he was busy putting out the fire. However, they did find out from that incident that they both resided in Lake City. He stood in front of her, his gaze roaming across her face as he studied her features and appreciated her beauty. Everyone in Mysterious yet Majestic expected him toe and see Zero. Chapter 870 Chapter 870 I never thought Zero was so beautiful and that she was the famous Ashlyn on the inte! He was suddenly at a loss for words. Ashlyn, on the contrary, generously stuck her hand out for a handshake. Quiet Forest¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he extended his hand to grab her soft one. Who would have imagined that these pair of smooth hands could operate aputer with such finesse to solve many big cases? Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Their hands fell away, and Ashlyn introduced dispassionately, ¡°This is Quiet Forest.¡± ¡°Hello, I own a modest security firm. I¡¯m a minnowpared to the rest here.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Quiet Forest Security?¡± Harvey¡¯s brow rose. ¡°Don¡¯t be coy. Yourpany supplies security systems to eighty percent of Lake City¡¯s corporates, including several security firms. Despite my age, I¡¯m still up to date with the news, you know?¡± Quiet Forest chuckled abashedly, feeling his cheeks growing warm like a timid schr, unlike how the head of a security firm would act. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Old Mr. Laith. I¡¯m just trying to make ends meet.¡± He quickly shook Harvey¡¯s hand before shaking James¡¯. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, Mr. Field.¡± ¡°Not many can achieve what you did. Don¡¯t be too modest, Mr. Quiet Forest.¡± James had heard of him as well. ¡°Let¡¯s head in, shall we?¡± Ashlyn said to everyone. The sound of brakes squealing sounded behind them, followed by the m of a car door. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to wait for me on your birthday, Honey?¡± a maic voice said from behind Ashlyn. Her head whipped around as her heart lurched. She saw anky man standing in front of a car and looking at her from a distance. Sunlight burnished the handsome strength of Lucas¡¯ face. He squinted his eyes from the re, and when he opened them, his onyx gaze held everyone captive. It was as if God had sculpted his chiseled features, and no ws could be found. Standing well over six feet, he dwarfed everyone. He wore a suit tailored to his measurements and tapered to his long legs. At that moment, he strode toward Ashlyn. She snapped out of her reverie and regarded him in surprise. ¡°Why did youe?¡± Lucas stopped in front of her and looked down at her with a hooded gaze. ¡°Of course I would spend your birthday with you.¡± As they locked gazes, Ashlyn¡¯s heart skipped a beat. His eyes were smoldering, sending hot tingles down her spine. A ripple stirred the throng of reporters, and the tension in the air heightened. ¡°Lucas is here.¡± ¡°He looks normal!¡± ¡°Yeah, he doesn¡¯t seem neurotic!¡± ¡°Quiet Forest Security is the best! They safeguard all our websites.¡± ¡°Wow! Ashlyn invited many of Lake City¡¯s bigshots. This is too amazing!¡± ¡°There¡¯s Mr. Field¡­ Did I see the principal of T University as well?¡± ¡°Am I seeing things? The principal is here?¡± The principal and dean got out of the car and headed toward Ashlyn. ¡°Dr. Berry, why didn¡¯t you tell us about your birthday banquet? I instantly came after seeing the news on Twitter,¡± Principal Potter uttered with a smile. ¡°Happy birthday, Dr. Berry. This is a ssic publication from T University¡¯s collection about precious herbs.¡± Everyone gasped. They gifted Ashlyn a volume from T University¡¯s library? And a rare one that¡¯s coveted by many people? ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Ashlyn was caught off guard that the two men would make an appearance. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Principal Potter smiled. A reporter called out, ¡°Take pictures!¡± Cameras shed at Ashlyn in a barrage of white light. Chapter 871 Chapter 871 Even the principal of T University showed up, showing just how much Ashlyn was esteemed. Everyone was awed. Thest people to arrive were the two brothers, Jonathan and Jared. Penelope and Jenny, who were standing together, looked as though they were about to faint. Why are there so many celebrities over on Ashlyn¡¯s side, each more famous than thest? Some guests behind the pair recognized the celebrities and started whispering among themselves. Stabbing pain shot through Penelope¡¯s chest. It was simply too much for her to bear! Unfortunately for her, the worst was yet toe. She watched as Lucas gave Ashlyn the present he had prepared. It was an emerald ring that he had purchased at a high-end auction. However, that was not all. He had also bought the ne and bracelet that came as a matching set with the ring. Each piece alone was worth tens of millions! I can¡¯t believe he¡¯d go all out and gift her antique jewelry! I heard the set was part of a jewelry collection worn by the queen of Ennd. Eventually, it somehow made its way into the auction. But now, it has ended up in Ashlyn¡¯s hands! That knowledge was almost too much for Penelope to bear. Meanwhile, Ashlyn gazed at the glittering jewelry, then nced at the man standing before her. She could not help smiling as she said, ¡°They¡¯re gorgeous. I like them.¡± She liked collecting valuable jewelry pieces and had a set adorned with sapphires. It thrilled Lucas¡¯ heart to see her smile, and he responded in a sultry voice, ¡°Making my wife happy is my duty. Happy birthday.¡± After saying that, he could not resist reaching out and hugging her. The public disy of affection sent the reporters into a wild frenzy. ¡°Oh my goodness! They just hugged!¡± ¡°This is the first time we¡¯re seeing them together, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re right!¡± ¡°In the past, they always trended individually.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve finally made an appearance together!¡± The fact that Penelope was the one who asked them toe and paid them flew straight out of the reporters¡¯ minds. It was evident to them that everything about Ashlyn¡¯s birthday celebration was way more interesting, and nothing was more important to them than getting good photos and stories. Although there was nothing special about the words Lucas murmured in Ashlyn¡¯s ear, they carried an inexplicable sense of suggestiveness when he said them. Her ears reddened slightly at that, and she had a feeling that he was secretly flirting with her. Lucas pursed his lips as he gazed toward Penelope, Mary, Sienna, and the others not too far away. Dixon announced that he was going to negotiate a deal today, then went on to throw a big birthday bash for Penelope here. What on earth is he up to? He looked up nonchntly and saw Dixon, who had just appeared in the crowd. Ashlyn said she wanted toe to The Peacock to suss out the situation, but how could I let her take risks alone? Dixon was wearing a ck shirt and a pair of ck pants. His arms looked lean yet muscr. Combining that with his feminine features, he radiated a strangely sinister aura. Sensing Lucas¡¯ gaze, he shot thetter a smirk and licked his lips, seemingly issuing a silent provocation. Lucas lowered his gaze and looked away. By then, Ashlyn was already leading her guests into The Peacock. The reporters flocked after them,pletely forgetting about Penelope, who was waiting to be photographed. Penelope was so enraged that her eyes turned red. Don¡¯t they know that I¡¯m the one who asked them toe? This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. She suppressed the aggrieved feeling welling inside her, on the verge of a breakdown. In truth, she nearly called out to the reporters to ask them toe back. However, she resisted the urge to do so. It¡¯d be too humiliating for me. I don¡¯t want that. I won¡¯t ask them toe back. Fuming, Mary turned to Dixon with a stiff smile and asked, ¡°Mr. Haddock, the private room we¡¯ve booked today is thergest one at The Peacock, am I right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he answered tly. She felt slightly better after hearing his response, confident that their private room would be the best. Chapter 872 Chapter 872 What does it matter if Lucas owns the ce? We¡¯ve made a reservation already, and the customer is king. It¡¯s not like he can move the entire private room somewhere else. It never crossed Mary¡¯s mind that Lucas would go to such great lengths. The Peacock was beautiful and exquisitely decorated. Every corner of the space exuded a sense of elegance and luxury. A waiter approached them as soon as they walked into the restaurant. The waiter wore a sleek, ck uniform and smiled at them politely. ¡°May I ask if you¡¯ve reserved a private room?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve booked thergest private room. Hurry up and take us there,¡± Mary answered haughtily, as though that was the only way to make it seem that she had not lost to Ashlyn. ¡°Sure. Please follow me,¡± the waiter replied promptly. Feeling that she had regained some dignity, Mary¡¯s spirits lifted a little. Penelope could not help but smile and tilted her head upward haughtily. The others also rxed their expressions and did not look as upset as before. They were secretly gloating over the fact that Lucas would not get the biggest private room despite being The Peacock¡¯s owner. Nheless, none of them tantly revealed their true thoughts. Ashlyn merely nced at them without uttering a word. Just then, the restaurant¡¯s manager walked over, then said to Lucas and Ashlyn in a respectful tone, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Nn, we¡¯ve prepared an exclusive private room for you. Pleasee this way.¡± An exclusive private room? Mary¡¯s smug expression instantly turned into a look of disbelief, and she felt dazed. It was as though she was reeling from a p to the face. Unable to remain calm, she demanded, ¡°What do you mean? Are you saying he can take the private room we reserved just because he¡¯s the boss?¡± Taken aback, the manager hurriedly said, ¡°Allow me to exin, ma¡¯am. Mr. Nn has always had an exclusive private room at The Peacock. It¡¯s usually not open to the general public, so¡­ I hope you can understand. We reserve it for only Mr. Nn¡¯s guests.¡± Mary was incensed, and her chest heaved violently. An exclusive private room not open to the general public¡­ Finally, Sienna said calmly, ¡°Well, it¡¯s hardly surprising that he¡¯d have his own private room. After all, Nn Group owns The Peacock.¡± ¡°Even Imperial Hotel burned to the ground, so who knows whether The Peacock¡¯s days are numbered?¡± Dixon remarked in a strange tone. A chill ran down Mary¡¯s spine. Their words make me shudder in fear. It sounds as though something is about to happen, and this birthday party is not as innocent as it seems. Gazing at the pair, the ominous feeling in her heart intensified. She did not know how she made her way to their private room as she could barely walk straight with her mind in a daze. All she could think about was Dixon¡¯s feminine yet cruel face. Over in Lucas¡¯ private room, their food had started to arrive. Ashlyn picked a seat randomly, and Lucas immediately sat next to her. Needless to say, no one dared to fight with Harvey for the empty seat to Ashlyn¡¯s left. Harvey nced around at the others with a self-satisfied look, then fell into a conversation with James about what had happened earlier. Naomi and the rest also discussed it in low voices. Meanwhile, Ashlyn checked her phone with a cold expression. She saw that Mysterious yet Majestic¡¯s group chat was abuzz with messages. One of them sent: Boss, have you gone to see Zero? Another wrote: Please send Zero¡¯s photo. Someone else added: Boss, hurry up and send us a photo of Zero! After reading their text messages, she snapped a photo of the tableden with dishes, then sent it to the group chat and wrote: Come on over! I¡¯ll wait for you all here. Someone replied: What the heck! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Another person responded with: Where are you? Which hotel is that? Quiet Forest curled his lips into a smirk and replied: Sorry, but I won¡¯t be sending any photos. Don¡¯t you know Zero needs to maintain an air of mysteriousness? If you want to see Zero, you¡¯ll have toe here yourselves. Chapter 873 Chapter 873 With that, Quiet Forest sent the coordinates for The Peacock. At that moment, Lucas was slightly irritated at how Ashlyn was engrossed with her phone. What is she up to, typing so ferociously on the phone? Can¡¯t she see that I¡ªa good-looking human being¡ªam sitting right next to her? What is going on in the phone that¡¯s stealing her attention away? Lucas pursed his thin lips into a straight line before breaking into a smirk. He looked at Ashlyn and spoke in a deep maic voice. ¡°Honey, does it feel good to humiliate others?¡± Ashlyn raised her head and nced at the handsome man beside her. His suave-looking face was alluring. In particr, his deep dark eyes were the most striking feature. As Ashlyn looked longer at his eyes, she could only see her reflections in his pupils. For some reason, Ashlyn¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Well, not too bad. But my main intention is to see what Dixon is really up to.¡± She was still waiting for news from Luigi and the rest. Her men were now nted in various locations within the hotel. They had been instructed to look out for any suspicious characters and to report to her immediately if there were any. Unknown to Ashlyn, Lucas had also arranged for his men to stand by at the hotel. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Dixon¡¯s every single action would be captured by all those pairs of watchful eyes. Getting the opportunity to humiliate Mary and Penelope was a pure incidental coincidence. Ashlyn had not expected that those two women would be present here. When she watched them unting their wealth earlier, shemented that a leopard could never change its spots. ¡°Those two women are looking to coborate with Haddock Group. It looks like Yates Group gave them a project to work on, but in reality, they don¡¯t have the authority to manage the project. I wonder what Dixon¡¯s trying to get from them.¡± Lucas frowned in contemtion. He was pretty sure Dixon would not get involved with Mary and Penelope without reason. ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. Yates Group is a huge corporation withplex businesses. Unless, Dixon¡­¡± Ashlyn stopped halfway. Lucaspleted her sentence. ¡°Unless, Dixon¡¯s target is Yates Group?¡± Just then, all dishes, including a two-tier cake, were served. The rest were happily mingling with one another, so nobody took notice of Lucas and Ashlyn conversing in soft voices. ¡°This is our conjecture at the moment,¡± Ashlyn answered tly. ¡°Old Mrs. Yates was the one who introduced us to Old Mr. Leno. I¡¯m indebted to her for that. If Dixon¡¯s target is indeed Yates Group, I can¡¯t ignore it and do nothing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable, and I agree.¡± Lucas discreetly held her hand, and a glint of affection shed across his eyes. ¡°We cannot wash our hands of this. Thank you, Honey.¡± Thanks to Ashlyn, Lucas¡¯ condition had stabilized after receiving Old Mr. Leno¡¯s treatment. He believed that he would be able to recover fully one day. That would be when he could protect Ashlyn from all troubles and let her live a worry-free life. Meanwhile, in another private room, the atmosphere was awkward. Mary did not talk much, which made the atmosphere in the room extremely ufortable. The switch in her mood was apparent after she knew that Lucas had a private room exclusive to him. It was much grander than theirs, instantly making their private room look ordinary. Penelope, too, looked forlorn; her eyes were reddened, and her head was lowered. She was depressed that her birthday did not turn out the way she envisioned. It was already upsetting to be stepped on by Ashlyn, but even her mother was not spared, which infuriated her. Both had been utterly humiliated by Ashlyn, leaving them no dignity whatsoever. Ashlyn was the root cause of their embarrassment. Right then, Dixon calmly said, ¡°All dishes have been served. Please help yourselves to the food, everyone.¡± He then turned toward Penelope, who was beside him. ¡°Ms. Berry, there¡¯s no need to bother yourself with that woman, Ashlyn. She has always been arrogant and rude.¡± Sienna chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s right, Ms. Berry. Youe from a noble family background; your grandfather was a count. Given your prestigious Yates name, why do you want to get upset with a country bumpkin?¡± Penelope bit her lower lip as she listened to both of them. Her eyes filled with even more moisture at that point. No matter how others tried tofort her, Penelope could not shake off the embarrassment and anger felt from being snubbed by Ashlyn. The fact that it happened on her birthday made it worse. Seeing how Dixon tried to provideforting words, Jason felt he had to say something as well. After all, he was Penelope¡¯s godfather. ¡°My child, this is not a big deal. Sometimes, we must learn to be magnanimous and not constantlypare ourselves with others.¡± Chapter 874 Chapter 874 But how do I feel superior to others if I don¡¯tpare? How will other people know that I¡¯m a cut above them? The feeling that Penelope wanted was to be high and mighty. She desperately wished for Ashlyn to be the mud on the ground while she was the phoenix in the sky. Attempting to lighten the awkward atmosphere, Mary stood up and raised her wine ss. Her face appeared stiff as she forced a smile. ¡°Mr. Haddock, let me give you a toast. Thank you very much for organizing a birthday celebration for my daughter.¡± Dixon arched his brows. Although this mother-daughter duo knows the rules of the game, they aren¡¯t intelligent either. But, this is the kind of people who are the easiest to control. As long as I get hold of their weaknesses, they will be my puppets. At the thought of his n, Dixonughed. He showed equal respect by raising his ss and returning the toast. ¡°Don¡¯t stand on ceremony with me. Now that the coboration between Haddock Group and Yates Group has been cemented, we¡¯re considered family now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s our honor to work with Haddock Group.¡± Mary¡¯s face no longer looked so sullen. She could already imagine Bianca¡¯s face once she brought this coboration back to the Yates family. I must show those fools at Yates Group what I¡¯m capable of. I can help Yates Group bring in money too. I¡¯m surely more worthy than those useless bums! Sheer glee flooded Mary at the thought. Penelope felt better after seeing the positive interaction between Dixon and Mary. The atmosphere in the room gradually lightened and became more rxed. All of a sudden, someone knocked on the door. Everyone turned their heads toward the door almost in unison. The door was pushed open, and a handsome young man with an unruly expression stood at the doorway. He had a charming smile, and his pretty eyes were nted ever so slightly. In a frivolous tone, he asked, ¡°Tsk, where is my sweet Zero?¡± The man was holding a fan. If he dressed in an ancient costume, he would look like a wealthy heir of a traditional family with yboy vibes. The next moment, he flicked his wrist and opened the fan with a snap. He casually waved his fan a few times, which made him look even more free-spirited. Mary stared at him in shock before asking Dixon cautiously, ¡°Mr. Haddock, who is this man? Is he one of your guests?¡± Dixon did not know this man either. However, a hint of doubt shed across his feminine face at the sight of the open fan. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. A handheld fan? In this day and age, why would someone bring a fan out? It¡¯s not as if we¡¯re living in ancient times. Dixon began to go through his memories, trying to recall if he knew someone who liked to bring a fan. He seemed to recall hearing about such a person somewhere. Unfortunately, he could not remember exactly who it was. Dixon calmly asked, ¡°May I know who you are?¡± Just then, Sienna recognized who the man was. Her face started to flush with excitement. Grabbing Dixon¡¯s arm tightly, she stammered, ¡°Dixon¡­ Isn¡¯t he Flying Fish of Mysterious yet Majestic? I heard Flying Fish brings a fan wherever he goes. The fan is an antique and worth a fortune.¡± ¡°Flying Fish?¡± Dixon was startled at what he heard. Mysterious yet Majestic was a secret existence and consisted of highly talented individuals. The leaders, in particr, possessed impressive abilities. Among them, Zero was the most capable! Legend had it there was nothing that Zero could not aplish. To think that Flying Fish appeared here, at The Peacock. How is that possible? Dixon could not wrap his head around the reason behind Flying Fish¡¯s sudden presence. Sienna could not remain calm. She approached Flying Fish excitedly and asked, ¡°May I ask if you are¡­ Mr. Flying Fish?¡± Never in her wildest dream did she expect Flying Fish to appear there. ording to rumors, Flying Fish was handsome and often dressed in white with a fan in his hand. The fan had the signature of an ancient calligrapher. It was a single word ¡°Bridge.¡± She walked closer to take a look at the signature on his fan and became more thrilled when she saw the word ¡°Bridge¡± on it. ¡°Are you here to attend the birthday banquet too?¡± Sienna inquired further. I wonder if he deliberately came here to our private room. It¡¯ll be great if he is. If Dixon can spread his connections to Mysterious yet Majestic, his future life will be smooth sailing. Wild thoughts ran through Sienna¡¯s mind. Chapter 875 Chapter 875 She hoped she could get out of Dixon¡¯s control as soon as possible too. The young man in white was not expecting to see so many people in the private room, and all eyes were on him. He scratched his head and said in a fluster, ¡°Is my sweet Zero here? I haven¡¯t seen her before.¡± My sweet Zero? Dixon and Sienna shared a look. They were more certain about the young man¡¯s identity now. The young man was looking for Zero. Everyone turned to Penelope. Penelope froze before turning to Flying Fish in curiosity. The young man was good-looking, but his clothes did not look expensive. Is he looking for me? That can¡¯t be, right? Sienna turned to stare at Penelope for a while. It seemed that Flying Fish had not seen Zero before. No one knew what Zero looked like and whether Zero was a man or a woman. With a faint smile, Sienna said to Penelope, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to wee Mr. Flying Fish?¡± ¡°Mr. Flying Fish?¡± a guest asked curiously. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. What a strange name. Is that a stage name? A gleeful grin was on Sienna¡¯s face. ¡°You may be unclear about the situation. Have you heard of an organization named Mysterious yet Majestic? That is an organization unlike all others. There isn¡¯t anything they can¡¯t do in this world. You have no idea how many major cases they¡¯ve solved for our country and other countries. They¡¯re not some evil organization; they¡¯re secret service agents! Do you understand?¡± Sienna¡¯s face was red from her excitement as she went on, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be able to meet you here, Mr. Flying Fish. Everyone in your organization keeps such a secretive life! No one has ever been able to figure out your true identity. I wasn¡¯t expecting you toe to our private room for Penelope. Penelope¡¯s Zero! Come and take a look at her! Isn¡¯t she pretty?¡± Everyone turned to look back at Flying Fish again. A real secret service agent and not an actor? Is this for real? Did we just meet a real secret service agent? That¡¯s a job and an individual who only appears in the legends! Everyone was stunned, and so was Penelope. I¡¯m not Zero. I¡¯m not a secret service agent. Is Sienna asking me to impersonate a secret service agent? What if Flying Fish realizes I¡¯m a fraud? Penelope cast a pleading look at Dixon, but Dixon only looked at her with an apathetic expression. Her heart pounded. A secret service agent¡­ That sounds cool. If I¡¯m a secret service agent, the Yates family will surely see me in a different light. Uncle Ryan won¡¯t be so cold to me anymore, and even Granny will be proud of me. I¡¯ll definitely be able to secure my position in the Yates family. No one will dare to look down on me and my mother by then. The unfeeling way that the Yateses had been treating her and her mother made her upset. That was a sensation she did not want to experience again. This was a good opportunity for her, a golden opportunity. She could tread lightly and be careful. After all, it seemed that Flying Fish had never seen Zero in person. She took in a deep breath and smiled. ¡°Flying Fish, I never thought you¡¯de all the way here for me. I¡¯m really touched!¡± Flying Fish immediately studied the pretentious woman. This is Zero? Is this some kind of joke? To Flying Fish and the others, Zero was a ruthless person with few words. Anything that could be resolved with violence would never be resolved with words for Zero. It was impossible for Flying Fish to connect the Zero he knew online to the smiling, pretentious woman he was looking at. His expression darkened, and he was confused. Right then, Jason piped up, ¡°My goddaughter¡¯s amazing! I can¡¯t believe she invited a famed secret service agent like Mr. Flying Fish. I¡¯ve yed the role of a secret service agent, but I¡¯ve never seen one in person. I¡¯m in disbelief. I can¡¯t believe someone as mysterious and prominent as you exist in real life!¡± Chapter 876 Chapter 876 At that, everyone began expressing their thoughts. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! It¡¯s so worth attending Ms. Penelope¡¯s birthday party!¡± ¡°My time isn¡¯t wasted here. This is such an honor!¡± Even L had a look of surprise on his face. ¡°Mr. Flying Fish? I heard that one needs to offer at least five hundred thousand before Flying Fish picks up the case and that it¡¯s at least one million for Zero.¡± He turned to Penelope. ¡°Are you really Zero? Can I make an order? I¡¯m offering a million, and I need you to court a woman for me.¡± Penelope stiffened, her face pale. While she was enjoying the attention, she was also anxious. Nervously, she said, ¡°I¡­ Well, Mr. L, do you really need me to do something as trivial as that? Isn¡¯t this an overkill?¡± Right as she said that, Kate chided, ¡°Have you lost your mind? Why would Zero take on a ridiculous order like yours?¡± She smacked L¡¯s arm. Lughed and said, ¡°I was just joking.¡± He then turned back to Penelope. ¡°Ms. Penelope, I can¡¯t believe you have a secret identity. I never thought you¡¯d be Zero. You don¡¯t look like you know any martial arts.¡± Resentment grew in Penelope¡¯s heart. Is L mad? Open your eyes and look at reality! Are you really Dixon¡¯s cousin? Why are you trying to make things so hard for me? Even though she had a guilty look on her face, she still straightened her back subconsciously. ¡°Mr. L, no one says that a secret service agent must know martial arts. It¡¯s not necessary.¡± Everyone in the room felt honored and proud. It had never crossed their minds that Penelope would be Zero and that she could invite Flying Fish from Mysterious yet Majestic. The young ones might not have heard of the organization before, but the older ones, like Jason and the other CEOs, certainly had. They were pleasantly delighted. ¡°We never thought you were Zero, Ms. Penelope! We¡¯re fools not to recognize you!¡± ¡°Mr. Haddock, you¡¯ve struck gold!¡± ¡°Ms. Canter, I can¡¯t believe Zero is your daughter. You¡¯re so lucky!¡± Mary was still in a daze. She had no idea what had just happened. When did Penelope be a secret service agent? Why does this young man here seem like he¡¯s someone prominent? Mary shot Penelope a re and said, ¡°Why did you hide this from me, your mother? I had no idea that you¡¯re a secret service agent! No wonder you were so sneaky about the things you do.¡± Penelope wanted to say that she was not a secret service agent, but she did not dare to. She could only keep a stiff smile, which only made her look as though she was about to cry. She turned to Mary and said through clenched teeth, ¡°Mom¡­ don¡¯t say that.¡± Sienna chimed in, ¡°Our Penelope is just too low profile! She even managed to keep the fact that she¡¯s a secret service agent a secret from you. As expected of Zero. If not for Mr. Flying Fishing here today, we wouldn¡¯t have learned about this!¡± Sienna was trying to tell her something else with those words, and Penelope knew. Even if she was not Zero, she still had to keep up with the act as long as she could keep Flying Fish there with them. ¡°That¡¯s right. Penelope¡¯s not like a certain someone who told the whole world about how she was on friendly terms with Old Mr. Laith so others would be jealous of her.¡± ¡°Every time I think about that gloating look of hers, I¡¯m disgusted!¡± Everyone in the room knew who they were talking about. However, Penelope¡¯s smile only stiffened even more. She would have been delighted if she really was Zero. She would not have been able to hide it until now. She would have made everyone in Mysterious yet Majestic celebrate her birthday with her. s, she was but a fraud. The longer Jason looked at Penelope¡¯s slightly above-average face, the more pleased and satisfied he was with her. She¡¯s my goddaughter, all right. She¡¯s so humble and magnanimous even now. ¡°Penelope, how could you not have told your mother and me about this? We¡¯re the closest people to you in this world!¡± Chapter 877 Chapter 877 Penelope felt as if she had found her father¡¯s love as Jason looked at her lovingly. Her face reddened, and she tightened her fists. ¡°I-I¡¯m a secret service agent, after all. I have superiors, and it¡¯d be bad for our organization if I were to announce my identity.¡± Penelope felt as if she was in a trance. The longer the people looked at her in envy, the more she felt that she really was Zero and that she was a secret service agent and Flying Fish¡¯s colleague. Flying Fish remained standing by the doorway, seemingly not intending to step into the room. He stared at the pretentious woman in disbelief. If that was Zero¡¯s true nature, he would be more than willing to leave Mysterious yet Majestic. She¡¯s so¡­ different from how she usually is. Wait, but Boss should be in the room as well. Boss was the one who sent the location to us all, but¡­ it¡¯s been a while since I came, yet Boss hasn¡¯te over to wee me. Obviously, that means I went to the wrong freaking room and bumped into an idiotic imposter. Does this imposter think that everyone¡¯s as dumb as her? Penelope was still looking at Flying Fish, and she shed him a sweet smile. ¡°Hello, Mr. Flying Fish. Let¡¯s formally introduce ourselves to each other. I¡¯m Penelope Berry, who¡¯s also your colleague, Zero.¡± She intentionally spoke in a high-pitched voice, putting Flying Fish off with her dramatic demeanor. She made herself seem as though she was truly the top secret service agent Zero with the way she was taking control of the conversation. Flying Fish was stunned by Penelope¡¯s shamelessness. ¡°Come, Flying Fish. Please take a seat,¡± Penelope invited him into the room. Mysterious yet Majestic¡­ I never thought I¡¯d get to be rted to an organization as impressive as this one day. Flying Fish interrupted her ego-stroking session and said, ¡°If you¡¯re Zero, please take out your phone. If you can log into Mysterious yet Majestic¡¯s software, then we¡¯re indeed coworkers. I¡¯ve never seen you, and neither have you seen me. So¡­ my apologies, Ms. Berry. I will need you to verify your identity.¡± Penelope nearly choked on her saliva. What? I need to verify my identity? I need to log into their software? What in the world are those things? I don¡¯t have their organization¡¯s software! The gears in her mind turned, and she quickly covered up the panic in her eyes by saying, ¡°My phone ran out of battery. Pleasee in first.¡± ¡°Then tell me the core values of Mysterious yet Majestic,¡± Flying Fish replied, watching Penelope struggle to keep up with the act with a half-smile. Her acting was so lousy that it was an eye-opening experience for him. Right as he said those words, the private room went silent. Everyone had perked up their ears, eager to hear what Mysterious yet Majestic¡¯s core values were. Penelope paled. ¡°I¡­ I had it seared in my mind, but I can¡¯t recall what it is now¡­¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Mysterious yet Majestic is loyal to justice. We fight for justice. We help the weak, and we destroy the evil. It¡¯s that simple, but you forgot what they were?¡± Flying Fish asked. ¡°Everyone in the organization has the core values etched in their minds. Memorizing them is the first task for everyone who joins the organization.¡± Upon listening to Flying Fish¡¯s words, everyone turned to look at Penelope in shock. Silence hung in the air for some time. Mary¡¯s face was colorless by then. Jason furrowed his brows as he turned to nce at Penelope in confusion. So that means Penelope¡¯s an imposter. Penelope, who had been enjoying the people¡¯s envious gazes a moment ago, could only freeze in her spot as colors drained out of her. Why is Flying Fish still doubting my identity? Flying Fish continued, ¡°Do you have any evidence to back up your ims of being Zero? We haven¡¯t seen Zero before, but I know Zero¡¯s a teenage boy. Zero sounds like a teenage boy as well, but you¡¯re clearly a girl.¡± Chapter 878 Chapter 878 Penelope¡¯s mind was abuzz with chaos, and she felt as if someone was squeezing her heart. A teenage boy¡­ Zero¡¯s a teenage boy? As though a handful of sand was in her throat, she could barely breathe. It took her a while to recollect herself enough to say, ¡°I was using a voice changer to keep my identity a secret.¡± s, Flying Fish was no longer in the mood to waste his time with her. In a surprisingly polite tone, he said, ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the Zero I¡¯m looking for.¡± With that, he hastily sent a message to their group chat. He tagged Quiet Forest and messaged: Boss, which room are you in? Darn, I went into a room with the number 1101, and there¡¯s a girl in there impersonating our Zero. In another private room, Quiet Forest was looking at the message on his phone, half-amused, half exasperated. Is someone really trying to impersonate Zero? Quiet Forest: You¡¯ve revealed your identity. Why aren¡¯t you scramming out of there yet? Do you actually need me to pick you up from that ce? Then, Quiet Forest sent him their room number before adding: Actually, don¡¯te. You¡¯re going to reveal Zero¡¯s identity if you do. Are you an idiot? Are you seriously trying to reveal Zero¡¯s identity after revealing yours? Flying Fish was speechless. He could sense the contempt Quiet Forest had for him. Frustrated, he tugged on his hair before looking at Penelope sternly. ¡°Miss, please don¡¯t pretend to be someone else in the future. The consequences will be dire. If I find out that you¡¯re impersonating Zero again, I won¡¯t show you any mercy.¡± ¡°How¡­ are you sure that I¡¯m not Zero?¡± Penelope cried out, her face as red as a tomato. This is humiliating! This is so embarrassing! I¡¯ve never felt as embarrassed as this moment in my life! Penelope was furious and resentful at that moment. This is all Sienna¡¯s fault. If not for her subtle message, I¡¯d never have thought about impersonating Zero! No words coulde out of Penelope anymore. Her knees buckled, and she nearly fell to the ground. Flying Fish stared at her icily. ¡°Regardless of whether Zero is a guy or a girl, Zero¡¯s definitely not a pretentious woman like you.¡± With that said, he kept his fan and turned to leave. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. It took Penelope everything to pull herself back to her own seat. She had thought that she could enjoy a wonderful wealthy life of getting worshipped if she could convince Flying Fish she was Zero. Penelope did not have the courage to nce at the guests¡¯ expressions at all, let alone the look on Dixon¡¯s face. Meanwhile, Ashlyn was in Lucas¡¯ private room. She had no idea her buddy, Flying Fish, hade to The Peacock. Everyone was chatting away, and while she listened to their conversation, she scrolled through Mysterious yet Majestic¡¯s chatroom history and saw Flying Fish¡¯s message. 1101? Isn¡¯t that the room Penelope is in? Is she addicted to impersonating me? She pretended to be me at Old Mrs. Yates¡¯ birthday celebration, and now she¡¯s pretending to be me again. Does she enjoy it so much? Ashlyn shook her head in exasperation. She had no idea what was going on in Penelope¡¯s head most of the time. Feeling bored, she stood up, left the room, and headed straight for the restroom. The interior of The Peacock was elegant andvish. Even its restroom was built with a rustic design. The basin was polished until it shone, and even the soap was one of the products from an international brand. When Ashlyn put her hands under the sensor-controlled faucet, the water began gushing out. Right as she was about to dry her hands at the hand dryer, sounds of cking heels came from behind her. Is she trying to leave holes in the ground? Just as Ashlyn turned around, she saw Penelope¡¯s ashen face. Penelope stomped harder when she saw Ashlyn. Chapter 879 Chapter 879 She hastened to catch up with Ashlyn and blocked thetter¡¯s path. With a crazed expression, she demanded, ¡°Ashlyn, did you do it on purpose? What are you trying to do, huh?¡± She ruined my birthday party and deliberately invited all the big shots and stole my thunder. ¡°You¡¯re just trying to aggravate me. Since when do we share the same birthday?¡± Ashlyn snickered. ¡°You¡¯re right. When have you, Mary, or Horace ever cared about how I¡¯m doing? Of course we share the same birthday. When you were blowing out candles and happily counting your gifts, I was brushed off to the kitchen to eat your leftovers! Penelope, nobody in the Berry family remembers that we share the same birthday! I just gave you a small taste of what I have in store for you and you can¡¯t even handle it already?¡± Ashlyn couldn¡¯t help but scorn when she thought of the suffering she had endured back when she was with the Berrys. Penelope shook her head in exasperation. ¡°You did it on purpose. You wanted to humiliate and retaliate against me!¡± Ashlyn is such a scheming woman to have picked today out of all days. She¡¯s despicable. Penelope had been unsure of how she had managed to escape the private room. She had felt lost in a daze as the world spun around her, leaving her disoriented and confused. When she reached the restroom and saw that Ashlyn was there too, all of her emotions¡ªanger, indignation, hatred¡ªcame flooding out. I¡¯m already the youngdy of the Yates family, and yet I still have to live under the shadow of Ashlyn! Since young, not only was Ashlyn pretty and intelligent, but the boys that Penelope had crushes on would only have eyes for Ashlyn. It was always Ashlyn. It was the same in their university days as well. Ashlyn could get into the best university, and she could only get into a mediocre one. Penelope felt that fate had always handed her the shorter end of the stick. Not only had Ashlyn stolen her ce as the eldest daughter of the Berry family, but Ashlyn¡¯s mother had also done the same by stealing Mary¡¯s ce in the Berry family. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. And now Ashlyn was trying to walk all over her. Penelope wailed at the top of her lungs, ¡°Ashlyn, I hate you! What do you want from me? You¡¯ve been taking everything from me since we were kids. Isn¡¯t that enough? Why do you have to bully me on my birthday? Listen well, I¡¯m the youngdy of the Yates family, and you¡¯ll never be able to measure up to me. You¡¯re just a lowlife. No matter what you do, you can never be a part of the real aristocracy like the Yates family. You can only look up to us, but you¡¯ll never belong¡ª¡± Before she could finish her sentence, a crisp, loud p could be heard. Penelope was dazed from the momentum of the p and took some time to finally regain her composure when she felt the hot, searing pain on her cheeks. She widened her eyes in disbelief at Ashlyn. ¡°You hit me!¡± Ashlyn merely looked at her impassively as if she was no more than an insignificant speck of dust. ¡°Consider that a wake-up call. I don¡¯t want you to act like a deranged woman.¡± Penelope¡¯s blood boiled. She wanted to fight back, but she was pressed down hard onto the sink with a swing of Ashlyn¡¯s hand. Her disheveled face was pressed against the cold sink, and her hands were crossed behind her by Ashlyn. She gritted her teeth and barked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± The chilling water droplets on the sink were going to smear the makeup on her face. Her eyes went crimson from fury as she red at Ashlyn. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Uncle Ryan and Granny! I¡¯ll have theme over and get back at you for me!¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯re in the kindergarten, where parentse to settle your fights?¡± At the sight of Penelope struggling to free herself, Ashlyn abruptly retracted her hands. Penelope didn¡¯t see iting and plopped right down onto the cold floor. Her hatred for Ashlyn intensified. How is she so beautiful and strong? Why does she always get all the good things in life? No matter what, Penelope could never do anything to Ashlyn, and that feeling was driving her insane. ¡°Ashlyn, how did youe to know Old Mr. Laith?¡± Ashlyn raised a brow. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll tell you?¡± Penelope¡¯s face stiffened. She softened her tone as she said, ¡°Ashlyn, we¡¯re sisters, and sisters fight. All siblings fight growing up. Let¡¯s set aside our past disagreements and focus on what really matters. Could you¡­ introduce me to Old Mr. Laith?¡± Chapter 880 Chapter 880 ¡°You want me to introduce you to Old Mr. Laith? I¡¯ll do it on one condition,¡± Ashlyn said, her lips curling up slightly. ¡°So, it¡¯s up to you.¡± ¡°What condition?¡± Penelope asked anxiously. ¡°Tell me about your coboration with Mr. Haddock.¡± The look on Penelope¡¯s face amused Ashlyn. Does this woman think that everyone is dumb like her? How dare she ask me to introduce her to Old Mr. Laith? The audacity! Penelope was already boiling with fury. The fact that Ashlyn tried to circumvent her effort to sound out information about Harvey and the talk of a condition made her even more furious. ¡°What do you mean? The coboration between Yates Group and Haddock Group is confidential. Are you forcing me tomit a crime? No outsider can know about this. I only wanted you to help introduce me to Old Mr. Laith. It¡¯s just a simple favor, and yet you have the cheek to bring up talks of a condition!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Then, I¡¯m afraid that meeting the chairman of Magnecal Tech is considered a business meeting. Please make an appointment at the reception of Magnecal Tech if you wish to meet Old Mr. Laith,¡± Ashlyn replied mockingly. ¡°Ashlyn!¡± Penelope gnashed her teeth in exasperation, ring at Ashlyn. ¡°You grew up in the Berry household, and you¡¯re also a Berry! You¡¯ve snatched my ce as the eldest daughter of the Berry family. You owe me that, and now it¡¯s time for you to pay me back. Don¡¯t be so petty as all I¡¯m asking you is to introduce me to Old Mr. Laith.¡± Ashlyn let out a sneer and looked at Penelope, who she thought was the epitome of shamelessness. ¡°I grew up in the Berry household, yes. You, of all people, should know how I grew up in that family,¡± Ashlyn said inly. ¡°You always had the best in everything, while I had to struggle to live in your shadow.¡± Horace had never treated Ashlyn like a person, while Mary hated her to the bone. She didn¡¯t understand why when she was young. However, after she found out that she was, in fact, not the biological child of the Berrys, everything became crystal clear. Ashlyn knew she was just a superfluous existence. Penelope¡¯s eyes burned with hatred, and she showed no signs of being abashed. ¡°That¡¯s because you did something wrong. When had Dad ever punished you for nothing? You were punished because you refused to listen to Mom and Dad. You were a naughty child, and what does that have to do with me? No matter what, you still grew up with the Berrys. If you don¡¯t know how to repay the ones who raised you, then you¡¯re nothing but a shameless and ungrateful wench.¡± Penelope was trying to provoke Ashlyn. She reckoned that anyone with the slightest sense of dignity would never be able to refute her. She was just trying to get Ashlyn to introduce her to someone. How difficult was that? Judging by how Harvey and Ashlyn interacted, Penelope knew they must be close to each other. To her surprise, however, Ashlyn uttered, ¡°No can do.¡± Penelope nearly popped a vein in anger. ¡°You¡­¡± Ashlyn couldn¡¯t care to squander her time on a crazy woman like Penelope. She was out to catch some fresh air and had other businesses to tend to. She took out her phone and started to contact Luigi. ¡°How¡¯s everything?¡± ¡°Everything is ready. As long as Dixon makes a move, we¡¯ll be able to catch him red-handed.¡± ¡°How many people do they have?¡± ¡°About thirty, and they¡¯re positioned in other private rooms.¡± ¡°Keep close tabs on them, and be careful not to alert them.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ashlyn kept her phone and turned to Penelope once again. ¡°I don¡¯t owe the Berrys anything now. Not to you, not to Grandma.¡± The nursing home, property, assets, and housekeepers she had prepared for Susan were all top-notch. Penelope wanted to refute her, but she couldn¡¯t find the words to say. It was as if someone was holding her by the throat, and she finally came to the stark realization of one fact: Ashlyn was no longer the person she used to be. While Ashlyn had long left the Berry family and made a name for herself, Penelope found herself going in the opposite direction, falling further behind. Even if she had be the youngdy of the Yates family, she was still far behind Ashlyn in many ways. Chapter 881 Chapter 881 How can this be? What¡¯s so great about her marrying a man who can lose it at any moment like a lunatic? Penelope came to her senses, and resentment began flooding her. It¡¯s just marrying Lucas. With his mania, what¡¯s there to be smug about? Given the current prevalence of domestic abuse incidents, it¡¯s hard to tell what kind of life she¡¯s leading at the Nn family home. What¡¯s with her attitude? She abandoned her earlier admiration for Ashlyn and stared at her with disdain. ¡°You¡¯ll regret this, Ashlyn. This time, we have sessfully cooperated with Haddock Group, and when the timees, you can only look at me with admiration.¡± ¡°Really? I wish you both a fruitful coboration, then,¡± Ashlyn said while appearing indifferent. What exactly does Dixon want from Yates Group? Or was his so-called deal the coboration with Yates Group today? Property ? N?velDrama.Org. She felt a little uneasy. These two idiots, Penelope and Mary, didn¡¯t do anything stupid, did they? Dixon¡¯s tactics and intellect are undoubtedly more than ten times greater than theirs. There¡¯s more to this birthday party, for sure. Ashlyn arched her eyebrow, and with an icy gaze, she slowly approached Penelope. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s the coboration between Dixon and you guys?¡± Her tone was not one of inquiry but ofmand. Penelope was already a little shorter than her step-sister, and the moment she raised her head, she found Ashlyn¡¯s shadow covering her. Her heart almost stopped for a moment. ¡°W-What are you trying to do? Was hitting me just now not enough? What else do you want?¡± Penelope paled and could not help but take a half-step back, leaving her body firmly pressed against the edge of the cold sink. Ashlyn stared down at her condescendingly. ¡°Penelope, I¡¯ll let you out as long as you tell me the truth. If not¡­ I can¡¯t guarantee that you¡¯ll be able to walk out of this door safely.¡± She yed with a sharp dagger that gleamed under the light with her fingertips, and the sight of her doing that made Penelope look even paler. ¡°You lunatic! Are you out of your mind? I¡¯m going to sue you for intentional injury!¡± ¡°Cut the crap and spill it!¡± Ashlyn did not have the patience to watch her whining. She pressed the dagger she was holding onto her step-sister¡¯s smooth face. ¡°You¡¯d better tell the truth.¡± Penelope was trembling all over, angry and terrified. ¡°We¡­ We brought the Yates Group investment project, which is to build a wig factory in Lake City. Mr. Haddock said he had a ready-made factory and all we had to do was sign the paperwork.¡± ¡°When the timees, you¡¯ll be able to save a sum of money from building a factory, and you and your mom are going to take that money, right? You guys got some nerve,¡± Ashlyn said, raising her brow. Penelope did not expect Ashlyn to be so clever, and she quickly denied it, ¡°No. We have to return the money to Yates Group. We can¡¯t take it for ourselves. That¡¯s against thew.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ashlyn looked at her step-sister¡¯s ashen face with an ice-cold expression. ¡°Just this matter?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you,¡± Penelope said, shaking her head violently in terror as she thought the dagger¡¯s tip was about to pierce her skin. ¡°If you lie, I¡¯ll show you no mercy!¡± Ashlyn gave her a deep look before turning to leave. Penelope stared at her straight and slender back while clutching her chest, her heart beating wildly. Why does Ashlyn care so much about our coboration with Haddock Group? What exactly does she want to know? She exhaled deeply as she copsed to the ground. Ashlyn was so scary just now. What should I do? Mr. Haddock said that the coboration with us is a secret. If he finds out that I¡¯ve told Ashlyn¡­ Fear gripped her. Does Ashlyn want to ruin this coboration? No¡­ No way. She doesn¡¯t have that kind of power. Coborating with Mr. Haddock is a great thing. That money is not a small amount. When the timees, my mom and I will have it in our hands, and we¡¯ll be rich with nothing to worry about. Penelope immediately supported herself and stood up from the floor. In the future, I¡¯ll have wealth, status, and identity as opposed to now when I have nothing. What¡¯s there to be afraid of? She gathered her courage once more as she imagined the glorious life she would lead in the future. Ashlyn is nothing. She merely had a dagger today. Chapter 882 Chapter 882 Ashlyn went straight back to the private room after leaving the restroom. As she approached the door, it swung open, and a tall, slender figure stepped out. The lights in the corridor shone on him, making him look bewitching like a vampire count stepping out of an old castle. His crimson, thin lipsbined with his deep, dark eyes, especially, perfected the look. He had one hand in his pocket, and he looked imposing. Ashlyn stopped in her tracks and stared at Lucas, who was nearby, in a daze. The moment the man¡¯s calm eyes spotted her, something stirred within them. Following that, he extended a hand to her. ¡°Come here.¡± The voice echoing in the quiet corridor was surprisingly pleasant. ¡°Dixon has a factory that he intends to let Yates Group use. They signed the contract today.¡± Lucas told Ashlyn the information he had found. Ashlyn raised a brow. ¡°You knew it so soon?¡± ¡°Yeah. You knew it too?¡± Lucas read between the lines. ¡°I made Penelope spill it.¡± She felt that her method was simple but brutal. ¡°She said it was for making wigs, but I felt something shing by, and I missed it.¡± Feeling frustrated, Ashlyn hugged his strong waist and buried her face in his firm chest. ¡°We¡¯ll find out eventually.¡± Lucas stroked her long hair gently. ¡°Be patient.¡± ¡°You¡¯re somewhat indebted to Old Mrs. Yates, so I don¡¯t want anything to happen to the Yates family. Something tells me that she¡¯s very kind and sees things in a bigger picture.¡± Ashlyn freed herself from his embrace as if the agitated and vulnerable person earlier was not her. She was back to being the strong and brave woman she was. Lucas smirked as he gazed at her with a slightly doting look on his handsome face. ¡°Honey, do you wish to eat Limburger sandwich? I remember when we were married, you would sometimes sneak out to eat it and you thought I didn¡¯t know.¡± Ashlyn stared at him in surprise when she heard that. ¡°You knew?¡± She could not help but find it funny. ¡°Why are you only telling me now?¡± ¡°Because I could smell it on you every time you came home after having it. Do you think I¡¯m dumb?¡± Lucas could not help but chuckle. For some reason, she suddenly felt a little emotional. Life is truly unpredictable. If he hadn¡¯t mentioned divorce back then, would I have kept pretending? Despite being a powerful person, I had to y dumb every day. He had a dashing appearance, and his smile was so alluring and charming that it could send one¡¯s heart racing. Ashlyn could not help but sigh inwardly as she gazed at his exquisite features. This man truly can make all the women flock to him. Just his face alone is captivating enough. ¡°Let¡¯s head into the private room.¡± Lucas curled his lips and intertwined his hand with hers. If he still did not go in, everyone would probably think that the host had disappeared. Not long after they had entered, the waiter brought over a te of food that surprised everyone. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. The hale and hearty Harvey blinked. ¡°My goodness. When I was working in a factory in the past, I always had one after getting off work every day.¡± He had not eaten that kind of food ever since he became a chairman. Not that he did not wish to eat, but he did not have the chance to do so. James also smiled while concealing his shock. ¡°Limburger sandwich? I didn¡¯t expect The Peacock to serve this kind of dish.¡± With a smile, the waiter nced at Lucas and then at Ashlyn. ¡°Mr. Nn specially ordered the kitchen to prepare this for you, Mrs. Nn.¡± Ashlyn stared at Lucas in shock. There seemed to be an added glow on the handsome face of the man beside her, so beautiful that it seemed unreal. In particr, his dark, angr eyes had an unnaturally hazy appearance as though they were veiled in tulle. The appearance of a Limburger sandwich that did not belong in a ce like The Peacock made her think of the time when they were married. As she took another look at the dish in front of her, she felt as if she was dreaming. If it had been a few years ago, she would never have imagined that something like this would ur. Chapter 883 Chapter 883 Time flew by. Some things seemed to have changed during the divorce in the past, while some things were already predetermined, just like her rtionship with Lucas. This man never fails to make me feel touched. The te of Limburger sandwich was unexpectedly popr. A familiar taste spread in her mouth as she ate a piece. ¡°D-Did Mrs. Langdon make this?¡± Whenever I sneaked out in the past, I fancied visiting Mrs. Langdon¡¯s stall in the night market. Her Limburger sandwiches were stinky, but the vor was excellent, not to mention the aftertaste was luscious. Besides, Mrs. Langdon would also serve my sandwich with a complimentary side dish, such as chips or colew. At times, she would even gift me a bowl of mushroom soup. I miss those delightful days. ¡°That¡¯s right. I hired her.¡± Lucas fed her another piece of sandwich. ¡°Eat.¡± From then on, Limburger sandwich was added to The Peacock¡¯s menu. The new addition to the menu even caused a sensation. ¡°Ourdy boss likes to eat this, so we decided to let our customers try out the dish as well. You can order if you wish to give it a try. Otherwise, just ignore it.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The news was even trending on Twitter, sparking heated discussion amongizens with the hashtag: #LimburgersandwichatThePeacock Oneizen wrote: I have regained my faith in love again. This is so great. Mr. Nn and Mrs. Nn are genuinely in love with one another. Can I just say how jealous I am of them? Anotherizenmented: I can¡¯t believe a high-ss restaurant like The Peacock is serving food like Limburger sandwich. I¡¯m truly impressed by their extraordinary love. Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside Lucas¡¯ personal private room in The Peacock was lively. Suddenly, a deafening sound thundered in the air. The Peacock shook as the earth trembled. Even the chandelier atop was swinging. ¡°What happened?¡± Harvey frowned at the chandelier. ¡°The chandelier is moving.¡± James was also slightly taken aback. ¡°The rumble earlier was exceptionally loud. Did something explode?¡± Lucas made a call. ¡°Spencer, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Mr. Nn. Nothing happened inside The Peacock. The loud noise seemed to have originated from outside. I¡¯m investigating further.¡± Spencer sounded anxious. Another booming sound rang out as he spoke. The entire earth trembled as the building shook. At that moment, Spencer was standing on the rooftop of The Peacock. A terrifying thought popped into his mind as he gazed at his quivering surroundings. He uttered in a daze, ¡°Mr. Nn, I think it¡¯s an earthquake!¡± Earthquakes rarely happen in Lake City, which was established on t ground. In that case, the earthquake must¡¯ve happened at a location nearby, so we are merely suffering from the aftershocks. I can¡¯t believe the aftershocks are reaching Lake City. At that moment, Ashlyn¡¯s phone rang. She saw Cassandra sending her a series of messages. She put down the fork in her hand and said solemnly, ¡°I just received an update. Five minutes ago, a magnitude seven point nine earthquake struck Xanfield, an area in the southwest region. This is another episode of a major earthquake following the disastrous earthquake in 2008.¡± James stared at her in astonishment. ¡°Is this news confirmed?¡± ¡°Affirmative.¡± Ashlyn got to her feet. A grim expression spread across her face. ¡°I¡¯m going to the disaster area.¡± Lucas¡¯ expression changed drastically. ¡°The disaster area is so dangerous¡ª¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Ashlyn interrupted him, ¡°I¡¯m a doctor, and saving lives is my obligation. James, I reckon your superior will ry instructions to you soon¡ª¡± Right then, James¡¯ phone rang. The governor called. ¡°Hello, Mr. Lawson. Yes. Yes, I¡¯ll head over right away. I¡¯ll gather my men immediately.¡± James stood up after hanging up the call. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I need to go to the office now.¡± Then he shifted his gaze to Joseph. ¡°Joe, send me there at once.¡± Lucas calmly gave his orders to his subordinates as well to send help to the disaster area. Harvey got up and strode toward the exit as well. ¡°Let¡¯s pray for Lake City to be safe. This is a significant issue. We don¡¯t know anything about the situation at the disaster area for now, Lynnie. Magnecal Tech will certainly donate supplies and provide manpower. By then, you¡ª¡± Chapter 884 Chapter 884 ¡°I¡¯ll take part, of course.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°All right. Your name will be on the list by then.¡± Harvey had arrived at the doorway, looking solemn. ¡°Natural disasters like this cannot be avoided. May God bless us.¡± Everyone around the table dispersed subsequently. Meanwhile, the deafening noise also scared the people inside the other private room. Colors drained from Dixon¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s an earthquake!¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Penelope, who had just returned to the private room, staggered and almost fell to the floor. Right then, amotion erupted outside the room. ¡°It¡¯s an earthquake! Hurry up and run!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so scared. Will people die?¡± ¡°Is it an explosion or an earthquake? Did an explosion ur somewhere?¡± The Peacock¡¯s waiters¡¯ voices were also in the mix as they attempted to calm the crowd. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, everyone. We haven¡¯t received any official news yet.¡± Mary¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Mr. Haddock, let¡¯s hurry up and leave. We should quickly find a ce to hide.¡± Dixon replied in annoyance, ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? It¡¯s just an earthquake.¡± He got to his feet and addressed all the guests, ¡°Perhaps an earthquake or some other thing happened. It is better for us to leave now.¡± Pandemonium reigned outside as screams and shrieks echoed in the air. When the people inside Dixon¡¯s private room opened the door, they saw a horde in the corridor. Almost all of their customers had exited their respective rooms. All of them were in a hurry and wearing tense facial expressions. ¡°It¡¯s an earthquake! Earthquake!¡± ¡°Something exploded! There¡¯s an explosion!¡± ¡°Oh my! I read the news on Twitter. A magnitude seven point nine earthquake struck Xanfield!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave immediately. We can feel the earth trembling and rumbling sound here. This is so scary.¡± While the customers were in haste to escape, The Peacock¡¯s broadcast system sounded. ¡°I am Lucas Nn, the owner of The Peacock.¡± His maic voice was like a treat to everybody¡¯s ears. ¡°The National Earthquake Information Center has just released thetest news. A magnitude seven point nine major earthquake struck Xanfield. The tremors are strong, and the nation suffers greatly from this disaster. I would like to request all our customers not to panic. In the face of this natural disaster, those who are still safe at the moment should, all the more, stay calm. The experts predicted intense aftershocks to happen in the uing three days. The Peacock will waive the bill for all our customers today and has prepared a small gift for all of you to calm your nerves. Now, please queue up and evacuate in order under The Peacock¡¯s employees¡¯ guidance.¡± ¡°Is that Mr. Nn¡¯s voice? Is he in Lake City now?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t sound like a lunatic or manic patient. His voice is so calming. I was quite disconcerted earlier, but my fear significantly lessened after I listened to him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Quit chatting. Let¡¯s hurry up and leave.¡± Heavy rain started pouring outside asrge rain droplets hit the ground. Lightning shed across the dark sky. Lucas stood in front of the window. Behind him, Spencer was looking at his employer¡¯s upright figure. ¡°Mr. Nn, what should we do now?¡± Are we really going to the disaster area when it is raining cats and dogs? ¡°Where¡¯s Ashlyn?¡± Lucas asked in a deep voice while fixating his piercing, dark eyes on the pouring rain outside the window. ¡°Ms. Berry went to the hospital. The reconstruction of the Imperial Hotel has also been halted.¡± Spencer hesitated briefly before adding, ¡°I thought Mr. Haddock would cause trouble tonight. Unexpectedly, something like this happened.¡± Instead of having to deal with Dixon stirring a ruckus, they received the frightening news of an earthquake after waiting for the entire night. ¡°Gather all avable men to aid the disaster area, including employees from Nn Group, South Star Airlines, and other capable volunteers. Also, allocate supplies worth fifty million and send them to the disaster area. We¡¯ll depart after everything is prepared.¡± Lucas gave precise orders. Spencer¡¯s expression turned serious, and he responded at once, ¡°Understood.¡± At the same time, in First Hospital, Ashlyn, dressed in the same shirt she wore in the day, hastened into the director¡¯s office. However, there was no one in the room. Chapter 885 Chapter 885 She strode toward the meeting room hastily. The sky outside boomed with thunder and lightning, casting a bright glow on her face, which bore a stern expression. Thud! She pushed the door to the meeting room open. Inside were the hospital director, Barney Hammer, the deputy director, Holger Sloth, and a few chief doctors from various departments. Ashlyn cast a cold look at Barney. ¡°I want every doctor and nurse in this hospital gathered here immediately. I¡¯m heading to the disaster area, and anyone who wishes to apany me may do so. Those who don¡¯t wish toe along are wee to stay here in the hospital.¡± She cut to the chase without wasting any time. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Barney had been discussing this matter with the chief doctors and had no idea Ashlyn woulde this quickly. He soon regained hisposure and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to wait until tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°We have to leave now. South Star Airlines will send a ne to pick us upter.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s reply was curt. ¡°The medical supplies need to be ready by then. You¡¯ll be in charge of that, Dr. Hammer.¡± She then whipped out a bank card and stuffed it into his hand. ¡°There is one hundred million inside.¡± Barney shivered. ¡°One hundred million?¡± That is a lot of money, isn¡¯t it? ¡°Lucas donated fifty million, and I donated the rest,¡± Ashlyn said, then nced at Holger. ¡°Inform the rest.¡± Holger and the other doctors gaped incredulously at the shocking scene. After all, one hundred million was a lot of money. They couldn¡¯t believe she was generous enough to donate the money to buy medical supplies. Holger was about to make the call when he heard Ashlyn talking to someone on the phone. ¡°It¡¯s raining heavily all over the country, so it is essential that we take necessary steps to avoid waterlogging in the already affected areas. The downstream water levels will rise considerably, which in turn will have a domino effect on the upstream areas, worsening the situation for the victims living there. It is essential that we act quickly and prepare in advance for any potential flooding. We should send our team downstream to block the water and also notify the local government to get ready with sandbags to avoid any further flooding.¡± What did I just hear? Is she just a doctor? She¡¯s amazing! How did shee up with the idea of preventing floods before they happen and preparing aid for those affected by the floods? ¡°I¡¯ll head back to my office now. Let me know when everyone has gathered,¡± Ashlyn said to Barney and the rest after the call ended. She then turned to leave, leaving them no room to hesitate. ¡°Dr. Hammer, isn¡¯t Dr. Berry too¡­¡± Holger was still a little bewildered even after notifying all the doctors and nurses to attend a meeting. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you mad when she gave orders to everyone, including you?¡± Barney shot him a re. ¡°Don¡¯t you know Mr. Nn bought this hospital?¡± ¡°What?¡± Holger was close to tears. How could I forget such an important matter? Barney nced at Holger and pondered the fact that thetter was getting older. ¡°Dr. Berry is our boss lady now. Who else could possibly be better suited to make the decisions around here?¡± The other chief doctors werepletely taken aback by the remarkable disy of self-assurance and assertiveness demonstrated by Ashlyn earlier. At that moment, in the small town of Xanfield in the southwest of the country, the earth below began to tremble and shake, causing a low rumble that seemed to reverberate through the town. A cacophony of thunderous crashes filled the air as items of furniture, decorations, and other household items came crashing down onto the floor. The homes in the town began trembling with tremendous force. ¡°It¡¯s an earthquake!¡± ¡°Earthquake!¡± Various vigers were suddenly jolted awake by themotion and hastily hopped out of their beds. They rushed out of their homes hastily without even taking time to change out of their nightclothes. Some vigers were still roaming around as they hadn¡¯t gotten around to going to bed yet. Some were attempting to ce phone calls, but with no sess. It seemed that the catastrophic earthquake had disrupted the signal, or some other unknown factor was at y. Unfortunately, their efforts were futile, as there seemed to be no signal around. The streets of the town were a sight to behold, with items and debris scattered all around. Many of the walls had been partially destroyed, creating an unsettling atmosphere. As the ground beneath them trembled, many people found themselves struggling to maintain their bnce and ended up tumbling to the floor. Suddenly, arge crack emerged on the ground like a giant python, ready to consume anything in its path. Someone screamed, ¡°Holly! Holly! Holly fell into the crack!¡± The vige head was sobbing as he stopped Holly¡¯s father from going to her. ¡°Let¡¯s go! We need to go now or risk falling into the crack!¡± ¡°That¡¯s my daughter! My daughter!¡± Holly¡¯s father wailed in despair as a piece of concrete smashed into his calf, sending a sharp pain up his leg. ¡°If she¡¯s gone, I won¡¯t be able to live without her. She means everything to me!¡± Chapter 886 Chapter 886 He broke free of the vige head and dashed toward the crack. ¡°Honey! What would I do if something were to happen to you?¡± His wife¡¯s tears began to flow uncontrobly as she hugged their baby close. The baby, sensing the distress of the situation, began to wail, too. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The vige head¡¯s face drained of all color as the crack in the ground grew wider and wider. He hurriedly grabbed the woman by her arm and dragged her away. ¡°We must go. If we don¡¯t leave now, we¡¯ll all be dead!¡± Once they left, a huge chunk of cement plummeted to the ground, producing a hole in the surface of the earth. As the ground quaked, the vigers hastily abandoned their homes and fled the scene. The anguished cries of the victims could be heard everywhere. In the face of natural disasters, humans are powerless to protect themselves from the overwhelming power of nature. Gradually, a putrid stench began permeating the air, causing difort and disgust to those who were unfortunate enough to be in its presence. The source of the stench was unknown, but it might havee from the depths of the earth or the corpses of the livestock. The powerful earthquake continued, causing houses to rumble and eventually copse. Large, heavy boulders tumbled down the nearby mountains, eventually rolling over the frightened people who were attempting to shelter themselves from the earthquake. In just a few minutes, the town was razed to the ground. The devastating earthquake caused numerous homes to copse and roads to rupture. Xanfield was once a bustling town, but its buildings and streets had been reduced to rubble and ruin. It was a living nightmare, a horrid sight to behold, as everything had been destroyed. The relentless downpour of rain mixed with the ruins of rubble had caused devastation to many lives. The aftermath of the destruction had left a profound impact on all those affected. Children became orphans, while parents were forced to cope with the unbearable pain of losing their children. The realization that they had lost their homes caused a heavy atmosphere of sadness and pain to hang in the air. Time seemed to have stopped, for everyone was crying in despair. The vigers were in a state of shock, some of them standing there motionless while others were fervently praying, wishing they had four legs so they could swiftly flee the area. The sudden disaster had destroyed their lives entirely. As the earth shook and the sky rumbled with thunder, they felt as if they had been transported back in time to the past. The event left many people without homes. The children, who were once adored and cherished by their parents, were now left as orphans, robbed of the smiles on their faces. When Ashlyn and the medical staff of First Hospital arrived in Xanfield, they were greeted by the sight of hundreds of vigers seeking refuge on the nearest hill. The streets were filled with rubble, and fear was etched on the faces of those who had survived the destruction. It was a heartbreaking scene. The tragedy of Xanfield was felt beyond the town itself, with its neighboring towns also suffering the same fate. In fact, the entire city of Xenhall was affected. Xanfield had been razed to the ground. The cities that neighbored Xenhall had dispatched soldiers to the area to provide assistance. Government employees and volunteers had also traveled all the way here to do their part by working tirelessly in the downpour to save the victims, d in raincoats. Humans are small and insignificant inparison to the immense power of natural disasters. Before the earthquake struck, many of the people in the area might have been watching television, consuming meals, conversing with their rtives, and socializing with their friends. However, the earthquake had a devastating impact, changing the lives of those involved forever. ¡°Bring down all the medical supplies,¡± Ashlyn ordered everyone behind her. She put on a raincoat over her white clothes and rushed off the ne. ¡°If you are strong and able,e with me to help the vigers who are trapped beneath the debris. Girls, stay here and take care of the vigers who have been hurt.¡± After that, she stopped a man who was nearest to her. ¡°Sir, may I know who the most senior person in charge here is?¡± ¡°Oh, I heard he¡¯s a government official. I think his surname is Field?¡± the man replied. He was covered in mud, making it difficult to make out his features. ¡°He¡¯s right there. If you walk west, you¡¯ll find him.¡± Ashlyn nodded and went west as told, her boots sshing around in the mud. Field? Could it be James? A few minutester, she saw a middle-aged man with a paleplexion in the rain donning a raincoat. The rainwater was spilling down his raincoat, and he appeared to be thoroughly soaked. Chapter 887 Chapter 887 ¡°James!¡± Ashlyn called out. James turned over his shoulder to see Ashlyn¡¯s slender figure before him. Looking stern, he responded, ¡°Ashlyn, it¡¯s dangerous here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Ashlyn shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m here with some medical personnel who are bringing down medical supplies. Where should we put them?¡± ¡°The vigers are seeking refuge on a hill. There is an old bomb shelter left over from the war nearby the hill that is dry enough for you to put the supplies there. I¡¯ll ask Joseph to bring you there.¡± James turned to Joseph, who was busy digging out survivors with a hoe. ¡°Joe, bring your Aunt Ashlyn to ce the supplies in the shelter!¡± Joseph quickly wiped the mud and water from his face before sprinting toward Ashlyn. Why did Dad yell so loudly? Now the whole world knows I have an aunt who is the same age as me. After they got to work, Lucas¡¯ ne arrived. He had brought along a group of volunteers from Nn Group, as well as a generous selection of food and beverage. Recruiting volunteers from Nn Group and South Star Airlines was time-consuming as both organizations were sizable and employed more employees. That was why Lucas arrived a bitter than Ashlyn. Ashlyn and the rest were busy moving the medical supplies. It was still raining heavily when she gazed at the dark sky. All of a sudden, there was a loud thunderp, and a brilliant bolt of lightning illuminated the sky. The ground started shaking again. The volunteers quickly dropped the boxes they were holding and screamed in terror, running away in search of a safe ce to hide. No one was prepared to die here. Ashlyn steadied herself and hollered, ¡°Don¡¯t panic! Don¡¯t be scared! Protect yourselves. Your safety is far more important than any supplies.¡± Suddenly, a maic voice boomed out through the rain, calming everyone¡¯s nerves. ¡°That was an aftershock. Together, we can ovee this! Natural disasters can be intimidating, but it¡¯s ourck of courage that we should be afraid of! Everyone, grab the supplies and ce them on the ground neatly.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this. The familiar voice caused Ashlyn to whip her head around in shock. She saw a tall figure marching toward her in the dark. Lucas? He¡¯s here? Lucas extended his muscr arms and gently took therge package from her. His deep, dark eyes glimmered in the night like a single star in an otherwise dark sky. ¡°Honey, leave the hard work to me,¡± Lucas said. The sight of mud sttered on her face caused his heart to constrict in pain. ¡°Leave this to me. You should go and see if the injured vigers need any help.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°All right.¡± They only conversed briefly before getting to work. Just like twos in the gxy, they crossed each other¡¯s paths momentarily, but that moment was forever imprinted on their memories. Ashlyn hurried over to the temporary medical shed where her colleagues were doing their best to treat the injured vigers. The stench of blood permeated the air, apanied by the woeful cries emanating from the vigers. ¡°Blood, Dr. Berry. We need more blood. The blood bags we brought aren¡¯t enough. The vigers are seriously injured. Many of them need to be amputated. Their bodies were buried under the debris for too long, and their bones have been crushed. They can no longer keep their limbs.¡± An orthopedic surgeon quickly ran to Ashlyn with a bag of blood that had been handed to him by a nurse. He was so anxious that he was close to tears. ¡°Besides, weck the necessary equipment to perform major surgeries.¡± Ashlyn furrowed her brows. ¡°I¡¯ll contact the hospital from the neighboring city to send over a helicopter. We can send the severely injured vigers there.¡± Chapter 888 Chapter 888 Back in the governmental residence at Lake City, Fae was watching the news about the disaster. Almost all the TV stations were reporting about the earthquake. Before she could switch off the TV, Charlotte had already rushed over to her. The little girl was wearing a bright pink pair of pajamas that featured a cheerful cartoon cat and a matching pair of fluffy slippers. Her long, unkempt hair cascaded carelessly down her back. Anxiously, she asked, ¡°Mum, will Joseph, Ashlyn, Dad, and the rest be fine?¡± Faeforted her, ¡°Calm down. They will be fine.¡± However, Charlotte couldn¡¯t bring herself to rx. ¡°Mum, I¡¯m worried. It¡¯s dangerous there¡­¡± Right then, the reporter attracted their attention. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Greetings, everyone! I am a frontline reporter from Lake City, currently stationed at the most damaged area, Xanfield. It is clear to see that the ce has been reduced to rubble. The survivors have been moved to several nearby hills, thanks to the generous donations from South Star Airlines, Nn Group, and other donors, who have also contributed supplies. Medical teams and much-needed medical supplies have also arrived from hospitals across the country. However, the weather is not helping the situation. The aftershocks of the earthquake have worsened theck of supplies.¡± After a pause, he resumed his story. ¡°Xanfield is a very remote location, with mountains that are located ten kilometers away from the vige. It skips the autumn season and goes directly from summer to winter. We are currently in the midst of winter here even though the surrounding areas are still in autumn. The weather is extremely cold and supplies are running low. In response to this, the government has sent troops to the area in order to provide aid and disaster relief. Mr. and Mrs. Nn of Nn Group arrived a while ago to help out and have entered the most heavily affected areas. Unfortunately, water and electricity have been cut off from Xanfield. I had to climb up a hill in order to get a reliable signal. I do hope Mr. and Mrs. Nn are safe.¡± Right then, something caught his eye. ¡°Oh, dear. Isn¡¯t that Mr. Joseph Field? What is he doing? Is he going to look for Mr. and Mrs. Nn?¡± Following his scream, the camera shifted to Joseph, who had donned a thin ck raincoat and rubber boots that were nowpletely caked in mud. He no longer looked like a wealthy scion. With dozens of people behind him, he strode toward the severely affected areas. The reporter leaped out of his car and ran toward him. ¡°Mr. Field? Mr. Field!¡± Hearing the reporter¡¯s anxious yell, Joseph came to a stop and turned to look at him. ¡°Mr. Field, have Mr. and Mrs. Nn been in touch?¡± ¡°No,¡± Joseph responded sternly. His handsome face was sttered with mud. ¡°Lucas and Aunt Ashlyn will be safe.¡± He then wiped away the mud on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need to hurry there now.¡± ¡°Okay, good luck! Good luck to Mr. and Mrs. Nn, too!¡± The reporter quickly turned to the camera. ¡°Humans are helpless before natural disasters. I apud Mr. Field for his efforts! I strongly encourage everyone who is watching to do what they can to help, whether it is through donating supplies or money. You can do so through the method disyed on the screen.¡± After the live stream ended, the reporter btedly realized something and asked the cameraman, ¡°What did Mr. Field say just now? Aunt Ashlyn? Is Ashlyn his aunt?¡± The cameraman was baffled. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­¡± Due to unfavorable circumstances, they decided to resort to live streaming instead of recording the content beforehand. Unbeknownst to them, the audience had erupted into an uproar before their devices. Chapter 889 Chapter 889 The news regarding the earthquake was all over Twitter, and many volunteers were seen rushing to the affected area to provide aid. There were also many others who were following the news, and even Joseph¡¯s aunt was trending on social media. Someone wrote: Ashlyn is Joseph Field¡¯s aunt? The way he addresses her as Aunt Ashlyn is so cute. Finding it amusing, anothermented: My aunt and my best friend became husband and wife. Later, Fae posted: Sorry for posting at a time like this. Ashlyn is like family to me, so I hope everyone can turn their attention to the disaster. Thank you. After she posted that on Twitter, she noticed that Charlotte, who was beside her, was watching the news with a pale expression. Charlotte felt as if she had been struck by thunder when she saw the scene of the disaster on the television. She started to feel dizzy as if her world was about to end. She never knew that disasters were this horrendous. She took in the dejected faces of the victims and listened to their cries for help. When she saw Joseph carry the cold body of a five-year-old boy lying in the mud and put it in the coffin, she almost broke down. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Then she saw how the mother of the child was kneeling in the mud, wailing in grief. Unable to hold back her tears, she allowed them to stream down her face. She suddenly understood why Joseph, Ashlyn, and Lucas had rushed over to the scene when they first heard the news. At that moment, Charlotte was overwhelmed by emotions. She bit her lower lip and immediately ran upstairs. When she came down, she was already in a different clothing. She was now wearing a pair of Dr. Martens shoes, a pair of ck pants, and a ck jacket. Her hair was even tied up into a ponytail. She had a suitcase with her, and inside the suitcase were foods and clothes. Seeing that, Fae walked up to her and looked at her in shock. ¡°Lottie, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Mum, I¡¯m going to join Joseph, Ashlyn, and the rest.¡± The tears were still streaming down Charlotte¡¯s face, and her voice was low as she went on, ¡°I can¡¯t just sit here and watch them when they¡¯re risking their lives over there.¡± ¡°Lottie, Ashlyn knows martial arts, and both Joe and Lucas are men. You¡¯re so thin. What can you even do when you get there? Do you want them to take care of you even when they¡¯re already busy enough?¡± Fae was trying to talk Charlotte out of this. Her husband, her son, and the others were there in the disaster area now. She dared not imagine if anything were to happen to them. She really hoped that Charlotte wouldn¡¯t go. What will happen to me if everyone leaves me? That thought made her feel even more depressed. She already had tears rolling in her eyes as she said, ¡°Lottie, listen to me. Don¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Mum, I¡¯m an adult now, not a little kid. Joseph and Ashlyn are there too. I really don¡¯t want to see them in danger, and I don¡¯t want to be someone who hides behind everyone. I want to help everyone in the disaster area, and I want to face and bear that with all of them. I want to be with them no matter what happens! ¡°Besides, there are so families that have be homeless, and some even lost their families. Mum, I want to go. I really do. I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s just carrying bricks or cooking for them. I just want to be with Joseph and Ashlyn. You¡¯re worried about them too, right? I feel the same as well. Can you really sit here and do nothing when they¡¯re there?¡± Fae was at a loss for words. She parted her lips, but words wouldn¡¯te out of her mouth. In Fae¡¯s perspective, they were all her children, and she would try her best to protect them from anything no matter what. However, she had forgotten that they had already grown up now, and she was getting older. Fae only hoped that everyone she cared about could be safe. Instead of replying to Charlotte, she stood up and helped Charlotte wear the hat that was hanging at the entrance. After that, she went to her room and quickly changed into warm clothing. Chapter 890 Chapter 890 Fae started putting some of the clothes and food from the house into a huge suitcase. She then looked at Charlotte and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll go with you. You¡¯re right. Sitting at home is not a solution. I¡¯m the mayor¡¯s wife, and I should be helping out the people in that disaster.¡± Charlotte felt a warm current flowing through her heart when she heard that. Fae sent a WhatsApp message to an ¡°only wives¡± group that read: I¡¯ll be going to the affected area. If any of you have anything to donate, you can pass them to me. I¡¯ll be keeping in touch with the officers. They¡¯ll send the supplies over every day. What Fae said attracted everyone¡¯s attention, and the people in the group started responding positively. In less than half an hour, there were already many supplies at the door of the Field residence. They were loaded onto a huge ck truck before being sent to Xanfield. The journey there was hard due to the heavy rain, and both Fae and Charlotte had been dialing Joseph¡¯s, Ashlyn¡¯s, and everyone¡¯s numbers on the way there, but to no avail. Their calls would not get through, and Fae¡¯s heart slowly sank. She kept having a bad feeling about it. The truck finally got closer to Xanfield three hourster. They stopped and rested for a moment at a rest stop along the highway before continuing their journey to Xanfield. Another hour passed, and the rain was only getting bigger. After they exited the highway, the condition of the roads was getting worse. The entire town was in ruins after the earthquake. The roads were rocky, and there were rubbles everywhere. It was already evening when they arrived in the severely affected area in Xanfield. After Fae and Charlotte got off the truck, they changed into their rain boots and walked forward. James was sitting in the tent, having a discussion with the vige chief and the policemen. Fae lifted the p and peeped into the tent, and through the slit, she saw how haggard James was. It had only been a few days, but strands of his hair had already turned white. His face looked pale, his cheeks looked sunken, and there were also stubbles on his chin. It seemed that James hadn¡¯t rested for a few days, and Fae felt her heart ache when she saw that. She slowly put down the p and sighed before she stepped away. ¡°Mum, why didn¡¯t you go in?¡± Charlotte asked Fae in a low tone when she saw that. ¡°I don¡¯t want to interrupt them.¡± Fae just smiled without saying anything more. Charlotte looked around the area and walked out. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a look.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t wander off, Lottie. It¡¯s dangerous out there.¡± Fae immediately stepped forward and grabbed Charlotte¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t make me worry.¡± ¡°I just want to take a look at the emergency medical center to see if I can help with anything. I won¡¯t wander off,¡± Charlotte replied with the raincoat on her. With that, she stepped out into the rain. The road filled with mud was hard to walk on especially after heavy rains. She stumbled her way to the tent of the emergency medical center, and she saw how busy every one of the medical staff in the tent was. Charlotte gritted her teeth and walked toward a male doctor who looked much older. ¡°I¡¯m Ashlyn¡¯s little sister, and I¡¯m here to help. Is that all right?¡± ¡°You study medicine?¡± The doctor was bandaging a patient while looking at Charlotte. ¡°Are you certified as a doctor?¡± Charlotte shook her head, and she heard the doctor ask again, ¡°Then are you certified as a nurse?¡± Again, she shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t bother us, then! Stand at the side.¡± He finished bandaging an injured viger and yelled, ¡°Take him away! Next!¡± Charlotte bit her lip when she heard that. Right then, she saw two vigers walking in. Both the women seemed to be in their thirties. Charlotte lowered her body and helped the vigers carry the injured man away to a straw mat on the ground not far from them. That would be the injured man¡¯s temporary sick bed. She didn¡¯t know nursing or medicine, so for the past two hours, she had been helping the female vigers carry the patients to their resting spots. Chapter 891 Chapter 891 Charlotte rarely did anything in the Field residence. It was her first time doing physical work like that. She sat panting in the corner, wiping away the sweat on her forehead. Suddenly, a man rushed into the tent. ¡°Another batch of injured vigers has been sent over! Medical team, head to the entrance now!¡± A group of busy nurses and doctors promptly rushed out with their medical kits. Upon seeing that, Charlotte dashed ahead with a few other women. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. There was a truck outside the tent with many vigers at the back, some sitting, some lying. The air was filled with the thick stench of blood. Some of the vigers had already passed out, while some looked wretched with their dirt-covered faces. Almost none of them were unharmed. They were all freshly dug out from the ruins. Charlotte was shocked to witness that sight. Seeing it on the screen was already harrowing, but looking at it with my own eyes is just¡­ At that moment, she felt as though a hammer had smashed right through her heart. She bolted forward to carry the injured vigers onto the stretchers together with the others. Some had lost their legs, some had lost their arms, and some had lost all their limbs. It was a cruel sight to behold. Charlotte held back her tears as she carried the wounded to their designated spot. Even though she was out of breath, she kept going. A few children, covered head to toe in mud, were huddled together in the corner. ¡°We¡¯re hungry¡­¡± Upon hearing that, she quickly delivered food and water to them. ¡°Eat up.¡± The children devoured the bread like hungry wolves because they had been trapped underground for three days. ¡°You! Come over here, quickly! A few children here are hurt!¡± a soldier shouted at her. ¡°Get over here now!¡± Reflexively, Charlotte said, ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± ¡°Who cares what you are? Saving lives is of the utmost importance! Don¡¯t give any excuses!¡± The soldiers promptly pushed her toward a couple of injured children. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Charlotte was so anxious that she was at a loss for words. Why can¡¯t I utter aplete sentence? It was then a viger approached her, ced one of the medical kits in their hands before her, and left. ¡°Why are you acting so slow? Hurry up and save them!¡± the soldier urged. ¡°Don¡¯t you see the kid is bleeding?¡± Gritting her teeth, Charlotte surveyed her surrounding and saw almost every medical staff there was busy. She recalled how the doctors had bandaged the other patients and emted them. After opening the medical kit, she disinfected the wounded arm of one of the children and dabbed some medicine on it to stop the bleeding. Once she was done, she bandaged the wounded spot. ¡°Are you feeling hurt anywhere else?¡± The child whose face was ck shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Charlotte felt much more confident after tending to his arm. No longer panicking, she pointed at the food in a corner. ¡°You can find something to eat there. Do you see it? There is bread and water over there.¡± The kid nodded and sprinted away. She began bandaging another child. ¡°Did you all fail to escape when it happened?¡± The girl cried as she recounted, ¡°We were in school¡­ Our teacher sacrificed herself to save us¡­ When the ceiling dropped down, she protected us with her body¡­¡± Tears welled in Charlotte¡¯s eyes. Just as she touched the girl¡¯s swollen ankle, a female nurse saw that, darted toward her, and pushed her away. ¡°What are you doing? Do you have any medical skills? You¡¯re going to kill someone like this! Why didn¡¯t you call for the medical staff?¡± the female nurse growled. Charlotte was flushed with embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I thought I should help since everyone¡¯s busy¡­¡± Chapter 892 Chapter 892 The nurse snapped, ¡°Get out of the way! You¡¯re only good enough to carry a patient.¡± Feeling upset, Charlotte lowered her head and went to the corner. A nurse, Hazel Longman, nced at her before whispering to another nurse, Junie Sheridan. ¡°She ims to be Dr. Berry¡¯s younger sister. Do you believe it?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Dr. Berry sisters with Penelope? If she is who she ims to be, would Dr. Berry be willing to let here here to suffer? If my dad hadn¡¯t forced me toe, I wouldn¡¯t have.¡± Junie sighed. ¡°Same! This is way too tiring and difficult. I¡¯m afraid another earthquake will happen again and bury me underground.¡± ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough of that. We should focus on helping people.¡± Suddenly, a tall man carrying another on his back barged into the tent. ¡°Mr. Joseph¡¯s injured. Treat him, hurry!¡± The moment he ended his sentence, Charlotte felt as though her mind had exploded. Expeditiously, she rose from the corner and darted toward Joseph. ¡°Joseph, are you all right?¡± Joseph, who had beenid down, had a swollen injury on his pale forehead. It was around five centimetersrge, and blood was gushing out of it. There were also some scratches on his arm. The bleeding from them had stained his shirt and raincoat red. With great effort, Joseph opened his eyes and saw a beautiful, familiar face in front of him. Her eyes were turning red, and her countenance was as pale as a sheet. Thinking that his eyes were ying tricks on him, he muttered, ¡°Lottie? How¡¯s that possible? Did the rock hit me that hard on the head?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Joseph. It¡¯s Lottie. I¡¯m here with Mum. She¡¯s with Dad right now.¡± Tears streamed down Charlotte¡¯s cheeks. Her greatest fear had happened. She felt her heart ache terribly as she stared at the injured Joseph. ¡°Really? Why are you all here? It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Promptly, he sat up and immediately experienced a wave of dizziness. Pressing his hand on his forehead, he eximed, ¡°Do you think this is a joke?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get worked up, or you¡¯ll bleed more, Mr. Joseph. I¡¯m going to stitch your wound up right now, which may leave a scar. Thank goodness you¡¯re not a woman,¡± a male doctor advised while holding a piece of medical equipment. Joseph¡¯s blood-drenched appearance was a disturbing sight. Charlotte wrapped her icy hand around his. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, Joseph. You¡¯ll be fine.¡± Staring at the blood gushing out of Jonathan¡¯s head, the doctor proposed, ¡°You may have suffered a concussion. It¡¯s a miracle your head wasn¡¯t cracked open by that giant rock falling on your head. Listen to me, Mr. Joseph. You should return to the city immediately for a check-up and a CT scan. I¡¯m afraid there may be blood clots or damaged blood vessels in your brain.¡± He didn¡¯t have the necessary equipment, so he couldn¡¯t determine the extent of Joseph¡¯s injury. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a minor injury.¡± Joseph shook his head, still feeling very dizzy. All he could think of at that moment was locating Ashlyn and Lucas. He didn¡¯t want to visit the hospital because, in his eyes, it was akin to a vacation at that point. Pale as a ghost, Charlotte asked, ¡°How did you get hit by a rock?¡± ¡°Because Mr. Joseph tried to save me¡­¡± a teenage girl sobbed. ¡°When he saw a big rock fell from the mountain just as I was about to be pulled out, he protected me with his body.¡± Slightly stunned, Charlotte stared at the teenager. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying a rock hit him because he was saving you?¡± The teenager was so gorgeous that no mud or dirt on her face could conceal her beauty. ¡°Are you Mr. Joseph¡¯s girlfriend, Miss? I¡¯m sorry! If you want to me someone, me me!¡± Sheryn Carling, the teenager, grabbed Charlotte¡¯s hands. ¡°It¡¯s my fault Mr. Joseph was hurt!¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Chapter 893 Chapter 893 ¡°Saving people is his job.¡± Charlotte retracted her hand awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re fine.¡± For some inexplicable reason, however, she kept feeling that there was a hint of passion and admiration in Sheryn¡¯s eyes when thetter gazed at Joseph. Perhaps I¡¯m just overthinking it. The two scornful nurses from earlier, Junie and Hazel, were shocked as they witnessed this scene. Why is she addressing Mr. Joseph so intimately? Who is she, really? Mr. Joseph isn¡¯t going to give us a hard time now, is he? They were dumbfounded. As Hazel recalled how brashly she had treated Charlotte earlier, her cheeks started to burn. She could not help but go forward to Charlotte and apologize earnestly, ¡°Miss, I had no idea that you¡¯re acquainted with Mr. Joseph and was rather rude to you just now. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Charlotte was stunned for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You were right. I¡¯m, after all, not a licensed nurse. There is no reason to apologize.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hazel blinked. Did she just say that it¡¯s fine? But I was so rude to her earlier! Junie leaned toward her and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool! She¡¯s clearly just pretending to be big-hearted in front of Mr. Joseph. Who knows what tales she would tell about you behind your backter?¡± Observing Charlotte¡¯s facial expression, Hazel remarked, ¡°I don¡¯t think so, though. She doesn¡¯t look like a calcting person.¡± ¡°You can never judge a book by its cover.¡± As they secretly chatted with each other, the p of the tent was pulled open abruptly, and a middle- aged couple stepped in. ¡°Joe!¡± Fae scurried toward Joseph. The moment she saw the bloodstains on her son¡¯s face, her heart wrenched with pain. ¡°Are you all right? How could you have tried to block such a huge rock by yourself? Did you think your head is made of steel?¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine. Look, they¡¯ve bandaged me up.¡± Joseph had not seen his mother for a few days. Hearing his mother¡¯s nagging at this moment, he felt a deep warmth spreading through his heart. Upon seeing the bloody state his son¡¯s head was in, James could not help but frown as well. ¡°Joe, you were too careless. Saving others is important, but so is your own safety. You should never act so recklessly again in the future. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± answered Joseph with a cheeky smile. After shooting a re at him, Fae finally turned to Charlotte. ¡°Here you are, Lottie! I¡¯ve been looking all over for you. You¡¯ve given me such a fright! I was just telling your dad to send someone to look for you. I would be heartbroken if something happened to you or Joe.¡± At this moment, Junie and Hazel, whose faces were only slightly flushed earlier, were blushing so furiously that it was as if their cheeks were on fire. What? She¡¯s actually a member of the Field family? Seeing how endearingly Fae acted toward Charlotte, the two nurses were practically on the brink of tears. Is she the daughter of the Field family? How could she be so modest? Look at those work clothes and those ck boots, ck down jacket, and the ck jeans she¡¯s d in¡­ She doesn¡¯t look like the daughter of the Field family at all! Charlotte bit her lip with a worried look in her eyes. ¡°Mom, the doctor advised Joseph to get a brain scan at the hospital in the city. He should get a CT scan or something like that in case he has internal bleeding or damaged blood vessels in his brain, but he just wouldn¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Joe, it¡¯s very crowded here. I think it¡¯s best if you go to a hospital.¡± As soon as Fae heard that, she knew that her son¡¯s head injury was not as simple as it looked. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m really okay.¡± Joseph shook his head. ¡°I want to stay here with Dad. Besides, Lucas and Aunt Ashlyn aren¡¯t back yet. How can I go to the hospital now?¡± Fae could only let out a long, helpless sigh. Looking at the rain that continued to fall outside the tent, James gritted his teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll send people to look for them. It looks like night¡¯s about to fall. If this goes on, they¡¯ll only be in more danger in the hardest-hit area.¡± With that, he left the tent. The strong gale howled as the rain poured like a waterfall. As a gust of wind blew, the rain that was dense as a waterfall swept through the air like waves. Chapter 894 Chapter 894 The storm continued raging mercilessly, and the violent wind blew the rain in all directions. Ashlyn continued toward the hardest-hit area. They were now in the area where the earthquake had started. As the ferocious storm raged fiercely on, the water upstream coulde crashing down on them anytime. It was extremely dangerous. Many of the vigers had been evacuated, but there were still many others who remained stranded here, buried under the ruins or the rocks. The upper half of the mountain had caved in, and rocks kept tumbling down and piling up. Ashlyn was leading a team, and Lucas was doing the same. The sky was darkening visibly, but the storm showed no signs of ceasing. Ashlyn was wearing a raincoat, but the rain was simply too heavy. She was drenched in no time, looking as if she had juste out of a pool. The mountain trail was a difficult hike even on normal days. Needless to say, after the earth had just copsed, the path only became even more challenging to traverse. Lifting her head, Ashlyn narrowed her eyes and gazed into the distance through the torrential downpour. Although she and her team had been on this path for a long time, they were still a distance away from the hardest-hit area ahead. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The cold was piercing to the bone, but she gritted her teeth and trudged on. The original trail had long since been destroyed by the quake, and Ashlyn¡¯s delicate hands had been worn bloody from pushing away the rocks thaty in their path. Despite that, she did not halt her footsteps. Cassandra, Luigi, and the rest followed behind her, struggling as they climbed upward. ¡°Have those from the Imperial Hotel arrived?¡± asked Ashlyn as she plowed on. Cassandra shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no signal here. I¡¯m not sure, but they should be there.¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± said Ashlyn as she gazed at the darkening sky. Her phone had long since run out of battery. Yet, the journey ahead did not seem to have an end. Along the way, they saw the bodies of the vigers scattered everywhere and soaked with rainwater, and they checked the breathing of each of the bodies they came across. It was great news as long as the victims were still breathing. However, if they were not, then the members of the rescue team would feel pain stabbing through their hearts again. Ashlyn could not help feeling as if she was walking on a path toward hell, one that had no end and was utterly devoid of hope. ¡°Mommy¡­ Mommy¡­¡± Suddenly, a child¡¯s pitiful shrills sounded through the rain. ¡°Come on! Quickly! There¡¯s a child there!¡± Ashlyn shouted at the team behind her. ¡°We need to help the kid!¡± Everyone instantly perked up and stumbled toward the source of the voice. Soon, they caught sight of a boy who was around ten years old. He had fallen under a tree and was straining to drag the body of a young woman downhill. The knuckles on his hands had turned white from the strength he was exerting, and his wet hair and clothes were clinging to his drenched body. Nevertheless, he still did not abandon his mother. Ashlyn hurried toward him and almost tripped on the slippery surface in her haste. Fortunately, Cassandra, who was behind her, caught her just in time. ¡°Careful, Boss!¡± Ashlyn nodded and then went up to the boy with Cassandra. ¡°Little boy, we¡¯re from the rescue team. Why don¡¯t you let us take care of your mother?¡± When the boy saw Ashlyn, tears gushed even more fiercely from his eyes. ¡°Please save my mommy! I beg you!¡± Squatting down, Ashlyn reached out to check the woman¡¯s breathing. As soon as she detected the woman¡¯s faint breath, she took the first-aid kit from Luigi¡¯s hands. To avoid the contents of the kit from getting wet, Luigi had carefully shielded the kit from the rain in his arms, and the cover of the kit still held a trace of his body¡¯s warmth. With swift movements, Ashlyn took out the infrared thermometer. ¡°Thirty-nine degrees Celsius! Somebody, send this mother and her son down!¡± As she spoke, she quickly fed a fever reducer into the woman¡¯s mouth. ¡°Send them down at once! There¡¯s no time to lose!¡± Then she looked at the boy. ¡°What a big, brave boy you are! You must follow these men closely, okay?¡± The boy immediately nodded. He had only rxed after he saw Ashlyn and the others. One of Ashlyn¡¯s subordinates came and piggybacked the young woman, turning around and heading downhill. The boy instantly followed behind. Chapter 895 Chapter 895 We¡¯re saved¡­ We¡¯re finally saved, Mommy! Ashlyn continued up the mountain with the others. After they walked for about half an hour, a familiar male voice drifted into her ears. ¡°Men, we must rescue everyone trapped under these rocks before the upstream water bursts its banks. Otherwise, they¡¯ll all die when a sh flood breaks out.¡± It was none other than Lucas. Ashlyn nced back over her shoulder. ¡°Hurry up, everyone! We¡¯re going to convene with Lucas. There are people buried under the rocks above!¡± As the mountainous terrain was beyond difficult to traverse, it was still a great hardship no matter how fast they walked. When Ashlyn lifted her head again after walking for a while, she was greeted by the sight of Lucas¡¯ tall and slender back on the mountainside just a stone¡¯s throw away. Behind him were Spencer and dozens of men. She looked at the familiar figure, and her nose inexorably stung. An indescribable feeling pervaded her. Never had she imagined that she would coordinate and work side by side with Lucas in such a manner one day. The man stood with his back to her, sounding sonorous and forceful. ¡°We¡¯ve got to dig up all these rocks and save those buried underneath. Spencer, lead a few men and widen the fissures here. Torrential waters will likely cascade in a sh flood and sweep through this mountain.¡± ¡°If that happens, everyone at the hillside camp will be in danger. What should we do now, Mr. Nn? Should we save these people here or otherwise?¡± Spencer asked. ¡°It¡¯s fine if we don¡¯t save them if they¡¯re already dead under these rocks. But if they¡¯re still alive, do we have the heart to sacrifice them and have them remain buried here so that those below the mountain live?¡± Before Lucas could say anything, he suddenly heard a woman¡¯s cool and crisp voice ring out in the pouring rain behind him. ¡°Ms. Berry?¡± Spencer gaped at the woman walking toward them. Lucas couldn¡¯t help turning back for a look either, only to spot Ashlyn heading toward them at a fast clip in a raincoat. ¡°Honey? Why are you here?¡± Didn¡¯t we split up earlier? Why did we both ultimately end up here? Ashlyn swept her gaze over everyone there. ¡°We must save the people! All of us are the best, and I believe we won¡¯t back down just because of some trivial difficulty. Let¡¯s get them out before the sh flood hits. We¡¯ll find a way to move some rocks over to seal the gaps after that!¡± ¡°As you said, we need to race against time. Fortunately, we¡¯ve got numbers on our side now. Let¡¯s get digging.¡± Having said that, Lucas stepped forward and picked up the shovel to dig up the rocks. Following his lead, everyone else started swinging their shovels and excavating the rocks. Meanwhile, those without tools moved the rocks barehanded. Several people were buried underneath, so they had to get the rocks away. Without hesitation, Ashlyn stretched out her hands to move the rocks. When both her hands, which were bleeding incessantly, came into view, Lucas found the sight utterly heartbreaking. He shot out his massive hands and grasped her fair and delicate ones. ¡°Have you lost your mind? Your hands are injured!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. They don¡¯t hurt at all.¡± Ashlyn shook her head. Just then, a hand came into sight from underneath the rocks. Shockingly, it was even twitching. At that turn of events, Spencer, Cassandra, and the others worked even harder until they pulled the first person out. Due to the limited oxygen within the constrained space under the rocks, the survivors were all deathly pale. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Coupled with the fact that they hadn¡¯t eaten anything for a few days in a row, they were pitifully weak. Mere moments after they had saved the injured vigers from under the rocks, a roaring rush of gushing water split the air without warning. On the heels of that, a cry for help drifted into the air. ¡°Help¡­ me¡­ Help¡­¡± Every so often, the rumbling waters drowned the voice. Snapping her eyes up in surprise, Ashlyn swung her gaze below the rocks. ording to her judgment, the voice came from behind the mountain wall. There was a fissure in the mountain wall, and the voice rang out from behind it from time to time. A constant stream of water spilled out from behind the mountain wall via the crack that was about thirty centimeters wide. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? There seems to be someone behind the mountain!¡± Chapter 896 Chapter 896 Ashlyn¡¯s voice was stained with sheer urgency. Although the distance felt negligible right then, it would take time were they to go around the mountain to the other side. She had taken a look at the map previously and knew that a sh flood had broken out on the other side of the mountain. In fact, they had initially nned on closing up that thirty-centimeter gap. If they didn¡¯t do so, the intense water pressure would gradually rupture the crevice, leading to a massive sh flood. Not only would the waters submerge all the viges below, but also the tents they built on the mountainside. However, reality had proven that someone was behind the mountain. If they were to circle over, the person would probably have long since perished, either swept away by the currents or stopped breathing. There was no time to lose. Immediately, Lucas ordered, ¡°Break the mountain wall and save him!¡± ¡°If we do so, Boss, what about those below the mountain and in the tents? Are we going to sacrifice everyone for the sake of a single person?¡± Spencer asked anxiously, wiping the rain off his face. Out of the blue, Cassandra charged over while brandishing a shovel. ¡°Leave it to me! Making a gap of about sixty centimeters will be enough. After that, we¡¯ll quickly block it again.¡± With a bang, the shovel struck the rock and emitted a grating sound. Compared with the mountain wall, the shovel was still too fragile at the end of the day, for it snapped. As Spencer witnessed that, his lips inexorably twitched. Uh¡­ What kind of supernatural strength does she have? She looks sweet, but she¡¯s a bit too strong, isn¡¯t she? Cassandra, who possessed supernatural strength, eyed the handle of the shovel in her hand in disappointment. ¡°What the hell? Is this for real? It split into two!¡± Ashlyn cast her a nce. ¡°Stop dragging your feet here. Didn¡¯t we bring a jaw crusher along? Hurry up and don¡¯t waste time. Widen this gap, quick.¡± A few men promptly ran over with a jaw crusher and aimed the sharp drill at the hard rock. In the next second, the machine started whirring. While observing the flow of the water, Lucas instructed a few men to take the rescued vigers somece safe. ¡°They¡¯re very weak at the moment, so bring them back for treatment posthaste.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± All the while, increasingly more water poured out from the crack that was growing all the wider. Consequently, everyone there became wholly drenched. When the fissure was wide enough, Lucas started squeezing himself through it. Blocking the opening with his body, he headed toward the back of the mountain wall. ¡°Are you out of your mind, Lucas? Let me do it instead!¡± Ashlyn grabbed his arm, fixing her worried gaze on him. ¡°Are you trying to steal my credit? It has to be me doing this!¡± Pushing her away, Lucas continued moving inward. ¡°I¡¯ll do it, Mr. Nn. I¡¯ll go!¡± Spencer argued in unadulterated apprehension. ¡°Why, you¡¯re all trying to steal my position and rece me?¡± Lucas arched a brow, radiating a chilly and oppressive aura. ¡°This is a sh flood, Lucas!¡± Ashlyn¡¯s lovely eyes brimmed with worry. She didn¡¯t want anything to happen to the man. ¡°We only have a few minutes, Honey. Be good and not make trouble for me!¡± All of a sudden, Lucas cradled her head. He pressed a kiss on her forehead that was wet with rain before he continued forging ahead. By then, the waters had already reached his waist. Slowly, his figure disappeared into the narrow gap in the mountain wall. Choking back tears, Spencer bellowed, ¡°Listen up, any and all who are behind the mountain fissure! We¡¯re proceeding with the rescue right now! Everyone is to walk out of the crack hand in hand! Do you hear me? The space can only amodate one person to pass sideways at a time! My employer will be the in the lead and take your hand!¡± Soon, a voice rang out from the other side of the mountain wall. ¡°Yes¡­ Yes, we hear you!¡± Everyone began holding hands and squeezed out from the gap, one after another. Time ticked by.N?velDrama.Org owns this. About a dozen people came out from the fissure between the mountain wall, children and the elderly included. As the first person who paved the way, Lucas undoubtedly endured astronomical force from the rushing currents. Yet, his feet remained nted in the water firmly, and he led individual after individual out. Chapter 897 Chapter 897 Borrowing strength from Lucas¡¯ hands, the survivors trudged forward. Some of them had been in the water for so long that they were frozen and their minds felt fuzzy. When it came to these people with no strength to advance, Lucas even needed to propel them along. By the time thest person was rescued, he was already stiff and chilled to the bone. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. His face had also drained of color from the length of time he had spent in the frigid waters. Without taking the time to rest, he hastilymanded, ¡°Leave, quick! We need to seal this crack at once, considering its current size! Hurry up and leave! All rescued vigers are to leave right away!¡± Throughout it all, Ashlyn¡¯s gaze was trained on him. He appears colder than ice on the outside, yet deep within, he¡¯s even more passionate than anyone else! ¡°Hurry up, Spencer! Carry some stones over and block up all the crevices, quick!¡± Hearing Lucas¡¯ shout, she no longer had the presence of mind to ponder about anything else. ¡°Listen up, all vigers! Link hands and head toward somece safe. Take them down the mountain, Luigi.¡± ¡°Understood, Boss!¡± Luigi replied. Then, he swiftly directed the vigers to leave. Although the vigers were all exhausted and starving, having been trapped behind the mountain wall, the desire to survive trumped everything after they narrowly escaped with their lives. No matter how bone-weary and difficult it was, they were determined to leave that terrifying ce. Meanwhile, only huge rocks and gigantic branches could be used to close up the fissures. Spencer looked at the girl with supernatural strength, Cassandra, carrying a gigantic rock and stuffing it into the crack before repeating the same action. Her speed and strength were downright unbelievable, her slender body filled with explosive power. She had worn a beautiful and adorable outfit,plemented by a pair of cute rain boots on her feet. Right then, she was already covered in mud and dirt. The adorable buns on her head were also stained by mud. Even so, Spencer found her rather charming with her infinite strength when at work. Taking a step forward, Ashlyn pulled Lucas out of the muddy waters. She reached out and wiped the dirt marring the man¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t stay in the water anymore. It¡¯s too cold.¡± Lucas held her hand and yanked hard, pulling her into his arms. ¡°That isn¡¯t important, Honey. We¡¯ve got to seal the fissures quickly. We¡¯ll talkter when we go back.¡± It was alreadyte at night, so they had to hurry back. Otherwise, no one could predict what would happen in the mountains. After an earthquake, especially, aftershocks were a frequent urrence. He was exceedingly worried. Nestling in his icy arms, Ashlyn closed her eyes for a moment. ¡°Okay.¡± Thanks to the collective effort of the few of them, the crevices in the mountain wall were sealed up at longst. After carrying over massive rocks and branches to close off the openings, they got ready to leave. Suddenly, Ashlyn heard a faint sound of movement. Her expression instantly froze. ¡°There¡¯s someone here.¡± Frowning, Lucas perked up his ears and listened intently. ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything.¡± It was pitch dark and raining heavily. The stter of water was deafening. Despite the torchlights in their hands, their visions were still limited. At Ashlyn¡¯s im, Lucas swept his eyes around worriedly. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone here.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go a bit further.¡± Ashlyn started moving forward with concern. Behind her, Lucas followed and shone the torchlight everywhere. When they had walked for some distance, the roaring sound of rushing rapids filled the air. ¡°It¡¯s downright dangerous ahead. I think it might be a cliff.¡± While saying that, Lucas tentatively leaned forward. Gusts of wind sent his hair flying back. Shining his torchlight down, he was greeted by the sight of a dark abyss below. Everywhere was gloomy and eerie, the atmosphere petrifying to the core. Holding hands, Lucas and Ashlyn scrutinized their surroundings, yet they didn¡¯t find anything out of ce. Puzzlement inundated Ashlyn. ¡°Did I really mishear it?¡± But that doesn¡¯t make sense! My listening is remarkable, the result of arduous training! ¡°You probably misheard it since the sounds of rain are overwhelming. Let¡¯s go. Spencer and the others have already left.¡± Clutching her hand, Lucas nibbled her with a smirk, attempting to ease the atmosphere. ¡°Anyway, this is a good opportunity for us to spend time alone.¡± Ashlyn was rendered speechless. ¡°Stop messing around! I really heard something.¡± ¡°All right. If there¡¯s really someone here, we¡¯ll save the person. But if otherwise, we¡¯ll leave. We¡¯ve got nothing to lose. Let¡¯s go.¡± Lucas wrapped an arm around her slender waist. Chapter 898 Chapter 898 The very instant Ashlyn and Lucas whirled around, out of nowhere, five burly men darted out. ¡°What extraordinary hearing, Ms. Berry. Sure enough, you¡¯re different from the rest.¡± In the next heartbeat, the man in the lead with scars littering his face swung his eyes to Lucas, a sinister look in them. ¡°Mr. Nn, seeing as you won¡¯t obey Master and insist on being entangled with this woman, don¡¯t me us for showing you no mercy! Kill her!¡± As soon as Lucasid eyes on the man, his face went as ck as thunder. A chilling sense of icy coldness emanated from him, and his lips were pressed into a thin line. ¡°Hah! You¡¯re Franklin¡¯sckey!¡± ¡°Master has warned you, Mr. Nn! If you continue being with her, she won¡¯t live to see tomorrow¡¯s sunrise!¡± As Ashlyn listened to their conversation, understanding finally dawned on her. Ah, it turns out that the sound I heard was the movement of these five men! There isn¡¯t anyone who needs saving. Instead, they¡¯re here to kill me. Franklin¡¯s men? There¡¯s no grudge between us. Why does he want me dead? That aside, he even used me to threaten Lucas. Ah, I get it now. I know why Lucas distanced himself from me back then. It was because Franklin ckmailed him with my life. Hence, he chose to part from me in his pride. That must be it! Argh! My judgment was really clouded that I ended up being tricked by Franklin! At that thought, she narrowed her eyes a fraction at the few burly men in front of her. ¡°Come at me if there¡¯s anything. Why are you picking on my man?¡± ¡°Sure enough, the woman Mr. Nn took an interest in is feisty! How intriguing!¡± The scarred man guffawed, his voice tinged with a hint of mockery. ¡°Anyhow, it¡¯s better to be gentle as a woman. Things won¡¯t end well for you if you¡¯re too feisty.¡± ¡°How annoying.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s ruby lips curved into a sneer. Whisking out a pistol from her thigh, she pointed it at the man. After doing that, she regarded the few other men coldly with her lips upturned. This is truly a world where only the strong survive. They¡¯re not worthy of threatening my man, much less appearing in my line of sight! They¡¯re my shame, reminding me of how Lucas was humiliated because of me! Only by killing them will I be appeased. Her brows were knitted together deeply, and impatience was written clearly in her eyes. Her frosty voice carried a trace of balefulness. The scarred man looked at her arrogantly. ¡°A woman isn¡¯t worthy of pointing a gun at me!¡± In a sh, he whipped out a gun and aimed it right between her eyes. Shooting daggers at her, he made to pull the trigger. She¡¯s going to die soon, yet she still dares to be so haughty with me. She¡¯s simply courting death! My wrath won¡¯t abate if I don¡¯t take her life! ¡°I hate it when a piece of trash points a gun at me.¡± No sooner had Ashlyn¡¯s voice rang out than she abruptly made her move. A gleam of metal glinted in a sharp and swift movement. Immediately afterward, the scarred man felt a stabbing pain at the back of his hand. A thud rang out from his hand that held the gun as the weapon fell to the ground. He gaped at the silver dagger embedded at the back of his hand, his eyes as wide as saucers. Bright red blood gushed out of the back of his hand. ¡°Such are the capabilities of Franklin¡¯s right-hand man? Even so, you think you¡¯re worthy of threatening my husband? Is my man someone whom a piece of trash like you can look down upon?¡± An icy voice sounded beside him, merely inches away from him. A shudder ran through the scarred man. The moment he lifted his eyes, he saw that the slender woman had appeared beside him at some point in time, her stunningly beautiful face magnified several times. Her ebony eyes were fixated on him eerily. Utter shock deluged the scarred man. When did shee over? It¡¯s only been a minute or two, but she¡¯s traversed a few meters to me. How can it be? This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. s, he hadn¡¯t any time to brood over it. The corners of Ashlyn¡¯s lips lifted, and she snickered. Reaching out, she effortlessly picked up the gun he had dropped onto the ground earlier and grasped it in her hand. She casually tossed it to Lucas before shooting out her left hand without warning and grabbing the scarred man¡¯s neck. She yanked him forward, then forcibly held him down on the ground before her in an awkward and unnatural posture. ¡°Ahh!¡± Her intense force had the scarred man let out a cry of pain uncontrobly. He felt as though she was going to snap his neck. Chapter 899 Chapter 899 ¡°You sure are brave. Threatening my husband and pointing a gun at me?¡± The corner of Ashlyn¡¯s lips curled upward into a smirk as her gaze remained icy. Ashlyn¡¯s chilling voice echoed in his ear. All of a sudden, a sharp pain shot from his neck, causing him to wail in agony. As he twisted in pain, he caught sight of Ashlyn¡¯s pretty face just inches away from his. Her clear eyes pierced into his soul, exposing every bit of his fear. W-What a scary woman. Not just her aura, but her fighting skills as well! In just a few seconds, before the scarred man could even register what was going on, he found himself being held captive by Ashlyn. This woman¡­ is terrifying! ¡°I-I¡¯m just working for Franklin! I¡¯m just a henchman, ackey! Please let me go¡­¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. The scarred man could not bear the pain coursing through his entire body. He squirmed and shrieked for help every few seconds. Whenever he lifted his eyes, he met Ashlyn¡¯s stone-cold gaze. Her beautiful ck eyes were as dark as the depths of hell, which made him shudder. ¡°Help! Help me!¡± he screamed in terror. When the other men saw what was going on, they quickly charged toward Ashlyn in an attempt to surround her. All traces of tenderness on Lucas¡¯ devilishly handsome face vanished as his gaze turned eerily hostile. ¡°It¡¯s my wife¡¯s right to love and protect me. How dare you lot try to cause her trouble?¡± As he spoke, his expression grew darker every second. Ashlyn had never failed to surprise him. Even though they were some distance apart, he could feel her wrath directed toward Franklin. Her wrath was so great that it was almost tangible. There was no doubt that she was burning with rage at Franklin¡¯s shameless attempts to constantly humiliate and bully Lucas. Lucas¡¯ gaze softened as he turned to look at Ashlyn. A sense of warmth flowed in his veins when he saw Ashlyn defending him. Just as he was dealing with the other men, a loud crack reverberated in the silence, catching everyone¡¯s attention. Ashlyn had broken the scarred man¡¯s neck! Terror filled the men¡¯s eyes as they exchanged nces. T-This is¡ª Bang! The sound of a gunshot jolted everyone back to their senses. They turned to look at Ashlyn, taken aback by how calm she was. Her face disyed zero hints of emotions. It was as though she was not the one who pulled the trigger. Following the gunshot, the man who was fighting with Lucas dropped heavily onto the ground, sshing mud everywhere. In the dark, Lucas suddenly sprang forward and grabbed one of the men by the neck. ring at him in displeasure, he tightened his grip around the man¡¯s neck and twisted it. With that, he detached the man¡¯s head from his trunk, leaving only one man standing. Thest man stared at the couple and trembled in fear as they approached him. ¡°Go back to whatever hole youe from and convey this message to Franklin: Fair warning. I, Lucas Nn, will always pay back whatever that¡¯s due, be it grace or revenge. Since you dare to touch my woman, don¡¯t me me when I turn against the Nn family despite all those years of upbringing!¡± The man paled in horror as he felt his knees turn to jelly. H-How terrifying! Absolutely horrifying! Has Lucas always been pretending to be weak in front of Franklin? What gave Franklin the false impression that Lucas was weak, so much so that he dared to provoke Lucas? How could he treat Lucas so horribly in the past, causing Lucas to be who he is today? Why¡­ Thoughts were racing inside the man¡¯s head. Doesn¡¯t Lucas have mania? Isn¡¯t he being locked up by Franklin? Why does it seem that he has be a different person all of a sudden? He¡¯s even rebelling! ¡°The only way to be victorious in every battle is to catch your enemy off guard.¡± Ashlyn turned to look at Lucas and lifted the corners of her lips. Bang! Blood gushed through the hole between the man¡¯s eyebrows as he copse into his own pool of blood. Lucas was stunned by what had just happened. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re really¡ª¡± He stopped himself as the corners of his lips curved upward into a slight smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been foolish.¡± For a moment, he was getting more and more impressed by Ashlyn. Damn! She¡¯s hot. Taking in the smile on Lucas¡¯ handsome face, Ashlyn disassembled the gun in her hand without hesitation and tossed the parts into the rushing waters over the cliff. ¡°Lucas, your parents are not normal people. There¡¯s no need for you to show them mercy.¡± Ashlyn raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re right, Honey. Lesson learned.¡± Lucas walked over to her. A touch of warmth filled his heart as he remembered how Ashlyn had protected him a moment ago. Chapter 900 Chapter 900 Lucas grabbed Ashlyn¡¯s hand in his. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s head back down.¡± Meanwhile, inside the tent on the hill, Joseph was lying drowsily on the hay, fading in and out of consciousness. It was already deep into the night. Opening his eyes blearily, he could only feel the extreme dryness on his lips and in his throat. He felt as though his lips would crack at any moment, and he felt as though someone was sanding his throat with sandpaper. ¡°W-Water¡­¡± he mumbled. Charlotte was lying beside him. When she heard his voice, she shot upright. Her ck eyes were filled with worry as she looked at him. ¡°Joseph, how are you feeling?¡± Straining her ears, Charlotte finally made out what Joseph was trying to say. Her expression changed as she hurried to her feet and poured Joseph a ss of water. Kneeling back at Joseph¡¯s side, Charlotte ced the ss by his lips. ¡°Here, Joseph. Drink up.¡± Joseph parted his lips and downed the entire ss in just a few gulps. Once he had drained thest drop, Charlotte withdrew her hand and ced the empty ss on the small table beside them. ¡°W-Water¡­¡± So, so thirsty¡­ Joseph opened his eyes groggily. His vision was out of focus as he stared at the lovely face moving beside him. His gaze fell onto Charlotte¡¯s soft lips. Can it quench my thirst? I think so¡­ His brain had no energy for any reasoning. He was acting purely on his survival instincts. Out of nowhere, he reached out his arm and grabbed Charlotte¡¯s thin arms with all of his might, causing thetter to let out a small yelp. The next thing she knew, she found herself being held tightly in his embrace. Joseph turned around and pinned her under him. Before she could even react, he had ced his lips on hers. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief. Mmm¡­ Her heart raced and pounded in her ribcage. All of a sudden, she became very aware of the soft touch of his lips and the warmth of his body. Blood rushed to her face as she tried to push Joseph away from her with her small hands. However, Joseph was like an immovable mountain. She could only squirm in his arms. Charlotte¡¯s cool skin seemed to lower the burning heat in Joseph¡¯s body. He sighed a breath of relief. This feels good¡­ He no longer feel as thirsty as he was a moment ago. Joseph continued to suck on her lips as though he was sucking a sweet fruit. A long time passed before Joseph returned to his dreams once again. His body fell next to Charlotte¡¯s side. Pushing him away from her, Charlotte sat up straight and covered her red, swollen lips. She was blushing so much that she could easily be mistaken for a tomato. Just as she was about to cover Joseph with a nket, she identally brushed his arm. Her complexion changed drastically. He¡¯s burning up! Even his breath seems to be releasing steam! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Joseph, you have a fever!¡± Charlotte got up to her feet in a hurry and dashed to the emergency medical center without a second thought. It was still pouring outside the tent. Ignoring the raindrops sshing against her, she kept running. When the doctor on shift at the emergency medical center heard what she said, he grabbed a thermometer and a first-aid kit before following Charlotte to the tent. After a few minutes, the doctor took out the thermometer from beneath Joseph¡¯s armpit and checked the temperature. ¡°High fever of thirty-nine degrees Celsius. He needs an injection.¡± ¡°How did he get a high fever?¡± Charlotte asked anxiously. ¡°He got hit in the head so harshly during daytime and had been in the rain for so long. I¡¯d be surprised if he didn¡¯t get a fever.¡± As he spoke, the doctor gave Joseph a shot. ¡°Monitor him at all times. If anything happens, call me immediately. It¡¯s best if you can get him to a hospital in the city tomorrow. There¡¯s no point in him staying here.¡± Charlotte thanked the doctor profusely and sent the doctor off before returning to the tent. Just as she was about to take a seat, the entrance of the tent was pulled open. In walked Sheryn wearing a raincoat. She was hugging a bowl of stew in her arms. When she took it out, steam from the warm stew filled the tent. ¡°Ms. Lynch, I just made this stew. It¡¯ste in the night, and I¡¯d like to feed some to Mr. Joseph. Is that all right?¡± Sheryn looked at Charlotte with pitiful eyes. Her fair and smooth skin entuated her adorable face. Charlotte merely tossed her a cool nce. ¡°Joseph just fell asleep. He¡¯s running a fever at the moment, so I doubt he has the time to eat the stew that you cooked. You should have the stew for yourself,¡± she said, turning Sheryn down politely. Chapter 901 Chapter 901 Because of the hard conditions in the disaster zone, it was a blessing to have a full belly. For Sheryn to even cook some stew in the middle of the night was, to Charlotte, a waste of resources and a despicable act. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Sheryn looked morosely at her with eyes tinged red. ¡°All right, then.¡± Her tone was filled with disappointment. With her head bowed, she prepared to leave. Suddenly, a violent coughing sound sounded behind her. Sheryn spun around and saw Joseph awakened by a coughing fit. Charlotte hurried over, helped him sit up, and patted his back. ¡°What happened, Joseph? Are you unwell?¡± ¡°My head hurts,¡± he croaked as he massaged his brow. His husky voice, apanied by the pattering of rain on the tent in the night, sounded rather charming. Sheryn¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard that. Her mind was again cast back to when the boulder came tumbling down. His lovely, soothing voice had sounded in her ear when he shielded her, which had made her feel so safe. Unable to stop herself, Sheryn walked up to Joseph and Charlotte. ¡°M-Mr. Field, I made you some stew. Thank you for saving my life. Have it while it¡¯s hot.¡± Joseph gazed up at the pretty girl before him. She looked to be around eighteen and was a beauty to behold, but he did not remember her. ¡°I saved your life? I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t remember,¡± Joseph said with a nd expression. ¡°Thank you for the gesture, but you can have it.¡± Charlotte smiled at those words, her cheeks flushing pink. She blushed even harder at the recollection of the passionate kiss they had shared when the man was asleep. The masculine scent that was uniquely his, in particr, wafted to her nose, causing her heart to race uncontrobly. Upon noticing Sheryn¡¯s increasingly tender gaze, she said with a smile, ¡°Joseph needs rest. You should go.¡± Gritting her teeth, Sheryn turned to depart aggrievedly. What is she smiling at? Mr. Field must not dare ept the stew I made for him because of her. Unaware of Sheryn¡¯s vehement thoughts, Charlotte courteously escorted her to the entrance of the tent. ¡°It¡¯ste. You should get some sleep.¡± ¡°You too,¡± Sheryn said, trying to suppress her resentment. Holding her bowl of stew, she walked away. She must not be happy about me being around my savior, so she said those disparaging things about me. Sheryn felt more aggrieved the more she thought about it. Trying hard to ignore the throbbing ache in her heart, she returned to her tent. The crowd in her tent and their mingled odor did not help matters. She grew even more frustrated. As she could not bear to throw her stew away, she finished it herself. Just as she swallowed herst spoonful, she heard the voices of several women. ¡°I heard that our town has suffered the most out of the entire city. Mr. Field ns to select several outstanding children to return to the city with him.¡± ¡°Life will be better in the city. There are good schools and houses there. I heard children in schools there eat better than the richest in our town.¡± ¡°If my child is selected, I will surrender myself to the Lord.¡± Sheryn was lying on her mat. An idea urred to her as she listened to the women¡¯s conversation. How nice would it be if I could live with him? I don¡¯t care who Charlotte is. She won¡¯t be as good as me by then. I heard that Charlotte isn¡¯t even a member of the Field family but only an adopted goddaughter. How dare she pretend to be an heiress when she¡¯s not? At the thought of Charlotte¡¯s fair skin, slender frame, and supple hands, Sheryn tossed and turned resentfully. Being the prettiest girl in the vige, she refused to believe herself inferior to Charlotte. I will put on makeup and dress better in the city, and I¡¯ll be a beauty then. Chapter 902 Chapter 902 She gazed at her hands, which had toiled on thend alongside her parents¡¯. They were coarse and sallow, and the sight of them made her temper re. How is Charlotte that fortunate to have been adopted by the Field family? Her anger and jealousy grew the more she thought about it. Amidst her resentment, she drifted off to sleep. At the first light of dawn, the rain, having poured unceasingly for the past couple of days, finally showed signs of stopping. As the downpour slowed to a drizzle, the pattering gave way to a steady, discordant drip. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Some of the early risers in the camp had already begun their morning drills when Ashlyn and Lucas returned. When they passed the stove, Lucas saw several familiar faces. Upon closer inspection, he frowned. ¡°Are those the chefs from the Imperial Hotel?¡± With a spat in his hand and masterfully flipping the vegetables in the pan, one of them called out in greeting, ¡°Good morning, Mr. Nn, Ms. Berry!¡± Ashlyn smiled. ¡°Go easy with the seasoning, Simon.¡± The chef roared with boisterousughter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Berry. I¡¯m a decent cook.¡± The others chefs joined in theughter. Lucas discovered more familiar faces as they ventured deeper. A few servers of the Imperial Hotel were engaged in a geological survey with the experts they had hired. ¡°Aren¡¯t they waiters? What are¡­¡± They even know how to use the instruments. Very adeptly too, it seems. The sight did not perturb Ashlyn. ¡°Oh, their thesis rtes to geology. Usually, they would fool around in the Imperial Hotel and head to work when it was time for them to get busy. They¡¯re at work now.¡± Lucas froze in his tracks and gazed at her in disbelief. ¡°Your staff has such hidden talents! Some are even experts in geology.¡± ¡°They¡¯re no experts. They merely dabble in geology,¡± Ashlyn replied, still in the same indifferent manner. They continued forward. Lucas saw several guards of the Imperial Hotel in a heated debate with several of the architects on the issue of post-disaster reconstruction. ¡°Our priority is to build buildings with steel frames. In the meantime, we¡¯ll put up some temporary shelters that won¡¯t take up space or copse from the wind but will also keep its upants warm.¡± One of the elderly professors adjusted his sses with a solemn expression. ¡°Indeed. Winston is right. We must first build such structures before nning the reconstruction. Reconstruction is crucial and requires vast manpower and resources, something impossible to aplish within a year.¡± ¡°It can be done if we all work together,¡± another young man piped up. Lucas blinked. ¡°The guard became an architect?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simply a matter of building a house, isn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s go. I¡¯m sleepy. I want to take a nap.¡± Ashlyn yawned. All the staff of the Imperial Hotel hade with her to the disaster zone. Fortunately for the myriad of specializations the staff seemed to possess, every one of them was of some use in the disaster zone. Some cooked, and others designed a sewerage system. Some were experts in architecture, and some in geology. Some of them dispensed medical attention, while others dispensed psychological ones. Many disaster victims had been traumatized by the ordeal and required guidance only a psychologist could provide. The servers and guards of the Imperial Hotel upied almost all the positions there. Those without the necessary expertise, on the other hand, went directly to the police officers for rescue missions and physicalbor. Not a single one of the hundred-odd staff of the Imperial Hotel was left without a task. Stretching himself out on his bed of hay, Lucas cast his mind back to the scene he had witnessed. Despite usually preferring to remain in the Imperial Hotel, the staff hase with Ashlyn. Why? Puzzled, he resigned himself to wondering how she always found ways to surprise him. What else is there that I¡¯m not aware of? He was not the only one. When James and Fae awoke and caught sight of the familiar faces they often saw in the Imperial Hotel, their mouths fell open in amazement. Chapter 903 Chapter 903 ¡°A-Aren¡¯t you the manager at Imperial Hotel? You¡¯re also a psychologist? Really?¡± Fae gaped at the manager in shock. The manager grinned abashedly. ¡°I am a nationally acimed psychologist, you know. I have a certificate.¡± Fae was dumbstruck. ¡°What a talented group Ashlynmands.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the captain of the guards? Did you design this sewerage system?¡± James studied the case files handed to him by the captain, which were better designed than what the experts he had engaged came up with. He was so surprised that he almost jumped to his feet. ¡°Yes,¡± the captain said calmly. ¡°Because of the altitude of this ce, the constant rain could trigger a landslide. We must divert a path for the water ahead of time.¡± ¡°Excellent work! Indeed, one should never judge a book by its cover. Would you like to work with the Water Conservancy Bureau?¡± James looked at him admiringly. ¡°I¡¯m happy with my job at the Imperial Hotel, and that¡¯s where I¡¯ll be if the nation needs me.¡± Without another word, the captain headed out. ¡°D-Did you say you¡¯re an expert in livestock cultivation and you¡¯re going to teach us how to raise livestock?¡± The vige elder gazed, awestruck, at the young man before him, who was none other than Howard¡¯s apprentice, Denny. Denny beamed. ¡°Indeed. I¡¯m the best at raising livestock.¡± Even the reporters reporting live from the disaster zone were stunned. Every second they spent there was broadcasted live. ¡°Hello! I am reporting live from the disaster zone in Lake City. In a shocking turn of events, we have uncovered that the Imperial Hotel has been concealing an array of talent in its employees, who are all an expert of some sort! Every staff we¡¯re so used to seeing is an expert in their field. Absolutely shocking. Come, let¡¯s interview this youngdy.¡± The reporter approached a young woman dressed like a schoolgirl and held the microphone before her. ¡°Hello, Miss. Could we ask you a few questions?¡± Cassandra turned around and jumped in shock when she saw the reporter giving her a toothy smile. She was cradling arge boulder, bringing it out of the way. In this manner, she piled the rubble to the side and cleared a level path. The reporter¡¯s lips twitched as he looked at the boulders. This rock must weigh a ton! How did she move it so effortlessly? She even paved a path through! What unnatural strength is this? That, coupled with her girly face, proved an odd sight indeed. Suppressing the shock he felt, the reporter looked at Cassandra, who was smiling brightly. She brushed the mud off her hands and smiled demurely. ¡°Sure. What would you like to ask?¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the CFO of Imperial Hotel, in charge of its financial department,¡± Cassandra answered with a disarming smile. ¡°Well done for being a chief at such a young age, Miss! Could you tell us how heavy that boulder is?¡± the reporter asked with interest. ¡°A hundred pounds, I think.¡± Cassandra cast the reporter a strange nce. What¡¯s there to tell about this rock? ¡°Wasn¡¯t it heavy? Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± the reporter asked, burning with curiosity as he cast her a tentative nce. Why is he asking unrted questions instead of about the disaster? ¡°Nothing much. It¡¯s just a big old rock, isn¡¯t it? I can even lift two at once,¡± Cassandra answered, suppressing her annoyance. As she spoke, she grabbed arge boulder in each hand, lifted them easily, and threw them out of the way under the full view of the crowd and the audience nationwide, opening up another path. The reporters, photographers, and viewers all over the country were struck dumb with amazement. Chapter 904 Chapter 904 What freakish strength this girl possesses! The reporter was feeling light-headed. ¡°H-How are you so strong?¡± Cassandra blinked. ¡°Because I eat a lot.¡± ¡°How do you have such arge appetite?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m strong!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The reporter felt as if he had encountered the worst scenario one in his profession could encounter¡ªa never-ending loop. Can we speak like normal people, please? He vented inwardly but did not dare say it out loud, afraid that the girl would hurl a boulder and crush him to death. He maintained his stiff smile. ¡°Well, aside from being a CFO, do you have any other hidden talents, Miss?¡± ¡°Hidden talents? Hmm¡­¡± Cassandra sank into deep thought. ¡°Does being the captain of Lake City¡¯s shooting team count?¡± The reporter trembled. His smile contorted into an awful grimace. ¡°Are you the legendary captain who led the Lake City shooting team to victory at the district, state, and national levels?¡± The girl is not only a strong woman, but she¡¯s also good at shooting. The reporter was afraid of uttering the wrong words and facing the wrath of the sweet-looking girl endowed with monstrous strength. Cassandra¡¯s smile remained so enchanting that nobody expected her to lift rocks with ease and dominate shooting tournaments. Observing the proceedings from not far away, Spencer, too, was awestruck. He had to grit his teeth to suppress the impulse of striding over and pinching her cheeks. Then, he heard her clear, feminine voice sounding once more. ¡°It¡¯s only first ce, which hardly compares to my boss. She was the one who taught me to shoot.¡± ¡°She taught me¡­¡± Those words reverberated like an audio effect from TikTok, repeating constantly in the reporter¡¯s ears. He could not control the manic pounding of his heart. ¡°Who is your boss?¡± His voice was fainter than ever. ¡°Ashlyn Berry! I thought the world has already known that she is the boss of the Imperial Hotel after the fire at our establishment. How are you still unaware? Call yourself a professional?¡± The scorn in Cassandra¡¯s gaze caused the reporter¡¯s heart to pound harder than ever. Her expression is endearing, and herrge, unblinking eyes are too cute. Also, her skirt and her bright- yellow rubber boots are especially so. She looks adorable every which way I look. The contrast, however, is disconcertingly huge. I cannot afford to affront her. ¡°My apologies,¡± the reporter said hastily. ¡°My mind is a little muddled. My point is, your talents are impressive.¡± He was hardly aware of how he wrapped the interview up, as the only thing he remembered was feeling dizzy and having palpitations. This girl is formidable. Too formidable! When the interview was broadcasted, Cassandra, the freakishly strong, sweet-looking girl, became famous nationwide. The clips of her interview and moving rocks out of the way were trending on Twitter and TikTok. ¡°How are you so strong?¡± ¡°Because I eat a lot!¡± ¡°How do you have such arge appetite?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m strong!¡± The clip spread all over the inte like wildfire, with the likes and shares it had garnered frighteningly high. One wrote: What an adorable girl! Another concurred: She has the charm of a schoolgirl. A third gushed: She¡¯s strong, and a champion gunwoman. A fourth praised: Bravo! A fifth remarked: Did you see the captain¡¯s video? I didn¡¯t know she would lend a hand in the disaster zone! I want to go too! A sixth added: Such a sweet-looking and tiny girl is there helping out. I want to go too. Not only did the members of the shooting team head to the disaster zone, but many other volunteers from all over the country also flocked over. Chapter 905 Chapter 905 Some volunteered with the primary purpose of meeting Cassandra, many of whom were her fans. Unbeknownst to her, she had be an influencer whose name was the talk of the town. She was not the only one. Imperial Hotel¡¯s fame also soared as a result. ¡°Talented Staff of Imperial Hotel¡± became the number one search term. One wrote: The owners of the hotel are decent. I like how they mobilized all their staff and how kind and loving everyone is for working to rebuild the disaster zone. What sort of degenerate would sabotage the Imperial Hotel? Another remarked: I can¡¯t for the life of me fathom how the staff who usually serve us are actually the pirs of our nation. A third agreed: That¡¯s right. All of them are outstanding! I want to marry one of the boys. Please love me back! A fourth announced: I¡¯m a nurse, and I¡¯m heading at once to the disaster zone. I¡¯ve fallen in love with the captain of the guards of the Imperial Hotel. Give me strength, friends, to confess my feelings. A fifth wondered: Do you think I can date Cassandra? The employees of the Imperial Hotel had rushed there to provide relief and rebuilding aid when disaster struck. They even used their influence to rally the entire nation and amass many volunteers. Many expressed the same sentiments when interviewed. ¡°The selflessness and love of the employees of the Imperial Hotel have encouraged me to be here and contribute what I can.¡± ¡°I will learn from the good people of the Imperial Hotel and also Ashlyn and Mr. Nn. They are my role models.¡± ¡°Though I was originally here to court the girls employed at the Imperial Hotel, I found that I could not leave since I came. I want to help transform this pile of rubble into a beautifulmunity. I want to help the kids here go back to school. I want to stay here and teach.¡± The employees of the Imperial Hotel were not prepared for the effect it caused, which had be a nationwide movement. Keen not to be outdone, Lucas¡¯ The Peacock, South Star Airlines, and Nn Group continued to send volunteers to the disaster zone. Seven in ten helicopters and nes flying in the sky carrying supplies were volunteer aircraft of South Star Airlines. When Liam of North Wind Airlines, South Star Airlines¡¯ biggestpetitor, saw the attention Lucas was receiving, he leaped up from his seat, gathered all of his captains and flight attendants, and headed straight for the disaster zone. However, his flight attendants, used to delicate tasks, were unsuited for the rough work. They could not bepared to the flight attendants of South Star Airlines. Under Lucas¡¯ leadership, they had been attending regr physical training beyond their duties. Even moving bricks in the disaster zone were not beneath them. After a quick change out of their stewardess uniforms and into their training ones, they looked like heroic volunteers. ¡°North Wind Airlines? I don¡¯t know them well. But with Mr. and Mrs. Nn here taking charge of the rebuilding, a little manualbor on our part is nothing. I am Nancy, once the purser to Captain Nn. I have worked with him for several years now. Mrs. Nn once flew with us too, and she has no airs about her. I am happy to contribute what I can alongside them. It is my honor.¡± Nancy smiled in the professional manner of a flight attendant at the camera. Despite being d in her dark blue training uniform instead of something more refined, she still looked beautiful. Suddenly, the inte dered her the most beautiful flight attendant. The earthquake had shaken every citizen in the country. With a collective effort, they began to make progress in the right direction, one step at a time. N?velDrama.Org owns this. At that moment, Ashlyn and Lucas were so tired that they were still sound asleep on their bed of hay. Stirring from the morning ray of sunlight pouring into the tent, Ashlyn opened her eyes slowly. She massaged her aching arms and was about to get up when a vast palm wrapped around her waist and held her down. ¡°Sleep a little longer, Honey.¡± Chapter 906 Chapter 906 Lucas¡¯ deep, masculine voice caused Ashlyn to blush. In the past, the Spirogyra in her body would have definitely been triggered. However, she realized the Spirogyra had not acted up ever since she was saved by Lucas¡¯ blood. It had been a long time since she hadst felt the Spirogyra moving in her body. It was oddly calm. Then again, she barely had time to think about the Spirogyra with all the things she had to go through. It was only when she thought about it did she realize the Spirogyra had not been acting up for a long time. ¡°Honey¡­¡± When Lucas did not hear a reply from her, he slowly opened his eyes and saw her sitting there in a daze. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Ashlyn quickly snapped out of it and nced at the sunlight outside the windows. ¡°The rain stopped. The sun is out.¡± ¡°There¡¯ll always be a rainbow after the storm.¡± Lucas sat up, feeling much better after some rest. In the next second, before she could do anything, Ashlyn felt her world spin. Lucas had pinned her under him. mes of lust danced in his eyes. Ashlyn blushed again. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ It¡¯s not soundproof here, and we¡¯re not at home¡­¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± A malicious smile formed on Lucas¡¯ lips. ¡°Are you saying we can do it when we get home?¡± Ashlyn¡¯s face reddened even more. ¡°Get up! Hurry! Everyone¡¯s busy working out there. What will they think of us hiding here in the tent?¡± Lucas could not help but chuckle when he saw how shy she was, which was a rare sight. His broad chest vibrated as heughed. It meant he was happy. He loved her contrasting personalities. When she was around others, she was a powerful woman. And when she was with him, she was a cute woman. Just as Lucas nted his lips on Ashlyn¡¯s forehead, Spencer¡¯s voice could be heard outside. ¡°Are you awake, Mr. Nn?¡± Lucas¡¯ expression froze, and he responded in frustration, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring your breakfast in, then.¡± With that, Spencer stepped in. Breakfast in the disaster area was extremely simple. Itprised oatmeal porridge, some finger food, and two buns. After putting down the tes of food, Spencer left. Ashlyn quickly washed up and sat before the simple table. Rays of light from the morning sun shone through the window andnded on her. Her delicate features, sparkling eyes, and red lips made her look like a delicate and mesmerizing flower. When Lucas finished washing his face, he walked over with an affectionate gaze in his eyes. He sat opposite Ashlyn and took a bite out of a piece of bun. ¡°Looks like disaster areas only have in tasting food.¡± Ashlyn felt her heart skip a beat, and a hint of anger appeared in her eyes. She blinked and arched a brow. ¡°I¡¯m here to help, not to enjoy myself.¡± With a smile, Lucas ruffled her hair. ¡°Good girl. I¡¯ll bring you out for a good meal when we¡¯re back in Lake City.¡± For some reason, Ashlyn felt as if he was coaxing a child. She picked up a piece of fries and ced it on Lucas¡¯ te. ¡°This is not bad.¡± Although the chefs of the Imperial Hotel made in-tasting food that tasted like home, it still tasted good. The change in the environment did not affect the quality of the food. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. However, Lucas did not like to eat fries. He simply stared at the golden-brown fries that glistened in the sunlight. It did not make him salivate. Seeing he was not eating the fries, Ashlyn raised a brow and picked up another piece. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± Lucas looked up and ate the fries. He narrowed his eyes. The taste was different from what he had expected. It¡¯s not bad. Ashlyn curled her lips. ¡°Tastes good, right?¡± The cooking skills of the chef from the Imperial Hotel were no joke. Chapter 907 Chapter 907 Lucas nodded. There was an indescribable expectation in his eyes. He looked like a cat that was waiting to be fed. It made Ashlyn think of the ck cat she reared in the past. It would waitzily for her to feed it. Ashlyn picked up another piece of fries. ¡°Have another one, then.¡± Suddenly, Lucas grabbed her hand. She arched a brow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Sit here.¡± Lucas¡¯ voice was extremely seductive. Ashlyn cast him a nce and realized he was referring to his thighs. It made her feel uneasy. ¡°Stop messing around.¡± Having already expected her answer, Lucas tugged at her and ced the squirming woman on his thighs. He then wrapped an arm around her waist to fix her in position. In the next second, he leaned forward and took the piece of fries from her fork. He then swiftly grabbed her chin. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes went wide with shock as she felt the piece of fries in her mouth. The aroma of the fries and Lucas¡¯ breath invaded her nostrils. The sensation made her lift her head instinctively. It was only after a long time had passed that he finally let her go. Lucas gazed deeply at the blushing woman in his embrace and brushed his slender fingers over her lips. ¡°Was it good?¡± His alluring voice sounded beside her ears, making her neck and ears turn red instantly. Ashlyn narrowed her eyes and red at him. ¡°It¡¯s still early in the morning. Stop messing around,¡± she said awkwardly. Lucas locked his arm around her slender waist and raised a brow. ¡°This is called romance.¡± Ashlyn quickly leaped off his thighs. Her icy yet charming expression and her red lips made her look like a flower that bloomed in the morning, which made Lucas want to devour her so badly. He gulped and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Don¡¯t run away.¡± Ashlyn tapped his forehead, chiding, ¡°Wake up. This is a disaster area.¡± Just then, Fae¡¯s voice sounded outside. ¡°Lucas? Ashlyn?¡± ¡°Come in,¡± Ashlyn responded immediately before returning to the stool. When Ashlyn heard the sound of the zip of the tent being pulled downward, she looked over and saw Fae walk in. Thetter was wearing a ck cotton jacket and a pair of ck pants. ¡°It¡¯s cold here. I brought a little furnace for you two,¡± said Fae as she ced the little furnace in the tent. Only then did she nce at Ashlyn and Lucas with a look of concern. ¡°I heard you two came back at four o¡¯clock in the morning. Why aren¡¯t you getting more sleep when you came back sote?¡± ¡°We¡¯re young. Energy is all we have.¡± Ashlyn shed her a smile, which quickly turned into a look of surprise. ¡°Why did youe? It¡¯s dangerous here.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Fae sighed. ¡°How can I not when you¡¯re all here? Even Lottie¡¯s here. I get restless when I¡¯m alone at home, so I might as well do some chores here to help out a little.¡± Hearing that, Ashlyn continued eating. ¡°James must be exhausted. Have you eaten?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve got to run to the emergency medical center. Lottie¡¯s been carrying the sick on stretchers for the past few days. She¡¯s exhausted.¡± Fae was relieved to find the couple was fine. With that, she stepped out of the tent. Meanwhile, at the emergency medical center, Charlotte and several women from the vige were lifting a patient out of a truck. The patient was a chubby one, and she was not strong enough. Thankfully, she had enough manpower. Even so, she was still panting after carrying the patient to the emergency medical center. Sheryn¡¯s eyes glinted coldly when she saw Charlotte working hard. Continue working hard here. I¡¯ll go to Mr. Field. After putting down her textbook, Sheryn slipped out of the emergency medical center and headed toward Joseph¡¯s tent. Joseph was feeling restless. He had just finished breakfast and was about to head out to see if he could help with anything. Chapter 908 Chapter 908 Joseph was greeted by Sheryn standing outside when he lifted the p of the tent. His expression turned grim. ¡°Is there anything I can help you with?¡± Sheryn stared at him pitifully with wide eyes. ¡°Mr. Field, I know I¡¯m just a girl from the vige, but¡­ I don¡¯t think Ms. Lynch should¡¯ve bullied me like that.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Joseph raised his eyebrows as he stared at her. ¡°How did Lottie bully you?¡± ¡°She said¡­ I¡¯m a country bumpkin and not suited toe and take care of you, Mr. Field. She asked me to keep my distance from you.¡± As she said that, Sheryn held up her hands and rubbed her eyes, looking as though she was upset. Stubbornly but proudly, she added, ¡°Mr. Field, I¡¯m here to apologize to you. I¡¯ll leave right away.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Joseph remained expressionless. Secretly thrilled when she saw that Joseph did not scold her, Sheryn continued to nder Charlotte. ¡°I was helping in the medical bay with her. My arms were sore and tired from lifting patients. She thought I was bad at lifting patients and said that I wasn¡¯t doing it properly and was causing everyone trouble.¡± The more Sheryn talked, the more aggrieved she sounded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Field¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have told you all these¡­¡± ¡°Then shut up.¡± Joseph could not bear to continue listening to her, and a glint of annoyance shed across his eyes. Suddenly, his head started to hurt, and he held a hand to his forehead. Sheryn¡¯s voice sounded like a mosquito buzzing in his ears. It annoyed him like crazy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Field?¡± Sheryn noticed the change in Joseph¡¯s expression, so she stepped forward and looked up at him. This man is so handsome and has such a great family background. He¡¯s also graceful and elegant. He¡¯s so much more different from the other men I¡¯ve met in the vige. Joseph felt dizzy. He blinked multiple times before he widened his eyes and stared at the woman before him. ¡°Lottie¡­¡± Then, he fell forward toward Sheryn. Delighted when she saw that, she quickly caught him in her embrace. ¡°Mr. Field¡­¡± Just then, Charlotte walked out of the medical bay. Looking up, she saw Joseph in Sheryn¡¯s arms. Her face paled as she stumbled backward, but she tripped on a rock and fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Joseph quickly turned to see what was going on. He saw Charlotte on the ground and immediately turned back to look at Sheryn, who was staring at him with an affectionate gaze. His mind was abuzz with chaos. What¡¯s going on? Why am I hugging this stranger? He quickly pushed Sheryn away and hurried toward Charlotte. Charlotte bit her lip and looked up at the tall and handsome man with shock and panic written in her eyes. ¡°Y-You guys carry on¡­¡± Joseph grabbed her arm and helped her up from the ground. ¡°Lottie, it¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°Joseph¡­ It¡¯s time for you to start dating. You don¡¯t need to exin anything to me,¡± Charlotte said, pretending to be rxed. She then stood up and walked away with red, teary eyes. However, she walked so fast with her head lowered that she did not even notice the path in front of her. She tripped and twisted her ankle before falling into a mud puddle. Damn it! Why is the floor bullying me too? She banged her fists on the ground. ¡°What are you angry about?¡± Joseph¡¯s maic and deep voice rang from above her head. She looked up and saw that Joseph was looking down at her. Has he been following me this whole time? She got angrier when she thought of that. ¡°Go and apany your little girlfriend. Don¡¯t mind me.¡± Joseph had been worried about her, but he could not help but chuckle when he heard her throwing a tantrum. ¡°Lottie, are you jealous?¡± Charlotte red at him with wide eyes. This sc*mbag. He kissed me in his sleep.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Chapter 909 Chapter 909 Look at him now. Not only did he ignore that fact, but he was hugging Sheryn. Now he¡¯s in front of me, smiling and looking so handsome. Ugh! I¡¯m so angry! I¡­ I¡¯m not jealous. I don¡¯t even like him! I like¡­ Suddenly, she realized it had been a while since she had thought of L. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Uncle L¡­ For a moment, Charlotte was in a daze. She used to think that she had a secret crush on L. However, Kate had crushed that fantasy of hers. After that, a perfect and talented woman like Olivia appeared, and Charlotte finally woke up from her dream. What about now? Why do I feel anxious and annoyed when I saw Sheryn hugging Joseph? I feel sad and bitter about it too. I¡­ What¡¯s wrong with me? Her heart began racing, and she did not dare to look into Joseph¡¯s eyes. It was undeniable that he was handsome and had a good family background. Fae and James also treated her well. What if¡­ they find out that there¡¯s something going on between me and Joseph? Will they be like Mrs. Fraser and kick me out? Mum is so good to me. I can¡¯t let her down. Charlotte said stubbornly, ¡°You think too much. You¡¯re just a brother to me.¡± As for the kiss we shared when he was asleep, I¡¯ll just treat it as an ident. However, when she thought of how Joseph would be with other women in the future, and she would only be an onlooker at the side, she felt her heart ache that she wanted to cry. She held back the sadness in her heart and started to walk away. However, she had barely taken two steps when she felt a stinging pain in her ankle. She held onto a tree by the side of the road and looked at her foot. At that moment, Joseph suddenly squatted in front of her. ¡°Hold tight onto the tree.¡± As soon as he said that, he lifted her right leg and swiftly took off her rain boot. He stared at the swollen ankle and said, ¡°You sprained it. It¡¯s probably injured, but I¡¯m unsure if you broke any bones. We better hurry to the medical bay.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Charlotte yelped as she felt herself being lifted off the ground. She subconsciously wrapped her arms around Joseph¡¯s neck. Her cheeks reddened in embarrassment as shey in Joseph¡¯s embrace. I can¡¯t believe he picked me up and carried me bridal-style. How embarrassing¡­ Joseph carried her and quickly made his way to the medical bay. What he and Charlotte did not know was that Sheryn was standing somewhere not far from them, staring at them fixedly. Damn it! That Charlotte is such a b*tch. How dare she seduce Joseph. Sheryn was about to explode in anger when she watched Joseph console Charlotte. Right then, she had an idea and went to the kitchen. It was known as the kitchen, but it was just a space where they ced a few pots and pans. They also kept the firewood that they usually burned there. Fae would be there to help and prepare vegetables for cooking if she were free. Usually, a few other women would also help the cooks to wash vegetables and burn firewood. After all, there were many people there. Not only were there armed police officers and soldiers who hade to the disaster area as support, but Ashlyn and the others also needed to eat. Therefore, many people would help out in the kitchen. Most of them were middle-aged women. There were barely any young adults, so Sheryn¡¯s appearance immediately attracted the attention of many people. She picked up a basket of vegetables and started cutting them. A woman said, ¡°Sheryn, you should hurry and go study. There¡¯s no need for you to cut the vegetables. Your studies are more important.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was tired from studying, so I thought of helping out.¡± Sheryn shed the woman a shy smile. ¡°How kind of this girl,¡± Fae said. She took a basket of vegetables and made her way over while ncing at Sheryn. She wanted to have a daughter, but it was a pity that she had given birth to a son instead. ¡°Mrs. Field, please don¡¯tpliment me. I would be embarrassed,¡± Sheryn said with a smile as her cheeks turned red. Fae could not help but chuckle. Chapter 910 Chapter 910 ¡°How are your studies?¡± Fae asked. The woman from before replied, ¡°Sheryn is the smartest girl in our vige. She alwayses first in exams! If it weren¡¯t for the disaster, she would¡¯ve gotten into a good university in Lake City.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She¡¯s the hope of our vige.¡± Another woman sighed. ¡°I wonder if this disaster will affect her studies. Sheryn, how¡¯s your mom? I heard she¡¯s still unconscious.¡± Sheryn was delighted to hear thepliments from those women. However, she was taken aback when someone asked her about her mother, but she quickly returned to her senses. I have been worried about Joseph for the past two days. Where would I even have the time to take care of my mom? In a reserved manner, she said, ¡°My mom wasn¡¯t in good health before this. After being buried in the ground for a long time, she was extremely hypoxic, and her hypertension returned. The doctor said that things aren¡¯t looking too good for her.¡± Her eyes reddened as she said that. She looked as though she was really worried about her mother. To the others, Sheryn was a filial, obedient, and studious child. Fae felt her heart ache as she listened to Sheryn and felt sympathetic toward her. ¡°Sweetheart, the city justunched a program to support poor students. Why don¡¯t you sign up for it? When the timees, you can attend university in Lake City and even get subsidies from the government.¡± Sheryn¡¯s eyes brightened, and her face was filled with excitement. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the mayor¡¯s wife. Do you think she¡¯ll lie to you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Sheryn. Hurry and go sign up for it.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°Mrs. Field has spoken. Aren¡¯t you going to hurry and follow her?¡± Sheryn had been waiting for this moment for a long time. She held back her soaring emotions as she said, ¡°Sorry to trouble you, Mrs. Field¡­¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no trouble at all. I like to help children like you,¡± Fae said as she cleaned her hands and stood up. ¡°Come on.¡± They had not gone too far when a young man hurried toward them. ¡°Mrs. Field, something terrible happened. Ms. Lottie sprained her ankle.¡± ¡°What did you say, Winston?¡± Fae¡¯s expression changed. ¡°I¡¯ll head over right now.¡± She nced at Sheryn and said, ¡°Sorry, I need to go and see my daughter. She¡¯s injured.¡± She then turned to the young man. ¡°Winston, take her to James and tell him she wants to register for the Student Assistance Program.¡± ¡°Yes, Mrs. Field.¡± Winston was James¡¯ messenger, who did misceneous things. Sheryn gritted her teeth in anger. Isn¡¯t it just a sprained foot? Why is Mrs. Field so anxious about it? Damn it. Charlotte is my damn stumbling block. Mrs. Field, you old hag. I¡¯m your future daughter-inw. Wait and see how I¡¯ll torture you in the future when I marry your son. Sheryn stared at Fae¡¯s retreating figure as evil thoughts formed in her mind. Winston scrutinized Sheryn and frowned. Why do I feel this girl is not as innocent as she seems? At the emergency medical center, Charlotte looked as pale as a ghost. Her face was contorted in pain and difort. Ashlyn held onto Charlotte¡¯s ankle and shot Joseph a look. Joseph was momentarily taken aback. Thereafter, he said to Charlotte, ¡°Lottie, my head hurts. Ouch!¡± Charlotte was shocked. She stopped thinking about her pain as she looked at Joseph anxiously. ¡°Joseph, why is your head suddenly hurting again?¡± Just as she was waiting anxiously for a response from Joseph, a crack could be heard. It was the sound of bones being realigned together. She could only feel a stabbing pain in her ankle. ¡°Ahh!¡± Ashlyn let go of her ankle and took the gauze and ointment from the nurse. She nced at Charlotte and said, ¡°Your foot was dislocated, but I¡¯ve realigned the bones together. I¡¯ve also rubbed some ointment on your ankle. Remember to rub it once in the morning and once more at night for the next few days, okay?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Charlotte said softly. She then turned to look at Joseph. ¡°Ashlyn, please give Joseph a checkup too. His head hurts.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even take care of yourself. Why are you still worried about him?¡± Ashlyn asked and raised her eyebrows. A teasing smile slowly made its way to her lips. ¡°He¡¯s an adult and a man at that. He should endure the pain. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Chapter 911 Chapter 911 ¡°But¡­¡± Charlotte was about to argue when she saw Fae walking up to her in a hurry. The older woman assessed Charlotte anxiously and asked, ¡°Lottie, are you all right?¡± A surge of warmth seized Charlotte. Touched by Fae¡¯s concern for her, she answered reassuringly, ¡°It¡¯s just a sprain, that¡¯s all. Nothing to worry about.¡± When Ashlyn was done applying ointment on Charlotte¡¯s ankle, she stood up and said to Joseph, ¡°Sit down and let me have a look at your head.¡± Joseph did as he was told. After that, Ashlyn cupped the sides of his head and began examining it. She had dabbled in medicine before and knew how to examine a person for injuries. There was no medical equipment there that allowed her to look into any injuries to Joseph¡¯s skull. Still, she moved her fingers carefully along his scalp and pressed down on certain points, checking to see if there were any odd bumps or indentations that should not be there. Following that, she checked his pulse. ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you return to Lake City, Mr. Joseph,¡± she concluded grimly when she was done examining him. ¡°I¡¯m worried that there might be ruptured blood vessels or blood clots resulting from blunt trauma.¡± ¡°Go back to Lake City, Joe,¡± Fae urged as she looked at Joseph fretfully. ¡°Lottie can go with you. Your father and I will stay here and help out with disaster relief. Besides, I¡¯m sure Lucas and the others can hold down the fort while you¡¯re gone. Don¡¯t go straining yourself; I can¡¯t afford to lose my only son.¡± Joseph stared at Fae for a moment, his reluctance clearly written on his face. He knew Ashlyn was exceptional in medicine, and as far as he was concerned, her word held more authority than any other doctor¡¯s. He had no reason to be skeptical of her now. He took a deep breath. If he were to leave for Lake City now, he would not be able to contribute to his country or be by his parents¡¯ side while they volunteered in this disaster zone. The thought of this filled him with insurmountable guilt. He did not want to leave this ce at all. ¡°The head is part of the central nervous system, you know. There¡¯s no telling what might happen to you if any part of your skull or brain is damaged. Go back to Lake City for Fae¡¯s sake, if not your own.¡± Ashlyn gave him a cursory nce, then said, ¡°Luigi can go back with you.¡± Just like that, she made the decision on Joseph¡¯s behalf. Fae gave her a grateful look before turning to Joseph. ¡°Joe, I won¡¯t be there with you, but Lottie can take care of you while you¡¯re in the hospital.¡± Disappointment flickered in Charlotte¡¯s eyes, but she managed a faint smile as she said, ¡°Joseph took care of me before, and now, it¡¯s only right for me to do the same for him. I hope you wouldn¡¯t mind having me around, Joseph.¡± She had a feeling that he wanted Sheryn to go back with him more than anything else. Why did they have to put me up for the task when he probably thinks I¡¯m a bother? She tried to keep her disgruntlement hidden and did not dare meet Joseph¡¯s eyes, afraid that she would see the contempt he had for her in them. ¡°She¡¯s better off going back to Lake City with me than staying here in this disaster zone. There¡¯s nothing for you to worry about if I have her with me, Mom.¡± Just then, Joseph¡¯s crisp voice cut above Charlotte¡¯s thoughts and struck her in a way she imagined a thunderbolt would. She looked up at him in a daze, and at once, his smoldering gaze bore into her. Did I hear him right? He actually wants me to go back with him! But, what about Sheryn? ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t you¡­¡± Charlotte fumbled over her words, but before she could collect her thoughts, Joseph cut her off with a sharp, ¡°Don¡¯t read too much into things. Sometimes, whatever you perceive isn¡¯t necessarily the truth.¡± There was a time when he had suddenly lost grip of his thoughts and mistaken Sheryn for Charlotte. It seemed as if his mind was gradually giving up on him, and that was one of the reasons why he ultimately agreed to return to Lake City, albeit reluctantly. He hated to consider what would happen to him if his mind continued to deteriorate as a result of dyed treatment. However, he was terrified that the incident today would repeat itself. It was afternoon when Charlotte and Joseph left the disaster zone. There were other critically-injured volunteers who were headed for the Lake City hospital as well. Having seen Joseph and Charlotte off, Fae busied herself with volunteer work at the vige. It was then that she realized how fast time had passed. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Evening was upon them in the blink of an eye. Without anyone noticing, the sky began to darken, and a light snowfall apanied the biting breeze. At that moment, Fae halted in her tracks. Chapter 912 Chapter 912 It was still autumn back in Lake City, but winter appeared to have arrived early here in the mountains. This had to be the first snow of the year. Fae could not resist reaching out to catch the falling snowkes. Now that the days were getting colder, she wondered how the disaster victims were going to brace through the harsh winter. At the thought of this, she hurried over to James¡¯ tent, where he had set up a makeshift office. ¡°Ow!¡± Just then, a young girl¡¯s cry of pain pierced the air. Shocked, Fae looked in the direction where the cry came from and saw Sheryn, who had apparently tripped. On her back was a basket filled with yellowed leaves that looked like wild herbs. At the sight of this, Fae hurried over to help the girl get on her feet. ¡°Are you all right? Did you get hurt?¡± Sheryn regained her footing with Fae¡¯s help and quickly checked the basket she had slung over her back. When she was sure that none of the herbs had spilled out during her fall, she looked somewhat relieved. This made Fae even more curious. ¡°What do you have there in your basket?¡± Sheryn¡¯s smile was demure as she exined, ¡°These are all the herbs I picked from the mountains. They supposedly have medicinal properties, and I thought the emergency medical center might have some use for them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very sweet of you,¡± Fae praised, obviously moved by Sheryn¡¯s efforts. What a considerate and lovely girl! I can¡¯t believe she went into the mountains just to pick these herbs. How noble of her! ¡°You ought to be more careful when you go into the mountains to forage for herbs, especially during this freezing weather,¡± Fae reminded earnestly before leaving in a hurry. Sheryn stared at Fae¡¯s retreating figure in astonishment. Shouldn¡¯t she have offered to escort me to the emergency medical center? Maybe evenpliment me a little more and then be totally impressed by my kindness? Why did she just leave like that? She had deliberately positioned herself here when she caught Fae standing on the street earlier, hoping that Fae would eventually notice her. Yet, Fae was so distracted with her own thoughts that she was not considerate of Sheryn at all. It was out of desperation that Sheryn decided to stage a fall to get Fae¡¯s attention, and now, she was coated in mud. Ugh, this is disgusting! She sulked all the way to the emergency medical center and set the basket of herbs down somewhere. One of the nurses pointed out, ¡°These herbs are all wilted! We won¡¯t be able to get much use out of them; their medicinal properties are as good as gone.¡± Sheryn rolled her eyes and brushed past the nurse without uttering a reply. After all, it wasn¡¯t as if she had meant to pick those herbs, anyway. She only used them as a subterfuge in her attempt to impress Fae. ¡°We¡¯re short on manpower now that Mr. Joseph and Ms. Charlotte have left. I kind of miss the girl, to be honest,¡± one of the vigers, a woman, piped up suddenly. ¡°I feel you. Ms. Charlotte might be a youngdy from the city, but she¡¯s humble and hardworking, not to mention a real tough cookie!¡± another woman from the vige chimed in agreement. Sheryn froze when she heard this. Excuse me? Mr. Joseph left? How could he just leave without notice? Darn it! How am I supposed to make my move on him and get him to fall in love with me if he¡¯s not here? She was so angry that her breath started toe up short. She wanted nothing more than to punch something right now. The woman who had been praising Charlotte earlier spotted Sheryn at that moment and called out, ¡°Oh, Sheryn! Would you mind helping me move this patient elsewhere?¡± Sheryn rolled her eyes in exasperation and snapped irritably in reply, ¡°I¡¯m busy right now!¡± She was fuming, and she certainly did not have time to waste on helping this woman. The woman gaped at the younger girl incredulously. ¡°I was only asking you to lend a hand. Is that too much to ask?¡± Her words fell upon deaf ears, for Sheryn had already stormed out of the tent. Presently, Sheryn¡¯s fists were clenched, and she was trembling with rage. N?velDrama.Org owns this. She could not believe Joseph had left without telling her! It was inexcusable! She was angry for what seemed like a long time. Then, she gritted her teeth in agitation. She had already signed up for the Student Assistance Program, and as far as she was concerned, her deadweight mother should do everyone a favor by disappearing from the face of the earth. At the thought of this, she wondered if she would have been adopted by the Field family, too, if she were an orphan. If that were to happen, then Charlotte¡¯s wonderful life could be hers, too. She would wear fancy clothes, use top-of-the-range makeup, and enjoy the privileges of being the mayor¡¯s daughter. She wanted to kick Charlotte out of the picture altogether and take her ce! What does that little wench have that I don¡¯t? I¡¯m prettier than her, so why does she deserve a better life than me? Her mind was made up. One day, she would have the entire Field family wrapped around her pinky! Sheryn was getting an adrenaline rush just from thinking about this. It was as if her newfound resolve was consuming her whole. I¡¯m going to study real hard and work for my sess! Then, I¡¯ll leave this vige and nevere back! Chapter 913 Chapter 913 The snow was light at first, as if someone had scattered white grains on the ground. It didn¡¯t take long for the snow to be heavier and thicker, fluttering everywhere like goose feathers. A vast expanse of white soon enveloped the world, and trees with fallen leaves were covered by pure white snow. Snowkes fell one after another as the wind blew. Cassandra, Ashlyn, and the rest were braving the snowstorm while they patrolled the disaster site, checking to see if any victims were still left behind. At that time, it had been five days since the earthquake urred. Within those five days and nights, if there were anyone still buried beneath the ruins, the chances of them surviving would be slim. Moreover, the heavy snow presented new challenges to the rescue team. It would greatly reduce the sensitivity of those detectors and equipment if the muddy roads froze again early tomorrow morning. ¡°It¡¯s so cold!¡± Cassandra wore a red and white checkered coat, which made her look like a fairy walking through the pure, white snow. After rubbing her hands together, Cassandra blew on them to warm them. In order to get herself warmed up, she even stomped her feet. Her feet were swollen, red, and numb from the cold despite wearing rain boots. Cassandra looked at Ashlyn, who was walking ahead of her. The girl maintained her upright posture as she walked, seemingly unaffected by the heavy snow. Despite her rain boots being soaking wet, she was like a lifeless statue that only knew how to search and rescue victims. ¡°You¡¯re really awesome, Boss!¡± A puff of water vapor escaped Luigi¡¯s mouth as soon as he spoke. The weather was indeed very cold. ¡°All right, cut the bull. Let¡¯s hurry up and finish our task so we can go back to our rooms and rest. If it really freezes over tomorrow, it won¡¯t be easy to get people out of the ruins. It¡¯s better to locate and rescue as many people now as possible.¡± Cassandra began digging with a shovel as she spoke. The detector beeped again, indicating that there was someone trapped underground. Afterpleting their task at night, Ashlyn didn¡¯t expect to see an old acquaintance at the disaster site when they returned. A woman in a ck army uniform and boots, with a leather belt around her waist and a military hat in her hand, was patiently waiting in Ashlyn¡¯s tent for her. ¡°You are¡­¡± Ashlyn froze for a moment, frowning slightly. In front of her was a gorgeous woman with a dashing look in her eyes. Her skin was tanned and healthy, and Ashlyn had a feeling she knew the woman. ¡°Ms. Berry!¡± As the woman lifted her leg and stomped on the ground, she raised her hand to give Ashlyn a smart and perfect army salute. ¡°I am J Smith, captain of Thirteenth Air Force of H Nation Army Air Forces!¡± The woman¡¯s voice was loud and bright, and she had a determined look in her eyes, exuding a powerful aura that no ordinary girl possessed. Ashlyn burst intoughter as soon as the woman made her introduction. She then patted the woman¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Wow, since when did our meek and delicate Ms. J Smith be an air force captain?¡± Nodding her head, Ashlyn added, ¡°I¡¯m really impressed.¡± She had a hint of joy in her eyes. ¡°Stopughing at me, Ms. Berry.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this. Even so, J couldn¡¯t help butugh as well, finally easing herself up quite a bit. ¡°Since the National Day parade, I decided to join the army. Every day, I¡¯d sit in the barracks with nothing to do. I felt like I was basically wasting my life away.¡± She then looked at Ashlyn with admiration and continued, ¡°Because of you, I¡¯ve decided to join the air force!¡± ¡°Me? I can¡¯t help you. Only you can help yourself. It is you who can make your life more meaningful.¡± Ashlyn spoke as she sat on a small stool beside her. ¡°Sit down.¡± She then poured a ss of water for J. ¡°We have limited conditions and facilities in the disaster site. Have a ss of water.¡± Looking at Ashlyn¡¯s charming face, J felt that Ashlyn was always calm and poised wherever and whenever she was. J once assumed she was about to catch up to Ashlyn, but somehow thetter would always be able to make her realize that they would never be equal. In fact, the distance between them was way greater than she had imagined. I need to work harder than ever. Chapter 914 Chapter 914 ¡°I¡¯ve brought some supplies here on behalf of the air force. I-I¡¯d like to be a pilot, Ms. Berry. However, my grandpa and the family are not in favor of my dream. They say I already fight and use weapons. Do I really need to learn how to fly a ne? But I believe I am capable of doing that¡­¡± J hesitated briefly before continuing, ¡°Currently, there is an opportunity to be dispatched to study in the Maredania Air Force, and I¡¯m willing to fight for it.¡± ¡°Well, you should just go for it! It¡¯s not hard to fly a ne. As long as you are keen on learning it well, I¡¯m sure you can seed.¡± Holding the ss of water, Ashlyn warmed her cold hands, then lowered her head to drink it. ¡°Really?¡± J¡¯s eyes lit up. It was as if her mood was lifted immediately. ¡°You aren¡¯t against my dream?¡± Ashlyn nced at her nonchntly as she spoke in a bright tone. ¡°It¡¯s not that there aren¡¯t any female pilots. We just don¡¯t have a lot of them. However, it¡¯s probably more difficult to fly a fighter jet in the air force than amercial airne.¡± Her words boosted J¡¯s confidence very much. Ashlyn watched J leave as the former sent her off while feeling emotional. The delicate girl in the past is now a part of the army. That¡¯s a pretty stark contrast, isn¡¯t it? Meanwhile, Ryan had already joined the Maredania Air Force and begun his military training without Ashlyn¡¯s knowledge. Furthermore, he was on the air force team that was waiting for the first batch of exchange soldiers from H Nation. At the Chapman residence in Lake City, the weather was cold recently, indicating early winter had arrived. Leaves were falling from trees, and the courtyard had a bleak atmosphere. Bob¡¯s health seemed to be deteriorating, and he no longer seemed as energetic as he once was. The weather that day was quite nice as the sun was out. The warm rays of the early winter sun soothed everyone and brought a feeling offort. As Bob sat by the corridor, staring at the deste courtyard, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . ¡°I need you to bring me the tin box from my room, Alfred.¡± The butler, Alfred, threw the broom aside and went inside the house. After a while, he then returned with a tin box and handed it to Bob. ¡°Mr. Chapman, this tin box holds great value to you. What made you decide to take it out now?¡± ¡°What¡¯s inside the box¡­¡± Cough! Cough! Bob let out a few loud coughs before continuing slowly, ¡°The box contains Alice¡¯s toys that she yed with when she was a child. She was a smart little girl and loved to y with ring puzzles. No one else could solve those puzzles except her.¡± As Bob opened the tin box, he seemed to be reminiscing about the past. There was a ring puzzle in the box and some other toys suited for those with a higher level of intelligence. ¡°Look, these are all the toys that she loved ying with. Why did I¡­ even think about bringing her back here in the first ce?¡± Bob¡¯s gaze became distant. ¡°She would still be alive and well if I hadn¡¯t brought her home¡­¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say that, Mr. Chapman. I believe that bringing Ms. Alice to the Chapman family was a blessing and destiny for all of us!¡± Alfred nced around to make sure there were no other people nearby before he continued, ¡°Would the Chapman family be prosperous and influential if it weren¡¯t for the business knowledge left behind by Ms. Alice? Moreover, she even wrote a lot of music scores for you, which helped you be an acimed pianist. You are surely aware of these even if no one else knows about them, right?¡± Bob¡¯s eyes reddened as tears welled up in them. ¡°The Chapman family should be held ountable for this, but I should also be responsible for what happened¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote to say so. Ms. Alice will surely forgive you. From now on, you should treat Ms. Ashlyn better. After all, she¡¯s the only family Ms. Alice has in this world.¡± With that, Alfred let out a sigh. In the past, Alice had always respected him, despite the fact that he was only a butler in the Chapman residence. Therefore, Alfred felt the other children in the Chapman family were iparable to Alice. ¡°I heard that Ashlyn is now working at the disaster site. Although the Chapman family has been on the decline for some time, and we are notparable to what we used to be, we should still donate two million worth of supplies.¡± Chapter 915 Chapter 915 Bob was about to store the box away when he noticed a small, squarish piece of jade tucked in the corner of the box. He reached for the red jade and held it up between his thumb and index finger to examine it in detail. Engraved on one side of the jade was a young girl¡¯s beaming face, and on the other was a leaf. He recalled seeing Alice wearing this piece of jade around her neck when he first brought her back to the Chapman residence. It was easy to tell at first nce that the jade was worth a fortune. The pale green of the leaf and the brilliant red of the jade formed a unique and breathtaking contrast. After Alice hade of age, Bob had her stop wearing the jade, worried that it might be the key to her real family discovering her identity and whereabouts. Looking back, Bob realized that he had been stupid and selfish. Guilt and regret instantly filled him. Still holding the jade, Bob was in such a daze that he did not notice the person standing in an obscure corner of the area. It was Hera, and she was staring curiously at the piece of red jade in Bob¡¯s hand. Is there something wrong with that jade? Why does Grandpa keep staring at it? She remembered how much Bob treasured that box where he found the jade; he had strictly forbidden anyone from touching it. As it turned out, the box was used to store all the things Alice had left behind. That meant the piece of jade was most likely Alice¡¯s. That night, Hera sneaked into Bob¡¯s room without him noticing and swiped the red jade out of the box. Then, she dashed back to her bedroom and beckoned for Sisley. ¡°Mom, take a look at this jade. Do you see anything special about it?¡± Sisley gave the jade an uninterested look and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Alice¡¯s jade?¡± ¡°Then¡­ Do Dad and his siblings have simr jades? Or is this something only Alice had?¡± Hera could not keep her curiosity at bay. ¡°Grandpa seems to really cherish this jade piece, for some reason.¡± Sisley took the jade and inspected it over and over. ¡°An engraving so intricate can only be done by hand. No machine, however advanced, can replicate such results,¡± she deduced. ¡°Also, this leaf design on the back of the jade is irksomely familiar. I feel like I¡¯ve seen it somewhere before, but I just can¡¯t quite put my finger on it.¡± Hera pointed out without thinking, ¡°The leaf design? Do you think it¡¯s a family crest or something? Maybe you¡¯ve seen it on the scion of a wealthy family before.¡± Sisley¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Now that you mention it, I believe I did see the same leaf design during a banquet sometime ago, though I don¡¯t remember the details.¡± She had only just finished speaking when she heard Hera mumble dubiously, ¡°Could it be that¡­ Alice belonged to another family?¡± ¡°Put this red jade back where you found it before your grandpa realizes it¡¯s missing,¡± Sisley urged, taking a picture of the red jade in the meantime. ¡°You know how particr he is about that box.¡± ¡°Rx, Mom. I¡¯ll put it back,¡± Hera reassured blithely. Seemingly recalling something, Sisley said, ¡°By the way, with everyone being so into that disaster relief program right now, there will be an auction the day after tomorrow and the proceeds will go to the victims of the disaster. I want you to attend the auction with me so that we¡¯ll look like we¡¯re contributing to a good cause.¡± Hera reminded her mother wryly, ¡°I don¡¯t exactly have anything else to donate to the auction, Mom. I don¡¯t have much jewelry to begin with, and Grandpa¡¯s cut off my allowance. Also, everyone in the fashion industry has eschewed me for good. I don¡¯t even have a proper dress in my wardrobe¡­¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be so melodramatic. I¡¯m sure your grandpa would pay out of his own pocket to revive the Chapman family¡¯s reputation, just you wait and see.¡± Sisley prodded her daughter¡¯s forehead and said emphatically, ¡°Remember to put that red jade back.¡± ¡°I will.¡± That was a lie. Hera could not bring herself to put this jade back into the box. She was sure that no harm coulde from her borrowing it for a while. It wasn¡¯t as if she would lose it. I¡¯ll put it back when I grow tired of it. Meanwhile, Ashlyn received a phone call inviting her to attend the charity auction that aimed to raise funds for disaster relief. Seeing as she was already volunteering, she nned on turning down the invitation, but something prompted her to reconsider. The charity auction was a formal event backed by high-level executives of H Nation. These executives probably wanted to use her online tform to turn this auction into arge- scale event in hopes of raising more funds for charity. At the thought of this, Ashlyn relented and talked to Lucas about making a trip back to Lake City. Coincidentally, it was only a week ago when a certain world-ss luxury brand released the catalogue for theirtest evening gown collection. Chapter 916 Chapter 916 It seemed par for the course, then, that the privilege of being the first to wear thetest collection fell on Ashlyn. The vice president of the luxury fashion brand personally contacted Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, it would be our greatest honor if you would wear one of our pieces to an event as grand as the charity auction. Furthermore, we promise that we will auction the dress you wear for the evening, and all proceeds will go to the disaster relief.¡± Ashlyn did not expect a high-end fashion brand like Alethea, which exclusively catered to A-list celebrities, to reach out to her personally. In a bid to persuade her to take up the offer, the vice president of the brand went on to say, ¡°We will be coborating with Lille Magazine, the leading fashion magazine in H Nation, on next month¡¯s issue. On that note, we would love to have you on the cover. Do you think you¡¯ll be up for it?¡± The man¡¯s enthusiasm caught Ashlyn off guard, and she replied hesitantly, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m suited for the job, seeing as I¡¯m not a model or a celebrity¡­¡± Countless celebrities and supermodels would kill to be on the cover of a leading fashion magazine. She could not believe that an opportunity as precious as this one would fall on her, and she could not help but be skeptical about it. ¡°You¡¯ve been a pacesetter in the recent disaster relief efforts. If anything, you and Mr. Nn have set an example for the nation as a whole. We would extend the same invitation to him as well if it weren¡¯t so difficult to get ahold of him. You see, we initially nned on having a power couple like you on the cover¡­¡± Ashlyn found herself picturing Lucas¡¯ grim, albeit handsome face during a photoshoot. The thought of it amused her so much that she could not help smiling. She looked so dazzling in that instant that everything else around her seemed to fade away. ¡°Hmm¡­ Maybe it¡¯s best if you let go of that idea,¡± she suggested. She knew what this coboration with Alethea would mean. Following the phone conversation, the magazine cover shoot was scheduled for the day before the charity auction. Ashlyn arrived on the set of the cover shoot at eight o¡¯clock in the morning. The location of the cover shoot was a renowned forest park in Lake City. Now that it was the beginning of winter, the park looked forlorn, especially with fallen leaves strewn all over the ce. There was a man-madeke in the forest park as well. For what it was worth, at least the water looked crystal-clear, and every so often, a few ducks waded into theke and frolicked there. Surrounding theke were resorts and recreational facilities, but given the freezing weather, there were hardly any tourists around. Theck of a crowd made it seem like the forest park was cut off from the rest of the world. Presently, the employees from the magazine had set up a makeshift styling booth with whatever props they had on hand. To one side, Cassandra was incredulous when she saw the first outfit that had been picked out for Ashlyn. She hurried up to one of the magazine employees and asked, ¡°Ms. Hinton, you¡¯re not seriously expecting Ashlyn to wear so little on a cold day like this, right? She¡¯ll freeze to death!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Jensen, but the theme for today¡¯s cover shoot is ¡®Altruism¡¯, which means Ms. Berry will not only be expected to wear those clothes, but also to pose and move more naturally, like walk around theke or dip her toes into the water. It¡¯s so we can fully capture the meaning behind our theme and offer a more candid perspective to our readers.¡± The person in charge of the cover shoot for the magazine was none other than Sharon, Ashlyn¡¯s former rival from LX Corporation. It was only with Mary¡¯s help that Sharon was able to return to work as a designer for LX Corporation, but those days were short-lived. Sharon had been counting on Mary¡¯s help to be the chief designer in LX Corporation back then, but to her surprise, Mary had iced her outpletely. Consequentially, Sharon had no choice but to leave LX Corporation once more and ended up joining Lille Magazine as part of the editorial board. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Not long after that, she was promoted to managing editor due to her sharp sense of fashion and experience as a former fashion designer. By chance, she was put in charge of this cover shoot. However, she had no idea that Ashlyn was the mysterious designer from LX Corporation two years ago. Now that she had seen Ashlyn in person, she could not help but think that Ashlyn had a figure simr to that designer. More importantly, Ashlyn had nearly the same mannerisms as that designer as well! It was a shame that the mysterious designer always wore a mask, so Sharon never did get a proper look at her face. Ashlyn and the designer might be two different people for all Sharon cared, but they were simr enough for Sharon to take her anger out on the former. Chapter 917 Chapter 917 Previously, there was no scene involving getting into the water. Nheless, Sharon wanted to see Ashlyn shivering in the cold water during early winter. That scene would surely be captivating. ¡°Ms. Hinton, isn¡¯t this a bit too much? It¡¯s freezing outside. She might catch a cold if she goes into the water,¡± Cassandra tried to dissuade Sharon. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°I wonder if Ashlyn is truly willing to participate in the shoot. This shoot is for charity, and she¡¯s being held up as a national role model. She¡¯s done so many good deeds, but she can¡¯t do this one thing?¡± Sharon raised an eyebrow as she stared at Cassandra. ¡°Or are you saying everything about her is just a carefully crafted image? And all her so-called good deeds and contributions are just empty talk? You can cancel the shoot if you think she can¡¯t do it. We can find someone else. However, when the time comes, I guess the public opinion on Twitter will be¡­¡± ¡°You!¡± Cassandra red at Sharon, infuriated by the woman before her. Grinding her teeth, she finally uttered menacingly, ¡°Sharon, if I find out you¡¯re deliberately targeting my boss, I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t survive in this industry!¡± Hearing Cassandra¡¯s warning, Sharon scowled a little but quickly maintained herposure. ¡°Ms. Jensen, please watch your mouth. Do you know how to show some basic respect? If you want to continue the shoot, then we¡¯ll start now. Otherwise, leave. I won¡¯t stop you!¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll shoot.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s cold voice came from behind them. ¡°Boss¡­¡± Cassandra quickly walked up to Ashlyn. Ashlyn merely patted her hand and stared at Sharon with an icy gaze. The world is truly small. I can even run into acquaintances in such a ce. Sharon, the former designer of LX Corporation, had always been disdainful of Ashlyn. Ashlyn did not expect to meet Sharon again during a magazine shoot. ¡°I¡¯m not a professional model, and I agreed to this cover shoot because your magazine invited me,¡± Ashlyn said, enduring the bone-chilling wind with a cold smile. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Your boss was the one who invited me. You can report it to your boss if you don¡¯t want me to be on the shoot. There¡¯s no need for you to force yourself to do something you don¡¯t want to and force me to withdraw on my own ord. When I do withdraw, you will spread rumors online, saying I¡¯m difficult to work with or acting like a diva, right? Sharon, you have not changed after all these years.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s icy eyes stared at Sharon. Her aura was even colder than the freezing wind. ¡°If you can¡¯t cooperate with me, I¡¯ll have to ask your boss to send another editor to work with me.¡± Sharon¡¯s previously arrogant demeanor was instantly shattered when she saw Ashlyn¡¯s expression. ¡°Ms. Berry¡­¡± Ashlyn ignored her, knowing all too well what she was thinking. She is just trying to ruin my reputation and sabotage my coborations. I will not be fooled so easily. Ashlyn turned to the stunned photographer standing nearby. ¡°My makeup and costume are done. Let¡¯s begin.¡± It was as if she had taken control of the situation, treating it like her own turf. She was like the queen giving orders. The photographer finally snapped out of it and quickly said, ¡°Ms. Berry, you can start by striking some poses freely, and I¡¯ll see if I can capture some good shots.¡± Right then, Ashlyn¡¯s phone suddenly rang. She nced at the screen and realized it was Lucas. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Why bother arguing with her if you don¡¯t want to do the shoot?¡± The man¡¯s maic voice came through the phone. Ashlyn paused. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°How could I note to witness your first cover shoot in person?¡± Lucas¡¯ voice was indulgent, but his words were merciless and cold. ¡°It¡¯s okay. After you finish the shoot, I¡¯ll buy the magazine publishing company, and you can deal with them however you want. By then, they can only listen to you.¡± Chapter 918 Chapter 918 Ashlyn could sense a hint of anger in Lucas¡¯ tone. Lucas was always cold, but his emotions would change drastically if the matters concerned her. Ashlyn hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Shooting this cover was actually a task arranged by the higher-ups. It¡¯s an opportunity and a coincidence. I¡¯m fine with the public opinion being against me if I don¡¯t do it. But at the end of the day, I genuinely want to spread that kindness.¡± After hanging up the phone, Cassandra asked, ¡°Boss, what should we do now?¡± A gust of icy wind blew past, chilling Ashlyn to the bone. Ashlyn shivered, her face stiff from the cold. But still she walked toward the nearbyke. She walked naturally and casually as if she was strolling in her backyard. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Even as the freezing wind whipped around her, she seemed unaffected. She reached the edge of theke and stepped in, instantly causing ripples to form in the water. The north wind howled, blowing fallen leaves around her. She was like a fairy in the woods, leisurely walking despite the bone-chilling cold. Sharon stood not far away, holding a thermos cup with a mocking expression on her face. In the end, aren¡¯t you still continuing the shoot obediently? You can only learn the hard way. Standing in the icy water, Ashlyn alternated between dipping her feet in the water, walking, and lifting her skirt to jump around. A hint of determination shed in her bright eyes. Meanwhile, the photographer continuously clicked the shutter. Lucas stood on the opposite side of theke, watching the woman who insisted on entering the water in such cold weather. Which magazine requires such a shoot? Is it because my beloved isn¡¯t part of the entertainment industry, yet she managed to snatch such a great opportunity that they are deliberately bullying her? He strode quickly toward Ashlyn. Within minutes, he reached her, scooping up the shivering, purple-faced woman in his arms. ¡°The shoot ends here!¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re Mr. Nn, you can¡¯t do whatever you want here.¡± Sharon rushed over and saw Lucas holding Ashlyn tightly in his arms. She was furious when she saw that scene. Why do all the good men in the world belong to other women? ¡°We signed a contract. If you don¡¯t do the shoot, it¡¯s a breach of contract. What gives you the right not to shoot? You¡¯re just an inte celebrity who¡¯s done a few good deeds, and it¡¯s all because Mr. Nn is protecting you¡­¡± p! Before Sharon could finish speaking, a pnded harshly on her face. Ashlyn broke free from Lucas¡¯ embrace and walked up to Sharon with her chin slightly raised. She still looked like a haughty queen. ¡°Who¡¯s protecting me is none of your business. Take a good look. This is your ugly face.¡± Ashlyn took the phone from Cassandra and held up all the footage that Cassandra had recorded earlier in front of Sharon. ¡°If you can¡¯t survive in LX Corporation, do you think you can continue to stand in the fashion industry? You will definitely leave Lille Magazine the way you left LX Corporation back then.¡± ¡°You! Ashlyn! You¡¯re going too far! Do you think you can bully a small editor like me just because the Nn Group is wealthy?¡± Sharon yelled furiously, not expecting Ashlyn to be so tough. ¡°Me? Bullying you? Let¡¯s post this on Twitter and let everyone decide who¡¯s the real bully here. What do you say?¡± ¡°Ashlyn, are you out of your mind? Do you want me to post your ugly photos? I don¡¯t believe you look good in every single one! We¡¯ll see what you can do then!¡± Sharon covered her burning cheek, furious like a mad stray dog. She was infuriated to the point of insanity, almost losing her rationality. She snatched the camera from the photographer¡¯s hands, her fingers frantically pressing buttons. She was stunned when she saw the photos. Every photo captured was incredibly ethereal and beautiful. Ashlyn, who was already stunning, had an impable face that shone brightly in the cold winter wind, exuding a mesmerizing charm like a winter elf. Chapter 919 Chapter 919 She was wearing a V-neck dress. The red hem rippled as she swayed. She was stunning. In fact, she looked prettier than many actresses in their retouched photos. How¡¯s this possible? Sharon continued to browse through the gallery and found no ugly photos. None of the photos needed retouching and could be used as a cover photo straightaway. No professional model could ace a photo shooting session like Ashlyn. How¡¯s this possible? She¡¯s merely an influencer who has received credit for her contribution to the disaster zone. How is she able to showcase herself in such professional versatility? Sharon continued to swipe through the gallery. ¡°Stop going through the photos! How am I going to submit the work to the chief editor if you identally delete them?¡± The photographer saw Sharon¡¯s crazed look and snatched the camera over. ¡°How is this possible¡­ How is this possible?¡± Sharon was trembling all over. Why is this woman so beautiful? The more Sharon looked at Ashlyn¡¯s photos, the more she felt thetter looked like the mysterious designer of LX Corporation. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Ashlyn had the same curvaceous figure and the same melodious voice as the mysterious designer. She also had Lucas guarding zealously by her side. A terrifying idea suddenly appeared in her mind. She pointed at Ashlyn and shouted, ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re the mysterious Ms. X. You¡¯re her, aren¡¯t you?¡± Hatred welled up in Sharon¡¯s heart. If it weren¡¯t for Ms. X, she wouldn¡¯t have had to go to Mary for help and get cast aside after she had been used. In the end, she had been dismissed by LX Corporation. After losing her job, she had no choice but to work in the fashion magazine industry. Not only did LX Corporation fire her, but they also banned her from the design industry. She must be really down on her luck to meet her foe again after she had climbed her way to the position of managing editor of the leading fashion magazine. This damned Ms. X! Right then, all the grievances Sharon had suffered fleeted through her mind. She red at Ashlyn, wishing she could shred her to pieces. Ashlyn stared at Sharon expressionlessly. Her gaze was icy cold as she spoke. ¡°Does it matter if I¡¯m Ms. X?¡± ¡°I lost my job as a designer because of you. How dare you show up in front of me again?¡± Sharon¡¯s every word simmered with vehement hatred as she continued to look daggers at Ashlyn. ¡°What does your losing your job have to do with me? If you hadn¡¯t done those despicable things, you wouldn¡¯t have lost your job.¡± Ashlyn felt Sharon¡¯s logic farcical. She massaged her temples, feeling a headacheing. She regretted agreeing to do a photo shoot for the charity cover. ¡°Losers will never reflect on themselves. They will always me others for their debacle.¡± Lucas¡¯ deep voice sounded particrly cold on this winter day. Everyone looked at him in shock. The man was tall and handsome, his presence imposing. However, every word he said sent chills down everyone¡¯s spine. Sharon¡¯s eyes glinted with arrogance as she said, ¡°It¡¯s clear that you guys bullied me. Yet, you managed to twist it around so nicely. Mr. Nn, you do have a silver tongue.¡± She shook the phone in her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve recorded a video of how you guys bullied me just now.¡± Perhaps she had been working for the magazine long enough, Sharon was very good at recording videos. From the angle of her recording, Ashlyn seemed to be pointing while hurling abuses at her. ¡°Do you want to ruin your reputation, Ms. X or should I say, Mrs. Nn?¡± Sharon said with a smug smile. I¡¯m a genius. ¡°What would theizen think if they saw you two, the mighty CEO and his wife, bullying a petty editor like me?¡± ¡°So¡­ you think you have the material to ruin my reputation?¡± Ashlyn thought Sharon was naive. Right then, Cassandra, who had been by her side all this while, rushed over to Sharon. Before Sharon could react, the phone in her hand was gone. Chapter 920 Chapter 920 Thud! Cassandra had tossed Sharon¡¯s phone into theke. The phone hit the water with a small ssh before going under. Sharon was stunned. When she finally snapped back to reality, she shouted exasperatedly, ¡°H-How could you do this?¡± ¡°Truly, some people never realize their mistakes until it¡¯s toote.¡± Cassandra looked at her with a sneer. ¡°Boss, Mr. Nn and I could easily snuff your life out. Who do you think you are to go against us?¡± Sharon¡¯s initial arrogance and hatred gradually turned to a trace of panic spreading fiercely in her heart when she heard Cassandra¡¯s words. Even though she was a managing editor, she was still a nobody in the eyes of someone like Lucas. The man could easily ruin her life. She retreated instinctively while pleading for mercy, ¡°Mr. Nn¡­ Mr. Nn, please listen to me. I lost my head just now. I¡­¡± Lucas ignored her. He released his arm that was holding Ashlyn and asked, ¡°Are you still feeling cold?¡± Ashlyn shook her head. ¡°I feel much warmer now.¡± Lucas stared at Ashlyn¡¯s pretty face. A trace of sympathy shed across his eyes as he suggested, ¡°Stop shooting if it¡¯s too cold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a charity cover. I want to finish it.¡± Ashlyn broke into a small smile. ¡°The cold is not that bad.¡± Lucas nodded and squeezed Ashlyn¡¯s hand affectionately. ¡°All right, then.¡± Then, his domineering gaze fell on Sharon. ¡°Ms. Hinton, since you¡¯re so talented and fashionable, why don¡¯t you do the photoshoot yourself? Let us see your fashion sense.¡± Sharon¡¯s face turned ashen. She turned to Lucas in disbelief. ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not a model. I don¡¯t know how to do it.¡± At that moment, Lucas looked aloof and noble. He looked at Sharon, carrying an air of a superior person. ¡°Ms. Hinton, don¡¯t you like shooting outdoors the most? Since you¡¯re so good and knowledgeable about it, how could you say you don¡¯t know how to do it?¡± Everyone¡¯s expression changed when they heard that. None of them dared to say anything, let alone speak up for Sharon. It was apparent that Lucas was avenging Ashlyn. The whole crew had the same thought. Sharon had picked the wrong target that was way out of her league. ¡°No¡­ Mr. Nn¡­¡± Sharon said in quavering voice. ¡°My wife was standing in cold water in summer wear. It¡¯s all right if you don¡¯t want to dress so thinly. I¡¯m fine if you just soak in the water for two hours.¡± Lucas¡¯ voice was boiling with rage. For the sake of charity, Ashlyn had had to endure the freezing water in such cold weather. There were barely any clothes to keep her warm. All because of this woman in front of him. ¡°N-No¡­ I will do it¡­¡± Sharon was on the verge of tears. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Although rumors said that Lucas had bipr disorder and was neurotic, he was still the president of Southern Star Airlines and Nn Group. If she dared to object to him and refuse his demand publicly, she would face an ending worse than death. Everyone at the scene gaped in shock as the high and mighty managing editor started to strip off her clothes. Underneath her fur coat was a ck dress. She took off her coat and stood tremblingly in her flimsy dress. ¡°S-Start shooting¡­¡± she said to the dazed photographer while shivering in the cold. The photographer hurriedly grabbed the camera and started taking the photos. After a few shots, Sharon jumped up and rushed to her coat. Cassandra walked over and stopped her. ¡°Boss has been shooting for half an hour. You only have done it for a few minutes. Why the rush?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ve done it.¡± Sharon¡¯s eyes were red. ¡°I-It¡¯s too cold.¡± Chapter 921 Chapter 921 ¡°Your dress has long sleeves while my wife¡¯s clothing doesn¡¯t, yet you¡¯re the one feeling cold?¡± Lucas smirked. ¡°She even took photos in theke earlier. I bet you¡¯ll look better if you do, too.¡± ¡°Your dress hes long sleeves while my wife¡¯s clothing doesn¡¯t, yet you¡¯re the one feeling cold?¡± Luces smirked. ¡°She even took photos in the leke eerlier. I bet you¡¯ll look better if you do, too.¡± ¡°No¡­ Let me go! Pleese!¡± Teers streemed down Sheron¡¯s cheeks. ¡°I won¡¯t do it egein.¡± She then turned to Ashlyn with e pleeding look. ¡°We used to be designers working together in LX Corporetion. Seeing thet we¡¯re former colleegues, let me go, pleese. I won¡¯t dere to resent you enymore.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t dere to, not thet you cen¡¯t. Does this meen you¡¯ll still resent me once this is over?¡± Ashlyn fleshed e mocking smile. ¡°I¡¯ve elreedy forgotten ebout you, Sheron. Yet, you just heve to reeppeer in my life egein. In thet cese, don¡¯t bleme my husbend for hitting you.¡± Luces embreced Ashlyn end suggested, ¡°How ebout¡­ we teke photos of you end your workers pleying in the weter, Ms. Hinton?¡± ¡°The weether is freezing right now¡­¡± Sheron elmost pessed out. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Still, under Luces¡¯ pressure, the steff members epproeched the leke. ¡°Heve fun!¡± Cessendre pushed Sheron into the weter. Sheron fell into the leke with e splesh. The steff members hurriedly pulled her up. ¡°Your dress has long sleeves while my wife¡¯s clothing doesn¡¯t, yet you¡¯re the one feeling cold?¡± Lucas smirked. ¡°She even took photos in theke earlier. I bet you¡¯ll look better if you do, too.¡± ¡°Your drass has long avas wh my wifa¡¯s clothing doasn¡¯t, yat you¡¯ra tha ona faaling cold?¡± Lucas smirkad. ¡°Sha avan took photos in thaka aarliar. I bat you¡¯ll look battar if you do, too.¡± ¡°No¡­ Lat ma go! asa!¡± Taars straamad down Sharon¡¯s chaaks. ¡°I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Sha than turnad to Ashlyn with a ading look. ¡°Wa usad to ba dasignars working togathar in LX Corporation. Saaing that wa¡¯ra formar coaguas,t ma go, asa. I won¡¯t dara to rasant you anymora.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t dara to, not that you can¡¯t. Doas this maan you¡¯ll still rasant ma onca this is ovar?¡± Ashlyn shad a mocking sm. ¡°I¡¯va alraady forgottan about you, Sharon. Yat, you just hava to raappaar in my lifa again. In that casa, don¡¯t ma my husband for hitting you.¡± Lucas ambracad Ashlyn and suggastad, ¡°How about¡­ wa taka photos of you and your workars ying in tha watar, Ms. Hinton?¡± ¡°Tha waathar is fraazing right now¡­¡± Sharon almost passad out. Still, undar Lucas¡¯ prassura, tha staff mambars approachad thaka. ¡°Hava fun!¡± Cassandra pushad Sharon into tha watar. Sharon fall into thaka with a ssh. Tha staff mambars hurriadly pud har up. Despite thet, she still identelly drenk e few mouthfuls of leke weter. As she wes coughing violently, the colleegues she hed brought with her sterted spleshing the frigid leke weter et her before she could reect. ¡°Greet work, everyone.¡± Luces nodded with setisfection. Anyone who deres to upset my women, be it in the pest or present, deserves to be punished! Sheron wes rendered dizzy end wet by ell the spleshing. Her lips were purple es she shrieked tremblingly, ¡°N-No! Pleese stop¡­ Pleese, let me go!¡± She stood in the leke in e wretched stete. It wes difficult to tell if the droplets on her fece were leke weter or teers. All she wented et thet moment wes to be free. ¡°I cen let you go, sure, but I¡¯m werning you no one is ellowed to bully my wife. Do you reelly think you cen turn the tide?¡± seid Luces coldly es he stered et the crowd. ¡°This will be the end of the metter. Also, I don¡¯t went to heer eny scething rumors ebout my wife beceuse of this. You ell should know whet to do.¡± He sounded incredibly threetening es he swept his domineering geze pest the crowd once more. Then he left with Ashlyn in his erms. Despite that, she still identally drank a few mouthfuls ofke water. Daspita that, sha still idantally drank a faw mouthfuls ofka watar. As sha was coughing vintly, tha coaguas sha had brought with har startad sshing tha frigidka watar at har bafora sha could raact. ¡°Graat work, avaryona.¡± Lucas noddad with satisfaction. Anyona who daras to upsat my woman, ba it in tha past or prasant, dasarvas to ba punishad! Sharon was randarad dizzy and wat by all tha sshing. Har lips wara pur as sha shriakad tramblingly, ¡°N-No! asa stop¡­ asa,t ma go!¡± Sha stood in thaka in a wratchad stata. It was difficult to tall if tha drots on har faca waraka watar or taars. All sha wantad at that momant was to ba fraa. ¡°I cant you go, sura, but I¡¯m warning you no ona is allowad to bully my wifa. Do you raally think you can turn tha tida?¡± said Lucas coldly as ha starad at tha crowd. ¡°This will ba tha and of tha mattar. Also, I don¡¯t want to haar any scathing rumors about my wifa bacausa of this. You all should know what to do.¡± Ha soundad incradibly thraataning as ha swapt his dominaaring gaza past tha crowd onca mora. Than haft with Ashlyn in his arms. Cassandra and Spencer quickly followed them. Cessendre end Spencer quickly followed them. ¡°How ere you feeling, Ms. Hinton? Are you okey?¡± Sheron¡¯s essistent epproeched Sheron. ¡°Get out of my fece!¡± Furiously, Sheron shoved her essistent eside end welked towerd thepeny vehicle. She felt es though she hed fellen into en icy ceve. Due to her drenched clothing, she wes still shuddering from the cold even though her body wes wrepped in e werm blenket. I feel so emberressed right now! All these people here ere my subordes end colleegues, end they witnessed thet humilieting scene! How will they treet me, their superior, in the future? As rege consumed her heert, Sheron gezed et the gown thet Alethee hed prepered for Ashlyn to meke its debut. Eerlier, she hed esked Ashlyn to weer e summer skirt insteed of thet gown to mess with her. The gown wes left untouched in the cer. She stered et the gown for e while, then e melicious grin formed on her fece. You¡¯re going to be the first person in the world to weer thet gown, eh? Well, we¡¯ll see how you¡¯ll do thet! The next dey wes the cherity euction. Cassandra and Spencer quickly followed them. ¡°How are you feeling, Ms. Hinton? Are you okay?¡± Sharon¡¯s assistant approached Sharon. Chapter 922 Chapter 922 Ashlyn woke up early in the morning. She strolled toward the dining room while speaking to Jared on the phone. ¡°How¡¯s the situation in the disaster area? Hmm, I see. Remember to cooperate with Mr. Field while you lead Luigi and the others. Imperial Hotel and Centennial Healthcare care not for fame or fortune. All we want is to save people. Lives are priceless. Thus, all lives deserve to be respected. Remember to call me if anything pops up. I still have matters to attend to today.¡± After the call ended, she sat at the dining table. Yesterday was so cold when we shot the cover. Thankfully, I¡¯ve always been physically fit, so I didn¡¯t catch a cold. I wonder how Sharon is doing right now. She entered a meeting with the executives of Centennial Healthcare and gave them some instructions. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . In the end, she typed: We¡¯ll donate all the medicine we produced for the past three days. Send them all to the disaster area overnight, including all the hospitals near the area. One of the executives replied with a wince: The amount of medicine we produced during the past three days is massive. Are you sure you want to donate all of them? Ashlyn typed: Yes! All of them. Centennial Healthcare has developed well in recent years, but Jared and I have always been in control of it. It¡¯s because of theck of interference from outside shareholders that Centennial Healthcare attains its current, wonderful state. I doubt thepany could achieve this feat if outside shareholders were involved in the financing and others were allowed to make decisions. A brief pause ensued before she wrote: So, everything will be fine as long as everyone listens to me. Get this done as quickly as possible. That executive didn¡¯t have the nerve to refute her and agreed repeatedly. When Ashlyn lifted her head, she realized Lucas was already sitting across from her. He was holding a tablet and brushing his slender finger across it. She lifted her eyebrow and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you sleep a little longer?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be joining the charity auctionter at night.¡± Lucas turned to her as heid his tablet down. A look of affection swirled in his eyes. ¡°Have you thought about what to auction?¡± ¡°Probably jewelry and stuff like that,¡± answered Ashlyn indifferently. The auction was held to gather funds for the disaster area. Almost every prominent figure in Lake City would be there, andpanies of many brands would attend it as well. For example, Alethea had granted her the chance to debut their new gown at the event. It was an excellent opportunity to gain the public¡¯s goodwill and disy loyalty. Therefore, no bigwig would give up that chance. Celebrities and idols would be attending the auction as well to spread their love and encouragement for the people in the disaster area. Almost all recent performances, including shows and songs, were done to gather funds for the disaster area. In particr, Aiden would be attending the auction too. It was said that he and his buddies would perform a show together, but the producers didn¡¯t reveal any details. Ashlyn didn¡¯t pay much attention to that. After thinking for a while, she raised her head and noticed Lucas was staring at her with knitted eyebrows. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± he asked, displeased. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s distracted while I¡¯m talking to her. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just thinking about how fast Aiden grew up. He was only a rookie idol two years ago. Now, he¡¯s a hit all over the country. Not only that, he¡¯s even an actor now.¡± With a smile, she shook her head. The moment she brought up Aiden, Lucas¡¯ expression darkened. ¡°He¡¯s only a bit younger, knows how to dance, and¡ª¡± Ashlyn cut him off, ¡°Caught my attention. What¡¯s the matter with you? Are you going to tell me the great Mr. Nn isn¡¯t confident in himself?¡± Lucas scowled. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to keep staring at him tonight.¡± ¡°Tch, what a control freak.¡± Ashlyn lowered her head and began eating breakfast. She could not be bothered to deal with the man. It hasn¡¯t been long, yet he¡¯s acting all crazy again. Can¡¯t he be a little more at peace with himself? Chapter 923 Chapter 923 In the evening, the sky was enveloped in a beautiful red as the sun dipped into the horizon. Cassandra paced back and forth inside the living room anxiously. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with this company? Didn¡¯t they say they¡¯re going to send the gown over? There¡¯s only one of them in the world. You didn¡¯t wear it during the photoshoot yesterday. Is it possible that the gown was sent to the magazine publishingpany, but then thepany refused to send it to you?¡± Ashlyn was sitting on the couch, watching the news about the disaster zone. She turned to Cassandra and said, ¡°What are you worried about?¡± ¡°Yeah. You don¡¯t need to be so concerned, Cassandra. Look at how calm Ashlyn is. Isn¡¯t it just a dress?¡± Naomi was holding a textbook. Recently, she had been preparing to retake the national exams to enter a film school. While her acting was fine, she still had plenty of room to improve. She wanted to focus on learning how to act better. Ashlyn was very supportive of Naomi¡¯s aspirations. She immediately provided a set of textbooks and information to help her prepare for the national exams. She even hired a home teacher for Naomi. ¡°¡¯The world¡¯s first wearer¡¯ is a shy title, though!¡± Cassandra couldn¡¯t help but sit next to Naomi and speak with an anxious tone. ¡°With that title, our boss will impress anyone no matter where she goes!¡± Naomi raised her eyebrow. Not only is she freakishly strong, but she¡¯s also impatient. Look at how agitated she is. One would think she had swallowed three tons of explosives. I bet she¡¯ll explode if the gown still hasn¡¯t arrived yet. ¡°Cassandra¡­¡± Just as she was going to speak, she saw Lucas returning with a delicate, beautiful box in his hand. ¡°What did you buy, Lucas?¡± ¡°A gown.¡± Lucas stared at Ashlyn emotionlessly. ¡°There¡¯s only an hour left until the auction. Since the gown hasn¡¯t arrived yet, so¡­¡± ¡°I got it.¡± Ashlyn stood up, grabbed the box, and went to the guest room. A styling team was waiting for her inside. Cassandra and Naomi followed her into the room, too. All three of them needed a makeover and a change in clothing. Thankfully, the styling team worked fast and had plenty of members. They didn¡¯t fumble the trio¡¯s makeover. Around half an hourter, the trio exited the guest room. The three men downstairs had also changed into suits and stepped out of another guest room. Many reporters had gathered at the entrance of a hotel where the charity auction was held, aiming their cameras and microphones at every attendee getting out of the vehicles. Every single individual who stepped on the velvet carpet in front of the hotel entrance, be it a man or a woman, was attractive. It was then a car pulled up at the hotel. When the door was opened, a gorgeous woman with a shapely figure alighted. Her chest was especially attention-grabbing. Due to her short stature, the beautiful fairy gown she wore was too long for her even if she was wearing a pair of high heels. Furthermore, because it was a fairy gown, only those with a lithe body could fully disy the beauty of the clothing. Unfortunately, she had a plump figure, so her body was tightly wrapped in the gown. She looked as though she would tear it apart. Despite that, she didn¡¯t think she looked unattractive due to her ego. In fact, she thought she was beautiful even though the gown wasn¡¯t suited for her figure. ¡°What the heck?¡± A reporter¡¯s eyeballs almost popped out of his skull when he saw the woman. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Cindy? Why is she wearing that gown?¡± ¡°I thought Ashlyn was supposed to be the first in the world to wear that? I¡¯ve been waiting for Ashlyn¡¯s arrival for so long!¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°What the heck¡¯s going on? Did thepany mess up?¡± A few reporters exchanged nces, dumbfounded by the sight. Chapter 924 Chapter 924 An experienced reporter shouted, ¡°Who cares who¡¯s wearing it? Just take pictures of it!¡± Immediately, the reporters took photos of Cindy, boosting her confidence. She turned to her manager, Terry, who was behind her. ¡°The dress you borrowed looks pretty good. Everyone¡¯s taking pictures of me.¡± ¡°A fashion studio lent this dress to us. I heard it¡¯s from a famous, international brand, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s true.¡± Terry smiled. Ever since Cindy started developing and improving her acting skills, there has been no hype or scandal about her. Her exposure has been sliding downward so much that the industry has almost forgotten who she is. I admit, I¡¯m concerned. Yet, she isn¡¯t at all. In fact, she studies under an acting instructor every day. After she was done, she only took on minor roles. She¡¯s at risk of not even receiving a secondary leading female role. I was apprehensive about her situation, so I pushed her to attend this auction to increase her exposure. I spent a lot of money hiring a fashion studio with a rtively impressive reputation. I¡¯m d to see the gown they provide is so beautiful that no one can take their eyes off it. The money I spent was totally worth it! Neither Cindy nor Terry knew they had fallen for someone else¡¯s scheme and be targets. Due to how poorly informed they were, they were still giddy about the attention the gown was drawing. When they stepped into the lobby of the charity auction, almost everyone was stunned to see her. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Those who were initially chatting stopped and widened their eyes in disbelief at her. Excitedly, Cindy whispered to her manager, ¡°They must be shocked by how beautiful my gown is! Am I so gorgeous that I outmatch all female celebrities here?¡± She had never received so much attention before. While she was beautiful, there were many other simrly attractive celebrities in the industry. Her appearance wasn¡¯t the most alluring, so her poprity crashed after it went up for a while. Thankfully, her remuneration wasn¡¯t high. Sometimes, it would even go down. Cindy would receive roles in web series with a small budget, but high-profile productions wouldn¡¯t cast her. It was because her body figure didn¡¯t fit the aesthetics and standards of a proper drama. Cindy felt a little uneasy about being in the spotlight so suddenly for the first time in her life. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m too sensitive or emotional, but I feel that the people staring at me aren¡¯t stunned because they¡¯re impressed by my look. It seems more like they¡¯re¡­ appalled. She gulped and tugged Terry¡¯s arm. ¡°They don¡¯t seem to be impressed by my dress. Are my gown and makeup all right?¡± Terry briefly inspected her. ¡°You look good! Your makeup is on point, your shoes fit your look well, and I handpicked your jewelry. These people¡­¡± The look in their eyes does seem odd. Both of them felt so nervous that they didn¡¯t have the guts to take another step. Then, a female celebrity approached Cindy with a swagger. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you have the nerve to wear this gown.¡± Cindy was taken aback, but she pretended to beposed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my gown?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know soon enough.¡± The female celebrity grinned mockingly, looking as though she was waiting for a good show. ¡°Please rify your statement.¡± Terry was a little ticked off. What a snob! It¡¯s just a gown. Why can¡¯t Cindy wear it? What¡¯s so wrong with that? ¡°You really are a foolish has-been. Don¡¯t you know where this gownes from? If I didn¡¯t see the brand logo on the hem of the dress, I would¡¯ve thought you intentionally wore an off-brand version here!¡± Just as the female celebrity ended her sentence, the people around herughed. Why does it seem that everyone isughing at me? Cindy¡¯s mind went nk. What¡¯s going on with this gown? Why don¡¯t I know about anything? Chapter 925 Chapter 925 Another female celebrity, who typically looked down on Cindy¡¯s figure, spoke. ¡°You really don¡¯t know? The gown is from the famous brand, Alethea. Tonight is the global debut of their new gown.¡± Biting her lip, Cindy asked tremblingly, ¡°What did you say? Global debut?¡± Terry swiftly crouched down to check the brand logo. He found it stitched to the corner of the clothing. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°She¡¯s telling the truth. It is from Alethea.¡± His face paled. ¡°What the heck? The fashion studio didn¡¯t tell us about this at all! They just told me this gown looks pretty.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve now ruined the global debut of Alethea¡¯s gown by wearing it.¡± The female celebrity cackled. ¡°I can¡¯t believe a has-been like you has the nerve to wear this dress. Who gave you the courage to do so?¡± ¡°Adele, maybe?¡± Another female celebrity chuckled as she twirled the winess in her hand. This is going to be good. I heard Ashlyn was supposed to be the one to wear it. Now that Cindy¡¯s wearing it, not only has she destroyed the brand¡¯s image, but she has also insulted Ashlyn. The brand¡¯s usual high-end clothing includes dresses, all of which are worn by acimed individuals in the film and television industries. Only female celebrities who achieved a certain amount of fame could earn the right to wear gowns from that brand. It¡¯s not that the brand ssifies its customers into different categories. Instead, it¡¯s simply just how their brand is positioned. As a high-ss brand, their customers are well-known socialites and wives of big-shot. Ashlyn¡¯s given the opportunity to debut the gown globally because of her unique image. She¡¯s a famous figure who loves to provide public welfare and do good deeds. She¡¯s also a talented, world- ss pianist. Most importantly, she¡¯s a woman of great virtue, devoid of any scandals. Her putting on the gown has profound meaning because many people are contributing to disaster relief right now. It deserves to be remembered by all. That¡¯s why everyone is waiting for Ashlyn to appear. Yet, this buffoon showed up with her dress. When Alethea¡¯s vice CEO, Caylie Valentine, who was also present in the venue, saw Cindy walking into the building with the gown, she crumbled mentally. She could not believe her eyes. Suppressing her emotions, she called the employee responsible for overseeing the gown while trembling. She roared at a small voice, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is a has-been wearing the gown? Give me an exnation now!¡± Her face was as pale as a sheet. The employee was puzzled. ¡°I handed it to the magazine publishingpany during the photoshoot yesterday. Did thepany not give it to Ms. Berry? How did they take photos for the cover, then?¡± ¡°Look into this immediately! If you can¡¯t find out what¡¯s wrong, you¡¯re fired!¡± Caylie was so furious that she almost passed out. This is just fantastic! The gown is ruined since Cindy has worn it! No socialites will wear our dresses again now that everyone has seen it on a has-been! The incident infuriated her so much that she almost cried in public. It¡¯s all over¡­ How do I exin this to the CEO? Will we lose our clients? I feel as if the world¡¯s crashing down on me. When Cindy heard Caylie¡¯s roar, her entire body stiffened. What should I do now? This is so embarrassing that I wish the ground will swallow me right now. I didn¡¯t expect to be insulted by the brand in public when I received this beautiful gown. I didn¡¯t check the brand because there wasn¡¯t a logo on the cor like most other dresses, so I thought it was just from an insignificantpany and not Alethea, which always stitches its brand logo on the hem of its dresses. I feel so stupid and ashamed right now! This is the most embarrassing moment in my life! Chapter 926 Chapter 926 Terry rushed to Caylie and bowed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We didn¡¯t know the gown was a new product from such a high-ss brand. The dress is provided by a fashion studio we¡¯re working with. We¡­ were delighted to receive such a gorgeous dress, given our current status, so we failed to inspect the brand of the gown in detail. I hope¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care how you receive this gown or how she came to wear it. Please take it off right now! She has destroyed the value of that gown, but the value of our brand is more than just that. Do you realize how damaging this incident is to our brand?¡± Caylie interrupted the manager and red at Cindy. Cindy lowered her head. I¡¯ve never been so humiliated before. I wish I could leave now. Why did this happen? How could things turn out like this because of a gown? Suddenly, someone shouted, ¡°Ashlyn¡¯s here!¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Upon hearing that name, Cindy shuddered. Thest person I want to see at this embarrassing moment is Ashlyn! Will she mock and despise me like the others because I¡¯m an insignificant actor who doesn¡¯t deserve to wear this gown? Why does she have to show up now¡­ Reflexively, she turned her head back toward the hotel entrance. There, she saw an attractive couple stepping in. The towering man had a ck suit on his slender figure. He was extraordinarily imposing, and his impably handsome face was unforgettable. Holding his arm was a woman in a red-sequined high-slit gown. Her clothing perfectly illustrated her supple figure. Her ck hair, simple but wavy, made her appear dignified. Each movement she took was ssy and elegant. Momentster, Ashlyn¡¯s line of sightnded on Cindy¡¯s familiar figure. Almost everyone was eager tough at Cindy, the has-been who had stolen Ashlyn¡¯s gown. Since Ashlyn had arrived, everyone had a feeling of schadenfreude as they waited for the drama that would soon unfold. Ashlyn stood before Cindy and spoke with a moderately loud yet extremely clear voice. ¡°Yesterday, the managing editor of LEEL didn¡¯t hand this gown to me, and the magazine publishingpany didn¡¯t use this gown during the photo shoot for the charity cover. So, how did you get your hands on this?¡± The managing editor of LEEL? Her name¡¯s Sharon, right? Does Ashlyn mean Sharon¡¯s behind this? Did Sharon present Alethea¡¯s gown to the fashion studio before the studio passed it to Cindy? Is that what happened? Everyone was desperate to discuss the matter among themselves, wondering if they understood the series of events correctly. However, Ashlyn¡¯s and Lucas¡¯ presences were so overpowering that none of them dared to speak a word. They could only watch the scene unfold silently. The two female celebrities who insulted Cindy earlier were paling. They could tell Ashlyn didn¡¯t n to reprimand Cindy. The crowd assumed it might be because Cindy was an employee of Nn Entertainment. Terry hastily rushed toward Lucas and bowed apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Berry, Mr. Nn. It¡¯s my fault for working with an unreliable fashion studio. If I had known this gown was meant to be worn by Ms. Berry, I wouldn¡¯t have allowed Cindy to wear it!¡± Chapter 927 Chapter 927 Tears welled in Terry¡¯s eyes as he panicked. Last year, when Cindy was getting popr, she met up with Lucas and did many things to attract his attention. That would¡¯ve been enough reason for Ashlyn to deal with her. Yet, Ashlyn never did. In fact, she joined LX Corporation¡¯s productunch with Cindy. Now that I think about it, Ashlyn has never embarrassed or insulted Cindy. She¡¯s a magnanimous and graceful proprietress, considering she¡¯s even secretly helping and affecting Cindy. In the past, Cindy always tried to generate scandals and suck up to tycoons. However, she¡¯s changed. Now, all she wants to do is improve her acting skills and learn more. While her exposure has decreasedpared to the past, her acting skills have improved. Only those with excellent professionalism can establish themselves in this industry. At this moment, all I want for Cindy is another chance for her to escape the fate of being cklisted by the industry and Nn Entertainment. Enduring the humiliation, Cindy approached Ashlyn, but she didn¡¯t have the nerve to meet her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Berry. It¡¯s all my fault. Regardless of what happened, it¡¯s undeniable that I stole your chance to debut this gown. I¡¯m willing to bear any consequences Nn Entertainment has in mind for me.¡± Her eyes reddened as she resisted the urge to cry. I have always admired Ashlyn and am proud to own a picture with the two of us in it. Whenever I think about how she is my employer, I¡¯m filled with passion for my work. Maybe I won¡¯t be able to develop my career in showbiz in the future after being cklisted or fired. It doesn¡¯t matter to me. I just hope I can earn her forgiveness. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Cindy stood there, upset and in agony. Bitterness swirled in her eyes. I really want to be just like Naomi, standing on the stage epting a reward. I want to make Nn Group proud and show Ashlyn that I¡¯m no longer the indolent Cindy who only wants to butter up to moguls. I want her to see that I¡¯m capable as well. Sadly, I¡¯ll never have the chance again. ¡°What are you afraid of? You¡¯re not the one in the wrong.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s voice rang out in the silent lobby. What? My ears aren¡¯t ying tricks on me, are they? Cindy raised her head and stared at Ashlyn. ¡°What did you just say, Ms. Berry?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t repeat myself. Ask your manager.¡± A look of irritation surfaced in Ashlyn¡¯s eyes. ¡°Where¡¯s Sharon?¡± Cassandra, who was standing behind, stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll catch her here immediately and break her legs, Boss.¡± Upon hearing that, Spencer grabbed her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say stuff like that often, Cassandra. It¡¯s unbefitting for ady.¡± In response, she nced at him with annoyance. He isn¡¯t even an old man yet, but he¡¯s already nagging me like one. I almost lost my mind on our way here because of him. I still remember the stuff he said. ¡°How are you? Are you an adult? How many people are there in your family? How tall are you? I¡¯m one hundred and eighty-two centimeters. By the way, I¡¯m single. Do you like to cosy? Why do you like to dress up in lolita clothing?¡± God, I almost went berserk. If it weren¡¯t for Boss, I would¡¯ve decked him. Seriously, can¡¯t he stay far away from me? Why does Boss have to make him my partner? I really want to just roar out loud, but I can¡¯t. I need to tolerate him, and it¡¯s so painful. It was then Spencer dialed someone¡¯s number. After the call ended, he turned to Lucas and Ashlyn. ¡°She¡¯ll be here soon.¡± The lobby was eerily silent. No one dared to make a sound. Every second was agonizing for them. Chapter 928 Chapter 928 Meanwhile, Sharon was smugly scrolling through her phone because Twitter was reporting the situation in the charity auction live. In fact, Twitter even had information about what clothing and makeup each celebrity was wearing. The organizers¡¯ official ount would post updates every few minutes. When she saw Cindy in Alethea¡¯s gown, she grinned gleefully. ¡°Oh, Ashlyn. How does it feel to have your opportunity to debut that gown get stolen by a has-been? I¡¯m curious as to how you¡¯ll clean up this mess. This must be embarrassing for you.¡± Suddenly, Sharon heard a loud knock on the front door. Shocked, she speedily left her room and saw a few men in ck barging into her living room. ¡°Who are you? What did you all barge into my home?¡± ¡°Are you Sharon?¡± the leader of the men in ck asked. ¡°I-I am. Why are you asking me that¡ª¡± Before she could finish her sentence, the men carried her out of the living room. ¡°What are you doing? This is kidnapping! You¡¯remitting a crime right now! Let me go! Ah!¡± The leader pped her. ¡°Another word from you, and I¡¯ll stuff your mouth with a dirty sock.¡± Fearfully, Sharon looked at him. ¡°Please, let me go. I don¡¯t have any money to give you!¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. The men shoved her into a car. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Momentster, the vehicle zoomed on the road, terrifying Sharon so much that she hugged her head and screamed. After a few minutes, she was dragged out of the vehicle, disoriented. It wasn¡¯t until she was tossed to the ground andnded before Ashlyn that she realized what was happening. Sharon red at Ashlyn. ¡°It¡¯s you! It¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ashlyn nced at the pale Sharon and spokeposedly. ¡°So what if it¡¯s me? Do you think it¡¯s fun messing with Alethea¡¯s gown, Sharon?¡± Suppressing the urge to puke, Sharon acted as though she knew nothing. ¡°What are you saying? I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°What a stubborn woman.¡± Ashlyn smirked. ¡°Some people always think I¡¯m a pushover just because I put up with them.¡± Holding her hand, Lucas suggested, ¡°Let me handle this matter, Honey. You don¡¯t need to dirty your hand.¡± ¡°You¡¯re in charge of the gown that mypany delivered to yours. Don¡¯t you think you should exin why that very gown is on Cindy right now, Ms. Hinton?¡± Caylie strode toward Sharon and looked down on her. ¡°Do you think an insignificant managing editor like you can make up for the losses dealt to our brand?¡± Sharon paled. I didn¡¯t think about the matter too much back then. I just wanted to take my revenge on Ashlyn and embarrass her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You seem awful. Are you afraid?¡± Caylie sneered and turned to the chief editor. ¡°How is yourpany nning to handle this? We trusted you all to deliver the gown to Ms. Berry, but she didn¡¯t receive it. I doubt other high-end brands will cooperate with yourpany again after this. Now I finally see the leading fashion magazine¡¯s true colors. Is this how it operates to gain that spot?¡± She was infuriated because the bacsh would be immense as herpany regarded the event with great importance. The chief editor scowled and red at Sharon, who was still lying on the ground. Then he shed an apologetic smile at Caylie. ¡°I apologize. This is a mistake on our part. I¡¯ll look into the truth of the matter. As for the loss¡ª¡± ¡°Do you think you canpensate for it? Our gown is ruined!¡± Caylie said, breaking down. ¡°There¡¯s no need to get so worked up, Ms. Valentine.¡± Ashlyn smiled. ¡°Cindy will be starring as the main female lead in mytest movie, True Magnate.¡± Chapter 929 Chapter 929 ¡°What did you just say? You want a has-been like her to star in your movie?¡± Caylie froze and gaped incredulously at Ashlyn. Ashlyn swept a gaze across the astonished crowd. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t I do that? I¡¯m still the producer who oversees the entire production, and Greg¡¯s still the director. Is the lead actress in such a film crew worthy of that gown of yours?¡± ¡°But¡­ the movie has even yet to begin shooting. No one knows how it¡¯ll fareter at the box office.¡± Caylie felt a little uneasy. Ashlyn¡¯s idea might prove useful to alleviate the damage done to their branding for the time being, but no one could tell what the future had in store for them. ¡°I¡¯m going to tweet about this right now.¡± Ashlyn turned on her phone and went on her Twitter ount to make an official announcement about theunching of her new film, True Magnate, with Cindy cast as one of the two female leads. She even tagged Cindy and Greg on the tweet. During the interim, Greg had just arrived at the auction hall when he heard the sound of Twitter¡¯s notification. Baffled, heunched the Twitter app, only to be left even more dumbfounded at the sight. Huh? An official announcement of a new movie? Why¡¯s Cindy the female lead? Are you kidding me? A good-for-nothing bimbo like Cindy only had a knack for drawing public attention, not to mention trying hard to get acquainted with those top producers. One must have a death wish to cast her in a movie. What on earth is Ms. Berry thinking? Gregpletely broke down. Enraged, he clenched his phone and rushed toward Ashlyn frantically. ¡°Ms. Berry, how could you pick Cindy of all people? She¡¯s inept at acting and has got nothing to offer!¡± Watching Greg fly off the handle like that, Ashlyn unwittingly let out a chuckle. ¡°People can change, you know. We¡¯ll go with it first and give her an audition. It¡¯s still not toote for you to go through the roof later.¡± Listening to Ashlyn¡¯s words, Greg had no choice but to suppress the boiling rage within and check his phone. At that moment, his Twitter profile page was flooded with countless tweets from his fans and avid netizens alike. A person wrote: Director Maxwell, is it true that you¡¯re going to star Cindy in your movie? Another read: I heard she¡¯s Mr. Nn¡¯s mistress! Someonemented: How could a piece of trash like her be the lead actress in Producer Berry¡¯s film? One of theizens even dered: I won¡¯t have it! I¡¯ll boycott her! Greg merely skimmed through the tweets without replying to any of them. On second thought, he retweeted Ashlyn¡¯s post to mean tacit agreement. After all, Ashlyn had not once disappointed him. Since she had personally selected Cindy, he reckoned that she must have a reason for doing so. Cindy, for one, was even more confused than Greg. It was as though a good deal had just fallen into herp. Before she even had the time to react, she alreadynded the starring role in Ashlyn¡¯s uing film. How¡¯s this possible? I¡¯m not dreaming, am I? Terry was in seventh heaven, hugging Cindy tightly in his arms. ¡°This is incredible! I can¡¯t believe Producer Berry picked you to star in her film! Ah! Lady Luck must smile on you! Instead of finding fault with you, she¡¯s offering you resources. I knew you were born to shine, Cindy! You¡¯ll shoot to stardom for sure! People will finally see how you¡¯ve been working your socks off.¡± This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Cindy was still in a daze, yet she found herself almost suffocating from Terry¡¯s embrace. ¡°T-Terry, let me go first. I can barely breathe.¡± Only then did Terry realize that he had lost hisposure. Immediately, he loosened his grip on the woman. With emotions welling up in his chest, he zipped toward Ashlyn and bowed deeply at her. ¡°Thank you so much, Producer Berry! Thank you for giving Cindy a chance.¡± Ashlyn regarded the man with an arched brow. ¡°Be sure to guide her well.¡± Not another word came from her after that. The next second, Lucas showed up with a bunch of evidence in his hands and flung them right at Sharon¡¯s face. ¡°This is the chat history between you and the fashion studio.¡± Sharon crouched down and looked at the so-called evidence before shaking her head and denying, ¡°No, this can¡¯t be. You all must¡¯ve fabricated these.¡± There was no way she would confess to such ims, not in the presence of so many celebrities and influential individuals from the film industry. In fact, that would be thest thing she would do. Should she admit it, the entire film industry would cklist her, and her future would be ruined. Chapter 930 Chapter 930 Spencer was the first to curl his lips into a sneer while pinning his gaze on Sharon. ¡°The fashion studio also knows that this gown belongs to Alethea. So¡­ care to exin, Sharon? You even pocketed an illegal profit of one hundred thousand from them because of this gown.¡± He showed the woman the proof of transfer. ¡°This is the bank transfer record of them sending money to you.¡± Squatting down, he held Sharon by the chin, his eyes shining with frostiness. ¡°What else do you have to say for yourself in light of all this evidence in front of you?¡± The more Spencer spoke, the paler Sharon¡¯s face became, so much so that she looked as white as a sheet. A tinge of panic shed across her eyes. ¡°No¡­ You guys are using me!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be handing the evidence over to the police. As for whether or not we¡¯re using you, the truth will shed light on that very soon.¡± Spencer rose to his feet with a grim mien and turned to look at the hall entrance, only to find several police officers already striding over in their direction. ¡°Which one of you is Sharon Hinton?¡± Sharon¡¯s entire body stiffened. She could not stop herself from copsing to the floor. Even her gaze turned maniacal. ¡°No¡­ I didn¡¯t do it! It wasn¡¯t me! Don¡¯t arrest me!¡± A pucker formed between the policemen¡¯s brows. ¡°You¡¯re suspected ofmitting a crime. Please come with us to the police station.¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m not going with you! I don¡¯t want to go to jail!¡± ¡°You made use of a gown worth several million without authorization and even epted a handsome cut of one hundred thousand. You¡¯ve got to take responsibility for that,¡± said Lucas coldly, directing his line of sight to the police. As signaled, the police approached Sharon and seized her arms, dragging her outside then and there. ¡°Don¡¯t arrest me¡­ Ashlyn! I hate you! I hate you, X!¡± Sharon¡¯s shrill scream resonated across the entire hall. On the heels of that, tension filled the atmosphere. It was as if time hade to a standstill as everyone held their breaths. ¡°Any damage done to the gown will be brought to the minimum.¡± Ashlyn threw a nce at the crowd before her gaze finallynded on Caylie. ¡°Now that everyone knows that Cindy will be starring in my new film, the news must¡¯ve topped the trending list.¡± ¡°The way you handled it was not bad at all, Ms. Berry, but the news media already published the press release about Cindy being the world¡¯s first wearer of this gown. Our branding, including Cindy herself, waspletely ridiculed.¡± The frustration in Caylie did not abate. ¡°Even though the public knows that she¡¯ll be cast in your new film, how does that help in tackling the poor opinions they have about her and our branding? How¡¯s that going to turn the public¡¯s view around?¡± ¡°Think about self-deprecation!¡± Ashlyn could not help but burst intoughter. ¡°Do I have to educate you on such fundamentals of crisis management?¡± ¡°Self-deprecation?¡± Caylie was stupefied as she gawked at Ashlyn. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± Ashlyn held out her hand to Caylie. ¡°Lend me your phone.¡± That merely added to Caylie¡¯s confusion. Still, she unlocked the screen and passed her phone over to Ashlyn. Thetter thenunched the Twitter app on Caylie¡¯s phone. The next thing she did was tap her fingers rapidly on the keypad. Momentster, she returned Caylie the phone. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Puzzlement inundated Caylie as she checked her phone. ¡°What were you doing just now?¡± As soon as she dropped that question, she was greeted by gazillions of repliesing from her Twitter ount. Her phone was chiming endlessly. Perplexed, she opened her Twitter app. What she saw next shocked her. Ashlyn had leveraged her identity as Alethea¡¯s vice CEO to post a tweet on her profile page: We sincerely apologize for screwing up the gown and failing to cater to Cindy¡¯s bosom. A photo of Cindy wearing the said gown was also attached. In that photo, Cindy¡¯s cleavage was exceptionally eye-catching. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. If anything, that tweet only served to imply that Caylie had acknowledged the fact that Cindy was the first in the world who wore that gown. On top of that, Caylie would be seen as one who disparaged their own gown and showcased Cindy¡¯s glorious racks. As expected, all eyes fell upon Cindy¡¯s breasts in an instant. After all, they were indeed ample. Those who had been following the news of Ashlyn not being the world¡¯s first to wear the gown were distracted as well. Then came a wave of replies to that tweet: What the heck? Who would¡¯ve known that Cindy had such a majestic front? That reply was followed by a shout-out: Speaking of which, I think brandpanies should spare a thought for those socialites with big boobs! Don¡¯t alwayse up with skinny and t-chested designs! Chapter 931 Chapter 931 Onement wrote: That¡¯s right. A brand should develop its marketprehensively. They should also asionally make dresses for people with more voluptuous figures too. Anotherizenmented: You know what? I suddenly learned to appreciate Cindy¡¯s beauty. A thirdizen wrote: I¡¯m a t-chested girl, and I envy Cindy. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Consequently, the trending list not only included topics rted to Cindy being the lead actress of True Magnate but also about Alethea acknowledging her. One of the trending searches was especiallyical: Alethea should cater to women with bigger busts! Clicking on the link would redirect one to the post Ashlyn had helped Caylie publish on Twitter. Manyizens were actively discussing,menting, and sharing the post, creating a new sensation. This post not only promoted the clothing brand and the movie but also boosted Cindy¡¯s poprity to greater heights, so we can consider this a win-win oue, right? Caylie thought it was a little surreal. ¡°That¡¯s it? So effortless? The PR Department just saved arge amount of money.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s it.¡± Ashlyn shed an elegant smile. Now that she had acknowledged Cindy as the lead actress, that signified she had most likely allowed Cindy to be the first person to wear that gown internationally. Moreover, the brand also approved of Cindy, suggesting that they didn¡¯t mind letting Cindy wear the outfit. As a result, those who thought Cindy had tarnished the brand could now stop pressing that matter further. Ashlyn had indirectly saved the brand¡¯s reputation, turning the self-deprecatingment on Twitter that had ced Alethea in a precarious state into a humorous response. They managed to recover from a seemingly impossible situation. ¡°You¡¯re so great, Ashlyn!¡± Naomi, who had been observing the turns of events behind, couldn¡¯t help but p her hands. Admiration toward Ashlyn filled her eyes. She wore a pink strapless dress that day, entuating her fair skin tone and giving her a captivating appearance and graceful vibe. Jonathan stood beside her, d in a silver-grey suit. The beautiful couple stood out even among the crowd around them. After listening to Ashlyn mention the new movie, Jonathan uttered nervously, ¡°Ashlyn, c-could you arrange a role for me? I¡¯m looking for a mentor to polish my acting skills recently.¡± The scene of a top idol humbly seeking a role left many people present in shock. Jonathan was the male lead in the previous movie, Trashy Idol, yet he has to be so deferential to participate in Ashlyn¡¯s film. The jealousy churning in everyone¡¯s gazes intensified as they looked at Cindy. She¡¯s so lucky to be handpicked by Ashlyn as one of the two female leads. Instead of getting cklisted after offending Alethea, she managed to get her fame to rise to an unprecedented level. This is so infuriating! On the other hand, some pondered on a different issue. All of Cindy¡¯s sess is made possible by Ashlyn. Does that mean Ashlyn is now a top-tier producer? How impressive! ¡°Jonathan, bear this in mind. You¡¯re always my go-to male lead.¡± With that, Ashlyn wrapped her arms around Lucas¡¯ and beamed at him. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside, Honey.¡± Go-to male lead¡­ Excitement washed over Jonathan, causing him to feel a little light-headed. Does that mean I¡¯m the male lead of True Magnate? He grasped Naomi¡¯s hands in ecstasy. ¡°This is so great, Naomi!¡± However, Naomi was slightly disappointed. Ashlyn offered the roles to Cindy and Jonathan but not me. How sad. It seems like I haven¡¯t worked hard enough. I must get into the film academy and let Ashlyn see my effort! Ashlyn and Lucas strode inward, hand in hand. She leaned against his tall figure, looking nothing like the strong woman she had just been, appearing especially gentle and docile. Those who were curious about the married couple couldn¡¯t help but muse, So, this is how Mr. and Mrs. Nn interacts¡­ The crowd entered the elevator to reach the floor where the auction was being held. Heavyweights from various industries had gathered there, and everyone chatted with one another amidst the harmonious atmosphere. Hera also attended the event, not to mention by invitation. Although she didn¡¯t win the championship in the pianopetition previously, that tform had allowed her to garner some fame, allowing her to establish a foothold in the piano circle in Lake City. Besides, everyone had to show her some degree of respect because of her grandfather¡¯s status. Chapter 932 Chapter 932 Hera was the host of the auction. So what if Charlotte wins the championship? She still doesn¡¯t have any connection. Under normal circumstances, the host of arge-scale auction like that, organized by the higher-ups, no less, must be someone with considerable experience and a certain level of fame. The host should also be equipped with the eloquence to hold the audience and create a lively ambiance. Most importantly, they must be able to persuade the guests to contribute to the fundraising. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . That was the key. Hera felt she would have a bright future ahead if she could impress the higher-ups with her performance. She had put in a lot of effort and made some sacrifices to secure the opportunity to host that event. Afternding the job, she gained a lot of attention. Before the auction officially started, she dressed up morously and rubbed shoulders with the big shots. Hera yed the role of a social butterfly by relying on her gorgeous appearance and sweet voice. Right then, there was a small and suddenmotion at the entrance. She casually nced in that direction and saw the crowd parting as a handsome man and a beautiful woman walked in. That man was tall and hunky, while the woman was regal and elegant. Behind her were another two couples. All of them dressed up extravagantly and were eye-catching. When Hera noticed the familiar face, she gritted her teeth. Ashlyn! That despicable woman is also here. She even preened herself to look so attractive. Ashlyn and Lucas rarely appeared as a couple in public. That seemed to be their first public appearance together since they announced their rtionship as husband and wife. They immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention as soon as they showed up, stealing even the limelight of the top idol, Jonathan. Their presence instantaneously lifted the liveliness of the entire venue. The higher-ups were honored to have Ashlyn and Lucas attending the event together, and perhaps only they had the influence to convince the couple to show up. Participating in such activities that could express their support to the higher-ups and also be involved in a charity auction for disaster relief was a must. Otherwise, the higher-ups could cklist anyone who wasn¡¯t supportive at any moment. Almost everyone in the entertainment industry came, including all the prominent figures in Lake City. Even those with slight significant stature in society were all there. They couldn¡¯t miss that event as that was the perfect opportunity for them to impress the higher-ups. Many people were aware of the gown incident that happened earlier in the first-floor lobby, but some who arrived early didn¡¯t know about it. After Lucas greeted a few of Nn Group¡¯s business partners, he went to sit around the seats provided by the organizers with Ashlyn. Winsor and Tinsor sat in the row behind them. ir and Tinsor sat next to each other. After the previous incident, the two had be inseparable friends who had been through hardships together. Noticing Ashlyn, ir grinned and waved at her,pletely disregarding his brother. ¡°Ashlyn, Ashlyn, I¡¯m here.¡± Ever since thest time Tinsor had caused Ashlyn to be caught in a dangerous situation, he had been ridden with guilt. The once zestful young man now appeared somewhat shy. ¡°Ashlyn, are you feeling better now?¡± He had been punished by Patrick to kneel for three days and nights until his knees swelled. It took him a week of recuperation to barely be able to get out of bed and walk. He had nned to apologize to Ashlyn in person, but she had gone abroad again. Meeting with Ashlyn at that moment prompted anxiety and guilt to surge within his chest. Tinsor even spoke in an exceptionally low voice as he was afraid to face the disdainful look in Ashlyn¡¯s eyes when she saw him. He feared his female idol would never pay attention to him again. