《Bogus Billionaire By Shining Riviera》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Caroline Evans was getting married. Not to her fianc¨¦, Eddy Morrison, whom she had loved for eight years. Instead, she was marrying a man she¡¯d only met for all of five minutes and knew very little about. ¡°You can still back out.¡± The man looked at Caroline cynically in the waiting room of City Hall. Caroline toyed nervously with the already creased hem of her shirt, Eddy¡¯s cold expression shing through her mind. Three days ago, Eddy, who usually avoided her like the gue, invited her over for dinner. When she received his call, she naively thought that her eight years of effort was finally paying off. She had dolled herself up and showed up eagerly. However, there were others besides Eddy waiting for her. Sitting in a wheelchair with her fingersced with Eddy¡¯s was a glowing, radiant La Evans, who was none other than her cousin. Before Caroline could take in their rtionship, Eddy dropped a bomb on her. ¡°If you donate your kidney to La, I¡¯ll marry you.¡± Caroline was dumbfounded. She stared at Eddy in disbelief. His gaze was cold and indifferent, with a hint of hatred, as if he was not looking at his fianc¨¦e of eight years but at a sworn enemy. Caroline was numb all over. She had been betrothed to Eddy since they were young. When she returned to the country at 16, she fell head over heels for him. For eight years, she¡¯d gained skills to be the perfect wife. She¡¯d learned to do theundry and cook. She¡¯d taken up music and art lessons. Despite knowing that he hated her, she loved him and was drawn to him like a moth to the me. All so that one day, he would see how great she was and agree sincerely to marry her. But now, reality hit her like a truck. Not only did Eddy not love her, he¡¯d fallen for her cousin. He was willing to sacrifice her to save the woman he loved. Eddy knew how much Caroline wanted to be his wife, yet he agreed to fulfill her wish only if she did the same for him. This was outright humiliation. All her love for him vanished in an instant and turned into hatred. She wanted to kill them. However, she was not even capable of protecting herself. Until now, Eddy¡¯s chilling words echoed in her ear. ¡°I¡¯m not negotiating with you. I¡¯m informing you. If you refuse, I could deny you the right to be Mrs. Morrison.¡± Caroline clenched her fists against the cold chair. Although it had already been three days, anger and disappointment surged in her chest whenever she thought of it. She knew that Eddy was not joking around. As the heir of the most prominent family in Osbury, he had enormous power to fulfill his goal. If it weren¡¯t for Jude Morrison, his grandfather, Eddy might not even have told her about it. He would have just dragged her to the surgical ward. Hence, to protect herself, she had to marry someone to prevent Eddy¡¯s n froming to fruition. Caroline gulped and replied, voice steely, ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Then, she looked at the man next to her. Kirk Morrison. He shared Eddy¡¯sst name. She had read the information written on his profile. He had nothing to do with the Morrisons she knew. He was just an ordinary white-cor worker. The only thread he shared inmon with them was that he was working in apany they owned. However, his ordinary background did not change the fact that he had an exquisite face, a tall figure, and broad shoulders. He was so perfectly sculpted that it was hard to spot any ws. When Caroline had firstid eyes on him, she thought he was the CEO of some well-establishedpany. ¡°Ms. Evans.¡± She¡¯d been staring at him for too long. Kirk had spoken in a low voice and had a smirk on his face. He was so alluring that it was hard to breathe. Caroline snapped back to reality and brushed strands of her hair back awkwardly, covering her blushing face. Kirk watched as she tried to hide her face and smiled. ¡°Do you still remember our three rules?¡± ¡°I do.¡± As Kirk watched, Caroline said, ¡°The marriage willst three years. We cannot involve our private matters in our marriage. Andst, we cannot fall in love with each other. We will end this marriage immediately if we find true love within these three years.¡± Kirk nodded in satisfaction. Caroline was perplexed. ¡°Why are you suddenly bringing this up?¡± He rubbed his fingertips together rxedly and lowered his head a little, his eyshes fluttering. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of you falling for me.¡± Caroline was instantly speechless. She took a few deep breaths before smiling bitterly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t like men.¡± She would never fall for anyone again. Having her heart broken once was enough. Kirk raised an eyebrow, his gaze as deep as an abyss. After a while, he lifted his head. ¡°That¡¯s good, then. Let¡¯s go.¡± The conversation had shifted too abruptly. Caroline was stunned for a moment before realizing that it was their turn to register their marriage. She got up, seeing a couple of newlyweds who had just received their marriage certificates and were beaming happily. Her vision blurred. She had had dreams of going through this with Eddy multiple times. In fact, while on the way to meet Kirk, she¡¯d still been considering marrying Eddy. But that same moment, she had received a call from Eddy. ¡°When are you going to the hospital?¡± he had said, sounding annoyed. When she heard that, Caroline found that she was not angry at all. Rather, ironically, she wanted to laugh. Was Eddy so sure that she would be willing to sacrifice everything just to marry him? Her hesitation and doubt had vanished at once. She grew even more determined to get married to someone else. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kirk said, pulling Caroline out of her thoughts. She retracted her gaze, sighing deeply. Tears flooded the corners of her eyes, but her look was cold. ¡°Nothing.¡± From now on, she and Eddy had nothing to do with each other. She felt relieved at the thought. Kirk could tell that some emotional baggage weighed her down, but he did not ask about it. He needed a wife, and Caroline hade rmended to him. Since they had the same needs, they got together at once. Since they were not too concerned about their future, enquiring about each other¡¯s past was unnecessary too. Half an hourter, they received their marriage certificate. Seeing it, Caroline ced a hand over her kidney, sighing in relief. With this marriage certificate, Eddy would no longer be able to force her to give up her kidney. She was safe for now. However, the second she thought of her parents, Caroline lowered her head. She hadn¡¯t had the time to tell anyone about this marriage, including her parents. Their wish was for her to marry Eddy Morrison, especially since the Evans family had been demoted to a lower-ss family despite having once been one of the four defining families in Osbury. They had high hopes for her to marry Eddy and bring their family back to their former glory. They would explode from anger if they learned that she had married some nobody. ¡°We should visit your parents next.¡± Kirk shoved the certificate into a pocket, revealing a gold watch under his white shirt when he took his hand back out. Although it was only a fake marriage, they had to do things the proper way. Caroline was shocked. ¡°Right ¡­ right now?¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Kirk looked at her. Caroline¡¯s red lips parted. She was unsure how to exin but was afraid he would overthink things. ¡°No. Let¡¯s go.¡± Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. It had to be done sooner orter. On the way over, she received a call from Eddy. Upon seeing the shing screen, Caroline¡¯s expression froze. She was reminded of how she¡¯d behaved in the past eight years¡ªshe used to be the one who called Eddy, asking about his day. But Eddy had never called her. She wouldn¡¯t have received an ounce of concern even if she were in the hospital undergoing surgery. But now, Eddy was calling Caroline for La¡¯s sake. There was no way Caroline couldpare to La. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to take that?¡± Kirk looked out of the window. He had been resting his eyes. Caroline looked at his perfect face. Although she couldn¡¯t see his expression, she felt like he was annoyed. She hesitated for a moment before finally picking up. Before she could even speak, Eddy¡¯s angry voice came from the speaker. ¡°Caroline! Get the fuck to the hospital now! Do you know how many specialists are waiting? Do you know how bad La feels? How can you be so selfish? I¡¯ve already agreed to fucking marry you. What else do you fucking want?¡± Caroline smiled bitterly. Although she knew that Eddy didn¡¯t like her, she never would have known how lowly he thought of her. If that was the case ¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t you know what I want?¡± Caroline¡¯s gaze grew cold. ¡°I want your love. Can you give it to me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re fucking shameless,¡± he mocked. ¡°I would never fall for a woman like you! Get your ass here now, Caroline, and you might still be Mrs. Morrison. If you¡¯rete, you¡¯ll get nothing!¡± Caroline looked up. She felt like even her heart was crying. ¡°I¡¯m already married,¡± she said. Then, she hung up. This was the first time she ever did that. How nice it felt not to have to wait in misery. On the other end of the call, Eddy trembled in hatred. Then, he sneered. Married? Caroline only wanted to marry him. How could she marry someone else? Her scheming was bing more and more absurd. She wanted to fake a marriage to negotiate with him! How scary she was! ¡­ After she hung up, the carpsed into silence. Kirk, who was looking out the window in annoyance, massaged his temples. The call had been too loud. He could hear everything without trying. On top of that, the man sounded familiar. He¡¯d heard it somewhere before. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that you don¡¯t like men,¡± he said, his charming voice filling the entire car. The sudden feeling of being understood made Caroline¡¯s tears fall like a river. She raised her head and tried to hold back her sobs. She said, gnashing her teeth, ¡°Men are all fucking dogs!¡± Kirk did not object. He merely nced at her. She was trembling all over. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel hard, and her knuckles were white. She was outraged. But despite that, her crystal eyes were determined, as if she had risen from the dead. She looked unafraid of what life could throw at her and was ready to break free of her chains and soar with her wings. Something stirred in Kirk¡¯s heart. ¡°I¡¯ll drive.¡± Caroline stopped sobbing. Kirk didn¡¯t dare to look into her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die.¡± Caroline was wordless. They swapped seats and went straight to Caroline¡¯s home without sharing a word between them. Reaching the entrance, Caroline had finally gathered her emotions. She looked at herself in the rearview mirror. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her lips looked pale and bloodless. Her skin was already fair to begin with, and she looked like a broken porcin doll. She put on some eyeshadow and lipstick and inspected herself before turning to Kirk. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Caroline looked like a different person with makeup on. Her beautiful eyes were bright, full of calmness and gentleness. Her lips were cherry red, seductive, and alluring. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there a problem?¡± Caroline looked into the mirror again. Kirk looked away, smirking. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would look this good.¡± It sounded different after he said it out loud. Caroline couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with him and anxiously looked at the vi, clutching her shirt. She took a deep breath and mustered up her courage before saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kirk looked at the way she entered her own home like she was walking to her execution and raised an eyebrow. Then, he followed behind her in amusement. ¡°Mom, Dad! I¡¯m home!¡± Caroline pushed the door open and looked into the living room. Dan Evans pushed up his sses in surprise when he saw her and weed her. ¡°Why are you back, Caroline?¡± After she came of age, she had moved to the city to take better care of Eddy. When she saw the wrinkles on her father¡¯s face, Caroline¡¯s eyes watered. She¡¯d spent all her time and energy on Eddy and hadn¡¯t noticed how old her parents had be. Thank goodness she¡¯d realized who she really should be caring for in time. ¡°Dad ¡­¡± ¡°And this is?¡± Dan instantly noticed Kirk, who was standing behind Caroline. With his sharp instincts, he knew there was more to this man than what was on the surface. Caroline said in hesitation, ¡°He¡¯s my ¡­¡± ¡°Carrie, you¡¯re back!¡± There was a gleeful exmation. A red figure rushed toward Caroline from the second floor. ¡°Eddy called me and said that you¡¯re going to get married. Is this true?¡± Caroline was stunned. ¡°What?¡± Eddy had gone ahead with the marriage by himself. Dan didn¡¯t notice his daughter¡¯s reaction and asked his wife excitedly, ¡°Is that true? Has Eddy finally agreed to marry Carrie?¡± They¡¯d been waiting for this moment for over a decade. When she saw how happy her parents were, she bit her lip. How despicable. Eddy had guessed urately that she would not go against her parents and was using them to coerce her! He would use every tactic in the book to achieve his goal. When Caroline felt like she was about to suffocate, Kirk rested his hand on her shoulder. His deep, charismatic voice sounded from above her head. ¡°Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Evans. I¡¯m Carrie¡¯s husband. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Caroline¡¯s heart thumped in her chest. It felt like a lifebuoy had been thrown to her in the open sea. She looked up and met Kirk¡¯s gaze. The amusement in his eyes had vanished, reced by deep emotion. For a second, even Caroline believed it. She quickly looked at Dan and Sarah White, her mother. They were so shocked that they both copsed onto the couch. After a beat, Dan reacted first. He looked at Caroline and asked, ¡°Carrie, what is this?¡± Before she could speak, Kirk shielded her behind him. Her mind went nk at the feeling of protection he gave her. He said in that husky voice of his, ¡°We just registered our marriage today. It was so rushed that we didn¡¯t get the chance to inform you.¡± Dan was furious, but he kept hisposure. ¡°Carrie!¡± Caroline gritted her teeth and said, ¡°What he¡¯s saying is true. I married him because I didn¡¯t want to marry¡ª¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Sarah rushed toward her and squeezed her shoulders. ¡°What happened, Carrie? Didn¡¯t you always like Eddy? Now that he¡¯s finally agreeing to marry you, why are you¡ª¡± Then, she looked at Kirk warily and said in a low voice, ¡°Tell me, have you been threatened?¡± Sensing that her mother had misunderstood Kirk, Caroline hurriedly said, ¡°No one forced me to do anything. I just don¡¯t want to marry a man who doesn¡¯t love me!¡± She was exhausted. She did not want to carry on anymore. Sarah¡¯s fingernails dug into Caroline¡¯s flesh. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re saying, Carrie? From the moment you got engaged to Eddy, we raised you to be his wife. You are going to marry him to elevate our family, not for love!¡± Caroline¡¯s shoulders hurt so badly that she sucked in a breath of air. ¡°Mom ¡­¡± She looked at Dan. Dan looked at her in disappointment. ¡°Carrie, divorce him immediately before Eddy finds out! You are Eddy¡¯s wife. How could you be so foolish?¡± He frowned as he said thatst sentence. Whatever warmth he had toward Kirk was now all gone. Caroline saw red. She didn¡¯t care if there was an outsider present. ¡°Do you know why Eddy agreed to marry me?¡± Dan turned away. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it. Divorce this man immediately.¡± Caroline was stunned. Heartache welled up her chest. Looking at her father¡¯s back, she said pitifully, ¡°He said that he would marry me if I donated my kidney to La.¡± The room fell into silence. Dan and Sarah met each other¡¯s conflicted gaze. Kirk lifted his gazezily, looking at Caroline¡¯s parents. He frowned slightly. A part of him felt ufortable. He couldn¡¯t describe why. Caroline sniffed and continued, ¡°You know how I¡¯ve cared for him these eight years. But he never loved me and got together with La when he was still engaged to me. Now, he wants to use my kidney to save La. I can¡¯t imagine what would happen if we married. If La wanted my life, he¡ª¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t go on anymore. La was her uncle¡¯s daughter. Caroline had spent all of her effort on Eddy and hadn¡¯t spent much time with her cousin. Although their bond was not very strong, Caroline tirelessly helped in the search for apatible donor when La¡¯s kidneys began deteriorating half a year ago. But in the end, they weren¡¯t just ungrateful. They both stabbed her in the back, demanding a kidney from her without prior discussion. They wouldn¡¯t do this to a stranger, much less family. Sarah looked at her husband wordlessly, both of them reaching a mutual agreement. Then, she tugged Caroline¡¯s hand gently. ¡°Carrie, I know you¡¯re upset, but think about it. Donating a kidney wouldn¡¯t affect you in any way, and you¡¯d be able to save La and be Eddy¡¯s wife. It¡¯s killing two birds with one stone. What a wonderful thing that is!¡± Caroline turned cold. ¡°What are you talking about, Mom?¡± Eddy had betrayed her. Why did she have to make him and his mistress happy? She looked at Dan beseechingly, but he looked at the ceiling. ¡°You¡¯re not a child anymore, Caroline. It¡¯s a fair trade. Don¡¯t be stubborn.¡± ¡°Fair trade.¡± Caroline trembled. She nearly fell, but Kirk pulled her up by her wrist. She stood squarely on her feet and looked bitterly at her parents, who had doted on her since she was small. If Eddy¡¯s betrayal had hit her like a truck, her parents¡¯ words were hitting her like an army tank. ¡°So, in your eyes, my happiness is not as important as marrying Eddy and taking the Evanses to greater heights.¡± Fat tears fell from her eyes. She could no longer hold back the frustration that she had been umting within her. She turned and ran out of the house. She couldn¡¯t take it anymore. How could her loving parents not understand her either? Dan and Sarah were about to run after her, but Kirk blocked them off coldly. His face was devoid of warmth. ¡°The damage has been done. There¡¯s no use pretending anymore.¡± His words hit the nail right on the head. Dan yelled guiltily, ¡°What right do you have to stop us? Caroline is our daughter.¡± ¡°So you know that.¡± Kirk scoffed sarcastically. ¡°I thought she was your maid considering how you talked to her.¡± Then, he stepped back and looked down at both of them. ¡°She is my wife. I will not let anyone hurt her. Not even her parents.¡± His domineering aura stunned Dan for a couple of seconds before he snapped out of his trance. He yelled at Kirk, ¡°Who the fuck are you to lecture us? You must divorce her at once, or I¡¯ll make your life in Osbury a living hell!¡± But Kirk had already left the house. He ignored Dan¡¯s angerpletely. Once he was out of the house, Kirk looked at the woman slumped against the steering wheel, her shoulders heaving as she sobbed. He stopped in his footsteps. He needed a wife to stave off unwanted troubles. He had already attained his goal. He did not have to care about things like this. He turned, but the determination that was in Caroline¡¯s eyes despite her bitter desperation shed through his mind. He frowned in annoyance and strode forward. But then, he stopped and looked back at that meek figure again. He turned around and strode toward the car, pulling the door open. He nudged her and said crossly, ¡°Move over.¡± Still wallowing in her sorrow, Caroline looked up numbly. Before she could react, a pair of hands circled her waist. In an instant, she was cradled in Kirk¡¯s arms. She was so stunned that she forgot to cry. Her beautiful eyes looked at Kirk in shock. ¡°What ¡­ what are you doing?¡± They had agreed that this would be a fake marriage.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Kirk shoved her into the passenger seat with a steely face. He then got into the driver¡¯s seat and shut the door. Caroline was so startled that she jumped a little. She snuck a nce at Kirk¡¯s unpleasant expression, perplexed. She was the one who should be angry. Why did he look more enraged than she was? At once, Kirk started the car and sped into the distance. Caroline nearly flew out of her seat. She grabbed the handhold tightly, her voice sounding distorted in the wind. ¡°What are you doing?¡± It was as if Kirk hadn¡¯t heard anything. He stepped on the gas, staring straight ahead as if he were a beast in the night. At once, the Audi A6 sped through the streets like a rushing river. Caroline turned pale. She could barely hold on. The wind swept her questions away, her voice drowned in the breeze. Finally, Caroline stopped struggling and let the wind tousle her hair. Kirk was like a madman, driving her toward the unknown. Three days ago, she¡¯d thought about dying. But suicide would hurt too much, and she couldn¡¯t bear to do it. Besides, she felt that even if her parents wished for her to be Mrs. Morrison, they would understand her when they heard Eddy¡¯s oundish request. This was why she had the guts to let them meet Kirk. But in their eyes, elevating the Evans family was more important than her happiness. 20-something years of joy evaporated in an instant. The wind beat violently against her face. She had no more tears left to cry. Her heart was just dead. The car gradually slowed down. She looked out of the window, numb. They were at the seaside. Only a few people were on the beach during the sunset, appearing like ants moving around on the sand. Clouds decorated the entire sky, floating inrge shapes of orange and red. It was a tranquil scene. Caroline had lived in Osbury for many years but never knew such a beautiful ce existed here. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to take a look?¡± Kirk askedzily. Caroline looked at him. The anger had dissipated from his face, as if her eyes had merely yed tricks on her earlier. He had one hand on the steering wheel while the other rested on the seat. He stared out at the beach beyond. He wasid back but haughty. His tousled hair made his perfect face even more enchanting. Although she knew that he was a nobody, her heart thumped. She looked down hurriedly, avoiding that scorching gaze of his. ¡°No.¡± Just looking at the ce from afar was enough. Kirk shifted his gaze to the woman¡¯s animated yet dejected eyes. He remembered those determined but embittered eyes. His fingers grazed the steering wheel, and he looked at an eagle that was soaring high above. ¡°Haven¡¯t you thought about taking revenge?¡± Caroline was bewildered. ¡°Your fianc¨¦.¡± Kirk felt around his chest, then remembered his current persona and that he hadn¡¯t brought a cigar with him. His fingers went back to the steering wheel. ¡°He sounds like a bastard. Don¡¯t you want to take revenge on him?¡± Caroline smiled, her gaze misty. ¡°Of course I have. But I don¡¯t have the ability to do that.¡± Eddy was the heir of the Morrisons. He could crush her like an ant. Now that she thought about it, it was only because of Jude that she was allowed to be close to him. Once Jude stepped down, Eddy¡¯s hatred for her might just drive him to kill her. ¡°I can help you with that,¡± Kirk said nonchntly. He looked at Caroline and then at the eagle, which had swooped into the sea and caught a fish in its beak. Once he said those words, he felt at ease. Caroline smiled. ¡°Thanks for the offer. You¡¯re a good person. However, he¡¯s not just anybody.¡± Amusement shed through Kirk¡¯s eyes when he heard Caroline¡¯s praise of him. A good person? He¡¯d been alive for almost 30, but no one had ever called him a good person during this time. And just based on that ¡­ ¡°My promises expire. But as long as you say the word, I can help you with your revenge.¡± Caroline smiled, not exining further. ¡°Sure.¡± But she couldn¡¯t help thinking what Kirk¡¯s face would look like if he knew that Eddy was the one he had to take revenge on. Right this moment, Kirk¡¯s phone rang. He took it out, his expression shifting when he saw the number. He opened the door and walked a distance away before saying, ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Sir, the driver who caused the car crash has passed away. We could not retrieve any useful information.¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze was so sharp it could cut ss. He was apletely different person. ¡°Only a few people know that I¡¯vee back. Keep an eye on them.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± His underling paused, then continued, ¡°Old Mr. Morrison called. He wants to invite you to a party. You ¡­¡± Kirk looked at Caroline, who was staring nkly at the sky. ¡°Get it in order.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The underling understood at once. Kirk hung up and walked toward Caroline. He crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°I have some matters to tend to.¡± ¡°You can go. You don¡¯t have to bother about me.¡± Caroline forced a vibrant smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Kirk swept his gaze over her. ¡°Sure. And if you¡¯re not, don¡¯t say it¡¯s my fault.¡± Caroline was speechless. Why did he have to talk like that? ¡­ Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. After Kirk left in a cab, Caroline received a call from her friend, Gwen Jameson. Gwen was seething when the call went through. ¡°Carrie, that bastard Eddy got together with La. I went to see my mother and¡ª¡± ¡°I already know about that.¡± Before Gwen could ask, Caroline told her everything that had happened in the past few days. After Gwen learned of it all, she was so furious she wanted to flip a table over. ¡°Fuck this shit! They¡¯re so good at keeping shit in the dark that we never saw their scheme. You aren¡¯t letting them go scot- free, are you?¡± ¡°What else can I do?¡± Caroline was exasperated. ¡°I married someone just so that I wouldn¡¯t have to donate my kidney. How can someone like me take revenge on them?¡± ¡°Hold up. What ¡­ what did you say? Married? Are you married now?¡± Gwen began coughing and spluttering. It went on for a few minutes before she roared, ¡°Who did you marry? Fuck, he¡¯s not Eddy¡¯s rtive, is he? This is such sweet revenge! If Eddy finds out abou Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Caroline was amused by Gwen¡¯s outburst. ¡°You¡¯ve read too many romance novels. I just picked him off the street. He has nothing to do with the Morrisons. The only thing they have inmon is that he works in one of theirpanies.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Gwen was disappointed. ¡°So he¡¯s Eddy¡¯s employee. Doesn¡¯t that mean that Eddy can bully you whenever he wants?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Caroline¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°He ¡­ probably wouldn¡¯t because of Old Mr. Morrison. Besides, I¡¯m already married. Eddy probably won¡¯te and bother me anymore.¡± Gwen rxed a little, but when she thought of Eddy¡¯s harassment, she felt angry on her friend¡¯s behalf. ¡°If it were up to me, I¡¯d have beaten up that man. Does he not know how much you wanted to marry him?¡± Caroline said, ¡°It¡¯s already in the past, Gwen. In the future, Eddy and I will be our own people. We will not interfere with each other.¡± ¡°So your marriage ¡­¡± Gwen hesitated. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been made known to Old Mr. Morrison yet, has it? If hees to know about it, he¡¯ll be sad.¡± Caroline had just begun to feel calm, but now she was worried again. She felt guilty when Jude was brought up. It was him who had finalized her engagement with Eddy. When the Evanses met their demise, everyone waited for him to retract his statement and turn her into a joke, yet he hadn¡¯t done that at all. Instead, he¡¯d publicly announced that she was the only person he would ept as his granddaughter-inw. Because of her, he and Eddy had argued several times. Now that things had ended up this way, Caroline only felt guilty toward Jude. ¡°I¡¯ll tell him tonight,¡± Caroline said. She would rather have him hear it from herself than from someone else. Gwen was worried. ¡°Do you need me to go with you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°He cares for me so much. He won¡¯t do anything to me.¡± ¡­ In the glittering halls of Starlust Hotel, Jude Morrison was sitting in the highest chair as a symbol of his power and status and was talking to Kirk Morrison. He chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re the one that my brother nurtured, after all. You¡¯re ten years younger than Thomas, but you handle things with suchposure. He can¡¯t do that.¡± Thomas, Eddy¡¯s father, sat below Jude. He had a beer belly, but one could tell that he was once a handsome man. ¡°What Dad means,¡± Thomas said, unable to conceal the admiration for his younger brother, Kirk, ¡°is that being able to put down all the things you were doing overseas to rush back home is an incredible feat that not many people can do.¡± Kirk was pleasantly surprised by their praise. He brushed his finger against his lips elegantly. ¡°Thank you, Thomas and Uncle Jude. Our country has been developing rapidly. I only came back because I saw themercial potential in it.¡± Jude nodded slightly. Then, he said sorrowfully, ¡°What a pity your father hadn¡¯te home with you. Otherwise, my brother and I would have been able to get together again.¡± Kirk¡¯s eyes turned cold. He said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that he didn¡¯te then. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to see us.¡± Jude knitted his eyebrows together. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°We had a car ident at the airport.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jude said anxiously. ¡°Were you hurt?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± The old man sank into his chair, then asked concernedly, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The cars collided with each other. Both drivers died.¡± ¡°Does that mean we can¡¯t find out if this was deliberate or idental?¡± Jude¡¯s wits were sharp, and he caught on quickly. Kirk had been observing his expression. He confirmed that the old man was indeed clueless before saying, ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why I need your help.¡± ¡°Of course I will help,¡± he said. ¡°Your father and I are brothers. I would have investigated it without you even mentioning it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Uncle Jude. But I don¡¯t want to bother you with that,¡± Kirk refused politely. ¡°I will get to the bottom of it. Not many people know that I¡¯ve returned. I think I¡¯ll be able to find the truth very soon. However, I¡¯d like you to help me stop any news regarding my return.¡± Jude said in a low voice, ¡°Are you suspecting foul y by the other families?¡± He had only told the other threerge families of Osbury about Kirk¡¯s return. Kirk¡¯s slender fingers ran along the surface of the table. He did not answer but said determinedly, ¡°I just hope that you¡¯ll be able to help me.¡± Jude hesitated for a moment, raising an eyebrow. Then, he broke the somber atmosphere with a chuckle. ¡°Of course.¡± He looked at Thomas and changed the topic. ¡°Where¡¯s Eddy? Why isn¡¯t he here?¡± Thomas replied, ¡°He might have gotten dyed because of work. He would have rushed here otherwise. He¡¯s been wanting to see Kirk.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jude said, smiling. ¡°Ever since meeting you a couple of times overseas, he began admiring you. I watched him grow up, yet I¡¯ve never seen him respect anyone else so much.¡± Kirk put on a smile. His thoughts wandered to Caroline. Eddy? Wasn¡¯t her fianc¨¦ also called Eddy? Would it be too much of a coincidence? ¡°Kirk?¡± Thomas waved a hand at him. Kirk retracted his gaze and looked at Thomas. Thomas teased, ¡°What are you thinking about? You were so deep in thought.¡± Kirk¡¯s expression froze. Daydreaming was a sin to him. But because of that woman, he hadmitted it. ¡°My dad was asking if you¡¯re married.¡± Kirk collected his thoughts and sat up straight. ¡°Yes.¡± Jude¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°When did that happen? Your father called me before you returned, and he told me to find you a partner. How did you find one so fast?¡± So, that had happened. Kirk replied, ¡°I met her a few days ago. It was love at first sight, so we got married. But because it was too rushed, I didn¡¯t manage to tell anyone about it.¡± ¡°What a pity.¡± Jude took out a photo. ¡°I had even prepared someone for you. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d find one so quickly. If only Eddy were as decisive as you, I wouldn¡¯t be so worried.¡± When he thought of Eddy and Caroline¡¯s marriage, Jude sighed. He couldn¡¯t understand why Eddy wouldn¡¯t fall for the knowledgeable and capable Caroline. ¡°Sir,¡± the butler said, knocking before he came in. He brought a phone to Jude. He said softly, ¡°It¡¯s Ms. Evans.¡± Jude smiled at once. He took the phone and said dotingly, ¡°How are you, Carrie? Why are you calling me so suddenly? Oh? Do you have something to say to me? Alright, you cane here. I¡¯m in Starlust Hotel. I¡¯ll get someone to bring you here.¡± Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Half an hourter, Caroline was in the car that Jude had prepared and headed toward Starlust Hotel. Only after she had arrived did she learn from the butler that it was a party. ¡°Is Eddy here, too?¡± Caroline asked. She absolutely did not want to see him. The butler, however, misunderstood. He smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Evans. He¡¯ll be here soon.¡± Caroline was speechless. Would she be able to leave in time? But then, the door opened. Caroline had nowhere to go. Thus, she greeted, ¡°Grandpa.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Jude smiled when he saw Caroline. ¡°Come, Carrie. Sit here with me.¡± She sat next to him. Just then, she realized that everyone had yet to begin eating. They were probably waiting for someone important to arrive. As if reading her mind, Jude said with a chuckle, ¡°We¡¯re here to celebrate Eddy¡¯s uncle¡¯s return to the country.¡± Although Kirk had asked to keep this a secret, Jude had faith in Caroline. He believed that she would not be loose-lipped. Caroline was dazed for a moment before remembering that Jude had a brother who had moved out of the country when he was young and single-handedly created a business empire. Rumor had it that his son was even better, turning thepany into thergest in the country. However, he kept a low profile and never appeared on the news. Caroline began feeling excited to see this miraculous person tonight. Right then, the door opened once again. Caroline looked over at once, but her gaze turned cold instantly. Eddy¡¯s smile froze on his face. He could not conceal the hatred in his eyes. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Caroline sucked in her hatred for him and said expressionlessly, ¡°To see Grandpa.¡± Eddy sneered. She was here to tell on him, wasn¡¯t she? He hated incapable women who told tales to his family the most. He ignored her and nced around the room. ¡°Where¡¯s Uncle?¡± ¡°He¡¯s gone out to take a phone call.¡± Jude looked at him and then at Caroline. ¡°Your uncle is already married. Isn¡¯t it time for you too, Eddy?¡± Caroline¡¯s heart thumped. She grabbed the hem of her shirt. ¡°Grandpa ¡­¡± Eddy¡¯s voice was louder than hers. ¡°It¡¯s up to you, Grandpa.¡± Caroline was stunned. Before, when Jude brought up marriage, Eddy had opposed it. Now, to obtain her kidney, he tried to manipte his grandfather. She tightened her fists under the table. But Jude and Thomas were smiling hard. This was Eddy¡¯s first time agreeing to the marriage. As if afraid that he would go back on his word, they asked Caroline, ¡°What do you think, Carrie?¡± Caroline took multiple deep breaths and calmed down abruptly. Since he was being merciless, she would not hold back either. She lowered her gaze and said shyly, ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t mind, Grandpa.¡± Jude¡¯sughter filled the room. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. I will get someone to arrange a date for you.¡± Eddy nced at Caroline, thinking that she was probably over the moon. His disgust toward her grew stronger. But then, Caroline said timidly, ¡°Grandpa, I have more to say.¡± Everyone looked at her. She bit her lip as if making a tough decision. ¡°Since we¡¯ve decided to marry ¡­ may I ask that Eddy keep his mistress in order?¡± Then, she added, ¡°I¡¯m not angry. He can have all the girlfriends he wants. I just don¡¯t want this to upset our marriage so soon.¡± At once, the entire room fell silent. Eddy¡¯s face was scarlet. He only had La, but Caroline had made it seem like he had a whole harem. Jude hated infidelity the most. She¡¯d done this on purpose! He lowered his gaze. ¡°Do you have any proof of that?¡± He and La had been careful. They¡¯d been together for three years without anyone noticing. Caroline batted her eyes, choking out, ¡°I didn¡¯t quite believe it until I saw the videos. I didn¡¯t think that you would have so many women besides me, Eddy.¡± Eddy sneered. She was really getting into it. ¡°Why don¡¯t you show us your evidence?¡± Caroline sobbed. ¡°I deleted them after seeing them. They¡¯ll just hurt me if I keep them.¡± Then, she wiped away her tears and smiled. ¡°If we¡¯re happy together, I won¡¯t bring this up again.¡± Eddy¡¯s face was as sour as a lemon. He¡¯d been fooled. Caroline had no such videos, but she knew that Jude had absolute faith in her. Even without evidence, he would take her side. And, as expected, Jude raised his cane in anger and whacked Eddy hard with it. ¡°You little shit! How could our family raise a joke like you?¡± Jude¡¯s cane was custom-made. It was silent when making contact, but even a gentle tap would cause painful injuries. Eddy¡¯s back was quickly stained with blood. His face was as ck as thunder, and he nearly fell. Before, Caroline would be upset at such a sight. But now, she felt that Eddy deserved it. She looked up, just happening to catch his gaze. The corners of Caroline¡¯s lips lifted ever so slightly. She tugged on Jude¡¯s arm meekly, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Grandpa. It¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have said all those things.¡± He put his cane down with a huff. ¡°Look at you! Look at Carrie and how sensible she is! Go back and cut off all your shameful rtionships, or I¡¯ll never forgive you!¡± This was Eddy¡¯s first time being beaten, and it was at the hands of the woman he looked down on the most. He was furious, but he had to admit defeat. ¡°I was wrong, Grandpa.¡± Everyone knew how much Jude doted on Caroline. Since Eddy had yet to seed him, he had to suck it up. Jude calmed down. ¡°You have to be a good husband to Caroline in the future, understood?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Eddy looked at the smile behind Caroline¡¯s eyes, clenching his fists so hard that his knuckles crackled. His heart was stone cold. ¡°Just you wait, Caroline! Once we get married, I will give you a taste of hell,¡± Eddy thought. Meanwhile, Caroline smiled calmly at Eddy¡¯s cold gaze. She had been tolerant, but Eddy kept pushing her to the brink. Since that was the case, she would teach him a lesson in whatever way she could. If he wanted to force her to marry him, they would see who could hold out longest. Seeing that things were heating up, Thomas said, ¡°Eddy, your uncle isn¡¯t here yet. Go and see if he¡¯s lost.¡± Eddy didn¡¯t want to stay here any longer, anyway. He took the chance to leave. ¡°I¡¯m going to find him, Grandpa.¡± Jude waved him away. He was his grandson, after all. Seeing that he had agreed to marry Caroline, he would not argue with him for too long as long as he behaved from now on. Caroline stood as well. ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom, Grandpa.¡± She needed to take a breather. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Eddy and Caroline both walked out of the hall. The second they were out the door, Eddy grabbed her by her neck. ¡°Don¡¯t think that you¡¯re invincible just because my grandfather favors you!¡± Caroline could hardly breathe, but the smile on her face remained. She choked. ¡°Well, you should stop thinking about using my kidney the price for marriage and clear things up with Grandpa soon. Otherwise, there¡¯s no telling what else I¡¯ll say.¡± Eddy trembled violently. The Caroline before him seemed to have changed. She was no longer obedient like amb. He tightened his grip and warned, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare think of ying any games. I will never call the marriage off. You will give your kidney to La!¡± Then, he turned and left. Caroline watched as he left, suddenly unable to understand how she had fallen for him eight years ago. However, she did not dwell upon it. She turned, about to ask an employee about what happened to Eddy¡¯s uncle, when she caught sight of Kirk not far away. She couldn¡¯t quite see his expression under the dim light he was standing in. His immactely tailored suit showcased his perfect figure. His aura was dominant, like someone far more superior. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Caroline frowned. Starlust Hotel was the most prestigious hotel in Osbury. Only the Morrisons coulde here. Kirk did not answer her question. Instead, he gazed at her. ¡°Is Eddy your fianc¨¦?¡± He wasn¡¯t sure at first, but then Jude had called her Carrie. He began to wonder if such coincidences could even exist and got his assistant to dig around about Caroline. That phone call was from his assistant. Once he found out that Caroline was Eddy¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Kirk began growing suspicious of the partner he¡¯d married. Caroline was not surprised at all that Kirk knew about her fianc¨¦. Everyone in Osbury knew it. She admitted, ¡°Yes. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± At once, Kirk lifted her chin. She was forced to look up into his piercing gaze. It was like he was about to interrogate a criminal. Just then, he leaned in closer, and the fragrance of mint permeated the air and invaded her senses. Her mind went nk, and she stammered, ¡°What ¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡± Kirk did not move. He was still staring at her. Caroline froze, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She turned her face slightly to avoid being assaulted by his handsome face and said weakly, ¡°You scared me.¡± Her voice had a meek tone to it. Kirk¡¯s gaze darkened, and he tightened his grip, leaving a mark on Caroline¡¯s pale face. She inhaled sharply and met his gaze. ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± Her eyes were as bright as the moon. Kirk grew frustrated under her gaze and turned away slightly. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Caroline was dazed. ¡°Kirk Morrison.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. He narrowed his eyes, his gaze turning sharp. There was not a trace of artifice to be found in her eyes. Either this was a coincidence, or she was a great actor. He let her go in irritation. The tips of his fingers remained mildly warm, but his gaze turned icy cold. ¡°We will divorce tomorrow.¡± ¡°Why?¡± This was too sudden. Kirk tugged at his tie, no longer looking at her. ¡°We will meet at City Hall at nine in the morning.¡± Then, he walked past Caroline and strode off. Caroline hurried after him. ¡°Are you worried that Eddy wille after you? Don¡¯t worry. He doesn¡¯t love me. He won¡¯t trouble you at all.¡± Eddy just wanted her kidney. He didn¡¯t care who she married. Kirk¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, and he walked even quicker. For a second there, he almost didn¡¯t want to divorce her anymore. He must¡¯ve gone absolutely mad! Caroline was left behind in the dust. She watched as he disappeared, leaning dejectedly against the wall. Was it her destiny to trade her kidney for marriage? In her agitated state, she did not realize that the butler had appeared. She only snapped back to reality when he called out to her. Worried, he said, ¡°Ms. Evans, is everything alright?¡± She was in a daze, yet she answered, ¡°Yes. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Mr. Morrison has arrived. Jude told me to tell you,¡± the butler replied. At least she could meet that mysterious uncle. Caroline gathered her emotions and followed the butler back to the hotel. However, there was no uncle in it. Even Eddy had disappeared. Jude exined, ¡°They left because of an emergency. You would have seen him if you¡¯de a second earlier.¡± Caroline was thoroughly dejected. However, to avoid worrying him, she finished dinner with Jude. Caroline was exhausted when she left the hotel. She sat in her car, not wanting to move at all. Just then, Gwen called and said anxiously, ¡°Babe, I have do pull overtime tonight. Can you send dinner to my mom?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t want Gwen to sense anything was wrong, so she said breezily, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Mwah! I love you, babe. I¡¯ll treat you to dinner once I get my bonus.¡± They chatted for a little while before hanging up. Then, Caroline got the driver to turn around and send her to the hospital. When she arrived, she bought some porridge and a few pastries before heading into the sick ward. She was passing through the garden when she happened to bump into La being wheeled around by a nurse. In fact, upon closer inspection, a whole posse of attendants was attending to her. One of them had a cup of coffee in their hands, and someone else was fanning her. Anyone would mistake this as the queen parading around the hospital. Caroline wanted to ignore them, but then she heard one of them saying, ¡°He¡¯s so good to you, Mrs. Morrison. Hees to see you every day and brings you jewelry. I¡¯m so envious!¡± ¡°And he¡¯s so worried that one caretaker isn¡¯t enough, so he hired a dozen at once. He loves you so much.¡± La managed to spot Caroline with her sharp eyes and purposefully spoke louder. ¡°Eddy really loves me!¡± If it were before, Caroline would have turned away and left. But today, she was in a bad mood. On top of that, the viin was right before her eyes. She was not going to let it go. Caroline turned and walked toward the glowing, non-sickly La. ¡°What a coincidence, cousin.¡± Then, without warning, she dumped the porridge over La¡¯s head. ¡°I thought I saw a boulder moving around, but it seems it was just your thick-skinned self.¡± The porridge was piping hot. At once, La¡¯s agonized screams filled the air in the garden Chapter 8 Chapter 8 It was then that everyone reacted. They pushed Caroline over frantically and wiped the porridge off La. But even so, her scalp was burning. Her tears fell inrge drops on the ground. The nurse barked, ¡°Who are you? Do you know who you¡¯ve angered?¡± Caroline replied coldly, ¡°I¡¯m Eddy¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡± Everyone was stunned. They began looking at La with different eyes. La panicked before she began exining anxiously, ¡°Your engagement was just a formality. There was no rtionship at all. What Eddy and I have is true love. Could you give him back to me?¡± Everyone looked at Caroline in disdain. Caroline scoffed. What a bitch her cousin was. She crossed her arms and said calmly, ¡°Since your rtionship is so pure, why hasn¡¯t Eddy nullified our engagement in front of Grandpa? Could he be lying to you?¡± La¡¯s face was distorted. Many people were around, and she had to maintain herposure. She bit her lip. ¡°I know you¡¯re upset because you have to donate your kidney to save me, Caroline. I know. I¡¯ll kill myself so that you won¡¯t be upset anymore.¡± Then, she wheeled herself toward a pir and crashed into it. Back then, Caroline would back down. But she was no longer the person she was before. She said breezily, ¡°Okay, crash into it again. Harder, alright? It¡¯s best if you die anyway. When that time comes, everyone, including Grandpa, will know of all the shameless things that you and Eddy have done!¡± La paused in her actions. She couldn¡¯t keep crashing into the pir, but she couldn¡¯t back down either. She had not expected that Caroline, who used to care about Eddy so much, would say something like that. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. She tightened her fists, threw herself off the wheelchair, and began crawling toward Caroline. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think it is, Caroline. Eddy only arranged for me to stay in the hospital because he pitied me. Nothing is going on between us! Honest!¡± ¡°Oh? Then what were they doing calling you Mrs. Morrison?¡± Caroline smiled insincerely. She wasn¡¯t buying La¡¯s performance. La turned pale. ¡°They¡¯ve misunderstood ¡­ they ¡­ they just saw how much Eddy cared for me and thought that ¡­ that we were ¡­¡± Caroline got up and yanked La¡¯s chin up. ¡°Well, then you must remember to wait until your cousin is done before grabbing what¡¯s hers. Got it?¡± La was stunned. The Caroline before her was arrogant and confident. She was no longer putting Eddy above her own interests. La had never been threatened like this before. Caroline couldn¡¯t be bothered anymore, so she went to buy more porridge. ¡­ After sending Gwen¡¯s mother her dinner and chatting with her for a while, Caroline went downstairs. The car from the Morrisons was still waiting for her. Caroline got in and said, ¡°Sorry for making you wait for so long, sir.¡± The driver was wearing a mask. He spoke in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s no problem, Ms. Evans.¡± She yawned and looked at the time. It was already 11 pm. ¡°Just send me to Fergley.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The car began moving forward. Caroline yawned once more. Her eyelids began to droop. This was weird. Why was she suddenly so tired? She usually only slept at two or three in the morning. She rubbed her temples as she grew more and more exhausted. Perhaps she hadn¡¯t been resting well these past few days. There was still a distance left before she reached her house, anyway. She might as well sleep for a while. She rxed. Soon, she passed out weakly on the car seat. The driver saw this and sighed in relief, then turned back toward the hospital. Meanwhile, on the highest floor of Fergley, Kirk looked out the floor-length windows at the city with a ss of wine in one hand and the other in his pocket. The metropolis was alight with potential. However, his thoughts were upied with that woman. He drank his wine in frustration, unable to suppress the emotions in his heart. His good friend, Sean Yates, had not stoppedughing since he came in. ¡°You married Eddy¡¯s fianc¨¦e. Oh, I¡¯m going to dieughing.¡± Kirk nced at him sharply. Sean stoppedughing at once and asked seriously, ¡°Do you really want to divorce her? What if your father finds out that you¡¯re not married yet, and tells you to marry?¡± While overseas, only one person pressured him to marry. But now, hisrge family was doing the same thing to him back home. Kirk had decided to marry because of that. He narrowed his eyes. Sean had not expected him to answer. He held up Caroline¡¯s photo, clicking his tongue. ¡°She¡¯s pretty. Can you really bear to let go of her?¡± Kirk gulped down the wine. The sweet taste was bitter on his tongue. Coldly, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t like trouble.¡± Sean said nothing more after that. Kirk had made his decision. No one could change his mind when that happened. Right at that moment, a ringtone shattered the silence. Sean picked it up and listened to the person on the other end, surprised. ¡°You¡¯ve found a kidney donor already? Alright, I¡¯ll head over this instant.¡± Then, he hung up and said, ¡°There¡¯s something I have to tend to at the hospital. I¡¯m going to head over now.¡± Kirk nodded carelessly. Sean walked a few steps, then said, ¡°You should reconsider the divorce. I think Caroline¡¯s not bad.¡± Then, he left. The office, which had momentarily been flooded with light,psed into darkness once more. Only the dark red liquid swirled mysteriously in the ss as if a snake trying to hypnotize its prey. In the hospital, Caroline¡¯s eyes opened groggily. She wanted to sit up but realized her limbs were shackled; she had no way to move. Caroline looked around in panic before realizing that she was in a surgical ward. Her blood turned cold. At once, she thought of Eddy. He must have tampered with something in the car so that she would pass out. She struggled in vain. When she was about to give up, the door opened, and Eddy walked in, dressed in scrubs and a mask. When he saw Caroline, his gaze grew sharper than a surgical knife. After leaving the hotel, he went to the jewelry shop to make a custom ne for La. But then, when he got to the hospital, he saw her kneeling pitifully at the door to the ward. She was covered in porridge, and her knee was scraped. When he learned that this was Caroline¡¯s doing, he flew into such a temper that he practically destroyed the room. Once he calmed down and realized that she was still in the hospital, he swapped out the driver and drugged the car. When Caroline passed out, he tied her to the operating table. He looked down at her arrogantly. ¡°Feels good to be a bully, doesn¡¯t it? Does it feel great now that you¡¯re the one being bullied?¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin things. She shook the handcuffs, screaming, ¡°Let me go, Eddy! Aren¡¯t you afraid of Grandpa finding out?¡± Eddy smiled cruelly. ¡°Once he learns about it, we¡¯ll already be married. When that timees, I¡¯ll tell him that you used your kidney to threaten me into marriage, and I only married you out of pity for La.¡± Then, he turned to the doctor behind him and said, ¡°It¡¯s up to you now, Dr. Yates.¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Sean was standing a distance away from the table and could not see what Carolien looked like. He nodded at Eddy¡¯s words. As the most skilled kidney specialist in the world, a surgery like this was child¡¯s y to him. He only came back to handle this surgery because of Kirk. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave. The rest is in your hands,¡± Eddy said to Sean before turning to leave. At this moment, outside City Hall, Kirk got down the car, attracting the attention of many. He wore ordinary clothes, and his car was nothing extraordinary. However, his bearing made him stand out among the crowd, and with his handsome features and perfectly sculpted figure, it was hard to go unnoticed. Kirk was standing alone at the door, faced with their attention. He looked at the watch on his wrist, revealing the smooth contours of his muscles. It was already ten minutes past nine, but Caroline had not yet appeared. He did not like tardy people. He called Caroline on his phone, but no one answered. This made him frown slightly. He was about to call her again, but then a Rolls-Royce approached City Hall. Rolls-Royces weremon in Osbury, so that wasn¡¯t striking on its own. What really stood out, however, was the license te. It read, ¡°A0XXXXX.¡± Only the Morrisons could own these license tes. He narrowed his eyes, watching as the car stopped at the entrance to City Hall. Then, a few bodyguards opened the door, and Eddy stepped out in a white suit. When the people around them saw him, they screamed. ¡°Oh my god, it¡¯s Eddy Morrison!¡± ¡°Oh no, he¡¯s at City Hall!¡± ¡°Could he be marrying the Evans¡¯ daughter?¡± Eddy merely smiled at their questions. With the help of his bodyguards, he walked toward City Hall. Then, he spotted Kirk amongst the crowd. He strode toward him in pleasant surprise. ¡°Unc¡ª¡± It was then that he remembered Jude¡¯s warning to keep Kirk¡¯s identity a secret. He then quickly said, ¡°We meet again.¡± Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Kirk nodded slightly and walked into City Hall with him. The crowd was left behind outside the doors. Eddy finally went next to Kirk and said in a soft voice, ¡°What are you doing here, Uncle?¡± Instead of answering, Kirk asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Eddy said, ¡°I¡¯m registering my marriage.¡± A chill went up Kirk¡¯s spine. ¡°With whom?¡± Eddy replied, ¡°With the girl that Grandpa arranged for me. I¡¯ve mentioned her to you before.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hate her?¡± Kirk was not invested in Eddy, but Eddy considered him his idol. He¡¯d brought up his marriage more than once to him. In Eddy¡¯s words, Caroline was a scheming, conniving woman. He was adamant about not marrying her. ¡°That was before.¡± Eddy didn¡¯t wish to say much more. He changed the topic. ¡°So what are you doing here, Uncle?¡± Kirk stared at him. ¡°Where is she?¡± Eddy didn¡¯t understand what he meant. ¡°Who?¡± Kirk moved closer toward him and grabbed his cor. His gaze was cold. ¡°I¡¯ll only ask you one more time. Where is she?¡± His suppressive aura was enough to have Eddy struggling to catch his breath. He finally understood. His mind went nk as he stuttered, ¡°In the hospital. She¡¯s going through a kidney donation operation.¡± Kirk¡¯s pupils constricted, and the veins on his arms popped. He gritted his teeth. ¡°What did you say?¡± Eddy had abducted Caroline for the operation! Before Eddy could reply, Kirk pushed him away and strode toward the exit. But then, he turned back, his gaze sharp as that of a fierce predator, and grabbed Eddy tightly. ¡°If anything happens to her, you¡¯re mincemeat.¡± Then, he turned and left. Eddy stared after him in a daze, taking a long time to recover. What had happened to his uncle? He¡¯d never met Caroline before. Why was Kirk so angry? Why was it as if he had damaged something of Kirk¡¯s? ¡­ Meanwhile, in the operation theater, Caroline¡¯s voice had grown hoarse. Her wrists had been grazed raw, but the door to the room remained tightly shut. Right as she was about to give up, the door opened, and a swarm of doctors came in. Caroline lit up with hope. ¡°Let ¡­ let me go ¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t struggle anymore, cousin,¡± a silvery voice rang throughout the hall. ¡°You can¡¯t go through a surgery when you¡¯re so agitated.¡± La appeared before Caroline with a nurse behind her wheeling her in. She looked at Caroline in glee. Caroline clenched her fists. ¡°I will not give you my kidney, La!¡± La said nonchntly, ¡°Did you really think I would not do anything to you just because Grandpa favors you? Don¡¯t forget that Eddy is the one who¡¯s inheriting everything.¡± She dug her fingernails into Caroline¡¯s flesh. Caroline looked at her coldly. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, we haven¡¯t matched yet. Aren¡¯t you afraid that my kidney won¡¯t be a match for you?¡± Laughed. She looked Caroline straight in the eyes and said, ¡°No.¡± Caroline was stunned. She always thought that Eddy brought up the kidney trade for marriage because he¡¯d secretly matched her and La, which was why she wanted to stall La with this. But now, she was discovering a dirty secret. ¡°If we haven¡¯t matched before, why are you ¡­¡± Caroline paused, a terrifying thought surfacing in her mind. She looked at La in horror. ¡°You never wanted to use my kidney. You just wanted me to die!¡± If she died, the marriage would be invalid. There would be nothing standing between La and Eddy. La wasughing in scorn. ¡°You¡¯re not as dumb as I thought.¡± Goosebumps appeared on Caroline¡¯s flesh. She struggled even more. ¡°You¡¯re fucking crazy!¡± They would sacrifice a human life just to be together. Laughed wildly. ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯re fucking crazy. I¡¯ve gone crazy being jealous of you. Why were you the princess of the family? Why couldn¡¯t it have been me? I¡¯m part of the Evanses, too. Why do I have to let you have everything just because we were born a few years apart?¡± Caroline looked at La¡¯s distorted features in disbelief. She¡¯d never known how much La truly hated her. And it was all because of one marriage certificate. Right this moment, the door opened again. Sean, surrounded by several doctors, walked in. ¡°Begin the operation.¡± ¡°Get the anesthesia.¡± Caroline was jolted back to reality at once. She screamed at Sean, ¡°I didn¡¯t sign up for this! Let me go! Let me go!¡± Sean frowned and looked at her. When he saw her pale face, he suddenly found her familiar. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¡°Dr. Yates.¡± La¡¯s specialist shot her a look before saying to Sean, ¡°I¡¯d rather not trouble you personally on a minor surgery like this.¡± Sean looked away, failing to remember where he had seen La before. Beautiful women all looked the same. Perhaps he was overthinking. He looked at the specialist. Since the previous discussion, the specialist had insisted on performing the surgery himself. Seeing his determination, Sean agreed. ¡°Okay.¡± After finally getting approval, the specialist let out a long breath and told the anesthetist, ¡°Hurry up and give her the anesthesia.¡± The anesthetist picked up a syringe and jabbed it into Caroline¡¯s arm. Watching the liquid flow into her body gradually, Caroline said weakly,¡± Let ¡­ let me go¡± Her eyelids felt heavier by the second as the liquid was injected into her. Images of countless people shed in her mind. There was her mom and dad, Eddy, and her friends, but all of them only lingered briefly until Kirk¡¯s image appeared. Thinking that he was waiting for her at the City Hall to officiate their divorce while she was helpless to do anything, she could only murmur subconsciously, ¡°Sorry, Kirk ¡­¡± It was the morning rush hour in Osbury. At 9 am, the roads were congested with traffic, and the cars couldn¡¯t even move an inch. In the driver¡¯s seat, Kirk wore a very dark expression on his face. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel impatiently. The red traffic light in the distance pierced his eyes, making him think of the red light outside the operation theater. It made him inexplicably frustrated.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Caroline¡¯s clear yet resolute gaze appeared in his mind again, and he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Before another car could merge into hisne again, he wrenched the steering wheel sideways and swerved out of his path. The other driver got frightened and wound down his window, yelling after Kirk, ¡°You madman! Do you have a death wish?¡± Kirk was driving like a madman cheating death, ring his horn as he raced forward. Other cars swerved out of his way as he forced a route through the packed traffic, speeding all the way to the hospital. When he arrived, he sprinted toward the building in the middle. That building was specially reserved for patients from the Morrison family. More than ten bodyguards were standing outside, keeping a strict watch. Before Kirk could even get near the building, the bodyguards already pinned their gazes on him. One even warned him sternly. ¡°This ce is out of bounds. Leave at once! Now!¡± Kirk walked up to him with a dark expression, giving off a terrifyingly intimidating aura. ¡°Get out of my way!¡± growled Kirk. The bodyguard was frightened but bit the bullet and said, ¡°Please leave. Only¡­¡± With a dull thud, Kirk¡¯s fistnded squarely on the man¡¯s nose, followed by a loud cracking noise. Everyone else got shocked and stepped forward, surrounding Kirk. Kirk¡¯s expression grew even darker, like the gray clouds before a disastrous storm. He lifted his leg and kicked them all down in one swift motion, felling them like dominoes. Only two or three men were left standing in the blink of an eye. All of them were thunderstruck. They were the most elite bodyguards, yet this man had beaten most of them up so quickly! (1) One of them reacted the fastest and fished out his walkie¨Ctalkie hastily, preparing to call for backup. However, the moment he got a hold of it, his wrist was crushed beneath a shiny leather shoe. He couldn¡¯t help but shout in agony. ¡°Where¡¯s the operation theater?¡± demanded Kirk fiercely, his eyes bloodshot. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Chapter 11 One look from Kirk was enough to make the bodyguard tremble. ¡°Second floor. Number 208.¡± Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. After getting the information he needed, Kirk crushed the walkie¨Ctalkie under his heel and turned around to go upstairs. The bodyguards stared at each other after seeing the crushed walkie¨Ctalkie on the ground, none of them daring to move a finger. Even after Kirk had gone into the elevator, nobody dared to fish out their walkie¨Ctalkies to call for backup. The elevator arrived at the second floor in a sh. Kirk immediately spotted the red light outside the operation theater numbered 208. The piercing red gleam was like a knife shing through Kirk¡¯s heart. He clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles turned white. He walked to the door and mmed his fist into it with a bang. The sturdy wooden door burst open, and everyone in the operation theater jumped in fright, staring at the entrance. They spotted Kirk at once, his eyes bloodshot, looking out of control. Other people didn¡¯t know who he was, but they still trembled in fear at how terrifying he looked. Only Sean recovered from his shock and approached him. ¡°Kirk, what¡¯s the matter?¡± In his memory, Kirk was always calm no matter what happened. What had happened today that could make him lose his self¨Ccontrol to this extent? Kirk pushed Sean aside and charged into the operation theater. When he saw Caroline lying on the bed covered in blood and her face pale, his gaze went dull immediately. ¡°What happened to her?¡± Sean followed behind him and said, ¡°Kirk, this is an operating theater.¡± ¡°I asked what happened to her!¡± A shot of fear went through Kirk as he turned around and stared at Sean grimly. Sean¡¯s gaze traveled between Kirk and Caroline, and it suddenly urred to him where he had seen Caroline before. She was the woman Kirk had married in a shotgun marriage! Which meant ¡­ ¡°She¡± Cold sweat broke out on Sean¡¯s forehead. ¡°We haven¡¯t removed her kidney. Go out first. I¡¯ll close the wound immediately.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t budge, and Sean was very anxious. ¡°Hurry up and get out. If we waste any more time, she¡¯ll actually die,¡± said Sean. These words finally incited some change in Kirk¡¯s stiff expression. Kirk stared at Sean deeply. He trusted his medical skills fully, but¡­ ¡°Leave it to me!¡± said Sean while giving Kirk a look that pleaded for his faith. Kirk¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed in his throat, and he slowly walked out, closing the door behind him. The people in the operating theater started busying themselves again. Outside, Kirk stood motionlessly by the door, not daring to leave for even a moment. His mind was filled with the image of Caroline lying on the bed like a torn ragdoll. He had never felt such a fear that made it hard for him to breathe. A few minutes felt like ages to him, then the red light suddenly started blinking rapidly. Kirk pushed against the door anxiously, bumping into a nurse who was coincidentally walking out. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± he asked. The nurse was panting as she answered, ¡°The patient is bleeding excessively. Dr. Yates asked us to contact the blood bank immediately.¡± Kirk was beside himself with panic, and he was about to rush inside when the nurse blocked his way. ¡°You are not a doctor and aren¡¯t wearing a surgical gown. You¡¯ll only increase the patient¡¯s risk of infection.¡± Her words stopped Kirk in his tracks. His gaze darkened as he asked, ¡°How much blood does she need?¡± (1) ¡°Well, she¡¯ll need as much as possible.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Kirk said and was about to turn around and leave before the nurse called him out. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You don¡¯t own the blood bank! I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯ll get any blood if I go. Do you know that the patient is already in critical condition? Can you stop making the situation worse!¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Caroline was in critical condition. That knowledge made Kirk¡¯s gaze darken as a murderous aura washed over him. The nurse shuddered as she recalled how he had burst in. She worried that he would punch her. Thank goodness he had moved far away and was busy making a call. ¡°Ask the blood bank to prepare for a blood transfusion immediately,¡± Kirk said while gripping his phone, his voice grave. His assistant hesitated on the other end of the line. ¡°Mr. Morrison, didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t want others to know that you¡¯re back-¡± ¡°Just do what I say!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The assistant paled and did as he was told. After hanging up, Kirk closed his eyes and slowly let out a sigh. He was still mad and had not let go of it. He returned to the operation room to see the red light above the door still lit, as though it was prophesying something. Half an hourter, Sean walked out of the operation room looking worn out. ¡°Caroline¡¯s fine. She¡¯ll wake up at around night time.¡± The frown on Kirk¡¯s tensed face vanished in an instant, reced by a much gentler expression. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Sean shook his head and cast a nce around before pulling Kirk to a corner. ¡°There¡¯s something I have to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze was locked in the direction of the operating room. Sean followed his gaze and said, ¡°Logically speaking, there shouldn¡¯t be any severe bleeding. The surgeon¡¯s highly experienced, too, so a blunder like this shouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± Kirk finally averted his gaze to look at Sean. There was confusion in his eyes. ¡°You think that the surgeon wants her dead?¡± ¡°For now, we can¡¯t be sure if it¡¯s idental or intentional.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Kirk barely finished speaking when he saw a nurse pushing Caroline out of the operating room. He rushed after them. Sean looked at Kirk¡¯s gradually disappearing silhouette and raised an eyebrow. ¡°The divorce probably won¡¯t ever happen.¡± The nurse left after moving Caroline to the ward. Now, the only people left in the room were Kirk and Caroline. His brows scrunched together as he stared at her, looking as pale as a sheet on the bed. He sat beside her and subconsciously reached out to hold her small, tender wrist. The young woman¡¯s hands were so light, it was as if they weighed nothing. It was as though she would fly away and leave at any moment. He tightened his grip on her hands. Gradually, night fell, and the moon rose into the night sky. Caroline¡¯s eyshes trembled ever so slightly as shey on the bed. ¡°Kirk she muttered. Kirk, who was taking a rest beside her, opened his eyes. His gaze was dark and weary.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. *Kirk¡­¡± muttered Caroline. Her parched lips slowly moved as she called out his name. He gripped her hand tightly as if trying to give her all of his strength. ¡°I¡¯m right here.¡± Tears rolled down her face as she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± It was as though she could hear him. Startled, Kirk inched closer to her and whispered in her ear, ¡°Why are you sorry?¡± His deep, raspy voice was maic. Abruptly, Caroline started waving her limbs wildly as if being provoked or stimted by something. ¡°No! Let me go! No!¡± she screamed. Seeing her reaction, Kirk immediately took her in his arms as if he was coaxing a child. He patted her back gently and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everything¡¯s okay¡­¡± Caroline gradually calmed down, leaning on Kirk¡¯s firm chest. The light fragrance from her roused him from his reverie, and he suddenly realized he was hugging her. Logically, he knew he should let go of her, yet he did not. After quite some time, a muffled voice sounded from between his arms. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡°Kirk?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Leaning against him, Caroline felt the resonation in his chest as he spoke, and she realized that this was not a dream. She was lying in his arms. A blush crept up Caroline¡¯s cheeks as she breathed in the strong scent of his cologne. ¡°Where am I?¡± Caroline muttered uneasily. ¡°We¡¯re in the hospital.¡± Kirk paused and let go of Caroline. She was starting to move when he held her down. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± he said. ¡°You just had an operation. Get some rest.¡± Caroline paled. ¡°My kidneys ¡°They¡¯re still here,¡± Kirk said, pointing at her back. ¡°When I arrived, the operation was already halfway through. You were sewn up after that. Caroline felt relieved. After a moment, she turned to him and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± This hospital block they were in was only essible by the Morrisons, so outsiders could not enter it. Kirk showed a mischievous smile and moved away from Caroline. ¡°What do you think?¡± She eyed him up and down to ensure he was not hurt and sighed in relief. Curious, she asked, ¡°How did you get in here?¡± ¡°I told them that Eddy asked me toe here, and they let me in,¡± he said with unblinking eyes. Caroline was not convinced. ¡°Are they that easy to fool?¡± Kirk nodded with sincerity in his eyes, and she finally stopped doubting him. Right then, she thought of another matter that troubled her. ¡°If I still have my kidneys, Eddy definitely won¡¯t let me go. We should leave as soon as possible.¡± This ce belonged to Eddy, so she could not let her guard down. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have the guts to do that anymore, so don¡¯t worry. You can rest well here,¡± Kirk said. ¡®How are you sure?¡± Caroline asked. Kirk pushed a strand of hair out of her face and said, ¡°If Mr. Morrison Senior finds out about this Caroline understood what he was implying and let out augh. ¡°I never knew you were this cunning She froze as soon as she finished her sentence. Kirk was caressing her face with his hand. His fingers were rough. Her face felt numb with his touch, and she felt as if each stroke reached right to her heart. The mole in the corner of his eye made him look all the more seducing. Just one look at it would make her heart race. She tore her eyes away from him, and her throat became dry. ¡°About the divorce ¡­¡± ¡®My marriage certificate is missing,¡± Kirk said cooly, but something in his eyes changed. ¡°Huh?¡± *The City Hall stiptes that marriage certificates are required for a divorce.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Caroline¡¯s voice trailed off. After a moment, she lowered her head. ¡°But if your marriage certificate is missing, how are we supposed to Blushing, she murmured, ¡°Are you saying we¡¯re not getting a divorce anymore?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kirk grunted. His tensed body now rxed. Caroline pursed her lips as she tried to suppress a smile. ¡°I knew you were a good person!¡± With his back facing her, Kirk said, ¡°I¡¯ll go get you something to eat.¡± After a couple of minutes, he returned carrying bags of various sizes. Caroline watched as he entered the room with loads of buns. pastries, and porridge. If she hadn¡¯t known better, she would¡¯ve thought he was on his way to feed an army. ¡°You¡¯re too skinny. You should eat more,¡± ordered Kirk, looking at the food. It warmed her heart. She started to speak, but Kirk¡¯s phone 1/2 ¡°Speak,¡± Kirk said. ¡°Mr. Morrison.¡± said the assistant, kicking at the surgeon, who was limp on the floor. ¡°Mrs. Morrison and La Evans never did a matching test. The report was forged. La Evans wanted her to die during the operation.¡± Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Kirk clenched his fists as he stared at his reflection in the ss. His assistant, Charles Lane, waited for a reply but was met with silence, so he asked, ¡°Mr. Morrison, about our next course of action ¡­¡± ¡°Toss him to the outskirts of the city to rot.¡± ¡°But we¡¯re in Easton. This country isn¡¯t our territory,¡± Charles reminded him hastily. Kirk¡¯s knuckles turned white, and his gaze darkened. ¡°Then make him suffer for a few days. Let him go only when he learns how to keep his mouth shut.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Kirk eased the grip on his phone, emotions in chaos. He turned to see Caroline enjoying the food he had bought for her, her face glowing while she ate. She looked just like a bunny that just got its paws on some carrots, and the frown on his face gradually vanished. Sean was a true professional. It only took three days for Caroline to move around freely. ¡°Just one more follow¨Cup, and you¡¯re good to go.¡± Sean grinned. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Yates,¡± said Caroline. Sean nced at her and said, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. I¡¯m the one who should be thanking you.¡± There seemed to be some deeper meaning behind his smile. Caroline was confused. ¡°Why so?¡± Sean merely smiled and turned to look at the door of the ward. If it weren¡¯t for her, he would never have had the chance to witness Kirk lose his cool. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Take care. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± He had just left when Caroline¡¯s phone started ringing. It was Gwen Jameson, her best friend. ¡°What¡¯s up, Gwen?¡± Caroline closed the door behind her. She did not tell her best friend that she was currently hospitalized. Gwen seemed to be in a good mood. ¡°Carol, do you know that La¡¯s been kicked out of the hospital?¡± ¡°When did this happen?¡± ¡°Just yesterday! It¡¯s hrious! I heard that she refused to leave and had to be dragged out by security. She even imed she was the Young Mrs. Morrison to¨Cbe and wanted to call Eddy. Do you want to guess what happened next?¡± Caroline took a sip of water before asking, ¡°What?¡± ¡°The nurses said that she made dozens of calls, but all of them went unanswered. In the end, it was Eddy Morrison¡¯s father, Thomas, who answered the call. She switched to speaker mode for everyone to hear, but he told her to stop calling.¡± Gwenughed. ¡°She embarrassed herself in front of so many people. It¡¯s a shame I didn¡¯t see it for myself.¡± (1 Caroline smiled softly. ¡°Do you know the person who made her leave?¡± Eddy was head over heels for La, so he would never have let her leave. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Gwen lowered her voice. ¡°Is it Mr. Morrison Senior? But Eddy had it so well covered up. How did Mr. Morrison Senior find out about this?¡± Caroline wanted to reply but held back. Jude was the only person who could keep Eddy in check. But if he had known about this, he¡¯d definitely havee to visit her here. These days, Kirk woulde to visit her after work. He was the only one who did so. If it was not Jude, who else had the power to make La Evans leave? Caroline did not get her answer even after she hung up. She did not like dwelling on things she could not understand, so she forgot everything about it. When Caroline was having lunch in the afternoon, she heard someone knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened. Caroline¡¯s eyes widened in surprise to see the person who entered the room. ¡°Kirk?¡± Shouldn¡¯t he be busy working at the office right now? passed it to Caroline. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± she asked. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Chapter 15 ¡°This is for you,¡± Kirk said. Their marriage was a contractual one. There was nothing besides a marriage certificate to prove it. However, after spending time with Caroline for the past few days, Kirk felt that he did not treat her well enough. So now, he was giving her a small gift. Caroline epted the box and opened it carefully. She was stunned at what she saw; in the box sat an emerald bracelet with a bluish- green hue to it. She knew it was a prized emerald just by looking at it. It was cold andfortable to the touch, and Caroline loved it. However, when she thought of its price¡­ ¡°This must cost a fortune. It¡¯s better if you¡¯d return it,¡± she said with reluctance. ¡°It¡¯s not expensive.¡± Kirk plucked the bracelet from Caroline¡¯s hands and helped her to put it on. It fit snugly and perfectly on her wrist. Her wrist was slender as it was, and the bracelet gave her an air of exquisiteness. Kirk could not but why can¡¯t I seem to take it help but stare at her. But then, Caroline became anxious and started to take it off. ¡°Nope. I can¡¯t take it off?¡± ¡­ Kirk smiled, amused at how adorable she was. ¡°If you can¡¯t take it off, it means that it has acknowledged you as its owner. If you really want to take it off, the only way is to smash it into pieces.¡± Caroline was confused about how this all worked but still nodded to what he said. ¡°Is it really that magical?¡± She did not buy it. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, go on.¡± Caroline touched the bracelet on her wrist. It would be a pity to destroy it. ¡°Next time, don¡¯t bring me gifts,¡± she said. Their rtionship was but a contract. He did not need to buy her gifts. Kirk did not reply. He raised his wrist to check the time. ¡°I have an appointment in the afternoon. I¡¯ve got to go.¡± Caroline watched in silence as he left. So did hee to the hospital just to give her a gift? She touched the cold surface of the bracelet and felt something strange in her heart. Caroline searched various shopping websites but failed to find a bracelet like the one she was wearing. Gwen messaged her. It read, ¡°Why do you have to know its price?¡± Caroline browsed while replying, ¡°So that I can pay him back. I don¡¯t want to owe him anything.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just let him do what he wants? Didn¡¯t you say that he¡¯s quite the looker?¡± Gwen replied. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what you said a few days ago.¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Gwenughed clumsily and sent Caroline a voice message. ¡°No matter what, you¡¯re still the heiress of the Evans family. It was a shame that you married an ordinary white¨Ccor worker like him, but at least he appreciates you and sends you gifts. He loves you, and it¡¯s always better to have someone who loves you than someone who¡¯s heartless.¡± Thest sentence hinted at something. Carolineughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m over Eddy Morrison already, but I don¡¯t feel like falling for someone again.¡± Loving someone was much too tiring. Once the message was sent, Caroline browsed for the bracelet once again, but she still did not manage to find it. She messaged Gwen again. ¡°Why don¡¯t you apany me to a jewelry shop to ask around about it? Grandpa Morrison¡¯s birthday¡¯s next month. We can get him a gift too.¡± Gwen did not refuse, and the two agreed to go to the city center on Tuesday. Time flew by quickly, and Tuesday came. Caroline was discharged from the hospital. She recovered just fine, and with Kirk¡¯s non¨Cstop feeding, she did not disappoint him by gaining weight. Gwen¡¯s eyes shone with delight the moment she saw Caroline. ¡°The saying ¡®value your life and stay away from scumbags¡® really is true. Look at this radiant face of yours. I almost failed to recognize you.¡± Carolineughed. ¡°Stop beating around the bush if you want to tell me I¡¯m getting fat.¡± 1/2 were running in circles around Eddy Morrison.¡± Caroline smiled and hooked her arm around Gwen¡¯s, and they walked toward the jewelry store together. The looks on their faces changed the moment they entered the store. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Chapter 16 In the store, a woman in an borate dress sat at the counter trying on different bracelets. Gwen saw her and, disgusted, she eximed, ¡°It¡¯s Brie Collins!¡± Caroline¡¯s hands balled into fists immediately. The Collinses had devised the downfall of the Evanses many years ago. After that, the Collinses took over her family¡¯s ce as one of the four most influential families in the city. However, they were different from the other families with considerable lineage because, being nouveau riche, they did not have concrete support or power. So others often criticized them, notably after Caroline returned to the country. As the heiress of the Morrisons, Caroline had gone through rigorous etiquette training since birth. Regardless of the size of any event, she always appeared elegant and poised. However, the children of the Collins family were different and often made a fool of themselves in the eyes of the media. Even Brie Collins, the favorite daughter of Howard Collins¨Cthe head of the Collins family¨Ccould not escape that fate. Both the Evans and the Collins families were on bad terms, and Brie Collins regarded Caroline as a thorn in her side. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Gwen said, lowering her voice. She did not want to have her day ruined by insignificant people. Caroline nodded and started to turn when she heard an unpleasant voice from inside the store. ¡®Since you¡¯re here already, juste in,¡± Brie said. ¡°Or are you afraid you can¡¯t afford to shop here because your position in the Morrison family is uncertain now?¡± Caroline put on a smile and turned to face Brie Collins. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be seen in the same space as trash.¡± ¡°Who are you calling trash?¡± Brie smacked the table as she rose from her seat,ying waste to the effort she made to maintain an elegant front. Caroline pursed her lips. ¡°Well, if the shoe fits, Ms. Collins.¡± Brie Collins took a deep breath andughed mockingly. ¡°Right now, all you can do is talk. Let¡¯s see who else will have your back when Eddy Morrison annuls the marriage agreement.¡± She thought her words would hit home since everyone knew Caroline loved him to death. Yet Caroline merely smiled at her and walked to the cashier. ¡°Can you please check the approximate price of this bracelet?¡± This was the only jewelry store in the area and the most famous one in Osbury. Caroline did not want her trip to be in vain. Brie nced at Caroline¡¯s bracelet and was momentarily stunned. Then she mocked, ¡°Caroline Evans, you must¡¯ve lost your mind. If you¡¯re thinking of having it appraised, you should at least bring something genuine.¡± Even though the bracelet she wore looked fine, the Evanses definitely could not afford such an exquisite one. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Caroline¡¯s face darkened. Although Kirk was just an ordinary white¨Ccor worker, she believed in his character. This bracelet may not cost a lot, but he would never buy her a counterfeit to deceive her. Brie scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand?¡± She continued, deliberately spacing out the words, ¡°I said¡­ your bracelet is fake.¡± Caroline nced around to see the shopkeepers who were suppressing theirughter. She touched the bracelet on her wrist, and the corner of her lips tilted upward. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡®Of course.¡± ¡°Well then, let¡¯s make a bet. If my bracelet is counterfeit, you can pick anything in this shop, and I¡¯ll pay for it. If it¡¯s real, you¡¯ll pay me double the price of my bracelet. What do you say?¡± Brie agreed immediately. ¡°Sure. Send for Mr. York.¡± Mr. York was the most professional appraiser in the jewelry store. He could tell the authenticity of any jewel with just a glimpse. Gwen tugged at Caroline¡¯s sleeve. In a lowered voice, she said, ¡°Carol, weren¡¯t you a bit too rash?¡± If the bracelet really was fake¡­ Chapter 17 Chapter 17 In the store, a woman in an borate dress sat at the counter trying on different bracelets. Gwen saw her and, disgusted, she eximed, ¡°It¡¯s Brie Collins!¡± Caroline¡¯s hands balled into fists immediately. The Collinses had devised the downfall of the Evanses many years ago. After that, the Collinses took over her family¡¯s ce as one of the four most influential families in the city. However, they were different from the other families with considerable lineage because, being nouveau riche, they did not have concrete support or power. So others often criticized them, notably after Caroline returned to the country. As the heiress of the Morrisons, Caroline had gone through rigorous etiquette training since birth. Regardless of the size of any event, she always appeared elegant and poised. However, the children of the Collins family were different and often made a fool of themselves in the eyes of the media. Even Brie Collins, the favorite daughter of Howard Collins¨Cthe head of the Collins family¨Ccould not escape that fate. Both the Evans and the Collins families were on bad terms, and Brie Collins regarded Caroline as a thorn in her side. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Gwen said, lowering her voice. She did not want to have her day ruined by insignificant people. Caroline nodded and started to turn when she heard an unpleasant voice from inside the store. ¡®Since you¡¯re here already, juste in,¡± Brie said. ¡°Or are you afraid you can¡¯t afford to shop here because your position in the Morrison family is uncertain now?¡± Caroline put on a smile and turned to face Brie Collins. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be seen in the same space as trash.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Who are you calling trash?¡± Brie smacked the table as she rose from her seat,ying waste to the effort she made to maintain an elegant front. Caroline pursed her lips. ¡°Well, if the shoe fits, Ms. Collins.¡± Brie Collins took a deep breath andughed mockingly. ¡°Right now, all you can do is talk. Let¡¯s see who else will have your back when Eddy Morrison annuls the marriage agreement.¡± She thought her words would hit home since everyone knew Caroline loved him to death. Yet Caroline merely smiled at her and walked to the cashier. ¡°Can you please check the approximate price of this bracelet?¡± This was the only jewelry store in the area and the most famous one in Osbury. Caroline did not want her trip to be in vain. Brie nced at Caroline¡¯s bracelet and was momentarily stunned. Then she mocked, ¡°Caroline Evans, you must¡¯ve lost your mind. If you¡¯re thinking of having it appraised, you should at least bring something genuine.¡± Even though the bracelet she wore looked fine, the Evanses definitely could not afford such an exquisite one. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Caroline¡¯s face darkened. Although Kirk was just an ordinary white¨Ccor worker, she believed in his character. This bracelet may not cost a lot, but he would never buy her a counterfeit to deceive her. Brie scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand?¡± She continued, deliberately spacing out the words, ¡°I said¡­ your bracelet is fake.¡± Caroline nced around to see the shopkeepers who were suppressing theirughter. She touched the bracelet on her wrist, and the corner of her lips tilted upward. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡®Of course.¡± ¡°Well then, let¡¯s make a bet. If my bracelet is counterfeit, you can pick anything in this shop, and I¡¯ll pay for it. If it¡¯s real, you¡¯ll pay me double the price of my bracelet. What do you say?¡± Brie agreed immediately. ¡°Sure. Send for Mr. York.¡± Mr. York was the most professional appraiser in the jewelry store. He could tell the authenticity of any jewel with just a glimpse. Gwen tugged at Caroline¡¯s sleeve. In a lowered voice, she said, ¡°Carol, weren¡¯t you a bit too rash?¡± If the bracelet really was fake¡­ Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Once again, Gwen¡¯s imagination rendered Caroline speechless. ¡°If he truly is some rich man¡¯s son, why would he marry me so quickly?¡± Gwen scratched her head, searching for an answer that never came to her. Caroline smiled, amused. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll ask him about it when I go back home. Then we¡¯ll get our answer.¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± Gwen said, beaming. After the two of them said goodbye, Caroline gave Kirk a call. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together tonight.¡± Even though they were married, they stayed in their respective homes. Strictly speaking, they had never even had lunch or dinner together. ¡°Sure,¡± Kirk replied, the corner of his lips already tilting upward in a smile. ¡°Well then,e to my house. What do you want for dinner? I¡¯ll go buy the ingredients to make it.¡± ¡°Just cook something you like.¡± Eddy¡¯s face suddenly popped into her mind. Whenever she made dinner for him over the past eight years, he would always list out the dishes that he wanted. He never asked her about the food she liked. It was as if she never had a favorite food. ¡°Alright,¡± Caroline replied. Although the sun had set, signaling the end of the day, her voice was bright and cheery. Affected by her spirit, Kirk said in a soft voice, ¡°Wait for me ¡­ toe home.¡± His voice lingered, and the words plucked at her heartstrings. Caroline muttered a ¡°Yes,¡± hung up, and went straight to do the shopping. After hanging up, Kirk¡¯s expression turned cold and unreadable as usual. He ignored the curious nces of those around him and said, ¡± Recently, Easton¡¯s market has focused on cosmetics. Do any of you have anything to say about the results of this survey?¡± Those present shook their heads in unison. They assumed that Kirk¡¯s gentle side was merely a fleeting illusion. ¡°Noments? We¡¯re done for today.¡± Kirk rose from his seat, grabbed his phone and documents, and left the meeting room, leaving thepany¡¯s executives staring nkly at each other in confusion. These people were all transferred back from overseas and had been working for Kirk for more than ten years. This was their first time seeing him leave the office early, and it was needless to say that they were all astonished. Kirk received a call from Sean just when he reached the parking lot downstairs. ¡°Mr. Morrison, guess who I met today?¡± said Sean. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Stop beating around the bush.¡± As if knowing Kirk was about to end the call, Sean cut straight to the point and said, ¡°I met your wife! She was at the jewelry store in the city center. She must¡¯ve gone there to appraise the bracelet you gave her.¡± Sean could not hold back hisughter now. When they both attended the auction that day, he had assumed it was because Kirk wanted to participate in the grandest auction in Easton. In the end, they left right after Kirk got the bracelet. He had been wondering to whom Kirk would give the bracelet before he chanced upon thetter driving to the hospital. The eagerness on his face then made Sean suspicious about Kirk and Caroline¡¯s rtionship. Were they really just partners bound by a contract? Kirk¡¯s eyes narrowed upon hearing Sean¡¯s words. He recalled his conversation with Caroline not long ago and could not remember anything strange about it. The drive back to Caroline¡¯s ce was no longer pleasant because his thoughts were now in turmoil. The doorbell rang. Caroline rushed to open the door with her apron still on. A smile spread across her face when she saw Kirk at the door.¡± You¡¯re here.¡± She took a pair of slippers from the cupboard for him and turned to the kitchen. ¡°The soup is almost ready.¡± Kirk looked at Caroline¡¯s figure in the kitchen and then nced around the house. It was not huge, but it was cozy. There was no TV in the living room; there was a sofa set and table. A pot of spider nt stood in one corner of the room. It was simple yet elegant. ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready.¡± Caroline walked out of the kitchen, carrying the soup pot with her. Kirk¡¯s gaze fell on her. She was wearing an apron with a teddy bear printed on it. Her face was red, even without makeup, and she looked like a ripe apple ready to be plucked from the tree. His heart skipped a beat. 1/2 Kirk raised a hand and brushed a strand of hair off her face. His hand was rough, and both of them shuddered from the spark of static when he touched her. Kirk froze, and after a moment, he let his hand slide slowly down to her soft lips. Now, it was Caroline¡¯s turn to freeze. She thought her heart would jump out of her ribcage very soon. Kirk had his eyes locked intently on her glossy lips, and, as if they were inviting him, he leaned over and gently pressed his lips against hers. Their lips met, and a chill ran up her spine. Caroline snapped back to reality. Still breathless, she pushed Kirk away. ¡°T¨CThis isn¡¯t in our contract¡­¡± She stuttered so much that she identally bit her tongue several times. Kirk felt himself heat up at the sight of the blushing young woman before him. He licked his lips and said, ¡°Yep, it isn¡¯t. But if we were in public and you had pushed me away as you did just now, others would start to doubt our rtionship as man and wife.¡± Stunned, Caroline took a second to reply. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you were testing my reflexes just now?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kirk continued. ¡°We¡¯ll be meeting my family next month. You don¡¯t want to blow our cover, right?¡± After knowing that Kirk was married, Jude had started asking him to bring her home to meet her and never ceased urging him to do so. He never expected this day to ¡°M¨CMeeting your family?¡± Caroline recalled that Kirk¡¯s family was abroad. This meant that she would have to go overseas. Foreigners were usually pretty open¨Cminded, so kissing should bemon to them. This would also mean that she and Kirk would be ¡­ ¡°That¡¯s why we need to practice beforehand.¡± It was as if he knew exactly what was in her mind. ¡°If you can¡¯t ept it, I won¡¯t go back then. Caroline was guilt¨Cstricken. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¨CI¡¯ll practice with you.¡± It was just a kiss, right? Although that kiss was her first kiss just now, she did not find it intolerable. Theer of Kirk¡¯s lips tilted upward in a smile. ¡®Oh, right. Caroline touched her red¨Chot cheeks and sat before him. ¡°I went to a jewelry store this afternoon. The appraiser told me that this bracelet-¡± *¡­ Is worth ten million dors?¡± Kirk¡¯s sounded nonchnt. Caroline raised her eyes to look at him in surprise. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°And he also told you that it¡¯s an antique, right?¡± he said. Now this made Caroline more bewildered. How did he get that right? It was as if he had witnessed the entire thing. ¡°Did you buy it? Where did you get so much money?¡± Kirk smoothened out a crease on his shirt. ¡°It¡¯s a counterfeit,¡± he said. ¡°A counterfeit?¡± ¡°Yes. One of my friends is an expert in that field. I went to his ce a few days back and bought it because it looked fine. It was only a few thousand dors.¡± Caroline heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°I see.¡± She thought Kirk had embezzled money from the Morrisons. Thank goodness that the bracelet was merely a counterfeit. Not long after, Caroline¡¯s brows knitted together once again. ¡°But Mr. York¡¯s a professional appraiser. He couldn¡¯t have made a mistake.¡± Since stepping into this line of work at the age of 20, Mr. York had never made a blunder and was known to the world as a legendary jewelry appraiser. Kirk became silent. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Chapter 19 This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It proves just how good he is at his job. So, what did you make for us today?¡± Kirk changed the topic so wlessly that Caroline did not notice it and went ahead introducing the food she made. Kirk volunteered to do the dishes after enjoying the scrumptious food she prepared. Caroline had nothing to do, so she took out herputer and searched for a movie to watch. She picked aedy andpletely forgot that another human being was present in her home as she indulged herself in the movie. When Kirk emerged from the kitchen, he was greeted by the sight of Caroline sitting on the carpet in an udylike fashion,ughing her head off. In that instant, she did not look like the elegant and poised Ms. Evans that she usually appeared to be. Abruptly, Kirk was reminded of the time when Caroline was still Eddy Morrison¡¯s fianc¨¦e. He once flipped through an album of young Caroline attending events held by the Morrisons. She had always looked prim and proper in those pictures, as though she was a puppet guided by strings. There had been no liveliness or vigor in her at all. Right here and right now, though, he felt that she was actually alive. He simply stood and watched her quietly, enjoying the silent moment of happiness and warmth that he had never experienced before. Caroline¡¯s phone rang, interrupting the moment of tranquility. She nced at her phone on the table and scowled. It was Sarah White. ¡­ Her parents had not contacted her since they quarreled a while back. It was as if they had never had her as their daughter. Regardless, they were her parents, and as cruel as she wanted to be, she could not bear to ignore them. She answered the call and epted her fate. ¡°Caroline!¡± Sarah was livid with fury. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gotten a divorce yet?¡± Yesterday, she just happened to meet Eddy Morrison when visiting La. He had always treated her with contempt, and this time, he greeted her withints about how she failed to bring up her daughter well. Initially, Sarah was confused by it all. Sheter learned from his bodyguard that he went to the City Hall several days ago only to find out that Caroline was already married. He even thought of using his family¡¯s influence to force the staff there into annulling her marriage so that he could register his marriage with her. However, they failed to uncover the identity of the person she was married to, so his n hit a dead end. Then La was kicked out of the hospital under some mysterious person¡¯s order, and the CCTV footage of Caroline¡¯s surgery was all destroyed. Even the staff who had met her husband resigned from their jobs and vanished without a trace. Everything was so messed up, and Eddy was overwhelmed with frustration. That was why he lost his temper with her. Sarah called Caroline the moment she reached home after finding out about the matter. Caroline lowered the volume on herputer before she spoke. ¡°Mom, my kidney type and La¡¯s don¡¯t even match.¡± ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t match ¡­¡± Sarah trailed off, and as if something struck her, she took a deep breath. In a soft voice, she said, ¡°Carrie, I¡¯m your mother. Do you really think that I¡¯d cause you harm? Go get divorced and marry Eddy. This is your only way out.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°Mom, do you know I almost died during the surgery? They didn¡¯t want my kidney in exchange for getting married; they wanted me dead! Only when I¡¯m dead can they two be together!¡± Sarah paled. ¡°What?¡± ¡°La said it herself.¡± Now that she was talking it, Caroline could not stop herself from shuddering in fear. ¡°Mom, if I went for the surgery. I¡¯d no doubt die. If I live, our family might get a chance at bing one of the four major families again.¡± Kirk passed Caroline a ss of water. Caroline took a sip from it and felt a lot better, but her mother drawled on and on. ¡°Carrie, you must marry Eddy. And you must seize the position as the young Mrs. Morrison even if it means death. Only then will the Morrisons continue helping us Evans to regain our glory.¡± The ss in Caroline¡¯s hand radiated warmth, but her hands were cold as ever. Abruptly, her phone was plucked away from her grasp. Looking up, she saw Kirk putting it to his ear. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Chapter 20 ¡°Why don¡¯t you spend your time being a pushy parent on Improving yourself instead?¡± Sarah recognized Kirk¡¯s voice right away. Raising her voice, she said, ¡°My family¡¯s affairs are none of your business! Where are you two? Don¡¯t you dare tell me you¡¯re at Caroline¡¯s!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you worry.¡± Kirk had a bad impression of his mother¨Cinw. His voice dripped with bitterness. ¡°If Caroline¡¯s your daughter, stop telling her to marry Eddy Morrison. She doesn¡¯t like hearing it, and neither do 1.¡± Sarah snorted derisively. ¡°How dare youpare yourself with Eddy. He¡¯s the most Influential figure in Osbury. In Easton, no one could- Kirk hung up instantly. Caroline noticed his pursed lips and thought that he had gotten pissed off again. This time though, she was not afraid of him. On the contrary, she felt something warm spread in her chest. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. Kirk looked up from the phone and was met with her clear, pristine gaze. He wanted to say something, but the words lodged in his throat. All he could utter was, ¡°You should rest early.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Caroline stood. ¡°Then you¡¯ll ¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Caroline tailed him as he walked toward the door. ¡°Where do you live?¡± she asked. ¡°The city center.¡± ¡°Are you renting a room there?¡± Rooms for rent in the city center were pricey, so he could most probably only afford to rent a room with a single bed there. Kirk frowned. He thought of his luxury apartment and nodded anyway. ¡°It must be hard for you. Why don¡¯t you move into my house?¡± Caroline looked down as she shifted from foot to foot, her voice bing increasingly soft. Kirk stared at the crown of her head andughed. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He was afraid that if they lived together, something like what happened earlier would repeat itself. ¡°Okay,¡± Caroline replied, her voice filled with a sense of disappointment that she could not understand. Tonight was a sleepless night. After returning to his penthouse in the city center, Kirk took off his clothes and threw himself into the cool bathtub. The after¨Ceffect of that kiss was a bit too much. It took more than an hour for him to finally calm down. On the other side, Caroline tossed and turned in her bed, unable to sleep. It was when dawn came that she finally fell asleep. However, Caroline only managed to get a few minutes of sleep when someone came banging at her door. Shocked, she shot up from bed and wearily dragged herself to the door. Once the door was open, Dan Evans grabbed her hand and dragged her to the elevator. ¡°Come with me!¡± Caroline tried to yank her hand free. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to the City Hall to marry Eddy now!¡± Hearing that, Caroline tried harder to free her wrist from her father¡¯s iron grasp. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that I won¡¯t marry him? I don¡¯t wanna die!¡± At that moment, the elevator doors opened. Dan shoved her into the elevator and pressed the button frantically to close the doors. ¡°If you don¡¯t marry him, ourpany will go broke. How am I supposed to exin myself to your grandfather then?¡± ¡°Why is thepany going bankrupt?¡± Dan wiped the sweat on his brow. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? We had the Morrisons¡® support all this time. Since you disobeyed Eddy Morrison repeatedly recently, he¡¯s going to divest soon! Once this happens, the the Evans Group will be nothing but an empty shell!¡± Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Caroline was thunderstruck. ¡°How can thepany still be so intertwined with Morrison Corporation after so many years of in the business?¡± She had always thought the Evans Group had long since broken free from Morrison Corp¡¯s influence. Even if they had help from Morrison Corp, it was just the asional business deal rmendation. Dan¡¯s face became flushed. The Evans Group had indeed contemted bing independent of Morrison Corporation, but thepetition was too fierce. If they lost Morrison Corp¡¯s support, it would already be a miracle if they didn¡¯t suffer a loss. Earning money would be out of the question. Caroline let out an abruptugh. No wonder her father was so determined to kiss up to those big guns. ¡°Carrie, I don¡¯t want it to be this way either. Only you can save me now. I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t want the Evans family to be ruined either, would you?¡± Caroline said through her tears, ¡°So you¡¯re willing to sacrifice me for the family?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Dan dared not meet her gaze as he answered, ¡°Carrie, it¡¯s not up to me. As members of this family, we all have no choice.¡± Carolineughed miserably as she stared at the father who had raised her. She sniffed dejectedly and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Eddy Morrison?¡± ¡°He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s probably at his office.¡± ¡°Take me to see him.¡± ¡°Carrie¡­¡± Caroline said expressionlessly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Dan moved his lips but didn¡¯t dare to say another word in the end. He took Caroline to the Morrison Corporation building, feeling like she was no longer as obedient asst time. Eddy was giving Kirk a tour of the CEO¡¯s office at Morrison Corporation. He said light-heartedly, ¡± What do you think? I watched over the renovation myself. The design is unique, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kirk had a sharp eye and said, ¡°You¡¯re in a good mood today.¡± Eddy lowered his head with augh and said, ¡± Your eyes really don¡¯t miss a thing, Uncle Kirk.¡± ¡°So tell me, what¡¯s putting you in such a good mood that you even called me over this morning?¡± Eddy was already smiling from ear to ear, and he scratched his head embarrassedly. ¡°I dare not tell anyone else about this, so I guess you¡¯re the only person I can talk to. Do you remember I went to the City Hall a few days ago?¡± Kirk nodded slightly, his expression giving nothing away. ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s quite weird,¡± Eddy said with a frown. ¡°The clerks still haven¡¯t found any information on Caroline¡¯s husband. I have no idea who that man is, but ¡­¡± He stopped frowning and said, ¡°She¡¯s going to get divorced today.¡± 1/2 Kirk¡¯s expression remained unchanged, but his tone suddenly grew slightly grimmer. ¡°Oh, why?¡± At that moment, someone knocked on the door and announced, ¡°Mr. Morrison, Ms. Evans is here to see you.¡± ¡°Caroline?¡± Eddy nced at Kirk and said, ¡°Uncle Kirk, you.. ¡°Ask her in.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Eddy walked to the door and opened it. He told Richard, his secretary, ¡°Go bring her here.¡± Richard nodded and went downstairs to escort Caroline. ¡°Ms. Evans, Mr. Morrison invites you upstairs.¡± Caroline was sitting in the lounge, her gaze nk and her face pale. She was still wearing her pajamas under her jacket, looking lost and defeated. Hearing Richard¡¯s voice, she steadied her nerves and followed him to Eddy¡¯s office. She knocked on the door and heard Eddy¡¯s usual frigid voiceing from inside. ¡°Come in.¡± Caroline pushed the door open and saw Eddy sitting in hisrge armchair, his fingers tapping on the keyboard continuously. He seemed very busy. ¡°Am I bothering you?¡± asked Caroline. 212 Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Without even looking up, Eddy said, ¡°You should be at City Hall right now.¡± Caroline took a deep breath and sat down opposite him. ¡°I won¡¯t divorce if you¡¯re going to divest,¡± she said. Eddy looked up and smiled. ¡°Caroline, do you know what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°Of course I am,¡± said Caroline calmly. ¡°I only found out today that the Evans family is only still standing on its feet thanks to the Morrison family¡¯s support. It¡¯s indeed reasonable for you to ask for one of my kidneys.¡± She lowered her head and her red lips formed a smile. ¡°But, if you want me to die so that you can be with La, that¡¯s too much.¡± Eddy frowned. ¡°Caroline, don¡¯t put words in my mouth. When did I say I wanted you to die¡ª¡± Caroline waved a hand and cut him off. ¡°The money spent on the Evans Group is yours. There¡¯s nothing wrong with you wanting to divest, but at least give my family a chance to do something about it. I¡¯ve done the math. As long as thepany has 50 million in its ounts, that will be enough for it to push forward for a period of time. I hope you can give me half a month¡¯s time to make that amount of money.¡± (1 Eddy snorted softly. ¡°Half a month? 50 million? Caroline, you¡¯re really like one of those princesses in fairy tales who think that the world revolves around them.¡± ¡°Just tell me if it¡¯s a deal.¡± Caroline looked directly into his eyes, her gaze firm. It was actually Eddy¡¯s first time seeing her so resolute. His heart inexplicably skipped a beat. He averted his gaze hastily and said, ¡°Caroline, you know what it is I want. We really don¡¯t have to make things ugly. As long as you marry me and give your kidney to La, she will live a healthy life. You just stay out of our business and be a good wife on paper, then you¡¯ll spend the rest of your life without worry. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re so hell-bent on marrying a penniless man ¡± Caroline¡¯s expression changed abruptly and she said coldly, ¡°You have no right to judge him.¡± Her protectiveness made Eddy very ufortable. ¡°Hah, isn¡¯t he just N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Eddy Morrison.¡± Caroline shot to her feet and she leaned across the desk as she red at him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear you talking about him.¡± He was a good man and Eddy was in no ce to speak of him. With that, she took a deep breath and said in a milder tone, ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, then I have no choice but to tell Grandpa about the surgery.¡± She didn¡¯t want to threaten him with this. Eddy recovered from his shock and frowned deeply. ¡°Caroline, don¡¯t be absurd!¡± Caroline kept ncing at him, waiting for his reply. Eddy¡¯s hands, hidden under the desk, were clenched into fists as he looked at her with a gaze 1/2 and unclenched his fists. ¡°Humph, 50 million in half a month. Okay.¡± Just as Caroline was looking rxed, he said mockingly, ¡°But, if you fail to make 50 million dors in time, then you must get divorced and marry me.¡± Caroline sucked in a breath and grew pale. It was a long time before she nodded. After she left, Kirk came out from the lounge When he saw Eddy sprawled back against his armchair, he smirked subtly. He had heard every single word of their conversation, especially the part where Caroline had said that Eddy had no right to judge him. (2) ¡°Uncle Kirk?¡± Eddy noticed him and said tiredly, ¡°You heard everything?¡± Kirk nodded, and Eddy said scornfully, ¡°It¡¯s rare that a woman is so full of herself. She¡¯ll learn the consequences of going against me in half a month.¡± Kirk¡¯s smile broadened, but he said nothing. A thought seemed to strike Eddy, and he asked, Uncle Kirk, I heard that you¡¯re going to visit Grandpa with your beloved next month. Why don¡¯t you let us meet her before Grandpa does?¡± Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Eddy was dying to know what kind of woman could make his uncle, who had always been indifferent toward rtionships, fall in love at first sight and get married right away. Kirk remained silent. Eddy leaned closer to him and said, ¡°Uncle Kirk, don¡¯t tell me that you won¡¯t let us see her because she¡¯s so beautiful that you want to save her for your eyes and your eyes only?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t deny it. Eddy¡¯s eyes widened instantly as he eximed, ¡°I got it right! No way, Uncle Kirk. I¡¯m even more curious now that you¡¯re like this. You must let me meet her as soon as possible!¡± Kirk looked up at Eddy, who looked excited and was anticipating an answer. He smiled imperceptibly. ¡°You¡¯ll meet her.¡± After leaving the Morrison Corporation, Caroline raced home and dug into her contacts list. 50 million dors was probably just the equivalent of a few meals to the upper ss, but convincing them to lend her such a sum would be harder than moving mountains, especially when Eddy already had ns to divest. Her borrowing money at this time would only prove that the Morrison family was going to cut ties with the Evans family. Hence, people would just be even more reluctant to lend her money. Caroline suddenly felt exhausted. If the Evans family had be independent of the Morrison family long before this, she wouldn¡¯t be in such pathetic circumstances now. However, what hurt her the most was her parents¡¯ attitude. They didn¡¯t care if she lived or died, as long as it was to make the Evans family one of the four great families again. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Caroline blinked and wrapped her arms around her knees. Sometimes, she really wondered if her parents had only doted on her because she would be the future daughter-inw of the Morrison family. Her tears flowed like water from a broken dam. The more she wiped them away, the harder she cried. It took a long time until she finally stopped holding them back. She just sat there staring nkly at the sky outside the window, drowning in her tears. After only Go d knew how long, there was a knock at the door. Caroline got up hastily and washed her face before opening the door. Seeing Kirk, she quickly looked down and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Since leaving Eddy¡¯s office, Kirk¡¯s thoughts had been all over the ce. Now that he saw Caroline, he finally felt relieved. ¡°Just passing by,¡± he said. ¡°Passing by? Don¡¯t you live in the city center?¡± Morrison Corporation was also located in the city center, so he shouldn¡¯t have to pass by the outskirts on the way home. Kirk asked expressionlessly, ¡°Were you crying?¡± 1/2 ¡°No.¡± Caroline turned around, wanting to hide from him. ¡°Is it about the 50 million dors?¡± Kirk acted as if he lived there and stepped inside, taking off his shoes. Caroline followed behind him and asked, ¡°How do you know about that?¡± Gazing at her shining eyes, he couldn¡¯t bear to keep deceiving her, but he didn¡¯t know how to tell her his identity. ¡°I just do.¡± Caroline sniffed and said, ¡°It must be that big-mouth Eddy who spread the word. All of Osbury probably knows by now how much I overestimated myself. And I did, I really did ¡­¡± She choked up while she was speaking. ¡°But I just wanted to¡­ save myself. The Evans family only made it till today thanks to the Morrison family¡¯s support, but I nearly died on the operation table. That should mean that I¡¯ve repaid my gratitude. That 50 million dors is to buy my life and to buy a way out for the Evans family! Am I wrong to do this?¡± Kirk¡¯s heart ached as he watched her cry him a river. He reached out and pulled her into his embrace. He brushed her hair wordlessly. His warm embrace made Caroline break down again, and she hugged him while she sobbed. Very quickly, her tears wet his shirt and pierced his heart. His hand against her hair clenched into a fist. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m here for you.¡± + Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Chapter 24 The sound of his deep, husky voice made Caroline slowly realize that she was hugging Kirk. At once, she got flustered and hastily took a step back. Her pale face was flushed as she said, ¡°Sorry, I Kirk¡¯s chest immediately felt hollow. As if nothing had happened, he said mildly, ¡°I can lend you the money.¡± Caroline went stiff, wondering if she had heard him correctly. ¡°What did you say?¡± Kirk felt uneasy at her stare and said, ¡°50 million dors.¡± Caroline frowned. ¡°Kirk, thank you, but I¡¯ll find a way to get through this. You needn¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I can help you, honestly.¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze flitted toward her asionally. ¡°Actually, I am the Morrison family¡¯s ¡­¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re in Morrison Corp¡¯s middle management and your yearly sry isn¡¯t exactly peanuts, but 50 million dors is still a huge sum,¡± said Caroline with a smile. ¡°Unless you¡¯re an actual Morrison. But if that were the case, we wouldn¡¯t be married.¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why not?¡± Kirk¡¯s eyes were as ck as coal. ¡°Before, it was like I was born to be married to Eddy. My family doted on me all the time then. They would satisfy all my wants and needs no matter what I asked for, even if I asked for the stars in the sky. But when I gave up on it, everybody changed. Back then, I didn¡¯t believe that greed could make people so horrible, but I finally believe it now. That¡¯s why I would rather be with someone mundane than have anything to do with influential families.¡± Looking into her pure eyes, Kirk was silent for a long time. Finally, he said, ¡°So, if I¡¯m part of the Morrison family, then you¡¯ll divorce me?¡± Caroline answered with a smile, ¡°Yup.¡± All the light went out of Kirk¡¯s eyes in an instant, and Caroline didn¡¯t understand what was going on. ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s the matter?¡± she asked. ¡°Nothing. Have you eaten?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll get you something to eat.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t feel like going out, so Kirk ordered takeout. The food and its packaging were very pretty, and Caroline wanted to ask which restaurant he had ordered from and if it was expensive. However, Kirk was in low spirits, so she held her tongue. 1/2 After they had finished eating, Kirk went out to the balcony for a smoke while Caroline stayed in the living room. She didn¡¯t watch television that day but continued going through her contacts list. After searching for a while, she found someone. Kent Pearson, the CEO of thergest home appliancepany in Osbury. Back in the day, when the Evans family hadn¡¯t yet fallen, her grandfather had treated him very well. Caroline didn¡¯t remember any of this at all and only knew because her father had told her. Since Kent was someone her grandfather had helped before, she should be able to borrow some money from him. She called his number tentatively. At that moment, Kent was in the noisy private room of a pub. He had a woman on each arm and was asionally fondling them. The woman beside him didn¡¯t pull away but leaned closer to him smilingly instead. She saw that the screen of his phone was lit up and leaned against his fat body, saying flirtily, ¡°Mr. Pearson, your phone¡¯s ringing. Why aren¡¯t you answering it?¡± Kent gave her a sidelong nce and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have to. It¡¯s Ms. Evans.¡± ¡°Ms. Evans? Isn¡¯t she the one who¡¯s going to marry Eddy Morrison? How dare you ignore the call from the future Mrs. Morrison?¡± Kent spat and said, ¡°What heiress? She probably doesn¡¯t even have much longer to live.¡± The two women continued asking questions out of curiosity, and Kent didn¡¯t hold back any information either. ¡°That stu pid woman made a deal with Mr. Morrison. She needs to get her hands on 50 million dors in half a month,¡± he said. The women burst intoughter. ¡°She¡¯s really stu pid. Anyone who wants to live would never lend her money,¡± said one of them. ¡°I know right, no wonder she still hasn¡¯t married Mr. Morrison even after so long. She must really be a dumb bit ch!¡± Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Chapter 25 The phone screen went dark, but it lit up again after a few seconds. Kent was happy about that, but when he nced at it again, his expression changed drastically. He shot to his feet and answered the phone, saying respectfully, ¡°Mr. Morrison.¡± The moment he said that, the noisy room fell into pin-drop silence. Nobody knew what the other person said, but Kent¡¯s expression remained respectful the whole time. After a while, he frowned and said, ¡°But, didn¡¯t you say¡­ Okay, I understand.¡± With that, he waited for the other person to end the call. Then, he called Caroline. ¡°Ms. Evans? I was in a meeting, so I didn¡¯t hear your call. You need to see me? Okay, let¡¯s meet up and have a nice long hat. No problem, see you tomorrow night.¡± After putting down her phone, Caroline felt as if a burden had been lifted off her shoulders. Kirk came back after his smoke and asked, ¡°Good news?¡± Caroline looked up with a smile and said, ¡°Yup, I made an appointment with someone for tomorrow.¡± ¡°A man or another woman?¡± Caroline did not notice Kirk¡¯s expression and said, ¡°A man.¡± Kirk frowned and asked, ¡°You¡¯re nning to borrow money from him?¡± ¡°Yup, he helped my grandfather before, so I want to give it a shot.¡± Caroline herself did not dare to keep hopes too high up. Kirk sat down opposite her with a grim expression. Seeing him that way, Caroline inexplicably felt a little nervous. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked. Kirk stayed silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Caroline, did you ever consider that things could turn out differently than what you¡¯re expecting?¡± Caroline propped her chin on her hand and looked at him with a puzzled expression. Then, she said with some difficulty, ¡°You¡¯re right. Why hasn¡¯t it struck me that this is Osbury? This is the Morrison family¡¯s turf. So long as Eddy wants me to lose, I will lose, and I¡¯ll win only if he wants me to. Whether or not I manage to borrow money all depends on what he wants.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Kirk smiled faintly when Caroline got his point so quickly. ¡°That¡¯s correct. So what kind of ending do you think Eddy wants from this?¡± Caroline gulped and answered, ¡°Of course, he¡¯s hoping that I¡¯ll lose. But if that¡¯s the case, then why would Mr. Pearson want to see me?¡± Was he not afraid of the Morrison family? ¡°Yeah, why?¡± Kirk said rhetorically. 1/2 Caroline rubbed her chin and said, ¡°There¡¯s only one possibility, and it¡¯s that Eddy gave him permission to ¡­¡± But why would Eddy do that? Seeing her in such a puzzled state, Kirk¡¯s heart melted a little and he exined, ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see him tomorrow, but since you already know that he has bad intentions, you must be fully prepared.¡± Caroline nodded as she gazed at Kirk¡¯s tall figure, suddenly struck by how majestic he looked. Her red lips trembled, but she did not say a word. Before the appointment the next day, Caroline made a n of action with Gwen. Gwen would call her at nine o¡¯clock and, if she did not answer, Gwen would then call the police right away. ¡°Okay, but babe, isn¡¯t it a better idea if you brought your husband along?¡± Gwen was very worried. Caroline froze for a moment. She had thought about it, but their marriage was just contractual. There was no need to drag him into trouble. ¡°We don¡¯t have to trouble him.¡± Caroline checked her makeup. After making sure she looked fine, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll head inside now.¡± ¡°Okay, be careful.¡± Caroline got out of the car and walked to the restaurant. A waiter led her into a private room, where she saw Kent Pearson. The moment Kent saw her, his eyes lit up. She was wearing a red bodycon dress and her skin was as fair as snow. The dressplemented her slim waist, and she looked elegant and charismatic. Her look made Kent swoon. His direct stare, on the other hand, made Caroline frown with unease, but remembering that she had a favor to ask of him, she sat down with a polite smile. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Pearson.¡± ¡°A pleasure¡­¡± Kent was on the verge of drooling. He had seen her before, but he did not imagine the impact that she would make on him when he saw her up close. He had really made the right decision to agree to this appointment. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Chapter 26 ¡°I came to see you today to¡­¡± Kent waved his hand dismissively and said with a sigh, ¡°Ms. Evans, this must be your first time talking business. The rule is to drink before talking about business matters.¡± With that, he snapped his fingers at the waiter and ordered, ¡°Bring us the best bottle of wine you have.¡± A momentter, the waiter brought a bottle of wine up to them and Kent took it from him, filling Caroline¡¯s ss personally. ¡°Ms. Evans, this is my favorite red wine. Here, have a taste.¡± Looking at the full ss of red wine, Caroline frowned slightly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You won¡¯t give me this pleasure?¡± Kent said with a displeased expression. Caroline felt helpless and had no choice but to take a small sip. Kent¡¯s expression turned more sour and he said, ¡°You don¡¯t seem very serious about this, Ms. Evans. If that¡¯s how it¡¯s going to be, I think it¡¯s best that you leave.¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Caroline said hastily, ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I have a low tolerance for alcohol¡­¡¯ ¡± Seeing Kent¡¯s still sour expression, she could only pick up the ss of wine and down all its contents. Only then did he smile again. ¡°Now that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. Here, let me pour you another ss,¡± he said. He filled her ss almost to the brim again. With no choice left, Caroline bit the bullet and finished it. After she drank everything, she leaned back against her chair limply, her face flushed. ¡°I can¡¯t anymore, Mr. Pearson. I ¡­ I can¡¯t drink anymore.¡± With a smile and greedy eyes, Kent said, ¡°Oh really? Have another ss and I¡¯ll lend you the 50 million.¡± Caroline struggled to raise her head, but her eyes were sparkling with hope. ¡°Really?¡± Kent smiled with satisfaction and stood up to fill Caroline¡¯s ss. ¡°Ms. Evans, show me exactly how sincere you are.¡± Caroline picked up her wine ss with difficulty, but just as her lips touched the rim, she lost her bnce and fell to the floor with a thud, the red wine forming a puddle. She was sprawled on the floor, unable to get to her feet. Kent walked to her side and said in a low voice, ¡°Are you drunk?¡± Caroline looked up at him through zed eyes and said, ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not drunk. I can drink some more ¡­¡± 1/2 Kent smiled per vertedly and said, ¡°Okay. Since you¡¯re not drunk, then I¡¯ll take you to another ce so you can do just that-drink some more.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Caroline opened her eyes wide like an innocent child and asked, ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Come, I¡¯ll help you there.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your help!¡± Caroline pushed Kent away and stood up on wobbly feet. ¡°Where ¡­ Where are we¡­ going to drink?¡± Kent got up off the floor and pointed upstairs. ¡°There¡¯s arge wine cer upstairs.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline stumbled toward the elevator, and when Kent tried to hold her steady, she pped his hand away. Kent knew that the restaurant had camera surveince, and he didn¡¯t want to get caught being touchy with Caroline. Therefore, he just let her stumble her way upstairs and took her to a room. It was a twin room. There was a camera positioned at the head of the bed. It was still on, so Kent thought it had been set up not too long ago. He secretly locked the door and snuck up on Caroline.¡± I¡¯ll get you ¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, he had already thrown himself against her eagerly and wrapped his arms around her. However, in the next moment, he started spasming, as if he was electrocuted. He lowered his head in disbelief, looking at the mini taser at his waist. ¡°You ¡­ You¡¯re not drunk?¡± Her face still flushed, Caroline got up from the floor with a look of disgust. She shuddered with revulsion at Kent touching the small of her back, wishing she could take a shower immediately to get rid of the germs. Nevertheless, she forced herself to calm down, then tased him again. Kent immediately felt numb all over. At that moment, a knock sounded at the door and Caroline looked in its direction in panic. Kent shouted excitedly, like he saw a chance of survival. ¡°Help! Come in and help me get this heinous bit ch!¡± ¡° Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Caroline rushed to grab a towel from the bedside and stuffed it into Kent¡¯s mouth. After all, it was her first time in a situation like that, and she was already at the end of her rope after pushing through to this point. Hearing the knock on the door, she trembled like a leaf, at aplete loss for what to do. A familiar voice came from outside. ¡°Caroline, it¡¯s me.¡± Stunned, Caroline opened the door without hesitation. Seeing that it was Kirk, she felt surprised and grateful at the same time. She threw herself into his arms. All the fear and trepidation she felt vanished in an instant. ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s the matter?¡± Kirk patted her thin shoulders lightly and consoled her softly. ¡°What would have happened to you if I wasn¡¯t here?¡± He looked up and shot a dark re at Kent, who was sprawled on the ground like a fat pig. ¡°Wait here for me and don¡¯t go anywhere,¡± said Kirk. He made sure Caroline was safe and walked into the room, shutting the door behind him. The camera was still glowing in the dark. He walked up to it and switched it off silently. The whole time, he was calm and graceful, like a ssy prince. Kent looked at him in a daze. He only managed to force a few words after a long moment. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Kirk looked up and walked to Kent. He took out a card and handed it to him. Kent was stunned. Give this card to her when you go out and say it¡¯s a token of your apology,¡± said Kirk. Seeing that Kirk had no intention of getting rough with him, he got a boost of courage. ¡°You want to use me to give the money to Caroline. I¡¯m not a fool. When Mr. Morrison finds out ¡­ Ahh!¡± With a loud snap, Kirk broke Kent¡¯s right arm. He screamed in agony and broke out in a cold sweat. Kirk only looked at him coldly and asked, ¡°Are you going to give it to her or not?¡± ¡°No¡­ Ahh!¡± His other arm was broken too. ¡°Yes¡­ Yes, yes, yes¡­¡± Kent said quickly for fear that he This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. would lose his life. Kirk stuffed the card into Ken¡¯t pocket and said, ¡°The PIN is her birthday, got that?¡± Kent nodded obediently after getting a taste of pain. ¡°So¡­ So can I go now?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t move, so Kent thought he was letting him go. He got up unsteadily, but just as he got his bnce, Kirk kicked him. He toppled to the floor, feeling as if all his bones were about to break. He felt like he couldn¡¯t get up anymore. ¡°Didn¡¯t I ¡­¡± he stuttered. ¡°That was just to get you to do something.¡± Kirk bore down on him like a mountain, looking fiercer than a beast in the darkness. ¡°Now, this is revenge!¡± With that, he swung fist after fist at Kent. 1/3 ¡°Kirk ¡­ Open the door!¡± If the beating went on like that, Kent might die. The shouts from inside started getting more terrible. ¡°Kirk ¡­¡± Caroline was panicking. ¡°You have to calm down. Don¡¯t risk your life for a scumbag like him!¡± However, it didn¡¯t seem like Kirk was about to open the door any time soon. Caroline was beside herself with panic, but just as she was about to ask the staff for help, the door opened. Kirk came out with his hand around Kent¡¯s neck. Caroline was shocked when she saw Kent, who had gotten so beaten up that he looked unrecognizable. Kirk kicked him, prompting him to give the card to Caroline. She saw him feeling around his pocket and thought he was going to call the police. She was so frightened that she immediately took cover behind him. ¡°Kent, if you dare call the police, I¡¯ll tell your wife what happened tonight!¡± Kent was speechless. ¡°I recorded our conversation tonight and how you brought me into this room. If this evidence isn¡¯t sufficient, then there¡¯s still that camera by the bed. I think anyone who isn¡¯t a fool would know what you were trying to do, right?¡± said Caroline. After chatting with Kirk the night before, she had done research on Kent. His wife was a fearsome woman and he was very afraid of her. That was why he had sent her back to her hometown a few years ago-so that she wouldn¡¯t find out about his debauchery. Kent said with difficulty, ¡°I won¡¯t report it to the police.¡± How would he dare? Only then did Caroline breathe a sigh of relief, but she still felt worried as she looked at Kirk. ¡°And you mustn¡¯t seek revenge privately. If he gets hurt in any way over the next few months, I¡¯ll take it up with you.¡± Kirk nced at Caroline, who looked so delicate, but was working so hard to protect him, and smiled. Kent was on the verge of tears. ¡°How could I possibly dare when you have evidence of me? I ¡­ I just wanted to tell you that I have a bank card in my pocket with 50 million dors in it. It¡¯s for you, as a token of apology.¡± Caroline was taken aback. ¡°Aren¡¯t¡­ Aren¡¯t you afraid that Mr. Morrison wille for you?¡± She didn¡¯t believe that Kent could be so kind. Kent gritted his teeth. He was more afraid of the ruffian in front of him. This man was a hundred times more terrifying than Mr. Morrison. Most importantly, the man seemed above thew. One moment earlier, Kent was certain he would kill him. ¡°I¡­¡± Kent looked in Kirk¡¯s direction and said, 2/3 Caroline took the card doubtfully. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Kirk and took off his coat to wrap it around her shoulders. Caroline got into the car, holding the card in a daze. ¡°This card isn¡¯t a trap, is it?¡± she asked. ¡°If you don¡¯t trust him, we can go get it checked.¡± Caroline smiled and said, ¡°I just find his change of attitude too sudden. I was even nning to threaten him for the money with the recording¡­¡± Realizing that she had said something wrong, she fell silent immediately. Kirk smirked and said, ¡°So you were nning to use the recording to get the money, but you used it to save me ¡­ If he hadn¡¯t given you the bank card, wouldn¡¯t you have regretted it?¡± Caroline answered directly, ¡°I never thought about that.¡± At that moment, she had only worried that Kent would call the police and implicate Kirk. She couldn¡¯t let anything happen to him. Kirk drummed his slender fingers against the steering wheel and asked, ¡°When did you realize what he was up to?¡± ¡°When he kept making me drink,¡± said Caroline proudly. Sheughed. ¡°He has no idea how much experience I have drinking growing up so I could be fit for the role of Eddy¡¯s wife. He can dream on if he thinks he can get me drunk!¡± Her face was still flushed and her expression was mischievous, and it melted Kirk¡¯s heart. He jammed the brakes and pulled her into a hug, crushing her lips in a hot kiss. All the unease and jealousy he felt that night melted into passion, scorching his insides and his heart. Caroline widened her eyes in surprise and gazed at his handsome face that was inches away from hers, the heat slowly taking over her body. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 The sharp ringing of Caroline¡¯s phone pulled her back to reality. When she pushed Kirk away, she was panting. It¡¯s my phone. It must be Gwen.¡± Then, she quickly answered the call. ¡°Hey, Gwen.¡± Phew. You picked up. I was worried to death. How did it go? Did that old ba stard hurt you?¡± Caroline did not dare to look at Kirk ¡°No. I already left.¡± That¡¯s good. Wait a minute.¡± Gwen suddenly sensed that something was amiss. ¡°Babe, why are you breathing so heavily? Don¡¯t tell me that ba stard¡¯s chasing after you? I¡¯lle to you right now ¡®No, there¡¯s no need,¡± said Caroline hastily. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m just relieved that it¡¯s over. Anyway, the problem is solved. I¡­ I¡¯ll talk to you tomorrow.¡± Caroline regretted it the moment she hung up the phone. The car was pin-drop silent. The atmosphere was still charged, but it was more awkward than before. She fumbled for words for a long time before saying, ¡°So¡­ Was that a spot check?¡± Kirk turned the air-conditioning higher, but the heat in his body still rose instead of going down. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He nodded in frustration. Caroline said, ¡°I was ¡­ better than thest time, wasn¡¯t I?¡± Once the words left her mouth, she wished she could find a hole to bury herself in. What was she saying! Kirk touched his lips. The lingering taste of her stirred something in him. He hid the passion in his eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you home.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline could wish for nothing more. They were silent for the remainder of the drive. After dropping Caroline home, Kirk called Sean. ¡°I¡¯m at a bar,¡± said Sean. ¡°Your nephew is quite strange. He¡¯s been asking about your wife the whole night. Don¡¯t tell me your father doesn¡¯t believe you¡¯re married and sent him to test me?¡± Kirk tugged at his tie frustratedly. ¡°Eddy¡¯s there too?¡± ¡°Yup, and he¡¯s in a good mood today. He¡¯s drunk quite a lot and I think we¡¯ll be heading home soon. I¡¯ll let him know you called.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Hold him there. I¡¯ming over.¡± Sean held his phone skeptically, sensing that Kirk seemed to be in a bad mood. Who was grinding his gears? He turned around and walked back into the private room. There were only a few people inside, and he spotted Eddy at first nce. He approached him and said, ¡°Your uncle¡¯s joining us in a bit.¡± 1/2 Everybody at the party that night was from one of the four most influential families, so it was no secret to them that Kirk had returned. Brie Collins, who had been about to leave, went back to her seat and put down her handbag the moment she heard this. Nobody noticed her actions. Everyone else was gathered around Eddy, teasing him. ¡°That means we¡¯ll finally get to meet your legendary uncle.¡± Eddy hadn¡¯t expected Kirk toe either. That night was an early celebration of Caroline¡¯s failure. He had invited Kirk, but Kirk had said he was busy and couldn¡¯t make it. Hearing that he woulde, Eddy immediately felt proud. He couldn¡¯t help but say arrogantly, ¡°Humph, you guys are so lucky to get to meet my uncle.¡± Kirk¡¯s sess in the business field was admired and envied by all. Everybody looked up to him. Half an hourter, Kirk arrived, fashionablyte. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Everybody got up and prepared to greet Kirk, but what he did was punch Eddy in the face. Their jaws dropped, including Eddy¡¯s himself. After a pause, Eddy cradled his cheek and raised his head. ¡°Uncle Kirk?¡± Kirk looked at him with a venomous gaze. Sean was the first to get his senses back and signaled to the others to leave the room. ¡°Kirk, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡± ¡°Yeah, why did you hit me out of nowhere, Uncle Kirk?¡± ¡°You know why, don¡¯t you?¡± Veins bulged on the back of Kirk¡¯s hand. If it wasn¡¯t because Sean was holding him back, he would have punched Eddy again. ¡°No matter how much you hate Caroline, you should never have sent a man to rape her!¡± Kirk¡¯s patience toward Eddy had already reached its limit over the surgery incident, and he did not expect Eddy to cross another boundary. Eddy said in shock, ¡°When¡­ When did I send a man to ¡­ rape her?¡± ¡°She was almost assaulted by Kent Pearson tonight, I witnessed it with my own eyes. Are you still not going to admit it?¡± ¡°What? Kent Pearson?¡± Eddy was confused. He fished out his phone and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, then you can check my phone. I never contacted any Kent Pearson!¡± Kirkughed mirthlessly and grabbed Eddy¡¯s phone. He scrolled through it and held it to Eddy¡¯s face. ¡°How are you going to exin this?¡± Eddy looked at the unfamiliar number on the screen in confusion. A few minutester, he finally recalled that he had been with La the night before and his expression changed drastically. He copsed into a chair and said, ¡°No way, La isn¡¯t that kind of person.¡± Kirk clenched his fists and said, ¡°If you can¡¯t keep your woman in check, then I¡¯ll help you!¡± Eddy¡¯s thoughts were a whirlwind and he seemed out of reach. He turned around and left the room. When the room was quiet again, Sean said teasingly, ¡°It looks like I¡¯m getting a wedding Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g invitation from you and Caroline soon.¡± Kirk frowned in disapproval and said, ¡°What are you going on about?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already defended her so heroically. Don¡¯t deny it.¡± ¡°I just felt sorry for her,¡± said Kirk expressionlessly. Seanughed softly and said, ¡°There are many other miserable people in the world, but why do you only feel sorry for her?¡± Right when Kirk was about to burst into a rage, the door opened. 1/2 Brie stuck her head in and said, ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Morrison. I¡¯m Brie Collins. Previously, Mr. Morrison Senior mentioned matchmaking us, but I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here!¡± She had seen pictures of Kirk before, but she was worried they were doctored. Little did she expect him to be even more handsome in real life. He also had a good figure, and the manly way he had punched Eddy made her heart do somersaults. Kirk was already annoyed, and he felt even more frustrated when he heard her yful tone of voice. Looking at the two of them and thinking about how Kirk had adamantly denied any feelings for Caroline, Sean felt amused. ¡°I¡¯m going out to sober up,¡± he said. When he passed by Brie, he whispered, ¡°Ms. Collins, I¡¯ll leave Mr. Morrison in your capable hands!¡± Brie was overjoyed and nodded fervently. The instant Sean left, she sat down beside Kirk excitedly. Although he gave off an unapproachable air, she bravely brought herself closer to him, little by little, until there was only an inch between them. ¡°You¡¯re interested in me, are you?¡± Kirk turned to her suddenly with a naughty smile that was mesmerizing yet dangerous. Brie¡¯s heart started beating out of control as she nodded boldly. ¡°Yes.¡± Their arms were touching and Brie could feel his solid muscles under his shirt. In the next moment, Kirk suddenly grabbed her wrist. Brie was surprised and happy. Coyly, she said, ¡°Mr. Morrison, I¡­¡¯ ¡° Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Before she could finish, Kirk dragged her to the door roughly and flung her out. His gaze was icy, and he looked frightening. ¡°Who gave you the audacity!¡± he growled. Brie¡¯s face paled instantly. A short distance away, Sean shook his head helplessly at the scene. ¡°He won¡¯t admit that he likes Caroline, but that¡¯s how he reacts to another woman. What a stubborn man. He¡¯d better get his act together sooner orter,¡± thought Sean. At 3 am, Caroline was still awake. That kiss felt like a scald and her lips still burned. The moment she touched them, she felt as if she was back in the car and steamily kissing him again. Her cheeks burned without her realizing it and her whole body felt restless. While she was tossing and turning in bed, noises came from outside the door. It wasn¡¯t knocking. It was scratching. Caroline¡¯s senses sharpened instantly and she got up, grabbing a knife from the kitchen and walking to the door warily. Looking through the peephole, she saw that it was Kirk. She dropped the knife immediately and opened the door. The moment she flung the door open, the pungent smell of alcohol filled her nose. ¡°Have you been drinking?¡± Caroline stooped to look at Kirk. He looked like an obedient kitten when he was drunk, his eyes closed, his mole stark against his skin. She didn¡¯t know if he was asleep. The ground is cold, get up!¡± Caroline reached out to tug him. Kirk didn¡¯t budge, but he raised his head and slowly opened his eyes. His eyes shone like crystals in the dark, making him look especially gentle. ¡°You¡­ Sit down. I need to talk to you,¡± he said. ¡°Talk inside!¡± Caroline tugged at him with all her might, but he was as immovable as a mountain. She started getting anxious and said, ¡°Hurry, get up!¡± Kirkughed softly and pulled her into an embrace. Caroline¡¯s heart nearly jumped out of her chest. When she struggled, she could feel him burning up. She was so frightened that she dared not move another inch. She felt shy and awkward, like a schoolgirl. ¡°Kirk¡­¡± Kirk narrowed his eyes and leaned closer to her, the tip of his nose touching hers. Their breath. intertwined and Caroline¡¯s lips trembled. She felt as if she was on fire as she called out, ¡°Kirk ¡­¡± Before she could say anything else, Kirk put a finger against her lips. ¡°You smell so good¡­¡± he said. With his nose against her cheek, he slid his finger inch by inch from her nose down to her slender neck, her vicle, and even lower¡­ Caroline clenched her fists nervously as she felt a sense of anticipation. Suddenly, he picked her 1/2 seem to feel the sway of his movements. He carried her safely to the sofa andid her down.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Chapter 31 ¡°Are you willing to?¡± His voice was low and h oa rse, yet his eyes had a strange light in them. Caroline didn¡¯t know whether he was truly drunk or was simply pretending to be drunk. She pressed her lips against his; her entire face was already bright red by now. Kirk bent over and pressed on her lips too. The scent of alcohol invaded Caroline¡¯s senses, making her feel light-headed. Still, her hands tightened their grip on his shirt. As she let them slide down his shirt, her fingers brushed on something shaped like a lipstick. The heat she felt instantly vanished like an extinguished me. Hastily, she pushed Kirk away. ¡°I -I¡¯ll get you something to sober up,¡± she said, breathless. With that, she rushed off into the kitchen and closed the door. She smacked herself on the head a couple of times and cursed at herself for being clumsy enough to let something like that happen Kirk was drunk, but she wasn¡¯t. She had no idea how she¡¯d face him in the future if something happened between them. However, she felt her heart twist a little upon remembering that lipstick. After calming down, she left the kitchen with a cup of ginger tea. Kirk was already asleep when she reached the couch. His eyes were shut tightly, and she could hear his even breath while he slept. Slowly and silently, she let out the breath she¡¯d been holding and crouched. Then, she helped him take off his shoes and dragged him into the guest room. This time, Caroline found that he was rather cooperative; he didn¡¯t do anything that he shouldn¡¯t do. As she tucked him in, she nced at him onest time before leaving and going back to her room. She slept so well that she slept in and was harshly awakened by a phone call and someone knocking on her door. ¡°Caroline, open up the door! Open it now!¡± It was Sarah. Still drowsy, Caroline climbed out of bed toUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g open the door. ¡°Mom, what happened to you?¡± ¡°You have the audacity to ask me that?¡± Sarah was fuming like a volcano that was about to erupt, and she prodded Caroline in the forehead. ¡°Did you make a bet with Eddy?¡± Caroline had barely opened her mouth to speak when Sarah grabbed her by the wrist and ordered, ¡°Come with me to meet Eddy at once and apologize to him in person,¡± 1/3 Now, it was Caroline¡¯s turn to be angry, She¡¯d spent every ounce of patience she had. Yanking her hand back from Sarah¡¯s grasp, she said adamantly, ¡°I did nothing wrong.¡± ¡°Nothing?¡± Sarah roared. ¡°Listen up, you¡¯re dead if Eddy takes back his investment because of this. Even if you die, it wouldn¡¯t be much of an apology by then! Quick! Hurry up! We¡¯ll go to Eddy¡¯s house together, so you can apologize to him!¡± Dodging Sarah¡¯s clutches, Caroline looked at her grimly and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t make the deal on my own. He agreed to it. Besides, I¡¯ve managed to borrow 50 million dors already. With this money, our company can gradually free itself from Morrison Corp and manage to run on its own. Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± ¡°You managed to get 50 million dors already?¡± Sarah was shocked to hear this, but she frowned. after a moment. ¡°Caroline, what happened to you? Since when did you learn to lie? ¡°Who in Osbury would lend you money now? I¡¯m so disappointed in you. Come with me. I¡¯ll make you apologize to him no matter what.¡± As she was talking, Sarah pushed Caroline to the door, while thetter started struggling against her mother. Suddenly, both women heard a sound from behind them. It was the elevator. Its doors were open. They looked in the direction of the elevator to see Eddy and La getting out of it. The scene left both mother and daughter dumbfounded, especially because La was sitting in a wheelchair with red, puffy eyes, as though she¡¯d just cried. Now highly alert, Caroline took a cautious step backward. A smile immediately surfaced on Sarah¡¯s face when she saw Eddy. ¡°Eddy, you¡¯re here! What a coincidence! I was just about to take Caroline over to your ce to apologize to you. I already know about your bet. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault for not disciplining my daughter well and making her cause so much trouble. Don¡¯t worry, though, because she knows that she¡¯s wrong now¡­¡± she bbered. ¡°Caroline!¡± Sarah whispered harshly in an attempt to scold Caroline. She then pushed Caroline to stand before Eddy. Seeing Caroline made Eddy acutely conscious of the pain in his nose thanks to the punch he¡¯d suffered last night. Eddy cleared his throat and started, ¡°I¡¯m here today-¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Caroline said, interrupting him before he could finish his sentence,¡± so I won¡¯t apologize.¡± Hearing those words, Sarah¡¯s face turned pale instantly. She pinched Caroline¡¯s arm and chastised. 2/3 behaving like this!¡± ¡°Mrs. Evans,¡± Eddy chipped in. ¡°It¡¯s true that it wasn¡¯t her fault. La and I are the ones who should be apologizing.¡± His words felt like an electric shock, stunning the mother and daughter. It was an extremely rare thing to hear Eddy Morrison say sorry to someone else. How bizarre. ¡°S-sorry¡­¡± muttered La as she raised her head, still sobbing. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, Caroline. I never thought that Kent would do something like that to you!¡± Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Caroline frowned. The way La apologized seemed rather pretentious. ¡°Kent Pearson?¡± Sarah cried and looked at Caroline with anxiety written all over her face. ¡°Were you tainted?¡± Caroline nced sideways at La, her lips already turning into a sneer. ¡°So, you¡¯re the one who ordered Kent to do that to mest night, aren¡¯t you?¡± La paled at Caroline¡¯s words. She bit her lip and tried to exin herself. ¡°No, that¡¯s not true! I¡¯ve already exined this to Eddy. I called Kent out of the kindness of my heart so that he¡¯d lend you the money. I really didn¡¯t know that he¡¯d do something like that.¡± Caroline took a step forward, not bothering to listen to her excuses. She stared at La with piercing eyes and spat, ¡°So, it was you?¡± ¡°No¡± La had barely uttered another word when Caroline gave her a tight p across the face. It took a moment for La to realize what had happened. Her fingers trembled as they touched her cheek, which was now burning in pain from the p. She stared at Caroline in disbelief. This woman had the guts to p her in front of Eddy! How could she let this golden opportunity slip by? Almost instantly, tears started streaming down her face. ¡°Eddy¡­¡± she called out. Eddy¡¯s heart was filled to the brim with pity for La. Now that she¡¯d started crying, his heart was already beginning to shatter into pieces. He turned to Caroline angrily, but once he met her steady gaze, he recalled what she¡¯d experienced the night before and felt guilty about it. Keeping his voice cool and patient, he said, ¡°La only wanted to help you, but it didn¡¯t go ording to n. Still, you can¡¯t me everything on her. She apologized to you already, anyway.¡¯ Caroline snorted in derision and looked him in the eyes. ¡°Yeah, she apologized, but has it ever crossed your mind that Kent almost got his hands on me?¡± A wave of disappointment shed through her eyes. Eddy lowered his head in silence, no longer able to say anything back. However, Sarah decided to take things into her own hands by tugging Caroline¡¯s hand and saying, Caroline, that¡¯s enough. La was trying to help you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s clear whether she was trying to be helpful,¡± Caroline said curtly and swept a nce over them three. ¡°I don¡¯t care about her apology. Just know that I won¡¯t let things go so easily if there¡¯s a next time.¡± Even though her tone was casual, it left a strong impression on the other people around her. Awkwardness filled the already tense atmosphere. 1/2 A momentter, Caroline turned away from them and walked back into her room. Eddy¡¯s eyes followed her as she left. Then, his eyes fell on a pair of men¡¯s shoes on the floor by the entrance. The sight of it gnawed at his heart somehow. He wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed them. La saw them and said, ¡°Looks like my brother-in- law¡¯s here too.¡± Only then did Sarah discover the pair of shoes. The expression on her face shifted in an instant, and she rushed forth to put herself between Eddy and the door. ¡°Eddy-¡± ¡°Mrs. Evans, there¡¯s no need for an exnation.¡± Eddy tore his gaze away from the shoes and said, ¡± Caroline and I will be married in less than half a month. She saved La, so I should be grateful to her. I¡¯ll treat her well regardless of the fact that she¡¯s been married once before.¡± He was rarely so soft-spoken toward Caroline, which made Sarah let go of the breath she¡¯d subconsciously been holding. ¡°Eddy, you¡¯re much too courteous. It¡¯s all my fault for not educating Caroline well enough. She¡¯ll be yours to lecture once you two get married.¡± La had been listening all along, and Sarah¡¯s words made her feel extremely uneasy and annoyed. Her initial n had been to let Kent defile Caroline and render her unfit to marry into the Morrison family. Who knew that he would¡¯ve been such an idiot to make her n fail and expose her? Just then, Caroline walked out to meet them with a card in hand. ¡°Here¡¯s 50 million dors,¡± she said curtly. Her words were like a bomb to them, and all of them were at a loss for words. ¡°You¡­ there¡¯s no way ¡­¡± Eddy frowned in confusion and disbelief. ¡°There¡¯s no money on this card at all, right?¡± Just what trick was she trying to y now? ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go to the bank with me and check it for yourself.¡± Last night, Caroline had gone downstairs to check the status of the card. There were indeed 50 million dors in it. She hadn¡¯t expected Kent to be this rich. ¡°Caroline ¡­¡± La mumbled with uncertainty at Caroline¡¯s determined expression. ¡°Where did you get this much money from? Don¡¯t tell me that you became a prostExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Chapter 33 La¡¯s voice trailed off, but everyone around knew what she meant. Caroline replied calmly, ¡°How I got the money is none of your business.¡± She continued, ¡°Besides, ording to our agreement, I don¡¯t need to get divorced, and you can¡¯t withdraw the investment either. You¡¯re free to choose whether to stay or leave when Evans Group stabilizes.¡± ¡°Caroline!¡± Sarah wailed. ¡°How could you say something like that?¡± Eddy took a deep breath. He heard the sarcasm in Caroline¡¯s tone. Initially, he¡¯d felt rather guilty toward her, but all of that vanished in an instant when La suggested that Caroline had resorted to prostitution. Harrumphing, he said, ¡°Fine. I underestimated you. This time, I¡¯m the one who lost.¡± With that said, he pushed La¡¯s wheelchair and walked away. Hastily, Sarah followed after them. Now that peace and quiet had finally been restored, Caroline turned away from the corridor and back into her house. She identally stepped on Kirk¡¯s shoes. A soft smile hung on her lips when she nced down to see them and bent over to pick them up. After cing them on the shoe rack, she went into the kitchen, put on her apron, and started to prepare breakfast. On the other hand, Eddy had yet to start the car, even though it had already been quite some time since they¡¯d gotten into it. Puzzled, La asked, ¡°Eddy ¡­ are you ming me?¡± Her voice was so soft that it was barely a whisper. When Eddy didn¡¯t respond, La raised her head to look at him, only to see him staring at the steering wheel as if in a daze. It made La fret, and she hastily poked his arm for a response. Eddy, are you okay?¡± Only then did he snap out of it and mumble, ¡°It¡¯s nothing ¡­¡± In spite of his words, the image of that pair of men¡¯s shoes popped into his mind. Swiftly, he opened the door and climbed out of the car. ¡°I¡¯ll call the chauffeur to drive you. You should go back first.¡± His words and actions made La jump up in her seat. rmed, she got out of the car too, but then something crossed her mind, and she sat back down. Her hands tightly gripped the fabric of her pants. She seethed in anger as she watched Eddy head for Caroline¡¯s apartment block once again. 1/2 Last night, when Eddy had confronted La about what she¡¯d said to Kent, she¡¯d already started to notice that there was something different about him. She could sense that he treated Caroline differently than before. The thought of it made La clench her fists, making her fingernails dig into her palms. She swore to herself that she would never let Caroline take Eddy away from her! Meanwhile, the heavenly smell of food wafting from the kitchen woke Kirk up. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Caroline stole a nce at Kirk. He had sleep dust in his eyes, and his hair was tousled from just waking up from bed. Hastily, she tore her eyes away from him and lowered her head as a blush crept up her cheeks. Kirk had a hand resting against his temple. His mind was nk now, and he asked, ¡°Why am I here?¡± Caroline finally raised her eyes to look at him. ¡°You¡¯ve ¡­ forgotten about it?¡± Kirk then moved his hand and ced it on his forehead. ¡°I can¡¯t remember anything.¡± Instantly, Caroline¡¯s tensed body rxed. She went to pull a chair out for him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t think about it anymore then. I made some soup. Come, sit down, and give it a try.¡± Kirk obediently sat down on the chair and turned to look at Caroline. ¡°Are you d that I can¡¯t remember what happened?¡± His question hit the bullseye, and Caroline immediately avoided his gaze. ¡°N-no¡­¡± ¡°What did I dost night?¡± Kirk grabbed her by the wrist. His hand felt warm against her skin, reminding her ofst night, and she felt the tips of her ears burn. ¡°N-nothing ¡­¡± Her voice was barely a whisper. Kirk narrowed his eyes at her. Just as he was about to continue questioning her, they heard the doorbell ring. Immensely relieved, Caroline struggled free from Kirk¡¯s grasp and ran over to the door. ¡°Someone¡¯s here. I¡¯ll get the door.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Caroline opened the door to see an empty corridor. There was no one there. ¡°Strange. Nobody¡¯s here,¡± she mumbled to herself. Kirk had followed her to the door. He looked to the left and right and saw no one there either. In his h oa rse voice, he said, ¡°Maybe a kid tried to prank you. Let¡¯s go back and eat.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline nodded and closed the door. When the corridor became quiet again, Eddy walked out from behind the safety exit and stared at the closed door of Caroline¡¯s apartment. A gush of disappointment shed through his eyes. Caroline was now married and living with another man. All this time, he¡¯d wished that she would stop pestering him. Ironically, he didn¡¯t feel as happy as he¡¯d expected himself to be when his wish came true. It was as though something was stuck in his heart that he couldn¡¯t get rid of. He didn¡¯t even have the courage to see Caroline and her husband standing together and had to resort to hiding. In front of a coffee shop, Caroline and Gwen each had a cup of coffee in their hands as they walked along the streets and chatted away. ¡°Are you sure that you found a lipstick in his pocket?¡± Gwen muttered after taking a sip from her cup. Caroline nodded. She felt somewhat uneasy at the mention of that lipstick. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask him who it belongs to?¡± Gwen asked. Caroline exined, ¡°We made a deal not to ask about each other¡¯s private matters before we got married.¡± Bitterly, Gwen bit the edge of her paper cup and said, ¡°Before this, I thought he was a good guy. Who knew that he¡¯d turned out to be a scu mbag? I even tried to advise you when you told me that you wouldn¡¯t fall in love with anyone anymore. It seems like you were right after all! The world is full of scu mbags!¡± A gentle smile made its way to Caroline¡¯s lips. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t think he can be considered a scu mbag. We agreed that we wouldn¡¯t fall for each other, so we haven¡¯t broken the deal.¡± Now, Gwen was concerned. ¡°Carol, have you fallen in love with him already? You¡¯re so quick to defend him.¡± Caroline froze. Love? Her? Loving him? Impossible! ¡°Stop talking nonsense! I suffered way too much when I was with Eddy. I don¡¯t have the courage to 1/2 there toote, we won¡¯t be able to get the good things.¡± Caroline quickened her footsteps, and Gwen followed suit. They drove to the auction site. Axcelior Auction House was the biggest auction house in Easton. There would always be a small- scale auction there every Friday. The prices of the items sold weren¡¯t uniform, so anyone with a net worth of one million dors was admitted to the auction. Caroline and Gwen hadn¡¯t managed to find a suitable present for Jude at the jewelry storest time. Caroline had gone to several other shopster too, but nothing had caught her eye. A few days ago, she¡¯d heard that this auction would be focused on paintings, so she¡¯d invited Gwen to attend it with her. Jude had always loved paintings. He¡¯d even given paintings as presents to others many times in the past, so giving him one as a gift was naturally a good choice. When Caroline and Gwen arrived, they saw lots of journalists crowding the entrance. When they got in, they saw Brie sitting in the front row, where seats were reserved for VIPS, and immediately understood what was going on. The Collins had nned to create an entirely new image of themselves, so they kept in contact with the media and dozens of journalists all the time. They intended to use their influence to spread positive news about their family. Brie was probably the one who¡¯d ordered all those journalists toe over. ¡°Are we really that unfortunate? Why is she here?¡± Gwen wrinkled her nose, and her face contorted in disgust at the sight of Brie. Caroline smiled and told her, ¡°Don¡¯t bother.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Chapter 35 ¡°Mhmm.¡± Gwen hummed and nodded. ¡°Have you thought of which painting you¡¯re going to give Mr. Morrison Senior?¡± she asked. Caroline opened the auction house¡¯s website and skimmed through the items that were being auctioned today. ¡°This one,¡± she handed her phone to Gwen and exined, ¡°It¡¯s by Zach Zimmer. Although he isn¡¯t that poprpared to other artists, his works have a certain ir and character to them that Grandpa likes. I can afford it too, so it¡¯s the best gift I can get for Grandpa.¡± ¡°I am truly speechless at how far you¡¯re willing to go for him.¡± Gwenughed. ¡°How much does this cost, then?¡± ¡°About a million dors, I think.¡± ¡°A million dors! Where did you get the money from?¡± ¡°My savings.¡± Caroline sighed. ¡°Grandpa¡¯s always been very kind to me, but I¡¯ve let him down. I¡¯m not going to be his granddaughter-inw anymore, so this painting serves as some kind of compensation too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault-¡± Gwen eximed. Caroline quickly interrupted her. ¡°Gwen, the auction¡¯s starting soon. I need to go to the restroom before that.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gwen stood to make way for Caroline to move. Following the instructions, Caroline made her way to the restroom. Just as she got out, she was greeted with the sight of Brie touching up her make-up. She was tracing the edge of her lips with the lipstick in her hand. Caroline took a nce at the lipstick and froze. It looked exactly like the one she sawst night. Was this the lipstick that Kirk had in his pocket? Hastily, she shook her head and dismissed the thought. How could it be? Brie came from an affluent family. Kirk would never have any connection withMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. her. Besides, this brand of lipstick was very popr these days. There were hundreds and thousands of others who had the same lipstick. She had no reason to believe that Kirk was connected to all of them in any way. Caroline found it all too confusing. Seeing Caroline approaching her, Brie harrumphed. ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve been quite the spectacle 1/2 million dors out of him.¡± She thenughed at Caroline and sneered. ¡°You¡¯re so high and mighty now. Who¡¯s the person backing you up, huh?¡± This was the first Caroline heard that Kent had left Osbury. Still, she wasn¡¯t interested in him. After washing her hands, she walked past Brie and headed straight for the dryer,pletely ignoring her. This pi sed Brie off, and she yanked Caroline¡¯s hair from behind her. ¡°Bit ch, I¡¯m talking to you! Did you hear me?¡± Pain shot through Caroline¡¯s head. She suddenly turned and grabbed Brie by her wrist in a swift movement. ¡°Let go,¡± she spat. Caroline had used all her strength on Brie¡¯s wrist just now, and thetter yelped in pain. Brie was no match for Caroline, and she immediately let go of Caroline¡¯s hair. Caroline then flung Brie¡¯s hand away and warned her, ¡°Don¡¯t mess with me!¡± Brie looked down at her wrist, which was now red from Caroline¡¯s iron grip, then red at Caroline. ¡°We¡¯ll see how long you can brag. When I be Eddy¡¯s second sister-inw, the first thing I¡¯ll do is end your engagement with him.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Caroline narrowed her eyes at Brie. Brie snorted derisively. ¡°Scared now, aren¡¯t you? Get down on your knees and beg. Maybe I¡¯ll forgive you then.¡± Caroline smirked and left Brie alone in the restroom without sparing another word. Furious to see Caroline being all nonchnt despite her taunts, Brie couldn¡¯t help but stomp her feet in rage. She glowered at Caroline¡¯s retreating silhouette and hollered, ¡°Just you wait, Caroline! I¡¯ll make you suffer a fate worse than death when I marry into the Morrison family!¡± She was here today, all dressed up, because she knew Kirk would being here too. She¡¯d never expected to run into Caroline instead of Kirk. All Brie wanted was to get back at Caroline for what she¡¯d done to her before. However, Brie was surprised that Caroline was so aloof and remained unaffected, even after all the things she said. It fueled her rage even more! Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Chapter 36 As Caroline returned to her seat, Gwen immediately noticed that something was off with her trend¡¯s expression. When Gwen saw Brie walking out of the restroom not long after that, she quessed what had happened. ¡°Did Brie mess with you?¡± she asked Caroline, jumping up from her seat, ready to go and confront Bre Caroline quickly pulled her back into her seat. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s that look on your face?¡± Caroline touched her cheeks. ¡°My stomach feels a little weird.¡± ¡°Do you want to go to the hospital?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that bad.¡± Caroline shot Gwen a smile. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of the coffee we had just now I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll get better after a while.¡± A concerned frown formed on Gwen¡¯s face. ¡°You didn¡¯t have a problem like this before. I¡¯ll ask the staff to get you some warm water to drink.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline would agree to anything as long as Gwen didn¡¯t go to find Brie¡¯s trouble. After Gwen left, she leaned in her seat and rubbed her hands together, immersed in her thoughts. So Eddy¡¯s second uncle wanted to marry Brie? Caroline had thought that someone as smart and intelligent as the second uncle would get himself a kind and gentle wife. She suppressed augh at the prospect of him marrying Brie. Still, he had the freedom to choose who he wanted to marry. Besides, Caroline didn¡¯t want to get involved with the Morrisons in any way ever again. Hence, it was none of her business now. Yet, despite that, she felt like there was something off about it, and it made her uneasy. In the VIP booth on the second floor, Eddy pushed the curtain of beads aside and pointed in Caroline¡¯s direction. Then he said to Kirk, ¡°Uncle Kirk, look. She¡¯s here again.¡± After he¡¯d left Caroline¡¯s apartment that day, Eddy felt like she was a shadow that was impossible to get rid of Seeing her here strengthened his belief that she still cared about him, making the worry andThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. anxiety he¡¯d felt for the past few days vanish in an instant. Kirk¡¯s eyes followed the direction Eddy¡¯s finger was pointing. There was an unfathomable look in his smiling eyes that was barely noticeable. In truth, he¡¯d noticed her since she entered the auction house. Today, she wore a cool tone midi dress, which made her appear more solemn and dignified, totally different from what she looked 1/4 She sat in her seat, rubbing both her hands together and looking as if she were in a daze. Kirk narrowed his eyes. Gwen appeared and walked toward Carol with a ss of water. Furrowing his brow, he gestured for a staff. ¡°Give thedy downstairs a hand warmer.¡± The staff didn¡¯t know who he was but could see that he was almost the same age as Eddy, so she assumed that he was Eddy¡¯s friend. She looked at Eddy, slightly puzzled since Caroline was Eddy¡¯s fianc¨¦e, and everyone in Osbury knew that. Wasn¡¯t this man crossing his boundaries by saying this? Eddy froze for a second. Then, it urred to him that Kirk was probably just being nice to Caroline since she was his nephew¡¯s fianc¨¦e. After all, all the elders had always adored her. Eddy shot a look at the staff and said, ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± The staff rushed downstairs to do what she was told. Then, Eddy sent the other staff out and asked, ¡°Uncle Kirk, why are you here today?¡± Usually, people with their status wouldn¡¯t bother with a small-scale auction like this. The goods that were auctioned at a small event like this one weren¡¯t that good, so it was only a waste of time toe here. ¡°Your second aunt likes one of the paintings that¡¯s going to be auctioned this time.¡± Kirk¡¯s voice was as cool and apathetic as ever. A few days ago, he¡¯d noticed Caroline scrolling through auction paintings online on her phone. It seemed like she¡¯d taken an interest in such paintings, so he¡¯d decided toe over. He hadn¡¯t expected her to be here as well. ¡°So, she likes paintings, eh? Then she¡¯ll definitely get along with Grandpa very well: Uncle Kirk, you should stop hiding her. Introduce her to us!¡± Eddy finally had the chance to make this request. Needless to say, he didn¡¯t want to give it up since he¡¯d looked forward to meeting his second aunt for so long. Kirk simply took a sip of water from his ss and said, ¡°We¡¯ll see how things go. Eddy wanted to insist on it, but he noticed the staff member from earlier pointing at them. Now, -Caroline was looking in their direction too. His back stiffened, and his mind went nk. Kirk, who¡¯d been standing beside him, had walked away and sat on a chair inside the booth. ¡°Mr. Eddy is upstairs,¡± the staff told Caroline as she handed her a hand warmer. ¡°Do you want to go upstairs?¡± she asked. Caroline could vaguely make out the shadow of a person moving behind the bead curtain. She couldn¡¯t see his face clearly, but she said, ¡°No, thanks.¡± 2/4 1 SATA kantett After she lett, Gwen inched closer to Catone with her eyes glued to the hand warmer and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why did Eddy ask the statt to bring you this?¡± ¡°Who knows? Caroline tossed the hand warmer aside. She didn¡¯t have the slightest interest in anything he gave her Don¡¯t tell me that he¡¯s finally realized that you¡¯re an angel and is now trying to make up for all the cr ap he¡¯s pulled¡± Carolineughed as she looked up to turn her attention to the host walking toward the stage. ¡°A heartless person like him would never do something kind.¡± The host began to announce the rules of the auction, so Gwen shut her mouth. The entire process was smooth and fast. In just a couple of minutes, Zach Zimmer¡¯s painting was being auctioned Caroline raised her auction paddle and said, ¡°One million dors. She¡¯d just ced her paddle down when they heard someone¡¯s husky voice from the second floor say, ¡°Two million dors Startled, Caroline turned to look at the VIP booth on the second floor. The bead curtain moved in the wind, making her fail to see anything behind it. However, the staffdy had said that Eddy and his friend were on the second floor. The voice didn¡¯t belong to Eddy, so it must be his friend¡¯s. ¡°Isn¡¯t two million dors a bit too much?¡± Gwen whispered. Caroline clenched her jaw, then raised her voice. ¡°2.5 million dors.¡± Laughter erupted from the crowd. The host suppressed augh and said, ¡°2.5 million dors now. Anyone?¡± The crowd¡¯s attention was now directed to the one on the second floor, but only silence met them The host then raised the hammer. Just as he was about to let it fall, Brie raised her paddle and called out, ¡°Three million dors.¡± She then turned to Caroline with mocking eyes. Gwen gritted her teeth. ¡°She¡¯s an idiot. Two million dors is already considered expensive, yet she¡¯s bidding more.¡± Caroline tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said, ¡°She¡¯s not bidding for the painting. She¡¯s trying to gloat.¡± Right after finishing her sentence, Caroline raised her paddle once again. ¡°Four million dors.¡± The crowd stared at Caroline, wide-eyed. Zach Zimmer wasn¡¯t that famous, so his work cost two million dors at most. Besides, the painting being auctioned wasn¡¯t too extraordinary. Two 3/4 Not wanting to be theughing stock, Brie lifted her paddle in the air again and said, ¡°Five million dors!¡± A smile made its way to Caroline¡¯s face as she calmly raised her paddle and said, ¡°Ten million dors.¡± The crowd inhaled sharply. Ten million dors¡­ Was she out of her mind? Or was the rumor true that she¡¯d gotten herself a rich man and was now capable of squ Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Even Gwen couldn¡¯t help herself as she tugged Caroline¡¯s sleeve and whispered to her, ¡°Carol, have you gene mute? You shouldn¡¯t be bidding this much, even if you like this painting.¡± Where did Caroline get that much money from? jowever, Caroline calmly tuned to look at Brie, who looked like an angry tomato. She gently patted the back of Gwen¡¯s hand and assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t fret. Someone¡¯s paying for it.¡± Gwen was more confused than reassured She was about to ask Caroline what she meant but heard Brie call, ¡¯90 million dors!¡± How, Brie could finally let go of the breath she¡¯d been holding. She nced sideways at Caroline, her chin jilted upward. She was clearly pleased with herself Caroline smiled in response Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she ced one hand over her paddle but didn¡¯t raise it in the all On stage, the host waited for about a minute to make sure that no one was making another bid and then announced, ¡°Going at 20 million dors!¡± ¡°20 million dors twicel¡± ¡°20 million dors thrice!¡± The hammer fell The bid had been won, and Brie bad taken the painting by Zach Zimmer for 20 million dors The crowd stared at her like she was an idiot. Brie was triumphant at first, but when the staff finally brought the painting to her, she realized that she¡¯d taken the bait. She turned to look at Caroline, who shot her a smile Brie was so furious that she shot up from her seat, but her friend beside her pulled her back down. All she could do now was re daggers at Caroline Still, her re had absolutely no effect on Caroline. The sight of it all made Gwen want tough out loud. She could hardly stifle herughter. ¡°This is hrious! She spent 20 million dors for something that costs a million dors at most! Brie Collins is surely going to be theughingstock of the town after this!¡± Caroline merely smiled and carried on scrolling her phone to look for her next target. She¡¯d never been a calctive person who¡¯d haggle over something, partially because she¡¯d been too preupied with Eddy, Lately, though, she¡¯d realized that the kinder one was, the more they¡¯d get bullied. Besides, it 1/2 Still, this was the only painting by Zach Zimmer that was being auctioned today. The other paintings weren¡¯t to Jude¡¯s liking. In the end, Caroline left empty-handed. She sighed. ¡°It seems like I have toe here again next time.¡± Gwen felt that it was a shame too, so she asked, ¡°What¡¯s being auctioned next time?¡± ¡°Antiques.¡± Caroline sighed again. ¡°A million-dor antique surely won¡¯t be good enough for Mr. Morrison Senior.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll like anything you give him.¡± Gwen tried to console her. Caroline smiled and started to stand when Brie and a few others blocked her path. Upstairs, Eddy saw this, and his interest was immediately piqued. He gestured for Eddy toe over. ¡°Uncle Kirk, a good show ising up!¡± he said with enthusiasm. Lazily, Kirk looked over, only to see Caroline being surrounded by Brie and her cronies. A shadow fell across his eyes. He wanted to head downstairs immediately but suddenly remembered what Caroline had once said. The frown on his face deepened. While he hesitated, Brie already had one hand raised in the air, ready to p Caroline. Fortunately, Gwen was quick to notice this and blocked the p with her arm. ¡°F uck off, Gwen! The bit ch I¡¯m looking for is Caroline!¡± Brie hollered. Gwen sneered. ¡°Brie Collins, aren¡¯t you afraid of the media taking photos of you being so rude and unruly like this?¡± ¡°You-¡± Brie gritted her teeth in anger. Her best friend, who was standing beside her, interrupted them and said, ¡°Brie, the reporters out there are all your people. You¡¯re the one who decides what they¡¯re going to report. Caroline is simply tooUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g much! How dare she make you spend 20 million dors on something like that?¡± Brie sneered. ¡°You¡¯re right! Get them, y¡¯all!¡± ¡°Carol, run!¡± Gwen yelled as she raised both her arms into the air like a hen shielding her chicks from danger. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Naturally, Caroline wouldn¡¯t just run off without her best friend. She picked the hand warmer up and used it to whack the faces of the people surrounding them. They were all women and cared very much about their appearances. Hence, they were busy covering their faces to avoid getting hit. They instantly forgot all about Gwen. However, Brie had brought too many of them. Caroline and Gwen alone weren¡¯t enough to handle. all of them. It wasn¡¯t long before Caroline started to feel worn out. Just then, they heard a loud rush of footstepsing from outside. ¡°Quick! Hurry up! Eddy Morrison¡¯s second uncle has returned, and he¡¯s just right in there!¡± Someone in the crowd of journalists eximed enthusiastically. They barged in and froze on the spot when they saw the group of womenshing out and pulling at each other¡¯s hair. This sight made them forget all about the reason they came here. What the f uck? Ms. Collins and Eddy Morrison¡¯s fianc¨¦e were in a brawl! This would surely make the headlines. They took out their cameras in a hurry, and their shlights went off as they snapped photo after photo. Blinded by the lights shing in her face, Brie screeched, ¡°Stop! You can¡¯t take pictures of this! Get them out of here!¡± The staff rushed over to chase the journalists away and disperse the crowd that had gathered at the scene. In the end, Caroline, Gwen, Brie, and a few others were the only ones left in the hall. Brie started worrying over whether the journalists would report what they¡¯d seen just now. She turned to leave but almost bumped into the manager of the auction house. ¡°Ms. Collins,¡± he said politely, handing her a book. ¡°Thank you for donating 20 million dors to the charity auction tonight. You¡¯re much too generous. Please leave your signature here. We¡¯d like to jot it down since it¡¯s something that¡¯s truly worth remembering.¡± Brie stopped in her tracks. ¡°Wait a minute. What did you say? A charity auction?¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t you know that every bit of money gained from the bids today will be donated to the children in need in the countryside? You¡¯ve done an extraordinarily good deed.¡± After listening to these words, a smile crept up on Brie¡¯s face. That¡¯s right, she could say that she purposely raised the bid to 20 million dors for the sake of these children. Not only would that stop others from calling her an idiot, but they would also startplimenting her for being kind- hearted and selfless. She swiftly took the pen from the manager¡¯s grasp and asked, ¡°Where do I sign?¡± 1/2 Not wanting to be theughing stock, Brie lifted her paddle in the air again and said, ¡°Five million dors!¡± A smile made its way to Caroline¡¯s face as she calmly raised her paddle and said, ¡°Ten million dors.¡± The crowd inhaled sharply. Ten million dors¡­ Was she out of her mind? Or was the rumor true that she¡¯d gotten herself a rich man and was now capable of squandering so much money?Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Chapter 39 ¡°You¡± ¡°De quick, and write my name on it.¡± Caroline paused for a moment and added, ¡°If you don¡¯t, il calll the jewelry store right now to ask for the surveince footage!¡± She enunciated thest few words slowly for emphasis. Brie¡¯s grip on the pen tightened, and she stared daggers at Caroline. ¡°Fine Ill do it,¡± she spar through gritted teeth. Seeing that Brie had finally written down her name, Caroline felt the satisfaction she¡¯d anticipated. She turned to Gwen and said, ¡°Gwen, let¡¯s go.¡± Heartily, Gwen agreed. Before walking past Brie, she said to her, ¡°Thank you, Ms. Collins, for being so magnanimous.¡± It made Brie so pissed that she flung the pen at the ground. After leaving the auction house, Gwen hooked an arm around Caroline¡¯s and said, ¡°Cardi, you were so cool just now! I think I¡¯m going to start fangirling over you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating!¡± came Caroline¡¯s reply. ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± eximed Gwen. ¡°Brie always mocked you in the past. You told me before that the Morrisons and the Collins were close, and you had to bear with her because you didn¡¯t want to make things ugly between them It¡¯s so satisfying that you finally taught her a lesson!¡± Caroline smiled at those words as she nced up at the sky. Indeed, she¡¯d felt the utmost pleasme in achieving that. She realized that she¡¯d started bing more rxed and unrestrained after leaving Eddy. ¡°Oh right! Where are we going next?¡± asked Gwen, curious. ¡°Let¡¯s buy a necktie,¡± Caroline answered, looking at the emerald bracelet on her wrist ¡°Are you thinking of giving Mr. Morrison Senior a necktie?¡± asked Gwen Caroline shook her head in response. ¡°Then¡­ are you giving it to¡­ that guy?¡± Gwen voiced her suspicion. ¡°Carol, are you out of your mind? He has another woman out there. Why are you giving him a present?¡± Caroline winced inwardly at Gwen¡¯s words, but she managed to put on a calm front. ¡°I¡¯m giving him a necktie because he gave me this bracelet. I don¡¯t want to owe him anything.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know what to do with you.¡± Gwen nced around them and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to that mall there.¡± Caroline and Gwen crossed the road and entered the mall together. Unbeknownst to them, a pitch- ck Land Rover tailed them and came to a stop at the entrance of the mall Eddy asked in confusion, ¡°Uncle Kirk, why are you following Caroline?¡± Kirk had his eyes closed, but he opened them when he heard Eddy¡¯s question. ¡°She¡¯s a part of the Morrison family Aren¡¯t you worried that someone would find fault with her again?¡± Eddy was rendered speechless. It took a moment for him to respond. That¡¯s not quite right. She isn¡¯t a part of our family yet. She hasn¡¯t married me yet.¡± Kirk closed his eyes once again and ignored him, so Eddy assumed that he didn¡¯t like discussing matters regarding rtionships Instead of talking about Caroline, Eddy changed the topic to the journalists they saw just now. The journalists said they received a tip about you attending the auction just now. Where do you think they got the news from? Kurk tapped his fingers on hisp several times before opening his eyes again. This time, they had a rather gloomy light to them. He said ¡°Eddy, you always told me that Caroline¡¯s a scheming person and that she¡¯s not a good choice for you. But what I saw today made me think the opposite. I think that she¡¯s a thoughtful and intelligent person¡± Do you like her?¡± Kirk¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he tapped one finger against the side of his pants. Sighing Eddy continued. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand why so many of you find her likable. You, Grandpa and my parents¨Ceveryone likes her. Is it because she has a way of pleasing elders?¡± Now, Kirk raised his pointer finger, the gloom in his eyes had vanished. ¡°Since you don¡¯t like her, why force yourself to marry her? Is it just because of the kidney issue?¡± The look on Eddy¡¯s face shifted instantly. Shocked, he turned to look at Kirk and mumbled, ¡°H- how did you know- Calmly, Kirk replied ¡°Sean told me. I didn¡¯t tell your grandfather about it, though.¡± Hearing a sigh of relief. Eddy muttered, ¡°You scared me half to death.¡± I can help you source a kidney¡± Eddy replied with much joy, ¡®Really?¡± ¡°Yes¡± ¡°That¡¯s awesome! Eddy eximed ¡°To be honest, I know that this method is horrible, but I had no choice ¡°La is very important to me. I¡¯vebed through the entire country several times but still couldn¡¯t find apatible one for her. Since you have better connections overseas, I¡¯m sure you can help me find a suitable kidney for La¡± Kirk merely nodded in response. Eddy didn¡¯t know what else to talk about, so he said, ¡°Uncle Kirk, as long as you can get the source for a kidney for me, I¡¯ll do whatever you want me to do in the future.¡± Now, the corner of Kirk¡¯s lips lifted into a smile. ¡°Good, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Just then, the driver said, ¡°Mr. Kirk and Mr. Eddy, Ms. Evans and her friend have gotten out of the mall.¡± Both men looked out the window to see Caroline and Gwening out of the mall with a bag that had the Herm¨¨s logo on it. ¡°Follow them,¡± Kirk instructed the driver. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. The car inched forward slowly but stopped abruptly when the two women paused in their tracks. Gwen took the necktie out of the bag and started bbering to Caroline, who merely listened quietly to her and smiled from time to time. Her smile was like a cool, refreshing breeze that blew right into Kirk¡¯s heart, and it made him smile too. He couldn¡¯t help but look at the necktie. Beside him, Eddy sneered, ¡°That woman¡¯s doing everything she can to please me. She even came out to buy a necktie for me.¡± Something dangerous shed across Kirk¡¯s eyes at Eddy¡¯s words, and the temperature in the car suddenly dropped to freezing point. Caroline came back home to see Kirk standing at the door to her apartment. Bewildered, she asked, ¡°W¨Cwhy are you here?¡± Hastily, she shoved the bag behind her in an attempt to keep it out of his sight. However, Kirk noticed her actions, and his face darkened. A momentter, he took out a poster tube and passed it to her. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Caroline asked. ¡°Go in and have a look.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline opened the door and invited him into the house. She opened the poster tube and She smiled, delighted. ¡°Where did you get this painting from?¡± She¡¯d discovered that this painting was going to be auctioned next time. In truth, Kirk had used Eddy¡¯s influence to buy the painting, so getting his hands on it had been a piece of cake. He¡¯d only ced a bid during the auction today because he¡¯d nned to win the bid and give it to Caroline as a gift. However, when she¡¯d bid on it, he¡¯d realized that she wanted to get her hands on it no matter what, so he¡¯d let it go. ¡°Someone gave this to me,¡± Kirk exined, his heart overflowing with the joy he felt from seeing her overwhelmed with excitement. A smile crept onto his face without him realizing it. ¡°I¡¯m not an expert in paintings, though. Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes! I like it so much!¡± Caroline yelped and nodded. ¡°I owe you big time! This painting costs about a million dors. I¡¯ll transfer the amount to you right away.¡± ¡°No. You don¡¯t need to.¡± He stopped her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you buy a necktie not long ago? Just give it to me and consider this settled.¡± His back stiffened when he recalled what Eddy had said in the car, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel flustered. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Caroline froze. ¡°How did you know that I¡¯d bought a necktie?¡± Kirk nced at the bag andughed. ¡°I guessed it. What? Are you reluctant to give it to me?¡± ¡°No. I bought it because I wanted to thank you for giving me this bracelet. But now, you¡¯re giving me this painting, and I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do to express my gratitude,¡± Caroline mumbled. Kirk swallowed, a tad touched by her exnation. The worry he¡¯d had vanished into thin air. ¡°Help me tie it then.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± A blush crept up Caroline¡¯s cheeks. Never in her life had she helped a man tie a tie. Besides, tying a tie for someone meant she had to get close to them, and she¡¯d only do it for Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. someone she was close to. Yet now Kirk was asking her to do it for him. ¡°We¡¯re meeting my father next month, yet we seem distant from each other. We don¡¯t look like a newlywed couple at all. Since you¡¯re thinking of a way to thank me, you can get used to being my wife. My family won¡¯t doubt our rtionship, and they¡¯ll finally stop asking me to get married.¡± Kirk¡¯s voice was calm when he spoke, just like the look in his eyes. Caroline lowered her head, somehow disappointed. She¡¯d thought that he ¡­ Anyway, she was overthinking things. When she raised her eyes to look at him once again, she said, ¡°This is my first time helping someone with a tie. I¡¯m not used to this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Kirk told her as he took off his coat, revealing the white shirt underneath. His sturdy chest came into view, and Caroline tried to calm down by resting one hand against her chest. She took the tie into her hands and walked up to him. As the distance between them decreased, Caroline could feel her heart beating like crazy. It was so loud that she thought it would pop out of her chest. She took a deep breath and stood on her toes. Kirk was too tall, and she was only five feet and four inches tall. She looked tiny before his towering figure. Noticing this, Kirk crouched slightly. ¡°Is this better?¡± Again, the distance between them was reduced. They were in such close proximity that Caroline could smell his scent. Her hand trembled slightly, and she muttered almost unintelligibly, ¡°Y¨Cyes ¡­ I guess¡­¡± Kuk lighed his warm breath tanning out at her cheeks. Before heading out today, Caroline had put on some light make¨Cup, which made her lips stand out. There was always this naive and serene look in her eyes, too. Kuk stared into her eyes and felt a burning desire to have her all to himself. Still, he said, ¡°Why don¡¯t I sit on a chair? His voice was hoarse,ced with something he didn¡¯t even know he had. Okay, Caroline replied instantly letting go of the breath that she held. Kirk sat on the chair in the dining area while Caroline picked up the tie once again. Out of the be, she realized that this position made their situation even more awkward than just now. Being the tall guy he was Kirk¡¯s legs were long, and she had to stand between them to put the tie on for him. Besides, she was wearing a midi dress today, so the fabric of his pants brushed against her calves from time to time. She panicked and tried to tie his tie in a hurry to escape this awkward situation, but the faster her fingers moved the worse it got. She couldn¡¯t get the tie done even after spending so much time on It sure looks like this is your first time doing this,¡± Kirk said, his voice deep and raspy. He gripped Caroline¡¯s hands in his. It¡¯s like this. He helped her tie the tie properly. All this time, Caroline¡¯s mind had turned into a nk te. She didn¡¯t hear what he said. The only thing she was focused on was her fingers, which had finally managed to tie the tie with his help. ¡°And it¡¯s done.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t let go of her hands. He gazed up to look at her and was met with her dazzling eyes. His grip on her hands tightened subconsciously, and he swallowed. ¡°Caroline.¡± She stared with wide eyes as his face drew closer in. Her eyes flickered shut. Some time passed, but everything was still silent. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Caroline¡¯s eyes fluttered open to see Kirk smirking at her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked, amused. Immediately, her face flushed red. ¡°N¨Cnothing!¡± ¡°But you closed your eyes just now-¡± ¡°I was¡­ I just couldn¡¯t make myself look at the tie.¡± In her haste, she told him the first excuse she could come up with. She looked around the spot she was standing in, trying to think of a way to get out of this predicament. Suddenly, the painting he¡¯d given her popped into her mind, and she mumbled, ¡°I¨CI have to keep the painting somewhere¡­ I¡¯m going back to my room.¡± With that, she darted out of the dining room and into her room, closing the door with a bang. Kirk watched her the entire time. As he stared at the closed door of her bedroom, the smile in his eyes faded and was reced with his usual icy look. He¡¯d almost lost control of himself¡­ and he¡¯d never done that in front of a woman before! Maybe Sean was right. Maybe he did like Caroline a bit. But that didn¡¯t mean that it was love! Caroline returned to her room and hid under her nket. She hid, as if she could delude herself into thinking that her racing heart said nothing about what she¡¯d felt back there. She covered her face with her hands when she recalled what had happened and immediately felt the urge to dig a hole and bury herself in it. What the heck happened? It was as if she¡¯d been bewitched. Right! Bewitched! She¡¯d definitely reacted like that because Kirk was too handsome! She definitely wasn¡¯t in love with him! Absolutely not! Just then, her phone rang, making her jump out of her skin. She nced at the screen. It was Gwen. She answered the call and started ranting. ¡°You scared me! Why are you even calling me at this hour?¡± Instantly, Gwen smelled something fishy. ¡°Oh? Why can¡¯t I call you now? Don¡¯t tell me that you were doing something¡­ naughty!¡± Caroline¡¯s heart leaped into her mouth. Her mind reyed the scene where she was tying Kirk¡¯s ¡°Carol, you sound very guilty now.¡± ¡°Nonsense. Say another word, and I¡¯ll head over to beat your ass.¡± Caroline buried herself deeper into the depths of her nkets. ¡°Why are you calling?¡± ¡°Ehe! You¡¯re the one who knows me best!¡± Gwen started sounding suspicious. ¡°Are you online?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Gwen¡¯s unrestrained chortle came from the other end of the line. ¡°When I switched on my phone today, I got thousands of messages and notifications about Brie! ¡°I thought that it was the Collins family trying to get positive publicity, but when I clicked the notifications, the news was all about Brie and her people cornering us at the auction house!¡± Caroline remembered the journalists who had appeared out of nowhere at that time. ¡°Weren¡¯t those reporters hired by her?¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s strange, though. The journalist who reported this was professional enough. He blurred both our faces.¡± Caroline froze. Logically speaking, this would serve as a hot headline. Since the journalist exposed Brie¡¯s act, why didn¡¯t he expose both Caroline and Gwen too? Was Eddy behind this? Was it because he wanted to spare himself from embarrassment? But Eddy would give anything to see Caroline humiliated. Caroline immediately searched for the source of the news. The media agent who posted it first was owned by the Morrisons. She sank into deep thought for a moment before dialing the number of the manager in charge of Morrison Corp¡¯s media department. ¡°Mr. Sander, I¡¯d like to ask about the news regarding Ms. Collins today. Why did and my friend¡¯s face in the pictures?¡± you blur my face¡­ ¡°Oh. It was Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle,¡± Mr. Sander answered. ¡°He asked us to do that.¡± Caroline froze. It was Eddy¡¯s second uncle? Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Caroline had heard a lot about Eddy¡¯s second uncle, but they¡¯d never met before. Despite that, why was he so concerned about her? ¡°Um.. he didn¡¯t exin why, did he?¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t,¡± replied Mr. Sander., ¡°Alright, thanks.¡± Caroline sounded slightly dejected because she¡¯d been expecting more. Upon hanging up, she opened herptop and started scouring the inte for any information on Eddy¡¯s second uncle. The man had spent most of his life overseas, so there was barely any news about him at home. A momentter, she realized that even his name wasn¡¯t mentioned anywhere. Frustrated about her fruitless investigation, Caroline began brushing her hair. Then, she suddenly recalled what the journalists yelled the other day. ording to them, Eddy¡¯s second uncle attended the auction ¡­ Had he noticed Brie bullying her? Perhaps he¡¯d decided to intervene personally because he wanted to protect his family¡¯s reputation? Caroline massaged her throbbing temples. Since it was so difficult to figure out the answer, why not just ask him directly? She pulled out her phone and gave Jude a call. ¡°Grandpa.¡± ¡°Carrie!¡± The old man sounded like he was in a good mood today. ¡°So you finally remembered to Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. give this old man a call.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Grandpa.¡± ¡°Hahaha, I like your honesty. Now tell me, what brings you to Grandpa? Ah! I¡¯m going to lose this round¡­¡± Halfway through his sentence, Jude began talking to himself. Confused, Caroline asked him,¡® What are you doing right now, Grandpa?¡± 11 ¡°Haha, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m ying chess with Eddy¡¯s second uncle at the moment. This kid¡¯s smart! We barely started, and he¡¯s already got me beat!¡± His reply caught Caroline by surprise. So he was right next to Jude? ¡°Is that so? I heard he¡¯s a tremendously talented businessman, but I¡¯m surprised he¡¯s equally good at chess. So when are you going to introduce him to me?¡± Judeughed heartily ¡°Are you that keen on meeting him? Alright, let me ask him about it,¡± he replied as he stole a nce at Kirk Kirk overheard their conversation as he was moving his piece, causing his fingers to shake ever¨Cso -slightly. Over the phone, Caroline held her breath nervously. A momentter, Jude¡¯s voice came over the line. ¡°He says no problem. You pick a time and ce, and he¡¯ll meet you there.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± said Caroline after letting out a long sigh of relief. Finally, she was going to meet Eddy¡¯s second uncle! Overjoyed, she ran out into the living room, only to be greeted by silence. It appeared that Kirk had left without her knowing at some point. She pumped her fist in the air triumphantly before darting back into her room to pick out an outfit for her meeting. Jude looked at Kirk as he passed his phone to the butler. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re willing to meet Caroline.¡± ¡°We¡¯re family after all,¡± Kirk answered earnestly. The old man started to frown. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that the bond between her and Eddy wille to an end. soon.¡± ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pointless to hide the truth from me. I¡¯m old, but I¡¯m far from senile.¡± He paused momentarily as he got up from his seat. ¡°Although I wasn¡¯t the one who raised Carrie, she¡¯s been taking care of Eddy for so long since she returned to the country that I started to regard her as my granddaughter¨Cinw. It¡¯s a shame my grandson refuses to be with her.¡± ¡°Uncle Jude¡­¡± Jude waved his hand dismissively. ¡°I heard she¡¯s married. Is that true?¡± Kirk hesitated for a moment before he nodded. The old man sighed. ¡°Then do you know who she¡¯s married to?¡± With a hint of annoyance in his eyes, Kirk shook his head. If you¡¯re clueless, then it means he¡¯s no average Joe Jude stared at Kirk with a grave expression ¡°I don¡¯t know what will happen to Carrie and Eddy¡¯s rtionship, but you must help me find out who that man is!¡± Aplex mix of emotions swirled in Kirk¡¯s gaze when he replied, ¡°Understood.¡± Jude patted him on the shoulder and reminded him, ¡°Before I forget, I just want to tell you that Carrie is a good girl. My time¡¯s running out, and if Eddy doesn¡¯t change his mind in the future, could you help me make sure she¡¯s looked after?¡± Kirk was about to nod in agreement when the old man emphasized, ¡°As a family member.¡± He froze up immediately, clueless as to whether he should nod or not. Thankfully, they were interrupted by a message from Caroline. She¡¯d picked a quiet little restaurant where they would meet at 8 pm. She¡¯d wanted to meet him on the very same day, and that just showed how much she was looking forward to meeting Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Soon, she received a reply. It was a simple ¡°Okay,¡± but she was so excited that she belly¨Cflopped onto her bed. Finally! The opportunity hade for her to meet him! Caroline began putting on her make¨Cup at 4 pm. Had it been any other day, the time would have flown by, but today, time seemed to flow at a snail¡¯s pace. By the time she was done, it was barely 6 pm. After waiting for another grueling 30 minutes, she headed off to the restaurant. The moment she reached, she excitedly asked the maitre¡¯d, ¡°Has the other guest for table 201 arrived?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡± The maitre¡¯d led a rather disappointed Caroline to her table. Sure enough, it was still empty. Eddy¡¯s second uncle had yet to arrive. She took her seat and watched as the hour hand slowly made its way to 8 pm. She pricked her ears to capture any movement outside. It was already ten minutes past the time they¡¯d agreed on, and yet no one came in. With a pout, Caroline peered outside. There were customers, but none of them were heading for table 201 in the private room. Feeling restless, Caroline returned to her seat, where she tried to convince herself that he was probably just stuck in a traffic jam. Just then, she heard three knocks on the door. It was polite and restrained. Immediately, the glow returned to Caroline¡¯s eyes. She got up and pushed the door open. ¡°Hi¡­¡± Caroline abruptly stopped in her tracks the moment she recognized the man standing at the door. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Chapter 43 ¡°K¨CKirk? What are you doing here?¡± Kirk calmly pointed at a private dining room nearby. ¡°I was supposed to meet a business partner, but he wasn¡¯t able toe today. I saw you when you came in, so I figured I¡¯d drop by and say hi. Caroline let out a sigh of relief. For a second there, she¡¯d actually thought that Kirk was Eddy¡¯s second uncle! What a relief! She¡¯d barely regained herposure when her phone started ringing. She almost pounced on the table to answer the call. ¡°Carrie.¡± Jude¡¯s voice greeted her. ¡°Your second uncle gave me a call just now. Something came up, and he won¡¯t be able to meet you today. He asked me to apologize to you on his behalf, but he promised to buy you a mealter to make up for it. Caroline quickly nced at Kirk, who was standing outside the door. Compared to before, her gaze Kad turned dull. Tightly gripping her phone, she forced a smile as she said, ¡°It¡¯s alright. Thanks, Grandpa!¡± Then, she hung up the phone silently. ¡°Your date left you hanging?¡± The sight of Caroline¡¯s reaction made Kirk feel ufortable. ¡°Yeah.¡± She lookedpletely defeated. The anticipation that had been building up the whole afternoon gave way to nothing. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re victims of the same crime.¡± Kirk took a step forward. ¡°You seem¡­ quite excited to meet that person?¡± A subtle smile appeared on Caroline¡¯s face at the mention of Eddy¡¯s second uncle. ¡°Out of all the people I know¨Cwait, I don¡¯t even know him. But yeah, he¡¯s the smartest person that I know of.¡± Kirk¡¯s fist tightened when he saw the admiration in her eyes. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°He might not be what you imagine him to be¡­¡± Caroline turned to face him. He covered his mouth and coughed. ¡°What I meant to say is that there¡¯s always more than meets the eye when ites to knowing a person.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but he really is incredible,¡± replied Caroline smilingly. After he¡¯d taken over thepany, Eddy¡¯s second uncle had been able to turn it into thergest group ofpanies in Sarcozia. If that wasn¡¯t amazing, she didn¡¯t know what was. Caroline wasn¡¯t asking for much. She just wanted to learn a thing or two from him so that she Kirk¡¯s brows furrowed Caroline was clearly praising him, but for some reason, he felt ufortable about it ¡°Let¡¯s order¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Time flew by, and Jude¡¯s birthday drew nearer. Unable to stand the boredom that filled her days, Caroline invited Gwen to go get their nails done together. The manicurist was trimming her nails when Gwen asked, ¡°Babe, I heard Brie is getting engaged to Eddy¡¯s second uncle. But isn¡¯t that guy working abroad right now?¡± Caroline frowned. She remembered Jude telling her that her second uncle had returned in secret and to tell no one about it. She hadn¡¯t even told Gwen about it. ¡°Where did you hear that?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t heard about it?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Caroline had just spoken when she was interrupted by her phone ringing. A nearby staff member answered the call for her and put it on speaker. ¡°Carrie! Something bad happened! Come home now!¡± It was Dan, and he sounded like he was panicking. Caroline leaned forward from her seat. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when you get here.¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Caroline couldn¡¯t be bothered to finish doing her nails. After letting Gwen know, she left. By the time Gwen went out after her, Caroline was long gone. Nervous, Caroline sped home. However, when she reached home, she found everyone sitting quietly in the living room. It looked as though there was nothing amiss at all. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say something happened?¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯te home, something would have happened for sure.¡± Sarah raised her head. Only then did Caroline notice the bottles in front of Sarah. They were ck, so she couldn¡¯t tell what was inside. ¡°It¡¯s a pesticide.¡± Sarah seemed to know what Caroline was thinking. She answered Caroline¡¯s question before she - Could ask it. Caroline was shocked. ¡°What did you say?¡± Sarah picked up one of the bottles and walked unsteadily before Caroline. She dropped to her knees in front of her daughter. ¡°Carrie, I¡¯m begging you. Get a divorce, please?¡± ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t I already say I wouldn¡¯t divorce him? Besides, thepany has money now. With this money¡­¡± ¡°I ¡°Carrie!¡± Sarah cut her off. ¡°Are you really that naive? How long can 50 million dorsst? The Caroline was absolutely confused. ¡°If it¡¯s losing money, why are we still keeping it operating?¡°¨C Sarah looked at Caroline dotingly. ¡°You sweet, innocent child. It¡¯s only because we still have the company that our family has the chance to rise again. Without the Evans Group, we will never regain the glory we had before.¡± ¡°But even if we get the Morrison family¡¯s help, whatever money they give us will be wasted if we don¡¯t have a good operations strategy!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Dan suddenly stood up and cried. ¡°Caroline, Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s birthday ising up in a few days. I want you to announce your marriage with Eddy at the banquet!¡± ¡°Dad, why are you still considering this marriage? Does Eddy know that you want me to announce it at the banquet? What if he doesn¡¯tply? I¡¯ll be a joke!¡± Don¡¯t you wolly Dan was confident As long as you make the announcement, any will y along with you¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do it,¡± Caroline said Tve always done as you asked since I was a kid How, I want to live for Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. myself!¡± ¡°Alright then!¡± Dan pointed at Caroline in rage. ¡°You¡¯re a grown woman now! You have your independence!¡± After he said this, he snatched up the bottle on the table and twisted its cap open ¡°If you don¡¯t agree to it, I¡¯ll drink every drop of this pesticide!¡± ¡°Me too¡± Sarah opened a bottle too. She looked at Caroline with tears in her eyes ¡°Caroline, do you really want to watch your parents die?¡± Caroline felt thunderstruck. She stumbled backward in response. Her parents were actually threatening her with suicide to get her to marry Eddy! ¡°You really want me to die, don¡¯t you?¡± Her eyes filled with tears, but she kept her head held high, not willing to relent. ¡°Caroline, why would you die? You¡¯re just marrying into the Morrison family! You¡¯ll be living a luxurious life! Do you know how many people want to take your ce? You have to hold onto this opportunity!¡± Caroline felt like her heart was breaking. She threw her head back andughed. ¡°Alright. If you want me to marry Eddy so badly, then I will!¡± She would think of it as repayment for her parents raising her for more than 20 years, But after that¡­ Caroline abruptly realized that she would have no future after marrying Eddy, She ducked her head. Her tears were flowing freely down her face now. She shot a look at her parents, who seemed unmoved, before stumbling out of the house. If she didn¡¯t leave, she thought she might lose it andmit suicide herself, Sarah and Dan gave each other a look. ¡°Darling, in taking this step, did we ¡­¡± Sarah stood up and looked outside. ¡°Isn¡¯t the whole point of her life to marry Eddy?¡± Even if she died, she would have to die as Eddy¡¯s wife. Dan let out a heavy sigh. He could say nothing to deny it. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Caroline felt like she was having an out¨Cof¨Cbody experience. She drifted through the streets aimlessly. In the past, her parents had said many hurtful things. Each time, she¡¯d felt a stinging pain from it. This time, though, she felt nothing. In fact, she felt a little numb. It was as if they were behaving like their true selves now. The affection they¡¯d shown her in the past had only been due to her status as the future Mrs. Eddy Morrison. It was all because of the Morrison family. It wasn¡¯t because they were a family. ¡°Hey.¡± Sean suddenly said to Kirk. He was resting in the back seat. ¡°Isn¡¯t that your wife?¡± Kirk immediately opened his eyes and looked out the window. There was a young woman there. She looked dejected as she walked down the street alone. She seemed pitiful and helpless. ¡°Stop the car.¡± Sean muffled augh and stopped the car. ¡°Hey, Ms. Evans!¡± Caroline whipped her head up. She quickly saw Kirk sitting at the back of the car. Her icy limbs immediately warmed and regained some feeling. Kirk opened the door and got out. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± As soon as he¡¯d said that. Kirk recalled that Caroline¡¯s parents lived in this neighborhood. When he looked at her pale, bloodless face, he frowned. ¡°What happened?¡± He took Caroline¡¯s hand. He wanted to take her to see Sarah and Dan. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Caroline tugged at the edge of his shirt to stop him. She looked like a lost child. ¡°Cold.¡± It was then that Kirk realized Caroline¡¯s hands were freezing. He warmed her hands in his. ¡°Get in the car. It¡¯s warm in there.¡± Caroline lowered her head, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Kirk, I ¨C I don¡¯t have a home anymore.¡± Her tears fell on the back of Kirk¡¯s hand. Though they were cold, they burned. Kirk¡¯s heart burned with a raging me. He pulled Caroline into his embrace andforted her, saying, ¡°I¡¯m here. You will always have a home.¡± Caroline looked up. ¡°Really?¡± Her gaze was filled with devotion. Kirk squeezed her hand. It was as if he wanted to channel his own strength to her. ¡°Yes.¡± Caroline suddenlyughed. ¡°Thank you.¡± They were people who would soon part ways. Although she knew that Kirk was lying, she was still very grateful. Kirk always gave her hope when she was in despair. ¡°Hey, how much longer do you want to chat on the street?¡± Sean poked his head out of the door after putting down his phone. ¡°The middleman is there.¡± Caroline finally noticed that someone else was there. She wiped her tears and looked properly. To her surprise, it was Sean. ¡°How do you know Dr. Yates?¡± ***** Sean shrugged. He wouldn¡¯t contradict his own friend. *Then you guys came here today to ¡± Caroline was trying her best to find a topic of conversation. She didn¡¯t want to reflect on anything that had happened today. ¡°Buy a house,¡± Sean answered as he started the car. ¡°Who¡¯s buying a house? Is it you, Dr. Yates? But I remember the nurse saying you work in a hospital abroad. Are you nning to return to the country for good?¡± Sean grinned. He felt happy to see the good¨Clooking couple in the back seat. That was why he decided¡­ ¡°No, Kirk wants to buy a house. He said he wants to give you a home.¡± Kirk shot an icy re at the back of Sean¡¯s head. Sean ignored it. He continued. ¡°This is the first time he¡¯s said he wants to give a woman a home. You¡¯re really special to him, Ms. Evans.¡± Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Caroline raised an eyebrow and chuckled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just meet Kirk, Dr. Yates?¡± Neither Sean nor Kirk had a response to that. After a beat, Sean regained his ability to speak. ¡°What I mean is It means something special when a man says he wants to give a woman a home-¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Kirk warned, his expression stern. Sean promptly closed his mouth. ¡°Ignore him. He likes talking nonsense.¡± Caroline shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Dr. Yates is a good conversationalist. But based on the way you interact, it doesn¡¯t seem like you two just met. You seem like old friends.¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Sean was stunned. He¡¯d never expected someone as innocent as Caroline to be so observant. Hence, he didn¡¯t dare to say anything else during the ride. Soon, they arrived at their destination and got out of the car. The middleman had already arrived. When he saw them, he walked up. He said enthusiastically, ¡°This way, please.¡± The three of them followed the middleman into the vi. The vi was three stories tall. It was bigger than the Evanses¡® vi, and there was even a pool on the roof. Caroline tugged at the edge of Kirk¡¯s shirt. When the middleman wasn¡¯t paying attention, she whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s just go.¡± Kirk answered. ¡°Alright.¡± Caroline was surprised by Kirk¡¯s unquestioning behavior. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me why?¡± ¡°I forgot your parents live near here too.¡± When he¡¯d gotten the information about the vi, he¡¯d only thought that the name sounded familiar. ¡°I won¡¯t forget next time.¡± Caroline was stunned. ¡°You You think I don¡¯t want to keep looking because my parents stay in the area?¡± Kirk hummed in agreement. Caroline¡¯s heart filled with warmth. So this was what it was like to have someone remember things about her. ¡°Of course that¡¯s not it.¡± After all, Kirk was the one buying the house, so it was up to him where the property was located. ¡°This house isn¡¯t cheap. We should go somewhere else if you want to buy one.¡± Kirk tilted his head. He met Caroline¡¯s gaze. ¡°Do you like it here?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t understand. She looked around the vi. The ce was spacious and beautiful. Plus, it was in the city center, so transportation was great. The only drawback was that it was too expensive. ¡°I like it.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m buying it.¡± Caroline watched as Kirk walked toward the middleman. She rushed over to stop him. ¡°Are you mad?¡± This vi had to cost at least 100 million dors! There was no way Kirk could afford it, even if he worked his whole life. Kirk looked down at Caroline¡¯s slender fingers on his wrist. He smiled as he asked. ¡°But don¡¯t you like it?¡± ¡°If I said I liked the moon, would you get it for me?¡± Caroline cut him off. ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking.¡± Kirk smirked. ¡°I¡¯m being serious as well.¡± Caroline¡¯s heart started racing. Nervous, she looked away. Kirk, on the other hand, leaned in closer. He tilted Caroline¡¯s head up. Caroline¡¯s breaths became rushed. She wanted to avoid him but couldn¡¯t. All she could smell was the light mint scent Kirk gave off. ¡°Even though we¡¯re in a fake marriage, I want to do my best to give you a home.¡± Each word he said danced in Caroline¡¯s heart. Yet when she thought of what she¡¯d promised her parents, her heart started aching again. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Caroline pushed Kirk away and turned her back on him. ¡°Don¡¯t treat me so well.¡± She would Caroline¡¯s thoughts went wild. She couldn¡¯t help but feet a trace of hope in this world again, Kirk¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he sped Caroline¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s with you today? Did someone wrong you white you were out? Caroline seemed to be acting really differently today. She looked to one side and pushed herself to stop crying. She bit her lip forcefully. ¡°We¡¯ll have to divorce at some point. I don¡¯t want there to be too much fuss when the timees.¡± The day she announced her marriage to Eddy would be the same day she divorced Kirk. Then, Kirk would be able to find the owner of that lipstick. As for her, she would leave this world with no more attachments. After all, no one wanted her. Kirk¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed. There was a ball of rage in his chest. He stared after Caroline, his gaze nearly piercing through her. Sean noticed their exchange and walked over. ¡°What are you two-¡± Before he could finish speaking, Kirk red at him. Then, he strode out of the vi. Sean was stunned. What was going on? Why was Kirk angry at him? Caroline gave a weak smile. ¡°Dr. Yates, I have something to attend to. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± That said, she walked out through the back door. Seeing this, Sean could only go after Kirk. When he got outside, he saw Kirk sitting in the car¡¯s back seat. He had a cigar between his fingers. Smoke surrounded him, nearly obscuring him from sight.. Sean went over and asked, ¡°Did you two fight?¡± ¡°No,¡± Kirk answered dully. Sean was confused. He could see the annoyance written all over Kirk¡¯s face. Why was Kirk insisting they hadn¡¯t fought? ¡°Did you say something wrong? You have to coax her back. Everything will be fine then.¡± (1 Kirk red at Sean. ¡°Why do I have to coax her?¡± Sean gave him a thumbs up. ¡°You¡¯re an inspiration!¡± He wished he could be as staunch when it was his turn to pursue his own wife. Kirk stubbed out his cigar in annoyance and opened the window for some air. After a while, he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. He asked coldly.¡± Where is she?¡± ¡°She went out the back door.¡± ¡°Fuck,¡± Kirk cursed. He hopped out of the car and cut through the vi. Through the back door was another street. He couldn¡¯t find Caroline or even a car there. In a huff, he loosened his tie. He went back to the car. ¡°Get in.¡± Sean obeyed and got into the car. Kirk drove over to the street the back door led to. Even though he was driving very slowly, he couldn¡¯t find Caroline anywhere. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g He frowned. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Gwen was sharp enough to notice there was something wrong with her best friend. She held Caroline¡¯s hand and said. ¡°Of course that¡¯s fine. You can stay as long as you want. Let¡¯s go then.¡± Caroline and Gwen got into the car. Gwen drove slowly and kept shooting nces at Caroline. Meanwhile, Caroline stared out the window vacantly. She looked like a broken porcin doll, Gwen felt her heart ache as she looked at Caroline. ¡°Carol, why did your dad want you home so urgently? What happened?¡± Caroline looked over and smiled softly. ¡°They want me to marry Eddy.¡± Gwen was stupefied. ¡°Why do they insist on having you marry that douchebag?¡± ¡°Because they want the Morrison family¡¯s help in taking the Evans family back to the top. Caroline¡¯s voice was neutral, as if she were talking about someone else¡¯s affairs. The way she behaved made Gwen even more pained. ¡°You didn¡¯t agree, did you?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Gwen abruptly braked. ¡°Carol are you nuts?¡± Caroline chuckled. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t agreed, was I supposed to watch them drink pesticide?¡± Gwen thumped her fist on the steering wheel. ¡°How dare they threaten you with suicide! What the fuck! What kind of shit is this? I¡¯m really wondering if they¡¯re even your actual parents!¡± Caroline stared at the powder blue sky. It was strange. After she¡¯d epted her fate, she no longer felt upset at all. ¡°Gwen, don¡¯t be mad. This is my life. Growing up, my family always told me I¡¯d been born to marry Eddy. When I epted that everyone loved me and doted on me. Those days weren¡¯t too bad.¡± Her voice was filled with despair. Gwen was heartbroken. ¡°But if you marry Eddy, you¡¯ll have to donate your kidney to La. Fuck, it¡¯s so awful! It¡¯s bad enough that she taunted you so openly, but now she wants your organs! I can¡¯t stand it!¡± Caroline watched Gwen¡¯s enraged antics peacefully. She etched Gwen¡¯s face deeply into her mind. Then, she let out a softugh. ¡°I asked a doctor. Having only one kidney won¡¯t affect my life at all¡± Gwen didn¡¯t know the truth about how La wanted Caroline dead after she gave her kidney up for the marriage. Caroline didn¡¯t want to tell Gwen that she would die once she got married to Eddy. If she could, she wanted to hide it from Gwen forever. Gwen was the only person in this world that she would miss.. Gwen clutched Caroline¡¯s hand tightly. She kept swallowing and wasn¡¯t able to say a word. The two sat in silence. After a while, Gwen thumped her foot in rage. ¡°Fuck. Why can¡¯t I be filthy rich? If I were, I would be able to take care Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g of you. Then you wouldn¡¯t have to suffer at that asshole¡¯s hands.¡± Warmth filled Caroline¡¯s heart. She hugged Gwen with all her might. ¡°Gwen, I still want to be your best friend in our next life!¡± Gwen agreed. She said, almost crying. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll be best friends in our next life as well!¡± *** The days Caroline spent at Gwen¡¯s were peaceful and fulfilling. During this time, it was as if Kirk had disappeared from the face of the earth. He didn¡¯t even call once. Caroline didn¡¯t mind it at all. Besides, she wouldn¡¯t know what to say if they met, either. 7 The four prominent families of Osbury were all invited to the birthday banquet. Because of Caroline, Sarah and Dan had been invited as well. Before the banquet started, luxurious cars and splendidly dressed quests appeared outside of the hotel. The ce was lit up brightly. Amidst the throng, a diamond¨Cencrusted Rolls¨CRoyce sped through. It attracted the gaze of everyone present. ¡°Fuck, who¡¯s that? What avish entrancel¡± The light from the diamonds was really hard to ignore. In the car, Brie watched as everyone looked over. She raised her head, her gaze filled with viciousness. Tonight, she would avenge herself for what happened at the auction. She would stomp that bitch Caroline beneath her feet without mercy! Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Brie stepped out of the car in her high heels as the crowd watched in anticipation. She wore a ck evening gown. It was cut close to her body, showing off her curvaceous figure. As she walked, her fair feet flitted in and out of sight at the slit of her dress. She looked elegant and proper. Someone couldn¡¯t help butment in a low voice. ¡°My God, is this the same nouveau riche young lady I remember?¡± ¡°How well Brie is showing off her assets! And what a figure she has!¡± ¡°When did her taste in fashion be so good?¡± When Brie heard thesements and more, she smiled in satisfaction. This was the exact reaction she¡¯d been aiming for. For the past few days, she¡¯d been practicing her posture every day. She¡¯d picked out this dress and make¨Cup to let everyone know that she was even more proper and sophisticated than Caroline! She happily picked up the pen. Just as she was about to sign her name in the guest book, there was a hugemotion behind her. Brie frowned. When she turned back to look, she waspletely shocked. A woman came out of a in and ordinary car. She was wearing a long ck dress. It showed off the woman¡¯s beautiful shoulder lines. A pearl¨C colored belt cinched her slim waist. She wore red high heels and showed off her slender neck. She was gorgeous. When she turned around, she unted stunning corbones. When everyone realized that it was the usually proper and elegant Caroline, they were even more shocked. It was clear just how beautiful Caroline was. However, no one had ever expected that she could look so seductive. She was so captivating it made the crowd¡¯s jaw drop. Brie¡¯s expression turned dark. She thought that she could beat Caroline by dressing more properly and stylishly than her. Yet she¡¯d never expected that Caroline would go in the opposite direction and dress so sexily. Worse, she looked even better now¨Ceven more attractive! Caroline didn¡¯t take notice of the stunned gazes of those around her. She hadn¡¯t wanted to dress up so much to attend the banquet. However, on second thought, she¡¯d changed her mind. She¡¯d always lived ording to her parents¡® expectations. They wanted her to be proper and refined, so she became that for them. She¡¯d never tried living for herself. At the thought of that, Caroline let herself go and designed this dress with its cut¨Couts. After all, this was thest time she could do it. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g In a second, she was next to Brie. Brie was standing right at the entrance. Politely, Caroline said, ¡°Please excuse me.¡± Brie looked at the exquisite face before her and wanted to tear it up. She stepped closer. Gritting her teeth, she said, ¡°Are you dressed so sluttily because you know you can¡¯t win Eddy¡¯s heart? Now you¡¯re going to seduce his uncle, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kirk would be here today as well. Caroline frowned and said coldly. ¡°You¡¯re still in the way.¡± ¡°You-!¡± Seeing that Brie and Caroline were about to get into a fight, the staff quickly interjected, saying, ¡°Ms. Collins, the banquet is about to start. There are a lot of people in the queue. Please don¡¯t dy things for others.¡± Brie bit her lip in frustration. Then, she scoffed. you¡¯ll be able to marry him just because you¡¯re on Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s good side. ¡°Only someone like me, with a background like mine, deserves him! You should give up on that dream right now Caroline refused to waste her time on Brie. She turned her head without responding. Brie thought that Caroline was backing down. She happily signed her name in the quest book After she did. Caroline signed her own name and went into the banquet hat. The hall was huge. It was decoratedvishly, but there were only about ten tables. Only close friends and family could enter this banquet hall. In the past, Brie had always been in another hall. Since Brie was able to be here tonight, it meant that the rumors were true. It seemed Eddy¡¯s uncle was really going to marry her. Then, Caroline remembered how Eddy¡¯s uncle had been absent before. She wondered if she would be able to meet him now. If she could, then she would have no other regrets. ¡°Caroline Sarah stood up and cried enthusiastically from thest table. She kept waving at Caroline. When she saw how seductively Caroline was dressed, she smiled even brighter. ¡°That¡¯s the way you do it! Look at how pretty you are. You can beat all those other richdies in a second. Eddy will be so taken with you.¡± Dan nodded in agreement. ¡°Carrie, you¡¯ve finally grown up.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t want to chat with them so much. She said, ¡°I¡¯m going to Grandpa¡¯s table.¡± Jude had always doted on her. In the past, he would always leave her a spot at the head table, but Caroline used to worry that it would displease Eddy. Hence, she¡¯d declined Jude¡¯s kind gesture every year to avoid a scene. This year, she didn¡¯t care about what Eddy thought. She only wanted herself to be happy. Caroline walked toward the head table. Many important figures from the Morrison family were seated there. When they spotted Caroline. their eyes shone. They all got up and greeted her. Caroline nodded slightly before taking a seat gracefully. Just as she¡¯d sat down, Jude called out brightly, ¡°Carrie!¡± Caroline got up and looked toward Jude as he walked over with his cane. Jude was wearing a bright red suit. He looked so lively in it that he seemed more than a decade younger. Caroline smiled. ¡°Happy birthday, Grandpa.¡± Thinking about how this would be herst birthday with Jude, Caroline felt a deep ache in her heart. ¡°Are you finally willing to sit with me this year?¡± Jude¡¯s smile widened. ¡°That¡¯s perfect. You¡¯re Mrs. Morrison. You should be sitting with me. Caroline smiled slightly. She was about to say something when someone cried out behind Jude, ¡°Grandpa.¡± Everyone looked over; their expressions were all different. Behind Jude were La in her wheelchair and Eddy. La¡¯s condition seemed to be worse now. Her face was pale, and she looked fragile. Eddy stood by her. He asionally looked down at La in worry. From afar, they looked deeply in love. The crowd looked at Caroline with interest. Caroline¡¯s expression was nd. It was as if she wasn¡¯t involved at all.. She only met Eddy¡¯s gaze for a moment when he looked up. Then, she looked away. Eddy waspletely stunned. This Caroline had lost her old propriety. She looked mature and seductive, like a vixen. She was so beautiful that he could hardly believe it Chapter 50 Caroline ignored Eddy¡¯s gaze. She smiled. ¡°Mr. Morrison, you have such a poor memory. Grandpa has always saved me a seat at this table. Calling Eddy Mr. Morrison pulled the distance between them even further. Eddy pressed a hand to his forehead. He hated Caroline calling him that. In his memory, she¡¯d always called him Eddy. La coughed a few times. This attracted Eddy¡¯s gaze. ¡°What is it? Are you unwell? Should I send you home first?¡± La shook her head with difficulty. A malicious light shed in her eyes. She was showing off that Eddy was worried about her. Caroline had long be immune to her actions. She was about to leave when La said, ¡°Today is Grandpa¡¯s birthday. I¡¯d like to stay. Caroline, you won¡¯t make me leave, right?¡± Caroline turned her head. Before she could say anything. Jude said without mercy. ¡°I never invited you.¡± Eddy stood before La, ¡°Grandpa, La means well. How could you talk to her like that?¡± When Caroline saw this, she remembered the first time Kirk had shielded her behind him. She wondered where Kirk was now. What would he think if he knew she was going to marry Eddy soon? Chapter 50 Chapter 50 ¡°More than 50 years ago, someone else also gave me a painting by Zach Zimmer for my birthday.¡± With tears seeping in from the corners of his eyes, he grabbed Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you, Carrie.¡± He stared at her deeply, hesitating to say anything more. Caroline felt like he was looking at another person through her. ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Jude took a handkerchief out and wiped his tears. ¡°Carrie, I¡¯m very happy with this gift. Let me reward you. Tell me, is there anything you want?¡± Just as Caroline was about to say something, Brie interrupted her. In a displeased tone, Brie said. ¡°But Mr. Morrison Senior, this is only worth one million dors¡­¡± Jude¡¯s face fell at once. ¡°Brie, you can¡¯t measure the value of a gift by its price! Although this painting is no match for the perfume bottle in terms of price, to me, it¡¯s the most precious gift. Only upstarts will measure gifts by their prices!¡± Hearing that, Brie became hot under the cor. The guests around them began tough at her too. Just as she turned around to leave, she almost bumped into a staff member who¡¯d rushed over. Stunned, Caroline looked at the staff member carefully. She hadn¡¯t prepared any second gifts. ¡°Oh? Quick, show it to me.¡± Judeughed. ¡°Carrie, how many surprises are you nning to give me today?¡± Before Caroline could say anything, another staff member arrived with a wooden box. The box was delicately crafted withplex patterns, and its surface was polished to perfection. Clearly, it wasn¡¯t something cheap. The staff member put the box on the table and slowly opened it. Everyone there, including Caroline, held their breaths. The moment the box was opened, a beautiful piece of antique ceramic vase came into view. The banquet hall was filled with individuals who were knowledgeable about antiques. As soon as they caught sight of the ceramic, they couldn¡¯t help but gasp in amazement. Those well¨Cversed in antique collections knew that these ceramics had been made for the royal family centuries ago and were rare to Considering how old it was, encountering such a treasure was a rarity, let alone having the opportunity to own it as a collectible. Everyone looked at Caroline in shock. This wasn¡¯t just a matter of money; only those with strong connections could have the chance of acquiring it. As expected of the daughter of the Evans family. Although they had fallen from grace, their power was still impressive. It took a while for Jude toe to his senses. ¡°Carrie, how did you get this?¡± That was what she wanted to know, too. At first, she¡¯d suspected that someone wanted to set her up with an additional gift. Little did she expect it to be such a priceless treasure! Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Eddy stared at the vase, his eyes narrowing. He¡¯de here with Kirk. When Kirk had written his signature in the guest book earlier, he¡¯d also written that his gift was two ceramic wares¨Ca vase and a wash basin. The antique vase here was one of those two ceramic wares. Eddy spared a nce in the direction of the lounge, wondering why Kirk had done this. If Kirk wanted to save Caroline from embarrassment, he could have used the wash basin, which cost a hundred times less than the vase. That would have been more than enough. Eddy just couldn¡¯t figure it out. Meanwhile, Kirk was watching Caroline on the screen with a smile on his face. Looking at how flustered she was in the hall, Kirk couldn¡¯t help feeling delighted. ¡°You¡¯ve done a great job,¡± he said. The butler immediately replied. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Mr. Kirk. Ms. Collins was clearly nning to cause trouble for Ms. Evans. Your idea has not only saved Ms. Evans from embarrassment but also salvaged the Morrisons¡® reputation.¡± Kirk pursed his lips. The Morrison family¡¯s reputation had nothing to do with him. He just couldn¡¯t stand Caroline being bullied by others. especially when it involved money. ¡°Go out and help her exin it,¡± Kirk said, waving his hand. The butler nodded and went away. Now that Kirk was back alone, he could finally let his eyes roam freely over Caroline¡¯s sexy and delicate back. Narrowing his eyes slightly. he felt his chest burning up. By this time, the butler had already walked over to Caroline¡¯s side, interrupting Kirk from enjoying the beautiful view. Frowning in frustration, Kirk lit up the cigar on the table. As the swirling smoke surrounded him, his gaze grew deeply intense, and desire burned within him. Chapter 55 The butler approached Jude discreetly. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior, seeing that the antique vase is rare and precious, should we send it home for safekeeping purposes? It was a sound suggestion, so Judeplied. ¡°Have someone send it back at once.¡± Jude didn¡¯t press further. Caroline let out a sigh of relief and looked at the butler gratefully. The butler merely nodded at her before returning to the task at hand. Meanwhile, the others jumped on the asion to coddle Jude. ¡°What a fine addition to your collection, Mr. Morrison Senior.¡± ¡°How thoughtful of Ms. Evans.¡± ¡°I know, right? Mr. Morrison Senior is so lucky to have a future daughter¨Cinw like her.¡± Jude was overjoyed to hear thesepliments. Brie, who¡¯d been eager to make a toast to Jude, was pushed out of the way by the crowd. Her face was twitching because everyone flocked toward Caroline. She admitted that Caroline was more beautiful than her, but how was Caroline wealthier than her too? How dare she? Brie took another nce at the vase, now in the careful hands of a staff member. It didn¡¯t sit right with her. There was no way Caroline could afford such an expensive item. There must be more to it than meets the eye. As the crowd slowly dissipated, Caroline had a moment of respite. She left the banquet hall quietly. In the main lobby, the butler was already waiting for her. ¡°Mr. Simon Zellen.¡± Caroline called out to the butler, who had served Jude for more than five decades. ¡°Yes, Ms. Evans? ¡°The antique vase¡­. Simon knew what Caroline was about to ask. He smiled. ¡°Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle told me to do that.¡± ¡°Eddy¡¯s second uncle?¡± Something within Caroline stirred. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 ¡°He¡¯s in the lounge now. Would you like to meet him?¡± asked Simon. ¡°It¡¯s only right for me to thank him in person. Can you show me the way?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Simon dropped what he was working on and ushered Caroline to the lounge. On the way there, Caroline couldn¡¯t hold back her racing heart. She was about to meet the mysterious business tycoon. In an attempt to calm down, she rubbed her temples. ¡°We are here,¡± said Simon after a few minutes of walking. He then turned to Caroline and said, ¡°I shall take my leave now.¡± Caroline nodded. After Simon disappeared, she knocked on the door. She did it a few more times, but only silence answered her. Meekly, Caroline uttered, ¡°Hi there, Mr. Morrison. I¡¯m Caroline. I invited you to dinnerst time, but you couldn¡¯te. If it weren¡¯t for your help today. I¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± A husky voice from behind made Caroline jump. She turned around, flustered. ¡°Why are you here?¡± looked out of her reach. As Kirk looked down, his eyesnded on Caroline¡¯s slender corbone. The urges he¡¯d tried so hard to suppress red up again, making him frown. ¡°I¡¯m here to help out. It¡¯s my grandpa¡¯s birthday. What about you?¡± Kirk looked away. No more distractions. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m here to find Eddy¡¯s second uncle, answered Caroline, visibly ufortable ¡°Oh?¡± Kirk lifted his eyebrows. ¡°Are you into him?* Peeved by Kirk¡¯s mocking tone, Caroline retorted, ¡°I respect him a lot, so don¡¯t talk about him like that.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g All of a sudden, Kirk closed the distance between them, He held Caroline¡¯s waist in one hand and grabbed the door handle with another. As the panicking Caroline floundered in his embrace, his primal instincts kicked in. ¡°Stop.¡± The mint¨Cscented warning seized Caroline¡¯s being. She rested her hands on Kirk¡¯s chest and froze. ¡°S¡­ Stop making fun of me, Kirk.¡± Caroline¡¯s voice broke, as if it were a plea. No one was ever nice to her. All she wanted was a safeer for herself. Kirk was taken aback by Caroline¡¯s reaction. ¡°Are you crying?¡± ¡°No.¡± Caroline shook her head. Kirk lifted Caroline¡¯s face with his fingers. Under the glow of the light, her tears shone like pearls, adorning her beautiful features. Kirk scooped out one of the tears and asked, ¡°What is this, then?¡± Just like that, Caroline burst into small sobs. Tears overflowed her face. The tough front she¡¯d put up crumbled like paper before Kirk, But who could me her? She was so young¨Chardly 20 years old. She could face death bravely, but that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t fear it. Seeing a weeping Caroline, Kirk didn¡¯t feel any better either. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Clumsily, he tried to wipe away the tears, but they wouldn¡¯t stop appearing. He gave up, and instead, he leaned in and kissed Caroline. That did the trick. Caroline ceased crying. Her big, round eyes stared up at him as she tried to protest, but to no avail in the face of Kirk¡¯s greedy and unrelenting kisses. Caroline was too powerless to resist his advance. All she could do was enjoy it. Noticing his victory, Kirk gave a sly grin. He then twisted the door handle, but Caroline immediately stopped him in his tracks. ¡°Someone¡¯s inside,¡± uttered Caroline. Eddy¡¯s second uncle was inside. ¡°It¡¯s unupied.¡± Kirk pushed the door open. He was right. There was no one inside; just a screen which showed the security footage c the banquet. Gently, he put Caroline on the couch and looked at her fondly. He whispered, not wanting to scare her, ¡°Can I?¡± Kirk hadn¡¯t been able to stop thinking about Caroline sincest night. Caroline bit her lips. The current scene reminded her of the night Kirk had been drunk. He¡¯d asked her the same question too. But this time, he¡¯d asked it while sober. Caroline gave a timid nod. She wasn¡¯t going to be in this world for long anyway, so she might as well have some fun before she left. Thrilled by her answer, Kirk moved his fingers to the dress¡¯s zipper. Caroline held her breath. Deep down, she longed for it. Suddenly, they heard footsteps outside, followed by the rattling of the door handle. ¡°Uncle, are you there?¡± Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Kirk¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed slightly. ¡°Oh?¡± Eddy scratched his head. The more he looked at the tle, the more familiar it seemed. However, he just couldn¡¯t recall where he¡¯d seen it. He then sat down at the side and said, ¡°Perhaps someone else wore the same one before.¡± Kirk¡¯s tensed shoulders slumped down as he hummed in response nonchntly. Eddy took another sip of the beer, having regained hisposure. ¡°Are you going out, Uncle Kirk?¡± Sparing a nce at Caroline on the screen. Kirk rubbed the spot in between his brows. ¡°Nah, it¡¯s more interesting to observe the situation secretly.¡± Eddy nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go out first.¡± His temples began to throb at the thought of having a meal with Caroline at the same table. In the banquet hall, Caroline was chatting happily with Jude, and they appeared even closer than biological rtives. When the other Morrisons saw that, they immediately came and ttered them. ¡°Ms. Evans, you¡¯re so good at making Mr. Morrison Senior happy. He always has a long face whenever he¡¯s with us. He only smiles when you¡¯re around.¡± Although those were honeyed words, they were also true. Caroline smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. When Eddy came out and heard what they said, he suddenly thought of how protective Kirk was of Caroline as well, despite having only met her a few times. Eddy couldn¡¯t help but look at Caroline with a probing gaze. ¡°You¡¯re here. Eddy.¡± Thomas said upon seeing him. ¡°Take a seat beside Caroline.¡± It wasn¡¯t until he finished speaking that he remembered how Eddy¡¯s attitude had been toward Caroline in the past. Just as he wanted to say something to correct himself, his son had already taken a seat next to Caroline. Thomas exchanged a meaningful nce with Jude. They had noticed that Eddy was no longer averse to Caroline as ofte. It was an optimistic sign that something good would be happening soon. Everyone else had the same thoughts too.. However, it didn¡¯t seem to be the same for Eddy. The moment he sat down, he suddenly felt a chilly wind brush past the back of his head.. When he turned around, there was nothing. ¡°Grandpa, when is Eddy¡¯s second uncleing?¡± Caroline asked, ignoring Eddy. The banquet was about to begin, but Kirk still hadn¡¯t shown up. Caroline was worried that she wouldn¡¯t be able to see him again today. ¡°He arrived a long time ago.¡± Eddy snorted from the side. Only then did Caroline turn to look at him. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± Eddy retorted, feeling ufortable. Rendered speechless, Caroline moved her eyes back to Jude. ¡°Grandpa, do you know?¡± Jude chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. It¡¯s better to ask Eddy.¡± He was trying to encourage conversation between the two. Caroline understood that, but she didn¡¯t want to talk to Eddy. Whenever she looked at him, she would think about the marriage announcement, and it repulsed her. However, for the sake of meeting Eddy¡¯s second uncle, she endured her disdain and asked. ¡°Because I want to know, and you happened to have the answer I need.¡± Eddy leaned in closer to her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you good at pleasing others? Please me, and I¡¯ll tell you where my second uncle is.¡± people¡¯s eyes. ¡°Darling, look at how intimate Eddy and Carrie are!¡± Sarah was excited. Dan saw it too and felt as if a weight had lifted off of him. ¡°I told you that Eddy has feelings for Carrie. If she marries into his family, we will live afortable life in the future.¡± Meanwhile, La was on the verge of breaking the armrest of her wheelchair. Chapter 53 ¡°What a shameless bitch! How dare she seduce Eddy in front of so many people!¡± La cursed inwardly. However, when she thought about how Caroline would soon die on the operating table, La gradually calmed herself down. At the head table, Caroline withdrew her gaze and leaned slightly to the back. ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to tell me, forget it, then.¡± She could just ask the staff here. Someone would definitely know where Kirk was. Seeing how indifferent she was. Eddy felt triggered. Why couldn¡¯t she please him when she could do so for everyone else? Just as Eddy was about to lose his cool he saw Brieing over with a ss of red wine. She shot him a smile and then looked toward Caroline. All this time, Brie had been thinking of ways to regain the spotlight after being overshadowed by Caroline earlier at the entrance. She¡¯d inquired about Caroline¡¯s present for Jude earlier and found that it was a painting worth one million dors. She¡¯d immediately thought of how to humiliate Caroline and headed over to the main table. Caroline was feeling ufortable being stared at. When she raised her eyes and saw the meaningful look on Brie¡¯s face, she knitted her brows. Holding up the wine ss in her hand, Brie said. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior, I¡¯m here to wish you a happy birthday on my dad¡¯s behalf.¡± Jude smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± Brie took a sip of her wine and flitted her eyes back to Caroline again. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re interested in antiquestely, Mr. Morrison Senior. ¡°she said calmly. ¡°Yes. Old people love looking for something to keep them upied.¡± ¡°In that case, I believe you will definitely love my gift.¡± ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± Brie beckoned the staff member to present her gift to Jude. When Jude opened the exquisite box, he saw a delicate perfume bottle that was made of emerald sitting inside. It had an artistic pattern on top, carrying auspicious symbolism. ¡°This is an antique perfume bottle.¡± Seeing Jude pick it up, Brie knew he must have taken a liking to it. ¡°I went to a lot of ces in and out of the country to look for it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so kind of you. It must be expensive, right?¡± Jude asked. Brie replied with a smile, ¡°Not really. It¡¯s just 60 million dors.¡± Despite her words, deep down, her heart ached for having spent a fortune. However, as long as she could please Jude and get married to Kirk, this amount was nothing. Most importantly, she could use this price to put Caroline¡¯s gift to shame. ¡°Since you¡¯ve worked so hard, I must treat you kindly as well.¡± Holding the bottle in his hand affectionately, he pondered for a while before continuing. ¡°I agree to the matter you¡¯d mentioned to me before.¡± Brie was overjoyed. Little did she expect Jude to let Kirk marry her so easily. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Morrison Senior!¡± When Caroline heard that, her heart sank. She could somehow guess that what Jude referred to was the marriage between Eddy¡¯s second uncle and Brie. At the thought that the business prodigy was going to get married to a woman like Brie, Caroline felt uneasy. ¡°Caroline!¡± Brie suddenly called. Caroline looked at her. Brie walked around Jude and approached Caroline, her gaze tinged with hostility. ¡°Everyone in Osbury knows that Mr. Morrison Senior loves you the most. I wonder what you prepared for his birthday gift?¡± Caroline¡¯s expression changed slightly. She finally understood Brie¡¯s reason foring here. Chapter 54 ¡°Show it to us, then.¡± Brie signaled at the staff member, The staff member didn¡¯t move and looked at Jude Jude waved his hand. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯d like to see Carrie¡¯s gift for me too.¡± Only then did the staff member step away and bring the poster tube over. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Upon unfolding it, they found that it was a piece of art done by Zach Zimmer, who wasn¡¯t well¨Cknown in the industry. If Brie hadn¡¯t bid on the painting out of spite, she wouldn¡¯t have known about such an artist. Seeing it at this moment, Brie curled her lips into a contemptuous smile. She pointed at the painting disdainfully and said, ¡°Caroline, is this what you¡¯ve prepared today? Look at its quality. It¡¯s not even on par with Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s status. Don¡¯t you feel bad when he¡¯s done nothing but dote on you?¡± Hearing what she said, the others also started to whisper about it. ¡°So much for doting on her, but in the end she gifted him a painting that was done by a nobody.¡± ¡°No wonder Mr. Eddy doesn¡¯t like her. She may talk sweetly, but her actions reveal her true character.¡± ¡°She surees from a family that has fallen from grace. Although she can pretend to be a wealthy lady, her petty¨Cminded nature is still exposed when ites to spending money.¡± When Eddy had heard such discussions in the past, he would have been happy without a doubt. Yet this time, he didn¡¯t know why his heart stung, as if there were needles stabbing it. He nced at Caroline. Caroline stood up and went over to the painting. ¡°A one¨Cmillion¨Cdor gift, of course, may not mean anything to Grandpa. But it¡¯s all that i have. I know he loves paintings of this kind, so I deliberately looked for this and managed to find this piece of work done by Zach Zimmer. ¡°Although this artist isn¡¯t famous, his works are exactly Grandpa¡¯s cup of tea. Grandpa might regret it if he passed up on this.¡± Brie nced at Caroline fully. Just as she was about to say something, she saw Jude walk toward the painting with trembling hands. ¡°This is really Zimmer¡¯s work!¡± His aged hand shook, hovering over the painting. He wanted to put down his hand, but he seemed afraid of touching it. Everyone was shocked. It was the first time they had seen Jude behaving like this. Thomas immediately stepped forward and supported him. ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jude closed his eyes and waved his hand. It took him a while before he finally collected himself. ¡°More than 50 years ago, someone else also gave me a painting by Zach Zimmer for my birthday.¡± With tears seeping in from the corners of his eyes, he grabbed Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you, Carrie.¡± He stared at her deeply, hesitating to say anything more. Caroline felt like he was looking at another person through Chapter 53 Chapter 53 ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Jude took a handkerchief out and wiped his tears. ¡°Carrie, I¡¯m very happy with this gift. Let me reward you. Tell me, is there anything you want?¡± Just as Caroline was about to say something, Brie interrupted her. In a displeased tone, Brie said. ¡°But Mr. Morrison Senior, this is only worth one million dors¡­¡± Jude¡¯s face fell at once. ¡°Brie, you can¡¯t measure the value of a gift by its price! Although this painting is no match for the perfume bottle in terms of price, to me, it¡¯s the most precious gift. Only upstarts will measure gifts by their prices!¡± Hearing that, Brie became hot under the cor. The guests around them began tough at her too. Just as she turned around to leave, she almost bumped into a staff member who¡¯d rushed over. Stunned, Caroline looked at the staff member carefully. She hadn¡¯t prepared any second gifts. ¡°Oh? Quick, show it to me.¡± Judeughed. ¡°Carrie, how many surprises are you nning to give me today?¡± Before Caroline could say anything, another staff member arrived with a wooden box. The box was delicately crafted withplex patterns, and its surface was polished to perfection. Clearly, it wasn¡¯t something cheap. The staff member put the box on the table and slowly opened it. Everyone there, including Caroline, held their breaths. The moment the box was opened, a beautiful piece of antique ceramic vase came into view. The banquet hall was filled with individuals who were knowledgeable about antiques. As soon as they caught sight of the ceramic, they couldn¡¯t help but gasp in amazement. Those well¨Cversed in antique collections knew that these ceramics had been made for the royal family centuries ago and were rare to Considering how old it was, encountering such a treasure was a rarity, let alone having the opportunity to own it as a collectible. Everyone looked at Caroline in shock. This wasn¡¯t just a matter of money; only those with strong connections could have the chance of acquiring it. As expected of the daughter of the Evans family. Although they had fallen from grace, their power was still impressive. It took a while for Jude toe to his senses. ¡°Carrie, how did you get this?¡± That was what she wanted to know, too. At first, she¡¯d suspected that someone wanted to set her up with an additional gift. Little did she expect it to be such a priceless treasure! Eddy stared at the vase, his eyes narrowing. He¡¯de here with Kirk. When Kirk had written his signature in the guest book earlier, he¡¯d also written that his gift was two ceramic wares¨Ca vase and a wash basin. The antique vase here was one of those two ceramic wares. Eddy spared a nce in the direction of the lounge, wondering why Kirk had done this. If Kirk wanted to save Caroline from embarrassment, he could have used the wash basin, which cost a hundred times less than the vase. That would have been more than enough. Eddy just couldn¡¯t figure it out. Meanwhile, Kirk was watching Caroline on the screen with a smile on his face. Looking at how flustered she was in the hall, Kirk couldn¡¯t help feeling delighted. ¡°You¡¯ve done a great job,¡± he said. The butler immediately replied. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Mr. Kirk. Ms. Collins was clearly nning to cause trouble for Ms. Evans. Your idea has not only saved Ms. Evans from embarrassment but also salvaged the Morrisons¡® reputation.¡± Kirk pursed his lips. The Morrison family¡¯s reputation had nothing to do with him. He just couldn¡¯t stand Caroline being bullied by others. especially when it involved money. ¡°Go out and help her exin it,¡± Kirk said, waving his hand. The butler nodded and went away. Now that Kirk was back alone, he could finally let his eyes roam freely over Caroline¡¯s sexy and delicate back. Narrowing his eyes slightly. he felt his chest burning up. By this time, the butler had already walked over to Caroline¡¯s side, interrupting Kirk from enjoying the beautiful view. Frowning in frustration, Kirk lit up the cigar on the table. As the swirling smoke surrounded him, his gaze grew deeply intense, and desire burned within him. Chapter 55 The butler approached Jude discreetly. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior, seeing that the antique vase is rare and precious, should we send it home for safekeeping purposes? It was a sound suggestion, so Judeplied. ¡°Have someone send it back at once.¡± Jude didn¡¯t press further. Caroline let out a sigh of relief and looked at the butler gratefully. The butler merely nodded at her before returning to the task at hand. Meanwhile, the others jumped on the asion to coddle Jude. ¡°What a fine addition to your collection, Mr. Morrison Senior.¡± ¡°How thoughtful of Ms. Evans.¡± ¡°I know, right? Mr. Morrison Senior is so lucky to have a future daughter¨Cinw like her.¡± Jude was overjoyed to hear thesepliments. Brie, who¡¯d been eager to make a toast to Jude, was pushed out of the way by the crowd. Her face was twitching because everyone flocked toward Caroline. She admitted that Caroline was more beautiful than her, but how was Caroline wealthier than her too? How dare she? Brie took another nce at the vase, now in the careful hands of a staff member. It didn¡¯t sit right with her. There was no way Caroline could afford such an expensive item. There must be more to it than meets the eye. As the crowd slowly dissipated, Caroline had a moment of respite. She left the banquet hall quietly. In the main lobby, the butler was already waiting for her. ¡°Mr. Simon Zellen.¡± Caroline called out to the butler, who had served Jude for more than five decades. ¡°Yes, Ms. Evans? ¡°The antique vase¡­. Simon knew what Caroline was about to ask. He smiled. ¡°Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle told me to do that.¡± ¡°Eddy¡¯s second uncle?¡± Something within Caroline stirred. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Where is he? ¡°He¡¯s in the lounge now. Would you like to meet him?¡± asked Simon. ¡°It¡¯s only right for me to thank him in person. Can you show me the way?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Of course.¡± Simon dropped what he was working on and ushered Caroline to the lounge. On the way there, Caroline couldn¡¯t hold back her racing heart. She was about to meet the mysterious business tycoon. In an attempt to calm down, she rubbed her temples. ¡°We are here,¡± said Simon after a few minutes of walking. He then turned to Caroline and said, ¡°I shall take my leave now.¡± Caroline nodded. After Simon disappeared, she knocked on the door. She did it a few more times, but only silence answered her. Meekly, Caroline uttered, ¡°Hi there, Mr. Morrison. I¡¯m Caroline. I invited you to dinnerst time, but you couldn¡¯te. If it weren¡¯t for your help today. I¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± A husky voice from behind made Caroline jump. She turned around, flustered. ¡°Why are you here?¡± looked out of her reach. As Kirk looked down, his eyesnded on Caroline¡¯s slender corbone. The urges he¡¯d tried so hard to suppress red up again, making him frown. ¡°I¡¯m here to help out. It¡¯s my grandpa¡¯s birthday. What about you?¡± Kirk looked away. No more distractions. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m here to find Eddy¡¯s second uncle, answered Caroline, visibly ufortable ¡°Oh?¡± Kirk lifted his eyebrows. ¡°Are you into him?* Peeved by Kirk¡¯s mocking tone, Caroline retorted, ¡°I respect him a lot, so don¡¯t talk about him like that.¡± All of a sudden, Kirk closed the distance between them, He held Caroline¡¯s waist in one hand and grabbed the door handle with another. As the panicking Caroline floundered in his embrace, his primal instincts kicked in. ¡°Stop.¡± The mint¨Cscented warning seized Caroline¡¯s being. She rested her hands on Kirk¡¯s chest and froze. ¡°S¡­ Stop making fun of me, Kirk.¡± Caroline¡¯s voice broke, as if it were a plea. No one was ever nice to her. All she wanted was a safeer for herself. Kirk was taken aback by Caroline¡¯s reaction. ¡°Are you crying?¡± ¡°No.¡± Caroline shook her head. Kirk lifted Caroline¡¯s face with his fingers. Under the glow of the light, her tears shone like pearls, adorning her beautiful features. Kirk scooped out one of the tears and asked, ¡°What is this, then?¡± Just like that, Caroline burst into small sobs. Tears overflowed her face. The tough front she¡¯d put up crumbled like paper before Kirk, But who could me her? She was so young¨Chardly 20 years old. She could face death bravely, but that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t fear it. Seeing a weeping Caroline, Kirk didn¡¯t feel any better either. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Clumsily, he tried to wipe away the tears, but they wouldn¡¯t stop appearing. He gave up, and instead, he leaned in and kissed Caroline. That did the trick. Caroline ceased crying. Her big, round eyes stared up at him as she tried to protest, but to no avail in the face of Kirk¡¯s greedy and unrelenting kisses. Caroline was too powerless to resist his advance. All she could do was enjoy it. Noticing his victory, Kirk gave a Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Someone¡¯s inside,¡± uttered Caroline. Eddy¡¯s second uncle was inside. ¡°It¡¯s unupied.¡± Kirk pushed the door open. He was right. There was no one inside; just a screen which showed the security footage c the banquet. Gently, he put Caroline on the couch and looked at her fondly. He whispered, not wanting to scare her, ¡°Can I?¡± Kirk hadn¡¯t been able to stop thinking about Caroline sincest night. Caroline bit her lips. The current scene reminded her of the night Kirk had been drunk. He¡¯d asked her the same question too. But this time, he¡¯d asked it while sober. Caroline gave a timid nod. She wasn¡¯t going to be in this world for long anyway, so she might as well have some fun before she left. Thrilled by her answer, Kirk moved his fingers to the dress¡¯s zipper. Caroline held her breath. Deep down, she longed for it. Suddenly, they heard footsteps outside, followed by the rattling of the door handle. ¡°Uncle, are you there?¡± Caroline gasped. It was Eddy. Chapter 56 Caroline held onto Kirk¡¯s cor. Her eyes were still misty. Kirk was annoyed by Eddy¡¯s interruption. However, he had no choice but to suppress his anger. He got up, tidied his shirt, and went out. Caroline couldn¡¯t hear what he said to Eddy, but after a short while, she could hear footsteps leaving. She got the hint right away, Kirk was buying her time so that she could leave. Hastily, she made herself presentable. She opened the door slightly to make sure no one was in the corridor. Then, she made a beeline to the bathroom. Inside the toilet cubicle, Caroline took out her mirror to fix her makeup. From her reflection, she saw a woman with a rosy cheek and hazy eves, blossoming like a rose. The heat returned to Caroline¡¯s cheeks, and she could feel Kirk¡¯s tantalizing breath on her ears. Caroline took a deep breath to calm herself. Just as she was about to get out of the cubicle and check on Kirk, she heard her mother¡¯s voice. ¡°Thank you so much for that idea, La. Once Caroline marries Eddy, I won¡¯t forget you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, Aunt Sarah,¡± La¡¯s sickeningly sweet voice stabbed Caroline¡¯s heart. She had to clench her fists to stop making any noise. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Caroline to hurry up and announce the wedding soon. Come back once you fix your makeup. Don¡¯t miss out,¡± continued Sarah. ¡°Okay.¡± Silence fell over the bathroom. Except for the screeching of a wheelchair. Caroline¡¯s hands trembled with fury. She couldn¡¯t hold it any longer. She pushed open the cubicle door and saw La, whose face turned white. ¡°Caroline¡­¡± p! Caroline had pped La. La¡¯s face swelled up almost immediately. ¡°Caroline, you crazy bitch!¡± La stood up from her wheelchair and waved her arms around hysterically. Not one to back down easily, Caroline shoved La. The force of which was so great that it sent La and her wheelchair tumbling. Lying on the floor, La held a hand over the bruise on her forehead. She turned to Caroline, saying, ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re crazy. Is this how a daughter of the Evans family behaves?¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Caroline held onto Kirk¡¯s cor. Her eyes were still misty. Kirk was annoyed by Eddy¡¯s interruption. However, he had no choice but to suppress his anger. He got up, tidied his shirt, and went out. Caroline couldn¡¯t hear what he said to Eddy, but after a short while, she could hear footsteps leaving. She got the hint right away, Kirk was buying her time so that she could leave. Hastily, she made herself presentable. She opened the door slightly to make sure no one was in the corridor. Then, she made a beeline to the bathroom. Inside the toilet cubicle, Caroline took out her mirror to fix her makeup. From her reflection, she saw a woman with a rosy cheek and hazy eves, blossoming like a rose. The heat returned to Caroline¡¯s cheeks, and she could feel Kirk¡¯s tantalizing breath on her ears. Caroline took a deep breath to calm herself. Just as she was about to get out of the cubicle and check on Kirk, she heard her mother¡¯s voice. ¡°Thank you so much for that idea, La. Once Caroline marries Eddy, I won¡¯t forget you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, Aunt Sarah,¡± La¡¯s sickeningly sweet voice stabbed Caroline¡¯s heart. She had to clench her fists to stop making any noise. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Caroline to hurry up and announce the wedding soon. Come back once you fix your makeup. Don¡¯t miss out,¡± continued Sarah. ¡°Okay.¡± Silence fell over the bathroom. Except for the screeching of a wheelchair. Caroline¡¯s hands trembled with fury. She couldn¡¯t hold it any longer. She pushed open the cubicle door and saw La, whose face turned white. ¡°Caroline¡­¡± p! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Caroline had pped La. La¡¯s face swelled up almost immediately. ¡°Caroline, you crazy bitch!¡± La stood up from her wheelchair and waved her arms around hysterically. Not one to back down easily, Caroline shoved La. The force of which was so great that it sent La and her wheelchair tumbling. Lying on the floor, La held a hand over the bruise on her forehead. She turned to Caroline, saying, ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re crazy. Is this how a daughter of the Evans family behaves?¡± ¡°I¡¯m crazy because of you.¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°I tolerated you, but you took it for granted. Tell me¨Cmy parents threatened me with their lives. Was it your idea?¡± La gave a sly grin. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± It had indeed been her idea. She¡¯d persuaded Sarah and Dan to guilt¨Ctrip Caroline with their lives, all so that Caroline would marry Eddy If Caroline wanted anyone to me, she could me Eddy¡¯s second uncle for it. He¡¯d said he¡¯d find her a kidney donor abroad. On top of that, he¡¯d asked Sean to oversee this matter¨Cthe one man La hated to see. Hence, La had taken it upon herself to make Caroline marry Eddy before Sean could find a donor. That way, Caroline could die in the surgery, and her death would put everything to an end. Caroline pulled La¡¯s hair so forcefully that her knuckles turned white. Yet the searing pain did nothing to curb La¡¯s smugness. ¡°Even if you know it was my idea, it won¡¯t change anything. Can you defy your parents? Will you let your parents die before you? Can you live with that kind of guilt? Ah-¡± Caroline pulled even harder, almost tearing La¡¯s scal Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Caroline held onto Kirk¡¯s cor. Her eyes were still misty. Kirk was annoyed by Eddy¡¯s interruption. However, he had no choice but to suppress his anger. He got up, tidied his shirt, and went out. Caroline couldn¡¯t hear what he said to Eddy, but after a short while, she could hear footsteps leaving. She got the hint right away. Kirk was buying her time so that she could leave. Hastily, she made herself presentable. She opened the door slightly to make sure no one was in the corridor. Then, she made a beeline to the bathroom. Inside the toilet cubicle, Caroline took out her mirror to fix her makeup. From her reflection, she saw a woman with a rosy cheek and hazy eyes, blossoming like a rose. The heat returned to Caroline¡¯s cheeks, and she could feel Kirk¡¯s tantalizing breath on her ears. Caroline took a deep breath to calm herself. Just as she was about to get out of the cubicle and check on Kirk, she heard her mother¡¯s voice. ¡°Thank you so much for that idea, La. Once Caroline marries Eddy, I won¡¯t forget you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, Aunt Sarah.¡± La¡¯s sickeningly sweet voice stabbed Caroline¡¯s heart. She had to clench her fists to stop making any noise. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Caroline to hurry up and announce the wedding soon. Come back once you fix your makeup. Don¡¯t miss out, continued Sarah. ¡°Okay.¡± Silence fell over the bathroom. Except for the screeching of a wheelchair. Caroline¡¯s hands trembled with fury. She couldn¡¯t hold it any longer. She pushed open the cubicle door and saw La, whose face turned white. ¡°Caroline ¡­¡± p! Caroline had pped La. La¡¯s face swelled up almost immediately. ¡°Caroline, you crazy bitch!¡± La stood up from her wheelchair and waved her arms around hysterically. Not one to back down easily, Caroline shoved La. The force of which was so great that it sent La and her wheelchair tumbling. Lying on the floor, La held a hand over the bruise on her forehead. She turned to Caroline, saying, ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re crazy. Is this how a daughter of the Evans family behaves?¡± ¡°I¡¯m crazy because of you.¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°I tolerated you, but you took it for granted. Tell me¨Cmy parents threatened me with their lives. Was it your idea?¡± La gave a sly grin. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± It had indeed been her idea. She¡¯d persuaded Sarah and Dan to guilt¨Ctrip Caroline with their lives, all so that Caroline would marry Eddy. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. If Caroline wanted anyone to me, she could me Eddy¡¯s second uncle for it. He¡¯d said he¡¯d find her a kidney donor abroad. On top of that, he¡¯d asked Sean to oversee this matter¨Cthe one man La hated to see. Hence, La had taken it upon herself to make Caroline marry Eddy before Sean could find a donor. That way, Caroline could die in the surgery, and her death would put everything to an end. Caroline pulled La¡¯s hair so forcefully that her knuckles turned white. Yet the searing pain did nothing to curb La¡¯s smugness. ¡°Even if you know it was my idea, it won¡¯t change anything. Can you defy your parents? Will you let your parents die before you? Can you live with that kind of guilt? Ah-¡± Caroline pulled even harder, almost tearing La¡¯s scalp. Chapter 57 Caroline¡¯s furious re sent chills down La¡¯s spine. For the very first time, La saw so much hatred in someone¡¯s eyes. It was so overwhelming that it could kill someone. ¡°Caroline, what are you doing?¡± Carolineughed and let go of La¡¯s hair slowly. ¡°You want me to marry Eddy, don¡¯t you? All right then. I¡¯ll tell everyone about it now. And I¡¯ll say that you¡¯re my bridesmaid. You¡¯ll bear witness to my bing Eddy¡¯s rightful spouse. ¡°All that love, happiness, and blessings will forever be out of your reach. You swore that oath in front of everyone. If you want to marry Eddy, Grandpa would be the first to oppose it.¡± La¡¯s face tumed even paler. Still on the floor, she tried to grab Caroline¡¯s heels. ¡°You bitch! You crazy bitch!¡± Caroline ignored La¡¯s insult and left. She walked along the corridor until she¡¯d finally reached a quiet spot. Then, that tough facade of hers cracked. She slumped against the ss wall. The glistening surface reflected a defeated woman. Her eyes were scarlet, and her hair was disheveled. Soon, the image became blurry, like fogged¨Cup sses. The light turned dim, just like her loveless world. Her parents did not care about her. They only wanted her to be Eddy¡¯s wife. Eddy hated her. La wanted her dead. All of a sudden, one of the doors opened. Light escaped from the gap in the door. Caroline lifted her head out of reflex, and her presence was caught by a pair of captivating eyes. ¡°You¡¯re crying again.¡± Kirk noticed the tears at the corner of Caroline¡¯s eyes. This was the second time he saw a teary¨Cfaced Caroline today. Caroline wiped her tears away. She didn¡¯t want Kirk to be worried. She wanted him to remember her fondly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Dust got into my eyes. Um¡­ Can I tell you something?¡± At first, Caroline thought that she¡¯d let Kirk find out about her engagement with Eddy through the news. However, that seemed a bit cruel. And so ¡­ ¡°Wait.¡± Kirk decided not to debunk Caroline¡¯s obvious lie. ¡°Before you do anything, can I show you something?¡± Kirk had already wanted to give it to her a few days ago, but he hadn¡¯t known how to bring it up. No one had ever thrown a tantrum at him. No one dared to give him the cold shoulder. Everyone was eager to get on his good side. Kirk also regretted what he said to Sean the other day. Caroline had already cried twice today, and Kirk just wanted to see her smile again. ¡°Show me what?¡± asked Caroline, piqued. Something welled within her. Kirk grabbed her hands gently and led her back to the lounge. Caroline¡¯s heart was pounding. Her pinkie caressed Kirk¡¯s thumb. ¡°You¡­¡± Was Kirk trying to continue their ¡°unfinished business¡± from earlier? Kirk pulled Caroline to a couch and retrieved a red bag from a locked drawer. ¡°This is ¡­?¡± Caroline was confused. ¡°Open it,¡± Kirk said as he knelt next to Caroline. His eyes glimmered with anticipation. Chapter 58 Prompted by his words, Caroline opened the bag. Instantly, she saw a property deed inside. When she flipped to the first page, she found her name printed boldly on it. Excited, she quickly read further. The deed was for 103 Bishop Street in Hectafleur, the same neighborhood of vis where Caroline¡¯s parents lived. This was the very same unit they¡¯d visited the other day. ¡°Are you mad?¡± Caroline shot upright. ¡°You actually bought it? How much did you spend? Where did you get that kind of money?¡± Kirk grinned. He rubbed circles on the back of Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Didn¡¯t you like the vi?¡± Caroline got annoyed by his haughtiness. However, she softened her tone. ¡°Yes. But even if I like it, you can¡¯t spend money like it¡¯s nothing. Every aspect of marrying and living together costs money.¡± Kirkughed. ¡°And you have a married life with me?¡± These words sounded great to Kirk. It waspletely different from the other day. It had upset him when Caroline had said that they were only contractually married. Caroline¡¯s ears turned red at his words. She said incoherently, ¡°I¨CI didn¡¯t mean that. I wasn¡¯t saying money on a whim.¡± ¡­ Oh, anyway, you shouldn¡¯t spend Kirk held Caroline¡¯s hand and squeezed slightly. He was overjoyed, but his tone remained calm. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a lot of money.¡± Caroline knew that he had to be lying. He¡¯d bought the vi just to make her happy. She was very thankful, but she knew that this wasn¡¯t right. ¡°Kirk, I¡¯m very d that you bought me a vi. You even put my name on the deed! But I can¡¯t ept this gift.* Kirk¡¯s expression shifted. His tone was stiff as he said, ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°You worked hard to earn this money. I don¡¯t know how you put together the deposit. But I know this means you¡¯ll have to spend your life working to pay off the bank loan. I hope you won¡¯t waste the rest of your life just to afford a house. This vi is too much of a burden to you.¡± Kirk looked at her deeply. Was she ¡­ concerned for him? His heart felt filled with some unknown emotion. Even his eyes were smiling. ¡°What if I told you that this money means nothing to me?¡± Kirk had no clue what a deposit was, and he definitely didn¡¯t understand this bank loan thing. To him, a vi was just another number on the list of his properties. ¡°Stop lying to me already. Even if you¡¯re a higher¨Cup at Morrison Corporation, it takes a lot of hard work to make enough to buy a vi in Osbury. Besides, you¡¯re only middle management.¡± The only reason Caroline¡¯s parents could still stay in Hectafleur after the fall of the Evans family was the Morrison family. They had been helping in secret all this time. The Evans family couldn¡¯t even afford the expensive fees for annual upkeep. Kirk became impatient. ¡°Alright, it seems I can¡¯t keep it from you. Actually, I Caroline listened intently and looked at Kirk with solemn focus. ¡°I bought it at a low price. I heard that the vi is haunted. The ce is impossible to sell¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Really?¡± Kirk nodded. He asked back, ¡°You aren¡¯t scared?¡± 1/2 Ghosts had never hurt her, but humans had. They had hurt her so many times. Humans were much scarler than ghosts. Kirk chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re a brave one¡± Caroline shrugged. ¡°So Kirk lowered his head. The mole at the edge of his eye drew Caroline¡¯s attention. ¡°Can you ept it now?¡± His low voice was seductive and plucked at Caroline¡¯s heartstrings. As she held the property deed, her fingers trembled. Chapter 59 Nol There was a voice screaming in Caroline¡¯s mind. She would have to announce her marriage to Eddy soon. She couldn¡¯t ept such an expensive gift now. But Caroline ducked her head and looked at the proof of Kirk¡¯s sincerity. She looked up again and regarded Kirk¡¯s features. Her thoughts were all a mess. Her eyes filled with tears yet again. ¡°What is it?¡± Kirk tilted Caroline¡¯s head up. His tone was filled with affection but also a slight irritation. ¡°You¡¯re such a crybaby.¡± After saying that, Kirk kissed Caroline lightly on the temple. The feeling of being treasured made Caroline¡¯s heart sing. ¡°I¡¯m not ¡± Caroline pushed Kirk away and stepped backward. She was trying hard not to be seduced by him. ¡°I should head back. If I stay too long, Grandpa will look for me.¡± Kirk watched Caroline leave and stared at the discarded property deed. He frowned. Caroline was unsettled. Her footsteps were so rushed that she nearly crashed into Eddy as he walked over. Eddy ducked aside. He mocked, ¡°Still trying to throw yourself at me?¡± Caroline¡¯s emotions were heavy, and she didn¡¯t want to get into a fight with Eddy. She emotionlessly circled Eddy and walked off. However, Eddy pulled her to a stop after only a few steps. ¡°Caroline, you have to stop ying hard to get!¡± Caroline reacted as if his touch were a snake bite and shook him off immediately. She red at him. ¡°Eddy, don¡¯t act so arrogantly. I admit that I used to love you, but the person I loved was only an illusion. Wealthy, educated, and a talented businessman. However, after getting married, I realized that you¡¯re nothing compared to my husband.¡± Although Kirk didn¡¯t have much money or business acumen, he was still much better than Eddy! Even if their marriage was a contractual one, Kirk still did his duty as a husband. He gave her the best of everything. But what about Eddy? Caroline had cared for him for eight years. It was eight whole years. Eddy had never given her a smile, much less a gift. ¡°What did you say?¡± Angered, Eddy took hold of Caroline¡¯s neck. When he saw her bright eyes, his animal instincts took over. It was only after a moment that he calmed down. He scoffed. ¡°He¡¯s nobody. He doesn¡¯t deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as me. Caroline, you¡¯ll really do anything to get a rise out of me. Too bad! I won¡¯t fall for it!¡± Caroline gave him a forced smile and tried to avoid him again. She felt like talking to him was a waste of her precious time. She stepped forward, but Eddy stopped her again. This time, Caroline didn¡¯t manage to get a solid foothold. Her ankle twisted, and pain shot through her leg. Caroline bit her lip. In pain, she looked up. Eddy didn¡¯t notice this. He frowned. ¡°Stop pretending. This trick won¡¯t work on me. Don¡¯t you know that? But-¡± Eddy folded his arms and approached with a wicked smile. ¡°I see you¡¯re good at getting on my family¡¯s good side. Why don¡¯t you try getting on mine?¡± His words stunned Caroline. Her body shook all over. So all her efforts in the past eight years were nothing to him? Caroline gritted her teeth tightly. She scoffed. ¡°I always thought I didn¡¯t deserve you. After all, you¡¯re the heir of the Morrison family. But now, I think you don¡¯t deserve me!¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Eddy¡¯s body shuddered violently with anger. He looked at Caroline as she stumbled away. Suddenly, he felt that the distance between them was gettingrger. It felt like they were worlds apart. He felt a strange sense of pani Caroline to hurry up and announce the wedding soon. Come back once you fix your makeup. Don¡¯t miss out, continued Sarah. ¡°Okay.¡± Silence fell over the bathroom. Except for the screeching of a wheelchair. Caroline¡¯s hands trembled with fury. She couldn¡¯t hold it any longer. She pushed open the cubicle door and saw La, whose face turned white. ¡°Caroline ¡­¡± p! Caroline had pped La. La¡¯s face swelled up almost immediately. ¡°Caroline, you crazy bitch!¡± La stood up from her wheelchair and waved her arms around hysterically. Not one to back down easily, Caroline shoved La. The force of which was so great that it sent La and her wheelchair tumbling. Lying on the floor, La held a hand over the bruise on her forehead. She turned to Caroline, saying, ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re crazy. Is this how a daughter of the Evans family behaves?¡± ¡°I¡¯m crazy because of you.¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°I tolerated you, but you took it for granted. Tell me¨Cmy parents threatened me with their lives. Was it your idea?¡± La gave a sly grin. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± It had indeed been her idea. She¡¯d persuaded Sarah and Dan to guilt¨Ctrip Caroline with their lives, all so that Caroline would marry Eddy. If Caroline wanted anyone to me, she could me Eddy¡¯s second uncle for it. He¡¯d said he¡¯d find her a kidney donor abroad. On top of that, he¡¯d asked Sean to oversee this matter¨Cthe one man La hated to see. Hence, La had taken it upon herself to make Caroline marry Eddy before Sean could find a donor. That way, Caroline could die in the surgery, and her death would put everything to an end. Caroline pulled La¡¯s hair so forcefully that her knuckles turned white. Yet the searing pain did nothing to curb La¡¯s smugness. ¡°Even if you know it was my idea, it won¡¯t change anything. Can you defy your parents? Will you let your parents die before you? Can you live with that kind of guilt? Ah-¡± Caroline pulled even harder, almost tearing La¡¯s scalp. Chapter 57 Caroline¡¯s furious re sent chills down La¡¯s spine. For the very first time, La saw so much hatred in someone¡¯s eyes. It was so overwhelming that it could kill someone. ¡°Caroline, what are you doing?¡± Carolineughed and let go of La¡¯s hair slowly. ¡°You want me to marry Eddy, don¡¯t you? All right then. I¡¯ll tell everyone about it now. And I¡¯ll say that you¡¯re my bridesmaid. You¡¯ll bear witness to my bing Eddy¡¯s rightful spouse. ¡°All that love, happiness, and blessings will forever be out of your reach. You swore that oath in front of everyone. If you want to marry Eddy, Grandpa would be the first to oppose it.¡± La¡¯s face tumed even paler. Still on the floor, she tried to grab Caroline¡¯s heels. ¡°You bitch! You crazy bitch!¡± Caroline ignored La¡¯s insult and left. She walked along the corridor until she¡¯d finally reached a quiet spot. Then, that tough facade of hers cracked. She slumped against the ss wall. The glistening surface reflected a defeated woman. Her eyes were scarlet, and her hair was disheveled. Soon, the image became blurry, like fogged¨Cup sses. The light turned dim, just like her loveless world. Her parents did not care about her. They only wanted her to be Eddy¡¯s wife. Eddy hated her. La wanted her dead. All of a sudden, one of the doors opened. Light escaped from the gap in the door. Caroline lifted her head out of reflex, and her presence was caught by a pair of captivating eyes. ¡°You¡¯re crying again.¡± Kirk noticed the tears at the corner of Caroline¡¯s eyes. This was the second time he saw a teary¨Cfaced Caroline today. Caroline wiped her tears away. She didn¡¯t want Kirk to be worried. She wanted him to remember her fondly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Dust got into my eyes. Um¡­ Can I tell you something?¡± At first, Caroline thought that she¡¯d let Kirk find out about her engagement with Eddy through the news. However, that seemed a bit cruel. And so ¡­ ¡°Wait.¡± Kirk decided not to debunk Caroline¡¯s obvious lie. ¡°Before you do anything, can I show you something?¡± Kirk had already wanted to give it to her a few days ago, but he hadn¡¯t known how to bring it up. No one had ever thrown a tantrum at him. No one dared to give him the cold shoulder. Everyone was eager to get on his good side. Kirk also regretted what he said to Sean the other day. Caroline had already cried twice today, and Kirk just wanted to see her smile again. ¡°Show me what?¡± asked Caroline, piqued. Something welled within her. Kirk grabbed her hands gently and led her back to the lounge. Caroline¡¯s heart was pounding. Her pinkie caressed Kirk¡¯s thumb. ¡°You¡­¡± Was Kirk trying to continue their ¡°unfinished business¡± from earlier? Kirk pulled Caroline to a couch and retrieved a red bag from a locked drawer. ¡°This is ¡­?¡± Caroline was confused. ¡°Open it,¡± Kirk said as he knelt next to Caroline. His eyes glimmered with anticipation. . Instinctively, he wanted to run after her. ¡°Eddy¡ª¡°La¡¯s voice made him stop. She rushed to push her wheelchair forward from where she¡¯d hidden and listened to them. Eddy turned around. He saw La¡¯s swollen left cheek. It was then that he remembered he¡¯d wanted to get back at Caroline for it. ¡°Sorry, I La cut him off. It seemed like she was trying to hide something. ¡°Eddy, can I Can I ask you for a favor?¡± Eddy was feeling guilty for forgetting about getting justice for La. When he heard this, he nodded quickly. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Caroline said she wants to announce your marriage at the birthday banquet. She said it was a surprise for Grandpa.¡± Eddy frowned. ¡°What does she mean by that?¡± La shook her head. There were tears in her eyes. ¡°Most people won¡¯t understand what she¡¯s thinking. Maybe she finally sees how bad I have it.¡± Thinking of Caroline saying that he didn¡¯t deserve her, Eddy couldn¡¯t agree with La, La was pressing her nails into her flesh to force more tears down her face. ¡°So I hope you and Caroline can get married. I¡¯ve already sworn that I¡¯ll never marry you. Since my health is getting worse, I don¡¯t think I will be able to live much longer. I only want to see you happy before I die.¡± ¡°Stop taking nonsense. I¡¯ll never marry Caroline Evans!¡± La finally rxed when she saw the same hatred in Eddy¡¯s eyes that she¡¯d seen before. She said weakly. ¡°No, you have to marry her. I¡¯ll only rest in peace knowing that you and Caroline are together.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you die¡± Eddy clutched La¡¯s hand in his. After some struggling, he finally made a painful decision. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll marry Caroline. But after we many, I¡¯ll arrange your surgery immediately! I won¡¯t wait for Uncle Kirk. I need you to live a healthy life!¡± When La heard this, she finally rxedpletely. She smiled in satisfaction. Caroline was dead for sure now! In the banquet hall, Caroline had just taken a seat when Sarah came over. Then, she dragged Caroline into aer. There, shemented, ¡°Where did you go? I was looking all over for you!¡± Caroline leaned on her good foot and supported herself on a chair. Pushing down the pain, she said, ¡°I went out for some air.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost time. You have to go onstage and announce your marriage with Eddy soon!¡± Caroline took a sharp look at Sarat. ¡°And if I don¡¯t? Sarah¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Care, you promised us. If you don¡¯t do it, we¡¯ll be done for.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t get upset. Instead, sheughed. When she smiled, the glittering lights made her made¨C up face stunningly beautiful. ¡°Did La teach you to threaten me? Sarah was enraged by Caroline¡¯s stare. ¡°What threat? As your parents, we only want what¡¯s best for you!¡± Again with what was best for her. Caroline didn¡¯t want to say anything more. She turned around and stumbled back over to her seat. it was then that Sarah noticed Caroline¡¯s injured foot. Yet since the announcement wasing soon, she went back to her seat too. She didn¡¯t want more trouble. Instead, she waited excitedly for Caroline¡¯s announcement. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Caroline sat next to Jude. 1/2 so long?¡± All that had happened tonight shed in Caroline¡¯s mind like a reel. She was exhausted. ¡°Grandpa, do you remember when you asked me what reward I wanted?¡± Jude answered. ¡°Of course I do.¡± Caroline smiled wider. She pushed herself up from her seat. ¡°Grandpa, I want you to give your blessing.¡± As she said this. Eddy was pushing La back into the room. Jude¡¯s gaze fell on Eddy. He frowned slightly but still smiled. He said, ¡°Sure. What do you want me to give my blessing for?¡± Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Prompted by his words, Caroline opened the bag. Instantly, she saw a property deed inside. When she flipped to the first page, she found her name printed boldly on it. Excited, she quickly read further. The deed was for 103 Bishop Street in Hectafleur, the same neighborhood of vis where Caroline¡¯s parents lived. This was the very same unit they¡¯d visited the other day. ¡°Are you mad?¡± Caroline shot upright. ¡°You actually bought it? How much did you spend? Where did you get that kind of money?¡± Kirk grinned. He rubbed circles on the back of Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Didn¡¯t you like the vi?¡± Caroline got annoyed by his haughtiness. However, she softened her tone. ¡°Yes. But even if I like it, you can¡¯t spend money like it¡¯s nothing. Every aspect of marrying and living together costs money.¡± Kirkughed. ¡°And you have a married life with me?¡± These words sounded great to Kirk. It waspletely different from the other day. It had upset him when Caroline had said that they were only contractually married. Caroline¡¯s ears turned red at his words. She said incoherently, ¡°I¨CI didn¡¯t mean that. I wasn¡¯t saying money on a whim.¡± ¡­ Oh, anyway, you shouldn¡¯t spend Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Kirk held Caroline¡¯s hand and squeezed slightly. He was overjoyed, but his tone remained calm. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a lot of money.¡± Caroline knew that he had to be lying. He¡¯d bought the vi just to make her happy. She was very thankful, but she knew that this wasn¡¯t right. ¡°Kirk, I¡¯m very d that you bought me a vi. You even put my name on the deed! But I can¡¯t ept this gift.* Kirk¡¯s expression shifted. His tone was stiff as he said, ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°You worked hard to earn this money. I don¡¯t know how you put together the deposit. But I know this means you¡¯ll have to spend your life working to pay off the bank loan. I hope you won¡¯t waste the rest of your life just to afford a house. This vi is too much of a burden to you.¡± Kirk looked at her deeply. Was she ¡­ concerned for him? His heart felt filled with some unknown emotion. Even his eyes were smiling. ¡°What if I told you that this money means nothing to me?¡± Kirk had no clue what a deposit was, and he definitely didn¡¯t understand this bank loan thing. To him, a vi was just another number on the list of his properties. ¡°Stop lying to me already. Even if you¡¯re a higher¨Cup at Morrison Corporation, it takes a lot of hard work to make enough to buy a vi in Osbury. Besides, you¡¯re only middle management.¡± The only reason Caroline¡¯s parents could still stay in Hectafleur after the fall of the Evans family was the Morrison family. They had been helping in secret all this time. The Evans family couldn¡¯t even afford the expensive fees for annual upkeep. Kirk became impatient. ¡°Alright, it seems I can¡¯t keep it from you. Actually, I Caroline listened intently and looked at Kirk with solemn focus. ¡°I bought it at a low price. I heard that the vi is haunted. The ce is impossible to sell¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Really?¡± Kirk nodded. He asked back, ¡°You aren¡¯t scared?¡± 1/2 Ghosts had never hurt her, but humans had. They had hurt her so many times. Humans were much scarler than ghosts. Kirk chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re a brave one¡± Caroline shrugged. ¡°So Kirk lowered his head. The mole at the edge of his eye drew Caroline¡¯s attention. ¡°Can you ept it now?¡± His low voice was seductive and plucked at Caroline¡¯s heartstrings. As she held the property deed, her fingers trembled. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Nol There was a voice screaming in Caroline¡¯s mind. She would have to announce her marriage to Eddy soon. She couldn¡¯t ept such an expensive gift now. But Caroline ducked her head and looked at the proof of Kirk¡¯s sincerity. She looked up again and regarded Kirk¡¯s features. Her thoughts were all a mess. Her eyes filled with tears yet again. ¡°What is it?¡± Kirk tilted Caroline¡¯s head up. His tone was filled with affection but also a slight irritation. ¡°You¡¯re such a crybaby.¡± After saying that, Kirk kissed Caroline lightly on the temple. The feeling of being treasured made Caroline¡¯s heart sing. ¡°I¡¯m not ¡± Caroline pushed Kirk away and stepped backward. She was trying hard not to be seduced by him. ¡°I should head back. If I stay too long, Grandpa will look for me.¡± Kirk watched Caroline leave and stared at the discarded property deed. He frowned. Caroline was unsettled. Her footsteps were so rushed that she nearly crashed into Eddy as he walked over. Eddy ducked aside. He mocked, ¡°Still trying to throw yourself at me?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Caroline¡¯s emotions were heavy, and she didn¡¯t want to get into a fight with Eddy. She emotionlessly circled Eddy and walked off. However, Eddy pulled her to a stop after only a few steps. ¡°Caroline, you have to stop ying hard to get!¡± Caroline reacted as if his touch were a snake bite and shook him off immediately. She red at him. ¡°Eddy, don¡¯t act so arrogantly. I admit that I used to love you, but the person I loved was only an illusion. Wealthy, educated, and a talented businessman. However, after getting married, I realized that you¡¯re nothing compared to my husband.¡± Although Kirk didn¡¯t have much money or business acumen, he was still much better than Eddy! Even if their marriage was a contractual one, Kirk still did his duty as a husband. He gave her the best of everything. But what about Eddy? Caroline had cared for him for eight years. It was eight whole years. Eddy had never given her a smile, much less a gift. ¡°What did you say?¡± Angered, Eddy took hold of Caroline¡¯s neck. When he saw her bright eyes, his animal instincts took over. It was only after a moment that he calmed down. He scoffed. ¡°He¡¯s nobody. He doesn¡¯t deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as me. Caroline, you¡¯ll really do anything to get a rise out of me. Too bad! I won¡¯t fall for it!¡± Caroline gave him a forced smile and tried to avoid him again. She felt like talking to him was a waste of her precious time. She stepped forward, but Eddy stopped her again. This time, Caroline didn¡¯t manage to get a solid foothold. Her ankle twisted, and pain shot through her leg. Caroline bit her lip. In pain, she looked up. Eddy didn¡¯t notice this. He frowned. ¡°Stop pretending. This trick won¡¯t work on me. Don¡¯t you know that? But-¡± Eddy folded his arms and approached with a wicked smile. ¡°I see you¡¯re good at getting on my family¡¯s good side. Why don¡¯t you try getting on mine?¡± His words stunned Caroline. Her body shook all over. So all her efforts in the past eight years were nothing to him? Caroline gritted her teeth tightly. She scoffed. ¡°I always thought I didn¡¯t deserve you. After all, you¡¯re the heir of the Morrison family. But now, I think you don¡¯t de Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Eddy¡¯s body shuddered violently with anger. He looked at Caroline as she stumbled away. Suddenly, he felt that the distance between them was gettingrger. It felt like they were worlds apart. He felt a strange sense of panic. Instinctively, he wanted to run after her. ¡°Eddy¡ª¡°La¡¯s voice made him stop. She rushed to push her wheelchair forward from where she¡¯d hidden and listened to them. Eddy turned around. He saw La¡¯s swollen left cheek. It was then that he remembered he¡¯d wanted to get back at Caroline for it. ¡°Sorry, I La cut him off. It seemed like she was trying to hide something. ¡°Eddy, can I Can I ask you for a favor?¡± Eddy was feeling guilty for forgetting about getting justice for La. When he heard this, he nodded quickly. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Caroline said she wants to announce your marriage at the birthday banquet. She said it was a surprise for Grandpa.¡± Eddy frowned. ¡°What does she mean by that?¡± La shook her head. There were tears in her eyes. ¡°Most people won¡¯t understand what she¡¯s thinking. Maybe she finally sees how bad I have it.¡± Thinking of Caroline saying that he didn¡¯t deserve her, Eddy couldn¡¯t agree with La, La was pressing her nails into her flesh to force more tears down her face. ¡°So I hope you and Caroline can get married. I¡¯ve already sworn that I¡¯ll never marry you. Since my health is getting worse, I don¡¯t think I will be able to live much longer. I only want to see you happy before I die.¡± ¡°Stop taking nonsense. I¡¯ll never marry Caroline Evans!¡± La finally rxed when she saw the same hatred in Eddy¡¯s eyes that she¡¯d seen before. She said weakly. ¡°No, you have to marry her. I¡¯ll only rest in peace knowing that you and Caroline are together.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you die¡± Eddy clutched La¡¯s hand in his. After some struggling, he finally made a painful decision. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll marry Caroline. But after we many, I¡¯ll arrange your surgery immediately! I won¡¯t wait for Uncle Kirk. I need you to live a healthy life!¡± When La heard this, she finally rxedpletely. She smiled in satisfaction. Caroline was dead for sure now! In the banquet hall, Caroline had just taken a seat when Sarah came over. Then, she dragged Caroline into aer. There, shemented, ¡°Where did you go? I was looking all over for you!¡± Caroline leaned on her good foot and supported herself on a chair. Pushing down the pain, she said, ¡°I went out for some air.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost time. You have to go onstage and announce your marriage with Eddy soon!¡± Caroline took a sharp look at Sarat. ¡°And if I don¡¯t? Sarah¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Care, you promised us. If you don¡¯t do it, we¡¯ll be done for.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t get upset. Instead, sheughed. When she smiled, the glittering lights made her made¨C up face stunningly beautiful. ¡°Did La teach you to threaten me? Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Sarah was enraged by Caroline¡¯s stare. ¡°What threat? As your parents, we only want what¡¯s best for you!¡± Again with what was best for her. Caroline didn¡¯t want to say anything more. She turned around and stumbled back over to her seat. it was then that Sarah noticed Caroline¡¯s injured foot. Yet since the announcement wasing soon, she went back to her seat too. She didn¡¯t want more trouble. Instead, she waited excitedly for Caroline¡¯s announcement. Caroline sat next to Jude. 1/2 so long?¡± All that had happened tonight shed in Caroline¡¯s mind like a reel. She was exhausted. ¡°Grandpa, do you remember when you asked me what reward I wanted?¡± Jude answered. ¡°Of course I do.¡± Caroline smiled wider. She pushed herself up from her seat. ¡°Grandpa, I want you to give your blessing.¡± As she said this. Eddy was pushing La back into the room. Jude¡¯s gaze fell on Eddy. He frowned slightly but still smiled. He said, ¡°Sure. What do you want me to give my blessing for?¡± Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Instead of answering, Caroline kept Jude guessing. She lifted a wine ss and clinked it several times. The room fell silent. Everyone turned to look at Caroline. Caroline dragged herself to the stage despite her injured foot. She said into the microphone, ¡°Everyone, I would like to use the opportunity of Grandpa¡¯s birthday to announce some good news.¡± As she said this, she shot a nce at Eddy. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Everyone in the audience noticed this action. They got the message immediately. Excited, they encouraged Caroline to make her announcement. The people who¡¯d be affected by the marriage each wore a different expression. In the lounge, Kirk¡¯s face was as ck as thunder as he watched the surveince footage. He felt close to losing his cool. ¡°This matter is very important to me.¡± Caroline smiled warmly. It looked as though she was thinking about the past. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day ever since I was a little girl. I even thought I wouldn¡¯t make it to this day. But it¡¯s here now! I have someone to thank Caroline once again looked over at Eddy. When Kirk saw this, he tightened his fists. His knuckles were white. 10 ¡°He showed me that the world is a warm ce. He showed me that kindness doesn¡¯t always have an ulterior motive. He¡¯s like a light, brightening up my life The crowd was touched by her honest confession. Even Eddy was affected by her words. Even if he knew that Caroline was only exaggerating¡­ The next second, Eddy¡¯s eyes narrowed. He looked at Kirk, who¡¯d appeared on stage. He was wearing a dark expression. Kirk was shrouded in darkness, and he looked like a demon. He red sharply over at Eddy. Eddy could feel the look cut him. Kirk was standing in a secluded spot. Besides, everyone was focusing on Caroline. Thus, no one noticed him there. His gaze was cold. He walked slowly toward Caroline, who was bathed in light. It was like darkness trying to consume a me. Eddy was taken aback. He wanted to shout for Kirk to stop, but he couldn¡¯t even manage a word. Not a sound came from his mouth. Caroline saw that Kirk was almost out of the shadows and would be revealed to everyone soon. Her tone changedpletely. ¡°To me, he¡¯s very, very important. So I think it¡¯s unfair and cruel to him that I keep some things unsaid.¡± Caroline paused. She smiled with all her might. ¡°What I want to announce today is=¡± Everyone held their breath. From their table at the back, Sarah and Dan eagerly anticipated what wasing. Sitting in her wheelchair, La had a cruel and confident smile. Caroline¡¯s gaze traveled over everyone¡¯s faces. She memorized each of their expressions. When she looked away, she found Kirk standing to the side. She was stunned, but she shot him a dazzling smile. That look shocked Kirk with its beauty. Then, Caroline said, ¡°We¡¯re already married. And he¡¯s not Eddy Morrison!¡± Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Ne Mis heart had been hit by a hammer. He tightened his fists. Jude askest Carine again, ¡°Does that man really treat you well?¡± Caroline aimed it and lowered her head. Her fair skin reddened as she blushed. Jude had once been in love himself. When he saw her reaction, he swayed. His breathing came faster. ¡°DAY¡± Tromas quickly went forward to support Jude¡¯s back. He patted Jude¡¯s back to soothe him. Caroline scooted closer, ¡°Grandpa *** Jade¡¯s breathing slowly steadied. He lifted a hand and caressed Caroline¡¯s cheek with it. ¡°I¡¯m fine Just fine ¡­¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes went red with tears, ¡°Grandpa, I didn¡¯t mean it. You can hit me or scold me. You can do anything. Just don¡¯t get mad and act your hea Jude chuckled and said, ¡°Silly girl. I¡¯m happy that you told me about this. But I care about you the most. I¡¯m just so worried because I don¡¯t know what kind of man you married. Can I meet him?¡± Caroline was overjoyed. She was about to answer, but then she shut her mouth. ¡°What don¡¯t you want to tell me?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s not that Grandpa.¡± Caroline stared at the ground. Shy, she said, ¡°I was thinking I should ask him before making a decision.¡± Aplicated look shed in Jude¡¯s eyes as he looked at Caroline. He thenughed and said, ¡°Yes, you should ask him first. Maybe he doesn¡¯t want to meet an old man like me.¡± Sarah and Dan hadn¡¯t expected that Jude would react this way. After all, he¡¯d always wanted Caroline and Eddy to end up together. Seeing this, they both panicked. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior, don¡¯t listen to Caroline¡¯s nonsense! We¡¯ve met the man. He¡¯s a proper sort, but he¡¯s just some guy! Caroline is the granddaughter¨Cinw you want. Isn¡¯t it a joke for her to marry some random person?¡± Sarah added. ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Morrison Senior, Caroline¡¯s just a child. As adults, how can we just let them do whatever they want?¡± Jude answered. ¡°In our eyes, they might still be children, but we can¡¯t ignore that they¡¯re all properly grown up. If I meet Caroline¡¯s husband and find him questionable, I won¡¯t agree to them staying together.¡± ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior ¡ª* ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough.¡± Tired. Jude got up. ¡°Eddy, give me a hand.¡± Eddy was stunned and rooted to the spot. It was only when Thomas nudged him that he reacted. Looking torn, he helped Jude outside. Before they crossed the threshold, Eddy looked back to nce at Caroline. Caroline was still on the ground, her expression demure. He¡¯d always hated her looking like that. Now, though, he hadplicated feelings about it. The other members of the Morrison family followed Jude and left the banquet hall. Sarah looked at Caroline and raised a hand to p her. She vented all her rage on Caroline. ¡°You useless little-!¡± Caroline¡¯s ankle was hurt. After spending so much time on the floor, her reflexes were slow. Just as the p was about tond, Caroline closed her eyes. However, the tight p nevernded on her cheek. Instead, a howl rang out. When she opened her eyes. Caroline saw someone standing before her. Warmth flooded her heart. ¡°You! You again! Canty St Layi seda KK colours, as she did, he brushed past het. She¡¯s heare Sarahin numerous times before. Sarah hat talked about Caroline¡¯s heat being mundeer to nang an odditare SON THIS Layi hat thought that the man was uoh and DOD., Who would have thought that he was even more impressive than Eday? Lava clenched to SS tehty, and her nails cut into her fish. Only after that di neremy Susie But what so were tools Caroline¡¯s husband was still usta door man! KIK carred Caroline into the car before setting her down.. Caroline ket stealing nces at him. She noticed that hiss were user into a thim ine. He was pintada Dol -caseza bt Of Houde? Sased on the Dian, Caroline was supposed to announce her manage to Sony Yet when she been on stage, she remembered the v Kirk had bought her and Sean says her kave led to gree Thinking of all ms. Caroline tant about all the probens it would cause. All she wanted was a home. Kirk based as he looked at Caroline¡¯s swolen anke. Take you to the hospital.¡± Caroline lured out. Im sorg Kirk looked up to check on Caroline through the rearview mirro. She ran her rear ducker and cooler keen done something wrong. He suddenly et annoyed by the sign He didn¡¯t know how to tell her that he wasn¡¯t mad at her instead he was mar a inset. fi he¡¯d told her who he really was. TravDR STE wouldn¡¯t have hund her anke tonigh. Plus, nuo Dre would take grehe mos However, he couldn¡¯t have done that. After about ten minutes, they arrived at a private hospita¡­ The hospital wasn¡¯t very big but it was another one that belonged to the Morrson zamik. Kirk carried Caroline to the outatient decaniment. The second the two of them showed up, they atraced in of attention. Caroline hid in Kirk¡¯s strong embrace. Her face wasperely red. When she spoke nervoice was so nome che my own¨C As she said this. Carolme struggled to get down. Kirk tamped down his rising anger. With a rough voice, he wamed ¡°Don¡¯t move¡± Her soft body tempted him enough as it was, but even his strong sef¨Ccontrol was close to Desaling NOW.. Caroline was so taken aback that she didn¡¯t dare move. She held fighter onto Kin¡¯s real ter acetoned so Since there weren¡¯t many people at this time of night they didn¡¯t have to Duele. When the doctor saw her, he tapped Caroline¡¯s ankle and asked some questions. Then he went to sit in from oinsenUH ISTI serious. You just need to apply some medicine.¡± Kirk¡¯s voice was low as he said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too careless? The doctor didn¡¯t hear him clearly. He asked. ¡°Wheat? ¡°What if she hurt her bones?¡± The doctor got a fright. He swallowed. ¡°She only sprained her ankle. It¡¯s not that fragile¡­* ¡°But what if?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re worried, we can do a check.¡± ¡°No!¡± Kirk frowned. ¡°She must be hospitalized!¡± The doctor was confused. Caroline also thought that Kirk was overreacting. She tugged at the edge of Kirk¡¯s shirt. ¡°You don¡¯t need to ¡°Quiet!¡± After Kirk shouted, he met Caroline¡¯s pitiful gaze and suddenly realized something. He softened his features and said. ¡°It¡¯s better to recuperate in the hospital.¡± Caroline paused for a second before answering, ¡°But it¡¯s expensive to stay in this hospital¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Caroline¡¯s heart skipped a beat when Kirk looked at her that way. She angled her head to one side to escape his gaze. ¡°Did you hear everything Grandpa said?¡± Kirk stared at Caroline quietly. *If you don¡¯t want to see him, I can cancel it.¡± Caroline gripped the edge of her clothes in nervousness. Jude was really important to her. He was the closest family she had in this world. If she could get Jude¡¯s blessing ¡­ ¡°Do you want me to go?¡± There was aplicated look in Kirk¡¯s eyes. Caroline lowered her head. Red traveled up her pale neck. ¡°Yes ¡­¡± Her voice was soft and moving. Kirk swallowed. He reached out to brush her hair behind her ear. ¡°Really?¡± Kirk¡¯s husky voice was seductive. Caroline¡¯s face was red as a tomato now. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, and she was so nervous that her body was tightly wound. She was afraid that Kirk could hear the pounding of her heart. ¡°Of ¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, Kirk kissed her. He was in such a frenzy that Caroline¡¯s lips quickly became red and swollen. ¡°Kirk ¡­¡± Kirk¡¯s knuckles turned white. The desire he had been resisting all night was bursting forth now. A ripping sound rang out. Even though she seemed skinny, her figure was full under her clothes. She was slim but had generous curves. Kirk¡¯s gaze was possessive. It made Caroline go red. She wanted to cover herself, but Kirk held her back. Kirk seemed to notice Caroline¡¯s awkwardness. He bent over and kissed her corbones, ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful.¡± With this kiss, he could hold back no longer. It was as if he¡¯d tasted the sweetest fruit and couldn¡¯t stop until he¡¯d devoured it, Caroline couldn¡¯t resist either, and her gaze clouded over. Suddenly, Caroline felt a stinging pain, bringing her back down to earth. She gave a shrill cry from the pain in her ankle, Kirk restrained himself despite his lust. He asked, worried, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°My ankle hurts ¡­¡± Although the desire was about to consume him, Kirk got up. ¡°Where does it hurt?¡± ¡°Where I twisted my ankle. I think I have a cramp.¡± Kirk took a deep break. He applied some medication to Caroline¡¯s ankle and rubbed it in. As he did, Caroline kept stealing looks at him. A bead of sweat slipped down his nose as he concentrated on his work. He was patient, and the sweat didn¡¯t interrupt him. A feeling of sweetness rose in Caroline¡¯s heart. Chapter 65 Caroline finally fell asleepte in the night. Kirk went to the bathroom to take a cold shower. It was only after two hours under the water that the desire was washed away. When he came out, he saw Caroline sleeping on the bed. Only her face was above the covers. In sleep, she wasn¡¯t like she usually was when awake. She frowned instead of smiling. It was as if she had some difficult problem she couldn¡¯t solve. Kirk couldn¡¯t help but kiss her forehead. When he straightened, he found himself aroused again. Annoyed, he went downstairs and stood in the cool breeze. Kirk¡¯s phone rang as he reached downstairs. Seeing the caller ID on the screen, his expression darkened. ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t be asleep yet,¡± Ivan Morrison said. ¡°How¡¯s business in Easton?¡± 7m buying severalrge makeuppanies.¡± Kirk¡¯s voice was cool. ¡°I think they¡¯ll be settled next month. After that, I¡¯ll proceed to the next target.¡± Nanughed. ¡°I knew it would be fine as long as you were handling it. Right, when are you bringing your wife over?¡± van finally got to the point. Kirk looked in the direction of Caroline¡¯s room. ¡°After a while, probably.¡± Ivan¡¯s tone changed as he said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯reing back next month? Kirk, don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t get married at all?¡± She sprained her ankle. I¡¯ll go when she¡¯s better.¡± Ivan¡¯s tone changed again. Concemed, he asked, ¡°Is she okay? Do you need me to send the specialist team over?¡± Kirk put a hand to his forehead. ¡°Dad, do you remember what I told you? She doesn¡¯t know who I really am or who my family is. If she finds out ¡ª* 1 remember.¡± Ivan said. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about my daughter¨Cinw, okay? Alright. It was hard enough for you toe to your senses and mamy. I¡¯ll ept it even if I have to put on an act with you all my life. But can¡¯t you let me meet her earlier?¡± Kirk said. ¡°Once things here are settled, I¡¯ll take her to meet you.¡± ¡°Then get on it fast!¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Krk simply hung up. He raised his head and looked at the darkened rooms. Some emotion swirled in his eyes. When Caroline woke up, Kirk had already left. The warm oatmeal on her bedside table was the only thing that told her what happenedst night hadn¡¯t been a dream. They had nearly ¡­ Caroline felt conflicting emotions about it. She put her chin on her palm. Her and Kirk ¡ª What were they to each other now? ¡°There you are.¡± The words interrupted Caroline¡¯s thoughts. Caroline¡¯s expression turned stern when she saw Eddy there. Her lips thinned as she turned to look outside the window. She ignored Eddypletely. Eddy tightened his fists. After La had been chased out of the hospital, Eddy had spent a lot of effort getting her into this smaller one. When he¡¯de to visit her, he¡¯d heard the nursesughing about a woman who¡¯d been admitted because of a sprain. Chapter 66 Eddy buffed. Thave to admit, ying hard to get really worked. I honestly started caring about you a little.¡± He looked at the back of Caroline¡¯s head and inhaled sharply. His words were all coldly mocking. Caroline turned to stare straight at Bay, Herbace seemed to look right through him. ¡°Eddy, don¡¯t think you¡¯re all that. In my eyes, you¡¯re nothing but a pile of shit Eddy was stunned to hear Caroline say something so crude. After a long while, he turned red with rage. ¡°Unrefined! You¡¯re so vulgar, Caroline! It seems you¡¯ve been tainted after spending so much time with that lout of a husband you have. You¡¯re even bing so boonsar Caroline smiled mockhol: Yes were unrefined and boorish. Butpared to you, a well¨Cdressed beast, we¡¯re at least living honestly!¡± ¡°Your¡± Eddy was so furious that he wagged a finger. ¡°You¡¯re really something! I didn¡¯t know you had such a sharp tongue! And to think I pibed you for hurting your ankle. It seems you deserve it! After saving that Eddy left in a hu Caroline watched him go and let out a long breath. In the past she¡¯d always been the one who¡¯d been chased off by Eddy¡¯s snide words. Now, the tables had finally turned. When he arrived at La¡¯s word, Eddy sat down and ranted, ¡°I¡¯m so mad!¡± La wanted to sit up but couldn¡¯t do so. She could only ask gently. ¡°What is it, Eddy?¡± ¡°I just went to visit Caroline!¡± La¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°She actually said I¡¯m ¡ª I¡¯m ¨C¡°Eddy couldn¡¯t say it. He waved it off. ¡°Whatever, I don¡¯t care for a woman like her.¡± La smiled at that. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, Eddy. Besides, Grandpa has epted her marriage, so your engagement doesn¡¯t matter anymore ¡°That¡¯s the problem!¡± Eddy¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°When I went homest night, Grandpa called me to his study. Do you know what he told me? ¡°What?¡± La became worried. ¡°He asked me to get Caroline back.¡± La slumped into the bed, her face pale. ¡°La.¡± Eddy sat by La¡¯s side and took her hand. Softly, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll go after her. If I go back to her, I¡¯ll be a joke in Osbury. Besides, you¡¯re the only one I want to marry.¡± When La heard this, she secretly let out a relieved breath. She snuggled into Eddy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Eddy, it really doesn¡¯t matter if you marry me. Especially after Caroline forced me to swear that I wouldn¡¯t marry you, I have no reason to live anymore.¡± ¡°Forget about that oath.¡± Eddy hugged La tight. ¡°I will protect you all my life. Just you wait. I¡¯ll go see Grandpa now and talk it out with him.¡± *Eddy ¡­ La¡¯s eyes shed with content. ¡°Don¡¯t go ¡­¡± However, she didn¡¯t move to stop him. When Eddy got to the door, he nearly crashed into Sarah and Dan as they rushed over. Eddy was shocked when he saw the pair in only their underwear. He eximed, ¡°What happened, Mr. and Mrs. Evans?¡± The second the couple saw Eddy, they started crying. With gritted teeth, they said, ¡°Eddy, you have to get us justice!¡± Eddy hurriedly got someone to bring nkets to cover them up. He waited until they¡¯d stopped shivering before finding out what happened. ?? ??????????? ??? 11??????? ??? ???????????? trip that the car was going in the wrong direction. They¡¯d wanted to call the police, but the driver had taken their phones, 11111!!¡± 77 7 After dropping them on a hill and taking all their stuff, the driver had sped off. They were chilled and exhausted on the hill. It was only the next day, when other people showed up, that they were sent back down. ¡®It must have been Caroline¡¯s husband!¡® Sarah used, her expression twisted, Chapter 64 Chapter 64 aroline¡¯s heart skipped a beat when Kirk looked at her that way. She angled her head to one side to escape his gaze. ¡°Did you hear everything Grandpa said?¡± Kirk stared at Caroline quietly. *If you don¡¯t want to see him, I can cancel it.¡± Caroline gripped the edge of her clothes in nervousness. Jude was really important to her. He was the closest family she had in this world. If she could get Jude¡¯s blessing ¡­ ¡°Do you want me to go?¡± There was aplicated look in Kirk¡¯s eyes. Caroline lowered her head. Red traveled up her pale neck. ¡°Yes ¡­¡± Her voice was soft and moving. Kirk swallowed. He reached out to brush her hair behind her ear. ¡°Really?¡± Kirk¡¯s husky voice was seductive. Caroline¡¯s face was red as a tomato now. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, and she was so nervous that her body was tightly wound. She was afraid that Kirk could hear the pounding of her heart. ¡°Of ¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, Kirk kissed her. He was in such a frenzy that Caroline¡¯s lips quickly became red and swollen. ¡°Kirk ¡­¡± Kirk¡¯s knuckles turned white. The desire he had been resisting all night was bursting forth now. A ripping sound rang out. Even though she seemed skinny, her figure was full under her clothes. She was slim but had generous curves. Kirk¡¯s gaze was possessive. It made Caroline go red. She wanted to cover herself, but Kirk held her back. Kirk seemed to notice Caroline¡¯s awkwardness. He bent over and kissed her corbones, ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful.¡± With this kiss, he could hold back no longer. It was as if he¡¯d tasted the sweetest fruit and couldn¡¯t stop until he¡¯d devoured it, Caroline couldn¡¯t resist either, and her gaze clouded over. Suddenly, Caroline felt a stinging pain, bringing her back down to earth. She gave a shrill cry from the pain in her ankle, Kirk restrained himself despite his lust. He asked, worried, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°My ankle hurts ¡­¡± Although the desire was about to consume him, Kirk got up. ¡°Where does it hurt?¡± ¡°Where I twisted my ankle. I think I have a cramp.¡± Kirk took a deep break. He applied some medication to Caroline¡¯s ankle and rubbed it in. As he did, Caroline kept stealing looks at him. A bead of sweat slipped down his nose as he concentrated on his work. He was patient, and the sweat didn¡¯t interrupt him. A feeling of sweetness rose in Caroline¡¯s heart. Chapter 65 Caroline finally fell asleepte in the night. Kirk went to the bathroom to take a cold shower. It was only after two hours under the water that the desire was washed away. When he came out, he saw Caroline sleeping on the bed. Only her face was above the covers. In sleep, she wasn¡¯t like she usually was when awake. She frowned instead of smiling. It was as if she had some difficult problem she couldn¡¯t solve. Kirk couldn¡¯t help but kiss her forehead. When he straightened, he found himself aroused again. Annoyed, he went downstairs and stood in the cool breeze. Kirk¡¯s phone rang as he reached downstairs. Seeing the caller ID on the screen, his expression darkened. ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t be asleep yet,¡± Ivan Morrison said. ¡°How¡¯s business in Easton?¡± 7m buying severalrge makeuppanies.¡± Kirk¡¯s voice was cool. ¡°I think they¡¯ll be settled next month. After that, I¡¯ll proceed to the next target.¡± Nanughed. ¡°I knew it would be fine as long as you were handling it. Right, when are you bringing your wife over?¡± van finally got to the point. Kirk looked in the direction of Caroline¡¯s room. ¡°After a while, probably.¡± Ivan¡¯s tone changed as he said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯reing back next month? Kirk, don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t get married at all?¡± She sprained her ankle. I¡¯ll go when she¡¯s better.¡± Ivan¡¯s tone changed again. Concemed, he asked, ¡°Is she okay? Do you need me to send the specialist team over?¡± Kirk put a hand to his forehead. ¡°Dad, do you remember what I told you? She doesn¡¯t know who I really am or who my family is. If she finds out ¡ª* 1 remember.¡± Ivan said. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about my daughter¨Cinw, okay? Alright. It was hard enough for you toe to your senses and mamy. I¡¯ll ept it even if I have to put on an act with you all my life. But can¡¯t you let me meet her earlier?¡± Kirk said. ¡°Once things here are settled, I¡¯ll take her to meet you.¡± ¡°Then get on it fast!¡± Krk simply hung up. He raised his head and looked at the darkened rooms. Some emotion swirled in his eyes. When Caroline woke up, Kirk had already left. The warm oatmeal on her bedside table was the only thing that told her what happenedst night hadn¡¯t been a dream. They had nearly ¡­ Caroline felt conflicting emotions about it. She put her chin on her palm. Her and Kirk ¡ª What were they to each other now? ¡°There you are.¡± The words interrupted Caroline¡¯s thoughts. Caroline¡¯s expression turned stern when she saw Eddy there. Her lips thinned as she turned to look outside the window. She ignored Eddypletely. Eddy tightened his fists. After La had been chased out of the hospital, Eddy had spent a lot of effort getting her into this smaller one. When he¡¯de to visit her, he¡¯d heard the nursesughing about a woman who¡¯d been admitted because of a sprain. Chapter 66 Eddy buffed. Thave to admit, ying hard to get really worked. I honestly started caring about you a little.¡± He looked at the back of Caroline¡¯s head and inhaled sharply. His words were all coldly mocking. Caroline turned to stare straight at Bay, Herbace seemed to look right through him. ¡°Eddy, don¡¯t think you¡¯re all that. In my eyes, you¡¯re nothing but a pile of shit Eddy was stunned to hear Caroline say something so crude. After a long while, he turned red with rage. ¡°Unrefined! You¡¯re so vulgar, Caroline! It seems you¡¯ve been tainted after spending so much time with that lout of a husband you have. You¡¯re even bing so boonsar Caroline smiled mockhol: Yes were unrefined and boorish. Butpared to you, a well¨Cdressed beast, we¡¯re at least living honestly!¡± ¡°Your¡± Eddy was so furious that he wagged a finger. ¡°You¡¯re really something! I didn¡¯t know you had such a sharp tongue! And to think I pibed you for hurting your ankle. It seems you deserve it! After saving that Eddy left in a hu Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Caroline watched him go and let out a long breath. In the past she¡¯d always been the one who¡¯d been chased off by Eddy¡¯s snide words. Now, the tables had finally turned. When he arrived at La¡¯s word, Eddy sat down and ranted, ¡°I¡¯m so mad!¡± La wanted to sit up but couldn¡¯t do so. She could only ask gently. ¡°What is it, Eddy?¡± ¡°I just went to visit Caroline!¡± La¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°She actually said I¡¯m ¡ª I¡¯m ¨C¡°Eddy couldn¡¯t say it. He waved it off. ¡°Whatever, I don¡¯t care for a woman like her.¡± La smiled at that. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, Eddy. Besides, Grandpa has epted her marriage, so your engagement doesn¡¯t matter anymore ¡°That¡¯s the problem!¡± Eddy¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°When I went homest night, Grandpa called me to his study. Do you know what he told me? ¡°What?¡± La became worried. ¡°He asked me to get Caroline back.¡± La slumped into the bed, her face pale. ¡°La.¡± Eddy sat by La¡¯s side and took her hand. Softly, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll go after her. If I go back to her, I¡¯ll be a joke in Osbury. Besides, you¡¯re the only one I want to marry.¡± When La heard this, she secretly let out a relieved breath. She snuggled into Eddy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Eddy, it really doesn¡¯t matter if you marry me. Especially after Caroline forced me to swear that I wouldn¡¯t marry you, I have no reason to live anymore.¡± ¡°Forget about that oath.¡± Eddy hugged La tight. ¡°I will protect you all my life. Just you wait. I¡¯ll go see Grandpa now and talk it out with him.¡± *Eddy ¡­ La¡¯s eyes shed with content. ¡°Don¡¯t go ¡­¡± However, she didn¡¯t move to stop him. When Eddy got to the door, he nearly crashed into Sarah and Dan as they rushed over. Eddy was shocked when he saw the pair in only their underwear. He eximed, ¡°What happened, Mr. and Mrs. Evans?¡± The second the couple saw Eddy, they started crying. With gritted teeth, they said, ¡°Eddy, you have to get us justice!