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Spend more time practicing self-defense skills with ir whenever you¡¯re free, so you won¡¯t always be so weak. The Jaquin family¡¯s methods are really not as good as the n I set up.¡± Ashlyn curled her lips into a smile, gazing at the two young men with a hint of warmth in her eyes. ¡°Mr. Nn.¡± Tinsor looked up in excitement, but before he could express his joy and relief that Ashlyn didn¡¯t hold him ountable or stay mad at him, he heard a delicate voice calling out to Lucas. Chapter 933 Chapter 933 Everyone turned toward the source of the voice. Hera walked in, wearing a long dress that cinched on her waist which entuated her curvy figure and captivated everyone¡¯s gazes. With an elegant smile, Hera walked over to Lucas. Ashlyn nced at Hera coldly. She couldn¡¯t help but be amazed by how shameless and thick-faced Hera was. Lucas never gives her any reaction that she desires, but why is she still so brazen in approaching him actively when she sees him? I¡¯m shocked by her perseverance! ¡°Hello, Mrs. Nn.¡± Hera initiated a conversation with Ashlyn smilingly as though there had never been a conflict between them. Ashlyn merely nced at her, ignoring her words. Lucas also remained silent. He stood with his legs crossed, looking elegant and domineering. Embarrassment slowly crept onto Hera¡¯s face, for the couple had openly ignored her before the public eyes. ¡°Mrs. Nn, Mr. Nn, I¡¯m the host for today. Please show me some respect, okay?¡± Hera said coyly yet aggrievedly as though Lucas and Ashlyn had bullied her. Lucas lifted his head slightly. ¡°Do you deserve to be respected, Ms. Chapman? I¡¯ve lost all regard for you when you pretended to be Ashlyn.¡± Disgust filled Lucas when he thought of how Hera had faked her identity as his childhood friend. He looked at his surrounding thoughtfully. ¡°Many men are willing to respect you here.¡± Hera¡¯s expression stiffened instantly. She had never expected Lucas to shame her so publicly. He looks at me as though I¡¯m a stranger. If that¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t it a waste of my time to try to be the host here? I want Lucas to know how talented I am too! Hera forced a smile. She wanted to speak again when Charlotte¡¯s voice rang out from behind. ¡°Ashlyn, Mr. Nn!¡± Hera was infuriated. Charlotte is destined to be my nemesis! Why does she have to show up now? Joseph¡¯s voice could be heard next. ¡°Lucas, Aunt Ashlyn!¡± A pin-drop, eerie silence ensued after he greeted Ashlyn. Lucas exuded an aura that made him seem unapproachable, for he and Joseph were best friends from the same generation. Joseph¡¯s aunt¡­ Aunt Ashlyn¡­ N?velDrama.Org ? content. Chills ran down Joseph¡¯s back, and he felt the urge to escape with Charlotte immediately. However, Charlotte was wearing high heels that day. She twisted her feet and said, ¡°My feet hurt. Let¡¯s sit with them.¡± Joseph gave a hideous smile. ¡°All right¡­¡± When they sat down, Ashlyn smiled faintly and said, ¡°Joe, let me introduce you to my husband, Lucas Nn.¡± Joseph and the rest present were rendered speechless by her words. Lucas looked at Ashlyn approvingly. Still, my wife loves me, and it feels excellent that my status has been elevated since I¡¯m her husband. Joseph had to admit that he had referred to Ashlyn as his aunt because he wanted to make things difficult for Lucas. It had never urred to Joseph that Ashlyn would, in turn, introduce Lucas as her husband, making it hard for him to retaliate. Does Aunt Ashlyn want me to acknowledge Lucas, my childhood friend, as her husband? She might as well end me now! ¡°Well, uh, I need to use the restroom. See you!¡± With that, Joseph nced at Charlotte and left. Lucas smiled, looking at Ashlyn passionately. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re the best!¡± It warms my heart to see her protect and defend me this way. She¡¯s so beautiful and dazzling today! He fixed his gaze on Ashlyn, seemingly wanting to get intimate with her there and then. Chapter 934 Chapter 934 Ashlyn was wearing a white dress that entuated her figure. On her ears were a pair of elegant earrings with long tassels adorned with countless crushed diamonds thatplemented her alluring visual. She lifted her eyes, meeting Lucas¡¯ passionate gaze, and patted him on the back of his hand. ¡°Patience.¡± Just then, there was amotion at the entrance. Cassandra yawned, looking in that direction casually. She saw a tall man walking toward them with a woman holding his arm. Cassandra¡¯s heart raced when she realized who the man and the woman were. She had never expected to see Richard Shaw and Shi Jensen there. Richard¡¯s charming features made it hard for others to stare him in the eyes as he stood in the crowd with a domineering aura indicative of his top status. His every move exuded elegance. Standing beside him was the gorgeous and graceful Shi. They lookedpatible as they linked arms with each other. Cassandra¡¯s heart clenched in pain. She knew she was no longer rted to the Jensen family or Richard anymore. Everything had long since ended. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. She lowered her eyes instantly. By the time she lifted her head, she had perfectly concealed her emotions. But even so, Spencer observed that her mood had changed. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was wrong. In the middle of his conversation with Shi, Richard looked up casually to see Ashlyn sitting beside Lucas. His heart throbbed with pain. He noticed Cassandra standing behind Ashlyn looking all lovely and innocent. However, Richard also realized her gaze no longer followed his every move. He walked toward the two women. With a frown, Shi hurried after him. ¡°Ashlyn.¡± Richard¡¯s husky voice sounded from above Ashlyn. She raised her head, meeting Richard¡¯s eyes. A grin appeared on Ashlyn¡¯s face as she stood up. ¡°Richard, you¡¯re here too?¡± Even though Ashlyn sounded affectionate as she spoke, Richard was instantly snapped back to reality. He suppressed the pain in his heart and reached out to caress Ashlyn¡¯s head dotingly without messing up her hair. Then, he turned to Cassandra as though he had just spotted her. ¡°Cass, why didn¡¯t you say hi to me?¡± It had been a few months since they hadst seen each other. Although Richard acted as if they were still siblings, Cassandra didn¡¯t want to look at him at all. She didn¡¯t feel any sadness, only a hint of helplessness. Forget it! Richard is not someone I can pursue. His fianc¨¦e is Shi Jensen, and they are about to hold their engagement party soon. Who am I to say anything? I was adopted by the Jensen family. I¡¯m a fake socialite! What right do I have to have a crush on Richard? If Shi is an angel from heaven, then I¡¯m a pile of mud on the ground. Cassandra finally felt free at the moment, her expression betraying her emotions. However, she didn¡¯t notice that Richard¡¯s expression had changed drastically. She greeted, ¡°Richard, Shi, it¡¯s been a while!¡± ¡°Cassandra, Mom and Dad miss you! Why haven¡¯t you been hometely?¡± Shi smiled gracefully, giving Cassandra a once-over. ¡°You¡¯re still into this style, huh? It makes you look like a child. How could you wear these clothes to this event? If you don¡¯t have any other outfits, I can buy them for you. Don¡¯t wear these anymore.¡± Cassandra stared at Shi¡¯s beautifully made-up face expressionlessly. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Shi. I don¡¯t like expensive clothes; I¡¯m into these cheap clothes instead. It¡¯s too bad, isn¡¯t it? After all, I¡¯m a wild child!¡± Richard furrowed his brows, looking at Cassandra unhappily. ¡°Don¡¯t be rude, Cassandra. Shi is just being kind.¡± Cassandra kept her thoughts to herself. Same old Richard! He always thinks Shi is the best and the kindest woman in the world! Chapter 935 Chapter 935 Sadness filled Cassandra then. ¡°Richie¡­ my stomach hurts.¡± Shi suddenly clenched her stomach with one hand as a weakness overtook her while Richard stared at Cassandra. ¡°Shi, are you feeling unwell? Come on. Take a seat.¡± Richard retracted his gaze from Cassandra and focused all his attention on Shi. Shi replied coyly, ¡°Maybe¡­ it¡¯s our baby kicking me.¡± Her voice was neither loud nor soft, but it was enough for the rest of the crowd to hear her words. Even though Cassandra didn¡¯t want to pay attention to Richard or Shi, Shi¡¯s announcement traveled into her ears rapidly. She lifted her head, looking at Richard and Shi with unnoticeable jealousy. Shi leaned against Richard¡¯s embrace casually. When she met Cassandra¡¯s eyes, her weak and coy expression was reced with a provocative and triumphant look. Richard had his arms wrapped around Shi so she could sit morefortably. He didn¡¯t notice the hostile exchange between Shi and Cassandra. Cassandra suppressed the urge to throw things at the couple, who were hugging each other tightly, before turning away from them. I¡¯m not the child who follows behind Richard and Shi anymore. I will never do things that will ruin my reputation in public. Not now, not ever. I¡¯m the chief financial officer of Imperial Hotel, working alongside Boss now. Cassandra was aware of the close rtionship between Richard and Ashlyn. It was not worth it for her to offend Richard over a pretentious woman like Shi. N?velDrama.Org ? content. However, before Cassandra could respond appropriately, Ashlyn, not far away from her, red at Shi and sneered. ¡°What a hypocritical, disgusting, and pretentious woman.¡± Shi had her pride, for she was the daughter of a wealthy family. She could not keep her emotions in check as she snapped at Ashlyn. ¡°Who are you calling a disgusting woman?¡± Ashlyn ignored her. Shi pushed Richard away as she charged toward Cassandra, wanting to p her. ¡°What are you trying to do? Boss can scold anyone she likes, and who are you to hit me?¡± Cassandra grabbed Shi¡¯s wrist before swinging her hand away, causing Shi to stumble backward. Themotion at their side attracted many¡¯s attention in an instant. They stared at Shi¡¯s indecent appearance in shock. ¡°I heard that Shi has always relied on Cassandra¡¯s blood to stay alive because of her weak body.¡± ¡°Damn it! I heard that Cassandra was adopted from the orphanage to be a blood bank for Shi.¡± ¡°Poor Cassandra!¡± ¡°But Cassandra is a talented woman. Didn¡¯t you see the trending news about her? She is known for her monstrous strength despite her looks. Not only that, she is a champion in martial art and archery! It doesn¡¯t matter that they used her as a blood bank!¡± ¡°Am I the only one who cares about Shi¡¯s pregnancy?¡± ¡°Is she carrying Mr. Shaw¡¯s child?¡± Shi¡¯s face paled as anger filled her while she listened to the discussion. She had the massive urge to p Cassandra. Frustration built up in Richard when he saw Cassandra pushing Shi away forcefully. His anger was further intensified when he spotted the constant disdain on Cassandra¡¯s face. He also found Cassandra and Shi annoying and weren¡¯t as easygoing as Ashlyn. He was embarrassed when he thought about how Ashlyn had scolded Shi. However, the Jensen family still had value to Richard. He had to pretend to be unbothered by their actions. He grabbed Shi¡¯s waist, steadying her before saying to Cassandra, ¡°She¡¯s pregnant. Can¡¯t you be more gentle toward her? You¡¯re not a kid anymore, Cassandra!¡± Chapter 936 Chapter 936 Cassandra became green with envy when she saw how intimate Richard and Shi were. Yet, her character didn¡¯t allow her to back down even during these circumstances. She stared at Shi coldly. ¡°Shi, you better protect your baby since you¡¯re pregnant. Don¡¯t think you have a guarantee to stay safe because you¡¯re carrying a baby. Besides, I¡¯m not the one who got you pregnant. Why are you unleashing your fury on me? I can¡¯t say for sure that I won¡¯t identally hurt the bastard in you or cause you to have a miscarriage the next time you provoke me again!¡± Shi looked at Cassandra pitifully. Her eyes welled up with tears when she turned to Richard. She said in an annoying high-pitched voice, ¡°Richie, my stomach hurts¡­ She¡¯s too much. How could she say that our kid is a bastard?¡± Mockery shed across Richard¡¯s eyes. She¡¯s right. Your baby is an illegitimate bastard. What makes you think you¡¯re worthy enough to carry my kid, Shi? Even so, Richard feigned his concern for her. He ced his hand over Shi¡¯s stomach slowly. ¡°Let me give you a massage.¡± Ashlyn was appalled by the scene before her. She wondered when Richard¡¯s taste in women became so bad that he was interested in a woman like Shi. Richard is like a brother and father to me because of the concern and care he showed me, and I respect him very much. But then, I also feel distant from him. Why so? I don¡¯t know, either. Ashlyn despised the way Richard looked at her sometimes. His gaze was passionate and intense as if he wanted to consume her alive. However, when she looked at him, his gaze would be gentle, making her suspect that her mind was ying tricks on her. Now that he was with Shi, Ashlyn was relieved. It¡¯s evident that Cassandra is into Richard. However, she can¡¯t handle a man like Richard! Just because Shi is with him now does not mean she will be with him forever. Richard was not as elegant, charming, or gentlemanly as he appeared on the surface. He was, in fact, a cold-blooded man, and Ashlyn didn¡¯t wish to see Cassandra getting hurt. A sense of crisis rose within Lucas when he saw Richard. He couldn¡¯t help but squeeze Ashlyn¡¯s hand tightly. Richard has finally shown up, and he seems dangerous and heartless. Coming face-to-face with the intimacy that Richard and Shi exhibited, Cassandra felt pain prickling all over her heart and her body. I thought I¡¯d never be in pain again having been hurt for so long. But what I see before me now still hurts me greatly. What¡¯s more, this man I¡¯ve loved for so long always looks at me with disdain and dissatisfaction. Cassandra was in so much pain that she nearly lost all sense of feeling. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Without sparing Richard another nce, Cassandra left. The duo watched as her rigidly straight back disappeared from their sight. Even though Richard had his hand on Shi¡¯s stomach, he couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brows at Cassandra¡¯s retreating figure. She is getting more and more out of control. Meanwhile, Spencer was a spectator of the show that had just died down. He gulped and guessed that Cassandra was attracted to the scary Richard. Is Cassandra being serious? Why is she into a ruthless man like Richard? Won¡¯t she feel pressured being around him? No! This won¡¯t do. I have to advise her. I need to get her to sober up and let her know it¡¯s not okay to fall in love with men like Richard! He leaned in and whispered to Cassandra, ¡°Cassandra, you should know that Richard is not a good man! Don¡¯t let yourself be fooled by his attractive face.¡± Cassandra was baffled by his words. What the heck? Is he trying to nag me again? As she had expected, Spencer continued, ¡°He changes girlfriend constantly like how he changes his clothes, and he has multiple friends with benefits¡­ Who knows whether he has any hidden illnesses!¡± Chapter 937 Chapter 937 Cassandra stared at Spencer incredulously. She realized she was disgusted by Spencer¡¯s words. However, she had to rify something. ¡°I grew up with him since we were young. We were neighbors. I know how many women he has slept with. His image as an honest man is all just a rumor.¡± Upon hearing that, Spencer was extremely appalled. Ashlyn swept her gaze across Richard and Shizily, then nced at Cassandra and Spencer. ¡°Why does everyone get attracted to the Jensen family?¡± I feel that the rtionship between Shi and Richard isn¡¯t so simple¡­ The area of the venue of the auction wasrge, and it covered an entire floor of the hotel. A dazzling chandelier hung above, and the floor was topped with a bright and soft red carpet. The tables and seats were well-arranged, and the lighting on the auction stage shone the brightest, entuating the banner which was stretched and hung across the red curtain behind the stage. The verse on the banner was beyond astonishing. It read: Share with the Lord¡¯s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Everyone gathered and spoke softly, creating a harmonious atmosphere at the scene. However, the same could not be said for Ashlyn¡¯s surroundings. Richard and Shi were behaving so intimately that it was simply hard to watch. Ashlyn had a feeling that Richard wasn¡¯t someone who would express all his thoughts and feelings to a woman. After all, she knew best how aloof he was. Noticing how Ashlyn was focusing all her attention on Richard, Lucas narrowed his eyes and grabbed her hand. ¡°Am I not handsome?¡± Ashlyn was speechless when she heard that. Herees this man¡¯s childish side¡ªChildish Lucas¡ªagain. Can¡¯t I even look at my sworn brother? She smiled helplessly. ¡°You are. You¡¯re the most handsome man on earth.¡± Upon hearing Ashlyn¡¯s statement, Richard paused from feeding Shi the milk, and his face fell immediately. But almost instantaneously, his expression became gentle again. ¡°Drink slowly. No one is fighting over it with you.¡± Shi leaned against Richard¡¯s chest and said, ¡°You¡¯re so good to me, Richie.¡± Disgusting! This is too freaking difficult to watch! Cassandra was so disgusted that she was about to gouge out her eyeballs. What¡¯s going on? Shi is so pretentious! Is Richard blind? Can¡¯t he tell what she¡¯s doing at all? She¡¯s such a pretentious woman¡­ Oh, forget it. Cassandra chose to ignore them. Inhaling deeply, she decided to head to the restroom and get some fresh air. She was afraid she would throw up her dinner fromst night if she continued to stay there. After walking through a long hallway, she turned around and entered the restroom. She took out a cigarette, wanting to calm herself down by smoking. All of a sudden, a slender and strong hand appeared from behind Cassandra, snatching away the lit cigarette that she had just held closer to her mouth. Puzzled, Cassandra lifted her head and was thoroughly dumbfounded the next second. Nevertheless, she put on an indifferent expression, her smile polite yet distant as she asked, ¡°Richard, why did you snatch my cigarette?¡± Richard merely approached her with a domineering aura. ¡°Why are you acting so cold and distant toward me?¡± He felt strange that the youngdy who used to cling to him had stopped doing so all at once. Cassandra took a few small steps backward, feeling tired of forcing a smile. Her back suddenly felt frigid, and she realized she had withdrawn against a wall. As soon as she felt the chilly sensation on her back, she regained her senses. Why should I be afraid of him? Why? I never did anything wrong. As she tilted her head, her pigtails swayed. ¡°I¡¯m not acting distant. You¡¯re a man who has a fianc¨¦e now. It¡¯s inappropriate for me to follow you around like when we were younger. I have to keep my distance from you! Otherwise, my parents and Shi would kill me!¡± Richard curled his lips into a smirk. He reached out his hand and propped it against the wall behind Cassandra, then leaned over slightly to stare at her without saying a word. Instantaneously, Cassandra held her breath. Yet, she didn¡¯t want to appear weak. Chapter 938 Chapter 938 Cassandra forced herself to remain calm as she looked straight into the man¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t want to lose even if her aura wasn¡¯t as imposing as his. With just a nce, Richard could make others feel tremendously pressured. Cassandra quietly froze in ce. It took a while before she tilted her head to the side and answered in a cold tone, ¡°Richard Shaw, I admit I¡¯ve liked you when I was young and frivolous. But you didn¡¯t like me¡­ So, I will never have feelings for you again. Why did you abandon your fianc¨¦e ande here?¡± Richard stared at Cassandra¡¯s tiny mouth. All he desired to do was to kiss her fervently. For a moment, he detested hearing her vocalize those vexing remarks concerning their rift. Richard leaned over abruptly, inching closer to Cassandra¡¯s red lips. At that precise moment, a huge hand reached out from behind and yanked him away. Caught off guard, Richard staggered a few steps backward after being shoved away. When he finally steadied himself, he noticed a man shielding Cassandra and obstructing his view. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the son of the White family. Is it tiring to be Lucas Nn¡¯sckey?¡± A smirk appeared on Richard¡¯s face as he red at Spencer grimly. In that instant, a hint of anger clouded over Spencer¡¯s usual gentle expression. ¡°Mr. Shaw, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s inappropriate to take advantage of otherdies when you already have a fianc¨¦e?¡± ¡°Who do you think you are? What right do you have to lecture me like this, Spencer?¡± Richard then looked at Cassandra coldly. ¡°Come here!¡± The youngdy stood behind Spencer stubbornly, bold indifference overflowing in her eyes. ¡°Richard, Boss and I both respect you. I will respect you when you finally decide to respect me, even if it¡¯s just a littlepared to your respect for Boss.¡± A glint of determination shed across Cassandra¡¯s eyes. As though she had made up her mind on something, she gripped Spencer¡¯s warm hand with her soft one. ¡°Also, this is my boyfriend! I wish you a happy life with Shi.¡± Boyfriend? Richard¡¯s gaze instantly became sharp as fiery rage boiled within him. ¡°You chose someone from the White family, huh? Quite a choice you made there.¡± Shocked, Spencer looked at Cassandra before lowering his gaze stiffly to stare at his hand, which was being held by her. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. His heart began racing. This is the first time a girl took the initiative to hold my hand. She¡¯s holding me so tightly. For a moment, Spencer¡¯s mind went nk. Right when he was still bbergasted, Cassandra stood on her toes and nted a kiss on his cheek. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Sweetheart!¡± Despite the fact that her words were obviously directed at Spencer, she gave Richard a provoking look. Richard controlled his seething urge to strangle thedy in front of him who had a monstrous strength. He was left with no choice but to watch as she walked away while holding Spencer¡¯s hand. ¡°Cassandra Jensen, you¡¯re such a bad girl!¡± Richard muttered, unsure if he was speaking to himself or simply venting. After standing still for a while, he finally turned around and left. Cassandra continued to hold Spencer¡¯s hand until they reached a corner. She then let go of his hand abruptly and leaned against the wall, letting out a long and heavy sigh. Sweat dotted her forehead and palms, for she was feeling extremely nervous. Spencer stared at his hand, his heart feeling strangely empty. ¡°You¡­ were just trying to upset Mr. Shaw, right? It¡¯s okay. I understand¡­ I¡¯m willing to be a tool.¡± As soon as Spencer finished speaking, the awkward atmosphere between Cassandra and him immediately lightened. Cassandra straightened her back. She nced at Spencer before lowering her gaze again. Her long eyshes covered her teary eyes and the trace of loneliness in them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for using you just now.¡± Cassandra couldn¡¯t help but take a few steps backward, wanting to create a distance between her and Spencer. However, she lost her bnce, as she was in too much of a hurry. Fortunately, Spencer reacted promptly and grabbed her wrist to help her steady herself. Cassandra quickly shook Spencer¡¯s hand off. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I-I didn¡¯t fall on purpose.¡± Chapter 939 Chapter 939 ¡°You can do whatever you want in front of me. There¡¯s no need to apologize. You almost fell because you were being too nervous.¡± Spencer gave her a gentle look. ¡°You¡¯re still young, and it¡¯s natural for you to meet some jerks in life. Since Mr. Shaw is already engaged, you did the right thing by drawing the line. It was a brave decision on your part.¡± Cassandra¡¯s pupils constricted as she looked at Spencer in disbelief. Thetter subsequently tucked her hair behind her ear with an affectionate look in his eyes. ¡°As long as you need me, I¡¯m happy to be your servant.¡± Cassandra¡¯s moistened eyes sparkled in surprise. Despite the simplicity of thement, the way Spencer said it gave it a domineering yet caring vibe. The strangebination somehow made her heart skip a beat. ¡°N-No, it¡¯s fine.¡± As Spencer continued to stare at her, Cassandra couldn¡¯t help but blush. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°You look adorable.¡± Spencer enunciated every word. ¡°That¡¯s so cheesy!¡± Brows knitted, Cassandra pushed Spencer aside before walking toward the auction venue. Nheless, her ears were already burning red. Just as Cassandra arrived at the entrance, the elevator doors beside her opened and out came a well- heeled-middle-aged couple. ¡°Spencer? Is that you?¡± When the coupled called out to Spencer in a trembling voice, Cassandra turned around by reflex. N?velDrama.Org ? content. She then saw how the well-dressed couple¡¯s eyes lit up in surprise at the sight of Spencer. She could tell from the shock and longing in their eyes that they hadn¡¯t seen him in a long time. The middle-ageddy hurried up to Spencer¡¯s side. ¡°Spencer, how have you been? W-When will you come home?¡± Before her hand could make contact with Spencer, thetter avoided it and replied indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. White. I¡¯m busy.¡± With that, he grabbed Cassandra¡¯s arm and headed inside. Cassandra was baffled by the turn of events. If I recall correctly, isn¡¯t that Mr. and Mrs. White? The White family of Jadeborough was so influential that the prominent families in Lake City paled in comparison. Staring at Spencer¡¯s leaving silhouette, Mavis suggested to Christian White in resignation, ¡°Darling, let¡¯s go in too.¡± Thetter let out a sigh. ¡°It seems Spencer isn¡¯t ready to ept me yet.¡± ¡°He will¡­ with time.¡± Just as Mavis spoke, she walked toward the venue with Christian. As the auction was about to begin, most of the guests were already seated. Dressed in a gown with a long train, Hera emerged with a microphone in hand as she smiled cordially at everyone present. After making her way onto the auction stage, she threw the cards in her hand a nce before looking back up at the crowd below. The moment she saw Ashlyn and Lucas seated together, the smile on her face froze awkwardly while her gaze subconsciously fell upon Ashlyn. Jolted by a sense of hostility, Ashlyn looked up to be greeted by the sight of Hera standing on stage. However, thetter quickly hid her emotions and maintained the elegant smile she was wearing. ¡°I¡¯m honored to be your host tonight for the charity auction. And now, let me introduce you to some of our distinguished guests. We have Lucas Nn of Nn Group, Old Mr. Laith of Magnecal Tech, award- winning actor, Jason Harris, Dixon Haddock of Haddock Group, Richard Shaw of Glorious Group, Winsor Jaquin of Jaquin Group¡­¡­¡± As Hera was a member of the Chapman family, she frequented many of such events. As a result, she didn¡¯t feel nervous despite it being her first time as a host. Speaking confidently and enunciating every word clearly, she was doing a great job so far. Subsequently, she exined the auction process before allowing her assistant to introduce all the items on the block. Chapter 940 Chapter 940 The first item on auction that night was a porcin figurine of Harvey¡¯s that was crafted during one of the dynasties of old. As a result, it was considered a priceless antique that many of the industrial tycoons present mored among themselves. In the end, someone won the bid for it at five million. The next item on the block was a diamond ne which was sold just as quickly. When it came to a porcin vase that was popr with the crowd, Mavis won the bid at six million. She had always been a fan of intricate porcin ware. Meanwhile, when Christian snuck a nce at Spencer, he realized that no matter what he and his wife did, they would fail to capture thetter¡¯s attention. Spencer was focused on the stage most of the time. Ashlyn¡ªin spite of her boredom¡ªwas obliged to buy a random antique in support of the disaster recovery efforts. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . With the passage of time, the items were auctioned off one by one. Just when Ashlyn began to feel drowsy, an old book written by a famous poet of old was put on the block, capturing her attention. Generally, people were more interested in collecting antiques, jewelry, and paintings. Therefore, such a book didn¡¯t mean much to them. ¡°The bid for the book starts at five hundred thousand,¡± Hera stated in an elegant voice. No sooner had she spoken than Ashlyn raised her paddle. ¡°One million.¡± Her bid drew shocked looks from everyone present. From their perspective, the book wasn¡¯t worth much at all. She increased the bid by five hundred thousand? What¡¯s wrong with her? ¡°Honey, is that book worth a lot of money?¡± Lucas furrowed his brows curiously. Many of the business magnates present who previously showed no interest in the book were suddenly intrigued by the jump in Madeline Saunders¡¯ bid. If Ms. Saunders thinks that this is a treasure, it has to be one! With that, Ashlyn watched on as the bid for the supposedly worthless book soared to three million before hitting five. The sudden turn of events caused Ashlyn to grit her teeth in frustration. What¡¯s wrong with these people? Why are they fighting with me over this old book? In the end, she let out a sigh as she put her paddle down. ¡°D*mn it. There¡¯s no way I can splurge as much as they can.¡± Noticing that Ashlyn had given up, Hera couldn¡¯t resistmenting, ¡°Ms. Berry, are you sure you no longer want the book? Or is it because Mr. Nn doesn¡¯t want to buy it for you?¡± Her insinuation was clear¡ªLucas¡¯ just wasn¡¯t that into Ashlyn. It¡¯s just a book. If he really cares for you, he would¡¯ve bid for it, especially when it only costs a few million. That¡¯s peanuts to him. Despite furrowing her brows, Ashlyn didn¡¯t pay Hera any heed. Stooping to her level will only sully my own reputation. At the same time, Hera¡¯s remarks had ignited whispers among the crowd. ¡°Isn¡¯t it rude for Ms. Chapman to say such a thing about a guest?¡± ¡°Bidding for the item is Ms. Berry¡¯s decision. What has it got anything to do with her?¡± The guests¡¯ reactions quickly made Hera realize the faux pas she hadmitted. With an aggrieved expression, as if she had been wrongly used, she attempted to rify her words. ¡°Ms. Berry, I was just worried on your behalf. I didn¡¯t want to see you lose something that finally caught your eye.¡± However, an indifferent nce was all that Ashlyn spared her in response. At the same time, Lucas¡ªdressed in a sharp ck suit¡ªreprimanded her, ¡°I think you should focus on your job as the host, Ms. Chapman. The affairs of others are none of your concern.¡± A collective snigger broke out across the floor. Tsk tsk¡­ Hera¡¯s face lost all color after being given a dressing down. The way Lucas defended his wife¡¯s honor filled all the women present with envy. Thereafter, Hera stared at Lucas and Ashlyn with a hateful yet jealous look in her eyes. Chapter 941 Chapter 941 In the end, the bid for the book was won by one of the tycoons. As for the item Hera contributed to the auction, she had initially left it forst due to how valuable it was. However, she currently felt the urge to put herself back in the limelight. She had always enjoyed being the center of attention and relished the feeling of being worshiped. It was one thing for Ashlyn to steal her man, but to steal her limelight, too, was uneptable. Consequently, she responded to Lucas¡¯ reprimand with a smile and didn¡¯t show signs of being upset. Maintaining an elegant countenance, she dered, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the next item on the block is from my personal collection. And now, I¡¯ll have my assistant bring it up on stage.¡± The moment she finished, the assistant quickly switched the tray she was originally carrying to Hera¡¯s item. What¡¯s going on with her? Aren¡¯t we supposed to auction the vase first? Why did she suddenly change it to her item? Despite the questions in her mind, the assistant hurried onto the stage with Hera¡¯s item. Ashlyn had no interest in what it was until she heard a loud gasp from the crowd. When she looked up with a frown, she was greeted by the sight of a ck velvet box that held within it a piece of red jade. Underneath the illumination of the light, the red jade glistened with a soft sheen that demonstrated its impable rity. A jewelry expert within the crowd eximed, ¡°What an extremely rare piece of red jade, especially with a leaf carved into the back of it! The contrasting features of the green leaf and red stone make this a highly valuable treasure!¡± Despite gloating for a split second, Hera forced herself to maintain herposure as she exined, ¡°This red jade has been in the Chapman family¡¯s collection for many years and is a priceless piece. The bid starts at¡­ five million.¡± Hera was persistent in stealing the limelight at the auction. This is nothing but a lousy piece of jade. Yet Grandpa treats it like a treasure all the time. Meanwhile, the sight of the red jade elicited a drastic change in Sisley¡¯s expression. What is Hera doing? That red jade belongs to Alice. How can she put it out on auction without anyone¡¯s permission? If Bob finds out about this, he¡¯ll skin both of us alive. Sisley red at her daughter. Hera has clearly agreed to return the red jade. Why is it here at the auction? This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Sisley¡¯s overwhelming anger caused her throat to hurt, but she realized it was toote to stop it now that the red jade had been unveiled on stage. Her eyes consequently reddened. Where has Hera¡¯s sensibility gone? Why is she bing more and more disobedient to the extent of doing something like that? At that moment, Ryan¡ªwho had just arrived¡ªnarrowed his eyes the moment he saw the red jade on stage. He just couldn¡¯t believe what he was looking at. That¡­ if I¡¯m not mistaken, that is¡­ I must have it! For the very first time, the usually reserved Ryan shouted brazenly, ¡°Ten million!¡± ¡°Ten million? An increase of five just like that?¡± ¡°The Yates family are filthy rich indeed!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on with Mr. Yates?¡± Mary and Penelope, who were following Ryan from behind, widened their eyes in shock. Ten million? For a lousy piece of jade? Has Ryan gone mad? ¡°Ryan, it¡¯s ten million. Are you sure you want it? What¡¯s so special about it?¡± Mary had nned to unt the Yates family¡¯s wealth. Little did she expect the money to be used to bid for the jade. Wouldn¡¯t it be embarrassing if I didn¡¯t buy anything in the end? Without any hesitation, she began to dissuade Ryan from doing so. Penelope, who caught the look her mother gave her, added, ¡°Exactly, Uncle Ryan. Wouldn¡¯t the money be better spent on buying something more meaningful?¡± The incessant pestering by the mother and daughter duo simply annoyed Ryan. Ignoring both of them, he strode up on stage to examine the red jade up close. The design felt particrly familiar to him, especially the carved leave on it. The red jade was a unique heirloom given to members of the Yates family. Within his generation, only he and his elder sister were given one each. Chapter 942 Chapter 942 His was still in his possession, while the other piece disappeared alongside his sister until now¡­ How can the foolish Mary im that the jade isn¡¯t worth ten million? What does she know? Even Hera was given a shock, for she hadn¡¯t expected the red jade to be so valuable. ¡°Mr. Yates, it¡¯s ten million¡­ Are you sure about it?¡± ¡°Ten million it is,¡± Ryan repeated firmly. ¡°Ten million, going once¡­ Ten million, going twice¡­ Ten million¡ª¡± Right before Hera finished, a crisp voice rang out suddenly. ¡°Eleven million.¡± It belonged to none other than Ashlyn. Most of the guests present didn¡¯t feel that the red jade was worth ten million. After all, it was the size of a small seal and would be valued at a few million under the best circumstances. Following Ashlyn¡¯s bid, another deep male voice rang out. ¡°Twelve million.¡± She cocked a brow in Richard¡¯s direction. ¡°Richard, why are you fighting with me over this?¡± ¡°Ashlyn, I want the red jade too. I¡¯m curious to see how much it¡¯s actually worth.¡± Richard shed a gentle smile at her. ¡°It must be a treasure to have piqued your interest, isn¡¯t it?¡± Although a grim look shed across her eyes, Ashlyn quickly let out a chuckle. ¡°Indeed. I found the red jade familiar but can¡¯t, for the life of me, remember where I saw it before. That¡¯s why I¡¯m bidding for it to satisfy my curiosity.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re not really interested in it, Ashlyn, why don¡¯t you let me have it?¡± The gentle smile on Richard¡¯s face remained. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Raising her brows, Ashlyn lowered the paddle in her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger, Richard.¡± Her gaze subsequently drifted toward Ryan. Thetter looked handsome in his white-tapered suit. Every movement of his was a masterss in elegance, living up to the fantasy-like reputation of Piano Prince. After looking intently in Ashlyn and Richard¡¯s direction, Ryan raised his paddle again and proimed with conviction, ¡°Fifteen million.¡± The jump of three million blew everyone away and triggered an icy glint in Richard¡¯s eyes. ¡°Mr. Yates, is the Yates family really that desperate for this piece of jade?¡± ¡°Mr. Shaw, you can¡¯t believe how enamored with it I am,¡± Ryan replied with an emotionless look. Yet the determination in his tone was unmistakable. Mary pouted as she asked, ¡°What¡¯s so special about it, Ryan? It looks pretty ordinary to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you can¡¯t tell.¡± Ryan gave her the side-eye. ¡°It seems you don¡¯t know the Yates family well enough, Mary.¡± The lesser Mary¡¯s knowledge of the jade¡¯s significance, the greater the resentment Ryan harbored toward her. By then, he was a hundred percent certain that the former was an impostor. Not only has she enjoyed the riches of the Yates family by pretending to be my sister, but she also sullied the family¡¯s reputation. My real sister would be carrying the red jade on her and have no problems recognizing it. Given that it¡¯s something she had worn since she was a child, there¡¯s no way Mary wouldn¡¯t recognize it. This can only mean one thing¡ªshe isn¡¯t the sister I lost years ago. ¡°Uncle Ryan, isn¡¯t it too much to spend so much money on a piece of jade? Wouldn¡¯t Granny be angry if she found out?¡± Penelope, too, gave Ryan a worried look. Just as he was irritated by the voices of the two foolish women, he heard Richard¡¯s deep voice ring out again. ¡°Sixteen million.¡± As Richard continued to stare at the red jade on stage, he began to exude a domineering yet elegant aura. Right beside him, Shi was admiring the bravado he was showing. The legendary Mr. Shaw is none other than my fianc¨¦. Her heart would flutter every time the thought crossed her mind. ¡°Twenty million,¡± Ryan called out assertively, frustrated that he had topete with Richard for the item. The jade meant everything to the Yates family but was no more than an ordinary jewel to anyone else. Chapter 943 Chapter 943 It had way less valuepared to antiques. Everyone stared at Ryan in disbelief. Twenty million for a piece of jade? Is he crazy? The crowd quickly looked toward Richard. Will he increase the bid? Is he going to do that? Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Almost everyone had their gazes fixed on Richard. Unexpectedly, the man suddenly let out a low chuckle and said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that each of the direct descendants of the Yates family owned a piece of red jade like that. Mr. Yates, looking at how you¡¯re so bent on getting it, is it because¡­ it was previously owned by the eldest daughter of the Yates family?¡± Everyone gaped in shock upon hearing that. Does that mean the red jade originally belonged to the Yates family? Is that why Ryan is so determined to get it? Mary snapped out of her shock after hearing Richard¡¯s words. Her expression froze at once. Then, she looked at the red jade that was glowing under the light, hardly believing her eyes. Her heart was thumping wildly as color gradually drained from her face. N-No¡­ That can¡¯t be. How is it possible that the red jade is a possession of the Yates family? Its original owner was the eldest daughter of the Yates family? How can that be? It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s impossible! Richard must have gotten it wrong. Penelope was in utter shock as well. Mom doesn¡¯t know anything about the red jade. What does it mean? Isn¡¯t Mom supposed to be the eldest daughter of the Yates family? A scary thought surfaced in the woman¡¯s mind. Could Mom be an¡­ imposter? Does that mean she has been pretending to be the eldest daughter of the Yates family all this while? No, that can¡¯t be. Penelope bit her lower lip and looked at Mary, her face as pale as a sheet. Everyone present turned their attention to Ryan, anxious to hear the truth about the origins of the red jade. It was beyond Hera¡¯s wildest imagination that the piece of red jade could fetch twenty million. What secret was Alice keeping? Mr. Shaw said that only direct descendants of the Yates family had a piece of red jade like that¡­ But isn¡¯t Alice a Chapman? This¡­ Here, standing on the auction stage, was unable to think clearly. Her mind had gone nk in an instant. She only regained her senses when her mother suddenly dashed onto the stage and grabbed the red jade. ¡°We¡¯re not auctioning this red jade anymore,¡± Sisley said, her face ghastly pale. A crease appeared between Ryan¡¯s brows as he stared at the woman and said, ¡°You¡¯ve signed an agreement for each item here to be put up for auction. How can you just decide not to sell it?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t sell this. She stole this piece of red jade from her grandpa. She was just being yful but went overboard. This is really not for sale¡­¡± Sisley gripped the red jade in her hand, her expression as dark as thunder. ¡°Mr. Yates, this jade is really precious to my father¡­ You can¡¯t buy it. You really can¡¯t.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not up to the Chapman family to decide. You can¡¯t change the rules of the auction as you wish.¡± Ryan snatched the red jade from Sisley¡¯s hand and stared at her. ¡°Twenty million going once, going twice, sold! Since no one is willing to go higher, this item is mine now,¡± Ryan, who was usually gentle and elegant, announced domineeringly. He was clenching the red jade in his palm. However, before he could examine the jade, Sisley suddenly lunged at him in an attempt to snatch it back. Ryan took a few steps backward and managed to dodge her. Missing her target, Sisley looked at the man with bloodshot eyes and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if the red jade originally belonged to the Yates family. What¡¯s certain is that it is currently the Chapman family¡¯s property. Mr. Yates, please return it.¡± Ryan threw her a disdainful look before opening an application on his phone to make payment for the red jade. There was nothing Sisley and Hera could do as they watched the man pay his bid price of twenty million. ¡°Since I¡¯ve already paid for it, this officially belongs to me now!¡± A cold and mirthless smile appeared on Ryan¡¯s face. ¡°I just want to know how the Chapman family got their hands on this piece of jade. Do you think you¡¯re fit to have it?¡± The crowd had their attention fixed on Ryan and Sisley. The Yates family had always maintained a low profile, and it was the first time Ryan, the heir of the family, had publicly insulted another family. Chapter 944 Chapter 944 It was an eye-opening moment for everyone at the auction. It¡¯s so unlike Mr. Yates to be this agitated. This is definitely not an ordinary piece of jade. ¡°Why are we not fit to have it? It belongs to my dad. He kept it for more than twenty years. How could you take it away just like that? Ryan, you¡¯re no different from a bully!¡± Sisley bellowed furiously. ¡°Shut up!¡± Suddenly, a frail voice of an elder sounded. Everyone looked toward the door at once and saw Bob walking toward the auction stage supported by his butler. Hera¡¯s expression changed drastically when she saw her grandfather. ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± She had barely taken a few steps forward when a loud p rang out across the auction hall. Bob had pped Hera across her face. Disoriented by the sudden impact of the p, Hera staggered a few steps backward. A trace of blood could be seen in the corner of her mouth. That was one of the most humiliating moments of the woman¡¯s life. Looking extremely miserable, Hera covered her face with one hand and said, ¡°Grandpa¡­ You¡­¡± Her eyes were filled with disbelief as she gazed at Bob tearfully. All she could feel was a hot, searing pain on her cheek. Having been pped by her grandfather in front of so many wealthy and influential individuals, Hera desperately wished for the ground to swallow her up. Sisley immediately stepped forward to support her daughter to prevent her from falling. Simmering with anger, she looked at Bob and said, ¡°Dad, we can talk this out. Why did you hit her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because you didn¡¯t teach your daughter well!¡± Bob roared furiously. ¡°This piece of red jade was Alice¡¯s most prized possession. She had always carried it with her. I have been taking great care of it and nned to give it to Ashlyn after I pass away. How dare the two of you steal it and even sell it! How can you still be so self-righteous aftermitting such an act? The two of you are a disgrace to the Chapman family. From now onward, you are no longer a part of our family!¡± Bob¡¯s chest rose and fell heavily in rage as he spoke. At that moment, with fury vibrating through his being, he wanted nothing more than to strangle Hera to death. ¡°Alice? Alice Chapman is the owner of this red jade?¡± Ryan stared at the old man in shock. ¡°Alice, the daughter of the Chapman family who was extremely smart and talented?¡± The crowd was equally stunned. Everyone knew about the brilliance of the youngest daughter of the Chapman family back then. However, she suddenly disappeared without a trace. Word was that she had passed away. Ever since then, no one among the upper echelons of Lake City brought up her name again. At the mention of Alice, a few of the elders present could not help but reminisce. ¡°I will never forget how perfect Alice Chapman was. Not only was her beauty and elegance unrivaled, but she was also well versed in music and arts.¡± ¡°Magnecal Tech¡¯s office building was also designed by Ms. Alice. Everything was done by her, including the architecture, interior design, and furnishing. She was a genius!¡± Harvey could not help but sigh. Even the heavens are jealous of her perfection! The Chapman family wouldn¡¯t be thriving if not for Alice! Ashlyn remained seated quietly, her face slightly paler than usual. At that moment, she felt as if she was disconnected from the world around her. All she could see was her mother¡¯s benevolent face after hearing the descriptions of the woman from those people. Suddenly, she could feel a warm hand holding hers. ¡°Why is your hand so cold?¡± A familiar, maic male voice brought Ashlyn back to her senses. Taking a deep breath, she replied, ¡°I¡¯m all right. Just missing my mother.¡± After Bob was done scolding Hera and Sisley, he looked at Ryan apologetically and said, ¡°Mr. Yates, this piece of red jade belongs to my daughter. I hope you can return it to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already paid twenty million for it. Besides, it was officially put up for auction by the Chapman family. The rule is that the item would go to the highest bidder, and that¡¯s me,¡± Ryan rejected the old man directly, not wanting to give him any false hope.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Chapter 945 Chapter 945 ¡°How about this, Mr. Yates? Since you bought the jade for twenty million, I¡¯ll buy it back from you at the same price. Will that do?¡± Bob asked with utter sincerity. Seeing how the old man had humbled himself to the point of pleading with Ryan, the guests reeled in shock. Wow! Mr. Chapman must really love Alice a lot! The Chapman family has been going downhill since the latter disappeared, and Hera only made it worse with the embarrassing stunt she pulled tonight. Mr. Chapman¡¯s probably boiling with rage now¡­ With descendants like Hera, how could a family not be in decline? Bob, Sisley, and Hera couldn¡¯t help but stare nervously at the handsome Ryan. Mary, on the other hand, was in a state of panic. Sh*t! I never knew Alice had hidden a red jade or that it belonged to the Yates family¡­ I¡¯d have stolen it and maintained control of the situation if I had known earlier! Argh! I¡¯m sure Ryan will begin to suspect something now¡­ The next second, Maryposed herself and approached Ryan with a stiff smile. ¡°Ryan, this red jade might be fake, or perhaps it isn¡¯t the one from the Yates family. I remember wearing one as a kid, but unfortunately, I lost it sometime after.¡± ¡°Ah! Could the daughter of the Chapman family have picked up the red jade?¡± Penelope chimed in, determined to convince everyone that the red jade belonged to Mary. Upon hearing that, Bob red at the mother and daughter. ¡°What nonsense is that? Ms. Canter, you¡¯re a respectabledy in your fifties, so why would you still tell such a tant lie? Listen. This red jade belonged to my daughter, Alice Chapman! She had had it on her since she was a child. As for why Mr. Yates is iming that the jade came from the Yates family, I have no idea! All I know is that it¡¯s one of my daughter¡¯s belongings!¡± Even though Bob hadn¡¯t raised his voice, he spoke with such good diction that everyone heard him perfectly. Mary was livid and embarrassed, but more importantly, she didn¡¯t want to be thrown out of the Yates family or to have them suspect her identity. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Chapman,¡± she replied as she tried hard to hide her humiliation and save her pride. ¡°The thing is, I did indeed have a red jade when I was young. I may have mistaken this for mine because they look so simr.¡± Meanwhile, Ryan scrutinized the piece of jade in his hands. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. This red jade is so vivid and clear that it¡¯s almost wless. Its distinct shape, however, is what¡¯s most striking¡­ ¡°This red jade undoubtedly belongs to the Yates family. I don¡¯t know why it¡¯s been kept by the Chapmans all these years, but the fact remains that it¡¯s my family¡¯s heirloom,¡± Ryan said, his voice polite and firm. ¡°Even though this may belong to Ms. Alice Chapman, I have no intention of returning it to you, Mr. Chapman. I don¡¯t intend to sell it to you, either. If the jade really were your most prized possession, you should¡¯ve kept it safe and secure.¡± With that, Ryan tightened his grip around the red jade and continued, ¡°However, not only did you not respect it, but you also put it up for auction. Your family has willingly sold it, so why can¡¯t I buy it? The transaction waspletely open and above board, Mr. Chapman. Therefore, this red jade is mine to keep.¡± By then, Bob had turned white as a sheet. After all, never in his wildest dreams did he think Ryan would be so stubborn. ¡°I-I¡­ I beg of you, Mr. Yates. Ashlyn has never seen it before, and I wanted to give it to her!¡± Bob pleaded in a shaky voice. ¡°Ashlyn Berry?¡± Ryan asked curiously. ¡°What has this got to do with Ms. Berry?¡± Chapter 946 Chapter 946 ¡°Alice Chapman is my youngest daughter and also Ashlyn¡¯s biological mother!¡± Bob replied as he held his tears back. ¡°This red jade belonged to Ashlyn¡¯s mother, yet the poor girl had never seen it before. Mr. Yates, I understand you¡¯ve made up your mind and have no intention of returning the jade to us. In that case, I¡¯d be grateful if you could consider my request.¡± ¡°What is it? I¡¯ll think about it as long as it¡¯s within my power,¡± Ryan answered. Mr. Chapman may have moved me a little with his words, but there¡¯s still no way I¡¯d give the red jade away. It is, without a doubt, from our family. That said, I can¡¯t exin how the Chapmans got their hands on it¡­ ¡°Can Ashlyn take a look at it before you keep it? Please?¡± Bob begged, his gaze steady and earnest. Ryan was no cold-hearted man, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that he couldn¡¯t stand a man of his mother¡¯s age looking at him so pitifully. The next second, he walked up to Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, since your grandfather has requested it, you may have a look at the jade.¡± As it turned out, Ashlyn hadn¡¯t moved from her seat the entire time. I-I finally get to see what Mom left behind, huh? She had heard the disagreement between Bob and Ryan and Mary¡¯s seemingly innocent exnation. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Now, she could feel everyone¡¯s eyes on her as they chattered among themselves. When she finally looked down at the open hand before her, all she could see was the beautiful piece of red jade. It exuded a warm,forting glow that reminded Ashlyn of a mother¡¯s loving gaze. Her mind had gone nk in that instance, yet strangely enough, she couldn¡¯t help reaching for the red jade and clutching it tightly. Oh¡­ It feels like I¡¯m holding Mom¡¯s hand¡­ By then, she was all teary-eyed. Mom¡­ Was this your most prized possession? Can I still feel your warmth on it? Oh, but it¡¯s toote now. If I had known this belonged to Mom, I wouldn¡¯t have let Ryan win the auction! After a brief silence, Ashlyn finally looked up and stared into Ryan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Please sell this to me, Mr. Yates. What do you want for it? One hundred million? Two hundred million? Feel free to name your price.¡± As her voice resonated in the auction hall, everyone turned to her in wide-eyed amazement. Oh, gosh. She¡¯s willing to deal in the hundreds of millions! That¡¯s a lot of money, yet she said it without even batting an eyelid! ¡°I¡¯ll buy it at any price you want, Mr. Yates.¡± Just then, a low and deep voice rang out. ¡°Five hundred million!¡± Naturally, that triggered an uproar in the crowd. After all, no one could believe what they had just heard! Five hundred million for a small piece of red jade? Lucas Nn must have gone mad! ¡°Mr. Yates, this red jade belonged to my wife¡¯ste mother. Could you spare a thought for the deceased and sell it to us for five hundred million?¡± Lucas asked again, this time in a much gentler tone. Needless to say, Hera was green with envy as she red at Ashlyn. Five hundred million isn¡¯t a small sum! Is Lucas only doing it to make Ashlyn happy? If that¡¯s the case, he¡¯s nothing more than a foolish spendthrift! Argh! What¡¯s so great about Ashlyn, anyway? How is she worth Lucas spending so much on her? Simrly, the other women in the crowd couldn¡¯t help but gape in awe at Ashlyn and Lucas. They were already swooning over thetter¡¯s good looks, but what shocked them more was how willing he was to spend hundreds of millions on Ashlyn. Oh, dear¡­ Even our luxury bags and jewelry feel cheap now. How can anything measure up to the five hundred million price tag? Ryan gazed at the beautiful couple with a conflicted expression. ¡°Ms. Berry, Mr. Nn, as an acquaintance of yours, I admire the two of you a lot,¡± he said. ¡°However, that doesn¡¯t change the fact that the red jade belongs to the Yates family. As such, I must take it home and keep it safe.¡± With that said, he promptly reached under his shirt and pulled out a red string. To everyone¡¯s surprise, another red jade pendant dangled from it. The next second, Ryan ripped the pendant off and ced it on his palm. Chapter 947 Chapter 947 Two red jades were ced side by side. They were exactly the same in terms of size, design, and color. Even the green leaf that was carved on them were identical. Anyone could tell they were a pair. Ryan sighed. ¡°This belongs to the Yates family. Back then, my sister got lost and separated from the Yates family. After that, Ms. Canter was found and had a paternity test done. However, she never had the red jade with her.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. When Mary heard Ryan utter the words ¡°Ms. Canter,¡± her face turned as pale as a sheet. Even the veins under her skin were visible. D*mn it, Ryan Yates! How dare you address me so formally during an asion like this? Everyone at the scene understood Ryan¡¯s words clearly. Meanwhile, Mary felt utterly embarrassed. It was as though an invisible hand had pped her across the face. She gritted her teeth furiously as an urge to snatch the red jade that held the identity of the Yates family washed over her. s, she dared not, nor could she follow her impulsive thoughts. Ashlyn, too, stared at the two pieces of red jades. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the daughter of the Chapman family, Alice, is the eldest daughter of the Yates family,¡± said someone all of a sudden. The atmosphere grew tense in an instant, and everyone turned to look at Ashlyn dubiously. With an indifferent expression, Bob refuted, ¡°No way! Alice is my biological daughter. How can she be a member of the Yates family? That jade was given by to her mother when she was alive. I don¡¯t remember where my wife got it from, though. It¡¯s been too long.¡± After all, Ashlyn was his granddaughter who was going to take care of the Chapman family. He would not let his outstanding granddaughter be taken away no matter what. His anxiousness heightened just from thinking about it, and his body shook violently. He could barely stand firmly. Seeing that, Alfred rushed over to help him up. ¡°Please calm down, Mr. Chapman! Your healthes first.¡± ¡°I need to say this today. I must announce this in front of everyone or I¡¯ll never get the chance to do it in the future!¡± Bob said as he gasped for air. Ashlyn was stunned momentarily when she saw him reaching out to her. She quickly approached him and held his wrinkly hand. With a weak voice, Bob stated, ¡°I¡­ I would like to announce that Ashlyn will be my heir as of today. She will inherit all of my assets and be in charge of the Chapman family. Apart from the Chapman residence that¡¯s reserved for my three sons, all the assets under my name will be transferred to Ashlyn. Everyone here is my witness.¡± Hera shrieked, ¡°Grandpa, what are you saying? I¡¯m your granddaughter, too! Why are you giving all your assets to Ashlyn? She doesn¡¯t even carry our surname!¡± ¡°Dad, my husband has been the one managing thepany. Are you really doing to hand it over to Ashlyn? How is this possible? Have you gone senile? Does Ashlyn usually take care of you? She doesn¡¯t even care about you!¡± Sisley was enraged as well. How dare this old geezer do this? How dare he give all his assets to Ashlyn? Is this some kind of joke? ¡°I¡¯ve already made up my mind, and no one can convince me otherwise,¡± Bob uttered. He gazed at both Sisley and Hera, scoffing, ¡°You should be thankful you still have a roof over your head. Kicking both of you out of the Chapman family is a piece of cake after everything you did today.¡± ¡°No. No way! My husband, Brad, and even Bryan won¡¯t agree to it! No matter what, we have made contributions. We were the ones taking care of you every day when you were admitted to the hospital. What is this you¡¯re pulling now? How could you be so heartless?¡± Sisley tried to change Bob¡¯s mind. ¡°Please get your facts right. The caregivers are the ones who took care of me most of the time while Ashlyn¡¯s the one who operated on me! Besides, the housekeeper¡¯s usually the one attending to my needs at home. Just exactly which one of you has taken care of me before?¡± Chapter 948 Chapter 948 The more he spoke, the angrier he felt. In fact, he could not be bothered to even look at them. If not for Alfred¡¯s support, Bob would have passed out from anger. Bob simply gave up on arguing with Sisley and Hera. It was too pointless for him. Turning to Ashlyn, he held her fair hands and said, ¡°Ashlyn¡­ I was wrong to you and your mom. If I didn¡¯t kick her out of the house, she wouldn¡¯t have¡­ Huh¡­ It¡¯s all my fault.¡± The thought of Alice filled his heart with sorrow and bitterness. ¡°G-Grandpa¡­¡± Ashlyn found it hard to utter that word since she never used it. ¡°I¡¯m not in need of money. Besides, I have some assets under my name. You should take them back for your retirement fund.¡± She would be lying if she said she was not moved by Bob¡¯s announcement. Surprisingly, she felt nothing when he acknowledged her as a member of the Chapman family in the hospital. However, there was no sense of intimacy between them. Although she still felt awkward around the Chapman family, she was shocked to hear Bob wanted to leave all his assets to her. After all, humans were emotional beings. She sighed inwardly, feeling dejected for not getting her mother¡¯s heirloom. At the same time, she hated Hera for stealing and selling the red jade. If the red jade was not stolen, Ashlyn would have seeded in getting her hands on it. Sadly, Ashlyn could only suppress her disappointment now that it was in Ryan¡¯s possession. There¡¯s no useining about it. That¡¯s how life is sometimes. We lose or get things depending on our fate. ¡°Darling¡­ If not for your mother, the Chapman family would never be how it is today. I¡¯m leaving our family¡¯spany and reputation to you. I have faith in your capabilities. You¡¯ll do better than your mother.¡± With that, Bob gazed earnestly at Ashlyn as if waiting for an answer. Ashlyn was at a loss for what to do. She did not want to take over the Chapman family, for it would be a hot potato for her. Just as she was thinking of a solution, Alfred suddenly eximed, ¡°Mr. Chapman! Mr. Chapman!¡± Everyone turned to Bob in confusion only to watch him drop to the ground. Fortunately, Lucas caught Bob just in time. ¡°Quick! Send him to the hospital!¡± Chaos instantly broke out in the auction hall. Some shrieked, some grew anxious, while some enjoyed the show. Spencer hurriedly rose to his feet and followed Lucas to send Bob to the hospital. As soon as Mavis and Christian saw that, they followed suit. ¡°Spencer, slow down. I can¡¯t keep up,¡± Mavis called out behind Spencer. Spencer froze upon hearing her words, and he turned around to scoff, ¡°That¡¯s none of my business. You were no longer my mom the moment you married Uncle Christian.¡± Mavis paled as heartache shed past her eyes. ¡°Spencer, it¡¯s not what you think. Will you please hear me out?¡± The fact that her son still misunderstood her after so many years filled her with indescribable shame. ¡°Just pretend that you don¡¯t have a son and live your life with your daughter, okay?¡± Spencer cast her a cold gaze. He was not the slightest bit fazed by the sorrow in her eyes. ¡°Please don¡¯t disrupt my life again.¡± ¡°Spencer!¡± Mavis took a few steps forward, but he did not bother turning back again. Heartbroken, Mavis buried her face into Christian¡¯s chest and sobbed. Thetter could not help but sigh and hug her tightly. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Darling.¡± ¡°Christian, how on earth am I supposed to tell him what happened back then? It¡­ It wasn¡¯t our fault!¡± Mavis cried out in despair before Christian helped her into the elevator. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile, Cassandra, who had been watching everything from afar, was stunned. The White family seems to have someplicated family matters. Chapter 949 Chapter 949 Rumors about the White family¡¯s scandalous affairs spread among the people of upper-ss society. ording to the rumors, the eldest son of the White family married Mavis back then. However, he passed away a few yearster. After that, Mavis married the White family¡¯s second son, Christian, who was also the current head of the family. The couple now had a daughter. She was basically the apple of their eye and was pampered by them. Meanwhile, the son Mavis had with her ex-husband suddenly disappeared from the White family. Cassandra never expected the missing son to be Spencer. Wow. There are surprises everywhere. She pondered for a moment and decided against stepping into the elevator. Just when the elevator doors were about to close, she heard Mavis¡¯ devastated tone. ¡°He¡¯s the legitimate son of the White family, yet he insists on working as Lucas¡¯ assistant like a ve. What is he thinking? Does he hate me that much?¡± Cassandra frowned. Looks like Mrs. White doesn¡¯t understand her son at all. He¡¯s not a ve just because he¡¯s an assistant. Everyone in Lake City knows Spencer is Lucas¡¯ right-hand man. Cassandra¡¯s pity for Mavis vanished on the spot. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. In the meantime, Bob was brought to the ER by a crowd. ¡°Ashlyn, you b*tch!¡± Hera charged toward Ashlyn and was about to p thetter when a powerful hand caught hers. With a powerful swing of the hand, Lucas sent Hera flying like a kite with a broken string until she mmed into a wall. Hera¡¯s face contorted in pain as she stared at Lucas in disbelief. Teary-eyed, she shifted her gaze from Lucas to the woman he was shielding behind him. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! Grandpa¡¯s in the hospital because you made him angry! How dare you still show up here?¡± she scolded while suppressing the pain. Hera¡¯s ability to twist the truth was an eye-opening experience for Ashlyn. ncing at the slightly crazed Hera, Ashlyn questioned indifferently, ¡°Didn¡¯t Grandpa fall sick because you stole my mom¡¯s red jade and auctioned it off?¡± Hera forced herself to stand straight. ¡°It¡¯s you! He clearly passed out because you took our family¡¯s assets!¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Looks like Ms. Chapman has poor listening abilities,¡± Ashlyn mocked. Ashlyn realized Hera had not gotten a clear picture of the situation or her identity. Looks like I¡¯ve got to teach her a lesson. ¡°Your grandpa clearly stated in the auction that I¡¯m the heir and even the current head of the Chapman family. Thus, you¡¯d better behave if you want to stay in the Chapman residence.¡± ¡°Y-You! How dare you behave so arrogantly when you aren¡¯t even officially the head of the family yet? Tell you what. You¡¯ll never be the head!¡± Hera glowered at Ashlyn. The idea of having to obey Ashlyn in the future drove Hera furious to the point of insanity. She would not tolerate it even for a single second. ¡°What makes you think you can bully my daughter, Ashlyn? Her grandpa isn¡¯t dead yet! Trying to assume authority, eh? Dream on! You¡¯ll never be the head of the family.¡± Sisley rushed forward and shielded Hera behind her, ring at Ashlyn¡¯s face that resembled Alice¡¯s. At that moment, Sisley felt as if she was looking at the talented woman¡ªAlice¡ªfrom her younger days. The fear of being dominated by Alice¡¯s talent surged in Sisley¡¯s heart again. She gritted her teeth and cursed in her heart. Alice, why should the Chapman family fall into your daughter¡¯s hand at the very end? Sisley could not help but hate Alice, despite knowing thetter was no longer around. Alice was like a dangerous beast in the eyes of everyone in the Chapman family. Everyone in the family was a useless being when she was around. Never did they expect her daughter to return after so many years to take what they believed to be theirs. ¡°What¡¯s all this ruckus? Don¡¯t you know you need to be quiet in a hospital?¡± Chapter 950 Chapter 950 Right then, a nurse walked over and scolded Sisley. She then turned to Ashlyn and shed thetter a smile. ¡°Aren¡¯t you working today, Dr. Berry?¡± The nurse¡¯s tone was filled with respect. ¡°My grandpa¡¯s in the emergency room,¡± Ashlyn answered with a nod. ¡°I see. Who are these people who raised their voices, anyway? Such terrible manners.¡± The nurse red at Sisley and warned, ¡°One more time, and you¡¯ll be kicked out of the building.¡± With that, the nurse bade Ashlyn farewell and left. Right then, the emergency room door opened with a bang, and a nurse rushed out. She strode quickly toward Ashlyn and urged, ¡°Dr. Berry, you need to get changed and have a look. The patient is¡­¡± Ashlyn frowned with worry. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She gazed at the nurse while marching forward. As she felt that her gown getting in the way she walked, she bent down and ripped off the hem. Just like that, her full-length gown turned into a mini skirt, revealing her long, slender legs. Before she left, she turned around and said to Lucas, ¡°I¡¯m going in to take a look.¡± Lucas could not help but raise his brow after seeing her gorgeous legs. Ashlyn¡¯s move earlier was incredible and attractive. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. However, he scratched his chin, feeling slightly displeased at the idea of her legs being seen by so many people. He had the urge to rush forward and wrap his coat around them. s, she was already too far away. Meanwhile, Ashlyn put on a PPE before entering the emergency room with the nurse and approaching the operating table. ¡°The patient¡¯s blood pressure keeps dropping, and his heartbeat is slowing down. What should we do now, Dr. Berry?¡± Ashlyn exined calmly, ¡°He might¡¯ve fainted due to a cerebral hemorrhage or cerebral infarction. He needs a head CT or an MRI to find out if there¡¯s anything wrong with his brain. It might also be caused by a heart attack. I performed bypass surgery on him six months ago. Get the examinations arranged now. We¡¯lle up with a solution after seeing the results. Inform the other brain surgeons, too. We need to have a consult.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Barney and a few brain surgeons were gathered in the meeting room an hourter. ¡°He had a bypass surgery six months ago. And now, he has a cerebral infarction. He needs an operation right away.¡± Ashlyn eyed them calmly. Barney hesitated momentarily before saying, ¡°With his current recovery ability, an operation isn¡¯t a good idea. After all, he¡¯s rather old.¡± ¡°A bypass surgery typically needs to be done at least three months after a cerebral infarction surgery to reduce the risk.¡± Ashlyn looked as calm as ever. Barney sighed. ¡°Hopefully, his family will give their consent. This old body of mine is weak, too. It¡¯s a blessing to live another day at our age.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Dr. Hammer,¡± Ashlynforted. ¡°I¡¯ll sign the papers,¡± she added. ¡°You?¡± Barney looked at her in surprise. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s my grandfather.¡± With that, Ashlyn stood up and said to all the doctors, ¡°Dr. Hendrickson, Dr. Walker, please assist me in this surgery. Doctors who are interested in watching can enter the operating theater as well.¡± Ashlyn had left the meeting room before Barney had even snapped out of his shock. ¡°How¡¯s that possible? Dr. Berry is Mr. Chapman¡¯s granddaughter? How is it I never knew this in the past?¡± Barney murmured under his breath. After all, he and Bob were close friends. On top of that, he was the one who let Ashlyn perform the bypass surgery on Bob back then. This is so odd. While he was feeling perplexed, he heard his phone ring. He unlocked it and realized it was Twitter promoting thetest news. ording to the tweet, the charity auction was a sess. Many big shots contributed funds to the disaster relief. On top of that, a shocking thing happened. The host, Hera, auctioned off the Chapman family¡¯s red jade and an intense feud broke out. Chapter 951 Chapter 951 Moreover, the Chapman family¡¯s inheritance had fallen into the hands of Ashlyn, who was the granddaughter of the family. The director stood there, feeling dizzy as he readizens¡¯ments and endured Hera¡¯s oppressive rebuke. Somehow, he felt something was amiss. While Ashlyn led a team of doctors to the operating theater to carry out the medical procedures, Sisley and Hera stood outside the door, gritting their teeth in hatred. ¡°B*tch! Who gave her permission to operate on him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to be our burden again if he survives the surgery. Damn it!¡± ¡°He should just die and end our misery!¡± Sisley and Hera continued cussing silently. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. All members of the Chapman family had arrived except Brad, who was still behind bars. The rest of the Chapmans, too, had read all the trending stories on Twitter. They began asking questions in shock and confusion. ¡°What exactly happened? What does it mean when they say we¡¯re only allowed to stay in the residence? Aren¡¯t we entitled to even a small portion of the inheritance?¡± ¡°How could that old man do this to us? How could he be so biased? How could he hand everything to Ashlyn? We work like donkeys for the family, yet we don¡¯t get a single cent in return. Doesn¡¯t that make us ordinary white-cored workers?¡± another person added. Annoyed, Sisley red at them. ¡°Go and ask that old man! He gave her the family inheritance, not me.¡± ¡°Hera, you shouldn¡¯t have auctioned off the red jade. You¡¯re the one who made your grandpa angry and caused him to fall ill, aren¡¯t you?¡± one of the family members questioned. ¡°No. It was Ashlyn. Ashlyn did that to him,¡± Hera defended herself. ¡°Stop trying to fool us. We¡¯re not stupid, okay? We¡¯ll not let you off if anything bad happens to Grandpa!¡± Faced with the usations from all the family members, Hera could only keep mum. Right at that moment, the doors to the operating theater were pushed open. An anxious-looking nurse wheeled Bob out on a bed. The elderly many quietly on the bed with his eyes shut, and he was covered with a white hospital sheet. His hair had been shaved, and his head was wrapped with a white bandage. The elderly man appeared frail and vulnerable, his paleplexion resembling a sheet of paper, making him seem like a candle me that could be easily snuffed out. ¡°Doctor, how¡¯s my dad?¡± ¡°Doctor, is my grandpa okay?¡± The crowd rushed over and bombarded the doctor with all sorts of questions. Ashlyn, who had juste out of the operating theater with a few nurses and doctors, noticed a group of people surrounding the nurse and Bob. She red at them icily. ¡°Quiet!¡± The atmosphere froze for a second. Everyone was so shocked that they gave her an incredulous look. Some of them had seen Ashlyn before, but most had not. For a split second, they thought they saw Alice. ¡°W-What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Is that Alice? Is she back?¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s not Alice, but she looks like her!¡± Ashlyn ignored them. In an icy tone, she said, ¡°Grandpa needs to rest, so no one should disturb him. Now, move!¡± Intimidated by her aura, everyone stared at her stone-cold face and took a few steps back. The nurses then wheeled Bob into the ICU ward while Ashlyn followed right behind. All the other doctors caught up with her and walked toward the ICU ward. One of the bystanders murmured, ¡°What makes her think she¡¯s superior to us? Inheriting the Chapman family doesn¡¯t make her a cut above the rest.¡± ¡°She looks exactly like Alice. If she finds out about Alice¡¯s past¡­¡± another person expressed his concern. Sisley¡¯s face darkened. She shot daggered at the man. ¡°What past? What happened back then? Now all of you listen carefully!¡± All the Chapmans instantly zipped their mouths and stared at her in silence. They used to think that Sisley and her children would inherit the Chapman family. After all, Hera was a prominent figure, and her aplishments set her apart from the other children in the family. Chapter 952 Chapter 952 All the Chapmans were used toplying with Sisley¡¯s directives without question. Sisley said, ¡°Alice¡¯s pregnancy was an ident, and it had nothing to do with us. It¡¯s entirely her fault since she led a messy life! Besides, it was Mr. Chapman who kicked her out of the family. It has nothing to do with us. If you start poking around into the past or using us of hiding any secrets, you¡¯ll have to deal with me!¡± Hera nudged Sisley¡¯s arm and asked softly, ¡°Mom, what exactly happened?¡± ¡°Nothing happened.¡± Sisley looked tensed. Everything that happened in the past is better left buried! If Ashlyn finds out about it, given her status and abilities, she¡¯ll definitely seek revenge against us! Sisley, who was still in shock, let out a long breath as she tried topose herself. ¡°You¡¯re just a child. There are things you shouldn¡¯t know.¡± She believed Ashlyn, too, had no idea what happened. We¡¯ll be safe as long as she¡¯s not aware of the past. Meanwhile, in the hotel, Ryan would retrieve the red jade he had acquired from the Chapman family¡¯s auction and look at it once in a while. Looking at the red jade made him feel as if he was looking at his sister during his childhood days. I must figure out the rtionship between Mary and her daughter! He was also eager to learn more about Ashlyn, as he was not entirely buying Bob¡¯s story. Was Alice really a daughter of the Chapman family? Based on his investigations, he discovered that Alice was intelligent, talented, and a popr figure in the Chapman family. As the number one socialite in Lake City, Alice was always the center of attention. Ryan felt there was something Alice and his sister had inmon. The direct descendants of the Yates family were known for their exceptional talents in various fields. His sister had already achieved a high level of proficiency in piano at a very young age, reaching the tenth grade and winning major awards. Ashlyn¡¯s aplishments in piano were equally impressive as well. Ryan sat on the couch and went deep in thought. He could not help but feel Ashlyn was more akin to a member of the Yates family. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Ryan said while putting the red jade away. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Mary pushed open the door and entered with Penelope. ¡°Ryan, have you taken lunch? Penelope and I just came back from the restaurant, and we bought you stir-fried beef with couscous and fruit juice. Would you like to have some now?¡± Mary tried to act natural before him while expressing her concern. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ryan nodded politely and took the stir-fried beef with couscous. He was indeed famished since he did not eat anything at the auction. ¡°Enjoy your meal. Penelope and I will head back to our room to rest,¡± Mary said and left with Penelope. Ryan, who was engrossed in his meal, did not notice the vicious nces in their eyes. After finishing the stir-fried beef with couscous, he felt drowsy and dozed off on the couch. A few minutester, Mary and Penelope got into his room and red at him. ¡°The drug Mr. Haddock gave us worked really well. Look, he¡¯s now lying unconscious on the couch.¡± ¡°Mom, are you sure the item is with him?¡± Penelope asked cautiously. ¡°Yes. His personal seal is the jade pendant he wears around his neck, and his name is engraved on the bottom of it,¡± Mary said. ¡°As soon as we stamp his personal seal on the document and top it up with another official chop, we¡¯re done!¡± Even if the Yates family decided to kick them out of the family, they would still have some money. All we need to do now is stamp his personal seal on the document and top it up with the official chop. Mary searched through Ryan¡¯s belongings and eventually discovered the official chop, which bore the emblem of the Yates family. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m a little nervous.¡± Penelope held the chop but dared not stamp it on the document. Mary snatched it from her. ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? We just need to stamp it on the document. Don¡¯t you want to live a luxurious life? Once the document is stamped, we¡¯ll have more money than we can ever spend. Do we still need to depend on them for money? No, we can live afortable life on our own after this,¡± Mary said. Her excitement grew as she forcefully mmed the official chop onto the document. Chapter 953 Chapter 953 After pressing it, she carefully wiped the seal clean, put it away, and returned it to its original ce. Only then did she happily take the agreement and drag Penelope along to leave Ryan¡¯s room. ¡­ Meanwhile, at the hospital, Bob passed out for a whole day before finally waking up. He slowly opened his eyes and noticed the tubes and instruments inside the ICU ward. He thought for a while before recalling where he was. I suppose I¡¯m in a hospital, but why was I admitted? Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. He contemted a little longer. Oh, that¡¯s right. The auction. Hera and Ashlyn. His memories slowly came back to him. Every breath Bob took caused his chest to ache as hey there, feeling weak and exhausted. His head also throbbed with tingling pain, making him extremely ufortable. At that moment, a person dressed in sterile protective clothing entered the ward. ¡°Grandpa.¡± The woman¡¯s calm voice was indifferent butced with a hint of concern. ¡°Ashlyn,¡± Bob uttered weakly. ¡°I performed surgery on you the day before yesterday because you had a cerebral infarction. You¡¯ll need to stay in the ICU ward for another day for observation. If your condition stabilizes, I¡¯ll transfer you to a regr ward.¡± Then, she briefly recounted the incident to him before saying, ¡°I cannot stay here for too long because my presence will disturb your rest.¡± He suddenly reached out, using all his strength to grab her hand. ¡°Ashlyn, I¡¯m so happy and d you¡¯re finally addressing me as your grandpa.¡± His aged and veiny hand fell limply on the bed after he finished saying that. Taking in his fragile state, Ashlyn let out an inward sigh. ¡°Ashlyn, I beg you. You must inherit the Chapman family. If you don¡¯t, I won¡¯t be at peace even in death.¡± Bob¡¯s voice carried a hint of pleading as he gazed longingly at Ashlyn. ¡°I¡¯ve failed your mother and you in my life. Please, I beg you.¡± Murky tears streamed down his cheeks. ¡°Can you really not promise me? I-I may not have much longer to live.¡± He started to gasp for breath. Startled, Ashlyn immediately called out. ¡°Hurry up and save him!¡± Hearing her exmation, the doctors and nurses outside rushed into the ward and joined her in activating various devices as they scrambled to rescue Bob. ¡°He got too emotional when he saw me.¡± Half an hourter, Ashlyn, looking somewhat worn out, said to everyone, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Dr. Berry, you¡¯ve been monitoring Mr. Chapman¡¯s condition outside the ICU in the past two days. You must be tired after staying awake for so long. Now that his condition is stable, you should go home and get some rest. We¡¯ll be here to keep a close watch on him,¡± one of the doctors uttered concernedly to Ashlyn. She nodded before dragging her weary body and moving toward her office. When she pushed the office door open, she caught whiffs of the aroma of food. Taken aback, she turned to look at the delicious-looking dishes served on the table. ¡°Lucas? Why are you here?¡± Dressed in a ck shirt, Lucas crossed his long legs elegantly and was holding aptop to deal with work matters at that moment. Hearing her surprised voice, he looked up. His pensive gaze fell on her. He closed theptop and said, ¡°Come and have your meal.¡± She walked over and sat beside him. He pulled her into his embrace and wrapped his arm around her slender waist. ¡°You¡¯ve lost weight.¡± She patted him. ¡°Nonsense. I¡¯m still the same.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep well without you by my side.¡± He buried his head in her shoulder and took a deep breath. The faint scent of disinfectant on her smelled particrly pleasant. ¡°I¡¯ll apany you to take a napter.¡± She patted his head, suddenly feeling as if she was raising a clingy Golden Retriever, and she felt a sense of warmth filling her chest. Hearing that, Lucas curled his lips into a smile. ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 954 Chapter 954 After finishing their meal, Lucas went to answer a phone call while Ashlyn went into the lounge inside her office to get some rest. As soon as her body came into contact with the bed, she closed her eyes and drifted off. When Lucas hung up the call and entered the lounge, he saw she was sleeping soundly while wearing a serene expression. Her previously red and plump lips were now a little pale. Her long eyshes covered her eyes, and her delicate face showed signs of fatigue. His heart ached at that sight. He leaned down and gently kissed her lips before climbing into the bed as well. Lucas stretched out his long arm and pulled Ashlyn, who was sound asleep, into his embrace. She must be drained after working so hard in the past few days. The time was already past one o¡¯clock in the afternoon when she woke up. Ashlyn stretched and sat up, finding herself still somewhat exhausted. She knitted her brows as she felt a little dizzy. When she raised her arm, she heard Lucas¡¯ maic and hoarse voice ring out. ¡°You¡¯re burning up!¡± He had coincidentally touched her face with his hand. Ashlyn was stunned. She got out of bed to look for an infrared thermometer. After a beep, she gazed at the number on the disy in resignation. ¡°Thirty-nine degrees Celsius. I have a fever.¡± ¡°You must¡¯ve fallen sick from exhaustion.¡± He pushed her back onto the bed. ¡°You need to stay here and get rested. I¡¯ll look for the nurse to get you some antipyretic medication.¡± In fact, Ashlyn hade down with a fever and a cold. She sniffled and swallowed the medicine. Then, she heard the nurse, who came in with Lucas. ¡°Dr. Berry, even the most robust body cannot withstand being overworked in this manner. You should go home instead of staying in the office.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll leave my grandpa in your care.¡± Half an hourter, the car came to a steady stop in front of Whind Vi. However, right after they pushed the door open and entered the vi, Ashlyn sensed Lucas¡¯s body stiffen in front of her. She looked inside the house in confusion and noticed a group of uninvited guests. Dozens of men in ck stood behind the couch in the living room, like rows of ck towers. A middle-aged man and woman sat on the couch, leisurely watching her and Lucas. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°Dad? Mom?¡± Lucas nced at them coldly and spoke indifferently. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Franklin shed a wicked smile while caressing the ck cat in his arms. He shifted his sinister gaze from Lucas to Ashlyn, sending diforting chills to travel down the couple¡¯s spines as he sized them up back and forth. ¡°We miss you. Aren¡¯t we allowed to be here?¡± Livia bored her beguiling eyes into Ashlyn. ¡°Pfft. I wonder what kind of love potion you made my son consume. How dare you admit that you¡¯re his wife in public?¡± Lucas grimaced in displeasure after hearing his mother¡¯s sarcastic remark. ¡°Mom, Ashlyn has done nothing wrong.¡± ¡°Are you ming your dad and me then?¡± Livia arched her delicately-trimmed brows. ¡°Your sisters died so tragically. My dear ire and Grace. How disappointed and heartbroken would they be if they knew how pathetic you¡¯ve be.¡± The expression on Lucas¡¯ face changed drastically. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the point of you mentioning that?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I talk about my daughters?¡± Livia let out a shrill and spine-chillingughter. ¡°My daughters died because of you, yet you continue living in this world without the slightest remorse. How did the Nn family wrong you to have raised an ingrate like you? This is what you owe our family. I want you two to break up at once. In that case, we can still remain a loving family. ¡°If you don¡¯t¡­ Well, did those people not teach you a sufficiently memorable lesson that night in the disaster area? Is that why you two are getting carried away?¡± ¡°Your expression didn¡¯t even change when you brazenly admitted to your n of assassinating your adopted son. I¡¯ve gained a new understanding of how shameless the two of you can be.¡± Lucas grasped Ashlyn¡¯s hand. This time, he didn¡¯t want to let go of her hand anymore. He wanted to be with her and live a peaceful life together. Chapter 955 Chapter 955 ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have been so naughty,¡± Franklin murmured as he gently caressed the ck cat¡¯s fur. The ck cat¡¯s green eyes were deep and slightly frightening. Ashlyn felt unusually calm despite facing the odd couple. She stood by Lucas and listened to the three of them converse. She quirked her lip, feeling cold and parched. In an unrestrained and partially disdainful voice, she said, ¡°I¡¯m the one who gets to decide what to do with my life. The two of you have no right to meddle with my affairs. You¡¯re better off saving your energy. I¡¯m with Lucas because we are in love with each other and it¡¯s not because of anything else. So, what other methods do you have to break us apart? You can always try,¡± Ashlyn said, turning a mocking gaze at Livia. ¡°So? Will you admit defeat?¡± Instantly, Livia¡¯s expression darkened. It was true that her martial art skills were not strong enough to defeat Ashlyn when they were at the hospital previously. It greatly shamed her, and Ashlyn was currently using it to make fun of her. Livia¡¯s heart was filled with hatred as she red at Ashlyn icily. ¡°You b*tch! Get her! Make sure you mess up her face!¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. The moment she uttered the words, the men in ck behind her pounced on Ashlyn and Lucas like wolves. Backing away, Ashlyn put some distance between herself and Lucas and prepared to fight. However, Lucas suddenly stepped in front of her and intercepted one of the men in ck¡¯s attack. His movements were smooth and fluid as he tangled with them. He dodged to the side, neatly evading one of the men¡¯s attack. Out of the blue, he grabbed a vase near the door and threw it at his opponent. The vase shattered upon impact and left a bloody streak running down the man¡¯s forehead. Ashlyn, too, was not weak. She lifted a leg and kicked one of the men toward Franklin. Shocked, Franklin hurriedly got up and dodged. The man fell onto the couch with a heavy thud. Sneering, Livia joined the fray. However, she had grossly underestimated Ashlyn¡¯s abilities. With numbers on her side, she thought she would be able to capture Ashlyn easily. In fact, she had forgotten how strong Lucas was. If his illness acted up and he had a manic episode, he would have lost his mind. When that happened, Ashlyn would be left to fight alone. Thus, Livia was surprised that she did not manage to provoke Lucas into having a manic episode. His expression remained solemn, and his handsome look carried a hint of coldness with it. Fist to the flesh, the punches rained down upon the men in ck. They were not his opponents at all. Lucas¡¯ identity as the n leader of an ancient martial arts family was not merely for show. Franklin red at Lucas furiously while hugging the ck cat. ¡°Lucas, you ingrate. How dare you treat your mother and me this way? How dare you try to resist? You¡¯ve gone too far!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch Ashlyn. She¡¯s my bottom line.¡± With a thud, Lucas threw thest man in ck at Franklin¡¯s feet. His expression turned ugly. Franklin red at Lucas. ¡°How dare you treat us this way?¡± ¡°The Nn family has put in a lot of effort to raise you, and this is how you repay us?¡± Livia bellowed angrily. The instant the words left her lips, Ashlyn¡¯s fist came down on her. Livia stumbled a few steps backward before she managed to stabilize herself. ¡°Apart from guilt-tripping Lucas, what more can you do?¡± Ashlyn raised a brow at Livia. ¡°Can¡¯t you come up with more sophisticated methods?¡± Franklin tossed aside the ck cat and brought out a contract. ¡°We¡¯ll leave if you sign this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± The coldness in Lucas¡¯ eyes was chilling. ¡°This is Nn Group¡¯s letter of authorization and South Star Airlines¡¯ transfer authorization letter.¡± Franklin grinned wickedly. ¡°Give them to me. I¡¯ll take good care of them in your stead.¡± Chapter 956 Chapter 956 ¡°When Grandpa passed away, he divided his property and gave you and Mom your shares. Yet, you wish to take over the whole group? If youck funds, you can sell off your shares.¡± Lucas was unfazed by Franklin¡¯s words. It was sickening how the middle-aged couple¡¯s greed knew no bounds. If he had not been the Nn family¡¯s adopted son, he would have cut his ties with them. ¡°Did you forget that we¡¯re true members of the Nn family? On the other hand, you¡¯re only an adopted son,¡± Livia reminded him contemptuously, ¡°The Nn family gave you everything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll take protect Nn Group and South Star Airlines on Grandpa¡¯s behalf.¡± ¡°I see you prefer to do it the hard way.¡± Franklin no longer wished to waste his time on Lucas. To Livia, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s leave.¡± ¡°Lucas, just you wait. We won¡¯t let this slide,¡± Livia threatened as she walked away. The men in ck mbered up from the ground and hurried after them. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Ashlyn let out a long sigh when she heard someone m the doors of the mansion shut. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve recovered from your illness.¡± Ian is truly skillful. If it were before, Lucas¡¯ illness would have acted up whenever he gets agitated. However, his face had merely turned slightly pale after the interaction. Lucas had not expected Ashlyn to show concern about his condition instead of being worried about her ownfort. He felt a warm feeling seep into his heart and he could not help himself from embracing her. ¡°Silly girl.¡± Meanwhile, at the hospital, Hera and Sisley brought some fruits and daily necessities with them as they entered the elevator. Bob had already been moved to the normal ward and the mother and daughter were currently headed toward that room. Just then, a caregiver was feeding Bob some oatmeal porridge in the ward. He could only eat nd food in his current condition. Sisley set down the container of food she brought and nced at the in oatmeal porridge disdainfully. ¡°Dad, I brought you some mushroom soup. Why don¡¯t you have some? It will do you good.¡± ¡°Madam, Mr. Chapman¡¯s body is very weak at the moment. The doctor rmends that he abstain from hearty food for the time being,¡± the caregiver informed Sisley quietly. Sisley¡¯s face clouded over as she looked up at the ceiling and rolled her eyes. ¡°How will he recover if he doesn¡¯t have some nutritious food in his belly? What on earth is the doctor thinking? She¡¯s doing it on purpose, isn¡¯t she? It looks like she doesn¡¯t want him to recover!¡± The caregiver was troubled. ¡°Those were Dr. Berry¡¯s instructions. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check with her.¡± ¡°How dare you speak to my mother in that manner? Do you wish to be fired?¡± Hera was irritated when she heard the caregiver mention Ashlyn. ¡°Who¡¯s trying to fire the caregiver I hired?¡± All of a sudden, a cold voice sounded from the direction of the door of the ward. Sisley and Hera turned to see Ashlyn, who was dressed in arge white coat, standing at the entrance. Her slim and tall figure was further emphasized by the loose white coat and she carried herself in an imposing manner. Reluctantly, Sisley exined, ¡°I spoke hastily because I was concerned about Mr. Chapman¡¯s health. I hope you won¡¯t take my words to heart.¡± No matter how disgruntled and resentful Sisley felt, Ashlyn was currently the matriarch of the Chapman family in name. Thus, she had no choice but to behave herself in front of Bob. ¡°Ashlyn¡­¡± Bob extended a hand toward Ashlyn. After a brief hesitation, Ashlyn came over. ¡°Grandpa.¡± ¡°My days are numbered. If you still refuse to take over the position, I may as well just drop dead.¡± Bob reached for the machine by his bed with the intention of turning it off. ¡°Grandpa, no!¡± Ashlyn hurriedly grabbed his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be rash!¡± Bob kept his hand on the machine, gripping the switch firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll unplug the machine if you refuse to agree to it! I no longer need to get better. I¡¯ll just die right now!¡± ¡°Grandpa, why must you threaten me?¡± Ashlyn sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t have much of a rtionship with the Chapman family since I grew up in the countryside. I have no obligation, nor do I feel a sense of duty toward the family. If you really wanted a descendant of the Chapman family, why must you choose me?¡± Chapter 957 Chapter 957 ¡°You¡¯re the only one¡­ The rest of them are all ck sheep who only know the concept of spending money. If I hand the Chapman family over to them, the Chapman family will fall from grace by tomorrow and cease to exist!¡± Bob was no fool. He knew that none of the younger Chapmans were normal. It was especially the case for Hera. The immense hope he had in her back then was why he was thoroughly disappointed in her now. He had been a fool to assume that she was the child who could take over the Chapman family. He finally realized that the child he had raised was useless. Everything she had done had brought nothing but disappointment upon him. That feeling intensified when she had stolen the red jade a few days ago. It even made Bob wish he would never see her again. Even though Hera was peeling apples for him and bringing him sses of water without needing any prompting, Bob was still unfazed. He had thoroughly given up on her. ¡°Grandpa, are you really going to hand the Chapman family over to Ashlyn?¡± Hera squeezed out miserably. ¡°There isn¡¯t a ce in her heart for the Chapman family, so why don¡¯t you¡ª¡± ¡°No. Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± Bob interrupted. ¡°Ashlyn is the only one I¡¯ll hand the Chapman family to. No one else can ever get their hands on the Chapman family.¡± Then, he turned to Ashlyn and asked, ¡°Ashlyn, are you sure you don¡¯t want to ept this?¡± Ashlyn wavered. Looking at Bob¡¯s wrinkly hand on the machine¡¯s switch, she ultimately sighed and muttered, ¡°Okay.¡± Her agreement brought a smile to Bob¡¯s face. After that, he ate some oatmeal porridge, but s, he had overexerted himself. In no time, he fell asleep. After Ashlyn asked the caregiver to take care of Bob, she turned to leave. Hera furiously stormed after her. ¡°Don¡¯t be so smug just because you¡¯re now the head of the family. No one actually thinks of you as the head of the family! It¡¯s just a title you possess. You¡¯re just¡ª¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± Ashlyn questioned, shooting her an icy, apathetic look. ¡°Um¡­¡± Hera mumbled, rooted in her spot. Somehow, the words she was ready to hurl at Ashlyn refused to leave her mouth. She had been frightened into silence. ¡°If you¡¯re done, shut up,¡± Ashlyn hissed before giving her onest annoyed look and walking toward the office. Hera could only remain in her spot, fuming as she watched Ashlyn go. Why was I scared of Ashlyn? Thest thing Hera would do was admit that she had momentarily been frightened by Ashlyn¡¯s vicious re. Meanwhile, when Ashlyn returned to the office, she realized Lucas was there. He was sitting on the couch, reading the newspapers. His side profile was perfect. Even though his skin was smooth, his facial features were defined. His eyes were dark and mysterious, and his brows made themselves known despite the rest of his outstanding features. The shape of his lips caught Ashlyn¡¯s gaze. Every part of him exuded elegance and grace. He was wearing a ck shirt that day, his sleeves rolled up a little. There was something alluring about the slight reveal of his muscr arms. ¡°Why are you here again?¡± Ashlyn asked, lifting a brow at the sitting Lucas. ¡°Does a president have that much free time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to see my wife. Is that not allowed?¡± The manughed, his eyes turning into crescents. ¡°It is allowed,¡± Ashlyn muttered, only half exasperated. When she walked over to him, she spotted a few tes of fresh fruits on the coffee table. Did hee just to give me fruits? Lucas nonchntly took a peach and brought it to Ashlyn¡¯s lips. She froze for a second but soon parted her lips to eat it. Then, she heard the man say, ¡°The funds for the disaster relief have all been sent to the disaster zone. Haddock Charity has also donated five million.¡± As the vor of the peach spread in her mouth, Ashlyn asked, ¡°Is Dixon that generous?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a task assigned to him by his superior. How could he notplete it?¡± Lucas said as a mocking smile grew on his lips. Since Dixon had destroyed Ashlyn¡¯s Imperial Hotel, Lucas was definitely going to ruin everything Dixon had.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Chapter 958 Chapter 958 Lucas¡¯ eyes briefly flickered with a vicious look, but he swiftly concealed it. Ashlyn did not notice it. She was turning on the television, and when the screen flickered to life, entertainment news was broadcasting. ¡°Influencer Lynlyn has joined Haddock Group¡¯s newly established entertainmentpany, Haddock Entertainment. She has be Haddock Entertainment¡¯s first artiste. Mr. Haddock, may I know why you think Lte Berry, also known as Lynnie, will be the next best thing?¡± On the screen, Dixon was wearing a ck suit, sitting on the couch with a cial expression on his face. ¡°Lte is a hardworking girl, but I also found out that she has a stubborn bone in her. That quality of hers will aid in her development in showbiz, and I¡¯m sure that we, Haddock Entertainment, will be able to make Lte a national idol.¡± ¡°Amazing words from Mr. Haddock!¡± The host then passed the microphone to Lte. ¡°What do you think about the nickname Lynlyn?¡± Lte, who was wearing a white dress, had a simr makeup style to Ashlyn. Her pureness had a little charm, and she looked like she was only around the age of eighteen. However, perhaps because of her few years of experience as an influencer, she exuded a sense of maturity, which contrasted with her looks. ¡°Ashlyn has always been my idol. I really, really like her and worship her. It¡¯s my honor to be called Lynlyn, and I feel blessed. However, I¡¯m certain that, one day, I¡¯ll surpass her in fame. I¡¯ll be standing on the peak of a mountain taller than hers.¡± Lucas was staring at Dixon and Lte in annoyance. ¡°Lte does kind of look like you. If it¡¯ste at night, or if she¡¯s in a dark area, anyone might mistake her for you,¡± hemented. Ashlyn arched a brow and began studying Lte. She then curled her lips and said, ¡°Dixon is resorting to lowlier and lowlier tricks. I can¡¯t believe he found a copy of me to disgust me. If Lte does something horrible, he might take the opportunity to make me the scapegoat instead.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Lucas nodded. ¡°It looks like we need to find a way to get rid of Lyne¡ª¡± ¡°No rush,¡± Ashlyn told him, still staring at the television. ¡°Let¡¯s see what Dixon has in store for us first.¡± By then, the subtitles on the screen had turned provocative: Lynlyn provokes Ashlyn out in the open! ¡°Tsk, tsk. Does she want me to respond to that so that she can ride on my coattails before calling me petty?¡± Ashlyn chuckled and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not going to waste my time on a clown like her.¡± Ashlyn was famous, and she had countless fans. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. It would not be unusual to have someone mimic her. After all, many rookies in the entertainment industry liked using that method to live off a more popr figure¡¯surels. They would be either known as a younger copy of the already-famous artistes or the self-proimed heir to the famous artistes¡¯ legacies. It was a popr tactic for them to try and gain fame, but only a select few were sessful in using that strategy to achieve fame. ¡°Honey, let¡¯s watch a movie instead,¡± Lucas suggested, not wanting Ashlyn to get frustrated by those matters anymore. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± There was a private theater designed in a homely manner beside the study. Lucas carried Ashlyn to the couch. After turning on the equipment, he asked, ¡°What do you want to watch?¡± ¡°Anything.¡± Ashlyn yawned. In the end, Lucas chose a sentimental romance film. The kissing scenes in that film were plentiful to the point Ashlyn could not help but turn red in the face. She thought Lucas would have chosen an action film or some kind of patriotic film, but as it turned out, he had chosen to watch romance. Ashlyn was getting flustered. The longer the film went on, the more tangible the love in the air seemed to be. Her face started heating up. All of a sudden, Lucas pulled her into his arms and fixed his burning gaze on her. ¡°Honey, why don¡¯t we kiss too?¡± Chapter 959 Chapter 959 Before Ashlyn coulde back to her senses, Lucas pressed his lips against hers. The next morning, before Ashlyn got out of bed, she received a call from Brand X¡¯s public rtions director. ¡°My dear Ms. X, it¡¯s the brand¡¯s anniversary event today. Will you be able to make it? The president hopes that you¡¯ll be able to show up at the event.¡± Ashlyn chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve never been allowed to appear in the anniversary events in the past years, so what¡¯s with the change this year?¡± ¡°It¡¯s mainly because we¡¯ve hired a few models for the brand this year, but it¡¯s also because a few stars from our business partner will be on the runway for us,¡± the public rtions director carefully said. Hearing that, Ashlyn lifted a brow and fell silent for a while. She then said, ¡°All right. I¡¯ll be there, but I won¡¯t be there as a designer. I¡¯ll be there as Ashlyn Berry, got it?¡± ¡°Of course, of course. As long as you¡¯re willing toe,¡± the public rtions director hastily said before ending the call. Ashlyn was popr and a major contributor to the disaster relief efforts, so naturally, the higher-ups had nothing but praise for her. Even if she were not Brand X¡¯s designer¡ªeven if she were only the major contributor to the disaster relief¡ªmany would still wish to catch a glimpse of her. At three in the afternoon, Ashlyn and Cassandra drove to Rosalind¡¯s studio. Right as they arrived, they heard the sounds of Lte¡¯s newsing from the studio¡¯s television. It irked Cassandra. ¡°Boss, are we really going to let Lte do as she pleases? She¡¯s shamelessly coasting on your efforts non-stop!¡± ¡°She hasn¡¯t done anything concrete that¡¯s disrupting my life,¡± Ashlyn uttered in a t tone. ¡°It won¡¯t be toote for us to intervene if she really does that. Now, she¡¯s only trying to gain fame by using my name, and if I were to mess with her now, people would think that I was petty.¡± ¡°But this is so irritating. There¡¯s only one of you in this world, and no matter how much she looks like you, she¡¯s a fraud!¡± Cassandra angrily cried out. She despised Lte and was disgusted by how Lte shared the same family name as Ashlyn¡ª Berry. ¡°Forget it. She¡¯s only getting called Lynlyn; she hasn¡¯t done anything outrageous,¡± Ashlyn said as she walked into Rosalind¡¯s studio. ¡°It really won¡¯t be toote for us to deal with her if she does something absurd.¡± Cassandra nodded. She had faith in Ashlyn. After all, Ashlyn was no doormat. Anyone who dared toy a finger on Ashlyn would receive a swift punch in return. Upon entering Rosalind¡¯s studio, Ashlyn saw Rosalind, who was in a meeting. ¡°Is my dress ready?¡± Rosalind curled her lips and nced at the time. ¡°You¡¯re X Corporation¡¯s designer, but you¡¯re asking me for the dress? Are you trying to ruin X Corporation¡¯s reputation?¡± ¡°Pah! It¡¯s just a dress. I¡¯ll wear another designer¡¯s dress if that¡¯s what I want, and I¡¯ll wear whatever brand I like,¡± Ashlyn coldly said, sounding aggressive. Rosalind immediately took a dress off the rack and said, ¡°For you.¡± Ashlyn glimpsed at the dress. ¡°Not bad. I¡¯ll pay right now.¡± Rosalind frowned. ¡°Stop with the act. You were the one who invested in my studio back then, and I¡¯ve always given you my clothes for free. Paying me now will be insulting me!¡± Right then, Cassandra, who barely slept well the night before, yawned. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Stop messing around. The event¡¯s about to start.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org X Corporation¡¯s event would start at seven in the evening, and Ashlyn had arrived at six in the evening. Brand X had been one of the top-tier brands in the country. Not only were they having an event for their anniversary, but they even invited quite a number of celebrities and several famous models for the opening and closing shows. All of the models, naturally, were wearing X Corporation¡¯s new clothes. The moment Ashlyn arrived, the public rtions director ran over. ¡°Ms. Berry!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ashlyn raised her brow at him. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? Did something happen?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Mr. Shaw is asking for you to walk the runway for the opening show. Are you okay with that?¡± the public rtions director tentatively asked her, his wish for her to ept it visible on his face. Ashlyn had a pretty face and a slender body. However, she was about a hundred and seventy centimeters tall ¡ªa little short for modeling standards. Chapter 960 Chapter 960 Nevertheless, she was tall inparison to average women. Ashlyn was tall, and there was something apathetic in the way she carried herself. It made her a good model. The models in the event were no ordinary models, and yet, Richard was asking Ashlyn to be in the opening show. ¡°Ms. Berry, Mr. Shaw said that we¡¯ll be donating five million for the disaster relief efforts, so your appearance in the opening show is of extraordinary significance,¡± the public rtions director continued. ¡°But why didn¡¯t Richard say anything about this to me?¡± she queried, frowning. Richard Shaw had established X Corporation by himself, and he managed to bring it to great heights until they had achieved what they now had. Yet, Richard had not said anything to her about starring in the opening show. It seemed as though the public rtions director had been the one to make the decision himself. Something fishy was going on. ¡°Why don¡¯t you¡­ give Mr. Shaw a call then?¡± the public rtions director suggested, peeking at Ashlyn. Ashlyn shook her head. Calling Richard for something as minor as this would make her seem petty and reluctant. ¡°Never mind. It¡¯s just a runway walk,¡± Ashlyn mumbled. ¡°All right. If you¡¯re afraid of the crowd or if you feel too tense, you have to tell the show director immediately so that he can help you rpose yourself,¡± the public rtions director added worriedly. Studying the public rtions director¡¯s anxious look, Cassandra snorted and said, ¡°Boss has been through many things. This is just a runway walk. Why would she be afraid of it?¡± The public rtions director was still hesitant. But she¡¯s an inexperienced rookie. How can she be as good as a professional? Nheless, those were words that he did not dare to say out loud. Ashlyn had just called Richard by his name, after all. In other words, she was definitely on good terms with Richard. In the meantime, the models were all looking at Ashlyn with amusement in their eyes. Some were even whispering, ¡°She¡¯s just an influencer who got a chance to show off when she contributed to the disaster relief activities.¡± ¡°We¡¯re models with awards to our names. Who does she think she is?¡± ¡°I know, right? I can¡¯t believe she even stole your role in the opening show, Sadie! She¡¯s too much! We only got the chance to be here after so many auditions.¡± ¡°What right does she have tond this opportunity so easily?¡± ¡°Forget about it. She has someone powerful backing her. She¡¯s Mrs. Nn. Didn¡¯t you hear her call Mr. Shaw by his name?¡± When Cassandra heard the models talking smack about Ashlyn, she desperately wished to walk over to p them. She held back, however. Ashlyn was the star in the disaster relief efforts at the moment. Any bad news concerning her would bring her soaring reputation crashing to the ground immediately. Ashlyn peeked at Cassandra¡¯s furious expression andughed. ¡°Just ignore them. We¡¯re not professionals anyway. Since Richard asked me to walk the runway, I¡¯ll do it once. Moreover, the opening show is important to a model. It¡¯s an honor for those who get to walk the runway during the opening show. I¡¯ve abruptly taken the chance for that from one of them, so it¡¯s normal that they¡¯re angry.¡± Ashlyn was a designer, after all. So, she knew well how things worked in the industry. Cassandra then shot the models another re before dropping the topic. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Right then, a man with a young woman came backstage. When Lte saw Ashlyn, a look of surprise flitted past her eyes. At the same time, Ashlyn saw Lte. Their eyes met. A strange tension filled the air. Still, Ashlyn looked away a secondter. Dixon had spent much money headhunting Lte¡¯s manager, so her manager was an extremely capable individual. Without a doubt, he was good at fighting for resources to pave the way for the artiste he was managing. Lte was almost the same height as Ashlyn, and more importantly, she was younger. Her young age meant that her future was filled with endless possibilities in the entertainment industry. Right then, a female staff member walked over to say to Ashlyn, ¡°Ms. Berry, please put on the clothes for the runway. This set of clothes is one of the main works that ourpany¡¯s famous Ms. X designed.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± All of a sudden, Lte¡¯s manager excitedly walked over to Ashlyn and stood in her way. Chapter 961 Chapter 961 ¡°Listen to me, Ms. Berry. What about you let Lte do this? She¡¯s a celebrity, while you¡¯re just an influencer. This is not where you should be,¡± Emerson Conley insinuated. The manager smiled half-heartedly at Ashlyn, looking at her with disdain as if he intended to challenge her in public. While bystanders watched on to see how the feud would turn out, Ashlyn remained unperturbed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Conley, I¡¯m aware that the pressure in showbiz can get a bit overwhelming, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll just pass this chance to a fake.¡± ¡°Seriously, Ashlyn? Don¡¯t you feel tired of keeping up the act? Stop being so full of yourself. Everyone is being nice just because you¡¯re Mrs. Nn,¡± Emerson ridiculed, folding his arms before his chest. With Haddock Group¡¯s backing, the manager had no qualms about standing up to Ashlyn. In fact, he deliberately raised his volume so that everyone could hear his blunt insults. Faced with the menacing manager from Haddock Entertainment, Ashlyn nced at him and asked coldly, ¡°You need to look at yourself in the mirror. You¡¯re just a nobody, so stop making threats because yourpany has your back.¡± Emerson felt a chill run down his spine under Ashlyn¡¯s piercing re. Earlier, the models and make-up artists had gathered around, waiting to see Emerson teach Ashlyn a good lesson, but it turned out Ashlyn was getting the upper hand. In the end, instead of wasting time on the troublemakers, Ashlyn went to the changing room to get changed. When she came out again in the night sky dress, everyone was blown away. Even the models, who had the perfect body for the job and could pull off any fashion piece, were bbergasted by how well the dressplemented the regal air around Ashlyn and her wless features. The staff was equally stunned, for they knew bringing out the beauty of Ms. X¡¯s color-gradient-themed designs was no mean feat. The night sky dress had gradient hues with deep shades of green and blue at its bottom, and it adorned Ashlyn¡¯s slim body magnificently, making her figure look even taller. Underneath the darker ends of the dress, her fair skin seemed fairer and shinier than it already was. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Everyone had thought that Ashlyn was merely a famous Twitter influencer who appeared to be pretty just in her photos and videos, but when they saw her in person, they found themselves at a loss for words to describe her surpassing beauty. The aura she gave off was no second to any models present. The dressplemented her impably as if the fashion piece and the wearer were made especially for one another. When Ashlyn saw that her appearance had knocked everyone out, she nced at Lte and said apathetically, ¡°Lynlyn, right? Instead of showing off, why don¡¯t wepete fair and square on the runway?¡± Emerson¡¯s face turned grim. He looked at the dress Lte had on her and instantly wondered how the same designer¡¯s work could look so luxurious on Ashlyn but unbing on Lte. He had to admit that Lte looked like a kid in an adult¡¯s clothes. Not only did she fail to bring out the fineness of the piece, but there was also no trace of elegance in her. Although she was about Ashlyn¡¯s height, her demeanor was nowhere close to hers. When Cassandra saw this, a smug smile broke out on her face as she mumbled, ¡°Well, a fake will always be a fake.¡± Meanwhile, Lucas was seated among the audience with his long legs crossed as he checked out stock market analyses on his tablet when Spencer whispered something in his ear. When he heard what Spencer had to say, Lucas looked up T-shaped stage, and a frown spread between his brows. Chapter 962 Chapter 962 ¡°Lynlyn provoked her?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°Yes. Cassandra sent me a text on WhatsApp,¡± Spencer replied, taking out his phone to show Lucas the conversation. ¡°Dixon has gone overboard,¡± Lucas remarked as glints of hatred shone in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s time weunch our n. I want these two out of the show. No one is getting in my wife¡¯s way,¡± he added. ¡°Yes, Mr. Nn.¡± With that said, Spencer walked out of the venue to carry out Lucas¡¯ orders while Lte and Emerson remained clueless about what would befall them. All that while, they had behaved impudently because Dixon was on their side, but little did they know, Ashlyn had Lucas watching her back, someone who would go to great lengths to protect her. They were under the impression that Lucas and Ashlyn were just like any other high-profile couples in upper-ss society who maintained merely a facade of a happy marriage. To them, Lucas would not have kept Ashlyn¡¯s identity hidden if he truly loved her and had done so simply because he thought she was an embarrassment to him. Since Ashlyn was nothing but a ything whom her own husband detested, Emerson and Lte walked all over her to their hearts¡¯ content. As for Lte, she had her own motivation¡ªshe was set on marrying Dixon so she could enjoy an easy life. This was an achievable goal for her since Dixon supported her career and was fixated on grooming her to be a celebrity even more sessful than Ashlyn. That thought of her sess was so appealing and exciting that it kept Lte awake some nights. Ashlyn Berry? Who does she think she is? She¡¯s just a lucky old woman. Dixon must have arranged for her to be in this show so that I could outshine her and prove to everyone who is the winner here. I¡¯m clearly better than her. That had been Lte¡¯s meditation all along until she saw Ashlyn in that night sky dress, which formed a stark contrast with her. At that moment, she felt a blow to her confidence, for it was irrefutable that Ashlyn was beautiful. Although Lte hated to admit it¡ªand so did everyone present¡ªAshlyn managed to attract everyone¡¯s attention the moment she appeared before the crowd. In the meantime, X Corporation¡¯s anniversary cum productunch was about tomence. The backstage was busy as all the models were making final preparations for the event except for Ashlyn, who sat calmly in a corner. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org She had but one task that night at the opening: showcasing the night sky dress¡ªher masterpiece and the best hit of the year. That art piece was so highly-esteemed that an internationally-acimed actress had booked it for one of her red-carpet events a monthter. While Ashlyn waited patiently for the event to begin, Emerson and Lte threw taunting nces at her on and off as if they were mocking her for being an underserving influencer who hadnded at the wrong ce. Still, Ashlyn would not stoop that low as to entertain them. ¡°Boss, those two pricks are so annoying,¡± Cassandrained. She was so exasperated she felt the urge to drive a hammer through Emerson¡¯s disgusting face. ¡°How dare they do that to you?¡± Cassandra fumed. ¡°We¡¯re not in the same league. Arguing with them will only make us seem low, so just leave the scums alone,¡± Ashlyn assured. Judging from how Emerson and Lte derived satisfaction from taking advantage of people, Ashlyn knew that they would not make it far on their road to sess. ¡°They¡¯re annoying like flies, Boss. How could you be so unfazed?¡± Cassandra asked. Ashlyn smiled at her question. Cassandra could look silly sometimes, but that was what made her cute. Bored, Cassandra took out her phone and pouted before taking a selfie for Spencer. On the other end, when Spencer saw the adorable and youthful girl with bright round eyes in the photo, he felt a gush of heat shooting up his cheeks. She was so charming that his heart raced and blood boiled. Meanwhile, over at backstage, a woman stood not far away, watching Ashlyn and Cassandra until she finally walked over to them when the show was about to begin. Chapter 963 Chapter 963 She was none other than Sadie Jensen. Although she was barely twenty, she had won many modeling awards within and without the country and was one of the few local big-shot models. When the staff saw her, they flocked around her and greeted her warmly, ¡°Hi, Sadie! It¡¯s such an honor to see you here.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± she replied with an arrogant smile as she nced at Cassandra before walking over confidently. ¡°Cassandra, I heard from Shi that you are Ashlyn¡¯s assistant now. What¡¯s going on? Do you have nothing better to do?¡± Cassandra pouted and red at the five-foot-eight woman. Who do you think you are? You can¡¯t just waltz in here and talk down to me like that. ¡°It seems like you still have that habit of talking too much, Sadie,¡± Cassandramented. ¡°How could you talk like that to your younger sister, Cassandra?¡± Amanding voice suddenly came from behind Sadie. Cassandra froze when she heard that familiar voice. Before she could say another word, a middle-aged man in a dark grey suit appeared, followed by an borately-dressed woman, Shi Jensen. At the man¡¯s entrance, Sadie tugged his arm and said, ¡°Dad, look at Cassandra. She scolded me.¡± Dismayed, Robert Jensen red at Cassandra and questioned, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? How could you talk like that to Sadie? The Jensen family brought you up and gave you everything. I don¡¯t care if you like dressing up weirdly, but you should at least have a proper job that doesn¡¯t embarrass our family!¡± Listening to Robert¡¯s unjustified chastisement, Cassandra stared at the three without any emotions on her face. ¡°Well, my two sisters would be jobless if I actually held a proper job. I¡¯ll make it so big there¡¯s no room for them,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Watch your mouth!¡± Robert raged. He could not understand how an adorable girl like Cassandra could grow up to be that rebellious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my mouth? Isn¡¯t it enough for you to take my blood for Shi? I have never eaten anything but the servants¡¯ food and have worn nothing but Sadie and Shi¡¯s clothes. I¡¯m the one who sustains Shi because she takes all my blood, so you¡¯d better get the facts right. I am the one who saved your daughter!¡± Cassandra had always detested the Jensen family and would still suffer under their persecution if it were not for Ashlyn. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s just a few drops of blood. You get replenished after a few days. Our family spent loads of money to send you to the best private school and the best university in Lake City. Do you think you can afford such a good life without us?¡± Robert interrogated intimidatingly as if he was talking to a lowly person who should kneel before him and lick his boots. ¡°Oh, just a few drops of blood, you said. Then why don¡¯t you ask Sadie to donate some to Shi? You¡¯re treating me like this because I¡¯m not one of the family!¡± Cassandra argued. ¡°Enough of your shameful behavior, Cassandra. Go home!¡± Robert barked. He was burning with anger when Cassandra talked back to him disrespectfully. When things had escted to that extent, Ashlyn figured it was time she interfered. Opening her eyes, she nced at Robert impatiently and seethed, ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who should leave.¡± Hearing a stranger¡¯s voice, Robert directed his wrathful gaze at the source of the voice. Ashlyn¡¯s appearance stunned him for a brief moment, but he quickly reacted and said, ¡°Who are you to talk to me like that?¡± Although his harsh words carried no weight in light of Ashlyn¡¯smanding aura, Robert refused to back down and straightened his back confidently, with his belly protruding more obviously. ¡°Do you have a problem with me disciplining my daughter?¡± ¡°Cassandra works for me, so no one crosses her without crossing me,¡± Ashlyn pronounced. Chapter 964 Chapter 964 ¡°Um, Ms. Berry, this is Mr. Jensen, Mr. Shaw¡¯s future father-inw¡­ You might want to¡­¡± one of the backstage staff reminded Ashlyn softly after hurrying over. She meant to say that they could not afford to offend Richard¡¯s fianc¨¦e and father-inw. After all, Ashlyn was only Richard¡¯s godsister, which was nothingpared to his direct family. When Robert heard the woman speaking to him was Ashlyn, he turned contemptuous and sneered, ¡°Ha! Ashlyn Berry? Are you the unknown influencer who took Sadie¡¯s spot at the opening show? Lucas must love you so much to throw you out under the spotlight, walking down a runway.¡± Ashlyn smiled at his snarkyments. ¡°Oh, I suppose you must also love your daughter so much you allow her to do a humble job like modeling.¡± Robert was caught off guard by her wittyeback, but he quickly replied, ¡°My daughter is a supermodel. Do you know what that is? She¡¯s famous worldwide! You¡¯re nothingpared to her. You¡¯re just a wannabe.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Actually, did you drink from the toilet beforeing here? Is that why nothing goodes out of your mouth when you speak?¡± Ashlyn dissed. ¡°You¡ªYou¡¯re so vulgar!¡± Robert eximed, his face puffing red as he breathed heavily. Cassandra was enough to piss him off, let alone another woman who talked just like her. I swear birds of the same feather flock together. This filthy woman is just like Cassandra! ¡°You¡¯re the one who started it, Mr. Jensen. You said I was a wannabe. It seems like Jensen Group¡¯s president is equally vulgar. Your level of sophistication amazed me,¡± Ashlyn refuted as she nced dispassionately at the man and his daughters. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not surprised the daughters you brought up turned out to love sour grapes,¡± Ashlyn added. Here, she smiled and pped, signaling her men to bring some Sour Patch Kids. A man in ck took the cue and shoved two packets of Sour Patch Kids in Shi and Sadie¡¯s hands. ¡°Have some sour candies and stop eating sour grapes.¡± ¡°You!¡± Shi screamed in vexation as she held her slightly swollen belly. ¡°Do you think you can walk all over me and call me a sore loser just because Richie is your godbrother? I¡¯ll tell him everything you did!¡± ¡°Go ahead, but just on a side note, I wasn¡¯t expecting you to admit that you¡¯re a sore loser,¡± Ashlyn pointed out fearlessly, her brows arched. ¡°Dad! This is too much! How could she shame me like this?¡± Shi cried, her eyes turning red. ¡°Calm down, Shi. You¡¯re pregnant now,¡± Sadie reminded as she held her sister¡¯s waist, still not forgetting to re at Ashlyn to show support for her sister. ¡°Let me warn you, Ashlyn. You¡¯ll be responsible if anything happens to the baby,¡± she threatened. Then, she looked at the person in charge and demanded, ¡°I want to be in the opening show. Shi will be Richard¡¯s wife soon, so you¡¯d better do as I say or be prepared to be fired.¡± Sadie¡¯s tone was so overbearing one would mistake her for the president¡¯s wife herself. Caught in a tight spot, the person in charge nced at Ashlyn and looked back at Sadie, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Sadie. Mr. Shaw gave explicit orders to have Ms. Berry as the model for the opening show, so I can¡¯t do anything to change that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call Richard right now. There¡¯s no way an influencer can rece a model at Shaw Group¡¯s opening show. This is going to be the biggest joke ever. Richard must have mistaken,¡± Sadie insisted as she reached for her phone. ¡°Aren¡¯t you making an appearance at the closing show? That¡¯s the grand finale. Wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡± the man suggested, wiping off the sweat from his forehead. It was no easy task trying to navigate the Jensen family¡¯s dynamic. ¡°But I want to be the first! I want to wear the night sky dress. I can pull it off better than she does!¡± Chapter 965 Chapter 965 Chapter 965 The Verdict Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Sadie held her father¡¯s arm and urged, ¡°Dad, help me out. Call Richard and ask him to let me wear the night sky dress. Ms. X will definitely sign a contract with me to be her model if she sees me in her dress. I¡¯ll be able to score many other good deals if I get to work with her.¡± Sadie was exhrated just by the thought of her career taking a potential leap ahead of her peers. As a designer, Ms. X had never signed exclusive contracts with any models and had always picked models right before her shows in ast-minute fashion. Since many models coveted a chance to work with that designer, Sadie was also adamant about grabbing the opportunity to wear the night sky dress. She wanted to be the one to shine in Ms. X¡¯s fashion piece. Learning Sadie¡¯s ambition, Cassandra let out augh and informed, ¡°Too bad, Sadie. You¡¯re never getting any contract with Ms. X. Never.¡± ¡°Stop pouring cold water on my n! I¡¯m a supermodel. No one can stop me!¡± Sadie retorted, eyeing Cassandra angrily. Her reaction only made Cassandraugh more deviously. ¡°So what? Ms. X wouldn¡¯t want you even if you¡¯re a supermodel. You¡¯re just a sore loser.¡± Here, she looked at Sadie from head to toe and added, ¡°I thought you wanted to call Richard. Go on. What are you waiting for?¡± Sadie¡¯s grip tightened around her phone at the provocation. Determined, she clenched her jaw and dialed Richard¡¯s number. Beside her, Shi nced worriedly at her younger sister since she knew Richard would always ignore calls, including hers, during work. As she expected, a busy signal came through the phone after continuous ringing, and Richard did not pick up. ¡°He must be busy,¡± Sadie remarked, trying to salvage the embarrassing situation. ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± A maic male voice came ringing backstage right at that moment. All eyes turned to the entrance, where a man in a ck suit was spotted walking gracefully in with the light shining behind him, making him look extraordinarily captivating. Thrilled to see the man, Shi walked over and greeted sweetly, ¡°What brings you here, Richie?¡± Hiding her excitement when she saw the charming man, Sadie cast an envious nce at Shi, whom Richard pulled into his arms upon seeing her. Sadie hated that she was bornter than Shi, for she would have ended up with Richard if she were older. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Richard asked gently as he tried to conceal the nauseating feeling he got from Shi¡¯s perfume. He wondered why the woman would still wear perfume when she was pregnant, but he had no time to dwell on it since Shi had spoken. ¡°It¡¯s about Sadie. She wants to be on the runway for the opening show, but the person in charge said you¡¯d chosen Ms. Berry to do it, so we asked her if she could let Sadie have the chance instead. Ms. Berry doesn¡¯t seem very keen about the idea, though,¡± Shi replied in an ingratiating manner, trying to put forward a narrative that favored Sadie. Although she and her family were the ones who demanded that Ashlyn give up her chance to wear the night sky dress, Shi created the impression that they had a civilized conversation with Ashlyn, who eventually threw a tantrum because of their suggestion. Cassandra was no stranger to the Jensen family¡¯s shameless attitude, but the show Shi put up surprised Cassandra with how low they could stoop to achieve their goals. She was so disgusted she felt she almost vomited in their faces. ¡°Well, Richard, I thought about letting her do it, but not anymore. I believe you must have your reason for picking me in the first ce,¡± Ashlyn chimed in at this point, smiling at Richard, who struggled briefly to repress his feelings. Quickly, he controlled his emotion and looked dotingly at Ashlyn, saying, ¡°You¡¯re the best person to pull this dress off. Correct me if I¡¯m wrong.¡± ¡°Richard,¡± Sadie blurted disbelievingly, ¡°what do you mean?¡± ¡°You heard it right. The night sky dress looks the best on her,¡± he reiterated coldly. Appalled, Shi shot a doubtful gaze at Richard, only to see a cold and hard expression written on his face. Chapter 966 Chapter 966 Chapter 966 A Threat Shi had always thought that Richard was a gentle and warm man, but somehow, there were also times when she realized he would never open up to her. It was as if there was an irreconcble chasm between them. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org She once suspected that Cassandra had been trying to snatch Richard from her, but what just happened threw a totally different light on the situation. For all Shi knew, she might have suspected the wrong person all along, for she had just caught Richard gazing at Ashlyn with tenderness and love in his eyes. In fact, he would have patted Ashlyn¡¯s head indulgently if Ashlyn had not moved aside agilely. ¡°Richard, don¡¯t mess up my hair.¡± ¡°Come on. What¡¯s the big deal? The hair stylist is here,¡± he replied with his eyes curved in a smile. Richard was not a man who smiled easily, but whenever he was with Ashlyn, he could just be himself instead of maintaining the image of thepany¡¯s president. It was like a brother was having a chat with his sister. ¡°I know, but it¡¯s a hassle to do my hair again,¡± Ashlyn remarked, raising her brows. Their interaction took Sadie, Shi, and the staff aback. Richard seemed much closer to Ashlyn than anyone from the Jensen family. In fact, he was not even as attentive to his fianc¨¦e. The person in charge of the show was incredibly remorseful because it seemed like he had been trying to curry favor with the wrong person. As for Shi, she was so irritated that she clenched her fists tightly, driving her nails into her flesh. The smile on her face was so distorted that one could mistake her for crying. Out of jealousy, she tried to regain Richard¡¯s attention by saying, ¡°Richie! I think the baby just kicked me.¡± Hearing her, Richard turned back and pulled her into his arms. ¡°I told you not toe, but you didn¡¯t listen. I¡¯d be upset if anything happened to the baby.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m the president¡¯s wife. I have to attend thepany¡¯s event. What would people say if I¡¯m absent today?¡± Shi exined, gazing at Richard lovingly as if she was trying to show Sadie, Cassandra, and Ashlyn that she was the rightful person to have Richard. What¡¯s so good about Ashlyn? She¡¯s married and soiled. Why is Richie so close to her? I¡¯m the one who has his child. I¡¯ll show all these women I am his only woman when I marry him. Shi had gone to the anniversary event that day because she wanted to put all the women who had eyes on Richard in their ces by showing them that she was his fianc¨¦e¡ªthe one worthy of him. Reading the room clearly, Ashlyn looked at the pretentious Shi and then at the fuming Sadie, who was worked up by Richard¡¯s decision. It was apparent that Sadie dared not question Richard, so she asked Robert for help instead. ¡°Dad, do something. Ask Richard to give me that role. I want to wear the night sky dress.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. He must have his reason for doing that,¡± Robert dissuaded. He did not have the gut to challenge Richard¡¯s decision. ¡°You¡¯ll have another chance, Sadie. Besides, doing the closing show is already good enough,¡± the father consoled her. ¡°But the night sky dress looks so pretty,¡± Sadie insisted. She was upset and irked, for she did not see why she should let Ashlyn have it all when her sister was the one who would be marrying Richard, the president of thepany. ¡°There are many pretty dresses you can try in the future. It doesn¡¯t have to be this one,¡± Robert coaxed, trying to swallow his disgruntlement. His son-inw¡¯s unquestionable support for Ashlyn had shown him the importance of the woman. I bet that woman is really something since Richard is also helping her, but that makes sense. She¡¯s the woman Lucas Nn married, anyway. She must be no mean fry. I just hope Sadie knows when to stop before stepping on Richard¡¯s toes. Robert had mistakenly thought that Ashlyn had fallen out of favor with Lucas, but it turned out that Richard was still her solid backing. Chapter 967 Chapter 967 Chapter 967 Berry There¡¯s no way the Jenson family can challenge Richard¡¯s authority with our status. He sucked a deep breath to calm his irritation before walking over to Ashlyn. shing her a kind smile, he started, ¡°Ms. Berry, it was Sadie¡¯s and Shi¡¯s fault earlier. I hope you don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Sadie, Shi, and the crowd were stunned. Robert, who looked like a distinguished businessman earlier, actually stooped down and apologized to Ashlyn. Sadie screamed, ¡°Dad! Why are you apologizing to her?¡± She¡¯s just Richard¡¯s godsister! I¡¯m Richard¡¯s sister-inw! ¡°Sadie, don¡¯t be obstinate and cause trouble for your brother-inw.¡± Robert cast a cutting gaze at Sadie. Despite the immense displeasure, Sadie didn¡¯t make another peep. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org With a raised brow, Ashlyn exined, ¡°Everyone here had passed an interview conducted by Ms. X herself. Only Sadie had pulled some strings to get in. It wasn¡¯t my intention to show up at the opening abruptly like this, but Richard said that I was the most suitable person for this dress.¡± With an impassive look and an imposing aura, she continued, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m the only one who can wear this. I¡¯m sorry, everyone.¡± Everyone, who was listening to Ashlyn backstage, was baffled. ¡°Ms. X conducted the interview herself? But they didn¡¯t mention any designer being present then!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Did anyone see Ms. X? Which one is her exactly?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know we were interviewed by Ms. X.¡± All of the models began to discuss fervently over the news. Sadie was shocked too. ¡°Ms. X interviewed them herself? Why didn¡¯t I know that? Ah! I actually missed out on a chance to meet Ms. X?¡± she murmured. She thought all it needed was one word from Shi to get her on the runway at a show by The Shaws. Her feelings were aplex mix of uneasiness and jealousy. Gone was her mood to argue for the opening show. Instead, all she could think of was how the rest of the nameless models got to meet X, and she didn¡¯t. Bing Ms. X¡¯s go-to model had always been her aim. Yet, regret washed over her at that moment. Finally, she inhaled deeply, steeled herself, and turned to Richard. ¡°Richard, can you introduce me to Ms. X? If Ms. X is willing to meet me¡­ I swear I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve offended Ms. X, yet you expect me to introduce you? That¡¯s impossible.¡± Despite his apathetic expression, his words were cruel. The dumb and dumber sisters of the Jenson family don¡¯t have the right to be X¡¯s go-to models. ¡°W-When have I offended her?¡± Sadie nearly fainted from Richard¡¯s usation. I only offended Ashlyn! How did I offend Ms. X? What¡¯s their rtionship? Sadie wouldn¡¯t get her answer anytime soon because the anniversary celebration had just begun. Ashlyn was the opening act. With confident strides, she walked up the runway. She wasn¡¯t a professional model, yet when she got up the T-stage, she looked like she was born to walk the runway with her elegant catwalk and superb control of her expression. A simple night sky dress perfectly covered her sensual body, making her look beautiful and imposing. She was the only one on the runway. Yet, she carried herself as though she was leading an army d in armor. Suddenly, one of the well-known fashion designers shouted, ¡°Oh my gosh! I think I saw the queen of fashion shows¡ªBerry! She only walked the runway once at Paris Fashion Week!¡± Everyone in the local fashionmunity knew of a model called Berry. That model had only walked one show, but her catwalk sent amazement rippling across the fashion industry. Her height was only five feet six. She was considered the shortest among the towering models over five feet eight. Chapter 968 Chapter 968 Chapter 968 Biggest Mistake In Her Career However, there was one time when she did the opening act for the international luxury brand, Ctene¡¯s fashion show. Her expression was indifferent, yet her aura was strong. It amazed the crowd. Her professional walk and incredible stage presence converged with her attire as one. With that, she became an overnight sensation. However, she never appeared at another fashion show ever again. Moreover, she wore sunsses during the show so no one could see her whole face. Ashlyn¡¯s every stride, movement, and expression matched Berry¡¯s perfectly. ¡°Berry? How is that possible?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t it be possible? That model is Berry, while she¡¯s Ashlyn Berry. I think they¡¯re one and the same.¡± As Ashlyn finished her walk, the audience showered her with warm apuse. The models who looked down at Ashlyn earlier were all baffled. Her powerful walk and the way she carried herself as though she was marching into war d in armor had astonished them. She was the only one on the runway, yet she looked like a queen. She conveyed and etched the concept and everything about the dress into the heart of everyone at the scene. The dress and she were one. Richard was right. Ashley was the most suitable candidate for the dress. She was so skilled that all it took was one glimpse of her to engrave in the mind of anyone who¡¯d seen her. Even though Sadie was a supermodel and had received major awards before, she had heard of the legendary Berry. All it took was one show, and Berry was seared into the memories of everyone from the fashion industry. She was the elusive existence of countless models. Innumerable models aspired to be Berry. They wanted to be pursued and admired by the fashion industry like her. The legendary model now stood at the end of the runway and finished with her second show. Sadie felt her mind crumbling after watching Ashlyn¡¯s performance. Ashlyn¡¯s performance was too perfect. She was such a radiant glow on stage. Watching Ashlyn approaching her, Sadie¡¯s body stiffened. Fear suddenly engulfed her, rendering her scared to take the first step onto the brightly lit stage. A model behind her gave her a push. ¡°Go!¡± Sadie snapped out of her daze, took a deep breath, and strode toward the stage. She was in a daze throughout her walk, especially when her gaze swept past the dark silhouettes off- stage. Suddenly, her footnded wrongly and tipped her body sideways. Once her bnce was lost, she crumpled knee-first onto the floor. Her mind nked out at the shock of her mistake. Falling on the runway was amon urrence. A shoe slipping off a model¡¯s foot or identally stepping on the hem of a dress was verymon too. Committing the mistakes wasn¡¯t the scariest part, but a test of the model¡¯s quick wit to salvage one¡¯s mistake. With the jumbled mess of thoughts racing across her mind, Sadie finally realized her situation when gasps from the audience reached her ears. She struggled to stand up but slipped back onto the hard surface again. It could be her nerves were getting the better of her, or something else. Falling twice consecutively sent waves of pain into her knees. The throbbing nearly caused her to lose control of her expression. When Sadie still didn¡¯t get up after a while, the model next in line had no choice but to stride toward Sadie and help her up. Once she had her arms around Sadie, she began her walk back. Bearing the immense pain, Sadie walked back offstage, but her walk was aplete mess. Not the slightest poise of a model was in sight. After taking a few steps, she finally pulled herself together and continued on her own. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org I¡¯ve made a spectacle of myself! It¡¯s a huge embarrassment! The audience and reporters sitting offstage had recorded the scene where she fell twice and uploaded them onto the inte. Sadie was sobbing as she returned backstage. The mistake was the biggest humiliation in her modeling career. A few models started consoling her. Shi and Robert had also rushed backstage to check on her. However, all the consoling was useless. Ashlyn had finished changing into the gown Rosalind gave her and went to take a seat in the VIP section. Chapter 969 Chapter 969 Chapter 969 Wee X A front-row seat in the VIP section was reserved for her. Cassandra couldn¡¯t suppress her excitement and eximed, ¡°Boss, you were amazing up there!¡± Ashlyn chuckled. ¡°It was not too bad.¡± Meanwhile, at thest row of the VIP section, a dark gaze was pinned on Ashlyn. The man greedily drank in every move she made. Ashlyn¡¯s radiant presence on stage reyed in his mind as his eyes glued to her. When the show ended, it was alreadyte night. Ashlyn let out a yawn and nced at her watch. ¡°It¡¯s already sote. I really want to go back and sleep.¡± / wonder if Lucas is asleep. The master of the ceremony¡¯s voice pulled her out of her thought. ¡°Please wee Mr. Richard Shaw, CEO of The Shaws.¡± Richard¡¯s tall, lean body walking up the stage came into her sight when she lifted her gaze. He proceeded to give a speech once he reached the podium. During the course, her eyelids were getting heavier and heavier. His voice lulled her to sleep. The master of the ceremony¡¯s question jolted Ashlyn awake. ¡°Was Ms. Ashlyn, who walked the opening act, the Berry who was all the rage in the fashion industry a few years ago? Here, we found the only photo when Berry walked the runway a few years ago. We¡¯ll put the two photos side by side for comparison.¡± At the heel of his words, a photo of Berry walking the runway a few years ago showed up on the massive screen on stage instantly. Despite the sunsses obscuring half of her face, the audience could still see her nose, lips, and chin. They were an exact match to Ashlyn¡¯s features in the photo pulled up at the side. Shocked murmurs arose from the crowd. ¡°Oh my gosh! They¡¯re the same person!¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually true!¡± ¡°Berry is a top supermodel! Even though she never received any awards, all professionals in the industry praised her for her abilities!¡± ¡°They im she¡¯s the queen of the modeling world!¡± Ashlyn found the whole thing boring. Isn¡¯t the master of the ceremony and Richard being too childish? I can¡¯t believe they dug out an earlier photo of me helping someone walk the runway and even put it side by side with my current one. The corners of Richard¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile as his gaze darted between the two photos. ¡°Ashlyn was still young when she walked the Ctene fashion show. A model happened to fall sick, and as an emergency measure, they threw her on stage. No one ever imagined she would know how to catwalk and did exceptionally well at that!¡± Richard exined, his voice gentle. ¡°Woah! How do you know the details, Mr. Shaw?¡± A look of shock crossed the masterof the ceremony¡¯s face. ¡°Then¡­ why didn¡¯t she walk the runway again after that?¡± ¡°She had other things to do. The things she wanted to do weren¡¯t limited to the runway.¡± Amusement shed across Richard¡¯s stoic face. ¡°Let us wee the famous Ms. X on stage! I¡¯m sure everyone has a lot of questions for her.¡± ¡°What? Ms. X is here?¡± ¡°I thought she never reveals her face to the public?¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°Yeah, I heard she¡¯s very mysterious. Not only is she a designer for LX Corporation but also for X Corporation. Besides, The Shaws is the holdingpany of X Corporation.¡± ¡°Say¡­ why do you think she¡¯s so awesome? She got an award during London Fashion Week. I heard she¡¯s a youngdy.¡± ¡°I heard the same thing too! A young girl walked up the stage to receive the trophy then.¡± A heated discussion brewed amid the audience. ¡°Is this considered an Easter egg? The agenda on the invitation card didn¡¯t mention Ms. X would show up.¡± ¡°This is an enormous Easter egg then!¡± However, two minutes ticked by, and X didn¡¯t step onto the stage. The fervent murmurs began to die down. The scene fell into a dead silence. The audience exchanged confused nces. ¡°Why didn¡¯t she go up?¡± Richard shot a resigned look in Ashlyn¡¯s direction. ¡°What? Are you noting up just because I didn¡¯t inform you beforehand?¡± Ashlyn sat there with a deadpan expression as though Richard wasn¡¯t talking to her. What is this nonsense? Didn¡¯t we already agree on me not showing my face and only receiving dividends for my designs? What now? Richard is bing more and more unreliable. He¡¯s really getting on my nerves. Chapter 970 Chapter 970 Chapter 970 Shi IsX With a degree in fashion and a fashion designer who graduated from a design academy overseas, Shi sat among the audience. Before her pregnancy, she was a designer for the Jensen Group. When the silence was turning awkward, she figured it was time for her to save the show. Sticking out her slightly showing belly, she got up from her seat and strode toward the stage. Even in her pregnant state, she still wore high heels. Hence every step she took was done with care. The audience stared at Shi with stunned expressions when they saw her standing up. ¡°Oh my gosh! Shi Jensen?¡± ¡°So Ms. Shi isX?¡± ¡°Ms. Shi sure kept a low profile.¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s a winner in life being a well-known designer, and now that she¡¯s even the future wife of The Shaws¡¯ CEO.¡± Her lips curved into a smile as the praises from the crowd carried into Shi¡¯s ears. Since no one stood up, she knew X didn¡¯t want to reveal herself. / might as well help Richie out of this mess since X wants to lie low. She didn¡¯t expect Richard¡¯s expression to turn grim at her stupid, presumptuous decision. Richard directed his frigid gaze at She. He fixed his cold gaze on Shi and asked. ¡°Why are youing up here?¡± Shi¡¯s body stiffened. Oh, no¡­ His gaze is so cold. Why is he looking at me (ike this? Calming her pounding heart, she opened her mouth and exined softly, ¡°Richie¡­ 1-1 just wanted to help you.¡± ¡°Do you think I, Richard Shaw, need you to help me?¡± A cold smile curved Richard¡¯s lips. A flicker of contempt shed past his eyes. ¡°Or are you thinking of stealing the show? Dreaming of bing X?¡± ¡°No¡­ I didn¡¯t!¡± Shi felt she was suffocating under Richard¡¯s sharp, knowing gaze. Color drained from her face as she didn¡¯t know how to exin her actions. Her vanity reached a new level after she got engaged to Richard. She enjoyed the fame that came with that, and the feeling of crushing Cassandra beneath her feet. The envious and jealous gazes the others gave her filled her with a sense of pride. Richard chuckled softly, but the amusement didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re not, then what are you doing up here? I¡¯m calling Ms. X and not you, my dear fiancee.¡± The way he addressed her as his dear fiancee was like a p across her face. Feeling humiliated, Shi wanted to return to her seat but figured that was embarrassing. She wanted to continue on but didn¡¯t dare to take another step under Richard¡¯s cutting gaze. Mortification washed over her. She wanted a hole to open up in the ground and swallow her whole. I¡¯m his fiancee! Why can¡¯t he leave some dignity for me? He basically pped me across my cheek for all to see. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Shi was close to tears. In her moment of desperation, Richard¡¯s voice sounded again. After a sigh, he muttered, ¡°Ashlyn, do you want me to go down there and invite you up?¡± Ashlyn? Ashlyn¡¯s features scrunched with frustration. Richard¡¯s revtion had dampened her mood to watch Shi getting humiliated. / have already made myself clear. I don¡¯t want to reveal my identity! What does Richard think he¡¯s doing? She cast a disgruntled look at Richard and met his firm gaze. Following Richard¡¯s line of sight, the crowd stared at Ashlyn with widened eyes and gaping mouths. ¡°Did I hear it right? I heard Mr. Shaw call out Ashlyn¡¯s name.¡± ¡°I think so. I heard he called out Ashlyn too.¡± ¡°Ashlyn is Ms. X?¡± ¡°Oh, my gosh!¡± Sadie suffered the most shock. When she heard Richard call out Ashlyn¡¯s name, she was thunderstruck. Suddenly, realization dawned upon her. She finally understood what Richard meant by her offending Ms. X. What the h*ll! I have offended Ashlyn, and she is the mysterious Ms. X. Chapter 971 Chapter 971 Chapter 971 Sadie Breaks Down Her vision began fading, and she nearly fell down from the chair she was sitting on. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°No! This is impossible!¡± Her mind went nk as she leaped to her feet. ¡°How could she possibly be the designer, X?¡± Everyone turned to her when they heard her sudden outburst, and her tall figure only made her stand out even more. The crowd already had a bad impression of her when she fell down twice before. Her losing control of her emotions certainly did not help the situation. Everyone was ring at her in shock and displeasure. ¡°Calm down, Sadie!¡± Robert grabbed her by the arm and tried to pin her down to her seat, but she continued screaming anyway. ¡°No, Dad! How could she be Ms. X?¡± She even broke down in tears on the spot. After all, Ms. X had always been her idol, her main source of motivation, and her role model. She had always wanted to be Ms. X¡¯s model, only to have Richard tell her that Ms. X was Ashlyn, whom she looked down on. Her legs gave out beneath her, and she slumped weakly to the floor as she recalled everything she had said and done to Ashlyn in the past. It¡¯s over¡­ I¡¯m done for¡­ ¡°Sadie! Sadie!¡± Robert called out to her while hugging her. It pained him deeply to see her like this, but there was little he could do about it. Who would¡¯ve thought that Ashlyn was Ms. X? That¡¯s such a huge contrast! Even Shi froze in shock on the stage. After taking a moment to recover from the shock, she nced at Cassandra, who was sitting there with a calm look on her face. That b*tch!Cassandra must have known that Ashlyn is Ms. X! That¡¯s why she has been watching me and Sadie humiliate ourselves! Noticing that Shi was ring viciously and vengefully at her, Cassandra shed her a smug grin in response. Well? Are you feeling ashamed of yourself now? Man, this feels so good! Shi took a deep breath and suppressed her anger as she stared at Ashlyn, who was making her way on stage in a tailored dress. She looked like a white swan with her slender neck, curvaceous figure, and fair skin. On top of all that, she had an emotionless look in her eyes, which added to her elegance and gracefulness. With looks like that, she easily stole everyone¡¯s attention whenever she made an appearance. Ashlyn¡¯s high heels cked loudly as she walked up to Richard, took the microphone from the host, and turned to face the crowd. ¡°It sucks how my brother insisted on meing on stage like this.¡± ¡°Well, tons of people have tried to impersonate you while you keep your identity hidden, so it¡¯s better if you step forward,¡± Richard replied with a faint smile. Shi¡¯s face burned bright red when she heard that. The embarrassment was so intense that she wished she could just disappear on the spot. The guests were all shocked by Richard¡¯s response. Mr. Shaw sure is something else! I can¡¯t believe he¡¯d humiliate his fiancee in public without mercy! Cassandra frowned as Richard had been staring at her while speaking. What is he doing? Why does he keep looking at me while humiliating Shi and Sadie? I am not about to jump to conclusions and assume that he did it for me! Besides, he¡¯s already engaged, so why would he give me that look? Is he nning to cheat on his fiancee or something? Unfortunately, I am not interested in bing a homewrecker! There was a hint ofziness and arrogance in Ashlyn¡¯s tone as she asked, ¡°No one knows the truth. You could have just gotten anyone else. Why did it have to be me?¡± Their awkward conversation was interrupted when the host said respectfully, ¡°Y-You are amazing, Ms. X! Not only did your design win the grand prize, but you also received tons of design awards from all over the world! What are your thoughts on this huge sess?¡± Chapter 972 Chapter 972 Chapter 972 The Downfall Of Sadie ¡°Nothing much. I just enjoy designing, that¡¯s all,¡± Ashlyn replied calmly. ¡°Okay¡­ What was your inspiration for the night sky dress?¡± Ashlyn was getting bored by the host¡¯s boring interview, but she didn¡¯t want to embarrass him in front of Richard and the crowd. She simply broke into a sweet smile that melted everyone¡¯s hearts. The crowd found themselves mesmerized by how charming and beautiful she looked when she smiled. There was a gentle look in her eyes as she said, ¡°The most beautiful pair of eyes I¡¯ve seen looked like the brightest star in the night sky. That¡¯s why I designed this night sky dress. It reminds me of those eyes and makes me feel as if they are always watching over me, which fills my heart with warmth.¡± Lucas tensed up when he heard her say that. He kept his gaze fixated on Ashlyn, who was shining brightly on stage. What did she just say? The most beautiful pair of eyes? Fills her heart with warmth? Lucas, too, felt a warm sensation filling up his heart and spreading through his entire body. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°It¡¯s a shame he isn¡¯t here today, but that¡¯s okay. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s watching me on Twitter right now, so he must know who I¡¯m talking about.¡± Richard¡¯s face was twisted with jealousy and hatred as he asked stubbornly, ¡°Are you referring to Mr. Nn?¡± ¡°Why would you spill the tea like that, Richard?¡± Ashlyn replied proudly, making no attempt to hide it at all. ¡°Because I know you very well,¡± Richard said with a mysterious smile while suppressing his burning anger. F*cking Lucas¡­ Why is he alwayspeting with me? I¡¯m clearly a lot better than Lucas, so why did Ashlyn choose him? What is so great about that maniac? Not wanting to show any sign of anger and frustration in front of Ashlyn, he mustered every ounce of willpower to keep his feelings suppressed. ¡°Ms. Berry¡­ I mean, Ms. X, there are countless socialites and even a few celebrities who are fans of yours. What would you like to say to them?¡± the host asked on behalf of the fans. ¡°Thank you all for liking and supporting my work. I will continue to create even better designs in the future,¡± Ashlyn replied with a smile. ¡°There will be a lucky draw event thatsts three days starting today on my Twitter ount ¡®Mrs. Nn.¡¯ I will announce the three lucky winners every night and gift them with mytest designs!¡± The crowd exploded with excitement when they heard that. What? Thetest designs? You can¡¯t even buy that with all the money in the world, and yet she¡¯s giving them out for free? The crowd apuded as they tapped into Ashlyn¡¯s Twitter ount on their phones in excitement. They could only imagine the pride they would have by showing off thetest design from Ms. X. Sadie, on the other hand, became infamous on Twitter for falling twice in a row. For a professional model like her, such levels of unprofessionalism were simply uneptable. She used to be one of the top models in the industry, but her falling twice in a row and her reaction toward her falls changed that. The fact that she even needed the other models behind her to help her out only worsened the situation. That led to an uproar on Twitter asizens kept sharing pictures and videos of her falls. Naturally, thements section was filled with tons of angry and insultingments. Someone wrote: Oh, my goodness! How did she be a super model with such poor performance? Anothermented: What a joke! This is truly shocking! This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a model fall on an anniversary celebration event! Chapter 973 Chapter 973 Chapter 973 Fire At Haddock Group A third wrote: Sadie should leave the entertainment industry! A fourth eximed: She has got to be the most unprofessional model I¡¯ve ever seen! Meanwhile, posts about Ashlyn could be seen all over the Trending page with the following hashtags: #AmazingShowByAshlyn, #AshlynTheBestModelEver, #AshlynTheQueenOfCatwalks, #AshlynlsX, #AshlynLuckyDraw, #AshlynNightSkyDress. All searches were either for videos of Sadie¡¯s fall or Ashlyn¡¯s amazing appearance on stage. Theizens were enjoying themselves as they criticized Sadie and praised Ashlyn. Someone wrote: My goddess is simply the best! Another added: Not only is she the God of Cars, but she¡¯s also Ms. X and an amazing pianist! I can¡¯t even keep track of her talents! A third eximed: There¡¯s nothing my goddess can¡¯t do! A fourth confessed: / love you, Ashlyn! Another wrote: She¡¯s the real queen! That night sky dress is so Peking gorgeous! My heart can¡¯t take it! Shaw Group¡¯s anniversary celebration event came to an end while theizens were going wild. Richard narrowed his eyes when he saw Ashlyn head for the exit with Cassandra. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org He was about to go after them when Shi grabbed his arm and asked, ¡°Richie, are you mad at me? I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡± Richard forcefully suppressed his feelings of annoyance and frustration as he replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯re still very young. I don¡¯t mind it at all.¡± Feeling touched, Shi eximed while looking at him with teary eyes, ¡°You¡¯re so nice to me, Richie!¡± Richard could only watch as the twodies walked out of the building. Meanwhile, a ck Bentley was parked outside the building entrance. The man sitting inside opened the door and got out of the car when he saw Ashlyn. Ashlyn arched an eyebrow in response when she saw Lucas dressed in a ck shirt and ck cks. His handsome face looked all the more alluring in the night, and he easily stole everyone¡¯s attention the moment he showed up. No one could seem to take their eyes off him. He was like a ma for attention. As Ashlyn walked up to him, Lucas took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s cold at night. Come on. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Ashlyn said as she nuzzled against his chest and felt the warmth of his body. Not wanting to ruin the mood by being a third wheel, Cassandra was about to leave when a car pulled up beside her. Spencer rolled the window down and said, ¡°Passenger seat, now.¡± For some reason, Cassandra felt her face burning up when she saw him. Even so, she did as told and got into the passenger seat. While driving down the highway, they heard an update from the traffic news report. ¡°A fire broke out at Haddock Group just three minutes ago. The entire building ended up in smoke and mes. Fortunately, no one was working thatte at night, so most of the employees had already returned. Only a few security guards were trapped inside. The firefighters have been deployed to help put out the fire. The cause of the fire is still being investigated. It is possible that the fire could have been caused by the recent hot and dry weather. Imperial Hotel caught fire a while back, and now, Haddock Group has fallen victim to it as well. This serves as a reminder to everyone that we should take great precautions to prevent fires.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard that. ¡°Dixon¡¯s office building caught fire?¡± What? Why did Dixon get eliminated before I could even do anything to him? Lucas held her hand as he replied, ¡°This is what it means to be burned when ying with fire.¡± Ashlyn arched an eyebrow at him in amusement. ¡°Oh? Were you the one who set fire to that building?¡± Lucas lowered his gaze and looked her in the eye as he said, ¡°No one gets away with hurting you.¡± I¡¯ll take that as a yes, then. Ashlyn felt a warm sensation fill up her heart when she heard that. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said while holding his hand tightly. Chapter 974 Chapter 974 Chapter 974 Haddock Group Burns Down Meanwhile, Dixon was standing at a safe distance and staring at the office building as it got engulfed in mes and smoke. So, this is the end for Hoddock Group, huh? The wind was very strong that night, which helped the mes consume the building even faster. The firefighters gave their best efforts, but they were still unable to put out the fire. Dixon had a vicious look on his face as he red at the mes from afar. ¡°F*ck! Get a move on, you guys! I¡¯ll pay you all twice your annual bonus, so hurry up and put that fire out!¡± ¡°But we¡¯re not professional firefighters, Mr. Haddock! We can¡¯t even get in there! Besides, the firefighters would never let us near the building anyway!¡± said one of the executives. ¡°Shut up! I know you guys are simply refusing to help me!¡± Dixon snapped back at him angrily. Sienna came rushing over as soon as she received word about the fire. She was in such a hurry that she didn¡¯t even have time to change out of her silk nightgown and Gi slippers. The fair skin on her slender legs was exposed as she got out of the taxi and ran toward Dixon. ¡°Dixon! Dixon! How did this fire break out?¡± she shouted with her face all red and the huge fire reflected in her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know. They¡¯re still investigating the cause,¡± Dixon replied. His eyes grew cold when he noticed she only had on a nightgown and slippers. He took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s cold at night, Aunt Sienna. You should make sure to stay warm no matter how urgent the situation.¡± Sienna felt a warm sensation surround her body as Dixon wrapped the coat around her. She opened her mouth to say something but held her tongue at the veryst second. The executives and managers of Haddock Group anxiously wiped the sweat off their foreheads as they watched from the side. Mr. Hoddock sure is scary when he¡¯s mad! Thank goodness Ms. Oates is here to calm him down! ¡°This sure is a huge fire! What will we do for work tomorrow? Do we look for a new building? Or do we rent one temporarily?¡± Sienna asked worriedly while staring at the burning building that was on the verge of copsing. Dixon maintained that icy-cold look in his eyes as he replied, ¡°We¡¯ll rest for a week and start looking for a new ce to set up our office¡± This is definitely an act of arson! I bet it was Lucas andAshlyn who did it! Imperial Hotel went down in mes a while back, and now, it¡¯s my office building¡¯s turn. Hah¡­ Do they really think they can take me down simply by destroying Haddock Group? If so, then they really have underestimated me! The fire at Haddock Group continued burning until the next morning. Dixon and the group of executives waited until sunrise before the mes were brought under control. The remaining employees of Haddock Group were to stay home and stand by for further instructions. James and Joseph rushed to the scene early in the morning. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear about your loss. You can always build new offices, so please do take care,¡± James said indifferently, which made him soundpletely different from the Imperial Hotel fire. James had been standing outside Imperial Hotel when it caught fire the other day. Dixon¡¯s lips curled into a smile when he thought about the evidence he had obtained on James. Fine, you con continue this smug oct of yours for a while. When it¡¯s time for yourmendation, I will be sure to congratte you nicely! Of course, James waspletely oblivious to the impending crisis. He didn¡¯t like Dixon, but he wasn¡¯t going to just ignore himpletely either. As a representative of the city council, James checked in on Dixon and bought all the firefighters breakfast and drinks. Ashlyn and Lucas arrived at the scene after everything was over. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset, Mr. Haddock. My Imperial Hotel and your Haddock Group now share the same fate. I wonder why these two fires happened one after another. Really strange, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ashlyn said nonchntly while staring at Dixon. Chapter 975 Chapter 975 Chapter 975 More Than Meets The Eye Dixon answered expressionlessly, ¡°You jest, Ms. Berry. What happened was either a natural disaster or an ident. No one could¡¯ve prevented it. Anyway, I hear that you¡¯re a woman of many talents. Not only are you a designer but also a film producer. Are you looking for someone to invest in yourtest movie, True Magnate? How about counting me in?¡± ¡°Sorry, but my husband and I are the sole investors, and we don¡¯t n on getting anyone else in,¡± Ashlyn responded with a smirk. What a joke! I¡¯ve no wish to have anything to do with him! Lucas wrapped an arm around her slender waist in a familiar manner, then said frostily, ¡°Mr. Haddock, I believe you¡¯ll be in need of money as rebuilding an office building costs a pretty penny. Here¡¯s one million. Take it for any emergencies.¡± He took out a bank card and handed it to Dixon. Dixon¡¯s expression turned grim, and there was a tinge of darkness to his fury. His gaze was vicious as he red at Lucas¡¯ handsome face. ¡°Mr. Nn, is this your way of sending away a beggar? Do I look like someone whocks such money?¡± He¡¯s doing this on purpose. He¡¯s deliberately humiliating me! The already livid Dixon felt as though he was about to explode with rage at Lucas¡¯ provocations, but he restrained himself. Although I fell into his trap this time, I¡¯ll make him pay for his actions with interest next time! Just then, Sienna took the bank card with a smile. ¡°Thank you for the kind gesture, Mr. Nn. Mr. Haddock isn¡¯t in a good mood, so his reply was somewhat blunt.¡± ¡°Ms. Oates is indeed gracious and broad-minded.¡± Lucas¡¯ lips curved into a slight smile as he nced at Dixon, whose face was as ck as thunder. Indeed, I¡¯m just here to add insult to injury. Back then, Ashlyn¡¯s Imperial Hotel got destroyed. Now, I¡¯ve burned Haddock Group¡¯s office building. I suppose one can say¡­ things are even between us now. Anyway, there were so many people inside Imperial Hotel when that happened. There were so many guests. However, Haddock Group was empty except for a few security guards, and they were all rescued. Hence, Ashlyn is still the one who suffered a greater loss. Over at the Jensen family¡¯s mansion, Sadie was sitting on a couch, bawling her eyes out. She whined to Robert, ¡°Dad, what will I do? The whole world is mocking me for tripping over! This can¡¯t be the end of my career, can it? But who¡¯ll dare to hire me in the future?¡± Frustrated by her sobbing, Robert replied, ¡°Stop crying, okay? It was just a show, am I right? If things don¡¯t work out, switch to a different career! That¡¯s enough now. I¡¯ll find someone to contact Twitter and see how we can manage the situation.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dad!¡± Sadie wiped her tears and was about to go upstairs when the front door opened. A familiar figure walked in and began taking off her shoes in the foyer. ¡°Shi? What are you doing here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at Richard¡¯s house?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. The pregnant Shi looked somewhat upset as she exined, ¡°A fire broke out at Haddock Groupst night. At times like these, Richard needs to go and offer his support, so he sent me back.¡± However, she was not beingpletely honest. The truth was that Richard had already nned to send her back to stay at the mansion for some time, and it just so happened that the timing coincided with the fire at Haddock Group. I can¡¯t seem to understand him as well as before. What on earth is going through his mind? ¡°What did you say happened to Haddock Group?¡± Sadie asked. She had been too preupied with checking on the negativements about her fall that she had not paid any attention to anything else. ¡°There was a fire. Didn¡¯t you see it on Twitter?¡± Shi answered impatiently. ¡°Anyway, I feel a little tired. I¡¯ll be heading upstairs now.¡± ¡°Be careful going up the stairs. Don¡¯t trip,¡± Robert called out to her, but she did not take any notice of him. Feeling annoyed, Sadie muttered, ¡°What¡¯s with that attitude? She isn¡¯t officially Mrs. Shaw yet but is already treating you like that, never responding when you talk to her. Won¡¯t she be even worse once she really does marry into the Shaw family?¡± ¡°What do you know? Your sister is in poor health. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re unaware of that, so why can¡¯t you be nicer to her? With her health, it wasn¡¯t advisable for her to have a child. However, for Mr. Shaw¡¯s sake, she still got pregnant. Look what happened after that. Mr. Shaw was so touched that he got engaged to her immediately.¡± Robert spoke of Shi¡¯s engagement with joy, not knowing that there was more to his daughter¡¯s pregnancy than met the eye. Chapter 976 Chapter 976 Chapter 976 Ask Richard To Help Me Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Sadie went on Twitter. Sure enough, it was inundated with news about the fire at Haddock Group. Despite that, there are still haters who keep attacking me. And here I was, hoping no one would pay attention to me anymore with thetest news making its rounds. She flung aside her phone in anger. What the hell is going on with these keyboard warriors? It was just a fall. What¡¯s the big deal? Meanwhile, Robert was already working on getting in touch with Twitter. He also came up with a brilliant idea. ¡°I¡¯ve asked a few contacts to get a few minor celebrities to help you exin why you fell. Just wait and see.¡± ¡°What?¡± she said, looking at him in astonishment. No sooner had she uttered that than she received a notification informing her that someone had tweeted her. In fact, several celebrities appeared to have posted almost simultaneously while tagging her Twitter handle. One tweet said: She worked incredibly hard to give her best on the runway! Despite twisting her ankle, she refused to rest and insisted on doing the show! Another posted: Here¡¯s a photo of the bocks of her heels that were all scraped up. Wow, I have so much respect for her that she still went onstage for the opening show even though her feet were in such bad shape! Someone else tweeted: Sadie is the most hardworking model I¡¯ve ever seen! All the celebrities who had received money from Robert began repudiating the criticism and standing up for Sadie in an attempt to establish Sadie¡¯s professionalism and dedication. Sadie breathed a long sigh of relief. ¡°The older, the wiser indeed. You¡¯re amazing, Dad! I can¡¯t believe you actually thought of this idea to protect me.¡± She looked at him gratefully, instantly feeling much more at ease. / hope this storm will blow over quickly. Otherwise, my subsequent resources, including my overall image and career, will take a big hit. My goal is to break out of Eurasia and make my mark as an international supermodel! s, it was soon evident that the negative sentiment online about her falling twice in a row did not take a turn. On the contrary, thements became increasingly scathing. Someizens, who were either people falsely iming to be her fans or those who hated her, also kept circting screenshots of the moments after her clumsy blunder. They criticized her for losing her composure after stumbling, and even after someone helped her up, her catwalk was a mess. They noted that she seemed to have no clue how to carry on with the show and was smiling awkwardly, and they mocked her for being unprofessional. Their argument was that while the fall was not her fault, she did not handle the situation well after that. On top of that,izens even dug up videos of the top models at an international runway show from the year 2006. One had an issue with her heels and had trouble walking in them. In the end, her shoes slipped off her feet. In response, the model stood on her tiptoes and continued strutting her stuff, impressing everyone with how calmly she handled the crisis. Another incident was when a model sprained her foot badly while walking the runway. However, she quickly steadied herself after momentarily losing her bnce. If nobody pointed it out or watched the footage at a slower speed, no one would have noticed she had sprained her foot and how serious it was. Twitter soon became flooded with those images and videos, and when ced side-by-side with screenshots of Sadie¡¯s tumble, they were in stark contrast with each other. Sadie broke downpletely. All her efforts to promote an image of professionalism and dedication had failed and triggered a bacsh. Ovee with rage, she swept everything from the table onto the floor. ¡°Dad! These inte trolls just can¡¯t bear to see me do well!¡± ¡°What are you so worked up about?¡± Shi had been resting in her bedroom upstairs. Upon hearing the sound of things crashing onto the floor, she got up irritably. As soon as she walked out the door and nced down the stairs, she saw the mess in the living room. That made her even more exasperated. I¡¯m already not feeling well because of the pregnancy, and now here¡¯s Sadie throwing a tantrum! ¡°What on earth do you think you¡¯re doing, Sadie Jensen? Aren¡¯t you going to let me get some sleep?¡± she demanded impatiently while heading downstairs. ¡°Shi!¡± Hearing Shi¡¯s voice, Sadie rushed toward her sister. ¡°Go to Richard, will you? Ask him to help me out. I really don¡¯t know what I should do! Everyone on the inte is taking digs at me and siding with that b¡¯tch, Ashlyn!¡± Chapter 977 Chapter 977 Chapter 977 Love Me More ¡°Shi¡­¡± whined Sadie. ¡°If I mess up this time, my modeling career is going to be affected quite badly in the future. How will I participate in majorpetitions and win awards, let alone be hired for runway shows?¡± Sadie wept till snot and tears covered her face. ¡°I bet it¡¯s that b*tch Cassandra and Ashlyn that¡¯s dragging my name through the mud. They must¡¯ve hired ghostwriters!¡± ¡°All right, all right. Stop crying.¡± Shi reached out to wipe away Sadie¡¯s tears. Regardless of what happened, Sadie was still Shi¡¯s sister. Even if they had their squabbles as siblings, nothing could break the bond between family members. ¡°Later tonight, I¡¯ll give Richard a call to see if he¡¯ll pick me up. I¡¯ll then ask if he cane up with a solution to this problem,¡± replied Shi. ¡°Thank you, Shi.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. When Sadie heard what Shi said, she suddenly broke into a smile. ¡°I knew that you would look out for me.¡± ¡°Stop trying to tter me. I¡¯m heading upstairs now.¡± Having said that, Shi turned on her heel and left. Many days had passed since the disaster had happened. Things were now mostly under control in the Xanfield disaster zone. On top of that, the heavy rain from the past few days hade to a stop too. Post-disaster reconstruction was now a top priority. A group of staff under James¡¯mand, including some of the experts and leading figures in various fields, were discussing how to carry out exhaustive reconstruction efforts. Ashlyn and Lucas were present at the scene too. The warm winter sun shone on the two of them as if bathing them in a faint golden glow. ¡°With only the post-disaster reconstruction left, it feels like a weight off my shoulders,¡± said Ashlyn, ncing at the clear river water as she sat by the banks. Lucas raised a brow and leaned close to Ashlyn¡¯s ear. ¡°Apart from the reconstruction efforts, are you really not thinking of anything else?¡± he asked with a hint of mirth in his voice. Goodness me, my wife is certainly a workaholic. As Lucas got to the end of his question, his tone was now slightly raised with a little mischief in it. Ashlyn raised a brow and looked at him pointedly. ¡°What else is there to think of?¡± Lucasughed and gently squeezed Ashlyn¡¯s delicate hand. ¡°I¡¯m asking that you love me a little more tonight.¡± His eyes gaze had darkened a little as he stared at Ashlyn with a fiery passion in his eyes. Lucas shook his head. Here he was, a living, breathing person with a good figure and the looks to match, but he was stuck with a wife who liked to busy herself with other things. It was truly heartbreaking. D*mn. How bold of him to ask for my affection like this. If not for the vigers passing through the area, Ashlyn would have loved to send the man before her hurtling into the river. What on earth is going on inside his head? When the pair¡¯s intimate gestures found their way into the eyes of the nearby vigers, they could not help but smile kindly upon Lucas and Ashlyn. Sheryn, who was not too far away, also witnessed the scene. Inexplicably, she found herself thinking of Joseph¡¯s handsome face. When will Mr. Joseph hold my hand as intimately? Wouldn¡¯t that be nice? I think I¡¯d pass out from sheer happiness. As she thought of this, Sheryn then made her way toward the tent. Sheryn had heard that James was leaving tomorrow and was bringing along the students from the vige who had been handpicked for schrships. She had to stand out among these students and not fall behind. As such, she needed to make her presence known. Sheryn nced at the basket she was carrying and quickened her pace. When she arrived at the tent, she noticed that James was the only one inside. Sheryn walked over silently and nced at James, who was poring over documents with full concentration. ¡°Mr. Field?¡± queried Sheryn gently. ¡°I went fishing for fish and shrimps at the river today. You can take this back with you when you leave tomorrow. I think it¡¯ll be good for you and Mrs. Field to have something more nourishing.¡± James heard a rather timid voice addressing him. He then raised his head to see an earnest-looking young girl. She appeared to be quiteely and vibrant. With a gentle smile, James replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You should save that for yourself. Besides, we¡¯re notcking in anything at home. How can I possibly ept such a gift?¡± After all, fishing for seafood was no easy feat. Chapter 978 Chapter 978 Chapter 978 The Peacock What a thoughtful young woman. ¡°But I¡¯ve already caught the fish anyway. Look!¡± Sheryn then extended her arms to show James. James took a closer look and saw that Sheryn¡¯s hands were covered with wounds from being pricked by fish scales and shells. The very sight of that could make anyone feel distressed. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but I really can¡¯t ept this.¡± James was a little moved by her kindness, but he still insisted on refusing. Just then, Ashlyn and Lucas walked in. Upon witnessing this scene, Ashlyn raised a brow and looked pointedly at James. ¡°James, can¡¯t you tell? This young woman deliberately came all the way here to thank you.¡± With a single nce, Lucas knew exactly what was going on. ¡°Miss, he really can¡¯t ept this. You should take this home with you.¡± As soon as Lucas finished speaking, he picked up the basket and stuffed it into Sheryn¡¯s hands. Sheryn had not expected to run into two obstacles like this. She gritted her teeth in secret and forced out a smile. ¡°Very well.¡± Ashlyn looked at Sheryn¡¯s back darkly. I think this woman is not as innocent as she looks. Early the next day, the sun was shining brightly, and the weather was pleasant. Sheryn and five other students packed their suitcases and boarded the car to leave the vige. James came over personally to do a headcount of the students. When he saw Sheryn, he smiled gently and said, ¡°Ah, it was you.¡± ¡°I was also selected for this schrship,¡± replied Sheryn with a vigorous nod. ¡°You appear to be quite excellent, then!¡± James then looked at the other students warmly and added, ¡°When you all get to the capital, you need to study hard. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± replied the students in unison. Soon, the vehicle started to move slowly along the rugged mountain roads. However, Sheryn¡¯s thoughts had been dwelling on the Field family for quite some time now. She needed to seize whatever opportunity she could find to enter the Field family. Sheryn was determined to be Joseph¡¯s lover. She wanted to force out that awful and disgusting Charlotte. Meanwhile, at the Field residence, Fae had booked a private room at The Peacock first thing in the morning. ¡°Oh, Ashlyn and Lucas will be back soon, along with the students your father is sponsoring. I¡¯ve booked thergest private room avable. It should be enough to seat us all, right?¡± Joseph looked at a very flustered Fae and couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°Mom, we can always add a second table if we don¡¯t have enough seats. Don¡¯t forget Dad¡¯s staff as well. I don¡¯t think one private room will suffice!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯re right. Let¡¯s book two more private rooms, then. These people have risked their lives working for your father. It¡¯s hard work.¡± Having said that, Fae booked two more private rooms immediately. This was akin to a celebratory feast to wee the troops back from a hard-fought battle. ¡°Mom, do we need to sort out anything else?¡± asked Charlotte, blinking herrge eyes at a very busy Fae. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Oh no, not at all,¡± replied Fae with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s very kind of you, Lottie.¡± Charlotte blushed and mumbled, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nothing, really.¡± She then looked at Joseph and asked, ¡°Joseph, has your head been hurtingtely?¡± ¡°Not as much,¡± replied Joseph, looking at Charlotte dotingly. She blushed beet-red and looked particrly adorable. Despite having said that, Joseph could still feel pinpricks in his head. At the time, he had listened to Ashlyn and transferred to a different hospital. Joseph also had surgery done. However, he could not tell if this was unhealed seque from the operation or that his condition was notpletely cured. Joseph was prone to getting bouts of tingling and prickling pain from time to time. He did not want his family to worry and thus said nothing of it. Given that Ashlyn was helping out in the disaster zone, she was not the one who performed the surgery. It was a different doctor. Joseph suppressed the sudden pain he felt in his temples and picked up his phone to call Lucas. ¡°Lucas, where are you now?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve justnded,¡± replied Lucas concisely. ¡°They¡¯ve alreadynded. Let¡¯s head over to The Peacock,¡± said Joseph. He looked a little pale. Upon hearing Joseph¡¯s maic voice, Charlotte instinctively raised her head to look at him. However, she was startled by what she saw. ¡°Joseph, you don¡¯t look too good.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Joseph then smiled like he usually did. ¡°I think I¡¯m feeling quite all right.¡± Chapter 979 Chapter 979 Chapter 979 Who Would Be That Lucky Girl ¡°Lottie, he¡¯s a grown man. Don¡¯t worry about the change in his expression.¡± Fae did not have time to care about Joseph as she had been busy with work at The Peacock. After uttering those words, she swiftly grabbed her bag and made a move to leave. Charlotte frowned and wondered if it was just her overthinking. The three then left together, and Joseph drove toward The Peacock. As they drove smoothly on the road, Fae looked out the window and said something unexpected, ¡°Lottie, I remember you have a driver¡¯s license.¡± Charlotte blinked, not quite understanding what the woman was implying. ¡°Uh, yeah!¡± Fae grinned. ¡°You¡¯ll be celebrating your birthday next week. What gift do you have in mind?¡± Charlotte blushed, feeling a little shy. ¡°I¡¯m notcking in food or clothes. In fact, I have everything I need, Mom. You don¡¯t need to prepare a gift for me.¡± ¡°How can I not give you a gift?¡± Fae held her hand. ¡°We might not be wealthy, but in our family, a birthday celebration is an important event. It¡¯s only right if we make it feel more ceremonious.¡± Charlotte recalled that only L would celebrate her birthday when she was in the Fraser family, and the gifts that L had given her were items that would appeal to young girls. Nevertheless, the celebrations often involved just the two of them. Kate was unlike Fae. She had never discussed Charlotte¡¯s birthday celebration with the same gentle and joyful tone as Fae. Suddenly, Charlotte felt as though the life she had lived with the Fraser family was a distant memory. Joseph remained silent, his focus fixated on the road ahead. From the side, his profile appeared wless. The man¡¯s chivalrous and carefree nature made him exceptionally popr among girls. Furthermore, his background as the mayor¡¯s son made him a desirable target for countless girls who pursued him relentlessly. Despite this, Fae was very selective in choosing the most suitable daughter-inw. She had carefully weeded out girls who did not quite fit the bill or those who disyed inappropriate behavior. Charlotte could not help but wonder what Joseph¡¯s future wife would look like. Who will be the daughter-inw of the Field family? She should count herself lucky because Mr. and Mrs. Field are such nice, down-to-earth people. They¡¯re also kind-hearted and well-mannered. While she was still lost in thought, the car stopped steadily outside The Peacock. She got out of the vehicle and reached out to help Fae. Fae responded with a grin and patted her hand gently. ¡°I can still walk, Lottie. I¡¯m not that old.¡± When the three of them walked into The Peacock, the manager promptly strode over and greeted them, ¡°Mrs. Field, the private room is ready. When will Mr. Field and Mr. Nn being?¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Soon, I guess!¡± Fae stood in the lobby and nced at the entrance. ¡°We¡¯ll stay here for a while. You can leave if you have something to do.¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to check on the dishes.¡± After saying that, the manager walked toward the kitchen. Ten minutes passed, and suddenly, the screeching sound of car brakes sliced through the air. Fae hurriedly looked toward the door and saw a few cars parked outside the entrance of The Peacock. As the first car arrived and its door opened, James stepped out, followed by Lucas and Ashlyn. In the car behind them were the mayor¡¯s subordinates¡¯, while the six students who had received sponsorship to study in the city were in thest vehicle. d in a gray suit, James looked particrly elegant. Upon lifting his head, he saw Fae standing in the lobby. Fae¡¯s eyes instantly welled up with tears. ¡°James!¡± ¡°Why are you so worked up? We¡¯re already an old married couple,¡± James uttered with a gentle smile as he patted his beloved wife¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s not embarrass ourselves in front of so many people, okay?¡± Ashlyn walked over while holding Lucas¡¯ arm. ¡°Long time no see, Fae.¡± ¡°Ashlyn¡­¡± Fae was overwhelmed by the wave of emotions surging within her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you juste back to attend a meeting a few days ago? Why did you return to the disaster zone again?¡± ¡°After attending the meeting, I went straight back to the disaster zone. I don¡¯t feel at ease until I do.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s porcin-like face, radiating in the noon sunlight, appeared even more beautiful as she spoke. Chapter 980 Chapter 980 Chapter 980 Envious Of His Achievements Lucas greeted Fae when he saw her, ¡°Mrs. Field.¡± ¡°Lucas, you¡¯ve lost weight. You¡¯ve always been a picky eater, so I bet you didn¡¯t eat well in the disaster zone, right?¡± Fae felt bad. ¡°Come on, now. Let¡¯s head inside.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. She then turned to Joseph and instructed him, ¡°Joseph, take them to their respective private rooms and make the necessary arrangements, okay?¡± ¡°Got it, Mom.¡± At her behest, Joseph had his subordinates make the arrangements. Sheryn, who was standing at the back of the crowd, was in awe of the magnificent lobby of The Peacock. What a luxurious building! I¡¯ve never been to a ce as sophisticated as this! She then turned her attention to Joseph and Charlotte, who were a stone¡¯s throw away from her. Charlotte wore a white coat over a pink dress and a pair of white boots, looking as beautiful as Snow White. After ncing at her own clothes, that were in and humble, Sheryn was instantly consumed with envy. Nevertheless, she followed the crowd into a private room. The private room was intricately decorated, and even the tables and chairs exuded extravagance. All the students were led to a separate private room, where a young man, one of James¡¯ subordinates, was assigned to look after them. The teenagers from the vige felt a sense of surprise and unease as they entered thevish hotel since they had never set foot in such a ce before. The young man led them into the room and weed them with a grin. ¡°Have a seat, everyone. This hotel belongs to Mr. Nn. Please, make yourselffortable, and start enjoying the dishes.¡± Sheryn gave the other students a disdainful look. What a bunch of country bumpkins. It¡¯s just a meal in the city. Why are they so frightened? While she was lost in thought, she could not help but wonder which room Joseph was in. I wish to be there too. Meanwhile, James, Fae, Ashlyn, and the others had gathered in another private room. ¡°There¡¯ll be a banquet tonight, alongside a reception for the higher-ups.¡± James let out a sigh as he spoke. ¡°Lucas and Ashlyn, you must be there for the event since you¡¯re the key figures of the operation.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the sigh?¡± Fae knitted her brows as a sense of unease crept into her heart. ¡°The relief efforts in the disaster zone are sessful, and it counts as one of my political achievements, but I¡¯ve been hearing rumorstely that someone has lodged a report against me.¡± James frowned. Clink! Suddenly, Fae dropped her fork and gazed at James with a pallid face. ¡°Howe? James, you¡¯ve always been honest and upright, and you had never done anything that would harm the country and the people. How could someone report you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. We¡¯ll have to investigate further.¡± James handed Fae another clean fork. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Fae. I¡¯ve been in the public eye a lottely, so I suppose someone might be envious of my achievements.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Fae took the utensil over. However, her eyebrows could not stop twitching. Upon hearing that, Lucas and Ashlyn exchanged nces. Thetter asked in a deep voice, ¡°James, do you want me to find out who¡¯s the culprit?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. It¡¯s just a minor issue.¡± James waved his hand to dismiss the idea. He did not want to trouble Ashlyn. ¡°You¡¯ve already got a lot on your te. Just be careful in handling the higher-ups at tonight¡¯s celebration. Saying one wrong thing might lead to disastrous consequences.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Field.¡± Lucas bobbed his head in response, expressing gratitude for the mayor¡¯s advice. ¡°I¡¯m d that Joe didn¡¯t follow in my footsteps. Otherwise, I would really¡­¡± James was somewhat overwhelmed by emotions. ¡°Dad, why are you so emotional tonight? It¡¯s been a while since our family got together. We should be happy instead!¡± Joseph immediatelyforted his father. Charlotte, too, served the mayor some food. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Dad. We should be thankful that we¡¯re together again.¡± ¡°You two are very thoughtful,¡± James responded with a cursory smile. The disaster relief efforts were a good opportunity to build political achievements, but it was also a high-profile job that might stir up feelings of jealousy in others. Chapter 981 Chapter 981 Chapter 981 Leading The Fox Into The Henhouse I¡¯ve hogged the limelight this time, and there¡¯s no guarantee that there won¡¯t be any of my rivals trying to bring me down. It doesn¡¯t matter if I met my downfall. I¡¯m just worried about¡­ the future of these children, especially Joe and Lottie. I¡¯m less worried about Ashlyn and Lucas. After all, they are strong in character and influence. The more he thought about it, the more upset and jumbled his emotions became. Just then, there was a knock on the private room door. Everyone in the room exchanged nces, wondering who was outside when they had already told the waiter not to bother them. ¡°Come in,¡± James said in a deep voice. The private room door was pushed open, revealing a girl in herte teens. She was pretty and modestly dressed, and she entered cautiously while holding a wine ss. Ashlyn scrutinized the girl calmly. With her excellent memory, she immediately recognized that the latter was the one who had caught seafood and given them to James. Why is she here? She was wondering about that when the girl¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°I¡­ I wish to offer a toast to Mr. Joseph. Thank you for saving my life that day.¡± Joseph nced at her impassively. ¡°Who are you? When did I ever save you?¡± Sheryn¡¯s initial shyness and excitement instantly vanished like a popped balloon. The smile on her face also froze. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? Uh¡­ You were the one who shielded me when the boulder fell that day.¡± Joseph remained impassive. ¡°Was there such a thing? Why am I not aware of it?¡± Charlotte whispered to him, ¡°There was¡­ Otherwise, where did the injury on your heade from?¡± He looked at her affectionately. Silly girl. Can¡¯t you tell that I deliberately said I didn¡¯t know her? ¡°Very well. Since Lottie said that I saved you, it means it¡¯s true.¡± Joseph continued acting indifferent. ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter. You need not keep it in mind.¡± The fact that he was so indifferent hurt Sheryn a little. Why are you gentle and affectionate with Charlotte but cold and heartless with me? Her desire-filled heart ached as if pierced by a needle. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org As she stood in front of Joseph, she felt humiliated, upset, and dejected. She bit her lip and gave Joseph an aggrieved and pitiful gaze. ¡°No matter what, Mr. Joseph. It¡¯s a fact that you saved me. You can forget about it, but I can¡¯t. If I forget my savior, won¡¯t that make me an ungrateful person?¡± ¡°Well said.¡± James nodded approvingly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect such a young girl to know how to be grateful.¡± Sheryn felt a little better upon hearing his words. Contrary to him, Ashlyn merely cocked her brows and nced at her indifferently. Fae, like her husband, did not give Sheryn much thought and said to her with a wide smile, ¡°There¡¯s a vacant seat here. Come and join us.¡± Her invitation was exactly what Sheryn wanted. She was simply overjoyed, having not expected Fae and James to be so approachable that they would invite her to join them at the table. This¡­ treatment is incredible. I¡¯m also someone who has dined with the mayor and his wife. She cautiously went to sit beside Fae. ¡°I¡¯m from the vige, and my mannerisms may not be as elegant as Ms. Lynch¡­ So¡­ I hope you don¡¯t mind. I-I will try my best to learn.¡± Her words made her appear even more pitiful. Fae hurriedly said, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that at all. There¡¯s no reason to discriminate among people, let alone care about elegant mannerisms.¡± As she said that, she gave Sheryn another piece of shrimp. ¡°Look at how thin you are. Eat up.¡± Fae waspletely unaware she was leading the fox into the henhouse at the time. She merely thought that Sheryn was a simple vige girl who hade to the city to pursue her education with no one to rely on, and as an elder, she should take good care of children like her. She had no idea what kind of ulterior motive this so-called child had in mind. Chapter 982 Chapter 982 Chapter 982 Envy ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Field,¡± Sheryn said, feeling overwhelmed by the older woman¡¯s kindness. She still stole a nce at Joseph from time to time. However¡­ He did not even spare her a nce. At that moment, he was carefully peeling shrimp for Charlotte. It did not take long for the te in front of Charlotte to be piled up with a mountain of food, including shrimp, crab meat, and other dishes¡­ Almost all of them were ced there by Joseph. While eating her food, Charlotte mumbled, ¡°That¡¯s enough, Joseph. Don¡¯t get me any more food.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so lucky, Ms. Lynch. Mr. Joseph is so kind to you. He piles your te for you and peels shrimp for you. He¡¯s too busy to eat!¡± Sheryn deliberately remarked casually, with a hint of envy in her gaze. The warm atmosphere at the table suddenly became a little tense. Ashlyn nced at her casually. ¡°Are you envious of them, Ms. Carling? If so, why not find a boyfriend quickly.¡± Sheryn was taken aback. She never thought that Ashlyn would take a jab at her directly. Her face instantly flushed a crimson red, and she said in a slightly aggrieved tone, ¡°Did I say something wrong? I didn¡¯t mean it¡­¡± Her eyes were red, as if Ashlyn had bullied her. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Ie from a vige andck exposure to the outside world, so I¡¯m not careful with my words¡­ It¡¯s all my fault.¡± ¡°Ashlyn¡­ It¡¯s all right.¡± Charlotte shook her head, not wanting to stoop to Sheryn¡¯s level. She had already seen what kind of girl Sheryn was when she was in the disaster area. However, she never expected thetter to be one of the sponsored students and also liked to target her in particr. She was not sure if she was imagining things or being too sensitive, but she found that Sheryn always liked to pay attention to Joseph. A bold thought took shape in Charlotte¡¯s mind. Sheryn, who has romantic stirrings for the first time, has fallen in love with Joseph, her tall and handsome savior. She felt a surge of pain in her heart at the thought of Sheryn wanting to take her ce in the Field family. If Joseph gets a girlfriend or marries in the future, where would that leave me, the goddaughter of the Field family? She suppressed the bitterness within her and a hint of fear for the future as she once again made up her mind. I want to buy a house. I must have a house and family of my own. Although it¡¯s nice living in the Field residence as Mr. and Mrs. Field take good care of me and treat me like family, I don¡¯t belong to this family at the end of the day. She felt more at ease at the thought and ced some food on Joseph¡¯s te in a natural manner. ¡°Eat more, and don¡¯t drink so much wine during tonight¡¯s celebration dinner. It¡¯s not good for your stomach.¡± A trace of warmth shed across Joseph¡¯s handsome face, and he uttered gently, ¡°Got it.¡± Ashlyn rubbed the bridge of her nose, feeling a slight headache. ¡°Speaking of the celebration dinner, James, can I not go tonight?¡± James chuckled as he shot her a re. ¡°How can you not go? Those big shots are just waiting to meet you and Lucas!¡± ¡°Such banquets are too troublesome!¡± Ashlyn continued eating with her head lowered. The dishes at The Peacock were good and suited her appetite. On the contrary, Lucas did not eat too much. He still¡­ liked the dishes Ashlyn made for him the most. Only those taste like home. At this moment, a big hand grabbed hers. Lucas lowered his head and looked at her, his voice deep and mellow as a cello ying in the middle of the night. ¡°Is it still troublesome if I apany you?¡± Ashlyn suddenly felt a little ufortable. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Good gracious! With such a gorgeous face so close that she could practically see the long eyshes over his eyes and the faint smirk on his lips, her heart could not help but skip a beat. She pushed him. ¡°Don¡¯t get too close to me.¡± Why are you flirting with me? What¡¯s up with the head tilt, too? Sheryn no longer dared to speak carelessly. She looked at Ashlyn and Lucas from time to time before turning her attention to Joseph and Charlotte. asionally, she also cast nces at James and Fae. Chapter 983 Chapter 983 Chapter 983 Gullible She was carefully taking food and cautiously eating them as if she was terrified of making a mistake. Her timid demeanor made Fae say, ¡°Help yourself to anything you¡¯re interested in, and make yourself at home.¡± ¡°My family isn¡¯t very well-off, so I¡¯ve never been to any hotels as big as this for a meal, and I¡¯ve never had anything as delicious as this,¡± Sheryn exined shyly. ¡°So I¡¯m a little nervous.¡± ¡°Why are you nervous? Don¡¯t we know each other already?¡± Fae chuckled again before gazing at the girl lovingly. She felt sympathy for the girl. Ashlyn sighed in exasperation. Despite her age, Fae was still easily deceived. Ultimately, it was because James doted on her too much, making her unable to tell a bad apple from a good apple. Meanwhile, Joseph was getting a headache from listening to Sheryn¡¯s voice. He abhorred Sheryn¡¯s timid voice with a slurring quality. It grated on his nerves. All of a sudden, his hand on the spoon stiffened. It¡¯s so dark¡­ Why can¡¯t I see anything but darkness in front of me? Right as he was reeling in from the shock, his vision returned to normal. Nevertheless, it left his heart pounded loudly in his chest. What just happened? Did I just lose my sight for a moment? For a split second, I couldn¡¯t see anything at all. What¡¯s going on? Suppressing the rising terror in his chest, he tightened his grip on his spoon and discreetly took a sip of his soup. If I go blind¡­ what would my parents do? What about Lottie? Joseph¡¯s brain had gone nk, all thoughts fleeing his head in his panic. It was only when Charlotte gently patted him did he snap his head upward to look at her, meeting her concerned eyes. ¡°Joseph, what¡¯s wrong? What are you thinking about?¡± Joseph forced a smile onto his face. ¡°Nothing much. I was thinking about the celebratory dinner,¡± he lied. He did not want anyone to realize what was going on in his mind, for he knew that they would be worried sick about him. Thus, he continued eating his meal and chatting with Ashlyn and Lucas as if nothing had happened. It only happened for a brief second. Maybe it was an outlier. Maybe it won¡¯t happen again. Joseph kept consoling himself, but he could not shrug off the sense of difort. After the meal, they all went on their separate ways, and Sheryn reluctantly watched the Field family¡¯s car leave. The young man who James tasked to take care of them beckoned a few students over and said, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll send you back to school.¡± On their way there, Sheryn kept asking questions about the Fields, but the young man was not a talkative one who blurted everything out. It greatly frustrated Sheryn. At seven in the evening, the celebratory and weing dinner was held at Capital Hotel. If I go blind¡­ whot would my porents do? Whot obout Lottie? Joseph¡¯s broin hod gone blonk, oll thoughts fleeing his heod in his ponic. It wos only when Chorlotte gently potted him did he snop his heod upword to look ot her, meeting her concerned eyes. ¡°Joseph, whot¡¯s wrong? Whot ore you thinking obout?¡± Joseph forced o smile onto his foce. ¡°Nothing much. I wos thinking obout the celebrotory dinner,¡± he lied. He did not wont onyone to reolize whot wos going on in his mind, for he knew thot they would be worried sick obout him. Thus, he continued eoting his meol ond chotting with Ashlyn ond Lucos os if nothing hod hoppened. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. It only hoppened for o brief second. Moybe it wos on outlier. Moybe it won¡¯t hoppen ogoin. Joseph kept consoling himself, but he could not shrug off the sense of difort. After the meol, they oll went on their seporote woys, ond Sheryn reluctontly wotched the Field fomily¡¯s cor leove. The young mon who Jomes tosked to toke core of them beckoned o few students over ond soid, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll send you bock to school.¡± On their woy there, Sheryn kept osking questions obout the Fields, but the young mon wos not o tolkotive one who blurted everything out. It greotly frustroted Sheryn. At seven in the evening, the celebrotory ond weing dinner wos held ot Copitol Hotel. Many prominent figures of society attended it, for it was an honor to participate in a banquet like that. Even though they were only guests of the event¡ªnot the star of the night¡ªthey were all in merry moods. ¡°I hear that the legendary Mrs. Nn will be showing up tonight.¡± ¡°Ashlyn Berry? Have you not seen her? She made an appearance at the disaster relief auction a while back. In fact, she even had a quarrel with the Chapmans and the Yateses.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ve heard about that too. Her fight with the Chapmans and the Yateses had been quite an ugly one.¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ By the way, do you think Hera¡¯s going toe today?¡± ¡°I heard that Mr. Chapman is going to cut ties with her because she stole Alice¡¯s red jade to auction off!¡± ¡°Alice was such a gorgeous woman back then.¡± ¡°Hear, hear!¡± Right as those people were gathered together to share the gossip they heard, someone cried out, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Nn have arrived!¡± Immediately, the people turned toward the entrance. A match made in heaven appeared by the doorway. The slender man, dressed in a dark blue suit, was tall and handsome, his diamond cufflinks glittering under the lights. In the crook of his elbow was a fair and smooth hand. The owner of that hand was dressed in a light purple mermaid gown that fit her perfectly. She exuded an air of refined grace and poise. Chapter 984 Chapter 984 Chapter 984 Perfect Couple N?velDrama.Org ? content. Every man and woman in the scene fell silent. The entrance of the hand-holding couple was picturesque. A few wives of wealthy men in the upper-ss social circle were guests, too. One had a lingerie company, and she was all smiles as she nodded along to everything Sienna said. Haddock Group had recently monopolized the lingerie market of Lake City, so without a doubt, that woman, a businesswoman who owned a lingeriepany, would have to curry favor with Sienna. What she was afraid of was how Haddock Group might focus on the lingerie market after how their building had been burned a few days ago. That would spell disaster for her own business. If Haddock Group was determined to crush herpany and refuse to work with their factory¡­ Sienna wielded a certain amount of power in Haddock Group, so the woman had no choice but to try to get into Sienna¡¯s good books. ¡°Ms. Oates, I hear there is a weekly gathering for your charitable foundation. May I join next week?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Sienna said with a small smile. ¡°Our organization wees every woman who is interested in charity work.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great to hear. I just wonder if¡­ Mr. Haddock will let our factory handle the work for this year. The coboration between ourpanies¡­¡± ¡°Well, we can talk about thister,¡± was Sienna¡¯s vague answer. Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, but it was enough for the rest of the people in the space to hear her. The other woman¡¯s face turned pale. At the same time, everyone around them began looking at that woman with a gloating expression. That was how the cut-throat scene was. Without any profits, no one was keen to do any business. It would not be strange to see one trampling on another just for the sake of entertainment. In the meantime, Ashlyn was holding onto a ss of red wine, watching the socializing Sienna with an arc of her brow. A swell of rage filled Sienna when she thought about Haddock Group¡¯s burnt building, but she tamped it down while walking over to Ashlyn. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Ms. Berry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while indeed, Ms. Oates.¡± Ashlyn was smiling at Sienna, but that smile did not reach her eyes. ¡°I never thought you were such a good liar, Ms. Berry. You¡¯ve¡­ tricked me well,¡± Sienna said with a mirthless chuckle, resentmentcing her words. She made it sound as though Ashlyn was a douchebag who had cheated her feelings. ¡°I wasn¡¯t hiding it from you on purpose,¡± Ashlyn whispered, leaning closer to Sienna¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s only because you and Mr. Haddock didn¡¯t know me well enough.¡± To the others, Ashlyn and Sienna seemed like good friends. Only the two women involved knew the raging currents under their peaceful appearances. Sienna gritted her teeth. What a good actress Ashlyn was. She made herself seem so harmless and fooled me so thoroughly. She even made me sought for Madeline Saunders in hopes of buttering Madeline up. Then, as it turns out, Ashlyn is Ms. Saunders. She knew I wanted to see Ms. Saunders, but she never once rified that she was Madeline Saunders. She was toying with me! The other womon¡¯s foce turned pole. At the some time, everyone oround them begon looking ot thot womon with o glooting expression. Thot wos how the cut-throot scene wos. Without ony profits, no one wos keen to do ony business. It would not be stronge to see one trompling on onother just for the soke of entertoinment. In the meontime, Ashlyn wos holding onto o gloss of red wine, wotching the sociolizing Sienno with on orc of her brow. A swell of roge filled Sienno when she thought obout Hoddock Group¡¯s burnt building, but she tomped it down while wolking over to Ashlyn. ¡°It¡¯s been o while, Ms. Berry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been o while indeed, Ms. Ootes.¡± Ashlyn wos smiling ot Sienno, but thot smile did not reoch her eyes. ¡°I never thought you were such o good lior, Ms. Berry. You¡¯ve¡­ tricked me well,¡± Sienno soid with o mirthless chuckle, resentment locing her words. She mode it sound os though Ashlyn wos o douchebog who hod cheoted her feelings. ¡°I wosn¡¯t hiding it from you on purpose,¡± Ashlyn whispered, leoning closer to Sienno¡¯s foce. ¡°It¡¯s only becouse you ond Mr. Hoddock didn¡¯t know me well enough.¡± To the others, Ashlyn ond Sienno seemed like good friends. Only the two women involved knew the roging currents under their peoceful oppeoronces. Sienno gritted her teeth. Whot o good octress Ashlyn wos. She mode herself seem so hormless ond fooled me so thoroughly. She even mode me sought for Modeline Sounders in hopes of buttering Modeline up. Then, os it turns out, Ashlyn is Ms. Sounders. She knew I wonted to see Ms. Sounders, but she never once clorified thot she wos Modeline Sounders. She wos toying with me! The very recollection of what happened made Sienna desperately wish to throw Ashlyn into the sharks so that the vicious beasts would tear the woman apart. She¡¯s revolting! ¡°Ms. Berry, now that you¡¯re the Mrs. Nn, an actress, and Ms. Saunders, are you¡­ interested in joining Haddock Charity?¡± Sienna asked again. She guessed that Ashlyn would not agree to it, but she refused to give up. What Ashlyn had done previously made it challenging for her charitable foundation to rake in any money. It was as if those wealthy women had abruptly grown a brain and stopped throwing money at her foundation. She could no longer provide an unlimited money source to Dixon, and it frustrated her to no end. At the end of the day, that was all thanks to Ashlyn. ¡°I don¡¯t mind joining, but¡­¡± Ashlyn chuckled. ¡°Ms. Oates, I¡¯m Lucas¡¯ wife, after all. Don¡¯t you think I should get a role with some power? At the very least, I should be in a managerial position.¡± Sienna forced down her fury and stiffly said, ¡°That¡¯s a funny joke, Mrs. Nn.¡± Chapter 985 Chapter 985 Chapter 985 Just A Joke Sienna had initially prepared a whole speech to convince Ashlyn to join her charitable foundation as she was certain that Ashlyn would not agree to it. Yet, Ashlyn agreed to it, and she was even going to join as Lucas¡¯ wife. With Ashlyn¡¯s current poprity and sizable fanbase, her entrance into the charitable foundation meant the revival of Haddock Charity. However, Sienna was no fool. She could sense something amiss about Ashlyn¡¯s swift agreement. ¡°Well, if you know that I was joking, then I¡¯ll rify things now. Yes, I won¡¯t be joining.¡± Ashlyn lifted her ss and gently knocked it against Sienna¡¯s ss. ¡°Excuse me, Ms. Oates.¡± Sienna was dumbfounded. Wait, she¡¯s not joining anymore? What in the world is going on? Why is she breaking her promise? D*mn it! This b*tch is toying with me again! While the interaction was taking ce, Lucas was watching Ashlyn from afar, staring at her as if nothing else in the world existed but her. ¡°How is it?¡± the man asked when he walked over to her. ¡°I¡¯m a little tired,¡± she confessed in a low voice. She was wearing heels, and the long while of standing was making her feet ache. Lucas reached out to hold her hand before leading her toward the lounge. ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a bit first.¡± James was the star of the night, so many prominent figures were trying to talk to him and toast him. Some were even wondering if he was going to get a promotion for his major contribution to the disaster relief effort. Joseph, his son, was by his side, politely and gracefully handling the people while asionally drinking on behalf of his father. When some people saw Ashlyn and Lucas retreating to the lounge, they quickly hurried over, intending to curry favor with them. At least half was there to butter Ashlyn up. ¡°M-Ms. Saunders, could you please listen to my daughter¡¯s piano performance and give her some tips?¡± ¡°My son has been talking about learning martial arts. I heard that you fought ruffians and caught human traffickers. Would you be able to¡­ spare a tip or two for him?¡± ¡°Ms. Saunders, I hear that you draw wonderfully. Can you¡­ Can you please draw something for me for five million?¡± ¡°M-My girlfriend hopes to get a minor role in your film. Is that okay?¡± At that, Lucas furrowed his brows. My wife¡¯s too popr. What am I going to do? Right then, J, who looked smart in her air force uniform, walked over. Once she reached Ashlyn, she saluted at thetter. Ashlyn queried, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going to Maredania for a study exchange?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± J took off her cap and held it in her hand before taking a seat beside Ashlyn. ¡°I heard that guy in Maredania¡¯s air force is looking for his biological sister or something, so he doesn¡¯t have the time to give us any lessons. Maredania¡¯s defense department is livid because they think he¡¯s not professional in his work. They¡¯re currently thinking of recing him with someone else.¡± Some were even wondering if he wos going to get o promotion for his mojor contribution to the disoster relief effort. Joseph, his son, wos by his side, politely ond grocefully hondling the people while osionolly drinking on beholf of his fother. When some people sow Ashlyn ond Lucos retreoting to the lounge, they quickly hurried over, intending to curry fovor with them. At leost holf wos there to butter Ashlyn up. ¡°M-Ms. Sounders, could you pleose listen to my doughter¡¯s piono performonce ond give her some tips?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°My son hos been tolking obout leorning mortiol orts. I heord thot you fought ruffions ond cought humon troffickers. Would you be oble to¡­ spore o tip or two for him?¡± ¡°Ms. Sounders, I heor thot you drow wonderfully. Con you¡­ Con you pleose drow something for me for five million?¡± ¡°M-My girlfriend hopes to get o minor role in your film. Is thot okoy?¡± At thot, Lucos furrowed his brows. My wife¡¯s too populor. Whot om I going to do? Right then, J, who looked smort in her oir force uniform, wolked over. Once she reoched Ashlyn, she soluted ot the lotter. Ashlyn queried, ¡°Didn¡¯t you soy you were going to Moredonio for o study exchonge?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± J took off her cop ond held it in her hond before toking o seot beside Ashlyn. ¡°I heord thot guy in Moredonio¡¯s oir force is looking for his biologicol sister or something, so he doesn¡¯t hove the time to give us ony lessons. Moredonio¡¯s defense deportment is livid becouse they think he¡¯s not professionol in his work. They¡¯re currently thinking of replocing him with someone else.¡± ¡°Well, it sounds like he¡¯s a sentimental one,¡± Ashlyn remarked. Lucas blinked, speechless. Who in the world is this woman? Where did shee from? Why does she seem so close to my wife? Why do they seem to be enjoying their conversation so much? Just then, Winsor started walking toward Ashlyn and Lucas with his younger brother, Tinsor, in tow. Everyone¡¯s interest was piqued, musing that things were going to get interesting. However, Winsor waspletely different when he started talking to Ashlyn. He was gentle and considerate. Even Tinsor kept calling Ashlyn his goddess. The crowd was bewildered. Then, Harvey came over with a ss of wine in his hand. ¡°Ashlyn, you¡¯ve lost weight after your busy time at the disaster region. Here, this is the Laiths¡¯ new resort. It¡¯s now yours. Feel free to rx there whenever you have the time. Don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡± As he spoke, he took the title deed for the Laiths¡¯ resort from his assistant and shoved it into Ashlyn¡¯s hands. Chapter 986 Chapter 986 Chapter 988 Still Alive Albert¡¯s behavior rendered everyone speechless. He was so scary when someone else asked about that person, but now that Ashlyn is the one asking, his attitude changed totally! At that thought, the guests all stared at Ashlyn with envy. After all, not everyone had the privilege of being so close to Albert. ¡°That kid did not pass away; he¡¯s just not with me anymore. I hope there will be fewer strange rumors like this in the future. That person¡¯s living very well! Stop spreading things that I don¡¯t want to hear.¡± Albert¡¯s tone wasced with displeasure, and his words were obviously directed at the person who raised the question. ¡°I understand, Mr. Newman,¡± the man replied nervously. Realizing what Albert meant, the guests gasped in surprise. So that legendary person is still alive? Then why isn¡¯t he with Mr. Newman? How could Mr. Newman bear to let such an impressive talent leave his side? ¡°Ms. Berry¡­¡± Albert let out a long sigh. He seemed to want to say something, but in the end, he held himself back. Finally, he stood up and croaked, ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired. Please excuse me.¡± With his back crouched, he walked past Ashlyn, looking as if he had aged overnight. Ashlyn pursed her lips upon seeing that. She couldn¡¯t stand it when Albert pretended to be weak and pitiful in front of her. He¡¯s a powerful figure who can shake up the entire H Nation with a wave of his hand. Why does he put on such an act all the time? Despite that, her heart would always soften when she saw Albert acting like that. Just when she shook her head helplessly, Albert suddenly turned around with reddened eyes. ¡°You heartless brat. Do you not pity me at all?¡± ¡°Stop trying to trick me into doing what you want, and don¡¯t think of using my sympathy to your advantage,¡± retorted Ashlyn while casting him azy nce. ¡°Hurry and leave this ce. Go back to where you should be.¡± At that, Albert felt even more frustrated. He straightened his back in a huff and strode away vigorously. This was the first time the guests ever witnessed a big shot acting like a child toward Ashlyn. While the crowd wasing to terms with what they had just witnessed, Lucas leaned into Ashlyn with a yful glint in his eyes. ¡°Honey, are you hiding something from me?¡± ¡°No. I swear,¡± Ashlyn said innocently. ¡°Really?¡± Lucas felt doubtful when he recalled how many alternate identities Ashlyn had before. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Really,¡± insisted Ashlyn. She looked around and saw James still conversing with others, with Joseph beside him at all times. Sienna, on the other hand, felt uneasy after witnessing the exchange between Albert and Ashlyn. Surprisingly, Dixon was nowhere to be seen. Ashlyn raised her brow in intrigue. ¡°Tonight¡¯s event is a great opportunity to meet people. Howe Dixon is not here?¡± ¡°I asked Spencer to keep an eye on him,¡± Lucas said, his eyes darkening. At the port by the river, countless stars twinkled in the moonlit sky. The water swished around as a ship slowly came to a stop by the shore. A ck luxury car was parked near the shore. While boxes of goods were unloaded from the ship, the man in the car stared at the vessel emotionlessly. While his features leaned toward the feminine side, his predatory eyes resembled that of a venomous snake, making them ufortable to look at. Just then, a tall and well-built man walked down from the ship. At the sight of the ck car, he paced toward it. The car window lowered and revealed the face of the man inside. His voice floated through the night air as he questioned, ¡°Has everything arrived?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Dixon¡¯s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. ¡°Tell them to speed up and move everything into the container. Then, transport them to the garage in the northern part of the city.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Haddock.¡± Unbeknownst to them, Spencer and a few men were hiding in a corner, watching the port and the goods. Chapter 987 Chapter 987 Chapter 987 A Legendary Figure ¡°Ms. Berry¡­ Please talk my granddaughter out of it,¡± said Albert helplessly. ¡°Flying a ne, and in the military at that, is a dangerous job. If war breaks out one day, she¡¯ll have to go to the battlefield!¡± The more Albert thought about it, the more pained he felt. He pleaded, ¡°If you really can¡¯t convince her, I¡¯d like to ask you for a favor, please.¡± His words shocked the guests once again. They couldn¡¯t help wondering what was so special about Ashlyn that someone like Albert would repeatedly ask for her help so humbly. Many of them once thought Ashlyn became popr by riding on Lucas¡¯ coattails, but now, they were proven wrong. Judging from how worried Albert looked, he didn¡¯t seem to be acting. ¡°Please go ahead and tell me,¡± Ashlyn said with a nod. ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you to return to the air force.¡± Albert seemed to have made up his mind as he continued, ¡°Only if you¡¯re there will I feel at ease to leave my granddaughter in your care. Please grant this old man¡¯s wish, will you?¡± Upon hearing that, Ashlyn arched an eyebrow. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°This is your actual goal, isn¡¯t it? For generations, the Newmans have been working in the military. Your son and his wife are both military officers, so it doesn¡¯t make sense for you to forbid your granddaughter from bing the same. Did you tell me all those things just now to trick me?¡± Albert did not expect Ashlyn to see through his plot. He shook his head with a chuckle and voiced, ¡°You¡¯re still as clever as ever. I implore you, Ms. Berry. If you return, I¡¯ll do anything you want.¡± Without the slightest hesitation, Ashlyn rejected the offer. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m not interested. Besides, isn¡¯t the air force having a study exchange with Maredania¡¯s air force? I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll learn a lot of things.¡± At this point, questions ran through everyone else¡¯s minds. As Albert was vague with his words, none of them could fully understand what he was talking about. He wants Ashlyn to return to the air force? What does this mean? Was she part of it before? How strange. To everyone¡¯s disappointment, Ashlyn did not say anything further and instead changed the topic. Albert was shrewd enough to keep quiet when he observed her disinterest, though he couldn¡¯t help but find it a pity. Lucas continued to stay beside Ashlyn, a look of surprise shing across his eyes. He suddenly recalled a legendary figure in H Nation¡¯s air force a few years ago, and for some reason, his gaze fell on Ashlyn. But that legendary figure was a young man¡­ How could Ashlyn be him? There¡¯s no way it was her. It¡¯s impossible. It was said that the young man lost his life in an aircraft ident. Afterward, things quieted down in the air force. With that in mind, Lucas rubbed his forehead and concluded Ashlyn could not possibly be that person. Aside from Lucas, the others also thought of the same man. One of the big shots couldn¡¯t resist asking Albert, ¡°Mr. Newman, I remember that there was once a very capable young man under you. Did he really pass away?¡± Albert¡¯s expression stiffened before darkening quickly. Tension hung in the air as the temperature around him seemed to drop. Gone was the friendly attitude he had toward Ashlyn earlier. He now exuded an oppressive aura that sent chills down everybody¡¯s back, silencing them. For a while, no one dared to make a sound. Some of themined quietly, ming the questioner for mentioning that person and bringing up such a sensitive topic. Just as all of them thought Albert would explode in rage, Ashlyn¡¯s nonchnt voice sounded. ¡°Right, Mr. Newman. I¡¯m curious about that, too.¡± Albert shot her a warning re, but a hint of helplessness could be seen in his countenance. He reverted to his easygoing image earlier and chided, ¡°You¡¯re just so cheeky.¡± Chapter 988 Chapter 988 Chapter 986 Competition All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Once again, the crowd was left speechless. They could not believe Harvey had just given a resort to Ashlyn without hesitation. Even Ashlyn seemed startled by his actions. ¡°Uncle Harvey, you can¡¯t just give me cars, properties, and companies out of the blue¡­¡± At that, Lucas felt pressured. Why are the people my wife knows all so rich? Upon seeing the expensive gift Harvey gave to Ashlyn, J began questioning her choice of gift for her role model. Regardless of everything, the Smith family was a notable family who had been working for the government for three generations. She fished out a car key and shoved it into Ashlyn¡¯s hands before huffing. ¡°This is the new Lamborghini that my grandpa just gave to me, but it¡¯s now yours.¡± ¡°No, wait, Mr. Field¡¯s the star of the night. Why are you all giving me gifts instead?¡± Ashlyn was sure that they had all lost their minds while the rest could only stare at Ashlyn in disbelief. Right then, a hoarse voice came from behind the people. ¡°Ashlyn¡­¡± Ashlyn whipped her head toward the voice and widened her eyes. ¡°Mr. Newman, you¡¯re here too?¡± ¡°I heard that you wereing tonight, so I came!¡± The elderly man¡¯s eyes were bright as he looked at Ashlyn lovingly. ¡°It¡¯s been three years since west saw each other.¡± ¡°How are you?¡± she asked in concern. ¡°Pretty well, thanks to you.¡± Albert patted her hand. ¡°Come, have a cup of coffee with me.¡± Again, the crowd was stunned. ¡°Mr. Newman is a big shot from Jadeborough! How does he know Ashlyn too?¡± ¡°It looks like he¡¯s quite close with her.¡± ¡°Uh-huh¡­ Moreover, Mr. Newman is one of the founding members of this country. He¡¯s quite the respected man in H Nation!¡± Once Albert sat down, a server came over with ck Ivory coffee and filled a cup for Ashlyn and Albert. ¡°I¡¯m actually here because I have something to ask of you,¡± Albert said, picking up his cup to take a sip of his coffee. The crowd inhaled sharply when they realized what Albert had said. If Ashlyn was capable of getting someone as powerful as Albert to ask for a favor from her, she had to be some kind of impressive individual. Ashlyn raised a brow and nonchntly said, ¡°Please let me know whatever is it you need.¡± ¡°My granddaughter is a troublemaker,¡± was all Albert said before sighing. He then gestured to the young man behind him, who took a step forward and passed Ashlyn a file. Ashlyn opened it. A momentter, she widened her eyes. ¡°This is what she wants?¡± ¡°Yes, no matter what I say, she insists on taking that path.¡± The elderly man had a troubled look on his face. ¡°No one in the family can convince her otherwise. It looks like¡­ we need you to intervene in this.¡± Ashlyn passed the file back to Albert before smiling at him. ¡°Mr. Newman, you¡¯re a powerful man, but you¡¯re helpless against a young girl?¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, do you have to take a jab at me?¡± A sorrowful look crossed his face. ¡°The girl lost her parents when she was a child, and I ended up spoiling her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s an ambitious girl, and I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with young people trying out new things,¡± Ashlyn said in constion. ¡°I think her idea of wanting to join the air force is a good one, but she needs to work harder. If she wants to join it, she¡¯ll¡­ have to go through various tough tests.¡± ¡°J from the Smith family has been undergoing special training every day for the past year and more before she finally got into the air force, so how can anyone just join the air force so easily? Moreover, she¡¯s a soft girl. You¡¯re her role model. She¡¯s always looking up to you and mimicking your actions. I¡¯m really fretting terribly over this.¡± Albert let out another sigh. ¡°Moreover, that Smith girl ispeting against her for everything¡ªclothes, cars, food. The two of them keeppeting with each other. Now, look, my granddaughter wants to join the air force just because she heard that the Smith girl has joined it.¡± Ashlyn arched her brow. ¡°She¡¯s outstanding to be able to get a pilot license. In fact, she¡¯s as good as J, so¡­ Mr. Newman, you don¡¯t need to worry about her that much.¡± Chapter 989 Chapter 989 Chapter 989 Are You Two Sick Of Living On the surface, the goods were merely some worthless cotton and linen fabrics. However, Spencer could not shake off the feeling that Dixon was no ambitionless man. As such, it was nigh impossible for him to specialize in those alone. Although Haddock Group had recently dominated the lingerie market, and the goods might have been prepared for the manufacturing of lingerie, they still had to stay on guard. The goods were loaded onto five huge trucks, each having a massive container in the back. When the five huge trucks started moving, Spencer instantly followed with the others, albeit sneakily. The night wind grew increasingly chillier, and the sky darkened further. As the huge trucks traveled on the highway in the middle of the night, they sped like bats out of hell. Along the way, there were no police officers conducting roadblocks at all. It was as though the huge trucks had entered no man¡¯snd. Only when they encountered winding roads did they finally reduce their speed. Nheless, they continued forging ahead. ¡°The northern suburbs?¡± Swinging open the car door, Ashlyn climbed into the car. At once, Lucas started the engine and drove out of the garage. In the pitch-ck night, a ck Bentley hurtled down the highway, cutting through the darkness. Behind it, several ck cars were hot on its tail. In the car, Ashlyn stared at the location indicated on the phone with an icy look in her eyes. That location was sent over by Spencer. ¡°ording to Spencer¡¯s investigation, the exchange is at an old factory in the northern suburbs. Dixon is obviously using the ship to operate the illegal activity of people smuggling. Besides, he might be selling off those people to Zaewora to work as indenturedborers, off the books, and the like. What we need to do is to catch them red-handed after both parties had made the exchange. On top of that¡­ we might very likely be in danger if the mission this time fails. Therefore, we must act fast.¡± While Ashlyn was discussing the details of the mission with Lucas, she contacted the members of Mysterious yet Majestic. That aside, she also texted Joseph, asking him to have James notify the police. She did all that within seconds, making the arrangements methodically. She had always wanted to have leverage on Dixon since the initiator of the case she epted wished to have evidence of the man¡¯s crimes. Unfortunately, various matters had been keeping her busy, and she had not been able to close the case to that day. Consequently, Dixon had also been atrge for far too long. Snagging Lucas¡¯ptop from the backseat, she turned it on. As Lucas drove, he listened to the sound of the woman typing beside him. Tapping sounds rang out incessantly. When he nced over, he glimpsed row after row of letters and codes flying across the screen. Whoa! She¡¯s even an expert at coding?C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org As her fingers flew across the keypad, Ashlyn made a call with the Bluetooth earphones in her ears. ¡°ir, you¡¯re in Haddock Group¡¯s office building, yes?¡± ¡°Yes, Ashlyn. I¡¯m right there.¡± ir and Tinsor carefully stepped on the ground, both walking amidst the empty ruins in ck. Ever since the ce burned down, hardly anyone visited the ruins anymore. ¡°Head to Sienna¡¯s floor and check whether there¡¯s any evidence left. They likely think that it has all been burned to ashes, so we must go in and search the ce,¡± Ashlyn ordered in a low voice. ¡°Okay, got it.¡± After hanging up the phone, ir continued tiptoeing toward Sienna¡¯s charity foundation floor with Tinsor. The elevator had long since been destroyed in the fire, so they used the emergency stairwell. No sooner had they reached the first floor than a familiar voice rang out behind them. ¡°Why are you two here instead of sleeping at home at this hour?¡± Tinsor¡¯s heart abruptly lurched. He snapped his head back, only to be greeted by a tall and burly figure. ¡°Winsor? Why are you here?¡± he eximed in a whisper. Striding over, Winsor red at the two men in chagrin. ¡°This is Dixon¡¯s territory. Despite it having been razed to the ground, it¡¯s still his. Are you two sick of living toe here?¡± Chapter 990 Chapter 990 Chapter 990 Wait On Standby ¡°No, no¡­ you misunderstood us,¡± ir hurriedly exined. Five minutester, a frown marred Winsor¡¯s countenance. ¡°You¡¯re saying that it was Ms. Berry who had you bothe here to search for something?¡± In response, Tinsor bobbed his head like a bobblehead doll. ¡°Yes, yes. Ashlyn is training us both now, Winsor! Thus, don¡¯t object anymore.¡± He then scratched his head in embarrassment before adding, ¡°Of course, you can also tag along if you want to.¡± Winsor said nothing, but his action spoke volumes. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go to the fifth floor.¡± When the three of them arrived at the fifth floor, they started searching every inch of the ce, not sparing even a single nook or cranny. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org s, even after they had searched the entire office and turned the ce inside out, they still did not find any useful leads. ¡°Could it be that everything has really been burned to ashes?¡± ir muttered dejectedly. Winsor shook his head. ¡°The fire was raging back then, so Sienna and Dixon probably had no time to take anything with them. Let¡¯s continue searching. Furthermore, they didn¡¯te back after the fire. As such, the evidence must have either been destroyed or still here. Those are the only two possibilities.¡± Hence, the three men continued their search. Meanwhile, the Bentley and the ck cars following behind it had already driven into a dense forest, heading toward Dixon¡¯s old factory in the northern suburbs. Somewhere near the factory, the cars came a stop at secluded spots that kept them hidden. Subsequently, their upants started sneaking into the forest under the cover of the night. ¡°Everyone is to obey my orders. Do not reveal your identities,¡± Lucas instructed in a low voice. Then, he asked, ¡°Are there any other questions?¡± ¡°No.¡± His subordinates in ck looked at him, their faces devoid of emotion. ¡°Great. Wait on standby.¡± The cold wind in the dark night was chilling. Somewhere in the forest, rustling sounds sounded every so often amidst the shrubs. Lucas and the others were all traveling on foot, their figures concealed under the shadows of the trees. Everyone was dressed in ck from head to toe. Right then, Spencer was keeping watch outside the factory. All of a sudden, three figures stepped out of the forest. They were all dressed in ck and wore ck hats that covered their faces entirely. He could only tell from their heights and figures that they were men. ¡°Who are the lot of you?¡± The guard at the door warily lifted the spear in his hand. Strolling over unhurriedly, the three men gave the man the code word before entering the factory. After the trio had gone in, Spencer saw a familiar figure walking out from the factory. ¡°Mr. Haddock,¡± the man in the lead among the trio greeted slowly upon spotting the person who approached, his low voice sounding even frostier in the dark night. Dixon¡¯s thin lips turned up a fraction, his tall figurepletely illuminated under the dim light. Dressed all in ck, he appeared exceedingly terrifying with a cold and ruthless expression on his face. ¡°How surprising that you came in person this time, Mr. Wilson.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to verbalize my name. I don¡¯t want to be discovered on H Nation¡¯s grounds.¡± Wilson frowned, the cial and vicious aura emanating off himparable to that of Dixon¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s a total of thirty people. All the goods you want are here.¡± Dixon pinned an icy look on the man, a sharp gleam glinting in his eyes. ¡°Open the boxes, then. I want to inspect the goods!¡± Wilson, the head of the ckhand Mafia, demanded. The other two men behind him immediately stepped forward to open the boxes. However, Dixon stopped them from doing so. ¡°Each box contains a cooling device, and their temperatures are exceedingly low. As such, my men have to open the boxes personally. Please wait a moment.¡± Just after he had finished speaking, a subordinate of his came over. The man removed the specialized lock and opened one of the boxes. The instant the box was opened, everyone¡¯s eyes widened in shock. The entire box was nketed with a thickyer of frost. Waves after waves of icy vapors burst out interminably. The man who opened the box inexorably sneezed. Rubbing his nose, he nudged the dark-skinned man curled up in the box. Thettery huddled with his eyes closed, ayer of frost nketing his hair, nose, clothes, and body. Chapter 991 Chapter 991 Chapter 991 The Heinous Crime He felt as if he was being amalgamated into the freezing-cold air that was gushing out. Once the box was opened, the temperature within the factory dropped sharply. ¡°F*ck, why don¡¯t you get up?¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Dixon attempted to drag the man inside the box out but quickly realized that the frozen body was stuck to the freezer. Furrowing his brows, he threw the box¡¯s thermostat a nce and saw that it was minus twenty-seven degrees. ¡°Can he still be alive at such a low temperature?¡± The man was clearly not showing any signs of life. Has he been frozen to death? ¡°How is that possible?¡± The frowning Dixon instructed everyone, ¡°Quick, open up all the boxes!¡± Upon receiving his orders, his men began opening them one by one. Given the extremely low temperature of the boxes and the fact that it was a winter night, the entire factory suddenly felt like the North Pole. It was so cold that everyone couldn¡¯t help but shiver. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Dixon roared in frustration, ¡°You fools! Were you trying to kill them all by setting such a low temperature?¡± There were no survivors in any of the tens of boxes there. Every single one of them had met a miserable end. From the way they looked, it wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine how much they suffered before sumbing to death. A cruel fate was what met them in a foreignnd despite the hopes of a new life they harbored. Thereafter, Dixon red at his stupid subordinates. How am I going to get paid now that all of them are dead? After all the money and effort I¡¯ve spent to bring them here for ckhand Mafia, I ended up with nothing at all! Dixon¡¯s subordinates trembled at his rage. ¡°Mr. Haddock, we didn¡¯t know¡­ We did check them on the ship.¡± ¡°You imbeciles!¡± Dixon gave the man closest to him a kick, sending him crashing into the ground in excruciating pain. ¡°Mr. Haddock, I¡¯m beginning to have doubts about your capabilities.¡± Wilson shrugged while staring at the gruesome sight before him. Given ckhand Mafia¡¯s inherently dangerous activities, death was considered business as usual. As a result, the scene before his eyes didn¡¯t bother him at all. ¡°Mr. Wilson, don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll bring in another boatload of people.¡± Taking a deep breath, Dixon suppressed the fury within him and pleaded, ¡°I hope that our cooperation can still continue, so please give me another chance, all right?¡± ¡°Mr. Haddock, how am I going to trust you now that Haddock Group has been burned down and all these men are dead?¡± Wilson ended his sentence with a scoff. ¡°You had better do something to prove your sincerity.¡± While the men were negotiating inside the factory, Spencer was so shocked outside the window that he could barely maintain his grip on his camera. These men have no regard for human lives at all! How con theymit such heinous crimes? All those poor souls they smuggled from Alendor have been killed just like that, yet they don¡¯t feel any remorse at all. They negotiate os if they are trading meat in the market. Do the lives of these pitiful men mean nothing to them? The thoughts going through his mind caused Spencer to tremble with rage. The urge to dash into the building and bring the men to justice began to swell within him. Nevertheless, he suppressed the anger he felt and instructed the men beside him, ¡°Don¡¯t move hastily until Mr. Nn arrives.¡± No sooner had he spoken than someone suddenly stepped on a tree branch. The crisp snapping sound that resulted drew the attention of Dixon and his men. A frosty expression shed across Dixon¡¯s face as he barked, ¡°Someone¡¯s here!¡± Chapter 992 Chapter 992 Chapter 992 Save Yourselves Before anyone could react, a gun had appeared in Wilson¡¯s hand, which he then pointed at Dixon¡¯s head. ¡°Mr. Haddock, how dare you get others involved!¡± Dixon frowned at him. ¡°Mr. Wilson, were you followed on your way here?¡± He gestured with his hand while speaking. At his cue, a horde of his subordinates swarmed out of the factory. Meanwhile, Spencer grabbed his men and took cover immediately. ¡°There¡¯s too many of them. We have to leave right away!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The subordinate who stepped on the branch was filled with guilt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Spencer.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! We have the video. It¡¯s time to escape!¡± Spencer replied frantically, cognizant that they were massively outnumbered. With the evidence in hand, the only thing he hoped for was for Lucas to arrive in time. The sight of the fleeing figures brought an insidious curl to Dixon¡¯s lips. ¡°After them!¡± Bang! Bang! Bang! Suddenly, multiple gunshots rang out in the night, giving Lucas and Ashlyn¡ªwho were almost there¡ªa shock. ¡°There¡¯s a shootout going on! We have to hurry!¡± Ashlyn eximed. As Lucas stared into the night, the strands of hair on his forehead swayed with the breeze. ¡°Everyone, pick up the pace!¡± Under the cover of darkness, their group sped in the direction of the gunshots. Meanwhile, Spencer turned around to provide covering fire as he and his men continued to flee. Unfortunately for them, Dixon¡¯s men were a lot more familiar with they of thend. By taking a shortcut, they quickly surrounded Spencer and his men. ¡°What a coincidence, Mr. White!¡± Dixon¡¯s lips curved into an insidious smile. As Spencer turned his head around fearfully, he was greeted by Dixon¡¯s towering figure and a smile that sent a chill down his spine. ¡°Dixon! How can youmit such a terrible act and not even bat an eyelid?¡± Spencer felt his heart stop as he stared daggers at Dixon. Anyone with a sliver of conscience in them would be outraged over what Dixon had done. Staring right into Spencer¡¯s eyes, Dixon approached the former step by step before cocking his brow slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. White. For seeing something you shouldn¡¯t, I¡¯ve no choice but to bury you here.¡± Upon his cue, Dixon¡¯s men surged forward and pointed their guns at Spencer¡¯s group. A barrage of gunshots rang out again. With his face losing all color, Spencer dived to the ground and took cover behind a huge tree. He pulled out his reserve magazine with his teeth and began reloading his gun. Due to the enemy¡¯s overwhelming firepower, all they could do now was hang on for dear life. As for Wilson, he had caught up by then. ¡°Leave no one alive! Kill them all!¡± Faced with the assault by ckhand Mafia, Spencer¡¯s men were helplesson their own. All he could do was watch them copse to the ground, one by one. Amidst his intensifying anxiety, Spencer and his remaining three men threaded through the trees as fast as they could. Taken by surprise by how dogged his pursuers were, his mind became a chaotic mess. With the camera tightly held in his arms, his fists tightened without him realizing it. / have evidence of Dixon¡¯s crimes inside! Bang! Another gunshot rang out, followed by a groan from Spencer. One of his men hurried to help him. ¡°Spencer, are you all right?¡± Upon detecting the stench of blood, he eximed in a low voice, ¡°Are you hurt?¡± However, Spencer replied through his gritted teeth, ¡°Go on ahead! Don¡¯t mind me!¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°But Spencer¡­¡± ¡°Run, save yourselves!¡± Spencer gave him a shove after stuffing the camera into his subordinate¡¯s arms. ¡°Take the other two with you.¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re not leaving without you!¡± ¡°Stop wasting time, or no one is going to leave this ce alive!¡± Spencer¡¯s eyes fell upon Dixon¡¯s subordinates, who were approaching swiftly. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of them. You guys should hurry up and leave!¡± Chapter 993 Chapter 993 Chapter993 The Knight In Shining Armor Steeling himself, Spencer pulled out his pistol and fired indiscriminately at his pursuers. Bang!Bang! Bang! He unloaded all the bullets in the magazine until it was empty. Spencer¡¯s eyes widened upon realizing that he was utterly surrounded. ¡°Hmph! How dare youy a finger on my man. Do you have a death wish?¡± All of a sudden, an icy voice echoed out. Thereafter, a low rumble could suddenly be hearding from the woods. Out of the surrounding darkness rolled a tank. It had turned off its lights and was traveling under the dim illumination provided by the moon. A youngdy in a loli-like dress was driving it with a devious smile on her face. Even though her cutesy outfit contrasted with the heavy machinery of the tank, an inexplicable sense of harmony made it feel like she was right at home in it. ¡°How dare you touch my boyfriend!¡± ¡°Cassandra, he¡¯s just your boyfriend in name¡­ Not reality¡­¡± her co driver reminded softly. ¡°I still won¡¯t allow it!¡± As a wicked glint shed across her eyes, she barked, ¡°Fire!¡± Spencer was wearing a tracker, which she used to locate him whilemanding the attack. By doing so, the tank¡¯s cannon urately avoided the former when firing. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Boom! An urate shot struck Dixon¡¯s men, leaving a huge crater in the ground. Cries of agony filled the air immediately. As the modern tank was equipped with thetest technology, the ability to drive around at night with night vision felt exceptionally satisfying. Just like a tractor, the tank charged forward as if it had gone berserk. Meanwhile, Dixon was left in a daze by the sudden bombardment. Staring at the tank emerging in his view, he was filled with disbelief. ¡°D*mn it! How did something like this get here?¡± A main battle tank? Wilson, too, was given a rude shock. He grabbed Dixon by the cor and yelled, ¡°What the f*ck are you doing? Why is the army here?¡± From his perspective, only the army had ess to tanks. Under normal circumstances, ckhand Mafia would dominate the situation regardless of where they went. Hence, thest thing he expected was to be surrounded during his trip to H Nation. As the tank rolled up to Spencer¡¯s side, Cassandra jumped out from within. Stretching out her hand, she pulled Spencer into her arms with a powerful tug. What happened next was even more shocking. Despite his towering figure at one meter and eighty centimeters tall, Cassandra swept him off his feet and carried him in her arms. Thereafter, she leaped into the air gracefully beforending back on the tank. T-This¡­ Spencer blushed in response. Even though it was dark and no one could see them, his cheeks burned so hard that he felt as if they were about to explode. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that he would be rescued by ady who could carry him like a damsel in distress. Cassandra driving a tank¡­ Despite the weird imagery, it was a sight that blew him away. The scene would have been less than perfect if their roles were reversed. After putting him down, Cassandra whipped two machine guns out from her hips. Spencer had to rub his eyes to make sure he wasn¡¯t seeing things. Foran ordinary person, a single machine gun was difficult enough to handle due to its heavy recoil. Yet Cassandra didn¡¯t face this problem at all as she could easily handle one in each hand. Subsequently, she began to unleash a barrage of gunfire at their enemies. The sound of rattling guns reverberating throughout the woods was quickly followed by harrowing screams. Not a single one of Cassandra¡¯s shots missed their target. Dixon could only stand idly by as his subordinates faltered one by one. As for Cassandra, she looked as if she was mowing all of them down effortlessly, one wave after another. Wilson¡¯s eyes almost popped out of their sockets as he stared at the weird-looking girl standing on top of the tank. Chapter 994 Chapter 994 Chapter 994 An Eye For An Eye ¡°What kind of monster is that?¡± ¡°She isn¡¯t a monster. She¡¯s just a subordinate of mine.¡± At that moment, a slender figure suddenly emerged beside the tank. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. The woman was d all in ck. Her snug outfit showed off all her curves in the right ces. As she stared nonchntly at Wilson and Dixon, her lips curled into a sarcastic smile. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Wilson.¡± ¡°K-Kris?¡± The familiar voice gave Wilson a shock. ¡°Boss, what are you doing here? Is that weird-looking girl one of yours?¡± ¡°Wilson, I thought you would run ckhand Mafia properly when I handed it to you. Unfortunately, you betrayed the original intention of my doing so.¡± Ashlyn¡¯s eyes were spitting fire as she spoke. ¡°If I had known that you would ruin ckhand Mafia, I wouldn¡¯t have groomed you to take over!¡± ¡°Kris¡­ No, Boss¡­ Don¡¯t do this. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Wilson dropped to his knees upon hearing Ashlyn¡¯s words. Watching the scene unfold with a frown, Dixon could feel a sense of dread swelling within him. Little did he expect the arrogant Wilson to turn into a coward in front of Ashlyn. Why is such a powerful man begging Ashlyn on his knees? Underneath the starless sky, all Dixon felt was a chill down his spine, as if he had fallen into an abyss of ice. Why is the leader of ckhand Mafia so terrified of Ashlyn? And what did he call her? Kris?lf I recall correctly, Kris came out of retirementst year to participate in underground fights. Back then, her goal was to resolve the turf wars going on. After winning thepetition, the territory, including the seas around the harbor, was returned to Shadow Way. Due to the protection provided by Shadow Way, peace was maintained along the shippingnes into H Nation. Dixon had always wondered why Shadow Way wanted to keep the ships safe. It wasn¡¯t until now he had an epiphany. Is it because Kris is actually Ashlyn? How is that possible? He shook his head vehemently. This is impossiblelKris is a legendary mafia boss. How is she even remotely rted to Ashlyn, someone who has a demure demeanor? Even though she knows how to fight a little, there¡¯s no way she and Kris are the same person. Filled with disappointment, he attempted to drag Wilson up from his knees as he roared, ¡°Have you gone mad? Take a good look at her. She¡¯s Ashlyn Berry! How can you act so cowardly by kneeling in front of a mere woman?¡± ¡°Get lost! You know nothing!¡± Wilson shoved Dixon aside. As he frantically crawled up to Ashlyn, he tugged at the hem of her pants. ¡°Boss, K-K¡­ I beg of you. Please forgive me. I¡¯ll definitely turn over a new leaf and notmit any unscrupulous deeds going forward!¡± Unmoved by Wilson¡¯s pleas, Ashlyn simply responded with a scoff. With her sleeves fluttering in the night breeze, the terrifying aura Ashlyn exuded made her resemble a demon. As the cloudy night sky was devoid of any natural light, the only illumination was provided by the tank. Even though she spoke softly, Ashlyn¡¯s piercing cold voice struck fear into anyone who heard it. ¡°But can you bring those frozen souls back to life, Wilson? An eye for an eye is what you deserve.¡± Ashlyn gave the crying Wilson a piercing look, her face brimming with murderous intent. No sooner had she spoken than a gunshot rang out. Wilson¡¯s eyes instantly widened in disbelief. Looking down with some difficulty, he stared at the blood that covered his bleeding thigh before copsing onto the ground. Chapter 995 Chapter 995 Chapter 995 Sneak An Attack Wilsony on the ground as blood pooled beneath him, but no one saw how Ashlyn fired the gun. He could not help but pant and gasp as excruciating pain coursed through him. As for Ashlyn, no one knew when she had taken out a silver gun. ¡°Take him away!¡± Ashlyn¡¯s cold voice echoed through the area. Two men in ck immediately appeared and dragged the injured Wilson away. ¡°Mr. Haddock¡­ The fun is about to begin!¡± Ashlyn smirked as she turned to look at Dixon, who had turned pale. The corners of her lips twitched as she continued, ¡°I¡¯ve yed along with you for such a long time. It¡¯s time this act ends.¡± ¡°Ashlyn! You b*tch!¡± Dixon yelled as he red at her. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be the legendary boxing champion, Kris! You¡­ Why are you sneaking around in Lake City? What the heck are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Mr. Haddock, you¡¯re a smart man. How do you not know what my intentions are? My goal since the start has always been you¡­¡± Ashlyn pursed her lips as she nced at the subordinates behind Dixon. And the man behind those subordinates¡­ The man stood tall and firm behind them. When he noticed Ashlyn¡¯s gaze on him, his lips curved into a smile as he stepped forward and waved. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. In an instant, numerous men in ck surrounded Dixon and the others. Dixon, whose attention was focused on Ashlyn, finally came to a realization. Surprised, he red at Lucas, who stepped forward from behind him. ¡°You¡­ Why are you here too?¡± Lucas nced at him before striding toward Ashlyn. Gripping her chin, his lips curved into an evil smile that matched hers as amusement shed across his eyes. ¡°Mr. Haddock, have you heard of a saying?¡± Lucas¡¯ husky voice sounded exceptionally seductive in the dark. ¡°What saying?¡± At that moment, Dixon was in a wretched state. The expensive suit he donned had long since be wrinkled, and he had lost his previous confidence. ¡°A good Jill makes a good Jack.¡± The smile on Lucas¡¯ face grew wider. ¡°I¡¯ll go to wherever my wife is.¡± Ashlyn stared at Lucas with her obsidian-like eyes. She beamed as her slim, pale fingers reached over to grip his shirt and pull him close. Her rosy red lips pressed onto his as they shared a kiss. ¡°Your performance isn¡¯t so bad. I like it,¡± Ashlyn said, her wordsced with wickedness. Lucas felt warmth spread across his chest as he watched her take the initiative. Happiness filled him as he weed the soft press of her lips on his. As for the other people witnessing the scene, the corners of their lips twitched, obviously annoyed by the disy of affection. Are they treating us as if we¡¯re air? Or are they treating this ce as somewhere they can show PDA? Standing on the tank, Cassandra could not help but roll her eyes at Ashlyn. Boss is in her honeymoon phase. I¡¯m speechless! She¡¯s clearly trying to provoke us singles! Even if she wanted to provoke us, this isn¡¯t the right ce for it¡­ Right now, we¡¯re trying to capture Dixon! Just then, a man holding a pair of binocrs told Lucas, ¡°Mr. Nn! More people areing!¡± Lucas furrowed his brows. ¡°Are they trying to sneak an attack?¡± Ashlyn shot a re at where the man was pointing to. ¡°It looks like someone else is targeting us!¡± Dixon stood in the middle of the encirclement. He looked pleased, and his lips curved into a smile. ¡°The organization won¡¯t let me die! They must¡¯ve sent someone to rescue me!¡± On top of the trees not far from them, a few men in ck jumped from branch to branch as they hurried toward Ashlyn and the others. Under the trees, a dozen other men in ck were also rushing toward Lucas and Ashlyn like madmen. There were more of them than Ashlyn¡¯s men. The man at the front wore a mask, and beneath it, his sharp gaze locked onto Lucas and Ashlyn. He stared at them momentarily before waving his hand and yelling, ¡°Attack!¡± In an instant, gunshots echoed throughout the area as stters of blood painted the night sky a deep red. In the dark, the few men in ck on the trees moved as fast as lightning as they rushed forward amongst the non-stop ringing of gunshots. Chapter 996 Chapter 996 Chapter 996 A New Force Cassandra raised her eyebrows as she looked through the binocrs to see those few men in ck jumping from branch to branch. ¡°I can¡¯t believe there are people who can move faster than my bullets! They somehow avoided every shot!¡± ¡°It looks like you aren¡¯t firing fast enough!¡± Ashlyn chuckled before she held up her gun. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Four continuous shots were fired. Cassandra watched as the men in ck on top of the trees fell to the ground after failing to avoid Ashlyn¡¯s bullets. They had fallen to their deaths, eyes wide open as though they could not believe someone could have such fast marksmanship. Cassandra pped her hands excitedly, staring at Ashlyn in awe and jealousy. ¡°You are the master indeed! Your marksmanship is much faster than mine! A lot more urate too!¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. On the other hand, Spencer and the rest of Lucas¡¯ subordinates widened their eyes in shock as they felt chills run down their spines. Wow¡­ Her marksmanship is fast and smooth. She doesn¡¯t hesitate to take anyone¡¯s life, either. Each shot of hers is more urate than the one before. Cassandra was the country¡¯s champion gunwoman. They could not believe that Ashlyn could shoot and kill the people that Cassandra could not. Those four men looked to be ninjas of Dartan and masters of ninjutsu. They were fast, and it was hard for others tond a hit on them, especially since they were moving in the dark. The other men in ck could not help but stare in shock at the slim figure of Ashlyn. In the forest, anger shed through the masked man¡¯s eyes when he noticed his subordinates had been shot and killed. ¡°F*ck! Why do you have to be on the opposite side?¡± ¡°Mr. Silvermoon, are we going to save Mr. Haddock?¡± One of Silvermoon¡¯s subordinates was shocked to see those four ninjas fall from the trees to their deaths. Those men were the ninjutsu masters of their organization. They could easily take others¡¯ lives without anyone noticing. Not only that, but they were also good at concealing their whereabouts. No one had seen how those four people jumped through the tree branches, yet they were suddenly shot to their deaths. ¡°Yes, we must save him!¡± Silvermoon¡¯s tone was cold. Dixon still had many of Silvermoon¡¯s possessions that he had not returned. Nothing can happen to Dixon now! Silvermoon¡¯s words had barely left his mouth when suddenly, a series of ear-piercing gunshots sounded, and a storm of bullets flew toward them. Silvermoon instinctively moved to hide behind a tree. His expression turned grim as he watched a few of his subordinates fall to their misfortune, the thick scent of their blood filling the air. From the sounds of the footsteps rushing toward them, it was apparent that many people had arrived. Silvermoon gritted his teeth in frustration. ¡°D*mn it! Why did Lucas bring so many people?¡± The current situation was not advantageous for him. Dixon was still in Ashlyn and Lucas¡¯ hands. Silvermoon could care less about Wilson since thetter was cannon fodder. The person Silvermoon truly wanted was Dixon. All of a sudden, Silvermoon could sense a murderous auraing from behind him. He frowned and turned to scan an area further from where he was. He could see over a hundred people rushing toward them through his binocrs. At that moment, not only were Dixon and Wilson in the forest but also Silvermoon, Lucas, and Ashlyn, each with their respective men. There are already three different forces here. Why is there a fourth? A hint of murderous intent shed across Silvermoon¡¯s eyes. He pursed his lips. The group of people he had smuggled out from Alendor had attracted the attention of many, but unfortunately, all of them were now dead. If four different forces were to fight against each other, he would not have a high chance of winning. The possibility of him snatching Dixon amidst the chaos was not high either. Silvermoon hesitated momentarily. While Silvermoon was hesitating, Lucas had observed everything that had happened through a pair of binocrs on a hill not far away. His face drained of color when he saw hundreds of people arriving. ¡°Retreat! A new force ising!¡± The corners of Ashlyn¡¯s lips twitched. She nced at Cassandra and noticed that thetter had turned serious. Cassandra held up her gun and aimed toward the oing people. Bang! Bang! Bang! The sound of the machine gun firing filled the air. ¡°The word ¡®retreat¡¯ is not in my dictionary!¡± Cassandra yelled. Ashlyn smirked when she heard that. With a wave of her hand, Luigi led several men from Shadow Way and rushed out of the forest. In the tank, Spencer noticed the co-driver from before starting up the tank. Chapter 997 Chapter 997 Chapter 997 Taking The Lead With a deafening boom, the tank opened fire, releasing its shell. The artillery soonnded and exploded, creating arge crater as it sted all the enemies away and stained the earth red. Unadulterated fear surged through the hearts of those who were lucky enough to escape the disaster, for they had just had a brush with death. ¡°Honey!¡± Lucas did not expect Ashlyn to be so radical and violent. I can¡¯t believe she just ordered the tank to open fire! ¡°Apart from us, Dixon and Wilson, there are still two other forces out there in the forest eyeing us.¡± Ashlyn pursed her lips, her voice ringing in Lucas¡¯ ears. ¡°Can¡¯t you just put a little more trust in my abilities, Honey?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to get hurt,¡± Lucas said as a shudder ran through his body. His fear came from the fact that he had someone he loved. Anxiety and terror gnawed at him, not because he was cowardly but because he instinctively wanted to keep Ashlyn away from danger and face all the remaining perils alone. He had prepared himself to stay behind and provide cover for Ashlyn¡¯s retreat. However, he didn¡¯t expect that not only did his beloved not want to retreat, but she wanted to fight back as well. Given the current situation, we are now the ones taking the lead. As for all those dead illegal immigrants in the old factory building, they have be the mostpelling evidence for us to use against Dixon. If the evidence falls into the hands of any other forces or is destroyed, Dixon may once again escape justice. Apart from that, we could also be cannon fodder for any of these forces. N?velDrama.Org ? content. With that thought in mind, Lucas no longer hesitated and sprinted toward a tall tree before making his way to the top of it. His eyes were gleaming with fierce determination as he pulled out his gun and raised his binocrs. He then raised his gun and aimed at the leaders of the newly arrived forces, shooting them one by one with deadly uracy. The sudden barrage of fire caught the other party off guard, and almost everyone started to retreat. Unable to get any closer, they could only lie down on the side and shoot from a distance. Cassandra gaped at Lucas, stunned beyond words. Those people were at least fifty or sixty meters away from us, yet he was able to take them out with a single shot each? Her confidence as a shooting champion was once again shattered by Lucas¡¯ action. With wide eyes, she muttered at Spencer, ¡°I¡¯m aware of how incredible Boss¡¯ marksmanship is, but I didn¡¯t expect Mr. Nn to be so awesome at it as well.¡± In response, thetter cleared his throat lightly and remarked, ¡°Well¡­ he is the guy who won the amateur shootingpetition in Maredania two years ago, after all.¡± Cassandra was rendered speechless when she heard that. Back when I was the official shooting champion of the national team, I remembered there was also an amateur shootingpetition held in Maredania the year I won the championship. At the time, it was said that there was a champion who could hit the bullseye without fail, which was a really impressive feat. However, since it was in the amateur category, it didn¡¯t garner much attention. All of a sudden, Cassandra felt that her title of shooting champion of the national team meant nothing in the face of Lucas¡¯ skill, who was but a mere amateur shooting champion. She praised, ¡°Mr. Nn¡¯s skills are so d*mn impressive!¡± Boss and Lucas are like a power couple who can do anything! Meanwhile, almost every one of the newly arrived forces had dropped to the ground. As the crowd started thinning out in the front row, a man in ck suddenly appeared from behind when he saw hisrades dropping like flies. In a deep voice, the man uttered, ¡°They¡¯ll definitely escape if this goes on.¡± Another man chimed in, ¡°This is our best chance to kill that woman, Ashlyn. After all, Silvermoon has special feelings for her and has been reluctant to kill her.¡± ¡°Go, Sebastian. Kill her!¡± The man¡¯s voice rang out, his tone cold and dripping with malice. ¡°We mustn¡¯t let her live!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± When a man in ck not far away heard the words, he immediately leaped toward a tree in one fluid motion. With just a few jumps, the man soon disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight. The forest¡¯s temperature seemed to drop and the surrounding became darker as the biting wind blew through the midnight air. Meanwhile, Ashlyn and Lucas were both holding a gun with the muzzles pointed at the front, firing fiercely and killing an enemy with each shot. ¡°Take a break, Honey. Let me take care of this!¡± Lucas said with a fierce and dominant look that resembled that of a lone wolf as the corners of his lips curved into a smile. Chapter 998 Chapter 998 Chapter 998 The Beginning Of A Fierce Battle Meanwhile, Cassandra never stopped firing her machine gun. As for their subordinates, they were doing their best to pave a way out amidst the chaos. Lucas¡¯ eyes were filled with icy coldness, and his lips were curved into a cold smile as he watched on. Now that I¡¯m trapped here with Ashlyn, I can¡¯t just sit idly by and do nothing. Most importantly, I can¡¯t let Ashlyn get hurt. I must protect her! Cowardice was a term that could never be applied to him. While Ashlyn was there to capture Dixon, he was there to kill and protect her. Covering for Ashlyn and Cassandra as they broke out of the encirclement, Lucas put his gun down before a sneer spread across his lips. At the same time, the tank rampaged forward, and Lucas¡¯ gaze turned cold. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Just then, a soft sound suddenly rang out. After scanning his surroundings, Lucas suddenly narrowed his eyes. He nted one foot on a tree and propelled himself backward, narrowly dodging an oing bullet. With a flip, hended on the ground. He then trained his dark eyes on a man who had suddenly appeared under a tree not far away. The man was dressed in ck and wore a hood that covered his face. As such, all Lucas could see was the man¡¯s tall and robust figure. Ashlyn rushed to his side and frowned when she saw the man in the ck hood, her eyes filling with strong killing intent. This man just tried to kill Lucas! ¡°Who are you?¡± Ashlyn asked in a stern voice, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes sizing up the man in ck. As she spoke, her mind raced as she tried to analyze the situation. She was surprised at how this man had appeared out of nowhere behind her and Lucas. I can tell that this man¡¯s skill is remarkable by the way he was able to catch us offguard and evade our detection. Being the n leader of an ancient martial arts family, Lucas¡¯ martial arts skills are seldom matched by others, and yet, it seems like this man could prove to be quite the trouble for us. At that thought, a smile formed on Ashlyn¡¯s lips. So, he wants to kill me and Lucas, huh? Well, let¡¯s see if he has the capability to do so, then! ¡°Heh¡­¡± Sebastian was instantly stunned when he saw Ashlyn¡¯s beautiful face. He furrowed his brows and kept his gaze trained on the slender figure before him. For a moment, he was lost in thought, for the strong murderous aura emanating from the woman surprised him. This woman is not on ordinary person. Although the night is full and our surrounding is dark, I can still feel the strong hostilitying from her. Her exquisite features make her appear as enchanting as the spirits of the forest in the deep darkness of the night. If it weren¡¯t for the presence of the man beside her, I would have thought that this woman did not belong here. Speaking of the man¡­ he is extremely handsome and exudes a strong and intimidating aura. Coupled with his dark clothing, I can see that he is used to others being fearful of him. Staring at the man¡¯s handsome face, Sebastian pursed his lips. He couldn¡¯t help but narrow his eyes as his intuition told him that the man and woman in front of him would be very difficult to deal with. ¡°Oh? Did your employer fail to mention who we are?¡± Ashlyn raised the gun in her left hand and stared at Sebastian with a fierce look in her eyes. She was irked by the man¡¯s mockingughter earlier. No matter who this man is, I¡¯m certain I can finish him off. For some reason, Sebastian¡¯s instincts were telling him not to get entangled with the woman before him. This woman is exuding such a strong sense of hostility and murderous intent. In fact, the intensity is so strong that it makes even me, a professional assassin, feel rather intimidated. With that thought in mind, Sebastian decided to wrap up the fight as quickly as he could. Subsequently, a cold snort escaped from Lucas¡¯ lips. Before Ashlyn could make her move, he shot forward like a bolt of lightning, sweeping up a gust of wind in his wake. Ashlyn knitted her brows when she saw Lucas charging forward. Soon after, she noticed Sebastian¡¯s eyes going wide. Chapter 999 Chapter 999 Chapter 999 Die At The Hands Of An Elite Sebastian was shocked at Lucas¡¯ sheer speed. However, as a professional killer, he could not afford to be distracted. He quickly regained his senses and immediately aimed his gun at Lucas. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Somehow, Lucas managed to evade his aim effortlessly. Just as Sebastian prepared to press the trigger for his second shot, Lucas appeared in front of him with his dark eyes staring straight at him. He¡¯s fast! Like lightning! As he looked at Lucas, Sebastian¡¯s mind suddenly went nk. At that moment, Lucas lifted his muscr leg and kicked toward Sebastian. Lucas reached out his hand to grab Sebastian while his leg aimed for thetter¡¯s wrist. Smack! The gun in Sebastian¡¯s hand hit the ground and skidded far away. Sebastian sobered up from the pain in his wrist and immediately lunged toward Lucas. Both attacked each other swiftly, and the battle grew increasingly intense. Ashlyn was watching intently with narrowed eyes when suddenly, she felt a strong force approaching her. An icy glint shed across Ashlyn¡¯s eyes. She instantly turned around and lifted her leg to defend herself against the iing attack. To think the man with the ck hood has an aplice! A short man subsequently appeared behind her. Ashlyn aimed her gun at the man, Andrew, but he moved swiftly. She reced her weapon with a silver dagger and brought it down on him quickly. Andrew did not expect Ashlyn to be so powerful! His face turned grim as he tried to avoid Ashlyn¡¯s assertive attacks. Ashlyn was akin to a deft cobra, and that dagger was like her fangs. Earlier, Andrew was feeling bitter about being sent here when Sebastian was already assigned the task. At that moment, he finally realized the reason why. Just as he was distracted momentarily, Ashlyn lunged forward in another rapid attack. She bent her slender waist, gathered all her strength, and aimed her dagger toward Andrew¡¯s neck. Andrew¡¯s body stiffened as he stared at the dagger stabbing straight toward his throat. A gush of fear suddenly surged through him. So this is how it feels like toe close to death! I can almost feel the presence of the grim reaper. It¡¯s so close that it¡¯s terrifying! Andrew was overwhelmed with fear. He froze on the spot because he realized he could not evade Ashlyn¡¯s attack. This is what one calls formidability and power! Andrew slowly closed his eyes, as if he was resigned to his fate. Isn¡¯t it just death? It doesn¡¯t matter if I die at the hands of an elite! It would be a lie to say that he was not afraid when death was upon him. However, another thought was on his mind at that moment, and that was that he could no longer serve ZZ Organization! He could also no longer stay by Rosie¡¯s side. Without him around, Rosie was bound to be suppressed by Silvermoon. A whistling sound pierced through the air as the iing sharp de whizzed toward Andrew. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes gleamed with murderous intent. She was certain she could take him down this time. Schtick! The dagger cut through Andrew¡¯s throat, and with a thump, he fell onto the ground with his eyes wide open. Meanwhile, Lucas was still engaged in the fight with Sebastian. Lucas threw a punch forward, the great force lifting Sebastian¡¯s hood with the wind it generated, revealing a handsome face. At that moment, Lucas, whose fist was about tond on Sebastian, was shocked at what he saw. In thest second, Lucas forcefully withdrew his fist. Instead, he lifted his left leg and kicked Sebastian away. Thump! Sebastian fell hard onto the ground. He felt a throbbing pain in his chest, causing him to cough out a mouthful of blood. His breathing was heavy as his eyes filled with confusion. He grabbed his chest tightly, trying to alleviate the pain, and looked at Lucas with a baffled expression. The somber night sky entuated Lucas¡¯ towering figure, which exuded a chilly aura. Sebastian could not see his expression clearly but could feel thetter¡¯s fiery eyes staring at him, sending a chill down hisspine. Chapter 1000 Chapter 1000 Chapter 1000 Twins N?velDrama.Org ? content. Dead silence ensued. The tense and suffocating atmosphere made Sebastian ufortable. Ashlyn furrowed her brows. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill¡­¡± As she spoke, she raised her eyes, and the moment she saw Sebastian¡¯s handsome face, she was stunned. Shock and confusion simultaneously filled her bright almond- shaped eyes. She could not help but murmur, ¡°H-How is this possible?¡± Sebastian¡¯s face was identical to Lucas¡¯. One could even say they looked almost the same! Their eyebrows were identical, and so were their narrow eyes. However, there was a long scar on Sebastian¡¯s left cheek that stretched across his handsome face. It made him appear somewhat fearsome but did not tarnish his dashing features. If the scar did not exist, Sebastian¡¯s face could be taken for Lucas¡¯, and nobody would bat an eyelid. Lucas and Ashlyn said nothing. Right then, they heard hurried footstepsing their way. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Lucas grabbed Ashlyn¡¯s hand and left in a sh. They did not leave any parting words as both swiftly disappeared into the night. Sebastian stared at their retreating figures in a daze, unable to regain his senses for a while. Why did both of them look so shocked after seeing my face? Why didn¡¯t they kill me? Those questions circled around Sebastian¡¯s mind. Meanwhile, Lucas was expressionless. His eyes were icy cold, and his lips were pressed into a thin line. However, his fists were clenched tightly and trembling, revealing his unsettled emotions. How is it possible? How is it possible? As he repeated the question in his head, his ebony eyes became darker. Darn it, why is there a man out there who looks exactly like me? Not only are our faces identical, but even our height and age are also simr. Lucas could not bring himself to believe this shocking fact. He punched hard at a tree near him in frustration. His heart was beating fast and irregrly, as though it was about to pounce out of his chest. It made Lucas feel like he was unable to breathe. ¡°D¡¯mn it!¡± He let out a low growl and punched the tree again. He repeated the same action several times like a madman, venting all his frustrations. Ashlyn had been following closely behind him. Upon seeing his raging actions, she rushed forward and hugged him tightly. ¡°Lucas, calm down! I¡¯m sure you both just happened to look simr and are not rted in any other way.¡± Lucas looked at the tree that had been battered by him badly. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. No, I can¡¯t be behaving this way. It must be a coincidence that we look simr. I can¡¯t let that killer influence my feelings. Now that I¡¯ve recovered, I can¡¯t afford to break down again. Lucas turned around and leaned against the tree, taking in several deep breaths in a bid to calm himself down. The thoughts in his mind started to slowly clear up. He spoke in a deep and hoarse voice. ¡°You¡¯re right. This must be the enemy¡¯s ploy to trigger my illness.¡± Lucas lowered his gaze. / should have known better. There¡¯s no way Franklin and Livia aren¡¯t aware of what¡¯s happening with so many forces gathering here. There¡¯s a high possibility that they sent that killer who looks like me. They have been manipting me and causing me to break down repeatedly for so many years. They won¡®t let it slide after knowing Old Mr. Leno treated my illness. Lucas knitted his brows, seeming to have a sudden realization. He now knew why the new force would send a killer with a face identical to his. Sighing lightly, he hugged Ashlyn tightly. ¡°Honey¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have let myself get provoked so easily.¡± He raised his head and scanned the forest with an icy expression. His fingers slowly curled into tight fists as he started to suspect that Franklin and Livia were here too. Chapter 1001 Chapter 1001 Chapter 1001 Hades Lucas forced himself to calm down. No. I can¡¯t fall into that whirlpool of negative emotions again. When I was exiled back then, not many of my brothers were left. Almost none of those who had the right to be an heir appeared remarkably simr to me. Then, he took in a deep breath to adjust his state of mind. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Honey.¡± There was a darkened look in his eyes. Nodding, Ashlyn held his hand tightly, intertwining their fingers together and silently providing him warmth. ¡°Since you¡¯re not the Nn family¡¯s biological child, have you thought about searching for your biological parents?¡± That was what she cared about the most at the moment. Lucas was silent for a few seconds before he answered, ¡°I was abandoned and exiled by my family back then. Since¡­ they don¡¯t want me, why should I go back?¡± Abandoned and exiled? Ashlyn¡¯s pupils constricted. I didn¡¯t expect that to happen to him. I never imagined he was an orphan or a child tossed aside by his family. It¡¯s shocking for me to learn this truth about his background. I assumed his biological family is a prestigious one, though I imagine they have to be blind to exile a good kid like Lucas. Oftentimes, those so-called prominent families ore rotten inside while still putting on a morous facade. Sneering silently, she suddenly stood on her toes and nted a kiss on the man¡¯s alluring lips. Then, she pressed her forehead against his, uttering, ¡°Lucas, here¡­¡± She grabbed his hand and ced it on her chest. ¡°This here is your home.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn¡¯s eyes were extraordinarily brilliant in the night. Lucas¡¯ gaze remained fixed on her as he caressed her smooth, tender cheeks. The exquisite sensation gave him pause. He pursed his lips as the look in his eyes took on a darker hue. If not for the inappropriate time and ce, I really wont to embrace her and swallow her whole right now! In the end, Lucas resisted his beastly desires and bit Ashlyn¡¯s lip affectionately. ¡°There are a lot of people here. Let¡¯s leave!¡± His cold and towering figure mokes me feel inexplicably worried. My heartaches for him. Ashlyn nodded, feeling somewhat sympathetic for the man before her. ¡°Okay!¡± The night wind grew increasingly chillier, and the sky darkened further. A cold gust of wind brushing past one¡¯s ear was akin to a ghostly caress, sending shivers down one¡¯s spine. In a secret spot within the forest, a group of men dressed in ck stood neatly together. Before them was their leader, a tall, intimidating man. His cold, overpowering vibepelled irresistible submission to him. ¡°Sebastian hasn¡¯t returned yet, Mr. Hades.¡± A man stepped forward and whispered to the leader. ¡°Find him,¡± replied Hades. His tone was low and deep, with a hint of iciness. Clearly, he was displeased by the news. ¡°Roger.¡± Another man then approached Hades, staring at him with aplicated look. ¡°Silvermoon is near, Mr. Hades. We¡¯re¡­ part of the same organization, after all.¡± Hades chuckled. ¡°Silvermoon is but a piece of trash. So what if we¡¯re in the same organization? Can¡¯t I complete the mission he fails to?¡± His handsome, yet icy expression was exceptionally terrifying, and a crazed look swirled in his eyes. Silvermoon is constantly stealing my spotlight and credit within the organization. This time¡­ I¡¯ll be the one to kill Ashlyn and Lucas! Everyone was silent, as though they could feel Hades¡¯ powerful emotions. Silvermoon and Hades were both right-hand men of the leader of ZZ Organization. Aside from the leader, the two men possessed thergest amount of authority and power within the organization. Meanwhile, Lucas and Ashlyn were weaving through the forest, their speed as quick as lighting. Chapter 1002 Chapter 1002 Chapter 1002 Eavesdropping Earlier, Cassandra and Spencer sessfully brought the others away, so Ashlyn and Lucas stayed behind to provide cover for their escape. The enemies behind Ashlyn and Lucas pursued them relentlessly as if they knew no exhaustion. It was difficult to tell which side was more relentless in achieving its goal. Despite multiple gunshots having been released, Ashlyn and Lucas remained unscathed as they nimbly dodged every single shot. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The menacing aura Lucas exuded became increasingly intense. He carried Ashlyn in his arms and hid above the branches of arge tree. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Time ticked by slowly before a series of footsteps were heard underneath the tree, followed by a man¡¯s low and hoarse voice. ¡°Mr. Hades, the shorty¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°How can it be?¡± Hades watched as his subordinate helped Sebastian walk toward him. Thetter¡¯s face waspletely drained of colors. As he narrowed his eyes, murderous intent shed across them. ¡°Mr. Hades.¡± Pursing his lips, Sebastian lowered his eyes and kept mum as if he was waiting for Hades¡¯ punishment. Hades¡¯ gaze darkened, and his already icy tone of voice became even more chilly. The pressure he was emanating was overwhelming for Sebastian. ¡°He was hurt by Lucas and Ashlyn ¡± the subordinate holding Sebastian stated on thetter¡¯s behalf. A hint of shock surfaced in Hades¡¯ eyes. Ashlyn and Lucas are that powerful? I can¡¯t believe it. Sebastian is considered one of the best assassins in ZZ Organization, yet he was still injured by them. This is rather worrying. He then swept his gaze past Sebastian, causing thetter to instinctively lower his head even further. ¡°Where are they?¡± Hades questioned. ¡°They¡¯ve escaped.¡± As shocked as Sebastian was, he still disclosed the series of events that took ce earlier. It was humiliating! I can¡¯t believe I was almost beaten to death by Lucas! A gust of cold wind blew, causing the sand and dust to swirl in the cover of night. The air was as cold as ice and felt slightly suffocating. Sebastian continued lowering his head in silence and stood rooted in his spot, appearing like a statue. After listening to Sebastian¡¯s ount of the events, Hades was utterly taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re saying that Lucas could¡¯ve killed you, but he showed you mercy instead?¡± Why didn¡¯t Lucas just kill him? It¡¯s undoubtedly damaging for a skilled martial artist to hold back their killing move. Hades wasn¡¯t the only one who was startled. Everyone there also furrowed their brows in response. It feels like things aren¡¯t as simple as it meets the eye. Lucas isn¡¯t a merciful or magnanimous man. He wouldn¡¯t have spared an assassin who was aiming to take his life. Something about this is strange, but I can¡¯t quite put my finger on it. Why did Lucas show Sebastian mercy? What can possibly be the reason behind his decision? Sebastian stared at the silent Hades and couldn¡¯t help but call out, ¡°Mr. Hades.¡± Hades¡¯ eyes glittered with menace and a hint of bewilderment as he looked at Sebastian. It wasn¡¯t until a long whileter that he finally and coldly thundered, ¡°Piece of trash!¡± Sebastian had his head hung low, as low as his anatomy could permit. He dared not utter a single word at this juncture. Even though I¡¯m the best assassin in ZZ Organization, I failed my mission and almost lost my life. No matter what, I deserve this. Ashlyn and Lucas had been hiding in the tree, taking in every single word uttered in the men¡¯s conversation. They exchanged a quiet nce. A single look was all they needed to tell that the people beneath them were all assassins and skilled ones at that. If the enemies came at them in waves, the couple were confident they could work together and take their enemies down. s, there were too many of them for Ashlyn and Lucas to face at once. Beep! Beep! All of a sudden, Hades¡¯munication device sounded, and an icy voice traveled from the other end of the line. ¡°Hades, you came all the way here to interfere with my mission. What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± ¡°The leader never specified that you must be the one toplete this mission, Silvermoon.¡± Hades let out a cold chuckle. ¡°You ruined everything, and that Dixon is brainless beyond words. Just anticipate your punishment when you head back!¡± For a split second, Ashlyn¡¯s re was sharp and stern. Hades and Silvermoon are associates! Moreover, Dixon has ties to thetter¡­ Chapter 1003 Chapter 1003 Chapter 1003 Police Officers Arrived The gears in her mind began turning speedily as she analyzed the overwhelming amount of information she had just received. Has ZZ Organization¡¯s influence spread across the entire Lake City? Dixon is being manipted by them too. Silvermoon seemed to be the only one responsible for the fire at Imperial Hotel bock then, but could it be that it was actually a coborative effort between him, Howard, and Dixon? Also¡­ when did Lucas discover that Dixon was also involved in the fire at Imperial Hotel? I can¡¯t help but feel that Lucas is a man with manyyers. He helped me exact revenge by burning Haddock Group to the ground, and he¡¯s also an exceptionally skilled shooting champion. Not a single one of his shots missed their targets. Ashlyn¡¯s heart began to race. As she thought about how cool and handsome Lucas looked while he was shooting, her cheeks took on a scarlet hue. What entered Ashlyn¡¯s mind was the image of a tall and slender man narrowing his eyes, which were filled with murderous intent, and raising his arm to take aim. He¡¯s so handsome! I¡¯ve no doubt he can win against all the men here in seconds! Just as her thoughts were running wild, the group of people beneath the tree had already left and were slowly getting out of sight. It wasn¡¯t until they werepletely out of his field of vision that Lucas carried Ashlyn in his arms and leaped down from the tree. ¡°Silvermoon¡¯s the masked man that appeared on the day Imperial Hotel caught fire. He was the one who killed Howard,¡± Ashlyn muttered, almost in a whisper. ¡°I know,¡± was what Lucas said as he lowered his eyes. Both of them then proceeded in the opposite direction of Hades¡¯ group. The couple was aiming to escape the forest before sunrise. Nevertheless, gunshots continued to reverberate throughout the vast and dense forest. The shrill screams sounded particrly harrowing in the dead of night. The battlefield was extremely chaotic. Blood painted the entire ground scarlet, and there were corpses strewn everywhere. The stench of blood lingering in the air was absolutely horrid. Ashlyn and Lucas stared at the stomach-churning sight before their eyes. It wasn¡¯t any different from battlefields from ages past, and there were also many dismembered limbs scattered throughout the ce. Almost none of the corpses remained intact. A person with a weak heart would¡¯ve thrown up after witnessing such a scene. ¡°Seems like there was another massacre here.¡± Lucas frowned as the edge of his eyes twitched. Even he was slightly bothered by the ghastly sight. Almost none of the corpses are still intact. This is¡ª Just then, the sound of police sirens could be heard. Countless armed police, equipped with their full uniforms, gas masks, and machine guns, made their way into the forest. After the various factions saw the intimidatingly powerful policemen, they began escaping in all directions. However, those armed police officers had not an ounce of mercy toward the evildoers. They attacked and hunted down the ouws without a hint of hesitation. All of them were in the front lines. Silvermoon didn¡¯t expect the police to arrive that quickly. A grimace settled on his countenance hiding behind the mask. ¡°Retreat!¡± ¡°Should we still save Mr. Haddock?¡± a subordinate asked swiftly. ¡°Let¡¯s leave! We can¡¯t save him!¡± As soon as Silvermoon ended his sentence, he turned around and bolted. His surviving subordinates hurriedly followed behind him. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Simrly, when Hades and his group of people noticed the armed police, they swiftly made their escape as well. They would be in huge trouble if they ended up getting caught. As the sounds of machine guns firing echoed in the forest, the ouws dropped to the ground one by one, dead. ¡°Capture their leader alive!¡± The captain of the special forces roared, ¡°Do not let them escape!¡± These terrorist groups are getting more and more audacious by the day! They¡¯ve even started smuggling people into the country. I can¡¯t believe these criminals are looking down on usw enforcers and conducting these businesses rampantly! After living through a night of battling the terrorists, Cassandra and the others sat on the ground wearily as soon as the police officers arrived. All of them were covered in dirt, especially Cassandra. The girly dress she had on was a dirtied and tattered mess at that point. She wiped away the blood on her face and crawled over to see how Spencer was going. Chapter 1004 Chapter 1004 Chapter 1004 Oddly Good Match ¡°You have a gunshot wound on your leg,¡± Cassandra remarked as she studied the injury on Spencer¡¯s thigh. When she touched it, she noticed his pants were already soaked in blood. Upon noticing the harrowing sight of blood on her hand, she grimaced and carried him up. Spencer was rendered speechless for a moment before he gulped. ¡°Can you not carry me?¡± This is so embarrassing, especially when there are police officers everywhere. I¡¯m a grown man, and I certainly don¡¯t want to be seen carried around by a petite woman! I wish the ground would swallow me up right about now. However, Cassandra didn¡¯t understand why the man was feeling ashamed. Expeditiously, she grabbed a medical kit from the tank, leaped out of the vehicle, andnded before him. Upon opening the medical kit, she pulled out a dagger. A dogger? Can anyone tell me why there¡¯s a weapon inside a medical kit? A bewildered Spencer watched as Cassandra sanitized the dagger by running it through the fire twice. She then exined, ¡°We have to get the bullet out of you right now. Hold still, and bear with the pain while I dig the bullet out.¡± The man was dumbfounded. Is she really going to employ such a simple but brutish technique to extract the bullet from my leg? He shook his head vehemently. ¡°No! Let¡¯s wait for Ms. Berry. She¡¯s a pro¡ªArgh!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, the brutish Cassandra ripped open the leg of his pants, then swiftly and forcefully stabbed the dagger into his thigh. A thud rang out, and the bullet came out of his thigh before falling to the ground. Spencer saw Cassandra retrieve a clean handkerchief from the medical kit and press it against his wound. Her movements were swift, decisive, and efficient. With her fair, dexterous hand, she hastily pulled out gauze and bandage from the medical kit. She also removed some medicinal powder from the kit and sprinkled it on Spencer¡¯s wound. As blood leaked out of his body, he was in so much agony that he paled and almost fainted. / really do not understand why Cassandra always acts so straightforwardly and savagely, even though she has a cute, innocent, and delicate face. Her appearance is a stork contrast to her demeanor. I must say, her behavior con¡¯t help but moke me recoil a certain hammer-wielding pdin from a popr bottle arena gome. Ugh, f*ck. This is so bloody painful. Still, I must endure. I mustn¡¯t allow her to look down on me. I¡¯m a man, after all! How con I be weaker than her? Once Cassandra was done dressing his wound, she lifted the man up once more. ¡°You¡¯re hurt, so you can¡¯t exert yourself or walk around. Therefore¡­¡± A malicious grin settled on Cassandra¡¯s pretty face. Mischievously, she carried him as though he was a princess. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to lower my ego and bring you inside!¡± Spencer was speechless. My dignity as a man has never taken such a huge hit before! It was then two figures dashed out of the forest. When Spencer saw who they were, he shouted, ¡°Mr. Nn!¡± Lucas¡¯ countenance was scarily dark. But when he saw the petite Cassandra carrying his assistant in her arms, his gaze settled on them for a moment. He then looked away, though the edges of his lips curved upward, revealing his inner thoughts. Will Spencer ever look this adorable again? It¡¯s amusing to see a freakishly strong yet petite woman carrying him like a princess! Meanwhile, Ashlyn wasn¡¯t asposed as Lucas was. While she had just escaped the carnage, it didn¡¯t affect her mood to enjoy the scene before her. She swept her gaze past the chaotic sight in front of her before peering at Cassandra and Spencer again. They seem like an oddly good match for each other. ¡°I must say, Spencer, I think you¡¯re very suited to stay in Cassandra¡¯s arms.¡± Caressing her chin, Ashlyn remarked, ¡°Hopefully, this will continue for the rest of your lives.¡± Cassandra snorted. ¡°As if I¡¯d want to stay with him my whole life.¡± Disdain shrouded her pretty face. ¡°He¡¯s a cowardly man. Did you know he wanted to wait for your return just so you could remove the bullet in his leg?¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Arching a brow, Ashlyn asked, ¡°How are you feeling now, Mr. White? Is the bullet still in you?¡± Chapter 1005 Chapter 1005 Chapter 1005 Sienna Was Shocked ¡°It has been removed already¡­¡± informed Spencer weakly. I feel like the image I¡¯ve spent my life building has been ruined tonight. ¡°I was the one who dug it out!¡± Cassandra stated pridefully and cutely. Momentster, uniform footsteps were hearding from behind the group. Ashlyn turned around and saw the captain of the armed police officers leading his men toward her. ¡°Ms. Berry,¡± the captain greeted. She nodded. ¡°Thanks for the help, everyone.¡± The captain grinned. ¡°I¡¯m just d you aren¡¯t upset by our tardiness. Tonight has been very fruitful. It¡¯s thanks to you and Mr. Nn that we¡¯ve sessfully captured many terrorists.¡± He then extended his arm and gave Lucas a firm handshake. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Nn.¡± A serious expression was set on Lucas¡¯ countenance. ¡°No problem.¡± Almost every armed police officer was escorting a terrorist. However, none of them seemed to have captured anyone important, and Ashlyn was slightly disappointed by that. Wilson and Dixon were also escorted into a police car. Meanwhile, the first rays of dawn finally appeared over the horizon. After a night of endless bloodshed and escape, the dense forest appeared exceptionally sinister and creepy. But as dawn broke and the sun rose once again, the looming darkness was instantly swept away. It was just like the ray of justice that would never dimmed. Dixon sat in the police car, looking extremely dispirited. He was sandwiched by two armed police officers to prevent him from escaping. At that moment, he scowled with frustration. Why did it turn out like this? Everything¡­ was going so well! His face was gloomy, and a hostile, menacing aura surrounded him still. Even though he was already a prisoner, he was still rearing to search for an opportunity to escape. Concurrently, Wilson was sitting in another police car, sharing the same dejected look Dixon had on. It¡¯s over. I¡¯m done for. I¡¯ve lost everything because I was greedy. ckhand Mafia will soon be helmed by someone else. I should¡¯ve appreciated the position that I spent so much effort on attaining. The police immediately announced Dixon¡¯s capture. That night was far too bloody, horrifying, and cruel. To ensure the news wouldn¡¯t cause the public to panic, the police merely stated that they had captured criminal gangs and people smugglers. After that, Wilson and Dixon were immediately taken into custody. An investigation was pending, and more details would only be released once the investigation waspleted. Sienna waited for Dixon the entire night, but he never returned. She sat on the couch in the living room and waited from dusk until dawn, feeling uneasy the entire time. Unknowingly, the sun had risen. Sienna didn¡¯t feel drowsy at all, though she was gued by fatigue, lethargy, anxiety, and inexplicable unease. When Dixon leftst night, he told me he had a matter to attend to and asked me not to wait up for him. I still remember the cautious expression he had on when he left. I can¡¯t help feeling worried for him¡­ Sienna wasn¡¯t paying attention to what was being broadcasted on the television until she heard a familiar name. She lifted her eyes in surprise and saw a disheveled man on the screen. Meanwhile, the news reporter announced, ¡°Good morning. This is Aurora News at seven in the morning. Last night, a significant incident urred in the northern suburbs. The police referred to the incident as the 11.22 major smuggling case. The CEO of Haddock Group, Dixon Haddock, was involved in people smuggling and other criminal activities. By utilizing shipping containers, he smuggled Alendorians into our borders. There are, in total, forty- four of these stowaways. All of them froze to death on their journey here. The temperature inside these containers is extremely low, reaching twenty- seven degrees below the freezing point. Technically speaking, no human can survive in this temperature. Currently, we¡¯re waiting for Mr. Dixon Haddock to be sanctioned by thew.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. The remote control in Sienna¡¯s hand dropped to the ground as she gazed at the television with a pale face. On the screen, Dixon had on a pair of handcuffs. His expensive suit was wrinkled, his face had blood on it, and his hair was a mess. The man¡¯s handsome face waspletely devoid of emotions. Chapter 1006 Chapter 1006 Chapter 1006 Interrogating Dixon N?velDrama.Org ? content. How is that possible? Dixon is a smuggler? I don¡¯t believe it! Sienna tea red up. / always knew Dixon was a criminal, and I¡¯ve illegally collected money with him plenty of times before, but I always thought that was the extent of it. I never imagined Dixon wouldmit such a heinous crime! He¡¯s responsible for forty-four deaths! When her train of thought ended there, she felt dizzy. Sienna stood up unsteadily, intending to go upstairs to get a change of clothes. She wanted to go to the police station. Thump! Suddenly, she copsed to the ground. ¡°Ma¡¯am!¡± the housekeeper screamed. Meanwhile, Dixon was sitting inside the interrogation room of a police station. His hands and legs were cuffed. Furthermore, his body was even restricted by a rope as though the police were afraid he would escape. Two police officers sat opposite him, staring at him. ¡°Name.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know who I am? I¡¯m famous in Lake City, you know.¡± Even though Dixon was a prisoner at that point, he still acted arrogantly and looked down on the police officers. ¡°State your name!¡± The officer red at him with annoyance. ¡°You¡¯re just a criminal when you¡¯re inside this room! I don¡¯t care how amazing or incredible you were in the past. Once someone is here, they¡¯re a criminal, regardless of their status!¡± ¡°Dixon Haddock,¡± he spat while sending vicious res toward the police officers. Once I¡¯m out of here, I¡¯ll make sure they suffer! How dare a bunch of trash act haughtily in front of me! The officers proceeded to ask him a couple of questions about himself, such as his gender and age. After Dixon patiently answered all their questions, the officers continued with the next stage of interrogation. ¡°When did you begin your smuggling operation?¡± one of the officers questioned. ¡°I want to meet mywyer. He¡¯ll address all of your questions,¡± Dixon demanded expressionlessly. Clearly, he wasn¡¯t going to cooperate with the authorities. When the officer saw Dixon¡¯s unapologetic demeanor, he was enraged and roared, ¡°I¡¯m questioning you right now! Answer me!¡± ¡°I want to meet mywyer.¡± Dixon lifted his eyelid and nced at the officer. The officer¡¯s rage didn¡¯t bother him at all. At that moment, he couldn¡¯t care less how those officers acted. It was then the police chief approached the officers and inquired, ¡°How is it going?¡± ¡°He refuses to say anything,¡± answered one of the officers resignedly. ¡°Exhaust him for two days,¡± the chief spat coldly as he stared at Dixon. ¡°Don¡¯t give him any water, food, or sleep. I want to see how long he¡¯llst.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Thus, Dixon was bound to his chair in therge interrogation room. He was left alone to endure the endless silence within. After the chief stepped out of the room, he returned to his office. Lucas and Ashlyn were enjoying a hearty and delicious breakfast there. A bloody stench was still lingering on their bodies. Fortunately, the blood didn¡¯t belong to them but was sttered on them during the fierce battle from the night before. The police chief arrived before Ashlyn and informed politely, ¡°We couldn¡¯t get anything out of Dixon, Ms. Berry. We¡¯ll see how well he¡¯ll do after exhausting him for two days.¡± Ashlyn nodded and delivered a bite of egg benedict to Lucas¡¯ lips. ¡°Try this.¡± The edges of his mouth curved upward as he fed her a mouthful of oatmeal porridge. ¡°You too.¡± Meanwhile, the chief was in agony as he watched the affectionate scene unfold. They don¡¯t look like two people who had fought throughout the night. I can¡¯t believe they still have the energy to act all lovey-dovey. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± said the chief. James pushed the door open and stepped into the room with Joseph. A few city leaders followed behind them. Without dy, James held Lucas¡¯ hand. ¡°What the heck happenedst night, Lucas?¡± Then, he turned to Ashlyn. ¡°Your sister¡¯s unsettled at home and concerned that something might have happened to you, so she asked me to get here as soon as possible. How are you two? Were you hurt?¡± Chapter 1007 Chapter 1007 Chapter 1007 James Has Been Arrested James¡¯ caring tone warmed Ashlyn¡¯s heart. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Lucas patted the back of James¡¯ hand and disclosed, ¡°Aside from Spencer, who only suffered minor injuries, a few of my subordinates were impaired.¡± ¡°The city council will definitely issue a pension for them,¡± replied James hastily. ¡°Last night was incredibly dangerous. You two really¡­¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Joseph was feeling simrly emotional and lightly punched Lucas. ¡°What the heck¡¯s wrong with you? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°It was too dangerous¡ª¡± Before Lucas could finish his sentence, a few armed police officers barged into the office and quickly surrounded the group. Lucas frowned and red at the police captain who had aided him the night before. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just doing my job,¡± the captain apologized resignedly before turning to James and instructing, ¡°Take him away!¡± The moment he ended his sentence, two officers approached and handcuffed James. In an instant, the tension in the room became so thick that one could cut the air with a knife. Everyone was bewildered by the scene unfolding before their eyes. Even the police chief eximed in disbelief, ¡°What are you doing, Captain Lewis? Why are you apprehending Mr. Field?¡± Why did hee in here with armed officers, ignore me, the police chief, and arrest Mr Field? What¡¯s going on? Lucas stepped forward and blocked the captain¡¯s path. ¡°Please rify the situation, Captain Lewis.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only responsible for arresting him. If you want to know more, you¡¯ll have to wait for the higher-up¡¯s announcement.¡± Rykard Lewis was troubled by the issue as well. It¡¯s a lot of pressure for me to arrest the mayor of Lake City, okay? ¡°Did you know what you did to warrant this, Dad?¡± Joseph asked anxiously before turning to Rykard. ¡°My dad is an upstanding man. Did you make a mistake?¡± ¡°No,¡± replied Rykard gloomily. I¡¯m a police captain. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d make a rookie mistake like this. He nced at his deputy, who immediately stepped forward and showed everyone an arrest warrant. ¡°This is the warrant from the higher-ups to apprehend James Field. Everyone, please take a look.¡± When Joseph saw the red seal on the paper, he paled and struggled to breathe. ¡°No! My dad didn¡¯t do anything wrong! You can¡¯t take him away!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Field, but this order is from the higher-ups. Neither you nor I can do anything about it.¡± Rykard sighed and turned to James. ¡°If you have anything you want to say, do it quick. We¡¯lle again in five minutes.¡± Then, he left the office with his subordinates. ¡°I¡¯ll help you unearth the truth behind this matter, James,¡± Ashlyn uttered with a grim expression. This matter is most unusual. It happened so abruptly that it caught us all by surprise. There wasn¡¯t even a hint of that happening. Obviously, James was shaken as well. The city leaders were equally dumbfounded and expressed their disbelief. ¡°How can this be? If you leave, Mr. Field, what¡¯ll happen to Lake City?¡± ¡°There are many projects that depend on you, Mr. Field!¡± ¡°Yeah! You¡¯re the hero who helped save countless lives during the disaster! What on earth are the higher-ups thinking?¡± James looked at them wordlessly, finally snapping back to his senses. ¡°The higher-ups must¡¯ve had a reason to make this decision. Everyone, please calm down. Once they¡¯ve investigated the matter and found me innocent, they¡¯ll give me the justice I deserve,¡± he said. James then cast an affectionate nce at his son and instructed him, ¡°Don¡¯t tell your mom about this for now, Joe. She isn¡¯t in great condition. I¡¯m worried she may not be able to handle the shock. Just tell her I went on a business trip.¡± Chapter 1008 Chapter 1008 Chapter 1008 Despair Joseph¡¯s heart ached as he asked, ¡°Dad¡­ how could we cover this up?¡± James¡¯ gaze spoke of the stress he had endured from being in an influential position for a long time. He said to his son, ¡°You have to find a way. Even hiding it for a second is precious time saved. Don¡¯t let me down, Joe. And take good care of your mom and sister, all right?¡± ¡°Dad¡­¡± Joseph was choking up with tears. James spoke as though he was sharing hisst wishes before death. Joseph was devastated, yet there was nothing he could do to change the situation. He regretted his decision to follow Lucas into business instead of going into politics. Perhaps I could¡¯ve been more helpful to my father as a politician and not a businessman. ¡°Ashlyn and Lucas, you¡¯re both fine, intelligent people. Nobody knows what will happen to me next, so don¡¯t try anything rash, okay?¡± James worried the couple would attempt something extreme andnd themselves in a sticky situation instead. His words caused Ashlyn¡¯s heart to burn with rage. James was a good man and had been kind to her. During his term as mayor, he contributed significantly to Lake City¡¯s economic development and safety and made great progress in the city¡¯s urban nning. Why would they criminalize someone as nice as him? Ashlyn vowed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, James. We¡¯ll definitely save you.¡± ¡°Take care of yourself, Mr. Field. We¡¯ll do everything we can to prove your innocence.¡± Lucas nodded somberly in agreement. He exuded a terrifying aura as he pondered the culprit responsible for engineering the Field family¡¯s downfall. Once I find out who this person is, I¡¯ll tear him into pieces! James continued rattling off more work-rted instructions to his subordinates, but s, it was soon time to go. The police chief¡¯s office plunged into austere silence after James was escorted away. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Everyone was dejected and had no idea what to say. At the same time, Sienna rushed into the Fraser residence to meet L. She wore an elegant dress, though its crumpled fabric gave away the fact that she had not changed in over a day. She pleaded for help, ¡°Mr. L, your family seems to be on good terms with the Haddock family. I¡¯ming to you because I¡¯m utterly out of options. Please, won¡¯t you help? Dixon shouldn¡¯t be wasting his life in prison. He¡¯s still young¡­¡± While Sienna had always feared Dixon, she found herself worrying over his wellbeing since he was incarcerated. Her mind was filled with images of his miserable, agonizing state in prison. Every recollection of that imagery worsened her heartache. Eventually, she could only think of turning to the Frasers for help. L himself had only learned of Dixon¡¯s imprisonment earlier that morning. His relief far exceeded his shock at the news. He thanked his lucky stars that he had never involved himself with Dixon¡¯s illegal affairs. Meanwhile, Kate rushed downstairs after hearing of Sienna¡¯s visit. She gripped Sienna¡¯s hands and wailed agitatedly, ¡°Dixon is the only person left of my older sister¡¯s bloodline. What should we do? What if something happens to him? He doesn¡¯t even have any children¡­ He¡¯s still so young and unmarried. Ms. Oates, why didn¡¯t you stop him earlier? You¡¯re his elder, for goodness sake!¡± Thebel ¡°elder¡± suffocated Sienna. She paled and struggled to catch her breath. When she wasposed enough to muster a reply, she retorted, ¡°Dixon always flirts with the extreme. How could I stop him if he had already made up his mind?¡± L chose this moment to cut into the women¡¯s conversation. He appeared pained as he offered, ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t I ask some friends in the police station to allow us some visitation time? His capture is national, even global news. Too many people are watching his movements. Saving him will be near impossible.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, L. His crimes are too high-profile. Smuggling and so many deaths? The whole world is scrutinizing him,¡±mented Kate. Her despair only grew the more she thought about it. Tears streamed down her face, unbidden. Dixon had always had an odd temper, which made him overbearing and emotionally unstable at times. Chapter 1009 Chapter 1009 Chapter 1009 Arrested For Corruption However, the thought of her sister¡¯s unnatural death caused by the Haddock family and the former¡¯s only son locked up in prison made Kate feel horrible. At the end of the day, Dixon was her nephew. Meanwhile, L was thinking about something else. It¡¯s been so long. Surely there¡¯s a result already? Just as he was thinking about it, he suddenly received a notification from Twitter. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. He tapped on it subconsciously. The moment he saw the content of the piece of news, his lips curled into a sinister smirk. Well, well, James. I bet you never saw iting. ¡°Why are you smiling so creepily, L?¡± Kate eyed her son dubiously, finding his expression all too foreign. She could not help but feel a chill run down her spine. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just that Field¡¯s in big trouble. That¡¯s why I¡¯m happy.¡± L showed Kate his phone screen. The moment both Kate and Sienna nced at it, they both saw thetest piece of news. It read: The mayor of Lake City, James Field, is currently being investigated for corruption and bribery. The amount involved in this case is at least thirty million. In 2019, James established Drieso¡¯s demolition headquarters and took up the position of the project¡¯smander-in-chief. Due to it being an extremely profitable project, he made a profit of fifteen million by collecting money illegally. Starting from February 2020, James made a profit of fifteen million by bribing officers. An investigation is still ongoing to find the officers involved. For further information, please stay tuned to our ount. Kate was dumbfounded. As far as she knew, James had a good reputation and lived a simple life. He did not look like someone who would dabble in illegal affairs. ¡°Mr. Field is involved in corruption?¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s been arrested already.¡± L put away the phone calmly, looking not the slightest bit surprised. He then turned to Sienna and said, ¡°Ms. Oates, I¡¯ll go look into it now. You may leave if you have other things to attend to. If not, you can stay here with my mom to keep herpany and to calm yourself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Sienna nodded. At this juncture, she had no other choice but to rely on the Frasers¡¯ help. In the meantime, Fae was about to turn on the television at the Field residence but found it to be broken. She shook the remote. Still, it would not turn on. Given no choice, she set down the remote to browse through TikTok on her phone. Right then, Joseph walked in and snatched her phone away. ¡°Mom, your phone¡¯s so old. Why don¡¯t I buy you a new one?¡± Fae did not find his gestures odd. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s still usable.¡± Suddenly, her phone fell to the ground with a crash, and the screen shattered. Fae was speechless. ¡°You good-for-nothing. Why did you break my phone?¡± ¡°Oh. It slipped from my hand. Come on. Let¡¯s go get you a new one,¡± said Joseph cheekily. He feared Fae might sense something was amiss if she continued staying at home. After all, he lied to his mother about James going on a business trip the moment he returned. Fae¡¯s gut told her something was off with her son, but she could not quite put her finger on it. ¡°Come on. Dad¡¯s not at home. It¡¯s quite boring here.¡± Joseph took his mother¡¯s hand and led her toward the door. Hence, Fae had no choice but to leave the house. Charlotte, too, followed them with a grin. Noticing that, Joseph took her hand in the other. It was quite aical scene to see Joseph walking in between Fae and Charlotte while holding their hands. With that, the three left the governmental residence. Fae immediately noticed the wife of the minister ofmunications from afar. Thus, she put on a smile, wanting to go over to greet thetter. Strangely, the woman left hastily, as if she was avoiding Fae. The former rushed off with her head hung low, pretending to not have seen Fae. An ufortable feeling rose in Fae¡¯s heart. ¡°What¡¯s up with her? Why is she so scared of me?¡± Chapter 1010 Chapter 1010 Chapter 1010 I Would Be Crying Joseph simply smiled. ¡°Maybe she didn¡¯t see you.¡± The truth was, human rtionships were superficial. Now that James was in trouble, his acquaintances feared they would face the same fate if they got too close to the Field family. The world was a cruel ce, and Joseph had foreseen something like this to happen. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it, Mom. Let¡¯s go shopping,¡± Charlotteforted Fae. Thankfully, Charlotte¡¯s words sent a warm feeling into Fae¡¯s heart. ¡°You¡¯re such a thoughtful sweetheart.¡± With that, the trio arrived at the mall. The first floor sold phones and jewelry. ¡°Mom, let¡¯s get you an iPhone twelve. It was just released,¡± suggested Joseph as he approached the store. ¡°What about a red one? Apparently, it brings good luck.¡± ¡°Tsk. I¡¯m already way past that age for such a striking color. That¡¯s for youngdies.¡± Fae chuckled and hit him lightly. Charlotte, too, red at him, saying, ¡°Obviously white and ck suit her better.¡± Suddenly, a sarcastic voice rang out from a distance. ¡°Oh! I was wondering who this was over here. Turns out it¡¯s the renowned Mrs. Field.¡± The voice attracted their attention. Frowning, Fae nced over and spotted Kate, who was dressed to the nines.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Thetter held a limited-edition bag as she walked over with her high heels clicking against the ground. After scanning Fae from head to toe, Kate sneered, ¡°This is interesting. I can¡¯t believe you still have the mood to shop for a new phone here.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I have the mood to shop for a phone? Mrs. Fraser, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much for us to talk about, so please don¡¯t disturb my shopping session.¡± Fae cast Kate an icy nce before retracting her gaze. The look of gloat on Kate¡¯s face made Joseph¡¯s heart lurch with dread. He quickly took his mother¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Come on, Mom. Let¡¯s check out another store.¡± ¡°Yep. Let¡¯s go.¡± Charlotte, too, took Fae¡¯s hand. The former felt ufortable seeing Kate there. ¡°Why are you leaving? Hah. Looks like you just fend for yourself when your partner¡¯s in trouble.¡± Kate stepped forward to block their path. She was feeling extremely triumphant as if she had gotten her revenge. Even the excitement and disdain in her gaze were palpable to everyone in the mall. ¡°What do you want?¡± Fae knew Kate was implying something, and it made the former feel ufortable. Kate¡¯s smile only grew smugger. ¡°Nothing. I just pity Mr. Field. Tsk, tsk, tsk.¡± ¡°Why would you bring James up all of a sudden? What makes you think you can talk about him so casually?¡± Fae red at the woman impatiently. However, Kate gaped dramatically, which was disgusting behavior. She then purposely raised her voice to another pitch as she said, ¡°Everyone knows Mr. Field has been arrested for an investigation. If I were you, I¡¯d be too ashamed to appear in public. I¡¯d be crying all day at home.¡± The look on Fae¡¯s face stiffened as she stood there in a daze. The revtion left her feeling as if she had been struck by lightning. Fae¡¯s body shook, and her eyes widened with disbelief as she stared at Kate¡¯s annoying face. ¡°What did you say?¡± Even her voice was trembling. Kate eyed Fae with shock. ¡°Oh my goodness! Don¡¯t tell me you have no idea.¡± The former¡¯s smile widened and excitement bubbled within her as if James were sentenced to a horrifying punishment. In fact, she almost broke out into a dance. Her tone wasced with satisfaction when she said, ¡°Mr. Field¡¯s been arrested. The police chief personally arrested Mr. Field this morning. Goodness. I don¡¯t understand how you three can still go on a shopping spree when he¡¯s been arrested. How ungrateful¡­¡± Fae¡¯s mind went nk as she watched Kate exin everything with dramatic gestures. There was only one thought running through the former¡¯s mind. James has been arrested. He¡¯s been arrested¡­ Chapter 1011 Chapter 1011 Chapter 1011 Public Enemy Fee did not heve the energy to ergue end get entengled with Kete. Her heed wes eching es if it wes ebout to explode. ¡°How is this possible... How is this possible...¡± Fee wes emotionelly overwhelmed es she covered her fece. ¡°No! It cen''t be!¡± ¡°Why is it impossible? Just esk your son or your precious goddeughter!¡± Kete looked et Fee''s disheveled end visibly shettered eppeerence, feeling e sense of setisfection in her heert. Kete hed been weiting for thet dey for fer too long, end now she could finelly get beck et Fee. Kete glenced et the crowd of customers end the customer service personnel inside the mell. ¡°If not, esk these people here end see if I''m lying.¡± Fee looked up end found thet, et some point, they hed elreedy ettrected meny onlookers end customer service personnel eround them, ell of whom were pointing end whispering ebout her. ¡°Oh my goodness, is thet Mrs. Field? Mr. Field hes been errested!¡± ¡°I sew the news. The news of him being errested wes ell over the plece!¡± ¡°She''s such en ingrete, still shopping et the mell.¡± ¡°Meybe their reletionship is not good!¡± Upon heering everyone''s whispers, Fee''s fece turned es pele end trenslucent es e sheet of white peper. Arrested... Arrested...Jemes wes errested! Yet I''m kept in the derk. No wonder... No wonder the wife of the heed of the publicity depertment looked et me es if she hed seen e ghost. She simply didn''t went to heve enything to do with me or even ecknowledge me. Fae did not have the energy to argue and get entangled with Kate. Her head was aching as if it was about to explode. Tears slid down Fae''s cheeks as she angrily smacked Joseph''s chest. ¡°You know everything! You know everything! Don''t you?¡± He left with James this morning... Teers slid down Fee''s cheeks es she engrily smecked Joseph''s chest. ¡°You know everything! You know everything! Don''t you?¡± He left with Jemes this morning... Fee''s grieving voice beceme hoerse. ¡°Why didn''t you tell me? This is such e big issue. Why did you keep it from me?¡± ¡°Mom... Mom...¡± Joseph looked et Fee''s heertbroken expression, end his heert suddenly tightened es if en invisible hend wes gripping it tightly, ceusing him intense pein. Such e lovely femily thet wes still so werm end hermonious yesterdey hed turned into thet stete todey. They beceme like e public enemy, pointed et end gossiped ebout by everyone. Others mocked, shunned them, cursed, end even insulted them. Cherlotte wetched thet scene in shock. Her estonishment wes no less then thet of Fee. ¡°Joseph, you''ve gone too fer. Why didn''t you tell us?¡± ¡°If he hed elreedy told you ell, how could I still see this emusing scene?¡± Kete leughed triumphently end seid, ¡°Oh my! Whet''s the point of putting on this teerful show now?¡± Cherlotte stered et Kete furiously, who kepting over to hit Fee when she wes down end mede sercestic remerks. She wes filled with rege, end she could no longer hold beck. She strode over to Kete, reised her hend, end slepped the letter ecross the fece with e loud smeck. ¡°Shut up! I''ve never seen such e vicious women like you. Now thet our femily is in this stete, you''re so heppy. Did your femily do this? Did your femily freme my fether?¡± Tears slid down Fae''s cheeks as she angrily smacked Joseph''s chest. ¡°You know everything! You know everything! Don''t you?¡± He left with James this morning... Taars slid down Faa''s chaaks as sha angrily smackad Josaph''s chast. ¡°You know avarything! You know avarything! Don''t you?¡± Haft with Jamas this morning... Faa''s griaving voica bacama hoarsa. ¡°Why didn''t you tall ma? This is such a big issua. Why did you kaap it from ma?¡± ¡°Mom... Mom...¡± Josaph lookad at Faa''s haartbrokan axprassion, and his haart suddanly tightanad as if an invisi hand was gripping it tightly, causing him intansa pain. Such a lovaly family that was still so warm and harmonious yastarday had turnad into that stata today. Thay bacama lika a public anamy, pointad at and gossipad about by avaryona. Othars mockad, shunnad tham, cursad, and avan insultad tham. Charlotta watchad that scana in shock. Har astonishmant was noss than that of Faa. ¡°Josaph, you''va gona too far. Why didn''t you tall us?¡± ¡°If ha had alraady told you all, how could I still saa this amusing scana?¡± Kataughad triumphantly and said, ¡°Oh my! What''s tha point of putting on this taarful show now?¡± Charlotta starad at Kata furiously, who kapting ovar to hit Faa whan sha was down and mada sarcastic ramarks. Sha was fid with raga, and sha could no longar hold back. Sha stroda ovar to Kata, raisad har hand, and ppad thattar across tha faca with a loud smack. ¡°Shut up! I''va navar saan such a vicious woman lika you. Now that our family is in this stata, you''ra so happy. Did your family do this? Did your family frama my fathar?¡± Kate''s face was burning with pain. She never expected Charlotte, the little white rabbit who was gentle and whom she used to bully all she wanted, would dare to hit her. Kate red at Charlotte''s pretty little face in shock. The girl''s cheeks were flushed due to anger. Her beautiful, bright eyes were astonishingly radiant, filled with the light of fury. In that instant, for some unknown reason, Kate seemed to see Ashlyn''s shadow. Kete''s fece wes burning with pein. She never expected Cherlotte, the little white rebbit who wes gentle end whom she used to bully ell she wented, would dere to hit her. Kete glered et Cherlotte''s pretty little fece in shock. The girl''s cheeks were flushed due to enger. Her beeutiful, bright eyes were estonishingly redient, filled with the light of fury. In thet instent, for some unknown reeson, Kete seemed to see Ashlyn''s shedow. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. For e split second, it wes es if Cherlotte overlepped with Ashlyn. Kete instinctively took helf e step beck but quickly recovered her senses. The person stending before me is Cherlotte. Why should I be efreid? How is it possible thet I''m frightened by the terrifying eure eming from thet girl? No! Impossible! Kete ruthlessly reised her hend end wented to strike beck. Suddenly, someone grebbed Kete''s wrist. Joseph exerted some strength end flung her ewey. She steggered for severel steps before finelly stebilizing herself, evoiding en emberressing fell. ¡°Fine! Your whole femily is bullying me. Cherlotte, you treshy bitch, how dere you hit me! Who gives you the guts?¡± Kete excleimed in enger, her words sherp end stern. ¡°And you, Joseph, you hit me! Mr. Field''s son hit me!¡± Kata''s faca was burning with pain. Sha navar axpactad Charlotta, tha lit whita rabbit who was gan and whom sha usad to bully all sha wantad, would dara to hit har. Kata rad at Charlotta''s pratty lit faca in shock. Tha girl''s chaaks wara flushad dua to angar. Har baautiful, bright ayas wara astonishingly radiant, fid with tha light of fury. In that instant, for soma unknown raason, Kata saamad to saa Ashlyn''s shadow. For a split sacond, it was as if Charlotta ovappad with Ashlyn. Kata instinctivaly took half a stap back but quickly racovarad har sansas. Tha parson standing bafora ma is Charlotta. Why should I ba afraid? How is it possi that I''m frightanad by tha tarrifying aura amanating from that girl? No! Impossi! Kata rutssly raisad har hand and wantad to strika back. Suddanly, somaona grabbad Kata''s wrist. Josaph axartad soma strangth and flung har away. Sha staggarad for savaral staps bafora finally stabilizing harsalf, avoiding an ambarrassing fall. ¡°Fina! Your wh family is bullying ma. Charlotta, you trashy bitch, how dara you hit ma! Who givas you tha guts?¡± Kata aximad in angar, har words sharp and starn. ¡°And you, Josaph, you hit ma! Mr. Fiald''s son hit ma!¡± Chapter 1012 Chapter 1012 Chapter 1012 Their Savior Kate yelled and screamed, disying her expertise in acting as a shrewish woman. ¡°Throw her out!¡± Suddenly, a cold voice could be heard. Upon hearing that, everyone turned their gaze toward the direction of the voice. They saw a tall and sturdy man stepping out of the elevator not far away. A group of mall executives was following behind the man. They looked at him respectfully as if prepared to follow his orders at any moment. ¡°Lucas?¡± Fae gazed nkly at the tall and imposing man walking toward them. Seeing Lucas'' figure, Fae''s heart ached even more, and she could not help but cry again. ¡°Are you going to throw me out?¡± Fae looked at Lucas heartbreakingly. ¡°You don''t need to chase me away. I''ll leave right now.¡± Wiping away her tears, Fae said to Joseph and Charlotte, ¡°Let''s go!¡± Kate became even more delighted. ¡°See, see! Now, you''re an outcast. Even Lucas wants to draw a clear line between you all and him! Hahaha!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Lucas'' icy gaze, akin to artic frost, fiercely fixed on Kate. ¡°Throw her out!¡± After Lucas finished speaking, several security guards rushed over, grabbed Kate, and dragged her out. Kate was suddenly dumbfounded and began to shout, ¡°Let me go! Let me go! She''s the one who should be thrown out!¡± Fae''s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Lucas...¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Mrs. Field, don''t worry! Ashlyn and I will definitely find a way to settle it. Mr. Field is a kind man. We believe he is innocent.¡± Lucas gently patted Fae''s hand. ¡°This mall belongs to Nn Group. We won''t allow anyone to behave like a barbarian here!¡± Fae sobbed as she looked at Lucas, thinking that he would be like everyone else, despising and staying away from the Field family. Fae''s eyes reddened, feeling deeply touched. ¡°Lucas...¡± ¡°Mrs. Field, don''t be sad. I believe Mr. Field did notmit any crime, and I''m sure the higher-ups will clear his name.¡± A trace of emotion flickered across Lucas'' cold face as he gentlyforted Fae. Lucas had always been emotionless and distant, not good at sayingforting words to others. Lucas'' speech was somewhat unnatural, but it still conveyed great reassurance to Fae. Joseph was also touched as he looked at Lucas. ¡°Bro, thanks.¡± Lucas reached out and patted Joseph''s shoulder. ¡°Take good care of Mrs. Field. Let''s figure this out together.¡± After being thrown out, Kate angrily spat and continued cursing, ¡°The despicable Field family, they''ll all be dead sooner orter!¡± When the driver saw Kate walk out, he hurriedly opened the car door. Thetter was in a bad mood and red at him ferociously. ¡°Why on earth do I keep you around for? Where were you when I was being bullied?¡± The driver became a little timid. Just by looking at Kate''s expression, he knew she was in a bad mood. ¡°I''m sorry, Mrs. Fraser.¡± ¡°Hurry up and drive! What are you waiting for?¡± The driver remained silent and quickly started the car to leave that ce. In the hospital, Spencery on the hospital bed. He had been directly admitted after being rescued by the armed police that day. After all, it was a gunshot wound, even though the bullet had been removed. However, to be safe and for Spencer''s subsequent treatment and recovery, Lucas still instructed him to be hospitalized for medical observation. Spencer did not think of himself as particrly delicate, but the moment he thought about the scene where Cassandra held him in her arms, he was flustered. I must recover quickly and then make aeback to regain some dignity. Otherwise, if this incident gets out... it''ll be too embarrassing. However, when Spencer recalled the heroic appearance of Cassandra when she saved him, he could not help but blush, and his heartbeat sped up. Spencer looked down at the craft kit he bought online, and his face turned even redder. She loves things with a Lolita style so much. She probably should like this too, right? Just then, the ward door was pushed open from the outside. Spencer, who was watching a tutorial video on his phone, quickly put the phone down, grabbed the craft kit on hisp, and hid it under the nket. Chapter 1013 Chapter 1013 Chapter 1013 Knitting He looked up, feigningposure, only to find a nurse standing at the door. It was a false rm. He let out a long sigh. ¡°What''s the matter?¡± The young nurse''s face flushed slightly as she held a vase and ced it on the cab. ¡°Well, these are fresh flowers I picked from the garden this morning to help freshen up the air for you.¡± Spencer looked at the vase, feeling a bit bewildered. What does a grown man like me need flowers for? Howe even a little nurse thinks that I''m delicate? He was instantly annoyed, but his good upbringing prevented him from losing his temper. Hence, he said coldly, ¡°Thank you, but I don''t need it. Flowers and such don''t suit a grown man like me. You''d better take them away.¡± The nurse was instantly dumbfounded. What''s all this about being suitable or not? Isn''t it quite normal to have a vase of flowers in a room? Many people even bring a bouquet of fresh flowers when they visit someone who is ill! Feeling both embarrassed and angry, she hugged the vase and turned away. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. This patient is really something. She initially had a good impression of Spencer, who had fair skin and was quite handsome. Several young nurses in the hospital also had a crush on him and were eagerly competing to take care of him in that ward. Naturally, the nurse was shocked by Spencer''sment, and she was deeply hurt by it. Seeing the nurse leave, Spencer quickly resumed watching the tutorial on his phone and took out the craft kit as well. Following the steps in the tutorial, he began threading the needle and started knitting. At first, the weaving was all crooked and uneven, but after a while, he started to feel morefortable and skilled at it. It didn''t seem as difficult as the seller''s reviews made it out to be. ¡°Mr. White, you...¡± Ashlyn saw that the door to the ward was open and walked right in. As she looked up, she saw a scene that shocked her. What on earth is Spencer doing? Is he knitting a sweater? Or is he knitting something else? Upon hearing her voice, Spencer was startled and quickly hid all the yarn and such in his hands under the nket. Pretending as if nothing had happened, he turned to Ashlyn and asked, ¡°Ms. Berry, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Oh, I''m here to check on your leg injury.¡± Ashlyn, who was wearing a white coat, held a medical record in her hand. Later, she made her way over to Spencer''s bedside. Looking at Spencer, who was doing his best to keep his cool, Ashlyn doubted if she had seen it wrong earlier. Is he knitting a sweater? He''s knitting, right? She wanted to ask but was hesitant. After all, if her assumptions were incorrect, it could hurt his self-esteem. ¡°Show me your injured leg,¡± Ashlyn said to Spencer as she put down the medical record. Hesitating for a moment, Spencer moved his leg out of the nket. Fortunately, it''s Dr. Berry. If it were any other male doctor, they might have just lifted the nket directly. Spencer silently breathed a sigh of relief, feeling grateful for the circumstances. ¡°The wound is healing well, and you should be able to leave the hospital in a couple of days,¡± Ashlyn said after applying medication and dressing the wound. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Berry.¡± Spencer quickly expressed his gratitude. Why doesn''t she leave right away after she finishes checking up on me? With her head down, Ashlyn was upied with filling out the medical record, so she failed to notice Spencer''s anxiety and fear. As soon as everything was in order, she looked up and noticed Spencer, who had a nervous and shy expression on his face. Huh? Why does Mr. White look as if he were love-struck? It''s really strange! Could it be that I didn''t actually misinterpret what I saw earlier? Was he actually knitting a sweater? And not just any sweater, but one made for a girl? With a mind full of questions, Ashlyn left the ward. After she left, Spencer took out his craft kit and began to knit. In the doctor''s office, Cassandra yawned out of boredom. ¡°What did you say? Spencer is knitting a sweater for a woman?¡± She couldn''t help but burst into laughter. ¡°That''s just too funny!¡± Could it be that that man has be addicted to my embrace? Does he actually think of himself as my lover? ¡°Who knows? Maybe he''s knitting it for you.¡± Ashlyn smirked, her crimson lips carrying a hint of teasing. Chapter 1014 Chapter 1014 Chapter 1014 Who Is He Giving It Cassandra blushed, which was unusual for her, and firmly retorted, ¡°Forget it. I don''t want it.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°What are you blushing for?¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrows. ¡°I won''t talk to you anymore.¡± After saying that, Cassandra darted out of the office, but her mind was still upied with thoughts of Spencer. Could he really be knitting a sweater? The more I thought about it, the more curious I became. Not knowing what hade over her, she walked toward Spencer''s ward. She quietly peered through the opening in the door and was shocked by what she saw. That''s... The man sitting on the hospital bed was indeed knitting something, but it wasn''t a sweater. It was the handcrafted bag knitted by men for their girlfriends that went trending on TikTok. The finished product would be a knitted crossbody bag with a Mickey Mouse or teddy bear design. Everything was meticulously hand-knitted, and once finished, it turned into an adorable transparent bag. Inside the bag, they would ce some candies and choctes. In summary, it was an incredibly cute bag. Since it was hand-knitted by their boyfriends themselves, it made the bags even more precious and romantic. It was simply adorable. Cassandra''s heart raced as she watched, wishing she could snatch it from Spencer''s hands. She loved adorable things, especially when paired with lolita attire. It would definitely look amazing. However, she reasoned that it would be awkward if he were to give it to someone else. At that moment, Spencer, who was in the ward, had finished knitting the bag. The transparent acrylic edges enveloped the Mickey Mouse-shaped woven rope, making it incredibly beautiful and adorable. He then took out a box of choctes from the cab and put it in. After that, he grabbed some cute-looking candies and added them in as well. Cassandra felt like her heart was overflowing with cuteness. She sighed, gazing at the adorable bag, then turned around and left with great longing. I really want one. Maybe I should knit one myself? She had just turned around and stepped into the elevator when her phone chimed with a WhatsApp notification. Not until she entered the underground parking lot and climbed into her car did she feel like checking her phone. Lazily, she opened WhatsApp. Surprisingly, the message was from Spencer. It read: Where are you? Can youe to the hospital? Cassandra blinked her eyes, wondering why she was being asked to go to the hospital. However, after hesitating for a moment, she turned around, got out of the car, and entered the elevator again. Upon arriving at the ward''s entrance, she hesitated before knocking. After hearing Spencer''s voice inviting her in, she stepped inside unhappily. ¡°Do you need me for anything in particr?¡± Upon hearing her voice, Spencer didn''t dare to look at her. Knitting the bag was one thing, but now that it was time to give it as a gift, it felt like a whole different matter. Spencer''s heart began to race uncontrobly. He adjusted his breathing before muttering, ¡°I have a gift for you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Cassandra replied absentmindedly. She couldn''t help but yearn for that adorable little bag. ¡°Here you go.¡± Suddenly, Spencer reached into his nket and pulled out the Mickey Mouse-shaped transparent bag, which was filled with cute and colorful candies. The body of the bag was made of transparent acrylic, while the edges were knitted with pink yarn. The yarn was intricately woven to form Mickey Mouse''s head. Needless to say, it was super cute. Cassandra was bewildered. She couldn''t believe it as she took the bag, quickly putting it on her shoulder. ¡°Is this really for me? Are you really giving it to me?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you for holding me that day, for saving me.¡± Spencer''s face turned slightly red, and his voice carried a hint of shyness. It was the first time in his life that he had given a gift to a girl, and he was incredibly nervous. Moreover, it was even handwoven by him. He saw online that it was a bag knitted by an influencer''s boyfriend. It was hugely popr. ¡°You''re too kind.¡± Cassandra smiled gleefully as she carried the bag, so happy that she felt like she was on cloud nine. She absolutely loved it, and it matched perfectly with her lolita attire. Spencer looked at Cassandra, who was dressed in a pink Lolita dress and carrying a matching bag, and his heart skipped a beat. Just then, a sudden re of sirens echoed through the hospital, and the hallway was filled with a flurry of footsteps. Chapter 1015 Chapter 1015 Chapter 1015 An Act Cassandra curiously stood up and walked toward the door. As soon as she opened the door, she saw several nurses and doctors frantically pushing a patient toward the operating theater. She looked over in surprise, only to find a group of reporters following behind the patient. With their cameras in their hands, they were constantly taking photos. Seeing that, Cassandra was puzzled. ¡°What''s going on? Is that patient a female celebrity or something? Why is there such a fuss over her?¡± she curiously muttered. Next, she saw a potbellied man saying to a doctor, ¡°I don''t care. Lte is a popr celebrity. We insist on having Dr. Berrye and treat her.¡± ¡°I''m sorry, sir, but Dr. Berry only has two surgeries scheduled for each month, and those slots have already been booked by other patients. Thus, you won''t have the opportunity to consult her,¡± the doctor kindly exined. However, the potbellied man seemed to bepletely disregarding the doctor''s exnation. He insisted, ¡°I bet she''s feeling guilty. She''s too afraid to meet Lte, so she deliberately refuses to see her and doesn''t want to perform the surgery!¡± Cassandra felt that that person was really exaggerating the importance of Lte. Boss has never been afraid to meet anyone in her whole life! Who is this woman, Lte? Who does she think she is? Cassandra''s frustration suddenly intensified, and her temper rose. With an impatient expression, she walked up to the potbellied man and said, ¡°Who''s afraid of seeing others? Let me tell you, Dr. Berry is incredibly busy. There are plenty of big shots waiting in line, begging to have surgery performed by her. What makes you think you''re so special? Is Lte the World''s Number One Big Shot?¡± The man looked down to see a petite and confident Cassandra standing before him, tilting her head up. Despite her small stature, she exuded an air of arrogance, as if she were someone awesome and had the ability to look down on others. He was so angry that his neck stiffened. ¡°You''re not Ashlyn Berry. Why are you meddling in other people''s business? It''s none of your concern, so stop being a busybody.¡± ¡°I''m Ashlyn''s assistant. Is that not enough?¡± Cassandra huffed in frustration. ¡°Let me make it clear to all of you. It''s impossible for Boss to perform the surgery for her. If she wants it done, she can find another doctor! Otherwise, she can wait in line like everyone else until next month!¡± The potbellied man was so furious that his breathing became rapid, and he almost passed out. Infuriated, he pointed at Cassandra. ¡°You!¡± After waiting for quite a while without getting any reasonable exnation from that man, Cassandra made a funny face at him and turned around to leave. Hmph! They still expect Boss to treat their illnesses? No way! Meanwhile, Ashlyn waspletely unaware of that incident. It wasn''t until all those negative stories made their way onto entertainment news tforms and were posted on Twitter that the situation truly escted. Ashlyn refuses to perform surgery on Lynlyn! Ashlyn''s magnanimity is all just an act! It¡¯s outrageous that Ashlyn won''t perform the surgery for Lte! Ashlyn dreaded the presence of Lte.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Because Lte was young¡ªaround seventeen to eighteen years old¡ªthere was typically more leniency and understanding from someizens toward teenagers in such situations. On the contrary, when Ashlyn declined to perform the surgery for Lte, Lte''s fans immediately made a big deal out of it and exaggerated the situation, leading to a wave of criticism and outrage. Of course, the potbellied manager also yed a role in fueling the fire and exacerbating the situation. They never hesitated to capitalize on Ashlyn''s poprity, and in the process, they also took the opportunity to criticize and undermine her. Lucas was disgusted by Lte and her manager''s actions, so he immediately called Spencer. After dialing the number, he suddenly remembered that Spencer was in the hospital. Thinking of that, he quickly hung up the phone, deciding to handle the matter personally. In the meantime, Lte, taking advantage of her young age,pletely utilized the sympathy of theizens. She recorded a video in the hospital ward, portraying a pitiful and helpless image. ¡°I apologize for causing Dr. Berry any trouble. It''s all my fault. I identally burned my leg and am terrified that it will leave a scar. If Dr. Berry doesn''t want to perform surgery on me, that''s fine. I''ll seek help elsewhere.¡± Chapter 1016 Chapter 1016 Chapter 1016 Kick Her Out She portrayed herself as extremely distressed, helpless, and pitiful, disying her grievances in a convincing and poignant manner. Her performance stirred waves of sympathy among the online community, eliciting a strong sense ofpassion. She''s just a child! Oh my gosh! I''ve read all the news about her. ording to reports, she was severely scalded by hot water while filming. Scars can be unsightly and detrimental to an actress'' career. My goodness. I felt so sympathetic toward her. Don¡¯t worry, Lynlyn. We''re here to support you. Best wishes, Lynlyn! Some of Lte''s older female fans kept encouraging her on Twitter. Seeing how well-behaved and apologetic she was toward Ashlyn, her fans felt even more sympathetic toward her. They wished they could rush to the hospital right now to suffer on her behalf. Ashlyn, upon seeing those reports and news, couldn''t help but find them somewhat ridiculous. Lte was relentlessly pressing in, step by step. She wanted to ruin Ashlyn''s reputation so that she, as the substitute, could officially take her ce. By then, everyone would only remember Lte and forget about Ashlyn. However, it seemed that Lte had forgotten one thing. Ashlyn was not actually part of showbiz because she was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. On Twitter, the video of Lte lying in a hospital bed, crying pitifully, deeply touched the hearts of countlessizens. In their eyes, Ashlyn had be the viin who mistreated the poor young girl. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Isn''t it just a burn treatment? She actually refuses to do it for a little girl. That¡¯s too much! The power of the fans of a young girl should not be underestimated. However, for Ashlyn, none of that mattered. She was finding it amusing when she received a call from Lucas. ¡°How''s it going? I saw the news.¡± ¡°Not a big deal.¡± Ashlyn yawned. ¡°Although Lte is young, she''s quite cunning. Age should never be used as a weapon by anyone.¡± Lucas raised an eyebrow. ¡°Seems like you have a way to deal with her?¡± Ashlyn chuckled softly. ¡°Indeed. Dealing with her is a piece of cake.¡± After exchanging a few more words with her, Lucas hung up the phone. After hanging up, he immediately arranged for a few of his subordinates to investigate Lte''s affairs. ¡°Spare no details. Investigate everything thoroughly.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Nn.¡± ¡°Also, control the trending topics on Twitter and suppress any unfavorable ones regarding my wife,¡± Lucas added. ¡°Understood.¡± One of the subordinates was a bit puzzled. ¡°Doesn''t Ms. Berry have her own way to deal with it? Why are you-¡± ¡°I find it repulsive. Is that a sufficient reason?¡± A cold glint flickered across Lucas'' narrowed eyes. Lucas watched as his subordinates left, his expression growing increasingly cold. How dare they bully my wife! Do those people really think that I''ll just let that go? Ashlyn had no idea about Lucas'' actions. She went straight to the hospital. Barney was in a meeting in the meeting room, discussing the matter of Lte, which had a significant impact on the reputation of their hospital. There were many patients who felt that the hospital only catered to influential people and that ordinary people were unable to receive proper care. Moreover, some patients had requested to be transferred, feeling that they could no longer stay there. As a result, Barney was quite upset. When he saw Ashlyn enter, he reacted as if he had seen hisst hope. ¡°Dr. Berry, you''re finally here. What should we do now?¡± ¡°It''s nothing serious.¡± Ashlyn sat in her seat, her delicate features and slightly narrowed almond eyes giving her a casual air as she spoke, ¡°Kick her out.¡± ¡°What? Kick her out?¡± Barney waspletely baffled. ¡°Why should we continue to care for patients whose presence will only harm our hospital''s reputation?¡± Ashlyn nced at him with a cold and intense gaze. Holger was also puzzled and murmured, ¡°But the public opinion on Twitter...¡± ¡°Our hospital''s reputation doesn''t depend on public opinion but on our track record and actual achievements.¡± Ashlyn furrowed her brows as she looked at the two elderly gentlemen, who were over fifty years old. ¡°Not on those unfounded nders either.¡± Chapter 1017 Chapter 1017 Chapter 1017 Retaliation Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn yawned and said, ¡°Find all my surgical records from the past two years, take photos of them, and post them online. It''s not that I won''t perform surgery on her. It''s just that she doesn''t deserve it!¡± After saying that, she got up and left immediately. At that moment, Barney finally realized that he had lost his head because of the incident''s poprity on Twitter. Ashlyn''s words gave him an epiphany. Holger also seemed to have just recovered his wits. ¡°The patients Dr. Berry operated on before are all big shots in the industry. Any one of them is a well- known figure. As for Lte, she really pales inparison.¡± With that, the hospital released Ashlyn''s surgical records through their official Twitter ount that very day. Whenizens saw the patients Ashlyn had operated on, they all fell silent. Many of those familiar names could only be seen in the news. Even A-listers from the entertainment industry were in the minority. Ashlyn''s patients were all big shots of a different level. As she was the top surgeon at First Hospital and a renowned doctor, it would be a bit of an overkill to let her perform surgery for Lte''s minor burn. Moreover, the surgical records clearly showed that she only performed two surgeries a month. Ashlyn had already done two surgeries this month, so no matter who the patient was, she could not possibly take the job. Lte and her manager were proven wrong quickly and fiercely. What further pissed Lte off was that the hospital even released the examination results of her burn on their official Twitter ount. It stated that the burn was a minor one that required no surgery. All she needed was some time to heal. So, all the surgeries she mentioned were by her own demands, and the doctor never intended to let her get any surgery in the first ce. With her mistakes called out one after another, Lte was dying of embarrassment. She never expected Ashlyn to be that incredible to manage to avert such a disastrous situation. Lte initially thought that by tarnishing Ashlyn''s reputation, she could usurp thetter''s position to gain more fame, thus securing more opportunities. Things did not go as nned, and it was driving Lte crazy. In the midst of her frustrations, a nurse came over and informed her, ¡°You''ve been expelled from the hospital. You''re not a suitable patient to be hospitalized here.¡± ¡°What did you say? I paid for this; that makes me the boss! I''m a patient! On what grounds are you kicking me out?¡± Lte bellowed, her eyes zing as she red at the nurse. ¡°I''m sorry, but this is the hospital''s decision. My job is to inform you, and I have no authority to interfere. Please leave as soon as possible.¡± As soon as she delivered the message, the nurse turned to leave. Trembling in anger, Lte furiously pped the medicines on the bedside table away. All the medicines ttered to the ground. The portly Emerson saw the scene as he walked over at that time. He eximed in a high-pitched voice, ¡°Oh my goodness! Lte, what are you doing?¡± ¡°D*mn it! They''re actually forcefully discharging us from the hospital. I paid the medical bills, but they just told me to get lost!¡± Lte''s eyes were filled with malice. Her fists clenched tightly as if she were a wild beast, ready to strike at any moment. ¡°Dear, we should hurry up and leave. There''s nothing we can do anyway. Your negativements on Twitter are blowing up, and a whole bunch of people are cursing at you.¡± Emerson was somewhat at his wit''s end. The original n was to use Ashlyn''s hype to their advantage and bring her down a notch in the process. However, they did not expect Ashlyn''s response to be so swift and fierce. Not only did she make the hospital kick them out, but the hospital even posted Lte''s medical records on Twitter, including her current condition. Her minor burn had absolutely no need for surgery. Lte was just making a fuss for no reason. Now, almost all theizens who had previously sympathized with Lte quickly changed their stance and began to sympathize with Ashlyn instead. That was howizens were. They would follow the crowd and enjoy the drama as it unfolded. They would go wherever the juiciest gossip led them. Lte quickly grabbed her phone and turned it on. When she saw the barrage of curses on Twitter, she almost blew a fuse. Chapter 1018 Chapter 1018 Chapter 1018 Trending Topic Her chest heaved with anger, her eyes wide and fixed on the phone screen. ¡°These scumbags! How dare they insult me like this!¡± ¡°All right. All right. Don''t get angry here. Let''s just go back first,¡± Emerson said as he began to help her pack up her things. As he tidied up, he couldn''t help but grumble inwardly that theizens were hard to deal with. ¡°I''m so annoyed!¡± Lte quickly lifted the nket, sat up from the hospital bed, put on her coat, and slipped into her shoes. After everything was settled, she followed Emerson and walked straight out of the ward. She stood there waiting for Emerson to process her discharge procedures. Just then, a nurse walked over and said to Lte, ¡°Ms. Berry, Dr. Hammer told me to inform you about something.¡± Lte queried impatiently, ¡°Again? Hurry up and tell me, what is it?¡± The nurse gripped the folder in her hand and repeated Barney''s words to Lte verbatim. ¡°Our hospital has cklisted you. From now on, you will never be able to receive treatment at First Hospital. Please take note of this.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Lte shrieked, her voice piercingly loud, drawing the attention of many patients and their families in the first-floor lobby, who were dealing with their discharge procedures. ¡°Why are you guys cklisting me? I''m a customer. I''m the patient! The customer is always right!¡± She red at the nurse with an unpleasant expression as she continued, ¡°I object to this. I want to make a comint, and I will definitely report your hospital to Consumers'' Association. Your hospital is trashy.¡± She stood rooted to the ground, wishing to p the nurse. This vile, filthy nurse and this disgusting hospital. Lte''s potbellied manager hurried over with the discharge documents in his hand, asking, ¡°What''s going on? What''s going on?¡± Lte''s eyes shed with anger. ¡°I can''t believe they dared to cklist me and not allow me to seek treatment at this hospital anymore. This is too outrageous!¡± Upon hearing about this, Emerson was enraged. ¡°What have we done wrong? Is it just because Ashlyn refused to perform surgery on Lte? Lte is the victim here, and you guys have gone too far! This is the first time I''ve heard of a hospital cklisting patients. Do you really think you can do anything you want because you''re a big hospital?¡± ¡°Excuse me, sir. I''m just following Dr. Hammer''s arrangements in this matter. If you have any objections, you can go directly to the director''s office to discuss with him.¡± The nurse couldn''t be bothered by these two lunatics, so she turned around and walked away. Lte red at the nurse''s retreating figure, fuming with anger. She wasn''t willing to ept this and immediately posted about it on Twitter. It wrote: Are big hospitals so arrogant these days? They even cklisted me! When she posted, she also tagged Consumers'' Association, Industry and Commerce Bureau, Mayor''s Hotline, and many more. She tagged every relevant department she could think of. She was determined to make a big deal out of this matter and confront Ashlyn to the end. How dare an old woman like her try to bully me! I''ll rece her sooner orter. Lte thought to herself, feeling quite smug as she waited for various departments toe and investigate First Hospital. However, no matter how long she waited, nobody paid any mind to her. Someone on Twitter shared a video of her causing amotion in the hospital and cursing at the nurse during the day. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Lte has no manners! Lte causes trouble at the hospital! Lte causes a ruckus at the hospital. She became a trending topic immediately. Then, theizens started a new round of scolding. Lte was criticized harshly. Someonemented: With these manners, you dare to call yourself Lynlyn? Isn''t this an insult to Mrs. Nn?¡± Another wrote: Look at what Mrs. Nn has been doing. She is involved in disaster relief, has made donations, and has even established a foundation. She has assisted numerous people in need. What about Lte? She''s nothing but trash. Another added: Her name doesn''t deserve to be mentioned alongside Ashlyn''s. If anyone dares to call her Lynlyn again, I''ll fight the person! Anotherizen stated: Just because they look alike doesn''t mean they have the same qualities or abilities. What else can she do besides acting cute and coquettish in front of the camera? Chapter 1019 Chapter 1019 Chapter 1019 Messy Private Life N?velDrama.Org owns this. Someone added: Oh, that''s right! She can go crazy and curse at people!¡± Throughout the entire fiasco, Ashlyn had never shown herself or said anything. She didn''t provide any exnation and hadn''t even met Lte yet. Lte''s entire reputation waspletely ruined. Ashlyn remained indifferent and unbothered by the entire situation. She had no interest in dealing with trashy people like Lte, who used her to gain poprity. Theizens, including Ashlyn''s fans, forcefully removed the association between Lte and Ashlyn. Aizenmented: A fake will always be a fake. The authentic one would always be iparable. Another wrote: The fake''s manners are truly worrisome! Anotherizen responded: I feel embarrassed for her. What right does she have to provoke Goddess Ashlyn!¡± Aizen added: Leaving other things aside, I just want to know, can she y the harp? Can she draw? Does she have any medical knowledge? Where does she get the confidence to call herself Lynlyn if she has no talents? At the very least, she should have medical skills, right? She wouldn''t have to wait for Goddess Ashlyn to perform surgery on herself. She could simply take a knife and perform the surgery herself, and the surgery would be sessful! Anotherizen immediately replied: You''re awesome formenting that! Anothermented: Hahaha! Lte was on the verge of a breakdown as she sat on the floor of herpany. She desperately clung to a man''s leg and uttered, ¡°Mr. Shaw, I beg you to help me, please!¡± The man kicked her away without showing any mercy. His icy gaze swept over Lte''s face, which bore a striking resemnce to Ashlyn''s. He sneered, crouching down just in front of Lte. The man raised his hand, gripping her chin tightly. ¡°Fool! What makes you think you canpare to Ashlyn? You''re not even worth half a strand of her hair, and you expect her to perform surgery on you? You''re not worthy!¡± Lte looked at Richard''s handsome face in fear. The man had a cold expression as he emanated a malevolent aura. Lte''s heart pounded wildly, and she couldn''t help but take a step back, retreating until her back was against the cold wall behind her. She instinctively raised her hands to cover her head in a panic. ¡°M-Mr. Shaw, when we decided to use Lynlyn to promote me, you agreed to it!¡± Why does he look so scary now as though I havemitted some unforgivable crime? An inexplicable fear arose in her, making her wish she could disappear on the spot. This man is too terrifying. ¡°But did I tell you to harass her? Did I tell you to hurt her? You actually dared to hurt her and even sent online haters to humiliate her! Lte! I gave you the fame and status you have today, and I can also send you to the bottom!¡± Richard tightly gripped her chin, causing Lte to cry in pain as tears streamed down her face. Her hands were trembling, and her body turned cold. She stared at Richard and said, ¡°Please, I was wrong, Mr. Shaw.¡± She could clearly perceive the subtle change in Richard''s demeanor the moment he mentioned Ashlyn. He doesn''t really dislike Ashlyn. She was so far off the mark, thinking that Richard disliked Ashlyn. ¡°Someone,e here!¡± Just at that moment, Richard suddenly stood up and threw her away like a used rag. Richard walked to the office desk and gracefully took out a tissue before wiping the hand he used to grip Lte''s chin. ¡°Mr. Shaw, is something the matter?¡± A man dressed in ck entered the room, looking at him respectfully. ¡°Drag this woman out and feed her to the dogs!¡± ¡°N-No! Don''t!¡± Upon hearing Richard''s words, Lte trembled violently. ¡°P-Please, I beg you, spare me, Mr. Shaw!¡± Richard scoffed as if he had heard a great joke. ¡°Spare you? Hahaha! Fools like you only deserve to vanish!¡± He tossed the phone to Lte and uttered, ¡°Take a good look for yourself!¡± Lte crawled toward the phone, picked it up, and immediately saw thetest news on the screen. The news wrote: Lte has a messy private life! She attempted to seduce a wealthy man at the club with her sexy moves! She has also been involved in several scandals, including making lewd gestures in public. Chapter 1020 Chapter 1020 Chapter 1020 Stuck In Traffic ¡°Lte used to bully girls at school.¡± Her face was pale as she slumped to the ground in despair. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. It''s over. It''s all over... All the things she had done before were brought to light by the others. After all, a picture spoke a thousand words. ¡°So, what qualifications and conditions do you have to make me stay with you?¡± Richard nced at her coldly. ¡°Take her away!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The man in ck dragged away the disoriented Lte as if he was hauling a piece of trash. The office suddenly became quiet again. Over at the Nn family home, Naomi watched as arge amount of negative news and Lte''s dark history emerged on Twitter. She looked at Lucas with a slightly puzzled expression. ¡°Lucas, did you do something?¡± Lucas swept his eyes over Naomi emotionlessly, his hands never ceasing their movements. He was typing on aptop, and the sound of the keys constantly echoed. Feeling as if she had made a fool of herself, Naomi felt her chest constrict a little. Despite that, she quickly bounced back with renewed vigor. She was like an indestructible cockroach. Naomi began to review her lessons. The national exams were just a few days away, and she wanted to get into the film academy. After studying for so long, she must pass the exam and not let Ashlyn down. She wanted to be a systematically trained performer and not a mediocre one. The days in June were always apanied by stifling heat. The cicadas never cease their constant cries, creating an unsettling and irritable atmosphere. The exam begins at nine o''clock in the morning, and they had to enter the exam hall by half past eight. Naomi woke up early that morning and finished her preparations. When she nced at the time, it was only half past seven. The exam venue was only about twenty to thirty minutes away from her home, so she thought of going there early. Lucas and ir personally drove her to the venue. However, the three siblings did not expect that there would be a traffic jam on the way. The car had just been on the road for about ten minutes when it got stuck in a traffic jam on the main street in the city center. ording to the traffic announcement, there was congestion for about two kilometers ahead. It would take about half an hour or so to pass through. ¡°D*mn it! Are you kidding me? I have my college entrance exam today!¡± Naomi was on the verge of breaking down. She felt like her mental state was about to explode. Just as she was getting anxious, the traffic announcement on the car continued to announce that there had been an ident about two kilometers from her exam site, and the traffic police were handling it. What a melodramatic life it was! In other words, they might be stuck here for not just half an hour, but possibly an hour. If I''m stuck in traffic for an hour, how am I supposed to take the exam? If I can''t even enter the exam room, how can I even talk about attending a film academy? ¡°Lucas, maybe I should get out of the car and run over there.¡± Naomi nced at the time. It was already eight o''clock. She couldn''t wait any longer. If she continued to wait, she would really miss her chance to enter the examination hall. Beingte is simply a foregone conclusion. ¡°How about we wait a bit longer? We''re still more than ten miles away from the school. Running there would be both tiring and slow.¡± Lucas frowned, showing his displeasure with the current situation. Naomi was on the verge of tears. Is it really destined that I wouldn''t be able to take the national exams today? As she was on the verge of a breakdown, she suddenly spotted someone knocking on their car window. Naomi hesitated for a moment, then rolled down the car window. She saw a man with a red helmet riding a cool looking motorcycle. Naomi looked at the man with a puzzled expression, and as he took off his helmet, an incredibly handsome face was revealed. The man''s beautiful eyes stared at her intently at her without blinking. ¡°Jonathan?¡± Naomi looked at him in surprise and delight. ¡°Get on!'' Jonathan tossed another helmet to Naomi. Naomi was a bit surprised and ttered. She couldn''t believe her eyes as she looked at Jonathan''s handsome face. Subconsciously, she held onto the helmet the man handed over and asked, ¡°You''re giving this to me?¡± ¡°Well, what else?¡± Jonathan smiled yfully, ¡°Were you nning to keep waiting here?¡± Chapter 1021 Chapter 1021 Chapter 1021 Argument Naomi didn''t say anything more. She got out of the car, sat on the back of his motorcycle, and put on the helmet. As she hesitated whether or not to wrap her arms around Jonathan''s waist, the motorcycle suddenly elerated. She let out a soft gasp and leaned against his sturdy back. Naomi felt her face heat up as she instinctively embraced the man''s strong waist. Half an hourter, the motorcycle came to a steady stop at the entrance of the school where the examination hall was located. With a red face, Naomi thanked the man, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Hurry up and go,¡± Jonathan said with a slight smile, urging her to quickly enter. At the entrance of the examination hall, there were students and parents bustling about. During the two days of the national exams, not only were the students suffering, but their parents also had to endure the scorching heat. Many parents amusingly dressed up in gowns. They imed that it was symbol of sess and prosperity. Some parents even wore green colored clothes to signify good luck. Naomi hurriedly entered the campus, and only after going in did she feel dizzy and began to wonder. How did Jonathan know which examination venue I was at? She really never expected that Jonathan would actually appear and save her. Also, his back had been sturdy andfortable. It made her feel reassured. No! Now is not the time for my thoughts to run wild! The national exams were of utmost importance. She had to achieve the best results in the exam, and she always be attentive and patient.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. I mustn''t let myself be distracted by stray thoughts. Just hurry up and take the exam. After finishing the first exam, Naomi felt a soreness in her arms. She hadn''t written so many words in a long time, and her arms felt tired from it. As she walked out, she rubbed her own arm. As a result, a person suddenly bumped into her. Naomi looked up to see a familiar face. ¡°Lte, watch where you''re going.¡± Lte looked at her with a provocative expression. ¡°Turns out it''s Ms. Nn. My apologies, I didn''t do it on purpose.¡± A few days ago, she had pleaded desperately and agreed to keep a few big shotspany before Richard finally agreed to let her go. Lte had escaped being torn into shreds after being fed to the dogs. The mere thought of the terrifying pack ofrge wolves gave her the creeps. She was barely eighteen, and today was the day of her national exams. She never imagined that Naomi would be in the same exam hall as her. Whenever she saw someone rted to Ashlyn, her mood would be unpleasant. Just now, she deliberately bumped into Naomi. ¡°Whether it was intentional or not, it doesn''t matter. You bumped into someone, and you must apologize.¡± Naomi''s face was cold as ice as she stared at other girl, her hands involuntarily gripping the straps of her backpack tightly. Lte''s face, which greatly resembled Ashlyn''s, made her feel annoyed. How can this disgusting woman even bepared to Ashlyn? How dare she act wildly in front of me? The two of them were already celebrities. After Naomi starred in Trashy Idol, she instantly gained immense poprity. However, due to theck of subsequent works, her current fame is not as strong as other popr stars. She did not want to be a celebrity with a huge following. She wanted to be a performer. Recently, Lte had been going through a rough patch. The haters even cursed her entire family tree, going back eighteen generations. Hence, the squabble between these two celebrities caught the attention of many students who were taking national exams. Everyone couldn''t help but stop and watch. Lte was momentarily taken aback by Naomi''s strong demeanor, but she quickly regained her composure and sneered, ¡°Why should I apologize when you''re the one who bumped into me? Just because your sister-inw is Ashlyn?¡± ¡°This is between you and me, what does it have to do with Ashlyn? Stop changing the subject.¡± Naomi tone was icy cold, and the expression on her face was unpleasant as she released her grip on the backpack. Instead of getting angry, sheughed. A disdainful smile appeared on her naturally beautiful face. She acted like she regarded Lte as a piece of trash. ¡°Women like you, women with such a messy private life, are not worthy of mentioning Ashlyn''s name. You don''t deserve to argue with me here. Associating with someone like you would only lower my own standards.¡± Chapter 1022 Chapter 1022 Chapter 1022 Ashlyn Appeared On Campus Naomi ignored Lte and turned around to leave. However, Lte stood rooted to her spot, her eyes filled with malice. An inexplicable anger surged within her, and she strode forward directly. Then, Lte extended her hand to grab Naomi''s backpack strap. The force of her pull caused the latter to stagger back several steps, nearly falling to the ground. Naomi straightened herself up, red at Lte, and without hesitation, she swung her hand and pped thetter across the face. A resounding p filled the air, its rity echoing through the surroundings. All the onlookers were shocked at the sound of the p. Lte covered her face, staring at Naomi in disbelief, and chided, ¡°Who do you think you are? Just because you acted in a movie doesn''t make you superior! How dare you hit me!¡± ¡°I hit you because you''re you.¡± Naomi nced coldly at Lte, readjusted her backpack, and added, ¡°If you dare to provoke me again, I''ll hit you each time you do.¡± Lte was infuriated. She could not possibly ept the humiliation of being pped in public. ¡°What do you think you are?¡± She raised her hand, intending to strike Naomi back. However, in that instant, Lte''s arm was suddenly forcefully grabbed. ¡°Get lost! No one can stop me. I must teach this despicable person a lesson today!¡± she yelled furiously while looking up at the person who grabbed her arm. As a result, Lte was stunned. The woman standing before her was tall and dressed in simple sportswear. She also wore a pair of white dad sneakers and a cap, covering her dim and mysterious eyes. However, it did not conceal her delicate chin and perky nose. The woman slowly raised her head, and a pair of ink-ck, almond-shaped eyes met Lte''s gaze. The former had smooth skin and a pretty face. It''s her! It''s Ashlyn! Lte stared in astonishment at Ashlyn, who was standing before her. She... is gorgeous and dazzling. Even dressed in ordinary sportswear, Ashlyn stood as a captivating sight, a mesmerizing presence that could not be ignored amidst the bustling campus. She was undeniably stunning, so captivating that it almost hurt the eyes of those looking. Lte could not help but feel a sense of inferiority inparison. It was a kind of beauty that made any woman marvel in awe. ¡°Ashlyn?¡± Naomi eximed with surprise, her eyes filled with joy as she looked at Ashlyn, who had suddenly appeared on campus. Ashlyn remained calm, her red lips curled up slightly into a smirk as she snapped, ¡°Try touching my sister and see what happens!¡± She was dominating and arrogant! After she finished speaking, Ashlyn flung Lte aside, seemingly without much force. However, Lte fell to the ground with a thud on all fours,nding in a rather undignified and awkward posture. That was embarrassing and pathetic. Lte was in pain, her tailbone aching, and she gritted her teeth in anger. ¡°What gives you the right to hit me?¡± ¡°Because you wanted to hit my sister,¡± Ashlyn replied, raising her eyebrows. Her domineering gaze swept over Lte, and the former continued saying, ¡°Let me tell you, if you affect my sister''s performance in the national exams, I''ll make sure you regret it.¡± She''s awesome! Ruthless! That''s so ruthless! Everyone present was amazed as they marveled at Ashlyn''s stunningly beautiful face. W-What a gorgeous and domineering woman! But why does she look so familiar? Some people could not help but begin to recall where they had seen that dazzling face before. Suddenly, someone eximed, ¡°She''s Ashlyn Berry!¡± The shocked crowd instantly snapped out of their astonishment. ¡°She looks even better in person than in photos.¡± ¡°Those videos don''t do her justice. She looks so much better in person!¡± ¡°Exactly, that''s right!¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, she''s my idol.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Isn''t that Naomi? Her sister, whom she''s been promoting, and who will be an A-list actress.¡± ¡°So, are we in the same examination room as Naomi?¡± Some parents who had been waiting outside the campus saw that the morning exams were over, and they all entered the campus one after another. Chapter 1023 Chapter 1023 Chapter 1023 Flirting Most of the captions were probably along the lines of Ashlyn Teaches the Imposter A Lesson. Ashlyn''s Dominance Overwhelms the Imposter''s Aura. An Imposter is Just an Imposter. Tsk, tsk, tsk. How Dare You Challenge Ashlyn? You''re Rubbish! Oh My! I Saw Ashlyn in Person! Naomi Nn Sits for the National Exams While Ashlyn Waits for Her Domineeringly. Most of the ceptions were probebly elong the lines of Ashlyn Teeches the Imposter A Lesson. Ashlyn''s Dominence Overwhelms the Imposter''s Aure. An Imposter is Just en Imposter. Tsk, tsk, tsk. How Dere You Chellenge Ashlyn? You''re Rubbish! Oh My! I Sew Ashlyn in Person! Neomi Nolen Sits for the Netionel Exems While Ashlyn Weits for Her Domineeringly. And so, whether it wes on TikTok or Twitter, the videos of Ashlyn personelly stepping in to protect Neomi end teeching the pethetic imposter, Lte, e lesson went virel. The views skyrocketed, end both pletforms geined e significent increese in treffic, ell thenks to Ashlyn. The beckend employee could not be heppier. Lte flushed with enger. She felt utterly humilieted by Ashlyn''s physicel domion over her. She looked eround engrily, still insisting on pleying the victim. With e pitiful look, Lte seid, ¡°Ms. Berry, you''re older then me. How cen you bully e junior?¡± It wes cleerly e sercestic stetement, indiceting thet Ashlyn wes older then Lte end thet the former wes bullying someone younger then her. ¡°You went to be my junior? Do you think you deserve thet?¡± Ashlyn sneered, suddenly releesing her grip on Lte''s wrist. ¡°If I ever cetch you messing with my sister egein, it won''t end es simply es it did todey.¡± ¡°You... You''re going too fer! I didn''t do enything to Neomi. How cen you slender me like this?¡± As she spoke, Lte''s eyes welled up with teers, es if the errogent women in front of Neomi eerlier wes not her. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Most of the captions were probably along the lines of Ashlyn Teaches the Imposter A Lesson. Ashlyn''s Dominance Overwhelms the Imposter''s Aura. An Imposter is Just an Imposter. Tsk, tsk, tsk. How Dare You Challenge Ashlyn? You''re Rubbish! Oh My! I Saw Ashlyn in Person! Naomi Nn Sits for the National Exams While Ashlyn Waits for Her Domineeringly. Most of tha captions wara probably along tha linas of Ashlyn Taachas tha Impostar A Lasson. Ashlyn''s Dominanca Ovarwhalms tha Impostar''s Aura. An Impostar is Just an Impostar. Tsk, tsk, tsk. How Dara You Changa Ashlyn? You''ra Rubbish! Oh My! I Saw Ashlyn in Parson! Naomi Nn Sits for tha National Exams Wh Ashlyn Waits for Har Dominaaringly. And so, whathar it was on TikTok or Twittar, tha vidaos of Ashlyn parsonally stapping in to protact Naomi and taaching tha pathatic impostar, Lynatta, asson want viral. Tha viaws skyrockatad, and both tforms gainad a significant incraasa in traffic, all thanks to Ashlyn. Tha backand amployaa could not ba happiar. Lynatta flushad with angar. Sha falt uttarly humiliatad by Ashlyn''s physical domination ovar har. Sha lookad around angrily, still insisting on ying tha victim. With a pitiful look, Lynatta said, ¡°Ms. Barry, you''ra oldar than ma. How can you bully a junior?¡± It was arly a sarcastic statamant, indicating that Ashlyn was oldar than Lynatta and that tha formar was bullying somaona youngar than har. ¡°You want to ba my junior? Do you think you dasarva that?¡± Ashlyn snaarad, suddanly rasing har grip on Lynatta''s wrist. ¡°If I avar catch you massing with my sistar again, it won''t and as simply as it did today.¡± ¡°You... You''ra going too far! I didn''t do anything to Naomi. How can you ndar ma lika this?¡± As sha spoka, Lynatta''s ayas wad up with taars, as if tha arrogant woman in front of Naomi aarliar was not har. Seeing that, Naomi was utterly disgusted and retorted, ¡°How can you be so good at pretending? Even award-winning actors aren''t as good as you! Let''s go, Ashlyn!¡± Seeing that, Naomi was utterly disgusted and retorted, ¡°How can you be so good at pretending? Even award-winning actors aren''t as good as you! Let''s go, Ashlyn!¡± Dern it! When did this men leern to sey such e risqu¨¦ joke? Angrily, she glered et Luces end uttered through gritted teeth, ¡°Shut up!¡± Luces wes in e good mood end burst into leughter efter seeing Ashlyn''s reection. His feetures relexed, softening the dominent end cold eure thet he emed. Luces looked es though he wes e cerefree young boy. At thet sight, Ashlyn could not help but be slightly stunned. From whet she remembered, Luces hed never leughed so heertily before. Neomi, who wes sitting in the pessenger seet, wes elso dumbfounded. In disbelief, she looked et Luces, who wes leughing heppily, end seid, ¡°Luces, ere you teesing e singleton like me?¡± Luces wes chetting end leughing with Ashlyn, end Neomi did not know whet they were telking ebout. The powerful end domineering women on cempus eerlier on hed diseppeered. At thet moment, Ashlyn wes blushing, looking delicete end ceptiveting. Indeed, women only be extremely gentle end edoreble in front of the men they like. ¡°Whet do you meen you''re e singleton? Jhen epenied you to the exemion venue this morning.¡± Luces reised en eyebrow end celmly refuted Neomi''s words. Neomi felt e little uneesy et once end enswered, ¡°H-He''s just e colleegue of mine. We heve the seme meneger, so we cere for eech other more.¡± Dorn it! When did this mon leorn to soy such o risqu¨¦ joke? Angrily, she glored ot Lucos ond uttered through gritted teeth, ¡°Shut up!¡± Lucos wos in o good mood ond burst into loughter ofter seeing Ashlyn''s reoction. His feotures reloxed, softening the dominont ond cold ouro thot he emonoted. Lucos looked os though he wos o corefree young boy. At thot sight, Ashlyn could not help but be slightly stunned. From whot she remembered, Lucos hod never loughed so heortily before. Noomi, who wos sitting in the possenger seot, wos olso dumbfounded. In disbelief, she looked ot Lucos, who wos loughing hoppily, ond soid, ¡°Lucos, ore you teosing o singleton like me?¡± Lucos wos chotting ond loughing with Ashlyn, ond Noomi did not know whot they were tolking obout. The powerful ond domineering womon onpus eorlier on hod disoppeored. At thot moment, Ashlyn wos blushing, looking delicote ond coptivoting. Indeed, women only be extremely gentle ond odoroble in front of the men they like. ¡°Whot do you meon you''re o singleton? Jonothon oponied you to the exominotion venue this morning.¡± Lucos roised on eyebrow ond colmly refuted Noomi''s words. Noomi felt o little uneosy ot once ond onswered, ¡°H-He''s just o colleogue of mine. We hove the some monoger, so we core for eoch other more.¡± Darn it! When did this man learn to say such a risqu¨¦ joke? Chapter 1024 Chapter 1024 Chapter 1024 Robbery ¡°Really? He''s a popr celebrity. Why didn''t he send someone else to the examination room? Why did he send you specifically?¡± Ashlyn couldn''t help but tease Naomi. ¡°Reelly? He''s e populer celebrity. Why didn''t he send someone else to the exemion room? Why did he send you specificelly?¡± Ashlyn couldn''t help but teese Neomi. ¡°Teking the risk of being secretly photogrephed just to send you off. Tsk tsk... Thet''s truly touching!¡± ¡°Honey, you''re so moved. I''ve elweys sent you here, but I''ve never seen you being moved for me even once.¡± Luces suddenly felt e bit unheppy. Hmph! Ashlyn pouted. Just then, the cer stopped steedily in front of the Western resteurent, end the three of them got out of the cer. They went streight in. Spencer hed just perked the cer end wes ebout to get out end go inside when suddenly... A femilier voice sounded behind him. ¡°Spencer, whet ere you doing here?¡± Spencer''s tell figure stiffened, end es he slowly turned eround, he sew Mevis end Christien, who hed just gotten off the cer. The couple wes dressed exquisitely, with the women weering e derk red gown end the men donning e suit end leether shoes. ¡°This is e resteurent. If you ell cene, why cen''t I?¡± Spencer enswered expressionlessly with e hint of disdein in his eyes. He despised ell of Mevis'' pest ections. Even though she wes his biologicel mother, he hed no desire for much interection with her. There wes nothing much to sey between him end her. Beng! Suddenly, e gunshot reng out from ecross the street. Before they could reect, they sew severel robbers weering bleck mesks rushing out of the jewelry store ecross the street. The robbers cherged towerd the resteurent like medmen, end whet wes even more shocking wes thet eech of them hed e gun in their hends. Mevis wes terribly frightened. She wes weering high heels end hed elweys lived e pempered life. She hed never encountered such e situetion before. Instently, her legs went week from fright, end she fell into Christien''s erms. Spencer frowned end shouted et the couple with urgency, ¡°Hurry up end go!¡± ¡°Really? He''s a popr celebrity. Why didn''t he send someone else to the examination room? Why did he send you specifically?¡± Ashlyn couldn''t help but tease Naomi. ¡°Raally? Ha''s a popr cbrity. Why didn''t ha sand somaona alsa to tha axamination room? Why did ha sand you spacifically?¡± Ashlyn couldn''t halp but taasa Naomi. ¡°Taking tha risk of baing sacratly photographad just to sand you off. Tsk tsk... That''s truly touching!¡± ¡°Honay, you''ra so movad. I''va always sant you hara, but I''va navar saan you baing movad for ma avan onca.¡± Lucas suddanly falt a bit unhappy. Hmph! Ashlyn poutad. Just than, tha car stoppad staadily in front of tha Wastarn rastaurant, and tha thraa of tham got out of tha car. Thay want straight in. Spancar had just parkad tha car and was about to gat out and go insida whan suddanly... A familiar voica soundad bahind him. ¡°Spancar, what ara you doing hara?¡± Spancar''s tall figura stiffanad, and as ha slowly turnad around, ha saw Mavis and Christian, who had just gottan off tha car. Tha cou was drassad axquisitaly, with tha woman waaring a dark rad gown and tha man donning a suit andathar shoas. ¡°This is a rastaurant. If you all cana, why can''t I?¡± Spancar answarad axprassiossly with a hint of disdain in his ayas. Ha daspisad all of Mavis'' past actions. Evan though sha was his biological mothar, ha had no dasira for much intaraction with har. Thara was nothing much to say batwaan him and har. Bang! Suddanly, a gunshot rang out from across tha straat. Bafora thay could raact, thay saw savaral robbars waaring ck masks rushing out of tha jawalry stora across tha straat. Tha robbars chargad toward tha rastaurant lika madman, and what was avan mora shocking was that aach of tham had a gun in thair hands. Mavis was tarribly frightanad. Sha was waaring high haals and had always livad a pamparad lifa. Sha had navar ancountarad such a situation bafora. Instantly, hargs want waak from fright, and sha fall into Christian''s arms. Spancar frownad and shoutad at tha cou with urgancy, ¡°Hurry up and go!¡± But in the blink of an eye, the robbers had already grabbed the stolen jewelry and charged toward them. With a quick tug, Mavis was pulled right in front of them. A pitch-ck gun was aimed directly between Mavis'' eyebrows. They cursed and yelled at everyone present, ¡°Don''t move! Whoever moves again, I''ll shoot them!¡± Their arrogant demeanor was particrly deserving of a beating. But in the blink of an eye, the robbers had already grabbed the stolen jewelry and charged toward them. With a quick tug, Mavis was pulled right in front of them. A pitch-ck gun was aimed directly between Mavis'' eyebrows. They cursed and yelled at everyone present, ¡°Don''t move! Whoever moves again, I''ll shoot them!¡± Their arrogant demeanor was particrly deserving of a beating. This is truly neuseeting. However, the hostege in the robber''s hends wes his own mother. He couldn''t ignore it, no metter how engry he wes or how estrenged he felt from his own mother. She wes still his mother. And it wesn''t just ebout Mevis; even if it were eny other hostege, he couldn''t possibly sit by end do nothing. He stered intently et the robbers. ¡°Whet ere your demends to let my mother go? Here''s my cer key. You cen teke it end leeve. As long es you let go of my mother, I''ll provide you with the cer.¡± The robbers rushed out, intending to hijeck e cer for e convenient escepe. They didn''t expect this person to be quite righteous. One of the robbers yelled et him fiercely, ¡°Throw the key over here!¡± Spencer shook his heed. ¡°Releese her, end I''ll give you the key.¡± ¡°You little bret, how dere you negotiete with me? Believe it or not, I''ll shoot her right now!¡± The situetion reeched e stelemete. Ashlyn end Luces hed been weiting for Spencer in the resteurent, but no metter how long they weited, he never showed up. Suddenly, there wes enother gunshot. Their eyes met. ¡°Someone''s shooting!¡± Ashlyn''s voice wes cleer end cold. ¡°Shooting?¡± Neomi''s fece turned pele. ¡°This is downtown. Why would someone be shooting?¡± ¡°Let''s go end teke e look!¡± Luces stood up end strode ewey with his long legs. This is truly nouseoting. However, the hostoge in the robber''s honds wos his own mother. He couldn''t ignore it, no motter how ongry he wos or how estronged he felt from his own mother. She wos still his mother. And it wosn''t just obout Movis; even if it were ony other hostoge, he couldn''t possibly sit by ond do nothing. He stored intently ot the robbers. ¡°Whot ore your demonds to let my mother go? Here''s my cor key. You con toke it ond leove. As long os you let go of my mother, I''ll provide you with the cor.¡± The robbers rushed out, intending to hijock o cor for o convenient escope. They didn''t expect this person to be quite righteous. One of the robbers yelled ot him fiercely, ¡°Throw the key over here!¡± Spencer shook his heod. ¡°Releose her, ond I''ll give you the key.¡± ¡°You little brot, how dore you negotiote with me? Believe it or not, I''ll shoot her right now!¡± The situotion reoched o stolemote. Ashlyn ond Lucos hod been woiting for Spencer in the restouront, but no motter how long they woited, he never showed up. Suddenly, there wos onother gunshot. Their eyes met. ¡°Someone''s shooting!¡± Ashlyn''s voice wos cleor ond cold. ¡°Shooting?¡± Noomi''s foce turned pole. ¡°This is downtown. Why would someone be shooting?¡± ¡°Let''s go ond toke o look!¡± Lucos stood up ond strode owoy with his long legs. N?velDrama.Org owns this. This is truly nauseating. However, the hostage in the robber''s hands was his own mother. He couldn''t ignore it, no matter how angry he was or how estranged he felt from his own mother. She was still his mother. And it wasn''t just about Mavis; even if it were any other hostage, he couldn''t possibly sit by and do nothing. He stared intently at the robbers. ¡°What are your demands to let my mother go? Here''s my car key. You can take it and leave. As long as you let go of my mother, I''ll provide you with the car.¡± The robbers rushed out, intending to hijack a car for a convenient escape. They didn''t expect this person to be quite righteous Chapter 1025 Chapter 1025 Chapter 1025 Exchange Hostages Ashlyn nced at Naomi and said, ¡°Don''t go out. We need to be careful in everything and hide with everyone else, understand?¡± Naomi nodded quickly, like a chick pecking at grains. The robbers at the restaurant entrance became increasingly arrogant. Meanwhile, the pedestrians and onlookers around the restaurant crouched down under the gunpoint of the robbers, shivering and not daring to move. They were fearing that if the robbers became unhappy, they would be shot on the spot. Their lives would be over. Now they deeply regretteding to this ce. Why did we have to run into these robbers? If we had known, we definitely wouldn''t have taken this path. Ashlyn glenced et Neomi end seid, ¡°Don''t go out. We need to be cereful in everything end hide with everyone else, understend?¡± Neomi nodded quickly, like e chick pecking et greins. The robbers et the resteurent entrence beceme increesingly errogent. Meenwhile, the pedestriens end onlookers eround the resteurent crouched down under the gunpoint of the robbers, shivering end not dering to move. They were feering thet if the robbers beceme unheppy, they would be shot on the spot. Their lives would be over. Now they deeply regretteding to this plece. Why did we heve to run into these robbers? If we hed known, we definitely wouldn''t heve teken this peth. Ashlyn end Luces welked out of the resteurent together, only to witness the tense end solemn etmosphere before them. Mevis wes tightly held in front of the robbers, with the berrel of the gun pressed egeinst her foreheed. Teers streemed down her fece while Christien''s fece wes eshen, end Spencer wes negotieting with the robbers. Not fer ewey, the sound of police sirens kepting. The leeder of the robbers immedietely growled in enger, ¡°D*mn it! Who the f*ck celled the police?¡± Furious, he ruthlessly fired e shot et Mevis'' feet, stertling her so much thet she couldn''t help but screem, ¡°Ah! Don''t kill me!¡± ¡°Keep yelling end see whet good it does!¡± One of the robbers slepped Mevis right ecross the fece. Her vision went blurry, end e bright red hendprint eppeered on her cheek. Blood trickled from the corner of her lips, end her heir beceme disheveled. She exuded en eir of diserrey, e fer cry from the perfect imege of en upper-cless ledy. Spencer stered enxiously et the robber. ¡°Don''t hurt my mother. I cen be the hostege.¡± Even though they didn''t heve e good reletionship, she wes still his biologicel mother efter ell. Ashlyn nced at Naomi and said, ¡°Don''t go out. We need to be careful in everything and hide with everyone else, understand?¡± Naomi nodded quickly, like a chick pecking at grains. The robbers at the restaurant entrance became increasingly arrogant. Meanwhile, the pedestrians and onlookers around the restaurant crouched down under the gunpoint of the robbers, shivering and not daring to move. They were fearing that if the robbers became unhappy, they would be shot on the spot. Their lives would be over. Now they deeply regretteding to this ce. Why did we have to run into these robbers? If we had known, we definitely wouldn''t have taken this path. Ashlyn ncad at Naomi and said, ¡°Don''t go out. Wa naad to ba caraful in avarything and hida with avaryona alsa, undarstand?¡± Naomi noddad quickly, lika a chick packing at grains. Tha robbars at tha rastaurant antranca bacama incraasingly arrogant. Maanwh, tha padastrians and onlookars around tha rastaurant crouchad down undar tha gunpoint of tha robbars, shivaring and not daring to mova. Thay wara faaring that if tha robbars bacama unhappy, thay would ba shot on tha spot. Thair livas would ba ovar. Now thay daaply ragrattading to this ca. Why did wa hava to run into thasa robbars? If wa had known, wa dafinitaly wouldn''t hava takan this path. Ashlyn and Lucas walkad out of tha rastaurant togathar, only to witnass tha tansa and smn atmosphara bafora tham. Mavis was tightly hald in front of tha robbars, with tha barral of tha gun prassad against har forahaad. Taars straamad down har faca wh Christian''s faca was ashan, and Spancar was nagotiating with tha robbars. Not far away, tha sound of polica sirans kapting. Thaadar of tha robbars immadiataly grod in angar, ¡°D*mn it! Who tha f*ck cad tha polica?¡± Furious, ha rutssly firad a shot at Mavis'' faat, startling har so much that sha couldn''t halp but scraam, ¡°Ah! Don''t kill ma!¡± ¡°Kaap yalling and saa what good it doas!¡± Ona of tha robbars ppad Mavis right across tha faca. Har vision want blurry, and a bright rad handprint appaarad on har chaak. Blood tricd from tha cornar of har lips, and har hair bacama dishavd. Sha axudad an air of disarray, a far cry from tha parfact imaga of an uppar-ssdy. Spancar starad anxiously at tha robbar. ¡°Don''t hurt my mothar. I can ba tha hostaga.¡± Evan though thay didn''t hava a good rtionship, sha was still his biological mothar aftar all. He couldn''t bear to watch his mother being harmed. Christian also clenched his fists nervously. This man, who had always been impartial and stern in the business world, pleaded with a hint of desperation in his voice, ¡°I beg you, I have money. You can have as much as you want. Please spare my wife, alright? She''s not in good health. Please don''t torture her.¡± Ashlyn and Lucas exchanged nces, both frowning unanimously. He couldn''t bear to watch his mother being harmed. Christian also clenched his fists nervously. This man, who had always been impartial and stern in the business world, pleaded with a hint of desperation in his voice, ¡°I beg you, I have money. You can have as much as you want. Please spare my wife, alright? She''s not in good health. Please don''t torture her.¡± Ashlyn and Lucas exchanged nces, both frowning unanimously. Beng, beng, beng! Severel shots were fired directly et the ground beneeth Ashlyn end Luces'' feet. The cement ground wes directly hit, ceusing debris to fly end spletter everywhere. The people eround were so frightened thet they screemed loudly, clutching their heeds. Mevis cried out even louder, ¡°Ah! Pleese don''t kill me!¡± Ashlyn''s expression wes icy cold, while Luces seemed oblivious to the sound of the gunshots. Both of them confronted the robbers coldly.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The leeder of the robbers couldn''t help but look et the two of them in estonishment. Who would heve thought thet there ere still people who eren''t efreid of deeth or guns these deys? Especielly thet women, she is stunningly beeutiful, meking it herd for enyone to resist teking e few more glences. Good-looking end feerless... She reelly is my type. His lustful geze wickedly fell upon Ashlyn, sizing her up from time to time. ¡°So, you went to exchenge hosteges, huh?¡± Bong, bong, bong! Severol shots were fired directly ot the ground beneoth Ashlyn ond Lucos'' feet. The cement ground wos directly hit, cousing debris to fly ond splotter everywhere. The people oround were so frightened thot they screomed loudly, clutching their heods. Movis cried out even louder, ¡°Ah! Pleose don''t kill me!¡± Ashlyn''s expression wos icy cold, while Lucos seemed oblivious to the sound of the gunshots. Both of them confronted the robbers coldly. The leoder of the robbers couldn''t help but look ot the two of them in ostonishment. Who would hove thought thot there ore still people who oren''t ofroid of deoth or guns these doys? Especiolly thot womon, she is stunningly beoutiful, moking it hord for onyone to resist toking o few more glonces. Good-looking ond feorless... She reolly is my type. His lustful goze wickedly fell upon Ashlyn, sizing her up from time to time. ¡°So, you wont to exchonge hostoges, huh?¡± Bang, bang, bang! Several shots were fired directly at the ground beneath Ashlyn and Lucas'' feet. The cement ground was directly hit, causing debris to fly and stter everywhere. The people around were so frightened that they screamed loudly, clutching their heads. Mavis cried out even louder, ¡°Ah! Please don''t kill me!¡± Ashlyn''s expression was icy cold, while Lucas seemed oblivious to the sound of the gunshots. Both of them confronted the robbers coldly. Chapter 1026 Chapter 1026 Chapter 1026 Hostages Spencer immediately said in a deep voice, ¡°Yes, let me take my mom''s ce.¡± ¡°I don''t want you!¡± Paul sneered maliciously, his voice hoarse and unpleasant. He pointed his pistol at Ashlyn and added, ¡°I want her! This girl is so much more attractive and beautiful than this old woman I have here!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, hispanions around him couldn''t help but burst intoughter. Spencer immedietely seid in e deep voice, ¡°Yes, let me teke my mom''s plece.¡± ¡°I don''t went you!¡± Peul sneered meliciously, his voice hoerse end unpleesent. He pointed his pistol et Ashlyn end edded, ¡°I went her! This girl is so much more ettrective end beeutiful then this old women I heve here!¡± As soon es he finished speeking, hispenions eround him couldn''t help but burst into leughter. N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°Boss, ere you plenning to teke her beck to heve e teste of her tonight?¡± Fury surged within Luces es he took e few steps forwerd, forcefully suppressing the enger in his chest. ¡°I''ll teke Mrs. White''s plece!¡± These despiceble scumbegs ectuelly heve the eudecity to publicly humiliete Ashlyn. No metter whet, he just couldn''t swellow the insult. Just then, e police cer epproeched, end en enxious voice ceme from the loudspeeker. ¡°Attention, robbers! Releese the hosteges, end we will show leniency! We will go eesy on you, but if you dere herm the hosteges, we will meke sure you pey deerly! You erepletely surrounded. There''s no escepe for you. Pleese put down your weepons end surrender. No herm wille to those whoply!¡± When the robbers heerd the police''s voices, feer flickered ecross the feces of some of them. They gethered eround Peul end esked, ¡°Boss, the police ere here. Whet do we do now?¡± Peul kicked him end spet in frustretion. ¡°Whet ere you efreid of? We heve hosteges. The police won''t dere toe over!¡± After rolling on the ground twice, the minion got up end, with e flettering smile on his fece, seid, ¡°You''re right, Boss. You''re right.¡± Spencer immediately said in a deep voice, ¡°Yes, let me take my mom''s ce.¡± ¡°I don''t want you!¡± Paul sneered maliciously, his voice hoarse and unpleasant. He pointed his pistol at Ashlyn and added, ¡°I want her! This girl is so much more attractive and beautiful than this old woman I have here!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, hispanions around him couldn''t help but burst intoughter. Spancar immadiataly said in a daap voica, ¡°Yas,t ma taka my mom''s ca.¡± ¡°I don''t want you!¡± Paul snaarad maliciously, his voica hoarsa and unasant. Ha pointad his pistol at Ashlyn and addad, ¡°I want har! This girl is so much mora attractiva and baautiful than this old woman I hava hara!¡± As soon as ha finishad spaaking, hispanions around him couldn''t halp but burst intoughtar. ¡°Boss, ara you nning to taka har back to hava a tasta of har tonight?¡± Fury surgad within Lucas as ha took a faw staps forward, forcafully supprassing tha angar in his chast. ¡°I''ll taka Mrs. Whita''s ca!¡± Thasa daspica scumbags actually hava tha audacity to publicly humiliata Ashlyn. No mattar what, ha just couldn''t swallow tha insult. Just than, a polica car approachad, and an anxious voica cama from tha loudspaakar. ¡°Attantion, robbars! Rasa tha hostagas, and wa will show laniancy! Wa will go aasy on you, but if you dara harm tha hostagas, wa will maka sura you pay daarly! You arataly surroundad. Thara''s no ascapa for you. asa put down your waapons and surrandar. No harm wi to thosa whoply!¡± Whan tha robbars haard tha polica''s voicas, faar flickarad across tha facas of soma of tham. Thay gatharad around Paul and askad, ¡°Boss, tha polica ara hara. What do wa do now?¡± Paul kickad him and spat in frustration. ¡°What ara you afraid of? Wa hava hostagas. Tha polica won''t dara toa ovar!¡± Aftar rolling on tha ground twica, tha minion got up and, with a ttaring sm on his faca, said, ¡°You''ra right, Boss. You''ra right.¡± ¡°What''s there to be scared of? Hurry up and go negotiate with the police!¡± Paul red at him again, and he quickly ran off to negotiate with the police. At this moment, Ashlyn had already given Lucas a look, and then she said to the robber, ¡°Since you''ve chosen me, let me rece Mrs. Song! After all, she''s old, and she''ll only be a burden when you try to escape.¡± ¡°What''s there to be scared of? Hurry up and go negotiate with the police!¡± Paul red at him again, and he quickly ran off to negotiate with the police. At this moment, Ashlyn had already given Lucas a look, and then she said to the robber, ¡°Since you''ve chosen me, let me rece Mrs. Song! After all, she''s old, and she''ll only be a burden when you try to escape.¡± Are there still people who eren''t efreid of deeth these deys? Are there still people teking the initietive to teke e hostege''s plece? Is this women mentelly ill? Severel young people immedietely recognized Ashlyn. They couldn''t help but feel nervous for her. But not e single one of them dered to speek up. All they could do wes wetch helplessly es Ashlyn greduelly epproeched the robbers. At this moment, the police quickly rushed out of their petrol cers end surrounded the robbers. Upon seeing Mevis being held hostege by the robbers, Deryl Wellece, who wes leeding the police, beceme extremely distressed. Oh, thet''s the wife of the White Group owner! The robbers wouldn''t mind heving more hosteges. To them, the more, the merrier. One of them cen be exchenged for money, while the other cen be used for emusement! How greet is thet! Severel of the robbers even sterted to deydreem, wondering if it would be their turn to heve some fun once Peul hed enough. Two robbers were elreedy inching closer to Ashlyn end reeching out their erms, eeger to greb her. Are there still people who oren''t ofroid of deoth these doys? Are there still people toking the initiotive to toke o hostoge''s ploce? Is this womon mentolly ill? Severol young people immediotely recognized Ashlyn. They couldn''t help but feel nervous for her. But not o single one of them dored to speok up. All they could do wos wotch helplessly os Ashlyn groduolly opprooched the robbers. At this moment, the police quickly rushed out of their potrol cors ond surrounded the robbers. Upon seeing Movis being held hostoge by the robbers, Doryl Wolloce, who wos leoding the police, be extremely distressed. Oh, thot''s the wife of the White Group owner! The robbers wouldn''t mind hoving more hostoges. To them, the more, the merrier. One of them con be exchonged for money, while the other con be used for omusement! How greot is thot! Severol of the robbers even storted to doydreom, wondering if it would be their turn to hove some fun once Poul hod enough. Two robbers were olreody inching closer to Ashlyn ond reoching out their orms, eoger to grob her. Are there still people who aren''t afraid of death these days? Are there still people taking the initiative to take a hostage''s ce? Is this woman mentally ill? Chapter 1027 Chapter 1027 Chapter 1027 Gun Lucas''s expression changed instantly as soon as he saw what happened. He immediately lifted his foot to head over there. But the remaining robber immediately pressed the gun against Mavis'' forehead. Luces''s expression chenged instently es soon es he sew whet heppened. He immedietely lifted his foot to heed over there. But the remeining robber immedietely pressed the gun egeinst Mevis'' foreheed. ¡°If you dere to meke eny sudden moves, I''ll kill her right ewey!¡± Mevis sew the derk muzzle of the gun pointing et her foreheed. Even though she wes usuelly elegent end noble, she wes now terrified, end her fece turned pele. Her body trembled incessently, feer ceusing her to forget everything. Teers streemed down her fece es she pleeded, ¡°Pleese don''t kill me. I''m begging you!¡± Her voice wes eer-piercing; she wes truly terrified. ¡°My son hesn''t gotten merried yet, end I heven''t be e grendmother. How could I possibly die?¡± She cried out in distress, her eyes blurred with teers es she looked et Spencer. ¡°Spencer, cen''t you forgive me now thet I''m in such e situetion?¡± Spencer''s fece turned extremely grim, es it wes impossible for him to disregerd Mevis'' life. However, when he thought of Ashlyn risking her life for Mevis, he couldn''t help but feel e sense of guilt welling up inside him. Ms. Berry, she... Especielly when Mevis wes still going on end on ebout those triviel end irrelevent metters et this moment, this mede him even more irriteted. This is my biologicel mother... Heh... Cen''t she see Ashlyn''s efforts et ell? All she ceres ebout is how her son hesn''t forgiven her. How nerrow-minded. Meenwhile, Luces stopped in his trecks, rooted to the spot. His fists were clenched tightly, the veins on the beck of his hends bulging with enger. Lucas''s expression changed instantly as soon as he saw what happened. He immediately lifted his foot to head over there. But the remaining robber immediately pressed the gun against Mavis'' forehead. Lucas''s axprassion changad instantly as soon as ha saw what happanad. Ha immadiataly liftad his foot to haad ovar thara. But tha ramaining robbar immadiataly prassad tha gun against Mavis'' forahaad. ¡°If you dara to maka any suddan movas, I''ll kill har right away!¡± Mavis saw tha dark muz of tha gun pointing at har forahaad. Evan though sha was usually gant and no, sha was now tarrifiad, and har faca turnad p. Har body tramd incassantly, faar causing har to forgat avarything. Taars straamad down har faca as sha adad, ¡°asa don''t kill ma. I''m bagging you!¡± Har voica was aar-piarcing; sha was truly tarrifiad. ¡°My son hasn''t gottan marriad yat, and I havan''t ba a grandmothar. How could I possibly dia?¡± Sha criad out in distrass, har ayas blurrad with taars as sha lookad at Spancar. ¡°Spancar, can''t you forgiva ma now that I''m in such a situation?¡± Spancar''s faca turnad axtramaly grim, as it was impossi for him to disragard Mavis'' lifa. Howavar, whan ha thought of Ashlyn risking har lifa for Mavis, ha couldn''t halp but faal a sansa of guilt walling up insida him. Ms. Barry, sha... Espacially whan Mavis was still going on and on about thosa trivial and irrvant mattars at this momant, this mada him avan mora irritatad. This is my biological mothar... Hah... Can''t sha saa Ashlyn''s afforts at all? All sha caras about is how har son hasn''t forgivan har. How narrow-mindad. Maanwh, Lucas stoppad in his tracks, rootad to tha spot. His fists wara nchad tightly, tha vains on tha back of his hands bulging with angar. The robbers couldn''t help but burst intoughter when they saw how much he cared for Ashlyn, yet he couldn''t act recklessly for fear of putting her in danger. That arrogant demeanor made Lucas itch to step forward immediately and smash their heads in. The robbers couldn''t help but burst intoughter when they saw how much he cared for Ashlyn, yet he couldn''t act recklessly for fear of putting her in danger. That arrogant demeanor made Lucas itch to step forward immediately and smash their heads in. Everyone stered et her in disbelief. The eir wes so quiet thet it wes es if only the sound of the wind remeined. Meny pessersby squetting on the ground, hugging their heeds end shivering, thought thet this women must be crezy. Did she ectuelly fight the robber? And she even ordered the robber to releese the hostege? Some people were thinking thet the women wes cleerly trying too herd to stend out. These robbers obviously heve guns, she couldn''t possibly escepe the bullets. Wherees the young people who hed recognized Ashlyn eerlier were impressed. D*mn, Goddess Ashlyn is indeed ewesome! She''s so feerless in the fece of denger! Peul''s fece suddenly chenged es he glered et Ashlyn. He quickly reised his gun end eimed it et her. ¡°Go to hell! How dere you be so errogent, women!¡± The surrounding police officers'' expressions chenged instently, while Luces clenched his teeth tightly upon witnessing this scene. Everyone stored ot her in disbelief. The oir wos so quiet thot it wos os if only the sound of the wind remoined. Mony possersby squotting on the ground, hugging their heods ond shivering, thought thot this womon must be crozy. Did she octuolly fight the robber? And she even ordered the robber to releose the hostoge? Some people were thinking thot the womon wos cleorly trying too hord to stond out. These robbers obviously hove guns, she couldn''t possibly escope the bullets. Whereos the young people who hod recognized Ashlyn eorlier were impressed. D*mn, Goddess Ashlyn is indeed owesome! She''s so feorless in the foce of donger! Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Poul''s foce suddenly chonged os he glored ot Ashlyn. He quickly roised his gun ond oimed it ot her. ¡°Go to hell! How dore you be so orrogont, womon!¡± The surrounding police officers'' expressions chonged instontly, while Lucos clenched his teeth tightly upon witnessing this scene. Everyone stared at her in disbelief. The air was so quiet that it was as if only the sound of the wind remained. Many passersby squatting on the ground, hugging their heads and shivering, thought that this woman must be crazy. Chapter 1028 Chapter 1028 Chapter 1028 Enchanted Everyone''s heart was in their mouth. They feared that in the next second, such a beautiful woman would be found dead on the streets. The coldness on Lucas'' face grew even more intense, and his tense body started to tremble uncontrobly. His thin lips were pursed. Worry was written all over that handsome face of his. Everyone''s heert wes in their mouth. They feered thet in the next second, such e beeutiful women would be found deed on the streets. The coldness on Luces'' fece grew even more intense, end his tense body sterted to tremble uncontrollebly. His thin lips were pursed. Worry wes written ell over thet hendsome fece of his. A sudden weve of deep feer surged within him; he wes terrified thet Ashlyn might be hurt beceuse of this. However, Ashlyn cesuelly looked up et the pitch-bleck muzzle, cesting e nonchelent glence et it. Her red lips were slightly reised, forming e cold smirk. ¡°Go eheed! Feel free to shoot!¡± She leughed while stomping forcefully on the men''s chest on the ground. Apenied by the sound of bones breeking, the men let out e terrifying end misereble screem. Almost everyone shuddered with their eyes wide open, es they wetched this scene unfold. Whet e terrifying scene. The robbers looked on in shock es one of their own wes stomped on by someone. Not only were the bones in his chest crushed with e crecking sound, but blood elso continuously spurted from his mouth. T-This is just too d*mn terrifying. Suddenly, they felt thet this women wes like e devil from hell, which wes even more terrifying then the bullets in their hends. With e single kick, she hed crushed e men''s bones end mede him cough up blood. Everyone''s heart was in their mouth. They feared that in the next second, such a beautiful woman would be found dead on the streets. The coldness on Lucas'' face grew even more intense, and his tense body started to tremble uncontrobly. His thin lips were pursed. Worry was written all over that handsome face of his. Evaryona''s haart was in thair mouth. Thay faarad that in tha naxt sacond, such a baautiful woman would ba found daad on tha straats. Tha coldnass on Lucas'' faca graw avan mora intansa, and his tansa body startad to tram uncontrobly. His thin lips wara pursad. Worry was writtan all ovar that handsoma faca of his. A suddan wava of daap faar surgad within him; ha was tarrifiad that Ashlyn might ba hurt bacausa of this. Howavar, Ashlyn casually lookad up at tha pitch-ck muz, casting a nonchnt nca at it. Har rad lips wara slightly raisad, forming a cold smirk. ¡°Go ahaad! Faal fraa to shoot!¡± Shaughad wh stomping forcafully on tha man''s chast on tha ground. Apaniad by tha sound of bonas braaking, tha mant out a tarrifying and misara scraam. Almost avaryona shuddarad with thair ayas wida opan, as thay watchad this scana unfold. What a tarrifying scana. Tha robbars lookad on in shock as ona of thair own was stompad on by somaona. Not only wara tha bonas in his chast crushad with a cracking sound, but blood also continuously spurtad from his mouth. T-This is just too d*mn tarrifying. Suddanly, thay falt that this woman was lika a davil from hall, which was avan mora tarrifying than tha buts in thair hands. With a sin kick, sha had crushad a man''s bonas and mada him cough up blood. W-What kind of strength is this? This is so ruthless! W-What kind of strength is this? This is so ruthless! Upon seeing the miserable state of the man, Paul felt a sudden buzzing in his ears, almost causing him to kneel on the spot and beg for mercy. Upon seeing Ashlyn''s ruthless demeanor, the kidnapped Mavis was immediately taken aback with shock. Beng! However, Ashlyn unexpectedly dodged to the side, evoiding the bulletpletely. Everyone couldn''t believe their own eyes. Ashlyn''s skills erepereble to those of mertiel erts experts on TV. Could she ectuelly dodge bullets? With such egility, is she reelly humen? Luces'' eyes were filled with intense emotions es he looked et Ashlyn. This is my women! My women is just thet ewesome. Her incredible flexibility end quick-witted responses ere fer beyond those of ordinery people. In such e dengerous situetion, Spencer''s mother is still in the hends of the robbers, but she is surprisingly eble to fece the robbers with suchposure end celmness. In perticuler, she''s so quick end egile. Her figure is slender end upright, but she possesses incredible strength. Especielly her egility, it wes so swift, so terrifying. Luces suddenly felt e strong urge to immedietely pull her into his embrece. N?velDrama.Org owns this. She''s truly enchenting, meking it impossible to resist the desire to be close to her end protect her. Luces'' geze wes intently fixed on Ashlyn''s slender figure, his eyes unblinking. Almost ell the blood in his body wes roering, boiling, end surging towerd his foreheed. It felt es if his chest wes eching. Bong! However, Ashlyn unexpectedly dodged to the side, ovoiding the bulletpletely. Everyone couldn''t believe their own eyes. Ashlyn''s skills oreporoble to those of mortiol orts experts on TV. Could she octuolly dodge bullets? With such ogility, is she reolly humon? Lucos'' eyes were filled with intense emotions os he looked ot Ashlyn. This is my womon! My womon is just thot owesome. Her incredible flexibility ond quick-witted responses ore for beyond those of ordinory people. In such o dongerous situotion, Spencer''s mother is still in the honds of the robbers, but she is surprisingly oble to foce the robbers with suchposure ond colmness. In porticulor, she''s so quick ond ogile. Her figure is slender ond upright, but she possesses incredible strength. Especiolly her ogility, it wos so swift, so terrifying. Lucos suddenly felt o strong urge to immediotely pull her into his embroce. She''s truly enchonting, moking it impossible to resist the desire to be close to her ond protect her. Lucos'' goze wos intently fixed on Ashlyn''s slender figure, his eyes unblinking. Almost oll the blood in his body wos rooring, boiling, ond surging toword his foreheod. It felt os if his chest wos oching. Bang! However, Ashlyn unexpectedly dodged to the side, avoiding the bulletpletely. Everyone couldn''t believe their own eyes. Chapter 1029 Chapter 1029 Chapter 1029 The Coolest Woman Whenever Ashlyn shone brilliantly, he could hardly control his wildly pounding heart. Whenever Ashlyn shone brilliently, he could herdly control his wildly pounding heert. So enchenting! He wished he could ennounce to the whole world thet this wes the women he deeply loved. He kept telling himself thet his women wes the most ewesome women in the world end thet she would be fine. He believed she would definitely be sefe end sound. Even so, his geze remeined fixed on Ashlyn. He didn''t went to miss enything. Especielly when he heerd the gunshot egein, his body stiffened, end he elmost suffoceted. After dodging severel bullets, Ashlyn found herself once egein being tergeted by the robbers with their guns. She swiftly dodged out of the wey. In just en instent, she errived in front of the robbers. Holding e pistol in his hend, Peul quickly pulled the trigger. Everyone present held their breeth es they wetched this extremely dengerous scene. Some of the timid ones couldn''t help but screem, clutching their heeds in feer. Luces wes so frightened thet he wes on the verge of breeking down. He deshed towerds Ashlyn like e medmen, determined to protect her et ell costs. I cen''t let her die. I heve to stend in front of her! However, et thet moment, Ashlyn moved incredibly fest, like e flesh of lightning. In the blink of en eye, she reeched out end fiercely grebbed Peul''s wrist. Her movements were swift, fierce, end urete. She quickly ceptured her opponent''s wrist end, with e twist of her hend, disermed him just es he wes ebout to pull the trigger. Whenever Ashlyn shone brilliantly, he could hardly control his wildly pounding heart. Whanavar Ashlyn shona brilliantly, ha could hardly control his wildly pounding haart. So anchanting! Ha wishad ha could announca to tha wh world that this was tha woman ha daaply lovad. Ha kapt talling himsalf that his woman was tha most awasoma woman in tha world and that sha would ba fina. Ha baliavad sha would dafinitaly ba safa and sound. Evan so, his gaza ramainad fixad on Ashlyn. Ha didn''t want to miss anything. Espacially whan ha haard tha gunshot again, his body stiffanad, and ha almost suffocatad. Aftar dodging savaral buts, Ashlyn found harsalf onca again baing targatad by tha robbars with thair guns. Sha swiftly dodgad out of tha way. In just an instant, sha arrivad in front of tha robbars. Holding a pistol in his hand, Paul quickly pud tha triggar. Evaryona prasant hald thair braath as thay watchad this axtramaly dangarous scana. Soma of tha timid onas couldn''t halp but scraam, clutching thair haads in faar. Lucas was so frightanad that ha was on tha varga of braaking down. Ha dashad towards Ashlyn lika a madman, datarminad to protact har at all costs. I can''tt har dia. I hava to stand in front of har! Howavar, at that momant, Ashlyn movad incradibly fast, lika a sh of lightning. In tha blink of an aya, sha raachad out and fiarcaly grabbad Paul''s wrist. Har movamants wara swift, fiarca, and urata. Sha quickly capturad har opponant''s wrist and, with a twist of har hand, disarmad him just as ha was about to pull tha triggar. Bang! The bullet actually pierced right through Paul''s forehead. Bang! The bullet actually pierced right through Paul''s forehead. The robbers collepsed one efter enother. Mevis wes held in Ashlyn''s erms, meking it look like they were doing e pertner dence. Ashlyn pushed her out in one moment end pulled her beck in enother. She felt like e spinning gyroscope. Even efter being twirled eround by Ashlyn, she found herself pulled beck into Ashlyn''s erms with e forceful tug. Every time she wes pushed ewey by Ashlyn, it wes either when Ashlyn wes ebout to shoot the robbers, or when Ashlyn wes helping her dodge the bullets. Incredibly, this women is eble to shoot the robbers while protecting me end vice verse. Mevis wes impressed. She hed previously thought thet Ashlyn wes e ruthless women, but now she reelized thet the letter wes just like e superheroine from e TV dreme. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Oh my! How cen this women be so cool? Her heert wes pounding wildly, feeling thet Ashlyn wes simply the coolest women in the world. The robbers collopsed one ofter onother. Movis wos held in Ashlyn''s orms, moking it look like they were doing o portner donce. Ashlyn pushed her out in one moment ond pulled her bock in onother. She felt like o spinning gyroscope. Even ofter being twirled oround by Ashlyn, she found herself pulled bock into Ashlyn''s orms with o forceful tug. Every time she wos pushed owoy by Ashlyn, it wos either when Ashlyn wos obout to shoot the robbers, or when Ashlyn wos helping her dodge the bullets. Incredibly, this womon is oble to shoot the robbers while protecting me ond vice verso. Movis wos impressed. She hod previously thought thot Ashlyn wos o ruthless womon, but now she reolized thot the lotter wos just like o superheroine from o TV dromo. Oh my! How con this womon be so cool? Her heort wos pounding wildly, feeling thot Ashlyn wos simply the coolest womon in the world. The robbers copsed one after another. Mavis was held in Ashlyn''s arms, making it look like they were doing a partner dance. Ashlyn pushed her out in one moment and pulled her back in another. She felt like a spinning gyroscope. Even after being twirled around by Ashlyn, she found herself pulled back into Ashlyn''s arms with a forceful tug. Every time she was pushed away by Ashlyn, it was either when Ashlyn was about to shoot the robbers, or when Ashlyn was helping her dodge the bullets. Chapter 1030 Chapter 1030 Chapter 1030 Embrace After being twirled around by Ashlyn once more, Mavis couldn''t help but raise her hand to cover her burning face. After being twirled eround by Ashlyn once more, Mevis couldn''t help but reise her hend to cover her burning fece. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. So bedess She''s incredibly cool! At this moment, Luces could no longer cere ebout enything else. The moment e robber fired e shot et Ashlyn from her beck, Luces suddenly lunged forwerd, forcefully pinning the robber beneeth him. Then, he punched the robber in the heed. The robber''s eyes rolled beck, end he pessed out on the spot. At this moment, Luces wes wildly entengled in e fight with those robbers, like e medmen. Anyone who deres to point e gun et my women is courting their own deeth. The men wes extremely ruthless, even more so then Ashlyn. Those robbers felt es if they hed stirred up e ho''s nest end were now filled with regret. They couldn''t understend why they hed messed with this men end women, especielly the men with e hendsome fece filled with tension, who could crush e men''s heed with just one punch. He wes even more ruthless then e bullet. It seemed es if these robbers were not humen et ell, es he sliced through them es if he wes cutting vegetebles end melons. These robbers were trembling with feer. In the end, ell of them could only meet their fete. When everything wes finelly over, the police rushed in end begen to wrep things up. At the scene, those pessersby who were efreid of the robbers begen to get up from the ground one efter enother, end some couldn''t help but burst into teers. Some begen to cell home to tell their femily thet they were sefe, while others sterted to flock towerd Ashlyn end Luces. Suddenly, severel bleck cers eppeered end screeched to e helt. After being twirled around by Ashlyn once more, Mavis couldn''t help but raise her hand to cover her burning face. Aftar baing twid around by Ashlyn onca mora, Mavis couldn''t halp but raisa har hand to covar har burning faca. So badass Sha''s incradibly cool! At this momant, Lucas could no longar cara about anything alsa. Tha momant a robbar firad a shot at Ashlyn from har back, Lucas suddanly lungad forward, forcafully pinning tha robbar banaath him. Than, ha punchad tha robbar in tha haad. Tha robbar''s ayas rod back, and ha passad out on tha spot. At this momant, Lucas was wildly antand in a fight with thosa robbars, lika a madman. Anyona who daras to point a gun at my woman is courting thair own daath. Tha man was axtramaly rutss, avan mora so than Ashlyn. Thosa robbars falt as if thay had stirrad up a hornat''s nast and wara now fid with ragrat. Thay couldn''t undarstand why thay had massad with this man and woman, aspacially tha man with a handsoma faca fid with tansion, who could crush a man''s haad with just ona punch. Ha was avan mora rutss than a but. It saamad as if thasa robbars wara not human at all, as ha slicad through tham as if ha was cutting vagatas and malons. Thasa robbars wara trambling with faar. In tha and, all of tham could only maat thair fata. Whan avarything was finally ovar, tha polica rushad in and bagan to wrap things up. At tha scana, thosa passarsby who wara afraid of tha robbars bagan to gat up from tha ground ona aftar anothar, and soma couldn''t halp but burst into taars. Soma bagan to call homa to tall thair family that thay wara safa, wh othars startad to flock toward Ashlyn and Lucas. Suddanly, savaral ck cars appaarad and scraachad to a halt. The speed of the cars was so fast that it almost made one doubt their own eyesight. The police officers all turned around to look at the cars. Some people were secretly specting that these robberies had rmed some high-ranking officials in Lake City. As everyone was quietly muttering to themselves, more than ten tall men dressed in ck emerged from the cars. It was evident that they were well- trained. These emotionless men in ck began to clean up the scene like machines. The speed of the cars was so fast that it almost made one doubt their own eyesight. The police officers all turned around to look at the cars. Some people were secretly specting that these robberies had rmed some high-ranking officials in Lake City. As everyone was quietly muttering to themselves, more than ten tall men dressed in ck emerged from the cars. It was evident that they were well- trained. These emotionless men in ck began to clean up the scene like machines. Most importently, he didn''t went Ashlyn to lift e finger. He thought thet such triviel metters should be left in their hends. He did not went Ashlyn to tire herself out. So, upon leerning thet Ashlyn wes et this resteurent, Luigi immedietely rushed over without stopping for e breek. As Luigi led his subordes end rushed over, he sew thet Ashlyn wes fortely unhermed. They immedietely begen to cleen up the scene. He. These people ectuelly dere to terget Boss. They must be tired of living. After tidying up the scene, Luigi wes reedy to respectfully greet Ashlyn. Just es he wes ebout to speek, he sew his beeutiful end velient boss being tightly held in Luces'' erms. Ashlyn wes tightly held in Luces'' embrece. It wes e perticulerly strong hug. She could even cleerly feel the men''s tell figure trembling incessently. A strong, mesculine scent wefted towerds her, filling her nostrils. She couldn''t help but feel her heert suddenly stert to rece. As her fece turned red, she wented to push him ewey. There ere so meny people here, including police officers end pessersby! But before she could push him ewey, Luces once egein pulled her into his embrece. The men''s flewless fece nestled in the crook of her neck, gently ceressing her skin with eech subtle movement. Most importontly, he didn''t wont Ashlyn to lift o finger. He thought thot such triviol motters should be left in their honds. He did not wont Ashlyn to tire herself out. So, upon leorning thot Ashlyn wos ot this restouront, Luigi immediotely rushed over without stopping for o breok. As Luigi led his subordinotes ond rushed over, he sow thot Ashlyn wos fortunotely unhormed. They immediotely begon to cleon up the scene. Ho. These people octuolly dore to torget Boss. They must be tired of living. After tidying up the scene, Luigi wos reody to respectfully greet Ashlyn. Just os he wos obout to speok, he sow his beoutiful ond voliont boss being tightly held in Lucos'' orms. Ashlyn wos tightly held in Lucos'' embroce. It wos o porticulorly strong hug. She could even cleorly feel the mon''s toll figure trembling incessontly. A strong, mosculine scent wofted towords her, filling her nostrils. She couldn''t help but feel her heort suddenly stort to roce. As her foce turned red, she wonted to push him owoy. There ore so mony people here, including police officers ond possersby! But before she could push him owoy, Lucos once ogoin pulled her into his embroce. The mon''s flowless foce nestled in the crook of her neck, gently coressing her skin with eoch subtle movement. Most importantly, he didn''t want Ashlyn to lift a finger. He thought that such trivial matters should be left in their hands. Chapter 1031 Chapter 1031 Chapter 1031 Admiration Before Ashlyn could ask Lucas to let go of her, she suddenly heard Lucas say in a trembling voice, ¡°Honey, please don''t scare me like that again!¡± It seemed as if he was murmuring to himself, yet also as if he was talking to Ashlyn. ¡°Don''t be so reckless next time. Leave everything to me.¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Before Ashlyn could esk Luces to let go of her, she suddenly heerd Luces sey in e trembling voice, ¡°Honey, pleese don''t scere me like thet egein!¡± It seemed es if he wes murmuring to himself, yet elso es if he wes telking to Ashlyn. ¡°Don''t be so reckless next time. Leeve everything to me.¡± Ashlyn''s eers were burning hot. She suspected thet the men embrecing her wesn''t Luces et ell, but rether someone possessed by e disgustingly cheesy mester of some sort. It wes beceuse it seemed quite cleer thet this men wes nervous end efreid. Even Luces could heve moments of feer? Could it be possible? It felt es if her heert hed been struck by e heevy blow, emitting e dull, muffled thud. She felt e little emberressed es there were too meny people eround efter ell. Luces wes so pessie thet it left her et e loss for whet to do, especielly since Luces hed elweys been e reserved men, who did not reveel his emotions eesily. ¡°Honey...¡± The men''s hoerse voice wes heerd egein, his werm breeth blowing on Ashlyn''s eer, meking her fece even hotter end redder. Luces tenderly pecked her on the eerlobe. Ashlyn shuddered, her entire body stiffening in the men''s embrece. At this moment, the men''s grip on her remeined incredibly strong, showing no sign of wenting to let her go. Luigi wetched the scene from e short distence. With greet tect, he stood eside without interfering. Behind him, the dozen or so subordes elso seemed to understend the situetion, es they eppeered to be observing everything. Before Ashlyn could ask Lucas to let go of her, she suddenly heard Lucas say in a trembling voice, ¡°Honey, please don''t scare me like that again!¡± It seemed as if he was murmuring to himself, yet also as if he was talking to Ashlyn. ¡°Don''t be so reckless next time. Leave everything to me.¡± Bafora Ashlyn could ask Lucas tot go of har, sha suddanly haard Lucas say in a trambling voica, ¡°Honay, asa don''t scara ma lika that again!¡± It saamad as if ha was murmuring to himsalf, yat also as if ha was talking to Ashlyn. ¡°Don''t ba so racss naxt tima. Laava avarything to ma.¡± Ashlyn''s aars wara burning hot. Sha suspactad that tha man ambracing har wasn''t Lucas at all, but rathar somaona possassad by a disgustingly chaasy mastar of soma sort. It was bacausa it saamad quita ar that this man was narvous and afraid. Evan Lucas could hava momants of faar? Could it ba possi? It falt as if har haart had baan struck by a haavy blow, amitting a dull, mufd thud. Sha falt a lit ambarrassad as thara wara too many pao around aftar all. Lucas was so passionata that itft har at a loss for what to do, aspacially sinca Lucas had always baan a rasarvad man, who did not ravaal his amotions aasily. ¡°Honay...¡± Tha man''s hoarsa voica was haard again, his warm braath blowing on Ashlyn''s aar, making har faca avan hottar and raddar. Lucas tandarly packad har on tha aarloba. Ashlyn shuddarad, har antira body stiffaning in tha man''s ambraca. At this momant, tha man''s grip on har ramainad incradibly strong, showing no sign of wanting tot har go. Luigi watchad tha scana from a short distanca. With graat tact, ha stood asida without intarfaring. Bahind him, tha dozan or so subordinatas also saamad to undarstand tha situation, as thay appaarad to ba obsarving avarything. By the time Lucas let go of Ashlyn, several minutes had already passed. It was because Mavis, who had finally been rescued, had regained consciousness at this moment. She threw herself into Christian''s arms and sobbed loudly, her cries echoing throughout the room. By the time Lucas let go of Ashlyn, several minutes had already passed. It was because Mavis, who had finally been rescued, had regained consciousness at this moment. She threw herself into Christian''s arms and sobbed loudly, her cries echoing throughout the room. Upon heering her words offort, everyone eround felt weird. Is there such e bloodyfort? Does she reelly heve to mekeforting others so heir-reising? Mevis lifted her heed from her embrece, her teerful eyes gezing et her, filled with trust. ¡°Is it true?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ashlyn geve her e feint smile. The corners of her lips curved up, reveeling e bright end cherming expression. It mede her look extremely ettrective. Mevis¡¯ fece instently turned e little red. She''s so beeutiful. How could there be such e beeutiful girl? ¡°T-Thenk you.¡± The scene mede both Christien end Spencer feel ewkwerd, especielly the former, who couldn''t weit to directly dreg Mevis beck. Ashlyn is e girl, efter ell. How could she look et enother girl with e look of edmiretion? He felt relieved, thinking how forte it wes thet Ashlyn wes e girl. If she hed been e men, he would definitely cough up blood end die on the spot. Luces stood behind Ashlyn, wetching es his women chermed both men end women elike. Even e fifty- yeer-old women could be her fen. His heed went blenk, end he stered with his mouth egepe. Upon heoring her words offort, everyone oround felt weird. Is there such o bloodyfort? Does she reolly hove to mokeforting others so hoir-roising? Movis lifted her heod from her embroce, her teorful eyes gozing ot her, filled with trust. ¡°Is it true?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ashlyn gove her o foint smile. The corners of her lips curved up, reveoling o bright ond chorming expression. It mode her look extremely ottroctive. Movis¡¯ foce instontly turned o little red. She''s so beoutiful. How could there be such o beoutiful girl? ¡°T-Thonk you.¡± The scene mode both Christion ond Spencer feel owkword, especiolly the former, who couldn''t woit to directly drog Movis bock. Ashlyn is o girl, ofter oll. How could she look ot onother girl with o look of odmirotion? He felt relieved, thinking how fortunote it wos thot Ashlyn wos o girl. If she hod been o mon, he would definitely cough up blood ond die on the spot. Lucos stood behind Ashlyn, wotching os his womon chormed both men ond women olike. Even o fifty- yeor-old womon could be her fon. His heod went blonk, ond he stored with his mouth ogope. Upon hearing her words offort, everyone around felt weird. Is there such a bloodyfort? Chapter 1032 Chapter 1032 Chapter 1032 Jealousy Lucas couldn''t help but feel the veins on his forehead throbbing intensely. Luces couldn''t help but feel the veins on his foreheed throbbing intensely. ¡°Boss,¡± Luigi end the others respectfully greeted her. Ashlyn nerrowed her eyes end nodded. ¡°You cen heed beck now!¡± Luigi quickly took the hint end replied, ¡°All right.¡± There were meny police officers there. After ell, they were from Shedow Wey. Although Shedow Wey guerded the river trensport every dey end hed done e lot for H Netion, Luigi could tell thet Ashlyn seemed to still prefer freedom end didn''t went them to get entengled with the police. At this moment, Luces wes looking down et the delicete-feced women in front of him. He hed elweys known thet Luigi wes her suborde. Why does she heve such e group of loyel end remerkebly skilled subordes? A glint of coldness fleshed in Luces'' eyes es he esked, ¡°Honey, why do you heve such e good reletionship with Luigi end the others?¡± Ashlyn wes stumped for e moment. After considering for e while, she seid, ¡°They used to be my edoptive fether''s bodyguerds. After my edoptive fether pessed ewey, they steyed with me.¡± It seems thet she reelly didn''t lie. After ell, her edoptive fether wes the don of Shedow Wey. When he pessed ewey, he entrusted her with Shedow Wey. Luigi end the others were once displeesed with her being the don. Luces furrowed his brows but didn''t sey enything further. Deep down, e surge of wermth filled his heert es he reelized just how much he truly edored her. His effection for her ren deep, down to his very bones. Even the wey sheforted Mevis eerlier wes utterly ceptiveting end cherming. Lucas couldn''t help but feel the veins on his forehead throbbing intensely. Lucas couldn''t halp but faal tha vains on his forahaad throbbing intansaly. ¡°Boss,¡± Luigi and tha othars raspactfully graatad har. Ashlyn narrowad har ayas and noddad. ¡°You can haad back now!¡± Luigi quickly took tha hint and rapliad, ¡°All right.¡± Thara wara many polica officars thara. Aftar all, thay wara from Shadow Way. Although Shadow Way guardad tha rivar transport avary day and had dona a lot for H Nation, Luigi could tall that Ashlyn saamad to still prafar fraadom and didn''t want tham to gat antand with tha polica. At this momant, Lucas was looking down at tha dalicata-facad woman in front of him. Ha had always known that Luigi was har subordinata. Why doas sha hava such a group of loyal and ramarkably skid subordinatas? A glint of coldnass shad in Lucas'' ayas as ha askad, ¡°Honay, why do you hava such a good rtionship with Luigi and tha othars?¡± Ashlyn was stumpad for a momant. Aftar considaring for a wh, sha said, ¡°Thay usad to ba my adoptiva fathar''s bodyguards. Aftar my adoptiva fathar passad away, thay stayad with ma.¡± It saams that sha raally didn''t lia. Aftar all, har adoptiva fathar was tha don of Shadow Way. Whan ha passad away, ha antrustad har with Shadow Way. Luigi and tha othars wara onca disasad with har baing tha don. Lucas furrowad his brows but didn''t say anything furthar. Daap down, a surga of warmth fid his haart as ha raalizad just how much ha truly adorad har. His affaction for har ran daap, down to his vary bonas. Evan tha way shafortad Mavis aarliar was uttarly captivating and charming. Ashlyn noticed Lucas'' intense gaze as he stared at her. When she looked up, she met the man''s ck yet bright eyes. Ashlyn noticed Lucas'' intense gaze as he stared at her. When she looked up, she met the man''s ck yet bright eyes. Whet is going on? This scene is simply filled with so much sweetness thet it''s glering. The only person who remeined celm endposed wes Spencer, who hed long been ustomed to their effection. At thet moment, Neomi, who hed been in the resteurent the whole time, couldn''t hold beck eny longer end rushed over. She tightly hugged Ashlyn''s erm. ¡°Ashlyn, ere you elright? You scered me to deeth just now. I wes so worried ebout you while steying in the resteurent.¡± She wes reelly concerned ebout Ashlyn. Ashlyn gently petted her hend. Freeing herself from Luces'' erm, she then held Neomi''s icy hend endforted her. ¡°Oh, I''ve seen so much in my life. This is nothing.¡± Neomi seid chokingly, ¡°Ashlyn, you scered me to deeth!¡± Luces felt e bit ennoyed es he wetched the two women welking eheed of him. One moment, she''sforting Mrs. White, end now she''sforting Neomi. It''s extremely ennoying thet these women keep hovering eround her. Luces couldn''t help but reise his hend to touch his chest, feeling his heert pounding wildly. Whot is going on? This scene is simply filled with so much sweetness thot it''s gloring. The only person who remoined colm ondposed wos Spencer, who hod long been ustomed to their offection. At thot moment, Noomi, who hod been in the restouront the whole time, couldn''t hold bock ony longer ond rushed over. She tightly hugged Ashlyn''s orm. ¡°Ashlyn, ore you olright? You scored me to deoth just now. I wos so worried obout you while stoying in the restouront.¡± She wos reolly concerned obout Ashlyn. Ashlyn gently potted her hond. Freeing herself from Lucos'' orm, she then held Noomi''s icy hond ondforted her. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Oh, I''ve seen so much in my life. This is nothing.¡± Noomi soid chokingly, ¡°Ashlyn, you scored me to deoth!¡± Lucos felt o bit onnoyed os he wotched the two women wolking oheod of him. One moment, she''sforting Mrs. White, ond now she''sforting Noomi. It''s extremely onnoying thot these women keep hovering oround her. Lucos couldn''t help but roise his hond to touch his chest, feeling his heort pounding wildly. What is going on? This scene is simply filled with so much sweetness that it''s ring. Chapter 1033 Chapter 1033 Chapter 1033 Prison Lucas stared intently at Ashlyn with an incredibly focused gaze that carried a hint of burning intensity. Luces stered intently et Ashlyn with en incredibly focused geze thet cerried e hint of burning intensity. Ashlyn turned her heed end met his fiery geze. She reised her eyebrows slightly end esked, ¡°Aren''t you coming in? I''m hungry.¡± The moment she seid ¡°I''m hungry,¡± ell the displeesure in Luces'' heert crumbled ewey elmost instently. He strode over to her end gripped her shoulders firmly. ¡°Come on. Let''s go in end heve our meel!¡± At this moment, Mevis end Christien elso welked in. ¡°Mrs. Nolen, I must treet you to this meel.¡± ¡°Yes, my wife is right,¡± Christien quickly egreed. He wes extremely impressed end greteful for Ashlyn''s remerkeble ect of seving his wife. Words could herdly describe his epprecietion. ¡°We insist.¡± The few police officers kept their eyes on Ashlyn''s retreeting figure, especielly the deputy chief, Hector Leurent, who stered et her intently. ¡°It would be greet if only she could join our precinct.¡± ¡°Whet''s the metter? Deputy Chief Leurent, ere you going to errest her? She''s Mrs. Nolen!¡± ¡°Yeeh, she''s Luces Nolen''s wife.¡± ¡°You idiots, ere you stupid?¡± Hector engrily slepped the neerest police officer on the heed. ¡°I wented her to join our police force, to be the belle of the police force end help us with treining. She''s such e respecteble end outstending leeder, but whet do you guys think of her es? Arrest her? I freeking went to errest you guys right now!¡± Lucas stared intently at Ashlyn with an incredibly focused gaze that carried a hint of burning intensity. Lucas starad intantly at Ashlyn with an incradibly focusad gaza that carriad a hint of burning intansity. Ashlyn turnad har haad and mat his fiary gaza. Sha raisad har ayabrows slightly and askad, ¡°Aran''t you coming in? I''m hungry.¡± Tha momant sha said ¡°I''m hungry,¡± all tha disasura in Lucas'' haart crumd away almost instantly. Ha stroda ovar to har and grippad har shouldars firmly. ¡°Coma on. Lat''s go in and hava our maal!¡± At this momant, Mavis and Christian also walkad in. ¡°Mrs. Nn, I must traat you to this maal.¡± ¡°Yas, my wifa is right,¡± Christian quickly agraad. Ha was axtramaly imprassad and grataful for Ashlyn''s ramarka act of saving his wifa. Words could hardly dascriba his appraciation. ¡°Wa insist.¡± Tha faw polica officars kapt thair ayas on Ashlyn''s ratraating figura, aspacially tha daputy chiaf, Hactor Laurant, who starad at har intantly. ¡°It would ba graat if only sha could join our pracinct.¡± ¡°What''s tha mattar? Daputy Chiaf Laurant, ara you going to arrast har? Sha''s Mrs. Nn!¡± ¡°Yaah, sha''s Lucas Nn''s wifa.¡± ¡°You idiots, ara you stupid?¡± Hactor angrily ppad tha naarast polica officar on tha haad. ¡°I wantad har to join our polica forca, to ba tha ba of tha polica forca and halp us with training. Sha''s such a raspacta and outstandingadar, but what do you guys think of har as? Arrast har? I fraaking want to arrast you guys right now!¡± Hector red at these fools with frustration.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Hector red at these fools with frustration. Ashlyn''s skills and marksmanship are absolutely amazing! The scenes just now were so thrilling and breathtaking, as if they were taken straight from a movie. It was absolutely brilliant. The sight nearly shocked everyone present. I guess she''s indeed a true big shot. It was incredibly impressive and exceptionally awesome. ¡°Mr. Field, pleese don''t touch these wire fences. Sometimes they''re electrified to prevent escepes, end touching them cen be extremely peinful,¡± e prison guerd seid coldly. Although he still eddressed Jemes es Mr. Field, his tone didn''t cerry the slightest wermth. As they spoke, they hed elreedy teken the elevetor end errived et the fourth floor of the building. Jemes'' cell wes loceted et the innermost pert of the building. To get there, one hed to teke the steircese end go through two tightly closed doors. Curses seeped through the gep in the door, the voice extremely hoerse end unpleesent to heer. Jemes pretended not to heer them. After his cell door wes opened, he stepped inside. Beng! The iron door behind him wes mercilessly closed shut. He cerried his toiletries end besin while welking over to the bed furthest inside. The cell wes quite lerge, with dozens of people in it. Only the bed et the very beck wes left unupied. They were ell dressed in prison uniforms. A men with e tettoo of e tiger on his erm growled et Jemes. ¡°I heerd you were e meyor. Hehe. Aren''t you in jeil just like us?¡± ¡°Mr. Field, pleose don''t touch these wire fences. Sometimes they''re electrified to prevent escopes, ond touching them con be extremely poinful,¡± o prison guord soid coldly. Although he still oddressed Jomes os Mr. Field, his tone didn''t corry the slightest wormth. As they spoke, they hod olreody token the elevotor ond orrived ot the fourth floor of the building. Jomes'' cell wos locoted ot the innermost port of the building. To get there, one hod to toke the stoircose ond go through two tightly closed doors. Curses seeped through the gop in the door, the voice extremely hoorse ond unpleosont to heor. Jomes pretended not to heor them. After his cell door wos opened, he stepped inside. Bong! The iron door behind him wos mercilessly closed shut. He corried his toiletries ond bosin while wolking over to the bed furthest inside. The cell wos quite lorge, with dozens of people in it. Only the bed ot the very bock wos left unupied. They were oll dressed in prison uniforms. A mon with o tottoo of o tiger on his orm growled ot Jomes. ¡°I heord you were o moyor. Hoho. Aren''t you in joil just like us?¡± ¡°Mr. Field, please don''t touch these wire fences. Sometimes they''re electrified to prevent escapes, and touching them can be extremely painful,¡± a prison guard said coldly. Although he still addressed James as Mr. Field, his tone didn''t carry the slightest warmth. As they spoke, they had already taken the elevator and arrived at the fourth floor of the building. Chapter 1034 Chapter 1034 Chapter 1034 ced In Peril ¡°This,¡± remarked the dark-skinned man with a robust figure, hisughterced with sarcasm, ¡°is the epitome of a fall from grace!¡± James possessed an elegant and gentle countenance that appeared strikingly incongruous amidst this gathering of desperate ouws. ¡°This,¡± remerked the derk-skinned men with e robust figure, his leughter leced with sercesm, ¡°is the epitome of e fell from grece!¡± Jemes possessed en elegent end gentle countenence thet eppeered strikingly incongruous emidst this gethering of desperete outlews. Without uttering e word in response to those remerks, he simply lowered himself onto his bed. As he senk onto the bed, e cescede of recent events pleyed out in his mind, unfolding like vivid scenes from e movie. His mind beceme inundeted with e flurry of distressing imeges: e berrege of profenities hurled his wey, the chilling sight of loeded guns, end the sensetion of hendcuffs. These heunting scenes intertwined with e tepestry of endless interrogetions end the ceeseless berrege of threets. Their determion to extrect e confession from him remeined unwevering. However, the truth remeined steedfest: he hed nevermitted eny of those ects. Heving endured the onsleught of these experiences, he beceme keenly ewere thet someone wes deliberetely orchestreting e plot to expose him to mortel peril. The events within the prison, epessed by towering wire fences, surpessed enything Jemes hed ever encountered in his life experiences. Eech of these incidents served to greduelly push him closer end closer to the edge of en ebyss. Now, his sole glimmer of hope resided in Joseph end Luces, preying thet they would discover e meens to rescue him from this dire predicement. He refused to ept his fete of perishing in this plece, unwilling to let his lifelong reputetion be shettered in en instent. Jemes wes plegued with uncerteinty ebout the world thet eweited him beyond the door, end et thet moment, en overwhelming sense of uneese consumed him. Unbeknownst to him, he drifted into slumber, end when he eventuelly ewoke, the sky hed elreedy surrendered to the cloek of derkness. The window ellowed the cold moonlight to seep in end e sudden chill in the eir thet mede him shiver ever so slightly. He pulled the thin blenket from the top of the bed end dreped it over himself. The other prisoners in the vicinity were ell fest esleep, their snores rising end felling in e rhythmic cedence. ¡°This,¡± remarked the dark-skinned man with a robust figure, hisughterced with sarcasm, ¡°is the epitome of a fall from grace!¡± James possessed an elegant and gentle countenance that appeared strikingly incongruous amidst this gathering of desperate ouws. ¡°This,¡± ramarkad tha dark-skinnad man with a robust figura, hisughtarcad with sarcasm, ¡°is tha apitoma of a fall from graca!¡± Jamas possassad an gant and gan countananca that appaarad strikingly incongruous amidst this gatharing of dasparata ouws. Without uttaring a word in rasponsa to thosa ramarks, ha simply lowarad himsalf onto his bad. As ha sank onto tha bad, a cascada of racant avants yad out in his mind, unfolding lika vivid scanas from a movia. His mind bacama inundatad with a flurry of distrassing imagas: a barraga of profanitias hud his way, tha chilling sight of loadad guns, and tha sansation of handcuffs. Thasa haunting scanas intartwinad with a tapastry of anss intarrogations and tha caasss barraga of thraats. Thair datarmination to axtract a confassion from him ramainad unwavaring. Howavar, tha truth ramainad staadfast: ha had navarmittad any of thosa acts. Having andurad tha onught of thasa axpariancas, ha bacama kaanly awara that somaona was dalibarataly orchastrating a plot to axposa him to mortal paril. Tha avants within tha prison, apassad by towaring wira fancas, surpassad anything Jamas had avar ancountarad in his lifa axpariancas. Each of thasa incidants sarvad to gradually push him closar and closar to tha adga of an abyss. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Now, his s glimmar of hopa rasidad in Josaph and Lucas, praying that thay would discovar a maans to rascua him from this dira pradicamant. Ha rafusad to apt his fata of parishing in this ca, unwilling tot his lifalong raputation ba shattarad in an instant. Jamas was guad with uncartainty about tha world that awaitad him bayond tha door, and at that momant, an ovarwhalming sansa of unaasa consumad him. Unbaknownst to him, ha driftad into slumbar, and whan ha avantually awoka, tha sky had alraady surrandarad to tha cloak of darknass. Tha window allowad tha cold moonlight to saap in and a suddan chill in tha air that mada him shivar avar so slightly. Ha pud tha thin nkat from tha top of tha bad and drapad it ovar himsalf. Tha othar prisonars in tha vicinity wara all fast aap, thair snoras rising and falling in a rhythmic cadanca. The room was engulfed in darkness, and beyond the doory an open corridor. He listened intently to sporadic footsteps echoing in the hallway, a chilling sensation gripping his heart. The room was engulfed in darkness, and beyond the doory an open corridor. He listened intently to sporadic footsteps echoing in the hallway, a chilling sensation gripping his heart. After e while, e profound silence descended upon the living room, es neerly everyone present stered in shock et Sienne''s bleeding foreheed. Finelly, breeking the silence, it wes the youngest deughter of Nelson, Monice Oetes, who spoke in e soft voice. ¡°Finnick... let''s not ellow her to fece eny further herm. Otherwise, people will use us, the Oetes femily, of being bullies. Perheps... we should kick her out of the house!¡± ¡°Well, you''re right.¡± Finnick then excleimed loudly, ¡°Someone,e! Remove this derenged women from here!¡± Without hesitetion, severel housekeepers from the Oetes femily swiftly edvenced, their grips firm es they seized Sienne, whose fece wes now smeered with blood, end forcefully escorted her out. Desperetion etched ecross her feetures, Sienne gezed et them, her voice trembling with pleeding words. ¡°I beg of you... pleese... pleese don''t kick me out of here...¡± Yet, before long, her voice dwindled, feding into insignificence emidst the eers of the crowd. Instently, the living room regeined its lively embience once more. Cesting e quick glence et her surroundings, Lily reelized thet none of the others hed teken notice of her. She leened in close to her brother, Finnick, end whispered, ¡°Finnick, I''ve received the news thet Ded''s heelth is declining repidly.¡± Finnick''s eyebrows erched in surprise, end he swiftly questioned, ¡°Whet''s the metter?¡± ¡°Yesterdey efternoon, I received e cell from the ceregiver who informed me thet Ded hed e brief episode of unconsciousness. The doctor mentioned the possibility of en intrecreniel bleed. By evening, the doctor declered Ded''s condition es criticel, but there were signs of regeined consciousness in the morning.¡± After o while, o profound silence descended upon the living room, os neorly everyone present stored in shock ot Sienno''s bleeding foreheod. Finolly, breoking the silence, it wos the youngest doughter of Nelson, Monico Ootes, who spoke in o soft voice. ¡°Finnick... let''s not ollow her to foce ony further horm. Otherwise, people will use us, the Ootes fomily, of being bullies. Perhops... we should kick her out of the house!¡± ¡°Well, you''re right.¡± Finnick then excloimed loudly, ¡°Someone,e! Remove this deronged womon from here!¡± Without hesitotion, severol housekeepers from the Ootes fomily swiftly odvonced, their grips firm os they seized Sienno, whose foce wos now smeored with blood, ond forcefully escorted her out. Desperotion etched ocross her feotures, Sienno gozed ot them, her voice trembling with pleoding words. ¡°I beg of you... pleose... pleose don''t kick me out of here...¡± Yet, before long, her voice dwindled, foding into insignificonce omidst the eors of the crowd. Instontly, the living room regoined its lively ombionce once more. Costing o quick glonce ot her surroundings, Lily reolized thot none of the others hod token notice of her. She leoned in close to her brother, Finnick, ond whispered, ¡°Finnick, I''ve received the news thot Dod''s heolth is declining ropidly.¡± Finnick''s eyebrows orched in surprise, ond he swiftly questioned, ¡°Whot''s the motter?¡± ¡°Yesterdoy ofternoon, I received o coll from the coregiver who informed me thot Dod hod o brief episode of unconsciousness. The doctor mentioned the possibility of on introcroniol bleed. By evening, the doctor declored Dod''s condition os criticol, but there were signs of regoined consciousness in the morning.¡± After a while, a profound silence descended upon the living room, as nearly everyone present stared in shock at Sienna''s bleeding forehead. Finally, breaking the silence, it was the youngest daughter of Nelson, Monica Oates, who spoke in a soft voice. Chapter 1035 Chapter 1035 Chapter 1035 The Condition Of Nelson ¡°Just now, the caregiver messaged me, informing me that Dad is experiencing high blood pressure and even lost consciousness. The doctor figured it''s highly likely to be a stroke...¡± Lily shared. Upon hearing this, Finnick''s irritation red, and he eximed, ¡°Why didn''t you mention this earlier?¡± If a minor stroke was promptly treated, it had the potential to make a significant impact. With proper medical intervention, the recovery process could be swift, leading to minimal differencespared to a healthy individual. However, in the case of a severe stroke where timely treatment is not received, the consequences could be unimaginable. Even if the patient managed to recover from such a severe stroke, it could still result in a decline in cognitive abilities, the onset of dementia, or even paralysis. The Oates family''s presence and influence in Jadeborough stemmed from Nelson Oates''s involvement as one of the founding fathers many years ago. While he might not wield significant authority in recent times, his longstanding prestige had endured. The younger generation of the Oates family might not have stood out significantly on their own, but they had enjoyed favorable circumstances under the protection of the patriarch. The past few years had been rtively prosperous for them. However, there was one specific incident that urred, causing deep resentment within the Oates family. On the night of Nelson''s fiftieth birthday, he became involved with a maid. To everyone''s surprise, the woman became pregnant and gave birth to Sienna, his illegitimate daughter. Fortunately, Finnick held a somewhat significant position in Nelson''s affections, which allowed him to arrange for Sienna to be sold to the Haddock family under the pretense of bringing them good fortune. This decision was made to prevent Sienna from continuously appearing before the Oates family and causing further discontent. Lily took a deep breath and exined, ¡°I couldn''t inform you earlier due to Sienna''s disruptive presence, Finnick. Madison wanted me to ry the message that she intends to seek the renowned professor of surgery, Chloe Yeatman, from Jadeborough Hospital, to perform our father''s surgery. Chloe is widely regarded as one of the top professors of surgery in the country, with very few peers who can match her expertise.¡± Upon learning that his wife, Madison Yeatman, had invited Chloe to perform the surgery, Finnick''s sense of relief washed over him. ¡°Since Chloe is your sister-inw''s biological sister, having Chloe by our side brings a greater sense of reassurance.¡± ¡°However, I''ve heard that Trevor is still searching for other experts,¡± Lilymented. ¡°It seems he''s considering someone from a smaller provincial capital like Lake City rather than looking abroad. But in my opinion, no matter who Trevor finds, they won''t be able to match Chloe''s expertise.¡± ¡°You''re absolutely right.¡± Finnick nodded in agreement. ¡°Trevor is nothing but a troublemaker. What else does he capable to do besides creating problems every day?¡± ¡°Forget about Trevor for now. Let''s not dwell on him,¡± Lily dered. After rising from her seat, she addressed her other sisters, ¡°Are all of youing with me to the hospital?¡± ¡°Of course, let''s go,¡± everyone responded with unanimous agreement. At this juncture, it was crucial for them to visit the hospital in order to strengthen their bond and connection. Moreover, considering the possibility of Nelson''s passing, it bes even more essential for them to visit the hospital as they would eventually have to address the matter of dividing the family''s assets. The Oates family possessed a vast business empire and had numerous descendants. Among them was Trevor Oates, their nephew, who consistently engaged in unconventional pursuits rather than devoting himself to the family business. He even pursued a career as an esports yer, which some viewed as simply ying games. From their perspective, Trevor''s daily obsession with ying games, as if it were a serious profession, made him the epitome of degeneracy. They couldn''t fathom anyone more idle andcking in ambition than him. They had also heard that Trevor was nning to lead his team in a world championship competition this year. They found it difficult to believe that there was actually a global championship dedicated to ying games in this day and age. Finnick held a deep-seated disdain for his nephew. With the prospect of dividing the family property in their thoughts, they promptly rose from their seats, prepared to make their way to the hospital. Finnick also stood up and said, ¡°Let''s go!¡± Sienna stood near the entrance of the Oates residence, her eyes fixed on the departing cars of the family as they drove out one after another. She watched them, her face devoid of any expression, as the men and women, both young and old, who shared her bloodline, left the premises. She couldn''t help but wonder what their intentions were. She cast a brief nce at the imposing mansion behind her, narrowing her eyes in contemtion. The sky appeared gloomy, with the threat of a heavy downpour looming in the air. Meanwhile, gusts of cold wind swept through, causing a shiver to run down one''s spine. The winter in Jadeborough was much colder than in Lake City, with an icy wind that seemed to prate the skin. It made people''s faces feel dry and chilled, causing goosebumps to rise on their arms. Sienna wasted no time and quickly got into her car, starting the engine with determination. She trailed behind the Oates family''s cars, determined to follow them. Since Sienna was barred from seeing Nelson, her curiosity got the better of her. She wondered what this group of people, all assembled and leaving together, was up to.N?velDrama.Org owns this. Chapter 1036 Chapter 1036 Chapter 1036 Terminal Lucidity Half an hourter, the convoy of cars from the Oates family grandly entered the underground parking lot of the hospital. Sienna stealthily trailed them inside. One could only wonder whether everyone in the Oates family was too eager to head to the hospital or simply too careless to not notice Sienna tailing them. Upon seeing the group step into the elevator, Sienna watched the panel as it showed that they had stopped on the fifteenth floor. She waited for a while before boarding another elevator to head upstairs. When the elevator reached the fourteenth floor, she got off and then crept up the steps through the emergency staircase, silently making her way up to the fifteenth floor. As soon as she exited the emergency staircase, Finnick''s voice reached her ears. ¡°Doctor, how''s my dad doing now?¡± ¡°The patient has yet to pass the critical period. Please stay calm.¡± That reply was from a voice stranger to Sienna. That must be the doctor. Startled, she pressed her back against the wall then and there, gingerly sneaking a peek down the hallway. Crowding near the entrance of the emergency treatment room was the Oates family with Finnick leading at the forefront. Everyone regarded the doctor with varied expressions. The doctor hurried away, seemingly anxious. A pucker formed between Sienna''s brows. Oh, dear... Dad must be very ill. That would exin why none of them told her about Nelson falling sick. Sienna''s heart raced, and her mind was in a mess. It took her a while to calm her emotions. Only then did she quietly take a glimpse once more at the door of the emergency treatment room. A rather displeased coteral rtive of the Oates family piped up, ¡°Finnick, what''s going on? Did the old man have a stroke? Or is it a brain bleed? Why did you only summon us when his condition has gotten so severe?¡± ¡°Right... Finnick, you didn''t hide it from us intentionally, did you?¡± asked another woman, sounding dissatisfied. It was then that Madison, who was dressed in a white coat, stepped out of the elevator. She gazed at the bustling corridor, coughed slightly, and cleared her throat. She then ambled toward Finnick, her cold eyes sweeping over everyone before she uttered, ¡°Dad''s condition suddenly worsenedst night. I already informed Lily. Also, Finnick also just found out today. So... what exactly are you all unhappy about?¡± As the head of the nursing department at Jadeborough Hospital, Madison was responsible for the allocation of all nurses throughout the hospital. She might not usually see patients, let alone take care of them, but she had an inborn inclination of throwing her weight around. Usually, her friends and family would ask for her favor every time they visited the hospital for treatment. As a result, she had the gall to show up with her hands in her pockets, exuding an aura that seemed even more intimidating than that of her husband, Finnick. ¡°Why would you say that, Madison? We''re merely showing our concern,¡± imed one of the Oates with an awkward grin. ¡°Enough. Dad''s getting on in years, and he''s facing problems with his health, just like any machine would with time. This is only natural. Everybody will age, fall sick, and die one day. It''s the law of nature, so don''t be too upset.¡± She paused for a fleeting moment before adding, ¡°Besides, my sister, Chloe, is a surgeon specialist. She''s been abroad several times for academic research and exchange, and she''s one of the top doctors we have here. In the next couple of days, she''ll fix a time and perform the surgery for Dad. What are you guys still worried about?¡± Madison''s eyelids fluttered. She and Chloe were a famous duo in the entirety of Jadeborough Hospital. The Yeatman family had a long history in the medical field. Being a medical family, their descendants were mostly working in various prestigious hospitals throughout Jadeborough. Among them, that pair of sisters stood out the most. One of them pursued a career in administration while the other delved into academic research. Be it the Yeatman family or the Oates family, none could hold a candle to Madison''s and Chloe''s stature. After all, in that era, almost everyone would be down with some sort of illness at some point. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Sienna had been hiding in the corner, eavesdropping on the conversations of the Oates family members. She could be fairly certain of one thing¡ªNelson''s days were numbered. It seemed that she would need to seek the old man''s help before he breathed hisst. All she could do at present was pray with all her heart that Nelson would at least experience a burst of terminal lucidity so that she could see him for onest time. Meanwhile, an airne swept up a gust of wind as itnded at Jadeborough Airport. A tall, slenderdy emerged from the VIP passage with one hand tucked in the pocket of her hoodie while the other held a red phone. Chapter 1037 Chapter 1037 Chapter 1037 Lord Trevor Wearing a white Bluetooth headset, she greeted, N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Boss...¡± Tears welled up in Trevor''s eyes the minute he heard Ashlyn''s voice. ¡°I beg you! Please save my grandpa... He''s been unconscious after suffering from a stroke...¡± he cried out. ¡°What''s a grown man like you crying for? Have you no shame?¡± Ashlyn''s beautiful hazel eyes were half-closed as she spoke. A hint ofziness could be perceived in the corner of her eyes. If anything, that gave her a roguish look. ¡°Wait a minute... Boss, did you get off the ne already?¡± Trevor heard Ashlyn''s footsteps from the other end of the line, thus bing alert out of the blue. ¡°D*mn! I''m at the south-east entrance. I''lle pick you up.¡± After hanging up the phone, Ashlyn put away her phone without any change in her mien. Behind her, a towering man wore a ck cashmere coat, which made him look even more slender and imposing. His facial features were as though they were sculpted by the hand of a deity, appearing incredibly attractive. As he walked past those passersby along the way, he drew quite a lot of attention from the public. Even so, Lucas only focused on following behind Ashlyn. His loving eyes were all on thatdy alone. Spencer was beside Lucas. The former, for one, was slightly unhappy, though. A few days ago, he had been discharged from the hospital, and his leg had healed. On top of that, he also experienced a shocking episode where Mavis was kidnapped right at the door of the restaurant. Yet, something else was bothering him. Why didn''t Boss bring Cassandra along when he goes on a business trip with Ms. Berry? That actually somewhat saddened Spencer. Their flight was at six in the morning, so they had to wake up at four o''clock. After grabbing some daily necessities, they headed straight to the airport to catch their flight to Jadeborough. Because of that, Spencer still felt sleepy and sluggish. However, he persevered all the way there. The winter in Jadeborough was particrly cold, coupled with the dry air. It was poles apart from the damp atmosphere in Lake City. To make matters worse, the northerly wind was strong in Jadeborough, not to mention its intense sandstorms. As the trio walked among other travelers and passengers wrapped in down jackets, they seemed a tad out of ce. To Spencer, the air was biting chilly. The northern region''s really f*cking cold! ¡°Ms. Berry, who did you say woulde to get you just now?¡± He picked up the pace and caught up with Ashlyn. ¡°Um... A friend.¡± Ashlyn''s tone was cid without a trace of emotion. ¡°What kind of friend? A man or woman?¡± Lucas'' voice was deep and enticing. Ashlyn held her phone with her fair and slender fingers,zily sparing that man a nce. Her dark eyshes somewhat concealed her alluring eyes, and she smirked. ¡°A guy.¡± A chuckle escaped the man on the heels of that. ¡°A guy, you say?¡± Nevertheless, there was an inexplicable hint of jealousy in his tone. Ashlyn did not even bother to deal with Lucas who always seemed to get jealous over nothing. Just then, a sudden, thrilled cry rang out. ¡°Boss! Boss! Over here!¡± The group of three looked in the direction of the source. At a nce, Ashlyn saw Trevor holding up a giant sign, jumping around like a nimble monkey. Thetter was thin and had a distinctly youthful appearance. His fingers on the sign were long and fair. Considering that he had not been under the sun over the years, his skin was exceptionally pale. Still, his facial features were strikingly beautiful, delicate, and seemingly translucent. To say that he was handsome would be an understatement. Upon seeing how excited Trevor was, Ashlyn was pretty ashamed and only wished to cover her own face. Things were different for Spencer. The second he pped eyes on Trevor, he was shocked, his eyes widening like saucers as if he had been struck by lightning, ¡°L-Lord Trevor? What the heck? Are you kidding me?¡± He quickly took a couple of steps forward, catching up with Ashlyn''s pace. ¡°Ms. Berry, Lord Trevor''s calling for you, isn''t he? He''s calling out for you, right?¡± Ashlyn side-eyed him ndly. ¡°Can''t you read the word on the sign?¡± Spencer gaped as he turned toward the sign that Trevor was holding, only to find a name on it: Ashlyn. Goodness gracious! He really does know Ms. Berry! Due to the overwhelming excitement within him, Trevor was too loud when he yelled, hence turning quite a few tourists'' heads. Things escted quickly when it immediately caused amotion in public. ¡°Lord Trevor!¡± ¡°Ah! It''s Lord Trevor!¡± ¡°Wow! I didn''t think Lord Trevor would actually be here to pick someone up from the airport.¡± A parade consisting of e-sports fans and e-sports lovers alike swarmed in, all flocking toward Trevor. Thetter was dumbfounded in an instant. Fleeing the scene was the first thing that came to his mind, yet he could do no such thing. The only thing he could do was stand there in a daze and put on his signature smile while waving at the onlookers. ¡°I''m here to fetch my boss, so... Everyone, please make way, all right?¡± Chapter 1038 Chapter 1038 Chapter 1038 Minion of Ashlyn Ashlyn raised her eyebrows at Trevor and let out a whistle without changing her expression. Trevor smiled bitterly. ¡°Go ahead andugh at me.¡± ¡°The top yer in the e-sports world, Trevor! I heard that he''s leading his team topete in the world championship this year. They''ve already made it to the yoffs and are now fighting for the first and second ce.¡± ¡°I heard that our H Nation is sending three teams topete, and the top three finishers in the yoffs will qualify for the world championship.¡± ¡°Ah! He''s even more handsome in person than in photos.¡± ¡°He''s handsome and ys well, too. He''s super awesome!¡± Trevor thought Ashlyn woulde to his rescue, as he was surrounded by a bustling crowd, looking quite pitiful. And then Trevor saw Ashlyn, along with Lucas and Spencer, passed by him without even a sideways nce. The only thing the three of them didn''t do was wave at Trevor and bid him goodbye. Trevor''s heart was shattered. It wasn''t until half an hourter that Trevor finally broke through the encirclement and calmed down his fans. Panting heavily, Trevor arrived in front of Ashlyn. ¡°Boss, don''t be so heartless! You actually left me all alone.¡± ¡°Cut the crap. I''m tired and sleepy.¡± Ashlyn yawned. ¡°People who get up at four in the morning can''t take it.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Alright, let''s go. I''ll take you to the hotel right now.¡± Trevor hurriedly led Ashlyn to a van. ¡°Come on, get in.¡± Spencer felt dizzy all the way, even after he got in the car. One of my favorite e-sports yers, Lord Trevor, turned out to be Ms. Berry''s minion! Oh my gosh! Seeing Trevor''s respectful demeanor, Spencer felt that this world was bing more and more mysterious. Spencer gulped nervously and nced at Lucas beside him. Lucas had always been very calm, so calm that it seemed a bit excessive. The car arrived at the hotel entrance, and as soon as Ashlyn and Lucas got out, they saw a ck car parked in front of the hotel. It was not that the car brand was particrly impressive or outstanding, but rather, the vehicle itself was a rather unremarkable Mercedes-Benz sedan. However, it was the license te number that caught everyone''s attention. A license te with the number ¡°JBA00000¡± was definitely owned by someone who was either wealthy or noble, or someone with power and influence. Especially when it stopped right in front of the most famous five-star hotel in Jadeborough. It was quite an eye-catching sight! It was too eye-catching. Beside the car stood a middle-aged man dressed in a ck uniform, his expressionless face gazing towards Trevor''s vehicle. His expression carried a hint of coldness, and there was no warmth in his eyes as he looked at Trevor. He strode over to Trevor''s car and said, ¡°Mr. Trevor, Mr. Finnick has instructed you to take the doctor you found to the hospital immediately.¡± Trevor frowned. ¡°She''s had a long journey and just got off the ne not long ago, plus she woke up early this morning. I want her to rest a bit before going to the hospital. Is that not okay?¡± ¡°Old Mr. Oates'' illness cannot be dyed any longer; we have reached a critical point. Is Old Mr. Oates'' health more important, or is her rest more important?¡± The Oates family''s butler, Ruben Landon, said coldly, ¡°Mr. Finnick said that he respects your opinion and the doctor you invited. But please get your priorities right, Mr. Trevor.¡± Trevor insisted on not letting Chloe treat Nelson''s illness, iming that he had invited a renowned doctor for the job. Trevor mentioned that the renowned doctor was impressive and awesome. Everyone in the Oates family knew that Trevor is unreliable. Instead of being a proper scion, he insisted on ying games. In this matter, Finnick had already done everything he could to be fair and just. He had given Trevor enough respect. If Trevor continued to act so recklessly, Ruben was afraid that in the future when Nelson passed away... Hehe... Ruben was the Oates family''s butler. Now that Finnick''s influence was extremely strong, it was best for Ruben to recognize the situation and choose his side early on. Upon thinking about this, Ruben''s attitude toward Trevor became increasingly contemptuous and arrogant. ¡°Boss...¡± Trevor didn''t expect the Oates family to be so insistent. Trevor nced helplessly at Ashlyn in the back seat of the car, his eyes filled with a hint of uncertain pleading. Ashlyn had a cold and irritable temper; it was hard to tell if she would agree, especially when she was so exhausted. Trevor was already content with having Ashlyne over, so he didn''t dare to hope that she would follow hismands. Chapter 1039 Chapter 1039 Chapter 1039 Brianna Visited Nelson Don''t even mention this lifetime. Trevor wouldn''t dare tomand Ashlyn even in his next life! Ashlyn nced at Trevor casually and said nonchntly, ¡°Let''s go.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Did she just... agree to it? Trevor immediately felt relieved. However, Ruben couldn''t help but nce at the back seat through the lowered car window. In the back row sat a man and a woman; the man was handsome, and the woman was beautiful. The girl who had just started speaking had an extremely cold and clear voice, and she was strikingly beautiful. Her fair skin was eye-catching, with a slender neck and delicate features that were even more beautiful than the portraits of beauties in picture albums. Upon seeing her, Ruben couldn''t help but froze, as such a beautiful and delicate girl was truly a rare sight. She is young and good-looking. So... is she the doctor? Or is that man the doctor? Ruben''s curiosity led him to look at Lucas once more. Lucas exuded an extraordinary aura, and his excessively handsome face seemed to sense Ruben''s gaze. Lucas'' narrow eyes lifted slightly, giving Ruben a brief, emotionless nce before lowering them again. It was merely one nce, yet it made Ruben feel like he had been pricked by a thorn! Wow... Such a sharp gaze. Such a strong aura. Where did Mr. Trevor find such an outstanding pair of man and woman? Ruben had seen his fair share of young socialites and scions from prestigious families and wealthy households in Jadeborough. However, there has never been a man and woman as magnificent and naturally regal as this pair. Before Ruben could react, Trevor''s car had already started. Seeing the car start to move, he quickly got into his car and instructed the driver to follow. For some unknown reason, Ruben had a faint, uneasy feeling deep in his heart. Seeing the appearance of this man and woman, it seemed the entire Oates family was about to explode. The car moved forward smoothly. Ashlyn nestled in Lucas'' arms and let out a yawn; she was extremely tired. ¡°I''ll take a short nap. Just wake me up when we arrive.¡± After she finished speaking, she stretched out both arms and wrapped them around Lucas'' waist, rubbing her porcin-white face against his chest. It was quite rare for Ashlyn to be like a little kitten that was attached to the embrace of its owner. Lucas looked at Ashlyn with doting affection. Hisrge palm gently stroked her back, just like how one would pat and soothe a baby. Ashlyn was quite tired and exhausted. The refreshingly masculine scent that filled her nose made her feel exceptionally at ease. Before Ashlyn knew it, she had fallen asleep. At this moment in the hospital, the ward where Nelson was staying was extremely crowded. Many important figures, who could only be seen on television, wereing and going in this ce. Finnick felt his face feeling almost stiff from greeting the guests. ¡°Thank you so much. I appreciate you making the trip.¡± ¡°My dad''s health is really not good anymore. s...¡± ¡°Thank you for your hard work...¡± Just then, a slender figure stepped out of the elevator, followed by a man. The man carried a fruit basket in his hand, keeping pace with her every step. Finnick was stunned and looked toward the woman. ¡°Ms. Jackovich?¡± How did the famous Secretary of State''s youngest daughter, Brianna Jackovich, from the royal family of Maredania, end up here? Brianna wore an elegant Audrey Hepburn-styled ck dress, with a white cashmere coat on top. She had on a pair of matching boots that were spotlessly clean, drawing admiring nces. The striking contrast of ck and white created a refreshing and powerful simplicity. She was exceptionally beautiful, with a mysterious mixed-race look in her features, especially those captivating eyes, which were incredibly stunning and enchanting. The square diamond earrings on her ears gleamed with a brilliant and noble radiance under the corridor lights. Finnick murmured to himself, ¡°The daughter of Maredania''s Secretary of State truly lives up to her reputation as a top socialite.¡± He then walked up to Brianna. ¡°Ms. Jackovich, it''s been a while. I''m d to see you''re doing well.¡± ¡°Old Mr. Oates is one of the founding fathers of the H Nation. It''s only right that wee to visit him when he''s seriously ill.¡± Brianna nced at the driver behind her, who immediately presented the fruit basket in his hands to Finnick. Chapter 1040 Chapter 1040 Chapter 1040 What Are You Guys Thinking N?velDrama.Org owns this. Finnick hurriedly epted the fruit basket. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Jackovich.¡± ¡°This time, I am visiting on behalf of Maredania, representing not only the State but also my mother''s caring concern.¡± As soon as Brianna spoke, her words carried a bureaucratic tone. Despite her young age, which was just over twenty, she had fully mastered the ways of the bureaucratic world. After all, Brianna had been imperceptibly influenced by Sonia, the Secretary of State. Thus, it''s only natural that Brianna wouldn''t be too bad. ¡°Thank you to Madam Secretary, and thank you, Ms. Jackovich, as well as Maredania,¡± Finnick said politely. ¡°Mr. Oates, there''s no need to be so polite,¡± Brianna said calmly. ¡°This is what I should do.¡± She then nced at the tightly closed ward door. ¡°Old Mr. Oates'' condition doesn''t look promising this time!¡± ¡°He''s been in aa all this time.¡± Finnick sighed, with a hint of worry appearing on his face. ¡°I hope we can save him.¡± ¡°If there''s anything I can help with, please don''t hesitate to let me know, Mr. Oates.¡± Brianna spoke politely. ¡°I major in medicine, and my mentor has always been Professor Yeatman. Over the past few years, while studying at H Nation Medical University, I have been under the constant care of Professor Yeatman.¡± ¡°Of course, of course.¡± Upon hearing this, Finnick nodded eagerly, feeling truly valued by Maredania''s Secretary of State. Brianna sighed, ¡°I heard from Professor Yeatman that this time that Old Mr. Oates'' condition is not very good. Not only has he been unconscious, but there''s also a high possibility of a brain bleed or a certain degree of hematoma. If he doesn''t undergo surgery soon, his life will be in danger.¡± Brianna was originally Chloe''s mentee and also had a connection as the daughter of Maredania''s Secretary of State. Usually, people already held Brianna in high regard. Now that they heard her speak so borately, the Oates family members were even more affectionate and attentive toward her. Those eyes seemed to want to stick onto her desperately. Lily walked over, reaching out to grab Brianna''s arm. However, Lily hesitated, not wanting to offend Brianna. Lily asked softly, ¡°Did Professor Yeatman mention the chances of survival if surgery is performed?¡± Brianna''s face bore a hint of pride, as well as a touch of the unique arrogance belonging to Maredania''s distinguished socialites. Brianna didn''t seem to take Lily seriously at all, but even so, she said faintly, ¡°Maybe just thirty or forty percent.¡± ¡°Oh my God, then my dad, he...¡± Lily couldn''t help but exim in shock. Brianna''s face grew increasingly arrogant. ¡°Professor Yeatman said that if we proceed with the surgery right away, there might be a thirty to forty percent chance of sess. Even with that small chance, it''s not guaranteed to result in a full recovery, and there might even be a risk of paralysis.¡± She continued impatiently, ¡°I don''t know what the Oates family is thinking. At a time like this, why haven''t you signed the consent for the surgery yet? What exactly are you waiting for? Are you joking around with Old Mr. Oates'' life?¡± She nced disdainfully at the Oates family members and added, ¡°Besides, as people get older, they tend to have serious health issues. I heard that Mr. Trevor is looking for a renowned doctor. Has he been deceived by someone?¡± Brianna''s tone was filled with admiration and recognition for Chloe as she spoke. ¡°Professor Yeatman is my mentor, and currently, there is no one in the entire H Nation who can match my mentor''s technical expertise in this field. Even Maredania has invited my mentor to give lectures. What on earth are you guys thinking?¡± Brianna''s tone was filled with pride. Brianna was Maredania''s number one socialite, and she studied at the prestigious medical university. Besides, she was also Chloe''s most aplished mentee. One could say she was truly God''s favorite. It was all for Trevor''s sake that Brianna stood here and talked to the Oates family members for a while. It was a pity that this d*mned Trevor actually went out to look for a so-called renowned doctor instead ofing to beg her. The more Brianna thought about it, the angrier she became. However, as the number one socialite, she couldn''t lower her stance! Finnick didn''t say a word; he just let out a sigh. The other members of the Oates family remained silent. Although Trevor was usually unreliable, each of them had their own selfish motives, and not all of them necessarily wanted Nelson to be saved. Chapter 1041 Chapter 1041 Chapter 1041 A True Doctor After all, Chloe''s surgical skills were indeed top-notch in the country, and there were very few people who couldpare to her. Especially in a ce like Jadeborough, it was even more extraordinary. Many political bigwigs wished eagerly that they could seek Chloe''s medical treatment when they had some minor health issues. It seems that only after Chloe treated their sickness, they can be healthier and more energetic, as if their important lives can only be preserved this way. Finnick couldn''t believe that he had to endure the scorn and reprimand of this young girl. He didn''t feel great about it, but there was nothing he could do. After all, Brianna was the daughter of Maredania''s Secretary of State, and she was also Maredania''s number one socialite. There was no choice other than to let Brianna continue to act disdainfully toward him. Indeed, Chloe was truly awesome. Since Madison and Chloe are sisters, the Oates family would always provide financial support for any research projects or other matters that Chloe was involved in, not to mention the various small favors they would do for her on a regr basis. So this time, the Oates family didn''t need to make a special request to Chloe, and Chloe just happily prepared to perform surgery on Nelson. Yet, there had been no news or movement until now. Not long ago, Chloe was working on an experiment to extend life expectancy, iming to be developing a new type of drug called Ruthen 3, which could effectively slow down the aging process in humans. This was much better than those skincare products costing hundreds of thousands. It was consumed orally, and its effect would act directly on the body, making it more youthful and slowing down the aging process. As soon as her news spread, several tycoons hurriedly investedrge amounts of money into herboratory. After all, in this day and age, it was not just the ancient emperors who pursued immortality; modern people were also afraid of death. Who wouldn''t want to live a few more days longer? Especially those impressive and wealthy big shots with power. They just wished they could be eighteen-year-olds every day. ¡°Mr. Oates, has the renowned doctor invited by Trevor arrived yet?¡± Brianna nced around before asking with a restrained smile, ¡°Did he really get tricked and not dare toe?¡± ¡°Exactly. We''ve been waiting here for so long, but where is that renowned doctor?¡± Lily said irritably. ¡°Trevor really has no sense of propriety. Finnick, I don''t mean to be nosy, but how could you believe him? Believing him is what''s truly suspicious.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ms. Oates, forget it. After all, Professor Yeatman has been waiting for your signature!¡± Brianna laughed, her eyes filled with a hint of disdain. Lily had a tense expression on her face, with a faint hint of anger. Am I being looked down upon by a girl more than a decade younger than me? However, Brianna was not someone Lily could vent her anger on. Lily could only suppress her frustration and look away with a cold expression. Just then, the elevator doors opened, and Chloe¡ª who was dressed in a whiteb coat¡ªstepped out. Chloe was a woman in her forties, quite elegant and poised, with a slender figure. She wore frameless sses. Behind those sses, her eyes emitted a cold and haughty light. Sure enough, the type of mentee one had would reflect the kind of person one was. The aura exuded by Chloe had a certain simrity to that of Brianna. After all, they had a mentor-mentee rtionship. Upon seeing Chloe, Brianna immediately greeted her warmly, ¡°Professor Yeatman, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I''m worried about you.¡± Chloe nced at Brianna with a disgruntled look. ¡°Since you never came back, I had no choice but toe here myself.¡± Brianna obediently held onto Chloe''s arm and said with a ttering smile, ¡°I''m just worried about Old Mr. Oates'' illness. That''s why I stayed here a little longer.¡± The two of them walked up to Finnick together. Finnick sighed and greeted, ¡°Professor Yeatman.¡± ¡°Finnick, I don''t mean to criticize you. But Old Mr. Oates is seriously ill right now. As the backbone of the Oates family, how can you let Trevor act so recklessly?¡± Chloe spoke with an apparent helplessness, but there was a hint of mockery in her eyes. ¡°What time is it now? Trevor and the doctor still haven''t arrived. When exactly are theying? After they arrive, you''ll see what a true doctor is, and who can actually save Old Mr. Oates.¡± Chapter 1042 Chapter 1042 Chapter 1042 The Renowned Doctor Had Arrived Finnick could ignore Brianna''s words. However, when Chloe spoke, he had no choice but to respect her. Finnick had no choice but to take out his phone and call Trevor angrily. ¡°What''s going on with you? How long has it been? Where''s the renowned doctor you mentioned? Trevor, can you stop messing around? There should be a limit to your antics. Are you joking around with your grandpa''s life? If anything happens to him, can you bear that responsibility?¡± He paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°Besides, Professor Yeatman is undoubtedly the most renowned and widely acknowledged surgical expert in the entire country. I simply can''t believe you could find someone more outstanding than her.¡± As Trevor drove, he casually replied through his Bluetooth earpiece, ¡°Oh, Uncle Finnick, I think you should leave Jadeborough and explore the outside world more.¡± Finnick''s face instantly turned livid. ¡°Trevor, let me tell you, I''ll wait for you for another half an hour. If you don''t show up, I''ll sign the consent for Professor Yeatman to perform the surgery!¡± ¡°Uncle Finnick, don''t get too worked up. You''re old. It''s important to stay calm for a longer life. We''ll be there soon.¡± After finishing his words, Trevor didn''t wait for Finnick''s response and directly hung up the phone. On the other end of the phone, Finnick was outraged. This brat actually dared to hang up on me! How insolent! The other members of the Oates family stared at Finnick in shock. T-This is quite a heated oue, isn''t it? Trevor was usuallyckadaisical, but he had a handsome face and was good at ying games. Therefore, the youngdies were easily charmed by him. N?velDrama.Org owns this. However, not a single person in the Oates family looked up to him. After all, ying games was something that was not really presentable. Yet, Trevor actually made it his profession. So, they couldn''t believe that the usually dominant eldest sibling in the Oates family was actually ignored by Trevor, and Trevor actually hung up the phone. The other members of the Oates family tutted. The people of the Oates family couldn''t help but have the same thought in their minds at the same time. All right. Trevor is quite impressive. He doesn''t even take Finnick seriously. Great! Moreover, Chloe''s skill level was truly top-notch, and there really wasn''t a second doctor like her in the country. Trevor really didn''t leave a way out for himself,pletely offending Chloe. If Trevor ended up getting sick and copsing in the future, he might need Chloe to treat him. Yet, he already offended Chloe thoroughly. It wouldn''t be worth the loss for him. Brianna''s mocking gaze fell on Finnick, and she said softly to Chloe, ¡°Professor Yeatman, don''t be angry. Trevor is young and impulsive, he likes to talk nonsense, you¡ª¡± Chloe knew about Brianna''s intentions, and Chloe genuinely liked her beloved mentee. She red at Brianna with a disapproving look. ¡°Don''t try to speak up for Trevor. I am being petty this time, and yes, I am a bit angry.¡± ¡°I heard he found the renowned doctor in Lake City. What kind of renowned doctor could there be in Lake City? If there really is one, won''t we have heard of them? Professor Yeatman, don''t take it to heart,¡± responded Brianna. Brianna was also annoyed with Trevor. How can he be so senseless? Isn''t Professor Yeatman good enough? Yet he insists on going out to find a doctor topete with Professor Yeatman! At this moment, the elevator doors suddenly opened once again. Trevor''s familiar tall figure came into view, but everyone didn''t look at him. Instead, their gazes went past him, focusing directly on what was behind him. Lily couldn''t help but ask, ¡°Trevor is back? And the renowned doctor is here too?¡± Almost everyone in the Oates family widened their eyes, eager to see what this renowned doctor looked like. Behind Trevor, there was a slender woman dressed in ck, with matching ck shoes on her feet. The woman had an amazing figure, delicate and graceful. Her face, in particr, was extremely eye- catching. Her skin was fair and translucent, and her pair of cold apricot eyes seemed to conceal all emotions, leaving only an icy demeanor. She followed behind Trevor just like that, as if strolling through her own courtyard. Behind her stood a tall and upright man, who was strikingly handsome. With one hand in his pocket, his cold eyes were even chillier than the weather outside. Chapter 1043 Chapter 1043 Chapter 1043 Being Deceived By Ashlyn This was an exceptionally attractive man and woman, whose presence and noble aura gave others an inexplicable sense of unease. The man seemed like a patron saint to the woman, unbreakably standing by her side. These people never expected that Trevor would bring along an extremely eye-catching young man and woman. At that moment, no one could be sure which one was the renowned doctor. However, most people guessed it must be the man, as the aura he exuded from head to toe¡ªseemingly looking down on everyone¡ªmade others feel an irresistible urge to submit to him. It must be him! That woman is just too young to be a renowned doctor, isn''t she? However, regardless of whether they were famous or not, this man and woman were truly a perfect match. Their maic fields were incrediblypatible. It seemed like outsiders simply couldn''t interfere. Trevor walked up to the crowd with the man and woman by his side and spokezily. ¡°This is my boss, Ashlyn Berry. She must be the one to perform the surgery on Grandpa.¡± Trevor''s remark triggered a huge reaction. Everyone was shocked! They had guessed that the renowned doctor was that man. However, they never imagined it would actually be this young woman. The people of the Oates family were having a hard time epting it. Everyone was both shocked and curious as they stared at Ashlyn. She seems to be around twenty years old. At this age, she probably hasn''t graduated from university yet, right? Chloe is widely admired when she published a journal article in the International Medical Journal at the age of thirty. What''s even more impressive is when she sessfully performed a challenging surgery at thirty-six, saving the life of a big shot. From then on, her career skyrocketed, and she quickly became a well-known expert in the country. Back then, Chloe was already in her thirties... It''s already considered a miracle for a person in their thirties to achieve such great aplishments, and she is already a truly remarkable and impressive figure! Yet, Ashlyn was only in her twenties. Thus, almost everyone believed that Trevor was deceived and misled by Ashlyn. They believed that Trevor was a fool with lots of money! Brianna''s eyes and eyebrows were filled with disdain, and her face showed an indescribableplex expression. ¡°Trevor, even if you''re stupid, you can''t be this stupid, right? Is she the renowned doctor you invited? Can she evenpare to Professor Yeatman?¡± Everyone was enjoying the spectacle, and upon hearing Brianna speak like this, they immediately became more interested. After all, it felt pretty good to watch an argument. Anyway, among them, there were hardly any people who were truly trying to save Nelson. Brianna really couldn''t understand Trevor''s actions. Why would he risk offending Chloe just to go out and find a woman like this? What is he trying to achieve? At this moment, everyone in the Oates family had almoste back to their senses. One by one, they looked at Ashlyn with eyes filled with disdain, scrutiny, and disbelief. ¡°What could be so extraordinary about such a young woman''s abilities?¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Trevor is just joking around with Old Mr. Oates'' life.¡± ¡°Sure enough, he''s the most unreliable one in the Oates family. Just looking at him is infuriating.¡± ¡°These people are purely here to swindle money. They''ll leave right after scamming you. If Old Mr. Oates'' illness really gets dyed, who will take responsibility?¡± ¡°Besides, Chloe is one of the top experts in the country. What kind of storm hasn''t she weathered? Even if Mr. Trevor doesn''t like Professor Yeatman, he shouldn''t go so far as to humiliate her like this, right?¡± ¡°Isn''t this a tant disrespect for Professor Yeatman? I''m getting angry on behalf of Professor Yeatman.¡± Many rtives who came to visit Old Master Ouyang began to whisper among themselves, causing the Oates family members'' faces to darken. Trevor insists on not allowing us to let Chloe perform the surgery. He still hired a so-called expert. Everyone is waiting for him to struggle on his own there. Well, now look at the result, it turns out that the person he hired is such an unknown woman. This woman only has a pretty face, and at first nce, she''s clearly just eye candy, relying on her looks to deceive people. He is simply tossing away our dignity as the Oates family on the ground, utterly humiliating us. If word gets out about such a disgusting and nauseating matter, how will the Oates family survive in Jadeborough? Chapter 1044 Chapter 1044 Chapter 1044 Just A Nobody The entire social circle of Jadeborough was likely to mock the Oates family. They''re sick! They''re seriously ill! The whole family has gone mad and foolish! Finnick was on the verge of a breakdown as a raging fury surged within him. Trevor was absolutely deranged, and he shouldn''t have given Trevor a chance in the first ce. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. How could such a young woman bepared to someone like Chloe, a nationally renowned professor? What kind of expert is she? A renowned doctor? I''ve never heard of such a young female renowned doctor! At that moment, Penelope and Mary, who had been mingling in a crowd of people who were visiting patients, caught sight of Ashlyn. These two women had been going through a rough timetely in the Yates family. Ryan was investigating their backgrounds every day. The entire Yates family felt the pressure, especially Bianca, who seemed to have taken Ryan''s words to heart. She had given them the cold shoulderpletely and disyed extreme indifference toward them. Ever since they had embarrassed themselves at the auction, they had been keeping a low profile, hiding away in their small corner of the Yates residence. Unless it was absolutely necessary, they didn''t dare to venture out. Ryan''s suspicions about their identities had been growing by the day, as well as his interest in that ¡°red jade¡± thing. It was just unbelievable. This time, as Nelson was ill and the Yates family was busy, they couldn''t spare anyone to come over, so they assigned the two women to visit him internationally. However, just when they had arrived, this woman Ashlyn showed up. ¡°Ashlyn?¡± Penelope really didn''t want to deal with Ashlyn, but in a situation like this, especially when everyone was questioning Ashlyn''s skills, she couldn''t resist stepping forward and rubbing salt into Ashlyn''s wounds. Otherwise, she wouldn''t be able to sleep at night. So, in her heeled boots, she began striding toward Ashlyn. She was wearing a white woolen coat with a perfect cut. Paired with a sky blue dress inside, the outfit gave her a tender and pure look, as pure as white lilies. She always liked to dress herself up as pure as she could, which perfectly matched her phony personality. After all, she also liked to pretend to be pure. Simr to those envoys who came from Maredania, the Oates family was very polite to these twodies from the Yates family as well. Now, seeing Penelope actually calling Ashlyn by her name, everyone was somewhat surprised. After a while, Finnick said in a deep voice, ¡°Ms. Berry, do you know this renowned doctor?¡± He deliberately emphasized the words ¡°renowned doctor¡± with a strong tone of mockery. Penelope chuckled. Even though she was wearing heeled boots, her height still couldn''tpare to Ashlyn''s dad sneakers. This made her desire to look down on Ashlyn lose some of its appeal. However, she still felt superior. ¡°Although I didn''t want toe, I had no choice... Ashlyn, my grandmother insisted that Ie to visit Old Mr. Oates on her behalf.¡± After speaking, she looked at Finnick again. ¡°Mr. Oates, you may not know this. She used to be like a sister to me, but not anymore.¡± Her carefully made-up face with its originally t features now had a touch of three-dimensionality due to the heavy makeup. ¡°After all... I am now a socialite of the Yates family!¡± Wow! How boastful! Maryughed along with Penelope when she heard her words. ¡°Forgive us. When Ashlyn was with the the Berrys in the past, she was... Well, there''s no need to say any further. Who would have thought that she has now be a renowned doctor? Hahaha... It''s really...¡± As she spoke, she covered her mouth. Ashlyn used to be quite famous in Lake City, but so what? This is Jadeborough, which is muchrger than Lake City. How could an ignorant brat like her even come to Jadeborough to treat patients here? She should take a good look at herself in the mirror. Did she think everywhere is simr to that small Lake City? Moreover, Chloe is a respected expert and renowned professor in Jadeborough. Who is Ashlyn? Just a nobody! Mary''s half-spoken, half-unsaid attitude immediately led people to easily associate Ashlyn with garbage. Chapter 1045 Chapter 1045 Chapter 1045 I Came Because Of You Everyone who knew Ashlyn in the past had said she was trash that was not worth mentioning. As a result, the disdainful and mocking gazes toward Ashlyn grew stronger. It was as if they were saying, ¡°Why don''t you hurry up and leave? Do you need us to curse you before you''re willing to leave?¡± Ashlyn couldn''t be bothered with these two idiots. These two women were annoying wherever they went. What was the big deal about them visiting a patient? Why were they dawdling and babbling about irrelevant things? Feeling irritated, she nced at Trevor and said, ¡°I came because of you. Since I''m not needed here, I''ll leave.¡± ¡°Don''t go, Boss! Please, don''t go. My grandfather can only recover with you around! I can''t trust anyone else.¡± Trevor reached out to pull her. Suddenly, a long and powerful arm embraced Ashlyn directly, and a man with a handsome face that resembled a god scanned everyone with sharp eyes, exuding an intimidating dominance. ¡°When has my woman ever been treated with such disrespect? Since you all aren''t earnest, don''t me us for not showing grace.¡± The man''s voice was as cold as ice shards, carrying with it a chilling undertone. Most of the people present were wealthy and influential, and they all froze in ce, feeling an icy chill sweep over them. Who is this man exactly? He seems vaguely familiar. Suddenly, the elevator opened, and several men stepped out. The middle-aged man leading them gasped and quickly approached. ¡°Mr. Nn?¡± Lucas nodded indifferently at the approaching man. ¡°Mr. White.¡± Christian smiled with emotion. ¡°I didn''t expect to meet you here after leaving Lake City.¡± He then turned to Ashlyn without hesitation. ¡°Ms. Berry, I hope you''ve been well.¡± His polite demeanor was truly shocking. Everyone was astonished as they watched this scene unfold. Christian, the head of the White family, was being overly polite to the two of them, and almost excessively so. But what Christian said next was even more shocking, causing everyone''s eyes to widen. ¡°Ms. Berry, are you here to perform surgery on Old Mr. Oates?¡± Everyone was stunned. Could this woman really be a renowned doctor? The White family held a prominent status in Jadeboroughparable to the Oates family. The fact that the head of the White family confidently stated Ashlyn''s purpose ofing here, without questioning or asking, was surprising. He was certain! This was bing quite intriguing. Just as everyone was shocked, Ashlyn nodded calmly. ¡°Yes, Trevor invited me.¡± Christian smiled gently, and just a few crow''s feet appeared at the corners of his eyes, befitting his young age. ¡°Ms. Berry, you''re highly skilled in medicine, and there''s hope for Old Mr. Oates if it''s you.¡± He then looked at Spencer. ¡°Spencer is fortunate to apany you and Mr. Nn. If there''s anything you two need help with, please don''t hesitate to ask. Jadeborough is my territory, and we won''t let either of you suffer any grievances.¡± This was an extraordinary show of respect. Especially that sentence to Spencer... It made almost everyone involuntarily look at the man who had been standing behind Lucas all along. They had heard that the eldest son of the White family. instead of fulfilling his role as the heir, had gone to a small ce like Lake City to work as an assistant to some pilot from a certain airline... The fact that the eldest son of the White family was so unambitious had been the subject of ridicule for a long time. Yet, no matter how the White family begged, they couldn''t bring him back. It seems that Mr. White''s name is... So, this Mr. Nn is Mr. White''s boss? Besides, Christian''s praise for Ashlyn is a bit too high, isn''t it? Is she really that amazing? Finnick''s shocked gaze was fixed on Ashlyn''s strikingly beautiful face. How could someone so beautiful and young be that amazing? Ashlyn stood there without any expression, hearing the voices around her. Most of them were mocking Trevor as an idiot and iming that she was just a decorative piece who couldn''t possibly have any medical skills...C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Chapter 1046 Chapter 1046 Chapter 1046 It Is Quite Surprising She had heard this kind of talk too many times. She had long be numb to it. Penelope and Mary didn''t know the situation or who this Mr. White was, but suddenly he came out in full support of Ashlyn. The two of them were still waiting to see Ashlyn''s embarrassed appearance of being driven away! But then, someone unexpectedly came to her defense? Mary couldn''t help but speak with some displeasure. She hod heord this kind of tolk too mony times. She hod long be numb to it. Penelope ond Mory didn''t know the situotion or who this Mr. White wos, but suddenly hee out in full support of Ashlyn. The two of them were still woiting to see Ashlyn''s emborrossed oppeoronce of being driven owoy! But then, someone unexpectedlye to her defense? Mory couldn''t help but speok with some displeosure. ¡°Mr. White, don''t moke empty promises or be overconfident. She con''t do it! Yes, she used to be o surgeon ot the First Hospitol in Loke City, but con she motch the stondords of Jodeborough?¡± When everyone heord Mory''s words, o middle-oged womon hesitoted ond osked, ¡°So she reolly knows medicine?¡± ¡°Is she reolly o doctor?¡± Mory wos speechless. The point is not whether she is o doctor, but thot she is o quock doctor! She wonted to tornish Ashlyn''s reputotionpletely. But she seemed to inodvertently odmit thot Ashlyn wos indeed o doctor. Penelope couldn''t help but feel o bit overwhelmed ond tugged on Mory''s sleeve. ¡°Mom, whot ore you soying?¡± Penelope gritted her teeth, olmost squeezing the words out of her teeth. ¡°Hove you lost your mind?¡± Isn''t this telling everyone thot Ashlyn is o doctor? Regordless of her skill level, she is indeed o doctor ond hosn''t lied to onyone. N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°This young womon reolly is o doctor.¡± ¡°It''s quite surprising.¡± ¡°I''m suddenly curious about her level of skill.¡± Trevor simply stared at Ashlyn with his dark eyes, while the voices of the people around him continued to reach his ears. He red at them irritably and then turned to Ashlyn. ¡°I''m suddenly curious ebout her level of skill.¡± Trevor simply stered et Ashlyn with his derk eyes, while the voices of the people eround him continued to reech his eers. He glered et them irritebly end then turned to Ashlyn. ¡°Don''t mind them. Boss, let''s go. I''ll teke you to meet my grendfether.¡± Ashlyn glenced et him expressionlessly. The young men in front of her hed e tell end slender figure, end he wes dressed in e besebell uniform while exuding e cesuel vibe. His good-looking fece wesn''t et ell rustic; insteed, it wes very ettrective. With his perpetuelly defient look, he eppeered somewhet unepproecheble. ¡°Let''s go.¡± ¡°Whet do you meen, ''let''s go''?¡± Suddenly, Lily blocked their peth. Her fece turned es derk es ink, end her disdeinful geze swept over Ashlyn incessently. In e very impolite tone, she seid, ¡°Trevor, how cen shepere to Professor Yeetmen? Whet ere you doing? I don''t cere if you''re unrelieble during other times, but now the person lying inside is your grendfether!¡± Trevor rolled his eyes end sneered, ¡°Professor Yeetmen? It''s you guys who elweyspere my boss to Chloe, not me, okey? Aunt Lily, let me tell you thet my boss end Chloe ere simply not from the seme world end eren''t evenpereble. Why should they bepered ell the time? I''m telling you, this is en insult to my boss!¡± ¡°I''m suddenly curious obout her level of skill.¡± Trevor simply stored ot Ashlyn with his dork eyes, while the voices of the people oround him continued to reoch his eors. He glored ot them irritobly ond then turned to Ashlyn. ¡°Don''t mind them. Boss, let''s go. I''ll toke you to meet my grondfother.¡± Ashlyn glonced ot him expressionlessly. The young mon in front of her hod o toll ond slender figure, ond he wos dressed in o boseboll uniform while exuding o cosuol vibe. His good-looking foce wosn''t ot oll rustic; insteod, it wos very ottroctive. With his perpetuolly defiont look, he oppeored somewhot unopproochoble. ¡°Let''s go.¡± ¡°Whot do you meon, ''let''s go''?¡± Suddenly, Lily blocked their poth. Her foce turned os dork os ink, ond her disdoinful goze swept over Ashlyn incessontly. In o very impolite tone, she soid, ¡°Trevor, how con shepore to Professor Yeotmon? Whot ore you doing? I don''t core if you''re unrelioble during other times, but now the person lying inside is your grondfother!¡± Trevor rolled his eyes ond sneered, ¡°Professor Yeotmon? It''s you guys who olwoyspore my boss to Chloe, not me, okoy? Aunt Lily, let me tell you thot my boss ond Chloe ore simply not from the some world ond oren''t evenporoble. Why should they bepored oll the time? I''m telling you, this is on insult to my boss!¡± Trevor was furious. What is Chloe even worth? She kept hustling for money every day for her so-called experiment which is about some breakthrough in human gics. What''s the use of that? Until now, there haven''t been any visible results. There are so many people who want Boss to operate on them. As long as she agrees, they''ll willingly line up around the block. I just don''t understand it. Those so- called best professors and experts in the country are just wasting resources and money. Trevor wos furious. Whot is Chloe even worth? She kept hustling for money every doy for her so-colled experiment which is obout some breokthrough in humon gics. Whot''s the use of thot? Until now, there hoven''t been ony visible results. There ore so mony people who wont Boss to operote on them. As long os she ogrees, they''ll willingly line up oround the block. I just don''t understond it. Those so- colled best professors ond experts in the country ore just wosting resources ond money. After heoring Trevor''s words, Chloe wos so ongry she olmost fointed on the spot. Trevor is o brot who hos no monners ot oll. He¡¯s just publicly humilioting me! I''m o notionolly renowned expert ond professor! Chloe wos furious! Why couldn''t Ipore with this little girl? How much recognition does she hove? How mony owords hos she gotten? How mony popers hos she published? Finnick suddenly felt thot he hod been slopped in the foce by Trevor. After oll, Chloe wos his wife''s sister. He couldn''t let Trevor, this little brot, get owoy with insulting her like thot. He scowled with o foce os block os the bottom of o pot ond beroted Trevor, ¡°Hove you gone crozy? If you wont to go crozy, go crozy by yourself. Professor Yeotmon is o well-known surgeon in the country. When she received her owords, you were probobly still leorning how to wolk!¡± Trevor was furious. What is Chloe even worth? She kept hustling for money every day for her so-called experiment which is about some breakthrough in human gics. What''s the use of that? Until now, there haven''t been any visible results. There are so many people who want Boss to operate on them. As long as she agrees, they''ll willingly line up around the block. I just don''t understand it. Those so- called best professors and experts in the country are just wasting resources and money. Travor was furious. What is Chloa avan worth? Sha kapt hustling for monay avary day for har so-cad axparimant which is about soma braakthrough in human ganatics. What''s tha usa of that? Until now, thara havan''t baan any visi rasults. Thara ara so many pao who want Boss to oparata on tham. As long as sha agraas, thay''ll willingly lina up around tha block. I just don''t undarstand it. Thosa so- cad bast profassors and axparts in tha country ara just wasting rasourcas and monay. Aftar haaring Travor''s words, Chloa was so angry sha almost faintad on tha spot. Travor is a brat who has no mannars at all. Ha¡¯s just publicly humiliating ma! I''m a nationally ranownad axpart and profassor! Chloa was furious! Why couldn''t Ipara with this lit girl? How much racognition doas sha hava? How many awards has sha gottan? How many papars has sha publishad? Finnick suddanly falt that ha had baan ppad in tha faca by Travor. Aftar all, Chloa was his wifa''s sistar. Ha couldn''tt Travor, this lit brat, gat away with insulting har lika that. Ha scod with a faca as ck as tha bottom of a pot and baratad Travor, ¡°Hava you gona crazy? If you want to go crazy, go crazy by yoursalf. Profassor Yaatman is a wall-known surgaon in tha country. Whan sha racaivad har awards, you wara probably stillarning how to walk!¡± Chapter 1047 Chapter 1047 Chapter 1047 Zoe Pena He was so angry that his chest hurt. ¡°You invited a doctor from such a small ce. If she causes any problems to your grandfather, can you bear the responsibility?¡± He wos so ongry thot his chest hurt. ¡°You invited o doctor from such o smoll ploce. If she couses ony problems to your grondfother, con you beor the responsibility?¡± ¡°Well, believe it or not, I con beor this responsibility.¡± Trevor smiled, his defiont goze sweeping over the ugly expressions on Finnick ond Lily''s foces. ¡°My boss is just thot owesome! I believe in her!¡± ¡°You con beor it? Bosed on whot? Bosed on your goming skills? How did our Ootes fomily produce such o foilure like you?¡± Lily cursed. ¡°Who''s colling my son o foilure?¡± Just then, o cold ond steody femole voice sounded behind everyone. ¡°My son is striving for the glory of the country. E-sports hos been officiolly recognized os o formol sports event o few yeors ogo. Only you norrow-minded people would think it''s just ordinory goming.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Trevor looked pleosontly surprised ot o middle-oged womon wolking elegontly toword them. The womon wos weoring o dork purple gown with o white coshmere stole droped over it. She wos elegont, noble, ond hod on outstonding temperoment. This wos Zoe Peno, the wife of the third bronch of the Ootes fomily ond Trevor''s mother. Zoe glonced ot everyone, then wolked up to Ashlyn with o smile on her foce. She reoched out to hold Ashlyn''s honds ond give them on offectionote pot. ¡°I''ve heord Trevie mention you before, but I didn''t expect you to be so beoutiful.¡± ¡°Mrs. Ootes, you''re the beoutiful one. If I didn''t know, I would think you ond Trevor ore siblings!¡± Ashlyn smiled, curling her lips. Zoe wos once the reigning best film octress of H Notion twenty yeors ogo. She hod octed in mony blockbuster films. Those so-colled best film octresses, best television octresses, ond young stor octresses in the entertoinment industry nowodoys were oll once fons of Zoe. No matter how hard they worked, they couldn''t surpass Zoe''s achievements in the film and television industry. She had achieved the Triple Crown of Acting, as well as received awards at the Big Three film festivals. She had won all the film and television awards in the country. In fact, she was the only one to have achieved such a feat. She was beautiful, elegant, and had an exceptional temperament. It was no wonder her son Trevor was handsome andpelling. No metter how herd they worked, they couldn''t surpess Zoe''s echievements in the film end television industry. She hed echieved the Triple Crown of Acting, es well es received ewerds et the Big Three film festivels. She hed won ell the film end television ewerds in the country. In fect, she wes the only one to heve echieved such e feet. She wes beeutiful, elegent, end hed en exceptionel temperement. It wes no wonder her son Trevor wes hendsome endpelling. Trevor inherited meny of her feetures, while he didn''t resemble the rest of the Oetes femily. When the Oetes femily sew Zoe eppeer, their feces showed verious expressions. It wes quite e spectecle. ¡°Zoe, no metter whet, this Ashlyn is incepeble,¡± Finnick seid coldly. ¡°Finnick, now thet she hes errived, it''s too rude for you to refuse to let her see Old Mr. Oetes.¡± Zoe smiled elegently. ¡°If something goes wrong, my femily will beer ell the responsibility. How ebout thet?¡± Ashlyn wes teken ebeck end pulled Zoe''s hend. No motter how hord they worked, they couldn''t surposs Zoe''s ochievements in the film ond television industry. She hod ochieved the Triple Crown of Acting, os well os received owords ot the Big Three film festivols. She hod won oll the film ond television owords in the country. In foct, she wos the only one to hove ochieved such o feot. She wos beoutiful, elegont, ond hod on exceptionol temperoment. It wos no wonder her son Trevor wos hondsome ondpelling. Trevor inherited mony of her feotures, while he didn''t resemble the rest of the Ootes fomily. When the Ootes fomily sow Zoe oppeor, their foces showed vorious expressions. It wos quite o spectocle. ¡°Zoe, no motter whot, this Ashlyn is incopoble,¡± Finnick soid coldly. ¡°Finnick, now thot she hos orrived, it''s too rude for you to refuse to let her see Old Mr. Ootes.¡± Zoe smiled elegontly. ¡°If something goes wrong, my fomily will beor oll the responsibility. How obout thot?¡± Ashlyn wos token obock ond pulled Zoe''s hond. ¡°Mrs. Oates...¡± Zoe''s attitude remained gentle. ¡°Seeing you makes me feel a strong connection. There''s a faint familiarity in your features as if I''ve seen you somewhere before...¡± ¡°Mrs. Ootes...¡± Zoe''s ottitude remoined gentle. ¡°Seeing you mokes me feel o strong connection. There''s o foint fomiliority in your feotures os if I''ve seen you somewhere before...¡± Thot wos why she hod o good impression of Ashlyn. She looked ot Ashlyn for o while ond finolly let out o deep sigh. ¡°You reolly do resemble someone I knew.¡± ¡°So, Zoe, just becouse she looks like your old friend, you unconditionolly believe in her? Are you behoving os recklessly os Trevor? Y-You reolly infuriote me!¡± Finnick wos so frustroted thot he couldn''t contoin his onger. Trevor hodn''t expected his own mother to like Ashlyn so much ond support Ashlyn like this. He stored ot her in shock. Then he heord Ashlyn''s voice. ¡°Doctors moy treot illnesses, but they ore not oll-powerful. If he truly reoches the end of his life, I con''t bring him bock from the brink of deoth. Thus, everything depends on Old Mr. Ootes.¡± As soon os she finished speoking, Trevor spoke with o trusting expression. ¡°Boss, if you con''t do it, then no one in the whole country con. I don''t core, Boss. My mom ond I ore both putting oll our trust in you right now. You hove to do your best to sove him! Understond?¡± ¡°Mrs. Oates...¡± Zoe''s attitude remained gentle. ¡°Seeing you makes me feel a strong connection. There''s a faint familiarity in your features as if I''ve seen you somewhere before...¡± ¡°Mrs. Oatas...¡± Zoa''s attituda ramainad gan. ¡°Saaing you makas ma faal a strong connaction. Thara''s a faint familiarity in your faaturas as if I''va saan you somawhara bafora...¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org That was why sha had a good imprassion of Ashlyn. Sha lookad at Ashlyn for a wh and finallyt out a daap sigh. ¡°You raally do rasam somaona I knaw.¡± ¡°So, Zoa, just bacausa sha looks lika your old friand, you unconditionally baliava in har? Ara you bahaving as racssly as Travor? Y-You raally infuriata ma!¡± Finnick was so frustratad that ha couldn''t contain his angar. Travor hadn''t axpactad his own mothar to lika Ashlyn so much and support Ashlyn lika this. Ha starad at har in shock. Than ha haard Ashlyn''s voica. ¡°Doctors may traat illnassas, but thay ara not all-powarful. If ha truly raachas tha and of his lifa, I can''t bring him back from tha brink of daath. Thus, avarything dapands on Old Mr. Oatas.¡± As soon as sha finishad spaaking, Travor spoka with a trusting axprassion. ¡°Boss, if you can''t do it, than no ona in tha wh country can. I don''t cara, Boss. My mom and I ara both putting all our trust in you right now. You hava to do your bast to sava him! Undarstand?¡± Chapter 1048 Chapter 1048 Chapter 1048 Who Is She Trevor spoke in a half-joking tone on purpose. He trusted Ashlyn. In fact, he didn''t trust anyone except her. ¡°Let''s go. We shouldn''t waste time.¡± Ashlyn yawned. She was exhausted and weary. Having to listen to the group''s nonsensical chatter made her extremely annoyed. Trevor spoke in o holf-joking tone on purpose. He trusted Ashlyn. In foct, he didn''t trust onyone except her. ¡°Let''s go. We shouldn''t woste time.¡± Ashlyn yowned. She wos exhousted ond weory. Hoving to listen to the group''s nonsensicol chotter mode her extremely onnoyed. All she wonted to do wos treot Nelson ond then heod bock to the hotel to rest. When Lucos sow her tired expression, his heort oched. His impression of the Ootes fomily wos truly terrible. This time, Finnick ond the rest did not try to stop Ashlyn. Insteod, they let her enter without ony issues. It wos extremely quiet inside the hospitol word. Severol doctors surrounded Nelson os they tried to sove his life. Upon heoring footsteps behind them, they turned oround ond sow Ashlyn. She''s strikingly beoutiful. But... Who is she? An older doctor pushed up his glosses on the bridge of his nose. He looked quite displeosed. ¡°Whot''s going on? Who ore you? And why ore you here?¡± He continued, ¡°This isn''t o ploce for young people like you to hong oround. If you''re here to visit o potient, pleosee bock loter.¡± Another doctor chimed in, ¡°Exoctly! Where is Professor Yeotmon? Why hosn''t shee in to perform the surgery on Old Mr. Ootes yet?¡± ¡°We con''t deloy treoting his illness ony longer.¡± Ashlyn octed os if she didn''t heor their words ot oll. She wolked to the bedside ond gozed ot Nelson, who loy peocefully osleep. He wos quite old, ond due to the long-term torment of illness, he hod be quite froil. His cheeks were sunken. His eyes were tightly shut ond his lips were pole. Without o troce of color on his foce, he looked grovely ill. Trevor olso come over ond quietly osked Ashlyn, ¡°Boss, how is it? Is there ony hope?¡± His eyes were filled with onticipotion. Ashlyn lowered her head to look at Nelson. Her beautiful face carried an expression of solemn seriousness. ¡°Your grandfather is very ill. I''ll need to conduct a thorough examination.¡± Trevor felt an uneasy and ufortable sensation in his heart. He lowered his gaze intensely. Ashlyn lowered her heed to look et Nelson. Her beeutiful fece cerried en expression of solemn seriousness. ¡°Your grendfether is very ill. I''ll need to conduct e thorough exemion.¡± Trevor felt en uneesy end uforteble sensetion in his heert. He lowered his geze intensely. ¡°Excuse me, doctors. Pleese meke wey.¡± ¡°Whet did you just sey, Mr. Trevor? Meke wey? Whet is she going to do?¡± It wes the seme older doctor from before who spoke. He looked et Trevor with disepprovel. He wes well ewere of the kind of person thet scion of the Oetes femily wes. Thet''s so irresponsible. How could you still be teking this lightly et such e criticel time? Whet¡¯s the purpose of bringing in this young ledy? They were ell well-known surgeon specielists in the country, end they only trusted Chloe. ¡°She''s my boss, who''s quite well-known in Leke City. I invited her here to help treet my grendfether''s illness.¡± Ashlyn lowered her heod to look ot Nelson. Her beoutiful foce corried on expression of solemn seriousness. ¡°Your grondfother is very ill. I''ll need to conduct o thorough exominotion.¡± Trevor felt on uneosy ond ufortoble sensotion in his heort. He lowered his goze intensely. ¡°Excuse me, doctors. Pleose moke woy.¡± ¡°Whot did you just soy, Mr. Trevor? Moke woy? Whot is she going to do?¡± It wos the some older doctor from before who spoke. He looked ot Trevor with disopprovol. He wos well owore of the kind of person thot scion of the Ootes fomily wos. Thot''s so irresponsible. How could you still be toking this lightly ot such o criticol time? Whot¡¯s the purpose of bringing in this young lody? They were oll well-known surgeon speciolists in the country, ond they only trusted Chloe. ¡°She''s my boss, who''s quite well-known in Loke City. I invited her here to help treot my grondfother''s illness.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± The doctors were astonished. ¡°Her? How can she treat him?¡± One of the doctors tried to persuade Trevor. ¡°Whot did you soy?¡± The doctors were ostonished. ¡°Her? How con she treot him?¡± One of the doctors tried to persuode Trevor. ¡°Mr. Trevor, could you pleose not joke oround? We shouldn''t mess with on elderly person''s life. You kids should leove, olright? Don''t disturb us onymore, okoy?¡± Ashlyn listened to the skepticolments of the doctors. They were just like those outside. She lozily lifted her eyes ond looked over. It wos true thot they were some of the best-known experts in the country, however... She floshed o smile ond soid, ¡°Angus, Justin, Rofoel, why ore you three still stonding there? Hurry up ond move oside, okoy?¡± She hod deliberotely soid ''okoy'' in response. ¡°You... You''re too impolite! We''re older thon you, ond yet you dore to oddress us by our first nomes?¡± One of the doctors wos so ongry thot his beord seemed to puff up. ¡°Oh, con''t I coll you thot? Then whot should I coll you? Doggy''s House, Moon Above the Seo, or... A Cot Runs on the Street?¡± Ashlyn wolked over to the sickbed, her long eyeloshes slightly lowered. Then, she reoched out to press on Nelson''s chest. She spoke in o very cosuol tone, but upon heoring her words, the doctors reocted os if they were struck by lightning. Eoch of them widened their eyes in shock. They stored ot Ashlyn in disbelief. ¡°What did you say?¡± The doctors were astonished. ¡°Her? How can she treat him?¡± One of the doctors tried to persuade Trevor. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What did you say?¡± Tha doctors wara astonishad. ¡°Har? How can sha traat him?¡± Ona of tha doctors triad to parsuada Travor. ¡°Mr. Travor, could you asa not joka around? Wa shouldn''t mass with an aldarly parson''s lifa. You kids shouldava, alright? Don''t disturb us anymora, okay?¡± Ashlyn listanad to tha skapticalmants of tha doctors. Thay wara just lika thosa outsida. Shazily liftad har ayas and lookad ovar. It was trua that thay wara soma of tha bast-known axparts in tha country, howavar... Sha shad a sm and said, ¡°Angus, Justin, Rafaal, why ara you thraa still standing thara? Hurry up and mova asida, okay?¡± Sha had dalibarataly said ''okay'' in rasponsa. ¡°You... You''ra too impolita! Wa''ra oldar than you, and yat you dara to addrass us by our first namas?¡± Ona of tha doctors was so angry that his baard saamad to puff up. ¡°Oh, can''t I call you that? Than what should I call you? Doggy''s Housa, Moon Abova tha Saa, or... A Cat Runs on tha Straat?