¡± Eddy hurriedly got someone to bring nkets to cover them up. He waited until they¡¯d stopped shivering before finding out what happened. trip that the car was going in the wrong direction. They¡¯d wanted to call the police, but the driver had taken their phones, After dropping them on a hill and taking all their stuff, the driver had sped off. They were chilled and exhausted on the hill. It was only the next day, when other people showed up, that they were sent back down. ¡®It must have been Caroline¡¯s husband!¡® Sarah used, her expression twisted, Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Everyone in the audience noticed this action. They got the message immediately. Excited, they encouraged Caroline to make her announcement. The people who¡¯d be affected by the marriage each wore a different expression. In the lounge, Kirk¡¯s face was as ck as thunder as he watched the surveince footage. He felt close to losing his cool. ¡°This matter is very important to me.¡± Caroline smiled cked her head and looked at the proof of Kirk¡¯s sincerity. She looked up again and regarded Kirk¡¯s features. Her thoughts were all a mess. Her eyes filled with tears yet again. ¡°What is it?¡± Kirk tilted Caroline¡¯s head up. His tone was filled with affection but also a slight irritation. ¡°You¡¯re such a crybaby.¡± After saying that, Kirk kissed Caroline lightly on the temple. The feeling of being treasured made Caroline¡¯s heart sing. ¡°I¡¯m not ¡± Caroline pushed Kirk away and stepped backward. She was trying hard not to be seduced by him. ¡°I should head back. If I stay too long, Grandpa will look for me.¡± Kirk watched Caroline leave and stared at the discarded property deed. He frowned. Caroline was unsettled. Her footsteps were so rushed that she nearly crashed into Eddy as he walked over. Eddy ducked aside. He mocked, ¡°Still trying to throw yourself at me?¡± Caroline¡¯s emotions were heavy, and she didn¡¯t want to get into a fight with Eddy. She emotionlessly circled Eddy and walked off. However, Eddy pulled her to a stop after only a few steps. ¡°Caroline, you have to stop ying hard to get!¡± Caroline reacted as if his touch were a snake bite and shook him off immediately. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. She red at him. ¡°Eddy, don¡¯t act so arrogantly. I admit that I used to love you, but the person I loved was only an illusion. Wealthy, educated, and a talented businessman. However, after getting married, I realized that you¡¯re nothing compared to my husband.¡± Although Kirk didn¡¯t have much money or business acumen, he was still much better than Eddy! Even if their marriage was a contractual one, Kirk still did his duty as a husband. He gave her the best of everything. But what about Eddy? Caroline had cared for him for eight years. It was eight whole years. Eddy had never given her a smile, much less a gift. ¡°What did you say?¡± Angered, Eddy took hold of Caroline¡¯s neck. When he saw her bright eyes, his animal instincts took over. It was only after a moment that he calmed down. He scoffed. ¡°He¡¯s nobody. He doesn¡¯t deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as me. Caroline, you¡¯ll really do anything to get a rise out of me. Too bad! I won¡¯t fall for it!¡± Caroline gave him a forced smile and tried to avoid him again. She felt like talking to him was a waste of her precious time. She stepped forward, but Eddy stopped her again. This time, Caroline didn¡¯t manage to get a solid foothold. Her a warmly. It looked as though she was thinking about the past. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day ever since I was a little girl. I even thought I wouldn¡¯t make it to this day. But it¡¯s here now! I have someone to thank Caroline once again looked over at Eddy. When Kirk saw this, he tightened his fists. His knuckles were white. 10 ¡°He showed me that the world is a warm ce. He showed me that kindness doesn¡¯t always have an ulterior motive. He¡¯s like a light, brightening up my life The crowd was touched by her honest confession. Even Eddy was affected by her words. Even if he knew that Caroline was only exaggerating¡­ The next second, Eddy¡¯s eyes narrowed. He looked at Kirk, who¡¯d appeared on stage. He was wearing a dark expression. Kirk was shrouded in darkness, and he looked like a demon. He red sharply over at Eddy. Eddy could feel the look cut him. Kirk was standing in a secluded spot. Besides, everyone was focusing on Caroline. Thus, no one noticed him there. His gaze was cold. He walked slowly toward Caroline, who was bathed in light. It was like darkness trying to consume a me. Eddy was taken aback. He wanted to shout for Kirk to stop, but he couldn¡¯t even manage a word. Not a sound came from his mouth. Caroline saw that Kirk was almost out of the shadows and would be revealed to everyone soon. Her tone changedpletely. ¡°To me, he¡¯s very, very important. So I think it¡¯s unfair and cruel to him that I keep some things unsaid.¡± Caroline paused. She smiled with all her might. ¡°What I want to announce today is=¡± Everyone held their breath. From their table at the back, Sarah and Dan eagerly anticipated what wasing. Sitting in her wheelchair, La had a cruel and confident smile. Caroline¡¯s gaze traveled over everyone¡¯s faces. She memorized each of their expressions. When she looked away, she found Kirk standing to the side. She was stunned, but she shot him a dazzling smile. That look shocked Kirk with its beauty. Then, Caroline said, ¡°We¡¯re already married. And he¡¯s not Eddy Morrison!¡° Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Caroline¡¯s heart skipped a beat when Kirk looked at her that way. She angled her head to one side to escape his gaze. ¡°Did you hear everything Grandpa said?¡± Kirk stared at Caroline quietly. *If you don¡¯t want to see him, I can cancel it.¡± Caroline gripped the edge of her clothes in nervousness. Jude was really important to her. He was the closest family she had in this world. If she could get Jude¡¯s blessing ¡­ ¡°Do you want me to go?¡± There was aplicated look in Kirk¡¯s eyes. Caroline lowered her head. Red traveled up her pale neck. ¡°Yes ¡­¡± Her voice was soft and moving. Kirk swallowed. He reached out to brush her hair behind her ear. ¡°Really?¡± Kirk¡¯s husky voice was seductive. Caroline¡¯s face was red as a tomato now. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, and she was so nervous that her body was tightly wound. She was afraid that Kirk could hear the pounding of her heart. ¡°Of ¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, Kirk kissed her. He was in such a frenzy that Caroline¡¯s lips quickly became red and swollen. ¡°Kirk ¡­¡± Kirk¡¯s knuckles turned white. The desire he had been resisting all night was bursting forth now. A ripping sound rang out. Even though she seemed skinny, her figure was full under her clothes. She was slim but had generous curves. Kirk¡¯s gaze was possessive. It made Caroline go red. She wanted to cover herself, but Kirk held her back. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Kirk seemed to notice Caroline¡¯s awkwardness. He bent over and kissed her corbones, ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful.¡± With this kiss, he could hold back no longer. It was as if he¡¯d tasted the sweetest fruit and couldn¡¯t stop until he¡¯d devoured it, Caroline couldn¡¯t resist either, and her gaze clouded over. Suddenly, Caroline felt a stinging pain, bringing her back down to earth. She gave a shrill cry from the pain in her ankle, Kirk restrained himself despite his lust. He asked, worried, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°My ankle hurts ¡­¡± Although the desire was about to consume him, Kirk got up. ¡°Where does it hurt?¡± ¡°Where I twisted my ankle. I think I have a cramp.¡± Kirk took a deep break. He applied some medication to Caroline¡¯s ankle and rubbed it in. As he did, Caroline kept stealing looks at him. A bead of sweat slipped down his nose as he concentrated on his work. He was patient, and the sweat didn¡¯t interrupt him. A feeling of sweetness rose in Caroline¡¯s heart. Chapter 65 Caroline finally fell asleepte in the night. Kirk went to the bathroom to take a cold shower. It was only after two hours under the water that the desire was washed away. When he came out, he saw Caroline sleeping on the bed. Only her face was above the covers. In sleep, she wasn¡¯t like she usually was when awake. She frowned instead of smiling. It was as if she had some difficult problem she couldn¡¯t solve. Kirk couldn¡¯t help but kiss her forehead. When he straightened, he found himself aroused again. Annoyed, he went downstairs and stood in the cool breeze. Kirk¡¯s phone rang as he reached downstairs. Seeing the caller ID on the screen, his expression darkened. ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t be asleep yet,¡± Ivan Morrison said. ¡°How¡¯s business in Easton?¡± 7m buying severalrge makeuppanies.¡± Kirk¡¯s voice was cool. ¡°I think they¡¯ll be settled next month. After that, I¡¯ll proceed to the next target.¡± Nanughed. ¡°I knew it would be fine as long as you were handling it. Right, when are you bringing your wife over?¡± van finally got to the point. Kirk looked in the direction of Caroline¡¯s room. ¡°After a while, probably.¡± Ivan¡¯s tone changed as he said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯reing back next month? Kirk, don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t get married at all?¡± She sprained her ankle. I¡¯ll go when she¡¯s better.¡± Ivan¡¯s tone changed again. Concemed, he asked, ¡°Is she okay? Do you need me to send the specialist team over?¡± Kirk put a hand to his forehead. ¡°Dad, do you remember what I told you? She doesn¡¯t know who I really am or who my family is. If she finds out ¡ª* 1 remember.¡± Ivan said. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about my daughter¨Cinw, okay? Alright. It was hard enough for you toe to your senses and mamy. I¡¯ll ept it even if I have to put on an act with you all my life. But can¡¯t you let me meet her earlier?¡± Kirk said. ¡°Once things here are settled, I¡¯ll take her to meet you.¡± ¡°Then get on it fast!¡± Krk simply hung up. He raised his head and looked at the darkened rooms. Some emotion swirled in his eyes. When Caroline woke up, Kirk had already left. The warm oatmeal on her bedside table was the only thing that told her what happenedst night hadn¡¯t been a dream. They had nearly ¡­ Caroline felt conflicting emotions about it. She put her chin on her palm. Her and Kirk ¡ª What were they to each other now? ¡°There you are.¡± The words interrupted Caroline¡¯s thoughts. Caroline¡¯s expression turned stern when she saw Eddy there. Her lips thinned as she turned to look outside the window. She ignored Eddypletely. Eddy tightened his fists. After La had been chased out of the hospital, Eddy had spent a lot of effort getting her into this smaller one. When he¡¯de to visit her, he¡¯d heard the nursesughing about a woman who¡¯d been admitted because of a sprain. Chapter 66 Eddy buffed. Thave to admit, ying hard to get really worked. I honestly started caring about you a little.¡± He looked at the back of Caroline¡¯s head and inhaled sharply. His words were all coldly mocking. Caroline turned to stare straight at Bay, Herbace seemed to look right through him. ¡°Eddy, don¡¯t think you¡¯re all that. In my eyes, you¡¯re nothing but a pile of shit Eddy was stunned to hear Caroline say something so crude. After a long while, he turned red with rage. ¡°Unrefined! You¡¯re so vulgar, Caroline! It seems you¡¯ve been tainted after spending so much time with that lout of a husband you have. You¡¯re even bing so boonsar Caroline smiled mockhol: Yes were unrefined and boorish. Butpared to you, a well¨Cdressed beast, we¡¯re at least living honestly!¡± ¡°Your¡± Eddy was so furious that he wagged a finger. ¡°You¡¯re really something! I didn¡¯t know you had such a sharp tongue! And to think I pibed you for hurting your ankle. It seems you deserve it! After saving that Eddy left in a hu Caroline watched him go and let out a long breath. In the past she¡¯d always been the one who¡¯d been chased off by Eddy¡¯s snide words. Now, the tables had finally turned. When he arrived at La¡¯s word, Eddy sat down and ranted, ¡°I¡¯m so mad!¡± La wanted to sit up but couldn¡¯t do so. She could only ask gently. ¡°What is it, Eddy?¡± ¡°I just went to visit Caroline!¡± La¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°She actually said I¡¯m ¡ª I¡¯m ¨C¡°Eddy couldn¡¯t say it. He waved it off. ¡°Whatever, I don¡¯t care for a woman like her.¡± La smiled at that. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, Eddy. Besides, Grandpa has epted her marriage, so your engagement doesn¡¯t matter anymore ¡°That¡¯s the problem!¡± Eddy¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°When I went homest night, Grandpa called me to his study. Do you know what he told me? ¡°What?¡± La became worried. ¡°He asked me to get Caroline back.¡± La slumped into the bed, her face pale. ¡°La.¡± Eddy sat by La¡¯s side and took her hand. Softly, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll go after her. If I go back to her, I¡¯ll be a joke in Osbury. Besides, you¡¯re the only one I want to marry.¡± When La heard this, she secretly let out a relieved breath. She snuggled into Eddy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Eddy, it really doesn¡¯t matter if you marry me. Especially after Caroline forced me to swear that I wouldn¡¯t marry you, I have no reason to live anymore.¡± ¡°Forget about that oath.¡± Eddy hugged La tight. ¡°I will protect you all my life. Just you wait. I¡¯ll go see Grandpa now and talk it out with him.¡± *Eddy ¡­ La¡¯s eyes shed with content. ¡°Don¡¯t go ¡­¡± However, she didn¡¯t move to stop him. When Eddy got to the door, he nearly crashed into Sarah and Dan as they rushed over. Eddy was shocked when he saw the pair in only their underwear. He eximed, ¡°What happened, Mr. and Mrs. Evans?¡± The second the couple saw Eddy, they started crying. With gritted teeth, they said, ¡°Eddy, you have to get us justice!¡± Eddy hurriedly got someone to bring nkets to cover them up. He waited until they¡¯d stopped shivering before finding out what happened. ?? ??????????? ??? 11??????? ??? ???????????? trip that the car was going in the wrong direction. They¡¯d wanted to call the police, but the driver had taken their phones, 11111!!¡± 77 7 After dropping them on a hill and taking all their stuff, the driver had sped off. They were chilled and exhausted on the hill. It was only the next day, when other people showed up, that they were sent back down. ¡®It must have been Caroline¡¯s husband!¡® Sarah used, her expression twisted, Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Chapter 67 After breakfast, Caroline received a text from Gwen. ¡°Carol! Did you really announce your marriage at Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s birthday banquet?¡± Caroline replied with a ¡°Yes.¡± The second she sent it, Gwen called. On the phone, Gwen sounded excited. ¡°Oh my God! Carol, you¡¯re so brave. Was Mr. Morrison Senior mad? Are you okay?¡± ¡°No, he only said he wanted to meet my husband.¡± Caroline¡¯s face turned pink when she mentioned Kirk. Gwen let out a breath. ¡°I was so scared! I thought Mr. Morrison Senior would throw a tantrum. But this is good. You¡¯ve finally escaped that scumbag, Eddy!¡± Gwen had barely finished saying that when Eddy¡¯s angry voice came from outside. ¡°Caroline, get out here!* Caroline was stunned. Gwen heard Eddy¡¯s shout too. Nervous, she asked, ¡°Carol, what¡¯s going on?* ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Caroline reassured. ¡°I¡¯ll call you back in a bit.¡± After saying that, she quickly hung up. Just as she put down her phone, she saw the bedraggled Sarah and Dan. Caroline frowned. She looked confusedly at Eddy beside them. Eddy stepped forward and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your husband?¡± It was only then that Eddy realized he didn¡¯t even know the man¡¯s name. Caroline gave him an unbothered look. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± 1 ¡°Are you blind? Can¡¯t you see that your parents have been tormented?¡± Caroline turned to look at Sarah and Dan as they shivered. She looked confused. ¡°Your husband got a cab driver to send them on top of a hill, remove their clothes, and leave them there all night in the cold.* Caroline interrupted Eddy and said, ¡°How can you prove my husband did it? Do you have evidence?¡± Eddy was taken aback. After a second of hesitation, he said, ¡°Caroline, shouldn¡¯t you worry about your parents when they¡¯re in this state? Why are you speaking up for an outsider instead?¡± A hint of mockery shed in Caroline¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve already said we have nothing to do with each other anymore. I said that when they ckmailed me with their suicide to announce our marriage! All I can say now is that they deserved what they got. It¡¯s good enough that I¡¯m not celebrating what happened to them.¡± (1 This shocked Eddypletely. Was it Sarah and Dan who¡¯d forced her to make the announcement? He looked at Sarah and Dan, both of whom avoided his eyes. Eddy rubbed his temples. ¡°Even if your parents made a mistake, you shouldn¡¯t treat them that way. Get your husband toe and apologize to them. Then, we¡¯ll call it even.¡± Caroline lowered her head and suddenlyughed. ¡°How strange. You¡¯ve never helped them before, even when we were engaged. They were practically your inws then, but you never did anything for them. But you¡¯re trying to get justice for them now that we have no rtionship at all?¡± Eddy turned livid at Caroline¡¯s words. It was true that he hadn¡¯t cared about the Evans family back then. Even the investments were only made because Jude asked. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. He only wanted to intervene now because of what Sarah said-¡°It must have been Caroline¡¯s husband!¡± He wanted Caroline to know that she¡¯d married a piece of trash. That letting him go was the biggest mistake of her life! ¡°I can¡¯t watch anymore.¡± Eddy took a deep breath. ¡°Since you¡¯re already married, then Mr. and Mrs. Evans are his inws. How could he Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Chapter 68 ¡°Caroline, you better call him over quick! Once he apologizes this issue will be settled¡® Eddy said He didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Why should I call him here? ¡°So you¡¯re determined to shelter him? Eddy suddenly approached His gaze was fixed on Caroline Caroline met his gaze and said with open confidence, ¡°Yes¡± Eddy¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he took a step back. He scoffed. ¡°Osbury is my turf. I can dig him out as long as he spill in this city. Things might not be so simple anymore at that point!¡± After saying that, Eddy turned and left. When Sarah and Dan saw this, they quickly followed Eddy out of the room Once they were far away, Caroline quickly grabbed her phone and called Kirk At the moment, Kirk was in a dim private room. His fie was loose around his neck, and the scent of alcohol stuck to him. Though he was in a debauched state, he was still regal. There were women around him who were eyeing him like meat. Yet when they tried toe over with some drinks, his sharp look sent them running. When Sean saw this, he sat next to Kirk with his own ss. ¡°You¡¯re the one who wanted some fun. But now you¡¯re turning it away too. What do you really want, Mr. Morrison?¡± Kirk red at the ss in his hand. Then, he finished off his drink. As he tilted his head, his clear eyes shed with confusion. ¡°What happened? Sean asked in worry. ¡°Does it have to do with Ms. Evans?¡± It seemed that Kirk had be very strange after marrying Caroline Evans. Kirk frowned and said hoarsely, ¡°Shut up.¡± At this, Sean propped up a leg in amusement. ¡°You¡¯ve been found out! Seems you¡¯re really affected. Who would have thought the high and mighty Kirk Morrison actually fell for someone?¡± Kirk shot him a look, but before he could say anything, his phone rang. He picked the device up in annoyance. He wanted to reject the call but he paused upon seeing the caller ID. He red at Sean and went outside with his phone. (1 Seeing Kirk go, Sean smiled wickedly. Kirk still didn¡¯t admit his feelings. It seemed to Sean that Kirk would be in trouble from now on. Once he was outside, Kirk found a quiet spot before answering the call. The day¡¯s frustrations disappeared when Caroline¡¯s soft voice came through. ¡°Kirk, 1¡± For a second, Caroline didn¡¯t know how to refer to Sarah and Dan. ¡°Did you send my parents to the top of that hill?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You were too rash,¡± Caroline said. ¡°What if they called the police? Your life would be ruined then ¡ª Kirk pressed a hand to his chest. The skin there was warm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°But Eddy is sure that you did it. You¡¯re working at Morrison Corp too. He¡¯ll find you really quickly!¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze turned sharp. He was confident as he said, ¡°He won¡¯t find me.¡± Caroline was panicked. ¡°Kirk, this is Osbury. There¡¯s no one he can¡¯t find!¡± ¡°Caroline ¡­¡± The way Kirk said her name was solemn. It shocked Caroline. ¡°I¡¯m he Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Five minutester, Sean saw Kirk return. Kirk was visibly in a much better mood. Even so, he still coldly dismissed those ignorant women when they tried to approach him. Sean leisurely approached Kirk. He was about to tease him, but he stopped when he saw Kirk¡¯s re. Instead, he shrugged and said, ¡°Do you still want me to help find a donor for La like you¡¯d asked me to?¡± Caroline¡¯s tearful expression crossed Kirk¡¯s mind, and he frowned in disgust. ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. I looked through her reports and found a lot of problems. Sean took a sip of his wine. He continued, ¡°I was going to talk to you about it. But since I don¡¯t need to look for a donor, I no longer have to worry about it.¡± Kirk gave an absent¨Cminded hum, ignoring what his friend said. In the hospital, Eddy found the doctor who¡¯d treated Caroline. When he asked about Caroline, the doctor remembered her. ¡°Of course, I remember her, Mr. Eddy.¡± Eddy¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Do you still remember what the man with her looked like?¡± The doctor nodded. ¡°That man had a dignified air to him. He was tall and handsome, and he treated thatdy very well. I could immediately tell that he was a good husband!¡± Eddy frowned. ¡°Is he really as good as you say?¡± The doctor said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not exaggerating, Mr. Eddy. I¡¯ve met many patients in my many years as a doctor, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen a man who treats his wife so well. Moreover, they look like a great pair. They¡¯re truly the golden couple ¡­¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Eddy interrupted the doctor impatiently. The doctor stood there, bewildered. Eddy closed his eyes to calm him down and asked, ¡°Do you know his name?¡± The doctor answered cautiously, ¡°N¨Cno, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Can you draw what he looks like?¡± The doctor said awkwardly, ¡°Mr. Eddy, I can recognize the man if you show me a picture, but I can¡¯t draw his appearance for you.¡± He was just a doctor, after all, not an artist. Eddy massaged his temples. The doctor had said the same thing as Dan and Sarah. Although they¡¯d all met Caroline¡¯s husband, none could provide useful information about him. Moreover, Eddy had checked the surveince footage, but the tapes had already been destroyed. Only two people could possibly do that in such a short time: a hacker or someone from the Morrison family. If it was thetter, why were they so secretive? Eddy massaged his temples and said to the doctor, ¡°Keep an eye on things here. Call me immediately if that man shows up again.¡± ¡°Yes, sirt Eddy walked out of the consulting room, but the doctor¡¯s words lingered in his mind: ¡°Tall and handsome. He treats his wife well ¡­ They¡¯re truly the golden couple!¡± 1 He tightly clenched his fists. He stopped walking toward the exit and strode toward the hospital rooms instead. Not long after, he arrived outside Caroline¡¯s room. The door was ajar, and Eddy saw Caroline sitting on the bed, reading a book. Her long hair was tied into a simple ponytail. She looked less elegant and boring but more youthful and lively. She would lower her head, doodle something asionally, and smile knowingly when she saw something interesting. The Caroline in front of him was bing more different from the one he knew, and he could feel her slowly slipping from his grasp. Eddy felt a trace of panic, and he clenched his fists again. He had to get Caroline! Not because he loved her, but because he didn¡¯t want to 1/2 In the room, Caroline seemed to have sensed something. She looked at the door, only to see no one there. She lowered her head and continued reading. She was reading ¡°The Insights of Creativity,¡± a book about design. She¡¯d used to like designing clothes, jewelry, and essories, butter on, she¡¯d focused most of her attention on Eddy, so she hadn¡¯t had time for her hobbies. After designing a dress for herselfst time, the design piqued her interest again. She nned to pick it up again and submit some of her work to major brands, so she could find something to do. 1 Several big¨Cname cosmeticspanies were holding a cosmetic package designpetition and collecting submissions. Although Caroline had yet to do packaging designs, she wanted to give it a try. No matter what happened, she would consider it a test trial for returning to design. At night, Caroline called Gwen and asked her to help bring the design tools. Gwen teased, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asking your husband to do it?¡± After learning what Kirk had done, Gwen¡¯s attitude toward him had somewhat improved. ¡°Remember, Eddy is looking for him. Kirk would just be walking into a trap if he came to the hospital,¡± Caroline reminded her. Gwen hissed. ¡°Ugh, my forgetful brain. Okay, I¡¯ll bring them over to youter.¡± The two chatted for a little longer before Caroline hung up the phone. She got out of bed and threw the takeout bag into the trash can. Although Kirk couldn¡¯te to the hospital, he still properly cared for her needs. Also¡­ Caroline opened the suitcase on the sofa. Inside was a change of clothes. She couldn¡¯t see the brand, but the material was veryfortable. Even the underwear was ¡­ Her face burned up. She couldn¡¯t imagine Kirk¡¯s reaction when he¡¯d picked out these clothes. Suddenly, there was a loud bang from the balcony. Caroline looked up, startled, just to see a dark figure rushing past behind the curtain. Heart beating wildly, she limped over to the curtain and listened carefully to the movement outside. In just a moment, she heard the soft sound of footsteps from outside. Caroline was frightened. Numerous horrific scenarios of burry and murder crossed her mind. She backed away from the wall and slowly lifted themp from the table. At the same time, there was a click outside¨Cthe sound of the ss door being opened. Caroline¡¯s legs shook. She bit her lip tightly, raising themp above her head. In the next moment, the ss door slid open. The moonlight shone in the room, and Caroline could feel the cold breeze on her body. A tall figure stepped into the room. Caroline closed her eyes in fright, and she threw themp at the intruder with all her strength. ¡°Caroline, it¡¯s m-¡± Kirk¡¯s deep, powerful voice and familiar scent made Caroline open her eyes instantly. However, it was toote. Themp had already hit Kirk on the forehead. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know it was you,¡± Caroline apologized. She nervously sat Kirk down on the couch and turned the lights on. Her heart ached when she saw his injury, and she hurriedly looked for the first aid kit. Kirk wanted to tell her that she didn¡¯t have to worry about a minor injury. Before he could get the words out, he caught sight of a bra in the suitcase out of the corner of his eye, and his mind went nk. He¡¯d asked someone to pick up some clothes and bring them to Caroline. He hadn¡¯t seen them, not even once. Kirk frowned. His desire for Caroline was burning likeva. At this moment, Caroline found the first aid kit and sat beside him. Her sweet scent filled Kirk¡¯s nostrils, stimting his senses. Caroline didn¡¯t notice it at all. She took a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to dab the wound on Kirk¡¯s forehead. ¡°This will hurt a little, so you must bear it.¡± She cleaned his wound with gentle and delicate movements. Kirk swallowed with difficulty. His eyes couldn¡¯t move away from the sight before him, and his ears turned red. His intense gaze startled Caroline, and only when she looked down did she realize how suggestive their position was. ¡°1¨CI¡¯m done ¡ª She blushed, putting some distance between them. There was still a suggestive and romantic atmosphere in the air. Caroline felt like she had to say something to break the odd silence. ¡°How did youe up here?¡± *** Caroline nced at the balcony. They were on the second floor. She wondered if he¡¯d climbed up the pipes on the walls. Kirk answered, ¡°I climbed up here.¡± His answer dumbfounded Caroline. He really did climb up the pipes. ¡°But this is the second floor!¡± Kirk grinned. He didn¡¯t have an issue climbing something this high. He asked, ¡°How are you feeling?¡± He looked at Caroline¡¯s ankle, trying to ignore the clothes in the suitcase. ¡°My ankle still hurts a bit, but I can walk now. I¡¯ll probably be discharged from the hospital in a few days, Caroline said. She couldn¡¯t stay in the hospital with peace of mind, thinking about the expensive hospital bills she had to pay the longer she stayed. ¡°Okay.¡± Kirk¡¯s voice was hoarse. He couldn¡¯t handle sneaking around just to see Caroline. Caroline scratched her nose, voicing her concern: ¡°Did Eddy suspect you?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Caroline asked curiously, ¡°How do you avoid him?¡± In Osbury, Eddy could always find any person he sought, especially someone as outstanding as Kirk. Kirk raised an eyebrow with a faint smile on his lips. ¡°Do you know what a blind spot is?¡± Caroline nodded, listening carefully. ¡°Everyone has a blind spot. No matter how capable Eddy is, he can¡¯t search every corner of Osbury. I¡¯m simply hiding in his blind spot. That¡¯s why he can¡¯t find me. For example, he definitely wouldn¡¯t expect me to climb over the wall to see you tonight.¡± Caroline partially understood his words. She said, ¡°As long as he doesn¡¯t find out, it should be fine.¡± Looking at the bright smile on Caroline¡¯s face, Kirk¡¯s lips curled into a smile, and he slowly rxed. Suddenly, there was an urgent knock on the door. Caroline¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she lowered her voice. ¡°Is it Eddy?¡± Kirk frowned slightly and held Caroline¡¯s shoulders. He reassured, ¡°Don¡¯t panic. I¡¯ll go and have a look.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll go.¡± Caroline¡¯s voice trembled, but she walked ahead of Kirk. FL $14211211111213 picked up a chair with his other hand. ¡°Who is it?¡± Caroline asked nervously, leaning against the door. ¡°It¡¯s me, Carol!¡± Gwen¡¯s voice came through the door. Caroline¡¯s nerves rxed in an instant. She opened the door and said, ¡°You really scared m- Seeing Gwen¡¯s hesitant expression, Caroline stopped talking. She looked down to see Kirk¡¯s hand tightly holding her welct. Both of them looked like lovers. She blushed, her cheeks burning. Gwen smiled at Kirk, then turned to Caroline and teased, ¡°¡­ You called me here on purpose to let me watch the show, didn¡¯t you? ¡°No!¡± Caroline argued, ¡°We were just¡­¡± ¡°This must be him¡­¡± Gwen looked at Kirk carefully. Her gaze was sharp as she tried to find any ws in him. However, she couldn¡¯t find anything and said unwillingly, ¡°He doesn¡¯t look too bad.¡± Caroline was relieved to hear her best friend¡¯s acknowledgement of Kirk. (1) Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. In Gwen¡¯s eyes, even God didn¡¯t deserve her best friend. She¡¯d never even bothered to pay attention to Eddy back then. Gwen¡¯s positivement proved that Kirk was indeed attractive. Caroline introduced them, saying, ¡°This is my best friend, Gwen, and this is Kirk.¡± Kirk frowned. He hadn¡¯t rxed from the moment Gwen entered the room. Still, for Caroline¡¯s sake, he gave Gwen a curt nod. Meanwhile, Gwen was interested in the man in front of her. Caroline had told her that Kirk was just an ordinary office employee. However, looking at him now, she noticed that he had an elegant bearing, which a normal employee wouldn¡¯t have. Gwen took note of this discrepancy. She asked, ¡°Carol told me you work at Morrison Corporation. What are you in charge of? ¡°Research and development.¡± ¡°The work must be difficult.¡± ¡°Not really. I work from nine to five.¡± ¡°But I heard that Morrison Corporation has been busy researching and developing new products for the past few months. How can you be working from just nine to five?¡± Gwen asked. Kirk raised his eyebrow. Looking at Gwen smiling courteously, he said tly, ¡°That¡¯s just fake news.¡± The smile on Gwen¡¯s face froze. She asked unhappily, ¡°Do you know someone narned Cameron Rose in your department? ¡°There isn¡¯t anyone with that name.¡± Gwen smiled subtly. ¡°Then, I must be remembering wrongly.¡± Kirk remained silent. Caroline silently watched their interaction. She could tell that Gwen was testing Kirk. She smiled awkwardly at Kirk and said to Gwen, ¡°Did you bring the tools, Gwen?¡± Gwen handed the tools to Caroline, still staring at Kirk. Worried that Gwen would upset Kirk if she kept testing him, Caroline came up with an excuse and dragged her friend to the bathroom. She asked, ¡°What are you doing, Gwen?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t look like an ordinary employee to me. He looks like a wealthy man. Carol, I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯re being tricked.¡± Caroline knew that her friend had good intentions. She asked Gwen, ¡°He answered all your questions correctly, didn¡¯t he?¡± Gwen nodded unhappily. ¡°That means he isn¡¯t tricking us. He really works at Morrison Corporation. How would he know so much about thepany otherwise?¡± Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Chapter 71 ¡°I asked him about it, but he still hasn¡¯t agreed,¡± Caroline exined. Gwen asked, ¡°Is he afraid Mr. Morrison Senior will notice something?¡± ¡°What is he supposed to notice?¡± Caroline asked. She thought that Gwen was overthinking things. She said, ¡°Even if he¡¯s the son of a wealthy family, the Evans family would have noticed.¡± Gwen stroked her chin. ¡°You have a poi ¡°Eddy¡¯s second unde decided this himself. You stuboonly wouldn¡¯t let Caroline off the hook at my birthday banquet. So Eddy¡¯s second uncle came up with apromise. Yet you¡¯re bringing it up again today to cause Carbine trouble. ¡°It seems that I misjudged your change in attitude a few days ago. Ws. Colire. You stil don¡¯t know your mares. Brie¡¯s face tumed pale as she tried to exin, saying ¡°Mr. Morison Senior, -t¡¯s not what you think. I was just afraid that Eddy¡¯s second uncle had been deceived, so I was desperate to ask Caroline for an exnation. Jude smiled. He countered. ¡°Let me ask you this in rear. What right do you have to worry about these things? Brie blinked and answered. ¡°My right as his fianc¨¦s, of course.* Rumors about Brie and Kirk¡¯s marriage had been spreading in social circles for a long time. Now that the parties had validated these rumors, everyone couldn¡¯t help pricking their ears, wanting to hear the more exciting news. Standing beside Jude, Caroline¡¯s expression shifted slowly, and she stared at the old man in disbelief. Jude chuckled. ¡°Since when were you his fianc¨¦e?¡± He wasn¡¯t aware that something like this had happened. Brie exined, ¡®Didn¡¯t you agree to my request at your birthday t. At any rate, Mr. Morrison Senior wants to see him, so you should take Kirk to see him. Let that old man observe him for a bit.¡± ¡°Forget it¡­ Caroline lowered her head. ¡°Eddy is looking everywhere for Kirk right now. Taking Kirk to see Mr. Morrison Senior is just asking for trouble.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a simple problem. Since Mr. Morrison Senior likes you so much, just tell him not to tell Eddy about your visit. Besides Gwen pushed, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to get that old man¡¯s approval?¡± Gwen knew Caroline well. She managed to convince her best friend with just a few words. Seeing that Caroline was silent, Gwen dragged her out of the bathroom. She called out to Kirk, who was standing by the bed, ¡°Kirk!¡± Kirk frowned, looking at Caroline, who was looking down with a flushed face. Gwen pushed her best friend in front of Kirk and patted her on the shoulder. She said, ¡°Go ahead and talk. I¡¯ll be waiting outside.¡± After that, she left Caroline and Kirk alone in the hospital room. ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± Kirk asked. He saw Caroline¡¯s exposed corbone and coughed unnaturally, looking away. ¡°The same thing asst time. I¡¯d like you to meet Grandpa,¡± Caroline babbled, finishing her sentence in one breath. Her beautiful eyes stared at Kirk nervously. Kirk¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Didn¡¯t I agree already?¡± ¡°You did? When?¡± ¡°When I asked you if you wanted me to go.¡± Caroline blinked her eyes, and her lips parted slightly. She couldn¡¯t believe what he said. She asked, ¡°So, you¡¯ll agree to the visit because I asked you to?¡± It was the same as when he¡¯d bought her that house because she liked it. Kirk nodded. Caroline¡¯s eyes turned red. She said, ¡°But Eddy is looking everywhere for you. If we visit Grandpa, we may be walking into a trap¡­¡± Kirk patted Caroline¡¯s head with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Even if he finds me, he can¡¯t do anything to me.¡± However, Caroline still had mixed feelings. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte,¡± Kirk said, looking at the clock on the wall. ¡°You should rest soon. I¡¯m going home.¡± ¡°Kir- Caroline chased him to the balcony, but he¡¯d already slid down the pipe on the wall nimbly and disappeared into the darkness. When Gwen returned to the room, she noticed it was empty and asked in confusion, ¡°Where¡¯s Kirk?¡± Caroline looked at the ground below her. Gwen asked in fright, ¡°D¨Cdid he jump? He¡¯s overreacting. You¡¯re just taking him to see Mr. Morrison Senior. It¡¯s not like that old man will eat him alive.¡± Caroline looked at her friend impatiently and said, ¡°What on earth are you talking about? He just slid down along the pipes on the wall.¡± Gwen patted her chest in relief. ¡°Oh, that scared me. But he¡¯s really intense. Did hee up here by climbing along the pipes too?¡± Caroline nodded. Gwen¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She gave her a thumbs up. ¡°He¡¯s really strong!¡± Kirk trouble, but she was also worried that Jude would be unhappy with Kirk. For the past few days, she didn¡¯t even have the energy to work on the designs for thepetition. That day, the doctor did Caroline¡¯s final checkup. There weren¡¯t any problems, so she could be discharged from the hospital. ¡°Ms. Evans.¡± The doctor held Caroline¡¯s medical records. He asked, ¡°Will your husband be here to pick you up from the hospital?¡± Caroline looked at the doctor, puzzled. ¡°No. Why are you asking?¡± She hadn¡¯t notified anyone that she would be discharged today. The doctor smiled disappointedly. ¡°Nothing.¡± After watching the doctor leave dejectedly, she continued to pack her things. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Suddenly, the door was pushed open with a bang. Caroline turned around and saw Brie charging into the room. Herckeys followed in behind her. ¡°What a lively bunch,¡± Caroline thought. ¡°I finally found you, Caroline! You really know how to hide from someone!¡± Caroline looked at them coldly. Sensing that something was about to happen, the patient, nurses, and doctors crowded the door of Caroline¡¯s room, watching the drama. Brie had been waiting for this moment. Seeing that everyone was there, she walked up to Caroline triumphantly. She yelled, ¡°You¡¯re really shameless to steal other people¡¯s things and hide here afterward. Even if you and Eddy broke off the engagement, you¡¯re still a member of the Evans family. You should be ashamed for doing such a thing!¡± The hospital was abuzz with discussion. There wasn¡¯t a single change in Caroline¡¯s expression. She asked, ¡°Are you pulling a trick out of boredom again, Ms. Collins?¡± Brie¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still being stubborn, Caroline. Let me ask you, is the ceramic vase you gave Mr. Morrison Senior really yours?¡± ¡°Why does it matter?¡± Brie smirked. ¡°Because the vase isn¡¯t even yours. It belongs to Eddy¡¯s second uncle! You passed off his gift as your own because he didn¡¯t attend the birthday banquet! Shame on you!¡± The spectators outside the door included many people from wealthy social circles. News about Caroline¡¯s gift had already spread like wildfire among them. Their expressions shifted after hearing that it was a scam. ¡°I knew it. There¡¯s no way a small family like the Evans family can get a ceramic vase.¡± ¡°So, she stole Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s gift?¡± ¡®His second uncle? I heard that he¡¯s very powerful. If he finds out about this, things definitely won¡¯t end well for Caroline ¡­¡± Remaining silent, Caroline narrowed her eyes, looking coldly at Brie. Brie had found out that the ceramic vase belonged to Eddy¡¯s second uncle and barged into the hospital to make a big scene so that she could publicly embarrass Caroline. Brie didn¡¯t care if Caroline was disgraced, but she couldn¡¯t let Kirk¡¯s reputation be ruined. Caroline smirked andughed. ¡°The fact that he¡¯s willing to give the vase to Grandpa in my name means that he¡¯s fond of me. Are you upset because you¡¯re jealous?¡± Caroline¡¯s words struck a nerve, making Brie angry. Brie yelled, ¡°What a joke! Why would I be jealous of you? Besides, you can¡¯t prove that his second uncle gave it to you voluntarily.¡± Theckeys that Brie had brought along began mocking Caroline. ¡°She¡¯s just ttering herself. She has the guts to boast like this because she knew Eddy¡¯s second uncle wouldn¡¯t attend the birthday banquet.¡± Chapter 72 The sounds ofughter stopped abruptly. Everyone turned around and saw Jude walking in. Surrounded by bodyguards. The sight dumbfounded them. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior, what are you doing here? Ene asked tumedy waking up to hep the oid men Jude didn¡¯t even look at Bre. Instead, he rsachet Cardline anxiously asking. ¡°Came. I heard you conaimed your endte STid were hospitalized. This is such an important matter Why didn¡¯t you tell me? His concem moved Caroline. She reassured him. I¡¯m ine Grandcase discharged soon.¡± Jude looked down at Carolines ankte womed. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? I¡¯m sure!¡± Caroline briefly walked around. Actually, I didn¡¯t need to be hospitalized at all out my mussand was too worded about me she exined, blushing. When Jude saw this, heughed and said. ¡°So that¡¯s now it is. You realy scared me. Came Then, he turned around and locked at Bre asking. ¡°What are you people making a fics about I could hear all of you from afect Brie bit her lic, mustering the courage to exin herself. ¡°Mr. Worrison Senior, identally discovered that the ceramic vase Carpine gave you didn¡¯t belong to her. It belongs to Eddy¡¯s second unce.¡± Jude raised an eyebrow. He had a stem expression, devoid of the kindness Ted STown Carpine. ¡°What are you trying to say? Brie exined anxiously. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior, she¡¯s passing of someone else¡¯s git as rets. She¡¯s a deceitful person. If we don¡¯t expose her lies, she won¡¯t change her ways Jude¡¯s expression was as dark as night. He sat down on the couch with Carpine¡¯s reb. He stomped his walking cane to the ground with a loud bang. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Brie¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still being stubborn, Caroline. Let me ask you, is the ceramic vase you gave Mr. Morrison Senior really yours?¡± ¡°Why does it matter?¡± Brie smirked. ¡°Because the vase isn¡¯t even yours. It belongs to Eddy¡¯s second uncle! You passed off his gift as your own because he didn¡¯t attend the birthday banquet! Shame on you!¡± The spectators outside the door included many people from wealthy social circles. News about Caroline¡¯s gift had already spread like wildfire among them. Their expressions shifted after hearing that it was a scam. ¡°I knew it. There¡¯s no way a small family like the Evans family can get a ceramic vase.¡± ¡°So, she stole Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s gift?¡± ¡®His second uncle? I heard that he¡¯s very powerful. If he finds out about this, things definitely won¡¯t end well for Caroline ¡­¡± Remaining silent, Caroline narrowed her eyes, looking coldly at Brie. Brie had found out that the ceramic vase belonged to Eddy¡¯s second uncle and barged into the hospital to make a big scene so that she could publicly embarrass Caroline. Brie didn¡¯t care if Caroline was disgraced, but she couldn¡¯t let Kirk¡¯s reputation be ruined. Caroline smirked andughed. ¡°The fact that he¡¯s willing to give the vase to Grandpa in my name means that he¡¯s fond of me. Are you upset because you¡¯re jealous?¡± Caroline¡¯s words struck a nerve, making Brie angry. Brie yelled, ¡°What a joke! Why would I be jealous of you? Besides, you can¡¯t prove that his second uncle gave it to you voluntarily.¡± Theckeys that Brie had brought along began mocking Caroline. ¡°She¡¯s just ttering herself. She has the guts to boast like this because she knew Eddy¡¯s second uncle wouldn¡¯t attend the birthday banquet.¡± Chapter 72 The sounds ofughter stopped abruptly. Everyone turned around and saw Jude walking in. Surrounded by bodyguards. The sight dumbfounded them. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior, what are you doing here? Ene asked tumedy waking up to hep the oid men Jude didn¡¯t even look at Bre. Instead, he rsachet Cardline anxiously asking. ¡°Came. I heard you conaimed your endte STid were hospitalized. This is such an important matter Why didn¡¯t you tell me? His concem moved Caroline. She reassured him. I¡¯m ine Grandcase discharged soon.¡± Jude looked down at Carolines ankte womed. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? I¡¯m sure!¡± Caroline briefly walked around. Actually, I didn¡¯t need to be hospitalized at all out my mussand was too worded about me she exined, blushing. When Jude saw this, heughed and said. ¡°So that¡¯s now it is. You realy scared me. Came Then, he turned around and locked at Bre asking. ¡°What are you people making a fics about I could hear all of you from afect Brie bit her lic, mustering the courage to exin herself. ¡°Mr. Worrison Senior, identally discovered that the ceramic vase Carpine gave you didn¡¯t belong to her. It belongs to Eddy¡¯s second unce.¡± Jude raised an eyebrow. He had a stem expression, devoid of the kindness Ted STown Carpine. ¡°What are you trying to say? Brie exined anxiously. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior, she¡¯s passing of someone else¡¯s git as rets. She¡¯s a deceitful person. If we don¡¯t expose her lies, she won¡¯t change her ways Jude¡¯s expression was as dark as night. He sat down on the couch with Carpine¡¯s reb. He stomped his walking cane to the ground with a loud bang. ¡°Eddy¡¯s second unde decided this himself. You stuboonly wouldn¡¯t let Caroline off the hook at my birthday banquet. So Eddy¡¯s second uncle came up with apromise. Yet you¡¯re bringing it up again today to cause Carbine trouble. ¡°It seems that I misjudged your change in attitude a few days ago. Ws. Colire. You stil don¡¯t know your mares. Brie¡¯s face tumed pale as she tried to exin, saying ¡°Mr. Morison Senior, -t¡¯s not what you think. I was just afraid that Eddy¡¯s second uncle had been deceived, so I was desperate to ask Caroline for an exnation. Jude smiled. He countered. ¡°Let me ask you this in rear. What right do you have to worry about these things? Brie blinked and answered. ¡°My right as his fianc¨¦s, of course.* Rumors about Brie and Kirk¡¯s marriage had been spreading in social circles for a long time. Now that the parties had validated these rumors, everyone couldn¡¯t help pricking their ears, wanting to hear the more exciting news. Standing beside Jude, Caroline¡¯s expression shifted slowly, and she stared at the old man in disbelief. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Jude chuckled. ¡°Since when were you his fianc¨¦e?¡± He wasn¡¯t aware that something like this had happened. Brie exined, ¡®Didn¡¯t you agree to my request at your birthday banquet?¡± Jude frowned, trying to recall their conversation. Finally, he said. ¡°I was referring to visiting your home to appreciate your paintings. What else would I be referring to?¡± ¡ª Brie¡¯s face turned even paler from shock, but she quickly said. ¡°But at your birthday banquet you let me into the main hall ¡ª* That was an unprecedented privilege. She¡¯d thought that it was an acknowledgment in disguise. Jude exined reasonably. ¡°Eddy¡¯s second uncle is married, so your engagement with him is null and void. To make up for it, I asked the butler to let you into the main banquet hall.¡® Brie was stunned. She thought, ¡°How could it be? How could Eddy¡¯s second uncle be married?¡± The people who¡¯de here to watch the drama enjoyed Brie¡¯s misfortune. The tables had tumed, and Brie had be aughingstock. Looking at the distraught Brie. Jude sighed and said, ¡®Carrie, let me take Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Chapter 73 While waiting for the elevator, Caroline couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Is Eddy¡¯s second uncle really married? Jude nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Now, it seems that his decision for a fast marriage is the right one.¡± ¡°A fast marriage? Eddy¡¯s second uncle had one of those as well? Caroline thought. ¡°By the way, did your husband agree to meet me?¡± Jude asked. The topic shifted to Kirk, pulling Caroline from her thoughts. She nodded before she could think about it. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s book a table at Starlust Hotel.¡± ¡°Let me arrange a meeting ce instead, Grandpa. Eddy has been looking for him everywhere, so can you please not tel nim atout so meeting?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Jude raised an eyebrow. He asked, ¡°Why is Eddy looking for him?¡± Caroline frowned. ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t know. Just promise me, Grandpa.¡± Jude smiled merrily. ¡°Okay, okay. I won¡¯t tell him. But Carrie, even if you don¡¯t go back to what you walked out on sometimes the mines you¡¯ve walked out on may be the best things you¡¯ve had.¡± Caroline rubbed her head. She couldn¡¯t really understand what he meant. Still, she agreed obediently. ¡°Okay¡± Jude looked at Caroline meaningfully. No matter what, he hoped that she could be a part of his family. In an apartment in Urban Haven, Sean was leaning against the bar, looking at the injury on Kirk¡¯s forehead with great merest Ater pondering for a moment, he took advantage of Kirk¡¯s closed eyes, picked up a bottle, and chucked it at his friend. Kirk raised his hand, grabbing the bottle. Sean raised his eyebrows. ¡°I knew it. You¡¯ve always had fast reflexes. Did Ms. Evans cause the wound on your forehead? Kirk unscrewed the bottle cap, ignoring Sean¡¯s question. Sean was used to his temper, and he continued asking, ¡°Are you really going to meet Mr. Morrison Senior as CariNE¡¯S NUSIZNI? Kirk hummed in agreement. Sean said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that he won¡¯t agree to your marriage. I¡¯ve heard he dotes on Caroline very much and treats her as his grandcalgne- inw. If he finds out that you¡¯re her husband, he¡¯ll be pissed.¡± Kirk massaged his temples with his slender fingers. He said, ¡°Since he¡¯s proposed to meet, I have to do so.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that ¡­¡± Sean hesitated. Although Ivan and Jude were brothers, it was rumored that Ivan had left the country because there was bad blood between frem.. Moreover, the two families had only been in frequent contact in recent years, and their rtionship wasn¡¯t as close as June¡¯s reatorsno with an outsider like Caroline. If Kirk upset Jude, Sean was worried that he would face more opposition for his business in Easton. Of course, Kirk knew that, but since Caroline wanted him to go, he would do so. At this moment, the phone rang. Kirk nced at his phone and answered the call. ¡°Where are you, Uncle Kirk?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t answer but asked in return, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Grandpa wants us to see him. He said that he has something important to discuss.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After hanging up the phone, Kirk got up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Sean looked at his retreating figure and shrugged helplessly. He hoped that Jude would ept Kirk¡¯s identity when the time amved. Chapter 74 When Kirk amured at the Morison Manor. Eddy had just finished taking with Jude and came out of the study gentyno in a good mood. Hello, Uncle Kin¡± Kirk nodded slightly. He asked, ¡°What did your grandpa tak to you about? Eddy said unhappily. ¡°He asked me to stop looking for Cample¡¯s husband¡± Kink raised an eyebrow, but then he heard Eddy say. ¡°This wil after my purput of Carpine¡± Kirk remained silent ¡°Mr. Kirk Simon stepped forward. Mr. Momson Senior is watting for you made.¡± Kirk pave a light hum in acknowledgment devoid of any emotion. After emering the study he greeted Jute who was Siting on the armchair. ¡°Uncle Jude¡± Jude smiled and said. ¡°You¡¯re here. Come and have a sear.¡± Kirk sat across from Jude calmly. Tm going to see Caroline¡¯s husband the day after tomorrow.¡± Jube stood up with the support of his waking cane Trave you goter any news about him? Kirk shook his head. ¡°Even you can¡¯t find out anything about him. I¡¯m afraid this person isn¡¯t so simple Jure looked a (in and asked. Kincare you fee the day after tomorrow?¡± Kirk stood up elegantly. He asked. ¡°Do you want me to go with you Unce Jude¡± Jude mused, ¡°That¡¯s right. If even you can¡¯t find out anything about Carpines rustend, he must be a foreigner Shrice you¡¯ve been sorted for many years, you might know him.¡± Kirk¡¯s lips curled into a smile. He said. ¡°Pemaps, but I don¡¯t think I can scare the time to rep you¡± Jude didn¡¯t insist on him going, and he said. ¡°In that case. I¡¯ll discuss it with you ater mest him in cersion.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Two dayster, Caroline arranged a meeting ce in Grandeworm., a neighboring city, to avoid unnecessary toune. It was a two¨Chour drive, so to prevent Kirk from exhausting himself by driving them there. Carbine booked a driver. However, she got a call from Kirk before she got into the car. He said something hade up at work, so he had to handle it. He asked Caroline to head over to the meeting ce first. Caroline wanted to say something, but Kirk had already hung up the phone in a hurry. She had no choice but to set dits. If Kirk waste, she could still cover for him. After all this was his first time meeting Jude, and beingte could leave a tad impression. Two hourster, Caroline arrived at the ce they had agreed on. There was a row of luxury cars caked in front of the note. Simon was waiting at the door. When he saw Caroline, he waved her over. ¡°helo. Ms. Evans.¡± Caroline hurriedly approached him. ¡°Mr. Zellen has Grandpa amived?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s waiting in the private room. Simon looked behind Caroline, asking. Where¡¯s your hussant Caroline said awkwardly, ¡°Something came up at work but he should being soon. I¡¯ll go and meet Grandbe first¡± ¡®Okay.¡± Simon led Caroline to the private room. Although this was only a five¨Cstar hotel it was very elegantly designed and decorated. It suited Jube s taste. When Carsiline entered the private room, Jude praised her, saying, ¡°You know me so well Carrie. You picked such a quiet ce for me.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Jude looked away from the painted or the kid z?t told hd Caroline repeated what she¡¯d told Simon. When she was done, she sald, Grandpa, R¡¯s been a Mae Wale We had me, right? Since we¡¯re free today, why don¡¯t I make you a cup?¡± Herpasslon touched Jude, He hd, ¡°? ¡± ? ?? ? ? ? Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Chapter 74 When Kirk amured at the Morison Manor. Eddy had just finished taking with Jude and came out of the study gentyno in a good mood. Hello, Uncle Kin¡± Kirk nodded slightly. He asked, ¡°What did your grandpa tak to you about? Eddy said unhappily. ¡°He asked me to stop looking for Cample¡¯s husband¡± Kink raised an eyebrow, but then he heard Eddy say. ¡°This wil after my purput of Carpine¡± Kirk remained silent ¡°Mr. Kirk Simon stepped forward. Mr. Momson Senior is watting for you made.¡± Kirk pave a light hum in acknowledgment devoid of any emotion. After emering the study he greeted Jute who was Siting on the armchair. ¡°Uncle Jude¡± Jude smiled and said. ¡°You¡¯re here. Come and have a sear.¡± Kirk sat across from Jude calmly. Tm going to see Caroline¡¯s husband the day after tomorrow.¡± Jube stood up with the support of his waking cane Trave you goter any news about him? Kirk shook his head. ¡°Even you can¡¯t find out anything about him. I¡¯m afraid this person isn¡¯t so simple Jure looked a (in and asked. Kincare you fee the day after tomorrow?¡± Kirk stood up elegantly. He asked. ¡°Do you want me to go with you Unce Jude¡± Jude mused, ¡°That¡¯s right. If even you can¡¯t find out anything about Carpines rustend, he must be a foreigner Shrice you¡¯ve been sorted for many years, you might know him.¡± Kirk¡¯s lips curled into a smile. He said. ¡°Pemaps, but I don¡¯t think I can scare the time to rep you¡± Jude didn¡¯t insist on him going, and he said. ¡°In that case. I¡¯ll discuss it with you ater mest him in cersion.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Two dayster, Caroline arranged a meeting ce in Grandeworm., a neighboring city, to avoid unnecessary toune. It was a two¨Chour drive, so to prevent Kirk from exhausting himself by driving them there. Carbine booked a driver. However, she got a call from Kirk before she got into the car. He said something hade up at work, so he had to handle it. He asked Caroline to head over to the meeting ce first. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Caroline wanted to say something, but Kirk had already hung up the phone in a hurry. She had no choice but to set dits. If Kirk waste, she could still cover for him. After all this was his first time meeting Jude, and beingte could leave a tad impression. Two hourster, Caroline arrived at the ce they had agreed on. There was a row of luxury cars caked in front of the note. Simon was waiting at the door. When he saw Caroline, he waved her over. ¡°helo. Ms. Evans.¡± Caroline hurriedly approached him. ¡°Mr. Zellen has Grandpa amived?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s waiting in the private room. Simon looked behind Caroline, asking. Where¡¯s your hussant Caroline said awkwardly, ¡°Something came up at work but he should being soon. I¡¯ll go and meet Grandbe first¡± ¡®Okay.¡± Simon led Caroline to the private room. Although this was only a five¨Cstar hotel it was very elegantly designed and decorated. It suited Jube s taste. When Carsiline entered the private room, Jude praised her, saying, ¡°You know me so well Carrie. You picked such a quiet ce for me.¡± Jude looked away from the painted or the kid z?t told hd Caroline repeated what she¡¯d told Simon. When she was done, she sald, Grandpa, R¡¯s been a Mae Wale We had me, right? Since we¡¯re free today, why don¡¯t I make you a cup?¡± Herpasslon touched Jude, He hd, ¡°? ¡± ? ?? ? ? ? ¤Ê¤Ç Chapter 75 Simon immediately asked the hotel to bring a coffee brewing kit and mugs, Caroline took the opportunity to text Kirk. ¡°My Grandpa is here. How long do you need to get here?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t reply. The staff had brought the tools, so Caroline had no choice but to concentrate on brewing coffee for Jude. Skill and knowledge were required to make coffee. She couldn¡¯t be careless, The staff brought them Robusta Coffee beans. Caroline ground the coffee beans with the grinder and bolled some water. Then, she poured the ground coffee beans into a filter. Finally, she slowly poured the hot water through the filter into a mug, filling the room with the fragrant scent of coffee. A cup of dark coffee was ready, emitting an aromatic, smoky scent. ¡°Here you go. Grandpa.¡± Jude picked up the coffee. He took a sip and smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Your coffee is as delicious as always, Carrie.¡± Caroline said modestly, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re just being nice, Grandpa.¡± Jude waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not. I know you, Carrie. You strive to do your best at everything. Take this cup of coffee, for example. A professional may not make coffee as good as yours.¡± ¡°Grandpa Jude sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a pity Eddy won¡¯t get to try it.¡± Caroline lowered her head and remained silent. Jude smiled and didn¡¯t say anything more. He turned his attention to the emerald bracelet on Caroline¡¯s wrist. He asked, ¡°Did your husband give you this bracelet?¡± Jude had noticed it when Caroline had been making coffee. Caroline smiled slightly. She said with a hint of pride, ¡°Yes.¡± She¡¯d worn the emerald bracelet on purpose. She hoped to prove to Jude how good Kirk was to her and help Jude make a good impression. Jude looked at the bracelet. He didn¡¯t say anything but took a sip of his coffee. Everything was silent for a while. Caroline couldn¡¯t guess what Jude was thinking. She thought he was annoyed at Kirk for beingte. She made an excuse to leave the private room and called Kirk. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Kirk frowned, not remembering where he¡¯d seen Brie before. After a brief moment of astonishment, Howard said to Jude, overjoyed, ¡°I came all the way here to see you. Since Mr. Kirk is here too, I don¡¯t need to make another trip to see him.¡± Jude didn¡¯t like the Collins family, but he still spoke politely. ¡°Is there anything we can do for you?¡± Howard started, ¡°Jude, the Morrisons are one of the big four familles, but our family isn¡¯t small either. Brie has be aughingstock because of Mr. Kirk. Shouldn¡¯t you give us an exnation about this?¡± Chapter 77 Along with Brie, the entire Collins family had be theughing stock of the pubic Fence TO VETI TED CONTE TEXE at give Jute a piece of his mina. Jude furrowed his brows in displeasure. I only ever mentioned a blind date, and never mentioned rasan ate Kink manter estes was just a blind date, so there¡¯s nothing certain about it. What made you think that the two of then would set mater Howard was dumbstruck now, but there was nothing he could do to vent his anger ¡°You should at leastpensate us.¡± he said as he looked at Kirk. ¡°Wr. Kirk may be mamed aready out his caree focuses only on domestic businesses now. Besides, men get lonely pretty quickly, so why dont you let him mary another women?¡± Kirk¡¯s direction. Duster Ste in She lowered her head, looking shy and embarrassed. She leaned forward, making it look like she was going to fal imo ne arms any time soon. Unfortunately for her, Kirk dodged her easily. She almost fell to the ground because there was nothing to Subdotted After rposing herself, she heard him say, ¡°I won¡¯t marry another if my wife doesn¡¯t agree to it. There was something in the way re called Caroline his wife that was so endearing. Instantly, Brie fett a certain animosity and jealousy toward this wife of Kirks, whom Sted text met Stil ste ted est to put on a smile, but to others, her smile looked worse than when she cried. *Kirk, it¡¯d be my honor to serve you. I¡¯m not asking for a name or anything else. I promise I listen to whatever you say The frown on Jude¡¯s face deepened. However, Kirk found Brie¡¯s words amusing. The corner of his los tited upward in a smire. ¡°Realy? This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Brie¡¯s eyes it up almost instantly. She didn¡¯t hesitate to say, ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll do anything you want me to.¡± Then get down on the floor and bark like a dog twice,¡± Kirk told her calmly. There was a sister gint in his eyes. Howard and Brie were at a loss for words. ¡°Mr. Kirk¡± Howard said through gritted teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re going overtocand now? No matter what the Collins family was one of the big four families in Easton. The Worrisons stould at least stow them some respect Kirk narrowed his eyes at him. ¡°You can¡¯t even fulfill such a small request, yet you¡¯re telling me that you¡¯re willing to odey me? His voice was dripping with sarcasm. Brie bit her lip. She was so pissed that she started trembling. ¡°Kirk, I admire you from the bottom of my heart how could you treat me like this?¡± Now, Kirk tumed to look at Howard. ¡°Get lost! Or are you really nning to bark like a dog? The aura ne emanated was so intimidating that Howard almost jumped on the spot Howard couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say. In the end, he grabbed Brie by the hand, and they both left with their tails between ther less. In the basement parking lot, Caroline had been waiting for a long time, but no one came to her. She scrolled through her phone as she waited. Just as she started ying a second video on her phone, she heard someone knocking on the window. Ganding up, she saw a good- looking young man standing by the window. She opened the car door and asked, ¡°Are you Kirk¡¯s colleague?¡± Charles, Kirk¡¯s assistant responded with a smile and a nod. He couldn¡¯t heb himself fromparing her to the pictures he¡¯d seen of her She looked way prettier in person. So, this was the reason why Dr. Yates kept saying that good things wereing. ¡®This file is for you.¡± Caroline handed it to him. ¡°Tell me if there¡¯s a problem.* Charles took it from her, but he didn¡¯t open it. There was no need for it since all the file contained was a stack of nk papers. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± Ablush crept up Caroline¡¯s cheeks. This was the first time someone had called her that. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Caroline walked briskly to Kirk¡¯s side and stretched out her hand, asking. ¡®Where are the documents? ear Kirk looked down at Caroline¡¯s slender fingers and couldn¡¯t resist fiddling with them. He answered. In the ca ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline¡¯s hands were ticklish, but she didn¡¯t resist. She continued to ask with a smile. What does your enhardinals took like? ¡°He has a face,¡± Caroline chuckled and said, ¡°I¡¯m serious. What if I give them to the wrong person?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t. He¡¯ll definitely recognize you.¡± Kirk handed the keys to Caroline and said, ¡°I¡¯ll head un there first. You can join us after you hand him the documents.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline nodded obediently. She watched Kirk leave before getting into the car and wailing pallently The elevator stopped on the third floor, and Kirk walked towards the private room. He¡¯d never been this nervous before. Heughed at himself. Discussing billion¨Cdor deals with other people was easler than this. He wondered what was wrong with him. He walked to the private room and knocked on the door. Simon opened the door. When he saw Kirk standing outside, he was stunned. It wasn¡¯t until Jude asked him who was at the door that he snapped out of his stupor and made way for Kirk. ¡°Uncle Jude,¡± Kirk said, walking into the private room. Just like Simon, Jude was surprised to see him here. ¡°What are you doing here? Didn¡¯t you say that you were busy?¡± Kirk said, with aplicated expression. ¡°You¡¯re right. I was busy.¡± ¡°So, why are you here?¡± Kirk straightened his clothes, revealing his wrist. He said, ¡°Because I have something to tell you,¡± ¡°Did you find information about Caroline¡¯s husband?¡± Jude sald excitedly, Kirk was about to say something when there was amotion outside the door. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Jude and I are old friends. Hurry up and let me In! Let go of me! I want to see Jude!¡± Jude frowned, asking sternly. ¡°What happened?¡± Simon had already arrived at the door. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s Howard and his daughter, Brie.¡± Jude walked to the door with his walking cane. When he saw the father and daughter being stopped by security guards, he frowned instantly. ¡°Let them go.¡± When the guards heard his order, they immediately released Howard and Brie. The two trotted to Jude Immediately. Before they couldpose themselves, they were frightened by Kirk, who was standing behind Jude. Their faces turned pale. ¡°Mr. Kirk¡­¡± Brie frantically straightened her hair. She asked, ¡°W¨Cwhat are you doing here?¡± When Brie had seen Caroline, she¡¯d thought that thetter was just having dinner with Jude. She didn¡¯t expect Kirk to be here too. Kirk frowned, not remembering where he¡¯d seen Brie before. After a brief moment of astonishment, Howard said to Jude, overjoyed, ¡°I came all the way here to see you. Since Mr. Kirk is here too, I don¡¯t need to make another trip to see him.¡± Jude didn¡¯t like the Collins family, but he still spoke politely. ¡°Is there anything we can do for you?¡± Howard started, ¡°Jude, the Morrisons are one of the big four familles, but our family isn¡¯t small either. Brie has be aughingstock because of Mr. Kirk. Shouldn¡¯t you give us an exnation about this?¡± Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Along with Brie, the entire Collins family had be theughing stock of the pubic Fence TO VETI TED CONTE TEXE at give Jute a piece of his mina. Jude furrowed his brows in displeasure. I only ever mentioned a blind date, and never mentioned rasan ate Kink manter estes was just a blind date, so there¡¯s nothing certain about it. What made you think that the two of then would set mater Howard was dumbstruck now, but there was nothing he could do to vent his anger ¡°You should at leastpensate us.¡± he said as he looked at Kirk. ¡°Wr. Kirk may be mamed aready out his caree focuses only on domestic businesses now. Besides, men get lonely pretty quickly, so why dont you let him mary another women?¡± Kirk¡¯s direction. Duster Ste in She lowered her head, looking shy and embarrassed. She leaned forward, making it look like she was going to fal imo ne arms any time soon. Unfortunately for her, Kirk dodged her easily. She almost fell to the ground because there was nothing to Subdotted After rposing herself, she heard him say, ¡°I won¡¯t marry another if my wife doesn¡¯t agree to it. There was something in the way re called Caroline his wife that was so endearing. Instantly, Brie fett a certain animosity and jealousy toward this wife of Kirks, whom Sted text met Stil ste ted est to put on a smile, but to others, her smile looked worse than when she cried. *Kirk, it¡¯d be my honor to serve you. I¡¯m not asking for a name or anything else. I promise I listen to whatever you say The frown on Jude¡¯s face deepened. However, Kirk found Brie¡¯s words amusing. The corner of his los tited upward in a smire. ¡°Realy? Brie¡¯s eyes it up almost instantly. She didn¡¯t hesitate to say, ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll do anything you want me to.¡± Then get down on the floor and bark like a dog twice,¡± Kirk told her calmly. There was a sister gint in his eyes. Howard and Brie were at a loss for words. ¡°Mr. Kirk¡± Howard said through gritted teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re going overtocand now? No matter what the Collins family was one of the big four families in Easton. The Worrisons stould at least stow them some respect Kirk narrowed his eyes at him. ¡°You can¡¯t even fulfill such a small request, yet you¡¯re telling me that you¡¯re willing to odey me? His voice was dripping with sarcasm. Brie bit her lip. She was so pissed that she started trembling. ¡°Kirk, I admire you from the bottom of my heart how could you treat me like this?¡± Now, Kirk tumed to look at Howard. ¡°Get lost! Or are you really nning to bark like a dog? The aura ne emanated was so intimidating that Howard almost jumped on the spot Howard couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say. In the end, he grabbed Brie by the hand, and they both left with their tails between ther less. In the basement parking lot, Caroline had been waiting for a long time, but no one came to her. She scrolled through her phone as she waited. Just as she started ying a second video on her phone, she heard someone knocking on the window. Ganding up, she saw a good- looking young man standing by the window. She opened the car door and asked, ¡°Are you Kirk¡¯s colleague?¡± Charles, Kirk¡¯s assistant responded with a smile and a nod. He couldn¡¯t heb himself fromparing her to the pictures he¡¯d seen of her She looked way prettier in person. So, this was the reason why Dr. Yates kept saying that good things wereing. ¡®This file is for you.¡± Caroline handed it to him. ¡°Tell me if there¡¯s a problem.* N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Charles took it from her, but he didn¡¯t open it. There was no need for it since all the file contained was a stack of nk papers. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± Ablush crept up Caroline¡¯s cheeks. This was the first time someone had called her that. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Brie had just suffered a lot at Kirk¡¯s hands. Seeing Caroline here, she could finally have someone as her punching bag. She wasted no time grabbing Caroline¡¯s arm andshing out at her, ¡°You¡¯re here to seduce Eddy¡¯s second uncle, right?¡± Caroline nced sideways to look at her arm, which was stinging from Brie¡¯s grasp. ¡°Let go!¡± she spat. Brie didn¡¯t listen. It was as though she¡¯d gone mad with rage. If she couldn¡¯t get what she wanted, why could Caroline? Seeing that Brie wasn¡¯t going to let go anytime soon, Caroline grabbed her by the wrist, her fingernails sinking deeply into her flesh. Brie yelped in pain and let go of Caroline to look at the marks on her wrist. She rushed at Caroline, ready to tear her apart. Caroline dodged her easily and looked up at the surveince camera not far away from them. ¡°Ms. Collins, please behave,¡± she warned. Howard realized that this wasn¡¯t their territory, and if Brie continued on with that crazed look of hers, she would humiliate their family even more. Hastily, he rushed forth to stop Brie. ¡°Brie,¡± Howard called out to her. ¡°It¡¯s not worth it to lower your status just to deal with someone like her. Let¡¯s go.¡± Brie was unwilling to leave. ¡°But dad, why does she get to have a meal together with Eddy¡¯s second uncle?¡± Caroline was already in the elevator when she heard this. Her brows knitted together at Brie¡¯s This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. words. Eddy¡¯s second uncle was here too? The door of the elevator closed slowly, blocking her sight of those two members of the Collins family. At least her mood improved now that they were out of her sight. She also felt a little excited to know that Eddy¡¯s second uncle was here too. It wasn¡¯t long before Caroline reached the third floor. Her footsteps were light when she strode into the private room. Grandpa She pushed the door open and entered the room, only to find that no one was in there Stunned, she hastily took out her phone and called Kirk Just as she turned back to the doct, she saw him walking out of the elevator Ending the call, she rushed over to him and tugged at his shirt ¡°Did something happen?¡± She asked, concerned. ¡°What could happen? Kirk raised an eyebrow ¡°Did Grandpa do anything to you?¡± ¡°No¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Grandpa then?¡± ¡°The Morrisons called just now They said something was up back at their ce, so he had to leave I followed him downstairs to see him off¡± Caroline let out a sigh of relief Out of the blue, she realized that she was standing especially close to him. It was as though she were a concerned wife who was bombarding her husband withi questions Embarrassed, she quickly let go of him. ¡°What did Grandpa say now that he¡¯s seen you?¡± ¡°Nothing¡± Kirk told her. ¡°He barely got the chance to say anything before they called ham, and he left¡± ¡°Did you meet Eddy¡¯s second uncle then?¡± Kirk furrowed his brows, sensing something was off ¡°How did you know he was here?¡± ¡°I saw Brie The realization dawned on him right away. He changed the topic by asking. ¡°Did you make the coffee on the table?¡± ¡°Yep¡± ¡°Make another one for me, will you?¡± He¡¯d never tried Caroline¡¯s coffee before ¡°Sure!¡± Caroline answered, and they both entered the room together ¡°De you like coffee ¡°Yes,¡± Kirk minmured, almost unintelligibly Then, Carome started making tea She kept her fut anterion the entire time, het pas sed d her hands Her movements were swift, just like those of a true cottes expert Her hands sensed particrly elegant when the poured the coffee into the rang Kak watched, mesmenzed as she worked ¡°Tre done Caroline passed him a mug and he seized the opportunity to grab her hand as has Something like that wouldn¡¯t have been a big deal to Caroline, but space it was Kuk, it made best broth Howevrt, Kirk appeared to be nonchnt He tipped the mug slightly and took a whiff at it. relishing the tragrance of the coffee smells good.¡± Somehow, Caroline thought that there was something else behind his words, and the top of hat ears burned. She lowered her head, trying to get free of his grasp in vain. In the eat, she decided to amply shut the focus to something else. You saw Eddy¡¯s secam uncle What does he look like?¡± Kark frone momentarily He then pulled her hand abruptly, causing her to lose bnce and fall into his arms Leaning against his warm chest, she was in so much shock that the didn¡¯t dare to move at all in barely a whisper, she called his name, ¡°Kick Rark¡¯s palm moved from her slim waist to caress her cheeks ¡°Mhim? He hummed, she could feel bus breath on her face. It was warts and soothing He lifted her up, ced her on the table, and kissed her on her forehead, the up of her nose, and her lips. A shadow flitted across his eyes ¡®Babe ¡°He muttered in a raspy wowe, ¡°Let me This was the first time he d called her that The happiness she felt was suddenly reced by bitterness when she thought of how he might ve called other women the same thing With the final ounce of reason in her, she pushed her hands against his chest. Penting, she said, Based on our agreement, we shouldn¡¯t fall in love with each other So what are we sow? Kirk frowned at being interrupted so abruptly it took a minute for him toe up with a supe tsspouse Partners in bear Timmediately, Caroline fell her entire busy Bun o from his answer are you saying that we¡¯re only doing this to fulfill my heeds? Netting the gloon that had washed over Caroline¡¯s face, Kirk felt his heart racing out of anxiety Despite that, he still appeared to be as calm as ever ¡®We¡¯re adults. It¡¯s only natural that we have Dat needs Caroline nodded and replied curtly ¡°Ok I understand now ¡°She bent over to pick up her shirt and left Kuk alone in the room without a single look back. As he stood there alon Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Caroline¡¯s thoughts were all jumbled up on the entire drive back home. She was so distracted that she almost crashed into some utility poles by the road. She couldn¡¯t help but feel pissed every time she recalled what Kirk had said What was worse was that she couldn¡¯t say anything to him. In the end, she parked the car by the roadside and took out her phone. Just as she was about to call another driver, her phone rang. It was Gwen ¡°How was it today?¡± ¡°Forget it Disappointment seeped through her voice. ¡°What happened?¡± Gwen sounded nervous. Caroline didn¡¯t know how to exin things to Gwen, so she simply came up with an excuse Nothing Grandpa had to leave suddenly. I don¡¯t know what happened.¡± ¡°Oh Gwen said, sounding mysterious all of a sudden. ¡°Speaking of which, I saw lots of luxury cars parked at the hospital¡¯s inpatient department that¡¯s dedicated to the Morrisons. It seems like some big shot in their family was hospitalized.¡± *te Metcalled op ENGAGE Put me the * son de bore he rate and the 2 * Bees geared to act ? the Med the appese on the shoeck Restless she As he agan vedal ***** deved a call from SM Zeilen, is something the Wanted to you toe in the hospital This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Came in what we told and he jumped into her throat Grande 1. b. Sumed to have guessed that she must have gotten some news is Sun and decided not to bude de orb. Th¡¯s M Biddy He had an ident he¡¯s at the per Cups raine dit want to go Still, she art secause of ute kexpected the saw way car wild the arved at the gatent department of the spp She walked past the cars and entered the buiting The guards who were stationed at the ace di stup das on dick ten gats be just an meta, Gualne mader teen way to Eity¡¯s mam. It was on how sited almost lost Avey live there back then, this me, daun, ute was here to in Buty say want that some dachined one of han legn, with was now hanging in the alt The Bay but, ung however be harumphed when he saw Carte Lorendra died ads walked towaid Jude 16 frown on a face vanished in an instant when he saw her ¡®Care, you¡¯re here! I¡¯m so sorry Aut asking you to zame here at this heir ¡°What happened? Jude red at Eddy in a reprimanding tone, he said, ¡°He sped and got into an ident. Serves hun tight Later, his voice softened as he told her, ¡®The chef made him quite a lot of healthy meals, but he refused to eat them. You always took care of him when he was sick before, so I thought you could help out Eddy opened his mouth to speak but was immediately silenced by Jude¡¯s piercing re. Caroline instinctively thought of refusing the old man¡¯s request. ¡°Grandpa, my cooking is surely not on par with the chef¡¯s¡± ¡°But Eddy wants to eat what you cook¡± Jude¡¯s tone was soft when he spoke to her. ¡°Carrie, you won¡¯t refuse this old man¡¯s request, right?¡± Indeed, she could refuse it if it was Eddy asking, but she couldn¡¯t find it in her to refuse Jude. Eventually, she relented, saying, ¡°Okay¡± Jude finally smiled. ¡°That¡¯s the Carrie I know! Eddy¡¯s all yours. I can finally stop worrying now. The ingredients have all been prepared. You can cook anything you like. I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± ¡°Grandpa- Caroline wanted to stop him from leaving, but he left without a sound, just like the wind. He was even so thoughtful as to close the door for her. Speechless, Caroline recalled how Jude had used the same trick to match¨Cmake Eddy and her in the past Back then, she¡¯d been immensely grateful to him, but now she just found it awkward. Sighing, she headed for the do Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Cadline turned to look at him. ¡°What? ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise Grandpa that you¡¯d take care of me?¡± Eddy stared at her with anxious eyes Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re breaking your promise Caroline didn¡¯t feel like entertaining him. She simply walked out of the room to ask the bodyguards where the kitchen was One of them led her straight to the kitchen, which was full of a variety of vegetables, poultry, and meat Everything had been rinsed and cleaned beforehand. All Caroline had to do was cook. Before this, she¡¯d been in charge of all three of Eddy¡¯s meals every day. Naturally, she knew his preferences. Now, though, she didn¡¯t want to cook based on that anymore. She¡¯d be cooking whatever she wanted! After half an hour, the bodyguard brought two dishes into Eddy¡¯s room. Both of them were steamed asparagus Eddy¡¯s face contorted in disgust at the sight of them. ¡°What else did you cook? ¡°Nothing Picking up her te of asparagus, Caroline sat at the table and started eating the food slowly She hadn¡¯t had lunch and had lost her appetite, so she¡¯d resorted to cooking this in and simple dish Eddy was so pissed that he wanted to throw the cutlery onto the ground. ¡°You¡¯re asking me to eat this even though I¡¯m sick?¡± In the past, Caroline would never do something like this to him! ¡°Don¡¯t eat it if you don¡¯t want to,¡± she replied, not even raising her head to look at him. Eddy was totally dumbstruck. At Kirk¡¯s apartment, Sean was perched on the edge of his seat. He tried his best to keep a serious look on his face, but his efforts were all in vain. It didn¡¯t evenst for a second before he startedughing out loud. ¡°You actually told her that you two are partners in bed-¡± He continuedughing his head off, which made Kirk¡¯s already gloomy face darken dangerously. He didn¡¯t understand what was so funny about it. Based on their deal, he and Caroline shouldn¡¯t fall for each other So, what was wrong with calling themselves ¡°partners in bed¡°? Wasn¡¯t it just The perfect term to describe their rtionship? After all, physical touch was way better than a piece of contract paper. As Kuk¡¯s best friend, Sean clearly understood what was on his mind. After some time, he finally managed to suppress hisughter. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°It seems to me that I have to teach you some tricks to pursue your girl.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hot pursuing her ¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Sean rose from his seat. ¡°Sorry for bothering you. Goodbye.¡± He reached the door and was about to leave when Kirk closed his eyes and said in exasperation, Come back here¡± It wasn¡¯t every day that Sean got to see this side of Kirk. Gleeful, he turned to look at Kirk and said, ¡°Coaxing her is actually pretty simple.¡± He took a few steps in Kirk¡¯s direction. ¡°When did you get married? You didn¡¯t give her a ring, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not even worth anything-¡± Kirk started but was curtly interrupted by Sean, who yelled, ¡°Stop!¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Sean gestured and told him, ¡°Keep this in mind. To a woman, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s priceless or not as long as you¡¯re romantic. Gold is worth something, but she¡¯ll find it vulgar if you give her a pound of it ¡°A diamond ring is a different matter altogether. A single diamond ring is sufficient to melt the heart of any woman. She¡¯ll forget all about getting mad at you by then.¡± Kirk¡¯s fingers tapped lightly on the surface of the table. In the next instant, he pulled out his phone and called Charles. ¡°Send me thetest diamond ring designs from all the major jewelry stores Sean smiled in satisfaction as he patted Kirk on the shoulder. Confidently, he said, ¡°As long as you follow my advice, I promise you that she¡¯lle back to you in less than a month.¡± Kirk then turned sideways to nce at Sean¡¯s hand that rested on his shoulder. Thetter instantly felt a sense of foreboding and pulled his hand away immediately. but he iq apmann) (or a de aq qo #geed 19 ?? ?? ??? ang web of them were good wgh for Caroline Hto shut his eyes but due to He and round bu hope to Bangle Ampty he hose, and his eyes stapped open to look at Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Kirk picked up his phone and made a call. Bring Blue Moon over.¡± Sean gasped Blue Moon was the most expensive diamond ring in the world. Back in the day, Ivan had bought Blue Moon for his wife to thank her for helping him build his business. The ring had cost a whopping 300 million dors Before she¡¯d passed away, she¡¯d given the ring back to Ivan. She said it was meant for their future daughter¨Cinw. By doing this, Kirk was¡­ On the other end of the call, Ivan sounded very moved ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll arrange to have it sent to you immediately!¡± At the hospital, Eddy finished eating his steamed asparagus with disdain Once the bodyguard took the te away, Caroline got up to leave as well Seeing that, Eddy blurted out, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Home,¡± Caroline replied. ¡°But Grandpa asked you to take care of me.¡± ¡°Grandpa only asked me to take care of your food From tomorrow on, I¡¯ll bring you meals.¡± Eddy¡¯s expression, which had been one of disappointment seconds ago, brightened up at this He knew Caroline would cook good meals for him Once Caroline returned home, shey on her bed. She was totally exhausted Even so, her mind was very active She kept thinking about what Kirk said about being partners in bed Frustrated, she covered her ears. She tossed and turned in bed, but she still couldn¡¯t fall asleep Giving up, Caroline decided to work on the unfinished designs. This was her first time designing packaging for makeup products. Thus, Caroline relied on her experience to do it. She¡¯d been adding some final touches for the past few days. The designs would be done pretty soon. There was still a week before the deadline. When she finished it, she could send it off before Friday. After refining the design, Caroline saved the draft on herptop. When she stood up to stretch, she realized it was already past 5 am. The time was just right for her to make breakfast. When she thought about how she had to prepare breakfast for Eddy too, Caroline felt annoyed. Yet she still couldn¡¯t turn Jude down. Caroline only took a couple of steps forward when a wave of nausea overtook her. Right then, the door opened. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Kirk saw Caroline frown in pain. Without even bothering to change his shoes, he immediately went up to help her. ¡°What happened?¡± Caroline felt weak. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I stood up too suddenly. I didn¡¯t sleepst Chapter 82 Chapter 82 After she said that, she smelled the scent of mint. It woke her up immediately, and she tookrge steps backward. Since she¡¯d taken such huge steps, her calf knocked into the coffee table. She lost her bnce and fell backward. Kirk quickly caught her by the waist. Caroline¡¯s face and ears turned red. She tried to push Kirk away. Kirk said hoarsely, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± To Kirk, the early morning was dangerous, especially when he had such a pretty woman in his arms. Caroline curled into Kirk¡¯s embrace. ¡°Then let me stand up first.¡± Kirk helped her stand slowly. Once Caroline found her footing, she ran off. She seemed to be escaping him. Kirk cursed to himself, thinking that Caroline was ungrateful. However, his face was still expressionless. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you sleep all night?¡± Kirk hadn¡¯t slept either. That was why his voice was slightly hoarse. Caroline went into the bathroom, trying her best to escape the mint scent following her. ¡°I still had a bit of work to do. I just finished it up.¡± Kirk nced over at the design on theputer table. ya hest mi?¡± ye as arcadaling so the tage her bead down and didn¡¯t look at Kirk After bunking about what would you like to eat? turk leaned agar teges for ¡°Sheep first. I¡¯ll buy you breakfast¡± Ce han 1 ano send fond fox Ebby too¡± Rupee desked. ¡°Yote sending him food¡± kurs had just returned from the hospital. He¡¯d already found out that Eddy had been admitted pretenday ¡°Yes the¡¯s very picky with food¡± Caroline had experienced it firsthand. Eddy would make a huge fuss if the food wasn¡¯t to his liking ¡°Enough talk. Wait outside, breakfast will be done in a bit¡± Caroline didn¡¯t want to spend time with Kirk under the same roof Kurk suppressed his displeasure ¡°Do you still care about him?¡± The house of the kitchen hood overpowered Kirk¡¯s voice. Caroline didn¡¯t hear what he¡¯d said. She statted cooking The sound of oil sttering was as loud as fireworks. Kuk hooned as he watched Caroline¡¯s back. There was a dark look in his eyes By the time Caroline finished making breakfast and came outside, Kirk was already gone. She was confused, but it was good that Kirk had left. Caroline sighed She ate her breakfast distractedly. Afterward, she called the Morrison family¡¯s bodyguard toe over and collect Eddy¡¯s food The bodyguard arrived quickly. He picked up the food container and asked, ¡°Are you noting along, Ms. Evans?* Eddy had been waiting for her since early this morning S=1&zm|dc ?? ???? Man ngungen die durch mehr am the Spa fojeng in a ¿µ dic ? ? ?? by Two are an unfl be that the woas de Aues What do Carlos yes we che put on her house slippers ¡°Where else can you be? You Tweed daily art I love you to bits But I¡¯ve also gotten something ajutades time ¡°Whea That instantly potted Caroline awake I saw him go to the Mornson Corporation building It seems he works for Morrison Corp¡± Utamterested Caroline yawned. ¡°He¡¯s always worked there¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t youe check on hum?¡° Caroline wasn¡¯t interested in that She did wonder if Kirk had eaten, though, considering he was still working overtime sote at night She asked ¡°Gwen, are you hungry? Do you want me to send you some supper? Gwenughed mischievously ¡°Since when have you ever sent me supper? You¡¯re not really doing this for me am I night?¡± Caroline got annoyed at being found out ¡®Do you want it or not? ¡°Of course I do¡± Caroline¡¯s cooking was superb Caroline hung up and cleared out the ingredients in the fridge. She prepared a hearty supper. She nned to send Kirk a message, but she decided against it after some thought. She couldn¡¯t After packing up the two portions of supper, Caroline drove over to where Gwen worked The financialpany Gwen worked at was right opposite Morrison Corp There was a cafe downstairs that was open 24 hours a day Gwen had already ordered two cups of coffee and was waiting there. When she saw Caroline, Gwen waved. ¡°Carol, over here.¡± Caroline went over with the supper. When she sat down, Gwen started grumbling ¡°Are you kidding? Why is it her again?¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Caroline followed her line of sight. Brie had just gotten out of her car at the entrance to Morrison Corporation Gwen bit down on her fork. ¡°But why is she at Morrison Corp at this hour?¡± There was a ripple in Caroline¡¯s calm eyes. She suddenly thought of Eddy¡¯s uncle Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Chapter 83 ¡°Hey, just ignore her. She¡¯s nearly gone mad after the gossip about her marriage to Mr. Morrison being a mistake.¡± Gwen hurriedly opened the lood container with her supper. She inhaled. ¡°It smells great. Carol, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had your cooking!¡± Caroline nced at the parking lot. ¡°You go ahead and eat. I¡¯m going to take some supper to Kirk.¡± ¡°Why the rush? Don¡¯t you want to wait until that crazy Brie leaves?¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°I can guess who she¡¯s here to see. I won¡¯t bump into her.¡± ¡°Alright, sure.¡± Gwen¡¯s attention was on the food. ¡°Go ahead then.¡± Caroline got up and headed to the parking lot with the food container. Then, she went to the Morrison Corporation building. She¡¯d used to bring food for Eddy when he¡¯d done overtime before. She¡¯d gotten used to how coldly he treated her. Yet she felt nervous as she stood there tonight. ¡°Ms. Evans!¡± The security guard recognized Caroline at a nce. He sounded sympathetic as he said, ¡°Are you bringing Mr. Eddy supper? He¡¯s not here, though.¡± Caroline gave a smile. ¡°No.¡± The security guard was shocked. ¡°Then who?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for¡­¡± For a moment, Caroline didn¡¯t know what to say. After a while, she continued, ¡°A friend.¡± The security guard nced at the building, which was nearly all dark. ¡°Are you sending it to the top floor?¡± The Morrison Corporation building had 88 floors. The top floor had always been empty, but it had been cleaned up recently. No one in thepany knew what that was about, much less the security guard. The guard had only asionally seen the lights turn on on the top floor. Like tonight. Caroline nced at the top floor too. Since Gwen said that Kirk hade in, then he must be there. After all, only the top floor was lit up in the whole building. ¡°Yes.¡± The security guard let Caroline through the barrier. He looked at Caroline¡¯s back and scratched his head. ¡°Weird. There should be only one man on the top floor. Why is everyone looking for him?¡± Caroline quickly reached the top floor. The cleaned¨Cup top floor looked brand new. There were understated but luxurious decorations on both sides of the corridor. There was a faint scent of mint in the air, which made Caroline¡¯s heart race. When she got to the door, Caroline suddenly felt regretful. Kirk had said they were only partners in bed. If that were true, why should she waste her elfort making him supper? Wasn¡¯t she just looking to embarrass herself? Caroline clenched her fists and turned around, still hesitating. When she lowered her head and saw the food container, she gave in again. Since he¡¯d had to work sote, he must be exhausted and hungry. 1 Caroline gritted her teeth. Gathering her courage, she knocked on the door. Caroline tensed. That voice was really familiar. She pushed the door open in a daze. She saw Brieid out on the office desk. Her posture was seductive. Caroline¡¯s food container dropped to the floor. Brie¡¯s expression changed. She hadn¡¯t expected Caroline to be the oneing inside. She quickly hopped off the desk, tugging at her dress. ¡°Why are you here?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Caroline had goosebumps all over. She thought of that lipstick. ¡°That lipstick is really yours!¡± ¡°What lipstick?¡± Brie touched her newly done hair. Then, she seemed to recall something. ¡°Did you hide the lipstick!¡± The first time they met, she had indeed secretly put a tube of lipstick in Mr. Morrison¡¯s pocket. She had wanted him toe and see her. It turned out that he hadn¡¯t done so because of Caroline. This bitch Caroline must have pulled some trick! Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Brie gritted her teeth. She seemed to have realized something and scoffed. She said, ¡°Forget it. What¡¯s the point of arguing this with you? Look- Brie turned around and picked up a velvet box from the table. She flipped it open. She showed off the contents of the box. Inside was a ring with a rare pink diamond. Caroline¡¯s brain started buzzing. Before she could react, Brie took out the diamond ring and put it on her index finger. ¡°He bought this especially for me. Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡± The ring gleamed in the warm light of the room. The sight made Caroline¡¯s heart ache. She put a hand over her heart and said, ¡°It¡¯s really you!¡± The other woman Kirk had was really Brie Collins! ¡°Of course it¡¯s me.¡± Brie misunderstood Caroline. She was pleased as she said, ¡°Would it be for you instead? Dream on. Just look at yourself. Do you think you¡¯re worthy of him?¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes were already starting to sting. She blinked and bit her lip hard. After a second, she said in a low voice, ¡°Actually, I have no right to ask anything about it. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± That said, Caroline walked off without looking back. Caroline¡¯s decisiveness surprised Brie. Still, she was d that Caroline was gone. Brie ducked her head and looked at the ring on her finger. She beamed. What a beautiful diamond ring! If only it were for her. ¡°Who said you coulde in here?¡± A stern voice suddenly came from behind Brie. Right after, Kirk¡¯srge figure approached. He grabbed the ring from Brie¡¯s finger. Brie¡¯s finger hurt so much that she gasped. ¡°Mr. Morrison, it hurts!¡± Kirk¡¯s demeanor was chilling. ¡°Who told you you could touch my things?¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Brie braced herself and tried to sway Kirk. ¡°Mr. Morrison, this ring is gorgeous. You should gift it to me.¡± Kirk¡¯s cold gazended on the food container on the floor. His brows furrowed. ¡°Who else was here?¡± ¡°No one,¡± Brie lied. Kirk¡¯s expression darkened further. ¡°I don¡¯t hit women, but I don¡¯t mind changing my mind about that!¡± Brie was taken aback. Fear seized her. ¡°It was. It was Caroline Evans.¡± She continued, ¡°Mr. Morrison, you shouldn¡¯t let that woman confuse you with her looks. She¡¯s not a good person. She¡¯s not right for you!¡± There was a loud bang as Kirk shoved Brie away. He picked up the food container on the ground and leaped over Brie, who had fallen to the ground. As he was about to leave, Kirk said coldly, ¡°Break the finger you wore the ring on. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± Brie sat on the floor and trembled all over. She feltpletely weak. Caroline had gone downstairs. At a loss, she headed toward the parking lot. Her heart was in such pain. It hurt so much that she could barely breathe. Strangely, she was hoping for the pain not to end. It was as though, if she kept feeling the hurt, she wouldn¡¯t recall that Kirk had another woman. And that woman was Brie Collins. She¡¯d imagined it to be many other people, but she¡¯d never thought it would be Brie. There was a hurried knock at the car window. rabbit. She reached for her car keys in a panic and started the car. Kirk didn¡¯t stop banging on the car window. ¡°Caroline, open the door!¡± Caroline turned the steering wheel in a frenzy as she tried hard to ignore Kirk outside the car. When Kirk saw this, he frowned. He looked toward the exit, which wasn¡¯t too far away. He quickly jogged over and stood by the barrier. Caroline drove closer to Kirk, the headlights shining on him. Despite that, he stood firm as a tree and didn¡¯t even move a muscle. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Anxious, Caroline red the car hom. Even so, Kirk stood in ce. Caroline gritted her teeth and made her decision. She slowly drove the car closer. Kirk still didn¡¯t budge. He watched Caroline drive closer without even blinking. There was no breeze that night. The light from above shone on his features, making them seem deeper and clearer. With the glow of themplight, Kirk could see Caroline Inside the car, her fingers gripping the steering wheel tightly. The car slowed, inching ahead gradually. After a long while, Caroline finally lost it. She mmed on the brakes. Caroline rushed out of the car. ¡°Are you mad? Don¡¯t you know you could have died if you didn¡¯t move aside?¡± Kirk¡¯s lips curled up slightly. He held up the food container. ¡°Did you bring this for me?¡± ¡°No!¡± Caroline denied it without hesitating. Kirk went up to take Caroline¡¯s hand. He¡¯d been in such a bad mood when he¡¯d found out Caroline was cooking for Eddy. He¡¯d gone to a boxing club to vent his frustrations. Now, seeing that Caroline had brought him food, his bad mood finally dissipated. Caroline moved away from him. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Don¡¯t block my way.¡± Kirk pulled Caroline before him. He looked down at her with amusement in his eyes. ¡°Where are you going?¡± He moved closer, his mint scent overwhelming Caroline. Caroline felt so bad that she was going to cry. She could only brace herself and try to move away. ¡°Home, of course.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go home with you.¡± Kirk bit the shell of Caroline¡¯s ear. Caroline¡¯s heart was thundering. After a brief moment of dazedness, she tried her hardest to push Kirk away. She said icily. ¡°No need. You should ¡­¡± Caroline thought of how they¡¯d said they wouldn¡¯t interfere in each other¡¯s personal lives. Hence, she shoved aside the words she¡¯d wanted to say¨Cthat Kirk should go back and spend time with Brie. (1) Caroline turned to head back to the car. Kirk assumed Caroline was only throwing a tantrum. He picked her up and carried her in his arms. Even though Caroline protested, he still managed to shove her into the car¡¯s passenger seat. As for himself, Kirk took the driver¡¯s seat. Caroline struggled and sat up. Displeased, she asked, ¡°What exactly do you want, Kirk?¡± Brie was just upstairs. Shouldn¡¯t he go back and stay with her? ¡°To go home.¡± Kirk raised an eyebrow and started the car. Noticing that Caroline seemed like she wanted to make a move, he wamed, ¡°90 % of car idents are caused by the driver being distracted.¡± Caroline was speechless. She¡¯d just thought about making another move. Kirk nced at Caroline, who had quieted down. He smiled and took her hand. This time, she didn¡¯t struggle at all. She was really scared that they might get into a car ident. After all, Eddy had just gotten into one two days ago. ¡°Why did you suddenly bring me supper?¡± Caroline leaned against the car window. She said in displeasure, ¡°Gwen is doing overtime. I thought I could bring you a portion since I wasing here anyway.¡± Kirk¡¯s movements paused. His smile disappeared as he tightened his grip on Caroline¡¯s hand. He didn¡¯t say anything else on the way home. Once they reached, Caroline went straight to her room. After changing his shoes, Kirk wanted to give the diamond ring to Caroline. However, he gave up on it when he saw Caroline leave for her N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. room. For the next few days, Caroline remained in her room. She barely came out at all. Although they spoke a few words to each other, it was obvious that she didn¡¯t want to talk to him. The atmosphere at home became oppressive. Even if Kirk talked about moving to the vi, Caroline was still uninterested. Feeling frustrated, Kirk went to see Sean. Although Sean was his countryman, he¡¯d been born abroad and had rarely returned to the country. He¡¯d onlye back this time because of Kirk. Yet, after returning. Sean had realized how much he¡¯d missed out on by noting back sooner. The country was huge with lots to see, and it was a culinary heaven for those who liked to ea Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Since he¡¯d gotten back, Sean had kept going out to look for good food. Early that morning, he waszing at home, having breakfast. He still hadn¡¯t dug into his fresh croissants when the front door mmed open. That action was filled with rage, so Sean could tell that the person wasn¡¯t anyone nice. He put down his croissant. Before he could take a few steps, he saw an angry Kirk. ¡°What¡¯s up? Did you get into another fight with Ms. Evans?¡± Kirk cast him a look. His lips were ttened into a thin line. Sean pointed at himself. ¡°Did I offend you?¡± That couldn¡¯t be right! When had he offended Kirk? Kirk¡¯s eyes narrowed as he kept silent. Sean really felt defeated. He handed Kirk a croissant. ¡°There¡¯s nothing some croissants can¡¯t fix. If one can¡¯t fix it, have more.¡± Kirk tried to keep his anger controlled. ¡°Sean Yates.¡± Sean sensed that something was amiss. He put his smile away. ¡°What¡¯s going on? How am I supposed to fix it if you don¡¯t tell me?¡± Kirk shot him a look but still didn¡¯t say anything. Sean didn¡¯t back down. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just wait until you want to tell me.¡± Caroline made breakfast for Eddy today, as usual. She waited at the door for the bodyguard toe and collect the food. She nced at the time. The bodyguard wouldn¡¯t be here for another ten minutes, at least. Thus, she took herptop out. She wanted to use this time to give her design onest look. If there were no issues, she would send her entry off to thepetition organizer. The second she opened her email, the bodyguard arrived. Hence, Caroline put herptop aside and went to get the food container. ¡°Here you go.¡± The bodyguard didn¡¯t take it. Instead, he looked pained as he said, ¡°Ms. Evans, Mr. Eddy has ordered that you must bring it yourself.¡± Caroline¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Please don¡¯t make things hard for me.¡± Caroline let out a breath and went to get her keys. ¡°I got it.¡± The bodyguard smiled at that. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Evans.¡± Caroline got into the Morrison family¡¯s car and went to the hospital. When she arrived at the hospital room, she saw that Eddy¡¯s leg was still elevated. However, his complexion looked much better. It seemed that he¡¯d recovered a lot. Caroline put the food container on the table and said stiffly, ¡°Your food is here.¡± After saying that, she turned to leave. Eddy called out in a rush, ¡°Stand right there!¡± Caroline paused in her steps. She looked back and asked, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± *Barley ponidge with greens.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like any of that.¡± For the past few days, Caroline had been making food that he didn¡¯t like. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Then what do you want to eat?¡± Caroline looked at him calmly. Eddy said, ¡°You know what I like.¡± Caroline gave a chuckle. ¡°I really don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Caroline!¡± Eddy was provoked into anger. ¡°If this is your revenge, I¡¯ll admit that you¡¯re seeding at it. I only like eating your food.¡± Eddy thought that Caroline would feel touched by his words. After all, he¡¯d gone so far as to make such an admission already. Even so, Caroline was unmoved. She even smiled disdainfully. ¡°Eddy, what makes you think you can order me around? I¡¯m only caring for you because of Grandpa. If it weren¡¯t for him, I would have poisoned your food!¡± She added, ¡°Also, I don¡¯t care if you eat it or not. Next time, I won¡¯t let you have your way, even if you use Grandpa¡¯s name against me again.¡± Caroline said all this in a rush and didn¡¯t give Eddy the chance to retort. Then, she turned and left. Eddy was so angry that his face went purple. However, he had nowhere to vent his fury. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Chapter 87 After more than an hour, Sean finally found out from Kirk that he and Caroline were giving each other the cold shoulder. Sean scratched his head. ¡°¡­ Did you give her the ring?¡± Kirk red at Sean. ¡°How was I supposed to give it to her under these circumstances?¡± Sean sat on the couch. ¡°This is really weird. Did you do something to upset her that night she went to see you?¡± Kirk thought about it and replied, ¡°No.¡± That night, Caroline had even taken the initiative to bring him food. ¡°That¡¯s tough, then. A woman¡¯s mind is unknowable.¡± Sean scrunched up his face. He¡¯d dated a few women, but they¡¯d all been casual flings. When it came to love and romance, he didn¡¯t have much experience. Kirk¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I could get her in a month?¡± Sean replied, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t rush. Aren¡¯t I helping you think of a n?¡± Kirk¡¯s lips pursed into a line. He wanted to say he wasn¡¯t rushing but didn¡¯t. ¡°Right, you can check if there¡¯s something she wants done or an item she¡¯s been looking for. Help her get it. That might help her feel better about you.¡± 1 Kirk suddenly thought of the design he¡¯d seen on Caroline¡¯sptop a few days ago. His frown loosened. Then, he got up and headed to the door. ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± Sean asked as he chased behind Kirk. Kirk left without even looking at him. Sean shrugged and went back to the couch. He continued where he¡¯d left off, eating his delicacies. Food was the most important thing in life, after all. Caroline got out of the elevator and noticed that the door to her ce was wide open. 1 Her expression changed, and she quickly rushed to the door. It was aplete mess inside. La, the person who caused it, was sitting in her wheelchair. When she saw that Caroline had returned, a trace of panic appeared in her eyes. The next second, she met Caroline¡¯s gaze calmly. ¡°Did you do this?¡± Caroline clenched her fists, her eyes zing. La pushed her wheelchair to a stop before Caroline. Any signs of weakness on her face disappeared, leaving behind a sharp expression. ¡°You just came from the hospital, didn¡¯t you?¡± Laughed. ¡°I used to think you were dumb, but it seems like I¡¯m the stupid one. When ites toying schemes, I¡¯m no match for you!¡± When La had found out that Caroline had been taking care of Eddy every day, she¡¯d lost her temper, going crazy with fury. She¡¯d cooked up a plot to finally see Eddy, thinking she could get him to soften up with her. She¡¯d thought that maybe she could get him to cut contact with Caroline too. Unexpectedly, Eddy had only apologized when faced with La¡¯s tears. He¡¯d even said that he¡¯d fallen in love with Caroline¡¯s cooking. Even if it was only food, that was uneptable! Caroline stared at theptop on the floor, and her eyes narrowed. Her design! Caroline whipped out her phone and called 911. ¡°Hello, officer? Someone broke into my house and trashed the ce¡­¡± La was stunned for a second before she could react. She hurled hersell forward, trying to snatch Caroline¡¯s phone away. Caroline had reached her limit. She kicked La away. La was in so much pain that she gasped. She stood from the wheelchair without a care and reached to grab Caroline¡¯s hair. Caroline scratched La¡¯s arm, and blood seeped out. Provoked, La shouted and lunged at Caroline. They were on each other in a second, fighting. When the police came, they separated La and Caroline. La cried hideously in her wheelchair. She used, ¡°Officer, you saw that! She attacked me!¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Chapter 88 The policewoman in charge of taking statements nced at Caroline on the couch. She was quietly fiddling with herptop. La and Caroline had just been in a fight, so they both had various injuries on their bodies. Strictly speaking, though, La was in much worse shape than Caroline. Caroline had quite a few scratches on her arms and face. Her clothes were torn. All in all, she looked wretched. It really did look like Caroline had started it. Right then, the team in charge of taking pictures of the scene finished their task. They approached Caroline. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the two of you will have to make a trip down to the station to aid in the investigation.¡± Caroline looked at herptop with a pained expression. ¡°Alright.¡± Then, the police officers took La and Caroline to the police station. Caroline had been ced in a room to wait. This was her first time at a police station. Now that she¡¯d calmed down, Caroline noticed her hands shaking violently. After some time, someone finally walked in. But it wasn¡¯t a police officer. Instead, it was a young man in a suit. The man put his briefcase in front of Caroline. In a formal tone, he said, ¡°Ms. Evans, I¡¯m Ms. La Evans¡®wyer. ording to my client. she won¡¯t pursue the incident of your assault if you pay for the damages.¡± Carolineughed. ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡± Thewyer¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to put you behind bars, Ms. Evans. You only have to pay for the damages to the items in the apartment. If we do an assessment of the injuries¡­¡± Thewyer stood up and smiled. ¡°Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Gordon Wright.¡± Caroline¡¯s expression changed. Gordon Wright was Morrison Corporation¡¯s bestwyer. He won all of the cases that he took. ¡°La has put in a lot of effort to make sure I go to prison.¡± ¡°You should consider it carefully, Ms. Evans,¡± Gordon said. ¡°I¡¯ll leave for now. I¡¯ll be back in ten minutes.¡± Caroline lowered her head and didn¡¯t give an answer. The door closed and then opened again. Caroline looked up, expecting Gordon. However, it was a policewoman who hade in. She took a phone from a bag and handed it to Caroline. ¡°Do you need to contact awyer?¡± Caroline took the phone and grimaced. Was there a point to hiring awyer if La¡¯s was Gordon Wright? Besides, who would pay for herwyer? The Morrison family? The Evanses? She¡¯d already lost anyone to rely on when she rejected the marriage with Eddy. Heavy footsteps suddenly sounded from outside. ¡°Are you Ms. Caroline Evans?¡± just returned from a vacation. ¡°You are ¡­¡± Before the man could speak, the policewoman said in shock, ¡°You¡¯re Kal Strauss! Didn¡¯t you already retire?¡± Caroline found the name slightly familiar. He was a legal genius in Easton. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Back in the day, he¡¯d won some impressive transnational cases for Morrison Corporation before retiring. Even Gordon would have to be respectful to Kal. Why was Kai at the police station? And why was he looking for Caroline? Kai nced at Caroline¡¯s confused gaze and smiled. ¡°Ms. Evans, you can go now. Leave the rest to me Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Caroline followed behind Kai In a haze of confusion. With his hands in his pockets, Kai was confident as he asked Caroline, ¡°What kind of oue do you want from this, Ms. Evans?¡± Caroline thought about it seriously for a few minutes. ¡°What¡¯s the worst sentence that coulde out of a case like this?¡± Kal raised an eyebrow. When he looked at her, his eyes held some measure of admiration. He hadn¡¯t thought that the woman who was rumored to always run after Eddy Morrison was such a ruthless character. *For destruction of property and initiating a light, she could be jailed for a couple of weeks If proven guilty.¡± Caroline smiled slightly. ¡°With your capabilities, the sentence should be worse, right?¡± Kai grinned but didn¡¯t answer. Caroline straightened. ¡°I have onest question.¡± ¡°Please ask away.¡± ¡°Who hired you?¡± Kal looked into Caroline¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t answer this.¡± Before Kai had gotten here, his employer had warned him not to reveal the man¡¯s Identity. Kai certainly didn¡¯t want to offend the man. Hearing that, Caroline didn¡¯t question Kai any further. The two walked side by side to the exit. At the door, they stumbled upon La, who was about to get into her car when she spotted Caroline. She called in a strange tone.¡± Caroline.¡± Caroline turned slowly to look at her. La had already pushed her wheelchair before Caroline. They were at the police station, so she wasn¡¯t afraid of Caroline now. ¡°I¡¯m sure mywyer has informed you of my intentions.¡± As she spoke, Gordon walked out. When he saw the man standing behind Caroline, the color drained from his face. Yet La didn¡¯t notice this. She put her chin on her palm and said, ¡°Even if you waste all your effort on getting on Eddy¡¯s good side. you won¡¯t be able to win his heart even if you win his stomach!¡± Caroline scoffed. ¡°Only you would consider a cowardly man like him a treasure.¡± Then, she turned to Kai. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Strauss. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Kai said, ¡°Let me drive you home.¡± ¡°How could I trouble you to do that?¡± ¡°This is one of my duties. Let¡¯s go.¡± They continued speaking whilepletely ignoring La and Gordon. La was so annoyed by this that she shouted at Caroline, ¡°Caroline, I¡¯ll be sure to put you in the mmer!¡± Standing by La¡¯s side, Gordon¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I¡¯m afraid things might end up going the other way around, Ms. Evans.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What?¡± La raised her head, confused. Gordon said slowly. ¡°That man is Kai Strauss, my mentor.¡± La shuddered. Of course, she knew who the renowned Kai Strauss was. After Kai had retired, the Morrisons had tried to get him toe out of retirement many times. However, they had always been rejected. How could Caroline manage such a feat? Gordon said, ¡°He¡¯s my mentor. Could I have mistaken him for someone else?¡± Kai hadn¡¯t even looked at Gordon just now. It was as if Kai was very disappointed in him. Kai didn¡¯t drop Caroline off at her a Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Gordon said slowly. ¡°That man is Kai Strauss, my mentor.¡± La shuddered. Of course, she knew who the renowned Kai Strauss was. After Kai had retired, the Morrisons had tried to get him toe out of retirement many times. However, they had always been rejected. How could Caroline manage such a feat? Gordon said, ¡°He¡¯s my mentor. Could I have mistaken him for someone else?¡± Kai hadn¡¯t even looked at Gordon just now. It was as if Kai was very disappointed in him. Kai didn¡¯t drop Caroline off at her apartment. Instead, he sent her to Kirk¡¯s vi. When she saw the building, Caroline turned to ask Kai something, but he¡¯d already driven off. Looking at the half¨Copened front door, she walked up hesitantly and pushed it open. The smell of fresh cooking wafted in the air. The door to the kitchen was wide open. Through it, Caroline could see someone busying themselves inside. Right then, Caroline¡¯s nerves settled for some reason. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Kirk walked out holding a pan. He had on a gray apron. His expression was neutral as he looked at Caroline. His eyes were firmly fixed on her. ¡°Yes,¡± Caroline said with difficulty. ¡°I¡¯m almost done. We can eat in a bit. Just wait a second.¡± After saying that, Kirk went back to continue cooking. Quapter 50 Caroline followed him. Do you need help? ¡°There¡¯s no heed¡® Kirk¡¯s motions ment practiced. It looked like it was his first time cooking. A tablet by the hot was ying a cooking tutorial on repeat ¡°Is this your first time? Caroline was a little shocked Kink replied. ¡°Yes¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t tel.¡± Although Kirk seemed unustomed to it, he seemedpetent. That was the most surprising thing. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Kirk dumped the finished dish onto a t Caroline took the te out and put it on the table. Then she sat opposite Kirk ¡°Have a taste Caroline nodded and started digging into one of the dishes. After taking a bite, Carlineughed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like much, but it tastes great. You¡¯re naturally talented.¡± Kirk paused before serving himself a portion. His expression turned pleasant. Eating in harmony, neither of them talked about the police incident. Still, Caroline had already guessed that Kirk had been the one who¡¯d hired Kal Kal was someone not even the Morrison family could influence. Caroline stole a look at Kirk. She wanted to say something, but she didn¡¯t know how to bring it up. ¡°Isn¡¯t it to your taste? Kirk asked. He¡¯d noticed Caroline looking. Caroline shook her head and put down her cutlery. She asked, ¡°Did you hire Kai Strauss?¡± Kirk nodded. ¡°How did you convince him to do it?¡± ¡°I¡¯d helped him once.¡± Kirk wasn¡¯t lying. He¡¯d indeed helped Kai before. Back in the day, when Kai had been helping Morrison Corp fight a transnationalwsuit, he¡¯d often received death threats. Although the Morrison family may be powerful in Easton, that wasn¡¯t true elsewhere. In the end, Kirk had sent men to protect Kal. That was why Kai felt so grateful to Kirk. When he¡¯d heard that Kirk was looking for his help, he¡¯d flown in from Honordale immediately. Caroline realized that Kirk wasn¡¯t going to borate, but she didn¡¯t ask anything more. She continued eating. After she finished, Kirk didn¡¯t allow her to clear the table. ¡°You go and have a soak. Rest.¡± Caroline was indeed tired. She went upstairs and prepared a bath for herself. As she slipped her body into the tub, Caroline couldn¡¯t help but let out a low moan. Caroline quickly fell asleep. It wasn¡¯t clear whether she¡¯d sumbed to thefort or the fatigue. In her half¨Cconsciousness, Caroline felt a strong pair of arms holding her. They pulled her out of the water. ¡°You might catch a chill¡± When Kirk brushed a towel on her skin, Caroline shuddered. The motion had brought hints of electricity with it. They Jolled Carolinepletely awake. When Caroline saw Kirk kneeting before her, trying to dry her, she turned red. ¡®Let me do it myself- Caroline tugged at the towel and used it to cover herself. Kirk raised his head. When he spoke, his voice was husky. ¡°Go to sleep. I¡¯ll carry you back to bed once I dry you off.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit sleepy anymore. She gripped the towel tighter. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I can do it myself.¡± Kirk¡¯s eyebrows furrowed for a second. Then, they rxed again. He got up. His wet shirt stuck to his defined abs like a second skin. Caroline didn¡¯t dare to let her gaze wander down. She hurried him out. When the door closed, she finally let out a breath. She sat on the edge of the bathtub, still holding the towel. Kirk had helped her a lot. Caroline owed him more than a dozen favors by now. Especially today, when he¡¯d even gotten Kai toe and help her. She was afraid that the only way she could repay him was to give him her body. Yet when she thought of the other woman Kirk had, she felt disgusted. Especially because that woman was Brie. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 He got up. His wet shirt stuck to his defined abs like a second skin. Caroline didn¡¯t dare to let her gaze wander down. She hurried him out. When the door closed, she finally let out a breath. She sat on the edge of the bathtub, still holding the towel. Kirk had helped her a lot. Caroline owed him more than a dozen favors by now. Especially today, when he¡¯d even gotten Kai toe and help her. She was afraid that the only way she could repay him was to give him her body. Yet when she thought of the other woman Kirk had, she felt disgusted. Especially because that woman was Brie. Carolineughed self¨Cdeprecatingly. Other than by giving him her body, how else could she repay Kirk? chored in the bali tout mit went stat Ni wa Savchan to son chole with the star hoe want the rise, he turned his head agcumh A be trub mapollicem de har bra tabern bred mussten, When he thought about it, Cwoine toured that the Se ha en les fonas and went he text a hot at 10% at no cha de cuting ter es af bis A fear the harder by us Canine Carolina seat barkour own the dark at Her mind was buzzing, and she didn¡¯t know what to say She guider Kit¨¤ ante as die quero she shoulders, Canine had to stand on her tistes. Kirk slowly bent sea¡¯s et les met Kirk¡¯sw. Sly rose fund yang artatz Akera duyan at the bed fight for that dhe aty that he couldn¡¯t breathe. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. wander, and fur coat her body. She couldn¡¯t feel anything. e you? Kak¡¯s voice pulled Caroneck She touched her face was only then that she realized she was really crying. The pass ded He sat up calmly. ¡°You don¡¯t want to? B Caroline¡¯s open. She felt ost It wasn¡¯t that she wasn¡¯t willing. She was only sad at the thought of Brie and Kirk in this position too. But she cont bring that up. Their agreement stated that they wouldn¡¯t interfere in each other¡¯s private lves. Kak watched her quiety for a moment before getting up from the bed. He put his clothes back on and said, ¡°Go to sleep.¡± the time Caroline sat up the door had aready shut. ed hat arms around her legs, feeling lost. Neither of them slept that night The next day. Carbine recalled the absurd events fromst night and didn¡¯t know how to face Kirc There was a knock on the doo Caroline walked barefoot and opened the door, her back straight.. She looked down at the tips of the shoes there. Just as she was about to say somenting, Kirk¡¯s cam voice came. He sounded a little distant. I¡¯ve gotten someone to clean up the apartment¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± These were the only words she could say. What she¡¯d actually wanted to say was stuck in her throat Kirk stood for a while longer. ¡°I¡¯m going to work. If there¡¯s anything, give me a calll¡± Caroline looked up to see Kirk¡¯s back. In the end, she didn¡¯t say anything at alll There was breakfast on the dining table. She walked over to inspect it. There were some overdone eggs and toast on a te. She smiled as she imagined Kirk watching a tutorial and cooking so seriously in the kitchen. Even so, her eyes stung. She was about to dig in when she received a call from Eddy¡¯s bodyguard. ¡°Ms. Evans, are you not at home?¡± Chapter 92 Chapter 92 She was about to dig in when she received a call from Eddy¡¯s bodyguard. ¡°Ms. Evans, are you not at home?¡± Caroline¡¯s expression turned dark. She was a reasonable person, though. She wouldn¡¯t get mad at someone who wasn¡¯t involved. ¡°No. Head back to the hospital first. I¡¯ll call Eddy myself.¡± The bodyguard hesitated before saying. ¡°Alright.¡± Caroline hung up the phone. She waited until after she¡¯d finished her breakfast before calling Eddy. Chaste $2 5.000 but score bees upstart weer time hath her cent rear at night. When he saw that Caroline was calling, be answered it antrout a second brought cere te rat so mure betion i turment Carsine as site mate some mental notes. We have pus sent to broditest ove Core Fromer She gave us or making mental rates, Stemmediately said mocking You tws any match made heaven, One wants to out me behind bars, and one wants me to be kus w work aromon He could she wanted to the darem night the stared Even using Jude¡¯s name mater Sundartap him no Eddy could feel Caroline¡¯s cape teh (the phone, ne put down the phone, feeling totally confused. Caroline was obviously taking at Lanta, He recalled Laste o palune railst niger. She¡¯d said that someone was bullying her and asked him to send Gordon over. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. said Eddy had a bad feeling this He called Laria and asked in a rush, ¡°Was Caroline who bullied you yesterday?¡± La suddenly ketw a bucket of cold water had been thrown over her. Her smile froze. ¡°Eddy ¡°Ves or no? ¡°Yes, she beat me up. If you don¡¯t believe me, you cane over and have a look.¡± ¡°Why did she beat you up? Lavia fed ¡®Be¨Cbecause i asked her to take good care of you. She shouted at me about being a fake. Then, she hit me. Eddy, she even got awyer and said she wanted to send me to prison ¡ª* Eady owned. ¡°Did this really happen?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Gordon. You don¡¯t know just how haughty she wasst night.¡± La cried harder. ¡°Eddy, have you reaty fallen for Caroline? Don¡¯t you believe me anymore?¡± Eddy panicked for a second. ¡°Of course I do. Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll be fine with Gordon helping you.¡± ¡°But I want to spend time with you Eddy¡¯s expression was torn. ¡°You¡¯re not in good health. You should be obedient and stay in the hospital Once he said that he hung up. Lava stared at her phone. She was so mad that she threw it at the wall ¡°Caroline! That When the care worker saw this, she picked up the phone with a sting in her heart. ¡®Ms. Evans, there¡¯s no reason to be mad. Getting angry will only hurt your health.¡± Fisting the sheets, La huffed out ¡°That¡¯s right. I can¡¯t get mad. I have to take revenge on Caroline. I want her to pay She ripped a drawer open and took out a pendrive. She handed it to the care worker. ¡°Submit this design in my name to the makeup designpetition.¡± The design on the drive was Caroline¡¯s. to join thispetition. It was a suddenpetition that was jointly held by several makeup brands. The second she saw the design, La had panicked. She had a strong feeling that Caroline would gain a lot of supporters once her work was shown. That kind of excellence and publicity weren¡¯t things she could suppress Not knowing what to do, she¡¯d copied the design onto her own pendrive Now, she finally knew how she could use it. She would take Caroline¡¯s ce and be someone renowned in her stead. She would let everyone know that she was the one who deserved to be with Eddy. The key thing was that she wanted Eddy to only pay attention to her ¡°By the way,¡± Lay¡¯a called out to the care worker, make sure themittee knows this is my entry Although Morrison Corporation wasn¡¯t involved in the makeup industry, these brands would have to give her some preferential teatment because of the Morisons. This was Easton, after all As long as she said this was her design, themitter would give her a decent prize, When the time came, she would use the buzz from thepetition to use Caroline of hiring a lawyer to buily her It was killing two birds with one stone. The care worker looked at the new smile on La¡¯s face and smiled herself. Auright¡± Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Chapter 93 After finishing her call, Caroline went to the police station to get herptop. ¡°Theptop has beenpletely destroyed,¡± a policeman said. ¡°I¡¯m afraid It can¡¯t be fixed.¡± Caroline frowned. There was only a week left before thepetition¡¯s deadline. There wasn¡¯t enough time, even if she redrew the design. After some thought, Caroline still decided to head to a repair shop in the city center. There, the staff took one look at theptop and said, ¡°It¡¯s beenpletely destroyed. You¡¯d better buy a new one.¡± Feeling low, Caroline walked out of the repair shop. After a few steps, she heard someone calling her. ¡°Ms. Evans?¡± Caroline looked back to find Sean waving at her by the road. ¡°What are you doing here, Dr. Yates?¡± Caroline cheered herself up and went over. ¡°I heard there¡¯s a restaurant serving authentic local cuisine around here.¡± Sean fidgeted with his GPS. ¡°But I can¡¯t seem to find it.¡± Caroline moved closer to take a look. Sheughed and exined, ¡°It¡¯s in an alley. No wonder you couldn¡¯t find it. Let me take you there.¡± Sean didn¡¯t reject her offer. He parked the car, and they both headed toward the restaurant. After a lot of walking, they entered a quiet alley. It was so secluded that it didn¡¯t seem to belong in the bustling city. The restaurant was at the end of the alley. The paint on its sign was peeling. ¡°This is the one!¡± Sean was as excited as a kid in a candy store. Caroline had achieved her goal. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Sean stopped her. ¡°It was fate that we met. I¡¯ll buy you a meal.¡± It was great timing because Sean had something to talk to Caroline about too. Thinking about herptop, Caroline didn¡¯t have any appetite. ¡®It¡¯s alright. I still have something to do.¡± *One meal won¡¯t dy you too much, right?¡± Sean had already gone inside and asked for a table for two. The restaurant was well maintained. However, there weren¡¯t many customers at this hour. A waiter brought the menu over, and Sean let Caroline order first, like a true gentleman. Caroline ordered some of the chef¡¯s rmendations, and Sean ordered a few more. Then, the waiter left. Once the waiter was gone, Sean asked. ¡°I saw you walk out of the repair shop. Are you fixing up your laptop?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°May I have a look at it?¡± Caroline handed herptop over to him. Sean gave it a few looks and tutted. ¡°How did it end up this way?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t respond. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Sean continued, ¡°But that¡¯s alright. Even if it¡¯s in this state, Kirk can get it fixed for you.¡± Caroline wasn¡¯t hopeful. ¡°The repair shop said it couldn¡¯t be fixed.¡± ¡®That¡¯s their opinion.¡± When Sean brought up Kirk, he was very animated. ¡°Leave it to Kirk. He can save anything.¡± Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Raising an eyebrow, Sean stared at her and waited, but she faltered and didn¡¯t continue. Soon, the waiter came with their food, so Sean said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. After finishing their meal, Sean and Caroline said their goodbyes. He watched her as she left before he took his phone out to call Kirk.¡± Where are you?¡± ¡°At thepany.¡± Kirk had rented a ce for hispany in a small business district east of town. It wasn¡¯t exactly huge, so he¡¯d asked Eddy to have the 88th floor emptied so that it could be turned into a leisure area for him to work out. When Kirk said that he was at thepany, Sean instantly knew what he meant. ¡°I saw your wife today.¡± Kirk had been listening to Sean without much interest, but now he froze. His fingers halted, and the pen in his grasp stopped moving. His expression turned grim. ¡°We even had something to eat.¡± ¡°Sean!¡± Kirk warned. Sean started chuckling. ¡°It was a coincidence. She was here to fix herptop, and I rmended you. ¡°What do you think? I¡¯m so helpful, aren¡¯t I? As long as you help her fix it, she¡¯ll start admiring you and thinking better of you. Your rtionship will improve tremendously then.¡± Kirk massaged his temples; his face was taut with tension. The scenes fromst night reyed themselves in his mind. Caroline taking the initiative had ignited the passion in him, but her tears had quenched the fire in him. She hadn¡¯t been doing it out of her own will. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± Kirk was so quiet that Sean became cautious about how silent it became. Only then did Kirk slowly say, ¡°It isn¡¯t that simple between us.¡± Caroline had loved Eddy for eight years, so how could she let go of him so easily? Seanughed inwardly. How were things evenplicated between them? He didn¡¯t say it aloud but instead asked, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t care?¡± Just as Sean finished voicing his question, a knock came from the door, and Kirk raised his eyes and said, ¡°Come in.¡± His secretary, Charles, entered the room. Noticing that Kirk was talking on the phone, he stood aside quietly and waited. ¡°Speak,¡± Kirk told him. Only then did Charles speak. ¡°Mr. Kirk, the registration for the design contest will close soon. Those brands that we have bought will dere their merger with us on the day that the selection results are announced. ¡°These are the drafts that they will release to the public on the day of the official announcement.¡± He handed Kirk the documents and added, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing wrong with them, I¡¯ll tell them that they¡¯re good to go.¡± After taking the documents from Charles, Kirk¡¯s workaholic mode Immediately switched on. It was as though he¡¯d totally forgotten Sean¡¯s existence. Sean was used to this, so he simply waited silently for him to go through the documents. However, the longer he went through those papers, the deeper the frown on Kirk¡¯sce was. Noticing this, Charles hesitated a little before asking. ¡°Perhaps we should have them redo It?¡± Kirk raised his eyes to meet Charles¡®. He said, ¡°Dy the registration deadline for the contest by a week.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Charles was caught by surprise by Kirk¡¯s reply. ¡°These are fine. You can leave.¡± Charles started to say something but noticed that Kirk was already immersed in his work with his head bowed low. In the end, Charles decided it was best to leave. ¡°Did something happen?¡± one of them asked. The merging of brands was significant, and the dates of all events and activities were decided upon after thorough discussion. They had worked their asses off for the past six months or so. Why was the final date for registration pushed back all of a sudden? ¡°Mr. Charles, you¡¯re the person who knows Mr. Kirk best. Do you know the reason for this?¡± Charles himself was puzzled. After working for Kirk for so many years, he knew one thing for sure¨CKirk never went back on his words. Besides, the merger was particrly significant. ¡°Everyone, Charles called out, ¡°Mr. Kirk must have his reasons for this. We just need to do what he says and postpone the deadline for registration. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Caroline ran here and there with herptop in hand for the entire afternoon, but to no avall. She even thought of withdrawing from the contest. But She wasn¡¯t with the Evanses now, and she couldn¡¯t just rely on Kirk all the time. He probably didn¡¯t have much money with him after buying a vi. Besides, he still had to pay for it every month. All of this reminded Caroline of how much she wanted to strangle La for her sins. This moming, Kal had messaged her, saying that the process had begun. La should receive the court summons in about two days¡® lime. Still, it would take some time before the official hearing. Kai had told Caroline that she didn¡¯t need to worry about it and that he¡¯d settle everything for her. So, she¡¯d only need to show up at court that time. Caroline fell her spirits Improve now that all she had to do was wall for La to receive her punishment. It was a shame that ¡­ Caroline clicked open to the public page for the design contest and was about to unfollow it when she realized that a new announcement had been made today. The registration deadline was postponed for a week! This meant that she still had a week to get things done! She instantly felt like she¡¯d been given a second chance at life. Rushing off to the road, she hailed a cab and went back to the vi. She nned to draw a new draft based on her memory of it. Soon after she¡¯d started working on it, she found it boring. Atst, she ended up making a new design. Now that she¡¯d gained more experience, she found the task rather easy. Caroline had a surge of inspiration, so she managed toplete a whole new draft before night fell. When she finally finished her work and raised her eyes to look around her, she realized that it was already dark. Pleased with herself, she started to head downstairs and was surprised to see Kirking out of the kitchen with a dish in his hands. ¡°When did youe back?¡± asked Caroline in shock. Kirk raised his eyes to look at her. She looked as if she¡¯d just been through a battle. A few stray strands of hair were stuck to the sides of her face, and there was a shine in her eyes that made her appear lively and merry. ¡°I¡¯ve been back for quite some time already.¡± When he¡¯d returned, Kirk had noticed her upied with work upstairs, so he hadn¡¯t been able to find it in him to disturb her. Soon, however, the exuberance Caroline felt dissipated. Instead, It was reced by awkwardness when she recalled what happened between them. She shifted from one foot to another and murmured, ¡°You don¡¯t need to stay with me.¡± Kirk looked up at her from his seat. The dim light in the room softened his prominent facial features, giving him an air of gentleness. Staring back at him, Caroline found herself unable to utter Brie¡¯s name. It was at the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it back. She felt all nasty inside, as if something was lodged in her heart. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Her voice was barely a whisper when she¡¯d said those words. Kirk hadn¡¯t heard her clearly, so he said, ¡°Time to eat.¡± She hummed in agreement and went down the rest of the stairs. Silence hung in the air the entire time they had dinner. The only sound that broke the stillness and quiet was the asional clinking of their cutlery on the porcin. After dinner, Caroline took the initiative to clear the table. panije Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Half an hourter, Kirk received a call from Sean. ¡°Were you in a meeting just now?¡± Sean asked, and Kirk could hear him burp from the other end of the line. *Eddy called and spoke to me about sourcing a kidney for him. Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted to stop the search? Why are you starting it again?¡± Kirk was still simmering with rage, so his voice was dangerously low. ¡°It¡¯s your business.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Sean refused it right away. ¡°I told you before that his lover¡¯s medical condition is strange. I was d when you told me to stop our search. If I had to carry on with it. I¡¯d have to go through her reports again,¡± heined. ¡°You¡¯d better give me an answer. Are we doing it or not?¡± Instead of replying. Kirk ended the call. That made Sean realize that they weren¡¯t going to do it after all. No more than five minutester, Eddy called Sean again. Taking out La¡¯s medical report, Sean started his n to find a reasonable excuse to refuse Eddy¡¯s request. However, one of the charts in her report caught his attention. The chart showed the data of an integrated blood pressure test for a whole year. La¡¯s blood pressure was low for the first few months, but it was normal for a few days during that period. After that, her blood pressure dropped again. It would have been barely noticeable if Sean hadn¡¯t been paying enough attention while going through the pile of data presented. Logically speaking, low blood pressure was one of the many symptoms of kidney failure. It was unlikely that her blood pressure would soar into the average range so suddenly. Sean decided not to answer Eddy¡¯s call. Instead, he called the Chief Director of the Morrisons¡® private hospital. ¡°Mr. Fisher, can you please send me a copy of La Evans¡® files after she was hospitalized? Send me the recent ones too.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Mr. Fisher to send Sean all the rted data. Sean started working on extracting the data for that particr period of time and discovered that the other values for the tests were within the normal range. Now, that was odd. After making sure that nothing was wrong with hertest draft, Caroline finally sent it to the design contest¡¯smittee. She found that she felt empty inside after she¡¯d sent her submission. For the past few days, she¡¯d been so focused on her design that she hadn¡¯t had any time to think about what had happened between Kirk and Brie. Time had flown by, and Caroline had too much time on her hands now. She didn¡¯t know what to do, and her mind began to cloud with thoughts. Eventually, she called Gwen to invite her out. It was Sunday, so it was crowded everywhere they went. Gwen suggested, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of a Fdorian restaurant that Just opened recently. Should we go there?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t oppose the idea. Her goal was to keep herself upled with just about anything. The restaurant was on the other side of the city. It¡¯d be troublesome If they were to drive there, so they took the subway and hailed a cab when they were closer to their destination. Alter 15 minutes, Caroline and Gwen got off the car halfway up the hill and were greeted with the sight of the fancy Fdorian restaurant. They entered the restaurant and found that it had a rather pleasant and peaceful ambiance. Gwen was about to respond when a man¡¯s voice sounded from behind them. ¡°It¡¯s our honor to have you here, Ms. Collins.¡± Gwen¡¯s hand subconsciously reached out to lug at Caroline¡¯s sleeve. The look in her eyes sald, ¡°Surely, this can¡¯t be a coincidence?¡± Caroline felt herself freeze involuntarily at the sight of Brie. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess now. While Caroline was still in a daze, Brie had already walked toward them. She had already spotted Caroline when she¡¯d entered the restaurant. Although Brie had managed to force Caroline to leave the office by pissing her off that night, she¡¯d nearly lost her finger because of it. Now, she¡¯d lost the courage to go and meet Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Caroline was the reason for this, and Brie couldn¡¯t help but be all sarcastic when she saw her. ¡°Oh? Isn¡¯t this Miss Evans? Are you here to seduce some men again?¡± ¡°Mind your words,¡± Gwen warned, ¡°or I¡¯ll p you until your lips swell.¡± Caroline took Gwen¡¯s hands in hers and stated, ¡°There¡¯s no use in talking to a dog. It can¡¯t understand humannguage.¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. This infuriated Brie. She seethed in anger but failed toe up with anything to retaliate. In the end, she turned to face the owner of the restaurant and demanded, ¡°Mister, are you sure you want to serve such rude and unruly customers like the two of them?¡± The owner of this ce was the father of one of Brie¡¯s friends. He¡¯d Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Chapter 97 ¡°Why us?¡± Gwen couldnt contain her anger anymore. m the boss here,¡± the man spat. ¡°Leave now. We won¡¯t wee anyone who offends Me Coffins Gwen wanted to argue with them, but Cantine tugged at her arm and said ¡°Gwen it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s the weekend. We shouldn¡¯t waste time de people like them.¡± There were many ces velling delicacies at the bottom of the hill anyway ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true,¡± someone said jokingly. ¡°You should be happy when youe out to have furs Caroline looked in the direction of the voice to find Sean standing there. She never thought the ran into Num ferm He strode toward them and gave Caroline and Owen Nis greetings before fuming to face the restaurant¡¯s owner with a polite smile. These two are my friends¡± Sean told him The meaning behind his words was as clear as day. Chasing Carline and Gwen away was the same as ateng him to leave, The restaurant¡¯s owner didn¡¯t know who Sean was, but brie, who stood beside him, knew Sean and sated instantly. ¡°S¨CSwan ters¡± offe eximedText content ? N?velDrama.Org. He was a pentus doctor who was renowned at around the globe it was said that he was also a good end of day¡¯s second uncle. Bine¡¯s heart leaped into her mouth. Eddy¡¯s second uncle could be here to, and the suddenly found herself in a tough spot. ¡°tim¨Chave something to attend to. 1¡¯3 be leaving ¡± Fier reaction left the restaurant¡¯s owner confused. He tolowed be and called, Ms. Con It was the first time Gwen had seen Bre ran off like a fugitive Curious, he turned to ook at Sean and whispered to Caroline Who¡¯s this? Why is Brie so scared of him?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t know why either Sean was a doctor nut same and of monster who go up a human TWAS. Evans, would you mind introducing me to your end¡± asked Sean as he directed his gack at Gwen, Gwen reached out a hand in his direction. The name¡¯s Gwen Jameson.¡± ¡°And im Sean Yates¡± The two of them shook hands. There was a bit of static when their hands touched, causing them to bety each other¡¯s hands, ¡°Thank you. Dr. Yales Caroline thanked Sean, interating the other two and taking them ask y No worries. You two haven¡¯t made a reservation, right? Why don¡¯t you be with us? quilted ¡°Chay Gwen didn¡¯t watt for Caroline to reply e¡¯t eat you this time to show our gratitude.¡± As she spoke, she banked her eyes a couple of times al Canine Caroline tugged at Gwent¡¯s sleeve. She shew Gwen loved entertainment and always sigoyed watching a show. we had been in so many rtionships that even Carpline couldn¡¯t keep count of the number of ex¨C boyfriends she had anymore. in other words, Gwen thought it was a shame to pass up a chance at going out with a handsome guy. Most of the time, though, shed break up with him shortly after they got together. Alter that the two of them would stop contacting vaca offer as if they had disappeared from the surface of the Earth Caroline wouldn¡¯t have minded it Sean was just a random que on the streets. If that had been the case, she would¡¯ve given weer t support However, Sean and Kirk were good hands. She didn¡¯t want things to be awkward between themter on The three of them walked together until they reached the door of the pilvate room Sean had motioned towat Came an Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Kirk opened his eyes and saw Caroline through the veil of smoke. Their eyes met, yet no one uttered a single word. Sean pushed Caroline to sit beside Kirk, smiling. ¡°What a coincidence! I mel Ms. Evans when I was coming back from the restroom.¡± Caroline took her seat. She could smell the unique minly scent on Kirk, which made her heart race. Gwen was unaware of what had happened between the couple. She was still shocked by the fact that Kirk knew Sean. ¡°You two are.. friends?¡± Kirk was full of surprises, indeed. He¡¯d even made an acquaintance with a renowned, genlus doctor. ¡°We met at the hospital, Sean exined as he sat on the chair beside her. He handed the two women a tablet for the menu and added, ¡°Ms. Jameson, we¡¯ve already ced our orders. Take a look and see if there¡¯s anything you two would like.¡± Perching on the edge of her seat, Caroline tried to kick Gwen¡¯s shin from under the table. She wanted to signal her to leave, but thetter remained unaffected and appeared to be busy scanning the menu. Caroline then peeked under the table, only to find out that Kirk¡¯s leg was positioned right across hers. So the kick just now must¡¯vended on Kirk¡¯s leg, then! Slowly, she raised her eyes to look in his direction. He was already staring sideways at her. Hastily, she lowered her gaze and pretended to be busy skimming through the menu. ¡°Carol, don¡¯t forget that you can¡¯t order escargots,¡± Gwen reminded Caroline, and she hummed in response. ¡°Oh? Why not?¡± Sean was curious. ¡°She¡¯s allergic to them. If she eats them, her face will swell like a balloon that¡¯s ready to burst.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sean seemed all the more interested in this topic now. ¡°Kirk¡¯s just like that too! He once identally had them, and his face became so swollen after that! I truly regretted not taking pictures of him at that time!¡± Sean burst outughing, at which point Kirk looked at him with murderous eyes. Still, Sean acted as if he didn¡¯t notice Kirk glowering at him. He carried on with his question. ¡°What other food does Ms. Evans avoid?¡± ¡°Carol here hates parsley and scallions. Oh, and asparagus too!¡± *For real?¡± Sean stared at Caroline. ¡°Kirk hates them too! It¡¯s exactly why we don¡¯t feel like eating out with him sometimes!¡± These all made Gwen feel as though she¡¯d found a new best friend. ¡°I know, right? How can one even hate those? Carol¡¯s always so stubborn. She ims that asparagus Isn¡¯t good for digestion!¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. *True that!¡± Sean was so ecstatic now that he felt it was a shame he hadn¡¯t met Gwen sooner. ¡°Kirk says the same thing.¡± Meanwhile, Caroline and Kirk watched as the duo before them chatted on with overflowing enthusiasm. Inparison to them, Caroline and Kirk seemed to be particrly quiet and taciturn. 1 ¡°Speaking of which,¡± said Gwen with a mischievous smirk on her face. ¡°You two surely have the same taste.¡± A blush crept onto Caroline¡¯s cheeks, and she quickly stuffed a handful of sliced fruits into Gwen¡¯s mouth. ¡°You haven¡¯t even taken any alcohol, yet you¡¯re bbering like a drunkard already.¡± Caroline may have seeded in making Gwen shut up, but Sean could still speak. This time, it was his turn to smirk as he said, ¡°Really? Why don¡¯t you two exin yourselves then-¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Caroline and Kirk spoke in unison. Their eyes met, but they quickly averted their gazes right after that. With Sean and Gwen around, the previous awkwardness in the room vanished, reced by a pleasant and cheerful atmosphere. Caroline no longer felt tense and would talk with Kirk from time to time. All of them spent a wonderful time together as they enjoyed the meal. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Gwen burst outughing. ¡°And you tell me you don¡¯t have feelings for him. You¡¯re thinking on behalf of him already.¡± ¡°Gwen!¡± Caroline¡¯s cheeks turned red. After rposing herself, Gwen told her, ¡°Fine! I won¡¯t go after Sean then.¡± She sighed and added, ¡°What a shame! You¡¯ll have to find me another handsome guy aspensation!¡± Caroline could finally sigh in relief. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. I can find you any type of guy that you want.¡± They chatted and giggled their way back to the private room. Once they entered the room, Kirk¡¯s gaze automatically fell on Caroline. Noticing this, Sean stood from his seat and asked, ¡°It¡¯s still early. Why don¡¯t we go to the movies?¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± Gwen wanted nothing to do with Sean now, so she appeared to be distancing herself from him. ¡°Carol and I are going shopping. Thanks for the treat!¡± Her reply took Sean by surprise, but he was quick to respond. ¡°Let Kirk and I go with you. We can help you carry your things.¡± Sean regretted his words instantly. Kirk had never helped anyone carry their bags before. However, to his astonishment, Kirk was already rising from his seat with his coat folded over one hand. At the end of the day, Sean¡¯s eyes had a feast as he got to watch Kirk with both his hands full, carrying both thedies¡® shopping bags. If Sean¡¯s hands weren¡¯t full with shopping bags too, he would definitely have taken pictures of Kirk and posted them online. It would surely send the inte into a frenzy. Night had fallen. Now worn out, Caroline and Gwen finally decided to go home. Sean was in charge of sending Gwen home, while Caroline somewhat reluctantly got into Kirk¡¯s car. Neither Caroline nor Kirk spoke on their way back home. When they arrived, Caroline got out of the car to get the bags in the back seat, but Kirk beat her to it. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said. Among all those shopping bags that the two men had carried just now, only two of them belonged to Caroline. The remaining bags were all Gwen¡¯s. Caroline nced at the bags in Kirk¡¯s hands and followed after him. The moonlight fell on them, casting their shadows at an angle that made them look like they were standing right next to each other. Caroline blushed and slowed down. ¡°Why did you buy only two sets of clothes?¡± Kirk¡¯s voice sounded distant, as though they were miles apart. Her breath caught in her throat, and she shifted her gaze from her shadow to look at him. ¡°I¡¯m going to wear them when I go to work in the future.¡± Caroline¡¯s wardrobe consisted of only casual wear. She didn¡¯t have any formal clothes that she could wear to work. ¡°So you¡¯re sure that you¡¯ll win the contest?¡± Kirk pondered aloud. The mention of the design contest put a smile on Caroline¡¯s face. ¡°I think so. It feels honorable to win it, regardless of which ce I get. When the timees for me to write my resume, it¡¯ll no longer be nk either.¡± Kirk opened the door to the vi and stood, waiting for her. Beyond the door, everything was pitch ck, Caroline abruptly raised her head, and Kirk could see how bright and clear her eyes were under the moonlight. ¡°Kirk.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s best we keep things the way they are right now,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s like we¡¯re friends who help each other out. Although you¡¯re the 12 N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Chapter 100 After Sie had left the Fdorian restaurant, the more she thought about the incident, the angrier che Serame She didn¡¯t have the guts to go and meet Kek, but Cangline was already acquainted with Kirk¡¯s good friend How did any of these make sense? No. She couldn¡¯t just stand by. She took out her phone and dialed someone¡¯s number Hello, Ms Collins¡® ¡°Find out who Caroline¡¯s husband is She wanted to send him pictures of Caroline cheating on an with other me Everywhere she went. That washed curry leach Caroline irsson ¡°ths. Collins Greg Wison forced augh. ¡°kent you just making things difficult for me? Last time (e Morisons themselves fiard to Indi out who her husband was but they Taled. Even I managed to discover to entity, I might use my the doing 1.¡± Brie straightened her shit Yealy Greg sighed. I¡¯m only telling you this because you¡¯re one of my must loyal patrons, there aren¡¯t many who are worn of his, barwne who knows about it will keep their mouths brand image bell Sow entiaracolig I would be for the Morrisons word of this wornari ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Caroline once said that her husband was bust an ordinary person, drie was dubious Greg coutant care less. He was just a Interfective, after at ¡°Ws. Collins, I suggest you find someone who¡¯s better at this to help. Sinca nu va second ne ¨¤ 45 inn be cast, 11 give you his ns of intomation for free¡± ¡°What is It¡¯s said that both the young women from the Evans family are participating a design contest for makeup Greg hung up mediately after that, ahaid of putting himself as the the Bre stood at the same spot with her phone in hand as her thoughts faced She remembered that several mar Brands in the country had red and to organize some sort of design conted out a month 190. There hat never been such a huge event bes It was rumored that the contest was a precursor to a mint However, he did 1 leve at it an ally going to be here. The Collins family would¡¯ve known about rst since they were one of the fire keur miles Chever I was. It didn¡¯t matter to See What she wanted the most right now was Caine formation. Since thetter had joined the contest, she¡¯d surely have filed out the registration form by now The point was that Caroline might¡¯ve written down her husband¡¯s number in the emergency contact column. edily frie called the CEO of one of those brands and asked for Casolines information. She finally got her hands on her emergency Contact A sende spread across her face as she stared at the number Greg. You not asking you to investigate someone. Just new me find out who this number belongs to.¡± ¡°Okay then, he Burted out in exasperation don¡¯t want to be your fier Kirk¡¯s words were like a curse that lingered in Caroline¡¯s mind even after se tak We had been site to long west for the past few days less sues of that She even started retelling why shed an so the the Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Caroline blushed and slowed down. ¡°Why did you buy only two sets of clothes?¡± Kirk¡¯s voice sounded distant, as though they were miles apart. Her breath caught in her throat, and she shifted her gaze from her shadow to look at him. ¡°I¡¯m going to wear them when I go to work in the future.¡± Caroline¡¯s wardrobe consisted of only casual wear. She didn¡¯t have any formal clothes that she could wear to work. ¡°So you¡¯re sure that you¡¯ll win the contest?¡± Kirk pondered aloud. The mention of the design contest put a smile on Caroline¡¯s face. ¡°I think so. It feels honorable to win it, regardless of which ce I get. When the timees for me to write my resume, it¡¯ll no longer be nk either.¡± Kirk opened the door to the vi and stood, waiting for her. Beyond the door, everything was pitch ck, Caroline abruptly raised her head, and Kirk could see how bright and clear her eyes were under the moonlight. ¡°Kirk.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s best we keep things the way they are right now,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s like we¡¯re friends who help each other out. Although you¡¯re the 12 Chapter 100 After Sie had left the Fdorian restaurant, the more she thought about the incident, the angrier che Serame She didn¡¯t have the guts to go and meet Kek, but Cangline was already acquainted with Kirk¡¯s good friend How did any of these make sense? No. She couldn¡¯t just stand by. She took out her phone and dialed someone¡¯s number Hello, Ms Collins¡® ¡°Find out who Caroline¡¯s husband is She wanted to send him pictures of Caroline cheating on an with other me Everywhere she went. That washed curry leach Caroline irsson ¡°ths. Collins Greg Wison forced augh. ¡°kent you just making things difficult for me? Last time (e Morisons themselves fiard to Indi out who her husband was but they Taled. Even I managed to discover to entity, I might use my the doing 1.¡± Brie straightened her shit Yealy Greg sighed. I¡¯m only telling you this because you¡¯re one of my must loyal patrons, there aren¡¯t many who are worn of his, barwne who knows about it will keep their mouths brand image bell Sow entiaracolig I would be for the Morrisons word of this wornari ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Caroline once said that her husband was bust an ordinary person, drie was dubious Greg coutant care less. He was just a Interfective, after at ¡°Ws. Collins, I suggest you find someone who¡¯s better at this to help. Sinca nu va second ne ¨¤ 45 inn be cast, 11 give you his ns of intomation for free¡± ¡°What is It¡¯s said that both the young women from the Evans family are participating a design contest for makeup Greg hung up mediately after that, ahaid of putting himself as the the N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Bre stood at the same spot with her phone in hand as her thoughts faced She remembered that several mar Brands in the country had red and to organize some sort of design conted out a month 190. There hat never been such a huge event bes It was rumored that the contest was a precursor to a mint However, he did 1 leve at it an ally going to be here. The Collins family would¡¯ve known about rst since they were one of the fire keur miles Chever I was. It didn¡¯t matter to See What she wanted the most right now was Caine formation. Since thetter had joined the contest, she¡¯d surely have filed out the registration form by now The point was that Caroline might¡¯ve written down her husband¡¯s number in the emergency contact column. edily frie called the CEO of one of those brands and asked for Casolines information. She finally got her hands on her emergency Contact A sende spread across her face as she stared at the number Greg. You not asking you to investigate someone. Just new me find out who this number belongs to.¡± ¡°Okay then, he Burted out in exasperation don¡¯t want to be your fier Kirk¡¯s words were like a curse that lingered in Caroline¡¯s mind even after se tak Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Caroline kept thinking about Kirk¡¯s words, which had left her hanging. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she¡¯d received some news about the contest, she would¡¯ve forgotten that the results were going to be announced soon. This contest was especially grand. It was the first time these major brands came together to organize a packaging design contest of such a huge scale, after all, The announcement venue was as spectacr as an award ceremony. Gwen took in the sight of the tables full of desserts and clucked her tongue in satisfaction. ¡°As expected of an event organized by such big brands, even the desserts here are from well¨Cknown manufacturers.¡± Caroline tossed her a sideways nce. ¡°Since when were you so Interested In food?¡± With a guilty face worthy of a convict, Gwen tried to exin herself. ¡°We¡¯ve been going out for food all the time these days. I¡¯ve be a foodie.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t doubt what Gwen said. She simply walked around and found a seat for herself while Gwen sat beside her. Those who hade for the event today had been shortlisted as the top hundred in the contest. The organizers had allowed each of them to bring two rtives along with them. Caroline had wanted to bring Kirk along, but he hadn¡¯t returned yet. In the end, she could only bring Gwen along with her. Sitting next to her, Gwen said, ¡°I heard that besides getting money as a reward, the one who wins first ce will receive a special prize. Do you know what it is?¡± Caroline¡¯s focus wasn¡¯t on the prizes. She¡¯d just joined the contest to gain experience. ¡°I hope that it¡¯s a position for a job.¡± she answered Gwen casually. She wasn¡¯t putting her hopes on it, though. After all, it wasn¡¯t like the organizers could read her mind. Gwen stroked her chin thoughtfully. ¡°Carol, are you the breadwinner of your family now?¡± The tips of Caroline¡¯s ears turned red. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ve left the Evans family. It¡¯s only natural that I have to make a living.¡± Her reaction made Gwenugh. ¡°Then why are you blushing?¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t bear the embarrassment and shifted the topic. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. They¡¯re going to announce the results soon. I¡¯m a bundle of nerves now.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be nervous about?¡± Gwen had full faith in Caroline. ¡°I¡¯m positive that you¡¯re going to win first ce.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Smiling, Caroline was about to reply when a ruckus broke out in the crowd. Curious, she and Gwen turned in that direction, only to see La in a wheelchair. She was being pushed into the venue by a care worker. Gwen¡¯s expression shifted almost immediately. ¡°La? Why is she here?¡± She furrowed her brows. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me she participated in the contest too.¡± As Gwen spoke, the care worker had already pushed La to Caroline¡¯s side. Lots of people around them had already recognized Caroline and they all looked on, eager to enjoy a good show. ¡°Caroline.¡± La had a pale countenance, but her smile was bright. ¡°You never expected to meet me here, right?¡± Caroline tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, tantly ignoring La as she did so. Still, La appeared to be unbothered by this. ¡°Everything will change after tonight. All the glory and honor that could be yours will be mine. You¡¯ll meet your doom very soon!¡± Furious, Gwen rushed forward and interrupted her. ¡°Mind your words!¡± Holding Gwen back, Caroline turned to face La coolly and sald. ¡°Have you received the summons from the court?¡± Her words made La¡¯s face turn as pale as a she Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Caroline found it strange too, but she busied herself with calming Gwen down. She didn¡¯t put much thought into it. Soon, the host walked up to the stage, and everyone fell silent. After delivering a speech, he said, ¡°Next, let us invite Venusta¡¯s CEO toe on the stage and announce the contestant who won fifth ce!¡± A man about 40 years old with a balding crown walked up the stage and announced. ¡°In fifth ce, we have Lucy Quill.¡± The audience apuded. Gwen inched closer to Caroline and whispered into her ear. ¡°They¡¯re turning it into an award ceremony.¡± Caroline smiled and kept her eyes focused on the stage. She¡¯d be lying if she said that she wasn¡¯t nervous. This contest was especially significant to her. In no time, the person who¡¯d won third ce was making her way down the stage. Caroline¡¯s heart palpitated wildly. ¡°We¡¯re left with the second and first ces now,¡± whispered Gwen as she gripped Caroline¡¯s hands. ¡°Carol, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll win this!¡± She¡¯d barely managed to finish her sentence when the CEO of Belya, one of the other brands, announced it in his sonorous voice.¡± Caroline Evans!¡± Caroline beamed. This was the first time her design had been made public. Getting second ce gave her the confidence and acknowledgment she¡¯d never known she needed. She walked up to the stage to receive the trophy. This journey, albeit short, felt like a thousand miles to her. Everything felt so surreal, even when she went up the stage and took the trophy from Belya¡¯s CEO¡¯s hands. ¡°Alright. It¡¯s time to announce our champion!¡± The host¡¯s voice was bright and clear. ¡°Let us have Laureil¡¯s CEO, Ms. Layn, on stage to give away the prize.¡± The crowd apuded once again, this time even louder. Caroline watched as Ms. Layn walked up the stage and got into position with a smile ying on her lips. She unfolded the small card in her hands and said. ¡°The first winner of the first Novitius Contest for packaging design is La Evans!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have La Evans up on stage!¡± Confetti started spilling everywhere. As the crowd erupted in apuse, Caroline saw the care worker pushing La in her wheelchair up the stage. With her eyes narrowed, Caroline watched La take the prize. La was given the chance to give a speech since she¡¯d won first ce. ¡°I¡¯d like to thank the organizers and all the brands for sponsoring this contest. I¡¯m grateful that I was given this chance to participate in this Novilius Contest, and I¡¯d like to thank my family for always supporting me. Special thanks to my cousin ¡­¡± Her voice trailed off, and her head snapped in Caroline¡¯s direction to wave at her. Caroline¡¯s face had no expression. The crowd¡¯s reaction was the total opposite of hers, though. They were thrilled. All this time, the public knew that La and Caroline were rivals in love. They had fought over the same man, which was precisely the type of gossip everybody enjoyed. La continued. ¡°Caroline¡¯s designs have always been unique. If it weren¡¯t for her guidance, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten first ce this time. Thank you, Caroline.¡± It sounded as if La was thanking Caroline. However, if anyone listened carefully to her words, they¡¯d know that she was mocking thetter. Caroline, who¡¯d insisted on giving La advice, had gotten second ce instead of first ce. Despite that, La spoke as if it came from her heart. She sounded so sincere that no one could pick on her for it. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. The host was someone who enjoyed gossiping. With a microphone in hand, she walked off the stage and approached Caroline. ¡°What a surprise that the first and second ces this time are won by these two sisters.¡± She held the microphone near Caroline¡¯s lips and said, ¡°Your cousin just won first ce. Is there anything you¡¯d like to say?¡± Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Chapter 103 A chill ran down Gwen¡¯s spine. She started to worry for Caroline. However, Caroline seemed as if she were unaware of the predicament she was in. Her tone was rxed and sincere when she said. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m happy that she¡¯s won with the skills she has.¡± The smile on La¡¯s face faltered. Nobody besides herself knew exactly how she¡¯d gotten first ce. After hearing what Caroline said, the crowd started apuding once again. The way she spoke was sincere and magnanimous. Compared to La, Caroline was straightforward and big¨Chearted. Naturally, she deserved some praise and respect from them. After giving out the awards, the top live contestants and the CEOs of the sponsoring brands took a group photo together. La Intentionally waved the trophy in her hands beside Caroline to irk her. Her efforts were in vain because Caroline wasn¡¯t affected in the least and simply looked at the camera. Multiple clicks sounded from the camera. The photographer took a great many shots in a row. After the photography session, everyone else started leaving the stage. La called Caroline to stop, and thetter turned around. Pushing her wheelchair to move in Caroline¡¯s direction, La looked up at her and said, ¡°I told you. The one who has thestugh is the true winner. And you, Caroline, have lost.¡± Caroline nced at the trophy on La¡¯sp and bent to whisper into her ear. ¡°La, you and I both know your skills. You might¡¯ve seeded in fooling the others, but it doesn¡¯t work on me.¡± When they were young, Caroline had always done La¡¯s homework for art ss for her. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Sure, La could im that she¡¯d now taken away the glory that was supposed to be Caroline¡¯s. No matter what, Caroline was the only one who knew how much effort she¡¯d put in to be an eligible wife for Eddy. She couldn¡¯t even count the number of times her fingers had peeled off and bled after practicing the piano for too long. The higher one climbed without proper effort, the harder one would fall. La paled at Caroline¡¯s words, and she tried to stay calm by taking deep breaths. A momentter, she sneered. ¡°You might think that I¡¯m not good enough, but the judges think I¡¯m fine. What can you do to change that? It¡¯s like you and Eddy. You like him so much, but I¡¯m the one he loves.¡± Caroline shook her head slowly. She failed to understand why La still thought she could provoke her by putting Eddy in the picture. She would have seeded in the past, but it was simply impossible now. ¡°Yeah, yeah. He loves you so much that he¡¯d die for you. He shows his love for you by wanting to marry you and letting you get run over by a car the next day.¡± Although Caroline spoke slowly, her voice was bright and clear. It angered La even more. If it hadn¡¯t been for the people around them, she would¡¯ve strangled Caroline to death. 1 With heightened spirits, Caroline walked down from the stage. Gwen approached her and peeked at La, who was behind her. ¡°What did you two talk about?¡± ¡°Nothing much,¡± said Caroline casually as she passed her trophy to Gwen. ¡°Is this pretty?¡± Gwen took the trophy from Caroline and mumbled, ¡°Yeah, it is, but it¡¯s a shame that La got first ce. Even someone with her skills could win the contest. There¡¯s definitely something fishy going on behind this.¡± Still, Caroline didn¡¯t seem to be bothered at all. ¡°These brands might have nothing to do with the Morrisons, but no one in Easton would risk offending them. All La needed to do was make a call, and she would have easily gotten first ce.¡± Regardless, Gwen was still immensely upset. ¡°It¡¯s so unfair. You should be the one to win this contest.¡± A soft smile appeared on Caroline¡¯s lips, and she took out her phone to message Kirk. She wanted to know when he¡¯de back. She clicked on the notification entitled ¡°Novitius Contest Champlon Announced.¡± The post was published on its official page, and it shared the top five winners¡® designs with the public. Caroline scanned through the post, and her gaze fell on the design in the center of theption of designs. It was the first design she¡¯de up with and the name at the bottom of the picture was none other than ¡°La Evans.¡± Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Caroline clicked on thements section to see rows ofpliments. ¡°Wow! La¡¯s design is so pretty! When will the brands use this design for their packaging? I¡¯m definitely going to buy more!¡± ¡°I only focus on the ingredients of the products, but this design is simply gorgeous. If they use her design, I¡¯d be the first to grab one!¡± ¡°Back then, I thought that the Evans family only had one daughter, Caroline. Who knew that they had another one called La? She even won the first prize, yet Caroline only got second. It seems to me that La is better than Caroline.¡± ¡°Eddy Morrison¡¯s taste says it all.¡± ¡°Yep, we¡¯re so far behindpared to her. Eddy Morrison¡¯s choice could never go wrong! Even though the Morrisons haven¡¯t made an official announcement about their rtionship yet, we¡¯ve seen pictures of him going out to meet La.¡± ¡°The thing is that Lapleted this design even though she¡¯s sick! Caroline can¡¯t even bepared to a patient. She must¡¯ve gone mad from thinking about Eddy Morrison all day, every day.¡± Thements made Gwen so furious that she started rolling up her sleeves. She looked as if she were ready to battle the people who¡¯d made thements. Noticing this, Carolineughed and put a hand on her arm to calm her down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. A good show will begin very soon.¡± At the hospital, Eddy nced at the trophy on La¡¯sp and gave her a thumbs up. ¡°Awesome! You won first ce!¡± La smiled, embarrassed at his praise. ¡°Do you have a reward for me then?¡± ¡°What kind of reward do you want?¡± 1 N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Bowing her head, La muttered, ¡°I want you to congratte me on Twitter.¡± ¡°That simple?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Eddy agreed. He took a photo of her with the trophy and started editing the picture. ¡°This is a happy asion. It¡¯s only natural that I congratte you. Besides, you¡¯ll get the chance to work at my second uncle¡¯spany after this.¡± La blinked several times at him as she tried to digest this piece of information. ¡°What does this contest have to do with him By now, Eddy was done editing his post and had uploaded it online. ¡°It¡¯s confidential, but telling you about it isn¡¯t that big of a deal. Anyway, he¡¯ll make an official announcement about it tonight. He bought those brands, and the contest was held to create momentum by capturing the attention of the public before the merger. Eddy continued, ¡°Besides the prize money, there¡¯s another special reward too. You know that, right?¡± La was so astonished that she couldn¡¯t say anything in response. All she could do was nod. ¡°The reward is for the winner to join thepany as their design manager after the merger.¡± ¡°A design manager?¡± Once again, La was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t utter another word, To be the design manager of thepany after the merger and that too, at apany owned by Eddy¡¯s second uncle! La imagined herself standing on a stage with a global audience. ¡°This isn¡¯t a joke, right?¡± She eximed. ¡°Of course not!¡± Eddyughed. ¡°But you can¡¯t tell anyone about it yet. You¡¯ll have to wait until the official announcement is made.¡± By now, La was so thrilled that her fingers had started trembling. She¡¯d never expected a simple contest to benefit her this much! She¡¯d be the jewel of the Evans family in the future! After the announcement of the contest results, she and Gwen had gone to a restaurant for food and ordered some wine to go with it They hadn¡¯t drunk much, but the amount of alcohol Caroline had consumed was enough to make her a little woor Slowly, she made her way upstairs to get ready to go to bed. As she was brushing her teeth, she heard a car honk and then the sound of hurried footsteps. ¡°Caroline The door to the bathroom was shoved open. With her toothbrush still in her mouth, she cocked her head to one side to see Kirk panting in the doorway. He was wearing a ck suit, and he looked very smart in it. The first few buttons on his cor were unbuttoned, and the open cor revealed his corbones beneath Caroline smiled sluggishly at him. ¡°You¡¯re back¡± Kirk watched her, concerned. The first thing he¡¯d found out after he¡¯d gotten off the ne was that Caroline hade in second ce in the contest He¡¯d taken one look at the design that had won first ce and instantly knew what had happened. After that, he¡¯d rushed home from the airport right away. He was in such a hurry that he¡¯d forgotten to change his clothes. Caroline continued brushing her teeth. She noticed Kirk still standing by the door and tossed him a bright smile. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you wereing home? I have something to ask you.¡± She approached him, and Kirk caught the scent of wine on her ¡°You¡¯re drunk?¡± He asked ¡°Nope. I¡¯m pretty much sober.¡± She took out her phone and opened WhatsApp. ¡°Look, this is my father, he called me useless, And here, my mom said she was disappointed in me. She said her efforts had all gone down the drain. This is- There were over 99 unopened messages. Most of it was from the Evans family, and all of them were compimenting La and scoffing at Caroline Scrolling through them, Kirk made a mental note of their names, blocked them and deleted at of their chats. Caroline watched him as he did so and giggled. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. I¡¯m not upset. They showed me their true faces through these chats, Kirk simply hugged her and said nothing A momentter, he could feel the warmth seeping through his shirt, In a routed voice, Caroline said, ¡®I¡¯m not sad in the least. La stole my design and got first ce. If I share my draft with the pubuk, I can prove that she¡¯s a thief.¡± Caroline sniffed. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything, even though everyone¡¯s congratting her. But why, Eddy, why Kirk¡¯s hand, which had been stroking her head, froze abruptly. Caroline¡¯s voice was soft as she comined to him, so he couldn¡¯t make out the words after that When he looked down at her, he saw that her eyes were shut tight and her eyshes were wel His heart turned into a jumbled mess She¡¯d liked Eddy for eight years and still couldn¡¯t let go of him. After a while, he slowly lifted her up and gently ced her on the bed. He then nted a tizz on her vehead Suddenly, her phone lit up on the bedside table. He turned to take a look at it and saw that it was a message ham tady It read, ¡°Congrattions on getting second ce¡± On the other hand, Eddy regretted it the moment he¡¯d sent the message. He wanted to unsend it, but it was toote. He¡¯d only realized that Caroline had gotten second ce when he¡¯d been scrolling through the contest¡¯s official page just now. His eyes turned as wide as saucers when he saw her design. He¡¯d never thought that she coulde up with such a brilliant design! He¡¯d only known her as someone who just knew how to cook and do household chores. From an outsider¡¯s point of view, he thought that her design was better than La¡¯s. The two women didn¡¯t have any experience in the field, so it was hard topare them. Still, the concept and philosophy behind Caroline¡¯s design were impable. Sometimes, this was what captured the consumers¡® hearts and made them willing to spend more. A few minutester, he¡¯d still gotten no reply from her. He was worried that she would overthink his message, so he sent her another one. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to congratte you. I¡¯m just bored.¡± Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Chapter 105 An hourter, Charles arrived downstairs in a hurry. He stood before Kirk and greeted him respectfully, saying, ¡°Mr. Morrison.¡± Kirk tossed the USB sh drive over to Charles, who inserted the sh drive into hisputer and opened it, only to find only one file. He clicked on it to find the winning design draft as well as several unfinished sketches. From these sketches, he could se n the room, Caroline was fast asleep on the bed. Through the partially opened custams, the moonlight shone into the room, outlining her beautiful face Her expression was already rxed, no longer as tense as it had been an hour ago. Kirknd down beside her and held her in his arms Caroline shuffled in his arms, making hereil Kirk rxed his tense body inhaling Caroline¡¯s feminine scent, he fell into a deep sheep, getting rid of his weariness for the past few days As Caroline slept, she seemed to heal something humming When she woke up, she found herself in Kirk¡¯s arms She burnedly nced underneath the covers and only calmed down after seeing that they both still had then clothes on However, her face was still flushed They bodies were glued togethei Caroline could hear Kirk¡¯s strong heartbeat inging in her ears and feel his firm muscles with her bands She could even feel his sent filling her instrus She tied to move, but then legs were tangled together the multis move a single in Carline looked up at Kirk, biting her hip Elk¡¯s eyes were hand tightly and there were dark Caroline couldn¡¯t bear to see him exhausted, so she nestled herself in his arms, not daring to move. Kirk¡¯s lips curled up into a slight smile, but Caroline didn¡¯t k, puzzled. Kirk exined, ¡°These are Caroline¡¯s sketches. Every time she finishes one, she¡¯ll upload it to her Charles opened thest sketch, which happened to be the final draft. It was precisely the same as La¡¯s. He understood the situation immediately. ¡°So¡­ the winner copied Mrs. Morrison¡¯s design? No¡­ the brushwork is the same. This is the original draft!¡± So, La had stolen Caroline¡¯s work and submitted it as her own! Kirk¡¯s gaze was stormy. It was hard to tell what he was feeling at the moment. ¡°Investigate what¡¯s going on. Contact the PR department to find the best n to minimize the damage.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Charles replied. After Charles left, Kirk closed his eyes wearily. He hadn¡¯t rested for a single moment since he¡¯d gotten off the ne more than five hours ago. Thinking of Caroline, he opened his eyes again. He was about to go upstairs when his phone rang. Kirk nced at his phone; it was an unknown number. Ignoring it, he put the phone back in his pocket and went to the second floor. After he¡¯d left Easton, he¡¯d been thinking about Caroline every day, wishing to get on the ne and return to her. Jude was already ready. Once he finished things here, he could have Caroline meet his parents. Despite the cold night, Kirk¡¯s blood boiled in annoyance. His phone was still ringing when he¡¯d He immediately blocked the number with a frown Then everything was peaceful once again On the other end of the line, when Brie realized that her phone number had been blocked, she fumed angnly it was probably that bitch Caroline whod blocked her Bre had already investigated and found that Caroline had frequently contacted this number Needless to say, this number was her husband st Caroline probably blocked Brie¡¯s number because she was feeling guilty She wouldn¡¯t let Caroline off so easily! Kirk crept back into his room Her memories from yesterday came back bit by bit. She only remembered that she¡¯d cried, and she seemed to have mentioned Eddy. She wasn¡¯t sad at all. However, for some reason, when she¡¯d been in Kirk¡¯s arms, she hadn¡¯t been able to stop her tears froming down, like a suffering child seeking sce. She moved. Kirk trembled slightly, and he ced his hand on her waist. Caroline looked up at him in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Kirk leisurely opened his eyes. His voice was rxed when he said, ¡°Yeah.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t dare to look at Kirk. She said, ¡°I¨CI want to get up.¡± Kirk rested his chin on Caroline¡¯s shoulders. His voice was low and sleepy. ¡°You had a question for me yesterday, right?¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Ah!¡± Caroline seemed to remember saying that in her daze. But¡­ Now that Kirk was right in front of her, she didn¡¯t know how to bring up her question. Besides, she could feel his warm breath on her ears, disrupting her thoughts. ¡°Are you having trouble finding the words?¡± Kirk asked. Heced his fingers through Caroline¡¯s, ying with them carefully. Caroline¡¯s heart was beating even faster. ¡°No, I-¡± ¡°Ring!¡± The phone rang suddenly, startling Caroline and ruining the atmosphere. ¡°Get the phone.¡± Caroline pushed Kirk away, taking the opportunity to sneak into the bathroom. The smile on Kirk¡¯s face faded away as he picked up his phone. It was another unknown number, and it seemed that this number had sent him countless messages before. Each message contained usations of Caroline sleeping around with married men. There were even requests for him to keep his wife in line, saying that if something like this happened again, they would ruin Caroline. Kirk looked at the threatening messages with a cold smile and answered the call. Brie was a little caught off guard to see him answer her call, and she froze for a few moments before saying. ¡°A¡ªare you Caroline or her husband?¡± Kirk walked to the balcony. He asked, ¡°Is there something you need?¡± His deep and maic voice shocked Brie. She hadn¡¯t expected Caroline¡¯s husband to have such a lovely voice! And¡­ it sounded familiar. There is Brie pulled herself away from her thoughts and said, ¡°You must have seen the messages I¡¯d sent you. Don¡¯t you care about your wife fooling around?¡± Kirk sneered, ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± Brie was speechless at his calm answer. ¡°Don¡¯t you hate Caroline for cuckolding you?¡± Kirk looked into the distance, asking, ¡°You¡¯re Brie, right?¡± Brie¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°This is my best friend¡¯s number! How did he know it was me?¡± she thought. ¡°Don¡¯t mess with Caroline if you still want to live.¡± After Kirk finished speaking, he hung up the phone. Brie was still holding the phone in shock. She couldn¡¯t believe he¡¯d threatened her, and that too, knowing full well who she was! Both Caroline and her husband were bastards Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Chapter 106 After Caroline washed up, she went downstairs to make breakfast. As she put the tes on the table, she was thinking about how to ask Kirk what he¡¯d meant by not wanting to be friends. However, when she looked up and saw him, her mind went nk. Kirk had changed into a casual outfit,cking his usual upper¨Css style. He looked more rxed and carefree. ¡°What are we eating today?¡± he asked, pulling out a chair and sitting down at the table. Caroline hurriedly looked away, her heart beating wildly like a deer in headlights. For a moment, she felt like they were acting like an old married couple. She answered, ¡°Pasta. Let me get some for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get it myself,¡± Kirk responded, walking into the kitchen. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Caroline stood where she was, watching Kirk put some pasta on his te with swift movements. Then, he said, ¡°We¡¯ll meet my dad in a few days.¡± Caroline was surprised. ¡°Is your father that anxious to meet me?¡± It might take several days to get to the bottom of the issue pertaining to La stealing her design. Kirk paused. He was the one who was anxious, not Ivan. He asked, ¡°Do you not want to go?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Caroline had agreed to meet Kirk¡¯s father, so she wouldn¡¯t go back on her word. She exined, ¡°But there¡¯s a small problem with thepetition I joined, so I can¡¯t see him until it¡¯s resolved.¡± (1 Kirk raised his eyebrows and replied, ¡°Since it¡¯s a small problem, it can be handled quickly. We can go see him after it¡¯s done.¡± Caroline smiled wryly. Things weren¡¯t that easy. She hadn¡¯t given the evidence to the organizers, and after she gave it to them, she¡¯d still need to wait for them to investigate the situation. It would take them at least a week to get to the bottom of things. As soon as Caroline sat down, she got a call from Gwen Motherfucker I¡¯ve never met someone as shameless as La¡± Gwen yelled She was so angry that her nostris red ¡®She made a post on Facebook saying that she identally broke one of your things some time ago, and in retaliation, you hired awyer to sue her and put her in jail! ¡°That¡¯s just utter bullshit! What is she trying to do by making a false im? Sway everyone¡¯s opinion of her? Caroline frowned and opened Facebook on her phone. Sure enough, she saw La in the headlines She opened one of the articles, which used Caroline of using awyer to bully La. Below the articles were hatements directed at Caroline and sympatheticments toward La. Netizens believed that Caroline was jealous of La winning first ce, so she¡¯d found an excuse to take revenge on La. ¡°Carol¡± Gwen realized something after she¡¯d vented her anger. She asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re on Facebook. No, don¡¯t look at the articles andments! Those people don¡¯t know the full story! They mindlessly believe everything they see.¡± Caroline smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already finished reading them. I¡¯m okay. Go to work. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Gwen was still worried about her friend. She asked, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? Why don¡¯t I take a day off to keep youpany?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± Caroline replied while eating a mouthful of pasta. ¡°I know you. Your pleasures in life are earning money and meeting handsome men. You already gave that up for me once. I¡¯ll feel terrible if you take a day off for me again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This scandal isn¡¯t my first. These nasty rumors andments don¡¯t bother me at all.¡± Gwen relented and said, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll see you after I get off work.¡± Even though she¡¯d ended the call, she was still worried about Caroline. After some hesitation, she called Sean. ¡°Hello?¡± Sean answered, ¡°Why are you calling me? Are we going out for food?¡± His words dumbfounded Gwen. She¡¯d learned that Sean was a food enthusiast when he¡¯d driven her homest time. He was more familiar with the delicious food in Osbury than a local like her. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Hence, Gwen had started going out with Sean for food whenever she was free. They were just going for food; there was nothing more to it than that. ¡°No.¡± Sean smiled gracefully, asking, ¡°What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Carol is getting hate online.¡± Gwen briefly told Sean the whole story. ¡°Didn¡¯t Kirk juste back from a business trip? Ask him to stay home, keep Carolinepany, and tell him not to fool around with someone else.¡± She didn¡¯t want Caroline to get into even more Material ? N?velDrama.Org. trouble. Sean asked, ¡°Since when has Kirk fooled around?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t noticed. Carol has seen it with her own eyes.¡± Gwen was annoyed. She liked handsome guys, but she only dated one at a time. She would never two¨Ctime someone. ¡°When did this happen?¡± Sean asked. He didn¡¯t know his friend was such a phnderer. ¡°When Caroline brought me supper that day.¡± Gwen didn¡¯t tell him who Kirk had been with that night. She continued, ¡°I have to go. I¡¯m having a meeting. At any rate, just remember to tell him not to go anywhere!¡± Sean rushed to call Kirk, but the line was busy. When he tried to call him again, Kirk had already turned off his phone. At Morrison Corporation¡¯s private hospital, La read the nastyments directed at Caroline, a giddy smile spreading on her face. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect things to go so well.¡± The nurse watched nearby, saying with a smile, ¡°After letting the situation blow up for a while, I¡¯m sure Mr. Strauss will bend under the public¡¯s opinion and withdraw thewsuit.¡± La smirked. ¡°Too bad I can¡¯t see the look on Caroline¡¯s face.¡± It had to be an incredible sight. When La saw the gifts all over her room, her smile became even brighter. After she¡¯d asked Eddy to make a post on Twitter, everyone in Osbury other than the big four families hade to give her gifts. Everyone seemed to regard her as the future madam of the Morrison family. La said, ¡°Bring me my phone. I want to take some pictures.¡± The nurse handed La her phone. La snapped several photos of the gifts in her room and sent them to the family group chat. She even mentioned Caroline, so she would see them. She texted, ¡°Hey, Caroline. I have gotten so many gifts at once, and I don¡¯t know what to do with them. Do you want to take some of them? Then, it wouldn¡¯t take up so much space in my room. Kirk had blocked most of Caroline¡¯s rtives¡® numbers, but he had forgotten to help Caroline leave the group chat. Therefore, Caroline saw La¡¯s message immediately. She was about to put her phone down, but more messages came in. ¡°Why are you giving them to a useless person like her, La? The Evans family spent so much money to educate her. But not only did she fail to be the Morrisons¡® daughter¨Cinw, but she even married an ordinary man!¡± ¡°The reason why the Evans family hasn¡¯t grown is because of her! Look at La. I remember she wasn¡¯t good at drawing, but she created a beautiful packaging design in thepetition! No one can be as good as her!¡± ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. La has such a big heart. She¡¯s still thinking about Caroline, even after she sued her. Meanwhile, Caroline is finding a way to send La to jail just because she can¡¯t handle a loss! They¡¯re both rtives, so how on earth are they so different? Dan and Sarah, you¡¯ve truly failed as parents.¡± ¡°Of course, the Evans family¡¯s gossipers have to say something,¡± Caroline thought, silently looking at the mocking messages with a derisive smile. Dan and Sarah didn¡¯t say a single word throughout the discussion. Caroline was about to give a reply when she saw a notification. She tapped on it and saw that the contest¡¯s organizers had made a post on their official page. ¡°After thorough investigation, we found that the designer of the winning design of the Novitius Contest is Ms. Caroline Evans: On behalf of every major brand, we apologize to Ms. Caroline for making such a major mistake in thispetition. We would also like to apologize to the audience. We¡¯re still following up on thepensation. Remember to always support originality!¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Chapter 108 As soon as the organizers announced this, it caused a media storm *So, does it mean that La¡¯s design is actually Caroline¡¯s? La giarized Caroline¡¯s work? ¡°I don¡¯t think things are that simple. The organizers allegedly received theplete design process of one of Caroline¡¯s designs. It looked exactly like La¡¯s. Some people suspect that La stole Caroline¡¯s design and submitted it as her own. ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s possible. Only an idiot would do that. At any rate, I don¡¯t believe it. Did Caroline buy off the organizers? Hurry, La! Show some evidence to prove them wrong!¡± ¡°I also think that Caroline bought off the organizers. She must be jealous of La, so she bribed them, telling them she¡¯s the original designer.¡± ¡°Speaking as a design enthusiast, the concepts of the two designs arepletely different. The winning design emphasizes the packaging¡¯s aesthetic, while the runner¨Cup¡¯s design focuses more on marketing value, which is a more mature approach. A veteran clearly designed the second one. There¡¯s no way they¡¯re made by the same person.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. In response to the public¡¯s overwhelming doubt, the organizers posted Caroline¡¯s design sketches as well as their time ofpletion. They also announced the time of La¡¯s submission. From the times they posted, it was clear that Carolinepleted her sketches first and that La submitted her workter. Before the public could raise any more questions, another important piece of news caught them by surprise. Kai Strauss, who¡¯d been off the radar for several years, had updated his status. He hadn¡¯t written about his wonderful retirement. Instead, he¡¯d acknowledged his position as Caroline¡¯swyer. ¡°I¡¯m Caroline Evans¡® attorney.¡± A simple sentence like that caused an uproar among the public. ¡°What kind of PR stunt is this? Hasn¡¯t Mr. Strauss retired? Even Morrison Corp couldn¡¯t hire him. How did Caroline hire awyer like him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m dumbfounded. What on earth did Caroline pay him? You better walk away from this, Mr. Strauss. Don¡¯t let her ruin your reputation!¡± Theizens were still having a heated discussion when Kai published another post: a surveince footage. The video showed La visiting Caroline¡¯s home on June 19th. Kai wrote, ¡°On June 19th, Ms La Evans broke into my client¡¯s home, damaging and vandalizing her property. My client has the right to investigate La¡¯s vition of the rules. ¡°I¡¯ve also submitted her post containing her false ims to the cyber police. Ms. La Evans, you should know that thew also extends to the inte.¡± Below the post were photos taken by the police after Caroline¡¯s apartment had been damaged. There were nine pictures in total. Whether it was intentional or not, the pinned image happened to be a picture of a brokenptop. Theizens beganmenting again. ¡°So¡­ Caroline didn¡¯t sue La because she was jealous of her. La was the one who foolishly broke into her house and trashed her ce.¡± ¡°Wow. I¡¯m just shocked. Since La caused a mess in Caroline¡¯s house on June 19th and submitted her work the day after, she must have stolen Caroline¡¯s draft. She feared someone would find out, so she broke Caroline¡¯sptop.¡± ¡°I agree. La must have thought that if she destroyed theptop, Caroline wouldn¡¯t have the design process of her sketches as proof. And then she acted recklessly. Well, who¡¯sughing now? ¡°So, both the winning and runner¨Cup designs are Caroline¡¯s! She¡¯s good!¡± ¡°Professionals have said that the first design didn¡¯t emphasize the marketing values. But in less than a week, Caroline was able to make up for this w! Calling her a genius wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration!¡± ¡°Haha! I thought Caroline was just a lovey¨Cdovey airhead. I never thought she would have such unique insights into design. I¡¯m sorry, Caroline! I was wrong for calling you an airhead!¡± The public¡¯s opinion of the situation had changed so quickly that it caught Caroline off guard. She¡¯d thought the organizers would only investigate once she presented her evidence. She¡¯d never expect things to be resolved in less than half a day. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Carole Looked up at Kirk, min tres looking at his fablet on the couch. Then she took another where Sock at the design sketches in the organizer¡¯s post ¡°It was youCaroline got up When Kirk heard he voice, he looked up at her He asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who gave the evidence to the organizers overnight, right?¡± Caroline choked up, feeling emotional ¡°Yes,¡± Kirk answered honestly Having mixed feelings, Caroline asked, ¡°And you asked Mr. Strauss to post those photos?¡± Kirk silently looked at Caroline, confirming her ims. Caroline didn¡¯t know what to say She didn¡¯t know how to thank him for helping her. If it weren¡¯t for Brie standing between them, maybe she would reconsider their agreement. Her phone rang, interrupting Caroline¡¯s thoughts. She nced at it to see that Gwen was calling her Gwen was incoherent with excitement. ¡°Carol, did you already know this was going to happen?¡± After her meeting, Gwen had rushed to log into her Facebook ount, nning to fight against those online haters Unexpectedly, the tables had already turned by then. Gwen couldn¡¯t believe how fast the situation changed She¡¯d just been gone for a short meeting. Caroline smiled merrily, secretly ncing at Kirk. She said, ¡°No way, it¡¯s not like I can predict the situation¡¯s development.¡± Gwen asked, ¡°But it¡¯s obvious that the PR team had something to do with this fast turnaround Are you sure this isn¡¯t your handiwork, Carol?¡± ¡°Maybe for Mr. Strauss, but I don¡¯t know any organizers. There¡¯s no way I can do anything,¡± Caroline said Gwen thought Caroline¡¯s words made sense. She stroked her chin and giggled. ¡°Carol, maybe someone in those brands¡®panies has a crush on you, and they stood up for you when they saw **** you been devels¡± Caroline teased with a smile. Thee, she teed Gwen¡¯s mations of surprise Holy fuck! Carol, look! These makeup brands have merged¡± Carole saw headline notifications from several social media tforms. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°A shocking new era for the cosmetics industry¡® Several major makeup brands have merged!¡± ¡°Breaking news! Theme Corporation acquired several major makeup brands and made them a subsidiary ording to inster sources, Thorne Corporation is a newly¨Cestablished foreign investmentpany, and the boss is very likely to be Eddy Morrison¡¯s second uncle.¡± It took Caroline a long time to recover from her shock. Eddy¡¯s second uncle had actually bought several major makeup brands in such a short time. Not many people could match his heavy¨Chandedness and grandeur. ¡°Hey Gwen saw the news as well She mused, ¡°Maybe Eddy¡¯s second uncle has a crush on you and helped you with the PR team¡± Charter An Caulis valled Dee in reper to be imes before hanging up the phone. dicate the put down her phone, she got another call from an unknown number. She answered the call sites a morets bestation ¡°Hello? Tirib Is this Caroline Evans? I¡¯m Jules Hawkins, the newly appointed CEO of Thorne Industries First, I hope you ept our sincerest apologies for our major mistake during the judging process.¡± The CEO himself had apologized to her Their standards were high. ¡°It¡¯s all good as long as the truth is out.¡± ¡°Thank you for your understanding,¡± Jules said in a charming voice. ¡°After some discussion, ourpany has unanimously decided that you¡¯re both the winner and the runner¨Cup of thispetition. So, you¡¯ll get the winnings and prizes for both ces. ¡°Just as we¡¯d announced, there¡¯s a special bonus for the winner: a lifetime contract as the design director at ourpany Are you interested in our offer, Ms. Evans?¡± Caroline¡¯s breath got caught. All she wanted was a job, and this special bonus was exactly what she wanted! It was a big coincidence. She agreed happily. ¡°Of course, joining yourpany would be an honor!¡± Thorne Corporation was a merged enterprise with Eddy¡¯s second uncle at the helm. Thepany was bound to thrive Caroline hadn¡¯t thought that it would be possible to join it. Jules breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°If there¡¯s anything else we can do to make it up to you, please say the word¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°No, that¡¯s all right. I would like to thank you for getting to the bottom of this situation so quickly.¡± Jules waited for Caroline to hang up the phone before putting the phone down. He¡¯d been ordered to investigate thepetition scandal at 3 amst night After investigating the truth, every staff member in charge of the Novitius Contest and several Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Having mixed feelings, Caroline asked, ¡°And you asked Mr. Strauss to post those photos?¡± Kirk silently looked at Caroline, confirming her ims. Caroline didn¡¯t know what to say She didn¡¯t know how to thank him for helping her. If it weren¡¯t for Brie standing between them, maybe she would reconsider their agreement. Her phone rang, interrupting Caroline¡¯s thoughts. She nced at it to see that Gwen was calling her Gwen was incoherent with excitement. ¡°Carol, did you already know this was going to happen?¡± After her meeting, Gwen had rushed to log into her Facebook ount, nning to fight against those online haters Unexpectedly, the tables had already turned by then. Gwen couldn¡¯t believe how fast the situation changed She¡¯d just been gone for a short meeting. Caroline smiled merrily, secretly ncing at Kirk. She said, ¡°No way, it¡¯s not like I can predict the situation¡¯s development.¡± Gwen asked, ¡°But it¡¯s obvious that the PR team had something to do with this fast turnaround Are you sure this isn¡¯t your handiwork, Carol?¡± Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°Maybe for Mr. Strauss, but I don¡¯t know any organizers. There¡¯s no way I can do anything,¡± Caroline said Gwen thought Caroline¡¯s words made sense. She stroked her chin and giggled. ¡°Carol, maybe someone in those brands¡®panies has a crush on you, and they stood up for you when they saw **** you been devels¡± Caroline teased with a smile. Thee, she teed Gwen¡¯s mations of surprise Holy fuck! Carol, look! These makeup brands have merged¡± Carole saw headline notifications from several social media tforms. ¡°A shocking new era for the cosmetics industry¡® Several major makeup brands have merged!¡± ¡°Breaking news! Theme Corporation acquired several major makeup brands and made them a subsidiary ording to inster sources, Thorne Corporation is a newly¨Cestablished foreign investmentpany, and the boss is very likely to be Eddy Morrison¡¯s second uncle.¡± It took Caroline a long time to recover from her shock. Eddy¡¯s second uncle had actually bought several major makeup brands in such a short time. Not many people could match his heavy¨Chandedness and grandeur. ¡°Hey Gwen saw the news as well She mused, ¡°Maybe Eddy¡¯s second uncle has a crush on you and helped you with the PR team¡± Charter An Caulis valled Dee in reper to be imes before hanging up the phone. dicate the put down her phone, she got another call from an unknown number. She answered the call sites a morets bestation ¡°Hello? Tirib Is this Caroline Evans? I¡¯m Jules Hawkins, the newly appointed CEO of Thorne Industries First, I hope you ept our sincerest apologies for our major mistake during the judging process.¡± The CEO himself had apologized to her Their standards were high. ¡°It¡¯s all good as long as the truth is out.¡± ¡°Thank you for your understanding,¡± Jules said in a charming voice. ¡°After some discussion, ourpany has unanimously decided that you¡¯re both the winner and the runner¨Cup of thispetition. So, you¡¯ll get the winnings and prizes for both ces. ¡°Just as we¡¯d announced, there¡¯s a special bonus for the winner: a lifetime contract as the design director at ourpany Are you interested in our offer, Ms. Evans?¡± Caroline¡¯s breath got caught. All she wanted was a job, and this special bonus was exactly what she wanted! It was a big coincidence. She agreed happily. ¡°Of course, joining yourpany would be an honor!¡± Thorne Corporation was a merged enterprise with Eddy¡¯s second uncle at the helm. Thepany was bound to thrive Caroline hadn¡¯t thought that it would be possible to join it. Jules breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°If there¡¯s anything else we can do to make it up to you, please say the word¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°No, that¡¯s all right. I would like to thank you for getting to the bottom of this situation so quickly.¡± Jules waited for Caroline to hang up the phone before putting the phone down. He¡¯d been ordered to investigate thepetition scandal at 3 amst night After investigating the truth, every staff member in charge of the Novitius Contest and several CEOs of significant makeup brands were all taught a lesson It was clear how furious his boss was Jules had looked into Caroline, only to find that she was the former fianc¨¦e of his boss¡® rtive. No wonder his boss had lost his temper. Hence, Jules had even dismissed the idea of asking his assistant to contact Caroline and handled this himself. At this time, after the announcement of the merger of several makeup brands, Thorne Corporation created an official blog. Netizens waited for their first post in anticipation. Several minutester, Thorne Corporation made their first post. ¡°We would like to wee Ms. Caroline Evans to Thome Corporation as our design director!¡± After that, they went offline, stunning everyone. Logically speaking, when a newpany was established, their first posts should be ones concerning the merger with otherpanies or sending their best wishes for this cooperation. However, Thorne Corporation didn¡¯t mention the merger at all. Instead, they were celebrating the recruitment of an employee. It was as if Caroline¡¯s recruitment was more important than the merger of severalpanies. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Damn, they¡¯re giving Caroline tons of privileges, aren¡¯t they? The first thing argepany like them did was wee the design director Oh my 60% # starting to doubt the things I see on the inte ¡°The boss of thispany is allegedly Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle if Mr. Eddy and Caroline have broken up, there¡¯s no way his second uncle would give her such a big privilege, night ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why I¡¯m doubting the authenticity of this post Theizens were eating up the gossip from this particr post like a buffet. However, it caused an uproar among the upper¨Css citizens, especially the bag four families, who had been kept in the dark about this. Thepany merger proved that Eddy¡¯s second uncle had already infiltrated Easton¡¯s market However, none of them had noticed anything before this. Furthermore, the quick change in public opinion made them even more uncertain about whether Caroline would marry into the Morrison family. Another shocking thing was that the Evans family members, who had mocked Caroline yesterday, were now praising her in the group chat as if nothing had happened ¡°I knew it. There¡¯s no way Caroline would lose to La. It turns out she lost to her own design ¡°Goodness, La. We know you want to beat Caroline, but how could you steal her work? You¡¯re both from the same family, but how are you two so different?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve embarrassed the Evans family. Our family is really unlucky to have your La tightly clenched her phone, reading the messages admonishing her Her family was a bunch of two¨Cfaced snakes! Looking at La¡¯s furious expression, the nurse hurriedly took her phone away. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Ms. La It¡¯s just how they are. They¡¯ll always back the winning side. You don¡¯t need to bother with them.¡± La angrily clenched her fists, digging her nails into the flesh of her palms. ¡®m not mad at them I¡¯m pissed off at that bitch, Caroline! I destroyed herptop, so where on earth did she get those drafts? She knew that I would use her draft in thepetition, so she set me up and embarrassed me!¡± the yelled, agitated. Then, she coughed. The nurse softly patted La¡¯s back andforted her. ¡°Calm down, Ms. La. Caroline is more cunning than I thought. There¡¯s no way you can beat her like this ¡± La looked up with a deadly gaze. She said. ¡°You¡¯re right. There¡¯s no way I can beat a calcting woman like her. I don¡¯t ept that fact. Hurry up and give me my phone. I¡¯m going to call Ed.¡± Right now, only Eddy could save her from this predicament. ¡°No need to call me.¡± Eddy walked into the room. His leg had already healed, so he could walk by himself. ¡°Ed. Seeing Eddy, La¡¯s eyes became red. She said, ¡°You¡¯re here¡­¡± ¡°La, how could you do something so reckless?¡± Eddy reprimanded her coldly. La hugged Eddy¡¯s thighs, exining, ¡°I know I¡¯m wrong, Eddy. I don¡¯t know what came over me. When Caroline showed her work, I thought it would blow Grandpa away if I got first ce. That¡¯s why I stole her draft. ¡± The nurse helped La exin. ¡°Mr. Eddy, Ms. La did such a reckless thing for your sake.¡± Eddy relented, ¡°Do you really know you¡¯re at fault?¡± La nodded desperately. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Good. All you need to do is apologize to Caroline. Then, we¡¯ll put this matter to rest.¡± La¡¯s eyes lit up, and she hugged Eddy¡¯s legs even tighter. She asked, ¡°T¨Cthen, about mywsuit At the mention of this, Eddy felt his temple throb in pain. ¡°Did you really wreck Caroline¡¯s home?¡± ¡°No,¡± La said, aggrieved. ¡°It was already like that when I went into her house, but she insisted that I¡¯d done it. She didn¡¯t believe me, no matter how much I tried to exin. dare there w wintasies we os toddy At what Whest that happened, she could put on a Bastion butang ny hards with a stre pee out that she wasn¡¯t on Carones coelect sex out by tax both umber She sniffled, looking at Eddy pantas lyde den fra sovet at me the blocked my number on everything Can Fish the g Sonda La Leyte pusad kay after and called Caroline, but no one answered Then, she tried to casade himigh WhatsAp City then, du tady realize that Caroline had blocked him as well ¡®She removed my number on Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Whatsap Lyle and weil She saw the prompt on the screen saying that Eddy¡¯s number wasn¡¯t on Carlines catact bat She also see thest manage Eddy had sent to her ¡°Congrattions on getting second ce La Blinked and cinched her fingers tightly When she¡¯d gotten first ce, she¡¯d had to beg for Zecognition yen bestemd group. However Casoline hadn¡¯t even done anything and Eddy had Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Caroline? Staked further, ¡°Are are you really going to do that? Eddy¡¯s expression force, a trace of panic appearing is tus eyes He exined. There are my Grandpa¡¯s codes, but don¡¯t worry, La Once I get her, fll dump her eduarely He was simply willing to ept that the girl whold always followed him like a puppy was gone. La dug her nails into her palms once more. She had a horrifying look on her face. She couldn¡¯t let Caroline live! Caroline had won a prize and a job, so she wanted to treat Gwen to a meal. She also wanted to take this opportunity to thank Kirk for his help. ¡°Then let¡¯s invite Sean too,¡± Kirk suggested. Caroline was okay with it. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give him a call?* ¡°Okay.¡± When Kirk took out his phone, he realized it was out of battery. He charged his phone and turned it back on. He had several missed calls, and they were all from Sean. He called Sean back. ¡°You finally picked up!¡® Sean was worried sick. ¡°Spill it. Since when did you have another woman? ¡°He couldn¡¯t believe that Kirk hadn¡¯t told him anything. Kirk frowned, thinking that Sean was drunk. He said, ¡°Caroline is treating us to dinner. Are you His words immediately drew Sean¡¯s attention. He asked, ¡°What are we eating?¡± Kirk said, ¡°I think we¡¯re having a barbecue.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Kirk hung up the phone. Only then did Sean realize he hadn¡¯t asked Kirk about that woman! Hemented his mistake, but he vowed not to make it again tonight. That night, Caroline and Kirk went to an outdoor barbecue restaurant. The restaurant was filled with people, and there were many shirtless men cheering and drinking. They were as noisy as a herd of elephants. This was Kirk¡¯s first time in a ce like this, and he had a big frown. Caroline nced at him, asking, ¡°Are you unwell?¡± Kirk looked at the food on the open¨Cfire grill, still frowning ¡°No.¡± and the e here together wwded wine force Sharing Gas getting wat of twistat, she asked ¡®fnd ¡°Yeah, bees morised Congrattions is Evans Calling Geen a rage nce and sad to Sean, Thank you, Dr Yates, but you don¡¯t have to Just call me Carte frown no on Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Asher Bk hummed froas the side Al gancing at Kirk Sean said. Td better call you Caroline You don¡¯t have to be formal, either Yapp can¡® T As they talked the test of them sat at a table From time to time, Kirk would look down at his cong 209 actions, Cassdine asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Eskal been acting weird from the moment they¡¯d arrived at the restaurant Sean piked saying. Just ignore ham A rich man like him is lowering his dignity to dine in this apes ad barbecue susent it¡¯s normal for hum to be ufortable¡± Seek was dusked to bear that ¡°Kark has never been to a barbecue restaurant before? Swan was about to answer when he noticed Kirk¡¯s warning look Feeling a chill, he simply said, ¡± ed har ces like this¡± ¡°Domes tothed her attention back to Caroline and said, ¡°Carol, congrattions on bing burse Corps deagh director How you¡¯ve got a secure job for life Carefuse tucked the hair the wind had blown into her face. She said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the winner¡¯s bas to be a job poston it feels like it was made just for me.¡± Se nced at Kirk cadway There wasn¡¯t a single change in his expression Chapter 113 Chapter 113 La dug her nails into her palms once more. She had a horrifying look on her face. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. She couldn¡¯t let Caroline live! Caroline had won a prize and a job, so she wanted to treat Gwen to a meal. She also wanted to take this opportunity to thank Kirk for his help. ¡°Then let¡¯s invite Sean too,¡± Kirk suggested. Caroline was okay with it. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give him a call?* ¡°Okay.¡± When Kirk took out his phone, he realized it was out of battery. He charged his phone and turned it back on. He had several missed calls, and they were all from Sean. He called Sean back. ¡°You finally picked up!¡® Sean was worried sick. ¡°Spill it. Since when did you have another woman? ¡°He couldn¡¯t believe that Kirk hadn¡¯t told him anything. Kirk frowned, thinking that Sean was drunk. He said, ¡°Caroline is treating us to dinner. Are you His words immediately drew Sean¡¯s attention. He asked, ¡°What are we eating?¡± Kirk said, ¡°I think we¡¯re having a barbecue.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Kirk hung up the phone. Only then did Sean realize he hadn¡¯t asked Kirk about that woman! Hemented his mistake, but he vowed not to make it again tonight. That night, Caroline and Kirk went to an outdoor barbecue restaurant. The restaurant was filled with people, and there were many shirtless men cheering and drinking. They were as noisy as a herd of elephants. This was Kirk¡¯s first time in a ce like this, and he had a big frown. Caroline nced at him, asking, ¡°Are you unwell?¡± Kirk looked at the food on the open¨Cfire grill, still frowning ¡°No.¡± and the e here together wwded wine force Sharing Gas getting wat of twistat, she asked ¡®fnd ¡°Yeah, bees morised Congrattions is Evans Calling Geen a rage nce and sad to Sean, Thank you, Dr Yates, but you don¡¯t have to Just call me Carte frown no on Asher Bk hummed froas the side Al gancing at Kirk Sean said. Td better call you Caroline You don¡¯t have to be formal, either Yapp can¡® T As they talked the test of them sat at a table From time to time, Kirk would look down at his cong 209 actions, Cassdine asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Eskal been acting weird from the moment they¡¯d arrived at the restaurant Sean piked saying. Just ignore ham A rich man like him is lowering his dignity to dine in this apes ad barbecue susent it¡¯s normal for hum to be ufortable¡± Seek was dusked to bear that ¡°Kark has never been to a barbecue restaurant before? Swan was about to answer when he noticed Kirk¡¯s warning look Feeling a chill, he simply said, ¡± ed har ces like this¡± ¡°Domes tothed her attention back to Caroline and said, ¡°Carol, congrattions on bing burse Corps deagh director How you¡¯ve got a secure job for life Carefuse tucked the hair the wind had blown into her face. She said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the winner¡¯s bas to be a job poston it feels like it was made just for me.¡± Se nced at Kirk cadway There wasn¡¯t a single change in his expression Sauce your end gay por Kely have Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Feeling a headache, Sean bit the bullet and said, ¡°He goes by so many names that I can¡¯t remember his actual one¡± ¡°What name does he go by now? Caroline asked. ¡°Matthew,¡± Sean answered. Then, he looked at Kirk smugly, raising an eyebrow. He was telling the truth, Matthew was one of Kirk¡¯s aliases. ¡°Matthew Caroline whispered in a clear voice. Kirk¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he heard her whisper his name. He looked at Caroline¡¯s plump lips, feeling the urge to kiss her. ¡°Here¡¯s the bread. The waiter put the te of bread on the table, blocking Kirk¡¯s view. When the waiter left, Caroline had already begun talking to Gwen about La. ¡°She must be so pissed right now! I¡¯m happy just thinking about it!¡± Gwen took a bite of her bread. ¡°It¡¯s so satisfying to see her suffer! If La had gotten the job, she would¡¯ve acted all high and mighty, showing it off to you.¡± Sean also took a slice of bread. He asked curiously, ¡°Is La Eddy¡¯s lover?¡± ¡°Oh, you know her too?¡± Gwen asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been studying her medical records,¡± Sean exined. He chewed his bread slowly, in stark contrast to Gwen, who was gobbling her bread down. ¡°Why do you need to study them?¡± Caroline wasn¡¯t familiar with medicine, so she didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Sean exined, ¡°Yeah, her records were normal for a few days Logically speaking, this shouldn¡¯t even be happening.¡± (@ ¡°I told you there was something fishy about her illness.¡± Gwenmented, ¡°If you keep studying those records, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to find something.¡± Sean looked at Gwen with a hint of tenderness. ¡°You¡¯re not even a doctor. How can you tell?¡± i may not be a doctor, but I¡¯m a woman before this, whenever Carol and Eddy¡¯s wedding was back on the agenda, would get seriously ill and he hospitalized This time was even more outrageous because she apparently needs a kidney transnt Gwen paused momentarily, then continued, ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve never seen a patient dying of an illness running about and scheming against people. Sometimes, I genuinely think that she¡¯s faking it!¡± Sean¡¯s smile froze, and a thought crossed his mind in the blink of an eye He grabbed Gwen¡¯s hand excitedly. He yelled, ¡°You¡¯re a genius, Gwent His actions took Gwen aback After a while, she, usually a flirt, blushed when she realized that Sean was holding her hand tightly ¡°Let go of my hand!¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. An Caroline watched from the sidelines, she couldn¡¯t help raising her brows When Sean realized what he¡¯d done, he quickly let go of Gwen¡¯s hand and apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I got too excited. I never figured out why her records were normal. If she¡¯s really faking her illness, everything would make sense.¡± Gwen was shocked. ¡°1¨CI was just rambling¡­¡± Sean waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m just specting as well. If we want to find out whether she¡¯s faking her illness, she just needs a thorough checkup.¡± Then, he looked at Kirk. Kirk tapped his fingers on the table and asked Caroline, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s necessary?¡± When Caroline heard his question, she put down her drink and said, ¡°Yeah. I also want to know if she¡¯s faking her illness.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Sean flexed his muscles, feeling eager. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange a thorough checkup for her when I get back.¡± Then, they chatted about anything and everything. Gwen and Sean were the ones talking. Caroline agreed with their words from time to time, while Kirk didn¡¯t talk much. Noticing the clean table and untouched ss of water in front of Kirk, she got up. ¡°Go ahead and keep talking. I¡¯m going to buy something.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Gwen and Kirk spoke, both standing up at the same time. Amused, Caroline looked at them and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not a child I¡¯m just going to the convenience store across the street.¡± 111 go with you too Getting Sean¡¯s signal, Gwen took Caroline¡¯s hand and pouted ¡°Come on, Carol Don¡¯t leave me behind¡± Caroline relented, saying. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go.¡± Then, they left Kirk behind ¡°Quit staring at them.¡± Sean waved his hand in front of Kirk. ¡°I have something to ask you.¡®¡± Kirk responded half¨Cheartedly, his gaze still fixed on Caroline. Sen asked, ¡°Are you seeing another woman?¡± Kirk frowned ¡°Get some help. You¡¯re obviously delirious.¡± ¡°Caroline said it herself¡± Sean said sternly, ¡°Be honest with me.¡± Kirk¡¯s expression was sullen ¡°Caroline told you?¡± ¡°Not to me, but to Gwen. Gwen said that Caroline saw you with another woman, and she also found lipstick in your pocket,¡± Sean exined. ¡°Did she really say that?¡± ¡°Of course. Why would I lie to you?¡± Sean said, ¡°Isn¡¯t she giving you the cold shoulder because of this? Kirk, you¡¯d better think this through. Do you want Caroline or that woman you¡¯re seeing?¡± Kirk said irritatedly, ¡°I¡¯m not seeing anyone else!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sean asked doubtfully. Kirk looked at him coldly. Sean shrank back. He said, ¡°If you aren¡¯t seeing anyone else, it inust be a misunderstanding. Everything will be fine after you talk things through.¡± Kirk remained seated in his chair, motionless. The lights shone on his face, casting shadows over his facial features. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Chapter 115 At the convenience store, Caroline bought a few pieces of bread and a few bottles of water. Gwen asked her curiously, ¡°Why are you buying water?¡± There were cold drinks at the barbecue restaurant. Caroline couldn¡¯t help but blush. ¡°I want some regr water.¡± Gwen sauntered to her, asking, ¡°Is it for you, or are you buying it for Kirk?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for me, all right?¡± Caroline took another water bottle before asking Gwen, ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and Sean?¡± ¡°Huh? Nothing!¡± Gwen felt a little sheepish. There really wasn¡¯t anything between her and Sean, so she had no clue why she was acting like this. ¡°Oh, really?¡± Caroline stared straight into Gwen¡¯s eyes, making thetter feel a little awkward. ¡°Carol, didn¡¯t I promise I wouldn¡¯t pursue him?¡± Caroline said, ¡°If you really like him, I don¡¯t mind.¡± Gwen waved her hand. ¡°Forget it. Both his work and family are abroad. Who knows when he¡¯ll be leaving this ce? Long distance rtionships are too difficult.¡± Her friend¡¯s words took Caroline aback. Kirk¡¯s family was abroad as well. Would she be separated from him in the future as well? ¡°Enough about me. What¡¯s going on between you and Kirk? And who was the woman from before?¡± Gwen asked. On the way here, Sean had asked Gwen about the woman Kirk was with. She¡¯d said she didn¡¯t know who the woman was, but he¡¯d insisted that she find out from Caroline, iming that he wanted to clear his friend¡¯s name. The light in Caroline¡¯s eyes dimmed instantly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to say it, forget that I asked,¡± Gwen said hastily. Caroline walked out of the convenience store with her bag in her hand, feeling a big weight on her chest. She took a long breath, bracing herself, and said, ¡°It¡¯s Brie.¡± Gwen¡¯s expression shifted ¡°What the actual fuck! Why was he seeing her, of all people? Wait right here I¡¯m going to give him the scolding he deserves After talking, she stormed towards the barbecue restaurant across the street. Seeing this, Caroline hurriedly chased after Gwen, trying to stop her. However, it was toote Gwen had already let her anger cloud her judgment. Wanting to stand up for her friend, Gwen pointed at Kirk and yelled, ¡°Are you doing this on purpose? You clearly know that Carol and Brie don¡¯t get along, but you¡¯re still seeing a bitch like her!¡± Sean was stunned for a moment before realizing what Gwen was doing ¡°She¡¯s scolding Kirk! Does she want to die?¡± he thought. Sean stood up and held back the agitated Gwen. ¡°Calm down, Gwen!¡± Caroline rushed over as well. She looked at Kirk, out of breath. Kirk narrowed his eyes slightly. He nced at the agitated Gwen and then at Caroline. ¡°Brie? Who said we were together?¡± Although Sean had restrained Gwen, he hadn¡¯t covered her mouth. Kirk¡¯s question added fuel to the fire, making Gwen even angrier. She yelled, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still trying to deny it! When Carol took supper for you at work that night, she saw you two with her own eyes. Also, the lipstick you brought home must belong to Brie, right?¡± The customers at the restaurant all turned over to look at themotion. Caroline blocked Gwen and said to Sean, ¡°Sean, can you please take her away?¡± Sean nodded and dragged Gwen away. The people in the restaurant didn¡¯t take their eyes off Caroline¡¯s table. She quickly went to pay the bill. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kirk sat still. He only looked at her when she pulled him up, and emotions seemed to be swirling in his eyes. The two walked to the car one after the other After getting in the car. they drove away from the birby downtown area Caroline said bitterty, I¡¯m sorry. Gwen is just- Kirk interrupted her, his attractive voice echoing in the car ¡°Were you there just to bring me upper that night?¡± Caroline frowned and said stubbornly. ¡°No¡± Kirk leaned over and gently lifted Caroline¡¯s jaw with his fingers His eyes showed a trace of liveliness, and he was full of smiles. ¡°But Gwen said you were ¡± ¡°No¨C Caroline felt his lips pressing against hers, and all thoughts left her mind. She had already forgotten what she was going to say In contrast to his usual heavy¨Chandedness, Kirk was kissing her gently and delicately this time. Caroline¡¯s breathing gradually became rapid, and she wrapped her arms around Kirk¡¯s neck She whispered, ¡°Kirk¡± Kirk looked back at her. In the cramped space of the car, his gaze looked ferocious. ¡°Scream my name.¡± Caroline bit her lip, shaking her head vehemently. Kirk ced kisses on Caroline¡¯s delicate corbone, gently nibbling on it. He looked at her bewitchingly ¡®Scream my name. I know you want to.¡± Caroline¡¯s lips parted slightly, and she said hoarsely, ¡°You¡¯re bullying me again, Kirk.¡± Seeing this, Kirk hugged her dearly. ¡°I¡¯m not bullying you. I just miss you. Listen-* He hugged Caroline even tighter, and Caroline could feel his body heat and steady heartbeat thanks to how close their bodies were. Her body stiffened, and she said sadly, ¡°But I don¡¯t want to fight with Brie over you¡­¡± Kirk bit Caroline¡¯s lips. He said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing between Brie and I.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Looking at Kirk with tearful eyes, Caroline said, ¡°I saw her wearing a diamond ring that day, and she said that it was from you¡­¡± A murderous glint briefly appeared in Kirk¡¯s eyes. Then, he caressed Caroline¡¯s cheek with all the tenderness he could muster and kissed away her tears ¡°That ring is supposed to be for you.¡± Caroline blinked her eyes. She couldn¡¯t believe what she heard. Kirk said, ¡°We¡¯re already married, but I haven¡¯t bought you a ring. I¡¯m a failure as a husband. That ring is still in my office. I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± Caroline blushed. She hadn¡¯t expected this to be the truth. In an instant, something filled up her empty heart. She asked again, ¡°So, there¡¯s really nothing between you and Brie?¡± Kirk started the car. ¡°Yeah.¡± The weight on Caroline¡¯s chest lifted, and when she quickly nced at Kirk, her face turned bright red. Kirk set up the GPS on the console. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go home.¡± They were only ten minutes away from the vi, but it would take them half an hour to get to the company. He didn¡¯t want to wait any longer. Caroline nodded. After getting her consent, Kirk stepped on the gas pedal. They arrived at the vi within just five minutes. Kirk parked the car randomly and quickly walked into the vi with Caroline in his arms. The two of them got started without even turning on the lights. They had waited for this moment for a long time. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Meanwhile, Sean took Gwen home Gwen was still protesting at the door, ¡°Let go of me! I will give that bastard the verbalshing of his life!¡± Sean held Gwen¡¯s waist with one hand and opened the door with the other. After he turned on the lights, he told Gwen, ¡°If you weren¡¯t Caroline¡¯s friend, you would have been a corpse by now.¡± Gwen wasn¡¯t convinced ¡°Hmph Does he really have what it takes to kill me?¡± Sean shrugged, saying nothing in response. He walked to the kitchen and poured Gwen a ss of water Gwen was still sulking ¡°He¡¯s the one who cheated in the first ce.¡± ¡°I know Kirk very well, so I¡¯m very sure that there¡¯s nothing between him and Brie.¡± Gwen took a sip of water. She retorted, ¡°Of course you¡¯ll defend him. He¡¯s your friend, after all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not defending him,¡± Sean said. He briefly exined what had happened when Brie tried to seduce Kirk in the private room that day. ¡°If there were really something between them, Kirk wouldn¡¯t have thrown her out like that. I was the only one in the private room back then. It couldn¡¯t have been just for show.¡± Gwen was speechless. After a moment, she asked, ¡°What about the day when Carol took food for him?¡± ¡°There must be some misunderstanding about that.¡± Seeing that Gwen had finally calmed down, Sean let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Enough about this. Kirk will exin it to Caroline, so we should leave them be. Do you want some more water?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Gwen massaged her throat. ¡°I was so pissed off just now. My throat is dry from yelling.¡± As she spoke, she licked her dry lips. Sean¡¯s throat tightened at the sight. He quickly looked away, saying hastily, ¡°I¡¯ll get you some water.¡± When he entered the kitchen he still couldn¡¯t get Gwen out of his mind. He massaged his temple Asette, be¡¯d been so obsessed with food, and he hadn¡¯t had a girlfriend for a long time. That had to be the reason he was acting this way What¡¯s taking so long? Gwen walked to the kitchen seeing Sean staring at the kettle, she approached him with a smile. Smelling the flowery scent on her body, Sean nervously jumped back ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Gwen was surprised by his dramatic actions Sean stammered ¡°N¨Cnothing I¡¯m going to give Kirk a call and find out what¡¯s going on ¡°Then, he grabbed his phone and quickly walked to the balcony Gwen shook her head and poured herself some water When Sean reached the balcony, he felt the gentle night breeze cooking his body He dialed Kirk¡¯s number Kirk didn¡¯t answer the first time or the second time It wasn¡¯t until the third time that Kirk answered the phone, snarling, ¡°What the hell do you want? Sean flinched ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re doing THAT Are you?¡± Kirk gritted his teeth and looked over at Caroline She was lying on the bed with her back to him, and he could see the smooth contours of bee body from his spot on the balcony flluminated by the moonlight, she looked like a pure and sacred goddess He hissed, ¡°What the hell are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Nothing I just wanted to ask you how things are going with you and Caroline Kirk¡¯s expression darkened, and he yelled, ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± ¡°Hey, hang on Sean yelled anxiously ¡°You havent given Caroline the ring have you?¡± Kirk passed just as he was about to hang up the phone Sean pressed, ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of just giving her the ring, are you? Kirk didn¡¯t answer. That was what he d nned to do He fell the heat on his body fade away and heat of a chair on the balcony ???? ???? ? ??? ww hi sotia ha bungang b Meest gelber He had wapt w that to as mais sui bonds trying is get Si babe Labontently owing dishes at the well to We use the and duly ¡°What¡¯s the point of drowing all be di Stay We Was the $ 25% anything goe * 3.4 mg dow Bd en men 30 rid youll be home . The than That was why it could waitz a just like that Soe visited wepa carenly awnding the dromen starts on the floor the sad, Bone so Yandel a your attires. In to an alliance Gays grape sa aliante? Why at work with you? But you want Curing shred oxendaraany w much? Brie askart Auer et male apprent in Sa¡¯s eyes, but me sant. Thave no idea what grouse talking about¡± ¡°Os on.¡± So we somiting at Laytals ear When La heard her words, her face turned as pale as the color of the walls Brie continued, ¡°If you didn¡¯t want her dead, why would you do that?¡± La relented. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Brie grinned. ¡°A very simple thing I want you to set up a meeting with Caroline and her man!¡± Since Caroline¡¯s husband had dared to threaten her, he¡¯d better be prepared to face her wrath. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. La said reluctantly. ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t think I can do it. Caroline has blocked me on every single social media tform¡± Brie smiled in return ¡°Oh, you can do it. In fact, you¡¯re the only one who can. I¡¯ll give you three days If you don¡¯t do this, I¡¯ll spill your secret to Eddy¡± La grabbed Brie¡¯s wrist nervously. She begged, ¡°No! You can¡¯t tell him!¡± Brie yanked her hand away. ¡°Then, you¡¯d better get to work.¡± After that, she turned around and left. La red at Brie¡¯s retreating figure, clenching her fists tightly. After a moment, she slowly rxed her fists. With a cold smile, she took out her phone and dialed Sarah¡¯s number. As soon as Sarah picked up, La said with feigned sadness, ¡°Aunt Sarah, can you contact Caroline for me? I know I did something wrong, and I want to treat her and her husband to a meal and ask her to forgive me. Is that okay?¡± Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Early the next day, Caroline woke up. She hurriedly lifted the nket, only to find her clothes intact. They hadn¡¯t done anythingst night. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Caroline looked up and saw Kirking out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his hips. Cold water fell from his hair, dripping down his well¨Cdefined muscles before getting absorbed by the towel. The sight bewildered her. She answered, ¡°Yeah.¡± Kirk approached her and sat down on the bed, which dipped under his weight. His movements made Caroline¡¯s heart pound, and her face turned crimson. Kirk fiddled with Caroline¡¯s earlobes, saying, ¡°You fell asleepst night.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Caroline remembered what had happenedst night. Kirk had left the room to answer the phone, and¡­ she¡¯d fallen asleep. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Her face reddened even more as she apologized, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Kirk pulled her into his arms, asking, ¡°How do you n to make it up to me?¡± Caroline quivered and said shyly, ¡°C¨Cclose your eyes.¡± Kirk listened to her and closed his eyes. Mustering her courage, Caroline propped up her body and kissed Kirk on the cheek. Then, she quickly backed away. Kirk pinched her waist just as she was about to cover her flushed face with the nket. He tapped Caroline¡¯s nose. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Caroline buried half of her face in the nket. Her eyes were watery, and she said meekly, ¡°Kirk¡­¡± Kirk gently pulled the nket off her face and gave her a big kiss on the lips. ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± His voice was ufortably hoarse. Just when Caroline thought Kirk would take things further, he slowly stood up. ¡°Go and have Only then did Caroline remember that she¡¯d epted a job offer at Thorne Corporation She had to handle the employment procedures today and would officially start work after returning from abroad Okay Caroline got out of bed to wash up After that, Kirk drove her to work On the way, Caroline asked him curiously, ¡°Don¡¯t you need a GPS?¡± ¡°Nope, Kirk replied. He¡¯d picked the location of Thorne Corporation himself ¡°You can take a stroll nearby after you¡¯re done I¡¯ll pick you up tonight¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can go home by myself Caroline refused his offer. Thome Corporation¡¯s new office was in a new district. Although it was far away from home, transportation was very convenient. ¡°Listen Kirk said, ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up for dinner tonight¡± ¡°Dinner?¡± ¡°Yeah¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out when I take you there.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t say much. Caroline was puzzled about why Kirk was so mysterious about where they were eating. Then, she nodded obediently, saying, ¡°Okay.¡± She would meet Kirk¡¯s family in two days, so she could buy some gifts for them. Seeing that Caroline didn¡¯t ask any more questions, a smile appeared on Kirk¡¯s face. When they arrived at the entrance of Thorne Corp, Caroline got out of the car and waved goodbye to Kirk. Then, she walked into the building. As expected of apany that had the means to buy out several makeup brands in one go, the new building was extravagant and magnificent. It wouldn¡¯t be long before this building would be a landmark in Osbury. Caroline reached Jules¡® office without any problems. Jules was in a meeting, but when he saw Wee, Ms. Evans.¡± Caroline looked at the elegant man in front of her with a smile. ¡°Hello, Mr. Hawkins.¡± ¡°No need to be so formal. Pleasee in.¡± When Jules closed his office door, the eavesdropping crowd finally started discussing among themselves. $1 ¡°Does Mr. Hawkins need to be so polite? This woman is talented, but she has zero work experience. He doesn¡¯t have to treat her like a VIP.¡± ¡°He even gave her a lifetime contract as the design director. Since he handed over the design department to a neer, it won¡¯t be long before that department ruins this newpany.¡± ¡°Do you guys think Mr. Hawkins values her so much because of her connection with the Morrisons?¡± ¡°Of course. Otherwise, Viv would have been the design director instead of her.¡± Vivian Patterson, the person in question, happened to pass by just then. ¡°What are you guys doing? Don¡¯t you have work to do?¡± One of Vivian¡¯s closepanions quickly walked up to her and exined, ¡°Viv, the design. director is here. She¡¯s in Mr. Hawkins¡® office.¡± Vivian smiled disdainfully. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just upset for you. You¡¯ve been in charge of designing packaging for Venusta, and your designs always get rave reviews. You have much more experience in design than her. ¡°Why does she get to be design director the moment she joins thepany, while you-¡± ¡°While I¡¯m just the assistant director?¡± Vivian finished her colleague¡¯s words with a smile. ¡°Viv, we¡¯re not trying to discredit you. We just think that this decision was too hasty. You need at least ten years of experience to be the design director. It¡¯s unreasonable for a rookie to be one. Vivian said, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? God despises those without virtue. Caroline has neither work nor leadership experience. Just bide your time, and she¡¯ll eventually make a fool of herself. What¡¯s the rush?¡± Everyoneughed. At this time, Jules escorted Caroline out of his office. Seeing that Vivian was there, Jules called her over and said, ¡°Vivian, you¡¯re here. Let me introduce you two.¡± There¡¯s no need to do that, Mr. Hawkins. Isn¡¯t she Caroline Evans, the distinguishedpetitor from the Novitius Contest? Everyone in Osbury knows her since she¡¯s the person who only pursues Mr. Eddy.¡± Jules looked embarrassed. ¡°This is Vivian, the assistant director of the design department.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t take Vivian¡¯s words to heart. She extended out her hand. ¡°Hello. Let me introduce myself again. I¡¯m Caroline.¡± Vivian didn¡¯t take Caroline seriously at all and shook Caroline¡¯s hand condescendingly. ¡°Vivian. Vivian Patterson.¡± Caroline looked back at Jules. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now. I¡¯ll meet my colleagues at the design department on my first day.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Jules walked Caroline to the elevator. After she left, he turned around and said to Vivian, ¡°Vivian, I know you¡¯re upset with Caroline, but let me give you some advice as a superior. In your career, the more friends you make, the more options you have.¡± Vivian handed a design draft to Jules, saying sarcastically, ¡°Thank you for your sweet reminder, Mr. Hawkins. But you know that I let people¡¯s abilities speak for themselves. Since Caroline wants to be the design director without having what it takes, she has to bear the consequences.¡± Jules was about to lecture her some more, but she¡¯d already gone into another elevator. Looking at the descending elevator, he shook his head helplessly. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Chapter 118 When Caroline arrived downstairs, she called Gwen, asking if she wanted to go shopping for gifts together. On the other end of the line, Gwen mumbled, ¡°I have to work overtime today, so I can¡¯te with you, Carol.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Go ahead and work.¡± After hanging up the phone, she looked up nearby ces where she could buy gifts. By the time she was done buying and wrapping the gifts, it was already evening. The store did home deliveries, so Caroline gave the staff her address. Then, after checking the time, she was about to call Kirk when her phone rang. Caroline¡¯s eyes turned cold when she saw the caller ID. She answered it after some hesitation. ¡°Carol.¡± Sarah asked tteringly, ¡°Are you free?¡± Caroline answered coldly, ¡°No.¡± Sarah exined diffidently, ¡°La knows she¡¯s at fault for what happened at thepetition. She wants to treat you to dinner and apologize. Carrie, you should forgive when you can. Do it for me¡­¡± Caroline refused without hesitation. ¡°No thanks. If she really wants to make it up to me, she just has to leave me alone. That¡¯ll make me happy.¡± ¡°Carrie!¡± Sarah raised her voice. ¡°Eddy will be there too! This is yourst chance. Don¡¯t be stubborn! Caroline clenched her fingers. Her mother had clearly only called her because she wanted her to be part of the Morrison family. She immediately hung up the phone and blocked her parents¡® numbers. Even after that, her body was still shaking in anger. From now on, she had nothing to do with the Evans family! At that moment, a ck car drove up to Caroline. Two powerful men stepped out of the vehicle. ¡± Caroline Evans?¡± Caroline backed away cautiously, asking. ¡°Who are you people?¡± The two men looked at each other, and without saying a word, they forced Caroline into the car and drove away. They moved so quickly that no one noticed what they were doing, despite it being rush hour. Soon, the car stopped. Caroline was forced out of the car. When she saw the building in front of her, her heart sank. She was at the Saint Pierre Grand Hotel, which was owned by the Collins family. Their business here was morally dubious, so the hotel had been built in a secluded ce in the suburbs. It would be difficult for someone to find this ce. Caroline gritted her teeth and struggled with all her might. However, the two men were too strong, and they easily restrained her. ¡°Who the hell are you people?¡± she questioned. The two men ignored her and took her to the 29th floor. When Caroline got out of the elevator, she saw two rows of bodyguards standing in the central hall. Before she could react, the two men pushed her toward the bodyguards. One of the men said, We¡¯ve brought the girl.¡± The leader of the bodyguards nodded slightly. Looking at Caroline, he said politely, ¡°Please go this way, Ms. Evans.¡± Caroline stayed rooted on the spot. ¡°Our boss is waiting inside. Please go in.¡± The bodyguard once again gestured Caroline toward the room. Caroline looked around. She was already surrounded by people who were closely guarding her. It would be foolish to try to escape. She bit her lips unhappily and strode into the room. When Brie heard here in, she looked at her with a smile, swirling her wine ss. ¡°You¡¯re here. Seeing that Caroline was alone, the smile on her face faded slightly. ¡°Why are you alone?¡± Caroline frowned. So, Brie was behind this. She asked, ¡°What are you trying to do by kidnapping me and bringing me here?¡± Brie waved her hand. ¡°No, no. I didn¡¯t kidnap you. That¡¯s against thew. I¡¯m just inviting you for dinner. How you arrived here has nothing to do with me.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t want to listen to her nonsense. She said coldly, ¡°Let me go. You don¡¯t want your crimes to be broadcast on the news tomorrow, right?¡± Brie sneered, walking up to Caroline. ¡°This is my territory. Not even an insect could get in here. Even if I killed you, no one would ever find out.¡± Caroline clenched her fists. ¡°If you want to me someone, me that wonderful husband of yours. He actually had the gall to threaten me, ordering me to leave you alone.¡± Brie tightly gripped Caroline¡¯s chin and said mockingly, ¡°Well, let¡¯s see how he¡¯s going to kill me for this!¡± Caroline was about to raise her hand to retaliate when she heard Brie¡¯s warning. ¡°Don¡¯t move. There are bodyguards outside. They¡¯ll crush you like an insect.¡± ¡°What are you nning?¡± Caroline questioned. She took a deep breath, calming herself down. ¡°Call your husband and ask him toe over!¡± ¡°No way in hell am I doing that,¡± Caroline refused. Considering there were so many bodyguards outside, Brie had obviouslye prepared. If Kirk came here, he wouldn¡¯t leave this ce alive. ¡°You¡¯re more stubborn than I thought. Fine! Come in here, boys!¡± Two bodyguards entered the room. Brie ordered, ¡°Take care of Ms. Evans!¡± Caroline¡¯s face turned pale as she backed away steadily. ¡°Don¡¯t! Stay away from me Looking at Caroline getting cornered, Brie smiled disdainfully. ¡°Do whatever you want with her! You don¡¯t have to worry about her status! As long as you clean up the evidence from her body, the police will have a hard time getting proof! Even if she tells the world about this, you¡¯ll be fine!¡± After that, she proudly told Caroline, ¡°Let¡¯s see how stubborn you really are!¡± Brie left the room, closing the door behind her. Seeing this, Caroline wanted to escape, but the bodyguards carried her like a sack of potatoes and threw her into a corner. 4 ¡°Sorry about this, Ms. Evans!¡± Then, the bodyguards began tearing Caroline¡¯s clothes. In a restaurant, seeing that everything was ready, Gwen said excitedly, ¡°We¡¯re ready!¡± Standing behind Gwen, Sean also looked at the balloons in the air with a smile. He asked Kirk, ¡± What do you think, Kirk?¡± Kirk had sweat on his expressionless face, but it was clear how happy he felt. ¡°If there are no problems, let¡¯s call the woman of the hour!¡± Gwen was excited. Now that she knew Kirk wasn¡¯t cheating on Caroline and was even nning a surprise proposal, she no longer hated him. She¡¯d even volunteered to help with setting up the scene. Kirk took out his phone and called Caroline. However, even though he¡¯d tried several times, she still hadn¡¯t answered. ¡°Let me try.¡± Upon seeing this, Gwen also called Caroline, but her call couldn¡¯t get through. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell her you¡¯d pick her up?¡± Sean asked. Kirk frowned. After a moment, he walked out of the restaurant and called Jules. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. On the phone, Jules told him in fear and trepidation, ¡°Mr. Kirk, Caroline left the building a long time ago.¡± Kirk felt a trace of panic and called Charles. He ordered sullenly, ¡°Go and retrieve security footage from the surveince cameras near Thorne Corp. I want to know where Caroline is in three minutes!¡± Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Stop Caroline cried out, feeling the coldness of the hands gripping her. I¡¯ll do it I¡¯ll call him!¡± Upon seving this, the two bodyguards looked at each other, unenthused Then, they left the room unhappily After finding out that Caroline had finally agreed to make the call, Brie walked into the room triumphantly With a bright smile, she looked at Caroline, whose clothes had been torn into tatters. ¡°See? You should¡¯ve agreed sooner Give her the phone¡± Caroline hugged herself tightly and didn¡¯t take the phone the bodyguard handed her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you change your mind?¡± Caroline sniffled She looked at Brie, asking, ¡°At least let me wear some clothes¡± ¡°You¡¯re not trying to stall, are you?¡± Brie scoffed. ¡°This is my family¡¯s territory. Never mind your husband, even Eddy would have a lot of trouble getting here. There¡¯s no point in stalling.¡± Caroline smiled coldly, tears still in her eyes. ¡°I just want some clothes. What are you afraid of?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Brie didn¡¯t have time for her nonsense and ordered someone to bring some clothes. The bodyguard brought in a flowy, long dress. Caroline put it on. She had beautiful features and a well¨Cproportioned figure. Even in this situation, it didn¡¯t downy how beautiful the dress looked on her. There was an air of vulnerability in her appearance that could stir up anyone¡¯s protective instincts. Brie urged, ¡°Go ahead and call him!¡± Caroline said, ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°What are you trying to pull now?¡± Brie became impatient. ¡°Caroline, my patience has its limits. If you don¡¯t call him, I¡¯ll-¡± ¡°Do you know why everyone praises me while they criticize you?¡± Caroline interrupted, looking her straight in the eyes. Feeling nervous, Brie blurted out, ¡°Why?¡± Cece chose d¡¯you want to fit ouf She heatated momentarily, and she couldn¡¯t resist walking toward Caroline Hurry up and ES Sering the opportunity, Careline quipped files neck and pushed her to the floor in calling window with all her strength Carolion YouB- b Hearing themction, the bodyguards rushed into the room. Seeing Caroline holding Bow bostage, they froze ¡°Don¡¯te any slower Caroline was trembling as she pushed open the window the theatement, # youe any closet, Ill take her down with the The bodyguards mediately stopped moving ¡°Cantine. You¡¯re nuts past want to meet your man f¨Cyou don¡¯t have to struggle su desperately Sove wheezed almost losing her breath ban Caroline¡¯s ham grip Caroline was amused ¡°re, we¡¯ve known each othee for years. Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯l Material ? N?velDrama.Org. do to tum I won¡¯t let you hart ham? Order them to leave this roo She nced out the window. They were on the 29th floor. She wouht be maced new if she jumped out the window Her hands trembled even more She couldn¡¯t back down, even if the wate sfrand The bodyguards looked at Brie for instructions Boxe could feel Carole tressbling, and she snailed, ¡°y where you are! doubt a take woman fake her would die for a man She could tell how aliaid Caroline was ¡°Go abeat and jump Bne said smugly. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to take me down with you? Come¨Canal Satore she sold even tish, Caroline grabbed her hair and chaibed up the handrail Brie could ten the cold night breeze on her face, and she was so frightened that het legs weat unb. She fough ¡°This bitch is crazy! Castle was no better ter face was a pair e a ghust¡¯s She bit her tongue brings that ste so as to intrond Her Tom her fear but she was fulding a person whoh made it dirt that tea Seeing an opportunity, a nimble bodyguard quickly dragged Caroline off the handrail, and her head hit the ground. Caroline felt a surge of pain in her head. She struggled to get up. Everything around her was spinning, and she could even see afterimages. Then, she felt someone lift her head. Brie frantically pped her face. ¡°How dare you try to kill me, you bitch? I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± The sound of hard ps filled the room. Caroline¡¯s lips were bleeding, but she gritted her teeth, remaining silent. After a long while, Brie finally got tired of hitting her and stopped. Panting heavily, she ordered the bodyguard, ¡°Get her phone and call her husband!¡± Caroline was barely conscious, but she still struggled. She said weakly, ¡°N¨CNo¡­¡± Soon enough, the call was connected. ¡°Carrie!¡± Everyone heard a man¡¯s anxious voice. Brie mocked, ¡°Oh, how sweet. He calls you Carrie.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Brie leisurely sat on a chair with her legs crossed, smoothing her messy hair. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me not to mess with Caroline if I wanted to live? Well, not only did I mess with her, but I also beat her within an inch of her life. What are you going to do about it?¡± Kirk felt his heart tighten, and his voice turned as cold as ice. ¡°You¡¯re dead, Brie!¡± Following these words, someone kicked the door open with a bang. Caroline was struggling to stay conscious and raised her head with difficulty. When she saw Kirk standing at the door, her breath hitched, and she passed out. Brie¡¯s face turned pale in an instant. ¡°Mr. Kirk! W¨Cwhat are you doing here?¡± Kirk violently grabbed Brie¡¯s neck, his eyes frosty. The bodyguards wanted to intervene, but the men Charles had brought quickly restrained them. Brie was about to suffocate. Seeing her men getting taken down one by one, she waved her hands ¡°I told you. You¡¯re dead!¡± Kirk gripped Brie¡¯s neck even tighter, looking like he wanted to eat her alive. Brie¡¯s lips parted in shock and disbelief. She gasped. ¡°Y¨CYou¡¯re¡­ Caroline¡¯s husband?¡± That was impossible! How could Kirk be her husband? ¡°Kirk.¡± Sean checked Caroline¡¯s wounds, saying urgently. ¡°We need to take her to a hospital!¡± Out of control with rage, Kirk squeezed Brie¡¯s neck even harder. Brie was in so much pain that she couldn¡¯t utter a single word. Sean urged, ¡°We have no time to lose! Caroline hit her head! It¡¯ll be bad if she has a concussion!¡± When Kirk heard his friend¡¯s words, he snapped out of his rage. He let go of Brie and pushed her away. He turned around and carried Caroline in his arms. He ordered, ¡°Lock up everyone who was involved in this!¡± After that, he strode out of the room. Brie fell to the ground, pathetically gasping for air. Her eyes were fixed on Kirk. She couldn¡¯t ept the fact that he was Caroline¡¯s husband! Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Chapter 120 The hospital staff took Caroline to the operating room. Kirk wanted to follow her in, but Sean stopped him. ¡°Kirk.¡± Sean tried to calm his friend down. ¡°Caroline will be fine.¡± Kirk looked back at him. His eyes were still red from anger, which made him look terrifying. Despite being his longtime friend, Sean was also a little scared of him. He knew Kirk too well. He was always calm andposed; he¡¯d never lose hisposure unless someone hit his trigger. Without him realizing it, Caroline had be his soft spot at some point. It seemed like Kirk himself didn¡¯t know about that. ¡°How is Carol?¡± Gwen asked Sean as soon as she arrived. She¡¯d rushed to the hospital as soon as she¡¯d heard what had happened. Sean nced at Kirk, then looked at Gwen and answered, ¡°She just went into the operating room.¡± ¡°Which bastard did this to her?¡± Gwen growled. Sean said, ¡°Brie.¡± ¡°That fucking bitch!¡± Gwen turned around and was about to leave. Sean stopped her. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To get even with Brie, of course! That crazy bitch is nuts! She always causes trouble for Carol!¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything for now.¡± Sean persuaded her, saying, ¡°Kirk will handle this.¡± ¡°How is he going to do that?¡± Gwen questioned. It wasn¡¯t that Gwen didn¡¯t believe in Kirk, but Brie was from one of the big four families. On top of that, She was Howard¡¯s precious daughter, and he was the current head of the Collins family. Even if Jude stepped in, Brie might not necessarily be punished. Kirk was just an ordinary person. There was no way he could do anything to Brie. ¡°Just don¡¯t worry.¡± Sean didn¡¯t know what to tell Gwen. He gave her a look and said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait here for now.¡± Cars was loux She wanted to say shit between the saw Kurk standing rigidly at the geting to do, she felt rahiming peesware The mullenly kepa her mouth shut and stayed by Sean¡¯s side, waiting quietly. After whet beersed to be a infetame the doctor finally came out of the operating room ¡°The patient is fine the has a few bruses on her head and the past needs to rest and recover Gwen let out a sigh of relief Then, she looked back at Kuk He was still standing there with his fists clenched, and his eyes were terrifyingly dark She wordlessly looked at Sean Sean said cautiously. ¡°Hey, Kirk Since Caroline is fine, Gwen and I are leaving ¡± With that said, he pulled Gwen away. Gwen said anxiously, ¡°Hey¡® Why are you dragging me away? I haven¡¯t even seen Carol yet!¡± Sean pulled Gwen into the elevator. He asked, ¡°Why on earth are you so dense?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you giving Carol and Kirk some time alone?¡± Gwen asked, rubbing her tender wrist. Sean¡¯s eyes dumed, and he said hoarsely, ¡°Since you know, why aren¡¯t you ying along?¡± Gwen pouted unhappily ¡°Hmph If Kirk hadn¡¯t saved her, I wouldn¡¯t have even given him this chance Sean¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°Of course. Thank you for your generosity, Ms Jameson ¡± Gwen felt a tenderness in her chest, but she said. ¡°But don¡¯t celebrate so soon. Although I¡¯ve epted Kirk as Carol¡¯s husband, Carol has long lost interest in love since Eddy hurt her So, Kirk will just have to face disappointment.¡± The smile on Sean¡¯s face disappeared. In the hospital room, Caroliney on the bed, unconscious. Her head was wrapped in gauze, and her cheeks were pale. She looked fragile, like she could fall apart at any moment. Kirk held her hand, his eyes filled with distress. ¡°Sir.¡± Charles walked in quietly. He said, ¡°I have the surveince footage at the time of the Kirk¡¯s grip on Caroline¡¯s hand tightened, a trace of anger appearing in his eyes. ¡°Leave it here, Yes, sir.¡± Charles put down the tablet next to Kirk and left the room. Taking a deep breath, Kirk looked at the surveince footage sullenly. His eyes darkened upon seeing Caroline getting dragged to the hotel room. As he watched the video, the atmosphere in the room became colder and colder. When he saw Caroline refusing Brie¡¯s order to call him, he felt as if his heart was being pricked by tons of needles. She¡¯d been protecting him. He clenched his fists tightly, his entire body itching for violence. Then, when he saw the two bodyguards tearing Caroline¡¯s clothes apart, he snapped. ¡°Charles!¡± Charles immediately walked into the room. Kirk ordered, ¡°Cut off these two men¡¯s hands.¡± Charles wanted to remind him that they were in Easton, but when he saw Kirk¡¯s livid expression. he relented. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Then, he left the room. Kirk was still gripping the tablet so tightly that cracks appeared on the screen. Finally, the screen. shattered under his grip, and the tablet couldn¡¯t work anymore. The rage disappeared from Kirk¡¯s gaze as he slowly regained hisposure. However, when he saw Caroline¡¯s pale face, his murderous intent returned in full force. ¡°Carrie,¡± Kirk called her name softly, gently holding her hand. His heart ached. He looked at her slender hands. He couldn¡¯t imagine how Caroline used those very hands to grip Brie¡¯s neck, threatening to take her down with her. She¡¯d wanted to protect him, even if she lost her life. Kirk felt a recklessness he¡¯d never felt before. He took out a ring from his pocket and got down on one knee. Right now, there were no balloons, fancy music, or cake. There was even the smell of disinfectant in the air, but this moment was more romantic than any other moment in his life. ¡°Marry me, Carrie,¡± Kirk whispered His lips trembled, and his eyes were teary Without waiting for an answer, he slipped the pink diamond ring on Caroline¡¯s finger. It seemed like the ring had been made just for her, and it fit her like a glove. Atst, a soft smile appeared on Kirk¡¯s face. He lowered his head, kissing Caroline¡¯s fingers. ¡°K Kirk Caroline¡¯s fingers moved. Kirk looked up and saw Caroline looking at him. He didn¡¯t know when she¡¯d woken up A trace of panic appeared in his eyes, and he quickly got up. ¡°When did you wake up?¡± There was a smile on Caroline¡¯s face as she asked, ¡°Were you proposing to me?¡± T¨CI¡­ For the first time, Kirk discovered that he could get tongue¨Ctied as well. Upon seeing the blush on Kirk¡¯s face, Caroline felt the pain in her body fade away She¡® could¡¯ve never guessed that the cynical and indifferent Kirk could blush like that It was pretty cute. ¡°Kirk.¡± She said softly, ¡°I ept your proposal¡± Kirk looked at her, the coldness in his gaze faltering ¡°What did you say?¡± His mouth was parched He gripped Caroline¡¯s hand with trembling hands. Caroline looked at him with a smile ¡°Yes, Kirk. I want to give us a chance Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Kirk hugged Caroline. They held each other close, their hearts beating as one. His minty scent filled Caroline¡¯s nostrils, and she felt her cheeks turning warm. Then, she suddenly thought of something and anxiously touched Kirk¡¯s body. She asked, ¡°Are you hurt? Brie¡¯s bodyguards didn¡¯t hurt you, did they?¡± Kirk felt his body heat up from her touch. He had no choice but to hold Caroline¡¯s hands, his voice low and hoarse. ¡°I¡¯m fine, but if you keep touching me, I can¡¯t guarantee I won¡¯t do anything.¡± When Caroline heard his words, she froze. She didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d tricked her until she heard his cheerfulugh. She weakly punched Kirk¡¯s chest. Kirk held her fist and ced a kiss on her fingers. ¡°You¡¯d better not go back on your word, Caroline. ¡°What?¡± ¡°About being with me,¡± Kirk said. Caroline¡¯s face turned red again. ¡°Who said I wanted to be with you?¡± Kirk happily pecked Caroline on the lips. ¡°You tease.¡± Caroline was so shy that she didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Kirk, you scumbag ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Kirk hugged her and cooed, ¡°I am a scumbag.¡± Caroline shyly buried her face in Kirk¡¯s chest, whining quietly. After a while, she looked up at him, asking, ¡°Are we breaking the rules? ording to what we agreed on, if we break any of the rules, we have to divor-¡± Before she could finish her words, she felt a rough kiss on her lips. Brie¡¯s disappearance didn¡¯t attract Howard¡¯s attention at first. It wasn¡¯t until two dayster, when Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. he couldn¡¯t contact her, that he realized something was wrong He mobilized his men to search the entire city, and news about her disappearance reached ¡°Could she have been kidnapped?¡± La asked Eddy, biting her lip. She¡¯d lied, saying that she had a headache today, and Eddy had finallye to see her. Eddy sat on the couch, waiting for the nurse to finish taking La¡¯s temperature. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Grandpa asked around yesterday and didn¡¯t receive any threatening calls from the kidnappers.¡± La¡¯s heart pounded. There hadn¡¯t been any news since Caroline was kidnapped at Saint Pierre Grand Hotel that day. She couldn¡¯t reach Brie on the phone either. She didn¡¯t know what to do, and she didn¡¯t dare to ask around. She asked, ¡°W¨Cwill she be okay?¡± ¡°If you ask me, she¡¯s probably too busy partying elsewhere. She¡¯ll be back in a few days.¡± Eddy didn¡¯t notice La¡¯s strange expression. He got up and asked the nurse, ¡°How is she?¡± La felt uneasy, but then she remembered something. Caroline¡¯s husband was just an ordinary person. There was no way he could do anything to Brie. Thinking of this, she finally forced a smile on her face. ¡°You¡¯re right. She¡¯s a rich girl with a bunch of bodyguards. She¡¯ll be fine.¡± Eddy was talking to the nurse. When he heard La¡¯s words, he turned to look at her. ¡°La, you seem to be worried about Brie.¡± He remembered that both of them hardly knew each other. La¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°N¨Cno¡­¡± Fortunately, Eddy¡¯s phone rang. He left the room to answer the call, allowing La to catch her breath. Not long after, he returned to the room with a dark expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ed?¡± ¡°Brie is back.¡± La¡¯s eyes lit up. Did that mean Brie had dealt with Caroline? ¡°Someone brought her back.¡± Edd Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Although the big four families were at odds with each other, they had to see each other whenever something happened. La¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°How did this happen?¡± Caroline should have been the one who¡¯d disappeared, not Brie. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll head over there,¡± Eddy said. Then, he quickly left, leaving behind a panicking La. When Eddy arrived at the Collins family¡¯s home, he discovered Brie¡¯s situation was far more severe than Jude had described Disheveled, she was lying on the bed as if she¡¯d been tortured. Her entire body, especially her face. was covered in bruises to the point where no part of her was unharmed. She was muttering something, but her voice was so soft that no one could hear what she was saying Howard was heartbroken when he saw his daughter like this ¡°Did you find out who did this to her?¡± Eddy asked. Howard shook his head in distress. ¡°No. I couldn¡¯t find anything¡± ¡°What about Brie? Doesn¡¯t she know who did this to her?¡± Howard raised his head in dismay, tears flowing down his wrinkled cheeks ¡°Look at her! What is she supposed to say in her condition? The doctor said she¡¯d been tortured for two days straight and had mentally fallen apart. Even if she knows who it was, she can¡¯t say anything!¡± Eddy didn¡¯t know how tofort him. After standing there for a while, he could only say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr Collins Our family will do our best to help you find out who¡¯s behind this ¡± Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. At this moment, Brie suddenly twitched on the bed and screamed, ¡°Caroline! Caroline¡¯s husband is She passed out before she could finish her sentence. Seeing this, the doctor hurriedly soothed her and brought water to hydrate her. Finally, Brie opened her eyes again. ¡°Mr. Collins, we can¡¯t keep letting her suffer like this,¡± the family doctor said worriedly. ¡°We should take her to the hospital.¡± Howard clutched his chest. He was worried for his daughter¡¯s life, so he didn¡¯t care about any scandal this could cause. He waved his hand. ¡°Hurry up and take her there.¡± The servants hurriedly arranged a ride to take Brie to the hospital. Eddy felt sad seeing this. The dignified heiress of the Collins family was now a cripple. He wondered who would be so cruel as to do this to her. Suddenly, Brie¡¯s words just now crossed his mind, and his eyes widened. He thought, ¡°How was Caroline involved in this?¡± Eddy took out his phone and called his assistant, ¡°Find out where Caroline is right now.¡± He had no choice; Caroline had blocked him, so he had to meet her himself. At the hospital, Gwen was mesmerized by the big diamond ring on Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh my God, this diamond ring is so big! It¡¯s basically a shiny rock! Do you feel tired wearing this heavy ring? I¡¯ll wear it for you if you are!¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t help butugh when she saw Gwen clowning around. ¡°Hey.¡± Gwen was done joking around and got down to business. ¡°What¡¯s going on with you and Kirk now?¡± Caroline¡¯s face reddened like a tomato. ¡°We¡¯re j¨Cjust together.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡°together¡°?¡± Gwen wiggled her eyebrows. Caroline shyly yelled, ¡°I¡¯m ignoring you now!¡± ¡°All right, all right. I won¡¯t tease you anymore.¡± Gwen said, ¡°I¡¯m on board with your rtionship with Kirk!¡± Caroline was surprised to hear Caroline¡¯s approval, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course, I was setting up the proposal with him at the restaurant that day. When he found out you were gone, he was so nervous. He contacted everyone he could to find you. ¡°After getting word that you were at Saint Pierre Grand Hotel, he went there without a word. He must have known that the hotel was the Collins family¡¯s territory, but he wasn¡¯t phased in the slightest. *After seeing how devoted he is to you, I decided to give my approval for your rtionship, albeit reluctantly.¡± Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Caroline was taken aback. The amount of information in Gwen¡¯s words was a lot to process. For a white, she didn¡¯t know what to say or ask. After a while, she stammered, ¡°Y¨Cyou guys prepared for a surprise proposal at a restaurant?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Gwen said regretfully, ¡°It¡¯s probably all gone now. After all, we don¡¯t own the restaurant. It¡¯s a pity. I didn¡¯t get to take pictures and capture the moment.¡± Caroline felt regretful as well. After a while, she pulled herself together and asked, ¡°I passed out when Kirk arrived at the hotel. Do you know what happened after that?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t with him, so I don¡¯t know.¡± Caroline asked worriedly, ¡°Are the public talking about this?¡± Kirk had left the hotel unharmed and taken her away. There was no way Brie would give up after this. ¡°No.¡± Gwen took Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Carol. If Brie dares to cause any more trouble, we¡¯ll let Mr. Morrison Senior handle this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. Grandpa is old and in poor health,¡± Caroline refused. ¡°We¡¯d better not get him involved.¡± Heartbroken, Gwen said, ¡°You always think about others and not yourself.¡± As she spoke, she sighed. ¡°I hate that I can¡¯t do anything.¡± The Jameson family was just a small family. The only reason Mrs. Jameson could even stay in Morrison Corporation¡¯s private hospital was because of Caroline. Caroline smiled. ¡°I¡¯m doing fine now, aren¡¯t I? Before I can get back on my feet, I¡¯ll y things by ear with Brie for now. I¡¯ll bring the Evans family back on top sooner orter. When that happens, I can finally settle the score with them.¡± Gwen smiled back at her. ¡°I believe in you, Carol.¡± The two chatted for a while longer. Noticing that Kirk wasn¡¯t back yet, Gwen asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Kirk? ¡°I asked him to handle the flight tickets. I¡¯ll be discharged from the hospital and go to Flonza in two days.¡± ¡°So soon? Your head hasn¡¯t fully healed yet,¡± Gwen said, surprised Caroline said, smiling gently. ¡°I¡¯m afraid he doesn¡¯t have enough vacation days, so it¡¯s better to head over there sooner. I¡¯ll just recuperate over there.¡± As a corporate ve, Gwen fully understood her friend¡¯s point. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea It¡¯s not like Kirk is a rich, powerful man or something. He can¡¯t get breaks so easily.¡± The two of them chatted more before a knock sounded on the door. Gwen got up and walked to the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± When she opened the door, she saw Eddy¡¯s pathetic face Gwen was about to close the door, but Eddy stopped her I¡¯m here to see Caroline *She doesn¡¯t want to see you,¡± Gwen said sharply. She couldn¡¯t stand looking at him Caroline had already seen Eddy at the door. She frowned slightly and said, ¡°Let him in, Gwen¡® Gwen begrudgingly let Eddy enter the room ¡°Is there something I can do for you?¡± ¡°Are you involved with what happened to Brie?¡± Eddy asked He noticed the gauze on Caroline¡¯s head and wanted to say a few words of concern Still, when he saw her stern gaze, he held his tongue. Caroline said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean ¡± ¡°Caroline.¡± Eddy said sternly, ¡°Things are really serious Someone beat Brie within an inch of her life, and Howard wants to know who did this to her I¡¯m offering you a lifeline. You just have to exin what happened If Howard finds out that you did this, it¡¯ll be toote ¡°What did you say? Gwen said gleefully. ¡°Brie got beaten within an inch of her life, you say? Haha! Karma¡¯s a bitch¡± Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Eddy¡¯s expression darkened. He snarled, ¡°Gwen!¡± Gwen said with contempt, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did she expect to escape unscathed after kidnapping Caroline and dragging her to Saint Pierre Grand Hotel?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Eddy was utterly confused. Caroline looked at the foolish Eddy, who seemed to alwayse and question her whenever something happened. ¡°Mr. Eddy, please get the details right before you start pointing fingers. I have no idea why Brie was beaten up. If you have proof that I was behind this, feel free to show it to the police.¡± ¡°Hear that?¡± Gwen giddily watched Eddy¡¯s face turn livid. ¡°Also, Carol is married¡­¡± She picked up Caroline¡¯s hand, waving the diamond ring right in front of him. ¡°You¡¯ve got to stop looking for Caroline every chance you get. Even if you¡¯re not afraid of being misunderstood, I¡¯m worried people would call Carol a phnderer.¡± Eddy¡¯s expression turned even darker. ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re bing really cruel. Even if you had nothing to do with what happened to Brie, can you say the same for your husband?¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes widened slightly, but she gave a small smile. ¡°Even if he¡¯s involved, that¡¯s for us to handle as husband and wife. It doesn¡¯t concern an outsider like you. If there¡¯s nothing else, you may leave, Mr. Eddy.¡± Eddy felt anger welling up in his chest. He was pissed. After discovering that Caroline had been hospitalized, he¡¯d rushed here without eating anything. He hadn¡¯t even gotten a word of appreciation for his actions, and they¡¯d ridiculed him instead. The day he would care about her again was when hell froze over. Eddy was so angry that he stormed out of the room, not bothering to spare any more pleasantries. Meanwhile, Kirk strode toward the elevator downstairs. His phone was glued to his ear, and unlike how he acted with Caroline, there wasn¡¯t a trace of tenderness on his face. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve booked the ne tickets.¡± Charles turned on his tablet and continued, ¡°The people we you¡¯d entered Don¡¯t worry. The doctor has diagnosed her, and she¡¯ll spend the rest of her life bedridden atal delirious No one will believe a word she says Expect ¡°he paused Except what? Charles shivered, hearing his boss¡® cold voice Bracing himself, he answered, ¡°We still haven! found the two men who kidnapped Ms Evans that day¡± Kirk looked up at the elevator to see that it had reached the second floor He ordered, ¡®ll give all of you half a month to find them If you still can¡¯t find them, figure things out yourself ¡°Yes, sit ¡°Charles trembled and hung up the phone hastily As Kirk put away his phone, the elevator door opened Eddy walked out of the elevator and was stunned when he saw Kirk Uncle Kirk What are you doing here?¡± Then, he realized something ¡®Are you here to see Caroline? You¡¯d better not go, Uncle Konk She a just an ungrateful witch A cold glint appeared in Kirk¡¯s eyes, but he said impassively. ¡°I should still see here After all, cle Jude cares for her dearly Although I can¡¯t tell him what happened to her, I should still weath ben on his behalf ¡°Go ahead¡® Eddy walked out of the elevator without looking back After taking a few steps, he suddenly turned back around Seeing this, Kirk frowned slightly *Ady walked back into the elevator and pressed the close button. I should go with you, Unche Kuk. She treats the badly, but you¡¯re an older rtive, so she wouldn¡¯t dare to lose her temper with You Kark harrowed his brows in displeasure He was about to protest but the elevator does had already rinsed In the elevator Eddyined, he¡¯s really ungrateful they husband acted out and caused & Vi problem for the Collins family cate all the way there to war her, but she didnt appreciate my gewilt all. Hey best friend appreciates Even showed off the ring Carelines husband gave her tinf Af the mention of that ring Edfy said dismissively. ¡®It¡¯s just a ting i can buy a dose of them ¡°fe was sure that the ring Carme a husband hat bought was just a piece of peak Kark rained an eyebom temating calms Eddy wain¡¯t expecting Rack to agree with him, so he continued. ¡°She¡¯s just trying to show off der relobomstap I bet husband really loves hee why Bate hum when I was in het om Eddy said resentfully feeling bitterness well up in his heart, host you wait. After a while, aller detmnely beg Grandpa for help me see if she¡¯s still arrogant when the time cranes else Kuk finally spoke up ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Think about of Edy beamed ¡°Be as foward¡¯s precious daughter, and he had high hopes for her But someone toptied has t the brink of death. ¡°Even af Catone¡¯s husband didn¡¯t do it. Howard would definitely find a scapegoat of her can and the true outprat bebaud chas is that case, Carlines husband will be the unlucky dom.¡± Kark¡¯s lips curled auto a sheer ¡°You seems eager to see Caroline begging your Chanda Eddy said with a vicious sibule ¡°Between you and me Uncle uk really want to see Bes Degging for many it had been a long time since he seen Caroline be dovle Kirk sendes slightly to afraid you¡¯re going to be disappointed N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Just then, the elevator doel opened There was too much noise, so Eddy didn¡¯t hear Kirk¡¯s w dewly what you say Uncle Kuk? Kuk walked out of the elevator, Tus tall figus cking Eddy¡¯s way You should go home ¡°She¡¯s a patient. She needs to recuperate in peace. If she sees you, it¡¯ll affect her mood,¡± Kirk exined Eddy silently remained in the elevator. After the elevator door closed, Kirk turned around, his face darkening momentarily. Then, he walked into Caroline¡¯s hospital room with steady steps, smiling once more. ¡°You¡¯re done so soon?¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t hold back her smile when she saw Kirk return. Taking the hint, Gwen said, ¡°I¡¯m leaving. I¡¯m not going to be a third wheel.¡± With one final nce at them, she waved her hand and left. Kirk sat beside Caroline, asking, ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°A lot better. The doctor said I can remove the bandages tomorrow.¡± Caroline gripped the hem of her shirt, her face flushed. She asked nervously, ¡°I¡¯m going to see your dad soon. Is there anything about him that I need to take note of?¡± Kirk patted Caroline¡¯s head with a smile. ¡°My dad¡¯s easy to get along with.¡± ¡°What about your siblings?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an only child.¡± Caroline let out a sigh, feeling much more rxed. ¡°Have you seen the gift I got for your dad? Should I get anything else?¡± Kirk hugged Caroline, smelling the faint, flowery scent on her body. He mused, ¡°At the moment, what he wants the most is¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Caroline asked innocently. Kirk¡¯s lips curled into a wicked smile. ¡°A grandchild.¡± His hot breath fanned against Caroline¡¯s ears. She felt half of her face turn warm instantly, and she angrily shoved him away. ¡°You¡¯re weird.¡± Since when is having children weird?¡± Kirk asked cheekily. Caroline¡¯s face flushed red, and she turned away. ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore.¡± Kirk hopped her from behind muzzling has heard against the neck like a puppy I¡¯m just & uting.¡± He wouldn¡¯t have a child with her before she moved on from her previous rtionship It was in her and their future child¡¯s best eventy Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Eddy was so angry that he stormed out of the room, not bothering to spare any more pleasantries. Meanwhile, Kirk strode toward the elevator downstairs. His phone was glued to his ear, and unlike how he acted with Caroline, there wasn¡¯t a trace of tenderness on his face. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve booked the ne tickets.¡± Charles turned on his tablet and continued, ¡°The people we you¡¯d entered Don¡¯t worry. The doctor has diagnosed her, and she¡¯ll spend the rest of her life bedridden atal delirious No one will believe a word she says Expect ¡°he paused Except what? Charles shivered, hearing his boss¡® cold voice Bracing himself, he answered, ¡°We still haven! found the two men who kidnapped Ms Evans that day¡± Kirk looked up at the elevator to see that it had reached the second floor He ordered, ¡®ll give all of you half a month to find them If you still can¡¯t find them, figure things out yourself ¡°Yes, sit ¡°Charles trembled and hung up the phone hastily As Kirk put away his phone, the elevator door opened Eddy walked out of the elevator and was stunned when he saw Kirk Uncle Kirk What are you doing here?¡± Then, he realized something ¡®Are you here to see Caroline? You¡¯d better not go, Uncle Konk She a just an ungrateful witch A cold glint appeared in Kirk¡¯s eyes, but he said impassively. ¡°I should still see here After all, cle Jude cares for her dearly Although I can¡¯t tell him what happened to her, I should still weath ben on his behalf ¡°Go ahead¡® Eddy walked out of the elevator without looking back After taking a few steps, he suddenly turned back around Seeing this, Kirk frowned slightly *Ady walked back into the elevator and pressed the close button. I should go with you, Unche Kuk. She treats the badly, but you¡¯re an older rtive, so she wouldn¡¯t dare to lose her temper with You Kark harrowed his brows in displeasure He was about to protest but the elevator does had already rinsed In the elevator Eddyined, he¡¯s really ungrateful they husband acted out and caused & Vi problem for the Collins family cate all the way there to war her, but she didnt appreciate my gewilt all. Hey best friend appreciates Even showed off the ring Carelines husband gave her tinf Af the mention of that ring Edfy said dismissively. ¡®It¡¯s just a ting i can buy a dose of them ¡°fe was sure that the ring Carme a husband hat bought was just a piece of peak Kark rained an eyebom temating calms Eddy wain¡¯t expecting Rack to agree with him, so he continued. ¡°She¡¯s just trying to show off der relobomstap I bet husband really loves hee why Bate hum when I was in het om Eddy said resentfully feeling bitterness well up in his heart, host you wait. After a while, aller detmnely beg Grandpa for help me see if she¡¯s still arrogant when the time cranes else Kuk finally spoke up ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Think about of Edy beamed ¡°Be as foward¡¯s precious daughter, and he had high hopes for her But someone toptied has t the brink of death. ¡°Even af Catone¡¯s husband didn¡¯t do it. Howard would definitely find a scapegoat of her can and the true outprat bebaud chas is that case, Carlines husband will be the unlucky dom.¡± Kark¡¯s lips curled auto a sheer ¡°You seems eager to see Caroline begging your Chanda Eddy said with a vicious sibule ¡°Between you and me Uncle uk really want to see Bes Degging for many it had been a long time since he seen Caroline be dovle Kirk sendes slightly to afraid you¡¯re going to be disappointed Just then, the elevator doel opened There was too much noise, so Eddy didn¡¯t hear Kirk¡¯s w dewly what you say Uncle Kuk? Kuk walked out of the elevator, Tus tall figus cking Eddy¡¯s way You should go home ¡°She¡¯s a patient. She needs to recuperate in peace. If she sees you, it¡¯ll affect her mood,¡± Kirk exined Eddy silently remained in the elevator. After the elevator door closed, Kirk turned around, his face darkening momentarily. Then, he walked into Caroline¡¯s hospital room with steady steps, smiling once more. ¡°You¡¯re done so soon?¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t hold back her smile when she saw Kirk return. Taking the hint, Gwen said, ¡°I¡¯m leaving. I¡¯m not going to be a third wheel.¡± With one final nce at them, she waved her hand and left. Kirk sat beside Caroline, asking, ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°A lot better. The doctor said I can remove the bandages tomorrow.¡± Caroline gripped the hem of her shirt, her face flushed. She asked nervously, ¡°I¡¯m going to see your dad soon. Is there anything about him that I need to take note of?¡± Kirk patted Caroline¡¯s head with a smile. ¡°My dad¡¯s easy to get along with.¡± ¡°What about your siblings?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an only child.¡± Caroline let out a sigh, feeling much more rxed. ¡°Have you seen the gift I got for your dad? Should I get anything else?¡± Kirk hugged Caroline, smelling the faint, flowery scent on her body. He mused, ¡°At the moment, what he wants the most is¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Caroline asked innocently. Kirk¡¯s lips curled into a wicked smile. ¡°A grandchild.¡± His hot breath fanned against Caroline¡¯s ears. She felt half of her face turn warm instantly, and she angrily shoved him away. ¡°You¡¯re weird.¡± Since when is having children weird?¡± Kirk asked cheekily. Caroline¡¯s face flushed red, and she turned away. ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore.¡± Kirk hopped her from behind muzzling has heard against the neck like a puppy I¡¯m just & uting.¡± He wouldn¡¯t have a child with her before she moved on from her previous rtionship It was in her and their future child¡¯s best eventy Caroline waited for her blush to disappear before looking back at Kirk. She asked, ¡°Have you heard what happened to Brie?¡± She didn¡¯t believe that Kirk would torture Brie to the brink of death. He didn¡¯t have what it took. ¡°Yeah,¡± Kirk said casually. ¡°Who do you think did it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Kirk remained impassive. ¡°How did you get out of the hotel that day?¡± Caroline asked. Brie had so many bodyguards with her. It was impossible for Kirk to leave that ce unscathed. ¡°The bodyguards had already copsed after I arrived.¡± Kirk wasn¡¯t exactly lying. Caroline stroked her chin, lost in thought. ¡°That means there was another group of people that day. Could they be responsible for what happened to Brie?¡± Kirk held Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just afraid¡­¡± Caroline looked up at Kirk tearfully. Kirk¡¯s heart melted instantly, and he held Caroline in his arms, saying softly, ¡°Are you afraid that the Collins family will direct their anger on me if they can¡¯t find the culprit?¡± Caroline nodded in his arms. Kirk kissed her forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The Collinses wouldn¡¯t dare to cause me trouble.¡± A smile finally appeared on Caroline¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re right. You have nothing to do with what happened to Brie. Mr. Collins won¡¯te after you unless he¡¯s desperate.¡± Kirk smiled but didn¡¯t exin the actual reasoning behind his words. Two dayster, Kirk helped Caroline check out of the hospital. Then, he hailed a car to go to the airport. Gwen had taken half a day off from work to see Caroline off. She said sadly, ¡°I¡¯ll miss you, Carol. Caroline was also upset, but she still tried her best tofort Gwen. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in half a month. You can video call me when you have the time.¡± ¡°Okay, Gwen sniffled, hugging Caroline. Sean and Kirk watched them nearby, not interrupting their goodbye. After Caroline and Gwen broke their hug reluctantly, Kirk walked up to remind Caroline it was time to board the ne. ¡°Carrie.¡± Caroline nodded. She patted Gwen on the shoulder. Then, she followed Kirk into the gate. Seeing Caroline leave her sight, Gwen couldn¡¯t hold back her emotions anymore. Sean hugged her,forting her. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t cry. Didn¡¯t she say she¡¯d be back in half a month?¡± (1 Gwen burst into tears, wailing, ¡°Just let me cry for a little bit! A pig has taken my best friend away from me!¡± Sean¡¯s expression turned dark. At Morrison Manor, Howard stood up, pping the table in front of him. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior, I have nothing else to say. Since you insist on taking Caroline¡¯s side, don¡¯t N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. me me for what happens to her.¡± Jude calmly reasoned with him, saying, ¡°I¡¯m not taking her side. I just think it¡¯s ridiculous that you think Caroline is behind what happened to Brie. The Evans family has been in decline for years, and she¡¯s just one woman. How can she do something like this?¡± ¡°Then, it has to be her husband.¡± Howard¡¯s face was flushed with anger. ¡°Otherwise, Brie wouldn¡¯t keep repeating their names.¡± Jude said, ¡°I understand that you want to avenge your daughter, but¡­¡± Howard waved his hand, cutting him off. ¡°Enough, Mr. Morrison Senior. I came here to inform you of my intentions. If you insist on meddling with my ns, don¡¯t me me for what happens.¡± With that, he stormed out of the room. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Caroline waited for her blush to disappear before looking back at Kirk. She asked, ¡°Have you heard what happened to Brie?¡± She didn¡¯t believe that Kirk would torture Brie to the brink of death. He didn¡¯t have what it took. ¡°Yeah,¡± Kirk Chapter 126 Caroline waited for her blush to disappear before looking back at Kirk. She asked, ¡°Have you heard what happened to Brie?¡± She didn¡¯t believe that Kirk would torture Brie to the brink of death. He didn¡¯t have what it took. ¡°Yeah,¡± Kirk said casually. ¡°Who do you think did it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Kirk remained impassive. ¡°How did you get out of the hotel that day?¡± Caroline asked. Brie had so many bodyguards with her. It was impossible for Kirk to leave that ce unscathed. ¡°The bodyguards had already copsed after I arrived.¡± Kirk wasn¡¯t exactly lying. Caroline stroked her chin, lost in thought. ¡°That means there was another group of people that day. Could they be responsible for what happened to Brie?¡± Kirk held Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just afraid¡­¡± Caroline looked up at Kirk tearfully. Kirk¡¯s heart melted instantly, and he held Caroline in his arms, saying softly, ¡°Are you afraid that the Collins family will direct their anger on me if they can¡¯t find the culprit?¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Caroline nodded in his arms. Kirk kissed her forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The Collinses wouldn¡¯t dare to cause me trouble.¡± A smile finally appeared on Caroline¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re right. You have nothing to do with what happened to Brie. Mr. Collins won¡¯te after you unless he¡¯s desperate.¡± Kirk smiled but didn¡¯t exin the actual reasoning behind his words. Two dayster, Kirk helped Caroline check out of the hospital. Then, he hailed a car to go to the airport. Gwen had taken half a day off from work to see Caroline off. She said sadly, ¡°I¡¯ll miss you, Carol. Caroline was also upset, but she still tried her best tofort Gwen. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in half a month. You can video call me when you have the time.¡± ¡°Okay, Gwen sniffled, hugging Caroline. Sean and Kirk watched them nearby, not interrupting their goodbye. After Caroline and Gwen broke their hug reluctantly, Kirk walked up to remind Caroline it was time to board the ne. ¡°Carrie.¡± Caroline nodded. She patted Gwen on the shoulder. Then, she followed Kirk into the gate. Seeing Caroline leave her sight, Gwen couldn¡¯t hold back her emotions anymore. Sean hugged her,forting her. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t cry. Didn¡¯t she say she¡¯d be back in half a month?¡± (1 Gwen burst into tears, wailing, ¡°Just let me cry for a little bit! A pig has taken my best friend away from me!¡± Sean¡¯s expression turned dark. At Morrison Manor, Howard stood up, pping the table in front of him. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior, I have nothing else to say. Since you insist on taking Caroline¡¯s side, don¡¯t me me for what happens to her.¡± Jude calmly reasoned with him, saying, ¡°I¡¯m not taking her side. I just think it¡¯s ridiculous that you think Caroline is behind what happened to Brie. The Evans family has been in decline for years, and she¡¯s just one woman. How can she do something like this?¡± ¡°Then, it has to be her husband.¡± Howard¡¯s face was flushed with anger. ¡°Otherwise, Brie wouldn¡¯t keep repeating their names.¡± Jude said, ¡°I understand that you want to avenge your daughter, but¡­¡± Howard waved his hand, cutting him off. ¡°Enough, Mr. Morrison Senior. I came here to inform you of my intentions. If you insist on meddling with my ns, don¡¯t me me for what happens.¡± With that, he stormed out of the room. said casually. ¡°Who do you think did it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Kirk remained impassive. ¡°How did you get out of the hotel that day?¡± Caroline asked. Brie had so many bodyguards with her. It was impossible for Kirk to leave that ce unscathed. ¡°The bodyguards had already copsed after I arrived.¡± Kirk wasn¡¯t exactly lying. Caroline stroked her chin, lost in thought. ¡°That means there was another group of people that day. Could they be responsible for what happened to Brie?¡± Kirk held Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just afraid¡­¡± Caroline looked up at Kirk tearfully. Kirk¡¯s heart melted instantly, and he held Caroline in his arms, saying softly, ¡°Are you afraid that the Collins family will direct their anger on me if they can¡¯t find the culprit?¡± Caroline nodded in his arms. Kirk kissed her forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The Collinses wouldn¡¯t dare to cause me trouble.¡± A smile finally appeared on Caroline¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re right. You have nothing to do with what happened to Brie. Mr. Collins won¡¯te after you unless he¡¯s desperate.¡± Kirk smiled but didn¡¯t exin the actual reasoning behind his words. Two dayster, Kirk helped Caroline check out of the hospital. Then, he hailed a car to go to the airport. Gwen had taken half a day off from work to see Caroline off. She said sadly, ¡°I¡¯ll miss you, Carol. Caroline was also upset, but she still tried her best tofort Gwen. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in half a month. You can video call me when you have the time.¡± ¡°Okay, Gwen sniffled, hugging Caroline. Sean and Kirk watched them nearby, not interrupting their goodbye. After Caroline and Gwen broke their hug reluctantly, Kirk walked up to remind Caroline it was time to board the ne. ¡°Carrie.¡± Caroline nodded. She patted Gwen on the shoulder. Then, she followed Kirk into the gate. Seeing Caroline leave her sight, Gwen couldn¡¯t hold back her emotions anymore. Sean hugged her,forting her. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t cry. Didn¡¯t she say she¡¯d be back in half a month?¡± (1 Gwen burst into tears, wailing, ¡°Just let me cry for a little bit! A pig has taken my best friend away from me!¡± Sean¡¯s expression turned dark. At Morrison Manor, Howard stood up, pping the table in front of him. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior, I have nothing else to say. Since you insist on taking Caroline¡¯s side, don¡¯t me me for what happens to her.¡± Jude calmly reasoned with him, saying, ¡°I¡¯m not taking her side. I just think it¡¯s ridiculous that you think Caroline is behind what happened to Brie. The Evans family has been in decline for years, and she¡¯s just one woman. How can she do something like this?¡± ¡°Then, it has to be her husband.¡± Howard¡¯s face was flushed with anger. ¡°Otherwise, Brie wouldn¡¯t keep repeating their names.¡± Jude said, ¡°I understand that you want to avenge your daughter, but¡­¡± Howard waved his hand, cutting him off. ¡°Enough, Mr. Morrison Senior. I came here to inform you of my intentions. If you insist on meddling with my ns, don¡¯t me me for what happens.¡± With that, he stormed out of the room. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Dddy walked injust as Howard was leaving angrily. He asked, ¡®Grandpa, what¡¯s with him? de sighed and questioned. ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going for Brie¡¯s Ease¡± No updates The surveince cameras at Saint Pierre Grand Hotel were all destinypart Jade mused. Who had the audacity to hurt fire Collins Eddy browned and went over to whisper to him, ¡®Grandpa. I think Cartine student is highly suspicious. The cair at the Saint Pierre Grand Hotel was simr to my print investigadas niin hum the surveince cameras were destroyed and the witnesses went missing ¡°But if her husband is the culprit, he must be a rathes powstal figure¡± Jade stood up with his walking stuck if he¡¯s bold enough to harm the Collins family he must be more powerful than them in Easton, there is only one family He suddenly paused Eddy waited for an answer ¡°Grandpa Jude¡¯s eyes sparkled ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of ham? ¡°Grandpa, what are you talking about?¡± Eddy was confused Jude looked at Eddy sternly ¡°Where¡¯s your Uncle Kick! Eddy chuckled ¡°Your memory isn¡¯t the best thule Kirk told you a few days ago that he & bong his wite to meet you. How can you forget about 1!?¡± ¡°How about Caroline? Where is she? Eady acted funny ¡°I don¡¯t know Ever since he 4 returned from the hospital that day, hed forced himself to stay out of bes business Jude¡¯s eyes dimmed, but he couldn¡¯t push the thoughts out of his head it bothered sun alue find bet To avoid sing Caroline¡¯s suspicion, Charles had booked aronomy ss seats for them was Xuk¡¯s first time taking economy ss The space was tight and he felt cramped with his felt ufortable leaning against the hard chan She noticed his difort and handed him a cushion. He epted it, but instead of using it for himselt he ced the cushion at the back of her waist The motion between his fingertips and her outfit sent a tiny electre feeling through her body Blushing she said ¡°I don¡¯t need it¡± Then she tried to remove the cushion. He stopped her. The thight will take ten hours or so I don¡¯t mind the seat because I¡¯m built tough Feeling sweet, she eventually fell asleep after a few hours because she was dizzy She woke up to his voice whispering near her ear. ¡°We¡¯re almost there¡± She got up groggily ¡°Did I sleep for that long?¡± He found her sleepy look endearing ¡°Yeah¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot to give you the cushion¡± She was concerned Is your back fine?¡± He rubbed his lips against her ear. ¡°You¡¯ll know when we test it out at night¡± His low, raspy voice was barely audible to the others. Still, her cheeks burned in embarrassment She pinched him on the waist ¡°Behave His muscr body didn¡¯t feel anything from the pinching. He gave her two pecks on the lips and grinned cheekily I can never behave myselt around you She couldn¡¯t bring herself to be mad at his thuggish teasing When theynded, Kirk helped her unbuckle het seat belt, and they left the ne together As they were about to step off the stairs, a blond stewardess rushed over to them and handed Kuk a business card with a lipstick mark By the tune they¡¯d left the airport, Kirk had received more than ten business cards of simr nature Caroline hadn¡¯t realized his attractiveness until that moment Some women even made a U¨Ctur Chapter 128 Kirk threw all the business cards be¡¯d received away ¡®No¡® ¡°You¡¯re ying, Caroline used him with a tiny smile. He tilted his head and stared at her She quickly wiped off her smile. ¡°What?¡± Are you jealous? He smirked at her Her face was as red as a tomato She denied it, saying, ¡°No¡± At that moment, a man in a ck suit jogged toward them He nodded at Kirk and spoke fluent Celonish Since Caroline had been sent abroad when she¡¯d been eight years old, she was fluent in Celonish. However, it took her some time to figure out what the man was saying because of his thick Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ent. It turned out that Kirk¡¯s family had sent him here to pick them up. A car was parked across the airport She followed the man¡¯s gaze, and her eyesnded on a Rolls- Royce She was startled. Kirk was simrly surprised to see the car. They followed the man to the car, which confirmed Caroline¡¯s guess. ¡°Is this your family¡¯s car?¡± Kirk acted normal. ¡°No, they rented it. My dad has a big ego, and he probably wants to leave a good impression on your first visit.¡± Feeling assured, she entered the car, and the man drove them to their destination. Kirk suddenly noticed that something was off based on the views from the car window. They weren¡¯t on their way to his rented apartment. He texted Ivan, ¡°Why am I not heading to my apartment?¡± Ivan replied in no time, ¡°Stay out of this. I¡¯ve made arrangements.¡± Kirk looked grim. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Caroline stared at his long face and was confused by the sudden change in his mood. 1/2 ¡°Nothing. Kirk tried to wave his frustration away, ¡°You should catch up on your sleep. I guess it¡¯ll be some time before we reach there.¡± She joked, saying, ¡°Do you not know how long it¡¯ll take to reach your ce?¡± Then, she settled down in afortable position and got some shuteye. He smiled at her. She looked adorable when she was asleep. He¡¯d be willing to lie about his family background forever if need be. An hourter, the car finally rolled to a stop. Caroline was deeply shocked by the vi in front of her eyes. ¡°K¨CKirk, are you a rich heir or something?¡± No way. It seemed that Gwen had guessed right. Kirk ced a finger on his forehead and stared solemnly at his father, who was grinning widely at the entrance. ¡°Kirk!¡± Ivan went out and waved at them. His smile grew when he got closer and had a better look at Caroline¡¯s face. ¡°Is this your wife? Good. She is pretty!¡± ¡°Hello, Mr. Morrison.¡± Caroline greeted him demurely. Ivan was well¨Ckept and looked no older than 50 years old. ¡°Why the formality?¡± Ivan looked displeased, which sent her into panic as she gave Kirk a helpless look. ¡°Dad!¡± Caroline clumsily followed suit and addressed Ivan. ¡°Dad.¡± Ivan had a bright smile on his face. ¡°That¡¯s it! Come on in, my daughter¨Cinw.¡± Caroline followed Ivan into the vi. There were two other people there. One of them was a young man in his 20s. It was hard to guess the age of the other woman, though. After Caroline entered the vi, the woman kept staring at her. Caroline Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Dddy walked injust as Howard was leaving angrily. He asked, ¡®Grandpa, what¡¯s with him? de sighed and questioned. ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going for Brie¡¯s Ease¡± No updates The surveince cameras at Saint Pierre Grand Hotel were all destinypart Jade mused. Who had the audacity to hurt fire Collins Eddy browned and went over to whisper to him, ¡®Grandpa. I think Cartine student is highly suspicious. The cair at the Saint Pierre Grand Hotel was simr to my print investigadas niin hum the surveince cameras were destroyed and the witnesses went missing ¡°But if her husband is the culprit, he must be a rathes powstal figure¡± Jade stood up with his walking stuck if he¡¯s bold enough to harm the Collins family he must be more powerful than them in Easton, there is only one family He suddenly paused Eddy waited for an answer ¡°Grandpa Jude¡¯s eyes sparkled ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of ham? ¡°Grandpa, what are you talking about?¡± Eddy was confused Jude looked at Eddy sternly ¡°Where¡¯s your Uncle Kick! Eddy chuckled ¡°Your memory isn¡¯t the best thule Kirk told you a few days ago that he & bong his wite to meet you. How can you forget about 1!?¡± ¡°How about Caroline? Where is she? Eady acted funny ¡°I don¡¯t know Ever since he 4 returned from the hospital that day, hed forced himself to stay out of bes business N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Jude¡¯s eyes dimmed, but he couldn¡¯t push the thoughts out of his head it bothered sun alue find bet To avoid sing Caroline¡¯s suspicion, Charles had booked aronomy ss seats for them was Xuk¡¯s first time taking economy ss The space was tight and he felt cramped with his felt ufortable leaning against the hard chan She noticed his difort and handed him a cushion. He epted it, but instead of using it for himselt he ced the cushion at the back of her waist The motion between his fingertips and her outfit sent a tiny electre feeling through her body Blushing she said ¡°I don¡¯t need it¡± Then she tried to remove the cushion. He stopped her. The thight will take ten hours or so I don¡¯t mind the seat because I¡¯m built tough Feeling sweet, she eventually fell asleep after a few hours because she was dizzy She woke up to his voice whispering near her ear. ¡°We¡¯re almost there¡± She got up groggily ¡°Did I sleep for that long?¡± He found her sleepy look endearing ¡°Yeah¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot to give you the cushion¡± She was concerned Is your back fine?¡± He rubbed his lips against her ear. ¡°You¡¯ll know when we test it out at night¡± His low, raspy voice was barely audible to the others. Still, her cheeks burned in embarrassment She pinched him on the waist ¡°Behave His muscr body didn¡¯t feel anything from the pinching. He gave her two pecks on the lips and grinned cheekily I can never behave myselt around you She couldn¡¯t bring herself to be mad at his thuggish teasing When theynded, Kirk helped her unbuckle het seat belt, and they left the ne together As they were about to step off the stairs, a blond stewardess rushed over to them and handed Kuk a business card with a lipstick mark By the tune they¡¯d left the airport, Kirk had received more than ten business cards of simr nature Caroline hadn¡¯t realized his attractiveness until that moment Some women even made a U¨Ctur Chapter 128 Kirk threw all the business cards be¡¯d received away ¡®No¡® ¡°You¡¯re ying, Caroline used him with a tiny smile. He tilted his head and stared at her She quickly wiped off her smile. ¡°What?¡± Are you jealous? He smirked at her Her face was as red as a tomato She denied it, saying, ¡°No¡± At that moment, a man in a ck suit jogged toward them He nodded at Kirk and spoke fluent Celonish Since Caroline had been sent abroad when she¡¯d been eight years old, she was fluent in Celonish. However, it took her some time to figure out what the man was saying because of his thick ent. It turned out that Kirk¡¯s family had sent him here to pick them up. A car was parked across the airport She followed the man¡¯s gaze, and her eyesnded on a Rolls- Royce She was startled. Kirk was simrly surprised to see the car. They followed the man to the car, which confirmed Caroline¡¯s guess. ¡°Is this your family¡¯s car?¡± Kirk acted normal. ¡°No, they rented it. My dad has a big ego, and he probably wants to leave a good impression on your first visit.¡± Feeling assured, she entered the car, and the man drove them to their destination. Kirk suddenly noticed that something was off based on the views from the car window. They weren¡¯t on their way to his rented apartment. He texted Ivan, ¡°Why am I not heading to my apartment?¡± Ivan replied in no time, ¡°Stay out of this. I¡¯ve made arrangements.¡± Kirk looked grim. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Caroline stared at his long face and was confused by the sudden change in his mood. 1/2 ¡°Nothing. Kirk tried to wave his frustration away, ¡°You should catch up on your sleep. I guess it¡¯ll be some time before we reach there.¡± She joked, saying, ¡°Do you not know how long it¡¯ll take to reach your ce?¡± Then, she settled down in afortable position and got some shuteye. He smiled at her. She looked adorable when she was asleep. He¡¯d be willing to lie about his family background forever if need be. An hourter, the car finally rolled to a stop. Caroline was deeply shocked by the vi in front of her eyes. ¡°K¨CKirk, are you a rich heir or something?¡± No way. It seemed that Gwen had guessed right. Kirk ced a finger on his forehead and stared solemnly at his father, who was grinning widely at the entrance. ¡°Kirk!¡± Ivan went out and waved at them. His smile grew when he got closer and had a better look at Caroline¡¯s face. ¡°Is this your wife? Good. She is pretty!¡± ¡°Hello, Mr. Morrison.¡± Caroline greeted him demurely. Ivan was well¨Ckept and looked no older than 50 years old. ¡°Why the formality?¡± Ivan looked displeased, which sent her into panic as she gave Kirk a helpless look. ¡°Dad!¡± Caroline clumsily followed suit and addressed Ivan. ¡°Dad.¡± Ivan had a bright smile on his face. ¡°That¡¯s it! Come on in, my daughter¨Cinw.¡± Caroline followed Ivan into the vi. There were two other people there. One of them was a young man in his 20s. It was hard to guess the age of the other woman, though. After Caroline entered the vi, the woman kept staring at her. Caroline Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Ivan enthusiastically introduced the strangers to Caroline. ¡°These are Kirk¡¯s childhood friends. They came here just to meet him. Avery, Bryan, this is Kirk¡¯s wife, Caroline.¡± The young man introduced himself. ¡°Hi, Caroline. I¡¯m Bryan Mendeley. This is my sister Avery.¡± Caroline reached out to shake Bryan¡¯s hand before looking at Avery Mendeley. It only took Avery a moment to shake her hand with a wide smile. ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe that Kirk¡¯s married! I thought you were¡­¡± She lifted a brow and examined Caroline with her alluring eyes. ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re pretty. No wonder Kirk was in a hurry to marry you.¡± Although Caroline was receivingpliments, she felt like Avery was throwing shade at her. She looked at Kirk. He nodded at the two as a curt greeting. ¡°You guys must be hungry. Right?¡± Ivan gave Caroline his full attention. ¡°Come, Caroline. Let¡¯s eat at the dining hall.¡± Caroline was led into the dining hall. Her favorite food was served on the table. Ivan exined, ¡°Kirk requested that we prepare these dishes. What do you think? Do they suit your taste?¡± She was surprised and touched by the gesture. She stole a look at Kirk and lowered her head shyly. ¡°Yeah.¡± Ivan smiled merrily. ¡°Great. Come. Take a seat. Try this signature dish of our family¡¯s¡­¡± Kirk coughed loudly. Ivan took the hint and immediately corrected himself, ¡°Try my cooking!¡± ¡°Did you prepare the food yourself?¡± Caroline was touched by his sincerity. ¡°That must have been a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°No problem. We¡¯re family! Have a taste. If you like it, I¡¯ll cook for you every day.¡± Caroline found Ivan¡¯s wee a little too enthusiastic. After the meal, Kirk went upstairs to chat with Ivan. She could finally breathe easily. Chapter 129 Ivan enthusiastically introduced the strangers to Caroline ¡°These are Kirk¡¯s childhood friends. They came here just to meet him. Avery, Bryan, this is Kirk¡¯s wife, Caroline.¡± The young man introduced himself ¡°Hi, Caroline. I¡¯m Bryan Mendeley This is my sister Avery.¡± D Caroline reached out to shake Bryan¡¯s hand before looking at Avery Mendeley. It only took Avery a moment to shake her hand with a wide smile. ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe that Kirk¡¯s married! I thought you were.¡± She lifted a brow and examined Caroline with her alluring eyes ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re pretty. No wonder Kirk was in a hurry to marry you¡± Although Caroline was receivingpliments, she felt like Avery was throwing shade at her. She looked at Kirk. He nodded at the two as a curt greeting. ¡°You guys must be hungry. Right?¡± Ivan gave Caroline his full attention. ¡°Come, Caroline. Let¡¯s eat at the dining hall.¡± Caroline was led into the dining hall. Her favorite food was served on the table. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Ivan exined, ¡°Kirk requested that we prepare these dishes. What do you think? Do they suit your taste?¡± 1 She was surprised and touched by the gesture. She stole a look at Kirk and lowered her head shyly. ¡°Yeah.¡± Ivan smiled merrily. ¡°Great. Come. Take a seat. Try this signature dish of our family¡¯s¡­¡± Kirk coughed loudly. Ivan took the hint and immediately corrected himself, ¡°Try my cooking!¡± ¡°Did you prepare the food yourself?¡± Caroline was touched by his sincerity. ¡°That must have been a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°No problem. We¡¯re family! Have a taste. If you like it, I¡¯ll cook for you every day.¡± Caroline found Ivan¡¯s wee a little too enthusiastic. After the meal, Kirk went upstairs to chat with Ivan. She could finally breathe easily. During the meal, she¡¯d been so busy replying to Ivan that she hadn¡¯t had a chance to talk to the Menteley siblings, Now that the father son duo had left, she finally asked Bryan, ¡°Hey, Bryan. Kirk¡¯s family seems¡­ pretty rich The vi appeared to be worth at least 10 million dors. Was Kirk really the heir of a wealthy family? The siblings were on their phones. They looked up at Caroline when she asked the question, and they exchanged nces. ¡°Why the question, though?¡± The vi is.. Bryan smiled and exined, ¡°It belongs to my sister. She knew that you were visiting, but she was worried that the apartment might be too tiny. So, she lent Kirk the vi.¡± Caroline stared at Avery quizzically. Avery nodded, for it was true that she was the real owner of the vi. However, she hadn¡¯t lent it to Kirk for convenience. There was another reason. Her eyes gleamed with a cunning look. Soon, she stered a graceful smile on her face. ¡°Kirk is just an ordinary dude. You don¡¯t have to overthink.¡± Her words were loaded, but they went over Caroline¡¯s head. Caroline sounded apologetic instead. ¡°I never thought that I¡¯d cause trouble by visiting.¡± Avery thought that Caroline was indeed trouble. However, she purred, ¡°Caroline, you must be kidding me. It¡¯s my honor to be of help.¡± Her expression changed when she noticed the pink diamond on Caroline¡¯s fingers. ¡°That diamond ring¡­¡± Caroline followed her gaze and stared at her ring with a sweet smile. ¡°Oh, Kirk gave it to me.¡± Bryan saw the ring too. Flustered, he blurted out, ¡°That¡¯s the Morrison Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Avery stopped him before he spilled the truth. ¡°Hey, Bryan, can you serve the desserts?¡± Bryan caught himself when he noticed he almost slipped up. Then, he went into the kitchen moodily, Caroline watched Bryan leave. She asked with curiosity, ¡°So, Bryan was just saying that¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing Avery clenched her fist underneath the couch pillow and smiled calmly. ¡°Just ignore him.¡± She took Caroline¡¯s hand and examined the diamond ring that had been tucked away for years. ¡°What a lovely ring.¡± Secretly, she thought, ¡°This should have been mine.¡± ¡°It is.¡± Caroline nced at the ring with tenderness. Meanwhile, Kirk frowned after listening to Ivan¡¯s exnation. ¡°Why did we have to trouble Avery? It¡¯s not like we don¡¯t have vis for this asion.¡± Ivan¡¯s eyes twinkled as heughed jovially. ¡°Are you sure you want to show Caroline our vis? They¡¯re worth way more than this one. Well, Avery was fine with lending us the vi. You shouldn¡¯t beining.¡± Kirk rested his hand on his forehead. He wasn¡¯t about to fall for his dad¡¯s lie. ¡°You must have suspected a fraudulent marriage. And you wanted to put Caroline and me to the test by involving some outsiders as well.¡± Ivan smiled after his n was exposed by his son. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. Of course, I believe in you. Caroline looks quiet and sweet. I can tell that she¡¯s a nicedy. Treat her well.¡± Kirk ignored his dad¡¯s praise. ¡°Yeah, you better curb your enthusiasm. Don¡¯t make trouble and mess this up. Else, you won¡¯t be having grandkids anytime soon.¡± Ivan was delighted to hear that. ¡°Have you been nning for a baby?¡± Kirk left the question hanging and opened the door to the study. He waved to Caroline, who was in the living room. ¡°Caroline,e up here She looked up with a sweet smile. ¡°Sure.¡± Then, she turned to Avery and Bryan. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll go upstairs for a rest. Talk to you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Sure. The siblings stood up and watched as Kirk and Caroline entered the room. After that, Avery wiped the smile off her face. Bryanmented, ¡°I¡¯m afraid Kirk¡¯s married. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have given Caroline the ring that Mrs. Morrison left her daughter¨Cinw.¡± With a sour face, Avery puffed ¡°You know Kirk well. He¡¯s a meticulous guy. If he even put the ring on disy, that would only mean they are putting on a show.¡± She refused to believe that Kirk had fallen for another woman. As his childhood friend, she knew that Kirk had been indifferent to women over the years. He¡¯d only smile at her. That¡¯s why she believed he should marry her, not a random woman whom he¡¯d known for a mere few months. She looked at the study and said, ¡°Bryan, go home without me. I need to talk to Kirk¡¯s dad.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t have you going home alone at night.¡± ¡°I can stay the night here too. This is my home, with dozens of rooms. Are you worried I won¡¯t have a ce to stay tonight?¡± With that, she strutted up to the second floor and knocked on the door of the study. ¡°Ivan.¡± Ivan beamed at her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Avery?¡± Avery whispered something to Ivan. He frowned after hearing her n. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good. Kirk might me us if something goes wrong. Just now, he assured me that he was married to Caroline, and they are thinking of having a baby.¡± Avery dug her fingernails into her palms and squeezed a smile. ¡°But Ivan, if we don¡¯t try it, how can we know whether he¡¯s lying? Plus, it¡¯s just a test. Don¡¯t worry about safety. Nothing will go wrong.¡± Iv¨¢n hesitated before asking, ¡°Are you sure?¡± Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Caroline was so exhausted that she fell asleep as soon as het head hit the pillow Finished with his shower, Kirk walked out of the bathroom. He found Caroline asleep on the bed with a smile on her face, as though she were having a sweet dream. He felt the sudden urge to do something, yet he didn¡¯t want to wake her up. In the end, he simply hugged her from behind and suppressed his urges. ¡°You ungrateful brat,¡± he muttered with a smile, kissing her gently on her lips. Doing so helped quench his desire a little. The night passed silently. When Caroline woke up, it was already morning. She tossed and turned a little in Kirk¡¯s arms, stirring him from his sleep. Still, he didn¡¯t open his eyes. His warm palms were pressed against her tummy, and he pulled her closer to him. It made Caroline blush. ¡°Kirk,¡± she murmured. She sounded sluggish, but her voice was music to his ears. Kirk opened his eyes and moved closer to her until their noses touched. ¡°Call me honey,¡± Kirk said teasingly in his raspy voice. Caroline opened her mouth slowly as she yfully hit his chest with her fists. ¡°No way,¡± she said, although she totally wanted to call him that. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Kirk propped himself up on one elbow and raised an eyebrow at her. The mole at the corner of his eye made him look as if he were trying to seduce her. ¡°Really? Are you sure about that?¡± He pinched her waist and added, ¡°Who are you going to call ¡± honey¡± then?¡± Caroline was particrly sensitive when it came to her waist. She¡¯d almost squealed when he¡¯d pinched her just now. ¡°Stop that. Dad¡¯s waiting for us.¡± This made Kirk pinch her again, and he said, ¡°It¡¯s so easy for you to call my dad yours, eh? Why is it so hard for you to call me ¡°honey¡°?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry, so she scrambled away from him instead. ¡°Quick, go and freshen up.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t move an inch. ¡°Give me a kiss, and I¡¯ll go,¡± he said stubbornly. Caroline pressed a hand to her forehead. She¡¯d never known Kirk could be so childish. Regardless, she closed her eyes and kissed him on the lips. ¡°Now-¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Kirk pressed his lips against hers and deepened the kiss Blushing, she tore her eyes away from him and urged, ¡°Go.¡± Satisfied, Kirk happily got out of bed. He had suffered the whole night trying to hold himself back Everything was worth it now that he¡¯d received a wake¨Cup kiss from her. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Caroline recalled the kiss and felt her cheeks start to burn Just then, her phone rang. She picked it up hastily and answered the call before even seeing caller¡¯s name. the When she finally nced at the screen, she saw that it was Gwen. It made her feel guilty. ¡°Carol,¡± Gwen said, sounding sluggish as if she were sick. ¡°Is it done?¡± ¡°Yes. Last night.¡± ¡°Sorry, I drank so much that I forgot to call you,¡± Gwen exined. Carolineughed. ¡°Yourpany¡¯s having a team¨Cbuilding activity?¡± Gwen hesitated for a brief moment before replying, ¡°Y¨Cyes¡± Suddenly, Gwen¡¯s eyes widened with enthusiasm She leaned closer to the phone and demanded What¡¯s the color code of that lipstick you have on? It¡¯s so pretty!¡± Dumbfounded, Caroline couldn¡¯t respond. She tried to change the topic. That was when she suddenly noticed a red mark on Gwen¡¯s neck. ¡°Gwen, why¡¯s there a red mark on your neck?¡± Shocked, Gwen immediately moved back. It was awkward, so she covered her neck with one hand and tried to exin. ¡°Um there were too many mosquitoesst night. I must¡¯ve been bitten.¡± ¡°I see. Caroline didn¡¯t doubt her. Gwen knew when to draw the line, even though she liked going out with men. She enjoyed looking at the handsome faces of men, but pleasure and desire were entirely different. To conclude, she might have lots of ex¨Cboyfriends, but she had never done it with them ¡°I¡¯m going to work,¡± Gwen mumbled as she covered her phone¡¯s camera with her fingers Ill call you after work¡± Caroline hadn¡¯t questioned Gwen¡¯s words. But once the call ended, she realized that it must be midnight back in Easton now Howe Gwen had work even though it was already sote? On the other end, Gwen¡¯s heart was still beating wildly in her chest as she hung up the phone A momentter, she remembered the hickey on her neck and darted into the bathroom She 100ked into the mirror and saw the red mark in the reflection. She immediately tried to rub it off forcefully She knew she shouldn¡¯t have agreed to have dinner with Seanst night.. She had been upset enough to begin with, and the alcohol had made her drunk. When she woke up, she found herself lying beside Sean Her whole body felt as though it was going to fall apart. There was no need for an exnation to know what had happened. She didn¡¯t have the courage to wait until Sean woke up, so she grabbed her belongings and ran away. When Caroline and Kirk got downstairs, they saw Avery and Ivan chatting in the living room Avery noticed how red Caroline¡¯s lips were and felt something twist inside of her The feeling was so intense that she thought she would explode at any moment Despite that, Caroline didn¡¯t notice the change in Avery¡¯s expression She smiled and greeted them ¡°Good morning, Dad Hi, Ms Mendeley. Sorry, I slept in and kept you two waiting Hearing that, Ivan beamed He silently wished they would sleep longer so that he could get himself a grandchild soon ¡°No worries. You must be hungry. Hurry and have some breakfast,¡± he told her He and Avery had already eaten Caroline and Kirk went to have breakfast while Avery carried on chatting with Ivan Still, she couldn¡¯t focus during their chat, so she excused herself ¡°Ivan, I¡¯m going to talk to Caroline about the party1 Lowering his voice, Ivan said, ¡°I gave it some thoughtst night Even if Kirk and Carrie faked their marriage, risking her life to find out the truth is simply wrong We¡¯ll leave things as they are Avery¡¯s expression shifted instantly. Putting on a smile, she started to speak ¡°But- ¡°I won¡¯t object if you¡¯re just thinking of inviting them to the party. ¡°Ivan waved his hand dismissively ¡°But let¡¯s leave it at that ¡± His insistence made her hands ball into fists. Once again, het expression changed, but she still smiled at him ¡°Alright, I understand. To be honest, I¡¯ve thought about that too Even if there are prevention measures, it¡¯s still risky Don¡¯t worry, though I won¡¯t do it if you don¡¯t want me to ivan nodded and went fett. As she watched him disappear upstairs, Avery could no longer hide the hatred in her eyes. Ivan summoned Kirk upstairs after breakfast Hence, Caroline watched the TV alone in the living room. Since the shows were in Fdorian, she couldn¡¯t understand anything and kept switching channels. Out of the blue, a te of sliced fruits appeared before her. She looked up to see Avery smiling at her Even though Caroline didn¡¯t have a good impression of her, she was Kirk¡¯s friend. She didn¡¯t want to make things awkward between them. Smiling, Caroline asked, ¡°Ms. Mendeley, aren¡¯t you going to work?