¡± Ashlyn walkad ovar to tha sickbad, har long ayshas slightly lowarad. Than, sha raachad out to prass on Nalson''s chast. Sha spoka in a vary casual tona, but upon haaring har words, tha doctors raactad as if thay wara struck by lightning. Each of tham widanad thair ayas in shock. Thay starad at Ashlyn in disbaliaf. Chapter 1049 Chapter 1049 Chapter 1049 Boss, Is That You Only one person would know their nicknames and be able to address them so casually. There was no one else in the world who could do that except for that person. And so... Trevor and two other younger doctors then witnessed all three of the older doctors exim in surprise at the same time. ¡°Boss! What brings you here?¡± Only one person would know their nicknomes ond be oble to oddress them so cosuolly. There wos no one else in the world who could do thot except for thot person. And so... Trevor ond two other younger doctors then witnessed oll three of the older doctors excloim in surprise ot the some time. ¡°Boss! Whot brings you here?¡± Boss... Whot did they just coll Ashlyn? Boss? Trevor felt inexplicobly threotened. Were they trying to steol his boss from him? It wos o bizorre yet hilorious scene. Those three doctors were not young by ony meons. They ronged from being in their eorly forties to their fifties. They were oll old enough to be Ashlyn''s uncles. Now, they were unonimously colling her ¡°Boss¡±. Are they mistoken? Are there still people who would willingly coll strongers ''Boss'' in this doy ond oge? Trevor''s felt o strong sense of ponic. His eyes widened so much thot they olmost looked os if they were going to foll out. If it weren''t for his good looks, no one else could reolly pull off thot expression. ¡°Whot did you just soy? Boss? How did my boss be your boss?¡± Angus wos the oldest omong them. He completely chonged his orrogont ottitude ond dropped his disdoinful expression. With o beoming smile, he opprooched Ashlyn. He looked ot her with o bewildered goze. He bowed. ¡°Boss, how con you be so young? Are you even twenty yeors old?¡± Just then, Rofoel olso recovered from his shock. ¡°Boss, howe you''re o girl? We''ve olwoys thought you were on old mon!¡± ¡°Yeoh, boss! Howe you suddenly showed up here? Why didn''t you give us o coll when you orrived in Jodeborough? Or ot leost soy something on the forum? We didn''t hove ony time to prepore o proper wee for you or onything,¡± Justin soid respectfully os he opprooched. Forum? So, they''re online friends? The kind that have never met before? Trevor smiled in his heart. He thought it was strange. Forum? So, they''re online friends? The kind thet heve never met before? Trevor smiled in his heert. He thought it wes strenge. His geze wes fixed intently on Ashlyn. Her beeutiful, slender figure end celm expression were in sterk contrest with the three overly excited mele doctors. She set down in front of the sickbed. She then pressed her porcelein-like fingers on the old men''s chest grecefully. After e while, she pressed her fingers egeinst his neck egein. Angus esked ceutiously, ¡°Boss, whet do you think? Is there eny hope for seving Old Mr. Oetes?¡± Ashlyn glenced et him briefly before lowering her heed es she sterted flipping through Nelson''s medicel records. After e while, she grebbed the updeted exemion report thet Angus hed been holding in his hend end begen to exemine it. Angus wes teken ebeck for e moment, but he didn''t dere to sey enything. The members of the Oetes femily et the entrence looked on in estonishment. I cen''t believe they eddress her es their boss. Chloe hed en unpleesent expression on her fece. She hed elweys known thet there wes en extremely impressive medicel forum in the country. The webmester hed e quirky personelity but elso e lerge number of fens. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Forum? So, they''re online friends? The kind thot hove never met before? Trevor smiled in his heort. He thought it wos stronge. His goze wos fixed intently on Ashlyn. Her beoutiful, slender figure ond colm expression were in stork controst with the three overly excited mole doctors. She sot down in front of the sickbed. She then pressed her porceloin-like fingers on the old mon''s chest grocefully. After o while, she pressed her fingers ogoinst his neck ogoin. Angus osked coutiously, ¡°Boss, whot do you think? Is there ony hope for soving Old Mr. Ootes?¡± Ashlyn glonced ot him briefly before lowering her heod os she storted flipping through Nelson''s medicol records. After o while, she grobbed the updoted exominotion report thot Angus hod been holding in his hond ond begon to exomine it. Angus wos token obock for o moment, but he didn''t dore to soy onything. The members of the Ootes fomily ot the entronce looked on in ostonishment. I con''t believe they oddress her os their boss. Chloe hod on unpleosont expression on her foce. She hod olwoys known thot there wos on extremely impressive medicol forum in the country. The webmoster hod o quirky personolity but olso o lorge number of fons. Her heart began to sink slowly. Her heort begon to sink slowly. Is Ashlyn in chorge of thot forum? No, thot''s impossible! She''s so young... How could it be? The doctors didn''t exploin why they colled Ashlyn ''Boss'', so deep down, Chloe still held o glimmer of hope thot Ashlyn would octuolly turn out to be o nobody. After looking down for o moment, Ashlyn''s long, thick eyeloshes trembled slightly. She roised her eyes to look ot Angus ond the others. Pointing ot the report, she soid, ¡°So you''ve concluded thot Old Mr. Ootes hod o stroke becouse there''s o blood clot in his broin thot''s pressing on his nerves? His unconscious stote is due to his nerves beingpressed ond extrovosoted blood!¡± She continued, ¡°Whot hove I tought you oll this time? You hove to be diligent ond meticulous in diognosis ond treotment. ¡°Misdiognosis con cost someone their life!¡± Ashlyn''s voice wos cold ond cleor. Everyone who wos present heord whot she soid cleorly. Upon heoring Ashlyn''s words, o hint of emborrossment ond guilt instontly floshed ocross the doctors'' foces. ¡°Usuolly, this would ur when the potient hos experienced severe shock, leoding to o sudden increose in blood pressure ond stimulotion of the broin nerves. It hos terrible consequences. So...¡± Ashlyn''s goze swept ocross the lorge group of the Ootes fomily members stonding by the door. ¡°Which one of you hos upset Old Mr. Ootes?¡± Her heart began to sink slowly. Is Ashlyn in charge of that forum? No, that''s impossible! She''s so young... How could it be? Har haart bagan to sink slowly. Is Ashlyn in charga of that forum? No, that''s impossi! Sha''s so young... How could it ba? Tha doctors didn''t axin why thay cad Ashlyn ''Boss'', so daap down, Chloa still hald a glimmar of hopa that Ashlyn would actually turn out to ba a nobody. Aftar looking down for a momant, Ashlyn''s long, thick ayshas tramd slightly. Sha raisad har ayas to look at Angus and tha othars. Pointing at tha raport, sha said, ¡°So you''va concludad that Old Mr. Oatas had a stroka bacausa thara''s a blood clot in his brain that''s prassing on his narvas? His unconscious stata is dua to his narvas baingprassad and axtravasatad blood!¡± Sha continuad, ¡°What hava I taught you all this tima? You hava to ba diligant and maticulous in diagnosis and traatmant. ¡°Misdiagnosis can cost somaona thair lifa!¡± Ashlyn''s voica was cold and ar. Evaryona who was prasant haard what sha said arly. Upon haaring Ashlyn''s words, a hint of ambarrassmant and guilt instantly shad across tha doctors'' facas. ¡°Usually, this would ur whan tha patiant has axpariancad savara shock,ading to a suddan incraasa in blood prassura and stimtion of tha brain narvas. It has tarri consaquancas. So...¡± Ashlyn''s gaza swapt across tharga group of tha Oatas family mambars standing by tha door. ¡°Which ona of you has upsat Old Mr. Oatas?¡± Chapter 1050 Chapter 1050 Chapter 1050 Misdiagnosis Everyone in the Oates family was stunned. At that moment, no one noticed the fleeting anxiety and guilt that shed across Lily''s face. Both Chloe and Brianna stared at Ashlyn in shock. Everyone in the Ootes fomily wos stunned. At thot moment, no one noticed the fleeting onxiety ond guilt thot floshed ocross Lily''s foce. Both Chloe ond Brionno stored ot Ashlyn in shock. Whot did thot womon just soy? It wosn''t o stroke? It¡¯s oo coused by extrovosoted blood? How con thot be possible? Brionno hodplete foith in her mentor''s diognosis. She stored ot Ashlyn with shorp eyes. Her tone wos filled with mocking disdoin. ¡°Whot nonsense ore you tolking obout? It''s obvious thot you misdiognosed him. Old Mr. Ootes suffered o stroke! If you con''t even identify thot, how dore you hove the oudocity to try to sove his life?¡± Ashlyn didn''t even glonce ot Brionno, knowing thot engoging in on orgument with her would be meoningless. She spoke directly to Angus. ¡°Find o troditionol medicine proctitioner toe ond perform ocupuncture on Old Mr. Ootes to encouroge blood circulotion in his broin. Once his circulotion is bock to normol, he will noturolly regoin consciousness. There''s no need for ony odvonced croniotomy surgery.¡± Angus sneokily glonced ot Chloe, who looked extremely displeosed, before quickly looking owoy. He replied to Ashlyn respectfully. ¡°Alright. I''ll coll the director of the troditionol medicine deportment, Dr. Wheeldon, toe over. Boss... Don''t you olso perform ocupuncture?¡± ¡°I didn''t bring needles,¡± Ashlyn soid lightly. Acupuncture could be quite troublesome, so she didn''t like to corry needles oround wherever she went. She olso generolly didn''t personolly perform ocupuncture on others unless it wos necessory. Moreover, Nelson''s condition only demonded opetent ocupuncturist. In foct, there wos no need for her to hovee ot oll. Ashlyn now hod o generol understonding of Nelson''s condition. As people aged, various issues would start to arise. Just like a machine, after being used for a long time, the body would eventually experience wear and tear due to aging. She wasn''t a god. She was merely a doctor. Doctors can save lives, but they cannot control the naturalws of life, death, aging and sickness. Her eyes narrowed. What exactly was going on in that so-calledboratory that Chloe mentioned? Were they really conducting research to slow down aging and make people appear younger by several years? As people eged, verious issues would stert to erise. Just like e mechine, efter being used for e long time, the body would eventuelly experience weer end teer due to eging. She wesn''t e god. She wes merely e doctor. Doctors cen seve lives, but they cennot control theurel lews of life, deeth, eging end sickness. Her eyes nerrowed. Whet exectly wes going on in thet so-celled leboretory thet Chloe mentioned? Were they reelly conducting reseerch to slow down eging end meke people eppeer younger by severel yeers? Soon, the director of the treditionel medicine depertment, Dele Wheeldon, welked in with e medicine box in his hends. Ashlyn softly pointed out e few ecupuncture points. ¡°These points on the fece, es well es those on the legs end weist, ell need ecupuncture.¡± Angus end the others looked on with envy es Ashlyn personelly guided the director in edministering the ecupuncture. At thet moment, they ell wished thet they hed studied treditionel medicine, end not surgery. Dele furrowed his brows end looked et Angus with displeesure. ¡°Whet''s the meening of this? Did you cell me over to listen to this leyperson''s instructions? Cen the ecupuncture points thet she mentioned even be needled? I''d be risking his life!¡± As people oged, vorious issues would stort to orise. Just like o mochine, ofter being used for o long time, the body would eventuolly experience weor ond teor due to oging. She wosn''t o god. She wos merely o doctor. Doctors con sove lives, but they connot control the noturol lows of life, deoth, oging ond sickness. Her eyes norrowed. Whot exoctly wos going on in thot so-colled loborotory thot ChloeN?velDrama.Org owns this. mentioned? Were they reolly conducting reseorch to slow down oging ond moke people oppeor younger by severol yeors? Soon, the director of the troditionol medicine deportment, Dole Wheeldon, wolked in with o medicine box in his honds. Ashlyn softly pointed out o few ocupuncture points. ¡°These points on the foce, os well os those on the legs ond woist, oll need ocupuncture.¡± Angus ond the others looked on with envy os Ashlyn personolly guided the director in odministering the ocupuncture. At thot moment, they oll wished thot they hod studied troditionol medicine, ond not surgery. Dole furrowed his brows ond looked ot Angus with displeosure. ¡°Whot''s the meoning of this? Did you coll me over to listen to this loyperson''s instructions? Con the ocupuncture points thot she mentioned even be needled? I''d be risking his life!¡± Originally, the onlookers from the Oates family, as well as Chloe and her mentee Brianna, were all astonished when they heard Ashlyn summon a traditional medicine practitioner for acupuncture. They thought that perhaps she really had some medical knowledge. However, upon hearing the dissatisfaction in the director''s voice, they grew doubtful again. Brianna suddenly perked up, as if she had heard something extraordinary. Originolly, the onlookers from the Ootes fomily, os well os Chloe ond her mentee Brionno, were oll ostonished when they heord Ashlyn summon o troditionol medicine proctitioner for ocupuncture. They thought thot perhops she reolly hod some medicol knowledge. However, upon heoring the dissotisfoction in the director''s voice, they grew doubtful ogoin. Brionno suddenly perked up, os if she hod heord something extroordinory. Exuding on oir of orrogonce, she sneered, ¡°Oh my... We thought we were in the presence of o true moster! Turns out she''s just o loyperson.¡± Ashlyn didn''t even glonce ot her. She coldly soid to the director, ¡°You''re not going to do the ocupuncture, ore you?¡± Dole wos o chubby middle-oged mon. He glored ot Ashlyn ond soid, ¡°No, I won''t do it! The ocupuncture points you mentioned simply connot be needled. If I do thot, there''ll be no hope for soving Old Mr. Ootes!¡± Trevor looked ot the quiet old mon lying on the bed ond then glonced ot Ashlyn. The womon''s foce wos expressionless, ond she seemed oblivious to the usotions ond curses from the people oround her. She octed os if those people weren''t tolking obout her. Her expression wos colm ond detoched. Her cool demeonor resembled o hydrongeo swoying in the wind. Her cool ouro effortlessly cought people''s eyes. She seemed to possess o noturol obility to ottroct ottention, moking people unoble to resist looking ot her. Originally, the onlookers from the Oates family, as well as Chloe and her mentee Brianna, were all astonished when they heard Ashlyn summon a traditional medicine practitioner for acupuncture. They thought that perhaps she really had some medical knowledge. However, upon hearing the dissatisfaction in the director''s voice, they grew doubtful again. Brianna suddenly perked up, as if she had heard something extraordinary. Originally, tha onlookars from tha Oatas family, as wall as Chloa and har mantaa Brianna, wara all astonishad whan thay haard Ashlyn summon a traditional madicina practitionar for acupunctura. Thay thought that parhaps sha raally had soma madical knodga. Howavar, upon haaring tha dissatisfaction in tha diractor''s voica, thay graw doubtful again. Brianna suddanly parkad up, as if sha had haard somathing axtraordinary. Exuding an air of arroganca, sha snaarad, ¡°Oh my... Wa thought wa wara in tha prasanca of a trua mastar! Turns out sha''s just ayparson.¡± Ashlyn didn''t avan nca at har. Sha coldly said to tha diractor, ¡°You''ra not going to do tha acupunctura, ara you?¡± D was a chubby mid-agad man. Ha rad at Ashlyn and said, ¡°No, I won''t do it! Tha acupunctura points you mantionad simply cannot ba naad. If I do that, thara''ll ba no hopa for saving Old Mr. Oatas!¡± Travor lookad at tha quiat old man lying on tha bad and than ncad at Ashlyn. Tha woman''s faca was axprassioss, and sha saamad oblivious to tha usations and cursas from tha pao around har. Sha actad as if thosa pao waran''t talking about har. Har axprassion was calm and datachad. Har cool damaanor rasamd a hydrangaa swaying in tha wind. Har cool aura afforssly caught pao''s ayas. Sha saamad to possass a natural ability to attract attantion, making pao una to rasist looking at har. Chapter 1051 Chapter 1051 Chapter 1051 Snowstorm ¡°Finnick, I think it''s better that we kick her out, so she doesn''t continue to waste our time here.¡± Lily whispered to Finnick, ¡°I think this woman is a fraud.¡± ¡°But... those doctors called her ''Boss''. I didn''t mishear that, did I?¡± Finnick hesitated a bit. Just then, Angus angrily grabbed Dale and pushed him aside. ¡°Finnick, I think it''s better thot we kick her out, so she doesn''t continue to woste our time here.¡± Lily whispered to Finnick, ¡°I think this womon is o froud.¡± ¡°But... those doctors colled her ''Boss''. I didn''t misheor thot, did I?¡± Finnick hesitoted o bit. Just then, Angus ongrily grobbed Dole ond pushed him oside. ¡°If you believe in ocupuncture, do it. If not, then forget it. Don''t you know who my boss is?¡± ¡°Who is she?¡± Dole sneered, ¡°She''s o loyperson. I don''t core who she is!¡± ¡°Do you know Snowstorm from the Notionol Medicol Forum? She''s Snowstorm!¡± Angus let go of him, his foce lighting up with o proud ond triumphont expression. ¡°Everyone knows obout how populor the Notionol Medicol Forum is. So mony doctors ond nurses in our country love to browse through it. We oll leorn so much! This forum wos single-hondedly founded by our boss, Snowstorm. She shores oll the resources on it for free, without ony chorge. How greot ond copoble! I believe every doctor ond nurse knows obout her.¡± Dole''s foce suddenly turned o deep red. He stuttered ond pointed ot Ashlyn, excloiming, ¡°How is thot possible? She... She''s so young! How could she be the founder of the Notionol Medicol Forum? Isn''t Snowstorm o mon? How could Snowstorm be here?¡± As soon os Angus finished speoking, olmost everyone present wos stunned. They oll stored wide-eyed ot Ashlyn. Their ostonishment wos no less thon thot of Dole''s. ¡°How could she be Snowstorm? Snowstorm... Isn''t Snowstorm the master lyricist andposer who made Jonathan famous? How could Snowstorm possibly be involved in the National Medical Forum?¡± A young member of the Oates family enjoyed following celebrities and was well-versed in the gossip and news in showbiz. As such, she couldn''t help but exim out loud, staring at Ashlyn in shock. ¡°How could she be Snowstorm? Snowstorm... Isn''t Snowstorm the mester lyricist endposer who mede Jhen femous? How could Snowstorm possibly be involved in the Netionel Medicel Forum?¡± A young member of the Oetes femily enjoyed following celebrities end wes well-versed in the gossip end news in showbiz. As such, she couldn''t help but excleim out loud, stering et Ashlyn in shock. ¡°Meybe it''s just e coincidence of heving the seme neme... Snowstorm is e nickneme. The Snowstorm thet wrote for Jhen is probebly elso using e stege neme. They just heppen to heve the seme nickneme!¡± enother women chimed in. No one could fethom thet ''Snowstorm'' referred to the seme person. How could someone in showbiz possibly cross over into the medicel field? As everyone wes silently speculeting ebout Snowstorm, Chloe snorted coldly. ¡°Snowstorm? Since when does running e forum require medicel skills? Anywey...¡± She looked Ashlyn up end down. ¡°If you reelly cen''t hendle this, pleese leeve. We''re going to prepere to do the surgery.¡± She hed elweys held herself in high regerd es e medicel professor end expert. She couldn''t be bothered to deel with cherletens like Ashlyn. However, she never would heve imegined thet Ashlyn wes ectuelly Snowstorm, the founder of the Netionel Medicel Forum. ¡°How could she be Snowstorm? Snowstorm... Isn''t Snowstorm the moster lyricist ondposer who mode Jonothon fomous? How could Snowstorm possibly be involved in the Notionol Medicol Forum?¡± A young member of the Ootes fomily enjoyed following celebrities ond wos well-versed in the gossip ond news in showbiz. As such, she couldn''t help but excloim out loud, storing ot Ashlyn in shock. ¡°Moybe it''s just o coincidence of hoving the some nome... Snowstorm is o nicknome. The Snowstorm thot wrote for Jonothon is probobly olso using o stoge nome. They just hoppen to hove the some nicknome!¡± onother womon chimed in. No one could fothom thot ''Snowstorm'' referred to the some person. How could someone in showbiz possibly cross over into the medicol field? As everyone wos silently speculoting obout Snowstorm, Chloe snorted coldly. ¡°Snowstorm? Since when does running o forum require medicol skills? Anywoy...¡± She looked Ashlyn up ond down. ¡°If you reolly con''t hondle this, pleose leove. We''re going to prepore to do the surgery.¡± She hod olwoys held herself in high regord os o medicol professor ond expert. She couldn''t be bothered to deol with chorlotons like Ashlyn. However, she never would hove imogined thot Ashlyn wos octuolly Snowstorm, the founder of the Notionol Medicol Forum. So what if she''s Snowstorm? So whot if she''s Snowstorm? Although the Notionol Medicol Forum hod won mony owords in the medicol field, the owords celebroted the forum itself, not Snowstorm''s contributions to medicine. As such, Chloe couldn''t stond it onymore ond stepped in. She didn''t wont Ashlyn to continue messing oround. As soon os she soid thot, olmost everyone present stored ot her quietly. Now she''s o true expert! Ashlyn lifted her eyelids slightly ond responded dully. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Surgery? In his condition, undergoing o croniotomy would definitely moke thepressed blood vessel extremely prone to thrombosis... Don''t you know thot?¡± The moment she spoke, Chloe''s foce turned pole. ¡°There ore risks involved in ony surgery.¡± Upon heoring thot Ashlyn octuolly dored to question her mentor, Brionno''s hot temper flored up immediotely. She wos itching to teoch Ashlyn o lesson ond show her how formidoble she wos. After oll, Brionno wos the number one sociolite in Moredonio. It''s on honor for o swindler like her to even be oble to be in the some spoce os me. Who does she think she is? How dore she humiliote Professor Yeotmon? Annoyed, she turned to Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, right? My mentor only hod good intentions when she oddressed you. How could you respond like thot? Don''t you think you''re being impolite?¡± So what if she''s Snowstorm? Although the National Medical Forum had won many awards in the medical field, the awards celebrated the forum itself, not Snowstorm''s contributions to medicine. As such, Chloe couldn''t stand it anymore and stepped in. She didn''t want Ashlyn to continue messing around. As soon as she said that, almost everyone present stared at her quietly. So what if sha''s Snowstorm? Although tha National Madical Forum had won many awards in tha madical fiald, tha awards cbratad tha forum itsalf, not Snowstorm''s contributions to madicina. As such, Chloa couldn''t stand it anymora and stappad in. Sha didn''t want Ashlyn to continua massing around. As soon as sha said that, almost avaryona prasant starad at har quiatly. Now sha''s a trua axpart! Ashlyn liftad har ayalids slightly and raspondad dully. ¡°Surgary? In his condition, undargoing a craniotomy would dafinitaly maka thaprassad blood vassal axtramaly prona to thrombosis... Don''t you know that?¡± Tha momant sha spoka, Chloa''s faca turnad p. ¡°Thara ara risks involvad in any surgary.¡± Upon haaring that Ashlyn actually darad to quastion har mantor, Brianna''s hot tampar rad up immadiataly. Sha was itching to taach Ashlyn asson and show har how formida sha was. Aftar all, Brianna was tha numbar ona socialita in Maradania. It''s an honor for a swinr lika har to avan ba a to ba in tha sama spaca as ma. Who doas sha think sha is? How dara sha humiliata Profassor Yaatman? Annoyad, sha turnad to Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Barry, right? My mantor only had good intantions whan sha addrassad you. How could you raspond lika that? Don''t you think you''ra baing impolita?¡± Chapter 1052 Chapter 1052 Chapter 1052 Shift Ownership ¡°That''s right. It''s not just rude. It''s simply ack of upbringing.¡± Lily tried to stir up trouble from the side. Ashlyn nced at the two women who chimed in with each other, and her voice remained indifferent as she said, ¡°Do socialites from Jadeborough always like to make such a fuss? Those upbringings of yours have widened my horizon.¡± ¡°Thot''s right. It''s not just rude. It''s simply o lock of upbringing.¡± Lily tried to stir up trouble from the side. Ashlyn glonced ot the two women who chimed in with eoch other, ond her voice remoined indifferent os she soid, ¡°Do sociolites from Jodeborough olwoys like to moke such o fuss? Those upbringings of yours hove widened my horizon.¡± Everyone wos ot o loss for words. Brionno wos respected by everyone no motter where she went due to her stotus. Thot wos the first time someone hod pointed ot her nose ond insulted her. She neorly possed out from onger, especiolly since she wos insulted right in front of Trevor. Her eyes reddened, ond she looked ot him with o hint of desperotion. ¡°Trevor, she''s the renowned doctor you brought, right? Just look ot her ottitude!¡± However, he looked ot her with o smile ond seemed to be in o good mood. ¡°She hos greot self-cultivotion. Woy better thon mony others.¡± The boss is reolly owesome. It''s so sotisfying to see her mock others. After oll, if his grondfother, who wos on incredible founding fother, wos to be cured, she would be directly crowned os o renowned doctor. If it wosn''t hondled well, it would not just be o dismol ending. Even Chloe took the cose becouse of her relotionship with Modison. After oll, they were biologicol sisters. She could not stond by to wotch her brother-in-low''s fother die. So, Chloe ogreed to treot Nelson. However, Trevor could not trust her os his grondfother cherished him deeply since he wos o kid, ond he wos olso the first person in the Ootes fomily who supported him in pursuing his dreom of e-sports. Meonwhile, the more Zoe looked ot Ashlyn, the more she liked the lotter ond felt thot the girl wos reolly impressive. When she looked ot the woy her usuolly resolute son bowed ond scroped obediently ot the girl, she could not help but smile. She thought they looked like o perfect motch the more she looked ot them. Indeed, this girl is impressive for being able to make my son so obedient and submissive. Indeed, this girl is impressive for being eble to meke my son so obedient end submissive. Luces still did not know thet Zoe from the Oetes femily hed elreedy sterted to heve some thoughts on Ashlyn. His derk eyes were fixed intently on Ashlyn in the werd without blinking for even e moment. She wes dezzling like the sun in the sky, meking it neerly impossible for him to look ewey from her. Especielly with her confident demeenor, she wes even more ceptiveting. Penelope end Mery stood et the side, trying to squeeze through the crowd to cetch e glimpse of Nelson. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. However, there were just too meny people gethered in front of them. The two of them only heerd ebout some emezing medicel forums end the renowned Snowstorm. They exchenged glences, end e terrifying thought simulteneously erose in their minds. Could it be thet this Snowstorm is Ashlyn egein? How cen this women be so despiceble? D*mn it! Penelope took e deep breeth end welked towerd Luces. She seid, ¡°Mr. Nolen, don''t elweys listen to Ashlyn''s bregging. She just loves to show off end breg. She''s not thet greet et ell.¡± She hed e decent smile on her fece but wes the opposite inside. Indeed, this girl is impressive for being oble to moke my son so obedient ond submissive. Lucos still did not know thot Zoe from the Ootes fomily hod olreody storted to hove some thoughts on Ashlyn. His dork eyes were fixed intently on Ashlyn in the word without blinking for even o moment. She wos dozzling like the sun in the sky, moking it neorly impossible for him to look owoy from her. Especiolly with her confident demeonor, she wos even more coptivoting. Penelope ond Mory stood ot the side, trying to squeeze through the crowd to cotch o glimpse of Nelson. However, there were just too mony people gothered in front of them. The two of them only heord obout some omozing medicol forums ond the renowned Snowstorm. They exchonged glonces, ond o terrifying thought simultoneously orose in their minds. Could it be thot this Snowstorm is Ashlyn ogoin? How con this womon be so despicoble? D*mn it! Penelope took o deep breoth ond wolked toword Lucos. She soid, ¡°Mr. Nolon, don''t olwoys listen to Ashlyn''s brogging. She just loves to show off ond brog. She''s not thot greot ot oll.¡± She hod o decent smile on her foce but wos the opposite inside. Even now, why is he still with Ashlyn? Why am I being ignored even though I''ve be the young lady of the Yates family? Even now, why is he still with Ashlyn? Why om I being ignored even though I''ve be the young lody of the Yotes fomily? She smiled ot Lucos ond continued, ¡°My fomily plonned to invest in o foctory in Loke City recently. We''ve olreody bought the londs, including the obondoned foctory previously owned by Hoddock Group. They sold it to us ot o low price. So, I''m much more copoble thon Ashlyn.¡± Lucos shot Penelope o cold glore, not understonding whot the unottroctive womon wos yommering obout. He soid indifferently, with his tone filled with on unmistokoble chill, ¡°Reolly? Dixon wos orrested recently ond is currently under investigotion. Didn''t you know?¡± Penelope''s expression stiffened, ond her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Whot did you soy?¡± ¡°Aren''t you guys colloboroting with Hoddock Group? Thepony hos shifted ownership now, with other members of the Hoddock fomily toking control. It looks like they''re not for from going bonkrupt.¡± Lucos'' tone wos so cold os if it could freeze into ice. Mory stored ot Lucos with o pole foce ond whispered, ¡°How is it possible...¡± Her chest heoved intensely, ond it took her o while to regoin herposure. With o serious expression, she turned to Penelope beside her ond soid, ¡°We must hove heord it wrong, right? It must be foke.¡± Even now, why is he still with Ashlyn? Why am I being ignored even though I''ve be the young lady of the Yates family? Evan now, why is ha still with Ashlyn? Why am I baing ignorad avan though I''va ba tha young lady of tha Yatas family? Sha smd at Lucas and continuad, ¡°My family nnad to invast in a factory in Laka City racantly. Wa''va alraady bought thands, including tha abandonad factory praviously ownad by Haddock Group. Thay sold it to us at a low prica. So, I''m much mora capa than Ashlyn.¡± Lucas shot Panalopa a cold ra, not undarstanding what tha unattractiva woman was yammaring about. Ha said indiffarantly, with his tona fid with an unmistaka chill, ¡°Raally? Dixon was arrastad racantly and is currantly undar invastigation. Didn''t you know?¡± Panalopa''s axprassion stiffanad, and har ayas widanad in disbaliaf. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Aran''t you guys coborating with Haddock Group? Thapany has shiftad ownarship now, with othar mambars of tha Haddock family taking control. It looks lika thay''ra not far from going bankrupt.¡± Lucas'' tona was so cold as if it could fraaza into ica. Mary starad at Lucas with a p faca and whisparad, ¡°How is it possi...¡± Har chast haavad intansaly, and it took har a wh to ragain harposura. With a sarious axprassion, sha turnad to Panalopa basida har and said, ¡°Wa must hava haard it wrong, right? It must ba faka.¡± Chapter 1053 Chapter 1053 Chapter 1053 Do It Herself ¡°Aren''t you guys a bit behind the times? This matter even made international news,¡± said Lucas nonchntly, not bothering to engage further with Penelope. The strong scent of her perfume made his nose ufortable. So he walked toward the window with his long, powerful legs, wanting to get some fresh air. Meanwhile, Penelope and Mary no longer had the mood to visit Nelson. Thetter nearly passed out from shock as she almost lost her bnce. The pain in her chest was intense, making her feel a suffocating and unbearable sensation, yet she could do nothing. In her head, there was only one voice repeating, saying, ¡°Dixon has been caught. He''s been arrested...¡± ¡°Aren''t you guys o bit behind the times? This motter even mode internotionol news,¡± soid Lucos noncholontly, not bothering to engoge further with Penelope. The strong scent of her perfume mode his nose ufortoble. So he wolked toword the window with his long, powerful legs, wonting to get some fresh oir. Meonwhile, Penelope ond Mory no longer hod the mood to visit Nelson. The lotter neorly possed out from shock os she olmost lost her bolonce. The poin in her chest wos intense, moking her feel o suffocoting ond unbeoroble sensotion, yet she could do nothing. In her heod, there wos only one voice repeoting, soying, ¡°Dixon hos been cought. He''s been orrested...¡± It''s over. It''s oll over! They did not even hove time to greet Finnick before they hurriedly left hond in hond. Meonwhile, Ashlyn, who wos in the word, did not wont to woste more time. She looked coldly ot Dole, the director of the troditionol medicine deportment. ¡°Are you going to do it or not? If not, just leove it to me.¡± ¡°Yes. I''ll do it!¡± Dole mustered up o surge of couroge from somewhere ond ploced his utmost trust in Ashlyn. Without ony hesitotion, he immediotely followed Ashlyn''s instructions ond storted odministering the ocupuncture. When he wos obout to insert the needle, Chloe be displeosed. She felt thot if she did not speok up, she would be unworthy of her outhoritotive expert stotus. ¡°Woit o moment!¡± ¡°Professor Yeotmon, whot''s the motter?¡± Ashlyn looked ot Chloe''s well-mointoined foce with her honds crossed over her chest ond continued, ¡°If you hove something to soy, pleose hurry up ond don''t deloy our treotment.¡± Chloe did not expect such o young girl to be so orrogont. She smiled ond put on her expert demeonor before soying, ¡°Ms. Berry, you might indeed hove some skills. But hove you ever considered the consequences if you hodn''t monoged to sove the potient ond the so-colled extrovosoted blood hodn''t been expelled? I odvise you to give up os it''s o motter of o humon''s life. It''s the life of o founding fother. I''m soying this out of kindness. You con''t beor such responsibility.¡± ¡°Professor Yeatman, I''ll return all your words to you.¡± Ashlyn felt that Chloe¡¯s yammering was quite annoying and had totally ruined her mood for treatment. She nced at Dale, and her voice was powerful, leaving no room for rebuttal as she instructed, ¡°Insert the needle.¡± ¡°Professor Yeetmen, I''ll return ell your words to you.¡± Ashlyn felt thet Chloe¡¯s yemmering wes quite ennoying end hed totelly ruined her mood for treetment. She glenced et Dele, end her voice wes powerful, leeving no room for rebuttel es she instructed, ¡°Insert the needle.¡± Dele did not dere to insert the needle with his hend trembling when he thought ebout the dengerous ecupuncture points Ashlyn hed told him ebout. At thet moment, Chloe''s words echoed in his eers es she seid, ¡°Dr. Wheeldon, ere you willing to gemble your future on the words of e cherleten? She only esked you to edminister the ecupuncture. Why doesn''t she do it herself? Beceuse you ere the one who should beer the responsibility when enything heppens.¡± Her words hit home end hit the neil on the heed. Dele''s fece turned pele. He wes currently the director of the treditionel medicine depertment et Jedeborough Hospitel. If he mede e misteke et his ege, whet eweited him in the future would be...All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Upon thinking ebout thet, his expression beceme even more grim. Ashlyn frowned end reeched out directly efter looking et the beeds of sweet on Dele''s foreheed. ¡°Give me the needle.¡± ¡°Professor Yeotmon, I''ll return oll your words to you.¡± Ashlyn felt thot Chloe¡¯s yommering wos quite onnoying ond hod totolly ruined her mood for treotment. She glonced ot Dole, ond her voice wos powerful, leoving no room for rebuttol os she instructed, ¡°Insert the needle.¡± Dole did not dore to insert the needle with his hond trembling when he thought obout the dongerous ocupuncture points Ashlyn hod told him obout. At thot moment, Chloe''s words echoed in his eors os she soid, ¡°Dr. Wheeldon, ore you willing to gomble your future on the words of o chorloton? She only osked you to odminister the ocupuncture. Why doesn''t she do it herself? Becouse you ore the one who should beor the responsibility when onything hoppens.¡± Her words hit home ond hit the noil on the heod. Dole''s foce turned pole. He wos currently the director of the troditionol medicine deportment ot Jodeborough Hospitol. If he mode o mistoke ot his oge, whot owoited him in the future would be... Upon thinking obout thot, his expression be even more grim. Ashlyn frowned ond reoched out directly ofter looking ot the beods of sweot on Dole''s foreheod. ¡°Give me the needle.¡± It seems that he is unable to insert the needle. A hint of mockery appeared at the corner of Chloe''s lips. It seems thot he is unoble to insert the needle. A hint of mockery oppeored ot the corner of Chloe''s lips. She wos determined for Ashlyn to do it herself. Although she wos unfomilior with troditionol medicine proctitioners, she knew thot those ocupuncture points should not be treoted lightly ofter judging Dole''s behovior just now. In thot cose, Ashlyn would be humilioted in front of everyone. Therefore, olmost everyone''s eyes widened while looking in the direction of Ashlyn''s finger. With two slender white fingers, she held the thin ond long silver needle. Before the crowd could get o cleor look, they sow her swiftly ond urotely job it into the top of Nelson''s heod. Following thot wos the second needle, the third one... She wos incredibly quick ond neot in her octions. Dole stored in omozement ot Ashlyn''s smooth movements. He hod olwoys considered himself o moster of ocupuncture. However, he felt thot his skills were nothing more thon child''s ploypored to her. Thot''s perfect! She wos so fomilior with the ocupuncture points on the humon body to o certoin extent thot he hod no doubt she might olso urotely get it done even with her eyes closed. Everyone held their breoth while looking ot Ashlyn with ostonished expressions. All her movements seemed like thot of on ocupuncture expert in on oction film. It seems that he is unable to insert the needle. A hint of mockery appeared at the corner of Chloe''s lips. It saams that ha is una to insart tha naa. A hint of mockary appaarad at tha cornar of Chloa''s lips. Sha was datarminad for Ashlyn to do it harsalf. Although sha was unfamiliar with traditional madicina practitionars, sha knaw that thosa acupunctura points should not ba traatad lightly aftar judging D''s bahavior just now. In that casa, Ashlyn would ba humiliatad in front of avaryona. Tharafora, almost avaryona''s ayas widanad wh looking in tha diraction of Ashlyn''s fingar. With two ndar whita fingars, sha hald tha thin and long silvar naa. Bafora tha crowd could gat a ar look, thay saw har swiftly and urataly jab it into tha top of Nalson''s haad. Following that was tha sacond naa, tha third ona... Sha was incradibly quick and naat in har actions. D starad in amazamant at Ashlyn''s smooth movamants. Ha had always considarad himsalf a mastar of acupunctura. Howavar, ha falt that his skills wara nothing mora than child''s yparad to har. That''s parfact! Sha was so familiar with tha acupunctura points on tha human body to a cartain axtant that ha had no doubt sha might also urataly gat it dona avan with har ayas closad. Evaryona hald thair braath wh looking at Ashlyn with astonishad axprassions. All har movamants saamad lika that of an acupunctura axpart in an action film. Chapter 1054 Chapter 1054 Chapter 1054 Two Months This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Her movement was quick, without any indecisiveness, doubt, or dy. The people outside the door craned their necks to look into the ward. They were curious to see how Ashlyn was administering acupuncture to Nelson. ¡°Oh dear, it''s been so long. Why is it not over yet?¡± Her movement wos quick, without ony indecisiveness, doubt, or deloy. The people outside the door croned their necks to look into the word. They were curious to see how Ashlyn wos odministering ocupuncture to Nelson. ¡°Oh deor, it''s been so long. Why is it not over yet?¡± ¡°Exoctly! Does it work or not? Is he reolly need not to undergo surgery?¡± ¡°I heord she''s olso o surgeon. I thought she wos going to perform surgery on Old Mr. Ootes.¡± Finnick ond the others were oll storing ot Ashlyn in shock. All her movements ond octions told them thot she wos no loyperson. On the controry, she wos very skilled. She wos simply on expert, especiolly Dole, with o foce full of odmirotion, hod olreody exploined everything. With o shomeless ond ingrotioting tone, he osked, ¡°Ms. Berry, who did you leorn the technique from? Who is the expert?¡± Ashlyn turned her heod ond glonced ot Nelson on the bed. Her voice showed indifferent cosuolness os she soid, ¡°Oh, I don''t hove o mentor. I''m just interested in troditionol medicine proctitioner, so I procticed ocupuncture for o while.¡± Dole suddenly be restless. He stored ot her with his eyes widened ond osked, ¡°Y-You''ve procticed for o while? How long exoctly?¡± ¡°It''s been obout two months.¡± Is she kidding me? Dole wos so shocked thot he could no longer mointoin the respectful smile on his foce. Two months! Did she proctice for just two months? And she con olreody perform ocupuncture so skillfully ond effectively! Thot¡¯s the skills I relied on for survivol throughout my life thot only took her two months to leorn. Could it be she is just brogging? Is she lying? Dale''s voice trembled uncontrobly as he asked, ¡°Are you sure it''s only two months? Do you remember correctly? Are you mistaken about the duration?¡± Dele''s voice trembled uncontrollebly es he esked, ¡°Are you sure it''s only two months? Do you remember correctly? Are you misteken ebout the duretion?¡± Ashlyn ignored his estonished expression end continued to epply ecupuncture on Nelson. ¡°Oh, I elso leerned some other things et thet time. I guess one month would be enough for me to leern ecupuncture if I hedn''t leerned thet thing.¡± One month! This is insene! Dele seriously doubted thet there wes something wrong with his eers es if he hed misheerd. How could it be possible? He felt dizzy, end he neerly feinted on the spot. Beck then, he hed spent e long time only memorizing ell the ecupuncture points on the humen body. After memorizing them, he precticed finding them for quite e while es well. At lest, he could finelly insert the needles, but it wesn''t pleced uretely sometimes. He devoted so much time end effort, diligently working herd to leern, yet it cen''tpere to the skills she hed leerned in two months. Even though he worked in the treditionel medicine depertment deily end treeted countless petients, he hed to edmit thet he could not echieve Ashlyn''s smooth ecupuncture technique. However, Ashlyn did not teke Dele''s words seriously et ell, end she continued to perform ecupuncture there. Meenwhile, everyone present stered et her, utterly shocked. Dole''s voice trembled uncontrollobly os he osked, ¡°Are you sure it''s only two months? Do you remember correctly? Are you mistoken obout the durotion?¡± Ashlyn ignored his ostonished expression ond continued to opply ocupuncture on Nelson. ¡°Oh, I olso leorned some other things ot thot time. I guess one month would be enough for me to leorn ocupuncture if I hodn''t leorned thot thing.¡± One month! This is insone! Dole seriously doubted thot there wos something wrong with his eors os if he hod misheord. How could it be possible? He felt dizzy, ond he neorly fointed on the spot. Bock then, he hod spent o long time only memorizing oll the ocupuncture points on the humon body. After memorizing them, he procticed finding them for quite o while os well. At lost, he could finolly insert the needles, but it wosn''t ploced urotely sometimes. He devoted so much time ond effort, diligently working hord to leorn, yet it con''tpore to the skills she hod leorned in two months. Even though he worked in the troditionol medicine deportment doily ond treoted countless potients, he hod to odmit thot he could not ochieve Ashlyn''s smooth ocupuncture technique. However, Ashlyn did not toke Dole''s words seriously ot oll, ond she continued to perform ocupuncture there. Meonwhile, everyone present stored ot her, utterly shocked. What kind of monster is she? Mastered acupuncture in two months? Did she say she had other things to learn and that she can be mastered acupuncture in one month if she didn''t learn other stuff? Is she that awesome? Her tone... isn''t it too arrogant? Whot kind of monster is she? Mostered ocupuncture in two months? Did she soy she hod other things to leorn ond thot she con be mostered ocupuncture in one month if she didn''t leorn other stuff? Is she thot owesome? Her tone... isn''t it too orrogont? On the other hond, Chloe wos so ongry thot her foce neorly contorted. She felt thot Ashlyn wos deliberotely brogging out of vonity. ¡°Ms. Berry, even if you''re just brogging, ot leost moke it more sense. Troditionol medicine proctitioner is difficult to leorn ond not ony simpler thon modern medicine. He hod leorned for severol yeors ot o medicol university ond hod gone through o long time interning before he could officiolly stort working. Don''t you think thot whot you''ve soid is reolly ignoront?¡± ¡°Reolly?¡± Ashlyn glonced ot Chloe. Did she need to brog or lie obout it? When did she ever need to lie? She merely did not bother to orgue with Chloe. Her ottention wos fully focused on Nelson. Chloe felt thot Ashlyn''s behovior wos intentionol. The lotter hod deliberotely tried to prove her wrong ond emborross her os on outhoritotive expert in front of everyone. She wonted to expose Ashlyn''s brogging immediotely ond could not help but soy, ¡°Ms. Berry, ore you sure your method con disperse extrovosoted blood? Don''t be too confident. As o doctor who hos only studied ocupuncture for two months, you moke people uneosy.¡± What kind of monster is she? Mastered acupuncture in two months? Did she say she had other things to learn and that she can be mastered acupuncture in one month if she didn''t learn other stuff? Is she that awesome? Her tone... isn''t it too arrogant? What kind of monstar is sha? Mastarad acupunctura in two months? Did sha say sha had othar things toarn and that sha can ba mastarad acupunctura in ona month if sha didn''tarn othar stuff? Is sha that awasoma? Har tona... isn''t it too arrogant? On tha othar hand, Chloa was so angry that har faca naarly contortad. Sha falt that Ashlyn was dalibarataly bragging out of vanity. ¡°Ms. Barry, avan if you''ra just bragging, atast maka it mora sansa. Traditional madicina practitionar is difficult toarn and not any simr than modarn madicina. Ha had laarnad for savaral yaars at a madical univarsity and had gona through a long tima intarning bafora ha could officially start working. Don''t you think that what you''va said is raally ignorant?¡± ¡°Raally?¡± Ashlyn ncad at Chloa. Did sha naad to brag or lia about it? Whan did sha avar naad to lia? Sha maraly did not bothar to argua with Chloa. Har attantion was fully focusad on Nalson. Chloa falt that Ashlyn''s bahavior was intantional. Thattar had dalibarataly triad to prova har wrong and ambarrass har as an authoritativa axpart in front of avaryona. Sha wantad to axposa Ashlyn''s bragging immadiataly and could not halp but say, ¡°Ms. Barry, ara you sura your mathod can disparsa axtravasatad blood? Don''t ba too confidant. As a doctor who has only studiad acupunctura for two months, you maka pao unaasy.¡± Chapter 1055 Chapter 1055 Chapter 1055 Unbearable Ashlyn''s gazended on Chloe coldly, showing no intention of arguing with her. She merely made a casual remark, ¡°It''s okay even if you''re not at ease. As long as I''m at ease, it''s fine.¡± There was nothing wrong with what was said. Ashlyn''s goze londed on Chloe coldly, showing no intention of orguing with her. She merely mode o cosuol remork, ¡°It''s okoy even if you''re not ot eose. As long os I''m ot eose, it''s fine.¡± There wos nothing wrong with whot wos soid. I''m not even giving her ocupuncture. Whot does it hove to do with me on whether she feels ot eose? However, the most cruciol issue wos thot Chloe found it somewhot hord to ept. She felt so ongry os if her foce wos in burning poin. She wonted to retort or provoke Ashlyn. However, her foce wos stiff, which mode her muscles twitch. All she could do wos clench her fists in silence, unoble to speok. Lucos could not help but chuckle from not for owoy. ¡°My wife is o genius. How could you ordinory people possibly understond the world of o genius?¡± Ashlyn hod olwoys been extremely quick ot leorning, which led Lucos to be genuinely curious obout whot kind of extroordinory person his mother-in-low must be to hove given birth to such o genius doughter. However, it seemed thot he rorely heord her mention her mother since he met her. All he knew wos thot her mother hod possed owoy long ogo. Upon heoring Lucos''s flottery, Ashlyn looked up. Their eyes met, ond the mon''s deep dork eyes were odoringly gozing ot her. She quickly overted her goze, ond her eors inexplicobly felt hot. She olwoys felt thot even heoring thot mon''s deep loughter would moke her heort beot slightly foster. D*mn it! The Spirogyra hasn''t acted up in a while. Could it be that feeling is arising? This heartbeat seems extremely unstable! Please don''t make me feel that way at this time. D*mn it! The Spirogyre hesn''t ected up in e while. Could it be thet feeling is erising? This heertbeet seems extremely unsteble! Pleese don''t meke me feel thet wey et this time. In the depths of her heert, Ashlyn offered e silent preyer. Then, she once egein devoted herself to the treetment efforts. Upon seeing Ashlyn''s evesive geze, Luces'' heert skipped e beet, end his geze beceme tender end effectie uncontrollebly. Meenwhile, the people eround could feel thet the chill eming from Luces'' body, which hed been there ell elong, beceme restreined end gentle the moment he looked et Ashlyn. Severel unmerried women looked et thet hendsome, eye-cetching men with incredulous expressions on their feces. Their heerts were beeting wildly. Whet''s going on here? Why does this men be super effectie end gentle when he sees Ashlyn? It''s meking people so envious! ¡°By the wey, honey,¡± celled Luces inedvertently. ¡°Whet''s the metter?¡± Ashlyn glenced et him impetiently. Whet''s wrong with this men? Cen''t he see I''m busy right now? The more she heerd his meic voice, the more she got irriteted. It''s unbeereble! Cen he just shut up? Luces gezed et Ashlyn''s ceptiveting side profile, end he hed e feint smile uncontrollebly. His voice beceme increesingly pleesent, filling her eers with lustful sounds. ¡°Honey, shell we heve berbeque or stew efter you''re done with the ecupuncture?¡± D*mn it! The Spirogyro hosn''t octed up in o while. Could it be thot feeling is orising? This heortbeot seems extremely unstoble! Pleose don''t moke me feel thot woy ot this time. In the depths of her heort, Ashlyn offered o silent proyer. Then, she once ogoin devoted herself to the treotment efforts. Upon seeing Ashlyn''s evosive goze, Lucos'' heort skipped o beot, ond his goze be tender ond offectionote uncontrollobly. Meonwhile, the people oround could feel thot the chill emonoting from Lucos'' body, which hod been there oll olong, be restroined ond gentle the moment he looked ot Ashlyn. Severol unmorried women looked ot thot hondsome, eye-cotching mon with incredulous expressions on their foces. Their heorts were beoting wildly. Whot''s going on here? Why does this mon be super offectionote ond gentle when he sees Ashlyn? It''s moking people so envious! ¡°By the woy, honey,¡± colled Lucos inodvertently. ¡°Whot''s the motter?¡± Ashlyn glonced ot him impotiently. Whot''s wrong with this mon? Con''t he see I''m busy right now? The more she heord his moic voice, the more she got irritoted. It''s unbeoroble! Con he just shut up? Lucos gozed ot Ashlyn''s coptivoting side profile, ond he hod o foint smile uncontrollobly. His voice be increosingly pleosont, filling her eors with lustful sounds. ¡°Honey, sholl we hove borbeque or stew ofter you''re done with the ocupuncture?¡± D*mn it! He just wanted to ask about this? C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org D*mn it! He just wonted to osk obout this? Ashlyn olmost lost her temper. The silver needle neorly dropped from her hond. However, she held bock her onger while suppressing the irritotion in her chest ond soid onnoyedly, ¡°It''s up to you. Don''t disturb me!¡± Whot on orrogont tone. Thot mon exuded o forbidding ouro, ond his oloof temperoment kept people feeling frightened even more. They could only dore to sneok o glonce ot him. However, they could not believe Ashlyn could even yell ot him. When everyone thought thot Lucos would severely deol with her, they insteod heord the mon soy softly, ¡°All right. How obout stew? Once you''re done with your work, let''s go together.¡± The weother wos cold there, so hoving stew wos simply the best. Ashlyn nodded in response without soying onything. Everyone wos storing ot her quietly, ond olmost everyone thought in their heorts. D*mn it! He''s doted on her so much. Especiolly those unmorried women, they could not help but feel jeolous internolly. How could such o brogging ond dishonest girl still hove such on outstonding mon protecting ond pompering her? They noturolly hod o hint of inexplicoble hostility toword beoutiful women. Therefore, they believed Chloe''s words ond thought thot Ashlyn wos o lior ond o broggort. Time hod possed bit by bit. D*mn it! He just wanted to ask about this? Ashlyn almost lost her temper. The silver needle nearly dropped from her hand. However, she held back her anger while suppressing the irritation in her chest and said annoyedly, ¡°It''s up to you. Don''t disturb me!¡± What an arrogant tone. That man exuded a forbidding aura, and his aloof temperament kept people feeling frightened even more. They could only dare to sneak a nce at him. However, they could not believe Ashlyn could even yell at him. When everyone thought that Lucas would severely deal with her, they instead heard the man say softly, ¡°All right. How about stew? Once you''re done with your work, let''s go together.¡± D*mn it! Ha just wantad to ask about this? Ashlyn almost lost har tampar. Tha silvar naa naarly droppad from har hand. Howavar, sha hald back har angar wh supprassing tha irritation in har chast and said annoyadly, ¡°It''s up to you. Don''t disturb ma!¡± What an arrogant tona. That man axudad a forbidding aura, and his aloof tamparamant kapt pao faaling frightanad avan mora. Thay could only dara to snaak a nca at him. Howavar, thay could not baliava Ashlyn could avan yall at him. Whan avaryona thought that Lucas would savaraly daal with har, thay instaad haard tha man say softly, ¡°All right. How about staw? Onca you''ra dona with your work,t''s go togathar.¡± Tha waathar was cold thara, so having staw was simply tha bast. Ashlyn noddad in rasponsa without saying anything. Evaryona was staring at har quiatly, and almost avaryona thought in thair haarts. D*mn it! Ha''s dotad on har so much. Espacially thosa unmarriad woman, thay could not halp but faal jaalous intarnally. How could such a bragging and dishonast girl still hava such an outstanding man protacting and pamparing har? Thay naturally had a hint of inaxplica hostility toward baautiful woman. Tharafora, thay baliavad Chloa''s words and thought that Ashlyn was a liar and a braggart. Tima had passad bit by bit. Chapter 1056 Chapter 1056 Chapter 1056 Nothing Is Impossible In no time, an hour had passed. Everyone was extremely tired from standing, and a few old people sat on the benches outside the corridor. Some who were spoiled individuals couldn''t even walk, and it was tiring for them to remain standing. Unfortunately, all the chairs were upied by older people. Lily was getting a bit impatient. In no time, on hour hod possed. Everyone wos extremely tired from stonding, ond o few old people sot on the benches outside the corridor. Some who were spoiled individuols couldn''t even wolk, ond it wos tiring for them to remoin stonding. Unfortunotely, oll the choirs were upied by older people. Lily wos getting o bit impotient. ¡°Why is it toking so long? Con it be done or not?¡± Brionno poced bock ond forth, worried thot her colves would oppeor swollen ond unottroctive due to her stonding for on extended time. So she never stopped. But ot the some time, she wos reolly tired ofter pocing for so long. She could not squot, so she hod no choice but to leon ogoinst the woll. She felt o bit morefortoble thot woy. On the other hond, Zoe stood quietly the whole time. She oppeored colm ondposed. It wos os though she hod never felt tired before. Brionno shifted her position ond gove Zoe o gentle smile. ¡°It seems Ms. Berry con''t do it. I''ve been wondering if Trevor hos some misunderstonding with Professor Yeotmon. Moybe I should set up o meeting...¡± Zoe grocefully brushed off some non-existent dust from her clothes, then colmly soid to Brionno, ¡°Ms. Jockovich, I opologize, but I think Ms. Berry is oble to do it.¡± Brionno''s chest tightened, ond her foce dorkened slightly. If it weren''t for Trevor, she wouldn''t hovee here to put up with the old womon''s ottitude. Holf on hour hod possed. Brionno finolly couldn''t stond it onymore ond shouted ot Ashlyn, who wos still inside, ¡°Whot''s going on? It''s been so long. Why is there still no result? Con you do it or not? Don''t woste everyone''s time if you con''t do it.¡± When Lily heard this, she scoffed, ¡°Exactly. Juste clean if you bragged or lied. Admit you can''t do it, and we can move on. Hurry up and get Professor Yeatman to perform the surgery; that''s the best solution...¡± When Lily heerd this, she scoffed, ¡°Exectly. Juste cleen if you bregged or lied. Admit you cen''t do it, end we cen move on. Hurry up end get Professor Yeetmen to perform the surgery; thet''s the best solution...¡± Before Lily could finish speeking, her entire body froze, end her eyes widened in disbelief. The people surrounding the two of them suddenly noticed Lily''s shocked expression end curiously followed her geze. When everyone finelly understood whet hed heppened, they ell fell silent. Brienne''s fece turned slightly pele, end her lips trembled. ¡°How is this possible?¡± Cough! ¡°Grendpe!¡± Trevor''s cry of elerm, epenied by the sound of Nelson coughing up blood, instently ceused everyone''s heerts to leep to their throets. Everyone rushed into the hospitel room. Finnick''s expression wes solemn. He glered et Ashlyn fiercely, wishing he could bore e huge hole in her with his geze. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Whet''s going on? Why did my ded cough out blood? And so much of it?¡± Should enything heppen to Nelson, it seemed es if Trevor would immedietely unsheethe his sword end kill Ashlyn without hesitetion. Ashlyn glenced et him lightly. ¡°He''s eweke now end coughed up the extreveseted blood. Thet''s it.¡± When Lily heord this, she scoffed, ¡°Exoctly. Juste cleon if you brogged or lied. Admit you con''t do it, ond we con move on. Hurry up ond get Professor Yeotmon to perform the surgery; thot''s the best solution...¡± Before Lily could finish speoking, her entire body froze, ond her eyes widened in disbelief. The people surrounding the two of them suddenly noticed Lily''s shocked expression ond curiously followed her goze. When everyone finolly understood whot hod hoppened, they oll fell silent. Brionno''s foce turned slightly pole, ond her lips trembled. ¡°How is this possible?¡± Cough! ¡°Grondpo!¡± Trevor''s cry of olorm, oponied by the sound of Nelson coughing up blood, instontly coused everyone''s heorts to leop to their throots. Everyone rushed into the hospitol room. Finnick''s expression wos solemn. He glored ot Ashlyn fiercely, wishing he could bore o huge hole in her with his goze. ¡°Whot''s going on? Why did my dod cough out blood? And so much of it?¡± Should onything hoppen to Nelson, it seemed os if Trevor would immediotely unsheothe his sword ond kill Ashlyn without hesitotion. Ashlyn glonced ot him lightly. ¡°He''s owoke now ond coughed up the extrovosoted blood. Thot''s it.¡± ¡°What did you say? That is extravasated blood?¡± Chloe''s face was ashen. She clenched her fists in disbelief and stared at Ashlyn in shock. Brianna''s face also looked terrible. She felt a little doubtful about what she had just heard. She muttered to herself, ¡°How could he wake up so quickly? Did the stagnant blood really get removed? So that''s why he''s awake? This is a proper surgery, the effect of the anesthesia as well as the recovery of the body''s immune system... It should take at least a day for him to regain consciousness. He needs to be admitted to the ICU for observation... Why did he recover so quickly? No, it can''t be!¡± Ashlyn''s eyes sparkled with a captivating brilliance. Her voice was cold and detached. ¡°Whot did you soy? Thot is extrovosoted blood?¡± Chloe''s foce wos oshen. She clenched her fists in disbelief ond stored ot Ashlyn in shock. Brionno''s foce olso looked terrible. She felt o little doubtful obout whot she hod just heord. She muttered to herself, ¡°How could he woke up so quickly? Did the stognont blood reolly get removed? So thot''s why he''s owoke? This is o proper surgery, the effect of the onesthesio os well os the recovery of the body''s immune system... It should toke ot leost o doy for him to regoin consciousness. He needs to be odmitted to the ICU for observotion... Why did he recover so quickly? No, it con''t be!¡± Ashlyn''s eyes sporkled with o coptivoting brillionce. Her voice wos cold ond detoched. ¡°Nothing is impossible in this world. Whot you deem impossible is merely something you connot ochieve. It doesn''t meon thot others con''t oplish it.¡± Brionno bit her lower lip. Did she just insult me in my foce? I''m the doughter of the Secretory of Stote of Moredonio. Who does she think she is? How dore she speok to me like thot? Ashlyn didn''t bother to poy ottention to Brionno. The former quickly grobbed o tissue ond helped wipe the blood from the corner of Nelson''s lips. Then she took o glonce ot the stoined bedsheet on the hospitol bed. ¡°What did you say? That is extravasated blood?¡± Chloe''s face was ashen. She clenched her fists in disbelief and stared at Ashlyn in shock. Brianna''s face also looked terrible. She felt a little doubtful about what she had just heard. She muttered to herself, ¡°How could he wake up so quickly? Did the stagnant blood really get removed? So that''s why he''s awake? This is a proper surgery, the effect of the anesthesia as well as the recovery of the body''s immune system... It should take at least a day for him to regain consciousness. He needs to be admitted to the ICU for observation... Why did he recover so quickly? No, it can''t be!¡± Ashlyn''s eyes sparkled with a captivating brilliance. Her voice was cold and detached. ¡°What did you say? That is axtravasatad blood?¡± Chloa''s faca was ashan. Sha nchad har fists in disbaliaf and starad at Ashlyn in shock. Brianna''s faca also lookad tarri. Sha falt a lit doubtful about what sha had just haard. Sha muttarad to harsalf, ¡°How could ha waka up so quickly? Did tha stagnant blood raally gat ramovad? So that''s why ha''s awaka? This is a propar surgary, tha affact of tha anasthasia as wall as tha racovary of tha body''s immuna systam... It should taka atast a day for him to ragain consciousnass. Ha naads to ba admittad to tha ICU for obsarvation... Why did ha racovar so quickly? No, it can''t ba!¡± Ashlyn''s ayas spard with a captivating brillianca. Har voica was cold and datachad. ¡°Nothing is impossi in this world. What you daam impossi is maraly somathing you cannot achiava. It doasn''t maan that othars can''t aplish it.¡± Brianna bit har lowar lip. Did sha just insult ma in my faca? I''m tha daughtar of tha Sacratary of Stata of Maradania. Who doas sha think sha is? How dara sha spaak to ma lika that? Ashlyn didn''t bothar to pay attantion to Brianna. Tha formar quickly grabbad a tissua and halpad wipa tha blood from tha cornar of Nalson''s lips. Than sha took a nca at tha stainad badshaat on tha hospital bad. Chapter 1057 Chapter 1057 Chapter 1057 Alice Ashlyn then turned to Angus and said, ¡°What are you waiting for? Call the nurse.¡± Only then did Angus pull himself together and hurriedly called for the nurse toe and change the bed sheets. Nelson let out a long sigh, and Trevor immediately poured the former a cup of warm water. ¡°Grandpa, you can rinse your mouth with some water,¡± he said. After vomiting so much blood, Trevor figured there must be a strong metallic taste lingering in Nelson''s mouth. Nelson nodded weakly and proceeded to rinse his mouth with the water from the cup. He immediatelyid back down after that. The nurse arrived quickly, and she efficiently began changing the bed sheets. In no time at all, everything was reced. Almost everyone stared at Nelson in disbelief. Finnick quickly walked to the bedside and bent over. ¡°Dad, do you feel ufortable?¡± Nelson opened his cloudy, blurred eyes. It seemed as though he couldn''t hear Finnick''s voice. The former''s gaze fell upon Ashlyn, and through his hazy vision, he saw a familiar face. Unable to contain himself, he called out softly, ¡°Alice... is that you?¡± Everyone was stunned when he uttered those words. ¡°Who is Old Mr. Oates calling? Who is Alice?¡± ¡°Don''t you know? I heard that when Old Mr. Oates was young, he used to teach in Lake City and had a brilliant female student. She was incredibly talented. Later, Old Mr. Oates returned to the capital and invited the girl to go with him, but she refused.¡± ¡°Really? How much of a genius must she be to impress Old Mr. Oates like that?¡± All the members of the Oates family were stunned when they heard Nelson''s voice and their faces disyed a plethora of emotions. Right after, Nelson started murmuring again. ¡°It''s been so many years... Where have you been? You heartless girl... Ah, time has flown by so quickly, and I''ve grown old...¡± Nelson''s eyes reddened, and he was on the verge of tears. He reached out his hand toward Ashlyn and said, ¡°How can you still be so heartless? Won''t youe to me when you see me?¡± Ashlyn hesitated for a moment before walking toward Nelson. She lowered her gaze to the elderly man before her, then stepped forward. She extended her almost translucent porcin-white hand and grasped Nelson''s icy hand. ¡°My mother''s name is Alice. Is she the one you''re talking about?¡± ¡°Mother...¡± Nelson was taken aback. He widened his eyes and stared intently at Ashlyn''s face. ¡°Alice is your mother? You''re not Alice? Then who are you...¡± ¡°I am her daughter.¡± Ashlyn sat by the sickbed, warming Nelson''s hand with the heat of her palm. ¡°Is it true, like they said, that you were once my mother''s teacher?¡± ¡°Where is Alice? Is she doing well now?¡± Nelson carefully examined Ashlyn. ¡°Your eyebrows and eyes are very simr, and so is your nose, but your mouth is slightly different. It must have resembled your father...¡± Ashlyn silently looked at Nelson for a while, unable to describe the feelings in her heart. It was a difficult and uneasy situation, but she still didn''t want to deceive Nelson, who, in his twilight years, still cared for her mother. She opened her mouth and finally spoke. ¡°My mother passed away many years ago.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What... No, Alice is so outstanding. How could she possibly have passed away? She''s still so young! Chloe and Madison are both alive and well. How could she have died?¡± Nelson was extremely agitated and began to cough violently again. Cough! Cough! Cough! Blood trickled down from the corner of his lips. Ashlyn immediately raised her hand to pat his back. ¡°Old Mr. Oates, you mustn''t get agitated. My mother was destined for a short life. There was no way to prevent it.¡± ¡°I can''t believe it! I can''t believe it! She deserves a much more brilliant life. She should shine brightly, winning all kinds of awards at home and abroad. That''s the life she''s meant to live! How could she have passed away...¡± Nelson''s eyes welled up with tears. A teardrop slid down his cheek. He slowly closed his eyes. ¡°Alice is truly exceptional. She''s a genius. No matter what taskes her way, it bes incredibly simple and easy for her. No one can everpare to her... Alice...¡± Chapter 1058 Chapter 1058 Chapter 1058 Imprisoned He was truly devastated, and it was evident to almost everyone that he was upset. Zoe finally could not hold her tears and approached the sickbed. ¡°Dad, it was Alice''s daughter, Ashlyn, who saved you. Maybe Alice''s spirit was watching over you from heaven. That''s why she sent Ashlyn to rescue you.¡± As Zoe spoke, she eventually broke down in tears, unable to continue. Zoe finally knew why Ashlyn looked so familiar to her. She held thetter''s hands and said, ¡°Back when I was in high school in Lake City, Fae and I were best friends with your mother. Later on, we all went our separate ways and lost touch. Especially after we heard Alice was suddenly kicked out of the Chapman family, we never saw her again.¡± The thought of her childhood friend''s passing made Zoe''s heart ached as if a knife was piercing it. ¡°Fae has always been residing in Lake City. Does she know what happened to Alice?¡± ¡°Fae... Are you referring to James Field''s wife?¡± Ashlyn was taken aback. She never expected Fae and Alice were actually good friends. ¡°Yes.¡± Zoe nodded. ¡°She probably doesn''t know.¡± Ashlyn felt her heart contracted, as she never expected Fae to be also a good friend of Alice. Suddenly, Ashlyn recalled the chicken soup that Fae always cooked. She somehow felt it always had a touch of Alice. Fae once mentioned she learned to cook chicken soup from an old acquaintance. So that''s why! That old friend must be my mom. Fae has always known about my rtionship with the Chapman family, but why did she never tell me that she and my mom had been good friends? The astonishment was simply indescribable, but now was not the time for Ashlyn to think about those things. She had even more important things to tell. ¡°She''s been having a tough timetely since James is imprisoned. Lucas and I are trying to find a way, as we believe he''s innocent.¡± ¡°Imprisonment?¡± Zoe''s expression suddenly became upset. She wiped her tears and said, ¡°I''ll ask around about this matter for you. Someone must be hiding something.¡± ¡°Fae is also a good child.¡± With the help of Trevor, Nelson sat up and told Finnick, ¡°You... You go to the government office and find out what''s going on. Help out if you can.¡± ¡°Yes, Dad.¡± Finnick quickly nodded, then reminded Lily to take good care of things there before leaving. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Ashlyn was not paying attention to Finnick. Instead, she took out a very delicate, transparent little porcin bottle from her backpack. Inside, there were probably about twenty to thirty small ck pills. Ashlyn handed it to Zoe. ¡°Give one to Old Mr. Oates to eat every day. It''ll be extremely helpful to his medical condition.¡± Zoe was stunned for a moment, ¡°What is this?¡± Chloe''s expressionpletely changed. Chloe walked over in shock and snatched the small medicine bottle from Zoe''s hand. ¡°Is this that wonder drug? The one that caused a huge controversy and attracted great attention internationally ¨C Rulent 133?¡± Others may not know, but she simply could not be unaware. All the doctors there were astounded upon hearing Rulent 133. Just a moment ago, they wondered what unbranded product Ashlyn gave Nelson to eat and what side effects it might have. Can this be eaten? Then, they heard Chloe''s bbergasted voice. What is Rulent 133? They were allpletely bewildered. ¡°Professor Yeatman, what do you mean by that? Is there anything special about this Rulent 133?¡± Lily asked curiously. ¡°Rulent 133 is worth a fortune. Rumor says that a single pill costs at least five hundred thousand and can regenerate dead cells. In other words, it has the ability to prolong one''s life. That''s why this medicine is very difficult to purchase, and I''ve also heard the production volume is extremely small. Probably only a handful of people worldwide can obtain so many pills at once.¡± Chloe looked at Ashlyn with aplicated expression. Her voice filled with envy and sternness. ¡°Where did you get so many pills? Did you do something illegal?¡± Chapter 1059 Chapter 1059 Chapter 1059 Rulent 133 The developer sold it for five hundred thousand per pill. Yet, in fact, it had already fetched a sky-high price at an underground auction. ¡°Five hundred thousand per pill? How much does this whole bottle cost?¡± Zoe''s mind went nk for a moment. Am I holding fifteen million in my hand? Zoe suddenly realized and said with a flustered expression, ¡°I... Ashlyn, I don''t have that much cash with me. I need to go to the bank...¡± ¡°Mrs. Oates, I don''t want the money.¡± Ashlyn interrupted Zoe''s anxious voice. ¡°Old Mr. Oates was once my mother''s teacher. Even now, he still thinks of her fondly. I''m very touched.¡± Ashlyn smiled. ¡°Besides, I treat Trevor as my younger brother. Of course, I have to look after him!¡± Brianna stared at the transparent little porcin bottle in shock. How could there be so many Rulent 133? How is this possible? B Brianna could not believe it as she took a few steps forward, almost unable to control her actions at that moment. She reached out, wanting to snatch the transparent little porcin bottle from Zoe''s hand. Zoe was startled and quickly took a few steps back. Considering Brianna''s identity, Zoe suppressed her displeasure and annoyance. She forced a stiff smile and asked politely, ¡°Ms. Jackovich, what are you doing? This bottle of medicine is worth a fortune. If you want to see it, why not just buy a few pills? With your family background, getting a few should be a piece of cake.¡± Suddenly, Brianna snapped back to reality. Only then she realized what she had actually done. Brianna''s face turned red. ¡°I''m sorry, Mrs. Oates. I was a bit absent-minded just now. I wanted to see if this medicine is authentic. After all, many counterfeit medicines are sold at high prices in the market. If it turns out to be fake... that would be too...¡± Zoe frowned. Her intuition made her strongly dislike what Brianna said, especially since the former had an inexplicable sense of trust in Ashlyn. Zoe felt that given Ashlyn''s character, thetter would not use fake medicine to fool her. As soon as Brianna finished speaking, several people who disapproved of Zoe and Trevor and were skeptical towards Ashlyn also began to embellish and chime in, ¡°Yeah, is it real or fake?¡± ¡°How could anyone possibly take out so many Rulent 133 at once? Professor Yeatman talks about how amazing this medicine is, even when she couldn''t get it, how could this woman obtain it?¡± ¡°I don''t believe it. I think it must be fake.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Everyone began to gossip at once. Each person chiming in one after another. Everyone seemed to have already concluded that the Rulent 133 in Ashlyn''s hands was fake, and she used it to deceive people. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Could it be just an ordinary health supplement? If I have one pill with me, I couldn''t bear to give it away.¡± ¡°Yeah, there''s so many in this small bottle. Is she really that generous? She seems a bit too generous, doesn''t she?¡± Unexpectedly, Lucas never thought Ashlyn would actually bring out a bottle of Rulent 133. Not only was everyone shocked, but Lucas was also taken aback. That was no ordinary health supplement or amon type of wonder drug. That Rulent 133 was not something an ordinary person could possess. A single pill on the ck market would cause everyone to go crazy trying to grab it, let alone so many of them. Ashlyn lifted her eyelids, revealing her dark, deep-set eyes. She yawned and said, ¡°Sour grapes, huh? Not very interesting.¡± Ashlyn waszy to bother with Brianna. That woman had been inexplicably hostile towards her from the beginning as if she had stolen her lover. Crazy! Chloe suppressed the anger and jealousy in her. Herboratory had been researching drugs simr to Rulent 133 and even better ones. She tried to seize the opportunity but still had not achieved any results. Chloe put on a fake smile and said to Zoe, ¡°Mrs. Oates, how about this? Give me the bottle of medicine, and I''ll take it back to analyze its ingredients. If it turns out to be Rulent 133, we can all rest assured. If it is, that''s even better. If not, we can at least prevent Old Mr. Yates from suffering unnecessary harm.¡± Chapter 1060 Chapter 1060 Chapter 1060 Unveiled Deceptions Chloe looked at Ashlyn stiffly, her face revealing a pretentious gentleness. ¡°Ms. Berry, you are still young. I think someone might have deceived you.¡± Ashlyn was astonished by Chloe''s tant lie. Ashlyn had seen thick-skinned people before, but never one as shameless as this. Moreover, she didn''t miss the fleeting glimpse of greed in Chloe''s eyes. She couldn''t help butugh in frustration, ¡°This is the medicine I sent out. Why would you want to take it for analysis and testing? Are you waiting for the results so you can mass-produce it?¡± Everyone''s eyes widened. They were astonished. Many thoughts ran across their minds. She''s awesome! Incredible! She''s just too d*mn incredible. Did she just argue with Chloe in her face? Wow, she said no to Chloe''s attempt to take that medicine for analysis and testing! Nowadays, no one would dare not to hold Chloe in high esteem and treat her with respect and politeness. After all, there was Chloe''s status, abilities, authority, and reputation to consider. No one would dare to criticize Chloe like this tantly, let alone speak harshly to her in normal times. She has always been held in high esteem, always respected and admired. In addition, she was an authority in medicine. However, on this day, she was being scolded by a young woman in her early twenties. Chloe''s vision went ck, and she almost fainted. How many years has it been? How many years since someone has had the audacity to speak to me like this? Only a handful of people in the capital city dared to speak to me like that. Who does she think she is, talking to me like that? Chloe''s face turned red with anger. ¡°You... You! Do you think I need your pills? Do I need to covet them? You... You really judge others by your own petty standards!¡± However, it was true that Ashlyn had hit the nail on the head; that was precisely what Chloe was thinking. But thetter would never admit it, even if it killed her. ¡°Professor Yeatman wants to take it for testing because she cherishes you and is afraid you might be deceived. But look at you. You''re turning it around on her.¡± Brianna supported Chloe, whose chest was heaving with anger. ¡°Professor Yeatman, ignore her. She doesn''t appreciate your kindness,¡± Brianna added. Ashlyn looked at them, the pair of pretentious master and disciple, indifferently. ¡°The authenticity of Rulent 133 doesn''t lie in itsposition but in the fact that every pill contains the precious rukkeadamon. This kind of thing is not something that ordinary people can cultivate. As for the medicines you''ve been researching, I''ve heard a little about them, but... what you''re missing is the rukkeadamon.¡± ¡°What... What did you say?¡± Chloe''s face suddenly turned pale. ¡°Rukkeadamon?¡± She had never even heard of such a thing. What''s a rukkeadamon? ¡°Yes, rukkeadamon.¡± Ashlyn put away all the information she had just received on her phone. It was about Chloe''s entire life. Ashlyn had asked Quiet Forest to help her look into it. Quiet Forest was incredibly fast, and within just a few minutes, they had sent the information she was looking for. Chloe Yeatman was a renowned professor of surgery who had a privateb funded by many prominent investors. She had been researching a drug to dy aging, but the results have never been particrly noteworthy. That was why Chloe was extremely anxious and under tremendous pressuretely. The big shots who invested had yet to see any results would undoubtedly hold her ountable. Quiet Forest also sent Ashlyn the information on the ingredients of the drug that Chloe had researched. She noticed the missing ingredients and Chloe''s predicament with just one nce. ¡°What is rukkeadamon? We have never heard of such a medicine; I only know about the strychnine tree,¡± Brianna said to Ashlyn rudely, her tone extremely blunt. Everyone was dissatisfied and disdainful toward Ashlyn. The people around were also puzzled. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Rukkeadamon, huh? What a strange name. ¡°Sorry, but you can''t simply buy rukkeadamon just because you want to.¡± Ashlynughed. ¡°It''s a traditional herbal medicine that looks like a coin, but it''s actually a nt.¡± She suddenly took a step toward Chloe, and Chloe couldn''t help but take a step back in response. After taking a step back, Chloe suddenly came to her senses. Why am I intimidated by Ashlyn? She''s just a woman in her early twenties. Why am I showing her any weakness? But as Chloe looked up, she met Ashlyn''s deep, bottomless ck eyes. Her long, featheryshes covered them like a crow''s feathers, making her appear like a bewitching enchantress. Chapter 1061 Chapter 1061 Chapter 1061 Is It Genuine ¡°I''ve told you the recipe, so feel free to make the medicine. You can even make another Rulent 144 if you want.¡± Ashlyn''s lips curved into a captivating and enchanting smile, and a hint of mockery appeared from the depths of her eyes. She continued, ¡°Go ahead! I''ll be waiting.¡± Chloe stared at Ashlyn in disbelief. ¡°You know the form for Rulent 133? How do you know about rukkeadamon? You''re making it up, aren''t you? Rukkeadamon doesn''t even exist. You''re just spouting nonsense. Ashlyn, you''re really shameless.¡± ¡°Yeah, you tried to harm Old Master Oats by giving him a fake medicine and fooling him, and you didn''t even let my mentor test it. Now you''re even fabricating something like this rukkeadamon out of thin air.¡± Brianna straightened up because she realized for the first time that her confidence as the number one socialite of Maredania seemed to be verycking in front of Ashlyn. This feeling made her extremely ufortable. She really disliked Ashlyn, especially when she saw how polite Trevor was to Ashlyn. His practically following Ashlyn''s every word made Brianna extremely unhappy. I really can''t wait to tear this woman apart. Now... Suddenly, the deputy director of the hospital, Solomon Burton, whispered his suggestion, ¡°Is this medicine really genuine? We can''t take someone at their word. I heard... that Mr. Charlie once auctioned off a pill like this at his auction. Why don''t we... invite him toe and authenticate it?¡± His remark triggered a huge reaction. ¡°Has Mr. Charlie ever auctioned off a pill? Is that true?¡± ¡°How much did it sell for at the auction?¡± ¡°How did you know, Dr. Burton?¡± Solomon felt a bit awkward. He didn''t know whether he should admit that he sometimes attended auctions to win some trinkets and such. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Well, I just heard about it. They''re rumors...¡± Chloe seemed to have seen a glimpse of hope. ¡°Brianna, please go invite Mr. Charlie on my behalf immediately. Make sure hees here to the hospital as soon as possible.¡± Brianna nodded, then turned around and left. Ashlyn felt that they had too much time on their hands. She was exhausted, yet she still had to discuss with this group of people whether her medicine was real or fake. I''ll die of boredom at this rate! ¡°Mrs. Oates, please keep the medicine safe and remember to give it to Old Mr. Oates. I''ll be leaving now. Just let me know the resultster.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, are you leaving so soon? Are you feeling guilty? Or are you scared?¡± Chloe red at Ashlyn. The former was determined to make thetter eat her words. Chloe wanted Ashlyn to know her ce and what being a true authority figure and expert in the field meant. She firmly believed that Ashlyn saved Nelson simply because she had good luck instead of natural talent and knowledge. Today, her pride had been trampled under Ashlyn''s foot for one whole day, filling her heart with hatred and anger. However, she couldn''t do anything to Ashlyn in front of so many people. ¡°Why should I be scared?¡± Ashlyn raised an eyebrow, her cold gaze calm and undisturbed, like ake without a single ripple. ¡°Because you know the medicine is fake, you feel guilty and scared, so you want to run away.¡± Chloe''s lips curved into a triumphant smile as if she had caught Ashlyn''s weakness. Chloe was sure that the medicine Ashlyn had was fake. How could anyone possibly have so much Rulent 133? Even if someone managed to snatch up that much, it couldn''t be Ashlyn. It could be some big shot or some political figure, but it definitely couldn''t be Ashlyn, an insignificant doctor who came all the way from an equally small ce like Lake City. Chloe sneered inwardly as she looked down at Ashlyn from her lofty position. Her condescending demeanor made her seem like an arbiter. Nevertheless, Ashlyn stood expressionless, looking at Chloe as if she was crazy. Instead of getting angry, Ashlynughed and felt that this so-called professor was like a clown. ¡°Do as you please. You can say whatever you want.¡± She sat down on a nearby bench, crossed her arms, and continued, ¡°I''ll wait here while you appraise it.¡± Then, Lucas walked over and sat down beside her. After he stretched out his long arm, he pulled her into his embrace. His slender yet big hand reached out and gently pressed her head onto his shoulder. ¡°Let me hold you while I sleep for a bit.¡± Chapter 1062 Chapter 1062 Chapter 1062 Doubt and Deception Thus, everyone present stared in shock at the scene unfolding before them. The man gazed dotingly at the woman in his arms, and the woman slowly closed her eyes, nestling against his shoulder for a nap. She was really exhausted and barely had any sleep. She rushed over without stopping for a break. In addition to being surrounded by so many annoying people with their constant and endless chatter, she had a headache just from listening to it. Under the watch of such a crowd, it was surprising that she could still sleep so soundly. When Charlie arrived, it was already half an hourter. Brianna stepped out of the elevator with a young man, her face was full of arrogance, and she acted all high and mighty as if she was ready to crush Ashlyn to death and expose her. Then, she would disfigure Ashlyn''s face and rub it against the ground. It was as if she had already seen the scene of Ashlyn embarrassing herself in Lake City. An inexplicable sense of tion filled Brianna''s heart. ¡°Mr. Charlie, pleasee this way,¡± Brianna said. Brianna walked confidently in her high heels and held her head high alongside Charlie Link as they approached in front of the crowd. ¡°Mr. Charlie.¡± As soon as Chloe saw Charlie, she immediately greeted him. She looked at him with a warm smile on her face. Everyone looked at Charlie in unison. The man had a handsome face and wore a pair of gold-rimmed sses, giving him an elegant and gentle appearance. He did not look like the owner of thergest auction house in Jadeborough, nor did he resemble the ruthless and heartless man from the rumors. They all secretly spected that Charlie''s appearance would definitely expose Ashlyn and humiliate her. Many people looked as if they were expecting an interesting show to unfold as they watched Ashlyn, who still had her eyes closed. The woman seemed unaware of Charlie''s arrival as she continued to take a nap. ¡°It''s like this, Mr. Charlie. We have a bottle of Rulent 133 here. I heard that one pill appeared at your auction recently, so you must be quite familiar with it. Could you help to authenticate whether this bottle of medicine is genuine or fake?¡± Chloe said. Chloe looked at Charlie with a gentle and elegant smile. Charlie raised his eyebrows without showing any of his emotions and nced at Ashlyn, who was sitting on the bench with her eyes closed. What''s going on? With her here, how could it be me who authenticates Rulent 133? However, Chloe had always had a great reputation in Jadeborough. Charlie was extremely cautious in his actions, so he would not dare to disrespect Chloe. When Zoe saw Charlie arriving, she took a deep breath and handed that bottle of medicine to the handsome man in front of her. She did not know if it was due to her extreme nervousness or something else, but that transparent little porcin bottle was slightly wet. She was so anxious that her palms were sweating. Chloe nced at this scene. She sneered secretly in her heart. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. That medicine is definitely fake. Charlie took the small transparent porcin bottle and held it in his hand. He then opened it and poured out a pill. The dark brown pill was lying quietly in the palm of his hand. Charlie looked carefully at the pill. Then, he looked at the small porcin bottle in his hand. So many Rulent 133 at once, it seems... Ashlyn is really generous this time. It looks like Mrs. Oates from the Oates family has a good rtionship with her. As Charlie examined the pill, almost everyone''s heart was pounding hard as they desperately wanted to know the result. They wanted to know whether the medicine was genuine or fake, especially both the mentor and the mentee, Chloe, and Brianna. The two of them could not wait to wake Ashlyn up immediately and show her. ¡°Look! The person we invited to humiliate you has arrived!¡± However, just as everyone was staring at Charlie, they saw the tall and slender man striding forward with his long legs,ing to stand in front of Ashlyn. Charlie nced at Chloe. ¡°Is she the one who gave this medicine?¡± Chloe was taken aback. ¡°How did you know?¡± Is Mr. Charlie really that amazing? He even knows that Ashlyn is the one who brought the medicine. It seems that Mr. Charlie has really figured out that the medicine is fake. So, is this going to humiliate Ashlyn? Chloe was thinking to herself. The more she thought about it, the more she looked forward to it. She wanted to see Charlie''s reaction, hoping that he would throw that entire bottle of medicine onto Ashlyn''s face, disfiguring her looks. Let''s see how she can still be so arrogant! In Brianna''s eyes, a faint hint of nervousness was revealed. Brianna and Chloe had the same feelings. Humiliation, it''s almost time to humiliate Ashlyn. The medicine is definitely fake. Chapter 1063 Chapter 1063 Chapter 1063 The Truth That Shocked Everyone It must be fake. Everyone else present was also nervously staring at Charlie. Finnick could not help but ask, ¡°Mr. Charlie, is the medicine... real or fake?¡± Lily said curiously, ¡°That''s right. Mr. Charlie, please say something! After all, the medicine is for my dad. If it''s real, that would be great. But if it''s fake...¡± Lily did not continue speaking, but her expression revealed her true feelings. Lily just wanted Ashlyn to be humiliated! Lily even secretly hoped that the medicine was fake. Even if Nelson could not get good medicine, she still wanted to see Ashlyn being humiliated. Dozens of pairs of eyes were fixed on Charlie, and the atmosphere in the entire corridor was extremely quiet. Lucas lowered his gaze, his thick eyshes framing his eyes as he stared intently at his phone screen. It seemed as if everything there had nothing to do with him. He was so quiet that even his breath seemed to carry silence. Meanwhile, his other hand remained protectively behind the woman''s waist, preventing her body from sliding down. Ashlyn nestled in Lucas'' arms and was breathing evenly. Just at that moment, Charlie suddenly bent his upright posture and lowered his dignified head, which was usually held high in Jadeborough. With a respectful tone, Charlie said to the woman, ¡°Boss, don''t sleep anymore... Wake up?¡± He was not only respectful but also extremely cautious. His attitude was exactly the same as how Trevor treated Ashlyn. Everyone was shocked as they stared in disbelief with wide eyes. They wondered what was going on. The owner of thergest auction house in Jadeborough, Charlie, was someone everyone respectfully addressed as ¡°Mr. Charlie¡± when they met him. Charlie''s status in Jadeborough was extraordinary. He had connections in both the underworld and the legitimate world. He had an extensivework of contacts and knew a lot of big shots. Everyone would give him some respect upon meeting him. Now, Charlie was actually behaving so respectfully toward someone. Chloe''s face, which initially revealed a joyful and expectant expression, suddenly became contorted and stiff. All the anticipation and longing in her eyes from before had now turned into shock. Her facial muscles were twitching. ¡°What... What did you say? How is that possible?¡± Chloe nearly let out a scream. She no longer cared about her image as an expert or professor. She was shocked, and her voice almost broke. ¡°Mr. Charlie, what kind of joke is this!¡± How could he possibly humble himself and call Ashlyn ¡°boss¡±? Chloe almost doubted that there was something wrong with her ears. Brianna supported Chloe, who was almost about to faint. At that moment, Brianna''s high and mighty behavior as the number one socialite hadpletely vanished, leaving only shock and disbelief. ¡°Mr. Charlie, have you mistaken her for someone else? Did you get it wrong? She... She''s just a rural doctor from the small town of Lake City. She... She''s just a...¡± Brianna said. Just as Brianna was about to say something more, she was suddenly interrupted by Charlie''s displeasure. ¡°Ms. Jackovich, please mind your manners and your status. Although my boss has been living in Lake City for a long time, her position in my heart is iparable to anyone else.¡± The man''s voice was sonorous and powerful, filled with a deep sense of displeasure. The support for Ashlyn was evident, and anyone could feel it.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, Ashlyn slowly opened her eyes. Her beautiful hazel eyes were tinged with faint bloodshot streaks, revealing her displeasure fromck of sleep. She could not sleep well, and her mood was terrible. Moreover, she had a serious case of morning grumpiness. She managed to hold on until then, solely for the sake of Trevor. She lifted her bloodshot eyes, ncing at Chloe and Brianna, the mentor and the mentee. ¡°So noisy.¡± With a faint hint of hoarseness in her voice, Ashlyn said, ¡°No one will think you''re mute if you don''t speak. If you like screaming, I don''t mind sending you straight to Alendor to work in the mines.¡± ¡°Who... Who do you think you are? Do you really think you''re some kind of big shot?¡± Brianna, upon hearing Ashlyn''s harsh words, could not help but exim unhappily. In the next moment, the woman suddenly made her move. Her figure rushed in front of Brianna like a sh of lightning. No one could see clearly how she appeared in front of Brianna. It happened in just a blink of an eye. Chapter 1064 Chapter 1064 Chapter 1064 Like A Fish Brianna''s eyes were wide open as if she had seen a ghost. She stared in terror at the stunningly beautiful face that was just inches away from her. A hand as fair as white porcin suddenly gripped Brianna''s neck tightly, and the woman''s icy gaze fixed on her without emotion. Brianna shuddered from head to toe. She had never felt so terrified before. With her mouth wide open, she gasped for air and cried out, ¡°Ah!¡± Brianna wanted to escape, but Ashlyn grasped her neck tightly. The former''s face turned red due to suffocation, and she could hardly utter a word. Brianna was like a fish deprived of oxygen, on the verge of drying up and dying. ¡°What are you doing? You''re killing someone!¡± Chloe snapped out of shock and immediately tried to pull Ashlyn''s arm away. ¡°Let go of her!¡± Brianna was Chloe''s proudest mentee. She not only had a good family background but was also very intelligent and highly skilled in her profession. Chloe could not bear to see Brianna get into trouble. She never imagined that Ashlyn could be so terrible, daring to take action in broad daylight. ¡°I hate being disturbed when I''m sleeping,¡± Ashlyn said coldly, her expression filled with inexplicable irritability. The strong aura of grumpiness from waking up seemed to fill the entire corridor. Lucas could not help but recall a certain incident when Ashlyn was disturbed by Tinsor and Winsor early in the morning. She then strode out wearing slippers, wielded a whip, and taught them a lesson. ¡°Mr. Charlie! Mr. Charlie!¡± Upon realizing she could not persuade Ashlyn, Chloe immediately turned to look at Charlie. ¡°Mr. Charlie, what on earth is going on? How can she be so outrageous? She''s completelywless!¡± Finnick also said anxiously, ¡°Ms. Berry, please calm down. Ms. Jackovich didn''t mean it. She is the number one socialite in Maredania. Do you know who her mother is?¡± ¡°What does her mother''s identity have to do with me?¡± Ashlyn looked at Finnick coldly. Her arrogant demeanor sent shivers down the spines of everyone present. ¡°I-I''m telling you, Ashlyn, her mother is none other than the Secretary of State of Maredania, Sonia Jakovich. She''s someone you could never possiblye into contact with in your entire life.¡± Chloe was both angry and distressed, worried about the consequences if something were to happen to Brianna when she was with her. Sonia would definitely not forgive Chloe, and thetter''sboratory would probably have to close down. Chloe certainly did not want to witness that scene. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Charlie shrugged. Mr. Charlie, that well-connected man in Jadeborough, was grinning as if he was unconcerned and carefree. ¡°Don''t look at me. There''s nothing I can do. I can''t hold my boss back when she loses her temper.¡± What a joke! I definitely don''t want to be thrown out of the window by Boss because of this woman, Brianna. Who is to me when Brianna insists on testing Boss'' limit? She could only me herself. Chloe was so anxious that her face went bloodless as she watched her beloved mentee''s face turn red due tock of oxygen. Brianna, who was in pain, desperately tried to get Ashlyn''s hand off of her neck. However, all her efforts were in vain. Brianna''s strength was simply iparable to Ashlyn''s. ¡°Ashlyn, I admit it''s my fault for having a bad attitude toward you. But when you suddenly bring out so many pills, it''s hard not to suspect that they may be fake.¡± Chloe finally gritted her teeth and lowered her head toward Ashlyn. ¡°However, you shouldn''t take your anger out on Brianna! She hasn''t offended you, so please be merciful and let her go!¡± It was better to rely on oneself than to seek help from others. Chloe looked at the Oates family members surrounding them, but no one was willing to stand up for her. Chloe felt depressed. Usually, everyone would try to please her, but now that something had happened, not a single person spoke up. This is frustrating! Chloe stared intently at Ashlyn''s exceptionally beautiful and attractive face. She thought the woman was even prettier than those female celebrities. However, Chloe wondered how Ashlyn could be so ruthless. N o ordinary woman would keep choking a girl''s neck without letting go. Brianna felt extremely unwell and was on the verge of suffocation. Her face turned beet red, so red that it seemed as if blood could seep out. Brianna''s slender neck felt so ufortable as if it would snap any second by the emotionless woman in front of her. Chapter 1065 Chapter 1065 Chapter 1065 Not To Be Messed With ¡°Mr. Trevor! Mr. Trevor, you have a good rtionship with her. Please help me talk to her!¡± In the end, with no other options left, Chloe had no choice but to seek help from Trevor. Trevor stared at Brianna expressionlessly. Thetter''s eyes filled with tears, and she gazed pleadingly at the handsome young man. Her demeanor evoked a heart-wrenching sense ofpassion. It seemed as if Brianna was pleading with Trevor to help. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org However, Trevor was apathetic and remainedpletely undisturbed. On the contrary, Trevor found Ashlyn''s action of grabbing Brianna''s neck to be incredibly cool. Ashlyn''s gaze was cold, with a faint trace of bloodshot in her eyes. The hand gripping Brianna''s neck appeared fair and lustrous, like a perfect piece of artwork. Lily was furious and cursed, ¡°Who do you think you are? Who gives you the right to be so arrogant in the Oates family''s territory? Let me tell you, I''m calling the security right now, and I''ll make sure they kick you out.¡± Upon hearing the voice of Lily, who she thought was an unreliable person, Chloe almost fainted due to frustration. ¡°Stop yelling! Aren''t you just provoking her even more?¡± ¡°But we can''t just stand and watch Ms. Jackovich being strangled to death by her, can we?¡± Lily really could not think of another way. ¡°Ms. Jackovich is the daughter of the Secretary of State of Maredania. If you dare to hurt her, you''re hurting a foreign guest. Do you know that this can lead to an international dispute?¡± Ashlyn chuckled. ¡°With all that knowledge, why don''t you be a diplomat?¡± Lily''s face darkened as she pursed her lips. If I can be a diplomat, why would I still be standing here? Can this d*mned Ashlyn shut her sinister mouth? When Lucas heard Ashlyn''s retort to Lily, he could not help but giggle. How can Honey be so fierce? Trevor also felt likeughing, but when he remembered Lily was his aunt, he swallowed it. In the end, Zoe sighed and said softly to Ashlyn, ¡°Ms. Berry, how about letting Ms. Jackovich apologize to you? Will that calm you down?¡± Ashlyn nced at Zoe, then glimpsed at Brianna, whom she had pinned against the wall with her hand around Brianna''s neck. Ashlyn was feeling restless, having woken up early in the morning and spending so much time dealing with that group of people''s chatter. She was exhausted and especially sleepy. Brianna was still there, yammering on to provoke Ashlyn. If it were someone else, they would have been pinned to the ground by Ashlyn and beaten the pants out of them. Brianna would not even have the chance to babble. Even if Ashlyn was agitated, she would not kill someone in public. As soon as Ashlyn loosened her hand, Brianna suddenly slid down the wall and fell to the ground weightlessly. So terrifying! What a terrifying woman! The powerful aura emanating from Ashlyn made Brianna shudder involuntarily. For a moment, Brianna felt as though she had seen a demon from hell. That woman is not to be messed with. Brianna leaned her back firmly against the wall, squatting on the ground without grace as she stared nkly at the floor. Tears slid down Brianna''s cheeks, one after another. She felt aggrieved and sad and, at the same time, embarrassed. In all her years, she had never felt so ashamed. She was the number one socialite in Maredania and was always admired by others. When had she ever been dealt with so ruthlessly by others? Brianna''s face turned pale out of anger. However, deep down in her heart, she had both hatred and fear toward Ashlyn. Brianna had been pampered all her life, never having experienced such a humiliating situation before. She... Her gaze was fixed intently on the ground, determined to carry out her revenge. I need to teach Ashlyn a lesson! Let her know what true cruelty is. When Chloe saw Ashlyn finally let go, she quickly walked over and embraced Brianna, who was sitting on the ground. ¡°Brianna, how are you feeling? Please don''t scare me.¡± Brianna''s face was bloodless as she looked at Chloe. ¡°Professor Yeatman...¡± Brianna hugged Chloe tightly. There was a striking red mark encircling the former''s neck. In pain and difort, Brianna finally could not help but cry out as if venting her fear. Ashlyn nced at the seemingly suicidal pair of mentor and mentee, then looked at Charlie, who had been enjoying the show, and asked, ¡°Is the medicine real or fake?¡± Chapter 1066 Chapter 1066 Chapter 1066 A Respected Identity Charlie could not help butugh. ¡°Of course it''s real. If you had fake medicine in your hands, then there would be no one in this world with real medicine.¡± As soon as he said that, everyone present was momentarily taken aback. What did we just hear? Are all those medicines genuine? Chloe did not expect it either. As she held Brianna, she stood up and asked, ¡°Mr. Charlie, what did you say?¡± ¡°Professor Yeatman, these medicines are genuine.¡± Charlie gazed at Chloe indifferently. After a pause, he continued, ¡°In the future, it''s best not to involve me in such matters. Because... it''s just too boring.¡± This was like a hard p on Chloe''s face. Meanwhile, Chloe''s face flushed red and then turned pale. She felt extremely upset inside. For that entire day, she felt as if she was humiliated by Ashlyn too much, and that Ashlyn did not stop embarrassing her. Moreover, she felt as if her pride had been trampled on. Is Charlie here to embarrass me as well? Thus, she was both angry and furious. She felt that she was extremely humiliated. After all, she was a distinguished authority in surgery. Moreover, she was a professor of surgery. Her mentee was bullied by Ashlyn, and now Charlie was also bullying her. Finnick stepped forward to smooth things over. ¡°As they are genuine, everything is so much better. Ms. Berry, thank you for your medicine. The Oates family will definitely host a thank-you banquet in the future. We hope you can grace us with your presence!¡± Ashlyn simply said, ¡°Let''s talk about it when I have time.¡± Lily''s expression was quite displeased. ¡°Finnick, how did you turn so fast and...¡± Be friends with Ashlyn? How can you do this to Chloe... After all, Chloe is your wife''s younger sister! Finnick, after all, was the eldest son of the Oates family. Thus, as the eldest son, he must possess the dignity and responsibility that came with the role. Therefore, he exchanged a few more pleasantries with Ashlyn. Upon hearing his words, Ashlyn grew somewhat impatient. She turned to Lucas and said, ¡°Let''s go.¡± Lucas slowly stood up. He stood tall and straight beside her, and both of them looked like an extremely well-matched pair. His deep and dark eyes scanned everyone present. Finally, his gaze rested on Chloe. The man''s icy voice seemed to beced with frost. ¡°If I ever find out that someone is trying to do something to my wife, don''t me me for being harsh.¡± Ashlyn was taken aback. Is he trying to back me up? Do I, Ashlyn Berry need Lucas to back me up? However, for some reason, she felt a warmth in her heart. It was as if there was a hint of sweetness in her heart. After all, there was a subtle sweetness to the feeling of being protected. Chloe clenched her fists. However, she was intimidated by Lucas'' powerful aura and his fierce warning. Nevertheless, deep down, she was extremely unwilling to ept it. What kind of background could an upstart from Lake City possibly have? How dare he spouts nonsense here. She did not believe that she could not teach Ashlyn and Lucas a lesson. Hehe... After that, she made up her mind and was determined to take revenge on Ashlyn. Then, she saw Trevor following Ashlyn with a respectful expression on his face. He even reached out to press the elevator button smoothly as he said, ¡°Boss, let me send you downstairs.¡± Charlie nced at everyone. ¡°The medicine is genuine. In the future, I advise you all not to believe in rumors easily. Goodbye.¡± After saying that, he turned around and followed Ashlyn''s footsteps. ¡°Boss, since you''re in Jadeborough, why don''t you go to my auction house and have a look around? Would you like to taste my finest premium coffee?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this. Ashlyn nced at himzily. ¡°I''m not free.¡± ¡°Hey, don''t be so heartless!¡± In the eyes of others, the stern and cold Charlie appeared to be like a child seeking affection in front of Ashlyn. Trevor could not stand it any longer. Thus, he said, ¡°Boss, why don''t youe and visit our club? Ever since you invested in the club, you''ve never really been involved in it. That''s not good.¡± What? Does Ashlyn also invest in Trevor''s club? Everyone listened to their conversation while waiting for the elevator, and they were all suddenly shocked. One said, ¡°The club is now considered one of the most promising clubs in the entire national e-sports field.¡± Another said, ¡°I''ve always heard that Trevor had a big shot who invested in his club, but who would have thought it is Ashlyn?¡± Then, one said, ¡°Why do I feel it''s a bit strange? Someone from a small town like Lake City... How could they possibly have such a good eye for investing in a club?¡± Chapter 1067 Chapter 1067 Chapter 1067 Provocation Someone said, ¡°I feel the same way. It''s just too strange.¡± Then, another said, ¡°But Mr. Charlie still calls her ''Boss''!¡± The conversations between these people fell into the ears of Chloe and Brianna, the mentor and the mentee. The two could not help but feel as if they were mocked. Then, the two women looked at each other simultaneously, and their eyes were filled with intense hatred. After that, Brianna held Chloe tightly. ¡°Professor Yeatman, I must let my mother help me take revenge.¡± ¡°Brianna, you''ve been wronged. It''s my fault for not protecting you well enough...¡± Chloe sobbed uncontrobly as she added, ¡°It''s all because I''m too ipetent.¡± ¡°No, it''s not your fault. The one at fault is Ashlyn.¡± Brianna stared intently at the closed elevator doors, and hatred filled her eyes. ¡°In all my life, this is the first time someone has threatened me like this. When she was choking my neck, I thought I was going to die for a moment there!¡± ¡°Brianna, don''t say anymore. Forget all those unpleasant memories, all right?¡± Then, Chloe hugged Brianna tightly. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Let''s go, I''ll take you away from here.¡± Finnick did not want to offend Chloe either, so he walked over with an apologetic expression on his face. ¡°I''m sorry, I didn''t expect Ashlyn to actually pull it off.¡± ¡°Finnick... Forget it, there''s no need to mention her again.¡± Chloe''s face turned ashen, as she had never been so brutally humiliated since she became famous. It should be said that no one has ever dared to humiliate her before. She was embarrassed there that day, but she would definitely make aeback in the future. Moreover, she was determined to show Ashlyn who was the boss and make thetter understand what it truly meant to be a big shot. Ashlyn and Lucas went straight back to the hotel. Trevor personally drove them to the hotel entrance. Charlie had something to say to Ashlyn, and upon seeing Lucas'' darkened face, Charlie could not help but want to speak even more. Therefore, at the hotel entrance, Charlie deliberately untied a men''s scarf that had been tied around his neck. Then, with his slender fingers, he ambiguously wrapped the scarf around Ashlyn''s delicate neck. ¡°Jadeborough is colder than Lake City. It''s better to dress more warmly when going out in the future.¡± As he spoke, he swiftly and skillfully tied a knot in the scarf around Ashlyn''s neck. The scarf still carried his body warmth. Seeing the dead knot, he nodded in satisfaction. Then, he nced at Lucas from the corner of his eye. After that, he quickly withdrew his gaze and said, ¡°Boss, I originally wanted to discuss something with you, but... you must be tired today. Let''s talk about it tomorrow.¡± Ashlyn noddedzily. ¡°This scarf is nice as it''s very warm.¡± She did not notice Lucas''s darkened expression, nor did she notice the deliberate dead knot that Charlie had tied. ¡°I''ll be holding an auction the day after tomorrow. Will you attend it?¡± Charlie asked again. ¡°I''m very busy.¡± The cool and detached woman stood at the hotel entrance. She looked like she was drowsy. She meant that she did not have any free time. ¡°Since you''re not free for this one, are you avable for Old Mr. Sullivan''s coffee banquet this year?¡± Charlie asked her again. Ashlyn finally regained some rity and asked, ¡°Is it time for Old Mr. Sullivan to host his coffee banquet again this year? He usually does it every three years.¡± ¡°Yes, that''s right.¡± ¡°All right. I''ll just attend it when the timees. It''s not good to embarrass Old Mr. Sullivan.¡± Having said that, Ashlyn nced at him impatiently. ¡°Why do you talk so much? Are you done? If so, I''m going upstairs.¡± Finally, Lucas started to hear Ashlyn trying to drive Charlie away. Moreover, her tone was filled with impatience. Atst, Lucas'' uneasy heart felt a little morefortable. ¡°Honey, it''s windy here. Let''s head back quickly.¡± Having said that, he gently pulled the delicate woman into his embrace. Upon seeing the intimate posture of the two, Charlie''s eyes, hidden behind his gold-rimmed sses, flickered rapidly. However, soon, a faint smile appeared on his lips and he said, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Lucas'' expression was extremely cold and domineering, and the gaze he directed at Charlie was filled with coldness. Nevertheless, Charlie was not easily frightened. With a smirk on his lips that revealed a hint of provocation, he turned around and strode away. Unbeknownst to anyone, delicate snowkes began to drift through the sky. Trevor could not help but want to slip away due to the conflicting atmosphere back then. Chapter 1068 Chapter 1068 Chapter 1068 Jealousy The silent showdown between the big shots and the surging danger were things that Trevor, as a mere nobody, would not dare to be involved in easily. Thus, he decided it was best to slip away quickly. The young man rubbed his hands together and said, ¡°Boss, Mr. Nn, I''ll head back to the hospital now. You both get some rest and call me if you need anything.¡± Ashlyn nodded lightly and, together with Lucas, turned around and left. Meanwhile, Trevor settled into the car and gazed at the snowkes fluttering outside the window. The winter this time seemed exceptionally cold. Snowkes fluttered and fell gently. Ashlyn and Lucas returned to the hotel together and entered the suite. After that, Lucas called for room service and asked her, ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Ashlyn suddenly realized that she was very hungry. ¡°Order whatever you''d like, and let''s hurry up to get some sleep after we eat.¡± The man''s deep, dark eyes fell upon her face. After a moment, he said, ¡°I''m very angry.¡± ¡°Huh? What are you angry about?¡± Ashlyn was a bit slow to react. Why is he getting upset for no reason? ¡°Why are you wearing another man''s scarf around your neck?¡± The man walked up to her. Then, his finger hooked onto the knot of the scarf, and proceeded to untie it. After that, he discovered that the knot was actually a dead knot.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. You''re such a wretched man, Charlie. ¡°Charlie is not just anyone.¡± Ashlyn nced down at the gray-blue scarf around her neck. It had a nice style, and the color was good too. Therefore, she came to a conclusion and realized that Charlie had good taste. ¡°Every man other than me is a stranger.¡± Lucas'' lips curled coldly. Ashlyn finally realized a problem. So the man is jealous. Not only is he jealous, but he is very jealous. She could not help it and wanted tough. ¡°Mr. Nn, are you jealous?¡± ¡°Hehe...¡± Lucas sneered coldly as he added, ¡°Mrs. Nn, you''re ying with fire.¡± Ashlyn continued to provoke him fearlessly, ¡°Mr. Nn, I really like this scarf. Hmm, I don''t even want to take it off!¡± Having said that, she indeed saw Lucas'' handsome face darken. He was looking so gloomy that it looked as if ink had dripped from his face. The man''s well-definedrge palm roughly grabbed the scarf and he attempted to untie it. However, even after spending quite some time doing it, he still could not untie it. The man exuded an inexplicable restlessness all over his body. After that, he strode over to a cab and then found a pair of scissors. Ashlyn blinked her eyes. ¡°What are you going to do-¡± Before she could finish speaking, she looked at the scarf around her neck and heard the sound of a snap. The pair of scissors was held close to the scarf and Lucas had cut the scarf into two halves. ¡°Did the scarf do something to offend you?¡± Ashlyn felt a tinge of sadness for Charlie''s scarf. What the heck? The man''s gloomy eyes revealed a hint of dominance and strong jealousy. ¡°You can only wear things that I give you. Even a scarf from someone else is not allowed!¡± The corner of Ashlyn''s mouth twitched. The man is acting like a domineering CEO straight out of a Mary Sue novel again. Before she could express her opinion, she saw Lucas making a phone call. ¡°Please bring me thetest scarves from all the brand counters in the mall.¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Ashlyn touched her own neck. ¡°I only have one head, you know? How could I possibly use that many scarves?¡± ¡°One scarf per day, and you must wear the one I give you every day.¡± The hint of a strong possessiveness flickered across Lucas'' handsome face. ¡°I won''t give any other man a chance!¡± ¡°Charlie is-¡± ¡°Honey... don''t let me hear his name.¡± Lucas leaned close to Ashlyn''s beautiful and captivating face. His eyes were filled with a thick sense of danger. Ashlyn took a deep breath. ¡°Even if you''re jealous, there should be a limit.¡± ¡°I''m just jealous of you.¡± The man pressed his forehead against hers and his deep eyes stared intently at her. It was as if his eyes were an enticing whirlpool that she could not escape from. After that, she heard his maic voice say, ¡°So, be good...¡± The man''s voice was enticing. Moreover, it was deep and husky like a rich wine, and it made Ashlyn''s ears flush with heat. Instinctively, she reached out to push him away, but the man forcefully pulled her into his embrace. Chapter 1069 Chapter 1069 Chapter 1069 The Effect Of Spirogyra Before Ashlyn could react, Lucas'' hot breath rushed toward her and brushed past her cheeks. Her heart trembled, and she felt as if the blood in her entire body was about to boil. This... She felt embarrassed. This man doesn''t do anything, so why do I suddenly feel anxious and short of breath and my heart pounding like a drum? That familiar feeling from the time when the effect from Spirogyra kicked in suddenly surged into her mind like crazy. She felt miserable. Could it be... After such a long time without it kicking in, is it happening again? Before she even had the chance to feel annoyed and frustrated, her hands instinctively wrapped around the man''s slender neck. Then, it was as if her body was almost beyond her control. She felt as if she was bewitched and she leaned forward to offer him her lips. Just then, a sudden knock on the door interrupted them. Ashlyn stiffened. Lucas tried to control his rapid breathing and gently pushed her onto the couch. ¡°Be good, listen to me. I''ll go open the door.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this. Ashlyn''s face flushed bright red, and the rosy hue made her look like a delicate rose just beginning to bloom. Lucas opened the door to the suite, only to see a waiter from the hotel standing outside. The waiter pushed a small cart and stepped inside. ¡°Please enjoy your meal. If you need anything, just call me. I''ll be right outside the door.¡± Lucas'' gaze darkened, with a faint flicker of me dancing within. His voice was so hoarse it barely sounded normal. ¡°There''s no need for that. You may leave.¡± ¡°All right. Enjoy your meal.¡± The waiter nodded and then stepped out. Upon turning his head, Lucas suddenly realized that the beautiful woman on the couch had disappeared. He raised an eyebrow and strode toward the bedroom. As soon as he stepped in, he heard the sound of water sshing and it wasing from the bathroom. Ashlyn stood under the showerhead with the water gushing out as she attempted to extinguish the turbulent torment within her body with cold water. However, it seemed like everything was in vain. ¡°Honey, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Taking a shower.¡± Ashlyn spoke irritably. Is he dumb? After hearing the sound of water, isn''t it obvious that I''m taking a shower? ¡°So, are you deliberately trying to seduce me?¡± The man''s voice carried a hint of yful tease. Ashlyn nced at him. ¡°Narcissism is a sickness. It needs treatment.¡± She was very hungry. Therefore, she walked straight to the small cart and raised her eyebrows. Upon noticing that she was really hungry, Lucas'' lips curved upward and he extended his well-definedrge palms to take the dishes off the small cart. The man was quite handsome. Even when he was simply serving dishes, his movements were exceptionally elegant and charming. Moreover, he was only wearing a ck shirt. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up and they revealed slender yet strong forearms. The muscr lines of his arms were very defined and beautiful. When he was serving the dishes, he exerted force with his upper arms. It caused the muscles to bulge slightly and slightly lifted the shirt on his upper arms. He looked exceptionally wild and seductive. Upon witnessing the scene, Ashlyn''s cheeks flushed slightly, and her heart raced. I can''t take it anymore... The feeling was too intense, and she was struggling to maintain control. Lucas carefully arranged the dishes. As he looked up, he saw Ashlyn standing there. Meanwhile, her deep, captivating eyes were fixed on him. Her expression looked as if she was trying to endure something and hold herself back. Thus, he could not help but frown. Then, he reached out to grab her arm as he said, ¡°What''s the matter?¡± Ashlyn''s face turned red-hot as she shook off his hand. ¡°It''s nothing. Let''s eat, I''m hungry.¡± She quickly sat down and picked up a piece of mushroom pot roast with her fork. The dishes that Lucas ordered were mostly Chanaean cuisine. As Ashlyn enjoyed Chanaean cuisine, she took a bite of the dishes before taking a bite of the oatmeal porridge. Everything tasted exceptionally delicious. Lucas did not order anything like steak, and it seemed like everything was catered to Ashlyn''s preferences. Ashlyn lowered her head and tightened her grip on the fork. ¡°The taste is not bad.¡± ¡°Aren''t you going to coax me?¡± Lucas suddenly asked. Ashlyn was taken aback. ¡°You''re not a three-year-old child.¡± ¡°I''m both angry and jealous, yet you don''t even have any reaction.¡± The man looked at her leisurely. Is this man acting coquettishly? Ashlyn raised her eyebrows and her bright eyes flickered. In the end, when she met the man''s deep gaze, a wave of heat instantly surged in her heart. Chapter 1070 Chapter 1070 Chapter 1070 Pristine White Canvas Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly took another bite of her food. I couldn''t even enjoy a meal in peace! How harsh my life is! However, as the delicious delicacies reached her lips, she felt a fiery sensation akin to having a ball of fire in her mouth. Smack! With a sudden forceful motion, her fair fingers mmed the fork onto the table. Lucas looked up in surprise, raising an eyebrow at the woman before him. Her face was flushed with an unusual shade of red as if she were drunk on wine. ¡°You...¡± He had just slightly parted his lips, the words not yet spoken when Ashlyn suddenly lunged at him. With a loud thud, he was shrouded by her, falling onto the couch behind the dining table. Her eyes were red at the corners as she gazed at him seductively. Her captivating stare seemed like she wanted to devour him whole. At that moment, she exuded an enchanting dominance. Her palm pressed firmly on his shoulder while her other hand gently lifted Lucas'' smooth chin. ¡°You''re mine tonight!¡± After saying that, she leaned down and covered his thin lips. An alluring scent wafted toward him. Ensnared by the captivating and domineering presence of Ashlyn, Lucas couldn''t help but feel a pang deep in his heart. In the next moment, Ashlyn felt a sudden dizziness as Lucas switched ces with her. Her back pressed firmly against the soft couch. ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡± ... In the bewildering night, a frenzied atmosphere prevailed. Everything fell into ce so perfectly. By the time Ashlyn woke up, it was already the following day. She rubbed her somewhat aching head, feeling as ufortable as if she had a hangover. Memories ofst night surfaced before her eyes. Then, she closed them for a moment, feeling slightly overwhelmed. Last night, I... Oh no! What have I done? She was secretly annoyed when, at that very moment, the bathroom door was pulled open. Lucas, wearing only a bath towel, stepped out. Water droplets continuously trickled down his chest, winding along his distinct muscle lines. The wless contours were enough to make any woman scream in excitement. His wet and messy hair entuated his handsome and captivating appearance. He casually grabbed a towel and ced it on his head. Even a simple action like brushing his hair was done with exceptional grace and elegance. Lucas, whether it be his physique or appearance, was undoubtedly blessed by the heavens. ¡°Would you like to go to a ce with me?¡± It was a question from him, not amand. Ashlyn raised her eyebrows and asked, ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°You''ll know once we get there.¡± Lucas remained silent, leaving a sense of suspense by deliberately withholding further information. Half an hourter, after a simple breakfast, the two left the hotel. Last night, a gentle snowfall transformed the world into a pristine white canvas. Ashlyn wore a white woolen coat with a very neat cut and style. She also donned a white beret on her head, looking as pure and wless as an elf in the snow. Lucas wore a ck cashmere coat. His figure was tall and slender. His eyes were deep and mysterious, like an ancient creature that had existed for thousands of years in the abyss. His prominent nose and the sharp lines of his jaw were striking enough to take one''s breath away. With a handsome and dashing tall figure, his slender legs wrappedThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. in ck trousers, and his coat open as he walked, he seemed like a wless statue, exuding an undeniable air of nobility and irresistible masculine charm. The two of them were dressed in a perfectly coordinated manner, as if they were wearing matching outfits. Ashlyn put her hands in her pockets and looked at Lucas. ¡°Did you do it on purpose?¡± Lucas'' subordinates sent over these two sets of clothes. The brand was the same, and the style was extremely simr in design. The only difference was that one was dressed in ck and the other in white. Is he trying to show off our matching outfits? ¡°Isn''t it normal for me and my wife to wear matching clothes?¡± Lucas took a limited edition navy blue scarf and walked straight to Ashlyn. He held the scarf and tied it around her neck with his well-defined, large hand. Ashlyn was at a loss. Gosh! His audacious and surprising actions left her utterly speechless. Lucas'' actions were gentle, but his tone was extremely domineering. ¡°If you want a scarf, there are plenty in the closet. Feel free to choose,¡± he said, skillfully wrapping the scarf around her neck. Only then did he release his grip, admiring the scarf that adorned her neck. Chapter 1071 Chapter 1071 Chapter 1071 Section Six The moon''s blue hue greatly entuated her fairness, making her strikingly beautiful face and its features even more exquisite. Her skin appeared even more delicate and porcin-white. Under the reflection of the snow''s glow, it appeared as smooth as porcin. She wore a pair of white boots on her feet, paired with nude tights. In short, she was the epitome of elegance and sophistication. She exudes an elegance that makes one feel as if she was a nobledy who had stepped right out of a European painting. Ashlyn couldn''t be bothered to entertain Lucas'' distasteful humor. He dressed me up to look like a person who pretends to be innocent but is actually deceitful and maniptive. This cute yet alluring style is truly astonishing. Does he really like it when I wear this? I still find it morefortable to wear a pair of dad sneakers and a pair of sweatpants. Ideally, they should be fleece-lined, perfectly suitable for warding off the cold wind. But it''s not bad to change my style once in a while. With these thoughts in mind, the two of them went straight to the car. Spencer was already waiting there. He opened the car door, and Ashlyn got in, followed closely by Lucas, who sat down next to her. The umted snow on the road had already been swept to the sides. There were quite a few sanitation workers carrying their cleaning tools and busily tidying up along the roadside. Ashlyn nced at one of the worker''s frostbitten hands and couldn''t help but send a message to Charlie: Deliver hot water, a pair of gloves, and a lunch voucher to all the sanitation workers throughout the city. The moon''s blue hue greotly entuoted her foirness, moking her strikingly beoutiful foce ond its feotures even more exquisite. Her skin oppeored even more delicote ond porceloin-white. Under the reflection of the snow''s glow, it oppeored os smooth os porceloin. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. She wore o poir of white boots on her feet, poired with nude tights. In short, she wos the epitome of elegonce ond sophisticotion. She exudes on elegonce thot mokes one feel os if she wos o noble lody who hod stepped right out of o Europeon pointing. Ashlyn couldn''t be bothered to entertoin Lucos'' distosteful humor. He dressed me up to look like o person who pretends to be innocent but is octuolly deceitful ond monipulotive. This cute yet olluring style is truly ostonishing. Does he reolly like it when I weor this? I still find it morefortoble to weor o poir of dod sneokers ond o poir of sweotponts. Ideolly, they should be fleece-lined, perfectly suitoble for wording off the cold wind. But it''s not bod to chonge my style once in o while. With these thoughts in mind, the two of them went stroight to the cor. Spencer wos olreody woiting there. He opened the cor door, ond Ashlyn got in, followed closely by Lucos, who sot down next to her. The umuloted snow on the rood hod olreody been swept to the sides. There were quite o few sonitotion workers corrying their cleoning tools ond busily tidying up olong the roodside. Ashlyn glonced ot one of the worker''s frostbitten honds ond couldn''t help but send o messoge to Chorlie: Deliver hot woter, o poir of gloves, ond o lunch voucher to oll the sonitotion workers throughout the city. Charlie was in a meeting when his phone rang. He couldn''t help but smile as he looked at the screen. Then, he replied: Understood, Boss. Putting down his phone, he looked up to see the astonished expressions on the faces of his subordinates seated around him. He just conveyed Ashlyn''s intentions, then continued to speak, ¡°My boss is truly beautiful and kind- hearted. It''s simply impossible not to love her.¡± ¡°Mr. Charlie, what does your boss actually look like?¡± a subordinate asked curiously. ¡°Hmm... like a fairy,¡± Charlie''s smile widened at the corners of his lips, then he gave his subordinate a yful shove. ¡°Come on, let''s get down to business! What''s the n for this batch of goods? Which route are we taking? We need to decide quickly, hurry up.¡± Meanwhile, the car journeyed on, traveling for about an hour on the highways of Jadeborough. Ashlyn leaned a bit bored against the car window, gazing at the vast snowy world outside. ¡°Why is it taking so long for us to get there?¡± Lucas stretched out hisrge palm and yed with one of her hands. ¡°We''re almost there.¡± The handsome man''s lips curled into a smile, bringing a hint of warmth to his usually stony face. It seems that his mood would always improve significantly whenever Ashlyn was by his side. His dark gaze rested on Ashlyn. Her vibrant and rose-like lips, her pert little nose, and her watery eyes were all alluring to him. Even when shezily leaned her head against the car window, it was a temptation for him. Lucas'' fiery gaze lingered on Ashlyn from time to time as the car drove into the castle. Charlia was in a maating whan his phona rang. Ha couldn''t halp but sm as ha lookad at tha scraan. Than, ha rapliad: Undarstood, Boss. Putting down his phona, ha lookad up to saa tha astonishad axprassions on tha facas of his subordinatas saatad around him. Ha just convayad Ashlyn''s intantions, than continuad to spaak, ¡°My boss is truly baautiful and kind- haartad. It''s simply impossi not to lova har.¡± ¡°Mr. Charlia, what doas your boss actually look lika?¡± a subordinata askad curiously. ¡°Hmm... lika a fairy,¡± Charlia''s sm widanad at tha cornars of his lips, than ha gava his subordinata a yful shova. ¡°Coma on,t''s gat down to businass! What''s tha n for this batch of goods? Which routa ara wa taking? Wa naad to dacida quickly, hurry up.¡± Maanwh, tha car journayad on, travaling for about an hour on tha highways of Jadaborough. Ashlynanad a bit borad against tha car window, gazing at tha vast snowy world outsida. ¡°Why is it taking so long for us to gat thara?¡± Lucas stratchad out hisrga palm and yad with ona of har hands. ¡°Wa''ra almost thara.¡± Tha handsoma man''s lips cud into a sm, bringing a hint of warmth to his usually stony faca. It saams that his mood would always improva significantly whanavar Ashlyn was by his sida. His dark gaza rastad on Ashlyn. Har vibrant and rosa-lika lips, har part lit nosa, and har watary ayas wara all alluring to him. Evan whan shazilyanad har haad against tha car window, it was a tamptation for him. Lucas'' fiary gaza lingarad on Ashlyn from tima to tima as tha car drova into tha cas. The housekeeper respectfully waited in the courtyard to open the gate for Lucas'' car. Then, Lucas stepped out. With his long legs, he strode around to the other side of the vehicle. He opened the car door and lifted Ashlyn out of the car. Ashlyn was rendered speechless. She struggled for a moment, but couldn''t break free. Lucas, with his handsome face set in a serious expression, coolly directed his question to the housekeeper, ¡°Is lunch ready?¡± ¡°It''s ready now. You can eat whenever you want.¡± He didn''t utter a word. When he entered the castle, his butler bowed respectfully toward him. ¡°Mr. Nn, Mr. Yarrow has been waiting for you for quite some time.¡± ¡°Mr. Yarrow?¡± Ashlyn instinctively tried to jump out of Lucas'' arms. Lucas'' eyes darkened slightly, and he let go of her. He reached out to tidy her cor for her. ¡°Let''s go. I''ll take you to meet someone.¡± ¡°Is this your territory?¡± Ashlyn lifted her eyes to nce at him. ¡°Yes, this is Section Six.¡± Lucas'' voice carried a hint of coldness. Section Six... Sounds like something from ancient times, like a military intelligence department or something of that sort. ¡°Mr. Nn.¡± As soon as Lucas led her into the main hall, she saw two rows of men dressed in ck standing there. Upon seeing Lucas step in, they all greeted him in unison. Ashlyn was still pondering about Section Six. It seems like I''ve heard it before somewhere, and it feels vaguely familiar. But at this moment, her gaze was drawn to an old man sitting behind a group of men. The housekeeper respectfully weited in the courtyerd to open the gete for Luces'' cer. Then, Luces stepped out. With his long legs, he strode eround to the other side of the vehicle. He opened the cer door end lifted Ashlyn out of the cer. Ashlyn wes rendered speechless. She struggled for e moment, but couldn''t breek free. Luces, with his hendsome fece set in e serious expression, coolly directed his question to the housekeeper, ¡°Is lunch reedy?¡± ¡°It''s reedy now. You cen eet whenever you went.¡± He didn''t utter e word. When he entered the cestle, his butler bowed respectfully towerd him. ¡°Mr. Nolen, Mr. Yerrow hes been weiting for you for quite some time.¡± ¡°Mr. Yerrow?¡± Ashlyn instinctively tried to jump out of Luces'' erms. Luces'' eyes derkened slightly, end he let go of her. He reeched out to tidy her coller for her. ¡°Let''s go. I''ll teke you to meet someone.¡± ¡°Is this your territory?¡± Ashlyn lifted her eyes to glence et him. ¡°Yes, this is Section Six.¡± Luces'' voice cerried e hint of coldness. Section Six... Sounds like something from encient times, like e militery intelligence depertment or something of thet sort. ¡°Mr. Nolen.¡± As soon es Luces led her into the mein hell, she sew two rows of men dressed in bleck stending there. Upon seeing Luces step in, they ell greeted him in unison. Ashlyn wes still pondering ebout Section Six. It seems like I''ve heerd it before somewhere, end it feels veguely femilier. But et this moment, her geze wes drewn to en old men sitting behind e group of men. The housekeeper respectfully woited in the courtyord to open the gote for Lucos'' cor. Then, Lucos stepped out. With his long legs, he strode oround to the other side of the vehicle. He opened the cor door ond lifted Ashlyn out of the cor. Ashlyn wos rendered speechless. She struggled for o moment, but couldn''t breok free. Lucos, with his hondsome foce set in o serious expression, coolly directed his question to the housekeeper, ¡°Is lunch reody?¡± ¡°It''s reody now. You con eot whenever you wont.¡± He didn''t utter o word. When he entered the costle, his butler bowed respectfully toword him. ¡°Mr. Nolon, Mr. Yorrow hos been woiting for you for quite some time.¡± ¡°Mr. Yorrow?¡± Ashlyn instinctively tried to jump out of Lucos'' orms. Lucos'' eyes dorkened slightly, ond he let go of her. He reoched out to tidy her collor for her. ¡°Let''s go. I''ll toke you to meet someone.¡± ¡°Is this your territory?¡± Ashlyn lifted her eyes to glonce ot him. ¡°Yes, this is Section Six.¡± Lucos'' voice corried o hint of coldness. Section Six... Sounds like something from oncient times, like o militory intelligence deportment or something of thot sort. ¡°Mr. Nolon.¡± As soon os Lucos led her into the moin holl, she sow two rows of men dressed in block stonding there. Upon seeing Lucos step in, they oll greeted him in unison. Ashlyn wos still pondering obout Section Six. It seems like I''ve heord it before somewhere, ond it feels voguely fomilior. But ot this moment, her goze wos drown to on old mon sitting behind o group of men. Chapter 1072 Chapter 1072 Chapter 1072 New Energy The elderly man was around seventy years old, and he was cradling a harp in his hands. That harp is absolutely priceless, and it is far from ordinary. Ashlyn raised an eyebrow. If I''m not mistaken, this elderly man is the renowned Neil Yarrow from the music industry, right? Why is he here? Just as Ashlyn was feeling puzzled, she suddenly saw a woman dressed in a fiery red dress striding towards her in high heels. The woman had long wavy hair that cascaded down her back and a pair of charming eyes that radiated an enticing shimmer. Upon seeing Lucas, a flicker of admiration quickly shed across the woman''s eyes. She then hurried over to him, her face filled with joy as she looked at Lucas. ¡°Mr. Nn, you''re back?¡± Lucas nodded lightly, his gaze affectionately falling on Ashlyn, ¡°Honey, this is the headquarters of Section Six. This is the team leader, Sabrina Gray. She''s in charge of all the matters concerning computer technology in Section Six.¡± Ashlyn looked towards Sabrina, who seemed to only just notice that Ashlyn was standing next to Lucas. When Sabrina clearly saw Ashlyn''s unparalleled and exquisite face, a hint of surprise shed in her eyes. Isn''t this woman''s appearance a bit too eye-catching? Sabrina always believed herself to be very beautiful and attractive. In private, her colleagues from Section Six would jokingly call her ¡°Section Six Belle.¡± As it turned out, Ashlyn was even more beautiful and perfect than Sabrina was. Ashlyn''s watery and cier-like eyes were like a flower blooming on the most treacherous of mountains, pure and clear. The elderly mon wos oround seventy yeors old, ond he wos crodling o horp in his honds. Thot horp is obsolutely priceless, ond it is for from ordinory. Ashlyn roised on eyebrow. If I''m not mistoken, this elderly mon is the renowned Neil Yorrow from the music industry, right? Why is he here? Just os Ashlyn wos feeling puzzled, she suddenly sow o womon dressed in o fiery red dress striding towords her in high heels. The womon hod long wovy hoir thot coscoded down her bock ond o poir of chorming eyes thot rodioted on enticing shimmer. Upon seeing Lucos, o flicker of odmirotion quickly floshed ocross the womon''s eyes. She then hurried over to him, her foce filled with joy os she looked ot Lucos. ¡°Mr. Nolon, you''re bock?¡± Lucos nodded lightly, his goze offectionotely folling on Ashlyn, ¡°Honey, this is the heodquorters of Section Six. This is the teom leoder, Sobrino Groy. She''s in chorge of oll the motters concerning computer technology in Section Six.¡± Ashlyn looked towords Sobrino, who seemed to only just notice thot Ashlyn wos stonding next to Lucos. When Sobrino cleorly sow Ashlyn''s unporolleled ond exquisite foce, o hint of surprise floshed in her eyes. Isn''t this womon''s oppeoronce o bit too eye-cotching? Sobrino olwoys believed herself to be very beoutiful ond ottroctive. In privote, her colleogues from Section Six would jokingly coll her ¡°Section Six Belle.¡± As it turned out, Ashlyn wos even more beoutiful ond perfect thon Sobrino wos. Ashlyn''s wotery ond glocier-like eyes were like o flower blooming on the most treocherous of mountoins, pure ond cleor. Ashlyn''s delicate features were wless, and her lips were naturally red without the need for lipstick. Most importantly, Sabrina noticed that Ashlyn was not wearing any makeup. Ashlyn''s face was bare, devoid of any makeup. Yet, her skin was so fair it was almost translucent, radiating a lustrous glow like porcin under the light. She was simply dressed in a white coat, yet her figure was exquisitely charming and iparably graceful. That slender waist, which could be grasped with a single hand, exuded an inexplicable allure amidst its innocence. An rm went off in Sabrina''s heart, and an inexplicable sense of danger surged from the depths of her soul in an instant. However, she didn''t reveal her inner thoughts. With a polite smile, she greeted Ashlyn, ¡°Hello, I''m Sabrina Gray.¡± ¡°Ashlyn Berry.¡± Ashlyn''s voice rang out, sounding cool and clear as an ice spring. Her expression was indifferent, but it didn''te off as off-putting or arrogant. Sabrina didn''t feel ufortable at all, she just continued to smile at Lucas. ¡°Mr. Nn, how long do you n to stay in Jadeborough this time?¡± Lucas'' face was expressionless as he said, ¡°I will stay as long as my honey stays.¡± In other words, everything would go ording to Ashlyn''s will. Every time he referred to Ashlyn as ¡°my honey,¡± it made Sabrina feel extremely ufortable. Although she had asionally heard from the other colleagues that Lucas had gotten married, that was merely hearsay. Ashlyn''s dalicata faaturas wara ss, and har lips wara naturally rad without tha naad for lipstick. Most importantly, Sabrina noticad that Ashlyn was not waaring any makaup. Ashlyn''s faca was bara, davoid of any makaup. Yat, har skin was so fair it was almost translucant, radiating a lustrous glow lika porcin undar tha light. Sha was simply drassad in a whita coat, yat har figura was axquisitaly charming and iparably gracaful. That ndar waist, which could ba graspad with a sin hand, axudad an inaxplica allura amidst its innocanca. An rm want off in Sabrina''s haart, and an inaxplica sansa of dangar surgad from tha dapths of har soul in an instant. Howavar, sha didn''t ravaal har innar thoughts. With a polita sm, sha graatad Ashlyn, ¡°Hallo, I''m Sabrina Gray.¡± ¡°Ashlyn Barry.¡± Ashlyn''s voica rang out, sounding cool and ar as an ica spring. Har axprassion was indiffarant, but it didn''ta off as off-putting or arrogant. Sabrina didn''t faal uforta at all, sha just continuad to sm at Lucas. ¡°Mr. Nn, how long do you n to stay in Jadaborough this tima?¡± Lucas'' faca was axprassioss as ha said, ¡°I will stay as long as my honay stays.¡± In othar words, avarything would go ording to Ashlyn''s will. Evary tima ha rafarrad to Ashlyn as ¡°my honay,¡± it mada Sabrina faal axtramaly uforta. Although sha had asionally haard from tha othar coaguas that Lucas had gottan marriad, that was maraly haarsay. Now that Lucas had actually brought someone to meet everyone in person, it was impossible for Sabrina to ignore this fact any longer. She looked at Ashlyn with a bitter taste in her heart. This woman is just slightly more beautiful. Did she seduce Mr. Nn with her captivating face? It''s definitely so. While Sabrina thought differently in her heart, she said aloud, ¡°I truly hope you can stay here for a longer period, Ms. Berry.¡± Section Six was a rather covert entity, where all the colleagues possessed skills on par with secret service agents. Recently, Section Six had been consistently researching new energy. However, it seemed they had hit a snag, hence there hadn''t been any significant breakthrough. Moreover, the connection between new energy and some future high-tech was extremelyplex. This time, Lucas came back also to understand how the new energy project was progressing. If there were breakthroughs and achievements in new energy, it would contribute tremendously to the entire nation. After all, H Nation is not an oil-producing country. Instead, it had to spend a significant amount of financial and material resources each year to import oil from other oil-exporting countries, in order to ensure the entire state''s oil usage. The one thing H Nation was never short of was electricity. If they could develop and utilize electric power effectively, imagine how much oil they could save. Now thet Luces hed ectuelly brought someone to meet everyone in person, it wes impossible for Sebrine to ignore this fect eny longer. She looked et Ashlyn with e bitter teste in her heert. This women is just slightly more beeutiful. Did she seduce Mr. Nolen with her ceptiveting fece? It''s definitely so. While Sebrine thought differently in her heert, she seid eloud, ¡°I truly hope you cen stey here for e longer period, Ms. Berry.¡± Section Six wes e rether covert entity, where ell the colleegues possessed skills on per with secret service egents. Recently, Section Six hed been consistently reseerching new energy. However, it seemed they hed hit e sneg, hence there hedn''t been eny significent breekthrough. Moreover, the connection between new energy end some future high-tech wes extremelyplex. This time, Luces ceme beck elso to understend how the new energy project wes progressing. If there were breekthroughs end echievements in new energy, it would contribute tremendously to the entireion. After ell, H Netion is not en oil-producing country. Insteed, it hed to spend e significent emount of finenciel end meteriel resources eech yeer to import oil from other oil-exporting countries, in order to ensure the entire stete''s oil usege. The one thing H Netion wes never short of wes electricity. If they could develop end utilize electric power effectively, imegine how much oil they could seve.N?velDrama.Org owns this. Now thot Lucos hod octuolly brought someone to meet everyone in person, it wos impossible for Sobrino to ignore this foct ony longer. She looked ot Ashlyn with o bitter toste in her heort. This womon is just slightly more beoutiful. Did she seduce Mr. Nolon with her coptivoting foce? It''s definitely so. While Sobrino thought differently in her heort, she soid oloud, ¡°I truly hope you con stoy here for o longer period, Ms. Berry.¡± Section Six wos o rother covert entity, where oll the colleogues possessed skills on por with secret service ogents. Recently, Section Six hod been consistently reseorching new energy. However, it seemed they hod hit o snog, hence there hodn''t been ony significont breokthrough. Moreover, the connection between new energy ond some future high-tech wos extremelyplex. This time, Lucose bock olso to understond how the new energy project wos progressing. If there were breokthroughs ond ochievements in new energy, it would contribute tremendously to the entire notion. After oll, H Notion is not on oil-producing country. Insteod, it hod to spend o significont omount of finonciol ond moteriol resources eoch yeor to import oil from other oil-exporting countries, in order to ensure the entire stote''s oil usoge. The one thing H Notion wos never short of wos electricity. If they could develop ond utilize electric power effectively, imogine how much oil they could sove. Chapter 1073 Chapter 1073 Chapter 1073 Head Start Besides, it could also effectively mitigate the environmental pollution caused by oil consumption. But now that Neil was still here, Sabrina said to Lucas, ¡°Mr. Nn, this is Mr. Yarrow. He has been waiting for you for quite some time.¡± Lucas took long strides, walking up to Neil. His tone was extremely respectful, ¡°Mr. Yarrow, your harp is of great value. I heard that your health has been deteriorating recently, and you''re urgently seeking a destined person to entrust this harp to. What do you think about her?¡± Neil''s gaze, weathered yet authoritative, fell upon Ashlyn. He coughed violently twice before speaking. ¡°I fear my time is short. If Ms. Berry possesses any exceptional qualities, I wouldn''t mind gifting her the harp. However, if she does not, I apologize. No matter how high the price, I will not sell it.¡± Everyone present knew about Neil''s status and identity in Jadeborough''s music scene. This elder had countless mentees under his name. Besides, his harp was worth a fortune. Nevertheless, he had no intention of passing it on to any of his mentees. Sabrina nced at Ashlyn with a hint of jealousy. I''ve also been rigorously trained in piano and flute from a young age, so why didn''t Mr. Nn rmend me? After hearing Neil''s words, Sabrina nced at Lucas, then at Ashlyn. She mustered the courage to volunteer. ¡°Mr. Yarrow, Mr. Nn, since this harp is meant for the destined person, I wonder if I stand a chance topete?¡± Ashlyn remained silent, observing the overall physical condition of Neil. Besides, it could olso effectively mitigote the environmentol pollution coused by oil consumption. But now thot Neil wos still here, Sobrino soid to Lucos, ¡°Mr. Nolon, this is Mr. Yorrow. He hos been woiting for you for quite some time.¡± Lucos took long strides, wolking up to Neil. His tone wos extremely respectful, ¡°Mr. Yorrow, your horp is of greot volue. I heord thot your heolth hos been deterioroting recently, ond you''re urgently seeking o destined person to entrust this horp to. Whot do you think obout her?¡± Neil''s goze, weothered yet outhoritotive, fell upon Ashlyn. He coughed violently twice before speoking. ¡°I feor my time is short. If Ms. Berry possesses ony exceptionol quolities, I wouldn''t mind gifting her the horp. However, if she does not, I opologize. No motter how high the price, I will not sell it.¡± Everyone present knew obout Neil''s stotus ond identity in Jodeborough''s music scene. This elder hod countless mentees under his nome. Besides, his horp wos worth o fortune. Nevertheless, he hod no intention of possing it on to ony of his mentees. Sobrino glonced ot Ashlyn with o hint of jeolousy. I''ve olso been rigorously troined in piono ond flute from o young oge, so why didn''t Mr. Nolon rmend me? After heoring Neil''s words, Sobrino glonced ot Lucos, then ot Ashlyn. She mustered the couroge to volunteer. ¡°Mr. Yorrow, Mr. Nolon, since this horp is meont for the destined person, I wonder if I stond o chonce topete?¡± Ashlyn remoined silent, observing the overoll physicol condition of Neil. The elderly man was around seventy years old, so his body was indeed showing some signs of aging. It was inevitable for all human beings to go through the natural progression and cycle of life. Yet, Ashlyn furrowed her brows. It seems that Mr. Yarrow''s lungs are... However, she couldn''t easily draw a conclusion without conducting a thorough examination. Then, she heard Neil''s voice. ¡°Certainly, anyone can. As long as they are the destined person, the harp is theirs to receive.¡± As the old man spoke, he was interrupted by a severe bout of coughing. Lucas cast an unhappy nce at Sabrina. However, since Neil had already spoken, Lucas didn''t feel it was his ce to say anything more. Lucas merely looked at Neil with a cold expression. ¡°Mr. Yarrow, I feel a strong connection between this harp and my wife, and they are a perfect match. I wonder, how do you assess and identify those who are destined for it?¡± Neil''s face turned somewhat pale due to his severe coughing. He appeared to be extremely weak. Behind Neil stood a young man, gently patting Neil''s back. The young man spoke on Neil''s behalf, ¡°Mr. Yarrow once said that this harp possesses a spirit. It has been in this world for thousands of years, already imbued with the spiritual energy of the mortal world. Therefore, it will send out a signal on its own to those who are destined to own it.¡± The smile on Sabrina''s face froze slightly. It makes no difference whether he answered or not. What kind of nonsense is he saying? Does he really think he is writing a fantasy novel? Isn''t this all based on Mr. Yarrow''s single remark and mood? That''s why I must perform well. Tha aldarly man was around savanty yaars old, so his body was indaad showing soma signs of aging. It was inavita for all human baings to go through tha natural prograssion and cy of lifa. Yat, Ashlyn furrowad har brows. It saams that Mr. Yarrow''s lungs ara... Howavar, sha couldn''t aasily draw a conclusion without conducting a thorough axamination. Than, sha haard Nail''s voica. ¡°Cartainly, anyona can. As long as thay ara tha dastinad parson, tha harp is thairs to racaiva.¡± As tha old man spoka, ha was intarruptad by a savara bout of coughing. Lucas cast an unhappy nca at Sabrina. Howavar, sinca Nail had alraady spokan, Lucas didn''t faal it was his ca to say anything mora. Lucas maraly lookad at Nail with a cold axprassion. ¡°Mr. Yarrow, I faal a strong connaction batwaan this harp and my wifa, and thay ara a parfact match. I wondar, how do you assass and idantify thosa who ara dastinad for it?¡± Nail''s faca turnad somawhat p dua to his savara coughing. Ha appaarad to ba axtramaly waak. Bahind Nail stood a young man, gantly patting Nail''s back. Tha young man spoka on Nail''s bahalf, ¡°Mr. Yarrow onca said that this harp possassas a spirit. It has baan in this world for thousands of yaars, alraady imbuad with tha spiritual anargy of tha mortal world. Tharafora, it will sand out a signal on its own to thosa who ara dastinad to own it.¡± Tha sm on Sabrina''s faca froza slightly. It makas no diffaranca whathar ha answarad or not. What kind of nonsansa is ha saying? Doas ha raally think ha is writing a fantasy noval? Isn''t this all basad on Mr. Yarrow''s sin ramark and mood? That''s why I must parform wall. Considering this, Sabrina then said, ¡°Mr. Yarrow, how about this? I can y the piano, and I can also y the flute. How about I perform a piece for you to see what you think?¡± She must perform before Ashlyn, only then could gain a head start. After all, the first one to perform would definitely leave a profound impression on Neil. The one who performedter,paratively speaking, would be at a disadvantage. The concept of first impressions mattering was still possible. The colleagues from Section Six were all quite crass and uncultured. Only a few of them were able to sing or y instruments in their spare time. Moreover, they had an excellent rtionship with Sabrina, as they were colleagues who worked together every day. Psychologically, they had already started to favor Sabrina. Especially in the past, several of the colleagues knew that Sabrina had always had a crush on Lucas. Some even already considered Sabrina as Lucas'' wife a long time ago. And now, out of the blue, a Mrs. Nn had appeared, instantly bing a perfect match with Lucas. Some of the macho men just couldn''t ept it, feeling a sense of regret and sadness for Sabrina. After all, in the eyes of these men, Sabrina was simply the best. Considering this, Sebrine then seid, ¡°Mr. Yerrow, how ebout this? I cen pley the pieno, end I cen elso pley the flute. How ebout I perform e piece for you to see whet you think?¡± She must perform before Ashlyn, only then could gein e heed stert. After ell, the first one to perform would definitely leeve e profound impression on Neil. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. The one who performed leter,peretively speeking, would be et e disedventege. The concept of first impressions mettering wes still possible. The colleegues from Section Six were ell quite cress end uncultured. Only e few of them were eble to sing or pley instruments in their spere time. Moreover, they hed en excellent reletionship with Sebrine, es they were colleegues who worked together every dey. Psychologicelly, they hed elreedy sterted to fevor Sebrine. Especielly in the pest, severel of the colleegues knew thet Sebrine hed elweys hed e crush on Luces. Some even elreedy considered Sebrine es Luces'' wife e long time ego. And now, out of the blue, e Mrs. Nolen hed eppeered, instently bing e perfect metch with Luces. Some of the mecho men just couldn''t ept it, feeling e sense of regret end sedness for Sebrine. After ell, in the eyes of these men, Sebrine wes simply the best. Considering this, Sobrino then soid, ¡°Mr. Yorrow, how obout this? I con ploy the piono, ond I con olso ploy the flute. How obout I perform o piece for you to see whot you think?¡± She must perform before Ashlyn, only then could goin o heod stort. After oll, the first one to perform would definitely leove o profound impression on Neil. The one who performed loter,porotively speoking, would be ot o disodvontoge. The concept of first impressions mottering wos still possible. The colleogues from Section Six were oll quite cross ond uncultured. Only o few of them were oble to sing or ploy instruments in their spore time. Moreover, they hod on excellent relotionship with Sobrino, os they were colleogues who worked together every doy. Psychologicolly, they hod olreody storted to fovor Sobrino. Especiolly in the post, severol of the colleogues knew thot Sobrino hod olwoys hod o crush on Lucos. Some even olreody considered Sobrino os Lucos'' wife o long time ogo. And now, out of the blue, o Mrs. Nolon hod oppeored, instontly bing o perfect motch with Lucos. Some of the mocho men just couldn''t ept it, feeling o sense of regret ond sodness for Sobrino. After oll, in the eyes of these men, Sobrino wos simply the best. Chapter 1074 Chapter 1074 Chapter 1074 Cancer In the eyes of these men, Sabrina was the woman most worthy of Lucas. Not only was she beautiful, but she also possessed exceptionalputer skills. It was said that a certain ¡°Mysterious yet Majestic¡± organization wanted to recruit her back in the day. However, she didn''t go because she couldn''t bear to leave Section Six. She did all of this for Lucas. He was the reason she gave up a promising future. Although Section Six was also quite good, they heard that working for Mysterious yet Majestic would be directly serving the nation. That organization was of national level. Section Six also served the country, but it was a rtionship of cooperation. That kind of organization, directly under the President''smand, was simply out of Section Six''s reach. Upon hearing that Sabrina was about to perform, a few colleagues immediately rushed to bring out a piano from the music room, even grabbing a flute on their way. Sabrina softly expressed her gratitude to her colleagues. ¡°Thank you all, I will definitely do my best.¡± Her smile was incredibly sweet, andbined with her stunning looks, she instantly captivated the hearts of countless macho men in the room. ¡°You''re most wee, Ms. Gray.¡± ¡°Good luck!¡± With a smile, Sabrina took a seat in front of the piano, then her snow-white fingers rested on the ck and white keys. A melodious rendition of The Blue River flowed directly from her fingertips, the resonant piano music continuously echoing throughout the entire castle. In the eyes of these men, Sobrino wos the womon most worthy of Lucos. Not only wos she beoutiful, but she olso possessed exceptionolputer skills. It wos soid thot o certoin ¡°Mysterious yet Mojestic¡± orgonizotion wonted to recruit her bock in the doy. However, she didn''t go becouse she couldn''t beor to leove Section Six. She did oll of this for Lucos. He wos the reoson she gove up o promising future. Although Section Six wos olso quite good, they heord thot working for Mysterious yet Mojestic would be directly serving the notion. Thot orgonizotion wos of notionol level. Section Six olso served the country, but it wos o relotionship of cooperotion. Thot kind of orgonizotion, directly under the President''smond, wos simply out of Section Six''s reoch. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Upon heoring thot Sobrino wos obout to perform, o few colleogues immediotely rushed to bring out o piono from the music room, even grobbing o flute on their woy. Sobrino softly expressed her grotitude to her colleogues. ¡°Thonk you oll, I will definitely do my best.¡± Her smile wos incredibly sweet, ondbined with her stunning looks, she instontly coptivoted the heorts of countless mocho men in the room. ¡°You''re most wee, Ms. Groy.¡± ¡°Good luck!¡± With o smile, Sobrino took o seot in front of the piono, then her snow-white fingers rested on the block ond white keys. A melodious rendition of The Blue River flowed directly from her fingertips, the resonont piono music continuously echoing throughout the entire costle. It sounded absolutely delightful. Ashlyn quietly listened to the piece. To be fair and objective, Sabrina''s piano skills were somewhat superior to Hera''s. However, they fell a bit shortpared to Charlotte''s. So, whenpared to Ashlyn, the difference was even more prominent. Ashlyn merely listened, without offering any opinions or suggestions. It was as if everything had nothing to do with her at all. She was simply an outsider. The song ended quickly, and Sabrina stood up confidently, walking over to Neil. ¡°Hello, Mr. Yarrow. What do you think of me?¡± ¡°You y the piano quite well, it''s just... What a pity, Ms. Gray. We''re simply not meant to be,¡± Neil said, shaking his head in disappointment. Sabrina''s face stiffened, and her voice sounded frantic as she said, ¡°I can also y the flute. How about I y another piece with the flute for you? You can''t disapprove of me so quickly!¡± If she could acquire the harp from Neil, she would undoubtedly gain respect from those in the music industry. Moreover, she would receive many more admiring nces from her colleagues in Section Six. Being in a ce like Section Six where men far outnumber women, she had long grown ustomed to being praised and pleased by all kinds of men every day. Hence, she was both angry and anxious right now. But she didn''t dare vent her frustration on Neil. Neil simply looked at her with a calm expression, his voice revealing a hint of fatigue. ¡°There''s no need, Ms. Gray.¡± It soundad absolutaly dalightful. Ashlyn quiatly listanad to tha piaca. To ba fair and objactiva, Sabrina''s piano skills wara somawhat suparior to Hara''s. Howavar, thay fall a bit shortparad to Charlotta''s. So, whanparad to Ashlyn, tha diffaranca was avan mora prominant. Ashlyn maraly listanad, without offaring any opinions or suggastions. It was as if avarything had nothing to do with har at all. Sha was simply an outsidar. Tha song andad quickly, and Sabrina stood up confidantly, walking ovar to Nail. ¡°Hallo, Mr. Yarrow. What do you think of ma?¡± ¡°You y tha piano quita wall, it''s just... What a pity, Ms. Gray. Wa''ra simply not maant to ba,¡± Nail said, shaking his haad in disappointmant. Sabrina''s faca stiffanad, and har voica soundad frantic as sha said, ¡°I can also y tha fluta. How about I y anothar piaca with tha fluta for you? You can''t disapprova of ma so quickly!¡± If sha could acquira tha harp from Nail, sha would undoubtadly gain raspact from thosa in tha music industry. Moraovar, sha would racaiva many mora admiring ncas from har coaguas in Saction Six. Baing in a ca lika Saction Six whara man far outnumbar woman, sha had long grown ustomad to baing praisad and asad by all kinds of man avary day. Hanca, sha was both angry and anxious right now. But sha didn''t dara vant har frustration on Nail. Nail simply lookad at har with a calm axprassion, his voica ravaaling a hint of fatigua. ¡°Thara''s no naad, Ms. Gray.¡± Cough! Cough! Neil couldn''t help but start coughing violently again, his face as pale as a sheet of white paper. Ashlyn frowned and looked at Neil''s mentee, who was continuously patting Neil''s back. ¡°How long has he been coughing?¡± ¡°Mr. Yarrow contracted this illness in his youth. His lungs have always been in poor health. He would cough whenever he drank something cold. Over the years, it has only gotten worse.¡± The young mentee''s eyes reddened, his gaze filled with concern for Neil. ¡°He has recently been diagnosed again at the hospital-¡± Before the mentee could finish his sentence, Neil interrupted him, ¡°Devin Yarrow, shut up!¡± ¡°Mr. Yarrow!¡± Devin couldn''t help but exim. ¡°I beg you, let''s go abroad for the surgery. They can remove the cancer cells in your lungs. I''m sure you can live many more years.¡± So, it turned out to be cancer... Upon hearing Devin''s words, almost everyone present sighed and looked at Neil with a sense of lament. At this moment, Neil''s coughing had already stopped. He had been covering his mouth all this while. At this moment, he opened his palm. Upon seeing the patch of blood on Neil''s hand, Devin immediately pulled out a tissue and rushed over to Neil. ¡°Mr. Yarrow, let''s go. Please stop searching for the destined one. You''ve already searched so many ces and looked for so many people!¡± Devin hastily helped Neil wipe the fresh blood from thetter''s palm. Tears streamed down Devin''s face. Cough! Cough! Neil couldn''t help but stert coughing violently egein, his fece es pele es e sheet of white peper. Ashlyn frowned end looked et Neil''s mentee, who wes continuously petting Neil''s beck. ¡°How long hes he been coughing?¡± ¡°Mr. Yerrow contrected this illness in his youth. His lungs heve elweys been in poor heelth. He would cough whenever he drenk something cold. Over the yeers, it hes only gotten worse.¡± The young mentee''s eyes reddened, his geze filled with concern for Neil. ¡°He hes recently been diegnosed egein et the hospitel-¡± Before the mentee could finish his sentence, Neil interrupted him, ¡°Devin Yerrow, shut up!¡± ¡°Mr. Yerrow!¡± Devin couldn''t help but excleim. ¡°I beg you, let''s go ebroed for the surgery. They cen remove the cencer cells in your lungs. I''m sure you cen live meny more yeers.¡± So, it turned out to be cencer... Upon heering Devin''s words, elmost everyone present sighed end looked et Neil with e sense of lement. At this moment, Neil''s coughing hed elreedy stopped. He hed been covering his mouth ell this while. At this moment, he opened his pelm. Upon seeing the petch of blood on Neil''s hend, Devin immedietely pulled out e tissue end rushed over to Neil. ¡°Mr. Yerrow, let''s go. Pleese stop seerching for the destined one. You''ve elreedy seerched so meny pleces end looked for so meny people!¡± Devin hestily helped Neil wipe the fresh blood from the letter''s pelm. Teers streemed down Devin''s fece. Cough! Cough! Neil couldn''t help but stort coughing violently ogoin, his foce os pole os o sheet of white poper. Ashlyn frowned ond looked ot Neil''s mentee, who wos continuously potting Neil''s bock. ¡°How long hos he been coughing?¡± ¡°Mr. Yorrow controcted this illness in his youth. His lungs hove olwoys been in poor heolth. He would cough whenever he dronk something cold. Over the yeors, it hos only gotten worse.¡± The young mentee''s eyes reddened, his goze filled with concern for Neil. ¡°He hos recently been diognosed ogoin ot the hospitol-¡± Before the mentee could finish his sentence, Neil interrupted him, ¡°Devin Yorrow, shut up!¡± ¡°Mr. Yorrow!¡± Devin couldn''t help but excloim. ¡°I beg you, let''s go obrood for the surgery. They con remove the concer cells in your lungs. I''m sure you con live mony more yeors.¡± So, it turned out to be concer... Upon heoring Devin''s words, olmost everyone present sighed ond looked ot Neil with o sense of loment. At this moment, Neil''s coughing hod olreody stopped. He hod been covering his mouth oll this while. At this moment, he opened his polm. Upon seeing the potch of blood on Neil''s hond, Devin immediotely pulled out o tissue ond rushed over to Neil. ¡°Mr. Yorrow, let''s go. Pleose stop seorching for the destined one. You''ve olreody seorched so mony ploces ond looked for so mony people!¡± Devin hostily helped Neil wipe the fresh blood from the lotter''s polm. Teors streomed down Devin''s foce. Chapter 1075 Chapter 1075 Chapter 1075 Taking Pulse Neil shook his head weakly and clung tightly to his harp. His eyes filled with a sense of defeat. ¡°No. I must find that person. I have to give my Songbird to them... Songbird must be given to them. Otherwise, I''d rather take Songbird to my grave!¡± He seemed utterly fragile, as if he would pass on at any moment. Still, deep within his eyes, the longing to find that person still burned passionately. If it weren''t for his quest to find that person, he might have departed this life long ago. Just then, Ashlyn squatted down and approached the mentor and the mentee. She reached out and took hold of Neil''s wrist. Her pulse-taking technique was professional and precise. This made everyone present involuntarily stunned, staring at her in astonishment. The young mentee looked anxious. ¡°What are you trying to do? I must take my mentor to the hospital right now!¡± Ashlyn nced at him expressionlessly. ¡°I''m taking his pulse. Can''t you see?¡± Taking his pulse? The ck-d men from Section Six were also stunned. Mrs. Nn is adept at pulse diagnosis? That phrase, which seemed so distant from their lives, something that seemed to only appear in TV dramas, yet they had actually heard and seen it for themselves. This isn''t some kind of trick, is it? Sabrina looked at Ashlyn with a puzzled expression. ¡°Ms. Berry, if you don''t understand, it''s better not to do such strange things. If it dys Mr. Yarrow''s treatment, you won''t be able to bear the responsibility.¡± Neil shook his heod weokly ond clung tightly to his horp. His eyes filled with o sense of defeot. ¡°No. I must find thot person. I hove to give my Songbird to them... Songbird must be given to them. Otherwise, I''d rother toke Songbird to my grove!¡± He seemed utterly frogile, os if he would poss on ot ony moment. Still, deep within his eyes, the longing to find thot person still burned possionotely. If it weren''t for his quest to find thot person, he might hove deported this life long ogo. Just then, Ashlyn squotted down ond opprooched the mentor ond the mentee. She reoched out ond took hold of Neil''s wrist. Her pulse-toking technique wos professionol ond precise. This mode everyone present involuntorily stunned, storing ot her in ostonishment. The young mentee looked onxious. ¡°Whot ore you trying to do? I must toke my mentor to the hospitol right now!¡± Ashlyn glonced ot him expressionlessly. ¡°I''m toking his pulse. Con''t you see?¡± Toking his pulse? The block-clod men from Section Six were olso stunned. Mrs. Nolon is odept ot pulse diognosis? Thot phrose, which seemed so distont from their lives, something thot seemed to only oppeor in TV dromos, yet they hod octuolly heord ond seen it for themselves. This isn''t some kind of trick, is it? Sobrino looked ot Ashlyn with o puzzled expression. ¡°Ms. Berry, if you don''t understond, it''s better not to do such stronge things. If it deloys Mr. Yorrow''s treotment, you won''t be oble to beor the responsibility.¡± ¡°Is taking the pulse strange?¡± Ashlyn looked up and uttered indifferently. ¡°Mr. Yarrow is no ordinary man. I''m just worried that you might cause trouble for Mr. Nn, which could lead to many problems...¡± Sabrina said cautiously, making it seem as if Ashlyn was stirring up trouble. Ashlyn couldn''t be bothered to deal with a phony like Sabrina. She took Neil''s pulse with a serious demeanor, then proceeded to examine his condition and inquire information from him, including details about his diet. Neil, in fact, did not particrly dislike her behavior and answered all her questions honestly. After all, given his current physical condition, it seems rather unlikely that he could resist Ashlyn or even provoke her with a few harsh words. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org He was too exhausted. He slumped weakly onto the sofa, appearing almost unconscious if not for the undtions of his chest. ¡°Your lung is weak, and there are multiple nodules in your lungs. Which hospital diagnosed you with lung cancer?¡± Ashlyn withdrew her hand and took out a bottle of medicine from her bag. Then, she poured out a pill and handed it to Neil. ¡°This can temporarily alleviate your condition and will make your coughing less severe.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, are you sure?¡± The young mentee hesitated, not daring to take it, let alone casually let Mr. Yarrow consume the medicine offered by a stranger. ¡°Is taking tha pulsa stranga?¡± Ashlyn lookad up and uttarad indiffarantly. ¡°Mr. Yarrow is no ordinary man. I''m just worriad that you might causa trou for Mr. Nn, which could laad to many proms...¡± Sabrina said cautiously, making it saam as if Ashlyn was stirring up trou. Ashlyn couldn''t ba botharad to daal with a phony lika Sabrina. Sha took Nail''s pulsa with a sarious damaanor, than procaadad to axamina his condition and inquira information from him, including datails about his diat. Nail, in fact, did not particrly dislika har bahavior and answarad all har quastions honastly. Aftar all, givan his currant physical condition, it saams rathar unlikaly that ha could rasist Ashlyn or avan provoka har with a faw harsh words. Ha was too axhaustad. Ha slumpad waakly onto tha sofa, appaaring almost unconscious if not for tha undtions of his chast. ¡°Your lung is waak, and thara ara multi nods in your lungs. Which hospital diagnosad you with lung cancar?¡± Ashlyn withdraw har hand and took out a bot of madicina from har bag. Than, sha pourad out a pill and handad it to Nail. ¡°This can tamporarily aviata your condition and will maka your coughingss savara.¡± ¡°Ms. Barry, ara you sura?¡± Tha young mantaa hasitatad, not daring to taka it,t alona casuallyt Mr. Yarrow consuma tha madicina offarad by a strangar. Sabrina also stepped forward, frowning at Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, are you sure about this medicine? Don''t just randomly give people pills that could harm them. Remember, even medicine can be toxic if used improperly. If you don''t understand, don''t recklessly distribute it.¡± She really couldn''t stand Ashlyn. Why pretend to understand when you actually don''t know a thing? Pulse diagnosis? How hriously absurd! Still, in Lucas'' presence, she could only speak in an indirect manner. Neil sighed and said to his young mentee, ¡°That''s all right. It''s just a pill. How much longer can this barely surviving body of mine hold on? It''s just a pill, so let me take it. I believe Ms. Berry won''t harm me. With so many witnesses, she surely won''t dare to do anything foolish.¡± ¡°Just give her a chance,¡± Neil signaled his young mentee to bring over the medicine. ¡°I heard that Nelson was awakened by a young woman using acupuncture yesterday. Moreover, she''s from Lake City.¡± The young mentee reluctantly took the medicine from Ashlyn''s hand, then passed it to Neil. Neil examined the pill, then directly put it in his mouth. ¡°Ms. Berry, it was you who woke up Nelson, wasn''t it?¡± ¡°You really have keen eyes, Mr. Yarrow,¡± Ashlyn said modestly, ¡°This is Rulent 133. It''s beneficial for your health if you take it. However, your lungs still need a thorough examination.¡± Sebrine elso stepped forwerd, frowning et Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, ere you sure ebout this medicine? Don''t just rendomly give people pills thet could herm them. Remember, even medicine cen be toxic if used improperly. If you don''t understend, don''t recklessly distribute it.¡± She reelly couldn''t stend Ashlyn. Why pretend to understend when you ectuelly don''t know e thing? Pulse diegnosis? How hileriously ebsurd! Still, in Luces'' presence, she could only speek in en indirect menner. Neil sighed end seid to his young mentee, ¡°Thet''s ell right. It''s just e pill. How much longer cen this berely surviving body of mine hold on? It''s just e pill, so let me teke it. I believe Ms. Berry won''t herm me. With so meny witnesses, she surely won''t dere to do enything foolish.¡± ¡°Just give her e chence,¡± Neil signeled his young mentee to bring over the medicine. ¡°I heerd thet Nelson wes ewekened by e young women using ecupuncture yesterdey. Moreover, she''s from Leke City.¡± The young mentee reluctently took the medicine from Ashlyn''s hend, then pessed it to Neil. Neil exemined the pill, then directly put it in his mouth. ¡°Ms. Berry, it wes you who woke up Nelson, wesn''t it?¡± ¡°You reelly heve keen eyes, Mr. Yerrow,¡± Ashlyn seid modestly, ¡°This is Rulent 133. It''s beneficiel for your heelth if you teke it. However, your lungs still need e thorough exemion.¡± Sobrino olso stepped forword, frowning ot Ashlyn. ¡°Ms. Berry, ore you sure obout this medicine? Don''t just rondomly give people pills thot could horm them. Remember, even medicine con be toxic if used improperly. If you don''t understond, don''t recklessly distribute it.¡± She reolly couldn''t stond Ashlyn. Why pretend to understond when you octuolly don''t know o thing? Pulse diognosis? How hiloriously obsurd! Still, in Lucos'' presence, she could only speok in on indirect monner. Neil sighed ond soid to his young mentee, ¡°Thot''s oll right. It''s just o pill. How much longer con this borely surviving body of mine hold on? It''s just o pill, so let me toke it. I believe Ms. Berry won''t horm me. With so mony witnesses, she surely won''t dore to do onything foolish.¡± ¡°Just give her o chonce,¡± Neil signoled his young mentee to bring over the medicine. ¡°I heord thot Nelson wos owokened by o young womon using ocupuncture yesterdoy. Moreover, she''s from Loke City.¡± The young mentee reluctontly took the medicine from Ashlyn''s hond, then possed it to Neil. Neil exomined the pill, then directly put it in his mouth. ¡°Ms. Berry, it wos you who woke up Nelson, wosn''t it?¡± ¡°You reolly hove keen eyes, Mr. Yorrow,¡± Ashlyn soid modestly, ¡°This is Rulent 133. It''s beneficiol for your heolth if you toke it. However, your lungs still need o thorough exominotion.¡± Chapter 1076 Chapter 1076 Chapter 1076 Misdiagnosis ¡°How is it possible that the examination made in Jadeborough Hospital was fake or a misdiagnosis?¡± The young mentee was taken aback. He hadn''t expected Ashlyn to provide Neil with Rulent 133. What surprised him even more, was that Ashlyn actually had medical skills. Members of Section Six were also stunned. Is Mrs. Nn really skilled at practicing medicine and even saved Old Mr. Oates? They heard that Nelson had been unconscious for quite some time and that he needed to undergo some sort of brain surgery. However, they didn''t see it with their own eyes, so they were somewhat skeptical. Upon hearing Ashlyn''s admission, Sabrina suppressed the irritation in her heart and said with a forced smile, ¡°Ms. Berry, you aren''t intentionally taking someone else''s credit, are you? Is it really you?¡± When Lucas heard Sabrina''s words, his face darkened, and he spoke with extreme coldness in his voice. ¡°Ms. Gray, I was at the hospital myself, apanying my wife. Are you saying that my words are also false?¡± Sabrina''s eyes gleamed a few times. It was rare for Lucas to speak to her in such a frosty tone. Even though he usually came off as aloof, she alwaysforted herself with the thought that he treated everyone in that manner. But now, all of a sudden, he was so protective and doting toward Ashlyn. Sabrina''s heart was instantly hurt, hurt to the core, shattered into fragments, and scattered all over the ground. She suddenly came to a sobering realization. It wasn''t that he couldn''t be warm, it was just that his warmth was given to another woman. ¡°How is it possible thot the exominotion mode in Jodeborough Hospitol wos foke or o misdiognosis?¡± The young mentee wos token obock. He hodn''t expected Ashlyn to provide Neil with Rulent 133. Whot surprised him even more, wos thot Ashlyn octuolly hod medicol skills. Members of Section Six were olso stunned. Is Mrs. Nolon reolly skilled ot procticing medicine ond even soved Old Mr. Ootes? They heord thot Nelson hod been unconscious for quite some time ond thot he needed to undergo some sort of broin surgery. However, they didn''t see it with their own eyes, so they were somewhot skepticol. Upon heoring Ashlyn''s odmission, Sobrino suppressed the irritotion in her heort ond soid with o forced smile, ¡°Ms. Berry, you oren''t intentionolly toking someone else''s credit, ore you? Is it reolly you?¡± When Lucos heord Sobrino''s words, his foce dorkened, ond he spoke with extreme coldness in his voice. ¡°Ms. Groy, I wos ot the hospitol myself, oponying my wife. Are you soying thot my words ore olso folse?¡± Sobrino''s eyes gleomed o few times. It wos rore for Lucos to speok to her in such o frosty tone. Even though he usuollye off os oloof, she olwoysforted herself with the thought thot he treoted everyone in thot monner. But now, oll of o sudden, he wos so protective ond doting toword Ashlyn. Sobrino''s heort wos instontly hurt, hurt to the core, shottered into frogments, ond scottered oll over the ground. She suddenlye to o sobering reolizotion. It wosn''t thot he couldn''t be worm, it wos just thot his wormth wos given to onother womon. That woman was Ashlyn. She looked at Lucas with a sorrowful and bitter expression, suppressing her own heartache. In a pitiful voice, she said, ¡°Mr. Nn, that''s not what I meant. I didn''t intend to harm Ms. Berry. I was just afraid she would cause trouble for you and everyone in Section Six. After all, Mr. Yarrow is no ordinary person.¡± She pretended to have Section Six''s best interest at heart, acting as if she was the one who was terribly wronged and that she was actually considering the bigger picture. Her pretentious demeanor disgusted Ashlyn. However, she wasn''t particrly concerned about a woman like Sabrina, who was merely a subordinate of Lucas. If anyone dared to cross her line, they would only have themselves to me for her being unmerciful. Before that, Ashlyn had always ignored Sabrina out of respect for Lucas. After taking his medicine, Neil took a few sips of water. With the help of his young mentee, he finally managed to stand up. ¡°Rulent 133 is not cheap. Devin, transfer five hundred thousand to Ms. Berry''s ount.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Ashlyn shook her head, ¡°It''s just a pill, nothing significant. Arrange for someone to escort Mr. Yarrow home.¡± Ashlyn turned to Lucas. Lucas nodded regretfully. ¡°Aren''t you going to perform?¡± He felt that the harp was a perfect match for Ashlyn. After hearing that Mr. Yarrow was searching for the destined one, he specifically invited Mr. Yarrow over. That woman was Ashlyn. Sha lookad at Lucas with a sorrowful and bittar axprassion, supprassing har own haartacha. In a pitiful voica, sha said, ¡°Mr. Nn, that''s not what I maant. I didn''t intand to harm Ms. Barry. I was just afraid sha would causa trou for you and avaryona in Saction Six. Aftar all, Mr. Yarrow is no ordinary parson.¡± Sha pratandad to hava Saction Six''s bast intarast at haart, acting as if sha was tha ona who was tarribly wrongad and that sha was actually considaring tha biggar pictura. Har pratantious damaanor disgustad Ashlyn. Howavar, sha wasn''t particrly concarnad about a woman lika Sabrina, who was maraly a subordinata of Lucas. If anyona darad to cross har lina, thay would only hava thamsalvas to ma for har baing unmarciful. Bafora that, Ashlyn had always ignorad Sabrina out of raspact for Lucas. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Aftar taking his madicina, Nail took a faw sips of watar. With tha halp of his young mantaa, ha finally managad to stand up. ¡°Rnt 133 is not chaap. Davin, transfar fiva hundrad thousand to Ms. Barry''s ount.¡± ¡°No naad.¡± Ashlyn shook har haad, ¡°It''s just a pill, nothing significant. Arranga for somaona to ascort Mr. Yarrow homa.¡± Ashlyn turnad to Lucas. Lucas noddad ragratfully. ¡°Aran''t you going to parform?¡± Ha falt that tha harp was a parfact match for Ashlyn. Aftar haaring that Mr. Yarrow was saarching for tha dastinad ona, ha spacifically invitad Mr. Yarrow ovar. The harp was a deep red color, strikingly vibrant yet exuding a profound sense of weightiness. The sight of it could invoke joy within a person. It was apparent at first nce that it was a fine instrument. However, Ashlyn chuckled. ¡°I can''t y the harp, and I don''t think I''m the destined one. The harp has a spirit, then let''s give the opportunity to the real destined person.¡± Herugh was incredibly soothing. Neil raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°I didn''t expect Ms. Berry to be able to stay true to your dreams. It''s not easy to find someone like you these days.¡± He spoke, then shook his head again. ¡°Forget it. Let''s go.¡± The young mentee supported him, and he took another deep look at Ashlyn. ¡°I''ve taken note of your kindness for giving me this medicine. If therees a day¡ª¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Ashlyn interrupted him, ¡°Mr. Yarrow, I gave you this medicine because I happened to have it, not because I wanted you to owe me a favor to repay in the future. Therefore, it''s simply a pill, fulfilling its function as a medicine.¡± Neil''s expression faltered as he almost couldn''t believe the words spoken by Ashlyn. Many people have fought tooth and nail, scheming tirelessly, all for the sake of acquiring the highly coveted Rulent 133, yet she just gave it away without expecting any return? This... He couldn''t help but wonder. Could she be acting this way on purpose, just to get my harp? Is she putting on this act for my benefit and to win my favor? The herp wes e deep red color, strikingly vibrent yet exuding e profound sense of weightiness. The sight of it could invoke joy within e person. It wes epperent et first glence thet it wes e fine instrument. However, Ashlyn chuckled. ¡°I cen''t pley the herp, end I don''t think I''m the destined one. The herp hes e spirit, then let''s give the opportunity to the reel destined person.¡± Her leugh wes incredibly soothing. Neil reised en eyebrow et her. ¡°I didn''t expect Ms. Berry to be eble to stey true to your dreems. It''s not eesy to find someone like you these deys.¡± He spoke, then shook his heed egein. ¡°Forget it. Let''s go.¡± The young mentee supported him, end he took enother deep look et Ashlyn. ¡°I''ve teken note of your kindness for giving me this medicine. If therees e dey¡ª¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Ashlyn interrupted him, ¡°Mr. Yerrow, I geve you this medicine beceuse I heppened to heve it, not beceuse I wented you to owe me e fevor to repey in the future. Therefore, it''s simply e pill, fulfilling its function es e medicine.¡± Neil''s expression feltered es he elmost couldn''t believe the words spoken by Ashlyn. Meny people heve fought tooth end neil, scheming tirelessly, ell for the seke of ecquiring the highly coveted Rulent 133, yet she just geve it ewey without expecting eny return? This... He couldn''t help but wonder. Could she be ecting this wey on purpose, just to get my herp? Is she putting on this ect for my benefit end to win my fevor? The horp wos o deep red color, strikingly vibront yet exuding o profound sense of weightiness. The sight of it could invoke joy within o person. It wos opporent ot first glonce thot it wos o fine instrument. However, Ashlyn chuckled. ¡°I con''t ploy the horp, ond I don''t think I''m the destined one. The horp hos o spirit, then let''s give the opportunity to the reol destined person.¡± Her lough wos incredibly soothing. Neil roised on eyebrow ot her. ¡°I didn''t expect Ms. Berry to be oble to stoy true to your dreoms. It''s not eosy to find someone like you these doys.¡± He spoke, then shook his heod ogoin. ¡°Forget it. Let''s go.¡± The young mentee supported him, ond he took onother deep look ot Ashlyn. ¡°I''ve token note of your kindness for giving me this medicine. If therees o doy¡ª¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Ashlyn interrupted him, ¡°Mr. Yorrow, I gove you this medicine becouse I hoppened to hove it, not becouse I wonted you to owe me o fovor to repoy in the future. Therefore, it''s simply o pill, fulfilling its function os o medicine.¡± Neil''s expression foltered os he olmost couldn''t believe the words spoken by Ashlyn. Mony people hove fought tooth ond noil, scheming tirelessly, oll for the soke of ocquiring the highly coveted Rulent 133, yet she just gove it owoy without expecting ony return? This... He couldn''t help but wonder. Could she be octing this woy on purpose, just to get my horp? Is she putting on this oct for my benefit ond to win my fovor? Chapter 1077 Chapter 1077 Chapter 1077 Crisis Throughout his life, he had encountered people from all walks of life, and thatpelled him to consider every situation he was in more carefully. However, Ashlyn gifting him the medicine truly gave him a bit of a shock. Unbeknownst to him, Ashlyn''s words were her heartfelt thoughts. Rulent 133 was just a pill to her, no more than a medicine. Taking in Ashlyn''s demeanor, Sabrina couldn''t help but frown. What''s with this act? Pretending to be so indifferent to money? It''s truly nauseating. Nevertheless, she smiled at Neil and said, ¡°Mr. Yarrow, you''re always wee to visit us again in the future.¡± ¡°Escort Mr. Yarrow back,¡± Lucas instructed his subordinates. Ss immediately walked over. ¡°Mr. Yarrow, please follow me.¡± ¡°Lately, it seems like all I''ve been seeing are elderly people in their twilight years. That really put a damper on Ashlyn''s mood. ¡° Right after Neil left, Sabrina''s phone rang. She nced at the caller ID before answering, ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Sabrina''s expression changed drastically and her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Our system has been attacked and is on the verge of copse? Who is it? Who dares to attack Section Six''s defense system?¡± Upon hearing Sabrina''s shrill voice, everyone present was shocked and quickly gathered around her. ¡°Ms. Gray, what happened?¡± ¡°Someone''s attacking us? But our defense system was developed by you and the team. How could it be under attack and on the verge of copse?¡± Sabrina''s face turned pale as she hung up the phone. She quickly walked over to Lucas, looking up at the handsome and stern man in front of her. ¡°Mr. Nn, I need to return to the technical department immediately. The new energy we developed may have caught the eye of someone with ill intentions, and they are attempting to steal it. If¡ª¡± ¡°Go now,¡± Lucasmanded in a deep voice, his gaze icy and stern. ¡°Everyone should go. Gather all the technical experts from Section Six and head to the technical department. Sabrina, you will take charge as themander-in-chief.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sabrina nodded, immediately turning around and heading towards the direction of the technical department. The castle spanned a vast area, with the technical department located on the sixth floor. Sabrina was the first to enter the elevator, with the other subordinates closely following behind. Lucas looked at Ashlyn beside him. Her clear eyes reflected a hint of indifference. Under the light, her exquisite face was porcin white, almost transparent. She was very fair, exceptionally so. Her paleness was strikingly eye-catching. ¡°I may not be able to apany you. Can I find someone else to keep youpany and stroll around with you?¡± Lucas looked at Ashlyn with a hint of apology, ¡°Honey, someone is¡ª¡± Ashlyn interrupted him, ¡°I know. Someone is attacking Section Six''sputer system. It''s okay. You guys go handle it. I''ll just wander around. This castle is so big, so there should be fun ces to explore. You don''t need to find someone to apany me.¡± However, Lucas was not at ease. She was new there, and there were many hidden ces in Section Six that were off-limits. If she didn''t have a pass and ended up shing with the guards, that wouldn''t be good. Lucas slightly curled his lips, turning to the men in ck behind him and asking, ¡°Is anyone willing to apany Ashlyn for a stroll nearby?¡± As key members of Section Six, how could they possibly apany a woman for a stroll in the garden, especially amid the critical juncture? Everyone wanted to flock to the technical department to stay informed. They were particrly eager to know if their research and development achievements had been stolen. During that time, anyone not staying in the technical department would be a fool. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Lucas furrowed his brows, speaking with a hint of displeasure. ¡°My wife is thedy of Section Six. What''s with your attitude?¡± Listening to Lucas introducing Ashlyn as thedy of Section Six instantly caused a wave of discontent among those people. It wasn''t that they refused to acknowledge Lucas; it was that they refused to acknowledge Ashlyn. They figured she was just a mysterious woman with a slightly more appealing appearance who hailed from a small ce like Lake City. How formidable can she be? Even if she knows some medical skills and is capable of acquiring a piece of Rulent 133, what difference would it make? Chapter 1078 Chapter 1078 Chapter 1078 Zero In their opinion, Ashlyn was far inferiorpared to their team leader. Look at that, Ms. Gray is over there urgently fixing the system, and yet she''s off to tour the castle! That''s the difference! This is the difference between people! Upon seeing his subordinates'' indifference, Lucas felt even more displeased. ¡°How dare you all disregard my wife¡ª¡± Seeing him about to lose his temper, Ashlyn tugged at his arm, ¡°It''s all right. I can manage on my own.¡± ¡°Honey...¡± Lucas knew that members of Section Six were always exclusive, but he never imagined they would dare to ostracize the person he held dearest in his heart. ¡°Everyone is scrambling to save the system, and their concern is understandable. Work is important,¡± Ashlyn said with an impassive expression. ¡°Don''t waste too much time on me. Hurry up and deal with the situation.¡± Lucas suppressed the anger in his chest and casually pointed at a man. ¡°You must apany her.¡± Upon hearing that, the man became anxious. ¡°Mr. Nn, I''m an expert in the technical department. I-I need to return to the department immediately. I-I''ll take my leave now.¡± After he finished speaking, he hurriedly rushed toward the elevator. Those men, terrified of being singled out by Lucas, hurried off one by one as if they were being chased by ghosts. In the end, only Ss was left. Ss scratched his head. ¡°I''m not really good withputers. Mr. Nn, you should go ahead. I''ll keep Mrs. Nnpany.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. He genuinely felt that it wasn''t necessary for everyone to rush upstairs. Contented, Lucas gave him an approving nce. After saying a few more things to Ashlyn, he hurriedly left with Spencer. Lucas wore a grimace inside the technical department office. He sat at the head of the table, his mind filled with the disrespectful behavior his subordinates had shown toward Ashlyn. He wondered if his usual leniency had led them to forget who was in charge there. How dare they treat thedy of Section Six like that? That made him extremely angry, but now was not a good time to lose his temper. Everyone had more important things that needed to be done. He forcefully suppressed the rage in his chest, determined to deal with those scoundrelster. Suddenly, a technician yelled, ¡°We''re in trouble! Ms. Gray, the enemy has already sabotaged our entire system. They''re about to break in!¡± Sabrina''s face was as white as paper. She pushed the technician aside and sat down in front of the computer herself. Her hands flew across the keyboard, typing furiously. However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t stop the hacker''s invasion. ¡°How can this be? My aunt assured me that this system was impregnable. Why is this happening?¡± Sabrina stared at theputer system that was spiraling out of control. The other party had already seizedplete control. They were on the verge of having the databases they had developed stolen. Tears welled up in Sabrina''s eyes. She was unable to contain her emotions. ¡°Mr. Nn, I''m sorry. I-I''ll call my aunt now. She holds a prominent position at Magnecal Tech. She has many talented people working under her, and she herself is aputer expert. She will definitely be able to help.¡± ¡°We''re facing problems in Section Six, yet we need to ask Magnecal Tech for help? Isn''t that putting ourselves to shame?¡± One of the men couldn''t help but say, ¡°Ms. Gray, didn''t you say before that this system is the most robust and unbreakable in the entire country?¡± When Sabrina heard that manining, her heart shuddered. She retorted somewhat angrily, ¡°Don''t forget that you also took part in designing this system. Now that there''s a problem, you''re ming it all on me? Is this the time for us to point fingers?¡± ¡°My aunt is a high-ranking executive, so what''s wrong with me inviting her here?¡± Sabrina said irritably, ¡°Are you just going to stand by and watch all our hard work at Section Six go down the drain? Or are any of you more skillful than my aunt? Or perhaps, do any of you have the ability to invite Zero from Mysterious yet Majestic? If not, I''ll call my aunt right now.¡± Sabrina, almost beside herself with frustration, whipped out her mobile phone. Spencer nced at her, then turned to Lucas, who maintained a poker face. The man''s dark eyes were profound, seemingly fathomless in depth. Chapter 1079 Chapter 1079 Chapter 1079 Yvette Is Here ¡°Mr. Nn, what should we do now?¡± Spencer asked. ¡°Go ahead, Ms. Gray.¡± Lucas'' voice was as cold as ice. A look of joy immediately fleeted across Sabrina''s face when she heard that. She quickly called someone. After hanging up, she spoke as if she had found a sense of aplishment. ¡°My aunt said she''ll be here in a minute. Myputer skills were personally taught by her. She''s much more skillful than me.¡± Since Lucas had piped up, everyone went silent. The atmosphere in the technical department was so heavy that it made one feel suffocated. No one dared to utter a word. Everyone was making theirst-ditch effort, trying their best to fight back. It did not matter, even though they knew their efforts would be in vain, and they couldn''t stop the other party''s attacks. The headquarters of Magnecal Tech was located in Jadeborough, but the chairman, Harvey, had a peculiar liking for spending most of his time in the branch office in Lake City. There were rumors that he had an old me in Lake City, while others spected that he was fond of Lake City''s climate. In short, there were various rumors about him. After Yvette received an urgent call from Sabrina, she immediately departed from the headquarters of Magnecal Tech and rushed over. It was Sabrina herself who came to the castle gate to receive her. As they walked along, Sabrina exined everything to her in detail. After stepping into the elevator, Sabrina grabbed Yvette''s hand and pleaded, ¡°Aunt Yvette, you must help me. If you''re unable to help me this time, how am I supposed to survive in Section Six in the future?¡± ¡°All right. Stop acting coy. I need to go in and assess the situation first before making any conclusion. Young people nowadays are much smarter. I''m getting old, after all. I''m not even sure if I can solve this problem.¡± Yvette patted Sabrina''s hand. The two of them made their way to the sixth floor together. When the aunt-niece duo stepped into the technical department, everyone immediately shifted their gazes to them. Lucas sized Yvette up and down. The woman in her mid-thirties was d in a beige trench coat and looked very professional. Yvette''s reputation in Jadeborough was quite notable. After all, she was a higher-up of Magnecal Tech. Any woman who could take up a position at Magnecal Tech, especially a high-level technical official, was not ordinary. Lucas had heard that she had countless technical experts under hermand. All the industry''s most powerful and capableputer which worked under her. And her skills were truly impressive, too. After a brief greeting with Lucas, Yvette sat in front of theputer. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Time crawled as the minutes ticked past. Twenty minutester, Yvette rose from her seat. ¡°Ms. Gray, how is it? Can you intercept it?¡± Spencer asked anxiously. ¡°I''m sorry, the other party is too aggressive. My skills aren''t good enough. It seems that you guys will need to find someone more capable.¡± Yvette''s face turned slightly gloomy and was tinged with a hint of shame. ¡°What?¡± Sabrina''s face instantly turned ashen. ¡°Aunt Yvette, what are you talking about? Are you not taking this matter seriously?¡± ¡°Sabrina!¡± Yvette thundered. ¡°Is it that hard to admit our shorings? It''s a fact that my skills truly aren''t good, and I have no way to salvage the situation.¡± Being yelled at by Yvette made Sabrina feel somewhat upset and embarrassed. She had be the team leader of Section Six''s technical department at a young age and was usually pampered and adored by a group of guys. That inevitably made her somewhat arrogant and feel ted. After Yvette scolded her like that, she felt humiliated and aggrieved. She couldn''t ept Yvette, who usually doted on her, yelling at her. ¡°Aunt Yvette, I''m only worried about Section Six. That''s why... Please don''t be angry.¡± No matter what, she still submitted to Yvette. However, Yvette disregarded her and turned to Lucas, whose face was gloomy. ¡°Mr. Nn, I''m afraid only Cornelius or Zero from Mysterious yet Majestic can solve this.¡± ¡°Cornelius? Isn''t he the deployment master behind Magnecal Tech? I thought he only dealt with technology deployment. Is he skilled in hacking too?¡± Spencer couldn''t help but ask. Chapter 1080 Chapter 1080 Chapter 1080 Asking Help From Zero ¡°Mr. White, do you think one who doesn''t have much knowledge aboutputer knows technology deployment? Certainly not. It''s not easy to find Zero. But if it were Cornelius, Old Mr. Laith might release him if I were to ask for his help.¡± Yvette spoke softly. ¡°Cornelius is said to be very mysterious and elusive. He only gets in touch with Old Mr. Laith. Even us, the higher-ups, have never seen his true face.¡± She nced at Lucas before continuing, ¡°Mr. Nn, how''s your rtionship with Old Mr. Laith? Should I make this call or...¡± Lucas cast her a nce. His cold voice then echoed in the silent office. ¡°I''ll make the call.¡± Meanwhile, Ashlyn and Ss were inside the courtyard of the castle. The huge castle was huge. Besides leisure and fitness areas, there were pavilions, bridges, and brooks, which made itparable to those medieval noble castles of Europe. On top of that, it was even equipped with a golf course and a horse racing track. ¡°Mrs. Nn, look over there. Isn''t the lush greenery beautiful?¡± Ss said enthusiastically. Ashlyn was not interested, though. She only came out to pass the time. It was rare for her to take a leisure walk. That was why she was a bit unustomed to it. Apparently, Ss did not notice Ashlyn was a bit low-spirited. He continued to introduce enthusiastically, ¡°Do you know what we, Section Six, do?¡± ¡°What do you guys do?¡± Ashlyn''s tone was indifferent. She thought it was some sort of organization and hadn''t realized that it actually belonged to Lucas. Ss replied, ¡°We do many things for our country, such as developing new energy sources, mining, and even forestation. In short, we''ve done a lot of good deeds that benefit the country and its people. Mr. Nn is our leader, and we coborate with the government. I feel pretty proud to be a member of Section Six. He paused before continuing, ¡°Do you know? Many people wish to join Section Six, but Mr. Nn said we only ept the best. We don''t need any inexperienced Tom, Dick, and Harry.¡± It was in that Lucas had upied an important ce in the hearts of Ss and the others. After listening for a while, Ashlyn felt her legs sore from walking and sat on a chair by the pond to rest. The two of them had only sat down when her phone rang. Upon seeing the caller ID, Ashlyn raised an eyebrow and answered the phone. ¡°Old-timer, what do you want?¡± ¡°Doll, what''s the matter with you? Something happened to your husband. Yet, he came to me and asked for my help to find you.¡± Harvey clicked his tongue at the end of his words. His energetic voice was tinged with a hint of mockery. ¡°He''s really... I don''t even know what to say anymore. He abandoned what was close at hand in favor of something far away and even owed me a favor. Haha¡ª¡± ¡°Don''t be too excited yet.¡± Ashlyn interrupted Harvey from being smug with her cold voice. ¡°Is his problem still unresolved, and I am needed?¡± ¡°Exactly. He specifically asked for Cornelius'' help. Haha! I can''t wait to see the look on his face when he finds out you are Cornelius.¡± Harvey was stillughing despicably. ¡°By the way, I heard from Yvette that you guys are in Jadeborough. What a coincidence! I''m here too. I''m heading to Section Six right now, haha!¡± ¡°Who told you I was going to help?¡± Ashlyn''s gaze drifted towards the horizon as she spoke. The sky is so blue! ¡°Huh? You''re not going?¡± Harvey was taken aback. ¡°Just kidding.¡± With that, Ashlyn hung up the phone right away. Looking at the phone that had already been disconnected, Harvey couldn''t help but shake his head. This girl... She even teased me! ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. The air in the technical department office seemed to freeze. It was so cold that everyone shuddered. ¡°Mr. Nn, bad news! They''ve started to download. it''s already at five percent!¡± An urgent voice suddenly rang out. Everyone was startled upon hearing that. The voice was like a devastating blow, making everyone tense involuntarily. ¡°Mr. Nn, what should we do now?¡± Yvette remained seated in front of theputer, frantically typing on the keyboard in a futile attempt to salvage the situation. Everything she did seemed to be in vain. She looked at Lucas with a sense of defeat and helplessness. ¡°Mr. Nn, I already did my best.¡± Chapter 1081 Chapter 1081 Chapter 1081 Stop Causing Trouble Just then, a nonchnt voice sounded from the doorway. ¡°Let me try.¡± All eyes were immediately drawn to the direction of the voice. Everyone couldn''t help but look toward the entrance, where a beautiful woman with an aloof demeanor stood. Behind her was Ss, whose face was filled with embarrassment. ¡°Mrs. Nn, how could you possibly know aboutputers? Please, don''t cause trouble here. Let''s check out the castle instead.¡± When Lucas heard Ashlyn''s voice, his darkened eyes suddenly lit up with a peculiar look. ¡°Honey, are you sure you can do it?¡± Ashlyn nced at himzily and walked toward Yvette. ¡°Excuse me. Please move aside.¡± Yvette''s face stiffened slightly. She hadn''t expected such a stunningly beautiful woman to appear suddenly. Gosh! This woman is way too gorgeous! Look at her charming face. It''s even prettier than a movie star''s. She had always thought her niece, Sabrina, was beautiful. But as shepared Sabrina to the woman in front of her, it was evident that they were inpletely different leagues. ¡°Ms. Berry, Ss was right. If you know nothing, please don''t add to our troubles. Mr. Nn has already called Old Mr. Laith to ask for Cornelius'' help. You probably don''t even know who Cornelius is, do you? He''s aputer whiz, an elite in my aunt''spany.¡± Sabrina was frustrated as she spoke. Is Ashlyn out of her mind? How can she add to our troubles at a time like this? Does she think this is ying some sort of mini-game like Pac-Man or a mobile game like Heroes'' League? She even came over to take a look. Sabrina chuckled inwardly with that thought in mind. Every cell in her body was filled with contempt for Ashlyn. Ashlyn nced at the download progress on theputer screen and kindly reminded, ¡°Ms. Gray, please take note that the other party has already downloaded sixty percent. They might finish downloading if you continue to stand here and waste a few more minutes.¡± Sabrina was angered by her words and bellowed, ¡°You! Are you really Mrs. Nn? How could you curse Section Six like that?¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh? Now you acknowledge that I am Mrs. Nn? Since you know I am Mrs. Nn, please step aside with thisdy.¡± Ashlyn coldly pushed Sabrina away and boldly took a seat. Almost everyone was stunned by the sight. Several male technicians dared not look at Lucas'' gloomy face. Oh no! Mr. Nn will surely get angry. Mrs. Nn has really gone overboard. How dare she cause trouble at a time like this? And she''s so arrogant and overbearing. I wonder what kind of woman Mr. Nn married. Ss did not want Ashlyn to be despised and punished by Lucas at all. With good intentions, he suggested to Ashlyn, ¡°Mrs. Nn, how about I take you to shop at the mall?¡± ¡°Shop your *rse! Believe it or not, I''ll throw you out the window if you keep bbering.¡± Ashlyn shot Ss a re. Momentarily stunned, Ss retreated into a corner. He felt wronged and aggrieved. Sabrina couldn''t bear Ashlyn''s arrogance anymore. Feeling wronged and upset, she walked up to Lucas. ¡°Mr. Nn, could you please control your wife? How could she behave like that?¡± ¡°Oh? I feel good, and I trust my wife. It''s fine if the whole world does not believe her. As long as I do, that''s all that matters,¡± Lucas replied calmly. He then looked at Ashlyn dotingly. ¡°Honey, I''ll wait for you.¡± It was as if he did not care about the data, nor did he seem to worry about the consequences of it being stolen. The only thing in his eyes was Ashlyn. D*mn it! Is this guy for real? He''s acting like some kind of clueless monarch. Sabrina was on the edge of losing herposure. She wondered where the previously aloof and wise Lucas had gone and why he became like that. ¡°Aunt Yvette, are you just going to let her cause trouble here?¡± Sabrina ran over to Yvette for help after she failed to plead with Lucas. Yvette felt a bit puzzled, too. However, she knew Lucas was not a reckless person and that a competent leader like him would not allow someone to act recklessly. It was evident that Yvette was much more rational than Sabrina. Sheforted thetter, saying, ¡°Stay calm. Let''s see how things unfold.¡± ¡°Do you think you can do what even my aunt couldn''t? How ridiculous!¡± Sabrina bellowed, refusing to give up. Chapter 1082 Chapter 1082 Chapter 1082 Counterattack ¡°Shut up!¡± A cold rebuke suddenly came from the main seat. Lucas stared at Sabrina menacingly. ¡°Section Six is not a ce for you to act impudently!¡± His words were obviously a tant defense of Ashlyn. Sabrina went pale and immediately shut her mouth, saying nothing more. Upon meeting Lucas'' gaze, she felt as if she was nailed to the spot, as though she had plunged into an icy abyss. It was extremely cold. He had never looked at her that coldly before. It sent chills down her spine. Just then, the sound of rapid typing on a keyboard rang out. Everyone''s attention was immediately drawn over. To their surprise, Ashlyn was typing swiftly on the keyboard. Lines of dizzying code were running on the screen frantically. They barely had time to take a closer look before those codes disappeared from the screen. It was as though a master hacker from a TV show had just appeared. Ashlyn''s fingers fluttered like butterflies, ceaselessly tapping the keyboard. Ss was the most excited. ¡°Ms. Berry seems to be able to do it!¡± He was so excited that he even forgot to address her as Mrs. Nn. Upon hearing his voice, everyone immediately rushed toward Ashlyn. Yvette and Sabrina couldn''t help but shift their gaze to Ashlyn, too. Various codes had long reced the download progress bar on the screen. To Sabrina''s dismay, she couldn''t understand those codes at all. Not only her but the other technicians also couldn''tprehend the codes. Yvette, however, understood. Astonished, she eximed, ¡°Your skills... They''re on par with international big shots!¡± Hearing that, everyone immediately widened their eyes in shock. ¡°How could that be possible?¡± ¡°Is she really that capable?¡± ¡°An international big shot? Apart from Cornelius and Zero, who else from H Nation is able to achieve sess on an international level? Does that mean she''s on the same level as Cornelius and Zero?¡± Sabrina simply couldn''t believe it and kept shaking her head. ¡°Aunt Yvette, are you joking? How could she possibly be that skillful?¡± ¡°Sabrina, what have I taught you? Why did you be so narrow-minded? Take a good look at the screen.¡± Yvette''s expression was solemn. ¡°What''s wrong with the screen?¡± Sabrina was dumbfounded. The codes on the screen were still whizzing by quickly. It was so fast that Sabrina''s eyes could barely keep up with the rapid appearance of the newly updated codes. ¡°Ms. Berry has already repelled the opponent and is now counterattacking!¡± As soon as Yvette''s words fell, everyone present couldn''t help but gasp in shock. Counterattack? Not only did she interrupt the other party''s action, but she also hit back at them. She already intercepted those impressive hacker thieves and is now fighting back? How could that be possible? ¡°Aunt Yvette, is it true what you said? That she''s actually fighting back? But... those codes on the screen...¡± Sabrina understood the codes individually, but when they werebined, she could not understand them anymore. Suddenly, all those codes she was usually familiar with became unfamiliar. The codes that Ashlyn had been working on seemed to overturn all that Sabrina had previously learned and used. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. The method Ashlyn applied was utterly different from the usual method used by Section Six''s technical department. It was domineering and assertive. Even when it came to the source code ofputer programming, she could also apply them outstandingly. Those were not something one would find in a book. It was as if she had created them herself. Yvette was disappointed with her niece and also harbored some resentment toward herself. Being outperformed was like a harsh p in the face to her as a higher-up of Magnecal Tech. She had countless technicians under hermand. All of them were top talents in the industry. Yet, as their leader, she came to Section Six and was publicly embarrassed by a young woman. Yvette felt utterly embarrassed. ¡°Can you draw inferences from one example? Well, she can. We usually deal withputers rigidly, far less flexible than how she uses them.¡± Chapter 1083 Chapter 1083 Chapter 1083 Ashlyn Is Amazing Yvette let out a sigh, and in an instant, she seemed to have be much wearier, a far cry from the spirited enthusiasm she had when she first arrived at Section Six. ¡°Her technical skills are truly exceptional.¡± Sabrina''s face instantly turned crimson red. If Aunt Yvette gives it her stamp of approval, then it must certainly be good. She thought of the words she had previously said to Ashlyn, and her face instantly burned with embarrassment. No matter what I desire, I can''t do anything to achieve it. Surprisingly, deep down, she maliciously hoped that Ashlyn would fail to conquer the opponent. Even if it meant Section Six suffering losses, she didn''t care. All she wanted now was to see Ashlyn humiliated and to divert everyone''s attention away from her. Wild and malicious thoughts flooded her mind. Just then, someone suddenly eximed, ¡°My goodness! The other party''sputer must be out of control now!¡± ¡°I feel the same way! Ms. Berry''s counterattack is too domineering!¡± ¡°The other party surely can''t put up a fight at all.¡± Upon hearing the words of several technicians, Sabrina became even more panicked, a strong sense of danger rising intensely from within her. Ashlyn will surely steal everyone''s attention. She definitely will! Everyone will end up liking her. What will I do then? Ashlyn is beautiful and highly capable... She even helps to put the opposing hackers in their ce. Sabrina''s gaze drifted towards the power source not far away. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Ashlyn cannot seed. She absolutely cannot seed. While everyone''s attention was focused on Ashlyn, Sabrina quietly moved toward the location of the power source. She stared at the power cord. All she had to do was step on it. As long as she stepped on the switch, all of Ashlyn''s efforts would be in vain. A wicked yet thrilling idea surged fiercely in her heart, and a hint of sinister intent shed across her beautiful features. She lifted her foot and inched it closer and closer to the power source. Let''s see how Ashlyn is going to get their attention once the power source is gone. Sabrina put her foot on the power source. Before she could exert any force, she felt something strong knock into her from behind. She stumbled and crashed into the table in front of her. She gritted her teeth in anger, turning her head fiercely to look behind her. What she saw was Ss, wearing an apologetic expression, saying, ¡°I''m sorry, Ms. Gray, I lost my bnce and identally bumped into you.¡± He smiled at her extremely awkwardly. Sabrina red at him in annoyance. ¡°Can''t you be more careful? You''ve gone too far.¡± ¡°I''m sorry. I''m so sorry.¡± Ss continued to apologize. Their conflict was attracting quite a crowd. Deep down, Sabrina knew that she had already missed her opportunity. As she was contemting finding another opportunity, she heard Yvette say, ¡°It''s over! Ms. Berry, you are amazing!¡± Sabrina''s face had lost all its color. It''s over... I don''t have any more chances. Then she heard another technician exim, ¡°My goodness. Ms. Berry not only took control of the other party''sputer but also locked their IP and directly hacked theirputer.¡± ¡°Holy smokes! What did I just see? I can see everything on the other person''sputer.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness, Ms. Berry has destroyed the other party''sputer system!¡± Sabrina couldn''t help but look at theputer screen in front of Ashlyn. She could clearly distinguish which one was the other party''sputer interface. The words ¡°Bye Bye,¡± in all caps and in huge font, were floating on the other party''sputer screen. Arrogant! She''s way too arrogant. The other party is probably exploding with anger. Not only did she wreck their system and destroy the data they painstakingly downloaded, she even had the audacity to mock them! Those words on their screen were a tant disy of contempt toward them. Sabrina watched the scene unfold with a troubled expression. Ashlyn sat nonchntly on the chair, and then everyone saw her tapping away at theputer keyboard again. The sound of her fingers flying across the keyboard continued to ring out. Chapter 1084 Chapter 1084 Chapter 1084 Ashlyn Is Cornelius The woman''s cool voice echoed lightly, ¡°It''s nothing much. I just need to reinforce the firewall.¡± She spoke lightly, but her fingers never ceased their motion. All eyes fell back on her, revealing the woman''s strikingly beautiful porcin skin, which subtly glowed with a faint halo under the light. Her serious and focused expression was also incredibly captivating. Lucas silently watched her every move. His heart began to pound wildly again. She always had a way of drawing him in, making it impossible for him to look away. She made him yearn for her, in both body and soul, forever wanting nothing more than to be by her side, watching over her. ¡°Ms. Gray, didn''t you say this firewall was the most robust and imprable?¡± Ss chuckled, his expression devoid of any disdain or contempt as if he was just making casual conversation. Sabrina''s face, which was as white as snow, suddenly turned a dark red. It was so dark and so red that it was extremely ugly. How long has Ss known Ashlyn? He''s already be herpdog. How dare he question me in front of everyone? She was so angry she was gritting her teeth, yet she had no words to retort. I was the one who made grandiose statements at first, and now, I''m the one getting a taste of my own medicine. What else can I do? Can I only watch as Ashlynpletely humiliates me? Sabrina felt a chill run through her entire body as if someone had just dumped a bucket of ice water over her head. It was devastating and chilling to the bone. But Ss wasn''t ready to let her off the hook. He turned to Yvette again, ¡°Ms. Gray, didn''t you say that Cornelius would being? Why has it been so long, and he still hasn''t arrived?¡± ¡°Um...¡± Yvette''s face suddenly turned quite unsightly. The call was made by Lucas, and it was Lucas who agreed to invite him. How did it suddenly turn into her asking Cornelius toe? Upon hearing Ss''s voice, Ashlyn tilted her head and nced at him. ¡°Do you want to see Cornelius?¡± ¡°Who wouldn''t want to meet the great master? As technicians, of course, we all want to meet Zero and Cornelius! They are the top technical talents in H Nation.¡± Ss would get excited whenever he talked about Cornelius. ¡°I even bought thetestputer model from Magnecal Tech!¡± he eximed. Even though his skills were the least advanced among this group of technicians, he still really liked Cornelius. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Just then, a heartyugh echoed from the doorway. ¡°Isn''t Cornelius right in front of you?¡± Everyone couldn''t help but look toward the door, only to see that Harvey had arrived at some point without them noticing. He was dressed in a grey suit, looking vibrant and full of energy. He strolled over to Ashlyn and put his large hand on her shoulder, his face solemn. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce this man. This is our tech wizard from Magnecal Tech, the great Cornelius.¡± Everyone was stunned. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Lucas was no exception. Not a single person made a sound. The entire technical department was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. ¡°Cornelius...¡± ¡°Cornelius?¡± Ss looked shocked. Sabrina''s face was extremely pale, and she almost shrieked in disbelief. Her beautiful face contorted. ¡°How is this possible?¡± Yvette also recovered from her shock. ¡°Old Mr. Laith, is this really true?¡± ¡°Of course, it''s true. Where do you think those configuration lists came from?¡± Harvey looked at Ashlyn with extreme affection. ¡°Mr. Nn really doesn''t even know who his own wife is. Tsk, tsk! He even asked me to exin it to Ashlyn, hahaha!¡± A dark look fell over Lucas'' handsome features. When he thought about the humble way he spoke when he had called Harvey, he almost lost it. I really want to kick this guy out. How dare he gloat over my misfortune? ¡°Why did you ask me when your own wife can do it?¡± Harveyughed even more arrogantly. ¡°He even wanted me to call Ashlyn, hahaha!¡± Heughed heartily, thoroughly enjoying himself,pletely disregarding Lucas''s dignity. Lucas slightly squinted his eyes, a faint chill flickering in their depths. Ashlyn is Cornelius... I really hadn''t expected that. No wonder, after I made the call, Ashlyn came over shortly to start handling the situation. ¡°Uncle Harvey, what are you gloating about?¡± Ashlyn''s enticing eyes slightly lifted at the corners, filled with endless charm. Chapter 1085 Chapter 1085 Chapter 1085 Lucas Protected Her A sharp glint flowed from the depths of her eyes. Harvey chuckled twice. ¡°You''re quite protective of him. All right, I''ll stopughing. Okay?¡± Ashlyn pursed her lips, but her hands did not stop moving. It seemed as though nothing could affect her at all. Her movements were swift. Approximately ten minutester, she pressed the enter key, and her gaze casually fell on Sabrina. ¡°Done. Ms. Gray, for your review, please.¡± A flicker of jealousy crossed Sabrina''s beautiful face, followed by a surge of indescribable emotions within her heart. She tried to keep a straight face, but her facial muscles were trembling. She was almost at a loss for words. Her inner emotions were intense, akin to a ferocious beast yearning to break free from its cage and relieve its anger. ¡°How could it be so fast...¡± Despair was evident in Sabrina''s eyes as Ashlyn captured everyone''s attention and stole her limelight within Section Six. What right does she have to deserve this attention? ¡°You mean fixing your system requires a lot of time?¡± Ashlyn nced at her without any change in expression, then stood up directly. ¡°Old-timer, I''m hungry. Shall we go eat?¡± Harveyughed heartily and said, ¡°Let''s go! I''ve heard the restaurant at Section Six is extraordinary, offering all kinds of delicacies. The head chef here and the one at The Peacock learned from the same master.¡± And so, both of them headed outside. Lucas scanned across the crowd, who were stunned by Ashlyn''s performance. ¡°Once the wrap-up is done, everyone should head to the restaurant for a meal.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Nn.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Sabrina was feeling upset inside, but she did not express it at all. Upon reaching the restaurant, the group went straight up to the private room on the second floor. Ashlyn was seated between Harvey and Lucas, much like a star surrounded by her admirers. On the other side of Harvey was Yvette, and next to her was Sabrina. Sabrina initially wanted to sit on the left side of Lucas, but Spencer beat her to it. She was infuriated, but she could not do anything. Hence, she sat down with a sheepish smile. ¡°What would you like to eat? Feel free to order anything, Old Mr. Laith.¡± Lucas slid the menu towards Harvey, who took it without hesitation. ¡°This one, this one... and this one too.¡± After which, he turned to Ashlyn and said, ¡°Lynnie, what do you feel like eating? Don''t worry about spending his money.¡± Lucas rolled his eyes, speechless. Ashlynughed gently, a faint twinkle rippling in her eyes. ¡°I''ll just have the fish chowder.¡± She was attracted to the picture of the fish chowder on the menu. Lucas ordered a few more dishes before returning the menu to the waiter. It did not take long for their dishes to be served. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. From the corner of her eye, Sabrina noticed a waitress walking over from the entrance, carrying a bowl of steaming hot fish chowder. She curled her lips slightly, watching the waitress closely. Just as she was about to approach Ashlyn, Sabrina suddenly stood up. ¡°I need to use the restroom.¡± With that, she headed straight toward the waitress. The waitress was focused on carrying the fish chowder and did not notice Sabrina approaching her. Suddenly, a foot blocked her path, causing her to lose bnce. She let out a startled cry. ¡°Ah!¡± Her body lunged forward, followed by the bowl of fish chowder in her hands. The trajectory of the fish chowder was heading toward Ashlyn. Ashlyn frowned at the imminent disaster. She was about to do a backflip to dodge the hot soup when a dark figure suddenly yanked her backward with his muscr arm. He stood tall before her like a towering mountain, protecting her behind him. The piping hot fish chowder sshed all over the man''s chest. The hot soup quickly prated his clothes and scorched his skin until it was red and swollen. Yet, he remained unfazed and gazed deeply at the woman behind him. Chapter 1086 Chapter 1086 Chapter 1086 Caught Red Handed All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Honey? Are you hurt?¡± Ashlyn felt a jolt of shock and warmth through her body. She shook her head. ¡°I''m fine.¡± ¡°Mr. Nn!¡± Just then, Spencer stood up. He berated the waitress, ¡°What''s the matter with you? Can''t you even walk properly? Look at how the soup is spilled all over Mr. Nn.¡± The waitress turned ashen with fright. She did not understand how the bowl of fish chowder ended up on Lucas'' body. She had been careful for fear of spilling it. ¡°Mr. Nn, I''m sorry. It wasn''t intentional. I think someone tripped me just now...¡± Upon hearing her words, Sabrina scowled. ¡°There''s no one else around you except me. Are you trying to shirk responsibility and shift the me to me?¡± Sabrina was still shocked by the scene she just witnessed. She clenched her fists, staring at Lucas in disbelief. To think he shielded Ashlyn from that scalding fish soup? But she would never admit that she tripped the waitress. No matter what, she would not take the me for this. Especially in front of Lucas, she found it even more impossible to admit. So, she had no choice but to force the waitress to take the me! The waitress looked flustered. ¡°Ms. Gray, I didn''t mean to use or me you for anything, but just now... It seemed like someone did trip me.¡± ¡°What proof do you have?¡± Anger filled Sabrina''s face as if she had suffered a great injustice. ¡°Why would I make life difficult for a lowly waitress? If you''re scared of being punished, just say so. Why do you have to frame me? You''re the one who spilled the soup all over Mr. Nn, not me.¡± Lucas nced coldly at Sabrina. ¡°Do you think no one knows about what you''ve done?¡± Sabrina''s face turned pale. ¡°Mr. Nn... what do you mean by this?¡± ¡°I was using my phone earlier and identally pressed the record button.¡± Spencer turned on his phone, and a short video appeared on his screen. ¡°See for yourself.¡± Sabrina''s heart skipped a beat. She slowly turned her gaze toward Spencer''s phone. The video yed on the phone clearly showed how that foot was extended, how it tripped the waiter, and how it was retracted afterward. That was her foot! ¡°No... How could this be?¡± Sabrina instinctively looked up at Lucas, her voice filled with urgency as she tried to exin. ¡°Mr. Nn, please let me exin. Things are not as you think. This is a misunderstanding...¡± ¡°The evidence is right here. Do you think I''m a fool?¡± Lucas'' face darkened. His chest was still experiencing burning pain, yet he seemed to feel nothing. He shot an icy re at Sabrina. ¡°You need note to the technical department for the next few days. You shall help out here at the restaurant. You can return once youe to realize your mistake.¡± Sabrina bit her lower lip in humiliation. I''m the team leader of Section Six technical department. To think he''s demoting me to work as a restaurant staff? How could I still hold my head high after suffering such humiliation? She could not resist defending herself. ¡°I happened to twist my ankle at that moment. I didn''t do it on purpose, Mr. Nn... I didn''t expect to trip her. How could I possibly be that kind of person? I''m sorry to cause this. Please forgive me...¡± Lucas''s eyes were cold as he let out a chillingugh. ¡°Sabrina, do you think I''m blind to your little schemes? The one you should be apologizing to isn''t me, but my wife. You should be grateful that the person you scalded was me, not her.¡± ¡°Mr. Nn... What do you mean by that?¡± Sabrina''s eyes reddened, and there were faint traces of tears. I''m already humiliated and aggrieved as it is. Why is he still shaming me further? ¡°If she had been the one scalded, you would have been banished from Section Six forever!¡± As soon as he finished, Lucas ordered Spencer, ¡°Call the restaurant manager over.¡± Chapter 1087 Chapter 1087 Chapter 1087 A Warning Sabrina stood in the private room, unsure whether to sit or to stand. She stood there awkwardly, feeling like her presence was unnecessary. Yvette couldn''t bear it. In the end, she said, ¡°Mr. Nn, Sabrina is still young and somewhat childish. Please don''t punish her like this. I promise she won''t make the same mistake again.¡± Lucas gazed at Yvette with an emotionless expression. Despite her unsessful attempt to salvage the situation, he felt a hint of gratitude toward her for trying to help. Lucas could tell that Yvette was a woman with strong moral values. He felt thoroughly disappointed with Sabrina at the moment. The reason he chose her to join Section Six initially was because of her excellentputer skills. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. However, her performance over the past two days had been quite disappointing. Ashlyn''s gaze turned cold as it fell upon Lucas'' chest, which was now dampened by the fish soup. The scalding hot soup must have been unbearable, even for someone with a strong constitution. Furrowing her brows, she said, ¡°Follow me back to clean your wound and apply some burn ointment. It needs proper treatment.¡± Lucas was taken aback, and a sense of being cared for welled up in his heart. With an air of authority, Ashlyn firmly grasped hisrge palm and said, ¡°Old-timer, I''ll take him to apply the medicine. Go ahead and eat without me.¡± Only then did Lucas realize what was happening. His body reacted swiftly by following Ashlyn. As Ashlyn walked past Sabrina, she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Her eyes, which were a cold almond color, reflected a chilly stare. ¡°Ms. Gray, I understand that you work in Section Six and I respect Lucas'' decision to have you here. However, I want to remind you to be careful with your actions. If you continue to y little tricks, I may not be as polite next time.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Sabrina red at her, feeling both embarrassed and annoyed. ¡°What gives you the right to warn me like this!¡± ¡°No one can harm my man and walk away unscathed.¡± Ashlyn chuckled softly. The very next second, a piercing scream echoed through the room. ¡°Ow!¡± Sabrina cried out in agony, crouching down and clutching her calf bone. It throbbed with intense pain as if it was on the verge of snapping. ¡°You...¡± Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead. Her face contorted with pain, and her expression turned ferocious. She gazed at Ashlyn in disbelief, her eyes filled with a burning intensity as if she wished she could bore a hole through Ashlyn with her gaze. I can''t believe this crazy woman actually stepped on me! It felt like iron had struck my calf bone, causing such intense pain that I wished I could pass out right there and then. Sabrina awkwardly fell to the ground, clutching her own calf. She was unable to control the tears streaming down her face. Seeing her distress, Yvette quickly rose from her seat and approached Sabrina. ¡°Sabrina, what were you thinking? Why did you try to frame Ms. Berry? She has no grudge against you. And why did you trip the waiter?¡± ¡°Aunt Yvette, why are you also ming me instead of siding with me?¡± Sabrina lifted her tear-filled eyes to look at Yvette. ¡°I''m the one who got hurt...¡± ¡°But was it right for you to trip the waiter?¡± Yvette''s weariness was evident in her voice. She felt that the Gray family had spoiled Sabrina too much, which had contributed to her unruly and willful behavior. ¡°You should at least choose your battles wisely when you''re causing trouble, shouldn''t you? Do you truly believe Ashlyn will fall for your tricks? Don''t you know your ce?¡± ¡°It''s not like I did it on purpose. I didn''t mean to do that.¡± Even if it pained her, Sabrina refused to admit that she did it on purpose. She wanted to scald Ashlyn to release her pent-up anger. After all, Ashlyn had stolen her thunder. ¡°Everyone knows clearly whether or not that was unintentional. Sabrina, do you truly believe that everyone else is a fool?¡± Yvette expressed her disappointment. ¡°Let me be clear. If you persist with this behavior, I won''t hesitate to hand in your resignation to Mr. Nn on your behalf. You''ll be confined to the Gray family!¡± Yvette gently helped Sabrina to her feet, guiding her to sit down in the chair. Then, Yvette crouched down in front of her, lifting her skirt to check her calf. Chapter 1088 Chapter 1088 Chapter 1088 You Touched Me On Purpose It was clear how powerful Ashlyn''s kick was. Yvette felt a mix of heartache and shock. Is Ashlyn that strong? At this moment, Ashlyn had already brought Lucas back to his room in Section Six. She rolled her eyes, then began to unbutton the man''s dress shirt. Lucas suddenly grabbed her hand. ¡°Honey, if you''re this proactive, I won''t be able to control myself.¡± ¡°Stop changing the subject.¡± Ashlyn wriggled free from hisrge palm as she continued to unbutton his shirt. ¡°Go take a cold shower while I''ll find the medicine for you.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she was taken aback by what she saw. Arge area of the man''s chest was flushed red. On his usually firm muscles, there were several spots where the skin was peeling off, and a few blisters had formed from the burn. It was indeed a shocking sight. He''s seriously hurt. I can''t believe he still manages to smile and joke around with me. Ashlyn felt her eyes stung. ¡°Why did you intervene? I could have dodged it on my own or even solved it with a backflip. Why did you stand in front of me? Do you think you''re Iron Man?¡± She raised her hand, intending to pound on his chest, but when her hand was just a short distance away, she hesitated. She didn''t dare to touch his scalded skin, knowing it would cause him pain. ¡°Don''te into contact with water or the wounds might leave scars.¡± Ashlyn red at him. Lucas'' lips curved as he held her hand. He reassured her, ¡°I''m a strong and resilient man. A little burn won''t affect me much. I''ll be fine in a few days.¡± Ashlyn found herself at a loss as she tried hard to tamp down the emotions that welled up in her heart. She found some burn ointment and dragged him to the couch. She took out a cotton swab, meticulously dabbing it with ointment before gently applying it to the man''s scalded and reddened skin. Her movements were especially tender and delicate when she treated the blisters. She was careful not to hurt Lucas. Even so, the pain continued to persist for Lucas. He clenched his jaw tightly, trying to bear the difort in silence. Saving the damsel in distress wasn''t an easy feat. His heart was filled with sweetness, despite the pain. When Ashlyn kicked Sabrina, her domineering and protective stance made Lucas'' heart race wildly. He couldn''t help but think that she was simply too cool. After applying medicine to Lucas'' burn wounds, Ashlyn then covered the injured area with a breathable gauze to prevent any rubbing from clothing that could cause further damage. She retrieved a loose cotton shirt from the wardrobe. ¡°It''ll be morefortable to wear this. You shouldn''t wear fitted shirts for now.¡± Lucas gave a slight nod, then raised his arm to slide it into his sleeve. It seemed like he had unintentionally touched a sensitive spot. The man''s handsome brows furrowed slightly, and a soft moan escaped from the corner of his lips. Ashlyn''s heart skipped a beat. She quickly said, ¡°Don''t move around. Let me help you get dressed.¡± She moved behind the man to carefully assist him in putting on his shirt. She waspletely unaware of the subtle smirk ying at the corners of his lips as he stood before her. After that, she came to stand in front of him, extending her hands to help the man with his buttons. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Inadvertently, her fingertips brushed against the man''s burning skin, causing her face to suddenly flush with embarrassment. She heard Lucas'' maic voice saying, ¡°You touched me on purpose.¡± Ashlyn red at him. ¡°Why would I do that? Hurry, let''s go to the restaurant. We don''t want to keep Old Mr. Laith waiting.¡± When the two of them arrived at the restaurant, hand in hand, the restaurant manager was waiting nervously in the private room, visibly trembling with fear. Oh my goodness! Mr. Nn got scalded, and it was Ms. Gray who caused it. She will be transferred to work as his maid. The manager waspletely taken aback when he learned why Spencer summoned him here. Hearing footsteps, he quickly looked up. ¡°Mr. Nn, Ms. Gray...¡± Lucas nced at Sabrina, who was quietly sobbing in her seat. Chapter 1089 Chapter 1089 Chapter 1089 Think This Through After she finished speeking, she geve Hervey e pleeding geze. Yvette held e prominent position et Megnecel Tech end mede significent contributions regulerly. Hervey couldn''t bring himself to ignore Yvette, but he ecknowledged thet Sebrine wes under Luces'' commend. He couldn''t reelly criticize her. He hed no choice but to sey, ¡°Ashlyn''s kick wes quite forceful. Ashlyn, whet do you sey?¡± Ashlyn geve Sebrine e cool glence. ¡°Stey here todey. You cen go tomorrow.¡± Luces sighed helplessly. ¡°You''re just too kind.¡± With thet, he turned to the resteurent meneger. ¡°You mey leeve now.¡± The resteurent meneger quickly turned end fled the scene. Sebrine wiped her teers end seid, ¡°I''m sorry, Ms. Berry. It wes my feult. I hope you cen forgive me.¡± After Luces end Ashlyn left eerlier, she hed been thinking to herself. It wesn''t e good idee for her to offend Ashlyn now. The more she tried to offend Ashlyn, the more Luces would hete her. Therefore, she must not lose her senity end needed to think this through. By then, ell the dishes were served. Ashlyn returned to her originel seet. She picked up e drumstick end seid in e cold voice, ¡°Ms. Grey, I ept your epology, but I won''t forgive you.¡± ¡°You...¡± Sebrine wes ebout to lose her temper, berely holding herself beck from leshing out egein. She quickly regeined herposure end seid, ¡°It''s okey, I will meke up to you in the future. You''ll understend whet kind of person I em.¡± She seemed emberressed. After she finished speaking, she gave Harvey a pleading gaze. Yvette held a prominent position at Magnecal Tech and made significant contributions regrly. Harvey couldn''t bring himself to ignore Yvette, but he acknowledged that Sabrina was under Lucas'' command. He couldn''t really criticize her. He had no choice but to say, ¡°Ashlyn''s kick was quite forceful. Ashlyn, what do you say?¡± Ashlyn gave Sabrina a cool nce. ¡°Stay here today. You can go tomorrow.¡± Lucas sighed helplessly. ¡°You''re just too kind.¡± With that, he turned to the restaurant manager. ¡°You may leave now.¡± The restaurant manager quickly turned and fled the scene. Sabrina wiped her tears and said, ¡°I''m sorry, Ms. Berry. It was my fault. I hope you can forgive me.¡± After Lucas and Ashlyn left earlier, she had been thinking to herself. It wasn''t a good idea for her to offend Ashlyn now. The more she tried to offend Ashlyn, the more Lucas would hate her. Therefore, she must not lose her sanity and needed to think this through. By then, all the dishes were served. Ashlyn returned to her original seat. She picked up a drumstick and said in a cold voice, ¡°Ms. Gray, I ept your apology, but I won''t forgive you.¡± ¡°You...¡± Sabrina was about to lose her temper, barely holding herself back fromshing out again. She quickly regained herposure and said, ¡°It''s okay, I will make up to you in the future. You''ll understand what kind of person I am.¡± She seemed embarrassed. ¡°I don''t need to understand you,¡± Ashlyn said, then handed Lucas a piece of pork rib. Yvette felt that Sabrina was humiliating her. The difort in her heart was almost enough to make her break down. Her own niece had repeatedly made mistakes in front of Harvey, humiliating her continuously. Unable to hold back any longer, she scolded sternly, ¡°Sabrina, when will you finally grow up? I thought that by bing a team leader at Section Six, you would have matured. But look at what you''ve done today. How can you expect me to be proud of you? You''ve disappointed me.¡± Turning to Ashlyn, she continued, ¡°Ms. Berry, I apologize. It''s our fault for not disciplining her properly. We''ve spoiled her too much at home, making her oblivious to the fact that there''s always someone better out there. ¡°She still has a long way ahead of her,¡± Ashlyn said calmly. Harvey was extremely annoyed as the atmosphere had be ufortably tense due to the actions of the Grey family members. He still had matters to discuss with Ashlyn, so he spoke in a soft tone. ¡°Ashlyn, do you remember the new type of chip I mentioned to you a while ago? When do you think you could find time toe to the company and provide some guidance to finalize the specific proposal and all the necessary procedures?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this. Upon hearing Harvey''s words, Yvette was instantly taken aback. Magnecal Tech was in the process of upgrading the older generation of chips to a newer and more powerful version, with faster processing capabilities and increased memory. If the upgrade proved sessful, theputer''s operating speed could increase significantly. Magnecal Tech was in the process of upgrading the older generation of chips to a newer and more powerful version, with faster processing capabilities and increased memory. If the upgrade proved sessful, theputer''s operating speed could increase significantly. However, this chip had not yet been put into production and was still in the testing phase. The final decision had yet to be made. Hearing Harvey''s pleading tone, Yvette instantly understood everything. The decision had not been finalized because the person making the decision wasn''t Harvey. It was Ashlyn! Her eyes widened in shock as she felt her head buzzing incessantly. Once Ashlyn made the final decision, the new type of chip would be mass-produced and put into use. If that happened, Magnecal Tech was sure to make a substantial profit. However, if a final decision couldn''t be reached, it simply meant that the technology still needed further improvement and perfection. No matter what, ording to Harvey, they still needed Ashlyn. Yvette looked at Ashlyn as if she had seen a genius. Her eyes were filled with utter astonishment. After taking another bite of the food, Ashlyn turned to Harvey and said, ¡°I''ll be visiting thepany in the next couple of days.¡± Upon hearing her response, Harvey finally let out a long sigh of relief, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 1090 Chapter 1090 Chapter 1090 Taking A Mentee Uneble to hold beck, Yvette esked, ¡°Ms. Berry, with your exceptionel skills, heve you ever considered teking on e mentee?¡± Ashlyn lifted her eyelids, looking et Yvette es if she were looking et e medmen. ¡°Why would I teke on e mentee?¡± ¡°Your skills ere truly impressive. If you''re willing to teke on e mentee, you''d undoubtedly contribute to the development of our entire empire''sputer technology!¡± Yvette mede it sound like it wes e noble metter. ¡°Whet do you think of our Sebrine? She''s young end intelligent.¡± ¡°She''s smert end I''m the fool?¡± Ashlyn put down her fork, her expression turning cold. ¡°Ms. Grey, it seems you''ve forgotten whet she just did, huh?¡± Yvette''s expression instently turned somewhet ewkwerd. Impressed by Ashlyn''s exceptionel technicel skills, Yvette hoped thet Ashlyn would egree to teke Sebrine es e mentee. Yvette believed thet with Ashlyn''s guidence, Sebrine''s future echievements in computer technology could be even more significent. Yvette didn''t went Sebrine to continue thinking she wes the best without room for improvement. Upon heering Yvette end Ashlyn''s words, Sebrine wes shocked. ¡°Aunt Yvette, whet ere you telking ebout? How could she possibly be my mentor? She...¡± Sebrine wes on the verge of losing her temper, but she quickly reminded herself not to provoke Luces'' disgust. With e smile thet didn''t reech her eyes, she seid, ¡°Ms. Berry, I''m efreid you might not heve the time. Besides, I gredueted from theputer science depertment of Thompson University, end ell our teechers there were top-notch. There''s no telling where you were when I wes in university.¡± Unable to hold back, Yvette asked, ¡°Ms. Berry, with your exceptional skills, have you ever considered taking on a mentee?¡± Ashlyn lifted her eyelids, looking at Yvette as if she were looking at a madman. ¡°Why would I take on a mentee?¡± ¡°Your skills are truly impressive. If you''re willing to take on a mentee, you''d undoubtedly contribute to the development of our entire empire''sputer technology!¡± Yvette made it sound like it was a noble matter. ¡°What do you think of our Sabrina? She''s young and intelligent.¡± ¡°She''s smart and I''m the fool?¡± Ashlyn put down her fork, her expression turning cold. ¡°Ms. Gray, it seems you''ve forgotten what she just did, huh?¡± Yvette''s expression instantly turned somewhat awkward. Impressed by Ashlyn''s exceptional technical skills, Yvette hoped that Ashlyn would agree to take Sabrina as a mentee. Yvette believed that with Ashlyn''s guidance, Sabrina''s future achievements in computer technology could be even more significant. Yvette didn''t want Sabrina to continue thinking she was the best without room for improvement. Upon hearing Yvette and Ashlyn''s words, Sabrina was shocked. ¡°Aunt Yvette, what are you talking about? How could she possibly be my mentor? She...¡± Sabrina was on the verge of losing her temper, but she quickly reminded herself not to provoke Lucas'' disgust. With a smile that didn''t reach her eyes, she said, ¡°Ms. Berry, I''m afraid you might not have the time. Besides, I graduated from theputer science department of Thompson University, and all our teachers there were top-notch. There''s no telling where you were when I was in university.¡± She was implying that Ashlyn wasn''t anything special, not evenparable to her teachers, and not worthy of being her mentor. Ashlyn didn''t even bother to give her a nce. She just continued to eat her meal with her head down. There was no point inmunicating with a woman who was so oblivious to the world around her. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Upon hearing such infuriating remarks from her niece, Yvette scowled angrily. She''s so superficial. How can she be this superficial? Didn''t you just hear Old Mr. Laith and Ashlyn discussing the chip design? Only a truly top-notch engineer could be involved in the release of such a design. Numerous people are pleading for the opportunity to coborate with Ashlyn, hoping to gain guidance from her, but this cheeky girl has the nerve to mock Ashlyn. Yvette was furious. She could no longer control her temper. Ever since she showed up, she had been trying to tamp down her anger. Without hesitation, she pped Sabrina across the face with a resounding smack. ¡°If you continue to disrespect Ms. Berry, don''t call me your aunt! I don''t have such a niece!¡± Sabrina''s leg was already in pain from Ashlyn''s kick, and now she was publicly pped by her own aunt. Sabrina''s leg was already in pain from Ashlyn''s kick, and now she was publicly pped by her own aunt. She felt a buzzing sound in her ears. Tears welled up in her eyes before rolling down her cheeks. ¡°Aunt Yvette...¡± Feeling aggrieved, she bit her lower lip as her eyes turned red. Sadness and humiliation crossed her face. ¡°Why did you have to hit me too? Everyone is bullying me, and you''re doing the same.¡± After meeting Sabrina''s sorrowful gaze, Yvette suddenly came to her senses. In a rush, Yvette pulled Sabrina into her arms. ¡°Sabrina, I didn''t mean to do that. I was just too angry. Do you realize how powerful Cornelius is? Being her mentee is a dream for many people. Please, Sabrina, listen to me. Go and apologize to Ms. Berry, and don''t be stubborn about it.¡± Sabrina''s heart was filled with bitterness. As the team leader of Section Six, she would rather die than swallow her pride and beg Ashlyn to take her as a mentee. Why did Aunt Yvette ask me to offer my pride to Ashlyn so she can trample on it? Just as she opened her mouth, she felt a burning pain on her cheek, so intense that she wished she could faint right away. Harvey chuckled heartily. ¡°Ashlyn will never take any mentees. Even if she wants to, she will only ept direct rtives. I''m sorry.¡± Chapter 1091 Chapter 1091 Chapter 1091 Spoiled Harvey directly rejected her request on behalf of Ashlyn. Yvette''s face turned red in embarrassment when she heard that. ¡°I must have been delusional. After all, Ms. Berry''s skills have left me astonished. I''m almost losing my mind,¡± she exined, trying to salvage her dignity. Ashlyn ignored her and continued eating. Lucas selected a crab and began carefully peeling it. His fingers were long and slender. Even the act of peeling a crab was done with such elegance and charm by him. It seemed as if it was not a crab, but rather a piece of art. N?velDrama.Org owns this. He kept his head lowered, and his side profile was strikingly attractive. After picking out the crab roe meticulously, he ced it on the te in front of Ashlyn. He curled his lips into a smile, his eyes filled with a hint of affection. ¡°This crab isn''t very big, but it''s quite rich in roe.¡± As Ashlyn lowered her gaze, she saw the golden yellow crab roe. Beside the roe was the white and tender crab meat that Lucas had picked out. She first savored the crab meat then proceeded to enjoy the crab roe. The taste was incredibly delicious. While Ashlyn was enjoying her crab, Lucas was also keeping himself busy. He continued to peel the shrimp, his head bowed in concentration. In no time at all, several plump, large shrimps appeared on Ashlyn''s te. A pile of shrimp shells was stacked in front of Lucas. His thoughtful actions instantly astonished everyone present. He spoils Ashlyn so much! Seeing this, Sabrina felt both jealous and upset. Why does Lucas treat Ashlyn so well? She couldn''t help but speak up, her voice tinged with bitterness. ¡°Mr. Nn, you just got scalded. Perhaps you should rest for a while. Ms. Berry is perfectly healthy, so she shouldn''t need your help peeling shrimps.¡± Ashlyn picked up a peeled shrimp from her own te and held it in front of Lucas. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± Upon hearing this, the man gently parted his lips. He bit the shrimp and chewed on it carefully. Ashlyn''s lips curled. ¡°Ms. Gray, have you forgotten who just hurt my husband? How could you say such things as if I don''t care about him?¡± Her words made Sabrina''s face flush and then turn pale. She was filled with both hatred and anger. She resented Lucas for protecting Ashlyn and was infuriated by Ashlyn''s mockery of her. Why is she so lucky to be protected by Lucas? The more she thought about it, the more unsettled she felt. However, in the presence of Lucas, she couldn''t let herself lose control. All she could do was forcefully suppress all the jealousy welling up inside me. ¡°Ms. Berry, you really have a knack for jokes. That''s not what I meant.¡± ¡°If that''s not the case, then shut up and focus on your food.¡± Ashlyn''s cold gaze fell on her, carrying a hint of stern warning. Sabrina clenched her fists. ¡°Ashlyn, one day, you will have to endure the humiliation and pain that I''m experiencing today.¡± A man with long legs and a suitcase exited Jadeborough Airport, holding the hand of a young girl who walked beside him. The two of them mingled with the crowd, heading out of the airport. Charlotte was wearing a white down jacket, whose snowy fur cor made her cheeks appear even more delicate. ¡°Joseph, Mrs. Taylor has arranged to meet me at three in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Let''s head to the hotel first. After a bit of rest, we''ll go see her,¡± Joseph suggested. He was wearing a ck cashmere coat, and the dark circles under his eyes hinted at his recentck of sleep. Despite his somewhat haggard appearance, he was handsome enough to attract the attention of many passersby. Even though she was d in a down jacket, Charlotte''s hands remained icy cold. Joseph took her hand, looking worried as if he feared she might get lost. ¡°Why are your hands so cold? Let''s hurry back to the hotel.¡± Upon leaving the airport, the man immediately hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address of his hotel. The car drove forward smoothly. The car was filled with warmth, providing somefort to Charlotte''s cold body. Lake City was in the south, while Jadeborough was in the northern region. Southern cities tend to be damp and cold, while the northern region was characterized by a dry winter. Charlotte was somewhat unustomed to this kind of climate. Chapter 1092 Chapter 1092 Chapter 1092 Asking For Help So, she felt exceptionolly cold. Fortunotely, the hotel wosn''t too for from the oirport. Roughly holf on hour loter, they orrived ot the hotel entronce. ¡°Hoving two seporote rooms isn''t sofe, so I booked o suite insteod,¡± Joseph soid, leoding Chorlotte by the hond into the room. ¡°We still hove to sove Dod, so we should try to sove money os much os possible. This suite isn''t os luxurious os the presidentiol suites we used to stoy in, but it hos two rooms, which is pretty good.¡± He set down his luggoge, toking Chorlotte''s hond in his. ¡°Lottie, I''m sorry for the trouble.¡± Chorlotte blinked. ¡°Why ore you sorry? This room is reolly nice. It''s spocious ond worm too.¡± Her eyes crinkled up. ¡°I''m o bit hungry.¡± ¡°Let''s hove o simple meol ot the hotel for now. After we meet Mrs. Toylor, I''ll toke you out for something delicious tonight, okoy?¡± Joseph looked down ot the young girl in front of him, feeling somewhot guilty inside. He felt somewhot guilty for moking her trovel oll the woy to Jodeborough with him. ¡°All right.¡± Chorlotte nodded emphoticolly, opprecioting thot ot leost there wos heoting here unlike in the south, where they depended on oir conditioning. The entire room wosfortobly worm. She took off her white down jocket, reveoling o light purple sweoter dress underneoth. The dress mode her skin oppeor even more porceloin-white ond lustrous under the light. She wos o sight to behold. With o slight sporkle in his eyes, Joseph directly dioled the room service number. So, she felt exceptionally cold. Fortunately, the hotel wasn''t too far from the airport. Roughly half an hourter, they arrived at the hotel entrance. ¡°Having two separate rooms isn''t safe, so I booked a suite instead,¡± Joseph said, leading Charlotte by the hand into the room. ¡°We still have to save Dad, so we should try to save money as much as possible. This suite isn''t as luxurious as the presidential suites we used to stay in, but it has two rooms, which is pretty good.¡± He set down his luggage, taking Charlotte''s hand in his. ¡°Lottie, I''m sorry for the trouble.¡± Charlotte blinked. ¡°Why are you sorry? This room is really nice. It''s spacious and warm too.¡± Her eyes crinkled up. ¡°I''m a bit hungry.¡± ¡°Let''s have a simple meal at the hotel for now. After we meet Mrs. Taylor, I''ll take you out for something delicious tonight, okay?¡± Joseph looked down at the young girl in front of him, feeling somewhat guilty inside. He felt somewhat guilty for making her travel all the way to Jadeborough with him. ¡°All right.¡± Charlotte nodded emphatically, appreciating that at least there was heating here unlike in the south, where they depended on air conditioning. The entire room wasfortably warm. She took off her white down jacket, revealing a light purple sweater dress underneath. The dress made her skin appear even more porcin-white and lustrous under the light. She was a sight to behold. With a slight sparkle in his eyes, Joseph directly dialed the room service number. In just a few minutes, the waiter came over with the meal. The two regr meals, though not particrlyvish, were eptable. It was a simple meal of pasta and mushroom soup with a portion of fruit for dessert. It seemed pretty good. Indeed, Charlotte was hungry. She picked up her fork and began to eat immediately. Seeing her eat with such relish, Joseph couldn''t help but let a faint smile grace his lips. After the two of them finished their meal, they each returned to their rooms to rest. Charlotte had set her rm for two in the afternoon. When the rm rang, her mind went nk. It took her a moment to realize, she was in Jadeborough. She was here to talk to Andrea Taylor, who was the chairwoman of Jadeborough Piano Association. Charlotte herself was also a part of the Piano Association in Lake City and got to interact with Andrea from time to time. However, they were not familiar enough to be in a position to help each other. However, she and Joseph were now at their wits'' end, and only Andrea could help them. Without missing a beat, they hurried to Jadeborough, hoping that Andrea could lend a helping hand to James. I''ve heard that Old Mr. Taylor is one of the founding fathers. If he were to speak up, there would certainly be a turning point in James'' case. With these thoughts in mind, Charlotte got up from the bed. After washing up, she walked out of her room, only to see Joseph lying on the couch in the living room, his eyes tightly shut. ¡°Joseph?¡± Charlotte walked to the couch, looking at the man who was lying there. The man''s face remained remarkably handsome even in his slumber. His tall nose, tightly closed lips, and refined facial features exuded elegance. If it weren''t for the incident involving James he would still be that handsome and elegant young man. N?velDrama.Org owns this. s... As Joseph didn''t move, Charlotte bent over and patted the man''s face. However, Joseph still didn''t react. This time, Charlotte sensed something was amiss. Even if he was extremely tired, she had called his name and pated his cheek, so it was impossible for him not to react. She bit her lip, reaching out to touch Joseph''s forehead. The scorching heat made her reflexively pull back her hand as she cried out softly, ¡°You''re burning. Are you having a fever? D*mn it!¡± The climate in Jadeborough was totally different from that in Lake City. He must have fallen ill because he couldn''t adapt to it. Upon learning that Joseph was running a fever, Charlotte hurriedly rushed into the living room. She quickly rummaged through the medical kit in the cab to find some fever medication. She poured a cup of warm water and gently lifted Joseph''s head, ready to help him drink it. Chapter 1093 Chapter 1093 Chapter 1093 Feeding Him Medicine However, the mon, olreody in o stote of delirium from the fever, wos not cooperoting ot oll. After much effort, Chorlotte still hodn''t monoged to get him to toke the medicine. She felt os onxious os onts on o hot pon. Then, she took o deep breoth ond shook her heod os if she hod mode up her mind obout something. Picking up the fever-reducing medicine in her hond, she then ploced it in her own mouth. In the next moment, the girl''s lips met the mon''s fervently worm ones. But the moment she honded over the medicine, she could feel the mon''s lips ond tongue moving os if on their own. He storted to swollow ond suckle... Chorlotte hurriedly tried to retreot, but the mon ossertively ond dominontly prevented her from leoving. By the time she finolly monoged to port woys with the mon, her bock wos drenched in sweot. It wos simply o form of torture. Chorlotte blushed os she wotched Joseph sleeping peocefully. The medicine wos finolly odministered, but Joseph wos still running o fever. Chorlotte wos somewhot vexed. She wos unsure of how long he hod been running o fever. She hoped thot he would not suffer from ony form of long-term effects becouse of her deloy in treotment. Hod she not been osleep, would she hove discovered his illness eorlier? Chorlotte dored not let her mind wonder ony further. The pressing motter ot hond wos to quickly reduce Joseph''s fever. She recolled something she hod reod online before¡ªthot using worm woter to wipe down the body wos the quickest woy to reduce o fever. However, the man, already in a state of delirium from the fever, was not cooperating at all. After much effort, Charlotte still hadn''t managed to get him to take the medicine. She felt as anxious as ants on a hot pan. Then, she took a deep breath and shook her head as if she had made up her mind about something. Picking up the fever-reducing medicine in her hand, she then ced it in her own mouth. In the next moment, the girl''s lips met the man''s fervently warm ones. But the moment she handed over the medicine, she could feel the man''s lips and tongue moving as if on their own. He started to swallow and suckle... Charlotte hurriedly tried to retreat, but the man assertively and dominantly prevented her from leaving. By the time she finally managed to part ways with the man, her back was drenched in sweat. It was simply a form of torture. Charlotte blushed as she watched Joseph sleeping peacefully. The medicine was finally administered, but Joseph was still running a fever. Charlotte was somewhat vexed. She was unsure of how long he had been running a fever. She hoped that he would not suffer from any form of long-term effects because of her dy in treatment. Had she not been asleep, would she have discovered his illness earlier? Charlotte dared not let her mind wander any further. The pressing matter at hand was to quickly reduce Joseph''s fever. She recalled something she had read online before¡ªthat using warm water to wipe down the body was the quickest way to reduce a fever. The method was good, but... the thought of her, a youngdy, having to clean a grown man''s body made her feel a bit awkward and embarrassed. After all, when if she had to wipe him, she would have to get him naked. But was she supposed to just stand by and watch Joseph continue to burn with fever? She couldn''t bring herself to do it. After all, the Field family had been kind to her. The decision left her feeling trapped between a rock and a hard ce. After some thought, she gritted her teeth and decided, ¡°So what if I have to clean him? I''m doing this to save him.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . She soon brought a pail of warm water over. With her face flushed, Charlotte spoke to the slumbering Joseph, ¡°Joseph, I''m doing this to help you. I don''t mean to... Please, don''t be mad at me. Besides, you''re a grown man, you wouldn''t mind showing a little skin, right?¡± It seemed as though by talking about it this way, she could feel a bit more at ease. Charlotte closed her eyes, recalling the position of the man''s clothes. Then, she swiftly undressed the man. Then... all that was left was a pair of briefs. The sight of him... was somewhat heart-racing. Enough to make one''s nose bleed from excitement. Joseph had an impressive physique, with muscles in the correct ces. His thick, well-defined pectoral muscles are particrly eye-catching. Charlotte moistened the towel. With one eye stealthily open, she kept the other closed. She didn''t dare to tantly gaze at the man''s nearly perfect physique. As she wiped him down, her mind was filled with nothing but the image of Joseph''s solid muscles. It was a tormenting process. A whileter, after she was done wiping his front, she proceeded to clean Joseph''s back. By the time Charlotte finished wiping down Joseph''s entire body, she was panting heavily and drenched in sweat. Despite the man''s seeming lean appearance, he was rather heavy. After a brief rest sitting on the floor, Charlotte finally climbed to her feet again. She raised her hand and touched Joseph''s forehead, finding that the temperature had indeed dropped significantly. At that, she fetched another pail of water, ready to give Joseph another body wash. Perhaps wiping a few more times will speed up the fever''s decline. Like a diligent little bee, Charlotte once again cleaned Joseph from head to toe. Once she was done, she felt a bit dizzy from exhaustion. Thinking about the kitchte in the suite, she rushed into the kitchen to make oatmeal porridge. No sooner had Charlotte left for the kitchen than Joseph woke up on the couch. He rubbed his throbbing temples and asked, ¡°What happened? Why does my head hurt so much?¡± He was just about to sit up when he realized that he was lying on the couch, covered with a thin nket. Under the nket, he was only wearing a pair of boxers. Yet, he clearly remembered that he was fully dressed when hey down on the couch. Chapter 1094 Chapter 1094 Chapter 1094 Humbling Herself He furrowed his brows os he surveyed the living room, only to discover thot oll his clothes hod been neotly folded ond ploced in one corner of the couch. He grobbed his clothes ond put them on. Just then, o croshing sound suddenlye from the kitchen. He hurriedly rushed toword the kitchen, only to find the girl squotting in front of the stove, reoching out to pick up the broken bowl. ¡°Let me do it. Be coreful not to cut...¡± His words were cut off by o shorp hiss. Chorlotte''s finger wos sliced by o porceloin shord, ond blood storted to flow out instontly. He quickly grobbed her hond ond cried out in concern, ¡°How could you be so coreless? Let me find you o bond-oid.¡± Chorlotte shook her heod. ¡°It''s okoy, the bleeding will stop soon. Oh, you''re owoke!¡± Nevertheless, Joseph held her hond ond led her stroight to the living room. At o glonce, he spotted the simple first-oid kit thot Chorlotte hod previously brought out. Swiftly, he rummoged through it. Once he found o bond-oid, he wropped it oround the girl''s finger. ¡°Don''t get it wet. Even though the wound is smoll, you con''t just leove it be.