¡± It was idle talk, but to Avery, those words stung. Although she smiled at Caroline, it didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°My friend¡¯s holding a pool party tonight Care to join?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like crowds,¡± said Caroline. ¡°But Kirk¡¯s friends will all be there. Don¡¯t you want to get to know him a little better?¡± That was all it took for Caroline to reconsider the offer. Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Once she agreed to attend the pool party, Caroline started to worry. She hadn¡¯t brought her swimsuit with her, and buying one here would be quite difficult since she wasn¡¯t familiar with this ce. Just as she was deep in thought, she spotted Kirking downstairs. ¡°Are you heading outside?¡± She asked ¡°Yep. I¡¯m going to the city for a while.¡± He had asionally flown back from Easton to deal with work. Still, thepany was big, and leaving it without showing up for too long would affect the influence he had¨CIvan had just called him to the study to discuss that too. ¡°Can I tag along?¡± Caroline asked, to Kirk¡¯s surprise. Caroline lowered her head and shifted from foot to foot. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ thinking of buying myself a swimsuit.¡± Her words made Kirk raise both eyebrows now. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you then.¡± His intention was obvious. Needless to say, he wanted to see her in a swimsuit. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that you have something to attend to there?¡± ¡°I can do it in the afternoon,¡± replied Kirk. He hooked an arm around Caroline¡¯s waist, and they both walked out of the house. As she got into the passenger seat, Caroline was still concerned. ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m not taking up too much of your time?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± He started the car and then asked, ¡°Why do you want to buy one all of a sudden?¡± He smiled inwardly, thinking that she was finally starting to learn to please him. ¡°Ms. Mendeley invited me to the pool party,¡± exined Caroline. Kirk¡¯s face darkened instantly. ¡°So, you¡¯re buying a swimsuit because of the party? ¡°Yeah.¡± Caroline failed to notice the change in his expression. Kirk snorted and started driving in silence. Soon, Caroline sensed that the atmosphere in the car was rather tense and that Kirk was upset. make things worse. They finally arrived at the city center Kirk had to take several detours before they finally found a mall his family hadn¡¯t invested in. As they got out of the car, they captured the attention of many passersby. Quite a few men made catcall sounds when they saw Caroline. That only made the scowl on Kirk¡¯s face deepen. He pulled her into his arms to block others from seeing her face, Their proximity unsettled Caroline. Given how close they were, she could catch his scent as they walked. When he finally let go of her, they were already standing in a swimwear store. The owner of the store was a pretty woman with long blonde hair. She eyed Caroline from head to toe, then took out a few bikinis for her. When Caroline saw what the woman had gotten for her, she winced and politely asked for something more conservative, like a one¨Cpiece suit. The woman looked as though she had been given a tough problem to solve. ¡°Um¡­ it¡¯s kind of hard to find that here. My customers usually ask for something like this. But look at your body! You¡¯d look super good if you wore these. What do you say, mister?¡± She nced at Kirk, who swallowed a couple of times as he stared at the bikinis. ¡°We¡¯ll take all of these,¡± he said. ¡°Kirk-¡± Caroline was interrupted by the store owner, who said, ¡°Alrighty.¡± ¡°And find her one that shows less skin,¡± he added, his voice low. This time, the store owner relented and rushed off to the back of the store to check the inventory Now, Caroline finally had the chance to put in a word ¡°I won¡¯t wear those. Why did you buy so Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. many of them?¡± Kirk leaned close to her and bit her earlobe. His warm breath fanned out on her neck as he whispered into her ear, ¡°Put them on for me.¡± Caroline shuddered, and her cheeks flushed red She wanted to say something in response, but the door to the inventory opened with a creak She leaped away from him as if he were some kind of bomb that was about to explode. The store owner had a swimsuit in her hands Indeed, it was a one¨Cpiece suit, which was exactly This is the only one left¡± ¡°Wrap this up and send it here.¡± Kirk gave her their address, scooped up the bag containing the bikinis, nnd pulled Caroline out of the store. The store owner watched as they left, thinking that the man looked kind of familiar. Kirk led Caroline back to their car Confused, she asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring all of it back?¡± It wouldn¡¯t have taken much time for the store owner to pack the swimsuit. Kirk¡¯s voice was raspy as he started the car and said, ¡°Because I can¡¯t wait any longer.¡± A vein pulsed on his temple. He didn¡¯t think he could bear it much longer just by imagining Caroline in a bikini. Only now did the realize that his eyes looked bloodshot, as if he were a wild wolf that had been starving for days. Achill ran up her spine when she realized that the road they had taken waspletely unfamiliar to her. ¡°Where are we going?¡± she asked, but Kirk pursed his lips in silence. A momentter, they parked in front of a luxurious¨Clooking hotel. Kirk lifted her out of the car and strode to the lobby. He tossed his ID to the staff in charge of registration at the front desk. When the staff saw Kirk¡¯s name, he started to bow and greet him. ¡°Mr. Mor-¡± ¡°Get me a room. Now.¡± Kirk was already impatient and didn¡¯t bother to wait for the staff to finish. The staff shuddered in fear. He didn¡¯t even dare to look at Caroline. After getting his job done, he handed Kirk the ess card to the room with trembling fingers. Kirk grabbed the card and headed straight to the presidential suite. Once they got into the room, he pushed Caroline against the door. Soon, she found herself overwhelmed by his passionate kisses. The room was engulfed in darkness when she woke up. Startled, she shot up from the bed. Pain washed over her entire body, so much so that she inhaled sharply. Kirk caressed her back with one hand and locked his other hand around her waist, trapping her in his embrace. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± Caroline was kind of pissed. ¡°I told you I wanted to join the party tonight. It¡¯s so dark already. I¡¯mte for sure.¡± smiling, Kirk pulled her back into his arms is warm chest pressed against her bars hack. He took out the remote control and pressed a button. The curtains alid open, lighting up the entire room. It¡¯s only 12 pm. Caroline finally saw just how huge the room was. Besides the bedroom, there was also a living room, gym, and tearoom. Realization dawned on her, and she asked, ¡°Is this a presidential suite?¡± ¡°Mhmm¡± As Kirk¡¯hummed in response, he pressed his lips against her back. His reply made Caroline start worrying about his wallet ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit too expensive?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Kirk smiled as he relished how thrifty she was ¡°But-¡± Caroline¡¯s words were cut short when Kirk pressed his lips against hers. ¡°Stop overthinking,¡± he muttered. Time passed, and it was past 1 pm now. Caroline was famished, so Kirk called for the hotel¡¯s room service. Lunch was very sumptuous, and Caroline happily gobbled it all up. She wanted to get off the bed, but Kirk stopped her by pulling her and moving on top of her. Helpless, she said, ¡°Kirk, I¡¯m full.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not.¡± However, Caroline was worn out already. ¡°Strenuous exercise after meals is bad for digestion,¡± she said. Kirk pressed his nose against hers and paused for a moment before turning and lying down beside her. ¡°You¡¯re right, my darling.¡± Before she could heave a sigh of relief, she heard him say in his raspy voice, ¡°Since we can¡¯t do it yet, you should put on the bikinis. You¡¯ll have time to digest the food while you¡¯re at it.¡± Speechless, Caroline got out of bed and went into the bathroom to change. When she took off the bathrobe she wore, she looked into the mirror to see countless red marks all over her body. Her face instantly flushed red at the sight of them. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Kerky on the bed and stared patiently at the frosted bathroom door Caroline had been in there for half an teen steady When he spoke, There was a very noticeable hint of glee in his raspy voice. ¡°Babe, I¡¯m going in if You¡¯re noting out¡± Caroline had already put on one of the bikinis in the bathroom Startled, she almost jumped in fright when she heard him say that Heshly, she ced one hand on the bathroom door and yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t! I¡¯ming out now. She closed her eyes, opened the door, and finally stepped out of the bathroom. Slowly, she walked out into the bedroom while trying her best to cover her body with both hands. A hungry look shed through Kirk¡¯s eyes once again Caroline was wearing a red bikini. Her skin was fair enough, and the red color made her skin glow even more. It also emphasized the red marks all over her body. She looked very enticing, like a strawberry he wanted to gobble up in a single bite. He couldn¡¯t Jestrain himself any longer Reaching out to her, he pulled her into his arms and easily removed the straps on her shoulders. Blushing, Caroline held on to the thin cloth of the bikini as if it were herst sliver of hope. ¡°Kirk¡­ ¡°she muttered It was sunset when Caroline finally got up from the bed. ¡°What should I do now?¡± She put a hand behind her waist to support herself. ¡°How am I supposed to go to the party tonight?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go then. Kirk smirked. Caroline shot him a sideways nce and said, ¡°You did this on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡± A smile hung on his lips, but he remained quiet. It seemed as though he was admitting it. He kissed the side of her head and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t I send you home?¡± ¡°No!¡± She eximed and moved further away from him. ¡°Ask them to deliver the swimsuit here. I¡¯ll go to the party straight from here.¡± Caroline needed to find a way to cover all the red marks on her body. TATE HS 60 min re he agreed to it say is here someone bring it here wait An Ive samuting to settle ¡°Aren¡¯t youing with me tomah 04 course ¡°Burk put the clothes, looking all prim and proper again ¡°But I¡¯ll be a bitte If you don¡¯t want to go also, you can just wait for me In your dreams, the blurted. Kirk walked over to her and pecked her lips ¡°Alright then. Don¡¯t wait for me il meet you when I get there. He kissed her gently on the joehead and left Caroline sighed in relief. She sat on the couch and refused to move a muscle. At around 7 pm, someone sent her swimsuit over It wasn¡¯t the same person who had met them at the airport Still, he was very respectful toward her ¡°Mr Kuk asked me to drive you to the party before he left.¡± ¡°How much will the ride cost?¡± Caroline asked. Fursing his lips, the staff recalled Kirk¡¯s orders and told her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This service is included, in the presidential suite¡¯s package. No extra fee is required.¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t help but think that the service offered here was way better than when they were back in Easton Still, she winced inwardly at the thought of Kirk paying a lot for this. After getting into the car, she unlocked her phone to check if she had missed any important information It was exactly as she had expected. She had several missed video calls from Jude. It was rare for him to video call her, and she started worrying if something urgent hade up. She quickly called him back. ¡°Grandpa. She greeted him when he answered the call. Jude smiled. ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ve had my men search for you, but they can¡¯t find you anywhere.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in the country now.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t have the courage to tell him that she was visiting Kirk¡¯s family with him. If she did, it would seem like she was pouring salt on Jude¡¯s wounds. After all, he had once wished that she¡¯d be Eddy¡¯s wife. The smile on Jude¡¯s face faltered momentarily, but he smiled again and said, ¡°Really? Where are you? Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you were going abroad?¡± min onze, aaid caroline. She wanted to say something atter that, but the car came to a halt Mat then The driver said, ¡°Miss, we¡¯re here.¡± Caroline looked out the window to see a white castle and nodded at the driver in the rearview mirror. Then, she said to Jude, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ve got something to do. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll call you after I¡¯m done with my work here, alright?¡± It was silent on the other end of the line. When Caroline looked at her screen again, Jude appeared to be in a daze. He finally snapped out of his thoughts after she¡¯d called him a few times. ¡°Sure. Go ahead.¡± This made Caroline worry about him. ¡°Grandpa, are you okay?¡± Why did he look upset? Jude wiped a hand over his face and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Go and do what you have to.¡± Hesitating, she asked him a couple of times if he was okay before ending the call. After she hung up, the smile on Jude¡¯s face vanished instantly. He was certain that the person she had married was indeed Kirk. ¡°Grandpa Eddy came into sight. He had heard Caroline¡¯s voice when he¡¯d been by the door just now. He quickened his footsteps and approached Jude. ¡°Did Caroline finally answer your call?¡± As he talked, he inched closer to see Jude¡¯s phone, but the screen was ck now. Jude raised his eyes to look at this useless grandson of his. He could feel theers of his eyes twitching in annoyance. ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to go after Caroline? You don¡¯t even know that she¡¯s gone overseas!¡± ¡°Overseas? Why has she gone overseas?¡± Eddy was puzzled ¡°She¡¯s gone to meet her inws.¡± Now anxiety washed over Eddy¡¯s face. ¡°I¨Cinws? It took him a moment to gather his thoughts and ask, ¡°Is her husband a foreigner?¡± That must be why they hadn¡¯t been able to find out who her husband was. ¡°Grandpa, did you meet her husband?¡± he asked the date and they turn the wh s u vara endewer: 1 x tl your second wire be in art make aute The hete Jude or an east at seating the dotst ada Atur & mone bing card this Material ? N?velDrama.Org. wilt wet with that lets the way te dy in the dark to his seat 1 asked you to wait, so you Sandy Fafallus get mit of the car and followed the Butler schrections until she finally saw Avery Avery was wiseady in her swimsuit, which revealed most of her body and emphasized her fati ship Even Cartine blushed as she stood beaute Avery ¡°You¡¯re heir¡± said Avery Caraline nodded ¡°Where can I change?¡± Avery pointed in a direction She pretended to sound casual when she asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t Kirking? Didn¡¯t you two get married just recently?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be here ¡®Caroline smiled. ¡°But he¡¯ll bete I go and get changed¡± As she spoke and turned to leave, a breeze blew over Her hair moved in the wind, revealing the red marks on the fair skin of her neck Avery noticed them right away and gritted her teeth. ¡°Lily Amy!¡± She screeched Two women in bikinis rushed over to her ¡°Avery, what is it?¡± Follow our n. When shees out, push her off ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to wait for Kirk?¡± ¡°No!¡± Avery no longer wanted to find out if Caroline and Kirk were married for real. Those marks on Caroline¡¯s neck said enough The sight of them pushed Avery to the very edge of sanity. She needed to give Caroline a piece of her mind Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Caroline changed into her swimsuit. Embarrassed, she walked slowly out of the room toward the swimming pool. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Her swimsuit was more conservativepared to what the other women wore, but her long and slender legs showed beneath the skirt. They shone under the light, and she instantly took the spotlight. Quite a number of men approached her and invited her to drink with them. Caroline had never liked being so close to strangers. So she tried her best to refuse them. However, more and more people crowded around her, and she found herself helplessly surrounded by them. ncing around for help, she tried to find anyone who looked familiar. She kept searching, but her efforts were in vain Meanwhile, Avery stood on the second floor, looking down at Caroline. Caroline was being flocked by a group of men, and she was steadily moving back toward the pool. The gentle smile on Avery¡¯s face was now reced by a cruel smirk. The group of men continued to close in around Caroline. Taking a deep breath, she told them she¡® was married in an attempt to stop them from getting closer. One of the men with a ss of wine in his handughed. ¡°Why are you saying that when we¡¯re all trying to have fun here? I just want to invite you for a drink.¡± His words were the opposite of his actions. His eyes were glued to her exposed skin. Caroline frowned. It was unsettling, and she thought that things were getting out of hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to drink,¡± she said, voicing her stand once again as she turned to look behind her. Behind her, the water rippled in the swimming pool. There were lots of people in it. All of their attention was on her thanks to themotion. However, none of them tried to help. Caroline took another nce at the pool and turned to look at the people who were surrounding her like vultures. When they spoke, she could hear all sorts of obscenities and vulgarities. Eventually, she clenched her jaw and jumped into the pool. She would just swim to the other side of the pool and go back home right after that. She¡¯d thought that Kirk¡¯s friends would be courteous and polite. But her time here confirmed that wasn¡¯t the case. they behaved like hooligans and scumbags. She started to doubt if they were truly Kirk¡¯s friends, The smile on Avery¡¯s face became more twisted when she noticed that Caroline was already in the pool. Fortunately, Caroline was good at swimming. With just a couple of strokes, she managed to reach the other side of the pool in no time. Just as she ced both her hands on the edge of the pool to push herself up, she felt something wrap around her leg. It yanked her down into the water. Her heart skipped a beat, and she nced down to see two women grinning at her underwater. Before she could respond, they pulled at her legs once more. Their hands were like the tentacles of an octopus, clinging onto her and yanking her deeper underwater. Caroline wasn¡¯t prepared, and she identally took a gulp of water. It made her lose control of her breathing, and she started iling her arms like a person about to drown. ¡°H¨Chelp¡­ me!¡± Amused, the people standing around the pool watched on. The two women in the water became bolder and continued their attack with more force. They grabbed Caroline by her hair and pulled her head underwater. Caroline felt as though she had lost control of her limbs. She could no longer move, and darkness closed in on her. All this time, Avery stayed on the second floor and watched the show. From the corner of her eye, she noticed a person d in ck quickly move forward. Her expression changed instantly, and she rushed downstairs. When she reached the ground floor, she happened to bump into Kirk. ¡°Kirk-¡± she greeted him. with a smile, only to bepletely ignored. Kirk rushed over to the edge of the pool with long strides. He started searching for Caroline, but to no avail. Finally, he caught sight of a pair of hands thrashing about on the surface of the water. A shadow flitted across his face, and he hurried across the pool to where he¡¯d seen the hands. Realizing that he was going to jump into the water, Avery immediately grabbed his arm to stop him. ¡°Kirk, what are you doing? Have you forgotten that you get ustrophobic underwater?¡± Yanking his arm away from her, Kirk dived into the pool without even the slightest hint of hesitation. As soon as he was in the pool, he felt the pressure of the water bearing down on him. It enveloped his entire body. He felt as though he were suffocating. For a moment, his vision turned ck, In spite of that, he thought he could still hear Caroline¡¯s cries for help. She yelped over and over again, and her cries echoed in his ears and in his mind. He gritted his teeth and made his way toward Caroline. Stunned by it all, Avery stood frozen on the spot. Her heart twisted and writhed in spite, so much so that she forgot how to breathe. All the onlookers were stupefied by Kirk¡¯s actions. The two women underwater were so astonished that they immediately let go of Caroline Now that nothing weighed her down anymore, Caroline could finally catch her breath. She broke the surface of the water and gasped for air. Her sight had been blurred by the water, but she¡¯d thought she had seen Kirk underwater. Relief washed over her as she thought that she finally had someone to rely on. Smiling, she called out, ¡°Kirk!¡± Before she could utter another word, she saw him lean forward and drop to the bottom of the pool. Shocked, she dived into the water and swam to him at top speed. She dragged him up to the surface and yelled frantically, ¡°Kirk, what happened?¡± Avery finally snapped out of her daze. She started yelling, ¡°Lifeguard! Where¡¯s the lifeguard?¡± Only then did she remember that she had sent all the lifeguards away out of anger after Ivan had refused to let her continue with her n. She¡¯d wanted to make Caroline suffer since she couldn¡¯t check if her marriage to Kirk was real. It had never crossed Avery¡¯s mind that Kirk would ignore his ustrophobia and dive in to save Caroline. Everyone else started fretting. Some of the calmer people helped carry Kirk to the edge of the pool. Caroline was so worn out that she thought she would copse on the spot. Shey sprawled out on the ground for a moment as she tried to catch her breath. Then, she crawled toward Kirk and pressed both her hands against his chest. She had no strength in her anymore. The helplessness she felt made her sway to the brink of consciousness. ¡°Kirk ¡­ wake up ¡­¡± She mustered every ounce of strength she had left to do chestpressions. However, Kirk only managed to cough out a little bit of water. He still looked like he was in a deep sleep. Overwhelmed with anxiety, Caroline nced around for help. Her eyes tell on Avery, who was standing in a corner. Caroline¡¯s gaze snapped Avery out of her stupor, and thetter responded by rushing over to Kirk. She shoved Caroline aside, her eyes red with rage, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! You almost killed him!¡± She forced those words through gritted teeth. Caroline was stupefied, but she knew this wasn¡¯t the time to talk about it. ¡°Hurry and take him to the hospital.¡± ¡°Stop being a hypocrite!¡± Avery shapped at Caroline. Then, she ordered two brawny men to carry Kirk into the house. Caroline followed after them but was stopped by Avery once again. ¡°You¡¯re not weed here. Get lost.¡± Caroline was stunned, but she managed to retort. ¡°Kirk is my husband. Why can¡¯t I go in there?¡± Because you almost killed him!¡± Avery spat and called over a bodyguard. ¡°Get her out of here!¡± Caroline tried to resist. She struggled against the two well¨Cbuilt bodyguards, but it was of no use. She stood no chance against them and was tossed out like trash. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Caroline was soaked from head to toe, and she was only dressed in a swimsuit. But she didn¡¯t notice it at all. The only thing she was focused on was the gigantic castle in front of her. Kirk was inside, and she couldn¡¯t be sure if he was going to be alright. She couldn¡¯t force her way into the building. If only she could contact Ivan right now. However, her clothes and phone were still inside. ncing around at the deste street, she felt chills in her heart as she recalled everything. Flonza was known for its vastnd and tiny poption. It would be difficult for her to find someone to borrow their phone. All of a sudden, she remembered the hotel staff who had driven her here tonight. Perhaps she could get help from the hotel staff. Besides, the hotel wasn¡¯t too far from here. It had only taken about ten minutes or so to reach here by car. If she walked there, it would probably take about an hour. Time was of the essence, and Caroline¡¯s mind was set on going to the hotel. She tried to recall the way there and hastened her footsteps. This area was kind of deserted. She had to walk for a long time before she finally came across a street lamp. Night fell. As she passed a few houses, she realized that people were starting to turn their lights off for the night. Everything was bing darker. There wasn¡¯t a single shadow of a person on the streets now. She felt as though she were treading through a bleak and godforsaken desert. Since she didn¡¯t have her shoes, her feet were bare. They left light footprints on the ground with every step she took. ¡± It took her more than an hour to reach the hotel. When the manager in charge of night duty, Henry Diaz, saw Caroline¡¯s state, it gave him a fright. He was the one who¡¯d brought her her swimsuit in the afternoon. Caroline was in her swimsuit, and her face was rather red from exhaustion now. There were water droplets on her forehead. No one could tell if it was sweat or water from the pool. Quickly, he strode to her. ¡°Madam¨CMrs. Morrison, what happened?¡± He signaled for one of the other staff members to bring her a towel immediately. Caroline recognized nim trying to catch her breath, she asked, ¡°U¨Ccan you help me make a call? ¡°Certainly Who do you want me to call?¡± Help me call. Her voice trailed off, and she furrowed her brows. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Henry asked, concerned A shadow fell across Caroline¡¯s face. She took a deep breath and waved one hand in the air to dismiss the thought ¡°Never mind.¡± She was so worried about Kirk that she became muddle¨Cheaded. She didn¡¯t have Ivan¡¯s number. ncing up to look at the couch in the lobby, she bit her lip and asked, ¡°Can you give me a map of the state?¡± Maybe she could walk back to Kirk¡¯s house based on her memory. Henry guessed what she was worrying about. ¡°Did you forget someone¡¯s number?¡± Caroline forced augh. ¡°No. I don¡¯t even know his number.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Henry assured her and continued, ¡°We have the best search tool to look for someone¡¯s number. Just tell me who you¡¯re looking for. Perhaps we can assist you.¡± Caroline was stunned. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a hotel?¡± Henry smiled expectantly, which made Caroline hesitate for a bit. In the end, she decided to give it a try. ¡°I don¡¯t know his name, but his son¡¯s called Kirk.¡± The corners of Henry¡¯s lips twitched ever so slightly. ¡°Okay. Please wait.¡± No more than a minuteter, he came back to her with a printed copy of an address book. ¡°The person you¡¯re looking for is the first on the page,¡± he told her. Utterly puzzled, Caroline couldn¡¯t help butment, ¡°Are hotels¡® services so advanced now?¡± . Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Henry only smiled in response. It wasn¡¯t about how advanced their hotel was. It was just that the person she was looking for happened to be their boss¡® father. Caroline quickly dialed the number. Soon, Ivan answered the call. His expression changed the moment he learned that Kirk had passed out. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m on my way.¡± After ending the call, Caroline finally sighed in relief. She turned to face Henry and thanked him. Henry didn¡¯t know how to respond. Everything here belonged to Kirk, after all. Even the phone she had used was no exception. There was no need to thank him. Kat bridle a the Bee waned iter against reveanny is true identity so Henry tad i do his best to put on an ars deberite, Kirk speld make him suffer Jost den one of the stall merateis came over to them with a towel Henry passed it to Caroline and esked. ¡°Miss, would you like se to prepare a fresh set of clothes for you?¡¯ They professionalism and thoughtfulness came as a pleasant surprise to Caroline. Still, she refused them ¡°Nope. Thanks for everything fra going back ¡°Back? Where to?¡± Henry blurted ¡°The pool party¡± Suddenly, Henry noticed that Caroline didn¡¯t have shoes on. There were even traces of blood on her feet His expression morphed into one of concern. He asked with worry. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you walked all the way here from the swimming pool¡± The hotel and Caroline¡¯s destination were quite far away. It would have taken at least an hour to Yet Caroline had walked here alone. This alone said enough about her courage. ¡°Mrs Morrison, let me arrange a car to drive you there,¡± Henry suggested. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Caroline refused, thinking the hotel¡¯s services were far too good to be true. Instantly, Henry rushed forward to stop her from walking away. ¡°Wait! You can¡¯t just walk away like this¡± ¡°Why?¡± An idea suddenly popped into Henry¡¯s mind, and he said, ¡°Your husband booked a presidential suite here. Therefore, he will be permanently considered a VIP here.¡± Henry paused before adding, ¡°It is our priority to take care of our customers¡® well¨Cbeing. Their family members are no exception¡± ¡°If you leave,¡± he continued, ¡°my superiors will surely put the me on me. Take pity on me. Please have a change of clothes before you leave.¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t bear to refuse him again, so she quickly changed into the new set of clothes and got into the car. Then, they headed straight for the white castle. In one of the rooms on the second floor of the castle, several professional staff helped remove the water from Kirk¡¯s lungs. They left once they were done with their job Now, Kirk and Avery were the only ones lett in the room, Sitting beside him, Avery held one of his hands. Her heart broke a little to see him in such a state. ¡°You did it on purpose, right? You were just pretending, right? You once told me that only a fool would sacrifice himself for another person.¡± Avery sobbed. ¡°Surely, you wouldn¡¯t do that. You did it just so we would believe your rtionship with Caroline is real.¡± Kirk¡¯s face was pale as hey on the bed with his eyes shut tight. Avery stared at him in pity and reached out a hand to caress his face. Just then, Kirk started coughing violently. His lips opened slightly, and he started mumbling,¡± Carrie¡­¡± A shadow fell across Avery¡¯s face when she heard him take Caroline¡¯s name. She flung Kirk¡¯s hand away and yelled, ¡°Carrie, Carrie, Carrie! You¡¯ve only known her for such a short period of time! Do you even know what kind of person she is?¡± Right after that, she fell to her knees beside him and held on to the edge of the bed for support. Her face was full of anguish as she spoke next. ¡°Kirk, why can¡¯t you just love me? We¡¯ve known each other for so long. I know everything about you, and you know everything about me too! We¡¯ll make the perfect couple!¡± She cried, ¡°Just wake up, alright? Caroline doesn¡¯t deserve you!¡± All Kirk knew was that it was very noisy. Annoyed, he raised one hand and rested it against forehead. Still, the noise didn¡¯t subside. The only word he could make out was ¡°Caroline.¡± his He jerked awake, and his eyes snapped open. ¡°Carrie!¡± His voice was hoarse since he¡¯d swallowed the pool water. Avery nced up at once. Kirk had finally woken up! ¡°Kirk! Thank goodness you¡¯re alright!¡± She eximed. However, Kirkpletely ignored her. He sat up from the bed and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Carrie?¡± Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Avery was to mad that she thought she would explode After a mavent, she clenched her jaw and 3. 3. way the moment the tam your pant Kirk sneered and red to leave Came 21 that kind of person¡® His reply pushed Avery to the brack of sanity She rushed to hug him from behind. Kirk, why can¡¯t you just believe me? We¡¯ve known each other for 27 years! You¡¯ve only just met her Why don¡¯t you believe me, even if it¡¯s just for once?¡± Kok flung her hands away from him. His voice was as cold as ice when he said, ¡°Avery, I¡¯m married. You¡¯re crossing the line¡± ¡°Yes, I know that She put her arms around him again and yelled, ¡°I should¡¯ve done this a long time ago 1 love you, Kirk She continued. ¡°Back then, I thought it was inappropriate for a girl to be the one to confess, but I can¡¯t wait any longer I don¡¯t care about that anymore. Losing you is worse than anything else¡± Kirk pried her arms away from him again and warned her, ¡°I¡¯m a married man.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you¡¯re married Your marriage is fake, after all.¡± Avery refused to relent. Kirk turned to look at her with his cold, piercing eyes. They seemed distant more than ever now. ¡°I¡¯ll repeat this onest time Caroline and I are married for real. I¡¯ve decided to spend the rest of my life with her His words were like a bomb detonating right in front of her. Her body swayed, and she stumbled backward as she tried to deny the truth. ¡°No! You¡¯re lying to me. You must be lying.¡± Furrowing his brows, Kirk took a final nce at her and rushed downstairs. At the same time, Caroline had just arrived at the entrance of the castle. Both of them bumped into each other at the door. She caught his scent and looked up to see his face. The fear that had been gripping her heart finally disappeared. ¡°Kirk!¡± She called out his name in relief. Kirk ced one arm around her waist and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Her face was pale. Caroline sniffed and shook her head to let him know that she was fine. ¡°Why did you pass out all of a sudden?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t want her to worry about him. He leaned closer to her and whispered into her ear, Maybe it¡¯s because I indulged myself a little too much with you around.¡± Instantly, Caroline¡¯s face flushed red. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to joke!¡± Kirk kissed her on the lips, only to discover just how cold they were against his. They were even trembling. He nced at Caroline and lifted her up bridal¨Cstyle. ¡°I¡¯m taking you home.¡± Avery watched their interaction from the second¨Cfloor balcony. Jealousy seeped into every inch of her body. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she clenched her hands with so much force that her fingernails dug into her palms. After getting into the car, Caroline remembered that she had called Kirk¡¯s father before she came. ¡°Dad¡¯s on the way here. You should call him now that you¡¯re alright. Don¡¯t let him worry about you. Kirk took out his phone to call Ivan. He ended the call soon after he¡¯d told Ivan that he was fine. Caroline felt totally worn out after everything that had happened today. She slumped against the seat and murmured, ¡°Wake me up when we¡¯re there.¡± Kirk hummed in response as he reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Once Caroline drifted off to sleep, he got out of the car and bent over to pick her up and ce her in the back seat. He gently moved her into afortable position before starting the engine and hitting the road. Later, he parked the car at the entrance of the hotel and carried her into the lobby. When Henry saw Kirk enter, the drowsiness he felt vanished without a trace. He rushed forth to greet them both. ¡°Mr-¡± However, Kirk shot him a nce and said, ¡°Get some hot chocte ready.¡± Henry wasted no time running to the kitchen. Then, Kirk took Caroline up to the presidential suite and ced her on the bed. Soon after, Henry came with a sk of hot chocte, two mugs, and a bag of medicine. ¡°Mr. Kirk, I had the staff buy some medicine to treat a cold and fever. There¡¯s also iodine for the injury on her feet,¡± he said. A shadow flitted across Kirk¡¯s face. ¡°Her feet?¡° GET IT NOW Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 196 Avery was to mad that she thought she would explode After a mavent, she clenched her jaw and 3. 3. way the moment the tam your pant Kirk sneered and red to leave Came 21 that kind of person¡® His reply pushed Avery to the brack of sanity She rushed to hug him from behind. Kirk, why can¡¯t you just believe me? We¡¯ve known each other for 27 years! You¡¯ve only just met her Why don¡¯t you believe me, even if it¡¯s just for once?¡± Kok flung her hands away from him. His voice was as cold as ice when he said, ¡°Avery, I¡¯m married. You¡¯re crossing the line¡± ¡°Yes, I know that She put her arms around him again and yelled, ¡°I should¡¯ve done this a long time ago 1 love you, Kirk She continued. ¡°Back then, I thought it was inappropriate for a girl to be the one to confess, but I can¡¯t wait any longer I don¡¯t care about that anymore. Losing you is worse than anything else¡± Kirk pried her arms away from him again and warned her, ¡°I¡¯m a married man.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you¡¯re married Your marriage is fake, after all.¡± Avery refused to relent. Kirk turned to look at her with his cold, piercing eyes. They seemed distant more than ever now. ¡°I¡¯ll repeat this onest time Caroline and I are married for real. I¡¯ve decided to spend the rest of my life with her His words were like a bomb detonating right in front of her. Her body swayed, and she stumbled backward as she tried to deny the truth. ¡°No! You¡¯re lying to me. You must be lying.¡± Furrowing his brows, Kirk took a final nce at her and rushed downstairs. At the same time, Caroline had just arrived at the entrance of the castle. Both of them bumped into each other at the door. She caught his scent and looked up to see his face. The fear that had been gripping her heart finally disappeared. ¡°Kirk!¡± She called out his name in relief. Kirk ced one arm around her waist and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Her face was pale. Caroline sniffed and shook her head to let him know that she was fine. ¡°Why did you pass out all of a sudden?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t want her to worry about him. He leaned closer to her and whispered into her ear, Maybe it¡¯s because I indulged myself a little too much with you around.¡± Instantly, Caroline¡¯s face flushed red. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to joke!¡± Kirk kissed her on the lips, only to discover just how cold they were against his. They were even trembling. He nced at Caroline and lifted her up bridal¨Cstyle. ¡°I¡¯m taking you home.¡± Avery watched their interaction from the second¨Cfloor balcony. Jealousy seeped into every inch of her body. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she clenched her hands with so much force that her fingernails dug into her palms. After getting into the car, Caroline remembered that she had called Kirk¡¯s father before she came. ¡°Dad¡¯s on the way here. You should call him now that you¡¯re alright. Don¡¯t let him worry about you. Kirk took out his phone to call Ivan. He ended the call soon after he¡¯d told Ivan that he was fine. Caroline felt totally worn out after everything that had happened today. She slumped against the seat and murmured, ¡°Wake me up when we¡¯re there.¡± Kirk hummed in response as he reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Once Caroline drifted off to sleep, he got out of the car and bent over to pick her up and ce her in the back seat. He gently moved her into afortable position before starting the engine and hitting the road. Later, he parked the car at the entrance of the hotel and carried her into the lobby. When Henry saw Kirk enter, the drowsiness he felt vanished without a trace. He rushed forth to greet them both. ¡°Mr-¡± However, Kirk shot him a nce and said, ¡°Get some hot chocte ready.¡± Henry wasted no time running to the kitchen. Then, Kirk took Caroline up to the presidential suite and ced her on the bed. Soon after, Henry came with a sk of hot chocte, two mugs, and a bag of medicine. ¡°Mr. Kirk, I had the staff buy some medicine to treat a cold and fever. There¡¯s also iodine for the injury on her feet,¡± he said. A shadow flitted across Kirk¡¯s face. ¡°Her feet?¡± Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Kirk¡¯s heart missed a beat. One of his hands was still ced against the door as he asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Henry then briefed him about what had happened before. Kirk fell silent afterward, unsettling Henry. ¡°Mr. Kirk, did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done a good job.¡± Kirk assured Henry, despite the gloom in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll be the new owner of this hotel starting¨Ctomorrow.¡± Henry¡¯s eyes turned as wide as saucers when he heard that. He stared in a daze at the closed door before him, bbergasted. He was merely one of the staff there. How did he just turn into its boss all of a sudden? In the room, Kirk carefully took off Caroline¡¯s shoes. Once her feet were bare, he finally saw the cuts and blisters on the bottom of her feet. His eyes widened in shock. After taking out the bottle of ointment from the bag that Henry gave him, he started to slowly and gently apply the ointment. Only after he was done with both her feet did he pat her cheeks to arouse her from her sleep. Wake up,¡± he said. Still sleepy, Caroline tried to toss around, but Kirk held her legs together to stop her. ¡°Be good. Get up and have some hot chocte. I don¡¯t want you to get sick.¡± Caroline then pouted and mumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t want that. I¡¯m tired. I want to sleep.¡± ¡°Come on.¡± He coaxed her as if she were a young child. With one hand on her waist, he helped her up slowly and gingerly so that the ointment on her feet wouldn¡¯t rub off on the sheets. Although Caroline was sitting up now, her mind was still groggy. She absentmindedly opened her mouth to take sip after sip of the hot chocte. She looked very much like a cute little bunny. N?velDrama.Org content. After finishing the drink, she slid under the sheets and started mumbling again. ¡°I wanna sleep¡­ Kirk¡­e sleep too.¡± After nting a kiss on her cheek, Kirk pulled the nket over her shoulders. Then, he stood up and walked out to the balcony. He dialed Charles¡® number and said, ¡°I want to know what happened at the pool party tonight¡± Half an hourter, Kirk returned to the swimming pool. The party had ended long ago, and there wasn¡¯t a person in sight. The only thing that moved was the rippling water under the lights. Avery stood near Kirk, her face pale. His silence made her heart clench in fear. She had grown up with him, so she knew just how terrifying he could be at times like this. ¡°Where were you when Carrie jumped into the pool after getting surrounded by all those people?¡± His face was firm. The soft glow of the moonlight only served to emphasize the coldness in his eyes. Avery shuddered and muttered. ¡°I was changing upstairs.¡± ¡°Are you saying that you didn¡¯t hear a thing even though something like that happened?¡± ¡°I heard it, but parties are supposed to be noisy. I didn¡¯t think much about it,¡± Avery exined. Kirk turned to face her. His eyes were cold and indifferent. ¡°Charles,¡± he called out. Charles appeared, shoving two women in front of Kirk. The women were tied up, and they were Avery¡¯s good friends, Lily and Amy. They started crying for help the moment they saw Avery. ¡°Ave, help us!¡± Avery felt panic wash over her, and she found herself trembling uncontrobly. Clenching her fists, she took a deep breath and asked, ¡°Kirk, what are you doing?¡± ¡°They¡¯re your friends. Do you need me to say more?¡± Kirk¡¯s brows were drawn closely together now, and the look in his eyes was sharp and ruthless. When he¡¯d watched the video, a thousand ways to torture these two women had shed through his mind after seeing how they had bullied Caroline. Avery raised her eyes to meet him and smiled softly at him. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Care to exin?¡± Slowly, Kirk opened his lips to say her name, pausing at every syble. ¡°Avery!¡± Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Caroline toyed with a roly¨Cpoly in the living room. When she looked at Kirk, he was staring back at her. It was as though they were telepathic. She tossed him a smile. Kirk swallowed before finally speaking into the phone. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Carrie about it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ivan finally heaved a sigh of relief. After ending the call, he went back to the living room. Avery¡¯s parents were there. As Ivan returned, they asked him, ¡°Ivan, what did Kirk say?¡± ¡°I told him to ask Caroline what she thinks of this.¡± Still, Avery¡¯s parents didn¡¯t relent. Instead, their faces were full of worry when they spoke. ¡°Ivan, we¡¯re so sorry about this. Avery didn¡¯t know that something like this would happen either.¡± Ivan waved a hand in the air to dismiss it. ¡°Enough talk about that. What¡¯s important is that Caroline and Kirk are okay now.¡± His words made the Mendeley couple feel even more guilty. They nced at Avery beside them, but they didn¡¯t have it in them to reprimand her. She was their own daughter, after all. Besides, she was usually very gentle and obedient. Even Ivan found this incident rather odd. Perhaps it had nothing to do with Avery. Meanwhile, Kirk went back to the living room with his phone in hand. Caroline saw himing and ced the roly¨Cpoly back on the coffee table. ¡°What happened? Was it a call from your office?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Kirk slid his arms around her waist from behind and kissed her head. Caroline smiled. ¡°I rarely see you looking so troubled. Did something happen at work? Do they want you to go back?¡± ¡°Nope. It was a call from Dad,¡± Kirk answered. ¡°He said Avery wants to apologize to you.¡± The smile on Caroline¡¯s face vanished at once. The incident reyed in her mind. Her gut instincts told her that Avery liked Kirk, even though there was nothing to prove it. What happenedst night must have had something to do with Avery. ¡°Do you want to go back there?¡± Caroline turned around to face him and asked, ¡°I have a question. Can you give me an answer first? ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°You and Avery have known each other since childhood, right? Were you ever¡­ together in the past?¡± Kirk held Caroline¡¯s chin with his hand and said, ¡°No. We¡¯re just friends.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you believe me?¡± ¡°No, I do.¡± Carolineughed. ¡°Does she like you then?¡± Kirk frowned as if he were contemting it. ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Do you like her then?¡± Kirk rested his forehead against Caroline¡¯s. ¡°Are you jealous?¡± He teased her gleefully. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m being serious right now.¡± Caroline started to turn away from him, making Kirk¡¯s face turn serious as he grasped the situation. Out of the blue, he lowered his head to kiss her on the lips. It made Caroline¡¯s mind go nk. N?velDrama.Org content. 1 After some time, Kirk finally let go of her. Caroline was still in a daze as she stared nkly at him. Despite that, her eyes were clear, and it made her look adorable. Amused, Kirk asked, ¡°You still don¡¯t understand?¡± Blushing, Caroline turned around and mumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Kirk chuckled. ¡°Have you thought things through?¡± Caroline took a deep breath and turned to face him once again. Her eyes shone with rity when she looked at him. ¡°Yes. Of course I¡¯ll go.¡± She didn¡¯t need to worry about anything else as long as Kirk didn¡¯t like Avery. She was also curious about why Avery wanted to apologize to her. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Kirk stared into her eyes for confirmation, and Caroline nodded in response. ¡°Then I¡¯ll call Dad back and let him know.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Chapter 140 They decided to meet for dinner and made a reservation at a high¨Cend hotel. Avery and her parents - Adam Mendeley and Lia Brooke¨Cwere the first to arrive, followed by Kirk and Caroline Ivan wasn¡¯t feeling well, so he didn¡¯t join them. The moment Caroline and Kirk entered the private room, the Mendeleys stood up from their sents and looked at Kirk with anxious eyes. Avery was the first to speak, and her words directed everyone¡¯s attention to Caroline. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Caroline.¡± Caroline tossed her a bright smile. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me yet. I don¡¯t even know why you¡¯re apologizing.¡± The expression on Adam¡¯s and Lia¡¯s faces changed slightly. They nced at each other, as though silently agreeing that Caroline wouldn¡¯t be easy to deal with. Yet Avery had mentally prepared herself for this. She maintained a smile on her face and exined, ¡°I was the one who invited you to the party. Even though the incident had nothing to do with me, you wouldn¡¯t have been hurt if I didn¡¯t ask you to go.¡± Caroline leveled her gaze at Avery as if she were judging thetter. A momentter, Caroline smiled and said, ¡°Ms. Mendeley, you shouldn¡¯t have said that. Since it had nothing to do with you, you needn¡¯t apologize. If you apologize, people will think that you were the one behind it.¡± Avery paled at Caroline¡¯s words. This was her first time seeing that Caroline had a sharp tongue. ¡°But I was the one who invited you to go to the party. I should¡¯ve stayed by your side the whole time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a child.¡± Carolineughed. ¡°I¡¯ve furthered my studies abroad, and I know that Easton¡¯s social circle isn¡¯t a big one. By tomorrow, everyone would probably know that you had asked me for forgiveness.¡± Then, she added, ¡°Although Kirk¡¯s office is based in Easton, I don¡¯t want him to be affected by it if -people start to say that he married a fussy woman Avery wanted to retaliate, but the words were stuck in her throat. She sensed that Caroline must have realized something. Adam and Lia didn¡¯t get the underlying meaning of Caroline¡¯s words. They only thought she meant exactly what she said. To them, she seemed agreeable and reasonable, and they were immensely grateful for that. Caroline¡¯s night. However, it was Avery¡¯s tauit for being irresponsible at the partyst night Adam raised his ss in a toast. ¡°How about this? Let¡¯s all have a drink and let bygones he bygones.¡± ¡°What do you think, Kirk?¡± Caroline anked as she nced at Kirk, who stared at her with eyes full of tenderness. He gave her full autonomy to decide on this ¡°Just do what you want,¡± he told her. Caroline smiled ¡°We¡¯ll let this go then ¡± She took a sip from her ss of wine. The others followed auit. Still, something turbulent stirred in Avery¡¯s eyes. Kirk had never looked at her with such a gentle gaze before! ¡°Avery!¡± Mrs. Mendeley called out in warning as she nudged Avery¡¯s elbow. Only then did Avery snap out of her daze to raise her ss of wine and diink it. After that, all of them took their seats. Adam initiated a conversation to get rid of the awkwardness in the air. Lia also spoke to Caroline from time to time. Eventually, the atmosphere became livelier and more rxed. Yet there was still a barely noticeable, ominous feeling in the air. Caroline sensed it when she looked at Avery, whose eyes showed more and more animosity as time passed. Caroline got up from her seat to excuse herself. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Mendeley, I¡¯m going to the restroom.¡± Seeing this, Avery stood up too and said, ¡°Caroline, I¡¯ll go with you too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline smiled at her, and they walked out of the room together. Seeing them leave, Liaughed and said, ¡°Friendship between girls is so simple. I believe that Caroline and Avery will be best friends after this.¡± Kirk merely smiled in response. Just as they reached the restroom door, Caroline raised her hand abruptly and pped Avery across the face. Avery didn¡¯t have time to react. She tenderly held her cheek, which was stinging with pain from the p. ¡°Caroline! Why did you hit me?¡± Caroline snickered. ¡°Even if we put the party¡¯s incident aside, you¡¯re the person who kicked me out of that cest night!¡± ¡°I was-¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. AMMON See Toyotama yur exnahon either You used or out of that ne Sentented at where did you get the courage to say busband wway from sie night in ts of my Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Avery grinned, still covering her burning cheek. ¡°You¡¯ve finally shown your true colors. I will show Kirk how much of a vixen you really are.¡± Caroline crossed her arms. ¡°He knows what kind of person I am better than you. I¡¯m just taking a page out of your book on being a two¨Cfaced crude.¡± Avery took a deep breath. ¡°You have a really urate judgment of yourself.¡± Then, she added, ¡°At the end of the day, you¡¯re just suspecting that I¡¯m involved in what happened at the swimming pool. But you don¡¯t have any proof, do you? Like I said, I¡¯m not stupid enough to do something like this and make Kirk hate me.¡± Caroline red at Avery. If Avery was involved in the swimming pool incident, she was indeed terrifying. She waspletely different from La, who usually yed the innocent victim. Avery was intelligent and meticulous. She didn¡¯t leave any loose ends when she did something. However¡­ A smile yed on Caroline¡¯s lips. There would always be a trail, and Avery would eventually slip if she had done it. ¡°Are you admitting that you like my husband?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Avery said, ¡°You don¡¯t deserve him.¡± Caroline continued smiling. She turned on the faucet. Amid the sshing water, she said indifferently, ¡°That is none of your concern.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know the real Kirk at all. If you knew¡­¡± Avery raised her head. Seeing Kirk in the reflection, her face turned pale from fear. She turned around in panic. ¡°Kirk¡­¡± When Kirk strode over, Caroline had already washed her hands and was drying them. He said, ¡°It¡¯s time to go.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline smiled slightly and turned to Avery, asking, ¡°You were saying, Ms. Mendeley?¡± Looking at Kirk¡¯s dark gaze, Avery trembled all over. ¡°N¨Cnothing¡­¡± As she finished speaking, the terrifying pressure in the room immediately dissipated. Kirk quietly looked over at Caroline, his eyes filled with tenderness. He put his arms around her waist and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Caroline nodded and followed Kirk back to the private room. Avery was Juming at how intimate Kirk and Caroline were She angruly grabbed her arms, digging her nails into her flesh. The pain in her arms gradually calmed her down. After a moment, she called someone on the phone. She said viciously, ¡°We stick to the n¡± After that, she looked at the palm print on her face in the mirror, her lips curving into a smug smile She thought, ¡°Just you wait, Caroline¡® Kirk will be mine!¡± Kirk and Caroline said their goodbyes to Adam and Lia After that, they left the private room. When the two walked to the entrance, Kirk¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Let me get this. Wait for me right here,¡± Kirk said After that, he stepped aside Caroline stood in ce. When she looked up, she happened to see a camera pointing at her. She smiled subtly. As if thinking of something, she walked to the front desk and told the receptionist something The receptionist nodded with a smile. Not long after, she handed a bag to Caroline. Looking at the item in the bag, she thanked him. She nced in Kirk¡¯s direction once more. He was still talking on the phone. His brows were furrowed, and he didn¡¯t seem very happy. Caroline didn¡¯t bother him. She returned to her spot from earlier and continued to wait for him. Feeling the wind gently blowing on her face, she looked over at Kirk and smiled. At this moment, someone rushed over and bumped into Carpline¡¯s shoulder. As a result, therge bag of fruits in his hand fell to the ground. ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡± The man seemed to be speaking Celonish. He continued apologizing as he picked up his things from the ground. Noticing the mess on the ground, Caroline knelt and helped him pick the fruits up. The man looked up at Caroline in gratitude. Noticing she was from Easton, he asked, ¡°Are you from Easton?¡± Caroline smiled merrily in response. ¡°How can you tell?¡± The man grinned. ¡°I¡¯m from Easton as well. Consider it an intuition.¡± As they spoke, they finished picking up all the fruits from the ground. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. You were kind enough to Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Chapter 142 ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Caroline smiled. After watching him enter the hotel, she turned to look at Kirk again. Kirk was still talking on the phone. Caroline scrolled through her phone for about five minutes before she felt arge hand wrap around her waist Kirk asked, ¡°Did you wait long?¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Caroline looked up at him and said, ¡°Nope. Are we going home now?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Kirk said. Caroline asked, ¡°What about Dad?¡± Kirk paused momentarily before replying, ¡°He¡¯s still at the Mendeley Residence.¡± ¡°Should we take him home with us? Caressing Caroline¡¯s slender waist, Kirk replied, ¡°He just wants some grandchildren, so he wouldn¡¯t want toe home.¡± As he spoke, he hugged Caroline. ¡°Let¡¯s have a baby¡± He¡¯d initially thought that he could wait, but he couldn¡¯t anymore. He wanted a child with Caroline, one that belonged to them alone. It was the only way to leave his mark on her. Seeing the tenderness swirling in Kirk¡¯s gaze, Caroline was tempted, but she remained rational. She said, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about thister.¡± She¡¯d just started her career and was still young. She didn¡¯t want to have a baby so soon. The light in Kirk¡¯s eyes faded a little. After a while, he gave a small smile and said, ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Are¡­ are you upset?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kirk stroked her neck. He wasn¡¯t angry; he was just jealous. It seemed like Eddy really meant something to her. Kirk remained silent throughout their journey home. Although he¡¯d said he wasn¡¯t angry, Caroline could feel he was bummed out. In the past, he would always dilly¨Cdally and cling to her before falling asleep. Tonight, he was strangely well¨Cbehaved, holding her very respectfully in bed. It seemed that all his enthusiasm was gone. For some reason, Caroline felt flustered. She said, ¡°I¨CI¡¯m going to drink some water.¡± Then, she It was daytime in Easton, Gwen answered the call within seconds. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Carol?¡± She was typing away on her keyboard with her headphones on. When Gwen didn¡¯t hear Caroline¡¯s reply, she stopped what she was doing and looked at Caroline on her screen. Caroline¡¯s face was flushed, and her lips were pursed, but she made no sound. Gwenughed.¡± What¡¯s wrong with you, Carol?¡± Caroline regretted calling Gwen the moment she answered. She said, ¡°N¨Cnothing. I¡¯m going ¡­ to sleep¡­¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Gwen asked inquisitively, ¡°Who are you sleeping with?¡± Caroline was dumbfounded by her friend¡¯s words. I¡¯m not talking to you anymore. ¡°Oh, so we¡¯ve got a situation. Tell me how far you and Kirk have gone,¡± Gwen prodded. Caroline tugged at the edge of the couch, hesitating. Seeing that her friend was in a predicament, Gwen stopped teasing her. She asked seriously, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me about it?¡± With a bitter expression, Caroline took a few deep breaths before answering, ¡°Kirk seems to be upset¡­¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Gwen shook withughter. It took her a while to stop. She said, ¡°So, that¡¯s why you called me¨C for rtionship advice. It¡¯s not easy to coax a man, isn¡¯t it?¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes sparkled with hope. ¡°Do you have a solution?¡± Gwen leaned closer to the screen. With a mischievous expression, she stressed each word she said next. ¡°It¡¯s simple. Have sex with him!¡± Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Caroline felt heat quickly spreading throughout her body. Feeling flustered, she asked, ¡°Why are you being so indecent when I¡¯m asking you a serious question?¡± Gwen covered her mouth and teased, saying, ¡°I am being serious Trust me, this method works 1 every time Youll definitely thank me after you try it.¡± Caroline was dumbfounded Gwen smiled merrily as Caroline hung up the phone quickly. But her joy vanished immediately afterward. She thought, ¡°My dear friend¡­¡± Just as she was brooding, she saw a message from Sean. It read, ¡°Are you free for dinner tonight?¡± Gwen froze. She hesitated for a moment, then closed the app immediately: She hadn¡¯t seen Sean since they had slept togetherst time. He seemed to be fine and would ask her out for dinner from time to time as if nothing had happened. Gwen was furious Why was she losing her mind while he hadpletely forgotten about it? But it wasn¡¯t like she could just barge into his home and scold him. That would show that she cared. She rubbed her temple, feeling too restless to work. Meanwhile, Caroline stood hesitantly outside the bedroom door. Gwen¡¯s words kept echoing in her mind. She was seriously wondering whether this method would really work. Caroline pinched the bridge of her nose, bbergasted. 7 Wasn¡¯t Kirk usually moody? Why would she need to calm him down? Thinking of this, she pushed open the door. When she saw Kirk lying on the bed with his back to her, her heart melted. She gritted her teeth. With a blush, sheid beside Kirk, hugging him from behind. Like vines, she wrapped her arms around Kirk¡¯s muscr waist. Kirk opened his eyes, and his muscles tensed. Caroline seemed to have some kind of power that quickly ignited his desire for her. He clenched his teeth and closed his eyes, pretending to be sleeping. It was Caroline¡¯s first time doing something like this, so she didn¡¯t know what to do. Her fingers unconsciously slid across the skin of Kirk¡¯s waist. She had no idea what to do next. Caroline was about to cry from anxiety. She shouldn¡¯t have listened to Gwen. Kirk didn¡¯t respond However, Caroline wasaf eware that Kirk¡¯s patience had already reached its limit. She was going to be the death of him, Every touch of her fingers was a fatal temptation. Suddenly, Caroline felt his abs. Her face turned red and she quickly pulled her fingers away She felt like a prey meeting its predator She promptly turned around, steeping with her back to Kirk. Yet, her fingertips were burning She could still feel the residual heat from his skin Suddenly, Kirk turned over, draping his leg over Caroline¡¯s Caroline didn¡¯t dare to breathe. Not sensing any movements from him, she carefully reached out to push Kirk¡¯s leg away. But before she could touch him, she felt a firm hand grab her wrist ¡°Are you trying to run away after enticing me like that?¡± Caroline heard a delightful, maic voice in her ear. She felt her spine tingle, and her face Tumed red She asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t you asleep?¡± Kirk turned over, pinning Caroline undemeath him. I woke up.¡± He lowered his head, nibbling Caroline¡¯s shoulder Caroline gasped She was about to say something when she felt him kissing her lips. Tonight, Caroline proved that Gwen¡¯s theory was correct. Sitting up, she looked down at the marks all over her body and frowned. ¡°How am I supposed to go out and have fun now?¡± Kirk pulled her into his arms. ¡°We can just have fun at home.¡± ¡°No thank you.¡± Caroline could feel Kirk¡¯s body moving and struggled to get up. She moved far away from Kirk. Smirking cheekily, Kirk promised, ¡°I won¡¯t touch you. Rest well tonight, and I¡¯ll take you to Fablnd¡± Caroline asked doubtfully, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°But I heard only a few hundred people can go into this country¡¯s theme park every day. Can you even grab a spot?¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Leave it to me. Don¡¯t you believe in me?¡± Atter resting to a dey, Caroline finally regained some enigy That night, she got a call from Gwen Curious about the nue of her litle suggestion, Gwen asked Caroline olyly, ¡°po how did it go, Carol?¡± Immediately, what had happenedst night mossed Caroline¡¯s mind she felt on mbarrassed that she wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground Thankfully, they weren¡¯t having a video call, so Gwen couldn¡¯t see her from Otherwise, Gwen wouldn¡¯t even need to ask her anything ¡°I didn¡¯t try it.¡± Caroline cleared her throat. ¡°I¡¯m not that stupid¡± Gwen was disappointed ¡°Huh, I thought you would help me test out my little theory¡± ¡°If you really want to try it out¡­¡± Caroline smirked ¡°Why don¡¯t you do it with someone?¡± ¡°With who?¡± Gwen asked Memories of Sean crossed her mind at once. Resting her chin on one hand, Caroline asked, ¡°How about¡­ fican?¡± Gwen instantly snapped, ¡°W¨Cwhy would I do it with him? I won¡¯t do that with him even if I diet Even if the world gets destroyed and he¡¯s the only one left, I won¡¯t ever go near him¡­¡± Caroline tapped her chin with a cheeky smile. ¡°I was just making a suggestion. Aren¡¯t you getting a little too excited? Besides, didn¡¯t you have a crush on Sean?¡± Realizing that she had overreacted, Gwen gritted her teeth. ¡°I¨CI just realized that Sean is a scumbag! Looks can be deceiving!¡± ¡°What did he do?¡± Gwen fell silent for a moment. Then, she said, ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m going to work.¡± Caroline was dumbfounded. She thought that Gwen had been acting strange. Before she went to bed, Kirk came home with two lickets in his hand When Caroline saw that there were entrance tickets to Fablnd, she was overjoyed. She asked, ¡± You really got them?¡± He was amazing! Seeing the childlike adoration in her eyes, Kirk swallowed, momentarily losing control of himself He wanted to tell her who he was, but he didn¡¯t say anything. She still had feelings for Eddy, so he couldn¡¯t take any chances. He wrapped his arms around her waist. ¡°Do you really want to know?¡± Caroline put her arms around his neck. ¡°Yeah.¡± The night breeze blew the curtains in the room. The leaves rustled outside the window, as it to match the rhythm of what was happening inside the room. After everything was over, Caroliney on the bed, exhausted She had only one thought: ¡°Oh no, I won¡¯t be about to go to Fablnd again tomorrow, will 17¡± Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Chapter 144 The next day, Caroline woke up with a sore back. Still, she went to Fablnd with Kirk. She thought they had to queue up, but when she went inside, she discovered that there was no one else except the staff. ¡°Why aren¡¯t there any tourists?¡± Caroline murmured. She had been to Fablnd in Easton a few times, and it would always be crowded with people. However, this ce was uncharacteristically quiet and deserted. Not only that, but every staff member also smiled at them as if they were VIPs. Kirk coughed lightly. ¡°Maybe we came too early. Where do you want to go first?¡± Caroline unfolded the theme park map and pointed to one of the ces. ¡°Let¡¯s go here.¡± Kirk nced at where Caroline had pointed and saw the words ¡°Battle for the Underwater Treasure ¡°written on the map. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll go make a call.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline nodded. She waited where she was. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. After a while, Kirk returned. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Battle for the Underwater Treasure was Fablnd¡¯s most popr exhibit. It used thetest technology for its ship¨Cmounted tracks, giving the ride a realistic and immersive experience. Hence, it attracted many tourists. However, back in Easton, the wait time for the ride was too long. Caroline had always skipped it, albeit reluctantly. But today, she finally had a chance to experience it for herself. As soon as they arrived, they saw a couple queuing up in front of them. ¡°So, there are still people,¡± Caroline said with a smile. Kirk was right¨Cthey had just gotten here too early. Kirk simply smiled and dragged Caroline to the ticketing booth. The cashier was a woman from Easton. She spoke theirnguage but kept her head down, not daring to look up. Caroline could only see her red earlobes and trembling hands. She didn¡¯t think much of the cashier¡¯s behavior. After getting the tickets, she followed Kirk in. When they got inside, the ship was already on standby, and the couple from earlier were sitting in The couple looked excited, looking forward to the ride. Caroline guessed that they were adults looking for entertainment, just like children. She picked a middle seat, and just as she was about to sit down, the woman behind her called out to her ¡°H¨Chey, Miss C¨Ccan you sit here?¡± she stammered. Her face was flushed, and her hands were shaking, just like the woman at the ticketing booth outside. Caroline was surprised, but she agreed, ¡°Sure.¡± Pulling Kirk with her, Caroline sat down beside the woman. She gave them a friendly smile and said, ¡°Hello¡± The woman became even more excited, and she held Caroline¡¯s hand enthusiastically. ¡°Hello! Hello!¡± She looked like a fangirl who had met her idol. Caroline looked over at Kirk. He smiled at her, looking natural. The ship slowly began to move. The woman beside Caroline wasn¡¯t paying attention to the scenery at all. Instead, she looked at Caroline, softly asking, ¡°Are you both really husband and wife?¡± Caroline answered patiently, ¡°Yeah.¡± The woman patted her chest. ¡°You guys look perfect for each other. I envy you.¡± Caroline smiled, but she felt that this woman was talking too much. She looked up to admire the realistic props and stopped talking. The woman was probably embarrassed, so she stopped talking to Caroline as well. Instead, she began whispering to the man next to her. Caroline couldn¡¯t hear what they said very clearly. Still, she asionally heardpliments about her appearance and attitude, as well as how much they envied her. When the ship was above water, Caroline was engrossed in the realistic sights around her. Hence, she didn¡¯t pay attention to the couple anymore. Soon enough, the ship arrived in front of the treasure chest. the tepsider us with aute imbit Buy the ¡°r, the c Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Caroline frowned. She kept thinking that this woman was weird Just as she was about to question the woman, Kirk¡¯s phone rang, diverting her attention. She turned to Kirk. He had already looked away from them and answered the phone. The call was from Ivan, and he sounded very serious. ¡°Come and see Avery right away.¡± Kirk refused immediately, saying, ¡°I¡¯m not free at the moment.¡± ¡°You have toe! Something serious has happened!¡± Kirk raised an eyebrow. He answered coldly, ¡°Let her wait!¡± After he hung up the phone, the atmosphere became colder and quieter. Caroline could even hear a rattling sound. She looked at the woman in confusion again. The woman¡¯s face was pale, as if she were ill. Her boyfriend wasn¡¯t much better. His face was ashen, too. Just like that, their underwater adventure ended on a strange note. Caroline wasn¡¯t happy about it, so she suggested they take the ride again. This time, Caroline could finally enjoy herself since the couple wasn¡¯t around. She didn¡¯t see the couple again as they went about their next few activities. She didn¡¯t have to line up for anything. It was as if the venue had been privately booked just for her. Caroline had a delightful time and was already nning toe here with Gwen next time. Before they left the theme park, Kirk got another call from Ivan. ¡°Is Dad calling you for something urgent?¡± Caroline asked. During their time doing the activities just now, she¡¯d heard Kirk¡¯s phone ringing. Kirk replied calmly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°You¡¯d better answer the phone in case there¡¯s something urgent.¡± Kirk gave Caroline a nod before answering the phone. On the other end of the line, Ivan seemed to be a little agitated. Even from a distance, Caroline Feeling bored, she took pictures of Fablnd¡¯s entrance with her phone. As she was taking pictures, she saw a familiar figure in the frame. Caroline was taken aback. Wasn¡¯t that the woman on the ship just now? Why was she wearing an employee¡¯s uniform? Caroline quickly approached her. ¡°Hello.¡± As the woman turned around, she was startled when she saw Caroline. She was about to leave, but Caroline stopped her. Caroline asked, ¡°Wait, are you an employee here?¡± The woman didn¡¯t answer. Her eyes were red, and she was about to cry. Caroline was surprised Was her question that hard to answer? ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I won¡¯t ask anymore.¡± Caroline continued, ¡°I want to ask you about someone.¡± The woman sniffled and nodded. She still hadn¡¯t spoken a word. ¡°Do you know the boss of thergestpany in Sarcozia?¡± The woman secretly nced at Kirk. She blushed and nodded. Caroline was overjoyed. For the past few days, she had been looking for information about Eddy¡¯s second uncle on the inte. She¡¯d thought she could get some information when she was abroad, but unexpectedly, she couldn¡¯t find anything. There were some descriptions on social media tforms, but most of them were rumors. She didn¡¯t know if they were true or not. She had thought about asking Ivan, but she was too embarrassed to do so. She was worried that Ivan would overthink things. Now that she had found someone who knew something, she quickly asked, ¡°Do you know where I Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Chapter 146 The woman stared nkly at Kirk, who stood nearby, and her eyes turned red again. She put her head down and ran away. Caroline silently watched the woman run away. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kirk had already finished his call. When he saw the employee running away, a sharp glint appeared in his eyes. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Caroline touched her face. ¡°Do I look scary today?¡± Why had the woman cried after just a brief conversation with her? Kirk lowered his head and carefully looked at the makeup on Caroline¡¯s face. After a moment, he smiled and kissed her lips. ¡°Not at all. In fact, you look adorable.¡± Caroline pushed him away with a blush. ¡°Cool it. Why did Dad call you?¡± The smile on Kirk¡¯s face disappeared. He said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. He said he¡¯ll exin after we head there¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Caroline said. ¡°Okay.¡± The two went to Ivan¡¯s home. As soon as they walked through the door, they saw Avery sitting on the couch with a pale face. There was still a red mark on her face, courtesy of Caroline¡¯s p a few days ago. When Avery saw Caroline and Kirk, she looked up at them listlessly, tears welling in her eyes. Lia¡¯s heart broke seeing her daughter like this. She didn¡¯t think that Caroline was even human anymore. ¡°Dad,¡± Caroline said, greeting Ivan. Ivan looked up at Caroline, and the smile on his face disappeared. ¡°Come here, Caroline. I have something to ask you.¡± Caroline walked over to him. Ivan asked, ¡°Let me ask you, did you leak Avery¡¯s drafts for the game concept?¡± Caroline blinked. Even though she understood every word he spoke, when she strung them together, she couldn¡¯t understand at all ¡°What are you talking about, Dad?¡± I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still feigning ignorance. Lia loved her daughter dearly, so she couldn¡¯t resist standing up for her Then, she said, ¡°Because of you, Avery lost her job, and the entire gaming industry cklisted her How can you be so cruel? What did Avery ever do to you? When she found out you wereing, she busied herself and handled all the arrangements How could you betray her efforts like this?¡± Caroline remained calm. ¡°I really have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Kirk gently pulled Caroline to sit on the couch Raising his chin slightly, he said in a calm tone, You guys aren¡¯t making sense right now. What on earth happened?¡± Lia took a deep breath and pushed Avery She urged, ¡°Avery, tell Kirk about your situation. I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t take sides.¡± Avery sniffled ¡°Forget it, Mom. It¡¯s already happened. The entire industry has already cklisted me, and I¡¯ll never find a job in this field again¡­ There¡¯s no point talking about it now.¡± By the end, she was so ovee with emotions that she could barely speak. Lia¡¯s heart shattered when she saw this. She hugged Avery and cried. ¡°Oh, Avery I know how much you love the gaming industry. Those who hurt you must pay the price for their actions. That¡¯s the way it should be.¡± Kirk was so annoyed by the crying that he unbuttoned his cor. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to talk, we¡¯re going to leave.¡± After that, he held Caroline¡¯s waist and turned to leave. Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Chapter 147 top Ivan yelled. He was trembling, obviously very angry It¡¯s very simple Someone leaked Avery¡¯s drafts for the game concept, and that too, to a rivalpany Now, that rivalpany has registered and published the game first, making Avery¡¯s efforts in the past six months for naught.¡± He continued, ¡°After investigation, thepany found that the email used to send the drafts to the rival company belongs to Caroline.¡± ¡°How could it be me? Caroline was stunned. Then, she smiled and said, ¡°Until now, I didn¡¯t even know what Avery¡¯s job was, let alone what the rivalpany is ¡± Avery bit her lips, a hint of distress appearing in her calm gaze ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t know Anyway, the email thepany found was yours. To tell you the truth, I don¡¯t believe it either. But the facts are right before me, so I must ept the truth.¡± Caroline was genuinely impressed with Avery¡¯s superb acting. The entertainment industry was missing out on an actress like her. ¡°Okay, at the very least, even if I know whichpany you work for and who yourpetitors are, how did I get your concept drafts, Ms. Mendeley?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Avery burst out sobbing. ¡°A¨Cat any rate, this is what thepany found out. I really don¡¯t know¡­¡± She held her head, having a little meltdown. ¡°Let¡¯s just go home, Mom. I don¡¯t want to pursue this issue anymore. Even if my life is ruined, it doesn¡¯t matter. As long as Carrie and Kirk are happy, I¨CI¡¯ll be content.¡± Caroline grimaced, guessing that Avery probably staged all of this. This woman was ruthless. She¡¯d even given up her job to frame Caroline. ¡°No,¡± Caroline said. ¡°We must get to the bottom of things. We can¡¯t use the innocent, and we can¡¯t let the wrongdoers go free. Right, Dad?¡± Ivan nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. We need to investigate this thoroughly. Otherwise, it doesn¡¯t seem like our families will be able to get along anymore.¡± He turned to Kirk, asking, ¡°What do you think, Kirk?¡± Kurk leaned back with a mocking smile on his face. He said, ¡®My wife is right.¡± Ivan remained silent Caroline tucked her hair behind her ears. She decided to go about it methodically and said, ¡°All right. Let¡¯s call the police. All my things are at home. If I really did take your drafts, there will definitely be some evidence.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t object to Caroline¡¯s suggestion, and Ivan and Lia also agreed. Avery was even more eager to get the police here. After feigning reluctance by pretending to object, she agreed.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Soon after they got the call, the police arrived and searched Kirk¡¯s apartment. Sure enough, they found a USB drive in Caroline¡¯s bag that had Avery¡¯s concept drafts. Lia shook with anger as she yelled, ¡°Did you hear that, Ivan? She¡¯s the one who did it!¡± ¡°Enough, Mom.¡± Avery wept uncontrobly, trembling all over. ¡°Since the truth is out, we should leave it at that. I don¡¯t want to follow up on this anymore.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so kind, Avery!¡± Lia barked, ¡°You better exin yourself, Ivan! We¡¯ve been friends for years. How could you do this to Avery? There¡¯s something wrong with your daughter¨Cinw¡¯s integrity!¡± Ivan didn¡¯t expect this to happen either. He looked at his son. Kirk sat leisurely on the couch, his legs crossed. He looked like an outsider, as though this matter didn¡¯t concern him at all. ¡°Say something, Kirk,¡± Ivan urged. Kirk shrugged, looking at Caroline. ¡°I¡¯m on my wife¡¯s side.¡± Hearing his words, Caroline smiled, feeling a warmth in her chest. Before anyone could speak, she said calmly, ¡°That USB drive isn¡¯t mine.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still denying it even now.¡± Lia couldn¡¯t stand her anymore. Lia said, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be saying this as an outsider, but I can¡¯t stay quiet anymore. Ivan, your daughter¨Cinw is no good! 213 She continued, ¡°It¡¯s only been a few days, and our families are in a mess because of her. I don¡¯t even want to imagine what will happen if this continues! When one marries, they marry someone for their good qualities. But I can¡¯t find anything good about this Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Chapter 148) Lia¡¯s words were directed at Caroline. She was clearly saying that Caroline had no manners and didn¡¯t deserve Kirk. Caroline smiled patiently. When she spoke, her tone was gentle, but it contained a chilling hint of pressure. ¡°Mrs. Mendeley, we haven¡¯t uncovered the truth yet, so you better not talk too much. Otherwise, it might backfire on you.¡® Lia feared Kirk and Ivan, so she didn¡¯t dare to act impudently. Still, she didn¡¯t care about Caroline at all. Upon seeing Caroline still had the gall to refute, Lia¡¯s expression darkened. She didn¡¯t care about her status or seniority anymore. She retorted, ¡°What do you mean by that? Avery¡¯s concept draft is on your USB drive! I¡¯ve met plenty of stubborn people, but I¡¯ve never met someone as stubborn as you.¡± At this moment, Avery, who had been sobbing, said weakly, ¡°Mom, that USB drive really isn¡¯t hers.¡± ¡°Avery, why are you still defending her at a time like this¡­¡± ¡°Mom, that¡¯s my USB drive.¡± Avery frowned, about to cry again. ¡°I only found out that my USB drive was stolen after my concept drafts were leaked.¡± Lia said, ¡°Why are you only telling us such an important thing now? That means that she stole your USB drive and gave the concept drafts to a rivalpany. It all makes sense now.¡± Caroline turned to Lia and said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ve only interacted with Ms. Mendeley a few times. This is one of them, and the other was in the restaurant¡¯s private room earlier. ¡°Let me ask you. If you¡¯re saying I stole the USB drive, when would I have had the time to steal it?¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Lia was speechless. Ivan thought that this situation was outrageous as well. There was an eerie silence in the living room. Kirk was looking at Caroline with bright eyes. Right now, she was like a tough flower, proudly braving a storm. She didn¡¯t back down in the face of adversity. Mom, Ivan.¡± Avery stood up, holding back her tears. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to investigate this further. I feel bad for wasting everyone¡¯s time on a small issue like this.¡± If it were another time, Caroline would have apuded Avery for her strategic withdrawal She was about to speak when she heard Kirk¡¯s maic voice behind her. ¡°It¡¯s better to get to the bottom of things. After that, Kirk stood up and walked to the balcony. Caroline didn¡¯t know what he was going to do, but Avery did. Avery tilted her head down, her long hair concealing the smile on her lips. Thinking that Avery was heartbroken, Lia quickly patted her shoulder and tried tofort her. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Avery! With Kirk here, everything will be clearer. When that timees, the one who¡¯s responsible will pay the price!¡± On that note, she couldn¡¯t help but nce at Caroline with hatred. Caroline remained silent, not bothering to argue with her. Avery nodded with her back to her mother, secretly bubbling with joy. She wanted Kirk to investigate it. She wanted him to see what kind of person Caroline was. Soon, Kirk returned to the living room. ¡°I just asked someone to get the restaurant¡¯s surveince footage.¡± Kirk briefly nced at Avery before looking at Caroline again. ¡°My wife has been with me all day. If she really did something, she could only have done it at the restaurant. We¡¯ll know the truth after we get those surveince tapes.¡± Avery bit her lips in frustration. It was annoying to hear Kirk call Caroline his wife. Yet a faint smile yed on her lips at the thought of how those surveince tapes would expose Caroline for what she was. More than an hourter, Charles brought the surveince footage to their home. Caroline was quite surprised to see Charles. She asked, ¡°You¡¯re here in Flonza too?¡± Charles said with a smile, ¡°I go wherever Mr. Kirk goes.¡± The corner of Caroline¡¯s mouth twitched. It seemed like Morrison Corporation had terrific benefits. No wonder many people would kill to join theirpany. ¡°Hand over the surveince footage,¡± Lia urged, unable to wait any longer. Charles looked over at Kirk Kirk raised his chin slightly, signaling for Charles to y the surveince footage. Following his boss¡® orders, Charles turned on the TV. Soon, footage of the restaurant that night appeared on the screen. The restaurant only installed surveince cameras in themon areas, not in private rooms. Nevertheless, Caroline and Avery had been sitting face¨Cto¨Cface in the private room. Hence, Caroline wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to make a move there. So, there was no need to look into what happened in the private room. Charles fast¨Cforwarded the footage, and soon everyone saw Caroline and Avery going to the bathroom together. Both of them had taken their bags with them. Just as the two were about to reach the bathroom entrance, Caroline pped Avery across the face. Upon seeing this, Lia red at Caroline and yelled, ¡°So you were the one who pped Avery that day! I asked her about it, but she hid it from me, saying that she had fallen by ident. You¡¯re too cruel!¡± There wasn¡¯t any audio in the footage, so no one could hear what they were saying. All they could see was that Caroline had pped Avery across the face. Ivan couldn¡¯t help but frown, asking, ¡°What¡¯s going on here, Caroline?¡± Caroline frowned. Avery was truly capable. She revealed the so¨Ccalled truth calmly, without giving the impression that she had done it on purpose. At this moment, Kirk silently held her hand. Caroline looked over at him. He was smiling at her tenderly. She couldn¡¯t see any hint of disgust in his eyes. Instead, she saw his admiration for her. Emboldened by Kirk¡¯s support, she looked straight at Ivan and smiled. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s better to check whether I¡¯ve stolen the sh drive for now. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do if everyone kept making me the scapegoat.¡± Ivan frowned and nodded, saying to Charles, ¡°Keep ying the video.¡± Charles pressed the y button The video was exactly the same as what had happened that night Caroline and Avery were talking, and Kirk arrived Then, Caroline and Kirk returned to the private room before leaving the restaurant. With that, the video came to an end. After a moment of silence, Ivan said, ¡°The only ce Caroline could¡¯ve done something is the bathroom But we all saw nothing suspicious in the footage, so it seems that Caroline wasn¡¯t behind this. Instead, someone had framed her. Their goal is to destroy the rtionship between our families¡± Avery bit her lip, asking, ¡°Charles, can you pass me the remote?¡± Charles handed the TV remote to Avery Avery fast¨Cforwarded the footage to when they were in the bathroom. Then, she slowed the yback speed. Caroline narrowed her eyes, knowing Avery had a reason for doing this. She stared at the screen, and soon she found out why. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Chapter 149 in the surveince footage, Kirk asked Caroline to leave When she left, she happened to brush past Avery The gap between them was so small that they couldn¡¯t see anything at normal speed, but they could see everything when Avery slowed down the footage. When Caroline brushed past Avery, she quickly reached into Avery¡¯s bag and took something away If Caroline hadn¡¯t properly looked at the video, she wouldn¡¯t have noticed. At this moment, she finally understood why Avery was so calm. She had already tampered with the surveince footage. Avery wasn¡¯t only cunning, but more importantly, she had the skills to back it up. She was a formidable rival. Caroline smiled brightly and asked, ¡°Are you done watching the video, Ms. Mendeley?¡± Avery bit her lip, ncing at her mother. Lia was squinting at the surveince video, but she hadn¡¯t noticed anything. Avery had no choice but to slow down the footage again. ¡°Not yet. Let me watch it again.¡± Caroline smiled slightly. At this time, Lia finally noticed something in the video. Pointing at the screen, she said, ¡°Wait. Hang on¡­ Avery, pause the video, then rewind it a little¡­¡± Underneath Avery¡¯s calm exterior, her heart was beating fast. She yed the footage again, stopping it precisely when Caroline put her hand into her bag. This time, Kirk raised an eyebrow, looking at Caroline with a smile. Caroline returned the smile. She crossed her arms, leisurely watching Avery¡¯s performance. Lia pointed at the screen. ¡°Look! She really did steal it! This is irrefutable evidence! Ivan, Kirk- you¡¯d better give us an exnation. Avery¡¯s life is ruined because of her!¡± Ivan saw it as well, and he couldn¡¯t believe it. He looked over at Kirk. ¡°Kirk.¡± Kirk softly caressed the soft flesh on Caroline¡¯s waist, saying, ¡°Do you have anything to say. darling? Caroline chuckled. ¡°It just so happens that I have another copy of the surveince footage, but it may differ from Ms. Mendeley¡¯s.¡± ¡°You have a surveince tape?¡± Avery asked, her expression shifting. N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°That¡¯s right. I specifically asked for a surveince video from the restaurant, and it¡¯s here, in the apartment.¡± Caroline smiled gently, emphasizing the word ¡°specifically.¡± She said, ¡°Charles, can you please get it for me?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Charles agreed. Then, he quickly returned with the surveince footage Caroline had mentioned and yed it on the TV. Unlike the previous video, this one had sound. In the video, after Caroline pped Avery, everyone could clearly hear the former asking thetter why she kicked her out. Ivan frowned. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s very simple, Dad. When Kirk passed out that day, I was going to take care of him, but Ms. Mendeley asked the bodyguards to throw me out. No one could get past her,¡± Caroline exined. Ivan stared at Avery sternly. Avery¡¯s face turned pale as she said, ¡°That¡¯s right. But Ivan, Kirk¡¯s underwater ustrophobia only acted up because of her. So, I took out my frustration on Caroline and refused to let her take care of Kirk.¡± Caroline¡¯s fingers moved. She thought, ¡°Kirk had underwater ustrophobia, but he still¡­¡± Caroline looked at Kirk with red eyes. Kirk looked back at her, his lips curling into a cheeky smile. Ivan frowned in disapproval. ¡°Even if you did it for Kirk, you can¡¯t treat Caroline like this.¡± ¡°Dad.¡± Generously, Caroline said, ¡°Let¡¯s just put this behind us. Besides, Ms. Mendeley really cares about Kirk. After I went back, I reflected on my behavior. I was too impulsive.¡± She yed her role as a reasonable daughter¨Cinw. If Avery could act kind, so could she. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Chapter 150 As expected, Ivan gave Caroline a look of appreciation after hearing her words. Upon seeing this, Avery angrily gripped the flesh of her thigh, wishing to rip the generosity from Caroline¡¯s expression. This ordeal hade to an end. The video continued to y, and soon they saw the moment when Caroline brushed past Avery. Charles slowed down the video, and everyone held their breath. In this video, Caroline didn¡¯t reach into Avery¡¯s bag at all. Lia was dumbfounded by what she saw. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did you tamper with the footage?¡± Caroline smirked. ¡°You overestimate me, Mrs. Mendeley. I got this video from the restaurant that night, and I didn¡¯t do anything with it. You can check it out if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Kirk caressed Caroline¡¯s backnguidly, saying yfully, ¡°I think the truth is clear. Carrie didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Avery was about to fall apart. She¡¯d nned to use the surveince footage to frame Caroline for being a thief and a vicious woman. Even if Kirk could tolerate Caroline, Ivan would never agree to this marriage. But she¡¯d never expected Caroline to have the original surveince footage. Avery took a deep breath, quickly calming herself down. She said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Caroline really didn¡¯t do this. It might be like what you said, Ivan. Someone is trying to cause trouble between our two families.¡± Then, she looked at Caroline and said sincerely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Carrie.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Caroline looked Avery right in the eye and smiled lightly. Avery felt a chill up her spine. The rapid change in the situation caught Lia off guard. She murmured, ¡°Who else could it be if not you?¡± ¡°Mom. Avery hurriedly grabbed Lia. ¡°We¡¯ll leave this matter at that. L¨Clet¡¯s go home¡± N Lia approached Kirk and said, ¡°Kirk, you have to keep investigating.¡± Avery even changed her tone and hurriedly pulled Lia away. ¡°Mom, stop disturbing Kirk. We¡¯re going home!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Caroline suddenly said. The mother and daughter stopped tugging at each other and looked over at Caroline. ¡°Leaving so soon, Ms. Mendeley?¡± Avery clenched her fists, anticipating what Caroline was going to say. Lia still couldn¡¯t ept that Caroline wasn¡¯t behind this. She blurted out, ¡°Avery has already apologized. What more do you want?¡± Caroline smiled lightheartedly. ¡°You gave me a dreadful scolding just now, Mrs. Mendeley. Now that the truth hase to light, shouldn¡¯t you say something to me?¡± Lia¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°What do you mean? Do you want an elder like me to apologize to you?¡± Caroline looked past Lia at Avery. Since Avery used her mother to fight her battles, she had to pay the price. Feeling Caroline¡¯s eyes on her, Avery clenched her fists. She tried to persuade her mother, ¡°Mom, we misunderstood Caroline, so you should apologize to her!¡± ¡°No way!¡± Lia lost herposure and yelled, ¡°If someone like me apologizes to a young woman like her, we¡¯ll be aughing stock! Besides, our suspicions were reasonable. You can¡¯t me us for this. Caroline smiled yfully. She didn¡¯t look at Lia at all. Instead, she was looking at Avery Digging her nails into her palm, Avery red at Caroline without realizing it After a while, she got down on her knees, gritting her teeth ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll apologize on my mother¡¯s behalf. Are you happy now?¡± Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Caroline approached Avery and ced a hand on her shoulder. As she pretended to pull Avery up, she whispered in her ear, ¡°Of course. I¡¯m very happy¡­¡± Avery looked up at Caroline just in time to see the smirk on her face. Avert red at her in hatred, wishing she could strangle her to death. Caroline was doing this on purpose! She was acting sensible in front of Kirk and wanted Lia to apologize! Caroline ignored Avery¡¯s murderous look and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to do this, Ms Mendeley. I¡¯m just rambling.¡± Lia came back to her senses and pushed Caroline away. She helped her daughter up and said, You fool. Why are you getting on your knees for her? Ivan ¡­¡± Avery was worried that Caroline would pull another trick, so she hurriedly left, dragging Lia with her. N?velDrama.Org content. Ivan watched them leave quickly, not bothering to ask Avery why she had gotten on her knees. He said, ¡°Sorry for misunderstanding you, Caroline.¡± Caroline turned back and said kindly, ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Dad. Everything is fine now that the truth is out.¡± Ivan said appreciatively, ¡°Kirk¡¯s lucky to have married you. Go ahead and talk. I¡¯ll be resting upstairs.¡± His head was dizzy from quarreling all day, so he had to rest for a while. After seeing Ivan leave, Caroline lowered her head. She was about to say something, but Kirk pulled her into his arms. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kirk bit Caroline¡¯s earlobe. His warm breath hit her cheeks as he whispered three special words. Caroline¡¯s face quickly turned red, and she pushed against his muscr chest. ¡°But Dad is resting upstairs!¡± ¡°We¡¯re in a big house! He won¡¯t hear anything!¡± Kirk wrapped his arms around Caroline. Then he softly traced Caroline¡¯s lips with his fingers. I¡¯m tired, Caroline protested. She was drained, and she didn¡¯t have an ounce of strength in her 0 psi ting her with a ws) Bell with he doing my mido giftmalit 1 *K sly dating P * The nith wand in se at all shey the nonply Nove in buitengewag alders, and put her up the bet With flops home the hand the dope and waste you going out ?? ???? ?? ??? ??? de f Kuk op Roasters and down to the sangany As soon as he arrived, he became the center of ¡°De Su meita bara Bune Braque a about to be released? Eye was a metge at ang phone curently being developed by thepany The phone Sabre wit 30 seatures grong ys a more mer experience It was the sugany¡¯s task ingustant project at the moment 5 NAWANG GAYale¡¯s whispers. Chantes quickened as gace and followed Kurk Once they mele in Kuts offbe be asked. Sa the phone departe auert * and to hand uponny Charles Where are you with Axery¡¯s mestigation? ne bat na vious but u answer the sixvejkum barnage of the stoned showed a man acting shapes y mat day He even bumped Me¡¯s Micro Bowens RC i was toe dunk, the mage was turnert. The tanical department is mots to no fit mise there will be something soon¡® As Charles finished speaking, his phone rang. It was the head of the security department. ¡°Sir Answer the phone,¡± Kirk ordered. Charles epted the call. ¡°Charles, we found the man, but hemitted suicide.¡± Charles¡® call was on speaker, so Kirk heard everything clearly. His eyes narrowed, and he tapped his slender fingers on the table. ¡°Any other discoveries?¡± Upon hearing Kirk¡¯s voice, the person on the phone became even more respectful. ¡°The man had hacked into Mrs. Morrison¡¯s email and sent something to Amity Group.¡± Amity Group was the rivalpany that Avery mentioned. Kirk pondered momentarily before asking, ¡°Was he affiliated with several parties?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯ve checked. The man was just an ordinary cab driver. He wasn¡¯t associated with anyone.¡± If that was the case, once he died, the clues died with him. Charles looked at Kirk. Seeing that Kirk had no more questions, he hung up and approached him.¡± Sir.¡± ¡°What about the surveince footage?¡± Charles said, ¡°Someone did tamper with the surveince footage, but the restaurant staff had no idea. This man may be an expert in the technological field. It will take some time to investigate.¡± Kirk looked back at Charles and ordered, ¡°Then, keep investigating.¡± ¡°But sir, Mrs. Morrison has already cleared her name. This has nothing to do with thepany. This is an important time for us. Dragon is about to be released soon. Shouldn¡¯t we¡­¡± ¡°Are you teaching me to do my job?¡± Kirk coolly interrupted Charles. Charles felt a chill up his spine. ¡°Of course not, sir. We¡¯ll keep investigating.¡± As he walked away, Charles remembered something. Turning around, he said, ¡°Sir, the phone department asked if you would be at the phone¡¯s productunch.¡± Kirk slowly tapped his knuckles on the table. After a while, he said 71l be there. The security must be good on that day. Other than our partners, no one else, including the reporters should be allowed in the venue.¡± Charles nodded. ¡°All right Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Chapter 152 After the incident with the concept drafts, Avery hadn¡¯t shown up again for a long time. Caroline and Kirk could finally travel peacefully and have a nice vacation. N?velDrama.Org content. Seeing the date of their return getting closer, Caroline started to prepare some gifts. She gave Gwen a call. ¡°Hey, Gwen. I¡¯m going home soon. What do you want me to buy?¡± They were good friends, so giving gifts was easy. They simply gave each other what they needed most. ¡°I heard that apany over there has recently developed a new phone called Dragon. It¡¯s specially made for games. But they won¡¯tunch it in Easton until they get marketing feedback from Celona. Can you help me bring one back here?¡± Gwen liked ying games, so she couldn¡¯t resist getting a phone specially designed for it. ¡°Sure. Hang on, let me take a look ¡­¡± Caroline searched online and soon found the description of this phone. Her heart stopped when she saw that it was manufactured by SY Group. SY Group was thergestpany in Sarcozia. It was the business empire Eddy¡¯s second uncle had created. And SY Group had developed this phone! Caroline couldn¡¯t resist scrolling through the article, her pulse beating wildly. When she saw that SY Group was having a press conference at 8 pm on the 19th, she was about to burst with excitement! Eddy¡¯s second uncle would definitely attend an important press conference like this. Gwen was a little worried when she didn¡¯t hear Caroline speak for a long time. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Carol?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Caroline clutched her chest. ¡°I¨CI¡¯ll definitely find a way to get you that phone!¡± Then, she hung up. She quickly looked for SY Group¡¯s official website and dialed the number she found there. Soon, the call was connected. Taking a deep breath, Caroline asked, ¡°Hello, may I ask if your That¡¯s right, ma¡¯am.¡± Will your president be there?¡± ¡°Of course, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°May I ask if I can go in alone?¡± The man on the other end was silent for a moment. Thinking that Caroline was a hardcore fan of his boss, his tone changed slightly. ¡°Ma¡¯am, the members of the press conference have been finalized. If you don¡¯t have an invitation, it means you can¡¯t go!¡± After that, he hung up the phone immediately. Caroline felt as if she had been doused in cold water. She was fretting about her predicament when she heard a knock on the door. Thinking that it was Kirk, she went to the door happily. However, she opened the door to find Avery¡¯s brother, Bryan, standing outside. The smile on Caroline¡¯s face disappeared. Thanks to Avery, she didn¡¯t have a good impression of the Mendeley family. Bryan hurriedly spoke up before Caroline closed the door. ¡°Caroline, I¡¯m here to apologize.¡± Caroline frowned. Was apologizing the Mendeleys¡® signature move? Why were they apologizing one by one? ¡°My sister being cklisted has nothing to do with you. I want to apologize for thinking otherwise, Bryan exined. Caroline was confused. ¡°Huh?¡± Bryan¡¯s mannerisms would be pretty adorable if he wasn¡¯t pretending. ¡°¡­ So, you want to apologize for thinking that I was behind this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Although we haven¡¯t known each other long, suspecting you like this is the same as betraying Kirk¡¯s trust.¡± Caroline was dumbfounded. trien omega sch om mitt alle med bare receer het, Curele srvcter couldn¡¯t do as her guard the dhe ti politely one am foder der A Bryer euteyed the arm the duty ovale know what so des It¡¯s okay So wherever you werCardine med * ns as so cory / cast believe Bork is wally arrand Carpine elled handing ss of water ¡°Why Does he look like a bachelor No, Kirk has been a works ever since he was in school Nothing could get his attention other than work.¡± Beya ad Caroline asked the started working during school?¡± hiyan realized that he had said something wrong He looked down with a blush and said, ¡°Uh Well, Kirk did a little business when he was in school.¡± What he really meant was that Kirk started managing apany at the age of 12 and made the Many people didn¡¯t know that the SY Group had suddenly emerged as thergestpany in Sarcozia because Kirk had been managing it since his teenage years. Caroline was very interested in Kirk¡¯s life ¡°Really? Did he major in business administration at college? At the mention of Kirk, Bryan was bearing, and he rxed ¡°Nope, he majored in medicine¡± Caroline was shocked She couldn¡¯t imagine someone like Kirk studying medicine ¡°Back then, one of his good friends tricked him into studying that. That was the first time we saw Kuk jose something He added, ¡°Kir¡¯s wasn¡¯t ipetent in medicine, but his friend was a true genius Kirk would be behind his friend by 01 points at every exam, which was still a big difference¡± Caroline smiled ¡°What happened after that?¡± ¡°Well, after that, his friend couldn¡¯t take it anymore and convinced Kirk to drop out.¡± Can Now Why? We skabe one who war behind by @) pointer Yes, but without Xack is true¡¯s red ways be ahead of the next person by 50 points with kust send there was any small difference which made him feel pressurized Cartine chuckled ¡°Can you tell me there?¡± Bryan regdied, of course The two chatted for a while until Caroline¡¯s phone rang, ending their conversation Caroline nced at the screen. It was a call from Gwen, so she answered the phone ¡°Carol ¡°Gwen said. ¡°I just asked my colleague, and he said that it¡¯s hard to get this phone So, it¡¯s okay Just bring me a set of cosmetics¡± Catoline stood up ¡°No way Isn¡¯t the press conference for the phone¡¯sunch on the 19th? I should be able to get one after the event ¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the problem SY Group¡¯s phones are different. They sell them using hunger marketing. The only ones who can get their new phones are the participating business partners. It¡¯s regarded as a status symbol¡± Caroline frowned ¡°So, only those in the press conference are eligible to buy Dragon?¡± Bryan, who had been taking a sip of water, coughed violently when he heard the word ¡°Dragon. Caroline turned around and saw that Bryan¡¯s face was red from coughing. She decided to end her conversation with Gwen ¡°Ill call you backter¡± ¦§ After hanging up the phone, she patted Bryan¡¯s back. ¡°Are you okay? How did you choke on water? Bryan¡¯s entire face was red. He answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Caroline, I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop, but¡­ do you want the SY Group¡¯s new phone, Dragon?¡± ¡°You know about it too?¡± Caroline asked ¡°Of course, I even have an invitation to the press conference.¡± Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Chapter 153 The smile on Caroline¡¯s face disappeared. Thanks to Avery, she didn¡¯t have a good impression of the Mendeley family. Bryan hurriedly spoke up before Caroline closed the door. ¡°Caroline, I¡¯m here to apologize.¡± Caroline frowned. Was apologizing the Mendeleys¡® signature move? Why were they apologizing N?velDrama.Org content. one by one? ¡°My sister being cklisted has nothing to do with you. I want to apologize for thinking otherwise, Bryan exined. Caroline was confused. ¡°Huh?¡± Bryan¡¯s mannerisms would be pretty adorable if he wasn¡¯t pretending. ¡°¡­ So, you want to apologize for thinking that I was behind this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Although we haven¡¯t known each other long, suspecting you like this is the same as betraying Kirk¡¯s trust.¡± Caroline was dumbfounded. trien omega sch om mitt alle med bare receer het, Curele srvcter couldn¡¯t do as her guard the dhe ti politely one am foder der A Bryer euteyed the arm the duty ovale know what so des It¡¯s okay So wherever you werCardine med * ns as so cory / cast believe Bork is wally arrand Carpine elled handing ss of water ¡°Why Does he look like a bachelor No, Kirk has been a works ever since he was in school Nothing could get his attention other than work.¡± Beya ad Caroline asked the started working during school?¡± hiyan realized that he had said something wrong He looked down with a blush and said, ¡°Uh Well, Kirk did a little business when he was in school.¡± What he really meant was that Kirk started managing apany at the age of 12 and made the Many people didn¡¯t know that the SY Group had suddenly emerged as thergestpany in Sarcozia because Kirk had been managing it since his teenage years. Caroline was very interested in Kirk¡¯s life ¡°Really? Did he major in business administration at college? At the mention of Kirk, Bryan was bearing, and he rxed ¡°Nope, he majored in medicine¡± Caroline was shocked She couldn¡¯t imagine someone like Kirk studying medicine ¡°Back then, one of his good friends tricked him into studying that. That was the first time we saw Kuk jose something He added, ¡°Kir¡¯s wasn¡¯t ipetent in medicine, but his friend was a true genius Kirk would be behind his friend by 01 points at every exam, which was still a big difference¡± Caroline smiled ¡°What happened after that?¡± ¡°Well, after that, his friend couldn¡¯t take it anymore and convinced Kirk to drop out.¡± Can Now Why? We skabe one who war behind by @) pointer Yes, but without Xack is true¡¯s red ways be ahead of the next person by 50 points with kust send there was any small difference which made him feel pressurized Cartine chuckled ¡°Can you tell me there?¡± Bryan regdied, of course The two chatted for a while until Caroline¡¯s phone rang, ending their conversation Caroline nced at the screen. It was a call from Gwen, so she answered the phone ¡°Carol ¡°Gwen said. ¡°I just asked my colleague, and he said that it¡¯s hard to get this phone So, it¡¯s okay Just bring me a set of cosmetics¡± Catoline stood up ¡°No way Isn¡¯t the press conference for the phone¡¯sunch on the 19th? I should be able to get one after the event ¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the problem SY Group¡¯s phones are different. They sell them using hunger marketing. The only ones who can get their new phones are the participating business partners. It¡¯s regarded as a status symbol¡± Caroline frowned ¡°So, only those in the press conference are eligible to buy Dragon?¡± Bryan, who had been taking a sip of water, coughed violently when he heard the word ¡°Dragon. Caroline turned around and saw that Bryan¡¯s face was red from coughing. She decided to end her conversation with Gwen ¡°Ill call you backter¡± ¦§ After hanging up the phone, she patted Bryan¡¯s back. ¡°Are you okay? How did you choke on water? Bryan¡¯s entire face was red. He answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Caroline, I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop, but¡­ do you want the SY Group¡¯s new phone, Dragon?¡± ¡°You know about it too?¡± Caroline asked ¡°Of course, I even have an invitation to the press conference.¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes lit up. Then, can you take me with you?¡± Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Bryan agreed without hesitation They decided to go to the press conference together on the 19th. After seeing Bryan off, Caroline realized something Not only could she get a phone for Gwen, but she could also meet Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Humming, Caroline walked into the kitchen and started preparing dinner. She didn¡¯t know what Kirk was up to these days. He would always leave in the afternoon ande home for dinner. But she¡¯d never checked up on him since she trusted himpletely. Kirk opened the door and walked in, just in time to see Caroline busy in the kitchen. His heart swelled in an instant, and he went to hug her from behind. Startled, Caroline turned around and saw Kirk. She said in surprise, ¡°Why were you so quiet?¡± ¡°What are you making?¡± Kirk lifted the lid of the pot, and the aroma of food wafted out. ¡°Tomato salsa Caroline pushed Kirk away. ¡°Get out of here. Don¡¯t mess up things here.¡°¡± Kirk stood at the door, motionless. He said cheekily, ¡°I¡¯ll leave if you give me a kiss.¡± Speechless, Caroline turned back to cook. ¡°Bryan dropped by today.¡± Kirk took off his suit jacket. He asked curiously, ¡°Oh, why did hee to see you?¡± ¡°He came to talk about you.¡± As Caroline talked, she ted up the tomato salsa. ¡°What did you guys say about me?¡± Kirk helped put the cutlery and tes on the table. Caroline pondered for a moment, then said with a smile, ¡°He told me you have a friend who¡¯s a talented doctor. Hey, what¡¯s his name?¡± Now she finally understood why Kirk had be fast friends with Sean. Both of them were medical students, so they had somemon ground. Kirk froze. He quickly pulled Caroline into his arms, softly caressing the skin on her neck. He asked, ¡°What else did he tell you?¡± ¡°We just talked about the time when you were in school.¡± Caroline excitedly turned around, not noticing anything unusual about Kirk. 1/4 She mused, ¡°Hey, I think Bryan is a pretty interesting guy.¡± ¡°Interesting?¡± Kirk¡¯s tone turned dangerous, and he pinched Caroline¡¯s neck. ¡°You like him?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Carolinemented, ¡°He¡¯s much cuter than his sister.¡± Kirk turned Caroline, making her face him. He stared at her with dark eyes and said, ¡°You yer, are you getting tired of me so soon?¡± Carolineughed, noticing the hint of jealousy in his tone. ¡°What? I like him as a younger brother.¡± Kirk pinned Caroline against the table¡¯s edge, putting them even closer together. He bit her lips and looked at her bewitchingly. He said bossily, to the point of being unreasonable, ¡°You can¡¯t like him at all, even as a brother¡­¡± Caroline didn¡¯t know how to react. As Kirk¡¯s kiss became more intense, she finally noticed that something was off and weakly grabbed Kirk¡¯s arm. She stammered, ¡°L¨Clet¡¯s eat¡­¡± Later, in bed, Caroline kicked Kirk on the shin. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kirk agreed. He was already satiated, happy, and full of energy. He got out of bed and warmed up the food for Caroline. After dinner, Caroline and Kirk discussed buying gifts for her new colleagues. Caroline didn¡¯t understand at all. ¡°This is a social courtesy. Don¡¯t you buy gifts for your colleagues when you go on a trip?¡± Kirk frowned. Charles usually handled these things, so he didn¡¯t need to bother about them at all. Seeing this, Caroline asked, ¡°Do you want me to buy something for you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kirk kissed her cheek. ¡°What do you need? I¡¯ll get ¡­ I¡¯ll buy them for you.¡± Caroline frowned slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± At any rate, she had a few more days, so she could slowly figure it out. Soon, the 19th arrived. Kirk went out early in the morning, so Caroline couldn¡¯t inform him about where she was going. Bryan came to pick her up around 9 am. However, he was much more silent this time. He was cautious, as though he were afraid of saying the wrong thing. Caroline asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She wanted to hear more about Kirk. Hearing Caroline¡¯s question, Bryan tensed and said, ¡°N¨Cnothing I just have a toothache Oh Caroline nodded and stopped talking to him. Bryan secretly let out a sigh. Two days ago, Kirk had severely warned him to keep his mouth shut If not, he would suffer the consequences. He was afraid of slipping up around Caroline. Fortunately, they arrived at the press conference soon enough. With Bryan around, Caroline only needed to register herself quickly, and she was allowed inside. The two sat down. Caroline looked at the stage, saying expectantly, ¡°I heard that SY Group¡¯s president will be here today.¡± Bryan reeled back in his seat, almost falling to the ground. ¡°W¨Cwhat did you say?¡± ¡°SY Group¡¯s president will be here today.¡± Noticing Bryan¡¯s pale face, Caroline asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is your toothache really that bad?¡± Wanting to leave, Bryan grabbed Caroline¡¯s hand, but he heard the host¡¯s voice from the stage just then ¡°The press conference is about to begin. Everyone, please remain seated¡­¡± Bryan quickly looked at the door. It had already closed. He was doomed. Caroline asked in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Bryan? If your tooth really hurts, why don¡¯t you go to a hospital?¡± Bryan didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. He simply said, ¡°Caroline, stay here for now. I¡¯m going to make a call.¡± After that, he trotted to the corridor. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Caroline frowned, feeling perplexed After walking out of the venue, Bryan quickly dialed Avery¡¯s number. ¡°Bad news, Avery. I screwed up!¡± Avery had been in a bad mood for the past few days. She sneered, ¡°When have you not screwed up? ¡°I¡¯m serious this time, Avery.¡± Bryan briefly exined what happened to his sister. He said anxiously, ¡°Kirk had just warned me two days ago, but now I¡¯ve brought Caroline to SY Group¡¯s press conference. As soon as Caroline sees Kirk, she¡¯ll understand everything. When that happens, Kirk is going to kill me.¡± After Avery listened to her brother, she was silent for a moment. Her bad mood had vanished. Her brain was working at full speed, and she soon came up with an idea. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. I¡¯ll call Kirk and tell him that Caroline is there. Then, he¡¯ll just cancel the press conference.¡± ¡°Are you sure that¡¯ll work?¡± Bryan asked uncertainly. ¡°Of course, now get back in there. Caroline will definitely be suspicious if you¡¯re gone for too long.¡± Bryan had grown up with his parents coddling him. So he had an innocent mind. He waspletely unaware of what his sister was nning. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll head back in there. Everything is up to you, Avery.¡± After hanging up the phone, Avery smirked. For the past few days, she had been racking her brain trying to figure out how to tell Caroline about Kirk¡¯s true identity nonchntly. To her surprise, her foolish brother had given her the help she needed. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Chapter 155 When the press conference started, everyone was asked to turn off their phones. No one was allowed to take pictures. As Caroline turned her phone off, Bryan returned. He looked a lot better, but he was still nervous. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± She took a bottle of painkillers from her bag and asked, ¡°Do you want some medicine?¡± Bryan smiled bitterly and waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Fortunately, the project manager for Dragon went on stage then, diverting Caroline¡¯s attention. Bryan finally had a chance to breathe. He wondered if Avery had warned Kirk yet. He was so uneasy that he didn¡¯t even listen to all the concepts that usually interested him. Meanwhile, Charles walked backstage and ordered, ¡°The president ising soon. You have to handle the security work properly. Got it?¡± Everyone backstage stopped what they were doing and nodded in unison. These people were all Charles¡® experienced subordinates. Charles had no doubts about their abilities. Charles walked away, then turned back around. He said, ¡°Oh, yeah. Show me the registry.¡± The staff member responsible for the registration turned pale and handed the registry to Charles with trembling hands. Charles nced at the paper, then frowned. ¡°Why are all the words the same?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The staff fiddled with his fingers. ¡°I identally spilled something on the registry just now, so I wrote a new copy.¡± Charles only warned him to be careful next time before returning the registry. Then, he left to pick up Kirk. After watching Charles leave, the staff members let out a sigh of relief. Charles walked out the back door, where a ck car was discreetly parked. It wasn¡¯t noticeable at all. He approached the vehicle and said through the window, ¡°Sir, everything is ready. You can go in 15 minutes.¡± The window rolled down, revealing Kirk¡¯s handsome face. He was wearing sunsses, and he Charles said with a smile, ¡°Is it for Mrs. Morrison and her friend?¡± Kirk looked over to Charles. His gaze was cold, but his expression was much softer than usual. Charles boldly asked, ¡°Are you in love with her, sir?¡± Kirk¡¯s soft expression tensed. He asked, ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Not noticing the unusual change in Kirk¡¯s behavior, Charles continued, ¡°Back then, you¡¯d always put work first. But ever since you got together with Mrs. Morrison, you put her above everything else.¡± Kirk¡¯s hand tightened suddenly, and he asked casually, ¡°Really?¡± Charles nodded. Kirk¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile, but he didn¡¯t correct Charles. He had simply taken a liking to Caroline. He wasn¡¯t in love with her or anything. On stage, the project manager had already introduced the new phone¡¯s functions. Caroline sat among the audience, listening intently. However, since they spoke in Celonish and some big words, she needed time to process the information. Hence, she didn¡¯t notice that Bryan kept looking at his phone. ¡°All right. That¡¯s it for the phone¡¯s descriptions and specifications. If you have any questions or topics you want to discuss, feel free to ask me about them.¡± After that, the project manager walked off the stage. It was finally over. Caroline looked at Bryan and asked, ¡°The president of SY Group should be showing up next, right?¡± Bryan¡¯s heart leaped out of his throat, and he sputtered, ¡°H¨Che probably won¡¯t be here, right?¡± Caroline asked curiously, ¡°How do you know?¡± Bryan was so nervous that his back was sweating. He wasn¡¯t good at lying. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Caroline furrowed her eyebrows. She asked suspiciously, ¡°Are you hiding something from me?¡± Bryan breathed uneasily. At this moment, he heard the host¡¯s joyous voice from the stage. ¡°Next up, we wee SY Group¡¯s president to say a few words about Dragon¡¯sunch!¡± The audience cheered immediately. Caroline nervously looked over at where the host was gesturing. Bryan also stared at the entrance, looking as pale as a ghost. At this moment, Kirk, who was hidden in the darkness, nced around. Suddenly, his eyes fell on Caroline, making him stop in his tracks. Beside him, Charles was caught off guard by his boss¡® actions. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sir?¡± As he spoke, he looked over at where Kirk was watching, and his face turned pale. ¡°Mrs Morrison? How did she get in here? Sir, I¡¯ll get them to cancel the press conference immediately¡­¡± Kirk raised his hand, stopping him. ¡°No need.¡± Noticing Kirk¡¯s hesitation, the host on the stage joked, ¡°Does the president think we¡¯re not apuding enough? Come on, let us wee him again with another round of apuse!¡± Everyone apuded again. This time, they were more enthusiastic than before. Amidst the apuse, a slender figure finally walked up to the stage. Caroline¡¯s eyes widened, and she clenched her fists in excitement. Suddenly, a pair of hands covered her eyes at the crucial moment. ¡°Caroline, you can¡¯t look,¡± Bryan said. Caroline was confused. The audience gradually quieted down, and Caroline even heard Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s voice. He sounded different from what she had imagined an entrepreneur to sound like. His voice was authoritative, attractive, and¡­ very familiar. She ripped Bryan¡¯s hands away from her face. She looked at the stage and was taken aback by what she saw. The man on the stage waspletely different from what Sean had described. He was tall and slender, wearing a suit with leather shoes. He had a noble and unapproachable air about him. Unfortunately, he was wearing a silver mask that covered his entire face, so aside from his eyes, Caroline couldn¡¯t see anything else. Although they ways they brewer, heed Hien Pers Manly Vion the way to. Then he came back to this senses and gave to y Vaka wife sweet june Dawg the med boss to you and with the yeaS KAK¨¦MINUA DE Tastery Mark wat wan Carine¡¯s eyes kan he saw the even in her eyes, bus ant * .thank all of you for yourment on for SX Grong As you be BAXAGN¡¯T SO wway from Geroline He spoke in pester Coth bohong beadully in instantly Caroline propped hay chin up, listening intently After the speech ended and Kirke off the stage, the swapped out of her trade Se quddy patted Bryan on the wim, saying, ¡°Harry, Bryan Lat MA Y me O, Bryan let Caroline pass tatous asking, ¡°What are you doing, Caroliner Seeing this, Bryan quickly followed her. At the door, he held Caroline back ¡°Caroline What on earth are you doing Caroline pointed backstage, saying urgently, ¡°I want to meet SY Group¡¯s presidener As she said that, she walked backstage in a hurry Bryan couldn¡¯t stop her Sering Caroline knock on the backstage door, Bryan¡¯s legs gave way It was over. He was really Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Caroline knocked on the door before opening it. The people who were busying themselves behind the counter all looked at her in unison. Caroline mustered her courage and asked, ¡°May I know where the president of SY Group is?¡± The people exchanged looks with each other. After a moment, one of the employees came up to Caroline. ¡°May I ask if you¡¯re Ms. Caroline Evans? Caroline asked, ¡°You know who I am?¡± She didn¡¯t recognize the person before her at all. ¡°The president asked me to pass this to you.¡± The employee took out three exquisitely decorated phone boxes and gave them to Caroline. ¡°He also congratted you on your new marriage.¡± ¡°He knows what I look like?¡± Caroline was surprised at getting such attention. The employee didn¡¯t know what Caroline meant by this and only gave her a small smile. Her heart pounding wildly, Caroline epted the gift bag In the car, Kirk was watching the surveince footage. At some point, a dark look passed over his eyes. Even Charles could sense it from the front seat. The temperature in the car seemed to plummet. ¡°Investigate immediately. Find out why Caroline¡¯s name wasn¡¯t on the registry,¡± Kirk said coldly, turning the surveince footage off. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Bryan dropped Caroline off at home after the press conference. He was exhausted. After such a stressful and tiring day of running around, all he wanted was to go home and sleep. Just as he turned the steering wheel, he received a phone call from Avery. ¡°How was it?¡± Avery asked, leisurely blowing on her red fingernails. She was in a great mood today. As a reward for herself, she had gone for a manicure. Avery, everything¡¯s fine now, Bryan said with augh Thank you for calling Kirk Avery suddenly clenched her fists Her nails weren¡¯t dry yet, leaving sticky polish on her hands. But she didn¡¯t care about that Instead, she questioned, ¡°What did you say? ¡°What¡¯s up with you, Avery? It was then that Avery realized how strange her reaction seemed. She took a deep breath and pushed down the rage toiling in her qut. ¡°Go Caroline still doesn¡¯t know that Kirk¡¯s the president of SY Group?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Avery¡¯s eyes narrowed as she hung up. She was so angry that she flipped over the manicurist¡¯s table This manicurist was the one who usually did Avery¡¯s nails. But this was the first time she saw Avery in such a huge fit of fury She was frozen in shock for a long time. On the other hand, once Caroline got home, she hurriedly sent Gwen a message. ¡°Gwen, I saw Eddy¡¯s second uncle!¡± She was so excited that she used half a dozen exmation points. Gwen replied instantly. ¡°Really? Is he a bald fatty?¡± ¡°No, he has a great physique. It¡¯s simr to Kirk¡¯s.¡± ¡°Fuck me, are you serious?¡± Gwen couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Kirk¡¯s physique is out of this world. Eddy¡¯s second uncle can¡¯t have the same figure, right? I heard SY Group¡¯s president takes care of business there, and he¡¯s also gotten into many overseas. markets. How does he have time to keep his figure too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± It was a shame that Caroline hadn¡¯t been allowed to take pictures at the press conference. Otherwise, she would have snapped Gwen a picture. ¡°Oh, right. He also gifted me three new phones!¡± ¡°Three?¡± Gwen was shocked. ¡°Is this one of the rich people¡¯s hobbies?¡± Caroline took a few pictures of the phone¡¯s packaging. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one when I get back.¡± Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Chapter 157 ¡°Soon. I¡¯ll be going home in a few days.¡± Doesn¡¯t that mean I¡¯ll get the phone very soon? Wow, I¡¯ll be the third person in the country to get a Dragon. Just thinking about it is exciting. When the timees, I¡¯ll take my phone out every day at work. They¡¯ll all be jealous to bits when they see it!¡± Caroline smiled as she put Gwen¡¯s phone back in its box. ¡°Carol, did you get gifts for your new colleagues?¡± Caroline was just about to answer when Kirk opened the door and came in. Caroline greeted Kirk and continued chatting with Gwen. ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet. I asked about it yesterday and found out that most of the staff at the design department are women. I think I should probably buy makeup?¡± Kirk looked at Caroline, who was so invested in chatting with Gwen. It only annoyed him more. He walked to the coffee table and purposely made some noise. But Caroline didn¡¯t even react. ¡°For men, I¡¯d probably buy them game consoles.¡± Gwen replied, ¡°Actually, I think you would be very respected if you could give them each a Dragon phone.¡± ¡°I want to too. But didn¡¯t you say there aren¡¯t many of these phones? I might not even be able to get them overseas. The design department has dozens of people. Where am I supposed to get that many phones?¡± Gwen put her chin in her palm. ¡°That¡¯s right. I guess you¡¯d better give them makeup and game consoles?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Caroline and Gwen chatted for a while longer before ending the call. When she turned back, Caroline excitedly went to tell Kirk about the president of the SY Group. ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± Caroline approached and leaned on Kirk¡¯s arm. Kirk angled his body away, putting distance between himself and Caroline. ¡°You went out today. ¡°Yes Caroline nodded happily. ¡°And I saw the president of SY Group too!¡± Kirk kicked the coffee table, his expression the same. ¡°You like him that much?¡± Caroline got up and cleared up the messy table. ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve got me. I think he¡¯s a perfect man. He¡¯s considerate, gentlemanly, and has amazing business acumen. How could there be such a N?velDrama.Org content. perfect man in the world?¡± When Caroline turned to look at Kirk, her eyes met his straight on. Kirk felt like there was a thorn in his heart. He forced out, ¡°Since he¡¯s so perfect, why don¡¯t you marry him?¡± Even Kirk himself was stunned by his own words. Caroline was surprised as well. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Kirk clenched his fists and thinned his lips. There was a teasing edge to his voice. ¡°He¡¯s the president of the SY Group. With him, you get to enjoy luxuries and riches. You¡¯ll be chauffeured in luxury cars and be able to buy whatever bags and clothes you want. And he¡¯s so perfect, so he¡¯ll definitely be a great hus-¡± Caroline¡¯s expression turned icy. ¡°So in your eyes, I¡¯m just a gold digger?¡± Sweat trickled down Kirk¡¯s back. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°Then what did you mean?¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°I thought we¡¯de to understand each other after all the time we¡¯ve spent together. It seems that was a one¨Csided wish.¡± With that, Caroline turned and walked into her bedroom. She locked the door. She didn¡¯t want to see Kirk¡¯s face anymore. Looking at the tightly shut door, Kirk¡¯s heart turned into a mess. He lifted a hand and hesitated. In the end, he didn¡¯t knock. He walked out the door and called Charles. ¡°Send Caroline her dinner. Also, ask Jules Hawkins how many people are in the design department. Prepare the same amount of phones.¡± It took Charles a long time to react. It seemed like Kirk was preparing the phones for Caroline. After all, Jules was only the CEO of one of SY Group¡¯s branches. He wasn¡¯t important enough for Kirk to go to such lengths. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Caroline waited in her room for a long time, but Kirk didn¡¯te and try to exin himself. She felt wronged and pressed her lips together. She badly wanted to beat Kirk up. Right then, she received a message. ¡°Hello, Ms. Evans. This is the phone department of SY Group. We have a giveaway for a lucky attendee of the press conference. To thank you for your support of Dragon, we will gift you 50 Dragon phones.¡± Caroline was speechless. There were a total of 42 members in the design department. Since SY Group had given her 50 phones in one go, she could definitely give the phones to her subordinates. Caroline wanted to thank Eddy¡¯s second uncle. But then she thought of what Kirk had said, and her excitement died down instantly. Forget it. It was better to buy him a meal when she had the chance to. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. She had to take Kirk along too. She would let him know that she didn¡¯t have any intentions regarding Eddy¡¯s second uncle! Besides, she¡¯d already said that she didn¡¯t want to be involved with any members of the Morrison family! Right then, the doorbell rang outside. Caroline sat on the edge of the bed and listened for a while. Then, her phone rang. She took a look and saw that it was an unknown number. She picked up after some hesitation. Charles¡® polite voice came from the other end. ¡°Madam, could you please open the door?¡± Caroline got up and went to the bedroom door. But then she suddenly paused. ¡°Get Kirk to open it for you.¡± Charles gave a bitterugh. ¡°He¡¯s not here.¡± Only then did Caroline open the bedroom door. She found the living room empty of Kirk¡¯s presence She felt disappointed for a moment. Her heart felt like it had been twisted. Strangely, It hurt a lot. Caroline walked to the front door and opened it. Charles stood outside with some takeout. ¡°Madam, Mr. Morrison asked me to bring you dinner.¡± Charles handed the food to Caroline. The bag of food was warm in Caroline¡¯s hands. ¡°Where is he?¡± Charles answered honestly, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Caroline¡¯s lips thinned. ¡°Thank you. Would you like toe in and eat too?¡± Charles said, ¡°There¡¯s no need, but thank you. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll leave now.¡± Caroline watched Charles leave. Then, she took the food to the coffee table. It was a fruit sd and a bowl of beef stew. Caroline¡¯s eyes stung. She clicked on WhatsApp and opened Kirk¡¯s chat. She wanted to say something to him, but she didn¡¯t know what. After a moment, she closed the chat. At the Mendeleys¡® residence, Adam and Lia were overjoyed at Kirk¡¯s sudden visit. Lia pulled Kirk aside and said, ¡°It¡¯s great that you¡¯re here, Kirk. Avery has been cklisted by the entire industry. She¡¯s been so down for the past few days. She can¡¯t do anything but stand by and watch.¡± She continued, ¡°Nothing we say helps. But Avery has always listened to you. As long as you talk to her, she¡¯ll be motivated again.¡± Kirk¡¯s expression turned dull. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°In the upstairs bedroom. I¡¯ll go and call her.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ll go up.¡± Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Chapter 159 After he said that, Kirk went up to the second floor. Lia couldn¡¯t help but smile when she saw Kirk go into Avery¡¯s room. She turned to Adam. ¡°Look, N?velDrama.Org content. wasn¡¯t I right? Kirk is interested in Avery. He just never realized it before.¡± Adam folded his newspaper. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that Kirk is already married. Anyone would want a great son¨Cinw like him.¡± Lia pouted. ¡°So what if he¡¯s married? Divorce rates are so high. Lots of people get married and then divorce. Besides, that woman isn¡¯t worthy of Kirk. She has no background and no education. All she has is her face. But what use is that? Kirk will get bored of it soon.¡± As a man, Adam could agree with that. ¡°If you say that, then our Avery has a chance.¡± However, the atmosphere between Kirk and Avery on the second floor could be considered anything but friendly. It was tense, even. ¡°You were looking for me?¡± Avery was a little mad. Kirk sat at theputer table and crossed his legs. He looked at Avery ndly. ¡°Do you admit it?¡± ¡°What am I admitting to? Bryan was the one who took her there. What does it have to do with me?¡± ¡°But Bryan said you were supposed to call me?¡± ¡°I called, but¡­ it didn¡¯t go through¡­¡± Avery swallowed. Kirk¡¯s long forefinger tapped on the table. He got up. ¡°Avery, I didn¡¯te here to confirm it. Rather, I¡¯m here to give you ast warning.¡± Avery¡¯s body trembled. ¡°From now on, you aren¡¯t allowed to step into Easton. You¡¯re not allowed to show up in front of Caroline, either. If you break these rules, you know what will happen!¡± With that said, Kirk turned around. Seeing Kirk about to turn the doorknob, Avery hurriedly chimed in. ¡°So you mean I can¡¯t be where Caroline is from now on, right?¡± Kirk nodded silently. we do vrata su u ime for veture the Yve Please Cucine omnis the Fork, why do you have to be with me e pep gether Yeute my everything* H we do dote ou yo yo ayaw my den See m wered york stoi Avery¡¯s eyes wave filled with tears Ads all because I didnt call you and nearly exposed your Mently to Caroline ¡°Isn¡¯t the tease eng? Avery ? bundy shove the said bitterly. ¡°What happened to you, Kirk? You would never have been this mean to me in the past Even when I made a mistake, you would always say it was fine as long as I changed but now I didn¡¯t even make a mistake. But you¡¯re punishing me so cruelly As she spoke Avery¡¯s expression became fearful. She shook like a leaf. ¡°You. You¡¯ve fallen in love with hel haven¡¯t you?¡± Kirk frowned. This was the second time today that he¡¯d heard someone say he¡¯d fallen in love with Caroline Ignoring Avery, he turned and went downstairs Lis walked up to him She was about to ask why he was leaving so soon when she heard Avery erving upstans. Ste huuredly ran up When Lia saw Avery sitting wretchedly on the floor, she was stunned She had never seen her daughter in such a sorry state before. Kirk get into his car. His mind filled with what Avery said-¡°You¡¯ve fallen in love with her, haven¡¯t you? He frowned, feeling uritated Right then, his phone rang He nced at it impatiently, but when he saw Caroline¡¯s WhatsApp profile picture, his brows loosened He picked up his phone and unlocked it. Caroline had sent him a message Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Chapter 160 The return trip was scheduled for two dayster. Ivan and the Mendeley family went to see Kirk and Caroline off. Only Ivan and Bryan were sincerely saddened by their departure. Adam and Lia had only shown up because they were family friends. ¡°Caroline.¡± Bryan pulled her aside. ¡°Avery has a gift for you, but she wanted me to give it to you in private. I¡¯m not supposed to let Kirk know about it.¡± Caroline had noticed Avery¡¯s absence, but she¡¯d chosen not to question it. Now that Bryan brought up the topic, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why didn¡¯t she give it to me herself?¡± Bryan scratched his head. ¡°I asked. She said she couldn¡¯t show up in front of you. I don¡¯t know what that means. Anyway¡­¡± He handed Caroline an exquisite gift. ¡°I¡¯vepleted my mission.¡± Caroline weighed the gift in her hands. It was rather heavy. She wondered what was inside, but she believed it wouldn¡¯t be anything good. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Caroline.¡± Bryan was blushing. ¡°When will you be back again?¡± She replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I¡¯ll visit when I have the time. If you¡¯re free,e and visit me at Easton.¡± ¡°Oh, can I? Sure, you must see me if I ever go to Easton.¡± Kirk frowned at the sight of the two chatting and smiling. Ever since theirst WhatsApp message, he hadn¡¯t spoken to Caroline. He gave Charles a look. Charles took the hint and went up to Caroline. ¡°Mrs. Morrison, it¡¯s time to board the flight.¡± She checked the time. ¡°But there¡¯s an hour left.¡± Charles chuckled dryly. ¡°Why not wait for takeoff in the first¨Css area then? We¡¯ve spent a fortune on it. Might as well enjoy it.¡± She was convinced by his persuasion. After chatting with Bryan and saying goodbye to Ivan, she Kirk stared at her with a helpless smile and followed her toward the gate. They flew home to Osbury without speaking to each other andnded at 3 am. Since they had first¨Css seats, the experience was smooth. Caroline felt like time had flown by when they finally left the ne, Only Kirk¡¯s presence dampened the mood. She was about to take her luggage, but Charles acted fast. ¡°Mrs. Morrison, leave that to me. Seeing that he had picked up Kirk¡¯s luggage, she replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can do it myself.¡± Right after that, Kirk showed up in front of her and dragged her luggage with him. His slender figure and the pink luggage in his hand looked like aicalbination. She fell silent and looked away, but she followed behind him. After walking for a while, she noticed that they weren¡¯t headed toward the airport exit. Still refusing to speak to Kirk, she turned to Charles. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Charles shed a mysterious smile. ¡°Just follow Mr. Morrison.¡± She had no choice but to do so. A whileter, she realized that they might be taking a privatene. She wanted to ask questions, but Charles had gone up to Kirk and opened a door for him. It was a different world out there¨Ca ce so quiet that it seemed to be separate from the rest of the world. A ck Mercedes¨CBenz was parked near the exit. Charles ced the luggage in the trunk and opened the door at the back. ¡°Please.¡± Caroline checked out the interior of the car and was about to get into the front passenger seat. However, Kirk grabbed her wrist, making her fall into his arms. She pushed against his chest in embarrassment, Frowning, he closed the door behind them. Charles checked the surroundings to ensure that they weren¡¯t followed. Then, he got into the car and drove Kirk and Caroline to the vi. Caroline moved her arms away from Kirk¡¯s embrace. Still, he remained motionless, staring at her with his dark eyes. His eyes were gleaming with an unreadable look. During the trip, neither of them spoke to the other. Charles noticed the flirtatious air and quietly put down the divider. With his hand on her waist, Kirk was very tempted. He sucked on her lips. She tasted lovely, like a juicy fruit Ouch! He tasted a metallic scent in his mouth. Squinting, he slowly sat up and wiped his lips It wasn¡¯t until Caroline saw the red stain on his lips that she realized what she had done. She cowered in the corner of the car like a fearful rabbit. Hershes trembled. He nced at her. ¡°You¡¯re a coward. Why did you bite me then?¡± ¡°Well, you- Blushing, she stole a nce at Charles in the driver¡¯s seat and held her tongue. She looked away and ignored Kirk. Meanwhile, Kirk leaned against the armrest and admired Caroline¡¯s reflection in the window. In the dark, her oval face was covered. Her dark hair scattered smoothly across her shoulders. Her misty eyes seemed to glisten under the glow of the street lights. When they arrived at the vi, Charles moved everything into the house before joining Kirk outside. Kirk lit a cigarette. Its reddish glow burned rapidly in the night. ¡°Do you want to tell Mrs. Morrison that Howard Collins is looking for you?¡± Kirk gave Charles a side¨Ceye, his intentions clear. ¡°From today, we shall increase the security at Thome Corporation Pick her up on time after work every day. And send some bodyguards to follow her around¡± Charles nodded ¡°Sure.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but nce at the second floor. ¡°Are you fighting with Mrs. Morrison?¡± He had noticed the tension a few days ago but dared not ask. Kirk put out the cigarette and remarked, ¡°You¡¯re a busybody.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± The silence grew in the dark. Soon, Kirk kicked a stone and asked Charles, ¡°You¡¯re married, arent you?¡± Yeah ¡°Do you fight with your wife?¡± Of course,¡± Charles answered. ¡°It¡¯s normal for husband and wife to fight. Not fighting means that you don¡¯t care about each other, like she doesn¡¯t matter to you.¡± That was Kirk¡¯s first time hearing that idea. He lit another cigarette in front of his eyes. ¡°Go on.¡± Charles added, ¡°So, it¡¯s okay to fight. More importantly, you need to resolve the situation. For example, if you forgot your anniversary, just get her another gift and coax her. That¡¯s how you put it behind you. May I ask the reason behind your fight with Mrs. Morrison?¡± Kirk¡¯s face was enveloped by the smoke. He said coolly, ¡°I suggested that she marry another man Charles was secretly baffled and amazed by Kirk¡¯s actions. Kirk just had a way to dig his own grave. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 When Kirk went upstairs, he saw no one in the master bedroom. Pinching his forehead, he realized that making it up to Caroline would be tough this time. The next day, Gwen rushed to the vi during her lunch break. ¡°I thought you went home to your family when you shared the address.¡± Gwen stared at the massive vi in disbelief. ¡°Did Kirk buy this ce for real?¡± ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± Caroline led Gwen upstairs. ¡°I was worried that you might have spent a fortune on him because you fell for his body and his looks. But¡­¡± Gwen tutted. ¡°Think about it¨Cif a perfect guy like Kirk was willing to trade his body for money, you¡¯d be upper ss in no time!¡± Kirk¡¯s perfect body shed across Caroline¡¯s mind, causing her to blush. ¡°You talk a lot of nonsense nowadays.¡± She pushed Gwen to the guest room and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get you the phone.¡± Gwen noticed that there was only a new pillow on the bed. She gasped, ¡°Do you sleep in separate, rooms?¡± Caroline showed her the phone. ¡°Do you want this or not?¡± Gwen chuckled. ¡°Of course! Let me try it out.¡± Caroline handed her the phone. She opened it eagerly and set it up. Then, she asked excitedly,¡± Hey, have you slept with Kirk yet?¡± Caroline¡¯s face reddened. ¡°Gwen, you shouldn¡¯t waste your talent. Join the paparazzi, perhaps.¡± ¡°Just tell me.¡± Gwen unabashedly inched closer to her friend. ¡°I asked because I care for you.¡± Caroline took a bolster and pped it on Gwen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about him. He¡¯s annoying. ¡°What happened? Did you fight?¡± Caroline turned away and grunted reluctantly. ¡°So, what happened?¡± Caroline was unwilling to divulge the details and ced the phone in a bag. ¡°Nothing. It was just a squabble.¡± Gwen didn¡¯t notice the change in Caroline¡¯s expression. +15 BONUS She followed Caroline to help her out. All of a sudden, her attention was drawn to an exquisite gift box. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Gwen picked it up and asked. ¡°Oh. It¡¯s a gift from Kirk¡¯s childhood friend.¡± ¡°Does he have a childhood friend?¡± ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s really something.¡± ¡°Did you fight over her?¡± Gwen suddenly conjured an image of a typical bitch, which riled her up immediately. Caroline took the gift box from Gwen and opened it. ¡°No.¡± Gwen wanted to prod more, but Caroline had unwrapped the gift. It was a photo album. ¡°Why did she give you a photo album?¡± Caroline had no idea either. She flipped through the album and saw photos of Avery and Kirk. The photos spanned the years from birth to their teens¨Cthroughout Kirk¡¯s adolescence. In each photo, Avery smiled demurely, like a little wife who was doted on. Kirk, who stood beside her in the photos, always showed an emotionless face. They were a pretty girl and a cool boy. They looked like a good match when they were together. Caroline felt a pang of pain in her heart. Gwen grabbed the album and threw it into the trashcan. ¡°That childhood friend is pretty bitchy. Ignore her. She did that on purpose.¡± Caroline bent over and picked up the album. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Gwen felt bad when she saw the expression on Caroline¡¯s face. ¡°Carol, don¡¯t. It¡¯s an eyesore. Just throw it out.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t throw it out.¡± Caroline smiled. The photos were part of Kirk¡¯s life, which she didn¡¯t want to miss. Gwen forced a smile. ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s drop this topic. I¡¯ll tell you some good news.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it about?¡± ¡°Have you heard about it? La is in jail.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Caroline tried her best to ignore the album in her hand. ¡°Mr. Strauss texted me, saying +15 BONUS ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s it. I heard she was sick and needed a doctor. After she was sentenced, she cried and begged Eddy to arrange for doctors and nurses at the prison. If only that would work out. Guess what happened?¡± Caroline gave her a quizzical look. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior heard about the fuss and ordered Eddy to stay out of the issue. He even warned Eddy not to waste any resources on La unless he wanted to be disowned.¡± Gwen added, ¡°It gave me a goodugh! La was the greatest joke in Osbury at that time! Too bad you couldn¡¯t see it for yourself because you were abroad.¡± Caroline smiled, but she felt nothing. Her only wish was to steer clear of the Evans Family ¡°By the way, when are you visiting Mr. Morrison Senior?¡± Caroline snapped back to reality. ¡°In two days.¡± ¡°That works. You¡¯re going to work tomorrow.¡± Gwen said, ¡°Have a good rest.¡± The thought of going to work made Caroline smile. ¡°Right. I¡¯m going to work.¡± She had never worked a day in her life. She looked forward to her new life. The next morning, she woke up early to wash up and get ready. Half an hourter, she sat across from Kirk, dressed in a beige skirt suit. He swallowed hard. This was his first time seeing Caroline in a professional outfit. She had a great figure, and it was entuated by the tight suit. It was a lovely view for Kirk on such a serene morning. He felt an urge rise in him. He asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you need me to drive you to work since it¡¯s your first day?¡± She quietly ate her breakfast and ignored him. The photo album from Avery had hurt her even more. Even though she knew there was nothing between Kirk and Avery, her emotions overpowered her rationality. She thought of Avery and Kirk spending their precious teenage years together. The fact that Avery had been there to watch his growth sent Caroline into a dark ce. Suddenly, she was enveloped by Kirk¡¯s shadow. She could smell his familiar scent Frowning, she was about to speak when he lifted her in his arms. She frantically wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He pressed his face against her nose and grinned yfully ¡°You finally spoke to me cing her on a countertop, he confessed, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said that to you that day.¡± She turned her face aside. Her neck was as graceful as a swan¡¯s. He left some bite marks on her neck, causing her to inhale sharply. She shooed him in a teary voice, ¡°Get away from me! Get awayN?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Chapter 162 The morning sunlight scattered across thend and cast a golden glow on Kirk and Caroline through the door and windows. They looked like they were in a lovely oil painting. After a while, Kirk stopped in his tracks and smiled. Then, he entered his bedroom with her in his arms. She recovered from the shock and kicked hard to protest. ¡°Kirk, stop fooling around! I need to go to work!¡± He took her into the bathroom. ¡°I know. You probably wouldn¡¯t want to go to work looking like this, would you?¡± As he spoke, they reached the mirror. She saw her blushing face and the sultry look in her eyes. Embarrassed, she wanted to dig a hole to hide. He grinned and ced her in the bathtub. ¡°Take a bath.¡± She was reluctant to listen to him, but she had to take a bath to wash away the desire and lust. When she emerged from the bathroom, she changed into a ck suit. He narrowed his eyes at her new look. She stayed a distance from him and announced, ¡°I¡¯m heading to work.¡± Then, she quickly went to the first floor. A car was waiting for her. The driver came out upon seeing her. ¡°Ms. Evans.¡± She was taken aback. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Thepany sent me. I¡¯ll pick you up before and after work.¡± She wondered, ¡°Does thepany offer such a benefit?¡± She hadn¡¯t been made aware of it. The driver smiled and opened the car door for her. Seeing that she was close to runningte, she didn¡¯t ask questions and hopped into the car. Once the car left, Kirk looked away and picked up a call. ¡°Sir.¡± Charles reported, ¡°The Collins family is investigating your background. Shall we send them a warning?¡± Kirk yed with Caroline¡¯s flowers and nts on the balcony. He said crossly, ¡°No.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Got it.¡± Charles could tell that Kirk was in a pleasant mood. Had he made up with Mrs. Morrison? Charles couldn¡¯t help but marvel at Kirk¡¯s ability to coax her. After the call, Kirk was about to turn around and leave when the phone rang again. Checking the +15 B?NUS ¡°Uncle Jude.¡± Jude Morrison chuckled. ¡°Are you back?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your dad called me a few days ago. He was satisfied with his daughter¨Cinw. What now? You¡¯ve introduced her to your dad. Isn¡¯t it time to introduce her to me?¡± Kirk curled his fingers and rested them on the railing. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°You can set up a date and time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you, Uncle Jude. We¡¯re free most of the time.¡± ¡°Great. I¡¯ll call you once I arrange it. Kirk agreed to it. Jude chatted with him a bit before hanging up. Beside him, Eddy said in excitement, ¡°Grandpa, is Uncle Kirk willing to introduce us to his wife?¡± There was an undecipherable look in Jude¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I wonder what she looks like and if she¡¯s easygoing.¡± Eddy chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m really curious about the woman who conquered a perfect man like Uncle Kirk.¡± Jude gave him a side¨Ceye and angrily asked, ¡°Do you know that Caroline¡¯s back?¡± The smile froze on Eddy¡¯s face. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Have you thought about how to win her back?¡± ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t worry about it. She loves me a lot. As long as I promise her, she¡¯ll divorce her husband in no time.¡± Jude scoffed. ¡°Are you that charismatic?¡± ¡°Grandpa, you know how much Caroline loves me. Look at her, hiding her husband from everyone. It shows that he¡¯s way beneath me.¡± Eddy added, ¡°Women are vain. After shepares him to me, she won¡¯t be able to stand that loser. Besides, I¡¯m making the first move here.¡± Jude frowned in disagreement at Eddy¡¯s confidence. ¡°What if her husband outshines you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Eddy sprung up from his seat. ¡°Grandpa, have youe across anyone better than your grandson?¡± Frowning, Jude waved his hand. ¡°Whatever.¡± He decided to wait until Kirk introduced his wite. He hoped his guess was wrong. +15 BONUS When Caroline arrived at the office, she frowned at the vast number of rose bouquets there. She asked an assistant, ¡°Who sent the flowers here?¡± The assistant was a quiet intern and a fresh graduate named Cheryl. She stared at Caroline enviously. ¡°It¡¯s from Mr. Eddy.¡± Caroline rubbed her forehead and instructed Cheryl, ¡°Get someone to clear the roses.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Cheryl thought it would be a waste to throw out the huge amount of roses. ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡± Vivian Patterson smirked when she walked past the office. ¡°Our dear Design Director is married. It would be inappropriate to receive gifts from other men. But¡­¡± Vivian changed the topic and turned to Caroline. ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re quite something. How did you make your ex miss you even after you got married? No wonder you managed to bag a directorial position without any work experience.¡± Cheryl couldn¡¯t take it anymore and retorted with a flushed face, ¡°Vivian, how can you speak to her like that?¡± ¡°Is Viv wrong?¡± Vivian¡¯s best friend and assistant, Susan, chimed in. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to be appointed director without work experience at mostpanies. She must have pulled some tricks to get to where she is!¡± Caroline stopped Cheryl from arguing. She replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll prove my capabilities to you. Everyone knows Inded a designer job at Thorne Corporation through the Novitius Contest. If you spread fake gossip about me, shall I use you of harassing me? Are you badmouthing me because you think the company¡¯s contest was unfair?¡± Caroline had associated Vivian¡¯s usation with thepany¡¯s reputation. Everyone fell silent for a moment. After a while, Vivian said with a smirk, ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re pretty good at arguments, but that won¡¯t help you at work. Only your talent matters!¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°Right back at you, Vivian!¡± Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Vivian clenched her fists After a moment, she sashayed out of the office. Susan hurriedly followed behind her. Once they left, Cheryl couldn¡¯t help but look at Caroline. Her eyes were shining. ¡°Ms Evans, you¡¯re amazing! Cheryl had only started working here two days ago. Since she was a newbie, Susan had frequently bullied her. Yesterday, Cheryl had heard the older staff say that Caroline was an inexperienced person. They had also said that Caroline had only gotten the position of Design Director due to her connections with the Morrison family. Apparently, Vivian would certainly give Caroline lots of trouble too. Cheryl had felt hopeless thinking about her superior being bullied. When she hade to work today, she¡¯d nned to resign in a few days if things didn¡¯t work out. Who would have thought Caroline was so unrelenting? She was alsopletely different from what the others had said. Caroline didn¡¯t seem like someone who didn¡¯t have working experience. Caroline smiled a little. ¡°Hurry and get someone to take these roses away.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cheryl happily went to get one of the janitorial staff. Someone quickly came to clean Caroline¡¯s office. When Caroline walked back inside and saw a ne on the table, her eyes narrowed. Eddy had sent it, and there was even a card. It read, ¡°Caroline, I admit that you¡¯re very important to me. Can youe back to my side now?¡± Just by reading those words, Caroline could imagine Eddy¡¯s haughtiness. She threw the card into the bin without a care. Then, she shoved the ne in her bag. Once she got to Jude¡¯s ce tonight, she would return it to Eddy. After settling this annoying problem, Caroline called for Cheryl. She took one phone and rest to Cheryl. ¡°There are 41 phones here. Give one to everyone in the design department.¡± gave the ¡°But there are 44 people in the design department¡­¡± Cheryl realized this btedly. ¡°Are Ms. Patterson and Susan not getting any?¡± +15 BONUS Caroline nodded in affirmation. Tell them these phones are souvenirs I brought from abroad. Cheryl walked out with all the phones. Then, she called for the others toe in and get their gifts. When everyone heard there were gifts, they all came forward. Even though they knew Vivian wouldn¡¯t like it, they went ahead anyway. Those who had a good rtionship with Vivian couldn¡¯t help butment snidely, ¡°It won¡¯t be nice gifts. They¡¯re probably cheap!¡± Cheryl took out the phones. Someone with sharp eyes saw the logo on the box and said in shock, It¡¯s Dragon!¡± ¡°What¡¯s Dragon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a new gaming phone developed by Sarcozia¡¯srgest corporation, SY Group, for gamers. I heard it¡¯s not even avable overseas yet. Only business partners with a good rtionship with SY Group can get this phone! That¡¯s only a few hundred people!¡± ¡°Oh, I remember now. I heard they¡¯re selling it for three thousand dors each overseas! The pre- orders are already full. It¡¯s just what you might expect from someone as good at doing business as SY Group¡¯s president!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it to me. Didn¡¯t you say only those with a good rtionship with SY Group can get it? How could Caorline possibly know SY Group¡¯s president?¡± Not everyone in the country knew that SY Group¡¯s president was Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Even those in elite circles didn¡¯t know about it. When Cheryl heard everyone¡¯s discussions, she was so stunned that she couldn¡¯t speak. She¡¯d originally thought that these were ordinary phones. But as she listened to the others, she realized just how valuable these phones were. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure these are fake Dragons,¡± Susan said confidently. ¡°Caroline must know how highly we view Vivian. And she also knows how hard it is to get Dragons. That¡¯s why she¡¯s gotten fakes to Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. trick us.¡± ¡°Yes, they must be fake.¡± ¡°What¡¯s fake?¡± Vivian had long before noticed themotion outside her door. Thus, she walked out and asked about it. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Chapter 164 The person who spoke saw that Vivian hade over and happily walked over to her, acting like e proud puppy. Viv, Caroline bought us take Dragons to get on our good side. What a joke Vivian had heard about this Dragon thing too Many people around her wanted to get one, but they weren¡¯t avable locally. Even overseas, one had to make a pre¨Corder She huffed softly ¡°Only those who don¡¯t work hard rely on such tricks¡± After she said that, Caroline¡¯s office door slowly swung open Caroline saw that the phones hadn¡¯t been given out and asked Cheryl, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Does nobody want them?¡± Cheryl was so angry that she started crying As the sobbed, she said, ¡°Ms. Evans, they all sad than these phones are fake All of these people were just too mean to Caroline Caroline frowned. She looked over at Vivian and guessed what had happened. She gave a light Seeing how calm Caroline was, Cheryl found her own strength. She wiped the tears from her face ¡°Those who want one, please line up Many people didn¡¯t make a move because of Vivian¡¯s influence Noticing this, Caroline said, ¡°Since no one wants them, I¡¯ll take them back.¡± It worked out well since she didn¡¯t want to gift them anymore Right then the door to the office opened Jules walked in, dressed in a blue suit. He smiled and said, ¡°Why is everyone standing around? Are you weing your new Design Director? Vivian smiled Her tone was mocking as she said, ¡°No. We¡¯re watching our new Design Director gift us fake phones¡® Jujes could feel a headacheing on Before Caroline came, he¡¯d called Vivian in to talk with her. He¡¯d told her to support Caroline since it would be beneficial to her From what Vivian was saying now, it seemed that she hadn¡¯t taken his words to heart He smiled to cool things down ¡°How nice of Ms. Evans to bring everyone gifts. Caroline smiled back. They¡¯re just phones. $15 BONUS Caedded Then the data en Sy Haw * epoke se med de tend to bus office se mu out another phone box and handed it to Budes Tile bad en spil packaged, the Thas does for you¡± ¡°I got nor for Jules we pleasantly surprised. When he epted it and saw the logo, he was teken shack ¡°Drag As cze with a fagh position, he knew post how difficult it was to get a Dragon ¡°Yes, I hope you like it 1: Hawk¡± Jules looked up and then back down at the phone box in the package Both had been printed with Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. the Dragon logo. He was so stunned that be nearly couldn¡¯t speak Still, he asked, ¡°Are these sil Dragons? ¡°Yep Jules mouth twitched violently. He looked up at Caroline. Was this the affection the older generation showed to the younger? The boss really treated his niece¨Cinw very generously! Vivian gave a fake smile ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so touched, Mr. Hawkins. It¡¯s fake. You can have as many as you want When Jules heard this, he frowned and told Vivian off. ¡°Vivian, enough. These phones are all genuine How can they be fake?¡± Vivian was disdainful ¡°How do you know they¡¯re genuine?¡± ¡°Each product has a marking on it to prevent counterfeits. You just have to scan it to find out,¡± Jules said ¡°It¡¯s simple. How could you not know about it?¡± As he spoke, Jules took his phone out. He scanned the anti¨Ccounterfeit marking on the box. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Chapter 165 The results loaded quickly, revealing the phone to be genuine. When Vivian saw this, her face turned pale. Everyone else was shocked too. They suddenly felt like they¡¯d suffered a loss. This phone was being sold for three thousand dors for pre¨Corders. It would cost more than ten thousand dors, at least locally. They had lost out on something so valuable just because they didn¡¯t dare offend Vivian. When Cheryl saw how everyone was looking at Vivian viciously, she smiled brightly. ¡°Ms. Evans, I¡¯ll take all these phones back then.¡± ¡°Sure, alright.¡± Caroline nodded. The others could only watch hatefully as Cheryl took the phones away. When Jules saw this happening, he couldn¡¯t help but see Caroline in a new light. It was a decision from higher up to choose Caroline as the Design Director. And this position. would be hers for life. Honestly, he had suspected Caroline¡¯s capabilities too. Although she was exceedingly skilled in design, she had no other work experience. That was why he had kept nagging Vivian to get along with Caroline. But it seemed that Caroline was able to deal with Vivian¡¯s troublemaking. Besides, it was just a phone. And yet, it had sessfully dispersed all the power Vivian had. He had to admit that this was a power move. Seeing that Jules hadn¡¯t left, Caroline asked, ¡°Is there anything else, Mr. Hawkins?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Yes.¡± As he held the phone, Jules was even more respectful of Caroline. ¡°You reminded me, Ms. Evans. There¡¯s a meeting being held at 2 pm today. Remember to attend it.¡± ¡°Okay, sure.¡± Caroline nodded and watched Jules leave. After Jules left, Vivian red at Caroline from her office door. She turned sharply and mmed the door shut. The sound was so loud that the entire design department heard it. This time, no one dared to watch the show. 12 415 BONUS as the vaga heels The then was ready led with people They were sil directors and assistant directors of vancus departons Despite everyone looking at her, Caroline sat down calmly Vivian set to her right he acted as if the dodatkow Caroline Caroline didn¡¯t mind it. She opened the meeting pamphlet and started reading Jules was thest person to enter the conference room ¡°Before we start the meeting, let me introduce our new colleague. She¡¯s the new Design Director, Caroline Evans¡± Caroline stood up and nodded lightly. Everyone shot her disdainful looks Caroline could understand it in the workce, one¡¯s capabilities were one¡¯s most convincing weapon Thus, she maintained her smile She would not be intimidated. ¡°Alright Next, I have to announce something very important¡± As Jules walked to the podium, he was missing his usual friendliness and casualness. He became stem ¡°We originally had a contract with a skincare expert renowned for anti¨Caging work. His name is Corvin French. Once the brands merge sessfully, he will help use up with a brand new anti¨Caging eye cream He continued, ¡°But since the scandal during the Novitius Contest, he¡¯s been in a bad mood and decided not to work with us anymore.¡± Everyone exchanged nces After the merger, the brands had nned on putting their efforts into producing a shocking line of products This way, the newbined brand would gain poprity. Now that the skincare expert didn¡¯t want to partner with them anymore, it wasn¡¯t clear whether they could produce the new products. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, everyone.¡± Jules cleared his throat. *After endless effort by some of the directors and I, Mr. French has changed his mind. He says that if we can design a packaging that can move him, he will cooperate with us!¡± Everyone turned to look over at Caroline and Vivian Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Right then, someone spoke up. ¡°I think Vivian has worked with Mr. French before?¡± Vivian smiled happily. ¡°Yes. Three years ago, when I was still a designer overseas, I was lucky enough to design the packaging for Mr. French¡¯s anti¨Caging face mask.¡± ¡°I remember now/I heard Mr. French couldn¡¯t stop praising your design. He even wanted to sign a long¨C term contract with you. Howe that fell through?¡± ¡°I had some family issues then, so I had toe back to the country.¡± Everyone present seemed to find it a shame. Then, someone suggested, ¡°Since Vivian has worked with Mr. French before, she should handle this task. Mr. French will surely be happy with the design she produces.¡± The others nodded in agreement. Jules¡® gaze fell on Caroline. ¡°What do you think, Ms. Evans?¡± At that moment, the others finally remembered that Caroline was the Design Director. But it wasn¡¯t their fault for forgetting Caroline. After all, Vivian had skills and experience. There had to be something wrong with the higher¨Cups. Why else would they appoint someone without experience as the Design Director? ¡°Since this is an important matter, I don¡¯t think it should be given to just one person. I think we can get a few other designers to join this project.¡± Caroline knew that this was an opportunity for her too. ¡°Forget it then.¡± Vivian folded her arms and tilted her chin up. Condescendingly, she said, ¡°Design is a private matter. I prefer doing it alone. If others have to join, I might as well step down.¡± Everyone could tell that Vivian was directing her words against Caroline. ¡°Ms. Evans, Vivian has worked with Mr. French before. Besides, he likes her work. She¡¯s more experienced than us all. I think we should hand the project over to her. What do you think, Mr. Hawkins?¡± The man who spoke was the director of the finance department. Jules rubbed his forehead. He had figured that this would happen before he¡¯d evene here. ¡°How about this: why don¡¯t Ms. Evans and Ms. Patterson bothe up with a design? We¡¯ll see which one Mr. French likes when the timees. What do you think?¡± +15 BONUS Vivon Was the higt to agree that works! I think this is a great idea. It will also show the higher- ps who has real skills and who¡¯s a fakel The others hurtedly agreed. Caroline didn¡¯t mind it either ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s decide on that Mr French will be leaving Easton in three days. That means you only have three days to design something he likes Are you confident?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Vivian was sure she could do it. Caroline nodded slowly as well. ¡°Alright, meeting adjourned!¡± It was only after everyone else left that Vivian got up to walk out. Susan was already waiting outside. When she saw Viviane out, she came over with a cup of coffee. She smiled and said, ¡°Viv, I heard about what happened. You¡¯ll win for sure.¡± Vivian beamed. ¡°Of course I will.¡± Susan replied, ¡°Then does that mean we don¡¯t have to do anything anymore?¡± Just as Vivian was about to nod, she recalled Caroline¡¯s designs. She frowned. ¡°Go and change the Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Susan understood immediately. ¡°Should I change it all?¡± ¡°No need. Just change what Corvin likes in package design. Change it from what he likes to what he hates.¡± ¡°I got it. I¡¯ll do it right now.¡± Then, Susan happily went off. Vivian watched her leave. She leaned against the wall and took a sip of coffee. As she did, she slowly let out her annoyance. Now, she would only have to wait and see how Caroline embarrassed herself. Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Caroline got back to her office and massaged her temples. This was a fight that would allow her to prove herself. She had to do well. She took a deep breath and turned herputer on. She went to the internal records and searched for Corvin¡¯s information. Then, she downloaded and printed everything. ording to the information, Corvin had unique preferences for the packaging design of his products. He liked bright colors with a bold and avant¨Cgarde style. Caroline clicked on the disyed products and frowned. She really didn¡¯t understand his taste. However, this design needed Corvin¡¯s approval. Thus, Caroline had to force herself to keep looking. Even when working hours ended, Caroline still hadn¡¯te up with any ideas. She organized her documents and took Eddy¡¯s ne from the drawer. Then, she got up to go downstairs. Downstairs,many other colleagues were getting off work. When they saw Caroline, they couldn¡¯t N?velDrama.Org holds this content. help but give her a few extra looks. Caroline calmly swiped her card and left. She got into the car that the pany¡± had arranged for her. ¡°It can¡¯t be! She even has a car to take her around? Is she a princess here to experience the real world?¡± ¡°Do you think she could have had this treatment if it hadn¡¯t been for the Morrisons? After all, the Evans family is ruined.¡± ¡°I heard the secret boss of thepany is Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Did he make the contest¡¯s prize the Design Director position here because of Caroline¡¯s rtionship with the Morrison family?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very likely. In any case, someone without skills like her could only have gotten in through nepotism!¡± In the car, Caroline said to the driver, ¡°Mr. Jack, please take me to Morrison Manor.¡± The driver was named Jack Hobbs, but he insisted that Caroline call him Jack. Still, since he was more than ten years older than her, she felt it was better to call him Mr. Jack. ¡°Alright,¡± Jack started the car and drove toward Morrison Manor. +15 BONUS Caroline lowered her head and flipped through Corvin¡¯s information. She continued studying it. Soon, the car arrived at Morrison Manor. Jude had known that Caroline would being over. Hence, he¡¯d gotten the staff to prepare a rich meal beforehand. ¡°Grandpa!¡± Caroline called warmly as she walked in. ¡°There you are!¡± Jude was glowing as he pulled Caroline over. ¡°You¡¯re finally here. I missed you so much while you were gone!¡± ¡°I missed you too, Grandpa,¡± Caroline said sweetly, holding onto Jude¡¯s arm. After a while, she brought out some supplements she had specially bought for him. ¡°Grandpa, these are for you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Jude took a look and said, ¡°You¡¯re the best, Carrie.¡± For someone with money and power like Jude, there was nothing he didn¡¯t have. The only thing hecked was care. Caroline smiled. Just as she was going to speak, the butler, Simon, walked in. ¡°Sir, Mr. Eddy is here.¡± Caroline¡¯s expression shifted. Jude didn¡¯t miss this change. He said to Simon, ¡°Let him in.¡± After he said that, he told Caroline, ¡°Carrie, we haven¡¯t had dinner together in a long time. Stay and ¡± have a meal with me.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t n to stay. ¡°Grandpa, I still have unfinished work, so ¡­ I won¡¯t intrude.¡± Jude was disappointed. ¡°I see. Is work so busy?¡± After a pause, he asked inquiringly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you quit the job? I¡¯ll have Eddy arrange an easy job for you.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°No need, Grandpa. This is the first job I¡¯ve gotten with my own abilities. I can¡¯t just give up.¡± There was some confusion in Jude¡¯s heart. Had he really misunderstood things? Was Caroline not rted to Kirk at all? And she¡¯d gotten the Design Director position at Thorne Corporation all on her own? Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Right then, Eddy¡¯s displeased voice came from the door ¡®Grandpa I¡¯m home.¡± The next second, he saw Caroline standing next to Jude and froze. Dressed in office clothes, Caroline had lost her cautious persona She looked like a confident professional It made it impossible for Eddy to look away from her. Eddy swallowed. He asked, ¡°When did you get back? 2 Caroline said ndly, ¡°A few days ago¡± Then, she turned to Jude ¡°I¡¯m leaving now, Grandpa¡® Since Jude was there, Caroline could only ask Eddy as she walked past him, ¡°Mr. Eddy, could you step out with me for a second?¡± Eddy could just about smell her womanly scent. It made his heart skip a beat. He nodded almost Instinctively After he nodded, Eddy regretted it a bit. He quickly said, ¡°Whatever you have to say can be said here¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Caroline¡¯s eyebrows furrowed She ignored Eddy and walked out. Eddy thinned his lips. He groaned but followed Caroline anyway. Seeing this, Jude shook his head helplessly. When would his silly grandson realize that he¡¯d fallen in love with Caroline? When he recalled the gathering with Kirk a few dayster, Jude¡¯s eyes turned cold. He hoped that he was overthinking things. Eddy stopped after following Caroline outside. ¡°What¡¯s so important that you can only talk about it outside?¡± Eddy leaned against the doorframe and asked coldly. There was amusement in his eyes. Caroline took the ne out of her bag and held it out to Eddy. Then, she took out a stack of money. ¡°I had someone to clean up the roses. This is the money for the flowers.¡± The amusement in Eddy¡¯s eyes disappeared. ¡°Caroline, I¡¯ve already given in. And I don¡¯t mind that this will be your second marriage. Shouldn¡¯t you give it a rest?¡± Caroline was amused by his words. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Eddy, but I don¡¯t need to.¡± With that, Caroline turned around and left. 1/2 +15 BONUS Indy went up and caught Carotines hand ¡®What else do you want? Do you want me to beg before you stop ying hard to get? He admitted that he¡¯d panicked when Caroline met her husband¡¯s parents He wanted people to do as they had in the past and think of him when they saw Caroline And not her useless husband¡® Caroline frowned and flung Eddy¡¯s hand off. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you think I¡¯m ying some sort of game I already gave up on you when you asked me to give my kidney to La¡± Eddy was taken aback. He wanted to hold Caroline again, but he missed her. The disappointment within him rose Eddy felt pained, and he raised a hand to press against his heart. When Caroline got into the car, she rubbed her forehead. ¡°Ms. Evans?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Jack started the car and drove off. Caroline slowly calmed down. As she looked at the changing scenery outside, she suddenly felt likeughing. Eddy¡¯s acting skills were superb. For a second, she had really believed that Eddy had fallen for her. As she mocked herself, the car suddenly shook. Before Caroline could react, the car sped off faster. It flew like an arrow down the street. Caroline gripped the seat belt and asked, ¡°Mr. Jack, what¡¯s going on?¡± Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Chapter 169 After taking a few turns, the car finally slowed. Jack looked in the rearview mirror to check for the car he¡¯d been trying to shake off. He said expressionlessly, ¡°It seems like there¡¯s a bit of a problem with the car. I¡¯ll take it for a check tonight. It shouldn¡¯t be anything big. It won¡¯t affect your going in and out, Ms. Evans.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Caroline frowned. She didn¡¯t quite believe Jack when he said it wasn¡¯t a big problem. But during the next half of the car ride, the car indeed did not experience any hups. Thus, Caroline didn¡¯t mention it. She told Jack to drive home carefully and walked into the vi. At the Collins¡® residence, Howard Collins yelled, ¡°Useless! You¡¯re all just useless trash!¡± He was so mad that he kicked the bodyguard who¡¯d returned to report. ¡°What¡¯s the point of paying you? You couldn¡¯t find out who that person was, even though you spent so much time investigating them! I made you wait at the airport, but you still let them go right under your nose! I asked you to follow a woman, but she still threw you off! Tell me what use are you?¡± After shouting, Howard fell into a seat on the couch. He huffed in huge breaths. His fury would really drive him mad. He¡¯d thought he would find Caroline and her husband in no time. But after a round of investigations, he¡¯d found out that they¡¯d gone abroad. Once they got back, they had mysteriously disappeared from the airport. The worst part was that Howard knew Caroline was working at Thorne Corporation. Yet, he couldn¡¯t get in there. Not being able to get in was fine, though. After all, Thorne Corporation belonged to Eddy Morrison¡¯s second uncle. Howard had to show that man some respect. But he really wondered whether his bodyguards were of any use at all, considering they had lost Caroline when they were supposed to follow her. The bodyguard felt wronged. ¡°Mr. Collins, it¡¯s really not that we¡¯re ipetent. It¡¯s just th¨Cthat¡­ The target¡¯s not so simple.¡± ¡°What bullshit! Do you think I¡¯m stupid? I¡¯m giving you one week. You better find Caroline¡¯s new address and dig her husband out. Otherwise, all of you can get lost!¡± Sounding pained, the bodyguard said, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± +15 B?NUS When Caroline got home, she saw Kirk sitting in the living room, looking at his tablet. Thinking of what happened this morning, her cheeks burned. Kirk sensed movement and looked up. ¡°You¡¯re home?¡± Caroline walked past him without answering. She went up to the second floor. Kirk raised an eyebrow. It seemed that Caroline¡¯s displeasure had yet to dissipate. He looked outside. The car was still there. Jack stood by the car door and nodded toward him. Kirk quickly went to Jack withrge strides. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Sir, there were people following the madam when we were returning.¡± ¡°Did she notice it?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Alright. You¡¯ve done well. Go off then.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Jack got into the car, started the engine, and left. Kirk looked up to find a light on in the guest room on the second floor. He frowned and headed upstairs to Caroline. He knocked on the door. ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Caroline was currently changing. When she heard him, she said coolly, ¡°I¡¯m not eating.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not good for you if you don¡¯t eat,¡± Kirk said in concern. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Kirk leaned against the door. Even from there, Kirk could sense the distance Caroline felt toward him. Kirk got impatient. ¡°Is it because of me?¡± Caroline tugged on her clothes, covering her fair skin. She went to stand by the door. After some hesitation, she finally said, ¡°I have something to do. You should eat first.¡± Just as caroline thought Kuk would insist, he said, ¡°Alright, it put the food in the inage when you¡¯re hungry, just heat them up¡± After a second, heavy footsteps faded away at the end of the corridor Caroline leaned against the door. She closed her eyes tiredly Downstans, Kirk called Sean Let¡¯s go out for a drink Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Sean wasn¡¯t very excited about it. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like going.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t say more to Sean. He hung up and sent Sean an address. About an hourter, the two met up at the bar. Sean had reserved a VIP room. When he saw Kirke in alone, he curled his lip. ¡°Why are you alone?¡± Kirk took out a cigar from his cigar box and put it between his teeth. He lit it and sunkzily into the couch. ¡°Did you expect more people?¡± ¡°Caroline didn¡¯te with you? She had nothing to say about youing to a bar?¡± Kirk¡¯s tone was nk as he smoked and said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re fighting again?¡± Kirk flipped open his lighter with a crack. A bright me lit up his sharp features. He looked down and hummed. It was impossible to tell how he was feeling. ¡°Why are you fighting?¡± Sean was curious and scooted closer. Kirk let out a mouthful of smoke. He didn¡¯t answer Sean and only smiled. ¡°They say men are heartless creatures after getting what they want. I think women are the same.¡± Sean was immediately intrigued. ¡°She used you and discarded you?¡± Kirk looked sideways at him and said nothing. Sean took a sip of his drink and said meaningfully ¡°Who says that isn¡¯t true? Women are all like that.¡± After all, he hadn¡¯t seen Gwen since thatst incident. Kirk¡¯s eyes narrowed. He looked at Sean through the wafting smoke. ¡°Were you used and discarded too?¡± Sean hurriedly took another drink. He stuttered out, ¡°H¨Chow could I p¨Cpossibly be used and discarded?¡± Kirk stared at Sean in silence for a long time. Then, he looked away and put out his cigar. He opened a bottle of beer and threw his head back to finish it. Quickly after, he finished a second bottle and a third. Seeing this, Sean swiftly stopped him. ¡°Are you crazy? If you keep drinking like this, do you n. +15 BONUS Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Kirk shook Sean off forcefully He finished off another bottle. Kirk had a high alcohol tolerance. He was still alert after all those bottles of beer. He sniffed himself and found the light scent of alcohol. Kirk looked up and said to Sean, ¡°Call Carrie.¡± ¡°What for?¡± ¡°Call her and tell her I got drunk!¡± Kirk was impatient. Sean was shocked for a moment, but he quickly understood what Kirk wanted to do.. Heughed. ¡°You¡¯re really a man who¡¯s full of tricks.¡± Then, he took out his phone. After a second of hesitation, he walked out of the room to call Caroline. Caroline was currently going through the information on Corvin French. When her phone buzzed on the bedside table, it gave her a fright. She grabbed it and looked at it, only to see that Sean was calling. She answered the phone. ¡°Caroline, Kirk got drunk at a bar. Can youe over and pick him up?¡± ¡°Just get him an Uber.¡± Sean was speechless. Were they really in that big of a fight? Sean was silent for a moment. Then, he said, ¡°But it¡¯s really secluded here. It¡¯s not easy to get a ride. Caroline, won¡¯t you juste over? He¡¯s drunk and feeling really bad. He keeps calling your name.¡± Caroline caved. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Sean¡¯s voice became low. ¡°I ¡­ Um, I also drank a lot. I can¡¯t drive either. Can you call someone to take me home?¡± 1 This time, Caroline didn¡¯t hesitate. She agreed immediately. Joy shot through Sean. He thanked her profusely. Caroline looked at her dark screen in confusion. Sean didn¡¯t have to be so grateful, right? All she was doing was getting another person. Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Chapter 171 After more than half an hour, Caroline finally arrived at the bar Sean had told her toe to When she saw the flowing traffic surrounding the ce, she started feeling deeply suspicious Wasn¡¯t this a busy main road? Why couldn¡¯t they get an Uber? Caroline didn¡¯t think more about it. She quickly found Sean waving at her. ¡°Over here!¡± She walked rapidly over Not far off, Kirk was leaning against a pole. In the dim light of the night, Caroline couldn¡¯t see his features clearly. Only when she got closer did she see that Kirk¡¯s eyes were slightly closed His forehead was scrunched up, and he looked as if he were in pain. The smell of alcohol surrounded him. It seemed that Kirk must have drunk a lot. ¡°Kirk Caroline patted Kirk¡¯s cheeks Kirk opened his eyes, his red eyes meeting Caroline¡¯s gaze all of a sudden. Caroline shuddered violently. It was as if she were looking at a hurt kitten. Her movements became gentler. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Kirk stood without moving. Caroline went to pull him along, but it seemed as though his body was boneless. He slumped. against her shoulder. Holding Kirk up by his chest, Caroline tried to shove him away. But Kirk was built like a wall. There was no way to push him off. Caroline could only hold his waist and drag him into the car. Sean watched the way Kirk swayed and stumbled. He mocked Kirk mentally, thinking, ¡°What a great actor.¡± His gaze shifted to Caroline¡¯s car and the space in front and behind it. However, he couldn¡¯t find a second car that hade with Caroline¡¯s. His heart chilled. He took a few steps toward her car. Sounding casual, he asked, ¡°Did youe alone?¡± Caroline had finally shoved Kirk into the car. She straightened, a bead of sweat hanging from the tip of her nose. ¡°No. The person who¡¯s picking you up is almost here.¡± A newfound hope red in Sean¡¯s heart. He said with a warm smile, ¡°Sorry for troubling you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. The moment she said this, a car drove over. She smiled ¡°Here we go ¡± +15 BONUS Sean followed Caroline¡¯s line of sight. When he saw the car slowlying over, he felt excited. However, when the car stopped and Sean saw a man sitting inside, he was instantly disappointed ¡°Not Gwen?¡± he blurted out. He regretted saying that immediately. Luckily, Caroline didn¡¯t think too much about it. She exined, ¡°Oh, thepany arranged a new driver for me. This is Mr. Jack. Gwen said she¡¯s not free, so I could only ask him to help. What¡¯s up? Is there a problem?¡± Sean¡¯s schrly features twisted up for a second ¡°No, thank you. Caroline frowned Why did Sean sound like he was gritting his teeth? ¡°Then I¡¯m going home now.¡± Caroline got into the car and started it. She left the bar. During the whole trip, Kirk behaved perfectly. When she drove into the garage, Caroline felt her tensed nerves finally rx. She opened the back door and patted Kirk¡¯s cheek. ¡°We¡¯re here. Get out of the car.¡± Kirk had curled into a ball. He seemed just like a cat. When he heard Caroline, he slowly opened his eyes. They were still red, and when Caroline saw them again, her heart ached. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Just as she turned away, Kirk suddenly hugged her tightly around the waist. She could only look back at Kirk. ¡°We¡¯re home.¡± Kirk rubbed his cheek against Caroline. His drunken voice was deep. ¡°I don¡¯t ¡­ go home¡­¡± Kirk was built like a mountain. He didn¡¯t budge even though Caroline pushed him. She could only bend down to look into Kirk¡¯s in his eyes. Using a tone as though she were coaxing a child, she said softly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to go home?¡± ¡°My wife won¡¯t talk to me.¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Why won¡¯t she talk to you?¡± ¡°Because I made a mistake.¡± Caroline silently straightened. Seemingly afraid that she would leave, Kirk wound an arm around her waist. He rubbed his head against Caroline¡¯s stomach. He really was acting like an affectionate cat. +15 BONUS Caroline put a hand on Kirk¡¯s shoulder Her heart melted. Caroline bit her lip and said softly, ¡°Go home She¡¯ll talk to you now.¡± Really? Kirk looked up. The hard lines of his face were a sharp contrast to the hurt in his eyes Caroline nodded silently. She reached out a hand. Come on, let¡¯s go home.¡± Kirk took Caroline¡¯s fair hand and pulled her into his embrace He brazenly inhaled her womanly scent. Caroline got a shock. She said in warning, ¡°Kirk¡­¡± Kirk flipped them both over and pressed Caroline below him. After some time, Caroline slept deeply. She could sense someone carrying her to bed and softly wiping down her body. The next morning, Caroline opened her eyes to find herself lying in the bed of the master bedroom. Kirk was beside her. His clothes were a mess, and his body was littered with numerous scratch marks. Caroline remembered what happenedst night in an instant. Heat filled her face, spreading all the way to her toes. She quickly shot up from bed and clumsily grabbed her clothes. She ran back to the guest room. In the mirror, she found hickeys all over herself. She really regretted going to pick up Kirkst night. Luckily, Kirk would forget what happened when he was drunk. Otherwise, she really didn¡¯t know how she would face him. With her heart in a mess, Caroline took a hot shower. She went downstairs after changing. Kirk had already set the table with the breakfast he had bought. Who knew when he¡¯d even woken up? ¡°It¡¯s time for breakfast,¡± Kirk called out to Caroline. Caroline assented, her neck turning red. Kirk seemed to have forgotten everything. She picked up her cutlery and dug into the breakfast elegantly. Caroline finally rxed. Suddenly, Kirk looked over at her and asked seriously, ¡°Did I get drunkst night?¡± +15 BONUS Mmmmm, Caronne said before quickly ducking her bead even more. Did I do anything then?¡± ¡°No Kirk quickly smiled. ¡°What about you?¡± Caroline raised her head to look at Kirk. Her breathing was ragged. ¡°What could I have done when you were drunk?¡± Kirk was smiling brightly. He rolled up his sleeves, showing his wrist. There was a clear bite mark there. ¡°Then why do I have this on me?¡± He sounded innocent and pitiful. It was as if Caroline was the scumbag here. Caroline felt her mind racing. Her face was thoroughly red. ¡°H¨Chow should I know?¡± ¡°This one¡­ You don¡¯t know either?¡± His voice was filled with confusion. The red scratch mark on his abdomen was a clear and annoying sight. Caroline¡¯s face was burning. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m going to work!¡± After saying that, Caroline ran off. Watching her go, Kirk put his hands behind his head. He was in such a great mood. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Caroline was distracted all morning. Her mind was filled with the image of Kirk¡¯s scratched¨Cup abdomen She had reason to believe that Kirk had been seducing her. He was probably trying to dumb her down by tempting her and making her forget why they were fighting. She had to admit that his n was quite sessful She really couldn¡¯t hold off much longer. Just as she was about to let her mind run wild, she saw Cheryl walking past the door, seemingly in a daze. In the beginning, Caroline didn¡¯t find anything weird about it. But after Cheryl walked past, she sensed something amiss. ¡°Cheryl.¡± A few secondster, Cheryl appeared at her door, looking distracted. Her eyes were red¨Crimmed, and her hair stuck to her face wetly. She looked to be in a ghastly state. ¡°What happened?¡± Cheryl lowered her head and thinned her lips. She dared not say a word. Caroline stood up, her hands supported on the table. ¡°Answer me!¡± Caroline had amanding air about her, and it scared Cheryl. She stuttered out, ¡°I¨CI was just getting water in the lounge. I heard them dis¨Cdiscussing you. I said something, and Susan immediately sshed coffee on my face. She said y¨Cyou¡­¡± ¡°What were they saying?¡± ¡°They say there¡¯s no way you can produce something Mr. French likes with your little bit of skill. They say you¡¯ll definitely lose thispetition and embarrass yourself.¡± As she finished speaking, Cheryl burst into tears. Caroline¡¯s expression darkened. She said ndly, ¡°Don¡¯t cry! Come with me!¡± Cheryl followed Caroline in confusion to Vivian¡¯s office. In the office, Susan was telling Vivian about sshing coffee on Cheryl. ¡°Her boss is useless, so she can only suffer the consequences¡­¡± As she said this, the door was pushed open with a bang. 1/2 +19 BONUS beach brand hem she saw a war and a civing Carl¡¯s expression was shilly as the walked in and sat down Susen nced at Vivian been expands three anything you have to tell us, Ms. Celine looked up and send to Cheryl do get a bot cup of coffee Cheryl rushed out to prepare the coffee Themotion had attracted the attention of the others working outside Every one of them tried to sneak a look Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Soon, Cheryl returned with some piping hot coffee Caroline said, ¡°Ssh Susan back The second she said this, everyone gasped Cheryl¡¯s face turned white ¡®M¨CMs Evans Th¨Cthat wouldn¡¯t be too nice!¡± The coffee was steaming hot. If she sshed it on Susan, Susan¡¯s face would be ruined. Caroline looked over, abnormally icy ¡°What¡¯s so not nice about it? Didn¡¯t she ssh you the same way? What we¡¯re concerned about is giving as good as we get. Ssh her back!¡± This was the first time Susan had seen Caroline so vicious. She was terrified. She looked at Vivian in fear Vivian folded her arms She said, ¡°Ms. Evans, you don¡¯t have to be so ruthless, do you? It¡¯s just some roughhousing between colleagues. The victim doesn¡¯t even care about it. Let¡¯s not make mountains out of molehills and turn thepany upside down.¡± ¡°Sure¡® Caroline got up and walked to Vivian¡¯s side She smiled as she picked up Vivian¡¯s cup of water and sshed it on her face. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t make mountains out of molehills either, Ms. Patterson!¡± Everything happened too quickly, and everyone was shocked to their core. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Vivian hadn¡¯t been prepared for this at all. After a long time, she closed her eyes and wiped the water away. A secondter, she raised her hand to give Caroline a p. Caroline caught her wrist and mocked coldly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say not to make mountains out of molehills, Ms. Patterson?¡± Vivian¡¯s rage was stuck in her throat. She could neither suppress nor express it. It was so frustrating that Vivian wanted to explode. She gnashed her teeth. ¡°Caroline Evans!¡± Caroline grinned. She turned and addressed the crowd. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°As long as I¡¯m still in the design department, I won¡¯t allow any bullying. If something like this happens again, you better resign on your own. Otherwise, I will write a detailed exnation about it on your dismissal report!¡± Once she said that, she shot Cheryl a look. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Cheryl looked at Caroline in admiration. It wasn¡¯t until Caroline had walked away that she snapped out of her trance and followed. In the office, Cheryl said, ¡°You were so cool just now, Ms. Evans!¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°Cheryl, when you encounter issues like this in the future, you must learn to fight back. Being kind will only mean that people will bully you. It¡¯s thew of the jungle, and you must be more ruthless than others to survive, got it?¡± Cheryl felt like Caroline was glowing. She nodded gratefully. ¡°Alright, Ms. Evans. I¡¯ll remember what you said.¡± ¡°Okay, go outside then.¡± Back in Vivian¡¯s office, a long time had passed since Caroline had left. Susan finally gathered her wits. Closing the door, she went up to Vivian, who was still in shock. ¡°Viv, are you alright?¡± Vivian wiped the cold water off her face. ¡°Caroline! Once thispetition is over, I¡¯ll definitely chase her out of Thorne Corporation!¡± Susan quickly pulled out several pieces of tissue paper and handed them to Vivian. Still fearful, she said, ¡°That¡¯s right, Viv. Caroline¡¯s too much. She¡¯s bullying you!¡± Vivian¡¯s gaze was stormy. She grabbed the tissues and carelessly dried the water on her face. Her head was filled with thoughts of using the current project to chase Caroline out of Thorne Corporation. An ultimatum? +15 BONUS Jules looked at the document Vivian handed him and hurriedly waved his hands. ¡°No, no¡® I can¡¯t Ganction this ¡°Why not?¡± Vivian continued insistently, ¡°If her designs win Mr. French¡¯s interest, I will obey her withoutint and help her in her work Conversely, if I win, she¡¯ll have to give me the position of Design Director ¡°Mr. Hawkins, didn¡¯t you ask me to work with her peacefully? Isn¡¯t this the perfect chance for it? Once Caroline agrees to this arrangement, we¡¯ll both be satisfied with the results when theye out. Neither of us will make another fuss. This solves a problem for you. Discord in the design department meant a huge headache for Jules. He was quite moved by Vivian¡¯s suggestion. But Caroline had Kirk¡¯s support. He was afraid¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. Unless. Unless Caroline herself agrees. ¡°Then you can just ask her about it.¡± Jules frowned. ¡°Vivian¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Hawkins, I¡¯ve worked under you for many years. I¡¯ve contributed a lot of effort, if not achievements. It¡¯s just a phone call. Can¡¯t you agree to that?¡± Jules sighed helplessly. ¡°Alright.¡± He picked up the phone and called Caroline. After a long conversation, he finally brought up Vivian¡¯s ultimatum. He had never expected Caroline to agree to it so swiftly. Jules was a bit dazed as he held onto the phone. ¡°What did she say? Did she agree to it?¡± Vivian asked. ¡°She did,¡± Jules mumbled. Vivian¡¯s expression shifted. She scoffed. She¡¯d changed the information Caroline had on Corvin French. Thus, there was no way Caroline could produce a design he liked. No matter what, Caroline was going to lose thispetition. Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Even though Caroline agreed to Jules ultimatum, it wasn¡¯t a rash decision. Caroline was simply confident in herself. She cleaned up het half¨Cfinished design and looked at the time. It was time to get off work again. Caroline didn¡¯t dally. She went downstairs and clocked out right on time. At the door, she noticed many people¡¯s eyes on her She frowned slightly. The way they looked at her was different from yesterday. Their gazes burned, and it seemed like they were excited for some sort of show. The next second, Caroline spotted the Ferrari at the entrance. It was a fiery red, drawing the attention of everyone who saw it. Something else drew their attention even more. Leaning against the car was a handsome Eddy. He had a chilling air about him. When he saw Caroline, he tookrge steps forward His expression never changed. ¡°I¡¯m here to pick you up from work.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t seem to hear his words. She walked past him and went straight toward Jack. Eddy pulled Caroline to a stop. ¡°Get in the car.¡± Caroline lowered her head and looked at the fingers around her wrist. Her eyes turned frosty. ¡°Mr. Eddy, do take care of your conduct. I¡¯m already married. It¡¯s not good for either of our reputations to act like this in public. My husband would be mad, too.¡± ¡°Mad?¡± Eddy smirked. There was a hint of yfulness in his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m afraid he doesn¡¯t even know the rtionship we have, am I right?¡± When Caroline heard this, she raised her hand and pped Eddy. Eddy had never expected this. Plus, Caroline had put all her might into that p, too. He was hit so hard that his head turned. His mind went nk for three whole seconds. When he finally turned back, he glowered at Caroline. Caroline¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She only remembered that Eddy was the heir to the Morrison family after she¡¯d pped him. Yet she didn¡¯t regret it one bit. +15 B?NUS Please be more respectful. My husband isn¡¯t what you think!¡± Eddy gritted his teeth and mped a hand on Caroline¡¯s throat. His fingers flexed slightly. Caroline felt suffocated, but her gaze didn¡¯t waver. She kept ring at Eddy. Eddy was enraged by the way she red at him. He gritted his teeth and snarled, ¡°You¡¯re still protecting him!¡± When Jack saw this, he rapidly opened the door and got out of the car. ¡°Ms. Evans!¡± Right then, Eddy finally noticed that there was someone else there. He looked at the strong¨Cbuilt Jack and then at Caroline, who frantically waved for Jack not to approach. A thought shed in his mind. He gripped tighter, unknowingly pressing the artery in Caroline¡¯s neck. Could this man be Caroline¡¯s husband? N?velDrama.Org holds this content. His looks were uncultured and rough. If he wasn¡¯t a cook, then he had to be a driver. How could Caroline marry such a man? And Caroline defended him like he was such a treasure, too! Feeling defeated sent a rush of anger surging through Eddy. Meanwhile, Caroline was coughing nonstop. Her breathless coughs finally pulled Eddy out of his thoughts. He looked at Caroline, her face red and pained. He loosened his hold on Caroline, his hands shaking as if he had been electrocuted. Finally getting some fresh air, Caroline supported herself with her hands on her knees. She took in huge breaths. When Jack saw this, he hurriedly went up to support Caroline and help her to the car. He opened the door for her and settled her in the seat. Then, he looked at Eddy, searing his face into his memory. After that, Jack drove off. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Yet, Jack¡¯s final action seemed undoubtedly like a challenge to Eddy. Eddy clenched his fists. He felt enraged, as though something precious had been stolen from him. It made him open the car door with a m. He floored the gas pedal. With a loud vroom, the Ferrari shot off like an arrow. Only after the car sped away did the crowd return to themselves. None of them could believe their eyes. They hadn¡¯t been dreaming¡­ had they? ¡°Somebody pinch me! Pinch me quick! Did I see that wrong? Did Caroline Evans actually reject Mr. Eddy and get into another man¡¯s car?¡± Amidst the packed throng, Vivian sneered disdainfully. When Susan saw this, she started mocking. ¡°That ruffian just now had to be Caroline¡¯s husband, right, Viv? He doesn¡¯t look like someone with money or power. It¡¯s no wonder she¡¯s been hiding him and doesn¡¯t even say what her husband does. It¡¯s because he¡¯s a disgrace.¡± Someone was confused. ¡°From the looks of it, Mr. Eddy was here to pursue Caroline. Why doesn¡¯t Caroline ept the offer and get back with Mr. Eddy?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know about this, do you?¡± Susan was ecstatic. ¡°For one, Caroline already married the man. If she wanted to get back together with Eddy, she would have to get divorced first. Otherwise, she¡¯d have people talking shit about her.¡± She continued, ¡°Besides, do you really think Mr. Eddy is honestly here to win Caroline back? If he liked her, they would have gotten married by now. Someone asked, ¡°Then why did Mr. Eddye? He¡¯s the Morrisons¡® heir. Who could ever make him do something he doesn¡¯t want to?¡± For a second, Susan couldn¡¯t answer. She looked at Vivian for help, -Vivian looked up in the direction where the car had gone. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. You don¡¯t understand a man¡¯s possessiveness. Caroline¡¯s life used to revolve around Mr. Eddy. Now that she¡¯s suddenly acting differently, Mr. Eddy¡¯s probably just not used to 1. it. Once some time passes, I bet Eddy will stop looking for Caroline.¡± When the others heard this, they all thought Vivian was right. ¡°Viv, you sure have it all figured out. +15 BONUS Vivian smurd in the beginning, she had been worried about Caroline agreeing so easily to the ultimatum She wondered if Caroline was so confident because she still had Eddy as a trump card Now it seemed that she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it at all Silting in the car, Caroline touched her neck where Eddy had strangled her. Her expression was dark There were clear finger marks on her neck. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Right then, her phone rang Gwen was calling her ¡°Carol, are you free tonight? Let¡¯s have morning tea Caroline got back into her usual mood and asked with augh, ¡°Having morning tea at night?¡± ¡°Juste,¡± Gwen coaxed. Caroline could tell from Gwen¡¯s voice that she wasn¡¯t feeling well. ¡°Alright, where are you? Send me the address¡± Gwen quickly sent her address. Caroline asked Jack to change directions and head to where Gwen was. The shop was in the city center. When Caroline got there, the table before Gwen was littered with beer bottles. When the shop owner saw someoneing, he quickly said, ¡°Sorry, we¡¯re closed.¡± Caroline looked toward Gwen. ¡°I¡¯m here for my friend.¡± When the owner heard that, his expression changed to one of relief. ¡°That¡¯s your friend?¡± He meant Gwen, of course. Caroline nodded. The owner looked like he¡¯d just had a weight taken off his shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re finally here, miss. Please take your friend away. She¡¯s been here all day. We closed ages ago, but we didn¡¯t feel too good about chasing off a customer. Look at the state she¡¯s in¡­¡± Caroline was stunned. Didn¡¯t Gwen go to work? She nced at Gwen again. Gwen was currently pouring herself another drink. Her expression seemed normal. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Caroline sat opposite Gwen. The shop owner said, ¡°Um..¡± Caroline took out several hundred dor bills from her bag. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about bothering you, sir, The owner epted the money and didn¡¯t feel like he could say anything more. Besides, no other customers were in the shop, and their presence didn¡¯t disturb his rest. Thus, he went behind the cashier¡¯s counter and yed with his phone. ¡°You¡¯re drunk?¡± Caroline nudged Gwen. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Gwen looked up, acting as if she¡¯d only just spotted Caroline. ¡°Carol, you¡¯re here.¡± She looked as she normally did, but Caroline could tell that Gwen was putting on an act. ¡°What happened?¡± Caroline asked in concern. Gwen¡¯s eyes stung. She pouted slightly. ¡°N¨Cnothing.¡± She¡¯d seen Sean and some other woman walk into a jewelry store this morning when she¡¯d been buying breakfast. Caroline didn¡¯t question her further when she saw that Gwen didn¡¯t want to answer. She walked past the fridge and took out a few bottles of beer. ¡°Do you want to drink some more? I¡¯ll drink with you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wonderful, Carol.¡± Caroline opened the bottle. It was so cold that wisps of vapor rose from it, shrouding her face. Caroline poured herself a ss, then poured one for Gwen. After a few drinks, Gwen finally opened up. ¡°Carol, what do you think love is?¡± She held up her ss and looked at Caroline through the amber -liquid ¡°I have a friend. She and a man ¡­ did some things after getting drunk. She thought it was nothing. After all, they¡¯re both adults. But when she saw him with another woman, she felt bad. Do you think there¡¯s something wrong with¡­¡± Gwen let out a burp. She said, ¡°This friend¨Cshe¡¯s really a friend, not me.¡± Caroline smiled and patiently waited for Gwen to finish. +15 BONUS Then, berbime dad tien you your trend¨Cdoes she like this man? ¡°No, I think? ¡°If she doesn¡¯t like him, why was she jealous when she saw him with another woman?¡± ¡°Jealous ¡°Gwen waves a hand ¡°No, no You¡¯re mistaken. This friend of mine is very open¨Cminded when ites to rtionships. There¡¯s no way she¡¯s jealous¡± Caroline smiled and took a sip of beer. ¡°Even if someone¡¯s open¨Cminded, they will still get jealous when ites to someone they like If they don¡¯t, that means they don¡¯t care.¡± Gwen couldn¡¯t help but feel stunned at her words She stopped Caroline from drinking further. Caroline thought about the gift Avery had given her. Even though she knew it was something Avery had done intentionally, she still couldn¡¯t get over it. All of this was because she cared Her ss swayed, and icy liquid sshed on her fingertips. Caroline snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the quiet Gwen. ¡°Gwen?¡± Gwen answered incoherently Right then, she finally came back to her senses and looked at Caroline. Caroline said, ¡°Gwen, if you¨Cyour friend really likes this man, there¡¯s no harm in trying.¡± Gwen¡¯s heart was racing wildly. After a moment, she took a sip of beer. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about my friend anymore. Let¡¯s talk about you and Kirk. How are things? Have you guys made up?¡± Caroline drank a mouthful of beer and answered frankly, ¡°No.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s all because of that bitch¡¯s photos? If you really feel bad, you should dump it!¡± Caroline shook her head. ¡°It has to do with the photos, but also not. I¡¯m only afraid ¡°Afraid? Afraid of what?¡± Caroline pressed her lips together. After a long while, she said bitterly, ¡°Have you seen the kind of news where the husband is a murderer and the wife only finds out when the policee knocking?¡± Gwen sobered in an instant. ¡°Kirk¡­¡± Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Caroline shook her head. ¡°What are you thinking? I¡¯m only giving an example. It¡¯s been a few months since I married Kirk, I think. I¡¯ve met his family too. But for some reason, I feel like the person I know isn¡¯t the real him. It¡¯s just a persona he¡¯s showing me.¡± Gwen replied, ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll get to know him more if you spend more time together.¡± i ¡°Maybe.¡± Caroline half¨Cheartedly put her hair up. ¡°Enough, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Let¡¯s drink!¡± Gwen raised her ss and was about to clink it with Caroline¡¯s. But then her gaze fell on Caroline¡¯s neck. ¡°Carol, what happened to your neck?¡± It didn¡¯t look like a hickey. On the contrary, it looked like someone had throttled her. Caroline remembered the marks and put her hair back down. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Is Kirk abusing you?¡± Gwen sprung up as she said this. ¡°I¡¯ll kill him!¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± Caroline pulled at Gwen. ¡°It has nothing to do with Kirk. It was Eddy.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go look for him!¡± Gwen grabbed a beer bottle and headed for the door. Caroline hurriedly stopped her. ¡°Gwen, I¡¯m fine. You¡¯re drunk. Calm down first.¡± Gwen was truly somewhat drunk. Her body swayed. Feeling awful, she slumped in a corner and puked into a trash can. When Caroline saw this, she waited until Gwen finished before handing her some tissues and water. As a cool breeze blew past. Gwen finally felt a bit more alert. She looked up at Caroline in pain. ¡°Why did that asshole go to see you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Caroline pulled Gwen up. ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Gwen slumped against Caroline¡¯s shoulder and sobbed. ¡°Carol, my poor Carol. If Kirk dares do anything bad to you, I¡¯ll castrate him!¡± As she said this, a pair of long legs appeared before her. Gwen thought she was hallucinating until a low voice sounded in her ear. It was then that she realized she was sure of what she was seeing. +15 B?NUS ¡°You won¡¯t get that chance.¡± Kirk walked up inrge strides and pushed Gwen over to Sean behind him. Then, he pulled Caroline over and looked her up and down. His gaze settled on the bright red marks on her fair neck, ¡°Eddy did this?¡± Surprised by Kirk¡¯s sudden appearance, Caroline froze. Then, she turned to look at Gwen. Sean had already helped Gwen to his car. By the looks of it, Gwen was obediently leaning against Sean. They seemed perfectly fine together. Caroline stopped worrying and looked back at Kirk. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± Caroline felt a bit pressured. ¡°What¡¯s the point of talking about it?¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze darkened. He pushed Caroline up against the wall. Caroline felt frantic. They were by a busy road, and there were quite a lot of people about. ¡°Kirk¡­¡± Kirk wasn¡¯t moved. He held onto Caroline¡¯s wrists and pulled her into a dark alley. Darkness enveloped Caroline, while Kirk¡¯s masculine scent sent her heart into a frenzy. Kirk held her arms over her head. His warm breath brushed against her face, scorching her. He kissed her fair neck. It was soft like a feather. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Caroline¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Chapter 178 A long whileter, Caroline finally came back to herself and pushed Kirk away. Her voice was softer as she said, ¡°My legs are numb.¡± Kirk stepped back and bent to pick Caroline up. ¡°Then let¡¯s go home.¡± Caroline looked at Kirk through the warm yellow streetlights. Kirk¡¯s gaze was deep and determined. His eyes were perfect. If she had met Kirk before Eddy, she would have surely fallen for him. She would have sacrificed everything for him without regret, just as she had eight years ago. But she wasn¡¯t that person anymore. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She wasn¡¯t the same brave girl as eight years ago. She leaned her head gently into Kirk¡¯s embrace, silently listening to his strong heartbeat. She didn¡¯t want to think about the future. At least this moment was real. Since Caroline had a few drinks, she fell asleep as soon as she got home. Kirk carried her to the master bedroom on the second floor. By the time he covered her with a nket, the red marks on her neck had faded. Still, Kirk¡¯s heart tightened because of it. He took out his phone and called Charles. ¡°Get someone to teach Eddy a lesson.¡± Charles was confused by this. ¡°Sir, do you mean your nephew?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charles paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Alright, sir.¡± Although he really wanted to know why, Charles knew better than to ask questions he shouldn¡¯t. ¡°Did you find the person I asked you about?¡± Kirk stood on the balcony. Bathed in moonlight, the shadows made his straight figure seem to sway. Charles quickly reacted. He said, ¡°We found her. We¡¯re training her now.¡± +15 BONUS Kirk nodded slightly. Then he said, ¡°How are the discussions going for the purchase of those entertainmentpanies?¡± ¡°They¡¯re in progress. We can make an announcement next month at thetest.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Kirk hung up and walked back into the bedroom. In the moonlight, Caroline¡¯s sleeping face was peaceful. Her tensed forehead was rxed now. She didn¡¯t look as disdainful as she had before. Kirk smiled and bent down to kiss her red lips. Meanwhile, Sean had taken Gwen home. She was currently supporting herself against the toilet bowl and puking her guts out. After she finished, she seemed to be more sober. When she thought of Sean outside, her face turned red. Right then, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Gwen, are you okay?¡± Sean felt very worried. (1 When he¡¯d found out that Caroline and Gwen were together, Sean had dragged Kirk over to the restaurant. As soon as he¡¯d spotted Gwen, Sean had felt something he couldn¡¯t describe. It was as if he had undergone an arduous journey and found the delicacy that he had always wanted. When Gwen didn¡¯t respond inside the toilet, Sean started panicking. He turned the door handle. ¡± Gwen ¡­¡± The next second, Gwen pulled the door open. She said listlessly, ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet.¡± Sean let out a breath. ¡°I brought you some medicine. You¡¯ll feel better after taking them.¡± Gwen looked up and nced at Sean. After that, she followed him to the living room. There was a ss of water and some pills on the coffee table. ¡°I bought some candy a few days ago. If the medicine is bitter, you can take this first.¡± Sean handed a jar of candy to Gwen. The seal hadn¡¯t even been broken yet. Gwen stared at Sean. Realizing it btedly, Sean hurriedly tore off the seal and handed the jar to Gwen. Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Gwen looked at Sean and saw how he seemed to be carefully trying to get on her good side. She felt displeased. ¡°I¡¯m not that difficult.¡± As she said this, Gwen tossed the pills into her mouth. Then, she picked up the ss of water and drank it all. Sean watched this silently. Once Gwen was done, she smiled. ¡°Iid out the bed for you¡­¡± ¡°Hold it!¡± Gwen got up and said casually, ¡°Sean, about what happenedst time. It was a unique urrence. You¡¯re Kirk¡¯s friend, and I¡¯m Caroline¡¯s friend. There¡¯s no avoiding some interaction between us. Let¡¯s use this opportunity to work this out.¡± Sean was taken aback. ¡°How do you want to settle it?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s pretend it never happened.¡± Seeing Sean pause, Gwen patted his shoulder in a chummy manner. ¡°You¡¯re not looking for me to take responsibility, are you?¡± When she said this, their eyes met. It seemed as though a spark of electricity had traveled between them. Gwen quickly looked away. Her voice was small as she said, ¡°Please, it¡¯s the 21st century. It¡¯s not the Middle Ages anymore. It¡¯s just a romp in the sheets. What¡¯s the big deal about it?¡± ¡°So, to you, this is something simple andmon?¡± Sean asked softly. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Gwen could hear some sadness in his voice. She blinked rapidly. ¡°What else? Don¡¯t men and women get together just because of that? It¡¯s not because of romance.¡± There was some slight amusement in Sean¡¯s expression. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. Alright, I understand what you mean.¡± ¡°Then¡­ Then I¡¯m leaving now.. After Gwen said this, she quickly ran off. It was only when she got downstairs that she realized she was still annoyed. It was such a pain. Hadn¡¯t she already made things clear with Sean? +15 BONUS The next morning, Caroline saw some medicine by her bed when she woke up. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Kirk¡¯s shadow fell on the bed. Caroline looked up and saw his toned abdomen. She let out a squeak. ¡°Eat the medicine. There¡¯s a good girl.¡± Caroline got up and obediently ate the pills. Kirk smiled brilliantly. ¡°I bought breakfast. Come downstairs for it?¡± Caroline nodded. She kept her gaze lowered the whole time, fearful of looking at Kirk. She was afraid that her heart would soften into a puddle if she did. Kirk sat opposite her and looked at her. Seeing how meek she was, he smiled and said nonchntly, ¡°I heard you agreed to thepany¡¯s ultimatum?¡± Jules had already called Kirk and told him about it the second Caroline agreed to it. He was scared that Kirk would be mad. Caroline raised her head. ¡°How did you find out?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he asked, ¡°Do you know Corvin French? He¡¯s very picky with designs. Once, when he was coborating with some otherpany, he found that their designs didn¡¯t fit his sense of aesthetics.¡± He added, ¡°He was willing to pay ten million dors to break the contract rather than continue. Designing something that Corvin will be satisfied with isn¡¯t easy.¡± This was the first time Caroline had heard about it Still, she said, ¡°Although I¡¯m notpletely confident, this is very important to me. I¡¯m a newbie without any experience. If I get Corvin¡¯s approval, it will help my position in thepany.¡± Kirk narrowed his eyes and assessed Caroline. The smile lines around his eyes became deeper. It seemed that Caroline had grown up. ¡°Do you need help?¡± Caroline looked up into Kirk¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re going to help me with the design?¡± +15 BONUS Kirk extended his long legs. Under the sun, his bright smile was particrly dashing. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about design. But I can tell you that Corvin has been spending thest few days frantically looking for some authentic Vithalian pizza.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Caroline was stunned for a moment. ¡°You. How do you know this? Do you ¡­ Corvin?¡± know That couldn¡¯t be, right? Corvin was a huge name in the skincare industry. How could Kirk possibly¡­ know him? Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Kirk didn¡¯t answer Caroline¡¯s question. Instead, he gestured with his chin. ¡°The car¡¯s here.¡± It was then that Caroline noticed it was past 9 am. She hurriedly shoved a slice of bread into her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± Even after Caroline got into the car, her mind was still filled with what Kirk had said. Corvin had spent the past few days frantically looking for Vithalian pizza. Caroline pursed her lips. When she arrived at the design department, she felt like everyone was looking at her strangely. They looked as though they were taking pleasure in her misfortune. It was as if something big had happened. After Caroline walked into her office, she called Cheryl over. The second Cheryl came in, she quickly said, ¡°Caroline, we¡¯re in trouble.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Just now I heard them say that Corvin French is here.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Caroline raised an eyebrow. ¡°Then where is he now?¡± ¡°He just left. Apparently, Vivian got him toe here. Plus, he¡¯s already looked at her design and Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. praised it. He¡¯s really pleased¡­¡± The more Cheryl spoke, the quieter she became. ¡°Caroline ¡­ you¡­ Caroline was silent for a moment before smiling. ¡°Then has Mr. French decided to use Vivian¡¯s design?¡± Cheryl answered, ¡°Not yet. But from the way they¡¯re talking about it, it seems like it.¡± Caroline was still smiling. ¡°That means he hasn¡¯t decided yet.¡± ¡°It seems you won¡¯t give up until the very end, Ms. Evans.¡± Vivian had just walked Corvin out. She¡¯d overheard Caroline as she¡¯d been passing by. Confident about winning, Vivian couldn¡¯t help but mock Caroline. Caroline looked up and smiled at Vivian. ¡°I don¡¯t have many strengths, but I¡¯m very patient. I won¡¯t give up easily before the results are out.¡± Vivian stood straighter and said sarcastically, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so energetic. But after what happened yesterday, I doubt you can get Eddy to help you anymore, right?¡± +15 BONUS Her words made people burst out inughter. Vivian walked a few steps closer. Sheughed without inhibition. ¡°The man who came to drive you home must be your husband, right? Your taste is really questionable. It¡¯s no wonder that your family broke off their rtionship with you considering you gave up a Morrison for a poor chauffeur.¡± Caroline wasn¡¯t bothered to retort She looked up and said ndly, ¡°Ms. Patterson, it¡¯s office hours right now. If you¡¯d like to chat about my private life, I¡¯ll have countless hours to apany you in doing that after work.¡± The smile froze on Vivian¡¯s face. But she grinned again and went close to Caroline¡¯s ear. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Caroline, you better enjoy yourst day. Tomorrow, your position will be mine. Once she said that, she flounced back to her office in her high heels, looking like she¡¯d already won. Cheryl was close to bursting with anger. ¡°Caroline¡­¡± Caroline waved a hand. ¡°Cheryl, help me buy some things.¡± Caroline gave Cheryl a list filled with food items. ¡°Caroline, what is this?¡± ¡°Just buy what¡¯s on the list. Go on.¡± Holding the list, Cheryl looked at Caroline worriedly. ¡°Caroline, you weren¡¯t driven mad by Vivian, right? You¡¯re not trying to stuff yourself in response, are you? You don¡¯t have to listen to her¡­¡± Caroline cut Cheryl off and said, ¡°Go quickly.¡± After sending Cheryl off, Carolien called Jules. When Jules found out Caroline wanted to use thepany¡¯s kitchen, he was stunned. ¡°Of course you can. You can use whatever else thepany has.¡± But then, he seemed to think of something. Heforted her. ¡°Ms. Evans, one failure actually proves nothing. If you regret it, I can talk to Vivian The ultimatum doesn¡¯t have to be enforced tomorrow.¡± Carolineughed. ¡°Mr. Hawkins, even if it¡¯s a verbal agreement, it¡¯s still binding. Besides, there was a witness present, so it¡¯s effective. Since I¡¯ve already agreed to it, going against my word would be bad, right?¡± Jules¡® mouth twitched. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Jules was afraid that his boss would be unhappy if Caroline lost Ms Evans, you mean. It¡¯s nothing Tm heading to the cafeteria now After saying that, Caroline hung up the phone As he held onto his phone. Jules suddenly felt like he was holding a hot potato instead, Why was such a horrible idea suggested anyway? It was an awful n to let Caroline and Woan Now look what was happening it seemed like Caroline had lost, and he would have to gure up his position as president The news of Caroline cooking in thepany kitchen quickly spread to thepany chat group For a moment, she became the wholepany¡¯s target of mockery ¡°Is she grang up on herself after funding out that she lost?¡± ¡°I have no words at all. Is she here to work or to cook? If she loves cooking so much, the should have interviewed to be a cook from the start ¡°She¡¯s just a useless bimbo who only thinks about falling in love. A good opportunity bril mio her lep, and she thought she had the skills to actually do something But when push came to shove, she found out just how weak she is ¡°We¡¯ll definitely have something tough about tomorrow¡± These were the kinds of things the other employees said Stending by the side, Cheryl watched as Caroline kneaded some dough. She went up to help several times, but Caroline rejected her each time Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Go back to work ¡°Caroline wiped the sweat from her forehead Cheryl didn¡¯t want to go back to the office Everyone in the office was mocking Caroline Chest telt bad just listeluing to it Caroline, let me stay with you here What are you thaking? Pastries or pasta? know how to make Caroline Tooked up You dor +15 BONUS ¡°Yes, I used to cook all the time as a kid when my parents weren¡¯t home.¡± Caroline gave it some thought. ¡°Alright then. Help me prepare the ingredients.¡± Cheryl looked at the ingredients ced on the side. There were cheese, tomatoes, and basil. Realization struck her. ¡°Caroline, are you making pizza?¡± Caroline nodded. She put the kneaded dough to one side to let it rise. Working together, Caroline and Cheryl managed to produce an authentic Vithalian pizza within an hour. Vithalian pizza waspletely different from what was usually avable on the market here. The pizza base was thin and crisp. Though there were only three ingredients spread across its surface, the pizza looked simple yet enticing. Cheryl said in a small voice, ¡°Wow, Caroline. Do you usually make pizza at home?¡± Caroline replied, ¡°This is my first time making it.¡± She had searched online for the recipe, so she didn¡¯t even know if it was an authentic one. ¡°Your first time?¡± There were other people in the kitchen watching. When they heard this, they could barely believe their ears. ¡°Yes.¡± Caroline looked at her audience. There was nock of skilled cooks there. She held up the te and asked humbly, ¡°Has anyone tried authentic Vithalian pizza? Can you try this for me?¡± The onlookers exchanged looks with each other. Right then, a tall and thin cook squeezed his way forward. He was quite handsome. ¡°I¡¯ve been to Vithali, and I¡¯ve tasted Vithalian pizza too. Your pizza looked very simr to what the Vithalians make. Why don¡¯t I try it for you?¡± Caroline handed the pizza to the man. The man tasted it. He couldn¡¯t help but give Caroline a thumbs up. ¡°It tastes simr! Wait, no. I should say that it¡¯spletely identical to an authentic Vithalian pizza! Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Caroline became amused at the look on the man¡¯s face. ¡°Really?¡± she asked. ¡°Why would I lie?¡± Caroline was relieved. She packed up a portion of the pizza and gave the rest to the cafeteria¡¯s staff. Watching Caroline leave, the staff went over to the cook, who had tried the pizza. ¡°Hey, this design director doesn¡¯t seem as ¡­ useless as the others say. At least she seems quite talented when ites to cooking.¡± The man looked at Caroline¡¯s retreating figure and smiled sunnily. ¡°Do you think a normal person could handle a picky man like Eddy Morrison?¡± He said this so quietly that the others didn¡¯t hear it. Armed with her pizza, Caroline headed to the hotel where Corvin was staying. Thepany had arranged this hotel for him. So after informing the staff of her identity, Caroline had no trouble getting through. Soon, she arrived at the door to Corvin¡¯s hotel room. She knocked on the door. It swung open. At the sight of Kirk standing there, Caroline got a huge shock. She took another look at the room number and checked that it was the right one. Then, she looked at Kirk and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Kirk¡¯s eyes held a hint of amusement. He angled himself away to let Caroline in. Right then, Caroline noticed that there was an old man standing behind Kirk. The old man was about five feet and nine inches tall, which wasn¡¯t short at all. Standing next to Kirk, though, the old man seemed tiny. When the old man saw Caroline, he gave Kirk a thumbs up. ¡°Morrison, you¡¯re amazing. You even predicted that I¡¯d get a visitor today.¡± Caroline looked at Kirk with a raised eyebrow. Kirk let out a chuckle. +15 BONUS As Rite and Carolinemunicated with each other soundlessly, the old man eyed them up and down. He smiled and said. ¡°You must be Thorne Corporation¡¯s design director, Caroline Evans, right?¡± Only then did Caroline look at the man. She extended her hand politely. ¡°How do you do, Mr. French? Corvin replied, ¡°Come in then¡± Caroline nodded and followed Corvin into the room The room was a presidential suite. Stepping inside, the first thing she saw was a huge floor¨Cto- ceiling window. One could see the streets from here. The three sat on a couch before the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window. Corvin looked at Kirk meaningfully. Then, he said to Caroline, ¡°Ms. Evans, you¡¯re here about the design, aren¡¯t you?¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°Yes, but notpletely.¡± Corvin was immediately intrigued. ¡°Oh, but what other reason would you have toe see me?¡± Caroline took out the pizza that she had so meticulously prepared. She ced it in front of Corvin. ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve been craving authentic Vithalian pizza recently. I made this ording to an online tutorial Would you like to have a taste?¡± When she removed the lid, a strong aroma filled the air. Corvin¡¯s eyes sparkled. He inhaled deeply and said, Ah, what a familiar smell!¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. After saying this, he couldn¡¯t help but pick up a slice. He rolled the slice of pizza into a tube and bit into it. He looked like a child who had gotten a toy. He sighed in contentment. ¡°This is the Vithalian pizza I¡¯ve been dreaming about for so long! It¡¯s delicious! I¡¯ve been going mad looking for pizza these past few days. There¡¯s no Vithalian pizza on the market here. ¡°You know the worst part? There¡¯s even pineapple on pizza here. No! That¡¯s a crime against humanity!¡± When one ate, one typically disyed one¡¯s true side. Caroline watched as Corvin franticallyined. She found that it was nearly impossible to see him as the skincare expert he was. She smiled as she listened. When her gaze shifted, she identally met Kirk¡¯s eyes. +15 B?NUS As they looked into each other¡¯s eyes, Caroline¡¯s heart started racing. She hurriedly looked away. Kirk smiled. When he saw her earlobes turn pink, he asked happily, ¡°Do you have more?¡± Caroline fumbled at Kirk¡¯s question. ¡°N¨Cno. I only brought one portion.¡± It was then that Corvin realized he had be too agitated. He¡¯d already put his hands on the pizza Caroline brought. ¡°Morrison, if you want some, I¡¯ll have my assistant order you one?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Kirk smiled. ¡°I only wanted to have Ms. Evans¡® pizza.¡± Corvin took another bite of pizza before putting it down. He turned to both of them. ¡°Do you two know each other?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t!¡± Caroline blurted it out. After saying this, she looked guiltily at Kirk. She quickly changed the topic. ¡°Mr. French, I didn¡¯t juste here to bring you pizza. There¡¯s something else.¡± Since they were getting to the main point, Corvin sat more properly. ¡°If you think you can win me over with a pizza, Ms. Evans, I¡¯m sorry. When ites to the packaging design, I won¡¯t step down.¡± His straightforwardness amused Caroline. ¡°Sir, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m here for.¡± Corvin was surprised. ¡°Then you¡­¡± ¡°I just want to talk to you about what you think of artistry and skincare. Will you give me this chance?¡± Corvin looked at Caroline, his eyes sparkling. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Then we¡­¡± Caroline took out the questions she had prepared in advance. Then, she looked at the expressionless Kirk. ¡°Are we chatting here?¡± Corvin replied, ¡°Yes, here.¡± Caroline could only nod. She turned on her tablet and started chatting smoothly with Cervin At the start, Caroline found it a little strange since Kirk was there. But gradually, as she started talking deeper with Corvin, she was sucked into his world. She was very focused and forgot about everything else around her. * tay it spes 1 2 5 He wse etually jeethers the wind 116 Time passed quickly Carolin and Carvin chatt It was at 1 pin when the twn finished their tex Carshine had learned a lot Grateful, she stood up and said, ¡°Thank you, Mr French¡± Corvin smiled There¡¯s no need to thank me It was very enjoyable to talk to you I haven¡¯t had so much fun talking about all of this in a long time¡± *Then I¡¯ll be leaving how I won¡¯t disturb your rest Kirk Also got up He said to Corvin, I¡¯m leaving too Corvin stopped Kirk Morrison, don¡¯t leave yet I still have something to say to you¡± Kirk frowned Caroline smiled at tum There was a slightly mischievous look in her eyes ¡°Bye, Mr French Caroline opened the door Corvin walked Caroline to the door personally and bade her goodbye Kirk took this chance to send Caroline a text It read, ¡°Wait for me downstairs,¡± Corvin returned just as Kirk sent it. When Corvin saw Kirk ying with his phone, heughed. ¡± Texting that girl just now? A vague smile appeared on Kirk¡¯s face ¡°Why did you ask me to stay?¡± Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Corvin was behaving mysteriously. ¡°Do you really not know that girl?¡± Kirk turned his phone in circles in his hand. Then, he sat back down and pillowed his head on both palms. ¡°Depends on how you define ¡®know.¡± Corvin said, ¡°I think there¡¯s something different about the way you look at her. Honestly, are you two dating? Did youe here to put in a good word for her? ¡°There are some things I need to rify. It¡¯s not that I won¡¯t help out my friends. But I¡¯ve always been a fair person. Even if you put in a word for her, I won¡¯t help.¡± Kirk smiled. ¡°But I didn¡¯t mention a word of thepetition tomorrow.¡± Corvin asked, ¡°You¡¯re really not here to help that girl out?¡± ¡°No.¡± Corvin finally rxed. ¡°And you don¡¯t know each other?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t say a word. Corvin took this response as an admission. He put a hand against his chest. ¡°I thought you liked her too. But now that I think about it, how could a workaholic possibly have someone he likes? Alright, there¡¯s nothing else now.¡± Kirk picked up his coat and put it over his arm. He waved goodbye to Corvin before hurriedly going downstairs. As he¡¯d expected, Kirk didn¡¯t find Caroline downstairs. He smiled. Caroline was still mad. He was just about to call Caroline when he got a call from Charles. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve already found who took the madam to Saint Pierre Grand Hotel.¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze hardened. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Charles looked at the document. ¡°It was someone her mother hired.¡± Kirk¡¯s blood nearly froze. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve caught the person. The person who transferred him money is Sarah White¡­¡± .¡± Charles hesitated before saying, ¡°What next, sir?¡± The madam had it so bad. The person going against her was actually her mother! +15 B?NUS Kirk¡¯s eyebrows furrowed tightly. His fistnded on the car door. ¡°Send me the information first.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Caroline received Kirk¡¯s message when she was in the elevator. However, her head was filled with inspiration for design, so she didn¡¯t want to dy a single moment. Caroline rushed to thepany and started revising the design she had created before. She worked hard to bring the design in her mind to life perfectly. She worked from the afternoon all the way into the night. Finally, she finished up with all the details. ¡°Caroline.¡± Cheryl came in with some coffee. Only when she saw Caroline putting down her pencil did she dare to say softly, ¡°You must be tired. Have some water. Should I order some takeout for you?¡± Caroline nced at the time. ¡°No need. I¡¯ll go home and eat. Why didn¡¯t you head home?¡± ¡°You hadn¡¯t left, so I¡­¡± Caroline smiled and rubbed her sore neck. ¡°Next time, you can go home first if there¡¯s no work.¡± Cheryl replied, ¡°You¡¯re a good person, Caroline.¡± Caroline smiled as she cleared up her things. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll get my driver to drop you home.¡± Cheryl hurriedly waved her hands. ¡°No, there¡¯s no need! I¡¯ll just take the subway home.¡± ¡°Where do you live?¡± ¡°Acre Apartments.¡± ¡°It¡¯s on the way. Let¡¯s go.¡± After saying this, Caroline didn¡¯t give Cheryl any chance to reject her. She walked straight toward the elevator. Cheryl looked at Caroline¡¯s back. She felt very grateful toward this superior of hers. The two went downstairs together, where Jack had already been waiting for more than three hours. When Jack saw Caroline, he was frantic. ¡°I thought you¡¯d left, miss. Although Caroline had told Jack to call her Caroline many times, he kept calling her ¡°miss.¡± Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Chapter 184 An unkly and, spam fost ter that est entitled to an exnation Please, do get Cheryl stood to the side and watched as Jack opened the door for Caroline Then, she regarded the Intejoy of the car and felt quat adato go She said lowly to Caroline ¡°Cartine your family eats you so well. They even prepared a car just to take you ces Cheryl¡¯s mention tarily are like a knife stabbing into Caroline¡¯s heart Caroline lowered her head, hufing the hurt in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not an arrangement by my family It¡¯s by the company¡® Cheryl was taken aback ¡°Thepany? Then why don¡¯t the other directors get such treatment?¡± From what she¡¯d seen, all the other directors drove themselves to and from work. Caroline was stunned. ¡°What did you say? They were speaking so quietly that Jack couldn¡¯t hear it from the front seat Jack kept his focus on driving I said ¡°Cheryl began, ¡°the other directors all drive themselves¡± Caroline looked up to nce at Jack, her eyebrowsing together loosely. Cheryl asked ¡°Caroline, did I say something wrong? Caroline shook her head and said nothing else. Jack drove Cheryl to Acre Apartments before changing directions to send Caroline back to the Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. vi On the way home, Caroline didn¡¯t say anything When the car stopped and Jack got ready to get down, Caroline finally spoke up ¡®Mr Jack Jack¡¯s professional instincts made him freeze ¡®Yes, miss ¡°Why don¡¯t thepany¡¯s other directors have a car to take them to and from work?¡± Jack felt cold sweat drip down his face. He instinctively wanted to look toward the vi, but he forced himself not to. ¡°Mr. Jack! Caroline¡¯s voice rose. ¡°Is this a very tough question to answer?¡± +15 BONUS Jack swallowed. In a split second, he suddenly remembered what Kirk had ordered before. He said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s like this, miss. You¡¯re the design director thepany has hired on for life. Thus, the treatment you get is different from the others¡­ It¡¯s just that thepany doesn¡¯t advertise this arrangement to other people. Otherwise, they might be jealous.¡± This answer was perfectly logical. Caroline didn¡¯t suspect anything. She pushed open the door and got out of the car. She took two steps forward before turning back. ¡°This means you won¡¯t be sending me to and from work if I lose tomorrow?¡± Jack felt as though someone were strangling him. He didn¡¯t know how to answer. Caroline figured that Jack felt put on the spot. She smiled. ¡°Alright, go off then.¡± Jack felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He stepped on the gas, and the car sped off with a vroom. He was scared that Caroline might ask him more questions he couldn¡¯t answer. Caroline turned to walk into the vi! It was dark inside, so Caroline assumed that Kirk hadn¡¯t returned yet. She turned on the lights and spotted Kirk sitting on the couch in a second. He was slumped on the couch. His figure looked lonely. When he heard the noise, Kirk turned. Fatigue was clear on his face. There was also pain in his expression, which Caroline couldn¡¯t understand. Caroline moved forward hesitantly. ¡°What is it? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Kirk raised a hand. ¡°Come here.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t understand what was going on, but she still approached him. As she got near, Kirk pulled her into his embrace. Caroline thought that Kirk was messing around again. Yet he unexpectedly tucked his face into the crook of her neck. He held onto her waist tightly. It was as if he wanted to melt into her very bones. His unusual behavior made Caroline feel panicked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Kirk¡¯s nose was at Caroline¡¯s corbones. He sniffed her familiar scent. But all that came to his mind were all the things Sarah had done to Caroline during this time. He couldn¡¯t imagine how Caroline¡¯s small, fragile body would handle her parents¡® betrayal. Kirk hugged Caroline even tighter! ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just want to hug you. Caroline felt her heartstrings being plucked and trembled minutely. She allowed Kirk to hold her. All was quiet around them. It seemed as though there were an invisible ribbon tying their hearts together. As she listened to Kirk¡¯s heartbeat, Caroline started to feel sleepy. Suddenly, a coldness spread from her corbone. Caroline got a fright, and whatever sleepiness she felt disappeared without a trace. She opened her eyes wide and saw Kirk biting her corbone, sucking gently. ¡°Are you a dog?¡± Caroline really didn¡¯t know what to do with him. Kirk looked up and touched the pretty red mark on Caroline¡¯s corbone. ¡°From now on, you¡¯re mine.¡± Caroline felt embarrassed by this. She pushed Kirk away. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Kirk got up and went to bring some dishes out of the kitchen. Caroline picked up her cutlery and started to eat. Kirk sat opposite her and watched her quietly. After a long time, he said, ¡°Carrie, let¡¯s have a baby.¡± This was the second time Caroline had heard this request. But what she felt now waspletely different from what she had felt before. Caroline paused before continuing to eat. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about itter.¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°You¡¯ll definitely be a great mother.¡± +15 BONUS The food in Caroline¡¯s mouth suddenly tasted like nothing. Caroline¡¯s eyes stung. She lowered her head and wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes. ¡°That may not be true People change. Being a mother requires sacrifice. One might be able to ept it at the start, but as thepromises pile up, one might be resentful.¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze was deep as he looked at Caroline. He didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°I am sure of it. You¡¯ll definitely be a great mother.¡± Caroline looked up and saw the confidence in Kirk¡¯s eyes. The ache in her heart began to spread slowly. She gave him a small smile. ¡°Alright.¡± That night, the atmosphere between them was strangely peaceful. It was as if they had gone back to the past. But there was something new between them. As for what it was, Caroline couldn¡¯t be sure. But when she escaped from the sheets, out of breath, she could only feel that Kirk was a little scary tonight. It was only when they had both tired themselves out that Kirk carried Caroline into the bathroom. The next day, Caroline nearly stumbled to the ground when she got off the bed. Kirk reacted quickly and caught her in his embrace. He chuckled deviously. ¡°Be careful, darling.¡± Caroline red at him. Right then, Caroline¡¯s phone buzzed on the bed. It was a call from Gwen. Caroline didn¡¯t give it much thought and answered it immediately. She only realized it was a video call when Gwen¡¯s face appeared on the screen. She quickly switched it to a voice call, but it was toote. Gwen¡¯s exaggerated voice sounded like a siren. ¡°Fuck! Fuck! Carol, why is your neck full of hickeys? Caroline was speechless. She nced at Kirk, who was smiling devilishly. She supported herself against the bed to head to the bathroom. ¡°Are you calling me for anything?¡± When Caroline spoke, she found her voice unbelievably hoarse. Gwen chuckled. ¡°How was it? How was your experience?¡± +15 BONUS Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Caroline answered, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me now, I¡¯m hanging up.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯ve been in a bad moodtely and want to travel. Do you have time?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Caroline then teased, ¡°But I remember you saying that money is for saving and something about travel being a trap to spend money. Why do you suddenly want to travel?¡± For a second, Gwen didn¡¯t have an answer. After a moment, she said, ¡°I¡­ I was just afraid that I might not get the chance to spend all the money I¡¯ve saved.¡± Caroline saw through Gwen, but she didn¡¯t expose her. ¡°The friend you mentionedst time, how is she?¡± Gwen rubbed her head in frustration. ¡°Don¡¯t even bring it up. By the way, you¡¯re going up against that Vivian woman today, right?¡± The change in conversation wasn¡¯t subtle at all. Caroline chuckled. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do your best!¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°I will.¡± After saying that, Caroline took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror. Her sess or failure would all depend on this. By the time Caroline washed up, Kirk had already prepared breakfast downstairs. He seemed different from most other office employees. He had a whole bunch of time every day. And he never rushed to and from work. He acted as though he were the boss of apany, not an employee. ¡°Why were you at Corvin¡¯s yesterday?¡± Caroline had been wanting to ask this. She finally had the chance now. ¡°Do you really know Corvin French?¡± Kirk¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change at all. ¡°Thepany¡¯s management have a project that requires Corvin¡¯s partnership. I went to see him after finding out he was in Easton. As for whether I know him, it depends on how you define the word ¡®know.¡± Caroline¡¯s lips thinned Judging by Corvin¡¯s attitude toward Kirk, Caroline had assumed that they had been friends for +15 BONUS But ording to Kirk, they were only business acquaintances. ¡°Regardless, thank you for the information.¡± Caroline got up and said, ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Kirk watched Caroline leave. It was only after her figure disappeared that the warmth in his eyes cooled into iciness. Caroline had truly grown up. Yet as Caroline got to know more about this world, it became even harder for him to hide his identity. Kirk¡¯s eyes narrowed. As time passed, he smiled in light mockery. The little rabbit he¡¯d raised had grown ws. She was now going to personally rip off his mask! Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Caroline was called to the conference room the moment she arrived at thepany. Everyone in the conference wore a stern expression. But when they saw Caroline, their eyes focused on her intently for a few seconds. Especially Vivian¡¯s. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. There was a look of unbridled mockery in her eyes. Jules said to Caroline regretfully, ¡°Ms. Evans, I¡¯m very sorry. Mr. French¡¯s assistant called this morning and said he has agreed to our partnership. Caroline gave a slight smile. ¡°But this is a good thing. ¡°But..¡± Jules didn¡¯t dare meet Caroline¡¯s eyes. ¡°Mr. French has decided to use Vivian¡¯s design.¡± Caroline¡¯s smile froze for a second but then grew bigger. ¡°Does Mr. French not want to look at my design?¡± ¡°That¡­ seems to be the case.¡± Caroline still maintained her smile. ¡°I think it¡¯s better if he takes a look anyway.¡± ¡°You think?¡± Vivianughed mockingly. ¡°Mr. French¡¯s time is precious. What makes you think he will waste his time on you?¡± Caroline looked at Vivian calmly. ¡°His stubborn pursuit of good packaging makes me think that. All the effort I¡¯ve poured into my design makes me think that.¡± Vivian scoffed. The others startedughing as well. ¡°Ms. Evans, you really are confident in yourself. But sometimes, being too confident is ultimately self¨C defeating,¡± the finance director said. ¡°The Novitius Prize gave you this confidence, right? But the otherpetitors in the Novitius -Contest were hobbyists. Now, you¡¯re facing someone who is an assistant director with a decade of design experience. ¡°When ites down to it, she knows more than you. Losing to Vivian isn¡¯t shameful at all. It¡¯s just getting to know your new ce and going back to where you belong.¡± After he finished speaking, moreughter ensued. Caroline¡¯s gaze fell on Jules. ¡°Mr. Hawkins, I insist on my request.¡± +15 BONUS Jules had a headache. How about this? Mr. French wille over personally to sign the contract in a bit. When the timees, I¡¯ll find a way to show him your design. What do you think?¡± Vivian said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, is there, Mr. Hawkins? It¡¯s a waste of time anyway.¡± Jules wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Just as he was about to speak, his assistant ran inside. ¡°Mr. Hawkins, Mr. French is here.¡± Hearing this, everyone stood up to wee Corvin. After all, he was a respected and seasoned expert in the skincare industry. Jules and Vivian both knew Corvin, so they naturally stood in front. As for Caroline, she was pushed all the way to the back. Corvin arrived at the door of the conference room, led by one of the staff. Vivian went up to him. ¡°Mr. French.¡± Corvin shook hands with Vivian warmly, but his gaze fell on Caroline. ¡°Oh, Ms. Evans, I finally get to see you.¡± Corvin let go of Vivian¡¯s hand and walked toward Caroline. His expression was excited. ¡°I came to see you specifically yesterday, but Vivian told me you weren¡¯t at thepany. I finally get to see you now.¡± The whole conference room became quiet. None of them had expected Corvin to treat Caroline so warmly. They were even more surprised that Corvin hade over yesterday to see Caroline. Especially since, after Corvin¡¯s visit, Vivian had repeatedly mentioned in thepany¡¯s group chat that Corvin hade to see her. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Vivian¡¯s face lost all its color for a second before going back to normal. Mr. French, shouldn¡¯t we sign the contract first? Vivian went forward and reminded him quietly. Corvin said, ¡°Yes, yes. We should sign the contract. It¡¯s all my fault for forgetting everything upon seeing Ms, Evans, 1 As he spoke, he turned toward one of the seats. But Caroline called out to stop him, ¡°Mr. French, can I please make a request?¡± Corvin answered. ¡°Of course you can.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve only seen Ms. Patterson¡¯s design, not mine. May I please take up a little of your time and have you look at my design? Corvin hesitated. ¡°But I¡¯m very happy with Vivian¡¯s design. Is It necessary to look at another one?¡± When Vivian heard this, she smiled in delight. ¡°Did you hear that? ¡®Is it necessary to look at another one? I¡¯ve been a designer for ten years, after all, Caroline. Compared to me, aren¡¯t you just embarrassing yourself and asking to be mocked?¡± When it came to this, many people supported Vivian. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need to waste time either. We should let Mr. French sign the contract quickly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If we dy and something happens, will Ms. Evans be able to deal with the consequences?¡± ¡°Yes, thispany doesn¡¯t belong to you!¡± Faced with everyone¡¯s criticism, Caroline smiled. ¡°I still hope that Mr. French can take a look at it. After all, this is the fruit of my efforts.¡± Corvin hummed for a second. ¡°Alright, I would also like to know what skills you have, Ms. Evans.¡± Caroline nodded slightly and walked out of the conference room. She headed to her office to get her design. When she saw that Caroline had moved far away, Vivian couldn¡¯t help but say to Corvin, ¡°Mr. French, you¡¯re much too kind. She¡¯s just a new designer without any experience. If it wasn¡¯t for the mistake during thepetition, she wouldn¡¯t have be Thorne Corporation¡¯s design director.¡± Corvin waved a hand. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It won¡¯t take much time to just look at it.¡± After hearing his response, Vivian had no choice but to let the matter go. Nevertheless, she wasn¡¯t scared. After all, the winner was already set in stone. Right then, Caroline came back with her design. She inserted her pendrive into theputer and disyed her design to Corvin on the big screen. Caroline¡¯s design was very simple. On a huge, nk white canvas, there were only a pair of eyes. The eyes were drawn in a way that made them look full of life. One could see the designer¡¯s skill in the drawing. But the design was just too simple, drawing ridicule from everyone gathered.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± The first tough was the PR director, ¡°So design is such a simple thing. I think after tomorrow, my son, who¡¯s in elementary school can be the design director too.¡± ¡°I was wondering what kind of stunning creation Ms. Evans had produced. It seems it¡¯s just this. After all, she has no experience. She only won out of luckst time.¡± ¡°This is a hobbyist¡¯s level. It seems we still have to rely on Vivian.¡± +15 BONOS ¡°Ms. Evans, although the oue of thispetition was decided from the start, you shouldn¡¯t have given up on yourself. I can¡¯t believe you handed such a thing in. You might as well not have done anything at all.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t care about them. She looked over at Corvin. ¡°Mr. French.¡± Corvin loved the eyes Caroline had drawn. The eyes seemed to jump from the page and had some magic. It was soulful and forced people to take more looks at it. Even so, Corvin was a fair person. He had to say, ¡°I still think Vivian¡¯s twelve- flower design moves me more.¡± Caroline wasn¡¯t dejected at all. She smiled faintly. ¡°The twelve¨Cflower design is beautiful, but it has no marketing value to speak of.¡± Once she said this, the room burst into amotion, Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Vn¡¯s expression changed slightly ¡°Cantine, you¡¯ve lost. Are you going to badmouth my work just because of that? Your characteris just as bad as your designs. Now know why you only managed to marry a diver Convis raised an eyebrow when he heard this. He¡¯d thought that there was something between Caroline and Kirk. But it turned out that Caroline was already married. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. He was just about to speak when Caroline spoke softly Mr. French, I admit that you are a renowned and respected name in the skincare industry. When we talked about artistry a few days ago. 1 thought you disagreed that artistry also needed to serve business purposes. That¡¯s why your products are so good, but not all consumers agree ¡± Caroline was going overboard by saying such things to such a renowned expert in the field. Everyone turned pate from fright. They were scared that Corvin would change his mind and refuse to sign the contract with Thorne Corporation. Even Jules thought Caroline was being too bold. However, the next second, the conference room was filled with Corvin¡¯s boomingughter. ¡°How interesting. I¡¯ve been thinking about this all these years as well. Why do my products not sell as well now as they did more than ten years ago? At the beginning, I thought I was too old to catch up with the times. ¡°But then I wondered what skill had to do with the changing times. As long as my products achieve their skincare effects, lots of people would still buy them. I¡¯ve achieved this, so why do the sales drop every year? ¡°I wondered if there wasn¡¯t enough promotion or the wrong marketing strategy. But now you¡¯ve given me a new line of thought, Ms. Evans. You¡¯ve really given me something new to think about. ¡°About ten years ago, when one of my moisturizing masks became popr, I became a big shot in the skincare world. But before the mask got popr, I was a poor nobody selling my masks everywhere I could¡­¡± As Corvin talked of the past, he became moved. ¡°I remember being very unhappy with the packaging of the mask when it came out. I went to thepany to put up a fight about it, but nobody gave me the time of day. ¡°Then, I became popr and had more leverage to speak. When it came to my products¡® packaging, I insisted on choosing them myself, You¡¯re right. In my eyes, artistry is more important than business.¡± ¡°But the consumers don¡¯t care about this.¡± Caroline said lowly. ¡°If they want to immerse themselves in art, they can very well go to an art museum. The point of our products is to sell them to consumers. This is a business practice. ¡°Especially with new products, our packaging design must be simple and to the point. We must make consumers remember thern at a nce. That¡¯s why I designed my packaging to use the purest white.¡± She added, ¡°Of course, Ms. Patterson¡¯s design isn¡¯tpletely devoid ofmercial value. Once the product gains a name for itself on the market, we can definitely use this packaging to push a new concept and excite the market.¡± After Caroline said all this, no one in the room spoke. In their eyes, Caroline was someone with no experience at all. But now, they couldn¡¯t help but feel respect for her. This wasn¡¯t something a newbie could say! ¡°Um¡­¡± Jules was the first to collect himself. He broke the silence. ¡°Mr. French¡­¡± Vivian also came back to herself after the shock. She looked nervously at Corvin. ¡°Mr. French, don¡¯t be fooled by her silver tongue. As an experienced designer, my designs have both artistic andmercial value. But Caroline¡¯s design only hasmercial value. Although consumers will remember it at a nce, no one will buy such an ugly design.* Everyone suicidy booked so is contin one¡¯s deg Only then do they do the sens no dang co Sometimes y smiled Sometimes they shed Sometimes they were man Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Telp this is so amazing! He are sould do this without ten years of honing one¡¯s skills!¡± Go and see if an artist with ten years of experience can do something like this. Goodness, this isn¡¯t just some simple design with Commercest value it¡¯s a masterwork with artistic andmercial value!¡± Compared to Caroline¡¯s design Vistan¡¯s twelve¨Clower design became in and uninteresting. Corvin pulled his admiring gare away from Caroline¡¯s design. ¡°Ive decided to use Ms. Evans¡® design! Once he said this, Vivian¡¯s expression Twisted in anger, She bit hey itp hard Just when she was about to speak, Corvin cut her off Vivian¡¯s design is great too, butpared with Ms. Evans Hmm, how should I put it? They¡¯re as different as heaven and earth, Vivian, you need to team more from Ms. Evans.¡± Hisstment made Vivian want to scream Why should she, someone with ten years of experience, learn from a newble? Everyone in the room wore different expressions, but none of them dared to speak. Jules, sighed in relief. He had been worried about Caroline losing to Vivian, who had more experience. If that had happened, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to exin things to his boss. Alter signing the contract, Corvin held Caroline¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°Ms. Evans, I hope to meet you again when I next visit Easton.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°Me too.¡± The two exchanged their contact information and walked all the way downstairs together. There, Corvin got into his car and waved Caroline goodbye. After the car drove away, Corvinmented to himself. ¡°This Ms. Evans Isn¡¯t a simple person. It¡¯s a shame she¡¯s already married. Otherwise, I¡¯d set her up with Morrison.¡± The driver smiled and said from the front seat, ¡°I agree that she would be a good match for Mr. Morrison.¡± Corvin shook his head. ¡°What a shame. What a great shame!¡± Meanwhile, the directors and assistant directors who¡¯de downstairs to see Corvin olf had all changed tacks. They surrounded Caroline and praised her vigorously. ¡°Ms. Evans, you¡¯re amazing. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen Mr. French so satisfied.¡± ¡°Although Ms. Evans has no working experience, she is more far¨Csighted than us. We could never compare.¡± ¡°We should really learn from Ms. Evans.¡± All this and more were said. Vivian watched Caroline, who was surrounded by her admirers. Vivian¡¯s nails dug deep into her palm. Her expression was grim and frightening. 1/1 Chapter 190 +15 BONDS When Caroline returned to the design department, she could feel that the atmosphere was different from before. The way the others looked at her had changed. Their expressions were no longer filled with mockery and disdain. They were full of fear. Caroline knew what they were thinking. She regarded each of them. ¡°The design department allows constructivepetition and also questioning. But it doesn¡¯t allow nder. As long as you do your jobs. no one will make life difficult for you.¡± Her words brought relief to those who had stood behind Vivian before. After saying this, Caroline went to her office. Cheryl followed Caroline into the office. Open admiration filled her face. ¡°Ms. Evans, you¡¯re amazing. I admire you so much! How did you draw those eyes? Can you teach me?¡± Caroline smiled and took out her phone. It was filled with notifications, People from other departments were adding her on social media. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. She epted every one of them The second she put down her phone, someone tagged her *Caroline Evans, we haven¡¯t thrown Ms. Evans a wee party, right? Why don¡¯t we throw one tonight? The following messages were all supportive of the idea Seeing the positivity radiating from these people, Caroline suddenly thought of something. As long as one was capable, Those around that person would be very kind She smiled. She agreed to the n and tossed her phone to one side in the office next door, Vivian grabbed another cup and threw Susan was by her side and nearly got hit. She saw Vivian pick up an expensive pencil holder on the table and rushed toward to stop her. ¡°Viv, calm down. I think your design isparable to Caroline¡¯s. You didn¡¯t lose when it came to design, it¡¯s Susan whispered into Vivian¡¯s ear Vivian¡¯s expression changed into one of disbelief. ¡°Really?¡± *Really. Someone saw Caroline go and see Corvin with their own eyes.¡± Suddenly realizing something, Vivian put the pencil holder down. ¡°No wonder Corvin said he liked my design so much yesterday out changed his mind today, it seems Caroline and Corvin actually- Sher Susan hurriedly put a finger to Vivian¡¯s lips. ¡°Viv, the walls have ears.¡± Vivian said disdainfully, if she dares to do it, she shouldn¡¯t be scared of people talking about it.¡± ¡°Viv, what¡¯s your n for now?¡± Vivian took a deep breath, ¡°I don¡¯t believe she¡¯ll be that lucky every time and encounter men as clients As she spoke, Vivian smiled. Her heaving chest rxed. ¡°Go out first. Take a breather for now. Cartins is in the limelight now, so there¡¯s no need to go head on addict her +15 BONOS freep in thought Caroline was holding onto her phone. She was wondering if she should repte Kirk to the wee party Although the wee party tonight was for thepany¡¯s higher ups, family was invited too but based on her current rtionship with Kink they could be considered reconciled, but there was stiff a sob on the wound But they couldn¡¯t be considered to sto be fighting. After all, they¡¯d been doing what couples id At the thought of this, Caroline fell a headar heing She really couldn¡¯t resist Kirk at all Caroline managed to pull herself out of her thoughts. After more consideration, she decided to call Kirk it may be just as Gwen said. After spending so much time together, whatever fears she had had Chapter 190 Chapter 190 When Caroline returned to the design department, she could feel that the atmosphere was different from before. The way the others looked at her had changed. Their expressions were no longer filled with mockery and disdain. They were full of fear. Caroline knew what they were thinking. She regarded each of them. ¡°The design department allows constructivepetition and also questioning. But it doesn¡¯t allow nder. As long as you do your jobs. no one will make life difficult for you.¡± Her words brought relief to those who had stood behind Vivian before. After saying this, Caroline went to her office. Cheryl followed Caroline into the office. Open admiration filled her face. ¡°Ms. Evans, you¡¯re amazing. I admire you so much! How did you draw those eyes? Can you teach me?¡± Caroline smiled and took out her phone. It was filled with notifications, People from other departments were adding her on social media. She epted every one of them The second she put down her phone, someone tagged her *Caroline Evans, we haven¡¯t thrown Ms. Evans a wee party, right? Why don¡¯t we throw one tonight? The following messages were all supportive of the idea Seeing the positivity radiating from these people, Caroline suddenly thought of something. As long as one was capable, Those around that person would be very kind She smiled. She agreed to the n and tossed her phone to one side in the office next door, Vivian grabbed another cup and threw Susan was by her side and nearly got hit. She saw Vivian pick up an expensive pencil holder on the table and rushed toward to stop her. ¡°Viv, calm down. I think your design isparable to Caroline¡¯s. You didn¡¯t lose when it came to design, it¡¯s Susan whispered into Vivian¡¯s ear Vivian¡¯s expression changed into one of disbelief. ¡°Really?¡± *Really. Someone saw Caroline go and see Corvin with their own eyes.¡± Suddenly realizing something, Vivian put the pencil holder down. ¡°No wonder Corvin said he liked my design so much yesterday out changed his mind today, it seems Caroline and Corvin actually- Sher Susan hurriedly put a finger to Vivian¡¯s lips. ¡°Viv, the walls have ears.¡± Vivian said disdainfully, if she dares to do it, she shouldn¡¯t be scared of people talking about it.¡± ¡°Viv, what¡¯s your n for now?¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Vivian took a deep breath, ¡°I don¡¯t believe she¡¯ll be that lucky every time and encounter men as clients As she spoke, Vivian smiled. Her heaving chest rxed. ¡°Go out first. Take a breather for now. Cartins is in the limelight now, so there¡¯s no need to go head on addict her +15 BONOS freep in thought Caroline was holding onto her phone. She was wondering if she should repte Kirk to the wee party Although the wee party tonight was for thepany¡¯s higher ups, family was invited too but based on her current rtionship with Kink they could be considered reconciled, but there was stiff a sob on the wound But they couldn¡¯t be considered to sto be fighting. After all, they¡¯d been doing what couples id At the thought of this, Caroline fell a headar heing She really couldn¡¯t resist Kirk at all Caroline managed to pull herself out of her thoughts. After more consideration, she decided to call Kirk it may be just as Gwen said. After spending so much time together, whatever fears she had Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Kirk answered the phone very quickly. He sounded like he was in a good mood. ¡°Darling, is something the matter? When Caroline heard Kirk¡¯s low and maic voice through the phone, goosebumps rose on the skin of her arm She settled her emotions and said. ¡°I be attending a wee party at thepany tonight Do you want toe? Kick smiled devilishly. ¡°This is yourpany¡¯s wee party. How can I attend when I¡¯m an outsider? Caroline was dumbstruck Why did she feel like Kirk was doing this on purpose? ¡°Of course because ¡­¡­.. Kirk stretched out his legs. He gave a slightly yful look to his astounded underlings. Then, he turned around, lightly cajoling. ¡°Because? ¡°You¡¯re my famity! Is that good enough for you?¡± Caroline had no more words to say to him. Kirk¡¯s voice became lower. It was deep and smooth. ¡°You¡¯re finally acknowledging me.¡± ¡°Are youing or not?¡± Caroline¡¯s face was starting to burn. Kirk sighed. ¡°Of course I want to attend. It¡¯s such a great opportunity, after all. But I have an engagement tonight, so I can¡¯t po Disappointment shot through Caroline¡¯s heart. But she didn¡¯t ask anything further. ¡°Oh, alright.¡± After hanging up, Kirk looked at the photo of Caroline on his phone screen. ¡°Charles Kirk got up. He picked up his suit jacket and walked outside. ¡°Have they arrived?¡± ¡°They¡¯re downstairs. Are you going to the meeting now, sir?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kirk strode into the elevator. Charles pressed the button for the second floor. ¡°Sir, Mr. Morrison Senior is also en route.¡± Kirk¡¯s expression rxed, and he acknowledged the information softly. He would be dining with Jude tonight. It was time for them to meet his wife. $15 BONOS The wee party was held at the bar opposite Thorne Corp. After work, Caroline and Cheryl went downstairs together. Today, their colleagues behaved differentlypared to their respectful distance before. They were all warm and friendly as they surrounded Caroline, chatting nonstop. Caroline was surprised by the attention. She listened without speaking. At the main entrance, Caroline saw a familiar figure.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. It was Sarah White. After blocking her family on her phone, Caroline hadn¡¯t spoken to them again. Sarah¡¯s appearance now made Caroline frown a difort. She wanted to ignore her, but Sarah walked over. Herplexion looked bad. It seemed that she hadn¡¯t been having a good time all this time. Seeing that Caroline was speaktay to someone, her colleagues wisely moved away ¡°Can we sit down and have a talk! Sarah asked uneasily Caroline replied ¡°We have nothing to talk about Of course we do Sarah hurriedly started to beg. ¡®Canje, ever since your cousin was sent behind bars, our family has been having a hard line. Aindrigh Bhapany is still receiving the Monisons¡® help, many people know that Mr. Monison Senior isn¡¯t telling Eddy helpin ¡°Care, I¡¯m begging you. Please talk to Mr. Morrison Senior Convince him to allow Eddy and i a to be together the sides, poffe drak married. It won¡¯t be a loss for you Caroline tooked at Sarah directly. ¡°Is La doing something to ckmail you?¡± Sarah was stunned. Abruptly, her face tumed red. She stuttered out. ¡°Wh¨Cwhat are you saying? I only wish I I only wish that our family doesn¡¯t fail in your father¡¯s hands ¡°That¡¯s not right¡± Caroline went straight to the point. ¡°You¡¯ve always wanted me to marry Eddy, Even after I got married, you kept forcing me to marry Eddy. That was what you¡¯d always walled, Unless La has some dirt on you. That¡¯s why you¡¯re helping her! Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Sarah looked like she had suffered a blow. She pped Caroline in the face. ¡°I¡¯m your mother! Since when did you be so disobedient? Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. The p rang clear and loud. However, the sound was lost in the bustling crowd. Caroline¡¯s head turned from the force of the p. She gritted her teeth and looked back after a moment. Her gaze was frosty as she red at Sarah. Sarah felt cold all over. She looked at Caroline in fear. Sarah was acting as though she had been pped. The way Caroline looked at her now made her feel like she was looking at a stranger. ¡°You¡¯re my mother. But let me ask you something. Do you still remember my birthday?¡± Sarah shuddered violently. After a pause, she said hesitantly, ¡°O¨Cof course I do.¡± Caroline could tell at a nce that Sarah was lying. She recalled her birthdays from the past. Even though they had been in different countries, Sarah and Dan would still fly abroad to celebrate her birthday with her. But because she didn¡¯t marry Eddy, her parents had forgotten it. It was as if she wasn¡¯t even their daughter. She was only a pawn. Her parents remembered details about her because she had value. Caroline suddenly thought of Kirk. She suddenly wanted to hug him so badly! Caroline straightened her back. She looked at Sarah, who was still trying to argue. But Caroline had no intention to keep listening. She turned around and walked into the crowd. Sarah tried to follow, but she couldn¡¯t find Caroline in the crowd at all. At Saint Pierre Grand Hotel, Eddy was feeling uneasy. ¡°Grandpa, is Uncle Kirk not here yet?¡± Jude nced at Eddy before chastizing, ¡°Can¡¯t you settle down? Isn¡¯t this just a meeting with your second aunt?¡± Eddy sat down and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just really curious, Grandpa. I can¡¯t help but wonder what woman would make Uncle Kirk settle down and marry.¡± Jude¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. His expression was unreadable. ¡°You¡¯ll find out very soon.¡± After a pause, Jude asked, ¡°How are you and Caroline?¡± Eddy recalled the unpleasant incident the other day. His expression became gloomy. ¡°Grandpa, I think you¡¯d better forget about it. I think she likes her current life.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re alright with that?¡± Jude asked, banging his fist on the table. Eddy leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. ¡°I don¡¯t mind it.¡± The scene of Caroline talking about her husband shed in his mind. She had been so confident. There was also a sweetness about it that he couldn¡¯t ignore. +15 BONOS Caroline¡¯s love ¡­ Eddy¡¯s heart trembled. He suddenly panicked and nearly fell from his chair, Just then, the door swung open, blocking the sight of his awkward fumble. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior and Mr. Eddy, Mr. Kirk is here,¡± said the butler, Simon. Then, Simon¡¯s body angled to the side. The next second, Jude saw Kirk standing in the doorway in a smart sult. But Kirk was alone. Jude maintained a smile on his face. ¡°Where¡¯s your wife?¡± Kirk¡¯s brows furrowed minutely. He took a few steps into the private room and revealed the woman behind him. She was a beautiful woman, but nothing about her was memorable. (1) Her face had obviously gone through some cosmetic surgery. She seemed like just another doll from the stic surgery factory. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Chapter 193 However, she carried herself differently from typical women who had some slight fame. She had the and AM ¡®She¡¯s Jude asked inquisitively, his posture going tense. ¡°Hello, Uncle Jude!¡± There was surprise in the woman¡¯s eyes, ¡°I¡¯m Kirk¡¯s wife, I finally get to meet you! It¡¯s such an honor!¡± After that, she spotted Eddy. Her surprise became even more obvious. ¡°Mr. Eddy is here too! Eddy frowned slightly and looked at Kirk in confusion. This woman waspletely different from what he¡¯d expected. She wasn¡¯t proper or elegant at all. Jude didn¡¯t like this woman at all, but he felt relieved because of it. As long as it wasn¡¯t Caroline. ¡°Have a seat.¡± The woman sat down and introduced herself in an overly friendly manner. ¡°My name is Daphne Dawson, Uncle, you and Mr. Eddy can Daph.¡± Kirk shot her a look. Daphne seemed to have been stuck by lightning. She put her hands together atop the table and didn¡¯t dare to say mone Eddy and Jude didn¡¯t notice this interaction. ¡°Daph, right?¡± Jude got Simon to serve her an extra portion of food. ¡°How long have you and Kirk been married? ¡°Almost three months now.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Jude asked a few more questions, which Daphne answered smoothly. After that Jude nodded in satisfaction. He looked at Eddy and said, ¡°See, Eddy? Your second uncle has already settled down. You and Caroline have messed around enough already. Get your marriage settled. When the timees, you can even have a wedding with your second uncle. Aren¡¯t I right, Kink? When Jude mentioned Caroline, he kept looking at Kirk. When Kirk didn¡¯t react, joy slowly appeared in Jude¡¯s eyes. After meeting Daphne, Eddy was a bit disappointed. His meal became nd. He stood up and said, ¡°Grandpa, Uncle Kirk, there¡¯s a sudden emergency with one of thepany¡¯s projects. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°Go ahead then.¡± After Eddy took a few steps, Daphne noticed that he seemed to have hurt his leg. He was limping. Jude followed Daphne¡¯s line of sight. He exined, ¡°He ran into some hooligans the other day and got a beating.¡± Kirk lowered his head to drink some soup. When he heard this, he wiped his mouth elegantly. ¡°What a shame. Were they targeting Eddy?¡± Jude replied, ¡°No. The police arrested them and found that they were after Eddy¡¯s car. He was alone, so that¡¯s why they went for him.¡± Kirk nodded shallowly. ¡°He¡¯ll have to take good care of himself.¡± Jude smiled. ¡°If we weren¡¯t meeting Daphne today. Eddy wouldn¡¯t havee out.¡± Daphne answered. ¡°Mr. Eddy is too kind.¡± ¡°Calling him Mr. Eddy makes you seem like strangers. You should call him Eddy like Kirk does.¡± Daphne got a fright and quickly waved a hand. ¡°H¨Chow could I? It¡¯s better to call him Mr. Eddy. It makes me feel better.¡± Jude took out a gold ne and handed to Cachna Take for is frosis or formats and special Daphne nced at Kin When Kirk nodded, she smiled and said. ¡°Thank you Uncle Jude¡± The meal quickly came to an end Kirk and Daphne saw Jude to his car. After the motorcade of nury cars dicase and from sight duke ghaghometer som Her expression lost some deference and adopted some reverence ¡°Mr. Morrison, I did well, didn¡¯t Kirk looked at her and nodded without much feeling ¡°As long as you y the sart of my wife we make worth your while Daphne squeezed out a smile. A few days ago. Charles had found her and asked her to pretend to be Kirk¡¯s R¨¦f She had never dreamed ofnding such a sweet deal Ever since epting the task, she had been getting contracts left and right despite only being a onder C Although they were all smail roles, Charles had promised that she could get whatever script she wanted as long as she did a good s here. Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Daphne had been dreaming of bing an A¨Clister. After meeting Eddy and Jude tonight, Daphne could tell that her dream was about toe true. Although she didn¡¯t know who Kirk was exactly, he was still Eddy¡¯s second uncle! The Morrison family was infinitely influential in Easton. They had the power to make a famed director popr, much less a starlet like her. Seeing how excited Daphne was, Kirk decided to pop her bubble. ¡°But if anyone suspects you, your life will go to the gutter.¡± Daphne shivered and quickly answered, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Go home then.¡± As Kirk spoke, a luxury car stopped before them. Daphne nodded and obediently got in the car. When the car drove off, Charles approached Kirk. ¡°Sir, are you happy with her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s alright, quite smart. As long as Uncle Jude doesn¡¯t suspect anything, she can get anything she wants.¡± ¡°Alright, sir.¡± Charles looked at Kirk hesitantly. After a moment, he said, ¡°Sir, why don¡¯t you tell the madam who you are?¡± Kirk shot Charles a look. Charles quickly said, ¡°I spoke out of turn.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t lecture him. He only looked up at the sky. He was starting to get a taste of fear. That was why he didn¡¯t want to risk it. At the same time, at the Collins family residence, Howard was seething. He looked at the bunch of useless trash before him and started cursing. They still hadn¡¯t found Caroline. ¡°Get out. All of you, get the fuck out!¡± His underlings exchanged nces before leaving the room. The room fell into silence for a second. Then, rushed footsteps sounded outside. ¡°Sir, I have good news!¡± Anticipating the good news, Howard shot upright. ¡°Have you found where Caroline lives?¡± ¡°No!¡± The man rushing in was the butler. He excitedly whispered in Howard¡¯s ear. Howard couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. Mr. Morrison Senior met her at your hotel. The staff in charge sald the woman is Kirk¡¯s wife. He even heard Mr. Morrison Senior calling Kirk by his first name and Mr. Eddy calling him Uncle.¡± Howard paced in excitement. After a moment, he paused in his steps. ¡°Hurry, find out everything you can about that woman. I heard that Eddy¡¯s second uncle is preparing to break into a new industry. If we y our cards right, this family is going to get richer.¡± No one ever said no to more money. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The butler went out to get to work. Howard failed to contain his emotions as he walked around the room. The frustration of not being able to find Caroline was long forgotten. thaveyer she strangely fell in sadness either It was as if she had unknowingly epted thest that she had never been toyed Hier gaze traveled around Suddenly, she spotted Eat nearby kay was wearing a stine cut suit the tail fours was shrouded in darkness. Even so, he cared an undeniable presence kick was looking at her with an intense gare. He eyes were warm in the lights. Caroline walked toward him quickly. But before she got close, she stopped again. I was so unreal that it seemed like an illusion Kak Took a few steps forward and held Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡®Is the wee party over? Caroline ducked her head to look at the warm hand around hers. She finally determined that it wasn¡¯t an illusion Kirk was actually here. ¡°Have you been waiting long? Caroline asked, her voice somewhat hoarse. Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Kirk pulled Caroline into his embrace. ¡°Not very long. Are you hungry?¡± ¡®No. You?¡± ¡°A little.¡± Kirk hadn¡¯t eaten much at the hotel. ¡°Then what would you like to eat?¡± Caroline allowed Kirk to hold her. She even wriggled slightly further into his embrace. It was so warm in his arms. ¡°What about you?¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. How could you forget so quickly?¡± ¡°Even so, I always put your needs first.¡± Kirk put his hands on Caroline¡¯s shoulders and looked at her solemnly. ¡°You¡¯re very important! For me, with you around, I can live. Without you, I cannot.¡± Caroline shuddered as she looked into Kirk¡¯s eyes. His eyes were as deep as the ocean. Caroline couldn¡¯t find a trace of doubt in them. ¡°Am I really that Important?¡± Kirk tightened his hold around Caroline, his body trembling. His voice was light as he said, ¡°Yes, very important. That¡¯s why you can¡¯t leave me, no matter what happens. Alright?¡± Caroline¡¯s face was buried in Kirk¡¯s chest. She could feel his muscled body through his clothes. She could also hear his rapidly beating heart. Caroline hugged him back with all her strength. ¡°You too!¡± After a moment, she pushed Kirk away. ¡°Alright, what are we eating now? Don¡¯t ask me to choose.¡± Kirk smiled dotingly at her. ¡°But you can rmend something, can¡¯t you?¡± Caroline looked around. ¡°How about mac and cheese?¡± A shop opposite them sold mac and cheese. There were a number of people inside, so the food must be good. Kirk didn¡¯t have any objections, so they both went inside. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The shop mostly dealt with takeaways, so there were lots of empty seats. Caroline found a table, and they both sat down. After they had ordered, Caroline got a call from Gwen. *Carol, Carol, congrattions!¡± Gwen had only just gotten off work. She¡¯d just checked her phone and found Caroline¡¯s message. Gwen had immediately called Caroline to congratte her. Caroline smiled. ¡°Just got off work?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Gwen huffed out augh. ¡°Oh, Carol, you managed to convince an expert to change his mind. You even got such a huge achievement. Shouldn¡¯t you do something to show your gratitude?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I pay for our trip then?¡± Caroline said. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be too good, right?¡± Gwen politely tried to reject her. 12 ¡°Wait, no!¡± Gwen cried out. +15 BONOS Carolineughed. ¡°Well have you thought of where you want to go yet?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a new aquatic center in the city¡¯s new development area, did you know? Why don¡¯t we go there? We can look at hot guys, too.¡± Caroline eyed Kirk, but she didn¡¯t want to reject Gwen. ¡°Forget it then. I don¡¯t want to go swimming.¡± ¡°Then we can go fishing ¡°Let¡¯s stay away from the water.¡± When he heard the word ¡°water,¡± Kirk raised his head to look at Caroline. Coincidentally, Caroline looked over at him too. Their eyes met, and something sparked within them. ¡°But didn¡¯t you always love to swim, Carol? Gwen was confused. But since Caroline would be paying for their trip, she could only say, ¡°Why don¡¯t you choose then?¡± Caroline was just about to answer when Kirk brushed his finger across her red lips. Caroline flushed with shyness. ¡°Let¡¯s go pick cherries then.¡± Kirk smiled roguishly. He said into Caroline¡¯s ear, his breath warm, ¡°Why do you have to pick cherries to eat them?¡± Sight as Cantine let out a relieved breath, Kirk¡¯s handnded on her waist Caroline deed Kirk with her shoulder. ¡°Stop messing around.¡± Jackas isht up front. He would be able to see what was going on just by looking up Into the rearview mirror. KIXX arended on the rearview mirror. to the reflection, he saw them acting like an intimate couple, tangled together. AZA was pressed up close, and his breath brushed across Caroline¡¯s ear, making it turn red. In the silence of the car, it was like a punishment. Luckily, they didn¡¯t have far to travel and arrived home very quickly. Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Chapter 196 The second they were inside, Kirk pressed Caroline against the door even before the lights could be turned on. Frantic kissesnded on Caroline¡¯s los Caroline¡¯s breaths turned tagged as she leaned weakly into Kirk¡¯s body. in a few days. Itt be going to pick. Caroline nearly bit her own tongue. Her voice was hoarse as she said, ¡°On a trip. Will you being? ¡°You and Gwen?¡± Kirk raised a hand and lifted a lock of Caroline¡¯s hair, ¡°Yes¡± ¡°Alright. Shall I bring Sean?¡± Caroline sat up. The thin sheet slid off her, revealing fair skin that glistened in the light. Kirk¡¯s eyes gleamed. Caroline hurriedly grabbed the sheet, but it was all toote. Caroline was stunned for a moment. She then said, ¡°I¡¯m being serious.¡± Kirk kissed theer of her lips. ¡°Speak. I¡¯m listening.¡± Caroline found it funny. She pushed him but didn¡¯t manage to move him. She could onlyy back down. ¡°Do you really want to bring Sean?¡± Having another man¡¯s name mentioned in bed didn¡¯t feel very good. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Kirk propped himself up and looked at Caroline seriously. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you want him toe?¡± ¡°it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to.¡± Caroline absentmindedly drew circles on Kirk¡¯s chest. ¡°I just think that there seems to be something going on between him and Gwen.¡± Every time Gwen mentioned Sean, she never lingered on him. Kirk turned to the side, allowing Caroline to keep touching his chest. His voice was low as he said, ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just I just feel like there¡¯s something up with them. Did Sean mention anything to you?¡± Kirk answered, ¡°No.¡± He swallowed with difficulty. Caroline didn¡¯t notice his gaze turn dark. 1 She continued, ¡°I understand Gwen, so I know she won¡¯t answer if I ask her about it. Why don¡¯t you ask Sean? A vein jumped on Kirk¡¯s forehead. He grabbed Caroline¡¯s wandering hand and held it above her head. He ¨¹ttered kisses on Caroline¡¯s neck, seemingly in punishment. *15 BONOS Caroline couldn¡¯t help butugh. Kirk bit her neck again. ¡°Focus.¡± In the blink of an eye, it was the weekend. The orchard for cherry picking was on the outskirts of Osbury. Hence, the drive was about one to two hours, Kirk was the one who chose this location. Caroline and Gwen had decided to drive there themselves. Early in the morning, Caroline drove over to Gwen¡¯s building. Before she got close, she saw another car parked there. Caroline pressed the car horn, but the car didn¡¯t leave. She could only get out of the car. The door of the other car also opened. Sean got out. Caroline was taken aback. ¡°Why are you here so early?¡± Sean didn¡¯t look too good. He had dark circles under his eyes. ¡°I woke up early, so I came here.¡± ¡°I think Gwen will be downstairs soon.¡± Just then, Caroline heard Gwen¡¯s voice. ¡°Carol, I¡¯m here ¡­¡± Caroline looked in the direction of the voice, only to find Gwen frozen in ce. Gwen was smiling joyfully when her eyesnded on Sean. She looked at him awkwardly. Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Gwen wanted to flee, but she knew that she¡¯d give herself away by doing so. With a reluctant heart, she walked behind Caroline Lower her voice, she asked, ¡°Why is he here?¡± A soft smile hung on Caroline¡¯s face. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°He¡¯s kind of pitiful since he doesn¡¯t have many friends here in the country. Caroline turned and looked right into Gwen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Gwen, are you hiding something from me? Gwen instantly looked away. ¡°N¨Cno.¡± ¡°Really? Why do I feel like there¡¯s something off with you two?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Gwen denied it adamantly. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Seaning their way, and she straightened her back. He leaned over and grabbed the handle of her luggage. ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°No need-¡°Gwen took a huge step backward, as if he were an electric cable that would electrocute her. Then, she realized that she had overreacted. Hastily, she added, ¡°I can do it on my own.¡± Seeing how awkward Gwen was made Caroline giggle. She told Gwen, ¡°You take Sean¡¯s car. I¡¯m going back to Kirks.¡± Caroline got into Kirk¡¯s car, leaving a dumbstruck Gwen standing with Sean downstairs. Yet Sean looked as though nothing strange had happened. He simply helped Gwen with her luggage and said. ¡®Get in.¡± Gwen¡¯s legs felt as heavy as lead. She hesitated, not knowing whether to move or stay rooted at the spot. Sean watched her in amusement. His prominent facial features looked even more dashing when he smiled. The lethargy on his face had now vanished without a trace. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°We¨Ca panicked Gwen started to say something. However, Sean interrupted her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that we should act as if nothing ever happened? Since nothing happened before this, we¡¯re still friends, right? Are you so rigid around your friends? He questioned. Gwen¡¯s eyes turned as wide as saucers. ¡°Can we really pretend that it never happened? ¡°Unless you don¡¯t want to.¡± Gwen nodded without a second thought. ¡°Of course, I want to.¡± Sean felt rather ticked off at how swiftly she had responded to that. Still, he nodded and said, ¡°Get in the car then.¡± After that, Gwen finally let down her guard and got into Sean¡¯s car. All this time, Caroline had been watching their interaction from Kirk¡¯s car. Seeing that Gwen had finally relented, she turned to smile at ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kirk subconsciously reached out to hold her hand and bring it up to his mouth for a kiss. ¡°I take it you¡¯re happy now¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Caroline hurmmed. Kirk nced sideways to look at her with tenderness in his eyes. The journey to the cherry farm was a silent yet short one. It wasn¡¯t peak season yet, so there weren¡¯t many tourists around. Most of the people who came were parents who brought the sats here for social work. There were a few couples here and there, and the majority of the people were from a group tour +15 BONOS notice them. Caroline asked the staff for some baskets and scissors. Then, the four of them headed to a more secluded area. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Gwen didn¡¯t want to stay with Sean, so she said, ¡°Carol, let¡¯s go there.¡± Caroline was about to go the other way with Gwen when Kirk grabbed her wrist and said, ¡°My wife¡¯s here to spend time with me, Let Sean go with you.¡± Sulking, Gwen muttered. ¡°You¡¯re so selfish.¡± Her eyes fell on Sean, and she paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Sorry to trouble you then, Dr. Yates.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Sean stood up. After the two of them left, Caroline didn¡¯t bother to suppress herughter anymore. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too obvious that you¡¯re being a matchmaker for them?¡± Furrowing his brows, Kirk brushed away the strands of hair that had fallen on her cheeks. ¡°Matchmaker? What do you mean?¡± Caroline was bbergasted. It was clear as day that there was something between Gwen and Sean. How could Kirk not notice this? ¡°Can¡¯t you see that there¡¯s something between them?¡± Caroline was dublous. Kirk stared at her, his face serious. ¡°No. All my attention is on you.¡± Caroline blushed at his reply. ¡°You really are-¡± ¡°What?¡± He leaned in. The corners of his lips curved upward in a smirk. There were lots of people around, so Kirk¡¯s action made Caroline blush even more. She pressed her hands against his chest to stop him.¡± Stop fooling around.¡± Her reaction made Kirk smile. He stopped his teasing, took up a pair of scissors, and started plucking some cherries. ¡°Do you like cherry juice, darling?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I guess,¡± said Caroline. ¡°Let¡¯s pluck more cherries today, then. I¡¯ll make you some cherry juice when we go back.¡± A smirk appeared on his face when he said that. The intention behind the smile was unclear. Caroline didn¡¯t understand why he¡¯d bring up this topic all of a sudden, but she had an ominous feeling about it. After the four of them each had a basket full of cherries, they gathered and went to a restaurant for lunch nearby. They weren¡¯t in a rush to go back to the city after finishing their meal, though. Instead, they went to get some rest at the hostel that Caroline had booked beforehand. Later in the afternoon, they nned to head to the sunflower garden. The hostel¡¯s owner was an amiable woman in her 40s. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy about telling me what you need,¡± she told them. She handed over the keys to their rooms to Caroline. She couldn¡¯t help but eye them up and down. Caroline was about to thank her and leave when Kirk suddenly spoke, ¡°Do you have a Juicer or a blender here?¡± ¡°Do you want to blend cherries?¡± the woman asked. Kirk nodded. ¡°Yes, we have them here. I¡¯ll get one for you. She went to the kitchen to get a juicer for him. Standing beside Caroline, Gwen painstakingly tried her best to keep a distance between Sean and hersell. Hearing that Kirk requested a juicer from the hostel owner, she said, ¡°Can you blend some for me too?¡± Kirk nced at her with an indifferent look on his face. ¡°Whatever I do, I only do it for my wife. *15 BONOS Carolineughed and nudged Gwen with her arm. She lowered her voice and said, ¡°You can ask Sean for help. I think he¡¯l be happy to help you with that.¡± ¡°No, thanks,¡± Gwen snapped, ¡°We¡¯re just friends now.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Caroline was quick to react. She had grasped the keyword just now. ¡°When weren¡¯t you friends then?¡± This made Gwen¡¯s face flush with blood. ¡°W¨Cwe¡¯ve always been friends,¡± she stuttered. Caroline nced sideways at her but was careful not to point things out. Just then, a young woman appeared from the kitchen with a juicer. She appeared to be 17 or 18 years old. She was probably the hostel owner¡¯s daughter. Her eyes gleamed when she saw the two dashing men before her. ¡°Good day,¡± she greeted them. ¡°Who asked for the juicer?¡± ¡°Me.¡± Kirk strode forth to take the juicer from her. Then, the young girl sped her hands together and asked, ¡°Can I add you on WhatsApp?¡± Her eyes shone brightly when she looked at him. Kirk didn¡¯t hesitate to refuse her request. ¡°I have a wife.¡± Disappointment shed through the young woman¡¯s eyes. A momentter, she nced at Sean and asked him the same question. In the past, lots of women had asked Sean for his number, and he¡¯d usually smile and refuse them. Today, however, he smiled and agreed to it when he noticed how Gwen remained unaffected by it all. ¡°Sure,¡± he said. The young woman beamed. ¡°For real?¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± Sean took out his phone and added her number. Seeing this, a strange feeling started to surface deep in Gwen¡¯s heart. She pursed her lips as she tried to suppress whatever she was feeling. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Caroline saw it all and nced at Kirk with mixed feelings. ¡°We should head upstairs.¡± Not only was her sentence directed at Kirk, but it also served as a signal to Sean. ¡°Mhmm.¡± Kirk hummed as he took the juicer with him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gwen rushed forth to walk in front of the line, followed by Caroline and Kirk. Sean was thest to follow. When they entered the elevator, he was still busy with his phone. He kept receiving notifications on his phone, and it annoyed Gwen. ¡°Girls these days surely are proactive.¡± Only after she spoke did she realize that her voice had been dripping with sarcasm. Embarrassed, she wished she could find a hole in the ground and bury herself in it. However, Caroline held her hand gently in hers and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. The manner of education they receive is much different than it was in our times. It¡¯s only natural that we¡¯re different.¡± Gwen nced at Caroline gratefully. Nobody spoke a word afterward. Their rooms were on the third floor, so they didn¡¯t need to wait long to go their separate ways. Once Caroline entered the room, Kirk grabbed her wrist. Pushing her against the door, he started kissing her. His kisses this time had the gentleness and patience that he usuallycked. Five minutester, he let go of Caroline and leaned in to rest his forehead against hers. His piercing eyes stared right into hers, which were now clouded with passion and desire. Smirking, he asked, ¡°Do you want to do it?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Blushing, Caroline shook her head in denial, even though the look in her eyes said otherwise. Kirk slid one hand behind her back to stroke her spine. ¡°Lying isn¡¯t a bing quality.¡± Just when Caroline thought he¡¯d take things further, Kirk withdrew his hand and bent over slightly to look at her. ¡°This is just the appetizer. I¡¯ll make some cherry juice for you,¡± he said. Then, he picked up the baskets of cherries and turned on the tap. Caroline watched Kirk busy himself with the fruits while looking at ease. She then pouted her lips and told him, ¡°I¡¯ll go and find Gwen for now.¡± She left their room and went to knock on the door next to theirs. Gwen had been sitting on the bed in a daze since she had entered the room. Her mind kept reying the scene downstairs. The image of the bold and lively young woman and the genius doctor upied her thoughts. They were a match made in heaven. ¡°Gwen?¡± Caroline started to worry. Even after so long, Gwen hadn¡¯t opened the door. Only then did Gwen snap back to reality. Hastily, she got up and walked over to the door. ¡°I¡¯ming.¡± She opened the door and asked, ¡± What¡¯s wrong? Caroline entered the room and sat at the edge of the bed. She pulled Gwen to sit down beside her. ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s supposed to ask you that question. What exactly happened between you and Sean?¡± Gwen pursed her lips for a moment before feigning to be calm and rxed. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just that we made a blunder, you know. Today, we both agreed to let things pass,¡± she exined. It was just because we were drunk. We¡¯re still friends anyway. It¡¯s just that simple.¡± The more she tried to hide what she truly felt, the more Caroline sympathized with her. ¡°Owen, do you like Sean? Caroline finally asked. Gwen wasted no time denying it. ¡°How¡¯s that even possible? I love everyone and everything.¡± But just now¡± Caroline didn¡¯t finish her sentenc Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Chapter 199 sayer¡¯s mother was a rather conservative and old¨Cfashioned woman. Despite the fact that her husband had cheated on her multiple times, she still refused to divorce hum Veunt now. The rtionship was still stuck in the never¨Cending cycle of cheating, discovery, filing for divorce, denial, and back again, had allested Owen so much that she would always break up with any man she had just started a rtionship with. Owen forced a smile. You said ¡®maybe. I¡¯m not that lucky, and I don¡¯t like to be tied to something. I prefer the feeling the chase gives me.¡± Pasure of how to respond Caroline simply stared at Gwen, who tried her best to put up a strong front. Stop talking about me Gwen tried to sound cheerful ¡°What about you and Kirk? Have you two patched up?¡± Avena Caroline hummed and said. ¡°I n to give it a try.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Now. Gwen looked at her with envy in her eyes. ¡°Carol, you¡¯re so much braver than me.¡± Caroline smiled softly. Tm not brave. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m more afraid of losing him than getting hurt myself.¡± 1 Stunned, Gwen muttered ¡®So you¡¯ve actually fallen for him?¡± Looking out the window. Carotine replied. ¡°In the past. I thought that what I had for Eddy was love. Only now have I realized that that wasn¡¯t love. It was nothing but an obsession¡± Everyone told me that I was destined to marry him. That¡¯s why I believed that he¡¯d be my husband in the future. That¡¯s why I believed that I loved him even from the first time I met him. ¡°Caroline carried on with her exnation. For the past eight years, I never knew fear and never even thought about what the future holds. I have never felt the joy of love, nor have I felt its pain it was as if I were a machine that was tuned toplete a mission. So I did what I could to show that I loved him day after day. But everything changed after Kick and I got together. I started worrying that I would lose him. Any bit of sweetness was enough to make the miss it for a long time,¡± she continued Even the smallest of tights would weigh on my mind. I realize that I¡¯m no longer the person I once was. Now, I can feel fear and panic, but I feel more alive than ever.¡± Then, Caroline turned to look at Gwen. ¡®Do you know that feeling?¡± Owen propped up an elbow and rested her chin on her hand. There was an indecipherable look in her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, but Carol you looked like you were glowing just now.¡± Do you have a lever? Caroline asked concerned. Coven stood up and said. ¡°It¡¯s true. Even though I don¡¯t know the details of how you and Kirk got together, you¡¯ve told me just how happy You are with him Love you my blessings.¡± Caroling pulled her into an embrace Gwen. I hope that you¡¯ll be happy too.¡± ¡°AVan Caven humined but she didn¡¯t have high hopes. Cartine and Kirk¡¯s room, Kirk listened to Sean¡¯s incessant bbering. Kirk thought he was going insane. ¡°Are you done?¡± he asked While he blended the cherries However, Sean totally tonoted the annoyed look on Kirk¡¯s face. He was full of enthusiasm as he asked, ¡°Do you think my idea is good?! noticed it! Gowen¡¯s face was hurtible when she saw me adding the young woman¡¯s WhatsApp just now.¡± boat then Kirk switched off the juicer and the entire room fell silent once again, ¡°Just tell her if you like her. Why do you have to make It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t want to But she only wants to be friends with me, you know. But we¡¯ve done it Sean pave uit the feeling of a wife who couldn¡¯t stopining about her husband. Kughed, amused at this friend of his. You two haven¡¯t even begun yet, but you¡¯re already so deep in it. I wonder what will happen to ¡°Will your family agree if you two get together? Sean¡¯s expression changes instant. He saread his hands with his pars fac my upward and tied to be honest. We¡¯re not quite there yet ¡°You can¡¯t control something like this,¡± Kraused. It was Sean¡¯s tum to smile. ¡°Now, that¡¯s new. Are you finally admitting that you¡¯re in love with Caroline?¡± Kink stopped what he was doing. ¡°You and are different. I can control what I feel Sean couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter anymore. ¡°You¡¯ll suffer from this someday, you obstinate mule,¡± It made Kirk¡¯s heart skip a beat, but his expression didn¡¯t change when he said, ¡°Nothing¡¯s blocking my path¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget Caroline said she didn¡¯t want to mar a Morrison,¡± Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Chapter 200 The gloom on Kirk¡¯s face was so apparent that Sean instantly realized his mistake Hastily, he added, ¡°However, sincerity rules the heart. One day, she just might be so touched and arrept the ferth WAA Morrisons.¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. In spite of what Sean said, Kirk¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change for the better. In the end, Sean had to flee from the room to avoid getting beaten to a puto. I¡¯m leaving¡® he said, darting awar When Caroline walked out of the room next door, she saw Sean in thedor, After entering her room, she asked Kay. ¡°Was San TAFE just now? Kirk stared at the cherry juice in the juicer and kept quiet. As she approached him, she realized just how unsettling his wife was ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked, her tone cautious. Kirk raised his eyes to meet hers. The piercing look in his eyes vanished like morning dew the moment he saw her. ¡°The cherry juice is ready.¡± However, Caroline looked him up and down and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Kirk told her as he poured the cherry juice from the juicer into a ss. Caroline finally rxed at his words, but soon she tossed him another question. ¡°Why did Seane here? Kirk abruptly turned to look at her. His stare made goosebumps pop up all over her body. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your she asked again. ¡°Nothing,¡± came Kirk¡¯s reply. He passed the ss of juice to Caroline and said, ¡°Have a taste,¡± Caroline took a sip, and a thinyer of the bright red juice hung on her lips. A shadow crept across Kirk¡¯s eyes when he noticed this. He swallowed as he kept his gaze locked on her. Then, he stood up and kissed her. It happened so quickly that Caroline didn¡¯t have time to respond. Her hands subconsciously snaked around his neck. After some time, Kirk let go of her. ¡°It tastes better this way,¡± he said, brushing a finger over her lips. A blush crept up Caroline¡¯s cheeks, and she glowered at him. Slidding his arms around her waist, he whispered into her ear, ¡°Do you want more? ¡°N¨Cno,¡± she stuttered. A smirk appeared on his face as he rested his chin on her shoulder. ¡°But I still want to give it another taste.¡± ¡°Drink it yourself, then,¡± said Caroline as she tried to free herself from his folded arms. However, she was no match for his strength, and she could only fall back into his arms. ¡°It would be too lonely for me to drink it alone,¡± Kirk muttered, biting her earlobe gently. ¡°Let me ¡°You pervert!¡± The rays of the afternoon sun fell on the balcony. It was already 3 pm. Caroliney in the bathtub while Kirk crouched on the ground beside her. He traced a finger on her corbone. ¡°How was it?¡± he asked. But she was too lethargic to even open her eyes now. ¡°Not that good,¡± she mumbled. Her reply made Kirkugh, and he reached up to pinch her earlobes. ¡°Darling,¡± he called. Caroline hummed in response. ¡°Darling,¡± he repeated. Caroline didn¡¯t reply. 103 +15 BONOS Caroline couldn¡¯t stand him anymore anded her eyes. ¡°What do you want now? Then, Kirk stared at her and said. ¡°You¡¯ve never called me honey? He was drenched. Water dripped from his hair and into his eyes. The fog in the bathroom made him appear very pitiful, like a pucoy in need. His hands were on her neck, as if he were giving her a massage. Caroline¡¯s face flushed hot with blood. ¡°Have I never? She sounded adamant. Kirk turned around to face her. ¡°You called me that when we were back home, but it wasn¡¯t sincere.¡± A shiver ran up her spine as he moved closer to her. ¡°Call me ¡®honey,¡± he started to coax. ¡°No.¡± Caroline tore her eyes away from him. ¡°Stop saying no all the time.¡± He stood up and stepped into the bathtub, which gave her a fright. ¡°What are you doing? She eximed. The bathtub wasn¡¯t big enough to fit two. Kirk then picked her up and set her down on top of him. ¡°I want to hear you call me ¡°honey.¡± ¡°You scoundrel.¡± Caroline sat on hisp. She didn¡¯t dare to move. ¡°If you don¡¯t, we¡¯ll just stay here until Sean and Gwene in to find us.¡± Caroline froze. He was such a bad guy. ¡°Why have I never realized that you¡¯re quite a cunning person?¡± Kirk chuckled and continued coaxing her gently. ¡°Just call me once. Once is good enough.¡± Caroline had no choice. In the end, she murmured, ¡°Honey.¡± However, Kirk wasn¡¯t satisfied. He said. ¡°Your voice was too soft.¡± Annoyed, she raised her voice to repeat it, but her voice was still faint to his ears. He rested his chin on her shoulder once more. This time, he forced his fingers through the gaps between her fingers. In a low voice, he said, ¡°You didn¡¯t speak so softly just now.¡± Caroline¡¯s face flushed red. ¡°I don¡¯t want to call you that anymore!¡± Kirk then breathed slowly into her ear and whispered. ¡°Are you sure about that? We¡¯ll be heading to the sunflower farm in a few more minutes.¡± bbergasted, Caroline clenched her fists and raised her voice once more. ¡°Honey,¡± she croaked. Just then, knocks sounded from the door to their hostel room. ¡°Carol, we¡¯re heading out soon.¡± Caroline struggled to stand up in the bathtub, causing water to ssh everywhere. As she rose, Kirk watched with his eyes narrowed, feasting his eyes on her perfect body proportions. ¡°So beautiful¡± he said. Pissed, Caroline wrapped herself in a towel and urged, ¡°Quick, get up.¡± Now that Kirk¡¯s wish hade true, he obediently stood up from the bathtub. The gleam in his eyes vanished alter Caroline disappeared behind the door. He decided to lie to her for the rest of his life. 2/3 +15 BONOS Jude took a look at the person beside Simon and asked. ¡°Have you looked to The person took out a marriage certificate from his bag and said. ¡°This is a schooby dille Cafe and Ms. Dawson¡¯s marriage certificate I got from the City Hall¡¯s system. Here¡¯s a picture of them too.¡± Jude nced at the marriage certificate and nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Good. Did you discover anything else? The person hesitated before saying, ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s pretty strange. Logically, llc, Kid and Mc Dawson should be living together since they¡¯re married. However, theyre lving in separate houses, he exined. ¡°Here are the details of their estates. Jude took the documents from him and scanned through them. ¡°It¡¯s not that strange, Kirk wouldn¡¯t indulge himself with her too much since he has just be the president of the biggestpany in Sarcozia ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s nothing substantial about their marriage. It could be just a contract of sorts Jude¡¯s voice trailed off. His brows knitted together abruptly. ¡°Did the woman buy her house just a few days ago?¡± ¡®Yes.¡¯ Jude¡¯s expression turned grim instantaneously. A momentter, he gestured for the person to leave. After seeing the person off, an anxious Simon asked Jude, ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior what¡¯s wrong? Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Chapter 201 A shadow fell across Jude¡¯s face as he started mumbling to himself. ¡°Kirk¡¯s been married for at least three months now. Why did he only buy her a house now? Tell me, Simon, does this woman even exist? Or did Kirk hire her to put on a show for me?¡± Confused, Simon asked, ¡°But why would he do that?¡± Jude gripped his cane. It took him a moment to respond. ¡°Because the woman he married is Caroline!¡± Now that made Simon inhale sharply. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior, how is that possible? Ms. Evans and Mr. Kirk have never met each other.¡± ¡°I hope so. Perhaps I was overthinking it.¡± Jude let out a long breath. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior, if you¡¯re so worried about it, why don¡¯t you simply call Ms. Evans to make sure?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Jude rejected his idea outright. Kirk was highly alert about this matter thest time they met. If Jude were to ask Caroline directly about this, it would surely arouse Kirk¡¯s suspicions. Jude shut his eyes tightly. The image of a young woman in a wedding gown emerged in his mind. She looked very much like Caroline, and she held a bouquet of flowers in her hands. Beside her stood a dashing young man who looked very much like Kirk too. The thought of them together made Jude¡¯s eyes snap wide open, and he started panting heavily. Simon rushed forward to pat his back as he tried to console him. ¡°I¡¯ll call the family doctor over.¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Jude waved a hand in the air to dismiss him. ¡°This is retribution. It¡¯s all retribution. Go and bring me the manager of the media department!¡± Simon stared at him, wide¨Ceyed and bewildered. It had been a long time since Jude had stepped down and let go of everything rted to thepany. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡± Simon left in a hurry. The sunflower garden was quite close to their hostel. It didn¡¯t take much time for them to go there. When they reached the garden, Caroline turned to see Sean a couple of feet behind her. He was with the hostel owner¡¯s daughter. Caroline wasn¡¯t sure what they were talking about, but she could see that the young woman was smiling from ear to ear. The young girl hadn¡¯t been part of Caroline¡¯s n for this trip. She had appeared so suddenly, out of nowhere. ¡°Carol, let¡¯s take a picture!¡± Gwen hollered as she darted into the rows of sunflowers with her phone in one hand. Caroline hurried to catch up with her and just so happened to nce at Sean and the young woman. ¡°Carol, you need to focus.¡± Gwen tugged Caroline¡¯s arm. It appeared as though she couldn¡¯t care less about what was happening on Sean¡¯s side. ¡°Okay,¡± said Caroline, stealing a nce at Gwen beside her. Although Sean seemed to be busy chatting with the young woman, he couldn¡¯t tear his eyes away from Gwen, even for a moment. Something twitched Inside of him when he saw how she appeared to be unallected by what he was doing. The young girl followed his gaze and giggled. ¡°You like thedy in white, right?¡± 1/2 +15 BONOS ¡°Not really. Only those who walked by would notice,¡± she joked. Despite that, Sean still looked fondly in Gwen¡¯s direction. The young girl then raised her eyes to meet him. In a naive tone, she asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re deliberately getting close to me just to provoke her. then?¡± This made Sean stare at her in shock and disbelief. He hadn¡¯t expected her to be so vignt. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m so sorry, Mia!¡± Surprisingly, the young girl, Mia, wasn¡¯t mad at him. Sheughed at him instead. ¡°Let me give you a hand, then!¡± she said cheerfully as she hooked an arm in his. Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Sean was stunned. He found it hard to believe just what was going on in Mia¡¯s mind. He was so dumbfounded that he forgot to free his arm from hers. ¡°Mia, are you sure about this?¡± Mia shushed him and took a few steps closer to him. ¡°She¡¯s looking at you.¡± A smile made its way onto Sean¡¯s face. ¡°Really?¡± he asked, pleasantly surprised. ¡®Yep.¡± ¡°Then how does she look? Is she upset?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t look happy, alright.¡± ¡°So, it worked then?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± said Mia as she looked right into his eyes with a dazzling smile. Caroline¡¯s brows were knit tightly together as she watched Mia and Sean from afar. She cocked her head to one side to see Gwen walking into the distance. Then, she turned to Kirk, who was beside her. ¡°What¡¯s Sean doing?¡± Kirk had been enjoying spending time with Caroline by his side. He was holding hands with her as they walked side by side, much to his delight. Hearing her mention another man¡¯s name¨Chis good friend¡¯s name, at that¨Cmade him very displeased. He furrowed his brows and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him?¡± Caroline said. Kirk looked down at her. His coarse fingers drew circles in her palm. Suddenly, he smirked and said, ¡°Sure, I can. But I have a condition.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Caroline¡¯s gut told her that it wasn¡¯t something she would look forward to. ¡°Call me ¡®honey¡® again.¡± Caroline stared at him, speechless. Kirk then reached to y with her earlobe. Jokingly, he told her, ¡°Or we can make a baby.¡± Caroline¡¯s expression immediately changed. Her reaction made Kirk¡¯s heart skip a beat, and he started to exin that it was just a joke. However, she was already looking up at him. Her eyes were calm and clear, unlike his, which were flustered, ¡°I¡¯ve decided that I don¡¯t want children.¡± Kirk felt as if his heart had just fallen into an abyss. An unfathomable look seemed to flit across his eyes, and he asked, ¡°Do you not want to have a child with me?¡± Caroline failed to notice that he ced emphasis on the words ¡°with me¡°. She forced augh and raised her eyes to meet his. Tears welled up in her eyes as she said, ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t want kids, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m qualified to be a good mother.¡± Kirk rxed at her words, but his heart started panicking again soon after that. He rested his hands on her shoulders. ¡°No. You¡¯re definitely going to be the best mother in the world,¡± he assured. Caroline shook her head. The bitterness in her wry smile had now spread to her eyes. ¡°Even though I have cut my ties with my family, we share the same blood and genes. My parents are so selfish. What makes you think that I won¡¯t be like them in the future?¡± This question had weighed on her mind ever since Sarah hade to see her. 1/2 Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. +15 BONOS Gwen was the only one who seemed to be in a good mood during the journey back to the hostel. Sean looked especially dejected. He could see that Gwen wasn¡¯t mad at him at all. Instead, she was exceptionally cheerful and couldn¡¯t stop chatting with Caroline. It was as though she had never noticed him with Mia at all. When they arrived at the hostel, he couldn¡¯t stand it much longer. ¡°Kirk,¡± he called. ¡°Do you want to grab a drink?¡± Kirk was holding his tablet in his hand. He looked up to nce at Caroline for her opinion. Caroline smiled and said, ¡°Go on. Juste back early.¡± Kirk looked back at Sean and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Then, the two men headed out together. Once they were out of the hostel, Sean startedining about Kirk. ¡°Caroline¡¯s got you wrapped around her finger.¡± Kirk nced sideways at him. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure. Nobody wants to take care of you even though you want it.¡± There was a hint of glee and mirth in Kirk¡¯s tone, and Sean found himself at a loss for words. Sean didn¡¯t think there was anything great about that. He¡¯d get himself a wife very soon, too! Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Chapter 203 There was a bar near the hostel, and there weren¡¯t many people there since it was only 5 pm. Sean got them a spot in one of the corners of the bar. Then, he ordered a dozen bottles of beer, and started drinking. Looking dejectedly at Kirk, he asked, ¡°Hey, do you think Gwen has no feelings for me at all?¡± Kirk was busy scrolling through his tablet. He didn¡¯t even raise his eyes to look at Sean when he replied, ¡°What makes you think she likes you?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m a good¨Clooking. genius doctor.¡± Sean pressed his fingers against his temples in distress. Seeing Kirk fully hooked on his tablet, Sean strained his neck to peek at the screen. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t try to cover the screen. When Sean saw what was shown there, his expression immediately changed to one of shock and horror. ¡°The person who took Caroline to Saint Pierre was her mother?¡± Even beasts would look alter their young. Caroline¡¯s mother was atrocious! Kirk continued looking through the information on the tablet without replying. Sean watched him in silence for a couple of seconds before asking. ¡°Are you going to deal with her mother?¡± Kirk finally averted his gaze from the screen. He looked at Sean as though he were looking at a fool. ¡°What are you nning to do? Don¡¯t tell me that Sean trailed off and made a gesture as if slitting his neck. ¡°You¡¯re fully aware of what I¡¯m going to do,¡± Kirk repliednguidly. Sean immediately grabbed his arm. ¡°Are you really going to do that?¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Sean leaned toward him. ¡°That¡¯s her mother!¡± ¡°Is she even qualified to be a mother?¡± he snapped. He wished he could get rid of Sarah sooner when he recalled how Caroline had trembled in his arms that day. *Kirk.¡± Sean knew that Kirk was a ruthless and decisive person who¡¯d not hesitate in the face of kinship, but this just wouldn¡¯t do! ¡°It¡¯s different this time. We¡¯re talking about her mother. If you kill her mother, you¡¯ll be her enemy! How will you even face her after that?¡± Narrowing his eyes, Kirk tapped his fingers against the table. Sean calmly waited for Kirk¡¯s mind to settle for a moment before continuing to give him advice. Sean smiled and asked, ¡°Do you know how to solve it now? Ask me for help, and I¡¯ll give you an idea.¡± Just then, Kirk¡¯s eyes snapped toward Sean. Kirk said nothing and simply stared at Sean. Three minutester, thetter raised his hands in the air in defeat. ¡°Fine! We¡¯re friends after all, so I¡¯ll let you in on it.¡± Then, Sean lowered his voice and started exining. The corner of Kirk¡¯s lips lifted into a smile. ¡°You haven¡¯t told Caroline about this, right?¡± Sean asked. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± Kirk never nned to tell her about it. It would only upset her and wouldn¡¯t benefit her in any way. ¡°You¡¯d better tell her about it. She should be mentally prepared to take it on after everything that has happened,¡± Sean reminded him. ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s already used to it all. Besides, the important thing is letting her handle it herself. Even if she finds out that you were involved in itter, she won¡¯t hold a grudge.¡± Lowering his eyes, Kirk fell silent for a moment. Then, he picked up his tablet and stood up. Sean called out, ¡°Are you leaving already?¡± 1/3 +15 BONOS Sean took a moment to consider his offer before waving his hand to dismiss the idea. ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯ll figure it out myself.¡± Whatever trick or n it was, Kirk was never up to something good. Kirk smiled and strode out of the bar. At the same time, Caroline and Gwen were together in the hostel. Caroline stared at Gwen, who was bursting with enthusiasm as she shared tons of photos she had taken earlier that day. ¡°Carol look at this! Isn¡¯t this art? Gwen pointed at the photo she had secretly taken of Caroline and Kirk. At the time, Caroline was upset as the two spoke about having children. Kirk was holding her tightly in his arms. The sun¡¯s rays were shining on them, making them glow. The entire scene looked both celestial and romantic. Caroline¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she saw the photo. Gwen noticed this and beamed. ¡°What should I do now? I¡¯m shipping you two hard!¡± Caroline tried to re at Gwen, but it didn¡¯tst for long because she started blushing instead. ¡°I¡¯m going to grab some water.¡± Gwen put her phone down and went to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Caroline took this chance to send the photo to her phone. Soon, Gwen came back and handed Caroline a ss of water. ncing at the photos on her phone, Gwen couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°I¡¯m not sure why, but the longer I look at Kirk, the more satisfied I am. Is this what they call a ¡®mother¨Cinw¡¯s pride¡°?¡± Augh escaped Caroline¡¯s lips. ¡°Do you have the guts to say that to his face?¡± Gwenughed sheepishly and continued scanning through all the photos on her phone. Caroline stayed beside her and watched in silence for a moment before reaching up to stroke her hair. ¡°Gwen,¡± she called. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You seemed to be in a bad mood today. Is it because of Sean and that young woman?¡± All this time, Gwen had tried her best to put on a smile. Caroline¡¯s question was thest straw. Blinking back tears, Gwen fell into Caroline¡¯s arms. ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. It feels worse thanst time but we¡¯ve already made it clear that we¡¯re still friends.¡± Before this, Gwen spent all her effort taking photos in the sunflower garden. She had managed to take plenty of photos of the mesmerizing scenery there. Despite that, she hadn¡¯t been able to tear her eyes away from Sean or stop herself from looking in his and Mia¡¯s direction. The irony was that she¡¯d feel something twist inside her whenever she¡¯d looked at them. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± suggested Caroline. ¡°A try?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± Carolineughed. ¡°Even if it doesn¡¯t end well, you still have me. I¡¯ll always have your back!¡± Caroline tried to reassure her. ¡°Try it.¡± Gwen sounded uncertain. But Caroline nodded to encourage her. ¡°Yep.¡± A momentter, a smile appeared on Gwen¡¯s face. ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Just then, the door opened. The two women looked up to see Kirk entering the room. Gwen stood up and got ready to leave. ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room then.¡± After Gwen left, Caroline looked at Kirk and smiled. ¡°Why are you back so early?¡± ¡°I missed you, so I¡¯m back,¡± replied Kirk.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Chapter 204 ¡°Care to have a try?¡± He hooked an arm around her waist and gave her lips a peck. It made Carolineugh at how much of a hooligan he seemed right now. ¡°Move,¡± she told him. ¡°Where to?¡± He kissed her again and led her to the edge of the bed. I¡¯ve taken root in your heart. I¡¯ve nowhere to go.¡± Caroline¡¯s heart leaped into her mouth when she realized what he was doing. Still, she went with the flow and slowlyy down on the bed. her eyes clouding expectantly. Beside her, she felt the bed sink as Kirky down. He gently kissed her on the forehead, and the atmosphere changed to fit what was to Just then, Caroline got a notification alert on her phone, making both of them freeze. Pushing against his chest, she panted, ¡°L¨Clet me check it.¡± A shadow fell across Kirk¡¯s face at how untimely the interruption was. He reached out a hand to snatch her phone away. He stopped abruptly when he noticed how her expression changed almost instantly after looking at the screen. +15 BONOS Chapter 204 Kirk didn¡¯t know what the notification was about. However, he had a few guesses alter seeing Caroline¡¯s reaction. He raised a hand to pat her on the back. ¡°What is it?¡± She handed him her phone right after. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Kirk nced at the phone and said, ¡°It seems like you aren¡¯t surprised at all.¡± Smiling, she exined, ¡°Sarah called me the day I was taken to the hotel to meet Brie. I didn¡¯t connect the dots then. With this, I finally know why Brie had been bold enough to do that. ¡°She wasn¡¯t the one who took me there, so she knew she wouldn¡¯t have to take the me if something happened to me.¡± Yet somehow an ident had urred, making Brie go nuts. Kirk took Caroline into his arms. ¡°Are you upset?¡± he asked. Caroline shook her head and rested it against his shoulder. ¡°A few days ago, Sarah came to me. She asked me to persuade Grandpa to agree to Eddy and La seeing each other. I wondered why she would act like that ¡ª¡± Then, she looked down at her phone and snickered. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, La had called Sarah before that to tell her that Eddy was in the hotel. That was why Sarah had gone so far as to abduct me and send me there. ¡°Sarah probably came to me because La ckmailed her with it. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have asked me such a thing, considering how much she wanted me to marry Eddy.¡± Caroline analyzed the entire situation with suchposure. Kirk couldn¡¯t help but take her hands in his. ¡°Darling¡­* Caroline met his gaze and tossed him a smile. ¡°Can you help me find out who sent me this information? I have to thank them for this.¡± ¡°Thank them?¡± ¡°Yes. It doesn¡¯t matter what their intentions were for sending this. I truly am grateful to them for letting me let go of things now.¡± Kirk started stroking her back gently. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She stared into his eyes, her gaze clear without a trace of hesitance. ¡°Do you know what I¡¯m thinking now?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If I wasn¡¯t Sarah and Dan¡¯s daughter, they might not have lived to this day.¡± Hearing this, Kirk slid his hand between her shoulder des. ¡°Yep. My darling¡¯s bing more independent than ever.¡± Caroline smiled softly at him and decided to resume their conversation. ¡°Can you help me find out who sent this?¡± ¡®Sure,¡± Kirk agreed. Then, he plucked her phone out of her grasp and ced it aside. ¡°Forget it for now. I have something I need your help with.¡± Caroline blinked, puzzled. ¡°What is it?¡± Then, Kirk pushed her onto the bed once again, a mischievous smile ying on his lips. ¡°You know what to do.¡± It was time for dinner. Caroline went to find Gwen in her room, while Kirk walked out to the balcony to answer a call from Charles. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve sent the Information to the madam,¡± Charles reported. ¡°Good. I¡¯ve seen it.¡± +15 BONOS Kirk absentmindedly rapped his knuckles on the wooden railing. His voice was dangerously low when he said, ¡°Next time, pick a better time to send messages.¡± That made Charles very confused. Why was Kirk in such a bad mood? Did he get into a fight with Caroline? Charles recalled thest time Kirk had a quarrel with Caroline. The atmosphere in thepany had been so excruciatingly taut that Charles had been haunted by headaches for quite some time. Kirk said, ¡°Send me every bit of information you can get about the Evans family.¡± ¡°Okay, Charles responded immediately. After that, Kirk fell silent for some time. Taking it as a sign that Kirk had no other task to assign to him, Charles finally ended the call. Later, Kirk pocketed his phone and exited the room in search of Caroline. He found her chatting animatedly with Gwen. He wasn¡¯t sure what they were talking about, but Caroline¡¯s eyes twinkled as she spoke. He found this side of her overwhelmingly cute. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Kirk stood by the door. The light fell on his face, and the corners of his mouth curved upward in a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he told Caroline, who looked up to meet his gaze. She strode toward him and hooked an arm around his. ¡°Okay.¡± Kirk nced sideways at her. ¡°Why are you so happy?¡± Caroline tossed him a mysterious smile. ¡°You¡¯ll know once we get our dinner.¡± Then, she fist¨Cpumped the air slightly in Gwen¡¯s direction as a sign of encouragement. Gwen pursed her lips at this. Later, the three of them went downstairs together. Sean was already waiting for them by the door. The ce they were going to have dinner was just next door. Just when the four of them started heading out, Mia came rushing to them. ¡°Sean, are you guys going to have dinner?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can I tag along?¡± Pouting, she winked at him. Sean subconsciously nced at Gwen, whose face paled briefly to see Mia here. Coincidentally, she locked eyes with Sean. In the blink of an eye, Mia had already walked to Sean¡¯s side. She was tugging at his sleeve. Softly, she spoke. ¡°Sean, I can help you to ¡­¡± It seemed like she was trying to be coquettish right now. Gwen saw it and bit her lip. ¡°Um, I don¡¯t feel well. I won¡¯t be going with you guys.¡± With that said, she turned away from them and went upstairs. Stunned, Sean took a moment to react. He hastily thanked Mia and rushed after Gwen. Mia¡¯s brows scrunched together. But when Caroline looked at her, Mia¡¯s expression immediately reverted back to the naive look she usually wore. ¡°Caroline, did I say something wrong?¡± Caroline remainedposed as she replied. ¡°What did you say wrong?¡± Mia bit her lip, feigning innocence. ¡°Why did Gwen rush off looking so angry, then?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not feeling well,¡± Caroline replied curtly. ¡°But she looked just fine.¡± Mia tried to sound concerned. Staring at the seemingly innocent Mia before her. Caroline decided not to beat around the bush any longer. ¡°You did it on purpose, right?¡± Mia stared back at Caroline, wide¨Ceyed, as though she were innocent. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Caroline smiled softly at her. ¡°You¡¯re purposely getting close to Sean in front of my friend. I noticed it back when we were at the sunflower garden. ¡°Sean¡¯s a straightforward man, so he failed to notice your tricks. But I¡¯m a woman, and I know what you¡¯re doing. Your tricks are useless against me.¡± Mia paled at her words. She was still much too young to face a direct admonishment, after all, ¡°I¨CIt was Sean who asked me to help him. II only wanted to help Gwen realize that she likes him.¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Then, Caroline plucked out two hundred¨Cdor notes from her wallet and handed them to Mia. ¡°Thank you then.¡± It made Mia¡¯s already pale face turn even whiter. Tears started streaming down her cheeks as she sobbed, ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m not a prostitute!¡± turned to look at Kirk, who stood beside Caroline. ¡°Kirk, Caroline¡¯s ridiculous-¡± 1/2 +15 BONOS Caroline didn¡¯t want to make things difficult for Mia, so she said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Sean asked you to put on a show for my friend? Even supporting actors and actresses get paid. You were the main actress just now. You should get paid too.¡± Glowering, Mia bit her lip at the sight of the two hundred dors in Caroline¡¯s hand. Refusing to take the money meant that she did indeed have ulterior motives for Sean. Yet if she took the money, she¡¯d no longer have an excuse to continue putting on an act with him. Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Mia cast a miserable gaze at Kirk once again. Kirk put his hands in his pockets, his eyes cold. He had no intention of speaking up for her. Seeing this, Mia stomped her foot angrily and stormed off. Caroline frowned as she watched Mia leave. Then, Caroline put the money back in her bag. Kirk stepped forward and put his arm around Caroline¡¯s waist. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s get some food.¡± Caroline looked at the elevator and asked uncertainly, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go check up on them?¡± Kirk smiled. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m worried about them.¡± Kirk forcefully led her to the restaurant next door. ¡°They¡¯re already adults. They can handle things on their own.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t respond. Even when they were at the restaurant for food, Caroline was still worried about them. So, she packed some food for them and went to the hostel. When she arrived downstairs, she saw an ambnce parked at the entrance. Caroline had a bad feeling and hurried out. She saw Sean carrying Gwen down the stairs. ¡°What happened?¡± Caroline approached them nervously. Gwen had her eyes closed in pain. ¡°She¡¯s gastric,¡± Sean was clearly flustered. His tone was extremely frantic. ¡°I¡¯m taking her to the hospital¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go too,¡± Caroline said. She dragged Kirk to their car and followed the ambnce. Caroline was anxious the entire way there. When she arrived at the hospital, the nurse had already given Gwen an IV drip, and she was fast asleep in the hospital room. Caroline finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy all night, so I¡¯m sure you haven¡¯t eaten yet. You two should go home for now. I¡¯ll stay here and take care of Gwen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the doctor. I should stay behind,¡± Sean insisted, fixing his eyes on Gwen. Seeing this, Caroline looked back at Kirk. He nodded slightly at her. Then, the two walked out of the room together. ¡°I¡¯ll go get them some food. Wait for me here.¡® Caroline suggested. ¡°No, I¡¯ll go.¡± Kirk pushed Caroline onto a chair. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Caroline watched Kirk leave before turning to look at Sean in the hospital room. Sean kept watching Gwen like a hawk. She let out a sigh. He clearly had feelings for Gwen, so why did he ¡­ Suddenly, her phone vibrated. Caroline took it out. The first things she saw were push notifications from an entertainment website. She was about to put her phone away when she saw her own name. ¡°Breaking News! Caroline Evans¡® Mother Came Forward, using Her of Being a Freeloader Who Immediately Turned Against Her Family After Getting Married. Is the Future Mrs. Morrison Really That Disloyal and Despicable?¡± This piece of news didn¡¯t attract Caroline¡¯s attention, but another one did. ¡°Breaking News! ording to Inside Sources, the Actress Daphne Dawson Is the Wife of Eddy Morrison¡¯s Mysterious Second Uncle!¡± This headline was probably the reason why the news about Caroline wasn¡¯t trending. Caroline opened the article out of curiosity. She paid little attention to the entertainment industry Hence, she only found out that Daphne was an unknown D¨Clister after reading this article. The website had also posted a picture of Daphne, while the word ¡°confidential¡± was posted where the picture of Eddy¡¯s second uncle should be. Clearly, the paparazzi hadn¡¯t managed to get a photo of him. Caroline looked at the picture of Daphne again. Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Caroline frowned slightly. She couldn¡¯t believe this was the taste of the eloquent man who had spoken at the press conference more than a month ago. However, the entertainment website¡¯s sources were well¨Cfounded. Some people had even discovered that Daphne had been ying minor supporting roles before she married. But now, all of her parts were second or third leading roles. She could only have such connections because she¡¯d married Eddy¡¯s second uncle and affiliated herself with the Morrisons. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Kirk asked, quietly showing up beside her. Caroline looked up, almost thinking the man standing before her was Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Aside from their faces. Kirk and Eddy¡¯s second uncle looked really simr. ¡°Nothing important. Just some gossip.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Caroline remembered that they had a fight because of Eddy¡¯s second uncle, so she didn¡¯t hand him the phone. Instead, she asked, ¡°What did you buy?¡± ¡°Some oatmeal and pasta,¡± Kirk said calmly, watching Caroline put her phone away. Then, he took the food into the room. Sean didn¡¯t have an appetite. He said powerlessly, ¡°Thanks, Kirk. But I don¡¯t want to eat anything right now.¡± Kirk shrugged. ¡®Suit yourself.¡± After that, he took Caroline to wait outside the room. Gwen only woke upter on. When she saw Sean, she murmured, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Feeling emotional Sean said, ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Hearing the voices, Caroline and Kirk walked into the room. Caroline asked, ¡°How are you feeling, Gwen? Do you want a doctor here?¡± Gwen smacked her lips and croaked, ¡°No I¡¯m thirsty¡­¡± Sean immediately got up to pour some water for Gwen. After that, he carefully helped her sit up. ¡°Here. Drink some water.¡± Gwen nced at therge palm on her shoulder, and a tinge of emotion appeared on her face. She lowered her head and sipped the water. Seeing this, a smile appeared on Caroline¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that Sean was around, Gwen. You have to thank him for his help properly.¡± Sean said shyly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Gwen noticed that sly smile on Caroline¡¯s face, but she didn¡¯t have the energy to retort. Caroline insisted, ¡°She has to. Kirk and I have something to do. You two can discuss how she can express her gratitude.¡± She winked at Kirk and pulled him out of the hospital room. Kirk looked down at both of their hands and smirked. He turned back and grabbed Caroline¡¯s hand as well. As soon as they entered the elevator, he got a call from Charles. When the call connected, Charles broke out in a cold sweat. He said nervously, ¡°Sir, news about you and Ms. Dawson has been leaked!¡± After he spoke, he braced himself for Kirk¡¯s massive wrath. Kirk¡¯s face contorted. He looked down at Caroline and tried to suppress his anger. He hissed. ¡°Wait for me there!¡± Charles scratched his neck, surprised that Kirk hadn¡¯tshed out in anger. Caroline was keenly aware of the change in Kirk¡¯s mood. She asked with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen at work?¡± Facing Caroline¡¯s gaze, Kirk¡¯s heart melted. ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s a problem with a project. I¡¯ll take you home first.¡± +15 BONOS Then, Caroline and Kirk set off back to the city. As she reached home and got out of the car, she received a call from her apartment¡¯s real estate manager. ¡°Ms. Evans, you need toe here quickly.¡± Caroline frowned and asked, ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Many people threw rotten eggs, paint, and dung at your door. We didn¡¯t have enough security personnel. We¡¯ve already called the police and warded them off. But you muste and get this issue settled.¡± Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Caroline arrived at her apartment. She smelled a foul stench as soon as she stepped out of the elevator. The door to her apartment was covered in dung, and the walls were painted with the words ¡°Caroline Evans, the disloyal daughter.¡± The liquid from the broken eggs was flowing down the cracks in the bricks. The real estate manager was waiting for Caroline at the door. When he saw her, he covered his nose and walked over. ¡°Ms. Evans, the police officer is in the office getting the surveince footage.¡± Caroline nodded slightly and opened the door. The inside of her apartment was clean. It looked exactly the same as it had before La had wrecked the ce. ncing outside the door again, Caroline felt as if she had traveled back in time to when La had trashed her house. The real estate manager said, ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs, Ms. Evans.¡± Caroline looked away. Nodding slightly, she followed the real estate manager to the elevator. As the elevator doors opened, a white figure rushed out of the emergency exit. They jabbed a knife at Caroline. Fortunately, Caroline had quick reflexes. She immediately dodged by moving in the opposite direction the moment the attacker rushed over. The attacker missed his target and froze for a moment. Then, he ran toward Caroline again. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The real estate manager also sprung into action. He charged forward to snatch the knife from the attacker. Having lost his knife, the attacker panicked and ran toward the emergency exit. Caroline chased after the attacker. However, he was too fast. By the time Caroline got into the stairwell he had already disappeared. The real estate manager rushed over as well. ¡°Ms. Evans, don¡¯t go after him.¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°Thank you for your help.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. It¡¯s the least I can do.¡± The two lingered at the stairwell before going downstairs to meet the police officer in the office. When the real estate manager saw the police officer, he recounted what happened. Before the police officer could say anything, the man silling on the couch said. ¡°The security here is just too bad.¡± The real estate manager¡¯s face turned pale from the man¡¯s words. Caroline looked over at the man. He was tall and slender, with handsome features. He had a bright and outgoing disposition, However, his tone carried a hint of tyranny. She blinked, feeling that he looked familiar. For a moment, she couldn¡¯t remember where she had seen him before. It wasn¡¯t until the man looked at her with a smile that she remembered what she was about to say. She said hurriedly. ¡°You can¡¯t me the real estate manager for this.¡± The man smiled at Caroline¡¯s words. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone speak up for their real estate manager. Our business seems to be doing well, so I can rest assured.¡± Caroline looked at the man questioningly. The man asked with a smile, ¡°Do you really not remember me?¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Do we know each other?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Adrian Sorkin.¡± Caroline thought for a while before finally remembering him. home not long ago. Caroline didn¡¯t remember much from her childhood, especially before she turned eight years old. Hence, she had no recollection of the man in front of her. Sheughed. ¡°Oh, right. Adrian.¡± Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Adrian seemed to realize that Caroline didn¡¯t recognize him. So, he changed the subject. ¡°I¡¯ll ask my secretary to talk to you about thepensation. Do you have any other requests?¡± Caroline asked in surprise, ¡°Does the real estate management need to givepensation?¡± ¡°Of course we have topensate you. You suffered from property damage under our management.¡± Caroline understood. It was no wonder the Sorkin family could thrive in property management. Their reach extended to all kinds of properties in Easton. They really served their clients well. The police officer had retrieved all the surveince footage. He turned to Caroline in embarrassment. ¡°Ms. Evans, since there are too many people involved, it will be difficult for us to arrest them one by one.¡± Caroline nced at the people indignantly demeaning her in the surveince footage. She smiled lightly. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. The most important thing is to arrest the person who attacked me.¡± The police officer agreed. ¡°Of course.¡± The police officer confirmed the details with Caroline again. Then, he left with a copy of the surveince footage. ¡°Are you going to let them off just like that?¡± Adrian walked up to Caroline. (1) He smiled at her and suggested, ¡°If you arrest those people, you can at least lock them up for a few days to knock some sense into them.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that¡± Caroline objected. ¡°They¡¯re just being deceived.¡± Sarah was the true culprit behind all of this since she had spread lies online, using Caroline of being a disloyal daughter. Caroline¡¯s scandal was big, so Adrian knew a thing or two about it. He looked over at Caroline again. His eyes were filled with interest. ¡°I heard you got married, and your partner is a very ordinary worker, right?¡± Caroline said, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior hoped that you¡¯d marry Eddy. As long as you insist on it, he¡¯ll definitely marry you. Didn¡¯t you like him very much? Why did you give up?¡± Adrian probed even further. Caroline looked at Adrian with a smile and quipped, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be this nosy. Mr. Sorkin.¡± Adrianughed as well. When he smiled, his two crooked teeth showed. He looked so foolish that no one would be able to tell that he was the son of the Sorkin family. ¡°Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that serious.¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°I just got married like any other person. But because I used to be Eddy¡¯s fianc¨¦e, everyone has so many questions. That¡¯s why I¡¯m living so miserably right now.¡± ¡°On the contrary. I think you¡¯re much happier than before.¡± Thinking of Kirk, Caroline smiled joyfully. She affirmed, ¡°I think so too.¡± The two chatted some more. Before saying goodbye. Adrian offered to take Caroline out for a meal if given the chance. Caroline agreed casually, not taking it seriously. ¡°Sir, the news about you and Ms. Dawson¡¯s marriage remains at the top of the trending list.¡± Charles showed Kirk the traffic for various social media apps. He asked, ¡°Do you want to get someone to remove these trending searches? Kirk frowned. He questioned, ¡°Did you find out who did this?¡± ¡°I did. It¡¯s a smallpany. ording to the paparazzi, he visited Saint Pierre Grand Hotel to photograph another female celebrity. Unexpectedly, he happened to see Ms. Dawson and Mr. Morrison Senior, so he put the pieces together.¡± 1/2 +15 BONOS Charles asked in surprise, ¡°Sir, are you implying that someone instigated this smallpany to do it?¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Kirk narrowed his eyes. Charles immediately understood. ¡°Mr Mr. Morrison Senior did this? But what¡¯s his purpose?¡± Kirk leaned back in his chair with a cold smile. Specting, he said, ¡°He¡¯s suspicious of my rtionship with Carrie.¡± Charles looked at Kirk in shock. He echoed, ¡°So, thest time you guys met was to confirm that¡­¡± Kirk waved his hand, cutting him off. He asked, ¡°Who¡¯s second on the trending list?¡± Charles looked at Kirk hesitantly. Noticing his hesitation, Kirk frowned. ¡°Since when were you so hesitant to reply?¡± Charles sputtered, ¡°I¨CIt¡¯s the madam. Her family is using her of being a freeloader and abandoning them after getting married He stopped talking when he saw Kirk¡¯s thunderous expression. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Kirk didn¡¯t need Charles to finish speaking. He turned on his tablet, and a push notification about Sarah¡¯s usation against Caroline appeared on the big screen. It was a video. It showed Sarah, who hadn¡¯t dressed up and looked haggard. She cried as soon as she started talking. ¡°I know we shouldn¡¯t air our family¡¯s dirtyundry in public, but we really don¡¯t have a choice. Caroline has blocked us everywhere, so we can onlymunicate like this. I¡¯m sorry for using the public¡¯s resources like this.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Sarah wiped her tears away and looked straight at the camera. As if she were looking at Caroline, she put on a loving expression. She said, ¡°Carrie, I know you¡¯re listening. You¡¯re already a married adult, so I don¡¯t want to keep pampering you. It would only do you more harm. You¡¯ve never contributed to the family your entire life, but it¡¯s okay. As your mother, I should be supporting and providing for you.¡± She paused briefly before continuing. ¡°But how can you be so cruel to leave your father and me alone after you got married? We¡¯re still young, so we can still fend for ourselves. But we need you to support us when we¡¯re old!¡± The sound of Sarah¡¯s tearful usations filled Kirk¡¯s office. Charles felt ufortable just listening to this. Life was too harsh on Caroline. Her parents were simply monsters. They clearly knew why she had cut them out of her life. Kirk narrowed his eyes, and the veins on his arms throbbed as he clenched his fists. He looked through thements. Most expressed pity towards Dan and Sarah or cursed Caroline for being a cruel and ungrateful daughter. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this sooner?¡± Kirk asked, ring at Charles. Trembling in fear, Charles exined. ¡°Sir, although this headline about the madam is second on the trending list, it¡¯s nothingpared to yours. ¡°You¡¯ve attracted almost 90% of the public¡¯s attention. I thought the most important thing right now was to deal with the public¡¯s opinion about your news, so I didn¡¯t inform you about her¡­¡± Kirk lightly tapped on the table with his pen. He asked, ¡°Did you say that the news about me attracted most of the public¡¯s attention?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, even before we did any damage control.¡± ¡°In other words, if I release another big story to the public, I can take the heat off of Caroline?¡± Charles¡® heart skipped a beat. He uncertainly asked, ¡°Sir, what are you nning to do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t remove the trending searches and let this plece of news blow up even more. Also, invite that woman to see me tonight and ask her to dress up nicely,¡± Kirk ordered. Charles asked worriedly, ¡°But if you do that, it will increase the risk of your exposure to the public. This will have a certain impact on expanding your business in Easton.¡± 1 Kirk¡¯s expression was sullen, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes. ¡°Just do as I say.¡± Charles had no choice but to obey. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Meanwhile, on set, the entire crew surrounded Daphne. ¡°This ss of water is too hot. I want it warm! And these grapes aren¡¯t fresh! Get new ones! Also, you! You¡¯re the female lead, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re a horrible actress! Get out of here if you can¡¯t act!¡± Daphne barked. The crowd remained silent, not daring to talk against Daphne. After linding out that she was the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle, no one in the crew dared to disrespect her. They didn¡¯t expect a rich man¡¯s wife to be right under their noses. Eddy¡¯s second uncle owned thergestpany in Sarco. As his wife, Daphne could bring everyone in Easton to their knees, and no Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Chapter 211 ¡®Ms. Dawson, why don¡¯t you go home and rest for the day?¡± The director smiled, ncing at the reporters outside, whom security guards had blocked off. They were all here to interview Daphne. Daphne nced at the director. She felt ecstatic about having so many people¡¯s support, but she wasn¡¯t a fool. Kirk had already rified that he could give her resources, but she couldn¡¯t expose their rtionship. Now, their rtionship had been exposed. But since she wasn¡¯t the one who had done it, she could stay out of this fiasco.. However, if she left the set and said something wrong to those reporters, she would lose the benefactor she had worked so hard to get. Hence, Daphne refused. ¡°Since I¡¯m already on set, I¡¯m working here. There¡¯s no need to give me special treatment. Let¡¯s keep filming.¡± The director¡¯s forehead was covered in sweat. He dared not say anything else, so he could only tough it out and keep filming. Daphne had undergone stic surgery, and her acting was mediocre. In the past, the director wouldn¡¯t have let that slide. But today, she hadpleted her scene in one take. She was proud, thinking that her acting had finally impressed the director. After filming, Daphne¡¯s manager trotted over with the phone in her hand. ¡°Daph, Mr. Kirk¡¯s assistant is looking for you.¡± Daphne was surprised, and her heartbeat quickened. She asked guiltily, ¡°Did he say anything?¡± ¡°He asked you to see Mr. Kirk tonight and to dress nicely.¡± The manager raised her voice on purpose as she said this. Thinking of Kirk¡¯s face and figure, Daphne blushed. She said shyly. ¡°So annoying.¡± Everyone else was filled with envy after hearing their words. They all thought that Daphen was lucky. However, they had to tter her anyway. After Caroline left the real estate office, she removed Sarah¡¯s number from the blocked contacts and called her. She said concisely, ¡°Let¡¯s meet up.¡± Crooning, Sarah said, ¡°So, you¡¯re finally willing to talk things through with me?¡± ¡°Where are we meeting?¡± Caroline asked, not wanting to beat around the bush with her. ¡°Let¡¯s meet up at home.¡± Hearing the word ¡°home,¡± Caroline grimaced. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be there in an hour or so.¡± After that, she hung up the phone and drove to the Evans family¡¯s vi. She didn¡¯t feel nostalgic after being away from that ce for so long. Instead, she felt disgusted at having to return there. She rang the doorbell, and the servant opened the door. Before Caroline went in, she could hearughter from inside the house. She sneered. She entered the living room and saw La sitting on the couch. Caroline¡¯s first thought was wondering when La had returned home. Her second thought was why she wasn¡¯t in a wheelchair anymore. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. But those two thoughts left as soon as they came. She didn¡¯t care about the answers. ¡°Release a video to clear things up.¡± Caroline said, going straight to the point. ¡°If you do that, I¡¯ll let this entire thing slide.¡± La was the first to respond. ¡°Oh, Caroline. Who do you think you¡¯re talking to? You¡¯re being rude.¡± ¡°Shut the hell up!¡± Caroline barked without even looking at La. ¡°I¡¯m asking onest time. Are you going to clear things up or not?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t anything to clear up.¡± Sarah retorted coldly. She¡¯d thought that Caroline was here to beg them for mercy. She hadn¡¯t expected her daughter to be so stubborn. She said impatiently, ¡°What I said In the video was the truth. Our family has raised you all these years, didn¡¯t we?¡± wouldn¡¯t bother themselves with you!¡± Sarah¡¯s and Dan¡¯s faces turned pale from their daughter¡¯s words. Chapter 212 Chapter 212 ¡°These are twopletely different things, Caroline.¡± La said with a smirk. ¡°It¡¯s true that the Evans family is where they are today because of the Morrisons, but it has nothing to do with you not supporting your parents.¡± ¡°My parents know better than anyone why I chose not to support them.¡± Caroline retorted, ring at La. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°La, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know you¡¯re involved in this. You just got out of jail, yet you¡¯re trying to get yourself in there again.¡± La¡¯s expression shifted from Caroline¡¯s words, but she still smiled gently. *Caroline, everyone here has a sense of who¡¯s right and wrong here. At any rate, Aunt Sarah and Uncle Dan won¡¯t release a video to clear things up.¡± Caroline looked back and forth between them, and she immediately understood. She narrowed her eyes and said perceptively, ¡°You asked them to post that video, didn¡¯t you?¡± La gritted her teeth and retorted, ¡°ndering someone is against thew.¡± Caroline scoffed and looked at Sarah and Dan again. ¡°I¡¯ve already said what I wanted to say. If you don¡¯t release a video to clear things up in three days, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless.¡± With that, she left the room. Sarah and Dan looked at La. They were feeling intimidated by Caroline. ¡°What should we do now, La? Caroline seems to have proof to take us down.¡± La smiled confidently and assured, ¡°You¡¯re both overthinking this. She can¡¯t have any proof. Besides, you worked hard to raise her, and you worry yourselves over her growth. Anyone would say that you¡¯re not in the wrong! The one at fault is Caroline, who abandoned you after getting married!¡± Sarah thought her words made sense and echoed. ¡°You¡¯re right. Caroline didn¡¯t support us, and she even blocked us on everything. We only exposed her online because we had no other choice!¡± Dan nced hesitantly at his wife. After a while, he said, ¡°Then, the video ¡­¡® La cut him off. ¡°Uncle Dan, since what we said is true, there¡¯s no need to make another video.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just worried about Caroline¡¯s reputation. She may lose her connections to the Morrisons.¡± La¡¯s expression darkened for a moment. She secretly cursed Dan for still considering marrying his daughter into the Morrison family. But soon she smiled brightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Uncle Dan and Aunt Sarah. When I marry into the Morrison family, I won¡¯t forget the help you¡¯ve given me today. I¡¯ll treat you both like my own parents.¡± Her words moved Sarah and Dan. ¡°I knew we shouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± Dan nudged Sarah. Sarah realized something and quickly changed her words. ¡°La, we will definitely help you join the Morrison family and be the next Mrs. Morrison.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± La smiled obediently. After chatting a little more, she finally got up and left the vi. As she got into her car, her lips slowly curled up into a sneer. What a bunch of old fools! While La had been in prison, she¡¯d learned that Eddy and Caroline had been in frequent contact. Sensing something was wrong, she¡¯d quickly contacted her parents and asked them to get her out as soon as possible. Since she behaved well in prison, she was released a week early. After getting out of prison, La had continuously worked on brainwashing Sarah and Dan, saying that she got out of jail because of Eddy. +15 BONOS would marry her soon. Sarah and Dan had believed her words. La had even promised that as long as she became the next Mrs. Morrison, she would treat both of them well. Sarah and Dan had been very touched. La had taken the chance toin that, although Eddy wanted to marry her, hecked the opportunity to do so. If someone could reveal Caroline¡¯s dirtyundry, Eddy could tell Jude she wasn¡¯t suited to be part of the Morrison family. La had also hinted that Sarah could use Caroline of breaking ties with them and not supporting them. As nned, Sarah had taken the bait and recorded a video to use Caroline. Now, everyone knew that Caroline was a disloyal daughter. There was no way a person like that could join the Morrison family. No one would agree to this marriage, even if Jude doted on her. La smiled sinisterly. She was one step closer to bing the next Mrs. Morrison. After Caroline left the Evans family¡¯s vi, she went straight home. She¡¯d thought Kirk would still be at work. To her surprise, he was home. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say something went wrong with a project? Why are you home so soon?¡± Caroline asked, putting down her bag. Kirk stared at her. Seeing that her expression was normal, he waved and ordered, ¡°Come here.¡± Caroline walked over to him. Kirk hugged her on hisp, resting his chin on her shoulder. Inhaling the faint, sweet scent on her body, he rxed his frown. He asked.¡± Why didn¡¯t you tell me about such a big thing?¡± 1 Caroline blinked. ¡°About what?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still trying to hide it.¡± Kirk turned her around, making her face him. ¡°About Sarah using you.¡± Caroline hugged Kirk¡¯s neck with a smile. ¡°You know about that?¡± Kirk looked into her eyes. Observing that it wasn¡¯t a forced smile, he pinched her nose. ¡°You seem pretty happy, though.¡± Caroline nestled herself in Kirk¡¯s arms. ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± Kirk rxed and smiled. ¡°Pretty much.¡± Caroline¡¯s smile widened slightly. She let out a breath, its heat making Kirk¡¯s heart swell. ¡°Actually, ever since I got the information, I¡¯ve been thinking about what to do with it. I didn¡¯t know whether to expose Sarah or pretend this never happened, treating it as repaying her for raising me. But I didn¡¯t expect them to do something like this.¡± Taking a deep breath, Caroline continued. ¡°I¡¯m going to release this Information to the public so everyone can see what kind of parents they are.¡± Kirk¡¯s heart ached, and his hands on her waist trembled slightly. ¡°Are you cutting lies with your parents?¡± Caroline looked up at Kirk, her gaze unwavering. She said, ¡°Yeah. Since they¡¯ve chosen to nder me, they can¡¯t me me lor what I do next. Right now, they¡¯re strangers to me. I don¡¯t need to hold back against strangers.¡± Kirk smiled, kissing Caroline¡¯s face. ¡°Oh, darling.¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Yeah?¡± With a smirk, Kirk grabbed Caroline¡¯s waist and pinned her down. 21 ¡°I¡¯m doing something serious, too,¡± Kirk whispered, biting her earlobe. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Kirk pecked her lips. He lightly traced her lips with his tongue, tasting her sweet scent. Caroline felt even more nervous after seeing his leisurely expression. Kirk looked at her with a smirk. He crooned, ¡°Be a good girl¡­¡± His voice was breathtaking and maic, seemingly pulling her into the depths of his heart. Caroline hugged his arms. She nced at the moon with blurry eyes. She could see the moon from behind the treetops. It overlooked Caroline and the entire world. At Pavilion, Daphne kept looking at the time on her watch. Kirk was over an hourte to their meetup. She slowly frowned. She took out her phone, hesitating to call her manager. She didn¡¯t have Kirk¡¯s number. ording to the contract, only Kirk could make arrangements to meet her. She didn¡¯t have the right to contact him. It was at this moment that her phone rang. The call was from an unknown number. Daphne was overjoyed, and she quickly answered the phone. ¡°Mr. Kirk, is that you?¡± On the other end of the line, Howard didn¡¯t hear her words clearly. He asked with a smile. ¡°Excuse me. Is this Ms. Daphne Dawson?¡± Daphne immediately realized that he wasn¡¯t Kirk. She asked cautiously. ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°Oh, my name is Howard Collins.¡± Daphne¡¯s eyes widened immediately. She asked in surprise, ¡°Howard Collins, the head of the Collins family, one of the big four families?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Hello, Ms. Dawson.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Daphne tried her best to calm down, but her voice still trembled as she greeted him. ¡°H¨Chello.¡± *When are you free, Ms. Dawson? Let¡¯s have a drink.¡± Daphne fidgeted in surprise. This was something she never thought would happen. She sputtered, ¡°Uh, I¡­ I¡¯m free anytime.¡± Howard said, ¡°Then, let¡¯s arrange a time. I¡¯ll ask my secretary to pick you up.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Daphne agreed. After hanging up the phone, Howard frowned slightly. Seeing this, the butler hurriedly asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong. Mr. Collins? Did it not go well?¡± Howard shook his head. As he paced back and forth, he asked, ¡°Are you sure that Daphne is Kirk¡¯s wife?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Netizens are going wild about it.¡± ¡°But why do I keep getting the feeling that Kirk wouldn¡¯t like someone like her?¡± Daphne was just a D¨Clist actress. She wasn¡¯t what Kirk wanted at all, so why would he like her? The butler said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Collins, I¡¯ve read Daphne¡¯s information as well. She isn¡¯t a very beautiful woman. Perhaps there¡¯s something she excels at.¡± Smiling, Howard ordered, ¡°Go and pick a nice ce for us. I want to have a nice, long chat with Ms. Dawson.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The butler left the room after getting instructions. The next day, Caroline woke up to find Kirk silently watching her with his arm propped up. She stretched her limbs and asked, ¡°Why are you up so early?¡± 1/3 +15 BONOS Caroline didn¡¯t dare to move another muscle after his words. Kirk smirked and teased, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Caroline red at him. ¡°You know the answer to that question.¡± Then, she warned him, ¡°I have to go to work today.¡± ¡°But¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Caroline forcefully cut him off. Kirk kissed Caroline¡¯s neck again, then turned over and let her go. ¡°Fine.¡± He pouted sadly. Caroline was dumbfounded at the sight. She got out of bed to wash up. When she retumed, Kirk was still looking at her with puppy eyes, as if she were an owner who had abandoned her pet. She squeezed her palms before saying cruelly. ¡°I¡¯m going to work.¡± Seeing that she was determined to leave, Kirk sat up. The thin nket slid off his chest,nding on his muscr abs. He asked, ¡°When are you nning to release the information about your parents?¡± Caroline replied, ¡°I need to find a reliable public rtions agency first.¡± Kirk said without hesitation, ¡°I¡¯ll help you find one.¡± ¡°You know people from PR agencies?¡± Kirk said, ¡°Of course, the businesses under Morrison Corp must be connected with a PR agency.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Caroline smiled slightly and thanked him. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it? Just a thank you?¡± Kirk tilted his head with a smirk. It was clear what he wanted her to do. Caroline said irritably. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to a big meal tonight.¡± With that, she went downstairs. However, Kirk keenly noticed that her earlobes were red. Then, he got out of bed happily. As Kirk was brushing his teeth, he got a call from Charles. ¡°Sir, didn¡¯t you go to Pavillionst night?¡± Kirk paused, and he said half¨Cheartedly. ¡°No.¡± Charles was speechless at his answer. Kirk had always kept his word. He would have definitely had a purpose in asking Daphne out. If he hadn¡¯t shown up, he¡¯d probably gotten caught up in something more important. ¡°Do you want her to go there again tonight?¡± Charles asked again. ¡°No.¡± Kirk wiped the water from his face. He had initially wanted to meet Daphne to cause some stir among the public about their rtionship. However, since Caroline had already decided to deal with Sarah, he didn¡¯t need to do anything anymore. Besides, he really didn¡¯t want to spend time with any woman other than Caroline. ¡°Just make sure news about my marriage keeps trending. Also, lind a reble PR agency to help my wife.¡± Kirk moved to hang his towel. When he saw the pink towel on the hook, his gaze and tone softened. ¡°Remember, you can¡¯t tell hersked you to do this!¡± It took Charles a full minute and a half to snap back to his senses. Was he hearing things? Charles couldn¡¯t believe his boss could speak so gently. Even he was jealous, thinking about how his boss talked to Caroline so gently every day! As soon as Caroline entered thepany building, she felt countless pairs of eyes staring at her. +15 BONOS But in real life, she received far more attention from her colleagues than before since someone in their company was involved in this scandal. Caroline was used to these probing gazes and walked to the elevator calmly. At the elevator entrance, many people avoided her like the gue the moment they saw her. The elevator happened to arrive at this time, so Caroline walked straight in. Seeing that the people outside had no intention of getting in with her, she pressed the close button with a slight smile. It was pretty nice to have the elevator to herself during rush hour. Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Chapter 214 ¡°She¡¯s just inhumane, isn¡¯t she? I never knew she was a freeloader back home!¡± ¡°She abandoned her parents after getting married. Saying that she¡¯s lost her brain cells would be an understatement.¡± ¡°Is it really worth it for her to do all this for an ordinary office employee?¡± Caroline strode into the design department in her high heels. She heard tons of whispers about her. She walked through the office area calmly. Some people keenly noticed her walking by and hurriedly signaled theirpanions to quiet down. Soon, the office became dead silent. Caroline didn¡¯t say anything in response. There was no point in doing so. She might as well prove her innocence with cold, hard facts. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. When she pushed the door to her office open, she saw Vivian sitting Inside. Caroline raised her eyebrows in surprise and asked, ¡°What are you doing in my office?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m here to see you, Caroline. You¡¯re trending on the inte. How are you nning to deal with it?¡± ¡°That is a personal matter.¡± Caroline sat on her chair, feeling ufortable. She said, ¡°I have nothing to say.¡± Vivian paid close attention to Caroline¡¯s expression. Seeing that Caroline didn¡¯t use theputer, Vivian let out a sigh. She walked over and put both hands on the table, looking at Caroline with a half¨Csmile. ¡°Although this is your personal matter, it¡¯ll be bad if it affects thepany¡¯s reputation.¡± Caroline sneered, ¡°You¡¯re just an assistant director, but you¡¯re talking back to your superior. Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll fire you?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Caroline grinned. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? If you constantly make trouble for me and dy ourpany¡¯s work progress, forget me¨CI doubt even Mr. Hawkins will indulge you.¡± Vivian grimaced at her words. But somehow she smiled again. She mocked, ¡°You won¡¯t be smiling much longer, Caroline.¡± She turned around and left the office. Caroline thought Vivian was referring to Sarah¡¯s usations, so she didn¡¯t take her words to heart. She still felt ufortable in her seat, even after she had turned on theputer. She adjusted her chair and finally found afortable position. Caroline frowned, staring at her chair in suspicion. Her chair was in a fixed position and had no wheels. Whenever she got off work, she would stand up and leave without shifting the chair. She had never felt ufortable sitting in this chair. Caroline thought about Vivian, who had just left. She called Cheryl into her office. ¡°Cheryl, did you know Vivian came into my office just now?¡± Cheryl panicked. She stuttered, ¡°I¨CI didn¡¯t know that. S¨CSusan asked me to take some documents to Mr. Hawkins just now.¡± Caroline frowned and said sternly, ¡°So, you just listen to whatever she says?¡± 1-1 Cheryl didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°You¡¯d better remember that I¡¯m your superior, not Susan.¡± Noticing that Cheryl was about to cry, Caroline sighed. ¡°Cheryl, this is a workce. No one will show sympathy if you cry. Anyone who wants toe into my office needs my permission first. Do you understand?¡± Cheryl nodded, desperately holding back the tears in her eyes. ¡°Yes. I understand¡± +15 BONOS After Caroline asked Cheryl to leave, she began to check her office. There were no signs of Vivian tampering with important documents or opening the drawers. So, why had shee in here? Caroline stared at the chair. Did Vivian just sit in her chair to experience what it was like to be the design director? She was lost in thought when the phone rang. It was a call from Star King Public Rtions. It was the best public rtions agency in the industry. Many celebrities liked working with them. Chapter 215 Chapter 215 However, getting thispany to handle public rtions was difficult because of its excellent reputation. Caroline didn¡¯t expect Kirk to be so well¨Cconnected. He had gotten someone from Star King PR to call her in person, and they were very polite. ¡°Hello, is this Ms. Caroline Evans?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°When will you be free? We can meet up and discuss things with you in person.¡± Caroline thought for a while before replying. ¡°Is 1 pm okay?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see you then, Caroline said. After hanging up the phone, she immediately called Kirk. ¡°Someone from Star King PR contacted me just now. You¡¯re really well- connected, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kirk replied merrily, ¡°Remember to treat me to a big meal tonight.¡± He emphasized the word ¡°big.¡± Caroline¡¯s cheeks burned. Why did she feel that Kirk was making a y at something? She was probably overthinking it. What was so dirty about a meal? ¡°Got it.¡± Caroline said, ¡°I¡¯ll buy more food after work.¡± Hearing his wife¡¯s innocent words, Kirk silently smirked. ¡°Sure, remember to buy more grapes.¡± At Morrison Manor, Jude got up early in the morning. After dressing neatly and eating breakfast, he picked up his cane and walked to the loor. imon greeted him, ¡°Are you going out, Sir?¡± ude smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡®ou¡¯re going to visit Ms. Evans, right?¡± ide smiled even wider. ¡°I really can¡¯t hide anything from you, Simon!¡± mon smiled. ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t think you need to go anymore.¡± 1, have you tried out my idea?¡± >.¡± Simon hesitated momentarily before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll work.¡± w could it be? If Carrie is Kirk¡¯s wife, she¡¯ll be sad when she sees the news. If not, Carrie wouldn¡¯t feel much after seeing it.¡± e was upset with Simon for questioning his methods. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it work?¡± on exined, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Ms. Evans is in trouble right now¡­¡± at kind of trouble?¡± Jude asked with concern. I don¡¯t know about it since you don¡¯t go online. Ms. Evans¡® parents are saying that she¡¯s a freeloader and using her of abandoning 1. They demeaned her online.¡± culous!¡± Jude tightly gripped his cane. y shouldn¡¯t air out their family¡¯s dirtyundry, and Carrie isn¡¯t someone like that! Even though she didn¡¯t have a job, she did her best to for Eddy all these years. +15 BONOSC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. worried about this. Even if you tell her about Mr. Kirk, you won¡¯t be able to tell If she¡¯s upset about Mr. Kirk or about her parents¡® usations.¡± Jude was silent for a moment. Then, he agreed. ¡°You have a point.¡± He turned around and walked away. Then, as though he¡¯d just thought of something, he raised his eyebrow slightly. He ordered, ¡°Call Eddy over here.¡± ¡°Sir, he¡¯s still sleeping right now.¡± ¡°Just do as I say!¡± Jude insisted. He didn¡¯t want Eddy to miss out on an opportunity like this! Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Caroline returned to the office after lunch. Many of her colleagues had just gotten back from lunch as well and were currently resting. As Caroline entered her office, everyone seemed to regain their energy and began talking about her. ¡°Hey, what do you think will happen in the end?¡± ¡°Who knows? But I think that Caroline will be in trouble. Her family has already used her publicly. She has no way of marrying into the Morrison family now. Both the Evanses and the Morrisons won¡¯t help her. Her husband is just an ordinary man. He can¡¯t do anything to help her!¡± ¡°If you ask me, Caroline deserved this. She didn¡¯t want to be Mrs. Morrison. Instead, she chose to marry a poor taxi driver!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Viv mention something? It seems that Caroline did it to anger Mr. Eddy. I heard the person he likes is Caroline¡¯s cousin. He doesn¡¯t want to marry Caroline.¡± ¡°So, why is he still visiting Caroline? He even gave her a bunch of roses and a diamond ring!¡± ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior probably forced him to do it. I have no idea why that old man likes Caroline so much.¡± While everyone was talking, they suddenly heard footsteps outside the door. They quickly shut their mouths and looked over. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Seeing that it was Eddy, they all froze. Mr. Eddy?¡± One of the girls stood up, blushing. She asked, ¡°W¨Cwhat are you doing here?¡± ddy asked coldly, ¡°Is Caroline here?¡± Y¨Cyes, she¡¯s in her office.¡± ddy nodded and strode towards the director¡¯s office. eeing him knock on the door and enter, everyone looked at each other in dismay. Didn¡¯t Caroline lose her chance of joining the Morrison mily? Why was Eddy here now? nen Caroline saw Eddy, she frowned in displeasure. She questioned, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± dy was upset at Jude for ordering him toe here. But when he saw Caroline with her hair tied up and her gentle features, he felt as if had returned to the past. heart skipped a beat at the sight. eard you were in trouble, so I came to see you.¡± Then, he added, ¡°Grandpa asked me to.¡± act,he had been wanting to visit Caroline after seeing Sarah use her online. Yet his pride wouldn¡¯t allow him to. ead, he had told his subordinates to tell Simon about it. Then, he¡¯d waited for Simon to tell Jude, knowing that Jude would order him to Caroline after finding out. ugh his methods were roundabout, he got what he wanted. line knew that he wasn¡¯t this kind. She said dismissively, ¡°Then, you can go home and tell Grandpa not to worry.¡± pulled over a chair and sat down with a snort. is he not going to worry? Your mother has alreadye forward and used you. Just tell me if you need help, Caroline! For the of our previous rtionship, I just might help you if you ask!¡± ine nced at the time. The people from Star King PR should be here any second. She didn¡¯t have the energy to deal with Eddy. ¡°If ¡®s nothing else, you can go home.¡± You must be here for an inspection, right?¡± Although thispany was owned by Eddy¡¯s second uncle, he and Eddy were the same in everyone¡¯s eyes, Eddy huffed, looking over at Caroline. Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Eddy suddenly changed his mind and added, ¡°I also came to ask my ex¨Cfianc¨¦e if she needed any help.¡± He sounded very mysterious. Susan finally noticed Caroline. She said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯ve got a big heart, Mr. Eddy. She¡¯s already your ex, but you still care so much about her. However, Caroline is in huge trouble. Even her parents, the most selfless people in the world, have called her out. Her downfall is guaranteed!¡± Then, she added, ¡°Caroline must be so overwhelmed right now, so your visit must be what she needed. She definitely needs your help!¡± Eddy smirked. ¡°But she said she doesn¡¯t need it.¡± Susan looked at Caroline like she was a fool. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Caroline, don¡¯t be so stubborn at a time like this. Although It¡¯s wrong not to support your parents, these issues can be discussed privately. Now that the issue has been publicized, your reputation will definitely be affected. If Mr. Eddy doesn¡¯t help you, you¡¯ll be doomed. She sounded like she was concerned for Caroline, but in fact, she was scolding her for being ungrateful. Caroline nced at the clock on her tablet. ¡°Get ou-¡± Eddy¡¯s expression twisted into a scowl from being put down by Caroline in front of an outsider. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish, Caroline!¡± ¡°We have nothing to do with each other anymore. But you keep pestering me time after time. You¡¯re the foolish one!¡± Caroline retorted. taking out her phone. ¡°If you both stay here for even one more second, I¡¯m calling security!¡± Eddy frowned, unable to bear seeing her so stubborn. ¡°Snap out of it, Caroline! Without my help, you will be judged wherever you go!¡± Caroline sneered, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯ve already hired a PR team!¡± Eddy¡¯s lips curled up into a mocking smile. He asked, ¡°A PR team? Where did you get them? You¡¯re not being scammed, are you?¡± ¡°Star King PR,¡± Caroline calmly replied. Both Susan and Eddy were shocked. They looked at Caroline in disbelief. Immediately, Susan scoffed. ¡°Caroline, you don¡¯t have to lie to Mr. Eddy just to anger him. Star King PR only handles PR for celebrities. They wouldn¡¯t bat an eye toward anyone who isn¡¯t an A¨Clister.¡± Eddy thought Caroline was lying as well. He was about to say something when arge group of people walked into the design department. All of them were wearing suits and leather shoes with an elegant bearing. The woman leading them walked to the door of Caroline¡¯s office. She knocked on the door and nodded politely at Caroline. ¡°Excuse me, are you Ms. Caroline Evans?¡± Caroline nodded. he woman smiled even more. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m-¡± efore she could finish, Susan yelled in excitement, ¡°Brittany Emerson!¡± rittany was the head of Star King¡¯s PR department! She was a legend in the public rtions industry! As long as she handled a case, she ould clear the names of even the most scandalous celebrities! though she was often criticized for doing her job, no one could beat her proficiency in her profession. Moreover, she had really high andards. The only people who could hire her were famous celebrities. Even the most popr stars nowadays might not be able to catch er eye. ut Brittany¡¯s ttering smile and polite attitude toward Caroline made Susan feel like she was dreaming. didn¡¯t expect Caroline to be telling the truth. Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Brittany noticed Eddy and raised her eyebrows in surprise. She said, ¡°You¡¯re here too, Mr. Eddy.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Eddy answered half¨Cheartedly. He looked back at Brittany and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Although he already knew the answer, he didn¡¯t want to admit the truth. Brittany replied, ¡°Ms. Evans hired me to handle her PR case.¡± ttany and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Although he already knew the answer, he didn¡¯t want to admit the truth. Brittany replied, ¡°Ms. Evans hired me to handle her PR case.¡± Susan was shocked by Brittany¡¯s words. She looked at Caroline in disbelief. Eddy had already guessed it, but he still had a mild scowl. ¡°But as far as I know, you don¡¯t usually go out and handle cases yourself,¡± he said, looking at Caroline. ¡°You¡± you didn¡¯t do this for my sake, did you? She¡¯s already my ex¨Cfianc¨¦e. You don¡¯t have to-¡± Brittany was still polite to Eddy, but she couldn¡¯t resist Interrupting him. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, Mr. Eddy. I¡¯m here because Ms. Evans caught my eye.¡± Eddy remained silent. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, may I ask both of you to leave? I would like to talk to Ms. Evans in private.¡± Brittany¡¯s team escorted the baffled Eddy and Susan out of the office. By now, many people had gathered outside Caroline¡¯s office. After hearing that Brittany was here, they had wanted to see if it was true. When they saw Eddy and Susan leaving the office, they were talking. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It sounds like Caroline hired Brittany¡¯s PR team.¡± ¡°Caroline is pretty badass. She can even hire someone like Brittany.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Only famous stars can hire her, right?¡± ¡°All I can say is that Caroline has an amazingwork! I envy her!¡± Brittany remained silent during the discussions outside. She gently closed the door to iste the noise. She asked, ¡°Shall we start, Ms. Evans?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Caroline nodded slightly and asked Cheryl to pour Brittany a ss of water. Brittany became a different person when she was at work. She said methodically. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten a general understanding of your issue. I heard that you already have evidence to use your parents. Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Caroline said, matching Brittany¡¯s attitude. She opened the email she¡¯d received from that mystery person. ¡°I was kidnapped by someone a month ago, but I managed to escape. Later on, I found out that the people who kidnapped me were hired by my mother.¡± There wasn¡¯t a single change in Brittany¡¯s expression. ¡°Perfect. If we post this piece of evidence online and hire some bloggers to get it circting, we can get more people to know about the truth. Things will likely settle down in less than three days.¡± Caroline smiled slightly. ¡°This isn¡¯t what I want.¡± Brittany was surprised by her words. She said, ¡°You¡¯re a loyal daughter, Ms. Evans. You don¡¯t want your parents to be affected by this¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Caroline got up. She handed aptop to Brittany. ¡°After the usations blew up, this happened to my house.¡± Brittany looked at the pictures on the screen. ¡°This is normal. Some extreme or egoistical people will retaliate against people involved in scandals.¡± +15 BONOS Caroline shook her head. ¡°After the situation turns around, you can release these pictures to the public to garner sympathy for me being persecuted.¡± A gleam of interest appeared in Brittany¡¯s eyes. ¡°I want everyone to sympathize with me. Then, I can legally propose to sever ties with Sarah and Dan,¡± Caroline dered. Brittany felt a chill up her spine from Caroline¡¯sst words. She no longer looked at Caroline politely like before. Instead, she looked at her with admiration. Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Everyone in the industry sald that Brittany would do even the most heavy¨Chanded things to clear her client¡¯s name. However, Brittany knew Caroline as the woman who would obediently slick to Eddy like glue. She didn¡¯t expect her to be apletely different person in less than half a year. She liked the current Caroline very much. She asked, ¡°So, what do I have to do?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Caroline exined, ¡°When I went to see my real estate manager the other day, I was attacked by a mysterious man. The police are Investigating it, so the man should be caught soon.¡± She spoke lightheartedly, as if what she talked about didn¡¯t concern her. ¡°You can start posting the evidence after the police arrest the attacker.¡± ¡°What if the police don¡¯t?¡± Brittany questioned. Caroline said calmly, ¡°If the police still haven¡¯t caught anyone in three days, start going through with the n.¡± Brittany smiled sincerely. ¡°It seems you had already figured out what to do before I came, Ms. Evans.¡± Beforeing here, Brittany had been worried that Caroline was an amateur and would use her special status to tell her what to do. Unexpectedly, Caroline had already prepared a set of procedures to carry out. And Brittany didn¡¯t even have to do anything. This was the easlest job Brittany had ever had. In fact, not only was it the easiest, but it was also the most profitable. She liked Caroline even more now. ¡°Then Can I leave now?¡± Brittany asked, standing up. Caroline walked Brittany to the elevator. ¡°Ms. Emerson.¡± She thought for a moment before asking. ¡°May I ask why you decided to help me?¡± Caroline knew Kirk had helped her, so it wasn¡¯t because she had caught Brittany¡¯s attention like she had imed earlier. But judging by the exchange between Brittany and Eddy just now, it was clear that she didn¡¯t take him seriously. Kirk was just a mid¨Clevel employee at Morrison Corporation. There was no way someone like him could hire Brittany. ¡°Because your husband asked me to.¡± Brittany beat around the bush. Caroline smiled. ¡°You¡¯re a smart woman, Ms. Emerson, so you should know what I¡¯m talking about. Of all the people who asked for your help, why did you choose to help my husband? Don¡¯t tell me he has saved you as well.¡± Brittany said, ¡°That¡¯s not true. It¡¯s because your husband¡­ sold me a piece of valuable information.¡± Caroline blinked in confusion. At this moment, the elevator arrived on their floor. Brittany walked in without saying anything else and nodded slightly at Caroline.* Pleasure doing business with you.¡± Caroline looked at the rapidly decreasing number above the elevator as it descended. She felt a chill run down her spine as she thought of Brittany¡¯s words. Ignoring her nosy colleagues who wanted topliment her, she called Cheryl over. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a while. Call me if you need anything.¡± Then, she hurried down the stairs. Everyone looked at each other in confusion, wondering what had gotten into her. Caroline got into her car downstairs and called Kirk, ¡°Where are you? I want to see you right away!¡± Hearing the urgency in Caroline¡¯s tone, Kirk frowned slightly and nced at Charles. ¡°All right. I¡¯m at the office right now. Meet me at the caf¨¦ on Starshire Street.¡± After hannies Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Kirk warned, ¡°You¡¯d better pray that is the case. If she ligures something out, I¡¯ll leave you to fend for yourself in some tribe in the mountains.¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Speechless, Charles stared at Kirk. ¡°Hurry up and clear out the irrelevant people in the caf¨¦ downstairs,¡± Kirk ordered. Charles slowly came to his senses and hurriedly said, ¡°Yes, sir!¡± 1 After Charles left, Kirk pulled off his tie, feeling restless. He looked up at the sky. Although he looked calm on the surface, his heart was already in chaos. He even thought about what to do if Caroline had figured out he was Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Kirk had to show his sincerity in any way he could. Ten minutester, he went to the caf¨¦ downstairs. Charles had already swapped out all the staff in the caf¨¦ with his subordinates. Kirk found a table by the window and sat down. He tapped his fingers on the table as he waited. As time slowly passed by, every second was torture for him. Finally, he saw Caroline¡¯s car arrive by the side of the road. His eyes lit up, but his heart ached slightly. Then, he saw her leave the car and walk quickly to the caf¨¦. Kirk stood up and was about to greet her. He paused in his tracks, shocked when he saw that her nose was red. By the time he¡¯d recovered from his shock, Caroline had already opened the door ande in. Her nose was still red, and her eyes were wet. It seemed that she had cried. Kirk¡¯s heart dropped at the sight. ¡°Carrie he called out carefully. Caroline sat across from Kirk and said seriously, ¡°Kirk, you¡¯d better answer my question honestly.¡± Under the table, Kirk¡¯s fingers curled slightly. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Do you and Brittany know each other?¡± Kirk hesitated for a moment, then nodded. ¡°You asked her to help me.¡± Kirk nodded again. ¡°Why did she help me? What did you promise her?¡± At the end of her question, Caroline choked slightly. Kirk¡¯s heart shattered instantly. He said, ¡°Carrie, I didn¡¯t mean to lie to you¡­¡± ¡°You betrayed thepany and sold important information to Brittany for my sake, didn¡¯t you?¡± Caroline asked, covering her mouth with tears in her eyes. She had a conflicted expression on her face. Kirk froze in confusion. Seeing that Kirk was silent, Caroline thought her suspicions were correct and snapped. She grabbed Kirk¡¯s hand and yelled, ¡°Why are you so stupid? You betrayed your ownpany to get Brittany to help me. It Eddy finds out about this, you¡¯ll be dead!¡± Kirk¡¯s lips curled up into a small smile. He walked over to Caroline and sat down, holding her in his arms. Caroline didn¡¯t even struggle. She simply looked up at Kirk with teary eyes. On the way here, she had kept thinking about what kind of information he could have given Brittany to enlist her help. The more she thought about it, the more frightened she felt. +15 BONOS scenario, selling business information couldnd him in prison. Caroline panicked the more she thought about it. Her hands and feet were cold from sweat. Kirk squeezed Caroline¡¯s wrist and noticed that her hand was cold. So, he didn¡¯t tease her. Instead, he patted her with a smile. ¡°What are you thinking, you idiot? I just gave Brittany some regr information.¡± He had simply asked Charles to tell Brittany that he was going to get into the entertainment industry. Brittany was an intelligent woman. After he got into the entertainment industry, they would definitely partner up in the future. To her, helping Caroline was her way of getting on Kirk¡¯s good side. Caroline didn¡¯t believe him. She asked suspiciously. ¡°Why would she help you if you just gave her regr information?¡± Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Chapter 221 ¡°You fool.¡± Kirk sald fondly, ¡°This Information may be useless for most people, but it¡¯s very important for her.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kirk kissed her lips. ¡°Have I ever lied to you?¡± I Caroline thought about it, and surprisingly, he hadn¡¯t. Seeing the trusting expression on herce, Kirk had mixed feelings. He didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or sad. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll buy you a cup of coffee,¡± he said, letting go of Caroline. Only then did Caroline realize that many people were looking at them. She blushed, remembering how she had been crying in Kirk¡¯s arms Just now. She wished she could dig a hole to hide in. Kirk quickly returned with two cups of coffee and sat down beside Caroline. ¡°I¡¯ll take you backter, okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Caroline pouted slightly and whispered while hiding beside Kirk, ¡°You can never lie to me, got it?¡± Kirk¡¯s hands froze. After a while, he nodded slightly. Caroline looked up at Kirk with bright eyes. ¡°What will you do if you lie to me?¡± Kirk took Caroline¡¯s hand, nting solt kisses on it. He asked tentatively. ¡°What do you think I should do?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Caroline thought for a moment, then shook her head. She smiled and said confidently. ¡°I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t lie to me.¡± ¡°You trust me that much?¡± Kirk asked, tapping her on the nose. Caroline said without thinking. ¡°Of course.¡± Suddenly, Kirk couldn¡¯t bring himself to look her in the eye. He stirred his coffee, his body tense. He asked, ¡°What if I lied to you?¡± ¡°I told you. You wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t notice the change in Kirk¡¯s behavior. After ncing at the time, she picked up her bag and said hurriedly. ¡°Oh no. I have to go back to work!¡± Kirk grabbed Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Are you just going to leave like that?¡± Caroline asked in return, ¡°What else am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°Give me a kiss.¡± Kirk tapped his cheek. Caroline discreetly nced at the people around them. Noticing they were all looking at them with a grin, she felt the heat return to her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m leaving!¡± she said, flustered. Then, she ran away in a hurry. Kirk smiled gently as he watched her dash away. What an adorable woman! As he turned back, he noticed that everyone was also looking at Caroline, and his face turned cold. He ordered. ¡°Get back to work!¡± Everyone quickly stood up, secretlyining in their hearts. Their boss seemed like a chameleon, judging by how he switched attitudes so quickly. Seeing how Caroline had left happilly, Charles let out a sigh of relief. He asked, ¡°I don¡¯t have to go to the mountains anymore. Right, sir?¡± Kirk nced at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you regret missing your chance?¡± Charles groaned, ¡°Sir¡­¡± Kirk Interrupted him with a wave of his hand. ¡°Make a permanent lesson for all of this. Tell Brittany that if she wants to work with me, she¡¯d better be cautious around Caroline!¡± 1.2 +15 BONOS At Morrison Manor. Jude asked. ¡®Are you sure? Bettany Emerson really doing PR work for Carrie? was there. Grandean definitely sure Ey was still unset at Caroline¡¯s attitude toward him. He grumbled, ¡°Caroline is op van Brittany sins for Do you really believe what Brittany Lad that the helped Canine herause the caught her eye? snarled. ¡°Of course not put anatoms. I cant our offer Jute red at body and reminded ham impatiently ¡°Bettany has really high standards, Een you may be way for but here¡¯s one person who¡¯s capable of doing that ¡°Who?¡± Eddy asked in confusion This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Think about ¡± Sudents, Eady stood up from his chair as if he had been electrocuted, he and shock ¡°Uncle Kaw Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Chapter 222 ¡°But why would Uncle Kirk ask Brittany to help Caroline?¡± Eddy asked Jude in confusion. Jude was angry, but he didn¡¯t have conclusive evidence about whether Kirk and Caroline were married. So, he swallowed back his anger and said, ¡°What do you think?¡± Eddy thought for a moment before saying hesitantly, ¡°Because Uncle Kirk likes Caroline?¡± Jude nodded, pleased at his answer. But Eddy¡¯s following words upset him even more. ¡°But that¡¯s normal. Caroline is especially fond of elders like you both. Don¡¯t you like her too, Grandpa?¡± Seeing that his grandson didn¡¯t understand, Jude simply stopped talking about it. ¡°Call Brittany over, and I¡¯ll ask her myself.¡± Brittany had just received a call from Charles, telling her to be cautious around Caroline from now on. Just as she¡¯d recovered from her shock, she got a call from Eddy, saying Jude wanted to see her. Brittany stared at the phone, impressed. Caroline was really amazing. Brittany went to visit Jude. Jude got straight to the point. ¡°I heard you¡¯re handling Caroline¡¯s case. I¡¯m surprised. Didn¡¯t you only handle PR cases for A¨Clisters, and they had to have a certain reputation for them? Caroline isn¡¯t any of those, so why did you help her?¡± Brittany smiled. She exined, ¡°Since you¡¯re asking me, I won¡¯t hide it from you. I heard rumors that Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle is nning to get into the entertainment industry. ¡®I know you still dote on Caroline despite her no longer being engaged to your grandson. If I can help solve her predicament, it would definitely help me build some bridges.¡± Jude looked at Brittany with sharp eyes and asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re helping Caroline, so I would help you?¡± It wasn¡¯t because Kirk had asked her, like he suspected. Brittany¡¯s expression remained neutral as she replied, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Jude looked at her attentively but didn¡¯t notice any signs of her lying. So he waved his hand and let Brittany leave. Was he overthinking things? Was there nothing between Caroline and Kirk? When Caroline got off work, she called Gwen to ask if she wanted a big meal. Gwen had just been discharged from the hospital. She had been eating lightly for the past few days and wanted something big. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Do you want Sean toe along?¡± Caroline joked. Gwen blushed. She hesitated for a while before saying, ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Caroline said merrily, ¡°All right. I¡¯ll make an extra serving.¡± Gwen didn¡¯t refuse, so Caroline knew that she agreed to Seaning. It was already 6 pm when Caroline finished buying the ingredients for dinner. Fortunately, Jack helped and saved her the trouble of carrying them. When she arrived home, she invited Jack to have dinner with them. Jack refused without thinking. He wouldn¡¯t dare eat the food made by his boss¡® wife. That would just be asking to get fired. Caroline went into her house and changed her shoes. As she was washing the ingredients, Kirk returned home. When Kirk saw her busy in the kitchen, he put on his apron and helped her. Caroline smiled at his domestic appearance. She was realheal +15 BONOS Chapter 223 ¡°Ignore his Gwen coldly swatted Sean away, but her face was slightly red She said. ¡°We¡¯re still not boyfriend and girfriend.¡± ¡°Then, what are you both doing? ¡°Were on three¨Cmonth probation. If we pass the probation, we¡¯ll be boyfriend and girlfriend.¡± ¡°How Interesting.¡± Caroline lowered her head and chopped the vegetables She ordered. ¡°You guys should talk outside. You¡¯ll get in the way if you stay crowded in hars.¡± Kirk refused. ¡°I can help you Caroline pushed him out of the kitchen. ¡°No thanks¡± Kirk refused to let un, but Caroline heartlessly kicked him out of the kitchen, closing the door behind her ¡°Darling¡± Kirk opened a gap in the door and asked, ¡°just want to ask one question, wave you one after that.¡± ¡°What? ¡°Did you buy the grapes?¡± Caroline blinked in contusion. She said. ¡°Yeah, I did. Why? Kiri smirked. He said nothing else, but Caroline could tell he was sinaset. She didn¡¯t understand him. Men would be any with the simplest things. Not long after slet Gwen came in ¡°Can you just wait outside? Caroline asked Gwen chuckled before moving closer to Caroline. She asked worriedly, Carol about your mother** Caroline¡¯s expression remained neutral as she said, ¡°Yean? What about her? Gwen boldly asked. ¡°Do you need help dealing with ? As her best friend for over a decade. Gwen knew what kind of person Caroline was. Pears she could help her trend by dartying Things Publict Caroline selused. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve already desired to deal with L¡® ¡°Aready? Gwen asked in surprise ¡°Year¡± Caroline said. ¡°You just need to sit back and watch the show Gaven couldn¡¯t believe her. She just thought that Caroline didnt want to get her friend involved. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. but this a big scandal? Carol, don¡¯t shoulder the burden alone. Although I¡¯m not a celebrity and my words carry ittle weight, someone will defusely notice as long as i speak out r¡¯s really okay Caroline looked at Gwen resolutely She said, ¡°just wall in three days, you¡¯ll see now all of this ends.¡± Gowen looked at Caroline in astonishment, feeling like she had changed a lot. Caroline was su longer the young wohan who brought herself down for love. She had changed for the better Geen locked over at Kirk with eyes full of gratitude Noticing Gwen¡¯s eyes on them, Sean waved at her Geen inmediataty tooked away Sean was speechless at her actions Noticing this, Kik leased his friend, Tm afraid you able to make II through This arest well for him. Kirk red at him. He growled, ¡°Do you want to get hit?¡± Sean hid behind Gwen. Heined, ¡°Honey, he¡¯s going to hurt mel¡± Gwen was speechless. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s calling you ¡®honey¡® now?¡± Caroline looked al Gwen with a smile. She said teasingly, ¡°You guys are making great progress, Gwen.¡± Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Chapter 223 ¡°Ignore him.¡± Gwen coldly swatted Sean away, but her face was slightly red. She said, ¡°We¡¯re still not boyfriend and girlfriend.¡± ¡°Then, what are you both doing?¡± ¡°We¡¯re on three¨Cmonth probation. If we pass the probation, we¡¯ll be boyfriend and girlfriend.¡± ¡°How Interesting.¡± Caroline lowered her head and chopped the vegetables. She ordered, ¡°You guys should talk outside. You¡¯ll get in the way if you stay crowded in here.¡± (1) Kirk refused, ¡°I can help you!¡± Caroline pushed him out of the kitchen. ¡°No thanks.¡± Kirk refused to let up, but Caroline heartlessly kicked him out of the kitchen, closing the door behind her. ¡°Darling.¡± Kirk opened a gap in the door and asked, ¡°I just want to ask one question. I¡¯ll leave you alone after that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you buy the grapes?¡± Caroline blinked in confusion. She said, ¡°Yeah, I did. Why?¡± Kirk smirked. He said nothing else, but Caroline could tell he was pleased. She didn¡¯t understand him. Men would be happy with the simplest things. Not long after Kirk left, Gwen came in. ¡°Can¡¯t you just wait outside?¡± Caroline asked. Gwen chuckled before moving closer to Caroline. She asked worriedly, ¡°Carol, about your mother¡­¡± Caroline¡¯s expression remained neutral as she said, ¡°Yeah? What about her?¡± Gwen boldly asked, ¡°Do you need help dealing with it?¡± As her best friend for over a decade, Gwen knew what kind of person Caroline was. Perhaps she could help her friend by rifying things publicly. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Caroline refused. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve already prepared to deal with it.¡± ¡°Already?¡± Gwen asked in surprise. ¡°Yeah.¡± Caroline said, ¡°You just need to sit back and watch the show.¡± Gwen couldn¡¯t believe her. She just thought that Caroline didn¡¯t want to get her friend involved. ¡°But isn¡¯t this a big scandal? Carol, don¡¯t shoulder the burden alone. Although I¡¯m not a celebrity and my words carry little weight. someone will definitely notice as long as I speak out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really okay.¡± Caroline looked at Gwen resolutely. She said, ¡°Just wait. In three days, you¡¯ll see how all of this ends.¡± Gwen looked at Caroline in astonishment, feeling like she had changed a lot. Caroline was no longer the young woman who brought herself down for love. She had changed for the better. Gwen looked over at Kirk with eyes full of gratitude. Noticing Gwen¡¯s eyes on them, Sean waved at her. Gwen immedi +15 BONOS Kirk leisurely answered the call ¡°Bad news, sir.¡± Charles said anxiously, ¡°Someone must have altered the trending searches, and the news about you has lost traction. Now, the medati s news is the most trending topic online. Everyone is cursing and criticizing her. Ms. Emerson asked me to call you. Do you want her to help clear the madam¡¯s name now?¡± Kirk nced at Gwen, who was walking over. He calmly walked to the balcony. He asked, ¡°What did my wife say about this?¡± ¡°She said to start her n to clear things up in three days.¡± He pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking of a solution. He ordered. ¡°Ask Brittany to discuss things with my wife tomorrow. Don¡¯t disturb her today!¡± Charles was startled by his order. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Also, find a way to improve the security around her tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After giving orders to Charles, Kirk returned to the living room with the phone in his hand. His expression was dark Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Chapter 224 ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sean asked. Gwen also noticed that Kirk wasn¡¯t in a good mood. She asked, ¡°Is it about Carol?¡± Kirk nced at them and said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t tell Carrie anything if you hear something on the phone. She¡¯s been tired all day. and I want her to rest.¡± Gwen and Sean looked at each other and nodded obediently. When Caroline yelled that dinner was ready, everyone enthusiastically set the table with tes and cutlery. ¡°Eat up,¡± Caroline said. She was thest to sit down. Kirk was the first to move. He picked up a piece of halibut and put it on Caroline¡¯s te. ¡°Good job, darling.¡± Caroline red at him. She said, ¡°Sean and Gwen are still here.¡± Gwen and Sean said in unison, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us. We¡¯d rather eat crap than let him give us food.¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t helpughing at how in tune they were with each other. ¡°It seems that Sean¡¯s probation will be over pretty soon.¡± Sean said proudly, ¡°Look, Kirk, Carrie has a way with her words.¡± The four of them enjoyed a lovely meal, and time passed quickly. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. After dinner, Gwen and Sean were in charge of cleaning up. They left after they were done. Before they left, Gwen had initially wanted to tell Caroline she could ask her for help dealing with Sarah if she needed it. However, when she remembered what Kirk had said, she remained silent and got into Sean¡¯s car. Back in the vi, Caroline was lying in Kirk¡¯s arms. They were watching the stars from the third¨Cfloor balcony. Kirk had just brought up the grapes after washing them. The lights painted the balcony a warm yellow. It looked very romantic under the night sky. ¡°What took you so long?¡± Caroline pointed to the stars in the sky, asking. ¡°Hey, does that look like the Cassiopeia constetion?¡± Kirk followed her line of sight to look at the sky while he kept busy. ¡°Probably not.¡± Caroline turned to look at him, only to realize that he was peeling grapes. Kirk¡¯s fingers were slender and beautiful, and his movements were elegant and graceful. She looked away, blushing. Kirk fed Caroline a grape. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he kissed her. Hugging her, he sat up on the chair. Caroline kicked him in embarrassment as the heat spread between both of them. ¡°How did you learn to seduce someone?¡± she asked, her voice as quiet as a mouse¡¯s. Kirk clearly heard her in the quiet night, but he still teased her, ¡°Huh? What are you talking about, babe?¡± Caroline pinched his waist, knowing that he was teasing her. Then, seeing that he was indifferent, she bit his arm angrily. She wasn¡¯t too hard or too soft on him. It didn¡¯t hurt at all. But he still hissed and pinned Caroline underneath him. When Caroline tried to retort, Kirk kissed her on the lips. Her whines and protests died down as the stars glittered in the sky. After Gwen returned home, she finally understood why Kirk had told them not to tell Caroline anything, no matter what happened. After two days, the video of Sarah using Caroline had be even more popr. Now, everyone was criticizing Caroline for being a disloyal daughter. Their criticisms were so unpleasant that even a bystander like Gwen couldn¡¯t handle them. +15 BONOS ¡°Are you worried about Caroline?¡± Gwen sat up in bed in surprise. ¡°You can tell?¡± ¡°Yeah, but you don¡¯t have to worry. Kirk and Caroline will take care of it,¡± Sean replied. Gwen typed, ¡°But this is a huge deal!¡± ¡°Kirk can handle anything, even If heaven turns upside down. So, go to sleep,¡± Sean assured her. ¡°You seem so confident in Kirk. You don¡¯t sound like you just met him. You sound like a friend who grew up with him.¡± Sean was speechless. This was the disadvantage of falling in love with the friend of his friend¡¯s wife. Not only did he have to hide his own secret, but he also had to help his friend hide his secret. ¡°No, we really just met.¡± Sean turned over in bed as he typed, ¡°I¡¯ll sing you a nursery rhyme if you can¡¯t sleep.¡± Gwen¡¯s text came soon enough. ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Seeing her reject him so quickly, Sean smiled slightly. With him and Gwen¡¯s rtionship, it was as if he had switched roles. In this rtionship, Gwen was always in the lead, and he could only join the fray whenever she did. In the past, he had always called the shots in the rtionship. He decided when to start his rtionship and when to end it. Now that Gwen was taking the lead, he finally experienced what it was like to be on the edge. Gwen was unpredictable, just like Sean had been before. God was probably punishing him, but he was kind of happy. Seeing that Gwen wouldn¡¯t reply, Sean curled his lips into a small smile. Meanwhile, Gwen still couldn¡¯t sleep. She was worrying about both Caroline and herself. Sean seemed to be serious about her. Those earnest feelings made it surreal for her. He was a gifted prodigy in the medical field, while she was just a child from an ordinary, well¨Coff family. It would be great if Sean was just a regr employee like Kirk. The night slipped away quietly. At 8 am the following day, Caroline received a call from Brittany. She had picked the correct time to call Caroline since thetter was just resting after breakfast. *Ms. Evans, have you seen what¡¯s happening online?¡± Caroline opened Google and saw that her name was the most trending name in the entire app. When she opened a forum, it was filled with insults directed at her. Caroline hurred, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Do you want to speed up your ns, Ms. Evans?¡± ¡°No.¡± Caroline had thought about this situation a long time ago. She said, ¡°There should be a lot of people forming an angry mob at my workce today. Are you and your people ready to film it Ms. Emerson? Brittany was shocked once again. Caroline was ruthless. She had even gotten her own PR manager involved in the crossfire. ¡°I got it,¡± Brittany said. When Kirk walked out with coffee, he saw Caroline massaging her temples. He put down the coffee and squeezed Caroline¡¯s hands. He even gently rubbed her temples for her.. Caroline exhaled. ¡°I¡¯m going to work.¡± ¡°Do you want some time off?¡± Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Kirk looked at Caroline, feeling bad for her. But he had to let her go. If he wanted to keep Caroline by his side, he had to make her stronger. In this world, only love between two equal people couldst. Kirk kissed her forehead and asked. ¡°When all of this is over, I¡¯ll buy you a gift. It can be whatever you want.¡± Caroline thought for a moment before saying, ¡°I haven¡¯t thought of what I want yet. I¡¯ll let you know when I do.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline left her house with a smile. As soon as she reached the door, she put on a mask and frowned as if she were really sad. When Kirk saw her actions from the window, he wanted to chuckle. As Caroline approached the car, she noticed two other cars parked behind Jack¡¯s. She got into the car cautiously and asked Jack, ¡°Mr. Jack, why are there two cars behind us?¡± Jack was getting better at lying now. He said smoothly. ¡°Thepany saw many people ndering you online. They were worried about your safety, so they sent some bodyguards to protect you.¡± Caroline was moved. The people at Thorne Corporation were too thoughtful. However, she was still very cautious and looked around asionally to see if there was anything unusual. She had heard that skilled paparazzi could find where the person they were looking for lived just by seeing a photo of a tiny portion of the house. Although Caroline didn¡¯t like posting photos on social media, she was worried that the paparazzi would find this vi. She didn¡¯t want it to affect Kirk¡¯s sense of security. Jack knew what Caroline was thinking and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so cautious, Ms. Evans. No one will find this ce.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jack wanted to tell her that Howard¡¯s people hadn¡¯t been able to find this ce even after following them for half a month. However, when he remembered Kirk¡¯s many warnings to be cautious around Caroline, he paused and said, ¡°The security here is top¨Cnotch. Even if the paparazzi find this pce, they won¡¯t be able to enter.¡± Caroline thought his words made sense. So she decided to close her eyes and rest in the car. Jack breathed a sigh of relief. Neither of them talked further during the drive. Caroline woke up when she was about to arrive at Thorne Corporation. She immediately saw people crowded at the entrance of the building. There were a bunch of reporters and people who hade to watch the show. Just as Caroline was about to get out of the car, Jack stopped her. ¡°Please wait a moment, Ms. Evans.¡± Caroline looked at Jack curiously. Just then, the car door opened. She was surprised to see a strong bodyguard standing outside the car, wearing sunsses. ¡°You can go now, Ms. Evans,¡± Jack said, pulling her from her thoughts. Just as she was about to leave the car, the reporters and onlookers spotted her and rushed over. The bodyguards from the two cars behind them formed a circle around Caroline. Despite that, the reporters frantically snapped pictures and pointed their microphones at Caroline. ¡°Ms. Evans, do you have anyments about your parents¡® usations?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve supposedly cut ties with your family since you got married. Can you exin why you did this?¡± ¡°Ms. Evans, you know that one should things like this. +15 BONOS Seeing that she was about to walk into the building, the crowd tossed several water bottles at her. Noticing this, the bodyguards quickly raised their hands to block them. Caroline paused in her tracks and pulled the bodyguard In front of her. ¡°Don¡¯t block them.¡± The bodyguard froze for a moment, allowing one of the water bottles to hit Caroline on the head. The water bottle was light and emply, so it didn¡¯t hurt at all. But she still covered her head with a pained expression on her face. Although all this happened very quickly, many reporters managed to film it. Soon, this clip spread all over the Inte. ¡°Good job! You people threw that bottle well! Make her whine in pain! Why can¡¯t that bottle be a stone? If it were, the world would be rid of an unsightly thing like her!¡± ¡°I feel bad for Sarah and Dan. They devoted themselves to raising Caroline, but they ended up raising a snake.¡± ¡°It¡¯s terrible. If my daughter were to abandon me like this, I would be so mad!¡± ¡°Seeing how she can still go to work, she doesn¡¯t seem affected by this. I feel so bad for Sarah and Dan for having such an ungrateful daughter!¡± No matter how vicious thements online were, Caroline didn¡¯t care because she hadn¡¯t read any of them. After entering the elevator, Caroline went straight to the design department. As soon as she walked in, she saw everyone looking at her. Some looked at her gloatingly, while others looked at her with disgust. As always, she wasn¡¯t afraid because her conscience was clear. When Caroline walked by Vivian¡¯s office, someone stopped her. ¡°Caroline.¡± Caroline could immediately tell that the voice belonged to La. She turned around, and sure enough, La was in Vivian¡¯s office. La got up from the couch. Noticing Caroline covering her forehead, she smiled slightly. ¡°Oh, no. You¡¯re hurt.¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you want?¡± La said innocently, ¡°Caroline, why why would I want that?¡± Caroline turned away and walked to her office.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. La followed behind her. She said, ¡°Aunt Sarah and Uncle Dan have already told me. As long as you apologize, all of this will be over.¡± Her voice wasn¡¯t too loud. It was just enough for everyone in the office to hear her. Her words basically confirmed that Caroline was an unfilial daughter. Caroline paused in her tracks and looked back at La. She asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t you so sick that you needed a kidney transnt to survive? Why are you up and around right now?¡± La replied casually, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you sending me to jail. I met an impressive doctor there who cured my illness.¡± She discreetly listed another one of Caroline¡¯s crimes. Those who didn¡¯t know the truth would only think that Caroline was cruel and merciless to even her rtives. Sure enough, Susan, who had followed La out, said exaggeratedly, ¡°Goodness. Caroline! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d be so cruel as to send your rtives to jail. How terrifying! Not even the renowned Brittany Emerson can save you from this.¡± ¡°Once a traitor, always a traitor,¡± Vivan sneered. ¡°She could even betray her own family. Who knows? She may even betray us, her colleagues.¡± Vivian¡¯s words made everyone in the office shudder. La smirked slightly before defending her. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t talk about her like that. Caroline just went down the wrong path, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll realize her mistake soon. Right, Caroline?¡± She looked at Caroline with innocent eyes. Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Chapter 226 ¡°Ms. Evans, we have arrested the man who attacked you the other day.¡± ¡°Oh, so soon?¡± Caroline was quite surprised. She thought it would take the police three days to solve the case. ¡°Yes. The policeman on the phone chuckled. He¡¯d had no choice. His superiors said that this case was important and that the suspect must be caught as soon as possible. Yet he didn¡¯t know what was so important about it. ¡°All right. Thank you.¡± Caroline hung up and sent a message to Briny. Then, she looked up at La. She said, ¡°This is a workce. Unauthorized personnel should leave immediately.¡± Vivian look La¡¯s hand and argued, ¡°Caroline, how can you say such heartless words to your cousin? She came to visit because she was worried about you. It¡¯s rude of you to kick her out like this.¡± The smile on Caroline¡¯s face faded. She said dismissively. ¡°This doesn¡¯t concern you. You¡¯ve overstepped again and again. It¡¯ll be bad if I don¡¯t give you a warning.¡± ¡°Warning?¡± Vivian scoffed. ¡°What kind of warning?¡± ¡°Cheryl, If I recall correctly, thepany has a rule saying that we¡¯re not allowed to bring unauthorized personnel into the premises. How much is the penalty for doing so?¡± Cheryl nced at Vivian and swallowed. ¡°One hundred dors.¡± ¡°Okay. Inform the ountant to deduct one hundred dors from Vivian¡¯s sry this month.¡± Vivian was livid. One hundred dors was a drop in the bucket of her sry. What really embarrassed her was that Caroline had announced it in front of the office. This was tantamount to telling everyone that Caroline was the boss, not her! ¡°Caroline!¡± Vivian yelled. She charged forward, wanting to p Caroline, but La held her back. La gave her a look of warning. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Vivian snapped out of her anger and looked at Caroline calmly. ¡°Go ahead and deduct my sry. You won¡¯t be in Thorne Corp for much longer, anyway.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± As soon as Jules walked in, he saw them standing in the hallway. Vivian said, ¡°Are you here to see this ungrateful bitch too, Mr. Hawkins?¡± Jules immediately frowned at her words. ¡°Vivian, you¡¯d better watch what you say. What happened with Mr. Corvinst time proved that you¡¯re not as good as Caroline. How can you still be so rude?¡± Even though Jules normally lectured Vivian, he usually did it in private. This was the first time he had reprimanded her in front of so many people. Caroline had just told Vivian off, and now Jules was lecturing her too. Vivian Immediately felt hurt. ¡°Am I wrong, Mr. Hawkins? Isn¡¯t Caroline ungrateful for not supporting her parents?¡± ¡°That¡¯s old news. Don¡¯t you people check the news?¡± Jules spoke sullenly. *Just now, Caroline asked Star King PR to announce why she had cut off ties with her parents. If you ask me, her parents deserve what¡¯sing to them! Hmph!¡± It was rare for aposed person like Jules to be so angry. Everyone was stunned, arid all of them took out their phones. Star King Public Rtions¡® post about Caroline was pinned on their Facebook ount. This behavior was unprecedented. In the past, even if they cleared a celebrity¡¯s name, they would simply post their evidence on their ount. They wouldn¡¯t pin it anywhere ago. It turned out that the two people who had abducted her had been hired by Sarah. The post didn¡¯t reveal what exactly happened to Caroline at the hotel. But the surveince tapes showed that she was forced into a vehicle and taken to Saint Pierre Grand Hotel. It was clear that they had kidnapped her. Sarah¡¯s bank transaction history proved that she was the person behind it. No one had expected things to turn around like this. After all, a parent shouldn¡¯t hurt their own child. Thements online immediately showed sympathy toward Caroline. ¡°She kidnapped her own daughter? I¨CI must be seeing things!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve met some irresponsible parents in my long life, but this is the first time I¡¯ve met someone so terrifying!¡± Chapter 227 Chapter 227 ¡°That exins why Caroline cut them out of her life. If it were me, I would¡¯ve moved to another country Immediately!¡± ¡°I feel so bad for Caroline. Now I understand why she married an ordinary person. When you have crazy parents, one of the best ways to get them out of your life is to get married.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Even though her husband is an ordinary person, at least he won¡¯t harm her!¡± Netizens weren¡¯t the only ones who expressedpassion for Caroline. Everyone in the office also looked at Caroline sympathetically. They hadn¡¯t expected things to turn out like this. Realizing that the atmosphere in the office had changed, Vivian panicked. She grabbed Susan¡¯s phone and read the post. When she was done, she looked at Caroline with a pale face. ¡°No!¡± La also read the post on Facebook, and her expression was dark. She said grimly, ¡°You¡¯re really amazing. Caroline. You hired Star King PR to handle your case. They can clear the name of even the most scandalous celebrities.¡± Caroline chuckled. ¡°You know better than anyone whether all this is true.¡± La was shocked. Looking at Caroline¡¯s gaze, she had a feeling thetter knew something. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. But Aunt Sarah and Uncle Dan are still your parents. Even if they did something wrong, you shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Caroline leaned over and whispered in La¡¯s ear, ¡°They won¡¯t be my parents much longer!¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. La froze again, looking at Caroline in disbelief. She felt as If she had fallen into a trap Caroline had carefully set up. Caroline straightened up with a smile and asked Jules, ¡°Mr. Hawkins, what are you doing in the design department?¡± Jules gave La a nce, then turned to Caroline with a smile. ¡°Nothing important. I¡¯m just here to tell you about an international design contest called the Rosebow Contest. Have you heard about it?¡± Caroline shook her head and walked into her office with Jules. Vivian dug her nails into her palms as she watched them leave. ¡°It seems that your n has failed, Ms. La!¡± La¡¯s face darkened. She dered, ¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡± With that, she stormed off. Vivian nced toward Caroline¡¯s office before storming away with a huff. Everyone in the office looked at each other briefly, then hurriedly got back to work. They were afraid of being caught in the crossfire. In Caroline¡¯s office, Jules briefly exined the details of the Rosebow Contest to her. It was a design contest run by women in the design industry. Both thepetitors and the judges had be women. It was apetition made by women, for women. ¡°Getting a ranking in this contest will give you a boost in your career, Caroline. After all, the Rosebow Contest ys an important role in the design industry. After winning an award, you may be included in the list of experts. How about it? Are you interested in participating?¡± Caroline considered the offer for a moment but still refused. ¡°I¡¯m really tempted to join, but I may not n to advance my career in design anymore.¡± Jules was surprised to hear that. ¡°Caroline, are you-¡± ¡°I¡¯m going back to run mypany.¡± Jules said in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re talking about Evans Group.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t say anything else. She got up and sald, ¡°By the way, I have to thank you, Mr. Hawkins.¡± ¡°For what?¡± Jules asked in confusion. Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Caroline was confused now. ¡°But Jack said that thepany had sent those bodyguards.¡± Jack? Who¡¯s Jack?¡± Caroline asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hire a driver for me?¡± Jules stared at her, puzzled. ¡°You didn¡¯t hire him?¡± Caroline asked, frowning. Jules¡® mind was muddled at the moment. He only knew that Caroline was Eddy¡¯s fianc¨¦e and nothing else. As he thought about it, he felt like Kirk might be involved, but Caroline wasn¡¯t aware of who handled things behind the scenes. Perhaps Kirk didn¡¯t want Caroline to know about it. Jules understood it now, but he didn¡¯t know how to turn the situation around. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, ¡°Oh, I must be getting old. You¡¯re right. I did hire a driver for you. His name must have slipped my mind. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t realize who you were talking about. So his name is Jack.¡± Jules¡® exnation was quite reasonable, so Caroline said nothing else. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave. Is that okay?¡± Jules looked at Caroline cautiously. Caroline nodded with a smile. ¡°Okay.¡± Seeing that she had no suspicions, Jules left. However, as soon as he left, Caroline sat on her chair, lost in thought. Just then, the phone rang. It was a call from Brittany. ¡°Ms. Evans. can we post those videos to garner sympathy now?¡± Caroline said, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Brittany nodded. After hanging up the phone, Brittany suddenly felt like Caroline was her superior instead. She hadn¡¯t felt this way for years. Then, she sent a message to her subordinates to continue with the n. As soon as the video of Caroline¡¯s house being pelted with paint and dung was uploaded, many netizens sympathized with Caroline. Her parents had kidnapped her, beat her up, and even spread lies about her online. It was really pitiful. After the police announced that someone had tried to stab Caroline In front of her home, the bacsh against Sarah and Dan peaked. ¡®As a mother, I was really angry looking at this. Didn¡¯t Sarah and Dan consider that this would happen when they came forward to use their daughter?¡± ¡°They must have thought of it, and I think this is what they wanted. They want Caroline¡¯s reputation to be ruined. That way, no one would know the awful things they have done!¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°I¡¯m utterly disgusted. That¡¯s your daughter out there! What were you both thinking, letting some maniac hunt her down?¡± ¡°I wonder if Caroline is Sarah and Dan¡¯s real daughter. I can¡¯t believe someone would actually treat their child like this!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! They¡¯re bastards!¡± ¡°They¡¯re worse than that! Even bastards wouldn¡¯t treat their child like this!¡± Theizens became increasingly agitated. Soon enough, Sarah and Dan¡¯s names trended on the Inte. Some people thought it wasn¡¯t enough and left awful messages on the Evans Group¡¯s official blog. No one had run this blog since the downfall of the Evans group, but now the website started trending along with Sarah and Dan. Seeing that the time was ripe, Caroline sent another video to Brittany. She said miserably. ¡°I didn¡¯t want things to turn out like this, so please don¡¯t me Sarah and Dan anymore. Although I don¡¯t want to acknowledge them as my parents, they¡¯re the ones who brought me into the world. I only wish for us to go our separate ways and stay out of each other¡¯s business.¡± When Brittany saw Caroline crying in the video, she wanted to ask thetter if she wanted to join the entertainment industry. Her cries were much more emotional than an amateur¡¯s. But Immediately afterward, she calmed down. The reason Caroline was so calm was because she had been hurt countless times. When she cried, there were some signs that she was acting, but the pain from her experiences was there. Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Sure enough, everyone sympathized with her aller that video was released. No one med her for her actions at all. ¡°Caroline is too kind. She¡¯s still speaking up for her parents at a time like this. She wouldn¡¯t break ties with her family If she hadn¡¯t been hurt like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s even more terrifying when you put it that way! Sarah kidnapped Caroline and tried to ruin her reputation, causing her to be hated online. I don¡¯t even want to imagine what would happen if the truth wasn¡¯t revealed!¡± ¡°Caroline is right for leaving her parents. She should sever tles with them. They¡¯re too scary!¡± ¡®I strongly urge her to do that as well!¡± ¡°I really want to give Caroline a hug. She¡¯s been through so much!¡± Looking at thements online, Kirk curved his lips into a smile. Charles breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this. His time at work today had many twists and turns. At first, he¡¯d thought Kirk would give him a dreadful scolding, but unexpectedly, his boss just had a dark expression. Charles had tried to say something, but then, the air in the room turned cold immediately after. Now, he could finally see a positive emotion on Kirk¡¯s face. He boldly asked. ¡°Is the madam¡¯s issue resolved, sir?* Kirk nodded and nced at Charles. He asked, ¡°Why are you sweating so much? Your clothes are wet.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Charles retorted mentally. In the end, he only said, ¡°I¡¯m just feeling a bit hot.¡± Kirk lightly tapped on his table. ¡°Have you brought the Information about the Evans group?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already being prepared as we speak. They will bring it hereter.¡± Charles asked curiously, ¡°Why do you want their Information all of a sudden, sir?¡± Before, Evans Group had still had assets that interested them. But now it was just an empty shell controlled by Morrison Corp. Charles didn¡¯t understand what was so interesting about thatpany. Kirk looked at him and saidzily, ¡°Enough nonsense. Just bring the documents here.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Charles hurriedly left the room. He soon returned with arge stack of documents. ¡°Here you go, sir.¡± Kirk spread the documents on his table and looked at them in detail. His seriousness made Charles suspect whether he wanted to buy Evans Group. But it wasn¡¯t necessary to do that. At this time. Kirk¡¯s phone rang. He nced at the screen. It was a call from Ivan. ¡°Kirk.¡± Ivan¡¯s voice was a bit serious on the phone. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I heard that you and Caroline divorced.¡± Kirk tugged on his tie and asked, ¡°Who told you that?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. Just tell me if it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°No,¡± Kirk said immediately. ¡°That¡¯s good. But what¡¯s going on between you and that actress?¡± Kirk paused. ¡°What actress?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. I¡¯m talking about the actress on the news with you. I saw it online.¡± *Then, why are you both trending on the inte?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t want to exin. He changed the subject. ¡°I¡¯m looking through the Information about Evans Group right now, so call meter if you need anything.¡± ¡°Evans Group?¡± Ivan was a little anxious. He asked hurriedly, ¡°Are you talking about thepany run by the Evans family, one of the former big four families?¡± Kirk put the documents in front of him aside, taking the lime to rx. ¡°Dad, didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t pay attention to matters in Easton?¡± Ivan¡¯s expression changed even more. He murmured Caroline¡¯s name, the gears turning in his head. Then, he said in shock, ¡°Caroline is from the Evans family?¡° Chapter 229 +15 BONOS Sure enough, everyone sympathized with her alter that video was released. No one med her for her actions at all. ¡°Caroline is too kind. She¡¯s still speaking up for her parents at a time like this. She wouldn¡¯t break tles with her family if she hadn¡¯t been hurt like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s even more terrifying when you put it that way! Sarah kidnapped Caroline and tried to ruin her reputation, causing her to be hated online. I don¡¯t even want to imagine what would happen if the truth wasn¡¯t revealed!¡± ¡°Caroline is right for leaving her parents. She should sever ties with them. They¡¯re too scary!¡± ¡°I strongly urge her to do that as well!¡± ¡°I really want to give Caroline a hug. She¡¯s been through so much!¡± Looking at thements online, Kirk curved his lips into a smile. Charles breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this. His time at work today had many twists and turns. At first, he¡¯d thought Kirk would give him a dreadful scolding, but unexpectedly, his boss just had a dark expression. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Charles had tried to say something, but then, the air in the room turned cold Immediately after. Now, he could finally see a positive emotion on Kirk¡¯s face. He boldly asked, ¡°Is the madam¡¯s issue resolved, sir?¡± Kirk nodded and nced at Charles. He asked, ¡°Why are you sweating so much? Your clothes are wet.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Charles retorted mentally. In the end, he only said. ¡°I¡¯m just feeling a bit hot.¡± Kirk lightly tapped on his table. ¡°Have you brought the information about the Evans group?¡± ¡®It¡¯s already being prepared as we speak. They will bring it hereter.¡± Charles asked curiously. ¡°Why do you want their information all of a sudden, sir?¡± Before, Evans Group had still had assets that interested them. But now it was just an empty shell controlled by Morrison Corp. Charles didn¡¯t understand what was so interesting about thatpany. Kirk looked at him and saidzily, ¡°Enough nonsense. Just bring the documents here.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Charles hurriedly left the room. He soon returned with arge stack of documents. ¡°Here you go, sir.¡± Kirk spread the documents on his table and looked at them in detail. His seriousness made Charles suspect whether he wanted to buy Evans Group. But it wasn¡¯t necessary to do that. At this time, Kirk¡¯s phone rang. He nced at the screen. It was a call from Ivan. ¡°Kirk.¡± Ivan¡¯s voice was a bit serious on the phone. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I heard that you and Caroline divorced.¡± Kirk tugged on his tie and asked, ¡°Who told you that?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. Just tell me if it¡¯s true,¡± ¡°No,¡± Kirk said Immediately. ¡°That¡¯s good. But what¡¯s going on between you and that actress?¡± Kirk paused. ¡°What actress?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. I¡¯m talking about the actress on the news with you. I saw it online.¡± ¡°Then, why are you both trending on the Inte?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t want to exin. He changed the subject. ¡°I¡¯m looking through the information aboul Evans Group right now, so call meter if you need anything.¡± ¡°Evans Group?¡± Ivan was a little anxious. He asked hurriedly, ¡°Are you talking about thepany run by the Evans family, one of the former big four families?¡± Kirk put the documents In front of him aside, taking the time to rx. ¡°Dad, didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t pay attention to matters in Easton?¡± Ivan¡¯s expression changed even more. He murmured Caroline¡¯s name, the gears turning in his head. Then, he said in shock, ¡°Caroline is from the Evans family?¡± Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Ivan¡¯s voice was sharp. It was a little out of control. Kirk held back the smile on his face. He said proudly, ¡°Of course she is.¡± ¡°But you never told me that she¡¯s Giselle¡¯s granddaughter!¡± ¡°Giselle? Giselle Cassidy?¡± Kirk narrowed his eyes and deduced, ¡°You know Caroline¡¯s grandma?¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Ivan let out a long sigh. ¡°If I remember correctly, Caroline is the wife your uncle had arranged for his grandson. And you married¡­* Kirk¡¯s face darkened as he cut Ivan off. ¡°Carrie has nothing to do with the Morrisons. She¡¯s married to me. She¡¯s not someone else¡¯s fianc¨¦e. Ivan protested, ¡°Your uncle will never agree to your marriage with Caroline!¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Ivan sighed, ¡°Because Caroline is very important to him.¡± ¡°She¡¯s more important to me than my own life.¡± Kirk said coldly. ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone take her away from me, even if it means I¡¯ll lose my life.¡± Seeing his son¡¯s devotion to Caroline, Ivan stopped trying to persuade him. After hanging up the phone, he sighed helplessly. Looking at the direction of the sunset, he murmured, ¡°They¡¯re doomed! They¡¯re really doomed¡­¡± He prayed that Kirk wouldn¡¯t end up like him. He didn¡¯t want his son to turn against his family and lose the only family he had. At Evans Group, a gloomy atmosphere permeated the conference room. Evans Group¡¯s shareholders were sitting at the table with Dan. Thepany¡¯s share prices had fallen due to Sarah¡¯s usations. The shareholders had already been unhappy with how Dan handled thepany and how it wasn¡¯t bringing in profits. Now, they were fighting with him even more. ¡°Mr. Evans, shouldn¡¯t you give us a reasonable exnation for this?¡± Dan¡¯s face turned pale from everyone¡¯s aggressive attitude. He said, ¡°I¨CI have nothing to say.¡± ¡°Then, go home and take a break! At any rate, we¡¯ll appoint a new CEO next month, so we¡¯ll let him handle it!¡± Dan looked at the shareholders in disbelief. He asked, ¡°Are you kicking me out?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve barely contributed to thepany after being in office for many years.¡± No one had been able to stand him for a long time. ¡°If the Morrisons weren¡¯t backing us, we wouldn¡¯t have bothered ourselves with you. Besides, If there¡¯s still someone capable in your family, ask them to rece you! That¡¯ll make all of us happy!¡± ¡°But Morrison Corp is backing ourpany because I¡¯m Eddy¡¯s father¨Cinw!¡± ¡°Not anymore! Your daughter has already cut ties with you. Even if she decides to marry Mr. Eddy in the future, you won¡¯t be his father¨Cin-w!¡± These words hit the nail on Dan¡¯s head. He slumped down on his chair, regretting listening to La¡¯s suggestion to use Caroline. When he returned home, he found it covered with red paint and dung. What happened to Caroline was now happening to him. Worried that someone would try and kill him, he hurriedly opened the door and entered the vi. However, the atmosphere at home was even more depressing. Sarah continued crying until her voice became hoarse. ¡°How could she do this to us? No matter what, we were the ones who raised her¡­¡± Dan was a little annoyed. He scolded, ¡°You were the one who agreed to La¡¯s ns, weren¡¯t you?¡± Both of them argued and almost got into a light. Dan realized that this couldn¡¯t go on. He gritted his teeth and urged Sarah, ¡°Apologize to Caroline and tell her we were wrong! We need her toe back! We will never force her to marry Eddy again!¡± Sarah refused. ¡°I¡¯m not apologizing! I¡¯m not in the wrong!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t apologize, thepany and this vi will all be gone!¡± Sarah was stunned by his words. ¡°W¨Cwhat did you say?¡± ¡°Those people have long wanted to rece me. They have an annual CEO election as a mere formality, but this year, they want to choose the sessor. They will support the new CEO. Do you know what that means?¡± Sarah¡¯s face was pale. She couldn¡¯t say anything. Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Evans Group was the only reason why Dan and Sarah had been able to live afortable life so far. Meanwhile, Evans Group wasn¡¯t making any profit because these two were embezzling money. If Evans Group appointed a new CEO, they would lose their source of ie. Besides that, they might even be thrown into prison if the ounts were audited. ¡°I¡¯ll go apologize to Caroline!¡± Sarah got up, feeling at a loss. Meanwhile, in Thorne Corp¡¯s design department, Caroline was in a brilliant mood. She had leveraged her sob story and managed to sever ties with Sarah and Dan. She called Gwen and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go shopping tonight.¡± ¡°Wow! Great minds really do think alike. I just watched the video you posted. I was going to call you, but you got to me first.¡± If they had been together, Gwen would have hugged Caroline. Caroline had truly won this battle beautifully! ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question.¡± Carolineughed. ¡°Sure, sure. I¡¯lle and see you once I get off work.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Half an hour after work, Caroline spotted Gwen. They got into the car, with Jack driving them. ¡°I¡¯ve heard for a long time that you have a car driving you around. Now I finally get to experience it. Yourpany really treats you very well.¡± Caroline nced at Jack expressionlessly before saying, ¡°I heard there¡¯s a new mall over on Newman Street. Let¡¯s go and have a look.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Gwen smiled at Caroline. Caroline couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at Gwen¡¯s nce. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Carol, I just think you¡¯re super amazing. Especially that video of yours. You cut off your rtionship so smoothly. It was unbelievable!¡± Caroline replied, ¡°You¡¯veplimented me twice already.¡± ¡°A hundred times wouldn¡¯t be enough. Luckily, I didn¡¯t show up out of nowhere. Otherwise, I might have ruined your perfect ns. I would never be able to make it up to you if I had!¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been that bad.¡± ¡°Oh, speaking of that. How did you get Star King to show up? I heard it was Brittany Emerson too. Is that true?¡± Caroline nodded, and Gwen started shrieking. *Fuck! It¡¯s actually true! Carol your connections are unreal.¡± Caroline was a little miffed. ¡°Could you calm down a little?¡± ¡°How am I supposed to calm down? We¡¯re talking about Brittany Emerson!¡± Gwen shook Caroline by the shoulder. ¡°I admire her so much. She¡¯s my idol!¡± Caroline corrected her helplessly, ¡°I didn¡¯t get Brittany. It was Kirk.¡± ¡°Kirk?¡± Gwen blinked. ¡°That¡¯s impossible, right? It¡¯s more likely that she came because of your rtionship with the Morrisons.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. Kirk sold her some information.¡± Right then, a crash sounded from before them. Caroline and Gwen turned to look and found that the car had crashed into a flowerbed by the road. Jack started to sweat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Ms. Evans. I was distracted.¡± After saying that. Jack quickly got out of the car to check on the situation. Caroline frowned as she looked at Jack¡¯s back. Jack was always very careful when he drove. Nothing like this had ever happened before. Caroline wondered what happened and realized they had been talking about Kirk. Why would Jack be distracted by the mention of Kirk? Caroline couldn¡¯t wrap her head around it. Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Soon after, the car took off on the road again. After a short span of silence, Gwen remembered the topic they hadn¡¯t finished discussing. She was about to continue when she pointed outside the car in sudden excitement. ¡°Carol, look at that Faromish restaurant there, quick! That¡¯s the ce Kirk and I nned for your surprise proposal.¡± Caroline noticed that Jack¡¯s eyebrow twitched when Gwen mentioned Kirk again. But she was too hung up on the proposal and didn¡¯t ask about it. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Right there.¡± Gwen pointed toward the front. ¡°Do you want to go and have a look? But I suppose the decorations must have all been taken down.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°That¡¯s alright. I can imagine it.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go have a look.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline asked Jack to park by the Faromish restaurant. When they got out of the car, Caroline and Gwen realized that the restaurant wasn¡¯t open. Gwenmented, ¡°What a shame.¡± Caroline chuckled and walked to the door. The door was made of ss, so she could see inside. When she got closer, Caroline saw the decorations inside. She froze in ce. Bright¨Ccolored balloons floated in midair. The roses had wilted but still retained a unique, quiet beauty. The cake on the pushcart was missing the most crucial element in the middle¨Cthe ring. But this didn¡¯t make Caroline feel disappointed. After all, the ring was already on her finger. Through the window, the restaurant was like a snapshot. It was aesthetically beautiful and romantic. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty.¡± Gwen was taken aback. ¡°I¡¯m surprised they kept it this way until now. There¡¯s not even a speck of dust in there. Don¡¯t they need to open the restaurant and do business?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call and ask.¡± Caroline pulled her phone out and keyed in the phone number on the signage. Then, she made the call. When Jack saw what was happening, he quickly informed Kirk. After three attempts, someone finally answered Carol¡¯s call. A sweet voice came through when the call was picked up. ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am. May I know how we can be of service?¡± ¡°I¡¯d just like to inquire why your restaurant hasn¡¯t removed the proposal decorations inside.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a surprise one of our guests prepared especially for his wife. Our boss said that it¡¯s rare to see such a romantic couple these days. That¡¯s why he wanted to have the guest¡¯s wife see it before taking it all down.¡± ¡°Your boss is really romantic too. Thank you for answering.¡± Caroline hung up. Then, she recounted the exnation given. After listening. Gwen also thought that the restaurant¡¯s boss was very romantic too. Caroline took many pictures of the restaurant¡¯s Interior. As she did so, she suddenly recalled the photo album Avery had given her. She frowned for a second before smiling. She hade up with a gift she wanted. The set had been buzzingtely. Two days ago, a huge plece of gossip spread through the entertainment industry. Those in the field even thought that they would be seeing Eddy¡¯s second uncle hanging around Daphne every day. Secente te neke des Gratis hat stoo can go attemtia. New meme on the set was deter N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Ceroine¡¯s divering heart from a trendt hat die set fentransfers to the her We wonde the tiny vethean at she that great temen she Sen drencant with ow the went aware by unming sound Eddy Morrison¡± an be to konger or one mind one can do bod wything Chapter 233 Chapter 233 None of the stall members came over to where Daphne was. None of them even turned to look at her. Daphne Immediately became enraged. It seemed true that the entertainment industry was very realistic. Daphine hadn¡¯t seen Kirk since dinner that night. Many people had quietly asked her for Information, but she couldn¡¯t evene up with a plture of them both together. Thus, some started doubting whether she was really married to Eddy¡¯s second uncle and started treating her coldly. Daphne¡¯s manager approached her and said lowly, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that Mr. Morrison never contacted you again afterward?¡± Daphine was already in a bad mood. When she heard this, she gripped her cup and was about to throw a tantrum. Just them she heard Rushed footstepsing from outside. ¡°M¨CMs. Dawson. The head of the Collinsmily wants to see you!¡± Daphne was stunned. She immediately recalled that Howard Collins had called her a few days ago. She became overjoyed. ¡°Where is he?¡± He¨Che¡¯s right outside! The stall member was out of breath. Everyone watched with wide eyes. They couldn¡¯t believe what they¡¯d just heard. The head of the Collins family, Howard Collins, was part of one of the big four families in Osbury. Even if people in the entertainment Industry often met Important people, Howard was still in a league of his own. When they heard that Howard hade here himsell, everyone looked at Daphne in admiration. Daphne walked breezily outside with her head held high. As expected, she found a luxury car parked at the door. When the bodyguard saw Daphinee out, he Immediately went forward to open the car door. Howard waved at Daphne In a friendly manner from Inside the car. ¡°Mrs. Morrison, please get in the car.¡± By calling Daphine Mrs. Morrison, Howard seemed to be confirming Daphne¡¯s rumored position. Hearing that, many people turned pale. At the same time, Daphne smiled brilliantly. She held the car door but didn¡¯t get in. She wanted to enjoy this special privilege to the fullest. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Collins,¡± she said.. Howard replied, ¡°I mentioned a few days ago that I wanted to treat you to a meal, Mrs. Morrison. I happened to pass by, so I wanted to ask if you have some free time. If not, we can go some other day.¡± ¡°Of course I have time.¡± Daphne sald with a smile. ¡°After all, you¡¯re the one inviting me out, Mr. Collins.¡± As she spoke, she turned to look at the director. ¡°Sir, can I go?¡± The director didn¡¯t dare say anything against it. He hurriedly nodded. Pleased, Daphne got into the car. Long after the car had driven oll, everyone finally came back to their senses. Their expressions had changed drastically. ¡°S¨Cshe can¡¯t really be the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle, can she?¡± Once these words were said, everyone exploded into amotion. ¡°She has to be! Even Mr. Collins personally came to pick her up. And he called her Mrs. Morrison too! We¡¯re done for. Will she keep a grudge?¡± ¡°Who even knows? You better be careful the next time you see her!¡± Everyone on set felt like they were in danger. They looked lost and panicked. In contrast, Daphne was in a splendid mood in the car. She said, ¡°Thank you foring to pick me up personally, Mr. Collins. You¡¯re too kind.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only polite.¡± Howard paused and looked at Daphne with Interest. 12 * shifted. Y yes Why do you say that, Mr. Collins ahl to the point. ¡°I was only hoping you could introduce us. Maybe even arrange for us to have a meal together.¡± Howard had heard that this second uncle of Eddy¡¯s was going into yet another new field. Thus, Howard fell pressed to meet him. Daphne¡¯s heart plummeted at Howard¡¯s words. Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Al the vi, Kirk had already heard from Jack that Caroline had seen the proposal surprise at the restaurant. ¡°You¡¯re home?¡± He stepped forward to hug Caroline. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. Guess what I saw today?¡± Kirk yed along and thought about it for a moment. ¡°HmI can¡¯t guess.¡± Caroline look out her phone and held it out to Kirk. ¡°I saw the restaurant you decorated for the proposal! It¡¯s so beautiful!¡± Kirk smiled as well. He kissed Caroline¡¯s eyelids. ¡°Did you like it?¡± ¡°I did. But,¡± Caroline seemed regretful as she spoke, ¡°I would have liked it even more if those roses were still in bloom.¡± ¡°If you¡¯d like that, then I could Kirk paused. ¡°Discuss with the boss about switching out the roses.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Caroline allowed Kirk to hold her as they sat on the couch. She reached out to circle her arms around Kirk¡¯s neck. She said seriously, ¡°You said something to me this morning before going out. You said you¡¯d give me a gift. Did you mean that?¡± Kirk caressed Caroline¡¯s hair. ¡°Of course. I always mean what I say to you.¡± Caroline looked deeply into Kirk¡¯s eyes. ¡°Then Let¡¯s go get some wedding pictures taken!¡± After saying that, her face visibly reddened. Even so, she didn¡¯t turn her gaze away and continued to look unblinkingly at Kirk. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Kirk was frozen for a moment. Caroline pulled the corner of Kirk¡¯s shirt anxiously. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to ¡°Darling.¡± Kirk¡¯s smile spread wider. He brushed his nose across Caroline¡¯s as his hand reached under her top to caress her back. ¡°I want nothing more.¡± As he spoke, the tip of his nose traveled across Caroline¡¯s face to her reddened ear. ¡°Babe, what should I do? I want you now.¡± Caroline pressed her hand on Kirk¡¯s chest, her face burning. ¡°Be serious! I¡¯m discussing something serious with you!¡± ¡°The discussion has already been settled.¡± Kirk picked Caroline up and moved toward the second floor. ¡°Now it¡¯s time to discuss the next item on the agenda!¡± Caroline was speechless. After 8 pm, Caroline went downstairs, starving. When she passed the kitchen, she heard a siren ring outside. Opening the door, she saw a police car rush past. It seemed to be driving toward Zone 2. Sarah and Dan lived in Zone 2. ¡°Watching the show?¡± Kirk askedzily from upstairs, his voice seductive. Caroline looked up to see Kirk¡¯s abs, and her face flushed. Knowing how insatiable Kirk was, Caroline got worried that he would want to keep the ball rolling. She quickly nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Come to the third floor?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°How about I cook for you, and you can take a look on your own?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Caroline said before heading to the third floor. As expected, she saw the police parked at the door of the Evans¡® residence. The police said something to them and left. +15 BONOS Although everything seemed calm over at the Evans¡® residence, there was a storm brewing. Dan was so enraged that he swept his hand across the table, throwing a cup to the ground. It smashed into pieces. ¡°Look what¡¯s happening now! They can¡¯t even find her. It looks like we¡¯ll be stuck on this sinking ship together!¡± Sarah was trembling, but she still managed to defend herself. She said, ¡°How was I supposed to know that the police wouldn¡¯t help us even after we showed them Caroline¡¯s identification documents?¡± ¡°I warned you long before. Don¡¯t listen to that¡­¡± *Uncle Dan!¡± La walked in, pushing open the door that had been ajar. When Dan saw La, his expression immediately turned icy. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, still coming here?¡± he asked. The smile on La¡¯s face didn¡¯t falter the slightest bit. ¡°I already know about what happened with the company. I¡¯m here to help you.¡± Sarah¡¯s eyes shone at that. Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Chapter 235 In contrast. Dan gave a loud, cold hull. Help us? Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve thrown us in enough hot water!¡± 415 BONOS La replied. ¡°Uncle Dan. Aunt Sarah, I know what you¡¯re wonted about You¡¯ve taken pulle years. So you¡¯re worried that the new CEO money loom Evans Group over the it. Once the boar other members find out about this, they won¡¯t let you off Sarah¡¯s and Dan¡¯s expressions shifted. ¡°You¡± La only smiled lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell people about this, I¡¯m on your side.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of having you on our side?¡± Dan scoffed. ¡°Of course there¡¯s a point. Because I¡¯ll definitely be the next CEOF Sarah and Dan exchanged nces with each other. ¡°Uncle Dan, Aunt Sarah, it someone else ends up in that position, they will definitely expose what you have been doing. But I won¡¯t. Because I need your help.¡± ¡°Our help?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! You know my situation with Eddy the best. Although Eddy wants to marry me, Mr. Morrison Senior is still around. Thus, we have to be quiet about it. If I told the other shareholders about it, they would never trust me. But you¡¯re different. T ¡°Your positions and viewpoints are different. They would definitely trust you. When the timees, I can use this to get the CEO position with ease. Then, you won¡¯t have to be afraid of getting investigated!¡± Sarah and Dan looked toward La as if she were their savior. La smiled. ¡°That¡¯s why you have to help me!¡± Sarah and Dan thought about it for a second before nodding in agreement. This was the best choice for them right now. Seeing this, La¡¯s smile widened further. On the other hand, Caroline was walking downstairs. When she got to the first floor, she smelled the fragrance of food. ¡°You¡¯re done cooking?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kirk ced the dishes on the table. ¡°Come eat.¡± When Caroline saw the decadent dishes on the table, she praised him without holding back. ¡°Your cooking skills are getting better.¡± Kirk went over to hold Caroline in an embrace. He picked up a fork and started feeding her. ¡°What about my other skills?¡± Caroline ignored him. Kirk put his chin on her shoulder and chuckled lowly. ¡°I was talking about my driving skills. What were you thinking? Your face is red.¡± Caroline shot him a look. ¡°I¡¯m hot!¡± As she spoke, her stomach made a noise in protest. Seeing that Caroline was really hungry, Kirk stopped teasing her. He fed Caroline like he was feeding a child. Caroline was overjoyed. Right then, her phone rang. Caroline nced at it and said, ¡°It¡¯s Grandpa.¡± Kirk frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t answer it just yet. Call back after you finish eating.¡± ¡°No way. What if it¡¯s an emergency?¡± As Caroline sald this, she moved out of Kirk¡¯s hold. She stepped on the soft carpet and headed to the living room. Smiling softly, Kirk watched Caroline leave. 1/2 115 BONOS C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. There was an immediate response. ¡°Ah, Carrie, I heard about what happened online. How are you? Are you abright Caroline replied. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you for the concern, Grandpa¡± ¡°Your parents have gone too far. How could they nder you online? I know you and how strong¨Cwilled you are. But no maller what yourie their daughter. How about this? I¡¯ll take you to soak in some hot springs tomorrow night. You can rx. How about that?¡± Caroline nced at Kirk before saying, ¡°Sure.¡± They chatted for a bit more before Caroline hung up. Before Kirk could say anything, she said, ¡°Grandpa wants to take me to some hot sprints.¡± Kirk grinned, but the smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°Alright.¡± Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Caroline could distinctly feel Kirk¡¯s displeasure. She guessed that he really disliked the fact that she still had ties with Eddy. Thus, she exined patiently, ¡°Grandpa has always been good to me. I can¡¯t reject his Invitation.¡± Kirk smiled as he brushed Caroline¡¯s hair aside. ¡°I¡¯m not mad. It¡¯s just that Mr. Morrison Senior still cares so much about you, even though we¡¯re already married. Don¡¯t you find it strange?¡± Caroline was silent for a moment before sighing. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve always wondered about It. Grandpa treats me with the kind of unconditional love that goes beyond being rted by blood. Maybe I look like some rtive of his who died young. Do you think it¡¯s possible he¡¯s so nice to me because of that?¡± Perhaps Jude¡¯s love for Caroline stemmed from that? Kirk smiled slightly. He had no desire to look into Jude and the rest of the older generation¡¯s affairs. But if Jude stepped too far¡­ ¡°Maybe. You could ask him about it tomorrow night.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline nodded. She suddenly remembered what had happened with Jack earlier. But after some consideration, she didn¡¯t mention it to Kirk. Kirk was typically quite busy. Besides, he might not be able to help her with Jack. It might be better if she investigated it herself and checked out what was going on. Alter work the nest day, Caroline rushed over to the hot springs ce Jude had mentioned. Simon led Caroline to a private room. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior is waiting for you inside.¡± Caroline nodded before pushing the door open and heading inside. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. As expected, Jude was in the room. However, he wasn¡¯t alone. Eddy was also there. At the sight of Eddy, Caroline¡¯s expression became tense. Although Eddy had been prepared for it, he still didn¡¯t feel great about it. Jude noticed their expressions, but he ignored them. He smiled and said, ¡°Carrie, you¡¯re here. Come, sit for a while, and drink something. We¡¯ll go have a soak in a moment.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Caroline sat opposite Eddy. Jude patted Caroline¡¯s hand and saidfortingly, ¡°Carrie, don¡¯t take what your parents said to heart. They¡¯re the ones in the wrong on this. After a few days, I¡¯ll personally call them over, and we can talk things out.¡± Caroline looked at Jude gratefully. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡± Jude talked more with Caroline. Seeing that she was in a stable mood and unbothered, he asked, ¡°Carrie, have you heard of any rumors regarding Eddy¡¯s second uncle?¡± ¡°Do you mean the news about him and the starlet Daphne Dawson?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jude¡¯s eyes never left Caroline. ¡°What do you think about it?¡± Caroline said, ¡°There are lots of rumors circling in the entertainment industry. It¡¯s very hard to verify any of them.¡± What if I told you it was true?¡± Caroline was stunned for a moment, but she wasn¡¯t sad or angry. She only felt a bit regretful. ¡°So it¡¯s like that. Then please congratte him for me, Grandpa.¡± Jude was still eyeing Caroline. ¡°Carrie, why does it sound like you¡¯re not being sincere?¡± Caroline felt a little embarrassed that Jude had seen through her. ¡°I really can¡¯t keep any secrets from you, Grandpa.¡± him?¡± Caroline replied, ¡°Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It has nothing to do with me, and I can¡¯t judge.¡± Hearing Caroline¡¯s response, Jude becamepletely relieved. II Caroline and Kirk had really been married, she wouldn¡¯t have been able lo react so calmly. Jude gave Eddy a look. Eddy also shared Caroline¡¯s opinion that Daphne wasn¡¯t a good match for Kirk. Thus, he found himself liking this ex¨Cfianc¨¦e of his. Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Chapter 237 When Jude looked over at him, Eddy no longer expressed rejection. He nodded lightly. Seeing this, Jude was relieved. He looked over al Simon. When Simon received the signal, he bent over and said a few words Into Jude¡¯s ear. Judeughed and said, ¡°Carrie, the owner of this ce is my good friend. He¡¯s asking me to take a look around. You and Eddy can wait for me here.¡± Caroline could tell that Jude was giving her and Eddy a chance to be alone together, Before, Caroline would have been grateful for it. But now, there was really no need for it. Some things couldn¡¯t be forced. Plus, she already had a good man of her own. Jude didn¡¯t wait for Caroline¡¯s response. With Simon¡¯s help, he swiftly walked out. Once he left, only Caroline and Eddy were left in the private room. Caroline didn¡¯t want to talk to Eddy. She got up and stomped her feet. After a pause, she opened the door and got out. Outside the private room, thendscaping was very peaceful, with flowing water and thick stands of trees. As Caroline admired the scenery, she heard Eddy¡¯s voiceing from behind her. ¡°You did quite well this time.¡± Caroline was stunned. She turned to look at Eddy, in disbelief that he¡¯d said such a thing. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? I¡¯ve always been fair when ites to such matters. If you did well you did well If not, then I would have said so.¡± Eddy looked at Caroline. The cold look in his eyes held a trace of regret. How great it would have been If Caroline had been like this in the past. The corners of Caroline¡¯s mouth pulled up. ¡°Thanks.¡± Eddy took a few steps forward. ¡°If you could have been this discerning in the past, we would never have gotten into such a mess. Actually, I would have epted you if you were just a little nicer to La.¡± Caroline looked askance at Eddy, as if he were some mystical beast. ¡°You cheated, but you wanted me to treat her well? What do you mean by that?¡± Eddy¡¯s face turned red for a moment. He huffed and said, ¡°I was only with La because you forced me into it.¡± The slight change in Caroline¡¯s opinion of Eddy disappeared. She looked at him coldly. ¡®I forced you? Did I make you take care of her? Or did I force you to get together with her? I cared for you for eight years, but I still don¡¯t :now when you two got together. Next time, try to use your brain before you try to me others for your own problems.¡± With that, Caroline walked down the corridor to look for Jude. he seriously doubted if she would be able to survive staying with Eddy. s Caroline turned a corner, she bumped into a man. ne man caught Caroline by the shoulder in a gentlemanly manner. His voice held a happy surprise as he said, ¡°Caroline?¡± aroline looked up. When she saw the person before her, she was frozen. le man smiled. ¡°You know who I am, right?¡± roline cried out, ¡°Adrian!¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Irian¡¯s handsome features were arranged into a smile. The nervousness in his eyes disappeared. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± came for a soak with some friends. What about Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Frowning, Caroline turned around to find that Eddy had followed her. Adrian also spotted Eddy. Faced with Osbury¡¯s most respected scion, he nodded indifferently. ¡°Eddy,¡± ¡°When did you get here?¡± Eddy asked as he reached out for Caroline. He wanted to show that Caroline was his, but Caroline shook him off. She even moved to stand behind Adrian, obviously unwilling to stand with Eddy. Eddy was sure that she was doing this to make him mad. His gaze darkened as he looked at her in warning. Adrian must have noticed it, or perhaps he was only behaving absentmindedly, but he moved slightly to block Caroline behind himself. Even so, the brilliant smile on his face remained wless. ¡°I just got here. We should meet up sometime.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Eddy clenched his fists. To Caroline behind Adrian, he said, ¡°Come here.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t want to use Adrian as a shield. Thus, she walked out from behind Adrian. ¡°Eddy, you seem to have forgotten once again that our engagement was called off a long time ago.¡± She remained by Adrian¡¯s side. unmoving. Eddy¡¯s expression turned stormy immediately. He looked at Adrian and said, ¡°Sorry, we got into a bit of a fight. I¡¯ll contact you another day.¡± In other words, Adrian could leave now. Yet Adrian didn¡¯t move. He once again moved in front of Caroline. It was a conspicuous motion, so it was obvious that he had done it intentionally. Eddy¡¯s expression turned even darker when he saw that. ¡°What do you mean by this, Adrian?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you two got into a fight.¡± Adrian chuckled sunnily. ¡°I heard that Caroline¡¯s married, but not to you.¡± Eddy¡¯s heart squeezed. He gritted out, ¡°This is between us.¡± Adrian countered, ¡°But Caroline obviously doesn¡¯t want to go with you.¡± A vein pulsed at Eddy¡¯s temple. ¡°Adrian, don¡¯t think I won¡¯t dare to beat you up because our families have a good rtionship.¡± Adrian remainedposed, but he became more amused. ¡°Eddy, there¡¯s no need to be so short¨Ctempered. Let¡¯s talk things out. We live in awful society, and there¡¯s surveince everywhere. If Caroline doesn¡¯t want to go with you, you wouldn¡¯t want it recorded if things get ugly, would you?¡± Eddy¡¯s expression became dazed. There wasn¡¯t much of a threat in Adrian¡¯s words, but Eddy was worried that Jude would see him and Caroline fighting. Everyone knew how much Jude doted on Caroline. If he saw the surveince footage, Jude would realize that Caroline had no intention off being with Eddy. Eddy was afraid that Jude would stop helping him get together with Caroline. ¡°Caroline¡­¡± Eddy took a deep breath. ¡°I know you¡¯re in a bad mood tonight. Let¡¯s talk once you¡¯ve calmed down.¡± Alter saying that, Eddy turned to leave. Once Eddy was gone, Caroline said to Adrian in gratitude, ¡°Thank you.¡± After all, there was no reason for Adrian to get into any conflict with Eddy. Adrianughed. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so polite. We grew up together, so you¡¯re like an older sister to me,¡± 1/3 +15 BONOS ce since he was a good head taller than her. Right then, Caroline¡¯s phone buzzed in her pocket. She took it out and looked at the screen. The private investigator was calling her. I¡¯m going to take this call,¡± Caroline said. Aduan had also seen the words ¡°Private Investigator.¡± Thus, he nodded and moved away. Caroline smiled at Adrian¡¯s considerate and gentlemanly behavior. Then, she answered the phone. The call was from a private investigation agency that Caroline had found in an online ad. The caller immediately boasted about their skills, describing how amazing they were and how they could even get information from abroad. Caroline o uld tell from this that the agency couldn¡¯t be trusted. She hung up impatiently. Adrian came forward. He looked hesitant but brought it up anyway. ¡°Do you need help?¡± Caroline looked up at him. ¡°No. I¡¯m just investigating someone. Maybe I should just find another agency.¡± There are a lot of shady types when ites to private Investigators. It can be quite difficult to find someone you can trust. But if you can Inust me, I can help you out.¡± Adrian¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t overly enthusiastic, Caroline felt like she could rely on him. Caroline was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Would it be too much trouble?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°It¡¯s just making a phone call. Besides, I¡¯m helping my friend get business. How much trouble is that?¡± Al this, Carolineughed and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you with it.¡± Adrian smoothly took his phone out and exchanged numbers with Caroline. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when I get the information.¡± ¡°Thank you very much, Adrian. I¡¯ll buy you a meal when you¡¯re free one day.¡± Aditan wanted to say that he was free now, but he thought it was too soon. He replied, ¡°Alright.¡± Meanwhile, Eddy had returned to the private room. He couldn¡¯t hold back his temper and swept a hand across everything on the table, making it fall to the ground. Caroline had made a fool of him in front of yet another man! She was really getting more and more out of hand! Eddy¡¯s temper wouldn¡¯t subside. He didn¡¯t know who to talk to about this. After going through all of his contacts, he found he could only vent about it to Kirk. He texted, ¡°Uncle Kirk, isn¡¯t she being too much? She would rather go with a friend she hasn¡¯t even seen in years, but not me. I must have been treating her too welltely. That¡¯s why she¡¯s acting out. Do you think I should keep ignoring her?¡± Kirk quickly sent a reply. ¡°Who did she go with?¡± Eddy suddenly couldn¡¯t speak. Wasn¡¯t Kirk focusing on the wrong thing? Eddy replied, ¡°Adrian Sorkin, the second son of the main branch of the Sorkin family. I don¡¯t think you know him.¡± Kirk grinned as he typed on his keyboard. Soon, the webpage disyed Adrian¡¯s information. One of the photos was of him ying basketball as a youth at university. Youthful and sunny, his smile cut like a knife into Kirk¡¯s eyes. Kirk frowned. He took his phone and sent Caroline a voice message. ¡°Darling, I think I have a fever.¡± Caroline felt her phone buzz in her bag as she chatted with Adrian. She pulled it out and found a voice message from Kirk. He probably wanted her to go home early or something. Without giving it much thought, she clicked on the message. Kirk¡¯s low and husky voice resounded in the corridor. In response, Caroline¡¯s face heated. Adrian¡¯s amusement didn¡¯t faller. But the air around him seemed to chill slightly. ¡°Is it your husband?¡± Caroline nodded shyly, ¡°Yes. I think he¡¯s sick, so I have to go home now. Let¡¯s chat some other time.¡± Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Caroline bought some cold and fever medicine before rushing home. When she got there, she Immediately went upstairs to look for Kirk. ¡°Have you checked your temperature?¡± Caroline asked. Her tense expression cleared slightly when she saw Kirk looking as he usually did on the bed. She put her hand on Kirk¡¯s forehead to check the temperature. Caroline frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have a lever.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kirk smoothly pulled Caroline into his embrace. ¡°I tested my temperature three times. It was 100 degrees Fahrenheit all three times. Maybe the fever subsided because I took some medicine.¡± Caroline was a bit suspicious. ¡°Then let me get the thermometer and measure it again.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Kirk buried his face in the crook of Caroline¡¯s neck. ¡°You¡¯re my medicine. Since you¡¯re home, I¡¯m not sick anymore.¡± ¡°It seems you really have a fever. You¡¯re even talking nonsense.¡± Caroline pushed him away in a huff. ¡°I was in such a rush to get back that I even forgot to tell Grandpa I was leaving. I better send him a text first.¡± Kirk hugged her tight, unwilling to let her go. ¡°Send it from here. I want to hold you longer.¡± His low voice was low and a bit soft, melting Caroline¡¯s heart into a puddle. She adjusted her position so she was morefortable and sent Jude a message. Kirk pressed his chin into Caroline¡¯s shoulder, watching as her slim fingers tapped on the keyboard. Moved by desire, he bit her earlobe lightly. He mumbled, ¡°What did Mr. Morrison Senior call you over for? ¡°Nothing, just normal stuff,¡± Caroline answered, not noticing the strangeness in Kirk¡¯s words. She rubbed her chin as she pondered something. Then, she continued typing. ¡°I wanted to ask him why he treats me so well, but the owner of the hot spring ce called him away while we were talking.¡± Kirk¡¯s fingers brushed Caroline¡¯s slim waist. He smiled mischievously as he looked at Caroline¡¯s screen. One hand was already on her wrist. ¡°Are you done texting?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡®Yes.¡® Before she realized what was happening, the phone was taken out of her hands. Kirk flipped them over and pressed Caroline below him. Caroline was confused. Wasn¡¯t Kirk sick? Why was he still so energetic? After their bout of passion, Caroline went into the bathroom to clean up. During this time, her eyes were nearly closed. Later, when Kirk ced her on the bed. Caroline fell dead asleep without knowing what had happened. Kirk turned on the light and looked at Caroline under the yellow glow. Her features were rxed and defenseless. Seeing how she could fall into such a deep sleep when he was there proved how much she trusted him. As Kirk touched her face, he smiled. He wanted Caroline to keep trusting him, even if it meant maintaining a lifelong lie. Right then, the screen of his phone lit up on the bedside table. Kirk picked up the call from Charles. ¡°Sir, Howard Collins contacted Ms. Dawson today. He asked her to introduce you to him. Should I warn her about not continuing contact with the Collins family?¡± Kirk smiled even wider. ¡°No need.¡± The prey had already taken the bait. ¡°Your job now is to make sure that the matter looks like it was done by her alone,¡± He replied. ¡°Yes, s. 11 nd an excuse to contact Ms. Dawson these two days. This way, it will give her a chance to invite Mr. Cr ¡°Good Go ahead¡± After hanging went back to bed. He leaned down to kiss Caroline¡¯s lips. Then he climbed into bed and pulled her into his embrace Just like that he fell asleep too The next morning. Caroline woke up refreshed and went to work rom the past few days had disappeared, and Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Chapter 240 When Caroline walked into the office, her colleagues seemed livelier than usual as they greeted her in a flurry. Nothing had changed, and yel everything had changed. Caroline yed with the pencil in her hand, still thinking about Jack. He seemed like a loyal and honest man, not some bad person. But why had he lied about thepany hiring him? She had wanted to ask him about it many times when she¡¯d been in the car this morning. In the end, though, she didn¡¯t. After keeping it a secret for so long, Jack surely wouldn¡¯t just tell her so easily. If she asked about it, he would get suspicious. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. She had better wait until Adrian found her a private Investigator to check it out. Speak of the devil. As Caroline drank somte water, she received a text from Adrian. It read, ¡°Found a private investigator. Free toe out and meet tomorrow night?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Caroline texted back. ¡°Alright,¡± carne the reply. Caroline didn¡¯t respond anymore, Instead, she turned on herputer and started to work. As for Adrian, he kept checking his phone, turning the screen on and off again and again. Someone beside himughed and said, ¡°Waiting for your girlfriend¡¯s text, Mr. Chef?¡± Adrian shoved the phone back into his pocket and said with a teasing smile, ¡°You really know it all, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Is it really your girlfriend? Who is it? Do I know her? Is she pretty?¡± Adrian mmed the door closed with a bang, cutting off the questions. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Smoke swirled when he breathed out. He checked his phone once again. There was still no reply. Caroline had gotten into a groove at work. Just then, there was a knock at the door, and it swung open. Jules carne inside, smiling brightly. ¡°Congrattions, Ms. Evans. You¡¯re truly exceptional!¡± Caroline was confused by this. ¡°What are you talking about, Mr. Hawkins?¡± ¡°Why are you still pretending at this point? Cheryl,e in.¡± Cheryl came in bearing a trophy, smiling as brightly as Jules was. Caroline looked at the trophy and saw the words ¡°Rosebow.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± she asked. ¡°You said you weren¡¯t joining the Rosebow Contest when I asked youst time, but the trophy¡¯s already here now. Were you nning to surprise us all?¡± Caroline epted the trophy and repeatedly checked that the name on it was hers. Perplexed, she said. ¡°But I didn¡¯t send in a design.¡± Jules grinned and said, ¡°Don¡¯t act humble, Ms. Evans. The trophy¡¯s right here.¡± That¡¯s right.¡± Cheryl¡¯s eyes were sparkling. How long were you nning on keeping us in the dark, Caroline? The Rosebow Contest is the biggest competition in the field. It¡¯s a great ionor to even get shortlisted. It¡¯s amazing that you won the prize.¡± he door to Caroline¡¯s office was open, and many people walked past. Thus, lots of them heard the news and stopped at the door. Did I hear it correctly? Did Ms. Evans really win a prize in the Rosebow Contest? How did she ce?¡± She ced first!¡± Cheryl eximed proudly. 1/2 At this point, Chenyt abrupts thought of Vivian. She said naughty. A real Mc Fanerson that exer we When she said this, a voice rose from the crowd. ¡°That¡¯s rent she has Everyone looked at the source of the voice. When they saw it was Van they all became excrescentosdag for Chapter 241 However, lo everyone¡¯s sunrise, Vivian only tilted her chis up elghtly the wald, as it led to The scene made many people drop thews in shock. They couldn¡¯t believe that Vivian would say such a thing. Al how lowly Vivian thought of Caroline. Caroline frowned slightly as she looked at Vivian, but thelter only smiled ¡°Indeed, I disliked you a lot back then. Put since you even won the Bossbow Contest of those in the field. III don¡¯t acknowledge your skill now, I¡¯d be going against everyone Vivian spoke sincerely, but Caroline didn¡¯t buy it. She didn¡¯t think someone The strangest thing was that she had never even sent in a destan to the Rosebow Contest. How could she win fust ce, then? ¡°Thank you, but ¡°Today is such a great day,¡± Vivian sald, interrupting Caroline ¡°Since Ms. Evans won the Rosebow Contest, shouldn¡¯t she buy us all a meal?¡± Since Vivian had brought it up, Caroline could only go along with things, She gave up on correcting the others and agreed to treat everyone to a meal. Once everyone left, Caroline went on herputer to check the news about the Rosebow Contest¡¯s winners. However, she only found an email online for submissions. There wasn¡¯t even a phone number she could call Hence, she opened her inbox to send the contest organizers an emall to ask what was going on. Yet, when she opened her inboe, she sall a familiar emall in her recently sent emall Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Chapter 241 This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. After checking a few times, she confirmed that it was the same email address as the Rosebow Contest¡¯s Caroline¡¯s expression changed. She clicked on her recently sent emails. There, she saw the design that had been sent from her email. At the same time, Susan entered the office next door. She eximed, ¡°Viv, your idea was simply too wicked! Using Caroline¡¯s emall to send your entry to the Rosebow Contest was brilliant! ¡°Once the maller slews, you can announce that it was your deslun and frame Caroline for giarism. Considering how much thepany prioritizes its reption, Caroline will definitely be fired.¡± Vivian smirked. ¡°I¡¯m sure that idiot must still be confused. She probably has no idea that this is a trap.¡± ¡°What can she do even if she finds out? This is checkmate. The email was sent from her ount. Unless she can prove that she didn¡¯t send it, she can¡¯t do anything.¡± Vivian smiled even brighter at that. She really had to thank La for helping her out. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have seeded in winning first ce with her design so smoothly. ¡°Viv, when do you n on exposing Caroline for giarism?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so anxious. Let her have a good night¡¯s sleep first, This will be thest good day she has.¡± When Susan heard this, she started smiling too. Caroline returned to her office from the security department. Frowning, she inserted the pendrive into herputer. She adjusted the footage to the point where Vivian had entered her office that day. At 7 am or so, Vivian and Susan had arrived at the office. At 8 am, Cheryl had arrived at work and unlocked Caroline¡¯s office door. Right aller Cheryl had gone to the lounge, Susan had snuck Into Caroline¡¯s ollice. After about ten minutes, Susan had snuck back out of her office. Then, she had ordered Cheryl to run an errand for her before going back into her office. She had only left after 40 minutes of 50. $15 BONOS To wonder Cartine had felt uneasy that day and massed wher cared susmine code vols, tusen had been the one to send that wann were to check that the tall had tem Cartine inhated deeply. She saved this part of the tunsink forda Although she dide¡¯t know what Van was trying to do, the knew it definitely thin94 That night, Caroline didn¡¯t attend the dinner Instead, che transferred the money to Jules and told him to take the design department out She hadn¡¯t won the prize in the first ce, so going would only he made her uncontentacle Coincidentally, Gwen had also said she would treat Caroline to dinner After getting into the car, Caroline called Kirk Tve arrived. How much longer will you take? Do you want me to pick you up Kik asked. ¡°Sean called me,¡± Kirk said with a lowugh. Caroline¡¯s face flushed when Kirk¡¯s huskyugh resounded in her ear. She replied. ¡°So that means they¡¯re both treating us to this Could that mean they¡¯re together? ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Kirk replied. ¡°Sean¡¯s still keeping it a secret from me. He said it hasn¡¯t been three months yet so he doesn¡¯t dare say anything¡± ¡°Was he always so careful when he dated in the past? It was just a casual question on Caroline¡¯s part, but Kirk unexpectedly sobered. He looked up at Sean and said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Caroline replied, I¡¯m almost there, Let¡¯s Talk when I arrive.¡± After Caroline hung up, Kirk finally turned to look at Sean. Sean fell difited by the way Kirk looked at him. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± he asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell Gwen about me after getting together with her, did you? ¡°Of course not,¡± Sean answered without thinking. ¡°Rx. We¡¯re friends. Do you think I stab you in the back just to date Gwen? Kirk took a sip of his drink. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say.¡± ¡°If you say that, then I¡¯ll tell Gwen about your identity. Sean was just joking around. He wanted more than anyone else for Caroline and Kirk to stay together for the long run and be happy. After all, it was rare for Kirk to be in love. Sean wanted to see Kirk henpecked by Caroline. ¡°Tell me about what? Gwen asked teasingly. She had overheard thest bit of the conversation when she entered. Sean froze. He eyed Kirk, who looked grim beside him, and said quickly, ¡°Why are you sote?¡± ¡°There was traffic. Where¡¯s Carol?¡± The second Gwen said this, the door opened again, and Caroline walked in. ¡°I saw you at the door, but you were walking too quickly.¡± Caroline eyed Sean and continued with augh, ¡°Seeing how fast you were walking, there must be something precious waiting here. Gwen¡¯s face heated. ¡°Carol, you¡¯ve be mean,¡± Carolineughed as she walked over to sit beside Kirk. Gwen hesitated a moment before sitting next to Sean. At this, Sean¡¯s expression became overjoyed. Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Chapter 242 At once, Sean looked over at Kirk. Kirk leaned in his seat casually, with one arm stretching out over Caroline¡¯s shoulder. The threat was clear in his smile. ¡°What are you looking at me for? Your wile¡¯s asking you.¡± ¡°What wife?¡± Gwen red at Kirk. Then, she turned to look at Sean. ¡°Is my question so tough to answer?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Sean nced at Kirk, his expression pained. ¡°Sorry, bro. For my wife, I have to throw you under the bus.¡± Kirk only looked at Sean with a smile. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Sean braced himself and said, ¡°Actually, before meeting Carrie Kirk, he was a vir- Caroline had been taking a sip of her drink. When she heard this, she couldn¡¯t help but spray the drink out in surprise. The dropletsnded on Sean. Sean, an innocent who had suffered unjustly, nced over at Caroline dejectedly. Caroline quickly pulled out some tissues and gave them to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I really didn¡¯t expect ¨C She nced at Kirk as she spoke. ¡°Were you really?¡± Kirk¡¯s face was pale as he smiled fakely. ¡°Good going, Sean.¡± 1 Sean raised his hands. ¡°I mean to. Gwen forced me to say it.¡± With that, the room became more lively. Soon, the food was served too. As she ate, Gwen suddenly thought of the gossip she¡¯d heard today. She asked Caroline, ¡°Carol I heard Eddy¡¯s second uncle married Daphne Dawson. Is that true?* Caroline¡¯s expression remained unchanged. On the other hand, Sean shot a quick nce at Kirk. As his friend, Sean knew about this matter too. ¡°It¡¯s true. Mr. Morrison Senior told me about it himself.¡± ¡°Fuck me.¡± Gwen couldn¡¯t help but swear. ¡°I have to say, the Morrisons really don¡¯t have much taste. Eddy fell for that two¨Cfaced bitch, La, and his second uncle is in love with someone with a stic face. Goodness me, do all rich people have such weird taste?¡± The person whose taste was being questioned quietly served Caroline some seconds. Caroline said. ¡°Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Everyone likes something different.¡± ¡°But-¡°Gwen cut herself off before finishing. She suddenly looked toward Sean. ¡°Aren¡¯t you that guy¡¯s friend? Do you have insider knowledge?¡± Sean replied, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him all this time I¡¯ve been back in the country. Where am I supposed to get insider knowledge?¡± Gwen didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°But you¡¯re good friends. It¡¯s not like you have to make an appointment with his assistant to see him.¡± Sean looked at Kirk helplessly. He wanted to cry. This wasn¡¯t a dinner at all. It was more like an interrogation! Luckily, Kirk¡¯s phone rang right then. He picked it up and gave it a nce before saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to answer this.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline watched Kirk leave and continued gossiping with Gwen. Kirk only answered the call after he closed the door. 15 BONOS Kek checked the time. Tonight at tand her show up.¡± Grandmises 12 am, tanenter to make Howard clear the ce out. Otherwise, I won¡¯t ¡°Yes, se After hanging up. Charles immediately want to answer Dachine When Dachine received the news, she quickly told Howard. When Howard heard that the meeting hat been arranged he instant Morrison. I¡¯ve tried many times, but M Momson never agreed to dinner hanged his opinion of Daphne. ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re the one to ask, Mrs. 2/2 +15 BONOS ist never passed the message to him¡± 15fast Abs Aansu tur welle hold suums newly released bags recently. I¡¯ll have my stall send *** Roskou you so ept feel bad about getting to meet Mr. Montson cheb was wonderful fust wondeth food days were finallying for her! Fat the same car house On the way back, sheid her head on his shoulder, Fyou sensed cated up at him nervoush. Could it be that it¡¯sked? Ad Nx head and kahed baht. He tilted his head to put his forehead against Caroline¡¯s. waw and husk tok he sat Odn¡¯t you feel that Ive been starving all night was toote. Kick had already mped his hands around her waist. A shed box px actx Caroline¡¯s and teased ¡°Come on, let me just kiss you to tide me through xaxes were controlled and gentle, like butterfliesnding on her skin. sat Sean had said. She didn¡¯t believe that someone so inherently seductive as Kirk didn¡¯t even have a athwad bet tha ikuks shot and asked, ¡°Were you really kika hand hate here it held the back of Caroline¡¯s head. He chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t believe it?¡± ¡°When we were abroad many people gave you their number. And Avery At the mention of Avery, Caroline became very displeased. Although she knew that Kirk wasn¡¯t interested in Avery, he had still grown up with her. That thought made her feel uneasy Are you jealous? Kik sat upiaht as he looked at her calmly. ¡°Hardly Caroline pouted. kak smiled as he took Caroline¡¯s hand. He said, ¡°There are some things that I¡¯ve seen a lot of before I met you, although I¡¯ve never experienced them myself. After I met you, you pushed me, lemming me into my best sell Caroline was stunned by this Meanwhile, Kirk yed with her hair. So if you think I¡¯m good, it¡¯s not because I was good all along. It was you who made me better.¡± When the car stopped, Caroline abruptly realized that there was a third person in the car, the nced at Kid with reddered eyes as the hurriedly opened the car door and got out She¡¯d really gone crazy, Kirk was too good at messing up her thoughts. Seeing Caroline rushing away, the look in Kirk¡¯s eyes cooled, devoid of their initial ufortable. Jack hadn¡¯t heard anything just now! ¡°After a few days, you won¡¯t be driving Caroline around anymoret Kirk Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Chapter 243 ast Abs Aansu tur welle hold suums newly released bags recently. I¡¯ll have my stall send This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. *** Roskou you so ept feel bad about getting to meet Mr. Montson cheb was wonderful fust wondeth food days were finallying for her! Fat the same car house On the way back, sheid her head on his shoulder, Fyou sensed cated up at him nervoush. Could it be that it¡¯sked? Ad Nx head and kahed baht. He tilted his head to put his forehead against Caroline¡¯s. waw and husk tok he sat Odn¡¯t you feel that Ive been starving all night was toote. Kick had already mped his hands around her waist. A shed box px actx Caroline¡¯s and teased ¡°Come on, let me just kiss you to tide me through xaxes were controlled and gentle, like butterfliesnding on her skin. sat Sean had said. She didn¡¯t believe that someone so inherently seductive as Kirk didn¡¯t even have a athwad bet tha ikuks shot and asked, ¡°Were you really kika hand hate here it held the back of Caroline¡¯s head. He chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t believe it?¡± ¡°When we were abroad many people gave you their number. And Avery At the mention of Avery, Caroline became very displeased. Although she knew that Kirk wasn¡¯t interested in Avery, he had still grown up with her. That thought made her feel uneasy Are you jealous? Kik sat upiaht as he looked at her calmly. ¡°Hardly Caroline pouted. kak smiled as he took Caroline¡¯s hand. He said, ¡°There are some things that I¡¯ve seen a lot of before I met you, although I¡¯ve never experienced them myself. After I met you, you pushed me, lemming me into my best sell Caroline was stunned by this Meanwhile, Kirk yed with her hair. So if you think I¡¯m good, it¡¯s not because I was good all along. It was you who made me better.¡± 1/2 $15 BONOS When the car stopped, Caroline abruptly realized that there was a third person in the car, the nced at Kid with reddered eyes as the hurriedly opened the car door and got out She¡¯d really gone crazy, Kirk was too good at messing up her thoughts. Seeing Caroline rushing away, the look in Kirk¡¯s eyes cooled, devoid of their initial ufortable. Jack hadn¡¯t heard anything just now! ¡°After a few days, you won¡¯t be driving Caroline around anymoret Kirk announced moth. He looked up atrk, making thetter feet Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Chapter 244 meeting, he¡¯s probably just messing with you, trying to y with your head.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for how sessful his new enterprise is and how it has taken up 90% of the market share. I wouldn¡¯t even want to meet him? As he said this, rushed footsteps came from outside. Someone called. ¡°Sir. Mr. Morison is here.¡± +15 BONOS But when he saw that Kirk had only brought an assistant with him, he was stunned. ¡°Mr. Morrison, you¡¯re here.¡± if he hadn¡¯t seen Kirk before, Howard would never think that such an ordinary¨Cseeming person could be Kirk Morrison himself. Kirk walked directly into the room and sat on the couch, casually propping his feet up on the coffee table. ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase. My free time is limited.¡± Howard was instantly taken aback by the way Kirk carried himself. It took a long moment for him to collect himself. He said ingratiatingly. ¡°Alright. I heard you¡¯re nning to make headway in the entertainment industry, Mr. Morrison. I was thinking, since the Collins family has some influence in that industry, we could partner with you.¡± lo you want Kirk smiled deviously. ¡°Partner? Or do you want me to help you make money?¡± The smile on Howard¡¯s face became awkward. ¡°Um Of course you would be leading us to make money. But, Mr. Morrison, ourpany is a homegrown business in Easton. This will be beneficial to you too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But I don¡¯t care for what little benefits you can bring me.¡± Kirk straightened arrogantly in his seat, eyeing Howard. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible for me to help you make money. But you must agree to one condition.¡± Howard quickly said, ¡°What is it? I¡¯ll agree to anything.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, he yed with the pot of coffee on the table. +15 BONOS Chaper 245 Tangised by slow. As it did, Howard became so nervous that he started sweating. Ate ag Gang, Kirk sand unhurriedly. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve had someone following Caroline Evans?¡± Mowed¡¯s expression shifted when the topic suddenly turned to Caroline. He didn¡¯t know what Kirk meant by this. Aked up at Howard ¡°Don¡¯t dare to admit to it? ¡°It¡¯s not that Howard felt pained. Tim goly having Caroline followed because my daughter¡¯s condition has something to do with her husband.¡± Kirkpped the ashtray against the table, creating a crisp noise. ¡°Cm not here to listen to your sob story. My uncle is exceedingly fond of Caroline. If you¡¯re looking to give her trouble, you should be more howard¡¯s face tumed white Kirk was making himself very in now¨CCaroline was someone Kirk was protecting. Yes, I won¡¯t dare to do such a thing again.¡± you¡¯d like to partner with me and make money, that can be forgiven. However, you must remember not to offend those you shouldn¡¯t.¡± Since his goal was achieved, Kirk got up. ¡°Charles, give him the contract.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Charles handed Howard the contract. Howard only took a nce at it and immediately became overjoyed. ¡°50% I can get half of the profits.¡± It was a split in profits that he had never dared to expect. Kirk signed the contract indifferently. After putting thepany¡¯s stamp on it, he left. A long time after Kirk¡¯s car lett, Howard couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. He threw his head back and laughed. By his side, his butler said, ¡°Congrattions, sir. With Mr. Morrison¡¯s help, you will soar even higher. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be much longer until the Collins family bes the top second family in Easton!¡± Howard chortled. ¡°That Daphne Dawson sure is capable. When you send the bags over tomorrow, make sure to give her a few extra. We have to make good use of this connection.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Ah, right¡± Howard added. ¡°And about Caroline. Stop having men follow her. Nothing hase out of it anyway.¡± ¡°Yes, si Later that night Caroline turned in bed and Hopped into an empty space. She forced her eyes open to see that Kirk wasn¡¯t on his side of the bed Fighting sleepiness, Caroline climbed out of bed and searched every floor of the vi. Even so, she didn¡¯t see any sign of Kirk She quickly called him. But his phone had been switched off. Next, Caroline called Sean. Sean answered the phone blearity. When he found out that Kirk was missing, he had a few guesses of his own. Kirk had probably gone out to settle some business matters. ¡°Thepany probably called him in with an emergency,¡± Sean said,forting Caroline. As he did he was using his other phone to call Kirk, but to no avail. 12 +15 BONOS Gested whead s lied by dispel the tense atmosphere by saying jokingly. Maybe it¡¯s nothing serious and he¡¯ll be back odles to book for him Caatuations. But when he heart mis, he was so scares that started sweding was for leaned back in his seat ¡°You haven¡¯t done anything wrong. But after tonight, Howart Colins wont nem people falling Carpine your usua dost¡± aly rxed. Yes, sir.¡± tuning this time has been good. Once you get back, reward you generously for it. But remember, you must toout everything that happened during this time.¡± xreales. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t say anything.¡± epped out of the car. By the time he got inside the vi. Carmine hat already turned on herputer te. Wity arent you going to seep? What are you looking at?¡± at on the arrest of the chair Carmine was in. He massaged her neck gently coking at the screen. Crone cont even look up. However, she didn¡¯t hide anything from him. I¡¯m looking at Evans Group¡¯s thanca se as avable on the inte, so it was easy to find. osoned Why are you looking at such a thing? Vincitven stange how can Evans Group surfer so many losses when Morrison Cora invests so much in 1 Besides so many people sness because of Morrison Corp, too.¡± e¡¯s Chin up. ¡°Daring, you never cared about all this before.¡± boste Chiqued. Do you remember how you said you¡¯d support me in starting my ow ompany Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Srce mouent hepany would go broke it started my own with my abilities. But ater starting my job, my coinion changed. Since Bars Goue is ready in such dire stats, how much worse can it get it tak The Thus austed Mou have a cont ed topere for the position of CBC at Evans Group next term.¡± not severed hes with Saran and Dan, she was still a member of the Evans family in fact Momson Corp had only started Sans Group because of her.. erintery hot me ght topete for the position of CEC. When you be Evans Group¡¯s CEC. I have to rely on you for my livelihood.¡± Then, he said ¡°Caning, m hungry.¡± With mat for sset Caroline, searing a path down from her ear manight at Saint Pierre Grand Hotel Howard checked the time on his watch. Alter a moment of hesitation, he turned toward his ¡°Note the butter sa anxious termson said he woulde, he¡¯ll definitelye. Since it¡¯s your first official meeting, he¡¯s probably just Trying to y with your head.¡± esstil his new enterprise is and how it has taken up 90% of the market share, I wouldn¡¯t even want to meet s Ne sad This Tister polstres came from outside. Someone called. ¡°St. Mr. Morison is. Chapter 244 +15 BONOS Jack had been through a lot of life¨Cor¨Cdeath situations. But when he heard this, he was so scared that what have I done wrong?¡± Kirk leaned back in his seat. ¡°You haven¡¯t done anything wrong. But after tonight Howard Colles wont hav anymore. So you can also go back to your usual post. Jack finally rxed. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± started sweating bullets. ¡°Sc pls talling Caroline ¡°Your performance during this time has been good. Once you get back §± reward you generously for it. But remember, you must keep quiet about everything that happened during this time.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± Jack replied. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t say anything After that, Kirk stepped out of the car. By the time he got inside the vi. Caroline had already tumed on herputer ¡°It¡¯s already sote. Why aren¡¯t you going to sleep? What are you looking at?¡± Kirk sat on the armrest of the chair Caroline was in. He massaged her neck gently, looking at the screen Caroline didn¡¯t even look up. However, she didn¡¯t hide anything from him. ¡®T¡¯m looking at Evans Group¡¯s financial report Such information was avable on the inte, so it was easy to find. Kirk smirked. ¡°Why are you looking at such a thing?¡± ¡°I find it very strange. How can Evans Group suffer so many losses when Morrison Corp invests so much in it? Besides, so many people give them business because of Morrison Corp, too.¡± Kirk tilted Caroline¡¯s chin up. ¡°Darling, you¡¯d never cared about all this before.¡± Caroline chuckled. ¡°Do you remember how you said you¡¯d support me in starting my ownpany?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Before, I thought thepany would go broke if I started my own with my acilities. But after starting my joc, my coinion changed. Since Evans Group is already in such dire straits, how much worse can it get if I take over?¡± Kirkughed. ¡°You have a point.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve decided topete for the position of CEO at Evans Group next term.¡± Although she had severed ties with Sarah and Dan, she was still a member of the Evers family, in fact. Morison Corp had only stated investing in Evans Group because of her. Thus, she definitely had the right topete for the position of CEO. Kirk said. ¡°I¡¯ll support you. When you be Evans Group¡¯s CEO. I have to rely on you for my velhood¡± Then, he said, ¡°Darling, I¡¯m hungry.¡± With that, Kirk kissed Caroline, searing a path down from her ear. At midnight at Saint Pierre Grand Hotel Howard checked the time on his watch. After a moment of hesitation, he tumed toward his butter.¡± Is he not here yet?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± the butler said. ¡°Sir, don¡¯t be so anxious. If Mr. Morrison said he woulde, Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Chapter 245 ansiour. Tent tal me go instead it¡¯s sote at night, it¡¯s not sate for a woman to go out alone.¡± Before Careline could finish speaking, she heard the sound of a car downstairs. +15 BONOS ony to see that as Kirk¡¯s car. With that, her heart linally dislodged from her throat. ¡°Kirk¡¯s When he heard this, Seas bed The other end of the line. The cond went downstairs and saw kirking in, she threw herself into his embrace. ¡°Where did you go?¡± stoned by the sudden impact. Then, he lightened his arms around Caroline¡¯s waist. Laughing, he said. ¡°Thad to deal with something at thepany. What is it? Did you have a bad dream?¡± Caroline¡¯s pyes stund as she sniffed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave me a message?¡± AA¡¯s heart softened, his tone bing gentler. ¡°Did I scare you?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t answer when I called, and you didn¡¯t leave a message. Of course I was scared.¡± Caroline¡¯s voice trembled as she spoke. Kak¡¯s heart felt like it was being shattered into pieces. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. Caroline looked at Kirk, who was bathed in moonlight. After a moment, she buried her face in his chest and rubbed against him. Kakughed bitterly. ¡°Darling, when you¡¯re like this, I Caroline looked up, her gaze bright and clear as she regarded him. ¡°You what?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°I want you.¡± Kirk bent down and gently captured Caroline¡¯s lips. He treated her softly, as if she were a precious gem. The warmth seeping into her skin swept Caroline into the depths of passion, making her forget her fears. She reached out to hook her arms around Kirk¡¯s neck. She wanted badly to stay in this moment forever, with the moon shining upon them. After a while, Kirk finally let go of Caroline. ¡°Be good. It¡¯s toote at night now. Let¡¯s go to bed.¡± But Caroline didn¡¯t let go of his shirt. Kirk smiled dotingly. ¡°I won¡¯t go out anymore. Next time, even if there¡¯s a disaster going on, I¡¯ll still stay here.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of losing your job?¡± Caroline mumbled softly. Kirk bopped Caroline¡¯s nose lightly with a finger. ¡°I¡¯m a sugar baby with a very wealthy sugar mommy taking care of me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a menace.¡± Caroline tumed to head upstairs, but Kirk hugged her from behind. ¡°I had Charles contact a professional photography team. Tomorrow night¨Cno, tonight after work, we can meet them and discuss getting our wedding photos taken.¡± Caroline wanted to say yes to going, but she suddenly thought of the meeting with Adrian. She frowned. ¡°I might not be able to do it tonight. Can we go tomorrow night?¡± ¡°Do you have an appointment arranged?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t ask about it any further. Since Caroline trusted him, he would trust her as well. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Time for bed.¡± He picked Caroline up and headed to the second floor. The next day, Caroline saw Cheryl looking pained by the door the second she entered the office. ¡°What is it? Come in and tell me.¡± Caroline tumed on herputer. Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Chapter 246 irkpped the ashtray against the table, creating a crisp noise. ¡°Cm not here to listen to your sob story. My uncle is exceedingly fond of Caroline. If you¡¯re looking to give her trouble, you should be more howard¡¯s face tumed white Kirk was making himself very in now¨CCaroline was someone Kirk was protecting. Yes, I won¡¯t dare to do such a thing again.¡± you¡¯d like to partner with me and make money, that can be forgiven. However, you must remember not to offend those you shouldn¡¯t.¡± Since his goal was achieved, Kirk got up. ¡°Charles, give him the contract.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Charles handed Howard the contract. Howard only took a nce at it and immediately became overjoyed. ¡°50% I can get half of the profits.¡± It was a split in profits that he had never dared to expect. Kirk signed the contract indifferently. After putting thepany¡¯s stamp on it, he left. A long time after Kirk¡¯s car lett, Howard couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. He threw his head back and laughed. By his side, his butler said, ¡°Congrattions, sir. With Mr. Morrison¡¯s help, you will soar even higher. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be much longer until the Collins family bes the top second family in Easton!¡± Howard chortled. ¡°That Daphne Dawson sure is capable. When you send the bags over tomorrow, make sure to give her a few extra. We have to make good use of this connection.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Ah, right¡± Howard added. ¡°And about Caroline. Stop having men follow her. Nothing hase out of it anyway.¡± ¡°Yes, si Later that night Caroline turned in bed and Hopped into an empty space. She forced her eyes open to see that Kirk wasn¡¯t on his side of the bed Fighting sleepiness, Caroline climbed out of bed and searched every floor of the vi. Even so, she didn¡¯t see any sign of Kirk She quickly called him. But his phone had been switched off. Next, Caroline called Sean. Sean answered the phone blearity. When he found out that Kirk was missing, he had a few guesses of his own. Kirk had probably gone out to settle some business matters. ¡°Thepany probably called him in with an emergency,¡± Sean said,forting Caroline. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. As he did he was using his other phone to call Kirk, but to no avail. 12 +15 BONOS Gested whead s lied by dispel the tense atmosphere by saying jokingly. Maybe it¡¯s nothing serious and he¡¯ll be back odles to book for him Caroline sald as she found some clothes to put on. In any case, it wasn¡¯t like she could go Chan 240 ansiour. Tent tal me go instead it¡¯s sote at night, it¡¯s not sate for a woman to go out alone.¡± Before Careline could finish speaking, she heard the sound of a car downstairs. +15 BONOS ony to see that as Kirk¡¯s car. With that, her heart linally dislodged from her throat. ¡°Kirk¡¯s When he heard this, Seas bed The other end of the line. The cond went downstairs and saw kirking in, she threw herself into his embrace. ¡°Where did you go?¡± stoned by the sudden impact. Then, he lightened his arms around Caroline¡¯s waist. Laughing, he said. ¡°Thad to deal with something at thepany. What is it? Did you have a bad dream?¡± Caroline¡¯s pyes stund as she sniffed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave me a message?¡± AA¡¯s heart softened, his tone bing gentler. ¡°Did I scare you?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t answer when I called, and you didn¡¯t leave a message. Of course I was scared.¡± Caroline¡¯s voice trembled as she spoke. Kak¡¯s heart felt like it was being shattered into pieces. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. Caroline looked at Kirk, who was bathed in moonlight. After a moment, she buried her face in his chest and rubbed against him. Kakughed bitterly. ¡°Darling, when you¡¯re like this, I Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Kakughed bitterly. ¡°Darling, when you¡¯re like this, I Caroline looked up, her gaze bright and clear as she regarded him. ¡°You what?¡± ¡°I want you.¡± Kirk bent down and gently captured Caroline¡¯s lips. He treated her softly, as if she were a precious gem. The warmth seeping into her skin swept Caroline into the depths of passion, making her forget her fears. She reached out to hook her arms around Kirk¡¯s neck. She wanted badly to stay in this moment forever, with the moon shining upon them. After a while, Kirk finally let go of Caroline. ¡°Be good. It¡¯s toote at night now. Let¡¯s go to bed.¡± But Caroline didn¡¯t let go of his shirt. Kirk smiled dotingly. ¡°I won¡¯t go out anymore. Next time, even if there¡¯s a disaster going on, I¡¯ll still stay here.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of losing your job?¡± Caroline mumbled softly. Kirk bopped Caroline¡¯s nose lightly with a finger. ¡°I¡¯m a sugar baby with a very wealthy sugar mommy taking care of me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a menace.¡± Caroline tumed to head upstairs, but Kirk hugged her from behind. ¡°I had Charles contact a professional photography team. Tomorrow night¨Cno, tonight after work, we can meet them and discuss getting our wedding photos taken.¡± Caroline wanted to say yes to going, but she suddenly thought of the meeting with Adrian. She frowned. ¡°I might not be able to do it tonight. Can we go tomorrow night?¡± ¡°Do you have an appointment arranged?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t ask about it any further. Since Caroline trusted him, he would trust her as well. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Time for bed.¡± He picked Caroline up and headed to the second floor. The next day, Caroline saw Cheryl looking pained by the door the second she entered the office. ¡°What is it? Come in and tell me.¡± Caroline tumed on herputer. 415 BONOS Chapter 247 Cherd entered the office slow and hesitated toy a moment before saying, Caroline, I was at the lounge at now, and heard Swean say Caroline pained what she was doing and asked Did she really say that? ¡®Yes¡® Cheryl couldn¡¯t believe it either. ¡°What she said is indeed true,¡± said Caroline, crossing her aims ¡°What else did she Astonished, all Chers could Why Caroline merely smiled at the speechless woman before her. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Susan barged into the room, buffing and putting like a volcano that was about to empt She pointed at Caroline and yelled, ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re so st How could you take Viv¡¯s design for yourself to join the design contest? This is giarism! You¡¯re trying to take away what¡¯s supposed to be hers!¡± Behind her, the hypocrite, Vivian, stepped in to say, ¡°Susan, that¡¯s enough. Maybe it¡¯s just a coincidence, Caroline isn¡¯t someone who would do that. After all, she experienced having her designs stolen when she joined other contests in the past She added, ¡°I¡¯m sure she knows full well what it feels like for a design to get giarized, So she wouldn¡¯t do something like that.¡± ¡°Viv, your design¡¯s been stolen! Why are you still delending her? Susan¡¯s voice was loud, and all the people around them heard everything and gathered around to watch the show. Nobody had expected a small matter like winning the contest to escte into something entirely different like this. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I remember Caroline once saying that her cousin stole her design. Logically speaking, she wouldn¡¯t do something like that. ¡°Never judge a book by its cover. Besides, her position in ourpany isn¡¯t that secure. Maybe she did this to get the fans¡® recognition.¡± ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s possible! No matter what her motive was, she shouldn¡¯t have imed someone else¡¯s work as her own. To think that Viv was kind enough to wish her luck that day. She must think that Caroline¡¯s a jinx.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Despite all the usations from those around her, Caroline remained calm andposed. Smiling, she looked at Susan and said, ¡°Are you done?¡± Susan was so angry that she was shaking. ¡°Everyone, look at herl How can she smile right now? She¡¯s so shameless! Caroline stood up from her seat. Slowly, she said, ¡°To be honest, I wanted to tell you people that I didn¡¯t join any contests.¡± Susan snorted derisively. ¡°You¡¯ve been caught, so now you¡¯re trying to get off the hook by telling us that you didn¡¯t take part in it.¡± ¡°Take it easy. I haven¡¯t finished talking yet.¡± The corners of Caroline¡¯s lips tilted upward ever so slightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t join the contest, but they managed to receive my design somehow. Don¡¯t you lind it strange?¡± Her stare was so intent that Susan started to fret. Soon, though, she recalled that the design was sent out through Caroline¡¯s personal email. Hence, she told herself that she had nothing to lear ¡°How am I supposed to know that? Regardless, you stole Viv¡¯s work,¡± Susan retaliated. ¡°You¡¯re a thief!¡± The smile on Caroline¡¯s lips widened. ¡°You didn¡¯t know, but I did.¡± Susan¡¯s and Vivian¡¯s expressions turned to dread when they heard that. ¡°I went to the security department yesterday to get the surveince footage for the past few days. Based on the footage, you and Vivian foto by her sides Hance footage! because wanted to hand you some documents. I¡¯ve he is some focaments too. You can¡¯t use us of sending the emal just Ho va the concey¡¯sputer to send emals. You could¡¯ve used your personalputer to do so?¡± wide the could¡¯ve startedughing at them already.¡± tes dotc won and their tencere lies her sende was rolnes mouth. Super¡¯s and Vir¡¯s faces saled even further. Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Chapter 248 The onlookers around them locked their eyes on Susan and Vivian¡¯s pate faces. There was something in their eyes that unsettled the two Women ¡°How could this be? Did Vivian purposely send her design using Caroline¡¯s email just to use her of giarism?¡± Someone pondered aloud. Another person clicked her tongue and said. ¡°This is creepy. It gives me goosebumps.¡± Someone else asked. ¡°Was it truly necessary? Didn¡¯t Vivian im that Caroline was totally inexperienced back then? Why Is she using foul y?¡± Vivian heard what her subordinates said. Their words were like des cutting at her back. She clenched her lists, her fingernails digging into her palms. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what happened. I only came to your office to ce some documents,¡± she said, unwilling to give in to the pressure. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check the surveince footage again. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± A small smile appeared on Caroline¡¯s face, and she stared at Susan. ¡°If it isn¡¯t Vivian, it should be Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Frightened, Susan nced at Vivian for help. However, thetter acted as if she didn¡¯t notice it and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know about it then.¡± ¡°Viv, you actually-¡± Vivian barked a scornfulugh and glowered at Susan as a warning. ¡°Susan, tell me, did you do it?¡± Susan had worked for Vivian all these years. Naturally, she understood what that re meant. If she spoke the truth, Vivian would never let her go. ¡°I¨Cit was me,¡± Susan stuttered, admitting the mistake. Needless to say, Caroline didn¡¯t buy it. Susan wasn¡¯tpeting with her for anything, so she had no reason to do something like this. The person behind this was definitely Vivian. ¡°Alright then. Since you¡¯re the one behind this, let me ask you something. Why did you do it?¡± Caroline¡¯s question made Susan speechless. After a long moment of hesitation, Susan mumbled, ¡°II was doing it for Viv. I didn¡¯t want others to pick on her.¡± ¡°And so, you tried to frame me?¡± Caroline asked, and Susan fell silent once more. ¡°I¡¯ll give you onest chance. You¡¯d better think it through before answering me.¡± Caroline told her. ¡°Were you truly the one who did this?¡± Susan gritted her teeth and looked in Vivian¡¯s direction, but thetter averted her gaze. ¡°It was me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline nced around the room, meeting the eyes of everyone here who wanted the gossip. ¡°Did all of you hear that?¡± Taken by surprise, the crowd nodded in unison at her sudden question. Caroline then crossed her arms and said, ¡°Susan, do you know what consequences you¡¯ll face for framing your superior?¡± ¡®I¡¯ll be dismissed,¡± Susan murmured. ¡°Very well you¡¯re aware of it.¡± Caroline approached her and stopped right in front of her. ¡°However, I¡¯m not a kind person. Besides dismissing you, I¡¯ll sue you for defamation and nder.¡± With that said, she took out her phone and called the cops. Susan swayed and stumbled, almost copsing to the ground, but Caroline was there to support her. Smiling, Caroline patted her shoulder and said. ¡°You admitted that you intentionally set this up to frame me. The cops will arrive soon. Do reflect on your sins when Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Dismissal was the worst thing that could happen in one¡¯s career. Gelling sent to fall meant that she would never get a chance at another job in the future. Vivan crouched and helped Susan up, with sympathy written all over her face. Yet her eyes had a sharp and sinister gleam to them, ¡°When you¡¯re in there, remember that there are things that you should and shouldn¡¯t say,¡± she whispered. Then, Vivian raised her voice and said, ¡°Susan, you¡¯ve been by my side for so many years. How could you do this? All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Sighing, she added, ¡°Follow the rules when you¡¯re in there. When you¡¯ve turned a new leaf and are released in the future, Ill surely give you a new job so that you can start anew.¡± By saying this, Vivian emphasized her position as a superior who was kind and gracious, The police officers came soon alter and took Susan away with them. Peace was linally restored in the office. No one dared to stay and watch any longer, and all of them went back to their spols lo continue their work. Caroline called out to Vivian, ¡°Vivian, please y.¡± Vin balled her hands and tried to push away the burning rage within her. Slowly, she turned toce Caroline with a smile on her face, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Caroline?¡± ¡°Susan¡¯s your subordinate. She wouldn¡¯t have done this without your order.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°You and I know full well that she¡¯s a scapegoat.¡± ¡°Oh really? Are you going to fire me then?¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m all about proof and evidence, so I won¡¯t frame others to achieve my goals.¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes spat fire when she looked at her. After taking several deep breaths, she sneered. ¡°Stop bbering. Just lire me if you want to. Other companies will hire me even if I leave Thome Corp!¡± Vivian had nothing to fear. Smiling, Caroline replied, ¡°Indeed, you can go to some other ce after leaving thispany, but what goes aroundes around. I suggest you know your ce and stop scheming.¡± ¡°You-¡± Vivian was so furious that her words failed her. Just as she thought of something to retaliate with, they heard Jules¡¯s voice ¡°What¡¯s going on? I heard that the police came not long ago,¡± he said. The scowl on Vivian¡¯s face instantly vanished, and she started protesting, ¡°Mr. Hawkins, Susan made a blunder, but Caroline made a fuss out of it. She keeps saying that I was involved in it. Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s being unreasonable?¡± Jules knitted his brows and looked at Caroline. ¡°Is that true?¡± Caroline briefed him about what had happened and added, ¡°Vivian and I were simply discussing ways to handle our subordinates in the future. Even though this issue had nothing to do with her, Susan was her subordinale. Besides, the problem happened in the office, so she can¡¯t shirk her responsibility.¡°! Jules heartily agreed with Caroline. ¡°That¡¯s right. Even though it wasn¡¯t your fault, Vivian, you were too lenient with Susan,¡± he said. ¡°You should reflect on this. If something like this were to happen again, I¡¯d have to reconsider your position as a director.¡± Vivian paled at his words. In truth, Jules was well aware of the battle between Caroline and her, but he chose to turn a blind eye to it. Today, his words served as a warning to remind her that if she stirred up a problem again, she¡¯d be kicked out of her position as the assistant design director. After so many years of knowing each other, Vivian and Jules could be considered friends already. His stern tone made her feel humiliated saysl Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Chapter 250 *T¨Ctaking over your family business?¡± Jules asked, stupefied Wasn¡¯t Evans Group gone for good? it shouldnt even round as a congrany now, right? ¡°Yes.¡± Caroline confirmed ¡°Um, Caroline, don¡¯t be impulsive. To be frank, I don¡¯t like the way she does things either, but you shouldn¡¯t be giving up your career because of someone insignificant.¡± Jules tried to persuade her to stay ¡°Vivian is only a small part of the reason. The main reason I¡¯m leaving is because Evans Group will be electing its new CEO next month Fm thinking of reviving thepany.¡± She might not be able to restore it to its former glory from her grandfather¡¯s time, but she¡¯d be content enough to pick it up from the ashes and give it a chance. For a moment Jules was stunned. ¡°But I heard that Evans Group was in a constant state of loss. Are you sure about this? ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind about it.¡± Caroline handed the resignation letter to him and added. ¡°It is my wish that you¡¯ll give me your approval.¡± Jules stared at the letter before him. He didn¡¯t want to ept it, but he couldn¡¯t refuse it. A momentter, he said, ¡°How about I keep this letter first and wait until you¡¯ve sessfully be Evans Group¡¯s CEO before epting it? What do you think?¡± ¡°Great minds think alike. I don¡¯t intend to leave right away. After all, it¡¯d take some time for the design department to look for a suitable new design director. I¡¯ll continue working here until the new design directores.¡± ¡°It seems to me that you¡¯re absolutely determined to take up the role of Evans Group¡¯s new CEO, eh?¡± Jules said, to which Caroline smiled in reply. ¡°Alright then. I wish you all the best.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After chatting with Caroline for a bit, Jules returned to his office and called Charles. ¡°Charles, I¡¯ve brought bad news for you. Caroline wants to resign.¡± She was the wife of Jules¡® boss¡¯s nephew. Needless to say, he had to tell them about this to seek their advice on his next course of action. Charles, too, was stunned when he learned of this. He stole a nce at Kirk, who sat on a chair, listening to a report by the head of the finance department. From the frown on Kirk¡¯s face, Charles deduced that he was highly unsatisfied with the report. The head of the finance department noticed it too. But he anxiously carried on with exining the report while tossing a look at Charles as a plea for help. Seeing this. Charles took a deep breath and approached Kirk, stopping beside him. He bent over slightly to tell him about the matter regarding Caroline¡¯s resignation. The gloom on Kirk¡¯s face dissipated, and he quirked an eyebrow. His eyes had a hint of a smile in them when he spoke. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Mr. Hawkins wanted me to ask you what he should do next.¡± ¡°How did he handle this?¡± ¡°He epted the madam¡¯s resignation letter but told her that he¡¯d only approve it after she managed to secure her position as Evans Group¡¯s next CEO.¡± ¡°He did a good job.¡± Kirk then stood up from the chair and turned to the head of the finance department. ¡°Your report is rubbish. I don¡¯t want to see it again. Go back to where you came from and have it redone!¡± The man wiped the cold sweat off his brow and watched as Kirk left the office with Charles. Right alter that, his knees gave out, and he sat 1/2 415 BONOS The heads of the other departments crowded around him with sympathy and admiration. ¡°You¡¯re so lucky, James! What did Charles tall him? And why did he look so happy all of a sudden?¡± ¡®I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll ask Charles about itter¡± ¡°Okay. I want to try the same trick too next time Meanwhile, Charles followed Kirk back to his office and asked, ¡°Sir, should we ask Mr. Hawkins to hold on to the resignation letter? Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why would he do that?¡± Kirk asked. His question came as a surprise to Charles, who then spent a bit of time contemting the matter from a business point of view. After finishing his analysis, he said, ¡°The madam has zero experience in managing a business. Evans Group onlysted this long because of Morrison Corp. ¡°If she manages to be Evans Group¡¯s next CEO, Morrison Corp, which is under Mr. Eddy¡¯s control, will withdraw it¡¯s investments. By then, Evans Group will be overwhelmed by losses. It will fall for good.¡± ¡°If the madam doesn¡¯t take over thepany, she can simply watch from afar,¡± he continued. ¡°However, if she insists on joining tpany, she¡¯ll be throwing herself into danger.¡± Kirk stared at Charles with an unreadable expression. Thetter asked, ¡°Was I wrong?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, but you missed a point. Eddy has Dan Evans¡® back. Who said SY Group couldn¡¯t have my wife¡¯s back? Not to mention, Evans Group is just a small business.¡± Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Standing up, Kirk walked and stopped in front of the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows. He nced down to look at the people milling stot To him, supporting anotherpany was a piece of cake. He could help Caroline out, no matter what she wanted to do. It finally dawned on Charles why Kirk had wanted Evans Group¡¯s information back then. ¡°If you help her, Evans Group will surelye back to life,¡± he said. Kirk¡¯s back faced Charles, and he raised and shook a finger in the air. ¡°Well I think my wife can bring Evans Group back to life on her own.¡± Kirk¡¯s judgment and premonition in business had always been error¨Cfree, but Charles didn¡¯t agree with him this time. It wasn¡¯t that he looked down on Caroline, but the problem that Evans Group faced was simply too big. Even for him, it was much too severe to handle. It would be easier to start a new business instead of taking it over. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Kirk nced sideways at Charles, which almost made thetter jump in fright. Charles fell silent. He thought that Kirk was nowpletely blinded by love and that he¡¯d be mad at him if he said that he didn¡¯t believe what he said. Kirk read his mind but didn¡¯t point it out. He simply changed the topic and said, ¡°Find a way to send her the information you gathered. Remember not to let her find out that we¡¯re behind this.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Just as Caroline got off work, she received a call from Adrian. ¡°I¡¯m downstairs,¡± he said. She checked the time and asked, astonished, ¡°Already?¡± Adrian chuckled. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be very courteous of me to make you wait.¡± ¡°Gimme a moment. I¡¯ll go down in a few,¡± said Caroline as she packed her things hurriedly. ¡°Okay.¡± Adrian then hung up and waited patiently for her. The car he was driving today was a luxury car, and it caught the attention of many around him. ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t that the head of the food department?¡± ¡°Yeah! Holy cow! Is he really so rich? That¡¯s a Maserati!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! It has Maserati¡¯s logo on it!¡± Caroline came downstairs to see a crowd gathered at the entrance. She instantly assumed that something had happened to thepany again and that the journalists woulde after the gossip too. When she arrived at the door, she realized that the people werementing about a luxury car. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t it left? Who is he waiting for?¡± ¡°Oh my gosh! I knew he was handsome all along! Back then, I thought that there would be no future for him since he¡¯s just a chet, but I was so wrong!* ¡°I regret it now. If only I¡¯d known that he was so rich, I¡¯d have gone after him.¡± Confused, Caroline followed their gazes to look at the luxury car. The car door opened, and out stepped Adrian in his chef¡¯s whites. It urred to her that this was why she found him so familiar back then. Wasn¡¯t he the one who had told her that he wouldn¡¯t lie to her when she had been making pizza that day? Good gracious! If recognizing people¡¯s faces was a test, she would have failed a long time ago. Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Chapter 252 All of them were shocked at this revtion. They hadn¡¯t expected the person he was wailing to to his fandins Alter the car sped away, one of the people in the cound said, Tan¡¯t tell me this he¡¯s funding shorthand Olhares de ind of person who¡¯s rich enough to afford a Maserall woulde to Thome Corp just to be a shelf ¡°That¡¯s not possible. Caroline mentioned before that her husband is an ordinary person How could a person will staserati renta ordinary?¡± He was both handsome and wealthy, and he was a head chef, so his culinary skills must be lip top if someone live him was d in and ordinary, everyone else was probably at the hollom of the social ladder. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s considered ordinary whenpared to Eddy Morison, someone suggested weakly, and the crud und speechless, In the car, an apologetic Caroline lold Adrian, ¡°Sorry for not recognizing you at the cafeteriast time. ¡°Apparently, my looks are pretty ordinary,¡± Adrian replied leasingly. ¡°So, it¡¯s only natural that you forget my face.¡± Caroline smiled, embarrassed. ¡°Why are you working at Thome Corp? After all, the Sorkin family¡¯s business was huge, so there was no way Adrian couldn¡¯t get a job for himself there, ¡°I¡¯m a spy.¡± Adrian said hall¨Cjokingly, Caroline stared at him, puzzled. ¡°You know that Thorne Corp belongs to Eddy Morrison¡¯s second uncle, right?¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°But the man is simply too mysterious. My family only learned that he¡¯s back in Easton after the merger of those major brands. ¡± Caroline remembered the time Jude had told her to keep her mouth sealed about the fact that Eddy¡¯s second uncle had returned. ¡°But what Information can you get by working in the cafeteria?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the point!¡± Adrian¡¯s voice wasced with enthusiasm as he started exining. ¡°The job of a spy isn¡¯t as exhrating or entertaining as what the movies show us. It¡¯s a matter of being vignt and observant enough to pick out the details and analyze them to reach a conclusion. He added, ¡°Besides, I like cooking. I¡¯m not thinking of taking over my family¡¯s business either. So, here I am, volunteering to cook at Thome Corp.¡± ¡°Ourpany¡¯s group chat should be blown up by now,¡± Caroline Joked. She imagined her colleagues¡® faces after finding out that the food they ate every day was personally prepared by the second son of the Sorkin family. Everyone would be envious it word of this spread. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Adrian smiled and seemed like he couldn¡¯t care less about that. ¡°But the main reason I came here to work is that I like thepany¡¯s name.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t understand the Implied message behind his words. She simply smiled and said, ¡°I like it too.¡± Adrian could tell that she hadn¡¯t put too much thought into it, so he didn¡¯t continue talking about it. ¡°Great minds think alike.¡± Soon, they arrived at the restaurant. They had already made a reservation earlier on. Adrian was a regr here, and the restaurant¡¯s manager came to greet them both warmly. When he saw Caroline behind him, he froze for a moment. ¡°Is he here?¡± Adrian asked the manager. The manager snapped out of his daze and answered, ¡°Yes, He¡¯s waiting in the private room.¡± Adrian nodded and brought Caroline Into the room. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re rather familiar with this ce,¡± she said. Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Adrian opened the door, smiling at Caroline¡¯s reaction. The person in the private room raised his head to see Adrian and Caroline entering the room. Is Eversloot Caroline nodded at him. The man was rather friendly and started introducing himself. ¡°Quentin Yach, private detective, I¡¯ve been worden in tootedly be par No one can surpass my abilities.¡± His brief introduction amused her. ¡°Pleased to meet you. Just call me Caroline.¡± Adrian watched the two of them from behind. He joked, ¡°Don¡¯t be so full of yourself. As the one introducing you two, I¡¯d suffer from second¨Chand smartp.SZEGE manage to embarrass yourselfter.¡± Quentinughed out loud. ¡°Worry not, Mr. Sorkin. If even I can¡¯t get a clue about something, then no huma Caroline felt very relieved to hear him say that. ¡°I want you to investigate my driver.¡± ¡°Oh? What do you want to know?¡± ¡°What happened was¡± Caroline briefed Quentin about the incident and told him, ¡°So, I want to know why he led to me, sang hat was thepany¡¯s arrangement. Why did he approach me, and what was his intention? Adrian knitted his brows together. The smile was no longer on his face. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just fire him?Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Caroline blinked, confused. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°First of all, he lied to you. Secondly, his background remains unknown to us, so keeping him by your side is like pocketing a toxing some. Caroline smiled. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because he¡¯s very kind to me. I want to be sure of everything before drawing conclusions¡± Adrian pursed his lips, deep in thought. A momentter, he said, ¡°Let me send you to work and fetch you home then ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Caroline politely declined. Quentin watched their interaction quietly. After Caroline left for the restroom, he seized the chance to ask Adrian. ¡°Are you going after ¡°Eat your food,¡± Adrian said without even ncing up at him. Quentin chuckled. ¡°Just go after her if you feel like it. There¡¯s no need to be shy,¡± he said. ¡°Although this would be the first time I¡¯m seeing you go after a woman.¡± Adrian¡¯s head snapped up to stare at him. ¡°She¡¯s married.¡± Immediately, the smile on Quentin¡¯s face faltered. He ced his hand on the back of Adrian¡¯s chair ¡°So what? The rate of divorce is so high these days. Who knows if she¡¯ll get divorced someday.¡± ¡°Besides,¡± he added with a hint of humor. ¡°Where there¡¯s a will, there¡¯s a way. A third wheel can only stay a th an effort for it.¡± Adrian sent a kick in Quentin¡¯s direction, albeit without much force behind it. Quentin grinned and dusted the leg of his trousers. ¡°It¡¯s not every day you meet someone you like. What¡¯s more, with your status, it¡¯s uncertain if you¡¯ll get to meet someone your heart race if you miss the one before you now.¡± An unfathomable expression shed across Adrian¡¯s eyes at his words. Just then, Caroline entered the room. ¡°This restaurant¡¯s so huge that I almost got lost just now.¡± Quentin nced at Adrian and asked her, ¡°Ms. Evans, do you like this restaurant? +15 BONOS I do the intenor design suits my taste. ¡°Oh¡ª¡°Quentin dragged the word out before turning to look at Adrian. ¡°What do you think of Mr. Sorkin here, then?¡± He asked and was immediately awarded a kick under the table by Adrian Caroline was unaware of the meaning behind Quentin¡¯s words. She simply looked sideways at Adrian and gave him herpliments. ¡°Naturally, Mr. Sorkin is at the peak of the chain. He¡¯s good¨Clooking, wealthy, and he¡¯s good at cooking too.¡± As she spoke, her mind suddenly drifted off to Kirk, and she added, ¡°A man who cooks is quite striking to me.¡± Hearing that Quentin started winking to get Adrian¡¯s attention, but Adrian¡¯s eyes already betrayed him, for there was a hint of a smite in them. He stopped kicking Quentin under the table after this. After chatting for quite a while, Adrian stood up and told Caroline, ¡°Let me send you home.¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± Shaking her head, Caroline declined his offer. ¡°Jack¡¯s here already.¡± Adrian hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°Okay.¡± After seeing her off, Quentin clicked his tongue. ¡°What a good wife she is! She doesn¡¯t give other men a chance at all, it seems to me that your joumey to win her over would be a tough one indeed, Mr. Sorkin.¡± Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Thepany¡¯s intr had never bustled with so much activity before the first piece of news that caused Adrian in his car. The second one was a picture of Caroline getting into his car Before this, someone had already found out that the person in the Maserati was indeed Adrian, the second son of the Sorkins. Everyone was shocked to their cores to learn that he was the one they had always seen in the cafeteria ¡°This was a colossal mistake! Why didn¡¯t I realize sooner that he was the Sorkins¡® second sont ¡°I¡¯m crying my lungs out. There¡¯s something wrong with my eyes. Why did I think he was just an ordinary person before this? ¡°Ladies, please slop your weeping. Adrian Sorkin¡¯s married Caroline already, so it doesn¡¯t matter if you met him sooner. He was married ages ago.¡± ¡°So that was why Caroline went to the kitchen back then! Just look at the way he looks at Carol Who knew that they had been together since the beginning?¡± ¡°It¡¯s funny how some people imed that Caroline married a driver. Even if the one she¡¯s married to isn¡¯t Adrian, her husband surely isn¡¯t Just an ordinary guy. You can¡¯tke the words of the filthy rich seriously. Someone even said that a million dors wasn¡¯t worth mentioning! Although Thome Corp was a cosmeticspany, it had its fair share ofputer whizzes. It wasn¡¯t long before someone discovered that Caroline and Adrian had known each other since they were young. What¡¯s more, he had left the country soon after she was sent away when she was eight years old. The thing was that they went to the same country abroad, not to mention the same state. The schools they studied at were only a street apart. Despite the tiny bits of information they had received, many people started shipping Adrian and Caroline. ¡°Childhood sweethearts are the best sort of couples to ship!¡± ¡°The thing is that he delealed another childhood friend of hers!¡± ¡°Lmao! I¡¯d like to see Eddy Morrison¡¯s reaction to this!¡± Caroline had just arrived home. She was about to turn on herputer to search for some information about Evans Group when Cheryl messaged her. ¡°Caroline! I never knew you and Adrian were in a rtionship! You¡¯ve kept it hidden so well that I had no clue about it at all! -Cheryl¡± Ached to her message were two links to thepany¡¯s Intr. Only after clicking them open did Caroline realize that the incident this afternoon had spread like wildlire. She knew that the topic was going to heat up, but she had never expected her colleagues to mistake her and Adrian for a couple. There were some whomented that Adrian had had a crush on her for years and that he followed her abroad and returned to the country with her. They even said that he had always protected her in secret when she fell in love with Eddy and was hurt. If the person they were talking about wasn¡¯t her, Caroline would have believed everything they said. In truth, she and Adrian had little chance of interacting with each other. She didn¡¯t remember much of her life before she turned eight years old. So shelled to understand how she and Adrian became childhood sweethearts out of the blue. After she¡¯d left the country, she had spent all her time burled in her books, studying, and training herself to be a ¡°qualified¡± daughter- inw for the Morrisons. The name Adrian was unfamiliar to her at the time. It was only after she spent time with Eddy that she met Adrian. Still, their encounters were brief and left no chance for interaction. She really couldn¡¯tprehend how her colleagues managed to make up a whole heap of stories with their imaginations. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Kirk asked as he stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. +15 BONOS This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Fog spilled out of the bathroom as ne approached Caroline and hugged her from behind. He leaned against her with his warm chest pressed against her back. Caroline pushed him away absentmindedly, her eyes glued to her phone. ¡°My colleagues are making up a story about me and a colleague.¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°Oh? What kind of story is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a love story that tugs at one¡¯s heartstrings,¡± she said, putting down her phone and ncing up at him. Teasingly, she told him, ¡°You¡¯ve made my clothes wet.¡± Kirk¡¯s eyes held a touch of a smile. ¡°You haven¡¯t showered yet, anyway.¡± He tilted her chin upward and asked, ¡°Can I take a look at it?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Caroline handed him her phone and added, ¡°I truly admire them for their Imagination. They managed to call two people who have nothing to do with each other childhood sweethearts.¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze zeroed in on the words ¡°Adrian Sorkin¡± while Caroline got up to grab herself a fresh set of clothes. After scrolling through her phone for a moment, he raised his head and asked, ¡°Darling, who did you go out to get lunch with today?¡± ¡°Adrain, the Sorkin family¡¯s second son. You¡¯ve heard of him, right?¡± Caroline grabbed her pajamas and entered the bathroom. Kirk¡¯s face darkened as he listened to the sound of running water. After a while, he grabbed his phone and walked out to the balcony to call Charles. ¡°I want every bit of information you can get about Adrain Sorkin!¡± Charles had sleep in his eyes when he answered the call. But he became wide awake the moment he heard Kirk¡¯s hoarse voice. ¡°Okay,¡± he said. Kirk fell silent for a moment after hanging up. He then picked up his phone once again to call Jack. At the same time, Jack was busy packing his luggage. Tomorrow would be thest day he sent the madam to work. After that, he¡¯d go overseas and go back to where he came from. It wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t want to carry on with this job of his. But he found it rather devastating that a long¨Cterm UFC champion like him was asked to drive someone to work every day. He wanted to fight back! He wanted to punch someone so very badly! That was the reason his eyes lit up in excitement the moment he saw the caller on his phone¡¯s screen. ¡°Mr. Kirk.¡± ¡°You¡¯re staying here for now.¡± Confused, Jack fell silent. A momentter, he sensed that Kirk was going to end the call, so he asked, ¡°Why?¡± He regretted asking right after that. As a subordinate, he should be carrying out his superior¡¯s orders, not questioning them, On the other end of the line, though, Kirk didn¡¯t get mad at him. He simply told Jack, ¡°Keep an eye on Caroline. Stop her from getting in touch with Adrian.¡± Jack was bbergasted. Kirk was simply too possessive of Caroline. Caroline walked out of the bathroom soon after Kirk ended the call. She had changed into her pajamas. She wore a pair of long pants and a long¨Csleeved shirt. Despite that, the sight of her made Kirk¡¯s eyes burn with desire. He beckoned to call her over and said, ¡°Darling, I feel hot.¡± ¡°You¡¯re feeling hot? Let me take a look.¡± Caroline approached him cautiously. Just then, Kirk hooked an arm around her waist, which made her frown and say, ¡°Did you just lie to me?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Kirk was already kissing her by her earlobe. ¡°I¡¯m on fire.¡± He was totally different from usual tonight, and Caroline was mad at him for this. She kicked him once, pulled the nket over, and turned +15 BONOS Nowpletely rolled up in the nket except for her eyes, she told him, ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep now. If you do it again, I¡¯ll make you sleep on the couch tonight.¡± Kirk smirked and enveloped Caroline in his arms with the nket still around her. He trapped her with his legs, cutting off any means of escape for her. Caroline was so exhausted that she couldn¡¯t care less about what he was trying to do. Somehow, she found this position strangelyfortable, so she didn¡¯t resist and drifted into sleep soon. As Kirk watched her sleep, the smile in his eyes eventually disappeared. Caroline was much too popr these days. Perhaps he should step up and tell the world who she rightfully belonged to. Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Chapter 255 On the filming set, a night shoot was in progress. Filming at night was the number¨Cone headache for act body. cause staying upte could severely affect cogen production in the To Daphne, though, this was nothing to be concerned about. The filming crew had emptied out one of the best dressing rooms and even thoughtfullyid out a bed for her. It was all because she was one of the Morisons now. ¡°I really loathe that self¨Cconcerted look of hers? After staying in the ribey wind for so long, one of the crewmembers couldn¡¯t help but voice her dissatisfaction while shifting her feet in the cold. ¡°Her face is full of stic, and her acting skits aren¡¯t good ether. It¡¯s awful enough that she makes things tough for us all the time, but can¡¯t she just y her part property and professionaly ? She should just go home and be a full¨Ctime housewife since she¡¯s married already. Someone shushed her. ¡°Do you have a death wish? Some of our colleagues were fired just because they didn¡¯t hear herin about the water being too cold for her to drink¡± ¡°She¡¯s like a deity now. We¡¯ll just have to bear with t Just then, amotion erupted at the entrance of the set. Both crew members nced over and stiffened when they saw the person who arrived. The director noticed her too, and he tossed the gadget in his hand and rushed forth to greet her. ¡°Mrs. Collins, to what do we owe the pleasure?¡± Jane Dawson. Howard Collins¡¯s wite, was a woman who led a pampered and extravagant restyle. Most of the time, she would stay at home, following a strict skincare regimen and ying poker with her tents al cas Rather than answering the director, Jane refused to acknowledge him and simob hollered, ¡°Where¡¯s Ms. Dawson? mere to see her The director then ordered the crew members to look for Dashne. When one of them arrived at the dressing room, she was sted from entering the ce. Daphne¡¯s agent looked her up and down before telling him in a lowered voice. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that Ms. Daphne¡¯s taking a mac? Can you afford to disturb her?¡± Distressed, the crew member exined. ¡°Mrs. Collins is here.¡± The agent¡¯s expression shifted instantly. ¡°Wat here. I so in and wake Vs. Caonne un With that said, she pushed the curtains apart and entered the dressing OOR Daphne wasn¡¯t asleep, Instead, she was busy strolling on her phone. When she saw her agent entering the room, she scowled and asks ¡°Why did youe in?¡± The agent smiled politely at her. ¡°Mrs. Dawson is here. She probably came to sve you a harcos.¡± Daphne shot up from the bed but sat down the next moment, which acted the agent act, what¡¯s wrong¡± Daphne hesitated before telling her, ¡°Go out and help me assess the site 1. on. Come back and cal me again when she¡¯s pissed.¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. The agent instantly knew what she meant and went out of the dress?NG 160ML In truth, Daphne wanted to take advantage of Jane¡¯sing here to show everone the amount of power and influence she had. After all she wasn¡¯t truly Kirk¡¯s wite, so she¡¯d better grase the chance to do whate leave the dressing room. Se pleases. She would take her own sweet time to About half an hourter, Jane started Chapter 255 +15 BONOS On the filming set, a night shoot was in progress. Filming at night was the number¨Cone headache for actresses because staying upte could severely affect cogen production in the body. To Daphne, though, this was nothing to be concerned about. The filming crew had emptied out one of the best dressing rooms and even thoughtfullyid out a bed for her. It was all because she was one of the Morrisons now. ¡°I really loathe thal self¨Cconcelted look of hers!¡± After staying in the nippy wind for so long, one of the crewmembers couldn¡¯t help but voice her dissatisfaction while shifting her feet in the cold. ¡°Her face is full of stic, and her acting skills aren¡¯t good either. It¡¯s awful enough that she makes things tough for us all the time, but can¡¯t she just y her part properly and professionally? She should just go home and be a full¨Ctime housewife since she¡¯s married already. Someone shushed her. ¡°Do you have a death wish? Some of our colleagues were fired just because they didn¡¯t hear herin about the water being too cold for her to drink.¡± ¡°She¡¯s like a delty now. We¡¯ll just have to bear with it.¡± Just then, amotion erupted at the entrance of the set. Both crew members nced over and stiffened when they saw the person who arrived. The director noticed her too, and he tossed the gadget in his hand and rushed forth to greet her. ¡°Mrs. Collins, to what do we owe the pleasure?¡± Jane Dawson, Howard Collins¡¯s wife, was a woman who led a pampered and extravagant lifestyle. Most of the time, she would stay at home, following a strict skincare regimen and ying poker with her friends all day. Rather than answering the director, Jane refused to acknowledge him and simply hollered, ¡°Where¡¯s Ms. Dawson? I¡¯m here to see her!¡± The director then ordered the crew members to look for Daphne. When one of them arrived at the dressing room, she was stopped from entering the ce. Daphne¡¯s agent looked her up and down before telling him in a lowered voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that Ms. Daphne¡¯s taking a nap? Can you afford to disturb her?¡± Distressed, the crew member exined, ¡°Mrs. Collins is here.¡± The agent¡¯s expression shifted instantly. ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll go in and wake Ms. Daphne up.¡± With that said, she pushed the curtains apart and entered the dressing room. Daphne wasn¡¯t asleep. Instead, she was busy scrolling on her phone. When she saw her agent entering the room, she scowled and asked. ¡°Why did youe in?¡± The agent smiled politely at her. ¡°Mrs. Dawson is here. She probably came to give you a handbag.¡± Daphne shot up from the bed but sat down the next moment, which puzzled the agent. ¡°Daph, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Daphne hesitated before telling her, ¡°Go out and help me assess the situation. Come back and call me again when she¡¯s pissed.¡± The agent Instantly knew what she meant and went out of the dressing room. In truth, Daphne wanted to take advantage of Jane¡¯sing here to show everyone the amount of power and influence she had. After all, she wasn¡¯t truly Kirk¡¯s wife, so she¡¯d better grasp the chance to do whatever she pleased. She would take her own sweet time to leave the dressing room. About half an hourter, Jane started looking peeved. Only then did Daphne¡¯s agent message her, and she left the dressing room, cursing and swearing. ¡°You idiots! Why didn¡¯t you wake me up and tell me that Mrs. Lollins was here I¡¯m so trigging pissed! Her voice punctured the air all the way from the dressing room to the set. She then apologized to Jane when she finally stopped before her. ¡°Mrs. Collins, I¡¯m so sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Jane didn¡¯t put much thought into it. Instead, she took Daphne¡¯s hands in hers with much enthusiasm and said, ¡°Never mind. It¡¯s my fault foring here to disturb you at this hour. I saw several handbags not long ago, and I thought they were pretty. So I came here to give them to you.¡± As Jane spoke, her bodyguards presented Daphne with the handbags. There were twenty of them, and all of their designs were ssic. Just when everyone thought that the disy of handbags wasing to an end, Jane had her men bring in another twelve handbags. These twelve were thetest models on the market that couldn¡¯t be found in the country yet. All eyes nced at Daphne in envy. Luckily, Daphne was an actress and could reign in her emotions. Otherwise, she¡¯d be jumping for joy. at these presents already. Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Chapter 256 ¡°Thank you so much, Mrs. Collins. You¡¯re too kind to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure. We¡¯re family, after all.¡± After chatting for a bit. Jane yawned and said, ¡°I won¡¯t take your time anymore since you still have a film to shoot.¡± After she left, a horde of people crowded around Daphne and started pestering her with their comments of admiration. ¡°Ms. Dawson! You¡¯re so lucky! I always thought that a famous actress like you would lead an extravagant lifestyle, I didn¡¯t know that the filthy rich would be such spendthrifts! She gave you 24 handbags like it was nothing!¡± ¡°Does your husband treat you like this too? You should get yourself a mansion to store all your bags!¡± ¡°I¡¯m turning green with envy! Ms. Dawson, give me some of your luck!¡± This was exactly what Daphne wanted. Kirk couldn¡¯t care less about her, but as long as the Collins family tried to get on her good side. nobody would doubt that she was Kirk¡¯s wife. A soft smile formed on her lips, and she told them, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. All of you are exaggerating. We Just own a bit more luxury cars, properties, clothes, and jewelrypared to others.¡± ¡°A bit more? Or do you mean a million more?¡± Someone teased. ¡°Ms. Dawson, bring your husband here to us! Rumor has it that he¡¯s a genius among the business elite. Is he good¨Clooking? Let us meet him!¡± Daphne¡¯s expression turned ugly for a moment when she heard that, but she covered it up quickly and said, ¡°Sure. But he¡¯s busy handling his business overseas. I don¡¯t think he has much time to spare.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re free whenever hees for a visit.¡± Daphne was at a loss for words and didn¡¯t reply. The next day. Caroline received a call from a private detective while she was working. It wasn¡¯t from Quentin but from a detective she found through an advertisement. She hung up without a second thought. The caller was relentless and called her a second time. This time, Caroline answered the call. Trying her best to be patient, she said, ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you before that I¡¯ve found another private detective who¡¯s more reliable?¡± The person on the other end of the line answered. ¡°Miss, I have some information on Evans Group¡¯s internal affairs. Are you interested in this?¡± Caroline froze. She had almost ended the call. ¡°Evans Group? Are you talking about the one that was part of the big four families in the past?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The caller sounded enthusiastic, as if he could tell that she was tempted by his offer. ¡°If you¡¯re interested, I can sell it to you at a cheaper price.¡± Caroline fell silent for a moment before telling him, ¡°Let me check a part of the Information first. I need to know if what you¡¯re giving me is genuine.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± he said, asking for her email address. Five minutester, the email came, and Caroline clicked it open to scan through the document. Indeed, its content was all about Evans Group. The thing was that the longer she read through the document, the more unsettled she became. Morrison Corp¡¯s investment in Evans Group increased over the years. Logically speaking, Evans Group shouldn¡¯t have suffered such a great loss every year, even if thepany didn¡¯t perform well. +15 BONOS At the very least, its deficit shouldn t have increased year after year. Caroline continued scrolling, and soon she discovered that there was something off with thepany¡¯s ounts. When she had made a bet with Eddy a few months ago, she had once transferred 500 thousand dors to Evans Group¡¯s ount. However, there was no record of this in thepany¡¯s ledger at all 1 Just then, her phone rang again, and the caller asked, ¡°What do you think? Do you want it?¡± Caroline inhaled deeply and sald, ¡°Yes. How much is it?¡± ¡°One thousand dors,¡± he replied. Caroline blinked, finding it dubious. She thought that perhaps he had missed the word ¡°million.¡± What she just read should cost more than the price he requested. She subconsciously tapped a finger on her table as the thought of this being a fraud shed through her mind. Chapter 257 415 BONOS Caroline didn¡¯t give the private detective Is she suspecting 24h swer, which made him het Turning to look at Charles, who him, he mouthed, Charles A momentter, Caroline spoke. ¡°Are you sure that you¡¯re asking for one thousand doll ¡°Yes,¡± the detective replied nasty Worried that she would regret her decision, he added, ¡°One thousand dors is enough. Do you want H ¡°Yes,¡± Caroline told him. ¡°But you have to send it to another email address of mine.¡± Later, she gave the detective an email address that she rarely used. Once everything was done, he hung up and humed to Charles, ¡°YouAll content is ? N0velDrama.Org. clearly had no faith in me.¡± Charles tossed him a sideways nce and said. ¡°Stop babbling and send her the information.¡± ¡°Okay, fine. Where¡¯s my thousand dors then?¡± He barely finished his sentence when he received a notification on his phone, ncing at the screen, he carefully counted the zeios. There were five zeros, which was just the right amount. He beamed and said, ¡°Thanks a bunch, boss. Don¡¯t hesitate to call me when there¡¯s a task like this in the future.¡± Charles didn¡¯t reply. If anything, the private detective should be thanking Kirk instead. Charles returned to Morrison Corp and knocked on the door to Kirk¡¯s office. After entering the room, he reported his progress. ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve sessfully sent the information to the madam¡± To be frank, Charles was rather pleased with himself, so he added, ¡°The madam will never know that you¡¯re the one behind this.¡± Kirk raised his head from his work to stare at Charles with his piercing eyes, and thetter felt himself shudder from the gaze. ¡°Is something the matter, sir?¡± Charles had expected at least a bit ofpliment uponpleting his mission this time, but it surely seemed like he overthought it. Kirk handed him a tablet. Charles¡¯s mood flipped upside down after looking at the screen, which disyed a piece of news in the entertainment segment. It said that Adrian Sorkin and Caroline had married in secret. There were also pictures of them both having dinner together and leaving the restaurant one after the other. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you knew nothing about this.¡± A frown creased Kirk¡¯s forehead. His tone made it hard to tell if he was fuming with rage or not. Exasperated. Charles failed to respond. He had been so immersed in trying to find a way to give Caroline the information regarding Evans Group that cost almost a million dors that he didn¡¯t have the time to surf the Inte. ¡°I¨CI¡¯ll contact all the media tforms to remove it from the trending searches section,¡± he said. Kirk loosened his tie at Charles¡¯s words, and the icy look in his eyes faded away a little. Just then, his phone started ringing. It was Sean calling. The moment he answered the call, he heard Sean¡¯s unrestrainedughter booming from the other end of the line. *This should¡¯ve been a story about three people, but your name was never once mentioned in it! Kirk, my man, I¡¯ll have a moment of silence for you!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Kirk snapped. His face was now as dark as a bottomless pit. Sean stifled hisughter and joked. ¡°In my opinion, you should just post a picture of your marriage certificate for the world to see.¡± Kirk¡¯s knuckles turned white as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare think for a second that I can¡¯t.¡± 1/2 +15 BONOS Ut course you cant Sean eximed. He¡¯d simply called to joke around. It wasn¡¯t his intention to rub salt into the wound, so he said, ¡°You¡¯re Kirk Morrison, after all. Nothing can nd in your way. But it never crossed my mind that you¡¯d one day feel so wronged and disheartened.¡± Sean chuckled and added, ¡°So, do you still have it in you to say that you don¡¯t love Caroline?¡± He was sure that Kirk loved her and would continue to do so until the end of time. Instead ofing up with a response, Kirk hung up immediately. This caused Sean to go into panic mode at once. ¡°What are you standing there for?¡± Kirk¡¯s brows were knitted closely together when he roared at Charles. Charles knew this wasn¡¯t the time tough. He tried his best lo stifle hisughter and stop the corners of his mouth from tilting upward.¡± Right away, sirl Right after leaving Kirk¡¯s office, Charles felt that he couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. He darted into the washroom and burst outughing. Seeing Kirk low¨Cspirited was simply a sight to behold! On the other side, Caroline asked Cheryl to get her a spareptop from thepany. She then logged in to her email and opened the file. Fortunately, theptop wasn¡¯t attacked by any viruses. Chapter 257 Chapter 257 Chapter 257 Caroline didn¡¯t give the private detective Is she suspecting 24h swer, which made him het Turning to look at Charles, who him, he mouthed, Charles A momentter, Caroline spoke. ¡°Are you sure that you¡¯re asking for one thousand doll ¡°Yes,¡± the detective replied nasty Worried that she would regret her decision, he added, ¡°One thousand dors is enough. Do you want H ¡°Yes,¡± Caroline told him. ¡°But you have to send it to another email address of mine.¡± Later, she gave the detective an email address that she rarely used. Once everything was done, he hung up and humed to Charles, ¡°You clearly had no faith in me.¡± Charles tossed him a sideways nce and said. ¡°Stop babbling and send her the information.¡± ¡°Okay, fine. Where¡¯s my thousand dors then?¡± He barely finished his sentence when he received a notification on his phone, ncing at the screen, he carefully counted the zeios. There were five zeros, which was just the right amount. He beamed and said, ¡°Thanks a bunch, boss. Don¡¯t hesitate to call me when there¡¯s a task like this in the future.¡± Charles didn¡¯t reply. If anything, the private detective should be thanking Kirk instead. Charles returned to Morrison Corp and knocked on the door to Kirk¡¯s office. After entering the room, he reported his progress. ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve sessfully sent the information to the madam¡± To be frank, Charles was rather pleased with himself, so he added, ¡°The madam will never know that you¡¯re the one behind this.¡± Kirk raised his head from his work to stare at Charles with his piercing eyes, and thetter felt himself shudder from the gaze. ¡°Is something the matter, sir?¡± Charles had expected at least a bit ofpliment uponpleting his mission this time, but it surely seemed like he overthought it. Kirk handed him a tablet. Charles¡¯s mood flipped upside down after looking at the screen, which disyed a piece of news in the entertainment segment. It said that Adrian Sorkin and Caroline had married in secret. There were also pictures of them both having dinner together and leaving the restaurant one after the other. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you knew nothing about this.¡± A frown creased Kirk¡¯s forehead. His tone made it hard to tell if he was fuming with rage or not. Exasperated. Charles failed to respond. He had been so immersed in trying to find a way to give Caroline the information regarding Evans Group that cost almost a million dors that he didn¡¯t have the time to surf the Inte. ¡°I¨CI¡¯ll contact all the media tforms to remove it from the trending searches section,¡± he said. Kirk loosened his tie at Charles¡¯s words, and the icy look in his eyes faded away a little. Just then, his phone started ringing. It was Sean calling. The moment he answered the call, he heard Sean¡¯s unrestrainedughter booming from the other end of the line. *This should¡¯ve been a story about three people, but your name was never once mentioned in it! Kirk, my man, I¡¯ll have a moment of silence for you!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Kirk snapped. His face was now as dark as a bottomless pit. Sean stifled hisughter and joked. ¡°In my opinion, you should just post a picture of your marriage certificate for the world to see.¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Kirk¡¯s knuckles turned white as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare think for a second that I can¡¯t.¡± 1/2 +15 BONOS Ut course you cant Sean eximed. He¡¯d simply called to joke around. It wasn¡¯t his intention to rub salt into the wound, so he said, ¡°You¡¯re Kirk Morrison, after all. Nothing can nd in your way. But it never crossed my mind that you¡¯d one day feel so wronged and disheartened.¡± Sean chuckled and added, ¡°So, do you still have it in you to say that you don¡¯t love Caroline?¡± He was sure that Kirk loved her and would continue to do so until the end of time. Instead ofing up with a response, Kirk hung up immediately. This caused Sean to go into panic mode at once. ¡°What are you standing there for?¡± Kirk¡¯s brows were knitted closely together when he roared at Charles. Charles knew this wasn¡¯t the time tough. He tried his best lo stifle hisughter and stop the corners of his mouth from tilting upward.¡± Right away, sirl Right after leaving Kirk¡¯s office, Charles felt that he couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. He darted into the washroom and burst outughing. Seeing Kirk low¨Cspirited was simply a sight to behold! On the other side, Caroline asked Cheryl to get her a spareptop from thepany. She then logged in to her email and opened the file. Fortunately, theptop wasn¡¯t attacked by any viruses. Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Is this Sean? haaral. Anken as he heard carpine¡¯s vole, the only thing that came to his mind was Fil¡¯s unfortunate plight He could barely hold hisughter as he answered, ¡®It¡¯s Remember what you all before you went abuead? That you would help me investigate La¡± Sean look a moment to think before he reattered La¡¯s name ¡®Oh, yeah¡± She went to jail for a bit, but as seen as she was released her iness seemed to have been cured I seriously doubt whether she was even sick in the fast ce or it it was all just an act Sean¡¯s smite vanished hom his face. ¡°What did you just say? She¡¯s okay now?¡± ¡°Yeah In fact I looks like she has recoveredpletely, free of any aftereffects. Could there really be a miracle doctor who cured her Sean firmly denied it. That¡¯s impossible. I read La¡¯s medical records. At that stage, her only option was a kidney transnt. After that, she would have had a long road to recovery too.¡± Caroline¡¯s heart thumped furiously in her chest. She was even more convinced that La had been taking her illness. Last time around, you said that a check¨Cup would reveal the truth. But now that she¡¯s self¨Cproimed healthy again, running tests on her won¡¯t do us any good, will it?¡± Sean pondered for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s true. But if she were truly faking it all, there¡¯s no way she could have fooled everyone. You know what? Leave this matter to me. I¡¯ll find out more for you.¡± The knot in Caroline¡¯s brows eased up. ¡°Thanks a million, then.¡± Sean smiled and replied, ¡°It¡¯s no problem at all. But if you really want to make it up to me, you could slip in a good word to Gwen for me.¡± Caroline chuckled. ¡°Sure thing. On that note, how are things between you guys?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± After a short pause, he added, ¡°But I feel like there¡¯s this wall between us. It seems impossible to open up our hearts to each other.¡± Caroline could more or less guess what may have made him say that. However, since Gwen hadn¡¯t mentioned anything, she couldn¡¯t possibly be the bearer of such news as her best friend. She could only say, ¡°Maybe spending more time together will help.¡± Meanwhile, on the basketball court, Adrian scored a shot into the hoop and walked out without looking back. Quentin passed him some water and a towel. ¡°Say, you should get yourself a girlfriend ASAP. You¡¯re making a big man like me do this girly stuff. What¡¯s more, would you just look at all the attention we¡¯re getting? Those who don¡¯t know you probably think I¡¯m your partner.¡± Adrian tipped his head backward and took arge gulp from the bottle. The alluring movement of his Adam¡¯s apple as he swallowed was downright sensuous. After quenching his thirst, he tossed the bottle back at Quentin. Quentin caught it before it hit him, his reluctance on full disy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you mad?¡± He had already noticed how fiercely Adrian had been ying. He was so intimidating, even to the lew men who were taller and more buff than he was. Adrian sighed gloomily. ¡°That article that went viral got taken down.¡± +15 BONOS ¡°What article? Quentin was confused for a good moment before he understood what he meant. ¡°You mean the one about you and Ms. Evans?¡± Adrian remained silent, neither admitting nor denying it. Quentin let out a heartyugh. ¡°Seriously? You¡¯re not actually upset about this, are you? Hey, were you the one who created that article? Goddamn, Mr. Sorkin, you really are one scheming man. I take back what I said yesterday¨Cyou¡¯re quite the underminer.¡± Adrian furrowed his brows. ¡°I don¡¯t have that much time on my hands.¡± The paparazzi had just captured their picture by chance. Coincidentally, the news agency that they reported to happened to belong to his family. The chief editor had asked if he could publish it. He couldn¡¯t have replied with less concem. However, he hadn¡¯t expected things to blow up so quickly. What came even more unexpectedly was the fact that everything rted to their rtionship was wiped off the intemet as quickly as it spread. Even everything on Thome Corp¡¯s intr was thoroughly obliterated. It was as though it had never existed. Quentin dragged Adrian into a chair. He had never seen him in such a state of distress. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°So what if it¡¯s been taken down? Regardless of people¡¯s spections, it¡¯s still someone else¡¯s wife we¡¯re talking about here.¡± Chapter 259 Chapter 259 Chapter 259 At the very least, its deficit shouldn t have increased year after year. Caroline continued scrolling, and soon she discovered that there was something off with thepany¡¯s ounts. When she had made a bet with Eddy a few months ago, she had once transferred 500 thousand dors to Evans Group¡¯s ount. However, there was no record of this in thepany¡¯s ledger at all 1 Just then, her phone rang again, and the caller asked, ¡°What do you think? Do you want it?¡± Caroline inhaled deeply and sald, ¡°Yes. How much is it?¡± ¡°One thousand dors,¡± he replied. Caroline blinked, finding it dubious. She thought that perhaps he had missed the word ¡°million.¡± What she just read should cost more than the price he requested. She subconsciously tapped a finger on her table as the thought of this being a fraud shed through her mind. Caroline didn¡¯t give the private detective Is she suspecting 24h swer, which made him het Turning to look at Charles, who him, he mouthed, Charles A momentter, Caroline spoke. ¡°Are you sure that you¡¯re asking for one thousand doll ¡°Yes,¡± the detective replied nasty Worried that she would regret her decision, he added, ¡°One thousand dors is enough. Do you want H ¡°Yes,¡± Caroline told him. ¡°But you have to send it to another email address of mine.¡± Later, she gave the detective an email address that she rarely used. Once everything was done, he hung up and humed to Charles, ¡°You clearly had no faith in me.¡± Charles tossed him a sideways nce and said. ¡°Stop babbling and send her the information.¡± ¡°Okay, fine. Where¡¯s my thousand dors then?¡± He barely finished his sentence when he received a notification on his phone, ncing at the screen, he carefully counted the zeios. There were five zeros, which was just the right amount. He beamed and said, ¡°Thanks a bunch, boss. Don¡¯t hesitate to call me when there¡¯s a task like this in the future.¡± Charles didn¡¯t reply. If anything, the private detective should be thanking Kirk instead. Charles returned to Morrison Corp and knocked on the door to Kirk¡¯s office. After entering the room, he reported his progress. ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve sessfully sent the information to the madam¡± To be frank, Charles was rather pleased with himself, so he added, ¡°The madam will never know that you¡¯re the one behind this.¡± Kirk raised his head from his work to stare at Charles with his piercing eyes, and thetter felt himself shudder from the gaze. ¡°Is something the matter, sir?¡± Charles had expected at least a bit ofpliment uponpleting his mission this time, but it surely seemed like he overthought it. Kirk handed him a tablet. Charles¡¯s mood flipped upside down after looking at the screen, which disyed a piece of news in the entertainment segment. It said that Adrian Sorkin and Caroline had married in secret. There were also pictures of them both having dinner together and leaving the restaurant one after the other. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you knew nothing about this.¡± A frown creased Kirk¡¯s forehead. His tone made it hard to tell if he was fuming with rage or not. Exasperated. Charles failed to respond. He had been so immersed in trying to find a way to give Caroline the information regarding Evans Group that cost almost a million dors that he didn¡¯t have the time to surf the Inte. ¡°I¨CI¡¯ll contact all the media tforms to remove it from the trending searches section,¡± he said. Kirk loosened his tie at Charles¡¯s words, and the icy look in his eyes faded away a little. Just then, his phone started ringing. It was Sean calling. The moment he answered the call, he heard Sean¡¯s unrestrainedughter booming from the other end of the line. *This should¡¯ve been a story about three people, but your name was never once mentioned in it! Kirk, my man, I¡¯ll have a moment of silence for you!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Kirk snapped. His face was now as dark as a bottomless pit. Sean stifled hisughter and joked. ¡°In my opinion, you should just post a picture of your marriage certificate for the world to see.¡± Kirk¡¯s knuckles turned white as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare think for a second that I can¡¯t.¡± 1/2 + Ut course you cant Sean eximed. He¡¯d simply called to joke around. It wasn¡¯t his intention to rub salt into the wound, so he said, ¡°You¡¯re Kirk Morrison, after all. Nothing can nd in your way. But it never crossed my mind that you¡¯d one day feel so wronged and disheartened.¡± Sean chuckled and added, ¡°So, do you still have it in you to say that you don¡¯t love Caroline?¡± He was sure that Kirk loved her and would continue to do so until the end of time. Instead ofing up with a response, Kirk hung up immediately. This caused Sean to go into panic mode at once. ¡°What are you standing there for?¡± Kirk¡¯s brows were knitted closely together when he roared at Charles. Charles knew this wasn¡¯t the time tough. He tried his best lo stifle hisughter and stop the corners of his mouth from tilting upward.¡± Right away, sirl Right after leaving Kirk¡¯s office, Charles felt that he couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. He darted into the washroom and burst outughing. Seeing Kirk low¨Cspirited was simply a sight to behold! On the other side, Caroline asked Cheryl to get her a spareptop from thepany. She then logged in to her email and opened the file. Fortunately, theptop wasn¡¯t attacked by any viruses. Today¡¯s Bonus Offer Quentin immediately stered on a ttering smile, ¡°My tongue¡¯s misbehaved. Just a slip of the tongue.¡± Adrian stared into ther distance and said, ¡°I just find it mind¨Cblowing that someone has so much power to wipe out everything about it in the blink of an eye.¡± Quentin propped his chin up on a hand. ¡°Well who else could it be? Of course It¡¯s the Morrison family.¡± 1 Adrian turned to look at him. ¡°I heard that Mr. Morrison Senior is still hoping that Ms. Evans will marry into the family. That¡¯s why he¡¯s been urging his grandson to pursue her. ¡°You could say that the old man¡¯s wired rather peculiarly. Usually, the rich shun divorcees like nothing else, but Mr. Morrison Senior doesn¡¯t seem to care at all. ¡°All he wants is to make Ms. Evans¡­¡± Quentin paused. He knew the rest of his statement couldn¡¯t be more insinuating. Hence, he just swallowed the words. Nevertheless, Adrian didn¡¯t think much of it. ¡°But aren¡¯t Eddy and La getting along particrly well lately?¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard he¡¯s helping her acquire Evans Group.¡± Quentin took a cigarette from its pack and slipped it between his lips. ¡°I guess he¡¯s hoping that the old man would view her in a different light if she bes the CEO. Who knows, it might even pave the way for their marriage.¡± Adrianced his fingers and rested them on the table. Upon giving it more thought, he agreed that only the Morrisons would do something as absurd as this. After a pause, he asked again, ¡°How are things going with the investigation for Caroline?¡± ¡°No one¡¯s that quick, dude. It hasn¡¯t even been a day yet.¡± Adrian pursed his lips and spoke no further. Right as Caroline got off work, she received a call from Kirk. He told her that he wouldn¡¯t be able to discuss the shooting that night as he had other matters to tend to. Kirk¡¯s tone on the phone sounded normal. Caroline didn¡¯t put much thought into it before she hung up and headed straight home. Meanwhile, in a private room, Kirk tugged at his tie and downed a ss of alcohol in frustration. Sitting beside him, Sean looked at him with contempt. ¡°Is this even necessary? What Caroline and that man have between them is just a rumor, isn¡¯t it? Wait, no, does it even count? The two of them are innocent through and through. They didn¡¯t even hold hands.¡± Kirk guzzled another bottle and let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°If you want to get lost, you don¡¯t have to hold back.¡± Sean didn¡¯t respond. He quietly kept Kirkpany as he downed more than a few drinks. As time went by, he realized that something seemed amiss. Kirk was wobbling left and right, and his eyes were glossed over in a daze. It was as if ¡­ he were drunk! The corners of Sean¡¯s lips twitched. He knew exactly how high Kirk¡¯s alcohol tolerance was. There was no way he would get drunk so quickly. Initially, he thought that Kirk was ying tricks again so that he would have an excuse for Caroline to come by and pick him up. A couple of minutester, though, he saw Kirk staggering to his feet. It was then that he knew for sure¨C Kirk was truly intoxicated. In fact, he waspletely wasted. ¡°Kirk?¡± Sean nudged him gently. 1.2 Kirk impatiently llung nim off, Uont touch me. Unly my wate can touch me.¡± Sean was utterly dumbstruck. Fine, then. Still the same old model student from the School of Chivalry after all. ¡°I¡¯ll call Caroline and let her know toe pick you up, then.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Now that he was drunk, his usual calmness was nowhere to be found. Instead, there was a touch of cuteness as he slurred, ¡°Don¡¯t call my wife.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with her over Jealousy. I don¡¯t want to receive the cold shoulder from her¡­¡± An exhrated Sean pulled out his phone and started a video recording. ¡°Repeat what you just said.¡± Now that Sean had solid evidence on hand, he couldn¡¯t wait to see Kirk try to deny his love for Caroline the next time around. However, Kirk suddenly swayed his bodyThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Adrian looked at him. Quentin immediately stered on a ttering smile, ¡°My tongue¡¯s misbehaved. Just a slip of the tongue.¡± Adrian stared into ther distance and said, ¡°I just find it mind¨Cblowing that someone has so much power to wipe out everything about it in the blink of an eye.¡± Quentin propped his chin up on a hand. ¡°Well who else could it be? Of course It¡¯s the Morrison family.¡± 1 Adrian turned to look at him. ¡°I heard that Mr. Morrison Senior is still hoping that Ms. Evans will marry into the family. That¡¯s why he¡¯s been urging his grandson to pursue her. ¡°You could say that the old man¡¯s wired rather peculiarly. Usually, the rich shun divorcees like nothing else, but Mr. Morrison Senior doesn¡¯t seem to care at all. ¡°All he wants is to make Ms. Evans¡­¡± Quentin paused. He knew the rest of his statement couldn¡¯t be more insinuating. Hence, he just swallowed the words. Nevertheless, Adrian didn¡¯t think much of it. ¡°But aren¡¯t Eddy and La getting along particrly well lately?¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard he¡¯s helping her acquire Evans Group.¡± Quentin took a cigarette from its pack and slipped it between his lips. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°I guess he¡¯s hoping that the old man would view her in a different light if she bes the CEO. Who knows, it might even pave the way for their marriage.¡± Adrianced his fingers and rested them on the table. Upon giving it more thought, he agreed that only the Morrisons would do something as absurd as this. After a pause, he asked again, ¡°How are things going with the investigation for Caroline?¡± ¡°No one¡¯s that quick, dude. It hasn¡¯t even been a day yet.¡± Adrian pursed his lips and spoke no further. Right as Caroline got off work, she received a call from Kirk. He told her that he wouldn¡¯t be able to discuss the shooting that night as he had other matters to tend to. Kirk¡¯s tone on the phone sounded normal. Caroline didn¡¯t put much thought into it before she hung up and headed straight home. Meanwhile, in a private room, Kirk tugged at his tie and downed a ss of alcohol in frustration. Sitting beside him, Sean looked at him with contempt. ¡°Is this even necessary? What Caroline and that man have between them is just a rumor, isn¡¯t it? Wait, no, does it even count? The two of them are innocent through and through. They didn¡¯t even hold hands.¡± Kirk guzzled another bottle and let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°If you want to get lost, you don¡¯t have to hold back.¡± Sean didn¡¯t respond. He quietly kept Kirkpany as he downed more than a few drinks. As time went by, he realized that something seemed amiss. Kirk was wobbling left and right, and his eyes were glossed over in a daze. It was as if ¡­ he were drunk! The corners of Sean¡¯s lips twitched. He knew exactly how high Kirk¡¯s alcohol tolerance was. There was no way he would get drunk so quickly. Initially, he thought that Kirk was ying tricks again so that he would have an excuse for Caroline to come by and pick him up. A couple of minutester, though, he saw Kirk staggering to his feet. It was then that he knew for sure¨C Kirk was truly intoxicated. In fact, he waspletely wasted. ¡°Kirk?¡± Sean nudged him gently. 1.2 +15 BONOS Kirk impatiently llung nim off, Uont touch me. Unly my wate can touch me.¡± Sean was utterly dumbstruck. Fine, then. Still the same old model student from the School of Chivalry after all. ¡°I¡¯ll call Caroline and let her know toe pick you up, then.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Now that he was drunk, his usual calmness was nowhere to be found. Instead, there was a touch of cuteness as he slurred, ¡°Don¡¯t call my wife.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with her over Jealousy. I don¡¯t want to receive the cold shoulder from her¡­¡± An exhrated Sean pulled out his phone and started a video recording. ¡°Repeat what you just said.¡± Now that Sean had solid evidence on hand, he couldn¡¯t wait to see Kirk try to deny his love for Caroline the next time around. However, Kirk suddenly swayed his body Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Sean¡¯s eyes widened into saucers as he saw Kirk¡¯s linger nearing the ¡°share¡± button. He snatched Kirk¡¯s phone from him and yelled. ¡°Have you gone mad?¡± If this were to get publicized, it would indeed clear up all the rumors. But Kirk could very well end up sleeping on the couch for the rest of his life. Sean fell like he was sullering too much for the sake of his friend¡¯s happiness. By the time Sean dropped Kirk back home, It was already 9 pm. And the reason he managed to send the drunken man home so early was thanks to the brilliant job Caroline had done cultivating Kirk Kirk¡¯s internal clock was never out of sync. Around 8 pm, he drowsily woke up and Insisted that his wile was waiting for him at home. He groaned that he couldn¡¯t return homete and that he had to get back no matter what. Hearing Sean¡¯s words, Caroline didn¡¯t know if she shouldugh or cry. She helped Kirk to the couch while she said to Sean, ¡°Thank you. Sorry about the trouble too.¡± Sean shrugged it off. She nced at him and asked, ¡°How did he end up so drunk?¡± Sean went silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Well, it¡¯s because of you.¡± ¡°Because of me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Sean rubbed the skin between his brows and began to fabricate a tale, ¡°Kirk saw the rumors about you and Adrian and felt inferior. So off he went for a drink.¡± Even Sean found himself cringing at this exnation. Kirk was an intelligent man¨Cwhen had he ever felt inferior? Nheless, Caroline wholeheartedly believed his words. ¡°I never thought it would cause him such distress.¡± It suddenly dawned on her why Kirk got so jealous when she hadplimented Eddy back then. Her actions were tantamount to trampling on his pride as a man. Seeing the pitiable expression in Caroline¡¯s eyes, Sean couldn¡¯t help but leel the guilt that threatened to engulf him. But for the sake of his friend, he could only bite the bullet and y along. ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess I¡¯ll leave him in your care.¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure Kirk regains his confidence.¡± With an apology in his heart, Sean turned to leave. Back in the house, Caroline looked at her husband, who was sound asleep on the couch. She couldn¡¯t help the grin that stretched across her face. She headed for the bathroom and filled a basin with warm water to wipe him down. As she did so, she couldn¡¯t resist thinking about things. In fact, she had once considered this Issue before, which exined why she didn¡¯t want the outside world to know who she had married. If news leaked about the fact that she had married a measly mid¨Clevel employee of Morrison Corp, it wouldn¡¯t take long forparisons between him and Eddy to dominate the inte. By then, it would only be an even more massive blow to Kirk. By the looks of it, it was up to her to protect her sweetheart. 1/2 +15 BONOS Thinking about the word sweetheart her tips pulled into an even wider smile. She leaned down, louched her lips against Kirks and whispered, ¡°Ho¨Cney.¡± She articted each syble on its own, making sure what she said was clear as day. Under tonight¡¯s sky, there existed a unique tendemess. ¡°You know, there¡¯s no need to feel inferior at all. To me, you are and will always be the best.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Caroline nestled up against Kirk¡¯s muscr chest and cooed to herself. Unbeknownst to her, the corners of Kirk¡¯s lips hooked up slightly in a grin. The curtain of darkness in the sky soon lit up brightly. As the moming progressed, the aroma from the dining room woke Caroline up. She opened her eyes groggily and saw Kirk with an apron on, cooking. ¡°Why did you get up so early?¡± She made her way to the dining table and was greeted by the dozen or so dishes alreadyid out neatly. All sense of sleep left her body. ¡°What time did you get up?¡± All sorts of meat, poultry, and fish adorned the table. Was there a celebration? Kirk shed her a smile. ¡°Quick, go and freshen up.¡± Caroline found herself being pushed into the bathroom. However, she turned back and looked at Kirk, adamant. ¡°What time did you even get up?¡± Wasn¡¯t he beyond intoxicatedst night? ¡°Be quick. Otherwise, the food will cool. It won¡¯t taste as good then.¡± She had no choice but to freshen up Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Kirk looked at thev+15 BONOS Cish spread on the table. Aint smile graced his lips. Indeed, he was the master chef behind these dishes. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Well, Charles provided the ingredients, but still By the time he had returned homest night, he had already been sobering up. Upon hearing Caroline call him ¡®honey so affectionately, he had fully awakened from his drunken daze. Thanks to her loving endearments¨Ccalling him ¡°honey and telling him he was the best for her¨Che could no longer go back to sleep. Later, he figured that since he would be awake the whole night anyway, he might as well get up and cook for Caroline. When Caroline slepped out of the bathroom after her shower, she noticed that the chair on her side had been pulled out. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± She asked, ¡°Is your headache gone?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still here, just a little. But when I think about cooking for you, itpletely disappears.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a smooth talker, aren¡¯t you?¡± Caroline turned to fetch some painkillers for him. He didn¡¯t take the tablets from her. Instead, he seized her wrist, brought it to his mouth and retrieved the tablets with his teeth. His lips were cold against her skin, and a tickling sensation crept up her hand. Caroline quickly averted her gaze to the window, trying to divert her attention. However, as if intentionally, he leisurely inched closer to her palm again and gave it a little peck. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± she said. Just as she was about to retract her hand, he took the opportunity to jerk her by the wrist, pulling her into his embrace. She fell speechless. ¡°Darling,¡± he murmured, burying his nose into her hair. Caroline could feel trouble brewing. She warned him, ¡°I have work today.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already requested half a day¡¯s leave for you.¡± 1 She lost her tongue yet again. As it turned out, even with the morning off, Caroline managed to arrive at the office right on time. As soon as she entered the room, Cheryl began approaching her with a mysterious look on her face. ¡°Caroline, your neck¡­ Is that Adrian¡¯s doing?¡± Caroline frowned. She took out her pocket mirror and examined herself. It was only then that she noticed the conspicuous mark on her neck. She draped a scarf over it. Her tone was stern as she said, ¡°Please stop making jokes about Adrian and me. My husband won¡¯t be pleased. Cheryl froze. It didn¡¯t sound like Caroline was joking at all.. Realizing that her superior had been serious all along, Cheryl quickly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Caroline! I truly thought you were in a secret marriage that you were keeping from the public¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Caroline waved her hand, gesturing for her to take her leave. Cheryl couldn¡¯t dispel her unease as she retreated out of the office. +15 BONOS Laroline turned nerputer on. She couldn t snake on Seans words, which were clouding her mind. There wasn¡¯t any more gossip about her and Adrian online, But she was rather convinced that many others, like Cheryl, still thought they were merely trying to keep their rtionship a secret, probably to avoid offending the Morrisons. Alter some consideration, she eventually opened Facebook. She started writing a post that read, ¡°Regarding the recent spections online about Adrian Sorkin and my marital status, I would like to rify that it is not true. I am married, but my spouse is not Mr. Sorkin. ¡°He Is but an ordinary person, and I don¡¯t wish for him to receive excessive attention due to my standing. I would be grateful if everyone stopped spreading rumors about us. ¡°My husband wouldn¡¯t be pleased.¡± Once she shared it, the post quickly garnered manyments. ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s not Mr. Sorkin after all! Boohoo, I can¡¯t believe how quickly this ship sank!¡± ¡°Help! How could this be false? They looked so sweet together, too¨Cespecially the way Adrian was staring at Caroline.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s not true, let¡¯s not mention Adrian on her ount anymore. It does look like Caroline has a great rtionship with her husband, too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, yeah! But to think that her husband is displeased at just one plece of news¡­ Hahaha, is he the king of jealousy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so curious about who Caroline¡¯s husband is! He makes her life so blissful.¡± ¡°Turns out I wasn¡¯t the only one who thought that way, I guess. Since Caroline announced her marriage, it¡¯s be visibly apparent that she¡¯s been happier and more cheerful. When I saw her photo yesterday, I could hardly believe that she was the same person who used to follow Eddy Morrison around.¡± ¡°Yeah, her confidence and charm are shining through! She¡¯s radiant from head to toe.¡± There were many morements besides these. Once the post went public, it didn¡¯t take long for the topic to gain a ce on the trending list. Admittedly, thatst statement about her husband¡¯s feelings elicited a mix of emotions in the readers¨C joy and disappointment alike. Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Of course, the happy one was Kirk. When everyone saw Kirk today, they all wondered if he was an impostor. He was much more cheerfulpared to how gloomy and terrifying he had been yesterday, When Sean came to return his phone, he even dared to mock Kirk, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know who got drunk at the bar yesterday and almost used his personal Facebook ount to post that Caroline was his wife.¡± Seanughed. Kirk saw the draft post in the drafts folder. However, he was in a good mood today and didn¡¯t stop Sean, Sean also noticed his good mood, so he dared to act recklessly. ¡°Since you¡¯re jealous, why aren¡¯t you giving her the silent treatment Wait, did your wife cast a spell on you? Is she forcing you to admit she¡¯s always right, even if she¡¯s not?¡± Kirk nced at him and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have too much time on your hands?¡± Sean said cautiously, ¡°Why are you asking?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a good job opening in the ice straits. I should rmend you for it.¡± ¡°No! No thanks. I¡¯d better hurry up and help your wife investigate La.¡± Since Sean said he was helping Caroline, Kirk said nothing else and let him leave. 1 Meanwhile, the atmosphere at Morrison Manor wasn¡¯t as lively. ¡°See?¡± Jude pointed to the tablet on the table. ¡°I told you, anyone would like someone like Carrie. We haven¡¯t even found out who her husband is, but now even Adrian has shown up. Meanwhile, you¡¯re still focusing your attention on La. Now, marrying Carrie is just a pipe dream for you!¡± Eddy frowned, but this tirne he didn¡¯t refute Jude. ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Eddy said resignedly. ¡°What else can I do? She doesn¡¯t like me anymore.¡± Before this, Eddy had assumed that Caroline had gotten married to upset him on purpose. But now that so much had happened, it wasn¡¯t a surprise that his resolve was visibly shaken, no matter how confident he had been. ¡°But you have time as an advantage. Women value loyalty. As long as you treat her well, she¡¯ll slowly return to your side. If you keep entangling yourself with La ¡­¡± Eddy was a little annoyed. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand, Grandpa. Why do you dislike La so much?¡± ¡°She isn¡¯t a good person,¡± Jude said bluntly. Eddy paused, then defended her, saying, ¡°She won¡¯t do anything to hurt me.¡± ¡°How are you so sure?¡± ¡°Because Eddy endured his anger and held back what he was about to say. ¡°I just know.¡± Jude frowned. He said sullenly, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you want to be with La no matter what?¡± (1 Eddy was startled. He no longer had the determination he had before. Noticing his hesitation, Jude softened his tone. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re treating La so well, I believe you have reasons for this.¡± He looked into the distance, a hint of pain swirling in his gaze. ¡°But in a rtionship, you have to make a decision when it¡¯s necessary, or you¡¯ll be in turmoil. Think properly about who you¡¯ll choose.¡± Eddy pinched the bridge of his nose. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa. I¡¯ll get the answers as soon as possible. But please believe me, I have my reasons for helping La get thepany.¡± sation stepped toward and said, ¡°Let me take you to rest, sir. ki, do v?u think of Caroling & statement) MEGE WAAA ware married¡± +15 BONOS ¡°wesce then, sskied the statement, I think the two of them are really together. It seems that NA ANG V¨¤ VALLand wand to hinder the rtionship between the Morrisons and the Sarkins.* ve been arge¨Cscale withdrawal of trending searches¡± sek, would be much naast.¡± kthough And we are more power than the Socks, they are still the second¨Cmost powerful family Ce will be hurt. So everything still depends on de 110044 Ex beckog im getting old, but i don¡¯t have as strong a desire to see Care marry Eddy is as about. E possible. I still hope ¡°They Ca Shop and Howard was how the Constanty Notated bags to Capitine hope and table ama¡¯s thought megs, Kax and Daphne raty a thing have to ????? 1 ??? ?? kilos q 650 8 1 dans ma about Jack Now that Caine Nat ven him a haves he choita baba, at the phone. She was aboul to carbiner working when she saw. Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Chapter 264 When Caroline got into the car aller work, she got a call from Quentin. He said he found Information about thepany and sent it to her email. She hadn¡¯t expected him to work this fast. She nced at Jack in front of her and sent Quentin another message, ¡°What about your investigation on Jack?¡± Quentin took a long time to reply. ¡°I¡¯m still investigating him. Things are a bit tricky at the moment, but don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely get to the bottom of this. Caroline trusted Adrian¡¯s connections. ¡°Then, can you check another thing for me?¡± This time, Quentin replied immediately, ¡°Go ahead and tell me.¡± She sent him Vivian¡¯s name and job position. ¡°Not long ago, this woman took her design and joined the Rosebow Contest, pretending to be me. I saw the designs that won, and most were better than this one. So I want to lind out how she won,¡± Caroline paused and then sent the user ID, Winsome, to Quentin. She instructed. ¡°This Facebook user also speaks a lot like her. Please check if she¡¯s the person behind this ount.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Quentin epted thesk readily. Caroline replied with a ¡°Thank you.¡± Then, she opened her email and opened the file Quentin had just sent. Quentin hadn¡¯t been exaggerating about his abilities at all. His Investigation was very detailed, and he had done it in such a short time. She could see how skilled he was at his job. The drive was smooth, so Caroline could read the notes in the car without any issues. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Desmond Park was the head of the finance department at Evans Group. Before thepany¡¯s decline, he had just been a minor employee in the department. Later, Dan had hired him again alter Morrison Corp restructured Evans Group. ording to the document, Dan had hired Desmond himself. Before that, Desmond had spent a year in prison for ounting fraud. But why would Dan hire a person who hadmitted ounting fraud? Caroline didn¡¯t want to specte too much and continued reading the documents. Desmond¡¯s private life was beyond reproach. He had been married to his wife for 20 years and had no children. They had a good rtionship, but it was clear that they wanted a child because they tried to do In Vitro Fertilization, or IVF, every year, even though they weren¡¯t sessful every time. This year, they nned to try again at Victoria Hospital. However, the hospital had a strict review system and only epted wealthy people with assets of more than 100 million dors. They clearly didn¡¯t cover services for someone like Desmond. Caroline stuffed her phone into her bag and closed her eyes with a frown. The information made her a little breathless. Desmond had once been in jail for ounting fraud, and there was clearly a problem with Evans Group¡¯s ounts. Had Dan hired him again just to make him forge ounts? In that case, everything would make sense. Desmond needed a lot of money for IVF. As the head of the linance department of a smallpany, he didn¡¯t have a high sry. So he could only take dirty money. Evans Group had the support of a bigpany like Morrison Corp, but they still lost money every year. It wasn¡¯t because they were ipetent. The profits had just entered another person¡¯s pocket. Alter processing the information, Caroline fell refreshed. Now she only needed to ask Desmond to hand over the real ledger to find out where the money went Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Chapter 265 After Caroline watched Jock drive away, she tumed around, stunned. In fact, she should have suspected Jack long ago. If Thome Corp had hired Jack, he should have called her Caroline, not Ms. Evans. She pinched ge of her nose. Why hadn¡¯t she thought of that before? She hoped that whatever Quentin found out wouldn¡¯t make them enemies. She let out a sigh and strode towards the elevator. here to meet the wedding photography team. bellove her. When she came, he was talking with the photography team in the living room, with Charles standing behind him. waste that of the authoritative boss of apany. hey faw in Kirk¡¯s act was that he was too handsome. Although Caroline couldn¡¯t hear what he was saying, she felt her heart flutter Just by looking at him Suddenby Kick looked in her direction. When their eyes met Caroline¡¯s heart beat wildly, and her face became slightly hot. This must be the bride The person who spoke was a member of the photography team. His long hair was tied up casually, and he had profound facial features and beautiful blue eyes. He was a rather handsome foreigner. Caroline walked into the room and said. ¡°Hello.¡± Krk stood up as well He put his arm around Caroline¡¯s waist and asserted his dominance. ¡°This is my wife.¡± Tm Cook Delgado.¡± The man introduced himself with a meaningful smile on his face. Caroline felt that the man before her locked familiar. But she couldn¡¯t figure out where she had seen him. So she could only say politely.¡± I¡¯m Caroline.¡± After Cook invited Caroline to sit down, he took a photo album and showed it to Caroline. ¡°These are the wedding pictures our team has taken in the past few years. Feel free to look at them. If you¡¯re happy with them, we can move on to the next step.¡± Caroline opened the album. She was drawn to the photos at first nce. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Each set of photos was breathtaking and unique. Each photo¡¯s style was adjusted ording to the couple¡¯s preferences. Some couples looked ordinary, but with the skills of the photography team, their pictures could still bring amazement and shock to everyone who saw them. They had even captured each couple¡¯s dynamic perfectly. She couldn¡¯t find anything wrong with these photos. As Caroline looked at the photos, she suddenly looked up at Cook. Cook smiled. He asked. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°Are you ¡ª the famed photographer who took the Queen¡¯s wedding photos, Mr. Cook?¡± Caroline had wanted to take wedding photos recently, so she knew some things about this industry. The wedding photos that Cook had taken for the Queen and King were sensational. Whenever Caroline searched for wedding photos online. Cook¡¯s photos would inevitably appear in the search results. Over time. Caroline became deeply impressed by his work. She had once searched for Cook¡¯s information and seen his photos. But she had just taken a quick nce. She wasn¡¯t sure if the person in front of her was him. Cook scratched his nose awkwardly. He hadn¡¯t expected Caroline to recognize him so quickly. He looked over at Kirk Kirk just watched him leisurely. He had no intention of saving him. ang Park had been trends for many years Heforeing here, Chanes had exined that he couldnt reves that prepadent of Sir Group in front of taroline. (pon seeing hum kit was rainly enjoying the show. Cook impassively turned Caroline¡¯s attention to her husband. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s you don¡¯t bebeve ne yoy can ask Mr. Kin. He knows best¡± bor¡¯s sex fell on Kink the bridge of hals nose and nced at Cook who was looking at him mischievously. His other hand stroked the back of Chapter 266 Chapter 266 As a straight and looked up at Cook ed to Denisa for a summer vacation. When I got off the train, I saw Cook being robbed- shile at the mention of this. ¡°I remember that the thief was only in his teens and was only about five feet A Cook couldn¡¯t catch up with him at all kwards. I wasn¡¯t familiar with the location!¡± the truth. That we looked like he had constantly squatted in the train station, and he was very familiar with the ce. mojoj a hint of a ride and arrogance as he countered. ¡°That was my first time in Denria as well, and you were in front of me. Even that impie bastard, didn¡¯t 125 We Cox less, He shouve known that only Kirk could gloat about other people¡¯s misfortune, not vice versa. cough the gates for now, I get someone to make some refreshments.¡± Cook took the opportunity to get up and end the topic. Created for Cook to leave before asking. ¡°Were you telling the truth just now?¡± When the two men echoed each other¡¯s words, it seemed to be true. But Caroline couldn¡¯t help but wonder why someone famous like cat the brain stoboo Ascong through Carquine¡¯s thoughts, Kirk took her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. ?Jibe COOK, TOOK photos of the King and Queen, he became famous. But he felt that the reason why he could take such good gabteb que to the subject of the photos.¡± exined. ¡°So, he tested himself by going to the train station to take photos of people who walked by in a hurry and had no ce to pose for the photos, It¡¯s just a coincidence that we met.¡± stood, but she couldn¡¯t help feeling a little worried. She asked, ¡°It must cost a lot of money to hire Cook as our posao, nigh The giant charge me since I helped him get back his most prized possession from the thief. His camera.¡± just take advantage of him.¡± ssed Caunes ips. He said, ¡°I¡¯m not. He has also taken a liking to Easton and wants to be a part of it. But since he has been abroad stime, he doesn¡¯t know much about Easton. If I can help him join the business ranks in Easton, he¡¯ll be thanking me every second he wodne sided reassuringly at his words. ¡°Kirk I really think you¡¯re wasting your talents at Morrison Corp. With your ability and maybe you can do more if you leave Morrison Corp.¡± think so high of your husband Kirk smirked. 1 qoot want to work hard. I¡¯m still waiting for you to be a millionaire and support me.¡± Caroline warned, ring at him, Klest the heat surge through him, and he bit Caroline¡¯s earlobe. ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me.¡± at him questioningly. How was she tempting him? a youngdy brought water and snacks with a red face. Cox towed the youngdy. He smelled of cigarettes, so he had probably gone out for a smoke. are the photos? Cook looked at Caroline ¡°Do you like my style?¡± Caroline smiled. I like it very much. But I never thought Id get to hire you, so I never dared to look at your photos. I was afraid that if I saw your photos, the others wouldn¡¯t be able to catch my eye.¡± Caroline was telling the truth. Cook was great at his job. Every photo he took had the highest possible quality. His shotos with the best she had seen. The others just paled inparison than you! The three of them od duen agar todos photo shooting location. cellion, she wanted to go there. Even the background photos, like the snow. fallen leaves, or grass by beautifuly prudenced by Cook For a moment, she had a hard time deciding on a location. we have the photo shoot in Maxover Atter much hesitation, Caroline pointed at the photo of the snowy ins at Macovo, load an am around Caroline¡¯s waist and lightly tapped the table with his other hand. ¡°Don¡¯t you like the other ces?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± Caroline tilted her head and met Kirk¡¯s gaze, She said sadly, ¡°But can only choose one? ¡°Why is that so pouted. He pulled Caroline¡¯s head and said assuringly. ¡°If you like them all, you can choose them all.¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes widened. She nced at Cook and lowered her voice, You¡¯re crazy. We can¡¯t choose them all. There are at least 30 countries on this list. Flight tickets alone will cost thousands of dors. Even if Coor is willing to have the photo shoot for free, we still need to spend money on wedding dresses and stuff like that.¡± Kirk frowned slightly. He wasn¡¯t worried about the money, but he was worried that Caroline would notice something. He could tell that Caroline wanted to travel to many ces. As her husband, he had to fulfill her wishes. However, if he really wanted to do that he had toe up with a reasonable excuse to prevent Caroline from getting suspicious. Fooling ¡°Then, let¡¯s decide on Macovo for now.¡± Kre hugged Caroline and stood up. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. We should go back.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Cook escorted them to the door and handed Caroline the list of clothes for the photoshoot. ¡°When the timees, you can go to this bridal boutique to buy a wedding dress. Then, you can just call me when everything is ready.¡± Caroline nced at the name of the bridal boutique and secretly clicked her tongue. Merry Color was a domestic bridal boutique with little poprity. It wasn¡¯t because it was unpopr, but because their wedding dresses were very expensive, costing thousands of dors. Only people from the upper ss could afford it. Therefore, this brand was only well known among the upper ss. Other people didn¡¯t know it at all. Everyone who hired Cook as a photographer was rich and powerful, Caroline guessed that he forgot about Kirk¡¯s worth in a moment of carelessness, so he gave her this list. He was kindly doing this for them, so Caroline didn¡¯t say anything and happily took the list. After getting into the car, Kirk asked, ¡°When will you buy the wedding dress?¡± Caroline cocked her head. ¡°In a few days.¡± She wanted to see Desmond tomorrow. Kirk hooked an arm around Caroline¡¯s waist and whispered. ¡°I want to see you in a wedding dress sooner.¡± He was very close to Caroline. She could feel his body heat, which made her heart skip a beat. She patted him away. You want to pick a wedding dress with me ¡°Can¡¯t 17¡® Kirk asked casually, hooking Caroline¡¯s little finger. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Caroline exined, ¡°I heard from others that it¡¯s unlucky for the groom to see his bride in a wedding dress before the wedding. If he doesn¡¯t follow this rule, the marriage won¡¯t be happy.¡± Kirk yed with Caroline¡¯s fingers and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a trick to deceive people.¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°Til ask Sean to apany you when the timees.¡± Caroline smiled slightly and looked at Kirk suspiciously. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say this is a trick to deceive people?¡± Kirk countered. ¡°It is a trick, but I can¡¯t put our marriage at risk.¡± Caroline kage for a moment then the beggaeloda Faber ging his weld y tapaswa Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Chapter 267 ter getting into the car, Kirk asked, ¡°When will you buy the wedding dress?¡± Caroline cocked her head. ¡°In a few days.¡± She wanted to see Desmond tomorrow. Kirk hooked an arm around Caroline¡¯s waist and whispered. ¡°I want to see you in a wedding dress sooner.¡± He was very close to Caroline. She could feel his body heat, which made her heart skip a beat. +15 BONUS She patted him away. You want to pick a wedding dress with me This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Can¡¯t 17¡® Kirk asked casually, hooking Caroline¡¯s little finger. Caroline exined, ¡°I heard from others that it¡¯s unlucky for the groom to see his bride in a wedding dress before the wedding. If he doesn¡¯t follow this rule, the marriage won¡¯t be happy.¡± Kirk yed with Caroline¡¯s fingers and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a trick to deceive people.¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°Til ask Sean to apany you when the timees.¡± Caroline smiled slightly and looked at Kirk suspiciously. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say this is a trick to deceive people?¡± Kirk countered. ¡°It is a trick, but I can¡¯t put our marriage at risk.¡± Chapter 268 Caroline kage for a moment then the beggaeloda Faber ging his weld y tapaswa THER entin exined as he type toon Caroline for will be giving a lecture in Caroline sand gratefully, ¡°Thank you¡± After that, she hung up the phone and called Sean. ¡°Sean, I want to ask you something. Do you know the diwed post ¡°Yea Sean nced at Kink and slowly crossed his legs. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Caroline? He purposely emphasized the word Caroline Sure enough, Kirk, who was focused on hisputer across from him, immediately looked up at Sean with gleaming eyes ¡°I have a friend who wants to try IVF in this hospital, but his worth is only around a few million dors, and he let oualed! hospital services, Can you think of a way to get him in?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s not a problem.¡± The Yates family had invested in Victoria Hospital, so he only needed to say a word to let anyone in ¡°When is your friend going there? I¡¯ll head over there to handle things.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no rush. I¡¯ll call you after I¡¯ve talked to him.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sean sald. Then, he hung up. Looking up, he saw Kirk frowning at him as if he were a despicable vh. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t look at me like that. Caroline¡¯s the one who called me first.¡± He smirked. Surprisingly, his smirk didn¡¯t dach with his bookish appearance at all. He leased, ¡°Are you jealous right now? Are you jealous that Caroline contacted me instead of you? Haha, it feels so good to see you bring jealous to the point where you can¡¯t do anything!¡± Kirk stood up, his tall shadow looming over Sean. Sean folded his arms warily. He warned, ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m your wife¡¯s good buddy right now. If anything happens to me, she¡¯ll be really sad!¡± Kirk grinded his teeth in anger. He growled, ¡°Just you wall.¡± Sean looked at Kirk fearlessly, relying on Caroline to support him. But he got up and walked to Kirk¡¯s side the next second. He said softly, ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you want me to apany your wife to buy a wedding dress? There¡¯ll definitely be some trouble with money. so I¡¯ll say I bought it for her as a gift. How about that?¡± Kirk nced at him and sald tly, ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re smart.¡± Sean chuckled. ¡°Of course. You won¡¯t settle the score with me alter this, right?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Kirk smiled vaguely, took theputer, and left. Sean was at a loss for words. Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Caroline kage for a moment then the beggaeloda Faber ging his weld y tapaswa When he kis Quentin exined as he type toon Caroline for will be giving a lecture in Caroline sand gratefully, ¡°Thank you¡± After that, she hung up the phone and called Sean. ¡°Sean, I want to ask you something. Do you know the diwed post ¡°Yes" Sean nced at Kink and slowly crossed his legs. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Caroline? He purposely emphasized the word Caroline Sure enough, Kirk, who was focused on hisputer across from him, immediately looked up at Sean with gleaming eyes ¡°I have a friend who wants to try IVF in this hospital, but his worth is only around a few million dors, and he let oualed! hospital services, Can you think of a way to get him in?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s not a problem.¡± The Yates family had invested in Victoria Hospital, so he only needed to say a word to let anyone in ¡°When is your friend going there? I¡¯ll head over there to handle things.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no rush. I¡¯ll call you after I¡¯ve talked to him.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sean sald. Then, he hung up. Looking up, he saw Kirk frowning at him as if he were a despicable vh. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t look at me like that. Caroline¡¯s the one who called me first.¡± He smirked. Surprisingly, his smirk didn¡¯t dach with his bookish appearance at all. He leased, ¡°Are you jealous right now? Are you jealous that Caroline contacted me instead of you? Haha, it feels so good to see you bring jealous to the point where you can¡¯t do anything!¡± Kirk stood up, his tall shadow looming over Sean. Sean folded his arms warily. He warned, ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m your wife¡¯s good buddy right now. If anything happens to me, she¡¯ll be really sad!¡± Kirk grinded his teeth in anger. He growled, ¡°Just you wall.¡± Sean looked at Kirk fearlessly, relying on Caroline to support him. But he got up and walked to Kirk¡¯s side the next second. He said softly, ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you want me to apany your wife to buy a wedding dress? There¡¯ll definitely be some trouble with money. so I¡¯ll say I bought it for her as a gift. How about that?¡± Kirk nced at him and sald tly, ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re smart.¡± Sean chuckled. ¡°Of course. You won¡¯t settle the score with me alter this, right?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Kirk smiled vaguely, took theputer, and left. Sean was at a loss for words. Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Desmond sat in the cat. He looked up at the hospital entrance asionally, probably to see if the director was there. Caroline strode over to the car in her high heels. Desmond recognized Caroline at a nce. ¡°Ms. Evans.¡± Caroline nodded slightly. ¡°Can we chat for a while? ¡°I¡¯m waiting for someone.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Caroline took out a document and tossed it to him. Des Many where your costly annual medical expensese from?¡± en after just one nce at the documents, However, he was still a man who had been in prison, alter all. He quickly calmed down and said somewhat arrogantly, ¡°My rtive gave it to me. Got a problem with that?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know Dan Evans was one of your rtives.¡± As Caroline spoke, she tossed him another transaction record. Although different card numbers were used for each transfer, all of them pointed to one person, Dan. Desmond¡¯s expression shifted immediately. He tried to start the car, but he couldn¡¯t turn it on because he was too nervous. He had no choice but to reach out and wipe the sweat off his forehead. He retorted, ¡°Ms. Evans, you¡¯re not my boss. I don¡¯t have the obligation to answer your questions!¡± Caroline smiled leisurely. ¡°As long as you tell me the truth, I¡¯ll get the hospital to take you in.¡± As she spoke, she turned and looked at Victoria Hospital behind her. Desmond smiled mockingly at her words. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s up to you? Ms. Evans, don¡¯t tell me you still think you¡¯re in power like before. Only people with a 100¨Cmillion¨Cdor worth can afford that hospital¡¯s services. ¡°You¡¯re just like me. You can only look at it from a distance.¡± Caroline raised her eyebrows and said calmly, ¡°Since I¡¯ve mentioned it, I will keep my word.¡± Desmond sneered, ¡°I would¡¯ve believed you if you were married to Mr. Eddy, but I heard from your father that you¡¯ve married a useless wimp.¡± Caroline narrowed her eyes at his words. Desmond continued rambling, ¡°I know what you want, Ms. Evans. You want the real ledger, right? I¡¯m not afraid to tell you that I have it on me. But you don¡¯t have what it takes to get it from me!¡± Caroline was about to say something when a ck car drove into the parking lot. Desmond also noticed the car. Not caring that Caroline was outside, he opened the door and dashed out of the vehicle. Fortunately, she quickly dodged and avoided getting hit by the door. She nced at Desmond, who was running after the ck car, Lips curling into a sneer, she slowly walked toward the car. Soon, the car stopped, and an old man got out. He was in his 60s and wearing a white coat. 1 Desmond immediately rushed forward and yelled, ¡°Mr. Sherman, I want to do an IVF in your hospital! Please help me!¡± As he spoke, he got on his knees. His humble altitude waspletely different from how he had treated Caroline just now. This probably wasn¡¯t the first time Desmond hade to beg Mr. Sherman. Mr. Sherman became Impatient. But he still sald formally, ¡°Rules are rules, sir. I really can¡¯t make exceptions for you.¡± Without worrying about his dignity, Desmond hugged Mr. Sherman¡¯s leg and begged, ¡°Please just let me in, Mr. Sherman. I have money. I really do¡­¡± atremly sgrated it the several secummy quants w +15 BONUS heard memotion, and my immediately neid pesmond Wr. Sherman impatiently wiped his leg with a towel and whispered to the security guards. Throw him out. If you see him again, just drive in again, fire al of your quants were silent and hurriedly dragged Desmond to the door The ara fermate voice menintat the guards. Cracter 272 It was only ne everyone noticed a woman in the sarting or MESONUS Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Thinking Carbine and Desmond were working together Mt. Steman said to the setu ¡°Hang on. Mr. Steman Caroline walked up to the old man. She asked, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t know me you must know Dr. Yates night tc. Throw tee of 100¡± Mr. Sherman nudged his gold¨Crimmed sses and said discantiuly. ¡°Of course What about him? Are you going to savore is fas Mr. Dr. 7. han his trend¡± hed. ¡°Miss, many people have told me they¡¯re his fends when i walk by here cally. Yours can¡¯t just say that you know s you know he¡¯s thergest shareholder in this recoital Ever jou now tim, he doesn¡¯t now you does n Caroline didn¡¯t expect Sear to be an investor in this hospital. She thought he was just a soc Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Thinking Carbine and Desmond were working together Mt. Steman said to the setu ¡°Hang on. Mr. Steman Caroline walked up to the old man. She asked, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t know me you must know Dr. Yates night 1. tc. Throw tee of 100¡± Mr. Sherman nudged his gold¨Crimmed sses and said discantiuly. ¡°Of course What about him? Are you going to savore is fas Mr. Dr. 7. han his trend¡± hed. ¡°Miss, many people have told me they¡¯re his fends when i walk by here cally. Yours can¡¯t just say that you know s you know he¡¯s thergest shareholder in this recoital Ever jou now tim, he doesn¡¯t now you does n Caroline didn¡¯t expect Sear to be an investor in this hospital. She thought he was just a soc Desmond didn¡¯t waste any time and let go of Caroline¡¯s leg. Caroline took two steps back and ordered coldly. ¡°I can help you, but first you have to- Tl give you the ledger right away! Caroline frowned. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. You called my husband a useless wind. I want you to apologize to my husband¡± Desmond was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected her to make this request. How was he supposed to apologize? He was troubled about this, but he didn¡¯t care about anything else when he thought of the child he would have He solemnly nodded and apologized. ¡°I was wrong. Ms. Evans. I¡¯m the useless wimp. Your husband is a man of honor Caroline stood aside, silently watching him apologize. Desmond didn¡¯t know what else to do. His knees were already bruised from kneeling. Seeing how wearily he was, Caroline finally said mercifully. ¡°This is my second condition.¡± ¡°Go ahead and ask him yourself.¡± Caroline took out her phone, dialed Sean¡¯s number, and handesit to Mr. Sherman Mr. Sherman took her phone doubtully. When he saw the caller C. he started sweating from shoot As Sean talked on the phone. Mr. Sherman¡¯s expression shifted, and he immediately bored at Carpine respectuly. ¡°Yes, of course! I do my best to amodate your trend¡± After Mr. Sherman finished the call he respectully brought the prone to Carbine. He apologized apologize for my sensesores Me Evans. I didn¡¯t know you were Dr. Yates friend. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Caroline took back her phone and said calmly. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal I came here today to attend your lecture is that? ¡°Yes. Of course, it¡¯s okay.¡± Meanwhile, Desmond was shocked. He didn¡¯t know who they were taking scout. But after seeing how Dr. Sherman¡¯s antude had changedpletely, he realized that Caroline hadn¡¯t been messing with him. Somehow, he found the strength to break free from the security guards. He rushed to Carbines side and hugged her lies, begging. Please heb me. Ms. Evans!¡± Caroline looked down at Desmond and teased. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I don¡¯t have what it takes? You should as someone else forme. Mr. Panic Desmond held onto Caroline¡¯s leg anded himself with one hand its my fault for taking crac Ms. Evans, it¡¯s better to forgive and forget. Please help me. As long as you do. I¡¯ll give you everything I have ¡°Let me go first.¡± Caroline said coldy.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Chapter 271 1. Sherman hurriedly said, ¡°Since he¡¯s your friend, we¡¯ll take him in. I¡¯ll get the obstetrics and gynecology department to get him registered right away¡± Caroline nodded slightly, then looked at Desmond again. ¡°You¡¯d better not pull any tricks on me.¡± Desmond smiled wryly. ¡°I willingly helped your father forge ounts for the sake of having children. After handing over these ledgers, I don¡¯t even care if I end up in jail again.¡± Caroline thought someone like him was pitiful. He had taken the risk and gone against thew just to have a child of his own. She actually couldn¡¯t understand his feelings. Half an hourter, Desmond¡¯s wife, Ivy Baker, brought Evans Group¡¯s real ledgers to the hospital gate. When she learned that Victoria Hospital had epted to help them, she was so happy that she hugged Desmond. The two cried tears of Joy However, when Ivy learned she had to give Caroline the real ledgers, she hesitated. ¡°Give it to Ms. Evans, dear. The hospital wouldn¡¯t take us in without her help.¡± ¡°But Ivy was hesitant. Desmond reassured his wife. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just give it to her.¡± Ivy hesitated for a while longer before handing it to Caroline with gritted teeth. Caroline took the ledger and flipped through a few pages. She was more or less sure that these ledgers were real She turned around and said to Mr. Sherman, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Mr. Sherman,¡± The two had just walked a few steps when Ivy chased after her. ¡°Ms. Evans, can I make a small request?¡± Caroline said, ¡°What is it? ¡°Can you not hand these ledgers over tow enforcement?¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Ivy said, ¡°Your father asked my husband to do all this. My husband had no choice but to do this so we could have children.¡± Caroline looked at Ivy¡¯s tearful expression. The strange thing was that she didn¡¯t feel any sympathy for her. ¡°We¡¯ll see how it goes.¡± After saying that, she and Mr. Sherman walked into the hospital. The obstetrics and gynecology doctors took Desmond and Ivy for examination. After listening to the lecture, Caroline bumped into Ivy again. She had probably just finished the examination and was curled up on the chair in pain. Caroline wanted to leave, but for some reason, she turned around and walked over to Ivy. She handed a bottle of juice to her and said. ¡± You¡¯ll feel better after drinking some grape juice.¡± When I saw it was Caroline, she was wary. The hospital gave me this.¡± Caroline ced the bottle beside Ivy. She hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Can I ask you a question? Ivy didn¡¯t dare disobey Caroline, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Why do you both insist on having children?¡± Kirk had also mentioned several times that he wanted to have children with her. With her family situation, she wasn¡¯t keen on having a child. But after seeing Desmond¡¯s and Ivy¡¯s dedication, she really wanted to know why they would go so far. Ivy took a deep breath, relieving her pain significantly. She stroked her stomach and said happily. ¡°Because Desmond and I want to know gradually dulled away in her thoughts. ¡°Since college, Desmond and I have been thinking about what our child will be like. After doing so for over a decade, it¡¯s be an obsession.¡± When Caroline thought of Kirk, she wondered if he would also often think about what their child was like. If she kept refusing to have children, could their marriage go on? Caroline became a little annoyed and quickly left the hospital. When in came tome, he could feel that the atmosoners wac a of gloomy. With a smille, he hugged Caroline from behind. Hesret ¡°Who Lose you today, babe? He new that she had been looking for Desmond. Capire pistet hava her expression remained neutral as she said. ¡°No one.¡± Then why do you look like you have a lot on your mind? Kirk snatched the tomato from Caroline, Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Chapter 272 When in came tome, he could feel that the atmosoners wac a of gloomy. With a smille, he hugged Caroline from behind. Hesret ¡°Who Lose you today, babe? He new that she had been looking for Desmond. Capire pistet hava her expression remained neutral as she said. ¡°No one.¡± Then why do you look like you have a lot on your mind? Kirk snatched the tomato from Caroline, picked up the knife, and cut it open. doc Carpine makes to the bathroom and booked at herself in the mimot When she retumes to the niche was already cooking. He said. ¡°You¡¯re lying to me again.¡± Thet, te cucked ¡°Just wait for now. I call you when I¡¯m done.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Capline didn¡¯t leave instead she leaned against the wall. As she watched Kirk get busy in the kitchen, she couldn¡¯t help blurting out. ¡°Do you ever regret maning me? < don¡¯t ever tum around as he asked. ¡°Why are you thinking about that?¡± remember that you wanted children very much. But after I told you that I didn¡¯t want children, you never brought it up again.¡± Caroline saic soitty. Til never get over my reservations and still refuse to have children, won¡¯t you feel unfortunate?¡± Crowned. The never regrated marying you. As for having children- He caused the focused on cooking. didn¡¯t bring up having children because I wanted one.¡± ¡°What did you say? Carbine binted in confusion wanted to have children with you because¨COrr felt like he had been foolish back then. Pe was embarrassed to admit it and said quiety, if we have children, you¡¯ll never return to Eddy¡¯s side.¡± Carbine stered an their shOCC Cooler uneasy under her stare and said immediately, ¡°Daring, I was a fool for thinking of something like that. Don¡¯t be upset. I won¡¯t mention having children again, if you want one, we¡¯ll have one. If you don¡¯t, then we won¡¯t¡± Caroline fowned. Her eyes were red from emotion. ¡°Are you so afraid of me returning to Eddy¡¯s side?¡± Cr Towned. His ears tumed signty red as he ced thepleted dishes on the table. ¡°Not really When retuned off the tonen hood, the vi became much quieter. Kirk listened to reason and stopped recklessly expressing his feelings Caire waged him from benind. She ced a sweet kiss on his neck slowly unbuttoning his clothes with both hands. ¡°Kirk, you look so Caroline¡¯s vocal unintentional teasing already made it hard for Kirk to control himself. he fer defenceless against her intentional teasing. He reached out behind him and pulled Caroline into his arms. Care ine raided her head and the kitchen lightnded on her face, clearly illuminating the desire in her eyes. Kk covered her eyes and whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I lose control¡± She kissed his throat and said sensually, ¡°Go ahead and lose control¡± Then, she quickly forgot about what happened at the hospital. She thought her life right now was good. There was no need to ruin her good mood with the unknown Having this figured out Caroline walked happily to work the next day. She carefullypared the ledgers Desmond had given her. After confirming that they matched the information from the investigation. she started to take the next step. Meanwhile, La had made it clear that she would run for CEO of Evans Group. Moreover, she and Eddy had been showing up together a lol, so many people were optimistic about her as the next CEO. There had never been a secondpetitor for the position. To be the next CEO, La needed the support of more than half of the shareholders. Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Evans Group was a smallpany with a total of six shareholders. Thepany itself was thergest sharonder, but because s member of the Evans family was running for the position, Gan, the previous CEO, had no say in the situatio Only the five other shareholders could make the final decision. And among these five people, two were on Eddy¡¯s side, in other words, they were definitely on I a¡¯s side. Hence, Caroline had to convince the other three people to support her. That¡¯s why she had gotten the real ledgers. They could recover the money people had cheated them out of with these ledgers too. Caroline had just finished tidying up when she got a call from Gwen. ¡°Carol, I¡¯ll go wedding dress shopping with youter,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have work? Caroline asked. ¡°I have a two¨Chour break at noon. So, we can go over and have a look¡± ¡°All right.¡± Caroline had no hopes for the store Cook had introduced, but she still said, ¡°I¡¯ll call you when I get off work at noon ¡°Okay.¡± Soon enough, Caroline and Gwen met at Merry Color. Caroline was surprised to see that Sean was also there. She asked, ¡°Why is Sean here too?¡± Gwen said with a look of disgust, ¡°He insisted oning. He said he wanted to see you in your wedding dress in advance and show it off to Kirk.¡± After that, she leaned over to Caroline and lowered her voice. ¡°Men are so childish.¡± Caroline smiled and didn¡¯t refute, Gwen was correct; men could be really childish sometimes. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The three entered the bridal boutique together. The clerk immediately greeted them, ¡°Wee! Which one of youdies needs a wedding dress?¡± Caroline said, ¡°That would be me.¡± The clerk looked at Caroline¡¯s figure and immediately smiled. She praised her, saying. ¡°You have such a good figure, ma¡¯am. Any wedding dress will look good on you.¡± Caroline smiled and walked into the store under the clerk¡¯s guidance. She had to admit that this ce deserved to be the most popr bridal boutique among the upper ss. The wedding dresses in the shop were boldly designed. They were novel and exciting. Each dress looked brilliant and elegant. She could tell they were valuable. A wedding dress like this could reflect the identity and status of its wearer. No one from the upper ss would dislike that. Sean wasn¡¯t interested in clothes. He wanted to see Gwen wear a wedding dress. But he remembered what Kirk said about a groom seeing his bride in a wedding dress, so he simply said, ¡°I¡¯ll buy you both some milkshakes.¡± With that, he slipped out of the bridal boutique.. Caroline joked, ¡°It seems you dragged him here by force.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Gwen argued, ¡°He really wanted toe here.¡± ¡°He came here for you.¡± Caroline moved closer to Gwen and whispered, ¡°Ms. Jameson, shouldn¡¯t you end this probation soon?¡± With burning cheeks, Gwen protested, ¡°1¨CI¡¯m still thinking about it. Carol why does it feel like you keep taking his side? Did he price you or something?¡± Just as Caroline was about to answer, a crowd of bodyguards rushed in from outside the door. The bodyguard¡¯s leader said arrogantly to the clerk ¡°Clear out all your customers!¡± Chapter 274 Chapter 274 Chapter 274 The bodyguard¡¯s arrogance made Caroline and Gwen frown in unison. Gwen whispered in Caroline¡¯s ear, ¡°Why make such a big fuss? It¡¯s not like the queen ising, right? The store manager walked out when he heard themotion, Seeing so many bodyguards, she hornedly asked with a site, w you people?¡± ¡°We¡¯re Ms. Daphne¡¯s bodyguards. She¡¯sing here to try on wedding dresses. You¡¯re the store manager, noen? The word we down on his nose at the store manager. He ordered. ¡°Hurry up and get rid of the irrelevant people. If we spread any news about this ce, you might as well close these doors? The store manager asked. ¡°By Ms. Daphne, do you mean Daphne Dawson?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When the store manager heard that Daphne wasing, she didn¡¯t care about anything else and hurriedly asked the clerks to get the customers out of the store. Most people were having lunch at this hour, so there was only one other customer besides Caroline and Gwen. The customer immediday left without saying anything after hearing that Daphne was coming. Meanwhile, Gwen said unhappily. ¡°This isn¡¯t Daphne¡¯s store. Why should we leave when shees? The store manager said awkwardly. ¡°Ms. Daphne is Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s wife. We can¡¯t afford to upset her. Please forgive us.¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Caroline hadn¡¯t nned on buying a wedding dress from this store in the first ce. So she said, ¡°Everyone is just doing their job, Gwen Don¡¯t make things difficult for them. Let¡¯s go.¡± Although Gwen was upset, she wasn¡¯t unreasonable. She dragged Caroline out. ¡°Daphne is getting crazier and crazier, Im sure she¡¯s Before she could even finish, she almost bumped into Daphne and Jane, who were walking toward the door. When Jane saw Caroline, the smile on her face immediately disappeared. She raised her head to p Caroline Fortunately, Gwen had already noticed and pushed her friend away. As a result, Jane¡¯s pnded on Gwen¡¯s arm. Her pale arm tumed red in an instant. Caroline¡¯s expression turned dark, and before Jane could react, she pped her in the face. Jane was struck so hard that her head turned. It took her a moment to react, and she charged at Caroline. ¡°How dare you hit mer Suddenly, there was a lot of noise at the door of the bridal boutique. Daphne was afraid of being photographed and hid in the boutique before ordering the bodyguards, ¡°Quick! Break them up.¡± The bodyguards quickly separated Jane, Caroline, and Gwen. After all, Jane was a pampered woman. Although she was very imposing, she was fighting against two young people. Her face and hands were covered in bruises. On the other hand, Caroline and Gwen were unscathed, aside from their messy hair. Seeing this, Jane became even more furious. She shook off the bodyguards and yelled, ¡°Let go of me After that, she turned around and questioned the store manager, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you people? I cant believe you¡¯d let such poor sods into your store! Do you really think she can afford all of this?¡± Everyone looked at each other. Caroline and Gwen had an elegant bearing, so the clerk naturally thought they could afford the dresses in the store. However, after hearing what Jane said, she couldn¡¯t help but doubt her vision. Jane continued, ¡°Do you know who they are? One of them is just a little girl from a small family. And the other one¡¯s family has already gone bankrupt! Am I right, Ms. Evans?¡± She mockingly said Caroline¡¯s title. She hated Caroline to the core. Although there wasn¡¯t any evidence pointing to Caroline for what happened to Brie, her daughter had gone nuts after seeing Caroline that day Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Chapter 275 After calming down, Jane realized that she couldn¡¯t make a big huss with a big star like Daphine around, so she jesuited to yelling Daphne thought Caroline looked familiar, so she asked casually. ¡°Who is this, Mrs. Collins?¡± ¡°You still haven¡¯t noticed, Daph? Jane said disdainfulb, ¡°This is Caroline, the woman who had the chance to marry Eddy and be a richdy but chose to act high and mighty and marry an ordinary person,¡± Everyone¡¯s expressions turned dark in response. They still had vivid memories of the events of the past few days. Caroline had stepped out to refute the rumors and say that there was nothing between her and Adn and that her husband was an ordinary person. There was no way she could afford to buy things from a store like this. Daphne was different now. She might have fawned over Caroline in the past, but now ¡°So, this is her.¡± She rolled her eyes and said disdainfully, ¡°She does act pretty high and mighty.¡± ¡°Hey! Are you two done being condescending?¡± Gwen couldn¡¯t take their yapping anymore. She asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a wedding dress? Choose whichever one you like, Carol, and I¡¯ll give it to you!¡± She could afford to spend a few million dors. At worst she could just pay it in installments. Caroline knew Gwen was helping her assert authority, but she thought it waspletely unnecessary. She lived life for herself. It wasn¡¯t worth spending millions of dors to buy a wedding dress you would only wear once just to get back at someone. She said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Now, you¡¯re slinking away because you can¡¯t afford it.¡± Jane sneered, ¡°Didn¡¯t you realize you couldn¡¯t afford it beforeing here?¡± Caroline slowly tumed around and looked straight at Jane. ¡°The Collins family has been out of tune with the other three big families for sa many years. It¡¯s entirely because of your nouveau riche mentality. ¡°There wasn¡¯t a time when your family hadn¡¯t bought publicity, but you still haven¡¯t improved your image.¡± Her words were a fatal blow, and Jane¡¯s expression immediately changed. Gwen covered her mouth and giggled. ¡°Exactly! Although we don¡¯t have much money, we¡¯re clever about spending it. We¡¯re not a bunch of foolish rich people like your family, who don¡¯t change their attitude at all no matter how much money they spend.¡± ¡°How dare you?¡± Jane was furious at her words. She ordered. ¡°Throw them out.¡± Several bodyguards were about to step forward when they heard a drawl: ¡°Who dares try to throw my girlfriend and her friend out? Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Sean walking over with three cups of milkshakes. Jane didn¡¯t recognize Sean. Seeing that he was alone, she scoffed, ¡°You can¡¯t be Caroline¡¯s husband, right? You look pretty good, but you¡¯re too poor.¡± As Sean listened to Jane¡¯s words, he was d he hadn¡¯t had a milkshake yet. Otherwise, it would¡¯ve been a waste. He rolled his eyes. He nced at Gwen, then handed two cups of milkshakes to her and Caroline, mouthing. ¡°Just y along.¡± Caroline and Gwen were confused by his words. Immediately afterward, Sean turned around and said to Jane, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m Caroline¡¯s husband.¡± Caroline hurriedly looked over at Gwen, but Gwen winked at her, telling her to keep watching. Caroline had no choice but to watch patiently. when Jane heard that he was Largunes husband, she immediat She said. ¡°No wonder Caroline has always been embarrassed to say who you are. Let me ask you which family are you way you have a house or a car, right?¡± Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Chapter 270 Sean nudded his gold med sses and answered honestly, I¡¯m from the Vates family.¡± while and anyone witht name who an bom a well off family +15 BONUS Furthermore, as the fourth party of the big four familles, the Collins family could step all over anyone except the other big farnilles, They only had to tread carefully around the Morrisons, the Sorkins, and the Hacketts. Jane didn¡¯t overthink it andughed. ¡°I can tell you¡¯re a refined gentleman, so you must have studled for a few more years. What¡¯s the use of studying so much? You n¡¯t work for a blu family like ours¡± Sean raised an eyebrow at her words. He was from a well known family. His family had studied medicine for generations, and their behavior was excellent. This was the first time he had met someone like Jane, ¡°You¡¯re being lyrannical ¡°Sean,¡± Gwen Interupted him. ¡°There¡¯s no point talking to a bunch of heartless, rich fools like the Collins family. They only care about their money.¡± ¡°I see. That exins why money is all they talk aboul.¡± Seeing the two of them singing the same lune, Caroline raised an eyebrow, Impressed. Although she didn¡¯t know what Sean was up to, she could tell theyplemented each other very well. With their chemistry, they could officially be together soon enough. However, Jane was outraged. ¡°You-¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Seeing this, Daphne sald arrogantly, ¡°Mrs, Collins, there¡¯s no need to stoop yourself down to their levels. They can just yap all they want. We don¡¯t need to waste our time on them.¡± She suddenly raised her voice. ¡°Kick them out!¡± ¡°Hang onl¡± Sean frowned. ¡°We¡¯re here lo spend money. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone try to drive away a customer.¡± ¡°Spend money, you say?¡± Jane chuckled at his words. ¡°Do you have money?¡± At this point, Sean was pissed off. This was the first time someone had questioned him like this. Ignoring Jane and Daphne, he turned to Caroline. He said, ¡°Caroline, give me the list Cook gave you.¡± Caroline look out the list and handed it to Sean. Sean threw the list in front of the store manager, shouting, ¡°Bring out all the clothes that suit her ording to the categories on this list!¡± The store manager was stunned and looked at Jane helplessly. Jane scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re a good actor, aren¡¯t you?¡± After that, she said to the manager, ¡°You¡¯re not really going to listen to him, are you? Even If you take out these clothes, they won¡¯t buy them. It¡¯s just a waste of time.¡± ¡°Who says I won¡¯t buy them?¡± Sean took a ck card from his wallet and handed it to the clerk. ¡°I¡¯m buying all of these.¡± Everyone gasped when they saw the ck card. This ck card was issued exclusively by Union Bank. There were very few people in the world who owned such a card. It was specially customized for the most distinguished VIPs. Only customers who spent around one billion dors a year were eligible for this card. As an entertainment Industry member, Daphne was very sensitive to status symbols. Her expression shilted when she saw that card. Jane was alsoken aback. But soon, she thought of a possibility and said firmly. ¡°This card is ake!¡± She was speaking from experience. Before the Lownses had be one of the big tour families, Jane nan sometimes usedke cards to show off her status. Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Chapter 277 ¡°We¡¯ll find out if the card is real after I pay.¡± Sean turned to Caroline and said, ¡°Go ahead and pick whatever you want, Caroline.¡± Kirk was the one paying, anyway. Caroline knew that Sean¡¯s worth was a lot since he was a genius doctor, but she and Sean were just friends. She felt terrible about him spending so much money. But if she chose to repay the money, she couldn¡¯t afford to. She said, ¡°We should go, Sean. I have to go to work.¡± Just as Caroline was about to turn around, she heard Jane¡¯s mocking voice. ¡°See? I told you it was fake. It seems you bothplement each other as a couple.¡± Gwen snapped before Caroline did. She tugged at Caroline¡¯s clothes, grilled her teeth, and shouted, ¡°Buy whatever you want, Carol! If worstes to worst, you can just treat it as a gift from me. I¡¯ll return the money to Sean. ¡°We¡¯re not arguing about this! The Collins family is going too far!¡± Caroline smiled slightly. ¡°Why waste money just because someone else is judging you? Besides, a wedding dress isn¡¯t a necessity.¡± Hearing what Caroline said, Sean touched his nose and cursed internally. With her husband¡¯s conditions, he could make shopping for a wedding dress seem like grocery shopping. Sean couldn¡¯t bear to see Caroline foolishly saving money for Kirk. Yet he held back the urge to tell her the truth for his friend¡¯s sake. He approached Caroline and quietly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money. It isn¡¯t an issue for me.¡± After a brief pause, he continued, ¡°I¡¯m mainly doing this to get even with those jerks. If you don¡¯t buy it, I¡¯ll feel ufortable.¡± Gwen convinced her as well ¡°He¡¯s right, Carol Go ahead and pick whatever you want. For people like them, money doesn¡¯t buy happiness at all. Money isn¡¯t an issue for Sean.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. They pushed Caroline into the store. She had no choice but to tell the clerk, ¡°I want to see some wedding dresses.¡± The store manager looked at Daphne and Jane. The former was the wife of Eddy¡¯s mysterious second uncle, while thetter was the wife of Howard Collins. And Caroline and herpanions were just nobodys. After thinking about it, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We only ept VIPS in our store today. You shoulde again next time.¡± Sean smirked. He asked, ¡°You¡¯re only taking VIPs, huh? Your store¡¯srgest shareholder is Morrison Corp, right?¡± The clerk was stunned and said, ¡°Yes.¡± Sean took out his phone and called Eddy. Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, he said on the phone, ¡°Mr. Eddy, I¡¯m in your store right now, and the service here is dreadful. Today is obviously a regr day, but the store manager lied, saying that only VIPS are allowed in today. Is this how your subordinates fool the customers?¡± When Sean opened his mouth, everyone thought of Eddy, but Jane and Daphne soon denied this possibility. There was no way someone like him knew Eddy. He was acting again. The poorer someone was, the more they worked topensate for it. Seanined on the phone for a while longer, then handed the phone to the store manager. The store manager hesitated for a moment but still took the phone. When she heard Eddy¡¯s voice, she trembled in fear. She tried to exin, ¡°M¨CMr. Eddy I¡­ Daphne and Jane simultaneously raised their heads. The store manager¡¯s face was already flushed red. She said, ¡°Yes, I understand. I¡¯ll pack up my things and leave right away.¡± When the store manager spoke, a man ran in from the door. He walked in panting. He had obviously rushed over here. ¡°M¨CMay I ask which one of you is Mr. Sean Yates?