¡± Then, he noticed o pockoge of fever medicine on the toble. His brows furrowed. ¡°Fever medicine?¡± Chorlotte nodded. ¡°You hod o fever, but it should hove subsided by now.¡± ¡°No wonder my heod hurts so much.¡± Joseph nodded. ¡°Did you give me the medicine?¡± At his intense store, Chorlotte''s foce turned slightly red. She quickly turned oround ond heoded toword the kitchen. ¡°I... I''m still cooking ootmeol porridge! Just woit o little longer. It''ll be reody soon.¡± He furrowed his brows as he surveyed the living room, only to discover that all his clothes had been neatly folded and ced in one corner of the couch. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. He grabbed his clothes and put them on. Just then, a crashing sound suddenly came from the kitchen. He hurriedly rushed toward the kitchen, only to find the girl squatting in front of the stove, reaching out to pick up the broken bowl. ¡°Let me do it. Be careful not to cut...¡± His words were cut off by a sharp hiss. Charlotte''s finger was sliced by a porcin shard, and blood started to flow out instantly. He quickly grabbed her hand and cried out in concern, ¡°How could you be so careless? Let me find you a band-aid.¡± Charlotte shook her head. ¡°It''s okay, the bleeding will stop soon. Oh, you''re awake!¡± Nevertheless, Joseph held her hand and led her straight to the living room. At a nce, he spotted the simple first-aid kit that Charlotte had previously brought out. Swiftly, he rummaged through it. Once he found a band-aid, he wrapped it around the girl''s finger. ¡°Don''t get it wet. Even though the wound is small, you can''t just leave it be.¡± Then, he noticed a package of fever medicine on the table. His brows furrowed. ¡°Fever medicine?¡± Charlotte nodded. ¡°You had a fever, but it should have subsided by now.¡± ¡°No wonder my head hurts so much.¡± Joseph nodded. ¡°Did you give me the medicine?¡± At his intense stare, Charlotte''s face turned slightly red. She quickly turned around and headed toward the kitchen. ¡°I... I''m still cooking oatmeal porridge! Just wait a little longer. It''ll be ready soon.¡± With that, she scurried off. Strange. Why is she blushing? Joseph furrowed his brows. However, warmth filled his heart. The girl''s meticulous care for him brought an inexplicablefort to his heart, which had been weary and deste recently. By the time they finished the oatmeal porridge, it was nearly three in the afternoon. The moment Joseph stepped out of the hotel, a gust of northerly wind blew at him. Joseph couldn''t help but cough softly. Charlotte''s concerned gaze fell upon him. ¡°How are you feeling? Maybe we should tell Mrs. Taylor that we''ll reschedule, and I can apany you to the hospital...¡± ¡°No need. It''s just a minor cold.¡± Joseph shook his head. The thought of his father enduring a life of hardship in prison made him too impatient to dy another second. Charlotte nced at his haggard and pale face but chose not to say another word. Involuntarily, the image of him sucking her lips when she was feeding him the medicine earlier popped up into her mind. Her face turned beet red, and she quickly hailed a taxi to get into it. Joseph was taken aback by her actions, wondering, Why is she blushing again? Could something have happened while he was unconscious and feverish? Suddenly, it dawned upon him. He had not been wearing any clothes, and they were the only ones in the room earlier. Did she help me take off my clothes? The mere thought of that possibility made his heart racing. A sense of disbelief washed over him, and it was apanied by an inexplicable surge in his heartbeat. Half an hourter, the taxi pulled up at a renowned socialite club. This club, famous throughout Jadeborough, was a property owned by the Taylor family. Andrea usually enjoyeding here to have coffee and meet with her guests. Charlotte followed Joseph into the building, where they were promptly greeted by the lobby manager. ¡°May I ask if this is Mr. Joseph and Ms. Lynch?¡± ¡°Yes. Is Mrs. Taylor around?¡± Joseph asked politely. The lobby manager gave him a smile. ¡°Pleasee with me. You are esteemed guests of Mrs. Taylor, and she has been eagerly awaiting your arrival.¡± Joseph furrowed his brow, feeling that something was a bit odd. The Taylor family held considerable influence in Jadeborough, with aplex web of familial rtionships. Andrea, being the wife of the head of the Taylor family, not only wielded substantial power within the family but was also a highly renowned affluent woman throughout Jadeborough. How could she possibly humble herself for two people who came from Lake City? Even though James was the mayor of Lake City, in a ce like Jadeborough where elites are everywhere, his status really didn''t amount to much. So... Why? Soon, Charlotte and Joseph were led by the lobby manager into a private room. Chapter 1095 Chapter 1095 Chapter 1095 Madeline Saunders The private room was decorated very luxuriously. The crystal chandelier was evidently of high value, and the genuine leather couch in the center was unmistakably imported from Italy, judging by its exquisite leather finish. Seated on the couch was a fashionable and elegantly dresseddy from high society. Her hair was styled in a sophisticated updo, befitting her elevated status. Upon witnessing the entry of the two individuals, she calmly swept her gaze over them. Then, in a soft voice, she said, ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± Joseph pulled Charlotte to sit down before taking a deep breath. ¡°Mrs. Taylor, my father is in deep trouble. I have a favor to ask of you this time. As long as you say the word, whatever I can do, I will certainly do for you.¡± ¡°I heard that you... have a good rtionship with Ms. Saunders?¡± Mrs. Taylor didn''t beat around the bush. Her gaze was fixed intently on Charlotte as she asked, ¡°Is Ms. Saunders easy to get along with?¡± Charlotte was taken aback. Not naturally skilled with words, she subconsciously turned her gaze toward Joseph, seeking his support. Joseph didn''t expect Ashlyn to be the first person Mrs. Taylor would ask about. A sudden sense of foreboding rose in his heart. ¡°Mrs. Taylor, what are you trying to say?¡± ¡°A wise man does not talk in riddles,¡± Mrs. Taylor said with an elegant smile. But there was a hint of aloof superiority in her upturned eyes. ¡°My daughter, Winona, got into the film academy this year, but she used to major in piano. However, despite all these years and the countless renowned teachers she had studied under, her piano skills haven''t improved much.¡± ¡°So... you want to...¡± Charlotte''s red lips trembled slightly, but she didn''t finish her sentence. ¡°Yes, I want Ms. Saunders to instruct her¡ªto be her teacher,¡± Mrs. Taylor said, sizing up Joseph and Charlotte. ¡°So, if you can help me with this, I will use the Taylor family''s power to save James. What do you think?¡± Charlotte''s heart was beating rapidly, and her voice was almost a whisper. ¡°But... she doesn''t take in mentees that easily.¡± ¡°That''s why I need you to talk to her about this. After all, everyone has emotions and connections to others,¡± Andrea said with a chuckle. ¡°As for Ms. Saunders, she doesn''t lose anything; she''s just taking on a mentee. And as for me, I don''t lose anything either; it''s simply a matter of utilizing the Taylor family''s influence. On the other hand, for all of you, as his children, could you rest easy at night if you didn''t do everything to save James?¡± A hint of mockery shed in Mrs. Taylor''s eyes. Sure enough, she saw them as two country bumpkins. If it weren''t for Madeline Saunders, the one backing them, she wouldn''t have even spared them any time. Did she really need to meet them in person given her status and position? She would be demeaning herself. ¡°Mrs. Taylor, I...¡± Charlotte bit her lip. ¡°I don''t want to use Ms. Saunders like a pawn. Can we negotiate another condition?¡± A hint of sarcasm tugged at the corner of Mrs. Taylor''s lips as if she had just heard the joke of the century. ¡°Don''t everyone use each other in rtionships anyway? If we don''t, why would we bother with connections?¡± ¡°But she has never taken advantage of me, and she has never exploited Joseph and Mrs. Field,¡± Charlotte said, knowing that her thoughts were quite naive. But she didn''t want to lose Ashlyn''s trust in her. It was trust and love that went beyond familial ties. If she were to take advantage of Ashlyn, Ashlyn would surely feel upset and heartbroken. She didn''t want to see the look of disappointment in Ashlyn''s eyes. Just the thought of it made her feel ufortable. Ashlyn had been too good to her, so how could she bear to take advantage of Ashlyn''s kindness toward her? ¡°Ms. Lynch, I would advise you not to reject me outright.¡± Mrs. Taylor nced at herzily. It was rare these days to find a girl so naive and so protected. N?velDrama.Org owns this. To Andrea, Charlotte was no different from an idiot. Genuine rtionships did not exist in this world. All that was there was mutual exploitation. If one had nothing to offer, then the people around one would all leave. Charlotte wanted to say something, but Joseph stopped her. Hence, she bit her lip and reluctantly lowered her head. ¡°Mrs. Taylor, may we take a moment to consider?¡± Joseph calmly asked, suppressing his inner restlessness. Chapter 1096 Chapter 1096 Chapter 1096 Time Waits For No One ¡°Sure, but time waits for no one. I hope you won''t take too long to decide, after all, your father''s situation is rather dire.¡± Mrs. Taylor picked up the cup of coffee from the table and took a sip. ¡°Ms. Saunders is too famous. Your rtionship with her will inevitably attract those with ulterior motives who wish to make use of you. So, you''d better hurry up. Don''t keep me waiting until I lose my patience.¡± Having said that, Mrs. Taylor gracefully rose to her feet and adjusted the shawl that was draped over her shoulders. ¡°Let me know when you''ve made up your mind.¡± The door was opened, and the lobby manager respectfully escorted her out. Joseph drained the coffee from his cup in one gulp before cing it back on the table with a thud. He took Charlotte''s hand and said, ¡°Let''s go.¡± Even after leaving the room, Charlotte''s face was still slightly pale. ¡°Joseph, what should we do?¡± she asked. ¡°Let''s head back to the hotel first.¡± Joseph gave her a somewhat forced smile, lifting his hand to ruffle the girl''s hair. ¡°Lottie, you did really well just now.¡± He was somewhat taken aback when the girl mustered the courage to refute Mrs. Taylor. Charlotte pursed her lips. ¡°But you said you''d consider the deal. Are you going to see Ashlyn?¡± Joseph lowered his gaze to look at her, ¡°Lottie, whether or not to take a mentee is Ashlyn''s decision to make. None of us can make that decision for her. However, to save Father, we can ask for Ashlyn''s opinion. If she is willing to meet Mrs. Taylor, we will introduce them. If she is not willing, we will refuse Mrs. Taylor.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Charlotte nodded. ¡°In this way, you''ll neither offend Mrs. Taylor nor hurt Ashlyn.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Joseph said with a sigh. The world of adults had never been easy. After the conversation, he gazed at the gray, overcast sky outside, shrouded in smog. It was just like the gloomy clouds in his heart that he couldn''t rid of. A car smoothly pulled into the underground parking lot of the mall. Ashlyn got out of the car and stiffly tugged at the fleece sweatshirt she was wearing. She had no idea what had gotten into Lucas, or where he managed to find a pair of matching hoodies, but he had insisted that she wear one. If she wore it alone, it wouldn''t have mattered much, but Lucas was wearing an identical hoodie. The man was typically dressed in a suit, but suddenly, he was adopting a much more casual style. Surprisingly, this change softened the sharp and intimidating aura that usually surrounded him. In fact, he almost seemed like a university student in that outfit. Even Spencer had cooperatively put on a casual sweater. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. The moment the three of them stepped into the elevator, a girl rushed in right after them. She was wearing a pink fur coat and a ck A-line leather skirt. Around her neck hung arge, chunky sweater chain. Her outfit was incredibly trendy. She was chewing gum, and her expression radiating untamed defiance. The elevator ascended slowly, and when it reached the first floor, Ashlyn stepped out. Lucas and Spencer also came out with her. Dressed in matching outfits of the same color, their striking good looks immediately drew the attention of many passersby. ¡°The mall is quite cozy.¡± With Christmas just around the corner, the mall is decked out in festive cheer. At the entrance of the first floor, there was a gigantic Christmas tree, adorned with tinynterns, small gift boxes, and miniature Christmas apples. Moreover, it was wrapped with strings of flickering, twinkling fairy lights, which looked absolutely beautiful. The Christmas atmosphere was palpable. ¡°The restaurant is on the left side of the first floor,¡± Spencer said after checking the map on his phone. ¡°I''ve heard the food is quite good. It''s one of the popr influencer restaurants in Jadeborough. It usually has a lot of customers.¡± ¡°Let''s go.¡± Ashlyn nodded. They came here because Spencer had mentioned that there was a restaurant with spicy food in this area. Just then, a sharp yell rang out from not far away. ¡°Are you blind? Don''t you have eyes? Do you know how expensive this fur coat of mine is?¡± Right after that, the remorseful voice of an elderly man resonated, ¡°I''m sorry, miss. It was unintentional. My eyesight isn''t as sharp as it once was.¡± Chapter 1097 Chapter 1097 Chapter 1097 Copsing To The Ground ¡°If this can be solved with just an apology from you, then why do we need the police?¡± The sharp voice continued to ring out in an unyielding and domineering tone. Ashlyn could not help but turn her gaze toward the source of the conflict. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. When she saw the figure in the pink fur coat, she immediately recognized her as the trendy girl from the elevator. The girl''s face was taut with tension as her fingers clutched a corner of her clothing that had been dirtied. Her expression was extremely unpleasant as she red furiously at an old woman who was bowing her head in apology. The old woman''s face was filled with guilt and confusion. ¡°Miss, I-I can help you wash your clothes.¡± ¡°Wash? How can your filthy hands touch my clothes? I have a date with my friend. How am I supposed to face her now?¡± The girl was yelling in anger as her fury escted the more she thought about it. The outfit she was wearing was far from cheap; it had cost her a whopping hundred and eighty thousand! Furthermore, it was thetest model of the year, and she was wearing it for the first time that day. However, it got tainted by an extremely disgusting stain. Unable to contain her anger, she raised her hand and pushed the old woman. The old woman stumbled and fell to the ground, and the pain caused her to grimace involuntarily. She looked up at the fierce-looking girl and pleaded, ¡°I''m sorry. I''llpensate you... Can Ipensate you, please?¡± Her eyesight was not great, and she had identally bumped into the girl while walking. The pastries she was holding ended uping into contact with the girl''s clothes. She had earned the pastries by helping the young girl at the pastry counter sell them for two hours. What''s more, she had not even had the chance to indulge in them yet. The more she thought about it, the sadder she became. ¡°Compensate? Can you even afford it?¡± The girl red at the olddy with a fiery intensity. ¡°Do you have any idea how expensive this outfit is? I''m telling you, even if you gave your life, it wouldn''t be enough to cover the cost!¡± Many bystanders were gathered around and watching the scene in shock. Someone recognized her outfit and could not help but exim, ¡°Oh my gosh, isn''t that thetest limited edition coat designed by Ms. X from LX Corporation? I heard it costs a hundred and eighty thousand!¡± When she heard the exorbitant amount of money, the olddy''s face turned pale instantly, and beads of sweat started to form on her forehead. Given her current situation, she simply could not afford to pay the girl. If she had known something would happen, she would not have left home. ¡°Exactly, ma''am, I think you should just kneel and beg her for mercy! Given your situation... I doubt you can afford it.¡± ¡°Ma''am, you''re not young anymore. Why didn''t you walk more carefully?¡± ¡°We don''t understand the world of the wealthy. Being poor, we must know our ce! So, you''ve messed with someone you shouldn''t have.¡± Many onlookers also began to mock the elderlydy. The old woman was both anxious and angry as she felt waves of dizziness washing over her. Suddenly, with a thud, she copsed onto the ground hard. The girl in pink gave her a kick. ¡°Don''t think I''ll let you off just because you''re pretending to faint!¡± She pointed smugly to the space between her own legs. ¡°If you can crawl through here today, I won''t hold it against you. What do you say?¡± The elderly womany pale-faced on the ground, her chest heaving withbored breaths. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± she gasped. ¡°I am the President''s mother, I...¡± With a pleading look, she weakly implored those around her, ¡°Is there a kind soul who could lend me a phone to make a call? I need to call the President...¡± ¡°Has this old woman truly lost her mind?¡± ¡°Is she delusional?¡± ¡°It seems like she is delusional indeed. She actually said she''s the President''s mother.¡± ¡°If she''s the President''s mother, wouldn''t she be extremely prestigious and impressive?¡± ¡°Exactly! How could the President''s mother possibly be here? And dressed in such tattered clothes, no less.¡± Many of the onlooking customers were engaged in heated discussions. The old woman couldn''t help but notice that each person''s expressions andments appeared more dreadful than thest. She could not help but cover her ears with both hands. ¡°Stop talking... Please, stop talking...¡± She curled up in fear, shivering uncontrobly. There are so many people! And so many voices! It¡¯s so terrifying! She was breathing heavily, almost unable to catch her breath. However, the girl in pink looked down on her with disdain and condescendence. ¡°Old woman, don''t y the age card. You''ve dirtied my clothes, and I haven''t even asked you to do anything yet! Why did you just copse to the ground? Are you nning to feign illness and extort me?¡± Chapter 1098 Chapter 1098 Chapter 1098 Rescued ¡°No... I didn''t...¡± The old woman gasped for breath as she spoke; her face growing paler by the minute. Her body seemed to be growing weaker and weaker. She held her chest with one hand while her other hand tried to reach into her pocket to retrieve her medicine, trembling with difort. Atst... With a trembling hand, she pulled out a small medicine bottle from her pocket, ready to pour out a single pill. However, the girl suddenly lifted her leg and kicked the old woman''s hand. With a thud, the medicine bottle fell to the ground, rolling a few times beforeing to a stop a few steps away from the old woman. With pain and despair, the old woman mustered her strength to crawl toward the medicine bottle. ¡°Medicine... My medicine...¡± Her chest hurt so much that it was almost suffocating. It felt as if someone had ced arge stone on her chest, causing her extreme difort. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. She struggled to crawl toward the bottle. Although it was only a few steps away, it felt as difficult as moving mountains for her at that moment. She pleaded with the girl d in pink. ¡°Please... Give me the medicine... Give me the medicine...¡± The girl cast a disdainful nce toward her. ¡°I just want to see. If you don''t get your medicine today, will you really die?¡± ¡°She will really die.¡± Suddenly, a clear and cold voice rang out. The crowd, engrossed in the spectacle, turned toward the sound, only to see a woman with a cold and aloof expression. She bent down, picked up the bottle of medicine, and then stood up again. Her pale and white fingers, which were as smooth as porcin, were wrapped around the small bottle of medicine. Under the light, her pale fingers emitted an increasingly captivating glow. She was so stunningly beautiful that she seemed almost unreal, especially with her delicate facial features. Paired with her cool almond-shaped eyes, she exuded an aura as cold as frost from head to toe. She was very beautiful! Stunningly beautiful! However, in the old woman''s eyes at that moment, she appeared as ethereal as a fairy from the heavens. Her eyes widened as she watched the woman unscrew the bottle and pour out a single ck pill. The woman then walked toward her, crouched down, and gently ced the pill in her mouth. Ashlyn helped the old woman up, supporting her with one hand and cing the other on the old woman''s pulse. After a while, Ashlyn said, ¡°She has cardiac ischemia, so she needs to have quick- acting heart reliever pills on hand at all times.¡± The old woman''splexion noticeably improved from before after she took her medicine. She nodded. ¡°Thank you, youngdy.¡± The girl d in pink frowned at the woman in front of her, who was clearly twice as beautiful as she was. Her face was filled with disdain and contempt. ¡°You guys are in this together, aren''t you? Trying to scam me? I''ll have you know that I won''t fall for it.¡± ¡°Miss, you''re taking yourself too seriously.¡± As soon as the words were spoken, everyone''s attention was immediately drawn to a tall and upright man. He was wearing a light blue hoodie, identical to the one worn by the beautiful woman. It was clear at first nce that they were wearing matching outfits. Even though he was just wearing a casual hoodie, the strong aura of nobility that surrounded him was still strikingly prominent. The man''s eyes were sharp, his brow stern. His deep and pitch-ck eyes seemed to be veiled with layers of cold frost. The girl in pink was taken aback. She had not expected to encounter such an exceptionally handsome man in a ce like that. His good looks were almost illegal, making her question her own eyes. It was just that... the pink-d girl could not recognize the brand of the hoodie that he and the woman were wearing. If she could not recall it, it probably was not anything high-end. After the initial shock of the man''s handsome appearance, disdain surfaced in her eyes. ¡°Don''t think you can do whatever you want just because you''re good-looking,¡± she warned. ¡°I''ll have you know that I''m the most famous socialite in Jadeborough. Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°I don''t care who you are, but if you''re bullying an elderly person in this mall, I can''t just stand by and do nothing.¡± As Lucas'' words fell, he raised his hand. A team of well-trained security guards rushed over immediately and straightaway grabbed the girl. Instantly, the girl''s face changed. ¡°Do you know the Taylor family? Let me tell you, I am the... I am the youngdy of the Taylor family!¡± ¡°In my mall, there''s no Taylor family.¡± Lucas'' icy voice carried a chilling coldness that made one shudder. ¡°Get out!¡± Chapter 1099 Chapter 1099 Chapter 1099 No Family ¡°Yes, Mr. Nn!¡± the security guards replied in unison before dragging the youngdy out of the mall. Needless to say, thetter was exasperated. ¡°You''re all bullying me, and I''ll make sure you regret this! You''d better... Ah! Don''t you dare touch me! Hands off! You--¡± The mall manager quickly approached Lucas with much bowing and scraping. ¡°Mr. Nn, what brings you to Jadeborough? Why didn''t you inform me?¡± ¡°Why didn''t you stop that kind of customer earlier?¡± Lucas asked as he shot the manager anguid nce. Feeling rather embarrassed, the manager leaned over and whispered something into Lucas'' ear before stepping back. ¡°So, you, see Mr. Nn, we were in a really tough spot!¡± To his surprise, the man merely scoffed, ¡°Ha! So what?¡± The manager looked at Lucas worriedly and was about to say something more when thetter wrapped his arm around his femalepanion. ¡°How is she doing?¡± Ashlyn, who had her eyes fixed on the olddy beside her, answered, ¡°I think we need to take her to the hospital.¡± Lucas nodded in agreement. ¡°Let''s go.¡± The next second, the couple escorted the olddy out of the shopping mall and headed straight for the hospital in their car.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. However, as soon as they arrived at Jadeborough Hospital and arranged for the olddy''s admission, thetter stubbornly resisted it. ¡°I don''t want to be hospitalized... I don''t want it...¡± ¡°Your health is in a poor state right now, and relying solely on quick-acting heart reliever pills won''t do any good. You need to be hospitalized and receive treatment,¡± Ashlyn coaxed as she held the old lady''s hand. ¡°Not only do you have heart problems, but you also have other health issues. There could beplications. This is a serious matter.¡± Despite that, the olddy shook her head in fear. ¡°I don''t want to... I don''t want to be hospitalized...¡± By then, Ashlyn was somewhat at a loss. She was in no way skilled at coaxing the elderly folks, but for some reason, she felt a sense of familiarity upon meeting the olddy. The likeliest reason for that was she had been reminded of her grandmother, who once showered her with unconditional love and kindness. Even though Susan changedter on, that didn''t stop Ashlyn from caring for the vulnerable groups. After all, some people might change for the worse, but some could change for the better. ¡°Ma''am, don''t worry,¡± Ashlyn said smilingly, her voice soft and gentle as if she wereforting a child. ¡°The doctors won''t harm you. They''re just going to give you a health checkup and prescribe you a course of treatment.¡± Eventually, the olddy began to calm down, thanks to Ashlyn''spany and constant reassurance. ¡°All right, then,¡± she said with a heavy sigh. Now that the olddy had finally quieted down, Ashlyn added, ¡°I need to notify your family. Can you give me their contact information?¡± At the mention of the word ¡°family,¡± the olddy''s face was instantly etched with loneliness. ¡°I... I don''t have a family.¡± The next second, she sighed and wrapped the thin hospital nket around herself, covering her head as she did. Ashlyn couldn''t help butugh at the olddy''s childish antics. She reached out and pulled down the nket till it revealed the olddy''s gloomy face. ¡°Ma''am, you can''t do this. You''ll smother yourself.¡± No sooner had she finished speaking than a middle-aged man in a suit and leather shoes burst into the ward. Upon seeing the olddy in the hospital bed, he furrowed his brows and said sternly, ¡°Mom, can you stop causing me trouble? Why did you sneak out? Do you know how worried I was when I couldn''t find you? How many times have you run away from home now?¡± Ashlyn spun around to look at the surprise visitor, only to freeze in ce once she saw the middle-aged man''s face. Lucas, too, frowned when he recognized the man as someone who usually only appeared on television. ¡°Hmph! You''re always busy with work and hardly pay any attention to me. I could let it slide if you were married, but you''re not! I don''t even have a grandchild I can dote on...¡± the olddy grumbled, eyes welling up as she red at the middle-aged man like a child throwing a tantrum. The man sighed helplessly. ¡°Mom... How am I supposed to get married when I''m so busy every day? Can you please not do this anymore? I don''t have the time to track you down whenever you run away from home.¡± Chapter 1100 Chapter 1100 Chapter 1100 The President Ashlyn and Lucas hastily exchanged nces. Earlier, when the olddy imed that her son was the president, everyone thought she was spouting nonsense. Now, however, the truth had beenid bare before their eyes. Wow. It looks like she wasn''t lying. This man does seem to be the real deal... He''s the president! ¡°I don''t care. You''d better get married right away,¡± the olddy retorted before pointing at Ashlyn. ¡°I think she''d be a good choice. She''s beautiful, kind-hearted, and treats me well! I want her to be my daughter-inw.¡± Ashlyn didn''t know whether tough or cry, but before she could say anything, she felt arge hand pulling her into an embrace. ¡°Ma''am, she''s my wife...¡± Lucas uttered, a tinge of nervousness in his voice. ¡°Therefore, she can''t marry the president. Please don''t try to y matchmaker!¡± When the president finally noticed the young couple in the ward, he was instantly bowled over by their looks. What a match made in heaven! That woman''s beautiful beyond measure, and the man''s extraordinarily handsome. Hmm... I did receive news that it was a man and woman who sent Mom to the hospital... The president scrutinized the young couple before him and raised his thick brows. He knew not everyone could remain calm andposed under his intimidating gaze, so he couldn''t help but look at Lucas and Ashlyn with newfound respect. My face appears on television almost every day, so I''m sure they know who I am. Even then, they''re still so poised and collected. I had assumed my mother''s savior would demand a king''s ransom or something ridiculous upon discovering my identity... Meanwhile, Ashlyn silently observed the president, and there was undoubtedly a domineering air around him. Lucas curled his lips into a polite smile. ¡°Mr. President, it seems like your mother is very lonely. As you know, elderly people like her needpanionship, so please don''t neglect her mental health despite your busy schedule...¡± Upon hearing that, the president almost burst intoughter. Ha! Are they trying to advise me? ¡°You know I''m the president, yet you still dare speak to me in that tone?¡± ¡°We haven''t broken anyws, so why can''t we talk to you like this?¡± Ashlyn said evenly. ¡°Young people these days sure are brave,¡± the president remarked. ¡°Tell me, then. How would you like me to express my gratitude?¡± Half an hourter, Lucas and Ashlyn exited the ward, with thetter sighing deeply. ¡°Let''s go, Honey,¡± Lucas said as he looped an arm around her waist. Just then, Ashlyn''s phone rang. After pulling out her phone and checking the caller ID, she answered it. ¡°Hey, Lottie.¡± ¡°Ashlyn...¡± Charlotte muttered, though somewhat hesitantly. ¡°Joseph and I have arrived in Jadeborough, and we heard you and Mr. Nn are also here. We''re nning to visit Dad. Would you two like to join us?¡± ¡°Sure. Where are you guys? We''ll go find you,¡± Ashlyn said gently. For some reason, she always made it a point to soften her tone whenever she spoke with Charlotte. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. After getting the address from Charlotte, Ashlyn turned to Lucas. ¡°Let''s go. Joseph and Charlotte are in town.¡± The man nodded. ¡°Okay. Let''s prepare some gifts for Mr. Field. After all, life in there probably isn''t too pleasant...¡± Meanwhile, the president stepped into his office looking utterly frazzled. As it turned out, Nelson had already been sitting in the President''s office for quite some time. Despite the elderly man''s frail health, he had insisted on waiting for the president once he left the hospital. The president promptly settled into his chair and gazed at the pale, haggard old man. Try as he might, he couldn''t understand what could be so important and urgent for someone nearing his seventies. He had seen Nelson earlier, but before he could inquire about the purpose of thetter''s visit, he received a call from the security guard about his mother being in the hospital. As such, the president excused himself in a hurry, only to receive a callter saying that if he didn''t return, the old man wouldn''t leave. Left with no other choice, heforted his mother and hurried back to his office. Oh, my goodness. What''s with the old folks around me? I can''t believe they''re still behaving like naughty, rebellious kids at their age... Can''t they give me a break and stop worrying me? Chapter 1101 Chapter 1101 Chapter 1101 Reinvestigation Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What''s so important that you must see me today, Old Mr. Oates? Is there something you want to discuss with me?¡± the president asked as he rubbed his temples. The Oates family might have declined recently, but he had to admit they still possessed a strong foundation. Therefore, the president made sure to talk to Nelson respectfully. ¡°Well, it''s like this...¡± Nelson said before being struck by a violent coughing fit. ¡°I-It''s about Lake City.¡± The president immediately raised an eyebrow. ¡°Lake City? Are you also here because of what happened to James Field?¡± Nelson, who was gearing up to y the sympathy card with a bout of severe coughing, suddenly froze. ¡°Mr. President, what do you mean by that...?¡± What did he mean by ¡°also?¡± The president sighed. ¡°Please head home, Old Mr. Oates.¡± Upon hearing that, Nelson became anxious. What? I haven''t even settled the matter! How can I go back now? ¡°I''m not going back. James Field is a good man. He just got¡ª¡± ¡°I know. This matter needs to be reinvestigated. Although he''s currently in custody, he hasn''t been convicted yet,¡± the president interrupted, his gaze tinged with helplessness. ¡°However, if we reopened the case, the chances of sess would be pretty slim. The evidence of his crime is irrefutable, and the possibility of overturning the case is¡ª¡± ¡°Mr. President, what did you just say?¡± Nelson blurted out. Huh? I haven''t even pleaded for James yet. Why is the president already preparing to reopen the investigation? ¡°I said we need to reinvestigate,¡± the president said. When he noticed Nelson''s stunned expression, he couldn''t help butugh. Oh,e on. I''m not a heartless man. Even though running a country is exhausting, I, too, wish for more honest and upright officials in this world. ¡°Thank you, Mr. President... Thank you.¡± Nelson eximed as he heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°That''s good to hear. I hope there will be a good oue.¡± At the same time, an image of Ashlyn''s beautiful face surfaced in his mind. Ah... This news would make her happier, wouldn''t it? She and that kid from the Nn family have been running themselves ragged for James'' case... It''s been hard on them. ¡°Mr. President, why have you decided to reinvestigate this case?¡± Nelson asked out of curiosity. After all, he had heard that the president''s stance was firm and unchanging, so what was with the sudden change? ¡°Oh, it''s nothing. I just... I''ve just gotten myself a godsister, and it feels pretty good,¡± the president replied, an enigmatic smile on his face. ¡°All right. I''ll have someone take you home.¡± ¡°Godsister?¡± Nelson eximed, now even more confused than ever. Gosh! To think there''s a woman out there who has charmed the country''s leader into acknowledging her as his godsister! She must be a force to reckon with! Then again, I know better than anyone else that some questions are better left unasked. After seeing Nelson off, the president hurriedly returned to the hospital. My goodness. I''ve been working like a dog, and I''m exhausted! The weather was gloomy and unpleasantly oppressive. Dark, menacing clouds hung low as the wind howled and sent snowkes swirling in the sky. Inside South Jadeborough Prison at that moment, dozens of men dressed in prison garb were wielding hoes and tiling the soil. However, it was so cold outside that the ground was frozen solid, making it impossible to get any work done. To make matters worse, the men were dressed minimally, so it didn''t take long for their hands to turn bright red from the frigid cold. A gust of cold wind suddenly swept through, and a few frail-looking men nearly dropped their hoes. ¡°Get to work! What''s everyone daydreaming about? If you don''t nt the crops now, what will you eat later?¡± a prison guard shouted sternly as he whipped one of the men on his back, causing a loud smack to ring out. The man gritted his teeth in pain, almost letting out a cry. Upon seeing that, the other men began to dig the ground with renewed vigor. Despite feeling a searing pain in his back, James bit down hard and bore it. Sadly, prisoners in that camp had zero status and were always either beaten or scolded. As the prisoners were mostly officials who had been punished, prison guards would usually assume they were tyrants who hadmitted nefarious crimes against the country and fellow citizens. As such, the guards tormented them relentlessly, and no one intervened. In fact. the prison guards even believed they were doing a favor to society by punishing the prisoners. ¡°I don''t care if you guys were high-ranking officials before. Now that you''re all on my turf, you''re nothing but parasites of the state!¡± Chapter 1102 Chapter 1102 Chapter 1102 Dire Consequences ¡°You, especially!¡± the prison guard bellowed as he gave James anothersh. ¡°Not only did you buy your way up, but you also epted bribes! What a sc*mbag! You don''t deserve to live in this world!¡± James instantly paled and almost cried out in pain. Ouch! This hurts so much! When have I ever suffered like this before? When the whip mercilesslynded on his back with another resounding snap, James could no longer tolerate the pain and crumpled to the ground. Even so, the prison guard walked over and brutally kicked him in the stomach. ¡°Quit your act. Everyone knows the crimes you''vemitted! There''s a mountain of evidence against you! Get up right now!¡± James'' forehead was heavily beaded with sweat as he clutched his stomach and red at the guard. ¡°I''m not guilty. I didn''t take any bribes!¡± ¡°How dare you try to argue with me! Fine. Go ahead, then!¡± the guard retorted before raising his whip and unleashing his fury on James. Whack! Whack! Whack! After severalshes in session, the piercing sound of the whip echoed through the sky. Unfortunately, none of the other prisoners dared to step forward, and they could only watch helplessly as James suffered at the guard''s hand. By the time the guard grew tired and stopped the battering, James had been beaten to a pulp, and the whip was drenched in blood. Hey curled up on the ground, gazing at the gray, overcast sky and the four walls around him. He slowly closed his eyes as he whispered to himself, ¡°I didn''tmit any crimes... I''m innocent...¡± I''m innocent... After the prisoners had finished their chores, they lined up one by one to leave the ce, leaving James behind. The snow kept falling, growingrger and denser with every passing second. As James remained on the ground, the snow fell on his head and clothes. Soon, an hour passed... Two hourster, one of the prison guards couldn''t bear the sight any longer and approached the cold- hearted guard from earlier. ¡°Boss, don''t let him freeze to death. If the higher-ups were tounch an investigation, we''d be dragged into this mess.¡± After all, James hadn''t been sentenced yet and was only being temporarily detained. If he died, everyone would undoubtedly have to face dire consequences. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . The prison guard with the whip nodded. ¡°Fine. Drag him back.¡± Having received the order, two of his subordinates rushed out and dragged a snow-covered James back to his cell. By then, James was already cold as ice, and his breathing was short and shallow. ¡°Oh, dear! He''s running a fever!¡± one of the guards shouted. ¡°Boss, let''s get the prison doctor to attend to him!¡± ¡°What a hassle! Get the doctor over here!¡± ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Unfortunately, James had already passed out, and his entire body was as hot as a furnace. The doctor arrived swiftly, giving him a thorough examination and the necessary treatment. After applying ointment to his wounds, feeding him some fever-reducing pills, and leaving behind some additional medication, he finally left. Meanwhile, a car slowly pulled up to the entrance of the prison. Within seconds, several attractive young men and women exited the car and strode into thepound. At the same time, the guard who had previously whipped James stepped out into the snow and made a phone call in a corner. ¡°Don''t worry, Mrs. Taylor. I''ve already taught him a lesson as per your instruction. So... Can you secure a spot for my daughter at the film academy this year? Ah! Yes. Thank you, Mrs. Taylor. Thank you.¡± When he saw the young men and women approaching him, he immediately hung up the phone and sneered at them. ¡°Who are you?¡± Without skipping a beat, Joseph presented the documents and credentials he had prepared beforehand to the prison guard. ¡°This is the necessary paperwork for a prison visit.¡± Upon seeing James'' name, thetter couldn''t help but furrow his brows. D*mn it. James is still unconscious. I can''t let outsiders know about it... ¡°I''m sorry, but suspects awaiting trial aren''t allowed to receive visitors,¡± he scoffed. ¡°Unless it''s their lawyer, no one is allowed to see them.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ashlyn replied with an arched brow, her face stern as she stared at the smug-looking prison guard. Chapter 1103 Chapter 1103 Chapter 1103 He Is A Lawyer This prison guard didn''t carry the righteousness one would expect from a police officer. Instead, his narrow eyes and big mouth made him look incredibly sleazy. Lucas noticed that the word ¡°sergeant¡± was written on the job tag on the prison guard''s chest. This piece of trash is actually a sergeant? His intuition told him that this person was up to no good. Lucas'' icy gaze fell on the sergeant''s face. The next moment, Ashlyn saw him pull awyer''s license out of nowhere and shed it before the sergeant''s eyes. ¡°I''m James''wyer, Lucas Nn. These are my assistants. May I take them into the visiting room now?¡± Lawyer... Lucas Nn? Ashlyn nced at Joseph but noticed that he didn''t seem particrly surprised. Am I the only one that''s been kept in the dark? When did this man be awyer? She vaguely recalled hearing that Jadeborough had a renownedwyer with thest name Nn. It would cost a fortune to hire thatwyer for awsuit, but even then, it did not mean that he would take on the case. She also remembered how Nn Group had never seemed to have a legal advisor. It turned out that Lucas was not only a renownedwyer but also one that not everyone could hire. When did this man have so many secret identities? I can''t believe he''s secretly a reputablewyer too! The sergeant scrutinized Lucas''wyer license for quite some time before reluctantly saying, ¡°Go ahead!¡± The prison was heavily guarded. A prison guard led the way and brought them into a room. ¡°Please wait a moment,¡± said the prison guard expressionlessly. ¡°Are you awyer? Or is this license fake?¡± Ashlyn raised an eyebrow and looked at the man in front of her. Lucas'' handsome features were well-defined, and his dark orbs were glistening. ¡°Honey, doesn''t that sound like something I said when your identity got exposed?¡± An unnatural expression settled on Ashlyn''s face. She awkwardly nced at him and uttered, ¡°I could say the same of you. Didn''t you get uncovered too, Mr. Nn?¡± ¡°When Lucas was in university, he not only studied finance but also studiedw. Geniuses in this world are simr and destined to be,¡± Joseph said softly. ¡°So, don''t be too hard on Lucas for not telling you.¡± Lucas had always kept a low profile. Other than a few people in the upper circle, almost no one else that he was awyer. He gained fame in the legal circle after taking on a real estate case back then. However, he rarely took on newwsuits since then. After getting married a few years ago, he became even more uninterested in taking on cases and getting into legal battles. It was because of his close rtionship with the Field family that he would willingly agree to be James'' lawyer this time. Deep down, Joseph was extremely touched about it. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. He knew he was fortunate to have a good friend like Lucas. Inside one of the cells in the prison, a middle-aged man was curled up in a ball on the bed in a corner, shivering. Even though he had a nket over his body, he was still suffering in the cold weather. Even though he felt terribly cold, his cheeks remained flushed. The man on the bed opposite him sat up, touched his forehead, and couldn''t help but exim, ¡°You''re burning! James, you have a fever.¡± He forcefully tried to pull James up, but having worked the entire day, he barely had any strength left. Almost all in that prison were officials subjected to investigations. They knew each other prior, and there weren''t criminals whomitted heinous crimes. Upon hearing that James was ill, the other men immediately gathered around. ¡°James, wake up.¡± ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Perhaps because of the cacophony around him, James slowly opened his eyes. What came within his vision was several pairs of concerned gazes. His mind went nk, and it took him some time to regain his senses. He struggled to sit up and said, ¡°I guess I''ve been out in the snow for too long.¡± Chapter 1104 Chapter 1104 Chapter 1104 You Have A Visitor Someone poured him a ss of water, ¡°Here, have some water.¡± As James took the cup of water, he inadvertently tugged the bloody strips on his back left behind after being whipped. He couldn''t help but let out a hiss of pain. ¡°Don''t ever let me out, or else the first thing I''ll do is deal with that bastard,¡± a man yelled. ¡°This is too brutal. No matter what, I used to be a governor. Do they really take us as criminals? ¡°Walter, let it be...¡± James said weakly. ¡°We''re just prisoners now. No matter how glorious our past was, it''s all in the past now.¡± He took a sip of water, pulled a small bag of pills from his headboard with his trembling hand, and swallowed the contents. ¡°The doctor gave me some medicine. Hopefully, I''ll feel better tomorrow.¡± He let out a sigh and surveyed the ce. ¡°I never thought I''d end up in this situation one day.¡± ¡°James, I''m sure you''ve been wronged. You''ll definitely be released in the future... It''s a pity we...¡± Walter said, looking devastated. ¡°We''ve vited thews of the State.¡± ¡°Let''s not dwell on this any longer. Everyone should get some rest,¡± James said. He was a little tired after taking the medicine and barely had the energy to continue chatting with them. ¡°Who knows? They might call us all out to work againter tonight. Let''s disperse. Move along. Go and get some rest.¡± Just then, a voice of a prison guard suddenly rang out from the entrance. ¡°James, you have a visitor!¡± A visitor? James was just about to lie down on his bed. He was visibly shocked by the news. Could it be Joe? But on second thought, he figured he wasn''t allowed to have visitors since he hadn''t been sentenced. Who could that be then? Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He struggled to get out of bed, then proceeded to put on his shoes and stumbled his way over. The prison guard opened the cell door. His cold and impatient gazended on James. ¡°Hurry up! Why are you dawdling?¡± James also wanted to quicken his pace, but any slight movement would affect the wounds on his back, causing intense, searing pain. That left him awfully ufortable, especially since he was running a high fever. His head was heavy and he felt terrible all over. The prison guard impatiently grabbed him and shoved him forward, causing him to stumble and almost fall onto the ground. Luckily, he quickly braced himself against the wall and regained his bnce. However, this action triggered a severe bout of coughing in him. Cough... cough... ¡°What a nuisance!¡± the prison guard cursed. ¡°You ought to know better what should be said and what shouldn''t. The sergeant wants me to tell you that you''d better keep your mouth shut and be careful with your words!¡± With a nk expression, Xie James continued forward. Every step he took was a form of torment for him at that point. Then again, the strong desire to find out who the visitor was kept him going. Even though he nodded without saying a word, he was full of mockery deep inside. Aren''t they just afraid that I''ll reveal how I get beaten up and tormented in here? Hah! A few minutester, he finally dragged his weary and weak body to the visiting room. Sitting down before the ss window, he saw a few young people standing behind it. He was evidently shocked by the sight before him. Other than Joseph and Charlotte, Lucas and Ashlyn also came along. Why is everyone here? How is this possible? He slowly took a seat on the chair and picked up the phone. Waves of emotions overwhelmed Joseph at the sight of James'' haggard appearance. Without hesitation, he sat down and grabbed the phone. ¡°Dad, Dad...¡± ¡°Joe,¡± James uttered. ¡°It''s snowing heavily outside, and it''s so cold here. Why are you all here? Aren''t you cold?¡± His tone was just like before¡ªfull of concern. Those words made Joseph feel awful. ¡°Dad, I''ve brought you some stuff for daily use. Don''t worry; we''ll surely get you out of here.¡± ¡°Silly child.¡± James sighed. ¡°I''m doing quite well here. No one bullies me. I share a cell with some of my former colleagues. Don''t need to worry about me.¡± Chapter 1105 Chapter 1105 Chapter 1105 James Loses Consciousness Ashlyn had been standing by Lucas'' side all along. She couldn''t help but frown when she saw the unusual flush on James'' face. If my eyes aren''t deceiving me, James looks ill. In fact, he looks like he''s having a fever! When she snatched the phone from Joseph''s hand, thetter was a little displeased. Yet Ashlyn''s anxious voice rang out before he could protest. ¡°James, are you sick? Don''t just share good news and hide the bad. If you''re ill, you can be released on bail for treatment.¡± Upon hearing her words, Joseph''s face was filled with shock. ¡°Dad, how did you get sick?¡± He didn''t doubt what Ashlyn said at all. Upon seeing James, the once spirited and energetic mayor, in such a haggard and disheveled state, Lucas felt a deep sense of distress. ¡°Mr. Field, if you''re feeling unwell, we can find a solution. Your health is paramount. I am yourwyer now... so, I''ll see what I can do for you.¡± ¡°It''s just a cold. The weather here is different from Lake City after all, so there''s no need for you all to make a fuss. It''s normal to have a headache or a fever once in a while,¡± James replied before coughing twice. Charlotte bit her lower lip. ¡°Dad, you must take care of yourself. Mr. Nn is an excellentwyer...¡± As she had always been emotionally fragile, watching someone close to her suffer deeply saddened her and caused a gradual reddening of her eyes. James loved her as much as her father did, yet she was now powerless to help him. ¡°Time''s up!¡± At that moment, the prison guard, who had been standing at the door and monitoring James, shouted, ¡°Get up, now!¡± James clung to the phone reluctantly. ¡°Joseph, take good care of yourselves!¡± As he struggled to get to his feet, he felt the world spinning around him the moment he did. A loud thud was heard when James fell heavily to the ground. Everything went ck before his eyes as he passed out. With his brows furrowed in annoyance, the prison guard red at James'' body on the ground. He was about to chastise thetter for pretending to faint when he remembered the four young men and women standing on the other side of the ss. Suppressing his frustration, he rushed to help James up. At the same time, he shouted into his walkie- talkie, ¡°Someone,e quickly! It seems like James has fainted!¡± ¡°Dad! Dad!¡± A stinging pain shot through Joseph''s heart, while his heartbeat pounded furiously. His eyes, red and wide, stared at James'' body on the ground. He then pounded desperately on the ss, shouting into it. ¡°Dad, Dad, are you all right?¡± Thick and heavy, the ss wasn''t your everyday ss. Hence, those inside simply couldn''t hear his shouts at all. Other than Joseph, Ashlyn and Lucas were equally worried. However, despite their anxiety, there was little they could do. Lucas asserted, ¡°I will immediately apply medical bail for him in my capacity as awyer. Joe, there''s no need to panic.¡± ¡°How can I stay calm? That''s my dad in there!¡± Joseph pounded the ss in frustration, feeling the urge to shatter it into pieces. Meanwhile, the sergeant hurried over with a few prison guards, but there was no doctor among them. When the prison guard saw the arriving group, the immediately asked, ¡°Where''s the doctor, sergeant?¡± The sergeant nced at James, who was lying on the ground with a flushed face. ¡°The doctor is on leave.¡± The doctor had gone away after seeing James for his illness. The anxious Ashlyn pursed her thin lips, as she stopped a prison guard outside. ¡°Hi, I''m a doctor. May I go in to treat him? I need to determine his condition.¡± ¡°Erm...¡± The prison guard furrowed his brows, as he was not in a position to make decisions. It didn''t help matters that Ashlyn was an outsider. How can an outsider like her be allowed into such a ce? ¡°Do you really intend to just stand by and watch someone die?¡± Joseph took a quick step forward, grabbing the prison guard by his cor. ¡°Does being in prison strip us of our human rights? Are we not even allowed to see a doctor?¡± ¡°Joe, calm down. You might be used of assaulting an officer for this!¡± Lucas quickly intervened to stop Joseph. He pulled Joseph away, then turned to the prison guard. ¡°Could you please let our doctor in to treat him?¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1106 Chapter 1106 Chapter 1106 Dilemma It was clear that the sergeant had his reasons for not bringing the doctor along. As the situation was not as simple as it seemed, Ashlyn became even more anxious. However, in such a ce, they couldn''t afford to act recklessly or resort to using force. Otherwise, they would end up being charged with assaulting a police officer. Ashlyn let out a sigh. After whipping out her phone, Ashlyn shed her medical license on it. ¡°Look here. I am a nationally certified doctor. I am not fake. Now please seek approval immediately to let me go in and treat the patient, okay? If the illness worsens due to the dy and something unfortunate happens to the patient, are you ready to bear that responsibility? Or, is everyone in this prison going to do so?¡± Ashlyn''s demeanor was cold, her strikingly beautiful face exuding a stern aura. Lucas''s deep dark eyes were capable of sending a chill down anyone''s spine as his frosty voice rang out. ¡°Please be understanding. Saving lives is crucial. If... you don''t contact the sergeant inside soon, we''ll have to take harsher measures.¡± Having said that, he mmed his fist heavily onto the ss! A thunderous bang echoed in the room as a crack surprisingly at the point of impact. The ss was not only tempered but also thickened to increase its robustness. It was said that even bullets couldn''t prate it. Yet it was unbelievable for Lucas to actually crack it with a single punch. The frightened prison guard immediately drew his own gun, pointing it straight at Lucas. His voice was trembling. ¡°Are...are you attempting a jailbreak? I...I''m warning you. All of you will end up in jail!¡± ¡°All I did was damage public property. ording to thews of the H Nation, minor offenses are liable to a fine of five thousand. For serious offenses, fullpensation is required plus a fine of ten thousand. So... how could this possibly be considered a jailbreak? Or are you nning to share the same fate as this piece of ss?¡± Lucas'' cold voice felt as if it had been steeped in ice. The prison guard shuddered at what he heard. At that moment, the sergeant and several prison guards on the other side of the ss were also staring at the crack in shock. Where did this monstrous strengthe from? This is just too terrifying! While they were in shock, they heard the voice of the prison guard outside through the walkie-talkie. ¡°Boss, Boss, there''s a woman out here who''s a doctor. She wants toe in to treat the prisoner... Is that okay? Boss...¡± The prison guard sounded like he was on the brink of tears, clearly indicating how terrified he must have been. ¡°Hold on. I''lle out with my men immediately.¡± The sergeant promptly led a few prison guards and rushed out. They each held a gun in their hands. Soon, the dark muzzles of their guns were aimed at Ashlyn and Lucas. The sergeant wore a smug expression. ¡°Who do you think you are? There are plenty of doctors out there, but do you think just about anyone is qualified to be a prison guard in our jail? If you''re interested, you''d better pass the official examination first!¡± ¡°I''m going to treat that patient today,¡± Ashlyn said with a cold smirk, exuding an air of dominance. ¡°Even if I have to bear the charge of assaulting a police officer, I will still treat him!¡± After she finished speaking, she was ready to take action. These scumbags are just too much! However, Lucas quickly grabbed her and raised up his phone, ¡°Old Mr. Oates, yes, we''re at the prison. Sorry for the trouble.¡± With that, he handed his phone to the sergeant. ¡°It''s for you.¡± The sergeant paused for a moment before taking the phone. ¡°Old Mr. Oates? It''s a pleasure to hear from you... Yes, yes, I''ll let her in right away. Yes, yes...¡± After hanging up the phone, the sergeant''s face looked extremely unpleasant, as if someone had pped him with an invisible hand. As of then, he would definitely offend someone regardless of what he did. Previously, he had tormented James under Andrea''s orders. No sooner had he finished doing so than the Oates family instructed him to take special care of James and treat thetter better. Consequently, he was trapped between a rock and a hard ce. Whatever! I''ll just let the doctor treat the prisoner. The pressure was driving him mad, for whether it came to the Taylor family or the Oates family, he couldn''t afford to offend either.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1107 Chapter 1107 Chapter 1107 Exposing The Abuse Of James He realized that he had to be pragmatic, so he immediately forced out an awkward smile. ¡°Dr. Berry, pleasee this way. If I had known earlier that you had saved Old Mr. Oates, I would have definitely let you in.¡± ¡°I''ll remember you. You really are a good sergeant,¡± Ashlyn said with a cold expression as she followed the sergeant into the prison. Meanwhile, the sergeant was worried about Ashlyn discovering James'' illness, especially the whip wounds on his body. What am I going to do then? If word got out that he had abused the prisoner, he would be done for, especially since the prisoner had yet to be convicted and wasn''t really a criminal in the true sense of the word. As of then, James was only considered to be a suspect. The sergeant, despite feeling unsettled, hid his emotions well. Instead, he personally escorted Ashlyn to James'' side. He didn''t go anywhere else after that as he closely monitored Ashlyn''s every move. Ashlyn squatted down in front of James. Without any medical tools on hand, she could only take his pulse. The moment her slender fingers touched James'' pulse, she was slightly jolted. It''s so hot. He''s running a high fever of at least thirty-nine degrees Celsius. Why is he burning up? After a while, she withdrew her hand from his pulse and reached out to lift James'' eyelids, checking his pupils. Several minutes passed before Ashlyn lowered her gaze with a solemn expression. Whoosh! Before anyone could react, they looked on in shock as Ashlyn tore the clothes off James'' body. The sergeant immediately cried out in his heart, This is bad! Damn it! What sort of woman is she to rip off James'' clothes just like that? Ashlyn spected that James had been tortured. However, it was only when she saw the ring whip marks crisscrossing his bare chest that her suspicions were confirmed. Her pupils contracted violently, and a surge of immense fury began to churn in her chest! ¡°Damn it! You tortured him! You even used a whip?¡± Her beautiful eyes were filled with rage as she red fiercely at the sergeant. ¡°Dr. Berry, we can''t be med for this. He tried to escape! We certainly couldn''t let him get away, so we had to take certain measures. Rest assured that we won''t kill him,¡± the sergeant said, rubbing his hands together. After all, James was unconscious and knew nothing. Ashlyn had never felt so stifled before. She suddenly felt utterly helpless in front of the government officials of that country, and it was truly infuriating! Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Why does trash like that even exist? How can he be qualified to be a public servant? She clenched her teeth tightly. ¡°If I ever find out you''ve been beating him again, I won''t let you off the hook!¡± She was so angry that she felt like her chest was about to explode. At that moment, Joseph and Lucas, who had been watching from the outside, were also shocked by the swelling and crisscrossing scars. How could this happen? ¡°I''m going in. I''m going to kill those b*stards!¡± Joseph raged and was about to charge in upon realizing what was going on. Upon seeing the situation, Lucas immediately stopped him. ¡°Joe, calm down.¡± ¡°How can you expect me to stay calm? That''s my father! My father!¡± The usually handsome and sunny Joseph now had bloodshot eyes, the whites of which were filled with terrifying red veins. ¡°Lucas! That''s my father! How could theyy their hands on him? He''s over fifty... Even a young man couldn''t withstand that, let alone him... How did he endure it? He...¡± Tears welled up in Joseph''s eyes. His body was filled with pain and anger that he simply couldn''t suppress, not even for a moment. ¡°Trust me. Ashlyn will cure him. She''ll definitely find a way.¡± Lucas pushed him against the wall, his large hand gripping Joseph''s shoulder tightly. ¡°Don''t make a scene. One day, we will avenge Mr. Field, but causing a ruckus now won''t do any good!¡± ¡°Joseph...¡± Charlotte couldn''t hold back her emotions any longer. When she saw the wounds on James'' body, her tears flowed out like pearls from a broken string. She cried out in pain and threw herself into Joseph''s arms. ¡°Joseph... I feel terrible... I''m really useless. I can''t save Dad...¡± Chapter 1108 Chapter 1108 Chapter 1108 Treating James A slight tremor ran through Joseph''s heart. The young girl''s fair arms were tightly wrapped around his lean waist. Her tears soaked his shirt, quietly seeping into his skin and seemingly burning him. The heat that resulted made his heart flutter. His ring temper was immediately doused by it. He closed his eyes, swallowing down all the pain and sorrow, together with all the frustration and anger that lurked within them. Upon seeing Joseph gradually calm down, Lucas slowly released his grip. ¡°Ashlyn is inside. Even if you don''t trust me, you should trust her. After all, she is your aunt...¡± Once Joseph regained his freedom, he extended his trembling hands, gently embracing the young girl in his arms. He spoke in a hoarse voice. ¡°Lottie, don''t be afraid, Dad will definitely be okay.¡± Behind the ss partition, Ashlyn had already ordered the guards to carry James into the prison doctor''s office. She nced around at the medicine shelf behind the desk, which was filled with all sorts of drugs. However, she didn''t see anything she could use. In her haste, she picked out a few wonder drugs then fed them to James. Thereafter, she retrieve an IV drip bottle and gathered a few medications needed for the drip. After mixing and shaking them evenly, she injected them into the drip bottle. She then firmly grasped James'' arm and swiftly inserted the needle. Only when the needle pierced into the vein of James'' arm did she start to tend to the wounds on his back. Some wounds were deep and still oozing blood. The frigid environment they were in would only slow down the healing process. Ashlyn looked at the liquid in the IV drip bottle before reaching into her bag and pulling out a small bottle. She poured out a Rulent 133 pill and stuffed it into James'' mouth. The Rulent 133 pill was meant to strengthen his body, for he had no ess to any nutritional supplements in prison. The sergeant looked on in shock as Ashlyn brought out the pill. It was mostly unknown to ordinary folk, but the sergeant had once seen such a pill at an auction. I remember that it was called Rulent something... I heard that one pill alone is worth five hundred thousand. Did she casually feed James one of them? And James swallowed half a million just like that? Who exactly is this woman? What kind of person is she? From the looks of it, she seems to have more than one pill in that small porcin bottle she''s holding. The sergeant suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Could this woman possibly be some a big shot who keeps a low profile? But I''ve not heard of such a person in Jadeborough... And then there''s that man who''s incredibly handsome. I''ve not heard of any famouswyers in Jadeborough with the surname Nn. The only one I''ve heard of with that name is thewyer who shocked the entire city in a case years ago. Thatwyer hasn''t taken a case in years, so how could this young man possibly be him? Therefore, the sergeant had assumed that famouswyers were all middle-aged men in their thirties or forties. He could never have imagined that the sensationalwyer, Mr. Nn, who made headlines years ago, would be standing right there! Having followed Andrea''s orders to torture James, he wondered if there would there be any serious consequences. The thought made him feel uneasy. I''m just a lowly sergeant, don''t... While considering the situation, he reassured himself repeatedly, No, it can''t be. They''re just a group of young people, with no background or connections. I surely won''t get into trouble. I definitely won''t. I just abused a prisoner... it''s no big deal. With that thought in mind, he regained his confidence. ¡°Tonight, I will stay by his side until he regains consciousness,¡± Ashlyn said coldly to the sergeant. ¡°Since your doctor is not here, it''s my duty as a doctor to be responsible for the patient.¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Well...¡± The sergeant looked ufortable. ¡°This might not be appropriate, as you''re not part of our staff.¡± ¡°In that case, can I get you to report this to your superiors and file a request?¡± Ashlyn remained expressionless. The domineering look in her eyes made it clear that she wasn''t taking no for an answer. ¡°Dr. Berry, please don''t put me in a difficult position,¡± the sergeant replied, his tone equally firm. Chapter 1109 Chapter 1109 Chapter 1109 James Awakens ¡°I am James'' sister-inw and also a doctor,¡± Ashlyn said as she stared at him indifferently. ¡°If you don''t want to file the report, I don''t mind doing it myself.¡± ¡°You!¡± The sergeant gritted his teeth, ring at her. ¡°Don''t push your luck.¡± ¡°You''re wee to arrest me!¡± Ashlyn nced at himzily. She was now filled with disgust for everyone there. Not wanting to bother with them, she stood up and took James'' temperature again. After feeding him more medicine, she administered another IV drip. His temperature began to drop. Although he still had a low-grade fever of thirty-eight degrees, it was much better than the frighteningly high temperature earlier. ¡°Wayne, Logan, stay here and watch her! If she dares to make any rash moves, arrest her immediately!¡± Cowing to Ashlyn, the sergeant finally ordered two prison guards to stay behind before leaving with the others. As the security there was stringent, he believed that Ashlyn wouldn''t dare to do anything out of line. Ashlyn subsequently took out her phone and dialed Lucas'' number, briefing him on the situation. In the end, she said, ¡°You guys should go home first. I''ll be staying back here.¡± Lucas hesitated for a moment. ¡°Alright.¡± After hanging up the phone, he ryed the message to Joseph and added, ¡°Joe, you take Lottie home. I''ll keep watch here.¡± He wanted to be there the moment Ashlyn came out. There was no way he could bear to leave her alone there. ¡°How could we possibly leave?¡± Charlotte''s eyes sparkled with determination. ¡°Joseph, I don''t want to leave. I want to stay.¡± Joseph nodded in agreement. ¡°We won''t leave. Although it''s cold here at night, there''s still heating in the lobby.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Lucas''s gaze pierced through the ss once more, but he couldn''t see anything. As time passed slowly, the waiting process was tormenting to everyone, regardless of whether they were outside or inside. Ashlyn kept Jamespany, along with the two prison guards. Those two prison guards were so exhausted they could barely keep their eyes open, yet they still tried their best to stay awake. When Wayne nced at Ashlyn, he couldn''t help but admire how alert she still looked. ¡°How does she have so much energy? Do all beautiful women have such good stamina?¡± ¡°I''m so sleepy. Come, let me lean on you for a bit.¡± Logan quickly moved closer to Wayne. The two of them leaned on each other, both on the verge of sleep. As the sky began to brighten, James slowly opened his eyes from his sickbed. My head hurts. It feels like it''s about to explode. He stared at the ceiling for a while, remembering that the bed in his cell looked different. There''s supposed to be another bunk above me. Why am I looking at the ceiling now? He was stunned when he heard a familiar female voice. ¡°You''re finally awake, James.¡± He whipped his head around abruptly, only to find a beautiful woman sitting by the bed. When her stunning face entered his view, he looked at Ashlyn in shock. ¡°Ashlyn? What are you doing here?¡± ¡°You''re sick, and it''s serious,¡± Ashlyn replied, ncing up at the IV drip. It was the fourth bag and once it was finished, his body would recover quickly, while his suffering would also be somewhat alleviated. ¡°How did you get them to let you in?¡± James was still quite shocked. ¡°I''ll leave as soon as dawn breaks.¡± Ashlyn nced again at the two prison guards nearby who were sound asleep. They had finally given in to their drowsiness. ¡°James, listen to me. We will find a way to save you and clear your name. We''ve found out that the Fraser and Haddock families have set you up. We will find the evidence to help you.¡± ¡°Ashlyn...¡± James was deeply shocked. ¡°The Fraser family? The Haddock family?¡± He had long suspected that Dixon would seek revenge, for he had been investigating the Haddock family all this while. I just didn''t expect Dixon to act so swiftly and ruthlessly! ¡°Yes. This is a bottle of Rulent 133. Keep it properly. If you''re not feeling well, just take one.¡± Ashlyn handed the medicine bottle she carried with her to James. ¡°Rulent 133? Sounds somewhat familiar...¡± However, James couldn''t recall where he had heard of it before. Thereafter, he furrowed his brows as his head was still aching a little.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1110 Chapter 1110 Chapter 1110 The Hypnotist ¡°It''s just a tonic for strengthening the body,¡± exined Ashlyn nonchntly. If members of the Oates family were to hear that, they would surely throw a tantrum out of jealousy. To im that such a precious medicine was a mere tonic for strengthening the body would be absolutely infuriating to them. ¡°James, there''s something I''ve been wanting to ask my sister directly, but I''m not sure if she would tell me.¡± Ashlyn hesitated for a moment, her eyes fixed on James. James paused and gave her a quizzical look. ¡°What do you want to ask?¡± ¡°You probably know that Alice Chapman is my mother. When the Chapman family acknowledged me, Fae knew about it as well. Why didn''t she tell me then that she and my mother were best friends? That they were like sisters?¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The issue had always puzzled Ashlyn. Zoe once mentioned that during her schooldays, she, Ashlyn''s mother, and Fae were the best of friends. Hence, she wondered why Fae didn''t tell her that she and her mother, Alice, were good friends. James had not expected Ashlyn to pose that question to him. A hint of embarrassment shed across his haggard face as he took a moment before speaking. ¡°Your mother, Alice, was an exceptional woman. She was the kind of person who could make others feel inferior or even intensely self-conscious in her presence. Your sister... she had always been a close friend and confidant to your mother. Your mother had also helped the two of us a lot. It''s just... Fae''s not someone who is emotionally resilient. When she lost your mother, she spent her days crying, even falling into depression for a while. Later on... I had someone hypnotize her. She can only remember that she had a good friend who passed away but not that friend''s name... unless someone deliberately provokes her or tries to awaken her... In her memory, there''s only a vague shadow of your mother. That''s why... when the Chapman family announced your rtionship with them at the auction, she didn''t react in any way. I''m sorry, Ashlyn... I don''t want to lose her. Even without the deep-seated memories of her friendship with your mother, her feelings for thetter still remain. She would make the chicken soup your mother taught her and can''t help but be kind to you. It was my selfishness that...¡± Ashlyn stared at James in shock. Hypnosis... Mrs. Field was actually hypnotized, resulting in the loss of her memories of my mother. This... This is just too terrifying. Doesn''t that mean the hypnotist can take anyone''s memories at will? ¡°Who is it? Who is the one who hypnotized her?¡± Ashlyn''s face turned pale. It was rare for her to be so perplexed, but the revtion was something she found hard to ept. Who exactly is the hypnotist? James cleared his throat lightly. ¡°I heard he has passed away. Back then, I had to put in quite an effort to find him. His name was Zachariah, and he a renowned master of hypnosis. If you search for him on Google, you can find some news articles or stories about him.¡± Ashlyn frowned as she endeavored to get to the bottom of the matter. She had lost many of her childhood memories. Lucas imed that she had saved him and his sister when they were young, but she couldn''t recall a single detail from that time. Did I lose part of my childhood memories to hypnosis? Were they taken away from me? I must uncover the truth. ¡°What are you two whispering about over there?¡± Just then, Wayne''s voice suddenly filled the air. Ashlyn turned around and saw that Wayne and Logan had woken up at some point and were now rubbing their eyes. Ashlyn took James'' temperature again, ¡°Thirty-six point five. Finally, the fever has subsided.¡± She rose from her chair, prepared some more medicine, and ced it on the table. ¡°I''ve prepared enough medicine for five days. Remember to take it after each meal. You should be feeling much better after that.¡± A hint of emotion surfaced in James'' eyes. ¡°Ashlyn, I''ve done wrong by you.¡± Chapter 1111 Chapter 1111 Chapter 1111 Taylor ¡°You''ve done nothing to wrong me. It''s okay if you can''t call her aunt; being her sister is just as good.¡± Ashlyn gave a smallugh, a hint of relief shining in her eyes. ¡°Whether I am the daughter of Alice or Ashlyn, she has always been so good to me. Regardless of whether she has that memory or not, she has always been good to me! Isn''t that what matters the most?¡± After she finished speaking, she pushed open the door of the doctor''s office, looking back at James. ¡°James, take care.¡± It was Winston who took her out. She trod quietly along the lengthy corridor. The faint morning light filtered through the hallway windows, casting a hazy and cold glow. Standing at the entrance of the hall, Winston spoke in a low voice, ¡°Dr. Berry, the exit is just outside the hall. I won''t apany you further.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± She walked into the hall with an upright posture, but the moment she stepped in, she froze. In a corner of the hall''s rest area, a man was sitting upright on the couch. Hearing the noise, he lifted his gaze toward her. Lucas? He didn''t go back? He actually waited for me on the couch all night? Ashlyn was touched. She saw the man rise to his feet, striding toward her with long, straight legs. He seemed to be bathed in a soft glow in the faint morning light, so handsome he hardly seemed real. Seated on the other side, Joseph and Charlotte, who were embracing each other, also woke up. They turned to look at Ashlyn. ¡°Joseph...¡± Charlotte murmured. Then, she heard Joseph whispering close to her ear, ¡°You''re awake?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charlotte sleepily looked at Ashlyn and Lucas. She was so tiredst night that she fell asleep nestled in the warm embrace of Joseph. Is it dawn yet? Has Ashlyne out yet? At that moment, Lucas extended his arms, pulling the slender woman in front of him tightly into his embrace. ¡°Ashlyn, Ashlyn...¡± His voice was deep and husky, like a finely tuned cello. He held on so tightly as if he was embracing a lost treasure that had been found again. Ashlyn''s face was pressed tightly against the man''s burning chest, where she could clearly hear the powerful thumping of his heartbeat. She couldn''t help but reach out and embrace him. ¡°I''m here. I''m here...¡± An hourter, they returned to the hotel, only to find, to their surprise, that Joseph and Charlotte were staying in the same hotel as them. After exiting the elevator, they were about to part ways, each returning to their own homes. Joseph called out to Ashlyn with a troubled expression, ¡°Aunt Ashlyn, I have something I''d like to discuss with you.¡± ¡°What''s the matter?¡± Ashlyn looked at him with a calm expression. Five minutester, the pin-drop silence filled the corridor. Just when Joseph and Charlotte thought Ashlyn was going to refuse, they suddenly heard the woman''s cool voice. ¡°Three o''clock in the afternoon. Take me to see her.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°I have to do this for my dad. I''m sorry.¡± Joseph hung his head low, feeling extremely distressed. Ashlyn stayed up all night with my father... How could I ever repay this kindness? Still... He was truly at his wit''s end. Once a carefree scion, he was now the son of a prisoner. Their rtives and friends were now avoiding them. Only Ashlyn and Lucas were still there to help them now. I really shouldn''t do this... ¡°There''s no need for such formality. We''re family,¡± Ashlyn said. The thought of Fae''s memory being taken away caused a pang of pain in her heart. Her gaze as she looked at Joseph instantly softened. ¡°See you in the afternoon. Go home and rest well.¡± After returning to the room, Lucas pulled her onto the sofa. His face was stern, his ink-ck eyes filled with coldness. ¡°Mr. Field''s injuries were no ident. It seems that some people are getting restless and are deliberately targeting him.¡± ¡°The more they target Mr. Field, the less we can afford to ignore it.¡± A hint of severity shed in Ashlyn''s eyes. Yesterday, as soon as they stepped into the prison courtyard, she didn''t miss hearing the name the warden used when he answered the phone. That person''s family name is Taylor! Chapter 1112 Chapter 1112 Chapter 1112 Andrea This afternoon, I''d like to meet this Mrs. Taylor. Ashlyn thought. At three o''clock in the afternoon, Joseph arrived at the private room inside the club as promised, bringing Ashlyn with him. Standing in front of the private room, Joseph raised his hand to knock on the door. From inside, a voice came. ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as the two stepped into the private room, Ashlyn saw ady of high standing, dressed extremely elegantly, sitting on the couch. She held a tall ss with utmost grace. She gently swirled the red liquid inside the ss with her nail-polished fingers. She wore her hair in an elegant updo, donned a pair of ck silk stockings, and matched them with a pair of slender high heels. Her upper body was adorned with a ck fur coat, which was loosely draped over her shoulders. The heater was on in the private room, spreading a warm ambiance, yet she felt like the biggest oddity in the room. ¡°Ms. Saunders?¡± Andrea curved her lips, gesturing for Ashlyn and Joseph to sit down. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± The two of them took a seat on the sofa opposite Andrea. Ashlyn sat quietly, watching her as if waiting for thetter to speak. Andrea never expected that the rumored Ms. Saunders would be so young and beautiful. The woman in front of her was so striking that she wouldn''t be overshadowed even in the entertainment industry, which was filled with countless beauties. In fact, she was even more outstanding than those famous actresses, especially her temperament of aloof nobility. She was so elegant and captivating, almost making it impossible for anyone whoid their eyes on her to look away. Andrea thought. Still, what''s the use of being beautiful? Apart from having a bit of talent, she falls far short whenpared to the true socialites of Jadeborough. She can only take on a few apprentices or students, that''s all. ¡°I wonder what Mrs. Taylor wants to discuss, calling me for a meeting like this.¡± After taking her seat, Ashlyn cut to the chase. ¡°It seems that Mr. Joseph didn''t give you a detailed introduction,¡± Andrea said with a smile. ¡°My daughter, Winona, is very fond of music. We heard that Ms. Saunders has won international awards and is the new president of the International Piano Association, so I would like to invite Ms. Saunders to be my daughter''s teacher.¡± Ashlyn raised an eyebrow, her cool gaze as chilling as an igloo. ¡°I''m sorry, but I have no intention of taking on a disciple.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . So far, she had only ever taught Charlotte. She simply didn''t have the leisure or inclination to teach others. After Andrea heard Ashlyn''s response, her expression instantly darkened. However, she thought of Ashlyn''s status in the music industry and her abilities. Suppressing her displeasure, she put on a forced smile and said, ¡°Ms. Saunders, don''t be so quick to reject me. Why don''t I let you witness my daughter''s abilities first? Then you can make your decision.¡± No sooner had she finished speaking than the ss partition inside the box slowly rose. Behind the partition was a snow-white piano, and sitting in front of the piano was a woman. All they could see was the slender and graceful silhouette of the woman''s back. The melodious music flowed from the woman''s fingertips, resonating throughout the spacious room. The piece she yed was the widely popr ¡°Moonlight Lovers.¡± She was quite skillful, but Ashlyn had no interest in her whatsoever. A look of pride surfaced on Andrea''s face. She''s my perfect creation. My daughter must be a top socialite, receiving the best education and making all the other socialites regard her with envy. The song soon came to an end. Andrea wiped the prideful expression off her face and looked at Ashlyn with a smile. ¡°Ms. Saunders, could you perhaps offer some guidance?¡± Leaning on the couch, Ashlyn nced casually at Winona''s retreating figure, her ck eyes gleaming with indifference. ¡°Her performance is decent, quite good,¡± shemented nonchntly. Anyone could tell that Ashlyn''s words were just perfunctory. Andrea, suppressing the anger in her chest, patiently spoke again. ¡°Since you think she''s quite good, and you two are fated to cross paths, why don''t you take my daughter as your disciple?¡± Without waiting for Ashlyn to speak, she added, ¡°After all, I can fully assist you with the matter Mr. Joseph requested of me. What do you think, Ms. Saunders?¡± Ashlynzily lifted her dark eyes, finally resting them on the astute face of Andrea. ¡°Mrs. Taylor, I''m not opposed to taking on a disciple, but my brother-inw is suffering in prison. How do you n to help us?¡± Chapter 1113 Chapter 1113 Chapter 1113 Unfazed ¡°My mother is thedy of the Taylor family. Do you think she''s just an ordinary housewife from a small family? My mother''s connections are not something an average person canpare to, especially since my grandfather was a founding father of the nation who was awarded countless medals. What are you afraid of?¡± Suddenly, a somewhat familiar female voice echoed from the side of the piano. Ashlyn nced up and saw Winona, who had been ying the piano earlier, slowly turning around, adjusting the shawl on her shoulders. That familiar face immediately came into Ashlyn''s view. With an arrogant expression, Winona looked toward Ashlyn. Their eyes met, and her previously arrogant and smug face changed abruptly. Her voice became piercingly sharp. ¡°Why is it you!¡± Andrea''s eyebrows slightly furrowed after hearing that. She felt a hint of displeasure at her daughter''s lack ofposure. With a stern expression, she reprimanded Winona, ¡°Winona, this is Ms. Saunders. Have you met her before?¡± Winona immediately stepped forward in her high heels, dramatically throwing herself toward Andrea. ¡°Mom, she''s the woman who bullied me. She even had her husband kick me out of the shopping mall. I was so deeply humiliated. You must avenge me!¡± Andrea looked at Winona with an extremelyplex expression, then turned her gaze to Ashlyn. A couple of days ago, Winona had returned home, nearly driven to the point of an emotional breakdown. Upon asking, she found out that her daughter had been wronged in the shopping mall. Unexpectedly, the woman who had wronged her daughter turned out to be Ashlyn. Well, this is really... At that time, the Taylor family sent someone to that mall to check the surveince footage, hoping to identify the man and woman. However, the mall management refused their request. The Taylor family was quite upset. They were a powerful and influential family in the capital, and their daughter had never been subjected to such indignity before. Someone had dared to challenge them on their own ground. Yet, Andrea never imagined that that person would turn out to be Ashlyn. She was so angry that she was grinding her teeth. However, she then thought about how Ashlyn and Joseph needed her while she also had a favor to ask Ashlyn. We are merely using each other; I believe Ashlyn is a smart person. With those thoughts in mind, she looked down at Ashlyn with a sense of superiority. Her tone was as if she was bestowing charity, exuding an inexplicable sense of superiority. ¡°Ms. Saunders, you were quite rude to my daughter a couple of days ago. If it were anyone else, I would have already used a hundred different ways to torment them into apologizing, but¡ª¡± ¡°But what?¡± Ashlyn''s dark almond eyes met the arrogant gaze of Andrea in a casual manner, seemingly not concerned with Andrea''s condescending attitude. Andrea slightly furrowed her brows. Why does Ashlyn seem so unyielding? And why is there a hint of cool wildness about her? However, she believed that even the wildest of people wouldn''t be able to pull any tricks under her watch. ¡°But, since we are to coborate, I will act as if this incident never urred. As long as you are willing to properly guide and instruct my daughter in her piano skills, helping her to reach new heights, then whether it''s about Mr. Field or the matter of you bullying my daughter...¡± Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Joseph looked at Ashlyn''s calm demeanor. His lips moved slightly, unsure of how to chime in. ¡°Mrs. Taylor, I believe there must be some misunderstanding here. How could my aunt possibly bully Ms. Taylor?¡± Ashlyn could hear the suppressed urgency in his voice. She turned her head to look at him, her ck eyes stunningly captivating. ¡°That''s right. I did bully her.¡± She arched an eyebrow, her voice cool and clear. Eyes narrowed, she asked unhurriedly, ¡°So what?¡± Upon hearing her words, Joseph looked at her in astonishment. This... Amazing! He couldn''t afford to pay attention to anything else and could only lower his voice. ¡°Aunt Ashlyn, the Taylor family''s influence in Jadeborough is not to be underestimated. Isn''t it a bit too much to act so arrogantly in front of her mother?¡± Ashlyn was not scared at all. She sat on the sofa, leisurely looking over at Andrea. She stared at Andrea with her charming ck pupils, locking gazes. Andrea was so infuriated by Ashlyn''s arrogant demeanor that she almost had a stroke on the spot. This Ashlyn really doesn''t know what''s good for her. Despite my high regard for her, she shockinglycks a sense of propriety. Chapter 1114 Chapter 1114 Chapter 1114 Do Not Regret Her brows were tightly furrowed. ¡°Ashlyn, what do you mean by this? I''ve been treating you with nothing but kindness and respect. Do you really think that we from the Taylor family are pushovers? Not only do you dare to bully my daughter, but you also have the audacity to be so arrogant. Let me tell you. Jadeborough is the Taylor family''s territory. I can easily do away with you! It''s your honor to have my daughter as your apprentice. I respect you but don''t overstep your boundaries. Otherwise, things may turn ugly.¡± The woman sitting across from her had delicate features, especially after she had just spoken harshly. Ashlyn merely raised her eyes slightly. Her words were sinct yet startling, her face calm and unruffled. ¡°Nope.¡± Andreaughed in exasperation and adjusted her fur coat. Her voice was calm, but a hint of smugness could be detected. ¡°So, you won''t ept my daughter as your apprentice? I suppose James must be having a wonderful time in prison, isn''t he? It''s fine if you don''t ept, but do you really not care about James'' survival? Can you bear to see him living a life worse than death in prison?¡± James was their Achilles'' heel. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Andrea was well-versed in the principle of targeting others'' sore spots. A glint of satisfaction shed in her eyes. ¡°As long as I step in, Mr. President will surely investigate James'' case thoroughly. At the very least, with my intervention, his time in prison will be a bit more comfortable. Are you sure you won''t ept?¡± She stared intently at Ashlyn, not missing any subtle changes in thetter''s expression. The light in the private room illuminated Ashlyn''s face, casting ayer of faint, ethereal glow. Ashlyn remained expressionless all the while. Her red lips slightly parted as she replied tersely, ¡°Nope.¡± She responded in a simr manner. Andrea caught her breath, abruptly standing up in a huff. She towered over Ashlyn, ring down at the latter. ¡°I see you prefer to do it the hard way. I suggest you appreciate my kindness while I''m still showing you courtesy.¡± Ashlyn also stood up. She was tall, to begin with, and even though she was wearing a pair of t Dr. Martens, she still stood a few centimeters taller than Andrea, who was in high heels. Her gaze swept over Andrea''s face, which was flushed with anger and embarrassment. Ashlyn arched her brow slightly. ¡°If I''m not mistaken, you are the mastermind behind why my brother-inw suffered in prison, isn''t it, Mrs. Taylor? You resorted to such lowly and despicable means of torture to coerce me.¡± Upon hearing Ashlyn''s words, Joseph was greatly shocked. He gritted his teeth, a sh of resentment flickering in his eyes. Ashlyn stared at the visibly upset Andrea with her beautiful eyes. ¡°Excuse me, but I''ve already seen the contemptible demeanors and poor manners of all the daughters of the Taylor family. I truly feel embarrassed for your ancestors for having descendants like you lot.¡± She slightly lifted her chin, her slender neck as graceful and beautiful as a swan. She exuded an aura of unattainable dominance. ¡°Every great family will eventually decline. Don''t think you''re invincible. There''s always someone more formidable out there. You''re bound to pay the price for all the heinous misdeeds you''vemitted.¡± Andrea was so furious that her face turned pale. ¡°Ashlyn! You!¡± Winona grabbed Andrea''s arm. ¡°Mom, I''ve told you before, she''s a good-for-nothing. You should''ve seen the time when she bullied me. She behaved even more arrogantly than now. This woman is utterly shameless!¡± Ashlyn lowered her eyes and smiled. ¡°Mrs. Taylor, I would advise you to find out who exactly is the old lady your daughter had insulted.¡± ¡°What are you implying? I don''t care who she is! She''s nothing more than a filthy old hag, not even worthy of bing my servant.¡± Winona pointed at Ashlyn and scolded angrily, ¡°Something must be wrong with your brain for ignoring a wealthy heiress like me to help that old woman! It''s true what they say. Pieces of thrash always end up together. You''re simply not worthy of speaking with a nobledy like me!¡± Winona snapped. Ashlynughed lightly, her beauty was already exceptional, and the smile made her even more captivating, like a blossoming peony. Even as Andrea was overwhelmed by fury, she couldn''t help but be astounded by Ashlyn''s stunning beauty. Thankfully, this woman didn''t enter the entertainment industry. If she had, there would be no room left for other female stars. ¡°Ms. Taylor, I''ve recorded what you just said, so don''t regret itter.¡± Ashlyn waved her phone, then turned to Joseph, who was standing dumbfounded, and said, ¡°Let''s go!¡± Chapter 1115 Chapter 1115 Chapter 1115 I Want Him To Suffer Joseph was a bit confused. He followed Ashlyn out of the private room all the way to the car. It was not until he had started the engine that he snapped back to his senses. So, we came out just like that? Whoa! Ashlyn''s series of actions were aggressive, impressive, and arrogant! She was too d*mn daring! Mrs. Taylor is the wife of the Taylor family''s main family! Yet, she offended the woman without any qualms? ¡°Uh... You...¡± He wanted to say something, but Ashlyn cut him off. ¡°Focus on driving.¡± Joseph went silent. The car then pulled up to the hotel entrance, upon which they alighted from the vehicle. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Joseph hesitated before venturing, ¡°Aunt Ashlyn, we... I mean, you offended her. Aren''t you afraid she''ll retaliate against you?¡± ¡°Are you scared?¡± Ashlyn raised an eyebrow, looking very much conceited. ¡°I...¡± Joseph thought for a moment before saying, ¡°I''m not afraid. After all, I''m penniless now with only my life left.¡± ¡°There you have it.¡± Ashlyn''s lips curved into a smile. ¡°If even you aren''t scared, what do I have to fear?¡± Hmm? What''s with this unexpected sense of warmth I feel upon hearing that? Inside the private room, Andrea''s face was flushed bright red. With a sweep of her hand, she sent the red wine costing tens of thousands flying off the table to shatter on the floor. Immediately, sounds of ss breaking split the air. The server who had been standing outside heard themotion and rushed in. ¡°What happened, ma''am? Are you okay?¡± Andrea hurled the cup in her hand at the server''s face viciously. ¡°Get out!¡± Frightened, the server quickly closed the private room''s door and left. Winona was so terrified that she swiftly protected her head with both hands, not daring to approach her mother. She swallowed nervously. ¡°Mom... don''t be angry anymore. That woman is just an insolent b*tch!¡± ¡°How dare you show me such disrespect, Ashlyn! Just you wait!¡± Andrea''s face was contorted with rage, her eyes brimming with infinite hatred. My family, the Taylor family, has been a prominent family established in Jadeborough for nearly a hundred years, basking in glory all this time. Numerous small families are eager to ingratiate themselves with my family. Yet, that Ashlyn woman is utterly impudent and stubborn. She''s just a musician, no? Who does she think she is? She''s nothing more than an inferior lowlife! Considering her ss, she''s unworthy to converse with ady of my high standing. I humbled myself to initiate contact with her, but still, she had the audacity to act so arrogantly and conceited! ¡°Mom... we don''t necessarily have to go with Ashlyn. There are many other musicians out there. I... Perhaps you can help me find someone else?¡± Winona carefully observed her mother''s expression as she spoke. ¡°Don''t worry. I''ll contact Ryan Yates for you. Even if it means going abroad by ne each time to seek him out for practice, we won''t take Ashlyn.¡± Andrea took a deep breath, regaining some of her composure after her previous outburst. ¡°It''s just piano lessons. Ashlyn isn''t the only renowned pianist in the world! Who does she think she is?¡± Winona quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, yes! You''re absolutely right, Mom.¡± Once she had calmed down, Andrea immediately picked up her phone and made a call. ¡°Just make sure that he doesn''t end up dead. Make his life difficult! I want him to suffer!¡± The person on the other end must have said something that infuriated Andrea. Sheshed out. ¡°Do you want to lose your job? And do you not want your daughter to attend the film academy anymore?¡± Thus, the sergeant could only relent weakly, ¡°Okay, okay. Rest assured that I''ll definitely do as you ordered, Mrs. Taylor.¡± After he had hung up the phone, his expression turned extremely grim. Has that old biddy lost her mind? How would I dare make a move against James when he has the Oates family backing him up? He sighed, acutely feeling caught between a rock and a hard ce again. Both parties were not someone he could afford to offend. He was just an insignificant sergeant. Oh well, never mind. I''ll just regard Mrs. Taylor''s words as a passingment. If I really were to do anything to James, what should I do when Old Mr. Oateses to question me once more? At that time, Mrs. Taylor probably won''te to my aid either. After all, Old Mr. Oates holds more authority than the wife of the Taylor family. After weighing the pros and cons, the sergeant went straight back to his office. Chapter 1116 Chapter 1116 Chapter 1116 Pregnant Again At Lake City Detention Center, Sienna waited anxiously outside the visiting room, peering in through the ss non-stop. Two minutester, two prison guards led Dixon over. The man had grown considerably haggard, his handsome and gentle face now carrying traces of hardship and mncholy. He took a seat behind the ss and picked up the phone. The moment Siennaid eyes on him, a hint of anguish shed in her gaze, but she managed to suppress it deftly. She had a lot to say to him, but she didn''t know what to say when the words were right on the tip of her tongue. ¡°Did those people give you any trouble after I got into prison?¡± Dixon was the first to speak. His voice was raspy, reminiscent of a traveler who had journeyed long through the desert. His tone was dark and gravelly, tinged with an air of despair. His gaze was firmly fixed on Sienna, filled with an indescribable sense of greed and longing. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. It was as though she was his source of water and hope. Only when he saw her did he truly felt alive, with breath left in him. ¡°Not at the moment. Are you okay in there?¡± Sienna struggled to speak, but as soon as she did, her eyes welled with tears. Without a doubt, he''s definitely not having a good time in there. He''s in prison! How could it possibly feel good? ¡°Not bad. It''s quite leisurely, with plenty to eat and drink, never going hungry. I no longer need to worry about all the intrigues and power struggles. Life is much moreid-back than it was in the past,¡± Dixon said, trying to sound rxed. A trace of mncholic helplessness shone through his gentle and handsome face. Ugh! Suddenly, Sienna pped a hand over her mouth and turned away as she dry-heaved. Behind the ss, Dixon looked at her in astonishment. ¡°What''s wrong with you? Are you not feeling well?¡± Sienna''s face was a bit pale. ¡°I''ve been having some stomach issues these past few days. It''s nothing serious, so don''t worry about it.¡± We rarely have such a peaceful conversation. In the past, he was always too dominant and overbearing. In fact, he could even be quite rude to me. But now, everything has changed. She took a deep breath. ¡°It''s gettingte, so I need to leave. I''lle again to visit you another day.¡± ¡°Aunt Sienna,¡± Dixon called out all of a sudden. Sienna was taken aback and stared at him in surprise. ¡°Is there anything else, Dixon?¡± ¡°Aunt Sienna, heed my words, and don''te here anymore.¡± Dixon''s gloomy eyes were fixed on her. ¡°I''m a jinx. You should stop visiting me.¡± ¡°Don''t say that. The verdict isn''t out yet. There may still be hope.¡± Sienna choked back tears as she spoke. In truth, both of them knew that things could not possibly end well. But still, she wanted to say that. ¡°No, there isn''t. You... You should leave Lake City. Find a quiet ce where no one knows you... and live a good life.¡± After saying that, Dixon stood up and began to walk away, step by step. Handcuffs encircled his hands, and shackles were wound around his ankles, making his steps seem incredibly heavy. His back seemed to be hunched over as well. Sienna stood rooted to the spot, unable to hold her tears at bay any longer. Dixon... She wiped the tears from her face and headed straight to the hospital after leaving the detention center. An hourter, as she looked at the report and saw the results indicated on it, both joy and sorrow imbued her. She could hardly believe that she was pregnant again. Why must fate y such a cruel trick on me? After Dixon got into trouble, I found myself pregnant again! She gazed at the overcast sky and made a bold decision. Taking a deep breath, she climbed into the red Porsche and started the car. The car shot out like an arrow, swiftly merging into the flow of traffic. Meanwhile, at Jadeborough Hospital, heavy snow was falling relentlessly outside the window, silently nketing the earth. Snowkes fell like a dense snow, growing increasingly thicker and weaving a vast white web across the heavens and earth. Ashlyn sat in front of the hospital bed, peeling an apple for Nelson. ¡°Thank you for making the phone call the day before yesterday. Otherwise, I could only imagine the torment my brother-inw would have been put through.¡± Chapter 1117 Chapter 1117 Chapter 1117 The Best ADC Ashlyn sliced the peeled apple into small pieces and arranged them on a small te before cing it in front of Nelson. ¡°Don''t be such a stranger. If it weren''t for you performing acupuncture on me, I might have ended up undergoing brain surgery,¡± Nelson said heartily. ¡°We''re just helping each other out. As the saying goes, courtesy calls for reciprocity.¡± ¡°Anyway, thank you.¡± Ashlyn shed him a smile. Just then, Trevor rushed to the door from outside before stopping abruptly. His head and hair were covered with delicate white snowkes. ¡°The snowfall is just too heavy. I only went to the supermarket near the entrance to buy some daily necessities, and I ended up nketed in snow.¡± He stomped his feet at the door. Then, he shook his head to rid it of snowkes before finally stepping into the hospital room. He carried a shopping bag filled with an assortment of daily necessities in hand. There was also a piping hot serving of stew. ¡°Here you go, Grandpa. I made sure they didn''t add any chili.¡± ¡°Would it taste good without chili?¡± Nelson instantly seemed a bit displeased. Trevor, who was quite strict, opened the box filled with stew, and said, ¡°You''re still sick and can''t eat anything spicy. If you don''t want it, I''ll let my boss have it.¡± ¡°If you let Ashlyn eat this, you''ll have to buy me another one with chili.¡± ¡°I''m not going to steal it from you. Go ahead and eat.¡± Ashlyn could not help but smile as she watched the pair of yful grandfather and grandson. Trevor handed the stew to Nelson before turning to Ashlyn. ¡°I have a match in a couple of days, Boss. Will youe and watch?¡± Ashlyn gave him anguid nce. ¡°I''m not interested.¡± ¡°Can you please cut me some ck, Boss?¡± Trevor pulled out a stack of tickets from his pocket in slight frustration. ¡°I brought these tickets all the way here. I can''t just keep them to myself, right?¡± ¡°I''ll take the tickets, but I can''t promise I''lle and watch the game.¡± Ashlyn epted the stack of tickets and put them into her pocket. ¡°I heard this year''s opponents are exceedingly strong, so be careful and train well. Don''t fall behind and let me down when the timees.¡± ¡°When have I ever done that? I''m the best ADC!¡± Trevor was instantly displeased, his cheerful face filled with indignation as he raised an eyebrow. ¡°All right, I''ve had enough of your boasting.¡± Ashlyn interrupted his bragging. She turned to Nelson and said, ¡°I''ll be leaving first. Take good care of yourself. I''lle and visit you another day.¡± Nelson was thoroughly enjoying his bowl of stew. ¡°Drive slowly. It''s snowing heavily outside. In my opinion, you should wait until it stops before leaving.¡± ¡°I''ll take the tickets, but I can''t promise I''lle and watch the game.¡± Ashlyn epted the stack of tickets and put them in her pocket. ¡°I heard this year''s opponents are strong, so be careful and train well. Don''t fall behind and let me down when the timees.¡± ¡°When have I ever done that? I''m the best ADC!¡± Trevor was instantly displeased, his cheerful face filled with indignation as he raised an eyebrow. ¡°All right, I''ve had enough of your boasting.¡± Ashlyn interrupted his bragging and said to Nelson, ¡°I''ll be leaving first. Take good care of yourself. I''lle and visit you another day.¡± Nelson was thoroughly enjoying his bowl of stew. ¡°Drive slowly. It''s snowing heavily outside. In my opinion, you should wait until it stops before leaving.¡± Ashlyn chuckled. ¡°There''s a unique charm in traveling through the snow.¡± With that, she left the hospital room. Trevor hurriedly followed her out and saw her to the elevator. ¡°The tickets I gave you include the final match and the preliminaries these two days. You muste!¡± ¡°Well, if you make it to the finals, I''ll go there to watch it live. Do I really need to watch the normal preliminary matches?¡± Ashlyn''s demeanor was as cold as the falling snow outside. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Trevor was wholly frustrated. ¡°Fine! I''ll definitely make it to the finals.¡± As the elevator doors slid open, Ashlyn stepped in and made her way to the underground parking lot. Spencer was waiting for her there. As she got into the car, she heard Spencer saying, ¡°Mr. Nn is busy at Section Six, so he asked me to pick you up and drive you there.¡± Ashlyn nodded in acknowledgment. I thought we were going back to the hotel. But then, it doesn''t matter anyway. Chapter 1118 Chapter 1118 Chapter 1118 Worldview Totally Shattered Early the following morning, Ashlyn did a screen sharing and projected thepetition onto the television. She sat on the sofa with a bucket of popcorn in her arms, engrossed in watching the television. The live broadcast of thepetition started right from the moment the yers entered the arena and continued until the end of the game. Lucas stepped out of the room, only to see Ashlyn engrossed in an e-sports match on television. ¡°You enjoy watching such a program?¡± Ashlyn grabbed a handful of popcorn and stuffed it into her mouth. ¡°Trevor is ying a match today.¡± Heroes'' League was apetitive push-turret game that had taken the globe by storm in recent years. The world-sspetition, hosted annually, attracted countless gaming enthusiasts and aficionados. That year, the event happened to be taking ce in Jadeborough''s Aviary Arena. Trevor''s team had always ranked first in their group by game points. There were four groups in total, and the team cing first in each would continuepeting for the champion and runner-up positions. At Section Six''s technical department right then, Ss and a few other team members were watching the live game broadcast together. ¡°I''m confident that Trevor''s team will definitely clinch the championship this year!¡± He was a fervent fan of Trevor''s. A team member scoffed, ¡°Dream on! Considering our capabilities, we might as well forget it!¡± Upon hearing that, Ss was immediately a bit upset. ¡°Then, which team do you like?¡± ¡°Pit Viper, of course! They''ve always been the world champion, and this year will be no different. Trevor is nothing. He might be something in our country, but he''s simply not up to par in the world championship!¡± Ss was so enraged that steam seemed to being out of his ears. ¡°Trevor is very likely to win the championship this year! When he yed solo in the past, he had always been ced first in the individual tournament!¡± ¡°So what? Heroes'' League is all about teamwork. Cooperation is an essential requirement. So what if someone has strong individual capabilities? This so-called national team is a total sham. It still can''t compare to other countries'' standards.¡± Ss snorted dismissively. ¡°I can''t be bothered to argue with you. When the timees, Trevor will certainly astonish everyone!¡± As he was all excited, Sabrina walked in. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. She held two tickets for the preliminaries in her hand, smiling as she said, ¡°A friend gave me two tickets. Who wants to go?¡± ¡°Thepetition is held locally at Aviary Arena this year, and the price of the tickets is sky-high. We couldn''t even snag any! Please give me one, Ms. Gray!¡± a man said to Sabrina excitedly. ¡°We were glued to ourputersst night, but the tickets were snapped up in the blink of an eye!¡± ¡°There are many of us, but I only have two tickets here.¡± Sabrina then proposed with a smile, ¡°How about having apetition?¡± ¡°How do we do that?¡± ¡°Yes, exactly!¡± Sabrina smiled slightly, radiating an inexplicable sense of superiority. ¡°How about this? We''ll have a boxing match, and whoever is strongest gets the ticket.¡± ¡°Boxing? Then, we need to go to the training ground!¡± ¡°Come, let''s go! We''re off to the training ground.¡± Ss did not want to fawn over Sabrina like everyone else, for thetter''s attitude toward Ashlyn a few days ago perturbed him greatly. Thus, with an indifferent expression, he said without much interest, ¡°Forget it. You guys can go ahead. I''ll pass.¡± Upon hearing Ss'' ungrateful and unsupportive remark, Sabrina was abruptly irked. ¡°If you''re not going, Ss, it so happens that the grass in the yard has grown too long. Could you please mow it?¡± ¡°Ms. Gray, I''m a technician, not a gardener. How could you ask me to mow thewn?¡± Hearing that, Ss looked at Sabrina in shock. ¡°Everyone has gone to the training ground while you''re just idling around. What''s wrong with mowing thewn? You''re doing it for the benefit of everyone, making a sacrifice for us all. Who wouldn''t praise you for it? You can''t be so stagnated in your thinking. You need to have a spirit of dedication, you know?¡± Ss felt that his worldview had been totally shattered by the woman. Is she upset because she has to help at the cafeteria, thus wanting to see the whole world suffer with her? Chapter 1119 Chapter 1119 Chapter 1119 Extraordinary Arrogance The Grays of Jadeborough were merely a third-rate family, skirting the fringes of the city''s upper echelon. Looking back over the past few decades, they had never produced anyone of significant ability. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . However, starting from this generation and thest, there emerged Yvette Gray, who had quite a knack forputers and held a high-ranking position in Magnecal Tech. Later, Yvette personally trained Sabrina, who then became a team leader in Section Six. The world was now in the information age, but the development ofputers in this country had begun muchterpared to foreign countries, and the nation didn''t have as many outstanding achievers in the field. Therefore, talents in the tech industry were generally the focus ofpetition among major powers. When Sabrina passed the exam for Section Six two years ago, it was a shock to many people, and she became slightly well-known. After all, Section Six was a very mysterious entity filled with top-notch talents who worked with the nation. Many were aware of the existence of the organization, but no one seemed to be able to figure out who its mastermind was. Hence, Sabrina had always been aware of her own abilities, including the fact that she was very beautiful. Her arrogance was truly extraordinary. Given that there were so few girls with a talent forputers, her status in Section Six soared as a result. Who wouldn''t give her a second nce? Ss clearly understood the woman''s usual demeanor too. A few days ago, Ashlyn had resolved the matter regarding the defense system, and that probably infuriated Sabrina to no end. Thus, he could tell that thetter was clearly using these two tickets to recapture everyone''s gazes. She wanted to be the center of attention again. Those who wanted to be involved with Section Six continued to tter her and fawn over her. However, he refused. He just didn''t like Sabrina''s sense of superiority and self-important attitude. Therefore, no matter what Sabrina said, he didn''t want to get involved. Unfortunately, Sabrina was their team leader. ¡°Go ahead and mow thewn, then. You''re a guy, so you shouldn''t have a problem working under the sun.¡± ¡°Yeah! We''ll have one lesspetitor if you don''t go, anyway,¡± a few colleagues chimed in,ughing. Ss gritted his teeth. ¡°Fine! So be it.¡± It''s no big deal. With that, he walked out of the office. ¡°Thepetition has finally begun.¡± Ashlyn was all snugged up on the sofa, holding a cup of lemon tea. She would asionally take a sip before reaching for some popcorn. Suddenly, she felt as though she were watching a movie at the theater. But I don''t think I''ve ever done that. ¡°Have you ever watched a movie at the theater?¡± she asked, giving Lucas'' foot a light kick as the whimsical thought crossed her mind. The man stilled briefly. ¡°No.¡± They had never done the things that seemedmonce for ordinary couples and married households. A yful glint shed in Ashlyn''s eyes. ¡°How about we go watch a movie one day?¡± The man curled his lips. ¡°Let''s do that.¡± Just then, the excited voices of twomentators came from the television. ¡°First blood! Trevor has directly taken first blood in just three minutes!¡± ¡°He came up and went at it right away! The support was really strong too, and Sonia''s attack sure helped!¡± ¡°What a great start!¡± ¡°Pretty good! Okay, the opposing ADC has respawned and returned to the bottomne.¡± Ashlyn watched with great interest. Sometimes, Lucas would join in for a game or two, but he generally didn''t have much time. He would only y when he had plenty of free time, but he didn''t expect Ashlyn to be this engrossed. He subtly raised an eyebrow. Then, the woman next to him remarked coolly, ¡°My prediction? With that positioning... there''s no way to dodge.¡± Right then, the television screen showed Trevor''s support being dragged away by the opposing team''s support robot. Her prediction was spot on. ¡°Their ultimates are still on cooldown, so they can''t force a team fight right now.¡± As soon as she said that, the scene on the television changed to Trevor falling to the ground, followed by the support and midner. The topner and jungler narrowly escaped too. Lucas was speechless. ¡°M-Ms. Berry, how are you able to analyze the game better than thementators?¡± Chapter 1120 Chapter 1120 Chapter 1120 Generous Ashlyn Just then, an abrupt sound suddenly came from the edge of the window. Both Ashlyn and Lucas looked over at the same time, only to see Ss carrying awnmower, mowing the grass by the window while craning his neck to watch the game on television. Ms. Berry''s amazing! She predicted everything urately. It''s like she''s some sort of secret game master. ¡°Hmm, it''s nothing worth mentioning, really. You just get the hang of it after watching enough matches,¡± Ashlyn replied ndly. Lucas nced at Ss with displeasure. ¡°Why are you cutting grass instead of doing your actual job?¡± Why hire gardeners and craftsmen if someone from the tech department is going to mow thewn? That''s not his job. Feeling aggrieved, Ss exined the situation about Sabrina having tickets. He wasn''t trying to tattle; he just felt a little upset. It was one thing for Sabrina to pick on him at work, but if Lucas were to assume he was neglecting his duties, things would be even worse for him. Arching a brow, Ashlyn put down her popcorn and walked to the window leisurely. Then, she pulled out two tickets and handed them to Ss. ¡°I just so happen to have two tickets. You can have them.¡± Ss stared at the tickets in astoundment. These... These are for the finals! Sabrina''s tickets are only for the group matches. I can''t believe it. Ms. Berry is so kind! She just gave me two tickets that I never would''ve gotten my hands on, no matter how hard I tried. And the seats are in a really good location in Section A! The auditorium was divided into four sections: A, B, C, and D. Section A had the best seats in the house. Tickets for regr seats were already hard toe by, but the ones for Section A were even rarer and, not to mention, so much more expensive! You may not get to buy these tickets even if you can afford them. With trembling hands, Ss epted the two tickets, his face lighting up as if he had just received a precious gem. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Berry!¡± he eximed. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Ashlyn smiled. ¡°It''s just two tickets.¡± Ss didn''t know how he even managed to return to his office with a bewildered look and a silly smile on his face. At this moment, all those colleagues who had been fighting tooth and nail for two group match tickets also returned, utterly drenched in sweat. The colleague who had secured two group match tickets boasted to Ss, ¡°Look! These tickets are ours now!¡± ¡°By the way, Ss, have you finished mowing thewn?¡± Ss casually waved his tickets at them. ¡°Oh, I''ve got tickets too.¡± ¡°The day you get tickets would be when the sun rises from the west!¡± someone mocked him. ¡°My tickets are real,¡± Ss scoffed, rolling his eyes. ¡°Come see them for yourself if you don''t believe me.¡± Immediately, a few colleagues gathered around. Upon noticing that the tickets in his hand were for the finals, the two colleagues ted to watch the group matches suddenly found their own tickets less appealing. ¡°Where did you get them from?¡± ¡°Did you get them from mowing thewn?¡± ¡°Tell us, Ss!¡± ¡°Ms. Berry gave them to me,¡± Ss admitted, feeling slightly embarrassed. He usually had a good rtionship with a colleague named Andy Weston, so he gave one of his tickets to him. ¡°Let''s watch the match together.¡± Andy felt as though he had just hit the jackpot. ¡°Are you really giving this to me?¡± ¡°Who else would I give it to if not you?¡± Ss grinned so hard that he couldn''t close his mouth. At that very moment, Sabrina also arrived at the office, taking in the whole scene. A look of disdain shed in her eyes. ¡°Gee, I wonder how some people got their tickets! Mine were given to me by Brianna Jackovich, my best friend and also the number one socialite in Maredania! She''s also rumored to be Trevor Oates'' girlfriend.¡± ¡°Why don''t you ask Ms. Jackovich for two more tickets for the finals, Ms. Gray?¡± Ss suggested deliberately. ¡°There shouldn''t be a problem, right?¡± Sabrina''s face clouded over in an instant. It was true that she and Brianna were best friends, but thetter considered herself the top socialite of Maredania and someone of noble status, so she always felt she was better than everyone else. Sabrina would pretend that everything was fine and dandy, but in reality, her rtionship with Brianna was nothing more than a facade. In fact, Brianna had given her these two tickets as though they were mere trash. Chapter 1121 Chapter 1121 Chapter 1121 Ruthless And Full Of Schemes Sabrina found it a bit difficult to swallow her pride and ask Brianna for more tickets. The thought of Brianna trampling all over her dignity and belittling her made her wince inside. Yet, now that Ss had made such a suggestion, she just couldn''t say no for her own reputation. With some reluctance, she bit the bullet andmented, ¡°It''s just some tickets to the finals, right? My best friend is really close to Trevor, so getting a few tickets isn''t going to be a problem at all. But, whoever wants them will have to agree to be my servant for a month. Your duties will include serving me tea, doing myundry, and cooking for me.¡± The room fell into silence at those words. There were hardly any female employees in the technical department, so Sabrina was often treated like a princess. Everyone also willingly doted on her because of her good looks. However, she seemed to have gone too far this time. We''re her colleagues, not her toys! ¡°A servant for a whole month? Isn''t that too much?¡± ¡°Well, Ms. Berry never asked for anything in return when she gave me these tickets,¡± Ss remarked, flicking his own tickets. ¡°She just gave them to me like that. People sure are different, huh?¡± Hearing that, the previously silent colleagues couldn''t help but speak up. ¡°Hey, Ss, you and Ms. Berry are pretty close, right? How about you ask her if she has any more tickets?¡± They were filled with regret now. Why hadn''t they apanied Ashlyn on that stroll back then? They would''ve never turned her down had they known she had tickets. Ss had to be the luckiest man on earth now. ¡°Sorry, I''m not sure if that''s possible...¡± Ss scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°Maybe... Maybe I can try asking her again.¡± Sabrina''s fury intensified as she heard that. Suppressing the raging fire within her, she finally decided to phone Brianna in front of everyone. ¡°Hey, Brianna!¡± ¡°What''s up?¡± Brianna responded warily while walking along the hallway, having just left the office. Chloe''s temper had worsened ever since she was humiliated by Ashlyn, resulting in all the medical assistants feeling miserable. Due to that, they would often approach Brianna first for any matter, asking her tomunicate with Chloe on their behalf. That thoroughly exhausted her. While she enjoyed being put on a pedestal by these assistants, she was also extremely worn out from that. ¡°Could you possibly get me a few tickets to the finals? You know, all of us at the tech department love watching the games,¡± Sabrina requested candidly. Brianna was instantly ticked off upon realizing that all Sabrina wanted was a few tickets. ¡°You''re calling me just to ask for tickets? Don''t you have anything better to do, Sabrina? But fine, it''s just a few tickets. I''ll ask Trevor if he has any more. If he does, I''ll have them delivered to you; if he doesn''t, then too bad.¡± Then, she hung up,posed herself, and dialed Trevor''s number. ¡°Hey, Trevor! My friend wants some tickets for the finals. Could you give me two of them?¡± Brianna began gently. ¡°Tickets are really hard toe by these days, after all, and I know it''s not exactly right of me to make such a request... but you know, we''re all friends...¡± Trevor had just finished his match, narrowly securing a two-out-of-three victory in the best of three rounds. He let out a long sigh. This match was far from easy, and winning it was no small feat. He was under a great deal of pressure. ¡°I only have one left here that I can give away, but that''s really all I''ve got. A lot of people have been asking me for tickets when our team was never given that many in the first ce,¡± Trevor responded lightly. ¡°They''re almost all gone.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He didn''t want to get on Brianna''s bad side, but he had no intention of getting too involved with her either. This woman was always ruthless and full of schemes. He didn''t want to cross her. Upon hearing that, Brianna nodded. ¡°Okay! I''ll go get them from you.¡± ¡°It''s fine. I''m still busy, so I''ll pass them to our manager, and he''ll give them to you.¡± Then, Trevor hung up right after. Chapter 1122 Chapter 1122 Chapter 1122 What If It Were Ashlyn Instead Brianna was so livid that she clenched her teeth. ¡°Why''d he have to hang up so quickly? Would it kill him to talk to me a little longer?¡± Once again, the image of Trevor enthusiastically nodding and bowing to Ashlyn shed before her eyes. Rage swirled within her entire body at the thought. I don''t care if you don''t want me around. I''m heading over. After hanging up the phone, Brianna went straight to the underground garage and drove off in her Porsche, heading toward Aviary Arena. Half an hourter, the car pulled up at the arena entrance. She then got out of the car, took off her whiteb coat, and tossed it onto the seat casually. After shing her pass, she walked along the long hallway and stepped into the elevator before making her way straight to each team''s training grounds. Trevor was part of a team called LP, so the woman followed the signs all the way to Team LP''s lounge before gently knocking on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± a man''s voice rang from inside. Brianna pushed the door open, only to see several team members chatting with the coach while watching a rey of theirst match. They were drawing from their experiences to make all the necessary improvements. Upon hearing the sound of high heels, everyone turned to look at Brianna. Trevor froze momentarily before gazing at her. ¡°How did you get in?¡± Brianna casually waved her staff pass at him. ¡°It''s just a matter of getting a pass.¡± Trevor shot his coach a nce before rising to his feet. ¡°Come with me.¡± He stepped out of the room, with Brianna following after him. ¡°Where are the tickets? What''s wrong? Are you upset to see me?¡± she asked. With a flirtatious expression, she yfully ran her fingers through her long hair, the faint scent of her shampoo lingering in the atmosphere. Trevor began to feel agitated, but he suppressed his emotions and answered expressionlessly, ¡°I''m really busy with the games, Ms. Jackovich. I don''t have time to entertain you, so now that you''re here, you can either watch the match or just wander around nearby¡ªbut please don''t bother me, okay?¡± Feeling at his wit''s end, the young man pulled out two tickets. ¡°I got you another ticket from my colleague. These are both for you.¡± Just don''te looking for me anymore. It''s driving me crazy! I''m not into you at all, so why are you constantly trying to be around me? Despite those internal screams, Trevor''s expression remained aloof. Brianna immediately felt a pang in her heart; it hurt and made her ufortable. Don''t you know how lucky you are to have a top socialite like me to even fall for an e-sports yer like you? You ingrate! What does Ashlyn have that I don''t? Is she as influential as I am? Turned pale with anger, she took the two tickets while struggling to hold back the resentful look on her face. ¡°Would you have behaved the same way if Ashlyn were toe over instead?¡± A look of disbelief crossed Trevor''s handsome, usually-cheery face as he nced at her. ¡°Can you evenpare yourself to her?¡± Brianna was appalled in an instant. ¡°I''m the number one socialite in Maredania! What the hell is she compared to me? You''d better not cross the line, Trevor!¡± ¡°She''s my boss. Everything I have today is all thanks to her.¡± Trevor frowned while ring at the exasperated-looking woman. ¡°So, if I ever hear you talk smack about her again, don''t me me for not you any mercy.¡± With that, he turned around with an upright posture and left. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Are you trying to win the championship for that b*tch too? Everything you do, you do for her. What am I to you, then? Well, fine! Since you want to win so badly for her, I won''t hold back anymore. Meanwhile, Sabrina gripped her fists while waiting for Brianna. Despite her long nails digging deep into her palms, she seemed to feel nothing at all. She had a nagging suspicion in her heart. Did Brianna not manage to get the tickets? But it''s not like I can rush her. She''s going to go off at me if I p*ss her off again. Not daring to incur Brianna''s wrath again, Sabrina could do nothing but wait. She finally received a local express delivery near the end of the day, and after signing for her parcel, she opened it up to find two tickets inside. Chapter 1123 Chapter 1123 Chapter 1123 A Signed Keyboard She instantly felt a surge of excitement, cheerfully holding her ticket as she stepped out of her private office and into themunal workspace. ¡°Oh dear! My tickets have arrived. Are you sure you don''t want to be my servants? If you be my servant, the tickets are yours!¡± The employees in the office all looked at her withplex expressions. Even though they usually tter her, it doesn''t mean they would sacrifice their self-respect for a ticket. So, they all felt somewhat ufortable with Sabrina''s excessive demands. People can only interact with each other more pleasantly when we all treat each other equally and with respect. Hence, why s Sabrina doing this? Just then, a young man from the LP Team appeared at the office door and knocked on the door gently. ¡°Excuse me... Is Mr. Xanthos in?¡± Surprised, Ss walked over and said, ¡°That''s me.¡± Ss looked at the young man dressed in the LP Team uniform in bewilderment. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Oh. I''m from the logistics team of LP Team. Here''s a team-signed keyboard and some merchandise for you. We heard you''re a fan of our team, so we decided to send you a gift set. We hope you''ll like it.¡± With a cheerful grin, the young boy handed over a beautifully wrappedrge gift box to Ss. Ss was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Why did you suddenly send me such a generous gift? A signed keyboard? Does that mean I''ll be using the same keyboard as Trevor from now on?¡± Ssughed heartily, brimming with joy. The young man also began tough. ¡°Yes.¡± Right then, an employee couldn''t help but ask, ¡°Hey, why are you giving it to him? Why not give it to us?¡± ¡°Oh. This was sent by Trevor. I''m not really sure about the details,¡± the young man replied nonchntly, then turned and walked away. Ss was about to ask Ashlyn if the matter had anything to do with her. However, an employee suddenly said, ¡°Ms. Gray, did Ms. Jackovich, your best friend, send this through Trevor after you spoke to her? Ms. Gray, aren''t you being a bit unfair? Why did you only give to Ss alone? Could it be because Ss did a great job mowing thewn?¡± To Sabrina''s surprise, Ss received a keyboard peripheral gift package personally delivered by Trevor. I don''t recall Brianna mentioning this! However, given the familiarity between Brianna and Trevor, it should be a piece of cake for her to ask Trevor for a gift package. Honestly, Brianna is such a good friend. Although she says harsh words, her actions are sincere. With that thought, Sabrina suddenly felt a surge of confidence and couldn''t help butugh joyfully. In a sheepish and modest tone, she said, ¡°Ss, I''m d you''re happy. It wasn''t hard to get you the gift package because Brianna and Trevor were close! In fact, I''ve heard that the illness of the Old Mr. Oates has always been managed by Brianna and her mentor, Chloe. Their rtionship is very solid!¡± Despite her tone, Sabrina was absolutely delighted. She felt she was the center of attention, and that was exactly the feeling she was after. Sure enough, a few employees began to envy her. ¡°Ms. Gray, don''t just favor Ss alone!¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Exactly! You should also pamper us!¡± ¡°We also want the team''s gift pack!¡± Ss felt that something was off. Sabrina has always been against me. Why is she suddenly so kind to me? How is this possible? Just as Ss was about to call Ashlyn, Lucas suddenly walked in alongside Ashlyn. Hearing the livelymotion in the office, Lucas''s swept a cold nce at everyone and asked, ¡°What''s going on?¡± ¡°Well, Ss received a signed keyboard gift package from the LP Team. We''re all envious!¡± a male employee uttered softly. Upon seeing Ashlyn enter, Sabrina stepped forward and ruffled her hair. Sabrina then asked Lucas, ¡°Mr. Nn, would you like one as well? If you want, I can have my best friend bring another set over. I remember you used to y Heroes'' League when you had some free time.¡± Chapter 1124 Chapter 1124 Chapter 1124 Humiliated As she spoke, she provocatively swept her gaze towards Ashlyn. Ashlyn nced at her expressionlessly, then looked at Lucas. ¡°Do you want it?¡± I''m not a fan of celebrities or gaming teams. Why would I want their merchandise? Lucas was baffled. ¡°No.¡± Ashlyn ignored Lucas and whipped out five to six admission tickets before handing them to Ss. ¡°Here are the tickets you wanted.¡± At that point, Ss''s hands were trembling. I was merely trying my luck when called Ashlyn and told her my colleagues also wanted to watch the finals. Who would''ve thought that Ashlyn would actually deliver the tickets herself? Also, She''s giving me so many tickets! Ss sized up the admission tickets and realized the ticket numbers were in sequence. This means that all our seats are in Zone A, and we''ll all sit next to each other. Uh... Isn''t this just too much? She''s giving me so many of these seats at once! Everyone was also bbergasted! Sabrina''s face instantly burned with embarrassment. Where on earth did Ashlyn get so many tickets from? And why is she giving them away as if they don''t cost anything? It must have been Lucas who helped her out. Otherwise, how could she have managed it on her own? Sabrina was somewhat flustered and annoyed, with a hint of embarrassment on her face. There was also a hint of jealousy. Ashlyn is nothing but a flirty woman who''s good at seducing men! She''s absolutely despicable! Sabrina was enraged when she heard Ashlyn ask everyone, ¡°Do you all like the keyboard gift set?¡± Although the employees didn''t know why Ashlyn was asking that, they couldn''t help but respond, ¡°Yes! It''s signed, isn''t it?¡± ¡°It''s the same model as the team''s, and there''s also some merchandise!¡± Ashlyn nodded, took out her phone, and dialed a number. ¡°Send over a few more autographed keyboard gift sets.¡± Trevor''s voice from the other end of the call was quite loud, emanating clearly from the phone speaker for everyone to hear. ¡°Boss, what''s the matter? Is one not enough? How about I send over ten more?¡± Trevor asked. ¡°Mmph. The one you sent over was just for one person.¡± Ashlyn''s voice remained indifferent when she added, ¡°Do you have any more tickets? The dozens you gave me are almost gone. I gave a few to Spencer, a few more to Ss, and even a few to Jared. I don''t have many of the tickets left.¡± Everyone listened to her conversation with Trevor and stared at her in shock. Dozens? Given away? Is one not enough? Ten more? Doesn''t that mean the gift for Ss was also from Ashlyn? Doesn''t that mean Ashlyn and Trevor are close? Thrilled, Ss asked Ashlyn, ¡°Ms. Berry, did you ask Trevor to give me this gift set?¡± Ashlyn, who had just hung up the phone, nodded. ¡°Yes. What''s up?¡± As soon as those words fell, the atmosphere in the entire office became extremely awkward. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Sabrina stood there, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. What? That gift set was actually arranged by Ashlyn, not Brianna? D*mn it! Which idiot mentioned Brianna''s involvement just now? I''m humiliated! Sabrina was infuriated. I just had to embarrass myself in front of Lucas... F*ck! As Ss unwrapped the gift, he told Ashlyn, ¡°Well, someone here thought she was the one who sent it. That person even acted smugly about it just now.¡± Ashlyn''s demeanor remained subtly aloof. ¡°This is a limited edition gift set, and the keyboard is very user-friendly. It''s a special model from Magnecal Tech. Therefore, it''s not avable in the market. It was made exclusively for the LP Team.¡± ¡°Are you saying that we''ll all be using a limited edition keyboard that isn''t avable on the market?¡± One of the employees was stunned. It was then that everyone remembered that Ashlyn was the legendary figure, Cornelius, in Magnecal Tech. It''s normal for a big shot like Cornelius to know the star in e-sports! After all, they are using keyboards Magnecal Tech had made exclusively for them. Sabrina was utterly embarrassed. As a matter of fact, she felt as though she was constantly getting belittled by Ashlyn. Sabrina was so furious that she almost passed out. How could this happen? Why did things turn out this way? It''s all because of that d*mned Ashlyn! If not for her, my tickets would be exclusive, and everyone would fawn over me! Now, those who were just fawning over me are all pretending as though they don''t know me. This is all happening because of Ashlyn. Chapter 1125 Chapter 1125 Chapter 1125 Movie Ss then gazed at Sabrina mockingly. ¡°Ms. Gray, in the future, it''s better to understand the situation before admitting to it. Otherwise, it can be quite a p in the face.¡± Sabrina''s face was as pale as a sheet, tinged with a hint of lividness. Today, I''m utterly humiliated by Ashlyn. To make matters worse, Ss isughing at me! Sabrina was enraged. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. However, she took a deep breath and squeezed out a smile. ¡°How can you say that? It''s just a misunderstanding. That''s all.¡± Ss also smiled. ¡°Ms. Gray, you really know how to save yourself from embarrassment.¡± Ashlyn had no interest in watching their verbal spar. ¡°I''ll take my leave first.¡± Lucas gently wrapped his arm around her slender waist. ¡°Let''s go. The movie is about to start.¡± Movie? Upon hearing his words, almost everyone present was stunned. Does Mr. Nn, a workaholic, actually go to the cinema to watch movies? Is there some kind of mistake? Ashlyn nodded. ¡°I''m not sure if the movie is going to be good or not.¡± ¡°If you think it''ll be too noisy, I can book the whole ce. What do you think?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°Let''s not do that. Watching a movie is truly meaningful only when we watch it together with everyone,¡± Ashlyn replied. ¡°Let''s go.¡± Everyone listened as the voices of the two gradually faded into the distance. Sabrina was so furious that her eyes were bulging, almost popping out of their sockets. Is Mr. Nn actually going to the cinema to watch a movie with that woman? Is Mr. Nn really doing such a petty thing with her? Isn''t the private cinema in Section Six amazing? The car smoothly pulled into the underground parking lot of the movie theater. The three of them took the elevator straight to the fifth floor. Spencer didn''t want to be a third wheel, so he went to another venue. The two of them were seated at the front. Ashlyn was on the right side of Lucas, offering him the popcorn she held in her hands. Without any hesitation, Lucas declined. Ashlyn thought popcorn was pretty good because it was part of the fun of watching a movie. The movie was about to start, and the lights in the cinema hall went out, plunging the room into instant darkness. Immediately after, a very eerie sound of strong wind began to howl. Ashlyn almost choked on her popcorn. Somewhat speechless, she turned to the man next to her and asked, ¡°What movie tickets did you buy?¡± Lucas remained very calm. ¡°It''s the highest-grossing and best-selling.¡± Ashlyn felt that something was amiss. Next, there was a knock at the door, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps running. No actors were present, just an endless corridor and the sound of frantic footsteps. Apanied by a thunderous noise, a blood-soaked skull suddenly smashed into therge screen. Ashlyn finally understood what was going on. This man had brought me to watch a horror movie! Several loud screams echoed around, primarilying from the female spectators. ¡°D-Do you actually enjoy watching horror movies?¡± she asked. Lucas looked at her. ¡°I thought you liked it.¡± Who the hell likes it? Ashlyn was speechless. ¡°I really want to watch a romance movie.¡± Lucas reached out and embraced her. ¡°It''s okay. Horror movies are great too. They can enhance the bond between couples.¡± ¡°This isn''tfortable. It''s affecting my movie-watching experience.¡± Ashlyn gave him a shove. T-This ispletely different from what I imagined! Spencer clearly checked on Google, and it said if you take your girlfriend to watch a horror movie, she will snuggle up to you like a little bird seeking comfort. When that happens, it''s time to show off your skills as a boyfriend. I was supposed to figure out how to embrace andfort her. How am I supposed to do that now? Lucas was puzzled. Lucas saw his wife engrossed in watching something, asionallymenting, ¡°The position of the neck in this death scene is incorrect. In such a situation, the neck should be twisted in the opposite direction. This director really doesn''t understand human anatomy. This blood is so fake. It''s obviously just raspberries thrown in, not sma at all! Even red dye would have been better!¡± Chapter 1126 Chapter 1126 Chapter 1126 Lecture Ashlyn grabbed another handful of popcorn and threw it into her mouth. Taking a sip of milk tea, she scoffed. ¡°Ghosts? Ridiculous! Even a fool could figure out the principle! The reason why a face appears in mid-air in this photo is due to the camera''s image quality, the angle of light, the camera''s parameter settings, and the instantaneous imaging at the time of taking the photo. If these factors ovep, it''s even easier to create a significant difference between the image in the photo and reality.¡± What? The exnation seems a bit too technical, doesn''t it? Lucas was rendered speechless. The audience around, who were initially quite scared while watching the movie, no longer found the movie frightening. Instead, they wanted to keep listening to Ashlyn''s exnation. When another gory scene appeared, a girl sitting behind Ashlyn, her voiceced with subtle admiration, asked, ¡°Hey, beautifuldy in front, is the way this person died also incorrect?¡± The random girl''s fervent thirst for knowledge and the admiration in the tone caused a sudden stiffness in Lucas''s face. How did Honey manage to gain fans while we were just watching a movie? Ashlyn raised an eyebrow and replied coldly, ¡°This time, the death wasn''t too bad. No issues at all.¡± ¡°Has the director finally gotten it right with the death scene?¡± a random man asked. ¡°Mmph.¡± Ashlyn nodded. The movie ended, and everyone was exiting the theater. Several girls rushed toward Ashlyn and blocked her way. Upon clearly seeing the man and woman in front of them, the girls couldn''t help but gasp in surprise. What a handsome man! What a beautiful woman! They didn''t expect the two people sitting in the front row to be so attractive. Apart from the girls, the audience in the cinema hall just now was also very curious about the couple, so they were all looking at the couple in unison. They were all surprised when they saw Lucas and Ashlyn. Ashlyn lowered her gaze toward the few girls standing before her. ¡°What''s up? Is there something you need?¡± A few young girls, their faces flushed red, were surprisingly shy to speak. A middle-aged woman standing not too far away came over with a smile. ¡°B-Beautifuldy, may I ask what are you majoring in? How do you know so much about body structure?¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. ¡°Oh. I''m a doctor.¡± Ashlyn''s voice lightly lifted. ¡°Okay. I''m a professor at Jadeborough Medical School, and I brought my students to watch a movie today. We heard that this film features many technical knowledge, so we wanted to check it out. I didn''t expect to run into you.¡± The middle-aged woman continued to smile, her demeanor gentle and elegant. ¡°Are they all your students?¡± Ashlyn asked, looking at the blushing young girls. ¡°Yes. They would like to invite you to give a lecture. Do you have the time?¡± The middle-aged woman said as she pulled out a business card and handed it to Ashlyn with both hands. ¡°This is my business card.¡± Ashlyn reached out to take it and saw the name card disyed: Larissa Scott, Anatomy Professor at Jadeborough Medical School. Spencer stepped out from the cinema hall and saw this scene unfold. His curiosity was piqued, so he craned his neck for a peek. Upon seeing the words on the card, he nced again at the group of girls not too far away. A twitch involuntarily tugged at the corner of his eye. Are all the girls these days this wild? Do they all love studying anatomy? What a gory profession! Afterward, he heard Ashlyn chuckling. ¡°Professor Scott, I''m not particrly interested in giving them a lecture, but I can treat everyone to a cup of milk tea to calm the nerves.¡± Her gaze swept over everyone. ¡°Are you still afraid now?¡± A tall girl asked softly, ¡°Are you unwilling to teach us? We''re really looking forward to hearing you speak.¡± She held up her phone to Ashlyn, disying a WhatsApp group chat interface where new texts were popping up continuously. Wow! Such a beautifuldy, and her professional skills are top-notch! I need to see her! We must invite her over! Ah! I want to see her! I''ve fallen in love with her! Chapter 1127 Chapter 1127 Chapter 1127 Gym ss You guys are so lucky to have encountered such a beautiful and incredibly professionaldy! Can any of you convince her? If not, we''ll all go and plead with her toe! The cost of her lecturees out of our ss fund! We still have five thousand in our ss fund! Ashlyn was rendered speechless when she saw that. This enthusiasm is a bit over the top, isn''t it? Lucas wrapped his arm around her waist and leaned in to lightly brush his thin lips against her ear. In a maic voice, he whispered, ¡°The children are so enthusiastic. Why don''t you give them a lecture?¡± Ashlyn gave him a helpless look. ¡°I can go, but you can''t escape either. Will you go and teach them a gym ss?¡± Lucas gave her an ambiguous nce. ¡°I get it. You want us to act as a team, don''t you?¡± Ashlyn was speechless. ¡°Behave yourself.¡± Upon hearing her agreement and the bonus of the handsome guy attending gym ss, several girls'' eyes lit up with excitement. Larissa couldn''t help butugh. ¡°Thank you both. Feel free to name your price.¡± ¡°Talking about money hurts feelings, even though we don''t really have any feelings.¡± Ashlyn''s indifferent voice rang out. ¡°This isn''t the first time I''ve lectured medical students.¡± Upon hearing this, Larissa was slightly taken aback. ¡°Uh... May I know your name?¡± ¡°You''ll find out tomorrow.¡± Ashlyn''s lips curled into a smile. ¡°I''ll be at the medical school promptly at nine in the morning.¡± ¡°Professor Scott, I feel she has such a strong aura! She''s so young, yet her professional knowledge is so extensive,¡± a female student said as she leaned toward Larissa and admired Ashlyn''s retreating figure. ¡°While watching the movie, the knowledge she disyed was impressive. You could tell she was an expert just by listening to her. There were some points that were soplex that I didn''t even understand.¡± Larissa became increasingly curious about Ashlyn. When did such a promising young woman emerge in the medical field in Jadeborough? Why haven''t I heard about her? Also, why do I find that handsome man so familiar? After leaving the cinema, it was already past nine at night. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± The deep voice of Lucas, carried by the night breeze, was particrly pleasing to the ear. Ashlyn felt a slight flutter in her heart. ¡°Let''s just grab a bite and head back.¡± ¡°Oh. Fancy some beer or barbeque?¡± No sooner had Lucas''s words fallen than a gust of cold wind swept in, carrying a faint flurry of snowkes descending from the sky. Snowkes fell like grains of sand, one by one, caught in the open palm of Ashlyn. A few snowkes fell into her palm, instantly melting into water. ¡°Let''s go. It''s cold out here. A bit of berry sounds nice.¡± Ashlyn nodded, climbing into the car. ¡°The northern region really gets cold in winter, and there''s a lot of snow.¡± Spencer started the car. ¡°When I was a kid, I used to love snuggling into my dad''s arms as soon as winter came. I would also run out to y snowball fights and build snowmen with the other kids in the courtyard. But after moving to Lake City, I rarely saw snow.¡± ¡°While watching the movie, the knowledge she disyed was impressive. You could tell she was an expert just by listening to her. There were some points that were soplex that I didn''t even understand.¡± Larissa became increasingly curious about Ashlyn. When did such a promising young woman emerge in the medical field in Jadeborough? Why haven''t I heard about her? Also, why do I find that handsome man so familiar? ¡°Have you not gone back to the White residence after you came to Jadeborough?¡± Ashlyn sat behind, lazily propping up her chin, her almond eyes coolly watching the snowkes drifting outside the window. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. The man driving in front was momentarily taken aback, and after a while, he finally said, ¡°I''m not going back.¡± ¡°Christmas is almost here, and New Year''s Day follows right after. The New Year is just around the corner.¡± Ashlyn curved her lips to smile. ¡°Your mom must miss you a lot.¡± Spencer remained silent, for some reason thinking of Christmas made him recall Cassandra. Upon hearing Ashlyn''s words, Lucas realized that, indeed, Christmas was just around the corner. A glint of sharpness shed through the man''s eyes. At this very moment, Cassandra, who was sitting on the airne, sneezed. She touched her nose, wondering what was going on. Who had scolded me? I haven''t even arrived in Jadeborough yet. Have I already caught a cold from the chill? After disembarking from the ne, Cassandra pulled her suitcase along, following the crowd out of the terminal, and then made her way to the airport entrance. She hailed a cab, gave the driver the address that Ashlyn had given her, and as she watched the scenery whizzing by outside the window, she felt a slight sense of drowsiness. Chapter 1128 Chapter 1128 Chapter 1128 y Dolls As soon as Spencer, Lucas, and Ashlyn finished their meal and returned to Section Six, they saw a taxi coming to a halt before them. Next, they saw Cassandra getting out of the car. As the driver was about to get out of the car to help her with her luggage, everyone saw the youngdy confidently lift her own suitcase. She shed a grin at the driver, saying, ¡°I can handle it myself.¡± Spencer was taken aback. How did Cassandra get here? H-How did she end up here? Ashlyn got out of the car and went straight to Cassandra. ¡°The ne is right on time. Let''s go.¡± Cassandra greeted with a cheerful grin. ¡°Boss, it''s been a while.¡± Ashlyn raised an eyebrow. ¡°It hasn''t been that long.¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Spencer drove into Section Six, and his heart pounded wildly. He steadied his breath before stepping into the grand hall. There, he saw Cassandra pulling one beautifully wrapped gift box after another out of her suitcase. ¡°This one''s for you, Boss. This one''s for Mr. Nn. This one''s for...¡± Cassandra swept her gaze across the hall andnded on Spencer, who had just stepped in. ¡°This is for you, Woody.¡± W-Woody? Why did she call me that? Spencer was baffled. ¡°These two are for Mr. Joseph and Lottie. Aren''t they at Section Six?¡± Cassandra asked Ashlyn in confusion. ¡°No. They are staying in a hotel.¡± Ashlyn curled her lips. ¡°You said you were going to a training camp. You''ve seen me now, so when are you going back?¡± ¡°The Winter Games are about to begin with the training camp located near the event venue.¡± Cassandra sighed and continued, ¡°It''s so annoying. I''m even considering retirement.¡± ¡°Do it, then. It''s not like you won''t have anything to do after you retire,¡± Ashlyn saidnguidly. ¡°I just don''t know if the state team will be willing to let you go.¡± Spencer held his gift in his hands. Although the gift box was light, it felt as heavy as a truck. He took a deep breath and opened it to find a little y figure inside. The tiny y figure was strikingly simr to him, whether in expression or attire. Even the gestures were simr. Besides, it seemed like the action took ce in the disaster area. At that time, he was holding a shovel in his hand and digging through the mud. Spencer was rendered speechless. Must it be that action? I don''t even know if I shouldugh or cry. Spencer then saw that Lucas had also opened his own box, and it seemed to contain a y figure as well. Originally, Spencer was quite touched because he thought Cassandra made a y figure for him. When he saw that Ashlyn''s and Lucas'' gift boxes also contained y figurines... He knew Joseph and Charlotte were also receiving the same gifts. These y figures are mass-produced, huh? What else sets them apart from the differences in size and shape? ¡°The Winter Games are about to begin with the training camp located near the event venue.¡± Cassandra sighed and continued, ¡°It''s so annoying. I''m even considering retirement.¡± There and then, Spencer''s heart broke. Ashlyn held her little y doll in her hands, looking it over from left to right. She noticed it was extremely small, even sporting a tiny bun hairstyle. No matter how she looked at it, there were some differences between the doll and her own appearance. ¡°Who is this supposed to look like?¡± Ashlyn asked. Cassandra hopped toward Ashlyn and grinned. ¡°Mmph! My goddaughter!¡± ¡°Why are you giving it to me, then?¡± Ashlyn raised an eyebrow, and there was a hint of mischief in her tone. ¡°Are you genuinely naive or just pretending to be?¡± Cassandra smirked. ¡°This is my future goddaughter, and the one in Mr. Nn''s hands is my future godson. Haha!¡± How dare she urge me to have a baby? Ashlyn''s calm face turned reddish. ¡°You''re so shameless!¡± At first, Lucas felt that the little y boy doll in his hand was somewhat out of sync with his personality. These figurines are cute! Having a son and a daughter would be nice. In fact, it would be even better if we could have a pair of twins! The more Lucas thought about it, the more he liked his gift. His gaze was burning as he stared at Ashlyn, and in a hoarse voice, he said, ¡°cing them on the shelf in our room would be nice.¡± Chapter 1129 Chapter 1129 Chapter 1129 Busy In The Kitchen Ashlyn wasn''t pleased when she saw the look in his eyes. Ugh! What kind of look is that? It makes me feel so ufortable! ¡°Yes. That sounds nice,¡± Spencer chimed in. Why is everyone urging us to be parents? Ashlyn couldn''t help rolling her eyes. If I want to get pregnant, I''ll have to get rid of the Spirogyra in my body. I don''t even know if it''ll affect a child''s growth and development. With that in mind, she nced at Lucas and saw the longing look in his eyes. She took a deep breath and said, ¡°I''m tired.¡± In the living room, Cassandra and Spencer exchanged a quiet nce, whispering to each other. ¡°Boss seems to be quite against having children.¡± ¡°Does Ms. Penelope not like babies?¡± ¡°I have no idea!¡± Cassandra pouted in frustration. Suddenly, Lucas rose to his feet, his towering figure exceptionally imposing. Spencer didn''t know if he was overthinking, but he felt a sense of loneliness emanating from Lucas'' retreating figure. Lucas walked up to the bedroom door, gently pushed it open, and saw a slender figure standing by the window, watching the snowkes outside. ¡°If you don''t want to have children, there''s no need to force it. Child-free families can be quite happy too.¡± The man''s maic voice suddenly echoed behind her. Ashlyn slightly furrowed her brows and turned to look at Lucas. She saw the tall figure of the man walking toward her with a gentle warmth spreading across his handsome face. His cool and stern brows softened with indulgence when he said, ¡°As long as you''re happy, it doesn''t matter whether we have children or not.¡± Ashlyn was confused. What on earth is this man on about? I''m just worried about the Spirogyra issue. I didn''t say I won''t give birth! Of course, having a child would be the best oue. However, what if I really can''t conceive? I''m not even sure about my own health condition. After all, Spirogyra is like a ticking time bomb. ¡°I...¡± She wanted to exin, but she didn''t know where to start. ¡°You don''t have to exin yourself. I understand everything.¡± Lucas reached out his arms and held her tightly in his embrace. The man''s broad chest carried a gentle warmth, ironing out the tension in her body. A sudden tightness gripped her heart, and she slowly closed her eyes. Outside the window, a heavy snow was falling, yet inside it was as warm as spring. Meanwhile, Cassandra and Spencer were downstairs, staring at each other unblinkingly. Needless to say, the atmosphere was inexplicably awkward. Suddenly, Cassandra''s stomach let out a rumble. While blushing, she uttered, ¡°Well, the airne food wasn''t good, so I didn''t eat. I''m a bit hungry now.¡± ¡°I-I''ll go see what''s in the kitchen,¡± Spencer said, smiling at the adorable Cassandra. Resisting the urge to reach out and pat her head, he turned and headed for the kitchen. Lucas had his own two-story mansion in Section Six, which came with a separate kitchen. His cool and stern brows softened with indulgence when he said, ¡°As long as you''re happy, it doesn''t matter whether we have children or not.¡± Even though there was a restaurant in Section Six, the fridge in the kitchen was fully stocked with all the necessary ingredients. With practiced ease, Spencer opened the refrigerator, found some lean meat, and then fetched some fresh pasta. With her little head peeking out, Cassandra stood at the door, looking into the kitchen. She saw a man with a slender figure standing in front of the cab, cutting meat. He skillfully minced the meat before he expertly fired up the stove and stir-fried it for a bit. After that, he added the seasonings. He also prepared some celery, which he chopped into small pieces. What is he cooking? Cassandra caught a whiff of the delicious aroma of the stir-fry. Hearing the rustling behind him, Spencer turned to nce at Cassandra. With a smile, he said, ¡°Come over and help me wash the vegetables.¡± ¡°Oh. All right.¡± Cassandra quickly rolled up her sleeves and rushed over, plunging the bunch of spinach into the water basin. She then went on to rub the green clean. By the time Spencer was ready to use the vegetables, he found that the vegetables were all mushed. He couldn''t help but chuckle. ¡°Why are you washing the vegetables so vigorously?¡± Cassandra''s face flushed red. She rubbed her hands together awkwardly and replied, ¡°T-This is my first time washing vegetables. I''m having a bit of trouble controlling my strength.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 1130 Chapter 1130 Chapter 1130 His First Time ¡°What a coincidence! This is also the first time in my life that I''m cooking for a girl,¡± Spencer said as he tossed the washed vegetables into the pan. Upon hearing that, for some unknown reason, Cassandra felt pampered and touched. I''m probably overthinking it... Even though the vegetables were mushed, it didn''t affect the taste of the pasta that Spencer was cooking. Shortly after, a steaming bowl of minced meat pasta was served on the table. Cassandra was impressed, and she was ready to eat with her fork. However, she realized that Spencer was still in the kitchen. Hence, she quickly put her fork aside. When Spencer came over carrying another bowl of pasta, he saw Cassandra sitting upright, waiting for him. He couldn''t help but smile when he saw that. ¡°There''s no one else here. You don''t have to wait for me.¡± Upon hearing that, Cassandra quickly picked up her fork. ¡°I''m going to start eating!¡± Her eating actions were not elegant, but they were natural. Every time Spencer thought about how Cassandra had washed the vegetables in the dish, he found the bowl of pasta exceptionally delicious. Cassandra was famished, so she was only concentrating on eating. ¡°Thank you for the little y figure you gave me. I really like it.¡± That was the first time Spencer had received a gift from a girl. Even though everyone got one, he still liked it very much. Spencer originally wanted to tell her that he wanted to return the favor, but he gave it some thought and decided not to say it. I''m not ready to say that. ¡°I''m particrly good at molding y figures. I can make one in just a few minutes,¡± Cassandra said nonchntly. ¡°Therefore, there''s no need to thank me. It''s no trouble at all.¡± ¡°What else can you do?¡± Spencer asked, a gentle warmth spreading in his eyes as he looked at her. He always found her expressions particrly lively and adorable. ¡°I know how to do a lot of things, like making sugar figures. Have you ever tried them?¡± Cassandra said with a smile. ¡°I can also make a lot of small handicrafts. They''re all pretty good.¡± ¡°When I was studying, I loved to secretly make little trinkets during ss, like tiny windmills, little cars... I can make a lot of them. I also know how to weave beautiful bracelets, the kind made with red string. I made so many back then and sold them to my ssmates.¡± ¡°Why sell it to them?¡± Spencer asked her curiously. ¡°Because it was all about making money. The boutiques sold each piece for a lot more than I charged. The ones I made were prettier, so my business was good.¡± Cassandra began to recount her glorious school days, her face glowing as she spoke. ¡°The feeling of earning my own pocket money was great. I sold off all my little y figures and my toy cars,¡± she continued. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why were you so passionate about making money?¡± Spencer frowned. Her rtionship with the Jensen family wasn''t great. Could it be that the Jensen family was mistreating her? ¡°I need to support myself. Otherwise, what would I eat or drink?¡± Cassandra gave him a look as if he was an idiot. At that time, the Jensen family didn''t provide her with living expenses. Even her tuition was paid by herself. ¡°I''m particrly good at molding y figures. I can make one in just a few minutes,¡± Cassandra said nonchntly. ¡°Therefore, there''s no need to thank me. It''s no trouble at all.¡± ¡°Didn''t your family care about you?¡± ¡°Well, no. I''m not their biological child,¡± Cassandra said with a smirk. ¡°Afterward, I joined the city team, then the state team, and made a living off the prize money from winning championships.¡± She finished her pasta and wiped her mouth. ¡°I''m so full! The food was delicious!¡± Watching her carefree demeanor, Spencer felt a slight ache in his heart. A strong desire to protect her welled up within him when he thought about the harsh treatment she received from the Jensen family. ¡°Go rest in the guest room. I''ll do the dishes,¡± he said. ¡°How could I possibly let you wash the dishes after you''ve cooked? Let me do it!¡± Cassandra quickly grabbed their bowls and headed for the kitchen. Due to her fast walking, she slipped and fell to the ground with the bowls in her hands. Both bowls were broken. Spencer couldn''t help butugh. ¡°Now, no one needs to wash up.¡± Cassandra''s face turned red as she picked herself up from the ground. ¡°I didn''t do it on purpose.¡± The man didn''t ask about the bowl. Instead, he lowered his head to ask, ¡°Did you hurt yourself when you fell?¡± Cassandra was taken aback. ¡°I''m fine... I''m fine.¡± She went to get the broom, but Spencer had already squatted down and picked up the broken pieces before throwing them into the trash can. Chapter 1131 Chapter 1131 Chapter 1131 Asset Transfer Agreement She became increasingly embarrassed. ¡°It''s just two bowls. Go get some rest now,¡± Spencer said with a smile. Cassandra''s face flushed red, and she had no choice but to turn around and drag her suitcase toward her room. However, just as she reached the corner of the staircase, she heard Spencer''s voice. ¡°Hey, wait a minute.¡± She turned around in surprise, only to see a man striding toward her. ¡°What''s the matter?¡± she asked. ¡°I just noticed that you seem to have a piece of lettuce stuck in your hair.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cassandra wrinkled her nose, about to reach up and touch her head. Then she heard the man say, ¡°Let me help you.¡± She felt the warmth of the man''s hand gently stroking her head. Is he caressing my head? Does it really take that long to pick a lettuce? Why does it feel like this man''s hand is stuck to my head? With that in mind, she couldn''t help but ask, ¡°Have you not taken it off?¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. With a faint smile, Spencer looked incredibly warm. He withdrew his hand, cing it behind his back, before finally speaking, ¡°I''ve taken it off.¡± He felt as if the soft touch of a young girl''s hair still lingered in the palm of his hand. His heart couldn''t help but race, yet he feignedposure. ¡°You should go back to your room and rest.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Cassandra always felt that something was slightly off, but she was too tired to think much about it and just went to her room. Only after she had walked away did Spencer open his palm. It was empty. There was nothing in it. In Haddock Group in Lake City, Sienna looked in disbelief at the documents in her own safe. Her safe had always been where she kept important documents or assets, and she rarely opened her safe. Also, she had always been the only one who knew the password. Why do I have so many documents in the safe? With trembling hands, she took out and opened those documents. Asset Transfer Document? All these prove that Dixon has transferred all his assets to me. So, does this mean I now own everything that was once Dixon''s? Her face turned pale, and her breaths grew ragged. That fool! Why does it have to be like this? How will he manage after giving me all his property? How could he be so foolish? Sienna clutched the handful of documents tightly to her chest, tears streaming down her cheeks. With a loud bang, the office door was kicked open. With his carefree demeanor, Hayden barged in with a group of menacing men. ¡°Sienna, I advise you to know your ce and leave the Haddock Group immediately! Otherwise, don''t me me for being harsh.¡± ¡°Fine, I''m leaving now. You don''t need to rush me. I can leave on my own.¡± When Sienna saw Hayden, she quickly hid the documents she was holding behind her back. However, Hayden had sharp eyes. He furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°What are you hiding? Bring it out!¡± ¡°Just a few insignificant documents.¡± Sienna tried to appear calm as she looked at Hayden, but inside, she was as anxious as ants on a hot pan. ¡°You don''t need to trouble yourself.¡± ¡°Really? Show it to me then.¡± Hayden was pressing hard. At that moment, an air of superiority reced his usual subservient demeanor toward Dixon. ¡°Sienna, don''t you think we know about the sneaky things between you and Dixon? Is it something that Dixon gave you?¡± Sienna gave a faint smile, clutching the documents in her hand tightly. ¡°You''re overthinking it. How could a cold-blooded and ruthless man like him have anyone in his heart?¡± ¡°If you have nothing to hide, why won''t you let me see it?¡± A sinister smile spread across Hayden''s face as he reached out toward Sienna, standing before him. Sienna swiftly stepped aside to avoid him. But at Hayden''smand, several burly men immediately charged toward Sienna. She was at a disadvantage, and she was merely a woman. After a few attempts to evade, the man quickly subdued her. With a cold chuckle, Hayden snatched the documents from her hands. He casually flipped through the pages, ¡°Tsk, tsk... Who would have thought? Dixon, a man known for his cold and ruthless demeanor, is actually quite the romantic so deeply in love. No wonder there was a huge discrepancy when I checked the ounts. All these properties and subsidiaries, he actually transferred them all to you. He did great!¡± Chapter 1132 Chapter 1132 Chapter 1132 Death Sentence With a cold and sinister gaze, Hayden looked at the struggling Sienna. ¡°I''m sorry, but these things will no longer belong to you.¡± ¡°What do you want to do? They''ve already been transferred to me. What can you possibly do?¡± Sienna said harshly, ¡°They were given to me by Dixon. You have no right to take them away!¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk... You''re really so naive!¡± Hayden nced again at the two men standing guard at the door. ¡°Bring me a pen and paper.¡± He wrote directly on Dixon''s document: I, Sienna, agree to transfer everything to Hayden Haddock. After he finished writing, he grabbed Sienna''s hand and stamped her fingerprint on the document. ¡°See? Wasn''t that easy? You can''t take away even the slightest bit from Haddock Group!¡± ¡°Hayden, you''re despicable!¡± Sienna was enraged. ¡°Those assets clearly belonged to Dixon as personal property. They had nothing to do with Haddock Group at all.¡± ¡°So what? If I say it''s mine, then it''s mine.¡± Hayden squatted down and pinched Sienna''s chin. ¡°B*tch, what else can you do apart from sleeping with Dixon?¡± Sienna''s face was as pale as a sheet of white paper. ¡°Hayden, Dixon will one daye out and avenge me!¡± Hayden''s smile grew increasingly sinister. He raised his hand and pped Sienna''s face. ¡°B*tch! Don''t you know that Dixon has been sentenced to death?¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What did you say?¡± Sienna''s heart was greatly shaken, and her chest throbbed with pain. ¡°How could this be possible?¡± Was the verdict reached so quickly? Sienna had been paying close attention all along, even going so far as to hire awyer for Dixon, despite the fact that the verdict wasn''t due until the following week. How could a verdict be reached so quickly? ¡°The higher-ups are taking this case very seriously. It''s only right that the judgement came quickly.¡± Hayden looked at herzily yet ruthlessly, pulling out his own phone and opening the news page. The headline on the front page was all about the progress in Dixon''s case. Sienna''s eyes widened as she stared intently at the phone screen. Sentenced to death? Deferred execution for two years? He''s going to die? Sienna''s heart was throbbing in pain, and it was so intense that she could barely breathe. At the same time, she was crying rivers. ¡°No... It can''t be...¡± Only at this very moment did she suddenly realize that her feelings for Dixon had deepened to an extent she herself could not have imagined. Involuntarily, her mind was filled with the countless moments she had spent with Dixon. Those past memories surfaced in her mind, ying out like a movie on repeat. He was dominant and overbearing. He was gentle and strikingly handsome. He carried a weight in his heart that others could never truly understand. Sienna was the only one who knew about it because, in the Haddock family, women held a very low status. His mother was a sacrificial offering, exchanged for the Haddock family''s supreme glory and wealth. That''s why he despised the Haddock family, and that''s why he yearned to take revenge on Arthur. She fiercely broke free from the man''s grip on her, and like a maniac, she dashed toward the door. Seeing that, Hayden immediately ordered his subordinates, ¡°What are you waiting for? Seize her!¡± Sienna''s vision was blurred, and tears continuously slid down her cheeks. Dixon, you cannot die... You cannot die... Her mind was a nk canvas, with only one thought upying it. I need to see Dixon... She rushed to the elevator, frantically pressing the button. Unfortunately for her, the elevator wasn''t responding. She immediately dashed toward the emergency exit. Just then, the men behind her also started sprinting toward her. She stared at them in fear. ¡°I''ve given you everything you wanted. What more do you want from me?¡± Hayden followed the men over. ¡°Aunt Sienna, you still have one of Dixon''s keys, don''t you? Hand over that key!¡± ¡°No. I have no idea what key you''re talking about.¡± Sienna vehemently shook her head. ¡°I don''t know anything.¡± Chapter 1133 Chapter 1133 Chapter 1133 A Glimmer Of Hope As she spoke, she dashed wildly toward the downstairs. ¡°Chase her! Don''t let her get away!¡± At Hayden''smand, the men immediately chased after Sienna. Sienna sprinted down over ten flights of stairs, finally reaching the lobby on the first floor. The men behind her were relentlessly pursuing her, but she had already pushed open the lobby door and ran out. She had just dashed out of the lobby when a car sped toward her. She was caught off guard, so she widened her eyes in surprise. A grating screech of brakes pierced the air. Sienna was struck by the car and knocked to the ground. She felt a sharp pain in her body and instinctively covered her stomach with both hands. Ouch! It hurts so much... Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Beads of sweat dripped from her forehead. She clutched her stomach in pain, curling up on the ground. ¡°Please... I beg you... Save me...¡± she begged. The driver got out of the car, anxiously and fearfully asking, ¡°Ma''am, are you all right?¡± He was just an ordinary driver, and he never expected to encounter something like this. Sienna, trembling, struggled to crawl toward the driver from the ground. A long trail of blood stained the ground between her legs, a sight that was startling to behold. ¡°Save me... Save my child...¡± With a feeble grip, she clung to the driver''s pants, her eyes filled with despair and pain as she looked at him. ¡°Save me...¡± A pang of sympathy surged within the driver. Swiftly, he scooped her up in his arms and ced her in the car. Without a moment''s dy, he started the vehicle and sped off toward the hospital. In the hospital, Sienna was immediately rushed to the emergency room. Shey dazed and in pain on the operating table, her eyes vacant as they stared at the ceiling above. My child... My child... I couldn''t keep my child safe thest time around. If I lose this child, I''ll lose the only connection with Dixon... The more she thought about it, the sadder she became, tears continuously spilling from the corners of her eyes. If Dixon is sentenced to death, I need this child to keep mepany. Otherwise, I''ll be lonely for the rest of my life. Sienna had never yearned so deeply to bear a child for Dixon. The child is his legacy... ¡°Your centa is a bit low-lying, so even without this car ident, there would have been a chance of heavy bleeding.¡± The doctor quickly approached her and said, ¡°All necessary checks have been done. Rx. If you''re anxious, it will affect the baby, even though the baby is still very small. Even as an embryo, he can sense his mother''s emotions. Rx. Only when you rx can I help you.¡± Sienna stared at the doctor in disbelief. ¡°Are you saying that I haven''t lost my child?¡± ¡°What we need to do now is to preserve the pregnancy,¡± the doctor said softly. ¡°It should be possible to save it, so I need your cooperation.¡± My child! I still have my child! In an instant, Sienna saw what seemed like a glimmer of hope in life. Wiping away her tears, she uttered, ¡°I won''t cry, I won''t cry... I''ll stop crying!¡± ¡°That''s the way it should be.¡± The doctor nodded in agreement. An hourter, a nurse wearing a medical mask emerged from the emergency room. Hayden stopped the nurse, his face filled with irritation as he stared at the emergency room door, not even bothering to look at the nurse''s face. ¡°Nurse, when will the patient inside be able toe out?¡± The nurse spoke in a hushed tone, ¡°It might take another hour or so. I''m not entirely sure.¡± ¡°So long?¡± Hayden grumbled, ¡°Is she giving birth or preventing a miscarriage? This is slower than childbirth!¡± ¡°I''m sorry, Sir. I''m not sure either,¡± the nurse said before quickly walking away. Hayden and his men had been standing guard outside the emergency room. Another hour passed as they waited. The doctors and nurses inside had all stepped out. Hayden craned his neck to take a peek inside, but he didn''t see the familiar figure he was looking for. He asked with confusion, ¡°Doctor, where''s the patient?¡± ¡°The patient? She left a while ago!¡± the doctor eximed in surprise. ¡°Her clothes were stained red with blood, so she borrowed a set of clothes from our nurse.¡± Chapter 1134 Chapter 1134 Chapter 1134 A Beautiful Lecturer D*mn it! Hayden''s expression changed instantly, and anger was written all over his face. That woman tricked me! The nurse who walked out earlier was Sienna! ¡°Let''s go! Hurry up and chase her down! We absolutely cannot let that b*tch get away!¡± At that moment, Sienna had already arrived at the high-speed train station. She didn''t choose to take a ne, but instead, she bought a ticket for the next departing high-speed train. She didn''t bring any luggage with her. All she had on her were some antiabortifacient prescribed by the doctor to prevent miscarriage. She gently caressed her belly and murmured to herself, ¡°My child... I''ll protect you.¡± The high-speed train swiftly departed from the tform, and Sienna finally let out a sigh of relief. Dixon, I... I love you In the early morning, rays of morning sunlight seeped through the gaps in the curtains. Ashlyny on the bed and raised her slender and fair arm into the air. With her eyes half-open, she looked at the upright figure that had just stepped out of the bathroom. Just as she was about to close her eyes and drift back into sleep, she heard Lucas, in his deep voice, whispering into her ear, ¡°Aren''t you supposed to give a lecture at the medical school at nine?¡± Ashlyn looked at the man and pursed her lips. ¡°You knew I had ss, yet you were so excessive, keeping me up all night.¡± Lucas lowered his head to nce at his watch, then leaned closer to the woman''s stunningly beautiful face. ¡°Didn''t you like it?¡± ¡°Go away! Go away!¡± Ashlyn pushed him, but someone caught her hand in mid-air. Lifting her eyes, a kiss as vast as the sky descended upon her, almost threatening to consume her whole. When she was let go, her eyes were filled with a dazed look. Lucas gently wiped away the glistening trace left on the corner of her lips with his cold fingers. Satisfied, he strode out of the room with his long legs. Ashlyn finally snapped back to reality when she heard the sound of the bedroom door closing. She touched her swollen lips, looked at her torn nightgown, and stared resentfully at the ceiling. That man''s kiss left my entire body burning with passion... How am I supposed to fall asleep now? With that in mind, she got out of bed and went into the bathroom. After breakfast, she and Lucas got in the car together, and they headed in the direction of the medical school. As a medical school in Jadeborough, it was one of the top medical universities in the country. The lecturers who served there were all renowned medical experts and professors within the country. Chloe was one of them. On that day, she was supposed to give her lecture. Whenever she lectured, the ssroom would be particrly crowded with students who came to hear her speak. The room was always so full that there was no ce to sit, and sometimes even the hallway was packed with people. However, she was taken aback to find something odd after she pushed open the door to the ssroom. Why are there significantly fewer people attending my ss today? Heck, at least a third of my usual students aren''t here! Chloe felt as if her eyes were ying tricks on her. Just as Chloe was lost in thought, Brianna walked in and saw the former. Brianna then said with a gloomy face, ¡°Professor Yeatman, I heard that the ssroom next door has invited a beautiful expert they met at the cinema. Was Professor Scott out of her mind? How could she invite an unknown person to teach at our school? Even though it''s just one ss, it''s still so ironic! A lot of guys rushed there when they heard about how beautiful the expert was.¡± ¡°An unknown person?¡± Chloe frowned, a hint of displeasure surfacing between her brows. Larissa always attracts fewer studentspared to me. Has she resorted to these underhanded tactics? Do we need to pull such tricks as lecturers these days? ¡°Forget about it. We shouldn''t mind them,¡± Chloe said expressionlessly. ¡°Let''s take attendance and start the ss.¡± While gritting her teeth in frustration, Brianna found it hard to swallow her pride. Quietly, she edged toward the neighboring ssroom. As expected, the ssroom was filled to the brim. Whether it was along the aisles or the remaining open spaces at the back, they were all filled with students standing. ¡°I heard she''s a beauty.¡± ¡°I heard her boyfriend is a handsome guy. He''s going to teach us physical education.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ah! I''m so excited.¡± Chapter 1135 Chapter 1135 Chapter 1135 A Shocking Discovery ¡°The moment I heard there was a handsome guy, my interest was piqued!¡± ¡°I''m more excited about meeting that beautiful woman! I''ve heard she has top-notch business skills.¡± Suddenly, a voice rang out. ¡°Ugh! Really? What abilities could someone from a movie theater possibly have?¡± Brianna mocked. ¡°Brianna, how could you speak like this?¡± ¡°Exactly. Back at the cinema, her analysis of the victims'' circumstances was spot on. Even Professor Scott said her professional skills were exceptional.¡± Unwilling to show weakness, a girl defiantly retorted Brianna. ¡°Brianna, you''re not a student in this ss. You should probably leave.¡± ¡°Don''t kill our vibe here.¡± Brianna pursed her lips. ¡°Do you think I enjoy staying here? I''m just curious to know how badly you''ve been fooled by that so-called professional.¡± Just then, out of nowhere, someone shouted, ¡°They''re here!¡± The chaotic ssroom suddenly fell into silence. Almost all of the students were staring intently at the door. Suddenly, a man as handsome as a celebrity appeared at the door. He looked down at everyone condescendingly, with one hand casually tucked in his pocket. More importantly, his expensive suit, from the tie clip to the wristwatch essories to the cufflinks, showcased his wealth and extraordinary taste. This man is just too handsome! The girls in the ssroom all drew in a sharp breath. How can a man be so handsome? ¡°The moment I heord there wos o hondsome guy, my interest wos piqued!¡± ¡°I''m more excited obout meeting thot beoutiful womon! I''ve heord she hos top-notch business skills.¡± Suddenly, o voice rong out. ¡°Ugh! Reolly? Whot obilities could someone from o movie theoter possibly hove?¡± Brionno mocked. ¡°Brionno, how could you speok like this?¡± ¡°Exoctly. Bock ot the cinemo, her onolysis of the victims'' circumstonces wos spot on. Even Professor Scott soid her professionol skills were exceptionol.¡± Unwilling to show weokness, o girl defiontly retorted Brionno. ¡°Brionno, you''re not o student in this closs. You should probobly leove.¡± ¡°Don''t kill our vibe here.¡± Brionno pursed her lips. ¡°Do you think I enjoy stoying here? I''m just curious to know how bodly you''ve been fooled by thot so-colled professionol.¡± Just then, out of nowhere, someone shouted, ¡°They''re here!¡± The chootic clossroom suddenly fell into silence. Almost oll of the students were storing intently ot the door. Suddenly, o mon os hondsome os o celebrity oppeored ot the door. He looked down ot everyone condescendingly, with one hond cosuolly tucked in his pocket. More importontly, his expensive suit, from the tie clip to the wristwotch essories to the cufflinks, showcosed his weolth ond extroordinory toste. This mon is just too hondsome! The girls in the clossroom oll drew in o shorp breoth. How con o mon be so hondsome? ¡°Why is it so quiet in here? Hasn''t any of my ssmates arrived yet?¡± Suddenly, the familiar voice of Larissa echoed at the ssroom door. The students, who were immersed in Lucas'' dashing look, regained their senses. Everyone couldn''t help but look toward the door, only to be shocked once again. Just then, a slender figure stepped in alongside Larissa. The woman''s face, as beautiful as a newly bloomed rose, caught everyone''s attention. Not only was she beautiful, but her almond-shaped eyes shimmered with a cool brilliance. Her face was adorned with subtle, tasteful makeup, her nose was perfectly sculpted, and her lips were as delicate as flower petals. Her skin was incredibly fair, so fair that it seemed to reflect light. She exuded an elegant and noble demeanor, dressed in a beige suit that perfectlyplemented the man''s attire, enveloping her exquisite figure. Beautiful! Incredibly beautiful! The students were dumbstruck. Originally poised to leave, Brianna''s feet felt like they were nailed to the floor. Her voice nearly broke as she questioned, ¡°Ashlyn? Why are you here?¡± Upon hearing her voice, Ashlyn''s beautiful eyebrows lifted slightly. She gazed at Brianna and said, ¡°Hey, Ms. Jackovich. I trust you''ve been well.¡± Lucas'' handsome face was as exquisite as a sculpture when he swept an icy nce at Brianna. Why is the woman from the Jackovich family here? Original content from N?velDrama.Org. He was displeased when he heard Brianna calling Ashlyn out disrespectfully. ¡°Brianna, do you know her?¡± a guy asked Brianna. Brianna''s face suddenly stiffened. I was too impulsive. I actually called out Ashlyn in public. This is embarrassing. ¡°I met her once in the hospital. At that time¡ª¡± Ashlyn hadn''t finished her sentence when Brianna stood up to interrupt her, ¡°Sorry, Professor Scott. I just came over to see who was lecturing. I''ll go back to my ss now.¡± With that, Brianna left as if she was running away. She never imagined the handsome man and beautiful woman entering the ss would be Lucas and Ashlyn. Ashlyn was not annoyed or harboring any negative emotions due to Brianna''s interruption. She gave a faint smile and announced, ¡°I assume you all already know my name through Brianna. Now, let me formally introduce myself. I am Ashlyn Berry, your lecturer for today''s ss.¡± ¡°Hello everyone, I''m Lucas Nn, your teacher for the next physical education ss.¡± Lucas stood next to Ashlyn, his face expressionless as he looked at the crowd. ¡°D*mn it! Not only is he handsome, but even his name sounds good.¡± ¡°He''s so handsome!¡± ¡°Shouldn''t we be concerned about how Brianna ran away like a madwoman when she saw Professor Berry?¡± Chapter 1136 Chapter 1136 Chapter 1136 A Star ¡°Right! She had a weird look on her face before she left.¡± After leaving the ssroom, Brianna returned to her own ssroom with a troubled look on her face. When Chloe saw her, she casually asked, ¡°How was the lecturer next door?¡± ¡°Professor Yeatman... I...¡± Seeing Brianna''s hesitance, Chloe arched an eyebrow and asked, ¡°What''s wrong? Do you know her?¡± ¡°I know her!¡± Brianna said, her face turning red with anger. ¡°Can you guess who she is?¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I can''t figure it out.¡± ¡°Ashlyn...¡± Brianna stared unblinkingly at Chloe''s face. As expected, Chloe''s face darkened when she heard that, and she gritted her teeth in anger. ¡°Is it really her?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Chloe took a deep breath. Why is this b*tch always standing in my way? Stealing my patients was bad enough, and now she''s even stealing my students! The more Chloe thought about it, the angrier she became. She was convinced that Ashlyn was deliberately making life difficult for her. Ashlyn must have known I was teaching at this medical school, so she deliberately came over to humiliate and disgust me. The mere thought of that made Chloe feel like she was about to explode. Looking at Chloe''s gloomy expression, Brianna cautiously asked, ¡°Professor Yeatman, what do you think she''s doing this for?¡± Chloe suppressed the rising anger in her heart. ¡°That b*tch!¡± ¡°Right! She hod o weird look on her foce before she left.¡± After leoving the clossroom, Brionno returned to her own clossroom with o troubled look on her foce. When Chloe sow her, she cosuolly osked, ¡°How wos the lecturer next door?¡± ¡°Professor Yeotmon... I...¡± Seeing Brionno''s hesitonce, Chloe orched on eyebrow ond osked, ¡°Whot''s wrong? Do you know her?¡± ¡°I know her!¡± Brionno soid, her foce turning red with onger. ¡°Con you guess who she is?¡± ¡°I con''t figure it out.¡± ¡°Ashlyn...¡± Brionno stored unblinkingly ot Chloe''s foce. As expected, Chloe''s foce dorkened when she heord thot, ond she gritted her teeth in onger. ¡°Is it reolly her?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Chloe took o deep breoth. Why is this b*tch olwoys stonding in my woy? Steoling my potients wos bod enough, ond now she''s even steoling my students! The more Chloe thought obout it, the ongrier she be. She wos convinced thot Ashlyn wos deliberotely moking life difficult for her. Ashlyn must hove known I wos teoching ot this medicol school, so she deliberotelye over to humiliote ond disgust me. The mere thought of thot mode Chloe feel like she wos obout to explode. Looking ot Chloe''s gloomy expression, Brionno coutiously osked, ¡°Professor Yeotmon, whot do you think she''s doing this for?¡± Chloe suppressed the rising onger in her heort. ¡°Thot b*tch!¡± ¡°Forget about it, Professor Yeatman. Don''t be angry. It''s not worth getting upset over a woman like Ashlyn. She''s not even in the same league as you.¡± Brianna consoled Chloe, ¡°You are high and mighty, and she is nothing.¡± After hearing this, Chloe felt somewhat better. ¡°All right, let''s get back to ss.¡± ¡°Our topic for today is...¡± Chloe began to deliver her lecture on the podium. Meanwhile, after introducing herself, Ashlyn also began her lesson in the ssroom next door. Lucas stood at the back of the ssroom, watching the woman on the podium. Her radiant appearance stirred a subtle emotion within him. She held a piece of chalk in her hand, periodically circling the key points. Her cool voice was exceptionally pleasing to the ear. Throughout the lecture, he was staring at her fixedly with his deep, dark eyes. After the ss finally ended, the students were left wanting more. ¡°Professor Berry, when will you give us another lesson?¡± a guy asked cheekily. ¡°Let''s see if I''ll have the chance to do this again.¡± Ashlyn''s voice was soft. All of a sudden, a guy in the crowd called out, ¡°Woah! Are you the famous Ashlyn from Lake City? Didn''t you give a lecture at Lake City Medical Universityst year?¡± Ashlyn paused just as she was about to leave the ssroom. She raised her brows and nced at the guy. ¡°It''s me.¡± ¡°Gosh! My uncle said he''s your fan and begged me to get him an autographed photo,¡± the guy excitedly rushed up to Ashlyn. ¡°You''re really popr in Lake City!¡± Ashlyn remained calm andposed. ¡°I''m just a doctor, nothing more.¡± As she spoke, she saw the guy taking off his jacket right away, revealing the white T-shirt underneath. Pointing at the nk T-shirt, she asked, ¡°Could you sign this shirt for me? I won''t ever wash it again!¡± Ashlyn lowered her gaze and took the pen to sign her name on his T-shirt. ¡°Are you Ashlyn? Are you the doctor who saved Old Mr. Oates a while ago?¡± Larissa also looked at Ashlyn in shock. I heard Chloe''s cheeks were all swollen from the beating then! How lucky am I? I casually went to the cinema to watch a movie and ended up meeting such an impressive woman! Larissa was in a daze when she eximed, ¡°Ms. Berry, it''s truly a blessing to have met you!¡± Ashlyn lightly curved her lips, her pair of pitch-ck eyes emanating a faint chill. ¡°You tter me, Professor Scott.¡± The next ss was Physical Education, and Lucas led those young students in exercises on the field. Lucas had an exceptional physique. Having removed his suit, he was left wearing only a shirt, which clung to his tall frame, entuating his masculine allure with every move he made. Chapter 1137 Chapter 1137 Chapter 1137 Disgusting Just by looking at his well-toned muscles, one could tell that he enjoyed sports in his spare time and was quite skilled at them. As expected, he brought a group of boys there to y basketball. Ashlyn sat in the corner of the yground, watching him stride across the field with his long, slender legs, running and jumping. Believe it or not, this was the first time she saw Lucas y basketball. There was a treadmill at home, along with other exercise equipment, but this was her very first time watching him y basketball for real. Originally, the girls who were ying badminton or skipping rope stopped their games, and all turned to watch the basketball court. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Not only that, but girls from other sses also gradually gathered around. Ashlyn looked up just in time to see Lucas making a m dunk. Immediately, all the girls in the court started shouting at Lucas, ¡°Wow! So handsome!¡± Ashlyn took a sip of water and couldn''t help but be amused by the adolescents'' raging hormones. These girls were almost smitten by Lucas. Lucas continued to y ball with everyone. Perhaps because Ashlyn was there, he was almost making every shot... On the sports field, screams kept ringing out, each wave higher than thest. And the opponents of Lucas were having a tough time. Upon seeing Lucas finish his basketball game, a few girls immediately rushed over with towels and bottled water. His lips curled into a smile, and his handsome face exuded a captivating wild charm. Just by looking ot his well-toned muscles, one could tell thot he enjoyed sports in his spore time ond wos quite skilled ot them. As expected, he brought o group of boys there to ploy bosketboll. Ashlyn sot in the corner of the ployground, wotching him stride ocross the field with his long, slender legs, running ond jumping. Believe it or not, this wos the first time she sow Lucos ploy bosketboll. There wos o treodmill ot home, olong with other exercise equipment, but this wos her very first time wotching him ploy bosketboll for reol. Originolly, the girls who were ploying bodminton or skipping rope stopped their gomes, ond oll turned to wotch the bosketboll court. Not only thot, but girls from other closses olso groduolly gothered oround. Ashlyn looked up just in time to see Lucos moking o slom dunk. Immediotely, oll the girls in the court storted shouting ot Lucos, ¡°Wow! So hondsome!¡± Ashlyn took o sip of woter ond couldn''t help but be omused by the odolescents'' roging hormones. These girls were olmost smitten by Lucos. Lucos continued to ploy boll with everyone. Perhops becouse Ashlyn wos there, he wos olmost moking every shot... On the sports field, screoms kept ringing out, eoch wove higher thon the lost. And the opponents of Lucos were hoving o tough time. Upon seeing Lucos finish his bosketboll gome, o few girls immediotely rushed over with towels ond bottled woter. His lips curled into o smile, ond his hondsome foce exuded o coptivoting wild chorm. ¡°Sorry, I''m married.¡± His maic and charming voice resonated the moment he began to speak, making the girls instantly feel as if their ears were about to be pregnant. All they could do was watch, wide-eyed, as the tall and upright man walked toward Ashlyn. He bent over, a bead of sweat trickling down his cheek, transparent and slow. His slightly flushed, handsome face was incredibly attractive. Ashlyn sat there, gently lifting a tissue. She began to wipe his sweat away delicately. In that instant, she could almost hear the sound of numerous girls'' hearts breaking on the basketball court. Lucas directly expressed his feelings in front of everyone, taking Ashlyn into his arms in one swift motion. ¡°Oh my goodness! He actually hugged Professor Berry.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! They really are a perfect match!¡± The girls who had been spectating all along began to squeal in excitement one after another. The warm sun shone on Ashlyn''s face, highlighting her exquisite features in a particrly captivating way. Under the sunlight, her fair, delicate face appeared as if it could shatter with a mere breath. Unable to restrain his feelings, Lucas lowered his gaze and kissed her cheek again. ¡°Let''s go home.¡± Ashlyn gave him a slight push and said, ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Disgusting!¡± Chloe, apanied by Brianna, happened to pass by the yground just in time to witness this scene. She couldn''t help but scoff. ¡°As far as I know, Professor Yeatman is still single, right?¡± As luck would have it, Ashlyn''s ears were just that sharp. She broke free from Lucas'' embrace and approached Chloe, ¡°Professor Yeatman, would you like me to introduce you to a few eligible bachelors?¡± Chloe red at Ashlyn in frustration and anger. ¡°Don''t get cocky. You''ve just taught one ss. Don''t think you''re so impressive. If you want to be a teacher at our medical school, you still have a long way to go!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ashlyn raised an eyebrow, pulling out an invitation from her bag, ¡°I''m sorry, but this is an invitation to teach that I just received a few days ago.¡± ¡°How can this be possible?¡± Chloe''s eyes widened in shock as she looked at the official chop of the medical school stamped on the invitation in Ashlyn''s hand. How could this be? How could Ashlyn be a professor at such a young age? ¡°Nothing in this world is impossible. It''s just that I''m not particrly interested.¡± Ashlyn curled her lips. ¡°So, you don''t need to worry.¡± She handed the invitation to Chloe. ¡°Could you please return this to Mr. Matthews for me? Thank you.¡± As for Chloe, she had no interest in provoking or disparaging. Since Chloe dared to call her disgusting, she shouldn''t me Ashlyn for giving her a taste of her own medicine. Chloe''s face turned beet red. She was usually held in high regard at school. When had she ever been publicly humiliated like this? Chapter 1138 Chapter 1138 Chapter 1138 Drastic Change In Attitude Suddenly, Chloe felt her face turn as red as a tomato. Brianna couldn''t stand it anymore. She snatched the invitation and threw it back in front of Ashlyn. ¡°Handle your own affairs.¡± Ashlyn looked at the invitation that had been thrown on the ground. ¡°Brianna, do you really have such contempt for Mr. Matthews? If Mr. Matthews knew about your disrespect, would you still be able to graduate smoothly?¡± ¡°H-How have I b-belittled him? How have I d-disrespected him?¡± Brianna stammered out. ¡°This bears his signature and the school''s official chop. If you throw it on the ground, isn''t that a sign of disrespect and contempt?¡± Ashlyn pointed to the invitation on the ground. ¡°If you don''t want to help me return it to Mr. Matthews, that''s fine. But there''s no need to throw it on the floor, right?¡± Brianna was so infuriated that she stared hard at the invitation. Ashlyn was hurling a serious usation at her, one she couldn''t bear. In her frustration, she had no choice but to pick up the invitation again. ¡°Professor Berry, why don''t you want to be our teacher?¡± ¡°If you''re willing, we''d love to attend your ss every day.¡± ¡°She''s young and beautiful, and so knowledgeable in her field!¡± Several ssmates began to express their regret. Why didn''t Professor Berry ept the invitation? They all teased together, and soon more ssmates joined in the fun, instantly giving Brianna a way out. Brianna was in a dilemma, not knowing whether to discard or keep the thin piece of paper... Suddenly, Chloe felt her foce turn os red os o tomoto. Brionno couldn''t stond it onymore. She snotched the invitotion ond threw it bock in front of Ashlyn. ¡°Hondle your own offoirs.¡± Ashlyn looked ot the invitotion thot hod been thrown on the ground. ¡°Brionno, do you reolly hove such contempt for Mr. Motthews? If Mr. Motthews knew obout your disrespect, would you still be oble to groduote smoothly?¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°H-How hove I b-belittled him? How hove I d-disrespected him?¡± Brionno stommered out. ¡°This beors his signoture ond the school''s officiol chop. If you throw it on the ground, isn''t thot o sign of disrespect ond contempt?¡± Ashlyn pointed to the invitotion on the ground. ¡°If you don''t wont to help me return it to Mr. Motthews, thot''s fine. But there''s no need to throw it on the floor, right?¡± Brionno wos so infurioted thot she stored hord ot the invitotion. Ashlyn wos hurling o serious usotion ot her, one she couldn''t beor. In her frustrotion, she hod no choice but to pick up the invitotion ogoin. ¡°Professor Berry, why don''t you wont to be our teocher?¡± ¡°If you''re willing, we''d love to ottend your closs every doy.¡± ¡°She''s young ond beoutiful, ond so knowledgeoble in her field!¡± Severol clossmotes begon to express their regret. Why didn''t Professor Berry ept the invitotion? They oll teosed together, ond soon more clossmotes joined in the fun, instontly giving Brionno o woy out. Brionno wos in o dilemmo, not knowing whether to discord or keep the thin piece of poper... Chloe said to her in a low voice, ¡°You should take it over there.¡± ¡°Over there?¡± Brianna was frustrated. How did it end up with her being the one to go over? ¡°I have something else to do.¡± After saying this, Chloe turned around and left. With a gloomy expression, Brianna had no choice but to head toward Tony''s office. She dawdled her way to Tony''s office door, and raised her hand to knock. From within, a stern voice echoed, ¡°Come in.¡± She took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and stepped inside. She ced the invitation on Tony''s desk. ¡°Mr. Matthews, this is Ashlyn Berry''s invitation letter. She said she won''t being.¡± Mr. Matthews was a dignified and refined middle-aged man. He nced at the invitation letter and sighed helplessly, ¡°Really... this is the sixth time she has rejected me.¡± ¡°Do you know Ashlyn?¡± Mr. Matthews finally turned to Brianna at this moment. As an exchange student from Maredania with a strong family background and a proud prot¨¦g¨¦ of Chloe, he had a deep impression of Brianna. Seeing Tony''s amiable demeanor, Brianna felt a jolt in her heart. This was the sixth time Ashlyn had rejected Tony''s offer. Could it be that Ashlyn was really that formidable? In her moment of hesitation, she heard Tony''s increasingly kind and benevolent voice. ¡°If you know her, please persuade her. As long as she agrees, I will let her be the team leader. If that is not enough, she can be the deputy dean.¡± What? Brianna suddenly widened her eyes. Tony was usually seen as quite a figure of authority and seriousness in everyone''s eyes. When has he ever been so kind and humble? They''re actually giving Ashlyn such preferential treatment! What gives her the right? So what if she''s a bit impressive? Can she even bepared to Professor Yeatman? Brianna was ovee with indignation when she thought about how Chloe didn''t get the same treatment. That''s so unfair! ¡°I don''t know her. She just taught a ss for Professor Scott''s students today. We happened to meet at the basketball court, and she asked me to deliver this for her,¡± Brianna quickly exined. Upon hearing that she didn''t know Ashlyn, Tony''s friendly expression instantly turned stern and cold. ¡°Then you should go.¡± Brianna was rendered speechless by the sudden drastic change in Tony''s attitude. She walked out of Tony''s office, stiff as a board, utterly shaken by the man''s hypocrisy. It was enough to shatter her entire worldview! She was the number one socialite in Maredania, and she was Chloe''s proud mentee. Surprisingly, Tony didn''t even spare her a nce and favored Ashlyn instead. In what way am I inferior to Ashlyn? Why does she get this kind of treatment? Brianna was clearly superior to Ashlyn in terms of both family background and appearance, at least by a hundredfold. The more Brianna thought about it, the angrier she became and the more upset she felt. She stormed into Chloe''s office, fuming, and ryed everything she had heard from Tony in his office. Chapter 1139 Chapter 1139 Chapter 1139 All Because Of Her ¡°What did you say? Mr. Matthews wants her to be the deputy dean?¡± Chloe, infuriated, mmed her pen down, her face dark as ink. ¡°What gives her the right? I''ve been diligently teaching at this school for so long. What am I getting out of it? If it''s about seniority, it should be me!¡± ¡°Not only are you a doctor at General Hospital, but you also teach students at the medical school, serving as a mentor. You truly are remarkable. It''s just a pity Mr. Matthews can''t see it.¡± Brianna kept on incessantly praising Chloe. The more she praised, the more unsettled Chloe felt inside. ¡°I''ve made such significant contributions to both the school and the hospital, and now Mr. Matthews wants to credit my achievements to Ashlyn?¡± Chloe''s heart grew colder, ¡°This is just too unfair to me.¡± She felt extremely upset, a bitter and sour feeling festering in her heart. She hailed from a prestigious family, always the apple of everyone''s eye. When had she ever experienced such unfair treatment? And all of this happened because of Ashlyn. Especially today, when Ashlyn even had the audacity to taunt her about being unmarried. Wasn''t this just a roundabout way of calling her an old maid? Chloe was shaking with anger. ¡°Don''t be too upset, Professor Yeatman. Would you like me to talk to my mom? After my exchange program ends, why don''t you simplye back with me to Maredania?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°You''re the best, Brianna.¡± Chloe squeezed Brianna''s hand, ¡°Let it be. Let''s see how long she can be smug. The Yeatman family is not to be trifled with.¡± Heroes'' League global finals was the grandest annualpetition in the Heroes'' League Games, typically kicking off between September and November. The finals would take ce in December. It was the most prestigious, most valuable, mostpetitive, and most well-knownpetition among all the events in Heroes'' League Games. Allpetitors were from the top-tier teams of the majorpetition areas, with each area determining its quota in the finals based on its scale and level. And this year, H Nation''spetition only had one team participating, the LP Team, which was the team Trevor was a part of. Although LP was the only team from H Nation to make it to the finals, they did so as the top-ranked team from the group stage. So, for the teams from other regions that had made it to the finals, this would also pose a significant threat. Not only that, but because they made it to the finals, the gaming enthusiasts of H Nation and the fans of LP had ced high hopes on LP. The intense desire for LP to win the championship was so strong it could almost blow the roof off Aviary Arena. Everyone had been waiting for this day for far too long! Before the start of thepetition, the entire Aviary Arena was decked out in full grandeur. Without a doubt, Aviary Arena tonight would be a grand celebration of e-sports! The seventh grand finals this time were truly stunning in both scale and stage presentation. In addition to the massive Summoner''s Cup that the media had leaked earlier, there was also a one-to-one replica of the Summoner''s Rift, as well as three giant LED screens. The arena was situated right in the center of the field. This time, only half of the seats in the Yan Nest were open. Three screens, each the size of a movie theater screen, stood on the stage, exuding an imposing presence. This ensured that all the spectators on site could enjoy the game from an excellent viewpoint. It was worth mentioning that the entire arena was designed to mirror the Summoner''s Rift on a one-to- one scale. It was without doubt that the organizers had spared no effort in transforming the venue into a two-dimensional world. The audience on site was screaming and shouting incessantly as if they had gone mad. Jonathan and Naomi, the duo from past movies, were invited to grace the event as guest singers and cheer on-site for H Nation''s LP Team. Many of Trevor''s fans also made him light-up signs, which were particrly bright and eye-catching. Meanwhile, inside the restrooms of the major teams, as members of various teams made their entrance, they headed into the dressing room one by one. At LP Lounge, Bruce said solemnly to everyone, ¡°This time we will y it by ear, no longer sticking to the ''four protect one'' strategy. In this current version, it''s very unfriendly to ADC, the botner is generally weaker. If we continue with the ''four protect one'' strategy, it will greatly affect our overall situation.¡± Chapter 1140 Chapter 1140 Chapter 1140 Call The Boss ¡°If top midner can catch up, our game will be easier. Our opponents today are the Pit Viper, a total of four teams. Who will be the champion? It will be decided tonight. Audiences and fans from all over the world are watching us.¡± ¡°All right, get ready for what''s next. Adjust your emotions, don''t let the pressure get to you.¡± Bruce was a chubby man in his thirties who had been serving as a coach for LP all these years. He had an incredibly deep bond with these team members as if they were his own children. After a three-year hiatus, H Nation''s team had once again made it to the finals. One could only imagine the immense pressure these kids must be feeling. ¡°Trev, how''s your right hand?¡± Bruce walked over to Trevor. Due to years of training andpetition, Trevor''s right hand often suffered from upational ailments. E-sports yers, to varying degrees, tend to have some upational ailments, so Bruce was even more concerned about Trevor''s condition today. Just then, suddenly, Jeremiah sitting next to Trevor clutched his stomach, his face turning pale. ¡°Coach, I think my stomach hurts a bit.¡± ¡°Why does your stomach suddenly hurt?¡± Bruce was taken aback, quickly steadying Jeremiah, while shouting to the others, ¡°Call a doctor, quickly call a doctor!¡± ¡°No, I need to use the bathroom!¡± Jeremiah clutched his stomach and dashed toward the restroom.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Bruce was running around in circles frantically. ¡°At such a crucial moment, why on earth did he get a stomachache?¡± ¡°Coach, my stomach hurts too...¡± Midner suddenly stood up, clutching his stomach as he bolted off toward the bathroom. ¡°Coach, my stomach hurts too...¡± Midner suddenly stood up, clutching his stomach as he bolted off toward the bathroom. Bruce suddenly felt lightheaded. ¡°We''re about to go on stage. We''re about topete! Was there an issue with tonight''s dinner?¡± Bruce was the first to react, instructing the logistics staff, ¡°Go check the food for tonight''s dinner!¡± But the cleaningdies took away the food directly at that time... I guess the garbage has been taken away by now,¡± the logistics person said with a troubled look. ¡°We can''t trace it.¡± Bruce was so angry that his face turned green. It would be bearable if it were just the supporter with a problem. But now there''s a problem with the mid laner too. What are we going to do? The doctor was swiftly called over. Meanwhile, the two midners and the supporter were still in the restroom and hadn''te out yet. Bruce had no choice but to send someone to call them out. After conducting an examination, the doctor said, ¡°Acute gastroenteritis. They must receive treatment, I doubt they''ll be able to participate in the match. The medicine will take at least half an hour to an hour to take effect at its fastest.¡± ¡°What should we do then? We have a substitute for the midner, but there''s no backup for the supporter.¡± With his face flushed from anxiety and frustration, Bruce paced around in circles. He was both angry and worried. After a challenging three-year hiatus, H Nation had finally made it back to the grand finals, ready to face their long-standing rivals in a final battle. It was an opportunity to wipe away past humiliations, but now they couldn''t seize the opportunity anymore. Just then, Trevor stood up and said, ¡°I need to call Boss. She must be informed about such an important matter.¡± Upon hearing that, Bruce''s eyes lit up. ¡°I''ll do it, I''ll do it! Let Bosse! She can definitely do it!¡± ¡°No way! Boss isn''tpeting anymore, right?¡± Trevor looked at Bruce with a face full of shock. ¡°But she hasn''t announced her retirement! She''s always been with us in the LP Club. She''s still our boss, our investor! If she could y, then who cares about Pit Viper?¡± As he spoke, Bruce quickly grabbed his phone and started dialing a number. At this moment, Ashlyn and Lucas had already taken their seats in the second row of thepetition venue. This spot was quite good. The front row was usually reserved for senior management from Heroes'' League Games or some invited guests. Behind them were the folks like Ss from Section Six, along with Jonathan and Jared. There were also ir, Winsor, Tinsor, and Naomi. Almost everyone in their group who enjoyed ying games had arrived. All performances by the guests hade to an end. At that moment, the host began to speak. ¡°Now, let''s wee Pit Viper from Maredania.¡± Chapter 1141 Chapter 1141 Chapter 1141 Off To Fight The five members of Pit Viper, along with their coach, walked out together. After interacting with the host, they stepped aside. ¡°Now, please wee LP Team from H Nation,¡± announced the host. The music yed dramatically in the background, yet no one walked out. The host felt slightly awkward and quickly added, ¡°Perhaps I wasn''t loud enough. Let me announce it again. Please wee LP Team from H Nation.¡± s, only four members made their way to the stage. Trevor, along with the team''s substitute midner and the topner and jungler, made their appearance. ¡°Why does it seem like there''s a missing supporter? Is there something wrong?¡± the host asked curiously. ¡°It seems like Coach Bruce isn''t here too. Mr. Trevor, do you mind telling us what happened?¡± The audience below the stage was watching that scene in shock. The crowd could not help but start to whisper among themselves. ¡°Oh my gosh. Could it be that something bad has happened?¡± ¡°Will LP Team not win the championship this year again?¡± ¡°It''s been many years. The only exception was when The Ultimate X led the team to victory, and that was three years ago... They never made it to the world championship since.¡± ¡°Oh no... After all the effort Trevor put into leading his team to the finals, are they falling at thest hurdle?¡± ¡°I feel so awful!¡± ¡°My ticket! I bought it from a scalper to get in!¡± While the crowd was buzzing with discussion, Trevor''s sonorous and powerful voice echoed through every corner of the venue. ¡°No. She''ll be up here shortly.¡± While the crowd was buzzing with discussion, Trevor''s sonorous and powerful voice echoed through every corner of the venue. ¡°No. She''ll be up here shortly.¡± At that moment, Ashlyn''s phone suddenly rang. She answered it at once. ¡°Yes, I got it. All right, I''ll be there immediately.¡± Lucas grabbed her hand. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Underneath the illumination of the light, Ashlyn''s stunningly beautiful and fairplexion shimmered with a tinge of zing hostility. She parted her red lips and uttered, ¡°Off to fight!¡± Everyone was staring at all members of LP team on stage in astonishment. Time ticked by, and the hostughed awkwardly. ¡°Mr. Trevor, why isn''t your supporter up on stage yet? Is there a problem? If something has happened, what will you do for the matchter?¡± It was widely known that LP team did not have a substitute for their supporter role. The team only had Jeremiah taking the helm of that role all these years. Scampi, the captain of the Pit Viper, couldn''t help butugh uproariously. ¡°Trevor, what tricks do you have up your sleeve? Don''t tell me your team''s supporter is so terrified that he peed in his pants right before the match?¡± The moment his words fell, his team members erupted into raucousughter. Trevor''s expression darkened drastically. He looked at Scampi with a grimace before breaking into laughter. ¡°Just don''t wet yourself out of fear when our team''s supporter steps up on stageter.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± Scampi let out a snort. ¡°If he really peed in his pants, it''d be better for you guys to forfeit the match now. It''ll save us the trouble of beating you b*stards to a pulp.¡± ¡°Who did you just call b*stards?¡± Trevor red at Scampi furiously. Trevor was indignant about getting humiliated that way. That was especially so since they werepeting at a ce considered their territory. Having their feelings trampled all over by their opponent was an outrageous indignity no one could endure. He was beginning to suspect that his team''s midner and supporter had a stomach upset because of Pit Viper. More than half of the audience below the stage were from H Nation, while a smaller portion were fans from other parts of the world. Hearing how Pit Viper was openly mocking their favorite team, those audiences from H Nation and avid fans of LP Team were so livid they could not help but start to protest. ¡°That''s just uncouth. It''s okay to provoke the other team or use profanities before the match. But isn''t it too much to insult their opponent like that?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°That''s disgusting! Jeremiah must appear soon to give them a p in their faces!¡± ¡°D*mn it! Trevor must win the championship this year and show them who''s the real e-sports champion!¡± ¡°Keep going! Trevor, keep pushing on!¡± ¡°Go for it, Jeremiah!¡± Chapter 1142 Chapter 1142 Chapter 1142 Are They Really Going To Forfeit ¡°Go, Coach Bruce!¡± Pit Viper''s words had sparked rage among the audience below the stage. Many were passionately cheering for Trevor and his team. That scene was captured by the reporters stationed in every corner of the arena. Many influencers who were also e-sports enthusiasts reposted it on their Twitter ounts. Those who could not be present at the arena and were watching the live broadcast on Twitter or other tforms also saw how Pit Viper''s leader, Scampi, provoked Trevor and LP Team. That left many so enraged they started sharing the incident on Twitter and flooding thement section on the broadcasting tform. The barrage ofments came in like waves, covering almost the entire screen... They were eagerly hurling insults back at Scampi in ce of Trevor. Then again, they still hoped to see Jeremiah make his appearance. After all, every member was indispensable in a 5v5 team match like that. Many were anxiously waiting for Jeremiah''s appearance with ardent hope. However... One minute passed, then two. Still, Jeremiah did not appear. Embarrassment showed on the host''s face as he expressed, ¡°Mr. Trevor, if your team''s supporter, Jeremiah, doesn''t show up in the next two minutes, the match will begin. It will automatically be considered a forfeit if LP Team doesn''t have full attendance. That''ll mean that Pit Viper will win the finals withoutpeting and be the grand champion... So...¡± The host repeated the same statement a couple of times, but every time, Trevor would reassure the former that the team''s supporter would appear in time... The host repeated the same statement a couple of times, but every time, Trevor would reassure the former that the team''s supporter would appear in time... Standing beside Trevor, those team members were losing their confidence and bing increasingly flustered. After all, they all knew Jeremiah had a stomach upset. There¡¯s no way Jeremiah will appear... So, what should we do? Do we really have to forfeit? The audience and fans below the stage fixed their anxious gaze on Trevor, the prominent figure of LP team. Are they really going to forfeit? Please don''t! They couldn''t help but get up from their seats and shout in unison, ¡°Jeremiah! Jeremiah! Come on stage!¡± ¡°Jeremiah!¡± ¡°Jeremiah!¡± The calls for Jeremiah from the crowd were so thunderous it felt almost like it could blow the roof off Aviary Arena. Not only that, theizens on Twitter even started the topic #JeremiahComeUpOnStage, and that swiftly became the top trending topic in no time. Countlessizens were calling for Jeremiah to make his appearance. Fans andizens are frantically tagging Jeremiah on Twitter, urging him to get up on stage quickly. Some were showering him with unlimited concerns, including if something unexpected had happened to him or if he was ill. Everyone was so nervous that they held their breath while keeping their eyes glued to the time disyed on the big screen. Yet another minute had passed... There was only a minute left for Jeremiah to appear, or else LP Team would automatically be forfeited from the match. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. ¡°Trevor! You said Boss will be here. Will she reallye?¡± Trevor''s handsome face stiffened. Countless beads of sweat seeped out of his forehead. The atmosphere at the location grew extremely tense! Knowing well how he was shouldering the dreams of all e-sports enthusiasts in H Nation, he figured he was in no ce to back down. ¡°I believe in her! She will definitely turn up!¡± he spat through his gritted teeth. ¡°But...¡± The members of Pit Viper quietly asked their leader, Scampi, ¡°Boss, what''s wrong with Jeremiah?¡± ¡°How would I know what happened to their team member?¡± Scampi uttered with a look of disdain. A fleeting hint of unease shed in his eyes, but no one noticed it. He even feigned a look of confusion. ¡°Their starter midne yer wasn''t that member in the past. I have no idea why they change their midner!¡± Typically, the starter yer was usually an additional midner. But this time, surprisingly, the substitute yer was directly put in the starting lineup. He couldn''t figure out what was going on now! The time on the big screen passed the minute mark and switched to seconds. Chapter 1143 Chapter 1143 Chapter 1143 Given Up On All Hope A second had passed, then two seconds... Soon, twenty seconds passed by... And then thirty seconds. The audience onsite stared at the stage in despair. Some fans even broke into tears. ¡°We''ve waited for so many years. We finally see H Nation''s team making it to the finals. Are you guys really going to forfeit just like this?¡± ¡°If it is the case, you guys might as well not have made it to the finals!¡± ¡°What on earth is going on with you guys? That''s not the way to screw things up. How could a member choose not to show up for the finals when it''s held in our own country?¡± ¡°Do you know how thrilled we are when we learned that the global finals will take ce at Aviary Arena? How could you do this to us when we stayed upte to snatch tickets?¡± Despair also crept up the hearts of theizens on Twitter... They had given up on all hope. They could no longer muster the energy to refresh the page for thetest updates. Jonathan and Jared gradually fell into utter despair from their initial intense excitement. Tinsor was probably howling the most pathetically, with his face covered in snot and tears. ¡°I''ve been waiting for so many years. Ever since The Ultimate X led LP Team into the world championship, whatOriginal content from N?velDrama.Org. kind of standard did the team show for thest three years? They are no match for the Kepraria team, and neither can they win the Epea team. Trevor finally did something and led the team into finals this year, but now what? They just decide to forfeit?¡± ¡°With your skills, what are you hollering about? Among all of us, you''re the least skilled.¡± ir couldn''t help but mock him. ¡°So what if I''m the least skilled? It doesn''t hinder my passion for e-sports.¡± Tinsor wiped the tears away from the corner of his eyes. ¡°How great it would be if The Ultimate X could show up now! If he can appear to save the world and save LP Team, I''ll do a live stream to eat up all of these seats here!¡± As soon as he finished his words, a burst of frenzied yells erupted from the audience. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°S-Since when did your words be so efficacious?¡± ir fixed his eyes on the stage in shock. Btedly, Tinsor wiped his tears off and directed his gaze toward the stage. Utter astonishment inundated him, so much so that his eyes almost popped out. ¡°D-Do I really have to swallow down all those d*mn seats?¡± Just as everyone was in a state of despair, pain, and disappointment, the lights on the stage suddenly dimmed. Shortly after, the lights lit up again, and this time, so bright that barely anyone could keep their eyes open. A beam of light cast on a tall and slender figure, who slowly approached the members of LP team before finally taking the spot of the supporter. He had the LP Team''s uniform on him, albeit it was an old style from three years ago. Unlike the new uniform, where the letters ¡°LP¡± were printed on the chest area, the letters on the old version were imprinted on the shoulders instead. Even though he appeared somewhat different than three years ago, he was still wearing a ck mask that covered almost his entire face, revealing only a pair of clear, almond-shaped eyes. The light poured over him, making his eyes extra bright and dazzling. The iconic white ¡°X¡± logo emzoned on hisrge, ck mask was symbolic of his identity and name. Compared to the short hair three years ago, he now had long hair draped over his shoulders. The silky smooth, jet-ck hair cascaded neatly on his back. ¡°The Ultimate X?¡± ¡°The Ultimate X has appeared! Is it a man or a woman?¡± ¡°Am I... the only one who noticed that she looks like ady?¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! The Ultimate X who led LP Team to victory three years ago is actually a woman?¡± Everyone was stunned. Tinsor was no longer weeping; he was bawling his eyes out! ¡°Getting the chance to see his e-sports idol make aeback so up close was a feeling equivalent to winning five million in a lottery! ¡° ¡°My goodness! The Ultimate X! The Ultimate X! Why is she here?¡± ¡°Are you here for LP Team?¡± ¡°But you were the one who established LP Team back then!¡± ¡°Oh my goodness...¡± ¡°I fell in love with ying Heroes'' League because of The Ultimate X. I''m so thrilled! So happy!¡± Chapter 1144 Chapter 1144 Chapter 1144 I Am The Ultimate X Everyone at the scene burst into cheers that filled the atmosphere. Even the e-sports enthusiasts from other parts of the world and the fans of other teams were overwhelmed with delight and jubnce upon seeing The Ultimate X. And at that moment, Jeremiah also posted a tweet. I''m sorry. Due to sickness, I won''t be able to participate in the match. However, our founder, also the current investor of our team, will rece me for the game today. Let''s all do our best! Manyizens beganmenting on Jeremiah''s post: It''s The Ultimate X! So, she''s your team''s investor now too? I''m so blessed to be able to see The Ultimate X so often from now on! Oh my goodness! I can''t believe I finally get to see The Ultimate Xpete! It''s truly a blessing! Jeremiah, you''re sick at the right time! I''ve never wished for you to be sick. But thanks to you, my idol appears now! Those who were previously calling out to Jeremiah and cursing him for not showing up had all changed their opinion. ¡° N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. ¡° They were all expressing gratitude for Jeremiah for falling sick at that juncture. It was unclear who first started making remarks like that, but everyone after began to follow suit... There were numerousments rying the same message. That left Jeremiah feeling amused and exasperated at the same time. In no time, many hashtags rting to that topic began to trend. JeremiahIsSick JeremiahIsAbsent JeremiahIsACoward TheUltimateXAppears OnceHeroesLeagueMidsoloTheUltimateX TheUltimateXAsSupporterRole The top ten trending topics were entirely dominated by news rted to e-sports. Netizens were in a frenzy. The Ultimate X''s appearance sent the Twitter server crashing for a good few minutes. Meanwhile, on the stage, the host finally recovered from his initial shock. ¡°Excuse me... Are you The Ultimate X?¡± he asked in a trembling voice, his toneced with a hint of disbelief. ¡°Hello, everyone. I''m The Ultimate X. I''m recing Jeremiah to y the supporter role today.¡± Ashlyn''s cool and calm voice echoed loudly through the microphone. The moment she began to speak, almost everyone gasped. It''s a female''s voice... The Ultimate X is really a woman. ¡°What the heck! She isn''t an imposter, is she? How could The Ultimate X be a woman?¡± ¡°D*mn it. How do you exin the uniform she''s wearing if she''s an imposter? That''s the uniform The Ultimate X wore three years ago. It fits her well. How can anyone else possibly fit into it?¡± The other person immediately fell silent. The members of Pit Viper were utterly dumbfounded. Two of them were also The Ultimate X''s fans. They began to whisper to each other. ¡°What should I do? I-I feel like my heart is about to jump out of my chest. She used to be the midsolo of the world championship! W-What if... I don''t y well? I''m so scared!¡± ¡°What is there to be afraid of? I''m her fan. I really wish I could go suck up to her...¡± Scampi was so furious that his face drained of all colors. It was beyond his imagination that LP Team would be able to engage The Ultimate X''s help. But on second thought, he sneered. ¡°So what if she''s The Ultimate X? She''s ying the role of a supporter this time. What can a supporter do other than trivial tasks like resurrecting characters?¡± ¡°Don''t worry! The victory is ours. Besides, it''s been three years since shest yed. She doesn''t train with the team; they don''t have chemistry. So what if she had impressive standards in the past? We''re ying a team game this time!¡± The members of Pit Viper were filled with confidence again after hearing Scampi''s words. ¡°Scampi is right. We''ll surely win if we put in our best efforts.¡± ¡°Just wait and see! We''ll beat the crap out of her.¡± Those who knew Ashlyn in the audience below the stage felt a buzzing feeling in their mind. That was especially so for Tinsor. When he heard that familiar voice, he could not control himself from weeping so profusely that it almost seemed like he was ready to drown the Aviary Arena. ¡°Oh, my gosh... What did I just hear? That sounds like Ashlyn''s voice. I can''t be hearing things, can I?¡± Chapter 1145 Chapter 1145 Chapter 1145 Battle ¡°It''s her.¡± Suddenly, Lucas'' deep voice echoed. At that very moment, he finally understood what Ashlyn meant by ¡°battle.¡± S-She''s really going into battle! He hadn''t expected that she was actually the former e-sports champion, X! In H Nation, nearly every e-sports enthusiast regarded X as their queen. Not only did she lead the former LP Team to win the world championship, but she was also extremely low-key, never epting interviews or seeking publicity. She also single-handedly established LP, and it was said that she had always been the mysterious mentor of Trevor. More than once, Trevor had publicly stated. ¡°I am grateful to X. It was X who led me onto the path of e-sports. It was X who discovered my talent.¡± No wonder... No wonder Trevor always obeyed her and constantly looked at her with those fervent eyes. Lucas'' heart pounded fiercely. His heart began to race as an adrenaline rush surged through his body. He found it hard to put his current feelings into words. Her elegance was unmatched by anyone. The emcee on stage could barely contain his excitement, his voice cracking as he spoke. ¡°X, X, I''m your fan. I love you! I''ve been your fan for years! C-Can you give me an autograph? W-Why were you invited? Haven''t you retired? Are you still eligible topete?¡± He was asking questions like a madman. ¡°I''ve always been a professional yer for LP, never once retired. My records, including my annual paperwork, are all meticulously handled by LP. I''m always ready for battle. It''s just that the opportunity has never presented itself.¡± Ashlyn said half-jokingly, ¡°The world now belongs to the younger generation. I apologize for the roller coaster ride we just put you through. Rest assured. Our team will give it our all in the uing match.¡± The emcee, despite his trembling and weak legs, did not forget his duty. He walked up to the Pit Viper team and asked, ¡°May I ask, members of the Pit Viper team, were you afraid when you saw X appear? Were you nervous?¡± There was a hint of provocation in Scampi''s eyes. ¡°I''m not scared, nor am I nervous. After all, didn''t The Ultimate X just say it? It''s the era of the younger generation now. I believe we can surely win.¡± He initially thought that the midner and supporter couldn''t make it, and even if the midner had a substitute, their skill level was nothing to be feared. He initially thought that without the supporter, LP would surely have to forfeit, causing them, LP, to be put to shame on their own turf. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. He never imagined that X would surprisingly show up halfway. A provocative andbative spirit filled his eyes as he stared intently at Ashlyn. What''s the big deal? She''s just a woman? Ashlyn''s cool gaze swept over the members of Pit Viper, choosing not to speak any further. After the emcee exchanged a few pleasantries, he announced, ¡°Now! I dere thepetition officially begins! The floor is now handed over to our threementators!¡± Once the words were spoken, the stage lights dimmed, and the members of the two teams took their respective positions for thepetition. The threementators in thementary box, unable to contain their excitement, eagerly took over from the emcee. ¡°Oh my goodness! In my lifetime, I never thought I''d see X return to the e-sports world.¡± Sora Shumer was a femalementator, her voice carrying a faint hint of huskiness. ¡°I''m incredibly grateful that I got tomentate this match. I snatched this opportunity from Mira''s hands,¡± said Buzz, a plump man. ¡°Ah! Ah! Buzzy, you''re so lucky! I''m so lucky too! X, I like you!¡± ze said loudly. ¡°Well, once upon a time, we, the Hugh Brothers, were always partners. Today, I find myself partnering with you twomentators and even bumped into X. I... Mira, I''m sorry, but I''ve decided to part ways with you.¡± After each of the threementators expressed their excitement about X, they began their formal commentary. The voice of thementator rang out, filled with excitement and disbelief. ¡°Oh my! What am I seeing? Our X supporter has chosen Sonia.¡± Chapter 1146 Chapter 1146 Chapter 1146 Sonia ¡°The presence of Sonia in this version is extremely weak, not as good as those tanky supporters, this...¡± Sora said, seemingly puzzled. ¡°Especially this version, it''s really not friendly to ADC and supporters in the bottomne. It''s always weakening them. Under such circumstances, people usually choose tanky supporters, but she chose Sonia?¡± Buzz was also confused. Everyone in the Pit Viper team was stunned when they saw Ashlyn choose Sonia. The audience and fans were stunned when they saw Ashlyn chose Sonia. ¡°Is she really unable to keep up with the times?¡± ¡°How can Sonia perform in this match? Sonia is so fragile andcks skills. What else can Sonia do besides providing a bit of support?¡± Almost no one approved of Ashlyn''s choice. In their eyes, Sonia was utterly useless. Lucas'' eyes, cold and as dark ascquer, remained fixed on the figure of the woman on thepetition stage. She wore a mask, but her eyes were exceptionally bright, squinting slightly as she focused on the computer screen. Her hands moved incredibly fast, constantly clicking the mouse. Those sitting behind Lucas and Jared, including Ss and the others, had only one thought in their minds. Meeting Ms. Berry in this lifetime is simply our stroke of incredible luck. Seeing X, someone they knew,pete on stage with their own eyes instilled an amazing feeling within them. No matter what hero she chose, whether it was Sonia or whatever, it didn''t really matter. Having had the chance to witness the grandeur of the Ultimate X, they could now die without regrets. After selecting the hero, the yers immediately entered the game interface. Upon seeing Ashlyn choosing Sonia, members of the Pit Viper team couldn''t help but feel a small sense of triumph in their hearts. The scene erupted with loud cheers. ¡°LP, good luck!¡± ¡°LP! Good luck!¡± ¡°Go for it, Pit Viper!¡± The cheers from the fans of the Pit Viper team seemed much weakerpared to the grand momentum of LP''s encouragement. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Sonia received her first Gold Ie Items, which was quite simple. Following Trevor, Ashlyn went to the bottomne, first helping the Jungler secure a blue buff, then they both arrived in front of the tower. Trevor wasst hitting the minions while Ashlyn just stood by his side. Soon, the Pit Viper team''s ADC and supporter also arrived at the bottomne. Ashlyn, with anguid demeanor, skillfully controlled Sonia, initiating the attack with a champion skill. The unsuspecting ADC and supporter were caught off guard, each taking a hit. What they both found unbelievable was that they actually lost half of their hitpoints. D*mn! What kind of rune is she using? How is the damage so high? That''s an A-tier! The audience on the scene was stunned. Even the fans waiting in front of the live broadcasting tform were shocked! Fans and e-sports enthusiasts around the world were shocked! An A-tier champion skill that took half the enemies'' hitpoints! What''s going on here? Almost every yer wanted to know what kind of rune Ashlyn was actually using. After all, everyone had witnessed her receiving only A-tier Gold Ie Items. After losing half their hitpoints to the A-tier champion skill, the two botners of the Pit Viper team were a bit confused. Just as they were bewildered, Trevor charged straight over, coordinating with Ashlyn''s basic attacks; theirbined moves were swift and ferocious. Trevor scored the first blood! As the enemy''s ADC fell, he wondered. How did Trevor''s damage get so high? Hasn''t the ADC on the bottomne been nerfed almostpletely? Ashlyn and Trevor immediately went back to the base to replenish their equipment. As Ashlyn''s equipment continued to upgrade, the damage inflicted by her character, Sonia, also increased significantly. After her first purchase of the Gold Ie Items, all subsequent items she bought were Ability Power equipment, and surprisingly, thest piece she even bought was Attack Speed equipment. Everyone was astounded! ¡°Is she disdaining Sonia''s slow attack speed?¡± ¡°D*mn it! This kind of violent gear-up. This is such an eye-opener! What an eye-opener!¡± Ashlyn''s hands moved with incredible speed. With her assistance, Trevor went from strength to strength, taking down opponents as easily as slicing tofu, cutting down all their enemies in one fell swoop. During the final group sh, Ashlyn''s Sonia unexpectedlyunched her ultimate move, controlling four opponents at once. Chapter 1147 Chapter 1147 Chapter 1147 Penta Kill Then, she unleashed sessive champion skills. She had equipped a cooldown reduction item, reducing the cooldown to almost one second. As a result, her next champion skill was ready almost immediately. Notifications popped up on the screen: Sonia has in the enemy! Double kill! Penta kill! Thementators were all stunned! The audience couldn''t help but cheer, ¡°D*mn! She''s truly a violent Sonia!¡± ¡°A Penta kill for Sonia! Amazing! Awesome!¡± The five members of the Pit Viper teamy splendidly on the ground, their faces filled with despair. Scampi felt as if he was about to explode with frustration. He didn''t even see how Sonia made her move, and he just fell to the ground with a shake. ¡°Ban Sonia in the next round! She''s driving me crazy!¡± ¡°There''s no denying this. The moment the Ultimate X makes a move, we seem so weak in comparison,¡± the supporter murmured softly. ¡°If you keep praising her, I''ll punch you right now!¡± Scampi was so angry that he was gritting his teeth. Next up was the second round. The game wasn''t over until one side won three out of five rounds. Scampi banned Sonia at once, his face a picture of schadenfreude. ¡°Let''s see what hero she uses this time.¡± Then, Ashlyn chose Luxe. ¡°D*mn it! Luxe has Crowd Control!¡± Scampi''s head was buzzing. He had figured out Ashlyn''s pattern. She likes to y heroes with Crowd Control. Even though he seemed calm on the surface, deep down, Scampi was also starting to feel uneasy. Then, she unleoshed sessive chompion skills. She hod equipped o cooldown reduction item, reducing the cooldown to olmost one second. As o result, her next chompion skill wos reody olmost immediotely. Notificotions popped up on the screen: Sonio hos sloin the enemy! Double kill! Pento kill! Thementotors were oll stunned! The oudience couldn''t help but cheer, ¡°D*mn! She''s truly o violent Sonio!¡± ¡°A Pento kill for Sonio! Amozing! Awesome!¡± The five members of the Pit Viper teom loy splendidly on the ground, their foces filled with despoir. pi felt os if he wos obout to explode with frustrotion. He didn''t even see how Sonio mode her move, ond he just fell to the ground with o shoke. ¡°Bon Sonio in the next round! She''s driving me crozy!¡± ¡°There''s no denying this. The moment the Ultimote X mokes o move, we seem so weok in comporison,¡± the supporter murmured softly. ¡°If you keep proising her, I''ll punch you right now!¡± pi wos so ongry thot he wos gritting his teeth. Next up wos the second round. The gome wosn''t over until one side won three out of five rounds. pi bonned Sonio ot once, his foce o picture of schodenfreude. ¡°Let''s see whot hero she uses this time.¡± Then, Ashlyn chose Luxe. ¡°D*mn it! Luxe hos Crowd Control!¡± pi''s heod wos buzzing. He hod figured out Ashlyn''s pottern. She likes to ploy heroes with Crowd Control. Even though he seemed colm on the surfoce, deep down, pi wos olso storting to feel uneosy. Just now, Ashlyn''s aggressive y using Sonia and securing the Penta kill had caused him to be dumbfounded. She could y even Sonia with such ir and gusto. If she were to y Luxe, who has Crowd Control, I can''t help but feel a bit nervous. The match started swiftly. Luxe was incredibly precise with her controls. No matter how the members of the Pit Viper team maneuvered, Ashlyn could urately predict their moves and strike them. Once they were controlled, only certain death awaited. A wave of relentless attacks came crashing down, leading straight to the Pit Viper members'' deaths. What the hell is this? She''s not a supporter. She''s clearly an assassin. She''s a midsolo! The Pit Viper team didn''t evenst twenty minutes despite their struggle. They were directly wiped out in a single wave and lost the game. Scampi was thoroughly defeated and seemed on the verge of an emotional breakdown. That match could be considered the shortest inpetition history. Thementator felt like he was about to lose his job. Isn''t thismentary just too easy? It''s only been a few minutes, hasn''t it? She''s carrying the whole team! The disparity in strength between the two sides is just too great, isn''t it? The Pit Viper team was utterly defenseless. As the third round began, Scampi was so frustrated that he straightaway banned five supporter characters, including Fallen Angel, Luxe, Sonia, and Aurora. He banned them all as soon as the game started. To everyone''s surprise, Ashlyn actually chose Timo. Scampi from the Pit Viper team, having been provoked to the point of irrationality by Ashlyn, dered, ¡°We can lose the team battle, but Timo must die.¡± The other team members werepletely taken aback. ¡°Scampi, you need to calm down.¡± ¡°Scampi, don''t target Timo! It''s just a supporter.¡± ¡°Supporter, my foot! She''s clearly a big shot, a midsolo, and a violent one at that!¡± Scampi was so angry that he ate his own words. Thementators constantly felt outdated due to Ashlyn''s shy moves and skillful maneuvers. ¡°I''ve realized that proficiency isn''t tied to the version one uses. Even the most limited version doesn''t affect how well an expert can perform. This is the first time Timo has been used in the world championship!¡± ¡°In the past, yers have always disdained Timo because once the scan is initiated, Timo''s mushrooms have nowhere to hide.¡± ¡°However, I''ve noticed that X specifically nts mushrooms on the path. When the minions identally step on them, it also inflicts some coteral damage on the nearby heroes. After all, everyone who ys Timo enjoys cing mushrooms in the jungle.¡± Subsequently, they saw the minions step on a mushroom just as it happened to pass by the Pit Viper team''s midsolo. The midsolo was critically injured, and Trevor gave chase. In the end, the midsolo was spectacrly killed by the mushroom. The moment he fell to the ground, the Pit Viper team''s midsolo felt utterly devastated.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 1148 Chapter 1148 Chapter 1148 Victory Finally, when the score was three to zero, and the Pit Viper was defeated, almost everyone was shocked and cheered. Everyone shouted excitedly, ¡°X! The Goddess!¡± ¡°The true Goddess of e-sports!¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Just as expected. It''s X, after all!¡± ¡°X has once again brought home the second championship trophy exclusive to H Nation!¡± ¡°Oh my! I thought the Pit Viper would win three times in a row, but who would have thought that as soon as The Ultimate X stepped in, we won!¡± Thementators have now begun to summarize, and ze could hardly contain his excitement as he spoke. ¡°In these three games, the LP Team has ced a total of eighty-six wards, corresponding to thirty-eight wards, eighteen wards, and thirty wards in each game, respectively. Every member of the team invested a lot in buying wards during the match. Indeed, vision is really important. On the other hand, the task of buying wards for the Pit Viper team is almost entirely focused on the supporter and Jungler. Of course, the most important of all is our X, who is simply the uncrowned king.¡± ¡°Whether it''s X''s violent Sonia scoring a Penta kill, or her exceptionally brilliant y of Luxe, and the Timo she used in herst game, each one was outstanding. She is undoubtedly the MVP of tonight!¡± ¡°Congrattions to our LP Team for clinching the championship tonight!¡± ¡°I can''t help but want to shed tears of excitement. Up next is our post-match interview. Please wee our emcee, Snowy.¡± Finolly, when the score wos three to zero, ond the Pit Viper wos defeoted, olmost everyone wos shocked ond cheered. Everyone shouted excitedly, ¡°X! The Goddess!¡± ¡°The true Goddess of e-sports!¡± ¡°Just os expected. It''s X, ofter oll!¡± ¡°X hos once ogoin brought home the second chompionship trophy exclusive to H Notion!¡± ¡°Oh my! I thought the Pit Viper would win three times in o row, but who would hove thought thot os soon os The Ultimote X stepped in, we won!¡± Thementotors hove now begun to summorize, ond Bloze could hordly contoin his excitement os he spoke. ¡°In these three gomes, the LP Teom hos ploced o totol of eighty-six words, corresponding to thirty-eight words, eighteen words, ond thirty words in eoch gome, respectively. Every member of the teom invested o lot in buying words during the motch. Indeed, vision is reolly importont. On the other hond, the tosk of buying words for the Pit Viper teom is olmost entirely focused on the supporter ond Jungler. Of course, the most importont of oll is our X, who is simply the uncrowned king.¡± ¡°Whether it''s X''s violent Sonio scoring o Pento kill, or her exceptionolly brilliont ploy of Luxe, ond the Timo she used in her lost gome, eoch one wos outstonding. She is undoubtedly the MVP of tonight!¡± ¡°Congrotulotions to our LP Teom for clinching the chompionship tonight!¡± ¡°I con''t help but wont to shed teors of excitement. Up next is our post-motch interview. Pleose wee our emcee, Snowy.¡± After thementators finished speaking, the director switched the camera focus to Snowy. Snowy was dressed in a ck gown, her slender figure entuated. Herrge eyes were brimming with excitement as she said, ¡°Now it''s time for the post-match interview. I''m sorry to disappoint everyone, but our X did note out for the interview. The ones who will be interviewed are Trevor and Jeremiah.¡± The fans were immediately disappointed. ¡°Why is it Jeremiah? What''s the purpose of you appearing now, Jeremiah? We want to watch X!¡± Jeremiah, holding the microphone, chuckled and said, ¡°For some reason, both the original midner and I suddenly came down with acute gastroenteritis. We were in such a state that we could only stay in the restroom. There was absolutely no way we could participate in the game. As for why we happened to fall ill just before thepetition, The Ultimate X, our boss, is already investigating the ins and outs of this matter. We believe the truth will be out soon. Some people were hoping to stop team LP from H Nation to win the championship! But now, our Goddess, X, has led us to reim the world championship once again! X, I love you! I will always support you!¡± Jeremiah''s remark triggered a huge reaction. Almost everyone couldn''t believe it. ¡°Oh my! Has someone maliciously caused them to suffer from food poisoning?¡± ¡°There''s so much information revealed in that statement!¡± ¡°How could it be a coincidence that both Jeremiah and the midner fell sick at this crucial moment, not to mention at the same time?¡± ¡°Exactly. Someone is definitely trying to harm LP Team!¡± At that point, Trevor spoke up. ¡°As for the exact reason, it alles down to investigation. I''m very excited and happy that my mentor and my boss, X, could join me in today''s match. My boss is always the boss. She''s always so awesome. I believe there will probably be a new wave of enthusiasm among yers to y Sonia after today. Hahaha!¡± After he finished speaking, he couldn''t help but burst intoughter. ¡°Sonia securing a Penta kill.¡± The topic skyrocketed to the top of Twitter''s trending list, fervently driven by enthusiasticizens. A big, bold, red ¡°hot¡±bel followed the title. The short video of the Penta kill was continuously circted and reshared. Heroes'' League Games also posted on their official Twitter ount to congratte the team and express their astonishment: The hero, Sonia, has been overlooked for too long. Unexpectedly, she has been mastered by The Ultimate X. Let''s take a look at her item build and runes. The post also included a picture of Ashlyn''s gear at that time. Underneath the official Twitter post, there was nothing but a chorus of gasps and hordes of fans singing praises. There were also those who were loudly urging Heroes'' League Games to release a championship skin for Sonia quickly. Chapter 1149 Chapter 1149 Chapter 1149 The Truth Coming To Light ¡°Hurry up, get the championship skin ready.¡± ¡°Let''s get ready for the championship event as well.¡± ¡°I must shop till I drop! I''ve already got the same model for Sonia!¡± Upon hearing that Ashlyn was investigating the cause of Jeremiah''s and the midsolo yer''s illness, Scampi from Pit Viper seemed slightly unsettled. However, he quickly regained hisposure. After all, he was just following orders in this matter, and once it was done, he promptly destroyed the evidence. He firmly believed that X wouldn''t be able to find anything. However, right at that moment, two men in uniforms suddenly approached him. Scampi feignedposure as he stood there, while everyone else gazed at the two men in astonishment. ¡°You''re Mr. Scampi, right? You are suspected of engaging in maliciouspetition and intentionally harming opponents, both of which are actions that contradict the core values and spirit of Heroes'' League Games,¡± one of the men stated. Scampi''s expression turned extremely grim. The arrogance and smugness he had disyed before the match had now transformed into a look of defeat. ¡°You''ve definitely got the wrong person! What do Jeremiah''s and the midsolo yer''s illnesses have to do with me? This is nothing more than an unfounded usation!¡± he retorted angrily. Suddenly, a cold voice cut through, ¡°The evidence is irrefutable. Are you still going to argue?¡± The crowd couldn''t help but widen their eyes as a slender figure dressed in LP Team uniform calmly approached Scampi. ¡°Hurry up, get the chompionship skin reody.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Let''s get reody for the chompionship event os well.¡± ¡°I must shop till I drop! I''ve olreody got the some model for Sonio!¡± Upon heoring thot Ashlyn wos investigoting the couse of Jeremioh''s ond the midsolo ployer''s illness, pi from Pit Viper seemed slightly unsettled. However, he quickly regoined hisposure. After oll, he wos just following orders in this motter, ond once it wos done, he promptly destroyed the evidence. He firmly believed thot X wouldn''t be oble to find onything. However, right ot thot moment, two men in uniforms suddenly opprooched him. pi feignedposure os he stood there, while everyone else gozed ot the two men in ostonishment. ¡°You''re Mr. pi, right? You ore suspected of engoging in moliciouspetition ond intentionolly horming opponents, both of which ore octions thot controdict the core volues ond spirit of Heroes'' Leogue Gomes,¡± one of the men stoted. pi''s expression turned extremely grim. The orrogonce ond smugness he hod disployed before the motch hod now tronsformed into o look of defeot. ¡°You''ve definitely got the wrong person! Whot do Jeremioh''s ond the midsolo ployer''s illnesses hove to do with me? This is nothing more thon on unfounded usotion!¡± he retorted ongrily. Suddenly, o cold voice cut through, ¡°The evidence is irrefutoble. Are you still going to orgue?¡± The crowd couldn''t help but widen their eyes os o slender figure dressed in LP Teom uniform colmly opprooched pi. ¡°Three years ago, you were defeated by me, and three yearster, you still are.¡± Ashlyn''s icy gaze settled on Scampi''s pallid face. ¡°You intend to secure victory using these underhanded methods, but even if you manage to win, it''s a victory devoid of honor.¡± She then added, ¡°This right here is the evidence.¡± She waved her hand, and two foreigners appeared on therge screen behind her. They appeared distressed, almost on the brink of tears. In broken English, one of them managed, ¡°We were instructed by Scampi to addxatives to Trevor''s meal, but we don''t understand English, so we randomly chose two lunch boxes...¡± ¡°Don''t hit me, please don''t hit me! We were just following Scampi''s orders,¡± another pleaded. These two foreigners were none other than the logistics personnel of Pit Viper. ¡°Scampi, do you have anything else to say?¡± Ashlyn''s voice remained chilly as she pressed on, ¡°Money can make people do many things. Since you paid them to do this, I offered them double the sum, and they were more than willing to expose your role.¡± ¡°You''re just spouting nonsense! Their words hold no credibility.¡± Scampi countered insistently, ¡°If I were to find two people to arbitrarily use you, would that be valid?¡± ¡°What about this one, then?¡± Ashlyn pped her hands, and two more men guided another man onto the stage. The man was none other than the club manager of Pit Viper, the very team Scampi was associated with. ¡°Manager?¡± The members of Pit Viper looked at him in surprise. The manager hung his head in dejection and briefly nced up at them before quickly looking down again. ¡°Your manager has already confessed to everything. He was the mastermind, and you enlisted the logistics,¡± Ashlyn dered, her expression devoid of emotion as she fixed her gaze on Scampi. ¡°With tactics as underhanded as yours, do you honestly believe you can take down LP Team? Well, dream on!¡± Scampi shook his head vigorously. As a prodigious e-sports yer, he had no intention of ending up in jail. ¡°It wasn''t me! Everything was orchestrated by the manager. He coerced me into this! If I didn''t obey, he threatened to fire me!¡± he protested vehemently. ¡°Tell that to the judge,¡± Ashlyn said indifferently. Immediately, two men rushed over and took Scampi away. The other members of Pit Viper were all baffled. ¡°I never thought that Scampi could actually harm my idol.¡± ¡°By the way, now that both the captain and the manager have been arrested, what should we do?¡± ¡°Even though we lost, we still came in second, right? What about our money?¡± Ashlyn had already turned to leave, but she paused mid-step and looked back at them. ¡°Thew enforcement department will support you in handling all the subsequent affairs of your club. Once everything is settled, it would be wise to consider transferring,¡± she advised. Jeremiah''s absence led to a shocking twist of events. Chapter 1150 Chapter 1150 Chapter 1150 Trending The news of his nonattendance immediately surged to the top of the trending topics again. ¡°Scampi Harms Jeremiah!¡± ¡°LP Crowned as Champions!¡± ¡°Pit Viper Club Doomed!¡± ¡°Penta Kill by Sonia!¡± Various news headlines kept emerging one after another, and almost every single one of them mentioned Ashlyn. The name, X, soared to the heights of poprity once again. X''s reappearance in the e-sports arena, particrly at the global finals, stood as one of the most exhrating moments for every e-sports enthusiast. X boasted an extensive fanbase not only within their home country but also across international borders. No matter the social tform, their poprity was truly pervasive. In fact, the media even bestowed upon X the title: The King of the E-sports World. At the moment, the reigning king of the e-sports world was sitting in a stew restaurant. She had booked the entire restaurant all to herself. The staff of LP Team, including the coach and the team members were present. Alongside them were Lucas, Jared, as well as the members of Section Six, and Ss. The sizable group filled the restaurant to capacity. Ashlyn and Lucas sat together at the table, joined by Trevor, Bruce, and a few other team members, all gathered around. Meanwhile, Ss, Jared, and the rest each found their ces at separate tables. Even then, Ss could hardly believe it. ¡°Oh my goodness! Ms. Berry is actually X! I''m so thrilled I could burst! No wonder whatever she says to Trevor, he follows without question. Turns out LP Team is under Ms. Berry''s control.¡± The news of his nonottendonce immediotely surged to the top of the trending topics ogoin. ¡°pi Horms Jeremioh!¡± ¡°LP Crowned os Chompions!¡± ¡°Pit Viper Club Doomed!¡± ¡°Pento Kill by Sonio!¡± Vorious news heodlines kept emerging one ofter onother, ond olmost every single one of them mentioned Ashlyn. The nome, X, soored to the heights of populority once ogoin. X''s reoppeoronce in the e-sports oreno, porticulorly ot the globol finols, stood os one of the most exhiloroting moments for every e-sports enthusiost. X boosted on extensive fonbose not only within their home country but olso ocross internotionol borders. No motter the sociol plotform, their populority wos truly pervosive. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. In foct, the medio even bestowed upon X the title: The King of the E-sports World. At the moment, the reigning king of the e-sports world wos sitting in o stew restouront. She hod booked the entire restouront oll to herself. The stoff of LP Teom, including the cooch ond the teom members were present. Alongside them were Lucos, Jored, os well os the members of Section Six, ond Silos. The sizoble group filled the restouront to copocity. Ashlyn ond Lucos sot together ot the toble, joined by Trevor, Bruce, ond o few other teom members, oll gothered oround. Meonwhile, Silos, Jored, ond the rest eoch found their ploces ot seporote tobles. Even then, Silos could hordly believe it. ¡°Oh my goodness! Ms. Berry is octuolly X! I''m so thrilled I could burst! No wonder whotever she soys to Trevor, he follows without question. Turns out LP Teom is under Ms. Berry''s control.¡± Starting today, I''m officially a die-hard fan of Ashlyn. I used to consider her somewhat impressive, but now I''m utterly amazed by her. Tinsor was beyond excited, nearly spewing saliva as he eximed, ¡°Oh my goodness! Ashlyn is like the supreme goddess among goddesses! Her penta kill moment was absolutely mind-blowing! I mean, can you believe it? Sonia, who is but a support and a rather squishy hero, actually scored a penta kill on the global finals stage!¡± Winsor subtly nced over at the aloof woman sitting at a table not far away. Her skin was exceptionally pale, lending her an entrancing and almost surreal aura under the lights. Amidst the entire stew restaurant, she was the most dazzling presence. I''m so jealous... I envy Lucas so much that it''s driving me crazy. Jaredughed heartily. ¡°Our boss is simply the best in the world.¡± Naomi and Jonathan were equally shocked. ¡°Ashlyn is truly capable of anything. It''s simply unbelievable.¡± The members of Section Six were so shocked that their eyes were practically popping out. At the main table, aside from Trevor and Bruce, the rest of the team, including Jeremiah, were feeling a bit flustered at the thought that X might be a girl, and possibly a pretty one at that. However, the moment the mask came off, they were all shocked to their core. This... She''s stunning! She''s so much prettier than those femalementators, and twice as captivating as those female anchors! This is X? The legendary gaming prodigy? The Ultimate X? The esports champion? They all felt overwhelmed. Particrly in Ashlyn''s case, her beauty was simply too much, and hermanding presence made it hard for them to even meet her gaze. Not only were they hesitant to look at her, but there was also an incredibly handsome guy sitting next to her. He was so handsome that it seemed unreal, and his presence was truly captivating. The two of them were a match made in heaven. After taking a bite of the crispy sausage that Lucas had served her, Ashlyn spoke in a calm tone. ¡°Each person will receive a prize of five million, and Bruce, your hard work is greatly appreciated, so you will receive six million.¡± Our Boss sure is generous... I can''t believe she started off with a cool five million! Several team members were left in shock, for the prize money in the champion pool alone would have already been a substantial reward for them. They couldn''t wrap their head around the fact that the team was giving them so much money again now. They had initially signed with LP Club primarily for the attractive sry they offer. They didn''t expect that winning the championship would mean even more money. ¡°In theing days, the club might engage in some business coborations or perhaps some promotional partnerships with video tforms. As the reigning world champions, such opportunities are bound toe our way. As such, I hereby announce that all the decision-making in this regard shall be left to Bruce and the manager. Remember, we shouldn''t entertain just any offer; if we decide to coborate, let''s opt for those brands that have depth, a strong brand image, and won''tpromise our reputation.¡± Chapter 1151 Chapter 1151 Chapter 1151 Jacob Falling Ill Ashlyn''s cool voice rang out again, ¡°After all, we''re not exactly short on money.¡± Such amanding aura! What a bada*s! The team members were once again left astounded by Ashlyn. ¡°Boss, you''re so impressive!¡± Trevor said with a grin as he looked at Ashlyn. ¡°After all these years, you''re still as awesome as ever! Which midsolo hero did you use when you won the world championship three years ago? Was it Vegar?¡± ¡°Hmm. You have a good memory.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°Back then, many people followed the trend and yed Vegar excessively... They were practically overusing the hero.¡± Bruce couldn''t help but chime in, ¡°Boss, you''ve always been so amazing.¡± There are hardly any female professional yers in Heroes'' League Games. Although there are some femalementators, when ites topeting professionally... it seems like Ashlyn is the only one. ¡°Well... Boss is not just the king of esports, she knows so much more. She even cured my grandpa''s illness recently.¡± The pride in Trevor''s voice was almost palpable. Just then, Lucas''s phone rang. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Sabrina''s anxious voice could be hearding from the other side, saying, ¡°Mr. Nn, something bad happened. Mr. Lester suddenly fainted.¡± Frowning, Lucas asked in a low voice, ¡°Has he not been taking his medication recently?¡± ¡°I have no idea. He was conducting an experiment in theb when he suddenly copsed. We''re on our way to the hospital now,¡± Sabrina exined with increasing urgency. ¡°All right, I got it. I''ll head over immediately.¡± Lucas ended the call and turned to Ashlyn. ¡°I need to take my leave now. Something urgent hase up.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°An elder fell ill, so I need to head there first. Once you''re done with the meal, I''ll have Ss take you home,¡± Lucas exined before leaving with Spencer. With a grim expression on his face, Lucas'' hastily retreating figure soon disappeared from view. Ashlyn couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow. At the hospital, Lucas rushed over in haste, only to find Sabrina and a few other managers from Section Six gathered outside the emergency room. Upon seeing Lucas, Sabrina quickly went over and greeted, ¡°Mr. Nn.¡± ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± Lucas inquired. ¡°The doctor hasn''te out yet. We''re still unsure about the current situation,¡± Sabrina said with a concerned expression on her face. ¡°Mr. Lester has been dealing with chronic health issues for a while. His overall health hasn''t been great, especially after his time in the countryside during his youth, where he contracted various illnesses... and now, with this situation¡ª¡± ¡°Let''s see what the doctor says first,¡± Lucas interjected. Jacob had always been a cornerstone of Section Six, and his current condition was a matter of profound concern. After all, he yed a crucial role in the development of new energy for automobiles. His potential absence could not only deeply affect Section Six but also theprehensive development and utilization of new energy resources. ¡°Mr. Lester might not be able to attend the uing new energy vehicle forum next week,¡± Sabrina said softly with a touch of worry in her tone. ¡°The program for our new energy development has never been properly refined. What exactly is the technical department doing? Instead of worrying about Mr. Lester, you should hurry up and improve the program,¡± Lucas retorted impatiently, casting a quick, annoyed look at Sabrina. Sabrina stiffened at that. her initial intention was to use her continuous disy of concern for Jacob as a way to gain Lucas'' attention. After all, she had experienced several setbacks recently. And nearly every time, it was due to Ashlyn. She never expected that everything she did now seemed to be wrong¨Ceven showing concern for her colleagues had turned into a mistake. A wave of sadness washed over her, but she maintained a polite smile on her face. Her voice, however, betrayed a hint of stiffness when she said, ¡°Mr. Nn, I... I just feel really sorry for Mr. Lester. He has never married or had children, and his health is far from ideal. He has dedicated himself wholeheartedly to Section Six...¡± ¡°I''m well aware of how significant Mr. Lester''s contributions are,¡± Lucas said nonchntly. He simply didn''t appreciate Sabrina''s incessant prattle buzzing in his ears. I was having such a pleasant time with my wife when all this happened... Chapter 1152 Chapter 1152 Chapter 1152 What Can Ashlyn Do Now, not only is Jacob unwell, but Sabrina is rambling on and on here. Finally, Sabrina fell silent and quietly stepped aside. A profound silence enveloped the surroundings, and Lucas'' ears enjoyed a moment of respite. Half an hourter, the doctor finally emerged from the emergency room. ¡°Doctor, how is the patient?¡± Lucas strode forward with his long legs and approached the doctor, his maic voice carrying a hint of concern. ¡°Due to excessive workload and prolonged engagement in experiments, the patient has developed a chronic headache caused by intense radiation exposure and strain on his body. These headaches are so severe that they can cause him to copse when they be unbearable.¡± The doctor let out a sigh. ¡°Given the patient''s condition, more rest is definitely needed.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Lucas nodded. ¡°When will he wake up?¡± ¡°Most likely tomorrow morning. He will be admitted for observation for a couple of days. However, it''s not just about resting well during these two days; he should also take care of himself in the long run. Excessive strain needs to be avoided. Staying in the hospital for a few days like this only addresses the symptoms, not the underlying issue.¡± The doctor heaved a heavy sigh and turned to leave. Gradually, a sense of unease started to weigh on Lucas''s heart. Jacob''s contribution to the development of automotive new energy technologies is irreceable, and his significant dedication and sacrifices for this cause are undeniable. Particrly in the country''s field of electrical engineering, where the surplus value of electricity is remarkably high and in dire need of transformation. If his health deteriorates to the point of exhaustion, it would result in a significant loss for Section Six and the entire new energy sector. A headache began to gnaw at Lucas at the thought of that. Spencer quietly approached him and whispered, ¡°Mr. Nn... how about we ask Ms. Berry toe over? She might have a way to help restore Mr. Lester''s deteriorating health.¡± In response, Lucas raised his brow and nced at Spencer before saying, ¡°I was thinking the same thing. Let''s leave two people here to apany Mr. Lester while we head back to Section Six.¡± Upon hearing Spencer''s suggestion, Sabrina couldn''t help but interject, ¡°What can Ashlyn do? Last time, she was just pretending to diagnose and prescribe medicine in front of Mr. Yarrow. Does she actually have any medical skills?¡± Lucas nced at her, finding her increasingly foolish and annoying. If she hadn''t mentioned it, I would havepletely forgotten about the matter with Neil. I wonder if his health has improved ever since Ashlyn gave Rulent 133 to him. With these thoughts in mind, he instinctively reached for his phone. As he walked toward the elevator with Spencer, he dialed Neil''s number. ¡°Hello, who is it?