¡± When Jane and Daphne heard his name, their faces turned pale. Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Kirk was very mysterious, and no one even knew his name, but as a genius doctor, Sean was different. He often had to attend medical conventions and didn¡¯t hide that he was friends with Kirk, which attracted many people¡¯s attention. Both Jane and Daphne knew his name. Jane knew it because the Collins family was already one of the big four families, so she kept tabs on families more prominent than hers. Daphne knew Sean¡¯s name because she hadn¡¯t been able to find any information about Kirk, except that he was good friends with Sean. Hence, his name had left an impression on her. ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± Sean turned around to face the man who had rushed over. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. The man hurriedly approached Sean, nodded solemnly, and said, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry! I¡¯m the person in charge of this store. I¡¯llpensate for my subordinates¡® ipetence. We¡¯ll do whatever you want!¡± The man¡¯s tone showed his sincerity. Sean pointed at Jane and Daphne and ordered, ¡°Ban these two from your store for life.¡± When the man saw who he was pointing at, he was hesitant. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t you say you would do anything?¡± Sean sat down on the couch and crossed his legs. He smiled very gently, but an imperceptible coldness was hidden in that gentle smile. ¡°But The man walked up to Sean and nced at Daphne. ¡°Ms. Dawson is married to Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle. II can¡¯t ban her.¡± Banning Daphne was equivalent to getting killed. Eddy¡¯s second uncle was a respectable man. He didn¡¯t dare to offend him either. Right now, the bridal boutique was silent, so Daphne heard his words clearly. As if someone was supporting her back, she straightened up. ¡°So, you¡¯re Sean. My husband has talked about you.¡± She said with a smile. ¡°Since you¡¯re my husband¡¯s friend, you¡¯re my friend as well¡± As she spoke, she stretched her hand to him as a show of goodwill Sean didn¡¯t even look at her. Disgust appeared on his bookish face as he said, ¡°Really? But Ki¨Che never told me he was married.¡± Daphne¡¯s expression changed slightly. Kirk definitely wouldn¡¯t tell Sean that she was pretending to be his wife. But as his friend, if Sean said he didn¡¯t know about her in front of everyone, it would only make them think she was insignificant to Kirk Sure enough, everyone began looking at her differently. Her face turned pale. She said, ¡°Oh, maybe it¡¯s because we just got married, so Sean waved his hand and interrupted Daphne, ¡°I want them banned from this ce. If you can¡¯t do even a simple thing like this, I tell Eddy about it and let him handle it himself!¡± Sean smiled again. ¡°I find it troublesome to make two phone calls in a row for something so trivial¡± Speaking of this, the store manager had just finished packing her things and walked out. When she saw the person in charge, her eyes were red. The person in charge gritted his teeth and ordered, ¡°Someone escort these twodies out and ban them from this store!¡± ¡°How dare you?¡± Jane was furious. She said, ¡°I¡¯m Howard Collins¡® wife.¡± The person in charge smiled in response. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice, Mrs. Collins. Please leave.¡± Seeing that using her status didn¡¯t work, Jane hurriedly said, ¡°She¡¯s married to Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle, you know!¡± The person in charge couldn¡¯t bring himself to keep smiling. If he had to offend Daphne or Sean, he would choose the former. A rich man¡¯s spouse could go away at any time, but if Sean could mingle with the likes of Eddy, it meant that Sean was also from the upper ss. Things wouldn¡¯t end Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Four security guards came in, grabbed Jane and Daphne, and threw them out. The bodyguards Daphne had brought didn¡¯t dare to stop them and just slinked out of the store with her and Jane. After dealing with them, the person in charge ran to Sean again. He said, ¡°Mr. Yates, Mr. Eddy asked me to hand this to you.¡± Sean nced at the item. It was a card. ¡°There are 200 thousand dors on this card. You can spend it at any store under Morrison Corp. Mr. Eddy said it¡¯s a token of apology,¡± the person in charge exined. Gwen clicked her tongue at his words and nudged Caroline with her arm. Caroline had never seen Eddy be so generous in their eight years together. Even Eddy had to lower himself in front of someone more powerful than him. 200 thousand dors was just a drop in the bucket for Sean, but when he thought of Kirk, he smiled and kept the card. ¡°You¡¯re lucky that Mr. Eddy knows how to deal with people. We¡¯ll just leave this matter at that, but I won¡¯t be so kind the next time this happens.¡± The person in charge nodded hastily. ¡°Yes, all right. I¡¯ll make sure to ry your message to Mr. Eddy.¡± Sean said, ¡°You can leave.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The person in charge immediately left, as if receiving grace from a king. After this, the clerks in the store understood that Sean was someone important, to the point where even Eddy couldn¡¯t afford to upset him. They all approached him enthusiastically. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Yates, let me show you around.¡± ¡°We have a new wedding dress in our store. It¡¯s really beautiful ¡°Mrs. Yates, we also have different styles right here. If you like them.¡± Hearing the clerks¡® chatter, Caroline massaged her temples. She said wearily, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. We have to go.¡± Gwen nced at her phone. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s time to go back to work.¡± Sean nodded and led Caroline and Gwen out of the store. In the car, he handed the card to Caroline. He said, ¡°You can keep this, Caroline.¡± It was the card Eddy had given him. Caroline waved her hand and refused. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve this. Besides, I have to thank you for helping me.¡± Hearing her words, Gwen turned in the passenger seat and said, ¡°Just keep it, Carol. It¡¯s Eddy¡¯s money. Treat this aspensation for wasting your youth on him.¡± Caroline teased, ¡°Since when did you start making decisions for Sean?¡± Gwen blushed slightly and straightened up. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. You cared for Eddy for eight years, so you should get something from it.¡± Sean looked over at Gwen happily, then turned to Caroline through the rearview mirror. ¡°Gwen¡¯s right. You deserve this money. Besides, there¡¯s no point in me keeping it. I don¡¯t buy wedding dresses anyway.¡± After feeling the blush on her face slowly disappear, Gwen turned to look at Caroline again. ¡°Carol, you¡¯re taking a wedding photo. You don¡¯t have to leave any regrets, do you?¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Caroline was moved. They were right. Sean wouldn¡¯t use the card anyway. Even if he got married, he probably wouldn¡¯t buy a wedding outfit off the shelf. He would have one custom¨Cmade. It would be a waste not to use 200 thousand dors. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Caroline said awkward Chapter 280 Chapter 280 Sean dropped Caroline off at Thorne Corp before driving Gwen to the city center When they reached the underground parking lot, Gwen was about to take off her seat belt when Sean held her hand. Gwen¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she pretended to be calm. She asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say?¡± Sean asked in return, looking at Gwen with a tender smile. Gwen¡¯s heart beat wildly as he watched her. She said insincerely, ¡°What?¡± Sean moved closer, maintaining an appropriate distance. He said, ¡°I helped your friend today, you know¡­¡± He looked at her, silently asking for a reward. ¦§ Although there was a distance between them, Gwen could still feel Sean¡¯s breath on her cheeks. She felt uneasy and wanted to cover her face. Sean grabbed her wrist and stared at her with a burning gaze. ¡°Gwen, I know you¡¯re not ready to take the next step, but I¡¯m not in a hurry. But you have to give me a treat once in a while so that I can have some hope as I wait for your answer¡± He spoke as sincerely as a devout follower. Gwen shivered slightly. She asked quietly, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Anything is fine, even just a pat on my head.¡± Gwen¡¯s hands trembled. After a long while, she whispered, ¡°Let go of me first.¡± Sean did as she said Gwen gently cupped his cheek and kissed him on the lips ¡°How about this?¡± She looked at him boldly, but her bashfulness could be seen on her face Sean¡¯s heart was beating fast. Holding back the smile on his lips, he said, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a mice treat. Enough for me tost a long time.¡± Gwen looked at him shyly, and her face clowly turned red. She unbuckled the seatbelt and said. Im going to work.¡± 15 RONGS After watching her leave the car, Sean said, ¡°Darling, do I get this treatment as long as I help Caroline?¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane ¡± Gwen red at him. But when she turned around, she couldn¡¯t stop her lips from curling into a smule. Sean rubbed his lips with his fingertips, smiling foolishly. It wasn¡¯t until he heard a honk behind him that he returned to his senses. He realized he was blocking the way and quickly drove away. On the way, he got a call from Kirk.. ¡°Caroline hasn¡¯t bought a wedding dress yet,¡± he said quickly, knowing what Kirk would ask as soon as he answered the phone. He recounted what happened just now to his friend and sighed, ¡°Caroline considers your feelings. all the time. How could you lie to her, saying you¡¯re a poor man?¡± ¡°Since when did I say that?¡± Kirk retorted, narrowing his eyes. As he tapped his fingers on the table, the image of Caroline¡¯s heartbroken expression appeared in his mind, and his frown deepened. ¡°The middle management of Morrison Corp only earns 20 to 30 thousand dors annually. Although Evans Group is in decline, look at the people Caroline has interacted with as she grew up. Aren¡¯t you just poor in her eyes?¡± Kirk remained silent. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Seanughed. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°I just thought of a good way to help you. You can tell Caroline that you won one billion dors in a lottery. Then, you can live in peace without worrying about keeping your secret.¡± Kirk smirked. ¡°Are you saying this to help me or yourself?¡± Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Even though Kirk had seen through him in a second, Sean didn¡¯t get embarrassed. He only As he spoke, he turned the steering wheel. Then, his tone turned serious ¡°I mean it. It doesn¡¯t feel Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. good to see Caroline pinching pennies because of you.¡± Kirk¡¯s finger was on his temple as he said, ¡°I got it.¡± This meant that he would deal with it, so Sean didn¡¯t pursue the topic anymore. After hanging up, Kirk went back into the conference room. He saw Howard, who was looking at him in anticipation, and said ndly, ¡°You can leave now.¡± The smile on Howard¡¯s face froze. ¡°But Mr. Morrison, I¡¯m here today to report about Kirk shot Howard a look, making him shut up. He had no choice but to leave obediently. Once Howard left, Kirk called Charles in ¡°Give Daphne a few more roles.¡± Pained, Charles said, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Come back here.¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze was dark as he said, ¡°I don¡¯t mean a secondary or tertiary character. Give her a background role. It would be best if it¡¯s the kind of character who has to get in the water or fight. Make sure it¡¯s as difficult of a role as possible.¡± Charles was perplexed. ¡°Sir?¡± he asked But Kirk didn¡¯t respond, even after long seconds. Charles knew that he wasn¡¯t going to get an answer, so he quickly went back to doing his job. Meanwhile, Howard went straight home after leaving Kirk¡¯s office. Once he got back, he took a cup of coffee from a maid and sshed it across the floor. uch! He¡¯s simply too much! If we weren¡¯t making money from his projects, I¡¯d mess him up! entered the home right after. She was about toin to her husband that the Morrison ly was going to far when she heard Howard¡¯s voice. +15 BONOS went up ani asked in concent. Who angered you?¡± Who eta Howard was shaking all over as he spoke. Arse its Edy¡¯s second uncle He¡¯s ordering me around just because he can make money. oposal for the project was already settled and just needed to be signed. But then he made. We leave Tell me, is that night?¡± ane became mfuriated again when she heard that it was about the Morrison family once more. ¡°it you ask me, the Morisons are unreasonable. Do they really think they call all the shots just because they¡¯re the top family in Easton? I went to the Morison family¡¯s shop today Jane couldn¡¯t help but recount what had happened to her that day. When she finished, she huffed in displeasure ¡°They¡¯re really too much. They would even chase off their own family. Who wouldn¡¯t they chase. When Howard heard Jane¡¯s story, he slowly calmed down. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°They would even chase off their own family ¡°Not that part. You mean you went with Daphne?¡± ¡°Yes I wanted to see Daphne¡¯s wedding photos the other day, but Daphne told me they never took any because of how rushed it was when they got married. ¡°Thinking of what you said, I thought I would try to butter her up. That¡¯s why I suggested going to buy a wedding gown at Merry Color. Who would have thought we¡¯d bump into Caroline. Howard couldn¡¯t beat to listen to anything more. He frowned and interrupted Jane. ¡°I was wondering why Eddy¡¯s uncle wouldn¡¯t sign with me when things were going fine. So you¡¯re the one who ruined my ns.¡± Jane was stunned by this. ¡°Me? What did I do? I was bullied by the Morrisons today, but you¡¯re Their side?¡± t you get it even now?¡± Howard was going to be driven mad by his wife. Eddy¡¯s second uncle took it out on me after you took Daphne to the bridal boutique Jane froze for a moment before saying, ¡°That can¡¯t be, can it?¡± ¡°How else can you exin why he suddenly didn¡¯t sign the contract?¡± Howard walked over to sit on the couch. There was a strange smile on his face ¡°But when ites down to it, I can tell from this incident that he really cares about Daphine If we use this opportunity well, we will definitely make a fortune ¡± Chapter 282 Chapter 282 Chapter 282 Besides, if Eddy¡¯s second uncle keeps getting into new industries in the country, who knows if the Morrison Corporation will end up in Eddy¡¯s hands or his second uncle¡®?¡± Jane was taken aback when she heard that ¡°If Eddy¡¯s uncle ends up on top, he would be unstoppable He¡¯ll have control of both the markets in Sarcozia and Easton That¡¯s unheard of¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Howard chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s why you have to develop a good rtionship with Daphne. As for what happened today Howard frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t let it happen again.¡± Jane felt displeased at this. ¡°But Caroline caused Brie¡¯s condition. Are we just going to let her off? ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that Sean Yates is her man?¡± Howard¡¯s gaze turned dark at this ¡°He¡¯s good friends with Eddy¡¯s second uncle, and their rtionship seems strong. We can¡¯t offend her. Once Eddy¡¯s second uncle takes over both markets, we can bring up this matter again and exaggerate it. If he still likes Daphne, then we¡¯ll be lucky. We might be able to use her to get revenge. But if¡­¡± At that point, Howard paused for a long moment. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Then, he closed his wizened eyes and said, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t like her anymore, we¡¯ll have to think of another way.¡± Jane didn¡¯t understand much about business, but she was skilled when it came to ttering people. ¡°Alright, I got it. I¡¯ll definitely get close to Daphne.¡± When Daphne got home, she received a call from her manager. Her manager sounded very anxious on the phone. ¡°Daphne, did you make Mr. Morrison unhappy?¡± After her bout of rage before, Daphne got immediately mad at her manager, speaking rudely. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m crazy? Why would I cause trouble with him for no reason?¡± The manager touched his nose. ¡°Don¡¯t get mad just yet. Something weird is going on. I just notice from thepany to schedule a few dozen roles for you. I thought they would be Yoes, but when I checked, they¡¯re all background characters.¡± 415 BONOS He paused before continuing, ¡°And you know what¡¯s the worst part? Many of those reles require you to get in the water. Thepany even said that you¡¯ll be penalized ording to the contract vition rates if you decline the roles.¡± The manager didn¡¯t know who could have given the order if it wasn¡¯t Mr. Morrison. Daphne¡¯s expression changed when she heard her manager¡¯s words. After a second, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I know who did it!¡± It had to be Sean Yates! Herpany was under the Morrison Corporation. Sean must have felt that cklisting her from the bridal boutique wasn¡¯t enough to sate his anger. That must be why he had made thepany force her to take on so many projects. After hanging up the call with her manager, Daphne called Charles. Charles soon answered the phone. ¡°Ms. Dawson.¡± Daphne started crying on cue. ¡°Mr. Lane, is Mr. Morrison there? I¡¯ve gotten into a situation, and I hope he can help me.¡± Charles frowned as he looked in the rearview mirror. Kirk was resting in the backseat. It was obvious that he wouldn¡¯t want to talk to Daphne. ¡°You can tell me instead, Ms. Dawson.¡± Daphne chewed her lip. She would still rather talk to Kirk, but she was only the fake Mrs. Morrison, so she had no choice. Sounding aggrieved, she said, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s like this. I identally offended a friend of Mr. Morrison¡¯s. He suddenly had many background roles shoved at me¡­¡± Once Daphne finished speaking, Charles said neutrally, ¡°I think you must be mistaken about Mr. Yates These roles were arranged for you by Mr. Morrison.¡± Daphne was violently taken aback. She nearly bit straight through her lower lip ¡°W¨Cwhy?¡± she asked ¡°Mr Morrison says that you have to practice your acting skills. He doesn¡¯t want people to say that only getting roles because of him. That would be bad for the Morrison family¡¯s reputation touched her stinging lip. She could only say sweetly, ¡°Alright Please tell Mr. Marrison ¡°Okay,¡± Charles replied. He then cut off the call. After hanging up, he couldn¡¯t help but feel the urge to laugh. From the backseat, Kirk said indifferently, ¡®Laugh if you want to. If you get hurt from holding it in, you won¡¯t be able to im it as a work injury.¡± Just like that, Charles burst outughing. Chapter 283 Chapter 283 Chapter 294 Quentin¡¯s hair was messy and frizzy, and he had dark, heavy eyebags. It looked like he hadn¡¯t slept in many days. Adrian lugged at him. It was then that Quentin noticed Caroline. But his expression was frozen, and he couldn¡¯t even smile at her. ¡°No, I can¡¯t anymore. I¡¯m exhausted. I need to sleep first.¡± With that, Quentin slumped to the ground. Neither Gwen nor Caroline had ever seen him like this before. Curiously, they asked, ¡°What happened to him?¡± Adrian gave the passed¨Cout Quentin a kick. Then, he called some of the employees to move Quentin to the third floor. Alter that, he answered, ¡°He¡¯s been investigating something. He hasn¡¯t stopped for three days and hasn¡¯t slept in all that time. Now he needs to catch up on sleep. You. Adrian shot a nce at Caroline¡¯s shopping cart. ¡°Do you still have any more books to buy?¡± Gwen quickly answered. ¡°There¡¯s one more: ¡®The Essence of Management.¡± Since he was familiar with theyout, Adrian led them to the C section and pulled out a book with a red cover. He handed it to Caroline. Caroline and Gwen both looked over. Indeed, it was ¡°The Essence of Management.¡± Gwen was stunned. ¡°You didn¡¯t even look. How did you know where the book was?¡± Adrian smiled. ¡°This is my bookstore. Of course, I know where the books are. As for Caroline He nced at ¡°The Essence of Management¡± in the shopping cart. ¡°Few people know about this book. How do you know about it?¡± ¡°Caroline¡¯s husband told her about it.¡± Gwen held a measure of unconscious pride, the kind a mother would have for her son¨Cinw. ¡°He rmended all of these books.¡± Adrian regarded the books in the shopping cart. After a long while, he looked back up. ¡°He¡¯s an old hand at this. Can I ask whatpany he¡¯s the director of?¡± Gwen and Caroline exchanged a nce. In the end, Gwen said, ¡°He¡¯s not a director. He¡¯s just a regr office employee.¡± Adrian raised a brow. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± Then, Gwen took out her phone and nced at it. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Carol, we should be getting back.¡± There were still a couple oftchkey kids waiting at home for them for dinner. Caroline nodded before saying to Adrian, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Sorkin. We¡¯re going to pay now.¡± Adrian¡¯s frown disappeared. ¡°Consider these books a gift.¡± Caroline blinked. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just consider it Adrian chuckled and said, ¡°My wedding gift to you.¡± Caroline took another nce at the books before looking at Adrian again. Adrian said, ¡°If you think this gift is too cheap, I-* ¡°No, no! This gift is too valuable. I will take good care of them.¡± A brilliant smile appeared on Adrian¡¯s face. ¡°Good.¡± Once they got out of the bookstore, Gwen couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. ¡°Carol, I would bet a bag of chips that Adrian likes you!¡± Caroline put the books in the backseat of the car. ¡°Gwen, don¡¯t joke about this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking. Didn¡¯t you see the way he looked at you? It¡¯s so tender! It¡¯s definitely the way someone looks at their crush.¡± 13 +15 BONUS Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Caribe hard. When did you get the special ability to know at a nce whether someone likes me or not? ¡°Hey, don¡¯t knock it I had already wanted to ask you about it when we first met.¡± Caroline pulled on her seatbell. ¡°When we first met, we were about seven years old? Or eight years old?¡± Yep. Back then, there were already rumors about Adrian liking you.¡± This time, Carolineughed even louder. ¡°Alright, stop leasing me. Does a seven¨Cyear¨Cold even know what liking people is about?¡± Gwen shrugged. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t even remember what happened back then.¡± Caroline started the car. Then, she asked Gwen, ¡°Gwen, do you remember the stuff that happened when you were a kid?¡± ¡°Vaquely, I don¡¯t remember it all very clearly.¡± Caroline sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t remember a thing.¡± ¡°Maybe something happened to you when you were small, so you automatically blocked it all out?¡± Caroline shot a nce at Gwen. ¡°Which novel did you read about that one in?¡± ¡°Hey, you have to believe it. There¡¯s a scientific basis to it!¡± Thus, Gwen spent the car ride informing Caroline about how people could have different reactions after going through certain stimuli. By the time they got home, it was already past 6:00 pm. Sean and Kirk were at home ying some games. When they heard Caroline and Gwen return, they both turned their heads. Seeing these two overgrown kids, Gwen couldn¡¯t help but turn to whisper in Caroline¡¯s ear, ¡°Honestly, your husband¡¯s pretty capable. He can get along with Sean like they grew up together. I¡¯m impressed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m not worried about him starting his own business.¡± ¡°What are you two talking about?¡® Seeing Caroline and Gwen chatting so secretively, Kirk discarded his game controller. He walked up and pulled Caroline into his embrace, iming her as his own. Gwen pouted. ¡°We were saying you could be a courtesan.¡± Kirk raised an eyebrow, but he didn¡¯t get mad. He kissed Caroline¡¯s earlobe. ¡°Is that apliment, darling?¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t help but feel her face heat. Even though they were her friends, there were still other people here. She shoved Kirk aside.¡± What kind ofpliment is that?¡± ¡°Saying that I could be a courtesan means that I¡¯m good¨Clooking.¡± Caroline gripped Kirk¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re shameless.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Can you two stop showing off? I¡¯m hungry. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re feeding us with that show?¡± Though Sean sounded disgusted, he learned from Kirk and went forward to hug Gwen¡¯s waist. Yet Gwen pushed him away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. You haven¡¯t passed your probation yet.¡± Sean was speechless. Kirk looked at Sean with pity. After dinner, Gwen and Sean finally left. Once they did, Kirk picked Caroline up and carried her upstairs. Caroline hugged Kirk¡¯s neck, looking at him smilingly. ¡°Do you know what you are?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Insatiable,¡± Kirkughed. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. A man¡¯s gotta eat. Alright then. It seemed that Kirk really couldn¡¯t help but be inappropriate. Right then, on the other end of the city, Adrian was looking at the document before him, unable to sleep. He was looking at the Information Quentin had found about Jack. ording to this, Jack was a UFC champion. He had been living a all this time. But after Caroline had returned to the country and started working, he started driving her to and from work Jack was an athlete. Why did he have to be Caroline¡¯s driver? Adrian looked at Quentin, who was still fast asleep, and resisted the urge to wake him. Adrian could tell that Quentin was already limit. There was no way Jack¡¯s identity was so simple. Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Chapter 295 Time passed quickly. It was getting closer to the day when Evans Group¡¯s new CEO would be chosen. Yel Caroline only became more calm as the days went by. Even so, shepleted her work for Thome Corp very well. However, the HR department still hadn¡¯t found a suitable new design director. Thus, Jules had yet to approve Caroline¡¯s resontw Actually, there was another reason Jules didn¡¯t do it. He just didn¡¯t have the guts to say it. During this time, La had also been attending various events with Eddy. Anyone with sharp eyes could tell that Eddy was in support of La. There was even word that many people were waiting to invest in Evans Group once La took over. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Once the shareholders found out about this, they would surely be on La¡¯s side. That was why Jules didn¡¯t think Caroline could be Evans Group¡¯s CEO. He was worried since Eddy was so invested in La now. Jules¡® direct superior was Eddy¡¯s second uncle. He was afraid his boss would side with La too and forget about Caroline. If he approved Caroline¡¯s resignation but she didn¡¯t get the CEO position, she would be out of a job. Then, she would lose it all. Caroline wasn¡¯t that worried, though. After finishing her work, she wanted to go grocery shopping and prepare a feast to wee the next day¡¯spetition. But when she went out, Caroline bumped into Vivian. When Vivian saw Caroline, she smiled. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Ms. Evans! What a dedicated worker.! Do you think you can keep your job if you just work hard enough?¡± The people behind Vivianughed. They were all the ones who had always stood behind Vivian. They had chilled out after Caroline sent Susan to prison. Now that they found out Caroline was leaving, they were back to their bad behavior. Caroline nced at all these people. ¡°Mr. Hawkins hasn¡¯t approved my resignation yet. Strictly speaking. I¡¯m still thispany¡¯s design director.¡± Vivian nced at the time. ¡°What a shame. It¡¯s already 5:30 pm now. If you said it a second earlier, you would still be the respected Ms. Evans. But now **** Vivian then said, ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you. Mr. Hawkins called me in to say that I will be the design director starting tomorrow.¡± Caroline looked at her calmly. After checking through her bag to make sure that she hadn¡¯t left anything, she walked slowly toward the elevator. Vivian¡¯s underlings thought Caroline had been cowed, so they gathered before Vivian. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Vivian. You finally managed to chase that hateful woman out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Now, the design department is finally yours!¡± ¡°Viv, when the timees, you have to take good care of me.¡± All these praises and more had Vivian on cloud nine. She said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t forget how you¡¯ve stood behind me during this time.¡± The others were all pleased. Instantly, the other employees still in the office became stormy¨Cfaced. Everyone had been having a great time under Caroline¡¯s leadership. Naturally, they all approved of her. Now that their superior was suddenly changing and they were getting a director who liked kiss¨Cups, they knew that the future would be grim for them. Cheryl was among these people. Cheryl watched as Vivian entered the office in delight. She sniffed. She really wanted to quit with Caroline, too. In the office, Vivian settled ner emotions before calling La. ¡°Ms. La, its me.¡± Right then, La was sitting in the CEO¡¯s chair at Evans Group. She touched the armrests, her eyes alight with greed. ¡°Why are you calling me?¡± ¡°I just wanted to tell you that Caroline has left Thorne Corporation.¡± ¡°Alright. Did you take a picture of what she looked like when she left?¡± Vivian froze for a second. Then, sheughed. ¡°I forgot to. Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Chapter 295 Time passed quickly. It was getting closer to the day when Evans Group¡¯s new CEO would be chosen. Yel Caroline only became more calm as the days went by. Even so, shepleted her work for Thome Corp very well. However, the HR department still hadn¡¯t found a suitable new design director. Thus, Jules had yet to approve Caroline¡¯s resontw Actually, there was another reason Jules didn¡¯t do it. He just didn¡¯t have the guts to say it. During this time, La had also been attending various events with Eddy. Anyone with sharp eyes could tell that Eddy was in support of La. There was even word that many people were waiting to invest in Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Evans Group once La took over. Once the shareholders found out about this, they would surely be on La¡¯s side. That was why Jules didn¡¯t think Caroline could be Evans Group¡¯s CEO. He was worried since Eddy was so invested in La now. Jules¡® direct superior was Eddy¡¯s second uncle. He was afraid his boss would side with La too and forget about Caroline. If he approved Caroline¡¯s resignation but she didn¡¯t get the CEO position, she would be out of a job. Then, she would lose it all. Caroline wasn¡¯t that worried, though. After finishing her work, she wanted to go grocery shopping and prepare a feast to wee the next day¡¯spetition. But when she went out, Caroline bumped into Vivian. When Vivian saw Caroline, she smiled. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Ms. Evans! What a dedicated worker.! Do you think you can keep your job if you just work hard enough?¡± The people behind Vivianughed. They were all the ones who had always stood behind Vivian. They had chilled out after Caroline sent Susan to prison. Now that they found out Caroline was leaving, they were back to their bad behavior. Caroline nced at all these people. ¡°Mr. Hawkins hasn¡¯t approved my resignation yet. Strictly speaking. I¡¯m still thispany¡¯s design director.¡± Vivian nced at the time. ¡°What a shame. It¡¯s already 5:30 pm now. If you said it a second earlier, you would still be the respected Ms. Evans. But now **** Vivian then said, ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you. Mr. Hawkins called me in to say that I will be the design director starting tomorrow.¡± Caroline looked at her calmly. After checking through her bag to make sure that she hadn¡¯t left anything, she walked slowly toward the elevator. Vivian¡¯s underlings thought Caroline had been cowed, so they gathered before Vivian. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Vivian. You finally managed to chase that hateful woman out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Now, the design department is finally yours!¡± ¡°Viv, when the timees, you have to take good care of me.¡± All these praises and more had Vivian on cloud nine. She said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t forget how you¡¯ve stood behind me during this time.¡± The others were all pleased. Instantly, the other employees still in the office became stormy¨Cfaced. Everyone had been having a great time under Caroline¡¯s leadership. Naturally, they all approved of her. Now that their superior was suddenly changing and they were getting a director who liked kiss¨Cups, they knew that the future would be grim for them. Cheryl was among these people. Cheryl watched as Vivian entered the office in delight. She sniffed. She really wanted to quit with Caroline, too. In the office, Vivian settled ner emotions before calling La. ¡°Ms. La, its me.¡± Right then, La was sitting in the CEO¡¯s chair at Evans Group. She touched the armrests, her eyes alight with greed. ¡°Why are you calling me?¡± ¡°I just wanted to tell you that Caroline has left Thorne Corporation.¡± ¡°Alright. Did you take a picture of what she looked like when she left?¡± Vivian froze for a second. Then, sheughed. ¡°I forgot to. Chapter 286 Chapter 286 Chapter 296 La was in high spirits now, so she didn¡¯t me Vivian for it. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Fil get to see her expression tomorrow Vivian instantly got what she meant and went with the flow. ¡°I shall congratte you first, then, Ms. La¡± La was quite pleased to hear that and said, ¡®Don¡¯t worry. Your work won¡¯t be forgollen¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Vivian started but paused for a moment. ¡°I actually wanted to talk to you about something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± La asked. ¡°It¡¯s confirmed that thepany will make me their design director,¡± Vivian told her, deliberately omitting the detail that the position was temporary. ¡°Okay. What do you want, then?¡± asked La, en?¡± asked La, Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re smart.¡± Vivian smiled. ¡°Since Evans Group focuses primarily on the clothing Industry, you¡¯ll surely need someone to help with the designs. I was thinking that perhaps¡­ She didn¡¯t need to say more, for La knew exactly what she wanted and said, ¡°That is not a problemn.¡± She smiled, enjoying how she could unt her position. Assigning Vivian some work in private wasn¡¯t that big of a deal anyway. ¡°How about youe and meet me at around 2:00 pm alter the election¡¯s over? I¡¯ll give you something to work on then.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Vivan was grateful enough for that. ¡°Thank you, Ms. CEO.¡± La waved a hand in the air to dismiss her. ¡°As long as you work for me, there¡¯ll never be an end to the work I can give you. Rest assured that your pay will certainly be higher than what Thorne Corp could ever offer.¡± Vivian ended the call after thanking her over and over again. Meanwhile, Caroline was suddenly reminded of La and the strange disease she had contracted. Plucking out her phone, Caroline gave Sean a call. ¡°Sean, did you get any clues about what I asked you to look into?¡± Sean nced at the man who sat tied up on a chair. ¡°Are you talking about La¡¯s condition?¡± The man shuddered when he heard what Sean said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I got it figured out,¡± said Sean, and the man on the chair paled. Sean nced at him again and decided to stop questioning the man. He left the basement with his phone. ¡°I¡¯ve looked into it thoroughly. La had bribed the doctors who work for the Morrisons. Since money was involved and they knew there was something between Eddy and her, they agreed to help her lle to him.¡± ¡°All the reports have been tampered with,¡± he added. Caroline shuddered at his words. She had expected something like this, but she never expected La to be so ruthless as toke her illness just for her to die. Now, Caroline finally understood just how far La could go and how cruel she could be. ¡°Caroline?¡± Sean asked, concerned because of her silence. He had nned to tell Kirk about this once he was done investigating it. This way, Kirk could be the one to tell her this shocking piece of information, It just so happened that this final doctor who joined hands with La was much too thick¨Cheaded to tell him the truth. This was why Sean 12 *15 BONUS ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Caroline let out a long sigh. Something like this could no longer hurt her. She would only be more ruthless when she dealt with La in return. 1 ¡®So Eddy knew nothing about this, right? *Judging from the evidence, that is indeed the case,¡± Sean answered. The realization dawned on Caroline, but she managed to fully calm herself down. ¡°When can I get the evidence?¡± Sean looked at the door to the basement and said, ¡°I still have onest person to deal with. You can get the evidence by tomorrow, I think.¡± ¡°Okay. Can you pass it to me before the election isplete?¡± ¡°What time will it end?¡± ¡°About 10:00 am.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Upon hearing his answer, Caroline felt her entire being rx. Staring out the window, she found herself looking forward to tomorrow. Chapter 287 Chapter 287 Chapter 297 Kirk was already home by the time Caroline returned. He wasn¡¯t in the kitchen preparing food as usual, though. He tossed her a smile and said. ¡°Let¡¯s head out for dinner today. I booked us a spot at Yogoo.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Yegon was a new restaurant specializing in Faromish food, Influencers flocked there, and it was said that the restaurant offered 180 different dishes and that every single dish tasted heavenly. The only downside was that the food was rather expensive. A couple of days ago, one of its customers had shared the bill online. He had spent thousands of dors just on three dishes. This piece of information quickly took over the headlines. ¡°The food there is too expensive.¡± Caroline furrowed her brows. ¡°Why do you want to go there for dinner?¡± Kirk tilted her chin upward and kissed her gently on the lips. ¡°It¡¯s to celebrate you, darling, for bing the next CEO of Evans Group in advance.¡± Carolineughed lightly and sald, ¡°Is it really alright? What if I lose?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Kirk hooked an arm around her waist. ¡°I believe in you, darling.¡± The look of faith in his eyes shone through like an unwavering ray of light. It was clear that he wasn¡¯t simply trying to joke around. The trust he ced in her made her heart skip a beat, and she stood on the tips of her toes to give him a kiss. Just when she wanted to pull away, she felt his grip on her waist strengthen, and she was lifted slightly higher into the air. When Kirk finally let go of her, she found herself panting for air with her face as red as a tomato. Kirk patted her back lightly to help her calm down. Teasingly, he said, ¡°Darling, you have to work out more.¡± Puzzled, Caroline hesitated for a moment before straightening her back. ¡°Stop fooling around. Hurry and cancel the reservation.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to celebrate?¡± ¡°Of course we are! But we can simply celebrate at home!¡± Caroline said. In truth, she thought that spending a few thousand dors for a meal was simply outrageous. Kirk ced a kiss between her brows. ¡°Stop thinking of helping me save money. We eat out once in a while, and I¡¯m pretty sure I can afford It.¡± It was as though he could read her mind. Caroline¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°But Thal amount could equal his sry after a month of hard work. Kirk noticed the reluctance in her eyes, and he leaned in to kiss them. ¡°I work hard so that you can spend what I earn. If you don¡¯t, then there¡¯s no point in me working so hard anymore.¡± His words tugged at her heartstrings. He wasn¡¯t lying, though. In the past, he had been a workaholic because working saved him from the dreaded tendrils of loneliness. Now, he worked so that he could provide her with a beller life. If he failed in this aspect, he would start considering whether he should tell Caroline his true identity. He didn¡¯t want her to feel sorry for him because of money. He also wanted to give her the best of everything. ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline Inhaled. ¡°But promise me that It¡¯s just for this one time.¡± Seeing that she had finally relented, Kirk finally smiled. After pecking her on the lips, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the house. When they arrived at the restaurant, the staff led them to a private room. ¡°Sir, Ma¡¯am,¡± said the waitress as she handed them the menu. ¡± Would you like me to rmend our specialties?¡± 1/3 Caroline started in spear but was bristy mnieniu him, who looked Frowning he ple bed up his phone and stood up. You onder first. I¡¯ve got a call to answer +15 BONUS fine. He shuddered, looked at the popers in his hand, and felt a ch u, it¡¯s about the private defective that the madam hired Hound out that 1 Kin nairowed his eyes, the fingers of his other hand tapping on the railing. ¡°What?¡± His name is Quentin Vach, and contact with him through Adn Sorkin name for himself as a private detective. He¡¯s Adrian Sorkin¡¯s friend. The madam came into Chartes¡® voice became increasingly soft as he spoke. They¡¯re now looking into Jack¡¯s identity¡± Charles held his breath Kirk¡¯s gaze id he asked in all blow the Impending storm from the silence that ensued from this revtion selllingly quiet voice, ¡°What did they find out? stion made Charles regain a bill of his vigor. ¡°Hased on your orders, all the staff working in Morrison Corp who havee into contact with the madam used d encryption measures,¡± he said. So, the private detective only discovered that Jack won the UFC lots of times. He knows nothing about anything else¡± Despite that Kik¡¯s voice deepened as he said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you think tha ou¡¯re quite a capable assistant? Charles fell goosebumps popping up all around his body, ¡°No ¡°Do you know what would happen if she continued looking into this ? Needless to say, Charles knew the consequences all too well. Jack had once been Kirk¡¯s bodyguard. If Caroline carried on investigating based on this clue, she would someday find out that Kirk was Eddy¡¯s second uncle. It was all just a matter of time Realizing this grave mistake, Charles immediately said, ¡°Sir, I won¡¯tin if I¡¯m demoted by three ranks and get deducted three months Day¡± A shadow fell across Kirk¡¯s face. Tm not going to punish you for this.¡± Hastity, Charles conected himself. ¡°Understood, sir. Til be extra careful in the future. There won¡¯t be a repeat of this.¡± Kirk opened hi uth to say something but swallowed the words back. Charles shouldn¡¯t be held fully ountable for this. Kirk himself had yed a significant part in Caroline¡¯s growth as a person, so he should be able to take the risk himself The silence made Charles hesitate for a bit, but soon be mustered the courage to ask, ¡°What do we do now?¡± Quentin managed to find out that Jack was a wrestler, so the madam would surely receive news of this. If she asked Jack about this sometin if thetter couldn¡¯t give her asonable exnation: Kirk narrowed his eyes as he pondered Charles¡® question. A momentter, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll handle this myself.¡± ¡°Okay¡± That was the only response Charles Come up with the private room of once again to find out that Caroline was done ordering their food Seeing him enter She hand Take a look. What do you want to eat? kick looked at the order slip and not food she ordered w tions, and the total price didn¡¯t even surpass a Shaking his head helplessly, he gestured for the waitress and added several other dishes. When the food arrived, Caroline instantly realized that their meat this time would cost a fortune, ncing at Kirk, she picked up her wallet and told him, ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom.¡± Kirk knew what she was going to do, but he didn¡¯t stop her. After leaving the room, Caroline quickened her footsteps and headed to the counter. Just when she reached there, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. ¡°Adrian?¡± She called out, surprised. Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Chapter 298 Adrian hunned, surprised to see ¡°Are you here with niled $15 BONUS He smile was wain, morning sun, and it made Caroline smile too. Tope, I¡¯m here with my bushand The gleam in Addan¡¯s eyes dimmed a bit. ¡°Loveds, eh? Embarrassed, Caroline lowered her head for a moment before looking up to ask him, ¡°What about you? Are you here with your friends?¡± ¡°Yeah, kind of,¡± Adn told her alter a moment¡¯s hesitance. Silence fell as both of them didn¡¯t have anything else to talk about after that. Adrian broke the stillness by asking, ¡°Can I meet your husband? He was curious about what kind of man could make her change so much. ¡°Surel¡± Caroline beamed. ¡°But you have to wall for a bit. I want to the bill first¡± ¡°Let me treat you two this time,¡± Adrian told her. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± She waved her hands, declining his offer. ¡°How can I let you do that?¡± The two of them fought for the bill, and the stall at the counter asked for the number of Caroline and Kirk¡¯s private room. Alter typing away at the keyboard for a while, she looked at them both and sald, ¡°Room 201 has been paid for,¡± Once again, silence shrouded the alr. Awkward, Caroline rubbed her temples and said, ¡°I forgot to ask my husband if he had paid for it. He must have done it earlier.¡± Adrian smiled and shifted the topic of their conversation. ¡°Well then, I can meet him now, right?¡± Caroline heartily agreed and led him to the private room. Just then, a soft voice sounded from behind thern. ¡°Adrian,¡± the voice called out. Caroline halted in her tracks and turned to the source of the volce, along with Adrian. A gentle¨Clooking young woman in a ck dress stood nearby. She was pretty, and her bearing suggested that she came from an affluent and sophisticated family. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. A look of unease took over Adrian¡¯sce when he saw her. The woman approached them and eyed Caroline up and down before smiling, which showed off her dimples. ¡°Caroline Evans?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t recognize this woman, who was reaching out a hand to her. ¡°Yvonne Hackett. You don¡¯t know me, but I know you.¡± Caroline repeated the name in her mind and soon found an answer. This woman was the Hackett family¡¯s daughter. There weren¡¯t many girls or women in their family, so all the Hacketts showered them with love. That was why Yvonne was treated quite well, although she wasn¡¯t the daughter of the head of the Hackett family. She had also made appearances at plenty of events and asions. Caroline had met her a couple of times before this and knew her as a cule and soft¨Cspoken young woman. She only had a vague impression of Yvonne, though, since they had never interacted much. ¡°I know who you are, Ms. Hackett,¡± Caroline said, and they shook hands. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Yvonne hooked an arm around Adrian¡¯s as though it were a natural thing for her to do. ¡°I¡¯m here to apany Adrian.¡± Realization dawned on Caroline, and she smiled warmly at Yvonne. ¡°I see. So you came here with Ms. Hackett.¡± ****** She had always thought that teen was wrong shout on FRA Discreetly, Adrian withdrew his arm from York¡¯s and can on selfs d He didn¡¯t know why he wanted to exin himself but merely cold that it was/ Caroline blinked, a bit confused at why he would felt her tits pet to the men * prime Hearing this, Yvonne smiled and said, ¡°Oh Were you for going to meets Event se do prog to abandon me, Adrian.¡± She sounded coquettish Somehow, Caroline sensed that Yvonne¡¯s words expressed a certain degres of my med bar Perhaps she was simply overthinking it, but she didn¡¯t take it to head told ham, med bark? She pointed in the direction of the private room she shared with Kirk and bed them goods Watching her retreating figure, Adrian escaped from Cnne¡¯s rest and followed after werde Caroline stopped and turned to look at him, but he couldn¡¯t seem to form any wrote that ¡°What?¡± She asked, puzzled. Adrian frowned for a moment before smiling. I just wanded to tell you that Gustin¡¯s almost dons with the pad You¡¯ll get the results very soon.¡± ¡°Really? Caroline bearned. Quentin had told her several times before that he couldn¡¯t find out verge of giving up. Who knew that he would be able to uncover more clues again? ¡°Yep. He¡¯ll be able to give you the information you need soon? ¡°Thank you so much, Adrian, Give Quentin my regards too. Caroline sounded more cheerful now Til treat you guys to dinner after I¡¯m done with my work.¡± After that, she thanked him a couple more times and said goodbye. This time, Adrian had no other reason to stop her from leaving, so he could only watch as she walked away Yvonne watched their interaction the entire time with her hands balled into fists. She then walked beside him and tol let¡¯s go back.¡± Adrian turned to look at her and found that he had lost his appetite. ¡°You go on and eat alone, I¡¯m heading back first. With that said, he turned and left. Yvonne chased after him, but he was too quick for her and got in his car in the blink of an eye. When she caught were the tail lights of his car. Helpless, her knuckles turned white from clenching her fists as she watched him leave her behind. She spent a moment staring back in the direction where Caroline left them a while ago, then strode back into the restaurant. Caroline and Kirk returned home after they finished dinner. She told him about her encounter with Adrian and Yvonne in the restaurant ¡°I never expected Adrian and Yvonne to go on a blind date together,¡± she said as shebed her hair with one hand Her hair was messy from the wind from the open window, and her other hand was in Kirk¡¯s grasp Adrian was Mr. Sorkin¡¯s son, and Yvonne was Mr. Hackett¡¯s elder brother¡¯s daughter, Even though all the Hacketts adored her, her status. was significantly lower than Adrian¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t like Caroline thought any of these mattered. She simply understood that families like theirs took one¡¯s status very seriously. In the past. Mr. Morrison Senior had wanted her to marry into the Morrison family, but there were many who opposed it So it came as a surprise that the Sorkins would agree to let Adrian and Yvonne start a rtionship +15 BONUS *** about then to Alls hishamn her with her bath and changing into her pajamas, he tucked her up in bed. Apps spent in the his cob the information Quentin had procured for Carolic. He clicked it open. We want of the the Quentin was her hot away at his keylmand. He nced at Adrian, who sat behind him drinking a bottle of The tomat that you were lucht the ash/Why do I feel like you bought it for yourself?¡± Avalon shot take and of aching him a reply Later, Quentin let go of his mouse and stood up, waiting for the PC to continue its He sat down beside Aditan and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? That woman doesn¡¯t have eyes for you?¡® Quentin knew that the Sorkins had arranged Gatis Kehte hue. He knew it was about her. Mer taking another gulp of the alcohol Adrian continued ¡®She came to the restaurant with her husband today, Every time she mentioned his she always have this proust and blessed look on herce, I Is to be able to make her change so much and be totally different from what she was dopped lige he had seen Adrian so upset. and said, ¡°Hey, we¡¯ve known each other for so many years, but why haven¡¯t you talked to me about her ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about? Adrian smiled bitterly ¡°When we were young, they said she was destined to marry Edily, Later, when I learned that she broke off her engagement with him, she¡¯d man. Maybe we kist aren¡¯t meant to be.¡± the effect of wine that made Addan so open about his thoughts. He slouched on the couch, looking very dispirited and hagite Quentin fell silent and grabbed himself a bottle of beer. ¡°Maybe you can try it out with someone else.¡± Ive thought of this too. It was why I went on the blind dale,¡± Adrian said. ¡°that do you know what I was thinking when Yvonne talked about handbags, her friends, and her life studying abroad?¡± Quentin knew very well that the best thing he could do was lend Adrian an ear, so he kept quiet and waited for him to continue. ¡°I wondered what Caroline was doing at that time and what she would say if she were the person sitting across from me. Maybe she wouldn¡¯t say anything at all- Just then, a ping came from the PC. It snapped Adrian out of his stupor, stopping him from carrying on with the topic. He nced up at the PC. Quentin sel down the beer bottle and walked to the PC. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to investigate Jack, the UFC wrestler who¡¯s also Caroline¡¯s driver? I¡¯ve started looking into his background and everything rted to his personal life.¡± He pressed a few keys on the keyboard and said, ¡°Do you want toe over here and take a look at his profile?¡± Adrian stumbled b bit before regaining his bnce and walking toward Quentin. He had sobered up a bit already, but the words on the screen were kind of blurry. Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Chapter 299 Kirk lifted a drowsy Caroline back into their home. After helping her with her bath and changing into her pajamas, he tucked her up in bed. Then, he headed to the study and switched on the PC. After the screen lit up, his eyes zeroed in on the file containing the Information Quentin had procured for Carolie. He clicked it open. On the other side of the city, Quentin was busy typing away at his keyboard. He nced at Adrian, who sat behind him drinking a bottle of wine. ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you say that you were buying me a drink? Why do I feel like you bought it for yoursell?¡± Adrian carried on drinking instead of giving him a reply. Later, Quentin let go of his mouse and stood up, waiting for the PC to continue its operation on its own. He sat down beside Adrian and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? That woman doesn¡¯t have eyes for you?¡± Quentin knew that the Sorkins had arranged a blind date for Adrian. Adrian took a gulp from the bottle and told him, ¡°I met Caroline today.¡± Quentin clicked his tongue. He knew it was about her. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. After taking another gulp of the alcohol, Adrian continued, ¡°She came to the restaurant with her husband today. Every time she mentioned him, she¡¯d always have this proud and blessed look on her face. I ¡°I¡¯m really curious just what kind of a man he is to be able to make her change so much and be totally different from what she was like when she was little.¡± Quentin was stunned. This was the first time he had seen Adrian so upset. A momentter, he stopped joking and said, ¡°Hey, we¡¯ve known each other for so many years, but why haven¡¯t you talked to me about her in the past?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about?¡± Adrian smiled bitterly. ¡°When we were young, they said she was destined to marry Eddy. Later, when I learned that she broke off her engagement with him, she¡¯d already married another man. Maybe we just aren¡¯t meant to be.¡± Perhaps it was the effect of wine that made Adrian so open about his thoughts. He slouched on the couch, looking very dispirited and fragile. Quentin fell silent and grabbed himself a bottle of beer. ¡°Maybe you can try it out with someone else.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought of this too. It was why I went on the blind date,¡± Adrian said. ¡°But do you know what I was thinking when Yvonne talked about handbags, her friends, and her life studying abroad?¡± Quentin knew very well that the best thing he could do was lend Adrian an ear, so he kept quiet and waited for him to continue. ¡°I wondered what Caroline was doing at that time and what she would say if she were the person sitting across from me. Maybe she wouldn¡¯t say anything at all-¡± Just then, a ping came from the PC. It snapped Adrian out of his stupor, stopping him from carrying on with the topic. He nced up at the PC. Quentin set down the beer bottle and walked to the PC. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to investigate Jack, the UFC wrestler who¡¯s also Caroline¡¯s driver? I¡¯ve started looking into his background and everything rted to his personal life.¡± He pressed a few keys on the keyboard and sald, ¡°Do you want toe over here and take a look at his profile?¡± Adrian stumbled for a bit before regaining his bnce and walking toward Quentin. He had sobered up a bit already, but the words on the screen were kind of blurry. 1/3 +15 BONUS Alter adjusting the fonts to make the wordsrger, Quentin moved the cursor and opened the lile. Interesting. He studied at the same school as Caroline.¡± As he spoke, he scrolled downward, and the look on his face became more troubled. Adrian held on to the backrest of Quentin¡¯s chair for support. The longer he stared at the screen, the paler he turned. In the end, he darted Into the bathroom to puke. Seeing this, Quentin rushed off to get a first ald box and went through it to get something to relieve Adrian of the hangover. The PC was left forgotten in the living room. After waking up the next day, Caroline prepared all the documents for the election and took a seat at the dining table. Kirk sat across from her and asked, ¡°Do you want me to go with you?¡± ¡°Nah.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t hesitate to decline his offer. It wasn¡¯t that Kirk would embarrass her or anything. It was just that she knew those in Evans Group would scorn her if they saw Kirk with her. She didn¡¯t want him to be exposed to their sharp tongues and sarcastic words. Kirk wasn¡¯t a good¨Cfor¨C nothing person. He was an excellent man. Smiling. Kirk said, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Caroline nodded and held his hands in hers. ¡°I¡¯ll call you once the results are out, alright?¡± Kirk looked down at her hands. Taking advantage of this, he said, ¡°Kiss me once, and I¡¯ll agree to it.¡± Laughing, Caroline hooked her arms around his neck and pecked him on the lips. ¡°Happy now?¡± Pursing his lips, Kirk pressed a hand at the back of her head and leaned in for another kiss. It was a deeper one this time, and he pressed on until she gasped for air. Smirking, he told her, ¡°Our kiss must be as long as this next time.¡± A blush crept up Caroline¡¯s cheeks, and she lowered her head to gobble up her breakfast as she pretended not to hear him. Kirk smiled and ruffled her hair. After they finished having breakfast, Jack drove her to Evans Group. When she reached, she could sense that the atmosphere was significantly different than before. The languidness in the air was no longer present, and everyone appeared to be in high spirits. However, the look in their eyes changed when they noticed Caroline. There was animosity when they looked at her. Despite this, Caroline turned a blind eye to it and made her way to the conference room. There weren¡¯t many others in the room besides the few employees who were busy cing sses of water on the table. One of them was Emery Evans. When Emery saw Caroline enter the room, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from making some sarcastic remarks. ¡°Why, you¡¯ve arrived so early today. Are you worried that you won¡¯t be able toe here anymore after losing the election?¡± Laughter erupted in the room right after she finished her sentence. However, Caroline remained composed. ¡°The one who might not be able toe back here is you, not me.¡± Sneering, Emery told her, ¡°Stop bragging. I¡¯m an employee here. What makes you think that I won¡¯t be able toe back?¡± ¡°Why, it¡¯s simply because,¡± Caroline approached her and said, pausing at each word. ¡°I¡¯ll fire you once I assume my position.¡± Suddenly fearful of her, Emery¡¯s face paled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you too full of yourself?¡± La spoke, apanied by several shareholders. She wasn¡¯t pleased with what Caroline had said. Laroune shifted her gaze from Emery to La. Besides the two of La¡¯s loyal supporters, there was someone else behind her. It was Sloan¡¯s father, Liam Mackey. Sloan looked at Caroline with a smile that seemed to say that he was mocking her for being too nalve. However, she remained indifferent and turned her gaze back at La. ¡°I have full faith in myself.¡± Pashing past Caroline, La sat on the chair at the very front of the room and sald. ¡°There¡¯s no use in having faith in yourself. What¡¯s important is what you¡¯re made of.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± A smile hung on Caroline¡¯s lips as she stared at La meaningfully and took a seat across from her. Later, two other shareholders entered the room. After a moment of hesitance, they sat down beside Caroline. Soon, it was obvious which of the people in the room were on whose side, although the election hadn¡¯t even started yet. Chapter 290 Chapter 290 Chapter 300 Besides the live shareholders who came in Just now, the board members of Evans Group also entered the room one after another Caroline nced around and realized that she recognized all of them. They were all members of the Evans farnily. To put it simply, Evans Group didn¡¯t have a group of external shareholders. It could be seen as the Evans family¡¯s very ownpany Everything operated on nepotism, and this was why Sarah and Dan had been bold enough to do whatever they pleased and hadn¡¯t been afraid of being discovered. ncing around, Caroline took a deep breath. The conference room was as noisy as it could gel, although the election hadn¡¯t started Everyone talked about her and La, and she found it hard to ignore the chatter since the room wasn¡¯t that big either. ¡°Why is Caroline here? Isn¡¯t she afraid of humiliating herself?¡± Someone chimed in. Another person snorted derisively and said, ¡°She thinks she will get to inherit the position from her father. If Evans Group falls into her hands, we¡¯ll all be doomed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said this once before, but I¡¯ll say it again. There are so many young people in the Evans family, but La seems to be the best among them all.¡± 1 ¡°That¡¯s right! Eddy Morrison loves her too, so she¡¯ll surely be the beacon of hope for thepany if she gets elected.¡± Caroline listened to them in silence with an expressionlessce. La, however, smirked as she stared at Caroline. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re wasting our time by joining the election this time. But I admire you for your courage,¡± said La as she leisurely took a sip of water. ¡°You knew you were going to be theughingstock here, yet you still had the courage to show yourself. You deserve my respect.¡± As she spoke, she raised her disposable cup in the air as if to give a toast. Caroline had her eyes closed before this, and now shezily opened them to peek at La and said. ¡°Thanks, but you¡¯re not worthy enough to be my opponent.¡± This made the corners of La¡¯s mouth twitch in annoyance. Just then, her phone¡¯s screen lit up, and she nced at it only to smile even more brightly at Caroline. ¡°Eddy¡¯s here. I¡¯m going to get him.¡± The people around them couldn¡¯t help but be envious of her. Her words also strengthened their belief that she would be the new CEO. As they carried on with their chattering, Caroline swept her gaze across the room and saw Liam. ¡°Mr. Mackey, it surprises me that you would lie to me,¡± she said. ¡°Beasts fight for food, while humans yearn for wealth. I simply thought that La was a better candidate for the positionpared to you. ¡°Liam smiled, his tone dripping with arrogance. The two people sitting beside Caroline heard this, and they turned to look at her, obviously troubled. One of them lowered his voice and said, ¡°Ms. Evans, is he really going to have La¡¯s back?¡± Caroline was about to answer him when a ruckus erupted at the door, and someone eximed, ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Eddy!¡± She looked in the direction of the crowd to see La holding Eddy¡¯s hand and leading him into the conference room. The look on his face was Indecipherable, so she couldn¡¯t tell if he was d or mad to be there. However, he stiffened for a brief moment when he saw Caroline. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it¡¯s just a formality for me toe here?¡± Eddy asked La. He didn¡¯t want to embarrass her in front of so many people, so he lowered his voice when he spoke to her. ¡°Why is Caroline here?¡± Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Once Caroline settled matters regarding Evans Group, she had much more free time for a few days. Just as she had nothing to do, she received a call from Gwen. ¡°Carol, I have tomorrow off. Do you want to go and pick out a wedding gown together tomorrow?¡± When it came to buying a wedding gown, Gwen was even more excited than Caroline was. Caroline smiled. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to have your pictures taken in Macovo? I heard it snows there all year. Do you want to take ski equipment there too?¡± Caroline wasn¡¯t sure about it. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have that much time there.¡± Hearing this, Gwen said, ¡°That¡¯s true. But I would really love to go with you to take your photos.¡± Caroline leased, ¡°You really want to go?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you quickly make Sean official?* Gwen scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore. I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯re biased toward him.¡± Caroline smiled. After she hung up, she finished work and went home. Kirk hade home early today, and he had cooked. When Caroline saw Kirk busying himself in the kitchen, her fatigue disappeared. It seemed there were really some people who could soothe her and dispel her exhaustion when she saw them. ¡°What are you doing standing at the door?¡± Kirk turned to look at Caroline, smiling. ¡°Are you so stunned by how handsome I am that you can¡¯t even move anymore?¡± ¡°I think your mouth is getting more and more out of control.¡± Caroline pulled out a chair and sat down. Kirk handed her some cutlery. ¡°This has always been my nature.¡± Caroline looked up at him and thought of how things had been when she first met him. ¡°Is it? If so, then this matches how things were when we first met.¡± Kirk thought back to when they had first met too. He smiled wider. ¡°What kind of a person did you think I was back then?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°Frivolous. It was obvious you weren¡¯t serious about anybody when it came to rtionships.¡± Kirk wiped away a sauce stain from the corner of Caroline¡¯s lips. Then, he smoothly put his finger in his mouth to lick the sauce. This action was an unconscious one, but it was unintentionally seductive. Caroline hurriedly lowered her head. Looking at the food on her te, she kept thinking of what Kirk had just done. She had no choice but to look up again. ¡°So you suspected that I had another woman back then?¡± Thinking back on the misunderstanding back then, Kirk wanted tough. But when he thought of Daphne, he couldn¡¯tugh at all Caroline nodded. Kirk¡¯s heart lodged itself in his throat. He yed with Caroline¡¯s hair with one hand while his other hand was clenched into a fist out of sight. ¡°If it were true back then, what would you have done?¡± ¡°Back then Caroline couldn¡¯t remember anymore.. ¡°I forgot. But if you dare to find another woman now, I¡¯ll never let you off.¡± Aanese was son and weak, houding ther ali. Evolenlly, she chart Hund that Fur Would (feat. Kirk clenched his hand tighter. Even so, he still smiled brighter. That¡¯s right. I won¡¯t After saving s uted to sweal *IS BONUS ¡°Is it really hot Seeing the sweat on Kirk¡¯s forehead, Caroline wanted to get up to get him some issues. But he caught her wrist. ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± he said, smoothly pulling Caroline into his arms. He kissed her, slowly urging her to open her lips. Caroline was caught unawares by the sudden flurry of kiss upward slightly, and her waist was pressed tightly against Kir Her hands unconsciously came to rest on Virk¡¯s chest. Her head tilted Later, Caroline stayed in Kirk¡¯s embrace, unwilling to move at all. She pointed at the food on the table and said, ¡°It¡¯s all cold now¡± Kirk Kissed Caroline¡¯s earlobe. ¡°I¡¯ll go heat it up.¡± At that, he suddenly thought of the way Sean had described him, Henpecked. He smiled as he drew his finger downward, picking up a strand of Caroline¡¯s hair. ¡°Darling.¡± Caroline replied weakly, ¡°Hm?¡± Kirk, lowered his head to press his forehead against Caroline¡¯s. His warm breath brushed Caroline¡¯s trembling eyshes. ¡°But I¡¯m still a little hungry. I don¡¯t have the strength to go and heat up the food. What do we do now?¡± As he spoke, Kirk¡¯s lipsnded on Caroline¡¯s again. Then he moved to her neck, then- Some timeter, Kirk helped Caroline shower before going to the kitchen to heat up the food. Caroline stood in a bathrobe in the kitchen, watching Kirk reheat the food. She was so exhausted that she stumped against the frame of the sliding door. Kirk said. ¡°Go and rest. I¡¯ll call you when the food¡¯s ready.¡± I Caroline pressed her lips together and shook her head. ¡°I nearly forgot. I want to talk to you about something.¡± Kirk¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He recalled how Caroline had met Daphne a few days ago. She asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to quit a few days ago?¡± When Caroline didn¡¯t mention Daphne at all, Kirk¡¯s straight back rxed a bit. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can you wait a little?¡± Kirk looked up at her in confusion. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of handing over Mackey Group to you.¡± Before Kirk could answer, she continued, ¡°I¡¯ve done the research. The Mackeys are in the coffee business. ¡°Although they¡¯re not doing so well now, they used to be a very reputable coffee shop chain. They have the connections and resources. If you take over, you can use their resources.¡± Kirk listened intently to everything Caroline said. In his eyes, Mackey Group wasn¡¯t a good enough company. Before, he wouldn¡¯t even have listened. But since it was Caroline, he thought about it seriously, ¡°Are you nning to acquire Mackey Group?¡± ¡°Yes, but I can¡¯t do it right now. If I take over Evans Group, I¡¯m confident that I can acquire Mackey Group in half a year.¡± Kirk walked over and hugged Caroline¡¯s waist, supporting her so she could stand more easity. ¡°Are you really going to take care of me like I¡¯m your sugar baby?¡± Caroline rubbed against Kirk¡¯s chest. Yes.¡± Kirkughed as he pinched Caroline¡¯s waist. He picked her up and brought her to the couch. ¡°Sure, but¡­¡± He looked down at Caroline, his shadow stretching out behind him. ¡°I can support you too.¡± Even if the price of it was Caroline¡¯s rejection once his identity was exposed. Seeing the serious look in Kirk¡¯s eyes, Caroline¡¯s heart skipped a beal. ¡°Okay.¡± As Kirk held Caroline, his eyes started to sting. At this moment of warmth, Caroline smelled something burning. She hurriedly pushed Kirk away. ¡°Th¨C the Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Chapter 292 The next day, after Caroline and Gwen met up, they went straight to Merry Color. As for Sean and Kirk, they had both been dumped at home. In Sean¡¯s words, they had betchkey kids. Soon, Caroline and Gwen arrived at Merry Color. When she saw Caroline, the new store manager quickly went forward. ¡°You must be Mrs, Yates. Mr. Eddy said that you can choose any dress in the shop as long as you like it.¡± Caroline and Gwen exchanged a nce and chuckled at the same time. The manager didn¡¯t know why they wereughing. She led them both to pick out wedding gowns. Then, she moved away for a moment. Gwen went up to Caroline and said with a chuckle, ¡°I wonder how Eddy would react if he found out you were the Mrs. Yates he was talking about.¡± Caroline smiled for a moment before frowning. ¡°Gwen, stop getting Sean to pretend to be my husband next time.¡± ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Gwen knew what Caroline was worried about. ¡°Our rtionship isn¡¯t that fragile. Besides, I trust you 100%. You won¡¯t covet my man.¡± Gwen had a point. True best friends always ended up disliking each other¡¯s partners because they thought their best friend deserved someone even better. Caroline held Gwen¡¯s hand. ¡°Sometimes, I think I¡¯m really lucky. Although my family isn¡¯t good to me. I¡¯ve been gifted with a wonderful friend.¡± Gwen smiled toward Caroline but said. ¡°Ugh, are all women in love so sappy?¡± Caroline shot back, ¡°You¡¯re in love too. Shouldn¡¯t you know?¡± Gwen squeezed Caroline¡¯s shoulder as sheughed. As they were both giggling, the manager came back, Since Eddy would be footing the bill Caroline and Gwen didn¡¯t n on saving him any money. They bought all the clothes on their listin one go. It came to a total of more than 30 million dors. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Seeing that, the manager made a call to Eddy¡¯s assistant. Soon after, Kirk transferred the money over. Caroline felt some sort of way as she heard the ding of the transfer notification. Although Eddy had helped Evans Group a lot, he had never spent a cent on her over the past eight years. He had never even bought her a drink. Plus, she had never thought that the Morrison family would give money easily. But seeing how generous Eddy was being now, paying a bill for someone he had never met, Caroline thought she should probably change her perspective. The Morrison family really did give money away easily. After buying the wedding gowns, Caroline and Gwen went downstairs to get some milkshakes. Gwen suddenly thought of Kirk and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you need to buy Kirk some clothes too?¡± Caroline looked at the person making them their milkshakes and said, ¡°Yes, but I won¡¯t have to buy it. Kirk said he would handle it himsel ¡°Do you trust a man¡¯s fashion sense?¡± ¡°Kirk would probably look nice even if he were wearing a trash bag.¡± Gwen paused beforeughing. ¡°You¡¯re right. Carol, you¡¯re really confident about your man. Oh, by the way, didn¡¯t he talk about itting the other day? How¡¯s that going?¡± After collecting their milkshakes, Caroline walked next to Gwen on the road. Then, she told Gwen her entire n. +15 BONUS Gwen nearly choked on ner milkshake. After a long while, she dropped ner jaw in astonishment Seeing that Gwen was about to shout, Caroline quickly covered her friend¡¯s mouth. She nodded enthusiastically. Gwen mumbled behind Caroline¡¯s hand. After a long while, the excitement in her eyes dulled, though her body was still sharing. A momentter, Gwen finally rxed and pulled Caroline¡¯s hand away. Even so, her tone was animated. ¡°Carol you¡¯re Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Caroline said, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°My god, I really can¡¯t believe it. Carol, you¡¯re amazing.¡± Caroline was a bit annoyed as she said, ¡°I¡¯m not 100% sure, though. Don¡¯t praise me just yet.¡± ¡°No, but you¡¯re already amazing for daring to take over apany. Some people don¡¯t dare be bosses like this. Me, for example. I wouldn¡¯t dare do such a thing. Just thinking about all the issues a companyces gives me a headache!¡± Caroline replied, ¡°Managing apany really is quite difficult. Besides, I don¡¯t have much experience with it. But I don¡¯t want my grandfather¡¯spany to be ruined just like that.¡± Although Caroline didn¡¯t much remember Benjamin Evans, they were still family. ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡± When it came to the Evans family, Gwen found it kind of sad. She had been young back then, but she could still remember a bit about what had happened. Whenever the adults had spoken about the Evans family back then, they had been reverential and fearful. Now, they were mocking. The difference was astonishing. ¡°Enough, let¡¯s stop talking about this already. Let¡¯s go to the bookstore.¡± Caroline took out her phone. ¡°Beforeing out, I had Kirk send me a list of books. They¡¯re all about management.¡± Gwen took a nce at the list. Most of the books were in a foreignnguage. She couldn¡¯t understand any of it, but she admired Caroline a lot for it. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°This list of books must have taken a lot of effort on Kirk¡¯s part,¡± Gwen said. ¡°Honestly, this whole improving yourselves as a couple and creating a new life kind of deal is really touching.¡± Caroline smiled. Indeed, being in step with each other made her look forward to what the future had in store. It was too bad that she and Kirk couldn¡¯t agree on having children. Thinking of that, Caroline clutched her chest and forced herself not to think about it anymore. She went into the bookstore with Gwen. There weren¡¯t many people inside. Books about management were boring, so not many people cared for them. Caroline and Gwen pushed a cart down the aisles and quickly gathered most of the books on the list. There was only onest book that they couldn¡¯t find, no matter what. It was titled ¡°The Essence of Management.¡± Gwen said, ¡°I¡¯ll try and look for it on theputer up front.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Caroline said. She stayed and kept looking. But after another round of searching, she still couldn¡¯t find it. When she turned around, she inadvertently saw Adrian. Adrian obviously hadn¡¯t expected to see Caroline there. He raised an eyebrow. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°Yes, quite. You¡¯re here for¡­¡± Adrian looked behind himsell. ¡°Quentin wants to use theputer here, so I brought him.¡± Caroline was stunned for a moment. Then, she smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me this bookstore belongs to the Sorkin family.¡± Adrian smiled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t.¡± He continued before Caroline could say anything else, ¡°It¡¯s mine. It has nothing to do with the Sorkin family.¡± Caroline was at a loss for words. Was there a difference? ¡°Carol, I found it. It¡¯s in the C section.¡± when Gwen walked back, she found a man standing best to mome. The was tall and m, alii ina realnies were handEVRIE She recognized him immediately. ¡°Adn Sotkinl Adrian smilled dazzlingly. ¡°Hello, Gwen.¡± ¡°You know me?¡± Gwen was surprised by this. Adrian nced at Caroline. ¡°You¡¯re Caroline¡¯s Ilend, so of course I know you When Gwen heard this, she looked meaningfully at Caroline. ¡°Alt, so it¡¯s like that. I thought it was my charisma that made you remember me, Mr. Sorkin.¡± Right then, there was a slight breeze as someone rushed over. ¡°I found I, I found It It was Quentin. Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Quentin¡¯s hair was messy and frizzy, and he had dark, heavy eyebags. It looked like he hadn¡¯t slept in many days. Adrian lugged at him. It was then that Quentin noticed Caroline. But his expression was frozen, and he couldn¡¯t even smile at her. ¡°No, I can¡¯t anymore. I¡¯m exhausted. I need to sleep first.¡± With that, Quentin slumped to the ground. Neither Gwen nor Caroline had ever seen him like this before. Curiously, they asked, ¡°What happened to him?¡± Adrian gave the passed¨Cout Quentin a kick. Then, he called some of the employees to move Quentin to the third floor. Alter that, he answered, ¡°He¡¯s been investigating something. He hasn¡¯t stopped for three days and hasn¡¯t slept in all that time. Now he needs to catch up on sleep. You. Adrian shot a nce at Caroline¡¯s shopping cart. ¡°Do you still have any more books to buy?¡± Gwen quickly answered. ¡°There¡¯s one more: ¡®The Essence of Management.¡± Since he was familiar with theyout, Adrian led them to the C section and pulled out a book with a red cover. He handed it to Caroline. Caroline and Gwen both looked over. Indeed, it was ¡°The Essence of Management.¡± Gwen was stunned. ¡°You didn¡¯t even look. How did you know where the book was?¡± Adrian smiled. ¡°This is my bookstore. Of course, I know where the books are. As for Caroline He nced at ¡°The Essence of Management¡± in the shopping cart. ¡°Few people know about this book. How do you know about it?¡± ¡°Caroline¡¯s husband told her about it.¡± Gwen held a measure of unconscious pride, the kind a mother would have for her son¨Cinw. ¡°He rmended all of these books.¡± Adrian regarded the books in the shopping cart. After a long while, he looked back up. ¡°He¡¯s an old hand at this. Can I ask whatpany he¡¯s the director of?¡± Gwen and Caroline exchanged a nce. In the end, Gwen said, ¡°He¡¯s not a director. He¡¯s just a regr office employee.¡± Adrian raised a brow. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± Then, Gwen took out her phone and nced at it. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Carol, we should be getting back.¡± There were still a couple oftchkey kids waiting at home for them for dinner. Caroline nodded before saying to Adrian, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Sorkin. We¡¯re going to pay now.¡± Adrian¡¯s frown disappeared. ¡°Consider these books a gift.¡± Caroline blinked. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just consider it Adrian chuckled and said, ¡°My wedding gift to you.¡± Caroline took another nce at the books before looking at Adrian again. Adrian said, ¡°If you think this gift is too cheap, I-* ¡°No, no! This gift is too valuable. I will take good care of them.¡± A brilliant smile appeared on Adrian¡¯s face. ¡°Good.¡± Once they got out of the bookstore, Gwen couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. ¡°Carol, I would bet a bag of chips that Adrian likes you!¡± Caroline put the books in the backseat of the car. ¡°Gwen, don¡¯t joke about this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking. Didn¡¯t you see the way he looked at you? It¡¯s so tender! It¡¯s definitely the way someone looks at their crush.¡± 13 +15 BONUS Caribe hard. When did you get the special ability to know at a nce whether someone likes me or not? ¡°Hey, don¡¯t knock it I had already wanted to ask you about it when we first met.¡± Caroline pulled on her seatbell. ¡°When we first met, we were about seven years old? Or eight years old?¡± Yep. Back then, there were already rumors about Adrian liking you.¡± This time, Carolineughed even louder. ¡°Alright, stop leasing me. Does a seven¨Cyear¨Cold even know what liking people is about?¡± Gwen shrugged. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t even remember what happened back then.¡± Caroline started the car. Then, she asked Gwen, ¡°Gwen, do you remember the stuff that happened when you were a kid?¡± ¡°Vaquely, I don¡¯t remember it all very clearly.¡± Caroline sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t remember a thing.¡± ¡°Maybe something happened to you when you were small, so you automatically blocked it all out?¡± Caroline shot a nce at Gwen. ¡°Which novel did you read about that one in?¡± ¡°Hey, you have to believe it. There¡¯s a scientific basis to it!¡± Thus, Gwen spent the car ride informing Caroline about how people could have different reactions after going through certain stimuli. By the time they got home, it was already past 6:00 pm. Sean and Kirk were at home ying some games. When they heard Caroline and Gwen return, they both turned their heads. Seeing these two overgrown kids, Gwen couldn¡¯t help but turn to whisper in Caroline¡¯s ear, ¡°Honestly, your husband¡¯s pretty capable. He can get along with Sean like they grew up together. I¡¯m impressed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m not worried about him starting his own business.¡± ¡°What are you two talking about?¡® Seeing Caroline and Gwen chatting so secretively, Kirk discarded his game controller. He walked up and pulled Caroline into his embrace, iming her as his own. Gwen pouted. ¡°We were saying you could be a courtesan.¡± Kirk raised an eyebrow, but he didn¡¯t get mad. He kissed Caroline¡¯s earlobe. ¡°Is that apliment, darling?¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t help but feel her face heat. Even though they were her friends, there were still other people here. She shoved Kirk aside.¡± What kind ofpliment is that?¡± ¡°Saying that I could be a courtesan means that I¡¯m good¨Clooking.¡± Caroline gripped Kirk¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re shameless.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Can you two stop showing off? I¡¯m hungry. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re feeding us with that show?¡± Though Sean sounded disgusted, he learned from Kirk and went forward to hug Gwen¡¯s waist. Yet Gwen pushed him away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. You haven¡¯t passed your probation yet.¡± Sean was speechless. Kirk looked at Sean with pity. After dinner, Gwen and Sean finally left. Once they did, Kirk picked Caroline up and carried her upstairs. Caroline hugged Kirk¡¯s neck, looking at him smilingly. ¡°Do you know what you are?¡± ¡°What?¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Insatiable,¡± $15 BONUS Kirkughed. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. A man¡¯s gotta eat. Alright then. It seemed that Kirk really couldn¡¯t help but be inappropriate. Right then, on the other end of the city, Adrian was looking at the document before him, unable to sleep. He was looking at the Information Quentin had found about Jack. ording to this, Jack was a UFC champion. He had been living a all this time. But after Caroline had returned to the country and started working, he started driving her to and from work Jack was an athlete. Why did he have to be Caroline¡¯s driver? Adrian looked at Quentin, who was still fast asleep, and resisted the urge to wake him. Adrian could tell that Quentin was already limit. There was no way Jack¡¯s identity was so simple. Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Time passed quickly. It was getting closer to the day when Evans Group¡¯s new CEO would be chosen. Yel Caroline only became more calm as the days went by. Even so, shepleted her work for Thome Corp very well. However, the HR department still hadn¡¯t found a suitable new design director. Thus, Jules had yet to approve Caroline¡¯s resontw Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Actually, there was another reason Jules didn¡¯t do it. He just didn¡¯t have the guts to say it. During this time, La had also been attending various events with Eddy. Anyone with sharp eyes could tell that Eddy was in support of La. There was even word that many people were waiting to invest in Evans Group once La took over. Once the shareholders found out about this, they would surely be on La¡¯s side. That was why Jules didn¡¯t think Caroline could be Evans Group¡¯s CEO. He was worried since Eddy was so invested in La now. Jules¡® direct superior was Eddy¡¯s second uncle. He was afraid his boss would side with La too and forget about Caroline. If he approved Caroline¡¯s resignation but she didn¡¯t get the CEO position, she would be out of a job. Then, she would lose it all. Caroline wasn¡¯t that worried, though. After finishing her work, she wanted to go grocery shopping and prepare a feast to wee the next day¡¯spetition. But when she went out, Caroline bumped into Vivian. When Vivian saw Caroline, she smiled. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Ms. Evans! What a dedicated worker.! Do you think you can keep your job if you just work hard enough?¡± The people behind Vivianughed. They were all the ones who had always stood behind Vivian. They had chilled out after Caroline sent Susan to prison. Now that they found out Caroline was leaving, they were back to their bad behavior. Caroline nced at all these people. ¡°Mr. Hawkins hasn¡¯t approved my resignation yet. Strictly speaking. I¡¯m still thispany¡¯s design director.¡± Vivian nced at the time. ¡°What a shame. It¡¯s already 5:30 pm now. If you said it a second earlier, you would still be the respected Ms. Evans. But now **** Vivian then said, ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you. Mr. Hawkins called me in to say that I will be the design director starting tomorrow.¡± Caroline looked at her calmly. After checking through her bag to make sure that she hadn¡¯t left anything, she walked slowly toward the elevator. Vivian¡¯s underlings thought Caroline had been cowed, so they gathered before Vivian. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Vivian. You finally managed to chase that hateful woman out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Now, the design department is finally yours!¡± ¡°Viv, when the timees, you have to take good care of me.¡± All these praises and more had Vivian on cloud nine. She said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t forget how you¡¯ve stood behind me during this time.¡± The others were all pleased. Instantly, the other employees still in the office became stormy¨Cfaced. Everyone had been having a great time under Caroline¡¯s leadership. Naturally, they all approved of her. Now that their superior was suddenly changing and they were getting a director who liked kiss¨Cups, they knew that the future would be grim for them. Cheryl was among these people. Cheryl watched as Vivian entered the office in delight. She sniffed. She really wanted to quit with Caroline, too. +15 BONUS In the office, Vivian settled ner emotions before calling La. ¡°Ms. La, its me.¡± Right then, La was sitting in the CEO¡¯s chair at Evans Group. She touched the armrests, her eyes alight with greed. ¡°Why are you calling me?¡± ¡°I just wanted to tell you that Caroline has left Thorne Corporation.¡± ¡°Alright. Did you take a picture of what she looked like when she left?¡± Vivian froze for a second. Then, sheughed. ¡°I forgot to. Chapter 296 Chapter 296 Chapter 296 La was in high spirits now, so she didn¡¯t me Vivian for it. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Fil get to see her expression tomorrow Vivian instantly got what she meant and went with the flow. ¡°I shall congratte you first, then, Ms. La¡± La was quite pleased to hear that and said, ¡®Don¡¯t worry. Your work won¡¯t be forgollen¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Vivian started but paused for a moment. ¡°I actually wanted to talk to you about something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± La asked. ¡°It¡¯s confirmed that thepany will make me their design director,¡± Vivian told her, deliberately omitting the detail that the position was temporary. ¡°Okay. What do you want, then?¡± asked La, en?¡± asked La, ¡°You¡¯re smart.¡± Vivian smiled. ¡°Since Evans Group focuses primarily on the clothing Industry, you¡¯ll surely need someone to help with the designs. I was thinking that perhaps¡­ She didn¡¯t need to say more, for La knew exactly what she wanted and said, ¡°That is not a problemn.¡± She smiled, enjoying how she could unt her position. Assigning Vivian some work in private wasn¡¯t that big of a deal anyway. ¡°How about youe and meet me at around 2:00 pm alter the election¡¯s over? I¡¯ll give you something to work on then.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Vivan was grateful enough for that. ¡°Thank you, Ms. CEO.¡± La waved a hand in the air to dismiss her. ¡°As long as you work for me, there¡¯ll never be an end to the work I can give you. Rest assured that your pay will certainly be higher than what Thorne Corp could ever offer.¡± Vivian ended the call after thanking her over and over again. Meanwhile, Caroline was suddenly reminded of La and the strange disease she had contracted. Plucking out her phone, Caroline gave Sean a call. ¡°Sean, did you get any clues about what I asked you to look into?¡± Sean nced at the man who sat tied up on a chair. ¡°Are you talking about La¡¯s condition?¡± The man shuddered when he heard what Sean said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I got it figured out,¡± said Sean, and the man on the chair paled. Sean nced at him again and decided to stop questioning the man. He left the basement with his phone. ¡°I¡¯ve looked into it thoroughly. La had bribed the doctors who work for the Morrisons. Since money was involved and they knew there was something between Eddy and her, they agreed to help her lle to him.¡± ¡°All the reports have been tampered with,¡± he added. Caroline shuddered at his words. She had expected something like this, but she never expected La to be so ruthless as toke her illness just for her to die. Now, Caroline finally understood just how far La could go and how cruel she could be. ¡°Caroline?¡± Sean asked, concerned because of her silence. He had nned to tell Kirk about this once he was done investigating it. This way, Kirk could be the one to tell her this shocking piece of information, It just so happened that this final doctor who joined hands with La was much too thick¨Cheaded to tell him the truth. This was why Sean 12 *15 BONUS ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Caroline let out a long sigh. Something like this could no longer hurt her. She would only be more ruthless when she dealt with La in return. 1 ¡®So Eddy knew nothing about this, right? *Judging from the evidence, that is indeed the case,¡± Sean answered. The realization dawned on Caroline, but she managed to fully calm herself down. ¡°When can I get the evidence?¡± Sean looked at the door to the basement and said, ¡°I still have onest person to deal with. You can get the evidence by tomorrow, I think.¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Okay. Can you pass it to me before the election isplete?¡± ¡°What time will it end?¡± ¡°About 10:00 am.¡± chapter 294 ¡°Sure.¡± Upon hearing his answer, Caroline felt her entire being rx. Staring out the window, she found herself looking forward to tomorrow. Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Kirk was already home by the time Caroline returned. He wasn¡¯t in the kitchen preparing food as usual, though. He tossed her a smile and said. ¡°Let¡¯s head out for dinner today. I booked us a spot at Yogoo.¡± Yegon was a new restaurant specializing in Faromish food, Influencers flocked there, and it was said that the restaurant offered 180 different dishes and that every single dish tasted heavenly. The only downside was that the food was rather expensive. A couple of days ago, one of its customers had shared the bill online. He had spent thousands of dors just on three dishes. This piece of information quickly took over the headlines. ¡°The food there is too expensive.¡± Caroline furrowed her brows. ¡°Why do you want to go there for dinner?¡± Kirk tilted her chin upward and kissed her gently on the lips. ¡°It¡¯s to celebrate you, darling, for bing the next CEO of Evans Group in advance.¡± Carolineughed lightly and sald, ¡°Is it really alright? What if I lose?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Kirk hooked an arm around her waist. ¡°I believe in you, darling.¡± The look of faith in his eyes shone through like an unwavering ray of light. It was clear that he wasn¡¯t simply trying to joke around. The trust he ced in her made her heart skip a beat, and she stood on the tips of her toes to give him a kiss. Just when she wanted to pull away, she felt his grip on her waist strengthen, and she was lifted slightly higher into the air. When Kirk finally let go of her, she found herself panting for air with her face as red as a tomato. Kirk patted her back lightly to help her calm down. Teasingly, he said, ¡°Darling, you have to work out more.¡± Puzzled, Caroline hesitated for a moment before straightening her back. ¡°Stop fooling around. Hurry and cancel the reservation.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to celebrate?¡± ¡°Of course we are! But we can simply celebrate at home!¡± Caroline said. In truth, she thought that spending a few thousand dors for a meal was simply outrageous. Kirk ced a kiss between her brows. ¡°Stop thinking of helping me save money. We eat out once in a while, and I¡¯m pretty sure I can afford It.¡± It was as though he could read her mind. Caroline¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°But Thal amount could equal his sry after a month of hard work. Kirk noticed the reluctance in her eyes, and he leaned in to kiss them. ¡°I work hard so that you can spend what I earn. If you don¡¯t, then there¡¯s no point in me working so hard anymore.¡± His words tugged at her heartstrings. He wasn¡¯t lying, though. In the past, he had been a workaholic because working saved him from the dreaded tendrils of loneliness. Now, he worked so that he could provide her with a beller life. If he failed in this aspect, he would start considering whether he should tell Caroline his true identity. He didn¡¯t want her to feel sorry for him because of money. He also wanted to give her the best of everything. ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline Inhaled. ¡°But promise me that It¡¯s just for this one time.¡± Seeing that she had finally relented, Kirk finally smiled. After pecking her on the lips, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the house. When they arrived at the restaurant, the staff led them to a private room. ¡°Sir, Ma¡¯am,¡± said the waitress as she handed them the menu. ¡± Would you like me to rmend our specialties?¡± 1/3 Caroline started in spear but was bristy mnieniu him, who looked Frowning he ple bed up his phone and stood up. You onder first. I¡¯ve got a call to answer +15 BONUS fine. He shuddered, looked at the popers in his hand, and felt a ch u, it¡¯s about the private defective that the madam hired Hound out that 1 Kin nairowed his eyes, the fingers of his other hand tapping on the railing. ¡°What?¡± His name is Quentin Vach, and contact with him through Adn Sorkin name for himself as a private detective. He¡¯s Adrian Sorkin¡¯s friend. The madam came into Chartes¡® voice became increasingly soft as he spoke. They¡¯re now looking into Jack¡¯s identity¡± Charles held his breath Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Kirk¡¯s gaze id he asked in all blow the Impending storm from the silence that ensued from this revtion selllingly quiet voice, ¡°What did they find out? stion made Charles regain a bill of his vigor. ¡°Hased on your orders, all the staff working in Morrison Corp who havee into contact with the madam used d encryption measures,¡± he said. So, the private detective only discovered that Jack won the UFC lots of times. He knows nothing about anything else¡± Despite that Kik¡¯s voice deepened as he said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you think tha ou¡¯re quite a capable assistant? Charles fell goosebumps popping up all around his body, ¡°No ¡°Do you know what would happen if she continued looking into this ? Needless to say, Charles knew the consequences all too well. Jack had once been Kirk¡¯s bodyguard. If Caroline carried on investigating based on this clue, she would someday find out that Kirk was Eddy¡¯s second uncle. It was all just a matter of time Realizing this grave mistake, Charles immediately said, ¡°Sir, I won¡¯tin if I¡¯m demoted by three ranks and get deducted three months Day¡± A shadow fell across Kirk¡¯s face. Tm not going to punish you for this.¡± Hastity, Charles conected himself. ¡°Understood, sir. Til be extra careful in the future. There won¡¯t be a repeat of this.¡± Kirk opened hi uth to say something but swallowed the words back. Charles shouldn¡¯t be held fully ountable for this. Kirk himself had yed a significant part in Caroline¡¯s growth as a person, so he should be able to take the risk himself The silence made Charles hesitate for a bit, but soon be mustered the courage to ask, ¡°What do we do now?¡± Quentin managed to find out that Jack was a wrestler, so the madam would surely receive news of this. If she asked Jack about this sometin if thetter couldn¡¯t give her asonable exnation: Kirk narrowed his eyes as he pondered Charles¡® question. A momentter, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll handle this myself.¡± ¡°Okay¡± That was the only response Charles Come up with the private room of once again to find out that Caroline was done ordering their food Seeing him enter She hand Take a look. What do you want to eat? kick looked at the order slip and not food she ordered w tions, and the total price didn¡¯t even surpass a Shaking his head helplessly, he gestured for the waitress and added several other dishes. When the food arrived, Caroline instantly realized that their meat this time would cost a fortune, ncing at Kirk, she picked up her wallet and told him, ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom.¡± Kirk knew what she was going to do, but he didn¡¯t stop her. After leaving the room, Caroline quickened her footsteps and headed to the counter. Just when she reached there, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. ¡°Adrian?¡± She called out, surprised. Chapter 298 Chapter 298 Chapter 298 Adrian hunned, surprised to see ¡°Are you here with niled $15 BONUS N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. He smile was wain, morning sun, and it made Caroline smile too. Tope, I¡¯m here with my bushand The gleam in Addan¡¯s eyes dimmed a bit. ¡°Loveds, eh? Embarrassed, Caroline lowered her head for a moment before looking up to ask him, ¡°What about you? Are you here with your friends?¡± ¡°Yeah, kind of,¡± Adn told her alter a moment¡¯s hesitance. Silence fell as both of them didn¡¯t have anything else to talk about after that. Adrian broke the stillness by asking, ¡°Can I meet your husband? He was curious about what kind of man could make her change so much. ¡°Surel¡± Caroline beamed. ¡°But you have to wall for a bit. I want to the bill first¡± ¡°Let me treat you two this time,¡± Adrian told her. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± She waved her hands, declining his offer. ¡°How can I let you do that?¡± The two of them fought for the bill, and the stall at the counter asked for the number of Caroline and Kirk¡¯s private room. Alter typing away at the keyboard for a while, she looked at them both and sald, ¡°Room 201 has been paid for,¡± Once again, silence shrouded the alr. Awkward, Caroline rubbed her temples and said, ¡°I forgot to ask my husband if he had paid for it. He must have done it earlier.¡± Adrian smiled and shifted the topic of their conversation. ¡°Well then, I can meet him now, right?¡± Caroline heartily agreed and led him to the private room. Just then, a soft voice sounded from behind thern. ¡°Adrian,¡± the voice called out. Caroline halted in her tracks and turned to the source of the volce, along with Adrian. A gentle¨Clooking young woman in a ck dress stood nearby. She was pretty, and her bearing suggested that she came from an affluent and sophisticated family. A look of unease took over Adrian¡¯sce when he saw her. The woman approached them and eyed Caroline up and down before smiling, which showed off her dimples. ¡°Caroline Evans?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t recognize this woman, who was reaching out a hand to her. ¡°Yvonne Hackett. You don¡¯t know me, but I know you.¡± Caroline repeated the name in her mind and soon found an answer. This woman was the Hackett family¡¯s daughter. There weren¡¯t many girls or women in their family, so all the Hacketts showered them with love. That was why Yvonne was treated quite well, although she wasn¡¯t the daughter of the head of the Hackett family. She had also made appearances at plenty of events and asions. Caroline had met her a couple of times before this and knew her as a cule and soft¨Cspoken young woman. She only had a vague impression of Yvonne, though, since they had never interacted much. ¡°I know who you are, Ms. Hackett,¡± Caroline said, and they shook hands. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Yvonne hooked an arm around Adrian¡¯s as though it were a natural thing for her to do. ¡°I¡¯m here to apany Adrian.¡± Realization dawned on Caroline, and she smiled warmly at Yvonne. ¡°I see. So you came here with Ms. Hackett.¡± ****** She had always thought that teen was wrong shout on FRA Discreetly, Adrian withdrew his arm from York¡¯s and can on selfs d He didn¡¯t know why he wanted to exin himself but merely cold that it was/ Caroline blinked, a bit confused at why he would felt her tits pet to the men * prime Hearing this, Yvonne smiled and said, ¡°Oh Were you for going to meets Event se do prog to abandon me, Adrian.¡± She sounded coquettish Somehow, Caroline sensed that Yvonne¡¯s words expressed a certain degres of my med bar Perhaps she was simply overthinking it, but she didn¡¯t take it to head told ham, med bark? She pointed in the direction of the private room she shared with Kirk and bed them goods Watching her retreating figure, Adrian escaped from Cnne¡¯s rest and followed after werde Caroline stopped and turned to look at him, but he couldn¡¯t seem to form any wrote that ¡°What?¡± She asked, puzzled. Adrian frowned for a moment before smiling. I just wanded to tell you that Gustin¡¯s almost dons with the pad You¡¯ll get the results very soon.¡± ¡°Really? Caroline bearned. Quentin had told her several times before that he couldn¡¯t find out verge of giving up. Who knew that he would be able to uncover more clues again? ¡°Yep. He¡¯ll be able to give you the information you need soon? ¡°Thank you so much, Adrian, Give Quentin my regards too. Caroline sounded more cheerful now Til treat you guys to dinner after I¡¯m done with my work.¡± After that, she thanked him a couple more times and said goodbye. This time, Adrian had no other reason to stop her from leaving, so he could only watch as she walked away Yvonne watched their interaction the entire time with her hands balled into fists. She then walked beside him and tol let¡¯s go back.¡± Adrian turned to look at her and found that he had lost his appetite. ¡°You go on and eat alone, I¡¯m heading back first. With that said, he turned and left. Yvonne chased after him, but he was too quick for her and got in his car in the blink of an eye. When she caught were the tail lights of his car. Helpless, her knuckles turned white from clenching her fists as she watched him leave her behind. She spent a moment staring back in the direction where Caroline left them a while ago, then strode back into the restaurant. Caroline and Kirk returned home after they finished dinner. She told him about her encounter with Adrian and Yvonne in the restaurant ¡°I never expected Adrian and Yvonne to go on a blind date together,¡± she said as shebed her hair with one hand Her hair was messy from the wind from the open window, and her other hand was in Kirk¡¯s grasp Adrian was Mr. Sorkin¡¯s son, and Yvonne was Mr. Hackett¡¯s elder brother¡¯s daughter, Even though all the Hacketts adored her, her status. was significantly lower than Adrian¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t like Caroline thought any of these mattered. She simply understood that families like theirs took one¡¯s status very seriously. In the past. Mr. Morrison Senior had wanted her to marry into the Morrison family, but there were many who opposed it So it came as a surprise that the Sorkins would agree to let Adrian and Yvonne start a rtionship +15 BONUS *** about then to Alls hishamn her with her bath and changing into her pajamas, he tucked her up in bed. Apps spent in the his cob the information Quentin had procured for Carolic. He clicked it open. We want of the the Quentin was her hot away at his keylmand. He nced at Adrian, who sat behind him drinking a bottle of The tomat that you were lucht the ash/Why do I feel like you bought it for yourself?¡± Avalon shot take and of aching him a reply Later, Quentin let go of his mouse and stood up, waiting for the PC to continue its He sat down beside Aditan and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? That woman doesn¡¯t have eyes for you?¡® Quentin knew that the Sorkins had arranged Gatis Kehte hue. He knew it was about her. Mer taking another gulp of the alcohol Adrian continued ¡®She came to the restaurant with her husband today, Every time she mentioned his she always have this proust and blessed look on herce, I Is to be able to make her change so much and be totally different from what she was dopped lige he had seen Adrian so upset. and said, ¡°Hey, we¡¯ve known each other for so many years, but why haven¡¯t you talked to me about her ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about? Adrian smiled bitterly ¡°When we were young, they said she was destined to marry Edily, Later, when I learned that she broke off her engagement with him, she¡¯d man. Maybe we kist aren¡¯t meant to be.¡± the effect of wine that made Addan so open about his thoughts. He slouched on the couch, looking very dispirited and hagite Quentin fell silent and grabbed himself a bottle of beer. ¡°Maybe you can try it out with someone else.¡± Ive thought of this too. It was why I went on the blind dale,¡± Adrian said. ¡°that do you know what I was thinking when Yvonne talked about handbags, her friends, and her life studying abroad?¡± Quentin knew very well that the best thing he could do was lend Adrian an ear, so he kept quiet and waited for him to continue. ¡°I wondered what Caroline was doing at that time and what she would say if she were the person sitting across from me. Maybe she wouldn¡¯t say anything at all- Just then, a ping came from the PC. It snapped Adrian out of his stupor, stopping him from carrying on with the topic. He nced up at the PC. Quentin sel down the beer bottle and walked to the PC. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to investigate Jack, the UFC wrestler who¡¯s also Caroline¡¯s driver? I¡¯ve started looking into his background and everything rted to his personal life.¡± He pressed a few keys on the keyboard and said, ¡°Do you want toe over here and take a look at his profile?¡± Adrian stumbled b bit before regaining his bnce and walking toward Quentin. He had sobered up a bit already, but the words on the screen were kind of blurry. Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Kirk lifted a drowsy Caroline back into their home. After helping her with her bath and changing into her pajamas, he tucked her up in bed. Then, he headed to the study and switched on the PC. After the screen lit up, his eyes zeroed in on the file containing the Information Quentin had procured for Carolie. He clicked it open. On the other side of the city, Quentin was busy typing away at his keyboard. He nced at Adrian, who sat behind him drinking a bottle of wine. ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you say that you were buying me a drink? Why do I feel like you bought it for yoursell?¡± Adrian carried on drinking instead of giving him a reply. Later, Quentin let go of his mouse and stood up, waiting for the PC to continue its operation on its own. He sat down beside Adrian and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? That woman doesn¡¯t have eyes for you?¡± Quentin knew that the Sorkins had arranged a blind date for Adrian. Adrian took a gulp from the bottle and told him, ¡°I met Caroline today.¡± Quentin clicked his tongue. He knew it was about her. After taking another gulp of the alcohol, Adrian continued, ¡°She came to the restaurant with her husband today. Every time she mentioned him, she¡¯d always have this proud and blessed look on her face. I ¡°I¡¯m really curious just what kind of a man he is to be able to make her change so much and be totally different from what she was like when she was little.¡± Quentin was stunned. This was the first time he had seen Adrian so upset. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. A momentter, he stopped joking and said, ¡°Hey, we¡¯ve known each other for so many years, but why haven¡¯t you talked to me about her in the past?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about?¡± Adrian smiled bitterly. ¡°When we were young, they said she was destined to marry Eddy. Later, when I learned that she broke off her engagement with him, she¡¯d already married another man. Maybe we just aren¡¯t meant to be.¡± Perhaps it was the effect of wine that made Adrian so open about his thoughts. He slouched on the couch, looking very dispirited and fragile. Quentin fell silent and grabbed himself a bottle of beer. ¡°Maybe you can try it out with someone else.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought of this too. It was why I went on the blind date,¡± Adrian said. ¡°But do you know what I was thinking when Yvonne talked about handbags, her friends, and her life studying abroad?¡± Quentin knew very well that the best thing he could do was lend Adrian an ear, so he kept quiet and waited for him to continue. ¡°I wondered what Caroline was doing at that time and what she would say if she were the person sitting across from me. Maybe she wouldn¡¯t say anything at all-¡± Just then, a ping came from the PC. It snapped Adrian out of his stupor, stopping him from carrying on with the topic. He nced up at the PC. Quentin set down the beer bottle and walked to the PC. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to investigate Jack, the UFC wrestler who¡¯s also Caroline¡¯s driver? I¡¯ve started looking into his background and everything rted to his personal life.¡± He pressed a few keys on the keyboard and sald, ¡°Do you want toe over here and take a look at his profile?¡± Adrian stumbled for a bit before regaining his bnce and walking toward Quentin. He had sobered up a bit already, but the words on the screen were kind of blurry. 1/3 +15 BONUS Alter adjusting the fonts to make the wordsrger, Quentin moved the cursor and opened the lile. Interesting. He studied at the same school as Caroline.¡± As he spoke, he scrolled downward, and the look on his face became more troubled. Adrian held on to the backrest of Quentin¡¯s chair for support. The longer he stared at the screen, the paler he turned. In the end, he darted Into the bathroom to puke. Seeing this, Quentin rushed off to get a first ald box and went through it to get something to relieve Adrian of the hangover. The PC was left forgotten in the living room. After waking up the next day, Caroline prepared all the documents for the election and took a seat at the dining table. Kirk sat across from her and asked, ¡°Do you want me to go with you?¡± ¡°Nah.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t hesitate to decline his offer. It wasn¡¯t that Kirk would embarrass her or anything. It was just that she knew those in Evans Group would scorn her if they saw Kirk with her. She didn¡¯t want him to be exposed to their sharp tongues and sarcastic words. Kirk wasn¡¯t a good¨Cfor¨C nothing person. He was an excellent man. Smiling. Kirk said, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Caroline nodded and held his hands in hers. ¡°I¡¯ll call you once the results are out, alright?¡± Kirk looked down at her hands. Taking advantage of this, he said, ¡°Kiss me once, and I¡¯ll agree to it.¡± Laughing, Caroline hooked her arms around his neck and pecked him on the lips. ¡°Happy now?¡± Pursing his lips, Kirk pressed a hand at the back of her head and leaned in for another kiss. It was a deeper one this time, and he pressed on until she gasped for air. Smirking, he told her, ¡°Our kiss must be as long as this next time.¡± A blush crept up Caroline¡¯s cheeks, and she lowered her head to gobble up her breakfast as she pretended not to hear him. Kirk smiled and ruffled her hair. After they finished having breakfast, Jack drove her to Evans Group. When she reached, she could sense that the atmosphere was significantly different than before. The languidness in the air was no longer present, and everyone appeared to be in high spirits. However, the look in their eyes changed when they noticed Caroline. There was animosity when they looked at her. Despite this, Caroline turned a blind eye to it and made her way to the conference room. There weren¡¯t many others in the room besides the few employees who were busy cing sses of water on the table. One of them was Emery Evans. When Emery saw Caroline enter the room, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from making some sarcastic remarks. ¡°Why, you¡¯ve arrived so early today. Are you worried that you won¡¯t be able toe here anymore after losing the election?¡± Laughter erupted in the room right after she finished her sentence. However, Caroline remained composed. ¡°The one who might not be able toe back here is you, not me.¡± Sneering, Emery told her, ¡°Stop bragging. I¡¯m an employee here. What makes you think that I won¡¯t be able toe back?¡± ¡°Why, it¡¯s simply because,¡± Caroline approached her and said, pausing at each word. ¡°I¡¯ll fire you once I assume my position.¡± Suddenly fearful of her, Emery¡¯s face paled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you too full of yourself?¡± La spoke, apanied by several shareholders. She wasn¡¯t pleased with what Caroline had said. Laroune shifted her gaze from Emery to La. Besides the two of La¡¯s loyal supporters, there was someone else behind her. It was Sloan¡¯s father, Liam Mackey. Sloan looked at Caroline with a smile that seemed to say that he was mocking her for being too nalve. However, she remained indifferent and turned her gaze back at La. ¡°I have full faith in myself.¡± Pashing past Caroline, La sat on the chair at the very front of the room and sald. ¡°There¡¯s no use in having faith in yourself. What¡¯s important is what you¡¯re made of.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± A smile hung on Caroline¡¯s lips as she stared at La meaningfully and took a seat across from her. Later, two other shareholders entered the room. After a moment of hesitance, they sat down beside Caroline. Soon, it was obvious which of the people in the room were on whose side, although the election hadn¡¯t even started yet. Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Besides the live shareholders who came in Just now, the board members of Evans Group also entered the room one after another Caroline nced around and realized that she recognized all of them. They were all members of the Evans farnily. To put it simply, Evans Group didn¡¯t have a group of external shareholders. It could be seen as the Evans family¡¯s very ownpany Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Everything operated on nepotism, and this was why Sarah and Dan had been bold enough to do whatever they pleased and hadn¡¯t been afraid of being discovered. ncing around, Caroline took a deep breath. The conference room was as noisy as it could gel, although the election hadn¡¯t started Everyone talked about her and La, and she found it hard to ignore the chatter since the room wasn¡¯t that big either. ¡°Why is Caroline here? Isn¡¯t she afraid of humiliating herself?¡± Someone chimed in. Another person snorted derisively and said, ¡°She thinks she will get to inherit the position from her father. If Evans Group falls into her hands, we¡¯ll all be doomed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said this once before, but I¡¯ll say it again. There are so many young people in the Evans family, but La seems to be the best among them all.¡± 1 ¡°That¡¯s right! Eddy Morrison loves her too, so she¡¯ll surely be the beacon of hope for thepany if she gets elected.¡± Caroline listened to them in silence with an expressionlessce. La, however, smirked as she stared at Caroline. ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re wasting our time by joining the election this time. But I admire you for your courage,¡± said La as she leisurely took a sip of water. ¡°You knew you were going to be theughingstock here, yet you still had the courage to show yourself. You deserve my respect.¡± As she spoke, she raised her disposable cup in the air as if to give a toast. Caroline had her eyes closed before this, and now shezily opened them to peek at La and said. ¡°Thanks, but you¡¯re not worthy enough to be my opponent.¡± This made the corners of La¡¯s mouth twitch in annoyance. Just then, her phone¡¯s screen lit up, and she nced at it only to smile even more brightly at Caroline. ¡°Eddy¡¯s here. I¡¯m going to get him.¡± The people around them couldn¡¯t help but be envious of her. Her words also strengthened their belief that she would be the new CEO. As they carried on with their chattering, Caroline swept her gaze across the room and saw Liam. ¡°Mr. Mackey, it surprises me that you would lie to me,¡± she said. ¡°Beasts fight for food, while humans yearn for wealth. I simply thought that La was a better candidate for the positionpared to you. ¡°Liam smiled, his tone dripping with arrogance. The two people sitting beside Caroline heard this, and they turned to look at her, obviously troubled. One of them lowered his voice and said, ¡°Ms. Evans, is he really going to have La¡¯s back?¡± Caroline was about to answer him when a ruckus erupted at the door, and someone eximed, ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Eddy!¡± She looked in the direction of the crowd to see La holding Eddy¡¯s hand and leading him into the conference room. The look on his face was Indecipherable, so she couldn¡¯t tell if he was d or mad to be there. However, he stiffened for a brief moment when he saw Caroline. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it¡¯s just a formality for me toe here?¡± Eddy asked La. He didn¡¯t want to embarrass her in front of so many people, so he lowered his voice when he spoke to her. ¡°Why is Caroline here?¡± Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Now that Eddy¡¯s support was quaranteed, La found herself very much at ease. Her smile widened, and she purposely nted a kiss on his cheek in front of all the people watching them. ¡°Thank you, Eddy.¡± That said, she stared at Caroline as it she were trying to challenge her. However, Caroline had gotten used to La¡¯s tricks a long time ago and was able to maintain her composure. What La did meant something to the others in the room, and their eyes locked on Eddy. At first, he was stunned by her kiss, butter, he felt annoyed. In fact, he was pissed at her for doing that. The strange thing was that he had never felt this way toward her. Still, he didn¡¯t show much of it on his face. His brows merely knitted together. The other people took this as him giving her silent permission to do as she pleased. This also meant that he admitted to having a rtionship with her. Those who believed that La would win the election became even more confident about their decision to give her their support. La and Eddy then approached Caroline, who looked away from them to stare at the documents in her hands.. Seeing her ignore him somehow made Eddy feel frustrated again. He silently swore to himself that he would give up everything and give her the CEO position at Evans Group if she could just smile at him like she used to in the past. He would do anything, even if her smile onlysted for a split second. Much to his disappointment, Caroline didn¡¯t smile at him as she continued reading the documents with her head bowed. Clenching his hands, Eddy sat down on the chair that one of the employees had brought him. The two shareholders on Caroline¡¯s side felt their hearts palpitating wildly in their chests at Eddy¡¯s arrival Initially, they had been confident in her abilities when they saw her take out the ledger. Now, though, even Eddy was on La¡¯s side. ¡°Don¡¯t fret.¡± Caroline¡¯s head was still lowered when she spoke. ¡°This is a meeting between the shareholders of Evans Group, not Morrison Corp. Nothing will change, even with Eddy here.¡± Her voice had a certain power to it, although she spoke softly. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll hand the ledger over to you if you want to change your mind now.¡± Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The two beside her stared at each other for a moment and fell silent at her words. Just then, Eddy checked his watch and said, ¡°it¡¯s 9:00 am already. Shouldn¡¯t the meeting start already?¡± No one else had the guts to speak aloud until the silence in the air was punctured by Liam¡¯s voice. ¡°There are only a few of us shareholders here, so we can skip the formalities. We should just start voting now.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s going to be the first to cast their vote?¡± Eddy¡¯s gaze swept over the faces of those sitting around the table and paused briefy when he saw Caroline. She still hadn¡¯t met his eyes. The first to rise from his seat was Luke, one of those who sided with La. ¡°I vote for La. Even though she¡¯s inexperienced, herwork is vast, and I believe that Evans Group will have a brighter future with her leading us.¡± As soon as he finished his sentence, the room erupted with apuse. Next, Tom, the man beside Luke, started to speak with enthusiasm. ¡°I agree with Luke. I¡¯ve seen how she fares in management and in learning new things. She might not have much experience, but I have faith in her. Give her some time, and she¡¯ll surely restore Evans Group to its former glory.¡± Hence came another round of apuse. There wasn¡¯t a third person to voice his or her support for Lavia after quite some time. Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Chapter 302 *I¡¯ve told you. Caroline¡¯s joining the election this time just to give us something tough at. Even if she has two shareholders backing her up, it¡¯s still useless. It¡¯s obvious who we should be siding with just by looking around.¡± ¡°Yeah. Caroline¡¯s idiocy is hrious. She actually thought that someone would take her side. The shareholders aren¡¯t fools. They¡¯ll surely Support La now.¡± ¡°La has Eddy¡¯s support. Who does Caroline have to back her up? Her good¨Cfor¨Cnothing husband?¡± Eddy was speechless when he heard them gossiping. At least these people had themon sense to lower their voices and control themselves a bit since he was present. Caroline didn¡¯t hear what they said, though. She was still busy looking through the documents and jotting down something when the room turned silent. It was as though she were an outsider, not one of the contestants. The two shareholders seated beside Caroline were Gavin and George Harper. They were cousins and were here because Morrison Corp had invested in Evans Group. Still, they were different than Luke and Tom because they had sacrificed a lot when they stepped into the field of investment. The Harper cousins¡® respective families had almost cut ties with each other due to the losses faced by Evans Group. Eventually, they lived up to their families¡® expectations, investing in stocks and finally managing to provide their families with a better life. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Even though they were considered wealthy now, the cousins couldn¡¯t forget the hardships their families had gone through in the past. Gavin nced at Caroline, stood up, and made his decision. ¡°My vote is for Caroline,¡± he announced and sat back down. A wave ofughter erupted from the crowd. George had wanted to take La¡¯s side, but since Gavin chose Caroline, he followed suit. Rising from his seat, he said. ¡°I vote for Caroline too.¡± Theughter from the people around them became louder, and the gossiping became ever more prominent. Then, Caroline raised her head to look at Liam and said, ¡°Mr. Mackey, four shareholders have cast their votes. It¡¯s your turn now.¡± The senior executives couldn¡¯t contain theirughter anymore after hearing what she said. ¡°Haha! Is Caroline a clown? This is the funniest joke I¡¯ve heard all year!¡± Caroline turned in the direction of the voice to find out that it was Emery¡¯s mother who spoke. As the saying goes, ¡°The apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree¡°. Caroline tossed the woman a smile, making her freeze for a moment and forget what she was about to say. Now that she wasn¡¯t bbering, the entire room became way more quiet. Just then, Liam spoke. ¡°It seems to me that my vote will decide the oue of this election.¡± La smiled. ¡°Mr. Mackey, don¡¯t beat around the bush. Just tell us who you¡¯re voting for, alright?¡± ¡°Alright. La asked me for my opinion. Naturally, my vote goes to¡­¡± His voice trailed off, and his gaze shifted between Caroline and La as if he were hesitant. In the end, his eyes fell on La, and she pressed her palms against the tabletop while he continued where he left off. ¡°Naturally, my vote goes to La!¡± Shooting up from her seat, La thanked him, to which he replied, ¡°No worries. You¡¯ve proven yourself worthy of this position.¡± That said, he stared at Caroline with an iprehensible look in his eyes. Besides putting on a soft smile, Caroline didn¡¯t have much of an expression. La locked gazes with her and purposely voiced a question. ¡°Caroline, you¡¯ll congratte me for this, right?¡± ¡°What should I congratte you for?¡± The smile remained on Caroline¡¯s lips. ¡°You should congratte me for bing Evans Group¡¯s CEO, of course.¡± Carmine 5 smile widered as she evelez her eyes a Lam. ¡°?t. Mackey, if I¡¯m not misn, you said that you suppon La, right? She put 27 the mor ¡°OL¡± Lan Tontet bling rattice andthing bbc. aeroger in Svars Stup svou it¡¯s wour son. Sloan. You have to hond to make a decision for him.¡± sor stiftet and he chucked. ¡°We are father and son, so our thoughts are the same.¡± 17 he wou sure? Why do we call your son to ask for his opinion or this? be the C hatt Stee. She blinker at Caroline to seem ptiul to everyone around and said. ¡°Caroline, if you really want to WE DEL YOU Dont have to do this. El only make you seem¨CTrivolous.¡± Cessite what she sac Capline¡¯s pace of Cardio I mover. A chill ran up his spine, and he eventually took out his phone. Fire Since you are aw with the results. I call my son and let you know that you¡¯re losing this fight fair and square.¡± He then daer Scar¡¯s number and switched on his phone¡¯s speaker mode. Soon Scan answered the call and Liam could hear the strain and ankers in ms voce. Dat is that you Save me- Lan¡¯s face caet sam He switches of the speaker mode and went to stand by the window. ¡°What happened?¡± No one see what Scambio him, but Liam¡¯s face parkened as he tumed to look at Caroline with bleak eyes. His hands were balled miss and soon he hung up and wallet back to stand beside the table in the conference room. Capline crossed ter ams. ¡°So what do he sa? Lam pritet his test and forces but the words ¡°Scan said he votes for Caroline¡± Eveniones mouth hung ocen in stoo. Thow did mis naboer? Did he get it wrong? ¡°Scan Stowic KOOM 34 TOW That Enti mes Lave¡¯s back¡± That¡¯s going on? Gossip supet ike an unscable wave throughout the room. As Liam stared at Caroline, he told himself to calm down and repeat acuc ¡°Scar sac mat Capline is most qualified to be the next CEO.¡± ¡°Mt. Mackey¡± Lava excamed smmering with rage. Yet Lam soucted on the couch and murmured unintelligiby to himse ¡°Mt. Mac-¡± Lava stated our stopped herself when she noticed Body standing up beside her. Fear gripped her heart as she realized that sne nac almost forgotten that Ency was present She tumedly put on a pititul expression and tugged at his sleeve, and he nced at her to assure her that things were fine. Then, he tumed to look at Caroline annoyed at himself that he actually thought of handing Evans Group over to her. She didn¡¯t deserve the Postion Judging from Liams sudden change in decision. Eady knew that Caroline somehow managed to do something behind the scenes. Despite the re he gave her she met his gaze fearlessly. The look she gave him made him feel like she was inviting him to a challenge. Pusting aside the anger within him. Eddy looked at Liam for confirmation. ¡°Mr. Mackey, are you sure that this is what Sloan wants?¡± Lam put on a brave front and said. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Eddy wered his voice ¡°You can tell me if something¡¯s bothering you back you up, and I won¡¯t be biased. Stil Liam had a look of dejectedness on his face. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Eddy, but Sloan chose to support Caroline. As his father, it¡¯s all I can do charge his mm a a sugen Intel hayuda (mament ist,, te sa, 27%, but the act that the father and son suppenly character mess 104 74x7xe 2one something.. | know you. Too vel, Carine and know that you SODIEN, BORDS All inquifievent, 25 she falz him, ¡°Que veu sowing that NA TOTE 15 DECRUISE 14¡Á1265 87000 1700 2600 le you who would hamathers and out others at rst us to get what they These years. She woul toun. Misali was. The defect example of this) and now she was after the 3 rostar tere. She tat never changed She continued. ¡°Men well you be de mon tuned to look at Lam and 181 him. ¡°The Nockey Tamily change their mind. Does mis tale anything KINIS 13 NO ANG BINS DRS Temble ever so sights. In the and he shook his heat and bt. B. DS DANS Carine Its all¨CStars ear However, The Trove Lam denied) Il The more Batty text inclined to believe that Caroline must have zote something stecall an The s Igh his feelings toware her The confere Carolin Thrown into utter slence after that. hot phone to see a message from Sean saying that he was now downstars. Not wanting to waste more time here Ste ered. ¡°Thee votes 197513 2012. SO Svars Groups new 505- ¡°You can¡¯t be The C roine asked coolly. don¡¯t have integr?K¡± nitina. Caroline asked. ¡°So, you think that a person without integrity can¡¯t be the CSC here¡± ¡°Yes¡± Eddy know very well that he was being immature, but he simbs dient want Caroline to get what she Then asain, foizez her arms, and areti at ¡°So, you want to tak to me about integrib talk about Lavia, Shall we? Lalya froze when her name was mentioned but smiled soon after. Carbine was attempting the Impossible If she tried to tak badly about her in front of EDIK LINE! make him think that Caroline was the root of all evil and that she knew nothing about this. ning the all of a sudden did nothing wrong to you¡± sHE LIVEL one nothing to except s fance away from me eve my tithes, and wan Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Carmine 5 smile widered as she evelez her eyes a Lam. ¡°?t. Mackey, if I¡¯m not misn, you said that you suppon La, right? She put 27 the mor ¡°OL¡± Lan Tontet bling rattice andthing bbc. aeroger in Svars Stup svou it¡¯s wour son. Sloan. You have to hond to make a decision for him.¡± sor stiftet and he chucked. ¡°We are father and son, so our thoughts are the same.¡± 17 he wou sure? Why do we call your son to ask for his opinion or this? be the C hatt Stee. She blinker at Caroline to seem ptiul to everyone around and said. ¡°Caroline, if you really want to WE DEL YOU Dont have to do this. El only make you seem¨CTrivolous.¡± Cessite what she sac Capline¡¯s pace of Cardio I mover. A chill ran up his spine, and he eventually took out his phone. Fire Since you are aw with the results. I call my son and let you know that you¡¯re losing this fight fair and square.¡± He then daer Scar¡¯s number and switched on his phone¡¯s speaker mode. Soon Scan answered the call and Liam could hear the strain and ankers in ms voce. Dat is that you Save me- Lan¡¯s face caet sam He switches of the speaker mode and went to stand by the window. ¡°What happened?¡± No one see what Scambio him, but Liam¡¯s face parkened as he tumed to look at Caroline with bleak eyes. His hands were balled miss and soon he hung up and wallet back to stand beside the table in the conference room. Capline crossed ter ams. ¡°So what do he sa? Lam pritet his test and forces but the words ¡°Scan said he votes for Caroline¡± Eveniones mouth hung ocen in stoo. Thow did mis naboer? Did he get it wrong? ¡°Scan Stowic KOOM 34 TOW That Enti mes Lave¡¯s back¡± That¡¯s going on? Gossip supet ike an unscable wave throughout the room. As Liam stared at Caroline, he told himself to calm down and repeat acuc ¡°Scar sac mat Capline is most qualified to be the next CEO.¡± ¡°Mt. Mackey¡± Lava excamed smmering with rage. Yet Lam soucted on the couch and murmured unintelligiby to himse ¡°Mt. Mac-¡± Lava stated our stopped herself when she noticed Body standing up beside her. Fear gripped her heart as she realized that sne nac almost forgotten that Ency was present She tumedly put on a pititul expression and tugged at his sleeve, and he nced at her to assure her that things were fine. Then, he tumed to look at Caroline annoyed at himself that he actually thought of handing Evans Group over to her. She didn¡¯t deserve the Postion N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Judging from Liams sudden change in decision. Eady knew that Caroline somehow managed to do something behind the scenes. Despite the re he gave her she met his gaze fearlessly. The look she gave him made him feel like she was inviting him to a challenge. Pusting aside the anger within him. Eddy looked at Liam for confirmation. ¡°Mr. Mackey, are you sure that this is what Sloan wants?¡± Lam put on a brave front and said. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Eddy wered his voice ¡°You can tell me if something¡¯s bothering you back you up, and I won¡¯t be biased. Stil Liam had a look of dejectedness on his face. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Eddy, but Sloan chose to support Caroline. As his father, it¡¯s all I can do charge his mm a a sugen Intel hayuda (mament ist,, te sa, 27%, but the act that the father and son suppenly character mess 104 74x7xe 2one something.. | know you. Too vel, Carine and know that you SODIEN, BORDS All inquifievent, 25 she falz him, ¡°Que veu sowing that NA TOTE 15 DECRUISE 14¡Á1265 87000 1700 2600 le you who would hamathers and out others at rst us to get what they These years. She woul toun. Misali was. The defect example of this) and now she was after the 3 rostar tere. She tat never changed She continued. ¡°Men well you be de mon tuned to look at Lam and 181 him. ¡°The Nockey Tamily change their mind. Does mis tale anything KINIS 13 NO ANG BINS DRS Temble ever so sights. In the and he shook his heat and bt. B. DS DANS Carine Its all¨CStars ear However, The Trove Lam denied) Il The more Batty text inclined to believe that Caroline must have zote something stecall an The s Igh his feelings toware her The confere Carolin Thrown into utter slence after that. hot phone to see a message from Sean saying that he was now downstars. Not wanting to waste more time here Ste ered. ¡°Thee votes 197513 2012. SO Svars Groups new 505- ¡°You can¡¯t be The C roine asked coolly. don¡¯t have integr?K¡± nitina. Caroline asked. ¡°So, you think that a person without integrity can¡¯t be the CSC here¡± ¡°Yes¡± Eddy know very well that he was being immature, but he simbs dient want Caroline to get what she Then asain, foizez her arms, and areti at ¡°So, you want to tak to me about integrib talk about Lavia, Shall we? Lalya froze when her name was mentioned but smiled soon after. Carbine was attempting the Impossible If she tried to tak badly about her in front of EDIK LINE! make him think that Caroline was the root of all evil and that she knew nothing about this. ning the all of a sudden did nothing wrong to you¡± sHE LIVEL one nothing to except s fance away from me eve my tithes, and wan Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Caroline¨Csmiled softly and said. ¡°What do you mean, Mr. Eddy?¡± ¡°Stop pretending. You and I both know it.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about if you don¡¯t tell me anything.¡± Eddy walked and stopped right in front of her, his eyes simmering with rage. He couldn¡¯t hold it back any longer and roared. ¡°Why did Sloan change his mind all of a sudden? Don¡¯t tell me that you did nothing at all!¡± Caroline calmly looked up at him and asked, ¡°Do you have any evidence?¡± This effectively shut him up, but a momentter, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t, but the fact that the father and son suddenly changed their minds is much too strange. You must have done something. I know you too well, Caroline, and I know that you would do anything to achieve your goals!¡± Caroline smiled, looking all indifferent, as she told him, ¡°Are you saying that you hate us because we do whatever it takes to reach our goals?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Eddy snapped. ¡°I hate people like you who would harm others and put others at risk just to get what they want!¡± This was what Caroline had done to La all these years. She would try all means to get her hands on anything La wanted or liked. Eddy himself was the perfect example of this! And now she was after the CEO position here. She had never changed! Caroline maintained the smile on her face as she continued, ¡°Very well. You¡¯d better remember what you said today.¡± She then turned to look at Liam and told him. ¡°The Mackey family changed their mind. Does this have anything to do with me, Mr. Mackey? Liam looked up at her and felt his lips tremble ever so slightly. In the end, he shook his head and denied it. ¡°Mr. Eddy, this truly has nothing to do with Caroline. It¡¯s all Sloan¡¯s idea!¡± However, the more Liam denied it, the more Eddy felt inclined to believe that Caroline must have done something especially awful. He felt as though his feelings toward her had be more messed up and unclear. The conference room was thrown into utter silence after that. Caroline nced at her phone to see a message from Sean saying that he was now downstairs. Not wanting to waste more time here, she stood up and dered. ¡°Three votes versus two. So Evans Group¡¯s new CEO is=¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± Eddy interrupted her. ¡°You can¡¯t be the CEO.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Caroline asked coolly. ¡°Because you don¡¯t have integrity.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Smiling, Caroline asked, ¡°So, you think that a person without integrity can¡¯t be the CEO here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eddy knew very well that he was being immature, but he simply didn¡¯t want Caroline to get what she wanted. Then, Caroline sat down again, folded her arms, and stared at him. ¡°So, you want to talk to me about integrity now, huh? Okay then, let¡¯s talk about La, shall we?¡± Lalya froze when her name was mentioned but smiled soon after. Caroline was attempting the impossible if she tried to talk badly about her in front of Eddy. La had been influencing Eddy all this time to make him think that Caroline was the root of all evil and that she knew nothing about this. ¡°Why are you mentioning me all of a sudden? I did nothing wrong to you,¡± said La. ¡°Indeed. You¡¯ve done nothing to me except snatch my fianc¨¦ away from me, eye my kidneys, and want me dead.¡± La paled at her words, but Eddy rushed forth to shield her Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Chapter 305 ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Eddy shielded La as he said, ¡°La didn¡¯t approve, but I was the one who persuaded her.¡± Caroline looked at Eddy, the big fool La had deceived, and she couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Eddy became furious at her actions. ¡°I¡¯mughing at how gullible you are.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Eddy frowned in disgust. ¡°You¡¯ve always been by La¡¯s side. Haven¡¯t you noticed that she¡¯s pretending to be sick?¡± When La heard her words, she wobbled on the spot. Soon, she quickly steadied herself with the table. She questioned, ¡°Why are you ndering me, Caroline?¡± Eddy also scolded. ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re getting more and more out of line!¡± Caroline didn¡¯t bother exining to Eddy. She nced at the door, waiting for Sean to arrive. Seeing how silent Caroline was. La became more confident. With red eyes, she bit her lips and asked, ¡°Caroline, anything you say casually can ruin my life. Should Shouldn¡¯t you apologize to me?¡± Eddy¡¯s heart fell apart when he saw La¡¯s tearful expression. He looked at Caroline and ordered. ¡°Caroline, apologize to La right now.¡± Caroline raised her head, looking down at him with a mocking gaze. Eddy was so furious at her behavior that he tried to push Caroline¡¯s head down to make her apologize to La. Seeing Eddy¡¯s approaching hand, Caroline moved aside and said coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me.¡± Her disgust for him was clearly written on her face. yone was dumbfounded by the sight. They had always thought it was Eddy who disliked Caroline, but it seemed that it was the At this moment. Sean walked in, holding arge stack of documents. He asked Caroline, ¡°Am Ite?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just on time.¡± Eddy was shocked to find out that Caroline knew Sean. He froze for a moment, then recovered his voice. ¡°Dr. Yates, you¡ª¡± Sean said with a smile. ¡°Time is limited, so I¡¯ll make this quick. These are confessions from three doctors and 12 nurses from Morrison Corp¡¯s private hospital along with La¡¯s forged medical records and checklists. I can say with absolute certainty that La¡¯s kidneys do not have any problems.¡± ¡°Ive also checked the medications she took in prison.¡± At the mention of this, Sean¡¯s lips curled up into a smile as he continued. ¡°Ms. La probably didn¡¯t expect the prison to record the administration of drugs. ¡°ording to the records, those medicines are just ordinary drugs that supplement your body¡¯s vitamins. They can¡¯t cure your illness, as you imed.¡± Sean threw all the evidence on the table with a bang. La¡¯s face was as pale as a ghost. ¡°N¨Cno Dr. Yates, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand you at all¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter as long as everyone else understands me.¡± And with that, Sean¡¯s gaze fell on Eddy. Eddy¡¯s face was ashen as he looked at La in disbelief. He felt as if the world was copsing around him. ¡°La¡­ Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ed, listen to me. What he said is all lies. There¡¯s no way I would lie to you. Don¡¯t believe him, Ed¡­ Eddy clenched his fists so hard that they were bleeding. He took out his phone and called his assistant. ¡°Bring all the doctors in charge of La to Evans Group now!¡± His assistant quickly brought the three doctors over. The three doctors had just escaped from the wolf¡¯s den. When they saw Sean, they all trembled. Chapter 306 Chapter 306 Chapter 306 The three doctors looked at Sean. They appeared unscathed because the wounds were hidden under their clothes. And as a doctor, Sean knew how to avoid the vital parts. The three of them had suffered a lot in Sean¡¯s presence, so they didn¡¯t have the gall to lie. They scrambled to answer immediately. ¡°Ms. La isn¡¯t sick She forced me to fake her medical records and checklists. Mr. Eddy, 1-1 don¡¯t know anything. I was forced to do this Eddy couldn¡¯t listen to the doctors¡® exnations at all. His mind was buzzing. Only one revtion was going through his mind right now: La wasn¡¯t sick. She wasn¡¯t ill at all ¡ª He slowly turned his head like a broken doll and looked at La with dull eyes. He asked, ¡°Why? Why did you do this?¡± La had considered the possibility that Eddy would one day discover the truth. However, since the outside world couldn¡¯t know about. what was going on in prison, she took the opportunity to lie and say that she was cured of her illness. She thought her ns were perfect, but She red at Caroline hatefully. She bit the inside of her cheek. The pain calmed her down instantly. She took a deep breath. Her tears rolled down her cheeks as she exined. ¡°Ed, let me exin ¡ª* As she said that, she tried to grab Eddy¡¯s hand, but he ruthlessly ripped it away. ¡°So¡­ you really lied to me, didn¡¯t you?¡± He looked down and fixed his eyes on La. La felt like she had been dragged into the dark abyss of despair. She really wanted to get out of this predicament. However, if she lied again, even with the cold, hard facts in front of her, it would only make Eddy more disappointed in her. She firmly grasped Eddy¡¯s clothes and shakingly replied, ¡°Y¨Cyes ¡ª Eddy¡¯s expression shifted several times, and he clenched and unclenched his fists. a long while, he pushed La away and strode toward the door. uctions caught La off guard, and she fell to the ground, making a loud noise. However, he never looked back, not even once. Seeing this, La knew that Eddy was upset, and there was no point in acting miserable. She quickly got up from the ground and caught up with Eddy. The lively meeting room immediately turned quiet. Caroline and Sean looked at each other, enjoying the show that had urred. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave,¡± Sean said. He nodded at Caroline and walked out of the room. At this time, everyone had recovered from their shock, and some people even recognized Sean. ¡°Was that man Sean Yates?¡± ¡°I think so. I heard Mr. Eddy had invited him from abroad to treat La¡¯s illness some time ago.¡± ¡°What¡¯s his rtionship with Caroline?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. They seem to be ¡ª friends.¡± ¡°No way. Caroline actually knows a genius doctor!¡± Evans Group¡¯s senior management whispered among themselves and looked at Caroline with shock and fear. Caroline got up and scanned the crowd. She asked. ¡°So, I¡¯ll be the new CEO of thispany. Are there any objections?¡± No one in the meeting room dared to say anything. ¡°All right. Since there are no objections, you all may leave. Business will be as usual. I¡¯ll officially start work tomorrow.¡± After a while, there was sparse apuse in the meeting room. Luke and Tom, who supported La, left with a huff. Chapter 307 +15 BONUS Liam left as well. He wasn¡¯t as high¨Cspirited as when he came in. In fact, he seemed to have aged for a few years. Gavin was the only person who had sincerely hoped that Caroline would win. He stood up and held out his hand to Caroline. He said, ¡± Congrattions, Ms. Evans.¡± Caroline raised an eyebrow and said in return, ¡°I¡¯d like to congratte you as well.¡± Gavin was taken aback for a moment. Then, he remembered the ledgers and said. ¡°Are you talking about how we can settle things with the former CEO?¡± Caroline shook her head slightly, her eyes glowing with confidence. She said, ¡°Not only that, I¡¯ll show you a new Evans Group. So I¡¯m congratting you for making the right choice.¡± Her words took Gavin aback. As a businessman, he had met countless confident people, but this was the first time he had seen someone as confident as her. ¡°May I ask you a question, Ms. Evans?¡± Gavin waited for Caroline to nod before asking. ¡°What makes you so confident?¡± He wasn¡¯t mocking her at all; he genuinely wanted to know. Caroline smiled proudly. ¡°My husband.¡± Gavin and George were stunned at her words. Caroline picked up her bag. ¡°All right. You¡¯re both busy people, so I won¡¯t waste any more of your time.¡± She was eager to tell Kirk the good news face¨Cto¨Cface! watching Caroline leave, George could no longer stay quiet. ¡°Gavin, do you really believe that Caroline can clean up this mess of a Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. hy?¡± Gavin said. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it before, but maybe I do now.¡± ¡°But you heard what she said. Her confidencees from her husband. A rational and mature businesswoman wouldn¡¯t say such emotional words.¡± Gavin and George walked toward the elevator together. Gavin exined, ¡°You saw what happened today. If she was really ipetent, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to get Sloan to change his mind.¡± George wanted to refute it, but he couldn¡¯t find the words. Gavin¡¯s words didn¡¯tpletely convince him. He still didn¡¯t believe Caroline could manage Evans Group. Simply put, he had chosen the best out of a mediocre bunch. When the two arrived downstairs, they saw Luke and Tom smoking and chatting in the smoking area. Noticing the two cousins, they walked over to them leisurely. ¡°It¡¯s strange. What benefits did Caroline give you to make you two obey her like dogs?¡± George was about to rush forward, but Gavin stopped him. Gavin said in a gentle tone, ¡°I have a simr question, too. What did La give you to make you obey her like dogs?¡± Luke and Tom looked at each other, and then they bothughed. ¡°There¡¯s no point bickering like this. You¡¯re going to regret your decision sooner orter, Gavin!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Gavin said in return, ¡°We¡¯re all in the same boat. Il Caroline really messes this up, you¡¯ll be screwed too.¡± Lukeughed loudly. ¡°No, no. Both of us won¡¯t since we and Morrison Corp will be retracting our investments soon. Since we¡¯ve worked together for many years, let me give you some advice. You should run away while you can.¡± And with that, the two men walked away. +15 BONUS George Waited for them to leave before asking. Gavin, they can¡¯t be serious, right/Evans Group 5 money trail will be broken as soon as Morrison Corp retracts its investments, Should Should we retract our Investments as well?¡± Gavin frowned deeply. Alter a long while, he dered, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°ance Caroline didn¡¯t disappoint us alter we put our trust in her, we should trust her again.¡± ¡°What if sheils?¡± George hesitantly said, ¡°She has never had experience managing apany before.¡± Then, we¡¯ll just treat it as getting a bad deal,¡± Gavin said lightheartedly. He had already been prepared for Evans Group to go under anywa Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Chapter 307 alled Elk, she realized she was shaking bally. She pressed the wrong Casoline data¡¯t want to cry at first but when she heard Kit¡¯s deep and alluring vole e, she fell her eyes water. Her voice broke as she said.¡± Kik t ¡°But you heard what she said. Her confidencees from her husband. A rational and mature businesswoman wouldn¡¯t say such emotional words.¡± Gavin and George walked toward the elevator together. Gavin exined, ¡°You saw what happened today. If she was really ipetent, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to get Sloan to change his mind.¡± George wanted to refute it, but he couldn¡¯t find the words. Gavin¡¯s words didn¡¯tpletely convince him. He still didn¡¯t believe Caroline could manage Evans Group. Simply put, he had chosen the best out of a mediocre bunch. When the two arrived downstairs, they saw Luke and Tom smoking and chatting in the smoking area. Noticing the two cousins, they walked over to them leisurely. ¡°It¡¯s strange. What benefits did Caroline give you to make you two obey her like dogs?¡± George was about to rush forward, but Gavin stopped him. Gavin said in a gentle tone, ¡°I have a simr question, too. What did La give you to make you obey her like dogs?¡± Luke and Tom looked at each other, and then they bothughed. ¡°There¡¯s no point bickering like this. You¡¯re going to regret your decision sooner orter, Gavin!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Gavin said in return, ¡°We¡¯re all in the same boat. Il Caroline really messes this up, you¡¯ll be screwed too.¡± Lukeughed loudly. ¡°No, no. Both of us won¡¯t since we and Morrison Corp will be retracting our investments soon. Since we¡¯ve worked together for many years, let me give you some advice. You should run away while you can.¡± And with that, the two men walked away. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. +15 BONUS George Waited for them to leave before asking. Gavin, they can¡¯t be serious, right/Evans Group 5 money trail will be broken as soon as Morrison Corp retracts its investments, Should Should we retract our Investments as well?¡± Gavin frowned deeply. Alter a long while, he dered, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°ance Caroline didn¡¯t disappoint us alter we put our trust in her, we should trust her again.¡± ¡°What if sheils?¡± George hesitantly said, ¡°She has never had experience managing apany before.¡± Then, we¡¯ll just treat it as getting a bad deal,¡± Gavin said lightheartedly. He had already been prepared for Evans Group to go under anyway. Chapter 30 +15 BONUS alled Elk, she realized she was shaking bally. She pressed the wrong Casoline data¡¯t want to cry at first but when she heard Kit¡¯s deep and alluring vole e, she fell her eyes water. Her voice broke as she said.¡± Kik tett his heart tremble when he heard the word ¡°we¡± You¡¯re amazing, darling?¡® he saidy holly, his heart Bullering. Charles was standing nearby. When he looked at Kith, he couldn¡¯t help cursing Internally. He had never seen his boss so excited, not even when he won a billion dor prolect ¡°Are you free at noon? Caroline asked. her hose. ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate together. We¡¯ll call Gwen and Sean loo, I really want to thank him for helping me out.¡± ¡°Okay then. I¡¯ll call coven.¡± Caroline looked at her tearful rellection in the rearview minor, feeling amazed at herself. To everyone else, she was a fearless fighter. But when Kirk was around, she would show her vulnerable and childish side. ¡°All right.¡± Kirk held back a smile. ¡°Do you need me to pick you up?¡± ¡°No, Fil ask Mr. Jack to pick you guys up.¡± At the mention of Jack, Kirk became silent. Then, he smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± te: Caroline hung up the phone, she called Gwen. She had already calmed herself down at this point, but unexpectedly, Gwen was more ited than she was, rihhhh! You¡¯re amazing, Caroll I regret not asking for a day off! You¡¯re my goddess, my dear Carol!¡± Caroline happily smiled as she heard Gwen¡¯s voice. Compliments from thousands of outsiders were nothingpared to the praise from those close to you. ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. If you keep talking, I¡¯ll actually sound like a goddess.¡± Caroline started the car. She asked, ¡°Where are you right now? I¡¯ll ask Mr. Jack to pick you up.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Sean is here with me.¡± ¡°Just on time, then. Both of you can go to the barbecue restaurant near Thorne Corp.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± An hourter, the four of them gathered at the barbecue restaurant. When Gwen saw Caroline, she hugged her friend and burst into tears. She didn¡¯t care if they were in a public ce. ¡°Caroll How on earth are you so amazing?¡± Caroline epted Gwen¡¯s enthusiasm with a smile. However, Kirk couldn¡¯t bear to see someone else take his wife¡¯s attention. He looked coldly at Sean, who was enjoying the show, and ordered, ¡°Get your lover away from her.¡± Sean retorted, ¡°You¡¯re so petty. She¡¯s just hugging your wife. If you want a hug too, I can give you one!¡± As he tt his heart tremble when he heard the word ¡°we¡± You¡¯re amazing, darling?¡® he saidy holly, his heart Bullering. Charles was standing nearby. When he looked at Kith, he couldn¡¯t help cursing Internally. He had never seen his boss so excited, not even when he won a billion dor prolect ¡°Are you free at noon? Caroline asked. her hose. ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate together. We¡¯ll call Gwen and Sean loo, I really want to thank him for helping me out.¡± ¡°Okay then. I¡¯ll call coven.¡± Caroline looked at her tearful rellection in the rearview minor, feeling amazed at herself. To everyone else, she was a fearless fighter. But when Kirk was around, she would show her vulnerable and childish side. ¡°All right.¡± Kirk held back a smile. ¡°Do you need me to pick you up?¡± ¡°No, Fil ask Mr. Jack to pick you guys up.¡± At the mention of Jack, Kirk became silent. Then, he smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± te: Caroline hung up the phone, she called Gwen. She had already calmed herself down at this point, but unexpectedly, Gwen was more ited than she was, rihhhh! You¡¯re amazing, Caroll I regret not asking for a day off! You¡¯re my goddess, my dear Carol!¡± Caroline happily smiled as she heard Gwen¡¯s voice. Compliments from thousands of outsiders were nothingpared to the praise from those close to you. ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. If you keep talking, I¡¯ll actually sound like a goddess.¡± Caroline started the car. She asked, ¡°Where are you right now? I¡¯ll ask Mr. Jack to pick you up.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Sean is here with me.¡± ¡°Just on time, then. Both of you can go to the barbecue restaurant near Thorne Corp.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± An hourter, the four of them gathered at the barbecue restaurant. When Gwen saw Caroline, she hugged her friend and burst into tears. She didn¡¯t care if they were in a public ce. ¡°Caroll How on earth are you so amazing?¡± Caroline epted Gwen¡¯s enthusiasm with a smile. However, Kirk couldn¡¯t bear to see someone else take his wife¡¯s attention. He looked coldly at Sean, who was enjoying the show, and ordered, ¡°Get your lover away from her.¡± Sean retorted, ¡°You¡¯re so petty. She¡¯s just hugging your wife. If you want a hug too, I can give you one!¡± As he spoke, he opened his arms. Kirk didn¡¯t bother to answer him and rescued Caroline from Gwen¡¯s tight clutches. He put his hand on her shoulder and asked. ¡°Are you tired?¡± Chapter 308 Chapter 308 Chapter 308 In the underground parking lot, when Carolion god in bullons several times before finally dialing his number Kirk answered the call within seconds. ¡®Hey, darling.¡± Cand called Fink, the malized the was shaking badly. She pressed the wrong Caroline didn¡¯t want to cry at first, but when she heard Kirk¡¯s deep and alluring voice, she fell her eyes water. Her voice broke as she said,¡± We won, Kirk! We won!¡± Kirk felt his heart tremble when he heard the word ¡°we,¡± ¡°You¡¯re amazing, darling!¡± he said joyfully, his heart fluttering. Charles was standing nearby. When he looked at Kuk, he couldn¡¯t help cursing internally. He had never seen his boss so excited, not even when he won a billion¨Cdor project, ¡°Are you free at noon? Caroline asked, snilling her nose. ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate together. We¡¯ll call Gwen and Sean too. I really want to thank him for helping me out.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay then. I¡¯ll call Gwen.¡± Caroline looked at her tearful reflection in the rearview mirror, feeling amazed at herself. To everyone else, she was a fearless lighter. But when Kirk was around, she would show her vulnerable and childish side. ¡°All right.¡± Kirk held back a smile, ¡°Do you need me to pick you up?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll ask Mr. Jack to pick you guys up.¡± At the mention of Jack, Kirk became silent. Then, he smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± After Caroline hung up the phone, she called Gwen. She had already calmed herself down at this point, but unexpectedly, Gwen was more ited than she was, hhh! You¡¯re amazing, Carol! I regret not asking for a day off! You¡¯re my goddess, my dear Carol!¡± Caroline happily smiled as she heard Gwen¡¯s voice. Compliments from thousands of outsiders were nothingpared to the praise from those close to you. ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. If you keep talking. I¡¯ll actually sound like a goddess.¡± Caroline started the car. She asked. ¡°Where are you right now? I¡¯ll ask Mr. Jack to pick you up.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Sean is here with me.¡± ¡°Just on time, then. Both of you can go to the barbecue restaurant near Thorne Corp.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± An hourter, the four of them gathered at the barbecue restaurant. When Gwen saw Caroline, she hugged her friend and burst into tears. She didn¡¯t care if they were in a public ce.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Caroll How on earth are you so amazing?¡± Caroline epted Gwen¡¯s enthusiasm with a smile. However, Kirk couldn¡¯t bear to see someone else take his wife¡¯s attention. He looked coldly at Sean, who was enjoying the show, and ordered, ¡°Get your lover away from her.¡± Sean retorted, ¡°You¡¯re so pelly. She¡¯s just hugging your wife. If you want a hug too, I can give you one!¡± As he spoke, he opened his arms. Kirk didn¡¯t bother to answer him and rescued Caroline from Gwen¡¯s tight clutches. He put his hand on her shoulder and asked. ¡°Are you lired? 1/2 Nope Laroune shook her head. She nestled herself into Kirk¡¯s arms and whispered, ¡°I did it.¡± ¡°Of course you¡¯re the best person I know,¡± Kirk said sweetly, kissing Caroline¡¯s head. Gwen and Seanined at the same moment, saying, ¡°Quit acting lovey¨Cdovey in front of us!¡± ¡°You both can do it too,¡± Kirk replied with a half¨Csmile. Chapter 309 Chapter 309 Chapter 309 It was clear that back was in a good mood today. He was even joking in front of Gwen. opportunity, Sean said. ¡°I¡¯d love to do that, but someone doesn¡¯t want to y along, and she keeps embarrassing me.¡± Caroline smiled and joked, ¡°Did you hear that, Gwen? He¡¯sining about you. Why don¡¯t you make this thing between you two official, and we¡¯ll have a double wedding?¡± ¡°Oh, shut it. Today is your day. I¡¯m not going to steal your thunder.¡± Even as she said that, in a rare moment, Gwen took the initiative to hold Sean¡¯s hand in front of Caroline and Kirk. Sean looked down at their sped hands, his heart beating faster. He was about to say something when he heard Gwen warn, ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck¡± Sean simicked at her words and sat down quietly beside Gwen.. Caroline and Kirk looked at each other tacitly. Hurry up and order some lood. I¡¯m so hungry,¡± Gwen said before Caroline could tease her. Caroline had choice but to order food for everyone. While waiting for the food, Sean talked about what Eddy looked like when he found out that La had deceived him,ughing happily. ¡°Hahal You guys had no idea how pitiful Eddy looked. It looked as if his faith in humanity had fallen apart!¡± Gwen snorted, ¡°He deserves it for always thinking that Caroline was a scheming bitch while La was the actual snake. He¡¯s just a blind Idiot who couldn¡¯t see that. Now, it¡¯s great that he finally saw her true colors! He can regret his choices all he wants!¡± Kirk looked at Caroline silently. Feeling his gaze on her, Caroline litted her head slightly and looked back at him. She raised an eyebrow, silently asking him what was wrong. Kirk smiled and shook his head. Then, he continued listening to Sean¡¯s story about what had happened. Relishing in the gossip, Gwen asked, ¡°Then, what happened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just saw La getting into Eddy¡¯s car,¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°What a shame!¡± Gwen said regretfully. Suddenly, her eyes focused on Sean and murmured, ¡°Hang on a minute.. Sean asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gwen asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you friends with Eddy¡¯s second uncle? By right, you shouldn¡¯t beughing at your friend¡¯s nephew getting tricked.¡± Sean looked over at Kirk, who was grilling meat for Caroline, and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just his second uncle¡¯s friend, not his friend. Besides, there are many uncles who screw their nephews over. Laughing at his demise shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Only Kirk knew what Sean¡¯s words meant. But he remained unphased and put the grilled meat on Caroline¡¯s te. ¡°What are your ns Trom here on out, darling?¡± My ns?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t know how the topic had changed, but she still answered honestly, ¡°First of all, I have to go back to pack my things from Thome Corp this afternoon. ¡°Then, starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll do my best to manage Evans Group and restore it to its former glory.¡± Kirk tucked Caroline¡¯s hair behind her ear and asked, ¡°Do you want me toe with you?¡± ¡°To Thorne Corp?¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS Yeah. ¡°No need,¡± Caroline relused with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t have many things over there, and Mr. Jack can help out anyway.¡± At the mention of this, Caroline felt emotional. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d leave Thome Corp so soon. I¡¯m going to miss that ce.¡± She would especially miss Jack. Although she still didn¡¯t know who he was or why he used the company¡¯s name to pose as her driver, she was grateful to him. Thanks to him, she had been able to devote her time and energy to thepany¡¯s work without worrying about anything rted to traveling. At this moment, Caroline¡¯s phone vibrated on the table. ¡°Ms. Evans, I¡¯ve already investigated Jack.¡± When the screen lit up with the text, Kirk identally caught a glimpse of it, and his hands froze. Chapter 310 Chapter 310 Chapter 310 +15 BONUS Caroline didn¡¯t hide it from Kirk at all and immediately sent a message to Quentin. ¡°All right. You can send me the details.¡± The screen kept showing that Quentin was typing, and a momentter, he sent another message. ¡°Myputer has a virus, so I can¡¯t find the digital files anymore. But I¡¯ve already printed out the details. Are you free this afternoon? I¡¯ll bring them over.¡± Caroline thought about her schedule for a moment. She didn¡¯t have anything on in the afternoon, so she said, ¡°Yeah, I am. Sorry to trouble you.¡± Quentin replied, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything else. Caroline pald the bill for this meal alter she strongly Insisted on it. Alter that, Gwen and Sean left, but Kirk stood still. Seeing this, she asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have work in the alternoon?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Kirk rubbed Caroline¡¯s supple lips with his lingers and put an arm around her waist, forcing her to cling to him. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go.¡± Caroline asked with a smile, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°You,¡± Kirk uttered. Caroline Immediately understood what he meant, and herce turned red. ¡°Kirk ¡ª Kirk bit Caroline¡¯s earlobe and whispered, ¡°You¡¯re tempting me again, darling.¡± Caroline leaned against his chest in embarrassment, then distanced herself from him. ¡°You¡¯d better hurry up and go to work.¡± Kirk smiled. ¡°Fine, but promise me that you¡¯ll be home earlier tonight.¡± Caroline mumbled, ¡°Just go.¡± ¡°Are you saying yes?¡± Caroline was speechless. Kirk simply left the conversation at that and kissed Caroline¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you back home.¡± And with that, he got into the car and drove away. Caroline waited for the warmth on her cheeks to go away before walking toward Thorne Corp with her high heels clicking on the road. As Kirk looked at Caroline walking further away, he smirked. Immediately, he fixed his gaze on Jack, who was peeking at the backseat When Jack met Kirk¡¯s eyes, he was so frightened that he almost bit his own tongue. Oh God! He had just wanted to see what a lovey- dovey Kirk was like. He hadn¡¯t expected to get caught. ¡°Jack¡± Jack trembled as he said, ¡°Yes, sir?¡± ¡°How long have you worked for me?¡± Having a bad feeling, Jack replied, ¡°13 years.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve treated you well in the past 13 years, haven¡¯t 17¡± ¡°You¡¯re my greatest benefactor, sir. If you hadn¡¯t gotten me out of the underground life. I would be dead by now.¡± Jack said truthfully Jack used to be an underground fighter in the ck market and had met Kirk by chance. Kirk had recognized his fighting talent at a nce, saved him from the ck market, and let him practice fighting with a master. He wouldn¡¯t be where he was today if it hadn¡¯t been for Kirk. So when Kirk asked him to be Caroline¡¯s driver, he had agreed wholeheartedlyProperty ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Jack¡¯s heart was beating frantically as suspense overwhelmed him. He had no idea what Kirk¡¯s words meant. They sounded like porting words. Could it be that he wanted to assign him to a dangerous mission? At the thought of this, the blood in Jack¡¯s body boiled with trepidalion. In his office, Jules stood frozen in shock. ¡°You you¡¯re Evans Group¡¯s CEO now?¡± Caroline smiled slightly. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll officially take over tomorrow, so I¡¯m here to resign formally.¡± Jules apuded. ¡°That¡¯s incredible! I heard that La asked Mr. Eddy to maximize her presence for this election. You didn¡¯t beat La in this election; you beat Mr. Eddy!¡± He was really curious about how Caroline had persuaded those shareholders to support her. Caroline said humbly, ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating, Mr. Hawkins. At the end of the day, these are Evans Group¡¯s internal affairs, Well I came here to give my resignation letter and pack up my things.¡± ¡°Are you in such a hurry that you must leave today?¡± ¡°Yes. As you know, Evans Group is a mess, so I want to take over as soon as possible.¡± Jules nodded understandingly. He opened Caroline¡¯s resignation letter and signed it. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll get to work together in the future.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Caroline said with a smile. ¡°Evans Group primarily works on clothing, and we work in the female consumer market. Maybe our paths will cross one day.¡± While talking, Jules had already handed the approved resignation letter to Caroline. He said, ¡°I still have work to do, so I¡¯ll see you offter.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to trouble yoursell.¡± ¡°I insist.¡± Jules shook hands with Caroline before watching her leave the office. Seeing how dillerent Caroline waspared to when she had first joined thepany, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh. With how rapidly she was improving, he believed that she would be a legend in the business world. When Caroline returned to the design department, many people saw the resignation letter in her hand. ¡°Caroline Cheryl approached her, her eyes turning red again. Caroline said with a soft smile. ¡°All good things muste to an end. Don¡¯t cry. We¡¯re still in the same city. I¡¯m just a call away if you want to meet up.¡± ¡°Really? Will I still get to see you?¡± Cheryl asked. ¡°Why not?¡± Vivian interjected, walking Into the room on high heels. ¡°From now on, Caroline doesn¡¯t have to go to work anymore. You can see her whenever you want.¡± Caroline turned in the direction of the voice, but she saw Jack Instead of Vivian. Jack was about to say something, but Vivian¡¯s gloating drowned out his voice. ¡°Am I right, Caroline?¡± Caroline asked Jack, ¡°What are you doing up here?¡± Jack tried to speak, but Vivian blocked him, walking up to Caroline. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering my question, Caroline?¡± Caroline took a deep breath, resisting the urge to p Vivian in thece. She retorted. ¡°Talking to a retard just feels like a waste of my time. Initially, Vivian was furious at her words, but she soonughed. Caroline had wanted a job and family, but she ended up getting none of them. There was no reason for her to act proud right now. +15 BONUS Vivian said sarcastically, Youre smart, Caroline. So smart that you lost your job and even tried to fight with La to be LEO. You¡¯re truly a genlust Several of Vivian¡¯s followers had already stood up. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. When they heard her words, they echoed, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Viv. I heard that Mr. Eddy personally went to help La today. Haha, some people really don¡¯t know how to assess a situation. She¡¯s just making a fool of herself by stepping up like this.¡± ¡°Exactly, that position was totally out of her league. There¡¯s no way a department head like her can be a CEO.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen some people be delusional, but I¡¯ve never met someone as delusional as her.¡± Caroline remained silent. ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough.¡± Vivian looked back at her subordinates. She said, ¡°Caroline is already really sad from losing her job and the election to be the Evans Group¡¯s CEO, so don¡¯t rub salt in her wounds. Whoops, I was so busy talking to you that I forgot to visit Evans Group¡¯s new CEO.¡± Chapter 312 Chapter 312 Chapter 312 ¡°You¡¯re really close with La Aren¡¯t you, Viv? You¡¯re even going to visit her su soon.¡± Caroline folded her arms, sneering at Vivian, who was surrounded by her envious followers. When they heard her sneer, one of them immediately red at her like a loyal dog protecting its owner ¡°What are youughing at? Oh, I know. Are you jealous that Viv can visit Evans Group while you can¡¯t even step foot there?¡± Caroline almostughed out loud at the person¡¯s words. She didn¡¯t have the energy to keep talking to these idiots. Instead, she asked, ¡° What are you doing here, Mr. Jack?¡± Jack linally had the chance to speak. ¡°I¡± ¡°Caroline.¡± Vivian interrupted Jack. She approached Caroline and said, ¡°If you want to go to Evans Group, I can take you there.¡± Caroline grimaced slightly. ¡°Why do you need to do that in the first ce?¡± ¡°Because they wouldn¡¯t let you into the building.¡± ¡°I can just let myself in.¡± Caroline crossed her arms and looked down at Vivian. Vivian¡¯s smile froze, and she asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Evans Group is mine. I can just let myself in,¡± Caroline repeated herself with a raised brow. Vivian¡¯s expression shifted, but she scolled immediately. ¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind. Evans Group can¡¯t be yours.¡± ¡°Why not? I¡¯m a member of the Evans family, so why can¡¯t I be the CEO?¡± Carolineughed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you and La good friends? Didn¡¯t she tell you that I won the election?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Vivian went ballistic. ¡°How can you be Evans Group¡¯s CEO? La has Mr. Eddy supporting her! Who do you think you are?¡± Caroline smiled disdainfully at her words. She said, ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re here, Mr. Jack. Help me pack my things.¡± Jack froze for a moment before replying, ¡°All right.¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Wait!¡± Vivian blocked Caroline¡¯s way. She argued, ¡°Are you leaving in such a hurry because you¡¯re afraid your lie will be exposed? I¡¯ve already seen your resignation letter. You must have made a big mistake for Mr. Hawkins to fire you. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re saying you¡¯re Evans Group¡¯s CEO. You¡¯re just shameless.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s being shameless?¡± Jules had heard Vivian¡¯s volce from a distance and guessed she was probably fighting with Caroline. He hade to have a look, and they were really lighting. He immediately frowned. ¡°Vivian!¡± However, Vivian looked at Jules as if he were her savior. ¡°You¡¯re just on time. Mr. Hawkins. Let me ask you, why was Caroline fired from the ¡°What on earth are you talking about? Caroline, I mean, Ms. Evans resigned on her own initiative.¡± Vivian trembled in shock. She said in disbeliel, ¡°That¡¯s Impossible, she ¡­¡± itely possible! Caroline is now the CEO of Evans Group, so all of you have to call her Ms. Evans from now on!¡± ne in the design department was shocked when they heard the news. It took them a while to recover from their shock. Then, they congratted Caroline. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Caroline!¡± ¡°Are you inheriting the family business?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so jealous Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Vivian fell to the ground, looking thoroughly miserable. After a while, she got up and grabbed Caroline¡¯s hand. She yelled, ¡°You must be lying! You can¡¯t be Evans Group¡¯s CEO!¡± Caroline frowned in difort. ¡°Let go of me!¡± However, Vivian didn¡¯t let go. Her somewhat turbid eyesnded on Jack, and her eyes lit up with an idea. She stumbled toward Jack. Jack was caught off guard by her actions, and she pushed him in front of Caroline before he could react. Vivian waspletely out of control at the moment. ¡°He¡¯s your husband, right? Oh, I know. You worked so hard to be the CEO to support him, right?¡± Then, she mocked Caroline, saying. ¡°Your husband is a poor man who can only rely on you!¡± Caroline rubbed her temples and said coldly. ¡°Are you done messing around, Vivian?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you unwilling to admit it, even after you married him?¡± Vivian had really gone insane. She was so furious that she couldn¡¯t find a way to upset Caroline. So she had no choice but to take advantage of the fact that her husband was an ordinary person. Caroline was about to speak when her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Quentin. ¡°Quentin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already downstairs.¡± Quentin weighed the dossier in his hand. He asked, ¡°When are you free toe down?¡± Caroline looked at the lunatic before her, knowing that nothing she said could persuade Vivian. ¡°Can you bring them upstairs? I can¡¯t leave at the moment.¡± Quentin acknowledged her with a hum. Caroline hung up the phone and looked at the insane Vivian. She said, ¡°Who my husband is has nothing to do with you. Meanwhile She smirked, saying. ¡°You may have to spend some time behind bars.¡± Vivian¡¯s body wobbled, and she asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± Caroline went to her office to get the evidence she had gotten of Vivian bribing the judges of the Rosebow Contest. Quentin arrived upstairs as well. When he saw everyone in the design department standing around, he frowned and knocked on the door.¡± Excuse me. Caroline Evans is here, right?¡± Hearing Caroline¡¯s name, everyone turned around. When they saw a handsome man standing at the door, they were stunned momentarily before nodding. ryone¡¯s attention was on Quentin, but Vivian¡¯s eyes were on the dossier in his hand. To properly sort out his documents, Quentin had written ¡°Jack Hobbs¡± on the dossier. vivian¡¯s blurry eyes brightened up again. She stumbled over to Quentin and snatched the dossier from his hands. As if she had found a treasure, sheughed hysterically. ¡°So this is Jack Caroline¡¯s husband¡¯s dossier.¡± Jack¡¯s expression shifted as he quickly looked at Quentin. Quentin still stood there, confused. He had no idea what was going on. Everyone else, including Jules, was also drawn by Vivian¡¯s insane actions. Their minds were totally nk. When Vivian tore off the seal of the dossier and pulled out the files inside, Caroline walked out of her office. It was only then that Quentin reacted. ¡°Wait! That dossier isn¡¯t for you! It¡¯s for Ms. Evans!¡± However, it was already toote. Vivian had already taken out the lilles, looking smugly at Caroline, who was standing at her office door.¡± Caroline, let¡¯s see who your husband really Is!¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 314 Chapter 314 Chapter 314 +15 BONUS Everyone¡¯s eyes widened, suspecting that they had misheard, and they looked at Jack excitedly. They hadn¡¯t expected this ordinary driver to be the champlon of a fighting championship. ¡°Caroline.¡± Everyone was still used to calling her by name.. ¡°Your husband is amazing. He¡¯s actually a lighting champion.¡± ¡°How romantic. A fighting champion like him willingly gave up his career for his wife just to drive her everywhere.¡± ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t expect a rough¨Clooking guy like him to be so considerate.¡± Jack¡¯s face was already covered with cold sweat. Caroline smiled half¨Cheartedly at everyone¡¯spliments and exined, ¡°You have the wrong idea. Mr. Jack isn¡¯t my husband.¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Everyone was stunned, and their eyesnded on Vivian. ¡°But Vivian¡± Her ims had sounded well¨Cfounded. When Vivian heard Caroline¡¯s words, she calmed down a lot. She mocked, ¡°That makes sense. There¡¯s no way a fighting champion can be your husband.¡± At the mention of this, she smiled meaningfully. ¡°You probably paid this guy to drive to and from work. After all your poor husband can¡¯t afford it. Unfortunately, not many people here pay attention to fighting championships, so none of us recognize him. Hana, you wasted your money on him¡­¡± Caroline was amazed at Vivian¡¯s ridiculous leaps of logic. She was about to speak, but Quentin said, ¡°I can¡¯t stand this anymore. He¡¯s clearly driving her around because he has a crush on her, got it?¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Jack looked at Quentin, dumbfounded. What the hell? Why would he have a crush on his boss¡® wife? He didn¡¯t want to die! Quentin squatted on the ground to search for a document. Then, he handed one of the papers to Caroline and exined, ¡°Jack used to be from Easton, then he went abroad. Before he did, he met you and fell in love with you. ¡°However, because you and Eddy were engaged, he had no choice but to go abroad.¡± He paused before saying, ¡°Later, when he found out you had broken off the engagement with Eddy, he rushed back to Easton. But unfortunately, it was still toote. When he returned, he found out that you were married ¡ª Quentin scratched his head. Why did he feel a sense of familiarity the more he talked? But he didn¡¯t think too much of it and continued, ¡°So, he had no choice but to lie that he¡¯s a driver the company had appointed, just to see you every day,¡± and Jack were speechless. along while, Jules struggled to speak, ¡°W¨Cwhat a touching story about unrequited love! Jack, you¡¯re a wonderful person Jack grimaced at his words. Caroline hadn¡¯t expected things to turn out this way. She had never known that someone had feelings for her in secret. She would be ing If she said she wasn¡¯t touched. She said sadly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Jack. I can¡¯t ept your feelings. I think we¡¯re Jack gritted his teeth. He finally understood what Kirk meant just now. He didn¡¯t want to send him on a thrilling mission. Instead, he wanted him to be his scapegoat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms: Evans. I¡¯vepletely let go of my feelings for you.¡± Chapter 315 Chapter 315 Chapter 315 ¡°It¡¯s the greatest honor for her husband when even his rival in love is acknowledging his worth.¡± ¡°I really want to know who Caroline¡¯s husband is!¡± Caroline rxed after hearing Jack¡¯s words. Thinking about it carefully. Jack had never acted excessively or shown any emotions around her. He had probably already given up on her. She smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± However, now wasn¡¯t the time to deal with Jack. Caroline turned to look at Vivian, who was sitting on the ground, dazed. Vivian scratched at a desk with one hand,ughing and murmuring. ¡°Even a fighting champion has a crush on her Haha! Why? Why do so many people like Caroline, while no one likes me? Just why?¡± Caroline had seen this behavior on TV¨Csomeone going insane after getting provoked. She knelt in front of Vivian. Looking straight into her eyes, she showed Vivian the evidence that she had bribed the judges of the Rosebow Contest. *These are the transaction records of your payment to the judges of the Rosebow Contest.¡± She leaned into Vivian¡¯s ear and whispered. ¡°Although the Rosebow Contest is an overseas competition and there¡¯s no jurisdiction domestically, this evidence proves that you knew you¡¯d be participating with your designs.¡± She paused. Facing Vivian¡¯s confused gaze, she continued, ¡°You knew that your work was in the competition long before the results were out. ¡°In other words, you knew that Susan sent your designs to the organizingmittee with my email. You had dumped the me on Susan before, but you can¡¯t run away this time.¡± Vivian lost her grip on her desk, and she fell heavily to the ground with a thud. Her face was pale. Half an hourter, the police arrived and took Vivian away. Caroline approached Jules and apologized, saying, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Mr. Hawkins. I nned to wait until you found a new design director before calling the police about this. But ¡± That being said, there was no trace of guilt in her tone. Jules said understandingly, ¡°I should be thanking you. Seeing how insane she became, It would have been bad for Thorne Corp if word about this got out. I didn¡¯t expect her to turn out like this, just out of jealousy.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t say anything in response and led Jack to clean up her office. She didn¡¯t have a lot of things there, so she finished packing soon. Just as she was about to leave. Cheryl opened the door and walked into the office. She looked at Caroline shyly, hesitant to speak. Ca ted at Jack and ordered, ¡°You should leave first, Mr. Jack.¡± ¡°Allnig Jack went downstairs, carrying a box. When he got downstairs, he saw Charles standing next to the car. Jack looked at him silently. Charles hurriedly approached Jack when he saw him. He said, ¡°Good Job, Jack.¡± Jack narrowed his eyes when he saw how hard Charles was trying to keep himself fromughing. ¡°You already knew about this?¡± Charles cracked in an instant and burst outughing. ¡°No, I just found out.¡± Afterughing, he kindlyforted him. ¡°You should be happy, Jack. You¡¯re the only person who has survived our boss¡® wrath despite having a crush on the madam. You can brag about this any time you want.¡± Jack thought happily. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s all thanks to him that I can live my days happily.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 316 Chapter 316 Chapter 316 ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Cher/17 Caroline asked patiently, looking at the silent woman in front of her Cheryl looked up at Caroline. After seeing her encouraging gaze, she said, ¡°Caroline, can I go to Evans Group? Caroline smiled at her words. ¡°You want to go to Evans Group with me?¡± Cherd hit her lip nervously and nodded. But she immediately exined, ¡°Caroline, I swear I¡¯m not trying to ride on your coattails. Well not exactly. I want to ride on your coattails and learn by your side t She was bbering, and her face turned red. Caroline said with a smile, ¡°I understand.¡± Hearing Caroline¡¯s gentle voice, Cheryl calmed down. She looked at Caroline gratefully and said, ¡°Caroline, I really learned a lot of things when I worked for you. I promise I¡¯m not following you because you¡¯re Evans Group¡¯s CEO.¡± Caroline nodded. She could tell that Cheryl was sincere, but she said, ¡°You have to think this through. The workce isn¡¯t a ce for emotions.¡± Caroline paused and said bluntly, ¡°Do you know the situation Evans Group is in right now? It¡¯s a total mess. If you follow me there, you¡¯ll endure many hardships.¡± Evans Group had both internal and external problems. Caroline¡¯s job was bound to be more challenging than people thought. But as long as she got through this, she believed that her and everyone else¡¯s careers would grow rapidly. Cheryl looked at Caroline and said sincerely, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of suffering. I¡¯m afraid of suffering in vain.¡± She didn¡¯t think it would be a waste Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. to follow Caroline. ¡°All right.¡± Hearing Cheryl¡¯s assurance, Caroline agreed, ¡°I can take you with me.¡± Cheryl smiled happily. ¡°Thank you for giving me the opportunity, Caroline!¡± Caroline patted her shoulder. ¡°Handle your resignation and report to Evans Group.¡± Not long after Cheryl left, Jack returned. He looked free and easy. Caroline looked at him questioningly. Jack even took the initiative to take all of her things, easily carrying five boxes.. Caroline had originally nned to move her things in two trips, but Jack carried all of them by himself. After bringing the things Jack patted the car door leisurely. ything else, Ms. Evans?¡± He looked like a kid who had gotten a bunch of candy. ¡°Mr. Jack, did something good happen?¡± Jack said with a smile, ¡°Nothing much. My boss just bought me a vi in Macldo and gave me a fighting gym.¡± ¡°Your boss is so generous!¡± Caroline eximed in surprise. No wonder Jack didn¡¯t have to work. ¡°Yeah, he really is.¡± Jack wished that he could take the me for Kirk more often. ¡°Let meke you home, Ms. Evans.¡± Caroline was about to say yes, but she remembered that he had be her driver because he had a crush on her. He hadn¡¯t even earned a single penny, but he had still worked hard withoutining. Thinking of this, she felt guilty. She said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mr. Jack. Thank you for helping me out during this time. Why don¡¯t you figure out how much I should pay you for your Trouble?¡± No matter how much Caroline had changed, she still couldn¡¯t bear to see someone selflessly helping her with peace of mind. it was the most precious sentiment one could give, and she had to repay him for his efforts. Jack felt a little quilty seeing Caroline like this. He said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to, Ms. Evans, I volunteered to do this, I didn¡¯t feel troubled working for you at all. On the contrary, this is the most rxed Ive been in the past few years. Thank you for giving me a chance to take a breather.¡± He was most grateful that, because of Caroline, he had the chance to stay by Kirk¡¯s side and see a different side of him. For that alone, all his efforts had been worth it. Chapter 317 Chapter 317 Chapter 317 Caroline felt embarrassed at his words. She insisted, ¡°But I should still pay you back for your efforts.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You already did.¡± Caroline thought he was referring to him bing more mature and happler because of his experience working for her. She didn¡¯t know he was referring to the vi and fighting gym his boss had given him. Seeing how Jack had insisted, Caroline no longer hesitated. ¡°Okay. Thank you, Mr. Jack.¡± When Jack sent Caroline home, Kirk was already waiting for her. Seeing Caroline return home, he wrapped his arms around her waist. ¡°You¡¯re just on time, darling.¡± Caroline pushed Kirk¡¯s chest. Before, she hadn¡¯t known that Jack had a crush on her, so she could act lovey¨Cdovey with Kirk without any worries. However, now *** Kirk seemed to have seen through Caroline¡¯s thoughts. He let go of her and said to Jack, ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside.¡± Caroline was stunned by his words. She nervously grabbed his tie and looked at him, silently asking if he knew about Jack¡¯s crush on her. She was also curious as to how Kirk knew about this. Kirk held Caroline¡¯s hand, feeling a hint of jealousy. But he still said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Nothing will happen.¡± Caroline tightly grasped Kirk¡¯s tie. As she got lost in his enchanting gaze, she slowly loosened her grip. While the two men approached the door, Caroline swallowed nervously. She said, ¡°Come back soon, Kirk.¡± Her eyes were damp as she stood there. The evening sunlight enveloped her body, making her look mystical and ethereal She looked like a goddess who had descended from heaven. Kirk smiled at the sight. He promised, ¡°Okay.¡± After leaving the vi, Jack hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir. I¡¯ve already told the madam that I¡¯ve let go of my feelings, and I definitely won¡¯t try to court her in the future.¡± There was no way he would do that if he wanted to keep breathing. Kirk yed with the lighter in his hand, wearing a half¨Csmile on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t be so anxious. I was the one who tampered with your dossier.¡± Jack was stunned. It took him a few moments to realize that Kirk was behind all of this. He was speechless. ¡°Sir- Kirk raised his head, looking in the distance. He said, ¡°I called you out because I want you to remain in Easton and care for my wife.¡± Jack said. ¡°But I- ¡°You haven¡¯t let go of your feelings?¡± Kirk looked at Jack warningly. Jack hurriedly said, ¡°Please stop joking with me about this, sir. I¡¯m worried that if I stay, I¡¯ll ruin your rtionship Kirk waved his hand and said confidently, ¡°You definitely won¡¯t.¡± Jack hang he was being judged. He wished he could see Kirk go wild for his love once more. ¡°If th joesn¡¯t have a problemn with it, I¡¯d be happy to help.¡± Kirk smirked. He said, ¡°She definitely won¡¯t. You may leave.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Jack started his car and drove away. After watching the car disappear into the distance, Kirk finally rxed his tense shoulders. He had resolved the issue with Jack but he had to be more careful from now on. When he thought of Caroline waiting for him in the vi, he instantly rxed his frown. He strode toward the vi and opened the door.¡± Darling Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. +15 BONUS Laroune was cleaning vegetables in the kitchen. When she neard Kirk s voice, sne poked her head out and asked, ¡°I cook something, and we¡¯ll celebrate together. How about that?¡± Kirk removed his tie, revealing his sharp corbones. He carried Caroline out of the kitchen with one hand, kissing a trail down from her forehead. ¡°Of course, we¡¯re in no rush. So let¡¯s celebrate to our hearts¡® conte Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Caroline was half awake, and she didn¡¯t feel as if she was lying in bed. Instead, she fell as if she were lying in a bed of flowers, and she could sorell all kinds of scents. She finally woke up and tapped Kirk¡¯s chin lightly with her lingers. Kirk nodded slightly and ced a kiss on her fingers. ¡°Are you okay? ¡°To hist hungry,¡± Caroline replied. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Kirk smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Charles to bring some lood over.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he off work at this hour?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Kirk picked up his phone and sent Charles a message. Then, he put his phone back on the bedside table. He said, ¡°He¡¯ll be here in 15 minutes. I¡¯ll go downstairs and get you a plece of toast now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Caroline sat up with a blush. She looked into Kirk¡¯s eyes and pondered for a moment. ¡°I need to talk to you about something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I want to talk about ¡­¡­¡± Caroline looked away and sald hesitantly, ¡°Mr. Jack¡¯s crush on me At the mention of this, she looked back at Kirk and assured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll never see each other again.¡± Kirk tucked her wet hair behind her ears. He said, ¡°I¡¯m not that pelty. I¡¯ve already talked about it with him. He¡¯ll continue to be your driver.¡± Caroline blinked at his words. Kirk continued, ¡°Besides, Isn¡¯t it normal for someone to have a crush on you, darling? You¡¯re so outstanding, after all¡± Caroline blinked again and said hesitantly, ¡°But ¡°But what?¡± *Sean said you¡¯ll feel inferior. Caroline said. Back then, there had been nothing between her and Adrian. However, there had been a scandal, and Kirk had even gone drinking because he felt inferior. But this time, Jack really had a crush on her. Kirk froze, and then he pressed his forehead against Caroline¡¯s. ¡°Me? Inferior?¡± His voice was low and deep, stirring up tenderness and charm. Caroline blushed. Kirk hooked his fingers with Caroline¡¯s and sald somewhat happily. ¡°Did I manage to charm you, darling?¡± Caroline was speechless. His fingers reached under the nket, and she fell a cold touch at her waist. She hurriedly said, ¡°Charles will be Kirk picked up his phone and sent Charles a message. ¡°I¡¯ll ask him to leave the food at the door.¡± Caroline was dumbfounded. It was already 10:00 pm when they got out of bed and started eating. Wrapped in a bathrobe, Caroline sat across from Kirk, listening to his voice rolling out in the kitchen. Kirk exined, ¡°Jack is a fighting champion. He¡¯ll do a good job protecting you, so you should let him stay by your side.¡± ¡°But that would feel like I¡¯m using him.¡± You wont. You can just pay him a sry. Filk smiled. allet on Caroline¡¯s te. ¡°I think he il be delighted.¡± +15 BONUS Okay, I¡¯ll ask him tomorrow¡± Don¡¯t wa Kuk suggested, ¡°Ask him right now. Aren¡¯t you going to make sweeping changes to thepany tomorrow? I¡¯m worried that those fumatics will go against you¡® Caroline held her fork and stared at Kirk, perplexed. She asked, ¡°How do you know I¡¯m going to do that?¡± She had never told Kirk what she Wanted to do in Evans Group this entire time, Kirk palled his chest and joked, ¡°Call it a spouse¡¯s intuition.¡± Caroline smiled at his words. ¡°You should go to bed soon. You have to fight a tough battle tomorrow,¡± Kirk advised. He put another plece of meal on Caroline¡¯s te. ¡°And eat some more food.¡± He worked so hard to make Caroline gain some weight, but that weight would probably be gone from the stress of working at Evans Group. ¡°Okay¡± Caroline continued eating and tried to suppress her smile, Finally, she could no longer hold it back, and arge grin spread on her face, The next day, Caroline saw Jack¡¯s car in front of her house. She hesitated for a moment, then walked to the car. Neither of them spoke as if nothing had changed. Last night, they reached an agreement that Jack would join Evans Group and be her full¨Ctime driver. Jack¡¯s wordspletely quelled Caroline¡¯s worries. He said he wasn¡¯t staying because of his former crush on her but because he wanted to live an ordinary life, In the past, he had only known the life of a fighter, and he had lost many chances to enjoy himself. Having a regr job would make it easier for him to have an ordinary lifestyle. Most importantly, he sounded tactful and appropriate, without a hint of conflict orint. Their rtionship was utterly professional which freed Caroline from her worries, In the car, Caroline first made several phone calls to the recruitingpany to finalize the interview details for the afternoon. She then took the time to contact severalpanies¡® bosses with whom she had built bridges during her time at Thorne Corp. By the time she was done, she was almost at thepany. She thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Can youe upstairs with me, Mr. Jack Jack nodded, ¡°Of course.¡± This morning, Kirk had specifically ordered him to protect Caroline. The ed side by side to the elevator, it was rush hour right now. There were manypanies on the floor where Evans Group was yees who were going to work blocked the elevator entrance. Taking advantage of the time, Caroline took out the list of employees at Evans Group and made some notes. At this moment, several men who looked like renovators came in carryingdders and tools, making the already narrow passageway even more congested. Some people couldn¡¯t helpining, ¡°Which floor is having a renovation so soon in the morning?¡± ¡°It seems to be the 24th Boor.¡± Someone replied, ¡°I heard someone took over the entire floor, and they¡¯re going to open an apparel company.¡± ¡°Using an entire floor? That¡¯s amazing.¡± +15 BONUS What¡¯s right. A big boss must have cought it While they were chatting, Caroline had already entered the elevator. Soon, the elevator reached the 23rd floor. She left the elevator and immediately saw Emery putting on makeup at the front desk. Emery also saw Caroline and stopped her movements quiltly. Then, she continued to put on her eye makeup as if no one else was around. Caroline gave her another nce, then walked into the office lobby. In the lobby, everyone was cking off. Caroline looked at the watch on her wrist. It was already 9:30 am. She couldn¡¯t believe they were cking off just after working for half an hour. She gently ced her bag on the table and ordered. ¡°Call everyone out here!¡± Everyonezily looked up at Caroline, but no one moved. At this moment, two people walked in the door. One of them was Luke, and the other was Tom. When they saw Caroline, they smiled brightly. ¡°You¡¯re so hardworking to be here early in the moming. Ms. Evans. We were afraid we wouldn¡¯t see you if we came early.¡± Caroline asked. ¡°Is there something I can help you with?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here to discuss our divestment. As soon as they finished speaking, everyone looked at Caroline gloatingly. Caroline coldly looked back at everyone and said, ¡°All right Everyone was slightly startled by her gaze. Chapter 319 Chapter 319 Chapter 319 Luke and Tem were also dumbfounded. They thought there would be some diff Caroline to agree so readily. They couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was up to something. In achieving their objectives, but they didn¡¯t expect ¡°Are you really agreeing to us retracting our Investment? Luke asked. Caroline said. ¡°Forcing things will never work out. Since both of you are unwilling to work with this company, I won¡¯t force you.¡± Before taking over this mess, she had already thought of this oue. ¡°Thepany personnel will contact youter about the process detalls. Is there anything else I can do for both of you? She was clearly implying that they should leave. Luke and Tom replied, ¡°No. I hope that the divestment process will be as rxed as this. With that, the two men left. The employees al Evans Group were still waiting for Luke and Tom to leach Caroline a lesson. They didn¡¯t expect things to be resolved so quickly. They found it boring. Emery quickly texted La about what happened just now. As soon as she sent the message, she heard Caroline¡¯s cold voice. ¡°Mr. Jack, call everyone out here!¡± Jack nodded and called everyone out in the office area. Those who dared to resist didn¡¯t dare say anything else after seeing how strong Jack was, and they went to the hall obediently. More than 200 people had been scattered throughout the office, but they all arrived in the hall. Caroline nced at everyone. She already knew there were 225 people In Evans Group. 90% of the top management were ignorant and ipetent jerks who allied with the Evans farnily, so she had to rece them all. However, changing so many employees at once was unrealistic, so she had no choice but to pick them off individually. Meanwhile, the ordinary employees were a little better, with only 45% of them siding with the Evans family. Yet even this number of people could be dangerous in a regr family business. So Caroline needed to deal with the 45% first. Facing all the employees, she announced undauntingly, ¡°I know some of you are unhappy with me bing Evans Group¡¯s CEO. However, let me say this: thispany is a ce where we generale profits. If you can¡¯t do something as simple as that, feel free to Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. resign!¡± Many people frowned at Caroline for suggesting they resign first thing. ¡°If not, I will be announcing the employees who will be dismissed,¡± Caroline continued. Everyone¡¯s expression changed slightly, and their eyesnded on the list Caroline had taken from her bag. Emery¡¯s face turned pale when she saw the list. She remembered Caroline telling her she would fire her the first day she took office. Back then, she thought Caroline was talking nonsense. She quickly took out her phone and sent a message to La, desperately asking La to save her. Caroline looked at everyone, who had varying expressions on their faces, and began to call the names of the terminated employees. ¡°Hayden aves. Rowan Evans, Gale Parsons. Emery Evans¡± Caroline¡¯s voice was gentle but full of authority. Evi ther se name was called had an intricate connection with the Evans family. Some of them were blood rtives, while some of ted to them by marriage. These were the ordinary employees. Meanwhile, for the top management, Caroline only fired the head of the public rtions department. Chapter 320 Chapter 320 Chapter 320 A Foreboding Sense of Dread Chloe gently pushed open the door and entered the study. Joseph remained with his back turned, his gaze fixed on theputer screen. His handsome face was dark and brooding, fueled by his intense frustration over the Whitman Group¡¯s recent months of losses. He had an irresistible urge to grab Jona wn Chloe¡¯s spine, apanied by a foreboding sense of dread in than and give him a good beating. He picked up his phone and called Jonathan, his voice carrying an obvious tone of frustration. Terminate all the projects you invested inst quarter immediately. Also, I want you to voluntarily step down from the board of directors. Focus on your role as the administrative director and refrain from meddling in any senior¨Clevel projects.¡± Chloe¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She could not help but wonder just how much damage Jonathan had caused the Whitman Group to provoke such anger from someone as influential and formidable as Joseph. The extent of the losses must have been significant for Joseph to be seething with such frustration ¡°No! You can¡¯t do this to me, Joe! As a Whitman, it¡¯s only natural for me to be on the board unless Grandpa says otherwise!¡± Jonathan protested. Joseph sneered, ¡°Just wait for the notice.¡± Without waiting for Jonathan to spew any more nonsense, Joseph promptly ended the call, unwilling to listen to any further exnation from the other end. After all the talking, he felt a bit thirsty and turned around to reach for a ss of water on the coffee table. Chloe noticed his action and handed it to him. He looked up, and their gaze met. Chloe stood there, radiating with beauty. She donned a knee¨Clength dress in a serene shade of sky blue, enhancing her appearance with a subtle touch of makeup. Her delicate features exuded an aura of grace, gentleness, and refinement, captivating all those whoid eyes upon her. She met Joseph¡¯s deep, enigmatic gaze, her eyes shimmering. ¡°Patrick hurt his back, so he told me to bring this to you. ¡°Did Grandpa say anything to you?¡± he asked. ¡°No. He didn¡¯t say anything¡± ¡°Hmm? Really?¡± Joseph raised his eyebrows. +15 BONOS ¡°Grandpa told me to live my own life, and that I shouldn¡¯t care about how others think of me.¡± She chose not to tell Joseph everything that Harold told her. Joseph furrowed his brow slightly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him.¡± Chloe refused to back down. ¡°Then I guess I shouldn¡¯t listen to you either.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. A malicious smirk tugged at Joseph¡¯s thin lips. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see.¡± ¡°What do you really want?¡± Chloe stared at him incredulously. ¡°Nothing. Since Grandpa loves you so much, you should stay and continue to be his granddaughter -inw.¡± Joseph believed he had made his intentions clear and had given her enough reputation. He had made numerous concessions on her behalf. This was her final opportunity, and if she failed to seize it, the consequences would be solely her responsibility. Chloe could not believe what she had heard as she stared at him. ¡°Am I some kind of object? Just because Grandpa likes me, I¡¯m supposed to stay and be your wife? Joseph, you have a lot of nerve!¡± ¡°Watch your words when you¡¯re talking to me!¡± Joseph rose to his feet, his thin lips pressed into a straight line, his countenance cold and merciless. Chloe immediately covered her mouth, realizing her mistake. This was his territory, and she should not have been so reckless. Joseph moved closer to her, his tone dripping with condescension. ¡°Isn¡¯t it beneficial to be my wife? Here, you can have everything at your fingertips. Endless wealth, glory, and power that others can only dream of. Aren¡¯t these the very things women desire the most?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s true that women, and not just women, but people all over the world, are drawn to such a lifestyle. But if lifecks love and is only filled with materialism, I¡¯d rather remain in poverty forever!¡± She had experienced that feeling of being needed without being loved when she was with the Johnsons and refused to go through it again. Chloe¡¯s wordsnded like a heavy blow on Joseph, piercing deep into his heart and causing an intense ache. The realization that she did not love him stirred a tumult of emotions withm him +15 BONOS Joseph¡¯s prating gaze fixed upon the woman standing inches away, his eyes carrying hidden anguish. He briefly closed his eyes, erasing any trace of lingering tenderness he had for her. When his eyes reopened, his demeanor turned cold and merciless. ¡°You¡¯lle to regret your decision.¡± An unexinable chill raced d Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Begging Is Devoid of Dignity Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. +15 BONOS Harold prohibited Chloe from going home tonight and arranged for her to have her own room so that she was not forced to stay with Joseph. She hid in the room. After gaining Harold¡¯s approval, she felt much more rxed. She had not brought theptop from her office with her, so she could only scroll through her phone to relieve her boredom. At that moment, Icarus replied to her message. [I was ying golf with my friends nearby that day. When I was just heading home when I bumped into you.] Chloe opened the map application on her phone and searched the area around City Hall. True enough, there was a golf course nearby. She felt quite embarrassed to have thought badly of him. Icarus texted her again. It was a link to an article. [Chloe, I know that you¡¯ll see this sooner orter, so I thought it¡¯d be best to tell you earlier. There¡¯s no need to get upset because of me or these Inte trolls] She clicked on the link and saw that someone had secretly taken photographs of Icarus giving her a ride to the Graham Group this morning. The advertisements she did for Exotic Star had been released, so she had gained slight fame. That was the reason why these paparazzi targeted her. The photograph captured the scar around Icarus¡® chin. It wasid bare under the sunlight, so it appeared pretty hideous. Theizens did not make very friendlyments about Icarus. [Hahaha! Are they the beauty and the beast?!] [Being honest, he¡¯s rather handsome if not for that scar. You losers have no right tough at him. Show me your photographs if you dare.] [I can¡¯t figure out why beautifuldies nowadays have such vulgar taste.] Chloe clutched her phone and trembled in fury. She then typed ament to retort to the negativements, but after a pause, deleted it and rewrote it. Noah had told her that she needed to keep a good image for the three years that she was Exotic Star¡¯s ambassador or she would be viting the rules of the contract. She tried her best to keep herposure andmented that leanus face was scarred when he +15 BONOS [Scars are powerful armor. It¡¯s the twenty¨Cfirst century. We can¡¯t have such a limited concept of beauty.] The person involved stepped forward to retort to the negativements, and the article gained even more traction. [Hey, you¡¯re so cool!] [Yes, I agree with you. My husband is a firefighter, and his face was burned in the line of duty. But I don¡¯t find him ugly. On the contrary, it¡¯s a badge of honor.] Joseph read Chloe¡¯s reply and chuckled. The cigarette between his fingers was burning away. He recited word for word, ¡°Scars are powerful armor. Hmph!¡± He wanted to see how powerful it was. The next day, Chloe was woken up by Jake¡¯s repeated calls. Still dazed, she picked up, but after Jake spoke, her sleepiness was instantly dispelled. ¡°The foundation Icarus set up abroad was forced to shut down?¡± ¡°Yeah, Uncle Icarus put all his assets into this foundation. It¡¯s all because of Joseph. No one else would do this, and no one else has such power either. Chloe, you have to stay away from this viin.¡± Jake had called Chloe to advise her, not expecting that Chloe was at the Whitman family home right at that moment. Chloe walked to the study and braced herself to ask, ¡°Joseph, are you in there?¡± Chloe and Joseph were separated only by a door. Joseph was standing beside the window. Heavy sarcasm etched into his handsome face. ¡®Hmph!, So eager to beg for your lover after you¡¯ve just woken up huh? This sort of rtionship makes people envious. And I gave you so many chances. I was indeed a fool.¡® Chloe waited for a long time outside and really thought that Joseph was not in the study. When she was about to go back to her room, the door opened Joseph was wearing dark blue home +15 BONOS and distance in them. When Chloe saw his heavy dark circles, she subconsciously wanted to grab some ice cubes to help soothe them. But on second thought, she felt that she did not have to worry about him at all. He had probably stayed up all night doing viinous deeds instead of sleeping. Otherwise, how could Icarus¡® foundation be ruined in just one night Joseph deserved what he got. ¡°What is it?¡± Joseph nced at her expressionlessly. ¡°I wanted to ask you about Icarus¡® foundation-¡± However, he interrupted her as he leaned half of his body against the bookshelves. ¡°Yes, I did it. Are you here to beg for mercy on his behalf?¡± Stupefaction engulfed her and she sounded disappointed. ¡°There¡¯s no conflict of interest between you two. Why did you do such a thing?¡± ¡°I simply find him an eyesore.¡± She became helpless. ¡°Can you please let Icarus go?¡± ¡°So, are you begging for mercy for him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Her firm attitude nearly sent Joseph into a great rage. He clenched his fists tightly but he remainedposed on the surface. ¡°Do you remember what I said? You know what you have to do. Chloe¡¯s eyshes fluttered slightly. ¡®Icarus¡® face is already ruined because of me. He can¡¯t lose his business too.¡® She suppressed her shamelessness as her face turned white. ¡°Fine, I agree.¡± After all, it would not be her first time. Sleeping with him again was not too big of a deal. The veins on the back of Joseph¡¯s hand bulged. She was willing to sink so low just to help Icarus. Chloe, oh, Chloe! I¡¯ll grant your wish if that¡¯s the case. He pushed everything on the desk to the floor and stood at the side. Hemanded cruelly, ¡°Lay here We¡¯ll do it right here¡± +15 BONOS Chloe¡¯s legs trembled. ¡°In the study. *Begging is devoid of dignity Joseph sneered as he waited for her next move, looking calm. Chapter 322 Chapter 322 Chapter 322 Behave Well in the Sullivan Family As she looked at him, Chloe¡¯s gaze filled with bewilderment before turning to shame and fury. She finally fell into deathly stillness. In mere seconds, she had lost all hope. Like a robot, shey on the cold desk. Her fair and slim legs exposed themselves from under her silk pajamas. At the same time, her petite face was full of misery. Even so, she appeared tremely beautiful and bewitching. It was a kind of charm that came from extreme despair. Seeing her in that state, Joseph could not withhold his deep envy. He covered her from above and vigorously marked her body as his sole belonging. Men were born sensitive in this aspect. After a round, he pinched her soft cheeks. ¡°Isn¡¯t this your first time?¡± Chloe stopped breathing. She blinked and stared at him with her watery eyes. It was as if she had heard the most ridiculous joke in the world. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell if this is my first time or not?¡± That action became a direct provocation in Joseph¡¯s eyes. He fumed with anger. His final tinge of rationality left him as he engaged her in violent love¨Cmaking. His demonic and hoarse voice apanied his rough and violent moves. ¡°Who did you lose your virginity to? ¡°What else did you lie about to my face? ¡°Did you lose your virginity to Icarus or Jake? ¡°Were you this slutty when you were in their beds?¡± All his words were harsh and fierce, sending a surge of humiliation through Chloe. Helpless, she endured his wrath, cursing him, ¡°You bastard!¡± ¡®Why does he want to humiliate me so? When we were together, I never wronged him.¡® Joseph kissed her frantically. Their tongues intertwined with each other. He acted as if he wanted to grind her into his bones. He finally stopped after an unknown period. Looking down at the pale woman underneath him, he could see her scarlet, blood¨Cstained lips. The desk was a mess, a hard sight to bear. With her eyes closed, Chloe asked weakly, ¡°Are you done?¡± +15 BONOS Joseph was about to say something when her eyes opened, filled with iciness and hatred. His heart skipped a beat, excruciating pain shooting through it. He put a hand around her neck. ¡°You hate me? I bet you wouldn¡¯t hate it if I were Icarus. She smacked his hand away, her eyes bloodshot. ¡°Yes, I hate you! Any other questions for me?¡± Joseph¡¯s eyes narrowed before he let go of her. ¡°Get out.¡± Chloe struggled to get down from the desk. She picked up her clothes scattered across the floor before putting them on. Before she left, she reminded him, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about Icarus¡® foundation.¡± She opened the door and left, crossing paths with Harold, who was going upstairs. When he saw the state she was in, he immediately knew what had happened. His fury deepened as he rushed into the study to berate Joseph. Fuming angrily, he lifted his walking stick and hit Joseph with it. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done! I asked you to get along with Chloe, not bully her!¡± Joseph raised his hands to block the blows. His slender and long eyshes hid the gloominess in his gaze, but he did not argue with Harold. He hurried downstairs and speedily drove away. In Sullivan Fort in Docwood, Calvin and Ava were in the rxed zone of the garden, waiting. Ava looked at the spacious castle with brightened eyes. ¡°Godpa, is this the Sullivan family¡¯s residence, the founders of Exotic Star?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Behave yourself when Mr. Desmond gets hereter.¡± Calvin looked at Ava with worry Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. in his eyes Noah had said that he could bring Ava here today. Hispany was in a crisis, and he could not resolve the problems with his efforts alone. He had a good rtionship with Exotic Star, and Noah had agreed to help, but they still needed to gain Desmond¡¯s approval before anything. If Desmond¡¯s first impression of Ava was good, Calvin could expose her identity. If not, she would have to go back and polish herself. After all, Ava¡¯s current reputation was not sparkling. If she we Chapter 323 Chapter 323 Chapter 323 Noah Wants to Protect Chloe ¡°I will ¡± Ava started to scheme. At first, she had not understood why Calvin had brought her here. But now, she began to see the whole picture Although Noah was a few years younger than her, they were about the same age Other than pairing her off with Noah, what other reason could there be? Benjamin had done the same thing in the past When two different parties came together to discuss business, they would bring their children along If their children fell in love with each other, they could have a business marriage Ava recalled Noah¡¯s youthful and charming face. Although he was not her cup of tea, he was indeed handsome, and he had Exotic Star She found him eptable ¡°Mi Desmond!¡± When Calvin saw the old man, he immediately went forward to support him Desmond Sullivan was a man in his seventies, donning casual sports attire His hair was white but his body was still healthy and strong. He looked like a kind old man one met at the door of a neighborhood Noah stepped to the side and let the two of them talk ¡°Well, you just made it worse Why did you ruin yourpany like this for no reason¡± Desmond criticized Calvin ¡°You¡¯re right I shouldn¡¯t have let my emotions get the better of me ¡°He pointed at Ava. ¡°Mi Desmond, this is my goddaughter¡± Ava stood up and obediently smiled at Desmond Mi Desmond, my name is Ava You look so young that I thought you were only in your sixties¡± Desmond sized her up andmented lightly. ¡°You¡¯ve got a pretty sweet mouth¡® Noah and Calvin looked at each other before the former shook his head slightly. Desmond du cor recognize Ava, and he did not have a very good impression of her Desmond then picked up a white jade teacup and used the cup lid to remove the that rea leaves before he said slowly. ¡°I watched you grow up, and will thus help with yourpany¡® affairs. You¡¯re getting up there in age now so stop acting ampulsively ever, he was uninterested as to what caused the sum of Cateyepany +15 BONOS Deep shame engulfed Calvin. Though he knew that Joseph was young, he had not expected Joseph to have such a bad temper. After chatting a bit, Desmond retreated to rest. Noah then chatted with Calvin. Ava could not find any chance to chime in after biding her time by the side. She felt that it was because Noah was young and was still in university that caused him to be shy. She then took the initiative to say, ¡°Let¡¯s exchange numbers.¡± Noah raised his brows but he agreed to it because of Calvin. Ava now confirmed to herself that he was shy. She then mischievously winked at him. ¡°I just got here, so I¡¯m not very familiar with Docwood. Can you be my tour guide and take me around the city?¡± Stupefaction got the better of him before his face was ovee by an indescribable expression.¡± I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t have the time.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± After catching his gaze, she cracked a teasing smile. ¡®Is he still shy? What a dork!¡® ¡°Uncle Calvin, pleasee with me.¡± Noah ignored Ava and addressed Calvin instead. Calvin was unaware of Ava¡¯s scheme. He just treated it like she was being friendly and loved to This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. make friends. ¡°Ava, wait here. I¡¯m going to talk to Noah for a bit.¡± Ava nodded obediently. Though she had lost Jonathan she was satisfied with having Noah. She would teach Chloe a hard lesson for how Joseph humiliated her. Under the tree shade, the mottled shadow of the leaves fell on Noah¡¯s fair face. But it made his face gloomier, which was vastly different from his usual gentle and naive look. Calvin was baffled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Chloe is the new ambassador of Exotic Star. You can¡¯t touch her.¡± ¡°Are you protecting her?¡± Chapter 324 Chapter 324 hapter 324 Grandfather and Grandson Unite ¡°If something happens to her, all of Exotic Star¡¯s adverts have to be canceled. Who will be responsible for these losses? What¡¯s more, you did something to her in the hotel. Did you ever stop to think about how it could¡¯ve affected Exotic Star? Will Grandpa help you if he learns about this inside story?¡± Calvin put on a cold front. ¡°It¡¯s because Mr. Desmond doesn¡¯t know how Joseph treated his granddaughter.¡± ¡°Then you should have gone to Joseph,¡± ¡°I can¡¯t afford to offend the Whitman family, can I?¡± ¡°Just stop.¡± Noah nced at Ava and said slowly, ¡°It takes two hands to p. And I think that Luciana would never have given birth to such a troublemaker. Are you sure you didn¡¯t make a mistake?¡± Ava did not even resemble Luciana. Inparison, Chloe looked a lot more like Luciana Or perhaps¡­Calvin had been misled by their ages and ignored the most crucial thing. ¡°Watch your tongue. What do you mean she¡¯s a troublemaker? Ava was never afforded much love during her childhood. We should protect her and take good care of her. I believe she¡¯ll gain Mr. Desmond¡¯s approval and favor.¡± However, Noah ignored him and revealed a meaningful smile. ¡®Making my own investigations is much more reliable.¡® Chloe stayed in the bathroom for two hours, scrubbing herself clean beforeing out. Also, some stains could not be washed away. She could only put up her cor to cover herself. Harold had been waiting for her in the living room. Chloe averted her gaze before whispering, ¡°Grandpa¡­ Harold responded lightly before asking her to take a seat. ¡°Chloe, be frank with me. Do you have another lover?¡°. ¡°No, it¡¯s Joseph who has another lover.¡± She became agitated upon mentioning this and clenched. +15 BONOS Harold behaved like a lion protecting its cub as he gently patted Chloe¡¯s back. ¡°I know you¡¯ve suffered a grievance, but can you give that bastard a chance? It wasn¡¯t easy for you two to get together.¡± ¡°Grandpa, Xavia isn¡¯t the only obstacle between him and me. I have a problem too. It isn¡¯t that easy to resolve¡­¡± ¡°So just give each other a chance.¡± ¡°It¡¯s over between us now. Joseph¡­doesn¡¯t like me. If I keep getting entangled with him, it¡¯ll be irresponsible for both of us. He slept with Xavia, so he should be responsible for her.¡± ¡°Chloe¡­¡± ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s fine. After all, Joseph wouldn¡¯t have slept with Xavia if he cared about me. I understand your kindness.¡± ¡°I will never let Xavia be a part of the Whitman family.¡± Chloe¡¯s attitude was firm, but Harold¡¯s was firmer. Mncholy shed across her face. But since things had turned out this way, it was not something she should be worried about. She stood up and gave him a firm bow. ¡°Thank you for your concern toward me during this time. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Chloe turned around and left. She went to her room to change her clothes before hailing a cab to return to Aesper. After a few hours, Joseph had calmed himself. When he came home and saw the vacant bedroom, he inevitably frowned. ¡°Where¡¯s Chloe?¡± Patrick walked over and stated, ¡°After you went out, she had a chat with Mr. Harold before she returned to Asper on her own.¡± His handsome face was filled with gloominess. ¡®Is she that impatient to go home and see Icarus? He¡¯s indeed her good lover.¡± ¡°By the way, Mr. Harold asked you to go to him after youe home.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Joseph was irate ¡°I have something to do at Fairlight. Patrick smiled. ¡°Sir, you¡¯d better go and see him. Maybe he¡¯ll suggest some ideas to you. +15 BONOS Joseph stopped in his tracks. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Both Mr. Harold and you like Ms. Chloe. As for Ms. Xavia, you can get her the best medical team or just throw some money at her if you don¡¯t like her. There are many ways topensate her. You have the right to choose¡­¡± Patrick changed the topic and adopted a mysterious tone. ¡°If you and Mr. Harold are on the same side, I¡¯m sure you can coax her.¡± Both of them wanted to coax Chloe and pull her to their side so that she would belong to the Whitman family. They were two cunning and experienced men facing a naive young woman. If they spent a little time and effort on it, victory would surely be on their side. As for whether Joseph wanted that or not, it depended on how much he valued Chloe. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re right, Patrick. And you, you scoundrel. I guarantee that you¡¯ll get the beauty if you hurry up and work with me.¡± Harold walked in from the back garden, unknown how much of the conversation he had overheard, and proceeded to arrogantlymand his grandson. Joseph¡¯s fierceness subsided a little, though his face was still devoid of much expression. ¡°You think I want a woman who always lies to me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough! I don¡¯t want to listen to these fucking words anymore!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about my business.¡± Harold flew into a great rage. Hands to his mouth, he fell backward, skillfully falling onto the top of the carpet. Patrick appeared shocked on the surface but was not in a hurry to act. ¡°We should rush Mr. Harold to the hospital.¡± He turned to Joseph and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you inform Ms. Chloe about this? Mr. Harold really likes her. Maybe he¡¯ll get better after seeing her when he wakes up Today¡¯s Bonus Offer something happens to be all of Bear Sharabes have to be canceled Who will be Responsible for these losses Marmer post nomering to the in the here Did you ever stop to think wou how af sundered Exor Shar HUB Grandpa help you if he learns about this snside story? Calvas put on a cale frosset end doesn¡¯t know how Joseph treated his granddaughter ¡°Then you should have pose to Joseph ¡°I can¡¯t afford to oftend the Whitman fly can I ¡°Just atop Noah nced at Ass and sand slowly. It takes two hands to p And I think that i ucians would never have given both to such a troublemaker Are you sure you didn¡¯t make a Ava did not even resemble Lumans inparison, Chloe looked a lot more like Luciana Of peitiapo Celvin had been misled by their ages and ignored the most crucial thing Watch your tongue What do you mean she¡¯s a troublemaker? Ava was never afforded much love during bei ofuldhood We should protect bet and take good care of her. I believe she¡¯ll gain Mi Desmond¡¯s apparel and tavo However, Noad ignored hot and created a meaningful side Making day on testigated is much more teable Chlor stayed in the bathroom box two bars, scruteung herself can deforeing of n, SHINE STAKES OVE not be washed away she could anly put op bes cater to over herself Masol vad been wearing to be on the long Hard weapons Sighty betose asking ben to take a seat Chine, be frank woh see you there then Do To Wa Joseph whom ser over be became agated upon mentoring this and elect Chapter 325 Chapter 325 Chapter 325 Wish You Luck in Finding a Lover Joseph¡¯s long eyshes kept the gloomy glint in his dark eyes hidden. At the same time, his voice was extremely cold. ¡°She isn¡¯t worth me going through so much trouble¡± ¡®Her body is filthy. I won¡¯t allow her toe back unless she begs me. I won¡¯t be so forgiving toward her as I was to her before, let alone make her the madam of the Whitman family.¡± Harold, who was lying on the floor, was ovee by anger. Holding his heart, his expression turned unpleasant before he fainted for real. He cked out because of his fury.. When Chloe got home, she was physically and mentally exhausted. She fell asleep and only woke up at dawn the next day. She nced through her schedule and saw that she had promised to apany Icarus to go see a doctor for his scar that day. She scheduled the appointment for the afternoon and then texted Icarus to remind him about it. That way, he would not forget about the appointment. and Chloe was not that busy that morning, so she had a meeting with her employees to discuss their sry raise. At three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, she went to the hospital with Icarus. ¡°By the way, how has work beentely?¡± She pretended to raise the question casually. Icarus looked taken aback, his gaze gloomy under his gold¨Crimmed sses, but it disappeared as soon as it appeared. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I ran into some issues but they¡¯re resolved now.¡± She nodded. It seemed like he did not know it was all Joseph was doing. Perhaps it was for the better. The elderly doctor in sses read Icarus¡® skin report before stating, ¡°It¡¯s not very serious. We can make the scar less visible, but it¡¯ll be very difficult if you want to get rid of itpletely. ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t put down a definite timeline. It depends on the patient¡¯s level of cooperation +15 BONOS Chloe nodded. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll do our best.¡± She then picked up a packet of ointment from the dispensary and handed it to Icarus. ¡°The instructions for the ointment are clearly stated on the boxes. Make sure to apply them on time every day.¡± Laughter escaped Icarus. ¡°Scars will slowly fade with time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true but at least this aids the process. If not, we can trysers. But we can¡¯t eliminate it fully, so let¡¯s use the easier treatment first.¡± Icarus nodded, determined to not make her efforts go to waste regardless of whether they were effective or not. They walked out of the hospital side¨Cby¨Cside when a woman in a sunhat and sunsses suddenly ran into Chloe. ¡°Are you blind? Why didn¡¯t you step aside when you saw meing in?¡± The woman immediately startedining though she was the one in the wrong. As she scolded Chloe angrily, displeasure dawned on Icarus¡® face. ¡°You were the one who knocked into her. What nonsense!¡± ¡°Are you standing up for her? Are you her lover?¡± When Chloe heard the familiar voice, she smacked away the finger that was almost poking at her face. ¡°Jane, are you stalking me?¡± Since she had been recognized so quickly, Jane took off her sunsses and stopped pretending. She cracked a sneer before shooting Icarus a sidelong nce. ¡°Is he your new lover?¡± Want ¡°Why? Are you lonely? Do you me to rmend a few to you?¡± ¡°No, thank you. I can get whichever men I want.¡± ¡°All right, I wish you luck in finding a lover!¡± Chloe¡¯sposure infuriated Jane, and her neck flushed from fury. ¡°Why are you so smug? Joseph dumped you just like he did me.¡± ¡°Hmph! I believe he never dumped you as you two were never together.¡± +15 BONOS Jane was at a loss for words. She yearned to teach Chloe a hard lesson but was afraid of Icarus who was tall and sturdily built. Besides, she had not brought along any bodyguards today, so she did not dare to p Chloe. After ring at Chloe, Jane turned around to leave, but Chloe grabbed her and coldly asked, ¡± Where did you get the news that Xavia is pregnant?¡± ¡°I have no obligation to answer your question.¡± ¡°Oh, so she¡¯s not. You just came to me to find a sense of existence.¡± Under stimtion, Jane¡¯s bad temper was easily triggered. Sheughed in mockery. ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself. I saw Xavia heading into the OB¨CGYN department at Cloude Hospital.¡± Jane had spent a few months abroad when she got a skin allergy. When the ne touched down at Cloude City, she went to see a doctor for her condition and spotted Xavia going into the obstetrics and gynecology department alone. After using some tricks, she got a hold of Xavia¡¯s medical field. Chloe became bbergasted before she admonished, ¡°Going to the OB¨CGYN doesn¡¯t necessarily. mean that she¡¯s pregnant.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 326 Chapter 326 Chapter 326 She Had Upset Grandpa Once Again Jane haughtily lifted her chin and dered, ¡°Someone as insignificant as you wouldn¡¯t understand. I know the vice president of Cloude Hospital. Of course, I can find out about something like this.¡± Based on Jane¡¯s demeanor, it seemed unlikely that she was lying. However, if they were to assume it was true, there were numerous unexinable aspects such as why would Xavia have kept this information hidden from Joseph. Considering her current physical condition, pregnancy entailed significant risks. Also, why had she chosen to go to Cloude City? There weren¡¯t many tourist attractions in that small town. At that very moment, a young couple strolled past them. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you. I can¡¯t get an abortion if I¡¯m already six months pregnant. Are you trying to avoid paying the dowry?¡± the girl eximed. ¡°No, sweetheart. We will get married eventually. I promise I¡¯ll earn enough to pay the dowry in the future¡­¡± As Chloe observed the young couple as they slowly disappeared from sight. A momentary spark of inspiration ignited within her, though it slipped away before she could fully seize it. Beside her, Icarus, who had been silent, revealed a fleeting glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. On their way back, Chloe received an urgent call from an employee, informing her about a problem at the project site. It appeared that the safety measures had not been properly implemented, resulting in someone falling from an upper floor. Without hesitation, Chloe hurried to the scene to address the situation. Thankfully, the injuries were not severe, and the patient¡¯s condition stabilized. It was crucial for the injured to rest and take proper care of their body for aplete recovery. After offering sce to the workers, providing appropriatepensation, and resolving a multitude of issues, the night had already grownte. The ongoing project, originally initiated by Benjamin in the tourism industry, had a deadline set forpletion in the following month. Chloe reached into the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of c, savoring the refreshing taste of the cool carbonated water that provided a much¨Cneeded respite from her fatigue. She switched on Suddenly, her attention was caught by a news report. +15 BONOS ¡°Could you please provide an update on Mr. Harold¡¯s health condition? It¡¯s been two days since he Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. was hospitalized. Can you share any information on whether his condition has improved or worsened?¡± The hospital director, d in a white coat, politely declined the interview, stating, ¡°As healthcare professionals, we¡¯re bound by doctor¨Cpatient confidentiality and can¡¯t disclose any details.¡± Disappointed reporters had congregated near the entrance of the hospital, with some even broadcasting live from the scene. The news anchor continued, ¡°The elderly Mr. Harold remains in critical condition. It seems that a major upheaval is on the horizon for the Whitman family.¡± Chloe¡¯s hand, clutching the c, trembled uncontrobly. The voices emanating from the TV became merely a cacophony of noise as her mind was consumed by the news she had just received. Today marked the second day of Mr. Harold¡¯s hospitalization, indicating that he was admitted shortly after she left yesterday. A surge of guilt washed over her, causing her throat to tighten as if filled with cotton. She med herself, ¡®I upset Grandpa again.¡± Having endured a sleepless night, Chloe sat anxiously on the sofa, awaiting the break of dawn. After much contemtion, she mustered the courage to send a message to Jonathan, seeking vital information. [I need to know the ward where Grandpa is admitted. I want to visit him.] Knowing that the hospital staff would be reluctant to disclose such details to her, and unwilling to seek Joseph¡¯s assistance, she had to explore other avenues. Jonathan, aware of the strained rtionship between Joseph and Chloe, responded with a biting retort, (I¡¯m not telling you anything. If you¡¯re brave enough, ask my cousin to go with you.] Chloe defiantly replied, [Fine, I¡¯ll go with your cousin. Grandpa would be delighted to see him, and I believe he stands a better chance than you of winning Grandpa¡¯s favor.] Shortly after, Jonathan swiftly responded with a ward number, apanied by a contemptuous emoji, clearly expressing his disdain. Chloe patiently waited until around noon before embarking. on her journey, assuming that he would likely be upied during lunchtime. There were not as many reporters gathered at the hospital entrance as there wasst night, but +15 BONOS hospital, holding onto the food she had prepared. To visit a patient, it was necessary to register personal information at the nurse¡¯s station. Chloe nced ahead and noticed a handsome young man, diligently writing with a pen. She blinked her Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Three¨CMonth Buffer Period The young man lifted his head and nced at her, his eyes filled with the warmth of spring. ¡°Ms. Chloe, are you here to visit Mr. Harold too?¡± ¡°Yes, are you here alone?¡± ¡°Yeah, the elders of my family are busy.¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Could you do me a favor then?¡± ¡°Sure. Just tell me what you need, Ms. Chloe.¡± ¡°First, go inside and check if there¡¯s anyone else in the ward. If it¡¯s empty, send me a message and I¡¯ll come in.¡± A smile gradually appeared at the corner of Noah¡¯s mouth. ¡°By ¡®other people,¡® do you mean Mr. Joseph?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Okay, Ms. Chloe. Wait for my message.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me Ms. Chloe. You can just call me Coco, or since you¡¯re younger than me, Sister Coco. Of course, I don¡¯t mean to take advantage of you or anything!¡± The young man smiled, his lips about to utter a response when a little boy holding an ice cream identally bumped into him from behind. The little boy quickly apologized to Noah, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, big brother. Please say it¡¯s okay!¡± ¡­It¡¯s okay.¡± A speechless Chloe sighed and handed a wet wipe to Noah. ¡°Here. Use this to wipe yourself down.¡± The ice cream stain was on Noah¡¯s back, making it a bit difficult for him to reach. Seeing this, Chloe took the initiative and said, ¡°Let me do it.¡± She bent down slightly and used the wet wipe to clean the stain. Noah turned to look at Chloe. Her profile had a gentle contour, and after being held captive by Calvin for a few days, the baby fat on her cheeks seemed to have disappeared, revealing a slender oval¨C shaped face. Her fair and beautiful skin had a natural radiance +15 BONOS It had been a while since someone had been this close to him, and his eyes flickered for a moment. ¡°Okay, all clean now, but it needs some time to dry. It¡¯s still wet.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Noah said, smiling. ¡°Thank you, Coco.¡± Chloe found a chair in the corridor and sat down, waiting. Five minutes after Noah went inside, he sent her a message, indicating that Joseph was not present. She breathed a sigh of relief. Half an hourter, Noah emerged from the ward, and Chloe stepped inside. Haroldy weakly on R the hospital bed, his frail face appearing paler than ever, and his lips tinged with a hint of purple. His condition seemed to have deteriorated significantly. Tears welled up in Chloe¡¯s eyes. ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± Harold paused for a moment, looked toward the door, and grinned. ¡°Little girl, you¡¯re here.¡± A smile tugged at Patrick¡¯s lips, relieved to see Chloe. It seemed that the news deliberately spread by the media had seeded in bringing her to his side. ¡°Grandpa, how are you feeling? What did the doctors say?¡± ¡°The same old problem. As long as I don¡¯t get worked up, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Feeling a pang of guilt, Chloe set the food on the table. ¡°I prepared this for you. If you haven¡¯t eaten, how about a few bites?¡± ¡°How could I settle for just a few bites of the food made by my wonderful granddaughter¨Cinw? I¡¯ll take a picture and send it to that brat. He¡¯ll be so envious.¡± Chloe forced a smile. ¡°Grandpa, please don¡¯t tell Joseph. He doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here to visit you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s precisely why I have to tell him.¡± ¡°¡­Grandpa, I can¡¯t be your granddaughter¨Cinw. It¡¯s my unfortunate loss, but if you don¡¯t mind, I can come and visit you from time to time.¡± Harold¡¯s expression softened, and he said in a serious tone, ¡°You suddenly got together with that brat and then suddenly broke up. Even a normal person¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t bear it, let alone mine.¡± Chloe disregarded his words and silently lowered her head, appearing like an obedient child waiting to be lectured. Harold could not bring himself to me her either. Suddenly, a sly gleam twinkled in his eyes as he suggested, ¡°You don¡¯t have to reconcile with that brat, but don¡¯t break up so hastily either. I¡¯m growing old, at least grant me a little buffer period.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Chloe was taken aback. ¡°How about a three¨Cmonth cooling¨Coff period? If, after that time, you still want to break interfering.¡± up, I¡¯ll stop Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Well¨CBeing Chloe expressed her skepticism, asking, ¡°Is that all?¡± Considering she no longer resided in the vi, she could easily ept a three¨Cmonth buffer. Time would fly by quickly. ¡°Yes, but I have one condition.¡± Chloe¡¯s expression revealed her anticipation that it would not be as straightforward as she initially thought. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I simply want you to find some time to visit me and check on Toto at the vi. Toto has lost weight without your care.¡± Chloe found herself in a dilemma. This meant she could not avoid seeing Joseph. She did not want to see him at the moment, nor did she desire any form of contact with him. ¡°If you two fail to reconcile after three months, I¡¯ll give up. Otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to receive treatment peacefully while in the hospital. What if one day I suddenly pass away?¡± Harold¡¯s words filled her with anxiety. ¡°Grandpa, please don¡¯t say such ominous things!¡± ¡°Then do you agree?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Cough, cough, cough!¡± Suddenly, Harold¡¯s violent coughing fit began, making him appear as if he had aged ten years in an instant. Chloe felt a wave of helplessness wash over her, desperately wanting to call for a doctor. Patrick stopped her, his expression grave. ¡°Mr. Harold has been like this for the past few days. The doctor has already examined him, and the situation is dire. If his condition continues to worsen, there¡¯s no telling¡­ he might not make it to next spring. Miss, can you bear to see Mr. Harold depart with regrets?¡± Depart with regrets. These three words struck Chloe¡¯s heart with a heavy blow. She could not bring herself to imagine such a scene. Grandpa was one of the few sources of warmth in her world, even more caring than +15 BONOS ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll agree, but will Joseph?¡± She could notprehend that man¡¯s inner workings. He was an enigma, osciting between warmth and coldness, kindness and harshness. Harold¡¯s coughing subsided, and he spoke with determination. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to that brat.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ I agree, Grandpa. Please don¡¯t worry about our matters anymore. You need to take good care of yourself and prioritize your well¨Cbeing.¡± ¡°Good girl. Now, I need to rest. You go ahead with your business.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Patrick watched Chloe leave and gave a thumbs¨Cup to Harold. ¡°Sir, your acting skills are superb.¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You also yed your part well.¡± Patrick expressed his concern, ¡°The key now is how to deal with Mr. Joseph. Your acting skills may not be enough to sway him.¡± Harold pondered for a moment, then said thoughtfully, ¡°It¡¯s time to bring out his father¡¯s suicide note.¡± Joseph received a call from Harold as he arrived at the hospital parking lot. Harold stated his terms and mentioned the bargaining chip, bringing up Joseph¡¯ste father in the process. At the mention of his father, Joseph¡¯s handsome face turned grim. After a brief moment, he replied, ¡°Okay.¡± That note was currently the thing he desired most. He needed to uncover the truth behind his father¡¯s death. Harold continued, ¡°Chloe left the hospital not long ago, she should be back at the office. Go and visit her when you have time.¡± Joseph had the urge to question why he should be the one to seek her out instead of the other way around. However, as he raised his head, his gazended on a slender and tall figure. Chloe stood before him, dressed in jeans and a white T¨Cshirt that entuated her best features. Her simple attire showcased her advantages to the fullest, and her long, well¨Cproportioned legs possessed a captivating beauty that surpassed even that of international models: +15 BONOS Joseph grew increasingly restless, his fingers fidgeting with his cor as he pressed the car horn with hisrge hand. The sudden, piercing sound startled Chloe, causing her almond¨Cshaped eyes to re angrily at the culprit. ¡®Who¡¯s the rude imbecile?¡® she thought, ¡®Don¡¯t they know to keep quiet in a hospital?¡® As their gazes locked, Joseph¡¯s eyes held a deep and mysterious allure. It was as if they possessed the ability to prate one¡¯s very soul, sending shivers down one¡¯s spine. Chloe¡¯s anger instantly dissipated, giving way to a sense of annoyance. Had this guy already found out about Harold¡¯s request so soon and thought it was her who suggested it,ing to settle the score? Chapter 329 Chapter 329 Chapter 329 An Unworthy Match, but There Are Lingering Attachments ¡°Get in.¡± Joseph¡¯s tone left no room for negotiation. Chloe¡¯s heart sank. Since she had said yes to Grandpa, she knew she would have to face it sooner orter. Taking a deep breath, she opened the car door and got in. ¡°Did Grandpa talk to you about it?¡± ¡°MIT.¡± ¡°Three months starting from today. But don¡¯t expect me to forgive you,¡± Joseph said with a cold indifference evident on his dazzling face. Chloe offered a faint smile. ¡°Perhaps I should be the one saying those words to you. ¡®A scumbag who slept with two women in one night can¡¯t be whitewashed.¡± Joseph cast a sidelong nce at her, his lips curling in a mocking smirk. ¡°Then why did you say yes to Grandpa?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a human being with feelings and emotions. I appreciate the kindness Grandpa has given me thus far. What¡¯s wrong with agreeing to his request? Must we all be as cruel and heartless as you?¡± Chloe retorted, her voice filled with anger. Joseph let out a cold snort, seemingly convinced that she had hidden motives. Refusing to give him any more attention, Chloe crossed her arms and fixed her gaze on the passing scenery outside. As the car continued down the road, she btedly realized their surroundings and asked, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± ¡°To the vi.¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go there.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t stop on the highway. If you insist, you can jump out of the car.¡± Chloe tightly clenched her fists, taking a deep breath. ¡®Endure it. Just endure it until we¡¯re off the highway Joseph caught a glimpse of her shifting expression from theer of his eye, and a faint smile yed on his thin lips¡± +15 BONOS Halfway through the dure Joseph phone rang Chloe seated in the passenger seat, caught sight of the words ¡°Zavia Larson disyed on the screen Her eyshes fluttered, and she averted her gaze to the window Being behind the wheel Joseph opted to put the call on speakerphone ¡°Joe, I saw on the news that M: Harold is seriously ill and is in the hospital How is he doing? ¡°His condition has stabilized and he¡¯s currently doing well Zavia¡¯s disappointment etched onto her face as she listened from the other end of the phone. If the old man were to die now, it would be a perfect oue for her. It would relieve her of the burden of making a difficult decision if the pregnancy was discovered onlyter However, now she had to wait until the child reached four months, which carried greater risks. This strategy was dangerous While pondering these thoughts, Xavia offered her constion, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful news Grandpa- will surely have a long and healthy life But Joe, please don¡¯t mention that I asked about his condition We know how he feels about me It would only make him angry Joseph¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as he responded, ¡°Don¡¯t belittle yourself. It¡¯s impossible for a person to be liked by everyone else ¡± ¡°Really? But you don¡¯t like me either,¡± she said, her voice filled with a sense of destion. Joseph paused, his thoughts swirling in contemtion. He came to the realization that his feelings toward Xavia had never truly been driven by genuine affection. Initially, he had been drawn to her for her impable propriety, her sensible nature, and her ability to navigate social dynamics with finesse, unlike those clingy young girls He deemed her suitable to be his wife based on these qualities Furthermore, as she had remained by his side for two years, he felt it appropriate to grant her a certain status, and thus they became a couple. However, everything changed when he encountered the woman seated next to him. Unexpectedly, he discovered that genuine liking stemmed from an inherent fondness for someone, while suitability was a separate matter altogether So, on that fateful night at Graceville Estate, Joseph never anticipated that events would unfold in such a manner. He firmly held his position, offering Xaviapensation for the upheaval caused, but he could not make promises of a future together. Because deep down, he knew that his true affectiony with Chloe. But now he and Chloe were in longer a worthy match. Yet strangely enough, he still found kams gose to lingering attarluments But now, he and Chloe were no longer a worthy match. Yet, strangely enough, he still found himself clinging to lingering attachments. Chapter 330 Chapter 330 Chapter 330 Getting Upset Over a Single Comment, How Melodramatic Joseph¡¯s well¨Cdefined hand rested on the steering wheel as his gaze shifted toward the passenger seat in the rearview mirror. He observed Chloe¡¯s countenance, a medley of distress and conflict etched upon her features. Her expressions shifted like the tides, leaving him intrigued yet guarded. Arching an eyebrow, his lips formed a subtle, contemtive line. It was evident that Chloe had reached a pivotal decision, ready to unveil a matter of significance. ¡®If Grandpa¡¯s yearning for a grandchild is so strong, what if Xavia was truly carrying Joseph¡¯s child? In that scenario, she could enter the Whitman family through marriage, with the child serving as an undeniable connection. Even if Grandfather holds reservations toward Xavia, he wouldn¡¯t dare insist on an abortion, would he? This revtion would potentially nullify the need for the three¨Cmonth cooling¨Coff period.¡® Gathering her thoughts, Chloe began, ¡°I happened to cross paths with Jane yesterday.¡± The man¡¯s countenance remained stoic, his anticipation palpable for Chloe¡¯s forting words. ¡°Jane informed me that Xavia is pregnant,¡± she disclosed, her voiceden with a mix of uncertainty and intrigue. ¡°ording to Jane, she witnessed Xavia entering the OB¨CGYN department at Cloude Hospital. She even imed to have glimpsed Xavia¡¯s medical file.¡± Joseph¡¯s brow furrowed, a sign of his deepening concern. ¡°Were those Jane¡¯s precise words?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The atmosphere inside the car suddenly grew thick with tension. As they exited the highway, Joseph parked the vehicle by the roadside and promptly reached for his phone, making an urgent call. ¡°Verify if there are any existing medical records of Xavia Larson at Cloude Hospital.¡± The individual on the receiving end concurred, assuring a prompt response. Seizing this opportunity, Chloe swiftly arranged for a hired car with her phone. Within a matter of minutes after concluding the call, Joseph¡¯s phone rang once more. It was remarkably efficient, to the point that Chloe¡¯s covertly booked ride had yet to arrive. ¡°Mr. Joseph, I¡¯ve thoroughly checked the hospital records but found no trace of the person you +15 BONOS Joseph directed his icy gaze toward Chloe, intensifying the tension in the car. Chloe clenched her fists tightly, her resolve unyielding. ¡°So you think I¡¯m fabricating all this?¡± ¡°Chloe Johnson, I thought you were intelligent. At the very least, you wouldn¡¯t fall for the same deception twice. Yet, it appears that your days have grown monotonous to the point where you readily believe whatever others say.¡± Her agitation heightened. ¡°Jane seemed confident about it. I was concerned that Xavia might be concealing the truth from you, so I kindly informed you. And now, it seems I am the one to me?¡± ¡°Xavia isn¡¯t like you. She¡¯s a genuine person.¡± Chloe¡¯s breath hitched as if an invisible hand tightened around her heart, inflicting excruciating pain. In the past, she had been immune to his biting remarks, never letting them affect her. But this time, hisparison of her and Xavia hit particrly hard. She had sincerely wished to treat him well Joseph observed Chloe¡¯s almond¨Cshaped eyes turning red and her fiercely holding back tears, enduring all the grievances silently. He furrowed his brow, unaware of the impact his words carried. ¡°Getting upset over a simplement. How melodramatic.¡± Chloe fixed a steady and unwavering on him for a brief moment before a disdainfulugh escaped her lips. In her mind, she thought, ¡®There it is. The moment he heard about his first love, he immediately became defensive. He¡¯s truly protective of her. Perhaps I was being too sentimental. I shouldn¡¯t have said anything more.¡± Just as Joseph was about to utter a response, Chloe abruptly undid her seatbelt and swiftly turned to exit the car. The door mmed shut with a resounding bang, reverberating through the air. Joseph¡¯s eyes fixated on Chloe as she entered the waiting hired car and swiftly vanished from his sight. A surge of irritation coursed through him¨Can intense urge to release his frustration through physical means. His temper had always been vtile, and when consumed by anger, restraint was a foreign concept. Arriving at Fairlight, Joseph cast a disdainful nce at the towering stack of documents adorning his desk, promptly dismissing them all for further revisions. Gabriel and Nathan entered the room, only to be met with Joseph¡¯s icy countenance as he wordlessly discarded the proposals, Scattering them across the floor. The room fell into an uneasy silence as a wave of trepidation imminent scolding. +15 BONOS Nathan, with a contemtive stroke of his chin, sighed and quipped, ¡°Hey, who do these uncles. belong to? Boy, life sure ain¡¯t no walk in the park.¡± Gabriel, taking charge, approached the scene and signaled for Lucas to escort the agitated executives out. ¡°This room feels suffocatingly crowded,¡± he remarked. Lucas, observing Joseph¡¯s tacit approval, nodded in understanding and promptly motioned for the executives to leave. ¡°What seems to be the problem? Is the project incurring losses?¡± Nathan piped up, his yful chuckle resonating through the room. Joseph took a drag from his cigarette, the ember casting an eerie glow on his face. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Gabe will be returning to Docwood tomorrow. Once Sam wraps up his cases, let¡¯s go out for a drink -the four of us.¡± Gabriel responded with a hint of sarcasm, ¡°To drown our sorrows, I presume?¡± Having grown up together, Gabriel possessed an innate ability to see through the facade, whether it was work troubles or the uncertainties in their love lives. Joseph took a drag from his cigarette, the swirling smoke shrouding his face. Throughout history, alcohol had never truly solved sorrows. It only exacerbated one¡¯s troubles. When one¡¯s mood was already unsettled, alcohol would suddenly diminish one¡¯s tolerance. In the bar, Joseph sat with an empty liquor bottle before him. His perfectly groomed ck hair cascaded over his forehead, and his deep ck eyes, usually guarded and aloof, now shimmered with a hint of intoxication and restlessness. This version of him appeared more human as if a divine being had descended from the heavens, emanating a wide range of human emotions and desires that were uncharacteristic of his usual demeanor. The other three men in the private room felt it was about time to pop the question. Nathan leaned This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. closer and asked, ¡°Did you have a fight with Chloe?¡± Joseph¡¯s gaze shifted to Nathan, his expression revealing his turmoil. He recounted the heated argument he had with Chloe earlier that day, not holding back any details. As they listened, Nathan and Samuel immediately dismissed Jane¡¯s deceitful ims, convinced that Chloe had +15 BONOS However, Gabriel¡¯s reaction was different. He sprang up from his seat, his voiceced with urgency, ¡°The hospital couldn¡¯t find any medical records for Xavia?¡± Chapter 331 Chapter 331 Chapter 331 Stay Put Joseph narrowed his eyes. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I have a feeling that Jane may be telling the truth.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that Xavia really is pregnant?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± Nathan¡¯s yful tone left his voice as he said in a serious manner, ¡°This isn¡¯t funny.¡± Lifting his head slightly, Gabriel spoke with a voice tinged with amusement, ¡°We can find out by checking the surveince footage. If she has been there, there will definitely be traces left behind. Josephpsed into silence. If Xavia was indeed pregnant, he would have to give her proper status. This was something he never wanted to face or for to happen. He also did not want to delve any further into the investigation either. Everyone present was shrewd enough to understand Joseph¡¯s thoughts, and they unanimously decided not to pursue the topic any further, save for Gabriel. Deciding to take matters into his own hands, Gabriel sent someone to investigate the matter at Cloude Hospital after the outing. Within a week, he received the surveince footage from the obstetrics and gynecology department of the hospital. After watching it for a while, he grew impatient with the monotonous content. He decided to assign the task to two other individuals, instructing them to inform him promptly if they discovered any sightings of Xavia. Three dayster, the two had quickly finished watching all the footage and to their surprise, they did indeed spot Xavia in the recordings. They promptly Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. informed Gabriel about it. Upon seeing the screenshots from the footage, Gabriel pondered for a few seconds. However, he chose not to disclose this information to Joseph. Xavia¡¯s medical records were scrubbed the day after Jane¡¯s conversation with Chloe. In other words, she had someone assisting her, so he decided not to make a move yet to avoid potential threats. Chloe diligently prepared homemade pet snacks, taking advantage of when Joseph was not +15 BONOS this several times and living together with Joseph for over half a year, Chloe quickly figured out the general pattern of when he was not home. On this particr day, she finished her work and arrived at Joseph¡¯s house. Just as she expected, Joseph was not home. She proceeded to divide the snacks between Toto and Oreo. With frantically wagging tails, the furrypanions enjoyed their treats, bringing a sense of joy and fulfillment to Chloe If Joseph and Chloe had not broken up, she would have loved to prepare daily snacks for these two little creatures, especially for Oreo. Oreo always wore a cautious and endearing gaze, seemingly attuned to its owner¡¯s moods. Whenever it sensed any trace of unhappiness, it would immediately approach forforting cuddles, evoking a sense ofpassion within Chloe. She believed it must have endured hardships in the past. ¡°Bye¨Cbye now. I¡¯lle to visit again in a few days,¡± Chloe said, picking up the sk ced on the nearby table. She still had to visit Harold at the hospital before proceeding to the banquet venue Noah had arranged for. It was rumored to be an exclusive event hosted by Exotic Star with even Desmond among the attendees, along with numerous other prominent business figures. She saw it as an opportunity to attract potential investments for her ownpany, and naturally, such an invitation was impossible for her to decline. The hospital courtyard was a picturesque scene, with fallen maple leaves scattered around while the brisk autumn wind carried a chill. Chloe made her way toward the inpatient area and gently rapped on the door of the ward. But this time, it was not Patrick who opened the door, but Joseph. Their eyes locked in a moment of connection. Joseph stood before her, d in a sleek ck trench coat, his face an exquisite masterpiece crafted by Heaven. He leaned back with his arm against the doorframe, a hint of sarcasm evident in his brows and eyes. However, no one could tell if he was amused, angry, or something else altogether. Chloe paused for a moment, calmly ignoring him, and walked toward Harold. A chilling smirk yed at the corners of Joseph¡¯s mouth. How was this dumbo not feeling caught in the act at all? Did she really think that he would not notice her avoiding him for the past few days? ¡°Grandpa, I made you some butternut squash soup,¡± Chloe said, serving a bowl to Harold. *15 BONOS Ta delicious You make the best soups.¡± praised Harold generously. ¡°Do you have any ns to today? This punk is joining an event hosted by Exotic Starter, and he happens to need a Chloe was stunned for a moment I¡¯m sorry. Grandpa I too am attending the event. After all. I the ambassador of Exotic Star and they invited me as well When Joseph heard her words, an inscrutable shadow cast over his eyes ¡°Oh right. In that case, why not go together? Harold said, oblivious to his grandson¡¯s changing demeanor. After all, he simply wanted to create more opportunities for the two of them to interact by any means necessary Chloe managed a forced smile, concealing her inner sigh. It appeared that evading Josephi tonight was an impossibility Before leaving Harold urged Joseph, ¡°You should go too and gave her a ride there Not wanting to disregard Harolds goodwill, Chloe obediently agreed, However, as they walked a short distance away from the ward she paused and turned to the man by her side mate my unde 1 own way there. No need for you to give me a ride¡± Chapter 332 Chapter 332 Chapter 332 Entertaining People Joseph¡¯s expression darkened. He tightly grasped Chloe¡¯s wrist and forcefully pulled her into the car. Lost in his own irritation, he paid little heed to his strength, leaving a visible red mark on her skin. She winced, her voice carrying a tinge of pain. ¡°Ouch! You¡¯re hurting me!¡± Upon hearing her words, he loosened his grip, but Chloe remained trapped in his firm hold, unable to break free. Reluctantly, she resigned herself to follow him into the car, hoping to minimize any further difort. ¡°Noah invited you, didn¡¯t he?¡± Joseph coldly questioned, his brow furrowing tightly. ¡°Yes, what¡¯s the problem?¡± Chloe replied, her voice tinged with defiance. His gaze shifted to her face, taking note of theyers of makeup adorning her features. Mockeryced his words as he sneered, ¡°The guests who receive invitations to such prestigious events are worth billions, and Noah wants an advertising spokesperson like you to grace the asion. Are you there to serve drinks or entertain guests? Isn¡¯t this no different from wealthy businessmen. hiring celebrities to apany them for their amusement?¡± Chloe¡¯s heart tightened as she immediately grasped the significance of this event. Though she also felt unworthy, Noah had indeed extended an invitation to her. Noah did not appear to be someone who would do something like that. He was young, kind¨Chearted, and gentle. She furrowed her brows. ¡°I have the ability to judge right from wrong, so there¡¯s no need for you to meddle.¡± Joseph sneered, ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± ¡®If you ended up being mistreated by those influential figurester, you better note crawling to me for help.¡® The banquet hall of the Exotic Star event was located at the border between Aesper and Docwood. It was a private garden, to be exact, constructed by Exotic Star to cater to esteemed guests, As they followed the ushers inside, a magnificent and luxurious building came into view. The building boasted three floors, with most people gathered on the first for socializing The second floor was reserved for dining, while the third floor served as a resting area for after meals +15 BONOS ¡°Sir, madam, it¡¯s warm inside. Would you like us to hold on to your coats?¡± Chloe could feel the warmth inside the venue and handed her coat over to the staff. For the event, she had adorned herself in a pale pink dress, elegantly showcasing a sheer back design that offered glimpses of her wless and velvety skin. The choice of such a delicate shade. of pink was often a daunting feat, but her well¨Ctoned physique and fairplexion only enhanced her natural beauty, captivating all who cast their eyes upon her. When Joseph¡¯s eyes fell upon her attire, his anger was ignited. He pitched his voice low and asked, ¡°Who are you trying to entice this time?¡± Tired of being misunderstood, she scoffed coldly, ¡°Rest assured, it isn¡¯t you.¡± Joseph¡¯s gaze darkened once more. Even a man with such strong self¨Ccontrol like himself could not resist her provocative charm, let alone others. Feeling a bit uneasy under his piercing eyes, Chloe spotted Noah not far away and hurriedly walked over. ¡®I better distance myself from him. Who knows when he might lose his temper again.¡± Noah was in the middle of a conversation with the CEOs who were a decade or so older than him. His manner of speaking exuded confidence and maturity, often causing people to overlook his young age. Upon spotting Chloe, he exchanged greetings with those around him and stepped aside. He carefully observed Chloe from head to toe with his eyes andmented, ¡°You look young and beautiful in this outfit.¡± ¡°Haha, thanks.¡± ¡°My grandfather wishes to meet you,¡± Noah said as he nced in Joseph¡¯s direction. ¡°Is that convenient right now?¡± ¡°Your grandfather?¡± she asked in surprise. ¡°Yes, the founder of Exotic Star.¡± Chloe felt honored and somewhat astonished. ¡°Of course. It¡¯d be my honor.¡± Noah led Chloe to the third floor and into a room. When Desmond caught sight of Chloe, he was stunned. Upon seeing the endorsement photos earlier, he had already noticed a striking simrity between Chloe and Luciana. And now +15 BONOS However, the girl standing before him possessed a strong spirit and determination that Luciana Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. did not have during her younger years. He could not escape ming himself for showering Luciana with affection but neglecting to provide her with proper guidance. She had never faced the harsh realities of the world. As a result, she developed a strong sense of self in matters of love. Not only did she make a private having an out¨Cof¨Ctown son¨Cinw. Luciana had been even willing to sever ties with Desmond, her own father, in order to marry Benjamin. To this day, Desmond remained unaware of the true nature of his daughter¡¯s husband. However, he was certain that it could not be a virtuous individual. Over the years, he had traveled far and wide, encountering many faces simr to Luciana¡¯s. Each time, he would look into them, only to be disappointed by the results. Eventually, he became more epting of whatever came his way. However, this young girl standing before gave off this incredible sense of familiarity andfort , Chapter 333 Chapter 333 Chapter 333 Are You Bullying Ava Again?! +15 BONOS However, anyone who could marry into the Whitman family was certainly no ordinary individual, so he felt there was no need for further investigation. ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Desmond. I¡¯m Chloe Johnson,¡± Chloe greeted Desmond calmly and confidently. Desmond found herposureforting and gestured for her to take a seat and enjoy a cup of tea. Unaware of his intentions, Chloe elegantly raised the teacup to her lips and took a sip, relishing the lingering fragrance and the exquisite taste. Although she knew little about tea, she could tell it was of the finest quality. tigation. ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Desmond. I¡¯m Chloe Johnson,¡± Chloe greeted Desmond calmly and confidently. Desmond found herposureforting and gestured for her to take a seat and enjoy a cup of tea. Unaware of his intentions, Chloe elegantly raised the teacup to her lips and took a sip, Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. relishing the lingering fragrance and the exquisite taste. Although she knew little about tea, she could tell it was of the finest quality. ¡°So, you are married to Harold¡¯s eldest grandson?¡± Desmond asked. Chloe¡¯s face twitched slightly. ¡°I¡­I am.¡± He paused for a moment, then smiled kindly. ¡°It¡¯s normal for young couples to have arguments. Joseph is a remarkable talent of his generation. He¡¯s worthy of your trust.¡± Chloe could not argue with him and nodded awkwardly in agreement. For the next half hour, Desmond engaged Chloe in casual conversation, discussing various topics. By the time she left the room, her head was spinning. Do all these big shots have so much free time? Should they not be utilizing their time for business matters rather than indulging in small talk with an insignificant figure like me?¡± Noah¡¯s gaze followed Chloe¡¯s departure from the room, and he lowered his eyes as he said to Desmond, ¡°I don¡¯t think Joseph is suitable for her.¡± Since the banquet was about to start, Chloe headed to the restroom where she bumped into Ava. Encountering Ava here, Chloe could not help but doubt the validity of Joseph¡¯s words. ¡°Didn¡¯t Joseph say that all the guests here are worth billions of dors?¡± Chloe questioned herself, skeptical of Ava¡¯s ability to achieve such a status. ¡°You wretched woman. How dare you appear before me!¡± Ava shouted, her voice piercing through the air. The haunting memories of her encounters at the bar flooded her mind, intensifying her anger to its limits. Swiftly and without hesitation, she raised her hand and delivered a resounding +15 BONOS 10 With the wall behind her, Chloe had no room to retreat. Despite her swift reflexes, her cheek still suffered a scratch from Ava¡¯s long fingernails. Thankfully, it did not draw blood. ¡°Have you gone mad?!¡± Chloe eximed. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s mad, but you can be,¡± Ava retorted. It would be best if Chloe transformed into a disheveled madwoman, someone whom everyone would despise. That way, she would be the center of attention tonight. A sinister gleam flickered in Ava¡¯s eyes as she shifted her strategy. Determined to ruin Chloe¡¯s appearance, she reached out in an attempt to grab her hair. Chloe winced in pain as Ava forcefully yanked her hair, pulling out several strands. The searing pain made her inhale sharply, and her anger surged like wildfire. Being a woman who valued her beauty and image, Chloe knew she could not allow someone toy their hands on her without fighting back. In a defiant disy, she flung her purse to the floor and gripped Ava tightly, forcefully ripping off Ava¡¯s false eyshes. ¡°Ah! My eyes!¡± Ava cried out in distress, ¡°Screw you, Chloe!¡± When Joseph and his group heard themotion and rushed over, the two women were locked in a tangled mess, their hair disheveled and their makeup smudged. It was clear that Ava was at a disadvantage, with Chloe straddling her, asserting her dominance. In the presence of influential figures from various industries, the sight of such a scene was bothical and embarrassing. Surrounded by a crowd of spectators, Ava felt her reputation crumbling before her eyes. Her mind raced, desperately searching for a solution. Suddenly, an idea took shape in her mind. Under the scrutinizing gazes of the onlookers, she slowly rose to her feet, her sobs uncontroble as she knelt before Chloe. ¡°Stop it! Stop! Please don¡¯t hit me anymore. Please stop bullying me. From now on, I¡¯ll listen to everything you say. If I see you, I¡¯ll take a different path and never hinder you again,¡± she pleaded, her voice filled with desperation. Calvin was the first to explode in anger. His stern face turned crimson with fury as he fixed a fierce gaze upon Chloe. ¡°Are you bullying Ava again?!¡± Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Do You Not Trust Me? Chloe sneered contemptuously at the use of the word ¡°again,¡± finding it utterly absurd. People always had a tendency to sympathize with the weaker party and treat them with kindness. This inclination became evident as the onlookers witnessed Ava¡¯s pitiful state and directed their scolding toward Chloe. After all, they all were familiar with Calvin and had very little impression of Chloe despite finding her somewhat familiar. Mistakenly, they assumed Chloe to be a well¨Cknown celebrity. ¡°I can¡¯t believe someone so beautiful is capable of such violence.¡± ¡°Looks can be deceiving. Many young girls put on a facade while behaving differently behind closed doors.¡± ¡°Who invited her? She has quite the audacity to bully Mr. Calvin¡¯s beloved goddaughter.¡± As thesements rolled in, Joseph¡¯s eyes narrowed, his expression turning dark. He kept his gaze fixed on Chloe, waiting for her to beg him for help. However, Chloe paid him no attention. Unflinchingly, she maintained herposure, gently biting her rosy lips with her pearly white teeth. Despite her slightly disheveled hair and red eyes, she disyed no signs of distress. Instead, she evoked pity and sympathy. Then, with a deliberate motion, she slowly lifted her gaze, tears streaming down her face like glistening pearls. Choking on her words, she sobbed, ¡°I didn¡¯t hit her. I was merely defending myself. I only wanted to use the restroom. I have no idea what I did to provoke Mr. Calvin¡¯s daughter. She approached me and began berating me. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything because I know she¡¯s Mr. Calvin¡¯s daughter. I wanted to leave, but she relentlessly grabbed my hair. She even expressed her intent to make me theughingstock in front of everyone. I had no choice but to defend myself. The rest of the situation is already known to everyone. I couldn¡¯t foolishly allow myself to be beaten without putting up a fight. ¡°If anyone doubts my words, you can check the surveince footage in the hallway.¡® As she spoke, tears continued to cascade down her cheeks. Ava was well¨Cversed in the art of feigning vulnerability, often shedding tears to appear pitiable, but Chloe was just equally as skilled. +15 BONOS A faint, cool smile yed upon Joseph¡¯s thin lips as he watched her. With her exceptional acting skills, she skillfully manipted the situation to her favor, turning the tide of public opinion. Chloe sinctly expressed her thoughts with logical rity, providing a concise summary of the whole incident. This prompted many individuals to swiftly grasp the situation at hand. The act of ruining one¡¯s appearance was often employed bywful wives when confronting home wreckers. In their eyes, homewreckers used their allure to captivate and lead their husbands astray. Consequently, the initial course of action would involve hair pulling and face scratching¨Ca manifestation of their jealousy. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. In truth, everyone there perceived Chloe to be more attractive than Ava, and Chloe¡¯s exnation shifted the onlookers¡® perception of Ava. However, no one wished to offend Calvin, so they feigned ignorance and found reasons to depart.. As the crowd dispersed, Chloe was left alone, making her feel cold and deserted. Her eyshes trembled slightly, and her gaze settled upon Joseph. She pondered why he remained in ce. Was he going to assist her, or were her thoughts merely wishful thinking? Calvin¡¯s anger surged, and he did not care about the details. Even if it was Ava who had provoked Chloe first, Chloe deserved whatever she got. After all, Ava had already suffered enough. grievances. ¡°Go ahead, don¡¯t hold back. Throw at her exactly what she gave you. I have your back,¡± Calvin said. A glimmer of determination flickered in Ava¡¯s eyes, yet she cast a cautious nce toward Joseph. ¡°Can I really do that?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes, go ahead and do it,¡± Calvin said confidently. Today, the Sullivans were the host, and Calvin¡¯s connection with them surpassed that of Joseph. Besides, he had heard the news that Joseph and his wife were now divorced. Even if Joseph wanted to intervene, he had no authority to do so. Ava felt a sense of relief, and a sinister smile crept across her face as she advanced step by step. Chloe¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and a chilling sensation coursed down her spine. She could not believe that Calvin would allow Ava to act this way in such a situation. The memories of her confinement flooded Chloe¡¯s mind, causing her blood to turn cold Anxiously. she cuinad Sha tooli in eta +15 BONOS In a decisive moment, she threw herself into Joseph¡¯s embrace. Temporarily setting aside her pride, she pleaded pitifully, ¡°Ava wants to hurt me. If you don¡¯t help me, I¡¯ll tell Grandpa!¡± It had been a while since they had any physical contact, and the tender and fragrant sensation overwhelmed Joseph, causing a hitch in his breath. His gaze grew slightly deeper, a look that Chloe failed toprehend. She thought he was unwilling to help her, so she held onto him even tighter. Observing the fear that flickered across her face, Joseph¡¯s heart ached. Her cunning demeanor was merely a facade to conceal her helplessness. ¡°This isn¡¯t Aesper, nor is it Docwood. Are you sure you want to step in?¡± Calvin asked. Joseph shielded Chloe behind him, casually rotating his wrist while wearing a mischievous smile. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since Ist hit a woman.¡± Ava¡¯s body trembled, and Calvin¡¯s expression turned grim. Despite Calvin¡¯s military background and consistent physical training, he could not match Joseph¡¯sbat skills. ¡°I have over ten bodyguards with me, while you¡¯re all alone. I¡¯ll give you onest chance to choose. The Whitman family holds a prestigious position, and it wouldn¡¯t bode well if this matter bes a spectacle,¡± Calvin dered. This ce provided the utmost privacy and security, so there was no need to worry about any information leaking to the outside world. Moreover, Calvin just wanted to teach Chloe a lesson. He was not going to escte the situation. Chloe lightly tugged at Joseph¡¯s shirt, whispering softly, ¡°Why don¡¯t I apologize to them? It wouldn¡¯t be worth it if you end up getting hurt.¡± ¡°Do you not trust me?¡± He spoke with a sidelong nce, his warm and moist breath lightly brushing against her earlobe, sending a tingling sensation down her spine. Chapter 335 Chapter 335 Chapter 335 He Found Ava to Be Unlikable. Chloe instinctively tilted her head slightly and said, ¡°Be careful. If things don¡¯t go well, we¡¯ll make a run for it.¡± Observing Joseph¡¯s unwavering determination, Calvin summoned a group of burly bodyguards who menacingly closed in. Joseph¡¯s clenched fist disyed prominent veins, his back slightly arched like a poised leopard, ready to sink his teeth into his enemies¡® flesh at any moment. Calvin barked out an order, ¡°Teach him a lesson.¡± With those words, one of the bodyguards lunged at Joseph. A resounding ¡°thud¡± echoed through the air as Joseph swiftly and forcefully kicked the assant, sending him crashing into the bathroom door, which recoiled like a tightly coiled spring, producing a loud, reverberating sound. An eerie silence fell upon the hallway, with Calvin and the others remaining silent and still. Furious, Ava berated, ¡°What are you all standing there for?! Get him!¡± More individuals swiftly joined the assault against Joseph. One, two, three¡­ Chloe anxiously observed the unfolding chaos, and in a critical moment, her eyes locked onto a young man descending the stairs. She urgently cried out, ¡°Noah, please help us!¡± Noah followed the voice and his face sank. Without a word, he forcefully intervened to put an end to the commotion. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, Uncle Calvin?¡± he questioned, his tone filled with usation. Calvin pulled Noah to a corner. His anger was palpable as he said, ¡°Joseph just allows Chloe to bully Ava. How can I let them off the hook so easily?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten who nearly ruined your business?¡± This isn¡¯t Aesper. If no one finds out, it¡¯ll be as if it never happened What¡¯s wrong with teaching: Joseph a lesson?¡± Calvin¡¯s voice lowered, his eyes turning red. ¡°You know about what happened to Ava when Joseph took her to that bar, don¡¯t you? Aren¡¯t you concerned for dira?¡±. +15 BONOS Noah¡¯s gaze involuntarily shifted toward Chloe. Strangely, he felt a stronger sense of empathy for her than for Ava. After all, there was something about Ava that he found unlikeable. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Don¡¯t you want to stand up for Ava?¡± Calvin asked again. ¡°Uncle Calvin, you may have made a mistake,¡± Noah said, staring at Calvin. Calvin was momentarily taken aback. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Simply put, Ava may not be Aunt Luciana¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. When I first met her, she was wearing a diamond ne that Mr. Desmond made for Luciana. Only Luciana could have had it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed a genuine piece, but Aunt Luciana might have taken more than just that piece of jewelry with her.¡± Calvin¡¯s lips trembled. ¡°What are you trying to say here?¡± ¡°This month, among the jewelry that we recovered, I found another piece that might have been sold by Aunt Luciana a long time ago.¡± Calvin¡¯s body swayed. He found it hard to believe. Noah lowered his voice and continued, ¡°If you want to confirm whether or not Ava is truly Aunt Luciana¡¯s daughter, ask her a few simple questions about her mother. As her daughter, she couldn¡¯t possibly know nothing about her biological mother.¡± Enchanting piano music filled the air, its harmonious notes resonating throughout the building as the dozen or so bodyguards withdrew, leaving behind one severely injured bodyguard who had to be carried off the scene. Calvin led Ava upstairs and promptly shut the door tightly. For some unknown reason, Ava inexplicably felt that Calvin¡¯s affection for her had suddenly diminished. ¡°Coco, are you hurt? Do you need me to call you a doctor?¡± Noah looked at Chloe concernedly. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Chloe shook her head and nced at Joseph from head to toe before adding, ¡°He¡¯s fine too. That¡¯s good.¡± +15 BONOS After speaking, she turned and entered the restroom. She looked pretty terrible. Her perfectly fine dress had been ruined, and it pained her. Joseph¡¯s gaze turned icy as he observed Noah. Though he wore a smile, there was no warmth in his eyes. ¡°You two seem pretty close.¡± During theirst encounter at the exhibition, Noah had addressed Chloe as ¡°Miss Chloe,¡± but now, it had changed to Coco. +15 BONOS Chapter 336 He Disliked Her Treating Him Like a Nobody Noah tilted his head and replied calmly, ¡°I guess so.¡± Joseph chuckled, his cold eyes seemingly prating all things. As the banquet proceeded, Ava and Calvin were nowhere to be seen. Chloe found this rather peculiar. After all, they had made the effort toe all this way, so it seemed strange for them not to show up just because of some incident. Given Calvin¡¯s seemingly special rtionship with the Sullivans, should he not be more concerned about this event? Desmond stayed for a moment, exchanging pleasantries with the others before turning to Joseph and asking about Harold¡¯s condition. ¡°Well, it¡¯s inevitable for people to be this way as they grow older. We worry about our children and future generations. Just like Harold, I¡¯m putting all my hopes on Noah now,¡± Desmond remarked. Joseph nodded. ¡°Now that our two families are cooperating, I¡¯ll take care of him in the future. Please rest assured, Mr. Desmond.¡± 1 Unless there were any unforeseen circumstances, Noah would solely inherit the Sullivans¡® assets. Despite his young age and not having graduated from school yet, he had been involved in business from a young age. However, Desmond still felt that Noah needed someone to support him. Since the Sullivans had the intention of establishing a good rtionship with Joseph, he had no reason to decline. Desmond was satisfied with Joseph¡¯s response and shed a smile at him. Meanwhile, on the other side, Chloe engaged in a lively conversation with a real estate tycoon. The gentleman admired her courage and unique insights, leading them to exchange contact information. By chance, Chloe mentioned the ident involving construction site workers, and the gentleman. kindly warned her, ¡°When idents happen at construction sites, it¡¯s often due to insufficient funds and the purchase of substandard safety equipment. Keep an eye out. There might be some misappropriation of funds.¡± No one would neglect their own life, especially those engaged in high¨Crisk industries. Of course. there were also a small number of people who harbored a sense of luck and were toozy to use +15 BONOS Chloe was taken aback by this revtion and nodded seriously. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± As the clock struck nine, the event came to a close. Everyone grew tired of toasting and exchanging pleasantries. Some headed to the third floor to rest, while others summoned their drivers to take them home. Chloe was prepared to leave. Before her departure, she scanned the hall but found no trace of Joseph. Noah was assisting Desmond back to his room. She did not want to bother them and so followed a staff member to the exit since the venue was vast and a little challenging to navigate. The attendant offered attentively, ¡°Miss, if you give me your car keys, I can bring the car around for you.¡± Chloe maintained herposure and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t have a car. I¡¯ll get a cab. Is there a ce around here for me to get one?¡± The attendant hesitated briefly before regainingposure. ¡°Certainly. Allow me to escort you there.¡± After walking a few steps, her phone buzzed inside her purse. ¡°Where are you?¡± came Joseph¡¯s calm voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she replied. ¡°Come to the garage.¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± Her tone remained calm. Gone was the pleading Chloe. ¡°Stop acting ignorant. I helped you just now, so it¡¯s time for you to repay the favor,¡± Joseph said, his voice tinged with annoyance, ¡°If I don¡¯t see you in ten minutes, you¡¯ll bear the consequences.¡± As Chloe listened to the disconnected tone on her phone, she stood motionless for a few inoments. Then, she turned toward the attendant and requested, ¡°Please take me to the garage. Thank you. Joseph had exchanged his vehicle for a new sports car, emanating an aura of dominance with its commanding ck hue. Chloe possessed limited knowledge about cars, but she could sense that this one had impressive speed. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± She cut straight to the point, her tone distant.. Furiowing his brows, Joseph¡¯s gaze turned icy and something inside of him cracked He disliked Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Grandpa is hungry and wants to eat a meal you¡¯ve prepared,¡± he replied. Chloe was taken aback. ¡°Your grandfather is hungry thiste in the evening?¡± ¡°He got hungry again,¡± Joseph replied. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go home and prepare some food for him, but it¡¯ll take some time. About an hour and a half.¡± ¡°No need. Prepare it at my house,¡± he said. Chapter 336 Chapter 336 Chapter 336 He Disliked Her Treating Him Like a Nobody Noah tilted his head and replied calmly, ¡°I guess so.¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Joseph chuckled, his cold eyes seemingly prating all things. As the banquet proceeded, Ava and Calvin were nowhere to be seen. Chloe found this rather peculiar. After all, they had made the effort toe all this way, so it seemed strange for them not to show up just because of some incident. Given Calvin¡¯s seemingly special rtionship with the Sullivans, should he not be more concerned about this event? Desmond stayed for a moment, exchanging pleasantries with the others before turning to Joseph and asking about Harold¡¯s condition. ¡°Well, it¡¯s inevitable for people to be this way as they grow older. We worry about our children and future generations. Just like Harold, I¡¯m putting all my hopes on Noah now,¡± Desmond remarked. Joseph nodded. ¡°Now that our two families are cooperating, I¡¯ll take care of him in the future. Please rest assured, Mr. Desmond.¡± 1 Unless there were any unforeseen circumstances, Noah would solely inherit the Sullivans¡® assets. Despite his young age and not having graduated from school yet, he had been involved in business from a young age. However, Desmond still felt that Noah needed someone to support him. Since the Sullivans had the intention of establishing a good rtionship with Joseph, he had no reason to decline. Desmond was satisfied with Joseph¡¯s response and shed a smile at him. Meanwhile, on the other side, Chloe engaged in a lively conversation with a real estate tycoon. The gentleman admired her courage and unique insights, leading them to exchange contact information. By chance, Chloe mentioned the ident involving construction site workers, and the gentleman. kindly warned her, ¡°When idents happen at construction sites, it¡¯s often due to insufficient funds and the purchase of substandard safety equipment. Keep an eye out. There might be some misappropriation of funds.¡± No one would neglect their own life, especially those engaged in high¨Crisk industries. Of course. there were also a small number of people who harbored a sense of luck and were toozy to use +15 BONOS Chloe was taken aback by this revtion and nodded seriously. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± As the clock struck nine, the event came to a close. Everyone grew tired of toasting and exchanging pleasantries. Some headed to the third floor to rest, while others summoned their drivers to take them home. Chloe was prepared to leave. Before her departure, she scanned the hall but found no trace of Joseph. Noah was assisting Desmond back to his room. She did not want to bother them and so followed a staff member to the exit since the venue was vast and a little challenging to navigate. The attendant offered attentively, ¡°Miss, if you give me your car keys, I can bring the car around for you.¡± Chloe maintained herposure and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t have a car. I¡¯ll get a cab. Is there a ce around here for me to get one?¡± The attendant hesitated briefly before regainingposure. ¡°Certainly. Allow me to escort you there.¡± After walking a few steps, her phone buzzed inside her purse. ¡°Where are you?¡± came Joseph¡¯s calm voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she replied. ¡°Come to the garage.¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± Her tone remained calm. Gone was the pleading Chloe. ¡°Stop acting ignorant. I helped you just now, so it¡¯s time for you to repay the favor,¡± Joseph said, his voice tinged with annoyance, ¡°If I don¡¯t see you in ten minutes, you¡¯ll bear the consequences.¡± As Chloe listened to the disconnected tone on her phone, she stood motionless for a few inoments. Then, she turned toward the attendant and requested, ¡°Please take me to the garage. Thank you. Joseph had exchanged his vehicle for a new sports car, emanating an aura of dominance with its this one had impressive speed. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± She cut straight to the point, her tone distant.. Furiowing his brows, Joseph¡¯s gaze turned icy and something inside of him cracked He disliked ¡°Grandpa is hungry and wants to eat a meal you¡¯ve prepared,¡± he replied. Chloe was taken aback. ¡°Your grandfather is hungry thiste in the evening?¡± ¡°He got hungry again,¡± Joseph replied. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go home and prepare some food for him, but it¡¯ll take some time. About an hour and a half.¡± ¡°No need. Prepare it at my house,¡± he said. Chapter 337 Chapter 337 Chapter 337 Xavia Is Pregnant Upon arriving at Joseph¡¯s house, Chloe conscientiously changed into the disposable slippers typically worn by guests. She entered the kitchen and busied herself with the preparations. Joseph¡¯s gaze fell upon the white cartoon slippers inside the wardrobe, causing his brow to furrow once again. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing your original pair?¡± he asked. Chloe was caught off guard by his question while tending to her tasks in the kitchen. She froze for a split moment before replying casually, ¡°I didn¡¯t feel like wearing them. I¡¯ll throw them away when I leave.¡± ¡°Why would you throw them away?¡± Joseph stubbornly pressed, despite already knowing the answer. ¡°I don¡¯t live here anymore. Do you expect me to keep them as a keepsake?¡± Chloe responded. Her nonchnce marred his expression. Without a word, Joseph mmed the door and stormed into the study. Half an hourter, he emerged from the room and nced at the prepared meal in the kitchen. Picking up his fork, he began to eat. Baffled, Chloe¡¯s face contorted with confusion. ¡°Isn¡¯t this meal meant for Grandpa?¡± ¡°Patrick said he fell asleep and won¡¯t be eating,¡± Joseph replied. Chloe furrowed her brow. ¡°Are you messing with me?¡± Innocence washed over Joseph¡¯s handsome face as he replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Taking a deep breath, Chloe decided not to argue with Joseph, knowing he could be quite unreasonable. Meanwhile, she silently vented her frustrations in her mind, ¡®Go on then. Eat more. I hope you turn into a fat pig!¡± As she changed her shoes and prepared to leave, she ran into Gabriel, who happened to be walking in. The man exuded an androgynous allure, captivating those whoid eyes on him and leaving no doubt that he was not to be taken lightly. Without hesitation, he firmly grasped Chloe¡¯s arm and led her back to the living room. +15 BONOS ¡°What are you doing? Let go of me!¡± she eximed. ¡°I came here because of business, so I don¡¯t have much time. To get straight to the point, Xavia is indeed pregnant,¡± Gabriel revealed, presenting a screenshot from Cloude Hospital to both of them. The problem is that Xavia intentionally had someone delete her medical records, which is highly suspicious. Why would she delete her records in the first ce? Moreover, she managed to do it before Joseph could investigate. In other words, someone must have informed her about our investigation. Besides Jane, have you shared this information with anyone else?¡± Noticing Chloe lost in thought, Gabriel nudged her. ¡°Hey, wake up.¡± Chloe felt a heavy difort in her chest and lowered her gaze to conceal her emotions. ¡°Icarus. knows about this too.¡± ¡°Icarus? Who¡¯s Icarus?¡± Gabriel asked, ¡°Does he know Xavia?¡± Chloe was no longer in the mood to answer his questions. She simply stated, ¡°I have family matters to attend to, so I have to go now.¡± Without giving either of them a chance to respond, she hastily left Joseph¡¯s house. Joseph, who had remained silent throughout, caught up to her and stopped her in her tracks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was a fool for not believing you,¡± he said in a low, husky voice, burdened byplex and heavy emotions. This was the first time Joseph had apologized to Chloe, and it was because of Xavia. Chloe raised her head, gazing at the vast starry sky. Her eyes welled up with a burning sensation, yet she fought back the tears, refusing to let them escape. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I need to get home and get some sleep,¡± she said. Joseph set his jaw. ¡°Let me send you home.¡± ¡°No,¡± Chloe said, looking into his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s end it here. I¡¯ll fulfill my duties to Grandpa as usual for the next three months, but we shouldn¡¯t contact each other anymore. With those words, she turned and walked away. There was a series of footsteps behind her. However, the sound of footsteps came to a halt after about ten steps. +15 BONOS Tonight, sleep refused toe to Chloe. And she was not the only one suffering from insomnia. Joseph too was restless throughout the night. The next morning, he called Xavia. Upon seeing the timing of his call, Xavia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Morning, Joe,¡± she greeted, trying to soundposed. ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± he asked, his tone questioning yet filled with certainty. ¡°Joe, I can exin-¡± Xavia began, but Joseph cut her off. ¡°Let¡¯s talk when you return to Aesper.¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. At one o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Xavia arrived at Fairlight. ¡°Joe, I didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you. I just haven¡¯t figured out how to handle the situation yet,¡± she pleaded. Joseph stood by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, gazing at the bustling traffic below. ¡°Have you figured it out now?¡± he asked, his tone cool and distant. ¡°Not yet¡­¡± Xavia¡¯s forehead broke out in a cold sweat. Joe, how did you find out?¡± ¡°I want you to answer my question first. Why did you have someone delete your medical records. from the hospital?¡± His voice was slow andmanding, devoid of anger yet radiating authority. ¡°I saw Jane at the hospital. She likes you so much, and I was afraid she would tell you. I know what I did was wrong, Joe. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Xavia confessed. On the way there, Xavia had already devised a n. Despite appearing flustered, she was actually adept at handling unexpected situations. Joseph¡¯s silence persisted, hanging in the air like a heavy cloak of deathly stillness, casting an eerie chill upon Xavia. Testing the waters, she ventured, ¡°Now that you know, let¡¯s discuss how we should handle this child, shall we?¡± After a prolonged pause, Joseph tumed, positioning himself against the backlight, obscuring his expression in an enigmatic veil. +15 BONOS In a deep voice, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll respect your choice.¡± A surge of euphoria engulfed Xavia¡¯s being, nearly causing her to burst into delightedughter. She gripped her hand tightly to force tears into her eyes. ¡°If I choose to bring this child into the world, I want to provide them with aplete family. Your involvement is vital in this process. Will you respect and cooperate with me?¡± Chapter 338 Chapter 338 Chapter 338 Unless It Wasn¡¯t Xavia That Night Confronted by her hopeful gaze, Joseph averted his eyes and calmly said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait until the fetus reaches four months and have an amniocentesis done before we make a decision.¡± Xavia¡¯s joyous and excited emotions had barely begun to soar before she was doused with a bucket of icy water from head to toe. Her voice raised sharply as she shouted, ¡°What do you mean by that? ¦° With an indifferent demeanor on his chiseled face, Joseph replied, ¡°Do you really want me to spell it out for you?¡± She was stumped. ¡®It¡¯s impossible. There¡¯s no way he could know. My n is wless. He must only be suspicious now. That¡¯s right. He doesn¡¯t have any evidence. I just need to stay calm.¡® With that thought in mind, Xavia tried to reach out for Joseph¡¯s hand, but he saw through her intention and subtly evaded her grasp. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. If you have any questions, just say it directly. We¡¯ve known each other for so long. Just say whatever is on your mind,¡± she said At her words, Joseph suddenly let out augh, filled with irony and a chilling undertone. Indeed, they had known each other for so long, and he had just discovered how colorful her past had been. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll just ask then.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead,¡± she responded. ¡°Are you absolutely certain that you became pregnant after that night we spent together?¡± ¡°Well, yes, I do find it incredibly coincidental, but since the child hase into this world, perhaps it¡¯s a twist of fate,¡± Xavia strained to maintain herposure, forcing apassionate smile upon her face. ¡°Is something wrong? If you don¡¯t believe me, I can wait for the four¨Cmonth mark and undergo amniocentesis.¡± The depths of Joseph¡¯s eyes resembled a pot of spilled ink, dark and imprable. He closed them briefly, and after the surge of anger, a miraculous calm settled within him. When he reopened his eyes and looked at Xavia once again, he seemed to be looking at an insignificant ant. He had given her a chance due to their past rtionship and her physical condition, but she still +15 BONOS Xena cat bare any friends in Clcode, so there was no way she could delete the medical recurr¨°s in such a short time In other words, there must be someone helping her from the SLADOWS He wanted to find out what her ultimate goal was have to get the amniocentesis done It¡¯s Grandpa¡¯s requirement for me to marry you,¡± Joseph dered tumly Xara was shocked. You¡¯ve already spoken to your grandfather? Does he¡­approve of me?¡± Suppressing the hint of in his eyes, Joseph responded, ¡°Given that you¡¯re carrying our child, responsibility to ensure you and the baby¡¯s well¨Cbeing. However, his prejudice against you may not disappear immediately Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. I understand. If I were in his position, I¡¯d probably feel the same way.¡± Xavia smiled, but her gentle gate beld a hint ofpromise, evoking a desire in man to console and empathize with You don¡¯t have to go back to Cloude anymore. Settle down in Aesper. I¡¯ve purchased a vi next to the hospital Lucas will take you thereter.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Xavia replied obediently, Ill get out of your hair then. By the way, was it Jane who told you about my pregnancy?¡± Joseph¡¯s gaze flickered ¡°No, it was Chloe who told me.¡± Surprised and angered. Xavia eximed, ¡°How could Jane try to sow discord between you and Ms. Chice?¡± Chloe and I have ended our rtionship.¡± Xama scrutinized Joseph¡¯s facial expression carefully. He appeared distant and cold, his eyes reflecting a rational and detached nature. That¡¯s right. This was the Joseph she knew¨Ca man who categorized everything based on personal gain. He adhered to the moral principles of an ordinary person butcked warmth and sensitivity. She vividly remembered the day Joseph agreed to be with her. She had naively believed that this wless man had genuinely fallen in love with her. However, her hopes were shattered when she discovered that he had only agreed to their union because she was the ¡°suitable choice to be his +15 BONDS She suspected that Joseph saw Chloe in the same way¨Cmerely as a suitable candidate for marriage. Even though neither of them had truly captured Joseph¡¯s heart, she was more sessful than Chloe. At least, in the end, the woman standing by Joseph¡¯s side would be her Atter Navia left with Lucas, Gabriel emerged from the restroom in Joseph¡¯s office. Raising an eyebrow, he looked at Joseph and said. ¡°See? She¡¯s still pretending * Last night, when he asked Joseph if he wanted to take care of Xavia, Joseph had unexpectedly answered yes. He even mentioned that she was a virgin before him and considering her poor health, he should take responsibility. His reaction startled Gabriel, and he immediately told Joseph that he had slept with Xavia before. Even if she was really pregnant, they should rely on scientific methods like amniocentesis to confirm whether it was his child Joseph held a cigarette between his fingers, his chin sporting stubble that had grown overnight giving him a slightly disheveled appearance, like a fallen deity who had lost some of his divine radiance. He sounded a little dejected as he said, ¡°I believe Xavia was truly a virgin that night¡± ¡°You¡¯re just too noble and righteous. It¡¯s normal to be unable to distinguish such things,¡± Gabriel smirked ¡°We grew up together, so do you think I wouldn¡¯t be able to tell?¡± After a slight pause, be teased ¡°Unless it wasn¡¯t Xavia that night¡± Joseph¡¯s head jerked up suddenly, his mind racing as hidden turmoil stirred within his eyes Chapter 339 Chapter 339 Chapter 339 A Mystery Man Called S Xavia meticulously reported in detail what had happened at Fairlight earlier this morning to the person saved as ¡°S¡± in her phone. 1 S [You did well. Be careful not to expose anything and immediately cut off contact with Eustace.] Xavia: [I don¡¯t think Eustace will agree to a break up so easily. Also, what should we do if we have to do the amniocentesis?] S: [Don¡¯t worry. When the fetus reaches four months, I¡¯ll give you instructions. As for Eustace, now that he¡¯s no longer useful, find a way to get rid of him.] Xavia knew the meaning behind the word ¡°get rid,¡± and fear shed across her face. Chloe immersed herself wholeheartedly in her work, keeping busy to avoid being overwhelmed by chaotic emotions. She even turned down Emily¡¯s invitation to have a meal together. Emily decided to go to the mall instead and got a serving of Chloe¡¯s favorite crab cakes before heading to the Johnson Group. ¡°Don¡¯t overwork yourself. If you need rest, take a break. You look exhausted,¡± Emily advised Chloe furrowed her brow and pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°Try not sleeping for a whole night. You¡¯d be tired too.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you sleep? Have you been thinking about that scumbag? Let me tell you, no matter how many skincare products you use, nothing beats getting enough sleep. Take that female tyrant in mypany for example. She¡¯s not even in her forties, but her skin looks like that of a sixty¨Cyear¨Cold-¡± ¡°I think Joseph and Xavia will be getting married soon. Joseph and I have no ties anymore, so let¡¯s not mention him again,¡± Chloe interrupted, stating the facts. The footsteps that stopped abruptly yesterday served as proof. Joseph had made his decision at that moment. Emily fell silent, staring at her best friend, who seemed outwardly calm but harbored immense sorrow and destion in her eyes. I¡¯m sorry, Chloe. I¡¯m so sorry¡­ If only I had urately pointed out Icarus to you at the bar, you wouldn¡¯t havee on to the wrong person and none of these would¡¯ve happened. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. +15 BONOS The recurring cycle of offering a sincere heart, only to be met with disappointment each time, was a sensation Emily understood all too well. The pain it caused was overwhelming. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. Maybe I have a knack for attracting scumbags. But hey, I can always be a wealthy woman and keep a younger lover.¡± Chloe smiled. ¡°Being by his side has brought me quite a few benefits. I can¡¯t say I got nothing.¡± Without Joseph¡¯s aid, she would have never been able to confront her father or secure the crucial deal with the Grahams. The substantial wealth she had acquired during her tenure at Fairlight was also a direct result of his guidance. She was well aware that without Joseph¡¯s aid, she would not have aplished any of these feats. Thus, it was not an entirely futile endeavor, right? Emily could see past the forced smile, sensing the underlying turmoil within her friend. This only deepened her sense of guilt. When she was threatened by her ex¨Cboyfriend with those indecent photos, it was Chloe who helped her resolve the situation and even settled the score with Ava. This time, she was determined to stand up for her best friend! The following morning, Lucas parked the car in the underground garage at Fairlight. Unbuckling his seatbelt, he turned to Joseph in the backseat and said, ¡°Sir, I¡¯m going to go buy breakfast. Please give me five minutes.¡± The ck circles under Joseph¡¯s eyes were even more prominent today. His handsome face showed signs of exhaustion, and he simply nodded. ¡°Mm¨Chm.¡± Shortly after Lucas left, Emily appeared, holding a ck stic bag. She walked up to the car and tapped on the window. When Joseph looked up and saw her, his eyebrows lifted in surprise. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Joseph. Can you roll down the window, please? I have something to tell you,¡± she said, raising a smile that seemed quite fake. Joseph remained unmoved, staring coldly at the bag in her hand. ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± It smelled even worse than the shit Toto put out. Emily hesitated, not expecting him to be so cautious. Trying a gentle approach, she said, ¡°They¡¯re my sanitary pads. Supermarkets always pack them in ck bags for women. Please roll down the window. I really do have something to tell you.¡± Chapter 340 Chapter 340 Chapter 340 Finalize Your Marriage to My Son He paused for a moment, lowering the car window by a finger¡¯s width. ¡°Speak. What do you want?¡± Emily hesitated, unsure of how to respond. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Lucas, who was returning with his breakfast, felt a sense of unease wash over him when he saw Emily. Lately, Emily had been bombarding him with text messages, and slowly, their rtionship had grown closer. Emily discreetly hid the ck bag behind her back and smiled. ¡°Nope. Nothing.¡± As Lucas skeptically opened the car door, Emily swiftly pushed him aside, forcefully flinging the contents of the ck bag toward Joseph. Reacting quickly, Joseph picked up a nearby newspaper to shield himself. Though he managed to block most of the spills from the bag, a small portion sttered onto his suit. Inside the car, the air became saturated with a repugnant and nauseating smell, a revolting The noxious fumes permeated the space, eliciting an immediate and overwhelming sense of disgust. The fatigue on Joseph¡¯s face vanished, reced by a menacing expression as his temples throbbed with veins. Lucas¡® eyes widened as he shouted, ¡°Are you trying to get yourself killed?!¡± He did not utter curses or hurl insults at her. Lucas genuinely believed that Emily was. deliberately seeking her own demise. Joseph had an extreme aversion to uncleanliness, and she had undoubtedly just triggered his wrath. Emily¡¯s heart raced with fear, but she summoned her courage and stood her ground before Joseph. She stared directly at him and delivered her words with conviction. ¡°If I could afford to pay for your car, I would¡¯ve already poured paint on it. This is the treatment that a despicable creature like you deserves! Having money doesn¡¯t give you the right to trample on other people¡¯s feelings. Those whomit adultery in a marriage deserve divine retribution! ¡°I can¡¯t believe I once thought you weren¡¯t that kind of scum. Lucas, make sure that you prepare oyster shooters for this jerk every day to prevent the early onset of erectile dysfunction!¡± IS LONOS ¡°Mmm mmm ¡°Emily struggled to exquees her indignation, but Lucas kept a fum cover on bet While I was missed the key point, beseph Gought it the crummended Lucem, ¡°Take her to my Mice Inside Fanlight, Emily continued to muter andin ¡°You¡¯re just a ve to your boss Whatayer Joseph tells you to do, you do it Whoever mannes you in the future is one unlucky woman dreseph¡¯s a scumbong Birds of a feather flock together, so you¡¯re no good either Luens could not help but feel a sense of powerlessness He could notprehend why Emily had to behave so irrationally After all, it was Chloe who had deceived Joseph in the first ce. Both parties had thor share of me, and on top of that, Emily had been venting her frustrations for an entire month Was that not enough? In the office, Joseph exuded a powerful aura, causing Emily¡¯s feigned courage to gradually fade. ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± she asked, her voice faltering ¡°You were talking about me just now?¡± Joseph asked ¡°Who told you about it?¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Looking at the towering man before her, Emily gritted her teeth and hissed, ¡°You¡¯ve betrayed your marriage! You¡¯re nothing but a despicable man with a chaotic personal life¡± Joseph¡¯s eyes narrowed, and a thought that made his blood boil shed through his mind. He picked up his car keys and strode away. Although the likelihood of this possibility was minuscule, he could not wait to venly it. Concerned about Joseph¡¯s unstable emotions in recent days, Lucas hurriedly chased after him. Emily stood in ce, her face filled with regret as she called Chloe ¡°Damn i Emily cursed under her breath, filled with regret and embarrassment. How could shet have let slip such humiliating and shameful words in front of Joseph? She berated herself for her impulsive outburst, realizing that the scumbag Chapter 341 Chapter 341 Chapter 341 Caroline dragged her tired body over to the door of the presidential suite Looking at the door before her, she couldn¡¯t summon the courage to push it open, even after a long time. Dolly¡¯s words, the pictures that strange woman had sent a few days ago, the suspicious aspects of Kirk¡¯s identity from before¨Cthey all floated to the surface, clogging her mind. She found it hard to breathe Everything about Kirk suddenly became aplicated mystery. Who was he? Was that woman really his wife? Did he really have two wives? Caroline supported herself on the wood of the door and slowly sat down. Memories rushed up in her mind like waves. Weakly, her hands clenched into fists. She wanted to rush in there, shake Kirk, and get a clear exnation from him. But she had no energy to do so at all After sitting at the door for a long time, she finally regained some strength and took out the ess card. When the door opened, Caroline went inside and found Kirk on the bed, already sleeping deeply. His features were rxed, and he seemed to be sleeping veryfortably. He lookedpletely unguarded. There was aplicated look in Caroline¡¯s eyes as she watched him. Had he tricked her? She squeezed her eyes shut. She didn¡¯t have an answer in her heart. Her body started to sway, so Caroline supported herself against the wall as she made her way to the side of the bed. After some hesitation, she raised a hand and put it over Kirk¡¯s forehead. The next moment, Kirk caught hold of her hand. Caroline shivered violently. Before she could react, Kirk pulled her into his embrace. He was smiling as he rubbed his head against Caroline¡¯s hair. ¡°Darling, you¡¯re back.¡± Caroline¡¯s head was pillowed on Kirk¡¯s chest as she listened to his strong heartbeat. Tears stung her eyes, but she held them forcefully back as she gripped the sheets. ¡°Why do you smell of alcohol?¡± Kirk¡¯s voice was low, but Caroline could tell that it was clouded. with sleep. ¡°Did you drink?¡± Caroline let go of the sheets and made a noise in answer. 1/2 Take me along the next time you want to drink Kirk held Caroline tightly, as if trying tomunicate with her through his actions alone. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to drink alone as a woman.¡± +15 BONUS Caroline felt an even stronger urge to cry. Would Kitk lie to her when he was always like this? Caroline didn¡¯t sleep all night. She finally drifted off to sleep as the sun rose the next morning. By the time she opened her eyes, it was already noon. Kirk was sitting by the bed, looking at his phone. When he heard the noise, he stood up and walked over. Touching Caroline¡¯s forehead, he said, ¡°Darling.¡± Caroline wanted to hide from his touch, but it felt like her entire body was too heavy. ¡°Don¡¯t move around,¡± Kirk warned her quietly. ¡°You¡¯re having a low fever. I¡¯ve asked someone to bring medicine already.¡± Caroline moved her lips and found that her throat was very dry, as if she hadn¡¯t drank any water in days. ¡°Do you want some water?¡± Kirk turned smoothly to get her a ss of water, then went back and helped her up to drink it. Caroline was weak all over. Although she wanted to avoid Kirk, she didn¡¯t have the energy to do so. Besides, she was actually a little d that she was sick. While she was sick, she wouldn¡¯t have to wonder whether Kirk was the liar here or that woman. After drinking the water, Caroline closed her eyes again. Kirk assumed that Caroline felt ufortable due to her fever. He kissed her forehead and didn¡¯t say anything further, not wanting to disturb Caroline¡¯s rest. Soon, the hotel staff sent some medicine over. The medicine was Macovian¨Cmade, so Kirk was worried about side effects. He got up, took the medicine, and went to look for Sean. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. When Caroline heard the door close, she finally found the strength to open her eyes. Chapter 342 Chapter 342 Chapter 342 In Sean¡¯s room, Gwen and Sean were about to leave when they saw Kirking over with some medication. Gwen asked anxiously, ¡°Is Caroline sick?¡± Kirk nodded and handed the booklet of instructions that came with the medication to Sean ¡°Have a look and see if this medicine has any side effects. Sean looked through it and answered, ¡°There won¡¯t be any side effects. You can give it to her without any worries.¡± After that, he asked, ¡°How did she get sick?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Kirk frowned. ¡°The Macovian doctor said that Caroline might just not be used to it here.¡± Sean replied, ¡°I¡¯ll go have a look at her.¡± The three of them headed back to Kirk¡¯s room. Caroline couldn¡¯t close her eyes in time and watched as the trio came inside. But her gaze quickly fell on Gwen as she did her best to ignore Kirk¡¯s presence. ¡°Carol¡­¡± Gwen looked over at Caroline in worry. ¡°Do you feel really bad?¡± Caroline shook her head. The difort from her sickness was nothingpared to the agony in her heart. Sean checked her over, looking at her tongue and eyes, before saying, ¡°It¡¯s nothing major. You just have a fever. It¡¯ll be fine if you take this medicine.¡± Kirk gave a brief response before going to get some warm water. Gwen held Caroline¡¯s hand, her face etched with worry. Caroline chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s just a fever¨Cnothing serious.¡± 1. up. She nced at Gwen and Sean, who were all dresse Are you going out?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going anymore,¡± Gwen quickly replied. Carolineughed. ¡°Are you going out to look for evidence?¡± Since Caroline had already guessed it, Gwen didn¡¯t hide her intentions any longer. She said, ¡°Yes.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Go on then. The ski slopes might not have any surveince cameras, but you might find some witnesses a Caroline coughed before continuing, ¡°The longer you dy, the worse your chances will be.¡± ¡°But Gwen¡¯s eyebrows knitted together. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m fine,¡± Caroline said. ¡°Hurry on You won¡¯t be helping me recover even if you¡¯re here.¡± Sean said, ¡°Gwen, Caroline is right. Kirk will be here to take care of her. Isn¡¯t that enough to put you at ease?¡± Gwen looked over at Kirk. ¡°Alright¡­¡± she said. Now, she felt like she was overreacting. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go and find some proof first.¡± Caroline waved. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Sean pulled Gwen out of the room, plunging the room back into silence. Kirk went to Caroline¡¯s bedside with some warm water and helped her up. ¡°Here, have some medicine.¡± Caroline obediently took the pills from Kirk¡¯s hand and swallowed them. After she took the This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. medicine, shey back on the bed and closed her eyes. Kirk tucked her in and touched her forehead. ¡°If you still feel bad, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± Caroline shook her head without saying anything. ¡°What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll have someone get it.¡± Caroline kept shaking her head. Kirk frowned, but he still didn¡¯t notice anything amiss. They hadn¡¯t spoken to each other since she had woken up. More urately, Caroline hadn¡¯t said a word to Kirk. At the beginning, Kirk had thought that Caroline was weak because she was sick. But when she had spoken to Gwen, her words had been clear and coherent. In fact, they had soundedpletely unlike those of a sick person who was unable to speak. ¡°Darling.¡± Worry shot through Kirk as he clutched Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Did I do something to upset you?¡± Caroline¡¯s eyshes trembled. She thought Kirk¡¯s tone was very pitiful. She recalled how he Caroline thinned her lips and opened her eyes. Her clear gaze met Kirk¡¯s Enunciating each word slowly, she asked, ¡°Have you evet lied to me?¡± Chapter 343 Chapter 343 Chapter 343 Kirk was violently taken aback. His first thought was that his identity had been exposed. But soon, he calmed down again and thought carefully about the people Caroline hade into contact with. He didn¡¯t recall anyone giving anything away. As Kirk fell deep into thought, Caroline watched him carefully. Seeing that he didn¡¯t answer after a long time, her heart fell. She closed her eyes again and said, ¡°I¡¯m so tired. I want to sleep for a while.¡± She didn¡¯t dare to hear Kirk¡¯s answer. She had always believed that Kirk wouldn¡¯t lie to her. Her conviction on this had never wavered. But now, her confidence was destroyed. The trust that she had had in him seemed like a joke now. ¡°Darling ¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Easton tomorrow.¡± Caroline turned over, facing her back to Kirk. Kirk froze for a bit, his braingging for a few seconds. He had already made preparations to tell Caroline about his connection to the Morrison family. But he hadn¡¯t expected that Caroline would react this way. His tense posture slowly rxed. At least Caroline hadn¡¯t immediately wanted a divorce¡­ or said that she never wanted to see him again. ¡°Alright, you have a good rest. Kirk tried his best to make his tone as soft as possible and his motions gentle. Caroline squeezed her eyes shut. Her mind was in a blur, making her incapable of processing her thoughts coherently. Soon, she fell asleep. When she woke up again and opened her eyes, Caroline saw several figures around her. ¡°Carol, you¡¯re awake?¡± Gwen sounded anxious. ¡°How are you? Do you feel any better?¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Caroline sat up to find that her head didn¡¯t feel as heavy anymore. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Let me get you some water.¡± Saying that, Gwen went off to get the water. Right then, Caroline realized that sleep had truly dazed her. Gwen was the only one in the room, and there hadn¡¯t been others. 1/2 ¡°Where are Sean and Kirk?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know Gwen patted her chest with lingering fear. +15 BONUS ¡°While Sean and I were out, we got a call from Kirk. He sounded very serious. As soon as we came back, Sean and Kirk left. I think something big must have happened, and they need to discuss it.¡± Gwen handed the water to Caroline. After taking a sip, Caroline felt much better. She eyed the door. ¡°How long have they been out?¡± ¡°More than an hour.¡± Caroline¡¯s lips thinned. After a moment of silence, she asked, ¡°Gwen, you¡¯re a bystander. Do you think Kirk loved me?¡± Gwen found it weird that Caroline was asking this. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± (1) ¡°Can you answer me first? I want the truth. Don¡¯t lie to me.¡± Caroline was afraid that she wasn¡¯t looking at things clearly because of how invested she was, Gwen hummed for a while. ¡°They say that you¡¯re the only one who can judge the love you receive. You¡¯re the one who knows whether it¡¯s true or not. So I really don¡¯t think I can give you a definite answer. ¡°But if you ask me, from where I¡¯m standing, I can see that Kirk really loves you. Think about it. Just the matter of youpeting to be the CEO of Evans Group¡­¡® When she got to that point, Gwen went quiet. Chapter 344 Chapter 344 Chapter 344 Caroline prodded, saying, ¡°Tell me. No matter what you say, I won¡¯t get mad.¡± ¡°Actually, I think that if I had found out earlier on that you wanted topete for the position of the Evans Group¡¯s CEO, I might not have supported you. You know, La had Eddy¡¯s support. With just that alone, she could have gotten the shareholders to pick her.¡± Gwen continued, ¡°But Kirk is different. He believed in you from start to finish. He probably didn¡¯t even voice a word of doubt. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s because of his superb observation skills or his trust in you as the woman he loves. ¡°What I know is that a true married couple will always support each other. They wouldn¡¯t sabotage each other, like my parents.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Caroline murmured. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Gwen took a breath and continued, ¡°But you. Why are you suddenly asking this?¡± Caroline looked at Gwen and blinked. ¡°Did you find any witnesses?¡± When Caroline brought this up, Gwen frowned in annoyance. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy. But the hotel manager gave us a list of all the guests. As for the ski slopes, only those who stay here are allowed to get in. ¡°As long as we cross¨Ccheck one by one, we should be able to find some witnesses. By the way, you haven¡¯t answered my question.¡± Caroline smiled. They each had something to worry about, so she didn¡¯t want to add to Gwen¡¯s troubles. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m sick, so I¡¯ve been thinking too muchtely.¡± Meanwhile, in the next room, Sean spoke up hesitantly after a long silence. ¡°Are you sure that Caroline knows you¡¯re the Mr. Morrison of SY Group?¡± Kirk frowned, a vein on his forehead pulsing wildly. Even so, he patiently answered, ¡°I told you that I¡¯m not sure. But she asked me if I¡¯ve ever lied to her. If it¡¯s not about this, what else could it be about?¡± Sean poured Kirk a ss of wine. ¡°Then what¡¯s your n moving forward?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t reach out for the wine ss. Instead, he closed his eyes and slumped weakly onto the couch. ¡°It¡¯s not what I n to do now that matters. It¡¯s what Caroline wants to do.¡± ¡°Do you know what you look like now?¡± Sean teased, taking a sip of the wine. 1/3 +15 BONUS Kirk ignored him Sean said without a care, ¡°You look like someone waiting for a death sentence.¡± As he said this, he leaned into the couch next to Kirk Lowly, he said, ¡°And Caroline¡¯s your judge.¡± Kirk nced at Sean, and thetter let out a mockingugh. ¡°You¡¯re really happy about this.¡± Sean shrugged. For once, he could be proud in front of Kirk. He puffed up his chest and said, Indeed, I am.¡± Kirk was dumbfounded by Sean¡¯s response. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°But don¡¯t get too worried about this,¡± Sean said by Kirk¡¯s side. ¡°At least she said she wants to go back to Easton, not that she wants you to leave. That means you have a chance.¡± Kirk disagreed with Sean on this point. ¡°Then we¡¯ll be heading back to Easton tomorrow. What about you?¡± The smile on Sean¡¯s face disappeared. ¡°Not so soon, I think. We still have to find witnesses.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t say anything more. He walked out of the room and went back next door. Hearing the sound of the door opening, Caroline trembled. Gwen said, ¡°That¡¯s probably Kirk and Seaning back.¡± Kirk came in just as Gwen said this. When he saw Caroline¡¯s eyes open where shey on the bed, his throat worked. Gwen noticed the hint of awkwardness in his reaction. She smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Then, she walked out and closed the door behind her. After the door closed, Kirk turned back to face Caroline. Weakly, he called, ¡°Darling.¡® Caroline¡¯s heart was filled with bitterness. She turned her head to look at the moon outside, not daring to face Kirk. She was scared that she would waver and make a mistake if she looked at his face. She was scared that she would believe that he hadn¡¯t lied to her without basing that decision on actual facts. Seeing that Caroline wasn¡¯t reacting too agitatedly, Kirk followed the urge to step closer to the bed. He bent down and reached out a hand to poke Caroline¡¯s cheek. Chapter 345 Chapter 345 Chapter 345 Caroline¡¯s body was tense all over. Under the covers, she pinched her thigh hard, using the pain to force herself to be ruthless. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. She ignored the pitiful tone in Kirk¡¯s voice and said, ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m just tired, so I don¡¯t want to talk. Have you bought the ne tickets to lead back tomorrow?¡± Kirk reached out a hand to brush away the hair stered to Caroline¡¯s forehead. But she evaded his touch once again. Looking at his hand, his heart felt like it had been wrung out after Caroline ducked away from it. Still, he said warmly and dotingly, ¡°No need to buy ne tickets. We¡¯ll just take a private flight back.¡± Caroline felt a strong desire to ask about it, but it was like there was magic every time Kirk opened his mouth, filling her with guilt. Besides, the idea that Kirk hadn¡¯t tricked her kept bursting free, and it took all of her strength to mp that thought down. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kirk helped cover her with the nket. This time, Caroline didn¡¯t shy away from his touch. At that same moment, at an airport in Easton, Quentin took the luggage out of the car. He hesitatingly asked, ¡°Do you really want to go to Macovo? What if Caroline isn¡¯t there?¡± Adrian took the luggage from him decisively. ¡°I¡¯m going. Even if she¡¯s not there, I don¡¯t want to miss this chance.¡± That day, Quentin had told Adrian about Jack after returning home from the Thorne Corporation. Afterward, he had looked at Adrian and said, ¡°Why do I feel like this Jack¡¯s story is exactly like yours? An unrequited love that¡¯s finally given up. The words ¡°given up¡± had struck Adrian hard. He had given up before as well. When he had been younger and just found out that Caroline was Eddy¡¯s fianc¨¦e, everyone told him that he could never beat Eddy. And that was because Eddy was the Morrison family¡¯s heir, while Adrian was an illegitimate son. Back then, he hadn¡¯t understood. He had just thought that he wasn¡¯t worthy of Caroline. Once he understood that he might actuallypare favorably to Eddy and that Eddy had simply 1/2 +15 BONUS By that time, Caroline had already fallen in love with Eddy After looking at Jack¡¯s information that day, Adrian had seen himself in Jack. So when he had found out about Jack¡¯s crushing to light and his subsequent abandonment of it, Adrian had felt like he was looking at himself But Adrian didn¡¯t want that kind of oue. That was why he had to give himself a chance. Adrian had gone to Evans Group, only to be told that Caroline wasn¡¯t there. As for where she¡¯d gone, no one seemed to know. Thus, he could only have Quentin find out for him. But there was no answer either. In the end, Adrian had looked for Gwen and discovered that she had taken leave to go to Macovo. That was when he had a small breakthrough. But Gwen¡¯s colleagues weren¡¯t sure if Caroline had gone to Macovo with her. Quentin stopped thinking about it. ¡°Alright, since you¡¯ve already decided, I can¡¯t keep trying to convince you. Have a safe flight. ¦§ Adrian replied, ¡°Thank you.¡± Then, he dragged his luggage over to the security checkpoint. Watching Adrian¡¯s retreating back, Quentin exhaled softly. He hoped that Adrian would find happiness this time. The ne headed for Macovo from Easton slowly took off. At that moment, the ne headed for Easton from Macovo was also taking off. On the airne, Caroline continued to keep silent. Before his judgment came, Kirk felt like a knife. hung over him, taking forever to actually drop. It was this uncertainty that was most agonizing. Kirk had tried many times to put in a good word for himself, but he was scared that Caroline would think he was making excuses. So he decided to y it cool. Thus, they were silent the whole trip back. Back in Easton, Kirk felt like he had found a savior when he saw Jack. ¡°You¡¯ve been training very welltely. Your arms are getting ¡­¡± Kirk took ages to fish for the right word. strong.¡± Jack looked at Kirk like he was an alien. What was wrong with this guy? Chapter 346 Chapter 346 Chapter 346 +15 BONUS ¡°Is your family okay?¡± Kirk changed the topic in a very awkward manner. He was trying to get Caroline to talk, even if it was to Jack. It had been a long time since he had heard Caroline say anything. It was like she refused to speak as long as he was there. ¡°Th¨Cthey¡¯re okay¡­¡± Jack looked at Caroline and found that she had a cold expression. She only nodded before getting into the car. It was the exact kind of behavior that Kirk used to have. Jack was so shocked that his eyes bulged. What was going on? Had their souls switched bodies or something? ¡°What about work?¡± Kirk smoothly got into the car and continued. ¡°Oh, right. How are things at Evans Group?¡± Now, Jack was 100% sure that they had switched bodies. Why else would Kirk ask about Evans Group? Thinking of this, all the illogical aspects of this interaction suddenly made sense. ¡°Evans Group is doing quite well. Although Ms. Evans wasn¡¯t at thepany, the remaining staff were very well¨Cbehaved after all the people who didn¡¯t like her quit. ¡°All thepany¡¯s tasks werepleted well and on time. Now, they¡¯re just waiting for Ms. Evans ¡®designs and to find an ambassador.¡± Caroline¡¯s eyebrow twitched. She had actually forgotten the matter of the designpletely! Rubbing her temples, Caroline let out a breath. ¡°Oh, right, Ms. Evans,¡± Jack said to Kirk. ¡°Your parents¡­ came and caused some trouble a few days ago, but I chased them off. I¨Cis that okay?¡± ¡°You did very well.¡± It was Caroline who had spoken. Jack got a fright. He had been paying so much attention to Kirk that he got shocked when a Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. woman¡¯s voice replied. Once he finally realized that it was Caroline herself speaking, he looked at her in the rearview mirror awkwardly. ¡°Thank you for your praise, Ms. Evans.¡± As they spoke, they arrived at the vi. Kirk got out of the car immediately and circled over to Caroline¡¯s side to open her door. 1/2 +15 BONUS Caroline frowned and looked up at the amusement in Kirk¡¯s eyes. After thinking about it, Caroline still got out of the car. Jack watched Kirk, who was always one step behind Caroline Suddenly, he made a particr observation. He was really like a dog. Jack rubbed his eyes, then rubbed them again. After making sure that he was seeing the same thing, he texted Cheryl in fear. ¡°Cheryl, do you believe switching bodies is possible in this world? Or maybe possession?¡± Cheryl was currently at home, cooking. When she saw the message, she wiped her hands clean and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± After sending it, Cheryl got no reply. After a short hesitation, she said something else. ¡°Mr. Jack, I cooked tonight. Do you want toe over?¡± After sending it, she looked at the screen nervously. Soon, she received a reply with only one word: ¡°Okay.¡± Cheryl held her phone tightly, her lips turning up into a smile. At the same time, Caroline walked into the vi and took off her high heels before heading straight to the second floor. Kirk kept following her. He said, ¡°Darling, are you hungry? Shall I make you some food?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Caroline massaged her temples. ¡°I¡¯m going to work. Don¡¯t disturb me.¡± Kirk was speechless. Caroline had finally said something to him, but it was to tell him not to disturb her. Was this good news or bad news? Just as the door to the study closed, Kirk¡¯s phone started ringing. When he took it out and saw the screen, his gaze turned dim. Chapter 347 Chapter 347 Chapter 347 After a moment, Kirk walked to the balcony and answered the call. ¡°You¡¯re finally answering, little brother.¡± A charismatic voice came through the phone. ¡°Are you still unable to bear returning from your lover¡¯s embrace?¡± Kirk frowned, his mouth twisting into a mocking smile. ¡°Your memory is terrible. Haven¡¯t I told you that we¡¯re not rted?¡± The caller chuckled. ¡°Indeed, we have no blood rtions. But I¡¯m still Dad¡¯s son. This is a fact that the government of Macldo recognizes.¡± Kirk¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°If you have something to say, say it quickly. I don¡¯t have time for this, and neither do you.¡± ¡°Oh, my sweet little brother, you understand me best. That¡¯s right, I¡¯m here to warn you. ¡°During the time you¡¯ve spent stretching your legs in Easton, I¡¯ve stopped lying in wait and started slowly taking up all your assets in Sarcozia. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll soon receive a call from them. ¡°I wish you good luck, my dear, sweet little brother.¡± After that, the caller hung up. Kirk¡¯s expression immediately turned dark. Unsurprisingly, his phone started ringing in the nextThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. second. It was a call from Charles. ¡°Sir, there¡¯s trouble. Many of the deals we had signed with the government of Macldo have been disrupted. The technical department hasn¡¯t found who¡¯s doing it.¡± Charles was sweating profusely. ¡°Thepany has told me to inform you about this. Are you heading back immediately?¡± Kirk immediately looked up toward the second floor. ¡°Can¡¯t they handle it?¡± he asked. Charles wiped away some sweat. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. With so many big deals being affected, the subordinates are all in fear. Sir, I think you have to make a trip back this time.¡± ¡°What a bunch of trash!¡± Kirk gritted his teeth. After a moment, he said, ¡°Call Sean and tell him I¡¯m flying back. Make sure he rushes back to Easton at all costs.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After hanging up, Kirk went up to the second floor. Just as he raised his hand to knock on the door, he remembered what Caroline had said before closing the door. 1/3 +15 BONUS He frowned. Then, he found a piece of paper and wrote a note before sticking it on the door. After exining things, Kirk finally left. Caroline only found the note when she was heading downstairs for some food after her shower. The note read, ¡°Darling, thepany needs me to head overseas for an urgent matter. Wait for me to come home, no matter what. I¡¯ll give you a good exnation.¡± From how messy the handwriting was, Caroline could tell that Kirk had been in a great rush. Caroline took out her phone and clicked on his contact. After some hesitation, she put her phone away again. She went back to her desk to work on her design. Yet she couldn¡¯t manage to draw anything. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Kirk. Throwing her pencil aside, Caroline walked over to the balcony in a huff. The cool breeze calmed her down a lot. Suddenly, Caroline thought of Quentin. She headed back into the room and gave him a call. ¡°Quentin¡­¡± Caroline held her phone nervously. ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Quentin nced at the time. He guessed that Adrian must have arrived already. He might even have confessed his feelings. Caroline calling him to ask him something was a good sign. Heposed himself and said, ¡°Go ahead and ask.¡± ¡°Do you know how you can check if someone has remarried?¡± Quentin was confused by this. After not getting an answer from Quentin for a long time, Caroline checked her phone to make sure that she was still on the call. She put the phone to her ear again. ¡°Quentin, is your phone signal bad over there?¡± Quentin rubbed his eyes. ¡°No.¡± He hadn¡¯t expected Caroline to ask about this. ¡°What did you say just now?¡± he asked. Caroline repeated herself. ¡°Just head to City Hall. Everything¡¯s in the online database now. If you want to know someone¡¯s marriage status, all you need to do is ask.¡± ¡°No, but he¡¯s a foreigner.¡± ¡°Then go to his country and ask.¡± Quentin said with augh. ¡°It¡¯s a record like any other. Shouldn¡¯t you be able to find out about it at a government office?¡± Caroline was suddenly enlightened. ¡°Thank you.¡± Chapter 348 Chapter 348 Quentinughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s only a small matter. Oh, right. Where are you right now?¡± Caroline replied, ¡°I¡¯m at home.¡± A sudden sputtering noise came through the line, which made Caroline ask in curiosity, ¡°What happened?¡± Quentin wiped the water from his mouth and said, ¡°N¨Cnothing¡­¡± ¦° He only pitied his friend foring up empty¨Chanded again. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this was the universe¡¯s way of telling Adrian that he should give up pursuing Caroline. After all, they really didn¡¯t have that kind of destiny. Holding onto his phone, Quentin wondered if he should give Adrian a call and tell him about this news. The next day, Caroline replied with an ¡°Okay¡± after receiving Kirk¡¯s message saying that he¡¯d arrived safely. This response put both Caroline and Kirk at ease. Kirk was relieved because Caroline was still responding to him, so their rtionship still had a chance of being fixed. Caroline was put at ease because she had been worrying about Kirk ever since she found out that he had left. Now that she¡¯d received news that he was safe, she felt much better. As for why she had replied to his message, she did it because she was afraid he wouldn¡¯t send more updates. This contradictory feeling tortured her, following her all the way until she reached Evans Group. There, the organized office environment made her finally refocus on thepany. ¡°Caroline,¡± Cheryl said, introducing Caroline to the new hires, ¡°these people are veterans in their own right. Please have a look at their r¨¦sum¨¦s.¡± Caroline took a brief look and found that these people all shared onemonality despite all being from differentpanies. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. They were above the age of 35 and came fromrgepanies before this. But that was fine. It turned out they had all worked as assistants, even after more than a decade of work. Caroline looked them all over and said, ¡°Wee to the team. I hope you can learn and grow with 1/2 +15 BONUS The new employees, who were all waiting for their boss to give some kind of pep talk, were shocked when Caroline was so brief. They were still in a daze when they walked out of her office. After watching them leave, Cheryl approached Caroline with a smile. ¡°Caroline, what do you think? Is the finished product ready? Can I see it?¡± Just now, Caroline had forgotten about Kirk. Now that Cheryl had mentioned this matter, Caroline was thinking about him again. She rubbed her temples and forced herself to focus on her work. ¡°Not yet.¡± Caroline took out some of her drafts and passed them to Cheryl. ¡°I spent all night designing these. Send them to the design department, and don¡¯t say that they¡¯re my work: Just ask for their opinion. If they¡¯re okay, tell them to use this horoscope concept to rush a batch of products.¡± Cheryl looked at the lively designs on the page and fell in love with them immediately. She smiled and said, ¡°I think the design department will love them.¡± Carolineughed. ¡°Hurry up. If this gets settled, we¡¯ll only be left with finding an ambassador.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cheryl took the designs over to the design department. She followed Caroline¡¯s instructions and didn¡¯t say who had done them. Even so, the new head of the design department was enamored by the designs immediately. ¡°These designs are great,¡± she said lowly. ¡°I won¡¯t lie to you. When I saw Evans Group¡¯s past designs, I had a splitting headache. They didn¡¯t inspire me at all. But these d¨¦signs have truly opened the floodgates. Hey Cheryl, which expert drew these?¡± Cheryl said pridefully, ¡°Ms. Evans!¡± The design department head¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Impossible, these were done by an expert! I can tell at first nce.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know, do you? Ms. Evans used to be Thorne Corp¡¯s design director.¡± Stunned, the design department¡¯s head froze for a while before saying in astonishment, ¡°No wonder I found her familiar! She¡¯s Caroline Evans! Ah, she¡¯s my idol! I loved her designs back when she was at Thorne Corp.¡± Chapter 349 Chapter 349 Chapter 349 The design department didn¡¯t have any objections, so Caroline held a meeting with the higher¨Cups of the other departments. None of them had any issues after seeing the drafts either. ¡°I think the most crucial issue here now is,¡± the new marketing director said, pained, ¡°how to ssify our products. ¡°I¡¯ve gone through every season of Evans Group¡¯s products. There are high¨Cend products and low- end ones, even middle¨Cend ones. It can be seen that we were trying to cover all theyers of the market, but the oue wasn¡¯t ideal.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this issue.¡± Caroline spread out the documents in her hand. ¡°For the current Evans Group, it¡¯s tough to get into the high¨Cend market due to ourck of funds and capabilities. That¡¯s why we¡¯re choosing to go with the middle¨Cend market. ¡°With this horoscope theme, we¡¯re targeting the middle and low¨Cend markets. The main thing is to put our name out there.¡± The advertising director said, ¡°If we do that, advertising will be difficult. Famous celebrities wouldn¡¯t want to be ambassadors for such a product, while lesser¨Cknown celebrities don¡¯t have the poprity to help us gain a reputation.¡± Caroline looked at the advertising director and said, ¡°Take some time to think about who to pick as our ambassador. Forget about the famous celebrities. We can¡¯t afford them.¡± The advertising director was speechless. ¡°Are there any more questions?¡± Caroline looked at everyone else. They all kept silent. ¡°Alright, then there are no more issues.¡± Caroline¡¯s tone turned heavy. ¡°Then let¡¯s start. This is the first move thispany is making after its new start. I hope we can all work together to see this through. I don¡¯t want anyone to cause any problems on this team.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. After saying this, Caroline picked up the documents and walked out of the conference room in Once Caroline left, many of the higher¨Cups in the conference room frowned. ¡°Will this n work?¡± ¡°How are we supposed to make a name for ourselves if we don¡¯t hire a famous celebrity as our ambassador?¡± ¡°Goodness, will thispany fail after just a few days?¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS Everyone was worried and pessimistic about Caroline¡¯s n to target the middle and low¨Cend markets. After all, there were only a few fashionpanies in the middle and low¨Cend markets, and those companies took up all the market share. They had thought that thepany could still hire a famous celebrity so that they would stand a chance. But now Caroline had made it clear that they couldn¡¯t afford it. Things werepletely hopeless at this point. Back in her office, the moment Caroline put down her files, she thought of Kirk again. She didn¡¯t even know where he had gone for his business trip or how things were going. Had he eaten? Caroline massaged her temples and forced herself to focus on her work. But once the floodgates opened, she couldn¡¯t concentrate at all. She squeezed her eyes shut and let out a breath. If it weren¡¯t for that mysterious person¡¯s text, she would have called Kirk right now. Caroline took her phone out and recalled Quentin¡¯s words. She could just head to City Hall to check. Right, she could investigate! She would find it out once and for all! Taking a deep breath, Caroline took out her phone and went through her contacts. She had studied in Macldo, so she knew quite a few people there. She remembered that one of her ssmates had worked at City Hall after graduation. Maybe that person could help. After looking for a long time, she finally found that person¡¯s contact. Holding onto the idea that she was just going to try, she sent that person a text. Unexpectedly, she got a response in seconds. Caroline didn¡¯t go straight to the point. Instead, she chatted a bit. After finding out that her friend was indeed working at City Hall, she asked tentatively, ¡°Then can you find out through your internal system if someone is married?¡± Caroline¡¯s ssmate was called Marina Fuller. She was from Easton too, but she had grown up in Macldo. Marina replied, ¡°Of course. As long as they¡¯re Macldan, I can find out.¡± ¡°Then can you help me do a search?¡± After sending this, Caroline kept staring at her screen. Marina replied, ¡°Sure. But I need you to give me some details on that person.¡± Chapter 350 Chapter 350 Chapter 350 Caroline took a deep breath as she typed out Kirk¡¯s name with trembling fingers ¡°If you need a photo, I may need some time to get one,¡± she added in her text. She had just remembered how she had a precious few photos of herself and Kirk. If Marina needed her to provide a photo of Kirk, she would have to wait for Cook to finish up with the photos. Marina replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need. He¡¯s from Easton, right? This isn¡¯t amon name here, so there shouldn¡¯t be too many people with the same name. It¡¯ll be easy to find the right person. ¡°When I get the information, I¡¯ll send everything about Kirk Morrison to you.¡± Caroline felt very grateful. She responded, ¡°Thank you. If you ever have the time,e to Easton and I¡¯ll take you around.¡± Marina sent her a GIF saying, ¡°No need to thank me,¡± before sending another message. It read, ¡°When we were in school, I heard ssmates saying that you¡¯re the fianc¨¦e of the heir of the Morrison family. What happened? Have you guys married after so many years?¡± Caroline stared at the screen in shock. She seemed to understand now why Marina was so enthusiastic despite not having been in contact for so many years. Since she had been around the block a few times, Caroline knew that there were no free lunches. Caroline replied, ¡°We haven¡¯t married.¡± Marina misunderstood her. She asked, ¡°Then when are you nning to get married?¡± Caroline was at a loss for a moment. She tried again. ¡°What I mean is we won¡¯t be getting married. Our engagement has been called off.¡± After Caroline sent that message, Marina¡¯s replies came a lot more slowly. When Marina finally replied, she said, ¡°That¡¯s a real shame.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t want to linger on this topic. She replied, ¡°Yeah. When you get the information, please send it over to me.¡± 15 minutester, the reply said, ¡°Sure.¡± Caroline let out a breath. Just as she was about to get up and get herself some water, her phone rang. It was Kirk. Caroline answered the call without even thinking, but after she did, she regretted it. ¡°Darling,¡± came Kirk¡¯s low voice through the phone, making Caroline¡¯s ears itch and her heart go 1/2 Caroline soothed her chest in annoyance. +15 BONUS The silence between them stretched out, enveloping Caroline in a suffocating haze. But then, Kuk¡¯s deep voice came again ¡°I miss you so much.¡± This simple statement instantly sent Caroline into turmoil. In a panic, she removed the phone from her ear and held it out as far as she could Only after her breathing calmed did she say, her expression cold, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± On the other end of the line, Kirk chuckled lowly. ¡°Are you finally willing to speak to me?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Caroline was stunned. But then she said, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me now, I¡¯m hanging up.¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± Kirk straightened. ¡°I transferred two million dors to your ount. Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to buy a car before this?¡± Caroline¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Her head was a mess again. ¡°Darling,¡± Kirk said as he fingered the casing of the phone. His voice was seductive. ¡°You have to wait for me to get back, okay?¡± These simple words messed Caroline uppletely. She was so panicked that she cut the call. Sitting in her chair, she heavedrge breaths. Her heart was thundering wildly, nearly beating out of her chest. Chapter 351 Chapter 351 Chapter 351 Caroline didn¡¯t doubt that Kirk would be able to convince her to forgive him if he had been standing before her now. He had a mysterious power about him that made others take his side. Even Gwen, who had thought that such a renowned person as Eddy didn¡¯t deserve her, was on Kirk¡¯s side. Caroline had to keep her head straight! She massaged her temples until the shooting pain subsided and her breathing stabilized. Taking out her phone, Caroline once again clicked on Marina¡¯s contact. She wanted to ask Marina to be quick in her search, but changed her mind on second thought. After so many years of not talking, rushing Marina this way was impolite. Caroline would have to calm her anxious heart. She clicked on her phone and quickly found the notification from the bank. Kirk had truly sent her two million dors. Looking at all the zeros, Caroline¡¯s heart started beating erratically again. Thinking about it, she knew that Kirk really treated her well. It didn¡¯t make sense that he might be scamming her, whether for financial gain or for sex. When it came to money, Kirk had a lot more of it than she did. When it came to looks, Caroline was pretty, but there were many who were prettier. What was the point of targeting her? Could it be¡­ for the thrill? The more she thought about it, the more messed up she got. In the end, she shoved the matter to the back of her mind. She told herself not to think about it anymore and to just wait for Marina¡¯s response. If Kirk had really tricked her and had another wife over in Macldo, she would divorce him immediately. She would never see him again! At that thought, Caroline calmed down a lot. Looking at the two million dors in her ount, she gave it some thought before calling Gwen. ¡°Gwen, are you free this afternoon?¡± The sound of the keyboard cking came from Gwen¡¯s end of the phone. ¡°What is it, Carol? If you have a problem, I can take the day off.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Caroline said. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You do you.¡± Gwen paused in her work and walked over to the lounge with her phone. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Really Caroline chuckled. I¡¯m done with work, so I¡¯m just waiting for the staff to finish with the n.¡± ¡°Wow, is this the leisurely life of a big boss?¡± Gwen teased, admiring Caroline. Caroline replied, ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°Stop showing off.¡± Gwen put a hand to her chest in indignity. ¡°You¡¯re hurting a poor working¨Css girl like me. You should be more considerate.¡± Carolineughed at Gwen¡¯s joke. After a bit more conversation, Caroline ended the call. Her gaze fell on the two million dors again. In the past, Caroline wouldn¡¯t be bothered by the money in her ount. But now it became something that annoyed her. Besides, Kirk wouldn¡¯t ept the money back even if she returned it to him. Sighing, Caroline got up. She decided to think that she was picking out a car for Kirk. When the time came to buy it, she would put it under his name. That way, even if they divorced, he wouldn¡¯t lose out. Clicking open a map, Caroline found a Porsche car dealership nearby Evans Group. Rather than sit at the office and let her imagination run wild, Caroline informed Cheryl that she was leaving and went off to the car dealership. Chapter 352 Chapter 352 At the car dealership, one of the salespeople immediately came forward enthusiastically. When he heard that Caroline was nning to buy a car worth one or two million dors, she warmly rmended, ¡°Thetest model on the market is an electric car. It happens to be in that price range. If you like it, you can do a test drive.¡± Caroline nodded shallowly and followed the salesperson to the model she had spoken of. After only a few steps, Caroline saw Daphne Dawson. Caroline actually hadn¡¯t been paying too much attention. It was just that Daphne¡¯s presence was too conspicuous. She had about a dozen bodyguards with her, surrounding her and someone else. There was no one else around them. Caroline was surprised there weren¡¯t any fans crowding around her instead. The salesperson followed Caroline¡¯s gaze and said awkwardly, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s the aunt¨Cinw of our Mr. Eddy.¡± This car dealership was owned by the Morrison family. As a worker here, the salesperson felt that it was shameful that their boss had such an aunt¨Cinw. This salesperson hadn¡¯t seen Daphne before. She had thought the kind of woman who could marry Eddy¡¯s second uncle would be elegant and refined. At the very least, she would have to have some ss. After seeing her, though, the salesperson realized how much ss Daphnecked. Caroline raised an eyebrow. She didn¡¯t have to ask about it because something happened that made her understand. Nearby, Daphne said in a stern tone, ¡°Who cares if you made a reservation first? I¡¯m Mr. Eddy¡¯s aunt. -inw. That means I¡¯m his rtive. So this car should be mine.¡± Caroline looked at the car beside Daphne. At first nce, she recognized it as a Porsche 911. It was a ssic model of car, and there were apparently only a few hundred vehicles in the world. It was truly difficult to get one¡¯s hands on it. It was definitely a symbol of one¡¯s ss, elevating the status of its owner. It was understandable that Daphne would want that car. After all, it was a Porsche 911. Anyone who had one would be seen as being of the upper ss. Evidently, the woman standing opposite Daphne also wanted this car very badly. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what firste, first served means? Even if you¡¯re Mr. Eddy¡¯s aunt¨Cinw, that 1/3 +16 BONUS getting it, you expect me to give it up?¡± Daphne folded her arms before her in clear relish. ¡°Then I guess you¡¯re just unlucky. You¡¯d have been better off as a Morrison.¡± Caroline frowned slightly. In the past, she wouldn¡¯t have stepped in to say a word. But the mention of being a Morrison agitated her. In the past few years, she had had a lot of interactions with members of the Morrison family N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. because of Eddy. From that, she had learned that the Morrisons loved using their name to bully others. Others, of course, including Caroline herself. That was another reason why she didn¡¯t like the Morrison family. If it hadn¡¯t been for Jude, she would have cut things off with the family and seen them as enemies long ago! Dawson, what a coincidence,¡± Caroline said to Daphne smilingly from beyond the circle of bodyguards. Daphne turned to look over disdainfully. When she realized Caroline was there, her expression changed. She said enthusiastically, ¡°Ms. Evans, what a surprise!¡± Caroline eyed the bodyguards. Daphne immediately said, ¡°Don¡¯t you people have eyes? Ms. Evans is my friend. Let her in right now!¡± Right then, the bodyguards standing next to Caroline moved aside and made a path for her. Caroline walked into the circle of people and moved to stand next to the car. She intentionally said with an amazed tone, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the Porsche 911? My goodness, when did we get one in the country?¡± Daphne said in delight, ¡°Just a few days ago. I only got news of it today. That¡¯s why I rushed over immediately. How does it look? Cool, right? Once I buy it, you can borrow it whenever you want, Ms. Evans.¡± Although the incident at the bridal boutique had been very upsetting for Daphne, Caroline was still Sean Yates¡¯s wife. From Daphne¡¯s standpoint, she knew that she had to get on Caroline¡¯s good side, even if only on the surface. After all, she was only Kirk Morrison¡¯s fake wife. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Caroline touched the aerodynamic body of the car, looking like she loved it very much. whyuryoseted why luxury are considered luxury At this point, Caroline had taken a seat in the earth response, the other woman became more Caroline turned her head toward the woman That was when she found the woman quite familiar, as if the bad en hen somewhere before Chapter 353 Chapter 353 Chapter 353 After a moment, Caroline remembered who the woman was. It was Adrian¡¯s older sister, Andrea Sorkin. Caroline recognized her because Andrea had helped her a lot. Back when Caroline had still been¡¯with Eddy, everyone knew that Eddy didn¡¯t like her. Sometimes, when Caroline attended events alone, some of these people were bold enough to cause trouble for her. On many asions, if Andrea was there, she had helped her get out of tricky situations. Andrea was a kind and warm woman. And since she had helped Caroline before, thetter couldn¡¯t just let this matter stand now. Caroline intentionally blinked at Daphne with an innocent look. ¡°Ms. Dawson, what¡¯s going on?¡± she asked. Daphne suppressed her anger and red at Andrea. ¡°Ms. Evans, don¡¯t listen to her. This car is mine.¡± ¡°Yours?¡± This was the first time Andrea had ever encountered someone so shameless. ¡°I¡¯ve already paid the deposit!¡± On the second floor, the manager of the car dealership was watching the two women arguing downstairs, feeling troubled. Now, seeing another woman join the fray, he shivered in fear. He felt that things were going to get even more out of hand now. He was done for. They wouldn¡¯t really start going at it here, right? The manager looked at Eddy beside him, his expression troubled. Eddy also looked downstairs. Two Porsche 911¡¯s had arrived at the car dealership that day. He hade to drive one of them home. When the staff went to get the car, Eddy had gone to the second floor for some coffee. In the middle of enjoying his drink, he had heard the sounds of a disagreementing from downstairs. The manager had been with him at the time, while no one else dared to intervene in this matter. That was why the argument had persisted until now. Eddy narrowed his eyes as his gaze moved past Daphne and Andrea. Then, he froze as he stared fixedly at Caroline, who was getting out of the car. After some time without seeing her, he noticed that Caroline had changed again. 1/2 +15 BONUS Her expression gave her some vor, especially the indelible sadness in her eyes. Seeing her made Eddy¡¯s heart beat out of control. He had never imagined that Caroline would ever look so fragile, so¡­ Caroline made Eddy want to take her in his arms and love her passionately. His emotions became chaotic. Downstairs, Caroline was about to speak. She looked at Daphne with a smile. ¡°What¡¯s going on, exactly? Ms. Dawson, you¡¯re a famous person. I don¡¯t believe you would ever take what isn¡¯t yours.¡± Daphne¡¯s expression shifted as she took a deep breath. She said, ¡°So what if she paid the deposit? I¡¯ll refund her twice the amount!¡® ¡°I don¡¯t care about this little bit of money.¡± At Caroline¡¯s hint, Andrea immediately became more stubborn. ¡°Daphne Dawson, aren¡¯t you afraid that I might tell everyone about this and turn you into a joke?¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Daphne¡¯s expression turned darker. Caroline blinked. She put on a faked look of concern and said, ¡°Ms. Dawson, if news of this matter gets out, your reputation might be damaged. It¡¯s not worth it to risk that for a car.¡± Daphne frowned. She didn¡¯t recognize Andrea for who she was, but from the way Caroline spoke, Daphne felt that Caroline was standing by Andrea¡¯s side. Daphne smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. She¡¯s just a nobody. Even if she puts this incident online, I¡¯ll have the news suppressed.¡± Caroline¡¯s lips twitched as she looked over at Andrea. She said something in a low voice into Daphne¡¯s ear, and Daphne¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Sh¨Cshe¡¯s really ¡­ a Sor-¡± Caroline nodded. Then, she said in a voice only the two of them could hear, ¡°If she makes noise about this, you might not be able to cover the matter up even if Eddy¡¯s second uncle helps you. After all, this is Easton.¡± Chapter 354 Chapter 354 Chapter 354 Daphne¡¯s face became deathly pale. She smiled at Andrea sheepishly and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be the beloved daughter of the Sorkin family. My apologies.¡± Faced with Daphne¡¯s extreme change in attitude, Andrea could onlyugh. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want this car? You can have it.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Daphne hurriedly waved her hands. ¡°Since you reserved it, of course it¡¯s yours. I think I¡¯ll go to another dealership for a look.¡± As she said this, Daphne quickly called her bodyguards and left. Before she left, though, she paused to thank Caroline. ¡°Thank you so much, Ms. Evans. If it hadn¡¯t been for you, I would have offended the Sorkin family today.¡± She handed Caroline an invitation. ¡°I¡¯m throwing a banquet in a few days. You have toe. Consider it a thank¨Cyou. Oh, right, my husband might be there too, so you have toe.¡± After saying this in a rush, Daphne hurriedly left the car dealership. Seeing the way Daphne escaped, Caroline and Andrea exchanged a nce andughed. ¡°Thank you so much. If you had helped me, I wouldn¡¯t have known how to deal with that shameless woman,¡± Andrea said politely. Caroline replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I should be thanking you instead.¡± Although Caroline didn¡¯t exin, Andrea understood what she meant by this. ¡°Do you have some free time? I¡¯ll buy you a coffee.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Caroline said. ¡°I still need to look at some cars. I¡¯ll treat you to coffee one day.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Andrea found Caroline more likable the more she looked at her. Especially this version of Caroline, who had left Eddy. She suddenly thought of her younger brother, who was still in Macovo. She smiled and handed Caroline her business card. ¡°You have to remember, okay?¡® ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline epted the card. Without saying anything more, Andrea went off to the cashier¡¯s counter to settle the rest of the payment. The salesperson following behind Caroline said, ¡°Ms. Evans, we¡¯re lucky you¡¯re here. Otherwise, 1/2 +15 BONUS After all, one of them was Mr. Eddy¡¯s aunt¨Cinw, and the other was the daughter of the Sorkin family. Neither of them were people they could afford to offend ¡°It was nothing.¡± Caroline smiled and walked toward the electric car. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Could you please tell me about this model of car?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The salesperson started talking about the car enthusiastically. Upstairs, seeing that the danger had been diffused so easily, the manager let out a long breath. ¡°I must really thank Ms. Evans for this.¡± After saying that, however, the manager shut up, suddenly realizing that the man beside him was Eddy Morrison. Everyone knew how much Eddy disliked Caroline. Unexpectedly, Eddy only turned around indifferently and said to the manager, ¡°Give the other Porsche 911 to Caroline.¡± The manager wondered if he¡¯d heard it wrong. He quickly followed behind Eddy and asked, ¡°Mr. Eddy?¡± ¡°What? Is there a problem?¡± Eddy looked back at the manager with a cold gaze. The manager braced himself and said, ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m not sure how to exin it to Ms. Evans. He had to give a reason for gifting her a car worth tens of millions of dors out of nowhere. ¡°She helped you defuse a potentially disastrous situation. Shouldn¡¯t she be given a gift in thanks?¡± The manager¡¯s mouth twitched as he watched Eddy leave. Yes, a thank¨Cyou gift was necessary, but this one was much too expensive. Yet the boss had spoken, so the manager had no reason to object. He went to get his staff to arrange it. Chapter 355 Chapter 355 Chapter 355 Caroline was stunned when she learned that the car dealership was gifting her the other Porsche 911 ¡°This is a thank¨Cyou gift.¡± The manager seemed a little disbelieving, even though he mentioned it himself. Caroline couldn¡¯t believe it either. ¡°This is too big a gift. I can¡¯t ept it.¡± ¡°You deserve it,¡± came a voice from the second floor. Caroline looked up and saw Eddy looking at her. Her eyebrows immediately furrowed. Eddy¡¯s tone, which had a feeling of charity to it, made Caroline feel very ufortable. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Although Caroline quite liked the Porsche 911 herself, she didn¡¯t want it if it was from Eddy. Caroline then turned to the salesperson and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be back some other time.¡± After saying that, she walked toward the exit. The salesperson and the manager exchanged a nce. They knew about Caroline¡¯s marriage, but they still thought of Caroline as the woman who was always hanging around Eddy, while Eddy didn¡¯t care for her at all. Now, suddenly seeing Caroline upset by Eddy, they becamepletely silent, not daring to even let out a breath. They both quickly looked over at Eddy. They expected Eddy to be furious, but unexpectedly, he rushed from the second floor. His expression was one they had never seen before. Eddy was¡­ anxious. ¡°Caroline!¡± Eddy finally managed to stop her right before she stepped through the door. As he looked at her, he saw a sadness in her eyes that made his heart race. ¡°About what happened before, I was indeed at fault. I want to apologize. You have to take this Porsche 911. Otherwise¡­ otherwise I¡¯ll never forgive myself.¡± Caroline looked at Eddy in amusement. ¡°Never forgive yourself? Can you please not talk about doing something you¡¯ve never seemed to need?¡± Eddy looked at Caroline and tried to defend himself. ¡°I really didn¡¯t know that La faked it. If I did, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have let her hurt you!¡± Caroline took a step backward, putting some distance between herself and Eddy. ¡°Alright. Since 1/2 N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. +15 BONUS Eddy nodded silently as he looked into Caroline¡¯s eyes. Caroline smiled. ¡°Then why haven¡¯t I seen La get any sort of punishment? Her behavior is no different than that of a murderer, right? The only difference is whether the attempt was sessful.¡± Eddy said, ¡°You can simply tell me what you want.¡± ¡°I want her kidney removed!¡± Caroline gave a coldugh as she looked at Eddy, raising an eyebrow. Eddy¡¯s expression shifted immediately. He shook his head and said, ¡°Caroline, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s too cruel? She¡¯s your cousin.¡± Caroline wasn¡¯t surprised by his answer. Hadn¡¯t he always been like this? No matter how many heartless things La had done, Eddy would never think that she had stepped out of line. He always felt that La was right. ¡°If you can¡¯t harden your heart and punish La, then there¡¯s no need to say all these fake words.¡± Caroline sniffed. To the manager standing not too far away, she said, ¡°Could you pleasee over here?¡± The manager pointed at himself and looked at Eddy. Once he was sure that Eddy wasn¡¯t going to stop him, he jogged over. He asked smilingly, ¡°Ms. Evans, what can I do for you?¡± Caroline smiled to hide the tears in her eyes. ¡°You said the Porsche 911 was a gift to me, right?¡± The manager looked at Eddy as he answered, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Go settle the procedures, then. By the way, your dealership has a legal department, right? Have them prepare a gift agreement.¡± As she spoke, Caroline smiled at Eddy. ¡°I¡¯m worried that someone might change his mind and make trouble for me.¡± She emphasized the word ¡°someone¡°. Chapter 356 Chapter 356 The manager didn¡¯t dare take action without Eddy¡¯s confirmation. Once again, he looked over at Eddy. Eddy¡¯s gaze was cold as he said, ¡°Go on then.¡± Only after getting that answer did the manager run off to get the paperwork done. Once everything was settled, Caroline walked over to Eddy with the car keys. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Eddy.¡± Eddy caught hold of Caroline¡¯s wrist. He said, ¡°Caroline, I¡¯ll give you whatever you want as compensation. Other than ¡­ La. La means a lot to me, so I can¡¯t¡ª¡± Caroline cut him off without any concern. ¡°That¡¯s your problem.¡± She flung Eddy¡¯s hand aside and opened the door to get into the driver¡¯s seat. She started the car and left without a care. Eddy watched her leave, his eyebrows furrowing tighter. He finally understood why Caroline had such sadness in her eyes. But he really couldn¡¯t do that to La. Although he didn¡¯t love her the same way as he had before, La still meant the world to him. Even if the day came when he didn¡¯t love her anymore, he would still shoulder the burden of taking care of her. ¡°If I want to repair my rtionship with Caroline, then I can¡¯t care about La ever again. Eddy called Kirk¡¯s number and started ranting at him in an upset state. ¡°Uncle, what do you think I should do? I really feel awful, I hold the key to fixing things. As long as I don¡¯t bother with La N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. anymore, Caroline will definitelye back to me. ¡°But I can¡¯t do that to La ¡­ Uncle, why are rtionship problems even more difficult than running a business?¡± Kirk pinched the bridge of his nose. With a grim expression, he asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I said if I want to repair my rtionship with Caroline, then I can¡¯t-¡± ¡°Not that part. Did you say you gave Caroline a Porsche 911?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At the mention of the car, Eddy¡¯s mood picked up. ¡°Although Caroline didn¡¯t want to ept it at first, she did in the end. That means she still cares about me. Oh, Uncle, do you have any ideas for me?¡± Kirk smiled deviously. ¡°I rmend that you run around Easton naked!¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS After that, Kirk mmed the phone onto the table, creating such a loud noise that it shocked Charles, Charles stole a nce at Kirk, who seemed very displeased, his heart still thundering with fear. Ever sinceing back to Macldo, Kirk hadn¡¯t smiled at all. At the beginning, Charles had thought Kirk was only upset because of the problems with the business deals. But now that the deals had been secured once more, Kirk¡¯s expression still hadn¡¯t lightened. In fact, it had gotten worse. This was a sign that a huge storm wasing. Bracing himself, Charles said, ¡°Sir, once we take back that partnership deal with the energy department, we will settle all the matters here, and you will be able to head back to Easton. Should I prepare gifts for the madam?¡± Kirk¡¯s expression immediately turned darker. Alright. With this, Charles could confirm that Kirk¡¯s bad mood had nothing to do with the disrupted deals. Rather, they had to do with Caroline. Indeed, only she could calm Kirk¡¯s mood swings. ¡°Sir,¡± Charles inhaled many deep breaths before saying with a smile. ¡°Since you had a fight with the madam, perhaps you could ¡­ tell me about it and maybe ¡­ I could help you analyze the situation¡­¡± Kirk red at Charles, causing him to nearly choke on his spit. He coughed violently. Looking at Charles¡® wretched situation, Kirk finally smiled. ¡°Sure. Then please analyze it for me. Who was the one who let the cat out of the bag and let Caroline know about my identity?¡± Charles¡® eyes widened as he blurted out, ¡°It definitely wasn¡¯t me!¡± Chapter 357 Chapter 357 Kirk took out a cigar from the box on the table, put it between his lips, and lit it up. Smoke rose in billows, shrouding his face so that his expression was hidden. Usually, when he was with Caroline, Kirk didn¡¯t smoke much. For one thing, he didn¡¯t want Caroline to inhale the second¨Chand smoke. For another, he worried that the expensive cigars would betray his identity to Caroline, and he wasn¡¯t used to smoking cheap cigarettes. Thinking about how he wouldn¡¯t have this worry again in the future, the look in Kirk¡¯s eyes became grimmer. The tension that rose from this nearly suffocated Charles. He defended himself in a pitiful manner. ¡°Sir, there¡¯s really no way that it was me. Think about it. I follow you around every day and hardly ever interact with the madam. How could I have given away your identity?¡± Kirk looked up, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s not you. Then who was it?¡± 4 N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Hearing this, Charles knew that Kirk didn¡¯t suspect him. He secretly let out a breath and wiped away the sweat on his forehead. ¡°About that¡­ I really don¡¯t know, but¡­¡± Charles¡® eyes brightened. ¡°Let me check who the madam has been in contact withtely.¡± After saying that, Charles rushed out of the office once he saw that Kirk wasn¡¯t going to stop him. He went to look for his colleagues in the technical department. Seeing the door slowly close, Kirk threw himself on the couch with a dark expression. Once again, he returned to his memories of Macovo. Everything had been great at the start until that day when they got back from the hospital. That night, Caroline had gone back upter than he had. After that, everything had changed. So something must have happened that night! Kirk pinched the bridge of his nose. He had settled nearly everything already. In the past, he would have gone back to Caroline¡¯s side long ago. Now, he wanted very much to return, too, but he knew that he couldn¡¯t just do that. First, he needed to investigate what had happened. He didn¡¯t want this marriage to get to the point of no return. 1/2 +15 BONUS Kirk picked up his phone and looked at Caroline¡¯s photo. Doing so dispelled the shadows that seemed to follow him. After looking for a while, he called Jack. ¡°Follow Caroline for the next few days, no matter where she goes. Don¡¯t let here into contact with any men!¡± With the troubles that had sprung up in Sarcozia, Kirk refused to let Eddy use this chance to try and steal Caroline away. Caroline drove the car back to Evans Group. When she got to the lobby, she texted Gwen about the good news. In response, Gwen immediately sent a long string of exmation points. Then, she said, ¡°Eddy has really had a personality transnt. That¡¯s the only reason he would apologize to you. Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s finally seen how great you are and wants you back?¡± Recalling what Eddy had said, Caroline replied, ¡°Impossible. I think he was worried I would understand, so he said it to me straight. He can give me materialpensation, but I can¡¯t ask for La to do anything aspensation.¡± Gwen¡¯s temper red when she saw Caroline¡¯s text. ¡°Has La put a curse on Eddy or something? She¡¯s tricked him so well that he defends her so much. I¡¯m honestly impressed.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t know either. As she started thinking about it, the elevator doors opened. Caroline put her phone away and walked out. Just as she did, she heard the noisy voicesing from the entrance of Evans Group. Getting closer, Caroline saw that it was La making a fuss. What a coincidence! Chapter 358 Chapter 358 Chapter 358 Caroline walked over expressionlessly. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked. Hearing the voice, Cheryl, who had been arguing with La, immediately went to Caroline¡¯s side. ¡°Caroline, Ms. La from upstairs said she wanted to give us some gifts as a nice gesture because it¡¯s their opening day. I said it¡¯s not necessary, but they insist on going inside.¡± Cheryl wasn¡¯t a fool. She knew that La and Caroline were at odds. La saying all this about their opening day is just a move to mess up Evans Group¡¯s team morale. Emery was standing behind La. Ever since Emery had managed to convince more than a hundred people to quit Evans Group, she had joined La¡¯spany. Emery, who had always relied on the clout of others, regained her arrogance when she saw Caroline. ¡°We¡¯re just handing out some gifts. Do you have to treat us like thieves? Could it be that you¡¯re afraid ourpany has better benefits than yours and might steal away all your employees?¡± Caroline walked over to the gifts and looked through them. They were all imported snacks. ¡°Ms. La, thank you for your consideration,¡± she said. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a token gift.¡± La smiled. ¡°Caroline, you should try some. I¡¯ll have Emery go in and hand them out.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t stop Emery, allowing her to go in haughtily with the snacks. Seeing this, Cheryl said nervously, ¡°Caroline.¡± Caroline gave her a look. Once Emery came back out, she asked with a smile, ¡°What did they say?¡± Emery was over the moon. ¡°Nothing much. They said ourpany has great benefits and that even our gifts are top¨Cgrade.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Caroline said, still smiling. ¡°Then did they ask how the people who left with you are now?¡± The smile on Emery¡¯s face froze. Caroline kept going. ¡°If you want to try and steal our staff, that¡¯s fine, but you shouldn¡¯t use such childish tricks. This is business, not kindergarten. We don¡¯t have time to y with you.¡± Emery noticed how La¡¯s face was mottling when she was told off. Her eyes then fell on the Porsche car keys Caroline had intentionally ced on the counter. 1/2 +15 BONUS To regain some pride for La, Emery threw caution to the wind and said, ¡°Caroline, how could you have Porsche car keys? And it¡¯s to the Porsche 911 too.¡± There couldn¡¯t be more than ten of these cars in all of Osbury. Seeing this, La smiled brightly. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Caroline. You managed to buy a Porsche immediately after taking over Evans Group.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fake, obviously.¡± Emery yed along with La smoothly. ¡°From what I know, Osbury¨Cno, Easton¨Conly imported three of these Porsche 911¡¯s this year. One was bought by the wealthiest man from another city, and I heard the other was reserved by Andrea Sorkin. ¡°Now there¡¯s only one left without an owner. It¡¯s currently parked at the Morrison family¡¯s Porsche car dealership.¡± The admiration in La¡¯s eyes instantly turned to disgust. ¡°Ah, that means these keys are just an essory.¡± ¡°Definitely!¡± Emery said disdainfully. ¡°Caroline, stop acting. Please do your homework. If you take these keys out, people will definitelyugh at you. Do you think people don¡¯t know how it is to buy a Porsche 911?¡± Caroline¡¯s fingers tapped on the surface of the counter as she looked at Emery. She smiled shallowly. ¡°And what if my keys are real? What then?¡± Emery burst intoughter, holding her tummy as she did and swaying in ce. ¡°What a joke. If your keys are real, I¡¯ll swallow them!¡± Did Caroline really think she didn¡¯t know her stuff? Emery knew that Caroline¡¯s keys couldn¡¯t be the real deal. Caroline chuckled. ¡°Okay.¡± After she said that, Caroline tilted her chin at Cherul and said, ¡°Cheryl, go in and get a ss of water.¡± Cheryl was confused but did as Caroline asked. When Cheryl came out, Caroline pushed the ss of water before Emery and said, ¡°Swallow it then!¡± Chapter 359 Chapter 359 Chapter 359 Emery froze for a few moments. Then, she grimaced, saying, ¡°Your keys are obviously fake. Why should I eat them?¡± ¡°It looks like you¡¯re not going to give up. Fine. Since I have some time on my hands, let¡¯s go and see for ourselves,¡± Caroline said, picking up the car keys and walking to the elevator. Emery gave La a puzzled nce. La wondered if Caroline had gotten out of bed on the wrong side. She looked back at Emery, signaling her to follow Caroline and take a look. Emery had no choice but to go after Caroline. As Caroline walked, she noticed Cheryl still standing there and said, ¡°Cheryl, you shoulde too and be an eyewitness.¡± Hearing this, Cheryl hurriedly followed Caroline¡¯s footsteps. She felt her heart almost leap out of her throat when she saw Caroline¡¯s calm expression from the side. Although she knew little about luxury cars, she knew that the Porsche 911 was a ssic model that not everyone could own. But seeing Caroline¡¯s coolposure, Cheryl had to believe she had a Porsche 911. The contradicting feelings made her look worried. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Emery noticed that Cheryl was about to frown and immediately deduced that Caroline was bluffing. She didn¡¯t feel so nervous anymore and even had a leisurely chat with La. She said deliberately, ¡°La, do you like the Porsche 911 model?¡± La smiled. ¡°Of course I do. This model is the most luxurious in terms of appearance and design. Forget the men¨Ceven we women can¡¯t ignore its charm.¡± ¡°Then, hurry up and ask Mr. Eddy to give one to you. Since he dotes on you so much, he¡¯ll definitely get one for you without hesitation,¡± Emery said, nudging La¡¯s shoulder while secretly looking at Caroline. La instantly understood Emery¡¯s intentions. She wanted her to show off Eddy¡¯s affection for her in front of Caroline. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t let this opportunity pass by. When the elevator door opened, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea. Ed and I are boyfriend and girlfriend, but ¡­¡± ¡°Why not? It¡¯s natural for a boyfriend to buy his girlfriend a gift. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s the other way around.¡± Emery emphasized. 1/2 Therstone Lyle ve hilly sonidour tar duw wait que tee a Porsche ett and had the wall to Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Emery nced at Caroline disdainfully. ¡°So is this your car? You must have borrowed it from someone.¡± At the same time, on La¡¯s call, Eddy pulled off his tie irritably. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± La said, ¡°Ed, I heard you have a Porsche 911 at your car dealership. I heard that it¡¯s difficult to get this car. Can you gift it to me?¡± As La talked with Eddy on the phone, Emery was sizing Caroline¡¯s Porsche, chatting endlessly, ¡± If you didn¡¯t borrow it, it must be a knockoff. Caroline, you would really do anything to preserve your dignity, wouldn¡¯t you? Look at La! She found a good man who¡¯ll give her whatever she wants. Meanwhile, your man-¡± A pnded on her face! ¡°What?¡± Two sharp voices sounded simultaneously in the underground parking lot. Emery angrily covered her burning cheek. She rushed forward to grab Caroline¡¯s hair, but Caroline pushed her away. Emery¡¯s body hit the Porsche, and she grimaced in pain. But she still said ruthlessly, ¡°How dare you hit me, Caroline?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I hit you for being a bitch?¡± Caroline retorted, looking at Emery calmly. She didn¡¯t hear Emery finish her sentence. Even so, although she was still at odds with Kirk, as long as she and Kirk were still husband and wife, she would defend him to the very end. Emery had no choice but to ask La for help. ¡°La!¡± Emery called for her several times, but she didn¡¯t hear a response. So, she hurriedly looked over at La but saw her holding her phone in shock. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. La probably felt someone¡¯s eyes on her, and she stared at Caroline with a pale face and red eyes. Holding her cell phone tightly, she yelled, ¡°Eddy gave you this Porsche!¡± She wouldn¡¯t have believed it if Eddy hadn¡¯t said it himself. He hated Caroline so much. There was no way he would give her a car. Caroline found La¡¯s trembling shock amusing. ¡°That¡¯s right. He gave this car to me.¡± Emery¡¯s expression shifted at her words. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. La rushed over and grabbed Caroline¡¯s cor. ¡°Spill it. What did you do to Ed?¡± Caroline¡¯s smile deepened when she saw La¡¯s crazed expression. 1/2 +15 BONUS She gently squeezed La¡¯s wrist. Then, feeling Caroline¡¯s grip tighten, La¡¯s expression became even more aggressive. She shook Caroline off in pain. Caroline motionlessly looked at La, who had a meltdown. ¡°What are you being so worked up about? It¡¯s just a gift. You¡¯ve gotten plenty of gifts from Eddy, even when I was still with him!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the same. Ed and I are boyfriend and girlfriend, but you¡¯re not!¡± La was going insane from anger. Caroline smiled coldly. ¡°You¡¯re right. You are boyfriend and girlfriend, but he and I were engaged!¡± La covered her ears in denial. She yelled, ¡°No! That¡¯s different! It¡¯spletely different! You don¡¯t have any feelings for each other!¡± As she said that, she angrily looked up at Caroline, her red lips quivering. She warned, ¡°R- remember, Caroline, you¡¯re already married. If you get between Ed and me, you¡¯re being unfaithful! If you cheat on your husband, he won¡¯t let you off the hook!¡± Caroline lightly smiled as she watched La go berserk, turning the car key in her hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t even have to do anything. Since you¡¯ve caused me harm by pretending to be sick, Eddy will keep satisfying my requests. I don¡¯t need to get between the both of you.¡± La was thunderstruck by Caroline¡¯s words, and her body swayed. She shuddered at the thought of how she and Eddy would have to deal with Caroline¡¯s so¨Ccalled cries for help from now on. This used to be her trick. When Eddy and Caroline were together, she would say she was sick on purpose. Ignoring La, Caroline smiled and turned to look at Emery, who had fallen to the ground, dumbfounded. She jingled her car keys and threw them at Emery¡¯s feet. ¡°Go ahead and swallow them.¡± Chapter 361 Chapter 361 Emery was so frightened that she scrambled to the elevator on all fours. She frantically pressed the buttons as if zombies were chasing her. Caroline watched her coldly. After seeing Emery flee into the elevator, she turned to look at Cheryl. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Cheryl chirped. ncing at La, she approached Caroline and said smugly, ¡°This Porsche is really beautiful, Caroline.¡± Caroline smiled, knowing she was provoking La. After the two returned to the office, Cheryl said, ¡°Caroline, the people upstairs won¡¯t cause trouble again after what happened today, right?¡± Caroline knew La too well. ¡°No, La will keep stirring up trouble unless Evans Group goes bankrupt.¡± ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s so annoying.¡± Cheryl frowned and asked, ¡°Is there no way to deal with her?¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Caroline chuckled. As long as Eddy still wanted to protect La, she could live in peace in this city, even more recklessly than most people. ¡°There is.¡± Caroline looked at the nts nearby, her lips curling into a smile. ¡°When I make Evans Group better than Morrison Corp, La will be doomed.¡± Cheryl looked at Caroline in shock. She knew her boss was ambitious, but she hadn¡¯t expected her to be this ambitious. Caroline looked away. ¡°Go to work.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cheryl left the room. Caroline sat on the office chair and spread the documents on the table. Then, an invitation card fell out of the pile of papers. She picked it up and found that it was the one Daphne had given her. Just as she was about to throw the invitation card into the trash can, she suddenly remembered what Daphne had said: ¡°Oh, right, my husband might be there too.¡± Wasn¡¯t her husband¡­ Eddy¡¯s second uncle? Caroline blinked twice. Ever since her argument with Kirk about Eddy¡¯s second uncle, she hadn¡¯t 1/2 +15 BONUS If she could really meet him at the banquet and get even one or two words of advice from him, it would benefit her for life! She eagerly entered the number on the invitation card into her list of contacts. Then, she started a chat with Daphne on WhatsApp, informing her of her decision to attend the banquet. Soon enough, Daphne replied, ¡°It¡¯s at 8:00 pm the day after tomorrow. Don¡¯t bete.¡± Caroline replied with a message of acknowledgment. Daphne looked at Caroline¡¯s message and smirked. Noticing the change in Daphne¡¯s mood, her manager asked, ¡°Did something good happen?¡± 1 ¡°Caroline ising to my banquet.¡± ¡°Oh, she¡¯s the woman you mentioned, the wife of Mr. Kirk¡¯s friend.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Daphne curled her lips into a smile. She was in a good mood. ¡°Maybe, with Caroline¡¯s help, I can really be Kirk¡¯s wife.¡± This was something she hadn¡¯t been able to bring herself to imagine before. When her manager heard this, she sat beside Daphne and fantasized about the future with her. After that, you¡¯ll definitely get your hands on a trophy at the Golden Curtain Awards.¡± ¡°Not only that.¡± Daphne stroked her soft pillow. She said, ¡°I¡¯ll be a world¨Crenowned star.¡± While Daphne thought about her bright future, Caroline had already started working. She had to work a lot to prevent herself from thinking about Kirk. Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. However, Caroline¡¯s methods were getting less effective. When she inadvertently thought of Kirk, even just a little bit, she would end up longing for him during her short break. She had never realized before that Kirk had already made a prominent ce in her heart. However, it was also because of this that she was terrified. In the past, Eddy would go on business trips abroad, and she wouldn¡¯t see him for months. But she had never been like this. She wouldn¡¯t think of Eddy 24/7. In fact, she would be happy every time he said he would be on a business trip.. It wasn¡¯t until she started working that she finally understood what that feeling was¨Cthe feeling of freedom. However, it had been less than a day since she and Kirk had been apart, and she was already missing him like crazy. Caroline stood up and leaned against the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window. As she watched the busy traffic below, she frowned in distress. If Marina¡¯s investigation proved that Kirk really had a wife abroad, she couldn¡¯t imagine how she would deal with her rtionship with him. Just then, her phone rang on the table. She turned around and saw that it was a video call from Kirk. She hesitated for a moment. With trembling hands, she was about to hang up. However, her hands didn¡¯t listen to her brain¡¯smands and turned the video call into a voice call. By the time she realized what she had done, it was toote. She heard Kirk¡¯s weary voice on the phone. ¡°Darling ¡­¡± Caroline¡¯s chest tightened at his voice. She really wanted to w her way through the screen and hug him, but she couldn¡¯t. She bit her lips. Feeling the metallic taste of blood on her tongue, she slowly calmed her body¡¯s trembling. She asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you, so let me see your face. Pretty please?¡± Kirk¡¯s voice was low and deep, with a hint of temptation. It tugged at Caroline¡¯s heartstrings so hard that they were about to snap. She quickly bit her arm, letting her flesh absorb the sobs that were about to escape her mouth. After a while, she finally calmed down and said coldly, ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you to see.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS Kirk chuckled, hisughter ringing through the phone. ¡°Then¡­ don¡¯t hang up the phone. Let me keep youpany, okay?¡± Even from a long distance, Caroline could hear the cautiousness in his tone through the receiver. She tightly gripped the armrest, holding back the questions she wanted to ask. She really didn¡¯t believe Kirk was a liar. However, she was afraid¨Cafraid that her love was clouding her judgment. Caroline silently looked at the flickering screen of her phone. She remembered the day she had been sent to the operating room. She recalled the powerlessness she had felt when she hadid on that operating table with her hands tied and the pain when the anesthetic had been injected¡­ She had always thought that Eddy wouldn¡¯t hurt her, even if he didn¡¯t like her. However, reality had given her a wake¨Cup call. Then, she remembered the question she had asked Kirk that day. She trembled in fear and asked again, ¡°Have you ever lied to me, Kirk?¡± After her question, the office fell into silence. Caroline and Kirk both held their breath. Even after more than five minutes, there was still silence. Caroline had a bright smile on her face, but her eyes were full of tears. ¡°Fine. I already know what your answer is.¡± ¡°Darling ¡­¡± Kirk called out desperately. Caroline closed her eyes, letting her tears slide down her cheeks. She said, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this when you return.¡± ¡°I swear this is the only thing I lied to you about¡­ I can give you a reasonable exnation.¡± Caroline gently interrupted him. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until you return.¡® After that, she hung up the phone. Chapter 363 Chapter 363 Chapter 363 Upstairs at Evanson Corporation, La slumped down on her chair, exhausted from smashing everything she could see. Meanwhile, Emery knelt on the messy floor. Her forehead, hands, and knees were covered in wounds, courtesy of La. However, she didn¡¯t even dare to yelp in pain. When the assistant opened the docr and saw the messy room, she was about to leave. However, La stopped her. ¡°Do you need something?¡± The assistant toughened herself and replied, ¡°Mr. Luke is here.¡± When she heard that Luke was here, the anger on La¡¯s face faded slightly. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Ask him to wait for me in the conference room and ask someone to clean this ce up.¡± ¡°All right.¡± The assistant hurriedly left the room. La nced at Emery, who was kneeling on the ground, and scoffed, ¡°If you ever do something stupid like this again, you can show yourself out.¡± ¡°¡­ Okay,¡± Emery answered shakingly. She was on the verge of tears. La walked out of the office without even looking at her. As soon as she walked out, she put on a calm expression and opened the conference room door. ¡°What brings you here, Mr. Luke?¡± Luke stood up immediately when he saw La. He said, ¡°I have some good news to tell you, Ms. La.¡± ¡°Oh, what kind of good news?¡± 2 14. 14. M =0 ×Ó ¡°Thepany downstairs ns to take the middle to low¨Cend market route with their horoscope- themed outfits.¡± ¡°How do you know about that?¡± La immediately became interested. Luke said, ¡°I used to be one of their shareholders, after all. It¡¯s easy to investigate many things. Ms. La, don¡¯t you have any ¡­ ideas?¡± La smiled. ¡°Since they n to make horoscope¨Cthemed outfits, we¡¯ll make them too. They¡¯re taking the mid¨Cto¨Clow¨Cend approach, right?¡± She continued, ¡°We¡¯ll follow their approach too. We can also hire the best designers and the most valuable spokespersons¡­¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS At the mention of this, La¡¯s smile almost stretched behind her ears. She said, ¡°When the timees, we can even rely on ourpanies¡® rivalry for publicity and secure the market. Mr. Luke, it seems that we¡¯ll be making a fortune soon.¡± Luke smiled as well. ¡°You¡¯re a pretty good businesswoman, Ms. La. Everything we have here is the best, whether it¡¯s publicity, design, or spokespersons. ¡°Meanwhile, Evans Group doesn¡¯t even have a new shareholder, and they have a shortage of funds. They¡¯re basically harmless to us.¡± He suggested, ¡°On the contrary, they can be a stepping stone for us. Between the twopanies, consumers will definitely be inclined to choose us. La agreed. ¡°You¡¯re right. By the way, do you know who they will choose as their spokesperson?¡± ¡°I heard that the advertising department wants to hire Daphne. After all, the fact that she¡¯s the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle is enough to get everyone¡¯s attention. But as I said, Evans Group has a shortage of funds. They can¡¯t afford to hire her.¡± Suddenly, La thought of the Porsche 911 in Caroline¡¯s possession. She mused, ¡°Even so, we can¡¯t take them lightly. ¡°After all, Caroline and Mr. Morrison Senior are close. If she brings this up to him, he may take action and ask Daphne to be Caroline¡¯s spokesperson.¡± She didn¡¯t say that Eddy could do this too. Luke looked at La in admiration. He reassured her, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. La. I¡¯ll keep an eye on them. I¡¯ll immediately let you know if there are any signs of trouble.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± La said. She finally felt refreshed after talking with Luke. Meanwhile, in the SY Group¡¯s office building on the other side of the world, all the employees held their breaths nervously. They had secured the lost deals once more today. They thought their boss would reward them for working hard to solve the problem. However, instead of praising them, he just had a dark expression. Even earlier yesterday, they had noticed that Kirk had been in a bad mood when he had returned. Like Charles, they believed Kirk was in a bad mood because of the problems with the deals. However, even after they had gotten back thest deal, Kirk¡¯s expression had turned even darker. It was obvious that what they had thought was wrong. Chapter 364 Chapter 364 Chapter 364 All the employees cast a discreet nce at Charles. Feeling everyone¡¯s eyes on him, Charles wanted to dig a hole and bury himself in it. Of course, he knew why Kirk was gloomy, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. The only one who could fix the problem was the one who started it. Kirk¡¯s mood would only improve if Caroline wasn¡¯t upset anymore. But the chances of that happening were slim. After all, anyone would be upset if they were being lied to. In the dead silence, someone from the technical department knocked on the conference room door. He looked at Charles. As if he had found his escape, Charles immediately stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll be going out for a while, sir.¡± He quickly left the room, as if entranced. Everyone else was envious to see him leave. Charles could finally breathe after walking out of the conference room. He took several breaths of air before asking, ¡°How did it go? Did you find anything?¡± The employee from the technical department handed several printed photos to Charles. The people in the picture were Sean, Caroline, and Gwen. Other than them, there were two other people: Jane and Daphne. The photo was taken in the bridal boutique. The employee said, ¡°I ruled out the people who have interacted with the madam who knows sir¡¯s true identity, and I noticed that this person ¡­¡± He pointed at Daphne in the photo. ¡°Is most likely to have been the one who revealed sir¡¯s identity.¡± Charles was shocked. He asked, ¡°Are you sure?¡± The employee said, ¡°I¡¯m not 100% sure. After all, it¡¯s impossible to verify whether Daphne knows that Ms. Evans is our boss¡® wife. But¡­¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Charles urged, ¡°Don¡¯t stop. Just say whatever you want to say.¡± ¡°Other than her, no one else could have done this.¡± ¡°I got it.¡± Charles patted the staff on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve done God¡¯s work.¡± The employee stared at Charles, clearly dumbfounded. 1/2 Meanwhile, Charles baiged into the conference room without any exnation and whispered in +15 BONUS Kirk¡¯s ear. Kirk¡¯s frown rxed slightly after hearing his assistant¡¯s words. Although the sinister look in Kirk¡¯s eyes was still there, everyone could feel the tense atmosphere in the room dissipate. They breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Charles in appreciation. Kirk tapped the table with his slender fingers. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Charles nced at the other colleagues and exined, ¡°We¡¯re not certain for now, but there¡¯s no one else who¡¯s suspicious.¡± ¡°Get ready to return home immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Just as Charles was about to turn around and leave, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Taking it out, he froze when he saw the screen. He hurriedly turned around and handed the phone to Kirk./ Seeing Daphne¡¯s name on the screen, Kirk answered the phone with a sneer. Daphne¡¯s sweet voice came from the phone. ¡°Charles, I¨CI¡¯ll be holding a banquet at home today. I Is Mr. Kirk free toe over?¡± There was a smile on Kirk¡¯s lips, and darkness surged in his eyes. He said, ¡°Yes.¡± After that, he hung up the phone and tossed it to Charles. He ordered, ¡°I want to take a flight back to Easton in an hour.¡± Chapter 365 Chapter 365 Daphne held the phone in shock. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Then, after realizing what happened, she ran around with the phone in her hand, screaming, ¡°Ah! Mr. Kirk ising to my banquet! Yeah!¡± Her manager heard her screams. After Daphne was done expressing her excitement, her manager asked, ¡°Is Mr. Kirk reallying?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Daphne had told everyone that Kirk might attend the banquet because she hadn¡¯t thought he would actuallye. Moreover, she was already prepared. If anyone asked her why Kirk wasn¡¯t at the banquet, she could use his work as an excuse. She had called him just now to gauge his mood. Unexpectedly, Kirk had really agreed toe. But wait a minute! The voice on the phone didn¡¯t sound like Charles¡®. The thought briefly crossed Daphne¡¯s mind, but she quickly forgot about it. She jumped down from the couch and hurried to the dressing room. ¡°Call the makeup team here immediately. I have to look my best today.¡± Kirk and Sean¡¯s wife would be attending her banquet. It was an honor for her to have this news spread like wildfire. As night fell, Caroline and Cheryl walked out of the office together. ¡°The advertising department is nning to hire Daphne.¡± Cheryl said after thinking for, a moment, ¡°Today, the head of the advertising department asked if Daphne is really the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle.¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Do they want me to bring this up to Mr. Morrison Senior?¡± Cheryl scratched her head. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± After saying that, she nced at Caroline and said, ¡°Actually, it would be a good thing for us if we managed to hire Daphne, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Daphne was the most popr figure right now because she was Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s wife. Caroline smiled and shook her head. ¡°Ignore them. We must hire a suitable spokesperson, not a famous one. If that department head can¡¯t see the problem, he can resign right then and there.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Cheryl immediately understood what Caroline meant. She had no intention of hiring Daphne. While the two were talking, they had already arrived at the underground parking lot. 1/2 After Caroline got into the car, she said to Cheryl, who was standing outside the car, ¡°Get in the +15 BONUS car. Mr. Jack will take you home.¡± Cheryl nced at Jack in the car, her heart pounding. ¡°I¨CIt¡¯s not out of the way, is it?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Caroline reassured, ¡°I¡¯m going to pick up my dress, and your ce is on the way.¡± Cheryl curled her lips into a small smile upon hearing this. She obediently opened the door and got in the car. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Jack.¡± She looked at Caroline and thanked her, saying, ¡°And thank you, Caroline.¡± Caroline noticed the blush on Cheryl¡¯s face and froze. She then looked over at Jack and immediately understood the situation. However, she didn¡¯t say a single thing. Along the way, Caroline looked in the rearview and saw Cheryl sneaking nces at Jack asionally. Her shy look reminded Caroline of herself. Then, she immediately thought of Kirk. And just like that, the floodgates of her emotions were opened, surging like a wave. Her mind became flooded with memories of Kirk. His cautious expression, the look in his eyes when he begged for forgiveness, and the contours of his face¡­ These thoughts yed in Caroline¡¯s mind over and over. She bit her lip and looked outside the window, watching the cars driving past them. She was lost in thought, even when the car had stopped. ¡°Ms. Evans?¡± Jack called, looking at Caroline in the mirror with concern. Caroline pulled away from her thoughts and met Jack¡¯s eyes in the mirror. ¡°Are you all right?¡± He asked. Chapter 366 Chapter 366 Jack noticed that Caroline often zoned out nowadays. At first, he thought she was thinking about something. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. However, she had been lost in thought several times, even when she arrived home. He had to remind her that she was home before she got out of the car. Only then did Jack realize that something was off with Caroline. However, he didn¡¯t dare contact Kirk so soon. He was still scared from the time when things had almost been exposed. Caroline sniffled. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Jack wanted to pry further, but Caroline changed the subject. ¡°By the way, did you and Cheryl get along while I was away?¡± At the mention of Cheryl, a smile appeared on Jack¡¯s face. ¡°Cheryl is pretty good, and her cooking is top¨Cnotch. I even gained a bit of weight during this period of time.¡± Caroline smiled brightly at his words. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Jack was puzzled by her words, but Caroline had already left the car to get her dress. So he had to stay in the car and wait quietly. This Porsche 911 was really fun to drive. After a while, Caroline changed into her dress and returned to the car. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She gave Daphne¡¯s address to Jack. Jack followed the GPS¡® directions and arrived at the door of Daphne¡¯s house. It was a three¨Cstory vi. Of course, she hadn¡¯t bought it. It was a gift from the Collins family. Jack parked the car. Then, Caroline exited the car and said, ¡°If you get bored, you can go for a drive or have a meal.¡± Jack looked around. He said, ¡°There seems to be a restaurant nearby. I¡¯m going to get some food.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ Just call me whenever you want to leave.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Caroline said. Then, she walked towards the vi. There were bodyguards watching the outside of the vi. Although Caroline didn¡¯t have her invitation card, Daphne had specifically asked her manager to wait at the door. 1/2 +15 BONUS With the manager¡¯s help, Caroline entered the vi without hindrance. There were already many people gathered in the hall. They were big names from the upper ss, but they were less powerful than the people of the big four families. Although Caroline saw many familiar faces, she couldn¡¯t remember their names at all. To those people, Caroline was someone the Morrisons abandoned. And they believed she was here because Daphne didn¡¯t know what had happened behind the scenes and invited her by mistake. Therefore, no one took the initiative to talk to Caroline. Caroline was happy and at ease because of this. She found a ce in the corner and ordered a cocktail. She stared at the door, waiting for Eddy¡¯s second uncle to arrive. Not long after she sat down, Daphne came down from the second floor in a rose¨Ccolored dress. Since she was the host, everyone gathered around her andplimented her. ¡°You look so beautiful. Your husband must have bought this dress for you overseas.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a lucky woman to have found such a doting husband.¡± ¡°You and your husband truly make a good pair. There¡¯s no way you guys aren¡¯t in love.¡± Daphne smiled merrily at theirpliments. She wandered around the crowd, looking for Caroline. When she found her, she ran over and said, ¡°Ms. Evans!¡± Caroline stood up and said, ¡°Hello, Ms. Dawson.¡± ¡°Do I look good in this dress?¡± Daphne twirled in front of Caroline. She simply wanted Caroline to However, a smartass who thought he knew Daphne¡¯s intentions immediately said, ¡°Make sure not to let certain people touch you, Daphne. Otherwise, they¡¯ll take your luck and wealth away!¡± As soon as he said that, there were snickers all around them. Chapter 367 Chapter 367 Chapter 367 Listening to their mockingughs, Daphne finally relieved some of the anger she had pent up from the incident in the bridal boutique. Hence, she didn¡¯t say anything in Caroline¡¯s defense, even though she knew Caroline was Sean¡¯s wife and someone she couldn¡¯t afford to upset. After all, she wasn¡¯t the one mocking her. Daphne felt more at ease thinking about this. Noticing the smile that Daphne tried to suppress, the man felt encouraged to act even bolder. ¡°You must not have attended a grand banquet like this for a long time, right, Ms. Evans? That makes sense. Since you got married, you can¡¯t attend the Morrisons¡® banquets anymore. You¡¯ve cut ties with the upper ss. Oh, thest time I saw you was at Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s birthday ¡­¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. The man cast a disdainful nce at Caroline once more. After noticing that Caroline¡¯s dress wasn¡¯t branded, heughed even more brazenly. ¡°Tsk, Tsk. As expected, you can¡¯t live well without the Morrisons. Look at the dress you¡¯re wearing. It probably isn¡¯t even worth a fraction of Ms. Daphne¡¯s dress.¡± ¡°Come on, everyone. Don¡¯t say that.¡± Daphne stood up and pretended to defend Caroline. 11 ¡®Although Caroline¡¯s dress doesn¡¯t look too valuable, it doesn¡¯t mean she can¡¯t afford expensive dresses.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re such a kind soul, Ms. Daphne. You¡¯re a celebrity, so you probably don¡¯t know about this. Without the Morrisons¡® support, the Evanses would¡¯ve been gone long ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Do you really think Caroline didn¡¯t buy an expensive dress because she disliked it? To put it bluntly, she¡¯s just a fool. Instead of being part of the big four families, she decided to marry a poor man.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s very important for a woman to marry a rich husband.¡± ¡°Haha, do you think everyone is as lucky as Ms. Daphne?¡± As Daphne listened to their words, she desperately grabbed the hem of her skirt to stop herself from smiling. She looked at Caroline and said insincerely, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for my guests¡® harsh words, Caroline. 1/2Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ +15 BONUS Unfazed, Caroline took a sip of wine. She was only here to meet Eddy¡¯s second uncle, nothing else mattered to her. Daphne followed Caroline¡¯s gaze at the door and immediately understood. ¡°Are you waiting for my husband?¡± Caroline turned around and admitted, ¡°Yes.¡± Daphne said, ¡°He should be here soon.¡± She had sent Charles a text message before the banquet. He said they were already at the airport. They would arrive at the vi in an hour or so. Judging by what Charles said, Kirk had just gotten back from overseas. Perhaps he had even brought her a gift. Thinking of this, Daphne curved her lips into a smile. Meanwhile, a ck car drove quietly into the vi. The atmosphere in the air was getting too stuffy, so Charles secretly opened a gap in the window. Then, he saw a man standing outside a restaurant out of the corner of his eye. He looked very much like Jack. Charles quickly shook that idea away. He had been under a lot of pressuretely, so he must be hallucinating. Looking at the vi nearby, he turned around and looked back at Kirk, who was resting in the backseat. He reminded Kirk that they were reaching. ¡°Sir.¡± Kirk opened his eyes. He was exhausted from rushing back from Macldo overnight. However, when he opened his eyes, the anger in his piercing gaze was still bone¨Cchilling. Charles quickly looked away, and his eyesnded on the pile of gift boxes beside Kirk. The colorful gift boxes didn¡¯t match well with Kirk¡¯s intimidating attitude. Those were all gifts for Caroline. However, judging by the current situation, there was no way she would ept his gifts. Chapter 368 Chapter 368 Chapter 368 That was probably why Kirk had been so anxious the entire trip. Although Kirk only frowned, as someone who had worked for him for many years, Charles knew how dangerous and terrifying he was at this moment. If Daphne was really involved in Kirk¡¯s identity getting leaked, her life would be extremely miserable from now on. Charles became concerned about what might happen next. When the car stopped at the door of the vi, Kirk opened the car door and stepped out. When Daphne¡¯s manager saw Kirk, her eyes lit up, and she rushed over to greet him. She could feel the deathly air around him before she even got close. ¡°Hello, sir.¡± She trembled, not daring to look up at Kirk¡¯s face. Kirk walked around the manager and toward the door. Whenever he came to see Daphne, he would definitely wear a mask and sunsses when he knew there were many people around. Because if one of these people knew Caroline, he would be at risk of being exposed. But none of that mattered now. His identity was already exposed. The anger in Kirk¡¯s eyes became more intense at the thought of this. The manager beside him shrank back in fear, wondering what she had done wrong. Should she open the door for him? She turned the doorknob with trembling hands. However, she was so nervous that she couldn¡¯tBooks Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ open the door after turning the doorknob several times. Kirk¡¯s brows were furrowed. Just as he was about to push the manager away and open the door, his expression shifted slightly at what he saw. Many luxury cars were parked not far from the vi. Even so, the Porsche 911 still stood out among them. What Eddy had said back then crossed Kirk¡¯s mind. He had given a Porsche 911 to Caroline ¡­. Just as this thought urred to him, the manager finally opened the door. As soon as the door 1/2 Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. +15 BONUS Hearing the noise, everyone turned to look at the door. In particr, Caroline craned her neck in excitement. The banquet was already halfway over; the only person who would show up right now was Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Caroline¡¯s palms were sweating at the thought of meeting him soon. When Daphne saw her manager at the door, she was already sure that the person outside was Kirk. She quickly put her wine ss down and straightened her scarf to expose her corbone. Then, she walked toward the door. When she saw Kirk standing at the door, Daphne smiled brightly and said, ¡°H¨Choney, you¡¯re back!¡± Kirk had be even more handsome during his time away. He had some stubble on his face, probably because he hadn¡¯t properly rested for several days. He looked decadent and ***y. Daphne had seen many handsome men in the entertainment industry, but this was the first time she had seen a man pull off the ***y, unkempt look so wlessly. Kirk¡¯s eyes locked on Caroline in the crowd. Although they hadn¡¯t seen each other for only a few days, it felt as if it had been centuries. Caroline¡¯s eyes shone brightly in the bright room, as if expecting something. Suddenly realizing something, Kirk frowned. He quickly lowered his voice and mouthed to Daphne, ¡°Turn off the main power switch.¡± Chapter 369 Chapter 369 Chapter 369 Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Daphne was confused by his words. ¡°What?¡± Kirk had already lost his patience. He turned to Charles and ordered, ¡°Pull the circuit breaker.¡± The vi¡¯s main circuit box was just a short distance from the door. Charles walked over there in a few steps and turned off the main power switch. In an instant, the bright vi was plunged into darkness. Everyone in the living room panicked, screaming and running away. However, one minuteter, light returned to the estate. The first thing Daphne saw when she regained her sight was Kirk wearing a mask and sunsses. She was dumbfounded at the sight. Ignoring her questioning look, Kirk opened the door and entered the home. When everyone saw Kirk, who was disguised more thoroughly than a celebrity, their eyes widened in shock. Someone asked with concern, ¡°Ms. Daphne, is this your husband?¡± Daphne swallowed. ¡°Y¨Cyes.¡± ¡°Then, what is he ¡­¡± Daphne didn¡¯t know why Kirk had suddenly disguised himself. She smiled awkwardly and tried toe up with an excuse, but she couldn¡¯te up with anything. anything he ¡°I have a bit of a pollen allergy.¡± Kirk lowered his voice, but his eyes were fixed on Caroline under his sunsses like a caged animal. Caroline quickly felt an intense gaze on her. Looking at Kirk, she only saw his dark sunsses and nothing else. Suspecting that it was an illusion, she stroked her wine ss, unsure if she should greet him. She had missed her chance at the press conference for SY Group¡¯s new phone. She didn¡¯t want to miss her chance again. When everyone else heard Kirk¡¯s words, they immediately nodded in understanding. Then, theyBooks Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ looked at Daphne with envy. 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Ms. Daphne, your husband really loves you. He still came to your banquet despite being sick. Not to mention a pollen allergy! My husband wouldn¡¯t evene to my parties if he stubbed his toe.¡± ¡°Same goes for my husband. He makes an excuse about how there would only be women in my party, and there was no need for a man like him to join. Men just don¡¯t understand the meaning of companionship at all.¡± ¡°Mr. Morrison still attended his wife¡¯s banquet despite being busy and sick. I must tell my husband about this as a lesson for him.¡± Caroline felt nothing upon watching everyonepliment Daphne. She simply wanted to find a chance to talk to Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Her gaze was obvious, making Kirk, who had already sat on the couch, turn and look at her. Although the dark lenses covered his eyes, Caroline could tell he was looking at her this time. For some reason, her heart beat uncontrobly. But soon, she chalked this up to the excitement of meeting her idol and didn¡¯t give it much thought. When Kirk saw the unabashed admiration in Caroline¡¯s eyes, he was sure that his identity hadn¡¯t been exposed. If it had been, Caroline wouldn¡¯t have looked at him respectfully. She would be ring at him instead. At this moment, Kirk didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or sad. Noticing that Kirk was looking at Caroline, Daphne quickly said, ¡°I happened to bump into Caroline the other day, so I invited her here.¡± Then, she waved at Caroline. ¡°Ms. Evans!¡± Caroline¡¯s heart leaped out of her throat, and she walked in front of Kirk like a woman possessed. ¡± Hello!¡± She shouted, biting the inside of her cheek in excitement. She was finally meeting Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Kirk had one fist pressed against the couch. It was so hidden in the plush cushion that no one could see the veins showing on the back of his fist. He narrowed his eyes, suddenly feeling incredibly jealous of himself. Chapter 370 Chapter 370 Chapter 370 In the past few days, Kirk had tried every way to talk with Caroline more. Yet, ironically, using his true identity allowed Caroline to speak with him freely. ¡°Hello.¡± He swallowed, trying to suppress the burning emotions in his chest. He didn¡¯t want to scare Caroline off again. ¡°Thank you for helping me many times. When are you free? I would like to treat you to a meal.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t notice anything unusual about Kirk at all. He dug his fist a little deeper into the couch. He gritted his teeth, his jaw tightening as he answered, ¡°Any time.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t expect Kirk to be so easygoing. She smiled and asked, ¡°Then, can I add your number on WhatsApp?¡± She could ask him some business questions if she had his number on WhatsApp. The fire in Kirk¡¯s eyes burned even brighter at her words. He dug his fingers deep into the flesh of his palm, the pain making him retain thest bit of his sanity. ¡°Okay,¡± he forced out. Caroline blinked, thinking that Kirk was getting impatient. She took out her phone and added Kirk on WhatsApp. Then, she said, ¡°Sir, Da¨CMs. Daphne, it¡¯s gettingte. So I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Seeing Caroline turn around to leave, Kirk could no longer suppress his feelings and yelled, ¡°Wait!¡± His urgent yell startled everyone. When it was clear that Kirked at Caroline, smiled gloatingly, thinking she had upset him. everyone Caroline¡¯s heart was beating wildly. She actually thought she heard Kirk¡¯s voice when Eddy¡¯s second uncle yelled at her. But she dismissed the thought as soon as it came up. She must be hearing things because she N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. missed Kirk. Turning around in annoyance, she looked straight at Kirk and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Daphne also looked up at Kirk in surprise. After Caroline walked over, Daphne noticed that the pressure around her was gone. Kirk took out his fist, which he had pushed into the couch. He looked into Caroline¡¯s eyes and He used all his strength to reign in his irrationality, his lips trembling from effort. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just haven¡¯t seen Eddy and Uncle Jude for a long time. How are they?¡± He spoke with the air of a senior. Caroline didn¡¯t suspect anything. ¡°They¡¯re doing good. In fact, I also haven¡¯t seen them for a long time.¡± Upon seeing things turn out like this, everyone looked at them unhappily. This waspletely different from what they had expected. They had wanted to see Caroline humiliated. Therefore, they lost interest in their conversation. Caroline said goodbye after seeing that Kirk had no intention of talking to her anymore. She had just taken a few steps when she heard a guest¡¯s teasing voice behind her. ¡°Since you just returned from abroad, you must have bought gifts for your wife, right?¡± The word ¡°gifts¡± made Caroline¡¯s heart sting and ache. Then, she thought of Kirk again. If nothing had happened, she would also get a gift from Kirk, right? Thinking of this, she quietly quickened her pace, trying to drown out the warmughter behind her. Chapter 371 Chapter 371 Chapter 371 Just as Caroline was about to reach the door, she breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she heard a deep, mature voice behind her again. ¡°Caroline!¡± Caroline¡¯s body shook at his voice. For a moment, she really thought it was Kirk calling her. However, after calming down, she could clearly tell that the voices of Kirk and Eddy¡¯s second uncle were different. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Although their voices had the same maic allure, Kirk sounded more casual, while Eddy¡¯s second uncle sounded more mature and authoritative. She took a deep breath and turned around. She asked, ¡°Is there anything else, sir?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t answer Caroline¡¯s question. Instead, he looked at Daphne¡¯s manager and ordered, ¡°Get a few people to bring the gifts in.¡± When Daphne heard there were gifts, she immediately smiled. Everyone else also expressed their envy. ¡°You¡¯re so doting to your wife! I¡¯m so jealous!¡± Among all the excitement, Caroline stood at the door, bewildered. Since Kirk didn¡¯t say anything, she didn¡¯t dare leave. However, she couldn¡¯t get a word in, so she could only wait at the door. After a while, several bodyguards walked in carrying arge pile of gifts. Each one was beautifully wrapped. Everyone could tell it was worth a lot of money with just a nce.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ Daphne hadn¡¯t expected Kirk to buy her so many gifts. Her heart kept pounding wildly as she eyed the gifts closely. The small mountain of gifts also stunned everyone else. Most of these people were wealthydies from the upper ss, and they spent money without mercy. However, a gift from a spouse waspletely different from something one bought for themselves. At first, they hadplimented Kirk and Daphne¡¯s rtionship for the sake of ttery. But after seeing so many gifts, their envy had changed them beyond recognition. 1/2 +15 BONUS He used all his strength to reign in his irrationality, his lips trembling from effort. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just haven¡¯t seen Eddy and Uncle Jude for a long time. How are they?¡± He spoke with the air of a senior. Caroline didn¡¯t suspect anything. ¡°They¡¯re doing good. In fact, I also haven¡¯t seen them for a long time.¡± Upon seeing things turn out like this, everyone looked at them unhappily. This waspletely different from what they had expected. They had wanted to see Caroline humiliated. Therefore, they lost interest in their conversation. Caroline said goodbye after seeing that Kirk had no intention of talking to her anymore. She had just taken a few steps when she heard a guest¡¯s teasing voice behind her. ¡°Since you just returned from abroad, you must have bought gifts for your wife, right?¡± The word ¡°gifts¡± made Caroline¡¯s heart sting and ache. Then, she thought of Kirk again. If nothing had happened, she would also get a gift from Kirk, right? Thinking of this, she quietly quickened her pace, trying to drown out the warmughter behind her. Chapter 372 Chapter 372 Chapter 372 Kirk had prepared so many gifts for an outsider like Caroline, but he hadn¡¯t prepared a single one for Daphne. Everyone looked at each other, finding the turn of events outrageous. Basically, Caroline had a higher ce in Kirk¡¯s heart than Daphne. The people who had ridiculed Caroline just now trembled at this oue. They hurriedly took out their phones and sent apologetic messages to Caroline. They said they hadn¡¯t meant to insult her and hoped that she would forgive them. Caroline had no intentions of dealing with those people at the moment. All her attention was on the gifts next to her. She was really puzzled. Why would Eddy¡¯s second uncle give her a bunch of gifts? If he had given them sooner, she could chalk it up as him doing it for Eddy¡¯s sake. However, it had been so long since she broke off her engagement with Eddy. No matter howte his second uncle had found out about this, he should still know about it. Because of what happened with the gifts, the banquet ended quickly. Now Daphne and Kirk were the only ones left in the living room. Kirk removed his mask and sunsses, revealing his alluring and handsome face. Immediately, the anger in Daphne¡¯s heart dissipated by a significant margin. She took a deep breath and asked firmly, ¡°Mr. Kirk, do you know how much you¡¯ve embarrassed me just now?¡± Kirk casually put his legs on the coffee table, his eyes dark. Yet, Caroline appeared in his mind. Thinking of how she must be opening the gifts at home, a trace of tenderness appeared in his gaze. He was happy that he had sessfully given her the gifts. However, he clenched his fist again. when he thought of how he had given them as Eddy¡¯s second uncle rather than as her husband. Meanwhile, Daphne was still talking about how embarrassed she was. Kirk interrupted her impatiently, ¡°You¡¯re not my wife, so why do you think I¡¯ll buy you a gift?¡± His cold words made Daphne¡¯s face turn pale in an instant. She frowned and said, ¡°But¡­ But to 1/2 +15 BONUS N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Daphne was just a D¨Clister, but she had managed to earn Kirk¡¯s affection. She was too lucky!Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ Daphne¡¯s manager happily held the gift box in front of Kirk. She asked, ¡°Where should I put these gifts, sir?¡± Kirk raised his chin slightly. ¡°Ask Caroline.¡± Everyone was shocked to hear his answer. The manager couldn¡¯t react at all. She blinked. ¡°Why should I ask Car ¡­¡± Before she could finish talking, she widened her eyes in disbelief. She looked over at Daphne, who had a hideous, forced smile on her face. Caroline finally understood why he had stopped her. It turned out those gifts were all for her. But it was too strange. She and Eddy weren¡¯t in a rtionship anymore. His second uncle had no reason to give her anything. Kirk waved to Caroline. ¡°Where is your car?¡± Caroline blinked several times before finding her voice. She looked at the mountain of gifts in the bodyguards¡® arms and said uncertainly, ¡°Sir¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all for you,¡± Kirk said light¨Cheartedly, crossing his legs. His voice no longer had the pressure it had before. ¡°But I can¡¯t ept so many gifts,¡± Caroline refused. She didn¡¯t have the status or qualifications to ept his gifts. ¡°I¡¯ve never given you any gifts for your birthday in the previous years, so just think of these as compensation.¡± Caroline was speechless. For some reason, she had a feeling this man could see through her thoughts. However, since he had already insisted, Caroline didn¡¯t protest further. She had no choice but to say, ¡°Thank you.¡± And with that, she walked toward her Porsche with the bodyguards. After Caroline¡¯s figure disappeared, Daphne finally recovered from her shock. She looked at Kirk, then at her manager, silently asking if there was a second batch of gifts. However, the manager cruelly shook her head in response. Daphne¡¯s face immediately turned as pale as a ghost¡¯s. Chapter 373 Chapter 373 Chapter 373 N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Looking at the gifts in the room, Caroline felt confused once again. She couldn¡¯t help but ask Jack, who had helped her carry the gifts, ¡°Mr. Jack, can I ask you a question?¡± Jack said, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Why do you think Eddy¡¯s second uncle gave me so many gifts?¡± Jack widened his eyes and answered cautiously, ¡°Maybe he likes you, Ms. Evans. I don¡¯t mean romantically but in a familial way¡­¡± Caroline frowned and was about to say something when another car came in. It was Kirk¡¯s car. Her expression shifted slightly. Jack followed Caroline¡¯s gaze and secretly breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Kirk¡¯s car. The next second, a tall figure got out of the vehicle. ¡°Your husband is back,¡± Jack chirped. However, he noticed Caroline was standing there, not moving an inch. At that moment, he finally realized why something seemed so off between the two of them! They had fought, hadn¡¯t they? Thinking of this, he hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving first, Ms. Evans.¡± Caroline nodded slightly. Jack walked toward the car. After walking a few steps, he came face¨Cto¨Cface with Kirk.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ However, Kirk went straight to Caroline without even looking at Jack. ¡°Darling!¡± Caroline¡¯s expression froze upon hearing a familiar voice. But then, she turned around and walked back into the house. Kirk went after her. As Jack watched the scene unravel through the car window, he couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. The power of love was truly strong. In the past, he would never have dreamed that he would see his boss bow his head for someone else. Kirk followed Caroline into the living room. She sat down on the couch and said sullenly, ¡°Talk.¡± Since Kirk had learned that his identity wasn¡¯t exposed, he felt much more rxed. He went to the kitchen and poured Caroline a ss of water. ¡°Drink some water, darling.¡± 1/2 calmly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say ¡°Drink some water first¡­¡± This is your chance toe clean.¡± Kirk deliberately coaxed in a low voice, ¡°You must be thirsty from running around outside.¡± Caroline frowned. His behavior right now would only affect her judgment. She forced herself to say coldly, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. If you don¡¯t want to talk, we¡¯ll do it tomorrow.¡± Then, she stood up. Kirk hurriedly grabbed Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll talk, darling.¡± Caroline sat down again. ¡°Tell me, what did you lie to me about?¡± She leaned back slightly, her eyes fixed on Kirk. She discarded all the distracting thoughts in her mind, not wanting her emotions to affect her judgment. Kirk returned Caroline¡¯s gaze. He frowned slightly and tried to cover up the heartache in his gaze. At first, he had assumed that his identity had been exposed. However, at Daphne¡¯s banquet, he had confirmed that Caroline had no idea he was Eddy¡¯s second uncle. So Caroline wasn¡¯t mad at him because of this. Apart from this, he hadn¡¯t hidden anything else from Caroline. Things would have been great if he hadn¡¯t told her this was the only thing he had lied to her about. However, he had dug a hole for himself by admitting that he was hiding something from her. If he didn¡¯t give her a straight answer right now, he was afraid that¡­ Chapter 374 Chapter 374 Chapter 374 Kirk¡¯s mind racedthem. After a moment, he said, ¡°Darling, before I tell you the truth, can you answer a question?¡± Caroline was confused, but she still nodded sullenly Kirk took a deep breath. ¡°Do you like the Morrisons?¡± For some reason, Kirk¡¯s question reminded Caroline of when she had run into Daphne at the car dealership a few days ago. Back then, Daphne had kept bringing up the Morrisons. So when she heard Kirk¡¯s question, she almost frowned in disgust. Although her subtle movements were brief, Kirk still noticed it. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Caroline said bluntly, ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for Grandpa, I really wouldn¡¯t want to have anything to do with them.¡± Even though he had expected this answer, a trace of hurt appeared in Kirk¡¯s eyes, but he quickly sat up straight. ¡°Why are you asking me this?¡± Caroline looked at Kirk, confused. Did this have anything to do with his multiple marriages? Kirk looked at Caroline fondly. He said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just asking.¡± Caroline saw the tenderness in his eyes and couldn¡¯t help but waver. She hurriedly pinched her thigh, using the pain to stay rational. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t you tell me what you¡¯re hiding from me?¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kirk sat down next to Caroline. He exined, ¡°Actually, the reason why I went abroad wasn¡¯t to deal with Morrison Corp¡¯s affairs ¡­ Caroline held her breath. ¡°I was abroad to deal with my ownpany¡¯s affairs.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS Caroline looked at Kirk in surprise, but it wasn¡¯t because Kirk had his ownpany. She thought Kirk would confess about his multiple marriages, yet he had mentioned something else. However, Kirk thought it was the former. He smiled and stroked Caroline¡¯s head, his fingertips trembling slightly. ¡°It¡¯s a smallpany. The previous manager was my dad, so I didn¡¯t tell you!¡± Caroline quickly stood up, looking at Kirk with aplicated expression. It wasn¡¯t anger or joy. She simply ¡­ didn¡¯t know what to feel. Every emotion was welling in her chest, but she felt no relief. ¡°Darling¡­¡± Kirk reached out to hold Caroline¡¯s hand, but she ripped it away. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± After saying this, Caroline went upstairs. Hearing the footsteps echoing in the corridor, Kirk firmly pinched the bridge of his nose.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ After returning to the bedroom, Caroline locked the door behind her. At this moment, her mind was a mess. Initially, she had still been trying to figure out if she should believe Kirk or the mysterious woman. But now she had inevitably started to believe thetter. Kirk actually had his ownpany abroad! Who knew what other things he was hiding from her? Caroline tightly wrapped herself in the covers, staring at the door in a daze. She didn¡¯t sleep the entire night. The next day, the rm clock rang for the sixth time. Caroline, who had be a living fossil, sleepily nced at the rm clock on the table. She turned off the rm clock and got out of bed, feeling lightheaded. Since she hadn¡¯t slept all night, she almost fell as soon as she stepped on the ground. She slumped on the floor, countless memories of her and Kirk flooding her mind. Those memories were so beautiful and sweet, but the more beautiful they were, the more her heart ached. She didn¡¯t know what to believe anymore. She had once thought that if she kept giving her all, she would be rewarded for her efforts. She had thought she would be the next Mrs. Morrison if she donated her kidney. Later, she had believed that as long as she was sincere, she could get an earnest rtionship in return. However, she had ended up in a marriage full of lies. She really didn¡¯t know what or who to believe anymore. At this moment, Kirk¡¯s low and hoarse voice came from outside the door. ¡°Are you awake, Darling? I¡¯ve already bought breakfast.¡± Caroline looked up at the door, feeling at a loss. Chapter 375 Chapter 375 Chapter 375 Caroline took out her phone and tapped on her private chat with Marina. Now, she could only know what to believe after getting some precise information. However, Marina hadn¡¯t sent her another message since thest time. Caroline remembered Marina saying that she could easily investigate the truth. After some consideration, she sent Marina a message, asking her how her investigation went. At this moment, she heard Kirk¡¯s voice again. ¡°Darling?¡± Caroline¡¯s heart jumped, and she almost dropped her phone. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down. There was no point in having negative emotions like panic, anger, and disappointment when dealing with this issue. She had to calm down. Only by remaining calm could the damage be minimal. However, it was easier said than done. After taking several deep breaths, Caroline said, ¡°I got it. I¡¯ll be down in a moment.¡± After hearing a response from her, Kirk¡¯s tense body finally rxed slightly. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll head downstairs first.¡± Then, he hesitated for a moment before finally walking downstairs. Neither of them had slept at allst night. Caroline¡¯s reaction had left him uncertain of what was on her mind. But he didn¡¯t dare go after her rashly again. That wasn¡¯t his style. In the past, whenever he encountered a problem, he would always investigate the issue thoroughly before taking action. But this time, he had gotten his emotions involved. He had cluelessly grasped at straws, thinking it was a lifeline. As a result, things had spiraled so badly that they were now out of control. Although the rational part of him told him repeatedly that he must investigate the matter before talking to Caroline, Kirk still couldn¡¯t control himself. 1/3 He ran to Caroline¡¯s door several times, wanting to bust down the door. +15 BONUSBooks Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ Fortunately, daylight finally arrived, allowing him to use breakfast as an excuse to talk to her. Otherwise, he was sure that he would go insane. Meanwhile, Caroline, who was upstairs, was also on the verge of a breakdown. She looked at her sleep¨Cdeprived self in the mirror and closed her eyes. Right now, the rational thing to do was pretend that the mysterious woman didn¡¯t send her the messages about Kirk, rebuild her rtionship with Kirk, and slowly look for evidence. If she found any proof that Kirk was having multiple marriages, she would leave him immediately. It was a good idea, but when she thought about the possibility of Kirk¡¯s polygamy, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to be in the same room as him. She turned on her phone anxiously. Marina still hadn¡¯t replied to her. Taking a deep breath, Caroline brushed her teeth while waiting for a message. However, there was still no response, even half an hourter. Caroline suppressed her irritation, thinking it might be because of the time difference. She put her phone in her pocket, put on her coat, and went downstairs. As she turned the corner, she took another deep breath and tried to keep her expression calm. But it was too difficult. Her heart ached whenever she thought of Kirk. She pinched her arms before forcing herself to go downstairs with a calm expression. When she arrived, Kirk was already sitting at the dining table. When he saw Caroline, he immediately stood up with a smile. ¡°Darling, I bought you your favorite meat pie and baguettes.¡± Noticing the dark circles underneath Kirk¡¯s eyes, Caroline sniffled, feeling the urge to cry. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said gloomily, biting a baguette. Kirk was surprised. He looked at Caroline, and his lips curled into a small smile. This was the first time Caroline responded to him on her own initiative after returning from Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Macovo. Excitement overwhelmed Kirk¡¯s mind. The fork trembled slightly in his hand, and he asked cautiously, ¡°Darling, you¡¯re not mad at me anymore?¡± Chapter 376 Chapter 376 Chapter 376 Caroline kept her head down as she ate her baguette. Something fell into her oatmeal. She blinked desperately before forcing out, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are you really not angry anymore?¡± Kirk tightly gripped his fork. Caroline took another bite of the baguette and secretly wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. ¡°Are you talking about having your ownpany? Why didn¡¯t you tell me about it before?¡± Kirk tightly clenched the fork in his hand. Joy surged in every part of his body. He answered with a slight vibrato, ¡°Because¡­ Because I didn¡¯t know how to tell you.¡± Caroline blinked, tears forming in her eyes again. She swallowed again. ¡°When you said you would resign, did you already know you would inherit your family business?¡± Kirk was silent. He really hadn¡¯t thought about this. The reason he had mentioned resigning was so that he could start apany and make Caroline¡¯s life better. He touched his nose and frowned. Sure enough, once you told a lie, you had to tell more lies to cover it up. But it didn¡¯t matter. He would do anything to see Caroline smile again. ¡°No, I wanted to resign to give you a better life. As for mypany overseas¡­ Since I focused my efforts on my job here, I rarely handled things there. So¡­ I¡¯m sorry, darling.¡± Kirk walked toward Caroline and squatted down. Looking up at Caroline from under the table, he said, ¡°Will you please forgive me this time?¡± Caroline¡¯s gaze inevitably met Kirk¡¯s reverent ones. Her body trembled. Her feelings were about to overtake her sense of reason. It made her want to forgive Kirk at all costs and ignore the messages from the mysterious woman. She cocked her head and said with difficulty, ¡°I can forgive you, but¡­¡± She slowly turned and looked into Kirk¡¯s gaze. She dug her nails into her palms, then slowly said, ¡°You can¡¯t lie to me anymore.¡± Kirk averted his eyes for a moment, but soon he gave a small smile. ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline noticed him shifting his eyes briefly, and her heart went cold. As expected, Kirk was still hiding something from her. 1/2 TE BONUS Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ She took a deep breath and forced a smile. She couldn¡¯t alert him that something was wrong ¡°Pinky sweat.¡± She held out her pinky finger Kirk looked down at her slender finger and hooked his pinky around hers. Then they pressed their thumbs together. A spark spread throughout their bodies when their thumbs touched. This made Caroline very sad She already knew Kirk was hiding something from her, but she couldn¡¯t resist reacting to his touch Fortunately, the phone rang. Caroline hurriedly pulled her hand away and picked up the phone, poorly disguising her emotions. ¡°Maybe something happened at work¡± And with that, she walked to the living room. The person who sent the text wasn¡¯t Marina, but Cheryl. And something really had happened at work. ¡°Caroline! Thepany upstairs is making horoscope¨Cthemed outfits like ust¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Caroline¡¯s expression changed slightly, and she picked up her bag. ¡°Something came up at work. I have to go to thepany right away¡± Kitk asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t I take you there?¡± Caroline nced at Jack, who was outside the door, and forced a smile No. it¡¯s okay Kirk didn¡¯t insist any further and watched Caroline leave, the smile on his face disappearing Chapter 377 Chapter 377 Chapter 377 At first, Kirk thought Caroline had forgiven him, but soon he realized that her smile wasn¡¯t sincere. He had seen her genuine smiles, so he could immediately tell whether she was really happy or faking it. This revtion upset him. But he was unwilling to ruin this happy and peaceful facade. He took out his phone and called Charles, ¡°Did you find anything on Daphne¡¯s phone?¡± Charles said, ¡°No, sir. Ms. Dawson hasn¡¯t interacted with the madam aside from the time in the bridal boutique and the car dealership. She seems to believe that the madam is Dr. Yates¡® wife.¡± Kirk frowned. He pondered for a moment, trying to think rationally. He sat on the couch and gently tapped on the armrest. After a moment, his eyes lit up with an idea. ¡°Go and investigate what happened during our time in Macovo, especially when she and I were separated. Find out who she had met and who she had talked to.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°In particr ¡­¡± Kirk opened the calendar on his phone. ¡°Investigate what happened on the 17th.¡± That night, Caroline had gone to look for evidence in the skating rink. At the time, he had already gone upstairs. From that day on, Caroline had changed. In Macldo, a man in a ck suit and mask stood before the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows, swirling the wine in his ss. When he heard the sound of the door opening behind him, he took a sip of wine and turned around. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Avery nced at the man and took a card from her bag. ¡°Here you go.¡± The man nced at her disdainfully. He asked, ¡°Do you think I helped you so that I could get ten million dors? Avery said coldly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what the reason is. I don¡¯t want to owe you any favors.¡± 1/2 +15 BOHUS The man smirked, chuckling, ¡°I helped you call Kirk back from abroad, but you won¡¯t tell me why you wanted my help?¡± Avery retorted, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡± The manughed again. ¡°You¡¯re right, but it¡¯s obvious that Kirk¡¯s wife in Easton is causing you some trouble. That¡¯s why you asked me for help.¡± Avery¡¯s expression became even darker when he saw through her intentions. She yelled, ¡°Finn Morrison!¡± Finn smiled and raised his wine ss. Avery could only see a pair of sapphire eyes that were different from Kirk¡¯s, moving slightly under the mask. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ ¡°Actually, why bother with this?¡± he said, his voice tinged with sadness. ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing to be with me, I can make you the richest woman possible.¡± ¡°You?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Avery mocked, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not interested in freaks!¡± Finn¡¯s eyes darkened, but soon he smiled again. ¡°Avery, I love you. So you can¡¯t hurt me, no matter what you say!¡± Avery felt sick after hearing his words. She nced at the bank card on the table and said, ¡± Anyway, I¡¯ve given you the money. We¡¯re even from now on.¡± After that, she left the room. When Avery¡¯s figure disappeared, Finn¡¯s dark gaze glinted cryptically. Meanwhile, Caroline was surrounded by the higher¨Cups as soon as she entered thepany. ¡°What should we do, Ms. Evans? Evanson Corp is making horoscope¨Cthemed outfits, too, and they even hired a well¨Cknown designer, ¡°If we keep using the horoscope concept for our outfits, we won¡¯t be able to beat theirs!¡± said the head of the design department/worried. Chapter 378 Chapter 378 Chapter 378 Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. It was unlucky that their idea shed with Evanson Corporation¡¯s. Caroline had already understood the situation on the way here. Now she shifted to work mode and immediately said, ¡°Can the factory make the designs again if we change the design drafts now?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be toote.¡± The head of the design department said, ¡°We¡¯ve already ced the orders. They have probably started production.¡± The head of the sales department said, ¡°We¡¯re doomed. There¡¯s no way we can beat thepany upstairs with the same design concepts. ¡°P La had Eddy backing her up. Once her products entered the market, Morrison Corporation¡¯s marketing team would help her promote them. Several people frowned at the thought of this. Their batch of products was going to collect dust. ¡°Caroline¡­¡± Cheryl cast Caroline a worried nce. Caroline nced at everyone and said, ¡°You can go home for now. We¡¯ll maintain our usual work process. The sales department should negotiate with more retail stores to work with us. Don¡¯t just focus onrge shopping malls. Our prices will be about 50 to 100 dors. You can negotiate with the store¡¯s people as long as they have arge amount of footfall.¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°Our top priority is to secure our ce in the market so we can consider brand awareness and other thingster. For now, we focus on our sales.¡± After saying that, she called Cheryl and entered the office. As everyone watched Caroline¡¯s retreating figure, they looked at each other in confusion. After a moment, the head of the administrative department whispered, ¡°What is there to negotiate about? ¡°Evanson Corp is clearly targeting us. They hired a well¨Cknown designer and a capable team. Most importantly, they¡¯re doing this at a low cost. Any sane person would choose their products over ours.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS Everyone became even gloomier at her words. After following Caroline into the office, Cheryl frowned as well ¡°Caroline, La is clearly doing this on purpose. She¡¯s taking the same approach as us but hiring the most qualified people for the job. How can we beat her?¡± However, Caroline remained calm. Her mind was working at full speed. She asked, ¡°How did La find out we were making horoscope¨Cthemed outfits?¡± Cheryl froze. Then, she whispered in disbelief, ¡°Are you saying there¡¯s a traitor here?¡± Caroline said with a smile, ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing that serious. Although most of the employees and people rted to the Evanses were fired, there are still some old employees around here. It¡¯s easy for La to get some information from them.¡± ¡°Then¡­ wouldn¡¯t that mean La can watch every move we make?¡± Caroline grimaced. Cheryl was angry. ¡°She¡¯s too shameless! She only gets to do whatever she wants because of her rtionship with Mr. Eddy! I really don¡¯t get why Mr. Eddy likes her.¡± Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ Caroline refused toment. Rtionships wereplicated; she didn¡¯t want to untangle that web at the moment. Right now, the most important thing was to figure out how to get out of this predicament. After pondering for a moment, Caroline¡¯s eyes lit up with an idea. ¡°At this point, if we want to increase our reputation, we can only hire Daphne to be our spokesperson.¡± Cheryl asked, ¡°But Caroline, didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯t hire Daphne?¡± Caroline smiled lightly. ¡°Things have changed. Let the head of the advertising department know about this. But remember, tell him and him only. I¡¯ll handle contacting Daphne myself.¡± Cheryl looked at Caroline in confusion, but she still nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± After watching Cheryl leave, Caroline smirked. She picked up her phone and sent Brittany a message. ¡°Are you free right now, Brittany?¡± After sending the text, Caroline couldn¡¯t help but open her chat with Marina. However, Marina still hadn¡¯t responded to her text. Chapter 379 Chapter 379 Brittany replied to her text quickly. She told Caroline that she was having lunch with a friend, but Caroline could join them if she didn¡¯t mind. Sure enough, Caroline didn¡¯t mind and replied in affirmation. Brittany was having lunch in a restaurant not far from thepany. The restaurant was opposite Morrison Corporation¡¯s building. When Caroline thought of Kirk being there, she frowned. ¡°Are you in a bad mood?¡± Brittany handed a drink to Caroline. She had already told Kirk about this before inviting Caroline to join her, but he hadn¡¯t sounded in a good mood on the phone. After seeing Caroline¡¯s serious expression, she immediately guessed the couple were probably in a fight. Caroline said, ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m fine.¡± Brittany shook her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t forget what I do. If I couldn¡¯t observe people¡¯s words and emotions, I wouldn¡¯t even be in this line of work right now.¡± Caroline smiled at her words. ¡°As expected, I can¡¯t hide anything from you. In fact, I have some rtionship problems, but that¡¯s not why I¡¯m here to see you today. Evans Group needs a spokesperson, but we still haven¡¯t found one. So I wanted to ask you if you have any rmendations.¡± Brittany was an astute person. Knowing Caroline didn¡¯t want to talk about her rtionship, she didn¡¯t probe further. Instead, she focused on the topic Caroline had brought up. She pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°Can I take a look at your brand positioning?¡± Caroline passed Brittany a document. Brittany looked through the document carefully. Then, she said, ¡°I have someone who¡¯ll be perfect for the job, but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± ¡°Choosing this person as your spokesperson will have a certain ¡­ risk.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS Caroline was puzzled. ¡°Can you borate on that?¡± As soon as she asked her question, someone walked over to them. ¡°Hey, Brittany.¡± Caroline and Brittany looked over at the neer. Caroline was surprised when she saw that it was Andrea. Andrea was also pleasantly surprised. ¡°Fancy seeing you here, Caroline!¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± ¡°Oh, you two know each other?¡± Brittany asked. Then, sheughed, saying, ¡°Oh, I forgot you¡¯re in the same social circle.¡± Andrea sat down. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Just in time, we¡¯re talking about your celebrities.¡± Andrea looked at Brittany questioningly. Brittany exined, ¡°Caroline, the celebrity I¡¯m talking about is from Andrea¡¯spany. This woman is sweet and alluring, so she fits the aesthetic of the clothes you¡¯ve designed. ¡°But she has just signed a contract, so she isn¡¯t well¨Cknown. If the drama she¡¯s in bes a hit, you¡¯ll strike gold with her as your spokesperson.¡± After Andrea heard her words, she said, ¡°Are you talking about Sonia Norman?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ Caroline finally understood. ¡°Since she has a production that will be released soon, you¡¯re saying that she¡¯ll bring attention to Evans Group if it bes a hit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but whether it¡¯ll be a hit is up in the air.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Brittany said, ¡°As someone who has worked in this industry for many years, I can¡¯t be 100% sure if a production will be a hit/¡± After that, she looked over at Andrea. Andrea smiled. ¡°I know Sonia. She¡¯s indeed a very talented actor, but Brittany is right. It¡¯s hard to say whether she will be a hit.¡± Andrea couldn¡¯t resist saying, ¡°Honestly, we wikely it it be a hit in fact, the Sarkin Group¡¯s Chas the three female celebrities. Camline smiled wryly at her words. She said, ¡°Big¨Cname celebrities aren¡¯t in my consideration.¡± ¡°why? Andrea quickly neiked Chapter 380 Chapter 380 Chapter 380 Caroline answered honestly, ¡°Because I can¡¯t afford to hire them.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Andrea smiled. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen an honest boss like you. How about this? Since you¡¯ve helped me out before, I¡¯ll give you a 50% discount.¡± Caroline shook her head. She couldn¡¯t even afford the 50% discount. ¡°Why don¡¯t you hand me her information for now?¡± At Caroline¡¯s insistence, Andrea didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°Okay, but if you think she isn¡¯t right for the job, I can get a big¨Cname celebrity with the time to help you promote your products. We¡¯ll help you out, free of charge.¡± Caroline looked at Andrea gratefully. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. Standing up, she said, ¡°Then, I won¡¯t interrupt you two any longer.¡± ¡°All right. See you around.¡± After saying goodbye, Andrea looked at Brittany and asked, ¡°Hey, what do you think of Caroline?¡± Brittany was about to nod when she heard Andrea say, ¡°Do you think I should introduce her to my brother? He¡¯ll definitely like a girl like her, right?¡± Brittany choked on her drink. After coughing several times, she warned, ¡°I advise you to give up on this idea.¡± Andrea didn¡¯t understand. She asked, ¡°Why?¡± Brittany took out a tissue, looking over at her innocent friend. She didn¡¯t know what to say. After a while, she came up with a reasonable excuse. ¡°Isn¡¯t she married?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what everyone says, but have you met her husband?¡± Andrea whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s married at all. She might be deliberately saying that to call off her engagement with the Morrisons.¡± Speaking of this, Andrea continued with a smile, ¡°It just so happens that my brother will be back in a few days. ¡°I can use the endorsement to get Adrian and Caroline to interact more, so they won¡¯t think it¡¯s a 1/3 Brittany grimaced. ¡°You¡¯d better think twice before doing anything.¡± +15 BONUS After returning to thepany, Caroline saw Cheryl walking in hurriedly. ¡°Caroline, I bumped into Emery just now.¡± Caroline asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°She said that La had already gone to Daphne to negotiate a contract!¡± Cheryl said anxiously, ¡°They work fast! We just mentioned hiring Daphne in the morning, but they already approached her in the afternoon! What should we do, Caroline?¡± Caroline put down her bag and smiled. ¡°Are you sure she went to sign a contract with Daphne?¡± Cheryl said, ¡°Since Emery said so, it must be the truth.¡± Caroline pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°Do you know where Daphne is now?¡± ¡°At a filming set.¡± ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll head over there right away.¡± Cheryl said, ¡°Are you going to fight La for Daphne, Caroline?¡± Caroline said, ¡°Yes, she¡¯s ourst hope.¡± After hearing Caroline¡¯s words, Cheryl became determined. She picked up her documents and asked, ¡°Caroline, you can get Daphne on our side, right?¡± Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ Caroline could do whatever she put her mind to, so Cheryl had full confidence in her. Caroline just smiled slightly, not saying a word. After getting in the car, Caroline didn¡¯t look at Daphne¡¯s information. Instead, she opened her private chat with Marina. When she saw that there was still no response, she suddenly remembered Andrea¡¯s words: ¡°Since you¡¯ve helped me out before, I¡¯ll give you a 50% discount.¡± She narrowed her eyes as the realization dawned on her. How could she be so careless as to forget the most basic courtesies in social interaction? Marina and she were ssmates, but there weren¡¯t any sentiments at all. They always just asked each other to do things without showing any signs of appreciation Caroline let out a breath. When it came to Kirk, she couldn¡¯t be rational at all. She said, ¡°Mr. Jack, let¡¯s go to a Louis Vuitton store first¡± Chapter 381 Chapter 381 Caroline bought a ssic¨Cstyled handbag from an Louis Vuitton store and had a staff member post it to Macido. Initially, Cheryl assumed that Caroline had bought the bag for Daphne. But then, she got word that it was going to be sent out. She asked, ¡°Caroline, aren¡¯t you preparing this for Daphne?¡± ¡°Why would I prepare a gift for her?¡± Caroline asked. Cheryl was about to say something but found that she didn¡¯t know how to answer that question. So she quietly followed Caroline and got in the car. Soon, they arrived at the filming site. A staff member there wasted no time taking them to the dressing room to meet Daphne. ¡°Ms. Daphne has a guest. Please wait here, and I¡¯ll head inside to tell her about your arrival,¡± said the staff member. Caroline nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Cheryl then whispered to Caroline, ¡°It¡¯s La for sure.¡± Instead of replying, Caroline simply unlocked her phone to check if Andrea had sent her the information about Sonia. She was pleasantly surprised to find that Andrea was so efficient that she had obtained all the information Caroline had requested so soon. Caroline had even gotten her hands on some of Sonia¡¯s unpublished works. To be frank, Caroline was kind of touched by Andrea¡¯s faith in her. The staff member hadn¡¯te out of the dressing room yet, so Caroline found a spot to sit down and go through the information. In the dressing room, Daphne¡¯s expression turned foul when she learned of Caroline¡¯s arrival. She and La locked gazes. La asked, ¡°Ms. Daphne, have you made your decision? Are you signing the contract with me or Caroline?¡± Hesitating, Daphne fell silent. She had learned from La that Caroline wasn¡¯t Sean¡¯s wife. 13 +15 BONUS Regardless, Caroline and Sean were friends, and if Daphne signed the contract with La, it would offend Caroline. If that happened, Caroline might ask Gwen to talk badly about Daphne in front of Sean. Then, Sean might talk to Kirk about it too. Daphne took a moment to consider these factors. After a while, she said, ¡°Kindly ask someone else to be your ambassador. I won¡¯t sign the contract with Caroline either.¡± This was the best decision she could make since she could avoid offending either side. It was the most rational thing she could do, even though she would very much like to take her revenge on Caroline. La smiled softly. ¡°I understand why you¡¯re refusing my offer. You¡¯re afraid of offending Caroline and Sean,¡± she said. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ ¡°But think about it. Caroline is merely Sean¡¯s girlfriend¡¯s friend. There¡¯s a huge gap between them. Besides, I heard that Sean and his girlfriend are going to break up.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Daphne¡¯s eyes lit up at her words. ¡°The information I get is never wrong,¡± La persuaded her. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go ask around yourself. Some others know about it already. It happened just a couple of days ago. ¡°A young woman came to Gwen¡¯spany and imed that Gwen took her boyfriend away from her.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t lying to me, are you?¡± Daphne became more excited the longer they talked. ¡°We¡¯re business partners. I don¡¯t have a reason to lie to you,¡± La said. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s wife. I¡¯ll have to call you my aunt too in the future. Do you think I¡¯ll lie to a close rtive?¡± Daphne bought it right away. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll sign the contract with you!¡± ¡°Thank you, aunt.¡± La finally smiled. Daphne beamed at her too. Making Caroline¡¯s life difficult lifted her spirits, and she told the staff member, ¡°Ask Caroline to go back.¡± Chapter 382 Chapter 382 Chapter 382 The staff member left to bring Caroline in. Daphne asked La, ¡°Do you want to stay out of her sight?¡± ¡°No. I want her to know that I¡¯m here. I want to see her expression when she sees me here.¡± This time, she would surely get the chance to see it for herself. Daphne had already made a promise to sign the contract with La, so she wouldn¡¯t go back on her word. Caroline was busy going through Sonia¡¯s information when she heard the noise of a brawling from somewhere near her. She looked up to see a slender figure being lifted into the air with suspension wires. Soon, a few others followed suit, and they all got into a fight. All of them were agile, and the young woman who led them was especially nimble despite her small stature. Her fighting style was firm yet elegant, as though she were dancing away in a battle. It was aesthetically pleasing and practical at the same time. Watching her moves, Caroline couldn¡¯t help but ask one of the staff members, ¡°Who¡¯s that body Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. double?¡± The staff followed her gaze andughed. ¡°She¡¯s not a double. She¡¯s the female lead, Sonia.¡± ¡°Sonia?¡± Caroline raised her eyebrows, astonished. ¡°Yep. There are just too few actresses who can actually fight these days,¡± said the staff member. ¡°But she learned kickboxing in the past and gets the hang of it. She even learned ballet before joining us back then.¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t help but take another nce at Sonia. ¡°Oh, right!¡± The staff member eximed as she remembered what she was here for. ¡°Ms. Evans, you can go in to meet Ms. Daphne now.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± said Caroline as she took onest nce at Sonia. Then, she followed the staff member into Daphne¡¯s dressing room. For this production, Daphne merely yed the role of the fifth female character, yet she had a 1/3 +15 BONUS Regardless, Caroline and Sean were friends, and if Daphne signed the contract with La, it would offend Caroline. If that happened, Caroline might ask Gwen to talk badly about Daphne in front of Sean. Then, Sean might talk to Kirk about it too. Daphne took a moment to consider these factors. After a while, she said, ¡°Kindly ask someone else to be your ambassador. I won¡¯t sign the contract with Caroline either.¡± This was the best decision she could make since she could avoid offending either side. It was the most rational thing she could do, even though she would very much like to take her revenge on Caroline. La smiled softly. ¡°I understand why you¡¯re refusing my offer. You¡¯re afraid of offending Caroline and Sean,¡± she said. ¡°But think about it. Caroline is merely Sean¡¯s girlfriend¡¯s friend. There¡¯s a huge gap between them. Besides, I heard that Sean and his girlfriend are going to break up.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Daphne¡¯s eyes lit up at her words. ¡°The information I get is never wrong,¡± La persuaded her. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go ask around yourself. Some others know about it already. It happened just a couple of days ago. ¡°A young woman came to Gwen¡¯spany and imed that Gwen took her boyfriend away from her.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t lying to me, are you?¡± Daphne became more excited the longer they talked. ¡°We¡¯re business partners. I don¡¯t have a reason to lie to you,¡± La said. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ ¡°Besides, you¡¯re Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s wife. I¡¯ll have to call you my aunt too in the future. Do you think I¡¯ll lie to a close rtive?¡± Daphne bought it right away. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll sign the contract with you!¡± ¡°Thank you, aunt.¡± La finally smiled. Daphne beamed at her too. Making Caroline¡¯s life difficult lifted her spirits, and she told the staff member, ¡°Ask Caroline to go back.¡± The staff member turned to leave but was stopped by La ¡°Aunt, you shouldn¡¯t let her go back just like this.¡± ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± Daphne asked. ¡°Do you know what the most ruthless thing in this world is?¡± Daphne had no clue. Smilingly, La told her, ¡°It¡¯s to give someone a sense of hope and tear it apart before them.¡± Daphne understood the task immediately and told the staff member, ¡°Let Caroline in ¡± Chapter 383 Chapter 383 Chapter 383 ¡°Who said so? I¡¯ve even prepared the contract for you.¡± Caroline took out the contract from her bag and handed it over to Daphne. ¡°Take a look. It¡¯s stated here¨C20 million dors. I¡¯m serious about it.¡± Daphne forgot all about her hatred for Caroline the moment she saw the words ¡°20 million dors¡± on the paper. Noticing how Daphne was on the verge of epting the offer, La gripped her hand and added, Ms. Daphne, I can give you 25 million dors a year.¡± Now, Daphne¡¯s gaze snapped at La. ¡°La,¡± Caroline called out. La¡¯s heart bled when the words left her mouth just now, but seeing Caroline¡¯s anxious face made her think that it was all worth it ¡°Caroline, the higher bidder wins the prize. You can raise the price if you have the power to ¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too full of yourself¡± Caroline snarled, her brows knitted closely together. She then turned to Daphne once more. ¡°I¡¯m willing to hand over 10% of profits to you as part of your endorsement fees if you sign the contract with mypany¡® It made La burst outughing. ¡°Caroline, all you do is lie to others. That brokenpany of yours doesn¡¯t even have the funds to operate well enough. ¡°How many sales do you think you can get? And now you¡¯re telling me that you¡¯re giving others part of the profit. Are you living in a castle in the sky?¡± That said, she turned to face Daphne. ¡°Sign the contract with me. At the very least, the 25 million dors are guaranteed to be yours.¡± Daphne pondered it and found that what La said was reasonable enough. ¡°Okay. I choose you. Worried that Daphne would change her mind, La immediately asked herpany¡¯s employees to prepare a softcopy version of the contract for her to settle things once and for all. When they finally left Daphne¡¯s dressing room, the smile on La¡¯s face was already as wide as it 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Caroline, I wonder,¡± said La, ¡°How will you rise from the gutter when I¡¯m always a step ahead of you in terms of design, product promotion, and finding my brand an ambassador?¡± Caroling slowly let out her breath. It didn¡¯t take long for her to notice Sonia¡¯s figure in the crowd. Sonia was upied with memorizing her lines. As the female lead, her set and props were way better compared to Daphne¡¯s. Caroline then turned to give La a smile. ¡°You¡¯ve never even checked thepany¡¯s ledger, right?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± La asked, puzzled. ¡°What is your target? Are you aiming for high¨Cend consumers or mid and low¨Ctiered ones?¡± La gritted her teeth. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re aiming for, just know that I¡¯ll be there to intercept you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± This made Caroline¡¯s smile widen. ¡°Why do I feel like your target is the high¨Cend consumers then? After all, you paid a lot for both your designer and your ambassador. Are you sure that you can profit from the other consumers Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ then?¡± La¡¯s expression shifted instantly, and she found herself swaying slightly. It took her a moment for the impact of Caroline¡¯s words to hit her. ¡°Y¨Cyou never wanted to sign the contract with Daphne!¡± She stammered. Caroline merely smiled in response as Cheryl watched their interaction from behind, her mouth gaping wide. ¡°Caroline, what¡¯s going on?¡± she asked quietly, curious. La didn¡¯t waste time exining the entire situation by thinking aloud to herself. ¡°You purposely told PR that you wanted to sign a contract with Daphne so that I would meet her Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. here to sign a contract with her.¡± La recalled how she had asked Emery to tell Caroline about this, and she seethed in anger when she realized just how foolish she seemed to Caroline at that time. Snatching away the contract in Caroline¡¯s hand, she flipped it to thest page in disbelief. Thest Caroline had never nned to sign a contract with Daphne! It was all a trap! Chapter 384 Chapter 384 Chapter 384 If Caroline hadn¡¯t said anything about signing a contract with Daphne, La wouldn¡¯t have spent 25 million on her. She could¡¯ve simply taken advantage of her rtionship with Kirk to bind Daphne for just five million a year. ¡°Caroline!¡± La roared and rushed forth to grab at Caroline¡¯s neck. Cheryl ran forward in an attempt to save Caroline, but thetter stopped her and nced around at the surveince cameras around them. ¡°There are so many cameras around,¡± Caroline said smilingly. ¡°The paparazzi would be very pleased to see you beat me up, don¡¯t you think?¡± Only then did La realize that they were on a filming set. If she got on the news for beating Caroline up, she would drag her newpany down. It would also affect her rtionship with Eddy, which she had so painstakingly managed to mend not long ago. Slowly and begrudgingly, she let go of Caroline. ¡°It¡¯s just 25 million dors,¡± she said through. gritted teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare think that you can defeat Evanson just like this. Heed my words¨Cas long as Eddy¡¯s with me, I can spend as much as I want. ¡°You¡¯re the one who should worry about how much longer yourpany willst.¡± ¡°Besides,¡± La added. ¡°No one wants to invest in yourpany. Evans Group will go bankrupt one day.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Caroline had a smile on her face. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Then, she turned and asked Cheryl to follow her out of the filming site. Cheryl finally managed to understand what had happened when they got in the car. Ignoring Jack¡¯s presence, sheughed without restraint. ¡°So you were tricking La all along! You were so cool just now! You¡¯ve managed to make her lose It made Jack curious. Cheryl continued by telling him all about how Caroline managed to make La fall into her trap. After listening to the entire story, Jack couldn¡¯t stop himself fromplimenting Caroline too. t ¡°Ms. Evans, this idea of yours is simply remarkable! Not only did you manage to make La suffer a loss of 25 million dors, but she¡¯ll probably stop asking anyone in Evans Group for information in the future too!¡± Caroline¡¯s effort this time would prevent future trouble, for sure. Now, Caroline was in a much better mood than before. ¡°What do you guys want to eat? I¡¯ll treat you to a meal.¡± Jack and Cheryl nced at each other for a moment. Cheryl then asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going back home?¡± She remembered that Caroline would always return home right after work. However, the smile on Caroline¡¯s face faltered this time. When she had worked at Thorne Corp, she had always looked forward to going home to enjoy the dinner that Kirk made for them. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Now, though, the vi that housed countless fond memories of them both had turned into a cage. Whenever she thought of the time they spent together there, something would gnaw at her heart, and she would feel upset all of a sudden. ¡°I want to eat out today,¡± she exined. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ Jack and Cheryl stared at each other again. A momentter, Jack prodded, ¡°Ms. Evans, did you and Mr. Morrison get into a fight?¡± ¡°No.¡± Caroline denied it reflexively. Cheryl said, ¡°But you weren¡¯t like this in the past.¡± It made Caroline frown. ¡°Have I ¡­ changed?¡± ¡°Yes. You were always so energetic back then,¡± Cheryl replied. ¡°But ever since you came back from Macovo, I only get to see this side of you when you¡¯re working. Sometimes, you¡¯re in a daze, even at work. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Now, even Jack turned to look at Caroline His and Cheryl¡¯s gaze bore into her, giving her the urge to flee Tm fine. Let¡¯s go and have dinner That said, she opened the door and got out of the car. Cheryl wanted to go after her but was stopped by Jack, who said, ¡®Let me go after her.¡± He rushed after Caroline. ¡°Miss, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happened between you and Mr. Morrison, but there¡¯s something I have to tell you,¡± he hollered. ¡°He really loves your Chapter 385 Chapter 385 Chapter 385 Caroline shuddered. The confusion and bitterness she felt were like countless des stabbing at her heart. She didn¡¯t know what to do at all. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. A momentter, she muttered, ¡°Jack, a person can have many sides. What makes you so sure of that?¡± Despite her question, determination shone in Jack¡¯s eyes. ¡°Indeed. People have many sides and can hide their true faces,¡± he replied. ¡°But in this world, there are two things that cannot be hidden. You can¡¯t hide love, just like you can¡¯t hide a cough.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you two. But please remember that Mr. Morrison truly loves you.¡± Although Jack found it rather amusing when he saw how Kirk suffered mentally from being in love, he earnestly hoped that Caroline and Kirk would be together until the end. He had been by Kirk¡¯s side for so many years and knew that his boss had only ever given in when Caroline was around. The fact that a proud person like him would lower his status for someone else meant that Caroline was very special to him. ¡°So, even if he lied to me, I should continue believing that he loves me, eh?¡± Caroline mumbled to herself, and Jack fell silent. Just when she thought he had nothing else to say, Jack suddenly spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he lied to you about, but trust me, if he really lied to you, he must have his reasons.¡± Kirk had tried everything he could to make sure that Caroline wouldn¡¯t find out about his identity. He didn¡¯t want her to find out that he was one of the Morrisons and had spent all his effort doing so. This alone was enough to prove how much he would sacrifice for her. Caroline frowned now. She didn¡¯t agree with Jack, yet she couldn¡¯t refute it. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Let me send you home,¡± Jack said. Caroline finally raised her eyes to meet his. She was still in a blur when she looked at him. A momentter, she followed him in the car, still in a daze. To be frank, she didn¡¯t know for sure if she wanted to go back. The warm rays of the sun flooded thend when they stopped before the gates of the vi, and suddenly, she seemed to have found her answer. She stepped out of the car and walked into the vi. Jack watched her enter the house before getting back in the car. Cheryl propped an elbow on the window and stared curiously at the vi for a moment. Then, she asked, ¡°Jack, is this Caroline¡¯s house?¡± Jack revved the engine and said, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It surely looks like it costs a fortune,¡± shemented. ¡°Oh right! Have you seen her husband before? What does he look like? Can you describe him to me?¡± Jack¡¯s heart leaped into his mouth when he heard her questions. Heughed it off and said, ¡± Cheryl, I haven¡¯t had the muffins you make for quite some time already. Are you free tonight?¡± ¡°Are youing over to my ce?¡± Cheryl beamed. The topic of Caroline¡¯s husband was now gone with the wind. Jack nced in the rear¨Cview mirror at a smiling Cheryl and felt his spirits lift. ¡°Yep. Let¡¯s go and Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ buy the ingredients for the muffins then.¡± Compared to the joyful ambiance in the car, the vi was shrouded in the usual gloomy atmosphere as before. Caroline hung her bag on the coat rack and stood still. She could hear the sound of the kitchen hood working and see a familiar figure busying himself in the kitchen. The sumptuous fragrance of dinner wafted in the air, reminding her of what Jack had just told her not long ago. ¡°If he really lied to you, he must have his reasons.¡± Caroline wasn¡¯t as gullible as she was before. She was no longer the person who had once cared N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. about nothing but Eddy, Now, she knew there were lies that were born of ill intent, and there were white lies too. Still Marrying two women at a time was by no means a white lie. Unless¡­. Chapter 386 Chapter 386 Chapter 386 +15 BONUS Caroline took a deep breath and told herself that it was all a lie. The person who had used Kirk of marrying other women had lied to her. Even though she had reached this conclusion, it somehow made her shudder in fear of the unknown. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. She couldn¡¯t understand why someone would do something like that. Kirk was just an ordinary guy, after all. At most, he had a smallpany of his own. Even then, his father had founded thepany, and Kirk was merely in charge of taking care of it. Kirk told her before that it was just a smallpany, and she believed it. If it had been a huge business, he could have simply taken over thepany and wouldn¡¯t have needed to go out to work. Therefore, she was certain that Kirk was only an ordinary, white¨Ccor worker. He was like a tiny fish in the ocean here in Easton. If that person had indeed lied, why had they made Kirk their target? The thought made Caroline waver. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Kirk¡¯s voice sounded from the kitchen. There was a hint of a smile in his voice. When she saw him walking out of the kitchen in his suit, she felt her heart skip a beat. It didn¡¯t matter how many times she had seen him like this before. She still couldn¡¯t get used to seeing him all suave and handsome in all his suits. (1) ¡°What is it?¡± Kirk smiled adoringly at her. As she sniffed the air, Caroline found that the fragrance of the dishes he had prepared this time was different. It was more intense than before. ¡°What are you making?¡± She asked, trying to get rid of all the jumbled thoughts in her mind. Kirk¡¯s lips tilted upward into a smile, and he said, ¡°Ratatouille.¡± Caroline fell silent for a moment. ¡°It sounds familiar.¡± Before she could react, Kirk leaned in and pecked her on the lips. She reached out to push him away but was a tadte because he had already taken a step back. 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°It¡¯s also the name of a movie. Do you remember it now?¡± He said. Caroline was both pissed and shocked. She was pissed at herself for not hating his touch, even though he might be married to another woman in secret. She was shocked because he knew how to make ratatouille. When she had been training herself to be a good housewife for Eddy, she had forced herself to memorize all kinds of recipes. Ratatouille was no simple dish, and only rich people with lots of time on their hands would make the dish. When she finally snapped out of her daze, Kirk had already ced the food on the dining table. ¡°I modified it a little.¡± He picked up his spoon, blew on the spoonful of ratatouille, and held it in front of Caroline¡¯s mouth. ¡°Have a taste and tell me if it¡¯s nice.¡± Caroline stared at the spoon and told him, ¡°I can take it myself.¡± As she reached for the spoon, their hands touched. Sparks seemed to fly, and her hand shot back away from him. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ She felt herself yearning for him deep down, yet the logical side of her told her not to give in to her desire. It was like she was trying to bnce herself in the middle of a seesaw. Feeling awkward, she wished that a hole would appear in the ground so that she could bury herself in it. ¡°I¨CI¡¯ll¡ª¡± Before she could say more, Kirk¡¯s hand had already slithered around her waist and pulled her close to him. The scent of his cologne invaded her senses, and she felt the wall that she had built to defend herself against him crumble into oblivion. ¡°Let me feed you.¡± Kirk¡¯s raspy voice came from beside her. It was intoxicating, and it made her feel as though she was in Eden, and he was the enticing apple that she was inclined to pick and consume. Eventually, she would sumb to this temptation and fall into his embrace once more. Chapter 387 Chapter 387 Chapter 387 +15 BONUS Suddenly, the picture that the woman had sent Caroline back then popped up in her mind. A young girl in a gown had been beside Kirk, and a certain light had shone in her eyes. Caroline felt as if a de had stabbed right through her heart. It snapped her back into reality, and she hastily pushed Kirk away from her. Her shove made his heart break a little, but he quickly rposed himself. ¡°Darling, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Caroline realized what she had done, and she ced one hand on the table for support. Her thoughts were all jumbled up, and she didn¡¯t know how to exin herself. Still, she told herself before that she had to stay calm andposed and that she would find proof before doing anything reckless. She couldn¡¯t act rashly now! After taking a few deep breaths, she finally managed to make up an excuse. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m a bit tired, that¡¯s all. I¡¯ll head upstairs to get some rest first.¡± Kirk pursed his lips and said, ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline then darted upstairs as if she had been pardoned for an unpardonable sin. After shutting the door, she sat on the ground helplessly. Anxiety filled her heart when she recalled how she had almost fallen into his trap just now. She took out her phone and opened her chat with Marina. She could wait no longer, and she was determined to get to the end of it. However, there was no news from Marina. 1 Perhaps it was because the Louis Vuitton bag that she had ordered for Marina was still on its way. Caroline pondered for a moment before deciding to do something against her will. She called one Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. of the staff members from the store for the shipping details and sent it to Marina. ¡°I went shopping today and saw a bag that would fit you perfectly. I¡¯m giving it to you, so don¡¯t forget to ept the parcel when it arrives. -Caroline¡± Caroline¡¯s face was emotionless when she typed those words. She seldom went out of her way to please someone. 1/2 +15 BONUS Now, though, she had to do this to find out if Kirk was involved in polygamy. This was also to ensure that she could get out of her misery soon. Not long after the message was sent, she got a reply from Marina. ¡°Thank you! You didn¡¯t have to! -Marina¡± After that, Marina started exining that something came up at home, and she hadn¡¯t had the time to contact Caroline for a while. Caroline couldn¡¯t care less what excuses Marina gave, so she simply scrolled to the bottom and asked, ¡°Any news?¡± ¡°Yes¡± Marina¡¯s reply came a momentter, and Caroline could finally heave a sigh of relief. ¡°But the information I¡¯ve gathered is in my office. I¡¯m on holiday, and I¡¯ll only go back to work on Tuesday.¡± Caroline instantly knew what this meant. Marina hadn¡¯t even started looking into it. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ Despite that, Caroline was asking her for help, so she shouldn¡¯t rush Marina into it. The Louis Vuitton bag was on the way to Marina too, so there was nothing to worry about now. ¡°Okay. You have to send it to me on Tuesday, then.¡± Marina simply sent her an emoji of a smiling face as a reply. Just like this, her attitude changed immediately. Caroline didn¡¯t feel like continuing their conversation anymore. She switched off her phone as she kept on telling herself that she only had to wait for two more days for all of this to end. She leaned against the door, and it dawned on her that this was what it felt like for time to pass excruciatingly slowly. In the past, she had loved staying at home. Now, she preferred going to work. She woke up early the next morning and hurriedly freshened herself up to go to work. She tried her best to move quietly so as not to wake Kirk up. Chapter 388 Chapter 388 Chapter 388 After getting ready, Caroline walked out of the bathroom to see Kirk still asleep. Sighing in relief, she went downstairs, started her car, and drove to work Oblivious to her, Kirk was standing by the window and behind the blinds on the second floor when she entered the garage. He silently watched her leave. Exhausted, he massaged his temples and went back to sit on the edge of the bed. Helplessness washed over him, and it weighed on his heart and mind. He wanted to do something to change this but found that he couldn¡¯t do anything at all. In the end, he picked up his phone and called Charles. ¡°Sir,¡± Charles chirped. He knew fairly well that Kirk had been in a foul mood for the past few days, so he had been preparing himself to receive his next orders. Hence, he had been able to wake up right away when he heard his phone ring. ¡°Did you manage to find out anything?¡± Kirk¡¯s voice was dangerously low, to the point that Charles forcefully stopped himself from yawning. ¡°There were no CCTVs in the hotel in Macovo, so I could only start by searching through the guest list. I haven¡¯t found anything suspicious.¡± ¡°How many days has it been?¡± Kirk¡¯s voice wasced with sarcasm now. Charles straightened his back and fell silent. ¡°I¡¯ll give you three more days. If you can¡¯t discover anything, consider yourself fired!¡± ¡°Three-¡± Charles didn¡¯t even manage to finish his sentence when the call ended. He could only grip his phone and smile wryly at what was toe as the employees around him turned to stare at him in dismay with their sunken eyes. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. There was nothing Charles could do except give out orders. ¡°He asked us to give him an answer in three days. Otherwise, we¡¯ll all be fired.¡± Groans and howls of despair ensued following his sentence. 1/3 15 BONUS The leader of the group took out a cigarette and raised a hand in the air for silence He then rushed over to Charles ¡°Charles, how are we supposed to find out about anything in just three days?¡± he said, exasperated ¡°More than 300 people came to stay at the hotel. We¡¯d need at least half a month to look into each of their backgrounds. We won¡¯t even have time to sleep if that¡¯s even possible.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s been hard on you people, but this is what he wants,¡± Charles told him The leader frowned and stared at him briefly before saying, ¡°Charles, save us, please. I¡¯ve heard that you once made himugh with just a single sentence when he was mad. I¡¯m sure you have a way!* Dumbfounded, Charles thought to himself that it wasn¡¯t he who performed that feat, but Caroline herself! The leader continued, ¡°Charles, you can¡¯t just leave us be!¡± Charles¡® head pounded in his skull. He knew very well that it was highly impossible for them to obtain the results that Kirk wanted in just three days¡® time. So he said, ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Immediately, leader beamed at him. ¡°I have full faith in you, Charles. You¡¯ve saved us!¡± Charles said to himself that this man couldn¡¯t be more mistaken. If they needed a savior, they had to pray to God for Caroline to be on their side. He frowned when he thought of her. What had Kirk done to piss her off so badly? At the same time, Caroline was surrounded by the higher¨Cups, who started bombarding her with questions the moment she entered the office. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ ¡°Ms. Evans, is it true that Evanson Corp signed a contract with Daphne?¡± ¡°Does this mean that we can¡¯tpete with them in terms of design and publicity now?¡± ¡°Should we stop production? We could stop our orders to minimize the loss.¡± Caroline rested a hand against her forehead. She was lethargic enough since she couldn¡¯t sleep wellst night. Now, these people¡¯s voices sounded like flies buzzing all around her, and this only served to irk her further. 2/3 +15 BONUS After taking a few deep breaths topose herself, she said, ¡®Do you even know what you¡¯re talking about? If we went to battle like this, we¡¯d be dead before we knew it,¡± she told them. The best thing we can do is settle our tasks Sales department, have you discussed things with the stores?¡± It was her turn to question them. ¡°PR, have you figured out how to increase publicity? Design department, have youe out with the drafts?¡± As she spoke, she nced around at those around her. Her eyes were stern, and her face was grim. The others finally shut up. Chapter 389 Chapter 389 Chapter 389 ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Caroline asked, keeping her calm. The people around her lost the courage to say anything else. They mumbled amongst themselves and left soon after. However, they startedining again right after leaving her office. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? Why is she so angry?¡± ¡°Of course, she¡¯s pissed! If I were her, I would have lost my mind to lose the chance at signing a contract with Daphne!¡± ¡°This is exactly how people behave when they are powerless. Back then, I told my friends that I N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. wanted to work at Evans Group, but they told me that thispany wouldn¡¯tst long. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe them and joined the team. Seeing how things are now, we¡¯ll be jobless before the next product is introduced to the market.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t that bad,¡± said Caroline. She was more or less an idol to quite a number of people, and the head of the design department had a pretty good impression of her too. ¡°I think we stand a chance against the opposite party.¡± The employees turned to stare at her as though she were a fool. Gavin sat in the office. The cop had left not long ago. Gavin¡¯s secretary knocked and opened the door, then said, ¡°Mr. Gavin, Mr. Luke is here to meet you.¡± 1 Gavin was about to refuse when Luke barged into the room on his own ord. In the end, Gavin could only go with the flow. ¡°Why are you here?¡± he asked. Instead of replying, Luke nced at the door and said, ¡°Was the cop here because of Dan Evans?¡± Gavin had sued Dan for embezzling thepany¡¯s funds, yet Luke only learned of this a few days ago. He hadn¡¯t expected Gavin to be able to get his hands on any evidence. ¡°Yep,¡± Gavin told him curtly. It made Luke curious, and he asked, ¡°How did you get the evidence then?¡± *Caroline gave it to me.¡± Dubious, Luke waved his hand to dismiss the idea. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. There¡¯s no way she managed to obtain the ledger.¡± ¡°She gave it to me. Luke, we were partners in the past, so I feel obliged to tell you this. Don¡¯t underestimate Caroline.¡± Luke sneered. ¡°Since you said that, I¡¯ll assume that you¡¯re outdated. It seems to me that you know nothing about what happened recently in Evans Group.¡± Gavin quirked an eyebrow. Indeed, he had not asked for any news regarding Evans Group for quite some time. After all, he was busy settling Dan¡¯s embezzlement case. ¡°La started apany on the floor above Evans Group¡¯s. Herpany took up the entire 24th floor and isunching a horoscope¨Cthemed line of clothes,¡± Luke briefed him about everything. ¡°Oh, right! We have the support of Morrison Corp. Caroline wanted to sign a contract with Daphne, but we managed to intercept her so that Daphne took our side.¡± ¡°So Caroline¡¯s lost the battle before it even started,¡± Luke concluded. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ ¡°Since we worked together in the past, La asked me to tell you that if you take back your funds, we can let you join Morrison Corp.¡± Gavin¡¯s brows were knitted closely together. He was about to say something when the door creaked open and George walked inside. George was here to pass him some documents. He had identally heard their conversation and quickly pushed through the door to get into the room. ¡°Gavin!¡± he eximed. Gavin nced over and could tell that George was overflowing with enthusiasm already. He straightened his face and nced at Luke. ¡°If I do that, it¡¯s akin to backstabbing her. Caroline helped us with Dan and the ledger. We must be grateful to her.¡± ¡°Gavin!¡± George hissed anxiously. Luke noticed this and stood up. ¡°Very well, you¡¯ve shown your loyalty. But don¡¯t be jealous when you see us earning a lot more than you ever can.¡± With that said, he left, looking all content with himself. Chapter 390 Chapter 390 Chapter 390 George fretted over it so much that he tossed away the documents in his hands and rushed out to go after Luke. However, Gavin called out, ¡°Stop right there!¡± ¡°Gavin, this is our final chance! If we don¡¯t withdraw our funds, we¡¯ll surely lose everything we have!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t backstab her at a moment like this! ¡°Business and morality are two different things. You can¡¯t just give up on our business just because you want to show how loyal you are to someone!¡± George eximed. The scowl on Gavin¡¯s face deepened. He waved his hand. His mind was made up. ¡°I¡¯ve decided. Listen up; if you dare to withdraw the funds, I¡¯ll cut ties with you!¡± His tone made it clear that he wasn¡¯t going to relent. Seeing how determined Gavin was, George stormed out of the office, clearly pissed. Gavin spun in his chair so that his back faced the door. He then shook his head helplessly at George¡¯s antics. He wouldn¡¯t betray Caroline now, even if it meant losing money. In a restaurant, Caroline sat down and waited for Andrea. She was unaware of what Gavin was facing now. She scanned through the contract once more to make sure that there was nothing wrong with it. Then, she went through the information about Sonia. Sonia had majored in performing arts and was talented in acting, singing, dancing, and martial arts. s, the agency she had worked for wasn¡¯t reliable enough. They merely gave her the role of a double or an insignificant character all the time. Despite having worked in the entertainment industry for seven years by now, Sonia wasn¡¯t that famouspared to other actresses of her age. Caroline was still focused on the documents when a shadow fell across the sheets. She heard someone¡¯s voice beside her. ¡°Caroline? The voice had a slight tremble to it, as if the person who was speaking was in disbelie Caroline raised her head to see a disheveled¨Clooking man. She hesitated for a bit before recognizing who he was ¡°Adrian?¡± Adrian looked entirely different. He looked especially forlorn and listless. His bangs were so long that they almost covered his eyebrows. He wore a maroon shirt with long sleeves and a pair of sneakers He seemed like he had been through a lot. Still, she noticed that his eyes gleamed as though he had just discovered a priceless treasure. Seeing her here, Adrian wished so badly that he could travel back in time. Earlier in the morning, Andrea called him and asked him to make a trip here to help her get a contract signed. She had even mentioned that the woman she was supposed to meet was a beautifuldy. This rmed him, and he thought that Andrea was trying to matchmake for him. So he hade here without even washing his face. Who knew that he would meet the person he wanted to see the least in this state? Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°1 Why don¡¯t you order some food first? I¡¯lle back in a while,¡± he said before rushing off in search of the manager. Caroline blinked, confused. She ordered a few dishes, as Adrian had told her to. Soon, he returned She couldn¡¯t stop the corners of her mouth from tilting upward when she saw him this time. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ Now, he looked like a different person after making his hair. He was dressed in gray sportswear, which made him look much more energetic. He looked the total opposite of what he had looked like just a moment ago. She had no idea why he reminded her of a male peacock spreading its tail for disy right now. No longer able to hold in herughter, she burst outughing. Adrian scratched his head as he sat in front of her, embarrassed. ¡°Do I look¡­ funny?¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re handsome.¡± Carolineughed and told him. Her response made his heart race. It reminded him of the time in Macovo when countless thoughts passed through his mind, yet he failed to voice them out. Now, he had the sudden urge to tell her all about them. He stared into her eyes as though he were intoxicated by her gaze. ¡°Caroline, there¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± Chapter 391 Chapter 391 Chapter 391 ¡°Can you wait a moment?¡± Caroline got up and looked toward the window seat. Adrian was too excited to tell Caroline about the feelings he had for her for the past 20 years and more. ¡°Caroline, I ¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Gwen?¡± After confirming that the person sitting by the window was Gwen, Caroline apologized to Adrian and rushed over. ¡°Gwen, is it really you? What are you doing here? Also¡­¡± There were a number of beer bottles on the table. Caroline took the bottle of beer from Gwen¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°How much did you drink?¡± Gwen was obviously drunk and couldn¡¯t recognize the person before her at all. She stood and tried to get her beer back, but she swayed and nearly fell. Luckily, Adrian moved fast and held her up. However, Gwen reacted to this like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She shoved Adrian away. ¡°Go away. You men are all disgusting!¡± Every guest in the restaurant turned to look over at them. Adrian was at a loss for words. Meanwhile, Caroline went forward to hold Gwen up. As she did, she said to Adrian, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My friend is drunk.¡± She also asked for the restaurant staff to bring the bill. Adrian said, ¡°It¡¯s on me.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°No, that wouldn¡¯t be right.¡± Adrian said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong about it.¡± After he said that, he helped to support Gwen again. ¡°It looks like Gwen has had a lot to drink. I¡¯ll help you with her.¡± The second he touched Gwen, Gwen shoved him away again. Caroline felt impatient Thank you, but there¡¯s no need I can send her home myself. I¡¯m very sorry about today I was going to discuss the partnership with you Adrian hid the disappointment in his eyes. It¡¯s alright,¡± he said. But he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you really going to be okay alone?¡± Caroline was holding onto Gwen, who was swaying violently. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯re leaving now.¡± Then she guided Gwen out of the restaurant. Adrian watched as Caroline left. After suppressing the urge for a moment, he finally decided to chase after her. He said. ¡°It¡¯s better if you let me send you two home!¡± As he spoke, he took the initiative to hail a Caroline wanted to say something when she saw Jack not far away, but Adrian had already helped Gwen into the cab. Not knowing how to turn Adrian down, she could only get in the car as well. Once the cab got moving, Caroline sent Jack a message telling him to leave first. Jack had noticed that Caroline came out with a man, and they had gotten into the same cab. It was just that he couldn¡¯t confirm it for sure at first. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ After all, he had only seen her profile. He was only sure when Caroline texted him. A cold sweat broke out on Jack¡¯s forehead. He didn¡¯t forget that Kirk had purposely called him to tell him not to allow Caroline to interact with any man! Thinking of how Caroline had been giving Kirk the cold shouldertely, Jack shivered. He quickly called Kirk. Right then, Caroline had finally gotten Gwen to the entrance of her ce. She felt helpless as she looked at Gwen, who was sleeping like a log. She turned to thank Adrian again. ¡°Thank you so much for your help today.¡± Adrian replied, ¡°You¡¯ve already thanked me many times today.¡± Caroline opened the door and moved Gwen to the couch with Adrian¡¯s help. Wiping away her sweat, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what else to say but thank you.¡± ¡°You can also buy me a meal,¡± Adrian suggested half¨Cjokingly. After that, he turned away, not daring to look at Caroline. Caroline was in office wear today, and her clothes entuated her figure very well. Chapter 392 Chapter 392 Chapter 392 Caroline replied, ¡°Speaking of buying you a meal, I think I¡¯ve mentioned it several times already.¡± As she spoke, she went to get Adrian some water. When he epted the ss of water, Adrian couldn¡¯t avoid touching Caroline¡¯s skin. The touch was like being shocked by electricity. It made Adrian¡¯s face turn red. Adrian ducked his head and gulped down some water to still his rapidly beating heart. ¡°Right. Are you free this weekend? Maybe we can have that meal.¡± After drinking her own water, Caroline raised her head to find that Adrian¡¯s face was red. ¡°Why is your face so red?¡± she asked. Adrian¡¯s mind buzzed, the blush spreading to his neck as sweat dripped. He coughed. ¡°I ¡­¡± ¡°You must be hot.¡± Caroline went to find the remote control. ¡°I think men run hotter than women, so you sweat easier.¡± Adrian¡¯s heart dislodged from his throat. He felt a little disappointed. Soon, Caroline found the remote control and turned the air conditioning on. Then, she turned to head into the bedroom and brought out a nket for Gwen. She covered Gwen with the nket and tucked her in. Adrian watched Caroline do this the whole time. As he saw her tuck Gwen in, he blurted out, ¡°That looks reallyfortable.¡± Caroline looked up at him in confusion. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Adrian instantly panicked. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ it¡¯s just that watching you cover Gwen with the nket makes it look reallyfortable. ¡°It reminds me of when I was a kid and my mom covered me with a nket. Yes, that must be it. Actually, I don¡¯t understand why Eddy won¡¯t marry you when you¡¯re so great.¡± After saying that, Adrian seemed to realize btedly that he had crossed a line. ¡°Sorry, I ¡­¡± Caroline shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I don¡¯t mind.¡± Adrian watched Caroline carefully. Once he was sure that she wasn¡¯t mad, he said, ¡°Have you¡­ let it go?¡± ¡°Yes, I let it go a long time ago.¡± ¡°Your husband helped you let it go, didn¡¯t he?¡± Adrian asked bitterly. Caroline blinked a few times, hiding the emotion in her eyes. Even so, Adrian felt that something was amiss. ¡°Did you two¡­ get into a fight?¡± He clenched his fists, trying hard to settle his roiling feelings. Caroline forced a smile. ¡°You can say that, I think?¡± ¡°Can you tell me about it?¡± Adrian looked at Caroline with an anticipatory look. There were goosebumps on his skin. Suddenly, Gwen¡¯s mumbling came from the couch. ¡°Go away. All men are trash. Go away¡­¡± Caroline gave Adrian an awkward smile. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ But Adrian wasn¡¯t paying attention to Gwen. His attention waspletely fixed on Caroline. ¡°You can tell me. I don¡¯t mind letting you rant.¡± Seeing the sincerity in Adrian¡¯s eyes, Caroline seemed to think of something. She immediately looked away and grimaced. ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to talk about. Just¡­ a fight between a married couple¡­ ¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t look happy at all,¡± Adrian pointed out. ¡°You¡¯repletely different from when I first saw you at Thorne Corporation.¡± As he spoke, he stepped forward. ¡°Back then, you were so happy, like a flower in bloom. Now, you¡¯re like a ship that¡¯s been drifting about for years, only wanting to make harbor.¡± Adrian took another step forward. ¡°Actually, when you¡­¡® ¡°Adrian!¡± At the very same time Caroline spoke, the doorbell rang. Saved by the bell, Caroline walked to the door. ¡°Let me see who that-¡± As the door opened wider and Caroline saw the person outside clearly, her eyes widened further. Chapter 393 Chapter 393 Chapter 393 ¡°Kirk?¡± After a brief feeling of astonishment, Caroline felt rage surge through her. How had he known that she was here? Kirk smiled as he looked kindly at Adrian, who was behind Caroline. But there was a violent wave buried deep in his eyes. Adrian was stunned when he first saw Kirk. His immediate reaction was to recall which family this man was from. But no matter how he went through the memories in his mind, he couldn¡¯t ce the man. In the end, Adrian looked at Kirk warily. This was no simple man. As Adrian regarded him without inhibition, Kirk only swept Adrian a casual gaze before ducking his head toward Caroline. ¡°Jack said you were sending Gwen home, so I came over to check on things. Is everything alright? Do you need help?¡± As he spoke, he took Caroline¡¯s hand, wordlessly saying that she belonged to him. Caroline was currently angry at Kirk because he knew her whereabouts. She didn¡¯t notice the two men ring at each other. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Gwen just got drunk.¡± ¡°And who¡¯s your friend over there?¡± Kirk tilted his chin at Adrian. ¡°Adrian Sorkin,¡± Adrian said, offering his name. His gaze lingered for a short while on Caroline¡¯s wrist. After some hesitation, Adrian held out his hand in a gentlemanly manner. ¡°You must be Caroline¡¯s husband.¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze flitted over Adrian¡¯s fingers as he waved a hand. ¡°Sorry, I have to hold my wife¡¯s hand, so I can¡¯t shake your hand.¡± Adrian and Caroline were speechless at this. Kirk said, ¡°Darling, can we go home now?¡± Caroline replied, ¡°Gwen is drunk. I want to stay and take care of her.¡± Kirk caressed the back of Caroline¡¯s neck and said, ¡°Then Ill stay with you Just as Caroline was about to say that there was no need, she hesitated when she recalled Adrian¡¯s unspoken words. She didn¡¯t reject Kirk. ¡°Adrian, thank you for your help tonight,¡± Caroline said sincerely. As for what Adrian had left unspoken, Caroline didn¡¯t care what they were. She just wanted to maintain how things were. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to a meal one day.¡± Adrian wasn¡¯t a fool. Caroline was making herself very clear. If Adrian kept insisting, he would only earn Caroline¡¯s disgust. ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Once Adrian left, Kirk hugged Caroline from behind. ¡°Darling¡­¡± He kissed her earlobe, acting as if he were trying to get on her good side. Caroline shoved Kirk aside. ¡°You should go too. I just want to take good care of Gwen.¡± ¡°Darling¡­¡± Kirk¡¯s grip tightened on Caroline¡¯s wrist. He raised the other hand to tilt Caroline¡¯s chin up, forcing her to look at him. ¡°What exactly happened? Can¡¯t you tell me, please? I¡¯ll change if I¡¯ve done something wrong.¡± Caroline looked into Kirk¡¯s deep eyes. ¡°How are you supposed to change if you don¡¯t even know what you did wrong?¡± Kirk started to speak, but Caroline cut him off before he could say a word. ¡°I know I seem like I¡¯m throwing a tantrum, but ¡­¡± Caroline¡¯s voice shook. She bit her lip before continuing, ¡°I really know very little about you. You never told me anything about your past. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ I don¡¯t know what you were like as a child. I don¡¯t know when your mother passed away or why. You never tell me. It¡¯s like¡­ your past is a huge secret that you must keep to make sure we can stay together.¡± Kirk¡¯s heart ached as his eyebrows furrowed. Seeing Caroline in so much pain, he felt like his heart was being cut into smithereens. He wanted to tell Caroline, but¡­. ¡°Darling, you¡¯re overthinking.¡± Kirk raised his hand to caress Caroline¡¯s hair, but she dodged him. Looking at his palm, Kirk smiled. ¡°Things aren¡¯t asplicated as you think. I¡¯ve never told you about my past because I didn¡¯t see a need to ¡°Is that so?¡± Caroline sniffed ¡°Maybe I¡¯m overthinking, or maybe I¡¯m sensitive. You leave first. I want to spend some time alone¡± In any case, all she had to do was wait until Tuesday. By then, everything would be settled. Chapter 394 Chapter 394 Chapter 394 Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Darling, Kirk said. ¡°You head home first.¡± Kirk watched as Caroline turned mercilessly away, his fists clenching. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go home first. Call me if anything happens,¡± he said. After that, he was silent for a moment before he left and closed the door behind him. When the door clicked closed, Caroline couldn¡¯t maintain the rigidity of her back anymore. She slid to the ground. She covered her face as her shoulders trembled gently. After more than half an hour, Caroline rushed into the bathroom and wiped the tears from her face. When she looked up, she saw herself in the mirror, her makeup ruined. Although she had been trying hard to fill the emptiness in her heart with work, as more time passed, the pain got harder to deal with. If this went on, she would go crazy. She took out her phone and clicked on her chat with Marina. There were no new messages. There were still 18 more hours until working hours started in Macldo. Caroline had the urge to sedate herself and sleep until she could get the answer. But she couldn¡¯t do that. After cleaning the makeup from her face, Caroline returned to the living room. Gwen was still asleep, spread out in an ugly sprawl on the couch. Caroline couldn¡¯t help butugh at the sight. This was probably her first realugh in all this time. But afterughing, she frowned. She had been so busy with thepany and Kirk that she had been in much less contact with Gwentely. She wondered what was going on with Gwen. After staring at Gwen for a while, Caroline got sleepy and fell asleep soon. When she woke again, it was already the next day. Seeing that she was sleeping on the bed, Caroline got up and walked to the door. That was when she realized that she was at Gwen¡¯s ce. There was breakfast on the table¨Cthe same kind of thing that she usually ate every day. Gwen was still lying on the couch with the nket kicked to the ground. Just as Caroline walked by the dining table, Gwen¡¯s voice came from behind her. ¡°Morning, Carol 1 Caroline turned to look at her. Gwen was stretchingzily. ¡°You didn¡¯t buy this breakfast?¡± she asked Gwen was still in a mess. She blearily climbed up from the couch. ¡°Breakfast? What breakfast? Isn¡¯t it nighttime?¡± Caroline was impatient as she said, ¡°Let me get you some hangover cure.¡± ¡°This is my house, right? I don¡¯t have any hangover cure at my ce¡­¡± Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ As Gwen spoke, Caroline had already found the hangover cure. It was on the table. Caroline passed the pills to Gwen with a mug of water. Gwen looked at it and smiled. ¡°Thanks, Carol.¡± The mug had the name of some medical association printed on it. Expressionlessly, she asked, ¡± Did you and Sean have a fight?¡± At the mention of that, Gwen didn¡¯t need a hangover cure anymore. She immediately became alert. ¡°No, definitely not.¡± Caroline stared at Gwen silently. That mug and medicine had to be Sean¡¯s. The breakfast was probably from Kirk. He¡­ must have carried her into the room¡­ If Gwen hadn¡¯t gotten into a fight with Sean, then they would probably have seen Sean around when they woke up. Besides, Gwen had gotten drunk. At that thought, Caroline couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°We¡¯re really good friends.¡± They went through thick and thin together. They even fought with their partners at the same time. Chapter 395 Chapter 395 Chapter 395 Gwen couldn¡¯t keep it a secret anymore with the way Caroline was looking at her. She could only swallow he: pills, wash them down with water, and say, ¡°I¡¯ve been suspended at work.¡± Caroline frowned ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me such an important thing?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know how to tell you.¡± Gwen sighed. ¡°Besides, I didn¡¯t want to keep bothering with all my little issues.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°But I¡¯m your best friend.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Are you going to listen or not?¡± Gwen whined. In response, Caroline could only say, ¡°Alright, tell me.¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s really simple, but I have to start from Macovo ¡­¡± After Caroline and Kirk had left Macovo, Gwen and Sean had kept looking for witnesses. But after going through dozens of people, no one came forward. They didn¡¯t know if it was because the witnesses found the matter too troublesome or because they really didn¡¯t see anything. Seeing that their vacation was almost over, Gwen had no choice but to give up. After all, she assumed that she would just have to take the me from Mia¡¯s mother. Unexpectedly, on the third day she was back at work, Gwen had gotten a notice from the head of the HR department. The head of the HR department had called Gwen into the office and said that someone sent a comint to thepany¡¯s email, informing them that Gwen had stolen the person¡¯s boyfriend. Confused, Gwen read the entireint. Caroline asked, ¡°Who wrote thisint?¡± ¡°We still aren¡¯t sure about that, but it¡¯s obvious it was Mia.¡± The mention of Mia¡¯s name made Gwen frown in disgust. ¡°Theint basically swapped everything that happened in Macovo around.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Basically, my vacation in Macovo with Sean became her vacation with Sean. Her hounding Sean became me hounding Sean. And since we took a private flight, I have no way of proving that I had gone to Macovo with Sean.¡± Caroline frowned. ¡°But the proof of her hounding Sean can¡¯t be faked, can it?¡± At that point, Gwen recalled the ugly face of the HR department head and became furious. ¡°Don¡¯t even mention that proof. I get angry just thinking about it. The HR department head at my Gwen gritted her teeth before continuing, ¡°Besides, all the chat records had been cropped so that the profile pictures were gone, and he actually believed I sent those messages. He really astounds me.¡± ¡°Then you should have gotten me to go over there.¡± Gwen waved a hand. ¡°It would have been useless even if you were there. You don¡¯t know how good of an actress Mia is ¡­¡® ¡°She went to yourpany?¡± ¡°Yeah. Not long after I was called in by the HR department head, she caused a fuss at thepany. ¡°Do you know how she showed up there? She was in a wheelchair and bandaged up. Plus, she was screaming and crying, saying that I stole her boyfriend and made her fall. ¡°You don¡¯t know how hard she cried. If I wasn¡¯t the victim, I would have believed her.¡± ¡°And yourpany fired you because of this?¡± Gwen picked up a sandwich and took a bite. At least this way, her stomach finally stopped rumbling. ¡°Not fired, suspended. But that¡¯s not much different from being fired. But I wouldn¡¯t go back to that horrible ce even if they begged me!¡± Just thinking about her colleagues¡® suspicious nces made Gwen feelpletely awful. Furthermore, she had no way to prove her innocence. Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ ¡°Then howe you broke up with Sean?¡± Caroline asked. From start to finish, it seemed like Sean was innocent. Gwen¡¯s expression turned gloomy. After a moment, she said softly, ¡°I¡¯m tired¡± Deeply in her heart, Caroline felt the same. Gwen took off her shoes and put her feet up on the coffee table. Leaning back, she stared at the ceiling. ¡°When I watched Mia cause a ruckus that day, I¡­ I thought of my mother. ¡°Once, when I was small, my mom found out my dad was cheating. She took me to hispany to catch him in the act. ¡°Back then, the same thing happened. Everyone poked their heads out to watch the show. Their excited expressions were the same. It¡¯s like nothing has changed in 20 odd years.¡± She added, ¡°Looking at her, I thought, what if I became that person one day?¡± Chapter 396 Chapter 396 Chapter 396 When she got to that point, Gwenughed. ¡°It was better in the past when I would dump them after I got them ¡°I didn¡¯t have to worry about the guy cheating at all. As long as we break up fast, they won¡¯t get to cheat on me.¡± Caroline smiled as she looked at Gwen, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes. Gwen was right. Love was really quite tiring. One needed to nurture love with a lot of effort so that it couldst forever. ¡°What about you?¡± Gwen asked, turning her head toward Caroline. The smile was still on Caroline¡¯s face, but now her gaze drifted. ¡°I ¡­ Do you remember I told you I was scared?¡± Gwen blinked. ¡°The husband was a murderer, but the wife only found out when the police came to their door ¡­¡± Gwen sat up. ¡°You mean ¡± Caroline shook her head as sheughed. ¡°No. It¡¯s just that myplete trust in him seems to be cracking. ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Caroline shook her head and looked at the time. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. I still have to wait¡­¡± Caroline just had to wait a little more¨Cjust two hours and a bit more. Then, the answer would be revealed. ¡°I think you can ask Quentin for help with your problem.¡± Caroline turned the topic back to Gwen¡¯s issue again. ¡°Forget it. There were no surveince cameras in Macovo. Besides, it¡¯s been so many days already, ¡°Gwen said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore if I¡¯m innocent. In any case, this way, I can rest for a while. At worst, I¡¯ll go home and inherit the family business. ¡°But just the thought that it was the old man who built the business makes me feel dirty.¡± Carcaine watched Gwen silently Without saying anything more, she walked to the door and changed into her shoes Then, she asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe to mypany?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°No, thanks I can take care of myself at home¡± Gwen pushed Caroline out the door. ¡°Hurry up and go to work. Don¡¯t worry about me. Go make money and support me in the future.¡± Hearing the words ¡°support me, Caroline¡¯s heart trembled. Kirk had seemed to say the same words before. When Caroline thought of him, her eyes dimmed. Caroline shook her head, dispelling Kirk¡¯s lingering image from her brain. Once she got the information from Marina, she would be free from this agony. Whether or not it was true, she would put an end to things. Once she left Gwen¡¯s apartment, Caroline rushed straight to thepany. Once she went inside, she saw Cheryl trying to tell her something with her eyes. ¡°Caroline, guess who came? ¡°Who?¡± Caroline asked. ¡°Mr. Sorkin!¡± Cheryl forced her excited voice down. ¡°He¡¯s in your office waiting for you right now! He said he¡¯s here to sign a contract. Caroline, is Mr. Sorkin investing in ourpany?¡± Although the Sorkin family couldn¡¯tpare with the Morrison family, it would make a great impact on Evans Group¡¯s unstable situation if they were to invest. Caroline paused in her footsteps as she looked toward the door not far away. ¡°Adrian is inside?¡± Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Cheryl was about to push the door open, but Caroline stopped her. ¡°Hold on.¡± What happened yesterday really gave Caroline a headache. ¡°I¡­ Mr. Sorkin is here to sign a contract¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, the door was opened from the inside. Caroline looked at Adri¨¢n standing before her and found herself unable to escape. She forced a smile and said, ¡°Mr Sorkin ¡­¡± ¡°Sonia Norman will be our brand ambassador. Later, you will have to get into contact with her manager and use thepany¡¯s official social media to announce the news.¡± Cheryl looked at Sonia¡¯s information and said, ¡°This actress doesn¡¯t seem to be very popr.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Caroline replied. ¡°But she has a new webseries airing soon. I¡¯ve watched it. It might only have a small budget, but the story and costumes are decent. ¡°I can¡¯t be sure that it will be a hit, but I think it will be quite popr. Sonia did especially well with her acting. She stands out in a small¨Cbudget webseries like this. She will be noticed by everyone.¡± Listening to all of Caroline¡¯s logical points, Cheryl couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Caroline, what if ¡­ just what if ¡­ this webseries fails? Then wouldn¡¯t our 800 thousand dors go to waste?¡± Chapter 397 Chapter 397 Chapter 397 Adrian frowned imperceptibly when he heard Caroline use such a formal form of address. I¡¯m here about yesterday.¡± Adrian started. ¡°Andrea said you wanted to sign with one of the female celebrities under Sorkin Group. Is that night?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Seeing that Adrian was talking about business, Caroline¡¯s tense back finally rxed. ¡°It¡¯s Sonia Norman This is the contract we¡¯ve drafted. Please have a look.¡± She continued, ¡°As for the fee, we will use a new model. There will be a basic fee for her to be our ambassador, and then 10% of the profits. Is that alright?¡± Caroline had checked Sonia¡¯s other sponsorships. Sonia was paid a million dors or more every year. With Evans Group¡¯s current situation, every cent had to be spent well. Thus, Caroline had offered a fee of 800 thousand dors and then profit sharingter on. To Sorkin Group, this amount wouldn¡¯t lose money, but it wouldn¡¯t make money either. For business people, not making money amounted to a loss. Hence, Caroline wasn¡¯t confident that she could get this contract signed. ¡°Not a problem.¡± Adrian was very decisive. ¡°We¡¯ll go with the amount you set.¡± Caroline froze for a moment. She had been prepared to bargain with Adrian. But Adrian quickly signed the contract and then looked up at Caroline. ¡°Ms. Evans?¡± Caroline came back to herself and looked at Adrian¡¯s bold signature on the page. She hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Mr. S?rkin, can I ask you something?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°This amount is unfair to you, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Indeed, it is,¡± Adrian replied honestly. After watching Caroline hesitate for a while, Adrian smiled. ¡°Before I case, Andrea already told me that I have to sign this contract, even if you don¡¯t pay anything. She said you helped her before, so this is her repaying the favor.¡± Hearing that, Caroline¡¯s heart returned to its rightful ce. Adrian also noticed the visible way Caroline rxed and could guess why. A bitter look shed in his eyes. Suddenly, he was d that he hadn¡¯t said what had been on his mindst night. Caroline had already put distance between them before he said it. If he had, she might never see him again. At that thought, Adrian pushed away the sadness he was feeling. He said, ¡°Alright. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave now. My girlfriend is still waiting for me downstairs.¡± Hearing about a girlfriend, Caroline froze for a moment before smiling. ¡°Is it that woman you had a blind date with before?¡± Adrian wasn¡¯t paying attention to what Caroline was saying at all. He was too focused on the way her eyes lit up. It was as if she had had a burden lifted from her when she heard that he had a girlfriend. It seemed that she really didn¡¯t have feelings for him. After finding this out, Adrian simply said something in answer and hurriedly escaped. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Watching Adrian leave, Cheryl said in admiration, ¡°Seeing how quickly Mr. Sorkin is leaving, he must really want to see his girlfriend fast. What a great man. Oh, I wonder when I¡¯ll get a sweet romance of my own.¡± Caroline giggled and teased, ¡°Ask Mr. Jack, and you¡¯ll know!¡± Cheryl¡¯s face immediately turned red. ¡°W¨Cwhy?¡± Caroline onlyughed, not giving an answer. Cheryl¡¯s face became redder. ¡°I¡¯m ignoring you, Caroline.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t ignore me.¡± Caroline passed the information on Sonia to Cheryl. ¡°Sonia Norman will be our brand ambassador Later, you will have to get into contact with her manager and use thepany¡¯s official social media to announce the news.¡± Cheryl looked at Sonia¡¯s information and said, ¡°This actress doesn¡¯t seem to be very popr.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Caroline replied. ¡°But she has a new webseries airing soon. I¡¯ve watched it. It might only have a small budget, but the story and costumes are decent. ¡°I can¡¯t be sure that it will be a hit, but I think it will be quite popr. Sonia did especially well with her acting. She stands out in a small¨Cbudget webseries like this. She will be noticed by everyone.¡± Listening to all of Caroline¡¯s logical points, Cheryl couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Caroline, what if ¡­ just what if ¡­ this webseries fails? Then wouldn¡¯t our 800 thousand dors go to waste?¡± Chapter 398 Chapter 398 Chapter 398 Caroline smiled. ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Sonia has a solid fanbase. Even if the webseries fails, we can still get sales through streams.¡± Cheryl immediately rxed when she heard that. ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re amazing. You really thought of everything. I¡¯ll be going then.¡± Caroline nodded. After watching Cheryl leave, she slumped onto the couch in fatigue. Even though she was at work, she needed to expend a lot of energy to concentrate on doing her job. Otherwise, her thoughts would always drift off, and she would think about how Marina¡¯s search was going. What if Kirk really had another wife? What would she do then? All these thoughts suffocated her, making it hard for her to breathe. Caroline looked up at the clock on the wall and unlocked her phone. Marina should be at work at this hour, but there was still no news from her. Clicking on their chat, Caroline hesitated before deciding to send Marina a message anyway. ¡°Have you found it?¡± After sending the message, Caroline immediately turned her phone screen off, too scared to look. Yet the screen lit back up right then. In response, Caroline looked over with one eye open and one eye closed. That was when she realized it wasn¡¯t a text from Marina at all, but a call from Charles. Caroline took a breath before answering the call. ¡°Mr. Lane.¡± ¡°Madam.¡± Charles looked up at the building before him. ¡°Mr. Morrison is worried that you might be too tired from caring for your friendst night and asked me to bring you a care package. I¡¯m just downstairs. Can Ie up?¡± Caroline pinched the bridge of her nose and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have someone go down and collect it.¡± ¡°No need. It¡¯s just a short journey, so I cane up now. Are you at thepany?¡± Caroline sat straighter. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here. You cane straight up.¡± On the other end of the line, Charles sounded relieved. ¡°Alright.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t notice Charles¡® relief. She ended the call and immediately saw a new message waiting for her in the notification bar. Caroline¡¯s heart started to race as she clicked on the message with trembling fingers. This time, it was really a message from Marina! It read, ¡°I found it. There¡¯s indeed some information on a Kirk Morrison, but I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s the person you¡¯re looking for. I¡¯ll send you the details now.¡± Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. On the screen, it showed that Marina was typing. Caroline¡¯s heart was lodged in her throat as she clutched her phone tightly. She was so anxious that her eyes didn¡¯t leave the screen for a second. Right then, a photo came through. Caroline held her breath as she zoomed in on the photograph. At first nce, she spotted Kirk¡¯s picture on the top right corner. Then, she quickly scanned through to get to the marital status field. The word ¡°married¡± was like a storm raging through her. Married! Was Kirk really married? Instantly, Caroline felt like all her energy had been drained out of her. She and Kirk had registered their marriage in Easton. Of course, Easton didn¡¯t share their database with Macldo. That meant that the Macldo government didn¡¯t know that Kirk had gotten married in Easton and wouldn¡¯t have him registered as married. Unless ¡­ He was also married in Macldo! Chapter 399 Chapter 399 Chapter 399 ¡°Madam, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The moment Charles came into the office, he noticed Caroline slumped on the couch, pale¨Cfaced. It looked like she had just been hit hard by something and was barely holding on. Caroline didn¡¯t hear what Charles said at all. She couldn¡¯t even see Charles in front of her. She N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. could only sense that there was someone¡¯s figure moving around. She felt like her soul had been sucked out of her, and she was left in a daze. Charles was at a loss for a time too. Then, he spotted Caroline¡¯s phone on the floor in his peripheral vision. He instinctively bent to pick it up while he extracted his phone to call Kirk. At that moment, Caroline pounced on him as if possessed, ripping the phone away from Charles. Charles was shocked by Caroline¡¯s behavior. After a few seconds of astonishment, he finally reacted. ¡°Madam, are you alright?¡± Caroline shouted, her eyes red, ¡°Get out!¡± At that moment, she didn¡¯t want to see anyone who had a connection to Kirk. Charles looked at Caroline¡¯s phone again. Although he hadn¡¯t had a good look, it seemed like a document about Kirk¡¯s marital status. Charles¡® expression changedpletely at that thought. Before, Charles had taken measures to make sure that the marriage was believable and to prevent Jude from suspecting Kirk. For instance, he had gotten a government worker at Macldo to change Kirk¡¯s marital status ¡­ Could this matter be what made Caroline suspicious that Kirk had two wives and caused them to fight? At that possibility, Charles started to sweat. He tried to exin, but he had be like a parrot learning to speak. All he could do was repeat the same thing. ¡°Madam, calm down first¡­¡± ¡°Leave! Get out now!¡± Caroline¡¯s emotions were in a mess. Seeing Caroline explode again, Charles thought for a moment before deciding that it was a better 1/4 +15 BONUS He hade to see Caroline to try to find out why she was fighting with Kirk. He never expected that he would find out the truth in such an idental way. After the torn Charles left, Caroline once again stumbled to the couch and copsed there. With solid proof right in front of her, her first impulse was to check the dictionary to see if the definition of the word ¡°married¡± might be different from what she knew. What a joke. How could she not believe it when the proof was right there? Feeling pained, Caroline buried her head on the couch. The roil of emotions she had been suppressing for the past few days finally burst out of control, and she started to sob. Meanwhile, Charles left the building where Evans Group was located. He felt cold despite standing under the sun. Kirk chose this exact moment to call him. Seeing Kirk¡¯s name as the caller ID, Charles felt a jolt of fear. He was afraid that he might not survive this. There was no way Kirk was going to forgive him for messing up this badly. Holding onto the idea that it was better to get it over with, Charles answered the call with determination. He said bravely before Kirk could speak, ¡°Sir, I found out why you and the madam are fighting.¡± Kirk was speechless. Charles told Kirk the whole story. ¡°I didn¡¯t make a mistake. That was definitely a document about your marital status.¡± After saying that, Charles didn¡¯t try to defend himself. He waited quietly for Kirk¡¯s verdict. After all, his mistake had caused this problem. Yet, he didn¡¯t hear any response from Kirk, even after a long time. Nervously, Charles asked, ¡°Sir?¡± Charles put the phone away from his ear and looked at it. He was stunned to find out that Kirk had hung up. He stood in ce, at a loss for words. He didn¡¯t know where to go at the moment. 2/4 +15 BONUS Suddenly, a figure moved past him. When he focused on the person, he realized that it was Caroline. She had hailed a cab, which quickly sped off. After being stunned for a few seconds, Charles finally fished out his phone in a panic to call Kirk. The call was quickly picked up. ¡°Sire, the madam just got into a cab Before Charles could finish speaking, he heard a sharp noise from the other end of the line. It sounded like the squealing of tires. Then, the call was cut off. Charles was at a loss for words. After getting into the cab, Caroline sped to the vi. She didn¡¯t know what she was thinking. All she knew was that she wanted to move out of that ce, which was full of past memories. That vi stood like a gigantic monument that reminded her of how foolish she had been and how Kirk had tricked her so easily. The cab soon arrived at the vi. As soon as Caroline got out of the car, she flew into the building and went to the second floor. She shoved everything she owned into her luggage. It felt like this was the only thing she could do to dispel the sound ofughter echoing in her head. She was lost in a huge wave of pain and didn¡¯t notice the re of a car horn from downstairs. As Kirk pushed the door open downstairs, he could tell that Caroline hade back to the vi. Without thinking, he rushed up to the second floor. When he saw Caroline packing her clothes, fear overwhelmed him. He tookrge strides toward her and held her from behind. Kirk¡¯s familiar scent made Caroline¡¯s heart jolt. When she noticed Kirk behind her, Caroline struggled with all her might to escape his arms. But Kirk was too strong. His arms were like metal shackles, locking her in. She was so angry that she hit him and punched him, but he didn¡¯t even make a noise. 3/4 +15 BONUS After some time, Caroline got tired of venting her frustrations. She put her hands down and let Kirk hold her, seeming like a lifeless shell. Her tears fell one by one,nding on Kirk¡¯s arm. They were hot enough to burn, nearly scalding Kirk. Stiil, Kirk refused to let go. He knew all too well what the consequences of letting go would be. ¡°Darling, don¡¯t leave me, please?¡± Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­ His low plea plucked at Caroline¡¯s heartstrings. Perhaps in the past, Caroline¡¯s heart might have softened. But after seeing that document, her heart had turned to stone. ¡°Let go of me! Let me go! I don¡¯t want this to turn ugly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that¡­¡± Kirk turned Caroline to face him, the redness of his eyes spreading. ¡°Even the court wouldn¡¯t sentence me to death without hearing my testimony!¡± Caroline sniffed and raised her head. She shot him a pained smile. ¡°Alright then, speak. Tell me why you have another wife in Macldo!¡± By the time she finished her sentence, Caroline was yelling. She didn¡¯t want to be like this. She hated being like this. But she just couldn¡¯t control herself. Looking into Caroline¡¯s reddened eyes, Kirk felt like his heart was being carved out of his chest. Countless excuses floated around in his mind, but he couldn¡¯t say a thing right then. Suddenly, he didn¡¯t want to lie to her anymore. ¡°Tell me, then. Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Caroline pulled her hand back. ¡®If you don¡¯t speak, then I will. Because it¡¯s the truth. You have a wife abroad, and you have onehere ¡­¡± No, darling, the truth is ¡­¡± Kirk¡¯s brows furrowed tightly. The truth is¡­ I¡¯m Eddy¡¯s¡­¡± Chapter 400 Chapter 400 Chapter 400 ¡°What?¡± Caroline took a step back and interrupted Kirk. ¡°Enough. If you¡¯re still hesitating at this point, I doubt you¡¯re going to tell the truth ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll give you time to think about it. Once youe up with a lie, you cane and see me again.¡± After saying that, Caroline picked up her luggage and strode downstairs. Kirk caught up to her when she reached the doorway. ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll drop you off.¡± Kirk gripped Caroline¡¯s wrist as he begged sincerely. The words to reject him stuck in Caroline¡¯s throat. They wouldn¡¯te out, no matter how hard she tried. She squeezed her eyes shut. Seeing that Caroline wasn¡¯t rejecting him, Kirk let her go and put her luggage in the trunk. In the car, Caroline didn¡¯t say anything more than ¡°Take me home¡°. She didn¡¯t want to speak to Kirk, and she didn¡¯t have the energy to talk anyway. Kirk wanted to say something more, but Caroline had already mmed the door closed on him. He could only stand there without saying a word. After Cheryl got into contact with Sonia¡¯s manager, the manager used Sonia¡¯s social media to announce the coboration. Cheryl also shared the post, and it was considered an official announcement. Since Sonia wasn¡¯t a very famous, celebrity, Cheryl didn¡¯t expect there to be a huge reaction to the announcement. But on the way home, she noticed that both Evans Group and Sonia were trending. After a while, Cheryl finally figured out what had happened. It seemed that someone had posted news that Evanson Corporation had hired Daphne Dawson as their brand ambassador. Thus, thepetition between Evans Group and Evanson Corporation had been brought up again. 1/2 +15 BONUS Someone had even published a posting asking whichpany people would support since both Evanson Corporation and Evans Group were going with a horoscope theme. Naturally, Cheryl would choose Evans Group. After voting, she realized that there were only a few votes fo: Evans Group. She guessed that those votes had probablye from Sonia¡¯s fans. Cheryl sighed. Jack heard her sigh as he drove. Heughed and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cheryl waved her phone in the air and told Jack about the vote online. After listening, Jack said, ¡°But I think Ms. Evans will win.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Cheryl was curious. In all honesty, she wasn¡¯t very confident. ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s a feeling, I guess.¡± Jack spun the steering wheel.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Before, when she was at Thorne Corporation, everyone thought Ms. Evans had no experience and wouldn¡¯t be better than that¡­ What¡¯s her name?¡± (1) ¡°Vivian Patterson.¡± ¡°Right, right.¡± Then, Jack continued, ¡°You know what happened with that.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true.¡± Cheryl looked down to see all the mocking words in thements. ¡°But these people don¡¯t have faith in us. Not even the people at thepany do, and this is their project.¡± Yet, Jack still smiled and said, ¡°I believe in Ms. Evans.¡± Hearing Jack¡¯s light tone, Cheryl smiled as well. But then her expression dimmed. She opened her mouth and tried to speak, but said nothing even after many attempts. Jack was focused on driving. So he didn¡¯t notice Cheryl¡¯s hesitation. Seeing how unbothered Jack was, Cheryl gave up. Jack said he had given up on his feelings for Caroline while at Thorne Corp, but¡­ 212 +15 BONUS Chapter 401 In the end, Cheryl didn¡¯t dare ask about it. She was afraid that Jack had only said that he had let go of his feelings because he wanted to keep staying by Caroline¡¯s side. Meanwhile, Daphne found out that Caroline had signed with Sonia while she was ying cards with Jane. The second she heard that the celebrity was a no¨Cname one, her expression went dark The two wealthydies sitting with them were friends Jane had brought to y with them. Seeing Daphne¡¯s expression change, one of them asked in concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ms. Dawson?¡± Daphne had to try very hard to keep from bursting into curses right then and there. ¡°It¡¯s about work. I have to deal with it for a moment.¡± As she said this, she strode toward the vi¡¯s entrance. Her manager chased after her. At the door, Daphne couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. ¡°What does Caroline mean by this? Is she trying to tell me that I¡¯m nothingpared to some no¨Cname celebrity?¡± Daphne¡¯s manager was sweating. She didn¡¯t really understand what was going on in Daphne¡¯s head. ¡°All I did was sign with La instead of with Caroline. Does she have to annoy me this way?¡± Her manager said, ¡°Daph, don¡¯t be angry.¡± ¡°How could I not be angry? She¡¯s getting more popr because of me. I¡¯m so mad!¡± At that thought, Daphne recalled how Kirk had given Caroline gifts, and she felt a new surge of hatred rushing up. She grabbed the documents in her manager¡¯s arms and threw them all to the ground. Jane had followed Daphne. When she saw Daphne reacting this way, she went forward and said, Daph, what¡¯s going on? Who made you so mad?¡± Hearing this, Daphne felt so aggrieved that her eyes went red. ¡°It¡¯s that Caroline, of course!¡± Jane frowned. She got mad at the mention of Caroline too. But it was just too bad that she was Sean¡¯s wife. If they made a move against Caroline, they would risk offending Sean. ¡°Did you know? Caroline isn¡¯t actually Sean Yates¡® wife. We were trickedst time!¡± ¡°1 1/2 +15 BONUS After some time, Caroline got tired of venting her frustrations She put her hands down and let Kuk hold her, seeming like a lifeless shell Her tears fell one by one,nding on Kirk¡¯s arm. They were hot enough to burn, nearly scalding. Kirk stuli, Kirk refused to let go He knew all too well what the consequences of letting go would be ¡°Darling, don¡¯t leave me, please?¡± His low plea plucked at Caroline¡¯s heartstrings. Perhaps in the past, Caroline¡¯s heart might have softened. But after seeing that document, her heart had turned to stone ¡°Let go of me! Let me go! I don¡¯t want this to turn ugly¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that.¡± Kirk turned Caroline to face him, the redness of his eyes spreading. ¡°Even the court wouldn¡¯t sentence me to death without hearing my testimony!¡± Caroline sniffed and raised her head. She shot him a pained smile. ¡°Alright then, speak. Tell me why you have another wife in Macldo!¡± By the time she finished her sentence, Caroline was yelling. She didn¡¯t want to be like this. She hated being like this. But she just couldn¡¯t control herself. Looking into Caroline¡¯s reddened eyes, Kirk felt like his heart was being carved out of his chest. Countless excuses floated around in his mind, but he couldn¡¯t say a thing right then. Suddenly, he didn¡¯t want to lie to her anymore, ¡°Tell me, then. Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Caroline pulled her hand back. ¡°If you don¡¯t speak, then I will. Because it¡¯s the truth. You have a wife abroad, and you have onehere¡­¡± ¡°No, darling, the truth is¡­¡± Kirk¡¯s brows furrowed tightly. ¡°The truth is I¡¯m Eddy¡¯s¡­¡± Chapter 401 Chapter 401 In the end, Cheryl didn¡¯t dare ask about it. She was afraid that Jack had only said that he had let go of his feelings because he wanted to keep staying by Caroline¡¯s side. Meanwhile, Daphne found out that Caroline had signed with Sonia while she was ying cards with Jane. The second she heard that the celebrity was a no¨Cname one, her expression went dark. The two wealthydies sitting with them were friends Jane had brought to y with them. Seeing Daphne¡¯s expression change, one of them asked in concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ms. Dawson?¡± Daphne had to try very hard to keep from bursting into curses right then and there. ¡°It¡¯s about work. I have to deal with it for a moment.¡± As she said this, she strode toward the vi¡¯s entrance. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Her manager chased after her. At the door, Daphne couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. ¡°What does Caroline mean by this? Is she trying to tell me that I¡¯m nothingpared to some no¨Cname celebrity?¡± Daphne¡¯s manager was sweating. She didn¡¯t really understand what was going on in Daphne¡¯s head. ¡°All I did was sign with La instead of with Caroline. Does she have to annoy me this way?¡± Her manager said, ¡°Daph, don¡¯t be angry.¡± ¡°How could I not be angry? She¡¯s getting more popr because of me. I¡¯m so mad!¡± At that thought, Daphne recalled how Kirk had given Caroline gifts, and she felt a new surge of hatred rushing up. She grabbed the documents in her manager¡¯s arms and threw them all to the ground. Jane had followed Daphne. When she saw Daphne reacting this way, she went forward and said, ¡® Daph, what¡¯s going on? Who made you so mad?¡± Hearing this, Daphne felt so aggrieved that her eyes went red. ¡°It¡¯s that Caroline, of course!¡± Jane frowned. She got mad at the mention of Caroline too. But it was just too bad that she was Sean¡¯s wife. If they made a move against Caroline, they would risk offending Sean. ¡°Did you know? Caroline isn¡¯t actually Sean Yates¡® wife. We were trickedst time!¡± ¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°W¨Cwhat did you say?¡± Jane¡¯s eyes bulged in her agitation. ¡°Caroline isn¡¯t Sean¡¯s wife?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. La told me about it. I got someone to investigate, and it seems that Sean is pursuing Caroline¡¯s friend. It was that woman we saw at the bridal boutique that day. But I also heard that they broke up.¡± Jane tugged at Daphne. ¡°Daph, you have to give me all the details for such big news!¡± Daphne didn¡¯t understand since she didn¡¯t know that Jane had a grudge against Caroline. Still, she told Jane everything she had uncovered and what La had told her. After listening, Jane scoffed. ¡°As I thought. That Caroline could never be lucky enough to marry Sean!¡± As she spoke, she turned to look at Daphne. ¡°Daph, don¡¯t you want revenge after suffering so much at Caroline¡¯s hands?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been dreaming about it. But I can¡¯t think of what to do.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a great idea.¡± Jane moved to whisper in Daphne¡¯s ear. After Daphne finished listening, her eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s not very nice, right?¡± Yet, her lips curved upward. Jane replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll send people to do it. Neither of us will be implicated in this.¡± Daphne instantly rxed when she heard this. ¡°Alright then, Mrs. Collins, I¡¯ll be waiting for the good news.¡± ¡°Great. Let¡¯s get back to our game.¡± Then, Jane and Daphne linked their arms and went back to the card table. Daphne¡¯s manager watched them leave,pletely confused. She had no clue what Jane had said to turn Daphne from a raging beast into a smiling angel. But they were both adults, so they probably wouldn¡¯t go too overboard. Thus, the manager didn¡¯t say a word and left Collins Residence immediately after. Chapter 402 Chapter 402 Chapter 402 When Caroline got back to the apartment, she stayed on the couch without moving. She didn¡¯t think of anything, nor did she do anything. She simply stared at the ceiling in a daze. But she was still in great anguish. It felt like her heart was being stabbed and cut by countless knives, over and over again. Sometimes, she hurt so badly that she could barely breathe. She even thought that the pain might torture her so much that she would die. But she didn¡¯t. She remained alive. Caroline could distinctly feel each wave of pain in every heartbeat as she breathed. Caroline hugged her knees and curled up into a ball. She tried to recall the pain from her breakup with Eddy in order to cover up the pain she felt now. But it was in vain because she had long ago forgotten the pain Eddy had brought her. When she couldn¡¯t withstand the pain in her heart, Caroline thought of drinking to get rid of the suffering. Caroline dragged her heavy body and hailed a cab to head to a bar. The bar was a den of iniquity. Everyone was trying to have fun without inhibition. Even if Caroline cried uncontrobly, no one would take notice. Caroline liked this sort of ce. She ordered a dozen bottles of beer and took a seat in a booth, slowly drinking ss by ss. However, she didn¡¯t notice that two pairs of eyes were staring at her. By the time she got to the sixth ss, Caroline was already feeling dizzy. Her feet were nted on the ground, but she didn¡¯t feel it. Furthermore, the pain had miraculously moved from her heart to her temples. Caroline propped her chin up and stared at the colorful lights on the ceiling. Slowly, the lights blurred and became lines that rearranged into Kirk¡¯s face. In an instant, Caroline was alert. She got a shock and ducked her head. But when she looked down, she saw Kirk¡¯s face again. She frantically looked elsewhere. 1/2 +15 BONUS Yet, no matter where she looked, she could still clearly see Kirk¡¯s face. Kirk was like a shape¨Cshifting monster that haunted her every step. The suffocating feeling rushed into her heart. Right then, a waiter came over with a ss of beer. ¡°Miss, your beer.¡± Caroline looked up at the waiter and was horrified to find that even the waiter¡¯s face had transformed into Kirk¡¯s. Without thinking, Caroline picked up the beer and finished it. The waiter got a fright from Caroline¡¯s behavior. He asked in concern, ¡°Miss, are you alright?¡± Caroline slumped her head down in pain, not hearing what the waiter said. At a bar, countless people drowned their sorrows in drink, so the waiter didn¡¯t think more of it. He took his tray and went off. Not long after the water walked away, Caroline slowly raised her head. She tentatively opened her eyes, only to see Kirk everywhere again. He was at the table, on the couch, in the beer ss ¡­ Everywhere. Caroline rubbed her temples, feeling pained. How in the world was she going to forget about him? Caroline let out a heavy breath. Suddenly, her body temperature began to rise. When Caroline finally came back to herself, her forehead was covered in sweat. She felt like she was in a sauna. Feeling ufortable, Caroline stood up from the booth. Just as she stood up, two men walked before her.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re drunk,¡± one of the men said with a leer. Caroline looked up. Once again, she saw Kirk in the man¡¯s features. Chapter 403 Chapter 403 Chapter 403 Caroline was somewhat furious. She raised a hand and pped the man. ¡°Get out! Get the fuck out! I never want to see you again!¡± The man who got hit froze. He looked at the man beside him in shock. His friend was stunned as well. He said, ¡°Ignore her. Let¡¯s just take her away.¡± After he said this, the two men went forward to grab Caroline. The bar was packed and noisy, so no one noticed what was going on in this corner. Once the men got Caroline out of the bar, a car drove over. The two men rapidly shoved Caroline into the car and sped off. Right then, in an Audi not far away, Sean suddenly straightened in his seat. ¡°Was that person just now Caroline?¡± Kirk was already starting the car, his expression cold. He must have seen it too. In the other car, the two men were about to make a move on Caroline. ¡°Ah, what a beautiful woman! I was expecting she would be another ugly duckling. Ouch! She¡¯s a fierce one. She pinched me!¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Caroline had no clue that she was in deep danger at the moment. She was still mad that she saw Kirk everywhere. Thus, she made her own move directly, pinching the two men to vent the pain in her heart. ¡°Asshole! You bastard! I¡¯ll pinch you to death! Why did you lie to me? Why? Why?¡± The sound of fistsnding reverberated in the car. The two men, who had thought that they had gotten lucky, suddenly found themselves in trouble. ¡°Why is this woman so strong? Ouch! My chest ¡°Fuck, what a fighter! Fuck me!¡± From the front seat, the driver saw that the people in the back were already tangled together. Impatiently, he asked, ¡°Hey, are you two that thirsty?¡± ¡°Jonesy, are you making fun of us?¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a taste of this? Hey, by the way. Did you put an aphrodisiac in her drink or a steroid? Ouch! Ah, my arm!¡± It was a huge mess in the car. When the driver turned back to look in the back seat, a car suddenly shot out and overtook them. The driver was so shocked that he frantically mmed the brakes. Even so, he nearly rammed into the other car. ¡°Jonesy¡­¡± The two men, who had been beaten and bruised by Caroline, tried to stop the driver from leaving the car, but they were toote. The driver pushed the door open and started cursing out the owner of the other car. ¡°Do you have a *** death wish? Do you have shit for brains, you *** moron?¡± As he cursed, the door of the other car opened. Arge figure appeared before him. The other man¡¯s frigid expression shocked the driver so much that he forgot to keep cursing. Kirk walked straight past the driver and walked to the car, pulling the door open violently. The situation inside the car stunned him. The two men had been scratched all over. When they tried to get one up on Caroline, she kicked and punched them¨Cquite viciously at that too. 1 When Sean caught up, he witnessed the same scene. He smiled and said, ¡°Why do I feel like we¡¯re not here to save Caroline, but to save these two?¡± Kirk eyed Sean before coldly shoving the two men aside to scoop Caroline into his arms. Caroline¡¯s face was bright red as she stared at Kirk in a daze. She mumbled, ¡°Herees another Kirk¡­ I¡¯ll hit him too¡­¡± Caroline¡¯s fistnded on Kirk¡¯s chest, making a thumping noise. Kirk reacted like he didn¡¯t even feel it. He kissed the corner of Caroline¡¯s mouth and took her into the Audi. When he came back out of the car, the gentleness on his face was gone. Now, it was cold like a demon¡¯s. ¡°Let¡¯s teach these gentlemen a lesson!¡± These few words shocked the three thugs so much that their faces went white. They didn¡¯t know what was going to happen next, but they knew it wasn¡¯t going to be anything good. 2/2 +15 BONUS After saying that, Kirk got up and went to the bathroom. He turned on the tap. As the water tickled, he sent Charles a text, asking him to bring a cure. Soon, Charles arrived with the cure. Seeing Kirk¡¯s dark expression, Charles didn¡¯t date ask anything. He left quickly after giving Kirk the medication Charles wasn¡¯t stupid. Kirk was a ticking time bomb now, so he couldn¡¯t set him off. It was better that he escaped as far as possible. Kirk took the pills and fed them to Caroline. Soon, Caroline was fast asleep, and the redness disappeared from her skin. Kirk touched Caroline¡¯s forehead. Once he was sure that she didn¡¯t have a fever, he carried her into the bedroom After that, Kirk opened the door to the bathroom and stepped into the bathtub. The freezing water helped a lot to extinguish the desire within him. He closed his eyes, his eyebrowsing together in a tight furrow. The medication wasn¡¯t effective on him, but it worked fast in Caroline¡¯s body. But that was a good thing. This way, Caroline could have a good sleep. After more than two hours, Kirk finally stepped out of the bathtub. He put on his clothes and gave Caroline a kiss on the forehead. After that, he got up to leave. When he got downstairs, Kirk called Sean. ¡°Where are you now?¡± Sean looked at the three men being pressed into the pool by some subordinates andughed. ¡°I¡¯m settling the loose ends, of course!¡± Kirk¡¯s eyes turned frosty. ¡°I¡¯ll head over right now!¡± After Sean sent the address to Kirk, he got up and said, ¡°Haul them up.¡± When the three men heard this, they thought they were finally going to escape the torture. But then, Sean said leisurely, ¡°Let Mr. Morrison have his fun with them once he gets here.¡± The three men nearly fainted. They cried and begged, ¡°Sir, please let us go. We didn¡¯t do anything to that woman. You saw it! She hit us!¡± Sean was unmoved. He looked straight at the three men. ¡°You have nothing to me but your bad luck. You upset a man who¡¯s just been broken up with.¡± The three of them didn¡¯t understand what Sean meant, but he didn¡¯t bother to exin. Ever since Gwen had broken up with him, he had been in the same boat as Kirk. Thus, he could easily guess the oue of these three poor souls. Thinking of lost love, Sean¡¯s eyes turned dim. His schrly features suddenly revealed a smile. ¡± Teach them a lesson before Kirk gets here.¡± This would allow him to vent the dejection he felt in his heart. Chapter 405 Chapter 405 Chapter 405 The three poor souls were once again thrown into the pool. They swallowed water, then got pulled up again. This repeated over and over again. Until Kirk finally got there. Once Kirk arrived, the three men felt the threat of death looming above them. For a moment, they didn¡¯t want to be pulled out of the water again. They even wanted to pass away right there in the pool. But things didn¡¯t always happen the way they wanted them to. The three were mercilessly pulled out of the water and dumped in a heap before Kirk. Meanwhile, Kirk yed with the knife in his hand, not even looking at the three men. But the men were terrified by this and started frantically begging for their lives. ¡°Sir, we were blind to offending you. Please let us go. We¡¯ll never do it again!¡± The three men groveled and begged to show their sincerity. Kirk caressed the de and said coldly, ¡°Who sent you?¡± The three started denying it immediately. ¡°No, we only targeted her because we thought she was pretty. We also¡­ also did the same in the bar¡­ Grabbed some pretty girls¡­ But we really didn¡¯t know she-¡± Kirk put the knife away and suddenly cut them off. ¡°Alright, then tell me which eye saw her first.¡± The three blinked. Kirk had already thrown the knife in front of the three men. ¡°Gouge the eye out, and I¡¯ll let you guys go.¡± The three men were so shocked that their faces turned white. They continued to grovel and beg in a panic. Kirk calmly stood up and said, ¡°Sean, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡± Sean replied, ¡°Alright.¡± As Kirk walked out of the pool area, his displeasure hadn¡¯t lessened at all. Sean followed Kirk out swiftly after. He passed Kirk a cigar and teased, ¡°Done so soon? Kirk, I think your prowess isn¡¯t what it used to be.¡± Kirk ignored Sean and lit the cigar. He took a deep breath and exhaled. The white smoke hid the annoyance in his eyes. ¡°How do you n on exining your marriage overseas to Caroline?¡± Sean exhaled a cloud of smoke as well. Kirk looked up into the sky. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you be honest with her? Once you tell her the truth, there won¡¯t be any more of these troubles.¡± Kirk smiled mockingly. ¡°Do you know why Caroline was so angry?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because she thinks you have another wife overseas? Because she thinks you¡¯re a bigamist? ¡°If only it were that simple,¡± Kirk said. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time she¡¯s asked if I would lie to her. Thus, the main thing about this is that I lied to her.¡± Sean inhaled a breath and scoffed. ¡°So if you tell her now that you¡¯re Kirk Morrison, that the celebrity isn¡¯t actually your wife, and that you¡¯re only doing this to trick Mr. Morrison Senior, she¡¯ll only be more mad at you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sean didn¡¯t say anything more. The two smoked in silence for a while. Seeing that his cigar was about toe to an end, Sean suddenlyughed. ¡°Women are really interesting. Caroline is most afraid of being lied to, but Gwen seems to be most afraid of beingfortable.¡± Sean¡¯s heart tugged at the mention of Gwen. ¡°In her world, dating should be happy and not involve any kind of fuss. If there¡¯s any trouble, she would rather not date.¡± Kirk put out his cigar. ¡°Caroline was tricked by Eddy before. That¡¯s why she minds it so much.¡± At the mention of Eddy, Kirk¡¯s eyes dimmed. If Eddy hadn¡¯t been his nephew, he might have died a few times already. Sean also put his smoke out. ¡°I can understand why Gwen¡¯s like this too. After all, her parents¡­ Oh, how are we getting out of this impasse?¡± Right then, a pained cry rang out from behind them. It was probably someone losing their eye. Sean and Kirk didn¡¯t look back. Instead, they looked quietly into the distance. They were people who wouldn¡¯t be troubled by anything. Yet, when it came to matters of the heart, they were being given a run for their money. When Caroline woke up the next day, she looked at the clothes still on her body and heaved a sigh of relief. Right then, a low voice rang out. ¡°Awake?¡± Caroline got a shock. She turned to look at Kirk standing by the door, like he was a ghost. ¡°Y¨Cy¨Cy -you ¡­ How ¡­¡± ¡°Here¡¯s some hangover cure.¡± Kirk brought some pills and ced them on the bedside table. He didn¡¯t linger, going straight back to the door. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to see me right now, but you shouldn¡¯t punish yourself because of my mistake.¡± After saying that, Kirk went out and closed the door softly. Caroline was stunned. She turned her head to look at the pills on the table as memories ofst night slowly came to mind. Last night, Kirk seemed to have brought her home. And then, they had even ¡­ Thinking of the ache all over her body, Caroline¡¯s expression changed. She rushed out of the bedroom and said, ¡°Kirk,st night, did we ¡­?¡± Kirk was currently cooking When he heard Caroline¡¯s words, he turned to face her and asked, ¡± What?¡± Caroline¡¯s face turned red ¡°I mean that!¡± Kirk was thoroughly confused. He put down the spat and asked, ¡°What?¡± Caroline thought he was doing this on purpose in the past, she would have called this forey, but now she only thought that Kirk was being too mean. So mean that she couldn¡¯t help but shove him ¡°Get out, get out! Just get out of here!¡± As Caroline pushed him along, Kirk said, ¡°Caroline¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call my name!¡± Caroline protested, pushing Kirk right out of the door. Helpless, Kirk knocked on the door. He said, ¡°Darling, the stove is still on. You have to remember to turn it off!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to bother!¡± Caroline shouted at Kirk in anger. After shouting, she wiped the tears off her face, feeling aggrieved. What right did Kirk have to act like a gentleman here when he was a bigamist? Despite what she said, Caroline still went in and turned off the stove when she passed by the kitchen. Although Kirk had done wrong, he had a point with what he said. Why should Caroline punish herself when he was the one who messed up? Caroline should live her life, eating what she wanted and doing what she wanted. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Thinking of that, she first went to the bedroom and took the hangover pills. Then, she scooped the food in the pan onto a te. To stop herself from overthinking, she purposely turned on the TV and looked around for a si to watch. Right then, Caroline suddenly noticed the medication on the table. She picked it up in confusion, only to find that the medication was a cure for aphrodisiacs. Did that mean nothing had happened between her and Kirkst night? Then why did she feel so¡­. More memories flooded her mind. Being in the car. The three men. Kirk¡­ Caroline¡¯s eyes abruptly widened, her hand trembling as it held the box of medication Kirk actually hadn¡¯t touched her? Caroline shoved aside the strange disappointment she felt and opened the door. But Kirk was no longer outside. Chapter 406 Chapter 406 Chapter 406 Caroline stayed up until the afternoon before driving to the bar. The bar had just opened, so only a few workers were bustling about. The bar workers were in a dilemma when Caroline demanded to seest night¡¯s surveince footage Caroline raised an eyebrow. ¡°Some strange men took me away yesterday, and I was almost assaulted. If I call the police about this, it¡¯ll affect your bar¡¯s reputation, won¡¯t it?¡± The bar worker said shakily, ¡°I¨CI¡¯ll let my manager know about your situation.¡± A few minutester, the worker returned with a man. The man smiled. ¡°Hello, Miss. I¡¯m this bar¡¯s manager. You want to see the surveince footage, right? Pleasee with me!¡± The manager led Caroline to the surveince room. ¡°Which time do you want to check out?¡± Caroline told him the time. The workers in the surveince room immediately pulled out the surveince footage of the time she mentioned. Caroline quickly noticed the two men on the video. She took screenshots of their faces and sent them to Quentin. She texted, ¡°Quentin, please help me find these two people.¡± Quentin was drinking with Adrian at the moment. When he saw Caroline¡¯s text, he instantly smiled and showed Adrian the message. ¡°I told you that you should¡¯ve joined our line of work, but you didn¡¯t believe me. Otherwise, Caroline would be asking for your help instead of mine.¡± Catching a glimpse of Caroline¡¯s name on the screen, Adrian snatched Quentin¡¯s phone. ¡°Hey,e on. Don¡¯t go grabbing my phone. No one can take it away¡­¡± As Quentin spoke, he suddenly had an idea. ¡°Adrian, you have some prior experience in investigations. If your dad hadn¡¯t deemed it a frivolous job, we would have formed the best detective agency. So why don¡¯t I let you handle this job for Caroline?¡± Adrian didn¡¯t utter a single word. His eyes were fixed on Caroline¡¯s name on the screen. 1/3 Quentin asked helplessly, ¡°Are you taking the job or not?¡± Adrian looked at the screen for a while longer, then muttered, ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± +15 BONUS Quentin smiled. ¡°See? Your friend knows you best. I¡¯m telling you¨Cif you confess to Caroline right off the bat, you¡¯ll only scare her off. First, you have to take care of her and let her feel your affections¡­¡± Quentin was educating him about his love life, but Adrian had already stood up and left. He hurriedly caught up with him and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to investigate these two men.¡± Adrian was refreshed. If the smell of alcohol hadn¡¯t been lingering on his body, Quentin would have suspected that he had drunk fake wine. Caroline quickly received a reply. But strangely, the person who replied to her wasn¡¯t Quentin but Adrian. ¡°I¡¯ve already done thorough investigations on these two men. Where are you now? I¡¯ll send their information over to you.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Caroline replied, ¡°You don¡¯t need to go through such trouble. Just send me the digital copies.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t made digital copies.¡± Caroline had no choice but to reply, ¡°I¡¯m at home now.¡± Adrian quickly replied, ¡°Is it the one fromst time?¡± Caroline pondered for a moment, then remembered when Sarah had used her of being an unfaithful daughter. As a result, people had thrown trash in front of her home. When she hade back to handle the problem, she had bumped into Adrian. She was surprised that he still remembered this ce after so long. Caroline replied in assent, then waited for someone to arrive with the documents. Adrian took more than an hour to arrive, and there was even sweat on his face. It was clear he was in a hurry. Caroline was a little confused. ¡°Why did you bring them here in person?¡± Logically speaking, shouldn¡¯t his subordinates deliver the documents for him? ¡°Since this is so important, I could only rest assured if I brought them to you myself.¡± Adrian said half¨Cjokingly, ¡°Well? Aren¡¯t you going to invite me in?¡± Since Caroline had learned that Adrian already had a girlfriend, she had already forgotten what had happened that day. When she thought of it asionally, she even felt like she had been overthinking things. Chapter 407 Chapter 407 Chapter 407 Caroline was even secretly d she hadn¡¯t said no in the first ce. Otherwise, she would have N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Of course. Pleasee in.¡± She made way for Adrian and poured him a ss of water before opening the files. While Caroline looked through the documents, Adrian took the chance to look around Caroline¡¯s home. It didn¡¯t look big, but the furnishings were in perfect order, forming a warm and simple atmosphere. What made Adrian the happiest was the fact that there weren¡¯t any traces of a man in her home. ¡°These two went missing?¡± Caroline spoke up, pulling Adrian away from his thoughts. Adrian said thoughtfully, ¡°Yes. After they entered the barst night, they never came back out.¡± Then, he asked curiously, ¡°By the way, why do you want to investigate them all of a sudden?¡± Adrian looked at the two men¡¯s information and noticed they also had an aplice. All three of them had bad records. They often had S** with women they had taken from bars. They would then take nude photos of the women to threaten them not to call the police. Caroline pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°Did you find any surveince footage of them leaving the bar?¡± ¡°No.¡± Adrian shook his head. Caroline frowned in confusion. That wasn¡¯t right. She clearly remembered those men taking her into the car yesterday. Did she remember it wrong? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Adrian asked with concern. Caroline returned to her senses. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Since they¡¯re missing, I¡¯ll just leave things at that.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t told me why you were investigating them,¡± Adrian said gently, wanting to use this issue as a basis for understanding Caroline. 1/3 +15 BONUS From the looks of it, Adrian really didn¡¯t know that these two men had taken her sway Caroline frowned ¡°I encountered them when i was drinkingst night.¡± ¡°Are you¡± Adrian became so nervous that his face turned pale Caroline interrupted, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I got home safely.¡± Adrian let out a sigh of relief, then frowned ¡°Did you go drinking alone? It¡¯s too dangerous. If you want to go drinking, remember to call a friend.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°Okay¡± Seeing her smile, Adrian said sternly, ¡°I¡¯m being serious!¡± Caroline also realized how nervous Adrian was. She attributed it to his concern about her as a friend and didn¡¯t think much of it. ¡°Okay, I promise.¡± But after what happened, Caroline didn¡¯t want to go drinking anymore. Kirk was right. She didn¡¯t have to At the thought of Kirk, Caroline frowned in disgust and massaged her temples. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Adrian tried to look calm but couldn¡¯t help feeling concerned Although he told himself repeatedly not to be too obvious about his feelings, he couldn¡¯t help noticing her every move. Caroline said, ¡°Maybe I didn¡¯t get enough restst night.¡± ¡°Then, you should take a nap.¡± Adrian said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to y host. I¡¯ll leave in a moment.¡± Caroline felt very uneasy. ¡°It¡¯s rare for you toe here, and you even brought me the documents- Adrian cut her off. ¡°Caroline, we¡¯re friends. Aren¡¯t we?¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°Since we¡¯re friends, you don¡¯t have to be so courteous. Otherwise, I¡¯ll think you don¡¯t regard me as a friend.¡± Since Adrian had already insisted, Caroline didn¡¯t say anything else. She entered the bedroom after leaving him to his devices. Adrian bitterly smiled when he heard the door click shut. Caroline was really at ease around him She hadn¡¯t even locked the door behind her. Chapter 408 Chapter 408 Chapter 408 Adrian didn¡¯t want to leave at all. This was a rare opportunity for him to be in the same house as Caroline Quentin gave Adrian a video call after discovering he was at Caroline¡¯s home. He teased, ¡°Not bad, my friend¡® You managed to stay over at her ce so soon.¡± ¡°Keep your voice down!¡± Adrian nervously nced at the door of Caroline¡¯s room. After making sure there were no noises, he red at Quentin on the screen. ¡°If you mess this up, I won¡¯t have mercy on you.¡± Quentin said disdainfully, ¡°Looking at you like this, you¡¯ll definitely be a henpecked husband after you get married.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind at all. It¡¯s none of your business,¡± Adrian retorted. ¡°You¡¯re a constant ray of sunshine, aren¡¯t you? Remember. She isn¡¯t divorced yet. Adrian was about to speak up when he heard the sound of the doorknob turning from the outside. ¡°Someone is here. I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡± Adrian hung up the phone and walked to the door. He opened it, bumping into Kirk, who was about to open the door. The two men looked at each other, their gazes filled with hostility. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Kirk opened the door and walked into the living room. He looked around, but he didn¡¯t see Caroline. Then, he calmed down. ¡°Caroline invited me up here.¡± Adrian¡¯s gaze was fixed on Kirk. He always felt like he had seen Kirk somewhere, but he just couldn¡¯t remember. ¡°She invited you?¡± Kirk looked at Adrian with a hint of ridicule in his eyes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I know about this?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you both fighting?¡± Adrian stood tall. ¡°It¡¯s normal for you not to know.¡± Kirk narrowed his eyes and grabbed Adrian¡¯s cor. ¡°It¡¯s normal for married couples to quarrel.¡± He emphasized the word ¡°married¡°. 1/3 +15 BONUS Kirk¡¯s intimidation shocked Adrian. But when he thought of Caroline, he looked back at Kirk and mocked, ¡°You¡¯re right, but it¡¯s also normal for married couples to eventually divorce after a big fight, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kirk squeezed Adrian¡¯s cor and suddenly let go of him. As a result, Adrian¡¯s body hit the shoe cab ¡°Caroline and I won¡¯t get divorced,¡± Kirk dered. He ced the takeout box on the dining table, acting like the man of the house. ¡°Since you¡¯re Caroline¡¯s guest, you can make yourselffortable.¡± Kirk¡¯s words smothered Adrian¡¯s tion. He clenched his fist, stood up, and sat silently on the couch. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Kirk put away the takeout boxes and sat on the couch as well. He asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Caroline?¡± ¡°Asleep in her room.¡± After that, neither of them spoke again until Caroline woke up. She came out to find the two of them sitting like statues in the living room. Seeing Caroline awake, the two men put away their hostility towards each other and walked to her. ¡°Darling, are you hungry?¡± Kirk asked. Caroline was upset. She really didn¡¯t want to see Kirk as soon as she woke up. However, she couldn¡¯t cause a scene with an outsider here, so she had no choice but to nod. Then, she approached Adrian and asked, ¡°Why are you still here, Adrian?¡± ¡°I ran into your husband just as I was about to leave.¡± Adrian looked at Kirk mockingly. Then, he said, ¡°He insisted on me staying, so I did.¡± Kirk was silent. ¡°I see. You must be hungry. Why don¡¯t you stay and eat with us?¡± Adrian looked over at Kirk again, acting pitiful. ¡°Will your husband be upset if I stay for food?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t even look at Kirk as she answered, ¡°He won¡¯t.¡± Adrian asked Kirk with a bright smile, ¡°Really?¡± Kirk was pissed, but he couldn¡¯t get upset with Catoline here, so he could only nod with a forced smile. He knew Caroline had a bad appetite, so he had bought her some beef stew. After the three of them sat down at the dining table, Adrian helped Caroline serve the stew before Kirk could. ¡°Go ahead and try the stew, Caroline. Is it too hot? I can cool it down for you if you want. Caroline¡¯s attention was focused on Kirk, so she didn¡¯t notice anything wrong with Adrian. But for some reason, she said ¡°okay¡± to Adrian¡¯s offer. Chapter 409 Chapter 409 Chapter 409 As soon as Caroline spoke, she nced at Kirk, whose expression had turned frosty. However, she didn¡¯t feel scared at all. Instead, she felt a sense of retribution. But that feeling left as soon as it came, and she soon realized that the atmosphere was off. She looked at Adrian awkwardly. Adrian was still looking at her, stunned. He probably hadn¡¯t expected her to say yes. The scariest thing was the sudden silence in the room. Caroline¡¯s cheeks were slightly warm as she lowered her head to drink the beef stew. The atmosphere between the three of them became more and more tense. After finishing their meal, Caroline put down her spoon and found an excuse to return to her room. Adrian had no desire to stick around any longer, so he got up and walked toward the door. Just as he turned the doorknob, he heard Kirk¡¯s deep voice behind him. ¡°You¡¯re a Sorkin, right?¡± Adrian looked back at Kirk in confusion. However, Kirk had already turned around and walked to the kitchen after packing the dishes. Everything had happened so fast that Adrian thought it was just an illusion. Kirk threw the takeout boxes into the trash. When he came out of the kitchen, Adrian had already left. He took a breath and headed to Caroline¡¯s room. At the door, he said, ¡°I¡¯m leaving, darling.¡± He didn¡¯t get a response. Kirk was silent for a moment, then turned and left. After leaving Caroline¡¯s home, he took out his phone and called Charles. ¡°Find a way to get the Sorkins¡® second son out of the country.¡® When Caroline woke up the next day, the embarrassing moment from yesterday¡¯s meal still yed in her mind. she crawled out of bed dejectedly. She needed to find something to upy herself with so her 1/3 +15 BONUS But what could she do? Caroline held her chin in thought. Thepany was still waiting for the first batch of products to bepleted and for Sonia¡¯s webseries to be released. So she wasn¡¯t busy with anything at the moment. Caroline¡¯s mind was running at full speed, and soon she thought of something. Gwen still hadn¡¯t found a witness to prove her innocence, right? It was good that she was free during this time. She could leave the country to avoid Kirk. Thinking of this, she immediately called Gwen and proposed she go back to Macovo. Gwen asked, ¡°Are you going there alone, Carol?¡± Caroline replied, ¡°I mean, I have nothing else to do anyway!¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t nice.¡± Gwen said anxiously on the other end of the phone, ¡°This obviously concerns me, but you won¡¯t even take me with you!¡± Caroline smiled at her words. She said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll get horrific shbacks of what happened.¡± ¡°No way. Let¡¯s make this a bonding trip and have fun together!¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll buy the tickets.¡± The two took action as soon as possible and set off to Macovo on the third day. Caroline and Gwen took a cab to the airport to prevent Kirk from finding out about their trip. On the way to the airport, Gwen looked back at the trunk several times. She asked, ¡°Carol, why did you bring so much luggage?¡± There were threerge suitcases and two smaller ones. The cab driver had even asked them if they were immigrating. Caroline smiled mysteriously. ¡°You¡¯ll know when the timees.¡± More than an hourter, they arrived at the airport. The cab driver helped carry the suitcases outN?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. of the car and asked, ¡°Do you need me to help you check those suitcases in?¡±I¡¯ll help out thesedies¡± Chapter 410 Chapter 410 Chapter 410 Caroline and Gwen raised their heads at the voice, looking at the neer. Seeing inat it was Adrian, Caroline was surprised. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going on a business trip,¡± Adrian exined. He took the suitcases from Caroline¡¯s hands. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll help you check these in.¡± Caroline and Gwen followed Adrian, each holding one suitcase. Gwen looked at Adrian suspiciously and whispered, ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much of a coincidence? Is he really on a business trip?¡± Caroline said, ¡°It¡¯s a small world. Maybe he really is going on a business trip.¡± ¡°But I keep having the feeling that he likes you. Maybe he found out about your whereabouts and showed up here at the right time,¡± Gwen said. ¡°I told you, he already has a girlfriend.¡± Gwen still wanted to refute, but Adrian had already handed therge suitcases to the airport staff. Then, he turned around and took Caroline¡¯s suitcase. ¡°Where are you two going?¡± Adrian asked. ¡°Macovo,¡± Gwen answered first. ¡°What about you?¡± Adrian smiled. ¡°What a coincidence. I have a connecting flight in Macovo.¡± Gwen blinked in surprise. ¡°Is it really such a coincidence?¡± Adrian¡¯s expression remained neutral. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this either.¡± Gwen had nothing to prove that Adrian was lying. She pulled Caroline and said, ¡°Then, we wouldn¡¯t be on the same flight, right?¡± Adrian asked with a smile, ¡°Which flight are you on?¡± Gwen told him their flight schedule. 1/3 +15 BONUS Adrian¡¯s smile became even brighter when he heard Gwen¡¯s answer. ¡°This is a huge coincidence * Gwen was sent. Meanwhile, Caroline thought it made sense. After all, Macovo was a small ce with only one flight every two days. So it was normal for them to be on the same flight ¡°Let¡¯s head over to the lounge first,¡± Caroline suggested Adrian said, ¡°You two go on ahead. I still have something to handle.¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Okay.¡± The three of them parted ways Adrian waited for Caroline and Gwen to enter the boarding lounge before taking out his phone to call Andrea. ¡°Hey, Andrea. Get me a ne ticket to Macovo right now.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to Macldo?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Just get me a ne ticket to Macovo.¡± Andreazily opened the flight ticketing software on her phone. ¡°There¡¯s only one flight to Macovo today, and the tickets are sold out-¡± Adrian frowned, his face flushing slightly. ¡°Andrea, this concerns your future sister¨Cinw!¡± Andrea immediately changed her tune at his words. ¡°Give me five minutes. I¡¯ll definitely get you a ticket to Macovo by then.¡± Andrea was true to her words. Five minutester, she managed to get a ne ticket to Macovo for her brother. Looking at the ticket, Adrian said sincerely, ¡°I love you, Andrea.¡± Andrea said, ¡°Hurry up and pursue my future sister¨Cinw. Oh, by the way, who¡¯s the lucky girl? Do I know her?¡± Adrian held his head and groaned. ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten together with her yet.¡± ¡°I believe in you, bro. You¡¯ll definitely win her heart in minutes with your delicate features and figure.¡± Adrian helplessly raised his head in the face of Andrea¡¯s immense confidence in him. If the Sorkins were the cold depths of an abyss, Andrea was the sole ray of light in there. Caroline was the candle in this dark world, guiding him through his confusion and despair. Adrian¡¯s gloomy mood lightened a little at the thought of Caroline. Andrea joked around with her brother a little more before getting back on track. She asked, ¡°Why did Dad ask you to go on a business trip all of a sudden?¡± Chapter 411 Chapter 411 Chapter 411 Adrian didn¡¯t want to bring up that man. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, maybe because we haven¡¯t gotten any information about Eddy¡¯s second uncle. ¡°After all, I heard the Collinses had signed a contract with him, and now they¡¯re joining the entertainment industry together.¡± At the mention of Eddy¡¯s second uncle, Andrea said, ¡°That man is really mysterious. I guess no one except the Morrisons knows what he looks like.¡± She paused, then continued, ¡°Because his merger of various cosmetic brands was too high¨Cprofile, many people thought he was a conspicuous person. ¡°They waited for his official announcement to find out which field of work he would join this time. Unexpectedly, he did all of this under the radar.¡± If SY Group hadn¡¯t appeared in several investments, the Sorkins wouldn¡¯t have discovered that SY Group and the Collinses were cooperating so much. ¡°It was strange for Eddy¡¯s second uncle to be so conspicuous thest time. Keeping a low profile is his preference,¡± Adrian said. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Andrea agreed. ¡°That¡¯s why many people are specting about why he made suchText ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. a ssh in the news back then.¡± Adrian had already entered the boarding lounge. He looked around and quickly found Caroline. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll find out when I go to Macldo.¡± He hastened his pace, and he began talking faster. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about thister, Andrea. Oh yeah, remember to cover for me. I¡¯ll head to Macldo after I handle things in Macovo.¡± ¡°Okay, no problem!¡± Adrian had already hung up the phone when he approached Caroline. Caroline asked with a smile, ¡°Were you talking to your girlfriend?¡± Adrian¡¯s smile froze, but he still nodded, so Caroline would lower her guard around him. Gwen asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us about your girlfriend, Mr. Sorkin?¡± 1/2 Adrian¡¯s gaze drifted to Gwen with a faint smile on his face. Outsiders had a more objective view of things, so he couldn¡¯t underestimate Caroline¡¯s best friend. ¡°Sure. We met through a matchmaker.¡± Gwen asked, ¡°But an outstanding man like you doesn¡¯t need to go on blind dates, do you?¡± Adrian said in return, ¡°Matchmaking has nothing to do with how excellent you are. It just allows people to find the person who best suits them in the shortest possible time.¡± Gwen disagreed. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. Some matchmakers just want to make a quick buck. They would pair anyone as long as they¡¯re living human beings.¡± Adrian smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve never encountered that before.¡± He turned his head and asked Caroline, ¡°Have you encountered a situation like this, Carrie?¡± Caroline looked up at Adrian nkly, as if she had been called out. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What are you so lost in thought about?¡± Adrian asked with a bright smile. Caroline shook her head. She wasn¡¯t thinking of anything. She felt like her heart was anticipating something, but she didn¡¯t know what exactly she was hoping for. It wasn¡¯t until she got on the ne and instinctively looked at the security gate that she realized what she was waiting for. She was expecting Kirk to show up at the gate to see her, like those romantic scenes in a TV show. Caroline wanted tough at herself. She felt like she had been poisoned with a very, very potent drug. It was clear Kirk had deceived her, so why was she still thinking about him? Maybe she wouldn¡¯t think about him anymore after she left Easton. With her mind in a trance, Caroline gradually fell asleep. When she woke up, she was shocked to find Kirk beside her. She almost jumped to her feet in shock, but Kirk grabbed her wrist. ¡°Darling ¡­¡± Kirk looked at her affectionately. He said, ¡°I didn¡¯t marry another woman abroad. The evidence you saw was fake.¡± Chapter 412 Chapter 412 Chapter 412 Kirk¡¯s gaze was fathomless and charming. Caroline unexpectedly found herself getting lost in his beautiful eyes. By the time she returned to her senses, Kirk had already leaned forward to kiss her lips. She hurriedly raised her hand to grab him. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. If you aren¡¯t married, why would Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. the City Hall in Macldo record that you¡¯re married in your information?¡± ¡°Maybe there¡¯s an error in the system.¡± Kirk held her shoulder and looked at her earnestly. ¡°Darling, we¡¯ve been together for so long. I¡¯m sure you know what kind of person I am.¡± His words made Caroline rx her grip. He was right. After being together for so long, apart from this incident, Kirk had been the perfect husband. She looked up at Kirk. ¡°C¨Ccan I really trust you?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Kirk reassured, slowly cing Caroline¡¯s hand on his chest. The coldness in Caroline¡¯s eyes slowly dissipated when she felt Kirk¡¯s strong heartbeat with her fingertips. Just as she was about to tell him she trusted him, a woman holding a child suddenly appeared behind Kirk like a ghost. The woman mocked, ¡°Haha! I can¡¯t believe you fell for our lies! Not only are we married, but we also have a child. You poor, miserable mistress!¡± ¡°No-¡± Caroline suddenly opened her eyes. When she saw a pair of surprised eyes, she realized she had had a nightmare. She held her head and awkwardly apologized to the air stewardess, who hade over after hearing noises. The air stewardess asked softly, ¡°Do you want a ss of water?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± 1/3 Caroline and Adrian had spoken at the same time. The stewardess looked at them questioningly Adrian said, Please bring a ss of water.¡± Caroline nodded at his words. After the stewardess left, she sat up straight and took a tissue from Adrian ¡°Where¡¯s Gwen?¡± ¡°I saw her looking very sleepy, so I asked her to rest in first ss. Did you have a nightmare?¡± Caroline nodded. The stewardess brought a ss of water, and Caroline drank it in one gulp. ¡°Do you want some more water?¡± Adrian asked gently. Caroline shook her head, finally feeling more awake. ¡°I¡¯ll go and wake Gwen up.¡® Just as she was about to stand up, Adrian grabbed her wrist. The scene in her dream came rushing back to her mind, and she ripped her hand away from Adrian. Adrian felt a spark the moment he touched Caroline¡¯s skin. But when she ripped her hand away, he quickly felt despair envelop him. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. It wasn¡¯t on purpose.¡± Caroline apologized. She didn¡¯t know what to say. She couldn¡¯t exin to Adrian that she reacted so harshly because of her nightmare. Suppressing his hurt feelings, Adrian looked up again with a bright smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know you didn¡¯t mean it. Also, don¡¯t wake Gwen up. She¡¯s probably sleeping soundlessly right now. ¡°If you wake her up, she¡¯ll definitely get revenge. Besides, I¡¯m a grown man. I¡¯m not that pretentious.¡± Caroline felt much better after hearing his words. ¡°Thank you, Adrian. You¡¯re a really good person.¡± Adrian lowered his head, smiling wryly. Did Caroline just friendzone him? ¡°It¡¯s a pity no one really loves me, no matter how good I am.¡± His voice was bitter, and he sounded like a wounded cub. girlfriend must be with you because she loves you. Chapter 413 Chapter 413 Chapter 413 Adrian looked out the window sadly, looking mncholic. I would rather have my family¡¯s Caroline blinked in confusion. ¡°Does your family¡­ not treat you well?¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Adrian had tried to gain Caroline¡¯s sympathy by selling his sob story, but he was briefly stunned by her words. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m the Sorkin¡¯s illegitimate child. Why would they treat me well?¡± He looked at Caroline strangely. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that?¡± Caroline blinked, and it finally dawned on her. She had wondered why the Sorkins had introduced Adrian to the daughter of the Hackett family. After all, for them to make a smart match, they would definitely match him with thedies from the other big four families. But it turned out that Adrian was an illegitimate child. Adrian couldn¡¯t help but frown at Caroline¡¯s surprised expression. ¡°Everyone made a big fuss when I was brought home. Didn¡¯t you know?¡± It was understandable that Caroline hadn¡¯t recognized him at first. After all, they had never crossed paths again after she had gone abroad. But everyone knew he was an illegitimate child. There was no way Caroline didn¡¯t know about it. ¡°That must have happened before I was eight, right?¡± Caroline exined, ¡°I have no memory of what happened before I turned eight.¡± Adrian was silent for a moment. Then, as if he thought of something, he murmured, ¡°That exins why you were sent abroad during that time.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t hear Adrian and looked at him curiously. Adrian looked into Caroline¡¯s eyes and shook his head. ¡°Nothing.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t delve deeper into this. After arriving in Macovo, Adrian said he hadn¡¯t bought a ticket for his next flight. He used this excuse to follow Caroline and Gwen to the hotel they previously stayed in. 1/2 It was strange, ni with Caroline. Although it wasn¡¯t nned, it felt as if the universe was paying him back for his losses. Perhaps God had finally started to favor him. When the three arrived at the hotel, the manager immediately recognized them. The manager said awkwardly, ¡°Oh, this gentleman has been here too. I can¡¯t believe you know each other. Isn¡¯t that amazing?¡± Caroline and Gwen looked at Adrian. ¡°You¡¯ve been here too?¡± Embarrassed, Adrian said, ¡°I was passing by.¡± ¡°Really? Why do I have the feeling you were here looking for someone?¡± The manager wanted to keep talking, but Adrian interrupted him. ¡°Can you help us check into our room? We¡¯re all a little hungry.¡± The manager hadn¡¯t gotten the answer he wanted, but the customers had the final say. So he had no choice but to let the receptionist check them into their rooms. After checking in, several staff members helped move the luggage to Caroline and Gwen¡¯s room. Since Sean wasn¡¯t here this time, they stayed in an ordinary hotel room. Adrian stayed in the room beside them. ¡°Shall we go downstairs for some food after a while?¡± Caroline hummed in assent and started to sort out her belongings. After five minutes, Adrian knocked on the door. He asked through the door, ¡°Are you done, Caroline?¡± Caroline was about to open the door when Gwen grabbed her. ¡°Hang on, Carol.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I have something to ask you.¡® ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Are you nning to divorce Kirk?¡± Gwen¡¯s question tugged at Caroline¡¯s heartstrings, and her stomach dropped. At this moment, she realized she had never thought about this until now. Chapter 414 Chapter 414 Chapter 414 Caroline only regamed herposure after blinking desperately several times 1 Gwen was exasperated that Caroline hadn¡¯t considered this ¡°Carol, if you haven¡¯t considered i before, you can start doing so ¡°Kirk¡¯s polygamy is a sure thing, and I don¡¯t want you to destroy yourself in this rtionship A great philosopher once said that the best way to move on from a rtionship is time or another person¡± Seeing Caroline remain silent, Gwen frowned in disapproval. ¡°Or do you n to forgive him and spend your life sharing him with another woman?¡± Caroline remembered her nightmare on the ne, and her face turned pale. She shook her head. ¡°No! I don¡¯t want that!¡± This was a matter of principle. If there were a third person in this rtionship, she would rather not be a part of it. ¡°Then, are you-¡± At this time, there was another knock on the door. Adrian asked, ¡°Did something happen, Caroline? ¡°We¡¯reing!¡± Gwen responded, holding Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Carol, you don¡¯t have toe up with an answer right now. Just think this through. It¡¯s an important decision.¡± Caroline nodded nkly, ¡°Let¡¯s go have some food for now.¡± Caroline took several deep breaths, forcing the issue to the back of her mind. Then, she followed Gwen to the restaurant, However, when she saw the many couples in the restaurant, Gwen¡¯s question resurfaced in her mind. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Carol?¡± Adrian had noticed how absentminded Caroline had been all night, and he couldn¡¯t help but worry, 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Carol!¡± Gwen noticed it as well. She gently patted the back of Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Did you not get enough rest on the ne?¡± Caroline returned to her senses and saw Gwen giving her a look. Her head felt like mush. She was dizzy, and she couldn¡¯t hear anything. She could only nod her head, trusting Gwen to handle things. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take you back to our room.¡± Gwen put down the cutlery and called the staff to pack their food. Adrian didn¡¯t see the point in eating alone, so he also stood up. The three of them returned to the third floor together. At the door to their room, Gwen supported Caroline and said to Adrian with a smile, ¡°Sleep well, Mr. Sorkin.¡± Adrian looked at Caroline worriedly. ¡°Just knock on my door if you need anything.¡± Gwen nodded. She helped Caroline into the room and then gave her a ss of water. ¡°Carol, was I wrong to remind you about it?¡± She looked at Caroline, feeling very regretful. Caroline wouldn¡¯t be so troubled if she hadn¡¯t brought it up. Caroline returned to her senses and hurriedly waved her hands. ¡°No, you were right to do that. Haha, you know, it¡¯s funny how I¡¯ve never considered divorcing Kirk, even after finding out he has multiple marriages. ¡°What do you think is wrong with me? Were my limits thatx? But I was never this forgiving when I found out Eddy and La were together ¡± Gwen felt helpless looking at Caroline¡¯s hurt and confused expression. She was worried for her friend. She had only asked Caroline about divorce because of Adrian. The way he looked at Caroline was clearly anything but tonic. Gwen had never considered bringing Caroline and Adrian together, but when she saw how hurt Caroline was, she realized there was no point in her friend giving up everything for one man. That was why she asked Caroline about divorcing. However, she now really regretted doing so. ¡°Carol, is there anything I can do to make you feel better? Gwen held Caroline¡¯s hand, feeling very uneasy Caroline weakly shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I. I have to deal with the divorce eventually.¡± She closed her eyes and let out another breath. Then, as if she had made a big decision, she said, ¡± But I¡¯ll handle this after we return to Easton.¡± Although running away from a problem was disgraceful, she could at least enjoy herself in Macovo for the time being. ¡°Okay.¡± Gwen squeezed Caroline¡¯s hand, wanting to give every bit of her strength to her. Chapter 415 Chapter 415 Chapter 415 Caroline hugged Gwen¡¯s waist, nuzzling her face in her neck. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re around, The two friends talked some more before falling asleep. However, in the room right next to theirs, Adrian couldn¡¯t sleep at all. Caroline¡¯s absentminded look filled his entire mind. Although she hadn¡¯t said why she was acting this way, his intuition told him that it had something to do with her husband. Adrian got even more jealous at the thought of that man and couldn¡¯t sleep. That man had the world¡¯s greatest blessing, yet he didn¡¯t know how to appreciate her! Meanwhile, at the Collins family¡¯s home in Easton, Jane whispered, ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t find them? How can you not find three living people?¡± The butler also lowered his voice. ¡°Mrs. Collins, we¡¯ve already sent everyone we could, but we still can¡¯t find anyone. Was¡­ was there maybe an error in your information?¡± Jane couldn¡¯t resist raising her voice. ¡°No way there¡¯s an error! I went to get these three people ¡­¡± Noticing her mistake, she quickly covered her mouth and lowered her voice again. ¡°No way. It can¡¯t be wrong. I heard these men often showed up at this bar and slept with many girls. They¡¯ve always been fine, so how could they suddenly go missing?¡± Drugging Caroline had been Jane and Daphne¡¯s idea, To avoid bringing attention to themselves, they had even hired three people in the bar who had nothing to do with them and were experts in this sort of thing. They thought they had this n in the bag and that they would get Caroline¡¯s nude photos in a few days. They had never expected the three men to vanish from the face of the earth without a trace. In a moment of desperation, Jane had asked the butler to investigate the three men. She couldn¡¯t let Howard find out what she had done. Just then, the butler¡¯s phone rang. He said apologetically, ¡°Let me take this, Mrs Collins ¡± Jane waved her hand impatiently at his words. The butler answered the call. The caller said something that made the butler even gloomier He immediately hung up the phone and looked at Jane solemnly. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Jane thought it was work¨Crted and said unhappily, ¡°Just go¡­¡® ¡°Mrs. Collins¡­ They¡¯ve found the three men.¡± Jane¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Where are they? Bring them to see me immediately.¡± The butler¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that.¡± Jane frowned. ¡°What? If you can¡¯t do such a simple thing, what¡¯s the point of having you around?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± The butler exined, ¡°T¨Cthey¡¯ve been exiled to Xyridonia. I even heard that their eyes had been gouged out. I¡¯m not sure if they lost their eyes before or after they went into Xyridonia.¡± Jane¡¯s face turned pale, and she slumped back in her chair. Xyridonia was an uncivilized country filled with barbarians. If three civilized people were thrown in that lion¡¯s den, they would probably end up as a pile of bones. ¡°How did this happen?¡± she asked in shock. They had been perfectly fine, so how had they ended up in Xyridonia? The butler shook his head with lingering fear. ¡°We¡¯re not clear about the details yet. But I¡¯m guessing they may have upset someone they shouldn¡¯t have.¡± Jane let out a shaky breath. The three men had done plenty of vile things, so it probably had nothing to do with her attacking Caroline. At the thought of this, she slowed down her rapid heartbeat. It was just a pity that her brilliant n had fallen apart so soon. Chapter 417 Chapter 417 Chapter 417 They didn¡¯t know Macovian, but thankfully, trantion apps existed ¡°Oh.¡± Aftering out of the first house, Gwen was so tired that she leaned into Caroline¡¯s arms. She asked, ¡°Do you know what I¡¯m thinking about?¡± Caroline said, ¡°You wish Sean was here.¡± Gwen nuzzled herself into Caroline¡¯s arms. ¡°You read my mind, Carol.¡± At this moment, Gwen had realized the benefits of having Sean around. He could speak Macovian like Kirk, but he imed he wasn¡¯t as proficient in thenguage as Kirk. However, during theirst visit, Gwen saw that he didn¡¯t have any problemsmunicating. He was totally different from them. Although they could use trantion apps,municating was too troublesome. However, the Macovians loved the things Caroline had brought, and they were clearly more enthusiastic thanst time. They could¡¯ve talked more if it hadn¡¯t been for thenguage barrier. Unfortunately, the hostel owner was too far from the scene, so he didn¡¯t see what happened. Caroline and Gwen had no choice but to head to the next house. The testimonies of the second home¡¯s owner were simr to those of the previous one. He was also very enthusiastic, but Caroline and Gwen couldn¡¯t get any helpful information due to thenguage barrier. After visiting several homes in a row, Gwen became a little discouraged. ¡°I think with my bad luck, I won¡¯t be able to find any witnesses.¡± Yet Caroline was very optimistic. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Besides, we came to Macovo to rx. If we can find some evidence, everyone¡¯s happy. ¡°If not, just think of all this as a stroll to relieve ourselves. You can¡¯t misce your priorities.¡± Gwen pondered over her words and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right. I came here to rx because I was Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. heartbroken. I¡¯m not here to find evidence. ¡°Since it¡¯s still early, let¡¯s ask the driver to take us around to look at the scenery.¡± 1/2 ¡°Okay¡± +15 BONUS Although Macovo was a small ce, the scenery was beautiful. They felt like they were in a painting as they drove through the streets. The two women gradually forgot their worries and immersed themselves in the beauty of the things around them. However, tensions were rising in the hotel lobby at this moment. Kirk, who had just gotten off the ne and entered the hotel, unexpectedly met Adrian in the lobby. He narrowed his eyes at him like a beast whose territory had been invaded. Sean immediately noticed that something was wrong with his friend. He followed Kirk¡¯s gaze and looked at Adrian. He asked, ¡°Do you know him?¡± Kirk frowned, remaining silent. Noticing Kirk, Adrian looked down at him mockingly. ¡°What a coincidence; we meet again.¡± Adrian walked to Kirk and teased him, saying, ¡°By the way, we¡¯ve met so many times, and I still don¡¯t know what to call you.¡± ¡°Caroline¡¯s husband!¡± Kirk gritted his teeth. After discovering Caroline had arrived in Macovo, he had rushed here without stopping. He hadn¡¯t expected Adrian to be here too. When he thought of the possibility that Caroline and Adrian might be traveling together, he clenched his fists tighter. Adrian nced at Caroline, who had just walked through the door, then at the veins on Kirk¡¯s clenched fist. He smirked and said, ¡°You won¡¯t be her husband any longer. Caroline told me the first thing she¡¯ll do after returning home is divorce you.¡± Kirk could no longer hold back his anger and jealousy. Losing his rationality, he punched Adrian in the face. Chapter 418 Chapter 418 Chapter 418 When Kurk hit Adrian¡¯s face with his fist, Caroline happened to step through the hotel entrance So she clearly saw Kirk swinging his fist and Adrian falling to the ground. Furious, she ran in front of Adrian without hesitation and blocked Kirk. ¡°What the hell are you doing, Kirk?¡± Kirk calmed down immediately in the face of Caroline, who had suddenly shown up. However, when he realized she was protecting Adrian, he lost his rationality again. He clenched his fists tightly, digging his nails into his palm. ¡°Are you protecting him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my friend! Why are you hurting him?¡± Caroline red back at him. He was going too far! It was fine if he only hurt her, but now he wouldn¡¯t even let her friends off the hook! Kirk gritted his teeth and asked again, ¡°Are you protecting him?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t know what he was obsessed with, butpared to his question, she would rather have him apologize to Adrian. ¡°You hurt someone! You should apologize to my friend!¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± Kirk was about to snap. Sean also noticed that his friend was already on the verge of snapping. He hurriedly stepped forward to grab Kirk. ¡°Kirk, calm down. Caroline, he¡¯s feeling a little irritable because he hasn¡¯t rested for days. I¡¯ll apologize on his behalf. Then, I¡¯ll get him to apologize after he calms down.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No need.¡± Caroline said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see him again.¡® After that, she helped Adrian up, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Adrian.¡± As Adrian leaned on Caroline¡¯s shoulder, he couldn¡¯t resist looking back at Kirk. When he saw the murderous jealousy in his eyes, he smirked triumphantly. Kirk waved his fist again, trying to rush forward. Sean desperately hugged Kirk¡¯s waist. ¡°Kirk!¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS He saw Gwen rushing past him out of the corner of his eye He wanted to stop her and talk things through with her. But he couldn¡¯t afford to get distracted, so he had no choice but to stop the angry beast that was his friend When the elevator behind him closed, Sean snarled, ¡°Kirk, since when are you such a brat? Can¡¯t you tell that man is provoking you on purpose?¡± Kirk growled, ¡°Then, let me kill him.¡± ¡°If he dies, your rtionship with Caroline will be over.¡± Sean¡¯s words finally had an effect on Kirk. He stopped rushing to the elevator. Instead, he turned around and mmed his fist on the ss door frame beside him. The sound of ss breaking attracted the manager¡¯s attention. Sean took out a card and handed it to the manager, his eyesnding on the cuts on Kirk¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll help you bandage these up first. Use that time to calm down.¡± Kirk frowned and said nothing in response. Sean pushed him out of the hotel and took him to a nearby clinic to bandage his wounds. Meanwhile, Caroline brought Adrian back to his room. Seeing the bruises on his handsome face, she said guiltily, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Adrian smiled, but it stretched on his wound. Then, the smile on his face instantly turned ferocious. ¡°It¡¯s not even your fault, so why are you apologizing to me?¡± Caroline said, ¡°He¡¯s my husband. Since he¡¯s in the wrong, I have to apologize on his behalf.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you both fighting? It seemed like it¡¯s pretty serious¡­¡± Adrian looked at Caroline cautiously. ¡°Haven¡¯t you thought about-¡± Caroline understood what he wanted to say, but she didn¡¯t answer him. Instead, she changed the subject. ¡°Do you have any medicine here? If not, we have to get this treated outside.¡± Adrian¡¯s eyes followed Caroline¡¯s movements. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he made up his mind and asked again, ¡°Caroline, have you never thought of divorcing him?¡± Caroline frowned. ¡°Can we not talk about him?¡± Adrian felt a tinge of pain in his heart at her words. Chapter 419 Chapter 419 Chapter 419 Caroline had never treated Adrian this coldly before. But now, because he had brought up divorce, she ¡­ He said, ¡°But since he hit me, aren¡¯t you worried that-¡± ¡°He won¡¯t.¡± Caroline fully trusted Kirk when it came to matters of physical violence. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do something like that.¡± Adrian immediately became speechless. The silence wrapped around his chest like a web. After a while, he smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right. He wouldn¡¯t.¡± Caroline looked at him, confused by his words. Adrian smiled, feeling resigned. ¡°He punched me just now because I provoked him on purpose. So he wasn¡¯t in the wrong. I¡¯m the wrongdoer here.¡± Caroline¡¯s expression shifted at his words. ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± Her expression tugged at Adrian¡¯s heart, but he still said with a smile, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Caroline was angry. Adrian looked at her, hurt swirling in his gaze. All the things he wanted to say were stuck in his throat. After a moment, he smiled sadly and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just wanted to test him, but I never N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. thought it would cause such a big misunderstanding.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be apologizing to me,¡± Caroline snapped at him. Then, she ran out of the room. Looking at the empty door, Adrian smiled. It stretched his wound again. However, he didn¡¯t feel any pain this time, probably because the pain in his heart overshadowed the physical pain in his cheek. He had known for a long time that Caroline and her husband had a very good rtionship. But he hadn¡¯t expected Caroline to care about him so much. Even when they were fighting, they were on the same side. 1/2 Adrian seemed to have lost. However, he was very unwilling to admit that. +15 BONUS After Caroline left Adrian¡¯s room, she went straight to the first floor. Yet, Kirk and Sean were no longer in the lobby. She quickly asked the receptionist, who said they had already left. But she didn¡¯t know where they had gone. Caroline ran to the door, feeling dizzy from anxiety. Then, she realized that they might have gone to a nearby clinic. She ran to the front desk again and asked if a clinic was nearby. The receptionist¡¯s English wasn¡¯t very good, and she had a Macovian ent. Caroline used a lot of effort to figure out what she was saying. Although she was a bundle of nerves, she tried her best to listen to the receptionist¡¯s directions patiently. After getting the directions, she thanked the receptionist and hurriedly left the hotel. Following the receptionist¡¯s directions, Caroline headed to the nearby clinic. Half an hourter, she finally arrived at the clinic. She happily opened the door, only to find the small clinic packed with people. This was probably thergest clinic nearby, so the Macovians were here to see a doctor. Caroline searched around, but she still couldn¡¯t find Kirk. The excitement she felt dissipated in an instant. Having no choice, she squeezed her way to the nurse¡¯s desk and asked if two foreigners had been there. The nurse answered, ¡°Yes, but they¡¯ve already left.¡± Caroline was about to turn around in disappointment, but she almost collided with two people walking toward her. When she clearly saw who they were, she frowned in confusion. Chapter 420 Chapter 420 Chapter 420 One of the two people was Angelo, Dolly¡¯s husband. Dolly was the woman she had met on her previous trip to Macovo. His body looked more plump. The woman beside him wasn¡¯t the bejeweled woman from before, nor was she Dolly. Instead, she was a young woman who looked to be in her 20s. Angelo didn¡¯t seem to recognize Caroline. He walked to the nurse¡¯s desk, asked for a box of contraceptives, and then left. Behind Caroline, the nurse sighed softly. Although she couldn¡¯t understand Macovian, noticing the nurse¡¯s yearning look, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Do you know that gentleman?¡± The nurse first looked at Caroline in surprise. Then, noticing she wasn¡¯t Macovian, she said warmly, ¡°Of course, he¡¯s the owner of this clinic.¡± ¡°He¡¯s your boss?¡± Caroline hadn¡¯t known about this. However, this exined why the women around him were more beautiful than the others. After all, clinic owners made quite a lot of money. ¡°Yes, and he isn¡¯t married yet. I wonder which lucky girl will get to marry him.¡± With that said, the nurse sighed enviously again. Caroline whipped her head around in shock. ¡°He isn¡¯t married?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t he have a wife?¡± The nurseughed. ¡°I¡¯ve been working here for over a decade. There¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t know if he had a wife.¡± Caroline was about to ask a few more questions when her phone rang. Gwen had texted her. ¡°Carol, where are you? Kirk didn¡¯t see you when he returned just now, so he went to look for you.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°I¡¯ll head back immediately.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS auch 1 watt lights. ver we willed in, we expose of water ampond aloue way news Blothing like flowers. She them in pallid i was enowing the der our area, and when the mist slowly dissipated, she Wearings windburntion to willod own the stop by ways as white snow fell behind him, N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. forming e femitiful picture Dereline child top for form from using at the sight I wasn¡¯t amil Kuk¡¯s will figure came closer and his familiar scent hit her nostrils that she was #te was really there 401k wrapped his windbrakom around Cardline and held her hand with his gauze¨Cwrapped one. The two of them stand silently on the street Caroline stared at the gauze on Kirk¡¯s hand while he doo?ced an Caroline¡¯s soft han Neither of them took the initiative to say anything. Time stovily passed in then presence it was a beautiful sight in Macovo¡¯s streets. After Three Tull mines, ut mowed bus stift thighs ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Caroline modded meekly She didn¡¯t want to think about anything at the moment. Even if this went agamst het resolve, she simply wanted to enjoy the serenity of this quiet moment. Chapter 421 Chapter 421 Chapter 421 Caroline felt like someone who had run away to avoid theplicated world. She didn¡¯t want to think about the hardships caused by the trivial disputes of life. Seeing that she didn¡¯t resist, Kirk finally had the courage to lead her back to the hotel. The two quietly stepped on the snow coating the street. They walked on the short road for over half an hour. After entering the hotel, Caroline felt the warm temperature hit her face. As if she had returned to reality, she snapped out of her trance and jerked her hand away from Kirk. Gwen, Sean, and Adrian, who were waiting in the lobby, came over when they saw them. Gwen grabbed Caroline and nced at Kirk. She asked, ¡°Are you okay, Carol?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Caroline looked down at the floor. ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gwen dragged Caroline away, leaving the three men behind in the lobby. Adrian looked at Sean and asked, ¡°Dr. Yates, can I talk to your friend privately?¡± He had just N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. learned from Gwen that Sean was a famed genius doctor Sean nced at Kirk worriedly before slowly walking to the door. He picked the right spot to wait. From there, he could see everything going on in the lobby while giving them enough privacy. Adrian was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°You¡¯re the luckiest man in the world.¡± Kirk returned Adrian¡¯s gaze. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then, why did you hurt Caroline?¡± Adrian¡¯s chest heaved in anger. A hint of guilt appeared in Kirk¡¯s eyes, and his anger diminished slightly. He pursed his lips and didn¡¯t defend himself. Adrian became even more angry after seeing Kirk like this. He wanted to find his ws and focus on them to convince himself that he wasn¡¯t worthy of Caroline. +15 BONUS However, seeing how Kirk was now, there was no way he could do that. He thought of the fighting champion who had a crush on Caroline, and he somewhat understood why that man had given up. Adrian asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to defend yourself?¡± ¡°I did make a mistake, and I¡¯ll work hard to make up for the pain I¡¯ve caused Caroline.¡± Kirk looked at Adrian earnestly. ¡°But if you want me to give up on her, I won¡¯t. Over my dead body.¡± Adrian¡¯s body swayed slightly at his words. After a long while, he smiled sadly. ¡°When Caroline went after you, I should have epted that I had lost. But¡­¡± He raised his head with a bright smile. ¡°I won¡¯t give up. After I finish handling things in Macldo, I want to fight you for her heart. Fair and square.¡± Kirk simply stared at him, remaining silent. Adrian felt bitterness welling up in his chest. He seemed to notice the disdain in Kirk¡¯s eyes. However, he would prove to him that he had what it took, sooner orter! Kirk was just luckier than him. But when it came to measuring capabilities, luck was nothing but a gimmicky tool. If Adrian could get a contract with SY Group, he would rise through the ranks in Sorkin Group and even in Easton, despite being an illegitimate son. When that happened, he would make Kirk understand the meaning of regret. The two men silently looked at each other challengingly. At this moment, Adrain¡¯s assistant came over, dragging the suitcase. ¡°Mr. Sorkin, the ne will be taking off in an hour. It¡¯s time for us to leave.¡± Adrian looked at Kirk onest time before turning around to leave. When he reached the door, he stopped and turned back to ask, ¡°I still don¡¯t know your name. Since we¡¯re going to be rivals, you should at least tell me your name, right?¡± Kirk looked back at him and said, ¡°You¡¯ll find out eventually.¡± Adrian frowned. He thought Kirk didn¡¯t say anything because he was his love rival, so he didn¡¯t He smiled brightly. ¡°You¡¯d better treat Caroline well. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be doomed when I return!¡± Chapter 422 Chapter 422 Chapter 422 After Adrian left, Sean walked back to Kirk¡¯s side. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Mr. Sorkin to be so fond of Caroline.¡± Kirk looked at Sean coldly. Feeling a chill on his back, Sean quickly changed the subject. ¡°What¡¯s going on with you and Caroline? I saw you two holding hands anding back together. Have you reconciled?¡± Kirk red at Sean again. Only then did Sean realize that he had said something st* pid. If he learned that his partner was polygamous, he wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive them unless there was a misunderstanding like Kirk¡¯s. But since Kirk couldn¡¯t tell Caroline the truth, she had no idea that there was a misunderstanding. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± With a smile, Sean lightened the gloomy atmosphere and hooked his arm around Kirk¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I talked to Gwen when you were out looking for Caroline. It turns out they¡¯re here in Macovo to find proof that Gwen is innocent. But since neither of them speak Macovian, they¡¯re having trouble with thenguage barrier.¡± He paused, then continued, ¡°So I took the initiative and volunteered us to be their trantors tomorrow. How about it? I¡¯m a good friend, aren¡¯t I? I¡¯m still considering your feelings at the most crucial moments.¡± Kirk mercilessly exposed his intentions. ¡°You want to be with Gwen, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to be with Caroline?¡± Kirk silently turned around and walked to the elevator. Sean followed him. He asked, ¡°Are you going or not?¡± Kirk nced at him. Only then did Sean realize that he had asked another st* pid question. He sighed. He was so happy that he had gotten lost in his own world. The next day, Caroline learned that two trantors would be joining them. It didn¡¯t take much effort for her to figure out that they were Sean and Kirk. 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Carol.¡± Gwen held her head, regretting that she hadn¡¯t resisted Sean¡¯s relentless pursuits. ¡°Sean said a lot of nice things to me back then. You know me. I lose my rationality when I see a handsome face. ¡°By the time I realized it, I was already nodding to everything he said. How about this? I¡¯ll tell them they¡¯re noting with us when we meet themter.¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Can you guarantee you won¡¯t be charmed by Kirk and Sean?¡± Gwen went silent at her words. ¡°They¡¯re here just for us, and they¡¯ll follow us wherever we go. So, there¡¯s no point in saying anything. Besides, we do need someone to be our trantor. So we can make good use of them.¡± ¡°You have a point. We¡¯ll just treat them as tools! Besides, I got involved in this misunderstanding because Sean was with me. 1 ¡°So why should we work ourselves rugged while he sits back and enjoys the show?¡± For a moment, Gwen had the idea of ruining Sean. After a while, Sean and Kirk arrived. Caroline nced over at Kirk from the corner of her eye. Since she hadn¡¯t taken a good look at him for a while, she felt like he had lost weight. Then, she forced herself to look away. Meanwhile, Gwen had already begun her ns to work Sean to the bone. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. She directed him to move all their things to the car and then asked him to drive. Sean obeyed her orders patiently, without anyints. When they got into the car, Gwen and Caroline sat in the back seat. Chapter 423 Chapter 423 Chapter 423 Sean helplessly looked at Kirk in the passenger seat. However, Kirk was in a good mood. The corners of his lips curved into a small smile. Following yesterday¡¯s route, the two of them started visiting each house. With trantors like Sean and Kirk around, they did better than yesterday. Caroline finally had the opportunity to introduce the items she had brought from Easton, and Macovo¡¯s residents could have a better understanding of the things she was giving them. This approach undoubtedly increased the residents¡® trust in the four of them. And sure enough, they began opening up to them. Several people said they were at the skating rink that day and saw that girl falling by herself. Since she had made too much noise and was an outsider, they remembered her as clear as day. They even offered to help record a video to prove Gwen¡¯s innocence if necessary, which was an unexpected surprise. Although they were only witnesses, they could at least prove that Mia¡¯s side of the story was false. Then, if Sean came forward and said that his girlfriend at the time was Gwen, it would greatly reduce Mia¡¯s credibility. Gwen had never thought of letting Sean admit that she was his girlfriend. She had never given him the chance either. After Mia had shown up, Gwen had been afraid that she could be like her mother or Mia, someone who would be the worst person for the sake of love. Therefore, she had sent a breakup text to Sean. Thinking about it now, Gwen felt somewhat amused by her actions. ¡°What are you smiling about?¡± Sean asked as he drove, noticing Gwen smiling in the rearview mirror. Gwen immediately stopped smiling. She nced at Caroline, who was sleeping next to her, and whispered, ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Kirk is also asleep.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Gwen hissed, looking at Sean warily. +15 BONUS Sean gently looked at Gwen in the rearview mirror. ¡°I¡¯m saying we can take this opportunity to talk. After all, it¡¯s still an hour¡¯s drive to the next house.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty far.¡± Gwen looked at the snowy roads outside the window. It was clear she was avoiding Sean¡¯s topic. ¡°Gwen, I think we need to talk.¡± ¡°What is there to talk about?¡± Gwen leaned against the window. ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for so long. After knowing about my rtionship history, you should know that this is how I am. I¡¯m fickle in rtionships.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Sean analyzed calmly, saying, ¡°I think you¡¯re afraid of being in a rtionship because you¡¯re afraid of losing it.¡± When Sean hit the nail on the head, she said meekly, ¡°Since you¡¯re so good at analyzing people, why don¡¯t you be a psychologist?¡± Sean replied seamlessly, ¡°Because I only want to be yours.¡± Gwen let down her guard slightly, and she looked out the window uneasily. ¡°Things aren¡¯t that simple. Rtionships are like nails.¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Nails?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Haven¡¯t you heard of this analogy? When a nail gets hammered into a wooden board, even if it gets removed, it¡¯ll still leave a scar on the wood. ¡°Growing up, my parents were either talking about divorce or fighting. Do you think someone like me can have happiness?¡± Sean was about to speak when he heard Gwen¡¯s faint voice. ¡°Actually, I dreamed of being with someone too. After all, who wouldn¡¯t want to live in bliss with someone? ¡°But after seeing Carol in so much pain, I gave up. If even someone as brave as Caroline isn¡¯t happy, do I deserve to be happy? I might as well be alone!¡± Chapter 424 Chapter 424 Chapter 424 The car became pindrop silent for a moment. Sean braced himself several times before saying, ¡°Kirk has his reasons for having multiple marriages.¡± ¡°Reasons?¡± Gwen sneered, ¡°Did someone hold him at gunpoint and force him to get married? My dad loves using that word. Every time my mom caught him cheating on her, he would say he had his reasons for doing so. ¡°He would say that he slept with other women for the sake of hispany, or he didn¡¯t know what came over him. ¡°But I could tell he enjoyed being with other women, so why couldn¡¯t he say that? Couldn¡¯t he own up to his mistakes?¡± Gwen became more and more agitated as she talked,pletely forgetting that she was in the car. The noise woke Caroline up. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at Gwen in confusion. ¡°Gwen ¡­ Caroline¡¯s voice brought Gwen back to her senses, and she forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Carol. I was being too loud.¡± ¡°Did something happen?¡± Caroline rubbed her eyes. ¡°We ¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. We were just discussing something, and we got a bit too loud.¡± Sean helped Gwen exin, ¡°You can keep sleeping if you want. We still need more than an hour to reach our destination.¡± Caroline felt relieved after hearing Sean¡¯s words. She closed her eyes and fell asleep again after a This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. while. Meanwhile, Kirk wasn¡¯t sleeping in the passenger seat at all. He simply kept his eyes closed and pretended to sleep. He had listened to every word of Gwen and Sean¡¯s conversation, and he agreed with Gwen¡¯s 1/3 +15 BONUS However, he would never let the scars of the nail remain on that wooden board forever. He would find the ideal way to smooth out the remaining scars in Caroline¡¯s heart without harming her. An hourter, the car arrived at thest house. The man of thest household was a doctor who had traveled to many cities when he had been young. He immediately showed great interest when he learned that Caroline and herpanions were from Easton. Gwen asked discreetly, ¡°Why weren¡¯t we treated so well when we came herest time?¡± Sean looked at the dazzling array of regional specialties ced on the table. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because we didn¡¯t bring gifts like Caroline, or my ent wasn¡¯t as good as Kirk¡¯s. Maybe it¡¯s both.¡± Gwen couldn¡¯t hear the difference between how Sean and Kirk spoke Macovian. However, looking at the male head¡¯s different attitude toward Kirk, she could tell that Sean was right. She said, ¡°Putting aside everything, when I look at Caroline and Kirk, I feel they¡¯re a match made in heaven.¡± Sean remained silent. ¡°And they have so much chemistry.¡± The more Gwenmented, the more upset she became. She then shut her mouth, not wanting to lose herposure while she was in someone else¡¯s home. At this moment, a woman walked in. She whispered something to the man. It made him stand up excitedly, and his face turned red After listening to their conversation, Sean looked at Gwen excitedly. Gwen had no idea what was going on. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°They took a video on the day they went ice skating. Maybe they had captured Mia¡¯s falling too.¡± Gwen didn¡¯t dare to have high hopes. ¡°Really?¡± Chapter 425 Chapter 425 Chapter 425 +15 BONUS As the man watched Caroline leave, he asked with a smile, ¡°Did you have a fight with your wife?¡± Kirk ncdded slightly. ¡°Quarrels can actually improve a spouse¡¯s rtionship.¡± He exined with a smile, ¡°My wife and I understand each other better every time we fight.¡± This was Kirk¡¯s first time hearing such an argument, and he grimaced. ¡°Even if quarreling improves our rtionship, I don¡¯t want to fight with my wife. ¡°Because every time we fight, it would cause a wound in my wife¡¯s heart, and every time we reconcile, it would leave a scar in her heart.¡± The man was stunned by his words. Then, he said nonchntly, ¡°You¡¯re right. From now on, I have to avoid fighting with my wife.¡± After Caroline walked out of the study, she saw two children fighting over an Ultraman action figure. When she had first looked at the family¡¯s information, it said the family had two children, a boy and a girl. So she had bought an action figure and a doll for them. However, she discovered the information was wrong when she came to their house. Both children. were boys. The two boys went to a foreign school so they could speak fluent English. However, they struggled to speak Macovian. So they simply used English when they quarreled. ¡°Give it to me! You¡¯re my older brother, so you have to be kind to me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the younger brother, so you must respect me.¡± Caroline watched them silently. The two children, about seven or eight years old, started fighting after a while. Caroline looked around, but no one showed up to stop them. They were probably used to the children being noisy. 1/2 +15 BONUS However, the two boys fought haphazardly. The older brother almost scratched his younger brother¡¯s eyes out. The sight scared Caroline, and she yelled, ¡°Stop!¡± The two boys looked up at Caroline, startled. The children¡¯s bright gazes made Caroline calm down immediately. Taking a deep breath, she knelt and said kindly, ¡°You guys are brothers. So you should be getting along, right?¡± ¡°But he wants to steal my toy!¡± The two children said in unison. Caroline asked, ¡°Do you know how many brothers Ultraman has?¡± The boys shook their heads in confusion. Caroline told the two children about Ultraman¡¯s family based on what she remembered. The two children listened to her with interest,pletely forgetting about their fight. After she was done, Caroline made her point. ¡°So you see, Ultraman has so many brothers, and they¡¯ve always fought to protect the world, not for toys. Right?¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The two children nodded in understanding. Caroline didn¡¯t know how much the two children understood, but at least she managed to stop a fight between them. She stood up, feeling a sense of aplishment. When she looked up, she saw Kirk, who had shown up at some point. As he stood against the light, his body was covered in a bright light, making him look otherworldly. When he walked toward her, Caroline could clearly see the endearing smile on his face, and her heart pounded uncontrobly at the sight. As he got closer and closer, he became the only thing in Caroline¡¯s view. She swallowed. She wanted to escape, but her legs remained rooted to the spot. Chapter 426 Chapter 426 Chapter 426 +15 BONUS Kirk had alreadye to a stop in front of her. He raised his hand and patted Caroline¡¯s head as if rewarding a well¨Cbehaved child. Then, he turned to the two children and said, ¡°Do you remember what Ms. Caroline said?¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Although Kirk was smiling, he was still intimidating. The two children nodded timidly. Kirk said, ¡°That¡¯s good. Go ahead and y outside.¡± The two children immediately dashed outside. Caroline also wanted to run, but she couldn¡¯t move her legs. Besides, she was ashamed that she was so attached to Kirk¡¯s touch. She thought she was really nuts. If she wasn¡¯t in Macovo, she would really ask Kirk for a divorce. If this continued, she doubted she could keep resisting Kirk¡¯s influence. She kept telling herself that polygamy was wrong. It was wrong! ¡°Darling ¡­¡± Kirk brushed away Caroline¡¯s hair. ¡°That was a nice speech. You¡¯re also good at handling children. It proves that your previous worries were unnecessary.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Caroline took a big step back. She became more frightened by the gentleness in Kirk¡¯s voice. Kirk said resignedly, ¡°Okay, but can you not run off like you did before?¡± That day, he had gone to give Caroline breakfast, only to find that she was gone. He had lost his After finding out that Caroline was in Macovo, he had immediately organized a private flight. However, before leaving, he had been notified that the weather in Macovo was abnormal and they couldn¡¯t fly a ne. He had almost strangled the pilot to death back then. If Sean hadn¡¯t stopped him ¡­ Thinking of this, Kirk¡¯s lips curled into a bitter smile. He had always been a very rational person, except when it came to Caroline. She was more important to him than his own life. 1/3 +15 BONUS Caroline said, ¡°I am no longer obligated to exin things to you.¡± ¡°Give me some time, and I¡¯ll give you an exnation.¡± Caroline was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s there to exin? Everything is as clear as day. You have another wife in Macldo. ¡°Kirk, do you think I¡¯m as gullible as a child? Do you think things will be solved as long as you give me some candy to coax me?¡± ¡°No, listen to me¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough.¡± Caroline stepped back to avoid Kirk. ¡°If you had a reasonable exnation, you would have told me by now. Since you haven¡¯t¡­¡± Before Caroline could finish, Gwen rushed out of the room and hugged Caroline. ¡°Carol, I love you so much! They really got a video of Mia falling. It¡¯s a good thing you brought me here again. ¡°Otherwise, I would¡¯ve had to suffer the usations in silence and regret this for the rest of my life!¡± She was so excited that she couldn¡¯t speak coherently anymore. Hearing that Gwen had found the proof she needed, Caroline felt very happy for her. ¡°Can you let me see it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Gwen clicked on the video¡¯s copy and showed it to Caroline. ¡°Look ¡­¡± Caroline looked at the video. The video had been taken at the skating rink behind the hotel. As the camera shook, Gwen and Mia finally appeared in the video. Although they passed by very briefly, Caroline could clearly see that Gwen and Mia had no contact at all. Mia had fallen by herself. ¡°This is great!¡± After watching the video, she was sincerely happy for her friend. ¡°We can finally clear your name with this video.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Gwen hugged Caroline, crying tears of joy. Chapter 428 Chapter 428 Chapter 428 By the time Caroline recovered, half an hour had already passed. Everyone else was waiting in the dining room, not daring to make a sound. They silently watched Kirk, who had been by Caroline¡¯s side the whole time. Angelo wiped his tears and said in Macovian, ¡°How touching.¡± Gwen secretly asked Sean what Angelo had said. After getting an answer, she couldn¡¯t help grimacing. ¡°Touching? What¡¯s touching about this? If a man really loves a woman, he should keep himself in check.¡± Angelo was confused. ¡°But that gentleman seems to really like thatdy. This is the love I¡¯ve always wanted. ¡°The reason why I haven¡¯t gotten married despite having many girlfriends is because I don¡¯t have someone who makes me feel the emotion of love.¡± Gwen¡¯s expression was dark. But she had to admit that even though she knew the inside story, she often felt like Kirk loved Caroline. ¡°It was precisely because of this that she was even more upset. She didn¡¯t understand men at all. If he loved her so much, why had he gotten married to someone else? Even if he had gotten married before he met Caroline, he could just get a divorce if he wanted to be with her. He wanted Caroline, yet he didn¡¯t want to end his other marriage. Things like this didn¡¯t make sense. He couldn¡¯t have it both ways! Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Caroline had already sat up on the couch. Her voice was still weak. She had to let Kirk help her up. A smile appeared on her pale face when she passed by the host.¡± I¡¯m sorry to bother you.¡± The man and woman hurriedly waved their hands and walked the four of them to the door. +15 BONUS After Kirk ced Caroline in the car, he walked to the driver¡¯s seat and said to Sean, ¡°I forgot something. Wait for me.¡± Sean knew Kirk very well. He knew he wanted to ask Angelo what had happened, so he nodded in agreement. ¡°Go ahead!¡± After saying that, he nced at Caroline, who was leaning against the window and looking out with empty eyes. Deep down, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder who Dolly was and why she had had such an impact on Caroline. Five minutester, Kirk walked out of the house with an indifferent expression. Sean couldn¡¯t figure out what his friend was thinking, but he didn¡¯t n to ask any questions. So he started the car and drove toward the hotel. About three hourster, they finally returned to the hotel. As soon as the car stopped, Kirk had already unbuckled his seat belt and gotten out of the car. He opened the back door. Then, ignoring Caroline¡¯s protests and Gwen¡¯s disapproving gaze, he picked up Caroline and strode into the hotel. Caroline struggled a few times at first, but she didn¡¯t have enough strength. So she simply let Kirk carry her into the elevator. The incident with Dolly had affected her a lot. She didn¡¯t have a single ounce of strength right now. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Sean cocked his head and teased Gwen, saying, ¡°Or do you want me to carry you out of the car too?¡± When Gwen heard his words, she red at him. ¡°What¡¯s Kirk going to do with Caroline?¡± Sean shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Gwen tried to get out of the car, but Sean grabbed her wrist. His familiar touch caused goosebumps on Gwen¡¯s arm. She wanted to jerk her hand away, but he held her wrist tighter, as if on purpose. He looked at her earnestly. ¡°You can¡¯t follow them. Let them solve their own problems.¡± Chapter 429 Chapter 429 Chapter 429 +15 BONUS ¡°I know that you¡¯ll be on Caroline¡¯s side as her friend. But I must tell you this¨CKirk¡¯s issues are ¡°You¡¯ll only make things moreplicated if you get involved. Besides-¡± Sean looked straight at Gwen. His piercing gaze made Gwen¡¯s heart pound uncontrobly, and she stammered, ¡°B¨CBesides what? ¡± ¡°Do you think Kirk will hurt Caroline?¡± Sean smiled gently. Gwen pursed her lips. As she looked at his sincere gaze, she couldn¡¯t go against his will. The temperature on her cheeks slowly rose. Worried about being seen through, she impatiently shook off Sean¡¯s hand. ¡°Okay, I got it. I won¡¯t get involved. You never stop nagging. I shouldn¡¯t call you Dr. Yates anymore. I¡¯ll call you Grandma Yates instead.¡± Sean wasn¡¯t annoyed by her nickname at all. Instead, he grinned. ¡°You can call me whatever you want, as long as you enjoy it.¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°But only you can call me that.¡± His exclusive im tugged at Gwen¡¯s feelings. She felt the warmth on her cheek and tried to ignore her heart, which was about to leap out of her throat. ¡°You¡¯re a smart guy. But this trick won¡¯t work on just anyone.¡± With that, she jerked her hand away from Sean and got out of the car. Sean was silent. After a while, he realized Gwen had taken his words as flirting. But in truth, he had been speaking from the bottom of his heart. He shook his head with a sigh. Everyone was right. Being in love was difficult. Kirk carried Caroline into his room. This room was the same presidential suite he had bookedst time. 1/2 +15 BONUS As Caroliney on the familiar bed, she felt like time had flown. Back then, she had gotten the message from the mysterious woman right here in this room. ¡°Here. Drink some water.¡± Kirk helped Caroline up. He held the cup and slowly fed Caroline sips of water. He watched her gently, without any trace of impatience in his eyes. After she drank the water, Kirk asked again, ¡°Do you want to eat anything? I¡¯ll get the chefs to make them for you.¡± Caroline silently looked up at Kirk. After a long while, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to ask me?¡± Acting as if nothing had happened, Kirk said calmly, ¡°You can talk whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± Caroline looked at Kirk nkly. He didn¡¯t avoid the topic, and he didn¡¯t look like he was lying. ¡°I¡¯ll ask someone to bring some food over. What do you want to eat?¡± Kirk caressed Caroline¡¯s forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what happened?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t feelfortable about Kirk not asking her anything. It felt as if something was stuck in her chest. ¡°Everyone has their secrets. Even though we¡¯re husband and wife, we¡¯re still our own person.¡± Caroline closed her eyes. ¡°Is it because you have a secret that you¡¯re not asking me anything?¡± Although she knew Kirk wasn¡¯t someone like that, she couldn¡¯t help but think about him this way. It was as if this was the only way to bring him down to her level. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Kirk said with a smile, ¡°Perhaps. His good temper and refusal to defend himself angered Caroline. She turned over and sat up from the bed, grabbing Kirk¡¯s cor ¡°But I don¡¯t ept that! I want to ask you everything! Why does that document say you have a wife abroad? Tell me, Kirk!¡± Chapter 430 Chapter 430 Chapter 430 Kirk¡¯s gaze remained soft. He gently caressed Caroline¡¯s trembling body as ifforting a child. He said patiently, ¡°I¡¯ll exin things to you, but please give me some time, okay?¡± He would think of the perfect way to solve this so his actions wouldn¡¯t leave a scar in Caroline¡¯s heart like a nail. Caroline slowly let go of Kirk¡¯s cor. Tears kept rolling down her cheeks. She held her face in her hands and sobbed. It was as if she wanted to let out all the heartache and grievances she had suffered during this time. ¡°How can you be so cruel, Kirk? Do you know how I¡¯ve lived during this time? ¡°Why can¡¯t you just tell me the truth? Either you tell me you don¡¯t have a wife in another country, or you do. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter which answer you give! It¡¯s much better than the vague answer you¡¯re giving now!¡± Kirk¡¯s heart ached as he watched Caroline¡¯s shoulders shake with her sobs. He had to use every bit of his willpower to restrain his emotions and not tell Caroline the truth. He could definitely find the perfect way to solve this. He could perfectly exin why he was legally married without revealing his identity. He dug his clenched fist into the mattress, and the bandaged wound opened up again, staining the gauze red. However, he didn¡¯t seem to notice it. He stretched out his hand and hugged Caroline tightly. Caroline¡¯s tears stained his clothes, and their warmth burned his heart. In the end, Caroline almost passed out from crying. She exhausted thest bit of her strength from crying so much. Sheid weakly on the bed, looking at the ceiling and listening to the busy sounds in the kitchen. That used to be her favorite sound. Yet now, it upset her. She forced herself not to think about it. 1/2 +15 BONUS She was here in Macovo to rx. She had to be happy and not think of anything upsetting! Her mantra finally had an effect when she smelled the aroma of food wafting from the dining table. Caroline was indeed hungry. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. She wouldn¡¯t upset her stomach because she was upset with someone. She got out of bed, picked up a spoon, and started eating. The food satisfied her taste buds as she ate. She hadn¡¯t enjoyed eating for a long time. It was a familiar feeling and a scary thing to get used to. At this thought, Caroline slowed down her chewing ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t investigate your marital status solely because of Dolly. A mysterious person sent me a message saying you have a wife abroad.¡± Caroline lowered her head and scooped up some risotto. She didn¡¯t say that the mysterious person was Kirk¡¯s other wife. She still remembered the woman telling her that she couldn¡¯t tell Kirk about this. Otherwise, Kirk would harm her. Whether it was true or not, Caroline still chose to keep her identity a secret. ¡°Do you know who the mysterious person is?¡± Kirk asked. Caroline shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± After a pause, she added, ¡°Angelo said Dolly was acting. Sot she had probably wanted me to see the fight between the two women and a man.¡± Otherwise, it couldn¡¯t be such a coincidence that she had met Dolly while going to the ski slopes that day. (1) Kirk pondered for a moment. ¡°You don¡¯t have to think too much into it. I¡¯ll have someone investigate this.¡± Chapter 431 Chapter 431 Chapter 431 They sat facing each other as they enjoyed the food in silence. Now that Gwen had obtained evidence, they decided on a date for them to return. Caroline and Gwen insisted on purchasing the tickets to go back themselves. Kirk and Sean had to find a way to get the right tickets so that all four of them could travel back together. This time, they learned from experience. Sean would persuade Caroline about it, while Kirk would talk to Gwen. It was a brilliant idea. Kirk hadn¡¯t even said anything when Gwen raised her hands in the air in surrender. On Caroline¡¯s side, though, Sean had to put in some effort to convince her to give him the details of the flight. He had a way with words, and she eventually relented. When they got on the ne, Gwen whispered into Caroline¡¯s ear. ¡°Why do I feel like we¡¯ve fallen into their trap?¡± Caroline fell silent at her words. In the middle of the flight, Kirk sat down beside Caroline and said, ¡°Darling, there¡¯s something I want to discuss with you.¡± Caroline looked out the window. ¡°What is it?¡± Her voice was monotonous when she spoke. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Can you move back home?¡± He asked. The vi felt hollow without her, and it made him feel awful. In the past, he had loved going home, but now ¡­ Caroline turned to look at him. ¡°Things aren¡¯t certain yet. I¡¯ll decide if I¡¯ll go back or notter, when we know the truth.¡± Seeing the determined look on her face, Kirk relented. He smiled and said, ¡°Can I go to your ce more often then?¡± Caroline was about to refuse when he said, ¡°It¡¯ll be easier for us to discuss the information we¡¯ve gotten so far. ¡°You¡¯re curious as to how that person got your number and why they suddenly messaged you too,, right? There¡¯s also that woman, Dolly¡­ It made sense, and Caroline eventually agreed to it, although she wasn¡¯t fond of the idea. ¡°Okay,¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Bute over after 8:00 pm.¡± Kirk agreed to it without a second thought. Caroline frowned as she pondered over the matter. Things weren¡¯t as simple as they seemed. After getting off the ne, Gwen approached Caroline with anxiety written all over her face.¡± Carol, should I meet Mia right away or head over to meet the head of the PR department?¡± Then, she asked, ¡°What should I wear to look more impressive when I get rid of themter?¡± Caroline smiled softly and patted Gwen on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Let me go there with you.¡± She had barely finished her sentence when Sean hollered from behind them. ¡°Let me apany you too!¡± They had been supposed to go back to their respective homes after this. But in the end, all of them got in the same car and headed to the hostel together. Gwen stared at Kirk and Sean from the backseat and lowered her voice to talk to Caroline. ¡°Carol, is there anything I should be careful ofter?¡± Caroline gave her a reassuring smile and said, ¡°Just rx.¡± ¡°But what if her mom¡¯s an unreasonable person? What if she mes me for it even after knowing the truth? What should I do then?¡± It made Carolineugh at the absurdity of it all. ¡°There are lots of reasonable people in this world.¡± Despite that, Gwen didn¡¯t stop her ranting. Time passed quickly thanks to this, and they arrived at the hostel soon. ¡°Its doors were open, and when they entered, they saw Mia, who was busy helping her mother with the chores. It was clear now why her mother believed in everything she said. How could a good and well- behaved child like her falsely use others? Mia heard the thudding of footsteps and automatically raised her voice to greet whoever came warmly. ¡°Wee! Are you looking-¡± Her voice faltered when she saw that it was Sean and the others. Her expression shifted briefly 2/3 +15 BONUS Sensing that Sean wasn¡¯t in a good mood, she blinked at him innocently and said, ¡°Did Gwen say something to you again? ¡°Gwen. I told you that I wouldn¡¯t me you for pushing me. Why are you still talking bad about me in front of Sean?¡± ¡°I told you that there¡¯s nothing between Sean and me,¡± she continued. ¡°I¡¯m not an obstacle between you two.¡± Chapter 432 Chapter 432 Chapter 432 415 BONUS The poor and pitiful expression on Mia¡¯s face made Gwene to a realization. Even if she told Sean that Mia had caused her to get suspended from work, Mia would still make up lots of excuses. If Sean questioned Mia, she would put the me on Gwen. The fact that Mia was capable of such a feat meant that she was immensely crafty. She would have had a bright future ahead of her if only she had taken the right path. Gwen inhaled deeply and found that she wasn¡¯t that angry at Mia anymore. ¡°Where¡¯s your mom?¡± ¡°Why do you want to see her?¡± Mia asked, cautious. Just then, her mother walked out of the kitchen. ¡°Do we have quests?¡± she asked. Then, her expression changed when she saw Gwen and the others, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before that my daughter won¡¯t ever appear in your sight again? Why are you people here?¡± ¡°Because your daughter got me suspended from work. ¡°Nonsense!¡± The hostel owner retaliated right away. ¡°My daughter would never do something like that.¡± ¡°Go ahead and ask my colleagues if you don¡¯t believe me,¡± said Gwen. ¡°Mia went to meet the head of the PR department in mypany and said that I took away her boyfriend.¡± The hostel owner then turned to look at Mia. ¡°Mia, is it true?¡± Tears welled up in Mia¡¯s eyes, and she said, ¡°Mom, my legs hurt. Can you let me sit before I tell you Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. about it?¡± The suspicion in the hostel owner¡¯s eyes vanished. It was reced by grief when she remembered that Gwen had once shoved Mia. ¡°Okay. Sit down and tell me about it,¡± she said as she helped Mia to the chair. A momentter, Mia spoke slowly. ¡°To be honest, I should take the me¡­ but I didn¡¯t do it on 173 ¡°Mia, what do you mean?¡± The hostel owner asked, confused. +15 BONUS Gwen and Caroline nced at each other for a moment and had the same thought. Mia was going to come up with another lie again. ¡°I had hurt my leg, right? Aftering back, one of my friends called Linda kept on asking me about what had happened,¡± said Mia. ¡°I had no choice but to tell her the truth. Even though I told her repeatedly that Gwen didn¡¯t do it on purpose, Linda refused to believe in me and said that she wanted to take revenge on Gwen.¡± ¡°Mom ¡­¡± Mia grabbed her mother¡¯s hand and said, ¡°You know Linda too, right? She¡¯s a student just like me. I didn¡¯t think she would do anything like that, so I didn¡¯t take her seriously. ¡°Who knew she would report it anonymously and im that Sean is my boyfriend? She even said that Gwen was a third wheel who took him away from me. ¡± Mia added, ¡°Linda realized how serious this matter had be only after Gwen¡¯spany called. ¡°She was afraid that it would be recorded and affect her at school, so she asked me to cooperate with her to lie about this.¡± Once she had finished talking, Mia turned to look at Gwen with pitiful eyes. ¡°Gwen, I never wanted you to get suspended from work. I¨CI can go and tell the truth to the head of the PR department of yourpany. ¡°I¡¯ll tell him that this is all my fault and that it has nothing to do with Linda.