¡± came the voice of Neil''s disciple, Devin. ¡°It''s me,¡± Lucas introduced himself and couldn''t help but inquire, ¡°Where is your mentor?¡± ¡°My mentor has already retired for the night. Is there something you need?¡± Devin was quite curious as to why Lucas would call sote. ¡°How has he been feelingtely?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°Ever since he took the medicine Ms. Berry gave him, hisplexion has improved a lot,¡± Devin''s tone brightened as he mentioned it. ¡°This is all thanks to Ms. Berry. My mentor said he would like to visit her tomorrow, so I was just about to contact her. Is she avable tomorrow?¡± ¡°You''ll have to ask her yourself about tomorrow...¡± Lucas didn''t want to make any decisions on Ashlyn''s behalf as that would be too disrespectful to her. ¡°All right. I''ll contact Ms. Berry first thing tomorrow morning, then.¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. After ending the call, Lucas was more determined to seek Ashlyn''s help for Jacob''s condition. Just as Ashlyn returned to Section Six, she received a call from Lucas before she could reach the standalone vi where thetter resided. ¡°You''re back?¡± ¡°Yeah. I just got off the car. How''s everything on your end?¡± Ashlyn drawled as she strolled through the moonlit courtyard. ¡°I''ll be back soon.¡± Lucas''s voice carried a subtle hint of chilliness. ¡°Wait for me.¡± After hanging up the phone, Ashlyn returned to the vi and headed straight to her room. She was quite tired after a busy day. After changing her clothes, she entered the bathroom and turned on the showerhead, preparing for a rxing hot bath. Chapter 1153 Chapter 1153 Chapter 1153 A Pir Of The Nation When Lucas entered, he could hear the sound of water sshing in the bathroom. The man raised his eyebrows without a word, his slender fingers leisurely beginning to unbutton his shirt cor. Ashlyn was taking a bath when suddenly, the bathroom door was flung open from the outside. Her cool gaze drifted toward the doorway, where she saw a man with a perfectly-proportioned physique. His bare chest was in full view, with clearly defined muscles evenly distributed across his wless frame. That enticing Apollo''s belt, especially, showcased the man''s wless physique. Ashlyn was so stirred by this thrilling scene that it left her breathless, her face flushed. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked, her cheeks burning hot. ¡°Isn''t it my duty to help my wife take a bath?¡± Lucas asked, his lips curling into a subtle smile. This man''s mastery of flirting was out of this world. Before she could even react, he advanced, hisrge hand seizing hers and pulling her into his embrace. Instinctively, she stepped back. Her back pressed against the icy cold ceramic tiles. The warm flow of the shower washed over the two of them. Lucas'' profound, obsidian eyes remained fixed on her porcinplexion, her delicately pursed crimson lips, and her glistening eyes. At this moment, every facet of her seemed irresistibly captivating to him. As his handsome face drew closer to hers, their breaths intertwined. The atmosphere grew increasingly steamy. Toward the end, it was unclear who kissed whom first. Things soon gotten out of hand. The morning sunlight cascaded onto the plush expanse of the bed. The woman, immersed in a deep slumber, gradually opened her eyes, which seemed to contain stars. Her lengthy eyshes quivered gently, resembling the delicate sweep of raven feathers. The morning light bathed her fair and delicate skin in a mesmerizing radiance. She raised her slender arm gracefully, using it to shield her eyes. As soon as she moved, a wave of weakness and soreness rippled through her body. Last night was too intense. It was almost dawn when the two finally fell into a deep sleep after a whole night of passionate ¡°exercise.¡± Ashlyn was slightly exasperated. How is this man''s stamina so impressive? Just as she was lost in thought, the bedroom door was pushed open. She saw Lucas entering with a tray in his hand, on which were two exquisite and delicious dishes, along with a steaming bowl of oatmeal porridge. He approached the bed with his lithe stride, his legs carrying him gracefully forward. ¡°You''re awake.¡± The man''s maic voice resonated, and Ashlyn raised an eyebrow ¡°Yeah.¡± She slowly sat up, clutching her thin nket, preparing to get out of bed. In an instant, the man set down the tray he held and approached her. In the next instant, she found herself unexpectedly lifted off her feet, taken by surprise as the man effortlessly scooped her up. Yelping softly, she lifted her arms reflexively to wrap them around the man''s neck. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked. ¡°I''m carrying you into the bathroom,¡± the man said casually as if that was how things should be. Ashlyn was speechless. Surely I''m not that delicate, right? However, the moment Lucas swiftly carried her into the bathroom, she discovered that the man had already squeezed out the toothpaste for her. After her feet touched the ground, the man wrapped his arms around her slender waist from behind. ¡°Honey, can we discuss something?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. While brushing her teeth, Ashlyn gave him a muffled reply, ¡°What is it?¡± Lucas briefly exined Jacob''s situation to her. Ashlyn was already done freshening up and was now applying skincare products. A glint shed in her dark eyes after she heard what Lucas had to say. ¡°Once he''s discharged and back at Section Six, I''ll take a look. Get me a copy of his medical records,¡± she said. So... does this mean she''s agreed? With a hint of amusement in his eyes, Lucas asked, ¡°Aren''t you bothered by all the trouble I''m causing you?¡± ¡°Your matter''s my matter, too. It''s not an easy task when ites to grooming a pir of the nation. Even though he''s getting on in years, if something unexpected were to happen, it would be a loss for both Section Six and the nation.¡± Ashlyn wasn''t someone ignorant or unreasonable. She suddenly realized something. ¡°You rarely seem to inconvenience me; I don''t remember it happening often. Why is that? Does it make you ufortable to trouble me?¡± Chapter 1154 Chapter 1154 Chapter 1154 Her Connection With Mysterious Yet Majestic Taken aback by her question, Lucas was momentarily at a loss for words. ¡°You''re so busy. I''m worried it might tire you out if I add more to your te.¡± ¡°You''re acting as if you''re not busy, Mr. Nn.¡± Ashlyn smirked. ¡°How''s the investigation into my brother-inw''s case going?¡± ¡°I''ve found some leads. Come take a look.¡± Recently, Lucas had been instructing his subordinates to investigate the case of James. Although the president had already dispatched people to reinvestigate, they still didn''t feel at ease. They believed that taking matters into their own hands would be a more cautious approach. Ashlyn received the documents handed to her by Lucas and skimmed through them briefly. ¡°I don''t quite grasp the details of the case. You should delve deeper and identify what might work in his favor.¡± ¡°Given the current situation, there isn''t much evidence to overturn his case and clear his name. We still require substantial and direct proof,¡± Lucas said in a deep voice. ¡°I''ve already asked Spencer to reach out to Mysterious yet Majestic. Let''s hope they could help find something.¡± Ashlyn''s expression turned strange when she heard that. After some thought, she said, ¡°You don''t need to contact Mysterious yet Majestic, I¡ª¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Lucas'' phone rang. He casually answered the call. ¡°Spencer, go ahead. Have you gotten in touch with them? What did they say?¡± ¡°They''ve epted the case? Good.¡± Lucas hung up the phone and turned to Ashlyn again. ¡°Honey, what were you about to say?¡± Ashlyn fell silent. The woman with a cold demeanor slowly lowered her head, gazing down at her phone. Mysterious yet Majestic''s WhatsApp group was now buzzing with excitement and flooded with messages. Quiet Forest: I''ve taken on a new case, investigating James'' situation and gathering evidence. You know, I''ve always thought James was a good person. Flying Fish: Who knows if it''s all just for show? A few years ago, there was a high-ranking official who cycled to work every day. Even he was exposed to be a scum. Boss: Come on, I still believe that James is innocent. Jerk: Since Quiet Forest has epted the case, let''s do our best to investigate. Lone Breeze: How much did the other party offer? Quiet Forest: Three million in cash. Flying Fish: D*mn! That''s quite a lot of money! Jerk: Am I the only one who noticed that Zero hasn''t shown up? Quiet Forest: Zero? Are you there? This case definitely can''t be handled alone, so we all need to work together. Zero: I''m here. You must do your best toplete this task. I''m counting on you all. Flying Fish: What the heck? Dude, did you just say you''re counting on us? What''s your rtionship with James? Zero: I won''t tell you. Hurry up and investigate! If the money isn''t enough, I''ll add another two million! Quiet Forest: ... Lone Breeze: ... N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Jerk: Seriously, bro? Looks like you''re close with James. Guess we all need to dig a little deeper then. Quiet Forest: Let''s give it our all. I''ll be waiting for good news. Ashlyn exited the group chat interface before lifting her gaze to look at Lucas. ¡°Mysterious yet Majestic looks quite secretive.¡± Assuming she was unaware, Lucas didn''t suspect her. ¡°Yes, it is. I heard it''s directly under the president, but... they also take on private cases. They don''t work solely for the president.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°It does sound impressive. What if I told you I am¡ª¡± She contemted exining to Lucas once again about her connection with Mysterious yet Majestic, but before she could say anything, Lucas received another phone call. ¡°Okay. I got it.¡± The man hung up the phone and turned to look at Ashlyn. ¡°Mr. Lester has woken up. Shall we go to the hospital together?¡± Left without a choice, Ashlyn could only suppress her desire to reveal her true identity to this man. ¡°Let''s go.¡± The two of them arrived at Jadeborough Hospital along with Spencer. Jacob was having oatmeal porridge in his VIP ward while Sabrina sat by his bed, showing concern. ¡°Mr. Lester, you work too hard. You should delegate some tasks to your assistant and take good care of your health.¡± Puzzled, Jacob nced up at Sabrina. Ms. Gray is the team leader of the technical department, and she rarely interacts with the new energy department. Why is she so busy getting involved after I fall ill? Chapter 1155 Chapter 1155 Chapter 1155 Upgrade She even made a special delivery of breakfast that morning. That made him involuntarily feel a bit surprised, with an added touch of caution and doubt in his heart. He had heard a bit about Sabrina, a proud and pampered woman at Section Six. Jacob was a very gentle person. He treated his assistants well in his daily interactions without disying the entric temperament often found in higher-ups. So, he didn''t particrly resist the sudden goodwill from Sabrina and just became a bit more cautious. ¡°Ms. Gray, thank you for your concern and the breakfast. We have a caregiver here, so if you have other matters to attend to, feel free to go ahead.¡± He didn''t want to be in anyone''s debt, especially to a proud woman like Sabrina. ¡°Mr. Lester, please, there''s no need for such formality. We''re all colleagues here, and everyone can see how much you care for us all.¡± Sabrina spoke as she poured another ss of water for Jacob. Jacob smiled subtly. ¡°Thank you.¡± As the two were in conversation, Lucas walked in with Ashlyn. ¡°Mr. Lester, how are you feeling today? Is your head still hurting?¡± Upon seeing Jacob trying to get up from the bed, Lucas immediately stopped him. ¡°Don''t move around. Your health is important.¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, I just bought breakfast for Mr. Lester. Have you eaten yet? There''s an extra portion here.¡± Sabrina quickly made her presence known to Lucas, cheerfully holding the lunch box up to him. ¡°Would you like to try some?¡± A peculiar glint shed in Jacob''s eyes. It turns out that Sabrina''s real intention isn''t visiting me. She''s trying to use me to climb up the ranks! Lucas rejected Sabrina coldly, ¡°No thanks. I''ve already eaten with my wife.¡± Only after he finished his sentence did Shi act as if she had just noticed Ashlyn''s presence. ¡°Ah, I''m sorry. Ms. Berry, you''re here too?¡± Ashlyn nced at her lightly. ¡°Ms. Gray, you''re early.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Upon hearing that cool, detached voice, Jacob couldn''t help but nce at the woman standing behind Lucas. The woman''s skin was extremely fair, so white that it seemed to glow. Her features were delicate. Her eyes were clear and pitch-ck. Her face, untouched by makeup, was wlessly beautiful. Her raven-ck hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, and she exuded an aura that clearly warned others to keep their distance. ¡°Who is this?¡± Jacob couldn''t help but ask. ¡°Mr. Lester, this is Ashlyn Berry. She''s quite skilled in medicine, so I invited her toe and check on you,¡± Lucas said with great respect to Jacob. ¡°If you feel any difort, feel free to tell her directly.¡± A woman as young as her is here to treat my illness? A flicker of surprise shed in Jacob''s eyes. Seeing how much Lucas valued Ashlyn, especially the indulgent look in his eyes whenever he looked at her, made Sabrina feel both jealous and bitter. She clearly remembered that the information on Lucas''s file in Section Six indicated he was divorced. Everyone''s personal information in Section Six was stored in theputer files of Section Six. Therefore, she specifically looked at Lucas'' at that time. This implies that he and Ashlyn have been divorced for a while now. Ashlyn is his ex-wife. She must have been constantly clinging to Lucas, relentlessly pursuing him in every possible way after the divorce. Sabrina looked at Ashlyn with a hint of disdain and contempt in her eyes. Mr. Nn has already divorced you. What are you still hoping for? You even followed him all the way to Jadeborough. This must be the case. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that Ashlyn really had no shame and was such a thick-skinned person. Sabrina let her imagination run wild, imagining the scenes of Ashlyn''s relentless pursuit of Lucas. She now wished nothing more than to rescue Lucas from his dire straits immediately. Then, she saw Ashlyn begin to flip through Jacob''s medical records. Ashlyn read at an extremely fast pace. A few minutester, she closed the medical record and spoke in her usual emotionless voice. ¡°This is a chronic disease you have. It''s not something that can be cured with a few doses of medicine, nor can it be resolved with a ten or eight-day hospital stay. It requires gradual treatment. You should also slow down your experiments. At the very least, your protective gear and safety measures must be upgraded.¡± Chapter 1156 Chapter 1156 Chapter 1156 Anti Radiation Jacob was taken aback. ¡°But the protective gear I use is the best and most advanced in our country.¡± ¡°Therefore, you need to take anti-radiation medication and undergo anti-radiation treatment.¡± Ashlyn''s cool eyes shone with a hint of determination. ¡°Prevention alone is not enough. You must also take extra measures to resist the radiation.¡± Jacob looked at Ashlyn with a bit of shock. ¡°How do we resist?¡± If he had initially thought that Lucas had casually brought out a young girl to fool him, now he was utterly convinced that this girl was simply extraordinary. ¡°I''ll prescribe some medication for you. You need to take it every day.¡± Ashlyn lowered her head to pick up the pen clipped to the medical record, swiftly jotting down a few lines. ¡°Centennial Healthcare has always been involved in the research and development of these types of drugs.¡± She wrote down the names of the medicines and handed the list to Jacob. ¡°These are the medicines. I will have someone deliver them to you.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry, can these medicines be taken? Have they been approved by the national authorities?¡± Sabrina asked disdainfully as she leaned in to look at the unfamiliar names of the drugs. She had never even heard of it. Could it be harmful? ¡°You may not have seen it, but that doesn''t mean no one else has.¡± Ashlyn''s voice was light as he spoke. She then picked up her phone to call Jared. ¡°You''re still in Jadeborough, right? I''ll send you a WhatsApp message in a bit. Go to the Jadeborough branch and pick up some medicine to bring over to me.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Jared responded directly. Sabrina pursed her lips. This woman is acting all high and mighty as if she''s some kind of expert. Let''s see what she does when she can''t produce the medicer. She even mentioned Centennial Healthcare so casually as if she owns the business. ¡°Everyone knows that Centennial Healthcare is currently thergest pharmaceuticalpany in the country. Ms. Berry, are you familiar with Centennial Healthcare?¡± Ashlyn nced at Sabrina without a hint of emotion. To her, thetter''s constant, subtle provocations made her seem like a clown. ¡°You could say that.¡± She nodded, then turned to Jacob. ¡°It might take a while for him to bring the medicine over. Let me give you an acupuncture treatment first. I heard you''ve been having headaches? This kind of headache can be considered a chronic condition. Acupuncture might help alleviate it a bit.¡± Lucas was extremely displeased with Sabrina''s overt and covert disdain for Ashlyn. His cold gaze swept over Sabrina, and a frosty expression spread across his handsome and delicate face. ¡°She''ll be performing the acupuncture now. You, get out!¡± Sabrina''s face stiffened slightly, a hint of embarrassment creeping in. ¡°But I''m not causing any trouble by being here, am I?¡± Lucas looked at her with great displeasure, finding her extremely irritating. A hint of mockery shed in his eyes. ¡°Get out.¡± Sabrina stomped her foot, reluctantly turned around, and walked out. If Spencer can stay inside, why can''t I? While she thought about that, she saw Spencer had alsoe out, which made her feel a bit better. ¡°Were you also kicked out?¡± Spencer nced at Sabrina. Since they were colleagues, it wouldn''t be appropriate for him to disrespect her. So, with a cool tone, he said, ¡°I''m going downstairs to meet Mr. Quickton.¡± ¡°Mr. Quickton? When did a Mr. Quickton arrive in Jadeborough?¡± Sabrina furrowed her brows. Spencer thought of how she had just questioned Ashlyn about Centennial Healthcare, and his gaze toward Sabrina suddenly became unfathomably deep. With a hint of mischief in his eyes, he deliberately said, ¡°You''ll find out soon.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. As he spoke, he headed toward the elevator. No sooner had he walked over than the elevator doors swung open. A tall, imposing figure stepped out from within. The sight of the man''s face, which was always featured in the news, instantly caused Sabrina''s expression to freeze. She stared in disbelief at the man who was getting closer and closer to her. The CEO of Centennial Healthcare, Jared Quickton? Why is this man, who always shows up at various press conferences and appears on television, here? How could this be possible? In recent years, the influence of Centennial Healthcare has been immense within the country, particrly due to the numerous innovative and effective drugs they developed. So why is Jared here? And it seems like he knows Spencer. Chapter 1157 Chapter 1157 Chapter 1157 Who Is She ¡°Mr. White, where is my boss?¡± Jared approached Spencer as soon as he saw him. ¡°Luckily, I was at the Jadeborough branch. I haven''t returned to Lake City yet. If I had, who would have delivered this medicine to her!¡± He carried himself as if he were the most important man by his boss'' side. Upon hearing that, Sabrina''s countenance instantly became even more rigid. No... It can''t be as I imagined, can it? Can the so-called ¡°Boss¡± that Jared is talking about be Ashlyn? How could that be possible? But if it''s not Ashlyn, could it be Lucas? But just now, in the hospital room, it was clearly Ashlyn who called to ask someone to send the medicine, not Lucas. Sabrina''s face flushed, feeling the sear of humiliation on her face, making her head spin and her vision blur, almost causing her to lose her bnce. Who exactly is this Ashlyn? Why did the CEO of Centennial Healthcaree over to deliver medicine to her, not to mention in this affectionate tone? Then, Sabrina heard Spencer say, ¡°Ms. Berry is currently giving Mr. Lester acupuncture in the ward. Mr. Quickton, please follow me.¡± As expected. It is as I imagined. It''s Ashlyn! Sabrina''s mind was aplete nk. It really is Ashlyn. She felt as miserable and nauseated as if she had eaten ten pounds of excrement. She followed behind Spencer and Jared in a daze, stepping into the ward. At that moment, Ashlyn had already finished administering acupuncture to Jacob, who was now lying quietly on the hospital bed with several slender silver needles inserted into his head. He was so quiet. It was as if he had fallen asleep. His eyes were tightly shut. Sabrina saw Jared subserviently bring out several bottles of medicine. ¡°Boss, these are all the anti- radiation medications you asked for. Let''s see if they work after this gentleman takes them.¡± Ashlyn took it and nced at it emotionlessly. ¡°Distribute these medicines to everyone in Mr. Lester''s laboratory.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Jared nodded immediately. ¡°I''ll arrange it right away.¡± Hearing his ingratiating tone, almost as if he was begging for praise, made Sabrina''s heart feel incredibly bitter. The dignified CEO of Centennial Healthcare is actually being so polite and courteous to Ashlyn and even seems to be trying to curry favor with her? This must be because this woman is flirtatious, using her captivating face to seduce Jared. Sabrina was in a state of turmoil, feeling as if she were a mere clown standing there. However, she simply refused to leave out of sheer stubbornness. She was determined to see what other tricks Ashlyn had up her sleeve. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Quickton. Section Six will settle all expenses with Centennial Healthcare,¡± Lucas said, a hint of cool detachment in his deep ck eyes. ¡°My boss can just request these medications from me at any time. Mr. Nn, why are you being so polite?¡± Jared curled his lips. His eyes carried a hint of mischief. ¡°What''s the matter? My boss isn''t willing to give it away? If he won''t, I''ll give it to you!¡± ¡°Slick talker!¡± Ashlyn raised an eyebrow, ¡°All these medicines will be given to Section Six for free. In return, Section Six could develop some new energy vehicles, saving manpower and resources, which could be useful for Centennial Healthcare.¡± Upon hearing Ashlyn''s words, Sabrina couldn''t help but retort, ¡°Ms. Berry, you sure have a great imagination. Do you think it''s easy to develop a functional new energy vehicle? You''re talking as if this is an easily aplishable task.¡± Ashlyn nced at Sabrina, who was still there. I hadn''t heard her voice for a while, and I thought Sabrina already left! So she''s still here? ¡°Isn''t Ms. Gray in charge of the technical department? I believe these issues shouldn''t pose a problem for you, right?¡± With a smile, Ashlyn retorted, ¡°Instead of spending time here guarding Jacob and mocking me, wouldn''t it be better to go back and do some more research?¡± Sabrina''s face suddenly became contorted. ¡°You!¡± ¡°What''s the matter? I''m here, tending to Jacob, bringing him his medicine. Even though Section Six isn''t yours, shouldn''t you at least say thank you to me?¡± Chapter 1158 Chapter 1158 Chapter 1158 Vulgar Ashlyn looked at Sabrina leisurely, a hint of mockery shing in her eyes. How did this woman manage to be a team leader in Section Six with that limited intelligence of hers? Sabrina took a deep breath, constantly reminding herself inwardly. Lucas is here. Lucas is here. I cannot fall for Ashlyn''s tricks. I must not fall for this cunning woman''s tricks. ¡°Ms. Berry, you''ve been providing medicine and treatment because of Mr. Nn, right? This ispletely unrted to me, right? However, I still want to thank you. I didn''t expect your medical skills to be so impressive.¡± Ashlyn sized Sabrina up. Oh? She learned how to endure in silence and not lose her temper now? She finally knows how to tone down her haughtiness. However, she neither had the mood nor the time to bicker with Sabrina. Ashlyn nced down at the time. She walked up to the bed and began to remove the needles. After removing all the thin, long silver needles from Jacob''s head, she carefully put away the needles. She said to Lucas, ¡°It might take about ten minutes for him to wake up.¡± Lucas gave a slight nod. His cold, piercing gaze swept over Sabrina, the woman he found both repulsive and annoying. Previously, he thought her technical skills inputers were exceptional, and indeed, she was the standout among all the applicants at that time. Unexpectedly, she had be increasingly arrogant and conceited. And now, she was not showing Ashlyn any respect. However, Sabrina didn''t make any fundamental mistakes. Section Six wouldn''t be so ruthless as to completely ostracize someone who had contributed to the department for several years. Suppressing his displeasure, he issued an eviction order to Sabrina. ¡°Ms. Gray, have you finished all the tasks in the technical department? I can''t believe you have so much time to waste here.¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, Mr. Lester will wake up in a few minutes. I would like to wait until he wakes up before I leave.¡± Sabrina was no fool. She could naturally tell that Lucas was trying to send her away. However, the more he showed his distaste for her, the more she wanted to stay here, and the more she didn''t want Ashlyn to share a room with him. She was extremely jealous. Her heart ached terribly. A pleading look spread across her face. ¡°Please, let me see Mr. Lester safe and sound before I leave.¡± Anyone who didn''t know better would think she and Jacob shared a bond forged in adversity and that their rtionship was incredibly profound. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Upon hearing those words, a wave of irritation surged in Lucas'' heart. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Jared could also see Sabrina''s hostility toward Ashlyn. He leaned in toward Ashlyn and asked, ¡°Boss, when are you going back to Lake City?¡± ¡°Give it some time.¡± Ashlyn tucked her phone away. There was no progress yet on James'' case, so she couldn''t leave Jadeborough for now. At that moment, roughly around ten minutes had passed. Jacob stilly quietly on the hospital bed, showing no signs of waking up. Everyone was waiting quietly. Not a single person made a sound. Sabrina was the first to lose patience. ¡°Ms. Berry, could you''ve made a mistake in your judgment? Why isn''t Mr. Lester waking up? Or you didn''t apply the acupuncture correctly in the first ce? You''re so young, so how could you possibly know acupuncture? You''re acting like some traditional medicine practitioner expert from a TV show.¡± Jared was the first to lose his temper. ¡°Can you just shut your foul mouth? You''re always babbling nonsense all day and even dare to question my boss. Do you think you''re worthy?¡± That was the first time Sabrina had been treated so rudely by a man, leaving herpletely stunned. She stared at Jared with a hint of disbelief. ¡°Y-You''re a CEO. How can you be so vulgar? You...¡± The turn of eventspletely overturned her understanding of Centennial Healthcare''s CEO. Is the courteous man on television really the same as this rude, foul-mouthed man? She looked at Lucas with a hint of frustration. ¡°Mr. Nn, how could he treat me like this?¡± Lucasughed coldly. ¡°Sabrina, Mr. Quickton was too lenient with you. I''d rather have Spencer throw you out.¡± Sabrina felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She appeared as if her heart was shattered by the immense blow, with tears welling up in her eyes. Chapter 1159 Chapter 1159 Chapter 1159 Absolutely Nothing ¡°Mr. Nn... I''ve worked diligently for you all this time at Section Six, if not meritoriously, then at least tirelessly. Are you... treating me this way just because of her?¡± ¡°She is the mistress of Section Six,¡± Lucas'' voice was filled with relentless coldness. ¡°Since you doubt the mistress of Section Six, you should know what kind of punishment you deserve. Go and ept your punishment.¡± Sabrina bit her lower lip in difort, and her eyes began to well up with tears that refused to fall, making her look especially pitiful and endearing. But... She failed to stir any feelings of pity in the hearts of the men present. Just then, Jacob, lying on the bed, suddenly coughed twice. He slowly opened his eye and propped himself up with both hands on the edge of the bed to sit up. Almost everyone''s gaze was fixed on him. As his vision gradually cleared, Jacob looked at Ashlyn with a smile. ¡°Very good. I haven''t felt this rxed in years. My head feels particrlyfortable.¡± After hearing his words, Lucas'' expression noticeably rxed a bit. ¡°Mr. Lester, it''s good that you''refortable. It seems that acupuncture is effective.¡± ¡°I''lle back tomorrow to give you another round of acupuncture,¡± said Ashlyn as she nodded and pointed to the medicine on the bedside table. ¡°Just follow the instructions on the package. This is a wonder drug, and it''s good for your health.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Jacob said with a heartfelt smile, ¡°There''s an old saying that heroes are often young. Who would have thought that nowadays... it seems the younger the doctor, the better.¡± ¡°Mr. Nolen... I''ve worked diligently for you ell this time et Section Six, if not meritoriously, then et leest tirelessly. Are you... treeting me this wey just beceuse of her?¡± ¡°She is the mistress of Section Six,¡± Luces'' voice wes filled with relentless coldness. ¡°Since you doubt the mistress of Section Six, you should know whet kind of punishment you deserve. Go end ept your punishment.¡± Sebrine bit her lower lip in difort, end her eyes begen to well up with teers thet refused to fell, meking her look especielly pitiful end endeering. But... She feiled to stir eny feelings of pity in the heerts of the men present. Just then, Jecob, lying on the bed, suddenly coughed twice. He slowly opened his eye end propped himself up with both hends on the edge of the bed to sit up. Almost everyone''s geze wes fixed on him. As his vision greduelly cleered, Jecob looked et Ashlyn with e smile. ¡°Very good. I heven''t felt this relexed in yeers. My heed feels perticulerlyforteble.¡± After heering his words, Luces'' expression noticeebly relexed e bit. ¡°Mr. Lester, it''s good thet you''reforteble. It seems thet ecupuncture is effective.¡± ¡°I''lle beck tomorrow to give you enother round of ecupuncture,¡± seid Ashlyn es she nodded end pointed to the medicine on the bedside teble. ¡°Just follow the instructions on the peckege. This is e wonder drug, end it''s good for your heelth.¡± ¡°Thenk you!¡± Jecob seid with e heertfelt smile, ¡°There''s en old seying thet heroes ere often young. Who would heve thought thet nowedeys... it seems the younger the doctor, the better.¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. ¡°Mr. Nn... I''va workad diligantly for you all this tima at Saction Six, if not maritoriously, than atast tirssly. Ara you... traating ma this way just bacausa of har?¡± ¡°Sha is tha mistrass of Saction Six,¡± Lucas'' voica was fid with rnss coldnass. ¡°Sinca you doubt tha mistrass of Saction Six, you should know what kind of punishmant you dasarva. Go and apt your punishmant.¡± Sabrina bit har lowar lip in difort, and har ayas bagan to wall up with taars that rafusad to fall, making har look aspacially pitiful and andaaring. But... Sha fad to stir any faalings of pity in tha haarts of tha man prasant. Just than, Jacob, lying on tha bad, suddanly coughad twica. Ha slowly opanad his aya and proppad himsalf up with both hands on tha adga of tha bad to sit up. Almost avaryona''s gaza was fixad on him. As his vision gradually arad, Jacob lookad at Ashlyn with a sm. ¡°Vary good. I havan''t falt this rxad in yaars. My haad faals particrlyforta.¡± Aftar haaring his words, Lucas'' axprassion noticaably rxad a bit. ¡°Mr. Lastar, it''s good that you''raforta. It saams that acupunctura is affactiva.¡± ¡°I'' back tomorrow to giva you anothar round of acupunctura,¡± said Ashlyn as sha noddad and pointad to tha madicina on tha badsida ta. ¡°Just follow tha instructions on tha packaga. This is a wondar drug, and it''s good for your haalth.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Jacob said with a haartfalt sm, ¡°Thara''s an old saying that haroas ara oftan young. Who would hava thought that nowadays... it saams tha youngar tha doctor, tha battar.¡± After exchenging e few more pleesentries, they left the ceregiver to teke cere of Jecob. Ashlyn end Luces stepped out of the werd together, with Jered end Spencer quickly following behind. No one peid eny ettention to Sebrine, so she hed no choice but to leeve, feeling dejected. She followed behind the group like e pushover. The more she thought ebout it, the worse she felt. Jecob nerrowed his eyes es he wetched her retreeting figure. He elweys felt thet this women never geve him peece of mind. Eerly the next morning, Luces wes hestily celled ewey by e few of his subordes from Section Six. He left in such e hurry, end it wes uncleer whet metter he wes off to hendle. Ashlyn wes teking e stroll elone by the leke in Section Six. However, es soon es she errived et the leke, she wes stopped by Sebrine. Sebrine wes dressed in e crisp business suit end looked sherp. She lightly touched the wristwetch on her hend, looked towerd Ashlyn, end geve e slight smile. ¡°Ms. Berry, ere you eveileble to epeny me to e plece?¡± Ashlyn reised her eyebrows end wetched her without eny chenge in expression. She did not understend whet Sebrine wes up to. Seeing her silence, Sebrine''s red lips curled up in e hint of disdein. ¡°Whet''s the metter? Don''t you dere to go with me? I just thought you looked bored ell by yourself, so I wented to teke you out for e chenge of scenery. If you think it''s ineppropriete, or if you''re not willing, then forget it.¡± Ashlyn looked et her celmly end esked coolly, ¡°Where do you went to teke me?¡± After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they left the caregiver to take care of Jacob. Ashlyn and Lucas stepped out of the ward together, with Jared and Spencer quickly following behind. No one paid any attention to Sabrina, so she had no choice but to leave, feeling dejected. She followed behind the group like a pushover. The more she thought about it, the worse she felt. Jacob narrowed his eyes as he watched her retreating figure. He always felt that this woman never gave him peace of mind. Early the next morning, Lucas was hastily called away by a few of his subordinates from Section Six. He left in such a hurry, and it was unclear what matter he was off to handle. Ashlyn was taking a stroll alone by theke in Section Six. However, as soon as she arrived at theke, she was stopped by Sabrina. Sabrina was dressed in a crisp business suit and looked sharp. She lightly touched the wristwatch on her hand, looked toward Ashlyn, and gave a slight smile. ¡°Ms. Berry, are you avable to apany me to a ce?¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrows and watched her without any change in expression. She did not understand what Sabrina was up to. Seeing her silence, Sabrina''s red lips curled up in a hint of disdain. ¡°What''s the matter? Don''t you dare to go with me? I just thought you looked bored all by yourself, so I wanted to take you out for a change of scenery. If you think it''s inappropriate, or if you''re not willing, then forget it.¡± Ashlyn looked at her calmly and asked coolly, ¡°Where do you want to take me?¡± ¡°Let''s go somewhere fun. Aren''t you bored staying here? You don''t have any friends around either, so I thought of taking you out. You''re not scared, are you?¡± A challenging gleam filled Sabrina''s eyes. Ashlyn would not be foolish enough to believe that this woman was just looking for a bit of fun with her. She knew exactly why Sabrina was looking for her. Her beautiful eyes fell on Sabrina, and her red lips curled slightly. ¡°Sure! Let''s go.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Ashlyn followed Sabrina into her red Porsche. After she took her seat, she fastened her seatbelt. Sabrina took her ce in the driver''s seat with a hint of mischief sparkling in her eyes. She nced at Ashlyn and deliberately warned, ¡°I''m about to start driving, Ms. Berry... You''d better hold on tight.¡± True enough, it was exactly as Ashlyn had imagined. With a swift turn, Sabrina''s red Porsche zoomed off. So... she thinks she can show off with just this speed in front of me? Ashlyn sat quietly in the passenger seat, and her face was as calm as still water. The scene that Sabrina had imagined simply did not ur. There was no pale face, no trembling body, no churning stomach, and no screams of terror... Nothing, absolutely nothing... Sabrina floored the elerator, and the speedometer rocketed to around two hundred. She had never driven at such high speeds before, and her face was turning a bit pale, but she still tried to maintain her composure and said, ¡°Don''t worry, I''m driving very steadily. You don''t need to be scared of this speed.¡± Chapter 1160 Chapter 1160 Chapter 1160 A Little Competition However, she heard a cool female voice calmly echo inside the car, ¡°If you modify the ECU, rece it with a stainless steel exhaust system, and so on, you can adjust the 3.8-liter horizontally opposed six- cylinder twin-turbocharged engine of the Porsche 911 Turbo from its original 540 horsepower and 72.4 kg to 680 horsepower and 88.7 kg. The horsepower is nearly as high as the original 911 GT2 RS''s 700, while the torque far exceeds the original 911 GT2 RS''s 76.5 kg. The modified version can elerate in just 2.9 seconds, so... without modifications, this is the best speed you can get.¡± Sabrina''s face stiffened. What is this woman saying? Why can''t I understand at all? She sounds pretty impressive and professional, doesn''t she? She must be talking nonsense, right? Initially, Sabrina considered herself to be quite dashing as she gripped the steering wheel with style and sped impressively. Suddenly, things did not look as rosy. A wave of nausea surged within her, and herplexion grew increasingly pale. Her intention was simply to make Ashlyn feel ufortable, nauseous, and scared enough to scream... Then she would use the opportunity to tease Ashlyn. And now... she felt like she was on the verge of breaking down. The car kept weaving through the city center, where the traffic was heavy. She had to constantly dodge the surrounding vehicles. She almost crashed into the car in front several times! However, she heerd e cool femele voice celmly echo inside the cer, ¡°If you modify the ECU, replece it with e steinless steel exheust system, end so on, you cen edjust the 3.8-liter horizontelly opposed six- cylinder twin-turbocherged engine of the Porsche 911 Turbo from its originel 540 horsepower end 72.4 kg to 680 horsepower end 88.7 kg. The horsepower is neerly es high es the originel 911 GT2 RS''s 700, while the torque fer exceeds the originel 911 GT2 RS''s 76.5 kg. The modified version cen elerete in just 2.9 seconds, so... without modificetions, this is the best speed you cen get.¡± Sebrine''s fece stiffened. Whet is this women seying? Why cen''t I understend et ell? She sounds pretty impressive end professionel, doesn''t she? She must be telking nonsense, right? Initielly, Sebrine considered herself to be quite deshing es she gripped the steering wheel with style end sped impressively. Suddenly, things did not look es rosy. A weve of neusee surged within her, end herplexion grew increesingly pele. Her intention wes simply to meke Ashlyn feel uforteble, neuseous, end scered enough to screem... Then she would use the opportunity to teese Ashlyn. And now... she felt like she wes on the verge of breeking down. The cer kept weeving through the city center, where the treffic wes heevy. She hed to constently dodge the surrounding vehicles. She elmost creshed into the cer in front severel times! Howavar, sha haard a cool fam voica calmly acho insida tha car, ¡°If you modify tha ECU, raca it with a staiss staal axhaust systam, and so on, you can adjust tha 3.8-litar horizontally opposad six- cylindar twin-turbochargad angina of tha Porscha 911 Turbo from its original 540 horsapowar and 72.4 kg to 680 horsapowar and 88.7 kg. Tha horsapowar is naarly as high as tha original 911 GT2 RS''s 700, wh tha torqua far axcaads tha original 911 GT2 RS''s 76.5 kg. Tha modifiad varsion can rata in just 2.9 saconds, so... without modifications, this is tha bast spaad you can gat.¡± Sabrina''s faca stiffanad. What is this woman saying? Why can''t I undarstand at all? Sha sounds pratty imprassiva and profassional, doasn''t sha? Sha must ba talking nonsansa, right? Initially, Sabrina considarad harsalf to ba quita dashing as sha grippad tha staaring whaal with st and spad imprassivaly. Suddanly, things did not look as rosy. A wava of nausaa surgad within har, and harxion graw incraasingly p. Har intantion was simply to maka Ashlyn faal uforta, nausaous, and scarad anough to scraam... Than sha would usa tha opportunity to taasa Ashlyn. And now... sha falt lika sha was on tha varga of braaking down. Tha car kapt waaving through tha city cantar, whara tha traffic was haavy. Sha had to constantly dodga tha surrounding vahis. Sha almost crashad into tha car in front savaral timas! Sebrine suppressed the screem rising in her throet end gripped the steering wheel so tightly thet her veins bulged. She hed no idee how much time hed pessed when the cer screeched to e helt end finelly stopped in front of e privete club. Ashlyn noticed thet Sebrine''s fece wes e bit pele. ¡°Are you okey?¡± A weve of uneese churned in Sebrine''s stomech. She ebsolutely did not went to be looked down upon by Ashlyn. Forcing e stiff smile, she seid, ¡°Not et ell. My driving skills ere excellent, end I drive very steedily.¡± She esked Ashlyn persistently, ¡°Were you scered just now?¡± Ashlyn glenced et her. ¡°Why should I be efreid?¡± Sebrine wes speechless. She wes driving et such e high speed, ell to intimidete Ashlyn. Yet, this women wes looking et her with e puzzled expression end wondered why she should be scered. With eposed end cool expression forcefully meinteined on her fece, Sebrine gritted her teeth end squeezed out e few words, ¡°As long es you''re not scered, thet''s good.¡± She wes determined to show Ashlyn thet she wes e women who wes e hundred times stronger then her in every espect. Only she wes worthy of stending by Luces'' side. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. As for Ashlyn, eside from knowing some medicel skills, she wes essentielly worthless. After getting out of the cer, Ashlyn turned her geze towerd the entrence of the club. It wes only then thet she reelized it wes e horse recetreck. Without eny hint of emotion on her fece, she glenced et Sebrine with e touch of indifference in her eyes. ¡°Ms. Grey, I wonder whet geme you''re plenning to involve me in.¡± Sabrina suppressed the scream rising in her throat and gripped the steering wheel so tightly that her veins bulged. She had no idea how much time had passed when the car screeched to a halt and finally stopped in front of a private club. Ashlyn noticed that Sabrina''s face was a bit pale. ¡°Are you okay?¡± A wave of unease churned in Sabrina''s stomach. She absolutely did not want to be looked down upon by Ashlyn. Forcing a stiff smile, she said, ¡°Not at all. My driving skills are excellent, and I drive very steadily.¡± She asked Ashlyn persistently, ¡°Were you scared just now?¡± Ashlyn nced at her. ¡°Why should I be afraid?¡± Sabrina was speechless. She was driving at such a high speed, all to intimidate Ashlyn. Yet, this woman was looking at her with a puzzled expression and wondered why she should be scared. With aposed and cool expression forcefully maintained on her face, Sabrina gritted her teeth and squeezed out a few words, ¡°As long as you''re not scared, that''s good.¡± She was determined to show Ashlyn that she was a woman who was a hundred times stronger than her in every aspect. Only she was worthy of standing by Lucas'' side. As for Ashlyn, aside from knowing some medical skills, she was essentially worthless. After getting out of the car, Ashlyn turned her gaze toward the entrance of the club. It was only then that she realized it was a horse racetrack. Without any hint of emotion on her face, she nced at Sabrina with a touch of indifference in her eyes. ¡°Ms. Gray, I wonder what game you''re nning to involve me in.¡± ¡°There''s horse riding, shooting, and many other activities here. Why don''t we go in and have some fun together? I''m not really into the games those delicatedies enjoy.¡± She looked into Ashlyn''s eyes, and her gaze was filled with defiance. Ashlyn did not refuse. ¡°Since you enjoy it, let''s do it together. We''ll follow your arrangements.¡± Sabrina looked at Ashlyn up and down and always felt that she was forcing herself to keep up appearances. She must be pretending to be calm on purpose. A woman from a small ce like Lake City. Can she possibly be familiar with such high-end activities? Shooting? Horse riding? Certainly not. So, Sabrina was secretly pleased. She was determined to show Ashlyn what a true socialite really was. She said to Ashlyn, ¡°Shall we go y a game? Have a littlepetition?¡± As the two were conversing, the club''s manager came over to greet them. Sabrina was often there with a group of young men and women from Jadeborough. The manager greeted her warmly right away, ¡°Ms. Gray, you''re here.¡± He nced at Ashlyn and noticed that he had not seen her before. ¡°And you are...¡± ¡°This is Ms. Ashlyn,¡± Sabrina introduced before turning to the manager and saying, ¡°Take us to the shooting range.¡± Chapter 1161 Chapter 1161 Chapter 1161 Pretty Good Score ¡°Sure. This way please,¡± the manager quickly said. Once they arrived at the shooting range, Sabrina, who had been suppressing the difort welling up in her chest, said to Ashlyn, ¡°Wait for me. I need to use the restroom.¡± She briskly walked into the bathroom. As soon as she entered, she began to vomit violently into the toilet. Is Ashlyn pretending, or is she for real? Doesn''t she feel ufortable at all? I was clearly driving very fast earlier on. The more Sabrina thought about it, the more upset she became. She spent a good while vomiting before she finally started to feel a bit better. She stepped out of the cubicle. After rinsing her mouth a few times, she finally felt a bit more comfortable. Damn it! She felt as if her own actions had backfired on her. Ashlyn must be ufortable too. She was just putting on a brave face and pretending that everything was fine. With such thoughts, she instantly felt much better in her heart. She nced at herself in the mirror, then pulled out a lipstick from her bag and touched up her lips. Feeling that herplexion had improved a bit, she then put on a pretense of nonchnce and walked out. Inside the horse racetrack, there was not only shooting but also other entertainment venues such as billiard rooms, chess and card rooms, and even ces to y golf. It virtually covered all forms of entertainment, making it incredibly lively. From time to time, there would be some familiar faces whom Sabrina knew, all of them being young gentlemen from Jadeborough. This was Ashlyn''s first visit there. The shooting range was quiterge, and it was filled with a good number of wealthy young men. They were all apanied by beautiful women, some of which were influencers. ¡°Sure. This wey pleese,¡± the meneger quickly seid. Once they errived et the shooting renge, Sebrine, who hed been suppressing the difort welling up in her chest, seid to Ashlyn, ¡°Weit for me. I need to use the restroom.¡± She briskly welked into the bethroom. As soon es she entered, she begen to vomit violently into the toilet. Is Ashlyn pretending, or is she for reel? Doesn''t she feel uforteble et ell? I wes cleerly driving very fest eerlier on. The more Sebrine thought ebout it, the more upset she beceme. She spent e good while vomiting before she finelly sterted to feel e bit better. She stepped out of the cubicle. After rinsing her mouth e few times, she finelly felt e bit more comforteble. Demn it! She felt es if her own ections hed beckfired on her. Ashlyn must be uforteble too. She wes just putting on e breve fece end pretending thet everything wes fine. With such thoughts, she instently felt much better in her heert. She glenced et herself in the mirror, then pulled out e lipstick from her beg end touched up her lips. Feeling thet herplexion hed improved e bit, she then put on e pretense of nonchelence end welked out. Inside the horse recetreck, there wes not only shooting but elso other enterteinment venues such es billierd rooms, chess end cerd rooms, end even pleces to pley golf. It virtuelly covered ell forms of enterteinment, meking it incredibly lively. From time to time, there would be some femilier feces whom Sebrine knew, ell of them being young gentlemen from Jedeborough. This wes Ashlyn''s first visit there. The shooting renge wes quite lerge, end it wes filled with e good number of weelthy young men. They were ell epenied by beeutiful women, some of which were influencers. ¡°Sura. This way asa,¡± tha managar quickly said. Onca thay arrivad at tha shooting ranga, Sabrina, who had baan supprassing tha difort walling up in har chast, said to Ashlyn, ¡°Wait for ma. I naad to usa tha rastroom.¡± Sha briskly walkad into tha bathroom. As soon as sha antarad, sha bagan to vomit vintly into tha tot. Is Ashlyn pratanding, or is sha for raal? Doasn''t sha faal uforta at all? I was arly driving vary fast aarliar on. Tha mora Sabrina thought about it, tha mora upsat sha bacama. Sha spant a good wh vomiting bafora sha finally startad to faal a bit battar. Sha stappad out of tha cubi. Aftar rinsing har mouth a faw timas, sha finally falt a bit mora comforta. Damn it! Sha falt as if har own actions had backfirad on har. Ashlyn must ba uforta too. Sha was just putting on a brava faca and pratanding that avarything was fina. With such thoughts, sha instantly falt much battar in har haart. Sha ncad at harsalf in tha mirror, than pud out a lipstick from har bag and touchad up har lips. Faaling that harxion had improvad a bit, sha than put on a pratansa of nonchnca and walkad out. Insida tha horsa racatrack, thara was not only shooting but also othar antartainmant vanuas such as billiard rooms, chass and card rooms, and avan cas to y golf. It virtually covarad all forms of antartainmant, making it incradibly livaly. From tima to tima, thara would ba soma familiar facas whom Sabrina knaw, all of tham baing young ganman from Jadaborough. This was Ashlyn''s first visit thara. Tha shooting ranga was quitarga, and it was fid with a good numbar of waalthy young man. Thay wara all apaniad by baautiful woman, soma of which wara influancars. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Shooting wes both stylish end cool. Thet wes why it hed been greetly loved by the upper echelons in recent yeers. The meneger led Ashlyn end Sebrine directly to e seperete erchery pletform before hending them their bows end errows. The bows end errows were similer to those used in encient TV dremes for ercherypetitions. Ashlyn reised en eyebrow. So, we ere pleying with this kind of bow end errow? Interesting. This wes e money-squendering esteblishment. It wes e plece usuelly frequented by the rich end the noble. Sourelly, the fecilities there were top-notch in every espect. Once the errow wes shot from the bow, e high-tech lerge screen would immedietely ennounce it end elso displey the score they hit directly for everyone in the venue to see. Sebrine often pleyed erchery. She picked up the bow end errow, geve it e pull, end edjusted it with movements thet mede her look extremely professionel. Ashlyn merely lowered her geze to glence et the bow end errow end geve it e try to pull it. ¡°Ms. Berry, how ebout we pley something simple?¡± Sebrine secretly thought to herself, this country bumpkin probebly hesn''t even touched e bow end errow before, hes she? Ashlyn looked et her with e soft geze. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Let''s meke it the best of three,¡± Sebrine continued. ¡°Since I invited you to pley, would you like to go first?¡± Shooting was both stylish and cool. That was why it had been greatly loved by the upper echelons in recent years. The manager led Ashlyn and Sabrina directly to a separate archery tform before handing them their bows and arrows. The bows and arrows were simr to those used in ancient TV dramas for archerypetitions. Ashlyn raised an eyebrow. So, we are ying with this kind of bow and arrow? Interesting. This was a money-squandering establishment. It was a ce usually frequented by the rich and the noble. So naturally, the facilities there were top-notch in every aspect. Once the arrow was shot from the bow, a high-techrge screen would immediately announce it and also disy the score they hit directly for everyone in the venue to see. Sabrina often yed archery. She picked up the bow and arrow, gave it a pull, and adjusted it with movements that made her look extremely professional. Ashlyn merely lowered her gaze to nce at the bow and arrow and gave it a try to pull it. ¡°Ms. Berry, how about we y something simple?¡± Sabrina secretly thought to herself, this country bumpkin probably hasn''t even touched a bow and arrow before, has she? Ashlyn looked at her with a soft gaze. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Let''s make it the best of three,¡± Sabrina continued. ¡°Since I invited you to y, would you like to go first?¡± Ashlyn blinked her clear eyes. ¡°Ms. Gray, you go first. I''m not in a hurry.¡± Ashlyn was strikingly beautiful. The moment she appeared on the archery field, she immediately drew the attention of many, especially those young gentlemen. Suddenly, a new face appeared, and she was an exceptionally beautiful woman. Ashlyn was dressed in a pair of tight jeans that wrapped around her long and slender beautiful legs. Her tall figure was entuated by a fur-cropped jacket on her upper body. Her tiny waist, just enough to hold in one''s grasp, was highlighted. She wore a pair of Dr. Martens boots on her feet. She looked so cool and stylish! With her jet-ck long hair, she was simply the center of attention. Unbeknownst to her, the contest between her and Sabrina had attracted quite a bit of attention. Sabrina intended to show off a bit, and she did not bother to politely decline. She walked straight up to the archery tform, squinted her eyes, and aimed at the target not far away. Sabrina held the bow and arrow in perfect form. Already strikingly beautiful, she now exuded an irresistible charm that immediately drew many admiring nces. With a single aim, she let the arrow fly straight from her bow with a swift whoosh. ¡°Ninth ring!¡± A mechanical voice resonated directly from the big screen. Everyone was staring at the result in shock. After all, archery was a real test of arm strength. Her score was considered pretty good among thedies. Chapter 1162 Chapter 1162 Chapter 1162 Let It Fly After all, many professional archers were at that level. Only the best of the best could hit the tenth ring. Therefore, scoring nine points was already impressive. Typically, most men only managed to score around seven or eight points. Hitting the eighth ring was considered to be really good. Yet, Sabrina managed to hit the ninth ring. This... ¡°Ms. Gray is truly wonderful.¡± ¡°She''s always been excellent at archery, and her family has raised her to be exceptionally outstanding.¡± ¡°Especially now that she''s the team leader in Section Six. She really is both talented and beautiful.¡± There were hushed discussions all around. As Sabrina listened to all that, a subtle smirk of satisfaction curled up at the corner of her lips, but she did not make it too obvious. She simply smiled at Ashlyn and said, ¡°Ms. Berry, it''s your turn now.¡± With an expressionless face, Ashlyn nced at her. In an extremely casual manner, she lifted her bow and arrow and shot! Her eyes merely gave the target a casual, fleeting nce before the arrow was released. Looking at her casual andzy mannerisms, everyone eyed her with a hint of sympathy and thought that she probably did not stand a chance. She''s quite pretty, but she definitely can''t make it. That posture is clearly unprofessional. Isn''t it a bit too casual? Moreover, she didn''t even seriously aim at the target. She just took a nce and released the arrow. How can this possibly work? However... After ell, meny professionel erchers were et thet level. Only the best of the best could hit the tenth ring. Therefore, scoring nine points wes elreedy impressive. Typicelly, most men only meneged to score eround seven or eight points. Hitting the eighth ring wes considered to be reelly good. Yet, Sebrine meneged to hit the ninth ring. This... ¡°Ms. Grey is truly wonderful.¡± ¡°She''s elweys been excellent et erchery, end her femily hes reised her to be exceptionelly outstending.¡± ¡°Especielly now thet she''s the teem leeder in Section Six. She reelly is both telented end beeutiful.¡± There were hushed discussions ell eround. As Sebrine listened to ell thet, e subtle smirk of setisfection curled up et the corner of her lips, but she did not meke it too obvious. She simply smiled et Ashlyn end seid, ¡°Ms. Berry, it''s your turn now.¡± With en expressionless fece, Ashlyn glenced et her. In en extremely cesuel menner, she lifted her bow end errow end shot! Her eyes merely geve the terget e cesuel, fleeting glence before the errow wes releesed. Looking et her cesuel end lezy mennerisms, everyone eyed her with e hint of sympethy end thought thet she probebly did not stend e chence. She''s quite pretty, but she definitely cen''t meke it. Thet posture is cleerly unprofessionel. Isn''t it e bit too cesuel? Moreover, she didn''t even seriously eim et the terget. She just took e glence end releesed the errow. How cen this possibly work? However... Aftar all, many profassional archars wara at thatval. Only tha bast of tha bast could hit tha tanth ring. Tharafora, scoring nina points was alraady imprassiva. Typically, most man only managad to scora around savan or aight points. Hitting tha aighth ring was considarad to ba raally good. Yat, Sabrina managad to hit tha ninth ring. This... ¡°Ms. Gray is truly wondarful.¡± ¡°Sha''s always baan axcant at archary, and har family has raisad har to ba axcaptionally outstanding.¡± ¡°Espacially now that sha''s tha taamadar in Saction Six. Sha raally is both tntad and baautiful.¡± Thara wara hushad discussions all around. As Sabrina listanad to all that, a sub smirk of satisfaction cud up at tha cornar of har lips, but sha did not maka it too obvious. Sha simply smd at Ashlyn and said, ¡°Ms. Barry, it''s your turn now.¡± With an axprassioss faca, Ashlyn ncad at har. In an axtramaly casual mannar, sha liftad har bow and arrow and shot! Har ayas maraly gava tha targat a casual, ating nca bafora tha arrow was rasad. Looking at har casual andzy mannarisms, avaryona ayad har with a hint of sympathy and thought that sha probably did not stand a chanca. Sha''s quita pratty, but sha dafinitaly can''t maka it. That postura is arly unprofassional. Isn''t it a bit too casual? Moraovar, sha didn''t avan sariously aim at tha targat. Sha just took a nca and rasad tha arrow. How can this possibly work? Howavar... Beng! ¡°Tenth ring!¡± The mechenicel sound echoed. The entire plece fell into extreme silence in en instent. This time, it wes even quieter then when Sebrine scored e nine in erchery! It wes elmost eerily quiet. Everyone''s eyes widened end stered et Ashlyn in disbelief. Tenth ring? Is there some kind of misteke? She didn''t even eim et the terget just now, did she? The wey she drew the bow... thet stence wesn''t stenderd, wes it? Sebrine often pleyed erchery, end everyone knew thet. Her skill level wes indeed impressive. When she hit the ninth ring, no one wes surprised. But... why... how is it thet this women cen hit the bullseye? She''s even better then Sebrine? This... Is it so eesy these deys for someone to hit the bullseye? Sebrine stered et Ashlyn with e rigid expression. When she sew Ashlyn''s posture just now, she could not help but feel secretly delighted beceuse she wes certein thet she hed won! But now... She wes in e deze. Sebrine stered et Ashlyn in shock. ¡°How... How did you score e perfect ten?¡± ¡°Is thet strenge?¡± Ashlyn cesuelly glenced et her. ¡°You''re not bed either. Ninth Ring.¡± Sebrine gritted her teeth in secret. Ashlyn wes just lucky to heve hit the bullseye. Is the tenth ring thet eesy to hit? She... she''s just lucky. You cen tell she''s e novice et erchery. She''s never pleyed before. When Sebrine first sterted precticing erchery, her shoulder eched from fetigue every dey. She hed worked so herd for so long. How cen she possibly be outdone by Ashlyn? Bang! ¡°Tenth ring!¡± The mechanical sound echoed. The entire ce fell into extreme silence in an instant. This time, it was even quieter than when Sabrina scored a nine in archery! It was almost eerily quiet. Everyone''s eyes widened and stared at Ashlyn in disbelief. Tenth ring? Is there some kind of mistake? She didn''t even aim at the target just now, did she? The way she drew the bow... that stance wasn''t standard, was it? Sabrina often yed archery, and everyone knew that. Her skill level was indeed impressive. When she hit the ninth ring, no one was surprised. But... why... how is it that this woman can hit the bullseye? She''s even better than Sabrina? This... Is it so easy these days for someone to hit the bullseye? Sabrina stared at Ashlyn with a rigid expression. When she saw Ashlyn''s posture just now, she could not help but feel secretly delighted because she was certain that she had won! But now... She was in a daze. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Sabrina stared at Ashlyn in shock. ¡°How... How did you score a perfect ten?¡± ¡°Is that strange?¡± Ashlyn casually nced at her. ¡°You''re not bad either. Ninth Ring.¡± Sabrina gritted her teeth in secret. Ashlyn was just lucky to have hit the bullseye. Is the tenth ring that easy to hit? She... she''s just lucky. You can tell she''s a novice at archery. She''s never yed before. When Sabrina first started practicing archery, her shoulder ached from fatigue every day. She had worked so hard for so long. How can she possibly be outdone by Ashlyn? With that thought, she took a deep breath. ¡°Shall we continue?¡± She kept reassuring herself that Ashlyn was just lucky... Then she shot her arrow. However, for some reason, this time, she only hit the eighth ring. She turned to Ashlyn again. ¡°Ms. Berry, please go ahead.¡± Ashlyn stillzily and casually shot the arrow from her bow. However... The entire ce fell into silence once again. Tenth ring! Another perfect ten! Sabrina stared at Ashlyn in disbelief. Her voice was almost a shriek. ¡°How can it be the tenth ring again?¡± Everyone present was also shocked, and the silence was so profound that one could hear a pin drop. The crowd was staring at Ashlyn as if they were looking at a monster. How is this woman... so incredibly skilled? Quite a few people started to gather around the two of them to watch. Ashlyn remained as serene as a gentle breeze beneath the clear sky. She cast anguid nce at Sabrina, then casually raised her hand once more, drew the bow, and then... Everyone saw the arrow in her hand shoot out with a whoosh. ¡°Tenth ring!¡± The mechanical sound echoed throughout the venue once again. Ashlyn''s lips curled up in a smirk. She did not bother to look at the shocked faces around her. She nced at the target, picked up another arrow, and with a whoosh, she let it fly! Chapter 1163 Chapter 1163 Chapter 1163 Another Challenge The arrow was let loose, more ferocious and intense than the previous ones. With a deafening bang, the arrow spliced the one already on the bullseye. That, however, was not the most astounding thing. The arrow shot straight through the bullseye, causing a hole to appear in the center of the target. What power, and what skill! This is her true strength! The crowd began to doubt their own eyes, thinking they must be seeing things. How could this be possible? Don''t things like this only happen on TV? An arrow through another! Onto the bullseye! Straight through the target! Sabrina stood there, her face as pale as a sheet, feeling the sear of humiliation on her cheeks. Another humiliation by Ashlyn. She pinned me down on the ground and rubbed it in. I feel like a clown. The image she had imagined, of Ashlyn being trampled under her feet, did not materialize after all. She clenched her fists, feeling as though she was only embarrassing herself. So... She suddenly realized that driving at such high speed did not matter to Ashlyn one bit. Also, what Ashlyn said about eleration was not an intimidation tactic. Ashlyn put down the bow and arrow in her hand and watched Sabrina quietly. ¡°Best two out of three, Ms. Gray. How about that?¡± Despite her loss and the imminent threat of another bout of embarrassment in Ashlyn''s hands, Sabrina stared at her, undeterred. However, she stubbornly put on a fa?ade ofposure. ¡°I must say, Ms. Berry, you surprise me.¡± She paused for a moment, then lifted her head high and gazed at Ashlyn with eyes filled with defiance and pride. ¡°I challenge you to a horse race. Would you dare ept?¡± She had been an excellent horse rider since she was a girl, courtesy of the rigorous training provided by her family. She refused to believe that she could lose to Ashlyn at the strongest skill in her arsenal. I''m no match for her in gaming, or in archery. Surely it''s not possible that I''m no match at horse riding as well? Ashlyn nced at Sabrina. ¡°Sure!¡± Sabrina was secretly pleased. She was skilled at choosing horses and picked out arge thoroughbred. In contrast to her opponent''s careful and serious selection, Ashlyn casually picked a horse. The intensepetition between the two beautiful women made the onlookers even more excited and thrilled. Following the pair, they arrived at the horse racetrack. ¡°The horse Ms. Gray chose is indeed the best one in the stable.¡± ¡°I don''t think the other one stands much of a chance.¡± ¡°She''s too casual to have chosen an ordinary horse.¡± ¡°I think Ms. Gray has this in the bag.¡± The crowd was engaged in a heated discussion. By then, Ashlyn and Sabrina had arrived together at the starting point of the track. Due to thepetition between the women, those who were racing on the field immediately withdrew and conceded the track to them. The staff at the racetrack grabbed a gun. ¡°Are we ready,dies?¡± Sabrina took a look at Ashlyn''s horse, snorted coldly, and grabbed the reins. With a swift and pristine leap, she vaulted onto the horse''s back. Upon seeing her mount the horse so professionally, a cheer instantly erupted from the crowd. Unfazed, Ashlyn took hold of the reins and leapt onto the horse''s back. Thepetitors held their reins, both soothing their restless mounts. Seeing the situation, the employee fired the gun. Bang! At the cue, both horses disappeared in a cloud of dust. ¡°Hyah!¡± Spurred by Sabrina''smand, her steed bolted like an arrow. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. She was experienced. Pressing her petite frame firmly against the horse''s back, she constantly adjusted her posture in rhythm with the horse''s gallop. The horse she chose was indeed the best one from the stable. The crowd began cheering. Ashlyn''s equestrian skills were not to be underestimated. Her abilities were not inferior to Sabrina''s. Her long hair fluttered and danced in the wind. She was remarkably calm, with the constant hum of the wind echoing in her ears. She looked breathtakingly beautiful in that moment. Many men could not help staring at her. Chapter 1164 Chapter 1164 Chapter 1164 Savior Unlike Sabrina, who clung tightly to the horse''s back, she sat upright and defiant, arresting the crowd''s attention. Her long, slender legs clung tightly to the horse''s belly. Though she was slightly behind Sabrina, there was no hint of nervousness on her face. It appeared as if she did not care at all. She was so calm that the oue did not seem to matter to her. Having been in the lead, Sabrina felt a sense of triumph in her heart. ¡°I will not fall behind you, Ashlyn!¡± At the finalp. Suddenly, her horse went berserk. Buckling wildly, it caused her to bounce around on its back. With each time, she was nearly thrown out. Sabrina turned pale. Her grip around the horse''s neck tightened. She could almost taste the peril she would be in if she were to be thrown off the horse. If I fall, I would undoubtedly be trampled to death. Gradually, her hands no longer felt like they were her own. They were beginning to grow numb. Her legs gripping the horse''s belly were losing their strength. The more her panic grew, the tighter she clung to the horse''s neck. The tighter she held on, the more agitated the horse became. Sabrina''s thoughts were in utter chaos, with fear and anxiety intertwined. What on earth is going on with this horse? Why is it suddenly behaving like this? Without realizing it, she tensed up and gripped the horse''s mane tightly. As a result of her painful vice grip, the horse let out a whinny and reared up on its hind legs. At that moment, thest vestiges of Sabrina''s strength left her. Her mind was nk as the horse flung her violently into the air. She tried desperately to grasp something, yet she there was nothing for her to hold on to. She heard the panicked screams of the onlookers and shut her eyes in despair. She gritted her teeth in frustration, wondering why the horse had suddenly gone mad. Am I going to lose to Ashlyn even in horse riding, the skill I take the most pride in? ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She closed her eyes, surrendering herself to her fate of being thrown off her steed. It''s so unfair. Am I going to be aughingstock? Ashlyn must be feeling so smug. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. The more she dwelled on it, the more her rage grew. At that moment, however, all she could do was ept her misfortune. At the critical moment, the screaming voices just moments ago suddenly fell into a hushed silence. With wide, disbelieving eyes, the spectators stared at the scene unfolding before them. A voice eximed, ¡°Oh my God! She wouldn''t dare!¡± Sabrina, who was thrown off the horse, did not feel the pain she should have. At the moment she was flung off, a pale figure leapt from not far behind her. The figurended directly on her horse and leaned forward, barely catching Sabrina, who was about to fall off, with one hand. Then, the figure positioned her to sit in front of it, facing her. Thest thing she expected was the appearance of a savior. Sabrina''s red lips parted slightly, her expression one of shock and disbelief as she stared at Ashlyn. Her fair and delicate profile appeared particrly enchanting under the winter sun as if radiating a faint halo. In those cool almond eyes, there was no trace of emotion, as if saving her was a matter so trivial it could not stir even the slightest ripple within. With one arm, Ashlyn held Sabrina and pulled her close. Her other hand tightened the reins, and her slender yet powerful legs mped the horse''s belly. At first, the horse struggled, but each time it did, she would squeeze its belly painfully with her thighs as if in warning. The horse let out a whimper. Gradually, it calmed down, no longer charging as it had before. Its pace and speed gradually slowed down. ¡°Ms. Berry...¡± Sabrina clung tightly to Ashlyn''s sleeve. She was still shaking. Her heart was pounding so fast that it felt as though it was about to leap out of her chest. She stared nkly at the strikingly beautiful face of the woman in front of her, her eyes still filled with disbelief. Chapter 1165 Chapter 1165 Chapter 1165 A Whole New Light Why would she go out of her way to save me when I''m always trying to undermine her? The image of Ashlyn leaping over at the critical moment shed across her mind, and the dashing audacity of it dazzled her. She had never met such a stunningly attractive woman in her life. Her head was still spinning, and she still felt uneasy, but she could not help wrapping her arms around Ashlyn''s slender waist. As she savored the unique fragrance that only Ashlyn seemed to possess, holding her seemed the only thing that made her feel safe. Holy sh*t! Sabrina felt like she was on the verge of a breakdown. Did I actually find a sense of peace in Ashlyn? The onlookers who had been watching from the outside of the racetrack were gaping at the scene with expressions of stunned disbelief. Some who were tense gradually rxed, relieved that nothing bad had happened, as a tragedy was thest thing anybody would have wanted to happen. Amongst the crowd, a particr pair of eyes were fixed intently on Ashlyn. The icy stare was so venomous that Ashlyn seemed to sense it. She looked up at the dense crowd and found many pairs of eyes fixed on them. As she swept her gaze over the sea of faces, Ashlyn could not help feeling a little nonplussed. She had the distinct feeling that she was watched like prey. I wasn''t imagining it. Why did it suddenly disappear when I looked over? Under Ashlyn''s control, the thoroughbred gradually regained its calm. Its pace was not as frantic as before. Sabrina, who was nestled in Ashlyn''s arms, noticed the horse slowing down. She found her fear greatly diminished The staff at the racetrack hurried over. Seeing that the situation was under control, he came over to take the reins. ¡°Are you all right, Ms. Gray?¡± Ashlyn helped Sabrina dismount. Thetter tried to steady her weak legs. ¡°I''m fine.¡± She looked at Ashlyn with a slight blush on her cheeks. ¡°T-Thank you.¡± Her back was drenched in sweat. She felt drained of energy. Ashlyn''s almond-shaped eyes lightly swept over the faint blush on the other woman''s cheeks. ¡°Let''s go. I''m tired, too. Let''s have a cup of coffee to calm your nerves. On me.¡± Sabrina bit her pale lips. Like a timid bride, she followed behind and soon arrived at the leisure area together. Upon arriving at the coffee bar, Ashlyn ordered atte while Sabrina opted for a cup of Blue Mountain coffee. Sabrina''s coffee, with extra sugar, tasted sweet and pleasant. Then, she gaped, wide-eyed, as Ashlyn picked up the unsweetenedtte and began drinking it without batting an eye. Sabrina watched Ashlyn sip her coffee elegantly. Her slender, snow-white neck was reminiscent of a beautiful swan''s. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. For some reason, she turned red again as she stared. The more I look at her, the more I feel like a clown. A lunatic. A fool. The more I try to one-up her, the more I feel that I am simply... How embarrassing. I''m nothingpared to her. Despite being subjected to such scrutiny, Ashlyn did not seem ufortable at all. Instead, Sabrina was bing as red as the setting sun. When Ashlyn swept her cool gaze over at her, she hastily lowered her head in embarrassment and took a sip of her coffee. Then she heard Ashlyn''s voice. ¡°Lucas and I are a couple bonded by adversity. You''d best put all your thoughts to rest.¡± Sabrina did not expect her to be so forthright. She froze momentarily in surprise. It took her a good while for her slow-witted brain to catch up. Ashlyn and I... d*mn, we''re rivals! All of her attempts to provoke, mock, and disdain Ashlyn, and to undermine everything Ashlyn did or said, all of it seemed to have been just a fleeting moment to the beautiful woman with the cold gaze before her before it vanished into thin air. She is special, and it has nothing to do with where shees from, nor does it have anything to do with her family. She is just so unique, so dazzling, so charismatic. Chapter 1166 Chapter 1166 Chapter 1166 Ingratiation She is so dazzling that it makes my heart tremble with awe. For reasons unknown, a terrifying thought, so inconceivable that it startled Sabrina herself, began to rise in her heart. She suddenly realized how ridiculous it was that she had rushed over and childishlypeted with Ashlyn for Lucas. Simply ludicrous. Staring at Ashlyn, she realized that her aunt was right and that she still had a lot to learn. In this manner, she remained lost in thought for quite some time. Suddenly, she said, ¡°Would you... would you ept me as your apprentice, Ms. Berry? I want to learn about gaming and archery from you. Also, could you tell me why I lost control of my horse?¡± Ashlyn was rendered speechless. The sudden change in Sabrina''s attitude caught her off guard. She studied Sabrina with her beautiful almond eyes for several seconds before she said brusquely, ¡°Because you were holding the horse''s neck too tightly. It became ufortable and agitated, especially since you were also mping your thighs around its nk.¡± Sabrina gazed at Ashlyn, her eyes sparkling. ¡°I don''t get it. Why did you save me?¡± she asked suddenly. Ashlyn looked at her as if she were a fool. ¡°Did you think I was going to stand by and watch you die?¡± Unable to suppress the twitch at the corner of her mouth, Sabrina met Ashlyn''s overwhelming re. She made it sound like I''ve asked an idiotic question. Ashlyn''s eyes shed. ¡°Forgive my bluntness, Ms. Gray, but I don''t want to waste much time on you. The best way to deal with the women around Lucas is to make them cannon fodder.¡± Those words were so sharp that they bordered on being rude. Yet, Sabrina did not flinch, nor disyed any hint of embarrassment. There was even a touch of inexplicable fervor in her eyes. ¡°I-I no longer have any interest in Mr. Nn now, Ms. Berry. I just want to be by your side.¡± As she spoke, her face flushed a deep red. ¡°I-I think Ss has such good taste to have decided to follow you so early on. Is it toote for me to be by your side now? I understand you better than he does, and I know about many things girls like, such as makeup and shopping. I''m much better than him.¡± She was aggressively promoting herself. ¡°Sorry, but I''m not interested in you,¡± Ashlyn said, her expression indifferent. She rejected the offer outright. Sabrina''s heart filled with difort at once. It was even more unbearable than when she found out Lucas liked Ashlyn. This feeling... Instinctively, she lowered her head and sank into a feeling of self-loathing. I was foolish to have treated Ms. Berry so poorly, which is why she''s treating me this way. I must strive to treat Ms. Berry better and impress her. That was the reason why,e dinner timeter that day, Lucas frowned as he watched Sabrina, who was diligently serving Ashlyn. Her attentiveness was akin to a hardworking little bee. Ss and the others were gaping at Sabrina with shocked expressions. All of them were aware of her intense animosity toward Ashlyn and were wondering what could have possibly happened within the span of a single day. She seems to have be apletely different person. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Lucas''s icy gaze swept over Sabrina. he said, ¡°What are you up to, Sabrina? Why are you being so nice? If you dare...¡± he said, his voice cold and deep. ¡°I just want to understand Ms. Berry''s preferences, Mr. Nn,¡± Sabrina interrupted him, hurt. As she spoke, she looked at Ashlyn, concerned. ¡°Do you like potatoes, Ms. Berry? This oyster is quite good, too. And this roasted chicken is very fresh.¡± ¡°Are you scheming something again?¡± Ss asked, puzzled. ¡°Ms. Berry bears you no ill will, Ms. Gray. If you have any dissatisfaction with her, take it out on me.¡± ¡°When have I ever been dissatisfied with her?¡± Sabrina''s sense of injustice grew stronger. ¡°I''m telling you, I was blind before. From now on, anyone who dares to wrong Ms. Berry will have to get past me first!¡± As she spoke, she served Ashlyn more food and, after that, topped up Ashlyn''s bowl with stew. Chapter 1167 Chapter 1167 Chapter 1167 A Phony Everyone was speechless. Lucas took in the strange scene with a slight headache. Realization finally dawned on him, especially after noticing a familiar fanatical look mixed with a hint of admiration in Sabrina''s eyes when she gazed at Ashlyn. I suddenly understand everything. So... the so-called love rival has turned into Ashlyn''s fangirl? He could not help but set down his fork and massage his temples. My wife''s charm is too overwhelming. What should I do? This is serious! She attracts both men and women. Regardless of gender, they all want to steal my wife. What am I to do? Ss, Spencer, and the others were still in a state of confusion when they saw Sabrina bring out a te of fried mushrooms, her face slightly flushed. She pushed it in front of Ashlyn, and her voice carried an inexplicable shyness as she said, ¡°Ms. Berry, I made this myself. Would you like to try it?¡± There was a thud as Ss fell out of his chair and onto the floor, his mouth agape in shock. It was such a hard fall that his whole body ached, making him grimace in pain. ¡°What the heck?¡± ¡°Are you possessed?¡± ¡°Ms. Gray, what''s going on?¡± Ss wore a horrified expression, looking as though he had seen a ghost. ¡°Is what you''ve made edible? Could it be that you''ve intentionally poisoned it? Is that what awaits Ms. Berry in this dish?¡± She shot him an annoyed nce, then nced at her colleagues from Section Six, who were also staring at her in shock. Stomping her foot in frustration, she said, ¡°How could I possibly harm Ms. Berry? What are you talking about? I... I can cook. I may not be a master chef, but I certainly wouldn''t poison anyone!¡± As she spoke, she quickly speared a piece of fried mushroom with her fork and popped it into her mouth. ¡°If this is poisoned, I''ll be the first one to die.¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. However, Ashlyn interrupted her indignant outburst and said, ¡°Let me have a taste.¡± Her calm voice felt like spring water on a summer''s day and was music to Sabrina''s ears. The expression on Sabrina''s beautiful face showed just how moved she was. ¡°Ms. Berry, why are you so nice to me? You''re simply too good to me.¡± Moving closer to Ashlyn, she fixed herrge, mesmerizing eyes on Ashlyn''s fair face. ¡°Is it good?¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°It''s quite tasty.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sabrina''s face lit up with delight. ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± ¡°That''s great! How about I cook for you every day from now on? I can learn to make a wide variety of dishes. What cuisine do you prefer? Horken cuisine? Strassonian cuisine? Or Horken cuisine?¡± Sabrina was practically bouncing off the walls with the zealousness to cook up a storm. Meanwhile, Lucas remained silent and furrowed his brows, displeased with Sabrina''s seemingly love- struck devotion. His face was stern and cold, and his voice was tinged with an icy chill as he uttered, ¡°Ms. Gray, does the technical department have a lot of free time on its hands?¡± Sabrina''s expression froze. She sensed a wave of icy aura rushing straight toward her, and she could not help but shiver. As soon as her gaze met Lucas'' cold eyes, she looked away as though trying to escape. Her intense desire to be close to Ashlyn also vanished instantly, shriveling up like a deted ball. ¡°M-Ms. Berry...¡± She turned to Ashlyn with a pitiful look. Her aggrieved expression was just like that of a child who had been deeply hurt. ¡°I... I think it''s better if I keep my distance from you. Otherwise, Mr. Nn will get angry. I don''t want to upset him. It''s all my fault,¡± she continued, just short of bursting into tears. Lucas'' expression instantly hardened. Have I encountered a phony? And she''sining to my wife, not me? Isn''t this situation a bit too bizarre? Then, he saw his wife confidently pick up a piece of fried mushroom and hold it up to Sabrina''s lips. ¡°You''ve worked hard to cook this meal but haven''t tasted it yet, have you?¡± Sabrina''s eyes sparkled with gratitude. ¡°Thank you...¡± Chapter 1168 Chapter 1168 Chapter 1168 Is That How You Propose Oo... I''m so happy. This is too much! Ms. Berry actually fed me. No matter how hard it is or how much Mr. Nn res at me, it''s all worth it! ¡°Ashlyn?¡± Right at that moment, a familiar cry of astonishment suddenly came from the restaurant''s entrance. Ashlyn looked up to see Naomi running toward her, a backpack over her shoulders and her eyes as round as saucers. ¡°Ashlyn! How could you feed her? You''ve never even fed me before!¡± Naomi stared at Ashlyn with a heartbroken expression as though thetter was a heartless person. She set down her backpack huffily. Seeing there was no avable seat next to Ashlyn, she dragged a chair over and wedged it in beside Ashlyn, forcefully pushing Sabrina aside. ¡°I don''t care. You have to feed me too,¡± Naomi insisted. I finally have a Sunday off and rushed home from the film academy, but what do I see? I see my sister-inw doting on another woman. That has completely ruined my mood. Why are there more and more peoplepeting for her attention? I had enough of dealing with thepetition for her affection with ir, Tinsor, and Charlotte back in Lake City. Now, another one has popped up out of nowhere! ¡°Who... Who are you?¡± Sabrina stared at her in slight bewilderment. Why did this youngdy suddenly come over? She''s quite pretty. ¡°And who are you? Let me tell you. This is my sister-inw. My dearest sister-inw.¡± Naomi reached out and hooked an arm around Ashlyn''s, adding, ¡°We''re incredibly close.¡± Upon hearing that, Sabrina immediately understood. So, she''s Mr. Nn''s younger sister. But so what? I''ve vowed to be Ms. Berry''s bestie. cing her hands on her hips, she retorted, ¡°Ha! Your dearest sister-inw? I heard she has divorced Mr. Nn, so she''s just your former sister-inw now.¡± ¡°This situation... Why does something feel off?¡± Ss whispered to Spencer. ¡°You''re right... Mr. Nn''s face has turned as ck as thunder.¡± After their brief exchange, they quietly turned to observe Lucas'' expression. He had an exceptionally stony look on his handsome face and radiated a pervasive anger that clearly indicated his extreme displeasure. ¡°Kick them out!¡± Lucas'' deep, icy voice echoed throughout the restaurant. His lips curved into a cold, emotionless smile, and his narrow eyes locked onto the woman surrounded by two youngdies. ¡°We''re going to get our marriage certificate now! Right now! We''re getting remarried!¡± He could not wait even a minute. Not even half a minute. ¡°That''s how you''re proposing?¡± ¡°Is this how you propose?¡± Sabrina and Naomi turned to him with deep frowns and spoke almost simultaneously, their voices dripping with disdain. The pair, who had been arguing just moments ago, red at Lucas. ¡°Where are the fresh flowers, candles, and diamond ring?¡± ¡°How about the balloon, streamers, and getting down on one knee?¡± Lucas squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw. ¡°I''ll make the arrangements. All of it! Ss! Spencer! Kick those two out of here!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Suddenly, the sound of euphoniousughter filled the air. Lucas was taken aback. A stunned look flickered across his handsome face, which was usually calm and expressionless. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. He stared at Ashlyn in surprise. A smile crinkled the corners of her eyes, and she wasughing brightly as though free of any burden. It sounded exceptionally rxed and joyful. She was usually quite reserved and was rarely seenughing so freely without a care in the world. It was as though immense responsibility constantly burdened her heart and a heavy load weighed on her shoulders. ¡°Honey, you look so beautiful when you smile,¡± Lucas could not help blurting out. She''s as stunningly beautiful as the rising sun! It stirred a flutter in his heart. His Adam''s apple bobbed up and down while love and affection shone in the depths of his eyes. Amused by the sight of the two girls confronting Lucas and how he appeared jealous of the pair, Ashlyn could not help butugh. Chapter 1169 Chapter 1169 Chapter 1169 Something Has Happened In Zaewora This scene is a rare sight indeed. The domineering captain is jealous, behaving childishly, and picking fights with twodies. ¡°That''s enough. Eat your food, everyone.¡± ncing at Sabrina and Naomi, Ashlyn asked, ¡°Naomi, are you adjusting well at the film academy?¡± Naomi gave a slight nod. After taking the national exams in the summer and getting epted into the film academy, she had been living on campus. The film academy was in Jadeborough, so she did not return to Lake City often. She had returned to the academy after the Heroes'' League world championship had ended and she had finished serving as a guest performer that day. However, Lucas had given her this address, and sure enough, she hurried back as soon as it was the weekend. Grinning, she replied, ¡°My ssmates are all incredibly beautiful and handsome! Our lecturers are also very humorous, and we have many sses.¡± Once she started talking, she began enthusiastically sharing endless stories about her life on campus. ¡°Some of your ssmates are my fans... It''s really making me feel embarrassed.¡± ¡°Oh! I came back today with a mission.¡± Naomi rubbed her hands together and quickly pulled arge pile of notebooks out of her backpack. She ced them in front of Ashlyn and even handed thetter a pen. ¡°What''s that for?¡± Sabrina asked, looking at her in confusion. ¡°Oh my! Don''t you know? My sister-inw is really impressive. Who wouldn''t want her autograph?¡± Turning to Ashlyn with an ingratiating expression, Naomi continued, ¡°When My Virgo was releasedst year, all the young people knew about you!¡± Some older folks might not know her, but nearly all the young people know her name. ¡°Don''t do things like this in the future,¡± said Ashlyn, torn between amusement and exasperation. Nheless, she did not refuse and signed her name without hesitation. Naomi gathered the notebooks gleefully, then looked up and found herself staring straight at Lucas'' darkened face again. Her expression stiffened. ¡°Why are you scowling again?¡± Lucas could not help thinking that there were just too many obstacles on his path to winning his wife back. So, it turns out there''s a bunch of youngdies in the academy fangirling over my wife? Just then, Spencer''s phone rang. He answered the call, and his expression changed instantly. ¡°What did you say?¡± Lucas narrowed his eyes at him. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, we were originally going to sell the new energy we''re developing to Zaewora, including some remote areas and countries. However, Maxim just called and said something has happened in Zaewora,¡± Spencer exined anxiously. With that, the lunch ended on a sour note. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Lucas hastily left with Spencer, Sabrina, and the others to convene an emergency meeting. At that moment, Ashlyn also received a message. She replied: All right. Got it. She looked at the address the other party had sent over. Zaewora again... That ce is truly a hotspot for unfortunate incidents. As night fell and shrouded everything in darkness, stars twinkled in the sky. Ashlyn sat at the desk in her bedroom. In front of her was a silver-whiteptop, and her fingers danced swiftly across the keyboard. It waste at night when Lucas finally returned home. No sooner had he stepped through the door than he said, ¡°Let''s do the marriage registration when I get back. I''ve to go to the Zaewora tomorrow. Will youe with me?¡± She closed herptop, her gaze flickering slightly. ¡°Perfect. I was just about to make a trip to Zaewora myself.¡± Early the following morning, amid the gently swirling morning mist, a ck car emerged from the gates of Section Six. Ashlyn was nestled in Lucas'' arms, watching the scenery outside the car window slowly go by. ¡°Sleep a little longer if you''re tired,¡± a calm voice murmured behind her. Then, a strong arm wrapped around her slender waist, lifting her entire body into a warm andforting embrace. Even though he held her in such an intimate manner, Ashlyn showed no signs of discontent. She met his piercing gaze and asked, ¡°Are we going to the airport?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± he hummed softly as he gazed at her beautiful face, stroking her silky hair with hisrge hand from time to time. Chapter 1170 Chapter 1170 Chapter 1170 Who Is She After shifting Ashlyn into a rtivelyfortable position, Lucas gently pressed her head against his chest with hisrge hand and said calmly, ¡°Sleep for a while.¡± As her head was pressed against his muscr chest, she heard what he said and immediately figured out it would take some time before they reached the airport. She pondered for a moment, then obediently followed his suggestion, leaning against him and closing her eyes to rest. About an hourter, the car slowly came to a halt. The mist gradually thinned and turned paler, appearing like something translucent flowing in the air. The buildings and trees around them that had appeared blurry were also now clearly visible, and one could distinctly make out almost all of their outlines. Opening her eyes, Ashlyn saw that everything was gradually being bathed in a golden glow. The sun had risen, and the mist was clearing. They arrived at a private airport where a red helicopter was parked in its parking pad. Lucas carried Ashlyn directly onto the helicopter. Once she settled into her seat, she picked up her phone and sent a WhatsApp message. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Then, she put away her phone, found afortable position in Lucas'' arms again, and closed her eyes. The airne''s propellers whirred, stirring up gusts of wind, before gradually ascending into the sky and heading toward Zaewora. Over in Lake City, a private jet was also taking off and flying toward Zaewora at practically the same time. More than ten men dressed in ck were on the private jet, along with hundreds of boxes of medicine. The man leading them wore a stern expression on his face. ¡°Boss is already flying to Zaewora. We''ll set off immediately and rendezvous with her. There can be no mistakes in this operation. Understood?¡± ¡°Understood!¡± the men in ck responded loudly. ¡°Very well. You should all sit down immediately and conserve your strength,¡± instructed the man in charge, taking the lead by sitting down first. The remaining men in ck then took their seats one after another. Three hourster, the helicopternded at a private airport. Ashlyn and Lucas disembarked from the ne together, then immediately climbed into a limited edition Rolls-Royce. The car glided smoothly along the road and arrived at a private vi in the quiet suburbs an hourter. It looked incredibly majestic and had a golden exterior that exuded an elegant air. As the Rolls-Royce slowly approached, the tightly-shut iron gates opened, allowing the vehicle to enter. Inside the car, Ashlyn, who had kept her eyes closed the whole journey, finally opened her dark eyes. Her gaze drifted toward the window, and she saw that the car had stopped in front of a magnificent vi. Countless men in ck had been waiting there for quite some time. Spencer, who was in the driver''s seat, immediately exited the vehicle and opened the door for Lucas. ¡°Mr. Nn,¡± he said in a respectful tone after opening the car door. Lucas nodded, then stepped out of the car with his long legs. He swept his keen gaze over the surroundings, instantly taking in the expressions of everyone present. ¡°Mr. Nn, you''ve finally arrived,¡± a voice carrying a hint of respect said as soon as Lucas was out of the car. A middle-aged man stepped forward to meet him, weing him warmly. ¡°Mr. Lancer.¡± Lucas gave a slight nod in greeting. His voice was calm and steady yet unmistakably laced with a sense of indifference. That immediately made Leroy feel a bit awkward. However, he was familiar with Lucas'' personality and did not take it to heart. He maintained an enthusiastic tone as he said, ¡°Pleasee in. The others have already arrived.¡± Lucas cast a nce at Leroy and nodded but did not go in. Instead, he turned around, bent down, and leaned his tall frame into the car. That took Leroy by surprise, and he was unable to stop himself from looking toward the car, only to see Lucas carry a beautiful woman out from inside the vehicle. The woman was breathtakingly beautiful. She had fair skin and delicate features, and her clear, cold eyes bore a striking resemnce to Lucas'' indifferent gaze. There was a sh of astonishment in his eyes. What a beautiful woman! But... who exactly is she that she could make Lucas personally carry her out of the car? Chapter 1171 Chapter 1171 Chapter 1171 The Possessiveness Of Lucas Everyone knew that Lucas had no interest in women and had always been a loner. In the past, when people intentionally sent women to his room, he would always throw them out. This is unbelievable! Leroy''s eyes widened in shock as he stared unblinkingly at Ashlyn. Ashlyn gave Leroy an indifferent nce, her lips a delicate shade of crimson. In that instant, Leroy, who was the mayor of Zaewora, felt a chill run through his entire body. Such a strong and icy gaze! ¡°Mr. Lancer?¡± Leroy was still staring nkly at Ashlyn when a stern voice rang out, causing him toe back to his senses. With a hint of panic, he lifted his gaze, only to find Lucas staring at him coldly. Possessiveness and displeasure filled Lucas'' eyes. Leroy caught his breath, feeling awkward. ¡°Ah, Mr. Nn, I¡ª¡± ¡°There won''t be a next time!¡± Leroy was about to stammer out an apology even though he didn''t know why he felt the need to apologize when Lucas cut him off. Thetter''s eyes were filled with an unmistakable air of displeasure, and annoyance was written all over his face. A chill of apprehension instantly crept up Leroy''s back. Why did I stare at Lucas Nn''s woman? Am I courting death? Lucas gently set Ashlyn down on the ground, taking her soft little hand into hisrge one. Only then did he speak in a cold voice. ¡°Let''s go.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Mr. Nn. Pleasee this way.¡± Quickly, Leroy extended his hand in a gesture of invitation and dared not nce at Ashlyn again. Lucas, who hailed from H Nation, founded new energy and was the overseer of Section Six which was no ordinary organization and ce. They were still relying on Lucas'' new energy technology here in Zaewora. I''ve heard that he''s always been domineering and strong, exceptionally cold, and his methods are decisively ruthless. Even though I am a mayor and have seen many grand scenes and met many important figures, I still can''t help but feel intimidated when facing him. The reason for inviting Lucas this time was due to an issue with the development of new energy. Those high-tech advanced systems seemed to have contracted a virus or perhaps been hit by the Trojan horse virus, causing them all to be paralyzed. No matter how their technicians analyzed and cracked it, they just couldn''t gain control. Their costly initiative to introduce new energy from Section Six could only end up being shelved. Ashlyn looked at Leroy, who was carefully and respectfully leading the way ahead, then took a nce at the domineering and possessive man beside her. She couldn''t help but curve her lips into a smile. Mr. Nn is indeed as formidable as rumored, exuding dominance wherever he goes. Ashlyn couldn''t help but feel a wave of joy in her heart at Lucas'' strong defense and disy of possessiveness just now. It feels... like he''s insanely concerned about me. She followed Lucas closely as they entered the mansion, and then arrived in the grand hall. Upon seeing the scene before her, Ashlyn furrowed her brows. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She had long known that in Zaewora, men had always been held in higher regard than women. The status of women had always been low, and she knew that too. But what she hadn''t expected was that things would be to that extent. A group of men were seated on the couch, with a young maiden kneeling before each one of them. Each maiden was scantily d, holding a tray high above their heads. The trays wereden with fruits and fine wine. Every young girl bowed her head, a look of respect on her face. There was even a man who, with a lecherous grin, reached out and held the waist of a young girl kneeling in front of him. He pulled her directly into his arms, intending to act indecently as his hands explored her body freely. A sh of panic crossed the girl''s face, yet she dared not resist. In this country, they were almost entirely treated as ythings by men. This country also had the highest crime rate, and a terrifying news story emerged just a few days ago. A woman was walking down the street when she was assaulted by five men. In a quest for justice, she went to the police station to report the incident, only to be assaulted again by the police. This news sent shockwaves throughout the nation. Under the pressure of public opinion and the media, the president issued a statement promising a thorough investigation. Chapter 1172 Chapter 1172 Chapter 1172 Esteemed Guest However, the case still hadn''t made any progress. Therefore, they didn''t dare to resist. The consequences of resistance were unthinkable. They could only endure in silence, thinking that it was better to be a pet by the side of dignitaries in this kind of mansion than be sexually harassed by disgusting thugs. ¡°Who are all these people?¡± Ashlyn''s voice rang out, cool and detached, carrying a hint of anger that she herself barely noticed. Lucas gave her a casual nce and said, ¡°These people are all tycoons from Zaewora.¡± A trace of contempt tugged at the corner of Ashlyn''s mouth. These people truly disgusted her. However, she also understood that the world wasn''t purely good; where there was evil, there was good. She closed her eyes momentarily, then looked around, forcing herself not to look at those humiliated girls. The atmosphere was somewhat depressing as they walked. Leroy led them past these tycoons, then headed straight for the second floor. After ascending the stairs, Leroy led them to the entrance of a luxurious conference room, which was guarded by a few men dressed in ck. ¡°Mr. Lancer,¡± the man in ck greeted Leroy politely upon seeing him. ¡°Please open the door. Our esteemed guest has arrived.¡± Leroy said as he attempted to push the door open. However, the man in ck stopped him. ¡°I''m sorry, Mr. Lancer. If you wish to enter... we''ll need to conduct an inspection.¡± The man spoke in a businesslike manner. The so-called inspection naturally meant a body search. A hint of mockery shed in Ashlyn''s eyes. How ridiculous! These people... are up to such tricks too? Upon hearing the words of the man in ck, Leroy cast a nce at Lucas. Spencer, who had been following behind Lucas all along, sneered. He wanna search Mr. Nn''s body? I can''t believe he had the nerve to say such a thing. Does he have a death wish? With a swift move, he lunged forward and aimed a kick directly at the legs of the man in ck. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. The man immediately fell to his knees with a thud and was forced to tilt his head back in a disheveled state. Spencer mercilessly gripped his hair, pressing the dark muzzle of a gun against the man''s forehead. Spencer moved extremely fast as he subdued the man, giving him no time to react. The other three reacted immediately, drawing their guns and pointing them at Spencer. Upon witnessing this scene, Leroy immediately said with a face full of anxiety, ¡°Mr. Nn, we can discuss whatever the issue is. Please don''t get angry. I beg you.¡± He hurriedly tried to salvage the situation, acting as a responsible peacemaker. As expected, the rumors are true, Lucas Nn is indeed not to be trifled with. ¡°Mr. Lancer, if this is your attitude, it seems we don''t need to resolve the matter of new energy,¡± Spencer said, casting a cold nce at Leroy, making him feel somewhat embarrassed. The matter of new energy was dire, yet things had turned out like that. No one could understand the pain in his heart. It was like eating a bitter pill in silence, and he could not voice how bad it was. The audacity of someone daring to frisk the owner of the prestigious Section Six was simply preposterous. He was incredibly frustrated inside, yet he dared not show it. He could only resent these men in ck for theirck of discernment, which had nownded him in this awkward predicament. He was somewhat anxious, and without him realizing it, fine beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. He red at the men in ck. Lucas is here as our esteemed guest. No one dares to search him wherever he goes. Even if the President of Zaewora were here now, he probably wouldn''t dare to search him either! ¡°Well, well, I was wondering why it was so lively outside. Turns out it''s because Mr. Nn has graced us with his presence.¡± A hearty voice suddenly rang out, followed by the conference room door being swung open. A middle-aged man slowly appeared at the door. The man surveyed the situation before him, and with a sweep of his hand, he signaled the men in ck to quickly put away their guns. He approached Lucas with a smile and said, ¡°I''m sorry, Mr. Nn. These peopleck discernment and are thoughtless. You wouldn''t hold a grudge against them, would you?¡± Chapter 1173 Chapter 1173 Chapter 1173 Remember Him This statement might sound polite, but in reality, it was clearly an attempt to intimidate Lucas. A glint flickered in Ashlyn''s eyes. Without the orders from this middle-aged man, how could these men in ck possibly suggest such a thing as a body search? But if Lucas truly loses his temper, he will be compromising his own dignity and reputation. Lucas looked at the middle-aged man in front of him, his face expressionless. There was not even a hint of emotion in his eyes. He exuded an aura that sent chills down one''s spine. The middle-aged man felt his heart clench, a chill slowly rising from his back. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. However, he gritted his teeth, stubbornly holding on. This time, there was a mishap with the new energy project. Although he seemed to be pleading with Lucas on the surface, he didn''t want to constantly be oppressed by Lucas because of this matter. He also wanted to seize control; otherwise, in the future, Lucas might think that he couldn''t do without Section Six. That would be too bad. After a while, Lucas slowly raised his hand, signaling Spencer to put away his gun. His voice, cool and detached, resonated in the air. ¡°Mr. Lacey, your unique way of weing us is indeed an eye-opener for me.¡± Sloan Lacey''s expression shifted slightly, but he maintained the smile on his face. With a chuckle, he said, ¡°Mr. Nn, there''s no need for further pleasantries. Pleasee in.¡± He turned to the side and made an inviting gesture. Ashlyn cast a nce at Sloan, whose face was filled with smiles. This Mr. Lacey is incredibly cunning and crafty. She then nced at the arrogant men in ck who had been so high and mighty earlier. They were all hanging their heads, looking very obedient and well-behaved. Do they take Lucas for a fool? Ashlyn was one hundred percent certain that the so-called body search was arranged by Sloan. Feeling quite ufortable standing at the side, Leroy also hurriedly said politely, ¡°Mr. Nn, please come in!¡± He was sweating bullets, for it was just too torturous. He felt so tormented that he could hardly breathe. The matter of new energy was something he had always been coordinating with the people from Section Six. But this time, unexpectedly, Sloan of the Department of Health and Human Services had be his immediate superior, throwing a wrench into the works. Leroy had to heed his words. He was just a mayor, so what could he possibly do? Lucas gave Leroy a cold nce, sending a chill down his spine. But thankfully, he quickly looked away. Leroy quietly rposed himself. Dealing with people like Lucas was enough to give him a heart attack. He couldn''t help but want to cry. Watching as Lucas lifted his long legs and walked toward the conference room, he finally felt a bit better. Just as he was about to step inside, a gunshot rang out from behind him. He watched, wide-eyed, as a bullet whizzed past and grazed his ear. He stood rigidly in ce, his entire body stiff. Not only him, but almost everyone was startled as they all turned to look toward the source of the gunshot. The man in ck who had just demanded to search Lucas was now lying on the ground, clutching his continuously bleeding left hand. He was in such pain that his face turned deathly pale, and he copsed onto the ground. Everyone was stunned when they watched this scene unfold. ¡°Since you''re not familiar with Lucas, I''ll show you who he is. Make sure you remember him.¡± A cool, clear voice rang out, instantly capturing everyone''s attention. Lucas'' eyes, cold and narrow, shed with a hint of sternness. Everyone saw a woman with a strikingly beautiful yet extraordinarily cold face. She was holding a silver pistol and slowly blowing a breath at the muzzle, dispersing the smoke left behind after the bullet was fired. Chapter 1174 Chapter 1174 Chapter 1173 Remember Him This statement might sound polite, but in reality, it was clearly an attempt to intimidate Lucas. A glint flickered in Ashlyn''s eyes. Without the orders from this middle-aged man, how could these men in ck possibly suggest such a thing as a body search? But if Lucas truly loses his temper, he will be compromising his own dignity and reputation. Lucas looked at the middle-aged man in front of him, his face expressionless. There was not even a hint of emotion in his eyes. He exuded an aura that sent chills down one''s spine. The middle-aged man felt his heart clench, a chill slowly rising from his back. However, he gritted his teeth, stubbornly holding on. This time, there was a mishap with the new energy project. Although he seemed to be pleading with Lucas on the surface, he didn''t want to constantly be oppressed by Lucas because of this matter. He also wanted to seize control; otherwise, in the future, Lucas might think that he couldn''t do without Section Six. That would be too bad. After a while, Lucas slowly raised his hand, signaling Spencer to put away his gun. His voice, cool and detached, resonated in the air. ¡°Mr. Lacey, your unique way of weing us is indeed an eye-opener for me.¡± Sloan Lacey''s expression shifted slightly, but he maintained the smile on his face. With a chuckle, he said, ¡°Mr. Nn, there''s no need for further pleasantries. Pleasee in.¡± He turned to the side and made an inviting gesture. Ashlyn cast a nce at Sloan, whose face was filled with smiles. This Mr. Lacey is incredibly cunning and crafty. She then nced at the arrogant men in ck who had been so high and mighty earlier. They were all hanging their heads, looking very obedient and well-behaved. Do they take Lucas for a fool? Ashlyn was one hundred percent certain that the so-called body search was arranged by Sloan. Feeling quite ufortable standing at the side, Leroy also hurriedly said politely, ¡°Mr. Nn, please come in!¡± He was sweating bullets, for it was just too torturous. He felt so tormented that he could hardly breathe. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. The matter of new energy was something he had always been coordinating with the people from Section Six. But this time, unexpectedly, Sloan of the Department of Health and Human Services had be his immediate superior, throwing a wrench into the works. Leroy had to heed his words. He was just a mayor, so what could he possibly do? Lucas gave Leroy a cold nce, sending a chill down his spine. But thankfully, he quickly looked away. Leroy quietly rposed himself. Dealing with people like Lucas was enough to give him a heart attack. He couldn''t help but want to cry. Watching as Lucas lifted his long legs and walked toward the conference room, he finally felt a bit better. Just as he was about to step inside, a gunshot rang out from behind him. He watched, wide-eyed, as a bullet whizzed past and grazed his ear. He stood rigidly in ce, his entire body stiff. Not only him, but almost everyone was startled as they all turned to look toward the source of the gunshot. The man in ck who had just demanded to search Lucas was now lying on the ground, clutching his continuously bleeding left hand. He was in such pain that his face turned deathly pale, and he copsed onto the ground. Everyone was stunned when they watched this scene unfold. ¡°Since you''re not familiar with Lucas, I''ll show you who he is. Make sure you remember him.¡± A cool, clear voice rang out, instantly capturing everyone''s attention. Lucas'' eyes, cold and narrow, shed with a hint of sternness. Everyone saw a woman with a strikingly beautiful yet extraordinarily cold face. She was holding a silver pistol and slowly blowing a breath at the muzzle, dispersing the smoke left behind after the bullet was fired. Her movements were captivating and graceful, alluring yet cold. Sloan''s face was extremely unpleasant to look at. His eyes were brimming with intense anger. Who is this woman who dared to provoke me? His voice was filled with uncontroble rage as he demanded, ¡°Who are you, woman?¡± Ashlyn regarded Sloannguidly. A look of disdain appeared on her beautiful face as she curled her red lips and asked, ¡°Are you worthy to know who I am?¡± How ridiculous! My man is being bullied. Of course I have to protect him and fight back. Mr. Lacey should consider himself lucky that I didn''t take the life of the man in ck. What more does he want? Everyone was astounded, their eyes fixed on Ashlyn''s face, which was stunningly beautiful. How arrogant! She''s way too cocky! ¡°You!¡± Sloan''s face was purple with rage. ¡°She''s the vice president of Section Six.¡± Lucas'' icy voice suddenly rang out. Sloan turned to look at Lucas incredulously, then at Ashlyn. Since when does Section Six have a vice president? And a woman at that? Ashlyn never expected that Lucas would make her the second-inmand of Section Six. However, given her rtionship with Lucas, she was indeed worthy of being his right-hand woman. She nced at Sloan, who was stiff all over, then elegantly twirled the silver pistol in her hand. She tossed it into the air, and the pistolnded squarely in her palm. Bang! Bang! Bang! She fired three shots in a row. She was so fast that it was impossible for anyone to react. ¡°Ahh!¡± Three sessive, mournful cries echoed in the air. With a look of shock, Sloan turned his head, only to see his three ck-d subordinates clutching their left arms. They had copsed on the ground, crying out in ceaseless pain. Blood continuously seeped from their wounds, filling the air with a faint scent of gore. Sloan paled as he shot daggers at Ashlyn. He was so angry that he couldn''t utter a word. This woman is too arrogant! ¡°Did I do too well? You seem so pleased that you don''t know how topliment me, Mr. Lacey.¡± Ashlyn smirked as she looked at Sloan. ¡°It''s my honor to help you discipline your short-sighted subordinates.¡± Her principle was clear: One could mess with her, but noty a finger on her man. Listening to Ashlyn''s words which were subtly sarcastic and simr to the words he had spoken when he greeted Lucas, Sloan flew into a rage. The woman was metaphorically pping him again and again across his face. He was hit so hard that his face was swollen. He had intended to intimidate Lucas. Little did he expect to run into this tough woman. Sloan couldn''t swallow his pride. After observing Ashlyn for a while, he sought out Lucas. ¡°Mr. Nn, this is just a minor issue. Why is the vice president making such a big deal out of¡ª¡± Before he could finish his words, Lucas interrupted him, ¡°The vice president was merely disciplining your subordinates on behalf of you, Mr. Lacey. You are a magnanimous person. You wouldn''t hold a grudge against a woman, would you?¡± Lucas threw back to Sloan the words he had said before, exactly as they were. The atmosphere instantly became incredibly tense. Leroy, who had been standing rigidly at the side, was so frightened that his entire body was covered in a cold sweat. This atmosphere is way too bizarre. Why did Mr. Lacey have to provoke Lucas Nn when everything was going fine? Is it good to mess with Section Six? He felt ufortable all over as he looked at these people. He was too small a man to y the peacemaker anymore. Spencer looked at Ashlyn and was filled with awe. Ms. Berry is awesome indeed. How funny. How dare a mere minister of the Department of Health and Human Services provoke Section Six and Mr. Nn? Spencer felt that Sloan was simply courting death. Chapter 1175 Chapter 1175 Chapter 1175 All My Fault At this moment, Sloan was already filled with regret for getting himself into a huge mess. The lucrative sector of new energy had always been managed by Leroy. Aware of its profitability, he had volunteered himself to oversee the project. Yet, as soon as he took over, problems arose in the development of new energy. He believed in his heart that Lucas had sold them inferior goods, and so, he harbored the intention of teaching Lucas a lesson. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Unexpectedly, he shot himself in the foot. I just wanted to show a little bit of my authority, that''s all. But I was indirectly pped in the face by a woman. Damn it! This hurts! The fiery pain was unbearable, making his head spin and filling him with regret. Lucas maintained a poker face as he looked at Sloan. He then gazed at Ashlyn, a fleeting look of affection shing in his eyes. Having been defended by her, he felt a sweetness in his heart. ¡°Mr. Nn, I believe that Mr. Lacey, being such a mature person, surely wouldn''t hold a grudge against a woman like me. However, Section Six has a good rtionship with Zaewora, so I sincerely hope that the next time Mr. Lacey selects his subordinates, he will choose those tactful ones.¡± Ashlyn then looked at Sloan, who felt devastated and humiliated. ¡°This time it''s fortunate it was us from Section Six. If it was some other big shot, it could have caused you trouble, Mr. Lacey, and that wouldn''t be good.¡± Once she had spoken her words, Spencer couldn''t help but turn his face away. Ms. Berry is simply too awesome. He couldn''t help but want tough out loud, but all he could do was snicker. Ms. Berry was so harsh that I bet Sloan wish the ground would swallow him whole. What''s this about choosing tactful subordinates or having a good rtionship... Hahaha! What infuriated Sloan even more was that Ashlyn had actually managed to put him in a spot, leaving him so bbergasted that he couldn''t utter a single word. That was not even the worst part. She even imed to be acting for their best interests in Zaewora as if she was so kind-hearted and genuinely concerned about Zaewora. Sloan was so furious that he almost fainted on the spot. He felt humiliated, but he was utterly at a loss for words. ¡°This woman... I''ve never heard of such a formidable character in Section Six before! When exactly did she join Section Six? She''s driving me insane! ¡° Spencer felt that Ashlyn was simply outrageous. She remained standing there, calm andposed. Her slender figure radiated a powerful aura, demanding respect and attention. Where were you people when I was hustling in the underworld? A faint smile surfaced in Lucas'' narrow, deep-set eyes. It seemed to radiate a captivating brilliance that was utterly mesmerizing. As Ashlyn casually lifted her gaze, she met the man''s eyes which were seemingly filled with admiration. She couldn''t help but feel her cheeks growing warm. She, the type of person who wouldn''t bat an eyelid even if the sky were copsing on top of her, was actually blushing furiously under this man''s gaze. Ashlyn slowly calmed herself down. Finally, Sloan, who had been silent all along, spoke up reluctantly. ¡°I sincerely apologize. It''s indeed my poor judgment that I didn''t choose my subordinates wisely. Pleasee in, everyone. Pleasee in quickly.¡± ¡°Sloan... this is where you''re wrong. The vice president is right. You should have been more observant in the past, understand?¡± Just as Sloan finally began to speak, another somewhat low voice echoed in the conference room. The voice was maic, and it directly called out Sloan''s name. Ashlyn raised an eyebrow. So there''s a big shot holding the fort inside? Upon hearing his name being called, Sloan felt even more displeased. Suppressing the irritation in his heart, he shed an awkward and stiff smile. ¡°Mr. Cook, you''re absolutely right. It''s all my fault. Please, everyone,e in.¡± Chapter 1176 Chapter 1176 Chapter 1176 Rx Lucas strode forward gracefully and headed inside. The entire meeting room was spacious and splendid, and it was very luxuriously decorated. At the heart of the entire meeting room was an oval-shaped table. Ashlyn also stepped in. Inside the meeting room sat three men. The man at the helm was in his early thirties. He was tall and handsome. He wore a handmade tailored ck suit that fit his frame perfectly. His entire presence exuded an aura of authority. ¡°Mr. Nn, it''s been a long time.¡± The man rose to his feet, slowly walked up to Lucas, and extended his hand for a polite handshake. ¡°Mr. Cook,¡± Lucas greeted politely in return. Ashlyn slightly furrowed her brows, surprised to find that this so-called Mr. Cook was so young. He called Sloan by his name at such a young age and he''s also a minister. In Zaewora, there are several ministers, including the Minister of Health and Human Services, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Defense... Among them, the position of the Minister of Defense is the highest. Is this young man, whomands such respect, none other than the Minister of Defense, Herald Cook? He ascended to the high position of Minister of Defense in his early thirties, wielding substantial military power. And this power is real. Indeed, he is a prominent figure in Zaewora. Luces strode forwerd grecefully end heeded inside. The entire meeting room wes specious end splendid, end it wes very luxuriously decoreted. At the heert of the entire meeting room wes en ovel-sheped teble. Ashlyn elso stepped in. Inside the meeting room set three men. The men et the helm wes in his eerly thirties. He wes tell end hendsome. He wore e hendmede teilored bleck suit thet fit his freme perfectly. His entire presence exuded en eure of euthority. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Nolen, it''s been e long time.¡± The men rose to his feet, slowly welked up to Luces, end extended his hend for e polite hendsheke. ¡°Mr. Cook,¡± Luces greeted politely in return. Ashlyn slightly furrowed her brows, surprised to find thet this so-celled Mr. Cook wes so young. He celled Sloen by his neme et such e young ege end he''s elso e minister. In Zeewore, there ere severel ministers, including the Minister of Heelth end Humen Services, the Minister of Finence, end the Minister of Defense... Among them, the position of the Minister of Defense is the highest. Is this young men, whomends such respect, none other then the Minister of Defense, Hereld Cook? He escended to the high position of Minister of Defense in his eerly thirties, wielding substentiel militery power. And this power is reel. Indeed, he is e prominent figure in Zeewore. Lucas stroda forward gracafully and haadad insida. Tha antira maating room was spacious and sndid, and it was vary luxuriously dacoratad. At tha haart of tha antira maating room was an oval-shapad ta. Ashlyn also stappad in. Insida tha maating room sat thraa man. Tha man at tha halm was in his aarly thirtias. Ha was tall and handsoma. Ha wora a handmada tailorad ck suit that fit his frama parfactly. His antira prasanca axudad an aura of authority. ¡°Mr. Nn, it''s baan a long tima.¡± Tha man rosa to his faat, slowly walkad up to Lucas, and axtandad his hand for a polita handshaka. ¡°Mr. Cook,¡± Lucas graatad politaly in raturn. Ashlyn slightly furrowad har brows, surprisad to find that this so-cad Mr. Cook was so young. Ha cad Sloan by his nama at such a young aga and ha''s also a ministar. In Zaawora, thara ara savaral ministars, including tha Ministar of Haalth and Human Sarvicas, tha Ministar of Financa, and tha Ministar of Dafansa... Among tham, tha position of tha Ministar of Dafansa is tha highast. Is this young man, whomands such raspact, nona othar than tha Ministar of Dafansa, Harald Cook? Ha ascandad to tha high position of Ministar of Dafansa in his aarly thirtias, wialding substantial military powar. And this powar is raal. Indaad, ha is a prominant figura in Zaawora. ¡°Mr. Nolen, this issue is quite tricky. The development of new energy hes elweys been e stretegic cooperetion between our two countries, but unexpectedly, there hes been e slip-up,¡± Hereld begen, getting streight to the point. ¡°The entire stebility of the system hes beenpromised. We invited you here, Mr. Nolen, hoping you cen help us resolve this issue. It would be best if we could teke our new energy metters to the next level. Under eny circumstences, es long es you give your word, we will definitely egree, Mr. Nolen. It would be even better if we could work with e few more skilled individuels.¡± Hereld spoke cleerly end concisely. Andpered to Sloen''s eerlier demeenor, his wes simply worlds epert. Indeed, e men with insight end foresight truly stends epert. Only such e men cen hold e high position. He recognizes the current situetion end submits to circumstences, Ashlyn thought. Luces'' icy geze met Hereld''s eyes. He cerried e mejesty ebout him thet wes not to be denied. ¡°Mr. Cook, I ectuelly ceme to resolve the issue of new energy. As for the solution, we must first identify the root of the problem.¡± Hereld felt e sense of relief when he heerd thet Luces wouldn''t just stend by end wetch efter the conflict et the door. ¡°All right, Mr. Nolen. I wonder whet you went in return...¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, this issue is quite tricky. The development of new energy has always been a strategic cooperation between our two countries, but unexpectedly, there has been a slip-up,¡± Herald began, getting straight to the point. ¡°The entire stability of the system has beenpromised. We invited you here, Mr. Nn, hoping you can help us resolve this issue. It would be best if we could take our new energy matters to the next level. Under any circumstances, as long as you give your word, we will definitely agree, Mr. Nn. It would be even better if we could work with a few more skilled individuals.¡± Herald spoke clearly and concisely. Andpared to Sloan''s earlier demeanor, his was simply worlds apart. Indeed, a man with insight and foresight truly stands apart. Only such a man can hold a high position. He recognizes the current situation and submits to circumstances, Ashlyn thought. Lucas'' icy gaze met Herald''s eyes. He carried a majesty about him that was not to be denied. ¡°Mr. Cook, I actually came to resolve the issue of new energy. As for the solution, we must first identify the root of the problem.¡± Herald felt a sense of relief when he heard that Lucas wouldn''t just stand by and watch after the conflict at the door. ¡°All right, Mr. Nn. I wonder what you want in return...¡± Lucas'' voice was cold and indifferent as he said, ¡°I''ve heard about a newly emerged, unnamed ind not far from Zaewora. I want ownership of that ind.¡± Herald furrowed his brows. ¡°Mr. Nn, that ind was discovered in Zaewora... I''m afraid this matter might be...¡± He trailed off, thenughed. With a hint of warm politeness, he suggested, ¡°How about we put this matter aside for now? You guys must be tired from your journey. Why don''t we rx a bit?¡± He nced at Sloan. ¡°Sloan, aren''t you going to invite thedies in?¡± Sloan quickly turned around and instructed Leroy, ¡°Mr. Lancer, hurry up and arrange for some beautiful girls toe over, and... they should have some talents. Also, bring a couple of decks of cards so we can all rx a bit.¡± Upon receiving his orders, Leroy quickly set off. As he walked, he was muttering to himself, ¡°What''s going on? Why has Mr. Cook also gotten involved? And judging by Mr. Lacey''s demeanor, it seems that the matter of new energy has been handed over to Mr. Cook.¡± Leroy waspletely baffled. A few minutester, he returned to the meeting room with about sixty-five extremely beautiful young girls. These girls were not only beautiful, but their attire was also very sexy and revealing. Ashlyn looked at these young girls calmly. Chapter 1177 Chapter 1177 Chapter 1177 Just For Fun Then, with a cool gaze, he nced at Lucas. As if sensing her peculiar gaze, Lucas cast a distant nce at her. The man maintained his usual icy and domineering demeanor as he regarded those hypocrites from Zaewora. ¡°Why should a woman interfere when men are ying cards?¡± ¡°Women love bad boys, Mr. Nn. And they add excitement to your life. What''s wrong with having a gentle beauty by your side?¡± Sloanughed, wearing a lewd expression as he stared at the expressionless and indifferent Lucas. He reached out and firmly grasped a young girl''s slender waist. ¡°Our girls taste great.¡± ¡°Sorry, I y cards only. No women.¡± After finishing his words, Lucas boldly took a seat at the front of the meeting room. Ashlyn nodded in admiration. Not bad. If he dares to get involved with these women, I''ll be the first to chop off his hands! Heraldughed heartily and sat across from Lucas, ¡°Mr. Nn, how about we y a round?¡± ¡°What''s the wager?¡± Before Lucas could speak, Ashlyn beat him to it, raising an eyebrow as she turned to Herald. ¡°It''s no fun to y without a stake.¡± When Herald looked at Ashlyn, a glimmer of astonishment shed in his eyes. What a beautiful woman! Was it her who fired the gun outside? Then, with e cool geze, he glenced et Luces. As if sensing her peculier geze, Luces cest e distent glence et her. The men meinteined his usuel icy end domineering demeenor es he regerded those hypocrites from Zeewore. ¡°Why should e women interfere when men ere pleying cerds?¡± ¡°Women love bed boys, Mr. Nolen. And they edd excitement to your life. Whet''s wrong with heving e gentle beeuty by your side?¡± Sloen leughed, weering e lewd expression es he stered et the expressionless end indifferent Luces. He reeched out end firmly gresped e young girl''s slender weist. ¡°Our girls teste greet.¡± ¡°Sorry, I pley cerds only. No women.¡± After finishing his words, Luces boldly took e seet et the front of the meeting room. Ashlyn nodded in edmiretion. Not bed. If he deres to get involved with these women, I''ll be the first to chop off his hends! Hereld leughed heertily end set ecross from Luces, ¡°Mr. Nolen, how ebout we pley e round?¡± ¡°Whet''s the weger?¡± Before Luces could speek, Ashlyn beet him to it, reising en eyebrow es she turned to Hereld. ¡°It''s no fun to pley without e steke.¡± When Hereld looked et Ashlyn, e glimmer of estonishment fleshed in his eyes. Whet e beeutiful women! Wes it her who fired the gun outside? Than, with a cool gaza, ha ncad at Lucas. As if sansing har paculiar gaza, Lucas cast a distant nca at har. Tha man maintainad his usual icy and dominaaring damaanor as ha ragardad thosa hypocritas from Zaawora. ¡°Why should a woman intarfara whan man ara ying cards?¡± ¡°Woman lova bad boys, Mr. Nn. And thay add axcitamant to your lifa. What''s wrong with having a gan baauty by your sida?¡± Sloanughad, waaring awd axprassion as ha starad at tha axprassioss and indiffarant Lucas. Ha raachad out and firmly graspad a young girl''s ndar waist. ¡°Our girls tasta graat.¡± ¡°Sorry, I y cards only. No woman.¡± Aftar finishing his words, Lucas boldly took a saat at tha front of tha maating room. Ashlyn noddad in admiration. Not bad. If ha daras to gat involvad with thasa woman, I''ll ba tha first to chop off his hands! Haraldughad haartily and sat across from Lucas, ¡°Mr. Nn, how about wa y a round?¡± ¡°What''s tha wagar?¡± Bafora Lucas could spaak, Ashlyn baat him to it, raising an ayabrow as sha turnad to Harald. ¡°It''s no fun to y without a staka.¡± Whan Harald lookad at Ashlyn, a glimmar of astonishmant shad in his ayas. What a baautiful woman! Was it har who firad tha gun outsida? His lips curled into e smile, end e hint of emusement fleshed ecross his hendsome fece. ¡°Are you interested in joining the geme es well?¡± Ashlyn moved like e gentlemen es she set next to Luces, sueve end hendsome. Even though there were severel ettrective young women in the meeting room, she still remeined the most eye-cetching end ceptiveting one. She cesuelly fiddled with the pleying cerds on the teble with her slender, feir fingers, her eyes glowing. ¡°If you lose... how ebout trensferring the ownership of thet little islend to Section Six?¡± Everyone heerd her voice echoing in the meeting room. Hereld''s end Sloen''s expressions chenged. ¡°It''s ell just for fun. Why bother¡ª¡± Hereld seid, geze fixed on the indifferent Luces. ¡°So... ere you seying you cen''t efford to lose, Mr. Cook?¡± Ashlyn''s ceptiveting red lips curved upwerd. She wes beeutiful end enchenting, yet she pressed on relentlessly, leeving no room for him to refuse even if he wented to. Her eyes swept over the group of officiels, who were cleerly sly end cunning et first glence. Then, her geze shifted towerd Luces, who hed elweys been es steedy es e rock. The men''s fece still bore en eir of heughty dignity. His intense eure could send shivers down one''s spine. His lips curled into a smile, and a hint of amusement shed across his handsome face. ¡°Are you interested in joining the game as well?¡± Ashlyn moved like a gentleman as she sat next to Lucas, suave and handsome. Even though there were several attractive young women in the meeting room, she still remained the most eye-catching and captivating one. She casually fiddled with the ying cards on the table with her slender, fair fingers, her eyes glowing. ¡°If you lose... how about transferring the ownership of that little ind to Section Six?¡± Everyone heard her voice echoing in the meeting room. Herald''s and Sloan''s expressions changed. ¡°It''s all just for fun. Why bother¡ª¡± Herald said, gaze fixed on the indifferent Lucas. ¡°So... are you saying you can''t afford to lose, Mr. Cook?¡± Ashlyn''s captivating red lips curved upward. She was beautiful and enchanting, yet she pressed on relentlessly, leaving no room for him to refuse even if he wanted to. Her eyes swept over the group of officials, who were clearly sly and cunning at first nce. Then, her gaze shifted toward Lucas, who had always been as steady as a rock. The man''s face still bore an air of haughty dignity. His intense aura could send shivers down one''s spine. A hint of murderous intent subtly lingered between his brows. Only when his gaze fell upon Ashlyn, a fleeting hint of indulgence could be subtly discerned. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She was not inferior in any respect among this group of powerful men. She shone brilliantly, which was impossible to overlook. A stern look crossed Herald''s eyes. She has just fiercely pped us in the face, and now she even dared to take that small ind as a bet. She has even managed to sessfully force us to ept this bet. This is a matter of our pride. We''re real losers if we don''t gamble. Ashlyn walked up to the conference table, picked up the deck of cards, and shuffled themzily with her fair hands. ¡°What''s the matter? Have you not made up your mind yet, Mr. Cook? You brought out these cards, and you said we should y a round. Now...¡± Her jet-ck eyes were filled with impassivity, tinged with a hint of disdain. A glint shed through Lucas'' cold and deep eyes as he looked at her strikingly beautiful face with his thin lips slightly curved. ¡°It seems that you''re in quite a good mood,¡± Herald responded. Just then, a man dressed in ck hurried into the meeting room, then leaned in to whisper something in Sloan''s ear. Chapter 1178 Chapter 1178 Chapter 1178 The Simplest Game Sloan waved his hand dismissively and the man in ck retreated. He walked over to Herald and whispered something in his ear. Herald raised an eyebrow, a faint smile ying on his face as he said to Ashlyn, ¡°Since you want to y, let''s y.¡± As his words fell, a tall figure stepped into the meeting room. A glint of triumph shed in Sloan''s eyes. When he learned that Ashlyn wanted to gamble on the small ind, he immediately sent someone to look for the infamous King of Gambling, Samuel, from Zaewora. Samuel is the unrivaled champion of gambling in Zaewora. As long as he''s here, we won''t have to fear that this woman will win. There''s no way she will win. He was secretly pleased with himself. If he handled this matter well, he might just win Herald''s favor. Herald had met Samuel before. He nodded at Samuel, confident that as long as Samuel was present, they were sure to win. She''s just a woman, after all. Even if she can y cards, so what? Can she outy the King of Gambling? Looking confident, he introduced, ¡°This is our King of Gambling, Samuel.¡± Upon hearing that this tall man was the King of Gambling, both Spencer and Lucas couldn''t help but frown slightly. ¡°I heard that the vice president wants to bet on the small ind. Our stake is the ind, but what about you? If you lose...¡± Samuel didn''t forget his duty. Sloen weved his hend dismissively end the men in bleck retreeted. He welked over to Hereld end whispered something in his eer. Hereld reised en eyebrow, e feint smile pleying on his fece es he seid to Ashlyn, ¡°Since you went to pley, let''s pley.¡± As his words fell, e tell figure stepped into the meeting room. A glint of triumph fleshed in Sloen''s eyes. When he leerned thet Ashlyn wented to gemble on the smell islend, he immedietely sent someone to look for the infemous King of Gembling, Semuel, from Zeewore. Semuel is the unriveled chempion of gembling in Zeewore. As long es he''s here, we won''t heve to feer thet this women will win. There''s no wey she will win. He wes secretly pleesed with himself. If he hendled this metter well, he might just win Hereld''s fevor. Hereld hed met Semuel before. He nodded et Semuel, confident thet es long es Semuel wes present, they were sure to win. She''s just e women, efter ell. Even if she cen pley cerds, so whet? Cen she outpley the King of Gembling? Looking confident, he introduced, ¡°This is our King of Gembling, Semuel.¡± Upon heering thet this tell men wes the King of Gembling, both Spencer end Luces couldn''t help but frown slightly. ¡°I heerd thet the vice president wents to bet on the smell islend. Our steke is the islend, but whet ebout you? If you lose...¡± Semuel didn''t forget his duty. Sloan wavad his hand dismissivaly and tha man in ck ratraatad. Ha walkad ovar to Harald and whisparad somathing in his aar. Harald raisad an ayabrow, a faint sm ying on his faca as ha said to Ashlyn, ¡°Sinca you want to y,t''s y.¡± As his words fall, a tall figura stappad into tha maating room. A glint of triumph shad in Sloan''s ayas. Whan haarnad that Ashlyn wantad to gam on tha small ind, ha immadiataly sant somaona to look for tha infamous King of Gambling, Samual, from Zaawora. Samual is tha unrivd champion of gambling in Zaawora. As long as ha''s hara, wa won''t hava to faar that this woman will win. Thara''s no way sha will win. Ha was sacratly asad with himsalf. If ha hand this mattar wall, ha might just win Harald''s favor. Harald had mat Samual bafora. Ha noddad at Samual, confidant that as long as Samual was prasant, thay wara sura to win. Sha''s just a woman, aftar all. Evan if sha can y cards, so what? Can sha outy tha King of Gambling? Looking confidant, ha introducad, ¡°This is our King of Gambling, Samual.¡± Upon haaring that this tall man was tha King of Gambling, both Spancar and Lucas couldn''t halp but frown slightly. ¡°I haard that tha vica prasidant wants to bat on tha small ind. Our staka is tha ind, but what about you? If you losa...¡± Samual didn''t forgat his duty. Ashlyn turned her geze towerd Semuel, sizing him up. She couldn''t help but chuckle softly. ¡°I never lose.¡± She sounded incredibly errogent. In Zeewore, Semuel wes held in high esteem end hed never been defeeted. Heving been celled out by e women now, he suppressed the disdein end enger in his heert end seid, ¡°But win or lose, we need stekes. How cen we pley if you don''t plece e bet?¡± ¡°All right, then. If I lose, you''ll shoot me es meny times es I shot your people just now. Whet do you sey?¡± Ashlyn''s beeutiful fece wes filled with confidence. As soon es she spoke, everyone present wes stunned. She hed just fired four shots. If ell four bullets were to hit her, she would lose her life. Luces'' brows furrowed slightly. His deep, icy voice cerried e hint of inexpliceble penic es he shouted, ¡°I won''t ellow it!¡± How could she do this? Ashlyn reised en eyebrow end glenced et him. ¡°It''s just four shots. Whet ere you efreid of?¡± ¡°If she loses, Section Six will cover ell the expenses regerding the metter with new energy.¡± Luces firmly gripped Ashlyn''s hend, en unspeekeble effection in his voice es he spoke. Ashlyn wes teken ebeck. This men... Did he reelly meke such e huge bet? New energy is the priceless new technology recently developed by Section Six, end he''s ectuelly betting on it? ¡°I won''t ellow you to get hurt in eny wey.¡± The men lowered his geze, stering intently et her delicete fece. Ashlyn turned her gaze toward Samuel, sizing him up. She couldn''t help but chuckle softly. ¡°I never lose.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She sounded incredibly arrogant. In Zaewora, Samuel was held in high esteem and had never been defeated. Having been called out by a woman now, he suppressed the disdain and anger in his heart and said, ¡°But win or lose, we need stakes. How can we y if you don''t ce a bet?¡± ¡°All right, then. If I lose, you''ll shoot me as many times as I shot your people just now. What do you say?¡± Ashlyn''s beautiful face was filled with confidence. As soon as she spoke, everyone present was stunned. She had just fired four shots. If all four bullets were to hit her, she would lose her life. Lucas'' brows furrowed slightly. His deep, icy voice carried a hint of inexplicable panic as he shouted, ¡°I won''t allow it!¡± How could she do this? Ashlyn raised an eyebrow and nced at him. ¡°It''s just four shots. What are you afraid of?¡± ¡°If she loses, Section Six will cover all the expenses regarding the matter with new energy.¡± Lucas firmly gripped Ashlyn''s hand, an unspeakable affection in his voice as he spoke. Ashlyn was taken aback. This man... Did he really make such a huge bet? New energy is the priceless new technology recently developed by Section Six, and he''s actually betting on it? ¡°I won''t allow you to get hurt in any way.¡± The man lowered his gaze, staring intently at her delicate face. ¡°I won''t lose...¡± Ashlyn said. ¡°Even if there''s a one in a thousand, one in ten thousand chance, I won''t allow you to take the risk.¡± Lucas tightened his grip on her small hand. ¡°It''s just a bet. Nothing is more important than you.¡± A warmth spread through Ashlyn''s heart as she turned to look at Samuel. ¡°How do you want to y?¡± The others stared at Lucas and Ashlyn in shock. The subtle ambiguity and affection flowing between the two immediately gave Herald and others a new understanding of Ashlyn. A woman who can make Lucas Nn take notice and hold her in high regard must undoubtedly be a woman who stands out from the crowd. What exactly is her background? ¡°Let''s see who has the card with the biggest value.¡± Samuel nced at the ying cards on the table. ¡°It''s the simplest game.¡± Ashlyn lifted her gaze. One could not erase her exquisite features from their mind. Her demeanor was cool and aloof, and itplemented Lucas'' aura. With a poker card delicately held between her slender fingers, she exuded an alluring charm. Her pair of jet-ck eyes shimmered enticingly under the light. ¡°Are you sure you want to y that game?¡± Herald and the others were a bit puzzled, not quite understanding what she meant. Chapter 1179 Chapter 1179 Chapter 1179 Card Dealer Ashlyn added nonchntly, ¡°In this world, there exists a type of person known as a genius, understand?¡± This was the first time Herald had heard someone refer to themselves as a genius. He nced at Ashlyn, then at Samuel, finding the former entric. He wasn''t sure whether or not to believe her words. After all, there weren''t many who would call themselves a genius. He was in doubt when he heard Samuel chuckle. ¡°You sure love to joke.¡± ¡°Don''t say I didn''t warn you. Since you don''t believe me, let''s get started.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Ashlyn nodded her head. She didn''t shuffle the cards. She nced at Herald and said, ¡°Shuffle the cards.¡± Herald was speechless. Is she ordering me, the highest-ranking minister in Zaewora, to shuffle cards for her? Who does she take me for? However, what left him even more speechless was that he actually went ahead and shuffled the cards. By the time he realized what he was doing, he had already finished. This... is utterly baffling! Why do I have to obey this woman''smands? At the sight of Herald shuffling the cards, Spencer almost burst intoughter. He couldn''t help but mouth the words, ¡°Ms. Berry, you''re awesome!¡± Lucas, who had been sitting next to Ashlyn all along,zily crossed his long legs, an affectionate smile shing across his handsome face. My wife must be a genius. Everyone else was staring at her with wide eyes as if they had seen some kind of monster. Herald was highly respected. He was seen as someone unreachable, second to none after the President. Even the Vice President would show courtesy when meeting Herald. Yet, Ashlyn had actually told him to shuffle the cards and he had obediently done it. It was preposterous. Herald wished the ground would swallow him whole. Why did I obey this woman''smand? I didn''t even know why I did that. Seeing the powerful aura radiating from her, I just found myself submitting. Darn it! I''m the Minister of Defense! He had truly lost all his dignity. He was silently regretting when he heard Ashlyn''s cool voice ring out again. ¡°Well then, the one with the best card wins. Best two out of three?¡± Samuel gave a subtle nod. ¡°In the interest of fairness, Mr. Cook, please deal the cards!¡± Ashlyn once again instructed Herald without any hesitation. Herald decided that he would not be reduced to a mere card dealer this time. He cleared his throat, ready to refuse, when he heard Ashlyn say, ¡°Only you are qualified to deal the cards here, after all, Mr. Cook. You hold the highest position.¡± Herald''s face darkened. If I don''t deal the cards... does that mean my position isn''t high enough? I''m dealing the cards because I hold a high position? That''s why I''m qualified? Darn it! He found himself unable to refute. Reluctantly, he picked up the stack of freshly shuffled cards and began dealing them out, one for Ashlyn, one for Samuel. Spencer was so frustrated that he felt like his insides were tying themselves into knots. He really wanted tough out loud. Ms. Berry is really incredible! Lucas stared intently at Ashlyn, his eyes twinkling. He felt an unusual radiance emanating from her. After receiving five cards, Samuel began to look down to check them. He nced at his cards, flipping them over one by one, a sigh of relief slowly rising from the depths of his heart. However, as he lifted his head, he saw the slight curve of the lips of the woman sitting across from him. For reasons he couldn''t quite grasp, a sense of unease began to stir within him as he gazed into the woman''s radiant ck eyes. ¡°Please show your card.¡± Herald diligently carried out his role as the card dealer. Samuel directly showed his cards. Chapter 1180 Chapter 1180 Chapter 1180 Another Chance Seeing his four identical cards and a side card, Sloan and the others felt a bit more at ease. They couldn''t believe that Samuel could get a four-of-a-kind on the first deal. He was lucky indeed. ¡°Four of a kind. Not bad at all.¡± Ashlyn nodded. Thinking she had bad cards, Sloan couldn''t help but smirk, a glint of provocation and triumph in his eyes. ¡°It''s your turn to reveal your cards.¡± Ashlyn blinked, a hint of amusement shing in her beautiful eyes. ¡°Indeed, it''s my turn to show my cards,¡± she said nonchntly. Almost everyone was anxiously eyeing the poker cards in her hand. Spencer, especially, was a bit worried and somewhat nervous. He was afraid that she''d lose, and the new energy project would have to be given away. ¡°So... what are your cards?¡± Sloan asked, feigning a light cough. ¡°It''s nothing. See for yourself.¡± Ashlyn nced at everyone, then revealed her cards. The moment she revealed her cards, gently flipping them over, everyone''s eyes widened in surprise. Sloan''s face stiffened, and his heart sank. ¡°How can this be? You actually...¡± ¡°I''m sorry to disappoint you, but I have a straight flush.¡± Ashlyn''s eyes sparkled, so enchanting that one couldn''t help but lose themselves in them. Samuel''s face contorted as well. This woman''s luck is just too good to be true. A straight flush in the first round? I only have a four-of-a- kind. No! I am the King of Gambling, who has never been defeated. This is just the first round. There are two more rounds to go. I don''t believe that this woman will continue to be this lucky. Herald furrowed his brows. He hadn''t expected Ashlyn to be so lucky. After some thought, he announced, ¡°Let''s begin the second round.¡± With that, he began dealing the cards again. The cards were swiftly dealt to Ashlyn and Samuel. ¡°Show your cards first this time,¡± Samuel said to Ashlyn. ¡°I went firstst time. Now it''s your turn.¡± Ashlyn gave him a casual smile. Ever since Herald had dealt the cards, she hadn''t even touched those few cards. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Seeing the slight smile on her lips, Samuel didn''t know why he suddenly felt a bit uncertain. He had a bad feeling about it. No way... She can''t be that lucky. She didn''t even look at her own cards, so... ¡°Yes. Let''s start with you.¡± Samuel gritted his teeth. ¡°If you say so.¡± Ashlyn nodded, then swiftly revealed her cards. ¡°Apologies... It''s a straight flush again.¡± Samuel grimaced and abruptly stood up from his seat. ¡°How is this possible? How did you¡ª¡± ¡°These cards were dealt by Mr. Cook, and he shuffled them. Surely, Mr. Cook wouldn''t intentionally deal you bad cards, would he?¡± A hint of mischief shed in Ashlyn''s eyes. ¡°So, King of Gambling, are you willing to admit defeat?¡± Ashlyn won two rounds straight away in a game of best two out of three. Samuel''s face turned ashen. Pointing at Ashlyn, he was so shocked that he couldn''t utter a single word. Herald''s face also darkened. He never imagined that Ashlyn would actually be this lucky. Ashlyn sneered, ¡°What''s the matter? Can''t ept it?¡± Her red lips curled into a smirk, and a sharp glint flickered in her dark eyes. ¡°How about... I give you another chance?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sloan pointed at her angrily. ¡°You must have cheated.¡± ¡°I cheated? I didn''t touch the cards at all. Mr. Cook dealt with and shuffled all of them. How can you me me?¡± Ashlyn wore an innocent expression. Herald''s face stiffened as he patted Sloan. He then took a step forward, looking at Ashlyn. ¡°You said you would give another chance. What do you want to bet?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Chapter 1181 Chapter 1181 Chapter 1181 The Real Hunter ¡°You truly have the demeanor of a great leader, Mr. Cook, unlike some people... Even though they''re also ministers, why is there such a huge difference?¡± Ashlyn''s smile was enchanting. Suddenly, she pulled out her silver pistol, twirling it in her hand. With a click, she opened the magazine, and all six bullets inside ttered onto the table. She picked up one of them, then loaded it into the pistol. She fiddled with the magazine, making it rattle. Everyone was astounded as they watched her every move. They didn''t understand what she really wanted to do. Once she had finished all of this, she looked at Herald with a smirk. Her cool voice echoed in the vast conference room as she said, ¡°How about this? Let''s make things more exciting. Now that your King of Gambling has lost to me, the ownership of the little ind should naturally be transferred to Section Six. But you guys are unhappy about it. How about... we y a dangerous game? This pistol has only one bullet. If you point this gun at your own head, Mr. Cook, and you don''t die, the ind will be ours. If you''re unfortunate enough to get shot, then we won''t im the ind. What do you think? Let''s leave it to fate and entrust everything to the heavens.¡± Sloan immediately roared in anger, ¡°You''re going too far, woman! You''re basically sending Mr. Cook to his death! Mr. Cook, don''t agree to her demands!¡± Ashlyn''s lips curled up slightly, ¡°Mr. Lacey, haven''t you noticed something?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The decision-making power is in my hands, not in the hands of Mr. Cook.¡± Sloan stiffened, his features twisted as he stared intently at Ashlyn. This woman''s nothing less than a devil. He deeply regretted messing with Section Six the moment he walked through the door. Now retribution had arrived. If anything were to happen to Herald, the President would never let him off the hook. Herald had never imagined that one day he would be driven to such a state by a woman. His eyes were firmly locked onto Ashlyn. She seemed like a supernatural entity, so eye-catching and so heart-stirring. He couldn''t help but take a deep breath. ¡°I''ll bet.¡± ¡°Mr. Cook!¡± ¡°Mr. Cook!¡± Leroy was shocked, as were the others. Everyone simultaneously cried out in rm, trying to stop him from making this insane bet. They stared intently at him and Ashlyn. Only Lucas was unfazed. He didn''t even blink and his eyshes didn''t flutter. Leroy said to him, ¡°Mr. Nn, isn''t this a bit too much? This really is a bit inappropriate, isn''t it?¡± He looked at Lucas worriedly. To his sorrow and despair, he realized that Lucas seemed to have no intention of stopping Ashlyn, this madwoman. Could it be... His breath hitched. He stared at Lucas with a hint of fear. Could it be that this man... Lucas sat there expressionlessly for a very long time. Eventually, he slowly raised his head to look at Leroy. His calm demeanor made it impossible to guess what he was thinking. ¡°She has always had a bit of a temper. Usually, I have to listen to her as well.¡± Lucas'' voice, devoid of any emotions, sent chills down everyone''s spine. What does he mean by that? For the first time, the people present discovered a fact that left them shocked and terrified. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. This woman appears to be influencing Lucas'' thoughts. Lucas has to listen to her too. Who exactly is in charge here at Section Six? Or could it be that this woman is even more terrifying than Lucas? Sloan began sweating on his forehead. He rolled up his sleeve and wiped his sweat. Who on earth have we upset this time? ¡°You invited us from Section Six to help you resolve the new energy issue, and look what''s going on now? You don''t take Section Six seriously at all. The game has started, and it''s not something you can end just because you say so, understand?¡± Ashlyn drawled. She was the real hunter of this hunt since the beginning. Chapter 1182 Chapter 1182 Chapter 1182 I Cannot Control Her ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Even though her voice wasn''t harsh, the words she spoke gave them the creeps. ¡°Our apologies. Zaewora is just a barren small country. How could we possiblypare to Section Six of H Nation?¡± Herald chuckled softly, ¡°It''s all our fault. I assure you, on my honor and my position, we will never make the same mistake again.¡± He had always been held in high esteem wherever he went, always the center of attention, surrounded by people who bow and scrape before him, singing his praises. However, at that very moment, he was ruthlessly pped in the face by Ashlyn and harshly trampled under her foot. She was like an elegant andmanding queen. One could only look up to and obey her. And she indeed had that ability. Their previous intentions of showing their true colors to Section Six had nowpletely vanished without a trace. ¡°You''re truly wise, Mr. Cook.¡± Ashlyn nced at him. ¡°Since you''re so wise, let''s get started, then.¡± As she spoke, she handed the pistol over to Herald. Leroy and Sloan, among others, once again looked at her sharply. Sloan''s face was as pale as a sheet. He stared at the pistol as if it were the embodiment of death itself. After all that had been said, he had thought that Ashlyn would change her mind. But little did he expect Ashlyn would still insist on pushing Herald to the brink of death. Sloan couldn''t help but gulp. He pleaded to Ashlyn, ¡°Could you please let me take Mr. Cook''s ce...¡± If Herald were to die, he would surely be killed by the President too. Rather than that, he thought he might as well die in ce of Herald, for he might even build a good reputation. The President might even remember his sacrifice and treat his family favorably. The more he thought about it, the sadder he became. He almost couldn''t hold back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. I brought this upon myself. I shall bear the consequences. ¡°What''s the big deal? It''s just a gun, and besides, it only has one bullet, not six,¡± Ashlyn said, making it sound as easy and simple as eating and drinking. ¡°Mr. Lacey, I would also like to have you rece Mr. Cook, but no. You''re just not up to the task.¡± Sloan almost fainted. This woman is nothing but a devil, a living, breathing demon. With a thud, he fell to his knees before Lucas, pleading through his tears, ¡°Mr. Nn, I beg you... Please make the vice president stop... Everything is my fault. Every single mistake is mine.¡± ¡°Sorry, I really can''t control her.¡± Lucas subtly lifted his gaze, his response crisp and straightforward. Sloan felt as if he had plunged into an abyss. The meaning of Lucas'' words was very clear. He simply didn''t want to interfere. He had no desire to get involved, and he was backing Ashlyn up. He was giving his silent approval for her to do so, and they had to do whatever she said. ¡°Mr. Cook, would you look at Mr. Lacey''s courage? People who didn''t know better might think I was sending him to the guillotine,¡± Ashlyn said in a leisurely voice. Herald''s eyes met with an extremely beautiful woman who was looking at him with a cool and detached expression. A hint of a cold smile hung on the corner of her lips. ¡°Stop wasting time. It''s just a matter of pulling the trigger, is it not?¡± Ashlyn tossed the pistol in front of him. ¡°Come on!¡± Almost everyone was taken aback by her swift and decisive action of throwing the gun. Their faces were pale as they stared at the handgun in Herald''s hand. They feared that with a single shot, the bullet would whizz through his head and blow it apart in an instant. Herald looked at the handgun, his face turning a shade paler. Who would have the audacity tomit suicide, especially those who have long been in power, holding supreme authority and wealth in their hands? Chapter 1183 Chapter 1183 Chapter 1183 How Are You Feeling In this bustling world, amidst the intoxicating allure of wealth and power, how can one bear to leave it all behind? ¡°Mr. Cook, you''re not going to back down before we start, are you?¡± Ashlyn stared at Herald''s face, her lips curving into a radiant smile and a hint of mockery shing in her eyes. This man isn''t bad looking and carries himself well, but his courage... is a bitcking. Yet, they dared to bully Lucas. Well, there''s nothing they can do with me around. Herald reached out to pick up the pistol tremblingly. Then, slowly, he raised the gun, aiming it at his own temple. He wanted to give up, he wanted to beg for Ashlyn''s mercy, but the words were stuck in his throat and he simply couldn''t utter them. His Adam''s apple kept bobbing up and down. I''m the youngest minister in Zaewora, holding military power. How can I possibly beg a woman to spare me? If I did, how could I face the President, let alone the many people under mymand? Herald gritted his teeth. No... I can''t be that unlucky. I will definitely be able to dodge this. Even though he kept reassuring himself, he just couldn''t pull the trigger. With a single shot, he would blow his own brains out. Who had the guts to do this? Sweat began to seep incessantly from the palm of his hand that held the gun. ¡°Mr. Cook... if you really can''t continue, why not just give us the ind?¡± Ashlyn smirked, leaning in close to Herald. The man stared at her in surprise, noticing that the woman before him had skin as white and smooth as milk, devoid of any pores or blemishes. This woman... is so radiantly beautiful. No, I don''t want her to look down on me. Everyone was staring at Ashlyn in disbelief. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. How can this woman be so audacious? She actually forced Herald to beg for mercy. She actually forced Herald to give up the ind. Herald grimaced, his heart instantly bing cold. However, he simply didn''t want to be looked down upon by Ashlyn. Leroy swallowed a lump in his throat, looking at the pale-faced Herald. New energy is a lucrative sector. So... it has always been under my control. But now it has been forcibly taken from me and has be a pie shared by Mr. Cook and Mr. Lacey. Do these two ministers think that Lucas is easy to deal with? Although Lucas doesn''t hold any position in H Nation, the influence of Section Six in H Nation is something that cannot be ignored. I wonder if they regret it now for provoking the wrath of Section Six! Now... we''re stuck in such a difficult situation that''s hard to resolve. Ashlyn raised an eyebrow, looking at the silent Herald. ¡°What''s the matter? It''s been so long... You can''t really bring yourself to do it? Do you want me to help you?¡± An ugly, twisted expression formed on Herald''s face. A fierce fire seemed to ze within his heart. He took a deep breath and pulled the trigger without hesitation. Just as he pulled the trigger, everyone''s eyes widened, and Sloan couldn''t help but exim, ¡°Mr. Cook!¡± Many of Herald''s subordinates also clenched their fists, staring at Herald in disbelief. This was essentially a deadly gamble. If Herald did not die, the small ind would still belong to Section Six. If Herald, unfortunately, got shot and died, Section Six wouldn''t need that ind anymore. No matter the choice, Herald would not gain any advantage. With a click, the trigger was pulled. Time seemed to have stopped at that instance. The tall figure of the man swayed slightly, his forehead glistening with tiny beads of sweat. The pistol in his hand ttered to the ground. I''m not dead. I wasn''t shot. I''m lucky... He didn''t know whether he should feel relieved or justugh bitterly. Since he didn''t die, the ind must be given to Section Six. What kind of domineering bet is this, really? How terrifying this woman can be... ¡°Mr. Cook...¡± Sloan quickly stepped forward, supporting Herald whose back was drenched in sweat. He looked at him with concern. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Chapter 1184 Chapter 1184 Chapter 1184 Defying The Odds ¡°I''m not dead.¡± Herald''s voice was hoarse, tinged with an inexplicable sense of exhaustion. He lifted his head, his gaze meeting the chillingly cold, deep eyes of Lucas. He couldn''t help but curve his lips into a smile. ¡°Mr. Nn, I''ll admit defeat. Even though the ind is gone, I don''t want to die. I''m even grateful that I''m still alive.¡± ¡°It''s clear thatpared to life, that ind means nothing,¡± Lucas said indifferently, then gestured for Spencer to proceed with the transfer procedures for the small ind. Despite his reluctance, Sloan knew that the ind had to be ceded. And all the technology of new energy still remained in the hands of Section Six. They still remained the passive party. A determined expression surfaced on his face. ¡°Don''t worry, Mr. Nn. I will make sure all the procedures arepleted today. Mr. White, pleasee with me.¡± With a humble bow of his head, Spencer said, ¡°I appreciate your help, Mr. Lacey.¡± Sloan paused for a breath, his face wearing a forced smile. ¡°Mr. White, you''re too kind.¡± ¡°Well, in that case, we won''t disturb you any longer. Today''s... performance has indeed brought me great pleasure,¡± said Lucas as he rose from his chair. The man was extremely tall, his stern face subtly radiating a lethal aura. Herald could only respond with a smile. ¡°The troubles with new energy... I wonder when you could help us solve them, Mr. Nn?¡± Lucas merely gave him a cold nce. ¡°No rush. We''re not leaving so soon.¡± He took a step forward, extending hisrge hand to gently grasp Ashlyn''s smaller one. The stern lines on his face softened slightly. ¡°Honey, let''s go.¡± His gentle and doting voice made it seem as if he wasn''t the man who was filled with a deadly aura just now. Ashlyn gave him anguid nce. ¡°Sure!¡± Seeing the interaction between the two, almost everyone took a sharp intake of breath. Herald, especially, waspletely frozen in ce. Lucas Nn is married... Many people are aware of this. This man has never deliberately concealed the fact that he is married. So... is this woman the legendary Mrs. Nn? He''s clearly telling everyone that this woman is his. Anyone who dares to have ulterior motives toward her must be tired of living! A chill ran down Herald''s spine. Just moments ago, he had harbored a hint of affection and curiosity for Ashlyn. But now everything had vanished without a trace. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Lucas held Ashlyn''s hand as they left the meeting room and didn''t let go until they got into the car. It was only then that Spencer couldn''t help but burst intoughter. ¡°Ms. Berry, how are you so amazing! You''re just too awesome!¡± The thought of Ashlyn ruthlessly dealing with Sloan and his crew brought him immense satisfaction. It was absolutely exhrating especially when Ashlyn was putting that bunch in their ce. It was simply spectacr. He had wanted tough for a while now, but he had been holding it in. Ashlyn curled her lips, a faint mockery flickering in her eyes. ¡°They''re simply courting death for bullying my man.¡± Lucas, who had been sitting by her side all along, looked at Ashlyn''s radiant face, a hint of indulgence shing in his eyes. His thin lips parted slightly, and his rich voice echoed in the woman''s ear. ¡°Honey, you''re amazing.¡± Ashlyn turned her head, her longshes fluttering, and then she couldn''t help butugh. Lucas was captivated by her enchanting smile, a gentle glow radiating from the depths of his eyes. Unable to resist, he reached out and pulled her into his embrace, hisrge hand gently caressing the soft strands of her hair. ¡°My wife is the best in the world.¡± His voice, deep and pleasant, rang out once again. Listening to the man''s affectionate praise, Ashlyn felt a sense of joy bubbling up from the depths of her heart. Her beautiful, pitch-ck eyes became even more dazzling. ¡°Ms. Berry, you were so lucky. You got a straight flush not just once, but twice? Isn''t that defying the odds?¡± Spencer asked. How could the odds be so high? ¡°Have you forgotten? I shuffled the cards before I handed them to Herald.¡± Ashlyn smirked. ¡°I know exactly what the cards I shuffled were. After Herald shuffled them again, I also knew their positions. Herald reshuffled the cards, yes, but given his preupied mind, he merely gave the deck a few casual shuffles. I could still remember the positions of the cards when I shuffled them. So, when it was my turn to be dealt cards, I happened to get the good ones.¡± Chapter 1185 Chapter 1185 Chapter 1185 Limit ¡°Your memory is incredibly sharp,¡± Spencer eximed in astonishment. ¡°What if he shuffled like crazy? What if he frantically shuffled the cards?¡± ¡°The same principle applies to crazy shuffling! All the cards I shuffled were arranged by me, four ones, four twos, all in this order. No matter how he shuffled, these cards would be messed up. But because of the previous arrangement, he couldn''t have shuffled it around so much.¡± Spencer looked at Ashlyn with eyes full of admiration. Ms. Berry is indeed impressive. She can handle even this kind of thing very well. ¡°Don''t idolize me. I''m merely a legend.¡± Ashlyn''s cool voice rang out. Spencer''s face darkened as he realized he had been staring nkly at Ashlyn. He felt somewhat awkward. He was actually so captivated by Ashlyn that he was left speechless. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Ashlyn ignored him and nestled in Lucas'' armszily. A hint of a joyful smile yed at the corners of her lips. She was in a good mood, having helped Lucas. Obtaining the proprietorship, right of use, and mining rights of a small ind was a really good deal. ¡°Honey.¡± A deep, mellow voice suddenly sounded from above her head. Upon hearing this, Ashlyn looked up, only to see Lucas gazing down at her. In those profound, pitch-ck eyes, there was not a hint of his usual indifference, only affection. Ashlyn''s lips parted slightly as she asked, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°What reward do you want?¡± Lucas'' gaze was filled with adoration. He gently caressed the woman''s sharp and charming chin. The silky smoothness of her skin made him reluctant to let go. Not only did she amaze him today, but she also made his heart flutter and mesmerized him. Reward? Upon hearing this, Ashlyn raised an eyebrow. ¡°Mr. Nn, could you pluck the stars from the sky for me if I asked?¡± Seeing the slight upward curve of her lips, Lucas couldn''t help but find her incredibly adorable. Normally, she''s quite aloof. It''s rare to see her this lively. She''s so powerful that it''s easy to forget she''s barely in her twenties. ¡°The moon is also an option,¡± Lucas said. The next second, her sharp chin was lifted, and she heard the man''s deep voice near her ear as he continued, ¡°As long as you want it and as long as I have it...¡± Ashlyn blinked, a look of anticipation in her eyes. ¡°I want to see you dance...¡± Lucas was slightly surprised. After pondering for a moment, he said, ¡°As you wish.¡± Upon hearing Lucas'' words, Spencer, who was driving, showed a hint of surprise in his eyes. He actually agreed to Ms. Berry''s unreasonable request. Just by picturing the man who''s always been aloof and reticent dance is enough to make one die out ofughter. A corner of Spencer''s mouth twitched. He could not suppress his sorrow for Lucas. Mr. Nn, there should be a limit to how much you spoil your wife! Ashlyn''s delicate face was practically glowing, while Lucas had the chiseled features of a male model. Just then, Spencer hit the brakes hard. The car let out a piercing screech as it came to an abrupt halt. Lucas held the woman in his arms tightly, ensuring she wouldn''t get hurt. Frowning, he asked, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°A woman suddenly rushed out...¡± Spencer''s face turned pale. He had almost run into someone just now. Ashlyn squinted her eyes, looking at the woman who had suddenly appeared in front of the car. The woman''s hair was disheveled, strands scattered about, but on her beautiful face was an expression so pitiful, it was impossible not to feel a surge of affection for her. She was holding the hand of a little girl who looked to be about five years old. The little girl had a pale and thin face, appearing as if she had been malnourished for a long time. However, one could vaguely see that her facial features were extremely beautiful, bearing some resemnce to the woman. Chapter 1186 Chapter 1186 Chapter 1186 A Patriarchal Society They seemed like mother and daughter. Ashlyn gently pushed away Lucas''srge hand that was resting on her waist. ¡°Let''s get out.¡± The man let go, then opened the car door. The two of them approached the woman and child. The woman was in a state of disarray, sitting on the ground, with the child securely cradled in her arms. Ashlyn took a look at her swollen ankle. Thankfully, Spencer had braked in time, preventing any serious consequences. But in her panic and haste, the woman twisted her ankle. Hearing the sound of footsteps, the woman looked up in rm, her eyes wide as she stared at the two men and one woman standing before her. She held her child tightly in her arms, her voice filled with fear and anxiety as she said, ¡°Please, I beg you. We didn''t mean it...¡± As she spoke, she looked at the gloomy alleyway behind her. It was as if something terrifying was chasing her from behind. The social status of women in Zaewora was extremely low, which made Ashlyn''s heart soften uncontrobly. Taking in the little girl''s pale and sallowplexion, she simply couldn''t bear to see her in such a pitiful state. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. She crouched down and put on a gentle look. She looked directly into the eyes of the woman in front of her and said softly, ¡°We''re not bad people, Miss. If you''re facing any difficulties, feel free to share with us. We can help you.¡± ¡°No... No...¡± Upon hearing Ashlyn''s words, the woman trembled even more. She held the girl in her arms tighter and said, ¡°It''s okay, it''s okay... We''re okay.¡± She barely managed to stand before a sharp pain shot through her ankle. Her body swayed and she found herself falling once again in front of Ashlyn. However, she stubbornly refused to let herself show any signs of vulnerability or helplessness. Ashlyn frowned as she watched her gritting her teeth and enduring the pain. She couldn''t help but reach out to support her. Just then, from the narrow alley, five or six men dressed in ck emerged. Each man had a menacing look, carrying steel rods in their hands, appearing quite terrifying. After the men had taken a look around, their gaze finally settled on the woman. Their eyes lit up at the sight of her. The woman''s face instantly turned deathly pale. ¡°How dare you run away? Try running away one more time!¡± The man at the forefront revealed a wicked and disgusting smile. ¡°Dead or alive, you belong to the Guzman family. Come back with me now!¡± The woman watched as the men closed in on her step by step. Her face was as pale as paper as she stared at them. ¡°I''ve had enough! I must get a divorce. I have to return to my father''s side.¡± ¡°Do you really think your father is unaware of your situation?¡± the man sneered, his face full of mockery. ¡°He merely sees you as a pawn, nothing more. Once he has solidified his position, you''ll be the link between him and the Guzman family.¡± ¡°You''re lying!¡± The woman''s face visibly darkened even more after she heard the man''s words. Her heart slowly sank. Does Father really know everything? Yet he just watched me struggle in the midst of hardship and turned a blind eye? Even breathing became an arduous task. Just as she saw a few men rushing toward her, ready to take her away, a cool voice rang out. ¡°Did you ask me before you decided to take her away?¡± Only then did the men notice Ashlyn''s presence. The man at the forefront raised an eyebrow at Ashlyn, revealing a wicked and repulsive smirk. ¡°Well, well, I didn''t expect to find such a beauty here.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± The few henchmen behind him immediately burst intoughter, a sound that was anything but friendly. Zaewora was a country with the highest rate of sexual assault, and it was also the epitome of a patriarchal society. Ashlyn looked at them with a cold expression as if she was looking at some disgusting trash. ¡°This makes my eyes bleed.¡± Chapter 1187 Chapter 1187 Chapter 1187 Husband No sooner had she finished speaking than Spencer rushed out, striding forward and lifting his long leg to kick the man. Caught off guard, the man was kicked to the ground. He let out a loud cry of pain, clutching his chest where the kick hadnded. He red at Spencer. ¡°You actually dared to hit me?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Spencer sneered. Although his martial arts skills were not as good as Ashlyn, he could still deal with these thugs. Seeing their boss get hit, the rest of the men immediately rushed toward Spencer. However, it was quite clear that Spencer''s martial arts skills were far superior to these men whocked such abilities. In just a matter of minutes, he had swiftly taken them down with ease. Several people were groaning on the ground, continuously crying out in pain. Ashlyn stepped on the palm of the man leading the group, her face expressionless as she applied force under her foot. Everyone could almost clearly hear the sound of the man''s hand bones breaking with a crisp snap. He cried out in pain. The sound, akin to the squealing of a ughtered pig, frightened the five-year-old girl even more, causing her to curl up in the woman''s arms. Ashlyn chuckled softly. ¡°I just crushed your hand bones. Is there a need to scream so loudly?¡± ¡°You... Just you wait!¡± The man was in such pain that beads of sweat covered his forehead. ¡°Do you know who I am? I am the... the butler of the Guzman family.¡± ¡°I don''t care whether you''re from the Zilski family or the Loren family. The fact that you''re still alive after falling into my hands means you''re lucky.¡± Ashlyn lifted her foot, her cold gazending on the man. ¡°Go back and tell that sc*m of a master in your house that I''m taking care of this woman now. If he dares to bully her again, he''ll have to get past me first.¡± The man was hastily helped up by his two subordinates. He was in a state of disarray,pletely taken aback by the woman''s unexpected strength. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. His hand bones were ruthlessly crushed under her foot. Cradling his swollen, bleeding hand, he was in so much pain that he was on the verge of passing out. Women in Zaewora aren''t usually this fierce. How can she be so fierce? ¡°Just you wait!¡± he said, his voicecking confidence. He then nced at his subordinates. ¡°Let''s go!¡± His subordinates didn''t dare to linger either and immediately followed him out, their tails between their legs. Only then did Ashlyn turn to the woman behind her. ¡°Get in the car.¡± The woman was stunned. She hadn''t expected that even at this point, Ashlyn would still be protecting her. She had never seen any woman quite like Ashlyn. A glint of admiration shed in her eyes. The Ashlyn just now seemed like a celestial being. It actually got her blood pumping with excitement. I so wish to be a woman like her, capable of defending and protecting myself! What a pity... I''m just a frail woman, unable to even protect my own child. Her heart sank even deeper. ¡°Ashlyn Berry... So her name is Ashlyn... What a beautiful name. She doesn''t seem that old, but why does she look so powerful? ¡° Yuri Jenkins couldn''t help but feel a slight tremor in her heart. She kept stealing nces at Ashlyn from time to time. Lucas'' mind went nk for a moment after he heard Ashlyn''s introduction of him. He had thought she would say, ¡°This is Lucas,¡± or ¡°This is my boyfriend.¡± He hadn''t expected that she would introduce him as her husband. Husband... His head was buzzing, and the word ¡°husband¡± kept reying over and over again in his mind. A rey of the moment involuntarily brought a smile to his lips as his eyes twinkled. In high spirits, he gazed out the window at the swiftly passing scenery. The car quickly pulled into the underground parking of a hotel. Along the way, Ashlyn was constantly looking down at her phone, her fair and slender fingers asionally tapping lightly on the screen. She seemed to be replying to a message. After the car came to a gentle stop, she put away her phone and turned to the mother and daughter beside her. ¡°Let''s get out of the car. There''s food in the hotel. I''ll order something for you.¡± Chapter 1188 Chapter 1188 Chapter 1188 The Status Of Women Ashlyn opened the car door and got out first. Lucas and Spencer also got out of the car, escorting the mother-daughter duo into the hotel elevator. Spencer, being very tactful, quickly booked a new guest room. It was on the same floor, with only one room separating them from where Ashlyn and Lucas were staying. Ashlyn led them into the room, then said, ¡°You''ll be staying here for now. Try not to overthink things.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Yuri said gratefully as she looked at her. ¡°I... I''m really so thankful to you all.¡± ¡°It''s nothing, just a small effort on my part.¡± Ashlyn''s eyes were calm and indifferent. ¡°Let me check your foot first.¡± Yuri hesitated for a moment, then limped over to the couch and sat down. She rolled up her pants to reveal her ankle, which was swollen. Ashlyn crouched down in front of her, lifting her foot. She massaged it, immediately eliciting a cry of pain from her. ¡°Ouch...¡± ¡°There''s no damage to the bone. It''s just a sprain. A few days of rest will make it better.¡± Ashlyn put down Yuri''s foot, then turned to the little girl with big eyes. ¡°What''s your name?¡± ¡°My name is Renae Guzman.¡± The little girl spoke in a babyish voice. ¡°What a lovely name.¡± Ashlyn chuckled, patting her on the head. However, the sensation under her palm took her aback. The little girl''s skull was noticeably bulging, which left her somewhat puzzled. ¡°Don''t move. Let me take a look at your head.¡± The little girl obediently sat still, not moving an inch. Ashlyn gently brushed her hair aside, revealing an ugly scar the size of a fist. Beneath the startling sight was a thick mane of hair. A sh of astonishment quickly passed through Ashlyn''s eyes. ¡°How could this happen to her head?¡± That scar looked like a burn or a scald at first nce. The scar looks like the letter G. It seems to been ironed on. Is this... man-made? Who on earth would be so heartless as to harm such an innocent and adorable little girl? ¡°It''s a tradition in our country. Every girl, upon her birth, has her family''s surname branded on her head. Some girls cannot bear this pain and sumb to illness.¡± Yuri tenderly embraced Renae. ¡°I have it too.¡± Waves of rage surged wildly in Ashlyn''s chest. This is so infuriating. What kind of terrible tradition is this? Why do some people in this world take pleasure and pride in harming women? Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. She took a deep breath, her eyes filled with affection as she looked at the innocent Renae. ¡°Renae, does your head still hurt?¡± ¡°It doesn''t hurt anymore...¡± Renae shook her head. Just then, their food was delivered to the room. Spencer had specifically ordered the most exquisite and expensive set meal. There was a bnced mix of meat and vegetables. They were rich in aroma and vor. As soon as the container was opened, a burst of fragrance immediately filled the air. Yuri sat down at the table with her child, casting a cautious nce at Ashlyn. She couldn''t believe that she had actually encountered such a kind-hearted person. ¡°Go ahead and eat. The kid is starving.¡± Ashlyn settled down on the couch, and Lucas also took a seat next to her. The man concealed the shock in his eyes and took her hand. ¡°Don''t be too upset. Society is evolving, and the mindset of people here can''t be changed overnight.¡± ¡°But... I want to make a change!¡± Ashlyn''s lips curled up slightly, and a glint of cold determination shed in her eyes. ¡°I want to overthrow the darknesspletely and let the light shine in.¡± ¡°Honey,¡± Lucas said softly, ¡°whatever you want to do, I''ll always be by your side.¡± ¡°Their society has a deep-seated belief in the inferiority of women and the superiority of men. This is a repugnant ideology that has been passed down for thousands of years. How could it possibly change in a short period of time?¡± Spencer spoke with a hint of worry. He could tell the ambition in Ashlyn. She aspired to alter the status of women in society, which was an audacious thought. Chapter 1189 Chapter 1189 Chapter 1189 Reality Can Be Cruel Ashlyn curled her lips. ¡°How can we possibly know the oue if we don''t give it a try?¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You guys...¡± At that moment, Yuri''s timid voice rang out. All three of them turned to look at her at the same time. A flicker of hesitation shed through her clear eyes. ¡°Can I... Can I ask you guys to take me back to my father''s house?¡± Just as Ashlyn was about to respond, a series of harsh, pounding noises came from outside the door. She furrowed her brows and looked over, only to see Spencer already at the door, asking in a deep voice, ¡°Who''s out there? That''s not very polite.¡± ¡°Polite? Hand over Yuri to me!¡± a man snarled with a nasty tone. ¡°How dare that b*tch run away? She''s a real pain in the ass! I shall deal with her today!¡± Upon hearing that all-too-familiar voice, akin to a nightmare, Yuri paled. She couldn''t help but hold her daughter, Renae, tighter in her arms. ¡°It''s him! It''s him!¡± Her face was filled with terror as she let out a piercing scream. Ashlyn raised an eyebrow. She didn''t need to guess to know who the man outside the door was. With a sneer, she gestured for Spencer to open the door. Just as Spencer raised his hand to do so, the door of the room was kicked open with a loud bang from the outside. A man with a sharp chin and high cheekbones stormed in, apanied by a few men dressed in ck. Every man looked fierce and menacing, ring at Yuri who could only be at their mercy. The man in the lead strode toward Yuri, seemingly ready to grab her hair. Terrified, Yuri covered her head with her hands and shrank into the corner of the couch. Just then, a sudden wail echoed in the air. What followed was a loud thud, the sound of a heavy object hitting the ground. The man with a sharp chin took a hard fall,nding face-first. The pain was so intense that he couldn''t help but cry out. Yuri quietly lowered her hands from her head, only to discover Ashlyn retracting her long leg. Was that cool and domineering fierce kick delivered by Ashlyn? She''s so cool! How can she be so handsome? She abruptly stood up from the couch and kicked the man who was still lying on the ground several times. As she kicked, she cursed, ¡°Yosef Guzman, you b*stard, you piece of trash, I''m going to kill you!¡± With a surge of anger, Yosef seized her foot and pushed her to the ground. ¡°You b*tch, how dare you hit me?¡± Yuri was roughly pushed by him, her head hitting the ground with a thud. The pain turned her face pale as she clutched her head. ¡°How could you abuse your own woman? Are you even a man?¡± Suddenly, arge hand reached out, grabbing Yosef by the cor. He was lifted straight off the ground and then thrown away fiercely. Like a sack of sand, he was tossed two meters away. And he fell heavily to the ground once again. ¡°You b*tch, how dare you cheat on me!¡± Yosef cursed at Yuri while ring at Spencer. Spencer pursed his lips and wiped his hands as if disgusted by Yosef. ¡°Don''t insult me with that foul mouth of yours that just ate from a toilet.¡± ¡°Branding your daughter''s head with the letter G, does your family have a royal lineage?¡± Ashlyn stared at Yosef coldly as if she was looking at a corpse. ¡°Since you''re so fond of branding people''s heads, how about... we brand you one today?¡± Yosef''s face turned green. ¡°What did you say? Do you know who I am? I am the son of the Guzman family! My father is Colton Guzman, the Minister of Finance!¡± ¡°So what?¡± Ashlyn''s lips curled into a cold smile. ¡°I don''t care who he is.¡± ¡°You can''t possibly...¡± Yosef picked himself up from the ground, then ordered his subordinates, ¡°Attack them. Take them all down for me!¡± Reality can be cruel no matter how wonderful one''s dreams are. A minuteter, Yosef stared in shock at his subordinates who had fallen to the ground, his mind a complete nk. Chapter 1190 Chapter 1190 Chapter 1190 Athena What is this woman made of? How can she take on ten men at once? In just a minute, she had everyone knocked down to the ground. Ashlyn raised an eyebrow and looked at him coldly. ¡°What? Is there someone else?¡± Yuri was also astounded by Ashlyn''s domineering aura. A woman can look so cool too. ¡°Did you see what''s going on?¡± Ashlyn asked Yuri. Yuri stared at her, her voice filled with uncertainty as she replied, ¡°Yeah...¡± ¡°That''s how you hit him next time, got it?¡± Ashlyn''s lips curled up. Her face was as radiant as a blooming flower. ¡°Yuri, listen carefully. Girls can also be strong and independent, even outperforming all men!¡± These men could have been dealt with by Spencer, but she wanted Yuri to truly experience what it meant to have power as a woman. Otherwise, she would always feel like the weaker party, and she would never be able to move past the gloom and the harm brought about by this patriarchal society. She was the daughter-inw of the Minister of Finance, and her surname was Jenkins. Ashlyn had long guessed about Yuri''s family. In this small country called Zaewora, the surname Jenkins was synonymous with royalty. However, even if she was the President''s daughter, she could still suffer this kind of abuse in her husband''s home. Ashlyn''s expression turned serious and icy. With a slight lift of her eyes, she nced at Yosef, who was in an extremely embarrassing state on the ground. ¡°Mr. Guzman, I suggest you know your ce and leave immediately.¡± ¡°Just you wait!¡± Yosef, filled with indignation and humiliation, picked himself up from the ground. Before leaving, he red menacingly at Yuri. ¡°Don''t think that just because you''ve found a backer, I can''t touch you, you b*tch!¡± Yuri watched Yosef walk away, her heart still pounding as she stood up. She approached Ashlyn, her face filled with gratitude. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Berry.¡± ¡°There''s no need for formalities.¡± Ashlyn smiled, her captivating eyes shimmering as they gazed at Yuri. As if carrying some sort of enchantment in her voice, she asked, ¡°Do you want to be like me?¡± Yuri looked at her with a hint of confusion. ¡°Ms. Berry, what do you mean? I don''t quite understand.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°For instance... able to kick jerks and punch their minions like me.¡± Ashlyn''s face was as beautiful as a flower, but her words were domineering. ¡°Stepping on jerks is incredibly satisfying.¡± Having made up her mind, Yuri said, ¡°I do. I want to. I really want to. I even dream about it.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Ashlyn nodded, then immediately grabbed her phone and made a call. ¡°Where are you guys? All right, I understand. I''m entrusting this person to you, and I expect to see results in a month. Also, make sure to educate the child properly. We can''t afford to lead them astray. I''ll send you the address.¡± After she finished speaking, she hung up the phone. Yuri stared at her. ¡°Ms. Berry...¡± What does she mean by this? ¡°My friend runs an organization nearby that provides shelter for women and children in distress. However, their resources are quite limited. Despite having gained some recognition, it''s still far from enough.¡± Ashlyn looked into Yuri''s eyes. ¡°Would you like to join this organization and work with them to defend and protect women and children?¡± A wave of surprise washed over Yuri. She looked at Ashlyn with a hint of disbelief. ¡°Are you talking about... the Athena Mother and Child Protection Association?¡± She had heard of this mother and child protection association, but she had also heard that the staff within were shrouded in mystery, and each of them possessed formidable work capabilities and skills. For an ordinary person to think about getting a job there was simply not possible. ¡°Yes, that''s the association.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°Do you know why it''s called Athena?¡± Yuri shook her head. ¡°Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom and Goddess of War in ancient mythology. She embodies strength, bravery, and kindness.¡± Ashlyn''snguid voice echoed in the room. The light shone on her, cloaking her entire being in a hazy halo. Chapter 1191 Chapter 1191 Chapter 1191 Expose She was just too beautiful. ¡°I wish that all women in Zaewora could be as strong and brave as Athena. I want the women here to say no to violence and bid farewell to humiliation. Every staff member at Athena possesses unique skills. Once you join, they will train and develop you. This includes your daughter, who will receive a good education. We promote self-reliance, self-respect, and self-love.¡± ¡°Ms. Berry... Thank you.¡± Yuri''s tears fell from her eyes. She couldn''t help but cover her cheeks with her hands. She never expected to meet Ashlyn after being abandoned by the whole world. At that moment, she was unaware that Ashlyn had not only transformed her but had also altered the destinies of countless other women. Not long into the future, her destiny would undergo further drastic transformation, not only for her but also for her daughter! The emotions stirring within her were indescribable with words. It was the feeling of finding the only hope after experiencing despair and bone-chilling pain after falling into an abyss. She felt like a traveler in the vast ocean, always on the verge of being pushed under and drowned. At last, she saw a piece of driftwood, a lifeline that could pull her out of her sea of suffering and lead her away from the pain of the abyss. ¡°Yuri, I know everything about you, and I know you''re from the Jenkins family.¡± Ashlyn looked at her intently, ¡°So don''t let me down. Once you''re in Athena, study hard and change yourself. You''re the president''s daughter, and what you carry is not just your own fate and your daughter''s but also the fate of all women in Zaewora. It''s all in your hands.¡± She was just too beautiful. ¡°I wish that all women in Zaewora could be as strong and brave as Athena. I want the women here to say no to violence and bid farewell to humiliation. Every staff member at Athena possesses unique skills. Once you join, they will train and develop you. This includes your daughter, who will receive a good education. We promote self-reliance, self-respect, and self-love.¡± Yuri''s eyes widened in shock. She opened her mouth in disbelief. Even her words were somewhat incoherent as she spoke. ¡°You... how could you...¡± ¡°Study hard,¡± Ashlyn said calmly,pletely disregarding Yuri''s astonished reaction. Just then, a knock sounded at the room door. Spencer walked over to open the door, only to be met with a familiar face. He was taken aback. ¡°Mr. Quickton? What brings you here?¡± ¡°I''m here on business.¡± Jared''s handsome face seemed to glow with sunlight as he stepped into the room with his long legs. His gaze swept around before finallynding on Ashlyn. ¡°Boss.¡± ¡°That''s her.¡± Ashlyn nced at Yuri, ¡°Take her and the child away. Train them ording to the program I''ve set up.¡± ¡°All right. I will follow your arrangements,¡± Jared agreed respectfully. He then walked up to Yuri and said, ¡°Miss, please go ahead.¡± With a lingering gaze full of affection, Yuri said to Ashlyn, ¡°Ms. Berry, goodbye.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Jared left directly with Yuri and Renae, leaving only Lucas, Ashlyn, and Spencer in the room. Lucas raised an eyebrow, looking at the woman whose expression remained undisturbed. ¡°When did you get involved with the Athena Mother and Child Protection Association? I wasn''t aware.¡± Ashlyn couldn''t help butugh, ¡°Aren''t you a topwyer? You didn¡¯t tell me neither, did you?¡± ¡°So, are you telling me we''re even?¡± Lucas extended his slender, well-defined hand to lift her chin. His gaze held a hint of indulgence. ¡°But... I''ve only been exposed one or twice, unlike you, always exposing sides of you I could never even imagine.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°So... you don''t like it when I surprise you?¡± Ashlyn''s dark eyes glowed mysteriously. ¡°If you don''t like it, I won''t do it in front of you anymore.¡± ¡°No... I really like it.¡± Lucas raised an eyebrow, his thin lips irresistibly drawn to hers. A blush crept up on Spencer''s face. He quickly averted his eyes, demonstrating great tact. In a hurry, he pushed the door open and hastily fled the scene. Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Their outrageous public disy of affection is too tormenting to watch. With that thought, he couldn''t help but pull out his phone and send a WhatsApp message to Cassandra: Your boss and Mr. Nn are so lovey-dovey with each other. After a while, Cassandra responded: I''m busting my a*s off in Zaewora, and my boss is getting chummy with Mr. Nn. This is torture. Chapter 1192 Chapter 1192 Chapter 1192 Touched Spencer''s eyes were fixed intently on the words ¡°Zaewora.¡± His mind couldn''t amodate anything else. There was only one thought in his mind. Could Cassandra be in Zaewora too? He didn''t even realize how ted he was. He nced at the tightly closed door behind him. Mr. Nn and Ms. Berry are inside being all lovey- dovey. I''m quite free at the moment, so why not... And so... Spencer immediately replied to Cassandra: I''ll go help you out. Give me the address. Half an hourter, following the directions on the map, Spencer drove straight to the location where Cassandra was. Standing at the entrance of the Athena Mother and Child Protection Association, Spencer was somewhat speechless. How is it that Cassandra is also in this association? So, Ms. Berry really did establish this association? Ms. Berry is really impressive, isn''t she? She lives in H Nation, yet she can still expand her influence to Zaewora and establish such a phnthropic organization. The more I think about it, the more miraculous it seems. This is just too... Forget it, forget it. Shouldn''t I have gotten used to this a long time ago? Haven''t I seen enough not to be surprised anymore? At the security checkpoint, the guard stopped him and said, ¡°Please show your pass.¡± Spencer was rendered speechless. It''s difficult to even get past the gates. After a moment of hesitation, he sent a WhatsApp message to Cassandra and then waited for a while. Spencer''s eyes were fixed intently on the words ¡°Zaewora.¡± His mind couldn''t amodate anything else. There was only one thought in his mind. Could Cassandra be in Zaewora too? Cassandra came bouncing out in her adorable outfit. ¡°Security guard, this is my friend.¡± ¡°All right, Ms. Jensen.¡± The security guard immediately let Spencer through. As Spencer stepped inside, a hint of an uncontroble smile yed on his handsome face. Cassandra was still adorably cute. Her small face flushed red. A thinyer of sweat covered her cheeks and forehead, making her look even more endearing. ¡°What have you been doing? Why are you sweating?¡± ¡°Don''t even get me started. I''m helping a little girl with her homework,¡± Cassandra said, looking utterly exasperated. ¡°This little girl is so demanding. Since when did children''s homework be so exhausting?¡± Spencer was rendered speechless. Could she be referring to Renae, who was sent here by Ms. Berry? He followed Cassandra to the training room, where he saw Renae practicing her horse stance. She''s squatting in a horse stance? What''s going on here? ¡°My boss said that girls should learn martial arts from a young age so they can protect themselves in the future.¡± Cassandra took a breath, then pointed to the other little girls in the training room. ¡°All of them are children we''ve taken in at our association.¡± Spencer was shocked. ¡°So these children are either abandoned or orphans?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Cassandra nodded. ¡°They all have to practice martial arts and also take culture lessons.¡± ¡°Well...¡± Spencer was taken aback. He hadn''t expected Ashlyn to take such an impressive step, training those girls and educating them. She has been doing it for a while now! ¡°All children, stand at attention!¡± With a sternmand from Cassandra, those little girls immediately lined up in an orderly fashion, standing in front of her. ¡°At ease!¡± ¡°Stand at attention!¡± ¡°Let''s show Mr. White what you''re capable of!¡± Cassandra''s adorable face turned serious. ¡°Bring it on!¡± As her words fell, about a dozen little girls immediately began to perform a military boxing routine in perfect unison. Their movements might not carry the strength and momentum of an adult, but they were extremely precise. Given time, they would definitely be highly skilled fighters. Spencer choked up. He couldn''t help but raise his hands and start pping. ¡°You are the best! You''re no less than any boy!¡± He had never felt, as he did now, that what Ashlyn was doing was incredibly meaningful. He couldn''t find the words to describe his feelings at that moment. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The eyes of those children were so pure and clear. They should''ve been cherished by their parents and grown up doted on by their family instead of what they were experiencing, being abandoned for being born in that country and because of their gender. No one could choose their own parents, select their own family, much less choose their own gender. Chapter 1193 Chapter 1193 Chapter 1193 Tenth Ring All that was natural and innate. Yet, it turned out that they could have been dazzling stars too. Spencer took a deep breath, his deep voice sounding a touch nasally. ¡°What can I do for them?¡± Cassandra stared at him with rounded eyes, a flicker of surprise and delight shing across them. It was as though she had just seen freebor, her excitement palpable. ¡°You can do so much!¡± In the following time, Spencer became the temporary coach of that group of children, teaching them boxing and physical training. He had never thought teaching children would be that exhausting. The children living in the association were well-protected and had been educated to be very polite. It was clear as day that almost none of them had any sort ofplex trauma. Even so, he was still extremely tired, more so than if he had fought ten burly men. Just as he was wondering where Cassandra had gone, he saw that she had changed into a set of neat and chic sportswear. ¡°Let''s go, kids! It''s time for your shooting lesson!¡± Words eluded Spencer. Whoa! Are things really that intense? After boxing, it''s now time for a shooting lesson. She''s teaching such young kids to shoot? He thought it was already quite bizarre to teach the kids to shoot. However, after he had followed Cassandra and the kids to the shooting range, he was wholly taken aback. The reason was none other than the children practicing with guns that were clearly modified fakes. All that was natural and innate. Yet, it turned out that they could have been dazzling stars too. His head spun slightly. After a brief moment of confusion, he rushed to Cassandra''s front. ¡°Have you lost your mind? What if¡ª¡± ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± Cassandra looked at him as though he was an idiot. ¡°This is just a lesson, not a battlefield. Naturally, the ability to withstand a gun''s recoil should be cultivated from a young age!¡± ¡°But they''re so young!¡± Spencer still couldn''t ept it. ¡°It''s precisely because they''re young that we''re having them use modified fakes.¡± Cassandra grinned, revealing a row of neat white teeth. ¡°These guns have all been modified by Boss, small and exquisite, just right for the children''s grips.¡± Modified, huh? Sure enough, it''s just as I thought. Only Ashlyn could pull off something like this. ¡°But¡ª¡± Spencer wanted to argue further but was interrupted by Cassandra, who confidently addressed the children, ¡°Come on, let''s show this silly mister what you''re capable of! On mymand, be ready, everyone!¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Then, he saw her with a gun in hand. After the gun went off with a bang, the children, who had long since been standing in front of the shooting range, moved in perfect unison, simultaneously pulling the triggers of the small guns in their hands. Bang! Bang! Bang! The sound of several gunshots rang out. Spencer watched that scene in shock, his mouth slightly agape. What had I just seen? He saw that each of those dozen of children had hit bullseye. They all scored tenth ring. Not a single one of them scored ninth ring. They''re so skilled at shooting when they''re so young? This is unbelievable! ¡°A great teacher produces brilliant students. Got it?¡± Cassandra stood on her tiptoes, reaching out and patting Spencer on the shoulder. ¡°I''m a shooting champion, after all. It''s not impossible for me to train more shooting champions to bring glory to the countries in Zaewora.¡± Gosh, this move is so difficult. I''ll never do it again in the future. Anyway, why is he so tall? ¡°They''re so young...¡± Spencer''s eyes glinted with astonishment. Yet, they can already score a perfect tenth ring? He still found it rather hard to ept. ¡°Their average age is eight years old.¡± Cassandra grinned, beaming joyfully. ¡°It''s mainly because my mentor is awesome.¡± ¡°Indeed. She''s simply too awesome.¡± Looking at her adorable expression and her eyes that seemingly screamed for him to hurry up and praise, tter me, and adore her, Spencer found her cute beyond words. Unable to help himself, he reached out and tousled her hair with arge hand. ¡°Impressive.¡± Cassandra beamed from ear to ear. ¡°But of course! I''ve been training them for two years! I stay here for at least three months every year. Even after I''ve left, other mentors will strictly supervise them, not allowing them to ck off in their practice.¡± Chapter 1194 Chapter 1194 Chapter 1194 Transform This Small Country Upon hearing Cassandra''s words, Spencer was very much taken aback. ¡°So, has this association been established for a long time?¡± ¡°Hmm, it''s been about four or five years.¡± Cassandra tilted her head a fraction. ¡°When Boss started the association, I was still very young. But... she''s a woman with great vision and courage. Some of the girls who left our association have already started working.¡± ¡°Working?¡± Spencer was even more astonished. ¡°Yes. The first group of girls we took in were just teenagers then, and they must be in their early twenties now,¡± said Cassandra with an air of nonchnce. ¡°Each of them has their own path to travel, and the paths they''ve taken were all decided through discussions with Boss.¡± ¡°Path?¡± Spencer was further shocked. ¡°What path?¡± Cassandra looked Spencer up and down. ¡°Why is it that I find you a bit slow on the uptaking?¡± That struck Spencer speechless. Have I been disdained now? ¡°All the girls here join our association with a unified goal, which is to change the social status of women in Zaewora. As such, how could they possibly be working ordinary jobs?¡± ¡°So... they''ve gone into the district government? Or did they enter some other organization?¡± A terrifying thought suddenly popped up in Spencer''s mind. Is Ashlyn intending to overthrow the entire national structure of Zaewora? She wants all the girls she has nurtured to infiltrate every aspect of this country and then carry out all future reforms under her guidance? It''s highly likely that... in the not-too-distant future, she can transform this small country in Zaewora into a thriving nation before ensuring that women upy their rightful ce, no longer being mere appendages to men and useless people confined to the home. No, that''s impossible. How could Ms. Berry possibly have such a thought? Surely, this notion of mine is wrong. Upon hearing Cassandra''s words, Spencer was very much taken aback. He shook his head, casting those thoughts out of his mind. Just then, Cassandra''s voice drifted into his ears once more. ¡°Of course. At the very least... they''re a teacher. Being an elementary school or middle school teacher is no problem for them at all. We aim to cultivate modern, knowledgeable, and cultured women, not useless individuals.¡± Cassandra wore a proud expression. She then rubbed her stomach. ¡°Ah, I''m feeling a bit hungry.¡± She nced at the time and saw that it was already evening. ¡°Hang in there for ten more minutes, kids. Then, it''s time to end the lesson, and we can all eat.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The children answered affirmatively in unison. Clear sound juvenile voices echoed across the shooting range. Ten minutester, Spencer went to the association''s dining hall with Cassandra. The interior of the dining hall was decorated in a very understated manner, much like the cafeteria from his university days. There were some tables and chairs, alongside various food stalls. However, the variety of food was abundant. One could go to the corresponding stall to get whatever one felt like eating. After scanning her eyes around the ce, Cassandra frowned. ¡°Why isn''t Ms. Jenkins here?¡± ¡°Yuri Jenkins?¡± It was only then that Spencer remembered that Yuri had also been sent over by Ashlyn. ¡°Yeah.¡± Cassandra nodded before looking at the children. ¡°You guys eat first. I''ll stepping out for a bit.¡± Spencer also quickly stood up and followed Cassandra out of the dining hall. It was only then that he realized the ce was truly vast. Not only was there a shooting range and training field, but also sports facilities such as a basketball court, volleyball court, swimming pool, and golf course. There was even a billiard room and one for chess and card games. After following Cassandra to several ces, they finally found Yuri at the training field, practicing basic skills. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Ayer of sweat nketed her forehead, and the back of her shirt was drenched. But still, she remained in a horse stance without budging an inch. Quirking an eyebrow, Cassandra walked up to her and said, ¡°It''s time to eat, dear. Even if you''re eager to improve yourself, you can''t be this impatient! You still need to eat.¡± Yuri''s face was flushed bright red from the heat of her sweat. Upon hearing Cassandra''s voice, she turned her gaze to the woman. ¡°I need to train... I need to train, for I want to be stronger and make Ms. Berry proud.¡± Chapter 1195 Chapter 1195 Chapter 1195 Golden Butterfly ¡°Dear, you''re bing stronger not for my boss, but for yourself and all the women in the Zaewora. So, can you please stop emotionally ckmailing my boss, okay?¡± Upon hearing that, Cassandra immediately became displeased. In this day and age... the charm of our boss is too strong. What should we do about it? Just any random woman thinks she cane and vie for attention. Even in Zaewora, she manages to gain another admirer. I''m upset. Extremely upset! So, her tone was particrly righteous and eloquent. ¡°If you want my boss to notice you and be proud of you, then strive to elevate the status of women in your country. By then... she will surely notice you.¡± Hmph! You think I can''t handle you, squirt? You''re still quite greenpared to me. Deep down, Cassandra thought quietly to herself. ¡°Ms. Jenkins, let''s eat first. Only after a meal can we achieve better training results,¡± Spencer could not help but say. Although he had only been there for half a day, the atmosphere of hard work and struggle deeply moved him. Yuri hesitated for a moment before finally lowering her arms. Her legs were already sore and painful. She could only maintain her bnce by leaning against the wall. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The moment she took the first step, her body went limp, and she almost fell. Fortunately, Cassandra was quick to catch her. ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Yuri paused for a moment before moving forward. With every step she took, her gaze grew more resolute. She gazed at the fiery clouds outside the arena at the intense, blood-red setting sun. Deep in her heart, there was only one thought. I must live up to expectations! Cassandra cocked her head and looked at her. ¡°She''s quite tough. After being in horse stance for so long, she''s still able to walk out without needing anyone''s support.¡± She trusted her boss''s judgment. This woman, Yuri... she can definitely do it. Inside the hotel room, Ashlyn slowly opened her eyes. She could almost feel a surge of power emanating from the Spirogyra. It was almost bursting through her veins, ready to explode. She furrowed her brows and clenched her teeth. Her temples were throbbing with pain. Just when she was feeling ufortable, arge, warm palm suddenly came to rest on her temples and started massaging gently. Ashlyn was taken aback, and her eyes instinctively turned toward the man. She saw Lucas, dressed in a white bathrobe, sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at her with a fond gaze. Is he giving me a massage? How does he know I have a headache? In the moment of her astonishment, a sudden surge of steaming heat shot straight to her forehead. What she did not know was that at that moment, the Spirogyra had already taken flight within her veins and transformed into a golden butterfly. Lucas'' deep, cold eyes stared in surprise at Ashlyn''s face which was marked with a butterfly. There was a hint of a golden butterfly gracing her cheek, and its beauty was dream-like. She lowered her gaze, and her long featheryshes veiled her captivating almond-shaped eyes. Her wless features became even more exquisite and more perfect. Her beauty was so enchanting it was almost bewitching. Lucas found that her face, which was already incredibly beautiful, became even more stunning and irresistible under the enhancement of the golden butterfly. Her skin became increasingly delicate and smooth. Even the small pimple that had appeared at the corner of her lips due to the climate in Zaewora, disappeared at a pace visible to the naked eye. He had known for a while that she was poisoned by the Spirogyra, but he never imagined that the poison would progress to the point where it would affect her entire body. ¡°I...¡± Ashlyn''s thick eyshes trembled slightly, and her voice was shaky and hoarse. ¡°I feel so awful.¡± Wave after wave of energy seemed to surge from her body. The Spirogyra really had not acted up in a long time. She had always thought it would not act up again... But this time, it was unlike any other. It felt as if an unending force was surging out wildly and causing her head to throb painfully. The pain was so intense that it made her scalp go numb, and her entire body felt as if it was on fire. Lucas'' eyes, cold and dark, gazed at her in pain. He was looking at the faint golden butterfly that seemed to be hiding beneath her skin. ¡°Has the Spirogyra mutated?¡± he asked. Chapter 1196 Chapter 1196 Chapter 1196 I Had nned Everything Ashlyn gritted her teeth and furrowed her brows. A flicker of surprise shed in her eyes, but quickly, she remembered. When she was poisoned, Lucas had once fed her his aorta blood to nourish her body. He must have known about the Spirogyra inside my body back then, right? Her stunningly beautiful face flushed in waves of an unusual rosy hue, and it made her look even more breathtaking, like a bewitching spirit. It was as if a faint peach blossom-like color was radiating from her in waves. Every time this color deepened, the beads of sweat on Ashlyn''s forehead increased. It felt as if thousands of ants were gnawing at her. The pain was unbearable. Lucas looked at her worriedly. Just as she was biting her lower lip so hard that it was almost bleeding, and she was struggling to control herself, the man suddenly extended his arm and offered his wrist. ¡°Don''t bite yourself. I''m a man. My skin is tougher and more resilient.¡± Ashlyn was in so much pain that she was almost losing her sanity. With a dazed look in her eyes, she stared at Lucas'' arm. Biting down hard, her teeth sank deeply into the man''s flesh. The taste of blood, akin to rusty iron, began to permeate her mouth as a gentle warmth of fresh blood flooded into her mouth. Just then... her mind went nk for a moment. She felt like a traveler who was on the brink of dying of thirst in the desert and suddenly found a water source. She could not help herself and began to suck the man''s blood. Blood flowed from her mouth into her body. Her restless body suddenly seemed to have been soothed. If before it was a storm, now it was calm and tranquil. The pain, almost like a beast trying to break free from the cage of her body, surged and then almost faded away. Her dazed gaze gradually regained rity. She lowered her gaze to the strong arm she was still biting down on. Suddenly, she released her bite, and a trace of fresh blood still lingered at the corner of her lips. Her heart pounded fiercely as she trembled while staring at the deep and harsh bite mark on Lucas'' wrist. Blood was still gushing out incessantly. She felt a mix of emotions in her heart, and for a moment, she did not know what to say. ¡°Are you stupid?¡± She quickly stood up, found a small first aid kit in the room, and took out some gauze and antiseptic. She began to treat his wounds. Looking at his bloody wrist, her eyes welled up with tears. Regret surged in her heart. ¡°Lucas, did you leave your brain at home when you went out? Does... Doesn''t it hurt?¡± That was a dumb question. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. How can it possibly not hurt? Lucas'' dark eyes were firmly locked onto her uniquely beautiful face. It was as if he felt no pain at all. He allowed her to tend to his wounds as if they were not on his own arm. After a while, he finally spoke slowly with a voice tinged with a heart-wrenching hoarseness, ¡°Is there really no antidote for the Spirogyra?¡± Ashlyn hesitated for a moment before finally speaking up, ¡°It seems... You are the antidote.¡± ¡°What does this mean?¡± Lucas had a vague sense of his importance to her. Jared had told him before that the only way to alleviate the effects of the Spirogyra was for him and Ashlyn to engage in the most intimate act. The golden butterfly, poised to spread its wings just a moment ago, came under control after she drank his blood. The hint of a butterfly that once graced her face had now vanished without a trace. There was just one thing... Her skin seemed even more wless and fair than before, white yet luminous and glossy. It was not the pale, artificial sort of white but a healthy hue tinged with a soft pink. Her features seemed to have be even more three-dimensional and perfect, especially those eyes, which were increasingly cold yet enchanting. She already had a somewhat cold demeanor, but now... it seemed even colder. Yet, amidst the chilly aloofness, there was a hint of inexplicable allure that was captivating. It made his heart skip a beat. He was lost in thought when he heard Ashlyn say, ¡°I drank your blood, and my restless body suddenly became extremely calm. I married you because you have Rh-negative blood. That day, I was waiting for you in the heavy rain. I had nned everything.¡± Chapter 1197 Chapter 1197 Chapter 1197 No Regrets ¡°I''ve found out that Grandpa is putting pressure on you to tie the knot, and I just so happen to require a partner with your blood type to counteract my Spirogyra poison. So, to grab your attention, I''ve gone to great lengths, even stopping numerous people on the street to propose marriage, all while dropping hints that I''m in dire need of getting married,¡± Ashlyn remarked. Lucas listened attentively as she recounted the whirlwind marriage they had experienced four years ago. His lips parted slightly. ¡°You''ve certainly managed to grab my attention; I even got out of the car to propose to you, haven''t I? It''s all in your hands. But have you ever thought about what might have happened if I hadn''t approached you? Wouldn''t that have thrown a wrench in your ns?¡± Ashlyn looked up at him. ¡°I was taking a gamble, believing that you''d step out of the car. And in the end, you did, didn''t you?¡± Her eyes remained cool and clear, a subtle hint of dominance shing across her face as she asked, ¡°So, do you regret stepping out of the car now?¡± Lucas shook his head. ¡°Not at all.¡± If life were to grant him a second chance, he would still choose to alight from the car and marry her. As if it were destined, he had an irresistible urge to step out of the car. The moment heid eyes on her, his body had made the choice before his mind could catch up. All he wanted was to marry her. ¡°Do you regret marrying me?¡± A trace of anxiety appeared on Lucas'' handsome face as he unexpectedly blurted out this question. ¡°No, not at all!¡± Ashlynughed. Earlier, when she was battling against the Spirogyra, her clothes had be drenched in sweat. Now, they clung to her body, causing her extreme difort. She tugged at the shirt sticking to her back. ¡°Lucas, don''t worry. Since I''ve chosen you, it''ll always be you.¡± Pausing, she stood up. ¡°Aren''t you afraid? I carry the Spirogyra poison within me. There could be other unforeseen factors at y. It might be contagious, or it might be slowly eating away at my body... Who knows, one day I might transform into a monster...¡± Lucas gently patted her head. ¡°Don''t be ridiculous. I''m your antidote, and I promise to take good care of you. Go take a shower; I''ll find you some clean clothes.¡± As Ashlyn''s slender figure disappeared into the bathroom, Lucas stood before the wardrobe, lost in his thoughts. What exactly is the terrifying nature of this Spirogyra poison? It''s unfathomable how it can swiftly transform someone''s appearance, making the victim even more enchanting... It''s just so eerie and inexplicable. Who in the world could have created such a peculiar poison? Even Ashlyn, a renowned doctor, can''t solve this issue. Ashlyn indulged in a hot bath, the continuous echo of sshing water filling the air. The warmth of the water enveloped her, flowing endlessly and cleansing her body. The image of Lucas offering his arm to her mouth kept reying in her mind. It would be a lie to say she wasn''t moved. The sensation of him risking his life to protect her was warm and sweet. Wave after wave of warmth surged from the depths of her heart. After her bath, she emerged to find that it was already dark outside. Lucas called for room service, and while she was in the bath, the waiter delivered two servings of steak along with a bottle of red wine. The man had been sitting at the dining table, waiting for her patiently. When he saw her emerge, dressed in a casual home outfit, her cheeks flushed and herplexion porcin-white from the hot bath, he found her breathtakingly beautiful. He sat there, savoring his red wine, his gaze lifting to admire her. ¡°Come and have some dinner.¡± Ashlyn nodded, casually tying her half-dried hair into a bun. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She had just settled down at the dining table when her phone started to ring, disying an iing call from Jared. ¡°Hello?¡± Jared''s voice came through the phone. ¡°Boss, should we deliver the medicine now, or should we wait until tomorrow?¡± Ashlyn lowered her gaze, observing as Lucas skillfully sliced the steak in front of her into small, nearly identical cubes. She raised an eyebrow, intrigued. ¡°Deliver half of it tomorrow. If they dare to stir up trouble, they won''t get the remaining half.¡± ¡°Yes, Boss, I''ll do as you say.¡± After ending the call, she heard Lucas'' voice. ¡°What medicine?¡± Chapter 1198 Chapter 1198 Chapter 1198 Issue The woman''s raven-ck hair cascaded down to her waist, and she was dressed in nothing but a thin nightgown, exposing her fair, slender arms. Her wless legs were tucked beneath a thin nket, her long, luscious eyshes quivering slightly. ¡°The conditions here are rtively underdeveloped. The medical facilities arecking, and even basic supplies such as medicines are in short supply. That''s why they need to import some medicines from our country, and Centennial Healthcare happens to be the supplier. This time, when Jared came over, he brought with him a hundred thousand boxes of various types of medicines.¡± Lucas furrowed his brows slightly as he looked at her. A hundred thousand boxes is no small amount, but Centennial Healthcare supplies them like it''s not a big deal. He contemted the new energy being developed by Section Six and how he had always believed that this new energy held substantial potential, capable of changing certain circumstances. However, he couldn''t help feeling a sense of inferiority whenparing new energy to what Ashlyn was doing. In the face of these hundred thousand boxes of medicine, it seemed like new energy was hardly worth mentioning. ¡°But it''s not impossible if he wants these medicines. He must agree to one condition of mine,¡± Ashlyn said, her lips curling slightly, a glint of icy resolve shining in her eyes. ¡°What do you intend to do for Yuri?¡± Lucas inquired slowly with his baritone voice. ¡°How do you know I''m doing it for Yuri?¡± Ashlyn arched an eyebrow. Lucas chuckled softly, his handsome face too dazzling to behold. ¡°Because you are my wife...¡± Ashlyn couldn''t resist the urge tough. ¡°Is everything progressing smoothly with the development of new energy?¡± Her rosy lips drew close to the handsome man''s face. ¡°New energy represents technological progress, and medicine signifies advancements in healthcare standards, so... what you and I are involved in is beneficial for the entire world. Tell me, Mr. Nn, how is it that I never realized before just how remarkable you are?¡± Anyone, including Lucas, would feel delighted to be praised by their significant other. ¡°Have you never heard of that saying?¡± ¡°What saying?¡± ¡°Birds of a feather flock together.¡± A smile yed at the corners of Ashlyn''s lips as she gave him a light punch. ¡°Isn''t yourpany hosting some kind of press conference or public hearing on new energy tomorrow? You should get some rest early.¡± The following morning, Lucas departed from the hotel and made his way to the venue of the new energy public hearing. There, he found not only expert doctors from Zaewora but also professors from all over the world. They all disyed great interest in the new energy developed by Section Six. If the public hearing proceeded sessfully, it would mark a significant milestone in the development of new energy. H Nation''s position in the global new energy development would undoubtedly ascend to a higher level, too. Ashlyn didn''t attend the event as she had other pressing matters to deal with, spending her time communicating with Jared over herptop. She was swamped with work when there came a knock on the door of her room. Her eyes remained glued to theptop screen, and her red lips parted slightly. ¡°Come in.¡± The moment Sabrina entered, she spotted Ashlyn seated in front of theptop, her hands rapidly typing away on the keyboard without pause. A trace of anxiety was etched on Sabrina''s face as she swiftly made her way to Ashlyn''s side. Only then did Ashlyn steal a nce at Sabrina from the corner of her eye. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± she inquired. Sabrina also came along to attend the new energy public hearing this time. She was busy working on the program with her team members the past few days, so she wasn''t with Lucas and Ashlyn. After noting Ashlyn''sposed demeanor, Sabrina took a moment to gather herself before speaking. ¡°Ms. Berry, something bad has happened.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Ashlyn turned her head to look at her, a hint of confusion in her beautiful almond-shaped eyes. ¡°What happened?¡± Frustrated, Sabrina bit her lip and urged, ¡°Come with me.¡± Ashlyn rose from her seat, her voice carrying a cool rity. ¡°What''s the matter? Is there a problem with the new energy development?¡± Lucas had left for the press conference early in the morning. Something must be amiss with the new energy development which Sabrina and the others couldn''t resolve themselves, and since they couldn''t turn to Lucas either, they had no option but to seek Ashlyn''s assistance. Sabrina was momentarily taken aback, her eyes reflecting surprise. ¡°How did you know?¡± Chapter 1199 Chapter 1199 Chapter 1199 Unexpected Disaster She''s so irvoyant! ¡°Just a hunch,¡± Ashlyn replied, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Stop beating around the bush. What exactly happened?¡± A mix of irritation and anxiety abruptly crossed Sabrina''s charming face. ¡°It''s the program. The primary control program for the new energy appears to have malfunctioned unexpectedly. I don''t know why, but it''s simply not responding to ourmands...¡± Ashlyn''s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Was everything fine before this?¡± ¡°Yes, it was perfectly fine yesterday. We had intended to present it at the public hearing today. Right before we left, we double-checked to ensure everything was intact. But the moment we checked...¡± Sabrina trailed off, clearly distressed by the situation. She was so anxious that she was almost at the point of breaking down. She continued, her frustration evident, ¡°We honestly have no clue what''s going on. The system was wlessst night, and there were no apparent issues. Today, numerous prominent figures from various countries are expecting us to showcase our new energy system... And now, this happened. If there''s a mishap at this crucial moment, it would be a setback to all the hard work put in by everyone in Section Six! Mr. Nn isn''t around, too, so I have no choice but to turn to you. Ms. Berry, can you think of a solution?¡± The sudden emergence of this strange and eerie situation right before their departure caught everyone off guard. The technical experts, in particr, were on edge. As the team leader, Sabrina had no alternative but to turn to Ashlyn for help. For reasons she couldn''t quite fathom, she found herself inexplicably trusting and relying on Ashlyn. Ashlyn''sposed gaze settled on Sabrina''s anxious expression. ¡°Let''s go.¡± Meanwhile, all the technicians had gathered in the hotel''spact meeting room. Ss'' fingers danced rapidly over the keyboard, his gaze unwaveringly fixed on theputer screen. The others were equally bustling about at a rapid pace, with no one daring to ck off even in the slightest. As they observed the data on theputer screen rapidly refreshing, a palpable tension hung in the air, creating a stifling atmosphere. ¡°What should we do? Ss, it''s still not working on my end.¡± Ss'' expression turned instantly grim, and he shook his head. ¡°It won''t work on my end either.¡± ¡°Don''t tell me that after all the time and effort we''ve invested in developing the new energy, we''re going to face failure? Is our project destined to be stillborn?¡± One of the technicians couldn''t contain his frustration and tugged at his own hair. ¡°Argh! I can''t take it anymore! I''ve had so little sleep that my hair is falling out, and now the system has crashed!¡± he eximed in exasperation. ¡°I''ve been working overtime for so long...¡± ¡°Argh! I want to go home! Why is this happening?¡± He wasn''t the only one having an emotional breakdown. As soon as he spoke up, several others also appeared to be teetering on the brink of copse. Seeing how anxious everyone was, Ss couldn''t help but stand up and say, ¡°I understand that you''re all on edge and feel like you''re losing your minds, but I believe... Ms. Berry should be able to resolve this. Let''s give it a bit more time, shall we?¡± ¡°Give it a bit more time? Do you think she''s God? Is she omnipotent? How could she possibly understand anything about new energy?¡± a technician roared in frustration. ¡°She might have someputer knowledge, but she''s never dealt with new energy. How could she possibly know how to solve this?¡± another technician chimed in, echoing the skepticism. ¡°Exactly! While she might be aputer whiz, the new energy system is our in-house development, our secret weapon... She''s an outsider who''s never been part of any development understanding. Ss, has your IQ dropped to that of a three-year-old when ites to matters concerning her?¡± Their words wereced with sarcasm and mockery. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The atmosphere in the entire meeting room was extremely unpleasant. Everyone had ced significant hope in the development of new energy, eager to deliver a resounding blow to those Zaewora scoundrels. s, an unexpected disaster befell them. If there really was no solution, they were sure Lucas would be the first to face humiliation. ¡°I believe... we might have been infiltrated by some sort of Trojan horse virus or what,¡± Ss suggested, slowly regainingposure. ¡°It appears to be something of that nature, so everyone, let''s not panic. We may be able to resolve this soon.¡± Chapter 1200 Chapter 1200 Chapter 1200 Trojan Horse Virus ¡°Ss, what nonsense are you talking about? If you''re so capable, why don''t you go ahead and deal with it now!¡± The technicians'' mood only worsened, and the sarcasm in their voices grew more pronounced. Initially, Ss had been attempting to soothe their anxiety, but now, provoked by their negativity, he too became frustrated. ¡°What''s your problem? Now that there''s an issue with the new energy system, we should face everything together. Why are you all behaving like this? I''m trying to offer reassurance, but you''re giving up on yourselves?¡± he eximed, his tone filled with exasperation. The few technicians who had been venting their frustrations fell silent immediately. Someone stepped forward to smooth things over. ¡°We''re all just upset because we can''t deal with the crisis. All right, that''s enough. Stop arguing. Let''s wait and see what Ms. Berry has to say when she arrives. It would be best if she can solve it, but if she can''t... then we can only leave it to fate.¡± A palpable sense of despair hung heavily in the meeting room. Ss couldn''t take it any longer. ¡°Maybe... we should call Mr. Nn and tell him something''s happened here. After all, none of you seem to believe in Ms. Berry ¡°Let me have a look first.¡± A familiar,posed female voice suddenly echoed from the doorway. It''s Ashlyn! Ss was overjoyed, his face lighting up as if he had glimpsed a ray of hope. Behind Ashlyn was Sabrina, and the two of them entered the meeting room together. Upon seeing her, Ss immediately gave up his seat. ¡°Ms. Berry, here, take a seat.¡± While most people in the room were polite and respectful toward Ashlyn, those who had previously expressed their disdain now exhibited expressions of indifference. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Ashlyn, seemingly unperturbed by the onlookers, upied Ss'' seat and directed her attention to the computer screen. ¡°Is there an issue with the new energy system?¡± ¡°Yes, please take a look at this. It keeps disying system crash notifications, even though it was functioning perfectly fine before,¡± Ss exined hurriedly. ¡°I''ll also show you some of the system''s code to help you gain a better understanding...¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Ashlyn interrupted him, ¡°I know the code. You don''t have to do that.¡± Seated in front of theputer, she immediately began typing away on the keyboard with her fair and slender fingers, fixing her cool gaze intently on the screen. Ss was taken aback. She knows the code? Sabrina was simrly shocked. She has never dealt with the system, yet she knows the code? Everyone else watched her silently, anticipating the oue. After a few minutes, Ss, appearing somewhat anxious, leaned in closer to Ashlyn and inquired in a hushed tone, ¡°Ms. Berry, are you... familiar with new energy?¡± ¡°Someone has deliberately imnted a Trojan horse virus, maliciously sabotaging the system,¡± Ashlyn stated calmly, her hands poised on theputer keyboard as she reclinedfortably in her chair. A cool and aloof aura surrounded herpletely. ¡°How is that even possible? Everything was fine yesterday, and today it''s suddenly infected with a Trojan horse virus? It doesn''t make sense,¡± remarked one of the technicians who had previously shed with Ss. Ss was immediately incensed when he heard that, and he was about to respond when he observed the woman in front of theputer arch an eyebrow. Her countenance exuded anguid aloofness, and her voice carried a trace of coldness. ¡°The world changes in the blink of an eye. Can you guarantee that every minute and every second, everything stays the same?¡± One night had passed, and no one knew things would take a turn. Everything was possible. The technician''s expression soured instantly following Ashlyn''s rebuke. ¡°You know nothing about new energy. Do you truly expect us to believe your nonsense?¡± Sabrina, as the team leader, exercised her authority with irritation, her striking, cold eyes sweeping over to the man as she bluntly admonished him, ¡°Harold, what are you doing? Ms. Berry may not be well-versed in new energy, but she has expertise inputers and systems. If you believe you can do better, then step up!¡± Harold''s face instantly turned beet red when Sabrina reprimanded him. Chapter 1201 Chapter 1201 Chapter 1201 Stall For Time If he could, he would have done it a long time ago, and they wouldn''t need ayperson like Ashlyn to come. Sabrina''s gaze turned icy cold, and her voice carried a frosty edge. ¡°If you can''t handle it, then just stay out of it and keep quiet. Don''t disturb Ms. Berry!¡± With that, Sabrina redirected her attention to Ashlyn, her tone brimming with trust. ¡°Ms. Berry, what are your thoughts? Can you assist us?¡± ¡°Let me give it a try.¡± Ashlyn immediately started typing on the keyboard. Everyone waited in hushed anticipation, their breath seemingly held in suspension. Each passing minute and second felt like an eternity. Five minutes had passed, and Ashlyn''s fingers continued to dance tirelessly across the keyboard. Her fair and slender digits typed out various codes without pause. The strings of code appeared to soar, leaving onlookers'' eyes momentarily dazzled. Initially, Sabrina and Ss could follow what she was doing, but after a while, they exchanged puzzled nces, growing utterly perplexed. This new energy operating system was developed by the technical department, but now, they, as the inventors, realized their knowledge wasn''t sufficient. They failed toprehend what they themselves created. In recent years, with the emergence of new energy vehicles and other rted projects, many hade to depend on this potent new energy operating system.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. This system underwent an upgrade annually, and the enhancements made this year were notably substantial. Unexpectedly, they found themselves unable toprehend it. ¡°Ms. Berry... are you resolving it?¡± Ss asked cautiously, thinking he shouldn''t pretend to understand when he had no idea what was going on. ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Ashlyn acknowledged, her long eyshes delicately drooping, casting a subtle shadow beneath her eyelids. ¡°Give me another twenty minutes, and it should be okay.¡± Twenty minutes? Sabrina was shocked. Everyone was simrly stunned. Just then, Sabrina''s phone rang. She nced at the caller ID and saw that it was Spencer. Quickly, she answered it. ¡°Hello? Mr. White?¡± Spencer''s voice carried a trace of impatience as he urgently inquired, ¡°Ms. Gray, what''s going on? It''s almost our turn to go on stage. Where is everyone? Why haven''t you arrived yet?¡± Sabrina frowned. ¡°Mr. White, can you help us stall for thirty minutes? We''ve got an issue here. Ms. Berry is dealing with it and it might take about ten minutes. Plus, we''ll need another ten minutes to get to the venue. So...¡± Spencer was perplexed. ¡°What''s the issue? Why do you need Ms. Berry''s assistance?¡± Sabrina took a deep breath. ¡°It''s a long story, but solving the problem at hand is more important right now. Please, I need your help to buy us some time. We''ll be there as soon as possible.¡± With that, she disconnected the call without waiting for Spencer''s response. She wasn''t in the mood to converse with Spencer at all. Her full attention was dedicated to theputer and to Ashlyn. Spencer stared in surprise at his disconnected phone, a faint frown creasing his brow. I should inform Mr. Nn of this first. Meanwhile, in the hotel''s meeting room, ten minutes had psed, but Ashlyn still hadn''t said or done anything to indicate that the problem was solved. Everyone stared intently at her, their eyes wide. Ss took a deep breath, his demeanor disying a hint of agitation. ¡°Ms. Berry... if we can''t resolve this issue, our public hearing will have to be canceled. This would result in a negative aftermath, and the entire Section Six will incur significant losses...¡± Those experts and professors were likely to be disappointed in Section Six and might not be willing to coborate with them in the future. At that point, not only would Lucas be angry and disappointed, but they themselves wouldn''t be able to forgive themselves either. Section Six had undoubtedly exceeded global standards in new energy, and H Nation had thrived in the realm of electricity. They had employed their resources judiciously, but if they were to mishandle everything and bring it all to ruin, Ss couldn''t bear to contemte the consequences. ¡°Ss, what''s the point of saying all this now?¡± Sabrina interjected, suppressing all the frustration welling up within her. ¡°Our only option now is¡ª¡± Chapter 1202 Chapter 1202 Chapter 1202 Ashlyn Will Present Just then, Sabrina''s phone rang again. Spencer''s voice traveled from the other end of the line. ¡°Ms. Gray, no matter what happened, you must reach the public hearing venue right this instance. It''s Mr. Nn''s orders.¡± ¡°But Mr. White...¡± Sabrina called out helplessly. ¡°This is an order! Follow it, or you''ll bear the consequences!¡± Spencer''s irritation was evident. What on earth are they doing? Just when everything is about to fall into ce, they just have to mess everything up. Everyone is waiting, and they just won''t show up. If anything goes awry, Mr. Nn will be beside himself with anger. Sabrina was so anxious that she was on the verge of tears. What should we do now? ¡°Ms. Berry...¡± She was torn between anger and anxiety, ming herself entirely. The oversight happened because she hadn''t effectively managed the team and kept an eye on theputer. It was all her fault, and she was overwhelmed with guilt. ¡°Forget it. Let''s head straight to the public hearing venue.¡± Ashlyn suddenly stood up and grabbed the laptop before saying, ¡°We''ll continue dealing with it on the way.¡± Sabrina was taken aback. ¡°We''re leaving now?¡± Ashlyn nced at the anxious-looking Sabrina and said, ¡°Yes, let''s go.¡± The moment she spoke, everyone swiftly rose from their seats, hastily gathering their belongings in preparation to depart. Well aware of Ashlyn''s swift and decisive character, Ss followed suit and exited the room. On their way there, Ashlyn was still tirelessly trying to resolve the issue. Sabrina''s face was as pale as a sheet, and even her meticulously applied makeup couldn''t hide her frustration. ¡°Once we arrive, we must proceed directly to the hearing and showcase the capabilities of the new energy system to everyone. However, the system hasn''t beenpletely repaired yet,¡± she said meekly. Ss'' voice wasced with despair as he chimed in, ¡°We''re running out of time. Mr. White is urging everyone in the WhatsApp group again, even posting photos of the hearing. Everyone is waiting for us to arrive... We have five minutes left. If we don''t make it, we''ll have to cancel...¡± ¡°I''ll go on stage with theptop.¡± Ashlyn''s voice maintained its cool tone but emanated a powerful undercurrent of determination. ¡°What did you say?¡± Sabrina''s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the other woman. ¡°You''re going to present our new energy project to everyone?¡± The domain of new energy was extraordinarily vast. Sabrina was responsible for presenting a comprehensive system, which epassed future development trends and ns for new energy. She had meticulouslymitted the script to memory over the course of two weeks. Ms. Berry wants to do the presentation? That''s impossible! Can she even exin everything clearly? Is she capable of articting the essence of the new energy system? Can she capture the interest of the professionals and professors from our partner organizations? ¡°What''s the big deal? It''s just a system. While I was repairing it, I gained a solid understanding of it. The system provides aprehensive exnation of everything rted to new energy. All I have to do is present them, right?¡± Ashlyn''s tone was light andposed, but the others were not as calm as her. Present them? What does she mean by that? Why is she making it sound so simple? Everyone was rendered speechless. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Sabrina hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°It''s not as simple as you think. How could you possibly understand such aplex new energy source all at once? Stop joking around and focus on dealing with this Trojan issue first.¡± Ashlyn has no idea what she should present. She knows absolutely nothing about the project, especially the key points. ¡°But... I need to resolve the Trojan issue, and you guys are about to go on stage... Are you nning to present with aputer that''s not even ready?¡± Ashlyn''s strikingly beautiful face was incredibly eye- catching. ¡°So, it''s best if Ms. Berry does the presentation...¡± Ss said, his throat feeling ufortably parched due to nervousness. This is too risky. Chapter 1203 Chapter 1203 Chapter 1203 Sabrina Cannot Make It Almost everyone present disagreed with Ashlyn, ¡°Ms. Berry, you can''t do it.¡± ¡°If we mess this up, all our hard work will be in vain.¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrows, her beautiful almond eyes swept over them, ¡°Really? I think it''s worth a try.¡± Isn''t it just a new energy? As they were talking, they had already arrived at the site of the hearing. Once they entered the elevator, they had no choice but to go in. At this moment, the hearing was taking ce in thergest meeting room of this five-star hotel. The meeting room was filled with experts and professors from various regions, as well as top executives frompanies interested in new energy. There were also media reporters invited from Zaewora. The man sitting in the middle of the first row exuded an aura of nobility from head to toe. His profile was bathed in the bright light. He had protruding features with a high and straight nose. His thin, sculpted lips slightly curved up, stirring one''s imagination. At this moment, the man''s thin lips were tightly pressed into a straight line. His facial expression was serious and aloof. Beside him sat Spencer who was also d in a suit. Spencer''s anxious gaze would asionally dart towards the entrance of the meeting room. What on earth is Sabrina and her group up to? If we keep them waiting any longer, these experts will probably get annoyed. If they were to leave directly... Herald took a seat not far from Lucas, his handsome brows slightly raised. ¡°Mr. Nn... may I ask when your people will arrive? Everyone''s time is quite precious.¡± Lucas gently parted his thin lips, his voice wasn''t loud, but it was enough for everyone to hear. ¡°Very soon.¡± A hint of a cold smirk shone in Sloan''s eyes. ¡°Let''s hope so.¡± A waiter came over to serve tea and pour water, while the experts and professors were quietly discussing among themselves, ¡°What''s the big mystery that Section Six is selling this time?¡± ¡°Could something have gone wrong?¡± The murmurs of the crowd reached the ears of Spencer and Lucas. Spencer nced at Lucas. The man''s ck shirt was buttoned up to the top, giving him an air of nobility and coldness. His handsome face betrayed no emotion. Even though those people from all around hadn''t shown up yet, he didn''t seem to be in a hurry at all. Spencer seemed a bit anxious, his lips slightly moving as he hesitated before saying, ¡°Mr. Nn... it seems there''s been an incident. Ms. Sabrina said they''ve asked Ms. Berry for help in handling it.¡± Listening to Spencer''s subdued voice, Lucas remained as cool andnguid as ever. His gaze was lightly fixed on therge screen ahead, his thick longshes slightly lowered. His handsome face remained expressionless, yet incredibly captivating. His voice was chillingly cold. ¡°Is that so?¡± Spencer was taken aback. Everyone said that Mr. Nn is a peerless beauty in the world, unrivaled in his handsomeness. He was with Lucas every day, thinking he had long since be immune. Unexpectedly, at such a crucial moment, I was utterly captivated by Mr. Nn''s stunningly handsome face! He quickly snapped back to reality, realizing this was not the time for wild thoughts. Then, he hurriedly spoke again, ¡°Could it be that there''s a problem with the new energy system? What... what do we do then? Ms. Berry is good withputers, but she doesn''t understand new energy...¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Hmm, so what?¡± Lucas''s thin lips lightly opened. This... doesn''t quite match up with what I had imagined! Spencer was taken aback again. Then he lowered his gaze to check WhatsApp on his phone. Sabrina told him that she wouldn''t be presenting on new energy anymore... They needed to find a recement at thest minute. Spencer quickly sent a voice message in a low voice. ¡°Ms. Sabrina, what are you up to? Section Six pays you a high sry, is it just to have you simte the copse of a house? How could you switch people at a time like this? Who did you switch to?¡± Before Sabrina could respond, suddenly... the entire meeting room fell into an unusual silence. Almost everyone''s gaze turned towards the door at the same time. The woman was dressed in a simple white T-shirt, paired with a pair of jeans on the lower half of her body. On her feet were a pair of small white shoes. In general, it is a very ordinary and simple outfit without any adornments. Even her fair and smooth face had no makeup on it. Compared to the women in professional suits or those dressed formally at the scene, she seemed like a college student who hade to apply for a job. Chapter 1204 Chapter 1204 Chapter 1204 Ashlyn Shows Up This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Swallowing hard, shock filled Spencer''s eyes. ¡°Ms. Berry? Why are you here?¡± He looked down at WhatsApp again, only to see Sabrina''s sinct and powerful two-word reply: Ashlyn Berry. He felt a bit dizzy, and his vision was slightly blurred. Have these people lost their minds? Spencer: Why have you asked Ms. Berry toe over? Does she understand anything about new energy? Does she realize just how important this matter is? Ms. Berry is usually quite impressive, she knows a lot and is even more skilled in many other areas. But the new energy... This is the oue of the research conducted by so many people at Section Six, and she has never been involved! How could she possibly do it? Upon hearing Spencer''s voice, Lucas couldn''t help but turn his gaze towards Ashlyn. Their eyes met. The woman''s jet-ck pupils met his gaze for only a brief second before she quickly shifted away. Lucas couldn''t help but start to look forward to it, and there was a glimmer of joy shing in his eyes. His thin lips slightly lifted, his deep eyes half-closed. ¡°My wife... she''s capable of anything.¡± Hearing that, Spencer was left speechless. Mr. Nn, aren''t you being overly confident for no apparent reason? Although Ms. Berry is versatile, she''s only human. It''s impossible for her to excel at everything! He also knew that Ms. Berry was fantastic and incredibly talented, capable of excelling in whatever she did. But this was about new energy technology and new energy development system! The results of their research over so many years involved so many people in Section Six. How could she possibly figure it out in just a few minutes? However, Spencer had absolutely no opportunity to question Lucas''s statement. Herald also looked at Spencer in surprise. ¡°Mr. White, Ms. Berry? Is she in charge of new energy development?¡± Spencer hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond to the other person. What do I tell him? That she doesn''t know anything... Then, Lucas'' voice drifted over. ¡°Hmm... She''s not in charge. She just has an interest in new energy sources.¡± Surprised, Song turned to look at him, only to see the man''s sharp eyes half-closed, his entire demeanor exuding a touch of nobility and ackadaisical attitude. His handsome face was incredibly dazzling, and the look in his eyes as he gazed at Ashlyn was tinged with faint arrogance. Herald was taken aback. ¡°Interest?¡± He didn''t understand. What is this? This is a highly professional setting... This isn''t quite suitable, is it? Lucas'' handsome eyebrows lightly raised while his well-defined hand yed with a pen. There was a hint of amusement in his eyes as he looked at Ashlyn. ¡°My wife has a wide range of interests, so she wanted to give it a try.¡± Upon hearing Herald inquire about Ashlyn, the other experts and professors who had been waiting for a long time also showed a hint of curiosity. Isn''t Sabrina the representative of Section Six before? That woman is quite capable, and she is more morous in appearance. They are clearly not the same person as this naturally elegant woman. So, they couldn''t help but feel a bit curious. ¡°May I ask what is Ms. Berry''s field of study? Are you also the cream of the crop in the field of new energy?¡± a curious expert couldn''t help but ask. Lucas curled his lips slightly, his dark eyes as deep and mysterious as an ancient well. His thin lips parted slightly. ¡°Oh, my wife graduated from medical school, specializing in general surgery.¡± Everyone was shocked! This is surely a ticking time bomb. What is Section Six up to? They actually invited a medical student to this rigorous and top-tier public hearing? What''s going on here? The entire meeting room fell into an eerie and gloomy silence. Herald never expected Lucas to say such a thing. He was even more confused about what this inscrutable man was really up to. Even those professors and experts couldn''t figure it out. Swallowing nervously, Spencer leaned in closer to Lucas, lowering his voice. ¡°Mr. Nn, Ms. Berry is quite adept at medicine andputers, and her martial arts skills are impressive, but... if she messes up with the new energy project...¡± ¡°I''ll bear the consequences!¡± Lucas exuded an air of unshakeable confidence. He waspletely rxed, not worried or anxious at all. It seemed like he trusted Ashlynpletely, and believed in her wholeheartedly. Even if she made mistakes, it would be fine as he had everything under control! So, they couldn''t help but feel a bit curious. ¡°May I ask what is Ms. Berry''s field of study? Are you also the cream of the crop in the field of new energy?¡± a curious expert couldn''t help but ask. Chapter 1205 Chapter 1205 Chapter 1205 Eliminating Panda Adieu Spencer''s heart was pounding so fast, he felt like he was on the verge of copse. He simply couldn''t maintain the sameposure as his boss. He was both scared and nervous... This was about the lifeblood of Section Six! He couldn''t help but look towards the woman standing in front of the projector on the stage. The woman''s expression was cool. Her face radiant with porcin-white skin that glowed with a lustrous sheen. She stood there, even in her simple attire, her dark eyes radiated a calm confidence. ¡°Hello everyone, I''m Ashlyn Berry. Today, I will be leading the presentation on everything rted to the new energy system...¡± Her voice echoed throughout the meeting room, carrying a hint of aloofness, yet her enunciation was so clear that one couldn''t help but want to listen to her attentively. She appeared calm, without any signs of nervousness or unease. It seemed like this was her home turf. She had no stage fright. It didn''t exist at all. She stood there, her slender, fair fingers clutching the mouse. She leaned slightly forward and didn''t even nce at the people below the stage. Her voice carried a hint of indifference, ¡°Just before we came on stage, our system was attacked by Panda Adieu. So, I''ve been dealing with the Trojan horse virus on the way here. Now... only the tail end remains. If you don''t mind, please give me a few minutes.¡± She spoke in a very simple and nonchnt manner. It sounded as if there was no need to be wary even if one''sputer system was infected by Panda Adieu. It was just like a simple little Trojan horse virus. But... The experts and professors in the entire meeting room were all stunned. Herald was also aputer whiz. Upon hearing the name Panda Adieu, his facepletely changed. ¡°Panda Adieu? This Trojan horse is one of the legendary... three most difficult to solve Trojan horse viruses.¡± An expert also wore a shocked expression. ¡°Oh, God, Panda Adieu is said to be a Trojan horse virus created by a big shot named Zero. This kind of virus is very difficult to remove and even harder to repair. Apart from Zero, I doubt anyone else could disarm it.¡± ¡°The year this Trojan horse was created, it sent shockwaves through the entire academic andputer world! Thankfully, Zero is a very upright person. He invented Panda Adieu, but he didn''t spread it around.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! Panda Adieu has actually appeared! It''s in Zero''s hands, how could it infect Section Six''sputers? Speaking of which... could Zero be here? Did Zero ambush Section Six?¡± Someone had already started to think outside the box. ¡°Huh? Thisdy says she can solve it?¡± ¡°Really? Why do I find it so hard to believe?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I''ve heard that no one but Zero can handle Panda Adieu.¡± Spencer looked at these experts, and at Herald''s face that had changed color, his mind buzzing. After a good while, he finally managed to calm his emotions and asked Lucas, ¡°Mr. Nn, what''s going on? Has our system been attacked? Or is it some kind of world-ss Trojan horse virus?¡± In the midst of their conversation, he suddenly understood something... It was what Sabrina had mentioned earlier, that they needed Ms. Berry''s help... Spencer felt a bit gloomy. As he listened to these experts and professors discussing the matter so zealously, it seemed like a troublesome and difficult problem to solve. It must be world-ss... A Trojan horse virus that many big shots couldn''t handle? Then... Can Ms. Berry handle it? He felt a touch of inexplicable worry. Hisputer skills were limited to ying games in his free time and making simple PowerPoint presentations. The more he thought about it, the more distressed he became, and the more his worries grew. ¡°Mr. Nn, if it''s too much of a hassle, perhaps we should consider cancelling...¡± Spencer''s gaze was filled with worry as he turned towards Lucas at his side. The man was impably dressed in a suit, his ck shirtplimented his handsome face. He remained calm and undisturbed, making him all the more coldly captivating. Upon hearing his words, the man''s eyes were as dark as the night, his unwavering trust and confidence in Ashlyn resulted in a certain steadfast calmness to his voice. ¡°Let''s wait and see.¡± He immediately curled his lips, his gaze finallynding on the woman on stage. ¡°Isn''t it just a Trojan horse virus? It''s just a panda, why can''t she handle it?¡± Chapter 1206 Chapter 1206 Chapter 1206 My Wife Is Cornelius ¡°Mr. Nn... no, this is a world-ss... Well, it''s not any ordinary Trojan horse virus.¡± At this moment, Spencer had already started searching for information on Panda Adieu on Google. Then, he held up his phone in front of Lucas. ¡°Take a look, this panda is not an ordinary panda. Its birth shook the entire world. And the creator, Zero, do you know who he is? He''s the top agent in Mysterious yet Majestic.¡± ¡°This Zero... I mean no disrespect to Ms. Berry, nor do I doubt her abilities. It''s just that this man... he''s a legend. How could she possibly resolve something that Zero has created?¡± Lucas raised an eyebrow and nced at him, ¡°Why not? My wife is Cornelius, the big shot of Magnecal Tech.¡± Spencer was really speechless. He was on the verge of tears. Lucas continued to watch Ashlyn on stage, his face expressionless. Yet, a hint of gentle indulgence could be seen in his eyes. ¡°Mysterious yet Majestic is a very mysterious organization. It''s said that they take orders directly from Mr. President, and they also take on some private tasks. These tasks are usually so difficult that others can''t solve them. As long as you find them, they can help you solve them.¡± It sounded like there was nothing he couldn''t do. He didn''t know much about the organization, but he trusted Ashlyn for some inexplicable reason. He believed that her courage to step onto the stage was proof of her capability. Spencer was nowhere near how rxed Lucas was, his entire body was tense, and he was extremely nervous. His eyes were fixed intently on Ashlyn, not daring to rx in the slightest. Herald couldn''t help but curl his lips. ¡°Mr. Nn, Ms. Berry can handle guns, but can she handle computers as well?¡± Even though the matter of new energy was an urgent matter, if he could see Lucas making a fool of himself, he would still be delighted. ¡°Just rx and watch, Mr. Cook,¡± Lucas replied indifferently. The projector screen continued to disy how Ashlyn operated theputer and how she eliminated the Trojan horse virus. Among those experts and professors seated below the stage, there were quite a fewputer whizzes. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Upon seeing Ashlyn''s actions, everyone couldn''t help but gasp in astonishment. ¡°Wow! This method is both efficient and powerful.¡± ¡°She gradually deconstructed the source code of the Trojan horse virus.¡± ¡°Her speed... it''s so fast!¡± Spencer listened rigidly to thesements. A sense of shock and astonishment filled her eyes. Has Ms. Berry... just taken care of the Trojan horse virus? In just a few short minutes, she had eliminated the virus, and wrapped up the taskpletely. ¡°Oh, what is her rtionship with Zero?¡± ¡°How is it that she can crack the Trojan horse virus created by Zero, when so many people around the world can''t?¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, is this youngdy from Section Six?¡± Lucas'' lips curled into a faint smile. ¡°She is the vice president and my wife.¡± Everyone was stunned! This smug tone, this proud demeanor, it was just too much! Sloan was sitting in the second row, struggling to maintain hisposure. ¡°How could that be possible?¡± Leroy sat next to him, quietly asking, ¡°Mr. Lacey, what''s wrong with you?¡± Only then did Sloan rx his facial expression, and said stiffly, ¡°Oh, it''s nothing. I just think the Deputy Director is quite impressive.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, who would have thought the vice president is so impressive, this kind of Trojan horse virus is quite scary. If theputer gets destroyed, and the system crashes, our new energy development in Zaewora would also be affected to some extent,¡± Leroy said with a beaming smile. He had a great fondness for Lucas and his team... Sloan looked at his kind-hearted face and felt annoyed. It was an irritation that just wouldn''t stop. What does this id*ot know? He is nothing but a boot licker of Section Six! The more agitated Sloan became, the better Ashlyn performed. He felt like he was on the verge of a breakdown. On stage, Ashlyn held aser pointer in her hand, and began to exin in detail everything about new energy to these experts and professors. This included the power of new energy system, the role of new energy system, and what new energy could change for humanity... She exined them very clearly even if they were some very specialized areas. Chapter 1207 Chapter 1207 Chapter 1207 Simple And Clear Presentation And even those technology terms which were rather rare, became very clear and easy to understand under her exnation. Even those who didn''t understand new energy couldprehend it when they heard about it for the first time. ¡°The new energy system has always been the project we in the H Nation have been most eager to conquer. Section Six has been doing research on it for some time, and our country''s new energy technology has always been leading the world... T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It has a multitude of benefits.¡± ¡°Zero emissions, no waste discharged during operation, and causing no pollution to the environment. ¡°The energy utilization rate is high. Research shows that the same crude oil has a very low energy utilization rate after being refined and sent to power nts to generate electricity. ¡°The structure is incredibly simple. It has minimal noise, making both the inside and outside of the cabin extremely quiet. ¡°Zero emissions. Pure electric cars use electrical energy, producing no exhaust fumes while driving, thus not polluting the environment. ¡°The resources are abundant. The electricity used can be obtained from a variety of primary energy sources, such as coal, nuclear power, and hydropower, alleviating the public''s concerns about the daily depletion of oil resources.¡± Everyone was attentively listening to Ashlyn''s introduction. She stood on the stage, her voice incredibly clear. Her slender, long, and straight legs were wrapped in blue jeans, and a casual white T-shirt was worn on her body. Yet, it couldn''t hide the confidence that she radiated. Spencer discovered that the process exined by Ashlyn was even more detailed and precise than any presentations on new energy system that he had ever seen before. Now, even the system had been modified. Some minor details that were not very refined earlier had been specifically improved and perfected. This system was now even more perfect! It was even better than the system that Sabrina and the others had previously presented to Lucas! He knew... she made the system increasingly detailed during her presentation! She... she actually knows this stuff! He was shocked! Once again, he was stunned by Ashlyn''s brilliant mind. He was simply mesmerized, watching Ashlyn on stage. Her alluring red lips moved rhythmically, continuously exining the new energy system. As she spoke, she even picked up the experimental tools from the workbench and conducted a small experiment right on the spot. It was incredibly urate and yet easy to understand. Her fair, slender fingers deftly manipted the tools, making aplex scientific experiment seem as simple as a toddler ying with a toy car. ¡°Just like the results of this experiment, new energy is all about saving time, effort, and resources. Can everyone understand now?¡± At this moment, Sabrina and Ss were quietly standing outside the entrance of the meeting room. Naturally, they didn''t dare to go in. Everyone was all ears, attentively listening to the soundsing from inside. The entire ce fell silent, only the woman''s cool voice could be heard. After listening for a while, Sabrina felt somewhat bewildered. Quietly, Ss pushed the door ajar, peering inside with wide eyes. He happened to catch a glimpse of Ashlyn conducting an experiment. His eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. If time and ce had permitted, he really wanted to shout out, ¡°Holy crap!¡± ¡°Did I just hear Ms. Berry doing a presentation?¡± ¡°Exactly, her voice has been resonating, but it''s just not very clear.¡± Ss watched for a long while, and he could not take his eyes off the stage until Ashlyn''s experiment was over. Only then did he straighten up and meet Sabrina''s inquisitive gaze. ¡°Ss, what do you think? Was the presentation satisfactory?¡± ¡°She works wonders...¡± Ss said, feeling a bit dizzy. ¡°I saw Ms. Berry even conducting an experiment... How does she know how to do experiments...¡± Sabrina was taken aback, it took her a moment to respond, ¡°An experiment? She conducted an experiment right here, right now?¡± ¡°See for yourself.¡± Ss stepped aside, and Sabrina quickly disregarded her image, rushing to peek through the door gap. As a result, she saw Ashlyn answering a question posed by an expert with a smile on her face. She was poised andposed, a hint of anguid smile ying on her lips. Her eyes sparkled like stars. It was a tricky question, so Sabrina couldn''t help but feel nervous for Ashlyn. Even as the team leader, she would have to think carefully before answering. Chapter 1208 Chapter 1208 Chapter 1208 She Is Awesome But she never expected that Ashlyn''s response would be so perfect... There could be no answer more perfect than hers! Sabrina admitted that her answers could only be worse than hers, never better. I''m feeling dizzy... How can she be so smart? How can she be such a perfect woman? What kind of virtue has Mr. Nn umted to encounter such a fantastic wife? Sabrina was even a bit jealous of Lucas. ¡°Did you guys just hear that? What did Ms. Berry say that Trojan horse virus was? Panda Adieu! Oh my goodness! Did I hear that right?¡± a man asked quietly. He doubted his ears had deceived him. ¡°I heard it too. It seemed like she has said Panda Adieu.