¡± Gwen couldn¡¯t stop herself from cursing inside. The fault was Mia¡¯s and Mia¡¯s alone! Mia should be a scriptwriter since she was so good at making up stories. After listening to what Mia said, the hostel owner found herself at a loss for words. When she finally spoke, she said, ¡°Mia, my dear, how could you ¡­ I¨CI really don¡¯t know how to put this.¡± She then turned to apologize to Gwen. ¡°Sorry, Ms. Jameson. We¡¯re so sorry for causing you such a huge problem,¡± she said. Chapter 433 Chapter 433 Chapter 433 Mia¡¯s mother looked all anxious when she heard what Caroline said. ¡°Did Mia cause you other kinds of trouble?¡± ¡°Yes, indeed,¡± said Caroline as she nudged Gwen. ¡°When we were in Macovo, you said that it was Gwen who pushed Mia, right?¡± There was no doubt that Mia¡¯s mother remembered this. It was precisely what had drastically changed her impression of these four young people here. ¡°To be honest, Gwen didn¡¯t push your daughter at all.¡± Caroline spoke slowly and clearly. Mia¡¯s mother instantly turned to look at Mia doubtfully. ¡°Mia?¡± Panic shed across Mia¡¯s eyes, but she calmed herself down in the blink of an eye. ¡°Mom, if Caroline insists that Gwen didn¡¯t push me, so be it.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®so be it¡®?¡± Gwen was pissed now. ¡°I never pushed you!¡± Mia pouted her lips. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since it happened, so please don¡¯t bring it up anymore. If you think you didn¡¯t do it, we¡¯ll think of it as the truth.¡± ¡°I-¡± Utterly pissed off, Gwen felt like pping Mia across the face anytime now. Sensing what Mia was trying to do, Caroline pulled Gwen back and said, ¡°Mia, we¡¯re not using you of anything. We have evidence!¡± Mia¡¯s heart skipped a beat at Caroline¡¯s words, but she managed to calm down soon. The staff at the skating rink had told her that there weren¡¯t any CCTVs around when she had asked him about it. The corners of her lips curved upward into a vague smile, and she said, ¡°Caroline, you can¡¯t change the truth.¡± ¨C ¡°Are you absolutely certain that Gwen pushed you back then?¡± Caroline asked in an icy tone. Thinking that there was nothing to fear, Mia answered without a second thought. ¡°Yes.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Very well.¡± Caroline turned to face Gwen and said, ¡°Gwen, show us the evidence.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Gwen said as she yed the video on her phone. Disyed on the screen were Gwen and Mia¡¯s silhouettes, which made the smile on Mia¡¯s face falter. The video showed exactly how Mia had purposely fallen down at that time. In a rage, she shot up from her seat, trembling. ¡°It¡¯s fake! This is fake! It must have been tampered with!¡± The look of trust in her mother¡¯s eyes vanished in an instant, now reced by total distrust. She stared at Mia with a reproachful expression, which made Mia fret when their gazes met.¡± Mom, you believe me, right?¡± ¡°Seeing is believing.¡± Mia¡¯s mother was fuming with rage now. ¡°How could you lie to me?¡± Then, Mia started feigning innocence as though she were a poor and helpless child. ¡°Mom, I felt someone push me, so I thought it was Gwen. I wouldn¡¯t know that this was just a This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Shut it!¡± Mia¡¯s mother was so furious that she trembled too. ( ¡°Since when have you be so used to lying all the time?¡± Since she had been young, Mia¡¯s mother had always thought she was a good child. This was the first time Mia had been reprimanded in such a manner. In the end, Mia thought that she would simply face it and put an end to it. She jumped off the couch and yelled. ¡°Yeah, yeah! I lied! I just don¡¯t want them to be together!¡± Caroline frowned in disapproval. ¡°Even if they broke up, Sean wouldn¡¯t belong to you!¡± Mia red at her in response. ¡°The thing is to get them to break up! Just knowing that they broke up will make me happy! If I can¡¯t have him for myself, Gwen can¡¯t either!¡± Shuddering at Mia¡¯s words, Caroline¡¯s mind was suddenly clouded with thoughts. She felt as though she had gotten an important piece of information. Yet, she couldn¡¯t grasp it, no Chapter 434 Chapter 434 Chapter 434 +15 BONUS Mia¡¯s mother never thought that Mia would say something like that. She pped Mia across the face and holiered, ¡°How could you say something like that?¡± Upset that her mother had just pped her, Mia covered her cheek with one hand. She snapped, ¡°What? I only wanted something of my own. You were taken away by a man, so what makes you think that I can¡¯t snatch away someone¡¯s man?¡± That said, she darted out of the hostel and vanished from their sight. Mia¡¯s mother apologized to Gwen profusely while looking in the direction of the door. ¡°Sorry! I¡¯m so sorry, Ms. Jameson! Please leave me your number so that I can apologize to you officially once I¡¯ve settled things here.¡± There was no doubting her sincerity, and Gwen didn¡¯t want to trouble her further. After all, Mia was the one who started all of this. Gwen was an adult, so she shouldn¡¯t be ming Mia¡¯s family for what Mia done. ¡°You should go after her,¡± she told Mia¡¯s mother. ¡°Thank you!¡± After thanking Gwen, Mia¡¯s mother rushed out of the hostel in search of her daughter. Sighing, Gwen shook her head helplessly as she watched the woman¡¯s retreating figure. ¡°She¡¯s so unfortunate,¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± Nobody spoke on the way back home. What Mia said kept repeating itself in Caroline¡¯s mind. ¡°If I can¡¯t have him for myself, she can¡¯t too!¡± Caroline didn¡¯t know why, but it was as if some sort of mysterious power had a grip on her Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. thoughts and wouldn¡¯t stop reying those words in her mind. ¡°We¡¯re here, Caroline,¡± Sean said. Only then did she realize that they had arrived at the apartment. She got out of the car and went to get her luggage, but Kirk was quicker than she was and had 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°I¡¯ll apany you upstairs,¡± he said while picking up her luggage, leaving her no chance to refuse. He was already heading toward the building, so Caroline could only follow after him. It was 3:00 pm, and there weren¡¯t many people moving about. The elevator was devoid of any other people except for the two of them. To prevent the awkwardness from simply staring at each other with nothing to do, Caroline busied herself thinking about what Mia had said earlier. Just when she thought she had it figured out, the elevator doors opened. She walked out of the elevator, helpless at the fact that she couldn¡¯t reach a conclusion. ¡°Alright, you can head back now,¡± she said. ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°What else do you want to do?¡± Caroline stared at Kirk with rmed eyes. Kirkughed and said, ¡°I¡¯m just going to help you tidy up the house.¡± Caroline stared nkly at him, puzzled. She followed him into the kitchen, and he opened the fridge to reveal loads of food stuffed inside of it. ¡°D-did you buy all of these?¡± Caroline eximed. Kirk tossed away all the food that had expired and said, ¡°I was worried that you would get hungry at night, so I bought you a bit of food.¡± Caroline felt the corners of her lips twitch as she stared at the trash can that was ready to burst apart. Could this even be considered ¡°a bit¡°? ¡°Alright then.¡± Kirk drew the strings of the garbage bag together. ¡°I¡¯ll have Charles bring over more foodter tonight. Message me if you crave anything. I¡¯ll ask him to bring it to you.¡± Caroline frowned and went after him as he made his way to the door. Her lips were pursed at first, but eventually she couldn¡¯t stop herself from saying, ¡°Our quarrel isn¡¯t over yet, so stop being so nice to me.¡± 2/3 +15 BONUS She couldn¡¯t possibly be mad at him after he had done all this for her. It wouldn¡¯t even seem like they quarreled if he continued treating her like this. Kirk smiled softly at her. ¡°Even if we quarrel, you¡¯re still my wife,¡± he said. ¡°I have the responsibility to take care of my wife, right?¡± It sessfully made Caroline shut up. After watching him enter the elevator, she went back into the living room with her arms crossed. All of a sudden, she remembered how she had once thought that the mysterious person who messaged her did it on purpose to get back at Kirk. Back then, she couldn¡¯t understand why someone would do that to Kirk. He was just an ordinary man with a white¨Ccor job, after all. Although his family ran a business, he didn¡¯t seem to think much of it. So it could only mean that his family¡¯spany was small. Why would someone go to such lengths to mess with him? Now, though¡­ Caroline couldn¡¯t be sure anymore. They had been fighting for quite some time already, yet he had always respected her wishes and never showed any sign of annoyance. Besides being patient with her, he was willing to sacrifice his time and put an effort into doing so much for her. It made Caroline couldn¡¯t help but ask herself a question¨Cwhere else could she find a wonderful man like him? Still, what if ¡­ Chapter 435 Chapter 435 Chapter 435 What if the mysterious person was a love rival? What if that person had the same thoughts as Mia and sent her all those messages to sow the seeds of doubt between them so that they would quarrel and go their separate ways? Wouldn¡¯t that person get precisely what they wanted, then? But¡­ it didn¡¯t make sense. If that person had made up nothing but lies, why would Kirk¡¯s status in Macldo be shown as ¡± married¡°? Besides, Kirk had failed to give her a clear exnation. In fact, he was rather evasive when she brought this up. It could only be said that there was something off on both sides of this story. C aroline ced her hands on her head to sort out her thoughts. Soon, she managed toe up with an idea. She couldn¡¯t contact Dolly, so she might as well try to find out who this ¡°wife¡± of Kirk¡¯s was. Caroline took out her phone to message Marina. Her finger stopped abruptly before pressing the ¡± send¡± button when she was suddenly reminded of something. Caroline deleted the text she had been about to send and transferred ten thousand dors to Marina¡¯s bank ount instead. ¡°Thank you for helping me. My friend saw it already. The person you told me about was indeed the one she was searching for. She wants me to ask you if you can find out who this man¡¯s wife is. You¡¯ll be handsomely rewarded for this. -Caroline¡± Money could open all doors. Indeed, Marina replied no more than three seconds after the message had been qsent. ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re being much too polite. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m on it! I¡¯ll look into it first thing in the morning. -Marina¡± Caroline sighed in disappointment, but it urred to her that it was probably midnight where Marina was, so she simply replied ¡°Okay, thanks¡°. 1/3 +15 BONUS She was about to switch off her phone, but it didn¡¯t seem like Marina wanted their conversation to end so soon. Marina kept on asking Caroline about Caroline¡¯s ¡°friend¡± and why this ¡°friend¡± of hers was so rich. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. To put it simply, Marina wanted to make the acquaintance of this ¡°friend¡± of Caroline¡¯s. Since the said ¡°friend¡± didn¡¯t exist, Caroline texted her back, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but she wants to remain incognito.¡± After that, Marina stopped pestering her about it. At one of SY Group¡¯s branches, Charles saw Kirking back and rushed forth to greet him. Soon, though, he retraced his steps due to the chilling aura that Kirk emitted. He had expected Kirk to get on Caroline¡¯s good side after their trip to Macovo. From the looks of things, Charles and his colleagues would still have to suffer for quite some time. ¡°Sir,¡± said Charles as he pushed the doors open. ¡°I¡¯ve worked day and night during your absence. Just look at these eyebags of mine.¡± Kirk nced sideways at Charles as he entered the office. ¡°I¡¯m sure the sales of our branches in Easton must¡¯ve doubled or tripled since you worked so hard.¡± Now, that made Charles shut his mouth. ¡°Stop the nonsense,¡± Kirk added. ¡°Get your job done if you want to atone for your mistakes.¡± ¡°Alright, sir.¡± Charles smiled bitterly now that Kirk had read him like an open book. ¡°Do a background check for me/ Charles cheered up at his words. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Dolly.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s she from?¡± Asked Charles. 2/3 +15 BONUS ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Charles was bing rather speechless. ¡°Which unit does she work in then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Kirk once again, which made Charles fall silent. ¡°I only know that her name¡¯s Dolly and that she¡¯s a theater actress,¡± said Kirk. ¡°She appeared in the hotel where we stayed when we first arrived in Macovo.¡± Charles felt the corners of his lips twitch at the meager amount of information he received. It would be way better if only Kirk could give him more information about Dolly.. 1 Chapter 436 Chapter 436 Chapter 436 +15 BONUS ¡°What? Is it too tough for you to handle?¡± Kirk nced at Charles with eyes as cold as ice. ¡°N¨Cno,¡± Charles muttered as he wiped off the sheen of cold sweat on his brow. ¡°Go and resume your work then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Charles had just reached the door when Kirk abruptly thought of something and called out to him, making him stop in his tracks. ¡°Caroline said that a mysterious person messaged her when she was in Macovo back then. I need you to find out who that person is.¡± With his mouth agape, Charles waited in silence for Kirk to continue. But thetter was soon preupied with his work, with his head lowered over his desk. After some time, Charles couldn¡¯t wait any longer. ¡°Sir, don¡¯t you have anything else to tell me regarding this person?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kirk¡¯s curt reply cut off the sliver of hope in Charles¡® eyes, and he fell silent once more. Did Kirk think Charles was some kind of all¨Cknowing divine figure? Just then, Kirk stared at him with a raised eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°N¨Cnothing¡­¡± Charles mumbled, his voice strained. Perhaps he should simply find a good ce to bury himself and rest for eternity How was he supposed to find out who that mysterious person was with only this bit of information? Nevertheless, he was the one who had caused Kirk and Caroline to quarrel, so he had to take responsibility for it¡­. Right after Charles left, Kirk received a call from Sean. ¡°Wanna grab a drink?¡± Sean asked while driving. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°No. I just reached thepany,¡± answered Kirk as he loosened his tie. ¡°Okay then.¡± Sean went silent for a moment beforeining, ¡°I¡¯m so unfortunate to have a father¨Cinw like him! Besides, it was his fault! Why should I be held ountable for it?¡± ¡°You and Gwen broke up already,¡± Kirk corrected him. ¡°You just can¡¯t stop yourself from rubbing salt into my wound, huh?¡± ¡°You did the same when Caroline and I got into a fight,¡± Kirk said, sessfully shutting him up. A few momentster, Sean¡¯s devastated voice came through the phone once more. ¡°Fine! I was wrong! Can you please tell me what I should do to set Gwen free from the trauma her father caused her?¡± ¡°If I knew what to do, I wouldn¡¯t have had to sleep in a room without Caroline.¡® ¡°What should I do then? I really like Gwen.¡± At first, Sean had thought she had a unique personality. But after having spent some time with her, he realized that he had truly fallen in love with her. Gwen was a carefree woman who wasn¡¯t shy about voicing her thoughts and speaking her mind. She was decisive and wouldn¡¯t dawdle on the things she wanted to do. The only thing that bothered him was that she was the exact opposite of that when it came to their rtionship. Shecked the courage to ept the fact that they could get into a rtionship just like anyone else. Sean felt his heart break for Gwen. He couldn¡¯t help himself from getting mad at her father because of this. Her father had cheated on her mother over and over again, even when Gwen had been young. ¡°You can beat him up, at the very least,¡± Kirk said as he massaged his temples. ¡°Unlike you, I can¡¯t vent my anger on anyone.¡® ¡°Good idea! I¡¯ll go and beat her father up right now!¡± 2/3 +15 BONUS Sean hung up right after he finished his sentence, leaving Kirk to stare speechlessly at the cked¨Cout screen of the phone. Caroline woke up early the next morning. The first thing she did was pick up her phone and check if she had received any messages from Marina. Unfortunately for her, Marina hadn¡¯t messaged her. But she had received a message from Gwen instead. ¡°Carol, this is hrious! My mom called mest night. She was frantic, and I thought something awful had happened. ¡°When I got home, I saw my dad lying on the couch. He was beaten to a pulp, and he had bruises all over his face! It was so funny! -Gwen¡± The message had been sent at 3:00 am. Chapter 437 Chapter 437 Chapter 437 +15 BONUS Gwen couldn¡¯t conceal her joy at the fact that her father had been beaten up. ¡°What happened?¡± Caroline texted her back. Gwen was probably still asleep now, so there wasn¡¯t a reply after the message was sent. Caroline then clicked into Marina¡¯s chatbox but saw that there weren¡¯t any new messages. After giving it some thought, she sent her a voice message. ¡°Do you have any news?¡± Marina replied almost instantly. ¡°No. Wait for a little longer. Tell your friend not to worry, because I¡¯ll definitely find out who that man¡¯s wife is. -Marina¡± There was nothing Caroline could do but wait for Marina¡¯s findings. After freshening up, Caroline rushed over to herpany. She was early today, so there weren¡¯t many people in the elevator. She pressed the button on the floor she wanted to get on. Then, right before she pressed the button to close the elevator doors, she heard someone call out, ¡°Wait-¡± Caroline froze and waited until the person entered the elevator before pressing the button. ¡°Which floor are you headed?¡± ¡°You¡¯re finally here! I thought you had abandoned yourpany!¡± Caroline nced up from the button to see La and immediately regretted her decision. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She should have simply pressed the button to avoid this catastrophe. La¡¯s words captured the attention of those around them, and the people looked at Caroline with puzzled looks. ¡°Mypany is doing just fine. Why would I abandon it?¡± Caroline said. ¡°Only for now, though. Just wait until mypany releases itstest product. I¡¯m sure yourpany will go bankrupt by then,¡± La said. ¡°Oh, sorry. It¡¯s ourpany that¡¯s going to go bankrupt, Sarah and the rest of the Evans family would be so pissed that they will tear you into pieces. ¡°I told you long ago that you weren¡¯t fit for this,¡± La added. ¡°You should¡¯ve just let me handle theny, but you insisted on doing it yourself.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too early for you to be so full of yourself?¡± Caroline spat. ording to the n, hertest product would only be released on the third day after Sonia¡¯s drama was broadcast. Besides, they still had to wait for two days until the drama was released. There was nothing to be nervous about. ¡°Caroline, I know what you¡¯re waiting for.¡± La wasn¡¯t done with her roasting. ¡°You¡¯re waiting for that actress¡® drama to get broadcasted, right? Listen up; I¡¯ve already asked an expert to watch it. A puny little actress like her won¡¯t get famous overnight.¡± She then inched closer to Caroline. ¡°Most stars who get famous all of a sudden usually offer their directors something under the table. ¡°Even if Sonia¡¯s acting is good, she doesn¡¯t know how to do business, so she won¡¯t ever be famous,¡± she said in a lowered voice. ¡°Besides, she works for Sorkin Group. She would be as good as dead if I asked Eddy to help me get rid of her.¡± Caroline narrowed her eyes at her. ¡°Your rival is me. You don¡¯t have to get rid of a stranger.¡± This made Laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Naturally, I won¡¯t touch her. If I did, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d call me a coward for being afraid of a mere actress like her.¡± The shadow on Caroline¡¯s face lifted a little. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± ¡°In the end, thepetition is between us both only. I¡¯ll win this fair and square and prove to everyone that I make a much better wife for Eddy than you.¡± The doors of the elevator opened just in time, and Caroline strode out with a smile. La scowled as she watched Caroline leave. She loathed that indifferent look on Caroline¡¯s face, which made it seem like nothing could drag her down. ѵ She thought, ¡°Just wait, Caroline. In five days, I¡¯ll surely make you kneel at my feet and beg for mercy. The mirrored walls in the elevator reflected the ugly scowl on her face, and she took a deep breath to rpose herself. 2/3 +15 BONUS When she reached the floor she was headed for, she walked out of the elevator and into her office to see Emery walking in her direction. ¡°Where¡¯s Dan and Sarah?¡± La asked. Emery¡¯s expression shifted a little before replying. ¡°T¨Cthey went downstairs.¡± La knitted her brows in displeasure. ¡°To see Caroline?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t she cut ties with them? Why did they go to see her?¡± Emery wasn¡¯t sure either, so she shook her head. ¡°Do you know what they¡¯re here for?¡± La asked. Emery shook her head again, which made La more furious. She was about tosh out at Emery, but the scowl on her face abruptly vanished. A thought urred to her, and she sneered. They must be begging Caroline to let them go! How idiotic! Chapter 438 Chapter 438 Chapter 438 +15 BONUS Caroline had just walked out of the elevator when she saw Sarah and Dan standing at the door of her office. She had a hunch about what they were here for already. Her expression was nk when she faced them. ¡°What is it?¡± Sarah had the urge to p Caroline when she saw her face. However, she and Dan were trapped in Caroline¡¯s grasp for now, so she had no choice but to bear with it. After calming herself down, she said, ¡°Caroline, don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gone overboard? Are you nning to kill us?¡± Caroline opened the door to the office and nced at them. ¡°What did I do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend like you don¡¯t know what you did! You gave Gavin the ledger!¡± ¡°What does that have to do with me? You two are the ones who broke thew!¡± ¡°You-¡± Sarah raised her hand in the air, ready to p Caroline. Yet thetter didn¡¯t even flinch or try to evade it. She simply stared right into Sarah¡¯s eyes, making Sarah freeze. Just then, Dan grabbed Sarah¡¯s arm and said, ¡°That¡¯s enough. Stop being mad at the young ones.¡± He then turned to Caroline with a gentle look in his eyes. ¡°Caroline, it¡¯s your mom¡¯s fault for falsel using you online before this. Regardless, we¡¯re still a family. How could you work with others to harm us?¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me that you two can hurt me, but I can¡¯t retaliate?¡± Caroline said. ¡°Have you no conscience?¡± Sarah seethed in rage. ¡°I¡¯m your mother! I raised you for so many years. How could you repay our love with kindness?¡± ¡°Did you ever think of yourselves as my parents when you made up all those lies online?¡± Caroline snapped, making both Dan and Sarah shut up. 1/3 +15 BONUS The door was already open, but Caroline turned to tell them, ¡°I gave Gavin the evidence, and the police have started looking into it. They¡¯ve probably already gone through the ledger. It¡¯s useless for you to come to me.¡± ¡°How could you be so cruel?¡± Dan roared. The gentle look on his face hadpletely vanished. Caroline closed the door right then to separate herself from them. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Seeing this, Sarah banged on the door and screamed, ¡°Come out! You wouldn¡¯t have be Evans Group¡¯s CEO if it hadn¡¯t been for us! I¡¯ll make you lose everything you have, you ungrateful brat!¡± Caroline heard her, of course. She simply smiled wryly in response. Usually, parents would hope for the best for their children. Apparently, her parents were the only exception. No wonder Gwen said that they probably weren¡¯t her biological parents. After some time, themotion outside the office ceased. It was probably because Dan had dragged Sarah away. Caroline didn¡¯t put much thought into it, though. She simply flipped through her nner and startedying out the ns for the release of her new clothing line. Outside, Dan had dragged Sarah into the elevator. He couldn¡¯t stop himself from lowering his voice to scold her. ¡°Are you done? You almost told her that she wasn¡¯t our biological daughter! Thank goodness I pulled you away!¡± ¡°She isn¡¯t our child, anyway!¡± Sarah blurted. Seeing the shadow on Dan¡¯s face, she eventually lowered her voice and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything wrong. If it hadn¡¯t been for-¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Dan snapped, trying hard to suppress his anger. ¡°Do you need me to remind you when you should shut up?¡± ¡°Honey, him. since things havee to this, it¡¯s best for us to tell the truth,¡± Sarah tried to persuade ¡°Besides, Eddy¡¯s going to marry La for sure. We only need to get on her good side. Why bother with Caroline?¡± 2/3 ¡°You¡¯re getting clumsier by the day,¡± said Dan. ¡°Do you even know what would happen to us if Benjamin finds out that we lied to him?¡± Sarah fall silent at that. Chapter 439 Chapter 439 Chapter 439 When they reached the first floor, Dan watched the doors of the elevator open slowly and felt himself calm down a lot. Once again, he pressed the button for the doors to close, which made Sarah wonder out loud,¡± Hubby, are you thinking of meeting that ungrateful brat again?¡± Dan sighed and told her, ¡°No. You pissed me off so much that I almost forgot we could rely on La.¡± Sarah cheered up at his words. ¡°You¡¯re right! I¡¯ve heard that La started her very ownpany just upstairs. She purposely chose the same design theme just topete with Caroline,¡± said Sarah. ¡°Herpany¡¯s PR team did a great job, and she managed to find herself the best of brand ambassadors too. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll win against Caroline.¡± ¡°Jude will agree to her marriage with Eddy by then,¡± she continued. ¡°After all, who would refuse such a brilliant granddaughter¨Cinw like her?¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. After listening to Sarah go on and on about this, Dan felt his mood improve tremendously. Indeed, businessmen like them prioritized a person¡¯s potential and ability to make money. Jude had been a big shot in the field of business back in the day. Naturally, he admired women who were intelligent and sessful in their careers. As they talked, the elevator reached the floor where La¡¯s office was. A smirkced La¡¯s lips, knowing that they woulde to her. Everything was as she had predicted. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about what happened. I¡¯ll tell Eddy about this,¡± La told them reassuringly as she handed them each a ss of water. Since Caroline wanted to send these two away, La would do the exact opposite of that. ¡°At least you¡¯re thankful,¡± Sarahmented. She was very pleased with what La said and was suddenly overwhelmed by her kindness. ¡°La, dear, I truly regret it! I should have given you all my attention in the past!¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Aunt Sarah, you¡¯ve taken good care of me since I was young. I really am indebted to you,¡± said La. ¡°You¡¯ve grown up into a wonderful young woman! I¡¯ve only just realized that I¡¯ve raised an ungrateful brat like Caroline. Oh, if only I could learn from your mother how to educate my young!¡± Sarah showered La withpliments, all while insulting Caroline in every single way possible. Sarah and Dan leftter, when Luke entered the office to pass La some documents. ¡°What is it?¡± La asked right after the door closed. Luke¡¯s expression said it all. ¡°We have good news! Lots of stores wanted to coborate with us when they heard that we¡¯reunching our new product in five days! More than 20 stores have contacted us this afternoon.¡± La¡¯s eyes shone upon hearing what he said. ¡°Awesome! Call the factory and tell them to hike up production. We have five days left to squash Caroline!¡± ¡°Another thing is that I¡¯ve called the factory that worked for Evans Group back then. They said that they could start working on our order without us having to pay extra for it!¡± La¡¯s eyes lit up at this. ¡°Not bad! Even the factory¡¯s boss knows that I¡¯m going to win. Apparently, it¡¯s only a matter of time before I¡¯ll return to Evans Group and take over Caroline¡¯s position.¡± ¡°By then, I¡¯ll merge ourpanies¡­¡± La¡¯s voice trailed off for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s not right. I¡¯ll buy the entire building instead! And I¡¯ll name it Evanson Corp!¡± Just thinking about it made her spirits soar. Chapter 440 Chapter 440 Chapter 440 +15 BONUS When Cheryl arrived at the office, she noticed that the door to Caroline¡¯s office was open. Pleasantly surprised that Caroline was here already, she stopped by the door and said, ¡°Caroline! You¡¯re early!¡± Caroline looked up from her desk. She had just finished writing down the details of her ns. ¡± Ask the heads of the departments toe to the conference room for a meeting.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cheryl chirped. Caroline busied herself with work once more. Cheryl couldn¡¯t make out if she was in a good mood or not. She wondered if Caroline and her husband reconciled after the trip. Jack had said that Caroline¡¯s husband was a good man. Still, if he was as good as Jack had put it, why would Caroline have gotten into a fight with him in the first ce? The question lingered in Cheryl¡¯s mind as she hurried off to call the heads of the departments for the meeting. ¡°Our ambassador¡¯s new drama will be broadcast in two days.¡± Caroline nced over all of them. ¡°Has everything been prepared?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± answered the heads of the departments in unison. ¡°Good. We have to take notice of a couple of things. If there¡¯s a problem, you need to tell me about it right away.¡± Caroline then told them about the things that they needed to pay attention to so that they could spread the word to their subordinates. The meeting ended about an hourter. Caroline stood up and nced around at the people around her. ¡°Are you sure that everything¡¯s fine?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± they replied. ¡°I won¡¯t let things go easily if any of you drag us down,¡± she said curtly and strode out of the room. One after the other, the heads of the departments got up from their seats and left. The head of the PR department was one of thest to leave. He tugged at the head of the 1/5 +15 BONUS After everyone else left, the head of the PR department whispered, ¡°I heard that the factory stopped making our order because they¡¯re busy with La¡¯s.¡± ¡°You¡¯re up¨Cto¨Cdate. As expected of the head of the PR department.¡± ¡°You tter me. Why didn¡¯t you tell Caroline about this? Aren¡¯t you worried?¡± ¡°What is there to worry about?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what she said? She won¡¯t let you go if you drag us down.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Jason smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She will never find out about this.¡± Confused, the head of the PR department asked, ¡°What do you mean? Won¡¯t she find out about it when the factory fails to deliver our orderter on?¡± Jason chuckled at that. ¡°Think about it. When both sidesunch our products, do you think ourpany will even be able to sell anything? Would Caroline be concerned about whether the factory would deliver our order on time?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± he added, ¡°she would even thank me for it. She would be grateful that the factory didn¡¯t make our order and that her debt wouldn¡¯t be so high.¡± The head of the PR department looked as if he had just stumbled upon this realization. ¡°You¡¯re right! To be frank, Caroline isn¡¯t that bad. It just so happened that she and La are at odds with each other. ¡°La¡¯s wealthy enough already, and with Eddy backing her up, it would be almost impossible for Caroline to win against her.¡± ¡°Exactly! That¡¯s why I¡¯m not bothered about it.¡± They chatted on their way back to their respective offices,pletely unaware of Cheryl, who had happened to walk out of the washroom at the same time. She had heard their entire conversation. This was horrible! How could the factory be so one¨Csided? Cheryl stormed off in the direction of Caroline¡¯s office. 2/5 +15 BONUS Caroline was busy scrolling on her phone. Marina still hadn¡¯t texted her. She fell into deep thought while tapping her fingers on the desktop. She was about to send Marina a message when someone knocked on the door. ¡°Come on in!¡± she said without ncing up. Cheryl entered the room and closed the door. She went up to Caroline and lowered her voice to exin what she had heard just now. Much to her surprise, Caroline¡¯s expression was as calm as ever, even after listening to her. Cheryl herself was furious, though. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? This is too much! How could the factory do this? We signed a contract!¡± A soft smile hung on Caroline¡¯s lips as she said, ¡°Why should I be mad? Isn¡¯t it good for someone to send money my way?¡± Cheryl blinked in confusion at her words. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Then, Caroline flipped through the address book and said, ¡°They¡¯ll have topensate us for breaching the contract. Ourpany is in need of cash right now. Isn¡¯t this just lovely?¡± After that, she called Gavin. ¡°Mr. Gavin,¡± she greeted. ¡°Is anything wrong?¡± Gavin asked from the other end of the line. ¡°Can you rmend me some factories that are trustworthy? I want to get a hundred thousand sets of clothes done as soon as possible.¡± ¡°A hundred thousand?¡± Gavin spewed his drink. ¡°That much?¡± ¡°Yes. The new line of clothes is gettingunched soon, but something came up with the factory. So I need to find a new one to partner up with. ¡°You used to be in the clothing business, right? You should know at least a few, then. ¡°Certainly,¡± said Gavin. ¡°But a hundred thousand is a lot to handle in a single order. Isn¡¯t it a bit too much?¡± 3/5 La this time. as willing to spend a fortune tounch her new line of clothes, which gave her the upper hand. It troubled him a lot. He didn¡¯t object to Caroline¡¯s ideas outright only because she was righteous enough to uphold justice, even when it involved some of her family. Still, a hundred thousand was no small number. As a shareholder, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from voicing his doubts. ¡°I think you should take it slowly. How about ten thousand?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Caroline¡¯s mind was made. ¡°A hundred thousand is the minimum. Do you have any factories to rmend? If not, I¡¯ll ask someone else about it.¡± ¡°I have-¡± ¡°Send their contacts to me then.¡± Caroline¡¯s reply was curt. Even Gavin couldn¡¯t muster the courage to refuse her now, and he sent her the contacts of several factories¡® bosses. When things were settled, it suddenly urred to him that Caroline¡¯s bearing had been surprisingly formidable. Even though he had stepped foot into the business field for many years, she had managed to make him feel overwhelmed. Who would believe him if he were to tell this to someone else? ¡°Are you listening?¡± George asked, snapping Gavin out of his daze. ¡°What were you saying?¡± ¡°I said, Caroline¡¯s wasting her time and effort. She even said that a hundred thousand was the minimum! ¡°Is she totally unaware of the situation at Evans Group? How is she even sure that she¡¯ll be able to sell so many sets of clothes?¡± Instead of replying, Gavin frowned and fell silent. It annoyed George further. ¡°I told you before that we should take back our investment, but you didn¡¯t believe me. Look at us now! Our money is as good as gone!* He continued, ¡°No matter what, I¡¯ll talk to Caroline about retrieving our funds next month! You won¡¯t be able to stop me then.¡± With that said, George stormed out of the office. ¡°George-¡± Gavin called after him as he watched George leave. Chapter 441 Chapter 441 Chapter 441 It was already 3:00 pm by the time Caroline finished the discussions with the factory. Once she left the factory, she hurriedly turned her phone on. Marina still hadn¡¯t messaged her. Instead, she found voice messages from Gwen. Gwen said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. ording to my dad, a bunch of people dragged him out of the car when he was getting off work. They let him go after beating him up. ¡°With the way he flirts with people, he probably offended someone he shouldn¡¯t. That¡¯s why he got beaten up in revenge. It¡¯s hrious.¡± Then, she asked, ¡°Carol, do you want to go out for dinner? I¡¯ll treat you.¡± Caroline was smiling as she listened to the voice messages. She texted, ¡°Sure.¡± Then, she went back to the chat with Marina. She sent a message that read, ¡°Have you found anything yet?¡± Marina replied instantly, saying, ¡°Not yet.¡± Right after, she also sent an emoji thatmunicated confusion. ¡°It¡¯s so weird. I can only find Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. information about his rtionship status, not who his wife is.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it on the same document?¡± Caroline asked in a text. ¡°That¡¯s the weirdest part. It¡¯s not written there.¡± Last time, when Marina had sent her Kirk¡¯s marriage information, Caroline hadn¡¯t noticed that the field for his wife¡¯s name was empty. Caroline frowned. After some hesitation, she typed, ¡°Could this document be fake?¡± However, she didn¡¯t send the message immediately. She debated for a long time before deciding to send it. Marina replied, ¡°That¡¯s probably impossible.¡± Caroline¡¯s heart fell. That was true. How could it be fake? If it had been fake, Kirk would have told her that. With the way he carried on, Kirk was probably saying that the document was real. Marina sent yet another message. ¡°But tell your friend not to worry. I have a friend working at the 1/2 ¡°No problem. She can wait,¡± Caroline replied. +15 BONUS But, in truth, she didn¡¯t feel like she could wait any longer. Nevertheless, she had no choice. After all, it was better than waiting to see what new lie Kirk woulde up with this time. Investigating it herself was the better choice. Caroline let out a breath, feeling dejected. She had been nning to consider divorce after returning to Easton, but she had to dy it since the whole situation was such a mess. After getting off work, Caroline had Jack pick Gwen up before heading to dinner. Once Gwen got into the car, she started chattering about what had happened to her father. She exaggerated it a lot, making it sound absolutely pathetic. It made Caroline smile and temporarily forget the sadness she felt because of Kirk. The restaurant they went to was the one where Gwen had gotten drunk that one time. The manager remembered Caroline and came forward. Respectfully, he asked, ¡°Ms. Evans, would you like a private room?¡± Caroline beamed. ¡°You remember me?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the manager said. ¡°When you and Mr. Sorkin came for a meal, he purposely changed his clothes for it. That¡¯s why I remember you so well.¡± Caroline was stunned. She didn¡¯t remember this at all. Chapter 442 Chapter 442 Chapter 442 +15 BONUS ¡°Before you left, Mr. Sorkin even left instructions to ensure that your bill was cleared the next time you visited * Hearing what the manager said, Gwen¡¯s mouth took on an O shape. She nudged Caroline with her arm as she sent her a meaningful look Caroline shot Gwen a nce before following the manager to the private room. Once the manager left, Gwen said in a rush, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that Mr. Sorkin treats you differently?¡± ¡°He has a girlfriend¡± L ¡°That¡¯s unrted¡± Gwen watched as Caroline frowned in annoyance. Sheughed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about him anymore. Besides, he already went abroad. Who knows when he¡¯sing back?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± As Caroline poured them tea, she immediately felt rxed. Gwen eyed her. After a moment, she said, ¡°Carol, what¡¯s going on between you and Kirk right now?¡± Caroline rubbed her temples. ¡°I don¡¯t know, either. The situation seems moreplicated than I imagined ¡­¡± ¡°Complicated?¡± Gwen asked. ¡°Howplicated can matters of the heart get?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t know how to exin it to her. Gwen raised her teacup. ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s not talk about it if you don¡¯t want to. But, Carol, no matter what choice you make, I hope you¡¯ll put your happiness first. ¡°Don¡¯t be like my mother. She never divorced and said it¡¯s because of me.¡± She continued, ¡°She doesn¡¯t know how much I would rather they had divorced. Maybe if they had split up long ago, I wouldn¡¯t be the way I am now when ites to love.¡± Seeing Gwen this way made Caroline¡¯s heart ache. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Once I figure this thing out, I¡¯ll divorce him without looking back if he¡¯s really 1/3 Caroline just couldn¡¯t bear to divorce when the situation was so muddled. +15 BONUS This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Gwenughed. ¡°Carol, I¡¯m not trying to meddle in your life, but I¡¯m really afraid¡­ I¡¯m afraid that we¡¯ll be inferior because of a man ¡­¡± Gwen¡¯s body seemed to be trembling minutely. Caroline was sitting right next to Gwen, and she hugged her gently. ¡°I know. I know¡­¡± Gwen buried her head on Caroline¡¯s shoulder as she shook violently. ¡°I know that Sean¡¯s not a bad boyfriend, but I really don¡¯t dare to try. Especially since he¡¯s so amazing. When I was with him, I kept overthinking when I wasn¡¯t working.¡± She exined, ¡°I kept wondering what he was doing and if he was with another woman. My rationality told me to stop, but I really can¡¯t control my brain.¡± Hearing Gwen¡¯s heartfelt fear as she spoke, Caroline patted her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Take your time. You¡¯re being very brave as it is.¡± ¡°Am I brave?¡± Gwen looked up at Caroline. ¡°Of course. Think about it. You spent more than three months with Sean, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Gwen suddenlyughed as she rubbed her head on Caroline¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Carol, how can you be so great? Once you find out the truth about Kirk, I¡¯ll beat him up for you if he really went against your back!¡± Caroline chuckled. ¡°Sure!¡± Right then, a knock sounded at the door. Caroline thought it was a waiter, so she waited for Gwen to wipe away her tears before saying, ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened. The people standing at the door weren¡¯t waiters. Instead, it was Kirk and¡­ Sean. Seeing the two men, Caroline and Gwen both started to frown in synchrony. They asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Kirk and I came out for dinner and saw Jack¡¯s car downstairs. That¡¯s why we came over. Since it¡¯s As Sean spoke, he made his way to sit next to Gwen. Kirk also walked to Caroline and sat down. Caroline and Gwen exchanged nces. They could see annoyance in each other¡¯s eyes. Being shameless could really get one anywhere in life. Chapter 443 Chapter 443 Chapter 443 +15 BONUS Carolinepletely ignored Kirk and spent the whole of dinner talking to Gwen. Gwen used the same tactic. However, when she found out that Sean had hired the men to beat her father up, she couldn¡¯t resist widening her eyes. ¡°You really did that?¡± Sean analyzed the look on Gwen¡¯s face. When he saw that she wasn¡¯t angry, he smiled and said, ¡® Yes.¡± ¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t help but look over at Sean too. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Gwen asked in confusion. Sean replied, ¡°It¡¯s public responsibility to maintain public order.¡± Gwen couldn¡¯t help but splutter out augh. After a moment, she stopped eating and asked, ¡°Then ¡­ do you have a video of what happened?¡± Sean had a yful look in his eyes. He seemed like he was getting what he wanted. ¡°I do. It¡¯s at my ce. Do you want toe over and watch it?¡± After some debate, Gwen couldn¡¯t resist the temptation. She bit her lip and asked, ¡°Do I have to go to yours to watch it?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s proof of a crime, after all. I¡¯m afraid that bringing it out might cause me trouble.¡± Gwen bit her lip. ¡°Alright then. Now?¡± ¡°Not a problem.¡± Sean was smiling. He stood up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Caroline wasn¡¯t paying attention to their conversation at all. By the time she figured out what was going on, Gwen had already picked up her coat. She looked at Caroline guiltily. ¡°Carol, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m going to leave first. Are you ¡­ going to be okay here?¡± Watching them both, Caroline could only smile. This was for her friend¡¯s happiness, after all.¡± 1/3 Only then did Gwen feel relieved enough to leave. +15 BONUS After Gwen and Sean left, only Caroline and Kirk remained in the private room. When Gwen had been there, Caroline could chat with her to distract herself. Now that Gwen was gone, Caroline felt Kirk¡¯s presence with every fiber of her being. She wanted to run away. But Kirk¡¯s long legs were in her path of escape. Even if she tried to leave, Kirk would be able to stop her. Caroline lowered her head and bit into her food viciously. ¡°That¡¯s a meatball, not me.¡± Kirk¡¯s voice rang out through the room. Caroline couldn¡¯t help but look up at him. How did Kirk know that she had been imagining that the meatball was him? Kirkughed. ¡°You only ever bite so hard when you¡¯re angry. There¡¯s only me in the room, so you must be imagining me.¡± Caroline pursed her lips and kept silent. She refused to talk to him. She let him fester in the quiet. ¡°Are you thinking about not talking to me so I¡¯ll suffer in the silence?¡± Kirk asked with a smile. Caroline¡¯s eyes widened. It took a lot of effort to keep from asking how Kirk had seen through her. He couldn¡¯t have installed something in her brain, right? ¡°I didn¡¯t install a surveince device in your brain!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Caroline couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She mmed her cutlery down on the table and looked at Kirk¡¯s legs in her way. Coldly, she said, ¡°Do you mind putting your legs away?¡± Kirk looked over at Caroline. The warm lights that shone on him made him look even more handsome. When Caroline saw his face, her heart started racing wildly. She cursed herself for being so weak. 2/3 Her mind was buzzing. Not caring if Kirk retracted his legs, she stepped over them. +15 BONUS She was wearing high heels today. Since she was in a rush, she didn¡¯t catch her bnce. Her feet stumbled, and she fell into Kirk¡¯s embrace. By the time she reacted, she was already lying across Kirk¡¯s body. Plus, some buttons on his shirt had popped out from the strain. His corbones and muscled chest were revealed¡­ Caroline struggled to get up. She put a hand right on Kirk¡¯s abs¡­ The touch made Caroline¡¯s desire re. She desperately wanted to linger there and touch her fill. Her thoughts were interrupted by a wave ofughter. Chapter 444 Chapter 444 Chapter 444 ¡°Darling¡­ You seem to miss my body a lot¡­¡± Caroline looked up at Kirk. He looked unperturbed, with his hands casually behind his head as he smiled at her. Caroline¡¯s face turned redder. She levered herself upright using the armrests. When she finally managed it, she looked down at Kirk. ¡°Don¡¯t think so highly of yourself.¡± Kirkughed. ¡°Alright. Then, I miss yours, alright?¡± ¡°You pervert!¡± After cursing Kirk out, Caroline carefully stepped over his legs and rushed out of the private room in a huff. Kirk got up to follow her. His fingers lingered on the warmth she had left on his abs, and he smiled brighter. When she got outside, Caroline¡¯s face didn¡¯t feel as warm anymore. She opened the car door and got in. Just as she was about to close it, a hand shot out to hold the door. Caroline frowned. She looked at the head sticking through the doorway and frowned. During this time, Kirk squeezed himself into the car. Caroline asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°To send you home.¡¯ ¡± ¡°Mr. Jack will send me home.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be at ease if I don¡¯t.¡± Caroline was rendered speechless. She was so mad that she simply stopped talking to Kirk. She turned her back to him and looked at the scenery outside the window. Ever since she had started working at Thorne Corporation, Caroline had learned to control her own emotions. However, Kirk always managed to make her lose her cool. How could she have never noticed how shameless he was? 1/3 +15 BONUS They were silent all the way home until the car reached Caroline¡¯s neighborhood. Caroline watched as Kirk followed behind her. No matter how quickly she walked, she couldn¡¯t shake him off. Thus, she decided to just slow down. At the entrance to the apartment building, she stopped walking. Impatiently, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve arrived safely home. Can you go home now?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± Kirk said with augh. ¡°I need to see you home personally.¡± Caroline was at a loss for words. She took a deep breath and squeezed out a smile. ¡°You can do whatever you want, as long as it makes you happy.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m happy.¡± Kirk hit the button for the elevator before Caroline could. ¡°Getting to go home with my wife is the happiest part of my day.¡± Caroline kept telling herself to ignore him and pretend he wasn¡¯t there. In the blink of an eye, the elevator arrived on her floor. She couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk to Kirk. She was ready to rush inside and lock the door behind her. After preparing herself, she took out her keys. But the instant the door opened, Caroline¡¯s expression changed. Her pristine living room was a Her first thought was that a thief had gotten in. She immediately ran into the apartment and checked all the ces where she kept her valuables. However, she found everything still in ce, unstolen. Then, Caroline called the building¡¯s management and told them what happened. The employee on duty that night came over to have a look. After checking the surveince footage, they found that no one hade in. ¡°My apartment can¡¯t have gotten messed up on its own, could it?¡± The employee was helpless. ¡°We really didn¡¯t find anyone going in. There¡¯s no one suspicious in the surveince footage, either. We really can¡¯t help.¡± 2/3 After saying that, the employee left. Caroline was upset as she looked at her ransacked apartment. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Right then, Kirk said, ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± Chapter 445 Chapter 445 Chapter 445 Instinctually, Caroline wanted to say no. But thinking of how the perpetrator hadn¡¯t left any traces at all and hadn¡¯t stolen anything, she became anxious. Who knew if the perpetrator woulde back? With Kirk there, at least he could help ensure her safety. Caroline wasn¡¯t someone who would take risks with her life. Seeing Caroline silent, Kirk made himselffortable. ¡°It¡¯s reallyte. You should head to bed early. I¡¯ll have someonee and clean up tomorrow.¡± Caroline hummed in acknowledgement before going into the bathroom. After washing up, she came out to find that Kirk had already cleaned up the couch. Sensing her gaze, Kirk looked up and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on the couch tonight. Don¡¯t lock your room door. If something happens, give me a shout, and I¡¯ll rush over.¡± Caroline looked at the couch without saying anything. The couch was only about five feet long. There was still a pile of stuff on it that hadn¡¯t been cleared away. Kirk was more than six feet tall. It would be awful for him to sleep on the couch.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°You should sleep on the bed,¡± Caroline said as she held the cor of her sleep shirt. She seemed to be in a daze. Kirk¡¯s eyebrows flew up, but he quickly controlled his expression again. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on the couch.¡± Kirk was speechless for a moment before he said, ¡°Then I¡¯d better take the couch.¡± He stretched out on the couch. ¡°Go to bed. You still have to go to work tomorrow morning.¡± Watching him, Caroline hesitated for a while before walking toward the bedroom. Once inside, she was about to close the door out of habit. But when she recalled what Kirk had said before, she hesitated again. 1/3 +15 BONUS After a moment, she left the door open. After all, her safety was on the line. Everything else paled inparison. Lying on the bed, Caroline couldn¡¯t go to sleep, no matter how she tried. When she thought of Kirk being outside, she felt at ease. Yet, when she closed her eyes, she didn¡¯t feel any desire to sleep at all. She was extremely conscious of Kirk being on the couch. Was hefortable? Was he already asleep? Displeased with herself, Caroline turned around. Couldn¡¯t she be stronger and not think or worry about him? Right then, Kirk turned around as hey ufortably on the couch. The couch was much too small, and it hurt his neck and his legs to sleep on it. When he looked up, he saw the warm yellow lighting from the bedroom, and his emotions fluttered. Right then, his phone vibrated on the coffee table. Kirk quickly picked up the phone. After listening for a long while, he heard no sounding from the bedroom. Only then did he unlock his phone and turn on silent mode. After that, he checked his messages. Sean had sent him a text message. It read, ¡°Where are you? Wannae out for a drink?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not free,¡± he replied. ¡°Who are you trying to fool? You¡¯re not with your wife, so how can you not be free?¡± Seeing this text, Kirk sat up. He took a flurry of photos of the living room and sent them all to Sean in a huff. When Sean saw the pictures, he sent countless exmation points. Then, his next text read, ¡°F***! You¡¯re actually in Caroline¡¯s apartment? Teach me your ways!¡± Sean sent lots of emojis with stars for eyes. 2/3 +15 BONUS Seeing this, Kirk smiled. He replied, ¡°Her ce got burgled. I¡¯m staying with her tonight.¡± Sean replied, ¡°Burgled? Did you call the police?¡± ¡°Nothing was missing. The police wouldn¡¯t do anything, even if we made a report.¡± Sean looked at the message Kirk sent for a full three minutes. Then, a thought crossed his mind.¡± You¡¯re not the burr, are you?¡± What a ruthless move! With that, Kirk could openly stay over. Sean really wanted to go back in time and beat himself up. It was st* pid of him to try and give Kirk advice when Kirk was such a master at it himself. Sean had only been bringing shame to himself. Chapter 446 Chapter 446 Chapter 446 ¡°Why don¡¯t you start a ss? I¡¯ll be the first to register myself,¡± came Sean¡¯s next text message. Kirk put his phone away and didn¡¯t reply anymore. Actually, Sean had been the one to give him this idea. He once again turned to look at the warm light on the floor. He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. In her room, Caroline turned around for the 28th time. After that, she couldn¡¯t help but get up. Using the excuse of needing a drink, she went to the living room and found Kirk sleeping peacefully. The sight stunned her. He looked like it had been a long time since he had gotten some rest. There were shadows under his eyes. The couch really looked like it was making him ufortable, but he didn¡¯t frown. His mouth was even curved upward. Caroline couldn¡¯t help but raise her hand. When she was about to touch Kirk¡¯s forehead, she suddenly realized what she was doing. She pulled her hand back and picked up her ss of water before speeding back into her room. When she sat on the bed, her heart was still pounding. She clenched her hands. Her mind kept reying the scene from earlier. Caroline squeezed her eyes shut and took several deep breaths before finally lying down. Nothing unusual happened for the rest of the night. Caroline slept through the night. When she woke up the next morning, she was nearlyte. Caroline had to admit that, as ofte,st night was when she had slept the best. Leaving the bedroom, Caroline found a familiar breakfast waiting for her on the dining table. She felt like she had gone back to the past: This feeling scared her so much that she even forgot to wash up. She left in a rush. +15 BONUS When Kirk came out of the kitchen, he realized that Caroline had already left. He let out a helpless breath when he saw the breakfast spread out on the table. Caroline washed up at thepany. When Cheryl saw this, she thought it was very strange. ¡°Caroline, why didn¡¯t you wash up at home beforeing?¡± Caroline paused as she washed her face. ¡°There¡¯s a dog at home.¡± ¡°What?¡± Cheryl didn¡¯t hear Caroline clearly. She looked at Caroline with a strange expression, but Caroline didn¡¯t exin further. Wiping her hands dry, Caroline said, ¡°Sonia¡¯s new webseries is releasing tonight, right?¡± Cheryl replied, ¡°Yes.¡± She put her hand over her heart and asked, ¡°Are you nervous, Caroline?¡± Intrigued, Caroline asked, ¡°What¡¯s there to be nervous about?¡± Cheryl really admired Caroline. The thing that impressed her most about Caroline was how calmly she faced every problem that she met. Cheryl couldn¡¯t do the same. After finding out about the issue with the factoryst night, she couldn¡¯t help but worry. But Jack told her not to overthink. She had to trust Caroline. And that was what Cheryl said to herself, but she still couldn¡¯t manage to do it. She knew very well how big of an impact it would make if Caroline failed this time. She really hoped that Caroline would win! Caroline seemed to be able to tell what Cheryl was thinking about. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You and Mr. Jack shoulde to my ce tonight to watch Sonia¡¯s new show.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t want to spend time alone with Kirk. Cheryl¡¯s face flushed. ¡°Can I? I¡¯m worried Jack might not be interested in watching the show.¡± ¡°How will you know if you don¡¯t try?¡± Caroline was smiling as she patted Cheryl on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s settled, then. See you tonight.¡± 2/3 +15 BONUS After that, Caroline went back to her office. Cheryl dallied until the afternoon before she nervously went to see Jack. Jack was taking flower¨Carranging lessons at a nearby organization. When she saw him, Cheryl suddenly thought of a line from a poem: ¡°In me, the tiger sniffs the rose.¡± ¡°Jack,¡± she called. Jack looked up from where he had been focused on arranging his flowers. Seeing Cheryl, he smiled, his stern face turning soft. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Cheryl nodded shyly. At the side, the instructor asked, ¡°Your girlfriend?¡± Cheryl¡¯s face turned red as she blushed. She looked at Jack nervously. She wondered how he would answer. Chapter 447 Chapter 447 Chapter 447 Jack¡¯s reaction was very solemn. He replied, ¡°Please don¡¯t joke. She¡¯s a colleague at mypany. She¡¯s just a young woman, and she doesn¡¯t have a boyfriend. If you say that, people might misunderstand.¡± The instructor was taken aback. After a moment, she turned and apologized to Cheryl. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± Actually, it was amon joke in Easton, so Cheryl didn¡¯t take it to heart. But seeing how serious Jack had been, she became flustered. She suddenly felt like she was seen as something precious. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Outside the ssroom, Cheryl followed behind Jack. ¡°Jack, Caroline asked me to invite you to her ce tonight to watch Sonia¡¯s new show. Do you want toe?¡± Jack didn¡¯t think much about it. ¡°Sure.¡± When they got to the elevator, Cheryl looked at Jack¡¯s broad and solid back. She said softly,¡± Actually ¡­ you didn¡¯t have to be so serious just now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That instructor was just joking.¡± Jack tilted his head and said, equally somberly, ¡°I know, but I only consider you like my little sister. I don¡¯t want her to misunderstand the pure rtionship between us.¡± The smile froze on Cheryl¡¯s face. ¡°L¨Clittle sister¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve always wanted a sweet and sensible little sister like you. Cheryl, is that okay?¡± Cheryl was bbergasted. Why was Jack so clueless? She pressed her lips together but managed a sweet smile in the end. ¡°A¨Calright.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jack patted Cheryl¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m in a great mood today. I¡¯m going to buy you a gift.¡± Cheryl couldn¡¯t find the voice to speak. Caroline only noticed the gold bracelet on Cheryl¡¯s wrist that afternoon when she got into the car 1/3 ¡°When did you buy that?¡± Caroline asked. +15 BONUS ¡°Jack gave it to me,¡± Cheryl answered honestly. Her gaze fell on Jack as he drove in the front seat. Jack was still very excited. He joyfully asked Caroline, ¡°What do you think of this bracelet, Ms. Evans?¡± Caroline lifted Cheryl¡¯s wrist and looked it over carefully. After a moment, she said, ¡°It¡¯s very pretty. It¡¯s not cheap, is it? Mr. Jack, you¡¯ve finally got it.¡± ¡°Got it? What do you mean, Ms. Evans?¡± Cheryl hurriedly interrupted and said, ¡°Big brother, what Caroline means is that you finally got it and bought this bracelet for me in exchange for all the dinners I made you.¡± As she said this, she kept winking at Caroline. Caroline said, ¡°Big brother?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re like siblings now. The kind that don¡¯t share parents.¡± ¡°Siblings with different parents?¡± For a moment, Caroline really didn¡¯t know how to react. ¡°Yes,¡± Cheryl said. She really didn¡¯t know what else to say, either. After they got out of the car, Caroline finally had the chance to ask Cheryl what was going on. Cheryl told her about what had happened earlier, which caused Caroline to throw her head back andugh. Seeing the vexation in Cheryl¡¯s eyes, Caroline patted her on the shoulder as she held her stomach. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean tough. I really didn¡¯t expect Mr. Jack to be so clueless.¡± ¡°Yeah. I really can¡¯t believe someone like him could have had a crush on you before,¡± Cheryl said in annoyance. Caroline pressed her lips together, wanting tough, but she knew she shouldn¡¯t. Seeing Jack Jack was confused when he returned after parking the car. ¡°What¡¯s so funny, Ms. Evans?¡± Carolineughed even harder after Jack said this. 2/3 +15 BONUS Right then, Jack suddenly saw Kirk with many bags of different sizes. Jack was agog and looked at Kirk as if he were an alien as he came closer. Kirk had seen Caroline and the others when he had turned the corner. Seeing how happy Caroline was, he almost doubted that it was her. Chapter 448 Chapter 448 Chapter 448 When Caroline saw Kirk, the smile on her face vanished. The huge change in demeanor told Jack, clueless as he was being said to be, that Kirk and Caroline hadn¡¯t settled the issues between them. This was the first time Cheryl had seen Kirk. It was only when Jack went forward to help him with the bags that she realized this was Caroline¡¯s husband. She had been dying to meet him for ages! Damn! He was so handsome! Cheryl wasn¡¯t interested in fangirling, so she had never understood how excited people might feel when they met their idols. However, she had a taste of that feeling just then. After all, people just couldn¡¯t resist a handsome face. ¡°Caroline, Caroline. Your husband is so handsome!¡± Cheryl clutched Caroline¡¯s sleeve as she said this. Shepletely forgot that Caroline and Kirk were currently fighting. Seeing Cheryl lose herposure, Caroline felt less guilty. See, it wasn¡¯t just her who couldn¡¯t stand up to the power of Kirk¡¯s looks. He was simply too handsome. So handsome that one¡¯s principles turned to dust. The four of them went into Caroline¡¯s apartment. ¡°Sir, should we leave?¡± Kirk looked up at Jack but didn¡¯t say anything. Stuck at the door of the kitchen, Jack didn¡¯t know whether to leave or not. Heined inwardly, ¡°You should tell me properly if I should leave or not!¡± It was a shame that Kirk couldn¡¯t hear his thoughts. Rather, he was struggling with it himself. This was the first meal they would be having together since fighting. Kirk had spent a whole afternoon just buying the ingredients for dinner. Seeing the people Caroline had brought over, his mood went down to the pits. And seeing the unreserved way Caroline hadughed in front of them made Kirk burn with 1/2 +15 BONUS He had already been debating whether to chase them off while downstairs. In the end, the choice of not chasing them off won out. After all, he still wanted to see Caroline smile, even if it wasn¡¯t because of him. ¡°The madam invited you two here. Won¡¯t it be disrespectful to her if you just leave?¡± Kirk smoothly started washing the vegetables. As he did, he said, ¡°I only bought enough food for two. Follow this list and go buy another portion.¡± Jack¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Sir, are you going to cook us dinner personally? That¡¯s inappropriate, right?¡± Although he said this, Jack was overjoyed inside. He guessed that not even Charles had experienced having this billionaire cook for him. Kirk shot him a cold nce. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Jack didn¡¯t waste any more time chitchatting. He joyfully told Caroline that he was going grocery shopping before he left. Cheryl looked at Kirk as he busied himself in the kitchen. Then, she looked at the door. Abruptly, her expression shifted. She clutched Caroline¡¯s arm in unease. ¡°C¨CCaroline ¡­¡± Caroline was currently turning on the TV. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you think ¡­ Could Jack possibly ¡­ like your husband?¡± The remote control in Caroline¡¯s hand fell to the ground with a loud tter. After being stunned for a moment, she bent down to pick it up. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting, Cheryl? How could Mr. Jack like-¡± ¡°But,¡± Cheryl started, ¡°do you remember? Jack said he stopped having that crush on you after he met your husband. ¡°Could it be that it¡¯s not because he saw how much your husband loves you but because he fell in love with your husband?¡± Caroline looked toward Kirk in the kitchen and fell deep into thought. ¡°Is he ¡­ that popr?¡± Chapter 449 Chapter 449 Chapter 449 Cheryl looked at Caroline in disbelief. ¡°Caroline, you must be joking, right? Your husband¡¯s so handsome, and he¡¯s a manager at Morrison Corp. Do you know how many people would want to marry him?¡± Caroline really didn¡¯t have a clue. After Cheryl exined things, Caroline finally understood that Kirk was an exceptional man when it came to ordinary people. He was a very sessful man. Caroline had only considered Kirk an ordinary person because she had beenparing him to men from wealthy families, those with riches that had been umting for multiple generations. Indeed, whenpared to such men, Kirk didn¡¯t have many advantages. ¡°Besides, women now have to look at more than what¡¯s in men¡¯s wallets. We also have to consider their looks. With your husband¡¯s looks, countless people would throw money at him even if he was broke.¡± 7 ¤¬ ¥ß¥ß¥Ã¥ß¥Ã¥ß A Caroline was confused by this, and it showed on her face. ¡°I can tell that you don¡¯t pay attention to what goes on in the entertainment industry at all. These days, a male celebrity who¡¯s not very handsome can easily find a sugar mommy to provide for him. TM O Seeing that Caroline had no idea how valuable her husband was, Cheryl started yet another round of lectures. By the time Jack got back, Caroline fully understood the situation. In fact, Kirk wasn¡¯t an ordinary person. Instead, he was much rarer than an endangered animal. Cheryl¡¯s exnation made Caroline understand why Dolly had directed her to investigate Kirk¡¯s marital status. She also understood why that mysterious woman had done what she had. It was like what Mia had done, too. Since that person knew she couldn¡¯t get Kirk, she wanted to ruin Caroline¡¯s rtionship with him. But¡­ 1/3 +15 BONUS Caroline frowned as she looked at Kirk in the kitchen. After some thought, she handed the remote control to Cheryl. ¡°Give me a holler when it starts.¡± ¡°Oh, sure.¡± After Cheryl said this, she watched as Caroline went straight toward the kitchen. She couldn¡¯t help but look, but Jack¡¯srge figure blocked her line of sight. Jack¡¯s face was filled with joy, and he looked like he had won the lottery. This made Cheryl even more suspicious that he might be in love with Kirk. What a joke. Had her first romantic experience really ended with her falling for a gay man? This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. As she thought this, Cheryl prayed to any deity who would listen that it wouldn¡¯t be so. She had been a good person in her life, right? She deserved to have her prayere true. In the kitchen, Caroline pulled the door closed behind her, leaving Jack outside as he picked through the vegetables he had bought. Caroline leaned against the sliding door and looked at Kirk. ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going?¡± Kirk paused in his work and looked at Caroline. ¡°What investigation?¡± ¡°Dolly and that mysterious person?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no development yet. I¡¯ll have Charles put more effort into it.¡± Caroline frowned as she looked deeply at Kirk. R TH ¼¾ Èý In the end, she said in a huff, ¡°Kirk, is it so hard to exin why it says that you¡¯re married in your documents?¡± Kirk gazed deeply into Caroline¡¯s eyes, his gaze filled with grief. ¡°I can only tell you that I can¡¯t exin things right now.¡± ¡°Then you¡­¡± Suddenly, Caroline remembered that there were outsiders beyond the door. She took a deep breath and lowered her voice. ¡°Can you give me a deadline?¡± ¡°I ¡­¡± Kirk pressed his lips together. ¡°Darling, I hope even more than you that we can stay together. But if I can¡¯t find a reasonable way to deal with this, I¡¯m afraid that I might hurt you very deeply. That¡¯s not something I¡¯m willing to Chapter 450 Chapter 450 Caroline looked at Kirk in confusion. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand why it¡¯s so hard to exin why you¡¯re supposedly already married.¡± Right then, there was a knock at the door. Caroline turned her head and saw Jack with a basket full of vegetables. He looked to be at a loss for words. This ss sliding door was really good for soundproofing. Caroline had no choice but to pull the door open. ¡°Ms. Evans, Cheryl asked me to tell you that the webseries is starting.¡± Caroline nodded and took onest look at Kirk before leaving the kitchen. Back in the living room, Caroline was still thinking about what she had asked Kirk. She couldn¡¯t pay much attention to the show at all. However, Cheryl was having the time of her life watching it. ¡°Caroline, I really understand why you said Sonia would be popr after watching this show. Her entrance was amazing! She can beat Daphne Dawson any day!¡± Caroline answered distractedly, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Speaking of Daphne Dawson, I really wonder about the kind of taste Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle has. Why would he fall for her and even marry her? ¦° ¡°Caroline, don¡¯t you have a good rtionship with Mr. Eddy? If you have the chance, you should really tell Mr. Morrison Senior about it. Tell Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle to check what kind of person Daphne is.¡± Caroline was still in a daze. ¡°Indeed, he has no taste.. ¡± In truth, Caroline had no clue what Cheryl had been saying. Meanwhile, Kirk was gobsmacked as he set the table. ¡°I feel Sonia isn¡¯t bad. If you have the chance, maybe you could introduce her to Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle?¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Ah¡­¡± Caroline finally snapped out of her thoughts. She had heard something about Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Cheryl had asked about him, right? Cheryl said, ¡°Look how pretty and charismatic Sonia is. If she gets together with a shrewd businessman like Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be a great match.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t like such a woman,¡± said Kirk coldly. Both Caroline and Cheryl looked up at him. Cheryl was terrified by the oppressive air he was exuding. She swallowed and stuttered out, ¡°W- why not? Sonia is very beautiful, though.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t like her.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the type he would like?¡± ¡°He likes¡­¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze naturally moved tond on Caroline. Then, he seemed to realize something and changed tacks. ¡°From a man¡¯s perspective, I think he would like someone like your Ms. Evans.¡± Seeing how sure Kirk was, Caroline nearly asked him if he knew Eddy¡¯s second uncle. But he had said that it was from a man¡¯s perspective instead. Caroline suddenly lost interest. ¡°Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Cheryl, let¡¯s go eat.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The three of them headed to the dining table. With Jack and Cheryl there, the meal was rtively enjoyable. That was why, whenever Kirk found the two extra people annoying, he would look at Caroline with a slight smile. Heforted himself that there were wins and losses in all things. Halfway through her meal, Caroline received a phone call from the head of the marketing department. ¡°Ms. Evans, Evanson Corporation upstairs has already started selling their horoscope¨Cthemed clothes. Should we follow?¡± 2/3 +15 BONUS Caroline said, ¡°No need.¡± ¡°But their sales have already broken ten thousand items in their live stream. The horoscope theme is a trend. ¡°If we miss this wave, I¡¯m afraid the trend will be over by the time we release our products. The consumers won¡¯t want to buy any more of them.¡± Caroline remained firm. ¡°Just follow our n.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. The marketing department head seemed to have more to say, but Caroline had already hung up. The others in the group chat discussed this incident fervently. When they found out that Caroline didn¡¯t want to push up the release, they all said, ¡°I think our group chat wille to an end soon. We should find a new job fast.¡± Chapter 451 Chapter 451 Chapter 451 At that same moment, La and Daphne were both overjoyed in their live stream. Arge portion of people who watched the stream only did so because of Eddy¡¯s and his second uncle¡¯s reputation. The fact that Daphne was Eddy¡¯s second aunt wasn¡¯t a secret anymore. Meanwhile, La had been showing up with Eddy frequently during this time. Privately, she was known as Eddy¡¯s girlfriend already. With the two of them being on the same live stream, it naturally attracted lots of intrigued people. Thements section was going crazy. ¡°Ahhh, it¡¯s a dream team. Who would have thought an aunt and a niece¨Cinw would be such a great team?¡± ¡°Although La hasn¡¯t married Mr. Eddy yet, I think it¡¯s going to happen soon.¡± ¡°I admire them so much. They seem to have a great rtionship!¡± Thesements and more kept springing up. Seeing the number of views steadily climbing, La smiled. This was exactly the kind of oue she wanted. La knew that Eddy¡¯s name would bring in a lot of views and attention. Everyone was invested in the Morrison family. After all, the most elite family in Easton. They all wanted to know what went on with them. The more they chatted, the more sales they got in the stream for her clothes. There was no need for Daphne to advertise the way others might. Those who clicked into the stream would buy a couple of items once they saw that Daphne was sponsoring them and that the price was within a certain range. Three hourster, the sales reached more than 100 thousand items. It had broken the current record for hourly sales in a day that had been set during ck Friday sales. The clothes practically sold themselves, too. It was such easy money. Seeing such great sales, La naturally had to exaggerate it. 1/2 +15 BONUS Thus, not half an hourter, her name became one of the trending topics on Twitter. Her sales numbers also became the best proof of her ims. After all, no one remembered anything on the inte. Manyrge media outlets reported on it, and many boughtments kept praising her, turning Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. La into the inte¡¯s most driven boss. ¡°Wow, she¡¯s amazing. After herpany was stolen by Caroline Evans, La still didn¡¯t give up. Now she¡¯s getting her revenge!¡± ¡°What a driven person! Reading about her makes me want to go out and do something, too. With how brave La is, she really deserves these sales!¡± ¡°No wonder Daphne Dawson was willing to be an ambassador for a newpany like Evanson Corporation instead of Evans Group. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t like Caroline Evans either. She already has all the best resources, but she wanted to steal someone else¡¯s. Disgusting!¡± ¡°I think, without Caroline, La will achieve even greater goals.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Caroline cut off her rtionship with Evans Group? Why did she steal thepany? How shameless!¡± ¡°Haha. She¡¯s always been that shameless. She always knew that Mr. Eddy liked La, but she refused to break off their engagement. ¡°I heard she took a risk when she did it. She wanted to use her own married status to make Mr. Eddy regret it, but it backfired! It¡¯s so funny.¡± ¡°She already got married, but she wanted to use that to make Mr. Eddy regret it? What kind of logic is that?¡± ¡°She probably thought she was very important to Mr. Eddy and wanted to emte those romance novels. Too bad her gamble didn¡¯t pay off. And now she¡¯s still stuck in that marriage of hers.¡± These were the sorts ofments that popped up. Under La¡¯s direction, there were only two kinds of responses online. One praised La without end. The other made Caroline sound lower than dirt. These two voices quickly brought everyone involved to the top of the list of trending topics. Chapter 452 Chapter 452 Chapter 452 Caroline only found out that her name had trended the next day. She didn¡¯t pay much attention to that kind of thing and only realized it because she had been checking the views on Sonia¡¯s new webseries. ¡°Sincest night until now, the umted views hasn¡¯t even broken five million yet,¡± the head of the advertising department said with a frown, rapping the desk in the conference room. ¡°Ms. Evans, I don¡¯t think the show will be popr.¡± Caroline¡¯s expression was indifferent. The head of the marketing department used this opportunity to ask, ¡°Ms. Evans, shouldn¡¯t we adjust our strategy? The n of waiting for our ambassador¡¯s webseries to go viral has always been an uncertainty.¡± Caroline fiddled with the pen in her hand and stayed silent. Meanwhile, the heads of some other departments also brought up some suggestions. On the whole, they agreed with the marketing department head. They wanted Caroline to switch up the strategy and use La¡¯s poprity to make some sales. Finally, Caroline stopped spinning her pen and looked up at the others. ¡°Our online branding is a mess right now. If we push our products now, do you really think people will buy them?¡± Her words shut everybody up. She continued, ¡°Just do your jobs for the next few days, and everything will be fine.¡± After that, she walked straight out of the room. Before she could take a few steps, she found La and Emery in the office giving out candy in celebration of their sess. Caroline strode expressionlessly into her office on her high heels. Seeing Caroline walk in, Cheryl closed the door andmented, ¡°How could they just let those people inside? Don¡¯t they know how to stop strangers froming in?¡± Just as Caroline was about to speak, the door was pushed open, and La and Emery waltzed in. Caroline looked up slightly to meet La¡¯s gaze. ¡°Caroline, you must have watched my live streamst night, right? If you didn¡¯t, it¡¯s a great shame.¡± Caroline only smiled shallowly. ¡°Get out!¡± ¡°Angry already? How do you expect to be a business owner if you can¡¯t handle losing?¡± La said tauntingly. Cheryl said, ¡°Get out. Are you hard of hearing?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so anxious.¡± La pushed Cheryl aside and came to stand before the desk. She spread her palms out on the desk¡¯s surface and red coldly at Caroline. ¡°Caroline, I want to see how long you can grit your teeth through this. Hear me: this seat belongs to me, and I¡¯ll take it back.¡± Despite this, Caroline maintained a sedate smile that didn¡¯t waver. La gritted her teeth. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡® Emery sashayed out behind La as they both left Evans Group. When they got into the elevator, La¡¯s features immediately twisted. ¡°F*** her. How dare she Owned by N?velDrama.Org. act all high and mighty when they¡¯re going to be ruined?¡± Emery quickly went along with her. ¡°La, she won¡¯t know fear until she faces the consequences. Just you wait. A few more days, and she¡¯lle to you crying and begging.¡® Hearing this, La regained her smile. At the same time, in Caroline¡¯s office, Cheryl was in a tizzy. ¡°Caroline, afterst night, all the staff are losing hope. If we don¡¯t do something quick, all the money invested will be gone. Caroline chuckled. ¡°Cheryl, have you heard of this?¡± ¡°Heard of what?¡± ¡°Stay the course.¡± Caroline flipped through the books on her desk. ¡°If we¡¯re swayed by any small things that happen and don¡¯t trust in our own marketing decisions, that proves that we¡¯re being shortsighted. All we can do now is wait.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Caroline waved a hand. ¡°Let¡¯s keep waiting. Consider this a method of training yourself. Once you survive this, you¡¯ll be one step closer to sess.¡± Chapter 453 Chapter 453 Chapter 453 Cheryl realized just how unwavering Caroline¡¯s attitude was. Countless people came to push her in the next few days, all asking her to take action. Nevertheless, she remained unmoved. Caroline remained at ease even when Andrea came to have a meal with her to apologize for Sonia¡¯s show not bing popr and dying her advertising campaign. Caroline only waved a hand at that and said it was fine. This caused many people to wonder if she had gone off her rocker. That, or that she was in a panic and was only pretending to be unaffected. But Cheryl, who had been by Caroline¡¯s side every day, knew more than anyone that Caroline was trulypletely at ease. However, her peacefulness was not akin to a puddle of standing water. No, it was the calm before the storm. This allowed Cheryl to get over her anxiety and slowly calm down. This peacefulness persisted until the third day. Cheryl had been suffering for the past few days. It felt like the days had stretched into a century. When she saw Sonia¡¯s webseries trending, she raced into Caroline¡¯s office with her tablet at once. ¡°Caroline, it¡¯s going viral! Sonia¡¯s show is finally trending!¡± Caroline gave it a look, but her gaze remained steady. Seeing this, Cheryl couldn¡¯t help but feel curious. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you excited at all, Caroline?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I already say before that this show would be popr?¡± ¡°I know that.¡± Cheryl was so excited that she started to be incoherent. ¡°What I mean is, how did you know it would explode on the third day?¡± That was simply mystical. It was amazing to predict that this show would go viral. Seemingly seeing through what Cheryl was thinking, Caroline smiled. ¡°Let me ask you 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°I think it¡¯s because of ¡­ a fight scene? ording to some behind¨Cthe¨Cscenes news, it was a real fight.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Caroline took the tablet and clicked open a video. ¡°When I saw this action scene, I had the feeling that it would go viral because people haven¡¯t gotten such a satisfying fight scene in a long time. ¡°Plus, the pacing of the show is well done, and its story is innovative.¡± She added, ¡°Although they didn¡¯t have much budget for advertising at the start, it¡¯s possible to get popr when they have special enough aspects. ¡°That way, they¡¯ll get more of a following, and that will attract more viewers. With a good product, why would anyone worry about poprity?¡± Cheryl was so stunned that her mouth stayed open for a long while before she came back to herself. She said awkwardly, ¡°Caroline, you asked me to wait before because of this scene, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Caroline beamed. Her gaze was full of determination. ale ¡°Now, it¡¯s our turn to make a move!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Cheryl was now filled with confidence. Because Caroline had expected Sonia¡¯s show to trend after three days, all the live stream equipment had been prepared for it. That night, when Sonia started her stream, lots of people rushed to watch it. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The first night, they only got 30 thousand item sales, but it was already a number that thepany hadn¡¯t dared to expect. After all, they had expected that Caroline would lose to La in this. Yet Caroline wasn¡¯t very happy with these sales. She told Sonia that the sales for the next day had to be above 100 thousand items. This made the staff think once again that Caroline was out of her mind, even though they had started to warm up to her again. Then, during the next day¡¯s live stream, they sold out within an hour. There was no other reason Now, there were only ten thousand pieces left in stock. With the rarity of the product, everything sold out in no time. Chapter 454 Chapter 454 Chapter 454 +15 BONUS Seeing how their stock had been sold out so quickly, the heads of the advertising and marketing departments exchanged nces with each other. Neither of them had ever expected that they could sell that many items. As such, they still hadn¡¯t informed Caroline that the factory had stopped manufacturing their products because it had chosen to fulfill Evanson Corp¡¯s order first instead. Thinking of how they wouldn¡¯t be able to ship the orders tomorrow, the two of them started sweating bullets. ¡°Ms. Evans¡­¡± The two braced themselves and went to Caroline. ¡°We¡­ don¡¯t have the stock to fulfill the orders¡­¡± Caroline regarded them coldly and tossed a contract before them. ¡°This is the contract I signed with our new manufacturer. Tomorrow, you will go and deal with order fulfillment. ¡°This is the first time this has happened, and it¡¯s because we didn¡¯t have enough trust in each other. If this happens again, you should prepare your resignation letters.¡± The two department heads felt unendingly grateful. They wouldn¡¯t dare doubt Caroline ever again. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Thank you for giving us a second chance, Ms. Evans.¡± After saying that, the two made to leave, but Caroline stopped them. ¡°Hold on.¡± With that, they started sweating again. ¡°Do you have any orders for us, Ms. Evans?¡± ¡°Remember to have the previous factory transfer thepensation fee over on time since they breached the contract.¡± Their faces immediately turned ashen. They instantly understood that Caroline had long known Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. about what had happened. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS They left the office and got quite a distance away before they slumped to the ground. ¡°My fucking God. I really shouldn¡¯t have underestimated her. She¡¯s simply too cunning.¡± ¡°She even managed to predict when our brand ambassador¡¯s webseries would go viral. Of course she knew the factory had halted our order.¡± ¡°I used to think she was just a young kid. Now, I really think Ms. Evans is someone not to be underestimated. Who knows? Maybe Evans Group can reach its former glory in her hands.¡± Hearing the advertising department head say this, the marketing department head said, half- joking, ¡°If that dayes, we¡¯ll be her loyal employees, right?¡± As they spoke, they climbed up from the ground, reinvigorated. Besides them, everyone else in the office was also energized. Before this, they had to beg shops to sell their products. Now, the shops were turning around to beg them for their supply instead. It felt great to be involved in such aeback. Compared to the glorious sess downstairs, Evanson Corp upstairs felt defeated. They were all distracted and in a slump. Indeed, they had outstanding sales on the first day. However, the disadvantages of using La and Daphne to sell their products showed on the second and third days. Although Daphne was an actress, she wasn¡¯t in many shows. As for La, all she could chat about on the live stream was Eddy. Plus, she couldn¡¯t give too many details. If she went too deep into her descriptions, she might break from the character she had constructed for the public. After the feeling of novelty passed, the live stream¡¯s views plummeted. La had been so confident before that she had never considered offline sales. Now that their online sales were so unpopr, it was toote to find shops to take their products. Just as she was an anxious mess, venting her frustrations by throwing all her stuff, Luke gave her some advice. ¡°Ms. Evans, Caroline only has the upper hand temporarily. There¡¯s one thing you can do to destroy her perfect setup.¡± La quickly asked, ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Evans Group¡¯s ambassador, Sonia Norman, was chosen by Caroline herself.¡± Chapter 455 Chapter 455 Chapter 455 For a moment, La failed to react to that statement. It took another moment for her to understand what Luke meant. Luke was truly an old hand at this. He was a slippery and cunning businessman. After La¡¯s own marketing campaign, Caroline had negative press hounding her steps. As long as they tied Sonia to Caroline, Sonia¡¯s sterling reputation would dissipate into nothing. Thinking of this, La rushed the advertising department to have Sonia¡¯s sponsorship announcement on Twitter go viral. Because of theparison with Daphne when the sponsorship announcement was made, Sonia had gotten on the list of trending topics before. However, that had been two weeks ago. Now, after hertest boom in poprity, everyone was reminded of the initial announcement. La didn¡¯t stop there. She went a step further. Beyond having the initial announcement go viral again, La had the advertising department get someone to release fake news on a massive scale. The news implied that Caroline was the one backing Sonia and had done all this to go against La herself. She also paid for people to flood thements, swaying public opinion. Now,izens all thought that Caroline had spent all the money on Sonia, not the quality of her clothing. This caused everyone who had made an order to worry about the clothes¡® quality and try to get a refund. At the start, there were only a few dozen refund requests. Later, this shot up to number in the thousands. Evans Group¡¯s marketing department head was sweating as he stood by Caroline¡¯s side, watching theputer before him stall. ¡°What do we do, Ms. Evans?¡± Everyone was requesting a refund. He guessed that the offline shop owners woulde knocking on their door next. Caroline looked at the screen with narrowed eyes. 1/3 +15 BONUS She hadn¡¯t fought back against the smear campaign conducted against her online because La had been smart about it this time. La hadn¡¯t gone at her directly, but rather indirectly. All the posts La shared were about how much she had gone through to be the boss of Evanson Corporation. As a daughter of the Evans family, didn¡¯t it mean that someone was going against her that she had to go through so much adversity? But La¡¯s posts never said that outright. Instead, she paid for people to suggest as much in the Thus, Caroline couldn¡¯te out and refute these ims. Once she did, people might think she was feeling guilty. Besides, Caroline didn¡¯t like bringing up old grudges. Plus, doing so wouldn¡¯t bring her any benefits. It wasn¡¯t going to be so easy to get out of the current situation. After much thought, Caroline decided not to clean up her image but rather go a more roundabout Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. route. Since La said that Caroline had given Sonia financial backing, she would give credence to it. When Andrea found out about this, she was astonished. She said, ¡°Caroline, I think you should chill out. If you back Sonia now, people will be even more displeased.¡± Caroline kept looking at Sonia, who had her head lowered and hadn¡¯t spoken all this time. ¡°What do you think, Sonia?¡± Sonia looked up at Caroline. Hesitatingly, she said, ¡°Ms. Evans, can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°From what Ms. Sorkin said, you insisted on signing me because you were sure I would be popr. Can you tell me why you thought that?¡± Caroline gave a small smile and told Sonia briefly about what she had seen that day when she had gone to the set. ¡°I¡¯m not a professional, so I can only see things from an audience member¡¯s point of view. Honestly, I¡¯ve never seen an actress who can do such a beautiful fight scene so smoothly. ¡°Besides, I believe that hard work pays off, especially for someone like you.¡± Sonia stared at Caroline, taken aback. This was the first time since she had started in this industry that someone had given her such strong acknowledgment. Chapter 456 Chapter 456 Chapter 456 +15 BONUS Sonia¡¯s eyshes fluttered. After a long while, she loosened her fists and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have any opinion on this, Ms. Evans. I¡¯ll do whatever you want me to.¡± Seeing this, Andrea felt like she couldn¡¯t say much more against the n. So she said, ¡°Caroline, let me know if you need any help on your end.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°No need. Just upload the vlog Sonia filmed before.¡± ¡°J¨Cjust like that?¡± Andrea wondered if she had heard Caroline wrongly. Yet, Caroline only responded confidently. ¡°Yes.¡± After thinking it through, Andrea found no disadvantages to doing it, so she uploaded Sonia¡¯s vlog online. At the beginning, there was more outrage and criticism. But as the video became more popr, thements became more reasonable. ¡°Wow, Sonia works so hard. Does she train like this every day?¡± ¡°She even trains when she¡¯s injured. She¡¯s truly driven!¡± ¡°Ahh, I really feel for her. But I¡¯m so d that others can see the work Sonia put in. ¡°Wow, Sonia takes it so seriously! Although this show only has a small budget, she still wakes up at 5 am every day to memorize the script and train. ¡°Yes. Anyone who can be on screen must have put in a lot of hard work to do so. ¡°Why do I feel like the news of Caroline Evans being Sonia¡¯s financial backering out is mean- spirited? Sonia doesn¡¯t have much influence, so she can¡¯t choose her supporters.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She¡¯s just doing her job. It¡¯s not like she should be sent to prison because her boss got arrested. Isn¡¯t it childish to tar her name with the same brush?¡± Seeing the slow change in thements being posted online about Sonia, Andrea couldn¡¯t help but see Caroline in a different light. ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re amazing. I don¡¯t think you should stay at Evans Group. Come join mypany and be my head of advertising.¡± Caroline only smiled. Sonia piped up. ¡°But even if my reputation is getting better, Ms. Evans, yours is¡­¡± Caroline replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll have to rely on you next.¡± Sonia was puzzled. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes. Our customers are asking for refunds because they¡¯re worried about our quality. Since you know martial arts, you should be stronger than most.¡± Caroline tossed one of the clothing items to Sonia. ¡°Try and tear it with all your might.¡± Sonia was an honest sort, so she really used all her strength to try and rip it, but it didn¡¯t tear at all. She sighed and said, ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Try again.¡± Sonia tried again a few times, but she still failed to make even a single tear. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. ¡°The material is too good.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nylon, so it¡¯s very strong. So there¡¯s no need at all to worry about quality,¡± Caroline exined proudly, shocking both Sonia and Andrea. They weren¡¯t surprised that Caroline was so knowledgeable, but rather that she could speak so smoothly even when she didn¡¯t have a script prepared. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. They could tell at a nce that Caroline understood her product very well. At the sight of Sonia and Andrea¡¯s shock, Caroline turned to smile at Cheryl beside her. ¡°Did you film that?¡± Cheryl nodded. ¡°And I wasn¡¯t in the shot?¡± Cheryl nodded again. Caroline watched the video and cut it a bit before adding a caption. Then, she sent the finished product to Andrea. ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you with this,¡± she said. Andrea looked at the caption. It read, ¡°Sonia looks so cool when she¡¯s all serious, checking the clothing¡¯s quality. I¡¯m falling in love!¡± After watching the video herself, Andrea immediately understood what Caroline wanted to do. Excitedly, she gave Caroline a thumb¡¯s up. What an amazing move! Caroline was truly a genius! Chapter 457 Chapter 457 Chapter 457 When it came down to it, Sonia and Cheryl rarely got involved in advertising. That was why they couldn¡¯t see the skill in this move. Andrea sent the caption and video to her head of advertising. Seeing that they were confused, she said to them, ¡°It¡¯s understandable that you don¡¯t get it. What Caroline did showcases Sonia as someone who takes responsibility when ites to her fans.¡± Cheryl was still a bit perplexed. ¡°But the partnership was announced more than two weeks ago. Isn¡¯t it toote to be checking the clothes¡® quality?¡± But Sonia had already seen the reasoning behind it. That was why she covered her mouth and giggled when she heard Cheryl¡¯s words. She said to Cheryl, ¡°That¡¯s why Ms. Evans never stated when this video was taken.¡± Cheryl was stunned for a moment before she came back to herself. ¡°That way,izens will think this happened before product selection.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± confirmed Caroline with a smile. Cheryl was unsure. ¡°But if people find out we¡¯re lying, won¡¯t the consequences be worse?¡± Caroline smiled wider. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t give a set timeframe. Everythingizens say will only be a wild guess. This is an elegant way of doing things.¡± Caroline had learned this from La, too. It was the same as how La hadn¡¯t attacked Caroline directly and said that she was the one at fault. Caroline hadn¡¯t directly mentioned when this had happened, either. For battles in business, one had to y with the little details. If one were too honest, they would get eaten alive. Once the video was released, the effects were immediately obvious. Netizens were not only moved by Sonia getting involved in product selection personally, but also amused by how seriously Sonia tried to rip the clothes. ¡°Help. Look at how forthright she is. She really did try to tear it when asked!¡± ¡°Hahaha, and I was wondering if this was real when I clicked on it. But, see? Sonia¡¯s sweating. I¡¯m 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Sonia is so honest. I think we can go all out when we have such an honest person endorsing a product.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t forget, Sonia knows martial arts. If even she couldn¡¯t rip it, the quality must be great.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I want to make an order just because of that!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°Why is everyone only focusing on Sonia? Am I the only one who noticed who¡¯s talking in the video?¡± ¡°Who is it? She sounds really nice. I wonder if she¡¯s a beauty.¡± ¡°I think it sounds a bit like Caroline Evans.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be, right? How could Caroline manage to speak so smoothly about the product?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Wasn¡¯t she a designer at Thorne Corporation? I admit her designs are outstanding, but how could she know anything about clothes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If she can sell it so well, I bet she¡¯s an experienced salesperson.¡± That was how thements went. Most of thementers didn¡¯t believe that it could be Caroline speaking in the video. Plus, there weren¡¯t any recordings of Caroline¡¯s voice online, so no one was able to make a announcement. Thement read, ¡°The person in the video is indeed Ms. Caroline Evans. Don¡¯t fight anymore, guys. With that confirmation, everyone was astounded. Chapter 458 Chapter 458 Chapter 458 After all, Caroline had only be the CEO of Evans Group not two months ago. Morements flooded the video. ¡°Help, I really don¡¯t believe it¡¯s true! Is Caroline Evans really so capable? Did she really learn her company¡¯s products so well in two months?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe it either. Thinking back on when I was an intern, I could barely remember anything I learned!¡± ¡°Wow, so none of you know just how amazing Ms. Evans is. As her fan, let me teach you a lesson! Ms. Evans handled every detail regarding this new horoscope theme. ¡°This is because all the old management left, so Ms. Evans had to break into the market all on her own!¡± ¡°Hey there, I think you¡¯re exposing yourself. Did Caroline pay you to say that?¡± ¡°No, no. I wasn¡¯t paid. But since the truth is out, let me tell you the full story. All of this can be verified online. Just go and look. ¡°When Ms. Evans became Evans Group¡¯s CEO, lots of employees left. Some of them went to Evanson Corporation, too.¡± Someone asked, ¡°Why did Evans Group¡¯s employees leave?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. I was only there for a couple of months when it happened.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a long¨Ctime employee, so I can tell you what happened. Ms. Evans chased those people out herself. She wasn¡¯t being cruel. Those employees were all members of the Evans family. ¡°Those of us who didn¡¯t belong in that family were always bullied. Honestly, if Ms. Evans hadn¡¯t Once the conversation went down that road, countless people who imed to be employees startedmenting. Plus, there was proof that the former employees at Evans Group were all family members. If one looked on the website, many names had the surname Evans. Now, though, the names were all different throughout all departments. This proved that those long¨Ctime employees weren¡¯t lying. Netizens also found out that Evans Group had been suffering losses before Caroline had taken over. Not long before, Dan Evans and his wife had been used of embezzling by thepany¡¯s shareholders. The most impressive thing was that someone had even found the names of two investors who had withdrawn overnight after Caroline became CEO. They had then joined La¡¯spany, Evanson Corporation. ¡°Excuse me? Why does it seem more like Caroline is the victim here?¡± ¡°I agree. She took over a shitty situation and got backstabbed by family and outsiders at the same time. Poor her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! La says she¡¯s so pitiful and talks about how people bully her, yet she still worked hard to be Evanson Corporation¡¯s CEO. ¡°But I don¡¯t feel like anyone¡¯s bullying her. If there was, how could she have gotten Evans Group¡¯s shareholders and employees?¡± ¡°It¡¯s horrifying to think about so many employees leaving on the same day.¡± ¡°I feel the same way. Aren¡¯t they just trying to get Evans Group to copse from the inside? Who¡¯s bullying who?¡± That was how things went. The truth would always hold strong. Thus, after some digging,izens found out that La¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t as bad as her social media made it seem. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Since she had Eddy as her backer, she had managed to get the best ambassador and signed a 20- million¨Cdor contract with Daphne. Now, the truth wasing back to haunt La. Morements came in. ¡°What a joke. La¡¯s trying to set herself up as this person who got beaten down and came up from nothing but forgot to delete her post history.¡± Chapter 459 Chapter 459 Chapter 459 La¡¯s reputation took a downturn overnight. In addition, Evanson Corp had spent all its funds on its design staff and spokespersons, so they couldn¡¯t guarantee the high quality of their clothing. As a result, many people denounced the quality of their products online. This caused consumers who had ced orders but hadn¡¯t yet received their products to request a refund. This incident soon affected Daphne as well. ¡°Since she¡¯s a big star, she should be aware that she has a big appeal. So why couldn¡¯t she pick the right things to endorse?¡± ¡°She would really ept any kind of endorsement to make money!¡± ¡°Wow, aren¡¯t they supposed to be family? It turns out that they still had to pay her an endorsement fee.¡± ¡°Hahaha, I feel likeughing just thinking about this. In the livestream, they were acting so close, like family. I thought they didn¡¯t have to pay her anything, but it turns out that they had to do business, even with family.¡± ¡°Daphne really left a bad impression on this incident. She was just a minor inte celebrity. If she wasn¡¯t Eddy¡¯s aunt¨Cinw, no one would know who she is!¡± Daphne was currently in Avondale. She was there for a vacation, but her good mood was ruined by Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. this incident. ¡°Ugh, it had to be Caroline again.¡± She angrily paced around the room with the tablet in her hand. ¡°La is also useless. Eddy gave her so many resources, but she still messed up.¡± The manager consoled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Daph. I¡¯ve contacted thepany¡¯s advertising department for instructions, and they said it would be best to issue a statement. ¡°Tell everyone you worked with them because of your familial rtions, and you didn¡¯t expect to be cheated.¡± The manager continued, ¡°You must also sincerely dere that you¡¯ve learned your lesson. Promise that you will never get sentiment*l in your work and be more careful in picking the 1/3 +15 BONUS Daphne asked, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t doing this be equivalent to upsetting La?¡± The manager exined, ¡°I told the advertising department this, and they said it¡¯s Mr. Eddy¡¯s orders ¡± Daphne immediately smiled. ¡°Since it¡¯s his order, I¡¯ll do as he wishes.¡± If she issued a statement, she wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with this incident anymore. And she didn¡¯t even have to y the bad guy here, so she was delighted. As soon as Daphne issued a statement, La, who was already in a dire situation, hit rock bottom. At this moment, Evanson Corp was filled with the sound of ringing phones. The phone calls were all from factories, consumers, and reporters. Some wanted to interview La, some wanted to return their products, and some asked for their money back. The office was noisy, like a marketce. La stood behind her desk, her hair disheveled and her eyes red. She scratched her head frantically like a mad woman. ¡°There must be a way! You must have a way to turn this situation around!¡± Standing in front of her were the elites from herpany¡¯s various departments, all of whom were feeling disgraced. This was their first time failing so miserably. They had encountered losses before, but none as bad as this. Even with a huge advantage, they had still lost. ¡°Ms. La!¡± Someone stepped out, unable to take the pressure anymore. ¡°We¡¯ve already lost! There¡¯s nothing we can do!¡± ¡°No!¡± La yelled. ¡°We didn¡¯t lose. There¡¯s no way we would lose to Caroline! I hired the best designers and the most famous spokesperson at the moment. ¡°How could I lose? Hahahaha! There¡¯s no way I would lose¡­¡± Her voice became smaller and smaller. When she finally slumped down on her chair, she still ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because we got out priorities wrong,¡± the man continued, regardless of whether the others wanted to listen He exined, ¡°The essence of our sales still lies in our products ¡°If the product is good enough and thepany did the right marketing, you can still make back your investments with small profits and quick returns ¡°It didn¡¯t matter if you didn¡¯t have big¨Cname designers or the most famous spokespersons¡± Chapter 460 Chapter 460 Chapter 460 ¡°It¡¯s a pity we realized this fact toote. We¡¯re a bunch of veterans who¡¯ve been in the clothing industry for so many years, but we still couldn¡¯t beat a neer.¡± Everyone else lowered their heads in guilt at the man¡¯s words. He was right; Caroline had understood a simple truth like this more deeply than veterans like them. Sure enough, arrogance was a hindrance to humanity. They would have discovered the problem long ago if they had been more modest. Looking at La, who was still murmuring in disbelief, the man who spoke up took a step forward and took out a resignation letter. ¡°Ms. La, although it is uncourteous of me to resign at this time, I feel that I can no longer make any worthwhile contributions to thispany. So it¡¯s better for me to leave.¡± After he submitted his resignation, everyone else came forward to give their resignation in session. La didn¡¯t seem to hear them at all. She kept looking at her table nkly, murmuring, ¡°I won¡¯t lose.¡± It seemed like her mantra. Shortly after the senior executives came out of La¡¯s office, the staff in the office hall watched the senior executives pack up their things and leave. Everyone looked at each other, then started to pack their things and leave as well. When La finally stood up from her chair and staggered out of her office, an empty hall greeted her. The once¨Covercrowded office space was now a ghost town. It was so quiet that she could hear the sounds of ridicule in the air, mocking her for saying she wanted to buy the whole building. Laughed hysterically, sad tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°Oh, Caroline! Why won¡¯t you just die?¡± She angrily picked up a book and threw it on the ground, venting her frustrations. However, no matter how she vented, the phone rang endlessly, like a mourning song. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. 1/2 +15 BONUS Meanwhile, Caroline and Cheryl were met with countless party streamers as soon as they entered the office downstairs. ¡°Ah! Congrattions on your triumphant return, Ms. Evans!¡± ¡°We love you, Ms. Evans!¡± ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Ms. Evans!¡± The employees were currying favor with Caroline one after another, singing her praises from the bottom of their hearts. They even stuffed a bouquet of roses into Caroline¡¯s arms. ¡°Ms. Evans, these are for you!¡± Caroline removed the streamers from her head. ¡°I appreciate all of your gratitude, but all of you yed a big part in our sess. I would like to thank all of you for your support and trust in me during this time.¡± ¡°Well said!¡± Gavin apuded and walked out of the crowd of employees. ¡°What a beautiful speech, Ms. Evans. However, we still won because we had a great leader at the helm. Right, everyone?¡± ¡°Right!¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t persisted, we would have spent all our money hiring designers and spokespersons. We would have forgotten our original purpose, like Evanson Corporation.¡± Gavin looked at Caroline earnestly and stretched out his hand. ¡°I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t withdraw my investment back then.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± George, who was following behind Gavin, scratched his head in embarrassment. Chapter 461 Chapter 461 Chapter 461 ¡°Today is a great day for all of us. We have to celebrate!¡± Cheryl heckled. Everyone else followed suit. Caroline looked at everyone and said resignedly, ¡°Okay, it¡¯s not a problem. From the looks of it, no one is in the mood to work anymore. ¡°All right, Cheryl. Help us book a restaurant in a hotel.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cheryl quickly booked a ce in the hotel¡¯s restaurant. Then, everyone headed toward the hotel. When they got downstairs, they happened to bump into Luke, who hade to see La. Luke also saw them and wanted to hide, but it was toote. Gavin called him heartily, ¡°What a coincidence, Mr. Luke!¡± Right now, thest people Luke wanted to see were Caroline and Gavin. The sight of them made his bowels twist with regret. He had really been ignorant. He should have worked with Caroline from the start. Then, he wouldn¡¯t have lost everything like he did now. ¡°Haha, what a big coincidence, Mr. Gavin. Are you going out for food? Then, I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh,e on!¡± Gavin smiled and grabbed Luke. ¡°Come with us, Mr. Luke. After all, you¡¯re one of Evans Group¡¯s former shareholders.¡± Caroline raised an eyebrow at Gavin¡¯s words. She didn¡¯t expect an honest¨Clooking person like him to be this mischievous. Inviting Luke to join them for food would only crush his spirit. The other experienced employees also joined in and rushed forward. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s right. Let¡¯s go get some food together!¡± Luke was forced to go to the hotel and join their meal to celebrate Evans Group¡¯s victory over Evanson Corp and their gain in market shares. He was on tenterhooks the entire time. After a long time, he found a chance to slip away and get some fresh air. However, when he heard the sounds ofughter from the room, he felt ufortable again. 1/2 +15 BONUS Why had he foolishly decided to work with La back then? Lukemented it the more he thought about it. He wanted to brace himself and talk to Caroline about investing several times, but he couldn¡¯t do it in the end. He could only watch as Gavin and George earned a fortune. Gavin could see what was happening outside the door from where he was sitting. As he watched Luke hammer his chest in annoyance, he couldn¡¯t help but say to Caroline, ¡°Look outside, Ms. Evans.¡± George heard his cousin¡¯s words as well and followed Gavin¡¯s gaze. He saw Luke as well, and he suddenly felt frightened. Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t had time to withdraw his investments. Otherwise, he would have been the one standing outside right now. Thinking of this, he quickly picked up his wine ss and said to Caroline, ¡°Let me give you a toast, Ms. Evans. Thank you for helping me make money.¡± Gavin smiled at his remark. ¡°So now you know how great she is?¡± George wiped the sweat from his forehead and grinned. ¡°Quit joking, Gavin. I know I was ignorant back then.¡± Caroline raised her ss in return. ¡°Let¡¯s leave the past in the past. Thepany will still need both of your help in the future.¡± ¡°No problem! Feel free to give me a call if you have money problems.¡± George patted his chest and assured, ¡°I¡¯ll give you however much you need.¡± Caroline smiled at his words. ¡°Then, let me thank you in advance.¡± Time passed quickly, and their meal was over. Caroline left the hotel and got into the car, instantly cutting off the hustle and bustle outside. After a day of running about, she was so tired that she struggled to keep her eyes open. ¡°I¡¯m taking a short nap. Wake me up when we arrive,¡± she ordered. Then, she leaned back on her seat and closed her eyes. Seeing that she had closed her eyes, Jack didn¡¯t say anything else and slowly drove to her apartment. They arrived at the apartment more than an hourter. Chapter 462 Chapter 462 Chapter 462 Jack was about to turn around and wake Caroline up. But he saw Kirk standing outside the car wearing a windbreaker and holding a coat, gesturing for him to be quiet. Jack understood his signal and quietly unlocked the backseat door. Kirk opened the door and gently covered Caroline¡¯s face with the coat to prevent her from waking up due to the bright lights. Then, he bent down and carried Caroline in his arms. After Kirk was done, Jack exited the car and gently closed the door. When he looked up, he saw Kirk carrying Caroline. He folded his arms and leaned against the car door. After watching them for a while, he shook his head. His boss was really doting on his wife. It was a pity they were¡­ Jack didn¡¯t even know why they were fighting, but he really hoped they could make up soon. He watched them a little longer before getting in the car and driving away. Right now, Caroline was sleeping soundly in Kirk¡¯s arms. She even had a dream. She dreamt about the day when she had be the CEO of Evans Group. It had been so lively back then. Kirk had taken her to celebrate along with Gwen and Sean. However, no one celebrated with her this time. She suddenly felt so lonely and cold. She couldn¡¯t help but fidget in her sleep. Kirk looked down at her and swallowed at the sight. He watched the restless woman in his arms with a deep frown. He hadn¡¯t touched Caroline for a long time since the incident, so now even a little bit of contact set his skin on fire. However, Caroline still didn¡¯t¡­ Kirk gritted his teeth and strode toward the elevator. However, Caroline became increasingly restless, holding his waist tightly with her arms and muttering something. He could feel her body heat through his clothes, the warmth forming goosebumps on his skin. Fortunately, the elevator reached its destination quickly. 1/2 +15 BONUS Kirk opened the door and ced Caroline on the bed, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders The sleeping woman had no idea she had arrived home. She had drunk wine, making her rosy lips look delicate and beautiful. She slightly parted her lips as if she were trying to tempt him. Kirk¡¯s mouth went dry at the sight, and he looked out the window. Outside, the moon¡¯s shadow gently swayed with the cool breeze. Everything seemed just perfect. He tried his best to hold in his urges, but he finally couldn¡¯t resist leaning over and biting his lip harshly. Then, he reluctantly rxed his teeth and looked at Caroline silently. After a while, he walked out of the room to the balcony. Then, he immediately called Charles. ¡°Is there any news about that mysterious person?¡± Charles remained silent at his question. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What about the other person?¡± Charles said sadly, ¡°¡­ Sir, mypetency really isn¡¯t the problem here. You gave me too little information.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The veins on Kirk¡¯s forehead twitched at his words. ¡°So you¡¯reining that there¡¯s too little information to work with? All right, you can stop investigating. I¡¯ll just let you raise penguins in a secluded winter country.¡± ¡°N¨Cno, it¡¯s okay!¡± Charles was so frightened that he quickly promised, ¡°I¡¯ll find the information you need as soon as possible.¡± Kirk hung up the phone with a sullen expression. When he turned around and looked at the warm lights in the bedroom, he rxed his frown immediately. But when he thought of the current situation between him and Caroline, his eyes turned cold. When he found the person behind all this, he would ensure they had a slow and brutal death. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Avery suddenly shivered. Chapter 463 Chapter 463 Chapter 463 +15 BONUS After all this trouble, not only had Sonia¡¯s webseries be more popr, but she also became the most sought¨Cafter celebrity in the entertainment industry. Caroline, who was considered to be the driving force behind Sonia¡¯s sess, had be a hot topic in the entertainment industry. Although Caroline wasn¡¯t the real contributor, she had insisted that Sonia would seed. On top of that, she had managed to avert danger in the case of such a serious scandal. She had even taken this opportunity to take Sonia¡¯s poprity to a higher level. Even if veterans in the entertainment industry had handled this issue, they couldn¡¯t guarantee they could bring a D¨Clister¡¯s poprity to such heights in such a short time. Therefore, Caroline¡¯s feats as an outsider were even more noticeable. However, she didn¡¯t pay any mind to the world¡¯s prying eyes. In the past two days, she had basically been handling investments. Since the horoscope¨Cthemed outfits had be a hit, investors hade busting down Evans Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Group¡¯s doors, requesting to work with Caroline. But Caroline rejected all of their offers. She didn¡¯t reject them to get back at them for refusing to help her back then. She simply didn¡¯t need investors right now. Gavin and George promised that she didn¡¯t need to worry about funds. In that case, she didn¡¯t have to let other people split the spoils for nothing. Besides, these investors could invest their money in her next business venture. For example¡­ Mackey Group, thepany she had promised Kirk. At the thought of Mackey Group, Caroline couldn¡¯t help but think back to when she had told Kirk she wanted to give Mackey Group to him. She had been sincere back then, and now ¡­ Caroline lowered her head, frustrated. Even in this situation, she was still considering giving Kirk Mackey Group. What spell did he have on her? Caroline took out her phone and opened her private chats with Marina. There weren¡¯t any new +15 BONUS Caroline needed to know how her investigation was going. Based on her understanding of Marina, she would send a text as soon as she got any new information. Since there were no texts, it meant that she hadn¡¯t found anything yet. Caroline held her chin, lost in thought. Could Dolly be rted to the mysterious woman? Who was that mysterious woman? And why couldn¡¯t Kirk exin why he was already married? Countless questions crossed Caroline¡¯s mind, making her a little irritable. She nced at the files that had been processed. If this went on, she would definitely go crazy. So¡­ she had to find something to do. Just as she was lost in thought, she got a call from Sonia. ¡°Caroline!¡± Sonia and Caroline became friends after the recent incident. ¡°Are you free today? I would like to treat you to dinner.¡± ¡°Sure! What time? And where are we going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on set now. I¡¯ll be done with work around 5:00 pm,¡± Sonia answered. ¡°You can pick the location. I¡¯m not picky. I can eat anything you decide.¡± Chapter 464 Chapter 464 Chapter 464 Caroline said merrily, ¡°All right!¡± After hanging up the phone, she booked a reservation at a barbecue restaurant near the set. Then, at around 4:00 pm, she drove to Sonia¡¯s set. Since Caroline had informed Sonia of her ns in advance, Sonia asked her manager, Helena Copley, to meet up with Caroline when she arrived. As the two walked to the film set, Helena said many nice things to Caroline. ¡°Thank you so much, Ms Evans Sonia would still be an unknown D¨Clister if it hadn¡¯t been for you.¡± Caroline smiled at her words. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me like that. Sonia and I mutually benefited from this cooperation. Besides, if she had no real talent, she wouldn¡¯t have the fame she has now, even with my help.¡± Helena scratched her head. ¡°Well ¡­¡± Before she could finish her words, the two heard a p from the film set. Caroline looked at the source of the sound and saw Sonia, with disheveled hair and cheeks that were swollen from getting hit. The person who hit her was none other than Daphne. After the filming, Daphne told the director, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t handle my emotions right. Let¡¯s do another take.¡± The crew members could tell that Daphne was doing this on purpose. The director could see Daphne¡¯s intentions as well, but since she was the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle, he could only say, Okay, but Ms. Daphne, this is just an act. You don¡¯t have to hit her for real.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t get into the scene if I don¡¯t do it for real!¡± Daphne smiled innocently, without feeling a hint of guilt after hitting someone. Caroline frowned at the sight. ¡°What happened?¡± Helena was already used to things like this. ¡°Daphne is probably upset at Sonia for stealing the spotlight from her. So she¡¯s deliberately using this fight scene to give Sonia a lesson.¡± Caroline looked at the director and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t they stopping her?¡± 1/3 ¡°She¡¯s Mr. Eddy¡¯s aunt¨Cinw. No one would dare to say anything¡± +15 BONUS Helena¡¯s eyes were slightly red. Sheforted Caroline. ¡°Sonia has been through a lot of hardships in her career, so getting pped is nothing for her.¡± Caroline¡¯s expression darkened at her words. ¡°This isn¡¯t a hardship. Someone is deliberately humiliating her!¡± Helena said, ¡°Ms. Evans, I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t oftene to a filming set. In fact, this sort of thing happens all the time. You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± Caroline frowned. ¡°Not everything that happens often is right. Since Daphne is using her work as a chance to hurt someone, she¡¯s in the wrong.¡± Having said this, Caroline strode toward the set. Then, she blocked Daphne¡¯s wrist before she could land another p on Sonia¡¯s swollen cheek. Daphne became pissed and was about to curse at the neer. However, when she saw it was Caroline, her expression shifted. She wasn¡¯t afraid of anyone on the set. After all, they were all in the same industry. If anyone dared to upset her, she had the power to ruin their chances of establishing themselves in the entertainment industry. But Caroline wasn¡¯t from the entertainment industry, and she had the power to sway the public¡¯s opinion on something. If word about what happened today spread, there would definitely be an uproar. Although Daphne had many ways to deal with this, as a celebrity, she knew how much bacsh this would cause. For the sake of her fans, she endured her anger and reluctantly pulled her hand Owned by N?velDrama.Org. back. Noticing this, Caroline smiled at Daphne and asked, ¡°Are you that bad at acting, Ms. Daphne? You still haven¡¯t gotten it right after so many takes. Do you want to take a break?¡± The anger that Daphne had just suppressed started to surge. ¡°Ugh! What does an outsider like you know, Caroline?¡± Speaking of this, she looked at Sonia kneeling on the ground with contempt and said arrogantly,¡± You may be able to save Sonia today. ¡°But as long as the hype about her dies down, I can ban her from the industry with just a word. Do ¡°Of course.¡± Caroline nodded Before Daphne could even smile, she heard Caroline say leisurely, ¡°However, we may not be able to witness that. After all, you said that you can¡¯t ban her as long as she remains popr. ¡°So I¡¯ll make sure Sonia¡¯s career in the entertainment industry will be evesting.¡± Caroline spoke the most arrogant words in the calmest tone possible. Chapter 465 Chapter 465 Chapter 465 However, Daphne couldn¡¯t refute Caroline¡¯s words. After all, she just had a wonderfuleback! She bit her lips in frustration, and after a while, she couldn¡¯t handle being here anymore. In front of everyone, she stormed away to the dressing room. The director knew he couldn¡¯t keep filming under these circumstances, so he told Sonia, ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. We¡¯ll continue filming tomorrow.¡± Sonia stood up with Caroline¡¯s help and nodded to the director and crew. ¡°Thank you, everyone. Good job.¡± The crew returned the pleasantries and then moved their equipment to pack them away. Caroline was touched to see Sonia remain humble even after bing famous. People like Daphne, who had no portfolio or acting skills, could still be popr in the entertainment industry just because she was the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Meanwhile, Sonia had to endure humiliation despite having skills because she had no one backing her. At the thought of this, anger welled up in Caroline¡¯s chest. She said to Sonia, ¡°Sonia, do you want to be a world¨Crenowned A¨Clister?¡± Sonia looked back at Caroline and asked curiously, ¡°What are you saying, Caroline?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking if you want to be an A¨Clister.¡± Sonia noticed the passion in Caroline¡¯s gaze and was touched. ¡°Of course.¡± As an actress, she wanted to be famous because she wanted more people to see her acting skills. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll definitely make your dreamse true.¡± Her words somehow inspired Sonia, and her blood boiled in excitement. As Helena watched them nearby, she wanted to say something, but in the end, she held back her words. The three of them headed to the barbecue restaurant nearby. Since Sonia was very popr, she had to be fully disguised when going out. 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Of course.¡± Caroline nodded. Before Daphne could even smile, she heard Caroline say leisurely, ¡°However, we may not be able to witness that. After all, you said that you can¡¯t ban her as long as she remains popr. ¡°So I¡¯ll make sure Sonia¡¯s career in the entertainment industry will be evesting.¡± Caroline spoke the most arrogant words in the calmest tone possible. 3/3 +15 BONUS Chapter 465 However, Daphne couldn¡¯t refute Caroline¡¯s words. After all, she just had a wonderfuleback! She bit her lips in frustration, and after a while, she couldn¡¯t handle being here anymore. In front of everyone, she stormed away to the dressing room. The director knew he couldn¡¯t keep filming under these circumstances, so he told Sonia, ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. We¡¯ll continue filming tomorrow.¡± Sonia stood up with Caroline¡¯s help and nodded to the director and crew. ¡°Thank you, everyone. Good job.¡± The crew returned the pleasantries and then moved their equipment to pack them away. Caroline was touched to see Sonia remain humble even after bing famous. People like Daphne, who had no portfolio or acting skills, could still be popr in the entertainment industry just because she was the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Meanwhile, Sonia had to endure humiliation despite having skills because she had no one backing her. At the thought of this, anger welled up in Caroline¡¯s chest. She said to Sonia, ¡°Sonia, do you want to be a world¨Crenowned A¨Clister?¡± Sonia looked back at Caroline and asked curiously, ¡°What are you saying, Caroline?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking if you want to be an A¨Clister.¡± Sonia noticed the passion in Caroline¡¯s gaze and was touched. ¡°Of course.¡± As an actress, she wanted to be famous because she wanted more people to see her acting skills. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll definitely make your dreamse true.¡± Her words somehow inspired Sonia, and her blood boiled in excitement. As Helena watched them nearby, she wanted to say something, but in the end, she held back her words. The three of them headed to the barbecue restaurant nearby. Since Sonia was very popr, she had to be fully disguised when going out. 1/2 +15 BONUS To avoid being noticed by fans, Caroline and Sonia entered the restaurant at different times. After Caroline entered the restaurant, Helena finally seized the opportunity to grab Sonia¡¯s arm. She advised, ¡°Sonia, make sure not to get carried away by your current victory.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Sonia asked in confusion, ¡°What do you mean by that, Helena?¡± ¡°Just now, Ms. Evans told you she would make you a famous A¨Clister, right? Just listen to what she said, but don¡¯t take her words to heart.¡± Helena said earnestly, ¡°Ms. Evans doesn¡¯t understand the entertainment industry¡¯s situation, but I¡¯m sure you do. You can¡¯t just rely on your abilities to be a world¨Crenowned A¨Clister. You also need to be willing to spend money.¡± She paused, then continued, ¡°Perhaps we can still believe Ms. Evans if she was still a part of the Evans family. ¡°But now, she¡¯s just the boss of a smallpany at best. It¡¯s impossible for her to make someone a world¨Crenowned celebrity.¡± Sonia smiled. ¡°Then, let me ask you, Helena. Will I lose anything if I put my trust in Caroline?¡± Her question silenced her manager¡¯s worries. ¡°Right. Since there¡¯s no harm in trusting her, why shouldn¡¯t I believe her? Maybe one day, I¡¯ll be the best A¨Clister around.¡± Without waiting for Helena to say anything, Caroline continued, ¡°You didn¡¯t think I would be popr before this, right? Let¡¯s go to the restaurant. We can¡¯t keep Caroline waiting.¡± Helena then led Sonia to the restaurant. Caroline had booked a private room. As soon as Sonia entered, she took off her mask and sunsses. Noticing the lingering bruise on Sonia¡¯s cheek, Caroline frowned. ¡°Daphne clearly did this to you on purpose, so why didn¡¯t you fight back?¡± Chapter 466 Chapter 466 However, Daphne couldn¡¯t refute Caroline¡¯s words. After all, she just had a wonderfuleback! She bit her lips in frustration, and after a while, she couldn¡¯t handle being here anymore. In front of everyone, she stormed away to the dressing room. The director knew he couldn¡¯t keep filming under these circumstances, so he told Sonia, ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. We¡¯ll continue filming tomorrow.¡± Sonia stood up with Caroline¡¯s help and nodded to the director and crew. ¡°Thank you, everyone. Good job.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. The crew returned the pleasantries and then moved their equipment to pack them away. Caroline was touched to see Sonia remain humble even after bing famous. People like Daphne, who had no portfolio or acting skills, could still be popr in the entertainment industry just because she was the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Meanwhile, Sonia had to endure humiliation despite having skills because she had no one backing her. At the thought of this, anger welled up in Caroline¡¯s chest. She said to Sonia, ¡°Sonia, do you want to be a world¨Crenowned A¨Clister?¡± Sonia looked back at Caroline and asked curiously, ¡°What are you saying, Caroline?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking if you want to be an A¨Clister.¡± Sonia noticed the passion in Caroline¡¯s gaze and was touched. ¡°Of course.¡± As an actress, she wanted to be famous because she wanted more people to see her acting skills. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll definitely make your dreamse true.¡± Her words somehow inspired Sonia, and her blood boiled in excitement. As Helena watched them nearby, she wanted to say something, but in the end, she held back her words. The three of them headed to the barbecue restaurant nearby. Since Sonia was very popr, she had to be fully disguised when going out. 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Of course.¡± Caroline nodded. Before Daphne could even smile, she heard Caroline say leisurely, ¡°However, we may not be able to witness that. After all, you said that you can¡¯t ban her as long as she remains popr. ¡°So I¡¯ll make sure Sonia¡¯s career in the entertainment industry will be evesting.¡± Caroline spoke the most arrogant words in the calmest tone possible. 3/3 +15 BONUS Chapter 465 However, Daphne couldn¡¯t refute Caroline¡¯s words. After all, she just had a wonderfuleback! She bit her lips in frustration, and after a while, she couldn¡¯t handle being here anymore. In front of everyone, she stormed away to the dressing room. The director knew he couldn¡¯t keep filming under these circumstances, so he told Sonia, ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. We¡¯ll continue filming tomorrow.¡± Sonia stood up with Caroline¡¯s help and nodded to the director and crew. ¡°Thank you, everyone. Good job.¡± The crew returned the pleasantries and then moved their equipment to pack them away. Caroline was touched to see Sonia remain humble even after bing famous. People like Daphne, who had no portfolio or acting skills, could still be popr in the entertainment industry just because she was the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Meanwhile, Sonia had to endure humiliation despite having skills because she had no one backing her. At the thought of this, anger welled up in Caroline¡¯s chest. She said to Sonia, ¡°Sonia, do you want to be a world¨Crenowned A¨Clister?¡± Sonia looked back at Caroline and asked curiously, ¡°What are you saying, Caroline?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking if you want to be an A¨Clister.¡± Sonia noticed the passion in Caroline¡¯s gaze and was touched. ¡°Of course.¡± As an actress, she wanted to be famous because she wanted more people to see her acting skills. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll definitely make your dreamse true.¡± Her words somehow inspired Sonia, and her blood boiled in excitement. As Helena watched them nearby, she wanted to say something, but in the end, she held back her words. The three of them headed to the barbecue restaurant nearby. Since Sonia was very popr, she had to be fully disguised when going out. 1/2 +15 BONUS To avoid being noticed by fans, Caroline and Sonia entered the restaurant at different times. After Caroline entered the restaurant, Helena finally seized the opportunity to grab Sonia¡¯s arm. She advised, ¡°Sonia, make sure not to get carried away by your current victory.¡± Sonia asked in confusion, ¡°What do you mean by that, Helena?¡± ¡°Just now, Ms. Evans told you she would make you a famous A¨Clister, right? Just listen to what she said, but don¡¯t take her words to heart.¡± Helena said earnestly, ¡°Ms. Evans doesn¡¯t understand the entertainment industry¡¯s situation, but I¡¯m sure you do. You can¡¯t just rely on your abilities to be a world¨Crenowned A¨Clister. You also need to be willing to spend money.¡± She paused, then continued, ¡°Perhaps we can still believe Ms. Evans if she was still a part of the Evans family. ¡°But now, she¡¯s just the boss of a smallpany at best. It¡¯s impossible for her to make someone a world¨Crenowned celebrity.¡± Sonia smiled. ¡°Then, let me ask you, Helena. Will I lose anything if I put my trust in Caroline?¡± Her question silenced her manager¡¯s worries. ¡°Right. Since there¡¯s no harm in trusting her, why shouldn¡¯t I believe her? Maybe one day, I¡¯ll be the best A¨Clister around.¡± Without waiting for Helena to say anything, Caroline continued, ¡°You didn¡¯t think I would be popr before this, right? Let¡¯s go to the restaurant. We can¡¯t keep Caroline waiting.¡± Helena then led Sonia to the restaurant. Caroline had booked a private room. As soon as Sonia entered, she took off her mask and sunsses. Noticing the lingering bruise on Sonia¡¯s cheek, Caroline frowned. ¡°Daphne clearly did this to you on purpose, so why didn¡¯t you fight back?¡± Chapter 467 Chapter 467 Chapter 467 Sonia was keenly aware that Caroline¡¯s mood was off, and she scratched her head. ¡°Caroline, did I say something wrong?¡± Caroline looked back at Sonia and shook her head. ¡°No¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, she asked, ¡°Sonia, you¡¯ve been an actress for several years, right? You must have read tons of weird scripts. Can I ask you something?¡± Sonia nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Have you ever read any scripts about a man who loves a woman but is also married to another woman?¡± Looking at Sonia¡¯s and Helena¡¯s stunned expressions, Caroline realized she seemed to have a problem and needed help. Fortunately, Sonia was very earnest and didn¡¯t think too much. Instead, after listening to Caroline¡¯s question, she started thinking about whether she had encountered a messed¨Cup story like this. But she couldn¡¯t think of anything. However, the knowledgeable Helena was able to think of something. ¡°Actually, situations like these are rare now, but they were verymon in the past, especially in the 19th century.¡± Helena exined, ¡°It was an era of liberation back then, and many people advocated freedom in choosing their partners¡­ ¡°However, the older generation was concerned with making smart matches. So some men had a wife at home and another lover simultaneously. ¡°His family appointed one partner, while the other was the one he really liked. This type of marriage may be criticized now, but it was verymon back then.¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes brightened like stars. Was¡­ Was this the case with Kirk? But Ivan hadn¡¯t seemed to dislike her when Kirk had taken her back to his home. On the contrary, he had liked her very much. Caroline¡¯s mind was in a mess. She wished she could get rid of the noises in her head and see the true nature of this issue clearly. ×Ó +15 BONUS After leaving the restaurant, Caroline drove home. As soon as she arrived at her apartment building, she saw someone wandering around, asionally looking upstairs. Caroline followed his line of sight and realized the lights in her house were on. Needless to say, Kirk must be here. At the thought of Kirk, Caroline lost her strength to breathe. She really didn¡¯t want to face him. If she saw him, she would have to think about many problems. She didn¡¯t want to think about this anymore. Sometimes, she even wanted to let all this go and ignore what was happening with Kirk¡¯s other wife. She could just live the rest of her life in peace. However, her strong moralpass prevented her from doing so. The heavens wouldn¡¯t let her be happy, always giving her a glimmer of hope in her despair. It made her sway between the scales of despair and hope. It was so dizzying that she ¡­ ¡°Charles?¡± Caroline unknowingly nced around and noticed that the person standing downstairs was Charles. But she wasn¡¯t entirely sure if it was him. Because right now, Charles looked much thinner than when they had first met. He looked as if he had eaten something unhealthy. He was as skinny as a pole. His cheeks were deeply sunken, and he had dark circles under his eyes. When he saw Caroline, he visibly reacted slower than usual. ¡°M¨Cmadam.¡± Caroline was at a loss for words. What inhuman torture had he gone through to end up like this? ¡°Are¡­ are you all right?¡± Charles grinned. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± However, his haggard appearance and mechanical movement made his words sound unconvincing. Caroline remained silent. Chapter 468 Chapter 468 Chapter 468 ¡°Do you want toe upstairs?¡± ¡°Um, it¡¯s okay¡­¡± Charles said hesitantly, ¡°I¨Cit¡¯s better if I don¡¯t go upstairs.¡± Caroline nced at the bright lights upstairs and understood. ¡°You¡¯re here to see Kirk, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I¨CI mean, no.¡± Charles spoke incoherently like a ment*lly disturbed lunatic. ¡°I¡¯m not here to see ¡­¡± Caroline¡¯s gazended on Charles, and she asked suspiciously, ¡°How does Kirk usually make you work? How did you end up like this?¡± ¡°No!¡± Charlesughed. His brain wasn¡¯t functioning anymore. He had been intensively searching for information about Dolly and the mysterious person for the past few days. His mind was now full of data and statistics, and his mouth was opening and closing instinctively. He exined, ¡°Sir asked me to investigate Dolly and the mysterious person. He told me Dolly was an actress, and the mysterious person contacted you in Macovo, madam.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t notice the change in Charles¡® address at all. All her attention was on how he had been investigating Dolly and the mysterious person. She had thought Kirk was being half¨Chearted when he said that he would investigate. But seeing how Charles was getting worked to the bone, Caroline felt mixed emotions. She looked upstairs in a daze. She could tell that Kirk wanted to find out what happened. But if he didn¡¯t exin why he was already married, she wouldn¡¯t let this go, no matter what. Even if he had another wife because of his family, like Helena had said, she could understand. However, he wasn¡¯t saying anything¡­ ????? Caroline returned to her senses and looked at Charles, who was still shaking. ¡°Did you find out anything?¡± ¡°No.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS Charlesmented, ¡°So I thought of just visiting him and letting him send me away to a winter country to raise penguins.¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t resistughing at his words. ¡°He said he would send you away if you couldn¡¯t find anything?¡± Charles nodded slowly. Caroline rolled her eyes and said to Charles, ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs.¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t decided whether to leave the country.¡± Regardless, Caroline pulled Charles into the elevator. The elevator reached her floor. When they reached the door, Caroline opened it and pulled Charles into her home. Kirk, who was busy in the kitchen, heard noises and walked out happily. But he frowned when he saw Charles behind Caroline. Couldn¡¯t his assistant give them some time to themselves? When Charles saw Kirk, his tired brain finally worked again. Realizing what he had just said, he wanted to run away. He had run to Caroline¡¯s apartment to look for Kirk because his mind was frazzled from working. He didn¡¯t actually want to get deported to an exotic country. However, when he wanted to leave, Caroline held him tightly and pushed him in front of Kirk. Charles was about to cry. Was Caroline trying to kill him? Caroline looked straight at Kirk. Her unwavering gaze made Kirk¡¯s heart skip a beat. As if he had returned to the past, he felt the hostility leaving him. ¡°Kirk, aren¡¯t you just investigating something? Do you have to torture someone like this?¡± A grown man like Charles had ended up like this because of him. Charles was grateful to Caroline for speaking up for him. But to survive, he gritted his teeth and met Kirk¡¯s eyes. He said fearlessly, ¡°It¡¯s not a tough job, madam. This isn¡¯t taxing for me at all.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Charles¡® words dumbfounded Caroline. It was so pitiful. He had be a fool from his torture! Chapter 469 Chapter 469 Chapter 469 +15 BONUS Kirk¡¯s eyes turned slightly cold. He realized that, right now, Caroline would protect anyone but him. ¡°Look!¡± Caroline put her hands on her hips. As if disciplining a pet, she scolded, ¡°A smart man like Charles is now acting like a fool. Don¡¯t you know intensive work can drive people insane? ¡°If his family sued you for exploiting your subordinates, they would win every single time.¡± Charles, who had been so moved that he was about to shed tears, gawked at her. ¡°Huh?¡± So she was so worried because she was afraid he would sue Kirk for abusing his subordinates? A hint of a smile appeared on Kirk¡¯s face. ¡°How are you still smiling?¡± Caroline became even more annoyed. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You know, I can actually report you to the authorities for threatening your subordinate that you¡¯ll deport him to another country. Also, please have somemon sense. Not every winter country has penguins!¡± Charles wanted to interject and tell Caroline that there were penguins in winter countries. However, this was the SY Group¡¯s secret n. It hadn¡¯t been announced yet. But soon, he realized that now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on this. Caroline was disciplining his boss like a child. As the only witness to this urrence, he would probably have to be deported this time. Everything was screwing him over! However ¡°So are you worried about me?¡± Kirk asked. His smile was so bright it could melt the coldest of hearts. Charles was stunned by the sight. His¡­ his boss wasn¡¯t angry at all. Instead, he was quite happy to be disciplined. Since when had Kirk be a masochist? Caroline frowned, wondering how he hade to this conclusion. +15 BONUS The smile on his face had some strange allure. She felt as if warmth grazed her cheek, making her irritable. ¡°You¡¯re nuts.¡± After saying these words, Caroline turned around and returned to her room. Kirk looked at the closed door, his lips still curled into a smile. He smiled so brightly that it melted Charles¡® heart. It seemed that the couple was about to live a happy life soon. As expected, Kirk coldly nced at Charles the next moment. ¡°Get out of here.¡± Charles was delighted not to be punished. He took the opportunity and asked, ¡°So ¡­ What about the investigation, sir?¡± Kirk sneered, ¡°Are you pushing your luck?¡± Charles answered, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± As he turned around, he heard Kirk¡¯s voice behind him. ¡°I¡¯ll give you an extension for my wife¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°How much time are you giving?¡± Charles looked at Kirk expectantly. Kirk gave Charles a look, and then he went into the kitchen. Charles walked out of the room and let out a sigh. Although Kirk hadn¡¯t given him a deadline, judging from tonight¡¯s situation, the coast was clear. As long as Charles pleased Caroline, all his problems would be solved! It didn¡¯t mean he could justin to her whenever he encountered something difficult, though. Charles, who had found a backer, instantly livened up and happily walked out of the elevator. At this time, in Caroline¡¯s home, Kirk put the food he prepared on the table. Then, he walked to the door of Caroline¡¯s room and knocked. ¡°Darling, the food is ready.¡± Caroline felt annoyed hearing Kirk¡¯s alluring voice. She looked at the ceiling and tried to think back on something. Then, she remembered letting Kirk move in because her home had been robbed. No, she couldn¡¯t let him keep living here! They were fighting right now, but he wasn¡¯t acting like that was the case and was constantly showing up around her. When Kirk spoke again, Caroline took a deep breath and opened the door expressionlessly. She asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Charles?¡± ¡°He already left.¡± Caroline frowned and was about to say something when Kirk said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, darling. You were right. I¡¯ve deferred the deadline for his work. ¡°It¡¯s really difficult for him to investigate someone with little information. But I can¡¯t help it. I want to know who¡¯s behind all this as soon as possible.¡± Chapter 470 Chapter 470 Chapter 470 Caroline was speechless. For some reason, she sensed the childishness in Kirk¡¯s tone. However, she was a reasonable person. Kirk¡¯s words did make sense. It was difficult to figure things out with such little information. Caroline found it hard to drive him away now. Forget it. She would just tell him tomorrow. She walked to the dining table. When she saw the sumptuous feast on the table, her already full stomach started to growl again. After eating, Carolinepletely forgot about asking Kirk to leave. She only remembered about it after she reached work the next day. However, she couldn¡¯t tell Jack to turn the car around. She massaged her forehead resignedly, secretly breathing a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Daphne was helping Jane choose a dress at home. It would be Jane¡¯s 55th birthday soon, and Howard nned to take advantage of the asion to announce his cooperation with Eddy¡¯s second uncle. The public had actually known about this for a long time. But there was a difference between having an official announcement and not having one. An official announcement showed tangible proof of any rtionship, like a marriage certificate.. In addition, the more important reason why Howard did this was because he made a lot of money when he worked with Kirk. He was eager to show his capabilities and be the second¨Ctop family of the big four families. Hence, although this year wasn¡¯t a significant birthday milestone for Jane, Howard still nned to make a big event. Daphne had been picking outfits with Jane for more than two hours. Seeing that Jane was also tired, she hurriedly supported her. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down for a while, Mrs. Collins.¡± Jane nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± N FAS immediately brought the two sses of fruit juice when they sat down. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Why are you free today? You even have the time to choose clothes with me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even talk about this.¡± Daphne groaned. ¡°Now, the entire crew is rushing to tter the female lead.¡± ¡°Female lead?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s that Sonia girl. You know her, right?¡± Jane mused, ¡°She has been very popr recently. I heard she¡¯s one of Caroline¡¯s people.¡± Daphne¡¯s expression instantly darkened at her words. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did Caroline piss you off again?¡± Jane asked after taking a sip of her juice. Daphne told Jane what had happened yesterday. After hearing this, Jane was so angry that she mmed her cup on the table. ¡°What a busybody! You¡¯re Eddy¡¯s aunt¨Cinw! What¡¯s wrong with you hitting the female lead? ¡°You have the right to hit the entire crew if it makes you happy! So what if you did that?¡± Jane¡¯s words irked Daphne. Ever since she had be Kirk¡¯s fake wife, she had the world in the palm of her hands. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. However, that perk had been ruined the day she met Caroline! Now, she didn¡¯t even have the freedom to hit anyone she wanted. ¡°Mrs. Collins.¡± Daphne whispered, ¡°Can you please help me teach her a lesson? I really can¡¯t let this go.¡± Jane¡¯s expression faltered. It would be a miracle if Daphne could let this go. Besides, she hadn¡¯t gotten her revenge on Caroline for what happened to her daughter! However. ¡°We don¡¯t have to go through so much trouble this time. We can just hire a bunch of punks to teach her a lesson.¡± ¡°Will this work?¡± Daphne was worried. ¡°It¡¯s best to take a simple approach. The simpler our methods, the more effective they will be. You don¡¯t need to worry. I¡¯ll get someone to handle this.¡± Chapter 471 Chapter 471 Chapter 471 The horoscope¨Cthemed outfits were selling like hotcakes. In addition, Caroline had had the insight to develop the second batch of clothing in advance, so the of clothes. Everyone was busy except for Caroline. She discovered that her subordinates were not ipetent. On the contrary, they had taken on a passive attitude toward their work because they had thought Evans Group would go bankrupt sooner orter. But things were different now. Everyone was motivated and energetic due to their sess. They were now doing the things she had had to handle alone previously with no trouble. So Caroline was free at the moment. All she did was sign documents all day. Being a boss was really easy. No wonder everyone wanted to be one. However, Caroline didn¡¯t want to rx. If she did, her mind would wander. In desperation, she called Gwen. She didn¡¯t know what her friend had been doingtely since she had been really elusive. She hadn¡¯t even shown up at theirpany¡¯s celebration. As soon as the call connected, Caroline heard the sound of typing on the keyboard. ¡°Carol¡­¡± Gwen¡¯s voice was filled with joy. It brightened up Caroline¡¯s mood as well. ¡°You¡¯re in a good mood today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Gwen made no secret of her mood. ¡°Did you make up with Sean?¡± Gwen paused, then said leisurely,,¡°No.¡± Caroline was stunned. ¡°Then, did you win a lottery?¡± ¡°Haha, of course not.¡± Gwen said, ¡°I got a new boyfriend. I¡¯ll let you meet him tonight.¡± ¡°A new boyfriend?¡± Caroline almost bit her tongue in shock. ¡°Yeah!¡± Gwen typed on her keyboard nonchntly. 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Are youing?¡± Caroline was still shocked. ¡°So you¡¯ve been busy looking for a new boyfriend?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Gwen sounded free and easy. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? To forget a past rtionship, you need time or someone new. Since you¡¯re using time, I¡¯ll find someone new.¡± Caroline said, ¡°But before, you didn¡¯t need to find someone else to get over a rtionship.¡± Gwen either didn¡¯t hear her words or didn¡¯t care. She asked again, ¡°Are youing? We¡¯re meeting at a trendy Jasmorian restaurant. It¡¯s difficult to book a spot. My boyfriend is the boss there.¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Is your boyfriend Jasmorian?¡± Was Gwen in a long¨Cdistance rtionship now? ¡°No, he¡¯s just a student studying in Jasmoria.¡± Gwen said mysteriously, ¡°But don¡¯t tell anyone. He said it was a publicity stunt. If he ims to be Jasmorian, others will think his restaurant is authentic.¡± Caroline frowned slightly at her words. Wasn¡¯t this an act of deception? However, judging from Gwen¡¯s tone, she really liked her new boyfriend. So Caroline didn¡¯t mention anything. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. In the evening, Caroline and Gwen went to the Jasmorian restaurant together. Like Gwen had said, it was pretty popr. There was a long line of people in front of the restaurant. Caroline and Gwen entered through the back door. Coincidentally, when they went into the restaurant, they met Sonia. Sonia took off her sunsses and mask, feeling a little excited. ¡°Caroline?¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Hey! What are you doing here?¡± Sonia exined with a smile, ¡°I just finished work. I heard the food in this restaurant is excellent, so I asked Helena to book a table for me. What a coincidence!¡± Chapter 472 Chapter 472 Chapter 472 ¡°Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Caroline was worried they would be photographed, so she quickly pushed Sonia and Gwen into the private room. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. After entering, Gwen was still dazed. After a long while, she pointed at Sonia and asked, ¡°Are you Sonia Norman?¡± After that, she tapped her head. ¡°I really liked you in¡­ what¡¯s that show called again?¡± ¡°Odyssey¡°?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! ¡®Odyssey¡°! The fighting scenes in that show were amazing!¡± Gwen looked at Caroline excitedly. ¡°Carol, you¡¯ve also seen ¡®Odyssey¡®, right?¡± After saying this, she seemed to realize something andughed heartily. ¡°Oh, how forgetful of me. You had predicted Sonia would be famous because of that show.¡± Speaking of this, she felt a little guilty. She grabbed Caroline and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Carol. I¡¯ve been so busy looking for a new partner that I forgot to congratte you!¡± Caroline said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just happy to see you back on your feet.¡± While the two were talking, the sliding door was pushed open, and a tall man walked in. He was wearing a Jasmorian outfit, and he looked pretty handsome, but Caroline somehow always ended up looking at the prickly hairs below his nose. ¡°This is my boyfriend, Colin Waverly,¡± Gwen introduced. Colin¡¯s eyes fell on Caroline. ¡°Is this your best friend?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°She¡¯s pretty.¡± Caroline frowned. This wasn¡¯t the first time Gwen had introduced her to a new boyfriend. They had brazenly checked her out before, but they would restrain themselves around Gwen. However, Colin didn¡¯t seem to know the meaning of restraint. He kept looking at Caroline boldly. The next second, he walked past Caroline and Gwen and stretched his hand towards Sonia. 1/2 ¡°You¡¯re Sonia Norman! The one from ¡®Odyssey! You¡¯re so beautiful! My muses used to be Jasmorian stars, but you¡¯ve been my only muse since I met you.¡± +15 BONUS Sonia was used to meeting enthusiastic fans, so she politely shook Colin¡¯s hand and then let go. She thought Colin would let go of her hand, but unexpectedly, he took a step further and grabbed Sonia¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Can you give me an autograph, my muse? Just sign your name on your bra and hand it to me.¡± Gwen¡¯s expression turned dark when she heard Colin¡¯s perverted request. She kicked his thigh and hissed, ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Colin grimaced in pain, but he could stille up with sweet nothings. ¡°Are you jealous, my dear? You and Sonia are different. You¡¯re my girlfriend, and she¡¯s my muse. I¡¯ll be together with you, but I won¡¯t ever be in a rtionship with her.¡± Caroline was speechless. Gwen was dumbfounded as well. She turned to Caroline and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Carol.¡± Caroline grabbed Sonia. She had to ask Gwen where she had found this nutjob after they left. However, when she opened the door, she saw Sean standing at the door with a sullen expression. Sean always had a schrly air that made him appear weak and bookish. But now, his sullen expression even made Caroline¡¯s heart jump. Then, her eyes met Kirk¡¯s, who was standing behind Sean. Kirk had a neutral expression on his face. He leanedzily against the door, like a spectator watching a y. Even when distracted, Caroline noticed Gwen holding Colin¡¯s arm beside her and introduced warmly, ¡°What a coincidence, Dr. Yates! This is my boyfriend, Colin. And Colin, this is Sean Yates. You must know him. He¡¯s a genius doctor.¡± She winked at Colin charmingly. Colin was stunned by her behavior. Chapter 473 Chapter 473 Chapter 473 Anger surged in Sean¡¯s eyes, and he clenched his fists. ¡°This is your new boyfriend?¡± ¡°That¡¯s night.¡± Gwen smiled heartily. ¡°What do you think? Is he more handsome than you?¡± Sean remained silent, looking at Colin sullenly. His gaze was so intense that Colin lost his lustful attitude. He just wanted to break away from Gwen and escape. However, Gwen held his arm tightly, looking at Sean fearlessly. She had known how awful Colin was from the moment she had met him. But when she saw his eyes, she would always think about Sean. Initially, Gwen didn¡¯t know why, but after seeing him a few times, she finally figured it out. Colin¡¯s eyes looked very simr to Sean¡¯s. His eyes were on the rounder side, and they had a warm tint. As soon as she realized this, she proposed getting together with Colin. Therefore, she didn¡¯t care how much of a scumbag Colin was. She just wanted to see those eyes, just like she was looking into Sean¡¯s eyes right now. Gwen bit her lip slightly, feeling bitter. But she still sounded rxed when she asked, ¡°Are you here for dinner, Dr. Yates?¡± Suddenly, Sean grabbed Gwen, and she staggered into his arms. She struggled and yelled, ¡°Let go of me!¡± But Sean still pulled Gwen toward the door with a long face. Soon, the sounds of Gwen¡¯s struggle faded into the distance. Sonia was dumbfounded at the sight. She whispered in Caroline¡¯s ear, ¡°Caroline, w¨Cwill she be okay?¡± Caroline nced at Colin, who was standing there nkly. ¡°Why should we be worried when her boyfriend isn¡¯t?¡± Caroline still trusted Sean. She didn¡¯t believe he would do anything to harm Gwen. Colin, on the other hand His girlfriend had been taken away, but he hadn¡¯t even tried to go after her. 1/2 Owned by N?velDrama.Org. +15 BONUS He had such an awful personality! Caroline would definitely try to persuade Gwen to break up with him, even if it would ruin their friendship. ¡°Are you still eating dinner?¡± Kirk suddenly spoke, his voice maic. Sonia immediately looked at Kirk, a blush staining her pretty cheeks. Having worked in the entertainment industry for years, she had seen many handsome men. But this was the first time she had seen someone as good¨Clooking as Kirk. Her heart, which had never skipped a beat, was beating wildly right now. Caroline didn¡¯t notice the change in Sonia¡¯s behavior, but she looked at Kirk and stepped out of the private room. Kirk put his hands in his pockets and followed her. Only then did Sonia notice the unusual connection between Caroline and Kirk. She suppressed the fluttering in her heart and hurriedly followed Caroline. But she still couldn¡¯t help sneaking a nce at Kirk when she passed by him. Just one nce was enough to astound her. She quickly looked away and asked Caroline, ¡°Are you going home, Caroline?¡± Caroline had already left the restaurant. Jack¡¯s car was parked not far away. Thinking Kirk would definitely get in the car with her, she said sullenly, ¡°I¡¯m going for a walk.¡± She could use this chance to make it clear to him that he didn¡¯t have to go to her house anymore. Unexpectedly, Sonia asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t Ie with you?¡± She put on her mask and said with bright eyes, ¡°Since I joined the entertainment industry, I¡¯ve been practicing martial arts at home every day. I don¡¯t even have the time to go out, let alone take a walk.¡± Chapter 474 Chapter 474 Chapter 474 Caroline looked at Sonia and found it difficult to refuse a request from a beautiful girl like her.¡± Okay, but is it okay for you to do this? If fans recognize you¡­¡± ¡°They won¡¯t.¡± Sonia pointed to her mask. ¡°It¡¯s dark at night. They won¡¯t recognize me unless their eyes are sharp.¡± Caroline rxed and took Sonia for a silent walk along the street. Kirk followed behind them, remaining quiet as well. Sonia discreetly asked Caroline, ¡°Caroline, who is that man?¡± Caroline said bluntly, ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡± Sonia chuckled at her words. Caroline asked, ¡°Why are youughing?¡± ¡°He must be your husband. You two must be having trouble.¡± Sonia said mysteriously, ¡°Besides, I can see that you both love each other very much.¡± Caroline¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She said, ¡°You¡¯re so confident about that. Are you a psychic or something? Or have you been in a rtionship?¡± N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°No, but I¡¯ve seen people in love.¡± Sonia mused, ¡°Look at him. Even though you both are fighting, he still follows you every step of the way. ¡°It shows that you¡¯re more important than his anger at you. I¡¯ve seen many people lose their girlfriends because they lost their temper over the tiniest things.¡± Kirk¡¯s attitude touched Sonia. Caroline had met someone like that before. That had been the case with Eddy. He would abandon her at any time during meetings, banquets, or even the roads. It wasn¡¯t because they were fighting, but because he didn¡¯t like her. Sonia nudged Caroline¡¯s arm. ¡°Caroline. If it isn¡¯t a big issue, you should just forgive him. In rtionships, there must be apromise, right?¡± Caroline looked at Sonia silently. Sonia¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°Is it really a big issue?¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°Do you remember what I asked you? About a man falling in love with another woman ¡°And marrying her?¡± Sonia interjected, looking back at Kirk in shock. But she quickly shook her head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s someone like that. Did you give him a chance to exin?¡± Caroline threw up her hands. ¡°Yes, and I did it more than once! But he just wouldn¡¯t exin himself.¡± After what she heard, Sonia couldn¡¯t take Kirk¡¯s side anymore. Still, she said, ¡°Maybe he has his reasons.¡± Caroline grimaced. She didn¡¯t care if he had his reasons. She was going to kick Kirk out of her apartment tonight! She didn¡¯t want to see his face every night right after work! Before this issue was resolved, she would give him the silent treatment until the end! As she walked, she noticed fewer lights and people around them. Realizing that she had reached a remote ce, Caroline was about to turn around and go back when three people showed up in front of them. All three wore masks and hats. They were even more covered up than Sonia. Caroline turned around and noticed they weren¡¯t the only ones there. They were surrounded from all directions. There were at least 20 to 30 people, and they were all holding weapons. It was clear that they weren¡¯t good people. Caroline protected Sonia behind her. Her actions made Sonia, who had only had herself to rely on since childhood, feel a warmth in her chest. However, before the warmth dissipate, she felt a chill on her back. When she turned around, she met Kirk¡¯s aggressive gaze. Chapter 475 Chapter 475 Chapter 475 ¡°What are you up to?¡± Caroline could tell these men were up to no good. She secretly used Sonia¡¯s body as cover to call the authorities. ¡°Nothing much.¡± The person who spoke was probably their leader. He was casually holding a baton in his hand, tapping it on his palm. ¡°We¡¯re just a little short of money, and we would like to borrow some from you.¡± Just as Caroline was about to speak, Kirk walked to stand between her and the leader. The leader was a head shorter than Kirk, so he had to raise his head to see him clearly. But as soon as his eyes met Kirk¡¯s, he trembled in fear. The man before him had eyes as sharp as daggers, and he had an air of danger. He could tell this man couldn¡¯t be trifled with. But he remembered the generous reward he would get. Besides, they only had one man on their side. At this thought, he became more courageous and tightened his grip on his baton. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t you going to pay?¡± Kirk raised his hand and grabbed his neck. The leader was caught off guard, and his eyes widened. He raised his baton, trying to hit Kirk, but he couldn¡¯t muster any strength. The situation escted so suddenly that everyone rushed toward Kirk like a swarm of bees. Seeing that they had begun fighting, Sonia braced Caroline behind her. With a clean sweep of her leg, she kicked down three men rushing toward them. The sight amazed Caroline. Sonia was so cool! Kirk¡¯s moves were even cleaner and sharper. He didn¡¯t fight mboyantly like Sonia. Instead, he would deliver every blow with all his strength. With each punch he threw, someone would fall to the ground, incapacitated. Just like that, the two of them defeated dozens of men. 1/3 +15 BONUS Before Caroline could smile in relief, she saw someone getting up behind Kirk with a knife he had gotten out of nowhere. She didn¡¯t even have time to warn him when she saw the man stab Kirk in Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. the back as he walked toward her. ¡°Kirk!¡± Caroline yelled anxiously. Behind him, the tip of the knife pierced Kirk¡¯s back. The man only made a shallow cut before he lost his strength. Kirk felt dangering from behind him and was about to fight back. But seeing the fear in Caroline¡¯s eyes, he changed his mind. He pressed his back against the tip of the knife and backed away forcefully. Shunk! The knife stabbed into his chest. A huge wave of pain surged from his back, spreading throughout his body. Caroline, who was running toward Kirk, also heard the sound of a stab. She stood there nkly, watching Kirk smile at her. ¡°Darling ¡­¡± His mouth opened and closed as his body slowly fell to the ground. Caroline didn¡¯t care about anything else. She rushed over and tightly hugged Kirk, who was about to fall. With tears in her eyes, she sobbed, ¡°Kirk ¡­¡± As her tears fell on his cheeks one by one, Kirk discreetly curled his lips into a small smirk. The police soon arrived at the scene and took the dozens of thugs away. The doctor who followed them took Kirk to the hospital. Although the knife wound was deep, it hadn¡¯t damaged any vital parts of Kirk¡¯s body. The doctor briefly treated the wound and gave instructions before leaving the ward. Caroline finally breathed a sigh of relief when she learned Kirk was fine. She nced at Sonia, who hadn¡¯t left yet. ¡°You should go home, Sonia. There are many people here. It would be bad if they recognized you.¡± Sonia nodded, not wanting to cause more trouble for Caroline. Noticing the worry on Caroline¡¯s face, she couldn¡¯t resist saying, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, Sonia had only found out Kirk¡¯s name when they had admitted him to the hospital. Chapter 476 Chapter 476 Chapter 476 What a coincidence! Caroline¡¯s husband¡¯s surname was also Morrison. ¡°Thank you.¡± Caroline walked her to the door. ¡°Be careful on the way home. Hurry up and go. It would be bad if someone recognized you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sonia nced at Kirk onest time before looking away. This man was someone she could only dream of. Caroline didn¡¯t notice it just now, but Sonia did. She knew martial arts, so she understood a martial artist¡¯s instinctive reaction when facing danger. However, Kirk had taken a step back, putting himself in more danger. This wasn¡¯t something a typical martial artist would do. Therefore, he had done it on purpose. He had probably done it to make Caroline worry. Sonia curled her lips into a smile. That man would even risk his own life to get closer to Caroline. Nothing could get this man away from her, not even God. At this thought, Sonia¡¯s steps rxed a little as she walked. Caroline looked at Kirk, who was lying on the hospital bed with a pale face. His eyes were closed. He hadn¡¯t woken up. The doctor said he possibly hadn¡¯t woken up because he was in too much pain. Caroline took the chance to see Kirk¡¯s appearance carefully. After looking at him, she noticed he had really lost weight. He used to have more flesh on his cheeks, but now his cheeks were slightly sunken, making him look even more ruthless. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Feeling distressed, Caroline lowered her head and saw that Kirk¡¯s fingers had be more slender. She wanted to touch his palm with her hand, but she suddenly pulled away as if she had been shocked. She nervously looked up at Kirk. 1/2 +15 BONUS Seeing that he was still asleep, she boldly reached out again, carefully touching Kirk¡¯s palm. His familiar touch made her heart race, and she slowly touched his skin with her fingers. People were greedy. After feeling a hint of warmth, she wanted more. It wasn¡¯t until Caroline¡¯s entire palm covered Kirk¡¯s hand that she finally circled his wrist with her thumb and middle finger. His wrist had be thinner as well. As Caroline felt the bones on his wrist, she felt her heart sting. She wondered if he had lost weight anywhere else. She nced at his body, which was covered by the nket. Unbeknownst to her, Kirk, who was lying on the bed, slightly opened his eyes and was looking at Caroline secretly. Her distress for him was like a drug, lessening the pain in his back. Time passed silently. It was a quiet and beautiful moment between them. Then, Kirk heard the sound of high heels tapping on the ground. He frowned slightly. The next second, Gwen opened the door and walked in, panting. She asked nervously, ¡°Are you okay, Carol?¡± Caroline quickly let go of Kirk. Kirk rolled his eyes with his eyes still closed. Chapter 477 Chapter 477 Chapter 477 ¡°I¡¯m fine. What are you doing here?¡± Caroline¡¯s question made Gwen¡¯s expression shift. After Sean had dragged her out of the restaurant, he had taken her to a secluded ce before letting her go. Naturally, Gwen had taken the chance to attempt an escape, but unexpectedly, Sean had pinned her against the tree. He stared at her with a vicious look she had never seen before, like a hunter eyeing his prey. Gwen¡¯s body trembled from his gaze, but she still braced herself to look into Sean¡¯s eyes. ¡°What? Are you going to force a kiss now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re damn right I am!¡± After saying that, Sean pressed his mouth against hers. At first, Gwen had resisted, but eventually, for some reason, she felt dizzy, her mind drifting like a cloud. Gradually, she had lost strength in her limbs, and she had leaned against Sean. She had felt as if she had caught a piece of driftwood in the ocean. She would survive if she held on, but she would have to endure its putrid stench. If she didn¡¯t want to endure the smell, she had to let go of her lifeline. But that also meant she would die. As her mind had been spinning from deciding what to do, Sean had let her go. A faint smile had stretched on his face as he traced her lips with his fingers. He had a hint of pride in his eyes as he said, ¡°Your body is more honest than you.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. His words had pissed Gwen off. Just then, they had heard police sirens behind them. Gwen had taken the chance to escape from Sean¡¯s arms and returned to the restaurant to look for Caroline. They had learned from other people that Caroline and Kirk had gone to the hospital. Then, they hade here in a hurry. ¡°Is Kirk all right?¡± Sean asked. 1/2 +15 BONUS He nced at the blush on Gwen¡¯s cheeks, acting naturally when Caroline looked over at them. ¡°He¡¯s fine. He just hasn¡¯t woken up yet.¡± Caroline looked at Sean worriedly. ¡°I wonder when he¡¯ll wake up.¡± Sean nced down at Kirk¡¯s wound and noticed his eyes moving slightly. Then, he raised his head and looked at Caroline with a smile. ¡°I can wake him up right away, but¡­¡± Sean nced at Gwen. ¡°I¡¯ll do it on one condition.¡± Gwen¡¯s heart was pounding at his words. Caroline blurted out, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Gwen has to break up with that fake foreign bastard.¡± After Sean finished speaking, he looked at Gwen inquiringly. Gwen¡¯s face turned red in an instant. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely shameless.¡± ¡°Just tell me whether you¡¯ll do it.¡± Gwen bit her lip and nced at Caroline. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do as you say. I¡¯ll break up with him ¡­¡± After that, she mumbled, ¡°With my good looks, I can quickly find a new partner anyway.. 11 ¡°What did you say?¡± Sean asked. Gwen said, ¡°Oh, nothing. Didn¡¯t you say you could wake Kirk up? Come on, don¡¯t waste any time. Show us your miraculous skills as a genius doctor.¡± ¡°This method is ¡­ a family secret. I can¡¯t let you see it.¡± Sean said, ¡°You two should leave. I guarantee that Kirk will wake up in five minutes.¡± Gwen scoffed, feeling skeptical, but she still left the room with Caroline. After closing the door, Caroline looked at Gwen and said, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to break up with Colin, Sean wouldn¡¯t just sit still. Kirk is his friend, after all.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Gwen waved her hand in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m just taking the chance to break up with him.¡± Chapter 478 Chapter 478 What are youughing at?¡± Gwen asked in confusion. ¡°I¡¯mughing at you. You knew Colin wasn¡¯t a good person, but you still wasted your time on him.¡± Gwenughed as well. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. My past rtionship is too unforgettable.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s so memorable, why don¡¯t you give it another try?¡± Caroline suggested. ¡°Not everyone is like your father. There are loyal and faithful men in this world.¡± ¡°Give me an example, then.¡± For a moment, Caroline couldn¡¯te up with an answer. ¡°See?¡± Gwen turned to look at the moon outside the window. ¡°Anyone can see how much Kirk loves you, but ¡­¡± Speaking of this, she nced at Caroline and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Carol. I didn¡¯t mean to rub salt in your wounds.¡± Caroline shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. In fact, I¡¯ve been thinking about this problem recently. Why can a man marry another woman if he loves his first partner so much?¡± ¡°Did you figure it out?¡± Caroline shook her head. Gwen smiled. Not caring about the cold wind brushing her face, she continued, ¡°See? Rtionships areplicated. They¡¯re soplicated that even scientists don¡¯t dare study them. ¡°I might as well live a simple life. It¡¯s actually not a bad thing. If you keep pursuing the next partner, you¡¯ll never be troubled by emotional matters.¡± Caroline chuckled. She and Gwen had different approaches to a rtionship. Gwen wanted someone to live in the moment with, while Caroline wanted apanion for the rest of her life. There was no right or nobler way of living one¡¯s life. Everyone was just experiencing their 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Gwen, I¡¯ll support you unconditionally, regardless of whether you decide to keep living the life you have or ept Sean¡¯s feelings and live your life differently. But ¡­¡± At the mention of this, Caroline looked at Gwen sternly. ¡°If you end up finding someone like Colin again, we won¡¯t be friends anymore.¡± Gwenughed loudly. Stillughing, she hugged Caroline¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll definitely keep my eyes peeled when I find another partner. At least I won¡¯t get together with a scumbag again.¡± In contrast to the warm atmosphere between the two friends outside the room, Kirk red at Sean inside the ward. Sean sped his hands together with a smile. ¡°Oh, kind sir, my dear friend. I¡¯m counting on you to Owned by N?velDrama.Org. pretend to stir awake. My rtionship is at stake here. So help me out here, okay?¡± Kirk looked at Sean expressionlessly. ¡°I guess it¡¯s really hoes before bros for you. ¡± Sean smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice. Just take pity on me and do me a favor.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Kirk asked with a gloomy expression. He stretched his wound by ident, which made him grit his teeth in pain. Sean smiled graciously. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want! I¡¯ll even call you a god!¡± Kirk scoffed, ¡°Can you help me reconcile with Caroline?¡± Sean was silent. Kirk hissed, ¡°Then, get the hell out of here.¡± Suddenly, Sean¡¯s eyes lit up with an idea, and he curled his lips into an evil smile. ¡°Haha! I have an idea!¡± Kirk¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he questioned, ¡°What did a simpleton like youe up with?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t wake up, I¡¯ll tell her you deliberately turned her house into the scene of a robbery. Also, you intentionally caused the wound on your back, right? If Caroline finds out you lied to her 2/3 Sean became more excited as he talked, while Kirk¡¯s eyes became as dark as night. Chapter 479 Chapter 479 Chapter 479 Sean, who had been outperformed in all aspects since childhood, almost couldn¡¯t hold back his joy when he saw Kirk lose for the first time. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m going to call them in,¡± Sean said before going out to call Caroline and Gwen. Kirk knew Sean very well. Even if he didn¡¯t do as Sean wanted him to, Sean still wouldn¡¯t tell Caroline what he had done. Thinking that Sean was in a worse situation than him, Kirk didn¡¯t expose Sean¡¯s lie. He pretended to stir awake when Caroline and Gwen walked into the room. When Caroline saw Kirk awake, her worries were put to rest. She returned to her usual attitude, putting distance between them again. She stood beside Kirk¡¯s bed and asked, ¡°Are you hungry? Do you want something?¡± Kirk shook his head, his eyes following Caroline. His gaze was so passionate that even a blind person could feel its intensity. Caroline told herself she should be nice to him since he was a patient right now. So she resisted the urge to push his face aside. ¡°Since Kirk is awake, we¡¯ll be taking our leave.¡± Sean silently gestured his gratitude to Kirk and dragged Gwen out of the ward. Inevitably, Gwen¡¯s struggles echoed in the hospital again, but not in an intense way. Gwen wasn¡¯t actually that determined in her approach, was she? Caroline curled her lips into a small smile at the thought. As their voices faded away, the room became quiet again. Only then did she realize they were the only ones left in the room. Caroline sat down, keeping her head lowered. After a long while, she couldn¡¯t take the silence anymore and raised her head. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing okay.¡± ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll get someone to take care of you.¡± Chapter 480 Chapter 480 Kirk frowned slightly in disgust and said, ¡°No, I don¡¯t like other people touching me.¡± ¡°How are you going to eat, get out of bed, or clean yourself?¡± Kirk looked at Caroline expectantly. Caroline stood up and refused, ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t have time to take care of you. I still have to go to work.¡± Although nothing was going on at work, she didn¡¯t want to stay behind and take care of Kirk. It wasn¡¯t because she disliked him, but constantly spending time together would drive her crazy. She didn¡¯t know what attitude she should adopt to deal with Kirk. Although she didn¡¯t know what it was like when other couples argued, it was wrong for them to act like this. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll just rot and stink in the hospital bed,¡± Kirk said nonchntly. Caroline was utterly dumbstruck. In the end, she decided to stay behind and take care of Kirk. It definitely wasn¡¯t because she was worried about him, but because he was still her benefactor no matter what. Caroline believed that she had to be grateful. Yes, that was it¨Cshe was just repaying him for helping her. Thinking about this, she no longer felt conflicted when facing Kirk. She treated him as she would a benefactor, cooking the most sumptuous meals for him and apanying him for a walk downstairs after food. This beautiful moment was like a dream. The two also had a tacit understanding not to mention anything aside from his injuries. It seemed they didn¡¯t want to wake up from their dream. It wasn¡¯t until Caroline had to clean Kirk that the beautiful moments came to an abrupt end. She stood in front of the bathroom mirror, biting her lip hesitantly. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Logically speaking, she had seen every single inch of his body, so she didn¡¯t have to be bashful. Chapter 481 Chapter 481 Chapter 481 Quentin was worried about Caroline when he learned about her encounter with the gangsters. ¡°It¡¯s fine. They have been arrested. It just doesn¡¯t make sense that so many of them did this for money, so I want you to help me look into this.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Quentin added, ¡°Oh right! Have you contacted Adrian recently?¡± Caroline froze at the sudden mention of Adrian. ¡°No. How is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s busy working his ass off.¡± Quentinughed. ¡°Apparently, he wants to be more sessful before returning to meet the love of his life.¡± Caroline felt her heart skip a beat. Hastily, she looked out the window. ¡°I¨Cis that so?¡± ¡°Caroline.¡± Quentin sounded serious all of a sudden. ¡°If you¡¯re the one he¡¯s after, what would you tell him?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Caroline pressed her fingers to her temple and fell silent. A momentter, she sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll probably tell him to lead a good life alone and that he shouldn¡¯t sacrifice anything for anyone at all.¡± On the other end of the line, Quentin froze. Laughing it off, he said under his breath, ¡°I think I know why he likes you now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Caroline asked. She hadn¡¯t heard him clearly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll do what you asked me to.¡± After that, he ended the call. With her phone in hand, Caroline felt a pang of guilt wash over her. So she had guessed it right even when they had been in Macovo. She knew that Adrian had intentionally wanted her to see Kirk shoving him. She had never been good at solving rtionship problems. So she had pretended as if she were N?velDrama.Org (C) content. clueless about it all this time. 1/3 +15 BONUS She hoped that Adrian would forget all about her when he returned in the future. The thought made her rx a little, and she returned to the room. Kirk waved at her when he saw her enter the room. ¡°What?¡± Caroline stopped in her tracks, cautious. ¡°I¡¯m gonna sleep.¡± ¡°Sleep then,¡± she said. ¡°Why are you even telling me this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ufortable to lie on my side like this,¡± he told her. Caroline was speechless, yet Kirk stared at her pitifully. In the end, she didn¡¯t have it in her to be cruel to him. She approached him and said, ¡°You can sleep on your stomach, right?¡± She had barely finished talking when Kirk grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward him. The world spun before her eyes, and before she knew it, she was already lying on the bed. The bed was narrow, and her back was pressed against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat and her own as well. It was as though their hearts were connected, and it made her heart race. Embarrassed, she struggled to sit up on the bed. ¡°Kirk¡ª¡± Kirk hissed in pain, making Caroline freeze on the spot. ¡°Is it your wound?¡± She asked, worried that she had hurt him. He wrapped his arms around her with a smile ying on his lips. ¡°Yes,¡± he mumbled, trying to sound upset. His answer made her stop struggling, and she let him hug her. ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kirk rested his chin on her shoulder and pressed his lips against her neck. ¡°Darling, let me hug you while I sleep, will you?¡± Caroline wanted to refuse, but she couldn¡¯t find it in her to do so because of how pitiful he sounded. Saying ¡°no¡± right now would be akin to torturing a poor little animal. Chapter 482 Chapter 482 Chapter 482 When Caroline woke up the next day, she found that there were several missed calls from Gavin. Surprised that she had slept so fitfully through his calls, she hastily patted her cheeks in an attempt to make sure that she was fully awake. Her movements roused Kirk. One of his legs was pressed stubbornly against her body, and he mumbled, ¡°Darling, it¡¯s still early. Let¡¯s sleep for a little longer¡­ ¡°I have to call someone back.¡± ¡°It can wait,¡± Kirk muttered into her back. After trying hard to rpose herself, she told him. ¡°No. I have to make the call now.¡± Gavin had called her multiple times. It could only mean that something had happened. Kirk¡¯s eyelids fluttered open. Eventually, he relented when he saw the determined expression on her face. ¡°Fine,¡± he said. Her expression made her seem as though she was a scumbag who wanted to shirk all responsibilities after a one¨Cnight stand. Shaking off all the messy thoughts in her mind, Caroline picked up her phone and left the room. A breeze blew when she got to the corridor, the cold helping to make sure that she was wide awake. She dialed Gavin¡¯s number and took a breath to calm down before he answered the call. Soon, Gavin¡¯s anxious voice sounded from the phone. ¡°You finally answered your phone!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Dan came to see me yesterday and asked me to drop thewsuit.¡± Gavin pressed his fingers against his temples. ¡°He said that if I don¡¯t do it, he¡¯ll ask Eddy to impose a sanction on ourpany.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think too much of it at first, but he mentioned La ¡­¡± Gavin continued, ¡°I was so worried that I couldn¡¯t sleepst night. So I called you to discuss our next step.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS Now, it was Caroline¡¯s turn to massage her temples. She fell silent for a moment before asking him, ¡°Is Eddy up to something?¡± ¡°Not for now.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we don¡¯t need to worry about this yet.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°But La and Eddy are-¡± ¡°La¡¯s not a Samaritan. Dan has to give her something that will catch her eye. Otherwise, she won¡¯t see any reason to help him,¡± Caroline exined. ¡°For now, there¡¯s nothing he can offer her in return for her help.¡± The weight on Gavin¡¯s heart lifted instantly at her words. ¡°Besides, Dan has indeed broken thew by getting involved in corruption. There¡¯s no doubt that he will be punished. If Eddy has his back now, the Morrison family will be doomed.¡± Relief washed over Gavin, and he said, ¡°I can finally stop worrying now. Sorry for calling you so many timesst night.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Caroline said with a smile, ending the call. She gazed out the window at the branches of a tree nearby. The leaves rustled ever so slightly in the breeze. The movement was so unnoticeable that no one would¡¯ve noticed if they hadn¡¯t paid attention to it. Caroline leaned against the wall as her thoughts wandered to Eddy. He seemed to be able to tolerate almost anything and everything when it came to La. He hadn¡¯t been mad at La when herpany went bankrupt. Instead, he had helped her settle the problem regarding her funds and even had the best PR team in Easton to help her with it. Therefore, La hadn¡¯t suffered much loss, although she might have humiliated herself and lost quite a sum of money. In fact, knowing her, she probably would have seized this chance to act all poor and pitiful in front of Eddy. Caroline couldn¡¯t get why he tolerated her so much. He wasn¡¯t the kind of person to change his taste and indulge himself with other women. Chapter 483 Chapter 483 Chapter 483 In the vi in the suburbs, La stared at Dan and Sarah, who sat before her. Helplessly, she said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you. You know that mypany is bankrupt right now. ¡°Eddy won¡¯t allow me to get involved in anything rted to thepany anymore. I don¡¯t leave the house much now either, so I truly can¡¯t help you.¡± To be honest, La simply didn¡¯t want to see Eddy. She had suffered a loss of a hundred million dors. Even though people thought he was a good man for helping her settle her problem, she knew he was pissed off for real this time. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have gone without talking to her for such a long time. Naturally, she was anxious and wanted to see him to ease things between them. However, Eddy had sternly and explicitly told her not to see him. It would be the same as throwing herself off a cliff if she went to see him now. Sarah¡¯s expression changed the moment La finished her sentence. ¡°But you told us that you would help us! The trial is going to start soon. How could you break your promise?¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. La snorted in disdain. Since there was no need to carry on pretending anymore, she retorted, Do you really think that I want to help you? I just didn¡¯t want Caroline to have her way!¡± ¡°You-¡± Sarah yelled. La then sneered. ¡°Dan was Evans Group¡¯s CEO back then. He had full control over our family¡¯s finances, but times have changed.¡± ¡°Caroline managed thepany really well, so everyone¡¯s fawning over her. I can tell you now that you can¡¯t climb back to your positions anymore.¡± La continued, ¡°This is all your fault. If you hadn¡¯t embezzled funds, the Harpers wouldn¡¯t have been able to sue you.¡± Sarah was so furious that she started trembling. ¡°You weren¡¯t like this before! You said that you would treat us as if we were your parents! How could you treat us like this?¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°I only said that so that I could be the CEO,¡± La admitted. ¡°Who would want to have parents like you two? I wouldn¡¯t want you to be my parents, even if God sent you to me!¡± ¡°You-¡± Sarah looked ready to pounce on La, but Dan held her back. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± he roared. ¡°All you ever know is to hit others.¡± After calming down, he turned to La and said, ¡°La, you can¡¯t judge others purely based on the situation they¡¯re currently in.¡± La furrowed her brows, annoyed. She was about to snap at them and tell them to stop when Dan said, ¡°Caroline may be Evans Group¡¯s CEO right now, but who said I don¡¯t have the means to kick her out of that position?¡± For a moment, La seemed as if she bought it. Soon, though, sheughed. ¡°Did you really think that I would believe you? If you were able to do that, why would you let her be the CEO in the first ce?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, I see.¡± Dan sat on the couch and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you know that Evans Group is a family business. The CEO has to be a person from our family. ¡°I know that.¡± ¡°So what if the current CEO doesn¡¯t share our blood?¡± Dan spoke clearly and slowly. Sarah¡¯s expression shifted when she heard what he said. She nudged him to remind him of the gravity of the matter, yet he continued staring right into La¡¯s eyes. La straightened her back, her eyes wide open in disbelief. A momentter, she shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. You¡¯re lying, right?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not lying to you. Caroline isn¡¯t my daughter. I picked her up somewhere outside.¡± La still couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°Where¡¯s the real Caroline then?¡± ¡°She¡¯s long gone.¡± A sliver of agony shed through Dan¡¯s eyes. ¡°It happened during the kidnapping more than ten years ago I¡¯m sure you remember it very clearly¡± La trembled as the memories gushed forth in her mind. It was as though the tendrils of fire had suddenly appeared before her eyes. Even Dan¡¯s voice sounded distant now ¡°Back then, you and Eddy managed to escape. My daughter, Caroline, stayed there forever.¡± La opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Dan continued, ¡°We were devastated after she died, but as Evans Group¡¯s CEO back then, I had to support our family business. ¡°We needed the Morrisons¡® help. So I silenced all news about Caroline¡¯s death.¡± He continued, ¡°I said that she needed to get treatment abroad after suffering from shock due to the incident. ¡°In truth, Sarah and I found ourselves a young girl to rece our deceased daughter when we were abroad.¡± Chapter 484 Chapter 484 Chapter 484 ¡°She¡¯s the one everyone knows as ¡®Caroline¡® right now.¡± The enure matter sounded so odd that it took La some time to digest what she had heard You¡¯re telling me that the Caroline that I know isn¡¯t part of our family?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Dan, staring directly at her. ¡°Once I reveal this to everyone, Caroline won¡¯t be able to hold on to her position as thepany¡¯s CEO.¡± La swallowed, tempted by his offer. ¡°What do you want in return?¡± ¡°Have Eddy help us so I won¡¯t be locked up,¡± Dan told her. ¡°And let me be the CEO of Evans Group once again!¡± La finally calmed down after taking a few deep breaths. ¡°Dan, don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re asking for a bit too much?¡± ¡°A secret like this in exchange for something that once belonged to me is fair enough, don¡¯t you think?¡± Dan nced at Sarah and continued, ¡°Besides, do you think Jude would still insist on Eddy marrying Caroline once he finds out that she isn¡¯t my daughter?¡± That was the best La could ever hope for.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. She pressed her fingers against her temple as if to think about Dan¡¯s offer. A momentter, she said, ¡°Okay then. It¡¯s a deal.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go and get the documents ready so I can prove to the board that she isn¡¯t my biological daughter.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rush.¡± A smirk appeared on La¡¯s face now. ¡°Caroline thinks that she¡¯s really good at doing business. Let her handle Evans Group for a while longer.¡± She continued, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just assume her position once she settles all the problems? You can reap what she sowed by then.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS A shadow flitted across Dan¡¯s face when he heard La¡¯s suggestion La, I think you¡¯re the one who¡¯s better at doing business* ¡°You¡¯re not bad at this either.¡± La smiled, and when their gazes met, they both burst outughing Sarah watched them from where she sat beside Dan, puzzled. She didn¡¯t know what they meant, but she was certain that she and Dan wouldn¡¯t meet their doom this time As long as La was willing to coax Eddy into helping them, they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being sent to jail. For the past few days, Caroline had been busy looking after Kirk in the hospital. So she had Cheryl send over all the work documents to her there. Fortunately, nothing much happened at the Caroline started thinking of purchasing Mackey Group. Back then, she had promised Liam that she would purchase hispany at a price higher than the market value if he took her side during the election. However, he had broken his promise to her, so he shouldn¡¯t me her for what was toe. Caroline flipped through the documents Cheryl had brought for her and started scanning through the pages. She racked her brains toe up with a way to purchase Mackey Group at a lower price than its market value. ¡°Are you thinking of a way to purchase Mackey Group?¡± Came Kirk¡¯s gruff voice. Startled, Caroline turned to look at him. She wondered if he had imnted a chip in her brain to help him know exactly what she was thinking about. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯might misunderstand you.¡± Kirkughed. ¡°Actually, I have an idea, but-¡± Caroline interrupted him with a wave of her hand. ¡°No, thank you.¡± She knew exactly what he was going to say. Surely, he was going to ask her for a kiss in exchange for his suggestion. Chapter 485 Chapter 485 Chapter 485 Caroline wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would easily bend to another¡¯s will. Kirk might have an idea on how to stackle this, but she coulde up with her very own idea too. She sat on the chair beside the bed and continued going through the documents. A ghost of a smile hung on Kirk¡¯s lips as he stared at her, watching her work. It had been long since he experienced a day as wonderful as this, and he found himself thinking that the hospital wasn¡¯t that horrible anymore. Just then, a doctor came in to check on him. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Morrison,¡± he greeted them as he entered the room. Both Caroline and Kirk had left asting impression on him. To be precise, they had left asting impression on everyone here in the hospital. Caroline and Kirk looked like a lovey¨Cdovey couple, but when asked if they were husband and wife, Caroline would always deny it. Apparently, they had gotten into a fight and weren¡¯t on good terms. Still, it was kind of embarrassing for her since her actions told the truth. Although she wouldn¡¯t admit that Kirk was her husband, the hospital staff always found signs of her looking after Kirk in the room. For example, she had bought him a cushion so that he could sleep morefortably at night. Besides that, there were fresh fruits on the table and flowers in the vase all the time. The staff could always catch a waft of the aroma of Caroline¡¯s cooking from Kirk¡¯s room too. When the doctor spoke, Caroline put down the documents in her hands and asked, ¡°Doctor, how¡¯s the injury on his back?¡± She was already sick of telling the doctor that she wasn¡¯t Kirk¡¯s wife over and over again. The doctor then removed the bandage to inspect Kirk¡¯s wound. ¡°The wound is healing perfectly.¡± He had barely finished his sentence when he felt Kirk¡¯s deadly gaze on him. He forced himself to look at Kirk¡¯s face, which had a smile on it. 1/3 +15 BONUS However, the smile didn¡¯t teach his eyes In fact, it seemed rather eerie and sent a chill down the doctor¡¯s back ¡°Are you sure that my wound is healing as it should?¡± ¡°I¨CI think so,¡± muttered the doctor. There was already a sheen of cold sweat on his forehead. ¡°You think so?¡± Kirk¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Doctor, you should take a good look at it since you¡¯re here to treat me.¡± The doctor wiped a hand across his brow. He was sure that the wound was nothing to worry about now, but Kirk¡¯s formidable look made him say, ¡°How about Ie back here to check on youter? After hearing the doctor¡¯s words, Kirk¡¯s smile disappeared in an instant, along with the terrifying air around him. The doctor was bbergasted. Kirk was probably the only person who wished to prolong his stay at the hospital. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Caroline asked, concerned. ¡°It¡¯s just a check¨Cup. I just want to make sure that there aren¡¯t any internal injuries.¡± Caroline nced at Kirk with eyes full of worry. The doctor felt the urge to tell her that nothing was wrong. Kirk had fully recovered and was as fit as ever. However, he could feel Kirk¡¯s piercing gaze on him. So he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Just look after him and be more considerate toward him. Make sure that he doesn¡¯t get emotional. It¡¯ll help with his recovery.¡± After finishing his sentence, he sensed that Kirk¡¯s gaze wasn¡¯t as terrifying anymore. Caroline also felt very relieved after hearing what he said. ¡°Thank you.¡± The doctor picked up the patient file and left without even sparing Kirk a nce. This is from N?velDrama.Org. After seeing the doctor off, Caroline walked back to sit beside the bed again. Just as she started flipping through the documents again, Kirk¡¯s husky voice sounded from beside her. ¡°Darling, you heard what the doctor said, right?¡± ¡°What now?¡± ¡°You have to take good care of me and make sure that I don¡¯t get emotional.¡± ncing sideways at him, she simply hummed in response. Chapter 486 Chapter 486 Chapter 486 Kirk pressed a hand against his heart. ¡°You frown all day and every day, and you never smile at 1. me. It makes me upset. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s the reason why my wound hasn¡¯t healedpletely. Why don¡¯t you smile at me for once?¡± Caroline had the urge to give him a good kick in the ass, but she discarded the thought when she recalled what the doctor had just said. She had to bear with it. Eventually, she forced a smile. ¡°Darling, your smile looks so forced that I feel worse now,¡± Kirk said. Caroline was about to talk back when Kirk furrowed his brows and hissed in pain. Seeing this, her expression immediately changed. ¡°I¨CI¡¯ll smile for you. Just give me some time.¡± The frown on Kirk¡¯s face disappeared almost instantly. His trick had worked, and he stared contently at Caroline, who stared back at him. She found it extremely hard to smile now, so she forced herself to think of happy things. After some time, she still couldn¡¯t recall anything that made her happy, so she gave up. ¡°Let me watch a funny video.¡± Perhaps she could smile after watching something funny. Kirk nodded, and she unlocked her phone to scroll through tonnes of funny video clips. Usually, she wouldugh her head off watching these. But they had somehow lost their magic today, and she couldn¡¯t make herselfugh at them. Seeing the scowl on her face, Kirk couldn¡¯t help but feel his heart throb. She couldn¡¯t even smile with him around. It showed just how much she was disappointed in him. He couldn¡¯t imagine how devastated she would be if she discovered that he and Eddy were rted. His hands balled into fists, and he said, ¡°What if ¡­¡± ¡°I got it!¡± Caroline put down her phone and looked at him. She pressed her fingers on the corners of her mouth and pushed them upward to form a smile. ¡°See? I¡¯m smiling.¡± Kirkughed, amused at herical expression. His smile lifted her mood and made her smile 1/2 +15 BONUS Only after a moment did Caroline tear her eyes away from him and turn around so that her back faced him She pretended to be busy looking through her documents. In truth, her heart beat like crazy, and she wondered how long it had been since they had a moment of sharedughter like that. The wonderful memories of past times shed through her mind as though it were just yesterday. Caroline found herself missing the days before the wedding photoshoot. If they hadn¡¯t gone to Macovo, perhaps things would have stayed the same as before. Someone knocked on the door, snapping her out of her daze. ¡°Come in,¡± she said. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Sonia stood in the doorway with a bouquet of lilies in one hand. ¡°I heard that your husband is still hospitalized, so I came to pay you two a visit,¡± said Sonia. She was worried that Kirk¡¯s condition had worsened, so she hade over to visit them. Seeing how he seemed alive and kicking, she instantly figured out what was going on. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Caroline as she ced the lilies into the vase. ¡°You came just in time. I¡¯m heading back to make dinner. Can I ask you to look after him for a bit?¡± Sonia panicked when she heard that. ¡°Let me leave with you then,¡± Sonia said. She hadn¡¯t taken off her mask, so Caroline couldn¡¯t see the blush creeping up her cheeks. Caroline assumed that Sonia thought Kirk would be difficult to get along with. So she dragged Sonia out of the room and whispered to her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s easy to get along with.¡± Sonia was at a loss for words. What in the world made Caroline think that Kirk was an easy¨Cgoing person? Chapter 487 Chapter 487 Chapter 487 Caroline left, leaving Sonia and Kirk alone in the room. An awkward silence hung in the air as they both kept quiet. Sonia sat by the bed and stared at Kirk, who was resting with his eyes closed. She heaved a sigh of relief. To be honest, he was pretty good¨Clooking, yet especially hard to get along with. His dominating air was too much to handle, and he always gave others a sense of sternness and rigidity. She wondered how Caroline had been able to bear with him for such a long time. Sonia tapped her nose and took out her phone to read her script, ignoring Kirk. It didn¡¯t seem like he was going to strike up a conversation with her anyway. She had received the script just yesterday. It was the work of an infamous ywright called Marietta Weiss. Marietta hade to Easton this time in search of an actress for the female protagonist in hertest work, ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡°. It told the story of an Eastonian woman who had found her true love after traveling abroad. This character was a prettydy who had learned to fight in the past and showed strength of character. One of the producers thought that Sonia was a good fit for the role and had handed her the script. Her recent poprity had probably contributed to it too. She had fallen in love with the story when she first set eyes on it. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that the female protagonist in ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡± was tailor¨Cmade for her. Both Sonia and the female protagonist were orphans who had learned how to fight for self- defense. Both of them worked hard in the city, too. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. The only difference was that the character in the story met her true love abroad, whereas Sonia met Caroline, who had given her a chance to shine in the entertainment field. The many simrities between Sonia and the character made her even more determined to take up the role. She was well aware that lots of actresses were after the role as well. It was Marietta Weiss¡® work, after all. Sadly, Sonia had only just gained poprity recently, so it would be an uphill task for her to 1/3 +15 BONUS That was why she hade to see Caroline today. She had wanted to request Caroline¡¯s help. Upon reaching home, Caroline headed straight for the kitchen to prepare dinner. Only after she had finished preparing and packing all the dishes did she allow herself to take a breather. She scrolled through her phone as she took a sip of water from her ss. Just then, a notification popped up. Marina had sent her a message. Caroline¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she saw it. It had been a long time since Marina had contacted her. An ominous feeling loomed over her heart for no apparent reason. Marina hadn¡¯t contacted her for the past few days, so Caroline had refrained from thinking about the matter regarding Kirk¡¯s other wife. Now, though¡­ Inhaling deeply, Caroline summoned the courage to open her chat with Marina. She swayed when she read the message and had to hold on to one of the chairs beside the dining table for support. The letters on the screen seemed to hover as her eyes swept across them. It read, ¡°Caroline, I got the information about the man¡¯s wife from my friend. I¡¯ll send it to you right away. Marina¡± Below the message was information regarding Kirk¡¯s wife. Caroline clicked open the file, her hands trembling as she did so. Her eyes turned as wide as saucers when she saw the image. It took every ounce of her strength to stare at the picture on the screen. She then copsed on the chair with a loud thump. The person in the picture was none other than Daphne! Meanwhile, in the hospital, Sonia noticed that Kirk had started bing restless. She had been busy with the script, yet she couldn¡¯t help but raise her head to look at what he was trying to do. Kirk had his phone in his hand. He raised it to look at the screen and put it down the next instant. He repeated this movement several times. Finally, Sonia couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± she asked. Kirk raised his eyes to look at her briefly with an almost unnoticeable smile. He then looked back Chapter 488 Chapter 488 Chapter 488 Sonia nced at Kirk¡¯s phone¡¯s screen. His wallpaper was Caroline. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh. So this was what it meant when people said that it was impossible to hide it when you love someone. Every little detail of what you do would reflect your love for the person. ¡°Why are you staring at your phone all the time? Is something wrong?¡± Kirk straightened his back and told her, ¡°It¡¯s been almost an hour.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°She would usually be back by now.¡± Sonia followed his gaze to look at the room¡¯s door and abruptly understood what he meant by that. She laughed. ¡°You¡¯re too clingy! Caroline¡¯s only gone for an hour.¡± Kirk then stared at her coolly. She lowered her eyes to stare at her phone in an attempt to avoid his gaze. She cleared her throat and said, ¡°It¡¯s been quite a while. Let me call her for you.¡± Kirk pursed his lips and said nothing, but from the vague smile on his lips, Sonia knew that he was in a better mood now. He was truly a pretentious fellow. He wanted to know Caroline¡¯s whereabouts but made it so that Sonia would be the one to make the call. With her phone in hand, Sonia walked toward the windows to call Caroline. Strangely, though, her call went unanswered. Frowning, she called Caroline a second time, but the same thing happened again. Her frown deepened as she started to worry. Just then, she heard Kirk¡¯s anxious voice from behind her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She told him frankly that Caroline didn¡¯t answer her phone. Next, Kirk picked up his phone to call Caroline, but the line was immediately cut off. When he called her again, the call didn¡¯t go through anymore. He got off the bed, slipped into his shoes, and walked out of the room, with Sonia following closely 1/3 +15 BONUS Instead of replying, Kirk simply carried on walking. His lips were pursed, and his expression was as gloomy as an overcast sky. Hastily, Sonia put on her mask and sunsses, then followed him downstairs. She watched him hail a cab and drag the driver out of the vehicle. Appalled, the driver was about to say something to retaliate when Sonia quickly forced a bank card into his hands. ¡°Sorry for the trouble. Here¡¯s a hundred thousand dors. The PIN number is six eights,¡± she told him apologetically. ¡°Lend me your car. I¡¯ll return it to you-¡± She hadn¡¯t even managed to finish her sentence when Kirk revved the engine. So she hurriedly got into the car. In the blink of an eye, the car was nowhere to be seen. It had all happened so quickly that the driver didn¡¯t have time to react. A wave of devastation washed over him as he stared at the bank card in his hands. That wasn¡¯t his car! It belonged to thepany he worked for! Sonia regretted getting into the car. Kirk was driving so recklessly that she thought they would both meet their ends on the road. It was as though he was in a race. She clutched at the back of the seat so that she wouldn¡¯t fly through the windscreen. ¡°Kirk! You¡¯re going too fast!¡± Although she had gone through the hardship of practicing martial arts, being thrashed about like this made her so nauseous she thought she would throw up. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Despite her plea, Kirk acted as if he didn¡¯t hear her. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, and his eyes were bloodshot. Sonia couldn¡¯t understand why he was reacting like this. Caroline just hadn¡¯t answered their calls. It wasn¡¯t a big deal. Fortunately, they arrived at Caroline¡¯s apartment unscathed. It was probably because the other drivers and pedestrians on the roads had seen how they were speeding and avoided them. Sonia took some time to calm down before getting out of the car. Kirk had already entered the apartment when she stepped out of the car, so she hurried after him. s, she was a bit toote. The elevator Kirk had taken had already reached Caroline¡¯s floor. elevator She was about to press the button to close the elevator doors when she heard a loud bang. It startled her so much that she paled, raising her eyes to look at the ceiling. Chapter 489 Chapter 489 Chapter 489 When Sonia arrived at Caroline¡¯s floor, she realized that Kirk was responsible for the loud bang she had just heard. He had kicked open the door to Caroline¡¯s apartment. Sonia stared with wide eyes as Kirk walked in the direction of the bedroom. He raised his hand to knock at the door and said, ¡°Darling!¡± His tone was very different from what she had heard all this time. It was soft, and his voice was gentle. Just then, she heard Caroline roar from the other side of the door. ¡°Get lost! I don¡¯t want to see you!¡± Sonia was stunned at her words. She didn¡¯t know what had happened between Kirk and Caroline. They had seemed to be on good terms just now. So what had happened? Sonia then turned to look at Kirk, who rested his forehead against the bedroom door. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. He was as patient as he could be as he tried talking to Caroline. ¡°What happened? Can you please tell me what happened?¡± However, no sound came from the bedroom. Kirk was about to use brute force to kick down the door when Sonia rushed forward to stop him. ¡°Do you really think Caroline would talk to you if you barged into her room like this? You would only make things worse.¡± Although she and Caroline had met each other recently, her instincts told her that Kirk was thest person Caroline wanted to see right now. Caroline would feel even more annoyed if he forced his way into her room. Kirk¡¯s heart beat wildly in his chest as he stared at Sonia. Seeing his bloodshot eyes, she felt her heart leap into her throat. Still, she pushed away her fear. ¡°I know you¡¯re anxious, but some things just can¡¯t be rushed. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to make things worse between you two.¡± Herst sentence made him calm down a bit, and he asked gruffly, ¡°What should I do then?¡± ¡°Return to the hospital. I¡¯ll take care of Caroline for now, and I¡¯ll update you about her condition 1/3 +15 BONUS The scowl on Kirk¡¯s gloomy face deepened as he stared at the bedroom door. Eventually, he nodded his head, albeit unwillingly. He and Sonia exchanged numbers before she saw him off. She then closed the door of Caroline¡¯s apartment and headed in. On her way to the bedroom, she noticed that the kitchen was in a mess. She briefly raised her eyes to look at the bedroom door before turning into the kitchen to tidy up the mess. After preparing some pasta, she knocked on the bedroom door and said, ¡°Caroline, it¡¯s Sonia here. Kirk¡¯s gone. Can you open the door now?¡± Caroline stiffened when she heard Sonia¡¯s voice. Her grip on the nkets tightened as she stared at the bedroom door. She had felt like her entire world had copsed when she had found out that Daphne was Kirk¡¯s wife. Initially, she had told herself that maybe Daphne and the woman Kirk was married to shared the same name. However, the delusion had shattered when she saw the picture. She recognized that face. There was no doubt that it was Daphne! However, Daphne was Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s wife. How was she married to Kirk, then? Unless .. Caroline looked up at the ceiling as a thought struck her. Kirk was Eddy¡¯s second uncle! If that was the case¡­ She cracked a bitter smile as she thought of how pathetic her life had been all along. First, she had been cheated on by the cousin, and now the second uncle had fooled her. ¡°Caroline?¡± Sonia said. After receiving no reply and failing to hear any movement inside, she started to panic. ¡°Can you open the door? Kirk¡¯s gone already.¡± Caroline sniffed, got off the bed, and opened the door. Sonia could finally heave a sigh of relief. However, her happiness was short¨Clived, for her heart hrobbed when she saw how pale and downcast Caroline looked. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Sonia asked. Caroline numbly shook her head. Chapter 490 Chapter 490 Chapter 490 ¡°Why don¡¯t you eat this?¡± Sonia ced the te of pasta on the bedside table. Caroline shook her head, to which Sonia said, ¡°You can¡¯t refuse this. Your body is a precious gift from God. You must eat, even if the world falls apart.¡± Then, Caroline turned to look at her with dull and spiritless eyes. Her lips parted, but no words came out. Sonia knelt on the carpeted floor and nced up at Caroline. ¡°Can you tell me what happened?¡± The corners of Caroline¡¯s lips twitched, but her attempt at a smile failed. Sonia gripped her hands and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to, and you don¡¯t have to eat this if you don¡¯t feel like it. I¡¯ll stay here with you. Just tell me what you want, alright?¡± Eventually, Caroline nodded. Feeling much relieved, Sonia stood up and walked to the side of the bed to draw the curtains. The darkness was rather weing, and it gave Caroline a sense of security. She curled up in her nkets and closed her eyes, letting her tears flow. Sonia watched from the side. She suddenly remembered how Kirk had sped all the way here, and she took out her phone to message him. ¡°Caroline¡¯s let me into the room. Don¡¯t worry. -Sonia¡± After that, she pondered for a moment before sending him another message. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you two, but Caroline once told me that you¡¯re having an affair with another woman. I think she¡¯s be like this because of it. ¡°I haven¡¯t known you two for long, but I can see that you truly like her. Since you like her so much, can¡¯t you settle things with the other woman? ¡°I know that I shouldn¡¯t meddle in your business, but Caroline helped me before this, so I don¡¯t want to see her suffer.¡± Kirk read the message line by line, his gaze as cold as ice. It was as though a de had stabbed right through his heart when he reached the words ¡°Caroline¡± and ¡°suffer¡°. He punched the steering wheel hard. Somehow, the thing that hurt wasn¡¯t his hand but his heart. A shadow fell across his face as he dialed Charles¡® number. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a week to find out who that mysterious person and Dolly are! This is your final chance!¡± Despite the distance between them, Charles could feel the murderous edge in Kirk¡¯s voice. He straightened his back and said, ¡°Sir-¡± ¡°Five days!¡± Charles inhaled sharply. He hadn¡¯t even said anything! ¡°Three!¡± ¡°Five days it is!¡± Charles said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll give you every bit of information about them in five days!¡± He hung up before Kirk could end the call and realized how he had broken out in a cold sweat during the call. Charles wore a stern expression as he walked into theputerb. With one hand raised in the air, he said, ¡°Everybody, freeze.¡± Everyone in the room looked at him. Noticing the serious look on his face, they didn¡¯t dare to utter a single word. Charles then said, ¡°Find out who Dolly and that mysterious person are. You have four days¡® time.¡± Everyone held their breath. They were in so much distress that they didn¡¯t have any energy to even wail at the news. Charles started to leave when he was finished talking, and the person in charge rushed after him. ¡°¡® Charles, hold on.¡± Charles stopped and waited for the barrage of questions that was bound to follow. ¡°Can I ask you something? About the deal rted to Dolly and that mysterious person¡­ How many zeros are involved in it? Why do we have to look into this matter so urgently? ¡°We¡¯ve been on it for a long time, and we¡¯ve spent way too many resources already.¡± He added, ¡°If this continues, it could only mean that this deal is worth hundreds of billions.¡± In answer to these, Charles simply stared at the man and said, ¡°To Mr. Morrison, it¡¯s priceless.¡± N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡± Chapter 491 Chapter 491 Chapter 491 When it was almost afternoon, Caroline¡¯s expression finally eased a little. However, she still didn¡¯t have much of an appetite and refused to eat anything. Sonia was really afraid that Caroline would lose herself if she went on like this. However, when she saw that Caroline could still answer a call from Cheryl and give clear and logical suggestions, Sonia knew that she was someone who would never be defeated. Besides, when she worked, Caroline was like a whole other person. She was driven and energetic. No one could even tell that her heart was in agony. Yet, once Caroline put down her phone, it was like all the energy had been drained from her. She copsed into bed weakly. Seeing this, Sonia suddenly got an idea. She took out her script and showed it to Caroline. As expected, Caroline transformed into another person when she held the script. She concentrated on it wholeheartedly, immersing herself in the world within the script. Sonia didn¡¯t disturb Caroline when she saw her so focused. Instead, she snuck into the living room to send her manager a message. Helena called immediately. ¡°Thank God you finally texted me back. ¡°Where are you now? Hurry back to thepany.¡± ¡°Is something going on?¡± ¡°Thepany is nning to let you take on a new script. They want you to film a simr show so you can ride the wave of sess from the webseries.¡± Sonia frowned. ¡°Helena, didn¡¯t I tell you before? I won¡¯t film anything that¡¯s simr to something I¡¯ve acted in before. It will limit the kind of characters I get to y.¡± Helena replied, ¡°Sonia, I know what you¡¯re thinking. You want to secure the lead female role for Marietta Weiss¡® y, ¡®Daughter of the Sea¡®. But I¡¯m telling you now to give up on it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Sonia felt very displeased to have her capabilities ignored. ¡°I used to be in theater. I can handle being in a y.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Sonia, I¡¯m your manager. How could I not know that you used to be in theater? But I just got the news,¡± Helena said a little impatiently. ¡°Daphne Dawson is interested in this role.¡± ¡°How ¡­ could she be interested in this role?¡± Sonia was perplexed. Daphne had always been in TV shows and wasn¡¯t suited to act in a y. If she acted in one, the character would be ruined by her performance. At the thought of such a well¨Crounded character being ruined, Sonia felt her heart ache. Helena answered, ¡°How else? Although she managed to push all the me on the Evanson Corporation¡¯s boss after her stint as their ambassador, people still found out she couldn¡¯t act. ¡°Lots of people are unhappy with her. Plus, she¡¯s the wife of Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle. No one will be pleased if she doesn¡¯t have something to her name. ¡°That¡¯s why I think she wants to get the leading role in Marietta Weiss¡® ¡®Daughter of the Sea¡®. This way, she¡¯ll have proof that Ms. Weiss acknowledges her talents. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Her husband invested in this y, so the role is hers without question. There¡¯s no reason to try, Sonia. It¡¯s a waste of time.¡± Sonia was happy when she ended the phone call. Upset, she went back to the bedroom. Caroline had just finished reading the script. She looked up to find a disappointed¨Clooking Sonia. What¡¯s wrong?¡± At being found out, Sonia felt her throat turn scratchy. She said weakly, ¡°Nothing.¡± She forced a smile as she looked at Caroline. ¡°Caroline, do you think the script is good?¡± Although Caroline wasn¡¯t a professional critic, she had been brought up well by the Evans family. Thus, she had a well¨Crounded education and was very well¨Cread. She was sure that she could make a fewments. ¡°I think this script is pretty good. But there¡¯s some emotional bits that weren¡¯t handled very well.¡± Sonia¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Caroline. ¡°C¨CCaroline, do you know who wrote this?¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Marietta Weiss.¡± Caroline was familiar with this name. After all, Marietta was currently the most renowned ywright. Additionally, she had pretty much read all of Marietta¡¯s books. Chapter 492 Chapter 492 Chapter 492 ¡°Did Marietta really write this?¡± Caroline asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be her style.¡± Marietta¡¯s works were known for their sharp satire and harsh criticism. In contrast, this book was warm and tender. It waspletely unlike her usual work. ¡°Yes. Plus, she¡¯sing to Easton to find a leading female. But ¡­¡± At that point, Caroline could see the deep disappointment in Sonia¡¯s eyes, no matter how hard the latter tried to hide it. ¡°I think there¡¯s no need for an audition. Once she gets here, everything will be set in stone.¡± Caroline sat up from bed. She hadn¡¯t eaten anything all day, so she felt unsteady. But now that she had finished some work and managed to distract herself, the burning rage within her had simmered a bit lower. She forced herself to focus all of her attention on Sonia. ¡°Why is that?¡± she asked. ¡°Because¡­ Because it¡¯s been rigged.¡± When she saw Caroline sit up, she said, ¡°Caroline, you must be hungry. I¡¯ll cook you something to eat.¡± But Caroline stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Who¡¯s getting the role?¡± ¡°Daphne Dawson.¡± At that answer, Caroline¡¯s face became visibly paler. Just as Sonia was about to ask her what was wrong, Caroline pushed past her and rushed into the bathroom. Inside, Caroline couldn¡¯t hold back the waves of nausea and started puking. Since she hadn¡¯t eaten all day, nothing came out. Yet, her stomach kept churning. After she vomited for a while, the feeling of nausea finally subsided. Holding onto the toilet bowl, Caroline looked up to find Sonia looking at her worriedly. She forced herself tofort Sonia, saying, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± 1/2 Sonia was concerned. ¡°Caroline, I think you¡­ N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Caroline got up by supporting herself on the toilet. Her legs went weak, and she nearly slipped. Luckily, Scia reacted quickly enough to catch her. ¡°Caroline.¡± Caroline gave her a pained smile. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Finally, Sonia felt somewhat at ease after hearing that. She helped Caroline back to the bed and sat her down. ¡°I¡¯ll cook you something.¡± Caroline nodded shallowly. Once Sonia left, she took out her phone. Holding back the nausea, she typed in Daphne¡¯s name. The first result was still the news about Daphne being Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s wife. She frowned. Ignoring the buzzing in her head, Caroline kept scrolling through the news. Soon, she found in thetest news an article that mentioned both Daphne and ¡°Daughter of the Sea The article mostly talked about how Daphne was the best choice to be the star of the show. Caroline clicked on Twitter. There, both ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡± and Daphne were already trending. The posts involved were mostly praise. ¡°So I¡¯m not the only one who thinks Daphne Dawson would be the best choice to be the female lead of ¡®Daughter of the Sea¡°!¡± ¡°Daph can really do it. For those who don¡¯t know, Daph is amazing at Sarcozian and has learned martial arts. She¡¯s a perfect match for the character!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much about Daphne, but after reading about her, I really think she fits the vibe for the main character of ¡®Daughter of the Sea¡®. ¡°She¡¯s also someone who worked hard to seed and found a suitable partner for herself. I think the role was made for her!¡± Chapter 493 Chapter 493 Chapter 493 ¡°Caroline,¡± came Sonia¡¯s voice. She hade back with some food. ¡°I made it a bit nd, so I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ll find it okay.¡± Caroline had a few mouthfuls and praised, ¡°It¡¯s very good.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sonia was overjoyed, her face lighting up. ¡°If you like it, there¡¯s more.¡± Caroline looked at Sonia without saying anything. Sonia found this weird and asked in curiosity, ¡°What is it, Caroline?¡± Caroline asked her something back. ¡°Do you remember the promise I made you?¡± Sonia thought back on it for a little while before saying hesitantly, ¡°Are you talking about when you said you would help me be an internationally famous actress?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Caroline straightened. She looked at Sonia and said, ¡°Ms. Weiss is an internationally famous ywright. Hering to Easton to find an actress for ¡®Daughter of the Sea¡® is a good opportunity for you.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Caroline waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know that Daphne isn¡¯t suited to this role. She doesn¡¯t have the experience of being in theater. ¡°Unless Ms. Weiss doesn¡¯t care about this script, she wouldn¡¯t be silly enough to let Daphne be the leading female.¡± She continued, ¡°I¡¯ve also looked it up. You were in theater, and your life experiences are very simr to this character¡¯s. ¡°I believe acting wille naturally to you when you have the same emotional journey. Your only issue is Sarcozian. How¡¯s your aptitude in thenguage?¡± ¡°I canmunicate if necessary ¡­¡± Sonia was forced to go along with Caroline. ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± Since they were talking about work, Caroline immediately became stern and 1/2 +15 BONUS As she spoke, she clicked on a web browser and started a search. ¡°Marietta will arrive in just one week. Memorize the script. You must be able to say the lines in Sarcozian. Will that be a problem?¡± Hearing Caroline¡¯s words, Sonia became invigorated. ¡°No problem!¡± ¡°Good, then you better be off. Let me talk to your manager about the rest of it.¡± ¡°Alright, Caroline.¡± Caroline watched as Sonia left excitedly. However, her own expression became twisted. She had to admit that she wasn¡¯t only helping Sonia get this role for thetter¡¯s sake. She was doing this mostly for herself. Daphne was Kirk¡¯s woman, and Kirk was Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Why could the Morrison family mess with everyone so thoroughly? ¡± Was everyone expected to go along with it just because Daphne wanted the leading role of Daughter of the Sea¡°? What did the Morrisons think of the rest of the world? Were they just a bunch of nobodies? No! Caroline wanted to show Eddy and Kirk that not everyone would lie down and be their ythings! N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Caroline held on tightly to her sheets. Only then was she able to stop the way her whole body trembled. Right then, on the opposite side of the, Avery was casually tasting some wine. Beside her, Dolly shot her a look. ¡°Avery, you seem to be in a good mood today.¡± ¡°Of course I am. You¡¯ll be apanying Marietta to Easton to audition for the lead female role. This is your first time working with a renowned ywright. I¡¯m so happy for you.¡± Avery swirled the wine in her ss. She looked at Dolly and smiled insincerely at her. Dolly took a sip of wine. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you and your fervent support. Otherwise, I would never have gotten the chance to work with Ms. Weiss.¡± Chapter 495 Chapter 495 Chapter 495 During this time, Caroline had been using challenging tasks at work as an excuse to escape the reality of Kirk being Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Now that Cheryl had brought him up, it felt like a knife stabbing into her heart, making her bleed like a waterfall. In an instant, she was overwhelmed, and she started sobbing. Cheryl¡¯s expression immediately changed. ¡°Caroline, are you okay?¡± Caroline huddled against the table, biting her lip. The papers on the desk fell to the floor because of how the table was shaking. Cheryl waspletely panicked and at a loss for what to do. She wanted to open the door and cry for help, but Caroline stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t open the door!¡± she shouted. She wanted to preserve some dignity. ¡°Caroline ¡­¡± Cheryl¡¯s eyes had turned red, too. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Come help me up,¡± Caroline said with difficulty. Cheryl had no choice but to follow instructions. She went over and helped Caroline onto a chair. When she touched Caroline, she found Caroline was much colder than a normal person should be. Once Caroline was sitting down, Cheryl said, her voice choked with sobs, ¡°I¨CI¡¯ll go get a doctor, okay?¡± Caroline shook her head gently as she slowly leaned back into her seat. Once her spasms stopped, she said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just get me some warm water.¡± Still tearful, Cheryl nodded and went off to get the water. After Caroline took a few sips, she finally regained some color. Seeing Caroline this way, Cheryl had to speak carefully. She kept apologizing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Caroline.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Caroline shook her head tiredly. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Go out first. Let me calm myself down.¡± Cheryl nced at Caroline in worry. However, at Caroline¡¯s insistence, Cheryl finally left the office. But she didn¡¯t dare to go too far. She remained in the waiting area outside Caroline¡¯s office and did her work there. Inside the office, Caroline held one hand to her forehead and the other one pressed over her heart. The pain hadn¡¯t dissipated. The kind of pain that had assaulted her had nearly killed her. It seemed that ignoring a problem wouldn¡¯t make it go away. Instead, the pressure built up consistently. When it finally exploded, the consequences were much more severe. Caroline¡¯s lips curved into a mocking smile. When she had returned from Macovo, she should have gone ahead and divorced Kirk then and Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. there. That way, she could have gotten everything over with immediately and wouldn¡¯t be facing these troubles either. After trying a few times, Caroline finally managed to pick up her phone with trembling hands and open her list of blocked numbers. She expended a lot of effort to finally unblock Kirk¡¯s number. Then, she sent him a text. It read, ¡°See you at City Hall at 9 am on Wednesday.¡± After sending the message, she once again blocked Kirk¡¯s number. She didn¡¯t want to hear any more excuses. She felt like aplete fool. She should have divorced Kirk when she had found out that he had another wife abroad. What had been the point of dragging things out? Had she still been hopeful? She had been hurt once before, so where had she found the strength or the confidence? Gwen said that Caroline was a brave person, but in reality, she was st* pid. She never remembered the lessons she had learned. She had already been burned once with Eddy, but she had allowed herself to get hurt once again. Worse, it had happened because of another member of the same family. If people found out that her husband was Eddy¡¯s second uncle, she would probably be the greatest joke of the year. Caroline hugged her shaking body and let the sharp pain of her thoughts run through her body. Chapter 496 Chapter 496 Chapter 496 In the president¡¯s office of the SY Group¡¯s Easton branch office, Kirk was staring at his phone with a dark gaze. He looked like he wanted to burn a hole through the device with his re. Standing opposite him, Charles felt like he was having an out¨Cof¨Cbody experience. He was holding his breath and trying his best to be as unobtrusive as possible. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Suddenly, there was a loud bang as the phone was smashed to pieces on the ground. Charles was frightened as he looked up at Kirk. Seeing Kirk¡¯s expression, he felt his breath leave his body. The Kirk before him now was like a wild beast. His eyes were terrifyingly red and shining with a monstrous light. Charles swallowed and clenched his fists. Finally, he braced himself and said, ¡°Sir, we¡¯re really trying our best. ¡°Right now, we only found out that Dolly is¡­ an actress with Oakes Theater. We also know that she will being to Easton soon!¡± ¡°What good is that information? What good is it?¡± Kirk roared at Charles. This was the first time Charles had ever seen Kirk lose his cool to such an extent. ¡°At least, no¡­ If we find Dolly, maybe we¡¯ll be able to find out who that mystery person is.¡± Kirk held himself up with both hands on the desk. He red grimly at Charles, silent. Kirk was even more terrifying when he looked this way. Charles really wanted to find somewhere to hide. After a moment, the silence in the office was broken by Kirk¡¯s chilling voice. ¡°Get out!¡± Charles quickly escaped from the office. he second the door closed, Kirk stumbled and fell to the ground. He tried to get up, but he had no trength in his body. lis world had been destroyed. aroline must be unendingly disappointed in him if she had decided to divorce him. 1/3 +15 BONUS After he had stayed on the floor for god knows how long, there was a knock on the door. He seemed to hear it, but he wasn¡¯t sure. He was in a daze that made him feel like he was sleepwalking. It was chly until a punchnded on his nose, causing him to bleed, that Kirk saw clearly who had It was Sean. Sean was furious as he grabbed Kirk¡¯s cor. ¡°Kirk, look at yourself now.¡± He dragged Kirk before the full¨Clength mirror, showing Kirk just what he looked like now. Kirk looked like someone had killed his dog. He looked like someone who hadpletely given up on himself. Sean stared at Kirk in the mirror and said ruthlessly. ¡°Is this person in the mirror still you? ¡°In the past, you handled everything easily whenever you faced an impossible challenge. And now? How did you be so weak?¡± Sean was here because Charles had called him. Charles had found the situation too strange, which was why he called for help once he had left Kirk¡¯s office Sean knew that something big had happened and had swiftly rushed over When he hade in, he had found Kirk sprawled on the ground, looking as if his soul had been sucked out of his body Kirk wouldn¡¯t respond, no matter how many times Sean called out Impulsively, Sean had punched Kirk At least the punch had managed to make Kirk regain some of his senses Kirk wiped the blood from his face, but half his body was still slumped. ¡°Then tell me what I should do now Caroline wants to divorce me! What do I do?¡± Sean waspletely taken aback for a second. ¡°Weren¡¯t you two fine just a few days ago?¡± Kirk grinned mockingly ¡°If you don¡¯t have any ideas, get the fuck out!¡± He pointed at the door as a vein pulsed at his temple Sean eyed the door. After trying to hold it in, he exploded He punched Kirk in the face again. ¡°You¡¯re an awful bastard. Are you a man or not? What¡¯s the use of giving up on yourself? Are you the only one in pain? What about Caroline?¡± Chapter 497 Chapter 497 Chapter 497 When he got hit, Kirk¡¯s body swayed. However, he quickly found his footing by supporting himself against the couch. He nced at Sean. Sean¡¯s words suddenly cleared things up for him, like a beam of light through dark clouds. That was right. He was in pain, but wasn¡¯t Caroline suffering too? Kirk couldn¡¯t give up on himself now. What he had to do was quickly find out why she wanted to divorce him. Kirk took several deep breaths and called an internal number. ¡°Come to the office.¡± Half a minuteter, Charles walked in warily. Seeing Kirk¡¯s swollen face and the blood under his nose, he stared at Sean in fear. ¡°Find out why Caroline wants to divorce me.¡± Kirk¡¯s voice was terrifyingly low. He lifted his wrist to check the time before saying, ¡°Two hours. I want your report within two hours.¡± Charles could only ask, ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care how you do it. Just find out the truth. I don¡¯t care if you have to beg Caroline for the answer.¡± Charles nced at Sean again. Seeing that Kirk had finally calmed down, Sean let out a breath. His expression was no longer as tense, and he had regained his usual nonchnce. ¡°What are you looking at me for? Shouldn¡¯t you get going?¡± Charles felt put on the spot. ¡°Alright. I¨CI know what to do.¡± Walking out of the office, Charles wanted to head to the roof. Kirk had only given him two hours. How was he supposed to find out why Caroline wanted to divorce Kirk in such a short amount of time? But seeing how things were now, Charles knew hising days would be hell if he didn¡¯t find out the truth. Just as he walked to the elevator hesitantly, Sean¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°Wait for me.¡± 1/2 *UE APRE Charles Rod Nat Neusonak as sompiliung ginity when bu an tuon behint dan ke he said this. The allesaton diere opened, and to wallked Charles followed, bie arme full of documents e expection ware still dejected lese III don¡¯t find out why the made ware to divorce My Morrison in the next two hours, I might as well find a hole to bury myself th Sean couldn¡¯t help butugh at that is not as hard as you think he pointed out ¡°You know what the best thing about Cardline ve ¡°What is that?¡± Charles ears perked up as he listened intently ¡°She¡¯s extremely soft hearted toward those she cares about As long as you cry a bit about how Kirk treated you¨Cmaybe exaggerate it¨CI¡¯m sure she¡¯ll tell you everything¡± All of a sudden, Charles recalled what had happenedst time. It was because of Caroline that he had gotten the chance to make it through Thinking of this, Charles started to smile Caroline was discussing the next day¡¯s audition with Sonia when she found out that Charles had Cheryl looked at Caroline with unease ¡°But Caroline, he says that he¡¯ll be a goner if he doesn¡¯t see you in two hours ¡± Caroline scoffed ¡°Ignore him ¡± Cheryl kept pushing ¡°Caroline, he¡¯s really making himself sound very pitiful. He says he¡¯ll be fed to the fish if you don¡¯t see him. He might even be fed to the penguins in the Arctic. Also Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Caroline frowned. Just as she was about to say that it was impossible, she thought of who Kirk was. Suddenly, all those things became likely She clenched her fists as her heart squeezed Chapter 498 Chapter 498 Chapter 498 Kirk must have purposely made Charlese and see her. After all, Kirk knew that she would never make things difficult for innocent people. Besides, Caroline wouldn¡¯t change her mind about the divorce, no matter who Kirk sent. Reinforcing her determination on this decision, Caroline finally said, ¡°Let him in.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After Cheryl walked out, Sonia spoke up. ¡°Caroline, do you need me to leave?¡± After some thought, Caroline nodded. ¡°Wait for me in the waiting room next door. I still have some things to tell you. You¡¯re not in a rush to leave, are you?¡± ¡°No, no. I¡¯m free,¡± Sonia said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve declined all gigs so that I can get this role.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°Helena must be lecturing you non¨Cstop because of that.¡± Sonia swallowed. She didn¡¯t tell Caroline about just how angry Helena was about all this. Helena was already incensed that she still wanted topete for the lead role in ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡°. After finding out that she had rejected all other gigs, Helena had been so mad that she hadN?velDrama.Org content rights. scolded her for days on end. Sonia knew that Helena only wanted what was best for her, though. She knew that Helena didn¡¯t want her to waste so much effort on a role that she would never get. But she still wanted to give it a try. Although she knew that the role would most likely be Daphne¡¯s, this opportunity was hard to ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m already used to Helena nagging at me.¡± After saying that, Sonia opened the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be off now, then.¡± Caroline nodded. Once Sonia left, she took a deep breath and suppressed the shiver that was beginning to spread through her body. 1/3 +15 BONUS After a moment, there was a knock at the door. Caroline held her water ss harder as she said, ¡± Come in.¡± Cheryl pushed the door open. ¡°Caroline, Mr. Lane is here.¡± Caroline regarded Charles coldly. Then, she said to Cheryl, ¡°You can go out.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± said Cheryl. She closed the door behind her when she left. Standing before Caroline, Charles was full of smiles. ¡°Madam ¡­¡± Caroline cut him off. ¡°Mr. Lane¨Cno, I should refer to you as the assistant to SY Group¡¯s president.¡± Charles swayed and nearly fell. ¡°M¨CMadam, what are you saying? I don¡¯t understand?¡± ¡°Mr. Lane, your ability to y dumb is just as practiced as your boss¡®.¡± Caroline¡¯s grip tightened on her ss. ¡°Tell me, how do you n on lying to me during your visit today?¡± ¡°Madam, I think you must have misunderstood something.¡± Without any proof, Charles could only keep denying Kirk¡¯s identity. ¡°How could I be the assistant to SY Group¡¯s president? I¡¯m only Mr. Morrison¡¯s assistant ¡­¡± ¡°Charles Lane!¡± Caroline let out a cold chuckle. ¡°Kirk¡¯s wife abroad is Daphne Dawson, and Daphne is the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Tell me, what¡¯s the rtionship between Kirk and Eddy¡¯s second uncle?¡± Charles¡¯s face turned ashen in a second. His mind buzzed with the revtion. Caroline¡¯s gaze was fixed on him. She had hoped more than anything that this was all not true. But now, she could no longer allow herself such illusions. The truth was the truth. Her hope wouldn¡¯t change it. ¡°M¨CM¨CMadam ¡­¡± Charles wanted to escape, but he had handled many situations before that required him to be adaptable. He regained hisposure and said, ¡°T¨Cthis is simply too strange. There must be a misunderstanding here, ¨ª¨CI will investigate it carefully.¡± ¡°A misunderstanding?¡± Carolineughed. ¡°The biggest misunderstanding is me thinking Kirk isn¡¯t part of the Morrison family. Go back and tell him to go to City Hall on Wednesday! That¡¯s all.¡± After saying this, Caroline called for Cheryl to send Charles off. Chapter 499 Chapter 499 Chapter 499 Cheryl was confused when she came into the office. ¡°Mr. Lane,¡± he said. Charles threw a panicked nce at Caroline. He really didn¡¯t know how to exin things. Thus, he could only try to keep her calm. ¡°Madam, there must be a misunderstanding here. Please calm down first. Don¡¯t act rashly.¡± After saying that, Charles rushed to leave. He had to tell Kirk about this as soon as possible. In the beginning, he had submitted documents to say that Kirk was already married so that Jude wouldn¡¯t be suspicious. However, the documents never stated who Kirk¡¯s wife was. Caroline must have found out about this from that mystery person. Charles was sure about it. se Charles left, the strength that had been holding Caroline together disappeared. She slumped hair as herplexion turned pale. is, Cheryl got a huge fright. She felt extremely worried for Caroline. ¡°Caroline¡­¡± she called. Caroline waved her off. ¡°Get Sonia toe in,¡± she said. Cheryl tried again. ¡°Caroline.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. The audition for the role of the female lead in ¡®Daughter of the Sea¡® is tomorrow. We don¡¯t have much more time. Hurry and have Soniae in.¡± Although she was saying this to Cheryl, she meant it for herself. Caroline had to put all her focus into Sonia. She would help Sonia get the lead female role. Caroline wanted to prove to the Morrison family, especially to Kirk, that not everyone would be their ything. They couldn¡¯t do whatever they pleased with them! Helpless, Cheryl could only summon Sonia. In the SY Group¡¯s branch office, Charles was panting. He even forgot to knock before he barged into Kirk¡¯s office. +15 BONUS ¡°Sir, we¡¯re in trouble,¡± Charles said, still out of breath. ¡°The madam has found out that you¡¯re Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle!¡± Kirk¡¯s expression became stormy. His knuckles went white where he held the armrests. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I just went to see the madam. She told me your wife abroad is Daphne Dawson, and Daphne is Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s wife. ¡°I think she only guessed that you¡¯re Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle because she found out that Daphne is your wife. But I never gave a name for your wife on your papers-¡± Before Charles could finish speaking, Kirk grabbed him by the cor. ¡°Did she say anything else? Was she very angry?¡± Charles was at a loss for words. He thought that Kirk had missed the point. ¡°I I was only thinking that I had to rush back to you. I wasn¡¯t paying attention ¡­¡± Charles didn¡¯t dare to tell the truth. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Looking at Kirk¡¯s reddened eyes carefully, he repeated carefully, ¡°Sir, I didn¡¯t give a name for your wife on the papers.¡± He borated, ¡°That means the madam wouldn¡¯t have been able to know your wife is Daphne even if she managed to contact the higher¨Cups in Macldo¡¯s administration. ¡°Do you think that¡­ Ms. Dawson¡­¡± Charles hesitated. Kirk had a vein bulging at his temple. Feeling worked up, he said, ¡°Spit it out!¡± ¡°This is only a guess.¡± Charles swallowed. ¡°Could Ms. Dawson have told the madam about this?¡± Kirk suddenly let Charles go. ¡°Investigate it immediately!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Charles turned to leave in a hurry. Kirk rubbed his nose before picking up his phone hesitantly. When he unlocked the phone, he was met with the sight of Caroline¡¯s sweet smile. He had never dared to imagine how Caroline would feel if she found out he was a member of the Chapter 500 Chapter 500 Chapter 500 When he thought about Caroline¡¯s text about seeing each other at City Hall on Wednesday, Kirk got even more upset. Luckily, Charles already had a suspect. Soon, he found out that Daphne had indeed sent Caroline a message while Caroline and Kirk had been in Macovo. Plus, the timing was very close. That meant that it was most likely Daphne who had done it. With this proof, Charles immediately went to see Kirk. ¡°Sir, look at this.¡± When he saw the proof, Kirk immediately frowned. ¡°Call Daphne.¡± At this, Charles quickly piped up. ¡°Sir, please calm down first. If you call Ms. Dawson now, Mr. Morrison Senior will find out about it and slowly discover your rtionship with the madam. ¡°When the timees, your identity will be exposed without a doubt if Mr. Morrison Senior tells the madam about it.¡± Charles knew what Kirk wanted to do by calling Daphne. Indeed, it was despicable that Daphne had gone against the terms of her contract and told Caroline about her position. Yet, any sudden move could cause even bigger problems. Kirk massaged his pounding temples. He could only calm himself down by thinking of Caroline. After he calmed down, his messy thoughts untangled, and he could think a bit more clearly. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Kirk inhaled deeply before saying, ¡°Go check what public events Caroline might attend in theing days.¡± This was easy. All Charles had to do was send a message. Once he got a response, he said, ¡°Sir, other than apanying Ms. Norman for an audition tomorrow, the madam will spend all her time at thepany. She has no events to attend.¡± Kirk hummed lowly for a moment. Then, he said, ¡°I got it. You can leave now.¡® Charles hesitated but said, ¡°Okay, sir.¡± After Charles left, Kirk stood up from his chair and walked to the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window. He looked at the stream of traffic below and felt uninterested in it for the first time ever. Compared to standing on top of the world, Kirk would rather be by Caroline¡¯s side. +15 BONUS His gaze darkened as he thought about things. If he wanted to go back to Caroline¡¯s side, he would have to calm himself and treat this the way he would when handling a difficult project at work. Otherwise¡­ Although the logic was simple, Kirk found that he couldn¡¯t see the situation as objectively as he would have before. Meanwhile, Caroline was the exact opposite. After being hurt in love, her thoughts became much clearer. She was even more energetic as she worked. After deciding on the time she and Sonia would set out tomorrow, Caroline looked at her watch. ¡® Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Go prepare yourself, then. Remember, you have to perform as I told you for that one scene.¡± Sonia hesitated for a moment before nodding. ¡°Alright.¡± Earlier, Caroline had gotten her to stay because she wanted to tell Sonia where she thought the script didn¡¯t quite make sense. When she had taken the changed script, Sonia had been stunned for a while. n A few days ago, when Caroline had said she found some parts of the script illogical, Sonia had thought that Caroline was just saying it offhandedly. She hadn¡¯t expected that Caroline would insist on making changes to the parts she found inappropriate, even after finding out that Marietta Weiss had written it. After Caroline¡¯s exnations, Sonia unconsciously began to feel that her edited version made more sense. Plus, she had only realized this after a few minutes of thought. However, Marietta was the one who had written this script. Surely, she wouldn¡¯t like that someone had changed it. Sonia couldn¡¯t help but worry about what would happen tomorrow. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she might not have gone to the audition if not for Caroline¡¯s insistence and encouragement. Besides, since she already knew that this role would most likely be Daphne¡¯s, why did she need to worry so much? She would be passed over anyway. As such, she might as well act out the scene the way Caroline had said. Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Early the next morning, Caroline and Sonia set off for the audition. The audition was being held at the International Center for Dramatic Arts. Helena didn¡¯t show up. Sonia felt very awkward about it. She said, ¡°Caroline, let me call Helena.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Caroline could guess why Helena hadn¡¯te. However, she didn¡¯t say anything about it. She only watched as Sonia walked off. After walking a distance from Caroline, Sonia finally dialed Helena¡¯s number. ¡°Helena, why aren¡¯t you here yet? The audition will be starting soon.¡± Helena replied, ¡°Things will be the same whether I¡¯m there or not. The role belongs to Daphne Dawson, anyway.¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°Sonia, you have to trust me. If youe back now, we can still get that TV show in the bag.¡± ¡°Helena-¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Helena said, cutting Sonia off. ¡°After so many years working with you, I know your character. You won¡¯t give up before you run into a few dead ends. ¡°I don¡¯t want to say too much more, but I will say this. If you fail this time, you have to listen to me about every work thing after this.¡± Sonia¡¯s brows scrunched together. ¡°Helena ¡­¡± ¡°Look. Even you know that you won¡¯t get this role. I really don¡¯t understand why you have to get involved.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that, Helena-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anything more.¡± Helena interrupted again. ¡°It¡¯s settled. If you don¡¯t get this role, I¡¯ll set up all your next jobs.¡± Sonia kept silent. +15 BONUS Helena sighed and ended the call. Seeing Sonia put down her phone in dejection, Caroline could guess what had happened. She silently looked away. Yet, as she did so, her eyes coincidentally met Daphne¡¯s. Nausea rose within her again. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Caroline clenched her fists tightly as she held back the wave of disgust. Daphne had also seen Caroline. Seeing her standing there, unaffected, rage sprang up within her. Daphne had only found out that Jane¡¯s n had failed after those people had been arrested. The repeated failures made them exercise caution when dealing with Caroline. However, the hatred Daphne felt for Caroline had only increased after these failures. Now that she was seeing Caroline here, Daphne really wanted to go forward and p Caroline to vent her rage. But she couldn¡¯t! Today, Marietta was here for an audition, and there were journalists everywhere. If there was even one photo of her misbehaving, it would make a huge ssh in the news everywhere. Thus, Daphne had to hold herself back. She clenched her fists. Right after that, she saw Sonia by Caroline¡¯s side. Daphne immediately understood why Caroline was here. She must have brought Sonia to try for the lead role in ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡°. Didn¡¯t Caroline know that this role was already hers? Marietta¡¯s ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡± was a joint investment venture between SY Group¡¯s Easton branch and the Collins Group. That was to say, Howard was one of the investors in this y. He had already told Marietta that Daphne had to be the star of the show. And Marietta had agreed. That meant that this matter was a sure thing. It was a joke that Caroline didn¡¯t even know this. She had even brought Sonia to try topete for the role! Daphne wore a sweet smile as she walked toward Caroline and Sonia. Chapter 502 Chapter 502 Chapter 502 ¡°Ms. Evans, Sonia¡± Caroline looked at the smile on Daphne¡¯s face and felt a fire burning in her chest. Her gaze settled on the reporters enthusiastically snapping pictures behind Daphne, and the rage on her face melted into a smile. ¡°Ms. Dawson.¡± Daphne felt like Caroline was different from before. However, she couldn¡¯t put her finger on what was different. Thinking about how the role would definitely be hers, though, she didn¡¯t care anymore. She was grinning as she looked at Caroline. Lowering her voice, she said in Caroline¡¯s ear, ¡°You sure are brave. Everyone knows this role is mine, but you still showed up anyway.¡± Since they were so close, everyone thought they were whispering to each other and assumed that they had a close rtionship. The smile on Caroline¡¯s face widened. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s yours just because you say so?¡± Amusement tinted Daphne¡¯s eyes. ¡°Oh, are you really naive enough to believe that talent is more important than having a backer in the entertainment industry?¡± At this, Daphne moved back slightly, her face alight with joy. Caroline maintained her smile as she said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand the entertainment industry, so I don¡¯t know how it works. ¡°I came here today to show the Morrison family that they can¡¯t just do anything they want just because they¡¯re the top family in Easton.¡± Daphne was taken aback for a second. She had no clue what Caroline was talking about. Behind her, the cameras kept shing. After calling Caroline a nutjob lowly, she went backstage with her manager. After Daphne left, Sonia said to Caroline, ¡°Caroline, let¡¯s go too.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Caroline nodded, and they both went backstage. 416 BONUS Biker than Paphine theis wais many sther misi selebrities backstage sines everyone knew the tole hehsuged to baphone, they were only theis to y along Pone of the other ashisease had as much clout as Daphine, so the makeup artists and costumers backstage all surrounded Bapline and spoke respectfully to her Ale Bawean your skin is perfect Ate Dawson? You should call her Mie Morrison, ten¡¯t that right, Mrs. Morrison?¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Paphne was overjoyed ¡°Oh, how sweet you all are Actually, it desen¡¯t really matter what you call How can that worke You¡¯re Mr Eddy¡¯s second aunt! We should be calling you Mrs. Mottison.¡± The crew littered some mor ¡°Caroline¡± Soma tugged Caroline from where she had nervously sat down for her makeup to be done She wasn¡¯t nervous because she would have to go onstage. Rather, it was because of Caroline¡¯s she asked in concern when Caroline finally looked over ¡°Are you e ght?¡± she asked n Caroline forced a smile ¡°I¡¯m fine ¡± She just felt very annoyed when she heard those people calling Daphne Mrs. Morrison. In the past, she hadn¡¯t understood how such a refined woman as Gwen¡¯s mother could be so terrifying in the face of her husband¡¯s cheating Now, she finally understood Although Caroline was angry that Kirk had lied to her, she was still jealous. Envy bubbled in her heart, overflowing in such a way that she wanted to throw caution to the wind and fight Daphne. She had really gone mad It was clear that Kirk was the one at fault in this. Daphne might not have a clue about it, either. But Caroline didn¡¯t feel like beating Kirk up at all. She got jealous instead. Caroline let out a soft breath. It was fortunate that she would be divorcing Kirk tomorrow When the time came, they would be far apart, and she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about losing herself in this rtionship. After taking a deep breath, she put on a bright smile. ¡°All the best, Sonia. I¡¯ll head to the audience seats new.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After Caroline left backstage, she followed the staff¡¯s instructions to head to the audience seats. Right then, a gorgeous woman with blonde hair and blue eyes walked over. A familiar scent wafted off her and drifted to Caroline. Chapter 503 Chapter 503 Chapter 503 By the time Caroline turned for a look, the woman was already gone. She couldn¡¯t help but ask a nearby staff member, ¡°Who was that just now?¡± The staff member scratched their head awkwardly. ¡°She¡¯s one of the selectionmittee members. Sorry, I¡¯m bad with faces, so I don¡¯t know which judge she is.¡± Caroline smiled and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± She didn¡¯t ask the staff member any more questions. Once they got to the seats, she went to the area reserved for managers under the staff¡¯s member¡¯s guidance. There were only a few people there. They were probably the managers of the minor celebrities. When they saw Caroline¡¯s unfamiliar face, they didn¡¯te forward to greet her. Caroline didn¡¯t feel like exchanging pleasantries, either. She checked her phone instead. Other than a message from Cheryl, no one had tried to contact her. Caroline hadn¡¯t even told Gwen about the divorce. After all, Gwen was in a bad ce in her love life now, too. Besides, because of her parents, she had always been more sensitive when it came to romantic rtionships. She changed her mind very easily when there were small incidents. She hoped that Gwen wouldn¡¯t be prejudiced against Sean because Kirk had tricked her. From an outsider¡¯s point of view, Caroline really hoped that Gwen and Sean could get together. After all, Sean seemed like a reliable sort. But who could be sure about these things? Caroline had been sure that Kirk was a good man, too. But in the end¡­ Caroline shook her head. Why was she thinking about him again? Hadn¡¯t she said that she wouldn¡¯t do it anymore? Right then, someone sat next to her. Caroline instinctively looked up. When she did, her gaze froze. The person sitting next to her was the man she had been thinking about just a second ago. Kirk was wearing a mask and a ck coat. His legs reached out casually toy atop hers. +15 BONUS Caroline got goosebumps all over. Ever since she had found out that Kirk was Eddy¡¯s second uncle, she had been trying her best to avoid seeing him face¨Cto¨Cface. Now that he was sitting right beside her, all her resentment and anger rushed to the surface. Caroline wanted to hit him, pinch him, scold him ¡­ But all of these feelings sank into the abyss when she saw the dark shadows under his eyes. Caroline slowly closed her eyes and used the coldest weapon in her arsenal¨Cignorance. N?velDrama.Org content rights. She didn¡¯t want to get into a fight with him here. There was no point in it. Besides, she didn¡¯t want to argue with him anymore. After all, they would get divorced soon. This was better. They could part ways peacefully. Caroline had been tricked once and wasted her youth. However, she had also learned a lesson. Luckily, she had only wasted a year when she had been tricked this time. Compared to the eight years before, that was a great improvement, wasn¡¯t it? Thinking about this, the self¨Cdeprecation in Caroline¡¯s eyes became deeper. Kirk could feel Caroline struggle less under the weight of his legs. The joy he had felt upon seeing her melted away. After so much time knowing her, Kirk had a full understanding of Caroline. If Caroline fought back hard, that meant that he still had a chance. But she didn¡¯t even struggle now. That meant that she had lost all hope. Kirk clenched a fist at his side. More people gradually streamed into the theater. They were all people who were involved in choosing the cast. Those who sat in Kirk and Caroline¡¯s area were unimportant audience members, so no one paid them any mind. Thus, no one noticed anything strange about Caroline and Kirk. Chapter 504 Chapter 504 Chapter 504 Soon, the curtains onstage lifted. The selectionmittee members all took their seats. Only Marietta¡¯s seat remained empty. Caroline really liked this renowned ywright, especially her cuttingnguage style. It always drew her interest. That was why she was so excited to see Marietta. She tried her best to focus on Marietta¡¯s seat, but her gaze still automatically drifted to the person next to her. The man beside her still had his legs on her thighs. With the lights dimmed in the theater, others might think that their legs were only pressed together, but Caroline knew how much contact Kirk had with her. A memory yed like a movie in her head. Caroline used up all her energy not to look over at Kirk in her peripheral vision. Why was it so hard? She remembered that it hadn¡¯t been so hard when she had had to forget Eddy before. As Caroline¡¯s thoughts were in a mess, a flurry of footsteps came from behind them. She took a breath and turned her head toward the source of the noise. At a nce, she saw Marietta in the middle of a throng of people. Caroline was stunned for a moment. She had always thought that Marietta was a foreigner, but she looked Eastonian. Plus, the instant she saw Marietta, Caroline had a familiar feeling, like she had seen her somewhere before. That feeling only grew stronger as Marietta walked closer. It was only after Marietta took her seat that Caroline finally looked away. Right then, Marietta looked back slightly and looked in Caroline¡¯s direction. However, her gaze wasn¡¯t focused, so Caroline couldn¡¯t be sure if Marietta had been looking at her. The producer next to Marietta noticed this movement and asked in concern, ¡°What is it, Ms. Weiss? +15 BONUS This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Marietta looked away, disappointed. For some reason, as she had walked past the audience seats, she had gotten a strange feeling. But when she had looked back again, that feeling had disappeared. ¡°Ms. Weiss.¡± The producer handed Daphne¡¯s information to Marietta. ¡°This is the leadingdy we chose for you. What do you think?¡± Before this, a higher¨Cup had told her that the actress for the lead role had already been decided internally. Although she didn¡¯t approve of such a selection method, ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡± was one of her early works and was very undeveloped. She had never expected that it could sell for such a good price. She was grateful enough that Collins Group had chosen to invest in it. Thus, she didn¡¯t have much of an opinion about the selection. Marietta said, ¡°She¡¯s not my ideal lead since she looks somewhat cruel. But if Mr. Collins chose her, I¡¯ll agree, even if I have an objection.¡± ¡± The producer smiled. He didn¡¯t think Marietta needed to be so straightforward. ¡°Shall we start?¡± Marietta looked up at the stage. The producer quickly said, ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll have them get ready.¡± As he spoke, he looked at a staff member, who turned to head backstage. Seeing this movement, Caroline knew that they would be starting soon. She straightened and concentrated on the stage. Although the pressure on her legs was still very strong, she became a whole other person as she focused on her work. Kirk had been watching Caroline the entire time. Even so, she had never turned to look at him. This feeling of being ignored made him very ufortable. Kirk frowned hard, doing his best to keep from dragging Caroline out for a chat. Chapter 505 Chapter 505 Chapter 505 Onstage, the first few people to audition were the minor celebrities. They probably hadn¡¯t even taken a single nce at the script. They made a mess of the audition. After watching a few of these auditions, Caroline lost interest in watching more. Marietta was the same. Backstage, Daphne was also watching the performances. Seeing how badly the others were doing, she finally rxed. She looked at Sonia, who was still memorizing her lines, and said mockingly, ¡°No matter how well you do or how well you know the lines, I¡¯ll still be the star of the show. That¡¯s why Daphne got up and walked behind Sonia. Purposefully bending down, she said in Sonia¡¯s ear, Having skills is useless. The best is to get a backer.¡± Sonia looked up and frowned. ¡°Ms. Dawson, you¡¯re disturbing me.¡± ¡± Daphne immediately pped the script out of Sonia¡¯s grip. ¡°What¡¯s the act for? I¡¯m telling you now. If you hadn¡¯t been popr right now, I would have had you cklisted. Do you believe that?¡± Sonia swallowed. She didn¡¯t answer Daphne but bent to pick up the script instead. Seeing this, Daphne reacted by stepping on it. She forcefully tilted Sonia¡¯s head up. Narrowing her eyes, she settled her sharp gaze on Sonia. ¡°You really think you can be so haughty because you have Caroline backing you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Although Sonia wanted to beat Daphne up, she could only back down given who Daphne was. There was nothing she could do when Daphne was Eddy¡¯s second aunt. If she offended Daphne, she wouldn¡¯t be able to survive in the entertainment industry anymore.. ¡°How dare you lie about it?¡± Daphne gritted her teeth. ¡°Weren¡¯t you cursing me in your heart when I hit youst time?¡± ¡°No, I really wasn¡¯t.¡± Although Sonia was pleading, there was no hint of defeat in her eyes. +15 BONUS This made Daphne even more enraged. She lifted her hand to p Sonia. Right then, her manager¡¯s voice came from behind her. ¡°Daph, it¡¯s your turn. Why haven¡¯t you gone onstage?¡± Daphne let Sonia go with a shove. ¡°You lucked out.¡± After saying this, she walked toward her manager on her high heels with her script in hand. ¡°Have you drafted the Twitter post?¡± Beforeing, Daphne had gotten her manager to prepare a Twitter post. It was an announcement that she had gotten the lead role in ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡°. The manager smiled deviously. ¡°It¡¯s been ready for a long time. Once the audition is over, it will post automatically.¡± Daphne raised an eyebrow as she looked at Sonia, who was still bent over to pick up her script. She had said this intentionally for Sonia to hear. She wanted Sonia to know that Caroline was nothing! Once she got the lead role in ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡± and her poprity overshot Sonia¡¯s, she would sit back and watch as Morrison Corp and Collins Group worked together to cklist Sonia. When the time came, not even God, much less Caroline, would be able to save Sonia. That was the price to pay for offending her. Daphne walked onstage in her high heels. At once, she spotted Caroline below the stage. Due to her higher vantage point, she also saw Kirk sitting next to Caroline. Though Kirk was wearing a mask, Daphne could recognize him instantly as her fake husband. However, she quickly considered the possibility that he could be Caroline¡¯s husband instead. Seeing that the man was wearing a mask, she thought that he had to be very ugly. Otherwise, why else would he be wearing a mask? After that, Daphne turned to look at Marietta. When she did, the look in her eyes changed. It became full of warmth and admiration, along with anticipation. After all, all the actors who starred in Marietta¡¯s ys could go from being nameless nobodies to This is from N?velDrama.Org. the world¡¯s top stars. Chapter 506 Chapter 506 Chapter 506 Daphne wanted to be a world¨Crenowned star through this role in ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡°. That way, maybe she could be Kirk¡¯s real wife. ¡°Are we ready to start?¡± Seeing the specially chosen actress standing on the stage without starting even after a long while, Marietta couldn¡¯t help but frown. Daphne quickly gathered her drifting thoughts. With a smile, she answered, ¡°Yes.¡± As she said this, she walked to the center of the stage and bowed before starting her performance. Since Marietta¡¯s script had to be kept extremely confidential, all the celebrities had only been given a sample portion. One of the scenes involved the main character, Grace Fawkes, overseas and identally discovering she wasn¡¯t an orphan. Instead, her mother was still alive and actually living in the same country. With the help of her boyfriend, Grace finally found her mother. Faced with the mother who had been absent for more than 20 years, Grace couldn¡¯t find it in her to forgive her. After an argument, they parted, upset. This was a scene that involved conflict, so any actress with experience would choose to act out Grace¡¯s argument with her mother. Daphne was no exception. She knew very well how her acting skills measured up. However, she had no worries about her performance since it had already been decided that she would be chosen for the role. Hence, she wasn¡¯t worried about acting out this scene. Besides, it was a scene with a startling conflict. If she performed well, she would leave a deep This is from N?velDrama.Org. impression on Marietta. It was the best move to make, yet also an easy one. Onstage, Daphne began to act. +15 BONUS Below the stage, Caroline wasn¡¯t paying attention to Daphne at all. She had told herself to get over things since she would be getting divorced tomorrow. But once Daphne went onstage, the heartache and fury rose uncontrobly within Caroline, She was outraged. Why? Why did she keep getting tricked by the Morrisons? First, she had been tricked by the Eddy and now Kirk. How dare Kirk marry Daphne after marrying her? What did he think she was? Her simmering energy quickly traveled through her legs to Kirk. The way Caroline trembled was minute, like tiny bee stings that shot into Kirk¡¯s heart. He wanted to pull her into his embrace and soothe her wounds. There was a lot that he wanted to do. However, he realized at that moment just how useless he was. He had once read that a lie needed a thousand more to be maintained. He hadn¡¯t understood it then, but now he felt it deeply. Kirk raised his hand to hold Caroline¡¯s. The touch was like a jolt of electricity, and Caroline flung his hand away, her eyes ring with rage. Although she didn¡¯t say anything, her gaze was like daggers in his heart. ¡°Darling¡­ ¡± Caroline lowered her voice and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with you. You can say whatever you want once we leave here.¡± This was a theater. Caroline didn¡¯t want to make such a fuss that everyone would find out about their business. ¡°If you touch me again,¡± Caroline began icily, ¡°then we won¡¯t have anything to talk about.¡± Kirk hesitated for a moment before obediently moving his legs away. The aggrievement in his eyes made Caroline feel like a great weight had been ced on her heart. It hurt. Chapter 507 Chapter 507 Chapter 507 Right then, Daphnepleted her performance onstage. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Marietta nodded shallowly, obviously not quite pleased with Daphne¡¯s performance. Indeed, that was what she thought. Since Daphne had been internally decided to get the role, this made Marietta sure that Daphne couldn¡¯t act at all. She didn¡¯t expect that Daphne could actually act. Although she wasn¡¯t that good, she was still better than some others. But when Marietta looked at Daphne¡¯s face¡­ Marietta held back her myriad dissatisfactions. In any case, there were many ws in this script. She was determined to write something newter on. She would consider this work not to be her own. With that thought, Marietta could ept Daphne. Seeing Marietta nodding, a look of joy lit up in Daphne¡¯s eyes. She bowed before leaving the stage. Sonia was next to perform. Caroline looked up and focused all her attention on the stage. She ignored Kirk. Kirk had no choice but to follow her line of sight and look toward the stage as well. Sonia slowly walked onstage. The instant the lights shone on Sonia¡¯s face, Marietta¡¯s eyebrows rose. Sonia carried herself with strength yet fragility. It was the exact way she had imagined Grace to be. Sonia had chosen to act out the scene of Grace¡¯s first meeting with her mother. Then, they got into an argument. However, Marietta noticed something amiss as Sonia carried out her performance. Sonia was handling this scene in apletely different way from Daphne. The way Daphne yed Grace, she had been full of rage when she met her birth mother. Their +15 BONUS However, Sonia¡¯s portrayal of Grace wasn¡¯t so simple and roughshod when handling this scene. There were manyyers to it. At the beginning, she was filled with righteous resentment. Her emotions becameplicated after finding out that her mother hadn¡¯t intentionally dumped her at the orphanage. Instead, it was her father¡¯s neglect that had caused her to be kidnapped. No longer was she simply hateful. She was torn between the love and hate she felt. It was only when her mother brought out Grace¡¯s old toys and clothes that the emotions she had been suppressing burst forth. She cried. ording to the original script, Grace was still supposed to be filled with fury at this point. She med her mother for ying the caring card. Since she had lost Grace in the past, she shouldn¡¯t have shown up again when Grace was beginning anew. Daphne had followed the script when acting. But Sonia hadn¡¯t. She had followed Caroline¡¯s edited script. When she saw her mother bring out her old toys and clothes, Sonia said the same lines as she trembled, but her voice wasn¡¯t filled with rage butplicated emotions. She wanted to get close to her mother, but she was afraid of being hurt. That was why she had put on a facade of being angry. It was as if that was the only way she could build up the walls with which to protect herself. Sonia¡¯s emotions were at their peak. Right then, one of the judges mmed her hand on the table in displeasure. She said, ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. You¡¯re not following the script.¡± The speaker was the person in charge of the dramatic arts center. She was also an experienced and renowned y¨Cactress. Once the woman spoke, Sonia¡¯s focus was disrupted. She froze in ce and didn¡¯t know what to do for a moment. Marietta had been immersed in the performance. Now, she frowned in displeasure. This reaction was interpreted as something else by the producer. He had long ago heard that Marietta didn¡¯t like others simply changing her script out of nowhere. It seemed that Sonia had angered Marietta by doing this. The producer didn¡¯t dare to offend this renowned ywright. He quickly said, ¡°Whatpany is this actress from? From now on, she¡¯s not allowed to participate in anything organized by Collins Group.¡± Chapter 508 Chapter 508 Chapter 508 As soon as the producer gave his statement, several celebrities present took a harsh breath and looked over at the unfortunate Sonia. A few people even whispered among themselves. ¡°Isn¡¯t this equivalent to partially banning her from the industry?¡± Collins Group was now working with Eddy¡¯s second uncle, so their reach in the industry was more than doubled Right now, Collins Group was involved in just about any TV show or movie, and their authority in the entertainment industry was nearly simr to that of the Morrisons. ¡°How sad.¡± Someone knowledgeable whispered, ¡°I heard Sonia¡¯s manager didn¡¯t support her decision to join this audition.¡± ¡°Why is she still here if her manager doesn¡¯t approve?¡± ¡°I heard her financial benefactor insisted on hering.¡± ¡°Do you mean Caroline?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°So Sonia is here because Caroline said so? She¡¯s reallypliant. Can Caroline even be trusted? ¡°Even her choice to endorse Sonia was a shot in the dark, and she happened to be lucky that Sonia became popr. Does she really think she could hit a jackpot every single time?¡± ¡°Exactly! That¡¯s why Sonia is a fool. She put off her work to focus on this role she couldn¡¯t dream of getting. I¡¯m guessing that Caroline was the one who changed the script.¡± ¡°I think so too. Anyone in this industry knows how much Marietta values her script. Only a fool would try and change her script.¡± ¡°Yeah, haha! Who does she think she is, changing Marietta Weiss¡® script?¡± The debates in the room became louder and louder. It was difficult for Caroline not to hear them. However, she didn¡¯t care about what they thought. She hadn¡¯t changed Marietta¡¯s script because she thought she was better than her. Instead, when 1/2 work, no matter how much she tried to understand it. +15 BONUS Grace was a loving and righteous woman. After learning that her mother had never given up on looking for her, she had to be moved by her actions. There was no way she would remain resentful of her. That was why Caroline had changed the contents of the script. On the stage, Son¨ªa finally returned to her senses after the initial shock. She bit her lip, looking at Marietta helplessly. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Marietta¡¯s expression remained neutral as she asked, ¡°Did you change the script yourself?¡± Sonia wasn¡¯t sure what Marietta was thinking. But she didn¡¯t want Caroline to be med because of her, so she figured she might as well shoulder the burden. ¡°Y¨Cyes. I insisted on changing it. No one else is involved.¡± ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s the case?¡± Marietta asked again. ¡°No.¡± Caroline stood up before Sonia could answer. ¡°I changed it.¡± Everyone looked over at Caroline. Some looked at her in contempt and ridicule, while others gloated at her misfortune. Only Marietta was shocked when her gazended on Caroline. She felt a sense of familiarity wash over her. It was as if she had met the woman in front of her before! ¡°What is your name?¡± Marietta asked, slowly standing up. The producer recognized Caroline and said disdainfully, ¡°Ms. Weiss, she isn¡¯t even a screenwriter. She¡¯s just the owner of an apparelpany. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know anything. Asking for her name is just a waste of time.¡± Daphne was peeking at the situation from behind the stage. She was overjoyed to see Caroline take the initiative to admit she was the one who changed the script. Marietta wasn¡¯t a pushover. Caroline should prepare to face her wrath for daring to change her script! Chapter 509 Chapter 509 Chapter 509 Ignoring everyone¡¯s gazes, Caroline looked at Marietta. Earlier, Marietta had constantly been on the move, so Caroline hadn¡¯t had the chance to look at her properly. But now she finally had the opportunity to do so. That sense of familiarity between them became stronger when Marietta met Caroline¡¯s gaze. She felt a sense of tenderness as she looked at Caroline. She unknowingly softened her tone. ¡°What¡¯s your name, miss?¡± Caroline returned to her senses. ¡°Caroline Evans.¡± For some reason, Marietta felt a tinge of disappointment when she heard her name. But soon, she asked kindly, ¡°Why did you change my script?¡± Caroline exined, ¡°Because I think Grace wouldn¡¯t have been unphased when she found out that her mother had been relentlessly looking for her all these years.¡± A tinge of emotion appeared in Marietta¡¯s eyes when she heard her words. She spoke tremblingly, ¡°Y¨Cyou think Grace wouldn¡¯t hate her mother?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that.¡± Caroline said, ¡°But as her daughter, Grace wouldn¡¯t be filled with hatred unless you established her as a ruthless and unrighteous person. ¡°But ording to your profile of her character, Grace is a caring and righteous person. Since that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no way she wouldn¡¯t be moved.¡± Marietta slowly stood up, her eyes filled with tears. ¡°You did a perfect job revising the script! I finally know what¡¯s wrong with it!¡± This script was one of her earlier works. Back then, her daughter had been abducted. In her grief, she had turned to writing to relieve her sorrow. Since she had written this script in her early, inexperienced days, she knew there was a problem with the script, but she hadn¡¯t been able to change it. Since her skills in writing had vastly improved over the years, she initially thought she could revise the script with her current expertise. 1/2 +15 BONUS However, she still hadn¡¯t been able to figure out how to change the script, even after Collins Group took her notebook and requested to make an adaptation. Now, Caroline¡¯s words were like a wake¨Cup call. Although this story was about Grace, she inevitably thought of her daughter when she wrote about Grace and her mother reuniting. At that moment, she wasn¡¯t writing about Grace anymore. Instead, she was projecting her own emotions into her writing. Therefore, she had felt that Grace would be resentful when she saw her mother because she had written this story from a mother¡¯s perspective. N?velDrama.Org content rights. She had forgotten that she had to write the story from the perspective of a daughter like Grace. ¡°Thank you.¡± Marietta slowly walked towards Caroline and stretched out her hand. ¡°I¡¯m truly grateful to you for pointing out the ws in my writing!¡± The sight shocked everyone present. A big shot in the drama industry actually expressed her gratitude to a nobody! What an inconceivable urrence! Behind the stage, Daphne almost bit her tongue in shock! Caroline was such a lucky brat. She won a ywright¡¯s favor by changing her script! Daphne clenched her fists in anger. Amid everyone¡¯s surprise, Dolly, who was sitting on the judge¡¯s bench, looked at Caroline in panic. She recognized Caroline when Marietta had asked for her name. She had initially thought she could watch Marietta teach an ignorant fool a lesson, but she had never expected¡­ Dolly hurriedly lowered her head, pretending not to recognize Caroline. Chapter 510 Chapter 510 Chapter 510 The producer took advantage of the situation and said hurriedly, ¡°This is Ms. Caroline Evans. In addition to being the CEO of Evans Group, she also has a good rtionship with Mr. Eddy.¡± He was telling the truth. She was Eddy¡¯s former fianc¨¦e. However, Marietta didn¡¯t care much about this. What she really admired was Caroline¡¯s courage to stand up to authority. She took out a business card and handed it to Caroline. ¡°This is my business card. I¡¯m currently writing a new book. I¡¯m not sure if you would give me the honor of bing my first reader?¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes lit up, and she said, ¡°It would be my pleasure, Ms. Weiss.¡± ¡°So then we agree. Remember to contact me when the timees, and I¡¯ll give you a sample.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline nodded. Marietta nced at Sonia on the stage again. ¡°I still think Ms. Sonia¡¯s performance is more in line with my vision of Grace.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. As soon as she said these words, gasps sounded through the venue. The producer hurriedly looked at Sonia on the stage. ¡°But ¡­¡± Marietta interjected with a raised brow. ¡°What? Am I not qualified to pick the female lead?¡± Marietta was different from the ywrights back home. As a big shot, she had more authority than an ordinary ywright. She could even kill off the protagonist if she was upset. The producer couldn¡¯t afford to upset a big shot like her. Without thinking, he said, ¡°You¡¯re right. Sonia¡¯s portrayal of Grace is very consistent with the writing. And her acting is natural and smooth. She deserves to have this role.¡± Since the producer had spoken, the rest of the judges had no other opinions. The change in the situation shocked all the celebrities and managers present. They had never imagined that Caroline could help Sonia snag such a good role from Daphne. On top of that, she hadn¡¯t even used her position and status to do this. She had simply helped 1/2 +15 BONUS Everyone immediately saw Caroline in a new light. Admiration, envy, and regret welled up within them. Daphne, who was standing behind the stage, was so angry that her expression had shifted. She was about to throw caution into the wind and rush off the stage to question Marietta. But her sharp¨Ceyed manager quickly stopped her. Her manager pulled Daphne all the way backstage before asking, ¡°What are you doing, Daph?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to question Marietta! Didn¡¯t she agree to cast me? Why did she break her promise and pick Sonia?¡± The manager held her head and grabbed Daphne. ¡°Calm down, Daph! If you cause a scene, everyone will know you pulled some strings. That would be very detrimental to your image.¡± ¡°So what if I did?¡± Daphne said confidently, ¡°I¡¯m Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s wife! What¡¯s wrong with pulling some strings? The manager hurriedly covered Daphne¡¯s mouth. ¡°My goodness, can you keep it down? Remember, you¡¯re not actually married to him! If she offended her fake husband, he may end up announcing the marriage as fake. Then, everything Daphne had would disappear. Daphne groaned in protest. After a long while, she red at her manager, picked up apact on the table, and tossed it away in anger. ¡°It¡¯s all Caroline¡¯s fault!¡± At this time, the judges left one by one. As there were fewer and fewer people in the theater, Caroline stood up and walked to the stage. Although she didn¡¯t look back, she could feel Kirk behind her. At the thought of Kirk, Caroline couldn¡¯t help but hasten her steps in annoyance. As she walked past the judge¡¯s table, Caroline nced at Dolly. But she didn¡¯t recognize her and walked quickly to the stage. Chapter 511 Chapter 511 Chapter 511 ¡°We did it, Caroline!¡± Sonia hugged Caroline, overjoyed. She had never dreamed that they would be able to beat Daphne and get the lead role in ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡°! Caroline patted Sonia¡¯s shoulder with a warm smile. Sonia raised her gaze and saw Kirk standing behind Caroline, wearing a mask. His gaze was frosty. She could tell why he was unhappy and deliberately hugged Caroline tighter. Kirk remained silent at her actions. All of a sudden, Sonia let out a yelp. Caroline let go of Sonia out of curiosity. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sonia looked at a figure standing up from the judge¡¯s panel and asked, ¡°Excuse me! Are you Ms. Dolly Efora?¡± Dolly, who had already stood up, turned around on instinct. When she saw Caroline with Sonia, she quickly turned around and left. Caroline was stunned for a moment, then, as if she remembered something, her expression changed. She turned around and jumped off the stage. When Dolly saw Caroline chasing after her, she hastened her steps. She couldn¡¯t let Caroline catch up to her. Neither Kirk nor Sonia knew what had happened. They simply watched as Dolly ran toward the theater entrance in panic, with Caroline hot on her trail. Sonia said, ¡°Um, what is Caroline ¡­¡± Kirk¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. He questioned, ¡°What did you say that woman¡¯s name was?¡± ¡°D¨CDolly. Dolly Efo-¡± Kirk had already dashed out of the theater before Sonia could finish. Sonia was stunned. She wasn¡¯t sure what was happening. As Kirk followed Carol¨ªne, he took out his phone to call Charles. ¡°Dolly is at the theater. Stop her at the entrance!¡± Charles was in the parking lot at the moment. Hearing Kirk¡¯s words, he was shocked. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Then, he got out of the car. Meanwhile, in the theater, Kirk grabbed Caroline. ¡°Darling. Stop chasing her.¡± ¡°Let go of me.¡± Caroline forcefully shook off Kirk¡¯s hand. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. However, Kirk maintained a tight grip on her hand, refusing to let go. Caroline was anxious. ¡°Let go of me. Thedy who ran out was Dolly ¡­¡± Although she was going to divorce Kirk tomorrow, before she did, she still wanted to know why Dolly had lied to her in the first ce. I already asked Charles to intercept her.¡± Kirk tightly gripped Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Darling¡­¡± Caroline, who had calmed down, felt goosebumps all over her body again when she heard him call her ¡°darling¡°. She frowned and said defiantly, ¡°Kirk, we¡¯re about to get a divorce, so never call me that again.¡± Her words stung Kirk¡¯s heart, but he maintained hisposure and said, ¡°Darling, just listen to me.* Caroline looked up at him, ridicule swirling in her gaze. ¡°What are you going to tell me? You¡¯re Eddy¡¯s second uncle? Or did you join forces with him to screw with me?¡± Chapter 512 Chapter 512 Chapter 512 ¡°Darling!¡± Kirk grabbed Caroline¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Lister to me. I¡¯m not Eddy¡¯s second uncle.¡± His words amused Caroline. She said, ¡°Is that so? Kirk, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still trying to fool me now. Let me ask you. Is Daphne your other wife?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t want to admit it, but she had undeniable evidence, so he could only nod. ¡°Since Daphne is Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s wife, and she¡¯s your wife, doesn¡¯t that make you Eddy¡¯s second uncle? I can still draw simple conclusions like this, you know.¡± ¡°No, things aren¡¯t as simple as you imagine.¡± Kirk pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°I¡¯m really not Eddy¡¯s second uncle.¡± Carolineughed again when she heard his words. She looked at him. ¡°Okay, since you said you¡¯re not his second uncle, exin why Daphne is your wife.¡± Kirk let out a harsh breath. As he faced Caroline¡¯s hostile gaze, he clenched his fists. As if he had made a big decision, he said, ¡°Since things have reached this point, I have no reason to hide this from you any longer.¡± Caroline stared at Kirk, unphased. She wanted to find out what other lies he coulde up with. ¡°Remember that I told you I was abroad to handle mypany¡¯s affairs some time ago?¡± Caroline raised an eyebrow. She somewhat remembered him telling her that. ¡°I do. What about it?¡± ¡°Actually, Eddy¡¯s second uncle, SY Group¡¯s president, gave me thispany!¡± Caroline scoffed, unconvinced. Kirk wasn¡¯t phased by her response at all. He continued, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel strange about why I returned to Easton despite being born and raised abroad?¡± Caroline straightened up. She couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m from SY Group.¡± Kirk slowly let go of Caroline¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Back then, SY Group wanted to build up a new market in Easton, but they couldn¡¯t just drop Kirk was telling the truth. SY Group sent some people to get ay of thend before they could develop a new market in Easton. ¡°What does this have to do with thepany you mentioned?¡± ¡°This concerns Mr. Morrison Senior, Eddy¡¯s grandfather.¡± Kirk exined, ¡°Some time ago, Mr. Morrison Senior had been nagging Eddy¡¯s second uncle about marriage. ¡°So he got annoyed and asked Daphne to pose as his wife to shut Mr. Morrison Senior up. To prevent the man from bing suspicious, he had to use a marriage certificate from Macldo as proof.¡± Caroline¡¯s gaze was cold as she questioned, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that just prove you¡¯re SY Group¡¯s president?¡± She had read that document. Kirk¡¯s photo had been on it. Kirk said, ¡°No. Although my picture was on that document, I¡¯m really not SY Group¡¯s president. Well, forget it. I¡¯ll just show you the contract.¡± Caroline took the contract Kirk handed over, feeling confused. There were two documents. One was a contract of Eddy¡¯s second uncle handing over King Corporations, one of SY Group¡¯s branchpanies, to Kirk¡¯s father. They had done it on the condition that Kirk and Daphne register themselves as spouses. N?velDrama.Org content rights. The other document was a non¨Cdisclosure agreement. Kirk and Ivan couldn¡¯t tell anyone this secret. Otherwise, they would have to pay a penalty of 200 million dors. Caroline was utterly confused. ¡°What the hell is the meaning of this?¡± Kirk swallowed nervously. He looked into Caroline¡¯s eyes, a trace of stress swirling in his gaze. ¡°He needed a fake marriage certificate as proof, but he couldn¡¯t actually register a marriage with Daphne. If he did, Daphne had the legal right to take away a part of his property after the divorce. ¡°So he decided to get a subordinate to register the marriage on his behalf.¡± He continued, ¡°Then, using the real marriage certificate, he forged a believable, false certificate to fool Mr. Morrison Senior.¡± ¡°Why did he choose you among the many subordinates he has?¡± ¡°Because both of us are Eastonian, and we have the samest name. It¡¯s easier for him to modify the certificate like that.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t say anything else. Kirk was tense and anxious. He kept staring at Caroline. This was the best exnation he had been able toe up with after an entire day. If Caroline didn¡¯t believe him, he was doomed. Chapter 513 Chapter 513 Chapter 513 Caroline looked at Kirk, not saying a word. Kirk clenched his fists and held his breath. He felt as if his heart was falling apart from the stress. After a moment, Caroline finally said, ¡°You weaved a wonderful story, and your logic is sound, but ¡­ She looked at Kirk with dull eyes. ¡°Do you really think I would fall for that?¡± Kirk stopped Caroline before she could turn around. ¡°I know you don¡¯t believe me.¡± He took out his phone and handed it to Caroline. ¡°You once attended his press conference, so you should still remember his voice. Even if you don¡¯t believe me, you should believe him, right?¡± Caroline looked at Kirk¡¯s phone hesitantly. She still remembered Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s voice like it was yesterday because it was distinctive. But wait. Why was she indulging Kirk again? ¡°Darling¡­¡± Kirk saw Caroline not taking his phone, and sweat appeared on the tip of his nose. He looked at Caroline hopefully. ¡°It¡¯s just a phone call, right? You have nothing to lose.¡± His logic convinced her. She took the phone, and she dialed Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s number after a moment¡¯s hesitation. The call was quickly connected, and she could hear his voice. It was calm and assertive, like the voice she had heard at the press conference. ¡°You must be Caroline.¡± Caroline looked at Kirk in confusion. Kirk returned her gaze with a smile. Holding the phone, Caroline said with her back to Kirk, ¡°Are you Eddy¡¯s second uncle?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. I heard about what happened between you and Kirk. I¡¯m really sorry. My personal N?velDrama.Org content rights. affairs almost ruined your marriage. I feel extremely guilty.¡± Caroline frowned. The voice on the phone really belonged to Eddy¡¯s second uncle! How could that be? She turned around and looked at Kirk. Had Kirk been telling the truth the entire time? ¡°Haha, I came up with this evil n because I didn¡¯t want my uncle to nag me about marriage. I didn¡¯t expect my n to end up troubling other people. ¡°How about this? When I have the time, I¡¯ll visit you in person one day, okay?¡± Caroline opened her mouth hesitantly. She still couldn¡¯t believe Kirk¡¯s words. ¡°S¨Csir, I still find this entire situation ridiculous. Why did you let Kirk register the marriage on your behalf? Was it really because you both have the same surname?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eddy¡¯s second uncle chuckled on the phone. ¡°The best way to make a believable fake wedding certificate is to use the real thing. ¡°I asked Kirk to register the marriage on my behalf because I didn¡¯t want Daphne to take away half of my property. I hope you can understand.¡± Caroline was silent. After a while, she asked again, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t he tell me this?¡± ¡°He must have shown you the non¨Cdisclosure agreement. In fact, I was being unkind bying up with this n. ¡°I knew Kirk wouldn¡¯t agree to my request to legally register himself and Daphne as spouses. So I talked about this with his father. ¡°He only found out about this after returning to Easton. We had already signed a non¨Cdisclosure agreement then, so he couldn¡¯t tell you the truth.¡± Caroline looked back at Kirk with aplicated expression. Eddy¡¯s second uncle continued apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Caroline. I didn¡¯t expect both of you to get divorced because of me. ¡°All of this is my fault. Kirk really loves you. He¡¯s even willing to pay the 200 million dors as penalty for your sake.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Caroline asked nervously. ¡°Yes. Since he broke the contract to tell you the truth, he has to pay me a penalty of 200 million dors.¡± Caroline protested, ¡°200 million dors? He¡¯s just a regr employee! He¡¯ll need thousands of lifetimes just to pay you back!¡± Chapter 514 Chapter 514 Chapter 514 ¡°Haha, do you feel bad for him?¡± Eddy¡¯s second uncle said in good spirits, ¡°Since you do, don¡¯t get divorced.¡± ¡°Sir!¡± +15 BONUS Another wave of pleasantughter rang out on the phone. ¡°All right, I won¡¯t tease you anymore. Kirk is incredibly devoted to you. ¡°Since my problems caused a rift between you two, I won¡¯t ask him to pay the penalty. I¡¯m the one who should apologize. I¡¯ll properly handle things with Daphne, and I won¡¯t cause you any more trouble.¡± Caroline pursed her lips, remaining silent. At first, she wondered if he had used a voice¨Cchanger to disguise himself. But she never noticed anything strange, even after talking for so long. She finally put her nervousness in check. It seemed things were exactly as Kirk said. Eddy¡¯s second uncle and Daphne had a fake marriage. To make a fake marriage certificate, he had asked Kirk and Daphne to get a real one. So was Daphne the mysterious woman? After learning that her rtionship with Kirk was doing fine, Daphne had deliberately sent her a message to make her misunderstand Kirk, leading to their rtionship falling apart. Caroline vaguely remembered she had met Daphne before going abroad, and they had caused a big scene because of the wedding dress. When she thought about it this way, things started to make sense. §¯ ¡°Darling After seeing Caroline put down her phone, Kirk walked over cautiously. ¡°Do you believe me now?¡± When Caroline looked at his sad, cautious expression, she somehow felt both distressed and amused. ¡°No, I don¡¯t¡­¡± Kirk¡¯s expression shifted in fear. ¡°Darling ¡­¡® 1/3 +15 BONUS Seeing his reactions, Caroline curled her lips into an imperceptible smile. ¡°But I guess I trust you Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. to a certain degree.¡± Noticing the smile on Caroline¡¯s face, Kirk also smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll have to convince me with your actions for me to trust you fully,¡± Caroline dered. Then, she walked toward the theater. Sonia was still in there, after all. Kirk felt the burden in his chest fade away at the sight. His steps were brisk even as he walked up to her. ¡°Darling ¡­¡± Caroline barked, ¡°What?¡± Kirk took her hand and cooed, ¡°I haven¡¯t kissed you for so long. Can I kiss you?¡± Caroline immediately blushed. ¡°You¡¯re insane!¡± ¡°Exactly! I¡¯m lovesick!¡± Caroline stopped and turned to look at Kirk. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re actually crazy!¡± As soon as she said that, she heard a p not far behind her. Caroline followed the sound and sprinted backstage. When she arrived, she saw Sonia covering her cheek and looking at Daphne bitterly. After realizing what happened, she pulled Sonia behind her and pped Daphne with the back of her hand. Daphne¡¯s face immediately swelled from the blow. She covered her cheek and red at Caroline. ¡± How dare you hit me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who attacked her first. Why wouldn¡¯t I hit you?¡± Caroline looked at Daphne coldly. Daphne and Eddy¡¯s second uncle had a fake marriage. But she had taken advantage of it and hurt others, unting the power she never had! Daphne was trembling in anger. Her anger over losing the leading role in ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡± had clouded her rationality. Now that Caroline was yelling at her, she had nothing else to lose. She raised her hand and swung her palm at Caroline. ¡°Mind your own business, you bitch!¡± However, the next second, her wrist was held in a firm grip, halting her p. Daphne stared at the man before her in shock. Chapter 515 Chapter 515 Chapter 515 His eyes were hauntingly dark. The pressure of his gaze made it impossible for her to breathe. Daphre only knew one person who was this intimidating. It was none other than Kirk, her fake husband. Thinking of her fake husband, Daphne instantly felt emboldened, and she wasn¡¯t afraid of the man before her anymore. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°Who do you think you are? How dare you stop me?¡± Kirk shook off Daphne¡¯s hand with a sullen look. It was as if he could tear Daphne apart with his re. Daphne looked Kirk up and down,pletely unaware of his hostility. ¡°Oh¡­ If I¡¯m not mistaken, you must be Caroline¡¯s husband.¡± The situation would still have been manageable if Daphne hadn¡¯t said anything. When she did, Kirk and Caroline both looked at her with chilling res. However, Daphne didn¡¯t notice anything and continued to mock, ¡°I know you! You¡¯re Caroline¡¯s unsightly husband. You¡¯ve been married for so long, but you must be very ugly if you don¡¯t dare to show your face in public!¡± Her words made Caroline speechless. Anyone could call Kirk whatever they wanted, but she absolutely couldn¡¯t condone anyone calling him ugly. If Kirk was ugly, everyone else was a monster. ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject, Daphne!¡± Caroline walked up to Daphne, dragging Sonia with her. ¡°Why did you hit Sonia?¡± ¡°She deserves to get hit! She didn¡¯t have the right to take my role away!¡± Her excuses amused Caroline. /¡®Ms. Marietta wrote ¡®Daughter of the Sea¡®, and Collins Group and Morrison Corp invested in the y. What makes you think the role is yours?¡± ¡°The fact that I¡¯m the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle!¡± Daphne spoke confidently, putting her hands on her hips. Caroline really wanted to expose the truth that Daphne wasn¡¯t the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle. 1/2 *15 BONUS But when she thought about how much trouble Eddy¡¯s second uncle had gone through to keep it secret, she gave up on the idea. After all, he had helped her before. She couldn¡¯t bite the hand that fed her ¡°You¡¯re his wife, you say?¡± Someone spoke, their voice filled with contempt. Everyone¡¯s eyesnded on Kirk. Daphne¡¯s face flushed in anger when she realized that Caroline¡¯s husband had talked back at her. Am I not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you know the answer to that question.¡± Kirk looked at Daphne sullenly. Daphne¡¯s heart skipped a beat at that. Then, she remembered that Caroline¡¯s husband was just an ordinary person. He didn¡¯t have the power or the chance to be on the same level as Eddy¡¯s second uncle, so she became confident and bold Daphne yelled, ¡°Of course I do! You, on the other hand, have been aggressive and pushy. Anyone else would think you¡¯re my husband instead.¡± She sneered, ¡°I want to see who you actually are! How dare you talk to me like that?¡± As she spoke, she lunged forward and pulled Kirk¡¯s mask from his face. Kirk wanted to stop her, but it was already toote. His true face was exposed to everyone present. When Daphne saw Kirk¡¯s face, her expression shifted. She stammered, ¡°M¨CMr. ¡­¡® Kirk grabbed her neck and growled, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m Kirk, Caroline¡¯s husband.¡± Fear appeared on Daphne¡¯s flushed face. Her mouth was open, but she couldn¡¯t utter a single word. ¡°You must be the mysterious person.¡± Kirk red at Daphne. ¡°You¡¯ve really gone to great lengths to destroy our rtionship.¡± Chapter 516 Chapter 516 Chapter 516 Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Daphne waved her hands, her face filled with fear. When Caroline saw Daphne¡¯s reaction, she thought she was acting this scared because they had exposed her n. Little did she know that Daphne was afraid because Kirk was Caroline¡¯s husband! What was she supposed to do? A fraud like her had shown off her nonexistent power everywhere she went. Things wouldn¡¯t end well for her. Just as Daphne was about to copse from fear, Charles ran backstage, panting. ¡°Sir.¡± He noticed theplicated situation and said cautiously, ¡°I¡¯ve caught Dolly.¡± Kirk nced at Charles and dragged Daphne to him. ¡°Take her away. Eddy¡¯s second uncle said he would deal with her!¡± When Charles heard that, he immediately understood that Kirk had gotten out of his predicament. His true identity hadn¡¯t been revealed. Charles couldn¡¯t afford to waste any time. He hurriedly dragged Daphne away. Daphne didn¡¯t return to her senses until she was thrown into the car. Just like that, the fiasco backstage ended. Caroline helped Sonia to the back door. Helena was already waiting there. She had rushed over immediately after finding out that Sonia had gotten the lead role in ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡°. When she saw Sonia¡¯s swollen swollen, she asked in distress, ¡°Oh no! What happened to you?¡± Sonia didn¡¯t answer. Caroline answered on her behalf, ¡°Daphne hit her.¡± When Helena heard that Daphne was behind this, she frowned. ¡°Her again? She¡¯s simply doing what she wants because she¡¯s Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s wife. I really hope she and Eddy¡¯s second uncle get divorced soon.¡± Sonia whispered, ¡°That¡¯s enough, Helena. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Look at you.¡± Helena looked at Sonia with distress. 1/3 She knew Sonia didn¡¯t dare upset Daphne for fear that she wouldn¡¯t be able to work in the entertainment industry anymore. ¡°But don¡¯t be upset. Someone has already helped us take revenge.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sonia asked in confusion. ¡°Well.¡± Helena finally had a smile on her face at the mention of this. ¡°Daphne always thought she would be the female lead in ¡®Daughter of the Sea¡®. ¡°So she had written a post congratting herself on getting the role and set it to be released at a certain time. As a result, her post ended up getting released at the same time as the official announcement.¡± Then, she continued, ¡°One post announced her as the female lead, while the other announced you as the y¡¯s female lead. ¡°Her ns just blew up in her face. Now, manyizens have taken screenshots of both of these posts, sharing them all over the Inte. Theedic timing was amazing!¡± Sonia finally smiled at her words. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. But to be fair, everyone thought Daphne would get the role before I joined the audition. So it¡¯s normal for her to write a congrattory post in advance.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Helena looked at Caroline gratefully. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m really ashamed. It¡¯s a good thing you insisted oning here, Ms. Evans. Otherwise, we would have missed such a good opportunity.¡± Caroline waved her hand. ¡°Sonia deserves this. She has been working hard to get this role. Without her dedication, sh wouldn¡¯t have gotten it.¡± Helena added, ¡°You have a point. But if you hadn¡¯t insisted, Sonia would have joined the TV show instead of getting this amazing role. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, Ms. Evans. I didn¡¯t believe you when you said you wanted to make Sonia a world- renowned A¨Clister. But now, you have my trust!¡± Caroline¡¯s first sessful prediction about Sonia was likely good luck on her end, but getting it right the second time proved that Caroline was just that capable. With Caroline¡¯s guidance, Helena hadplete confidence in Sonia¡¯s future. Sonia tugged at Helena¡¯s clothes. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Helena.¡± She noticed Kirk, who was standing behind Caroline, looking impatient. They had better not be a third wheel here. Only then did Helena notice Kirk, and she immediately straightened up. Chapter 517 Chapter 517 Chapter 517 Kirk immediately frowned. Daphne had ripped off his mask just now, so nothing was covering his face at the moment. Helena¡¯s fiery gaze sent rm bells ringing in his head, and a trace of hostility appeared in his eyes. The next second, Helena walked past Caroline and trotted over to Kirk. She asked excitedly, ¡°E- excuse me, sir. Are you interested in joining the entertainment industry?¡± Her question dumbfounded Kirk. It had been a long time since Helena had seen distinctive facial features like his. He had a masculine and rugged bearing. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. A person like him would stand out, even in a crowd of people. That was what she wanted from a star. With an impressionable man like Kirk, Helena could guarantee he would be a national celebrity as soon as he debuted. With the emergence of the Inte, people in Easton hadn¡¯t seen a national idol for decades. If she could sign Kirk, she would be loaded for the rest of her life. However, Kirk¡¯s gaze remained cold and indifferent as he met Helena¡¯s excited and enthusiastic ones. ¡°Can we leave now, darling?¡± Helena¡¯s eyes widened when she heard what Kirk said to Caroline. He¡­ He was Caroline¡¯s husband! Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be an ordinary person? Why was he so handsome? Although Caroline knew Helena was enthusiastic about Kirk due to her instincts as a manager, she still felt ufortable. Caroline suppressed her difort and pretended to say casually, ¡°Sonia, make sure to go through the script after you go back. ¡°This is an excellent opportunity. It¡¯ll be helpful for your venture overseas, so don¡¯t let this opportunity slip away.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°I will.¡± Sonia looked at Caroline carefully and said to Helena, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Helena.¡± Helena had no choice but to get into the car reluctantly. After closing the door, she still couldn¡¯t resist telling Caroline, ¡°Ms. Evans, your husband is really born to be a celebrity. If he ever changes his mind, you have to call me.¡± Caroline smiled, remaining silent. She watched until the car drove away before turning around and walking toward the theater. Kirk followed Caroline and asked lightheartedly, ¡°Darling, were you jealous just now?¡± Caroline looked at him questioningly. ¡°I noticed it.¡± Kirk was in a good mood. Caroline ignored him and continued walking to the car. In the car, Jack felt a wave of joy when he saw Caroline and Kirk walking together. He became even more excited when Caroline didn¡¯t object to Kirk getting into the car. After Kirk sat in the back seat, Jack finally couldn¡¯t resist smiling. He asked, ¡°Did you both make up?¡± ¡°No.¡± Caroline looked ahead, remaining emotionless. Her words didn¡¯t disappoint Jack. Instead, they made him smile even brighter. In the past, Caroline wouldn¡¯t even talk. The fact that she had spoken of her own initiative today and allowed Kirk to ride in the same car was proof enough that they had reconciled. When the car started, Kirk grabbed Caroline¡¯s hand, catching her off guard. Caroline red at him. However, Kirk looked ahead, pretending not to notice. Caroline had no words for this man. He was really pushing his luck! Chapter 518 Chapter 518 Chapter 518 Caroline struggled a few times, but she failed to escape his grip. She was about to give up when there was a sharp turn ahead. She lost her bnce, falling straight into Kirk¡¯s arms. Kirk looked down at her with a warm smile. ¡°Are you throwing yourself into my arms, darling?¡± Fuming, Caroline pressed on his chest and got up. ¡°Watch your driving, Mr. Jack.¡± In the front seat, Jack quickly replied, ¡°All right. I¡¯m sorry.¡± However, his eyes were on Kirk. While Caroline was distracted, Kirk gave Jack a slight nod. He would give Jack a raise when he got back. After what had happened just now, the atmosphere in the car had changed. Caroline tightly held onto the armrest, but she sat close to the car door. She even took out her phone and browsed through the web to hide her embarrassment. As soon as Caroline opened Twitter, she saw Daphne¡¯s post. ¡°I never thought I would get the leading role of ¡®Daughter of the Sea¡®. I¡¯ve always liked Ms. Weiss¡® works, but I never imagined I would have the chance to y a character of her creation. I feel so blessed!¡± When Caroline opened thements, she saw many mockingments directed at Daphne. ¡°Hahaha! This cracks me up! As soon as she ¡®gets¡® this role, the official ount for the ¡®Daughter of the Sea¡® production team announces that Sonia got the lead role. This timing is incredible!¡°¡± ¡°Hahaha! This casting has really be the joke of the year! It¡¯s absolutely hrious! Did someone trick Daphne? Was she so sure that she would be the lead in ¡®Daughter of the Sea¡®? Is that why her post had been scheduled?¡± ¡°That¡¯s most likely the case. Before the auditions, I saw many press releases saying that Daphne was the actress most suited for the role. They even praised her so¨Ccalled ster Sarcozian skills! Haha! I suggest all of you watch her audition and listen to her broken speech!¡± 1/2 Caroline scrolled down and saw someone posting a video of Daphne¡¯s audition. +15 BONUS All her attention had been on Kirk at the time, so she hadn¡¯t noticed Daphne stumbling over her lines. Someone also posted a video of Sonia¡¯s audition below the video. In contrast to the mocking ¡°Wow! Sonia is really fluent in Sarcozian! I feel at ease just listening to her.¡± ¡°Now this is what I call ster Sarcozian skills!¡± Unexpectedly, Sonia replied to theirments, ¡°No, no. It¡¯s all thanks to Ms. Evans that I can speak this fluently.¡± Fans immediately flocked to the woman of the hour as soon as she showed up. ¡°Omg! She replied to myment! She replied!¡± ¡°Wow! I heard that Ms. Evans insisted you join the audition. Is that true?¡± ¡°Ms. Evans has quite a discerning eye.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Before the audition, I thought Ms. Evans was awful when I heard Sonia had turned down all her other jobs for this role. But I didn¡¯t expect her to be thinking on another level!¡± ¡°I really admire Caroline¡¯s vision. If it had been me, I wouldn¡¯t have asked Sonia to risk everything for a role in ¡®Daughter of the Sea¡® after knowing that SY Group was investing in it.¡± ¡°Yeah! Caroline is really sharp. Last time, she said Sonia would be popr, and she was right! Wow! She¡¯s reallypetent! I should get lottery tickets while she¡¯s around.¡± Caroline looked at thements with a slight smile on her face. So this was what it felt like to help other people achieve their goals in life. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. She was about to put away her phone when she received a message from Quentin. Caroline tapped on the file, and her expression shifted when she saw its contents. Kirk noticed the change in her expression, immediately tensing up. Chapter 519 Chapter 519 Chapter 519 ¡°Darling¡­¡± Kirk said softly. In the front, Jack happened to see Kirk¡¯s docile expression in the rearview mirror. The sight shocked him so much that he thought he was seeing things. Caroline frowned and didn¡¯t answer Kirk. Instead, she was reading Quentin¡¯s investigation report. The report showed that the group of thugs who attacked them were actually Jane¡¯s people. Jane was also Brie¡¯s mother. Caroline slowly connected the dots in her memories. Back then, she had bumped into Jane and Daphne at the bridal boutique. Although she wasn¡¯t directly involved with Brie going insane, there was no doubt the Collins family held a grudge against her. This was where things got strange. N?velDrama.Org content rights. After Caroline had returned from visiting Ivan, she had been waiting for the Collins family toe after her. However, they had never given her any trouble, so she had gradually forgotten about it. She hadn¡¯t expected Jane to be the mastermind of a seemingly simple robbery. Caroline slowly connected the threads to form a single narrative. Daphne was at odds with her because of the incident at the bridal boutique, and Jane had long wanted to take revenge on her for what happened to Brie. It seemed that the two women had immediately devised a n for a mysterious person to send her a message. That would make her investigate the fact that Kirk had another wife and cause a rift in her marriage with Kirk. Then, they had probably been upset that she and Kirk weren¡¯t divorced yet. So they had sent thugs to rob them. Perhaps Jane and Daphne were behind the robbery at her apartment, as well as the incident with the three men at that bar. Caroline put her phone away, taking a deep breath. She just needed to ask Dolly to verify her Kirk¡¯s heart pounded like a drum at her actions. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, darling?¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Dolly right now?¡± His heart pounded faster at her words. Although Kirk maintained a smile on his face, he had a trace of panic in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask Charles about that.¡± ¡°Ask him then. I have something to ask Dolly.¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Caroline nodded. Kirk took a breath with a smile, but a trace of panic appeared in his eyes again. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give Charles a call.¡± Under Caroline¡¯s watchful eye, Kirk called Charles. He didn¡¯t know much about Dolly. He wasn¡¯t sure if she knew who he was or if she would reveal his identity in front of Caroline. ¡°Where are you?¡± He asked. Charles was driving. He answered, ¡°I¡¯m on the way, sir¡­¡± Before he could finish, he heard Kirk¡¯s voice on the phone. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re at the warehouse in the western suburbs. Okay, I got it. I¡¯ll take my wife there right now.¡± Charles¡® expression shifted slightly at his words. He nced back at the two women he had thrown in the back seat. Then, he looked up the address of the warehouse. He said, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ll need more than an hour to get there.¡± ¡°Okay, that¡¯s fine.¡± Kirk hung up the phone after he was done. Caroline looked at him. She questioned, ¡°So?¡± ¡°They¡¯re at the warehouse in the western suburbs.¡± ¡°Mr. Jack, take us there right now,¡± Caroline ordered. They only needed half an hour to get to the warehouse from here. Before Jack could answer, Kirk took Caroline¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°Are you hungry, darling?¡± Caroline frowned at his question. ¡°No.¡± ¡°But I am!¡± Kirk looked at Caroline expectantly. ¡°I barely ate in the past few days because of our fight. Now that things are fine, I finally feel hungry. ¡°Just touch my belly if you don¡¯t believe me. I¡¯m bing thin¡­¡± After that, Kirk grabbed Caroline¡¯s hand and ced it on his abdomen. His strong muscles and familiar touch gave Caroline goosebumps. Chapter 520 Chapter 520 Chapter 520 Caroline wanted to break away from his grip, but Kirk pinned her hand down. She couldn¡¯t move an inch However, Kirk looked at her innocently. ¡°Right, darling?¡± Caroline blushed so much that she was about to sweat. ¡°Kirk!¡± ¡°Darling¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Jack, stop the car!¡± Caroline ordered. Jack did as he was told. Caroline pointed outside the door. ¡°Hurry up and eat, and get back here when you¡¯re done.¡± She really wanted to ask Dolly who had given her the order to deceive her. Kirk objected, ¡°Come with me, darling.¡± Caroline frowned. ¡°Why are you so annoying today?¡± He was being so clingy! She didn¡¯t remember him being this clingy. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll leave me behind.¡± Caroline was dumbstruck. Under Kirk¡¯s pleading gaze, she relented and got out of the car. They walked into a food store. It wasn¡¯t time for a meal, so there wasn¡¯t anyone in the store. The female owner was delighted to see a handsome man and a beautiful woman in her store. She asked enthusiastically, ¡°What would you like to have?¡± Caroline usually made the decisions when ordering food. However, today, Kirk was acting C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. differently. He immediately answered, ¡°I want some spicy chicken stew.¡± Both the female owner and Caroline were speechless at his actions. As Kirk picked the ingredients for the stew, Caroline noticed him frowning, looking as if he were having a hard time. She remembered the time when she and Kirk had a barbecue together. Sean had teased Kirk because he had a fancier taste in food. He couldn¡¯t eat regr food like this. Caroline nced across the road and noticed a shopping mall with several restaurants. She put down the te and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to one of the restaurants across the street.¡± Kirk followed Caroline¡¯s gaze, and he rxed his frown. ¡°Sure.¡± The two of them walked side by side to the restaurant. The normally decisive Kirk spent a full ten minutes deciding on a restaurant. It made Caroline suspect that he was stalling for time. By the time Kirk was done with his meal, more than an hour had passed. ¡°I¡¯m going to the washroom,¡± he informed. Then, he stood up and left. Caroline remained seated and yed with her phone while waiting for Kirk. Five minutester, Kirk walked out of the washroom in high spirits. Caroline couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Did you win a lottery or something?¡± Kirk smiled. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What did you win?¡± ¡°Something priceless.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t understand what he meant, so she didn¡¯t ask any more questions and got up to pay the bill. However, the staff told her that someone had already paid the bill. She nced at Kirk, knowing he was the one who paid. So she went downstairs and got in the car without saying anything. After Kirk got into the car, Caroline said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mr. Jack.¡± Jack nodded and drove to the warehouse district in the western suburbs. On the way, when Caroline looked at the time on the phone, she suddenly remembered a phrase she had seen on the Inte. ¡°No one can stay happy after seeing what¡¯s on their partner¡¯s phone.¡± After pondering for a moment, she asked, ¡°Can I look at your phone?¡± Kirk¡¯s breath hitched at her words. When Caroline didn¡¯t get an answer, she looked at Kirk and questioned, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you still hiding something from me?¡± Kirk pursed his lips and remained silent. He had sent Charles a message on his phone, telling him to prepare for Caroline¡¯s arrival and ensure his identity as Eddy¡¯s second uncle wasn¡¯t revealed. Since he had been in a hurry just now, he had forgotten to delete that message. Once Caroline saw that message, his identity would be- Chapter 521 Chapter 521 Chapter 521 A shiver ran down Kirk¡¯s back as he took out his phone with a smile. ¡°Of course not. You can look through my phone if you want.¡± Caroline observed Kirk¡¯s demeanor. After ensuring he wasn¡¯t lying, she reached out for his phone When she looked down, she didn¡¯t notice that Kirk¡¯s hands were trembling. Caroline was about to ask Kirk for his password when she noticed that Kirk had used a photo of her as his wallpaper. She was surprised. She didn¡¯t remember taking this photo. ¡°When did you take this photo?¡± She asked, showing the photo to Kirk. Kirk smiled. ¡°The first time when we-¡± ¡°Stop,¡± Caroline interrupted, ring at him. She was afraid of what he was going to say. There were other people in this car. Kirk smiled slightly at her response. Caroline shoved the phone at Kirk, blushing. ¡°Forget it. I changed my mind.¡± Kirk took his phone back. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Knowing how calm andposed Kirk was, Caroline guessed he had more photos of her on his phone. She didn¡¯t want him to exin when he had taken each and every one of them.N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep my phone then.