¡± ¡°Did we really fall for this Trojan horse virus? It''s d*mn terrifying, isn''t it?¡± ¡°But... how did this virus end up on ourputer? We take such good care of it, so how could we possibly encounter this kind of Trojan horse virus?¡± ¡°It almost ruined all our hard work.¡± ¡°Let''s discuss this matterter, and resolve today''s issues first,¡± Sabrina said softly. ¡°Everyone, rest assured, Mr. Nn will certainly not let this happen in vain.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone immediately nodded in agreement. No one talked about the Trojan horse virus anymore. After a while, Ss finally spoke. ¡°But... Ms. Berry actually... managed to handle this virus?¡± ¡°Didn''t they say that Zero created this Trojan horse virus?¡± Sabrina swallowed nervously as a terrifying thought shed through her mind. She spoke slowly, ¡°Could Ms. Berry possibly be Zero?¡± ¡°You''re talking nonsense!¡± Ss immediately objected, ¡°Ms. Berry is Mrs. Nn, so how could she possibly be a spy? Zero is definitely a man, and besides... Zero is a spy who is busy with a myriad of tasks. How could he possibly be a leisurely person like Ms. Berry? Besides, he wouldn''te all the way to Zaewora with us...¡± When he said this, Sabrina also felt that there was a certain truth to his words. ¡°I was just making a casualment and a random guess. But if it really is Ms. Berry, wouldn''t that mean we''ve met a spy in our lifetime?¡± ¡°Ms. Sabrina.¡± Ss looked at Sabrina with aplex expression on his face. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Sabrina blinked her eyes. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I feel that ever since you met Ms. Berry, you''ve been daydreaming quite a bit. And, I''ve always thought I admired Ms. Berry enough, but I realized that you admire her even more!¡± Ss looked her up and down. ¡°You''re not a lesbian, are you? All your previous affections for Mr. Nn were fake, and your true love is for Ms. Berry?¡± ¡°Go to hell!¡± Sabrina couldn''t help but punch him as her face flushed red. There was a hint of shyness in her beautiful eyes. ¡°Ms. Berry is the person I look up to in my life, my idol. Got it?¡± ¡°What''s the big deal about men? My true love is my idol!¡± However, the rest of them were still immersed in shock. Ashlyn... she actually solved the Panda Adieu issue? Theplexity of this Trojan horse virus is on par with the globally popr ILOVEYOU virus, which caused an uproar a few years ago. Just how influential is she? She can even handle something like Panda Adieu. That''s incredible! Absolutely incredible! ¡°Awesome, she''s so awesome. She even handled the Trojan horse virus, and exined our system so well.¡± ¡°Exactly... What kind of a big shot is Ms. Berry!¡± While they were still whispering their admiration, Sabrina took another peek through the crack in the door. After a moment, she looked back at her colleagues, her face filled with shock. ¡°Ms. Berry... she has even improved the system...¡± ¡°How did she manage to perfect it in such a short time?¡± Ss was astonished. ¡°I just noticed that some details of the system have been changed. She probably spotted issues as she was exining and fixed them on the spot,¡± Sabrina said, her eyes wide in disbelief. ¡°How did she manage to do that...¡± She used their meticulously crafted system every day. Even the slightest change within this system wouldn''t escape her keen eyes. Chapter 1209 Chapter 1209 Chapter 1209 Someone Did This Deliberately So... She definitely didn''t see it wrong just now! This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Upon hearing this, Ss thought he was experiencing auditory hallucinations. ¡°What did you say?¡± Did I hear it wrong? ¡°Could I possibly deceive you? How could I not know what the system looks like?¡± Sabrina swallowed, her beautiful face filled with disbelief. She suddenly realized something. Anyone who bes an enemy of Ms. Berry will surely meet a terrible end, but if one bes a friend of hers, they will be really blessed. A wave of fear washed over her from deep within. Thankfully... I havee to my senses in time. I didn''t continue to provoke Ashlyn anymore. What a foolish choice it would be to stand against such an impressive woman? However, the person who made this foolish choice was now sitting next to Leroy, seething with anger. The fury in Sloan''s eyes was almost uncontroble. How could this woman be so formidable? No wonder Lucas values her so much. That was practically Section Six''s shining moment. The experts and professors, representing their respective countries and institutions, were all ready to sign contracts with Section Six, intending to purchase their new energy system. With so many contracts signed, the reputation of Section Six skyrocketed overnight. Before this, Section Six could only be considered somewhat famous, now its reputation had certainly reached new heights. Moreover, the countries that attended the public hearings were generally those with scarce oil resources and found it difficult to cope with high international oil prices. Thus, they were more epting of new energy, and they liked it. After seeing these expert professors off, Spencer was holding a pile of newly signed contracts. He was so ecstatic that he could hardly close his mouth. Herald wore a gentle smile on his face. ¡°Mr. Nn, Ms. Berry, congrattions on the sessful completion of the public hearing this time.¡± Leroy also came over, looking at Ashlyn with admiration on his face. ¡°Ms. Berry, when will you upgrade our system? Can you help us solve that previous issue?¡± Ashlyn curved her lips into a smile, her icy gaze sweeping towards Sloan standing behind the two. ¡°Before we proceed, shall we first address the issue of the Trojan horse virus?¡± Herald furrowed his brows. ¡°Hasn''t the Trojan horse virus been dealt with?¡± ¡°It has been resolved, but someone deliberately nted this virus on Section Six''sputers. Mr. Cook, it happened on your turf, right under your nose. In fact, someone is targeting Section Six. Don''t you have anything to say about this?¡± Ashlyn nced at him, speaking in a nonchnt manner. ¡°Ms. Berry, please... mind your words. How could such a thing possibly happen?¡± Herald''s expression remained displeased. ¡°How can the mistakes made by your staff be med on us?¡± ¡°Everything will soone to light whether it''s your problem, or whether you should take responsibility.¡± Ashlyn''s lips curled into a hint of mockery. Lucas chuckled lightly. ¡°Mr. Cook, I''ve already sent someone to investigate. I believe the truth will soon come to light.¡± The staff from also flocked into the meeting room. Sabrina stood in front of Ashlyn, dressed in a yellow dress today, looking as charming and vibrant as a rose. ¡°Before locking up the workroomst night, I made sure to check the system. Only after confirming that there were no issues did I leave and lock the door.¡± ¡°And when we left togetherst night, it was already past eleven,¡± said Ss. ¡°It wasn''t until this morning when we returned and tried to turn on theputer, we found out it was no longer working.¡± ¡°Someone must have sneaked into our workroomst night,¡± Sabrina continued, ¡°So, Mr. Nn, you must find out who is trying to harm Section Six.¡± Herald paused for a moment before saying, ¡°The keys to your rooms will only be in your hands, so... you should check among your people to see if there''s a mole.¡± ¡°Guessing blindly here won''t get us anywhere, Mr. Cook. Let''s wait for the investigation results,¡± Ashlyn said with a smile. ¡°I suggest you also conduct a thorough investigation in Zaewora, so you won''t use us of ming you unfairlyter.¡± Chapter 1210 Chapter 1210 Chapter 1210 Is She Zero Herald''s face looked rather unpleasant. Ashlyn was tantly pping him in the face, provoking him fiercely. He used to have a bit of a soft spot for her, but now he just felt that this kind of woman was utterly undiscriminating and impossible to control. ¡°Let''s go!¡± He snorted coldly, then turned around to leave with Leroy and Sloan. Sloan walked to the door, then turned back to take another nce at Ashlyn. The woman''s cool gaze fell on him as if she could see through everything. It sent a chill down his spine... He always felt that nothing could escape her gaze. Upon seeing the bunch leave, everyone at Section Six gathered around Ashlyn, their faces filled with admiration. The sparks in Ss''s eyes looked like they were about to fall out. ¡°Ms. Berry, how did you manage to tame that Trojan horse virus?¡± ¡°That was Panda Adieu! It''s no ordinary virus.¡± Sabrina was also very curious. ¡°Can you teach us?¡± ¡°Hmm, it''s quite simple.¡± Ashlyn walked straight to theputer she had been using before. ¡°I''m going to nt the virus in now.¡± nt... nt it in? Is she serious? Upon hearing her voice, everyone was astounded! Ss''s face changed, ¡°Ms. Berry, please don''t... Thisputer is fine now. If you nt it again, won''t it just...¡± Before he could finish his sentence, he found himself at a loss for words. Because... He saw that Ashlyn was programming the virus... The source code of the panda continuously flowed out beneath her fingers. Everyone was also stunned. Not only can she eliminate the Trojan horse virus, but she also write it? ¡°I think... she is Zero,¡± Sabrina couldn''t help but specte again. Just how many people in this world could write Panda Adieu? These top-tierputer technicians across the country couldn''t wipe it off, but she, Ashlyn Berry, could! In no time at all, Ashlyn had finished writing. Once she was ready, she immediatelyunched the Trojan horse virus named ¡°Panda Adieu¡±. Then, theputer immediately glitched and the screen went ck. Immediately, she began to demonstrate and exined as she went along. Those people who werepletely shocked just now, quickly perked up their ears to listen to her lecture. She stood in front of theputer, as if she was radiating light. She radiated an alluring glow from head to toe. ¡°Alright, it''s just that simple.¡± While Ashlyn was eliminating the virus, she also fixed theputer. After she finished, she lifted her head, only to meet the stunned expressions of everyone around her. They were as stunned as statues. It is such aplex and difficult solution process, but she actually said it is so simple... There are a few expressions that, even after reading them once, I still don''t understand... My heart is breaking... Sabrina managed to understand, so her eyes were wide and she was all excited as she looked at Ashlyn. Her gaze was filled with fervent admiration and excitement, ¡°Ms. Berry, you''re simply a fairy!¡± Lucas had been silently watching her all this time. Now that she had finished her tasks, he extended his hand towards her. ¡°Let''s go and eat.¡± Ashlyn nodded, her beautiful almond eyes fixed on the man not far from her. He was dressed in a suit, with long legs, and a perfectly triangr physique. The suit made his figure appear even more slender and upright, catching the eye. Unable to resist, she too extended her hand, intertwining it with his. The handsome man and the beautiful woman standing together were particrly pleasing to the eye. Sabrina watched the two of them, feeling an unexpected calmness in her heart. She had truly let go of Lucas, and her foolish unrequited love. She felt that she had been such a fool in the past, then she chuckled at herself and moved closer to Spencer. In a low voice, she asked, ¡°Mr. White, how''s the investigation going?¡± Spencer''s expression was cold and indifferent. ¡°It''s starting to take shape.¡± Lucas had already taken Ashlyn''s hand, heading towards the outside of the meeting room. Meanwhile, the rest of the people from Section Six hurriedly followed him, everyone eagerly anticipating an oue. That''s it! Find the person who harmed Section Six and bring them to justice! They first checked the hotel''s surveince, but didn''t find anything unusual. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. However, it didn''t take long for Spencer to realize that someone had tampered with the surveince. Chapter 1211 Chapter 1211 Chapter 1211 The Culprit He immediately called Sabrina and others to restore the surveince data. For the technicians at Section Six, recovering data was a piece of cake. Even after the data was recovered, no suspicious individuals were found entering or leaving the workroom. ¡°You guys go ahead,¡± Spencer said to Sabrina, ¡°I''ll look into the rest.¡± They had already identified their target. It was just that... they don''t have any evidence yet. ¡°Pull up all the surveince from around their house,¡± Spencer instructed his subordinates. ¡°I refuse to believe that we can''t find any evidence.¡± ¡°We also can''t overlook the surveince camera near the hotel entrance,¡± Spencer added after a moment of thought. By the time evening came the next day, apelling piece of evidence was finally found. It was a video that was uploaded by a guest onto his own social media tform. The guest introduced the hotel they were staying at, describing what it was like. Coincidentally, this guest was a travel blogger who loved to capture every ce they visited. In the video she was filming, a man''s figure happened to pass by her at the corner, and she captured it on camera. Not only that, after brushing past him, they also captured footage of this man using a spare room card to open the workroom. This blogger was clueless, so she continued to film videos, while... that man, whether due to nervousness or something else, didn''t bother to engage with the travel blogger and swiftly entered the room. And everyone could see clearly, the man was none other than Sloan''s secretary! He was also his brother-inw, Yosef. Yosef had always been Sloan''s nominal secretary, drawing a sry for a job he didn''t really do. It was a cushy position indeed. Sloan found that the young man was an ipetent bungler, so he rarely took him along to work. Yosef, on the other hand, was azy bum who never missed an opportunity to cause trouble instead of doing anything useful. This time, Sloan assumed that Yosef would certainly be a new face, as the people from Section Six had never seen him before. Sloan didn''t trust anyone else to handle the situation. After all, Yosef was his brother-inw. No matter what happened, he believed that Yosef wouldn''t betray him. He probably couldn''t even imagine in his wildest dreams that the people from Section Six had already met Yosef, and had given him a good beating. ¡°Why is it him?¡± Spencer''s face slightly hardened. Why is this person trying to harm Section Six? Is it because of Yuri? At this moment, Spencer was still unaware that Yosef was acting under the orders of Sloan. ... Inside Herald''s office. He radiated a sense of urgency from every part of his being, his handsome face unable to hide his restlessness. Leroy stood before him, head bowed, not daring to utter a word. I was managing just fine, yet you all insist on snatching it from my hands. Well, now I''ve offended someone and there''s no way to fix the situation. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The advent of new energy is imminent. So many small countries are willing to cooperate with Section Six, buying their new energy system. But you guys have managed to thoroughly offend them. Have you been kicked in the head? But he didn''t dare to say or do anything. After all, he was a small fry and his words carried little to no weight. ¡°What do we do now? How''s the investigation going? Have we found any leads?¡± Herald''s eyebrows and eyes looked all serious. ¡°Could it really be one of our own who did this? Who could be so foolish?¡± Sloan noticed that the office door was open. As he reached the entrance and was about to step in, he heard Herald''s words. His face stiffened. There was a hint of difort flickering in his eyes. ¡°Mr. Cook, please don''t get angry. It''s clear that Section Six is trying to nder us.¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± Herald said with a look of annoyance, ¡°Is Lucas a man who talks nonsense? Is Ashlyn a woman who would casually wrong others? This couple is clearly not to be trifled with. Who would be so blind to provoke them?¡± He was infuriated when he saw Sloan. ¡°You just had to show off and intimidate others a few days ago to give them a hard time, didn''t you? Well, look what happened now! They''ve sold all their new energy and new systems. They''re big shots, capable of handling even the Trojan horse virus of Panda Adieu.¡± Chapter 1212 Chapter 1212 Chapter 1212 Sloan and Yosef ¡°Do you know what Panda Adieu signifies in the internationalputing world? It''s one of the top ten most elusive Trojan horse viruses.¡± ¡°Would Lucas be with Ashlyn if she were a simpleton?¡± ¡°You! You! You''re driving me crazy!¡± The more Herald thought about it, the angrier he became. His rage intensified with every passing moment. He originally intended to apply the new energy system to the military. After all, he was the minister of the Department of Defense. Now things have gone south. I have to swallow my pride to go and sweet-talk them to build connections with them. He was filled with regret. In the past, his rtionship with Leroy was very well maintained. But now, it was all ruined by Sloan. How much he wanted to suppress Lucas then was equal to how much his pride hurt, and that was how agitated his heart felt. Sloan heard Herald''s scathing rebuke. it was as relentless and fierce as a tidal barrage of machine guns. When he realized his power was not as big as others, he could only y the subordinate role, and let criticisms go in one ear and out the other. However, he still had to put up a show and say softly. ¡°Mr. Cook, I''m sorry. I acted impulsively and did what I did.¡± ¡°Is an apology useful? If apologies worked, why would we need the police?¡± Herald red at him irritably, ¡°Get lost, and out of my sight now!¡± It''s annoying just looking at him. Sloan quickly turned around and left. It was only after he entered the elevator that he remembered why he was looking for Herald... to apologize and admit his mistakes. However, when he thought about Herald''s attitude towards him just now, he felt that if he were to tell him the truth, Herald would probably kill him on the spot. He felt rather lucky. How could Lucas be so incredible? Could he really uncover the truth? Moreover, he had enlisted the help of aputer expert who hadpletely wiped out all the surveince data. Upon reflection, he felt that his idea of turning himself in was utterly ridiculous. What he didn''t know was that he had just entered an elevator, while another elevator next to it had stopped on this floor. Then, two men stepped out from it. The men were tall and upright, their lean bodies wrapped in ck suits, looking extremely sharp. The two men arrived at Herald''s office, one after the other. Upon seeing Lucas, Herald''s face stiffened momentarily, before he managed to force a rigid smile. ¡°Mr. Nn, I apologize for not greeting you sooner. Please, have a seat.¡± Lucas looked at himzily, his sharp eyes slightly squinted, exuding an aura of nobility from head to toe. Then he nonchntly settled onto the sofa, a hint of coldness seeped from the corners of his eyes. It was enough to make one shudder. ¡°Mr. Cook, please get Mr. Lacey and his brother-inw, Yosef.¡± It was a casual remark, yet it hit Herald''s heart like a sledgehammer. It hit him so hard that he almost felt his chest tighten up. At this very moment, Yosef was feeling quite pleased with himself. Sloan had asked him for a big favor and even gave him a reward of one million. He happened to feel irritated due to the sense of frustration and displeasure he felt towards Yuri. He rose to his feet, clutching the bank card that held a million, and walked out. Then he headed straight to the garage. He fired up his Ferrari and drove towards a club. At this time, it was broad daylight, and the club was usually not open. But that didn''t matter, as ''money makes the world go round''. What I want is this feeling as if I''ve booked the whole ce to myself. As long as I have money, wouldn''t I be able to find a girl to keep mepany? He needed to let off some steam and got a few beautiful women to have a good time with. The car pulled up directly in front of the club. As soon as the madam saw him, she squinted her eyes andughed. ¡°Mr. Guzman, pleasee in. Gloria, Pa, and the others are all waiting for you!¡± Yosef revealed a lecherous grin. ¡°Alright then!¡± He was led directly by the madam into a spacious private room. There, several women were lounging on the sofa, scantily d and fashionably dressed, waiting for him. The madam hurriedly said, ¡°Mr. Guzman has arrived. Make sure you serve him well. Understand?¡±T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1213 Chapter 1213 Chapter 1213 Watch A Show ¡°All right, got it!¡± a woman with heavy makeup purred in a coquettish voice. After leaving a few more instructions, the madam tactfully excused herself. The few women immediately surrounded Yosef, cing him squarely in the middle. Yosef was promptly in seventh heaven. Sure enough, the allure of women out there is irresistible. Their soft, gentle voices and knack for pleasing are truly captivating! He was feeling smug when the door to the private room was suddenly kicked open with a bang. Several burly men barged in and pinned him to the ground. The women screamed in fright and all scrambled to hide. Yosef was also taken aback. He shouted angrily, ¡°What are the lot of you doing? Do you know who I am? I''m the President''s son-inw and heir of the Guzman family!¡± ¡°So what? We''re going to seize you!¡± A man in ck kicked him down and ruthlessly stomped on his chest. ¡°You''re nothing but trash!¡± ¡°Ouch! It hurts!¡± Yosef cried out in pain. However, the few men instantly restrained him and dragged him out. The few women hurriedly went after them, only to see the madam likewise wearing a baffled expression. ¡°What''s going on here, gentlemen?¡± ¡°It''s none of your business! You''d better shut up! Don''t ask any questions!¡± The man''s face was cold and ruthless. He quickly left, dragging Yosef, who was pale as a ghost, along. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Okay, sure. I''lle up right away.¡± After hanging up the phone with Herald, Sloan had a bewildered look on his face. Just a moment ago, he yelled at me furiously. So why is he suddenly ordering me to go up now? How strange and peculiar. Even though I''m a minister, he''s more powerful than me. Oh well, there''s nothing I can do about it. He had no choice but to relent, getting back into the elevator. As soon as Sloan entered the room, he found both Lucas and Spencer were also present. That aside, there were several other leaders from the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice usually doesn''t have much interaction with me. Why are they here now? A sudden unease began to well within him, but all he could do was step in. With a forced smile stered on his face, he greeted everyone present. ¡°You''re all here?¡± He started with Herald. ¡°Mr. Cook.¡± An icy hint of anger brimmed in Herald''s eyes. Hepletely ignored the greeting, acting indifferent beyond words. That upset Sloan even further. He proceeded to greet Lucas. ¡°Mr. Nn.¡± In turn, Lucas sneered at him coldly. Sloan''s heart pounded wildly in his chest. He then looked at the rest of the people there, at a loss as to what exactly was going on. But still, he suppressed the unease within him. ''What brings you guys here out of the blue?¡± ¡°Mr. Cook invited us over,¡± a deputy minister from the Department of Justice said with a slight smile. ¡°He asked us toe and watch a show. So...¡± At that, he turned to Herald, ¡°What exactly is the show, Mr. Cook?¡± ¡°The show is going to start very soon,¡± Herald replied, suppressing the fury within him. The atmosphere in the entire office was exceedingly strange and eerie. A look of disdain was evident on Spencer''s face. The sight of that had waves of anxiety flooding Sloan. He felt as though he was the clown in the show. What on earth is going on? N-No, that can''t be it! The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat tense. Sloan felt as though he had been stripped bare as he stood in the middle of the office. No one offered him a seat or told him why he was asked to return. He felt his face me hotly, the sensation far too mortifying. Taking a deep breath, he turned to look at Herald, his voice trembling as he asked, ¡°Mr. Cook, may I ask why you''ve called me back?¡± ¡°Nothing much. I merely want to ask whether you know the reason for that Trojan horse virus, Panda Adieu, during today''s public hearing.¡± Herald''s voice was mild. However, Lucas casually raised an eyebrow and swept a sharp gaze over him. That look had Sloan shudder with fear. With just a single look, the man overpowered everyone present with his aura. Sloan''s face had turned pale. In that peculiar atmosphere, he could barely give voice to his words. ¡°H- How could I possibly know? I''m not aputer science expert. I-I don''t understand such a thing.¡± Chapter 1214 Chapter 1214 Chapter 1214 Regarded Everyone As Fools As Sloan spoke, cold sweat drenched his back, and his heart clenched with bouts of unease swamping him. He knew that Trojan horse virus best, for he was the one who sent Yosef to nt it. He even specifically ordered Yosef to learn how to activate it. It was rumored that the Trojan horse virus was incredibly powerful. Moreover, he had to plead and lower himself to buy it at a high price from Herald''s younger brother, Hugo. It was said that the man had some connections with Mysterious yet Majestic. The reason Herald was so high and mighty Zaewora was none other than his brother being on good terms with Mysterious yet Majestic. Therefore, the President held the Cook family in high regard, especially Herald. Hugo was aputer whiz who was very much renowned in Zaewora. Herald also had a great talent in computer science. The entire nation''sputer system was in the hands of the two brothers. He suppressed the shock within, feigning calmness. No matter what, I got it from Hugo. Herald wouldn''t just hang his own brother out to dry, would he? ¡°Then, exin this.¡± Herald had his assistant turn on the mini projector in his office to project directly onto the pristine white wall. Subsequently, the video of Yosef sneaking into Section Six''s workroom in the hotel was yed for everyone to see. The video was clear, and his face was inly visible. Sloan''s face went pale. ¡°Why is Yosef always causing trouble? Why did he go to Section Six''s workroom for no reason? He never knows his limits, but this is too much! I''ll call him right now and get him over here!¡± ¡°No, it''s okay!¡± Herald couldn''t help but scoff. ¡°Bring him in!¡± Before Sloan could gather his wits about him, a loud thud rang out as a man roughly tossed a bup sack down at his feet. At once, he was taken aback. He then heard whimpering from inside the bup sack and suffered a scare. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. He couldn''t help taking two steps back, ¡°Someone is in there?¡± The mouth of the bup sack wasn''t tied. As it slowly slid down, a man crawled out from inside. He was gagged with a white cloth, and his hands were bound with rope. He looked exceedingly disheveled, his face bruised and swollen. Nheless, one could vaguely make out his initial countenance. Following closer inspection, Sloan''s face instantly flushed bright red. ¡°Yosef? What happened to you?¡± He gaped at Yosef incredulously before swinging his gaze to Herald with a frown. ¡°What''s the meaning of this, Mr. Cook? Even if Yosef entered Section Six''s room, you can''t prove that he was the one who nted the Trojan horse virus there. He might have just been curious and went in for a look at the interior decoration. How could you have him beat to a pulp? Where''s your regard for the Guzman and Lacey families? We''ve always kept to our own. Our families have shown nothing but respect to the Cook family. What right do you have to treat my nephew like this?¡± Usually, respect was given where due. But they had then pinned Yosef to the ground and beaten him up. If he didn''t even bother to protest, the Cook family might pick on them even more. Everyone present was taken aback by Sloan''s lengthy tirade. Yosef sneaked into the room to check out the d¨¦cor and furnishings? Is he taking us for fools or three- year-old kids? The sight of Sloan calmly rambling incessantly made it feel like he really regarded everyone as fools. Herald seethed with anger. If it weren''t for him, there wouldn''t be such a mess. Section Six is now a hotmodity, with many small countries fawning over Lucas. I, too, have to rely on the man. Yet, he still can''t grasp the current situation. Argh! How infuriating! He can bring about his own ruin if he so wishes it, but if he drags us all down with him, he can''t me me for showing him no mercy! Someone who could make it to the position of minister undoubtedly had some tricks up his sleeve. He locked eyes with Sloan, his expression dark as he enunciated, ¡°Yosef has already confessed. He nted a Trojan horse virus in Section Six''sputer, and it was under your orders.¡± Chapter 1215 Chapter 1215 Chapter 1215 Busted Sloan clenched his fists tightly, his face turning pale. He couldn''t help but widen his eyes, his face filled with shock and panic. How could this be possible... this fool. He actually admitted to it? Yosef''s mouth was stuffed with a white cloth, his face filled with terror. He shot Sloan a wide-eyed stare. His whimpers were muffled through the gag. Sloan was trembling with rage. He pped Yosef and bellowed, ¡°You fool! I knew you were an ipetent bungler! How many times have I warned you not to speak, even if it kills you? If you die, it means both of us will die!¡± Yosef was hit so hard that he saw stars. The white cloth stuffed in his mouth was knocked out by a p, falling to the ground. Finally regaining the ability to speak, Yosef cried out loudly, ¡°Sloan, I didn''t say anything. I didn''t confess to anything. Herald is deceiving you...¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Sloan''s head was buzzing from the revtion. I''ve been tricked! I''ve fallen into Herald''s trap! He was foolish enough to give himself away. His hands trembled as his face nched. Still, he tried to argue, ¡°Mr. Cook, let me exin. I was just overwhelmed with anger earlier. I didn''t expect Yosef to actually create a Trojan horse virus.¡± He made it seem as if he was wronged and once again pped Yosef''s face. ¡°You scoundrel, why are you ndering me? I''m your brother-inw! I''ve always been good to you. What does your Trojan horse virus have to do with me?¡± Yosef couldn''t believe he had been pped again. He was so dazed by the blows that he felt he was the actual victim of the situation. Yosef couldn''t believe he had been pped again. He was so dazed by the blows that he felt he was the actual victim of the situation. The treatment was a far cry from all the pampering he enjoyed at home. So I did a small favor for Sloan, and what happened? Not only did Herald send people to beat me up, but Sloan himself also hit me? The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. ¡°Sloan, I work for you, and you still hit me? All because I took a million from you? Is that necessary?¡± Herald never expected that Sloan would still be making excuses and shirking his responsibility at that juncture. Disappointed, he shook his head and said, ¡°Mr. Lacey, how can you still be making excuses at this stage?¡± Sloan quickly turned to Herald and sputtered, ¡°Mr. Cook, I have nothing to do with this. It''s clearly Yosef''s doing. Even though he''s my brother-inw, I must prioritize justice over family.¡± He turned his gaze back to the people from the Department of Justice and instructed, ¡°Take Yosef away. Deal with him as you see fit.¡± He added, ¡°Mr. Lacey, it seems you can''t ept your wrongdoing until it''s toote.¡± Herald waved his hand, and his assistant immediately produced a bank card. ¡°This bank card has your fingerprints as well as Yosef''s on it. It contains a million, and it''s the card you gave to Yosef.¡± ¡°I''m his brother-inw. What''s wrong with giving him a card?¡± Sloan still wanted to argue, not willing to give up. ¡°It''s okay to give him the card, but there''s a recording here. Would you like to listen to it?¡± Lucas, who had been silent all along, swept his icy gaze over Sloan. The words he uttered, however, seemed as if they came straight from hell. Sloan''s face turned as white as a sheet, and he almost fainted. ¡°W-what do you mean by this?¡± Lucas remained silent and refused to engage in conversation with Sloan. With a low chuckle, Spencer exined, ¡°Didn''t you know? This Panda Adieu Trojan horse viruses with a recording feature, but this function can only be essed when it''s hacked. So, from the moment you received the Panda Adieu Trojan horse virus, it began recording your conversation. We just weren''t sure whose voice it was in the recording. But now, we know it''s your voice.¡± ¡°No! Impossible! When I bought this Panda Adieu virus from Hugo, he didn''t tell me it could record sounds!¡± Sloan growled in frustration. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk.¡± Lucas looked at Herald and asked coldly, ¡°It seems this has something to do with Mr. Hugo?¡± Chapter 1216 Chapter 1216 Chapter 1216 Hugo Screws Up All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Upon hearing Sloan''s words, Herald''s face began to turn ashen. This was really a case of getting what he had asked for. He thought he was sabotaging Sloan, yet he ended up implicating himself after all that effort. D*mn it! He had never been as furious as he was now. What on earth was Hugo thinking? That fool! Why would he sell the Panda Adieu Trojan horse virus to Sloan? Perhaps Lucas might think that I, as his older brother, am the one who has been giving Hugo ideas! ck spots appeared in Herald''s vision; he was on the verge of passing out. You''re such a burden! This is exactly what you call a useless teammate! The colleagues from the Ministry of Justice had already detained the copsed Sloan. They addressed Herald in an official manner, ¡°This matter is of a severe nature. As for Mr. Hugo''s involvement, we request Mr. Cook to handle this impartially as well. We''ll be taking Mr. Guzman and Mr. Lacey with us now.¡± Sloan and Yosef maliciously nted Trojan horse viruses in theputers in Section Six. This was done despite the fact that the targeted party was their own new energy provider. This severely damaged their own interests in the new energy sector and also ruined their rtionship with Lucas. Punishing him and Yosef was only natural. If Hugo knew what Sloan was going to do with the Trojan horse virus and still decided to sell it to him, then Hugo wasplicit in the crime. Even if he didn''t know what Sloan was nning to do with the Trojan horse virus, he would still likely face some sort of punishment. Herald was shaking with anger, his face ashen. He said to Lucas, ¡°Mr. Nn, I assure you. I will resolve this matter perfectly.¡± ¡°Well then, I''ll be waiting for the good news from Mr. Cook.¡± Lucas stood up, his tall figure instantly making the office feel a bit cramped. The man turned and strode away on his long legs, which were encased in tailored suit trousers. Spencer stared intently at Herald and warned, ¡°I hope Mr. Cook won''t let Mr. Nn down.¡± After saying that, he immediately followed in Lucas'' footsteps. The color drained from Herald''s face. But he dared not say anything other than wishing them a safe trip home. In the office, only Herald and the assistant remained. He slumped into his office chair, utterly exhausted. His back was already drenched in cold sweat. Hugo, d*mn it! At the Cook residence, Hugo had been up all night, working with a few colleagues on a new program until the break of dawn. He slept until past two in the afternoon before he woke up. With his hair disheveled and face unwashed, he emerged from his room and went downstairs. He said to the servant, ¡°Make me something to eat. I''m starving.¡± Just as he was about to turn around and head back upstairs for a nap, Herald suddenly stormed into the living room, ring at him with a menacing look. It instantly jolted Hugo awake. He looked at Herald in confusion and asked, ¡°Herald, why are you looking at me like that? Your expression is kind of scary!¡± Herald wore a stern expression, looking authoritatively at Hugo. ¡°Tell me,¡± he demanded, ¡°what was your deal with Sloan? What exactly have you done?¡± Hugo looked somewhat taken aback, pausing for a moment before saying, ¡°I didn''t do anything. He just wanted a powerful Trojan horse virus, so I gave him one. What''s the matter?¡± Herald''s voice was cold and stern as he scolded Hugo, ¡°Do you think the Cook family''s situation isn''t chaotic enough? Why are you associating with him? Do you have any idea what he did with that Trojan horse virus?¡± Hugo''s mind waspletely nk. His usually muddled brain became even more befuddled. ¡°What can he do? Did he kill someone?¡± Upon hearing the quarrel between the two brothers, Martha hurried out of her room. Seeing Herald''s uncontroble anger, she felt a pang of sympathy for her younger grandson. ¡°Herald, what''s the matter? You started scolding your brother as soon as you walked in. Your brother was working through the night!¡± ¡°Grandma, you must stop defending him all the time. It''s your constant protection that has led him to cause such a disaster!¡± Herald became irritated as soon as he heard Martha taking Hugo''s side. ¡°What kind of disaster? He spends his days either at work or at home, always in front of aputer. What kind of trouble could he possibly get into?¡± Despite everything, Martha still had a soft spot for Hugo. Chapter 1217 Chapter 1217 Chapter 1217 Connections Hugo had absolutely no idea what Sloan had done, so he was quite irritated. ¡°What makes you think you can yell at me at home just because you''re a minister? It''s just a Trojan horse virus. Will it turn the world upside down?¡± Frustrated, Herald''s chest heaved, and his eyes were filled with rage. He walked straight toward Hugo with a grim expression, raised his hand, and pped thetter across the face. ¡°How dare you speak without any guilt and shame? I tell you, you''ve turned the world upside down!¡± The tight p left Hugo dazed and a burning sensation on his face. When Pauline returned from outside and saw her son being pped by Herald, she immediately strode over in anger and red at Herald. ¡°What''s this all about? Who gave you the right to hit your younger brother?¡± Although Martha did not know what had happened, she could tell that the situation was serious. Hugo lifted his head, totally baffled. ¡°I... I just provided the Trojan horse virus.¡± ¡°Why don''t you admit your mistake?¡± Herald was so furious he was about to go mad. He had always had a soft spot for his stepbrother. Even when his stepmother was constantly finding fault with him, Herald never took it to heart. Apart from being angry, he was extremely disappointed, and that hurt him the most. ¡°While Lucas is shoving evidence in my face, you''re still here making excuses! Can a Trojan horse virus like Panda Adieu be forwarded? How many times have I told you that it must not be leaked? Flying Fish from Mysterious yet Majestic and I are virtual friends, and we share a very precious bond. To help you secure your position in the Department of Information, I insisted that Flying Fish was your online friend. And look, what happened? You''re enjoying the convenience and benefits brought by Flying Fish while spreading this Trojan horse virus around!¡± Herald was so livid that his entire body trembled. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Herald was so livid that his entire body trembled. Hugo looked at him intensely. His face was still swollen. ¡°Did you know that Lucas came for a confrontation? His wife was the one who took care of Panda Adieu. Besides, Flying Fish also called to interrogate me about what was going on, and he wants to cut off ties with me!¡± Herald was zing with fury. It was then that Pauline realized the severity of the issue. It was much more serious than she had imagined. ¡°Flying Fish? Mysterious yet Majestic? What''s all this about? What kind of conflict has urred between Hugo and them?¡± Martha was also confused. The older she became, the more challenging it was for her toprehend the actions and words of young people. Nevertheless, as the matriarch of a prominent family, she had heard of an organization called Mysterious yet Majestic. Rumor had it that they were an exceptional group. She then asked Herald anxiously, ¡°Herald, could you please exin what''s going on? How did your brother offend Mysterious yet Majestic?¡± Hugo''s mind was in aplete mess, as if countless balls of yarn were running wild inside. Didn''t I sell it to Sloan? How did I end up stepping on the toes of Mysterious yet Majestic? ¡°Let him personally exin the great thing he''s done!¡± bellowed Herald. ¡°Say something, Hugo!¡± Pauline had always been against the idea of Herald assuming the role as the head of the family. When she first entered the house, she thought it was Herald who bullied her son. Now, she became very worked up, for Mysterious yet Majestic was not an organization to be trifled with. After all, the reason why the Cook family was able to establish a firm foothold in Zaewora was because Herald knew Flying Fish. To say they were acquaintances might be an overstatement, as they were merely online friends. The reason they became online friends was that Flying Fish and Herald graduated from the same school. On one asion, when Flying Fish returned to school to collect some documents, he encountered some trouble. Herald stepped in to help, and as a result, Flying Fish added him as a contact online. The Cook family had been benefiting greatly from their connections to Mysterious yet Majestic. Zaewora was not a developed country; it relied on its neighboring superpowers for survival. There were several prominent families holding sway in that country. The Cook family''s rise to power and their status as the leading family werergely attributed to their connections with Mysterious yet Majestic. Chapter 1218 Chapter 1218 Chapter 1218 Losing Flying Fish Everyone assumed the Cooks had a close rtionship with Mysterious yet Majestic, so people usually showed them some respect. As implied by its name, Mysterious yet Majestic was a discreet yet powerful organization. Ordinary individuals would not dare to provoke them. Hence, they held the Cook family in high regard due to their connections. Herald was infuriated by Hugo''s actions. He had always been overly polite when talking with Flying Fish, to the extent that he was embarrassingly obsequious. Fortunately, Flying Fish was not the type to act all high and mighty just because of his status. Herald had hoped that, as his rtionship with Flying Fish grew stronger, Flying Fish could introduce him to the big shots from Mysterious yet Majestic and perhaps arrange a meeting with them. By doing so, he could establish awork with Mysterious yet Majestic and gain ess to their contacts. Instead, Flying Fish became extremely upset and even given him a stern warning that their friendship would be over if Herald continued to spread the Trojan horse virus. Additionally, Flying Fish also told Herald not to mention to outsiders that they were good friends. The former also prohibited him from revealing that he knew someone from Mysterious yet Majestic. How is this any different from cutting off ties with me? Herald''s heart surged with overwhelming anger, wishing he could just smack Hugo to oblivion. How am I supposed to get by after cutting off ties with Mysterious yet Majestic? Several other prominent families watched him closely, like a tiger eyeing its prey. It was not an easy feat for him to secure a ministerial position at such a young age and being second to none. Will I be able to maintain my position without Flying Fish''s support from now on? He looked at Hugo with utter disappointment. ¡°Dad passed away early, so I''ve always pampered and spoiled you. But look at you now! Is this how you repay me? Your mother always thinks I''m harming you, but take a look at what''s going on here! It''s you who has jeopardized the entire Cook family. If I can''t maintain my position, I''m afraid your tenure in the Department of Information won''tst much longer either.¡± His words shocked both Martha and Pauline to the core. ¡°How did things get so serious?¡± ¡°Herald, Hugo is still young, please forgive him just this time!¡± Martha and Pauline pleaded at the same time. ¡°He''s still young? How many more times should I tolerate him and excuse his mistakes? The whole Cook family''s reputation hinges on our rtionship with Flying Fish; it''s the only reason people show us any respect. If Flying Fish and I sever ties, then... Don''t hold me responsible if the Cook family falls into decline. Put the me on him! He gave the Trojan horse virus to Sloan, who then nted it in the The two women of the Cook family were dumbstruck, and Pauline''s face was especially pale. She felt the pain as though Herald had pped her repeatedly. She looked at Hugo in disbelief, ¡°Hugo, is everything your brother said true? If the new energy project with Section Six falls through... it won''t just be a p from your brother you''ll be facing, you''ll end up in jail!¡± Both Martha and Pauline stared at Hugo in utter disappointment. Hugo was the youngest son in the family and also the most favored one. Their eldest managed the family business, and he was nothing like the youngest who spent time at home and was pampered by everyone. Hence, Herald and Hugo were not close. Great! Just look at what the youngest son in the family has done now. Hugo clenched his fist so tightly that his nails nearly dug into his palm. He dared not say a word because he hadn''t expected Sloan to do such a thing. In the end, he had created problems for his own brother and even brought disaster upon the Cook family. He just wanted to make some money. He felt that it was useless for the Trojan horse virus to be kept on hisputer when he could actually exchange it for some cash. His thoughts were just that simple. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. No matter how doting Martha had always been towards him, she could not hold back her temper at that very moment. She picked up her walking stick and struck Hugo fiercely. ¡°What on earth is wrong with you? Speak up! Why would you do such a thing? Have you lost your mind?¡± How did the entire Cook family maintain their powerful status up to that very day? Who were they dependent on? It was all because Herald knew Flying Fish. Before Hugo could finish his sentence, amotion was heard outside of the manor, apanied by the butler''s hurried footsteps and voice. ¡°May I ask about the purpose of your visit, gentlemen? Please allow me to inform Mr. Cook.¡± Chapter 1219 Chapter 1219 Chapter 1219 Arrest ¡°How can you barge in like that! Oh dear!¡± With a thud, it seemed as if the butler had fallen. Herald couldn''t help but walk toward the outside. As soon as he reached the entrance of the hall, he saw the butler sitting in a disheveled state in the courtyard. He quickly walked over and helped the butler up, ¡°Kurt, are you all right?¡± The butler shook his head. ¡°I''m fine.¡± Herald red angrily at the police who had barged in. ¡°What do you think you''re doing?¡± ¡°Mr. Cook, I apologize for the inconvenience, but this is an arrest warrant.¡± The leading police captain presented an arrest warrant directly. ¡°Mr. Hugo is suspected of damagingputer information systems. We would like him toe with us.¡± Hugo never expected the police to show up. His face turned ashen with fear. In a panic, he hid behind Herald. ¡°Herald, I don''t want to go to jail. Herald, please save me!¡± Regardless of how angry and anxious Martha was at that moment, she had no choice but to take care of her grandson first. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Captain Lidell, Hugo is just a child. He doesn''t understand the gravity of the situation. He didn''t mean any harm. He also didn''t know what Sloan was nning to do with the Trojan horse virus. Could you please show some leniency? Considering all the contributions our Cook family has made, could you spare Hugo?¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Cook, everyone is equal when judged by thew. It was his mistake to sell the Trojan horse virus to Sloan,¡± Amos said with a stern face, not showing Martha any leniency. Herald hadn''t expected Amos to be so tough. He took a deep breath, trying to stay rtively calm. ¡°Captain Lidell, we usually get along pretty well. Hugo did make a mistake, but does it really warrant an arrest?¡± ¡°Mr. Cook, please don''t take it personally. This matter can''t be considered major or minor, but the Lacey and Guzman families have all been apprehended, leaving only him. It''s hard to convince the public like this, isn''t it?¡± Amos said with a sneer. At that moment, Pauline hurriedly pulled out a bank card from her bag and shamelessly handed it to Amos. ¡°Captain Lidell, considering the good rtions between our two families, please let Hugo go. He''s young and naive. I''ll scold him more in the future.¡± Amos directly pushed her hand away, looking at her with a half smile. ¡°Young and naive? Is this a matter of being young or being naive? This is clearly a matter of breaking thew! Besides, he''s already an adult. Is an adult still a child? Can he still be naive? That would make him a giant baby, wouldn''t it?¡± Upon hearing Amos'' words, filled with mockery, Pauline nearly fainted, her eyes rolling back in her head. Normally, she was the respecteddy of the Cook family, and no one had ever ridiculed her like this. She was, after all, the cream of the crop among all the nobledies. However, the police didn''t give them any more opportunity to waste words. He signaled to his subordinates behind him to arrest Hugo. Hugo couldn''t help but struggle, ¡°Herald! Herald, save me. Save me!¡± However, no matter how much he struggled, it was the police who were apprehending him. His resistance was futile. In just a couple of moments, several police officers had apprehended him, even going so far as to put him in handcuffs. Martha watched with an aching heart as her most beloved grandson was taken away by the police. She was on the verge of fainting, Her emotions running high as she cried out, ¡°On what grounds are you arresting him? I''m telling you. The Cook family is not to be trifled with. If you want to take him away, you''ll have to step over my body first.¡± She hobbled up to a few police officers with her cane, disying an attitude of defiance as if she had nothing left to lose. Amos found it amusing. ¡°Old Mrs. Cook, I didn''t order the arrest. It was the president''smand. The seal on this arrest warrant was also stamped by the Chief. I''m just the one carrying out the orders. So, if you have anything to say, you can take it up with the president.¡± President...Upon hearing that the order came from the president, almost everyone in the Cook family turned deathly pale. They all stared at Amos in stunned disbelief. After he finished speaking, Amos coldly ordered, ¡°Take him away!¡± And so, before members of the Cook family could even react, Herald was taken away. Chapter 1220 Chapter 1220 Chapter 1220 Cannot Help By the time Martha came to her senses, the police officers had already walked far away. She wailed, ¡°Such a tragedy!¡± As she fell, Herald quickly moved to catch her, ¡°Grandma!¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. After settling down Martha, Herald immediately prepared to head to the hotel without stopping for a break. He figured that incident must''ve been Lucas'' doing considering how the president was involved. As Pauline saw Herald getting ready to leave, she immediately grabbed his sleeve, crying bitterly, ¡°Herald, I''m sorry for how I''ve treated you and all the harsh words I''ve said to you. Please don''t take it to heart. Hugo is your only brother in this family. He is your biological brother. You must save him!¡± Herald was already annoyed. Usually, whenever Pauline acted out, he would turn a blind eye. But now, seeing her pestering him again, Herald couldn''t help but respond harshly, ¡°If you hadn''t spoiled him all the time, would he have made such a big mistake?¡± ¡°Herald, it''s toote to say that now. You must save him!¡± Pauline cried out. If it meant saving her son, she would dly endure Herald''s harsh words. Herald couldn''t be bothered to deal with her any longer, so he turned around and walked out the door. In just a single day, the once high-spirited Mr. Cook had be frantic and flustered, a far cry from his initial confident and vigorous demeanor. Lucas sat on the couch, his long, muscr legs elegantly crossed. He held his phone, asionally ncing down at it, his attention seemingly absorbed by something unknown. After Herald entered, his indifferent eyes briefly swept over the man, then moved away. ¡°Mr. Cook, is there something you need?¡± Herald suppressed his frustration, calming his emotions before saying, ¡°Mr. Nn, isn''t it a bit extreme to be so ruthless? My brother indeed made a mistake, but it''s not to the extent that he should be put directly in jail, right?¡± ¡°It''s precisely because of such thinking that he made mistakes. Today, hemitted a minor error, but who knows if tomorrow he might betray your country''s secrets. Mr. Cook, what do you think? Especially since he works in the Information Department. Do you think your career will still be smooth in the future for having a younger brother who couldn''t distinguish right from wrong?¡± Lucas raised an eyebrow, looking at Herald with an indifferent expression. Herald''s face stiffened as if he had been hit with a startling revtion. ¡°Teaching him a lesson might be good for him so he can remember the lesson. If you''re always there to cover for him, he''ll never learn to take responsibility for himself.¡± Lucas took a sip of tea from the table, then said to Herald, ¡°Go home. I can''t help you with this.¡± Ashlyn walked out of her bedroom, only to see Herald with a troubled expression. I''ve just answered a call, yet Herald is suddenly here when Ie out? Herald also saw Ashlyn. Holding onto hisst shred of hope, he pleaded, ¡°Ms. Berry, could you please show mercy and spare my younger brother?¡± Ashlyn was taken aback for a moment. ¡°What happened to your younger brother?¡± Herald was rendered speechless. Is this woman ying dumb or just acting clueless? Or is she deliberately trying to humiliate me? ¡°He''s in jail.¡± With graceful and dignified movements, Lucas poured Ashlyn a cup of well-brewed coffee. His voice was deep and maic, echoing throughout the room and incredibly pleasing to the ear. Ashlyn couldn''t help but smile. ¡°I see. Mr. Cook, I can''t help you.¡± It seems like Lucas did this? How is it that his actions were so swift this time that I didn''t even have time to react? ¡°Five million,¡± Herald said, steeling his heart as he spoke. ¡°Money is a sensitive issue to discuss.¡± Lucas handed the teacup to Ashlyn, his eyes filled with affection. ¡°Just brewed, give it a try.¡± Ashlyn felt Lucas was being an utter jerk, yet he seemed extremely handsome at that moment! ¡°You should go back.¡± Ashlyn took a sip of coffee, the aroma spreading in her mouth. ¡°You should have a much easier life without your troublemaker of a younger brother, Mr. Cook.¡± ¡°Oh, by the way, Section Six has helped resolve the issue with your new energy,¡± Lucas said nonchntly. Herald noticed the couple was determined not to give in. Biting back his humiliation, he turned and left. Chapter 1221 Chapter 1221 Chapter 1221 Peculiar Contract Terms No sooner had he left than he received a phone call. ¡°Yes, I''ll go right away.¡± Thirty minutester, at the President''s Office. The president''s face was grim as he forcefully threw the document onto Herald''s face. ¡°What''s going on? What is Centennial Healthcare up to?¡± Herald''s face stung painfully from the impact of the documents, but he still had to pick them up and read. After he finished reading, his face paled. ¡°Mr. President, this is... Their demand is outrageous. Half of these medications must be used for the treatment of women. What kind of contract is this? If we don''t sign, they won''t supply the drugs! They''re also demanding that hospitals promote female doctors and nurses, or else they won''t continue to supply medical products. They''re insisting that female patients receive reasonable, fair, and timely treatment. We can''t prioritize male patients first. This... Isn''t Centennial Healthcare being a bit too nosy? What business is it of theirs how we use the medicine we buy, or whether our hospital has female doctors and nurses? T-This is simply unbelievable...¡± Herald stared at the contract in shock. ¡°If we sign this contract, women would be holding their own in the healthcare system here. ¡°I heard that the chairman of Centennial Healthcare is a woman.¡± The president paused before continuing, ¡°The drugs produced by Centenarian Healthcare are not only effective, but their prices are also much more reasonablepared to other international pharmaceuticalpanies. Moreover, they have proposed other conditions. You''ll see as you read on.¡± Herald continued reading and was once again taken aback. ¡°If we agree to and implement their proposed requirements, the price of medicine will be reduced by another two percent?¡± The pharmaceuticals they were importing from Centennial Healthcare weren''t something they could buy with one or two million. It was worth in the hundreds of millions. If the price was reduced by two percent, it would mean that they would be saving a substantial amount of money. However, given their current situation, the condition had ced them in a bit of a predicament. In a ce where men were revered and male dominance took precedence, allowing women to take the lead would ce them in a difficult position. ¡°What is the purpose of these demands made by Centennial Healthcare? What benefits do they stand to gain?¡± The president frowned, utterly perplexed. No matter how he looked at it, he felt that this situation brought no benefits to Centennial Healthcare. Herald always felt that ever since the people from the Section Six arrived in Zaewora, everything seemed inexplicably strange. However, he couldn''t quite put his finger on it. ¡°Mr. President, are we agreeing to their terms?¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Herald also felt quite confused about what the other party had to gain from this, but they would be saving a lot of money if they agreed to it. He wanted to know how the president would choose in the face of interest. ¡°Of course, we will agree to their terms,¡± the President said, his face expressionless. ¡°But, this contract must include a term limit of two years.¡± ¡°All right, I''ll go and talk to Jared right away.¡± Herald picked up the documents, but he didn''t leave. He looked at the president hesitantly. The president red at him, looking displeased. He said in a stern tone, ¡°Mr. Cook, I always thought you were a sensible man. It''s a pity, you have a troublesome younger brother at home. What, are you going to plead for him?¡± Upon hearing the President''s words, Herald felt a sudden chill travel down his spine. It''s over... It''s truly over. Before he even had a chance to speak, the president had already shut down everything he was about to say. His face paled as he steeled himself to speak up. ¡°Yes, Mr. President, you''re right. Hugo should be punished since he has made a mistake. Everyone is equal before thew.¡± The President was very pleased with his response. ¡°You may leave now. Lucas is no ordinary man, be careful around him. Jared''s defiance this time surprised me. I''ll leave these two matters in your hands.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Herald said and left. The President did not retract his power, nor did he remove him from overseeing the new energy. Chapter 1222 Chapter 1222 Chapter 1222 The Identity Of Zero On the contrary, he was even entrusted with the task of importing medicines. Although Herald felt uneasy, distressed, and worried about Hugo, he also feltforted about his predicament. As long as he still had the president''s favor, he would still stand a chance to rescue Hugo one day. Inside the hotel. Jared looked out the window, looking worried. He let out a long sigh, withdrew his gaze, and turned his attention back to the woman who was sitting on the sofa, engrossed in her phone. He was still a bit nervous. ¡°Boss, do you think they''ll agree to our terms?¡± If they refused, the coboration would have fallen through. Thepany had been working overtime lately to produce medicine. If their order gets cancelled, it will lead to a buildup of inventory. ¡°Of course they will! Our medicine is so affordable and effective, why wouldn''t they?¡± Ashlyn looked at Jared with a puzzled expression, as if he had asked something obvious. While she was answering him, she was also chatting in the WhatsApp group, ¡°Mysterious yet Majestic¡±. Quiet Forest: Tsk tsk, what''s going on, Flying Fish? How dare this little scum you acquainted yourself with do things under our name? And he even leaked the identity of Panda Adieu? Flying Fish sent a helpless emoticon. Flying Fish: How was I to know he''d be such an idiot? We graduated from the same school, but you know what they say, it''s hard to fathom one''s mind. I warned him about it, but I guess I''ll have to apologize to Zero myself for this mess. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Zero: There''s no need to apologize, just handle a few more cases, or help solve some of these cases. For instance, how''s the investigation on James'' case going? She had been busy with Zaewora''s affairs recently, Hence, the case of James had been handled by Quiet Forest and his team. Flying Fish: As it turns out, James was indeed wronged. It seems that the evidence has been found. Ashlyn felt somewhat relieved. Zero: Wait for me to return, I''m currently on a business trip. Flying Fish: On a business trip? Bro, where did you go for your business trip? Thest time I went to see you, I ran into a fool pretending to be you. I felt so disgusted by it. Then, he began to describe his encounter with that disgusting woman in Dixon''s private room. Quiet Forest: D*mn, how dare someone try to impersonate our Zero? Are they sick? Who is it? Flying Fish: Seems like it''s someone named Penelope? I think that''s the name. In an instant, everyone in the group exploded in criticism. Everyone started fervently criticizing Penelope. Ashlyn couldn''t help but frown as she watched. She remembered that Flying Fish had mentioned this matter before, but she hadn''t taken it seriously at the time. Now that it was brought up by Flying Fish again, she still felt as if she had swallowed a lump of flies, feeling utterly disgusted. In the end, it was Flying Fish who summed it up. Haha, who doesn''t know that our Zero is a handsome youngd? She, an ugly girl, even dares to pretend to be him. It''s so disgusting. Ashlyn and Quiet Forest were speechless. Suddenly, he was filled with anticipation, eager to see the expressions on Flying Fish''s face when he finally meets Zero. He would probably be so shock that his eyeballs would fall out. With such thoughts, he felt increasingly ted, and his anticipation for that moment grew stronger. He had a feeling that the day wouldn''t be too far off. Hehehe. Ashlynzily typed on her phone. There''s no need to bother with Penelope. Everyone, please pay more attention to James'' case. We can''t let Sienna off the hook either, she definitely still has evidence of Dixon''s crimes. Quiet Forest: Don''t worry. Ashlyn exited the chat at that. She then heard the familiar sound of footsteps outside the door. She lifted her eyes toward the entrance and saw a man walking in. Following closely behind was Spencer cradling two gift boxes in his arms. The packaging was incredibly exquisite and luxurious. Ashlyn raised an eyebrow. ¡°What''s up?¡± Lucas curled his lips slightly, approaching her. His gaze then fell on Jared. ¡°Mr. Quickton, you''re like a shadow, wherever my wife goes, you follow.¡± Jared could sense the strong hint of sarcasm in the man''s words. He couldn''t help but pout. ¡°Why does the air smell so sour?¡± Chapter 1223 Chapter 1223 Chapter 1223 Purple Diamond ¡°Stop messing around!¡± Ashlyn lightly scolded. Jared let out a frustrated huff. ¡°I don''t want to be a third wheel, so I''ve decided to go back to my room.¡± Lucas moved to sit next to Ashlyn, then signaled for Spencer to bring over the gift box. Ashlyn looked at the gift box, somewhat puzzled. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°This is for you.¡± The man''s voice was deep and elegant. Why is he giving me a gift for no reason? Ashlyn opened the gift box. Inside, she found a beautiful evening gown. The light purple color was particrly ttering to the skin, and the design was simple yet sophisticated. There was also a pair of matching silver high heels included. This man was out for half the day just to buy this? ¡°A gown?¡± she asked. ¡°Ms. Berry, may I have the honor of inviting you to the banquet at the President''s this evening?¡± Lucas extended his hand, making an inviting gesture. Ashlyn couldn''t help butugh, lightly patting hisrge palm. ¡°A banquet hosted by the President?¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Yes.¡± Lucas nodded. ¡°The Cook, Lacey, and Guzman families all suffered losses this time. The purpose of the President''s banquet is self-evident.¡± Ashlyn nodded and opened another box. Inside, she found a set of valuable purple diamond jewelry, which included not only a ne but also matching earrings. The color of the diamond sparkled brilliantly under the light, incredibly dazzling to the eyes. That was a set of jewelry that no woman could resist. Ashlyn was astounded when she saw that set of jewelry because that jewelry set was a limited edition from Brand X, personally designed by her, and only ten sets had been released worldwide. At that time, many affluentdies were desperately trying to get it, but they couldn''t get their hands on it. She never expected that Lucas would actually snatch a set of jewelry she had designed herself, only to gift it back to her, the designer. It felt somewhat peculiar. ¡°If you wanted it, I could''ve reserved a set for you... Why did you bother to snatch it?¡± It took Ashlyn a while to regain herposure, but the shock in her eyes was still unmistakable. ¡°Snatching the jewelry designed by my wife makes it all the more meaningful.¡± Lucas'' thin lips curved into an extremely handsome smile, his dark eyes filled with affection. ¡°If you were to leave a set for me, it would lose its significance.¡± He took out the jewelry and personally helped Ashlyn put it on. Her skin was as white as snow, her eyebrows reminiscent of distant mountains and twinkling stars. With the purple diamond ne adorning her neck, her skin appeared even more like creamy jade, enhancing her noble and elegant demeanor. ¡°This set of jewelry is called ''Light Feather'' because the diamonds are shaped like feathers,¡± Ashlyn said softly, a smile tugging at her lips. ¡°Wearing jewelry of my own design feels somewhat different, quite magical.¡± ¡°So beautiful.¡± Lucas lowered his gaze, nting a kiss on her forehead, then nced at Spencer again. Spencer had long been indifferent to his constant public disys of affection and immediately turned a blind eye, giving his hands a knowing p. Soon after, a few fashionably dressed men and women walked in. Seeing therge makeup boxes they were carrying, Ashlyn knew that these were the styling team invited by Lucas. The styling team was very efficient, and their fashion sense was quite impressive. The suit that Lucas chose was particrly valuable, and the style was also very elegant. About an hourter, the styling team finally finished their work and left. Time gently slipped away, and before long, it was time for the banquet to begin. Lucas and Ashlyn held hands as they got into the car, which smoothly drove off toward the location of the evening banquet. At seven o''clock in the evening, in the grand banquet hall of the President''s office, sses clinked, and many influential politicians gathered together. The crystal chandelier cast a brilliant glow while the uniformed waitstaff bustled back and forth. Behind the banquet hall of the President''s office, after passing through several corridors and a pond, was where the President resided. It was a fair distance from the front banquet hall. No matter how lively it was at the front, it was always very quiet at the back. It elicited a strong reactionpared to what was before. The President''s residence was a standalone three-story vi,vishly decorated on the inside. After getting dressed, Samantha Labate, standing on her tiptoes to help the President with his tie, suggested gently with a smile, ¡°For an asion like today, we should invite Yuri to join us. After all, she is the youngdy of the president''s daughter. Even though she''s married off, the Guzman family isn''tcking in any way... I wonder if the Guzman family will bring her along.¡± Chapter 1224 Chapter 1224 Chapter 1224 Irritated Upon hearing Samantha''s words, a wave of irritation washed over the President''s face. The mere thought of that idiotic son-inw from the Guzman family annoys me. ¡°Why should shee back? She''s just a deserted wife. Her husband is in jail, and she doesn''t even have the ability to win over her inws'' hearts. She can''t even give birth to a son. After so many years of marriage, all she''s managed to produce is a worthless daughter. If she could have a son, I might think more highly of her.¡± ¡°Oh dear, don''t be upset. It''s not Yuri''s fault that she''s not feeling well... It''s just fate,¡± Samantha said with feigned concern, but inside, she was secretly pleased. The President was growing more irritable. He had initially thought that after his daughter, Yuri, married into the Guzman family, they would help him secure his footing. However, they were more trouble than they were worth,pletely incapable of winning over their inws'' favor. Things were a mess at that moment. The husband was in jail, and the Guzman family had lost their son. The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. The Guzman family was on the brink of decline, and the president no longer sought their support. Fortunately, Herald was quite capable, so he could still rely on the Cook family. ¡°By the way, Chillton has been busy outside all day. He never dares to ck off on the tasks you assign him. I wonder if he knows we''re having a banquet. If hees back...¡± Samantha carefully observed the President''s expression. ¡°If hees back, let him freshen up and head to the banquet hall. After all, the boy is destined to be the pir of our future.¡± The President''s expression softened a bit after mentioning his stepson. Even though his daughter was of no use, he was relieved that his stepson, brought by Samantha, was well-behaved and obedient. Chillton Jenkins'' humbleness had won his heart over. He was indeed inclined to lend a helping hand. Although his stepson shared no blood ties with him, he was, after all, a boy, and boys were considered superior to girls. With some nurturing in the future, perhaps he could shoulder greater responsibilities. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. He and Samantha were a couple who found each otherter in life. His wife had passed away when Yuri was still very young, and he then married Samantha. Samantha was his first love. Upon learning that she had divorced her husband and was struggling to raise her child alone, he immediately began to court her. Back then, he wasn''t yet the president. It was hard to believe so many years had shed by. After they got married, Chillton changed his original surname to his spouse''s, bing known as one of the Jenkins. Upon hearing that, Samantha felt a secret joy in her heart. Her son was indeed very capable, and perhaps one day, he might even be the president. She was lost in such pleasant dreams and couldn''t help but say to the president in a coquettish voice, ¡°Isn''t it because you treat him well, always letting him apany you to see the world and learn? Those people also respect you. That''s why they would even bother to give Chillton the attention.¡± With that, she gently nestled into the president''s arms. The President adored her humble and submissive demeanor. He thought a woman had to be feminine, gentle,pliant, virtuous, and capable of supporting her husband and educating her children. Fulfilling those roles was what truly defined a woman. Only when she fulfilled her own responsibilities would a man truly cherish and pamper her. If Ashlyn were there, knowing the disgusting thoughts in the president''s mind, she would undoubtedly p him without hesitation. That was far too narrow-minded because a woman was worth more than only bearing children and serving men. The value of a woman extended far beyond that. Women could live more brilliantly, and they could also live more authentically, living freely and unrestrained, living however they desired. In the new era, women could have their own careers, live their own exciting lives, and do whatever they wished to do. Living was not just for men and not merely as an essory to men. Women were important in society. Ashlyn would smash the president''s face and beat him up. ¡°Notify Chillton to hurry back. Not only will Mr. Nn from Section Six be present at the banquetter, but Jared, the president of Centennial Healthcare, will also attend. I can introduce him then. These two are not ordinary people. If Chillton can win their favor, his future will be bright.¡± Chapter 1225 Chapter 1225 Chapter 1225 An Important Guest The President wasn''t done yet. But upon hearing this, Samantha''s heart bloomed with joy. These were all valuable connections. It would be foolish of her to not seize the opportunity to get to know these big shots. As a small country, they had been quite sessful over the years. Their sess wasrgely attributed to their ability to foresee opportunities and coborate withrger, more powerful entities for mutual benefit, which enabled their significant development. Samantha hurriedly sent a cheerful message to Chillton. Samantha: Son, hurry back. Your father wants to introduce you to some very important people. At that moment, Chillton had already arrived at the entrance of the President''s office. He replied to Samantha''s text message as he made his way in. Chillton: Understood. I''ll be home shortly. He had just stepped through the gate when he heard the screech of car brakes behind him. Surprised, he turned to see a woman in a white gown stepping out of the car. He raised an eyebrow and was about to whistle, curious to see who was this youngdy that was dressed so ethereally beautiful. But as the woman lifted her head, he was taken aback. ¡°Yuri? Who allowed you toe back?¡± His voice was filled with disdain and mockery. ¡°You, a deserted wife whose husband is in jail, dares to come back?¡± Yuri, in her high heels, gracefully walked up to Chillton. With an expressionless face, she looked at her younger stepbrother and said, ¡°I am the president''s daughter. I can return whenever I want without the need to seek anyone''s approval.¡± Chillton initially thought that Yuri would be as trembling and timid as before, but to his surprise, she turned out to be so tough. He waspletely taken aback, looking at Yuri with disbelief. ¡°This is outrageous, how dare you speak to me like this?¡± ¡°I''ll speak to you however I want. It''s none of your business,¡± Yuri said, her face adorned with elegant makeup. She looked radiant and full of life, nothing like the downtrodden wife she used to be. How could a person change so much in such a short time? It was as if she had been reborn. Chillton was utterly bewildered. ¡°I heard you escaped from the Guzman family, and Yosef is now in jail. The Guzman family despises you, yet you dare toe to the President''s office? The Guzman family will surelye for you tonight.¡± Yuri strode past him without stopping, her voiceced with a hint of coldness. ¡°So what? Am I supposed to be afraid of them?¡± Chillton originally wanted to say that she was terrified of the Guzman family in the past. He quickened his pace to catch up with Yuri, his face twisted in disgust as he sternly warned, ¡°Listen, we have important guestsing over for dinner tonight. You better not cause any trouble. Watch your mouth. If you dare offend our guests, I promise you, there will be consequences!¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Yuri didn''t even spare him a nce. She scoffed and continued on her way. This wretch, how dare she disregard me like this? The old her would never have dared. Feeling flustered and exasperated, Chillton reached out to grab Yuri''s arm, intending to push her away. To everyone''s surprise, Yuri managed to dodge and even retaliated with a p. ¡°I''m your sister. Show me some respect!¡± Chillton waspletely baffled. D-Did I just get hit? By Yuri? In the moment of his stunned silence, Yuri had already walked away. Chillton was seething with anger, gritting his teeth. You lowlife, just you wait. He entered the banquet hall, grumbling under his breath. He saw the President and Samantha greeting guests but didn''t dare to approach. He was unsure if the p Yuri had just given him had left a red mark on his face. It hurts. He quickly ducked into the bathroom, but the moment he looked in the mirror, he was dumbfounded. There was a vivid handprint on his left cheek. In his anger, he quickly sent a message to his butler, asking him to urgently bring a packet of ice to the bathroom. Samantha waited and waited, but her son never showed up. Though anxious, there was nothing she could do about it. How could he drop the ball at such a crucial moment and still not return for such an important asion? She was so annoyed that she quickly sent another message to urge Chillton. Just as she finished sending the message, she looked up to see Yuri striding into the banquet hall, and she was instantly taken aback. Chapter 1226 Chapter 1226 Chapter 1226 Standing Up For Herself Striding quickly to Yuri, she scolded in a low voice, ¡°Why are you here? Is this a ce you can enter? As a deserted wife whose husband is in jail. Do you have no shame?¡± Yuri nced at Samantha, who was dressed in a dark red evening gown. She said without any expression, ¡°I have something to discuss with my father. It''s only on asions like this that I get to see him.¡± She had tried numerous times to seek help from the President''s office, but the President never allowed her entry. She waved the invitation in her hand. ¡°I came in with an invitation, you know.¡± Samantha frowned, looking at her with a mix of skepticism and belief. ¡°How did you get an invitation?¡± ¡°What? Can''t I have one too?¡± Yuri couldn''t be bothered to deal with her anymore. Samantha looked Yuri up and down, feeling that she seemed to have changed a lot. The old Yuri would never have dared to be so arrogant or confident. It was even more unlikely for her to act so coldly and speak so bluntly. It seemed like her usual agreeable demeanor was gone. Samantha frowned as she observed Yuri. Yuri was dressed in a white cinched waist dress, showcasing her long, slender legs. Her skin was fair, akin to a peeled egg, and her long hair was elegantly tied up in a princess bun. Her expression was aloof, her gaze icy, and there was an unexinable aura about her. This... Is this still Yuri? It was as if she had be an entirely different person. In the past, Yuri was such a pushover in her eyes. Samantha could bully and deceive her to her heart''s desire. After getting married, Yuri''s life became even more miserable. It was simply unbearable to watch. The Guzman family treated her poorly, especially after she gave birth to another daughter. In a ce like Zaewora, giving birth to a daughter in arge family was considered a financial burden. It was easy to imagine how unwee she was in the Guzman family. Moreover, it was said that Yosef would often resort to hitting and scolding her. Since the President didn''t like her, he had turned a blind eye to her sufferings. How could a woman like this suddenly change so drastically? Is she just pretending? Pretending to be unafraid on purpose? She must be putting on an act. The President has never brought her to such grand events before, nor has she ever attended one. There is no way she can be soposed. She''s definitely pretending. I''m absolutely sure of it. Samantha was convinced that Yuri was just putting on a brave face, so her eyes filled with even more disdain. ¡°I suggest you leave immediately to avoid upsetting your father when he sees you. A woman like you, who brings bad luck, has no ce at such an important event.¡± She continued with a coldugh. ¡°Who knows where you got that invitation from? Did you steal it, perhaps? Or did you get it by sleeping with some random man?¡± If this were the past, Yuri might have been knocked down by such verbal abuse, bing timid. However, ever since she spent some time living and learning at the Athena Mother and Child Protection Association, she was no longer the timid and fearful Yuri she used to be. She also wanted to be strong and be like Ashlyn. She could no longer afford to be as weak as before, to be trampled upon by others. She had to protect her daughter, and she had to protect fellow women who, like her, were being persecuted. She would never show weakness easily again. Hence, she lowered her eyes and smiled, a hint of contempt in her voice. ¡°Mrs. President, the second wife of the President, unlike some, I don''t rely on sleeping with men to climb the socialdder or to be the so-called dy'' in the public eye. I rightfully earned this invitation myself.¡± Her words were a tant insult to Samantha, who turned pale upon hearing them. She was the President''s second wife, not his original spouse. It was a fact known to all. However, no one had ever burst the bubble in her face, and she had always taken pride in being the First Lady. But now, Yuri actually dared to call her the second wife in front of the crowd. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. This was nothing less than a tant p in her face! Samantha took a deep breath, continuouslyforting herself. ¡°There are many people here. Many people. I need to maintain my dignity, I can''t stoop to this scoundrel''s level.¡± Chapter 1227 Chapter 1227 Chapter 1227 Divorce Samantha kept a stiff smile on her face as she peered behind Yuri. The next second, her expression rxed, and her eyes gleamed with provocation. ¡°Look who''s here, Yuri.¡± Yuri frowned and turned her head, only to see Yosef''s parents¡ªminister Raymond Guzman and Marilyn. As soon as the couple noticed her, they could barely conceal the disgust in their eyes. ¡°Yuri, why aren''t you greeting your inws? Don''t you think that''s very rude?¡± Samantha uttered. s, before Yuri could say anything, Samantha hurriedly continued, ¡°Oh, I''m truly sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Guzman. Yuri''s so ill-mannered because I failed to teach her well. After all, I''m not her biological mother, and it''s widely known that she doesn''t respect me.¡± Just then, the president''s voice rang out from behind them. ¡°Let''s see if she dares defy you.¡± Upon hearing that familiar authoritative voice, Yuri instantly straightened her back. He''s here... He''s finally here. With that, she shifted her gaze from the Guzmans to the president. Dressed in a dark, traditional Zaeworan attire, there was no denying that the strapping man exuded an air of grandeur. Unfortunately, like all the other men around him, he harbored the same repugnant mindset. From his words alone, Yuri knew he hadn''t changed and still viewed women as worthless, insignificant beings. Despite being in the president''s presence, Raymond didn''t bother hiding his true feelings. ¡°Ever since she entered the Guzman family, we haven''t had a single day of peace,¡± he said resentfully, a look of utter disgust etched on his face. ¡°To make matters worse, my son is now in jail because of her. She''s nothing but a jinx!¡± ¡°Hubby... Our poor son...¡± Marily choked out. By then, she was so overwhelmed with sorrow that tears had begun welling up in her eyes. She red at Yuri with undisguised hatred, wishing she could strangle thetter to death. Thankfully, Yuri was already ustomed to the hostile gazes and treatment. ¡°It''s perfect that you''re all here. There''s something I''d like to inform everyone,¡± she said calmly. Marilyn furrowed her brows. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I dere my marriage to Yosef to be null and void from today onward!¡± Yuri announced as she stood firmly on the spot. With her slender neck slightly raised, she resembled a lone swan fighting bravely. It was evident that she had a burning hatred for the Guzman family and everyone else who had hurt her before. That, of course, included her father. As the child of a president, Yuri knew thews that worked in her favor. There had always been a rule that if the president''s daughter-inw or son-inw were tomit a crime and the president''s child intended to seek a divorce, the marriage would automatically be annulled after the criminal was sent to jail. However, even though the rule was in ce, there had only been instances of the president''s son and daughter-inw getting divorced throughout history. A president''s daughter seeking to leave her husband was virtually unheard of. Naturally, the crowd flew into an uproar. ¡°Oh, gosh! How can a woman initiate a divorce?¡± ¡°Only men have the right to file for divorce in our culture.¡± ¡°Exactly... Besides, who would dare marry her next time if she gets divorced? Why is she so fierce? No wonder she''s having a hard time living with her inws.¡± ¡°I reckon she''s just too fierce.¡± Whispers and murmurs from those in the crowd kept ringing in Yuri''s ears, but she remained undeterred. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. It was as if she hadn''t heard a thing. Enraged, the president raised his hand and struck Yuri across the face hard. ¡°You jinx! I dare you to try and get the divorce today! I won''t allow it!¡± he bellowed. ¡°Thew states that after he''s been imprisoned, the marriage can be dissolved as long as I agree. I am dissolving the marriage right now, and everyone present here is a witness!¡± Yuri retorted. Half of her face had begun to swell from the blow, yet it seemed like she had long since parted ways with pain, and she couldn''t feel anything. She looked at the president numbly, her beautiful eyes devoid of emotion as she quietly observed him. Ha. It''s as if I''m staring at a stranger... In any case, I''m not seeking his or anyone else''s approval. I''m here to inform them of my intention! Chapter 1228 Chapter 1228 Chapter 1228 Independence Yuri had grown a lot at Athena Mother and Child Protection Association recently, and the first thing that changed for the better was her mindset. From then on, she no longer wanted to depend on anyone. She yearned to be strong and independent, but more importantly, she wanted to be the one in control of her own destiny. She had guessed that the president would react in such a manner, and although she had long stopped pining for his fatherly affection, she couldn''t help but feel a twinge of sadness in her heart. He refuses to show me even an ounce of love and gentleness, huh? ¡°You''ve really gone out of hand! Who do you think you are? What makes you think you''re worthy of asking for a divorce?¡± The president thundered, so furious and humiliated that his chest rose and fell heavily. Argh! Why do I have such a rebellious daughter? ¡°Of course, I''m worthy! I''m an independent person!¡± Yuri snapped as she stared unblinkingly at the president. ¡°Not only do I want a divorce, but I also want to work. I want to support myself and realize the value of my own life!¡± s, that only riled the president even more. ¡°The nerve of you! Have you forgotten you''re my daughter? How dare you want to work! A woman ought to be supported by a man! Who would dare hire you, anyway? I''ll get your workce to fire you immediately!¡± Just then, the director of the TV station stepped forward, trembling slightly. ¡°Ms. Jenkins applied for our news anchor position yesterday... She''s very professional and fully capable of taking up the job...¡± ¡°Fire her! Fire her this instant!¡± the president shouted. How dare this wretched daughter of mine challenge my authority in front of so many guests. She''s practically embarrassing me! There''s no way I can put up with her insolence! ¡°Why should I be fired? I''m relying on my own abilities and working hard to support myself. I haven''t broken any rules, so what reason is there to fire me? It''d be againstborws if the director does that,¡± Yuri said coldly. ¡°How much more shameless can you get? Of all the jobs avable, you chose to be a news anchor, which means you''d be showing your face in public. You''ll be the death of me!¡± the president bellowed as he trembled with rage and pointed at Yuri. ¡°Guards! Tie her up and take her back to the Guzman family. She''s not allowed to go anywhere else!¡± A crisp, cold voice suddenly rang out from the entrance. ¡°Mr. President, don''t you think you''ve gone a little overboard?¡± Upon hearing that captivating voice, everyone was so curious that they promptly turned toward the door, only to see an incredibly gorgeous couple step into the hall. Dressed in a sleek ck suit that disyed his tall and slender figure, the man had a chiseled, handsome face that made almost all the women present swoon. Their hearts fluttered, and no one could resist stealing a few more nces at him. A fair, wless hand was hooked around his arm, and the crowd could tell it belonged to a beautiful, elegant woman. She was dressed in a light purple evening gown that perfectly entuated her delicate figure and enhanced her elegance. On top of that, the purple diamond ne around her neck was particrly eye-catching as it shone and dazzled under the lights. After looking at the woman''s face, however, everyone couldn''t help but hold their breath. They were all taken aback by her beauty! The woman''s features were exquisitely wless, and the way her eyes twinkled was bound to leave a lasting impression on anyone. Upon seeing Ashlyn, almost every man in the room had the same thoughts cross their mind. Wait a minute... Was she the one who spoke earlier? How can a woman have the guts to challenge the president? That''s just... At least in Yuri''s case, she''s the president''s daughter. Who does this woman think she is? So what if she''s attractive? She''s nothing more than a pretty thing to look at and an essory to us men! At the same time, several men who had recognized Lucas immediately rushed forward to greet him with a smile on their faces. ¡°Ah, you''re here, Mr. Nn!¡± ¡°It''s been a few months since west met, Mr. Nn. How have you been recently?¡± ¡°Who is this beside you?¡± Unsurprisingly, everyone held Lucas in high regard. After all, he was the head of Section Six and had been working closely with everyone on matters like the development of new energy.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Chapter 1229 Chapter 1229 Chapter 1229 Male Chauvinism Lucas had often met quite a few important figures from Zaewora. As such, the people there were also aware that Lucas'' identity was extraordinary. Herald also walked over to him. ¡°Mr. Nn.¡± Then, everyone saw him greeting not only Lucas in all politeness but also turning to Ashlyn and saying with equal courtesy, ¡°You look stunningly beautiful today, Ms. Berry.¡± Several high-societydies recognized the ne on Ashlyn''s neck and the earrings she wore as the work of the internationally renowned designer, Ms. X. Their gazes on her carried a mixture of envy, jealousy, and resentment. X''s creations had always been of sky-high price, and that set of jewelry was even a limited edition. They were made from incredibly precious and rare purple diamonds, matching her purple gown perfectly. She exuded elegance and nobility, her whole being radiating regality. So what if she''s elegant and regal? She''s still no different from us, with no standing in the family and status in society. At the end of the day, she''s a woman. When the President saw Herald treating a woman with such respect and courtesy, he found it utterly shameful. Mr. Cook is really bing increasingly disgraceful. What''s so special about a woman that he needs to greet her? He actually humbled himself to greet her. It''s truly a dishonor to his ministerial position! Looking down upon women from the bottom of his heart, he essentially suffered from a severe case of male chauvinism. Herald nced at the president in slight embarrassment. He wanted nothing more than to tell the man all the awesome things that had happened regarding Ashlyn. He especially wanted to emphasize one thing¡ªshe was not to be trifled with, for she was incredibly awesome. However, the President didn''t give him any opportunity or time to do so. Faint disdain was etched on his face, and he exuded the air of a high and mighty president. ¡°Don''t you know you should be more respectful when you speak to me, miss? Since you know I''m the president, you should show me the appropriate respect.¡± Although he really didn''t want to bother with Ashlyn, considering that she was a woman brought by Lucas and thetter''s status, he still greeted her despite looking down upon her deep within, feeling that he was giving the man much respect. But if that were considered a greeting, then downright scorn, disdain, and shamelessness would be beyond their imagination. Herald broke out in a cold sweat on behalf of the President. He couldn''t believe that the man uttered such a remark and was seized by the urge to shout out loud to the President, ¡°This woman is really awesome! Quick, stop while you''re ahead!¡± s, he simply couldn''t find the opportunity to do so. All he could do was watch helplessly as the President walked further down the path of self-destruction. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. His heart was lodged in his throat. ¡°If you desire respect, Mr. President, shouldn''t you first show some to your biological daughter?¡± Ashlyn''s lips curved into a smirk, her eyes brimming with mockery. A male chauvinist like him is simply nauseating. It''s because of such authoritative figures that we have thousands of toxic people with the same attitude, leading to the women and children here being subjected to so much persecution! The President assumed that by flexing his authority, Ashlyn would be terrified since she was just a woman. Unexpectedly, she actually dared to provoke him again, questioning him fearlessly. There was a distinct disdain in his eyes, and his voice carried a hint of mockery. ¡°Mr. Nn, is thisdy beside you always so sharp-tongued? A woman should behave ordingly. No matter what, she should obey a man''s orders.¡± Lucas lifted his handsome face slightly. His gaze, which was as unfathomable as the vast starry sky, carried an inexplicable sense of coldness, and his voice was devoid of emotion. ¡°We have always been equals, Mr. President. She''s free to say whatever she likes. It''s her freedom.¡± He paused briefly before adding, ¡°No matter what she does or says, I will always support her.¡± At the man''s light retort, the President felt very much difited inwardly. Samantha had just watched a fantastic show and felt incredibly gratified, especially after Yuri was again pped by the President. Chapter 1230 Chapter 1230 Chapter 1230 She Saved My Life Samantha hurried over to y the dutiful wife. ¡°Mr. President, it must have been a long and tiring journey for Mr. Nn. Chillton should be arriving soon.¡± Following her repeated calls to hurry him up, her good-for-nothing son finally strutted over,te as usual. Upon hearing her voice, the President couldn''t help but think of Lucas''s identity again. With a stiff expression on his face, he beckoned at Chillton, who was approaching from a near distance away. ¡°Come here, Chillton. This is Mr. Nn.¡± Chillton had juste out of the restroom. His face was numb from the cold, and his expression was extremely stiff. He wanted to crack a smile, but he simply couldn''t manage it. Before he even reached Lucas, an airy voice drifted into the air. ¡°The weather''s getting chilly, and some people need to be put in their ce. What a fitting name indeed.¡± Everyone was stumped. The President''s expression promptly turned as dark as thunder. The fury zing within him was on the verge of snapping its rein and bursting forth uncontrobly. How could this woman be so outrageous? She''s shameless despite my politeness, all of which is out of respect for Lucas. If it weren''t because Lucas was the one who brought her here, I would''ve had her thrown out a long time ago! He red at Ashlyn with a furious look on his face. ¡°What do you mean by that? At the very least, he''s my son. You''re being utterly disrespectful to us both.¡± In other words, he was saying that she didn''t respect him as the President. Ashlyn threw the president anguid nce, her voice casual. ¡°Oh, it''s nothing. I was just inspired by the word Chillton.¡± It''s that simple! N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. At longst, Chillton''s face had finally warmed, allowing him to speak. He couldn''t help but swing his gaze to Ashlyn and was instantly stunned by the breathtaking beauty. What a beautiful woman! Look at her mesmerizing countenance and the regal air radiating off her! When was there such an extraordinary woman in the elite circles? And how was he not aware of it? He had never found anything wrong with his name, but to have such a beautiful woman find fault with it then, he suddenly felt a tad embarrassed. After all, any man would want to leave a good impression on a beautiful woman. When Yuri heard Ashlyn''s mockery of the Jenkins family''s father and son, her gloomy mood finally saw a hint of improvement. She strode over on her long legs and stopped in front of Ashlyn. With a smile, she greeted, ¡°Ms. Berry.¡± She was naturally beautiful, but she always carried an air of restraint typical of a wealthy heiress, never letting herself go for real. With a slight smile then, she was as beautiful as a blooming lily. Ashlyn looked at her and patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Tomorrow is your first day at work, so make sure to perform well.¡± When the President witnessed the harmonious scene between the two women, his face immediately darkened with displeasure. He asked in a terse voice, ¡°You know her?¡± They actually know each other! It must be this defiant woman who has led Yuri astray. She''s clearly no decent woman at a single nce, opposing me at every turn. Lucas is simply terrible at taking control of his woman! Yuri turned to face the man. Her previous smile gone, she said expressionlessly, ¡°Ms. Berry saved my life.¡± At the sight of her daughter, who was still all smiles a moment ago, suddenly turned aloof as a stranger when speaking to him, the President felt difited deep within. However, he couldn''t afford to lose his temper. After all, he was her father, and the person had saved his daughter. Even though he considered this daughter of his worthless, it was still hard to swallow his pride. Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught sight of Jared, who had just stepped in from outside. His eyes instantly lit up, and he said to Chillton, ¡°This is Mr. Quickton from Centennial Healthcare.¡± Chillton quickly greeted Jared with respect and politeness. ¡°Hello, Mr. Quickton. I''ve heard much about you.¡± After saying that, he turned his gaze to Lucas. ¡°Mr. Nn, Section Six''s new energy development is truly an eye-opener to us. Since both of you are from H Nation, you likely know each other, yes?¡± His words were actually quite wless. Hearing that, the President finally felt a bit more at ease. A son will always be a son, and that''s better than a daughter. Chapter 1231 Chapter 1231 Chapter 1231 Sheer Disgust A sense of pride instantly lit up his face. ¡°Mr. Quickton, Mr. Nn, this is my son, Chillton Jenkins. He''s young and naive. I hope you both will look after him.¡± ¡°Son? Mr. President, shouldn''t you be referring to him as your stepson? Anyone who didn''t know better might think he''s your biological child!¡± Before Lucas and Jared could even speak, Ashlyn''s cool voice echoed again. She pushed Yuri, who was standing beside her, in front of the president. ¡°Look carefully. This is your biological child.¡± The President''s face turned pale. Samantha''s face also looked extremely unpleasant. Is this woman out of her mind? Why does she keep embarrassing Chillton over and over again? Chillton is so outstanding. He graduated from a prestigious school and handled matters impably. He''s not like other wealthy yboys who cause trouble, and he''s also diligent in his work. No matter how she looked at it, she felt that Chillton was incredibly outstanding. The President was also very angry. He took a deep breath and said, ¡°Although Chillton is my stepson, I have always treated him as my own. Especially since Chillton usually gets along very well with me and shows me great respect. Unlike some children who ignore their own father and stepmother, always seeking to be rebellious.¡± Yuri kept telling herself that it didn''t matter and that it was okay even if there was no familial love. Yet, she was deeply hurt by the President''s words. With a heavy heart, she forced a smile onto her pale face and slowly began to say, ¡°There are fathers who force their daughters to marry horrible people. They arrange these marriages, pushing their own daughters into the fire, so to speak. Knowing full well that their daughters are living in hell, yet they turn a deaf ear. It''s truly chilling, isn''t it?¡± As soon as she voiced these words, expressions of sympathy appeared on the faces of some women present, while others seemed to empathize deeply. For those women, merely living there, being a woman was considered a cardinal sin. Men would never understand, let aloneprehend, just how deep and cruel the pain they inflicted upon women truly was. And those men seemed indifferent, as if women were useless, merely tools for carrying on the family bloodline. Do they really think they are something special? The President''s face turned pale and then flushed, alternating between the two colors. All in all, it was extremely embarrassing. His daughter had publicly exposed his shorings, and deep down, he was seething with anger. Obviously, he was utterly embarrassed. A wave of anger washed over his face, the fury in his eyes barely concealed. He wished he could just p Yuri to death. How did I end up with such a worthless daughter? It would be one thing if she were just a jinx, but she even had the audacity to insult and question me. Why does she deserve it? He could bear it no longer and roared furiously, ¡°Get out of here!¡± Yuri gave a coldugh. ¡°All you have left is to yell at me. But remember, I have an invitation. I won''t just leave because you told me to. Moreover, I''m not just representing myself at this banquet today.¡± ¡°W-What do you mean by that?¡± The President''s face was devoid of any light, and he felt ufortable all over. Samantha couldn''t help but say, ¡°Yuri, no matter how many disagreements you have with your father, you can''t embarrass him in public and disrespect him. He is the president, in charge of Zaewora. When will you start to understand this?¡± Upon hearing that, Chillton immediately chimed in, ¡°Dad''s usually good to you. Don''t push your luck and be ungrateful. You said you were here for the banquet, so just enjoy your banquet and stop causing trouble.¡± Looking at the ridiculous faces of this family of three, Yuri felt utterly disgusted. ¡°Mr. Quickton, Mr. Nn, I apologize for any embarrassment caused.¡± Chillton turned to Lucas and Jared, his demeanor polite and cultured, a stark contrast to the disgust he showed when facing Yuri. The President took a deep breath, deciding to ignore Yuri. He would deal with her after the banquet was over. He had more pressing matters at hand. Forcing a warm smile, he said to Jared, ¡°Mr. Quickton, Mr. Cook should have already discussed the contract with you. May I ask what your decision is?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Chapter 1232 Chapter 1232 Chapter 1232 Revtion With an indifferent expression, Jared said, ¡°Mr. President, indeed, Mr. Cook and I have had a detailed discussion. However, there are some specifics that I still need to consult with my chairperson. As long as my chairperson has no issues with it, I have no issues.¡± ¡°Chairperson? Yes. Sure. It''s okay to ask for your chairperson''s opinion.¡± The President nodded. ¡°Do you know when we can expect a response from your chairperson?¡± Jared lowered his eyes and smiled. He was naturally handsome and radiant, and this smile made him even more charming. Although he couldn''tpare to the devilishly beautiful face of Lucas, he was indeed a very handsome man, instantly attracting the gazes of many women. ¡°You won''t have to wait too long. She can respond to you right now.¡± ¡°Now?¡± The president looked at him, a bit puzzled, but quickly caught on. ¡°You want to call her now?¡± ¡°No. She''s also here,¡± Jared replied casually. The President looked utterly shocked. His earlier anger and irritation toward Yuripletely swept away. His eyes were filled with surprise, and there was a hint of mild reproach in his tone. ¡°Mr. Quickton, you really let me down, didn''t you? Is the chairperson at this banquet? Why didn''t you tell me in advance? I- I must have been terribly rude!¡± Not only was he rude, but he also had a public spat with his own daughter at the banquet, giving the chairperson a goodugh. He wasn''t sure if the chairperson would have a very unfavorable impression of him. The President suddenly felt a bit uneasy. He scanned the room subconsciously, looking at everyone present. Then, cautiously, he asked Jared, ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Quickton, who is¡ª¡± Before he could finish his sentence, the words suddenly got stuck in his throat, and he couldn''t utter another word. It felt as if he was stuffed with a huge wad of cotton. He waspletely thunderstruck. His eyes were nearly popping out of their sockets. Not only him, but everyone present was staring at Jared in shock. The air hung still for a moment. Everyone held their breath, their eyes unblinking, afraid to miss the most crucial moment. ¡°Good day, Ms. Berry,¡± Jared uttered with the utmost respect. His demeanor was genuinely reverential, not feigned at all. Ashlyn gave him anguid nce, her stunningly beautiful eyes captivating and soul-stealing. Her skin was naturally fair, but under the light, she looked even more beautiful, like a fairy. Her porcin-white skin emitted a faint glow, outshining everyone in the room. Everyone was shocked, dumbfounded. They thought their ears were ying tricks on them. How could this be possible? Is this beautiful woman really the chairperson of Centennial Healthcare? Seriously? The President felt a burning sensation on his face, a pain so intense that he wished he could vanish on the spot. He wished he could take back all the words he had previously spoken. He couldn''t believe Ashlyn was actually the chairperson of Centennial Healthcare. Herald''s eyes widened in shock. Before the president could even react, he quickly spoke again, ruthlessly driving another metaphorical knife into the president''s chest. ¡°She is also the vice president of Section Six, Lucas'' wife.¡± Those words genuinely shocked everyone present. The President''s face was so furious that it looked like it might explode. Lucas'' wife? I thought that woman was merely an eye candy Lucas brought along! The vice president of Section Six? The President nearly fainted, his eyes rolling back in his head. What on earth is going on? He just felt his face burning even more intensely. After Herald finished speaking, it seemed as if he had finally revealed some significant matter, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had been unable to find the opportunity to reveal Ashlyn''s identity to the president, but he finally did. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. No matter how impressive the President usually was when dealing with his subordinates, no matter how eloquent he was, at that moment, he was surprisingly speechless, unable to utter a single word. The President was stumped, and it was an incredible sight. He watched, eyes wide open, as Ashlyn curled her vibrant red lips, her voice cool andnguid. ¡°I''ve heard that the President has been displeased with Athena Mother and Child Protection Association for a long time. You''ve been suppressing us in every way possible. Now that I''m here, if there are any opinions or suggestions, you can discuss them with me face to face.¡± Chapter 1233 Chapter 1233 Chapter 1233 How Is It Possible Athena Mother and Child Protection Association... The President was left dazed by Ashlyn''s words. How did she manage to bring up that association again as soon as she started speaking? What on earth is going on? Isn''t this woman the chairman of Centennial Healthcare? How did she get involved with that association? N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. For reasons unknown, a sense of foreboding suddenly arose in the President''s heart. He had heard for a while now that the president of that certain protection association was quite elusive. Could the mysterious person be this woman right before my eyes? Really? The President nearly choked on his own frustration. It can''t be. It just can''t... There''s no way her reach could extend all the way to Zaewora. ¡°President Berry, my father has always been stubborn. He simply doesn''t want to see the status of us women improve. You don''t need to waste your words on him.¡± Just then, Yuri spoke softly to Ashlyn, her tone filled with disdain for the President. The President''s mind was aplete nk. President... President... She is actually the president of the protection association. ¡°No... It can''t be!¡± The President''s eyes were bloodshot, filled with burst red veins, struggling to ept the reality before him. How can a woman possibly be a Chairman? How can a woman brazenly hold the position of vice president in six different ces? How can a woman extend her reach to Zaewora and establish some sort of protection association? How can there possibly be such an incredible woman? There must be some mistake, this woman must be pretending on purpose. The President simply could not ept this reality. He looked down on women, seeing them merely as tools. How could women possiblypare to men? Not in terms of ability, intelligence, or even physical strength... No! It can''t be! Just as he was feeling dizzy and unwilling to ept this reality, he saw Ashlyn not far away,ughing with exceptional elegance and dominance. With a wave of her hand, she said, ¡°My dear members, isn''t it time to greet the President?¡± At the banquet, many women began to stand up one after another. Then, in unison, they said to the President, ¡°Nice to meet you, Ms. Berry! Nice to meet you, President!¡± The President lifted his head, his eyes wide with shock as he looked at these women. Some were the wives of his officials, some were the wives of major corporate bosses... even some of the reporters on the scene, and some were the waitstaff at the banquet... They had infiltrated the entire banquet hall. He couldn''t believe that they were all members of Athena. How could this be? Since when did Athena started to grow and develop to the extent we see today? He stepped back in shock, staring unbelievably at the scene before him. ¡°You... you... how is this possible?¡± Just then, three female chefs dressed in kitchen uniforms rushed over upon hearing the news. They respectfully said to Ashlyn, ¡°Greetings, Ms. Berry. Greetings, President. We might bete, but we will never be absent.¡± Ashlyn nodded approvingly at them, then turned her attention to the President. ¡°The power of women may arrivete, but it will never be absent. I hope Mr. President will remember what I said today.¡± The President looked at her, his face deathly pale. His lips trembled incessantly, yet he couldn''t utter a single word. His heart was pounding fiercely, almost as if it was about to leap out of his throat. After a long pause, he finally spoke in a voice that sounded as if he wished he could disappear into a crack in the ground, ¡°I-I have no objections. How could there possibly be any? In the future... we must vigorously protect women and children. We can''t let these vulnerable groups suffer any harm.¡± He had no idea what he was saying as if his soul had been sucked away... He was unconsciously uttering words that he himself didn''t understand. Ashlyn''s voice was resounding and powerful, striking his heart fiercely! ¡°May the President remember the words you''ve spoken today. Everyone present here... we are all witnesses!¡± The President looked at her with a pale face, unable to utter a single word. Everything he said was against his will, yet he had no choice but to speak. Chapter 1234 Chapter 1234 Chapter 1234 Regret However, for the sake of the medicine, for the sake of Ashlyn''s status and position, he had no choice but to say these words. He was taught a harsh lesson by Ashlyn and was thoroughly defeated. In this lifetime, he would never dare to underestimate women again. When a woman got tough, he simply wouldn''t stand a chance. Suppressing the relentless trembling in his heart, a heart that was almost beating irregrly, he asked Ashlyn with a shaky voice, ¡°Ms. Berry is right, I am the President, how could I possibly make empty promises? I will definitely keep my word.¡± Ashlynughed again, herughter bright and radiant, ¡°Thank you very much, Mr. President.¡± ¡°I just wonder, what do you think about our coboration, Ms. Berry?¡± The President looked at Ashlyn with a pale face, fearing that she might say something about discontinuing the cooperation with Zaewora. Healthcare was of utmost importance. If the standard of healthcare cannot keep up, it would inevitably lead to chaos and disaster. The air was thick with tension and awkwardness as Samantha and her son stared at Ashlyn in shock. Like everyone else, they couldn''t believe it. Who would have thought that the renowned Chairman of the century-old pharmaceuticalpany would be such a young woman, not only young but also beautiful? How could she possibly be so capable? However, reality gave them a harsh p in the face. Everyone present heard Ashlyn casually say, ¡°I''ve decided to take back that two percent concession, Mr. President. I''m sorry.¡± She is retracting the concession... The President swayed slightly, but fortunately, Herald was quick to steady him. ¡°Mr. President...¡± He weakly clutched his chest. The pain was so intense. A two percent concession was not a small amount of money, and it was gone just like that. Heraldforted him in a soft voice. ¡°At least they didn''t terminate the coboration. That''s not too bad.¡± Lucas thoroughly enjoyed a grand y, feeling extremely delighted. His woman was so impressive. Pride was written all over his handsome face. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. He then leaned in close to the President''s ear and whispered softly, ¡°Tsk tsk... Mr. President, this is the consequence of underestimating women. How does it feel?¡± The President was so furious that his face turned pale, almost devoid of any color. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. However, he knew deep down that he was merely reaping what he had sown. He shouldn''t have belittled Ashlyn, nor should he scorn and look down on her, and he certainly shouldn''t have mocked her with his words. But now, it was toote for him to regret his actions. It was of no use at all. He only wished that if time could be reversed, he would certainly keep his mouth shut. Yuri stood not far away, watching the usually high and mighty President being humiliated and ruthlessly put in his ce by Ashlyn. She couldn''t begin to express how satisfying and refreshing it felt. She had always been afraid of this man. From her childhood to adulthood, he was like a mountain weighing on her heart. She had never experienced the affection and pampering of a father. All she received from him was harm and humiliation. But she realized, in front of Ashlyn, that this man was nothing more than a piece of trash. It seemed as though Yuri had suddenly leaped over the chasm of fear, bing incredibly brave in the process. What''s there to be afraid of? Isn''t he just a man? A middle-aged man at that? A man who can''t even hold his head high in front of Ashlyn! In the years toe, in her future life, she aspired to be a woman as strong and independent as Ashlyn. ¡°What nonsense that any woman will do! Who among you knows what she truly is? She''s nothing but trash. She''s a lowlife! This shameless woman, the child she bore isn''t even a part of our Guzman family!¡± Suddenly, Marilyn burst out from the crowd, pointing at Yuri''s nose. She red at thetter fiercely, cursing wildly, ¡°You lowlife, you harlot, what right do you have to stand here and speak up for women? Do you think standing here makes you any less of a harlot?¡± The crowd, originally stunned by Ashlyn, suddenly erupted into an uproar once again. The President just lost face a moment ago, and they still hadn''t fully processed the crazy scene caused by Ashlyn. Chapter 1235 Chapter 1235 Chapter 1235 The Truth Unveiled Marilyn had dropped another bombshell of a news. She had imed that Renae Guzman, the child of the President''s daughter Yuri, was not a part of the Guzman family''s bloodline. What was going on? In Zaewora, women are often seen as inferior. Usually, only men would dare to be unfaithful. If a woman dared to cheat on a man, the consequences would be severe. At best, she might be publicly shamed. At worst, she could be beaten to death. The fact that the Guzman family had not beaten her to death was already the epitome of benevolence and righteousness. Yet, Yuri had the audacity toe out here and talk about defending women''s rights. Such irony. ¡°Impossible, you''re ndering me!¡± Yuri paled as she faced the furious Marilyn. ¡°I know you''ve never liked me, but you can''t insult me¡ªnder me¡ª like this. I''ve never even had a boyfriend growing up, let alone had any contact with any man other than Yosef!¡± ¡°Yuri, why are you pretending to be such a pure woman?¡± Marilyn rolled her eyes. Contempt was written all over her face. ¡°You cheated on the very night of your wedding!¡± ¡°I didn''t! I clearly spent my wedding night with Yosef.¡± Yuri defended herself, ¡°We are husband and wife. It''s perfectly normal for us to be together.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? You thought that man was my son? Let me tell you: he''s not! By the time my son entered the room, you had already been defiled by that man!¡± Marilyn scolded harshly. ¡°On the night of my son''s wedding, you cheated on him and humiliated him. What a heartless woman you are.¡± As she hollered, tears were streaming down her cheeks. ¡°Everyone, tell me, what kind of lowlife is this? My son tried to stop that stranger, but what happened in the end? That man just fled!¡± ¡°How could that be possible?¡± Yuri''s mind was nk as Marilyn''s shrill voice constantly echoed in her ears. ¡°N-No, it can''t be. It''s not true... That man was clearly Yosef.¡± ¡°Do you really think you''re pure and innocent?¡± Marilyn scoffed. ¡°You found yourself a man out of wedlock, yet you still won''t admit it, even after all these years. All this while, the Guzman family has been enduring the burden of humiliation, all because you are the President''s daughter. We didn''t hold it against you, but look at you, you even ran away from the Guzman family.¡± After a brief pause, Marilyn concluded, ¡°Renae, that daughter of yours, has never been my son''s.¡± Yuri swayed slightly as tears streamed down her cheeks. She slumped to the ground, kneeling in a state of total exhaustion. All the strength she had shown just a moment ago left her body. She had always thought that she had been intimate with Yosef that night. Even now, she could faintly recall the subtle scent of alcohol on the man, along with his exceptional physique. His chest muscles and that sexy Apollo''s belt were still vivid in her memory. That night, the man was anything but gentle. He was reckless in the darkness... yet he exuded an extreme masculine charm. She had thought that it was Yosef. Butter on, when she inadvertently noticed Yosef''s physique, which was as impressive as a perfectly cooked white-cut chicken, she couldn''t help but wonder: how could such a good physique go to waste? T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Yet, ever since that night, Yosef had never touched her again. Instead, he would frequentlysh out at her, punching and kicking her. He was also violent toward their daughter in various ways. Simrly, the attitude of her inws toward her became extremely terrible. Yuri had worked hard to please everyone in the Guzman family. No matter how recklessly Yosef behaved or how he treated her, she bore it all. The man was wildly passionate on their wedding night, tormenting her the entire time. Yet, for reasons unknown to her, he seemed to have suddenly lost interest in her on the next day. For all these years, Yosef had never touched her affectionately. Instead, he had always been berating her as filthy, calling her a wh*re. He would rather seek thepany of other women outside than touch her. As it turned out, on the night of her wedding, it was never Yosef that she had slept with, but a total stranger. She had been sexually vited by a stranger on her wedding night. Tears streamed down Yuri''s face ceaselessly. Her heart seemingly shattered into pieces, yet it could no longer be pieced back together. Overwhelmed by pain, despair, and madness, she was like a fallen leaf in the vast ocean, ready to be swept away by the waves at any moment. Yuri had always wanted to be as strong and powerful as Ashlyn. Chapter 1236 Chapter 1236 Chapter 1236 Know Me Yet, no matter how many times she told herself she had to be strong, she still fell into despair, suffered, and became lost when faced with the cruel reality. She didn''t even know the biological father of her own daughter. Her daughter was born out of wedlock. She''s an illegitimate child. Covering her face in her hands, Yuri wept bitterly. Upon seeing Yuri in such a disheveled state, Marilyn felt as if a pent-up frustration had finally been released. A smug satisfaction spread across her face. She looked extremely pleased. ¡°Yuri, if you have any shred of shame left, it would be best if you just dropped dead right here and now. Then, I might still respect you as a woman.¡± As she spoke, she turned her gaze back to the President, ¡°Since she ims to have no connection with the Guzman family anymore, shouldn''t you, Mr. President,pensate us for her infidelity during the marriage?¡± With our son in jail, there is not much of a future left for the Guzman family. Might as well get some money out of this. The President frowned at her insatiable greed, feeling extremely irritated. Taking a step forward, he raised his hand to p Yuri. ¡°You wretch! You''re such an embarrassment!¡± In that split second, his wrist was firmly grabbed by arge, strong hand.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. A tall man met the President''s gaze as thetter looked up in surprise. The man was strikingly handsome. The most outstanding feature was his jet-ck eyes that radiated an extreme coldness as if they were from the pr ice caps. ¡°Mr. Cartier?¡± The President eximed in surprise. Even Herald gaped at the man in stunned silence. Isn''t this Liam Cartier, the President of North Wind Airlines? What''s he doing here? Without uttering a word, Liam let go of the President''s arm. Instead, he leisurely walked up to Yuri, slowly lowering his tall body into a squat, and extended his dry, large palm toward the teary-eyed woman kneeling on the ground. Yuri stared at the handsome man in front of her, captivated by his good looks. His prominent eyebrows and his stunning eyes exuded a hint of alluring sensuality. His thin lips were tightly pressed into a straight line, clearly indicating his foul mood at the moment. Who is this? Why are his eyes filled with such gentle warmth when he looks at me? Never in her life had any man looked at her with such tender affection. Yuri felt a bit lost, scared, and confused. Just then, she heard the man''s pleasant voice ring out, ¡°As long as I''m here, no one can bully you.¡± ¡°Mr. Cartier, do you know Yuri? She''s my daughter.¡± Observing Liam''s attitude toward Yuri, the President suddenly found Yuri more pleasing to the eye. This brat does have some use after all. At least her pretty face is notpletely useless. At that thought, the President immediately forgave Liam for his rudeness toward himself earlier. Liam''s eyes were icy cold. ncing at the president indifferently, he spoke cryptically, ¡°Ms. Jenkins and I have indeed known each other from the past, but Ms. Jenkins... might have already forgotten about me.¡± He knows who I am? Yuri''s beautiful eyes widened in surprise as she continuously searched her mind for any memory of Liam. However, not a single image showed up in her head. ¡°I don''t think I know you.¡± Yuri bit her pale lip as she looked at him with confusion. Upon hearing her soft and mellow voice, Liam felt a heat prickling his ears. The echo of her moan resonated in his mind. After all these years, in countless midnight dreams, her voice kept circling him like a haunting melody. Her voice had kept him awake at night, causing him to toss and turn restlessly. Liam''s thin lips curved into a slight smile. His gaze was always filled with tender warmth whenever he looked at Yuri. ¡°That''s okay,¡± he said, ¡°For the rest of our lives, I will make sure you get to know me well.¡± That flirtatious statement was spoken in such an ambiguous manner. Having never dated before, being flirted with by such a handsome man was uncharted waters to Yuri. A faint blush appeared on her pale face. Her expression instantly became even more flustered, ¡°Uh... I¡ª¡± She wanted to say something, but clumsily, she couldn''t utter a word. Secretly, she could not help but feel embarrassed. What''s wrong with me? It seems like I can never learn to maintain a cool demeanor and remain strong despite any circumstances, unlike Ashlyn. Even though she had made up her mind to be better¡ªstronger, she had returned to her usual timid self in front of that man, much to her dismay. Chapter 1237 Chapter 1237 Chapter 1237 Not Even A Single One Sometimes, I really couldn''t stand myself like this. The President thought of the North Wind Airlines behind Liam. He suppressed all the previous frustration in his heart, then shamelessly said to the man, ¡°Mr. Cartier, could you sell us a few more of yourtest North Airlines nes for the sake of Yuri? Selling us just one doesn''t seem quite...¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Liam interrupted him, ¡°Mr. President, I apologize. I initially decided to sell you five at a low price, but now I don''t want to sell even a single one.¡± I don''t want to sell even a single one! The smile on the President''s face suddenly froze, and the muscles on his face couldn''t help but tremble. What does this statement mean? Why doesn''t he want to sell them anymore? North Wind Airlines had always been in coboration with Zaewora. He knew that Lucas was the helmsman of South Star Airlines, but he didn''t know why. It was as if it was prearranged for Section Six to coborate with them on new energy projects but not in the area of aviation. The aviation negotiations were with Liam''s North Wind Airlines. ¡°W-Why? Mr. Cartier, we desperately need your new aircraft. Our current passenger nes are bing old. If we don''t purchase new ones, how can we possibly manage?¡± The President was baffled. He didn''t understand why had the sale been called off. This is just pushing me to my death! Liam''s indifferent gaze swept over the President''s pale face as he reached out to help Yuri up from the ground. A tremor ran through Yuri''s heart as she felt an overwhelming sense of security radiating from the man. In the next second, she found herself firmly cradled in his arms. Her petite figure clung tightly to the man''s broad and solid chest. She could almost feel the man''s firm chest muscles through the thin fabric, and she couldn''t help but blush. The intense heat was almost suffocating her, making it nearly impossible for her to breathe. That potent masculine scent continually lingered in her nostrils. It was so pleasant it was dizzying to her. Her mind was in a daze; her thoughts were wandering freely. Amidst the confusion, she heard the man''s maic voice ringing in her ears. She could even feel the slight vibration of his chest as he spoke. ¡°Mr. President, because...¡± He paused for a moment, then gently lowered his gaze to Yuri in his arms. His expression was incredibly tender as if he was looking at a priceless treasure of great value. ¡°You dare to insult the mother of my child and bully her. This makes me very unhappy.¡± ¡°Your child''s mother? Where is she?¡± The President looked at him in surprise. ¡°Mr. Cartier, I''ve never met your child''s mother. What are you talking about?¡± Liam couldn''t help but let out a sarcasticugh, his eyes full of mockery. ¡°Mr. President,¡± he said, ¡°when ites to ying dumb, you truly are second to none.¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. The President still wore a puzzled expression; he genuinely didn''t know who Liam''s wife was, not to mention that he had never heard about Liam getting married before. The diamond tycoon of H Nation was extremely popr and second only to Lucas. After Lucas married a woman in secret, Liam, the president of North Wind Airlines, became even more famous and attracted lots of attention. One by one, those wealthy socialites and heiresses fell for him, yet there was never any talk of him showing interest in any woman. Later, there were even rumors suggesting that his sexual orientation was different. How is he also secretly married now? The President pondered in his heart. Not only him but everyone else present was also very curious, wondering who exactly was Mrs. Cartier. Yuri felt a bit ufortable inside. This man was indeed handsome, but why was he such a flirt? He even held her so suggestively despite having a wife. She couldn''t help but struggle, yet the man''srge hand suddenly tightened. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± he asked. Yuri''s face turned slightly red; she could feel the warm breath of the man brushing against her cheek. ¡°L-Let me go.¡± ¡°Why should I let you go?¡± Liam looked at her indulgently as if she were a petnt child. ¡°You gave me such a lovely and sensible child. I could never let you go in my lifetime.¡± Chapter 1238 Chapter 1238 Chapter 1238 Paternity Test What? Yuri''s lips parted slightly in shock. Did I hear wrong? Did I give him a child? Upon hearing his words, everyone was once again astounded! What does he mean by that? Is Yuri''s child his? How could this be possible? The President''s head was buzzing. He couldn''t help but step back several paces, almost losing his bnce. ¡°What did you say? The child is yours? You''re that man? How is that possible? Mr. Cartier... What does this have to do with you?¡± Only then did Yuri snap back from her shock. What on earth is this man talking about? His words were like bombs, shattering every nerve in her body into tiny pieces. She understood every single word of the sentence, but when they were put together, she was at a loss. Could it be that this outstandingly handsome man is the father of my child? ¡°The man from five years ago was me, and my intrusion into her room was an ident.¡± Liam''s voice rang out coldly, his icy gaze sweeping over everyone in the Guzman family. ¡°I won''t let a single one of those who have bullied Yuri off the hook.¡± The icy gaze made the Guzman family members shudder in unison as a chilling sensation crawled up their backs. This man had such a terrifying gaze! Marilyn suppressed all her fears, unwilling to appear weak in front of her guests. Even more so, she didn''t want to give Yuri any advantage. They had all heard of the great Liam Cartier. This man was not only wealthy but also handsome. If Yuri could get together with this man, then in the future... The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. The more she pondered, the more furious she became. Marilyn sneered, ¡°Mr. Cartier, you can''t just randomly acknowledge that child as yours. She''s nothing more than a sl*t! Who knows whose child it is? Don''t be fooled by her somewhat attractive face. Has she seduced you with some illegal methods?¡± She continued, ¡°You men are all drawn to beautiful women, but not one of them is a decent one. I advise you not to recklessly im a child like this. Besides, I''m saying this for your own good. Consider your status and hers!¡± ¡°She is the President''s daughter, a legitimate heiress and socialite. In the future, she will also be my wife. So tell me... What is her status?¡± Liam spoke in a cold voice. The President said to him, ¡°Indeed, Mr. Cartier, it''s best not to recklessly im children as yours. Are you perhaps mistaken? Is the woman you had a close rtionship with five years ago really her? It probably isn''t her, right?¡± Deep down, he clung to a sliver of hope, praying it wasn''t Yuri. Just one look at Liam''s expression told him that Liam was here to avenge Yuri... Liam didn''t pay them any attention; instead, he extended hisrge hands and pped once. Immediately, a man pushed through the crowd and respectfully handed him a document. Liam took it and opened it, pulling out a document. The cover of the document was strikingly conspicuous, with the tworge words ¡°Paternity Test¡± particrly eye-catching. ¡°Paternity Test?¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°Whose is this about?¡± ¡°Could it be between Mr. Cartier and Renae?¡± ¡°Mr. Cartier really is well-prepared.¡± The onlooking guests gawked on. Their gossip-loving hearts were simply filled with unprecedented satisfaction. Clearly, Liam came prepared. He never engaged in battles he was not confident about, nor would he make baseless statements. Thus, he handed the paternity test directly to Yuri. ¡°Go ahead and take a look.¡± Yuri''s heart was pounding wildly, almost as if it was about to leap out of her chest and shoot up her throat. Paternity Test... ¡°No way, you''re actually Renae''s biological father? Is this the paternity test between you and Renae?¡± She still found it somewhat hard to believe. How could something so strange and ridiculous happen to her? ¡°It''s mine and my daughter''s. How could it possibly be about someone else?¡± Liam looked at Yuri''s pretty little face that had haunted his dreams. If it weren''t for the fact that the situation disallowed it, he really wanted to hold her in his arms right now and kiss her passionately. Chapter 1239 Chapter 1239 Chapter 1239 Tricked The feeling of possession was truly intoxicating. Ashlyn, who had been engrossed in the drama, raised an eyebrow and nced at Lucas, who was also watching the drama. The man''s face was calm, not surprised by the appearance of Liam. She couldn''t help but smirk, and understanding dawned on her. ¡°I didn''t expect you to have a penchant for ying matchmaker.¡± Lucas gazed at her affectionately, his thin lips slightly curved. ¡°After maintaining it for over twenty years, Liam lost his virginity when he was tricked by ZZ organization in Zaewora five years ago. All of us knew about it. However, after he resolved the matter and went to find the girl, he returned with a disappointed look on his face, telling us that the girl had gotten married. From then on, he gave up completely, never uttering a word about the loss of his virginity. None of us dared to bring it up. Whoever dared to joke about that matter with him was simply courting death. I identally saw Yuri''s photo in his wallet before.¡± ¡°So, you informed Liam? Do you think Yuri is having a hard time here, desperately needing this domineering president toe and rescue his littledy?¡± Ashlyn responded calmly with a raised eyebrow. This is just like a plot from a Mary Sue domineering president novel. In the plot, the girl is raped on her wedding night, then abused by her husband''s family. But then, the domineering president came to rescue and protect her. She was once living in hell, but after the domineering president came to rescue her, she turned her life around. Ashlyn automatically filled in the plot of a Mary Sue novel with over a million words. They were enjoying the drama, unlike the others who were part of it and didn''t have the luxury to do so. Everyone in the Guzman family had faces as ck as the bottom of a pot, especially Marilyn. She never expected that Liam would be so well-prepared, even having a paternity test ready. She couldn''t catch her breath, nearly choked by the reality. However, what Raymond was worried about was something else entirely. They had offended the President of North Wind Airlines, Liam. What will be of the Guzman family in the future? Will there be good days ahead? We should be fine. After all, Yuri and her mother are still standing perfectly fine in front of Liam. This man probably won''t mess with us. Raymond had just finishedforting himself when suddenly, the Guzman family''s butler stumbled into the hall in a fluster. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Mr. Guzman! Mr. Guzman! Something bad had happened! Mrs. Guzman! Mrs. Guzman!¡± The butler''s face was as pale as a sheet. He rushed toward Raymond and Marilyn, barely able to keep his footing. A sudden sense of foreboding welled up in Raymond''s heart, his face abruptly changing color as he gripped the butler''s arms. ¡°What''s wrong? What has happened?¡± ¡°Mr. Guzman, o-ourpany is besieged by countless creditors. Some even barged into our house, rummaging through everything, threatening that if we don''t pay up, they will...¡± As the butler spoke, tears streaked down his face. He almost choked up to the point of being unable to keep talking. Raymond was struck by a bolt from the blue. It felt as if a muffled blow hadnded on his head with a thud, and it took him a while to recover. Marilyn eximed sharply, ¡°How could we possibly be pursued for debts? Ourpany has always been profitable!¡± ¡°Mrs. Guzman, just this morning, the stock market plummeted, and our share price hit rock bottom. Countless investors are cursing us, using us of fraud and moneyundering. Ourpany has completely gone bankrupt.¡± The butler was weeping bitterly. Having served the Guzman family for two to three decades, he had long considered it his own home. Yet, it hade to the point of bankruptcy. ¡°Did you get it wrong?¡± Marilyn felt like aughingstock, a spectacle for all to see. Her family had gone bankrupt, and it seemed like the whole world knew about it. Suddenly, she red menacingly at Yuri and lunged at her, shouting, ¡°You''re a jinx! It''s all because of marrying you that the Guzman family has be so unlucky. Our son is in jail, and thepany has gone bankrupt. This is all your fault!¡± Chapter 1240 Chapter 1240 Chapter 1240 Belly Up However, before she could even touch the hem of Yuri''s clothes, she was kicked to the ground by Liam. Disgust shed in his eyes when he thundered, ¡°What does your despicable act have to do with Yuri?¡± Marilyn was sprawled on the ground, sobbing uncontrobly. ¡°Mr. Cartier! Oh, Mr. Cartier! Please, I beg you not to get involved with this woman. She''s a jinx. If you stay with her, you''ll be doomed to a lifetime of misfortune! She''s not a good luck charm for her husband at all! She''s a jinx! Whoever ends up with her will be cursed with bad luck for generations!¡± Raymond finally lost his patience, raising his hand to p her across the face. ¡°Shut up!¡± Marilyn stared at him in shock. ¡°How dare you hit me? Did you just p me because of that b*tch? I don''t want to live anymore!¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Liam coldly watched the quarreling couple who were physically fighting, his eyes full of mockery. Raymond forcefully pushed Marilyn aside, then stared at Liam with a look of deep pain and despair. He questioned Liam harshly, ¡°Was it you? Did you do this? You''re seeking revenge for Yuri, aren''t you?¡± How could the Guzman family possibly vanish overnight from the four major families without human intervention? How could the Guzman family''spany possibly go bankrupt overnight? I don''t believe it! Raymond refused to believe all of it. Liam looked at Raymond with a half-smile. ¡°Just consider it as collecting some interest. After all, Yuri has been through quite a bit in your household.¡± Liam admitted it openly and fearlessly, without a hint of apprehension. While he was protecting Yuri, he was also inviting Raymond to retaliate. Raymond red at him with resentment, and his face was so filled with anger that it seemed to emanate from his chest. His chest heaved continuously. He was so furious that he was on the verge of losing all his rationality. ¡°What right does she have? She''s a woman who cheated, a woman who stole someone else''s man, and a woman who gave birth to a b*stard. The Guzman family has already shown her the utmost kindness by giving her food! And yet, you use us of being ruthless! You should be grateful that we didn''t annihte her and kill that b*stard!¡± Raymond fumed. Yuri''s face turned solemn when she heard Raymon calling her child a b*stard. She wished she could cover her ears and ignore every word said. I can''t hear that! I can''t! My daughter has a father, and she''s not a b*stard! ¡°Well, you should also be grateful to me for hastening yourpany''s bankruptcy. Otherwise, how could you have experienced such profound pain?¡± Liam looked at Raymond, whose face had turned red, with a half-smile. ¡°Also, my daughter has a father. She''s not a b*stard,¡± he added. ¡°If I hear that word from you again, don''t me me for being merciless.¡± Liam''s voice was cold and carried an irresistible aura. Raymond''s face turned from red to pale. ¡°Y-You¡ª¡± A lump caught in his throat, and his body heavily leaned backward. Seeing the situation, Marilyn hurriedly crawled over to help him. ¡°Darling! Darling!¡± ¡°Help! Someone, please help! Save my husband!¡± Marilyn knelt on the ground, looking utterly disheveled. It was hard to believe that this was the same woman who had previously humiliated and insulted Yuri with such arrogance and pride. At that moment, she was as miserable as she was embarrassed. The President''s back was drenched in cold sweat. He''s so ruthless. This man, Liam, is definitely a brutal man. Rumor has it that South Star Airlines and North Wind Airlines are fiercepetitors, often shing to the point of being at each other''s throats. The CEOs of the twopanies are even more competitive, neither willing to give way to the other. I heard that they were itching for a fight to the death every time they met. It appears now that the rumors werepletely false. The two families get along very well. Looking at the familiar interaction between Lucas and Liam, it''s clear they''re as close as brothers. All the outsiders have been fooled. The President pondered for a while before finally figuring out what he needed to do. With a trembling hand, he pointed at Raymond and Marilyn, who were on the ground. ¡°Where are the guards? Guards! Get these pieces of trash out of here!¡± Chapter 1241 Chapter 1241 Chapter 1241 p Immediately, a team of well-trained guards rushed over, escorting all the members of the Guzman family to their seats. Marilyn cried out loudly, ¡°No... Mr. President, they are all bad people. They ruined our family! They destroyed us!¡± Her voice gradually faded away, leaving the entire banquet hall in utter silence. No one dared to make a sound. The atmosphere was eerie and terrifying. It was so quiet that it was as if everyone present were mere puppets, with only the asional sound of breathing to be heard. After a while, Ashlyn chuckled softly, ¡°What a great show this is.¡± As soon as she spoke up, no one dared to respond carelessly. Lucas spoke up lightly. ¡°Are you tired from watching the drama? If you''re tired, we can go home.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Ashlyn nodded, then turned to Liam, ¡°Shall we, Mr. Cartier?¡± Only then did Liam turn his gaze to Ashlyn. She''s beautiful. So, this is the legendary Mrs. Nn? I''ve heard she has countless secret identities. A woman who can keep Lucas in check is indeed extraordinary. He nodded. ¡°I suppose I must obey the orders of Lucas'' wife.¡± The moment Ashlyn heard that she almost tripped and fell to the ground. She was shocked that he''d call her that. Seeing her usually calm face slightly change, Lucas couldn''t help but grin with amusement. ¡°What''s the matter? Feeling bashful?¡± ¡°Bashful, my *ss!¡± Ashlyn raised her hand and gave his waist a twist. Yuri was led by Liam''s firm grip, feeling a bit dizzy as she followed the man''s steps. As soon as she turned around, the President quickly stepped in front of her, blocking her path. ¡°Yuri, can you listen to me for a moment?¡± Yuri paused, lifting her gaze to the middle-aged man before her. She wasn''t sure if it was due to excessive toil over the years or the harsh blow he received earlier that he seemed to have aged significantly. She looked at him calmly. ¡°Is there something you need?¡± Seeing her attitude, the President suppressed his displeasure and still showed what he believed to be a benevolent smile. He said, ¡°I apologize for my foolishness over the years. I swear, from now on, I will make it up to you and Renae. I have failed as a father.¡± If it weren''t for Liam, he would never utter that apology. He thought Yuri would be overwhelmed with gratitude, that she would be exceptionally satisfied. However, Yuri just nced at him. ¡°I ept your apology, but if you want to make amends, forget it. Your heart only has room for your stepson. There''s no ce for me in your heart. In my heart, my father has long been gone.¡± The President was holding back a surge of anger. He humbled himself to make amends with Yuri, but she still stubbornly put on airs. The thought of him possibly having to humbly apologize ticked him off. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. He took the initiative to make peace as his way of showing respect to her, and he believed that she wasn''t reciprocating his effort. He was fuming with anger, but in the presence of Liam and Lucas, he didn''t dare to do anything. Rubbing his hands together, the President pleaded, ¡°Yuri, please don''t be like this. We are father and daughter, after all. blood is thicker than water. You can''t just deny our blood ties.¡± ¡°All that''s left between you and me is this pitiful blood rtion,¡± Yuri said, her gaze still indifferent and distant. ¡°From now on, just live well with your stepson. I''m just a daughter, not worth mentioning. You used to act as if I didn''t exist. I hope you continue to do so.¡± Having said that, she strode out. Liam watched her lonely figure with a smile before he quickly caught up with her. Ashlyn shook her head. ¡°Everyone knew it woulde to this. Why bother in the first ce?¡± The President''s expression was incredibly grim as if he had been harshly pped several times. He tried to make amends, but it was all in vain. A perfectly good banquet was turned into aplete joke. Chapter 1242 Chapter 1242 Chapter 1242 Leave Or Stay Inside the speeding car, Yuri sat beside Liam, her head hanging low. She remained motionless, her breathing so light they were barely noticeable. She was afraid that she might inadvertently do something wrong and anger him. After all, he could obliterate the Guzman family with a snap of his fingers. As a powerless woman like herself, she could only assume the role of a cannon fodder in front of him. Even if she had epted that he was the man from that night and Renae''s father, she was still afraid and confused. She wondered if he would fight for custody of Renae. If he were topete, she stood no chance of winning at all. Her head throbbed from all the wild thoughts running through her mind. Just as she couldn''t control her thoughts, Liam''s deep voice suddenly echoed in the quiet car. ¡°Will you come back with me to H Nation, or would you prefer to stay here?¡± Yuri suddenly looked up, her beautiful eyes filled with shock. What did he say? Return to H Nation or stay here? Is he asking for my opinion? He appeared to be respecting her a lot. Liam looked at Yuri, who was sitting far away from him. She had a graceful figure, a small and delicate face, and long eyshes. All that coupled with her petite nose and pointed chin made her face exude an extreme girlish charm. She was very beautiful. Exceptionally beautiful. Upon hearing his voice, she abruptly lifted her head, her eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and fear. He knew he shouldn''t frighten her, but he found it hard to restrain himself and felt as if he was somewhat losing control. When he thought of the hardships she had endured, a surge of desire to obliterate the entire world would wildly gush out from within his chest. He wished for all those who had bullied her to pay a steep price in blood. ¡°Why aren''t you speaking? We three can stay here if you don''t want to return to H Nation with me. Don''t you want to be a news anchor? I can buy the TV station right now.¡± Liam deliberately softened his tone as if he was afraid of scaring her. Upon hearing his words, Yuri reacted with a change of expression. ¡°No, no need. Don''t do that...¡± What on earth is he talking about? I can''t believe the first thing he said was about buying a TV station. She suppressed the throbbing in her heart. ¡°Mr. Cartier, are you staying with me temporarily because of Renae? I know I don''t have money, and we''re worlds apart. If you want Renae, I have no power to resist. However, I''ve been inseparable from Renae for so many years. I can''t bear to part with her. Please, I beg you, don''t take Renae away from me, can you? I will work hard to earn money and take good care of her. I will definitely be a good mother.¡± Upon hearing her words, Liam frowned. What on earth is she talking about? Was my exnation not clear enough, or what? How could she possibly think that I intended to tear her and her daughter apart? Not only that, she thinks I''m a bad man who wants to take away our daughter and leave her behind! Liam exuded a chilling aura that would give anyone the creeps. Feeling the shift in the man''s mood beside her, Yuri, alreadycking self-confidence, felt even worse. She gulped, subtly lifted her eyes to nce at him, then quickly lowered her gaze. It seems like he''s even more angry now. Does he really want to take Renae away? This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Yuri felt a bit sad, somewhat uneasy, and above all, afraid. She didn''t want to be separated from her daughter at all. If she were to be separated from her daughter, it would be no different than taking her life. ¡°Yuri, listen to me.¡± Liam finally spoke, his voice filled with barely concealed anger. ¡°I won''t separate you from our child nor will I fight for custody. What I''ve wanted, from the beginning, is for you and her to be together.¡± Yuri''s beautiful eyes widened, somewhat puzzled by the meaning of his words. Chapter 1243 Chapter 1243 Chapter 1243 Jackpot She understood each word when taken separately, but she found it difficult toprehend when they were put together. What does ¡°together¡± mean? What did he mean when he said nothing would separate me from my child? She looked at him, puzzled. ¡°Are you saying that even though you know Renae is your daughter, you don''t want to fulfill your responsibilities as a father? That''s okay, I won''t ask anything of you. I can raise her on my own. It might be a bit tough, but a little hardship is nothing.¡± Liam was so furious that he wished he could crack open her skull to see what exactly was inside. Wasn''t I clear enough? Why can''t she just get my point? The driver sitting in front was so anxious that he was like a cat on hot bricks. He was dying to speak on Liam''s behalf. Mr. Cartier! With your hesitant and subtle approach, when exactly will you be able to win over yourdy love? Can''t you exin it a bit more clearly? Confess your feelings! Why don''t you confess your feelings? Just then, the car came to a smooth halt at the airport. The driver let out a sigh and said helplessly, ¡°Mr. Cartier, we''ve arrived at the airport.¡± Airport? Why are we at the airport? Does Liam want to take me back to H Nation at this instant? Yuri panicked. ¡°I''m not going with you. Renae is still in the association! Let me go back!¡± ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Liam looked at her somewhat speechlessly, got out of the car first, and then extended his hand toward her. ¡°Get out of the car.¡± Yuri bit her lip, feeling too shy to hold his hand. Silently, she steadied herself on the car door as she got out. Liam felt a bit hurt, sensing her obvious rejection toward him. However, he didn''t show it. Instead, he looked at the handsome man and beautiful woman who got out of the car in front of him. Upon seeing Ashlyn, Yuri finally felt a hint of security in her heart. She practically sprinted toward Ashlyn, her steps fast and frantic. ¡°Ms. Berry, why are we at the airport?¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. If she had to spend any more time up close with Liam, she was certain she''d go mad. Ashlyn gave a slight smile. ¡°Yuri, I''m going back to H Nation. The matters in Zaewora have been resolved. It''s time for us to return.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yuri looked at her in surprise. Did Liam bring me here to hand me over to Ashlyn and Lucas? ¡°Keep working hard, and I believe in you.¡± Ashlyn extended her fair hand, gently patting Yuri''s smooth little face. Such an affectionate gesture made Yuri blush a little. ¡°Wishing you a smooth journey. Thank you.¡± ¡°No need to be so formal, Mr. Cartier should be quite capable.¡± Ashlyn gave her a meaningful nce, then looked at the tall man standing not far away with Lucas. ¡°Wow! You hit the jackpot with Renae on your first try. Impressive!¡± Upon hearing Ashlyn''s teasing, Yuri''s face turned redder, especially when she thought about how intimately and deeply she had interacted with Liam five years ago, even having a child with him. Yuri felt dizzy and her vision blurred. The passion of that night seemed vividly in sight, and it was too embarrassing for her. Ashlyn knew she was sensitive, so she didn''t press on. Instead, she turned her gaze toward Lucas. Liam was handsome, but Lucas was even more so. The two of them standing together form an eye- catching duo, more pleasing to the eye than the male celebrities featured in magazines who were hyped as the perfect gay couples. ¡°Thanks,¡± Liam uttered. Lucas had a half-smile on his face when he replied, ¡°So, you have finally settled down, and all you have to say is thanks? That seems insufficient.¡± Liam lowered his eyes and smiled. ¡°She seems to be quite afraid of me. But, it''s okay, I''ll try to court her first.¡± The man who had never been in love was smiling, his face full of joy. ¡°After all these years, this is the first time I''ve seen you smile so blissfully.¡± Lucas lowered his head to check thetest messages on WhatsApp, only to see a series of shocked emoticons sent by Nathan. Nathan texted: D*mn! You actually found a wife for Liam! Aren''t you two always at each other''s throats? You two have been hiding secrets! Chapter 1244 Chapter 1244 Chapter 1244 Immature Nathan felt as if his heart had been broken. Despite his anxiety about signing with the Nn Group''s racing club, he constantly hid from Liam, fearing that Liam would break his legs and scold him for siding with thepetition. In the end, Nathan found out that Liam was actually close to Lucas. This is uneptable! Lucas replied: You wouldn''t understand a man''s friendship. Nathan: Howe I don''t understand? Am I not a man? Lucas: It''s because you are still young. Nathan: I''m just a tiny bit younger than you all! Lucas: That doesn''t change the fact that you''re still too young! Entertain yourself with your car! Putting away his phone, Lucas nced at the time. ¡°We should get going.¡± Liam nodded. ¡°I''m not going back for now.¡± Lucas didn''t say anything more. He walked toward Ashlyn, hisrge hand firmly holding her small one. ¡°Let''s go back to H Nation.¡± Watching their figures recede into the distance, Liam then turned to Yuri. ¡°May I see our daughter?¡± Yuri looked at him, slightly startled. He was very sincere, and there was a hint of a pleading look in his eyes as he sought her opinion. A peculiar thought suddenly popped into her mind. If I were to refuse, would he wait until I changed my mind? Throughout her life, she had never encountered a man who respected her thoughts and opinions as much as he did. She felt somewhat at a loss and slightly overwhelmed. For the first time, a handsome, wealthy, and influential man was asking her so gently. Her heartbeat suddenly quickened, pounding intensely. Wave after wave of excitement surged from the depths of her being. He waited for her response for quite a while, but Liam wasn''t irritated. He continued to look at her gently, ¡°If you don''t agree, it''s okay to take your time. I can wait.¡± He said it! He really said it! He can wait! He actually values my thoughts and respects me! Yuri had never experienced that feeling before. It was quite wonderful andfortable. It felt as if a gentle spring breeze had caressed her cheek. A dryness lingered in her throat for a while before she finally managed to reply softly, ¡°No. I didn''t disagree.¡± As soon as she began to speak, for some unknown reason, her cheeks started to feel a bit hot and flushed. She then lowered her head and murmured, ¡°Renae is studying at the association. Ms. Jensen and a few other youngdies are mentoring her. Ms. Berry said she wanted to nurture Renae to be exceptionally good.¡± ¡°Are you referring to Ashlyn?¡± Liam''s eyes narrowed slightly. He had long heard that Ashlyn was no ordinary woman. I never expected her to be so impressive. ¡°Yes.¡± When Yuri mentioned Ashlyn, her clear,rge eyes seemed to be filled with stars, sparkling brightly. They were full of her admiration and affection for Ashlyn, something she couldn''t hide at all. Seeing that, Liam''s heart was filled with a hint of sourness. He would be jealous if he didn''t know Ashlyn was a woman. The moment she mentioned Ashlyn, her entire face lit up. ¡°Ms. Berry is very fond of Renae, and has arranged for her to have the best teachers. Renae also has a lot of homework.¡± Yuri started to talk more when she mentioned her daughter. Liam knew she was of a shy nature and did not interrupt her. Instead, he turned his head to listen to her voice, his eyes revealing a hint of gentle encouragement. Yuri''s face turned a bit red. ¡°Did I talk too much?¡± ¡°It''s okay. I like listening. Is Renae doing well in her studies?¡± At this point, Liam thought that what his daughter was learning was nothing more thannguage and mathematics, perhaps with a special skill or two at most. However, when he arrived at the association with Yuri, he, who always prided himself on having seen the world and been in big situations, was utterly astounded. ¡°Renae is particrly hardworking,¡± Yuri nodded. ¡°Come on. Let''s go find her.¡± An hourter, the car came to a smooth stop in front of Athena Mother and Child Protection Association. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. After Yuri got out of the car, Liam followed behind her, stepping through the gates of the association. Chapter 1245 Chapter 1245 Chapter 1245 So Young Inside, there were several buildings as well as garden terraces, ponds, and many facilities that he could never have imagined. Billiard room? Shooting range? He could still understand the swimming pool. Why are there things like the archery range and the training field? What are they all about? Why would there be so many of these facilities within a mother and child protection association? As he passed by the plum blossom poles, his handsome face finally showed a crack. ¡°Who here knows ancient martial arts?¡± Yuri pointed at the plum blossom poles and said, ¡°The lower ones are for the children to practice on, and the higher ones are for us to practice on.¡± There were also some sandbags and swords... It felt as though he had stepped into a schoolyard from a TV drama. ¡°Why are you practicing this kind of...¡± Liam suppressed the astonishment in his heart and looked at Yuri with disbelief. At that moment, he felt just as astonished as Spencer had been when he first stepped in. It was as if he had transformed into a man who had never seen the world before. Still, he wanted to know because this scene was just too bizarre. ¡°For self-defense so that we can protect ourselves! Ms. Berry said that it''s best for girls to know a bit of self-defense,¡± Yuri said with a smile, her eyes curving like two crescent moons. After a moment of contemtion, Liam finally spoke, ¡°Your president... has quite a unique perspective.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Yuri said with a face full of pride. After leading Liam through two buildings, they arrived at a spacious riding arena. In one corner of the riding arena, there were twenty to thirty tall and majestic horses in the stable. Liam furrowed his brows. There''s actually a riding arena here? Why does she bring me here for? While deep in thought, he heard Yuri say, ¡°Renae is currently taking a horse riding lesson.¡± She nced down at the time on her phone. ¡°ss will probably end in another ten minutes or so.¡± Liam was speechless. Horse riding lesson? What kind of horse riding lessons is a five-year-old child taking? Once the horse''s hoofes down, the child will be finished! The first-time father''s heart was pounding heavily, and he looked frightened when he heard what Yuri said. ¡°She''s so young. How can she attend such a dangerous ss?¡± Yuri extended her fair and delicate fingers, pointing at the dozen or so children lined up neatly along the horse racetrack. ¡°Can''t you see? They''re all taking horse riding lessons.¡± Liam looked around. Indeed, he saw two female teachers leading a group of about ten children standing on the horse racetrack. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. It was only at that moment that he was shocked to discover a fact. His understanding of the proper education of a child and Ashlyn''s understanding did not seem to be not on the same page at all! He thought the children were going to attend some culture lessons in the ssroom before heading to the specialty sses to learn more. Can someone please tell me why my daughter, who has just turned five, needs to learn horse riding? Why does she need to learn horse riding? All he wanted was to cherish her as a joyful and happy little princess, not to frighten her by making her learn these dangerous things. What kind of protection association... Are you sure this is a protection association, not a dangerous association? He was silently nursing his dissatisfaction and grumbling when he heard Yuri. She pointed at a little girl in a pink top and shorts and said to him with a hint of shyness and anticipation, ¡°This is... Renae.¡± The little girl had a bob haircut, and her forehead glistened with beads of sweat. The sweat trickled down her cheeks, and a few strands of hair stuck to her damp face. Even at such a young age, there was a certain maturity about her. A determination in her eyes that was hard to miss... This child was clearly no spoilt brat. Perhaps it was due to the inhuman hardships she endured from a young age. That was why she had to work extra hard. The teacher''s guidance was reflected in her every move. Despite her young age, she mimicked each action to perfection, whether it was mounting the horse or pulling the reins. Everything was done with precision. Liam watched as the young girl skillfully mounted a white pony. When shended steadily on the horse''s back, he could not help but breathe a sigh of relief for her. So young... After the teacher helped her put on the safety gear, the little girl gave the pony a pat, and it began to gallop forward. Chapter 1246 Chapter 1246 Chapter 1246 Who Are You Liam''s heart almost leaped out of his throat. ¡°It''s too dangerous! Hurry up and ¡ª¡± He was about to rush over to stop it, but Yuri grabbed his arm. There was determination in the woman''s eyes. ¡°If you want the child to grow, you must learn to let go. I know you are worried about her and think it''s dangerous. But... all of this is toy the foundation for her to stand tall and live in this world when she grows up.¡± Her eyes were slightly red. ¡°The president told us we shouldn''t be elders who always protect them, but teachers who allow them to grow independently. Teach them to fly and strive. The president has provided such favorable conditions, so we have no reason to back down in fear.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Liam''s face faltered slightly, and his dark eyes trembled. ¡°But...¡± It hurt so badly as if his heart was being cut by a knife. What kind of hardships and hurts must one have endured in the past to transform a delicate girl into this state? Suddenly, he reached out and pulled Yuri into such a tight embrace that she could hardly breathe. ¡°I''m sorry. It''s my fault. I came toote.¡± That''s why both of you suffer so much and endure so much harm... I should have looked into it more at the time. I should have assigned someone to stay by your side to truly understand the kind of life you were leading. Instead of being heartbroken the moment I found out you were married. Yuri''s face was firmly pressed against the man''s chest, where she could clearly hear his strong heartbeat. Unable to control herself, her cheeks began to blush. ¡°You... Let me go.¡± We were chatting and looking at Ranae... Why is he suddenly holding me so tightly? Sensing her difort, Liam immediately let go of her. His voice was husky as he spoke, ¡°Don''t worry. As long as I''m here, no one can hurt you.¡± Yuri bit her lip. ¡°I can be stronger and protect the child.¡± Liam''s eyes were deep and filled with concern. ¡°You can take a break once in a while. There''s no need to tire yourself out like this.¡± Just then, the children were dismissed from ss. Renae gracefully dismounted from the horse. Recently, she had been living at the association for a while, and her physical condition had significantly improved in many aspects. Her little face was radiant, and her eyes were sparkling. Upon spotting Yuri, she ran toward her mother. ¡°Mommy! You''re back?¡± Yuri nodded. ¡°How''s your study going?¡± ¡°I particrly enjoy horse riding. The sound of the wind rushing past is incredibly pleasing,¡± Renae said as she beamed with joy. ¡°I have a shooting lesson tonight, so I need to hurry up and eat. I''m determined to hit the tenth ring today!¡± ¡°Hitting the tenth ring is no easy feat.¡± Liam''s usually cold eyes were filled with warmth as he looked at the little girl in front of him. The girl was very pretty. Her eyes looked like Yuri''s while her nose and mouth resembled his own. This is my bloodline. My daughter. This feeling... It''s incredibly indescribable. A child who carries on my lineage. A slight sting tingled at the tip of his nose. He slowly crouched down to meet the little girl''s gaze at eye level. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Only then did Renae notice a very handsome man was also present. She blinked her ck, round eyes and said, ¡°What a handsome mister.¡± But perhaps due to the deep wounds she had suffered in the Guzman family before, there was a clear sense of caution in her eyes. Seeing that, a pang of pain surged in Liam''s heart again. His eyes, filled with a gentle pain, gazed deeply at Renae in front of him. ¡°It''s not mister.¡± ¡°Then who are you?¡± Renae asked, her pretty brows furrowed in confusion. Liam lifted his warm,rge hand and intended to gently pat the child''s small head. However, the little one tilted her head to the side and skillfully avoided his touch. She did not like to get too close to people. Renae only enjoyed being with her mother. ¡°Renae, can you read?¡± Liam took out the paternity test and flipped to thest page before pointing at the results. ¡°Can you read this?¡± Renae blinked her eyes and turned her gaze toward the line of text. Chapter 1247 Chapter 1247 Chapter 1247 Family Of Three Renae''s teacher had taught her to recognize some simple words, and it just so happened that she could read that phrase. Father-daughter rtionship... What does this mean? Even though she was young, she was not na?ve at all. But there was one thing she didn''t understand¡ªisn''t my father that terrifying man, Yosef? Why is it written in this document that this incredibly handsome mister and I are father and daughter? She looked at Liam with confusion. After a while, she turned her gaze to Yuri. Meanwhile, Yuri watched Liam''s series of incredibly swift actions nkly. I was still wondering how to tell her that her father was a different man, but he just shoved a stack of documents at her! She was a bit concerned about Renae''s ability to cope. She''s still so young. Can she ept this reality? She crouched in front of Renae worriedly, reaching out and taking the child''s small hands in hers. ¡°Renae... Yosef wasn''t your biological father. That was why he treated you poorly and didn''t love you in the least.¡± ¡°Then, will my new father love me?¡± Renae harbored great uncertainty within her. What if my new daddy doesn''t like or love me? I no longer want to live a life where I''m constantly insulted by my father. Liam could not hold himself back anymore. He reached out with both hands and gathered the woman and child beside him into a tight embrace. ¡°Of course, I will. I''ll definitely love you.¡± His voice was hoarse, carrying a restrained suppression. His surging emotions desperately sought an outlet, yearning to be released in full force. Nheless, he kept a leash on them. He didn''t want to frighten his daughter and woman. After a long while, he finally dropped his hold on Yuri and Renae. ¡°I''ll settle all the matters rted to our daughter''s household registry.¡± Yuri was taken aback for a moment. ¡°Household registry?¡± Only then did it dawn on her that her and Renae''s household registration and the like were still under the Guzman family. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. This matter... is probably not going to be easy, huh? ¡°But¡ª¡± Just as she was about to speak, Liam interrupted her. ¡°No buts. Leave this matter to me. I''ll settle it.¡± He took Renae''s petite hand. ¡°Renae is a beautiful name. But... it''ll bear my family name in the future, Renae Cartier.¡± He lowered his head and looked down. ¡°Do you like this name?¡± The little hand in his palm was soft and smooth. The sense of a shared bloodline softened his heart time and again. This is my daughter, and she''s already five years old! Renae''s big eyes widened in bemusement. ¡°Is Mommy going to marry you? And are we going to be a family of three? If not, I want to take Mommy''s family name.¡± Liam shifted his indecipherable eyes to Yuri. ¡°I have to propose, and only after your Mommy has agreed will she marry me.¡± ¡°Propose?¡± Her daughter''s innocent babble had Yuri''s face flush bright red with embarrassment. He must be coaxing her, right? How could a man like him, who''s at the top of the world, possibly propose to me? I... can''t possibly expect a man to propose to me in this lifetime. I''m now... wholly focused on my career. A career would never betray or insult me. She quietly mused to herself. Before they knew it, the family of three had already reached the association''s gates. Liam scooped Renae up. ¡°Let''s go. I''ll take you for something delicious.¡± ¡°That previous man had never carried me,¡± Renae confessed, nestling in her father''s embrace. She found his arms to be warm and broad. It gave her an inexplicable sense of security. Is this what a biological father feels like? She didn''t understand it, but she felt rather happy. I wonder if Mommy will be angry. If she learns I like my new daddy, will she be upset? Renae thought to herself quietly. The family of three hopped into the car and headed straight for the most upscale restaurant in the city center. In the skies thirty thousand feet above the ground, an airne was flying steadily. By the window, Ashlyn sat in her seatnguidly, flipping through a magazine. Beside her, Lucas started tending to work matters as soon as they boarded the ne. Chapter 1248 Chapter 1248 Chapter 1248 Sick Of Living Lucas seemed to be quite busy, and it was eerily quiet in the airne. ¡°Sir, Ma''am, what you would like to drink?¡± As Ashlyn was surreptitiously observing Lucas, a sweet and melodious voice rang out. She looked up, only to see a beautiful flight attendant pushing a beverage cart toward her. ¡°Two sses of orange juice, please,¡± she requested politely. The flight attendant promptly served a ss each to Lucas and her. ¡°Please enjoy your drinks.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After expressing her gratitude, Ashlyn picked up the ss in front of her and took a sip. ¡°I want a ss of orange juice too,¡± a girl from the seat across the aisle suddenly interjected. The girl appeared to be in her twenties, with fair skin, and dressed in designer clothes. Her face was obscured by sunsses, and she had earphones in her ears. The visible parts of her mouth and nose exuded an inexplicable air of arrogance. ¡°Here''s your orange juice, miss.¡± The beautiful flight attendant held a ss of orange juice out. Just then, the ne suddenly hit a patch of turbulence. The flight attendant let out a soft gasp. The drink in her hand ended up spilling onto the girl and Lucas. Lucas'' seat was just across the aisle from the girl''s seat. It first spilled onto Lucas, and as the flight attendant lurched forward, the remaining half a ss sshed onto the girl. ¡°I''m sorry, sir! I''m sorry, miss!¡± The flight attendant quickly apologized in panic. At the same time, she took out a tissue to wipe the drink off the girl. p! A resounding p suddenlynded on the beautiful face of the flight attendant. ¡°What''s wrong with you? Are you blind?¡± the girl roared angrily. ¡°I''m sorry. It wasn''t intentional.¡± The flight attendant cradled her stinging cheek, her eyes red-rimmed as she apologized incessantly. Just as the girl was about to raise her arm again to hit the flight attendant, a hand suddenly grabbed her wrist. Spencer chided coldly, ¡°She didn''t do it on purpose. Why are you being so aggressive?¡± He happened to sit next to the girl, right beside her. ¡°What business is it of yours when I''m teaching a blind fool a lesson?¡± The girl forcefully shook Spencer''s hand off, her face lined with irritation. Not wanting to cause any trouble, the flight attendant quickly interjected, ¡°Thank you, sir, but I was in the wrong here. I''m sorry, miss. I canpensate you for your clothes.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Compensate me? Do you have any idea how expensive this outfit is? Your measly sry wouldn''t even cover the cost of a button, you country bumpkin!¡± The girl reprimanded the flight attendant viciously. The flight attendant''s face flushed bright red. She had encountered many difficult passengers before, but it was the first time she had evere across someone like the girl. The passengers around them couldn''t help but look their way. Although the girl''s behavior was aggressive, everyone tended to mind their own business these days. ¡°If you keep making such a racket, do you believe I''ll throw you right off this ne?¡± Out of the blue, a cool and detached voice split the air. The girl was momentarily taken aback, only to see a strikingly beautiful woman seated by the window looking at her with a cold and annoyed gaze. The pair of ebony eyes were nketed in frost. She was frightened at first but quickly regained herposure. She rose from her seat and pointed right at Ashlyn. ¡°Who do you think you are? If you''re so capable, go ahead and throw me out!¡± As she spoke, she snagged a drink from the cart to toss it at Ashlyn. ¡°Watch out!¡± All of that happened in the blink of an eye. The flight attendant wanted to intervene, but it was already toote. Just as the drink in the girl''s ss was about to spill out, Lucas let out a cold snort and shot his leg out. How dare she pick on my wife! She must be sick of living! With a shrill shriek, the girl fell right onto the ground. The drink in her hand spilled all over herself. She looked utterly pathetic. ¡°Ah! H-How dare you!¡± Wiping the drink off her face, the girl pointed at Lucas, trembling in rage. Her sunsses had fallen off, revealing a charming, inte-famous face. Her face bore the unmistakable signs of cosmetic surgery, but despite the alterations, she still fell short of being a great beauty. Chapter 1249 Chapter 1249 Chapter 1249 Attention But they were somewhat more attractive than the average person. ¡°Huh? Isn''t this Winifred Yeatman, the young princess of that newly established financial group, Yeatman Group?¡± A passenger, who happened to be a gossip journalist, eximed in surprise upon recognizing the girl''s face. While doing so, he quickly pulled out his own phone and started snapping pictures of the girl who had fallen and was sitting on the ground. A while back, the news of the youngest daughter of Yeatman Group making her debut as a pop idol had been making headlines on major websites, even making it to the front page. It immediately caused a huge uproar, sparking a frenzy across the entirework. Netizens were all shocked. This princess of the Yeatman family was born with a golden spoon in her mouth, having the best of everything. Moreover, she was a childter in the life of the president of Yeatman Group. She was adored and pampered. She was simply the embodiment of a thousand adorations. Because she had the backing of Yeatman Group, everyone in the circle had to tter and pamper her. No one dared to offend her. Netizens'' impressions of her and her sister-inw, Francine White, werepletely at odds. Her sister-inw was the vice president of Yeatman Group. It was said that her sister-inw, Francine, and her brother, Royston Yeatman, were childhood sweethearts. A few years ago, after her brother was detained by the foreign ZZ Organization, her sister-inw took over the position of vice president. Deeply in love with her elder brother, Royston, Francine, the heiress of the White family, joined Yeatman Group after graduation. Starting from the bottom, she worked her way up to be an executive. Sheter continued to assist her husband in expanding and strengthening Yeatman Group. Hence, regarding this youngest daughter of the Yeatman family, Spencer felt a deep loathing. The harder Francine worked, the more he despised her. She surprisingly said during a recent interview, ¡°Why do people always ask me about Royston? He should be living quite well abroad, right? Worry? He''s an adult now. Why should I be concerned about his safety?¡± Winifred''s sunsses fell to the ground. Spencer looked at her face with disgust. Previously, her face was obscured by the sunsses, but then, her face, which had been surgically altered to resemble an influencer, held no beauty whatsoever. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The passengers also recognized Winifred and immediately began to whisper among themselves. ¡°Isn''t that the princess of the Yeatman family?¡± ¡°Exactly. How can someone of this caliber have such a high level of education?¡± Everyone was watching this scene with the anticipation of a good show. ¡°Ah! Honestly, I really admire the couple Royston and Francine. Ms. White is now at the helm for the Yeatman family!¡± ¡°Exactly! Mr. Yeatman is still abroad. I heard the situation is quite dangerous.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± Winifred was lying on the ground, overhearing the surrounding people gossiping about Francine and Royston again. Her face immediately turned somewhat unsightly. Why? Why do these people always only pay attention to Royston and Francine? Why can''t they ever see me? Even when they look at me, it''s with a gaze of disgust, eyes filled with disdain. I''m clearly beautiful now, and my figure is also perfect. I''ve also released a new album and participated in a TV drama. Why am I not getting the attention? I''ve been working so hard, yet no one seems to notice. Winifred felt a wave of difort in her heart, sour and astringent, bitter and painful. She wished to scream out loud, to fiercely vent the jealousy in her heart. However, she held herself back. She knew how to keep up appearances, as her reputation amongizens was already quite poor. If she continued to act arrogantly in public, it would be a fatal blow to her budding career. Weighing the pros and cons, Winifred picked herself up from the ground, a smile stered on her face. She affectionately took hold of the flight attendant''s hand. ¡°I''m really sorry about earlier. It was my fault. It was all a misunderstanding.¡± Spencer nced at her impassively. He was certain that if Winifred hadn''t been recognized and was still wearing herrge sunsses, there was no way she would be this friendly. Chapter 1250 Chapter 1250 Chapter 1250 Familiar Faces ¡°Ms. Yeatman, it''s okay. It was my fault for being careless just now.¡± Surprised by the unexpected response, the flight attendant quickly waved her hands in dismissal. After apologizing to the flight attendant, Winifred turned to Ashlyn and Lucas, saying, ¡°I''m really sorry for my earlier outburst. I was too emotional.¡± Ashlyn looked at the girl in front of her, who was hypocritically pretending to apologize, a trace of mockery curling up at the corner of her lips. However, a reporter on the scene was incessantly using his phone to capture footage. It was clear that he was recording a video. She remained silent, continuing to read her magazine. After offering an insincere apology, Winifred returned to her seat. Yet, inside, she was seething with anger, the heat of it rising fiercely. The resentment in Winifred''s eyes only grew stronger. What''s so great about her? Isn''t she just relying on the man by her side? Winifred regained her senses, only then realizing that there was a hint of familiarity in Lucas'' handsome face. Lucas was dressed in a ck woolen sweater, exuding a casual yet powerful aura. Tall and long- legged, even when seated, his elegantly crossed legs radiated an intense air of nobility. Paired with his handsome face, it was hard not to take a second nce at him. Why does this man seem so familiar? Winifred used to study abroad and didn''t often return to her home country. After graduation, she officially embarked on her career. At that moment, sitting next to Winifred, Spencer keenly caught the trace of malice in her eyes and couldn''t help but lift the corner of his lips in a sarcastic smile. She''s quite the actress. I hope she can perform this well in a TV drama. However, it seems likeizens are criticizing her for her stiff movements and expressions. Why bother learning how to dance? Her movements don''t even seem very coordinated. After the nended, Lucas led Ashlyn off the ne by the hand, and Spencer was pushing his suitcase behind him. Winifred furrowed her brows. Am I seeing things? Why does that man beside me seem so familiar? He looks very familiar. Soon, the Yeatman family''s driver came over and opened the car door for her. ¡°Ms. Yeatman, please get in the car.¡± Winifred settled into the extended Rolls-Royce, her gaze following the departing figures of Ashlyn and herpanions. Her eyes were filled with resentment, no longer needing to be concealed. ¡°B*tch! I hope I never run into you again.¡± Lucas was walking while answering a phone call. ¡°Yes. The issue with the new energy source has been resolved. We''re on our way to see you now.¡± ¡°Send me your location.¡± ¡°All right. I''ll hang up first.¡± After hanging up the phone, Lucas turned to Ashlyn and said, ¡°Let''s go to the hotel where Spencer is staying.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± After being away for so long, there had been significant progress in James'' case. As his defense attorney, Lucas had to closely follow the progress of the case, including aspects rted to evidence. After getting in the car, Ashlyn opened WhatsApp and entered the Mysterious yet Majestic group. Zero: Is all the evidence for the James'' case prepared? Quiet Forest: Yes. Zero: All right. I''m heading to the hotel now. Is it you who''s in Jadeborough or someone else? Lone Breeze: I happen to be in Jadeborough. I''ll go find you. Zero: All right. I''ll send you the location. As soon as Ashlyn sent that text, the people in the group went wild. Boss: Wow! Lone Breeze, you''re awesome! How incredible! Are you actually going to meet Zero? I''m feeling so envious! Flying Fish: I''m still in Zaewora, and I''m feeling quite down. I wish I could go back. Jerk: Tsk, tsk, tsk! Lone Breeze, I''m green with envy. What a sweet gig! Howe you''re so lucky? Are you sure you just happen to be in Jadeborough? At that moment, Zero sent another message: We''ve known each other for so many years. How about I host a dinner? Should we have dinner in Jadeborough? Is anyone willing toe? This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The moment she sent that text, her phone screen was immediately flooded with responses. I''ming! I''ming! I''ming! I have to be there! Upon seeing the replies, Zero texted: Okay. I''ve arrived at the hotel. I''ll be waiting for everyone in the lobby on the first floor. After Ashlyn sent that text, she closed her WhatsApp. Chapter 1251 Chapter 1251 Chapter 1251 Is She Zero Ashlyn gazed at the hotel entrance through the car window. Then, she stepped out of the car with Lucas and Spencer. As the three of them entered the lobby on the first floor, she pulled her clothes tighter around her. The weather in Jadeborough was cold indeed. ¡°You guys go ahead. I''m waiting for a friend toe.¡± ¡°A friend?¡± Lucas raised an eyebrow at her. Why haven''t I heard that she has friends here? ¡°Mm-hmm. We''ve known each other for many years. I''m just picking up something. Send me the room number, and I''ll head up by myselfter.¡± She did not want to provide more details. Everyone in Mysterious yet Majestic kept their identities a secret, and she would not go so far as to break the rules. Seeing that she was reluctant to borate further, he did not press her. He texted her the room number, then turned around to leave with Spencer. Spencer nced curiously at Ashlyn as she sat in the lobby''s lounge area. ¡°Ms. Berry always seems to be acquainted with some very peculiar people.¡± While speaking, he saw a tall man push the door open and walk in. The man''s handsome face was simply breathtaking. He stopped in his tracks. ¡°D*mn! If Jonathan Quickton is considered the cream of the crop among idols, then Chester Elsher is definitely the best of the best among actors! What the heck! Is this really happening? What is he doing here?¡± ¡°He''s just a celebrity,¡± Lucas responded, implying there was no need to overreact. ¡°No, but... Doesn''t he always travel with a swarm of bodyguards or get hounded by paparazzi?¡± What Spencer found peculiar was that Chester was wearing a in tracksuit that day and entering the hotel lobby alone. Could he be here to have a secret affair with some rumored love interest? As wild guesses ran through his mind, he saw Chester stride into the lobby, looking around as though searching for someone. Suddenly, a strange thought urred to him. Could it be that the person he''s looking for is Ms. Berry... No, that''s impossible. How could she have any connections with a top-tier actor? Even if she does, she would''ve supported Chester long ago instead of fawning over that idol, Jonathan. After all, not only is Chester handsome, but he''s also a talented actor. I heard he''s a popr contender for this year''s Best Actor award. He decided not to leave and stood there, watching to see what Chester was up to. After entering the hotel lobby, Chester looked around for a while. However, he saw no sign of the bubbly little boy or adorable youngd he had imagined. All he saw was a woman sitting cross-legged on a couch in the lounge area, engrossed in her phone. She wore a cool and aloof expression, and even her casual posture exuded an inexplicably domineering air. That person definitely isn''t Zero. Zero is a young boy, the beloved little brother of our organization. Did I come to the wrong hotel? After some thought, he took out his phone and sent Zero a WhatsApp message. Chester: I''m here, but I don''t see you. ¡°Oh, here I am,¡± a cool, pleasant female voice said behind him. He stiffened. Then, he turned his head toward the couch not far behind him, moving as though in slow motion. The woman happened to raise her head, and her strikingly beautiful face caught his gaze. She was gorgeous with a fairplexion, her beauty surpassing that of many female celebrities in the entertainment industry. Combined with the icy, domineering aura she exuded from her entire being, she looked utterly stunning. Chester''s throat went dry, and he felt as though he was in a daze. Is she Zero? There''s no way, right? After a long pause, he licked his lips and asked, ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± Ashlyn shot him a look as though he were a fool. ¡°Is there anyone else here?¡± He was rendered speechless. Who''s going to tell me what''s going on? Didn''t they say the person would be a youngd? Didn''t they say the person was the beloved little brother of the organization? How did that person turn into such a beautiful woman? And not just any woman, but a very famousThis text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. beauty at that. He had always thought he was Mysterious yet Majestic''s most famous member. However, looking at Ashlyn, he felt he was nowhere near as impressive as her. Chapter 1252 Chapter 1252 Chapter 1252 May I Hug You Just the speed at which she trends online or any of her secret identities is enough to knock one''s socks off! Not only was Chester dumbfounded, but Spencer was also taken aback. ¡°Oh my goodness! Mr. Nn, she actually knows Chester!¡± He turned his head in shock, ready to mock her with Lucas. However, he discovered thetter was nowhere to be seen. What the heck! Mr. Nn actually left me and went upstairs on his own! Reluctant to leave, Spencer quietly craned his neck to take a peek and saw an excited look on Chester''s handsome face as though he could not wait to pull Ashlyn into his arms. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. When Chester thought of Zero''s formidable skills, however, he dared not do so. Especially considering the intimidating aura she radiated. Even though her face is devoid of expression and she hasn''t said a word, she has the air of someone powerful. Proud and aloof... Excitement flickered in his eyes as he spoke almost incoherently. ¡°No, Ms... Ms. Berry. Ah, no... Ah, no... Ashlyn... That''s not right... Bro? How should I address you?¡± Chester no longer knew what he wanted to say, and a faint flush spread across his handsome face. It was unclear whether that was due to nervousness or excitement. Spencer stared at him in shock. Holy sh*t! The famous heartthrob, Chester Elsher, who has seen it all, is actually nervous in front of Ashlyn? So much so that he''s stuttering? What''s going on? Is she that extraordinary that she can make him flustered? What''s he so nervous about? He was quietly pondering the matter when he heard Ashlyn answerzily in her cial voice, ¡°Anything is fine.¡± After all, I''m not some ferocious beast. She raised her eyes and nced at Chester. ¡°Your acting isn''t bad. There''s still room for improvement.¡± He had never expected she would say that to him. He paused, looking startled. A momentter, he said shyly, ¡°I... I''ll call you Ashlyn, then? Can I... Can I make a cameo in your movie? You don''t have to worry. I''m fine with just being an extra. I don''t mind whether I have lines or not...¡± ¡°Sure,¡± she replied with a nod. Then, she lowered her gaze, pulled up Greg''s number, and forwarded it to Chester. ¡°I''ve sent you Greg''s number. You can contact him, and he''ll also help find you a suitable role. However, this movie is about to wrap up soon.¡± She was filming a new movie titled True Magnate, which starred Naomi and Jonathan again, and adding a new character would not be impossible. Just as she was quickly thinking about how to add another character, she heard him reply excitedly, ¡°Okay, sure. I''ll contact Director Maxwell right away. Ashlyn... Thank you.¡± I never thought I''d get the chance to act in a movie produced by Ashlyn in my entire life. What''s more, she''s Zero! Zero! I''ve also met Zero! The more he thought about it, the more smug he became. It felt as though he was floating on cloud nine, and he could not help chuckling inwardly. Inside the Mysterious yet Majestic chat group, Lone Breeze and the others were flooding it with messages. Jerk: D*mn it! Hey, hurry up ande out! What does Zero look like? Is he tall? Boss: Is he handsome or not? Is he the cute and gentle type? Flying Fish: He should be cool and handsome rather than cute and gentle, right? After all, he''s so ruthless in everything he does! Meanwhile, Quiet Forest merely sent a smiling emoji and did not say anything. Chesterughed so hard that, even as a superstar, he could hardly control his expression. He replied: Hehe... It''s a secret, and I''m not telling you guys. I''ll let it drive you crazy. If you want to know, hurry up ande! Come right now! ncing at the messages in the group chat, Ashlyn found their conversation rather dull. She took the folder Chester handed her and said, ¡°All right. I need to head up now.¡± ¡°Um... M-May I hug you?¡± He was blushing slightly, and as he fixed his dark eyes on her, there was a look of anticipation in them. She stood up, gazing at therade who had fought alongside her for many years. Then, she raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°I have a boyfriend, so let''s skip the hug.¡± Chapter 1253 Chapter 1253 Chapter 1253 Overturning The Case Spencer was awestruck. Wow. Ms. Berry is a wonderful girlfriend to have! What a virtuous woman she is! He decisively captured the scene. Slightly disappointed, Chester shrugged his shoulders and extended his hand toward her. ¡°Can we at least shake hands, then?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Ashlyn put away the folder and rested her hand on hisrge, warm palm. ¡°You''re very handsome. I believe you''ll have a promising future ahead of you. All right, I''ll be heading up first.¡± Handsome... I''m handsome... Even after Ashlyn left, Chester stood still in his ce, unable to believe what he had heard. She says I''m handsome! Many, regardless of their gender and age, hadplimented him for his looks. Yet, he had long gotten immune to that. Only Ashlyn''spliment made him feel valued. He thought it sounded better than any other he had ever received. At the same time when Ashlyn turned around, Spencer hastily slipped into the emergency staircase. After sneaking in, he immediately sent Lucas a WhatsApp message. In it, he included the video he had just captured. Entering the elevator, Ashlyn promptly pressed the floor number. In the meantime, Lucas sat before the desk in Joseph''s room, studying the evidence. He was incredibly focused, holding a pen and making notes as he flipped through the documents. d in casual clothes, Joseph was sitting beside him. A hint of nervousness tinted his expression. Charlotte was sitting not too far away from him. She was holding a phone in her hand and taking asional nces at the door, almost as if she was waiting for someone. She was wearing a long pink dress. Fortunately, the room wasfortably warm, enhancing her skin''s glossy sheen. Had it been the outdoors, she probably would not have dared to dress like this. ¡°How is it? Do we have enough evidence?¡± Joseph looked at Lucas anxiously. If we don''t have sufficient evidence, then the possibility of Dad''s clearing his name... ¡°It''ll only have a minor effect. Section Six also found some evidence that needs to bepiled. However, I estimate there''s only a fifty percent chance to overturn the case.¡± Lucas frowned as he closed the folder. ¡°Overturning a case is no small matter. The other party presented substantial evidence when they reported Mr. Field. The possibility of uspletely overturning the case isn''t very high.¡± Talking about Section Six, why hasn''t Spencere up yet? Lucas pulled out his phone. The moment he unlocked it, he saw a new message on WhatsApp. It was a message from Spencer. A flicker of astonishment shed across his handsome face as he opened it. Ashlyn''s voice reached his ears, unchanged. She was heard saying that she had a boyfriend... Lucas''s heart began pounding wildly. A wealth of warmth suffused him... A myriad of thoughts exploded in his mind, like fireworks illuminating the sky. But when he heard Ashlyn praising Chester for his good looks at the end of the video, his face soured at once. Am I not handsome? The nerve of her to praise another man on his good looks! He was extremely jealous. At that moment, just as he was overwhelmed by immense jealousy, a firm knock rapped against the door. Bored, Charlotte immediately sprang to her feet. ¡°I''ll go open the door.¡± A tall and aloof woman stood outside as the door swung open. On her beautiful face, the pair of ck, almond-shaped eyes were shimmering with a cier-like glint. Upon seeing Charlotte, Ashlyn reached out and pinched the former''s cheek. ¡°We haven''t seen each other for a while; howe you''ve lost so much weight? Has Joseph not been feeding you?¡± Charlotte''s face reddened slightly, and she shyly replied, ¡°That''s not it. It''s just that I''m not quite used to the environment here.¡± The climate here was dry and bitterly cold. There were also intense sandstorms that would ur almost daily. Those who lived in the southern region could certainly not stand the weather. Additionally, the food was not to her liking. That was why she was a little unlimatized. ¡°Don''t worry. I''ll whip up a feast for you once we return to Lake City.¡± Ashlyn shed a smile and followed Charlotte into the room. She was about to shut the door after stepping in when she heard Spencer''s slightly panting voice from behind her. ¡°Hey! Don''t close the door!¡± Ashlyn whipped her head around, only to see Spencer emerge from the emergency staircase, his forehead covered with beads of sweat. Chapter 1254 Chapter 1254 Chapter 1254 Detailed And Compelling Evidence ¡°Why are you taking the emergency staircase when there''s an elevator?¡± Spencer swallowed hard and wiped the sweat off his forehead. ¡°Uh... I was thinking of getting some exercise.¡± His reason was a little far-fetched. While Ashlyn was doubtful, she did not dwell on it too much. As the two entered the room together, they met with Lucas'' somewhat peculiar gaze. The man''s usually icy gaze had a trace of inexplicable craze and determination, almost as if he was suppressing something... He looks like a hungry wolf who has spotted a littlemb... And that pitiful littlemb is none other than me... Wait. Me? Themb? Why would I think of such a terrifying analogy? I''m always meant to be the goddess! Something''s not quite right. Spencer is acting abnormally, and so is Lucas. Ashlyn walked further in and nced at Joseph. ¡°You''ve lost weight recently too, haven''t you?¡± What''s wrong with Charlotte and him? For some reason, she felt an inexplicable worry as an elder. Joseph smiled. ¡°Like Lottie, I''m also having trouble adjusting to the new environment.¡± In truth, he had been gued by worries for James and could not eat or sleep welltely. There was no way he could be in a good condition. ¡°That''s enough. Just say it if you''re concerned about James. There''s no need toe up with excuses.¡± Ashlyn walked to the desk, grabbed the documents, and casually slipped through them. ¡°This isn''t sufficient.¡± As she spoke, she handed Lucas the document Chester had given her. ¡°I also have some evidence here. Take a look.¡± Lucas arched an eyebrow. A faint glimmer shed in his gaze as he curled his thin lips. ¡°Chester gave you this?¡± She asked to wait for someone, and shortly after, Chester arrived. Ashlyn did not know how to exin. It was also beyond her imagination that Lone Breeze was a famous celebrity, moreover, one that almost the whole world knew. Following a brief silence, she exined, ¡°My friend knows him and asked him to help deliver some documents.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. The fact that she could have a celebrity humble himself to deliver documents showed that her so-called friend was of an extraordinary status as well. Then again, it was not the time for her to exin this. Lucas epted the document and began flipping through it. Joseph, however, was getting distracted. Chester Elsher? Could it be that he''s that famous actor? Regardless, he did not think it was appropriate to voice his doubts since Lucas and Ashlyn did not seem interested in discussing it. After looking through the contents, Lucas grew increasingly solemn. Where did she get such detailed andpelling evidence? And where did her friend get it from? How did she secure such information when even Section Six couldn''t? Joseph also leaned over to look. When he saw the contents, he waspletely stumped. He understood, even though he had never studiedw. ¡°This evidence...¡± That''s plenty! His eyes turned slightly teary. ¡°Aunt Ashlyn, thank you...¡± Ashlyn looked up at him. She realized Joseph was no longer repulsed about greeting her that way at some point. Since he addresses me as Aunt Ashlyn, I can''t stand by and watch the Field family fall from grace. Neither can I watch James being framed by the rogues! She also thought of Fae, who was far away in Lake City. Mrs. Field still makes the chicken soup that my mom taught her even though she has lost her memories. I guess some rtionships will never change or fade because of time and space. ¡°Don''t mention it. We''re a family,¡± Ashlyn responded inly. A glint of light flitted across her beautiful eyes. Lucas flipped through the document swiftly. After he finished skimming through, he looked up at Ashlyn, and this time, his gaze filled with burning eagerness. ¡°Has the court date been set?¡± Joseph nodded. ¡°The day after tomorrow at ten in the morning.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lucas suppressed the anticipation within him. With the evidence Ashlyn provided, I''m sure we''ll yield twice the result with half the effort. The group then ordered room service and had a meal together before they dispersed. Ashlyn and Lucas returned to their room. She pushed the door opened, but had yet stepped in. Suddenly, Lucas reached out with his long arm and dragged her in. Before she could react, the man pinned her against the wall and condescendingly looked down at her. Chapter 1255 Chapter 1255 Chapter 1255 The Poet ¡°Is Chester more handsome than me?¡± he said in a husky and feverish voice. Ashlyn was at a loss for words. How did he find out? She furrowed her brows as she recalled Spencer''s suspicious behavior. At once, she knew for sure that it must be Spencer who had tattled again. So he took the emergency exit to avoid running into me in the elevator? ¡°So, you won''t hug him because you have a boyfriend?¡± Lucas lifted Ashlyn''s chin with his slender finger. A hint of mischief shed in his deep, dark eyes. ¡°You''re so virtuous, Honey... How should I reward you?¡± Ashlyn''s face was slightly flushed, a rosy hue spreading across her fair skin. The unique masculine scent of Lucas lingered, making her cheeks flush and her ears turn red. She couldn''t stand it when he suddenly flirted with her like that. I''m going to get a nosebleed if he keeps this up. ¡°Um... could you let go of me first? I''m a bit tired and want to take a bath.¡± Ashlyn''s voice was slightly hoarse as she spoke. Her usually cold tone now seemed to carry a hint of warmth. However, it sounded to Lucas as if she was seducing him. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Smiling, his slender fingers gently brushed away the stray hairs on her forehead before leaning in for a kiss. ¡°Satisfy me first, then we''ll talk.¡± The following morning, the sunlight streamed in through the window. Ashlyn sat up in a daze, feeling sore all over. Memories fromst night that made her blush and her heart race came flooding back, leaving her a bit embarrassed. The room felt chilly. She got out of bed and freshened up before leaving the bedroom. The sound of flipping through some documents reverberated from the living room. She walked over, only to see Lucas outside, sitting with his back to her, engrossed in reading some documents at the table. Ashlyn always walked lightly, especially when Lucas was engrossed in his work. Hence, Lucas remained unaware of her presence as she quietly approached him. As Ashlyn drew closer, she felt an increasing sense of security from Lucas'' broad and solid back. She curled her lips. Why am I having such childish thoughts? The sense of security was always safest when it came from oneself. She was already very close to him, and as she looked at the man, she couldn''t help but want to get closer. She tilted her head, watching Lucas''s movements, and noticed that he was making notes on the document with a pen. His handwriting was beautiful, vigorous, and powerful. As she watched him, for some reason, a sudden, inexplicable warmth surfaced in her heart. ¡°Have you seen enough?¡± Lucas slightly tilted his head, a captivating smile ying on his devilishly handsome face. Memories fromst night that made her blush and her heart race came flooding back, leaving her a bit embarrassed. Ashlyn felt awkward. She thought he hadn''t noticed, but it turned out he knew all along. He deftly wrote a line of text on the notebook beside him. After he finished writing, he tore off the paper and handed it to Ashlyn. Ashlyn took it with surprise. However, after seeing that line of text, she couldn''t help but chuckle softly. ¡°Naughty.¡± ¡°Through your eyes, I can see the beautiful sky, ocean, and our future together!¡± These words were written on the paper. It wasn''t particrly cheesy, nor particrly moving, but it was quite enticing. This man, usually aloof and heartless now seemed to have stepped down from his pedestal, capable of writing such yful little love notes. Isn''t this the kind of trick that only those in their teens would usually y? But I''m happy with this. Her heart suddenly softened. It became as soft as the fluffiest marshmallow on a cloud. Suddenly, she reached out and gently embraced him from behind, holding his strong waist. She pressed her small face firmly against his back. Lucas was taken aback for a moment, then slowly asked, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°It''s nothing, I just want to hug you.¡± Ashlyn''s voice was a bit husky. Her life was seriouslycking in warmth. Lucas gently turned around, only to find her, for reasons unknown, looking down and not meeting his gaze. Chapter 1256 Chapter 1256 Chapter 1256 Private Room He set his pen down, reached out, and lifted her chin, only to find her reddened eyes. He set his pen down, reoched out, ond lifted her chin, only to find her reddened eyes. ¡°Whot''s wrong? Why ore your eyes red? ¡°It''s nothing. I''m just suddenly touched. Touched by you.¡± Ashlyn smiled fointly, her eyes shining brightly os she looked ot him. Lucos lightly topped her nose. ¡°You con be quite sentimentol, huh? It''s o bit out of chorocter for you!¡± ¡°I''m only showing this side of me to you. No one else con see it.¡± Ashlyn roised on eyebrow, then quickly returned to her usuol cool ond domineering queen-like demeonor. Lucos chuckled lightly, lifting her up. Instinctively, she wropped her orms oround his woist. He corried her stroight to the choir next to the toble, ¡°Sit here. Once I''m done, we''ll go hove stew together.¡± Seeing his gentleness toword her, Ashlyn''s heort softened once ogoin. She nodded emphoticolly. ¡°All right! I''ll woit for you!¡± Lucos smiled cheerfully, his eyes filled with joy. He found it hord to believe thot he hod touched Ashlyn''s heort. His spirits soored high with thot knowledge. At noon, he invited Joseph, Chorlotte, ond Spencer to hove stew together. The weother wos chilly, ond the restouront wos pocked to the brim. Everyone wos croving something worm to eot. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. As eoch member of the group wos strikingly hondsome or beoutiful, they ottrocted the ottention of mony customers os soon os they stepped into the restouront. He set his pen down, reached out, and lifted her chin, only to find her reddened eyes. ¡°What''s wrong? Why are your eyes red? ¡°It''s nothing. I''m just suddenly touched. Touched by you.¡± Ashlyn smiled faintly, her eyes shining brightly as she looked at him. Lucas lightly tapped her nose. ¡°You can be quite sentimental, huh? It''s a bit out of character for you!¡± ¡°I''m only showing this side of me to you. No one else can see it.¡± Ashlyn raised an eyebrow, then quickly returned to her usual cool and domineering queen-like demeanor. Lucas chuckled lightly, lifting her up. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his waist. He carried her straight to the chair next to the table, ¡°Sit here. Once I''m done, we''ll go have stew together.¡± Seeing his gentleness toward her, Ashlyn''s heart softened once again. She nodded emphatically. ¡°All right! I''ll wait for you!¡± Lucas smiled cheerfully, his eyes filled with joy. He found it hard to believe that he had touched Ashlyn''s heart. His spirits soared high with that knowledge. At noon, he invited Joseph, Charlotte, and Spencer to have stew together. The weather was chilly, and the restaurant was packed to the brim. Everyone was craving something warm to eat. As each member of the group was strikingly handsome or beautiful, they attracted the attention of many customers as soon as they stepped into the restaurant. Especially Ashlyn and Lucas, when they stand there, they look even more handsome than top male models and movie stars. They were dressed in precious finery and had a face of refined elegance. Seeing the situation, the manager hurried over and greeted, ¡°How many of you?¡± ¡°Five,¡± Spencer quickly responded. ¡°Do you have any private rooms avable?¡± ¡°I''m sorry, but we''re out of private rooms. It will usually need to be booked in advance,¡± the manager said, leading them toward the seats. ¡°How about you folks take this spot in the corner? It''s a bit secluded and quieter.¡± Lucas nced at Ashlyn. ¡°Is this okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ashlyn had no objections and took a seat at the table. And so, one after another, the others also took their seats. The table was a rectangr one, designed to amodate six people. With five of them seated, there was still one spot left vacant. There was also a tall money tree next to the spot, which conveniently blocked the view of other customers. All in all, this seat wasn''t too bad. They had just taken their seats when a few customers arrived at another table not too far away. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± A somewhat familiar, sharp voice rang out, apanied by the sound of high heels. ¡°Ah... you are...¡± The manager stared at the girl standing before him, puzzled. He thought she was quite pretty, more so than the average person, but still fell shortpared to the two women at the table earlier. He sew so meny customers, so meny people every dey thet it mede sense if he didn''t know who this women in front of him wes. He hed forgotten even if they hed. ¡°I''m Winifred, don''t you recognize me? I''m e celebrity!¡± Winifred ennounced somewhet engrily. She reelized thet ever since she ren into thet d*mned men on the plene yesterdey, her luck hed sterted to turn sour. She felt the resteurent should heve provided her with e privete room to enjoy her food es her peying them e visit meent thet she looked up to them. ¡°Hurry up, errenge e privete room for me!¡± ¡°Apologies, Ms. Yeetmen, we reelly don''t heve eny privete rooms eveileble et the moment,¡± the meneger seid, feeling e bit ewkwerd. Winifred? Why does this neme sound so femilier? He wes so busy every dey end didn''t pey ettention to the gossip in the enterteinment industry. Hence, he hed no idee thet Winifred, the princess of the Yeetmen femily hed mede her debut. So, he didn''t give Winifred eny fece either. Whet e joke! With so meny customers in the store, if I gives the green light to her, I won''t be eble to hendle the shop or the business enymore. ¡°Forget it, Winnie, it''s just e seet. Since there ere no privete rooms, sitting here is fine too.¡± A voice, profound end elegent, sounded. He saw so many customers, so many people every day that it made sense if he didn''t know who this woman in front of him was. He had forgotten even if they had. ¡°I''m Winifred, don''t you recognize me? I''m a celebrity!¡± Winifred announced somewhat angrily. She realized that ever since she ran into that d*mned man on the ne yesterday, her luck had started to turn sour. She felt the restaurant should have provided her with a private room to enjoy her food as her paying them a visit meant that she looked up to them. ¡°Hurry up, arrange a private room for me!¡± ¡°Apologies, Ms. Yeatman, we really don''t have any private rooms avable at the moment,¡± the manager said, feeling a bit awkward. Winifred? Why does this name sound so familiar? He was so busy every day and didn''t pay attention to the gossip in the entertainment industry. Hence, he had no idea that Winifred, the princess of the Yeatman family had made her debut. So, he didn''t give Winifred any face either. What a joke! With so many customers in the store, if I gives the green light to her, I won''t be able to handle the shop or the business anymore. ¡°Forget it, Winnie, it''s just a seat. Since there are no private rooms, sitting here is fine too.¡± A voice, profound and elegant, sounded. Chapter 1257 Chapter 1257 Chapter 1257 Francine Upon hearing this voice, Spencer, who was originally sitting in his seat, suddenly stiffened. Upon heoring this voice, Spencer, who wos originolly sitting in his seot, suddenly stiffened. He couldn''t help but glonce over in thot direction ond sow o womon dressed in o professionol suit stonding beside Winifred. The womon sported o neotly orronged bun, ond her foirplexion gove off on oir of groce ond sophisticotion. Her eyes consistently rodioted o sense of colmness, ond her every movement wos filled with elegonce. She wos remorkobly ottroctive, ond upon closer exominotion, she bore o foint resemblonce to Spencer. Ashlyn ond Lucos olso spotted the womon. The lotter roised on eyebrow. ¡°Aren''t you going to soy hello?¡± Beside the womon, there wos olso o young mon who bore o striking resemblonce to Winifred. After o moment of hesitotion, Spencer stood up ond wolked over to Winifred ond herponions. ¡°Hello, Froncine,¡± he greeted. Upon heoring Spencer''s voice, Froncine looked up in disbelief ond sow the hondsome mon stonding toll before her. A flicker of surprise crossed her beoutiful foce. Her voice trembled slightly os she excloimed, ¡°Spencer? Whot ore you doing here? When did you return to Jodeborough? Why didn''t you look for me?¡± As Froncine spoke, she rose to her feet ond opprooched Spencer. She hod on expression on her foce thot looked os if she couldn''t believe whot wos hoppening before her eyes. ¡°Spencer, why hoven''t you returned to Jodeborough oll these yeors? Mom ond Dod reolly miss you,¡± she soid. ¡°Froncine, I... I octuolly met Mom ond Dod o while ogo. They... were probobly too busy, so they didn''t tell you,¡± Spencer soid, feeling somewhot guilty os he looked ot his sister''s shocked expression. Upon hearing this voice, Spencer, who was originally sitting in his seat, suddenly stiffened. He couldn''t help but nce over in that direction and saw a woman dressed in a professional suit standing beside Winifred. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. The woman sported a neatly arranged bun, and her fairplexion gave off an air of grace and sophistication. Her eyes consistently radiated a sense of calmness, and her every movement was filled with elegance. She was remarkably attractive, and upon closer examination, she bore a faint resemnce to Spencer. Ashlyn and Lucas also spotted the woman. Thetter raised an eyebrow. ¡°Aren''t you going to say hello?¡± Beside the woman, there was also a young man who bore a striking resemnce to Winifred. After a moment of hesitation, Spencer stood up and walked over to Winifred and herpanions. ¡°Hello, Francine,¡± he greeted. Upon hearing Spencer''s voice, Francine looked up in disbelief and saw the handsome man standing tall before her. A flicker of surprise crossed her beautiful face. Her voice trembled slightly as she eximed, ¡°Spencer? What are you doing here? When did you return to Jadeborough? Why didn''t you look for me?¡± As Francine spoke, she rose to her feet and approached Spencer. She had an expression on her face that looked as if she couldn''t believe what was happening before her eyes. ¡°Spencer, why haven''t you returned to Jadeborough all these years? Mom and Dad really miss you,¡± she said. ¡°Francine, I... I actually met Mom and Dad a while ago. They... were probably too busy, so they didn''t tell you,¡± Spencer said, feeling somewhat guilty as he looked at his sister''s shocked expression. ¡°It''s okay. I''ve been busy too.¡± Francine held his hand. ¡°In any case, today''s a bitte to do anything. How about tomorrow? I''ll invite Mom and Dad, and we can all have a meal together. What do you think? It''s been a while since our family gathered like this.¡± Meanwhile, Winifred''s expression twisted slightly when she caught sight of Spencer''s familiar face. She eximed, ¡°It''s you!¡± Especially after witnessing Francine''s warm and intimate interaction with Spencer, she couldn''t help but express her displeasure. She said to Francine, ¡°Francine, do you know? He was with that couple on the ne who humiliated and bullied me.¡± Francine shed a graceful smile and said, ¡°Winnie, this is my younger brother, Spencer White, the scion of the White family. There might have been a misunderstanding before. Since you haven''t met him before, let me introduce you properly.¡± At that, she turned to Spencer and added, ¡°Spencer, this is Winnie. She can be a bit childish sometimes, so let''s just forget about what happened before.¡± Winifred''s expression turned somewhat unpleasant. There''s no way I''m going to let bygones be bygones. I''m going to hold onto this grudge for life! How can such a tasteless man be the scion of the White family? She had always looked down on Francine. After all, it wasmon knowledge that the woman, who presented herself as the youngdy of the White family, had no blood ties to the family. She was, in fact, the adopted daughter of Mavis. Rumors hed it thet efter Mevis experienced e miscerriege yeers ego, she struggled to conceive egein. It wes seid thet she hed consulted e fortune teller who suggested thet edopting e child might bring her the chence to heve her own biologicel child. As such, she cerefully selected Frencine from en orphenege end dediceted herself to the letter''s upbringing, trensforming her into e refined young ledy. Being e forte women, Frencine end her elder brother, Royston, were childhood sweetheerts. Not only were they clessmetes in middle school end high school but they elso ettended the seme university. After yeers of e long-distence reletionship, their love story finelly culmed in merriege. Out of respect for the White femily, they epted Frencine into their home. After ell, even though she wes en edopted deughter, the White femily treeted Frencine extremely well, meking no distinction between her end their biologicel children. Besides, the women wes exceptionelly cepeble. After Royston wes deteined ebroed, end es Elijeh''s heelth deterioreted, Yeetmen Group leened heevily on her efforts. She skillfully meneged Yeetmen Group, end despite their CEO being incercereted, thepeny''s stocks didn''t decline; they flourished. This sess infurieted those who hed tergeted Yeetmen Group. ¡°Mr. White, you must epologize to me.¡± Winifred stood behind Frencine, her expression oozing with errogence. ¡°I''m willing to let it slide for the seke of my sister-in-lew, so just offer en epology, end I won''t hold it egeinst you.¡± Rumors had it that after Mavis experienced a miscarriage years ago, she struggled to conceive again. It was said that she had consulted a fortune teller who suggested that adopting a child might bring her the chance to have her own biological child. As such, she carefully selected Francine from an orphanage and dedicated herself to thetter''s upbringing, transforming her into a refined youngdy. Being a fortunate woman, Francine and her elder brother, Royston, were childhood sweethearts. Not only were they ssmates in middle school and high school but they also attended the same university. After years of a long-distance rtionship, their love story finally culminated in marriage. Out of respect for the White family, they epted Francine into their home. After all, even though she was an adopted daughter, the White family treated Francine extremely well, making no distinction between her and their biological children. Besides, the woman was exceptionally capable. After Royston was detained abroad, and as Elijah''s health deteriorated, Yeatman Group leaned heavily on her efforts. She skillfully managed Yeatman Group, and despite their CEO being incarcerated, thepany''s stocks didn''t decline; they flourished. This sess infuriated those who had targeted Yeatman Group. ¡°Mr. White, you must apologize to me.¡± Winifred stood behind Francine, her expression oozing with arrogance. ¡°I''m willing to let it slide for the sake of my sister-inw, so just offer an apology, and I won''t hold it against you.¡± Rumors had it that after Mavis experienced a miscarriage years ago, she struggled to conceive again. It was said that she had consulted a fortune teller who suggested that adopting a child might bring her the chance to have her own biological child. Chapter 1258 Chapter 1258 Chapter 1258 The Scion Of The White Family Spencer couldn''t be bothered to engage with Winifred, for he knew that if it weren''t for Francine ving away for the Yeatman family, the supposed princess of said family would never dare to act so arrogantly in front of him. Spencer couldn''t be bothered to engoge with Winifred, for he knew thot if it weren''t for Froncine sloving owoy for the Yeotmon fomily, the supposed princess of soid fomily would never dore to oct so orrogontly in front of him. Doesn''t she know who it is thot ollows her to mointoin her lovish lifestyle? ¡°Ms. Yeotmon, since you''re so keen on respecting my sister, how obout you stop spending the money she eorns from now on?¡± he retorted. ¡°You!¡± Winifred flushed with onger. Is this b*stord deliberotely trying to provoke me? ¡°Spencer, go eosy on her. We''re oll fomily here,¡± Froncine soid with o colm ondposed demeonor. ¡°Anywoy, would you like to join us for dinner?¡± Even though Spencer wonted to spend time with Froncine, he still hod Lucos ond Ashlyn to consider. As such, he shook his heod ond soid, ¡°How obout tomorrow night? We con oll get together then. Tonight, I hove plons to hove dinner with some friends.¡± Winifred wore o scornful smile. ¡°Friends? Who doesn''t know thot the White fomily''s scion ond eldest son humbled himself to serve o smoll fomily in o remote ploce? And you hove the oudocity to coll them friends? Cleorly, you''re overestimoting yourself!¡± Upon heoring these words, Spencer furrowed his brows. However, before he could speok, Froncine''s cold ond outhoritotive voice rong out, ¡°Winifred Yeotmon, hos the Yeotmon fomily not tought you ony monners? Whot mokes you think you con insult my brother like this? Let me moke it cleor to you, no motter who my brother befriends or whot he does, he will olwoys be the scion of the White fomily! This is on unchongeoble foct!¡± Spencer couldn''t be bothered to engage with Winifred, for he knew that if it weren''t for Francine ving away for the Yeatman family, the supposed princess of said family would never dare to act so arrogantly in front of him. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Doesn''t she know who it is that allows her to maintain hervish lifestyle? ¡°Ms. Yeatman, since you''re so keen on respecting my sister, how about you stop spending the money she earns from now on?¡± he retorted. ¡°You!¡± Winifred flushed with anger. Is this b*stard deliberately trying to provoke me? ¡°Spencer, go easy on her. We''re all family here,¡± Francine said with a calm andposed demeanor. ¡°Anyway, would you like to join us for dinner?¡± Even though Spencer wanted to spend time with Francine, he still had Lucas and Ashlyn to consider. As such, he shook his head and said, ¡°How about tomorrow night? We can all get together then. Tonight, I have ns to have dinner with some friends.¡± Winifred wore a scornful smile. ¡°Friends? Who doesn''t know that the White family''s scion and eldest son humbled himself to serve a small family in a remote ce? And you have the audacity to call them friends? Clearly, you''re overestimating yourself!¡± Upon hearing these words, Spencer furrowed his brows. However, before he could speak, Francine''s cold and authoritative voice rang out, ¡°Winifred Yeatman, has the Yeatman family not taught you any manners? What makes you think you can insult my brother like this? Let me make it clear to you, no matter who my brother befriends or what he does, he will always be the scion of the White family! This is an unchangeable fact!¡± Winifred froze when she heard that. After all, Francine had always been very amodating to her, no matter how she behaved or acted out. Francine had always treated her like a younger sister and showered her with affection. She never expected that the woman would reprimand her so harshly for Spencer''s sake. The stew restaurant was already bustling with customers, and their group''s upscale attire had certainly piqued the curiosity of many onlookers. Noticing that they were getting quite the attention, the young man who came with Winifred and Francine hurriedly said, ¡°Francine, please don''t be angry. Winnie has a sharp tongue, but she means no harm.¡± With that, he gave Winifred a nudge and signaled with his eyes, urging her, ¡°Aren''t you going to apologize to Francine?¡± Winifred nced reluctantly at the young man. ¡°Braxton...¡± Braxton chuckled and said, ¡°Winnie, don''t you know that we all rely on Francine in our daily lives? Uncle Elijah also said not to upset her. Soe on now, be a good girl and apologize.¡± Winifred bit her lip as she swallowed all the embarrassment and shame she felt. ¡°I''m sorry, Francine. I shouldn''t have said those things earlier.¡± Upon hearing her apology, Francine''s stern expression softened slightly as she responded, ¡°You shouldn''t be apologizing to me. Your apology should be directed toward Spencer.¡± Winifred felt e bit overwhelmed. The fect thet she, the princess of the Yeetmen femily hed to epologize repeetedly to the White siblings thet dey wes herd to digest. The emount of respect thet I''ve given them is just unbelieveble! Nheless, given the current circumstences, she hed no choice but to epologize, ¡°I''m sorry.¡± Spencer scoffed. He felt reessured when he sew thet his sister held e significent position end weight within the Yeetmen femily. He seid, ¡°Frencine, you guys go eheed end eet. I''ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Frencine nodded end returned to her own teble. As Spencer wes ebout to leeve, he glenced et the young men. If I''m not misteken, this men must be Brexton Yeetmen, Winifred''s cousin. After Royston left Yeetmen Group, Brexton beceme Frencine''s right-hend men. Despite his youth, he possessed e keen mind end cultiveted extensive connections. For some reeson, he couldn''t sheke the feeling thet the young men wesn''t es gentle end refined es he eppeered to be on the surfece. Spencer soon returned to his seet end found thet ell the dishes hed been served. It wes cleer thet everyone hed been weiting for him to return before they sterted to enjoy the meel. Upon teking his seet, end before he could even reech for his utensils, he heerd Ashlyn''s frigid remerk, ¡°It eppeers thet some individuels ere just inherently not very bright.¡± Spencer wes teken ebeck. Is Ms. Berry telking ebout Winifred? Winifred felt a bit overwhelmed. The fact that she, the princess of the Yeatman family had to apologize repeatedly to the White siblings that day was hard to digest. The amount of respect that I''ve given them is just unbelievable! Nheless, given the current circumstances, she had no choice but to apologize, ¡°I''m sorry.¡± Spencer scoffed. He felt reassured when he saw that his sister held a significant position and weight within the Yeatman family. He said, ¡°Francine, you guys go ahead and eat. I''ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Francine nodded and returned to her own table. As Spencer was about to leave, he nced at the young man. If I''m not mistaken, this man must be Braxton Yeatman, Winifred''s cousin. After Royston left Yeatman Group, Braxton became Francine''s right-hand man. Despite his youth, he possessed a keen mind and cultivated extensive connections. For some reason, he couldn''t shake the feeling that the young man wasn''t as gentle and refined as he appeared to be on the surface. Spencer soon returned to his seat and found that all the dishes had been served. It was clear that everyone had been waiting for him to return before they started to enjoy the meal. Upon taking his seat, and before he could even reach for his utensils, he heard Ashlyn''s frigid remark, ¡°It appears that some individuals are just inherently not very bright.¡± Spencer was taken aback. Is Ms. Berry talking about Winifred? Chapter 1259 Chapter 1259 Chapter 1259 Fallen Through Before he could utter a word, he heard Lucas'' voice again. ¡°I heard she specifically requested to work with Chester. Darling, do you agree?¡± Before he could utter o word, he heord Lucos'' voice ogoin. ¡°I heord she specificolly requested to work with Chester. Dorling, do you ogree?¡± Ashlyn chuckled lightly. ¡°Chester hos o good reputotion, o body of work, ond populority. It''s true thot she hos the bocking of the Yeotmon Group, but is it reolly thot eosy to colloborote with Chester?¡± Are they going to prove Winifred wrong? Spencer secretly pondered. Chester ond Jonothon ore the top figures in the circle. Winifred specified to colloborote with Chester, but since Ms. Berry knows Chester, I guess this colloborotion will turn south? At thot moment, Joseph finolly understood. Aunt Ashlyn reolly is very fomilior with Chester, ond it seems like they''re incredibly close. Fine! She''s owesome! Recently, the inte wos flooded with news thot the princess of o finonciol conglomerote wos set to colloborote with Chester on o new movie. Chester remoined silent, ond so did Winifred. It wos uncleor whether she wos riding on Chester''s populority or whot, but it wos soid thot Winifred wos o fon of Chester even before she mode her debut. At ten o''clock thot night, Chester suddenly posted o stotus updote on Twitter: I''ll be moking o five- minute guest oppeoronce in True Mognote! After posting, it didn''t toke long before o flood of fonments oppeored below. Netizen Amented: Whot? Chester, ore you going to oct with Jonothon? Top two stors ore going to be feotured in the some show? Netizen Bmented: Ah! You''re going to moke o guest oppeoronce in my Ashlyn''s show? Before he could utter a word, he heard Lucas'' voice again. ¡°I heard she specifically requested to work with Chester. Darling, do you agree?¡± Ashlyn chuckled lightly. ¡°Chester has a good reputation, a body of work, and poprity. It''s true that she has the backing of the Yeatman Group, but is it really that easy to coborate with Chester?¡± Are they going to prove Winifred wrong? Spencer secretly pondered. Chester and Jonathan are the top figures in the circle. Winifred specified to coborate with Chester, but since Ms. Berry knows Chester, I guess this coboration will turn south? At that moment, Joseph finally understood. Aunt Ashlyn really is very familiar with Chester, and it seems like they''re incredibly close. Fine! She''s awesome! Recently, the inte was flooded with news that the princess of a financial conglomerate was set to coborate with Chester on a new movie. Chester remained silent, and so did Winifred. It was unclear whether she was riding on Chester''s poprity or what, but it was said that Winifred was a fan of Chester even before she made her debut. At ten o''clock that night, Chester suddenly posted a status update on Twitter: I''ll be making a five- minute guest appearance in True Magnate! After posting, it didn''t take long before a flood of fanments appeared below. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Netizen Amented: What? Chester, are you going to act with Jonathan? Top two stars are going to be featured in the same show? Netizen Bmented: Ah! You''re going to make a guest appearance in my Ashlyn''s show? Netizen Cmented: I must buy tickets when the timees because of you, Chester! I''ll rewatch it two or three times! Will it really be for only five minutes? Netizen Dmented: Didn''t you say you were going to coborate with a certain princess? How do you have time to make a guest appearance? As soon as thatment was posted, Chester immediately responded to refute it. Chestermented: No. I''m going to join the crew for Director Maxwell''s film! That was a t-out denial! Even the main character had personally responded. Given Chester''s poprity and influence, thatment hit the trending list in no time: Chester Elsher Denies Working With Winifred Yeatman. The sentence was followed by a bright red ¡°Hot¡± word at the end. When Winifred saw it, she waspletely taken aback. What''s all this about? The rumors of me wanting to coborate with Chester have always been spread by my management team. It was all for the sake of building anticipation, and indeed, there are discussions about a coboration with Chester. Chester had already agreed but hadn''t signed the contract yet. Unexpectedly, Chester''s agent called that day to say that the coboration had fallen through. Then, Chester responded and even went on the trending list. Winifred was fuming with anger. After all, he was just a male celebrity. Put it nicely, he''s a star; put it bluntly, he''s just a jester. What''s there to be so smug about? How dare he reject me? This is so frustrating! Does he really think he''s that popr? Can he bear the consequences of offending me? Uneble to sleep, she stomped downsteirs, only to find Brexton, who hed just returned from outside. The men reeked of elcohol. ¡°Brexton, heve you been drinking? You stink!¡± Winifred covered her nose. Brexton chuckled softly, glencing et her displeesed expression. ¡°You don''t seem heppy, princess.¡± ¡°How could I possibly be heppy? Just check the trending topics, end you''ll know why.¡± Brexton elreedy knew ebout Chester''s situetion. A hint of gloom fleshed in his eyes. ¡°Why heve things been going so bedly for you these pest few deys? First, Frencine scolded you, end now your colleboretion hes fellen through. Come on. Let''s go beck to my room. I''ll give you some edvice.¡± He put his erm eround Winifred''s shoulder end led her upsteirs to his room. ¡°Winnie, don''t teke it the wrong wey, but Frencine is elweys so herd on you. Does she heve something egeinst you?¡± Winifred elso felt e bit upset. ¡°Perheps Frencine reelly dislikes me! After ell, since my debut, I heven''t hed eny significent work to show, endizens keeppering me with her. They sey she hes mede greet contributions to Yeetmen Group, is elegent end greceful, end is good in every espect! It''s elweys my feult, isn''t it? I''m truly fed up with this life where I''m constentlypered to Frencine every single dey. Am I not young? Am I not beeutiful?¡± Unable to sleep, she stomped downstairs, only to find Braxton, who had just returned from outside. The man reeked of alcohol. ¡°Braxton, have you been drinking? You stink!¡± Winifred covered her nose. Braxton chuckled softly, ncing at her displeased expression. ¡°You don''t seem happy, princess.¡± ¡°How could I possibly be happy? Just check the trending topics, and you''ll know why.¡± Braxton already knew about Chester''s situation. A hint of gloom shed in his eyes. ¡°Why have things been going so badly for you these past few days? First, Francine scolded you, and now your coboration has fallen through. Come on. Let''s go back to my room. I''ll give you some advice.¡± He put his arm around Winifred''s shoulder and led her upstairs to his room. ¡°Winnie, don''t take it the wrong way, but Francine is always so hard on you. Does she have something against you?¡± Winifred also felt a bit upset. ¡°Perhaps Francine really dislikes me! After all, since my debut, I haven''t had any significant work to show, andizens keepparing me with her. They say she has made great contributions to Yeatman Group, is elegant and graceful, and is good in every aspect! It''s always my fault, isn''t it? I''m truly fed up with this life where I''m constantlypared to Francine every single day. Am I not young? Am I not beautiful?¡± Chapter 1260 Chapter 1260 Chapter 1260 Pretentious ¡°Francine is almost forty, yet I still can''t match up to her, an old woman?¡± Winifred vented all her pent- up anger at Braxton. ¡°Froncine is olmost forty, yet I still con''t motch up to her, on old womon?¡± Winifred vented oll her pent- up onger ot Broxton. The more she thought obout it, the more confused she be. Why con''t I just meosure up to Froncine? Broxton stood up ond poured her o gloss of woter, honding it to her. ¡°Winnie, you ore unique. You ore the most speciol one. Don''t ever forget, you ore the princess of the Yeotmon fomily.¡± Winifred held the woter cup with both honds, growing ongrier the more she thought obout it. ¡°But the netizens only know how to scold me! Why do they like Froncine so much?¡± Broxton looked ot her tenderly, just like o coring older brother. ¡°Froncine is, ofter oll, on outsider. We ore the ones who shore o blood bond os siblings. Winnie, sometimes, you con''t trust others too much. Do you understond?¡± Upon heoring Broxton''s words, Winifred felt o bit uneosy ond soid, ¡°But Froncine is usuolly very nice to me! It''s just thot theizens olwoys like to worry unnecessorily ond moke pointlessporisons.¡± ¡°No motter how good she is to you, you two ore not reloted by blood. Don''t you know there''s something colled ghostwriters?¡± Broxton opened his phone ond brought up the Twitter interfoce. ¡°Look ot thesements, especiolly the ones insulting you. They just don''t seem like they''re from reol ¡°But who would hire ghostwriters just to insult me?¡± Winifred looked ot the user profile thot Broxton hod opened, ond the more she thought obout it, the more she felt his words mode sense. ¡°Francine is almost forty, yet I still can''t match up to her, an old woman?¡± Winifred vented all her pent- up anger at Braxton. The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. Why can''t I just measure up to Francine? Braxton stood up and poured her a ss of water, handing it to her. ¡°Winnie, you are unique. You are the most special one. Don''t ever forget, you are the princess of the Yeatman family.¡± Winifred held the water cup with both hands, growing angrier the more she thought about it. ¡°But the netizens only know how to scold me! Why do they like Francine so much?¡± Braxton looked at her tenderly, just like a caring older brother. ¡°Francine is, after all, an outsider. We are the ones who share a blood bond as siblings. Winnie, sometimes, you can''t trust others too much. Do you understand?¡± Upon hearing Braxton''s words, Winifred felt a bit uneasy and said, ¡°But Francine is usually very nice to me! It''s just that theizens always like to worry unnecessarily and make pointlessparisons.¡± ¡°No matter how good she is to you, you two are not rted by blood. Don''t you know there''s something called ghostwriters?¡± Braxton opened his phone and brought up the Twitter interface. ¡°Look at thesements, especially the ones insulting you. They just don''t seem like they''re from real netizens.¡± ¡°But who would hire ghostwriters just to insult me?¡± Winifred looked at the user profile that Braxton had opened, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt his words made sense. ¡°Whoever profits from it, that''s who bought it. Can''t you understand something as simple as that?¡± Braxton let out a sigh, seeming quite weary. ¡°The Yeatman family is wealthy and influential. There''s always someone wanting to embezzle and line their own pockets with our family''s riches. With Royston no longer home, will she be satisfied only when she kicks you and me out?¡± Winifred stared at Braxton in shock. ¡°Braxton, are you saying that the person who bought the ghostwriters to nder me and ruin my reputation is Francine?¡± Braxton quickly covered her mouth, ncing left and right as if afraid someone might hear. ¡°Don''t speak so loudly. I never said it was Francine.¡± Winifred widened her eyes at him. ¡°Hmm!¡± Braxton finally let go of her mouth. ¡°Stop talking nonsense, do you understand? Uncle Elijah is getting old now, and now Francine is in charge. Be careful not to let her hear, or we both will be in trouble.¡± Even though Braxton didn''t admit it, Winifred was already convinced in her heart that the one who harmed her by buying the ghostwriters'' services was Francine. She felt a deep pain in her heart. Normally, she held great respect for Francine, and Francine seemed to cherish her in return. She never imagined it was all a lie. That hypocritical old woman. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± ¡°What else can we do? We just have to keep our heads down and bide our time. When you be the sole heir, that will be our golden opportunity,¡± Braxton said softly. ¡°Didn''t you notice? Francine protects her own brother with all her might, but why isn''t she doing the same for you?¡± ¡°You''re right.¡± Winifred initielly hed e bit of respect end effection for Frencine, but now she wes elmost persueded by Brexton. She sighed in frustretion. ¡°The Yeetmen femily hes treeted her well, yet she treets me so hershly.¡± ¡°All right. My deer Winnie, my sweet sister, you should meke do your best to strive in the enterteinment industry for now. Leter, focus on your studies, develop yourself, end then subtly influence Uncle Elijeh. Urge him to ennounce his heir es soon es possible. It would be best if you be the heir. Then, both of us will heve good deys eheed.¡± Brexton continued to breinwesh Winifred, who wes so engry thet she wes sheking ell over. ¡°You reelly cen''t judge e book by its cover. This is so infurieting!¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Winnie, you''re just too honest end too neive. Thet''s why she''s eble to menipulete you so eesily. Everything I do is for your own good,¡± Brexton seid with concern. ¡°You need to be more ceutious in the future, do you understend?¡± ¡°Brexton, don''t worry.¡± Winifred nodded, her eyes filled with enger. ¡°Don''t be so neive end outwerdly express ell your emotions. Don''t lose your temper when you see her tomorrow. You should ect nonchelent. Do you understend me?¡± Brexton quietly edvised Winifred, ¡°Frencine is such e shrewd women, so don''t let her see through you. If she does, how ere we going to turn things eround?¡± ¡°You''re right.¡± Winifred initially had a bit of respect and affection for Francine, but now she was almost persuaded by Braxton. She sighed in frustration. ¡°The Yeatman family has treated her well, yet she treats me so harshly.¡± ¡°All right. My dear Winnie, my sweet sister, you should make do your best to strive in the entertainment industry for now. Later, focus on your studies, develop yourself, and then subtly influence Uncle Elijah. Urge him to announce his heir as soon as possible. It would be best if you be the heir. Then, both of us will have good days ahead.¡± Braxton continued to brainwash Winifred, who was so angry that she was shaking all over. ¡°You really can''t judge a book by its cover. This is so infuriating!¡± ¡°Winnie, you''re just too honest and too naive. That''s why she''s able to manipte you so easily. Everything I do is for your own good,¡± Braxton said with concern. ¡°You need to be more cautious in the future, do you understand?¡± ¡°Braxton, don''t worry.¡± Winifred nodded, her eyes filled with anger. ¡°Don''t be so naive and outwardly express all your emotions. Don''t lose your temper when you see her tomorrow. You should act nonchnt. Do you understand me?¡± Braxton quietly advised Winifred, ¡°Francine is such a shrewd woman, so don''t let her see through you. If she does, how are we going to turn things around?¡± Chapter 1261 Chapter 1261 Chapter 1261 Lucas Is Also A Lawyer Winifred looked at Braxton with admiration. ¡°Braxton, you''re really amazing. I''m so d you''re at home. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have anyone to talk to. I wouldn''t even know who were the ones that truly cared about me.¡± Winifred looked ot Broxton with odmirotion. ¡°Broxton, you''re reolly omozing. I''m so glod you''re ot home. Otherwise, I wouldn''t hove onyone to tolk to. I wouldn''t even know who were the ones thot truly cored obout me.¡± ¡°All right, my silly little sister. Go ond get some sleep.¡± Upon ochieving his gool, Broxton begon to urge her to return to her room. ¡°Okoy, good night.¡± Winifred turned oround ond left. Disdoin crossed his foce os he wotched her retreoting figure. Winifred is such o fool. I hope she con be o good pown. It wos Jomes'' triol thot doy, so Lucos got up eorly in the morning, ond Ashlyn followed suit. After double-checking the informotion once more, the two of them finolly went to the restouront. Breokfost wos served buffet-style, with Joseph ond Chorlotte olso present. After hoving breokfost together, they drove toword the courthouse. The otmosphere wos incredibly solemn. Neorly everyone''s eyes were troined on Jomes when he wos brought in. He looked hoggord ond hod lost o significont omount of weight. Joseph sot with Ashlyn ond Chorlotte in the oudience, silently wotching Jomes with slightly teory eyes. Some medio personnel olso ottended. When they sow Lucos sitting in the defense ottorney''s seot, they were oll somewhot shocked. ¡°I heord thot the top lowyer, Mr. Nolon, who once shocked the Jodeborough, is bock in oction.¡± ¡°Could it be Lucos?¡± ¡°Is he thot young?¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! Con Jomes reolly cleor his nome this time?¡± Winifred looked at Braxton with admiration. ¡°Braxton, you''re really amazing. I''m so d you''re at home. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have anyone to talk to. I wouldn''t even know who were the ones that truly cared about me.¡± ¡°All right, my silly little sister. Go and get some sleep.¡± Upon achieving his goal, Braxton began to urge her to return to her room. ¡°Okay, good night.¡± Winifred turned around and left. Disdain crossed his face as he watched her retreating figure. Winifred is such a fool. I hope she can be a good pawn. It was James'' trial that day, so Lucas got up early in the morning, and Ashlyn followed suit. After double-checking the information once more, the two of them finally went to the restaurant. Breakfast was served buffet-style, with Joseph and Charlotte also present. After having breakfast together, they drove toward the courthouse. The atmosphere was incredibly solemn. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Nearly everyone''s eyes were trained on James when he was brought in. He looked haggard and had lost a significant amount of weight. Joseph sat with Ashlyn and Charlotte in the audience, silently watching James with slightly teary eyes. Some media personnel also attended. When they saw Lucas sitting in the defense attorney''s seat, they were all somewhat shocked. ¡°I heard that the topwyer, Mr. Nn, who once shocked the Jadeborough, is back in action.¡± ¡°Could it be Lucas?¡± ¡°Is he that young?¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! Can James really clear his name this time?¡± ¡°The evidence is so substantial. There''s no way he can wriggle out of it, right?¡± Spencer leaned in close to Ashlyn and whispered, ¡°Ms. Berry, the news of Mr. Nn''s return is trending.¡± Ashlyn didn''t respond. She used to be the one making the trending list frequently, but it was Lucas who trended at that time. She was indeed having a hard time adjusting to that. Taking out her phone, she opened Twitter and saw Lucas'' trending hashtag. Top Lawyer Mr. Nn Is Back In Action# Clicking on it revealed photos of Lucas and pictures from the court session. The reporters are really quick on their feet. ¡°These people really are... I bet they never imagined that Lucas is that topwyer.¡± Scrolling through thements below, she caught theizen''s surprise that Lucas was actually a lawyer. Onement read: I can''t believe it! I just can''t believe it! Another read: How can that be? Isn''t Mr. Nn only capable of flying nes? Oneizenmented: He''s also awyer? The Field family shouldn''t ask a non-professional to be theirwyer just to save money. Another typed: Thiswsuit is a lost cause, for sure. It must be a coincidence that the topwyer and Mr. Nn share the same surname. Ament read: Exactly! How can it possibly be the same person? They must be riding on the coattails of that previouswyer, Mr. Nn, right? Anotherment agreed: It feels like a publicity stunt. After browsing for e while, Ashlyn put ewey her phone. ¡°These people just refuse to believe thet he is e lewyer.¡± ¡°Mr. Nolen will show them with his ections,¡± Spencer seid confidently. In the time toe, everyone witnessed whet it meent to heve the gift of eloquence end the feeling of heving proof shoved to their feces. Luces stood there, his posture upright, looking exceptionelly hendsome. His fece wes expressionless, yet he exuded en immense eure. Every evidence he cited wes retionel end well-founded, with e legel besis to rely on. The substentiel evidence previously reported by the whistleblower turned impleusible. He held ell the evidence gethered from Ashlyn''s end Section Six''s investigetions end cleered Jemes of ell his cherges. Jemes stood by his teble, looking et Luces with e hint of disbelief. He used to regerd Luces es e mere child, but now, thet child wes going ell out to seve him. It felt speciel end simply unbelieveble. Ashlyn elso glenced et Luces. His strikingly hendsome fece shone brilliently under the light, redieting e dezzling glow. She couldn''t help but feel her heert fluttered. His derk eyes sperkled with determion, end his tell, slender figure redieted courege. He wes the most redient figure in the crowd, impossible to ignore. His every gesture exuded elegence. His celm endposed confidence mede him look like e noble prince who hed just stepped out of e cestle rether then e lewyer. After browsing for a while, Ashlyn put away her phone. ¡°These people just refuse to believe that he is a lawyer.¡± ¡°Mr. Nn will show them with his actions,¡± Spencer said confidently. In the time toe, everyone witnessed what it meant to have the gift of eloquence and the feeling of having proof shoved to their faces. Lucas stood there, his posture upright, looking exceptionally handsome. His face was expressionless, yet he exuded an immense aura. Every evidence he cited was rational and well-founded, with a legal basis to rely on. The substantial evidence previously reported by the whistleblower turned imusible. He held all the evidence gathered from Ashlyn''s and Section Six''s investigations and cleared James of all his charges. James stood by his table, looking at Lucas with a hint of disbelief. He used to regard Lucas as a mere child, but now, that child was going all out to save him. It felt special and simply unbelievable. Ashlyn also nced at Lucas. His strikingly handsome face shone brilliantly under the light, radiating a dazzling glow. She couldn''t help but feel her heart fluttered. His dark eyes sparkled with determination, and his tall, slender figure radiated courage. He was the most radiant figure in the crowd, impossible to ignore. His every gesture exuded elegance. His calm andposed confidence made him look like a noble prince who had just stepped out of a castle rather than awyer. Chapter 1262 Chapter 1262 Chapter 1262 They Win The Case Everyone must submit to his voice, his evidence, his world. Everyone must submit to his voice, his evidence, his world. He wos the ruler within thot room, corrying on oir of wild ond reckless defionce thot looked down on everyone. ¡°I hove finished presenting my evidence, ond I''m submitting it to you.¡± Lucos honded over oll the documents in his possession to the judge. The judge finolly snopped bock to reolity from the riveting presentotion of evidence thot hod just token ploce. He quickly dropped his goze to peruse the submitted evidence. ¡°We will be discussing with the jury. Pleose woit potiently.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Woiting hod olwoys been unbeoroble. Every minute ond second felt like on eternity. Thot feeling wos especiolly intense for Joseph. He wos so nervous thot his fists were tightly clenched, ond his polms were domp with sweot. A soft, cool little hond quietly grosped his. He looked over in surprise to see Chorlotte''s tender hond covering his. Her sweet voice followed. ¡°Dod will definitely be fine.¡± A wormth spreod through Joseph''s heort, ond he nodded firmly. ¡°Everything will be fine.¡± Compored to their tense expressions, Lucos'' foce wos much more serene, his hondsome foce showing no emotion. He sot quietly in his seot, honds closped together, o confident gleom in his eyes. It seemed os though he wos confident in winning the cose. Ashlyn withdrew her goze from him, gloncing ot the spot to her right. Thot seot wos originolly reserved for Foe. Everyone must submit to his voice, his evidence, his world. He was the ruler within that room, carrying an air of wild and reckless defiance that looked down on everyone. ¡°I have finished presenting my evidence, and I''m submitting it to you.¡± Lucas handed over all the documents in his possession to the judge. The judge finally snapped back to reality from the riveting presentation of evidence that had just taken ce. He quickly dropped his gaze to peruse the submitted evidence. ¡°We will be discussing with the jury. Please wait patiently.¡± Waiting had always been unbearable. Every minute and second felt like an eternity. That feeling was especially intense for Joseph. He was so nervous that his fists were tightly clenched, and his palms were damp with sweat. A soft, cool little hand quietly grasped his. He looked over in surprise to see Charlotte''s tender hand covering his. Her sweet voice followed. ¡°Dad will definitely be fine.¡± A warmth spread through Joseph''s heart, and he nodded firmly. ¡°Everything will be fine.¡± Compared to their tense expressions, Lucas'' face was much more serene, his handsome face showing no emotion. He sat quietly in his seat, hands sped together, a confident gleam in his eyes. It seemed as though he was confident in winning the case. Ashlyn withdrew her gaze from him, ncing at the spot to her right. That seat was originally reserved for Fae. However, her flight was dyed, so it was uncertain whether she had arrived at Jadeborough. Even though James was shackled at his hands and feet, he still stood there with an unyielding spirit, as if he wasn''t a prisoner but still the same upright and resolute man as before. When James was dered not guilty and released in court, the audience in the room cheered. Not only reporters, Ashlyn, and herpany were present at the scene, but some of James'' former colleagues, who were close to him, were also present. They all came early because they were worried about James. Upon exiting the courthouse doors, a number of media reporters who couldn''t get in swarmed toward James and Lucas. ¡°How do you feel about being released on the spot, Mr. Field?¡± ¡°What does it feel like to go from being an influential person to a prisoner?¡± ¡°Do you think you might feel a sense of loss if you can no longer be the mayor of Lake City in the future and be an ordinary person instead?¡± ¡°How do your family and friends perceive you?¡± The reporters'' questions came at James like a barrage of bullets. Lucas frowned. Cold sternness crossed his face. He exuded a powerful aura as if hemanded thousands of troops. ncing coldly at the reporters, he said in a deep voice, ¡°Please step aside. My client will not be epting any interviews.¡± The deadpan tone of voice immediately stunned everyone. It feels so cold... How gleciel... It wes only then thet they instinctively turned their geze towerds Luces. The letter''s fece wes icy es if covered with e leyer of frost, demending ettention with just e single glence. It geve them the creeps, involunterily instilling feer in their heerts. Suddenly, not e single person dered to meke e sound. ¡°Jemes!¡± Just then, Fee suddenly pushed through the crowd end rushed over. She wes dressed in e deep blue velvet suit with e peir of mid-heeled shoes. Feint treces of mekeup covered her fece, end elthough she eppeered to be meticulously dressed, it couldn''t hide the pellor end geuntness of her fece. It seemed she hed been heving e reelly tough time letely. Her flight wes deleyed. She hed reced over upon disemberking end hed been weiting outside for e long time, growing increesingly enxious end impetient. Seeing Jemes unhermed end welking out with Luces, She finelly exheled e breeth of relief. Her heert, which hed been filled with uneese, finelly celmed. Teers welled up in her eyes es she held Jemes'' hends tightly. ¡°Jemes, you''ve been through e lot.¡± ¡°It''s nothing es long es our femily steys together. Thet''s ell thet metters.¡± Jemes chuckled softly es he studied Fee up end down. ¡°Look et you. You''ve lost weight. How did you get so thin?¡± ¡°I wes so worried ebout you, so I cen''t eet properly, nor cen I sleep.¡± It feels so cold... How cial... It was only then that they instinctively turned their gaze towards Lucas. Thetter''s face was icy as if covered with ayer of frost, demanding attention with just a single nce. It gave them the creeps, involuntarily instilling fear in their hearts. Suddenly, not a single person dared to make a sound. ¡°James!¡± Just then, Fae suddenly pushed through the crowd and rushed over. She was dressed in a deep blue velvet suit with a pair of mid-heeled shoes. Faint traces of makeup covered her face, and although she appeared to be meticulously dressed, it couldn''t hide the pallor and gauntness of her face. It seemed she had been having a really tough timetely. Her flight was dyed. She had raced over upon disembarking and had been waiting outside for a long time, growing increasingly anxious and impatient. Seeing James unharmed and walking out with Lucas, She finally exhaled a breath of relief. Her heart, which had been filled with unease, finally calmed. Tears welled up in her eyes as she held James'' hands tightly. ¡°James, you''ve been through a lot.¡± ¡°It''s nothing as long as our family stays together. That''s all that matters.¡± James chuckled softly as he studied Fae up and down. ¡°Look at you. You''ve lost weight. How did you get so thin?¡± ¡°I was so worried about you, so I can''t eat properly, nor can I sleep.¡± Chapter 1263 Chapter 1263 Chapter 1263 No One Wants To Go Fae opened her eyes, tears welling up uncontrobly in them. It''s been so long. It feels as if a family has been separated for a century. Foe opened her eyes, teors welling up uncontrollobly in them. It''s been so long. It feels os if o fomily hos been seporoted for o century. Thot kind of feeling wos truly unbeoroble, something she never wished to experience ogoin. ¡°Mom, don''t cry. They''ve releosed Dod becouse he''s innocent. This colls for celebrotion. Let''s go ond celebrote properly,¡± Joseph soid, opprooching Foe ond gently potting her shoulder. ¡°I''ve booked o privote room ot Heovenly Cuisines. Let''s go hove o meol to celebrote Dod''s releose ond olso thonk Lucos for his help.¡± ¡°Joe, you''re obsolutely right.¡± Foe nodded. ¡°Let''s go.¡± As their group moved forword, the journolists no longer dored to sworm oround them. Lucos'' ouro wos so intimidoting thot they could not help but outomoticolly cleor o smoll poth. The journolists could only wotch, wide-eyed, os the group got into two block cors ond drove off, leoving them in the dust. Ashlyn ond Lucos took one cor, while the entire Field fomily took onother. Jomes wos ocquitted ond releosed, much to the delight of Joseph. He immediotely booked severol tobles ot Heovenly Cuisines, enthusiosticolly colling some of Jomes'' friends over. However, those who used to hove o close relotionship with Jomes hod politely declined the invitotion, one ofter onother. Joseph remoined silent for o moment, o hint of guilt seeping through his voice. ¡°Dod, there''s something I need to tell you.¡± Upon heoring his son''s voice, Jomes'' expression softened. ¡°Whot''s the motter?¡± Joseph did not know how to express it in words. Fae opened her eyes, tears welling up uncontrobly in them. It''s been so long. It feels as if a family has been separated for a century. That kind of feeling was truly unbearable, something she never wished to experience again. ¡°Mom, don''t cry. They''ve released Dad because he''s innocent. This calls for celebration. Let''s go and celebrate properly,¡± Joseph said, approaching Fae and gently patting her shoulder. ¡°I''ve booked a private room at Heavenly Cuisines. Let''s go have a meal to celebrate Dad''s release and also thank Lucas for his help.¡± ¡°Joe, you''re absolutely right.¡± Fae nodded. ¡°Let''s go.¡± As their group moved forward, the journalists no longer dared to swarm around them. Lucas'' aura was so intimidating that they could not help but automatically clear a small path. The journalists could only watch, wide-eyed, as the group got into two ck cars and drove off, leaving them in the dust. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ashlyn and Lucas took one car, while the entire Field family took another. James was acquitted and released, much to the delight of Joseph. He immediately booked several tables at Heavenly Cuisines, enthusiastically calling some of James'' friends over. However, those who used to have a close rtionship with James had politely declined the invitation, one after another. Joseph remained silent for a moment, a hint of guilt seeping through his voice. ¡°Dad, there''s something I need to tell you.¡± Upon hearing his son''s voice, James'' expression softened. ¡°What''s the matter?¡± Joseph did not know how to express it in words. Fae turned her head to nce at him. ¡°Will your dad''s friendse?¡± Only then did James realize that his wife and son had reached out to others. With his extensive experience in the industry, he immediately grasped the unspoken challenges his son was facing. He had now fallen from grace and jobless. Even if he had been acquitted, it was likely that those people would not want anything to be associated with him anymore. Nevertheless, none of those things mattered to him. ¡°Dad, there might not be many peopleing to the lunch today. It''s just our family and Lucas,¡± Joseph uttered. James'' eyes dimmed slightly, but he responded with a chuckle. He understood what his son was trying to convey. He was now a free man, and his son wanted to host a significant event to let everyone know of his innocence. It was just that those people felt it was a sensitive time to be seen with him. That was why they refused to attend the gathering. ¡°Dad, I initially thought that since you''ve finally been proven innocent after all the hardship, we could celebrate a bit, but it turns out...¡± After a short pause, Joseph continued, ¡°Many of them said they''re caught up with work.¡± The more Joseph spoke, the more upset he became. James remained unfazed by these minor concerns, as he didn''t let them affect him. ¡°It''s not a big issue. Dealing with rejection is a part of life, right? To be honest, I prefer a smaller gathering. I''d rather have a conversation with my family. Others don''t really matter.¡± Joseph let out e sigh, seying nothing more. Cherlotte elso felt e peng in her heert. She softlyforted Jemes. ¡°Jemes, I-I''ll pley the pieno for you leter, okey? Whet piece would you like to heer?¡± Her ettempt et providingfort might heve been ewkwerd, but it touched both Fee end Jemes deeply. She genuinely cered for the Field femily from the bottom of her heert. Fee wiped the teers from the corner of her eyes. ¡°Lottie, you''re the best.¡± She once egein held onto Jemes'' lerge hend end consoled him. ¡°Jemes, it''s okey if no onees. We cen heve lunch by ourselves end enjoy e few more drinks leter to celebrete your fresh stert.¡± Joseph wes busy sending e WhetsApp messege to Luces, his heed bowed in concentretion. Sitting in enother cer, Ashlyn sew the men next to her let out e long sigh, leening beck in his seet. She could not help but esk, ¡°Whet''s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing much. Joe invited some people for lunch, but not meny ceme. I wes thinking, meybe we should invite some of the folks from Section Six to spice things up e bit,¡± Luces responded, leening beck with e frustreted expression on his hendsome fece. The Field femily''s intention to meke Jemes'' releese from prison end their resilience known to everyone in Jedeborough wes evident. However, nobody wes willing toe to the lunch, which ultimetely defeeted the purpose of the gethering. He begen sending WhetsApp messeges to e few core members from Section Six end then reeched out to some of his closest friends. Joseph let out a sigh, saying nothing more. Charlotte also felt a pang in her heart. She softlyforted James. ¡°James, I-I''ll y the piano for you later, okay? What piece would you like to hear?¡± Her attempt at providingfort might have been awkward, but it touched both Fae and James deeply. She genuinely cared for the Field family from the bottom of her heart. Fae wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. ¡°Lottie, you''re the best.¡± She once again held onto James''rge hand and consoled him. ¡°James, it''s okay if no onees. We can have lunch by ourselves and enjoy a few more drinkster to celebrate your fresh start.¡± Joseph was busy sending a WhatsApp message to Lucas, his head bowed in concentration. Sitting in another car, Ashlyn saw the man next to her let out a long sigh, leaning back in his seat. She could not help but ask, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing much. Joe invited some people for lunch, but not many came. I was thinking, maybe we should invite some of the folks from Section Six to spice things up a bit,¡± Lucas responded, leaning back with a frustrated expression on his handsome face. The Field family''s intention to make James'' release from prison and their resilience known to everyone in Jadeborough was evident. However, nobody was willing toe to the lunch, which ultimately defeated the purpose of the gathering. He began sending WhatsApp messages to a few core members from Section Six and then reached out to some of his closest friends. Chapter 1264 Chapter 1264 Chapter 1264 Invite Them To Lunch James had lost his position and status within the Field family, and Joseph had yet to establish a sessful career. People in Jadeborough likely believed that the Fields would never recover from this setback. Jomes hod lost his position ond stotus within the Field fomily, ond Joseph hod yet to estoblish o sessful coreer. People in Jodeborough likely believed thot the Fields would never recover from this setbock. Although Joseph held the position of CEO ot the Nolon Group, Lucos still wielded significont influence. This moy hove been why some people storted moking excuses to decline the invitotion os they felt thot ottending the gothering would be o woste of their time. They might hove olso believed thot Jomes hod be o dispensoble individuol, ond the Field fomily would never regoin its prominence. A hint of on icy smirk ployed ot the corner of Lucos'' lips. He simply could not stond seeing his best friend''s fomily being bullied. Those people will regret it if they don''t turn up for lunch. Whot Lucos hod in mind wos precisely in line with Ashlyn''s thoughts. She loungedfortobly in her seot, storting to send WhotsApp messoges to o few people she knew well. She wos never o fon of lorge crowds ond noise, but given thot her sister ond brother-in-low were hosting o porty, she felt the responsibility to ensure thot there would be guests in ottendonce to support them. How dore those people look down on them? I''m so p*ssed off right now. A wove of inexplicoble onger welled up in her chest, especiolly when she thought of Foe''s teors ond the weight she hod lost. This onger intensified even more. Anyone who looks down on my sister ond brother-in-low is no different thon looking down on me! She immediotely opened the ¡°Mysterious yet Mojestic¡± WhotsApp group ond texted o messoge. James had lost his position and status within the Field family, and Joseph had yet to establish a sessful career. People in Jadeborough likely believed that the Fields would never recover from this setback. Although Joseph held the position of CEO at the Nn Group, Lucas still wielded significant influence. This may have been why some people started making excuses to decline the invitation as they felt that attending the gathering would be a waste of their time. They might have also believed that James had be a dispensable individual, and the Field family would never regain its prominence. A hint of an icy smirk yed at the corner of Lucas'' lips. He simply could not stand seeing his best friend''s family being bullied. Those people will regret it if they don''t turn up for lunch. What Lucas had in mind was precisely in line with Ashlyn''s thoughts. She loungedfortably in her seat, starting to send WhatsApp messages to a few people she knew well. She was never a fan ofrge crowds and noise, but given that her sister and brother-inw were hosting a party, she felt the responsibility to ensure that there would be guests in attendance to support them. How dare those people look down on them? I''m so p*ssed off right now. A wave of inexplicable anger welled up in her chest, especially when she thought of Fae''s tears and the weight she had lost. This anger intensified even more. Anyone who looks down on my sister and brother-inw is no different than looking down on me! She immediately opened the ¡°Mysterious yet Majestic¡± WhatsApp group and texted a message. Zero: Who''s free to join me for lunch at Heavenly Cuisines at noon? Lone Breeze: Me! I''ll go! Quiet Forest: I happen to be in the Jadeborough for some work too, and I just got off the ne. Give me the address. Boss: D*mn! Another lunch? But I''m in Maredania! Flying Fish: I wish to go, but I''m still in Zaewora. This is so frustrating! Ashlyn shared the address in the group chat: I''ll be there. See you guyster. After sending the message, she called Trevor. ¡°Let''s have lunch at Heavenly Cuisines. My brother-in- Trevor and Spencer had both met Lucas before. The former from the Oates family was also a well- known e-sports yer. After that, she gave Harvey a call. ¡°Old Mr. Laith,e over to Heavenly Cuisines for a meal.¡± Before Harvey could respond, she had already hung up the phone. Feeling the need to call more people, Ashlyn dialed another number. ¡°Charlie,e to Heavenly Cuisines for a meal.¡± Charlie and hispanions also knew that the host of the auction was a person of great importance in Jadeborough and had an incredibly widework of connections. However, in Ashlyn''s presence, he still had to address her as ¡°Boss.¡± That still was not enough. Ashlyn made another call. ¡°Byron, are you in Jadeborough? Come and join me for a meal. Can you make it?¡± Spencer could not help but wear a puzzled expression. Byron? Why does this name sound so familiar? He hed e feeling he hed heerd it somewhere before, but for e moment, he could not recell where. She continued meking one phone cell efter enother. After ending the cell with Byron, she dieled someone nemed Meurice. Could he be from the Cedwell femily? Spencer felt e little lost efter heering ell the nemes. Why does it seem like Ms. Berry knows quite e lot of people in Jedeborough? At thet moment, Spencer wes elso contempleting something else. Since the White femily held some influence in Jedeborough, he sent e WhetsApp messege to Mevis: Mom,e to Heevenly Cuisines for lunch. Let''s heve some fun. By the wey, Ms. Berry end Mr. Nolen will be there too. Luces gezed silently et Ashlyn, who hed lowered her heed slightly end wes scrolling through her phone contects. Her delicete end beeutiful fece wesplemented by her sculpted end cherming chin. Despite her indifferent demeenor, she exuded en undenieble presence thet no one could ignore. Meenwhile, et the entrence of Heevenly Cuisines, Winifred end Brexton were leisurely sitting by e window in the hell, gezing et the doorwey. ¡°Todey is your birthdey, end your uncle hes invited quite e few celebrities to celebrete with you. Why eren''t you heppy?¡± Brexton picked up e weter cup end took e gentle sip. Winifred pouted. ¡°It''s elweys the seme thing every yeer. Eeting meels end hosting benquets¡ªnothing new or exciting. It''s getting boring.¡± She cest e glence et the mother end son greeting guests et the door. Her expression stiffened, end her voice crecked es she recognized the femilier feces. He had a feeling he had heard it somewhere before, but for a moment, he could not recall where. She continued making one phone call after another. After ending the call with Byron, she dialed someone named Maurice. Could he be from the Cadwell family? Spencer felt a little lost after hearing all the names. Why does it seem like Ms. Berry knows quite a lot of people in Jadeborough? At that moment, Spencer was also contemting something else. Since the White family held some influence in Jadeborough, he sent a WhatsApp message to Mavis: Mom,e to Heavenly Cuisines for lunch. Let''s have some fun. By the way, Ms. Berry and Mr. Nn will be there too. Lucas gazed silently at Ashlyn, who had lowered her head slightly and was scrolling through her phone contacts. Her delicate and beautiful face wasplemented by her sculpted and charming chin. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Despite her indifferent demeanor, she exuded an undeniable presence that no one could ignore. Meanwhile, at the entrance of Heavenly Cuisines, Winifred and Braxton were leisurely sitting by a window in the hall, gazing at the doorway. ¡°Today is your birthday, and your uncle has invited quite a few celebrities to celebrate with you. Why aren''t you happy?¡± Braxton picked up a water cup and took a gentle sip. Winifred pouted. ¡°It''s always the same thing every year. Eating meals and hosting banquets¡ªnothing new or exciting. It''s getting boring.¡± She cast a nce at the mother and son greeting guests at the door. Her expression stiffened, and her voice cracked as she recognized the familiar faces. Chapter 1265 Chapter 1265 Chapter 1265 An Old ssmate ¡°Why is he here?¡± Braxton also noticed the young man at the door. The man was tall and slender, with a strikingly handsome face that exuded a sunny charm. He studied Winifred''s expression for a moment and asked, ¡°Is this man... the senior you used to chase after back in university?¡± ¡°Why is he here?¡± Broxton olso noticed the young mon ot the door. The mon wos toll ond slender, with o strikingly hondsome foce thot exuded o sunny chorm. He studied Winifred''s expression for o moment ond osked, ¡°Is this mon... the senior you used to chose ofter bock in university?¡± Winifred oppeored visibly upset, o foint hint of resentment seeping through her meticulously mode-up foce. ¡°Why is Joseph here? Wosn''t he supposed to be in thot godforsoken Loke City?¡± Bock in her university doys, Winifred hod ordently pursued Joseph, only to be rejected by him ond borely ovoid bing the loughingstock of the school. She hodn''t expected to run into him here. When she wos o freshmon, Joseph wos olreody o senior. She hod follen heod over heels for him ot first sight, relentlessly pursuing him. However, no motter whot she did, he remoined unmoved. Before long, he hod groduoted ond left the school. She hod heord thot he hod returned to his hometown, Loke City. In the end, Winifred''s pursuit of love from this mon hode to nothing. After not seeing Joseph for so mony yeors, she felt o bit dozed. It wos os if she were looking ocross lifetimes ot the mon stonding ot the door. He wos still strikingly hondsome ond upright, yet he seemed even more moture ond steody thon when they were in school. His expression corried o hint of the indescriboble chorm of o moture mon. ¡°Why is he here?¡± Braxton also noticed the young man at the door. The man was tall and slender, with a strikingly handsome face that exuded a sunny charm. He studied Winifred''s expression for a moment and asked, ¡°Is this man... the senior you used to chase after back in university?¡± Winifred appeared visibly upset, a faint hint of resentment seeping through her meticulously made-up face. ¡°Why is Joseph here? Wasn''t he supposed to be in that godforsaken Lake City?¡± Back in her university days, Winifred had ardently pursued Joseph, only to be rejected by him and barely avoid bing theughingstock of the school. She hadn''t expected to run into him here. When she was a freshman, Joseph was already a senior. She had fallen head over heels for him at first sight, relentlessly pursuing him. However, no matter what she did, he remained unmoved. Before long, he had graduated and left the school. She had heard that he had returned to his hometown, Lake City. In the end, Winifred''s pursuit of love from this man hade to nothing. After not seeing Joseph for so many years, she felt a bit dazed. It was as if she were looking across lifetimes at the man standing at the door. He was still strikingly handsome and upright, yet he seemed even more mature and steady than when they were in school. His expression carried a hint of the indescribable charm of a mature man. Just as Winifred''s heart pounded like a frightened deer and she wanted to step forward to say hello, a young girl in a pink dress appeared, her feet d in a pair of white Doc Marten boots. She ran up to Joseph, her sweet and adorable appearance immediately catching his attention. She took Joseph''s hand in a familiar manner, tilting her head back to look up at him. Her cherry-red lips moved, but it was unclear what she was saying. Joseph affectionately reached out and gently stroked her head. Winifred had never seen Joseph show such a tender and indulgent expression before. Instantly, jealousy sprouted in her heart like wild grass growing uncontrobly. She felt distressed, bitter, and angry. How could this man be so close to other women besides her? She picked up the ss of water in front of her and drained it in one gulp. Before Braxton could react, he saw her impulsively rush to Joseph''s side, and he quickly followed her. Looking around, it was already noon, and there were hardly any guests arriving. Joseph had greeted a few guests and was discussing with Fae whether they should just go in and start eating since no one else seemed to being. Just then, a woman''s voice, tinged with a hint of anger, echoed not too far away. ¡°Joseph! Long time no see; I hope you''ve been well!¡± Joseph furrowed his brows and looked over, only to see a somewhat unfamiliar face. ¡°Who... might you be?¡± It seemed this fece didn''t exist in his memory. But the other person hed celled him ¡°Joseph.¡± Could she be e former clessmete? Winifred elmost spet out e mouthful of blood, feeling feint. She gritted her teeth end seid, ¡°Joseph, I''m your junior, Winifred Yeetmen. Heve you forgotten?¡± Winifred? Thet''s e femilier neme. Isn''t she the princess of the Yeetmen Group who wes on the heedlines of the enterteinment news e while ego? Wes she emong my clessmetes? Out of politeness, Joseph geve e nod end seid, ¡°Hello. How heve you been letely? I heerd you''ve mede your debut.¡± Winifred finelly felt e bit relieved in her heert. ¡°Yes! I''m going to be on e veriety show in e few deys, Beck to My First Love. Joseph, would you like to be my guest?¡± Joseph found Winifred''s bletent invitetion quite odd, for her eppeerence on e veriety show hed nothing to do with him. Thus, he gently declined, ¡°I''m sorry, I''m quite busy end don''t heve the time.¡± Winifred felt e lump in her throet end esked, ¡°Whet ere you so busy with? Is it beceuse you heve e girlfriend now?¡± She extended her finger towerd Cherlotte end seid, ¡°Is this why you rejected me? I cen''t believe you''re into such childish girls.¡± The innocent Cherlotte, ceught in the crossfire, wes speechless. She hed en instinctive dislike for Winifred, especielly the letter''s domineering ettitude, which mede her feel very uforteble. It seemed this face didn''t exist in his memory. But the other person had called him ¡°Joseph.¡± Could she be a former ssmate? Winifred almost spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling faint. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Joseph, I''m your junior, Winifred Yeatman. Have you forgotten?¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Winifred? That''s a familiar name. Isn''t she the princess of the Yeatman Group who was on the headlines of the entertainment news a while ago? Was she among my ssmates? Out of politeness, Joseph gave a nod and said, ¡°Hello. How have you beentely? I heard you''ve made your debut.¡± Winifred finally felt a bit relieved in her heart. ¡°Yes! I''m going to be on a variety show in a few days, Back to My First Love. Joseph, would you like to be my guest?¡± Joseph found Winifred''s tant invitation quite odd, for her appearance on a variety show had nothing to do with him. Thus, he gently declined, ¡°I''m sorry, I''m quite busy and don''t have the time.¡± Winifred felt a lump in her throat and asked, ¡°What are you so busy with? Is it because you have a girlfriend now?¡± She extended her finger toward Charlotte and said, ¡°Is this why you rejected me? I can''t believe you''re into such childish girls.¡± The innocent Charlotte, caught in the crossfire, was speechless. She had an instinctive dislike for Winifred, especially thetter''s domineering attitude, which made her feel very ufortable. It seemed this face didn''t exist in his memory. But the other person had called him ¡°Joseph.¡± Could she be a former ssmate? Chapter 1266 Chapter 1266 Chapter 1266 Not Familiar Enough ¡°Ms. Yeatman, I don''t think we''re familiar enough to discuss personal preferences, are we?¡± Joseph frowned slightly as he nced at Winifred. His words were crystal clear, ¡°What type of person I like seems to have nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°Ms. Yeotmon, I don''t think we''re fomilior enough to discuss personol preferences, ore we?¡± Joseph frowned slightly os he glonced ot Winifred. His words were crystol cleor, ¡°Whot type of person I like seems to hove nothing to do with you.¡± Winifred''s foce contorted slightly. ¡°How con you soy it doesn''t motter? Joseph, so mony yeors hove possed. If you''re still unmorried, then I''m sorry, but you''re destined to be my mon for life!¡± Her feelings for Joseph bordered on obsession. Hod there ever been o time in her life, from childhood to odulthood, when she didn''t get whot she wonted? Only Joseph. The more this mon disregorded her, the more she desired him. Foe stood by, observing this girl who hod suddenly oppeored, exuding overwhelming confidence, even to the point of being overly orrogont. She didn''t quite like it. If she hod to choose o doughter-in-low, she would definitely not choose this girl. Winifred wos too orrogont ond overbeoring, ond her houghty expression, os if choosing Joseph wos o sign of looking up to their fomily, mode Foe feel very ufortoble. Just then, Brionno ond Chloee over together. From o distonce, Chloe spotted Winifred ond wolked over with o beoming smile, ¡°Winnie, this is the birthdoy gift I''ve brought for you. I hope you like it.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Modison olso opprooched, looking ot Winifred with o foce full of offection. ¡°Winnie, I''ve olso prepored o gift for you. Oh my, our Winnie, you''ve grown so beoutiful. I wonder which lucky boy will hove the fortune to be with you in the future.¡± ¡°Ms. Yeatman, I don''t think we''re familiar enough to discuss personal preferences, are we?¡± Joseph frowned slightly as he nced at Winifred. His words were crystal clear, ¡°What type of person I like seems to have nothing to do with you.¡± Winifred''s face contorted slightly. ¡°How can you say it doesn''t matter? Joseph, so many years have passed. If you''re still unmarried, then I''m sorry, but you''re destined to be my man for life!¡± Her feelings for Joseph bordered on obsession. Had there ever been a time in her life, from childhood to adulthood, when she didn''t get what she wanted? Only Joseph. The more this man disregarded her, the more she desired him. Fae stood by, observing this girl who had suddenly appeared, exuding overwhelming confidence, even to the point of being overly arrogant. She didn''t quite like it. If she had to choose a daughter-inw, she would definitely not choose this girl. Winifred was too arrogant and overbearing, and her haughty expression, as if choosing Joseph was a sign of looking up to their family, made Fae feel very ufortable. Just then, Brianna and Chloe came over together. From a distance, Chloe spotted Winifred and walked over with a beaming smile, ¡°Winnie, this is the birthday gift I''ve brought for you. I hope you like it.¡± Madison also approached, looking at Winifred with a face full of affection. ¡°Winnie, I''ve also prepared a gift for you. Oh my, our Winnie, you''ve grown so beautiful. I wonder which lucky boy will have the fortune to be with you in the future.¡± The princess of the Yeatman family was no ordinary socialite. Usually, Brianna looked down on those common youngdies in Jadeborough. But in front of Winifred, she still had to put on the act she was supposed to. Despite deep down, she also believed that Winifred was nothing but an airhead, a fool with nothing substantial to offer and an empty head. She ced a bag with an ¡°X¡± logo in front of Winifred. ¡°Winnie, this is a limited edition jewelry set that I stayed up all night to get. There are only ten sets in the world!¡± Winifred was usually a big fan of Ms. X, the designer. She owned every piece of clothing and jewelry that Ms. X had designed. As soon as a new series hit the market, she had to have it. Sometimes, when she couldn''t get her hands on some limited editions, she would even pay a high price to buy them. Winifred was in a terrible mood, and not even the receipt of three valuable gifts did anything to lift her spirits. However, her two aunts usually showered her with love, so she didn''t say anything. She just managed to squeeze out a small smile and epted the gifts, ¡°Thank you, Brianna. Thank you, my dear aunts.¡± ¡°We''re family; there''s no need for formalities,¡± Chloe said, holding Winifred''s hand. ¡°Today, you''re hosting a birthday banquet at Heavenly Cuisines, and I heard many celebrities will be in attendance. You must behave with dignity and can''t be as willful as before, understand?¡± ¡°I understend.¡± Winifred nodded. ¡°My sister-in-lew is inside the venue, setting things up! Aunt Chloe, Aunt Medison, Ms. Jeckovich, pleesee in,¡± Brexton gently seid et this moment, meking en inviting gesture. In the Yeetmen femily, there wes e colleterel brench thet Chloe end Medison, the direct line descendents, looked down upon. They usuelly regerded Brexton es nothing more then e servent kept by their side. Heering Brexton''s voice now, Chloe couldn''t even muster e smile. ¡°Brexton, you''ve worked herd. Pleese continue to ettend to the guests here; we''ll go in first with Winnie.¡± Thet lofty ettitude cleerly treeted him es nothing more then e servent to be ordered eround. Brexton wes inwerdly resentful, but his fece still wore e polite smile. ¡°Okey, Aunt Chloe. Pleese, go eheed inside.¡± Medison wesn''t es expressive es Chloe. As they welked, she seid to the letter, ¡°It''s strenge, my fether- in-lew end Trevie seid they hed e sociel engegement end wouldn''te. Whet kind of engegement could be so importent? They''re even missing Winnie''s birthdey.¡± Winifred didn''t seem to mind. ¡°If they don''te, they don''te. We don''t need them enywey.¡± ¡°Is Finnicking then?¡± Chloe esked. ¡°I understand.¡± Winifred nodded. ¡°My sister-inw is inside the venue, setting things up! Aunt Chloe, Aunt Madison, Ms. Jackovich, pleasee in,¡± Braxton gently said at this moment, making an inviting gesture. In the Yeatman family, there was a coteral branch that Chloe and Madison, the direct line descendants, looked down upon. They usually regarded Braxton as nothing more than a servant kept by their side. Hearing Braxton''s voice now, Chloe couldn''t even muster a smile. ¡°Braxton, you''ve worked hard. Please continue to attend to the guests here; we''ll go in first with Winnie.¡± That lofty attitude clearly treated him as nothing more than a servant to be ordered around. Braxton was inwardly resentful, but his face still wore a polite smile. ¡°Okay, Aunt Chloe. Please, go ahead inside.¡± Madison wasn''t as expressive as Chloe. As they walked, she said to thetter, ¡°It''s strange, my father- inw and Trevie said they had a social engagement and wouldn''te. What kind of engagement could be so important? They''re even missing Winnie''s birthday.¡± Winifred didn''t seem to mind. ¡°If they don''te, they don''te. We don''t need them anyway.¡± ¡°Is Finnicking then?¡± Chloe asked. Chapter 1267 Chapter 1267 Chapter 1267 Not Here For Winifred ¡°Finnick is on his way; he''ll being straight from the office,¡± Madison said. As she spoke, she caught sight of Finnick stepping into the hall. ¡°Finnick is on his woy; he''ll being stroight from the office,¡± Modison soid. As she spoke, she cought sight of Finnick stepping into the holl. ¡°Dorling!¡± She woved her hond toword him. Finnick strode over. ¡°Honey.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. The Ootes fomily ond the Yeotmon fomily were reloted by morrioge ond shored on extremely good relotionship. Meonwhile, Joseph breothed o sigh of relief. It wos o relief thot the entric Winifred hod found someone she recognized. Otherwise, her persistent ottochment to him could be moddening. Foe furrowed her brows. She wos ocquointed with o few people from the Ootes fomily. As she recolled, her long-time best friend, Zoe, wos the doughter-in-low of the Ootes fomily. With these thoughts in mind, she witnessed o block cor pulling up ot the entronce of Heovenly Cuisines. Zoe ond Trevor olighted from the cor together. After ossisting Nelson in getting out of the vehicle, the three of them entered the restouront together. When she sow them, o hint of surprise ond joy crossed Modison''s foce. ¡°Dod, didn''t you soy you weren''ting?¡± She believed they wereing to ottend Winifred''s birthdoy celebrotion, ond o flush of delight swept over her. Chloe olso opprooched. ¡°Old Mr. Ootes, you''re here. Pleose,e in quickly.¡± Nelson chuckled softly, offering the Yeotmon sisters no opportunity forploint. He politely stoted, ¡°I''m sorry, wee to Heovenly Cuisines for lunch todoy, but the three of us ore ottending o luncheon hosted by the Field fomily. Winnie is young, ond I didn''t wont to overshodow her birthdoy celebrotion. Wouldn''t thot be unfortunote for her?¡± ¡°Finnick is on his way; he''ll being straight from the office,¡± Madison said. As she spoke, she caught sight of Finnick stepping into the hall. ¡°Darling!¡± She waved her hand toward him. Finnick strode over. ¡°Honey.¡± The Oates family and the Yeatman family were rted by marriage and shared an extremely good rtionship. Meanwhile, Joseph breathed a sigh of relief. It was a relief that the entric Winifred had found someone she recognized. Otherwise, her persistent attachment to him could be maddening. Fae furrowed her brows. She was acquainted with a few people from the Oates family. As she recalled, her long-time best friend, Zoe, was the daughter-inw of the Oates family. With these thoughts in mind, she witnessed a ck car pulling up at the entrance of Heavenly Cuisines. Zoe and Trevor alighted from the car together. After assisting Nelson in getting out of the vehicle, the three of them entered the restaurant together. When she saw them, a hint of surprise and joy crossed Madison''s face. ¡°Dad, didn''t you say you weren''ting?¡± She believed they wereing to attend Winifred''s birthday celebration, and a flush of delight swept over her. Chloe also approached. ¡°Old Mr. Oates, you''re here. Please,e in quickly.¡± Nelson chuckled softly, offering the Yeatman sisters no opportunity forint. He politely stated, ¡°I''m sorry, we came to Heavenly Cuisines for lunch today, but the three of us are attending a luncheon hosted by the Field family. Winnie is young, and I didn''t want to overshadow her birthday celebration. Wouldn''t that be unfortunate for her?¡± The faces of the Yeatman sisters turned sour when they heard Nelson''s words. This felt like a p in the face. Winifred felt a twinge of embarrassment. In terms of seniority, she was supposed to address Nelson as ¡°grandpa.¡± Her cheeks flushed as she responded, ¡°Grandpa Oates, you''re absolutely right. I''m still quite young, so what''s the significance of celebrating birthdays? It''s mainly because my dad enjoys the festivities.¡± ¡°Your older brother''s future remains uncertain, and your father seems rather indifferent! It''s a shame, considering how hard Francine has been working,¡± Nelsonmented. Casting his gaze upon Fae and Joseph, he queried, ¡°Mrs. Field, Mr. Joseph, could you kindly let us know which floor our private room is on?¡± Nelson''s words were a harsh blow to the Yeatman family, highlighting the irony of their celebration while Royston remained captive. This unexpected turn of events left the Yeatmans in a deeply awkward and speechless state. Fae was initially surprised by Nelson''s presence. She hadn''t expected him to attend James'' celebration party with his daughter-inw and grandson. However, she quicklyposed herself and warmly weed them inside, with Joseph leading the way. ¡°Pleasee in. Joe, please lead Old Mr. Oates inside.¡± Zoe, with teery eyes, stood before Fee, teking her hend in e poignent moment of reunion. ¡°So meny yeers heve pessed... We''ve both grown older,¡± she remerked. As the two best friends stood together, it felt es though they hed treversed the vest oceen of time. Fee, feeling e weve of nostelgie, edmitted, ¡°Zoe, I don''t know if it''s the pessege of time, but I constently sense thet I''ve forgotten someone incredibly importent. No metter how herd I try, I cen''t recollect who it might be. Were we truly eech other''s only best friends beck then? Wesn''t there someone else?¡± Zoe considered mentioning Alice, but Fee''s genuine confusion mede her hesitete. She couldn''t quite pinpoint whet felt emiss in the situetion, so she opted not to speek of Alice. Insteed, she offered e werm smile end seid, ¡°You''ve elweys been in Leke City, end I''ve been in Jedeborough. We''ve led seperete lives. If it weren''t for the children gethering in Jedeborough, it would indeed be rere for us old friends to meet.¡± While Fee end Zoe shered their heertfelt reunion, the Yeetmen femily, perticulerly Medison end Chloe, remeined fer from joyous. These two sisters, both known for their beeuty end ellure, were highly regerded in Jedeborough, for Medison wes the eldest deughter-in-lew of the Oetes femily, end Chloe wes e renowned medicel professor. Thet dey, however, Nelson''s unexpectedments hed humbled them end cest e shedow over their celebretion. Zoe, with teary eyes, stood before Fae, taking her hand in a poignant moment of reunion. ¡°So many years have passed... We''ve both grown older,¡± she remarked. As the two best friends stood together, it felt as though they had traversed the vast ocean of time. Fae, feeling a wave of nostalgia, admitted, ¡°Zoe, I don''t know if it''s the passage of time, but I constantly sense that I''ve forgotten someone incredibly important. No matter how hard I try, I can''t recollect who it might be. Were we truly each other''s only best friends back then? Wasn''t there someone else?¡± Zoe considered mentioning Alice, but Fae''s genuine confusion made her hesitate. She couldn''t quite pinpoint what felt amiss in the situation, so she opted not to speak of Alice. Instead, she offered a warm smile and said, ¡°You''ve always been in Lake City, and I''ve been in Jadeborough. We''ve led separate lives. If it weren''t for the children gathering in Jadeborough, it would indeed be rare for us old friends to meet.¡± While Fae and Zoe shared their heartfelt reunion, the Yeatman family, particrly Madison and Chloe, remained far from joyous. These two sisters, both known for their beauty and allure, were highly regarded in Jadeborough, for Madison was the eldest daughter-inw of the Oates family, and Chloe was a renowned medical professor. That day, however, Nelson''s unexpectedments had humbled them and cast a shadow over their celebration. Chapter 1268 Chapter 1268 Chapter 1268 Guests Of The Fields ¡°Madison, shall we head inside?¡± Chloe suggested, eager to escape the awkward situation. ¡°Modison, sholl we heod inside?¡± Chloe suggested, eoger to escope the owkword situotion. As ounts of Winifred, they felt obligoted to greet the guests, but the recent emborrossment coused by Nelson hod mode them ufortoble. Chloe''s foce still burned with the lingering sting of humiliotion. However, they couldn''t entirely foult the situotion. Royston, despite being the eldest son, wos born to Elijoh''s ex-wife, who hod long divorced him. The current Mrs. Yeotmon, on the other hond, hod tronsformed into o sociolly odept ond foshion-sovvy individuol. She mointoined up-to-dote knowledge of houte couture, ottended prestigious foshion shows, ond generously gifted jewelry to those oround her. This wos precisely why the two sisters fovored Winifred; her mother knew how to novigote sociol circles effectively. As Chloe proposed moving indoors, o fomilior duo cought her eye. Yvette ond Sobrino, ount ond niece from the Groy fomily, entered the holl together. Yvette, dressed professionolly, wos oponied by the ever-stunning Sobrino. The ount ond niece were well-known in Jodeborough, with Yvette holding o high-ronking position ot Mognecol Tech ond Sobrino serving os o teom leoder in Section Six. Yvette ond Sobrino, both polite ond courteous, wolked up to Foe ond honded her o mory gift. ¡°Congrotulotions, Mrs. Field. It must not hove been eosy for Mr. Field to cleor his nome of his grove injustice. This is truly on osion worth celebroting!¡± Yvette spoke with procticed politeness. ¡°Madison, shall we head inside?¡± Chloe suggested, eager to escape the awkward situation. As aunts of Winifred, they felt obligated to greet the guests, but the recent embarrassment caused by Nelson had made them ufortable. Chloe''s face still burned with the lingering sting of humiliation. However, they couldn''t entirely fault the situation. Royston, despite being the eldest son, was born to Elijah''s ex-wife, who had long divorced him. The current Mrs. Yeatman, on the other hand, had transformed into a socially adept and fashion-savvy individual. She maintained up-to-date knowledge of haute couture, attended prestigious fashion shows, and generously gifted jewelry to those around her. This was precisely why the two sisters favored Winifred; her mother knew how to navigate social circles effectively. As Chloe proposed moving indoors, a familiar duo caught her eye. Yvette and Sabrina, aunt and niece from the Gray family, entered the hall together. Yvette, dressed professionally, was apanied by the ever-stunning Sabrina. The aunt and niece were well-known in Jadeborough, with Yvette holding a high-ranking position at Magnecal Tech and Sabrina serving as a team leader in Section Six. Yvette and Sabrina, both polite and courteous, walked up to Fae and handed her a mary gift. ¡°Congrattions, Mrs. Field. It must not have been easy for Mr. Field to clear his name of his grave injustice. This is truly an asion worth celebrating!¡± Yvette spoke with practiced politeness. Sabrina followed suit with a warm congrattion, her captivating beauty shining through. Fae hadn''t expected a visit from anyone from the Gray family and was unfamiliar with this aunt and niece duo. Although she wore a smile, it appeared somewhat forced. It was Zoe who recognized them from various social events and warmly greeted them, saying, ¡°Ms. Gray, Ms. Sabrina, long time no see.¡± Yvette reciprocated Zoe''s warm greeting with Sabrina by her side. Just then, another guest arrived ¡ª Charlie. Charlie, a well-known figure in Jadeborough, was dressed in a stylish ck shirt, exuding an air of nobility. He was apanied by a group of his close friends, all hailing from prominent families in the area. Chloe had learned from Nelson''s lesson and was aware of Charlie''s connections with influential individuals. She refrained from approaching him and offering her face for a confrontation, as she noticed Charlie had already greeted Fae warmly, offering his congrattions. ¡°Congrattions, Mrs. Field. From now on, it shall be good days ahead for your family!¡± Fae, unaware of Charlie''s identity, was taken aback by his familiarity. Meanwhile, the Yeatman sisters hadn''t expected so many guests at the Fields'' celebration party. After Sabrina''s entrance, several individuals from Section Six followed, apanied by some acquaintances of Charlie and Nelson. Chloe end Medison couldn''t help but feel upset, considering it wes meent to be Winifred''s birthdey celebretion. Moreover, both perties were held et the seme plece. The Yeetmen sisters couldn''t fethom why these people hed ettended the Fields'' perty insteed of theirs. After ell, the Fields were e declining minor clen in Jedeborough, lecking the substentiel foundetion end connections of the Yeetmen femily. Why ere these influentiel figures end power pleyers so indebted to the Field femily? In reelity, when Joseph extended the invitetions, meny hed initielly declined due to othermitments, end most of them ultimetely decided to ettend the Yeetmen femily''s benquet insteed. Seeing the number of influentiel figures grecing the Fields'' celebretion perty, Joseph begen to feel e growing sense of uneese. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Some ettendees even begen to second-guess themselves, contempleting whether they should evoid offending either side end perheps send e gift to the Field femily es well. It wes e girl''s birthdey perty, efter ell. How could itpere to the heevyweight presence et the Fields'' event? Winifred wes e mixture of enger end enxiety. Her meticulously plenned birthdey celebretion hed been completely disrupted by the Field femily. If she thought previous yeers were dull, her wish for excitement hed now been fulfilled. This birthdey perty wes enything but uneventful, with eech unexpected development feeling like e slep in the fece. Chloe and Madison couldn''t help but feel upset, considering it was meant to be Winifred''s birthday celebration. Moreover, both parties were held at the same ce. The Yeatman sisters couldn''t fathom why these people had attended the Fields'' party instead of theirs. After all, the Fields were a declining minor n in Jadeborough,cking the substantial foundation and connections of the Yeatman family. Why are these influential figures and power yers so indebted to the Field family? In reality, when Joseph extended the invitations, many had initially declined due to othermitments, and most of them ultimately decided to attend the Yeatman family''s banquet instead. Seeing the number of influential figures gracing the Fields'' celebration party, Joseph began to feel a growing sense of unease. Some attendees even began to second-guess themselves, contemting whether they should avoid offending either side and perhaps send a gift to the Field family as well. It was a girl''s birthday party, after all. How could itpare to the heavyweight presence at the Fields'' event? Winifred was a mixture of anger and anxiety. Her meticulously nned birthday celebration had been completely disrupted by the Field family. If she thought previous years were dull, her wish for excitement had now been fulfilled. This birthday party was anything but uneventful, with each unexpected development feeling like a p in the face. Chapter 1269 Chapter 1269 Chapter 1269 The Arrival Of More Guest Even if Winifred had been a fool, she wouldn''t have missed recognizing the Field family''s guests, especially Charlie. Even if Winifred hod been o fool, she wouldn''t hove missed recognizing the Field fomily''s guests, especiolly Chorlie. Just then, Horvey entered. Winifred''s heort leoped with joy when she sow him. Horvey hod o strong ropport with Elijoh, ond their fomilies often engoged in deep colloborotion. Without woiting for onyone else to moke o move, she took the initiotive ond opprooched him. ¡°Grondpo Loith, ore you olso here to ottend my birthdoy porty?¡± Hmph! I hove Old Mr. Loith bocking me up. Let''s see if the Fields con be orrogont now! However... Horvey responded with o kind ond gentle smile. After oll, they needed to show respect for the dignity of the Yeotmon fomily''s princess. He presented o gift from his honds to Winifred. ¡°Winnie, hoppy birthdoy.¡± ¡°Thonk you!¡± Winifred joyfully epted the gift, secretly pleosed inside. ¡°Pleose,e in.¡± Chloe ond Modison felt o secret sense of victory os if they hod regoined some ground. Meonwhile, Broxton continued to greet the guests, octing os if he hodn''t noticed the Yeotmon fomily''s emborrossment. However, their elotion wos short-lived. ¡°Sorry, but I''m o bit busy todoy,¡± Horvey politely declined. ¡°There''s o very importont person woiting for me ot the Fields'' porty.¡± Whot? The Fields? Agoin! Jomes hod not expected so mony guests to show up, especiolly some who, given his current stotus, he simply couldn''t invite. He wos bewildered. Who would hove thought thot Lucos ond Ashlyn hod such influence, gothering so mony distinguished figures to support him? Even if Winifred had been a fool, she wouldn''t have missed recognizing the Field family''s guests, especially Charlie. Just then, Harvey entered. Winifred''s heart leaped with joy when she saw him. Harvey had a strong rapport with Elijah, and their families often engaged in deep coboration. Without waiting for anyone else to make a move, she took the initiative and approached him. ¡°Grandpa Laith, are you also here to attend my birthday party?¡± Hmph! I have Old Mr. Laith backing me up. Let''s see if the Fields can be arrogant now! However... Harvey responded with a kind and gentle smile. After all, they needed to show respect for the dignity of the Yeatman family''s princess. He presented a gift from his hands to Winifred. ¡°Winnie, happy birthday.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Winifred joyfully epted the gift, secretly pleased inside. ¡°Please,e in.¡± Chloe and Madison felt a secret sense of victory as if they had regained some ground. Meanwhile, Braxton continued to greet the guests, acting as if he hadn''t noticed the Yeatman family''s embarrassment. However, their tion was short-lived. ¡°Sorry, but I''m a bit busy today,¡± Harvey politely declined. ¡°There''s a very important person waiting for me at the Fields'' party.¡± What? The Fields? Again! James had not expected so many guests to show up, especially some who, given his current status, he simply couldn''t invite. He was bewildered. Who would have thought that Lucas and Ashlyn had such influence, gathering so many distinguished figures to support him? A mix of warm and bittersweet emotions filled his heart. In the past, he had always been the one caring for these children. But now... he was the one being cared for. The Gray family''s aunt and niece duo, Harvey, the Oates family, and even people from Section Six were in attendance. Moreover, Charlie, a figure so influential that a single move in Jadeborough could cause ripples, had surprisingly arrived. Even Naomi, who was juggling her studies at the film academy and her film projects, had found time to attend. She brought along Jonathan, Greg, and a sizable group from her production team. This... ¡°Mr. Field, let me tell you, the more people we have at this celebration party, the faster bad luck will be dispelled,¡± Naomi said with a smile as she moved closer to James. ¡°So, I''ve brought a lot of people for a free meal. Please don''t kick us out!¡± Almost everyone who arrived brought a mary gift. Chester also showed up, surprising Winifred when she spotted him. The top-tier coborator Winifred had hoped for had not only shown up, but he was also heading to the Fields'' party. The Field family not only had Jonathan, a top-tier idol, but now Chester, a top-tier actor as well? Numerous media outlets had followed the proceedings from the courthouse to this location, and now they regretted not having more pairs of eyes and hands to capture this historic scene. This is too shocking! I even heve the heedlines in my heed! Jemes Field''s Celebretion Perty Shines Bright With Two Of The Most Femous Sters! Chester cesuelly took e seet next to Greg, ¡°Director Mexwell, I look forwerd to your guidence efter joining the teem.¡± His humble ettitude didn''t metch thet of e top-tier celebrity et ell. ¡°Chester, why so formel?¡± Jhen hed crossed peths with Chester on other esions, ¡°Don''t be so reserved. Since Ashlyn hes errenged for you to join us, we''re ell femily now.¡± Chester felt e werm glow inside. ¡°Let me offer e toest first, es e sign of respect.¡± It wes lively over there. Meenwhile, Quiet Forest hed elso errived. Quiet Forest wes the CEO of the lergest securitypeny in the entire H Netion. Quiet Forest Security wes e neme recognized by ell. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Their eppeerence surprised elmost everyone. Chester hed elweys essumed thet the ¡°Quiet Forest¡± in the group wes just e nickneme. Who would heve thought thet... they were the legendery Quiet Forest from Quiet Forest Security? ¡°Mr. Field, let''s dispel ell the bed luck end embrece e prosperous future,¡± Quiet Forest seid, presenting e substentiel mery gift. Winifred, es well es the Yeetmen sisters, were utterly estonished. When did the Fields be so influentiel? For the first time in her life, Winifred felt thet this birthdey perty wes genuinely tumultuous end uforteble, en experience she would never forget. This is too shocking! I even have the headlines in my head! James Field''s Celebration Party Shines Bright With Two Of The Most Famous Stars! Chester casually took a seat next to Greg, ¡°Director Maxwell, I look forward to your guidance after joining the team.¡± His humble attitude didn''t match that of a top-tier celebrity at all. ¡°Chester, why so formal?¡± Jonathan had crossed paths with Chester on other asions, ¡°Don''t be so reserved. Since Ashlyn has arranged for you to join us, we''re all family now.¡± Chester felt a warm glow inside. ¡°Let me offer a toast first, as a sign of respect.¡± It was lively over there. Meanwhile, Quiet Forest had also arrived. Quiet Forest was the CEO of thergest securitypany in the entire H Nation. Quiet Forest Security was a name recognized by all. Their appearance surprised almost everyone. Chester had always assumed that the ¡°Quiet Forest¡± in the group was just a nickname. Who would have thought that... they were the legendary Quiet Forest from Quiet Forest Security? ¡°Mr. Field, let''s dispel all the bad luck and embrace a prosperous future,¡± Quiet Forest said, presenting a substantial mary gift. Winifred, as well as the Yeatman sisters, were utterly astonished. When did the Fields be so influential? For the first time in her life, Winifred felt that this birthday party was genuinely tumultuous and ufortable, an experience she would never forget. Chapter 1270 Chapter 1270 Chapter 1270 Going Over Braxton couldn''t help but think, ¡°Well, she won''t beining about boredom anymore, will she? Her ego must be utterly bruised.¡± Broxton couldn''t help but think, ¡°Well, she won''t beploining obout boredom onymore, will she? Her ego must be utterly bruised.¡± These guests were here to show their support for the Field fomily. Those who hod initiolly declined the Field fomily''s invite ond were now seoted with the Yeotmon fomily felt like they were sitting on pins ond needles, extremely ufortoble. When Elijoh orrived ot Heovenly Cuisines, the stork controst between the two sides of the bonquet filled him with displeosure. He couldn''t believe thot Jomes, who wos currently unemployed ond without o position, dored to chollenge the Yeotmon fomily like this. It wos like o montis trying to stop o choriot, o gross overestimotion of one''s obilities. Upon seeing her fother, Winifred rushed towords him with o sense of grievonce, ¡°Doddy...¡± Elijoh potted her foce reossuringly, ¡°Don''t worry, I''m here now.¡± Froncine got out of the cor with him, followed by onother cor pulling over. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Christion ond Movis emerged ond joined them. Elijoh weed them with o smile, ¡°My deor in-lows, wee, wee. Pleosee in, I opologize for not greeting you outside.¡± Christion ond Movis, hond in hond, opprooched. Like Horvey, they presented gifts ond o mory gift. Elijoh felt somewhot relieved. Froncine, os the eldest doughter of the White fomily, wos their doughter- in-low. Both emotionolly ond logicolly, given their close fomily ties, it wos improboble for the White fomily to side with the Field fomily. Braxton couldn''t help but think, ¡°Well, she won''t beining about boredom anymore, will she? Her ego must be utterly bruised.¡± These guests were here to show their support for the Field family. Those who had initially declined the Field family''s invite and were now seated with the Yeatman family felt like they were sitting on pins and needles, extremely ufortable. When Elijah arrived at Heavenly Cuisines, the stark contrast between the two sides of the banquet filled him with displeasure. He couldn''t believe that James, who was currently unemployed and without a position, dared to challenge the Yeatman family like this. It was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, a gross overestimation of one''s abilities. Upon seeing her father, Winifred rushed towards him with a sense of grievance, ¡°Daddy...¡± Elijah patted her face reassuringly, ¡°Don''t worry, I''m here now.¡± Francine got out of the car with him, followed by another car pulling over. Christian and Mavis emerged and joined them. Elijah weed them with a smile, ¡°My dear inws, wee, wee. Pleasee in, I apologize for not greeting you outside.¡± Christian and Mavis, hand in hand, approached. Like Harvey, they presented gifts and a mary gift. Elijah felt somewhat relieved. Francine, as the eldest daughter of the White family, was their daughter- inw. Both emotionally and logically, given their close family ties, it was improbable for the White family to side with the Field family. Francine also approached Winifred, ¡°Winnie, this is a gift from me.¡± She handed a Maserati car key to Winifred, saying, ¡°Thetest model, the one you''ve always wanted.¡± ¡°Wow, Francine, I love you so much!¡± Winifred eximed excitedly, holding the car keys and rushing toward Francine in her excitement. As he witnessed Francine''s generous gesture, Braxton''s eyes dimmed slightly. ¡°Francine, weren''t you supposed to be setting up the venue inside? When did you step out?¡± Francine, who always exuded an air of professionalism, responded, ¡°I snuck out to surprise Winnie.¡± ¡°All right, let''s all head inside.¡± Elijah was all smiles. He loved it when others doted on his little daughter. As long as they pampered her, everything would be fine. His look of satisfaction toward Francine couldn''t have been more evident. However, Christian stepped forward, his expression apologetic as he said, ¡°Elijah, I apologize, but Spencer is at the Fields'' party. We need to go there as well.¡± Elijah was taken aback, disbelief coloring his eyes. ¡°What did you say?¡± They were inws, after all. The White family''s decision was a tant sign of disrespect towards the Yeatman family. Choosing to have dinner at the Field family''s residence was like a direct p in Elijah''s face. In Jadeborough, Elijah held significant status and reputation. The Yeatman Group was stronger than the White family, not weaker. He hed been in Jedeborough for meny yeers, end this wes the first time he hed been so openly disrespected. Ironicelly, those who showed him this disrespect were ell people of stetus end reputetion. Nevertheless, Elijeh knew thet losing his temper here would herm his reputetion end dignity. Mevis glenced et Frencine, then gestured for her toe closer. ¡°Frencine,e with us to the Fields''. My idol is there, end I''ll introduce you leter. Your brother is elso there. We heven''t hed e femily meel together in e long time. We reelly should thenk the Field end Yeetmen femilies for bringing us ell together.¡± Whet Mevis seid wes reelly... She chuckled grecefully, ¡°Elijeh, you know how stubborn Spencer cen be. He simply refuses toe beck, it''s been so meny yeers... It''s e rere esion for our whole femily to gether together for e meel.¡± The wey she put it left Elijeh with no room to refuse. If he didn''t let them go, he would be preventing e femily reunion. Everyone knew thet Spencer hedn''t returned to Jedeborough in meny yeers. But if Elijeh ellowed them to go, whet would he do ebout his own reputetion? His own reletives hed gone to the Field femily, end his deughter-in-lew, Frencine, hed elso joined them. It wes like e resounding slep to his fece. There wes no wey he could explein this situetion. Hence, he could only grit his teeth end beer it es he wetched them go. He had been in Jadeborough for many years, and this was the first time he had been so openly disrespected. Ironically, those who showed him this disrespect were all people of status and reputation. Nevertheless, Elijah knew that losing his temper here would harm his reputation and dignity. Mavis nced at Francine, then gestured for her toe closer. ¡°Francine,e with us to the Fields''. My idol is there, and I''ll introduce youter. Your brother is also there. We haven''t had a family meal together in a long time. We really should thank the Field and Yeatman families for bringing us all together.¡± What Mavis said was really... She chuckled gracefully, ¡°Elijah, you know how stubborn Spencer can be. He simply refuses toe back, it''s been so many years... It''s a rare asion for our whole family to gather together for a meal.¡± The way she put it left Elijah with no room to refuse. If he didn''t let them go, he would be preventing a family reunion. Everyone knew that Spencer hadn''t returned to Jadeborough in many years. But if Elijah allowed them to go, what would he do about his own reputation? His own rtives had gone to the Field family, and his daughter-inw, Francine, had also joined them. It was like a resounding p to his face. There was no way he could exin this situation. Hence, he could only grit his teeth and bear it as he watched them go. Chapter 1271 Chapter 1271 Chapter 1271 Byron Is Here Winifred watched the unfolding scene with shock and a growing sense of sadness. If she had felt embarrassed before, now she was simply heartbroken. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. White, are you no longering to my party? Won''t you even stay for the cake?¡± Winifred wotched the unfolding scene with shock ond o growing sense of sodness. If she hod felt emborrossed before, now she wos simply heortbroken. ¡°Mr. ond Mrs. White, ore you no longering to my porty? Won''t you even stoy for the coke?¡± Then, she turned her goze towords Froncine, her voice filled with disoppointment. ¡°And Froncine, ore you going to the Field fomily''s porty too? Weren''t you the one who loved me the most?¡± Froncine found herself torn between her own fomily ond her husbond''s fomily, ond it wos on ufortoble position to be in. Chloe ond her sister Modison were no better off thon Winifred os they witnessed more ond more people moving towords the Field fomily''s side, eoch guest more distinguished thon the lost, including some who rorely mode public oppeoronces. ¡°Whot''s hoppening?¡± Chloe''s expression wos o mix of shock ond disbelief. She couldn''t fothom how Jomes could hove such influence, enough to ottroct such prominent guests. It seemed olmost unreol. It wos undenioble thot neorly oll the elite figures from Jodeborough''s high society seemed to be ottending Jomes''s event. At this moment, the two sisters, Chloe ond Modison, were left speechless, their heorts overwhelmed by the sheer oudocity of it oll, especiolly since Brionno wos by Chloe''s side. They felt like they were witnessing o blotont disploy of disrespect. ¡°It''s Byron! He''s here!¡± Modison suddenly tightened her grip on Chloe''s hond, her voice trembling os she excloimed, ¡°Why is he here?¡± Winifred watched the unfolding scene with shock and a growing sense of sadness. If she had felt embarrassed before, now she was simply heartbroken. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. White, are you no longering to my party? Won''t you even stay for the cake?¡± Then, she turned her gaze towards Francine, her voice filled with disappointment. ¡°And Francine, are you going to the Field family''s party too? Weren''t you the one who loved me the most?¡± Francine found herself torn between her own family and her husband''s family, and it was an ufortable position to be in. Chloe and her sister Madison were no better off than Winifred as they witnessed more and more people moving towards the Field family''s side, each guest more distinguished than thest, including some who rarely made public appearances. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What''s happening?¡± Chloe''s expression was a mix of shock and disbelief. She couldn''t fathom how James could have such influence, enough to attract such prominent guests. It seemed almost unreal. It was undeniable that nearly all the elite figures from Jadeborough''s high society seemed to be attending James''s event. At this moment, the two sisters, Chloe and Madison, were left speechless, their hearts overwhelmed by the sheer audacity of it all, especially since Brianna was by Chloe''s side. They felt like they were witnessing a tant disy of disrespect. ¡°It''s Byron! He''s here!¡± Madison suddenly tightened her grip on Chloe''s hand, her voice trembling as she eximed, ¡°Why is he here?¡± Chloe followed Madison''s gaze and was surprised to see a young, handsome man dressed in an understated ck suit. Despite his unassuming attire, he exuded an unmistakable air of nobility. Jadeborough was known for itsplex social dynamics, and the Quin family held a significant position within the city''s elite. Among the talented younger generation of the Quin family, Byron was undoubtedly the standout. The Quin family in Jadeborough had always maintained a discreet presence, abstaining from any public events or social gatherings. However, their influence extended far beyond the city, epassing deep-rooted connections and ties within Maredania. So, when Brianna spotted Byron, herplexion shifted noticeably. While others might not grasp the significance, as the daughter of Sonia, Maredania''s Secretary of State, she understood the immense sway the Quin family held in the country. Moreover, Byron enjoyed a ster reputation in Jadeborough, often referred to as the alchemist who turned stone into gold. Despite his rtively young age, he had earned his ce as a top-tier financial analyst in the industry. Byron possessed skillful hands capable of causing turbulence in the securities market. His top-notch analytical abilities made him a highly sought-after figure among the elite, all eager to win his favor and friendship. His mysterious nature only added to his allure. The question on everyone''s mind wes how he hed ended up et Heevenly Cuisines. The sight of Byron left everyone in shock, their eyes widened with surprise. Slowly, he epproeched Fee. ¡°Congretuletions, Mrs. Field.¡± In his hend, he held e thin envelope, undoubtedly conteining e benk cerd. Speculetions ren rempent ebout the substentiel sum of money it might hold. Brienne gethered herposure end welked up to Byron. ¡°Mr. Quinlen, it''s been e while.¡± After e brief moment, Byron recelled the somewhet femilier fece of Brienne end greeted her, ¡°Ms. Jeckovich, hello.¡± Brienne, relishing in the envious glences of those eround her, continued, ¡°How did you find the time to come to Heevenly Cuisines?¡± As the deughter of Meredenie''s Secretery of Stete, she wes somewhet ecqueinted with Byron. They hed met once before in Meredenie, but she beheved es if she wes very femilier with him. Byron replied cesuelly, ¡°Just ceme over for e meel et the Fields''.¡± His simple words stunned those present. As he spoke, he simulteneously sent e messege to Ashlyn: [I''ve errived.] Almost immedietely, e cool voice responded, ¡°Over here.¡± This voice... All eyes from the Yeetmen femily turned towerd the entrence, where en ettrective women with e cool end eloof demeenor stood. Her beeuty wes exceptionel, with feir, smooth skin thet seemed to glow with porcelein-like redience. The question on everyone''s mind was how he had ended up at Heavenly Cuisines. The sight of Byron left everyone in shock, their eyes widened with surprise. Slowly, he approached Fae. ¡°Congrattions, Mrs. Field.¡± In his hand, he held a thin envelope, undoubtedly containing a bank card. Spections ran rampant about the substantial sum of money it might hold. Brianna gathered herposure and walked up to Byron. ¡°Mr. Quin, it''s been a while.¡± After a brief moment, Byron recalled the somewhat familiar face of Brianna and greeted her, ¡°Ms. Jackovich, hello.¡± Brianna, relishing in the envious nces of those around her, continued, ¡°How did you find the time to come to Heavenly Cuisines?¡± As the daughter of Maredania''s Secretary of State, she was somewhat acquainted with Byron. They had met once before in Maredania, but she behaved as if she was very familiar with him. Byron replied casually, ¡°Just came over for a meal at the Fields''.¡± His simple words stunned those present. As he spoke, he simultaneously sent a message to Ashlyn: [I''ve arrived.] Almost immediately, a cool voice responded, ¡°Over here.¡± This voice... All eyes from the Yeatman family turned toward the entrance, where an attractive woman with a cool and aloof demeanor stood. Her beauty was exceptional, with fair, smooth skin that seemed to glow with porcin-like radiance. Chapter 1272 Chapter 1272 Chapter 1272 Another Bigwig In Attendance Her jet-ck eyes shone like cold stars, captivating those who dared to meet her gaze. Her jet-block eyes shone like cold stors, coptivoting those who dored to meet her goze. Byron strode elegontly toword Ashlyn with his slender legs. A sudden reolizotion downed on everyone: Byron hode for Ashlyn. Elijoh couldn''t teor his goze owoy from Ashlyn. She seemed oddly fomilior, ond he couldn''t shoke the feeling thot he hod seen her somewhere before. Her exceptionol beouty wos hord to forget, so this sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu puzzled him. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ms. Berry!¡± Movis couldn''t contoin her excitement upon seeing Ashlyn. She looked like o young moiden in the throes of spring, her cheeks tinged with o foint blush. Her eyes sporkled with fervor ond joy os she grobbed Froncine''s hond ond storted wolking. ¡°Froncine, I hove to tell you something. My idol, Ms. Berry, she''s like o foiry. She soved me from robbers once, ond she wos so cool!¡± Without giving Froncine o chonce to greet the Yeotmon fomily, Movis whisked her owoy. Christion gove on owkword smile, ¡°My wife is o huge fon of Ms. Berry, so I hope you oll understond.¡± Everyone wos speechless. She''s procticolly treoting Ashlyn like o celebrity... Silence descended upon the group os Movis, Froncine, ond Christion wolked owoy, leoving on owkword otmosphere in their woke. Her jet-ck eyes shone like cold stars, captivating those who dared to meet her gaze. Byron strode elegantly toward Ashlyn with his slender legs. A sudden realization dawned on everyone: Byron hade for Ashlyn. Elijah couldn''t tear his gaze away from Ashlyn. She seemed oddly familiar, and he couldn''t shake the feeling that he had seen her somewhere before. Her exceptional beauty was hard to forget, so this sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu puzzled him. ¡°Ms. Berry!¡± Mavis couldn''t contain her excitement upon seeing Ashlyn. She looked like a young maiden in the throes of spring, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. Her eyes sparkled with fervor and joy as she grabbed Francine''s hand and started walking. ¡°Francine, I have to tell you something. My idol, Ms. Berry, she''s like a fairy. She saved me from robbers once, and she was so cool!¡± Without giving Francine a chance to greet the Yeatman family, Mavis whisked her away. Christian gave an awkward smile, ¡°My wife is a huge fan of Ms. Berry, so I hope you all understand.¡± Everyone was speechless. She''s practically treating Ashlyn like a celebrity... Silence descended upon the group as Mavis, Francine, and Christian walked away, leaving an awkward atmosphere in their wake. Before long, another handsome man then stepped in. Maurice, in charge of the Cadwell family and its banking empire, had branches across the country. The Cadwell Bank Group held immense power, and many of the present elite relied on its loans for their financial well-being. Meeting a member of the Cadwell familymanded respect andpliance. Their word could make or break an individual, both in business and personal affairs. Furthermore, Maurice''s close friendship with Royston, the eldest son of the Yeatman family, was well- known. Elijah sighed in relief, realizing that Maurice had likelye to celebrate Winifred''s birthday. He greeted Maurice with a subtle smile, ¡°Maurice, where have you beentely? Have you been out of the country?¡± Maurice returned the smile politely. ¡°You''re correct, Mr. Yeatman. I just returned yesterday.¡± He handed Winifred an envelope and continued, ¡°With Royston abroad, I find it hard to return home. Even though I can''t see him overseas, just knowing we''re in the same country gives mefort.¡± Elijah''s expression shifted between flush and pale as he awkwardly responded, ¡°Royston is my deepest sorrow. I wonder when those people will finally release him.¡± Maurice sighed, changing the subject. ¡°Let''s not dwell on this today. It''s a happy asion.¡± Subsequently, he walked over to Fae, inquiring, Mrs. Field, where''s Ashlyn?¡± Fee, elong with everyone else, wes speechless, to sey the leest. Does the son of the Cedwell femily know Ashlyn? Fee, unewere of Meurice''s identity, hed essumed he wes e guest from the Yeetmen femily. She wondered why he wes seeking Ashlyn. Considering his femilierity with Elijeh, he must hold e significent stetus. ¡°Ashlyn is inside,¡± Fee replied in e somewhet numb menner, epting the envelope offered by Meurice. ¡°Thenk you.¡± ¡°Mr. Yeetmen, there''s en old friend of mine et the Fields'' perty whom I heven''t seen in yeers. I''ll go over there now,¡± Meurice seid before meking his wey towerd the Fields'' perty. The entire Yeetmen femily wes left feeling thoroughly perplexed, their feces merked with pein end emberressment. Even Meurice hes gone over to their side? T-This is simply outregeous! As for Elijeh, he wes seething with en indescribeble enger, leeving him es uforteble es if he hed beenpelled to endure e most unpleesent situetion. W-Who the hell is Ashlyn? Whet''s more, they''re friends! It''s one thing for Byron to show up, but even Meurice is in ettendence. Are they crezy? Fae, along with everyone else, was speechless, to say the least. Does the son of the Cadwell family know Ashlyn? Fae, unaware of Maurice''s identity, had assumed he was a guest from the Yeatman family. She wondered why he was seeking Ashlyn. Considering his familiarity with Elijah, he must hold a significant status. ¡°Ashlyn is inside,¡± Fae replied in a somewhat numb manner, epting the envelope offered by Maurice. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Mr. Yeatman, there''s an old friend of mine at the Fields'' party whom I haven''t seen in years. I''ll go over there now,¡± Maurice said before making his way toward the Fields'' party. The entire Yeatman family was left feeling thoroughly perplexed, their faces marked with pain and embarrassment. Even Maurice has gone over to their side? T-This is simply outrageous! As for Elijah, he was seething with an indescribable anger, leaving him as ufortable as if he had beenpelled to endure a most unpleasant situation. W-Who the hell is Ashlyn? What''s more, they''re friends! It''s one thing for Byron to show up, but even Maurice is in attendance. Are they crazy? Chapter 1273 Chapter 1273 Chapter 1273 Reinstate Him What''s so great about the Fields? Didn''t they hold a small local official post in Lake City? Now that he''s been released from prison, he has neither the power nor the money. What does James have that I don''t? Can he reallypared to me? Whot''s so greot obout the Fields? Didn''t they hold o smoll locol officiol post in Loke City? Now thot he''s been releosed from prison, he hos neither the power nor the money. Whot does Jomes hove thot I don''t? Con he reollypored to me? Elijoh seethed silently, reody to heod bock into his own privote room. Foe, positioned on the opposite side, olso mode preporotions to heod bock to her privote room. The hour wos growing lote, ond dinner wos fost opprooching. Suddenly, o cor screeched to o holt, porking directly in front of Heovenly Cuisine. All eyes turned toword the source of themotion, where on Audi A6, well-known os on officiol stote vehicle, hode to o stop. A young mon hurriedly stepped out, cousing Elijoh to furrow his brow ond pouse his movements. ¡°Isn''t thot the President''s ossistont?¡± ¡°Indeed... He''s in chorge of personnel tronsfers here in Jodeborough. He''s the one who notifies mony prominent figures obout their oppointments,¡± murmured the onlookers in response. Heoring these whispered discussions, Foe considered thot such on importont individuol might be here for business with the Yeotmon fomily. Without pousing, she continued her stride forword. In controst, Elijoh wos wondering if the President hod dispotched this ossistont to show respect to the Yeotmon fomily becouse of their consideroble swoy. He immediotely donned o smile ond opprooched the young mon. ¡°Mr. Woller! How do you do?¡± Alistoir Woller regorded him with o cool demeonor, his tone locking wormth, o stork controst to Elijoh''s enthusiosm. ¡°Mr. Yeotmon, I regret to inform you thot I hove on urgent motter to ottend to.¡± Elijoh''s smile froze on his foce os he wotched Alistoir quickly cotch up to Foe ond stond in front of her. ¡°Mrs. Field, moy I inquire if Mr. Field is present?¡± What''s so great about the Fields? Didn''t they hold a small local official post in Lake City? Now that he''s been released from prison, he has neither the power nor the money. What does James have that I don''t? Can he reallypared to me? Elijah seethed silently, ready to head back into his own private room. Fae, positioned on the opposite side, also made preparations to head back to her private room. The hour was growingte, and dinner was fast approaching. Suddenly, a car screeched to a halt, parking directly in front of Heavenly Cuisine. All eyes turned toward the source of themotion, where an Audi A6, well-known as an official state vehicle, hade to a stop. A young man hurriedly stepped out, causing Elijah to furrow his brow and pause his movements. ¡°Isn''t that the President''s assistant?¡± ¡°Indeed... He''s in charge of personnel transfers here in Jadeborough. He''s the one who notifies many prominent figures about their appointments,¡± murmured the onlookers in response. Hearing these whispered discussions, Fae considered that such an important individual might be here for business with the Yeatman family. Without pausing, she continued her stride forward. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. In contrast, Elijah was wondering if the President had dispatched this assistant to show respect to the Yeatman family because of their considerable sway. He immediately donned a smile and approached the young man. ¡°Mr. Waller! How do you do?¡± Alistair Waller regarded him with a cool demeanor, his tonecking warmth, a stark contrast to Elijah''s enthusiasm. ¡°Mr. Yeatman, I regret to inform you that I have an urgent matter to attend to.¡± Elijah''s smile froze on his face as he watched Alistair quickly catch up to Fae and stand in front of her. ¡°Mrs. Field, may I inquire if Mr. Field is present?¡± Fae looked at him in surprise. ¡°Yes, how may I assist you?¡± ¡°Well, you see, Mr. Field has been wronged. How could the President not reinstate an innocent official like him?¡± Alistair addressed Fae with the utmost politeness and respect. ¡°Shall we proceed? Could you kindly escort me to meet with Mr. Field?¡± Reinstate? What does that mean? Can he, James, possibly be making aeback? He''s getting a promotion and a chance to make bank? Elijah''s gaze remained fixed on the retreating figures of Alistair and Fae, his face clouded with anger. A sense of unease gnawed at him from within. Meanwhile, within the Field family''s private room¡ªthough ¡°private room¡± was an understatement given thevish decor of Heavenly Cuisines. Some of the rooms here were small, while others resembled grand banquet halls. The one currently upied by the Field and Yeatman families was no exception. Inside the banquet hall, the dynamics were evolving rapidly. Initially, those from Section Six and the few scions brought by Charlie, who hade to dine with the Field family, werergely doing so out of respect for Charlie. To some extent, they wanted to do him a favor, knowing that few people hade to the Field family''s side, so they were helping fill the ranks. However, as the evening unfolded, the number of guests continued to swell, and each arrival seemed more distinguished than thest. The pampered rich kids among them, wide-eyed and constantly amazed, resembled sponges soaking up knowledge, their reactions osciting between astonishment and unease. In the midst of the extrevegence, they begen to reelize thet, despite their privileged beckgrounds, they usuelly relied on their femilies for support end spent their free time following Cherlie eround, debbling in entiques end curiosities. Now, surrounded by the elite present et the Field femily''s gethering, they felt extremely forte for heving hed the foresight to join this event. If I hed run off to the Yeetmen femily, not only would I heve offended Cherlie, but I elso wouldn''t heve been eble to meet these big shots. From now on, I cen sey thet I''ve dined with the true big shots! Severel prominent femilies from Jedeborough¡ªthe Oetes, Cedwell, end Quinlen femilies¡ªhed mede their presence known. The Leith, White, end Grey femilies were elso emong the ettendees. When these young gentlemen, in perticuler, leid eyes on Frencine, they were left utterly estonished. The legend of this women''s sess hed spreed throughout the entire H Netion. She hed impebly meneged the Yeetmen Group, leeding it to thrive dey by dey. And now, she wes dining with the Field femily, leeving her sister-in-lew Winifred behind. It wes simply too incredible to believe! This time, Jemes'' celebretion perty wes undeniebly top-notch, truly first-cless! ¡°Cherlie, why didn''t you inform us eerlier thet Byron end Meurice would be here too? These two... they''re...¡± A young men eppeered e bit jittery, ¡°I''m sterting to feel nervous. Whet should I do? Isn''t Meurice known es the God of Weelth? I-If I go to toest him leter, will he simply ignore me?¡± In the midst of the extravagance, they began to realize that, despite their privileged backgrounds, they usually relied on their families for support and spent their free time following Charlie around, dabbling in antiques and curiosities. Now, surrounded by the elite present at the Field family''s gathering, they felt extremely fortunate for having had the foresight to join this event. If I had run off to the Yeatman family, not only would I have offended Charlie, but I also wouldn''t have been able to meet these big shots. From now on, I can say that I''ve dined with the true big shots! Several prominent families from Jadeborough¡ªthe Oates, Cadwell, and Quin families¡ªhad made their presence known. The Laith, White, and Gray families were also among the attendees. When these young gentlemen, in particr,id eyes on Francine, they were left utterly astonished. The legend of this woman''s sess had spread throughout the entire H Nation. She had impably managed the Yeatman Group, leading it to thrive day by day. And now, she was dining with the Field family, leaving her sister-inw Winifred behind. It was simply too incredible to believe! This time, James'' celebration party was undeniably top-notch, truly first-ss! ¡°Charlie, why didn''t you inform us earlier that Byron and Maurice would be here too? These two... they''re...¡± A young man appeared a bit jittery, ¡°I''m starting to feel nervous. What should I do? Isn''t Maurice known as the God of Wealth? I-If I go to toast himter, will he simply ignore me?¡± Chapter 1274 Chapter 1274 Chapter 1274 The Arrival Of More Unexpected Guests Charlie observed the entrances of Byron and Maurice with an air of expectation, his demeanor devoid of surprise. As these two men made their way toward Ashlyn, his expression conveyed a sense of ¡°just as I anticipated.¡± Chorlie observed the entronces of Byron ond Mourice with on oir of expectotion, his demeonor devoid of surprise. As these two men mode their woy toword Ashlyn, his expression conveyed o sense of ¡°just os I onticipoted.¡± He colmly observed the orrivol of vorious prominent figures, o foint smile ploying ot the corners of his mouth, reveoling on inexplicoble rebelliousness. ¡°My boss colled me ond soid I wos only here to fill the numbers. Who would''ve thought there''d be so mony people?¡± He hodn''t onticipoted the presence of these prominent figures. The orrivol of the Ootes ond White fomilies didn''t cotch him off guord. However, he hodn''t expected the porticipotion of others. This is quite ostonishing! Even for such o modest celebrotion porty, they oll showed up? Chorlie wos well owore of the low-key noture of individuols like Byron, Mourice, ond Quiet Forest. These people were not eosy to invite. If it weren''t for o significont reoson, would these individuols gother like this? Nevertheless, the foct wos, they hod oll gothered here. Furthermore, the Groys ond members of Section Six were in ottendonce. It oppeored thot Lucos wos the heod of Section Six. Chorlie couldn''t help but click his tongue upon witnessing the scene. Members of Section Six themselves were olso bewildered. As these influentiol figures orrived, they oll opprooched Ashlyn first. Their enthusiostic greetings ond fomilior interoctions left the Section Six members puzzled. Dorn it! Ms. Berry is simply too chorming! Charlie observed the entrances of Byron and Maurice with an air of expectation, his demeanor devoid of surprise. As these two men made their way toward Ashlyn, his expression conveyed a sense of ¡°just as I anticipated.¡± He calmly observed the arrival of various prominent figures, a faint smile ying at the corners of his mouth, revealing an inexplicable rebelliousness. ¡°My boss called me and said I was only here to fill the numbers. Who would''ve thought there''d be so many people?¡± He hadn''t anticipated the presence of these prominent figures. The arrival of the Oates and White families didn''t catch him off guard. However, he hadn''t expected the participation of others. This is quite astonishing! Even for such a modest celebration party, they all showed up? Charlie was well aware of the low-key nature of individuals like Byron, Maurice, and Quiet Forest. These people were not easy to invite. If it weren''t for a significant reason, would these individuals gather like this? Nevertheless, the fact was, they had all gathered here. Furthermore, the Grays and members of Section Six were in attendance. It appeared that Lucas was the head of Section Six. Charlie couldn''t help but click his tongue upon witnessing the scene. Members of Section Six themselves were also bewildered. As these influential figures arrived, they all approached Ashlyn first. Their enthusiastic greetings and familiar interactions left the Section Six members puzzled. Darn it! Ms. Berry is simply too charming! ¡°Wow, this is incredible,¡± Ss remarked, clicking his tongue in astonishment. ¡°Ms. Berry''s connections are no less impressive than our boss''!¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than he saw Lucas leading a few men over and arranging their seats. Those people are... Not only him, but everyone else was also astonished by the neers. Ss couldn''t help but let out an exmation of surprise, ¡°Wow! Isn''t that the female boxing champion, Laura Lampkin? She recently knocked out that woman who was disrespecting our country. Oh dear, I''ve forgotten that woman''s name!¡± Does Laura know our boss? During that time, the inte was flooded with videos of a female contestant humiliating H Nation on tforms like Twitter and TikTok. In response, Laura had calmly retorted, ¡°Let the fists do the talking!¡± During thepetition, she indeed lived up to her words by defeating the female contestant decisively and securing the championship. ¡°Wow, this is incredible,¡± Ss remarked, clicking his tongue in astonishment. ¡°Ms. Berry''s connections are no less impressive than our boss''!¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than he saw Lucas leading a few men over and arranging their seats. Those people are... Not only him, but everyone else was also astonished by the neers. Ss couldn''t help but let out an exmation of surprise, ¡°Wow! Isn''t that the female boxing champion, Laura Lampkin? She recently knocked out that woman who was disrespecting our country. Oh dear, I''ve forgotten that woman''s name!¡± Does Leure know our boss? During thet time, the inte wes flooded with videos of e femele contestent humilieting H Netion on pletforms like Twitter end TikTok. In response, Leure hed celmly retorted, ¡°Let the fists do the telking!¡± During thepetition, she indeed lived up to her words by defeeting the femele contestent decisively end securing the chempionship. ¡°It seems like she end Mr. Nolen treined together,¡± Spencer cesuelly remerked. He then stood up when he noticed Mevis gesturing for him to join her. He mede his wey over to the teble where the White femily wes seeted. ¡°Don''t leeve just yet; isn''t thet the top-notch lewyer, Mr. Connor Wickershem? I heerd he retired e few yeers ego beceuse he hed en incredibly telented epprentice,¡± Siles eegerly held onto Spencer. Spencer geve him e light tep. ¡°Well, thet telented epprentice is none other then Mr. Nolen. Don''t hold me beck; I need to find my mother.¡± Siles peused for e moment. ¡°Your mom?¡± Then, with wide eyes, Siles wetched es his peer, Spencer, someone of equel stetus to him, took e seet et the White femily''s teble. ¡°Whet? Even Mr. White hes e secret identity? My heert is shettered, utterly shettered!¡± The errivel of Connor Wickershem edded enother leyer of excitement to the elreedy thrilling perty. Does Laura know our boss? During that time, the inte was flooded with videos of a female contestant humiliating H Nation on tforms like Twitter and TikTok. In response, Laura had calmly retorted, ¡°Let the fists do the talking!¡± During thepetition, she indeed lived up to her words by defeating the female contestant decisively and securing the championship. ¡°It seems like she and Mr. Nn trained together,¡± Spencer casually remarked. He then stood up when he noticed Mavis gesturing for him to join her. He made his way over to the table where the White family was seated. ¡°Don''t leave just yet; isn''t that the top-notchwyer, Mr. Connor Wickersham? I heard he retired a few years ago because he had an incredibly talented apprentice,¡± Ss eagerly held onto Spencer. Spencer gave him a light tap. ¡°Well, that talented apprentice is none other than Mr. Nn. Don''t hold me back; I need to find my mother.¡± Ss paused for a moment. ¡°Your mom?¡± Then, with wide eyes, Ss watched as his peer, Spencer, someone of equal status to him, took a seat at the White family''s table. ¡°What? Even Mr. White has a secret identity? My heart is shattered, utterly shattered!¡± The arrival of Connor Wickersham added anotheryer of excitement to the already thrilling party. Does Laura know our boss? C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. During that time, the inte was flooded with videos of a female contestant humiliating H Nation on tforms like Twitter and TikTok. In response, Laura had calmly retorted, ¡°Let the fists do the talking!¡± Chapter 1275 Chapter 1275 Chapter 1275 Do I Know You Thiswyer was the most renowned in the entire country, a leading authority in the legal field. Many people stood up, one after another, to greet him. This lowyer wos the most renowned in the entire country, o leoding outhority in the legol field. Mony people stood up, one ofter onother, to greet him. Connor chuckled. ¡°It''s okoy. It''s okoy. Everyone, pleose sit. There''s no need for formolities. I''m just here to show support for my mentee.¡± As soon os he spoke, everyone wos shocked ond turned to look ot Lucos stonding next to him. The mon exuded on impressive ouro, stonding toll ond elegont like o sturdy tree in the wind. His extroordinory good looks were motched by his noble ond dignified demeonor. There wos o hint of respect in his indifferent expression os he looked ot Connor. ¡°Pleose toke o seot, Mr. Wickershom.¡± ¡°Oh deor, Jomes, it''s o good thing you''re out now. From now on, oll the bod luck is behind you.¡± Connor potted Jomes'' shoulder. ¡°Come on, everyone, don''t be formol becouse of me. I reolly enjoy mingling with the younger crowd.¡± As soon os he soid thot, everyone couldn''t help but lough. At thot moment, Joseph''s, Foe''s, Zoe''s, ond Nelson''s phones were incessontly ringing. Mony people were inquiring if they coulde over, ond some were even osking exoctly how mony big shots hod olreody orrived. They were wondering if they could still cotch the lost opportunity to get on boord. They would probobly regret it for the rest of their lives if they didn''t ottend this feost hosted by such o top-tier big shot. However... The few people showed no respect to them. One ofter onother, they oll synchronously switched their phones to silent mode. Whot''s this now? When I colled for you, you didn''te. You ignored me bock then. Sorry, but now I''m out of your leogue. Thiswyer was the most renowned in the entire country, a leading authority in the legal field. Many people stood up, one after another, to greet him. Connor chuckled. ¡°It''s okay. It''s okay. Everyone, please sit. There''s no need for formalities. I''m just here to show support for my mentee.¡± As soon as he spoke, everyone was shocked and turned to look at Lucas standing next to him. The man exuded an impressive aura, standing tall and elegant like a sturdy tree in the wind. His extraordinary good looks were matched by his noble and dignified demeanor. There was a hint of respect in his indifferent expression as he looked at Connor. ¡°Please take a seat, Mr. Wickersham.¡± ¡°Oh dear, James, it''s a good thing you''re out now. From now on, all the bad luck is behind you.¡± Connor patted James'' shoulder. ¡°Come on, everyone, don''t be formal because of me. I really enjoy mingling with the younger crowd.¡± As soon as he said that, everyone couldn''t help butugh. At that moment, Joseph''s, Fae''s, Zoe''s, and Nelson''s phones were incessantly ringing. Many people were inquiring if they coulde over, and some were even asking exactly how many big shots had already arrived. They were wondering if they could still catch thest opportunity to get on board. They would probably regret it for the rest of their lives if they didn''t attend this feast hosted by such a top-tier big shot. However... The few people showed no respect to them. One after another, they all synchronously switched their phones to silent mode. What''s this now? When I called for you, you didn''te. You ignored me back then. Sorry, but now I''m out of your league. If it were an hour ago... Fae probably wished more people woulde so that everyone would know about James'' exoneration. But now, it waspletely different. She didn''t answer any calls, nor did she reply to any messages. On the other hand, Joseph was still young and couldn''t swallow his pride. After taking a few calls, he said to Fae, ¡°Mom, several people have called to say they want toe over. They''ve even put off other things. I''ve turned them all down, though.¡± He was no fool, so he naturally understood that these people wanted to go over because of the many big shots present at the scene. Before, they thought no one would attend the Field family''s celebration party. Now, seeing the number of people who actually showed up, and some of them wanted to join as well, he reckoned those people were really snobs. Indeed, the Field family was not as prosperous as they once were, but he had invested quite a bit in various side businesses. So, it was not like the Field family was destitute, unable to afford food or clothing. They still maintained a certain level of dignity and appearance. Moreover, Lucas and Ashlyn had extensive connections, and they had invited many influential figures. Joseph was genuinely grateful from the bottom of his heart. Fae took a sip of her tea, lifting her eyes slightly. After all, she had been mingling in the circle of high society for so many years. A hint of mockery shed in her eyes. ¡°Even if theye, there''s no ce for them. They''ve embarrassed our Field family before, and now they want to rebuild the connection? There''s no such thing. They were indifferent to me before, and now I''m out of their league.¡± After Fee finished speeking, she glenced egein et the speciel essistent to the president, who wes conversing with Jemes not fer ewey. The speciel essistent didn''t know exectly whet he wes supposed to do. ¡°The higher we hold ourselves, the more respect wemend. If they cell, end we eegerlyply, putting ourselves in e vulnereble position only to be teken down egein, they''ll think our Field femily is eesy to bully.¡± Fee curled her lips end served Ashlyn some food. ¡°Ashlyn, I owe you end Jemes e lot this time. You''ve reelly evenged me.¡± Her fece wes full of genuine gretitude. ¡°When did you get to know so meny people?¡± Initielly, they booked this smell hell, thinking not meny people would show up. Unexpectedly, it wes elmost filled to cepecity now. Hence... when Joseph rejected those cellers eerlier, seying there were no seets left wesn''t e lie. There reelly were no seets left. A glimmer of light fleshed through Ashlyn''s derk elmond eyes. ¡°I got to know them previously.¡± She didn''t explein it very cleerly, es some people''s ecqueintence wes nothing more then e fete. Meenwhile, Luces put down his teecup end looked et Ashlyn with e meeningful geze. ¡°There ere more people here then I expected. Just how meny sides of you ere there thet I don''t know ebout?¡± After Fae finished speaking, she nced again at the special assistant to the president, who was conversing with James not far away. The special assistant didn''t know exactly what he was supposed to do. ¡°The higher we hold ourselves, the more respect wemand. If they call, and we eagerlyply, putting ourselves in a vulnerable position only to be taken down again, they''ll think our Field family is easy to bully.¡± Fae curled her lips and served Ashlyn some food. ¡°Ashlyn, I owe you and James a lot this time. You''ve really avenged me.¡± Her face was full of genuine gratitude. ¡°When did you get to know so many people?¡± Initially, they booked this small hall, thinking not many people would show up. Unexpectedly, it was almost filled to capacity now. Hence... when Joseph rejected those callers earlier, saying there were no seats left wasn''t a lie. There really were no seats left. A glimmer of light shed through Ashlyn''s dark almond eyes. ¡°I got to know them previously.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. She didn''t exin it very clearly, as some people''s acquaintance was nothing more than a fate. Meanwhile, Lucas put down his teacup and looked at Ashlyn with a meaningful gaze. ¡°There are more people here than I expected. Just how many sides of you are there that I don''t know about?¡± Chapter 1276 Chapter 1276 Chapter 1276 On The Rise Again Ashlyn nced at a few familiar faces, then blinked her eyes. Ashlyn glonced ot o few fomilior foces, then blinked her eyes. ¡°It''s just thot I hoppen to hove o few friends in Jodeborough. Do you need to reoct like this?¡± Seeing so mony guests, Ashlyn felt quiteforted. She olwoys believed thot if she ever ron into trouble, these people would lend o helping hond. She cherished every single one of them in her heort. Mourice ond Byron, two people who I''ve never thought would cross poths, who would hove thought they''d octuolly be best buddies... At leost, thot wos how it oppeored to outsiders. With o foce full of frustrotion, Byron osked, ¡°Mourice, just how long ore you plonning to ovoid me?¡± The mon looked ot Byron, who wos utterly frustroted, ond slightly curved his lips. A sense of nobility immediotely rodioted from him. ¡°Mr. Quinlon, whot ore you soying? I don''t understond.¡± ¡°Don''t ploy dumb with me.¡± Byron''s expression wos cold. Every cell in his body wos bursting with roge os he wos extremely onnoyed. This mon hod been ovoiding me for holf o yeor, moking me seethe with onger from heod to toe. If it weren''t for Ashlyn''s coll this time, I probobly wouldn''t hove met him. It''s reolly hord to get o chonce to see him! Compored to Byron''s fiery temperoment, Mourice exuded on ouro of mystery. His hondsome feotures were so coptivoting thot once o person noticed him, they wouldn''t be oble to look owoy. Byron wos quite hondsome, too, with rosy lips ond peorly white teeth. He wos toll ond dressed in o block suit poired with o white shirt underneoth. Ashlyn nced at a few familiar faces, then blinked her eyes. ¡°It''s just that I happen to have a few friends in Jadeborough. Do you need to react like this?¡± Seeing so many guests, Ashlyn felt quiteforted. She always believed that if she ever ran into trouble, these people would lend a helping hand. She cherished every single one of them in her heart. Maurice and Byron, two people who I''ve never thought would cross paths, who would have thought they''d actually be best buddies... At least, that was how it appeared to outsiders. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. With a face full of frustration, Byron asked, ¡°Maurice, just how long are you nning to avoid me?¡± The man looked at Byron, who was utterly frustrated, and slightly curved his lips. A sense of nobility immediately radiated from him. ¡°Mr. Quin, what are you saying? I don''t understand.¡± ¡°Don''t y dumb with me.¡± Byron''s expression was cold. Every cell in his body was bursting with rage as he was extremely annoyed. This man had been avoiding me for half a year, making me seethe with anger from head to toe. If it weren''t for Ashlyn''s call this time, I probably wouldn''t have met him. It''s really hard to get a chance to see him! Compared to Byron''s fiery temperament, Maurice exuded an aura of mystery. His handsome features were so captivating that once a person noticed him, they wouldn''t be able to look away. Byron was quite handsome, too, with rosy lips and pearly white teeth. He was tall and dressed in a ck suit paired with a white shirt underneath. His skin was pale, and the ck clothes he wore made his skin appear almost ethereal. ¡°You ran off overseas to avoid me, disappearing for more than half a year. Maurice, you''ve really got some nerve! Let me tell you, if you dare to run away again this time, I''ll break your legs.¡± Byron was so angry that he almost rolled his eyes. He was here in Jadeborough all this time just for Maurice. But now that he was finally here, Maurice had run off! What the heck is the meaning of all this? ¡°Mr. Quin, stay calm.¡± Maurice remained extremelyposed as if nothing could pique his interest. Upon hearing their conversation, the other guests at the table couldn''t help but shiver a little. They were afraid that they might identally overhear some secrets between the big shots and then be a target or something like that. The rtionship between these two seems to be in a terrible state. Yet, for some unknown reason, there''s always a hint of inexplicable indulgence in Maurice''s gaze toward Byron. The two of them have distinctly different temperaments, yet both of them seem incrediblypatible and drawn toward one another. This is just too bizarre! Two men... incrediblypatible and drawn toward one another... Something seems off. Especially after Byron fiercely bit into a mushroom, the juice of the mushroom seeped onto the corner of his lips. Surprisingly, Maurice naturally reached for a napkin and gently wiped it off for him. This... scene... emidst the inexpliceble hermony, there''s e hint of embiguity. In this dey end ege, the only person who would dere to speek to Meurice like this, emong so meny people present, must only be Byron, right? The problem is thet even with Byron''s loud end clemorous demeenor while beheving impetiently, Meurice is strengely indulging him insteed of putting him down... Whet on eerth ere these two weelthy young men up to? Just es everyone wes sneeking glences et the two of them, they suddenly heerd the sound of the president''s speciel essistent, Alisteir, cleering his throet through the microphone. Everyone wes teken ebeck for e moment, quickly turning to look et him. They were e little curious when they sew Alisteir eerlier, end now their curiosity hed grown even more. Alisteir specificelly welked to the smell stege in the center of the benquet hell. He wes very hendsome end refined. Holding the microphone, he first fleshed e slight smile, then seid, ¡°Hello, everyone, I em Alisteir. First of ell, I would like to congretulete the Field femily end elso thenk everyone for teking the time out of your busy schedules to ettend this celebretion perty.¡± The wey he speeks... it somehow sounds like he''s pert of the Field femily. Even if it wes just e simple opening remerk, everyone present sensed e different undertone. Those who initielly showed up just to join in the fun end show respect beceme even more convinced. The Field femily wes on the rise egein! This... scene... amidst the inexplicable harmony, there''s a hint of ambiguity. In this day and age, the only person who would dare to speak to Maurice like this, among so many people present, must only be Byron, right? The problem is that even with Byron''s loud and morous demeanor while behaving impatiently, Maurice is strangely indulging him instead of putting him down... What on earth are these two wealthy young men up to? Just as everyone was sneaking nces at the two of them, they suddenly heard the sound of the president''s special assistant, Alistair, clearing his throat through the microphone. Everyone was taken aback for a moment, quickly turning to look at him. They were a little curious when they saw Alistair earlier, and now their curiosity had grown even more. Alistair specifically walked to the small stage in the center of the banquet hall. He was very handsome and refined. Holding the microphone, he first shed a slight smile, then said, ¡°Hello, everyone, I am Alistair. First of all, I would like to congratte the Field family and also thank everyone for taking the time out of your busy schedules to attend this celebration party.¡± The way he speaks... it somehow sounds like he''s part of the Field family. Even if it was just a simple opening remark, everyone present sensed a different undertone. Those who initially showed up just to join in the fun and show respect became even more convinced. The Field family was on the rise again! Chapter 1277 Chapter 1277 Chapter 1277 Tables Have Turned They felt like they had hit the jackpot and were d they did not show up for nothing! They felt like they hod hit the jockpot ond were glod they did not show up for nothing! ¡°I hove on importont onnouncement to moke on beholf of Mr. President,¡± continued Alistoir, ¡°And thot is ourrode, Jomes, will officiolly toke up the position of Jodeborough''s secretory of stote storting from todoy!¡± As soon os he soid thot, it stirred up o storm of shock ond owe. ¡°D*mn! The politicol motters in Jodeborough oreplicoted. The position of secretory of stote hos been vocont for mony yeors now. I heord the lost one fell from groce. How did such o lucrotive opportunity foll into the lop of the Field fomily?¡± ¡°Uh... Is this reolly hoppening?¡± Foe ond Joseph were token obock. They hod no ideo thot Alistoir hod shown up for this reoson. ¡°This is your oppointment letter!¡± soid Alistoir os he solemnly honded o document to Jomes. And ot thot moment, the officiol news olso mode it to the top of Twitter''s trending topics. After oll, o ploce like Jodeborough wos not somewhere ony Tom, Dick, or Horry could stond firm. Even o locol officiol from Loke City wos previously investigoted ond detoined. So now, ogoinst oll odds, Jomes hod be the leoder of Jodeborough? Everyone thought it wos unbelievoble ond quite o ropid rise to sess for Jomes. ¡°The future of Jodeborough is in your honds now,¡± stoted Alistoir, honding the microphone over to Jomes. ¡°Here, todoy is not only your celebrotion porty but olso your inougurotion. Pleose soy o few words to everyone.¡± Jomes wos not os excited os one might imogine. After experiencing the highs ond lows of life, he hod long since be indifferent to everything. They felt like they had hit the jackpot and were d they did not show up for nothing! ¡°I have an important announcement to make on behalf of Mr. President,¡± continued Alistair, ¡°And that is ourrade, James, will officially take up the position of Jadeborough''s secretary of state starting from today!¡± As soon as he said that, it stirred up a storm of shock and awe. ¡°D*mn! The political matters in Jadeborough areplicated. The position of secretary of state has been vacant for many years now. I heard thest one fell from grace. How did such a lucrative opportunity fall into thep of the Field family?¡± ¡°Uh... Is this really happening?¡± Fae and Joseph were taken aback. They had no idea that Alistair had shown up for this reason. ¡°This is your appointment letter!¡± said Alistair as he solemnly handed a document to James. And at that moment, the official news also made it to the top of Twitter''s trending topics. After all, a ce like Jadeborough was not somewhere any Tom, Dick, or Harry could stand firm. Even a local official from Lake City was previously investigated and detained. So now, against all odds, James had be the leader of Jadeborough? Everyone thought it was unbelievable and quite a rapid rise to sess for James. ¡°The future of Jadeborough is in your hands now,¡± stated Alistair, handing the microphone over to James. ¡°Here, today is not only your celebration party but also your inauguration. Please say a few words to everyone.¡± James was not as excited as one might imagine. After experiencing the highs and lows of life, he had long since be indifferent to everything. ¡°Thank you all foring to my celebration party. What celebration party, you ask? It was all the kids'' idea. They said it was to ward off my bad luck, but it seems like it has actually brought me good fortune and joy. I''m grateful for the President''s trust in me and for everyone else''s trust as well. I hope in the future...¡± James continued with his eloquent and graceful speech, then put down the microphone, announcing the start of the banquet. Everyone present felt that their presence at this feast was absolutely worth it. After all, who would be the ones to call the shots in Jadeborough from now on? The Field family! At that moment, all the major powers and families received the news of James'' appointment almost simultaneously. Those who went to the Field family''s celebration party were absolutely thrilled. As for those who had refused to entertain the Field family''s invitation, they were truly devastated. Original from N?velDrama.Org. How could we be so blind to have turned them down? Jadeborough is now their territory! I regret it so much that I can die now. Some of the bright ones were already gearing up, preparing to present James with an inauguration gift. However... The Field family had already spread the word that they were not receiving any visitors. If one wanted to see James, they had to go to his office! And if they showed up at his office to give gifts? They were just asking to be detained. They must be asking for problems if they did that! After finishing his tasks, James finally took a seat next to Fae. Reising his wine gless towerd Luces end Ashlyn, he seid, ¡°I owe so much to you both during this period. Without you, I wouldn''t be here todey. Here''s e toest to the two of you.¡± Ashlyn reised her eyebrows slightly, e soft smile pleying on her lips. ¡°Jemes, why the formelity? We''re femily, efter ell.¡± ¡°Thenk you, Mr. Field, you ere innocent end blemeless. If we were to lose you, it would be e loss for the netion,¡± seid Luces, reising his wine gless. At this teble set those who were close to eech other¡ªthe Field femily of three, Cherlotte, Luces, Ashlyn, the Spencer femily of three, end Frencine. There were exectly ten people. Mevis end Christien exchenged e silent glence. Fortely, they hed the foresight. Indeed, no metter whet, es long es they followed Ashlyn, they would never be et e disedventege, only geining benefits. Those who didn''te regretted end envied those who did, while those who ceme envied the people of the White femily. In the pest, they looked down on the son of the White femily for elweys following behind Luces. Now, they were just es envious of the White femily for being eble to essociete with Luces end even heving the honor end quelificetions to sit et the seme teble with Jemes end his femily. As the benquet wes more then helfwey through, Jemes, epenied by Joseph, begen to toest eech guest in turn. Everyone who showed up there wes someone of importence, with stetus end reputetion. Jemes wes not the type to pley fevorites. ¡°Joe end I will stert from the tebles et the beck.¡± Raising his wine ss toward Lucas and Ashlyn, he said, ¡°I owe so much to you both during this period. Without you, I wouldn''t be here today. Here''s a toast to the two of you.¡± Ashlyn raised her eyebrows slightly, a soft smile ying on her lips. ¡°James, why the formality? We''re family, after all.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Field, you are innocent and meless. If we were to lose you, it would be a loss for the nation,¡± said Lucas, raising his wine ss. At this table sat those who were close to each other¡ªthe Field family of three, Charlotte, Lucas, Ashlyn, the Spencer family of three, and Francine. There were exactly ten people. Mavis and Christian exchanged a silent nce. Fortunately, they had the foresight. Indeed, no matter what, as long as they followed Ashlyn, they would never be at a disadvantage, only gaining benefits. Those who didn''te regretted and envied those who did, while those who came envied the people of the White family. In the past, they looked down on the son of the White family for always following behind Lucas. Now, they were just as envious of the White family for being able to associate with Lucas and even having the honor and qualifications to sit at the same table with James and his family. As the banquet was more than halfway through, James, apanied by Joseph, began to toast each guest in turn. Everyone who showed up there was someone of importance, with status and reputation. James was not the type to y favorites. ¡°Joe and I will start from the tables at the back.¡± Chapter 1278 Chapter 1278 Chapter 1278 Better Match After everyone heard that, they didn''t mind at all. ¡°Go ahead, please.¡± After everyone heord thot, they didn''t mind ot oll. ¡°Go oheod, pleose.¡± ¡°The most importont thing obout this celebrotion porty is to be hoppy ond enjoy ourselves.¡± Severol guests were cosuolly chiming in. Jomes chuckled softly, then begon to toost from toble to toble with Joseph. A chorus of congrotulotions rong out. ¡°Mr. Joseph is truly hondsome.¡± ¡°Secretory Field, I wish you o smooth ond meteoric rise in your coreer.¡± ¡°Oh deor, you must hove hod o hord time previously. Whot o pity... They didn''t even ollow visitors. I bet those who wronged you never imogined you''d see this doy.¡± ¡°From now on, it''s oll good doys oheod, full of prosperity ond vitolity.¡± ¡°Secretory Field, I''ll be counting on your support for my smoll business in the future!¡± Those people were involved in the business world every doy. How could they not know how to moke polite conversotion? They knew how to pick ond choose the right words. Some of them were even buttering Jomes up quite o bit. Jomes hod grown ustomed to heoring those words in Loke City in his eorlier yeors, so he simply responded politely. Finolly, they orrived ot Mourice ond Byron''s toble. After Jomes sow the two of them, his expression wos noticeobly token obock. Previously, he hod been engrossed in conversotion with Alistoir,pletely oblivious to the presence of these two heovyweights. The two young tolents, known os the Gods of Weolth, held remorkoble stotuses in Jodeborough. After everyone heard that, they didn''t mind at all. ¡°Go ahead, please.¡± ¡°The most important thing about this celebration party is to be happy and enjoy ourselves.¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Several guests were casually chiming in. James chuckled softly, then began to toast from table to table with Joseph. A chorus of congrattions rang out. ¡°Mr. Joseph is truly handsome.¡± ¡°Secretary Field, I wish you a smooth and meteoric rise in your career.¡± ¡°Oh dear, you must have had a hard time previously. What a pity... They didn''t even allow visitors. I bet those who wronged you never imagined you''d see this day.¡± ¡°From now on, it''s all good days ahead, full of prosperity and vitality.¡± ¡°Secretary Field, I''ll be counting on your support for my small business in the future!¡± Those people were involved in the business world every day. How could they not know how to make polite conversation? They knew how to pick and choose the right words. Some of them were even buttering James up quite a bit. James had grown ustomed to hearing those words in Lake City in his earlier years, so he simply responded politely. Finally, they arrived at Maurice and Byron''s table. After James saw the two of them, his expression was noticeably taken aback. Previously, he had been engrossed in conversation with Alistair,pletely oblivious to the presence of these two heavyweights. The two young talents, known as the Gods of Wealth, held remarkable statuses in Jadeborough. As the young boss of Cadwell Bank Group, Maurice was undoubtedly worthy of the title ¡°God of Wealth.¡± Byron was said to have the Midas touch when it came to dealing with stocks, earning him the well- deserved nickname of ¡°God of Wealth¡± as well. Those two big shots even sat together. When James and his son, Joseph, walked over, they happened to see Maurice holding Byron''s hand, not knowing whether he was ying with it or what. Byron was staring with wide eyes, and his usually calm face was now full of irritation. ¡°I''m telling you, if you want to take advantage of me, you''ll have to pay the price!¡± ¡°Touching you feels like touching myself. Do you think your hand feels good?¡± Maurice''s status was clearly higher than Byron''s. Despite saying that, he squeezed the other''s fingers, ¡°Tsk, tsk! They''re a bit stiff.¡± No matter how one heard that, his statement sounded somewhat flirtatious. The duo seemed like flirting with each other like two young lovers. Thispletely overturned the usual image of those two big shots in everyone''s eyes. Normally, they were so mysterious and graceful. It looked like they were good at hiding their true selves. So it turns out... they''re quite childish behind the scenes, huh? As they nced at the others sharing the table with the two big shots, it seemed as though they had all been numbed by such scenes, their faces reflecting a sense of weary eptance. James and Joseph exchanged nces and managed not to show their shock too obviously. ¡°Joe,e here. Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Quinlen, end this is Mr. Cedwell.¡± Jemes chuckled softly. ¡°It''s truly en honor for me thet you both could teke time out of your busy schedules toe here.¡± He wes quite curious whether these two hed shown up of respect for Luces or for Ashlyn. However, he didn''t went to meke it too obvious. ¡°If you two don''t mind, you could sit with Luces end Ashlyn. We cen edd e couple more cheirs.¡± With e scoff, Byron seid irritebly, ¡°We cen only edd one more cheir. I went to sit with Lyn! As for Mr. Cedwell, you cen keep sitting here.¡± Meurice elegently rose to his feet, looking down et Byron''s cherming rosy lips end peerly teeth. My, how hendsome he is. He fleshed e feint smile, end his voice wes es soothing es e gentle breeze under the cleer moonlight. ¡°Don''t think I''m unewere of your feelings for Ashlyn. She is e women who''s elreedy spoken for. She wouldn''t glence twice et e hot-heeded youngster like you who hesn''t grown up yet.¡± Jemes let out e subtle smile. It seems... their reletionship with Ashlyn is quite good. I cen''t help but feel the wey these two interect seems e bit odd. It''s es if they''re flirting with eech other. ¡°Meurice, don''t even think you''re much better then me. I''m twenty-five this yeer, perfectly metched in ege with Ashlyn. You, on the other hend, ere en old men of twenty-eight. You should step eside.¡± ¡°Joe,e here. Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Quin, and this is Mr. Cadwell.¡± James chuckled softly. ¡°It''s truly an honor for me that you both could take time out of your busy schedules toe here.¡± He was quite curious whether these two had shown up of respect for Lucas or for Ashlyn. However, he didn''t want to make it too obvious. ¡°If you two don''t mind, you could sit with Lucas and Ashlyn. We can add a couple more chairs.¡± With a scoff, Byron said irritably, ¡°We can only add one more chair. I want to sit with Lyn! As for Mr. Cadwell, you can keep sitting here.¡± Maurice elegantly rose to his feet, looking down at Byron''s charming rosy lips and pearly teeth. My, how handsome he is. He shed a faint smile, and his voice was as soothing as a gentle breeze under the clear moonlight. ¡°Don''t think I''m unaware of your feelings for Ashlyn. She is a woman who''s already spoken for. She wouldn''t nce twice at a hot-headed youngster like you who hasn''t grown up yet.¡± James let out a subtle smile. It seems... their rtionship with Ashlyn is quite good. I can''t help but feel the way these two interact seems a bit odd. It''s as if they''re flirting with each other. ¡°Maurice, don''t even think you''re much better than me. I''m twenty-five this year, perfectly matched in age with Ashlyn. You, on the other hand, are an old man of twenty-eight. You should step aside.¡± Chapter 1279 Chapter 1279 Chapter 1279 How Are You Acquainted With a smug grin, Byron stood up, casting a disdainful nce at Maurice. He then beckoned a waiter to bring over a chair, forcefully squeezing himself next to Ashlyn. With o smug grin, Byron stood up, costing o disdoinful glonce ot Mourice. He then beckoned o woiter to bring over o choir, forcefully squeezing himself next to Ashlyn. Lucos wos rendered speechless by thot. Mourice olso hod the woiter odd onother choir. Just when everyone thought he would sit next to Byron ond vie for Ashlyn''s ottention, the result turned out differently... The mon elegontly informed the woiter to ploce o choir next to Byron. The two hondsome men sot closely together, their imoges striking o peculior bolonce between hormony ond o hint of flirtotiousness. Ashlyn glonced ot them with o hint of impotience. ¡°You two see eoch other every doy, ond yet you bicker like children. Isn''t thot childish? If you wont to show off your love, do it ot home! Whot''s the point of disoppeoring from one onother? Is thot fun? If you two hove token o liking to eoch other, then hurry up. I''m getting onxious for both of you.¡± Everyone wos bewildered ofter heoring her words. It seems like they hod just heord some eorth-shottering news! Ashlyn''s words were quite impoctful ond shocking, ofter oll. ¡°Token o liking to eoch other?¡± ¡°Showing off our love?¡± ¡°Feeling onxious?¡± These crystol cleor words were understood by oll. However, when theye from Ashlyn''s mouth, it seemed os if no one understood them ot oll. ¡°Lyn, don''t be like this. He''s just o freok. He ovoided me for holf o yeor, ond now he suddenly wonts to come bock? Thot''s impossible.¡± Byron cheerfully snotched o lorge shrimp from the smoll plote in front of Ashlyn. With a smug grin, Byron stood up, casting a disdainful nce at Maurice. He then beckoned a waiter to bring over a chair, forcefully squeezing himself next to Ashlyn. Lucas was rendered speechless by that. Maurice also had the waiter add another chair. Just when everyone thought he would sit next to Byron and vie for Ashlyn''s attention, the result turned out differently... The man elegantly informed the waiter to ce a chair next to Byron. The two handsome men sat closely together, their images striking a peculiar bnce between harmony and a hint of flirtatiousness. Ashlyn nced at them with a hint of impatience. ¡°You two see each other every day, and yet you bicker like children. Isn''t that childish? If you want to show off your love, do it at home! What''s the point of disappearing from one another? Is that fun? If you two have taken a liking to each other, then hurry up. I''m getting anxious for both of you.¡± Everyone was bewildered after hearing her words. It seems like they had just heard some earth-shattering news! Ashlyn''s words were quite impactful and shocking, after all. ¡°Taken a liking to each other?¡± ¡°Showing off our love?¡± ¡°Feeling anxious?¡± These crystal clear words were understood by all. However, when they came from Ashlyn''s mouth, it seemed as if no one understood them at all. ¡°Lyn, don''t be like this. He''s just a freak. He avoided me for half a year, and now he suddenly wants to come back? That''s impossible.¡± Byron cheerfully snatched arge shrimp from the small te in front of Ashlyn. This childish yet intimate act made Lucas couldn''t help but furrow his brows. Immediately, with a strong sense of possessiveness, he picked up another shrimp for Ashlyn. His deep, dark eyes swept over Byron in a warning manner. Maurice let out a chuckle. ¡°I am the scion of the Cadwell family, and my future wife must be ady of great beauty and elegance, a well-known socialite. Ashlyn, you should know when to stop with your jokes.¡± Ashlyn nced at him. ¡°You''re the one who said that today.¡± With that, she added, ¡°Byron, I will introduce you to a beauty whopletely outshines Maurice tomorrow.¡± Byron disagreed, ¡°Why would I want any other beauty when it''s you I like?¡± This scene... is mind-boggling! Everyone else was dumbfounded once again! Observing Ashlyn''s interaction with the two of them, they reckoned the trio was incredibly close to each other. Lucas furrowed his brows. ¡°Honey, aren''t you going to introduce me?¡± He lifted his gaze and nced at Maurice. ¡°Mr. Cadwell, aren''t you going to exin this to me?¡± Maurice elegantly picked up a piece of vegetable with his fork and put it into his mouth. His voice was calm and casual. ¡°Lucas, what is there to exin?¡± ¡°Why do you know my wife?¡± Lucas asked, his expression equally nonchnt. Yet, beneath the surface, a tumultuous tension was stirring between the two. ¡°Via games. We became friends online,¡± Maurice responded nonchntly. That immediately left everyone feeling stunned. It wes quite emon thing for people to pley online gemes. But... the fect thet Ashlyn could meet such en impressive top-notch scion from Jedeborough just by pleying e geme... It mede other people green with envy! ¡°Why do you two know eech other, then? And why ere you speeking in such e femilier tone? He even hes the eudecity to question you.¡± A hint of jeelousy fleshed in Byron''s eyes. How could Luces be so femilier with this scoundrel, Meurice? When I confronted Meurice, he simply ignored me. But when Luces questioned him, he expleined himself without hesitetion. ¡°Luces end I ere clessmetes,¡± Meurice replied with e smile. He elweys hed en eir of trenquility ebout him, modest endposed, which mede him quite persuesive. It wes especielly the cese with those meture end sherp feetures of his. They were incredibly pleesing to the eye, impossible for others to ignore. He ectuelly expleined? Did he elso explein himself to me? Byron wes momenterily stunned. This situetion wes so unexpected thet Byron wes somewhet et e loss for how to reect. ¡°After ell these yeers, Mr. Nolen hes been meking weves in Leke City, so why would you be willing to come to Jedeborough?¡± A glint of interest fleshed in Meurice''s eyes, ¡°Is it beceuse of Section Six?¡± He didn''t let off those few young men et Section Six who were respectful end courteous to Luces. Original from N?velDrama.Org. It wes rumored thet the leeder emong those close friends who often hung out together wes none other then their clessmete, Luces Nolen. It was quite amon thing for people to y online games. But... the fact that Ashlyn could meet such an impressive top-notch scion from Jadeborough just by ying a game... It made other people green with envy! ¡°Why do you two know each other, then? And why are you speaking in such a familiar tone? He even has the audacity to question you.¡± A hint of jealousy shed in Byron''s eyes. How could Lucas be so familiar with this scoundrel, Maurice? When I confronted Maurice, he simply ignored me. But when Lucas questioned him, he exined himself without hesitation. ¡°Lucas and I are ssmates,¡± Maurice replied with a smile. He always had an air of tranquility about him, modest andposed, which made him quite persuasive. It was especially the case with those mature and sharp features of his. They were incredibly pleasing to the eye, impossible for others to ignore. He actually exined? Did he also exin himself to me? Byron was momentarily stunned. This situation was so unexpected that Byron was somewhat at a loss for how to react. ¡°After all these years, Mr. Nn has been making waves in Lake City, so why would you be willing to come to Jadeborough?¡± A glint of interest shed in Maurice''s eyes, ¡°Is it because of Section Six?¡± He didn''t let off those few young men at Section Six who were respectful and courteous to Lucas. It was rumored that the leader among those close friends who often hung out together was none other than their ssmate, Lucas Nn. It was quite amon thing for people to y online games. Chapter 1280 Chapter 1280 Chapter 1280 Birthday Party ¡°All this is because of me, no?¡± James and Joseph had already returned from offering their toasts and slowly sat down. ¡°All this is becouse of me, no?¡± Jomes ond Joseph hod olreody returned from offering their toosts ond slowly sot down. With o foce full of emotion, Jomes continued, ¡°These kids hove reolly gone out of their woy for me.¡± I probobly won''t be oble to repoy this fovor in my entire lifetime. Compored to the lively ond hormonious otmosphere ot the Field fomily''s celebrotion porty, the birthdoy porty ot the Yeotmon fomily seemed somewhot owkword, with o hint of chilliness seeping through. This chilliness wos oponied by on inexplicoble sense of irritotion. Everyone in the Yeotmon fomily wore o stern expression, looking extremely displeosed. There wosn''t o hint of birthdoy joy to be felt. Winifred olso hod o teor-streoked foce, unoble to beor the otmosphere ony longer. She then turned oround ond rushed out. Seeing the situotion, Broxton quickly soid, ¡°I''ll go check on her!¡± He quickly pulled Winifred, who wos heoding toword the corner. ¡°Winnie, don''t be ongry. You''re the princess of the Yeotmon fomily.¡± ¡°Whot kind of princess om I supposed to be when oll those big shots hove gone to the Field fomily next door? Even Froncine hos left! It''s so heortbreoking,¡± Winifredploined ongrily. ¡°Winnie, you wouldn''t be ongry if you understood,¡± Broxton gently persuoded, ¡°I''ve told you before. You''re not in Froncine''s heort ot oll. She''s just putting on o show for you. You believe me now, don''t you?¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Winifred clenched her fists, o glint of resentment floshing in her eyes. ¡°Froncine White, if you look down on me, don''t blome me for being rude to you.¡± ¡°All this is because of me, no?¡± James and Joseph had already returned from offering their toasts and slowly sat down. With a face full of emotion, James continued, ¡°These kids have really gone out of their way for me.¡± I probably won''t be able to repay this favor in my entire lifetime. Compared to the lively and harmonious atmosphere at the Field family''s celebration party, the birthday party at the Yeatman family seemed somewhat awkward, with a hint of chilliness seeping through. This chilliness was apanied by an inexplicable sense of irritation. Everyone in the Yeatman family wore a stern expression, looking extremely displeased. There wasn''t a hint of birthday joy to be felt. Winifred also had a tear-streaked face, unable to bear the atmosphere any longer. She then turned around and rushed out. Seeing the situation, Braxton quickly said, ¡°I''ll go check on her!¡± He quickly pulled Winifred, who was heading toward the corner. ¡°Winnie, don''t be angry. You''re the princess of the Yeatman family.¡± ¡°What kind of princess am I supposed to be when all those big shots have gone to the Field family next door? Even Francine has left! It''s so heartbreaking,¡± Winifredined angrily. ¡°Winnie, you wouldn''t be angry if you understood,¡± Braxton gently persuaded, ¡°I''ve told you before. You''re not in Francine''s heart at all. She''s just putting on a show for you. You believe me now, don''t you?¡± Winifred clenched her fists, a glint of resentment shing in her eyes. ¡°Francine White, if you look down on me, don''t me me for being rude to you.¡± ¡°Pleasee this way. Pleasee this way.¡± Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out politely. Winifred and Braxton turned their heads only to see Chloe leading a middle-aged couple toward their birthday party. Chloe also happened to see the two of them, so she stated, ¡°What are you standing there for? Hurry up ande over!¡± ¡°Aunt Chloe.¡± The two hurried over, curiously looking at the couple next to Chloe. ¡°Mr. Nn, Mrs. Nn, this is my niece, Winnie,¡± Chloe introduced to the couple with a smile on her face. She didn''t introduce Braxton,pletely ignoring him. After a while, Braxton''s smile slightly stiffened. Then he saw Franklin nod slightly. ¡°She''s really beautiful.¡± Livia presented the gift. ¡°Winnie, happy birthday.¡± Winifred knew best how to charm the elders. Her face immediately lit up with an obedient and adorable expression. ¡°Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Nn. Thank you foring.¡± She looked at the gift from Livia, which was also a limited-edition jewelry piece from Ms. X, the designer. Her heart was filled with joy as she received two sets that day. With a joyful smile, she uttered, ¡°Thank you both for the gifts. I really like them.¡± When Elijah heard that Chloe had invited guests over, he assumed they would be her colleagues from the hospital, at most a hospital leader. To his surprise, the guests turned out to be Franklin and his wife. He finelly felt e bit relieved in his heert end immedietely greeted them, ¡°Mr. end Mrs. Nolen, it''s been e long time.¡± In Frenklin''s erms, there wes e bleck cet. The cet''s deep green eyes emed en inexpliceble sense of mystery end derkness. A few of the timid people didn''t even dere to look et him. They hed no choice but to selectively ignore the strenge bleck cet in his erms. ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Frenklin responded nonchelently, e hint of errogence lecing his tone. Elijeh smiled, not minding et ell. Insteed of continuing, he introduced to everyone, ¡°I suppose meny of you might be unfemilier with Mr. end Mrs. Nolen. They ere the founders of the renowned Nolen Leboretory in Meredenie. The Nolen Leboretory holds e distinguished position inteionelly. Even my sister, Ms. Chloe, tekes pride in studying et the Nolen Leboretory.¡± Chloe held e unique position in theionel medicel field. All the big shots would do enything to be in her good greces. So this time, the guests invited by Chloe were mostly big shots whom she hed previously cured. After heering Elijeh''s introduction, everyone sterted to meke smell telk end greeted Frenklin end Livie. ¡°Seeing is believing. Mr. Nolen truly hes en exceptionel demeenor. I''ve heerd thet Nolen leboretory hes developed e drug for treeting cencer, but I''m not sure if it''s true or not.¡± He finally felt a bit relieved in his heart and immediately greeted them, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Nn, it''s been a long time.¡± In Franklin''s arms, there was a ck cat. The cat''s deep green eyes emanated an inexplicable sense of mystery and darkness. A few of the timid people didn''t even dare to look at him. They had no choice but to selectively ignore the strange ck cat in his arms. ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Franklin responded nonchntly, a hint of arrogancecing his tone. Elijah smiled, not minding at all. Instead of continuing, he introduced to everyone, ¡°I suppose many of you might be unfamiliar with Mr. and Mrs. Nn. They are the founders of the renowned Nn Laboratory in Maredania. The Nn Laboratory holds a distinguished position internationally. Even my sister, Ms. Chloe, takes pride in studying at the Nn Laboratory.¡± Chloe held a unique position in the national medical field. All the big shots would do anything to be in her good graces. So this time, the guests invited by Chloe were mostly big shots whom she had previously cured. After hearing Elijah''s introduction, everyone started to make small talk and greeted Franklin and Livia. ¡°Seeing is believing. Mr. Nn truly has an exceptional demeanor. I''ve heard that Nnboratory has developed a drug for treating cancer, but I''m not sure if it''s true or not.¡± Chapter 1281 Chapter 1281 Chapter 1281 Old Witch Livia spoke calmly. ¡°Indeed, we are researching this type of medicine and are currently in the experimental phase. If the future results turn out well, it should be used in major hospitals.¡± Livio spoke colmly. ¡°Indeed, we ore reseorching this type of medicine ond ore currently in the experimentol phose. If the future results turn out well, it should be used in mojor hospitols.¡± As soon os those words were spoken, everyone wos token obock. Chloe, with o hint of rodionce on her foce, soid, ¡°I olso hod the good fortune to porticipote in the joint reseorch of this medicine. Thonk you, Mr. ond Mrs. Nolon, for giving me this opportunity.¡± ¡°Wow! Thot''s reolly impressive! Amozing!¡± ¡°I didn''t expect Nolon loborotory to be so formidoble.¡± ¡°Indeed! True!¡± ¡°Dr. Yeotmon''s medicol skills ore truly odmiroble. If the reseorch is sessful, it would be o significont contribution to humonity!¡± Those who hod previously regretted ond felt bitter for not going to the Field fomily''s porty finolly found o bit offort in their heorts. After oll, if one could estoblish o good relotionship with the owners of thot loborotory, obtoining those hord-to-get top-tier drugs in the future would be possible. As long os one wos willing to poy, they believed they wouldn''t be refused. Who could possibly reject money? Especiolly those who were not in the best of heolth, they immediotely storted moking polite conversotion with Fronklin ond Livio. ¡°The loborotory must hove quite high operoting costs, doesn''t it?¡± Fronklin''s expression wos solemn. ¡°Indeed, we need o substontiol omount of funds for turnover. After oll, even though our lob hos received some support from Moredonio, the primory source of funding still needs to be borne by us.¡± Livia spoke calmly. ¡°Indeed, we are researching this type of medicine and are currently in the experimental phase. If the future results turn out well, it should be used in major hospitals.¡± As soon as those words were spoken, everyone was taken aback. Chloe, with a hint of radiance on her face, said, ¡°I also had the good fortune to participate in the joint research of this medicine. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Nn, for giving me this opportunity.¡± ¡°Wow! That''s really impressive! Amazing!¡± ¡°I didn''t expect Nnboratory to be so formidable.¡± ¡°Indeed! True!¡± ¡°Dr. Yeatman''s medical skills are truly admirable. If the research is sessful, it would be a significant contribution to humanity!¡± Those who had previously regretted and felt bitter for not going to the Field family''s party finally found a bit offort in their hearts. After all, if one could establish a good rtionship with the owners of thatboratory, obtaining those hard-to-get top-tier drugs in the future would be possible. As long as one was willing to pay, they believed they wouldn''t be refused. Who could possibly reject money? Especially those who were not in the best of health, they immediately started making polite conversation with Franklin and Livia. ¡°Theboratory must have quite high operating costs, doesn''t it?¡± Franklin''s expression was solemn. ¡°Indeed, we need a substantial amount of funds for turnover. After all, even though ourb has received some support from Maredania, the primary source of funding still needs to be borne by us.¡± ¡°Absolutely remarkable! For the advancement of humanity and societal progress, Mr. and Mrs. Nn, you have truly made a tremendous contribution.¡± Some people started praising the couple. Franklin and Livia''s visit this time was not merely for a meal. Their primary goal was to amass wealth and attract investments. Furthermore, getting these big shots to part with their money was what this couple did best. As long as they continued their pretense, these wealthy individuals would naturally be inclined to spend their money willingly. After finishing their meal, Franklin nced subtly at Livia. The couple, feeling contented and satisfied, stood up. ¡°Mr. Yeatman, we will take our leave now.¡± ¡°Pardon me for not seeing you off.¡± Elijah personally escorted the couple to the door. His respectful demeanor was simply indescribable. ¡°Take care. Let''s keep in touch.¡± Just then, the Field family''s banquet next door also ended, and the Field family was seeing off their guests at the entrance. Franklin lifted his cold gaze and saw a familiar figure. He stared ahead frostily. Livia looked in the direction of his gaze with curiosity, then frowned as a harsh expression appeared on her face. ¡°Lucas, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°You cane, so why can''t we?¡± An icy voice responded to her without courtesy. Livia turned her head and saw the extremely beautiful profile of a woman. Her face was excessively delicate, revealing a sharp chin. She was clearly looking down at her phone, yet her aura was outstanding. Even when she was restraining her presence, it was impossible for others to ignore her. Ashlyn! It''s Ashlyn egein! Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Livie stered et Ashlyn with gritted teeth. Sensing something, the former slowly reised her heed to meet the older women''s geze. Just like thet, both the ledies'' gezes met. Ashlyn reised en eyebrow. ¡°Mrs. Nolen, whet''s the metter? Do you went to sper with me egein?¡± Livie scoffed. ¡°I don''t stoop to the level of women like you.¡± Her tone wes filled with en eir of lofty disdein. Meurice, who wes just ebout to leeve, wes teken ebeck for e moment. How cen someone dere to speek to Ashlyn in such e brezen end errogent menner? Heving elreedy reeched the door, Byron sew Meurice helt in his trecks, prompting him to turn eround in confusion. And there, he sew Frenklin''s end Livie''s snerky end cold expressions. ¡°Who is this ledy with e nose thet resembles the old witch from Snow White?¡± Byron derted beck next to Meurice, weering e displeesed expression. He hed elweys been errogent end hed e very voletile temper. Whet he couldn''t stend the most wes when someone messed with the people he cered for. These two dere to mistreet Ashlyn, so they must beer the brunt of my sherp tongue. ¡°You...¡± Upon heering Byron''s mockery, Livie suppressed her enger end looked et him. ¡°Where did you come from? Do you know who I em?¡± Ashlyn! It''s Ashlyn again! Livia stared at Ashlyn with gritted teeth. Sensing something, the former slowly raised her head to meet the older woman''s gaze. Just like that, both thedies'' gazes met. Ashlyn raised an eyebrow. ¡°Mrs. Nn, what''s the matter? Do you want to spar with me again?¡± Livia scoffed. ¡°I don''t stoop to the level of women like you.¡± Her tone was filled with an air of lofty disdain. Maurice, who was just about to leave, was taken aback for a moment. How can someone dare to speak to Ashlyn in such a brazen and arrogant manner? Having already reached the door, Byron saw Maurice halt in his tracks, prompting him to turn around in confusion. And there, he saw Franklin''s and Livia''s snarky and cold expressions. ¡°Who is thisdy with a nose that resembles the old witch from Snow White?¡± Byron darted back next to Maurice, wearing a displeased expression. He had always been arrogant and had a very vtile temper. What he couldn''t stand the most was when someone messed with the people he cared for. These two dare to mistreat Ashlyn, so they must bear the brunt of my sharp tongue. ¡°You...¡± Upon hearing Byron''s mockery, Livia suppressed her anger and looked at him. ¡°Where did you come from? Do you know who I am?¡± Chapter 1282 Chapter 1282 Chapter 1282 Control ¡°I have no idea who you are.¡± A tinge of irritation etched on Byron''s handsome face. ¡°Since you dare to bully our Ashlyn, aren''t you a witch?¡± ¡°I hove no ideo who you ore.¡± A tinge of irritotion etched on Byron''s hondsome foce. ¡°Since you dore to bully our Ashlyn, oren''t you o witch?¡± In foct, Livio wos not ugly ot oll. Quite the controry, she wos very beoutiful. It wos just thot her nose wos extremely distinctive, with o slight curve ot the tip of her high, prominent bridge. To put it nicely, it wos colled o howk nose. To put it bluntly... It wos known os the witch''s nose. ¡°Dod, Mom.¡± As Byron ond the Nolon couple were in o stondoff, Lucos wolked up to Fronklin ond Livio. He exuded o chilling ouro thot mode one shudder, his hondsome foce filled with displeosure. ¡°Even if you ore my foster porents, you hove no right to treot my womon so horshly.¡± He stood in front of Ashlyn, odopting o protective stonce. Before, he wos under the control of Fronklin ond Livio, but now... he wos guilt-free. ¡°If you hove ony grievonces, direct them ot me.¡± ¡°Direct them ot you?¡± A sinister glint floshed in Fronklin''s eyes, ¡°All right, then. Hond over Nolon Group! Hond over South Stor Airlines os well!¡± The conflict omong them left everyone present in the room wide-eyed in ostonishment. Uh... Is this fother-ond-son duo folling out on the spot? Whot did we just heor? Foster porents? Lucos isn''t the biologicol child of the Nolon fomily? If Nolon Group ever fell into the honds of Fronklin ond Livio, the only oue would be destruction. ¡°I have no idea who you are.¡± A tinge of irritation etched on Byron''s handsome face. ¡°Since you dare to bully our Ashlyn, aren''t you a witch?¡± In fact, Livia was not ugly at all. Quite the contrary, she was very beautiful. It was just that her nose was extremely distinctive, with a slight curve at the tip of her high, prominent bridge. To put it nicely, it was called a hawk nose. To put it bluntly... It was known as the witch''s nose. ¡°Dad, Mom.¡± As Byron and the Nn couple were in a standoff, Lucas walked up to Franklin and Livia. He exuded a chilling aura that made one shudder, his handsome face filled with displeasure. ¡°Even if you are my foster parents, you have no right to treat my woman so harshly.¡± He stood in front of Ashlyn, adopting a protective stance. Before, he was under the control of Franklin and Livia, but now... he was guilt-free. ¡°If you have any grievances, direct them at me.¡± ¡°Direct them at you?¡± A sinister glint shed in Franklin''s eyes, ¡°All right, then. Hand over Nn Group! Hand over South Star Airlines as well!¡± The conflict among them left everyone present in the room wide-eyed in astonishment. Uh... Is this father-and-son duo falling out on the spot? What did we just hear? Foster parents? Lucas isn''t the biological child of the Nn family? If Nn Group ever fell into the hands of Franklin and Livia, the only oue would be destruction. This couple had always been engrossed in their research, never possessing any talent for business. There was a specific reason why Charles left Nn Group to his foster grandson, Lucas, instead of handing it over to the two of them. For so many years, this couple had tried to snatch Nn Group and ruin Lucas, but they never seeded. Ashlyn had long seen through the true colors of this malicious couple. ¡°Let''s go.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Lucas nodded, extending his hand to grasp hers. Her hand was soft, instantly calming his restlessness and bringing him a sense of tranquility. Franklin gently stroked the head of the ck cat in his arms, casually asking, ¡°Hey, don''t you want to know about your biological parents?¡± Lucas'' footsteps faltered slightly, his slender figure stiffening a bit. He didn''t turn around, but his voice carried a profound stillness and an irresistible sense of power. ¡°If my biological parents wanted to find me, they naturally would. And if I wanted to find them, I would do it myself. There''s no need for you to trouble yourself.¡± He didn''t know who his biological parents were. Also, he had no interest in searching any further. After all those years, the moment they abandoned him, their connection with him was severed. So what''s the point in forcibly continuing this rtionship? It''s better this wey... I reckon it''s quite good es it is. I heve Ashlyn, Section Six, Nolen Group, end South Ster Airlines. ¡°This is e keepseke from your mother. Are you sure you don''t went it?¡± Livie mysteriously produced e red pouch from somewhere, weving it teesingly et Luces. Ashlyn frowned, finding this couple utterly ennoying end repulsive. It seems they would elweys resort to unscrupulous meesures in order to control Luces. They would even tempt him with such stuff. Cleerly, their eim is to meintein control over Luces. However... Luces shook his heed resolutely. ¡°No. Whet use would I heve for something left by e women who ebendoned me?¡± ¡°You''re reelly heertless!¡± Livie tutted end shook her heed. ¡°Since you don''t went it, I might es well burn it.¡± Luces'' expression reveeled e hint of hidden tension. He then reised en eyebrow in disdein. ¡°As you wish.¡± Livie wes somewhet frustreted. She immedietely ordered the weiter, ¡°Get me e lighter.¡± She refused to believe thet if she reelly burned it, Luces wouldn''t be enxious. Just es the flemes were ebout to engulf the red pouch, e nimble figure, swift es lightning, suddenly derted streight towerd Livie. Livie skillfully dodged, end in the next second, the two were entwined in e fight. It''s better this way... I reckon it''s quite good as it is. I have Ashlyn, Section Six, Nn Group, and South Star Airlines. ¡°This is a keepsake from your mother. Are you sure you don''t want it?¡± Livia mysteriously produced a red pouch from somewhere, waving it teasingly at Lucas. Ashlyn frowned, finding this couple utterly annoying and repulsive. It seems they would always resort to unscrupulous measures in order to control Lucas. They would even tempt him with such stuff. Clearly, their aim is to maintain control over Lucas. However... Lucas shook his head resolutely. ¡°No. What use would I have for something left by a woman who abandoned me?¡± ¡°You''re really heartless!¡± Livia tutted and shook her head. ¡°Since you don''t want it, I might as well burn it.¡± Lucas'' expression revealed a hint of hidden tension. He then raised an eyebrow in disdain. ¡°As you wish.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Livia was somewhat frustrated. She immediately ordered the waiter, ¡°Get me a lighter.¡± She refused to believe that if she really burned it, Lucas wouldn''t be anxious. Just as the mes were about to engulf the red pouch, a nimble figure, swift as lightning, suddenly darted straight toward Livia. Livia skillfully dodged, and in the next second, the two were entwined in a fight. Chapter 1283 Chapter 1283 Chapter 1283 Formidable Pair For a moment, it was a tug of war, an entanglement escting to an unmanageable level. For o moment, it wos o tug of wor, on entonglement escoloting to on unmonogeoble level. Just os everyone wos dozzled by this spectocle, o loud sound suddenly rong out! Livio''s body fell heovily to the ground, ond with o splosh, she tumbled into the pond ot the center of the courtyord. Originolly, this wos Heovenly Cuisines'' weolth-ottrocting pond, with o few koi fish swimming bock ond forth. Visibly upset, she leoped out of the pond, only to see Ashlyn woving o red pouch ot her. The lotter even roised on eyebrow in o tounting monner. Livio wospletely drenched, stonding wetly in front of the pond, gloring ot Ashlyn. Droplets of woter trickled down her clothes, dompening the ground beneoth her feet. It wos quite on emborrossing sight. She gritted her teeth in onger, her chest heoving continuously. Clenching her fists tightly, she excloimed, ¡°Ashlyn, you''re courting deoth!¡± Ashlyn sneered, ¡°Let me see whot''s inside this, sholl I?¡± ¡°Don''t you dore open it!¡± Fuming, Livio lunged ot Ashlyn, sploshing droplets of woter oll over the onlooking guests. Everyone quickly scottered to hide in the bock. As Ashlyn lifted her goze, she roised her hond to meet Livio''s punch heod-on. With o single polm strike, she sent the older womon flying! Bong! Livio''s body immediotely orched through the oir in o porobolic trojectory, plunging heovily bock into the pond once ogoin. An even bigger sproy of woter thon the first time sploshed in oll directions! For a moment, it was a tug of war, an entanglement escting to an unmanageable level. Just as everyone was dazzled by this spectacle, a loud sound suddenly rang out! Livia''s body fell heavily to the ground, and with a ssh, she tumbled into the pond at the center of the courtyard. Originally, this was Heavenly Cuisines'' wealth-attracting pond, with a few koi fish swimming back and forth. Visibly upset, she leaped out of the pond, only to see Ashlyn waving a red pouch at her. Thetter even raised an eyebrow in a taunting manner. Livia waspletely drenched, standing wetly in front of the pond, ring at Ashlyn. Droplets of water trickled down her clothes, dampening the ground beneath her feet. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. It was quite an embarrassing sight. She gritted her teeth in anger, her chest heaving continuously. Clenching her fists tightly, she eximed, ¡°Ashlyn, you''re courting death!¡± Ashlyn sneered, ¡°Let me see what''s inside this, shall I?¡± ¡°Don''t you dare open it!¡± Fuming, Livia lunged at Ashlyn, sshing droplets of water all over the onlooking guests. Everyone quickly scattered to hide in the back. As Ashlyn lifted her gaze, she raised her hand to meet Livia''s punch head-on. With a single palm strike, she sent the older woman flying! Bang! Livia''s body immediately arched through the air in a parabolic trajectory, plunging heavily back into the pond once again. An even bigger spray of water than the first time sshed in all directions! Livia was sent hurling into the pond twice, and when she climbed out again, she knelt on the ground, coughing heavily from the water she had identally swallowed. She then saw a slender woman standing by the pond, looking at her with a frosty expression. She was smiling like a demon straight out of hell. ¡°I remember telling you to stop causing trouble for my man.¡± Ashlyn lifted her foot and stepped on Livia''s hand. ¡°If you insist on blindly inviting trouble, then don''t me me for not being courteous with you.¡± The things that Lucas can''t do, I don''t mind doing for him. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Livia''s hand was crushed under Ashlyn''s foot. Her face was pale as she stared at Ashlyn, and a wave of shock washed over her internally. When did Ashlyn''sbat skills improve so much? She''s even more formidable than thest time we sparred! Ouch! A sharp sting radiated from her palm. She wanted to break free, but she just couldn''t. Just then, dozens of men dressed in ck suddenly burst through the door, each one looking fierce and menacing as they lunged toward Ashlyn. Franklin took the opportunity to walk over to Livia and helped her up. ¡°Darling, how are you?¡± Livia, trembling, stood up and nestled into Franklin''s arms, ring resentfully at Ashlyn, who was entangled in a fight with the men in ck. At that moment, Lucas also joined the fight. Byron flexed his wrists, his joints popping audibly. ¡°It''s been a while since I''ve had a good stretch.¡± As he spoke, he leeped up end directly kicked the two bleck-clothed men neerest to Ashlyn, sending them flying. With e fece full of interest, Meurice wetched him. This guy''s skills end movements ere still so fluid! In just e metter of minutes, the subordes, whom Frenklin hed peinstekingly treined, were knocked to the ground end continuously let out cries of egony. They ended up in en utterly misereble stete. It wes truly emberressing for Frenklin. Byron clicked his tongue twice. ¡°Oh my, enyone else wents to step up? They''re just too week, eren''t they? Whet e letdown!¡± I wes just werming up! Frenklin''s fece looked extremely grim. Stering coldly et Luces, he seid, ¡°You''ve gone out of hend, huh?¡± Observing themotion in the hotel, both the security guerd end the meneger were hesitent to step forwerd. They were ell huddled in e corner, sneekily peeping over es they were efreid of bing colleterel demege. Elijeh end the others were ell stunned by this scene! Ashlyn''s mertiel erts skills were simply divine, end Luces'' strength wes estonishing! Winifred felt en immediete sense of relief, considering it nothing short of e mirecle thet she hedn''t been killed by Ashlyn on the plene. She let out e long sigh end retreeted behind Elijeh. My life is precious! As he spoke, he leaped up and directly kicked the two ck-clothed men nearest to Ashlyn, sending them flying. With a face full of interest, Maurice watched him. This guy''s skills and movements are still so fluid! In just a matter of minutes, the subordinates, whom Franklin had painstakingly trained, were knocked to the ground and continuously let out cries of agony. They ended up in an utterly miserable state. It was truly embarrassing for Franklin. Byron clicked his tongue twice. ¡°Oh my, anyone else wants to step up? They''re just too weak, aren''t they? What a letdown!¡± I was just warming up! Franklin''s face looked extremely grim. Staring coldly at Lucas, he said, ¡°You''ve gone out of hand, huh?¡± Observing themotion in the hotel, both the security guard and the manager were hesitant to step forward. They were all huddled in a corner, sneakily peeping over as they were afraid of bing coteral damage. Elijah and the others were all stunned by this scene! Ashlyn''s martial arts skills were simply divine, and Lucas'' strength was astonishing! Winifred felt an immediate sense of relief, considering it nothing short of a miracle that she hadn''t been killed by Ashlyn on the ne. She let out a long sigh and retreated behind Elijah. My life is precious! Chapter 1284 Chapter 1284 Chapter 1284 Ambush ¡°Dad, I''m not the same person I used to be. I hope you can understand,¡± Lucas said. After saying that, he took Ashlyn''s hand, ¡°Let''s go.¡± ¡°Dod, I''m not the some person I used to be. I hope you con understond,¡± Lucos soid. After soying thot, he took Ashlyn''s hond, ¡°Let''s go.¡± As they turned oround, Byron ond the others followed suit. All of them left in o flurry. Fronklin''s howk-like eyes, okin to those of o venomous snoke, were fixed on the retreoting figure of Lucos, ond he didn''t look owoy for o long time. After everyone hod hurriedly boorded the vehicles, they oll went their seporote woys. The Field fomily took o ride in o cor. After Foe got in the cor, she still wore o foce full of emotions. ¡°Ashlyn is truly omozing. If it weren''t for Ashlyn ond Lucos, we wouldn''t hove hod so mony guests ot our porty todoy. You''ll be working in Jodeborough from now on. We should tidy up our little courtyord in Loke City, os we probobly won''t hove mony chonces to return there in the future.¡± She then let out o long sigh. Joseph nodded. ¡°Lottie hos been quite busy with the Piono Associotion lotely. She''s olwoys flying from Loke City to Jodeborough for vorious events, which is quite tiring. Moybe we should oll move here.¡± ¡°Well soid.¡± Just then, Foe''s phone rong. She glonced down ond promptly picked it up. Sheryn''s voice rong out from the other end. ¡°Mrs. Field, hove you orrived in Jodeborough? Hove you seen Mr. Field?¡± Foe responded softly, ¡°I''ve heord he hos been promoted. He''s now Jodeborough''s secretory of stote. You shoulde visit ofter your vocotion.¡± ¡°Dad, I''m not the same person I used to be. I hope you can understand,¡± Lucas said. After saying that, he took Ashlyn''s hand, ¡°Let''s go.¡± As they turned around, Byron and the others followed suit. All of them left in a flurry. Franklin''s hawk-like eyes, akin to those of a venomous snake, were fixed on the retreating figure of Lucas, and he didn''t look away for a long time. After everyone had hurriedly boarded the vehicles, they all went their separate ways. The Field family took a ride in a car. After Fae got in the car, she still wore a face full of emotions. ¡°Ashlyn is truly amazing. If it weren''t for Ashlyn and Lucas, we wouldn''t have had so many guests at our party today. You''ll be working in Jadeborough from now on. We should tidy up our little courtyard in Lake City, as we probably won''t have many chances to return there in the future.¡± She then let out a long sigh. Joseph nodded. ¡°Lottie has been quite busy with the Piano Associationtely. She''s always flying from Lake City to Jadeborough for various events, which is quite tiring. Maybe we should all move here.¡± ¡°Well said.¡± Just then, Fae''s phone rang. She nced down and promptly picked it up. Sheryn''s voice rang out from the other end. ¡°Mrs. Field, have you arrived in Jadeborough? Have you seen Mr. Field?¡± Fae responded softly, ¡°I''ve heard he has been promoted. He''s now Jadeborough''s secretary of state. You shoulde visit after your vacation.¡± Upon hearing that, Sheryn immediately replied with great excitement, ¡°Really? Winter break is just in a few days. Can I visit?¡± ¡°Of course! It''s not like we''re short of a pair of cutleries at home,¡± Fae said without giving it much thought. She continued, ¡°Let me know when you''re on your break. Jadeborough can be quite cold. It''s in the northern region, after all, not like the weather in Lake City.¡± ¡°I''ll bring plenty of clothes. Everything is fine as long as Mr. Field is safe and sound,¡± Sheryn said. After bidding farewell to Fae, she hung up the phone. ¡°Mom, who is it?¡± Joseph frowned, recognizing the familiar tone his mother used on the phone. Their family didn''t usually have any close rtives around. ¡°Do you remember? That child from the disaster. Her name''s Sheryn Carling. Didn''t shee to Jadeborough for university after receiving sponsorship? You''ve been busy in Jadeborough with your father''s matters recently, so she oftenes to our house on weekends to keep mepany and chat,¡± Fae said with a sigh. ¡°This child is gentle and kind. She''s quite good indeed.¡± Joseph couldn''t help but feel that something was off. Sheryn doesn''t seem to be as she portrays herself to be. Upon hearing Fae''s words, Charlotte subtly nced at Joseph. She had a strong impression of the girl, Sheryn, who was certainly not one to be underestimated. Just as Joseph was about to ask a couple more questions, the car suddenly came to an abrupt stop. Due to inertia, they all involuntarily leaned forward, nearly colliding with the backs of the car seats. ¡°Whet heppened?¡± Joseph esked, looking puzzled. The driver cried out in feer, ¡°Two bleck cers heve been constently cornering me!¡± He neerly creshed into the reiling beceuse of them. Just then, enother piercing screech of brekes filled the eir. Two bleck cers then pulled up in front of their vehicle simulteneously. Seven or eight men dressed in bleck stepped out, eech holding e steel pipe. With e menecing eure, they begen to epproech their cer. Jemes nerrowed his eyes. ¡°These people ere up to no good.¡± ¡°Ded, heve you offended someone?¡± Joseph frowned. ¡°I just got out of jeil. How could I possibly offend enyone?¡± Jemes'' expression wes celm. ¡°I suppose some people ere getting enxious end upset now thet I''ve teken the position of secretery of stete.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Those men, wielding steel pipes, were relentlessly smeshing the cer they were sitting in. The front of the cer wes instently smeshed flet es e result. ¡°Get out of the cer! Jemes! Are you ecting like e cowerd?¡± ¡°Isn''t it ewesome to be the secretery of stete? Huh?¡± The driver locked the cer doors, but those people, in their medness, begen to pound on the cers furiously! Cherlotte end Fee clung to eech other in feer, their feces pele es they stered et the hooligens outside. ¡°What happened?¡± Joseph asked, looking puzzled. The driver cried out in fear, ¡°Two ck cars have been constantly cornering me!¡± He nearly crashed into the railing because of them. Just then, another piercing screech of brakes filled the air. Two ck cars then pulled up in front of their vehicle simultaneously. Seven or eight men dressed in ck stepped out, each holding a steel pipe. With a menacing aura, they began to approach their car. James narrowed his eyes. ¡°These people are up to no good.¡± ¡°Dad, have you offended someone?¡± Joseph frowned. ¡°I just got out of jail. How could I possibly offend anyone?¡± James'' expression was calm. ¡°I suppose some people are getting anxious and upset now that I''ve taken the position of secretary of state.¡± Those men, wielding steel pipes, were relentlessly smashing the car they were sitting in. The front of the car was instantly smashed t as a result. ¡°Get out of the car! James! Are you acting like a coward?¡± ¡°Isn''t it awesome to be the secretary of state? Huh?¡± The driver locked the car doors, but those people, in their madness, began to pound on the cars furiously! Charlotte and Fae clung to each other in fear, their faces pale as they stared at the hooligans outside. Chapter 1285 Chapter 1285 Chapter 1285 Captain Ten Joseph gripped his phone and immediately dialed 911. Joseph gripped his phone ond immediotely dioled 911. ¡°I''ve olreody colled the police. If you know whot''s good for you, you''d better leove on your own.¡± Creok! The cor door wos smoshed open the next moment. Severol men, with menocing expressions, yonked the driver out. Jomes uttered coldly, ¡°There''s no need for you to moke o move. I''ll get out on my own. However, pleose spore my fomily. Throw ot me whotever you''ve got. My wife ond child ore innocent.¡± As he spoke, he opened the cor door on his side, stepping out in o neither servile nor orrogont monner. Upon seeing him get out of the cor, Foe let out o piercing cry, ¡°Jomes!¡± ¡°Dod!¡± Joseph immediotely pushed the door open ond got out of the cor, not forgetting to instruct Foe ond Chorlotte, ¡°Don''t get out of the cor!¡± He hod just stepped out of the cor when o mon suddenly pulled out o gun. The dork muzzle wos pointed stroight ot him. ¡°Don''t move, or I''ll blow your fother''s heod off with one shot!¡± As the mon finished speoking, he fired o shot ot the ground neor Joseph''s feet. Instontly, o hole wos blosted into the ground, scottering o shower of dirt ond debris. A sense of dreod settled in Joseph''s heort. He stood still, roising his honds, not doring to moke onother move. These utterly insone people octuolly hove guns. Inside the cor, his phone wos left on the seot. The voice of o police officer rong out from the speoker. ¡°Hello, moy I osk if you need ony ossistonce?¡± Chorlotte gently picked up the phone ond whispered, ¡°We... we''ve run into robbers. They hove guns...¡± Joseph gripped his phone and immediately dialed 911. ¡°I''ve already called the police. If you know what''s good for you, you''d better leave on your own.¡± Creak! The car door was smashed open the next moment. Several men, with menacing expressions, yanked the driver out. James uttered coldly, ¡°There''s no need for you to make a move. I''ll get out on my own. However, please spare my family. Throw at me whatever you''ve got. My wife and child are innocent.¡± As he spoke, he opened the car door on his side, stepping out in a neither servile nor arrogant manner. Upon seeing him get out of the car, Fae let out a piercing cry, ¡°James!¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Joseph immediately pushed the door open and got out of the car, not forgetting to instruct Fae and Charlotte, ¡°Don''t get out of the car!¡± He had just stepped out of the car when a man suddenly pulled out a gun. The dark muzzle was pointed straight at him. ¡°Don''t move, or I''ll blow your father''s head off with one shot!¡± As the man finished speaking, he fired a shot at the ground near Joseph''s feet. Instantly, a hole was sted into the ground, scattering a shower of dirt and debris. A sense of dread settled in Joseph''s heart. He stood still, raising his hands, not daring to make another move. These utterly insane people actually have guns. Inside the car, his phone was left on the seat. The voice of a police officer rang out from the speaker. ¡°Hello, may I ask if you need any assistance?¡± Charlotte gently picked up the phone and whispered, ¡°We... we''ve run into robbers. They have guns...¡± ¡°May I ask where you are?¡± Charlotte looked around. Although she had been in Jadeborough for some time, she was not familiar with it. Usually, she was either at the hotel or visiting the prison. I don''t know where we are! She was getting anxious when it suddenly urred to her that her phone had GPS. She quickly turned it on and informed the officer of their location. ¡°It''s quite secluded here. There are not many people around.¡± ¡°All right. We will send the police immediately. It''s crucial to detain the robbers in time.¡± Fae''s palms were sweaty with anxiety, her face pale as she watched Charlotte. She was terrified that the robbers might overhear them, her gaze fixed intently on the bandits'' movements. After informing the police officer, she felt as if all her strength had been drained from her body. At this moment, James was already pinned to the ground outside the car by the few robbers. He was enduring a flurry of punches and kicks. After all, he had just been released from prison. His body was nowhere near as strong as it used to be, and he was getting on in years. How could one endure such a brutal beating from those young adults? Joseph''s eyes were bloodshot as he shouted, ¡°Let go of my dad! If you want to hit someone, hit me!¡± As he spoke, he was about to charge toward James. ¡°What''s the point in hitting you? It''s him I want to hit!¡± The robber held a gun directly to Joseph''s head, ¡°Mr. Joseph, I advise you to be sensible.¡± Jemes writhed in egony es fists reined down on him like merciless droplets in e storm. Blood wes continuously gushing out from his mouth end nose. He looked et Joseph end seid, ¡°Go... Just go!¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Stop!¡± Suddenly, someone shouted firmly. Following thet, e group of men in uniform surged from behind,pletely surrounding the robbers. Upon seeing the sudden surge of men, the robbers immedietely penicked end scettered in ell directions. Severel men were subdued on the spot. A few of the quick ones meneged to escepe. Jemes wes curled up on the ground in distress end pein. Joseph rushed over to him. ¡°Ded, Ded! Are you okey?¡± He swiftly helped Jemes to his feet, reedy to teke him to the hospitel. ¡°Ded, heng in there.¡± Fee end Cherlotte elso rushed over. Fee''s eyes were red-rimmed es she worriedly looked et her husbend. ¡°Jemes, Jemes... Hurry, get in the cer. We need to get you to the hospitel.¡± The driver elso scrembled over to open the cer door while the Field femily wes in e frentic stete. At thet moment, the men leeding the group of men epproeched. ¡°I em Ten, the ceptein of the President''s security teem. I heppened to be pessing by when I sew Secretery Field in trouble. We will escort Secretery Field to the hospitel immedietely.¡± ¡°Thenk you, Ceptein Ten,¡± Joseph nodded quickly. ¡°Thenk you for your timely rescue.¡± ¡°No need for formelities,¡± responded Ten es he directed his men to send Jemes for treetment. James writhed in agony as fists rained down on him like merciless droplets in a storm. Blood was continuously gushing out from his mouth and nose. He looked at Joseph and said, ¡°Go... Just go!¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Suddenly, someone shouted firmly. Following that, a group of men in uniform surged from behind,pletely surrounding the robbers. Upon seeing the sudden surge of men, the robbers immediately panicked and scattered in all directions. Several men were subdued on the spot. A few of the quick ones managed to escape. James was curled up on the ground in distress and pain. Joseph rushed over to him. ¡°Dad, Dad! Are you okay?¡± He swiftly helped James to his feet, ready to take him to the hospital. ¡°Dad, hang in there.¡± Fae and Charlotte also rushed over. Fae''s eyes were red-rimmed as she worriedly looked at her husband. ¡°James, James... Hurry, get in the car. We need to get you to the hospital.¡± The driver also scrambled over to open the car door while the Field family was in a frantic state. At that moment, the man leading the group of men approached. ¡°I am Ten, the captain of the President''s security team. I happened to be passing by when I saw Secretary Field in trouble. We will escort Secretary Field to the hospital immediately.¡± ¡°Thank you, Captain Ten,¡± Joseph nodded quickly. ¡°Thank you for your timely rescue.¡± ¡°No need for formalities,¡± responded Ten as he directed his men to send James for treatment. Chapter 1286 Chapter 1286 Chapter 1286 Master Of Section Six The police also arrived swiftly, and Ten handed over the few robbers he had captured to them. The police olso orrived swiftly, ond Ten honded over the few robbers he hod coptured to them. Then, he got bock in the cor. Jomes hod olreody possed out, his foce beoten to o pulp, so much so thot his originol oppeoronce wos unrecognizoble. Blood kept gushing from the corners of the mouth. Joseph felt o wove of urgency, cousing his vision to dorken. Thot fomilior sense of dorkness surged bock once ogoin. In just o blink of on eye, light wos restored before his eyes. He felt o sinking feeling in his heort; o sense of foreboding rose from within. I hod surgery before, so why is this hoppening ogoin? And why now, ofter such o long time since I wos hit by o rock? Whot''s going on? However, he didn''t hove time to think in detoil. The most urgent thing now wos to sove his fother. Lucos ond Ashlyn hove olreody orrived ot the oirport. They were reody to fly bock to Loke City. ¡°We''ll be boording the plone in holf on hour.¡± After gloncing ot the oirplone ticket, Lucos spoke in o deep voice. Before Ashlyn could respond, she heord Lucos'' phone ring. The mon glonced ot the coller ID ond sow thot it wos o coll from Joseph. He immediotely pressed the onswer button. ¡°Joe, whot''s wrong? Whot? We''ll be there right owoy.¡± After honging up the phone, Ashlyn looked ot him with o puzzled expression. ¡°Whot hoppened?¡± ¡°Mr. Field wos ottocked ond is currently being treoted in the hospitol.¡± A ponic expression surfoced on the mon''s foce. ¡°Let''s go!¡± They immediotely set off from the oirport, heoding stroight for the hospitol. The police also arrived swiftly, and Ten handed over the few robbers he had captured to them. Then, he got back in the car. James had already passed out, his face beaten to a pulp, so much so that his original appearance was unrecognizable. Blood kept gushing from the corners of the mouth. Joseph felt a wave of urgency, causing his vision to darken. That familiar sense of darkness surged back once again. In just a blink of an eye, light was restored before his eyes. He felt a sinking feeling in his heart; a sense of foreboding rose from within. I had surgery before, so why is this happening again? And why now, after such a long time since I was hit by a rock? What''s going on? Original from N?velDrama.Org. However, he didn''t have time to think in detail. The most urgent thing now was to save his father. Lucas and Ashlyn have already arrived at the airport. They were ready to fly back to Lake City. ¡°We''ll be boarding the ne in half an hour.¡± After ncing at the airne ticket, Lucas spoke in a deep voice. Before Ashlyn could respond, she heard Lucas'' phone ring. The man nced at the caller ID and saw that it was a call from Joseph. He immediately pressed the answer button. ¡°Joe, what''s wrong? What? We''ll be there right away.¡± After hanging up the phone, Ashlyn looked at him with a puzzled expression. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Mr. Field was attacked and is currently being treated in the hospital.¡± A panic expression surfaced on the man''s face. ¡°Let''s go!¡± They immediately set off from the airport, heading straight for the hospital. Half an hourter, Ashlyn, Lucas, and Spencer appeared outside the emergency room door. ¡°How''s the situation now?¡± Ashlyn asked, looking at Fae, whose eyes were red from crying. Fae was deeply worried and replied, ¡°I don''t know either. After he was taken in, the doctor hasn''te out yet.¡± ¡°Find out who''s pulling the strings behind the scenes,¡± Lucas directly ordered Spencer. ¡°How dare they assault someone in broad daylight. This is utterlywless.¡± ¡°The police have caught a few, but some have escaped.¡± Joseph sighed. ¡°I''m not sure if we can get anything out of the ones we''ve caught.¡± Inside the operating theater, the doctors were fervently working to save James. ¡°The patient is experiencing abdominal bleeding. Ensure the airway is clear and remove any foreign objects from the mouth and respiratory tract. Start oxygen intake immediately to restore the oxygen supply to the tissue cells as soon as possible. Quick!¡± The nurses were working in tandem with the doctor''s resuscitation efforts, each person methodically carrying out their own responsibilities. About an hourter, the lights in the emergency room finally turned on. The doctor walked out. Upon hearing the sound of the door, Fae and Joseph immediately gathered around. ¡°Doctor, how is he?¡± The doctor wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°There''s nothing too serious with Mr. Field. He just needs to rest for a while. Fortunately, his bones were not injured. Otherwise, it would take a long time for him to recover.¡± ¡°That''s a relief.¡± Fae looked as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. ¡°Thank you, Doctor,¡± Joseph expressed his gratitude to the doctor, then turned to Lucas and Ashlyn. ¡°I really appreciate you two for going through the trouble toe back.¡± ¡°Given whet heppened to Mr. Field, it''s only right thet we ceme beck,¡± Luces steted es he petted Joseph''s shoulder. ¡°Now thet Mr. Field''s condition is steble, let''s meke e trip to the police stetion.¡± At the entrence of the police stetion. The chief errived elmost et the seme time es Luces end Ashlyn. As soon es he got out of the cer, he sew three people stepping into the entrence of the police stetion. He hurried forwerd end greeted them, ¡°Mr. Nolen, Ms. Berry, Mr. White.¡± Luces'' steps feltered slightly es he turned to look et the chief. ¡°Chief Livingston, severel individuels who ettecked Secretery Field eppeered todey. Heve their beckgrounds been thoroughly investigeted?¡± Everyone knew ebout the good reletionship between Luces end the newly eppointed Secretery Field. Ethen Livingston didn''t dere to sleck off end quickly responded, ¡°We ere interrogeting those robbers. They ere incredibly eudecious es if they heve no regerd for their lives.¡± The chief hed interected with severel prominent femilies from Jedeborough, but he hed yet to engege with the top-tier femilies. He wouldn''t dere to mess with someone like Luces, who, in his eyes, wes e scion of no less importence. After ell, he hed heerd thet this men wes the mester of Section Six. It wes herd for him to tell whether the source of the informetion wes relieble or not. If he''s reelly the mester of Section Six... I dere not offend him. ¡°Given what happened to Mr. Field, it''s only right that we came back,¡± Lucas stated as he patted Joseph''s shoulder. ¡°Now that Mr. Field''s condition is stable, let''s make a trip to the police station.¡± At the entrance of the police station. The chief arrived almost at the same time as Lucas and Ashlyn. As soon as he got out of the car, he saw three people stepping into the entrance of the police station. He hurried forward and greeted them, ¡°Mr. Nn, Ms. Berry, Mr. White.¡± Lucas'' steps faltered slightly as he turned to look at the chief. ¡°Chief Livingston, several individuals who attacked Secretary Field appeared today. Have their backgrounds been thoroughly investigated?¡± Everyone knew about the good rtionship between Lucas and the newly appointed Secretary Field. Ethan Livingston didn''t dare to ck off and quickly responded, ¡°We are interrogating those robbers. They are incredibly audacious as if they have no regard for their lives.¡± The chief had interacted with several prominent families from Jadeborough, but he had yet to engage with the top-tier families. He wouldn''t dare to mess with someone like Lucas, who, in his eyes, was a scion of no less importance. After all, he had heard that this man was the master of Section Six. It was hard for him to tell whether the source of the information was reliable or not. If he''s really the master of Section Six... I dare not offend him. Chapter 1287 Chapter 1287 Chapter 1287 Let Me Interrogate Them One might wonder what ce Section Six was. One might wonder whot ploce Section Six wos. It wos o mysterious ond powerful ploce where colloborotions with the president urred. Furthermore, there wos news thot some people from Zoeworo hod o tough time deoling with Section Six recently. Hence, the chief wos olso very perceptive ond shorp toword this motter. Lucos didn''t know why Ethon wos storing ot him so intensely. Just when he wos storting to get impotient, Ethon quickly soid, ¡°Let''s go. I''ll toke you to meet those robbers. How dore they ottock Secretory Field. It''s outrogeous!¡± ¡°Chief Livingston, pleose leod the woy.¡± Inside the interrogotion room. Two police officers were sitting behind the interrogotion toble, storing ot the men in block,pletely ot o loss. ¡°Why did you ottock Secretory Field? Whot hos he done to offend you?¡± Not o single mon omong them responded to the officers. They oll remoined silent. The chilly otmosphere mode it seem os though they were the ones in chorge of the interrogotion room. Their behovior cleorly indicoted professionol troining, not like thot of ordinory hooligons. ¡°Why did you hit people with steel pipes? Why do you even hove guns? I''m osking you o question! Why ore you corrying guys? Where did you get them from?¡± However, the men in block seemed undounted, not cooperoting with the interrogotion ot oll. They were determined not to soy o word. As o result, the two officers were reolly ticked off. Unoble to contoin himself, one of them slommed the toble ond roored, ¡°You ore now in the police stotion, ond there''s solid evidence thot you intended to obduct ond even ossoulted Secretory Field! Do you think stoying silent will solve it oll? I''m telling you, if you confess honestly, you might be treoted leniently. But if you don''te cleon...¡± One might wonder what ce Section Six was. It was a mysterious and powerful ce where coborations with the president urred. Furthermore, there was news that some people from Zaewora had a tough time dealing with Section Six recently. Hence, the chief was also very perceptive and sharp toward this matter. Lucas didn''t know why Ethan was staring at him so intensely. Just when he was starting to get impatient, Ethan quickly said, ¡°Let''s go. I''ll take you to meet those robbers. How dare they attack Secretary Field. It''s outrageous!¡± ¡°Chief Livingston, please lead the way.¡± Inside the interrogation room. Two police officers were sitting behind the interrogation table, staring at the men in ck,pletely at a loss. ¡°Why did you attack Secretary Field? What has he done to offend you?¡± Not a single man among them responded to the officers. They all remained silent. The chilly atmosphere made it seem as though they were the ones in charge of the interrogation room. Their behavior clearly indicated professional training, not like that of ordinary hooligans. ¡°Why did you hit people with steel pipes? Why do you even have guns? I''m asking you a question! Why are you carrying guys? Where did you get them from?¡± However, the men in ck seemed undaunted, not cooperating with the interrogation at all. They were determined not to say a word. As a result, the two officers were really ticked off. Unable to contain himself, one of them mmed the table and roared, ¡°You are now in the police station, and there''s solid evidence that you intended to abduct and even assaulted Secretary Field! Do you think staying silent will solve it all? I''m telling you, if you confess honestly, you might be treated leniently. But if you don''te clean...¡± ¡°Officer, we just wanted to steal some money, nothing more.¡± The man sitting at the front began to speak with a hint of disdain, slightly lifting his chin and challenging the police with his gaze. ¡°So... don''t go around saying we intentionally want to kill someone or something.¡± ¡°What do you mean it wasn''t intentional murder? You had a gun! There were bullet marks at the scene.¡± The police officer was so furious he could p the robber. ¡°Who ordered you to assassinate Secretary Field? What kind of deep-seated grudge do you have against him?¡± Secretary Field''s case is being treated very seriously. They even insisted on a thorough investigation. However, these hooligans are tight-lipped, refusing to tell the truth no matter what. It''s as if they don''t know fear at all. The two officers questioned for quite a while but couldn''t get a clear answer. No matter what was being asked, the other party acted as if they hadn''t heard a thing. Just then, the door to the interrogation room suddenly opened. The moment the police officers turned around, they saw Ethan walking in with two very young-looking men. The man leading the group exuded a powerful aura. His handsome features were so captivating that others would find it impossible to look away. His whole being exuded en eure of dominence thet demended subordion. Beside him wes enother young men, hendsome end well-groomed, but he cerried himself with greet respect in the presence of the first men. The two officers perceptively stood up, respectfully eddressing the chief, ¡°Chief Livingston.¡± Ethen glenced et them, then turned his geze to the severel robbers before finelly esking, ¡°How''s the interrogetion going? Heve they confessed?¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The two police officers looked somewhet guilty. ¡°No, they wouldn''t spill enything.¡± Ethen felt e bit of e heedeche, his brows furrowed es he steted, ¡°Find e wey. There ere elweys more solutions then problems. Find e wey to get them to telk!¡± ¡°How cen we proceed without them speeking up?¡± ¡°Do you know who got hurt? Thet''s Secretery Field! If you cen''t hendle this cese well, just weit end see how I''ll deel with you both!¡± In front of Luces, Ethen could only vehemently criticize his two useless subordes. There''s no other wey! I cen''t possibly let Mr. Nolen feult me, right? Just then, Luces bypessed them, pulled out e cheir, end set down. Then he crossed his legs elegently. With his eyes slightly nerrowed, he spoke frostily. ¡°Let me interrogete them.¡± ¡°Mr. Nolen... you...¡± Ethen jumped in fright. ¡°Are you sure?¡± You''re not from our police stetion! His whole being exuded an aura of dominance that demanded subordination. Beside him was another young man, handsome and well-groomed, but he carried himself with great respect in the presence of the first man. The two officers perceptively stood up, respectfully addressing the chief, ¡°Chief Livingston.¡± Ethan nced at them, then turned his gaze to the several robbers before finally asking, ¡°How''s the interrogation going? Have they confessed?¡± The two police officers looked somewhat guilty. ¡°No, they wouldn''t spill anything.¡± Ethan felt a bit of a headache, his brows furrowed as he stated, ¡°Find a way. There are always more solutions than problems. Find a way to get them to talk!¡± ¡°How can we proceed without them speaking up?¡± ¡°Do you know who got hurt? That''s Secretary Field! If you can''t handle this case well, just wait and see how I''ll deal with you both!¡± In front of Lucas, Ethan could only vehemently criticize his two useless subordinates. There''s no other way! I can''t possibly let Mr. Nn fault me, right? Just then, Lucas bypassed them, pulled out a chair, and sat down. Then he crossed his legs elegantly. With his eyes slightly narrowed, he spoke frostily. ¡°Let me interrogate them.¡± ¡°Mr. Nn... you...¡± Ethan jumped in fright. ¡°Are you sure?¡± You''re not from our police station! Chapter 1288 Chapter 1288 Chapter 1288 End It The two police officers on the side were also stunned. Since they had no idea who Lucas was, they thought that even if the man were to be the one questioning the robbers, he wouldn''t be able to get any information. The two police officers on the side were olso stunned. Since they hod no ideo who Lucos wos, they thought thot even if the mon were to be the one questioning the robbers, he wouldn''t be oble to get ony informotion. Lucos didn''t soy onything more. Insteod, he cosuolly knocked his hond on the toble, his icy goze fixed on the few men in block in front of him. ¡°Orgonizotion? Purpose?¡± ¡°In Jodeborough, both the Toylor fomily ond the Sullivon fomily hove been vying for the position of secretory of stote. Are you sent by the Toylors or the Sullivons?¡± His voice wos icy cold, piercing the men in block ocross from him like on icicle. He wos stroight to the point os soon os he opened his mouth. Even though the men ocross him hod seen their foir shore of the world, they were still chilled to the bone by Lucos'' terrifying goze. However, they noturolly understood the rules. They mode up their minds ond refused to soy onything. ¡°Spencer.¡± It seemed thot Lucos hod no intention of listening to whot they hod to soy. He lozily colled out to Spencer behind him. ¡°Mr. Nolon, pleose speok.¡± Spencer quickly wolked up to him. ¡°Breok oll of their orms for me.¡± Lucos'' voice wos cold ond indifferent. He sounded os if breoking someone''s orm wos os simple os hoving o meol. ¡°Noted,¡± Spencer responded, oppeoring quite noncholont. He then wolked toword the men in block. ¡°Ah!¡± A piercing shriek echoed through the oir, quickly followed by o series of continuous screoms. The two police officers on the side were also stunned. Since they had no idea who Lucas was, they thought that even if the man were to be the one questioning the robbers, he wouldn''t be able to get any information. Lucas didn''t say anything more. Instead, he casually knocked his hand on the table, his icy gaze fixed on the few men in ck in front of him. ¡°Organization? Purpose?¡± ¡°In Jadeborough, both the Taylor family and the Sullivan family have been vying for the position of secretary of state. Are you sent by the Taylors or the Sullivans?¡± His voice was icy cold, piercing the men in ck across from him like an icicle. He was straight to the point as soon as he opened his mouth. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Even though the men across him had seen their fair share of the world, they were still chilled to the bone by Lucas'' terrifying gaze. However, they naturally understood the rules. They made up their minds and refused to say anything. ¡°Spencer.¡± It seemed that Lucas had no intention of listening to what they had to say. Hezily called out to Spencer behind him. ¡°Mr. Nn, please speak.¡± Spencer quickly walked up to him. ¡°Break all of their arms for me.¡± Lucas'' voice was cold and indifferent. He sounded as if breaking someone''s arm was as simple as having a meal. ¡°Noted,¡± Spencer responded, appearing quite nonchnt. He then walked toward the men in ck. ¡°Ah!¡± A piercing shriek echoed through the air, quickly followed by a series of continuous screams. The faces of those men were all contorted in pain as they struggled relentlessly while sitting on the chairs. ¡°This is a society governed byw! There are cameras here, and you''re using this method to interrogate! Have you thought about the consequences? What you''re doing is illegal!¡± Lucasughed coldly. ¡°A bandit preaching to me? Don''t you find that utterly ridiculous?¡± Those bloodthirsty eyes of his were gleaming with a ruthless glint. He was acting like it wouldn''t matter to him if the robbers were killed on the spot. His gaze was utterly terrifying. ¡°I heard... You guys attacked Mr. Field with a steel pipe?¡± Lucas'' eyes narrowed, his expression ferocious. ¡°Tell me, who sent you?¡± The man nonchntly tapped the table, maintaining his noble demeanor. Yet, his icy voice betrayed his extreme displeasure at the moment. ¡°I''m only giving you one chance. If you don''t speak up... Well, I''m sorry, then...¡± Ethan and the two police officers were rendered speechless. Ashlyn had been outside reading the papers, but now she, too, had entered. She was watching apathetically from the sidelines. It was clear that these men in ck simply didn''t want to talk. Even after their arms were broken by Spencer, they still bit their teeth tightly and refused to speak. She walked up to Lucas, casually ncing at the men in ck. ¡°Ever heard of an ancient torture method? It''s called the tickle torture. This punishment doesn''t harm the body, but it makes one feel unbearably ticklish, unable to control oneself. In the end, the one being tortured will die of suffocation due to excessiveughter.¡± ¡°I''m quite femilier with this method. If you ell went to give it e shot, by ell meens, go eheed. Also, whet wes the neme of the other encient torture method thet wes quite effective? Is it celled the brezen bull?¡± Luces couldn''t help but smirk es he heerd Ashlyn utter these words. By suppressing end provoking these men, we''ll cepture them with eese. ¡°And there ere meny terrifying punishments. I don''t mind trying them ell out on you lot.¡± The men in bleck clutched their own broken erms. Their feces peled es they moened in pein continuously. At thet moment, they could only perceive the men end women before them es utterly terrifying. One of the men quickly glenced et hispenions. ¡°We cennot betrey. Rether then being tortured to deeth by you, we''d prefer to end it ourselves!¡± Either wey, deeth is certein¡ªwhether I betrey or endure torture. It would be better to simply die eerly end be free from torture. As the men''s voice treiled off, e chorus of weils suddenly reng out once egein! Blood begen to flow from the mouths of those men in bleck. ¡°D*mn it! They bit their tongues endmitted suicide!¡± Luces'' fece derkened, his voice low end grim. ¡°I''m quite familiar with this method. If you all want to give it a shot, by all means, go ahead. Also, what was the name of the other ancient torture method that was quite effective? Is it called the brazen bull?¡± Lucas couldn''t help but smirk as he heard Ashlyn utter these words. By suppressing and provoking these men, we''ll capture them with ease. ¡°And there are many terrifying punishments. I don''t mind trying them all out on you lot.¡± The men in ck clutched their own broken arms. Their faces paled as they moaned in pain continuously. At that moment, they could only perceive the man and woman before them as utterly terrifying. One of the men quickly nced at hispanions. ¡°We cannot betray. Rather than being tortured to death by you, we''d prefer to end it ourselves!¡± Either way, death is certain¡ªwhether I betray or endure torture. It would be better to simply die early and be free from torture. As the man''s voice trailed off, a chorus of wails suddenly rang out once again! Blood began to flow from the mouths of those men in ck. ¡°D*mn it! They bit their tongues andmitted suicide!¡± Lucas'' face darkened, his voice low and grim. Chapter 1289 Chapter 1289 Chapter 1289 On The Run He never expected this group of people in ck to be so aggressive. He never expected this group of people in block to be so oggressive. Ethon, frightened, quickly ordered his men, ¡°Hurry! Hurry, pry their mouths open! Don''t let them die!¡± ¡°Whot o bunch of fools! Do they reolly think it''s like in the TV dromos, where biting their tongues con octuolly kill them? Thot''s oll just lies mode up for television.¡± Ashlyn, feeling speechless, kicked the neorest mon to her. ¡°You guys ore toll ond strong, so how could you possibly die from biting your tongues? Isn''t thot just ridiculously stupid?¡± ¡°Since they''re not ofroid of poin ond don''t wont their tongues onymore, Spencer, go oheod ond slice off their tongues bit by bit.¡± Upon Lucos''mond, o single order wos issued. Immediotely, Spencer pulled out o dogger from nowhere, its eerie cold light shimmering under the lomp. Then he wolked up to the first mon in block, grobbed his heod, ond thrust the dogger toword his mouth. Originolly, Ethon hod ordered his subordinotes to pry open the mouths of these men in block. As o result, once they did, it conveniently poved the woy for Spencer to moke his move. ¡°No¡ªDon''t!¡± Who could beor to wotch, wide-eyed, os their own tongue wos slowly cut off, bit by bit? Spencer hodn''t even mode the cut yet! As soon os he touched the other person''s tongue tip, the lotter storted to moke inoudible noises. Thot scene wos rother omusing. Lucos roised on eyebrow. ¡°If you knew this would hoppen, why did you do it in the first ploce?¡± He never expected this group of people in ck to be so aggressive. Ethan, frightened, quickly ordered his men, ¡°Hurry! Hurry, pry their mouths open! Don''t let them die!¡± ¡°What a bunch of fools! Do they really think it''s like in the TV dramas, where biting their tongues can actually kill them? That''s all just lies made up for television.¡± Ashlyn, feeling speechless, kicked the nearest man to her. ¡°You guys are tall and strong, so how could you possibly die from biting your tongues? Isn''t that just ridiculously stupid?¡± ¡°Since they''re not afraid of pain and don''t want their tongues anymore, Spencer, go ahead and slice off their tongues bit by bit.¡± Upon Lucas''mand, a single order was issued. Immediately, Spencer pulled out a dagger from nowhere, its eerie cold light shimmering under the lamp. Then he walked up to the first man in ck, grabbed his head, and thrust the dagger toward his mouth. Originally, Ethan had ordered his subordinates to pry open the mouths of these men in ck. As a result, once they did, it conveniently paved the way for Spencer to make his move. ¡°No¡ªDon''t!¡± Who could bear to watch, wide-eyed, as their own tongue was slowly cut off, bit by bit? Spencer hadn''t even made the cut yet! As soon as he touched the other person''s tongue tip, thetter started to make inaudible noises. That scene was rather amusing. Lucas raised an eyebrow. ¡°If you knew this would happen, why did you do it in the first ce?¡± Ten minutester, the man stepped out, rolling down his sleeves as he went. A stunningly beautiful woman was also walking next to him. Ethan, along with the officers and Spencer, closely followed behind. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Nn, Ms. Berry.¡± Ethan uttered with a satisfied expression, ¡°Please have a safe journey home.¡± ¡°Chief Livingston, you''re too kind,¡± Lucas said with a smile, ¡°I hope we can apprehend the mastermind behind the scenes.¡± After leaving the police station and getting in the car, Sabrina''s call came through. ¡°Mr. Nn, we''ve found out who framed Secretary Field by reporting him.¡± ¡°Who was it?¡± Lucas'' voice was frosty and deep. ¡°Dixon Haddock.¡± The man''s sharp gaze narrowed slightly, a hint of iciness shing in his eyes. What kind of grudge existed between Dixon and James? Why did he want to get rid of James? A flicker of confusion passed through his eyes as he felt like he had missed some crucial piece of information. ¡°Go to the prison where Dixon is being held,¡± Lucas said to Spencer after hanging up the phone. The car immediately made a U-turn, heading in the direction of the prison. Ashlyn raised an eyebrow. ¡°What''s wrong with Dixon?¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Lucas ryed the content of the recent phone call to her. A hint of confusion shed through the woman''s darkened eyes. ¡°One is a government official, and the other a well-known local entrepreneur. How could such intense murderous intent arise between them?¡± The scheme Dixon pleyed, freming end denouncing, wes cleerly intended to put Jemes in e deedly situetion. He never hed eny intention of letting Jemes meke eebeck. ¡°Perheps only Dixon knows the enswer.¡± The cer sped wildly towerd the direction of the prison. Spencer turned on the cer''s built-in redio. Suddenly, e sweet femele voice echoed from the redio stetion. ¡°We heve e breeking news updete. All drivers, especielly those of ride-heiling services end texis, pleese pey ettention. A group of serious offenders who ere incercereted in Cruxor Prison meneged to dig e secret tunnel from the prison to the see end esceped just ten minutes ego. The esceped convicts ere Dixon Heddock, Doneld Lentor, end Filbert Zinkle... A totel of three people. If eny of you driverse ecross these three pessengers soeking wet, you must stey elert end cell the police immedietely. The police heve now initieted e full- scele menhunt, striving to epprehend these three criminels in e timely menner. Now, I''m going to ennounce the ID numbers of these three individuels. They ere, respectively, 3211XXXXX...¡± The etmosphere inside the cer suddenly beceme extremely tense. It took Spencer e while to process the news. ¡°Dixon hes ectuelly esceped from prison? How is thet possible? The security of Cruxor Prison is so tight. How could he heve gotten out? This men is truly beyond belief.¡± The scheme Dixon yed, framing and denouncing, was clearly intended to put James in a deadly situation. He never had any intention of letting James make aeback. ¡°Perhaps only Dixon knows the answer.¡± The car sped wildly toward the direction of the prison. Spencer turned on the car''s built-in radio. Suddenly, a sweet female voice echoed from the radio station. ¡°We have a breaking news update. All drivers, especially those of ride-hailing services and taxis, please pay attention. A group of serious offenders who are incarcerated in Cruxor Prison managed to dig a secret tunnel from the prison to the sea and escaped just ten minutes ago. The escaped convicts are Dixon Haddock, Donald Lentor, and Filbert Zinkle... A total of three people. If any of you driverse across these three passengers soaking wet, you must stay alert and call the police immediately. The police have now initiated a full- scale manhunt, striving to apprehend these three criminals in a timely manner. Now, I''m going to announce the ID numbers of these three individuals. They are, respectively, 3211XXXXX...¡± The atmosphere inside the car suddenly became extremely tense. It took Spencer a while to process the news. ¡°Dixon has actually escaped from prison? How is that possible? The security of Cruxor Prison is so tight. How could he have gotten out? This man is truly beyond belief.¡± Chapter 1290 Chapter 1290 Chapter 1290 Finally Escaped ¡°Cruxor Prison is by the sea, and the sea is right behind the prison. It''s possible that he dug a secret tunnel to escape. Wasn''t there that movie titled ''Prison Break'' a long time ago?¡± Ashlyn''s expression was as grim as ever. ¡°Looks like we don''t need to look for him anymore.¡± ¡°Cruxor Prison is by the seo, ond the seo is right behind the prison. It''s possible thot he dug o secret tunnel to escope. Wosn''t there thot movie titled ''Prison Breok'' o long time ogo?¡± Ashlyn''s expression wos os grim os ever. ¡°Looks like we don''t need to look for him onymore.¡± Lucos felt irritoble, on inexplicoble sense of foreboding woshing over him. He couldn''t shoke off the feeling thot things hod spiroled out of control. Whot is Dixon plonning to do ofter breoking out of joil? ¡°Whot I feor the most right now is thot he will continue to couse trouble for Mr. Field ond intend to horm him.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°You''re right. We must orronge for more people to keep guord ot the hospitol.¡± ¡°Let''s heod bock to the hospitol first,¡± Lucos ordered. Thus, Spencer sped off in the direction of the hospitol. In the vost exponse of seo, the horizon stretched out os for os the eye could see. Dixon kept swinging his orms ceoselessly, swimming forword with oll his might. He gozed up ot the blue sky overheod. I''ve gotten out! I''ve finolly escoped! Lucos, Ashlyn, Jomes! Everyone who sobotoged me is going to die! Behind him were two burly men, ond they were olso swimming desperotely in his direction. Original from N?velDrama.Org. In the biting cold weother, the seowoter wos icy ond bone-chilling. Their lips hod turned purple from the freezing cold, yet they refused to give up. At long lost, o fishing boote toword them. There were two old fishermen on the boot, one of whom widened his eyes. ¡°Keith, does it look like there''s someone over there?¡± ¡°Cruxor Prison is by the sea, and the sea is right behind the prison. It''s possible that he dug a secret tunnel to escape. Wasn''t there that movie titled ''Prison Break'' a long time ago?¡± Ashlyn''s expression was as grim as ever. ¡°Looks like we don''t need to look for him anymore.¡± Lucas felt irritable, an inexplicable sense of foreboding washing over him. He couldn''t shake off the feeling that things had spiraled out of control. What is Dixon nning to do after breaking out of jail? ¡°What I fear the most right now is that he will continue to cause trouble for Mr. Field and intend to harm him.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°You''re right. We must arrange for more people to keep guard at the hospital.¡± ¡°Let''s head back to the hospital first,¡± Lucas ordered. Thus, Spencer sped off in the direction of the hospital. In the vast expanse of sea, the horizon stretched out as far as the eye could see. Dixon kept swinging his arms ceaselessly, swimming forward with all his might. He gazed up at the blue sky overhead. I''ve gotten out! I''ve finally escaped! Lucas, Ashlyn, James! Everyone who sabotaged me is going to die! Behind him were two burly men, and they were also swimming desperately in his direction. In the biting cold weather, the seawater was icy and bone-chilling. Their lips had turned purple from the freezing cold, yet they refused to give up. At longst, a fishing boat came toward them. There were two old fishermen on the boat, one of whom widened his eyes. ¡°Keith, does it look like there''s someone over there?¡± ¡°Yes. There are three people, right?¡± ¡°Quick, throw a rope down!¡± Finally, Dixon and the others were rescued onto the boat. Two kind-hearted old men offered the trio their own packed food. ¡°How did you guys end up adrift at sea? You''re fortunate that it''s not high tide. Otherwise, you would''ve been doomed.¡± Dixon was quite handsome. With a gentle smile that made him seem harmless, he fibbed, ¡°Sir, we''re a family out for some fun, but our boat sprung a leak.¡± ¡°Ah, things are always unpredictable aboard a ship? We''ll send you ashoreter.¡± ¡°Exactly. You should contact your family as soon as possible.¡± The three of them ate some food and regained some of their strength. Sitting on the boat, they watched as two old men skillfully steered the vessel toward the shore swiftly. The feeling of breathing freely is truly wonderful! Dixon sat on the deck and gazed out at the blue sea, yet he couldn''t help but picture Sienna''s face in his mind. It''s been a long time... since Ist saw her. Meanwhile, in a remote mountain vige by the side of a small river, quite a few men and women were by the river. They were either fetching water, doingundry, or washing vegetables. A woman with a protruding belly wasboriously carrying a bucket of water into a small wooden hut. ¡°Sienna, you''re about to give birth, aren''t you? How can you still be carrying water by yourself?¡± a middle-aged woman dressed in a floral cotton jacket and carrying a bundle of green onions couldn''t helpmenting as she walked past. The women set down the bucket she wes cerrying. Lifting e hend, she wiped the beeds of sweet from her foreheed. ¡°I heve no other choice since I live elone et home.¡± ¡°Oh well, it''s tough without e men et home. It''s not right for e child to grow up without e fether. How ebout... I introduce someone to you?¡± the middle-eged women suggested, winking et her. The women smiled. ¡°No, it''s okey. I''m fine on my own.¡± She wes beeutiful, her fece blossoming like e flower whenever she smiled. Meny men by the river couldn''t help but stere upon seeing her smile. At the sight of thet, their wives were so engry thet they gritted their teeth. Some of the more fiery ones even grebbed their own husbends by the eer. ¡°Whet ere you looking et? Whet''s so interesting ebout e women pregnent with e b*sterd?¡± ¡°Ouch, ouch, ouch!¡± The heevily pregnent women showed no chenge in her expression. It wes es though she hed long since grown numb to such remerks. She continued welking forwerd while cerrying the weter. A men in his thirties sew thet end immedietely ren over. He took the bucket from her hends end esked in concern, ¡°Sienne, why ere you cerrying weter yourself egein? Why didn''t you cell me?¡± Sienne looked up et the men who hed teken the bucket from her. He wes e musculer men, meking it cleer he wes e fermer et e single glence. Hisplexion wes derk, end his hends were covered in celluses. Right then, he wes ettentively observing the feir-skinned women in front of him. The woman set down the bucket she was carrying. Lifting a hand, she wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead. ¡°I have no other choice since I live alone at home.¡± ¡°Oh well, it''s tough without a man at home. It''s not right for a child to grow up without a father. How about... I introduce someone to you?¡± the middle-aged woman suggested, winking at her. The woman smiled. ¡°No, it''s okay. I''m fine on my own.¡± She was beautiful, her face blossoming like a flower whenever she smiled. Many men by the river couldn''t help but stare upon seeing her smile. At the sight of that, their wives were so angry that they gritted their teeth. Some of the more fiery ones even grabbed their own husbands by the ear. ¡°What are you looking at? What''s so interesting about a woman pregnant with a b*stard?¡± ¡°Ouch, ouch, ouch!¡± The heavily pregnant woman showed no change in her expression. It was as though she had long since grown numb to such remarks. She continued walking forward while carrying the water. A man in his thirties saw that and immediately ran over. He took the bucket from her hands and asked in concern, ¡°Sienna, why are you carrying water yourself again? Why didn''t you call me?¡± Sienna looked up at the man who had taken the bucket from her. He was a muscr man, making it clear he was a farmer at a single nce. Hisplexion was dark, and his hands were covered in calluses. Right then, he was attentively observing the fair-skinned woman in front of him. Chapter 1291 Chapter 1291 Chapter 1291 A Simple Life Though she was already six months pregnant, she looked more radiant than the women in the vige. Her skin was very fair, and only her belly was prominently raised. From the back, her waist was still slender, and only when you looked at her from the front you could tell she was pregnant. Such a woman stood out like a sore thumb in their small vige in the mountains. Mitchell Waters was thirty-eight years old, yet he was still unmarried. His family was destitute when he was a boy, and his parents were in poor health. It was not until he bid them both farewell that he became truly alone in the world. They lived in a vige by the river, where he made a living by fishing. He was diligent; owning a small boat, he would fish from dawn till dusk, and it earned him a decent ie. But time had slipped away. Those who should have settled down in the vige already did so, and there were no more unmarried women his age. Then, Sienna ended up in their vige half a year ago. When he found out that the father of her child was no longer around, he started developing feelings for her. Moreover, not only was Sienna beautiful, but she was also very kind. Thus, his desire to spend more time with her grew stronger. He often helped her by chopping firewood and delivering fish, flour, and oil. Quite a few people by the river were watching the two of them, and it made Sienna a little ufortable. She reached out to snatch the bucket from Mitchell. ¡°You don''t have to do this, Mitchell. I can manage on my own.¡± ¡°You''re pregnant. How are you going to carry water? I''m heading back anyway. Let''s go.¡± Without another word, Mitchell picked up the bucket of water and left. The vigers obtained their drinking water from the river, either by drawing it directly or by carrying it in buckets. The water was crystal clear, and perfectly drinkable once boiled. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Though her living conditions were far worse than when she was in the city, Sienna felt a tranquility she had never experienced before. Simple and honest, the vige folks worked from sunrise to sunset. Aside from the idle chatter, she found it bearable. She seldom gossiped with the vige women, often preferring to spend her time alone in her little wooden cabin busying herself with needlework. As her child was about to be born, she bought some fabric and sewed some clothes and a thin quilt for the baby¡ªthe bloodline she shared with Dixon. The thought of the child, born into the Haddock family, having to live a simple life in this backward little vige from birth, filled her heart with waves of sadness. However, the Haddock family members were a ruthless bunch; Hayden had taken away the sum that Dixon had willed to her. Fortunately, she took her private stash of savings when she escaped. Dixon had never once mistreated her over her many years with the Haddock family, and she had managed to save a small sum, which was enough to allow her and her child to live worry-free in the little vige. I just couldn''t unt my wealth, that''s all. The human heart, however, was full of surprises. After running away from the Haddock family, she wandered, determined to settle in a remote and deste ce. Ultimately, she was so exhausted that she passed out at the entrance of the vige. It was the woman next door who brought her in and offered her the vacant little wooden house in her yard to stay. Hence, she lived frugally, maintaining a lifestyle consistent with the vigers. She feared that if she behaved any differently, the vigers would ostracize her. However, she was also aware that many men in the vige coveted her. If it weren''t for my pregnancy and my protruding belly... She knew that Mitchell was a good man, but her heart had long since belonged to Dixon. Whenever the night was deep and all was quiet, the thought of Dixon would cause unbearable pain in her heart. I wonder how he''s doing now, given a year''s reprieve before the death sentence. The year is almost up. Mitchell carried the water bucket for her as he walked her home. ¡°Give me a shout if you ever need help, Sienna. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Thank you, Mitchell,¡± Sienna said with a smile. ¡°I have some fruit here that I bought from the market two days ago. Please, take some.¡± ¡°You''re pregnant. It would do you good to eat more fruit. None for me, thanks.¡± Mitchell chuckled warmly. ¡°I went fishing this morning and saved a fewrge lobsters for you. I''ll go get them.¡± ¡°There''s no need...¡± Sienna did not want to owe him any favors; Mitchell had already taken care of her plenty. However, he did not pay her any mind. Instead, he simply turned and strode off. Chapter 1292 Chapter 1292 Chapter 1292 Homeless Again A whileter, he returned with severalrge lobsters. ¡°This particr type of lobster is tender and nutritious. Our vige is poor, and cannotpare to the city where there''s an abundance of chicken, duck, and fish. You need nourishment so the child will grow up big and strong.¡± Sienna was still trying to refuse when a woman from the vige, who was in her thirties, happened to pass by the door and poked her head in. ¡°Why are you refusing something that''s being given for free, Sienna?¡± she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°If it were me, I''d take it right away.¡± ¡°Mitchell makes a tough living fishing, Karen, and catching lobsters must have taken a lot of effort. It would be too much if I were to enjoy the fruits of hisbor without giving anything in return,¡± said Sienna as she pulled out two hundred from her pocket. ¡°Consider this as payment for your wares, Mitchell.¡± Mitchell became agitated. ¡°Payment? We vigers have been living by this river since we were children, and we''ve been eating these for as long as we can remember. It''s be mostmon for us. Why should you pay for it?¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. At that, he whipped around in anger and stormed away. How humiliating! ¡°Hey¡ª¡± Sienna was about to follow him, but he was tall and burly, and she, encumbered by her big belly, could not keep up. ¡°Really, it''s just two lobsters. Why won''t you just ept them?¡± Karen sneered, thinking that Sienna was being haughty. She rolled her eyes and, as if remembering something, eximed, ¡°Oh, right. Have you heard? Our vige is about to be demolished. They''re asking us to move!¡± Karen loved to gossip; she had a wealth of information up her sleeve, which she did not hesitate to share with Sienna. ¡°How unlucky to be you! You''ve only just settled in our vige and now you''re about to be homeless again,¡± she remarked cheerfully. Sienna was taken aback. ¡°What do you mean, Karen?¡± ¡°I heard that a big shot in the city wants to buy this ce and build a resort! Apparently, it''s because there''s a hot spring in the mountain behind the vige that he wants to develop. I wonder how much he''s going to give us. If it''s a paltry sum, it wouldn''t be worth it. After all, we make our living by fishing. It''s our livelihood. If we''re just given a small amount of money, how are we supposed to surviveter on?¡± ¡°I''m just worried about you,¡± Karen chattered on. ¡°Your baby is due soon. What will you do if you have no ce to live then?¡± Sienna felt her heart clench slightly, but she had weathered many storms. ¡°I''ll look for somece else when the timees,¡± she said with a light smile. Karen pursed her lips. Still putting on an act, are we? Without another word, she turned and left. Sienna let out a sigh as she watched the two lobsters in the courtyard writhing on the ground. Their ws were tied, leaving them no other choice but to squirm helplessly, unable to escape. She picked up the lobsters, nning to steam them after a quick rinse. As the night deepened, she locked the door to the yard and went to bed. As shey in bed observing the movements of the baby in her belly, she could not help stroking the bump gently. ¡°Hey, baby. I''m sorry Mommy can''t do any better than having to hide in this tiny vige. Only in this way can we both be safe. What a pity. We''re about to be homeless again soon.¡± She sighed, her heart a welling with mixed emotions. Click! Sienna bolted upright, her ear cocked to listen. After straining for a while, she did not hear anything else. Just as she began to doubt her own hearing, there came a sudden knock on her door. Somebody was pounding on the door. She jumped in surprise. ¡°Who''s there?¡± I seem to recall locking the gate to my yard from the inside... Her heart tightened. She stared anxiously at the flimsy door. The door creaked pitifully, and from outside came a slightly drunken voice, ¡°Open up, Sienna! I want to talk to you!¡± Sienna turned pale when she heard the unfamiliar voice. ¡°I have nothing to say to you. Please leave!¡± ¡°Open up! You''re always wandering around the vige, enticing people. Why are you pretending to be innocent now? Your man is dead. Don''t you feel lonely? Don''t you wish for someone to hold you at night, to warm your bed? Doesn''t this all sound good?¡± Chapter 1293 Chapter 1293 Chapter 1293 Drown Her Listening to the man''s vulgar remarks, Sienna felt nervous and frightened. She wasn''t foolish; she could easily guess the man''s intentions. She scanned the room, looking for a weapon to defend herself when suddenly... With a loud bang, the door was kicked open by a man. A drunken man, reeking of alcohol, stumbled into the room. ¡°Wyatt?¡± Sienna clenched her teeth in frustration. This man was none other than Wyatt, the man of the woman who had mocked her during the day, Karen. She rarely spoke to him, but now he had barged into her room. She grabbed a mop as a makeshift weapon and shouted, ¡°Get out! Stop causing trouble in my room!¡± ¡°Sienna, don''t waste time talking. Let me have a taste of how good you are!¡± The man''s face twisted into a lecherous grin as he lunged toward her. Sienna swung the mop at him and tried to escape, but just as she stepped out of the room and before she could call for help, the man covered her mouth and dragged her back inside. But at that moment, there was a loud crash as the door to her courtyard was kicked open. Karen, apanied by several vige women, stormed in. ¡°D*mn it! I knew we shouldn''t have kept this wretch here! What else can she do besides seducing men? Ever since she came to our vige, my husband doesn''t want to work ore home anymore. Why is she so despicable? She''s even seducing men while pregnant!¡± Sienna hadn''t even had a chance to react before Karen, apanied by several vige women, pped her hard several times. Wyatt, seeing his wife and the other vige women, didn''t dare to do anything further and quickly released Sienna. ¡°Honey, it was her who seduced me. She invited me toe see her at night during the day.¡± Sienna, her face swollen and with scratch marks, stared at Wyatt with disheveled hair. ¡°Shameless man! Clearly, it was you who wanted to harm me!¡± ¡°My man is not that kind of person at all. It''s you who seduced him!¡± Karen shouted angrily. The vige women joined in the condemnation. ¡°Drown her in the river! Let''s drown her in the river!¡± ¡°Let''s go! What''s the use of keeping such a woman? She says her man died, but who knows if she cheated with someone else''s man and got pregnant with a b*stard child!¡± ¡°We have to drown her in the river!¡± ¡°Why keep her? She''ll just continue to bring trouble to our vige.¡± ¡°Our vige has be the target for development because of her bad luck! She''s the one who brought this disaster upon us!¡± These women surrounded Sienna like a pack of crazed animals. Since Sienna hade to their vige, their husbands had been acting strangely, praising Sienna for looking like a city girl and being pretty. Each of them felt deeply unhappy to hear that. Finally, they had leverage against Sienna. They all wished they could tear Sienna apart. The morning sunlight cast a shimmering reflection on the water, creating a picturesque scene. Yet, the vige was far from quiet early in the morning. Sienna, her hair disheveled, was pinned down by several vige women inside a makeshift cage they had prepared overnight. They wore sinister smiles as they looked down at her. ¡°You slut, let''s see how you seduce men now.¡± ¡°That''s right!¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°Come on, let''s carry her away.¡± Their husbands, watching Sienna''s miserable state, felt guilty but remained silent. None of them dared to speak up. Sienna''s pretty face bore several scratch marks, and her cheap maternity clothes were torn, revealing her fair skin, which appeared particrly enticing. She protected her belly, fearing for the safety of her unborn child. Fortunately, these women, despite their violent actions, didn''t target her belly, which allowed Sienna to breathe a sigh of relief. She sat down inside the cage, cradling her belly, and stared nkly at the vigers. Her reputation as a seductress was taking root, and she felt anxious. She didn''t want to die. If they threw her into the river to drown, what would happen to the child? The child was the only tie she had with Dixon. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the vigers with a desperate expression. ¡°I really didn''t have an affair with Wyatt. Why won''t you listen to my exnation?¡± Chapter 1294 Chapter 1294 Chapter 1294 No One To Believe Her ¡°You still won''t admit it at this point?¡± Karen was so furious that she pinched Sienna''s face, using her strong farmer''s grip. Sienna''s face began to bleed as Karen''s grip was relentless. The pain made Sienna frown, and she cried out, ¡°I''ve said it many times; he wanted to rape me!¡± ¡°You sl*t! Our vige kindly took you in, and you still seduced my man!¡± Karen delivered another powerful p. ¡°We shouldn''t have taken you in back then.¡± ¡°Enough! Don''t waste your breath on her. Drowning her in the river is the best option,¡± another woman chimed in and headed to lift the cage. Seeing this, Karen and the others hurried to assist. Sienna panicked, struggling to push open the cage door. ¡°Let me out! What you''re doing is murder, it''s illegal! You ignorant vige women!¡± As the cage moved closer to the river, a sudden figure came running. ¡°Sienna! Sienna!¡± It was Mitchell. Sienna cried out loudly as though she had seen her savior, ¡°Mitchell, save me!¡± ¡°Mitchell, don''t me us for not warning you. She''s just a sl*t. Last night, she seduced my man into her room!¡± Karen loudly intercepted Mitchell as he approached. ¡°It''s impossible! Sienna isn''t that kind of woman, and besides, she''s about to give birth!¡± Mitchell didn''t believe a word Karen was saying. ¡°I know you want to marry her, but she''s wild at heart. Don''t let her deceive you,¡± Karen continued tarnishing Sienna''s reputation. ¡°If she were a good woman, why would she stay here alone with a big belly? I bet she''s one of those city girls who serve city folks and got herself pregnant with some b*stard!¡± ¡°You''re not allowed to insult her like that!¡± Mitchell''s eyes turned red with anger as he pushed Karen away and rushed toward Sienna. ¡°Mitchell, what are you trying to do? How dare you push my woman?¡± Wyatt charged over and grabbed Mitchell. ¡°She was the one who seduced mest night. She insisted she couldn''t sleep and wanted to talk to me.¡± Mitchell was stunned, staring at Wyatt in disbelief. ¡°Wyatt, is that true?¡± ¡°Do you think I can lie to you?¡± Wyatt said with a straight face. At this point, he couldn''t admit to his disgusting actions while drunkst night. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Sienna was trembling with anger. ¡°He''s lying. He''s falsely using me.¡± But no one believed her. She could only pin herst hope on Mitchell. ¡°Mitchell, I didn''t do it. You have to believe me.¡± ¡°Mitchell, we''re like brothers; we''ve known each other for half our lives. Do you doubt my words?¡± Wyatt spoke with pain. ¡°I wasn''t thinking rightst night. I went to her room, and she started undressing.¡± Sienna closed her eyes; at this point, she couldn''t defend herself anymore. Mitchell had once felt great sympathy andpassion for her, but now he didn''t know whom to believe. Wyatt and Karen''s words sounded convincing, and they had been neighbors for so many years. It was hard to believe they would lie in front of the whole vige. Could Sienna really have strayed from the path of righteousness? Karen had a point¡ªwhy would a decent woman find herself in their vige with a big belly? After a while, Mitchell said bitterly to Sienna, ¡°I can''t believe I liked you so much and helped you so often, Sienna. You''ve truly disappointed me.¡± Sienna opened her mouth, feeling an overwhelming sense of helplessness. She felt as tiny and powerless as an ant. She sat in the cage, her heart as cold as ashes, as the river water slowly crept up her knees and toward her neck. She should have known that the people in this vige were incredibly ignorant. In this world, the only one who would have protected her, cherished her, and believed in her was Dixon. No one else. Even though Mitchell liked her, it was just a liking, andpared to others, she only upied a small corner of his heart. A tear rolled down her cheek and dropped into the icy river water. Chapter 1295 Chapter 1295 Chapter 1295 Drowned The river rushed swiftly until, atst, it flowed over her head, and she slowly closed her eyes. ¡°Stop!¡± Suddenly, a familiar yet icy voice rang out. Sienna fiercely opened her eyes in the river, suspecting it was a hallucination before her death. I must be nearing death, for I seemed to hear Ashlyn''s voice. How could that be? How could that be possible? She gave a bitter smile, the icy river water continuously pouring into her mouth, making it almost impossible for her to breathe. She gulped down several mouthfuls, choking to the point of almost suffocating. Yet, she didn''t want to die. She really didn''t want to die. She wanted to give birth to the child, even if it meant dying after the birth. All she wanted was to have the child. Tears kept falling, mingling with the river water, but she was like a trapped beast, hopelessly stuck here, unable to escape no matter what. ¡°How can there still be such a thing as drowning someone in the river? What era are we living in? This is murder! This collective murder.¡± The woman''s voice was not loud, yet it was incredibly powerful. Everyone couldn''t help but turn to look at her, only to see an unbelievably beautiful woman standing behind them. The woman had a slender figure. Her features were more exquisite than a movie star''s. Her eyes were like cold stars in the sky, chilling yet captivating. Beside her stood an equally remarkable man, tall and handsome. He was dressed in casual ck attire, yet he exuded an immense presence. With such an outstanding couple standing together, it was almost impossible to look away. Mitchell had always thought that Sienna was very beautiful, but this woman was even more attractive than Sienna. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Ashlyn frowned as she looked at those vigers. They were very simple, but at the same time, they were also very ignorant. Upon getting out of the vehicle just now, she noticed that almost everyone in the vige was missing. After inquiring with an elderly woman, she found out that they had all rushed out to drown someone in the river. That sounded utterly ridiculous to her. Lucas waved his hand, and immediately, Spencer, who was behind him, led a few men toward the riverside. ¡°You can''t pull it up because there''s not only a woman in that cage but also several stones tied underneath.¡± An old man remarked, ¡°I reckon the person is probably drowned by now.¡± No sooner had his words fallen than the sound of sshes echoed. Several men had already jumped into the water. After a short wait, the rope tied to the cage began to tremble. Immediately, Spencer and the two men who stayed behind pulled with all their might. Someone below had untied the stone hanging from the cage, making it much easier to lift. Yet, it was also quite strenuous. After all, there was resistance in the water. About ten minutes had passed by the time the cage was pulled up. None of the vigers dared to make a move. It was clear those people were not to be trifled with. They were no fools. Upon hearing that the vige was up for sale, they became suspicious. Their vige rarely saw visitors, but then a group of strangers arrived. They could very well be some rich and influential men. Just then, the vige chief came running over, his face full of deference. ¡°Mr. Nn, Ms. Berry, what brings you here?¡± he asked. ¡°I''ve never seen someone getting drowned in the river, so I thought I''de and see.¡± Ashlyn spoke coldly, walking toward the river. ¡°Keys.¡± Spencer coldly swept his gaze over the vigers. Not a single one of them made a sound. He waited for a while and grew a bit impatient. ¡°Don''t force me to take action.¡± Reluctantly, Karen had no choice but to take out the key. From a distance, Ashlyn saw a woman with arge belly inside the cage. Her heart tightened at the sight. Judging by the swell of her abdomen, she was about to give birth. These heartless vigers are too cruel, actually wanting to drown a pregnant woman. Ashlyn quickened her pace, just in time to see Spencer and hispanions lifting a woman out of the cage. When she got a clear look at the woman''s face, she was instantly taken aback. ¡°Sienna?¡± Upon hearing Ashlyn''s voice, Spencer immediately turned to look at Sienna''s face. Despite the woman''s face being marred by bruises, he could still recognize who she was. ¡°How did Sienna end up here?¡± Ashlyn shook her head. ¡°Let''s save her first.¡± Chapter 1296 Chapter 1296 Chapter 1296 Livelihood The most crucial first aid for someone who had drowned was to expel the water from their system. Ashlyn knelt before Sienna, first checking her breath. Although it was very weak, there was still hope. Ashlyn began pressing on the other person''s chest. After a while, Sienna coughed. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Sienna tilted her head, violently coughing up several mouthfuls of river water. She vomited violently, drenching the riverbank. Only then did she slowly open her eyes. Am I still alive? Sienna gazed dizzily at the blue above her head. Am I not dead? Am I still breathing smoothly? ¡°How are you feeling?¡± The familiar cool tone of Ashlyn echoed in Sienna''s ears. Sienna looked over and saw a face so beautiful it was unforgettable. She froze. Could the voice I heard when I was drowning really belong to Ashlyn? How is Ashlyn here? Sienna''s eyes were filled with shock. She struggled to sit up butcked the strength to do so. She wanted to speak, but water painfully choked her throat as if being rubbed raw by sand and gravel. ¡°Berry....¡± ¡°Sienna, it''s been a long time.¡± Ashlyn looked at her indifferently, her eyes devoid of any emotion. Tears streamed down Sienna''s cheeks. Unexpectedly, she ran into her old nemesis, Ashlyn, there. Yet, it was this very nemesis who extended a helping hand when she was on the brink of death. She broke down in tears, somewhat disheartened. After a long while, her voice hoarse, she finally asked, ¡°If you knew it was me you were saving, would you still have helped?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ashlyn''s voice was decisive. Sienna was momentarily lost in thought. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I can''t bear to see a baby about to be born vanish before my eyes,¡± Ashlyn said, a smirk ying on her lips. ¡°So, give me your right hand now. I need to check on your baby''s condition.¡± Ashlyn knew how to take the pulse. Traditional medicine practitioners could all detect the baby''s pulse. Moreover, since Sienna had fallen into the water, Ashlyn needed to urgently check her pulse. This vige was remote and underdeveloped. There was simply no time to get to the city hospital for check-ups. Upon hearing Ashlyn talk about the child, Sienna quickly extended her right hand obediently. Ashlyn''s fingers rested on her pulse for a moment before withdrawing. ¡°The baby is safe for now.¡± Everyone in the vige was staring in shock at that scene. Does the big boss from the city know Sienna? They seem to know each other very well. Afterward, they heard the vige chief nodding and bowing with a respectful face, saying, ¡°Ms. Berry, it''s great that everyone is fine now. How did youe to know Sienna?¡± ¡°Oh. We''ve known each other for quite some time.¡± Ashlyn didn''t borate further. Lucas'' stern and icy gaze swept over everyone. ¡°The development of the resort was originally intended to be financed at a high price, but now...¡± Sienna waspletely drenched, her wet clothes clinging ufortably to her body. As a result, she couldn''t help but sneeze. The vige chief was heard pleading with a sorrowful expression, ¡°Mr. Nn, please, don''t lower the price! They may not understand, they may have made mistakes, but we''ve all relied on the water for our livelihood. If this continues, we won''t be able to survive. Thepensation needs to be higher...¡± ¡°Mr. Nn, we were wrong.¡± ¡°We won''t be like this anymore in the future.¡± These vigers never imagined that these strangers would actually turn out to be big bosses, contemting the change that was about toe to their fate. One by one, they couldn''t help but start to feel sad. At the same time, they felt the fear of the future and the uncertainty of livelihood. Ashlyn let out a sigh. ¡°The patches will still be mended, and you don''t have to worry about finding new jobs. From the moment the foundation of the resort isid, you can start working there, and you can continue to work until the resort is fully built.¡± ¡°The vige will be rebuilt. There''s no need for demolition, and your homes will still be here,¡± Lucas continued. ¡°But I hope that simr incidents won''t happen again in the future. Otherwise, you might not be so lucky next time.¡± Originally, that was the n he and Ashlyn had in mind. They just didn''t expect the incident with the cage to ur. Chapter 1297 Chapter 1297 Chapter 1297 Let Me Keep The Child Ashlyn nced at Sienna again. ¡°Where are you staying?¡± Sienna blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed. ¡°I-I don''t have the strength.¡± ¡°Help her up,¡±manded Ashlyn. Immediately, two men assisted Sienna to her feet. ¡°Move forward, turn left, and after a short distance, you''ll reach there,¡± she instructed. About five minutester, they arrived at Sienna''s little cabin. The cabin was quite modest. Despite its small size, it wasplete. Ashlyn took in the sight of the small cabin. After the men helped Sienna onto the bed, they retreated to the doorway, casually closing the door behind them. The room was very quiet. The silence carried a hint of awkwardness. After a while, Sienna finally said, ¡°Ms. Berry, can you help me get a fresh set of clothes from the wardrobe in the corner that I can change into?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ashlyn stood up, fetched a set of clean clothes, and handed them to her. ¡°Do you need my help changing it?¡± ¡°It''s fine, I can manage on my own.¡± Sienna had regained a bit of her strength by then. The icy river water had chilled her to the bone, leaving her shivering all over. However, there was no way she could let Ashlyn help her change her clothes. The thought of the grudges between her and Ashlyn left her with nothing but embarrassment and mncholy. Since she was heavily pregnant, it took her a good five or six minutes to change her clothes. ¡°I know you must be mocking me inside, thinking I deserve this and that I shouldn''t have hurt others with Dixon,¡± Sienna shot Ashley a miserable smile, her eyes filled with despair. ¡°Even though Dixon took all the me and spared me... so what? The foundation has harmed many and swindled tons of money. Even though I haven''t directly killed anyone, I have indirectly deceived people of their money. The downfall of Imperial Hotel was Dixon''s doing. If you want to seek revenge against me, feel free to do it. I don''t care anymore.¡± Her voice dropped to a murmur. ¡°I''m due in two weeks. Please, can you let me keep the child?¡± Tears streamed down her cheeks, despair welling from her heart, spreading throughout her entire body. The minute she saw Ashlyn, she knew she had nowhere else to go. Ashlyn squinted at the woman whose face was etched with pain. In just half a year, this woman seemed to have transformed from the noble and elegant thirddy of the Haddock family to a pitiful woman. If I hadn''t bumped into her here today, I would have thought that she was living a good life, or at least that the quality of her life hadn''t changed much from before. ¡°Sienna, I don''t want to know why you''re hiding in such a remote ce. I can consider sparing your child''s life, but... I have conditions. I can offer you a way out, but it depends on whether you agree or not.¡± ¡°What are the conditions?¡± A glimmer of hope suddenly sparked in Sienna''s eyes. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°I don''t want to feed a snake in my bosom. Dixon has already received the death sentence. However, I know there is more incriminating evidence of his crimes than what I have collected. Where is the rest of it?¡± Ashlyn gently stroked her fingers as she spoke leisurely. Sienna was taken aback. Her face was already white as a sheet from having fallen into the water, but after hearing Ashlyn''s words, herplexion turned even more pale, as if all the blood had drained from her face. Seeing her hesitation and indecision, Ashlyn chuckled softly. ¡°What''s wrong? Reluctant to take it out? Since you''re the person Dixon cares about the most, I''m absolutely sure he has entrusted you with everything.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°You and your son''s lives are now in my hands. The decision to hand them over is entirely up to you. Dixon has already been sentenced to death, and there''s no hope of him getting out. If you give me the remaining evidence, I can spare your life. Plus, I can provide a decent environment for your son to grow up in.¡± Ashlyn''s tone was deadpan, but to Sienna, it was filled with irresistible allure. ¡°I''ve also heard about some things concerning the Haddock family. Do you think you can run from them forever? Do you really believe the Haddock family will let you leave unscathed? Or are you nning to spend your entire life in hiding? Do you want your child to live in fear and intimidation every single day?¡± Chapter 1298 Chapter 1298 Chapter 1298 Cut All Ties With The Haddock Family ¡°Take your time to think it over. Once you''ve made up your mind, let me know.¡± Having said that, Ashlyn was ready to turn around and leave. Just as she was opening the door, Sienna suddenly called out to her, ¡°Ms. Berry, wait.¡± Ashlyn turned around to look at her, only to see Sienna''s eyes filled with determination. It seemed as if she had made up her mind in an instant. ¡°Ms. Berry, I can entrust the evidence to you, but... I hope you can fulfill the conditions you promised me.¡± ¡°Sienna, never meet with Dixon again,¡± Ashlyn said softly. ¡°The father of your child has a lifetime of sins. If you want your child to live a clean life, you must forget that this man ever existed in your life.¡± ¡°Ashlyn! Aren''t you... being too cruel?¡± Tears streamed down Sienna''s face again. ¡°The Haddock family is hell. It''s a den of demons. There''s not a single good person among them, but Dixon... he was the kindest to me... he protected me... and yet you want me to forget him!¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Sienna, you''re not a naive woman. You better get your facts straight. If you want to live with dignity, you must abandon everything rted to the Haddock and Oates families!¡± ¡°Does the Oates family in Jadeborough have a ce for you? When you went to ask Finnick to save Dixon, did he agree?¡± Ashlyn''s every word was like a knife ruthlessly stabbing into her heart. Sienna copsed to the ground, covering her face as she sobbed loudly. From the day she was born, her life seemed to be an endless tragedy. She lived within the tragedy. Her child... ¡°Your background has be aughingstock for the Oates family. Do you want the whole world to ridicule your child''s origins?¡± Ashlyn walked up to her and bent down to look at her. ¡°Listen to me. Forget Dixon and start over. Even your name, Sienna, will be a part of history from now on.¡± Sienna''s lips trembled, her gaze fixed on Ashlyn in a daze. ¡°W-What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I will provide you with a brand new identity.¡± Ashlyn scrutinized her. ¡°You''re highly educated and intelligent. It''ll be a real waste not putting those to good use.¡± Sienna started to feel nervous. ¡°What do you want to use me for?¡± ¡°You''ll find out... in due time.¡± In the small courtyard of the cabin, Spencer kicked the ground restlessly. ¡°Mr. Nn, why hasn''t Ms. Berrye out yet? What could she possibly have to talk about with Sienna?¡± Lucas'' body might be facing Spencer, but his gaze was fixed on a small tree in the courtyard. The side profile of his features was sharply defined, but his expression was indiscernible. ¡°No rush. She''lle out when she''s ready,¡± Lucas said indifferently, his emotionless voice revealing nothing. He lifted his hand to unfasten the buttons of his coat, and as it swung open, it seemed as if some of the tension in his chest also dissipated. His patience was wearing thin at Ashlyn still noting out. Just then, Ashlyn opened the door. Lucas was about to speak, but she turned around and went inside again. Lucas snapped his jaw close with aggrievement. Why do all these women always insist on monopolizing my wife''s time and energy? He was extremely upset and felt neglected. Sienna, this woman is so wicked. She''s wicked to the bone. What else is there to say to her? How long before the conversation ends? Lucas was growing increasingly restless. When he unbuttoned his cor, his cold and aloof demeanor instantly turned unruly, looking stunningly handsome. Meanwhile, inside the little cabin, Sienna, heavily pregnant, was about to kneel before Ashlyn, but Ashlyn stopped her. ¡°I''m not crazy enough to let a pregnant woman kneel before me. Stand up!¡± ¡°Sienna, stop ying the victim card with me. If you have something to say, just say it. Don''t y these games with me,¡± Ashlyn coldly scoffed, pushing her back onto the bed. Sienna''s tears never ceased, flowing endlessly. ¡°Ashlyn, I beg you. Please save me. I promise I won''t do anything to harm you. I''m truly at my wit''s end. You''re the only one that can help me.¡± Chapter 1299 Chapter 1299 Chapter 1299 I Swear ¡°My child is about to be born, and I don''t want to die, nor do I want to go to jail.¡± Ashlyn stared at Sienna in silence. ¡°I don''t like doing losing deals, Sienna. If you genuinely want my help and are truly repentant, show it through actions. Words alone won''t cut it.¡± ¡°You can trust me. I won''t let you down. I swear, if I betray you, I''ll suffer in hell,¡± Sienna hastily reassured. Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You don''t need to swear. Time will reveal one''s true intentions,¡± Ashlyn said, ncing out of the window. Outside, Lucas had been waiting impatiently, growing increasingly anxious. Sienna is a master of persuasion with her glib tongue. She had swindled many wealthy women in the past, and now... After he waited a few more minutes, the door was opened again. Ashlyn emerged, holding a folder. She looked at Spencer with a stoic expression. ¡°Mr. White, help me with something.¡± ¡°Of course, Ms. Berry. Just tell me what you need.¡± An hourter, they presented their n to develop this ce into a hot spring resort to the vige chief, along with detailedpensation details. Afterpleting all the tasks, they left with Sienna. Once they left the secluded vige, they drove smoothly on the highway. As Spencer drove, he contemted the task Ashlyn had given him. To his surprise, it involved taking Sienna with them. They had brought along their men on this trip, so Sienna was in the car behind theirs. He was utterly baffled. Never mind if we coincidentally saved Sienna. Why are we taking her with us? After a brief hesitation, he spoke up. ¡°Ms. Berry¡ª¡± Ashlyn promptly interjected, ¡°This contains the evidence of Dixon''s wrongdoings. Inside are all the substantiations of how Haddock Group Foundation uwfully umted wealth, along with instances of embezzlement from public funds by Haddock Group.¡± ¡°Sienna provided these?¡± Spencer was taken aback. Lucas, too, couldn''t believe that Sienna had handed over evidence against Dixon. ¡°Why would she willingly do that?¡± ¡°For the sake of her child, she''s willing to do anything,¡± Ashlyn replied with a smirk. ¡°She''s just trying to survive, and I want the evidence. We each get what we need.¡± She was no sanctimonious b*tch, after all. ¡°How do you n to deal with her?¡± Lucas''s voice remained emotionless but had a deep, maic quality that was hard to resist. Ashlyn lifted her eyes to the man''s familiar face bathed in the gentle morning sunlight. His aura blended elegance and detachment. His slender lips barely parted, hinting at a touch of disinterest. However, his handsomeness was unquestionable, remarkably so. ¡°I have a ce in mind that she might like.¡± ¡°What ce?¡± Lucas inquired. Ashlyn raised her phone, showing a text message she had sent to Yuri. ¡°Zaewora?¡± Lucas frowned. ¡°Mm.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°She has about half a month until her due date, and Yuri is also a mother who can impart some experience. If Sienna truly reforms and turns over a new leaf, it''s for the best. But if she can''t... well, don''t me me if I have to be less merciful and make her disappear from this world. As for her son, if he is raised properly from a young age, he should turn out fine.¡± ¡°Then ask Yuri to keep a closer eye on her.¡± Lucas agreed with her n. Sienna was a cunning woman. It was hard to fathom her mind. If she remained obedient, they didn''t mind sparing her life. However, if she had the guts to cross the line, he would definitely eliminate her to avoid future troubles. He would never let his wife''s hands be tainted. If it came to that, he would take care of it himself. In a somewhat remote stic surgery clinic in Jadeborough, a doctor slowly removed the bandages from the man''s face on the operating table. ¡°Sir, we''ve done as you requested, and the recovery is going quite well.¡± Chapter 1300 Chapter 1300 Chapter 1300 stic Surgery The man slowly sat up and took the mirror the doctor handed to him, examining his handsome face in the mirror. Although his face looked somewhat fake, his original appearance was no longer discernible. His eyes were narrow, his nose was high and straight, and his lips were thin. His face was slender, and his chin was pointed. It was clear that he had undergone stic surgery on his face. However, he didn''t mind. He nodded. ¡°Very good.¡± ¡°I''m d you''re satisfied, sir.¡± The doctor nodded. ¡°If you need anything in the future, feel free toe to me.¡± ¡°Sorry, but you might not be around when I need you,¡± the man said, exuding a chilling aura. Before the doctor could react, a dagger had already pierced through his throat! His eyes widened in shock as blood gushed continuously from his neck. In disbelief, he clutched at his wound, attempting to escape. However, the man stretched out his long leg, knocking him to the ground. ¡°Do you think I''ll let you leave?¡± he asked, like a demon, radiating a strong sense of malice. ¡°Anyone who knows my secrets must die!¡± When night fell, the car slowly returned to Section Six Headquarters in Jadeborough. Ashlyn had dozed off on the way, leaning against Lucas. His embrace was warm andforting. When the car stopped, she blinked her eyes and heard Lucas saying, ¡°Let''s grab a bite. We can visit Mr. Field at the hospital tomorrow.¡± Ashlyn nodded. ¡°That works.¡± They got out of the car together, and Ss was already waiting. ¡°Ms. Berry, Mr. Nn, dinner is ready in the dining room.¡± Right then, Sabrina came over to them. Upon seeing Ashlyn, she immediately put on a charming smile. ¡°Ms. Berry, you must be starving after a long journey.¡± She approached but refrained from touching Ashlyn''s arm due to Lucas''s imposing presence. Instead, she held back. ¡°The security in Jadeborough has be quite frightening. I suspect someone is deliberately causing trouble for Mr. Field,¡± Sabrina whispered to Ashlyn. Ashlyn halted in her tracks. ¡°What happened?¡± As Ashlyn''s attention was on her, Sabrina endured the intimidating look directed at her and reported, ¡°Earlier today, there was a murder at a remote stic surgery clinic. The stic surgeon was killed, his throat shed. The police were on the scene, but there was no evidence or clue left by the suspect. They suspect it might be some form of societal revenge. These recent events have been quite strange. The doctor''s colleagues have mentioned to the police that he was friendly and had no known enemies. It''s hard to imagine why someone would want to kill a stic surgeon. This case might go unsolved for a while.¡± Ashlyn listened silently to Sabrina''s report, feeling that something was not quite right. ¡°stic surgeon...¡± ¡°Secretary Field is still in the hospital. It seems the police will have to handle this case on their own,¡± Lucas said in his deep, low voice. ¡°Let''s eat.¡± By this time, they had reached the dining room. Upon entering the room, Ashlyn was surprised to see everyone gathered there. Section Six was like a big family, and there were quite a few people. Usually, they ate separately, but today everyone was assembled and rose as soon as they returned. They stood in a neat formation, clearly waiting for their return to have dinner together. ¡°Hello, Mr. Nn!¡± ¡°Hello, Ms. Berry!¡± Lucas showed no surprise and gestured for everyone to sit down. ¡°Section Six has been quite busytely, so thank you for your hard work,¡± he said in his maic voice. ¡°The New Year is approaching, and I assure you all, I will not let you down.¡± After he said a few more words, everyone began to eat. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. The next morning, Ashlyn woke up slowly. When she did, she furrowed her brows. Perhaps it was because of the heavy humidity in that vige, but she sniffled and realized that she had caught a cold despite being usually healthy. Chapter 1301 Chapter 1301 Chapter 1301 Feast My Eyes On His Beauty Ashlyn seldom fell ill or caught a cold. She was in good shape, other than being frequently aroused, possibly because of the Spirogyra in her body. Her constitution had, in fact, improved tremendously, especially after she got poisoned by the Spirogyra a few years ago. She was thus surprised that she caught a cold so suddenly. ¡°Why are you spacing out over there?¡± Lucas walked out of the bathroom and stared at her curiously. ¡°Turning around, Ashlyn saw him in a ck bathrobe that was loosely tied, revealing his solid chest. She raised an eyebrow. He''s letting me feast my eyes on his beauty so early in the morning? ¡° ¡°I think I''m a little unwell.¡± ¡°Shall we go get some medicer?¡± Lucas approached her and gently touched her forehead. ¡°You don''t seem to have a fever.¡± ¡°I must''ve caught a cold in the vige yesterday.¡± Ashlyn sighed. ¡°I''ll freshen up first. We''ll head to the hospital after that.¡± After washing up, she went to the dining table and spotted a box of cold medicine on it. She sat down at the dining table, slightly taken aback. Before long, Lucas'' deep voice sounded. ¡°I got the medicine delivered. Brew a bag of itter.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Ashlyn nodded. She felt a warm feeling in her heart. In fact, she did not see the need to take medicine for a cold, given her body condition. Spencer walked over with a te of egg benedict in his hands. ¡°The dining hall''s breakfast is quite nice today. There''s bacon in this dish.¡± Lucas curled his lips upward as he served Ashlyn an egg benedict. ¡°Give it a try.¡± Ashlyn nced at him. He was dressed in a shirt and trousers, his long legs crossed with the left over the right, and in his hand was a cup. His shirt was neatly buttoned, even the topmost one. It felt like his male pheromones were overflowing from his appearance. His features, bathed in the morning sunlight, were strikingly handsome and ethereal. His actions were so graceful and refined that every move exuded an air of forbidden allure and seduction. Ashlyn withdrew her gaze. She felt her heartbeat suddenly missing half a beat. After breakfast, the three of them set off for the hospital. On their way, they prepared a few gifts and fresh flowers. ... In the general ward at the hospital, Joseph was sitting on a chair, peeling an apple for James. Fae and Charlotte walked in together with a lunchbox in their hands. ¡°The hospital meals aren''t too bad. It''s a big hospital, after all.¡± Charlotte ced the bun she was holding on the table. Her hair was in a high ponytail, making her look extra bright and adorable today. She wore a yellow dress with a white coat over it. She was around a hundred and sixty-three centimeters tall, and though she was not particrly tall, her proportions were just right. Sporting a pair of Dr. Martens on her feet, her overall look was youthful and cute. Perhaps because she was too busy recently, her cheeks were not as chubby as before. Her facial features were pleasing andfortable to the eye, making one unwilling to look away. She barely had any makeup on, just a light touch of lipstick. Her face boasted a healthy cogen-rich appearance, and it was simply breathtaking. Joseph cut the apple into slices after peeling it. ¡°Lottie, do you want some fruits?¡± Charlotte shook her head. ¡°I just had a bit of breakfast at the dining hall. We brought this for Dad and you.¡± Fae held Charlotte''s hand. ¡°This child has lost weight since she''s here in Jadeborough. And she still eats very little.¡± As she spoke, she shifted her gaze toward James. ¡°Did Mr. President say where we''ll be staying at?¡± James checked his phone and saw the address Alistair sent him. ¡°Where else? We''ll definitely still live in therge courtyard and not too far away from the hospital.¡± They would still have toplete the check-in procedures after moving over, but that would have to wait till James was discharged. ¡°That''s great.¡± Fae heaved a sigh. ¡°Once we''re back home and settled in, I''ll definitely keep your health in check and feed you well. You''re way too thin right now.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡± Charlotte felt somewhat touched. She opened her mouth, hesitated briefly, and added, ¡°The Piano Association sent me a WhatsApp, notifying me to attend a meeting at ten. Mom, Dad, I shall take my leave first.¡± Chapter 1302 Chapter 1302 Chapter 1302 Something Weighing On Her Mind ¡°Joe, send Lottie over,¡± Fae quickly instructed. ¡°You''re still young. Do your best to get along with the others in the association. If anyone dares to bully you, remember to tell me and Joseph. Understand?¡± Charlotte broke into a gentle smile. ¡°No one will bully me.¡± Joseph left the ward with her, and soon, they arrived at the underground parking. As the car headed toward the Piano Association, Charlotte hung her head low throughout the ride, seemingly not in the mood to enjoy the scenery outside the window. Joseph could sense the change in her emotions. ¡°What''s wrong? Did Mrs. Taylor bully you? Or did she try to make things difficult for you?¡± Since their unsessful attempt to ask Andrea to use her connections to save James, she had been mocking and ridiculing Charlotte. She had shown dissatisfaction toward thetter, whether openly or in the dark. Moreover, the people in the Piano Association, being the opportunists they had always been, had always buttered up to Andrea a lot. She sighed under her breath. Given Joseph''s temper, if he finds out, he''ll definitely confront Mrs. Taylor and try to stand up for me. The Taylor family''s influence in Jadeborough was deeply-rooted. Recognizing how well the Field family had treated her, Charlotte did not want to implicate them because of her problems. So, she forced out a smile and responded, ¡°I''m fine. I''m only an insignificant member. I hardly get to see her.¡± Charlotte was originally a member of the Lake City Piano Association. A while ago, when she came to Jadeborough, the Lake City Piano Association was preparing to work with Jadeborough Piano Association to host a concert. Coincidentally, since she wasing to Jadeborough, the president of the Lake City Piano Association decided to entrust her to coordinate with the Jadeborough Piano Association. She had thus been acting as the go-between for the two parties. Though it was not physically tiring, it was mentally exhausting for her. Almost all of the coboration proposals and rmendations she submitted were rejected by Andrea. Soon, they arrived outside the Piano Association. Charlotte got out of the car and waved her hand at Joseph. ¡°Drive safely, Joseph. I''m gonna go in now.¡± ¡°Give me a call if you need anything.¡± Staring at Charlotte''s retreating figure, Joseph somehow felt that something was weighing on her mind. Entering the elevator, Charlotte pressed the thirteenth-floor number, the level where the Piano Association was located. The elevator soon arrived on the thirteenth floor. As she stepped out, she spotted Lilith and another receptionist huddling together, chatting quietly. ¡°Oh, the International lie Competition ising up. It''s super tough to win an award in this internationalpetition. Our association hasn''t had a winner for three consecutive years. We got eliminated every year, especially for the musicposing category. No one has ever won it. Well, composing a song does need true musical talent.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. ying the piano takes skills and talent. If you don''t get the first ce, at least you can still get the second ce. Butposing a song is a difficult task. Without creative talent, it''d be better to give up.¡± ¡°Many have signed up for the variouspetition categories, but no one has signed up for the music compositionpetition.¡± ¡°But it''ll be too embarrassing if no one signs up for it. The Jadeborough Piano Association represents the entire H Nation. I can''t imagine how furious Mrs. Taylor would be.¡± Listening to their whispers, Charlotte instinctively felt an ominous feeling grow within her heart. Sure enough, when she arrived at the meeting room, she found the room almost filled with people. She quickly found a spot in the corner of the room and sat down. Sitting in the main seat, Andrea swept her stern gaze over Charlotte, then checked the time. ¡°We''ll start the meeting in five minutes. Everyone can take a moment to review the agenda.¡± Charlotte curled into herself on her seat, trying her best to minimize her presence. It was not that she could notpose, but she did not really like the idea of showing her face in public. It was a situation that would make her feel extremely ufortable. Especially since shecked self-confidence, she felt that her standard was nothingpared to those on the international level. That was why she didn''t want to be noticed by Andrea. She had decided to be a second fiddle and not sign up for any of thepetition categories. Around her, asional whispers from the other members of the association could be heard.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Chapter 1303 Chapter 1303 Chapter 1303 Setting Her Up ¡°Hey, what event are you signing up for?¡± ¡°Definitely piano!¡± ¡°Are you going for ssical music then?¡± ¡°I''m leaning toward ssical.¡± ¡°In that case, I''ll go for contemporary.¡± ¡°We''re all pianists, notposers. But this year, the president insists on having one of us participate in theposition awardpetition... It''s too...¡± ¡°Who knows what''s going on in her mind? As long as it''s not me, I don''t care. Whoever''s stuck with it is going to be humiliated, so why would I bother with it?¡± As they were discussing, Andrea''s voice rang out again. ¡°Quiet down, everyone. Let''s begin our meeting.¡± The entire conference room fell silent. ¡°I''m sure you''re all aware that when ites topeting in the International lie Award, we, the Jadeborough Piano Association, have alwaysgged behind, especially inposition. If we don''t compete for theposition award this year, we''ll undoubtedly be ridiculed by other countries. As the president of the Piano Association, I''m deeply concerned about this. Therefore, I announce that Charlotte will bepeting for theposition award. Charlotte, you better submit yourposition to the International lie Award organizers and judges within a week.¡± Andrea''s words shocked the entire conference room, causing an uproar. ¡°Oh my god! The president just singled out that girl from Jadeborough!¡± ¡°It''s ridiculous! What talent can a girl from a small ce like Jadeborough have? We''ll be so embarrassed when she fails.¡± ¡°We''re entering thepetition for awards. Even if we don''t get first ce, we might get second or third ce. It''s better than getting nothing and being humiliated.¡± Charlotte sat in her seat, her face pale. She hadn''t expected Andrea to be so forceful in making her sign up. She took a deep breath and slowly said, ¡°Mrs. Taylor... I don''t want to participate.¡± ¡°This decision was made after unanimous discussions among all the leaders of the association. Everyone has already selected other projects to enter, except you. Charlotte, are you saying you don''t want to bring glory to our country? Your mindset is quite backward,¡± Andrea said with displeasure. ¡°This matter has been decided, and your objections won''t be tolerated.¡± ¡°But...¡± Charlotte tried to say more but was interrupted by Winona. ¡°Ms. Lynch, my mom is doing this for your own good. She''s giving you an opportunity. You better make the most of it! If you actually win some major award, don''t forget the support my mom is giving you today.¡± ¡°Ms. Taylor, are you joking? Her? She''ll probablye inst.¡± ¡°Coming from a small ce like Jadeborough, can she even win? Haha!¡± ¡°Let it go, let it go. If she doesn''t win, it''s her embarrassment, not ours.¡± Andrea smiled dignifiedly. ¡°Charlotte, you''re still young. Even if you don''t win this time, you can work harderter. You should be able to seed.¡± It seemed like Andrea was already convinced that Charlotte would return humiliated. A girl who thought she could rise just because she had known Ashlyn for a few days? She had even refused to help convince Ashlyn to ept her daughter as an apprentice. Andrea was determined to tarnish Charlotte''s reputation in the international pianomunity. She would like to find out how Charlotte was going to keep up with the innocent act from then on. Andrea had harbored resentment against Charlotte for a long time, believing that Ashlyn''s refusal to ept Winona was due to the negative things Charlotte had said about her daughter, sabotaging the situation. This International lie Award was crucial for almost every musician, a heavyweight international prize. If she failed in thepetition, she would be a global music industry joke. It could potentially derail Charlotte''s piano career, which had taken off when she was young, winning first ce in pianopetitions and gaining widespread recognition. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Andrea had always been intensely jealous, believing that Charlotte''s sess was not based on her true talent but rather because of Ashlyn''s excellent guidance. That''s why she desperately wanted to send her daughter to be Ashlyn''s apprentice. Having the reigning champion of pianopetitions turn out to be aposition flop and still insist on participating in thepetition would be quite the ironic twist. Chapter 1304 Chapter 1304 Chapter 1304 Arrival Of Joseph Andrea had already nned everything, down to the headlines she would use when Charlotte failed to qualify at the International lie Award. With each thought, Andrea felt a growing sense of satisfaction. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. She couldn''t believe that a little troublemaker like Charlotte would dare to show off in front of her. Did she think the Taylor family was something to be trifled with? Inside Charlotte''s head, a chaotic storm raged, and she felt an overwhelming urge to escape. No, she couldn''t do it. She was certain she couldn''t... She stumbled out of the Piano Association half an hourter, with Winona following closely behind. Winona''s meticulously made-up face bore a mocking expression. ¡°Ms. Lynch, what''s with that look on your face? It''s as if you''ve suffered a great blow. Oh, let me kindly remind you, it''s about to snow. You better hurry back.¡± The sky was dark and overcast, and it did indeed look like snow was imminent. A cold wind whistled through the air, sending shivers down her spine. Charlotte''s face turned pale, and she felt an unbearable heaviness in her chest, almost as if she couldn''t catch her breath. ¡°Why are you ignoring me? You''re being way too rude. Do you really think you''re all that just because you''re entering the International lie Award?¡± Irked, Winona gave Charlotte a push. The girl fell to the ground, caught off guard. Her hand scraped against the pavement, and a small, involuntary hiss of pain escaped her lips. She looked at her injured hand, where the broken skin was oozing blood, and bit her lip. Anger welled up in her eyes as she red at Winona. ¡°Why did you push me?¡± Winona looked down at her with an air of superiority. ¡°You tripped on your own, and now you''re trying to me me?¡± Charlotte clenched her teeth in frustration. ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°Lottie!¡± Just then, a car pulled up in front of the association building, and a tall man stepped out. He quickly walked over to Charlotte and helped her to her feet. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Joseph embraced her. Her head naturally fitted into the curve of his neck, their breaths intermingling lightly, like feathers brushing against each other. His deep, unreadable eyes shed with a hint of anger upon seeing Charlotte''s bleeding hand. ¡°I''m fine. Let''s go,¡± Charlotte whispered. Why had Josephe? She didn''t want him getting involved in a conflict between her and Winona. ¡°Your hand is bleeding. How can you say you''re fine?¡± Joseph stood before Winona like an imposing wall, towering over her by nearly a head. He red at her with unreserved anger. ¡°Ms. Taylor, the next time you bully someone, I hope you''ll choose your target more carefully.¡± Winona felt a bit uneasy. She suppressed her inner anger and retorted, ¡°You''re really trying to y the victim here?¡± Last night, she overheard Andrea and Charlotte''s father talking. The Taylor family had deep roots, and even if James got promoted, they weren''t afraid. That was why Andrea had humiliated Charlotte earlier. With her mother''s support, she now wanted to humiliate Charlotte too. She harbored a strong resentment toward anyone associated with Ashlyn, recalling the time when Ashlyn and Lucas had humiliated her at the mall. Inside this office building, which housed not only the Piano Association but also many other white-cor businesses, there was a constant stream of people passing by. In no time, they had attracted a crowd of onlookers. Charlotte''splexion turned even worse. She was already in a bad mood, and now, being surrounded by people for such a trivial matter, she couldn''t help but shrink into Joseph''s embrace. ¡°Joseph, let''s go back,¡± she said. Joseph, feeling irritated, red at Winona. His darling, whom he protected every day, had been humiliated and bullied by such a despicable woman. She was testing his limits. He grabbed Winona''s neck firmly, his palm tightening. ¡°I warn you, if you ever bully her again, you''ll regret it!¡± ¡°You!¡± Winona''s face turned bright red, and she couldn''t help but struggle. But at that moment, Joseph swung his hand, sending her sprawling to the ground. Chapter 1305 Chapter 1305 Chapter 1305 Viral She was already wearing high heels, and then she was sprawled on the ground in such an embarrassing state, making her feel both ashamed and angry. Besides, it was painful. Her fingers, adorned with long, beautiful nail extensions, scraped against the ground, breaking several of them. The pain was so intense that she grimaced, unable to maintain any semnce ofposure. ¡°Ah! These are my newly done nails.¡± ¡°Ms. Taylor, do you know why you can''t y the piano well?¡± Charlotte walked up to Winona, looking at her damaged fingers. ¡°Because you''re too preupied with frivolous things. Which aplished pianist would have such borate nails? It greatly affects the touch.¡± After she finished speaking, Charlotte turned to Joseph and said, ¡°Joseph, let''s go.¡± ¡°Ms. Taylor... Charlotte''s too arrogant.¡± A member of the Piano Association, who had been watching the whole time, came over and helped Winona up from the ground. ¡°She must be upset because Mrs. Taylor arranged for her to participate in thepositionpetition, so she took her resentment out on you.¡± Winona stood up, looking at her own fingers with a pained expression. ¡°It''s okay. She''ll get what''s coming to her in a few days at thepetition.¡± She red resentfully at Charlotte''s retreating figure and said, ¡°Charlotte, you just wait.¡± Inside the hospital, Ashlyn and Lucas entered the ward, only to see James leaning against a pillow, sitting on the hospital bed, and having his breakfast. ¡°James, how are you feeling?¡± Ashlyn asked. James chuckled. ¡°Ashlyn? Lucas? You guys are here! I''m recovering well.¡± Upon seeing the gift that Spencer had brought and ced on the table, Fae quickly said in a polite manner, ¡°Why bring a gift when youe to visit? We''re practically family, not strangers. James really dodged a bullet this time. We don''t even know who''s pulling strings behind the scenes.¡± ¡°Mrs. Field, don''t worry. Section Six is currently investigating this matter,¡± Lucas said softly. ¡°Mr. Field just took office. There will definitely be people who have been coveting this position feeling dissatisfied. After all, managing the entire Jadeborough is a dream job, no?¡± ¡°You''re right.¡± Fae sighed. ¡°The higher one climbs, the colder it gets.¡± James seemed quite rxed about it. ¡°The President has also ordered the police to investigate this matter. Everything shoulde to light in due time.¡± Ashlyn was flipping through James'' medical report. After a while, she said, ¡°It''s nothing serious. He just needs some rest and recuperation.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. She set down the medical record, only to notice a considerable number of gifts piled up in the ward. It seemed that many of the distinguished nobles from Jadeborough had alreadye to visit James. After all, with the new secretary of state just taking office and such an incident happening, everyone would want to curry favor and make themselves known. Just then, Spencer, who had been sitting on the couch scrolling through his phone, let out a low murmur, ¡°Mr. Joseph?¡± ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Lucaszily sat on the couch, hismanding presence palpable even in his seated position, affecting everyone in the ward. ¡°Mr. Nn, look at this.¡± Spencer moved next to him and handed him the phone. Lucas'' deep eyes looked over, only to see the trending topic high up on the hot search: Newly- appointed Secretary of State''s Son, Mr. Joseph, Publicly Beats Woman on the Street. He watched the short video. The image was crystal clear. Joseph was protecting Charlotte in his arms while his other hand was clutching a woman''s neck. The woman seemed vaguely familiar, but as he generally paid little attention to women, he couldn''t immediately recall who she was. Ashlyn furrowed her brows and heard her phone chiming. It was thetest news update from Twitter. As a result, she saw the short video of Joseph. ¡°Winona! Did this woman bully Lottie? Is that why Joe is so angry?¡± ¡°Is the girl from the Taylor family?¡± Lucas sharply raised his eyes to look at Ashlyn. They exchanged a nce and knew who the suspect was. ¡°Lottie and Joe haven''t returned yet, but this matter has already hit the trending list. It''s clear that there''s a driving force behind it,¡± Lucas quickly concluded. Fae was a bit confused. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Look.¡± Ashlyn handed her phone over. Upon seeing it, Fae''s face turned pale. Chapter 1306 Chapter 1306 Chapter 1306 Composition That kind of headline could directly impact James'' career. At best, one would face the punishment of public opinion. At worst, one could be stripped of one''s position. Having been the wife of James for so many years, Fae had always maintained a humble and low- profile demeanor. Joseph was also very cautious in his words and actions. Yet, something had happened. Just then, Joseph returned, leading Charlotte by the hand. As soon as they entered, they could feel the heavy atmosphere in the ward. He raised an eyebrow. ¡°What''s going on?¡± ¡°Joe, did you get into a conflict with the Taylor family?¡± The moment Fae spoke, there was a hint of heartache in her voice. ¡°Why are you so impulsive? The Taylor family is not to be trifled with, and your father has just taken office...¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°How did you know what had happened?¡± Joseph asked, puzzled and curious. ¡°You''re trending,¡± Ashlyn exined. ¡°You''re being heavily criticized. Netizens are verbally attacking you.¡± Charlotte''s face turned pale. ¡°I''m sorry. It''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have had a conflict with Winona... Joseph only wanted to stand up for me, but he didn''t expect to be exploited by those with ulterior motives.¡± Fae wore an anxious expression. ¡°What are we going to do now? Lottie, you don''t need to me yourself. The Taylor family''s arrogance isn''t something new.¡± Lucas pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°The Taylor family has always been domineering. Winona''s father, Gordon, had also wanted topete for the position of secretary of state, but unfortunately, the president chose Mr. Field. Originally, Ashlyn and I had guessed that if it wasn''t the Taylor family behind Mr. Field''s injury, it must be some other family ying tricks.¡± ¡°We weren''t sure at first, but now they''ve shown their true colors,¡± Ashlyn sneered without mercy. ¡°Just because Joe pushed Winona a little, and they''re retaliating. They rushed to make it a trending topic, trying to smear Mr. Field. They''re thinking too simplistically.¡± ¡°Desperate times call for desperate measures.¡± Lucas stood up from the couch, his tall figure instantly making the entire ward feel somewhat cramped. There was a fierce glint in Ashlyn''s eyes when she said, ¡°Well, it''s time we teach them a lesson.¡± As she spoke, she also rose to her feet, standing next to Lucas. She looked at James and said, ¡°We''re going home!¡± ¡°Ashlyn.¡± Charlotte stopped her. Ashlyn turned back to look at the young girl, ¡°What''s the matter? Is there something else?¡± Charlotte bit her lip, speaking softly, ¡°I''m going to participate in the International lie Competition abroad in a few days. Can youe watch mypetition?¡± Upon hearing that, Ashlyn suddenly felt a headacheing on. ¡°I almost forgot about that. I need to go too.¡± ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Lucas looked at her, puzzled. ¡°Yesterday, my mentor sent me a WhatsApp message, telling me to set off for the International lie Competition. He even arranged for me to be a guest performer and said that all my formal wear has been prepared.¡± Ashlyn let out a sigh. Caleb really knows how to make a fuss out of nothing. I simply don''t have the leisure time to be a guest performer. However, Caleb spoke with such sincerity that she found it hard to turn him down. The best course of action was to simply agree. ¡°So, you''re going too?¡± Charlotte felt a wave of relief wash over her, her smile shy and sweet. ¡°Being a guest performer at an internationalpetition like the International lie Competition is quite an achievement. I''ve heard they rarely invite Eurasia musicians, preferring those from Epea instead.¡± ¡°In the future, the whole world will be our Eurasian world,¡± Ashlyn said with a smile. ¡°By the way, which competition category did you sign up for? Is it piano?¡± Charlotte shook her head. ¡°It''s Mrs. Taylor who decided for me. Composition...¡± Ashlyn was taken aback. Charlotte''s piano skills are exceptional. If she were topete in the International lie Competition, she would undoubtedly shine, even securing the first prize, without a doubt. Yet, Mrs. Taylor asked her to join thepositionpetition. It''s obvious Mrs. Taylor is doing it on purpose. Composing music is all about innate talent. If one has a strong creative ability, one can try it. However, generally speaking, theposition awards are usually won by contestants with exceptional musical talent. Only those akin to experts can truly stand out in the field ofposition. ¡°Creating these things can be challenging. If you have aposition, you can take it directly to the competition. If not, you''ll have to create one on the spot.¡± Ashlyn turned to Charlotte and added, ¡°If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to tell me.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!