¡± Caroline nodded and turned to look out the window, her cheeks slowly turning red. She wasn¡¯t a heartless person. She could tell that Kirk loved her, and she knew how passionate Kirk was about her. However, she couldn¡¯t just forgive him for hiding things from her for so long. Forget it. She would handle this after she questioned Dolly. As she pondered, her gaze unknowingly landed on Kirk¡¯s reflection in the car window. Kirk¡¯s cheeks were thinner, and his jawline and nose were also sharper, probably due to the weight loss. He looked handsome. No wonder Helena wanted to rope him into the entertainment +15 BONUS If he joined the entertainment industry, he would likely dominate arge demographic with his good looks. But Caroline didn¡¯t want him to join the entertainment industry. The two of them were lost in their own thoughts, and before they knew it, they arrived at a warehouse in the western suburbs. Charles was already waiting at the entrance. When he saw theming, he immediately greeted them, ¡°Hello, sir, madam.¡± ¡°Is Dolly in there?¡± Kirk asked, his gaze meeting Charles¡®. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Can I see her?¡± Caroline asked. ¡°Of course.¡± Charles made way for Caroline. ¡°I¡¯ve already tied her up, so she won¡¯t hurt you.¡± When Caroline entered the warehouse, she saw Dolly tied to a pir. Right now, she was in a mess, just like when they had met for the first time. However, she had been hit while acting as a mistress back then. This time, she was captured for deceiving her. ¡°We meet again, Ms. Dolly.¡± Caroline heartlessly looked at Dolly, the instigator of her unease. Kirk¡¯s gazended on Dolly as well. Although he had asked Charles to make arrangements in advance, he feared unexpected changes. He had no idea where he had seen the woman before him, but he couldn¡¯t guarantee she didn¡¯t know him. Dolly wearily raised her head. When she caught a glimpse of Kirk standing behind Caroline, she quickly looked away in terror. ¡°M¨CMs. Evans¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you still remember me.¡± Caroline walked up to her. ¡°Did you fake your act for me on purpose?¡± Chapter 522 Chapter 522 Chapter 522 Caroline raised Dolly¡¯s chin. ¡°Tell me, why did you put on that act? And who ordered you to do that? ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know anything.¡± Dolly shook her head, trying to break free from Caroline¡¯s grasp. However, she immediately felt immense pain in her jaw. Caroline¡¯s strength was utterly unlike that of a woman. ¡°How about now?¡± Caroline red at Dolly. The look in her eyes was terrifying. Somehow, Dolly noticed that she had the same intimidating air as Kirk. She couldn¡¯t resist looking up at Kirk. Kirk¡¯s eyes were cold as they followed Caroline¡¯s movements from his spot a distance away. He wasn¡¯t looking at her at all. It was as if he didn¡¯t know her. But she was Avery¡¯s friend! Moreover, she was an actress whose appearance was top¨Cnotch. She couldn¡¯t believe Kirk didn¡¯t remember her at all. Before Dolly could continue her internal rants, she felt another wave of pain in her jaw. She took a breath. ¡°¡°I¨CI¡¯ll talk! I¨CIt was¡­¡± Everyone looked over at Dolly, including the nonchnt Kirk. His eyes were heavy and emotionless, but a hint of killing intent was hidden in that gaze. Dolly shivered at the sight and braced herself. ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t know what her name is. ¡°She transferred a sum of money to me and ordered me to do what she asked, including¡­ acting out a scene and telling you those words. She ordered me to do all of that.¡± ¡°She transferred money to you?¡± Caroline let go of Dolly¡¯s jaw. ¡°Do you know what her ount number is?¡± ¡°I never checked, so I don¡¯t know.¡± Charles then volunteered himself. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and investigate it, madam.¡± Caroline turned back to look at Charles, her gaze filled with distrust. Charles rubbed his nose awkwardly. +15 BONUS Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°The bank provides the transfer records ¡°He was implying he couldn¡¯t make a fake even if he wanted to. Caroline thought for a moment and felt it made sense, so she said, ¡°How long do you need?¡± ¡°Just a few minutes if they¡¯re quick.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Charles said, and then he left the warehouse. Caroline and the rest remained in the warehouse. Dolly secretly nced at Kirk, finally getting a chance to breathe after Charles left. But she was met with Kirk¡¯s cold re, and she lowered her head in fright. Soon, Charles returned. He handed the phone to Caroline and exined, ¡°Here¡¯s what I found. The ount that transferred the money to this woman belongs to Daphne.¡± Dolly was stunned when she heard the name. Everything she had just said was what Avery had told her to say before she came here. Avery had said that she just needed to follow her instructions if she ever met Kirk, and everything would be fine. Therefore, she was still confused when she heard that the money was transferred from Daphne¡¯s ount. Could this Daphne be the actress who had participated in the audition today? Contrary to Dolly¡¯s uncertainty, Caroline was relieved. It seemed that Daphne was behind all this. She was the one who instigated Dolly behind the scenes, which led her to investigate Kirk¡¯s polygamy abroad. Since Kirk couldn¡¯t tell her the truth because of the non¨Cdisclosure agreement, this incident had torn them apart. In addition to the unpleasant situation at the bridal boutique that day, there was likely another reason Daphne had done this. She probably thought that if Kirk annulled the marriage with her, she could register her marriage with the actual president of SY Group, Eddy¡¯s second uncle. In this way, it didn¡¯t matter if she ended up divorcing Eddy¡¯s second uncle. She would end up owning half of the property that belonged to him After thinking about it this way, everything made sense to Caroline now. Chapter 523 Chapter 523 Chapter 523 At this moment, Caroline¡¯s doubts about Kirkpletely disappeared. It seemed that Daphne was behind this entire ordeal. ¡°I don¡¯t have any more questions.¡± She stood up. She looked at Kirk before quickly shifting her gaze away. ¡°What about you guys?¡± Kirk smiled slightly at her actions. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s go home.¡± Caroline kicked the gravel under her feet. Kirk grabbed Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Okay.¡± This time, Caroline didn¡¯t struggle. When Charles saw them walk out of the warehouse hand in hand, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that they had sessfully resolved this crisis. Charles looked back at Dolly. Then, as if he thought of something, he hurriedly ran out. ¡°Sir, I have something to tell you.¡± Kirk looked at Caroline. Caroline said, ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll wait for you in the car.¡± After getting Caroline¡¯s permission, Kirk walked toward Charles. Charles waited for Caroline to get in the car before saying, ¡°Sir, what should we do about Ms. Daphne?¡± ¡°Let her go back for now. Keep an eye on her, and don¡¯t let Uncle Jude get suspicious.¡± Kirk stared at the ground. He continued, ¡°Also, have you discovered anything about the car ident when I came to Easton?¡± Charles shook his head. ¡°Sir, it seems that the enemy isn¡¯t to be trifled with. I think the big four families are the likely suspects.¡± ¡°Including the Morrisons?¡± Charles froze momentarily, then considered it and said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell for now. After all, Mr. +15 BONUS The public only knew that Jude and Ivan had fallen out, but they didn¡¯t know why. As Kirk¡¯s subordinate, Charles didn¡¯t dare to inquire about his boss¡® father. Kirk frowned. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t have suspicions about his family, but he didn¡¯t have any proof. He didn¡¯t like wasting time on things for which there was no evidence. Of course, he hoped that the Morrisons weren¡¯t behind it. But if they were, he would still make them pay the price. *Just keep investigating this,¡± Kirk ordered ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Also¡­¡± Kirk warned again. ¡°Be sure to keep an eye on Daphne. If she causes any more trouble, Charles- ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Charles hurriedly replied. ¡°It won¡¯t happen a second time.¡± After getting Charles¡® assurance, Kirk turned around and got in the car. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Charles waited for the car to leave before calling someone over to watch Dolly while he sent Daphne back. It was possible that Jude¡¯s people were still watching Daphne at this moment. Things would be bad if they found out the truth behind everything. Charles took Daphne back to the vi and finally removed the cloth from her mouth. When Daphne was freed, she shrieked, ¡°Caroline¡¯s husband is Mr. Kirk?¡± Charles red at Daphne. He warned, ¡°Ms. Daphne, keep this in mind if you want to live: don¡¯t ask or say anything you shouldn¡¯t.¡± Then, he walked toward the door. Daphne grabbed Charles¡® thigh. ¡°Tell me! Tell me this isn¡¯t true!¡± How could Caroline be the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle? Daphne couldn¡¯t believe it. She should be Kirk¡¯s wife! Chapter 524 Chapter 524 Chapter 524 Charles had seen many women like Daphne. He bent down and ripped Daphne¡¯s arms away from his thigh, both sympathetically and coldly. ¡°You¡¯ll be living here for now, Ms. Dawson. I¡¯ll ask your manager to tell the outside world that you¡¯re injured and need to rest. Take care of yourself.¡± With that, he walked out of the room and mmed the door shut. Daphne stared at the door, still unwilling to ept the truth. ¡°N¨Cno! This isn¡¯t true! Caroline can¡¯t be Mr. Kirk¡¯s wife! I¨CI am¡­¡± But no matter how much she cried, no one came in to console her. After an unknown amount of time, her cell phone rang. Daphne wiped away her tears. She picked up her phone and saw it was an unknown number. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to answer the phone, but the caller was persistent. Daphne was so angry that she answered the call and yelled, ¡°Why the hell are you calling me, you crazy mutt? I¡¯ll fucking kill you!¡± ¡°Oh gosh, a public figure like you is losing your mind. It seems that Caroline has caused you quite a lot of harm.¡± When Daphne realized that the woman¡¯s voice belonged to someone who knew Caroline was responsible for all this, she immediately calmed down. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that. I¡¯m just someone who¡¯ll help you be Kirk¡¯s wife.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Daphne scoffed, ¡°Are you kidding? Kirk is the richest man in Sarcozia. He won¡¯t listen to someone like you.¡± ¡°Hmph. Even so, do you think he¡¯ll listen to you? Daphne, I can¡¯t believe you still don¡¯t understand what¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°A few months ago, while Caroline and Kirk were in Macovo taking wedding photos, you anonymously texted Caroline. +15 BONUS ¡°You told her that Kirk had another wife abroad, which made their rtionship fall apart.¡± Daphne was utterly confused. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± But the woman ignored her and continued, ¡°You even hired an actress named Dolly to instigate Caroline to investigate Kirk¡¯s marital status.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do any of that!¡± Daphne denied. She had only found out today that Kirk was married to Caroline ¡°That¡¯s right, you didn¡¯t do any of this. I did.¡± Daphne¡¯s hair stood on end when she heard the woman. ¡°But now, all evidence points to you. Caroline and Kirk are still in the dark. They think you¡¯re behind all this!¡± ¡°Who the hell are you? Why are you framing me?¡± Daphne shrieked. ¡°I told you, you don¡¯t need to know who I am. You just need to listen to what I say.¡± The woman¡¯s voice dropped as she spoke temptingly, ¡°I know everything about Kirk, as well as Caroline. As long as you listen to what I say, I can make you Kirk¡¯s wife for real. ¡°Moreover, you broke Kirk and Caroline apart. Do you think Kirk will spare your puny life after he handles his other affairs?¡± Daphne cried, ¡°But I really didn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point saying that. All evidence points to you as the mastermind. You have no choice but to work with me.¡± ¡°Why would I work with you? You framed me!¡± ¡°I dumped all the responsibility on you to force you to work with me.¡± ¡°But what will you get for helping me?¡± The woman hissed, ¡°I¡¯m helping you because I don¡¯t want to see Kirk and Caroline together!¡± Daphne immediately understood her words. ¡°You¡¯re Caroline¡¯s enemy too? What did she ever do to you?¡± ¡°She made me lose my beloved career! Would you have let that slide?¡± Daphne immediately trusted the woman. ¡°Of course not!¡± Then-¡± ¡°As long as you help me be Kirk¡¯s wife, I¡¯ll do anything you want!¡± ¡°Good. This is what you have to do¡­¡± Chapter 525 Chapter 525 Chapter 525 In a restaurant, Gwen¡¯s mouth was open in shock from hearing Caroline exin the whole story A¨CAre you for real?¡± Caroline nodded ¡°T¨CThat¡¯s just absurd. Do you believe it, Carol?¡± Caroline looked down at the tableware in front of her. ¡°It is absurd. I didn¡¯t believe it at first, but various signs are pointing to it being true.¡± Gwen said, ¡°I still find it weird that Eddy¡¯s second uncle asked someone to make a fake certificate. ¡°However, the minds of rich people aren¡¯t something we ordinary people can understand Maybe he did ask Kirk and Daphne to register their marriage to make a fake certificate.¡± She paused, then continued, ¡°After all, if he registered the marriage himself, he would lose half of his property if they divorced. ¡°So what¡¯s your next move? Are you going to forgive Kirk and pretend this incident never happened, or 81 Caroline picked up her fork and poked at the food on her te. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. That¡¯s why I invited you here.¡± Gwenughed. ¡°Carol, you¡¯re grasping at straws here. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re asking me this question.¡± Carolineughed along with her. ¡°Perhaps you can see things from a different perspective.¡± ¡°All right. Since you trust me so much, I¡¯ll tell you what I think.¡± Gwen sat up straight. ¡°First of all, I think Kirk really loves you. Do you agree with that?¡± Caroline nodded. This fact was irrefutable. ¡°Okay, since he loves you and you love him, you should forgive him. After all, he¡¯s just a regr employee listening to his superior¡¯s orders. ¡°He wasn¡¯t even aware that his marriage had been registered. It¡¯s understandable that he didn¡¯t tell you. +15 BONUS ¡°All of this happened because his father agreed to it. You just need to get Kirk to keep a close eye on his father.¡± Caroline looked down, remaining silent Gwen asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Am I wrong?¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. ¡°No¡± Caroline shook her head ¡°It seems all of this has nothing to do with Kirk. He¡¯s innocent.¡± ¡°So¡­ Are you going to forgive him?¡± Gwen asked with a small smile. Caroline put down her fork and was silent for a moment. Then, she looked at Gwen with some confusion ¡°Gwen, do you think I¡¯m being too lenient if I just forgive him like this?¡± Gwen thought for a while and smiled. ¡°No way. Look, you said it yourself. He¡¯s meless in all of this. Why shouldn¡¯t you forgive him if he¡¯s innocent? Caroline stared at Gwen silently. Gwen asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I say something wrong again?¡± ¡°No. You made an excellent point. Since he¡¯s innocent, there¡¯s no reason for me not to forgive him. Sean is also innocent, so why do you-¡± ¡°Come on, Carol! Whose side are you on? Why do you seize every opportunity to speak up for Sean? ¡°Gwen smiled as she spoke. Caroline also smiled. ¡°Seriously, you and Sean-¡± ¡°Stop! We¡¯re in different situations. You¡¯re a brave woman, while I¡¯m just a coward. This is the power of a broken family¡¯s influence. Maybe I¡¯ll never fall in love again in my life.¡± Caroline watched Gwen talk and stopped trying to persuade her. One had to experience the rtionship personally to know what it was like. After their meal, Caroline nned to go to the marketce. Gwenughed and joked, ¡°Are you making food for Kirk so soon? I thought you would give him the cold shoulder for a while longer.¡± Caroline nced at her and questioned, ¡°How are you so sure I¡¯m cooking for Kirk? It¡¯s possible ¡°But you just ate Gwen¡¯s words made Caroline speechless. The two women smiled at each other. Then, Gwen drove away in her car. As Caroline watched Gwen¡¯s car disappear into the distance, she sighed softly. After a moment, she lowered her head and took out her phone. She hesitated for a moment before sending Kirk a message. Chapter 526 Chapter 526 Chapter 526 Caroline¡¯s text read, ¡°Have you eaten? I made a little too much food for dinner.¡± Right now, Kirk was sitting in his office, listening to his subordinates reports about their work progress. He had a gloomy expression as he listened. He looked so terrifying that the subordinate trembled in fear, almost biting his tongue several times. Everyone else was also nervous, and they didn¡¯t dare to breathe. This tense situation hadsted for over a month. Everyone was exhausted. Just at this moment, everyone heard a sharp ring in the office. Apparently, someone hadn¡¯t muted their phone. No one could believe someone still made such a stupid mistake at a crucial time like this. They secretly cursed the person who hadn¡¯t silenced their phone. The next second, Kirk picked up his phone and looked at it. Everyone was silent. Before they could recover from their fear, they saw a smile appear on Kirk¡¯s face for the first time in a month. The sight shocked everyone so much that their jaws dropped. The only calm person was Charles, who immediately guessed the text message was from Caroline. Sure enough, Kirk stood up the next second and said calmly, ¡°Since all of you have worked hard today, you can get off work.¡± Everyone looked at Kirk as if they had seen a ghost. Had the world turned upside down or something? Their boss finally knew how hard they had worked! Everyone was so emotional that they almost burst into tears. Kirk had already put his phone away and walked to the door. As soon as Kirk left, everyone else surrounded Charles. ¡°Charles, what happened to our boss?¡± Charles looked at everyone with a smile. ¡°Your better days are here. Go and celebrate tonight.¡± Everyone was puzzled by his words. +15 BONUS However, Charles didn¡¯t exin any further and quickly caught up with Kirk. He also smiled when he saw Kirk¡¯s rxed expression. He had really changed a lot ever since he had gotten married to Caroline. Previously, nothing could affect his emotions. But now, Caroline could easily affect him, even with just a movement or a nce. Kirk finally seemed like a normal person who felt joy, anger, and sorrow. Charles didn¡¯t know what everyone else thought of this change, but he preferred Kirk as he was now. Meanwhile, in Morrison Manor, Jude slowly opened his eyes after listening to Simon¡¯s report. He praised, ¡°Carrie is really amazing. She brought Evans Group back to prosperity without our help. ¡°I already told Eddy that Caroline was a good match for him, but he didn¡¯t believe me. He insisted on getting together with La. By the way, did you find any news about Carrie¡¯s husband?¡± Simon said, ¡°Not yet. He seems to know we¡¯re investigating him.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Jude waved his hand. ¡°What about Kirk? What has he been busy with? He hasn¡¯t visited me for a while.¡± Simon looked at Jude awkwardly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Just tell me what¡¯s on your mind.¡± ¡°Sir, I¨CI suspect Mr. Kirk is Ms. Evans¡°husband!¡± Chapter 527 Chapter 527 Chapter 527 Jude¡¯s eyes widened at Simon¡¯s words. ¡°Simon, what proof do you have for that theory of yours?¡± Simon hurriedly stepped forward and rubbed Jude¡¯s back. ¡°Sir, please calm down. I¡¯m just making a guess. I don¡¯t have any proof.¡± Jude calmed down slightly at his words. ¡°Then tell me, what made you think this way?¡± Simon exined, ¡°Sir, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s weird? Ms. Evans had zero help behind the scenes. There¡¯s no way she could have beaten Evanson Corp, apany that Morrison Corp funded, at aplete disadvantage.¡± He continued, ¡°Also, Mr. Kirk and Ms. Dawson said they lived together, but Mr. Kirk rarely goes to her house. ¡°So where does he live when he is in Easton? Why can¡¯t we find any information about him? The most suspicious thing was that Marietta Weiss came to Easton to cast auditions for Mr. Kirk¡¯s sake. ¡°Logically speaking, since Ms. Dawson is Mr. Kirk¡¯s wife, she would have definitely gotten the lead Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g role. ¡°However, Sonia, someone Ms. Evans values, ended up getting it instead. Since we can¡¯t find anything about Ms. Evans¡® husband and Mr. Kirk, he could be ¡­¡± Simon exined as he looked at Jude¡¯s expression. Jude frowned, remaining silent. After five minutes, he ordered, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, go and investigate Evans Group¡¯s current funds. See if any outside finances areing in. ¡°Also, find out the casting situation from the casting team. If Kirk is really Carrie¡¯s husband, he¡¯ll definitely leave behind some clues.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°By the way, we can¡¯t let our guard down around Daphne. If we take a two¨Cpronged approach, we may find something unexpected.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Simon left the room. When Kirk arrived at Caroline¡¯s apartment building, he saw Sean¡¯s car parked downstairs. He got +15 BONUS ¡°Why not? I¡¯m the reason you both reconciled, after all.¡± Kirk took a few steps forward. ¡°Are you here to see Gwen?¡± Sean chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s no need to point out the obvious. Besides, I was the one who skillfully manipted Caroline when she called you on the phone back then.¡± Kirk looked back at him. Sean hurriedly said with a smile, ¡°All right, sure. You recorded your lines in advance so I could y them on the call. ¡°Even so, I should be rewarded for my efforts, so don¡¯t be so petty. You already got your girl back while I¡¯m all alone.¡± Kirk had recorded his voice in advance for the phone call back then. Sean really admired Kirk¡¯s skills. He really knew Caroline well, to the point where he could guess what she would say. Otherwise, everything wouldn¡¯t have gone so smoothly. Kirk walked to the elevator. ¡°How are you sure that Caroline invited Gwen?¡± Sean froze. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll invite her. You two have made up. There¡¯s no way Gwen wouldn¡¯t show up for such a big thing.¡± Kirk looked at him silently. Sean panicked immediately. He asked anxiously, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me she isn¡¯ting.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel stupid for asking that right now?¡± Sean grabbed Kirk¡¯s arm. ¡°Kirk, you have to help me out. I can¡¯t see Gwen at all right now.¡± The elevator had already arrived at Caroline¡¯s floor while they talked. Kirk knocked on Caroline¡¯s door. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there is!¡± As soon as Sean finished speaking, the door opened. When Caroline saw Sean standing outside the door, she said in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re here, Sean.¡± Chapter 528 Chapter 528 Chapter 528 ¡°Yeah.¡± Sean looked inside, and sure enough, he didn¡¯t see Gwen. He asked reluctantly, ¡°Isn¡¯t Gwen here?¡± Caroline asked in response, ¡°Why would she be here?¡± Sean was silent. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g +15 BONUS ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re here to see her?¡± Caroline asked, holding back a smile. Sean stammered, ¡°N¨CNo¡­¡± ¡°Oh, so you don¡¯t want to see her. It¡¯s a good thing I didn¡¯t call her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to call her?¡± ¡°Yeah, but since you don¡¯t want to see her, I¡¯d better not call her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Sean panicked, but when he saw Caroline smiling, he realized he had been tricked. Heughed. ¡°Not bad, Caroline. It¡¯s true that birds of the same feather flock together. You¡¯ve be as evil as Kirk after getting so close to him.¡± Caroline¡¯s face turned red at his words. She lowered her head and said bashfully, ¡°As if I¡¯m close to him! All right, I¡¯m going to check on the pork stew.¡± Then, she turned around and entered the kitchen. Kirk wanted to follow her, but Sean grabbed him. ¡°Kirk-¡± Kirk massaged his forehead before tossing Sean his phone. Sean caught it, and by the time he returned to his senses, Kirk had already strode into the kitchen. He wanted to follow him, but Kirk heartlessly closed the kitchen door on him. ¡°What an inhumane jerk.¡± Heined in his heart. Then, he stared at Kirk¡¯s phone, finally understanding his intentions. He turned on Kirk¡¯s phone and texted Gwen toe over for dinner as Kirk. When Gwen saw the message from Kirk, she agreed immediately. Sean took a long breath when +15 BONUS Meanwhile, Caroline was stirring the stew in the kitchen when she felt a pair of arms hugging her tightly from behind. The strength in those arms startled her. ¡°Kirk.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Let go of me. I¡¯m cooking.¡± ¡°No I won¡¯t let you go, ever.¡± Kirk hugged Caroline tightly, resting his chin on her shoulder, As he inhaled her sweet scent, he said again, ¡°Darling, I will never let you go, not for the rest of my life.¡± Caroline slightly pursed her lips. ¡°Not for the rest of your life, you say? Are you nning to tie us together or something?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Kirk kissed Caroline¡¯s ear. ¡°I¡¯ll buy arge chain and bind the two of us together. That way, we won¡¯t be separated, no matter what happens.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really insane, Kirk,¡± Caroline scolded with a smile. ¡°Come on, get out of here. Sean is still waiting outside.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t leave. Unless-¡± Kirk turned Caroline over and looked deeply into her eyes with a wide smile. He slowly leaned down and bit Caroline¡¯s earlobe. He whispered, ¡°Unless you give me a kiss.¡± His voice was alluring and soft as his breath brushed her ear. Caroline¡¯s legs became weak from the feeling. She said softly, ¡°Kirk ¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m here, darling.¡± Kirk bit Caroline¡¯s lips. When they finally felt each other¡¯s touch after a long time, their longing for each other made them tremble. Then, as if a switch were turned on, Kirk¡¯s actions gradually became more powerful and demanding. The atmosphere in the kitchen became intimate. As the stew cooked, they kissed each other passionately, not letting up one bit. Chapter 529 Chapter 529 Chapter 529 Caroline didn¡¯t know how long had passed before Kirk finally let her go. But the lingering effects of his kiss sull didn¡¯t fade. Her face became increasingly warm, and her heart pounded like it was about to burst out of her chest. She felt an all¨Ctoo¨Cfamiliar flutter in her chest. As she listened to the rapid pounding of her heart, she knew she had fallen into Kirk¡¯s hands. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Caroline was about to open the door when she heard Sean¡¯s voice outside. ¡°I¡¯ll get it!¡± He sounded excited as if a distinguished had arrived. After punching Kirk in embarrassment, Caroline mused, ¡°Who¡¯s here?¡± Who could make Sean this excited? Kirk looked at Caroline with a bright smile. Caroline¡¯s legs turned to jelly from what she saw. His gaze was too direct. He was being so blunt that she could tell what he wanted. ¡°We still have guests here.¡± Caroline reminded Kirk not to mess around and pushed him. However, Kirk still nted kisses on her lips. Then, they heard Gwen¡¯s surprised voice outside. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Only then did Caroline realize that Gwen was here. She pushed Kirk away and walked out of the kitchen. ¡°You¡¯re here, Gwen!¡±C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Gwen was still standing outside the door, looking at Sean warily. ¡°Yeah, Kirk texted me. He asked me toe over.¡± Caroline looked behind at Kirk, who was walking out of the kitchen. Kirk looked calm as he answered smoothly, ¡°Yeah, I invited her over. The more, the merrier. Right, darling?¡± Caroline agreed, ¡°Of course. Come in, Gwen. I¡¯ve bought a lot of food.¡± ¡°Of course I know that,¡± Gwen muttered. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she walked into Caroline¡¯s home. ¡°Let me help you.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°Sure Caroline dragged Gwen into the kitchen. As soon as they entered the kitchen, Gwen quickly asked Caroline, ¡°What the hell, Carol? You didn¡¯t tell me Sean was going to be here. I wouldn¡¯t havee if I knew he was here¡± Caroline smiled merrily at her words, throwing the vegetables into the sink. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Kirk invited you.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re smiling so brightly! Did you make up already?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so annoying.¡± Caroline shyly said while washing the vegetables, ¡°We¡¯re talking about you right now. Why did you change the subject?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to talk about. I support your decision to make up with Kirk, but that doesn¡¯t mean I should make up with Sean, too.¡± Caroline put the washed vegetables on the table and turned around. Noticing Caroline¡¯s actions, Gwen said hurriedly, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t try to convince me otherwise. I won¡¯t give the rtionship another try, not even if a king orders me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to do that.¡± Caroline passed the vegetables to her. ¡°I just want to tell you that since you have no intentions of being in a rtionship with him, just treat him as a friend.¡± ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± Caroline nodded at her words and continued to work. ¡°Do you still need my help?¡± Gwen asked, walking behind Caroline. Caroline looked around and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. You should go out there. I can handle this myself.¡± ¡°No,¡± Gwen refused. ¡°Just let me stay in the kitchen. I still don¡¯t know how to face Sean.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Meanwhile, Sean kept looking over at the kitchen. After making sure Gwen wouldn¡¯te out, he asked Kirk while keeping an eye on the kitchen, ¡°What should I do, Kirk?¡± *15 BONUS Kirk looked at Sean calmly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give up?¡± Sean immediately stood up, agitated ¡°Come on, Kirk. Now that you¡¯ve made up with Caroline, can¡¯t you support me in patching things up with Gwen?* Chapter 530 Chapter 530 Chapter 530 ¡°I told you.¡± Kirk calmly analyzed the situation. ¡°My situation is different from yours. Caroline and I both have the courage to face the uncertain future, but Gwen doesn¡¯t. ¡°The trauma of her family life has caused her so much harm that she doesn¡¯t believe in love. How could someone who doesn¡¯t believe in love embrace her feelings?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you not believe in love too?¡± Kirk answered, ¡°Caroline was the one who made me believe in that feeling.¡± ¡°How did she convince you?¡± For a moment, Kirk couldn¡¯t find an answer to Sean¡¯s question. He and Caroline had been through many ordeals. These ordeals were like chains that bound them together and made their rtionship stronger. However, he had no idea when he had started to believe in love. ¡°There¡¯s no point trying to duplicate our situation. There¡¯s only one way to convince Gwen: let her undergo therapy to get rid of the fear she feels. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure when or if she¡¯ll get over her fear. So, as a friend, I advise you to give up.¡± The hope in Sean¡¯s eyes slowly faded away. ¡°Do I really have to give up?¡± Kirk remained silent. He could only give a suggestion. The rest was up to him. Sean sat on the couch and said dejectedly, ¡°I really don¡¯t want to.¡± This was the first time he had liked someone so much, even more than medicine. Kirk looked at Sean silently and didn¡¯t say a word. Meanwhile, Daphne heard the doorbell in her apartment and froze. She thought she was hearing, things. Ever since Charles had brought her home a few days ago, she had been stuck at home and wasn¡¯t +15 BONUS N?velDrama.Org content rights. Her manager only came to see her once and then hurriedly left. She had no idea what was going on outside. As the doorbell rang, Daphne realized that the visitor was probably Jane. After talking to the mysterious woman on the phone, she had called Jane. However, Jane had been abroad at the time, so Daphne could only stay put and wait. Thinking it might be Jane, Daphne¡¯s deste eyes lit up with hope. She didn¡¯t even wear her shoes as she dashed to the door and opened it. When she saw Jane at the door, she couldn¡¯t hold back her emotions anymore and hugged her. Jane patted Daphne¡¯s head andforted her. ¡°I already know that Caroline¡¯s actress stole your role. There, there. Don¡¯t cry. Let¡¯s talk inside.¡± With Jane¡¯s help, Daphne returned to the living room. Her body was still shaking when she sat on the couch, not because her role had been stolen, but because¡­ She really wanted to tell Jane that Kirk was Caroline¡¯s husband, but she couldn¡¯t. She knew all too well how snobbish people could be. If Jane found out that Caroline was Kirk¡¯s real wife, she would abandon her and curry favor with Caroline instead. It didn¡¯t matter if Caroline had made her daughter go insane. ¡°You have to help me, Mrs. Collins!¡± Daphne begged with tears in her eyes, trying to sell her misery. ¡°Caroline didn¡¯t just take away my role to challenge me. She¡¯s also trying to mess with the Collins family. Mrs. Collins, we can¡¯t just leave her be!¡± Jane asked, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°I want to kill her!¡± Daphne raised her head, looking at Jane with a stern look. ¡°Mrs. Collins, all our troubles will be gone if she¡¯s dead.¡± Chapter 531 Chapter 531 Chapter 531 Jane narrowed her eyes. ¡°I wish she were dead, but she managed to escape even after I sent my men after her twice.¡± She seethed with rage whenever she was reminded of this. ¡°There¡¯s something you should know,¡± Daphne told her. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t escapest time. It¡¯s because the men you sent were-¡± ¡°You-¡± ¡°Calm down,¡± Daphne said. ¡°If the men you sent worked for the Collins family, they wouldn¡¯t have made such a blunder. Besides, they always do a good job at tidying up the mess afterward.¡± Jane swayed when she heard this. ¡°Are you suggesting that I get help from the Collinses?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure you want to take revenge for your daughter.¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± said Jane as she sat on the couch. Her face was full of anguish when she spoke. ¡°But Howard made a deal with your husband. No one can harm Caroline once the Collinses and the Morrisons start working together.¡± Daphne felt as though Jane had just dropped a bomb on her. So this was why Kirk had agreed to cooperate with the Collinses. Her hands clenched into fists beside her as jealousy seeped into her heart. Kirk truly loved Caroline, after all! Daphne forced a smile and said, ¡°We won¡¯t leave any traces behind as long as we give her a quick and clean death. Also, you still have me. I can back you up if anything goes wrong.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jane beamed. She had thought of doing this long ago but had put the thought aside because she hadn¡¯t been sure if Daphne would agree with it. Now that Daphne said she would have their backs, Jane couldn¡¯t wait to get rid of Caroline ¡°Certainly Seeing that Jane was on the verge of agreeing, Daphne immediately reassured her. ¡°Besides, my n is much more detailed this time. I¡¯m sure we can seed.¡± ¡°Alright then! Tell me about it!¡± Jane urged. Back at Caroline¡¯s home, she saw Sean and Gwen off before turning to head back in. Suddenly, she N?velDrama.Org content rights. found herself enveloped in Kirk¡¯s arms. ¡°Let go of me.¡± Caroline hit his chest with her fists, embarrassed. ¡°I miss you so much, darling,¡± said Kirk as he started kissing the nape of her neck. His kisses were like raindrops falling on the drynd that was her heart. She relished them as she rxed and allowed herself to sink deeper into his embrace. She resisted at first, but the room somehow felt warmer, and her legs became increasingly weak as though she were floating. Her mind was in a trance. It was only when Kirk ced her on the bed that she became aware of the weight that was pressing on top of her body. She pushed her hands against his sturdy chest, murmuring, ¡°Be gentler ¡­¡± Her cheeks were already red from the heat, and her eyes were zed. ¡°Okay,¡± said Kirk, and he swallowed, trying his best to restrain himself. However, when his eyes fell on Caroline¡¯s corbone, her wless skin, and her perfect figure, he forgot all about what he had promised her. It was as though he were a beast that hadn¡¯t had any meat in a long time. He couldn¡¯t hold back at all as he ground his hips against Caroline¡¯s without mercy, leaving her no strength to resist him. It was 5:00 am. A sliver of light shone through the windows. In a daze, Caroline turned to look at Kirk, who still wasn¡¯t done with it. Lazily, she mumbled, ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± Her voice was rough when she spoke. Kirk sat up and wrapped his arms around her. ¡°Are you tired?¡± he asked, to which she red at ¡°Do you know what time it is already?¡± Kirkughed and pecked her on the lips. ¡°I¡¯ve been holding back for far too long.¡± Caroline turned to lie down on top of him. ¡°You could solve this by finding someone else to do it with you.¡± Kirk immediately flipped them over so that she was beneath him. ¡°So you¡¯ve thought of doing this with someone else?¡± Chapter 532 Chapter 532 Chapter 532 Carolineughed at how nervous Kirk looked. ¡°It¡¯s human nature, after all,¡± she said jokingly. ¡°We¡¯re adults. It¡¯s only natural that we satisfy our needs.¡± A shadow fleeted across Kirk¡¯s face. He lowered his head to bite her lips and said, ¡°Don¡¯t ever think of doing that again. Understand?¡± Caroline hissed in pain. ¡°Are you a dog?¡± she said, mad at him for biting her lips. However, his gaze was as piercing as ever as he said, ¡°Promise me, Caroline.¡± The serious look on his face startled her. A split secondter, she hooked her arms around his neck. ¡°Kirk, don¡¯t you know me well enough? You know fairly well whether I would ever have that kind of thought.¡± Despite what she said, Kirk continued staring at her. He seemed so formidable that she thought she would suffocate. ¡°Darling!¡± Kirk eximed. Only then did Caroline relent. ¡°I never thought of doing that,¡± she said helplessly. ¡°I was only pulling your leg.¡± A hint of a smile finally appeared on Kirk¡¯s stern face. He pecked her cheeks and let go of her cheerily, as if he were a beast that was content now that it had finally filled its stomach. ¡°Goodnight,¡± he told her. ¡°Good morning¡® would be the right term,¡± Caroline snapped. Despite her tone, she finally found herself at peace. It had been quite a few months since she experienced such blissful serenity. She turned to look at Kirk, her lips turning up into a smile as she did so. She didn¡¯t know why, but she found herself moving closer to him and leaning against him. The warmth of his body soothed her, and she fell asleep gradually. It was 2:00 pm when she woke up. ¡°Oh no! I¡¯mte!¡± Caroline eximed after taking a look at the clock. She sprang up from the bed and hurried to grab her clothes when, suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist. Kirk stared at her from under the nkets and said, ¡°Just take a leave.¡± ¡°No can do. I¡¯ve asked my staff to make preparations for the Mackey Group case ¡­¡± Her voice faltered halfway through her sentence. She looked up to see Kirk beaming at her. She knew exactly what he was thinking, even though N?velDrama.Org content rights. he said nothing. Just before she could put a word in, he said, ¡°Darling, it seems to me that I still had a ce in your heart even when we were in a fight back then.¡± Caroline wanted to retort, but no words left her mouth. In the end, she flicked her wrist free from Kirk¡¯s grasp. ¡°Let go of me! I¡¯m going to work!¡± Kirk pulled her into a hug andnded kiss after kiss on her neck. Things were about to get spicier when Caroline realized what he was trying to do and raised her hands to stop him. ¡°Stop! I really have to go to work.¡± Kirk then inched closer to her until the tips of their noses touched. In his raspy and mesmerizing voice, he told her, ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want Mackey Group. I just want you with me.¡± ¡°Nope!¡± Caroline turned and pushed him against the bed so that he couldn¡¯t move. Afterbing her fingers through her hair, she put on a stern expression and ordered, ¡°Your boss is so unreliable. You should just resign when I take down Mackey Group.¡± Kirk stared up at Caroline. ¡°You¡¯re saying that Eddy¡¯s second uncle is an unreliable person, but why do I recall that you once admired him a lot?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but make fun of her after hearing her use him of being unreliable. Embarrassed, Caroline tried to exin herself. ¡°That was way in the past. After going through so much, I realized that I had been hugely mistaken. ¡°To put it simply, he¡¯s one of the Morrisons, so he¡¯s no different from any of them.¡± With that said, she got off the bed, leaving Kirk stunned. He stared at her hourss figure as she left, his mind a jumbled mess. On one hand, he was dejected at the fact that Caroline no longer admired him. On the other hand, her distaste toward members of the Morrison family seemed to have increased. If she discovered that he was one of the Morrisons in the future, things would be even harder to handle. Chapter 533 Chapter 533 Chapter 533 Kirk got a call from Charles not long after Caroline left. Howard hade to thepany to see Kirk. Kirk¡¯s gaze darkened when he remembered the information he had received from the investigation yesterday. It turned out that Jane had ordered those scumbags to rob Caroline. What was more, Jane and Daphne had been working together to cause Caroline a lot of trouble recently. Those two women had vited the agreement he made with Howard. ¡°I¡¯m heading over now,¡± said Kirk. ¡°Okay.¡± Charles hung up and went to the reception area after getting confirmation from Kirk. ¡°Mr. Collins, he¡¯ll be here shortly.¡± Howard couldn¡¯t hide the smile on his face. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be waiting right here.¡± Charles nodded and left the room. About half an hourter, Kirk arrived at thepany and strode into the reception area. He narrowed his eyes at the sight of Howard. He was about to speak when Howard, oblivious to the danger that was toe, handed him a letter of invitation. ¡°Mr. Kirk, my wife¡¯s celebrating her birthday the day after tomorrow. I¡¯m here today to invite you. I hope that you¡¯ll spare some time to attend her birthday party.¡± ¡°Birthday?¡± Kirk nced at the invitation letter before him and fell silent. A momentter, he took the letter and scanned through its contents. Abruptly, he smiled and said, ¡°So your wife¡¯s birthday is on the day after tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Howard looked eager. He was still very much unaware of the change in Kirk¡¯s attitude. ¡°You¡¯ll make time for it, right?¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± Kirk tossed the letter onto his desk and added, ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a huge gift for her, too.¡± Howard couldn¡¯t stop himself from beaming when he heard that. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. It¡¯s our honor to have you attend the birthday banquet.¡± Kirk smirked. ¡°I have one condition, though. There can¡¯t be any reporters or journalists at the banquet.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know that you¡¯re very low¨Ckey and that you don¡¯t want others to see your face. I¡¯ll get rid of every single reporter within a ten¨Cmile radius on the day of the banquet.¡± Howard continued, ¡°I¡¯ll ask all the other ns that will be present to watch their words too.¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Kirk put his legs on the table. ¡°Okay. You may leave now.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Howard replied, satisfied that he had achieved his goal. After watching him leave, Charles stopped behind Kirk and asked, ¡°Sir, about the car ident ¡­ ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that the person behind it will take action again if you expose yourself now? We haven¡¯t found out who that person is.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve looked into this for so long yet failed to get any bit of information. It could only mean that the person behind this has backup. They won¡¯t take action again if I don¡¯t reveal my identity.¡± ¡°Are you making yourself the bait, then?¡± Kirk hummed in response. ¡°But what about the madam?¡± ¡°If she finds out, we¡¯ll just tell her that I¡¯m Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s representative,¡± said Kirk. ¡°After all, the only ones in Easton who know what I truly look like are those in the Morrison family. Charles smiled. ¡°Pretending to be someone else when that person is yourself¡­ It¡¯s an excellent idea!¡± Suddenly, Kirk¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t take up much time, anyway.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Charles asked, confused. ¡°Because I¡¯ll leave the Morrisons behind very soon.¡± Charles was still puzzled, but Kirk didn¡¯t care to exin further. He simply picked up the invitation letter on his desk and stared at it, his gaze dark and intimidating. When Caroline arrived at the office, Cheryl looked like she was about to explode if she couldn¡¯t get a piece c¨ª gossip out of her, ¡°Caroline, why are you sote?¡± Caroline usually arrived way earlier than all of her employees. She lowered her head at Cheryl¡¯s question as a blush crept up her cheeks. ¡°Huh? Why are you blushing?¡± Cheryl looked as though she had just discovered a prehistoric fossil. ¡°Tell me, have you and your husband reconciled?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a busybody,¡± Caroline retorted. Chapter 534 Chapter 534 Chapter 534 ¡°I¡¯m not a busybody!¡± Cheryl pouted as she grabbed Caroline¡¯s hands. ¡°Tell me, will you? I just want to know what it¡¯s like to be in a rtionship.¡± Carolineughed. ¡°How are things between you and Jack?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it.¡± Cheryl sighed. She would sink deep into her thoughts whenever Jack was mentioned. ¡°He still thinks of me as a little sister.¡± ¡°Maybe the only way for you to handle this is by being straightforward.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Cheryl was worried. ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t like me? If I confess to him, but he doesn¡¯t like me, wouldn¡¯t it be super awkward then? We meet all the time here in thepany, after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll prod him when I¡¯m free.¡± ¡°Is that really a good idea?¡± Cheryl sounded uncertain, which made Caroline smile. ¡°I won¡¯t ask him then,¡± said Caroline. ¡°Wait!¡± Carolineughed now. ¡°So do you want me to ask him about this or not?¡± Cheryl lightly pushed Caroline¡¯s arm and muttered, ¡°You¡¯re the worst!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Go and do your work. Have the legal department prepare a contract to take down Mackey Group as soon as possible. I¡¯ll head over to theirpany and negotiate with them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to meet them tomorrow?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time to waste.¡± Caroline hoped that Kirk could cut ties with the Morrisons as soon as possible. Otherwise, Eddy¡¯s second uncle would force him into doing outrageous things over and over again. 1/3 +15 BONUS Chapter 534 ¡°I¡¯m not a busybody!¡± Cheryl pouted as she grabbed Caroline¡¯s hands. ¡°Tell me, will you? I just want to know what it¡¯s like to be in a rtionship.¡± Carolineughed. ¡°How are things between you and Jack?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it.¡± Cheryl sighed. She would sink deep into her thoughts whenever Jack was mentioned. ¡°He still thinks of me as a little sister.¡± ¡°Maybe the only way for you to handle this is by being straightforward.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Cheryl was worried. ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t like me? If I confess to him, but he doesn¡¯t like me, wouldn¡¯t it be super awkward then? We meet all the time here in thepany, after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll prod him when I¡¯m free.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°Is that really a good idea?¡± Cheryl sounded uncertain, which made Caroline smile. ¡°I won¡¯t ask him then,¡± said Caroline. ¡°Wait!¡± Carolineughed now. ¡°So do you want me to ask him about this or not?¡± Cheryl lightly pushed Caroline¡¯s arm and muttered, ¡°You¡¯re the worst!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Go and do your work. Have the legal department prepare a contract to take down Mackey Group as soon as possible. I¡¯ll head over to theirpany and negotiate with them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to meet them tomorrow?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time to waste.¡± Caroline hoped that Kirk could cut ties with the Morrisons as soon as possible. Otherwise, Eddy¡¯s second uncle would force him into doing outrageous things over and over again. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Okay Cheryl turned and left. A few minutester, Caroline¡¯s phone rang. She picked up her phone and frowned when she realized that Liam was calling her. She hadn¡¯t even met up with him to discuss the matter of taking over Mackey Group, yet he was calling her already. After a moment of hesitation, she answered the call. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Caroline?¡± Liam sounded especially polite today. ¡°Is there anything you would like to tell me?¡± asked Caroline. ¡°You¡¯re still intent on purchasing Mackey Group, right?¡± Caroline¡¯s fingers tapped the surface of the desk lightly. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Well then, let¡¯s meet up tomorrow to discuss it. What say you?¡± Caroline stared at the clock on her desk. ¡°Are you willing to sell Mackey Group off?¡± Was he willing to do it? Even after she had sent his son to jail? Liam sounded devastated when he spoke again. ¡°After going through so much recently, I¡¯vee to realize that you¡¯re a genius at doing business.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t regret it if I handed my whole life¡¯s hard work over to you.¡± He continued, ¡°I spent all my time and effort on it, so I hope that I can sell it for a good price.¡± Caroline nced at her schedule and said, ¡°I¡¯m free tomorrow. I¡¯ll ask someone to inform you of the time and ce for us to meet then.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Liam told her hastily. ¡°I¡¯ll have my employees arrange it for you.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t give it much thought and agreed to it instantly. ¡°Sure. Send me the time and location when you¡¯ve arranged it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After hanging up, Liam nced sideways at Jane. ¡°The deed is done.¡± She sneered. ¡°Well done. You¡¯ll be rewarded handsomely when it¡¯s all settled.¡± Liam smiled and bowed in exaggeration. ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Chapter 535 Chapter 535 Chapter 535 It didn¡¯t take long for Liam to message Caroline about the time and ce of their meeting. She searched the location online and found that it was a simple coffee shop in the northern suburbs However, he wanted them to meet at 9 am the next day. It seemed as though he was in a rush for them to meet. She and her employees would have to prepare the contract by tomorrow morning. Apparently, they would have to work overtime. Caroline pressed a button on her desk and asked Cheryl toe over to her office. A momentter, Cheryl arrived. ¡°Cheryl, tell the legal department that they will have to work overtime. We must get the contract done by 9 am tomorrow.¡± ¡°Is it that urgent?¡± ¡°Yes. Sloan¡¯s father called me and said that he wanted to meet me at 9 am to discuss it tomorrow. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g We should prepare the contract beforehand so that we¡¯re prepared in case anything pops up.¡± ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll tell them about this right away,¡± said Cheryl as she turned to leave. Just then, Caroline stood up and stopped Cheryl in her tracks. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll tell them about it myself. We can save time if I speak to them in person.¡± She then headed straight for the legal department. Cheryl shook her head helplessly as she watched Caroline leave in a hurry. Caroline never seemed to have time for herself. She had only just gotten on good terms with her husband, yet she was burying herself under the mountain of work again. The discussion between Caroline and the legal team ended only at around 3 pm. It seemed as though they were done with the contract now. After flipping through the papers to make sure that there were no mistakes, Caroline stretched. 1/3 +15 BONUS She said ¡°Thank you for your hard work, everyone. You don¡¯t have toe to work for the next two days. All of you should have a good rest¡± ¡°Thank you¡± the employees replied in unison. Their spints had been lifted now that they had the following two days to themselves. Caroline smiled and saw them off. Afterward, she picked up the contract and headed back to her office When she pushed through the doors of the office, she saw Kik sitting on a chair Stunned, she stood rooted to the spot. At the sound of someone entering the room, Kirk raised his head to see who it was. Seeing that it was Caroline, he spread his arms in an attempt to hug her As if on instinct, Caroline walked toward him. He pulled her into his arms ¡°Are you done with work?¡± His voice was strained, as if he had waited for her for a long time ¡°When did you arrive?¡± asked Caroline Sitting on hisp right now made her teel warm and fuzzy inside somehow. ¡°Around 9 am.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± she asked in surprise ¡°I did, but you didn¡¯t answer.¡± Kirk carried her to the couch and sat. He shut his eyes and told het. ¡°You must be tired Quick, take a nap.¡± ncing up at him, Caroline saw that his eyes were closed already. The soft light from behind him made him appear all the more gentle and energetic. In truth, Caroline had felt kind of worn out just now. Now, though, she wasn¡¯t tired in the least Getting up from the couch, she stared at Kirk, who sat on the ground. His eyelids drooped so much that it was cleat he was going to doze off soon. ¡°Get up. Go back home and go to sleep.¡± ¡°No. You should sleep. Don¡¯t you have a contract to settle by tomorrow?¡± he mumbled +15 BONUS Caroline nced at the clock on the wall and said, ¡°I still have a couple of hours to get it done. Hurry and get up. The floor¡¯s cold.¡± Then, Kirk opened his eyes to look at her. ¡°Darling, there¡¯s something I would like to do if you don¡¯t want to sleep.¡± bbergasted, Caroline didn¡¯t know how to respond. A momentter, she simply told him, ¡°Come up here to sleep then.¡± Instead of listening to her, Kirk rested his chin against the couch. With his eyes half¨Cclosed, he murmured, ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Soon, he was fast asleep. His soft snores made Caroline drowsy too, and she soon fell asleep. When she woke up the next morning, it was already 7 am. She nced sideways, expecting to see Kirk, but he was nowhere to be seen. A wave of panic washed over her, and she raised her head to look around the office. However, she calmed down at the sight of a container of mushroom soup and slices of baguette on her desk. Standing up from the couch, she walked over to her desk and ced a hand over the food to find that it was still hot. Chapter 536 Chapter 536 The doors opened just then, and Kirk entered the office. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± he said. ¡°Where were you?¡± Caroline turned to stare at him, her eyes full of worry. Abruptly, she noticed her toothbrush and cup in his hands. Kirk smirked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you sleep for a bit longer?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already 7 am. It¡¯s about time for me to leave.¡± Kirk handed her the toothbrush and cup and kissed her on the lips. It was soft at first, but soon he deepened the kiss. She struggled to pull away for air. A momentter, he finally let go of her. Embarrassed, Caroline pounded her fists against his chest. ¡°Are you starving or what?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Kirkughed, which made her blush even further. She took the toothbrush and cup from him and rushed out of the office to freshen up. She came back shortly after that to see Kirk sitting in her chair and flipping through the contract. She wasn¡¯t rmed, though. She simply let him carry on with what he was doing. All of a sudden, Kirk broke the silence. ¡°Your office is too small. You don¡¯t even have a ce to rest or sleep.¡± Caroline was munching on her breakfast when he spoke. Sheughed, amused. ¡°Evans Group isn¡¯t the same as before. ¡°Things have been worse since thepany fell from grace back then.¡± She continued, ¡°We¡¯re lucky enough that it¡¯s still here.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re doing all this so that Evans Group can rise from the ashes, huh?¡± Putting her breakfast down, Caroline pursed her lips in thought. ¡°Yes, I want to, but I know all too well that there is too great a difference between what the ¡°Maybe it won¡¯t.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Kirk smiled reassuringly at her. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Still, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from ncing at him in concern. Only after that did she ask Jack to start driving. However, Kirk¡¯s phone rang again just as they exited the underground car park. This time, though, he didn¡¯t answer the call. Chapter 537 Chapter 537 Chapter 537 ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s fine?¡± Caroline nudged Kirk¡¯s arm. He smiled. ¡°Yep,¡± he said. ¡°But that person¡¯s been trying to call you for so long. Maybe it¡¯s something urgent?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kirk¡¯s tone was cool. Caroline didn¡¯t look away from him, though. Her gaze fell on Kirk¡¯s pocket, where his phone was still ringing. ¡°I¡¯ll help you answer it,¡± she suggested. Kirk raised his eyes to look at her in silence before passing her his phone. She took a look at the screen to find that it was someone calling from overseas. The caller was anonymous. After answering the call, the person on the other end of the line started talking immediately. His voice was pleasant to the ear, yet he sounded like a badass person. ¡°You finally answered my call.¡± ¡°Hello? This is Kirk¡¯s wife.¡± The caller fell silent for a while before chuckling. ¡°I see. Nice to meet you. So, you¡¯re my bro¡¯s wife. His bro¡¯s wife? Caroline turned to stare at Kirk in confusion. Kirk had a brother? Why had she never met this brother of his before? ¡°Pleased to meet you.¡± ¡± ¡°Can you hand the phone to Kirk?¡± he asked. Once again, Caroline turned to look at Kirk, albeit a bit hesitant this time. He nodded slightly and took the phone from her. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked curtly as he stared out the window, his brows knitted closely together. Finn chortled. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t answer my call.¡± ¡°What do you want to tell me?¡± Kirk demanded. ¡°Nothing, really. I just wanted to tell you that I¡¯ve prepared a surprise for you. It¡¯s on the way.¡± +15 BONUS Chapter 537 ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s fine?¡± Caroline nudged Kirk¡¯s arm. He smiled. ¡°Yep,¡± he said. ¡°But that person¡¯s been trying to call you for so long. Maybe it¡¯s something urgent?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kirk¡¯s tone was cool. Caroline didn¡¯t look away from him, though. Her gaze fell on Kirk¡¯s pocket, where his phone was still ringing. ¡°I¡¯ll help you answer it,¡± she suggested. Kirk raised his eyes to look at her in silence before passing her his phone. She took a look at the screen to find that it was someone calling from overseas. The caller was anonymous. After answering the call, the person on the other end of the line started talking immediately. His voice was pleasant to the ear, yet he sounded like a badass person. ¡°You finally answered my call.¡± ¡°Hello? This is Kirk¡¯s wife.¡± The caller fell silent for a while before chuckling. ¡°I see. Nice to meet you. So, you¡¯re my bro¡¯s wife. ¡°1 His bro¡¯s wife? Caroline turned to stare at Kirk in confusion. Kirk had a brother? Why had she never met this brother of his before? ¡°Pleased to meet you.¡± ¡°Can you hand the phone to Kirk?¡± he asked. Once again, Caroline turned to look at Kirk, albeit a bit hesitant this time. He nodded slightly and took the phone from her. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked curtly as he stared out the window, his brows knitted closely together. Finn chortled. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t answer my call.¡± ¡°What do you want to tell me?¡± Kirk demanded. ¡°Nothing, really. I just wanted to tell you that I¡¯ve prepared a surprise for you. It¡¯s on the way.¡± +15 BONUS Finn continued, ¡°It¡¯ll arrive in 20 minutes, and your men will open it up for you. What you¡¯ll hear next is boom!¡± Finn burst intoughter, and a vein on Kirk¡¯s temple pulsed. ¡°What the hell are you going on about?¡± Kirk snapped. ¡°You took several business deals away from me. I had nothing to do, so I had no choice but to n a surprise for you to entertain myself.¡± Kirk nced at the road ahead and ordered, ¡°Stop.¡± He hung up right after that. The look on his face was so awful that Caroline asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± He tried tofort her with a smile, but to no avail. ¡°I can¡¯t apany you anymore. You have to go there alone. Take care.¡± That said, he opened the door and climbed out of the car. His actions made Caroline worry for him. ¡°You take care,¡± she said. She couldn¡¯t erase the ominous feeling in her gut after answering the call just now. Kirk nodded, hailed a cab, and left shortly afterward, leaving Caroline staring in the direction in which he had left. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder aloud, ¡°Jack, do you know that Kirk has a brother?¡± Jack was about to answer when Caroline started mumbling to herself. ¡°Hmm¡­ How were you supposed to know this? Even I knew nothing about it.¡± Afraid that things might go wrong, Jack went along with the flow and told her, ¡°Yeah. How could I have known that he has a brother?¡± He revved the engine, and they headed straight for their destination. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g To be frank, he had caught snippets of information about Kirk¡¯s brother. Rumor had it that Ivan had adopted him. However, for some reasons unknown, he turned against the Morrison family and cut ties with them. What was more, he had even founded his ownpany to go against them. Things had taken a turn for the worse after Kirk took over thepany. Soon, Jack and Caroline arrived in the northern suburbs. They both got out of the car and headed to a private room, Liam was already waiting for them when they entered the room. He looked more haggard than before. When he saw Caroline, he rose from his seat to greet her. ¡°Ms. Evans, you¡¯re finally here.¡± Caroline sat on the chair before him and said, ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Chapter 538 Chapter 538 ¡°A million dors.¡± Caroline tossed him a smile. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Liam was at a loss for words. Thankfully, the waiter entered the room to serve the food. It helped to ease the tension so that things wouldn¡¯t turn awkward. After the waiter left, hatred shed across Liam¡¯s eyes, and he pointed at the dishes on the table.¡± Let¡¯s enjoy ourselves first. We¡¯ll talk about itter.¡± Picking up the cutlery, Caroline gestured for Jack toe over, and the three of them had their meals together. The atmosphere was rather pleasant, even though they rarely spoke when they ate. ¦§ After half an hour, they were full. The waiter came into the room once again to clear the table and serve them dessert. Seeing how Liam kept on checking the time, Caroline asked, ¡°Are you in a rush to go somewhere?¡± ¡°Huh? No.¡± ¡°Then why are you checking the time so frequently?¡± ¡°I wanted to see if it was time.¡± ¡°Time for what?¡± Raising his eyes to look at Caroline, Liam smiled at her and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You¡¯ll know what it is soon. Let¡¯s continue our talk from just now, shall we?¡± unsettling, and it gave her an ominous feeling. She nced at Jack, who stared back at her with rmed eyes. He had the same premonition as her. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it some other time,¡± said Caroline, standing up. All of a sudden, a wave of dizziness washed over her. She even had to hold on to the table for support. ¡°What was in the food?¡± She raised her eyes at Liam, glowering. Liam simplyughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit toote for you to notice it?¡± Caroline¡¯s expression changed. Hastily, she turned to look at Jack, who swayed, obviously drugged, just like her. rm bells started ringing in her head. She quickly pinched her arm, and the pain cleared her head a little. Grabbing Jack¡¯s arm, she dashed for the door but was stopped in her tracks when she saw two brawny men blocking their path. Chapter 539 Chapter 539 Chapter 539 Kirk strode into SY Group¡¯s headquarters in Easton. There wasn¡¯t a single person in sight. After making sure that there was absolutely no one left there besides the two of them, Charles walked out and told him, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve checked all the rooms. All the employees have left.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the parcel?¡± Charles brought Kirk to the reception counter and said, ¡°Here it is. This is the parcel you wanted.¡± Kirk stared at the box, his gaze dark and piercing. ¡°Sir,¡± said Charles with his voice lowered. ¡°Does this box really contain a ¡­ bomb?¡± Instead of answering, Kirk simply stared unblinkingly at the box. No one could ever be certain of how much what Finn said was true. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to be extra careful. ¡°Are they here?¡± ¡°They¡¯re waiting for your orders at the back door,¡± Charles whispered. He didn¡¯t have the guts to speak loudly at this crucial moment. Things would go awry if they were discovered. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°Let theme in,¡± ordered Kirk. Charles nodded, headed to the back door, and led the men to the reception counter. ¡°Sir,¡± said all of them in unison upon seeing Kirk. Kirk nodded at the box. ¡°Open it up and see what¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± came the men¡¯s unanimous reply. After putting on their equipment, they picked up their shields, approached the parcel gingerly, and opened it. Several minutester, they took the box out of its outer casing. +15 BONUS Charles¡® eyes turned as big as saucers when he saw it. It was, in fact, a bomb. ¡°How did this even get to Easton?¡± Everyone else¡¯s faces were equally gloomy. The men, who were actually bomb disposal technicians, then produced their tools to inspect the bomb. After quite some time, they stared at it in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kirk asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like a bomb now.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®seem¡®?¡± Charles was displeased. ¡°If it¡¯s a bomb, it¡¯s a bomb. There¡¯s nothing in between.¡± ¡°It certainly looks like one, but we didn¡¯t detect any explosive substances.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fake, then?¡± Charles nced at Kirk, and everyone else followed suit. The head of the bomb disposal team looked troubled as he answered, ¡°We can¡¯t be sure until we take it apart. ¡°Sir?¡± Charles prompted Kirk as thetter considered the suggestion, scowling. A momentter, he ordered, ¡°Do it!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The team then started doing their job. Standing aside, Kirk stared at the tiny ck object surrounded by the bomb disposal technicians, his eyes dark like a bottomless pit. There was something off about this, but he couldn¡¯t tell what it was. In the coffee shop, Caroline would have fallen if she hadn¡¯t clutched at Jack¡¯s arm. The two brawny men were advancing on them. She turned back to look at Liam. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m getting paid for this to free someone from a certain disaster.¡± Liamughed and continued, ¡°Caroline, you should just stop struggling. The more you move, the quicker the drug takes effect.¡± Caroline bit her lip so hard that she tasted blood. The pain kept her awake so that she could at least stand upright. She refused to talk to Liam anymore. ¡°Jack, how do you feel?¡± she asked in barely a whisper. ¡°I think,¡± said Jack, glowering at the two brutes that were approaching them. ¡°I can get rid of them both.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t work. There must be more of them out there,¡± whispered Caroline as she grabbed his arm. ¡°I¡¯m their target. I¡¯ll buy time. You see if you can make it out of here.¡± Chapter 540 Chapter 540 Chapter 540 ¡°I can¡¯t just leave you behind,¡± Jack protested. He stayed by her side, wanting to ensure her safety. He wouldn¡¯t run off without her. ¡°You don¡¯t need to push yourself,¡± said Caroline through gritted teeth. ¡°There¡¯s only the two of us now. As long as one of us escapes, the other will have a chance at being saved.¡± ¡°Madam- ¡°Enough.¡± Releasing her grasp on his arm, Caroline dashed toward the two brutes and bit one of their arms. ¡°Run!¡± She hollered, then bit on one of the men¡¯s arms again. The man yelled in pain and kicked her in the stomach, making her crash against the wall. The impact was so great that she winced in agony. She tried to bear the pain as she wrapped her arms around the man¡¯s thigh. It all happened in the blink of an eye. Fortunately, Caroline had informed Jack of what she was going to do. So he darted through the door when he heard Caroline yell for him to run. By the time the brutes reacted, Jack was already quite a distance away from them. One of them called out, ¡°Stop him! Don¡¯t let him escape!¡± Several bodyguards appeared before Jack soon after the brute finished his sentence. Even though Jack had been drugged and his movement was sluggish, he was, after all, a long- term champion in the UFC. He shoved them away and quickly made his way to the car, leaving the three bodyguards far behind him. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. After exiting the building, he headed straight for the car, then yanked the door open and got into the driver¡¯s seat. He nced at the men who followed him out of the building, contemting if he should inside since Caroline was still in there. go back Eventually, he made up his mind and drove away. The bodyguards chasing after him ran after his car for quite some distance before being ordered to stop. Liam told them, ¡°Never mind. He¡¯s not our target. It¡¯s fine even if he runs away.¡± As he spoke, he turned around to snicker at Caroline, who was now being nked by bodyguards. Caroline rxed a little, seeing that Jack had managed to escape. Liam approached her, and she sneered at him. He pped her across the face. ¡°And you still have the audacity to smile? Didn¡¯t you say you wanted Mackey Group in exchange for just 20 million dors? Take this!¡± Liam raised his hand to p Caroline again, but one of the bodyguards interrupted him. ¡°Mr. Mackey, we have to go back and report to our boss.¡± The arrogant look on his face disappeared when he heard that. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Caroline furrowed her brows at Liam¡¯s sudden change of behavior. Someone else was behind this. What was more, this person had quite the influence and power over others. This was the final thought she had before she cked out. At SY Group¡¯s headquarters in Easton, the bomb disposal squad was done taking apart the box. ¡°Sir.¡± One of them passed it to Kirk and said, ¡°This bomb is indeed a replica. The materials used to make its shell are genuine, so it looks just like a real bomb.¡± Charles walked over to see it for himself. ¡°So, it¡¯s really fake.¡± He waved a hand in the air to dismiss the squad and said, ¡°You may leave now.¡± The men nodded and left. When only he and Kirk were left, Charles asked, ¡°Sir, why did Finn do this? Did he simply want to y a prank on you?¡± +15 BONUS By now, Kirk¡¯s gaze was thunderous. He stared at the fake bomb in silence. Suddenly, he got an idea. He sprang up from his seat and strode toward the door. Clueless as to what was going on, Charles went after him. ¡°Sir, where are you going?¡± Just then, Kirk¡¯s phone started ringing. He fished out his phone from his pocket to see Jack¡¯s name on the screen. His gaze darkened even further. ¡°Speak.¡± Hearing Kirk¡¯s voice, Jack finally became less panicked. Still, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from feeling remorseful for not being able to ensure Caroline¡¯s safety. In the end, it was Caroline who protected him, not the other way around. Eventually, when he opened his mouth to speak, his voice trembled ever so slightly. ¡°Sir, the madam¡¯s been abducted!¡± Chapter 541 Chapter 541 Chapter 541 Kirk gripped his phone tighter and asked, ¡°Where are you now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the northern suburbs following them right now. But I¡¯ve been drugged, and I don¡¯t think my body can take it any longer. You have to get here quickly,¡± Jack answered. He was afraid that being just a moment too slow would cause even more mishaps. He added, ¡°Also, I saw them dump all of the madam¡¯s belongings. I think they¡¯re trying to avoid being tracked. They¡¯re very professional. I can tell at a nce that they¡¯ve been trained.¡± Kirk ended the call and turned to head to the basement. ¡°Have someone track Jack¡¯s location immediately,¡± he ordered. Meanwhile, Charles jogged to catch up with Kirk. As he did, he answered, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± As they spoke, they arrived at the parking lot. Kirk opened the car door and slipped into the driver¡¯s seat. Not daring to dy, Charles quickly got into the car too. Charles had assumed that Kirk would speed, but Kirk drove quite steadily. Charles found this unusual and said, ¡°Sir.¡± Kirk¡¯s expression was dark. ¡°Speak.¡± Charles opened his mouth, but he wasn¡¯t quite sure how to phrase his question. After a moment, he said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about the madam when she¡¯s been abducted?¡± Kirk shot Charles a look, making him realize that he had asked a stupid question. ¡°Or did you already know that the madam would be abducted?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not irvoyant,¡± Kirk replied coldly. Charles grimaced. Then why in the world was Kirk able to drive so smoothly this time? Charles wanted desperately to know. But he couldn¡¯t ask about it, so he could only keep his mouth shut. In reality, Kirk was driving quite quickly. It only seemed normal because he used to speed like +15 BONUS The car carrying Caroline arrived at a mountain. It was an abandoned ce that no one lived in. The men got out of the car and carried Caroline up the mountain. Daphne and Jane were waiting at the mountaintop. When they saw Caroline, their expressions became joyful. ¡°Mrs. Collins, Mrs. Morrison,¡± Liam was very polite to the two women. ¡°We¡¯ve captured Caroline for you.¡± Jane looked at Caroline, who had been thrown onto a pile of grass. She praised Liam, saying, ¡°Good job.¡± Daphne stepped forward and asked casually, ¡°Were you discovered?¡± Liam replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Morrison. No one saw us. However, her driver got away.¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Liam treated Daphne with even more respect than he did Jane. In his eyes, Daphne had more clout as the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle than Jane, who was Howard¡¯s wife. After all, she was part of the Morrison family, and her husband was the wealthiest person overseas. Before Daphne, the Collins family was nothing. However, Daphne¡¯s expression changed when she heard what Liam said. ¡°How can you say that no one saw you if the driver got away?¡± Liam could only chuckle. ¡°He¡¯s just a driver. So he got away. It¡¯s not like he cane back and save Caroline!¡± Jane wasn¡¯t worried about the/driver, either. ¡°Mr. Mackey is right. Even if he¡¯s a loyal dog, he can¡¯t ask for help anyway. Do you think he could contact the Morrison family for help?¡± After she said this, both she and Liamughed. Yet Daphne¡¯s face got paler and paler. She couldn¡¯t tell them the truth¨Cthat Caroline was actually Kirk¡¯s wife. Chapter 542 Chapter 542 Chapter 542 In the end, Daphne could only grit her teeth and say, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we have to deal with her quickly. It will be bad for us if we dy and more problems arise.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Jane was very confident. ¡°Besides, I have some things to ask her.¡± Daphne got more anxious. ¡°What if someone finds out¡­¡® ¡°Daph, you¡¯re so timid.¡± Jane tilted her head up and looked at the brilliantly shining sun. ¡°Even if someone finds out, they wouldn¡¯t dare say anything. Unless, of course, they would like to feel the consequences of offending both the Collins and Morrison families. ¡°Mrs. Collins¡­¡± ¡°Come.¡± Jane ignored Daphne. She got someone to carry out her bidding. ¡°Wake her.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± One of the Collins family¡¯s bodyguards sshed water on Caroline¡¯s face. The iciness was an assault on Caroline¡¯s skin, making her shiver. She slowly opened her eyes. After a moment, she finally saw the person before her clearly. Her expression changed in instant. ¡°Jane?¡± an Jane smiled coldly as she bent down and grabbed Caroline¡¯s chin. Her expression was sinister as she said, ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s me.¡± Caroline was in such pain that she frowned. ¡°Why do you keep targeting me?¡± Jane threw her head back andughed. She gripped Caroline even harder. ¡°You¡¯re asking why I¡¯m targeting you? If it hadn¡¯t been for you, would my daughter have lost her mind? You hurt Brie so much, but you just keep living it up. ¡°The world can¡¯t be that unfair to let you have everything good in life while Brie gets everything horrible.¡± +15 BONUS Caroline had already expected that Jane would me Brie¡¯s insanity on her, but she had never expected that Jane would be so despicable. ¡°Brie got what she deserves!¡± ¡°Shut up! I have something to ask you!¡± Jane suddenly let go of Caroline. She straightened and looked down at Caroline. ¡°How did she go crazy? What in the world did you do to her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I only found out that she went crazy a few days after she came after me. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s divine retribution. She tricked me into going to the hotel, thinking that she could humiliate me. ¡°But she never expected that she would go crazy herself. You-¡± Caroline swept her gaze over the three people gathered around her. ¡°Maybe retribution will soone to you, too, for capturing me and bringing me here. You¡¯ll be next to go crazy.¡± Daphne¡¯s face became ghostly. Liam assumed that Daphne had been scared by Caroline¡¯s words and quickly reassured her. ¡°Mrs. Morrison, don¡¯t worry. There are no ghosts or gods in this world, so there won¡¯t be any kind of divine retribution.¡± Daphne looked at Liam, her lips trembling. She couldn¡¯t say a word. She seemed to know why Brie had lost her mind. Thinking about it, her body started shaking. She¡­ wouldn¡¯t end up like Brie, would she? Jane also noticed the unusual way Daphne was behaving. Her eyebrows scrunched together. She simply couldn¡¯t believe Daphne had lost her cool at this crucial juncture. She scoffed and said to Caroline, ¡°Retribution? Indeed, there is such a thing in the world, Caroline. But it will be on you today.¡± She continued, ¡°You will pay for my daughter¡¯s insanity with your life! I would like to see who can possibly save you when we¡¯re in the wilderness.¡± +15 BONUS As she spoke, she straightened and waved her men over. ¡°Throw her down.¡± At this, Daphne¡¯s difited expression softened slightly. ¡°You should have done that ages ago, Mrs. Collins.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that no one can save her now?¡± Jane watched as Caroline waspletely unbound. She angled her chin upward and pointed in a random direction. ¡°There. Make it seem like she slipped and fell.¡± Caroline¡¯s body was soft and pliant,pletely weak. Soon, she was pushed to the edge of the mountain. She looked down. The ground was more than 30 feet below her. Her swollen face paled. Looking back, she saw three malicious pairs of eyes looking at her. Caroline knew that she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape this today. However, she wasn¡¯t afraid of dying. But she felt that a death like this wasn¡¯t worth it. Chapter 543 Chapter 543 Chapter 543 ¡°Do it!¡± Jane¡¯s voice came from behind Caroline, making thetter shiver. Caroline turned her head, intent on fighting back. However, she didn¡¯t have an ounce of energy in her body. The bodyguard shot Caroline a re. As he was about to reach out and shove her over the edge, there was a sudden roaring noise from above them. The bodyguard looked up, only to see a helicopter flying over them like an eagle. Around them, the grass began to rustle violently. Jane couldn¡¯t help but put a hand to her forehead and look up at the helicopter. The wind that had been whipped up blinded them. They could only vaguely see a tall figure jump smoothly from thedder that hung from the helicopter. It was only when the helicopter flew far away and the surroundings regained their usual peace that everyone came back to themselves. ¡°Kirk¡­¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes turned red when she saw Kirk. Meanwhile, Daphne¡¯s face had lost all its color. As for Jane, she had never met Kirk. So she didn¡¯t know that this was the man her husband kept fawning over. She walked arrogantly before him and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t even look at her. He strode inrge steps over to Caroline. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g The bodyguard who had been holding Caroline forgot what he was doing, awestruck by Kirk¡¯s strong presence. He only snapped out of his trance once Kirk lifted Caroline up from the ground. He raised a hand and aimed a blow at Kirk¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Careful!¡± Before Caroline¡¯s warning came out fully, Kirk had already kicked the bodyguard¡¯s shin, quick as a lightning bolt. +15 BONUS The bodyguard hissed in pain. Everyone else also reacted. They quickly went forward and surrounded Kirk. Seeing this, Daphne quickly tugged on Jane¡¯s arm. ¡°Mrs. Collins, h¨Che¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Who cares who he is?¡± Janeughed coolly. ¡°ying the hero, is he? This isn¡¯t a movie. It¡¯s real ife. Dump them both off the mountain.¡± The second she said this, the re of sirens came from below. Liam¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°Mrs. Collins, the police are here.¡± ¡°I heard that!¡± Jane was enraged. ¡°Throw them off now. Let¡¯s go.¡± As she spoke, she turned and walked down a different path. Daphne hesitated as she looked at Caroline and Kirk, who were stillpletely surrounded. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Jane pulled Daphne along. ¡°If the police see you when they get here, you¡¯ll never be able to im you¡¯re innocent.¡± In the blink of an eye, Jane had dragged Daphne over to the head of the path. Daphne looked back at where Kirk was once again. ¡°Mrs. Collins¡­¡± Jane didn¡¯t pay Daphne any attention. She ordered her bodyguards again, ¡°Be quick. Handle this before the police get here.¡± Then, she rushed down the mountain. Liam followed swiftly behind. With that, only Caroline and Kirk were left up there. Them, and the bodyguards who surrounded them. Kirk ced Caroline on the ground and asked lowly, ¡°Can you stand?¡± ¡°I¨CI c¨Ccan¡­¡± Caroline tried to let go of Kirk¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± +15 BONUS Kirk chuckled. ¡°Silly, do you think that¡¯s possible? Hold on tight.¡± He took Caroline¡¯s arm andid it over his. At the same time, he kicked the opponent to his left. His strikes were strong and fast, causing the trained fighters among the bodyguards to nch. ¡°Do it quick!¡± the leader of the bodyguards ordered. Immediately, Kirk responded by kicking him right in the face. The leader was hit so hard that he rolled on the ground. When the others saw this, their hearts went cold. Still, they risked it all and rushed forward, trying to overwhelm Kirk with their numbers and defeat him. But they couldn¡¯t even get near him. When anyone got close, Kirk¡¯s kicks defeated them. Soon, the circle that surrounded them had many holes. Just as the bodyguards thought they would die there, the police finally arrived. ¡°Don¡¯t move. You¡¯ve been surrounded.¡± Chapter 544 Chapter 544 Hearing the voices of the police, the bodyguards felt like they had heard the voice of an angel. They quickly raised their arms in surrender. Then, they huddled to one side with their arms still up. The police were bbergasted by the sight that awaited them. Kirk eyed them for a moment before picking Caroline up again. He slowly went down the mountain as the police watched. In Kirk¡¯s embrace, Caroline felt her face burning. ¡°Kirk.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You were very handsome just now.¡± Kirk paused in his steps as he looked down at Caroline. ¡°What did you say?¡± Her face waspletely red by now. She pouted. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± He smiled slightly. ¡°But I heard it.¡± ¡°Why ask if you already heard it?¡± ¡°I want to hear it again.¡± Caroline pressed her lips together and kept silent. Kirk didn¡¯t say anything more, either. He carried Caroline swiftly down the mountain. At the foot of the mountain, there was an ambnce waiting. Kirk carried Caroline into the vehicle. A doctor immediately came over to check on Caroline. With the doctor in the way, Caroline couldn¡¯t see Kirk. She panicked and raised her hand instinctively. ¡°Kirk¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Kirk held Caroline¡¯s hand. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. She instantly felt at ease. Her eyelids started to droop. She mumbled something softly. The doctor asked, ¡°Miss, what did you say?¡± Caroline¡¯s lips moved again. However, the doctor didn¡¯t hear it clearly. Thus, he could only bend This time, he heard Caroline clearly. She said, ¡°You¡¯re so handsome.¡± +15 BONUS The doctor slowly straightened. Seeing the smile on Caroline¡¯s lips, he touched his bald spot in disbelief. At that moment, Jane was leading Daphne and Liam down the mountain. They were almost at the foot of the mountain when she saw a group of people walking out leisurely to block their path. Charles was at the head of the group. Seeing him, Daphne wanted the earth to open up and swallow her whole. Charles spotted Daphne, too. His gaze became chilling as he waved a hand and instructed, ¡°Arrest them all.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The men went forward. Jane, Daphne, and Liam had no chance to fight back. Soon, they were brought before Charles. He swept a nce over them and said, ¡°Take them away.¡± Unable to ept that this was the oue of the situation, Jane struggled. ¡°Hold it. What makes you think you can take us away? I¡¯m the wife of Howard Collins. You better let me go quickly, or I¡¯ll make sure you get it!¡± Charles was unaffected by her threats. He went into the car and faced a pale Daphne, who sat in the middle. ¡°Ms. Dawson, it seems I still wasn¡¯t clear enough with youst time.¡± Daphne¡¯s body trembled. Jane only noticed how pale Daphne was now. She thought that Daphne was simply too timid, so she puffed up her chest and reassured her. Daph, don¡¯t be afraid. These people wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to us. Once Howard gets here, they¡¯ll all be begging for mercy.¡± Hearing this, Liam couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°That¡¯s right, Mrs. Morrison.¡± To Charles, he said, ¡°By the way, do you know who this is? She¡¯s the wife of Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle! You¡¯re done for! You¡¯ve offended both the Collins and Morrison families!¡± With a vague smile, Charles nced at Liam like he was a fool. Chapter 545 Chapter 545 Chapter 545 At the hospital, Sean pushed open the door and walked into the ward. He nced at Caroline, who had her eyes closed as shey on the hospital bed. Then, he looked at Kirk, who had sat vigil here all night. Lastly, he exchanged a helpless nce with Charles. ¡°Has he been like this all night? Has he even closed his eyes?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Charles replied. ¡°But I heard from the doctor in charge that Caroline was given a sedative and will only wake up tomorrow. It¡¯s pointless for him to wait here.¡± ¡°I told him that too,¡± Charles said. ¡°But it¡¯s pointless. He insists that he has to stay here by the madam¡¯s side. He said something about needing the first person the madam sees when she wakes up to be him.¡± Sean let out a soft breath. ¡°I get it. He only just got her back, and this happened.¡± ¡°But he must have promised the Collins family that he would attend the banquet. Mr. Collins called me many times, asking when Mr. Morrison will leave¡­ Do you think I should say he¡¯s not going?¡± Before Sean could answer, a hoarse yet appealing voice drifted through the air of the ward. ¡°What time does the banquet start?¡± Charles looked at Kirk in astonishment. He had assumed that Kirk couldn¡¯t even hear what they were talking about. ¡°7 pm.¡± ¡°What time is it now?¡± ¡°Past 5 pm.¡± ¡°Go and prepare everything.¡± Charles remained in his spot. After being stunned for a few seconds, he finally came back to +15 BONUS However, his feet seemed to be stuck to the ground, incapable of moving. He looked over at Sean with eyes still filled with surprise. Sean smiled as he hooked his arm in Charles¡®. ¡°Let¡¯s go settle the preparations.¡± As he spoke, they both walked over to the elevator. It was only when they got to the elevator doors that Charles found his lost voice. ¡°Dr. Yates, did you see that?¡± Sean raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°See what?¡± ¡°Mr. Morrison¡­ He¡­¡± Charles wasn¡¯t sure how he should put it. Seanughed and said, ¡°Do you think that he¡¯s changed again?¡± Charles nodded in response. ¡°He¡¯s be as rational as he used to be in the past. But at the same time, not,¡± Sean rified. Charles kept nodding in agreement. Sean looked up as the elevator doors slowly opened. He was emotional as he patted Charles on the shoulder. ¡°Mr. Lane, you don¡¯t have someone you like, do you?¡± C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Charles shook his head in confusion. ¡°Once you have someone you like, you will understand that you might hurt your partner if you¡¯re not rational enough in love. So, to prevent hurting her, you will have to force yourself to be rational.¡± As Sean spoke, his tone became more distraught. As a single man, Charles looked at Sean with only a slight understanding. He was about to head into the elevator but nearly bumped straight into Sonia and Gwen, who wereing out. ¡°Watch out.¡± Sean instinctively moved to hold Gwen. However, Gwen had already moved away, awkwardly avoiding Sean¡¯s touch. Looking at his empty hand, Sean felt a sting in his heart. However, he still squeezed out a smile. What are you doing here?¡± ¡°How¡¯s Carol? Is she okay?¡± Gwen asked anxiously. Sonia also looked at Sean. Sean¡¯s eyes lit up when he noticed Gwen looking at him. ¡°She¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just that she was given a sedative and will only wake up tomorrow.¡± Chapter 546 Chapter 546 Chapter 546 When Sonia and Gwen heard this, they finally felt relieved. ¡°Take us to see her, then,¡± Gwen said, grabbing Sean¡¯s arm. Sean was silent for a moment before pulling his arm away. ¡°Let Mr. Lane take you. I¡¯m busy, so I¡¯ll be making a move.¡± ¡°Ms. Jameson, Ms. Newman, follow me.¡± Charles¡® words brought Gwen back to earth. She followed Charles, feeling greatly unsettled. As for why, she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it. At the ward, Gwen wasn¡¯t able toin when she saw Kirk with reddened eyes. He must have stayed up all night. The words were stuck in her throat. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Kirk looked up at them before shooting a nce at Charles. ¡°Charles was about to exin when Kirk said ndly, ¡°Please take care of Caroline.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± Gwen blurted out. ¡°To settle the score.¡± ¡°To settle the score? With the Collins family?¡± Gwen had only found out that Caroline had been abducted by the Collins family on the way here. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± Without answering Gwen, Kirk strode out. She was about to chase after him when Sonia held her back. ¡°Gwen.¡± Sonia looked in the direction Kirk went. ¡°You should let him do something. Otherwise, he¡¯ll suffocate if he stays here.¡± ¡°But he won¡¯t be able to do anything. Even if he¡¯s Eddy¡¯s second uncle¡¯s employee, do you think the Morrison family would go against the Collins family because of him? He¡¯s really ¡­¡± ¡°Gwen,¡± Sonia said as she pressed Gwen into a chair. ¡°Maybe he has his own way to solve this problem. Besides, haven¡¯t the police caught the suspects? As long as those people say that Jane is the mastermind, she¡¯ll go to prison.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°Will Jane really be sent to prison?¡± Gwen looked up at Sonia. ¡°The Collins family is so influential, she might¡­¡± ¡°Gwen, you have to trust that there is justice in this world.¡± But Gwen only frowned in response. She gave a bitterugh and said, ¡°Is there really justice in this world?¡± ¡°There is.¡± Sonia bent down and looked right into Gwen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Look at me. Everyone told me that hard work was pointless. If I hadn¡¯t worked so hard, would Caroline have noticed me?¡± Gwen shivered violently. Her lips moved as she looked at Sonia. Jane¡¯s birthday banquet was being held at the Collins residence. The invitees were all members of the big four families. Knowing that Kirk would attend, they all arrived early as a sign of respect for Howard. Once they went through the door, they greeted Howard warmly. In the past, none of these people had cared for Howard at all. After all, they all knew that the Collins family was only one of the elite four because of how they had sucked the Evans family dry. The other three families, the Morrisons, the Hacketts, and the Sorkins, all relied on their long- standing businesses to get their positions in the big four families. It was only natural that they didn¡¯t respect the Collins family, who had gotten their position through tricks and schemes. But things were different now. Howard had partnered up with Eddy¡¯s second uncle, which made it so that everyone else needed to get on his good side now. ¡°Mr. Collins, congrattions!¡± The head of the Sorkin family, Damien Sorkin, immediately congratted Howard when he went inside. Howard looked overjoyed. ¡°Thank you, thank you.¡± Right then, one of the family¡¯s staff ran in from the outside. When he got to Howard, he said, ¡°Sir, the Morrison family has arrived.¡± When they heard this, the gathered people immediately became excited and walked over to the entrance. Howard walked in front of them. When he saw several luxury cars stopped outside, his smile became blindingly bright.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Chapter 547 Chapter 547 Chapter 547 A car door opened, and Eddy and Thomas got out. Right after that, Jude got out as well. Even after the car drove off, there was still no sign of Kirk. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but look at Howard. Howard felt a little panicked at this. He quickly walked over to Jude. ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior,¡± he greeted. Jude exchanged pleasantries with Howard with augh. ¡°Am Ite?¡± ¡°No,¡± Howard answered as he looked behind Jude. Still, he saw no signs of Kirk. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Where is Mr. Kirk? Did he note with you?¡± Jude smiled when he heard this. ¡°Oh, Eddy¡¯s second uncle? To be honest with you, I haven¡¯t seen him in a long time. I¡¯m afraid I might not have had the chance to see him today if it wasn¡¯t for you.¡± When the crowd heard this, they knew that the mysterious man hadn¡¯te with Jude. They all chittered. ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t me Kirk for that.¡± Thomas chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s busy with his affairs overseas and in the country. He¡¯s so busy that he probably wants to clone himself. Naturally, he doesn¡¯t have the time to visit you.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Jude went to sit on the couch with Howard¡¯s help. ¡°It¡¯s because of Kirk¡¯s boldness and willingness to work hard that he was able to be the wealthiest person in Sarcozia in such a short time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said the head of the Hackett family, Aiden Hackett. ¡°If the youngsters in my family were half as hardworking as Mr. Kirk, we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about them anymore.¡± As he said this, he looked at Damien. ¡°Mr. Sorkin, I heard that you sent your son abroad to work with SY Group on a project.¡± Damien eyed Aiden. Everyone in attendance tonight was the cunning sort. Once SY Group was mentioned, they all C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. +15 BONUS ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a small project. It¡¯s got nothing on the project Mr. Collins is working on with Mr. Kirk.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± Everyone focused back on Howard. ¡°Mr. Collins, you¡¯re amazing to be able to work with short time.¡± Howard humbly waved it off. Mr. Mrk. You must have made a lot in this Everyone was chatting very happily, and Eddy couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. He had always despised how fake such events were. However, as the heir of the Morrison family, he could do nothing but sit there and suffer it all. He really hoped Kirk would arrive soon. Eddy hadn¡¯t seen his second uncle in a long time. He had many things to say to Kirk, especially about Caroline. Just as he thought of this, someone changed the topic of conversation to focus on Caroline. ¡°I heard that Evans Group has been doing quite well recently. It seems like it¡¯s rising to the top. Is that true?¡± The person who had spoken was the Sorkin family¡¯s eldest son, Anthony Sorkin. When he heard this, Howard scoffed. ¡°Mr. Sorkin, you have too much faith in Evans Group. ¡°If they¡¯re lucky, a smallpany like them would only make ten million dors or so. And this doesn¡¯t include the costs and other expenses. Which of us here don¡¯t make the same in profits a day?¡± Everyone smiled and agreed. In contrast, Anthony said sheepishly, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯m being shortsighted. However, Evans Group has indeed been improving since Caroline Evans took over. She¡¯s truly a genius.¡± Howard¡¯s expression changed. Once again, he scoffed. ¡°A genius? I¡¯m sure she¡¯s just lucky. If it hadn¡¯t been for all the money Mr. Morrison Senior invested in the beginning, Evans Group wouldn¡¯t have gotten this far. Don¡¯t you understand that, He exined, ¡°Let¡¯s say you feel full after having seven slices of bread. You can¡¯t say that the first six slices are for nothing and only have the seventh slice. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Anthony¡¯s expression shifted. Chapter 548 Chapter 548 When everything was said and done, the Sorkin family was still second among the big four families. Given that Anthony was the heir of the Sorkin family, it was rude for Howard to lecture him in front of so many people. Just as he was about to say something, Damien shot him a look that quieted him. Damien said lightly, ¡°She¡¯s someone Mr. Morrison Senior likes, so she must be quite exceptional. Isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Morrison Senior?¡± Damien had thought that Howard would back down after this, but instead, Howard said, ¡°Even Mr. Morrison Senior can misjudge someone, right?¡± The temperature in the room seemed to plummet. Eddy frowned. However, it wasn¡¯t because of Howard¡¯s haughty attitude. Rather, it was due to how he kept disparaging Caroline. He said coldly, ¡°Mr. Collins, if you say that Caroline is lucky, does that mean you think she has no skills at all?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Howard spread his legs. ¡°If she had any real ability, she would have used Evans Group to get back into the big four families. No one dared to make a sound. Eddy gave a coldugh. ¡°So what you mean is that she¡¯s a piece of trash, and I can¡¯t evenpare to a piece of trash.¡± Howard nched as he sat up straighter. ¡°W¨Cwhat do you mean by that?¡± Eddy replied, ¡°Don¡¯t you know, Mr. Collins? I invested in Evanson Corporation. After Caroline became the CEO of Evans Group, Morrison Corp withdrew its investment. ¡°Right after that, many of Evans Group¡¯s employees resigned. That means Evans Group had no capital or talent during that time. Caroline handled everything.¡± +15 BONUS He continued, ¡°But that wasn¡¯t so for Evanson Corporation. It had the support of ample funds, the best designers, the best advertising team, the best sales channels¡­ ¡°We had the best of everything. But we still failed. Doesn¡¯t that mean that I can¡¯t evenpare to a piece of trash?¡± No one spoke. But it wasn¡¯t due to surprise at the information Eddy had revealed. Rather, they were astonished at how Eddy described himself as being less than Caroline. This was the first time in eight years that they had witnessed Eddy defending Caroline in public. Even Jude and Thomas were staring at him in disbelief. After a second, Howard managed to force a smile. ¡°Mr. Morrison, I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± ¡°But you called Caroline a piece of trash.¡± Howard inhaled deeply and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t have a clear picture of what had happened before I started making unfoundedments.¡± ¡°It¡¯s pointless to apologize to me.¡± Eddy red icily at Howard. ¡°I think you had better apologize to Caroline herself.¡± The attendees all exchanged nces with each other. Howard forced an unwilling smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will certainly apologize to Ms. Evans personally. Ah, it¡¯s gettingte. Let me go see if my wife¡¯s ready.¡± As he spoke, Howard got up to head to the second floor. After turning a corner and making sure that no one could see his expression, Howard frowned deeply. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. His expression remained grim as he walked to the master bedroom. At the door, he found the butler pacing around in worry. Displeased, Howard called out, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where¡¯s the madam? Is she ready?¡± The butler was panicked as he said, ¡°The madam, s¨Cshe¡­¡± ¡°What in the world is she-¡± Before he could finish speaking, Howard heard an anxious crying from downstairs. ¡°Sir, sir. Mr. Kirk is here!¡± Hearing that, Howard couldn¡¯t be bothered about Jane anymore. He rushed downstairs. Watching him leave, the butler finally managed to finish speaking. He said, ¡°¡­ is missing. Chapter 549 Chapter 549 Chapter 549 The entryway was packed with people. Howard elbowed through theyers of the crowd and finally managed to squeeze to the front. A Lamborghini was parked at the entrance to the Collinses¡® residence. Looking at the shape of the car, it seemed to be a Concept S. Since it was a convertible, everyone could see that a man in shades sat in the car. He had an oppressive bearing. He was in a ck suit, and his expression was tight. All the crowd could see were his sexy lips and tall nose bridge. After a long while, Howard seemed to think of something and hurried forward to open the door. Mr. Kirk, you¡¯re finally here.¡± Behind his shades, Kirk¡¯s gaze was sharper than a knife. Even through the lenses of the sunsses, Howard felt such a chill that he shivered. ¡°Mr. Kirk?¡± he asked. Kirk raised his chin slightly as he walked straight into the living room. With that, Howard let out a relieved breath and followed behind Kirk. Eddy hadn¡¯t made his way outside with the others. Instead, he had stayed and waited in the living room. When he saw Kirk, he immediately went up. ¡°Uncle Kirk.¡± Damien and Aiden quickly turned to focus their gazes on Kirk. They raised their eyebrows at the sight, thinking that it wasn¡¯t surprising that Kirk was the richest man in Sarcozia. After all, no one else in Easton had the kind of charisma he did. ¡°Mr. Kirk.¡± The two men stood up and greeted Kirk as well. Although they were the heads of their respective families, they felt small when standing before Kirk. Kirk looked up slightly and went over to Jude before taking off his shades. ¡°Uncle Jude.¡± +15 BONUS Jude looked Kirk up and down before chuckling. ¡°Kirk, it¡¯s been such a long time since I¡¯ve seen you. I thought you forgot you had an uncle.¡± Kirk smiled but didn¡¯t respond. Jude continued, ¡°Did you get thinner? Have you been so busytely that you haven¡¯t been having proper meals?¡± He sighed. ¡°Your father wanted you to get married because he wanted someone to help look out for you. It seems that your wife isn¡¯t doing a very good job.¡± Kirk¡¯s eyes narrowed. His sharp instincts told him that Jude¡¯s words had a different meaning. Still, he answered smoothly, ¡°Uncle Jude, everyone is a unique individual. No one would change just because they got married. ¡°I don¡¯t have many expectations of ¡­ Daphne. She just needs to do what she should as my wife.¡± ¡°Grandpa, we¡¯re in Mr. Collin¡¯s home,¡± Eddy reminded Jude softly. This wasn¡¯t the right ce to talk about family matters. It was best to wait until they went home to discuss such things. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Jude smiled. His gaze was still pinned unblinkingly on Kirk. Simon had already investigated things. Indeed, Caroline had managed to beat Evanson Corporation on her own without external help. It was also her own capabilities that allowed her to help that minor celebrity, Sonia Norman, win a huge role. But¡­ During this time, Daphne had suddenly announced to the public that she had to step away from acting for a while because she had gotten sick. Jude had had someone look into it and found that Daphne wasn¡¯t sick at all. Rather, she had been kept under lockdown at home. It was clear to see that this was Kirk¡¯s doing. Needless to say, this confused Jude. What had Daphne done to make Kirk lock her up at home? At the beginning, when Kirk had introduced Daphne d marriage was a fake one. Now, with this, he was even more sure that he had been tricked. If he had truly been tricked, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to act as if nothing of the like had happened. Chapter 550 Chapter 550 Chapter 550 After all, Jude was Kirk¡¯s uncle. How could Kirk lie to him? ¡°Grandpa,¡± Eddy reminded again lowly. Thomas quickly said to Howard, ¡°Mr. Collins, where¡¯s your wife? Why hasn¡¯t shee downstairs yet? Kirk¡¯s here already, too. Does she want everyone to wait for her?¡± Howard chuckled and said, ¡°Hardly. I¡¯ll have someone call her down right now.¡± As he said this, he waved one of the employees over. ¡°Hurry up and ask the madam toe downstairs.¡± The employee rushed upstairs. However, many minutester, Jane still didn¡¯t show up. Howard frowned and quietly had someone go upstairs to rush her. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Then, he said to the crowd, ¡°Everyone, please take a seat. Women are quite difficult, always having to put on makeup, change, and all that. I¡¯m sorry for making you all wait.¡± The attendees smiled in understanding and went to take their assigned seats. Throughout this time, Kirk remained expressionless. Damien used this golden opportunity to raise a ss to Kirk. He said, ¡°Mr. Kirk, thank you for all your help and taking Adrian with you to make so much money. He¡¯s even managed to make some headway into foreign markets sessfully.¡± He continued, ¡°These past few years, Sorkin Group has tried to expand outward, but we never managed. I really must thank you tonight.¡± Kirk raised his wine ss and said ndly, ¡°You should thank Adrian if you want to thank someone.¡± Damien didn¡¯t understand. He looked at Anthony beside him. However, Anthony was perplexed as well. ¡°Mr. Kirk, what do you mean?¡± 1/3 ¡°He has a good eye,¡± Kirk answered. +15 BONUS After all, Adrian had been interested in Caroline. That was why Kirk had to think up a way to keep him overseas. However, Damien misunderstood Kirk¡¯s meaning. He thought that Kirk was praising Adrian for having a keen eye for business. ¡°Mr. Kirk, you¡¯re too kind. That child had always caused such trouble growing up. We¡­¡± Seeing how indifferent Kirk seemed and how totally uninterested he was in chatting, Damien didn¡¯t know what to say. After all, he was head of the Sorkin family, the second¨Cmost elite family in Easton. Yet he was at a loss. In the past, he had made others speechless. But before Kirk, he was cowering when faced with the way Kirk held himself, even if he kept telling himself that Kirk was younger than him. The living room fell into a chilly silence. Nobody dared to speak. In the end, Eddy walked up and said, ¡°Uncle Kirk, what have you been working ontely? It¡¯s been so long since Ist saw you.¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze fell on Howard. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy doing business with Mr. Collins.¡± Howard was overjoyed at being mentioned. ¡°You¡¯re being too kind, Mr. Kirk. It¡¯s all because of your help that we managed to work together. ¡°Collins Group should be thanking you for all you¡¯ve done to nurture us. I¡¯m sure that we¡¯ll grow even bigger soon.¡± ¡°Naturally. With Mr. Kirk leading the way, you¡¯ll definitely get richer,¡± Aiden said admiringly. ¡°We have no such luck.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Damien took Aiden¡¯s lead and started bootlicking. ¡°With Mr. Kirk around, the Collins family will be surpassing us soon.¡± Howard smiled, pleased. He faked humility and said, ¡°How can that be?¡± In truth, he was so happy that he might as well have been a dog wagging its tail. Chapter 551 Chapter 551 Chapter 551 The man was so scared that he started shaking. He stumbled away, looking like he was running for his life Seeing this, Howard¡¯s eyebrow twitched. A bad feeling grew in his gut. A wicked look shed in Kirk¡¯s eyes as he sat in the middle of the couch. Howard braced himself andughed as he faced the crowd. ¡°Let me go up for a look. You can all chat. Don¡¯t mind us¡­¡± As he spoke, he stumbled upstairs, nearly tripping a few times. When he got to the second floor, he looked around at the empty master bedroom and strode over to the butler. Lowering his voice, he questioned, ¡°Where¡¯s the madam?¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. The butler instantly went down on his knees. ¡°Sir, the madam¡­ She hasn¡¯t been back since she went out yesterday. I¡¯ve been trying to contact her all this time, but I didn¡¯t manage to get through to her.¡± Howard kicked the butler in the chest. ¡°You useless fool. Why are you telling me such an important piece of news now?¡± The butler clutched his chest. ¡°Sir, I sent people out to search for her yesterday, but no one¡¯s found her, even now. We should make a police report immediately.¡± Howard gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Let me ask you something. Why did she go out yesterday?¡± ¡°S¨Cshe¡­ she¡­¡± The butler lowered his head, not daring to tell Howard. Howard was so angry that he felt like he was about to have a heart attack. ¡°Are you still not going to tell me at this point?¡± With no other choice, the butler could only answer tremblingly, ¡°To capture ¡­ Caroline.¡± Howard¡¯s voice was high as he shouted, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°She went to capture Caroline,¡± the butler repeated. Howard was so infuriated that he kicked the butler several more times. ¡°Why did she want to capture Caroline? Don¡¯t you know I signed a contract with Mr. Kirk?¡± +15 BONUS Although Howard despised Caroline a lot, the Collins family had been earning so much after signing the contract with Kirk. Thereafter, he couldn¡¯t be bothered with Caroline anymore. If Jane had gone to make trouble for Caroline, wasn¡¯t she just transgressing against the person who was letting them make money? ¡°I don¡¯t care how you do it, but find Jane now! Right this instant! And Caroline. Don¡¯t let Mr. Kirk find out about what happened. Go now!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The butler scrambled to get up from the ground. Without caring for his pride, he raced down the stairs. Downstairs, the guests couldn¡¯t help but look up at the butler as he left the house. Right then, Howard¡¯s voice drifted down from the second floor. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, everyone. We forgot to buy some drinks. I¡¯ve sent someone to get to it now. Let¡¯s-¡± Before he could finish, the butler retreated from the front entrance. He was trembling even harder now than he had been before. ¡°You piece of shit! I asked you to do something. How can you be so-¡± Howard¡¯s voice suddenly came to a stop. He watched as the police came in and hurried downstairs. ¡°Officers, what brings you here?¡± The policeman at the front was stern as he brought out an arrest warrant. ¡°Good evening, we¡¯re here to see Jane Dawson. She¡¯s implicated in an abduction and murder case.¡± Howard clenched his fists tightly to maintain hisposure. ¡°Officers, you must be mistaken. Other than ying cards and shopping, that wife of mine doesn¡¯t do anything much. How could she possibly have abducted or tried to murder anyone?¡± ¡°Mr. Collins,¡± the policeman started. He was unaffected by Howard¡¯s words. ¡°We will investigate the truth of what happened. If the suspect is innocent, we will naturally release her. For now, please ask her toe out.¡± ¡°She she¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Collins!¡± The policeman sounded even more stern now. ¡°Search the ce!¡± Seeing that Howard wasn¡¯t willing to bring Jane out after a long while, the However, after a flurry of searching, they didn¡¯t find her at all. ¡°Captain, she¡¯s not here.¡± Chapter 552 Chapter 552 Chapter 552 ¡°Sir, she¡¯s not upstairs either.¡± The police captain frowned as he looked at Howard. ¡°Mr. Collins, may I ask where your wife is?¡± Howard replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Please cooperate with us in this investigation.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Then when was thest time you saw your wife?¡± ¡°Yesterday.¡± Howard¡¯s voice was trembling as he said this. ¡°So you mean that she hasn¡¯t been back since yesterday?¡± The police officer nced at Howard. ¡°Do you know what she went out to do yesterday?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± The second officer said, ¡°Yesterday, your wife went out and abducted Ms. Caroline Evans¡­¡± Howard¡¯s face paled at those words. Enraged, he raised his voice. ¡°I told you that I don¡¯t know anything I don¡¯t! Do you have any proof? You¡¯re just ndering her!¡± ¡°We do have proof,¡± the policeman said calmly. ¡°Yesterday, we arrested more than ten bodyguards under the Collins family¡¯s employ. ording to their statements, they were following your wife¡¯s orders to cause harm to Ms. Evans-¡± ¡°Stop talking!¡± Howard cut off the police officer in a rage. ¡°Stop talking. I don¡¯t know about any of this. I don¡¯t know anything!¡± The police officer was silent as he regarded Howard for several minutes. Then, he waved a hand and said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we won¡¯t disturb you here any further. If you have any news about your wife, please contact us immediately.¡± That said, the police captain led his team away. ¡°Mr. Collins,¡± Aiden started, ¡°has there been some kind of misunderstanding here?¡± Aiden¡¯s voice brought a teetering Howard back to himself. He was agitated as he whirled his head around to stare at Kirk. ¡°Mr. Kirk, I really don¡¯t know anything about this.¡® Kirk¡¯s gaze was dark and grim, like a churning sea at midnight. Howard was suffering immense pressure as he walked forward to stand before Kirk. As he approached Kirk, he felt a sense that his death wasing terrifyingly closer. Howard threw himself at Kirk¡¯s feet, letting go of his pride. Kirk let out a short bark ofughter as he ced his hand on Howard¡¯s head and pressed down with great force. Howard¡¯s body was trembling. ¡°Mr. Kirk ¡­¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯ve forgotten the agreement between uspletely.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t!¡± Howard rushed to defend himself. He exined, ¡°I really didn¡¯t know about my wife and Ms. Evans. I really didn¡¯t know¡­ Mr. Kirk, please give me another chance. I will discipline my wife!¡± Kirk stood up and red at Howard. ¡°I came here today to tell you that our partnership is over.¡± Howard trembled even more violently now. He was like a dog as he circled Kirk¡¯s legs in his arms. Mr. Kirk, don¡¯t do this. I¡¯m really innocent. I don¡¯t know anything ¦§ Kirk lowered his head to observe Howard, who was still pleading desperately. His gaze became even colder. ¡°Also¡­ anyone who works with the Collins Group won¡¯t be able to get a partnership with SY Group!¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g After saying this, Kirk kicked Howard aside and strode toward the front door. ¡± Everyone watched in a daze as Kirk left. Although it hadn¡¯t been stated explicitly, the reason that Did that mean that Kirk had partnered with Howard because of Caroline in the first ce? The crowd wore mixed expressions when they looked over at the remaining members of the Morrison family. Chapter 553 Chapter 553 Chapter 553 Outside the door, Kirk was just about to drive off when Jude rushed out of the Collinses¡® residence with Eddy¡¯s help. Kirk¡¯s eyes narrowed. In that short moment, Jude managed to reach the car and started knocking on the window. Kirk tilted his chin, signaling for the driver to open the door. The driver got out of the car and opened the door. Looking at Kirk inside the car, Jude smiled. ¡°Kirk, do you mind if we get a ride in your car?¡± ¡°Of course not. Please do get in, Uncle Jude.¡± Kirk extended a hand to help Jude into the car. Once Jude was settled in, Eddy got into the front passenger seat. After he was settled in as well, Eddy hurriedly asked, ¡°Uncle Kirk, what was all that just now? What happened to Caroline?¡± When Eddy had heard that Jane was involved in an abduction and murder case and that the target was Caroline, his heart had started beating wildly. Now, he couldn¡¯t help but ask Kirk about it. Kirk expended all his effort to control his expression. He said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself. From what the police said, Jane got more than ten of her bodyguards to try and kill Caroline. It should be something like that, I think?¡± ¡°Then Caroline must be in a lot of danger now. No, this won¡¯t do.¡± Eddy took out his phone. ¡°I have to look for her. She should stay at our hospital.¡± The hospital under Morrison Corp was the best in all of Easton. As Eddy made his phone call, Jude spoke up. ¡°Kirk, why didn¡¯t you tell us something so big had happened?¡± ¡°I only just found out.¡± Jude asked, ¡°Is that so? Why does it sound to me like you knew about it much earlier?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Uncle Jude, you must be joking. I¡¯m not a fortune teller.¡± Kirk answered so smoothly that there was no trace of anything amiss. Jude was still worried about Caroline¡¯s condition, so he didn¡¯t keep asking about it. After a long while, Eddy finally ended his call. He let out a heavy breath. ¡°Grandpa, she¡¯s fine. I just asked. The hospital said that they had given Caroline a sedative, so she¡¯s currently unconscious. She should wake up tomorrow, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Jude nced at Kirk and said with a chuckle, ¡°Am I the only one worried? Aren¡¯t you worried too?¡± These words were directed at Eddy. In response, Eddy angled his body to face the two men in the back seat, his expression strange. ¡°Grandpa, why would I be worried about her? But regardless of anything, she took care of me for eight whole years. Of course, I hope that she¡¯ll be fine.¡± His eyebrow twitched. ¡°Kirk, are you alright?¡± Jude asked, looking at Kirk. Kirk only smiled. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Right then, Eddy¡¯s voice came again. ¡°If you ask me, Caroline¡¯s husband is really useless. If he had any capabilities at all, he wouldn¡¯t have let her get hurt. But she still treats him like such a treasure.¡± Eddy kept nagging, unaware of the conflict going on behind him. Hearing Eddy¡¯s words, Jude nced at Kirk again. Still, Kirk¡¯s expression remained indifferent the whole time,pletely unaffected by the words. After a long time, Eddy got tired of talking when no one responded to him. He shut his mouth. Then, Jude spoke up again. ¡°Kirk, I¡¯ve always wanted to ask you something. It seems I have the chance now. ¡°Why did you choose to partner with Collins Group? Although they¡¯re in the entertainment industry and indeed take up a lot of the market share, I remember you saying that you like to work alone.¡± Chapter 554 Chapter 554 Chapter 554 Jude¡¯s expression changed as he sat up straight. ¡°Oh? Are these two incidents rted?¡± ¡°After Brie lost her mind, the Collins family has been wanting to make a move against Caroline to avenge her. I also only found out about this inadvertently. ¡°Back then, she was on the outs with her family. I was worried that she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it since she was a woman all on her own. ¡°That¡¯s why I partnered with Collins Group. It was with the condition to let Caroline off.¡± Jude kept staring into Kirk¡¯s eyes as he said, ¡°Can I ask why you did that?¡± Kirk was also looking at Jude, no longer avoiding him. He admitted it straightforwardly, saying, Of course. I did that because I like Caroline.¡± At these words, Jude¡¯s expression shifted drastically. He inhaled deeply and said, ¡°You¡¯re finally admitting it.¡± Kirk replied, ¡°I have nothing to admit to.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s¡­¡± ¡± In the front passenger seat, Eddy didn¡¯t notice that there was a disagreement going on in the back. He turned his head to look at the older men and said with a smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say it before? Caroline is great with the older generation.¡± ¦§ Jude looked at his thoughtless grandson and suddenly felt like he couldn¡¯t keep going. He lowered his voice and asked, ¡°Then what¡¯s the situation with Ms. Dawson?¡± ¡°Uncle Jude, I¡¯ve already said that all she needs to do is what she¡¯s supposed to do as my wife.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Jude whipped his head up to look at Kirk. ¡°So you mean that, to you, Ms. Dawson only helps to deal with your marriage problem?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t keep looking at Jude. He answered, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re married!¡± Though Jude¡¯s words were simple, they carried a deeper meaning. +15 BONUS But Kirk didn¡¯t fall for the trap. He said ndly, ¡°We are married. But we can always get divorced.¡± ¡°You want to marry. someone else?¡± Jude was holding back his anger as he looked at Eddy up front. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Even if she¡¯s already married?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jude gripped his walking stick tightly. ¡°When did you start getting that desire?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t answer immediately. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t remember anymore.¡± Eddy was totally confused as he listened to this conversation. He turned to look at the two curiously. ¡°Uncle Kirk, Grandpa, what are you talking about? Why don¡¯t I understand any of it?¡± Jude nced at him for a second before turning to look out the window in a huff. Kirk only gave Eddy a slight smile, not exining anything at all. The atmosphere in the car slowly became quite strange. The three of them remained this way until they arrived at Morrison Manor. Kirk said, ¡°Uncle Jude, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± Jude gripped his walking stick and remained silent for a moment. Then, he said to Eddy, ¡°Eddy, you get off first.¡± Not understanding what Jude wanted to do, Eddy nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± After Eddy got out of the car, Jude angled himself toward Kirk and said, ¡°Kirk, you cannot be with Caroline!¡± ¡°Uncle Jude, no one can interfere in my life.¡± Kirk leaned into the back of his seat, lookingzy. Jude lifted his walking stick and tapped it lightly several times before he managed to control his churning rage. ¡°Kirk, Caroline is speci¨¢l to me. Besides, she grew up with Eddy. Although she went overseas for a long time, she had always been with Eddy besides that.¡± He continued, ¡°Although she is married now and is away from Eddy, she¡¯s like a bird trapped in a golden cage. She craved freedom. Now that she¡¯s gotten out, she¡¯s drawn by the new world she¡¯s found. ¡°Butter, she will realize that staying in the cage and being cared for is a much morefortable life. ¡°In the end, she will fly back into the cage. After all, that¡¯s where she spent most of her life. That¡¯s where it¡¯s most homey.¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze darkened as he stayed quiet. Chapter 555 Chapter 555 Chapter 555 After a moment, Kirk suddenly let out a soft noise. He seemed afraid of angering Jude. ¡°Caroline is only in her 20s now. She has a long road in front of her. Eddy only took up about 20 years of her life. However, I can take up the next 30, 40, 50 or more years of her life¡­¡± As expected, Jude was incandescent when he heard these words. His eyes were burning with fury as he asked, ¡°So you¡¯re determined to be with Carrie no matter what?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Kirk gave an affirmative answer. Angry, Jude pushed the door open in a huff and got out of the car. Simon was already waiting by the car. Seeing Jude getting out, he went up to help his employer. However, Jude shoved Simon aside in annoyance. Eddy could tell that Jude was angry and quickly rushed up. ¡°Grandpa, what¡¯s-¡± Kirk eyed the closed door and said to the driver, ¡°Take me home.¡± Getting his orders, the driver departed Morrison Manor. Inside Morrison Manor, Jude walked into the study, with Eddy following closely behind. ¡°Grandpa, what¡¯s going on with you?¡± Eddy asked. He knew that Jude had been talking about something with Kirk, and that was why he was in such a rage now. Jude red at Eddy, making thetter even more confused. ¡°Grandpa, why are you looking at me like that? I didn¡¯t do anything to make you angry.¡± ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± Without waiting for a response, Jude barreled on, ¡°Do you like Caroline or not? Do you want to be with her? ¡°I¡¯m telling you now¨Cyou have a very powerfulpetitor. If you don¡¯t work fast, ah¡­ I think you won¡¯t ever get to see Caroline again!¡± Eddy didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Who? Grandpa, let me tell you something. I¡¯ve finally understood the 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Don¡¯t mention Caroline¡¯s husband to me again! If it hadn¡¯t been for him, Caroline and your-¡± ¡°My what?¡± Jude raised a trembling hand at Eddy, unable to say more. How could he have a grandson who was so slow when it came to matters of the heart? ¡°Forget it!¡± Jude mmed a hand on the table and said, ¡°You and Caroline can do whatever you want!¡± Eddy helped Jude to sit down ¡°Grandpa, wouldn¡¯t it have been better if things had been like this earlier? I told you long ago not to butt into our matters. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be mad anymore. I¡¯ll go see Caroline in your steadter, alright?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Jude was so angry that his head hurt. He intentionally went against Eddy. ¡°You don¡¯t need to go and see her, either. Besides, there¡¯s no way you¡¯re getting together.¡± Eddy got anxious when he heard this. ¡°Grandpa, what do you mean by that? Don¡¯t you like Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Caroline?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of me liking her if you don¡¯t?¡± Jude looked Eddy up and down. ¡°I¡¯m telling you not to go. If you go, I¡¯ll break both your legs.¡± Eddy¡¯s temper reared its head as well. ¡°Grandpa, if you say that, then I have to go and see her!¡± After saying that, he left in a huff. Watching Eddy leave, Jude couldn¡¯t help butugh. Simon went forward and said, ¡°Sir, I didn¡¯t expect this trick of provoking him would work.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Judemented. ¡°If I had known it would be so effective, I would have used it from the start-¡± Jude broke off, suddenly thinking of something. ¡°Sir, what is it?¡± Chapter 556 Chapter 556 Chapter 556 ¡°Why do you say that, sir?¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯t forced Eddy so hard to marry Carrie, the two of them might have gotten together long ago.¡± Simon didn¡¯t understand. He asked, ¡°Sir, this¡­¡± ¡°That child is a stubborn one. The more you force him to drink, the more he won¡¯t. Why didn¡¯t I realize this before?¡± Now that Jude had mentioned it, Simon found it true as well. ¡°That¡¯s right. You always had to expend so much effort to get Mr. Eddy to visit Ms. Evans. But when you purposely went against him just now, he went right off.¡± Jude sighed heavily before saying, ¡°Though I know my intentions are good, I feel like I¡¯m doing something bad. It seems like I will have to do everything the opposite way from now on.¡± Simon consoled him. ¡°But sir, haven¡¯t you simply found the right method of doing things? I¡¯m sure that Mr. Eddy will soon realize how much he cares for Ms. Evans.¡± ¡°I might not have that long.¡± Jude got up and walked to the window. ¡°Lately, I feel so weak. I won¡¯t die happy if I don¡¯t see Eddy and Caroline together before I pass.¡± ¡°Sir¡­¡± Simon went up behind Jude. ¡°You¡¯ve only been a little tiredtely. Rest well, and you will feel better. You will definitely live a long life.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of living a long life? I hope that I can get to the other side and see Giselle sooner.¡± ¡°Sir¡­¡± Jude waved a hand and slowly closed his eyes. After a moment, he reopened them. ¡°Have people keep a close eye on Daphne and Kirk. If something strange happens, inform me immediately.¡± Simon tensed at this. ¡°Sir, is Mr. Kirk really ¡­¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°I asked him about it just now. He admitted that he indeed likes Caroline. However, he¡¯s not her husband. Plus, from what he said, it sounds like he¡¯s trying toe up with a way to get her and her husband to divorce.¡± ¡°In that case, it means your previous suspicions were wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still too soon to say. Whatever it is, it¡¯s best to keep an eye out now.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After leaving Morrison Manor, Kirk didn¡¯t rush to the hospital, even though that was what he really wanted to do. He had something very important to do first. After more than half an hour, Kirk arrived at a vi far away, on the outskirts of Osbury. Sean and Charles had already been waiting there for a long time. Seeing Kirk arrive, they quickly went forward. ¡°The three of them are being kept inside.¡± Kirk nodded and walked into the vi. He pushed the door and went inside to find only wisps of light in the dark interior. The three people tied to chairs raised their heads and looked toward the entrance. They had already been kept here for one day and one night. After so much time, they were now absolutely terrified. Their eyesight wasn¡¯t very good, either. With the light shining behind him, Kirk was only a vague silhouette to them. They couldn¡¯t see his features properly. Nevertheless, Daphne could recognize Kirk at first nce. Her heart dropped. Next to her, Jane was still doing her best to struggle. Even with her mouth sealed with tape, she kept making muffled noises in protest. Kirk walked before her and ripped the tape off her mouth. The pain made Jane gasp. Then, she burst into curses. ¡°Do you know who I am? How dare you treat me so roughly? Once I get out of here, I¡¯m not letting Chapter 557 Chapter 557 Chapter 557 In the next instant, Kirk gripped Jane¡¯s chin. It hurt so much that the pain spread from her jaw all the way down her body. Her face twisted into a scowl at the feeling. As she frowned, she finally managed to take a good look at Kirk¡¯s face. ¡°Who in the world are you?¡± Jane squeezed out with difficulty. ¡°Don¡¯t you know who I am? Don¡¯t you know who my husband is? Hurry up and let me go, or I¡¯ll make sure you die a horrible death.¡± Sitting next to her, Liam gulped in fear at this. But soon, he became arrogant as well. ¡°The woman sitting next to me is Mrs. Collins. The other is Mrs. Morrison. ¡°Do you know the Morrison family? They¡¯re the most influential family in all of Easton! Also, she¡¯s not just Mrs. Morrison, but the wife of Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle.¡± Liam exined, ¡°Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle, the one who came back from overseas! Do you know how powerful he is? ¡°He was in Sarcozia, on someone else¡¯s turf, and built the top corporation there in just a few years- SY Group! ¡°You can¡¯t afford to offend any of these people. I advise you to let us go now. Or else-¡± Kirk¡¯s gazended on Liam. It was so grim that it terrified Liam into shaking unconsciously. Coming inside, Sean heard Liam¡¯s exaggerations and couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Kirk, I think you¡¯d better tell them who you are quickly. Let them die in peace.¡± ¡°Die ¡­ You want to kill us?¡± Jane¡¯s face nched. She went into a frenzy, trying to escape. ¡°If you touch a hair on my head, I¡¯ll cut you up into bits!¡± ¡°Behave!¡± Charles kicked Jane¡¯s chair. ¡°Do you really think the Collins family is as it was before? There won¡¯t be a Collins family in Easton¡¯s big four families from now on. ¡°What did you say?¡± Charles said considerately, ¡°Today, Mr. Kirk went to the Collins family¡¯s banquet and cut off all partnerships with them. Plus, we won¡¯t partner with anypanies that work with the Collins Group.¡± Jane¡¯s lips went white. She stammered, ¡°That can¡¯t be. You¡¯re lying to me, aren¡¯t you? ¡°Daph, say something!¡± She turned to look at Daphne. She finally noticed that Daphne was trembling, her face devoid of any color. She looked like she had suffered a huge blow. ¡°Daph, what¡¯s wrong with you? You don¡¯t have to be afraid of him. Once your husband is here, they¡¯ll beg for mercy.¡± Daphne kept shaking, her eyes filled with terror. She felt like there was a heavy weight on her head and kept it lowered. She couldn¡¯t raise it at all. ¡°H¨Che¡¯s already here,¡± she said. Jane was ecstatic. ¡°Where is he? How did you know? Does that mean we¡¯re going to be saved now?¡± ¡°H¨Che¡¯s¡­ right i¨Cin front of us!¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Jane was perplexed as she looked at the three men before her. ¡°He¡¯s not here. Other than these three, the vi¡¯s-¡± She suddenly stopped talking, and her eyes widened as she looked at Kirk in disbelief. Jane knew Sean, but Charles definitely wasn¡¯t Daphne¡¯s husband! ¡°Y¨Cy¨Cyou ¡­¡± Jane¡¯s teeth chattered. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle?¡± Liam suddenly felt his world turn gray. He stared at Kirk as he prayed for the man to deny it. Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t go his way. Kirk took a step back and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Liam and Jane both shuddered, staring at Kirk in disbelief.. After a long while, Liam forced a smile. ¡°Mr. Kirk, I really didn¡¯t know it was you. Sorry for the offense before. I was wrong!¡± Chapter 558 Chapter 558 Chapter 558 Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Jane was also frightened. She said fearfully, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Mr. Kirk. We have never seen you before, so we didn¡¯t know who you were. This is just a misunderstanding. Please let us off.¡± Kirk sneered. ¡°You almost killed Caroline. Do you think I¡¯ll let you both live?¡± Jane could hear the malice in his words, and she felt a chill run down her spine. However, she didn¡¯t understand why he valued Caroline so much. Wasn¡¯t she just a former potential granddaughter¨Cinw Jude liked? ¡°Sir, there are some things you may not understand. Although your uncle, Mr. Morrison Senior, likes Caroline very much, she¡¯s already married to someone else. ¡°She isn¡¯t affiliated with the Morrisons anymore. You can ask Dr. Yates if you don¡¯t believe me. Caroline is already married.¡± Sean was amused by Jane¡¯s cluelessness about the situation. He asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t Ms. Dawson tell you who Caroline¡¯s husband is?¡± Jane looked at Daphne and noticed her body trembling. She questioned, ¡°Daph, do you know who Caroline¡¯s husband is?¡± Daphne¡¯s body trembled even more at her question. ¡°Say something!¡± Jane raised her voice. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me such an important thing?¡± Daphne bit her lip harshly. Even as she tasted blood, she still couldn¡¯t utter a single word. Jane had an ominous feeling. ¡°Daphne! Are you hiding something from me?¡± Charles and Sean looked at each other silently. Then, Charles turned to Jane. ¡°Since Ms. Dawson won¡¯t tell you the truth, I will.¡± Jane and Liam¡¯s gazended on Charles. Charles said word for word, ¡°Caroline¡¯s husband is Mr. Kirk.¡± The simple sentence shocked Jane, Liam, and Daphne to their cores. 1/2. +15 BONUS Jane and Liam were shocked by the revtion. Meanwhile, Daphne froze because the truth had been revealed. Before it had been revealed, she had still had the illusion that things would work out for her. However, Charles¡® wordspletely crushed thest shred of hope that she had. After a few moments, Jane finally found her voice again. She red at Daphne and shrieked,¡± Daphne, you¡¯re not his wife!¡± Liam also stared at Daphne. For a moment, he couldn¡¯t process the bombshells that everyone dropped. Daphne tried to say something, but she still couldn¡¯t utter a word. ¡°You lied to me! How dare you lie to me?¡± Jane seethed. After thinking about how she had given Daphne gifts, she wanted to kill her. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you! Let me go so I can kill her!¡± Kirk coldly watched Jane slowly go insane. Then, Liam suddenly burst out intoughter. His deafening voice made Jane stop her rampage and look at him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t realize Caroline is the wife of Eddy¡¯s second uncle! And yet, I still offended her time and time again! ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m truly the biggest fool on earth! If I had worked with her sooner, Sloan might not have gone to jail, and mypany would have already grown. I¡¯m such a dumbass. Hahahaha!¡± Liamughed louder and louder. Suddenly, his body twitched, and he spit out a pool of blood. Then, he sat straight on the chair, his eyes widening. Chapter 559 Chapter 559 Chapter 559 This frightening incident made Jane scream hysterically. Kirk cast an indifferent nce at the group of gnats in the room, then slowly walked out of the vi. Seeing this, Sean followed his friend. When he arrived at the door, he immediately inhaled the fresh air. He handed Kirk a cigarette. ¡°How are you going to deal with those three?¡± Kirk narrowed his eyes. He sniffed the cigarette and said calmly, without a hint of emotion, ¡°We¡¯ll do what is necessary. ¡°We¡¯ll hand over whoever the police need and bury away whatever we need to. But¡­ we have to keep Daphne around.¡± ¡°Why? You can¡¯t bear to see her get hurt?¡± Sean asked jokingly. Kirk massaged his temples. ¡°That old man suspects that I¡¯m Caroline¡¯s husband.¡± ¡°You mean Mr. Morrison Senior?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¥ß¥ë¥ß¥å Sean immediately panicked. ¡°If he finds out the truth, he¡¯ll definitely tell Caroline your identity. When that happens- Kirk had just gotten out of his predicament. He couldn¡¯t get into trouble again. Kirk said, ¡°That¡¯s why we have to keep Daphne around.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Kirk let out a harsh breath. ¡°I¡¯ll leave all of this to you. I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°You¡¯re eager to see her, aren¡¯t you?¡± Sean teased. Kirk threw the cigarett¨¦ back to Sean and got into the car. Then, the car started and headed for the hospital. +15 BONUS Meanwhile, in the hospital, Caroline thought she would see Kirk the moment she woke up. However, unexpectedly, she only found Gwen and Sonia. Gwen said, ¡°You don¡¯t look happy to see the both of us, Carol.¡± Caroline slowly sat up with Sonia¡¯s help. ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°Come on, I saw the disappointment in your eyes.¡± Gwen approached Caroline. ¡°Are you upset because you didn¡¯t see Kirk?¡± Caroline shook her head, but she felt her head spin when she did. She raised her hand and massaged her temples. Gwen asked nervously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you in any pain? I¡¯ll get the doctor.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. This medicine is just strong.¡± Caroline pulled Gwen¡¯s arm, looking at her pleadingly. Knowing Caroline was fine, Gwen smiled once more. She even teased, ¡°What? Are you going to ask where Kirk is?¡± Caroline¡¯s cheeks turned warm, and she pinched Gwen¡¯s waist gently. ¡°You always tease me.¡± ¡°How unfair. You scared us to death, but you still won¡¯t let us tease you,¡± Gwen said with a smile. Sonia said, ¡°Gwen, you¡¯d better just tell Caroline what she wants to know. Kirk just went out. He¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Caroline¡¯s face turned red at Sonia¡¯s words. After a long while, she mumbled, ¡°He went out? Where did he go?¡± Gwen pointed at Caroline and said, ¡°See? I told you. She only has Kirk on her mind.¡± O As Caroline listened to her friends, her smile slowly froze.. She questioned, ¡°Did Kirk go to see the Collins family?¡± Since Gwen and Sonia kept changing the topic, she was sure Kirk hadn¡¯t gone anywhere else. Gwen and Sonia looked at each other uneasily. Then, Sonia held Caroline¡¯s shoulder and sat beside her. She reassured, ¡°No, Caroline. Kirk just went outside.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he went to see the Collins family.¡± Caroline knew Kirk too well. She tried to get out of bed. Sonia and Gwen reluctantly held Caroline down from both sides. ¡°Calm down, Carol.¡± Gwen said, ¡°He really just went out for a while. Do you think he¡¯s stupid? ¡°The Collins family is a powerful family. He wouldn¡¯t dare confront them, even if he works for Eddy¡¯s second uncle!¡± Chapter 560 Chapter 560 Chapter 560 Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Gwen continued, ¡°After all, he isn¡¯t Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Am I right, Carol?¡± After hearing her words, Caroline stopped trying to get out of bed. But soon, she felt uneasy and tried to get up again. Fortunately, at this moment, there was a knock on the door. Gwen said happily, ¡°See? I told you he would be back soon.¡± Then, she yelled at the door, ¡°Quit knocking ande in here. Carol is eager to see you.¡± Eddy, who opened the door and entered, was stunned when he heard Gwen¡¯s words. He nced at Caroline, his cheeks strangely beginning to turn warm. When the three women saw Eddye in, their expressions shifted. ¡°Why is it you?¡± Gwen asked, dumbfounded. But Eddy didn¡¯t hear Gwen at all. He kept his eyes on Caroline. He probably hadn¡¯t seen Caroline for a long time. He felt his emotions swell when he saw her today. Despite being unwell, Caroline didn¡¯te off as weak at all. Instead, she looked beautiful, even when she was sick. She looked gentle and delicate, quickly arousing Eddy¡¯s protective instincts. ¡°I heard Jane¡¯s people tried to kill you. What¡¯s going on?¡± Eddy asked. He couldn¡¯t resist walking over to Caroline¡¯s side. Caroline frowned. She didn¡¯t want to talk to Eddy. After all, this had happened because of the Morrisons. Gwen looked at Caroline, then Eddy, and scoffed. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that Carol doesn¡¯t want to see you, Mr. Eddy?¡± Once more, Eddy didn¡¯t seem to hear Gwen¡¯s words. He raised his head and asked Gwen and Sonia, ¡°Can you both go out for a while? I want to talk to Caroline in private.¡± Gwen was about to refuse, but Caroline interrupted, ¡°Gwen, Sonia, you both still have work, so you should go. I¡¯ll be fine here.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS Caroline was mainly worried about Sonia. Sonia was a big star and was busy with tons of work. It would be bad if her work got dyed because she had to visit her. Gwen said reluctantly, ¡°Carol ¡­¡± Caroline gave her a reassuring look, then looked at Sonia. ¡°Sonia, take Gwen away.¡± Sonia did as she was told. ¡°Okay, Caroline.¡± After the two women left, Caroline closed her eyes indifferently. Ever since she had found out that Eddy¡¯s second uncle had asked Kirk to register the marriage on his behalf, her impression of the Morrisons had worsened. All of them seemed to think they could do whatever they wanted because of their wealth. She spat, ¡°Quickly say whatever you want and leave.¡± Eddy felt very ufortable seeing Caroline¡¯s indifference. ¡°You never treated me like this back then.¡± He regretted those words as soon as he said them. He wanted to take it back, but it was toote. Caroline slowly opened her eyes and sneered at him. ¡°That¡¯s because you were my future partner back then, so I treated you like one. I cared for you and respected you. ¡°But now, you¡¯re just a stranger to me. I¡¯m free to treat you however I want.¡± Eddy¡¯s heart dropped at her words. He asked, ¡°Are you still ying hard¨Cto¨Cget at a time like this?¡± His words amused Caroline. She looked at Eddy and said bluntly, ¡°Eddy, why won¡¯t you ept that I no longer have feelings for you? ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t bear to see me leave you. Is that why you keep deceiving yourself and telling yourself I¡¯m ying hard¨Cto¨Cget?¡± Her words cut into the depths of Eddy¡¯s heart like a knife. The pain revealed his true feelings. He stood there, trembling, as he looked at Caroline miserably. Chapter 561 Chapter 561 Chapter 561 Seeing his dejected expression, Caroline continued, ¡°Perhaps you don¡¯t want to admit the truth. Maybe you don¡¯t want to face the fact that you lost to someone whose status and wealth aren¡¯t as good as yours.¡± Eddy¡¯s expression turned even darker at her words. ¡°Enough, Caroline! I was nice enough to visit you. I¡¯m not here to listen to your lectures.¡± ¡°Then, you¡¯ve already visited me. Can you please leave?¡± Usually, Eddy would turn around and leave at this point. However, this time, his legs seemed to be rooted to the ground. He didn¡¯t move a single inch. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. After taking several deep breaths, he said, ¡°Although I failed you as a fianc¨¦, you don¡¯t have to be so hostile every time we meet. Perhaps we can still be friends.¡± Caroline had already closed her eyes. Seeing this, Eddy frowned. ¡°Or are you nning to skip being friends and be spouses again?¡± Caroline remained silent. ¡°I¨CI mean, it¡¯s not impossible.¡± Eddy frowned and exined, ¡°But I have to settle things with La first.¡± Caroline opened her eyes and questioned, ¡°Eddy, are you deaf or something?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Eddy asked angrily. ¡°If your ears are working, let me tell you this¨Cmy husband and I have a very good rtionship. We won¡¯t get divorced, so please don¡¯t say anything that makes me seem unloyal to him. ¡°I already told you, I¡¯ve never thought about getting back together with you after I got married.¡± Eddy frowned. After a long while, he rxed. ¡°Caroline, it¡¯s not shameful to admit that your ploy to marry someone else has failed. ¡°You know better than anyone else that your husband is a useless piece of garbage. You wouldn¡¯t be in the hospital right now if he wasn¡¯t.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS Caroline was about to snap She suspected that Eddy had lost his intelligence. Pointing at the door, she said, ¡®Please get out of-* However, Eddy sat down on the chair next to the bed. He frowned and looked at Caroline sternly. ¡°Caroline, this is your life we¡¯re talking about. You can¡¯t be reckless because of other people. Your husband isn¡¯t a good fit for you.¡± Caroline retorted, ¡°And you think you are?¡± Eddy blinked unnaturally at her words. ¡°Well ¡­ I¡¯m not sure about that. But I know for a fact that your husband doesn¡¯t deserve you. ¡°He doesn¡¯t even have what it takes to protect you. You¡¯d better leave him.¡± At this time, neither of them knew that someone was standing outside the door, and that someone was none other than Kirk. When he heard Eddy asking Caroline to leave him, his eyes turned terrifyingly dark. He resisted the urge to push open the door. He wanted to hear Caroline¡¯s answer. ¡°Are you kidding me, Eddy? If he doesn¡¯t have what it takes to protect me, you¡¯re even worse than him. ¡°You had what it took to protect me, but look at what you did. You kept hurting me. And you even tried to take away my kidney to save your lover, who wasn¡¯t ill at all. Was that your way of protecting me?¡± Eddy said, ¡°I told you. I didn¡¯t know that-¡® ¡°Stop.¡± Caroline cut him off. Then, she said arrogantly, ¡°I have something to say about your littlements. First of all, I¡¯m an adult capable of protecting myself. Only a child asks for protection in everything they do. ¡°Also, it¡¯s not like my husband didn¡¯t protect me. In fact, he kept me safe. If he hadn¡¯t shown up at the last moment, you wouldn¡¯t even be talking to me right now.¡± Chapter 562 Chapter 562 Chapter 562 After Caroline was done, she looked at Eddy with a raised brow. She continued, ¡°Do you get it now? My husband is a hero to me, and our marriage is doing very, very well. ¡°It¡¯s not something people like you can understand. So please don¡¯t try to drive a wedge between us anymore. You¡¯re just wasting your breath.¡± Eddy looked at Caroline. All the words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat. Then, he spat, ¡°Caroline, I¡¯m saying this for your own good. No matter what, I hope you can properly think this through. Don¡¯t be stubborn!¡± With that, he turned around and left. After taking a few steps, he turned back around. ¡°By the way, I forgot to tell you something.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Caroline looked at him and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Grandpa has been in bad health recently. You should visit hi more often if you have time. Also, he really hopes we can be together, so I hope you won¡¯t say such hurtful words when you see him.¡± Caroline pursed her lips. After a while, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to visit him.¡± However, she didn¡¯t agree to Eddy¡¯s second request. Eddy was frustrated. He didn¡¯t know what to say, so he had no choice but to leave. As soon as he reached the elevator, he saw Kirk sauntering from the other end of the corridor. Eddy was very surprised to see him. He asked, ¡°Uncle Kirk? What are you doing here?¡± M ¡°I¡¯m here to see Caroline.¡± Kirk¡¯s tone was calm, and he had a dull expression. There was only a hint of mysteriousness in his gaze. Eddy was very depressed. ¡°Uncle Kirk, can you go for a walk with me?¡± Kirk pondered for a moment and hummed in assent. Then, the two men walked to the garden together. Eddy covered his cheek in pain. ¡°Uncle Kirk, what do you think is wrong with me? Back then, I thought it was pointless for Grandpa to insist that Caroline and I be together. 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°But now, I feel very ufortable thinking about her being with another man.¡± Kirk said indifferently, ¡°People are always like this. They don¡¯t know how to appreciate something until they lose it.¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± Eddy looked at Kirk in pain. Kirk said, ¡°I advise you to stay away from Caroline.¡± Eddy said reluctantly, ¡°Why?¡± Kirk¡¯s eyesnded on Eddy¡¯s confused face. Then, he chuckled, ¡°Because you wouldn¡¯t cherish her after you get her back.¡± Eddy didn¡¯t notice the hint of ridicule in Kirk¡¯s eyes. He lowered his head and asked, ¡°Is that really going to happen?¡± Kirk remained silent, staring at Eddy with a hint of fire in his eyes. After a long while, Eddy raised his head, his eyes still full of conflict. ¡°I think you¡¯re right, Uncle Kirk. The reason I want Caroline is because I¡¯ve lost her once. Maybe I wouldn¡¯t want her anymore when I get her back.¡± The coldness in Kirk¡¯s eyes disappeared to some extent. He stood up and patted Eddy on the shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s right, so don¡¯t think about Caroline anymore. Just keep your distance from her, and you¡¯ll slowly realize you¡¯re not in love with her. You simply want to have her.¡± Kirk¡¯s words enlightened Eddy. He forcibly ignored his disappointment and thanked him. ¡°Thank you, Uncle Kirk. You¡¯re really the guide on my journey. I would have thought I was in love with Caroline if it hadn¡¯t been for you.¡± Kirk smiled cunningly, like a fox. ¡°You should go home, then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 563 Chapter 563 Chapter 563 After leaving the hospital, Eddy¡¯s mood still didn¡¯t get better. He felt as if he had lost something important He wanted to turn around and get it back, but he couldn¡¯t find anything. This negative feeling persisted, and there was no way for him to get rid of it. Meanwhile, Kirk opened the door to the hospital room. ¡°Darling.¡± When Caroline heard noises, she immediately looked up and put down her phone. ¡°You¡¯re back! Where did you go? Are you hurt?¡± Caroline¡¯s concern made Kirk curl his lips into a smile. He sat down by the bed and wrapped an arm around her waist. ¡°Did you miss me that much? It¡¯s only been a while since I left.¡± Caroline¡¯s hospital gown was very thin. When Kirk ced his warm hand on her waist, she felt her cheeks quickly turn red from his touch. She lowered her head and said bashfully, ¡°As if I missed you.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still trying to be stubborn. Who was the one who said our marriage was doing well and no one could break us apart?¡± Caroline¡¯s face turned redder at his words, as if someone had painted on her cheeks. Her red face made her look really cute. Kirk couldn¡¯t resist eating her up. However, Caroline became annoyed. She raised her fist and gently hit Kirk¡¯s chest with it. ¡°You heard what I said?¡± ¡°I heard it by chance.¡± Kirk kissed her cheek. ¡°I never knew I was so important to you, darling.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate too soon.¡± Caroline avoided Kirk¡¯s kiss. She said, ¡°I still haven¡¯t forgiven you for what happenedst time. Though it¡¯s not your fault, you¡¯ve made me sad for so long. So I won¡¯t let you off that easily.¡± Kirk put his hands on either side of her with a smile on his face. His nose touched Caroline¡¯s, and 1/3 +15 BONUS Somehow, Caroline could hear a hint of tenderness in his tone. She felt her mouth going dry, and she swallowed. ¡°Darling. Kirk lowered his head slightly and kissed Caroline¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± His actions began to make Caroline turn into a puddle. Her fingers tightly grasped Kirk¡¯s clothes, and her voice was delicate and soft, like honey. ¡°Kirk¡­¡± It had been too long since they had been so intimate. Everything that happened made them act strange, cautious, and tentative. However, when they earnestly conveyed how they felt, Caroline set aside her bashfulness and embraced the feelings of passion she had dearly missed. Their burning passion was like a spring. It made them gradually forget their many troubles while they were immersed in it. When Caroliney on the bed, sweating, she realized that the bed was too small. She hadn¡¯t noticed it earlier, but now she realized that her waist hurt. She nestled herself in Kirk¡¯s arms and grumbled, ¡°It hurts.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Kirk asked nervously. ¡°My waist.¡± Kirk smiled and massaged Caroline¡¯s waist. ¡°But we weren¡¯t too intense this time, so why does your waist hurt?¡± Caroline was so angry that she wanted to hit him. ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore,¡± she grumbled, turning over with her back to Kirk. Kirk watched her back in a daze. He hugged Caroline and murmured, ¡°Darling, let¡¯s have a baby.¡± Caroline¡¯s body trembled at his words. Kirk quickly added, ¡°I don¡¯t mean now I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Caroline slowly turned around and looked up at Kirk. ¡°W¨CWhat if I don¡¯t ever want-¡± ¡°Then, it¡¯s fine. We¡¯re fine as we are. We can just be by ourselves for the rest of our lives.¡± Tears covered Caroline¡¯s face. After a long while, she nestled herself into Kirk¡¯s arms once more. Kirk¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m right here.¡± Chapter 564 Chapter 564 Chapter 564 Kirk would always be there for her. Caroline slowly dozed off in his arms. In her sleep, she dreamed that she was the mother of three children, all of whom were very beautiful and lovable. They would surround her and call her ¡®mommy¡®. She gradually lost herself in their affectionate calls. Just as she was consumed with joy, the three children suddenly grew up. Each of them held a knife in their hand, pointing it at her. Their cute expressions were reced with ferocious ones. One by one, they shouted, ¡°It¡¯s all because of you that we ended up like this. ¡°You didn¡¯t raise us well.¡± ¡°Hurry up and give us some money, you old hag!¡± Caroline opened her eyes in fright. Her sudden movements naturally woke up Kirk as well. He looked down at Caroline and asked, What¡¯s wrong, darling?¡± ¡± Caroline looked up at Kirk in confusion before shaking her head. ¡°Nothing. I just had a nightmare.¡± Kirk said, ¡°I¡¯ll get you some water.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Caroline urgently grabbed Kirk¡¯s hand. She kept her body arched, forcibly nestling herself into Kirk¡¯s arms as if she could dispel the chills she felt. Kirk asked helplessly, ¡°Darling, can I take this as you trying to entice me?¡± Caroline¡¯s face turned red at his words, and her phone rang just as she was about to speak. She looked at her phone. It was an unfamiliar number, and it was an international call. Hesitantly, she answered the call. Then, she heard a strange yet familiar voice on the phone. ¡°Is this Caroline? I¡¯ve already written the first part of my new y. Do you want to read it?¡± 1/2 Caroline froze for a moment before realizing that the caller should be Marietta. +15 BONUS She looked at the time, and she understood. It was probably still daytime where Marietta was, so she didn¡¯t realize it was alreadyte at night in Easton. Marietta was a sentimental person. She had even remembered to send Caroline her y. ¡°Of course, why don¡¯t you send it over?¡± Caroline asked, sitting up on the bed. Since she couldn¡¯t sleep after her nightmare, she could read the y to pass the time. Marietta quickly sent the script to Caroline. Caroline told Kirk she couldn¡¯t sleep and went to the couch to read the y. Kirk poured her a ss of water and sat by her side to keep herpany. Marietta¡¯s y was so well written that Caroline was hooked after reading a few lines. When she finished the part and looked forward to more, she realized Kirk had already fallen asleep. She stood up quietly. After covering Kirk with a nket, she sent a text to Marietta. ¡°I¡¯ve finished your masterpiece. You wrote it so well. When ites tomenting on current affairs, your precise and rare point of view is always a delight.¡± Marietta quickly replied, ¡°I¡¯m definitely good at writing things I¡¯m familiar with. Unfortunately, I¡¯m a mess when describing family rtionships.¡± Caroline smiled and texted, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you have a very happy family life. That¡¯s why you don¡¯t have much experience in this aspect.¡± It had been a while since Caroline sent the message, but Marietta didn¡¯t reply. She didn¡¯t think N?velDrama.Org is the owner. much of it and picked up the phone to reread Marietta¡¯s new y. It was when she finished reading it that she noticed Marietta had replied to her text. ¡°No, it¡¯s precisely because I have a miserable family life.¡± 1 Caroline was shocked by her message. She had never expected someone as sessful as Marietta to have a bad family life! Chapter 565 Chapter 565 Chapter 565 Caroline opened Google on her phone, and after entering Marietta¡¯s name, she clicked on the Wikipedia article about her. ording to the article, Marietta had had a happy family when she was young, but her life had changed after her daughter had been abducted. That incident had also given her the incentive to start writing. She hoped to be famous so that her abducted daughter could find her and return to her. Caroline fiddled with her clothes as she read the article, feeling sorry for Marietta. She couldn¡¯t believe that this seemingly sharp¨Ctongued woman had tragically experienced the loss of her child. On top of that, her husband had abandoned her for his lover in her early years. But when she saw Marietta, she dared to guess that no one could tell she went through such an experience. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Caroline replied reluctantly, ¡°I must have reminded you of some bad memories.¡± Marietta replied very slowly, probably because she was processing her emotions. ¡°It¡¯s okay. In fact, I haven¡¯t brought this up for many years.¡± Caroline apologized once more. After a long while, Marietta replied, ¡°I just checked the time. It should be around 3:00 am in Easton now. Why aren¡¯t you asleep? Did I wake you up?¡± Caroline smiled when she saw such a cordial message from the woman notorious for her sharp wit. In fact, Marietta wasn¡¯t as scary as rumors imed her to be. At least she was kind and gentle to her. Moreover, someone like her was actually considerate of the time difference. Honestly, it was rare for Caroline to see a big shot like her. Caroline was nestled on the couch. After ncing at the sleeping Kirk, she sent a message to Marietta. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°No, it has nothing to do with you. I just happened to have a nightmare.¡± ¡°A nightmare? What was it about?¡± Caroline leisurely exined the nightmare she had to Marietta. Marietta exined, ¡°There¡¯s a saying in Easton: dreams at night reflect daytime thoughts. You must be having this nightmare because you were worried about something.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t want to discuss the reasons for the nightmare, so she changed the subject. ¡°You seem to know Eastonian very well.¡± Marietta texted, ¡°My parents are Eastonian, but I grew up in Yudonia and became a citizen there. That¡¯s why many people think I¡¯m from there.¡± ¡°I see. When I first met you, I was a little surprised to find out you were Eastonian.¡± ¡°Actually, after I lost my daughter, I often had nightmares about her.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Marietta brought up the nightmares again. She seemed to be too lonely, so she was eager to have someone to talk to. She continued, ¡°Once, I dreamed of her holding a knife to my neck, asking me why I let her get abducted. So many years had passed, but I still had nightmares like this. ¡°But ever since I talked to you, I haven¡¯t had a nightmare like this again. It¡¯s amazing.¡± Caroline said, ¡°That¡¯s great, Ms. Weiss. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find your daughter again one day.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Marietta asked, ¡°Caroline, can I call you Carrie?¡± ¡°Of course, it would be my pleasure.¡± ¡°Then, you shouldn¡¯t call me Ms. Weiss anymore. It sounds so formal. Just call me Aunt Mary. When I publish my new y, I¡¯ll get you to write my foreword.¡± Caroline was excited. ¡°It would be my honor.¡± She would never have even imagined that she would have the chance to write Marietta¡¯s foreword. This woman was too approachable. ¡°All right. I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. Good night,¡± Marietta texted. Caroline replied, ¡°Good night.¡± After saying good night, Caroline couldn¡¯t resist hugging Kirk and kissing him furiously. Kirk woke up and murmured sleepily, ¡°Are you done reading?¡± ¡°Yeah. Marietta even asked me to write the foreword for her y!¡± Caroline smiled brightly. ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s as difficult as everyone says. On the contrary, I think she¡¯s a sweet person. If she hadn¡¯t lost her daughter, maybe she would be¨Chey! What are you doing?¡± Caroline felt a chill and hurriedly reached out to stop Kirk. Chapter 566 Chapter 566 Chapter 566 Unexpectedly, Kirk pushed Caroline¡¯s hands away. He was so strong that she had no power to resist, and in the end, she could only protest with a whimper. However, her protests were useless. Instead, they served to make Kirk even more Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. excited. They made love until dawn, and Kirk carried Caroline to bed and fell asleep together. Caroline would be discharged from the hospital soon. To celebrate, Gwen proposed to have a meal together. Caroline also invited Sonia, Cheryl, and Jack, and the seven of them happily had their meal in a private room. When they ordered their food, Caroline noticed Gwen had ordered dozens of sses of white wine. She looked at Gwen and asked, ¡°Gwen, did you order these by mistake?¡± Gwen nced back at her and replied, ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll get alcohol poisoning from drinking this much?¡± Gwen hugged Caroline¡¯s neck and said merrily, ¡°I¡¯m just in a good mood today! Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t drink too much.¡± Caroline doubted her words, but she said nothing more and continued ordering the food. After ordering their food, Sean, who had arrivedte, opened the door to the private room. Seeing everyone, he immediately exined, ¡°Sorry, I got caught up in something before I left.¡± Everyone said that it was okay with a smile. Sean¡¯s gaze trailed over everyone, finallynding on Kirk. Jack was sitting beside him. He patted Jack¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Jack, can you-¡± Jack was a dense person. He looked at Sean in confusion. ¡°Dr. Yates, there¡¯s a spot beside Ms. Gwen ¡± Sean still had a gentle smile on his face. He said, ¡°I want to sit next to Kirk.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS Although Sean¡¯s words were casual, the few people who knew about him and Gwen had subtle changes in their expressions, especially Caroline. After hearing this, Jack stood up without a second thought. ¡°You two are very close friends, Dr. Yates,¡± he said. Then, he walked over to the empty seat next to Gwen. Caroline nervously looked back at Gwen. However, she looked morefortable than everyone here. Noticing Caroline¡¯s eyes on her, she smiled and said, ¡°What are you looking at me for? Hurry up and order the food.¡± So Caroline absentmindedly ordered the rest of the food. When she handed the tablet to Kirk beside her, she whispered, ¡°What¡¯s up with the two of them?¡± Kirk took the tablet from her, held her hand, and said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Caroline remained silent at his words. Then, she looked over at Sean. He seemed normal as usual and didn¡¯t look like he had a problem with this. Was she being paranoid? She wanted to find out more, but Kirk blocked her sight. ¡°Darling¡­¡± Kirk¡¯s low and deep voice filled her ears. ¡°You can¡¯t look at other men.¡± Caroline was dumbfounded at his words. Chapter 567 Chapter 567 Chapter 567 The atmosphere in the private room was lively and cheerful. Chery! sat beside Sonia and kept asking about the entertainment industry. Sonia wasn¡¯t much of a gossiper, so she only talked about things concerning herself. Meanwhile, Gwen had a drink¨Coff with Jack. Jack was clearly a good drinker, and soon, Gwen drank until her face turned red. Caroline noticed Sean hesitating a few times, as if he wanted to say something. She whispered in Kirk¡¯s ear, ¡°He obviously cares about her, but he¡¯s pretending that he doesn¡¯t. I really don¡¯t get what he¡¯s thinking.¡± Kirk put a fish fillet on her te and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t understand, just leave them be. Let the youngsters solve their own problems.¡± Caroline smiled at his words. ¡°It sounds as if you¡¯re calling yourself old.¡± Kirk retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not old, but mature. Compared with them, we¡¯re not as naive. We¡¯ll actively find ways to solve our problems.¡± Caroline quipped, ¡°You¡¯re just tooting your own horn.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Gwen suddenly came over. ¡°Are you two done whispering sweet nothings to each other? If so, let me borrow Caroline for a minute¡­¡± Gwen was obviously drunk. She was already slurring her words. Caroline said, ¡°You¡¯re drunk, Gwen.¡± 3 ¡°No, I just drank one bottle. There¡¯s no way I would get drunk from that.¡± Gwen shook Caroline¡¯s arm. ¡°Will you follow me to the bathroom?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Caroline said. She wouldn¡¯t let Gwen go to the bathroom alone, either. She called Cheryl, ¡°Cheryl, help me bring Gwen to the bathroom.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cheryl immediately came to help Caroline. Then, the two of them helped Gwen to the 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Follow them if you¡¯re so worried about her,¡± Kirk said coldly. Sean, who had been watching Gwen this whole time, quickly looked away. He pretended to be calm and said, ¡°I¡¯m not worried.¡± Kirk scoffed at his words, remaining silent. Sean looked at him silently for a moment. Then, he admitted, ¡°Fine, I am worried about her. But didn¡¯t you tell me that our problem is unsolvable? ¡°If I keep pestering her, she might be annoyed with me, and we won¡¯t even be friends¡­¡± Then, he took a sip of his wine. ¡°It¡¯s better just to cut my losses and keep my distance. Although I can¡¯t be with her, at least I can still see her face.¡± ¡°You seem to have an open mind about this,¡± Kirkmented tly. Sean shrugged and asked Kirk, ¡°What would you have done?¡± Kirk tightly gripped his wine ss, remembering what Eddy had said to Caroline the other day. He sneered, ¡°I would never let something like this happen in the first ce!¡± No one could stop him from being with Caroline, not even Jude! Meanwhile, Caroline and Cheryl stood outside the bathroom, waiting for Gwen. Cheryl asked Caroline with concern, ¡°Caroline, is Gwen okay?¡± Gwen had drunk so much. Furthermore, Jack was so dense. Cheryl had tried to signal him not to drink with Gwen anymore, but he hadn¡¯t been able to understand her. As Caroline listened to the sound of Gwen vomiting in the bathroom, she pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. ¡°Is she heartbroken?¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Cheryl whispered, ¡°I¡¯m really curious, Caroline. What happened between Gwen and Dr. Yates? I thought he treated her really well, so why did they break up?¡± Chapter 568 Chapter 568 Chapter 568 ¡°Dr. Yates isn¡¯t the issue here,¡± Caroline said. Caroline¡¯s words surprised Cheryl. ¡°T¨Cthen, does Gwen not like Dr. Yates?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t want to tell Cheryl about Gwen¡¯s family issues. Even though she saw Cheryl as a friend, she wouldn¡¯t simply share another friend¡¯s secrets. ¡°Then, what on earth happened?¡± Cheryl asked, scratching her head. She couldn¡¯t understand why two people who liked each other couldn¡¯t be together. If Jack also liked her, she would definitely get into a rtionship with him. Caroline smiled and patted her shoulder. ¡°You silly girl, after you get together with Jack, you¡¯ll discover that love isn¡¯t a fairy tale. It¡¯s full of trials and tribtions. Things won¡¯t be easy.¡± Cheryl looked at Caroline and said warily, ¡°Caroline, I don¡¯t even want to be in a rtionship after hearing you say that.¡± Caroline chuckled. ¡°Really? Don¡¯t you want to be with Jack?¡± ¡°Caroline!¡± Cheryl stomped her foot, blushing. ¡°But seriously,¡± Caroline stopped smiling and continued, ¡°what¡¯s going on with the two of you?¡± ¡°Nothing is going on,¡± Cheryl sighed. ¡°I realized that Jack¡¯s way of thinking differs from regr people¡¯s. ¡°When he followed me home for dinner every day, the neighbors initially thought he was my boyfriend. However, he would always tell them that we were siblings. ¡°Now, everyone in the vicinity knows I have a very strong brother, and they don¡¯t dare mess with me,¡± Cheryl exined with a somewhat proud expression. Caroline smiled. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound so bad.¡± ¡°As if!¡± Cheryl pursed her lips. Blushing, she said, ¡°I already have enough brothers. I even have dozens of cousins back in my hometown. I don¡¯t need another brother.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS Caroline mused, ¡°Why don¡¯t I test him for you?¡± ¡°How will you do that?¡± Cheryl asked, tempted by Caroline¡¯s offer. Caroline said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. But just to get this out of the way¨Cdon¡¯t me me if things don¡¯t go as you expected.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Caroline. If he doesn¡¯t like me, that¡¯s his problem. I wouldn¡¯t me you for that.¡± Caroline nodded at her words and nced at the entrance of the bathroom. ¡°How strange. Gwen has been in there for so long. Why hasn¡¯t shee out yet?¡± Cheryl said, ¡°Let¡¯s go in and check on her.¡± The two walked into the bathroom and went to Gwen¡¯s stall. When they opened the door, they looked at each other with helpless smiles. Gwen had actually fallen asleep lying on the toilet. Damn it. Caroline stepped forward and tried to pull her up. Unexpectedly, Gwen¡¯s body was as heavy as lead. She couldn¡¯t carry her at all. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cheryl asked, realizing something was wrong. Caroline said, ¡°I can¡¯t pull her up.¡± ¡°Let me help.¡± Cheryl squeezed into the bathroom stall. They worked together to pull Gwen up, but they couldn¡¯t. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Furthermore, Gwen kept her eyes closed throughout their struggles. It seemed that she couldn¡¯t feel them at all. ¡°Wait,¡± Caroline said, her heart sinking for a moment. She stretched out her h?nd under Gwen¡¯s nose. When she felt her breathing, she breathed a sigh of relief. She ordered, ¡°Go and call Dr. Yates over.¡± ¡°But this is the women¡¯s bathroom. He wouldn¡¯t daree in here ¡­¡± Cheryl said hesitantly. However, Sean was still an internationally recognized doctor. ¡°Hurry!¡± Caroline urged again. ¡°Just tell him Gwen passed out in the bathroom.¡± Cheryl replied hurriedly. ¡°Okay.¡± Then, she ran out of the bathroom to get Sean Sean¡¯s concern for Gwen waspletely different from Cheryl¡¯s. After finding out that Gwen had passed out, he stood up and strode to the bathroom without any hesitation. Chapter 569 Chapter 569 Chapter 569 When Sean reached the bathroom, he rushed in without hesitation. ¡°What happened?¡± He asked. Seeing Gwen lying in the stall, he ran forward nervously. ¡°I don¡¯t know. She passed out when she was in here. Was it because she drank too much?¡± Sean carried Gwen on his back. He said, ¡°It may be possible. I¡¯ll take her to the hospital.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with yo-¡± Before Caroline could finish, Sean had already walked out of the bathroom with Gwen on his back. She grabbed Cheryl and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the hospital with Dr. Yates. Tell the others to head home.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Cheryl agreed. Caroline kept up with Sean¡¯s quick pace. When they arrived downstairs, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll get the car.¡± Sean nodded. Soon, Caroline drove her car over to Sean. She rolled down the windows and yelled, ¡°Get in!¡± Sean quickly put Gwen in the back seat and got into the car with her. Caroline started driving to the hospital. Sean kept rubbing Gwen¡¯s hands and feet in the back seat. She only nced at them for a moment before continuing to drive with confidence. Sean was a professional, so she trusted him fully on issues like this. After driving a certain distance, they almost arrived at the hospital. Then, they heard Gwen¡¯s voice in the back seat. ¡°Why am I in a car? Wasn¡¯t I supposed to be in the restaurant?¡± Caroline quickly turned around and looked at Gwen in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Gwen!¡± Gwen had already sat up. She looked at Caroline in confusion and asked, ¡°Carol, what am I doing here?¡± After finishing her words, she noticed Sean sitting beside her. Sean¡¯s body was tense, and his lips were pale as if he had been frightened. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gwen couldn¡¯t resist asking him. 1/2 +15 BONUS After a long time, Sean found his voice again. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m fine. D¨CDid you know you were passed out just now?¡± Gwen noticed Sean¡¯s body was still shaking when he talked, and she smiled. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®passed out¡®? I simply fell asleep. I can¡¯t believe a doctor like you wouldn¡¯t even tell whether I passed out or fell asleep.¡± Hearing her words, Caroline stopped the car. ¡°¡­ So, you fell asleep. You didn¡¯t pass out? You really scared us just now.¡± She said angrily, ¡°I thought you had fainted, so we wanted to bring you to the hospital.¡± Gwenughed at her words. ¡°Haha! It¡¯s a good thing I woke up, then. We would have be a ¡°Especially you, Dr. Yates. You¡¯re supposed to be a genius doctor!¡± Caroline lectured, ¡°You¡¯re really heartless, you know that? He didn¡¯t properly check on your condition because he was worried about you.¡± Just as Caroline was talking, her phone rang. She nced at it. Kirk was calling. ¡°Hello?¡± She answered the call, not noticing Gwen smiling in the back seat. Then, Gwen stared at Sean, but he avoided her gaze. At this moment, Caroline said something to Kirk and got out of the car. Gwen quickly nced in Caroline¡¯s direction, then lowered her head. She apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you guys worry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Sean said gently. However, Gwen felt even worse. Chapter 570 Chapter 570 Chapter 570 ¡°D¨CDidn¡¯t you promise you won¡¯t interfere with my affairs anymore?¡± Gwen looked up at him and asked with a smile, ¡°Then, why did you ¡­ after I fainted ¡­¡± Sean smiled gracefully. He exined, ¡°Although I¡¯ve given up on pursuing you, we¡¯re still friends, right? Of course, I¡¯ll lend a helping hand to a friend in trouble.¡± ¡°So¡­ we¡¯ll be friends from now on¡­¡± Gwen said slowly, looking into Sean¡¯s eyes. Sean turned away. ¡°Yeah.¡± Gwen smiled and said, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a good idea. I think we¡¯llst longer as friends than lovers.¡± ¡°I think so, too,¡± Sean agreed, looking out the window. Gwen smiled. ¡°Then, are we going back or ¡± ¡°That depends on Caroline.¡± Sean looked at Caroline, who had finished her phone call. After getting into the car, Caroline said to them, ¡°Kirk will pick me up in a moment. Which one of you can help me drive the car back?¡± Sean and Gwen looked at each other, then quickly looked away again. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. I was the one who caused all this,¡± Gwen said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you still want to drive after drinking so much.¡± Caroline quipped, ¡°Maybe you should go to the hospital to check on your brain.¡± Gwen was speechless at her words. ¡°Then, I¡¯m the only one who can do it,¡± Sean said. Caroline nced at Gwen. ¡°What about you, Gwen? How are you going home? Why don¡¯t we give you a ride?¡± ¡°No thanks. I don¡¯t want to be a third wheel for you two.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Gwenid on the back of the chair. She said, ¡°I can just take a cabter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bad idea to hail a cab at this ce.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°I¡¯ll take her home on the way,¡± Sean said. A sly smile appeared on Caroline¡¯s face. She said, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be relieved if you take her home.¡± Gwen looked over at Caroline suspiciously. She had a feeling that Caroline had done this on purpose, but she didn¡¯t have any proof. Ten minutester, Kirk arrived. Caroline got out of the car and waved to the two of them. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now. Send me a message when you arrive home safely.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gwen leaned on the car window and waved Caroline goodbye. After Caroline got into Kirk¡¯s car, Gwen put down her hand and asked, ¡°Is Carol trying to set the both of us up?¡± Sean grabbed the keys. He chuckled. ¡°Probably.¡± Gwenughed as well. ¡°Will she be upset if she finds out we won¡¯t do as she wishes?¡± Sean said, ¡°Probably?¡± Gwenughed again. She was smiling, but there were tears in her eyes. Fortunately, Sean had already started the car in the front seat, so he didn¡¯t notice her crying. Gwen rested her head on the front seat and let the tears flow down the back of her hands. In fact, she didn¡¯t really know why she was crying. Sean said they could be friends, which was what she obviously wanted. However, she wasn¡¯t as happy as she had imagined. Instead, she felt as if she had lost something important to her. She felt a piece of her heart being ripped out. It hurt so much that she couldn¡¯t breathe. Half an hourter, the car arrived at Gwen¡¯s house. She stumbled out of the car. Seeing this, Sean frowned and got out of the car to support her. ¡°I¡¯ll take you upstairs.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I can walk by myself.¡± Gwen¡¯s mind was awake, but her movements were a mess. After taking a few steps, she couldn¡¯t tell the difference between her left and right feet anymore. However, she still wasn¡¯t aware of it. After taking a few more steps, she turned to Sean and boasted, ¡°See? I told you I could walk!¡± Sean smiled, but the next second, a trace of worry appeared in his eyes. ¡°Be carefu-¡± Before he could finish speaking, Gwen felt her body swaying uncontrobly. The weightlessness made her even more frantic. Chapter 571 Chapter 571 Chapter 571 Gwen fell into Sean¡¯s arms. She was confused for a few moments. Then, she said, ¡°T¨CThis doesn¡¯t seem like something friends do.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± Sean met Gwen¡¯s sharp eyes and swallowed. ¡°Friends also don¡¯t put their hands under another friend¡¯s clothes.¡± Gwenughed. She slowly stood up with Sean¡¯s support. Keeping her arms around his neck, she asked, ¡°Do you want toe upstairs?¡± Her words startled Sean. His rtionship with Gwen had started because of this question. Memories of the past flooded back into his mind like a tide. Back then, he had been the one who had asked this question. This time, she had asked him. ¡°Okay.¡± He had already given his answer before his brain could even process the situation. Gwen smirked and pressed her lips against his. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The two entered the elevator together. When the elevator doors closed, Sean wrapped his arms around Gwen¡¯s waist and kissed those lips he had long desired. Her sweet taste almost made him lose control. Gwen leaned against the cold elevator wall and raised her head, kissing Sean back with the same amount of passion. The elevator soon arrived at Gwen¡¯s floor. However, the two of them didn¡¯t break apart. They stumbled their way to the door. Gwen took out her keys and quickly opened the door. After entering her house, Sean reached out to turn on the lights, but she stopped him. ¡°Keep the lights off.¡± Sean kissed Gwen again. ¡°Okay.¡± The darkness seemed to bring them unbridled courage. Then, the two of them enjoyed themselves in the dark without any worry about the future. They simply kept sinking deeper into their feelings. Daphne was curled up beside the couch like a mouse inside the apartment. Jane had been sent to prison, and Liam had died. Meanwhile, she was sent back to where she used to live. However, this didn¡¯t make her feel like she had survived an ordeal. Instead, she had an intense fear of what was toe. Kirk hadn¡¯t killed her because there was a more severe punishment in store for her than going to prison. She looked at the surveince cameras and begged, ¡°Mr. Kirk, please let me go. I¡¯m not the one who wants to target Caroline. Someone else does. It¡¯s that mysterious person.¡± Daphne really hated the mystery woman who had encouraged her to kill Caroline! If it hadn¡¯t been for her, she wouldn¡¯t have asked Jane to send out the Collins family¡¯s people to kill Caroline. ¡°That mysterious woman is behind everything, not me. Please let me go, Mr. Kirk!¡± She kept crying, but she had no idea that the person who installed the surveince camera wasn¡¯t Kirk but Finn. ¡°Is this really the person you recruited?¡± Finn casually put his legs on the table and sneered, ¡°Can such a piece of trash be of use to you?¡± Avery¡¯s face turned livid at his words. She hissed, ¡°Did you call me here in the middle of the night just to show me this?¡± Finn stood up. He slowly walked to Avery¡¯s side and bent down, his breath hitting Avery¡¯s cheeks. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Of course not. I just want to tell you that you might as welle to me for help instead of finding trash like her.¡± Avery suddenly stood up. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to. Working with you is equivalent to making a deal with the devil. ¡°By then, whether Kirk will still be SY Group¡¯s president will be a big mystery.¡± Finn smiled at her words. ¡°See? You still care about bing the richest man¡¯s wife. If you be mine, I can make your dreamse true.¡± Chapter 572 Chapter 572 Chapter 572 Avery mercilessly pped Finn¡¯s hand away. ¡°I won¡¯t get together with a monster like you.¡± Finn¡¯s expression darkened for a moment. But then, he said lightheartedly, ¡°Then, you¡¯d better think carefully about who you want to work with. Me, or those pieces of trash.¡± Avery tightly clenched her fist and frowned at Daphne, who was still crying in the surveince video. She had thought that Daphne could make Caroline disappear forever with the help of the Collins family. But she hadn¡¯t expected Daphne to be this useless. Not only did she fail to hurt Caroline, but she had also improved Kirk and Caroline¡¯s rtionship. Thinking of the dinner they had had to celebrate Caroline¡¯s recovery, Avery wished she could head to Easton and kill Caroline herself. However, she couldn¡¯t do so. Kirk had given her strict orders. If she dared to show up in Easton, the rtionship between the Mendeleys and Morrisons would be over. If that happened, she would never have a chance with Kirk. After taking several deep breaths, Avery looked at Finn mockingly. ¡°You might as well give up. I won¡¯t ever work with you,¡± she spat. Then, she walked out of the room. Finn smirked as he watched her leave the room. ¡°Oh, dear Avery. You won¡¯t be able to handle her alone.¡± He looked down at Caroline¡¯s photo on the file as he spoke, and he smirked even more. His younger brother, who had never been interested in women, seemed to be in love with the woman in this photo. When people had a weakness, it became much easier to deal with them. Caroline shivered in her sleep and opened her eyes, only to find that it was still dark outside. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kirk asked. He opened his eyes immediately after Caroline did. 1/3 ¡°Nothing,¡± Caroline said. She just felt a chill all of a sudden. +15 BONUS N?velDrama.Org is the owner. She picked up her phone and looked at the time. It was already past 5:00 am. She opened ner messages and found that Gwen hadn¡¯t texted herst night. She sat up with a groan, and the nket slid off her shoulders, revealing the tightly packed hickeys on her shoulder des. Kirk hugged Caroline with his strong arms. Caroline looked at him and said worriedly, ¡°Gwen didn¡¯t send me a textst night.¡± Kirk smiled and took Caroline¡¯s phone. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry when Sean is around. He definitely would have taken Gwen home safely.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that.¡± Caroline pulled the nket. She said, ¡°I¡¯m just worried that they-¡± Before she could finish, her phone rang. She nced at it and saw a text message from an unknown number. ¡°When are you free to visit Grandpa?¡± Caroline frowned. It took her a while to realize that this number was probably Eddy¡¯s. Resisting the urge to block him, Caroline asked, ¡°Eddy?¡± The sender quickly replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Caroline pondered for a while and asked Kirk, ¡°I n to find some time to visit Grandpa in the next few days. Do you want toe with me?¡± Although she hated the Morrisons, Jude was the one person she didn¡¯t hate and was very grateful for. Kirk¡¯s brows furrowed almost imperceptibly at her words. ¡°Why do you want to visit him all of a sudden?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a sudden thought. It has been a while since I¡¯ve seen him, so I want to visit him. And I heard he has been in bad health recently.¡± Kirk sat up and pondered for a moment. He replied, ¡°Then, I won¡¯t go with you.¡± Chapter 573 Chapter 573 Chapter 573 Caroline opened her eyes and looked at Kirk. She asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Her beautiful, pure eyes Her gaze made him speechless, and after a while, he forced out, ¡°Nothing. Go to sleep.¡± Caroline smiled sweetly and beckoned Kirk. ¡°Lean over. I¡¯ll tell you a little secret.¡± Kirk leaned his face toward Caroline. Then, Caroline raised her head slightly and quickly kissed Kirk on the cheek. ¡°Do you feel better now?¡± After saying this, Caroline¡¯s face turned red. Kirk smiled at her words. Caroline thought he was worried she would get together with Eddy. Kirk¡¯s heart melted at her innocent gaze, but at the same time, it tightened with worry. It would be great if he had told her the truth from the start. He slowlyid down on the bed, hugging Caroline tightly. He wanted to use all his strength to keep her by his side forever. In the morning, Caroline went to work after breakfast. On the way, she remembered her promise to help Cheryl test Jack. So, as soon as she got in the car, she told Jack, ¡°Hey, Mr. Jack. I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I want to help Cheryl find a boyfriend. What kind of guy suits her personality, in your opinion?¡± Caroline asked, keeping her eyes on Jack. Jack¡¯s expression looked the same as usual as he questioned, ¡°Why is she looking for a boyfriend all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Although Cheryl is only 22 years old, she should find a good partner while she still has the chance. Otherwise, when she bes 25 years old, she can only get the leftovers.¡± Jack thought seriously for a moment. Then, he suggested, ¡°Ms. Evans, shouldn¡¯t you ask her this question? She should know what kind 1/2 +15 BONUS Caroline held her head and asked, ¡°Then, what about a family man like Mr. Simmons?¡± Jack shook his head ¡°No Although Mr. Simmons is a family man, he doesn¡¯t suit Cheryl in terms of appearancen.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Caroline thought of another person. She asked, ¡°What about Spencer Brighton from the design department? He¡¯s quite handsome, and he¡¯s highly educated.¡± ¡°Also, no,¡± Jackmented thoughtfully, ¡°Sponcer may be handsome, but he¡¯s also a yboy. Cheryl wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against him.¡± Caroline smiled at his words. ¡°Since you keep rejecting the people I suggested, why don¡¯t I leave this arduous task to you, Mr. Jack? Help me find a partner that suits Cheryl.¡± ¡°I-¡± Caroline didn¡¯t give Jack a chance to refuse. She interrupted, ¡°Okay, then it¡¯s settled.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Then, she took out her tablet and pretended to busy herself with work. Jack was speechless. After arriving at thepany, Caroline saw many people gathered around the front desk when she came in. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at your desks?¡± When everyone heard Caroline¡¯s voice, they turned around and looked at her with sympathy. Only then did Caroline notice Sarah sitting at the front desk. The receptionist said awkwardly, ¡°Ma¡¯am, this is my workce. Can you please wait elsewhere?¡± Caroline pushed aside the crowd and walked up to Sarah. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Shouldn¡¯t she and Dan be reflecting on their actions in prison? When Sarah saw Caroline, she stood up enthusiastically. With a bright smile, she said, ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Carrie! I heard you¡¯ve made Evans Group thrive, so I came here to look around.¡± Chapter 574 Chapter 574 Chupam 574 Sesh and bind This ce vent bad at all. Caribe similed, ¡°Gen out Sarah¡¯s expression shifted at her words, and she looked like she was about to cry ¡°Carrie, you¡¯re not the only one who worked hard for thispany. Your father, grandfather, and the people before him have poured their blood, sweat, and tears into this ce. ¡°How can you kick me out the moment I step foot in here? Caroline didn¡¯t have time to hear Sarah rambling on. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave right now, I¡¯ll get security Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. to throw you out.¡± Seeing Caroline refuse to show her any mercy, Sarah was so angry that she put her hands on her hips She said, ¡°Believe me. I can get Evans Group back right now!¡± Caroline scoffed. ¡°What makes you think you can do that? You, of all people, should know what thispany had be under your management. ¡°You¡¯re right. All of you did put your blood, sweat, and tears into this ce, but your efforts didn¡¯t benefit thepany at all. Instead, your efforts contributed to its downfall.¡± ¡°How dare you! I¡¯m warning you, Caroline. Evans Group belongs to the Evans family, not-¡± ¡°Aunt Sarah!¡± La heard Sarah¡¯s voice outside the door and hurriedly ran in. She grabbed Sarah and stopped her from saying what she had been about to say. They were here today because La discovered that Eddy had visited Caroline a few days ago. They wanted to warn Caroline not to see Eddy and to just carry on with her blissful life. La had just gone to the bathroom, and Sarah had almost unexpectedly told Caroline her true identity. La was utterly exasperated at Sarah¡¯s clumsiness. Sarah finally realized she almost slipped up, so she quickly shut her mouth and looked at La uneasily. La couldn¡¯t make a scene in front of so many people, so she had no choice but to greet Caroline. ¡°Long time, no see, Caroline.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t want to waste time reminiscing about the past with them. ¡°We don¡¯t wee you here. Please leave this ce at once.¡± La¡¯s expression darkened at her words, but she finally said with restraint, ¡°Caroline, we¡¯re not here to cause trouble. I¡¯m just here to tell you not to pester Ed anymore. You¡¯re already married.¡± Carolineughed at her words. ¡°Oh, you want me to stop pestering him? He¡¯s the one who should stop bugging me. ¡°A scion like him keeps encouraging me to divorce my husband. I wonder who¡¯s the insane one at this point!¡± She had a headache thinking of Eddy¡¯s unreasonable attitude. La¡¯s chest heaved in anger. Barely suppressing her rage, she said, ¡°There¡¯s no way he would do that. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re the one who¡¯s pestering him. ¡°So please be more careful from now on. No matter what, he¡¯s my husband and your future cousin- inw!¡± After saying that, La turned around and left. She was afraid that Sarah would identally reveal Caroline¡¯s identity. Right now, Evans Group was thriving under Caroline¡¯s management. If she wanted to get it back, she had to wait for things to settle down first. After they left, the crowd dispersed. As Caroline watched La¡¯s retreating figure, she frowned. ording to La¡¯s personality, she would cause trouble the moment she found a reason to do so. However, she had simply left in a hurry today. That was unusual for someone like her. Also, why was Sarah out in public? Something strange was going on here. Caroline walked into her office, feeling so uneasy that she forgot to tell Cheryl about Jack helping her find a partner. As soon as she sat in her chair, she called Gavin, ¡°Sarah came to my office today.¡± When Caroline finished speaking, Gavin knew what she was going to ask. He held his forehead. His expression was dark. 2/3 +15 BONUS ¡°He finally got the hint, Caroline!¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°Judging by how great you are, it¡¯ll be shocking if he didn¡¯t ask you out.¡± ¡°Caroline, you have no idea. It¡¯s already a huge improvement for a dense person like him to ask me out himself.¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t helpughing at her words. ¡°You have a point. When are you guys going out?¡± ¡°This Saturday, at Riverview Cafe.¡± ¡°Then, you¡¯d better look your best.¡± ¡°He also told me that.¡± Caroline¡¯s smile froze for a moment, as if she had thought of something. However, she couldn¡¯t think of anything when she tried to remember what it was. ¡°Caroline, what do you think I should wear that day?¡± Caroline praised, ¡°A beautiful girl like you will look good in anything.¡± Chapter 575 Chapter 575 Chapter 575 Cheryl smiled shyly at Caroline¡¯s words. ¡°It would be great if Jack could be as sweet as you.¡± ¡°You can just take your time to teach him the ways of a smooth operator,¡± Caroline teased. ¡°Caroline!¡± ¡°All right. Go back to work for now.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Cheryl turned around and left the office enthusiastically. Caroline shook her head. The world was a mysterious ce. Gwen was afraid of being in a stable rtionship, while Cheryl yearned to be in one. It would be great if two of them could bnce each other¡¯s ws. Just as she was thinking about it, Gwen called her. Caroline answered the phone. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you text me yesterday?¡± Gwen¡¯s voice was a little hoarse as she answered, ¡°I was a bit busy.¡± Caroline immediately realized something was off. She questioned, ¡°Didn¡¯t Sean take you home yesterday? What were you busy with?¡± Gwen was lying down on the couch. She nced at Sean, who was busy in the kitchen, and stretched her waist. She said slyly, ¡°Things an innocent maiden like you shouldn¡¯t know about.¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes widened instantly. She stammered, ¡°W¨CWait, did you and Sean¡­¡± ¡± Gwen had a faint smile on her lips as she whispered, ¡°Yeah.¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t wait to drag Gwen over to her office and question her. ¡°How did you two get back together?¡± ¡°No, no, no! I need to correct you about something. We didn¡¯t get back together. We¡¯re just friends now.¡± Caroline joked, ¡°So are you two friends with benefits or something?¡± 1/2 Gwen nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Her words made Caroline speechless. +15 BONUS ¡°We talked all night long about this. Since we can¡¯t let go of each other, we¡¯ll just be friends with benefits. Then, we can be just friends again after we get tired of each other.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t know how to respond to her words. ¡°All right, Carol. I¡¯m done with my update.¡± Gwen felt refreshed. Although Caroline disapproved of the rtionship they had, everyone had their own way of living their life. So she wouldn¡¯t interfere with it, even if she didn¡¯t approve. Besides, she could hear the joy in Gwen¡¯s tone. As long as Gwen had agreed to something and it wasn¡¯t illegal, Caroline would support her choice unconditionally. ¡°All right. I have to work now,¡± Caroline said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re such a workaholic,¡± Gwen joked and hung up. Caroline held her phone, smiling to herself. Back then, Gwen had been a workaholic, and now Caroline had be a workaholic herself. However, she liked the way she was now. She enjoyed working for herself every day instead of working herself rugged to support someone else just to be a part of the Morrison family. At the thought of the Morrisons, Caroline thought of Eddy¡¯s words again. It was true that she hadn¡¯t seen Jude in a while. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Caroline looked at her schedule. She happened to be free this afternoon. After sending Kirk a message to inform him that she was going to see Jude, she went downstairs and bought some vitamins for Jude. After finishing her work, Caroline drove to Morrison Manor. Her cell phone kept ringing along the way. When she arrived at her destination, she looked at her phone. However, she discovered that the messages weren¡¯t from her colleagues but from Kirk. He had sent her a message almost every half hour, asking if she had arrived. Caroline shook her head helplessly. He seemed to be afraid of her visiting the Morrisons. Chapter 576 Chapter 576 After replying to Kirk¡¯s text, Caroline sent him another text after a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°I¡¯ll be home on tae.¡± When Kirk saw her text, he knew that she didn¡¯t understand what he was worried about. But her ignorance made him feel at ease. It proved that she still believed what he said without any doubts, and she had no suspicions about his identity. Nearby, Charles had long noticed that Kirk was lost in thought. He reassured, ¡°You should take it easy, sir. Although Mr. Morrison Senior has begun suspecting you¡¯re the madam¡¯s husband, you¡¯ve never taken a photo with him. ¡°Even if he¡¯s suspicious of you, he wouldn¡¯t have a photo to show her to confirm his theories.¡± Kirk¡¯s eyes darkened at his words. He said, ¡°Just because he doesn¡¯t have a photo now doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t have one in the future.¡± He had to find the right time to tell Caroline about his identity. Otherwise, this fact would eventually be a ticking time bomb for him. It constantly made him uneasy. However, the most challenging issue right now was how to handle Daphne. He couldn¡¯t let Jude discover that his marriage with Daphne was fake and suspect that he was married to Caroline instead. However, he also couldn¡¯t just annul the marriage with Daphne. Jude would investigate what she had done and connect the dots to the truth. Basically, he had to prevent Jude from finding out the truth from Daphne. Hence, he had to handle N?velDrama.Org is the owner. this situation delicately. ¡°What¡¯s going on with Daphne?¡± Kirk asked. ¡°I¡¯ve sent people to lock her up in her apartment. They¡¯ve also taken her phone and other Kirk frowned. ¡°Did you find anyone watching her?¡± Charles answered truthfully, ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior still has people watching her. We¡¯ve also 1/2 +15 BONUS elusive. We have no way of finding out who he is¡± Kisk frowned at his words ¡°There¡¯s another party keeping watch on her? Why didn¡¯t you tell me such an important thing sooner?¡± Charles exined. ¡°Sir, I wanted to tell you after I finished investigating Kirk breathed out slowly and pinched the bridge of his nose. He ordered, ¡°You have to find out who this person is as soon as you can!¡± He couldn¡¯t believe another adversary had appeared before he had managed to handle Jude. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Charles answered and nodded. When Jude learned that Caroline wasing, he greeted her at the door. ¡°Hello, Grandpa.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Jude asked someone to take the gift from Caroline¡¯s hands. ¡°You finally came to visit me, Carrie. I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± Caroline said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too. How are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing pretty well.¡± Jude brought Caroline to sit down on the couch. He praised, ¡°How about you? I heard you¡¯ve be Evans Group¡¯s CEO, and you¡¯ve been doing a great job. I¡¯m really proud of you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡± The two chatted for a while. Then, they heard Eddy¡¯s voice from outside the door. ¡°Grandpa! Grandpa!¡± His shouts grew louder and louder as he drew closer. Once he came in, he stopped yelling. When Jude saw Eddy, he stopped smiling like he usually did. Instead, he frowned and asked unhappily, ¡°What are you doing back home?¡± Eddy was startled when he saw Caroline. In the past, Jude would have tried his best to notify him. whenever Caroline came to visit. Chapter 577 Chapter 577 Chapter 577 After replying to Kirk¡¯s text, Caroline sent him another text after a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°I¡¯ll be home on tae.¡± When Kirk saw her text, he knew that she didn¡¯t understand what he was worried about. But her ignorance made him feel at ease. It proved that she still believed what he said without any doubts, and she had no suspicions about his identity. Nearby, Charles had long noticed that Kirk was lost in thought. He reassured, ¡°You should take it easy, sir. Although Mr. Morrison Senior has begun suspecting you¡¯re the madam¡¯s husband, you¡¯ve never taken a photo with him. ¡°Even if he¡¯s suspicious of you, he wouldn¡¯t have a photo to show her to confirm his theories.¡± Kirk¡¯s eyes darkened at his words. He said, ¡°Just because he doesn¡¯t have a photo now doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t have one in the future.¡± He had to find the right time to tell Caroline about his identity. Otherwise, this fact would eventually be a ticking time bomb for him. It constantly made him uneasy. However, the most challenging issue right now was how to handle Daphne. He couldn¡¯t let Jude discover that his marriage with Daphne was fake and suspect that he was married to Caroline instead. However, he also couldn¡¯t just annul the marriage with Daphne. Jude would investigate what she had done and connect the dots to the truth. Basically, he had to prevent Jude from finding out the truth from Daphne. Hence, he had to handle this situation delicately. ¡°What¡¯s going on with Daphne?¡± Kirk asked. ¡°I¡¯ve sent people to lock her up in her apartment. They¡¯ve also taken her phone and other Kirk frowned. ¡°Did you find anyone watching her?¡± Charles answered truthfully, ¡°Mr. Morrison Senior still has people watching her. We¡¯ve also 1/2 +15 BONUS elusive. We have no way of finding out who he is¡± Kisk frowned at his words ¡°There¡¯s another party keeping watch on her? Why didn¡¯t you tell me such an important thing sooner?¡± Charles exined. ¡°Sir, I wanted to tell you after I finished investigating Kirk breathed out slowly and pinched the bridge of his nose. He ordered, ¡°You have to find out who this person is as soon as you can!¡± He couldn¡¯t believe another adversary had appeared before he had managed to handle Jude. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Charles answered and nodded. When Jude learned that Caroline wasing, he greeted her at the door. ¡°Hello, Grandpa.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Jude asked someone to take the gift from Caroline¡¯s hands. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°You finally came to visit me, Carrie. I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± Caroline said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too. How are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing pretty well.¡± Jude brought Caroline to sit down on the couch. He praised, ¡°How about you? I heard you¡¯ve be Evans Group¡¯s CEO, and you¡¯ve been doing a great job. I¡¯m really proud of you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡± The two chatted for a while. Then, they heard Eddy¡¯s voice from outside the door. ¡°Grandpa! Grandpa!¡± His shouts grew louder and louder as he drew closer. Once he came in, he stopped yelling. When Jude saw Eddy, he stopped smiling like he usually did. Instead, he frowned and asked unhappily, ¡°What are you doing back home?¡± Eddy was startled when he saw Caroline. In the past, Jude would have tried his best to notify him. whenever Caroline came to visit. Chapter 578 Chapter 578 Chapter 578 However, today, Eddy had only found out Caroline was here when he called Simon, and he heard him say the he had to prepare dinner. Upon hearing the news, he had immediately stopped what he was doing and hurried home. However, he hadn¡¯t expected Jude to despise his presence here. He said, ¡°I left something at home. Jude nced at Eddy, but he didn¡¯t expose his lie. Ever since he had discovered that disagreeing with Eddy was effective, he kept this method in mind. Now, not only had he stopped matchmaking Eddy and Caroline, but he even deliberately opposed them getting together. He hoped that, by doing this, Eddy and Caroline could get married before he died. ¡°Then, you should leave after you get them.¡± Jude said tly, ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt my chat with Carrie.¡± Eddy was speechless. Was Jude an imposter or something? ¡°Grandpa, since I¡¯m already home, I¡¯ll have dinner with you here. It¡¯s almost dinner time anyway.¡± After Eddy said this, Caroline noticed he was right. It was almost dinner time. Remembering her promise to Kirk that she would be home on time, she stood up and said, ¡°It¡¯s time for me to go home, Grandpa.¡± When Jude heard her words, he had a long face and asked, ¡°Why are you going home so soon?¡± ¡°I already promised that I would be home for dinner.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Jude disagreed. ¡°Carrie, it¡¯s been so long since you had dinner with me. Besides, you have meals with your husband every day. One day apart from him wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Moreover, I still have some things to ask you, so you can¡¯t just leave.¡± ¡°What do you want to ask me, Grandpa?¡± Caroline asked curiously. 1/3 +15 BONUS clusive. We have no way of finding out who he is.¡± Kirk frowned at his words. ¡°There¡¯s another party keeping watch on her? Why didn¡¯t you tell me such an important thing sooner?¡± Charles exined, ¡°Sir, I wanted to tell you after I finished investigating¡­¡± Kirk breathed out slowly and pinched the bridge of his nose. He ordered, ¡°You have to find out who this person is as soon as you can!¡± He couldn¡¯t believe another adversary had appeared before he had managed to handle Jude. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Charles answered and nodded. When Jude learned that Caroline wasing, he greeted her at the door. ¡°Hello, Grandpa.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Jude asked someone to take the gift from Caroline¡¯s hands. ¡°You finally came to visit me, Carrie. I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± Caroline said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too. How are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing pretty well.¡± Jude brought Caroline to sit down on the couch. He praised, ¡°How about you? I heard you¡¯ve be Evans Group¡¯s CEO, and you¡¯ve been doing a great job. I¡¯m really proud of you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡± The two chatted for a while. Then, they heard Eddy¡¯s voice from outside the door. ¡°Grandpa! Grandpa!¡± His shouts grew louder and louder as he drew closer. Once he came in, he stopped yelling. When Jude saw Eddy, he stopped smiling like he usually did. Instead, he frowned and asked unhappily, ¡°What are you doing back home?¡± Eddy was startled when he saw Caroline. In the past, Jude would have tried his best to notify him whenever Caroline came to visit. 212 +15 BONUS Chapter 578 However, today, Eddy had only found out Caroline was here when he called Simon, and he heard him say that he had to prepare dinner. Upon hearing the news, he had immediately stopped what he was doing and hurried home. However, he hadn¡¯t expected Jude to despise his presence here. He said, ¡°I left something at home. Jude nced at Eddy, but he didn¡¯t expose his lie. Ever since he had discovered that disagreeing with Eddy was effective, he kept this method in mind. Now, not only had he stopped matchmaking Eddy and Caroline, but he even deliberately opposed them getting together. He hoped that, by doing this, Eddy and Caroline could get married before he died. ¡°Then, you should leave after you get them.¡± Jude said tly, ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt my chat with Carrie.¡± Eddy was speechless. Was Jude an imposter or something? ¡°Grandpa, since I¡¯m already home, I¡¯ll have dinner with you here. It¡¯s almost dinner time anyway.¡® After Eddy said this, Caroline noticed he was right. It was almost dinner time. Remembering her promise to Kirk that she would be home on time, she stood up and said, ¡°It¡¯s time for me to go home, Grandpa.¡± When Jude heard her words, he had a long face and asked, ¡°Why are you going home so soon?¡± ¡°I already promised that I would be home for dinner.¡± Jude disagreed. ¡°Carrie, it¡¯s been so long since you had dinner with me. Besides, you have meals with your husband every day. One day apart from him wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Moreover, I still have some things to ask you, so you can¡¯t just leave.¡± ¡°What do you want to ask me, Grandpa?¡± Caroline asked curiously. 1/3 ¡°I want to ask about your husband, of course, Jude sighed. +15 BONUS ¡°It¡¯s been almost a year since you got married, but I still haven¡¯t met him. Hard to believe that, right?¡± ¡°Grandpa¡­ There¡¯s no way you haven¡¯t seen him.¡± Caroline remembered Jude asking her to bring Kirk to see him after she had announced her marriage. ¡°But it¡¯s true.¡± Jude said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie to you about this. ¡°But-¡± ¡°Carrie, do you not want me to meet him, or does he refuse to meet me? Is he someone I know?¡± ¡°No way. That¡¯s impossible.¡± Caroline waved her hands and said, ¡°He¡¯s just a-¡± Then, she remembered that Eddy¡¯s second uncle had sent Kirk to Morrison Corp, and she didn¡¯t know their dealings. So Caroline changed her mind and said, ¡°He¡¯s just an ordinary office employee. You definitely don¡¯t know him.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who he is. I still want to meet him. ¡°In my current situation, I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll still be around. Before I pass on, I need to find out who your lifelong partner is. Then, I can rest assured.¡± He would only feel relieved after seeing with his own eyes that Caroline¡¯s husband wasn¡¯t Kirk. If it were really Kirk, Eddy would have no chance of winning Caroline¡¯s heart. ¡°All right.¡± Since Jude had stated his reasons, Caroline couldn¡¯t bring herself to refuse. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll discuss things with him when I get home. When he¡¯s free, we¡¯ll visit you together.¡± ¡°All right!¡± Jude smiled and nodded. ¡°Come on, you should have dinner here tonight.¡± Caroline started, ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s just one meal. I¡¯m sure your husband wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± Caroline thought about it. It would be impolite to keep refusing, so she had no choice but to say, ¡± Okay.¡± Before dinner, Caroline texted Kirk while she was in the bathroom. ¡°I won¡¯t be home for dinner tonight. Grandpa insisted on me having dinner with him. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kirk replied soon enough. ¡°All right. Did he say anything else?¡± Caroline texted, ¡°You¡¯re pretty sharp. He says he wants to meet you. I¡¯ll bring you to see Grandpa when you¡¯re free.¡± Kirk¡¯s pupils shrank at her words. Chapter 579 Chapter 579 Chapter 579 After a long while, Kirk replied, ¡°All right. I¡¯ll check my schedule, and I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯m free.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Caroline replied with a smile emoji. ¡°I¡¯ll be having my dinner now. Make sure you have an early dinner, too.¡± Kirk replied, ¡°Okay.¡± However, his eyes were still fixed on Caroline¡¯s previous messages. That old man insisted on confirming things with his own eyes. He would only give up after seeing that Caroline¡¯s husband wasn¡¯t him. If Kirk didn¡¯t meet up with Jude, that old man would definitely get to the bottom of things. But if he did, his identity would be exposed. Perhaps he could confess the truth to Caroline before meeting Jude. However, if he did that¡­. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Kirk¡¯s mind was in a mess. He narrowed his eyes. He tapped his fingers on the table, his gaze bing darker and darker. Meanwhile, Jude ignored Eddy throughout the entire dinner and only talked with Caroline. ¡°You should eat more of this, Carrie. You¡¯ve lost a lot of weight. You must ask your husband to make more sumptuous meals at home. Okay?¡± 1 ¡°I got it, Grandpa. You¡¯ve told me this many times.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jude picked up his spoon. He mused, ¡°Oh, look at me. This is what happens when you get old. I hope you don¡¯t mind my forgetfulness.¡± Caroline said with a smile, ¡°Of course not, Grandpa. You simply care about us young people. We totally understand.¡± Eddy thought Caroline¡¯s words would prompt Jude to talk him up. 1/3 415 BONUS However, Jude didn¡¯t do that but said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s good. When I meet your husband, I¡¯d better tell him more about how to care for you. I hope he doesn¡¯t find that annoying.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t, He¡¯s a pretty patient guy.¡± Caroline¡¯s words made Jude feel much better. ¡°Is your husband that patient?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t seem like a patient guy. Everyone feared him. At the thought of this, Jude¡¯s suspicions of Kirk diminished slightly. ¡°Yeah. Not only is he patient, but he can also cook.¡± Herpliments made Jude raise his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°He can cook as well?¡± In that case, there was no way her husband was Kirk! ¡°That¡¯s right! If you want to try his cooking, feel free to visit us.¡± ¡°All right, no problem!¡± Eddy frowned when he saw them talk. ¡± Jude¡¯s expression was joyful when he spoke of Caroline¡¯s husband. Had he changed his mind and started to support Caroline¡¯s marriage? At the thought of this, Eddy panicked and interrupted them. ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯ve always taught us not to talk during our meals. You should eat first before continuing your chat.¡± Jude said unhappily, ¡°Carrie finally has the chance to visit me after so long. Is it so bad that I just chat with her?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Eddy didn¡¯t want to hear Jude and Caroline talk about her husband and sing praises for him. ¡°You can still do that after dinner.¡± Jude noticed that Eddy was jealous, and he immediately said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re right. But I still want to say one thing. Caroline, it¡¯s a good thing you married someone else.¡± Jude¡¯s words startled both Caroline and Eddy. Caroline was happy. She hadn¡¯t expected Jude to finally give up his obsession with getting her and Eddy together. Chapter 580 Chapter 580 Chapter 580 Eddy looked at Jude sadly. ¡°Grandpa, are you-¡± Jude saniled and said to Eddy, ¡°Eddy, I was wrong for constantly pressuring you to marry Caroline. It ruined the rtionship between the two of you. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about things recently, and I shouldn¡¯t have interfered with your rtionship. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll agree to whoever you want to marry from now on.¡± After a pause, Jude continued, ¡°By the way, weren¡¯t you considering getting married to La? I¡¯ve thought about it too. You¡¯re already a grownup, so it¡¯s time to start a family.¡± Eddy¡¯s spoon fell to the ground. He quickly bent down to pick it up. After a long while, he raised his head from under the table and asked in disbelief, ¡°Ahem. Grandpa, are you for real?¡± Jude said with a smile, ¡°Of course.¡± Eddy coughed more violently. Jude pretended not to notice anything and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Eddy? Are you that happy? I was wrong before. I promise I won¡¯t make the same mistake again.¡± Eddy coughed even more. He couldn¡¯t say anything at all. Then, he went on with his meal, feeling depressed. After dinner, Caroline helped clean up. Afterward, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll be heading home, Grandpa.¡± were ¡°Okay.¡± Jude stood up and said, ¡°If it were before, I would¡¯ve asked Eddy to take you home. But now, I won¡¯t make him do that anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll ask the driver to do it instead. Carrie, I¡¯m not being inhospitable, am I?¡± His question amused Caroline. She said merrily, ¡°Of course not.¡± As long as Jude wasn¡¯t forcing her and Eddy to be together anymore, she would be happy even if she had to walk home alone. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Eddy interjected coldly, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ll take her home.¡± Jude looked at Eddy with a raised brow. He said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself, Eddy.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS Caroline didn¡¯t want Eddy to send her home. ¡°He¡¯s right, Mr. Eddy. I can just go home by myself. ¡°Don-¡± Eddy held back his anger in front of Jude and didn¡¯t finish his sentence. Instead, he took his keys and spat, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Caroline nced at him and then at Jude. Jude smiled and looked at Caroline helplessly. Caroline had no choice but to follow Eddy. After Eddy and Caroline left, Simon couldn¡¯t wait to speak up. ¡°Sir, you¡¯ve made a good move. Last time, Mr. Eddy used to be more resistant to your methods, but now he¡¯s more willing to do it.¡± Jude scoffed. ¡°That fool clearly likes Caroline, but he keeps insisting that he doesn¡¯t. If he doesn¡¯t realize his feelings, he¡¯ll suffer for it eventually.¡± Simon said with a smile, ¡°It definitely isn¡¯t toote for him. But, sir, there¡¯s still something I don¡¯t understand. Will you enlighten me?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Do you want to meet Caroline¡¯s husband because you still suspect Mr. Kirk? In that case, why not just use his photo or another way to validate your suspicions? ¡°There¡¯s no need to go through this much trouble to meet him in person.¡± Jude sat down with a smile. He said, ¡°Actually, after talking to Caroline just now, I don¡¯t think Kirk is her husband. But I still have to meet him in person. Only by meeting him in person can I rest assured. ¡°As for your other question, I¡¯m sure you know I don¡¯t have any photos of Kirk, I know there are other methods to find the truth, but it¡¯s better to confirm things with my own eyes. ¡± Then, he continued, ¡°But you did remind me that getting a photo of Kirk is necessary. Go and look for one, and make sure to do it in secret.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Simon agreed. Then, he left. Chapter 581 Chapter 581 Chapter 581 Both Caroline and Eddy fell silent. None of them took the initiative to speak in the car. To be honest, she found the silence rather pleasant. Unfortunately for her, Eddy chose to break the silence by saying, ¡°Don¡¯t take what Grandpa said to heart.¡± Confused, Caroline turned to look at him. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Eddy knitted his brows and said, ¡°When he said he wanted you and your husband to live a good life together.¡± Straightening her back, she told him, ¡°Are you going to tell me to get a divorce then? Who are you to say those words? How I live my life is none of your business!¡± Eddy opened his mouth to retort, but in the end, all he could say was, ¡°He¡¯s not the one for you.¡± ¡°How is he not the one for me?¡± Caroline snapped. She could turn a blind eye if they were talking about something else, but not when it concerned Kirk. ¡°I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s any man who¡¯s more deserving of me than him,¡± she said. ¡°Have you heard of soulmates before? He¡¯s my soulmate. All he needs is just a nce to know what I¡¯m thinking.¡± Eddy exhaled slowly, but the weight on his heart didn¡¯t diminish. It only served to trouble him more. He recalled the day he had spoken to Kirk. Kirk said that Eddy yearned for Caroline simply because he couldn¡¯t have her. Still, hearing herpliment her husband made Eddy feel uneasy. Eddy didn¡¯t want her to continue praising that man. Instead, he wanted to be the person she spoke about. His grip on the steering wheel loosened when he realized what he was hoping for. Did he just think of bing her husband? No, no, no! That definitely wasn¡¯t what he was thinking. However, even after he had calmed down, the same thought still upied his mind. He took a 1/2 +15 BONUS Caroline nced strangely at him. He said nothing for quite some time, so she thought she had finally managed to persuade him. Letting out a sigh, she said, ¡°I hope that you won¡¯t talk badly about him in front of me in the future. You don¡¯t know him at all, so you don¡¯t have the right to judge him. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°We won¡¯t meet each other anymore, anyway.¡± Eddy¡¯s heart throbbed at her words, and his mood turned foul. ¡°What now? Are you thinking of leaving Earth then?¡± His tone was icy. Caroline nced at him and smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t want La to look for me every other day.¡± La had confronted her because Eddy had visited her at the hospital. Surely, La would burn Evans Group down if she found out that he had driven Caroline home. It wasn¡¯t that Caroline feared La. It was just that she had something more important to handle now. She wanted to turn Evans Group into a more powerful business as soon as possible. She didn¡¯t wish Evans Group to remain a small business. That wasn¡¯t what she¡¯d had in mind when she had taken over thepany. She wanted to use thepany as a springboard to restore the Evans¡® name to its former glory. That way, Kirk wouldn¡¯t have to work under Eddy¡¯s second uncle anymore or do anything against his will. Like getting registered on his behalf. ¡°La gave you trouble?¡± Chapter 582 Chapter 582 Chapter 582 Eddy sounded so surprised that his tone snapped Caroline out of her daze. She looked at him strangely. ¡°Why are you so surprised? It¡¯s not like this is your first time hearing this.¡± Eddy froze. ¡°Does she make things difficult for you all the time?¡± His question made Carolineugh out loud. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know about this. ¡°You know fairly well that she pretended to be sick just so she could get one of my kidneys. I¡¯m not buying it if you tell me that you don¡¯t know about it.¡± ¡°I asked her to apologize to you for that,¡± Eddy exined. ¡°She did that because Grandpa forced me to marry you back then-¡± ¡°Is that a valid reason for her to hurt someone else? So I have the right to kill someone because of something, then?¡± Caroline stared right into his eyes as she spoke. ¡°I get to exin myself because I lived. If I had died¡­¡± Caroline¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°You would all think that I deserved it.¡± ¡°I-¡± Eddy started but was cut short with a wave of her hand. She didn¡¯t want to listen to him exin himself anymore. ¡°Can I ask you something? Why are you so biased?¡± Eddy opened his mouth to say something, but his thoughts went back to when he had been seven or eight years old. Jude had taken him and Caroline abroad. La, who had still been very young, had thrown a tantrum because she had wanted to go along with them. After setting off, they had headed to Halvia to switch to their connecting flight. Halvia had been in a rather chaotic state at that time. News about the rich and their family members getting abducted or kidnapped had beenmon there.. So Jude had taken a team of 30 bodyguards with them that day. 1/2 +15 BONUS Caroline nced strangely at him. He said nothing for quite some time, so she thought she had finally managed to persuade him. Letting out a sigh, she said, ¡°I hope that you won¡¯t talk badly about him in front of me in the future. You don¡¯t know him at all, so you don¡¯t have the right to judge him. ¡°We won¡¯t meet each other anymore, anyway.¡± Eddy¡¯s heart throbbed at her words, and his mood turned foul. ¡°What now? Are you thinking of leaving Earth then?¡± His tone was icy. Caroline nced at him and smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t want La to look for me every other day.¡± La had confronted her because Eddy had visited her at the hospital. Surely, La would burn Evans Group down if she found out that he had driven Caroline home. It wasn¡¯t that Caroline feared La. It was just that she had something more important to handle N?velDrama.Org is the owner. now. She wanted to turn Evans Group into a more powerful business as soon as possible. She didn¡¯t wish Evans Group to remain a small business. That wasn¡¯t what she¡¯d had in mind when she had taken over thepany. She wanted to use thepany as a springboard to restore the Evans¡® name to its former glory. That way, Kirk wouldn¡¯t have to work under Eddy¡¯s second uncle anymore or do anything against his will. Like getting registered on his behalf. ¡°La gave you trouble?¡± 2/2 +15 BONUS Chapter 582 Eddy sounded so surprised that his tone snapped Caroline out of her daze. She looked at him strangely ¡°Why are you so surprised? It¡¯s not like this is your first time hearing this¡± Eddy froze. ¡°Does she make things difficult for you all the time?¡± His question made Carolineugh out loud. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know about this. ¡°You know fairly well that she pretended to be sick just so she could get one of my kidneys. I¡¯m not buying it if you tell me that you don¡¯t know about it.¡± ¡°I asked her to apologize to you for that,¡± Eddy exined. ¡°She did that because Grandpa forced me to marry you back then-¡± ¡°Is that a valid reason for her to hurt someone else? So I have the right to kill someone because of something, then?¡± Caroline stared right into his eyes as she spoke. ¡°I get to exin myself because I lived. If I had died¡­¡® Caroline¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°You would all think that I deserved it.¡± ¡°I-¡± Eddy started but was cut short with a wave of her hand. She didn¡¯t want to listen to him exin himself anymore. ¡°Can I ask you something? Why are you so biased?¡± Eddy opened his mouth to say something, but his thoughts went back to when he had been seven or eight years old. Jude had taken him and Caroline abroad. La, who had still been very young, had thrown a tantrum because she had wanted to go along with them. After setting off, they had headed to Halvia to switch to their connecting flight. Halvia had been in a rather chaotic state at that time. News about the rich and their family members getting abducted or kidnapped had beenmon there. So Jude had taken a team of 30 bodyguards with them that day. 1/3 +15 BONUS Despite Jude¡¯s efforts, Eddy, Caroline, and La had been kidnapped amidst the chaos. At a tender age, the three of them had suffered the torment of being beaten every day and having nothing to eat at all. The torture hadsted for about a week until they had met a kind¨Chearted robber who couldn¡¯t bear to see them getting tortured anymore. After the man had secretly let them go, the three of them had run a long way. They had finally found a small shop, where Eddy had begged the shopkeeper to lend them his phone. After making the call, they had stayed in the shop and waited for help. Eddy could still vividly remember how the shop had been engulfed in darkness. They had had to switch on the lights just to see something. There had been a simple kitchen near the entrance of the shop. Besides a couple of kitchenwares, there had only been a gas tank for cooking. That had been their first time seeing a gas tank. They became less afraid after they had waited for more than an hour. They watched the shopkeeper cook, their eyes wide with surprise. However, just when the atmosphere had turned slightly pleasant, the sound of cars honking had pierced the air, followed by the ear¨Csplitting noise of guns being fired. The shopkeeper had copsed, and sudden bursts of mes hade out of nowhere, frightening the three children. Soon, mes had surrounded them. They had nced around, helpless. Although Eddy was the eldest among them, he had been so terrified that he had wet his pants. His legs had turned to jelly, and he hadn¡¯t been able to move a single muscle. Just then, a pair of small yet strong hands had shoved him away. The next thing he knew, he had heard a sharp cry from somewhere. He couldn¡¯t remember anything else that happened afterward. He had forgotten all about it. He had met La again after a week. She, too, had been hospitalized, and she had had varying degrees of burns on her body. Fortunately, she had recovered just fine. On the other hand, Caroline had been taken abroad by her parents. Jude had told them that the kidnapping had affected her psychological state too much. She had needed to get treatment Eddy hadn¡¯t cared about that. He had merely wanted to know who had saved him. So he asked Jude, ¡°Grandpa, is Caroline hurt?¡± ¡°Carol¡¯s parents didn¡¯t inform me of her condition. She probably wasn¡¯t hurt.¡± Ever since then, Eddy had been sure that La was the one who had saved him. Chapter 583 Chapter 583 Chapter 583 As the years had passed, Eddy had never doubted that. When he had been 16 years old, Caroline had returned. She had grown up into a graceful and extraordinary young woman, but she seemed to have forgotten every single memory of them. It had infuriated Eddy and also made him even more certain that La was the one who had saved him back then. This was the reason he hated Caroline so much. From time to time, he would reminisce about the past, yet Caroline remembered nothing about what had happened. He had asked her about the incident several times before, but she would always shake her head and ask him if something like that had actually happened before. Thinking of that incident now, he nced back at Caroline. ¡°You were around five years old when I was seven or eight years old. Do you remember anything about us getting kidnapped?¡± Caroline stared back at him in confusion. He had asked her this same question over and over again. She returned from overseas when she had been 16 years old. It had been her first time meeting him, and he had asked her the same question. Throughout the years she had stayed by his side, he had continued to ask her the same question. And when he did, he would always stare at her piercingly. It was as if she was a traitor. ¡°I¡¯ve told you lots of times that I¡¯ve forgotten most of what happened when I was young.¡± Caroline herself wasn¡¯t sure why, but she couldn¡¯t remember anything from her past. Perhaps it was just like what Sarah and Dan had exined to her back then. They said that she had been through something horrible, which had caused her memory loss. Apparently, it seemed like she wasn¡¯t willing to recall her childhood memories. Eddyughed lightly. ¡°Maybe you will understand why I¡¯m so kind to La when you remember it. ¡± That said, he rested the back of his head against the headrest and stared at the road ahead. ¡°We¡¯re 1/3 +15 BONUS Caroline was still in a daze when she heard his words She looked out the window. It took a second for her to realize that she was home. She got out of the car, took a few steps, and turned back. ¡°I really can¡¯t remember what happened. She trailed off, hesitating. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. If ¡°If you¡¯re willing to tell me about it, I¡¯ll be sure to listen.¡± Eddy noticed the desperation in her eyes. After a moment of silence, he chuckled and said, ¡± Perhaps it¡¯s best for you not to remember it.¡± He turned the steering wheel and drove out of the apartmentplex. Caroline watched him leave with her brows furrowed. Then, she turned and headed upstairs. As she entered the elevator, she wondered why her memories from before the age of six were so vague and blurry. However, she could still vividly remember the things that happened when she had been about seven or eight years old. She couldn¡¯t forget how Sarah had taken her to see the doctor every Friday when she was seven. At the time, Sarah had been shocked when Caroline had mentioned that the doctor she was seeing was a psychologist. ¡°You can read?¡± Sarah asked in disbelief. Caroline had nodded and read aloud the titles that the doctor had held. It had surprised Sarah so much that she had wanted to train Caroline to be a writer. Later on, though, the n had been put on hold because Sarah had started preparing her to be Eddy¡¯s wife. The elevator doors opened, snapping Caroline back into reality. She stepped out of the elevator and saw Kirk pacing around in front of the door of the house. ¡°Why are you outside?¡± Raising his eyes to meet Caroline¡¯s, he strode across the corridor toward her and pulled her into his arms. Startled, Caroline asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Instead of answering, he simply hugged her tighter She smiled and startedughing ¡°You were afraid that I wouldn¡¯te back anymore, right?¡± Kirk hummed in response Chapter 584 Chapter 584 Chapter 584 Caroline hooked her arms around Kirk¡¯s waist. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll alwayse back. I woulde back home even if it rained daggers.¡± Kirk loosened his arms around her slightly. Staring at her dazzling eyes, he smiled back at her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back in.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she replied, letting him carry her into the house. ¡°Kirk.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Do you remember things that happened when you were young?¡± After cing her down on a chair, Kirk knelt and helped her take off her shoes. ¡°When I was young?¡± He nced up at her. ¡°How young?¡± ¡°When you were about five years old.¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes lit up at his words. ¡°What were you doing at that time?¡± Remembering how he started following his father around to run business errands, Kirk couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Nothing special. I went to kindergarten and yed with my friends. Sometimes, I would y with my father too.¡± Propping up her chin in her arm, Caroline said, ¡°I¡¯m so jealous of you¡­ I can¡¯t remember what happened when I was that age. ¡°Don¡¯t you find it strange that I can only remember the things that I did when I was seven or eight years old but not when I was five years old?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like¡­¡± She continued, ¡°It¡¯s like someone sliced through my memories and took away all the ones that I 1/3 Kirk gently massaged her head as he listened to her speak. +15 BONUS ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because your brain was too tiny when you were small, so you couldn¡¯t remember anything that happened before that.¡± Smiling, Caroline hooked her arms around his neck. ¡°Will you forget me when you turn old and your brain bes tiny?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Kirk carried her in his arms once again and headed to the bedroom. ¡°How are you so sure about that? There are lots of elderly people who get Alzheimer¡¯s these days. What if-¡± ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®what if¡®.¡± Kirk pressed his lips against hers, his breath fanning her cheeks. ¡°Because my heart remembers you. It has nothing to do with my brain.¡± Caroline blinked at his words. They were like a feather that was gently and softly caressing her heart. She then hooked one leg around his waist. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Come into my heart if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Caroline blushed. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Despite that, her hand moved along with Kirk¡¯s to lift up his shirt. When her hand was on his chest, where his heart was, he chuckled and leaned over to bite her lips gently. ¡°Can you see it now?¡± Caroline blushed further, her fingers trembling slightly where she was touching him. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°Well, then, you have to be more serious.¡± His voice was gruff, and his Adam¡¯s apple moved in time with his speech. Her eyes gradually lost focus, as if she were a fish breaking through the surface of the water. The warmth she felt made her feel like she was water vaporizing into steam, yet she yearned for it. What ensued from the feeling was a time of endless pleasure. When she cooled down muchter, she sprawled on the bed, unwilling to move a single muscle. She could feel that her throat was hoarse by now. ¡°Water¡­¡± She groaned, and Kirk got up to get her some water. Just then, her phone, which was at the edge of the bed, started to ring. She nced at the screen to see that the caller was Marietta. Hastily, she answered the call. Marietta¡¯s excited voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°Carrie, you¡¯re truly my lucky mascot! I just got a call from the detective. He had news about my daughter!¡± Chapter 585 Chapter 585 Chapter 585 Caroline sat up on the bed. She was simply too happy for Marietta. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! Where is she?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t found her yet.¡± Marietta sounded a little down. ¡°I only know that a couple from Easton adopted her and that they¡¯re from Osbury. I¡¯ve discussed it with my assistant, and I¡¯ll be flying there tonight.¡± Caroline checked the time. It should be night¨Ctime on Marietta¡¯s side now. ¡°When will your flightnd? I can pick you up.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± replied Marietta. ¡°I¡¯ll thank you properly once I manage to find my daughter.¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be waiting for good news.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all, I guess. I have to make preparations for something else.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline ended the call just in time to see Kirk enter the room with a ss of water. She could sense the jealousy in his voice when he spoke. ¡°Who called you? Why are you so happy? ¡°It was Marietta.¡± Carolineughed. ¡°What is it? Are you jealous of a woman?¡± Kirk froze. He had assumed that Eddy had called her. ¡°Why is she calling you at this hour?¡± he asked. A smile spread across Caroline¡¯s face. ¡°She said that she had gotten some news about her daughter, who had been abducted years ago. ¡°It turns out that a couple from Easton had adopted her daughter, so Marietta¡¯sing here to find out more.¡± Seeing the frown on Kirk¡¯s face, Caroline asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t you happy for her?¡± Her question snapped Kirk out of his daze. ¡°I¡¯m happy for her, of course.¡± +15 BONUS It was just that Marietta knew him Back then, she handed the script for ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡± over to Collins Group because of him Things would be fine if she managed to find her daughter soon after arriving in Easton. However, if it took a long time, she would certainly contact Caroline frequently. By then¡­ Turning around, Kirk inconspicuously pressed a hand against his forehead when Caroline was focused on downing the ss of water. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. How had things be soplicated? This just wouldn¡¯t do. He had to settle the issue of his identity as soon as possible. He turned to look at Caroline, who was taking sip after sip from the ss. He couldn¡¯t help but find her simply adorable. However, the longer he stared at her, the more he panicked. ¡°Darling, can I ask you something?¡± Now that Caroline had finished her ss of water, she wasn¡¯t as parched as before and had regained some strength. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If Eddy isn¡¯t Eddy ¡­ I mean, if he hadn¡¯t been a part of the Morrison family ¡­¡± Now, it was Caroline¡¯s turn to stare at him. This was the first time she had seen Kirk fumbling for words. She found it so amusing that she couldn¡¯t stop herself fromughing. ¡°Do you even realize how funny you sound right now?¡± Kirk nced up at the ceiling for a couple of seconds andughed. ¡°Let me rephrase it. Imagine that what happened between you and Eddy was still the same. If I didn¡¯t exist or hadn¡¯t appeared, and we hadn¡¯t gotten married¡­¡± Caroline knitted her eyebrows together, but Kirk had no clue as to why she was frowning. He continued, ¡°But someone from the Morrison family appeared. He loves you a lot, and you love him too. Would you be with him?¡± ¡°No!¡± Caroline¡¯s curt reply made his heart drop. She then added, ¡°Because no matter what happens, and even if you hadn¡¯t appeared, I still want to be with you.¡± Kirk smiled wryly at her words. He cupped her cheeks and said, ¡°But what if I hadn¡¯t shown up?¡± Chapter 586 Chapter 586 Chapter 586 ¡°I know. I would wait for you,¡± said Caroline. ¡°I would wait for you until you appear.¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± asked Kirk. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll continue waiting for you until you do.¡± Kirk fell silent. After some time, he ruffled her hair and said softly, ¡°Time to sleep.¡± Taking his hands in hers, she stared right into his eyes. ¡°It seems to me that you¡¯re not satisfied with my answer.¡± Her gaze made him burn inside, and he said, ¡°If you don¡¯t sleep now, I¡¯ll-¡± ¡°I was wrong!¡± Caroline yelped and ducked under the nkets. Kirk chuckled as he watched her wriggle like a caterpir in a cocoon. Despite the smile that hung on his lips, his eyes had a hint of sorrow in them. As long as the problem of his identity existed, blissful days like this would feel as surreal as a dream. Three dayster, Caroline received a call from Marietta, who invited her out for a meal. Naturally, she didn¡¯t hesitate to ept the invitation. Nevertheless, Marietta wasn¡¯t familiar with things in Osbury, so Caroline volunteered to find a restaurant and make a reservation for them. Cheryl couldn¡¯t hide the excitement in her voice when she found out that Caroline was going to see Marietta again. ¡°Caroline, can you get Marietta¡¯s autograph for me?¡± ¡°Are you her fan?¡± ¡°Not really. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s the most famous scriptwriter right now,¡± answered Cheryl. ¡°So I can make others jealous if I can get her autograph.¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°Have you made up your mind about what you¡¯re going to wear for your date with 1/3 +15 BONUS A blush crept across Cheryl¡¯s cheeks at the question. ¡°Caroline!¡± She squealed. ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re blushing already,¡± Caroline teased. You should learn a thing or two from Gwen. That way, you won¡¯t get embarrassed so easily.¡± That made Cherylugh. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Oh right! How are Gwen and Dr. Yates now? I saw them a couple of days ago. I think it was the day after we had a meal together.¡± Caroline fell silent for a moment before deciding to steer the topic away from Gwen and Sean. You haven¡¯t told me what you¡¯re going to wear on your date with Jack.¡± ¡°To be honest, I haven¡¯t decided on it yet.¡± Cheryl stared at her toes. H ¡°Ever since I started working, I¡¯ve always worn a blouse and pants. Even when I had been at school, I had simply worn a T¨Cshirt and jeans.¡± ¡°How about youe with me when I meet up with Mariettater?¡± Caroline suggested. ¡°We can rx and take her shopping. At the same time, we can get you some clothes so that you¡¯ll look all pretty for your date.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. It¡¯s only a meal. Won¡¯t it seem like I¡¯m doing too much?¡± ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s your first date,¡± Caroline reassured her. ¡°It¡¯s settled then.¡± ¡°Okay. Thanks, Caroline.¡± ¡°Go on then.¡± Caroline smiled and reminded her, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that it¡¯s a reservation for three.¡± Cheryl nodded and left to do what she was asked. When it was lunchtime, the two of them headed to pick up Marietta from the hotel where she was staying. When all of them were in the car, Caroline purposely introduced Cheryl to Marietta. ¡°Meet Cheryl, my assistant. She knew that your parents liked spicy food since they¡¯re from Ciante, so she purposely booked us a restaurant that specializes in Ciantean cuisine. What do you think?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. +15 BONUS Marietta pulled Cheryl into her arms and said, ¡°Thank you, dear. That was so thoughtful of you.¡± It made Cheryl blush. Noticing this, Marietta teased her for it for a moment before turning to Caroline. Carrie, I¡¯ve heard that the Evans were one of the big four families in the past. Do you know anyone in the other three families who had been adopted?¡± Caroline gave it some thought before answering, ¡°Um¡­ I have no clue about this. Why are you asking?¡± Sighing, Marietta looked rather down. ¡°The human traffickers who had taken my daughter away from me back then had sold her off to a couple from Yudonia. ¡°Later on, the couple had had their own children, and they had sent her to an orphanage. ¡°The private detective I hired discovered that a couple from Osbury had adopted my daughter.¡± Marietta continued, ¡°The director of the orphanage said that the couple had been well dressed and seemed toe from a well¨Coff background.¡± ¡°Apparently, they identally revealed that they were from one of the big four families here in Osbury,¡± said Marietta. ¡°So it¡¯s highly likely that they were from the big four families in the past.¡± Chapter 587 Chapter 587 Chapter 587 ¡°The big four families?¡± Caroline pondered out loud. ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone who had been adopted into those families.¡± Strangely, though, a child would appear out of the blue in some of the families. Then, the families would im that the child¡¯s parents were their rtives¡® or even say that one of the women in their families had given birth to the child out of town. To put it simply, they wanted to spare themselves the embarrassment of admitting that the child was illegitimate. These children certainly weren¡¯t adopted. After all, the families took bloodlines very seriously. They would never allow an outsider¡¯s blood to taint their bloodlines. ¡°Please help me take note of this then,¡± said Marietta as she nced at Caroline. ¡°I¡¯ve only just gotten some news about my daughter.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Caroline told her. ¡°I¡¯ll help you ask around.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Carrie.¡± ¡°No worries. It¡¯s the least I can do.¡± They chatted some more and soon arrived at the restaurant. It had been a long time since Marietta had been back in Easton. Although she hadn¡¯t eaten any spicy food when she had been abroad, she still managed to handle spicy food pretty well. Caroline and Cheryl found the food so spicy that they downed ss after ss of cold water. On the other hand, Marietta seemed to be enjoying the food as if the spiciness was no big deal. She couldn¡¯t hold back herughter when she saw Caroline and Cheryl in such a state. ¡°So you two can¡¯t take anything spicy at all.¡± She chuckled and added, ¡°You don¡¯t have to pick the dishes ording to my taste next time.¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± said Caroline, fanning herself. +15 BONUS ¡°Everything¡¯s fine as long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Marietta smiled at her words. She found that she liked Caroline even more the longer she looked at her. Sometimes, she wished that Caroline was her daughter. She would get this sense of familiarity whenever she saw Caroline. It was as if they had known each other for years. ¡°Oh right!¡± said Marietta. ¡°Carrie, what do your parents do for a living? You don¡¯t mention them often.¡± This time, Marietta had returned to find her daughter. She had found out that Caroline was the Evans¡® daughter only after discovering that her daughter might have been adopted by someone from the big four families. Caroline lowered her eyes and said coolly, ¡°I¡¯ve cut ties with them.¡± ¡°Howe?¡± Marietta asked, her heart breaking a little. Cheryl, whose lips were still burning from the spicy food, started ranting. ¡°It¡¯s simply too horrible, Ms. Weiss. Caroline¡¯s parents are super awful!¡± The spiciness of the food fueled her anger. Marietta¡¯s heart hurt for Caroline. She nced at Cheryl, eager to know more about Caroline.¡± What happened? Can you tell me about it?¡± Cheryl didn¡¯t dare to disclose anything. She merely nced at Caroline. Seeing Caroline nod, she told Marietta about what Sarah and Dan had done. In truth, Cheryl was only aware of the incidents that were already known to the public. However, she still seethed with rage at Sarah and Dan for ndering Caroline with all those lies. ¡°How do parents like these even exist?¡± Marietta eximed. ¡°How could they do something like that just to marry their daughter off to someone she doesn¡¯t like? It¡¯s just cruel!¡± Caroline stared at Marietta, who was in such a rage that others could mistakenly take her for the victim. ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s in the past now.¡± Caroline tried tofort her. 2/3 ¡°Look at me now. Aren¡¯t I doing just fine?¡± +15 BONUS ¡°That isn¡¯t a valid reason for parents to hurt their children.¡± Marietta felt as though a de had just sliced through her heart. ¡°You¡¯re their flesh and blood, yet they treat you in such a manner. ¡°My daughter was adopted ¡­ I wonder what she¡¯s been through. I really hope that I can find her right away so that she doesn¡¯t have to suffer anymore.¡± Although Marietta was just a scriptwriter and couldn¡¯tpare to the filthy rich, she had managed to secure quite a few assets. She would have been among the top 20 richest people in the world if she hadn¡¯t spent her money on all means possible to find her long¨Clost daughter. Nevertheless, she had made up her mind that she would hand over all her assets to her daughter once she found her. She wanted to give her daughter the best of everything in this world to make up for what they had lost over the past 20 years. Chapter 588 Chapter 588 Chapter 588 Caroline and Cheryl simply ate in silence. After taking their meals, they bought themselves coffee from one of the coffee shops along the street. The shopkeeper recognized Marietta and couldn¡¯t stop asking to take a picture with her. Although Marietta was a person with a sharp tongue, she was surprisingly very kind to her fans and agreed to the shopkeeper¡¯s request without much hesitation. Hence, Caroline and Cheryl waited for Marietta in the coffee shop. When she was done taking photos with the shopkeeper, Marietta rejoined Caroline and Cheryl. Then, three of them went to a shopping mall nearby to get some clothes for Cheryl. Cheryl paled when they entered one of the stores in the mall. ¡°Caroline, aren¡¯t the clothes here super expensive?¡± Just by ncing at the clothes on disy, she could tell that the clothes in the store would cost her an arm and a leg. It came as a total surprise that the store wouldy out a Portian Gulf carpet at its entrance for its customers. Caroline was about to speak when Marietta smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about money. I¡¯ll buy the clothes.¡± ¡°No way. I can¡¯t let you spend on my ount.¡± Cheryl refused her offer. ¡°It was thanks to you that I managed to get a taste of Ciantean food. So it¡¯s only natural that I want to do something for you,¡± Marietta tried to convince her. ¡°It¡¯s called repaying one¡¯s kindness.¡± Caroline smiled at her words. ¡°Since Marietta¡¯s put it that way, I should just give you your bonus in the form of cash.¡± Staring at the two women before her, Cheryl found herself at a loss for words. She was so lucky to have such a good boss like Caroline, who helped her a lot at work and even with her personal affairs. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Caroline-¡± She started tearing up but was briefly interrupted by Caroline, who looked at her with N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. the eyes of a doting sister. In truth, Caroline had always seen Cheryl as a little sister. ¡°Let¡¯s head in,¡± she said. Cheryl nodded, and the three of them entered the store. When a staff member came to greet them, Caroline pointed at Cheryl and said, ¡°Find her an outfit fit for a date.¡± The staff member, who had lots of experience selecting outfits, smiled. ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t worry. Just leave it to me.¡± With that, she led Cheryl to try on some clothes. Meanwhile, Caroline and Marietta were taken to the lounge to rest. It was elegantly designed, and it reminded Caroline of Cook¡¯s workshop, which looked very simr to this ce. Thinking of him reminded her of something particrly important. After the wedding photoshoot, Cook had said that he would send her the photos, but he still hadn¡¯t sent her any photos at all. Maybe he had forgotten about it. Caroline took her phone out and told Marietta that she was going to make a call. Then, she dialed Cook¡¯s number. Soon, he answered her call. When he recognized her voice, he said, ¡°You¡¯ve finally called me! I thought you didn¡¯t want your wedding photos anymore!¡± He sounded pleasantly surprised. Caroline scratched her nose. ¡°Mr. Cook, did you forget that you told me that you would send them to me?¡± she asked. ¡°But you never sent them.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Kirk called me some time ago and told me not to send the pictures to you just yet. He asked me to wait for him to give the green light.¡± Caroline was startled at his words. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. He said that something could be ruined.¡± Cook told her. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, though. Did something happen between you two?¡± Out of the blue, Caroline felt a surge of warmth enveloping her heart. She was about to say something when a loud p shattered the silent atmosphere in the clothing store. ¡°Where do you evene from, the slum? Who gave you the guts to use Rory¡¯s fitting room? Are you tired of living?¡± Chapter 589 Chapter 589 Chapter 589 +15 BONUS Caroline wasn¡¯t one to gossip. She wanted to ask Cook about what had happened. Just then, she heard someone mumble timidly from behind her. ¡°Sorry!¡± She frowned upon hearing the voice. The person who was apologizing was none other than Cheryl. Turning around, Caroline looked in the direction of Cheryl¡¯s voice to see a haggard¨Clooking Cheryl standing at the door of a fitting room with a bundle of clothes in one arm. A woman with an ugly frown stood some distance away from Cheryl and the fitting room. Her wrathful face made her look as though she was a cat whose tail had just been stepped on. A tall woman with prominent facial features stood behind the angry woman. Caroline instantly recognized the tall woman. She was Aurora Jenner, the infamous actress who was known worldwide. As one of the first few actresses who had made a name for herself in Macldo, she had been Easton¡¯s pride. Nevertheless, she was no longer brought up that often ever since she changed her nationality and became a Macldian. Caroline only knew about her because Aurora had returned to Easton for career purposes. Besides, she had also gotten into a rtionship with Aiden Hackett¡¯s son, Asher. That was why Caroline managed to recognize her at first nce. The person standing in front of her, presumably her assistant, was still cursing at Cheryl. ¡°Do you really think we¡¯ll forgive you just because you apologized?¡± she snapped: ¡°Why would we even need the police if apologies could solve everything?¡± ¡°Are you saying that one can only atone for their sins through death?¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, so she stood in front of Cheryl to shield her from the furious woman, who was indeed Aurora¡¯s assistant, Amy. Amy didn¡¯t falter, even when Caroline stepped up to rebuke her. Instead, she seemed even more arrogant than before. ¡°It¡¯s good that you have at least this bit of self¨Cawareness. Just die already and show that you¡¯re sorry.¡± Caroline furrowed her brows at those words. A momentter, though, she let out a bark ofughter and pped Amy across the face. ¡°Your level of self¨Cawareness is pretty high, eh? Shouldn¡¯t you die already to apologize for tainting my hand by making me p you?¡± Amy was livid with rage, so much so that her face was as red as a ripe tomato. Part of the reason that her face was so red was that Caroline had used quite a lot of strength. Besides that, Amy¡¯s face was also red with humiliation and fury. Although Aurora often bossed her around, the others in the entertainment industry followed her orders all the time because of Aurora¡¯s status. No one had ever had the guts to hit her like this. With her hands raised, Amy advanced toward Caroline like an angry beast pouncing on its prey. However, Caroline shoved her, making her fall to the ground. It happened so quickly that Amy looked up from the floor in a daze. Caroline stared and smiled mockingly at her. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Cheryl.¡± If they couldn¡¯t shop at this store, they could simply shop somewhere else. There was no way that all the stores had crazy people in them. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Amy shrieked as she got up from the ground and blocked Caroline¡¯s path. ¡°Just wait! I¡¯m calling the cops, and I¡¯ll have you two locked up!¡± Caroline ignored Amy and nced at Aurora, who was watching the whole fiasco unfold in silence. Nevertheless, Caroline had had her fair share of interactions with people in the entertainment industry. Aurora¡¯s indifference was proof that she had enabled Amy to be so self¨Cconceited. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have kept quiet. By doing so, she could put the me on Amy if the public found out about this in the future. To put it simply, the most significant thing in the entertainment industry was the actions of those N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. around the stars instead of what the stars themselves did. ¡°It¡¯s just a p, yet you¡¯re making a fuss by calling the cops. I won¡¯t stop you, though.¡± Chapter 590 Chapter 590 Chapter 590 Aurora fell silent after that. Caroline was sure that Aurora couldn¡¯t care less about what her fans thought of her. As someone who had superb acting skills and had produced dozens of films, Aurora never needed to worry about losing her fans¡® support. Her skills in acting were like an unlimited pass that granted her whatever she wished for. Caroline had merely mentioned the possibility of losing her fans¡® support to test the waters. ¡°Hurry up and call the cops then. We don¡¯t have time to lose.¡± She quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t cry for mercy when the cops arrive!¡± Amy yelled. Caroline¡¯s demeanor made her even more pissed, and she immediately dialed 911. Just as the call was answered, Caroline said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I won¡¯t cry. I just wonder if the Hacketts will cry out of desperation when they hear of this. ¡°After all, Ms. Jenner and the Hacketts are quite close.¡± Aurora¡¯s expression shifted a little at Caroline¡¯s words. She snatched the phone from Amy¡¯s hands, smashed it onto the ground, and crushed it under her feet. Amy turned so pale that murmured, ¡°Rory-¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Aurora snapped as she stared daggers at Caroline. ¡°My identity is of no significance. What¡¯s important right now is for you two to apologize to my friend.¡± ¡°Caroline ¡­¡± Cheryl muttered under her breath in an attempt to stop Caroline. She didn¡¯t have the guts to have a renowned actress humbly apologize to her. Even if an actress like Aurora said sorry, she could rant about it on social media the next instant. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Then, all her fans would start a round of cyberbullying to teach Cheryl a lesson. Despite that, Aurora maintained an indifferent attitude. ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± She spoke slowly. The arrogant words were a stark contrast to her beautiful facial features. 1/3 +15 BONUS Caroline raised her eyes to meet Aurora¡¯s. ¡°I saw it just now. My friend had been standing at the door of the fitting room. ¡°She had been there first, yet you two had wanted it to yourselves. She didn¡¯t take away that space from you. Am I right, Cheryl?¡± Cheryl nodded. ¡°Yes. I reached the room before they did, but that woman insisted that I was the one who was being unreasonable.¡± Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke. To be honest, she had been a fool for being fearful and admitting that it had been her fault just because Amy yelled at her. With this in mind, Cheryl straightened her back, no longer that timid anymore. Amy sneered when she heard Cheryl. ¡°Yeah, yeah. So what if you came here first? Nobody knows you. ¡°Rory¡¯s different. She¡¯s famous all around the world. You should count your blessings that you managed to meet her today. ¡°Yet all you¡¯re thinking about is having the fitting room to yourself instead of letting her use it.¡± Stunned, Cheryl was at a loss for words. She was younger than the other women here, after all, and had much less experience dealing with unreasonable people like these two. A momentter, she muttered, ¡°So what if you¡¯re famous? It¡¯s not like you managed to get a role in one of Marietta Weiss¡® ys!¡± Cheryl simply blurted those words without putting much thought into them. However, it was an entirely different story for some others who were listening. A shadow crept across Aurora¡¯s face after she heard what Cheryl said. Failing to get a role in Marietta¡¯s works had always been one of her greatest regrets. Besides, she had returned to Easton because she had heard that Marietta was here as well. She had rushed back to try her luck at meeting Marietta. Who knew that she would meet two incorrigible people here instead? ¡°Call the cops now. I want the two of them locked up.¡± Aurora¡¯s face contorted with rage. Just then, a voice sounded from behind them. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Carrie? Why didn¡¯t youe back to the lounge after so long?¡± Chapter 591 Chapter 591 Chapter 591 The second Marietta saw Aurora, her expression instantly turned cold. She asked, ¡°Who are you? Do I know you?¡± Aurora choked at that, her face nearly twisting up. Then, she managed to say, ¡°Hello. My name is Aurora Jenner. I¡¯m a fan of yours.¡± Marietta looked her up and down. She was a very good judge of a character. With one nce, she could immediately see what sort of person Aurora was. She didn¡¯t want to speak to Aurora at all. She walked over to Caroline and said intimately, ¡°Carrie, what¡¯s going on?¡± She had heard the sound of someone being hit just now. But she hadn¡¯t followed after Caroline. For thing, she was a well¨Cknown person. So she got involved, the matter would escte. Secondly, she was an outsider, so she wasn¡¯t at leisure to intervene. That was why she had stayed in the lounge. However, Caroline hadn¡¯t returned even after Marietta had waited for a long time. Feeling ill at ease, she hade over to take a look. Caroline replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Aunt Mary. I just bumped into some weirdos.¡± When Amy heard Caroline calling her a weirdo, she immediately got mad. ¡°Who are you calling a weirdo?¡± Aurora was so shocked by the familiar way Caroline had addressed Marietta that she couldn¡¯t even speak. How could Caroline call Marietta ¡°Aunt Mary¡°? What was their rtionship? Aurora forcefully pulled Amy aside and inhaled a breath. She stared at Caroline in disbelief. ¡°You know each other?¡± Caroline frowned. ¡°Is it something to you?¡± Aurora looked at Marietta again, but only found the older woman looking at Caroline with a warm, T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. gaze she had never seen before. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say it was the kind of look one would give their own daughter. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°You called her ¡°aunt¡°. Are you rted?¡± Hearing that, Marietta frowned, just like Caroline was. Wearing simr expressions, they looked quite alike. ¡°Were you bullying our Carrie just now?¡± Marietta¡¯s stern eyesnded on Aurora. The way Marietta called her ¡°our Carrie¡± made Caroline¡¯s heart melt into a puddle. Aurora opened her mouth, losing the previous arrogance and rudeness she had used with Caroline before. ¡°I¨CI didn¡¯t¡­ Ms. Weiss, please let me exin.¡± She was so nervous that she waspletely incoherent. Marietta scoffed. ¡°There¡¯s no need to exin. The truth is clear. I heard someone say something along the lines of ¡®it¡¯s good enough that I¡¯m not asking you to kneel¡®.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Even an actress with a Lifetime Achievement Golden Curtain Award wouldn¡¯t be as haughty as you two.¡± She continued, ¡°And here I thought some superstar had arrived. But it¡¯s just two insignificant nobodies.¡± Aurora¡¯s face became mottled. Ever since she had be the first batch of Eastonian talents to establish themselves in Macldo when she was in her 20s, she had always thought that she was a household name. Suddenly being called a nobody, especially by a world¨Crenowned ywright, made her feel awful. Yet she didn¡¯t dare to fight back. She could only bite her lip hard. ¡°Carrie,¡± Marietta turned to Caroline and asked, ¡°how do you think such a person should be dealt with?¡± Caroline looked into Marietta¡¯s eyes. Her own were wet. Ever since she had married Kirk, Caroline had finally seen her parents¡® true behavior. They didn¡¯t actually love her. At the time, they were only hoping for her to be Eddy¡¯s wife. Thus, all of the love and care that they had shown her back then hade with an ulterior motive. 2/3 +15 BONUS But Marietta was different. She had defended Caroline with genuine earnestness. It wasn¡¯t because of who Caroline was or what benefits she could bring to Marietta. The kind of familial love that Caroline had never gotten a taste of made her want to hug Marietta. However, she held herself back. Chapter 592 Chapter 592 hapter 592 +15 BONUS Caroline smiled and said, ¡°They must apologize to Cheryl for their unreasonable behavior.¡± Cheryl quickly added, ¡°They should apologize to Caroline for their haughty attitude, too.¡± After saying this, Caroline and Cheryl met each other¡¯s gaze and smile. Marietta took both their suggestions. ¡°Heard that?¡± she said as she looked at Amy and Aurora. She didn¡¯t say anything more. Aurora bit her lip without saying anything. It had been a long time since she had apologized to anybody. In contrast, Amy was much quicker to bend After Marietta spoke, Amy lowered her head and apologized repeatedly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry. I was wrong to offend you. I didn¡¯t know that you were Ms. Weiss¡® friends. It¡¯s all my fault. Please forgive me!¡± Marietta smiled mockingly as she settled her gaze on Aurora. Aurora clenched her fists. She still couldn¡¯t force herself to apologize to Cheryl and Caroline. In her eyes, these two women were nobodies. They didn¡¯t have the right to receive an apology from her. But with Marietta looking at her, she was forced to back down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She had said it so quickly that the words were an unclear jumble. Marietta let out a coldugh and said, ¡°You can¡¯t even act well when faking an apology. What¡¯s your name?¡± Hearing Marietta ask for her name, Aurora ignored the first part of what she had¨Csaid. ¡°My name is Aurora Jenner, I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Marietta waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll remember you.¡± Aurora was thrilled. ¡°Once I get back, I¡¯ll have my assistant inform all the filmpanies not to work with you anymore.¡± +15 BONUS After saying that, Marietta lifted her chin and said to Caroline and Cheryl, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s have a look elsewhere.¡± The three left happily, leaving Amy and Aurora behind in a daze. After a moment, Aurora suddenly raised her hand and pped Amy in the face. She hit her so hard that Amy felt her head spin. Amy touched her cheek and looked innocently at Aurora, ¡°Rory!¡± Aurora pulled Amy up and pped her again. ¡°This is all your fault! It¡¯s all your fault! If it hadn¡¯t been for you, I would never have offended Marietta Weiss! You owe me a role in Marietta¡¯s work! You owe me!* When the staff members at the store saw this, none of the dared to go up and separate the two women Meanwhile, Cheryl had finished buying some clothes Joyfully, she said, ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect Aurora Jenner to be such a person in private. She acts like a queen from yesteryears. She¡¯s so bossy.¡± Marietta guffawed ¡°Actually, Cheryl, you¡¯ll find that there are such people everywhere if you stay in the entertainment industry for a few more days. ¡°They all think they¡¯re better than others when they¡¯ve had a few roles and gained some poprity. But it¡¯s these people who won¡¯t get far N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Cheryl thought that Marietta was right. She only had to take Aurora as an example. When Aurora had been younger, she had acted in a few ssic works. But after arriving in Macldo, she hadn¡¯t gotten many roles. Cheryl had found it strange before. Now that she thought about it, though, she knew that someone like Aurora wouldn¡¯t polish her acting skills. Not when she already thought she had be an international actress and thought so highly of herself. ¡°Caroline.¡± Cheryl pulled back from that train of thought. ¡°Can youe with me tomorrow?¡± Caroline smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re going on a date. Is it appropriate to bring a third wheel?¡± Cheryl scratched the back of her head absentmindedly. Caroline was right. ¡°Besides,¡± Caroline added, a soft smile on her face, ¡°you have a date, but I have a date too.¡± +15 BONUS Hearing that Caroline was going on a date, Marietta spoke up. ¡°Carrie, I haven¡¯t met your husband despite knowing you for so long. You should take me to meet him one day.¡± Chapter 593 Chapter 593 Chapter 593 ¡°Not a problem. If you don¡¯t mind it, you can have a meal at my ce, too.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Caroline was amused by Marietta¡¯s adorable reaction. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± Marietta took out her phone and opened her calendar. ¡°I¡¯m free on Wednesday. Does that work?¡± Caroline replied, ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem at all.¡± Things at Evans Group weren¡¯t too busytely. Caroline was so free that she was starting to feel bored. Originally, she had been nning to acquire Mackey Group. It was just a shame that Sloan¡¯s father had died for some reason. Afterward, Mackey Group had been mercilessly split to pieces by its shareholders. Now, it was in ruins. Caroline was worrying herself about whichpany to acquire for Kirk so that she could get him. to quit his current job. At the thought of Kirk, Caroline thought about Eddy¡¯s second uncle. She had heard that Marietta had a good rtionship with Eddy, so Caroline couldn¡¯t help her curiosity. She asked, ¡°Aunt Mary, have you met the president of SY Group?¡± ¡°Oh, you mean Matthew? Of course, we¡¯re very close. We¡¯re old friends.¡± ¡°You¡¯re old friends?¡± Caroline was astonished. She had assumed that Eddy¡¯s second uncle was nothing but a businessman. How could he possibly be friends with such an old hand of the arts world? ¡°You must not know this.¡± Marietta¡¯s expression turned admiring as she talked about Eddy¡¯s second uncle. ¡°He has quite a good rtionship with all the top figures in various industries. Also, he¡¯s very generous when ites to investing. That¡¯s why many people love getting to know him.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°He¡¯s very generous?¡± Caroline frowned, not quite agreeing with that statement. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Marietta didn¡¯t notice Caroline¡¯s reaction. She continued, ¡°A big name in the industry of technological research once needed arge sum of N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. money as support for his work. ¡°He went to many people, but no one wanted to lend a hand. At this lowest moment, he met Matthew, ¡°It was Matthew¡¯s help that allowed him to resume his research. Later, that scientist won the Nobelle Prize in chemistry.¡± Caroline was stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected that Eddy¡¯s second uncle would have such a side to him. Thinking about it more, she really found him to be a generous man. After all, he had given an employee a wholepany just because said employee had done something for him. He had evene out and admitted to things when she and Kirk had nearly gotten divorced. After that, he hadn¡¯t given Kirk any trouble about it. From the looks of it, this Morrison wasn¡¯t all bad. ¡°I really hope I get to meet him sometime.¡± Caroline could never get over this desire. Since he was the world¡¯s most sessful businessman, there were many things she could learn from him. Hearing this, Marietta smiled slightly. ¡°That¡¯s easy. Once you get to Macldo, I¡¯ll take you to meet him.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Caroline¡¯s face became filled with joy instantaneously. Cheryl looked at Marietta with wide eyes. In response, Mariettaughed and said, ¡°You cane too.¡± ¡°Really?¡± If it hadn¡¯t for the fact that they were in a car, Cheryl would surely have jumped up with excitement. Marietta only chuckled and said, ¡°Of course. Matthew will surely wee us if we want to visit him.¡± Chapter 594 Chapter 594 Chapter 594 +15 BONUS Cheryl went on. ¡°Caroline¡¯s husband is way more handsome than the young guys in the entertainment industry. ¡°I¡¯ve always thought that he could rise among all the male celebrities if he ever went into the entertainment industry.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Marietta¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of handsome men. ¡°I¡¯m starting to look forward to Wednesday¡¯s date.¡± Caroline was confounded as she watched Cheryl and Marietta. Right then, in the president¡¯s office of SY Group¡¯s Easton headquarters, Kirk was grimly looking at Daphne on the screen. After settling his work, he had started thinking about how to deal with Daphne He couldn¡¯t drag things out any longer. Charles had not only found tiny, unnoticeable surveince devices in Daphne¡¯s room, but also that Simon was searching for photos of Kirk These two matters made Kirk feel rushed to make a decision as soon as possible. He narrowed his eyes as he walked to the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window His gaze was conflicted as he looked out the window at the traffic below. He had to make Daphne disappear. Not just that¨Cshe had to disappear without a trace. There was no way Caroline could ever find out about this. Kirk¡¯s eyebrows were tightly furrowed. After a long time, he rxed. He smoothly turned and called Charles. ¡°Get over here.¡± After getting the phone call, Charles arrived in the office not half a minuteter. ¡°Sir.¡± ¡°Go and tell Daphne something. I will spare her life because we used to be fake married. However, if she dares to ever harm Carrie again, I¡¯ll make sure she pays for it.¡± +15 BONUS Charles looked at Kirk, not understanding what was going on. Based on what he knew of Kirk, he wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would take such associations into ount. When he did, it usually meant that he had the intent to kill. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Thinking of this, Charles felt a shiver run down his spine. However, he couldn¡¯t me Kirk for being so ruthless. Kirk had warned Daphne many times, but she had insisted on doing her own thing anyway. Now, she was going to reap what she had sown. ¡°Alright. I understand.¡± Kirk looked at Charles and said, ¡°Keep a close eye on her.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After saying this, Charles left the office and rushed to Daphne¡¯s home. After being confined at home for so many days, Daphne hadn¡¯t eaten or slept well. As a result, she had lost a lot of weight. Seeing how thin she was, Charles felt that she deserved it, but he also pitied her. Actually, she didn¡¯t have to end up this way. But she had been the one to cause trouble. ¡°Ms. Dawson,¡± Charles announced expressionlessly, ¡°from now on, you have your freedom. ¡°Mr. Kirk said that he hopes you will remember something. That is, if you dare to ever hurt the madam again, you should be prepared to lose your life!¡± Daphne slowly raised her head and looked at Charles in disbelief. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m really going to be okay?¡± It had been too long since she had spoken. When she opened her mouth, it felt like she had sand stuck in her throat. Charles nodded shallowly. Daphne staggered as she stood up. Her eyes were burning with small mes, slowly lighting up with hope. Charles looked at her with sympathy in his eyes. Daphne didn¡¯t even know that she was about to die. Chapter 595 Chapter 595 Chapter 595 When Caroline got home, she inadvertently noticed Kirk already in the kitchen, busy cooking. She put her bag away and sneaked up to Kirk before embracing him from behind. ¡°Don¡¯t move. You¡¯re being held up.¡± Kirk smiled in the middle of cooking when he heard this. ¡°I can¡¯t give you any money, but I can give you my body.¡± Caroline¡¯s face went red. ¡°Who says I want that?¡± ¡°Then take my life.¡± Kirk turned around and wrapped his arms around Caroline¡¯s waist to lift her 1. up. ¡°However, my naughty thing, could you bear to do it?¡± Under Kirk¡¯s deep gaze, Caroline¡¯s ears went red as well. She turned her head unhappily and said, ¡± Put me down.¡± Kirk started to caress Caroline¡¯s body with his fingers. ¡°You¡¯re already in my arms. Do you think a thief would let you go at this point? Babe, you¡¯re so naive.¡± Caroline was so embarrassed that she thumped Kirk in the chest. ¡°Meanie! You¡¯re the naughty one. Kirk turned off the stove and gently held Caroline¡¯s wrists together. He intentionally licked his teeth and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m a meanie. This meanie is going to eat his prey now. Bye bye, little rabbit.¡± ¡°Ah, no! Don¡¯t!¡± Caroline started to beg. ¡°I was wrong. Don¡¯t eat me, Mr. Meanie. I¡¯m just a poor little rabbit.¡± Caroline looked at Kirk with innocent and wide eyes. The sight of her ignited the mes of his desire. He brushed his big hands over Caroline¡¯s waist, making her shiver. ¡°Kirk ¡­¡± Caroline moaned, her voice turning soft and charming. He slowly tilted down and captured her lips, savoring it like an extravagant meal. Things started to heat up as they touched each other, filling the room with their pleasure. 1/3 +15 BONUS Caroline felt weak, like she was slowly melting into a puddle of water, silently joining the waves of the ocean. She felt like she was falling. Yet, her body opened up like a flower in bloom in the spring. Suddenly, a huge wave overtook her, making her shiver all over. Atst, she could only lie in Kirk¡¯s embrace,pletely fatigued. She panted, looking up red- faced at apletely dressed Kirk.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Kirk grinned, ignoring the faked displeasure in Caroline¡¯s eyes. ¡°Go shower. Once you shower, we can eat.¡± Kirk ced a kiss on Caroline¡¯s cheek, still seemingly unsatiated. Caroline said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to shower.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll help you shower.¡± Hearing that, Caroline shot upright. ¡°No need. I can do it myself.¡± Kirk was amused by her reaction. ¡°Then go quickly. I¡¯ll warm up the food.¡± As Caroline walked toward the bathroom, she started to tell Kirk about the ns for Marietta to ¡°Marietta wants toe by?¡± Kirk¡¯s eyebrows immediately scrunched up. He hadn¡¯t expected that the very thing he had been worried about would be a reality so quickly. ¡°That¡¯s right. She wants to meet you.¡± Caroline stuck her head out from the bathroom. ¡°Are you free on Wednesday?¡± Kirk lowered his head. Caroline couldn¡¯t see Kirk¡¯s expression from where she was. So she didn¡¯t notice the grim look on his face. Since she hadn¡¯t gotten an answer after a long time, Caroline started to feel suspicious. ¡°What is it? Are you busy on Wednesday?¡± Kirk had beening home on time these days, so she had assumed that he wasn¡¯t very busy ¡°If you¡¯re busy, I¡¯ll turn her down.¡± 2/3 +15 BONUS Besides, Marietta was here in Easton to look for her daughter. She probably wouldn¡¯t be leaving anytime soon. It was just that she really wanted to introduce Kirk to Marietta. As things stood, she was on the outs with her parents. She didn¡¯t have parental figures anymore. That meant she had no one to look in on her marriage. Chapter 596 Chapter 596 Chapter 596 When it came down to it, Caroline wanted to experience the kind of joy that came from having the support of her parents. She knew that Marietta would praise her for her taste when she met Kirk. Seeing Caroline duck her head, Kirk felt a twist in his heart. He blurted out, ¡°You want me to meet Marietta?¡± These words sounded extremely familiar. So much so that Caroline instinctually denied it. ¡°No, no. It¡¯s all up to you.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t want Kirk to do something he didn¡¯t like because of her. Feeling helpless, Kirk looked adoringly at Caroline. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Marietta Weiss is a renowned ywright? We might have to work with her in the future, too. It wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing to meet her, right?¡± Caroline¡¯s eyebrows flew upward. ¡°We¡¯re going to work with her?¡± She didn¡¯t dare to imagine it. Kirkughed. ¡°Of course. Maybe we will still be working on Marietta¡¯s works.¡± Caroline ran out of the bathroom and threw her arms around Kirk¡¯s neck. ¡°Honey, how are you so great?¡± Caroline¡¯s hair was wet and dripping. Instantly, Kirk¡¯s shirt turned damp too. It showed his defined muscles through the material. Kirk¡¯s voice went husky. ¡°Darling, are you doing this on purpose?¡± Found out, Caroline let out augh. Before Kirk could make a move, she disappeared into the bathroom and smoothly locked the door. Kirk looked at the locked door and shook his head helplessly. Why was it that his wife was always so silly when it came to him? Though the door was locked, Caroline couldn¡¯t stay in there forever. She would have to put out the fire that she set herself. However¡­ 1/3 +15 BONUS T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Thinking about how Marietta would being into their home in a few days, Kirk felt the amusement on his face disappear without a trace. He took out his phone and called Charles. ¡°Contact Marietta Weiss. Tell her I want to see her.¡± Although Charles was curious, he didn¡¯t ask too many questions. As a good employee, all he had to do wasplete the tasks given by his superior sessfully. 224 Cheryl woke up early on Saturday morning. After getting homest night, she hadn¡¯t slept much. She hadn¡¯t been able to stop thinking about the date today. She picked up the dress she had bought yesterday and ced it before herself. Someone at the store had tailored the dress based on Cheryl¡¯s figure and the shape of her face. Yesterday, she had already gotten a small little surprise at the store. In the past, the clothes she had worn either made her look dowdy or childish. However, this dress brought out the inner version of her without limit, making her look less in. Joyfully, Cheryl changed into the outfit and looked at herself shyly in the mirror. Her cheeks were heating up. She wondered how Jack would react when he saw her like this. She waited and waited. Finally, night came. Before leaving her ce, Cheryl once again checked her makeup. Only when she was sure that everything looked fine that did she head out. She was going to take the subway to reach the spot for the date. For some reason, Cheryl kept feeling as if countless people were staring at her as she went. When she arrived, she hurried out and rushed to her destination. Because she was going too fast, Cheryl identally bumped into someone at the entrance. She was about to apologize when the other person walked right past her. Finding it strange, Cheryl looked up. However, when she saw the woman¡¯s features clearly, she was taken aback. That was Daphne Dawson! 2/3 Jane had gone to jail, but Daphne was all fine. Also, who was that man next to her? Could it be¡­ Eddy¡¯s second uncle? Chapter 597 Chapter 597 Chapter 597 +15 BONUS Cheryl was just about to chase after Daphne when Jack¡¯s voice came from behind her. ¡°Cheryl, over here!¡± Unfortunately, Cheryl could only turn around and walk over to Jack. When she got close, Jack finally took a good look at Cheryl¡¯s appearance. When he did, his eyes lit 1. up. ¡°You look so beautiful today.¡± Unable to take thepliment, Cheryl felt her face steam. ¡°Have you been waiting long?¡± she asked. ¡°No. I just got us a private room.¡± Jack walked forward. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you there.¡± When she found out that Jack had gotten them a private room, Cheryl¡¯s face turned even redder. She ducked her head and followed behind him. The corridor felt like it stretched on for ages. Cheryl thought about how she had seen Daphne outside. It was the best topic to use to break this silence between them. ¡°When I came in, I saw Daphne.¡± Jack paused in his steps. ¡°You¡¯re sure you¡¯re not mistaken?¡± ¡°Yeah. I bumped into her identally. Also, there was a man next to her. I wonder if he¡¯s the president of SY Group that everyone talks about.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible!¡± Jack denied it immediatly. It was only after he did that he realized how strange he sounded. He quickly waved a hand and exined, ¡°What I mean is that the president of SY Group must be so busy. How could he show up here? He¡­ should be overseas, right?¡± Cheryl stroked her chin. ¡°I don¡¯t think that man was the president of SY Group, either. He doesn¡¯t have the bearing for it.¡± Although she had only taken a nce, Cheryl could remember what he looked like. The guy had +15 BONUS Thinking about it now, Cheryl felt a wave of disgust. Seeing that Cheryl wasn¡¯t getting suspicious, Jack let out a long breath. Having reached the private room, Jack said, ¡°Go in and wait a bit first. I¡¯m going out to wait for another friend.¡± Then, he turned to leave. Cheryl asked nervously, ¡°You have another friending?¡± ¡°Yes, a very good friend. He¡¯s like my brother. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s very nice to hang out with.¡± Cheryl hung her head, her face burning so hotly that it could cook an egg. ¡°Then hurry back,¡± she said. Cheryl really hadn¡¯t expected that they would proceed so fast that she was already going to meet Jack¡¯s friends. Jack was so oblivious most of the time. She had never assumed that he would be more excited than her. She couldn¡¯t help but smile. She wondered how he would introduce herter As Cheryl¡¯s imagination went wild, the door of the private room was pushed open. A man even T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. more built than Jack stood in the doorway. ¡°You are¡­¡± ¡°This is my friend,¡± Jack said as he squeezed through the seam of the door. When Cheryl stood next to Jack, he always seemed very solid and sturdy. Next to his friend, he suddenly seemed petite. ¡°Antonio,¡± Jack introduced as he looked up at his friend. Cheryl finally managed to calm herself down after the initial shock of seeing the man. She smiled at Antonio and said, ¡°Hello.¡± At the same time, she found out just how tiring it was to talk to someone so tall. She couldn¡¯t help +15 BONUS ¡°Antonio used to be a boxer like me, but he retired a few years ago¡­¡± Jack started to ramble about Antonio to Cheryl after had ordered their food. However, Cheryl wasn¡¯t interested in any of it at all. She would much rather listen to Jack¡¯s own stories. But since Jack was so excited, she just couldn¡¯t bear to cut him off. She patiently listened to the whole spiel. When she finally managed to get to the end of Jack¡¯s tale, she was going to ask him to talk about himself when Jack said, ¡°Cheryl, why don¡¯t you talk about yourself?¡± Cheryl replied, ¡°But don¡¯t you already know everything?¡± Chapter 598 Chapter 598 Chapter 598 Jack chuckled ¡°Isn¡¯t it better for you to tell us?¡± Cheryl could vaguely sense that something was wrong. ¡°Aren¡¯t we just having dinner? Why do I need to say everything so clearly?¡± Why did it feel like she was on a blind date? In disbelief, her eyes suddenly widened. Her gaze shifted between Antonio and Jack. After a moment, she shot upright. ¡°So you didn¡¯t ask me out for dinner, but to set me up on a blind date?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Jack was clueless as to the severity of the problem. ¡°A few days ago, Ms. Evans asked me to help find you a boyfriend. But she didn¡¯t tell me what type. So I had no choice but to bring with my own friend and introduce him to you.¡± After saying that, Jack even smiled. ¡°What do you think? As a brother figure, I¡¯m doing great, right? Cheryl was so angry that she trembled all over. She picked up her bag and left the private room. without a backward nce. Jack was confused as he chased after her. ¡°Cheryl, what is up with you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± As clueless as Jack was, he could tell that Cheryl was mad. ¡°Are you unhappy with the person I chose? If you¡¯re not happy, I can find someone else. Just tell me what type you like.¡± When she saw Jack so concerned, Cheryl¡¯s heart started to ache. She had been looking forward to this date so much, but Jack was pushing her toward some other man! Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Using all her strength, Cheryl managed to grit out, ¡°Thank you for your concern, but I don¡¯t need you to butt into my affairs anymore.¡± Afterward, she didn¡¯t dare to linger. She left without looking back. Jack still wanted to go after her, but the crowd at the door blocked his way. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Stop chasing after her.¡± Seeing Jack go against the crowd to go after Cheryl, Antonio called out to his friend at the door to stop him. Jack had no choice but to turn around. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really don¡¯t know why she got mad. Antonioughed as he looked at Jack. Jack was perplexed by this. He asked, ¡°Is it that funny?¡± ¡°Of course. After so many years, you still don¡¯t understand what¡¯s on a woman¡¯s mind. ¡°That girl obviously likes you, but you were trying to introduce her to someone else. If you were in her ce, would you be angry?¡± ¡°Stop joking. She¡¯s like my little sister.¡± ¡°She¡¯s like your little sister, not your actual sister.¡± Antonio then teased, trying to test him, ¡°Are you really not the slightest bit interested in her?¡± Jack shook his head. He had always seen Cheryl as a little sister and nothing else. However, he had felt very ufortable a few days ago when Caroline said Cheryl wanted to find a boyfriend. He felt like the one person he was close to, who he had gone to such pains to finally get, was going to leave him. These few days, he had managed to push down his unease with much effort. He even managed to look for a boyfriend for Cheryl in all seriousness. How had things ended up this way? Jack¡¯s mind was in a mess. He couldn¡¯t think clearly for a moment. Right then, Antonio pointed out to him, ¡°Your phone¡¯s ringing.¡± After a few seconds¡® dy, Jack finally came back to himself. He was slightly disappointed when he got his phone out and saw that it wasn¡¯t Cheryl calling. ¡°Hello?¡± It was a call from Charles. 2/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Did you call me for something?¡± Jack was in a daze as he answered, ¡°No¡± Charles was so mad that he shot up in bed. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing going on, why did you call me so many times? Are you trying to keep me from sleeping?¡± Charles¡® anger pulled Jack out of his dazedness. ¡°No. I remember now. I called you to tell you that I saw Daphne Dawson. Why hasn¡¯t she been dealt with?¡± Had she escaped? On the other end of the line, Charles was strangely excited as he asked, ¡°You saw her outside?¡± Chapter 599 Chapter 599 Chapter 599 +15 BONUS T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Y¨Cyes¡­¡± Jack was a little confused. Why was Charles so excited? It was as if he had just caught a big fish. On the other end, Charles was getting up. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°No, you guys¡­¡± Jack started. However, the call had already been cut. Jack was bbergasted. What was going on? Jack¡¯s mind buzzed in chaos. First it was Cheryl, and now it was Charles. At Morrison Manor, Simon strode quickly into Jude¡¯s study. He was in such a rush that he even forgot to knock. ¡°Sir, something huge just happened!¡± Jude had been concentrating on practicing his calligraphy. With Simon¡¯s entrance, his interest in it was completely lost. He put down his pen and looked at Simon. ¡°Mr. Zellen, you¡¯ve been working for me for a long time. When did you be as excitable as a kid?¡± Simon wiped his face and chuckled. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s just that it¡¯s too huge and too unexpected.¡± ¡°Oh. Well, if there¡¯s something that can even surprise you, let¡¯s hear it. What happened?¡± ¡°Someone just reported that they saw Ms. Dawson outside.¡± ¡°She¡¯s finally showing her face? Did you send someone to inquire why she hasn¡¯t gone outtely?¡± ¡°Sir, there was no time at all.¡± Simon revealed a meaningful smile. Jude looked at him and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Our people saw her go into a restaurant. A few minutester, she came out with a man. They were even holding each other. They seemed very intimate. After that, they went into a nearby hotel.¡± Jude¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Do you mean to say that Daphne is cheating?¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°That¡¯s right. I wonder if Mr. Kirk knows?¡± Simon nced at Jude. Jude was frowning ¡°Cheating How could she dare?¡± Even if she didn¡¯t know Kirk¡¯s methods, as someone who had spent so much time in the entertainment industry, Daphne should know that there were people she couldn¡¯t offend For example, the people at the top of the food chain. Why would she¡­ Jude got up. ¡°Continue keeping an eye out. I want to see what¡¯s this fishiness going on!¡± After a moment, he looked at Simon again and asked, ¡°By the way, I asked you to look for Kirk¡¯s photo. Have you found it?¡± He couldn¡¯t wait to figure out what Kirk and Caroline¡¯s rtionship was. He knew that Kirk could keep things from him. After all, he was cunning as a fox. But he believed that Caroline wouldn¡¯t lie to him. Even if she wanted to, she would never be able to hide something from him. Just then, one of the household staff came into the room. ¡°Sir, one of Mr. Kirk¡¯s employees called. He says he has something urgent to talk to you about.¡± Jude raised an eyebrow. ¡°What is it?¡± The person brought the phone closer and held it out to Jude. Jude took it. Charles¡® respectful voice sounded from the other end of the line. ¡°Good evening, Mr. Morrison Senior. I¡¯m Mr. Kirk¡¯s assistant. There¡¯s an issue over here for which Mr. Kirk needs your presence. Jude frowned. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Mr. Kirk says that he will tell you personally once you¡¯re here.¡± After saying that, Charles hung up. Chapter 600 Chapter 600 Chapter 600 Seeing that Jude was holding the phone without saying anything, Simon couldn¡¯t resist going forward and asking, ¡°Sir Jude suddenly came back to himself. After a second, he said, ¡°Prepare the car immediately.¡± ¡°Sir, what¡¯s going on?¡± Jude¡¯s face was very twisted up now. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Let¡¯s go over there and see how things go.¡± At this, Simon quickly went out to arrange the car. Later, Jude and Simon both arrived at a hotel. It was all quiet inside, as though it was under lockdown. Jude had just walked in when Charles brought arge group of people out. Jude was stunned at the sight of this. As someone who had been in a high position himself, this used to be the kind of thing he did. Now that he was seeing someone else do it, Jude suddenly got a dissonant feeling. He also felt like the person in charge had changed. ¡°This way please, Mr. Morrison Senior.¡± Charles led Jude to the second floor. Soon, they all arrived at the door to the presidential suite. Stepping inside, he saw Daphne and a naked man both kneeling on the ground. Opposite them was Kirk, sitting in a leather chair. Kirk¡¯s expression was so thunderous that it was scary. The beauty mark at the corner of his eye somehow made him look even more devilish. ¡°Uncle Jude.¡± Kirk¡¯s unbothered voice broke the silence in the room. Yet, at the same time, it seemed to make the temperature plummet. The two people on their knees trembled. ¡°Yes.¡± Jude walked over to Kirk¡¯s side with the support of his walking stick. Kirk got up and helped Jude into a chair. 1/3 +15 BONUS Jude¡¯s stern gaze fell on Daphne. Even though he already knew the answer, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to call you here sote, Uncle Jude. But you¡¯re the only one who can handle this.¡± Kirk¡¯s tone remained nd. Jude looked at Kirk suspiciously. He couldn¡¯t figure out what Kirk was thinking at all. ¡°Tell me,¡± he said, deciding that he could only take things one step at a time. Kirk turned. ¡°Charles.¡± Charles walked in from the doorway immediately. ¡°Sir.¡± ¡°Tell Uncle Jude about everything that happened here. There¡¯s no need to hide anything.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Charles looked at Jude and recounted exactly how he had caught Daphne cheating. Of course, there were some key differences in what he said and what was the truth. For example, this man hadn¡¯t bumped into Daphne and flirted with her out of nowhere. He had been intentionally ced in that restaurant. Also, they hadn¡¯t been found out because of Jack¡¯s phone call. Rather, the information hade from the man Daphne had been caught ¡°cheating¡± with. ¡°That¡¯s the situation,¡± Charles said expressionlessly. ¡°One of thepany¡¯s staff found out that the madam was cheating. That¡¯s why I brought some men to seal things up here.¡± Jude¡¯s expression was grim. However, it wasn¡¯t because of Daphne¡¯s infidelity. Rather, it was because there were simply too many strange aspects to this situation. He looked up at Kirk and said, ¡°Kirk, how do you n to deal with this?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Kirk smiled slightly. ¡°You¡¯re my uncle. That¡¯s part of why I asked you toe. I think it¡¯s best that you deal with this.¡± Jude frowned. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be right. It¡¯s your private matter. I think you should deal with it yourself.¡± Jude thought that Kirk would push the matter back to him, but Kirk smiled instead. ¡°If you say 2/3 +15 BONUS Jude couldn¡¯t rx. He kept having the feeling that Kirk had been waiting for that. ¡°The Morrison family doesn¡¯t condone cheating. As such,¡± Kirk¡¯s voice suddenly became sinister,¡± this mariage is over!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t approve!¡± Jude levered himself up using his walking stick. Right then, he understood what Kirk was trying to do. If he wasn¡¯t able to see it at this point, he would truly have wasted all his years of life. Chapter 601 Chapter 601 Chapter 601 Kirk had long ago expected that Jude wouldn¡¯t approve. He turned to look at Jude and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you approve, Uncle Jude?¡± Jude also noticed how exaggerated his reaction was. He exined, ¡°I¡­ What I mean to say is that it might be a little too hasty to divorce now. ¡°I think you should give Daphne another chance. Get to the bottom of what¡¯s going on first. It would be bad if you¡¯re using her of this wrongly.¡± ¡°Uncle Jude, we caught her in the act. What else is there to exin?¡± Jude looked over at Daphne. He really hated her right then. He despised her for staying there like a brick, not even knowing how to defend herself. There was no way Jude could allow Daphne and Kirk to get divorced. Since Kirk was still married now, he couldn¡¯t openly pursue Caroline. But once he was divorced, he could use any methods he wanted to force Caroline to divorce her husband. When the time came, Eddy would have no chance of winning. Jude didn¡¯t want the regrets of the past to y out in the future. ¡°Maybe Daphne was entrapped. I think it¡¯s better to ask her about this properly first.¡± Kirk replied, ¡°Even so, her infidelity is a fact. You said just now, Uncle Jude, that this is my private matter and should be handed to me to deal with. I don¡¯t care what excuses one may have. Cheating is cheating!¡± Gripping his walking stick tightly, Jude said, ¡°So you must divorce, is that it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kirk¡¯s voice was steely. Jude¡¯s body was trembling from his rage. He looked at Daphne, who stayed on the ground without speaking. His fury burned hotter. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say about this?¡± Daphne had already been terrified into silence long before this. There was no way she could say anything now. 1/2 +15 BONUS N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Having received no answer even after a long time, Jude looked away in disappointment. He held back the anger he felt and said to Kirk, ¡°Have them all leave. I have something to say to you¡± Kirk waved a hand. With that, Charles led everyone outside, including Daphne and the other man A long time after the door was closed, Jude finally managed to dispel his anger. ¡°Kirk, I would like to have an honest chat with you¡± Kirk sat opposite Jude and said, ¡°Please speak your mind, Uncle Jude.¡± ¡°I know why you want to get divorced. I also know that you definitely have the capability of making Carrie get divorced and get together with you afterward.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a tyrant, Uncle Jude?¡± Jude waved a hand. ¡°I¡¯m well aware of your capabilities. With how things are now, I¡¯m not afraid of any sort of embarrassment.¡± Kirk raised an eyebrow high as Jude thought about his words, After a long while, Jude broke the silence. ¡°I¡¯m determined to have Caroline as my granddaughter¨Cinw. I think you know that quite clearly. As for why Jude was quiet for a long moment before speaking again. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you why today.¡± Jude started, ¡°It all began more than 50 years ago, before your father and I were on the outs. ¡± Jude talked about what had happened more than half a century ago. Back then, he and Ivan weren¡¯t the old men they were today. They had been full of youth and vigor. The big four families hadn¡¯t schemed andpeted with each other as they did now. The rtionship between the families had been exceptionally good, especially between the Morrison. and Evans families. Back then, the Morrison brothers and the heir to the Evans family, Benjamin Evans, had been great friends. They had even gone to the same university together. But the pleasantness between them hadn¡¯tsted forever. Chapter 602 Chapter 602 Chapter 602 When the three of them had been in university, they had fallen in love with the same woman. At the beginning, they hadn¡¯t realized it. They had even helped each othere up with ideas on how to pursue her That had onlysted until a get¨Ctogether where they had pointed at a student on the stage and told each other that they liked her. That had been the moment they had found out. The news hade like a lightning strike out of the blue. ¡°When I got to know that we liked the same person back then, I honestly felt like dying.¡± Talking about the past, Jude lost the stern expression on his face. Instead, he looked old and doddery. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what the two of them were thinking. But seeing as we all split up after that, they must have felt the same way.¡± After finding out that they had been in love with the same woman, they had drifted apart. Although they had agreed topete fairly, they soon found that the others had been secretly sending gifts. With that, the agreement among them had been broken, and they had started to fight among each other openly. Jude didn¡¯t even remember what had started their first fight. He only remembered how they had all gone to the field. The taunts of their coursemates, coupled with their own resentment, had driven them into a no- holds¨Cbarred fight. But that fight hadn¡¯t improved their rtionship. Instead, it had caused their friendship to reach a freezing point. The woman had soon found out that the three of them had been fighting because of her. Upon reasling that, she had withdrawn herself from the university and gone home, unable to bear the gossip on campus. ¡°After getting the news, I decided that I had to go see her during the summer holidays.¡± Jude¡¯s eyes shone with light. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Back then, your father had the same idea. So when we both showed up at the airport, we got into another fight to stop each other from going He added, ¡°It wasn¡¯t like the fight on campus. There, the professors and other students all knew who we were. ¡°But the people at the airport didn¡¯t know that we were sons of the Morrison family. They called the police and got your grandfather involved. He¡­¡± At this point, Jude looked at Kirk and asked, ¡°Did your father tell you about this?¡± Kirk shook his head. Not only had Ivan never talked about his grandfather, but he also hadn¡¯t ever mentioned the past before If Jude hadn¡¯t been telling him the story now, Kirk would never have known that his father had experienced dramatic thing in his youth. ¡°He was a scary old man. Even bringing him up now makes me feel a little afraid.¡± Jude kept looking at Kirk. As he did, he suddenlyughed. ¡°Come to think of it, you look very much like him when you don¡¯t smile. Anyway ¡± Jude inhaled deeply before continuing, ¡°When he had found out that we had been brawling because of a woman, he had been outraged. We had both been beaten after we got home. Afterward, we had been confined to a bed for more than a month. Even after that, we had barely been able to walk around. That had been when we had received some great news.¡± Abruptly, Jude closed his mouth. However, Kirk didn¡¯t urge him to keep going. Instead, he silently waited. In truth, Kirk could already guess what happened next even without Jude saying anything. ¡°That had beeen-¡± Jude was iparably forlorn.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We had gotten news that Caroline¡¯s grandfather had married that woman. When we had found out, we had been bbergasted. 2/3 +15 BONUS ¡°We had only realized afterward that Benjamin had followed the woman back after she had left the university.¡± He chuckled ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s funny? While we had been beating each other bloody, he had already gotten the girl.¡± ¡°Was that woman¡¯s name Giselle Cassidy?¡± Jude looked up in astonishment, his eyshes quivering. It was as if he had seen the light after straying from it for so long. Chapter 604 Chapter 604 Chapter 604 Hearing Kirk say this, Jude frowned again. ¡°Kirk, aren¡¯t you asking the obvious? Eddy is a slow one. It took him nearly ten years to figure out that he might like Caroline. If you stick your nose in, he might retreat!¡± More importantly, there was no way Eddy could beat Kirk! Kirk smiled and said, ¡°I would back down in any other matter, but not this.¡± These words were too familiar. So familiar that it made Jude ache. ¡°Do you have topete with Eddy on this?¡± Jude was so mad that he was shaking. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kirk said brazenly as he looked into Jude¡¯s eyes. Furious, Jude yelled, ¡°Mr. Zellen!¡± Simon, who had been waiting at the door, came in and said, ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°We¡¯re going home!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Hearing this, Simon knew that their talk had failed. He quickly went up and helped Jude out. Once Jude left, Kirk slowly took a seat. His gaze was cold. Sean came in from the room next door. He patted Kirk on the shoulder and said, ¡°Now Mr. Morrison Senior shouldn¡¯t believe that you¡¯re Caroline¡¯s husband.¡± Kirk seemed quite tired. ¡°It will only hide the truth for a while. He will grow suspicious sooner or Sean sighed in response. ¡°You should have just told Caroline the truth about who you are. There was no need for things to get to this point.¡± Kirk looked at Sean like he was looking at a fool. Sean awkwardly scratched his head. ¡°By the way, how do you n on dealing with Daphne?¡± Kirk looked toward the door. ¡°Of course, she should be given a taste of her own medicine.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± +15 BONUS He meant that Daphne would end up as she had tried to do to Caroline, when she had tried to shove Caroline off a mountain. She would ¡°fall¡± down and only be found dayster. ¡°When are you going back?¡± With nothing amusing to watch anymore, Sean got up to leave. Kirk lit a cigar and said, ¡°Hold on.¡± There was another problem that had yet to be solved. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± ¡°Not so fast. Have you and Gwen gotten back together?¡± Sean chuckled. ¡°Not really. We¡¯re just friends with benefits. Who knows when it will end? But it¡¯s quite alright like this. At least this way, I have time to slowly undo the knot in Gwen¡¯s heart.¡± Kirk let out augh. ¡°Get lost then.¡± Sean was chuckling as he left. Kirk watched him go, his forehead slightly wrinkled. It seemed that he was the only one who had to suffer the bitterness of love. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Charles.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here, sir. Do you have any orders?¡± The smoke from Kirk¡¯s cigar drifted around Charles. ¡°Have you contacted Marietta Weiss?¡± Charles started to sweat. ¡°Um¡­ Sir, I haven¡¯t managed to contact her. She seems to have changed her number.¡± Kirk¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Then what about her address?¡± ¡°I also have not found it yet ¡­ But don¡¯t worry, sir. I¡¯ve already thought up an idea. Later, I¡¯ll go see the madam. She will surely know where Ms. Weiss lives!¡± Kirk scoffed and bent down, his chin tilting up. ¡°I think you¡¯re in a rush to have the madam find out!¡± Charles¡® face became ashen in a second. Chapter 605 Chapter 605 Chapter 605 It was quiet in the room for half a minute before Charles regained his voice. ¡°I Sir, why don¡¯t I have someone dig Ms. Weiss up now?¡± This would have been easy if they were back in Sarcozia. But in Easton ¡­ But this was for Kirk¡¯s future happiness! Kirk¡¯s tone was indifferent as he said, ¡°Is there enough time?¡± Charles scratched his head, feeling embarrassed. Kirk stood up. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Charles immediately followed after him. ¡°Sir, are you not contacting Ms. Weiss anymore?¡± Kirk put out his cigar. ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked. All Charles could do was keep scratching his head. He really didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Should I still keep looking?¡± he finally asked. Kirk shot a look at Charles, prompting the former to nce at him in unease. Letting out a mouthful of smoke, Kirk took a few steps before turning back. He said pointedly,¡± You don¡¯t need to get involved in this anymore.¡± Charles was overjoyed as he caught up to Kirk. He buttered him up, saying, ¡°Sir, you¡¯re so marvelous. You have a n already. Could you tell me what it is?¡± Kirk stared at Charles and asked, ¡°Do you really want to know what my n is?¡± Charles bobbed his head up and down. Kirk let out augh. ¡°I¡¯m going to use you as a sacrifice.¡± The smile on Charles¡® face melted away. ¡°What?¡± But Kirk had already left,pletely ignoring Charles, who had panic written on his face a ways behind. 1/2 +15 BONUS Caroline got out of bed early the next morning. No matter how careful she was, she still managed to wake Kirk. Kirk had gotten home verytest night, with the smell of smoke sticking to his body. Although he didn¡¯t say anything, Caroline had been able to tell that he had been in a very bad mood. Since it had been tootest night, she had wanted to ask him about it this morning when they were both up. Kirk got out of the bed and asked, ¡°Are you going out for groceries?¡± Today was the day that Marietta woulde over for a meal. ¡°Yes.¡± Caroline turned and gave Kirk a sweet smile. ¡°Go back to sleep. Aunt Mary won¡¯t be here so early.¡± Kirk replied, ¡°I won¡¯t go back to sleep. Let me go and shop with you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Caroline was wrapping her scarf around her neck. ¡°I¡¯ll be home soon.¡± Kirk demurred. ¡°That won¡¯t do. How could I possibly let my wife do such hard work?¡± Caroline responded with augh. ¡°I¡¯m not some hothouse flower. Go back to sleep. You came home reallytest night. Does thepany have a lot of work for you?¡± However, Kirk had already gotten out of bed and changed. He walked before Caroline and hugged her waist. Then, he rubbed his face on her lips before being satisfied enough to let her go. ¡°Yes. Things have been really busy at work recently. Let¡¯s go.¡± Helpless, Caroline could only bring Kirk out with her. However, she insisted on driving rather than let Kirk do it. In the car, she asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to quit before? With things so busy now, have you thought about quitting again?¡± ¡°Are you thinking about giving Mackey Group to me?¡± ¡°Mackey Group is a broken up mess now thanks to their own people. There¡¯s no use in acquiring it. 00 Caroline found it quite a shame. It would have been perfect if Mackey Group hadn¡¯t gone to ruins. Chapter 606 Chapter 606 Chapter 606 +15 BONUS Caroline was confident that Kirk would be able to showcase his skills if he took control of Mackey Group. After all, he had quite the mind for business. ¡°Indeed.¡± Kirk looked brazenly at Caroline¡¯s face. He smiled as he asked, ¡°Darling, have you ever thought about switchingpanies?¡± Caroline replied, ¡°Of course I have. The problem is that it¡¯s not so easy to find apany that fulfills the requirements all of a sudden.¡± ¡°I have a good suggestion.¡± Caroline cast Kirk a sideways nce. She suddenly had a bad feeling in her gut. ¡°You don¡¯t mean that overseaspany, do you?¡± She had been thinking of this problem. The best thing for Kirk to do once he quit was to go back to manage thatpany. But if that was the case, then she and Kirk would have to be in a long¨Cdistance rtionship. Just thinking about how they would only be able to see each other a few times a year, Caroline felt an ache in her heart. Kirk didn¡¯t miss the nervousness in Caroline¡¯s eyes. He smiled and said, ¡°What are you thinking about? ¡°Thatpany is my dad¡¯s. Even if I go back to take it over, he wouldn¡¯t allow it. Besides, it¡¯s just a smallpany. I wouldn¡¯t go back even if you asked me to.¡± His final words soothed Caroline¡¯s worried heart. She managed to calm downpletely. ¡°Then you mean¡­¡± ¡°Collins Group.¡± Caroline coughed violently, nearly choking to death on her saliva. ¡°S¨Csay that again?¡± Caroline¡¯s only goal was to bring the Evans Group back to its former glory. However, she didn¡¯t even dare to say such a thing as taking over Collins Group now. Kirk thoughtfully twisted open a bottle of water for Caroline. +15 BONUS Once Caroline calmed down, he continued, ¡°Now, Collins Group is being pressured by SY Group No one dares to work with them anymore. We can hit them when they¡¯re down. It¡¯s our perfect chance.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Collins Group is under pressure?¡± Caroline asked in curiosity. She hurriedly parked the car by the side of the road and took out her phone to search up some news regarding thepany. She was shocked when she saw the first result. It was about how manypanies had announced an end to their partnerships with Collins Group. ¡°What in the world is going on?¡± Caroline¡¯s expression was one ofplete astonishment. Kirk held her hand gently. He was in a brilliant mood. ¡°The president did it.¡± ¡°Why did he do that?¡± ¡°He felt very bad about what happenedst time. That¡¯s why he did this after he found out you got abducted by the Collins family. It¡¯s a show of faith.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this too big a show of faith?¡± Everyone knew that SY Group and Collins Group had been working hand¨Cin¨Chand right before this. Caroline knew that this partnership was purely a business decision. Now that the partnership had been canceled because of her, she didn¡¯t know whether to say Eddy¡¯s second uncle was being reckless with his money or if he had a conscience. After all, he knew that he should make it up to them after causing her and Kirk so much trouble in their rtionship. Kirk touched Caroline¡¯s hair as he said, ¡°After hurting my darling so badly, any show of faith isn¡¯t enough.¡± Caroline chuckled. She rubbed her head into Kirk¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze fell on Caroline¡¯s phone. Then, he said, ¡°Alright.¡± They both got out of the car. Chapter 607 Chapter 607 Chapter 607 Soon, Caroline and Kirk went home loaded down with groceries. It was lucky that Kirk had been there. It meant that Caroline didn¡¯t need to carry anything at all. Even her phone was in Kirk¡¯s protection. ¡°I¡¯m going to prepare the ingredients. You go back to sleep.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Kirk nodded and went back to the bedroom. Caroline assumed that he was too tired and didn¡¯t think too much about it. Once he went into the room, she started working. Inside the bedroom, Kirk didn¡¯t go back to sleep. He took out his phone and dialed Marietta¡¯s number from memory. Right then, Marietta was still asleep. When she heard her phone ringing, her first reaction was to get mad. But then, she remembered that it might be Caroline calling and immediately became alert as she jumped out of the covers. She found that an unfamiliar number was calling her. Marietta¡¯s displeasure at being woken up exploded. ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°Me.¡± Kirk¡¯s voice was very low and very recognizable. ¡°Matthew?¡± Marietta was stunned to hear Kirk¡¯s voice. Ever since hearing that Kirk had gone to break into the markets overseas, she and Kirk only contacted each other very rarely. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± Kirk walked to the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window as his mind began to buzz. ¡°I was just about to call you. Who would have thought that you would call me first? I guess great minds do think alike.¡± Kirk was just about to say something when his sharp business sense caused him to change tack. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°Why did you want to call me?¡± ¡°Do you remember what I asked you for help with?¡± In truth, Kirk had already forgotten about it. After all, he met and interacted with a lot of people every day. He tended to have his subordinates do the rest. ¡°You mean when you asked me to help you find your child?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Marietta sat up. ¡°The private investigator told me that my daughter had been adopted by an Eastonian couple. Plus, it¡¯s very likely someone from one of the big four families. You must have a way to check, right?¡± Light amusement lit up in Kirk¡¯s eyes. Of course he had his own means. It was just that¡­ ¡°No problem. Your troubles are mine to help bear. After all, you¡¯re my wife¡¯s favorite ywright.¡± ¡°Matthew, you¡¯re really ¡­¡± Marietta¡¯s voice trailed off all of a sudden. All she knew was that Kirk had been rumored to be with Daphne before and was married. She had actually only found out about it from her assistant once she decided on Sonia for the lead role of ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡°. Now that Kirk was saying this, her first reaction was thinking that he was here to get revenge for his wife. But that shouldn¡¯t be. Kirk was an exceptionally smart man. How could he possibly marry such a brainless woman? ¡°Matthew, let me exin. I didn¡¯t choose your wife because of prejudice. She didn¡¯t have the same mastery of the script like the other actress.¡± Kirk let out a lowugh. ¡°My wife isn¡¯t an actress,¡± he said. Marietta was confused. ¡°Aren¡¯t you married to that Daphne person?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve met my wife. In fact, you¡¯ve been spending a lot of time with hertely.¡± Chhinzu, muf 2/3 +15 BONUS ¡°My assistant?¡± Marietta was taken aback. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Kirk didn¡¯t know what to say. Before he coulde up with something, Marietta denied it again. ¡°No, that¡¯s not possible. I¡¯ve been spending a lot of time with her, that¡¯s true, but there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t have realized it was her ¡­ ¡°Other than my assistant, I spend the most time with Carrie ¡­¡± Chapter 608 Chapter 608 Chapter 608 Marietta wondered, ¡°There¡¯s no way it was Carrie. Maybe Cheryl ¡­ No way, she¡¯s pursuing someone else at the moment ¡­¡± +15 BONUS Kirk listened to Marietta babbling on as she eliminated the possible candidates, Marietta did this three times and finally arrived at the most unlikely answer. ¡°I¨CIs it Carrie?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kirk answered calmly. On the other end of the phone, Marietta¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°What? Carrie is your wife?¡± Kirk waited for Marietta to calm down before speaking. ¡°Yes, she is.¡± ¡°Hang on. What¡¯s going on here?¡± Marietta was so curious that she wanted to head over there and ask for details. Kirk sat down on the chair. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, so I¡¯ll tell you when we have the time. I called you to ask you for a favor.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Carrie doesn¡¯t know my identity, so I hope you can help me keep my secret when you visit today.¡± Marietta gently rested her head on the headboard. She said, ¡°Matthew, you¡¯re making this difficult for me. You know me¨CI¡¯m an awful liar.¡± Kirk grinned. ¡°But you will. You should be able to do it for your daughter.¡± Marietta was speechless. Kirk was indeed a businessman. He knew exactly what to say. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll try,¡± Marietta joked. She didn¡¯t really want to expose Kirk¡¯s lie. After all, although she was sharp¨Ctongued, she was only like this with outsiders and enemies. She was very protective of one of her own. She was just curious as to why Kirk, the wealthiest man in Sarcozia, was with Caroline. After hanging up the phone, Marietta lost the urge to keep sleeping. She called her assistant to arrange for a cab and went to Caroline¡¯s apartment. She was eager to see what Caroline and Kirk were like as a couple. 1/2 +15 BONUS She had been curious about Kirk since she had met him for the first time. She had wondered if a workaholic with no interest in a rtionship like Kirk would die alone. Unexpectedly, not only had he found a partner, but his partner was her favorite person. She had to see it for herself. Caroline heard the doorbell just as she finished washing the ingredients. She wiped her hands dry and walked to the door. As she was about to open the door, the bedroom door opened. ¡°Is it Marietta?¡± Kirk walked out of the room with messy hair. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s still early.¡± Caroline looked through the peephole, and she was proven wrong. ¡°It really is her. What is she doing here so early?¡± Caroline muttered. She remembered telling Marietta that she didn¡¯t need toe so soon. She opened the door and said, ¡°Aunt Mary, you-¡± Before she could finish her words, Marietta¡¯s eyesnded on Kirk. Caroline followed Marietta¡¯s gaze and introduced him, ¡°Aunt Mary, this is my husband, Kirk.¡± ¡°Kirk, huh¡­¡± Marietta almostughed out loud. TETHI She had never known that Kirk could look domestic. She had always seen him with a sullen expression. The sudden change in style and attitude made her somewhat ufortable. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Since Marietta was holding in herughter, she looked ferocious, which worried Caroline. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Aunt Mary?¡± ¡°N¨CNothing ¡­ Hahaha!¡± Marietta couldn¡¯t hold in herughter any longer and burst outughing. Caroline was confused, while Kirk had a long face. Chapter 609 Chapter 609 Chapter 609 +15 BONUS ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean tough. Your husband¡¯s hairstyle is just too funny,¡± Marietta held her stomach as it ached fromughter. She couldn¡¯t believe that Kirk was actually married. He looked weird, yet harmonious in his married life. Kirk walked over and held Marietta¡¯s hand, applying a little force to his grip. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± Marietta raised an eyebrow, noticing the threatening hint in his movements and tone. She smiled softly and blinked innocently at him. Only then did Kirk let go of her hand. ¡°Pleasee in.¡± He had a powerful and threatening vibe. At this moment, Marietta finally understood that Kirk hadn¡¯t just called her to inform her of his secret, but also to warn her not to mess up. It seemed he cared about Caroline very much. Marietta silently looked back and forth between them. She had to admit that they looked good together. They were a match made in heaven. The three of them entered the living room. Then, Caroline finally took the chance to ask Marietta, Aunt Mary, what are you doing here so early? Didn¡¯t I tell you that it¡¯s fine toe at noon?¡± Marietta returned to her senses after watching Kirk walk into the kitchen. She exined, ¡°Oh, I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I thought I woulde over and see if there¡¯s anything I can help with. ¡°After all, I can¡¯t do anything else but sleep in the hotel.¡± ¡°Aunt Mary, you don¡¯t have to be polite. Just make yourself at home here.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that. We¡¯re not rtives.¡± Marietta rolled her eyes. She asked, ¡°Carrie, do I treat you well?¡± 11 Caroline smiled. ¡°Of course, you do. It¡¯s not exaggeration to say that you treat me better than my parents ever did.¡± Sarah and Dan had only treated her well because she had been supposed to marry Eddy. However, 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t you be my goddaughter?¡± Caroline¡¯s expression shifted at her words. She said, ¡°Aunt Mary, I couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Do you not like me?¡± Marietta was very hurt. ¡°Of course it¡¯s not that.¡± Caroline exined, ¡°I¡¯m clearly out of my league here. I wouldn¡¯t dare dream of being your goddaughter.¡± Caroline was telling the truth. Marietta was an internationally renowned ywright. Caroline already thought that she had been dreaming for being able to be friends with her. But now, Marietta wanted to take her in as her goddaughter. This was a scenario she wouldn¡¯t dare to imagine. Marietta stroked Caroline¡¯s head. She said dotingly, ¡°I really mean it, Carrie. In fact, I wanted to tell you before¡­¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. However, she had never been able to find a chance. This time, Kirk had given her an opportunity to do so. She and Caroline had really hit it off instantly. When they had first met, Marietta had felt this connection with her. She kept having the feeling that she had seen Caroline somewhere. ¡°Although the private detective had found out that one of the big four families had adopted my daughter, there¡¯s no guarantee that I will be able to find her.¡± At the mention of her daughter, Marietta felt her heart ache, and her tears unwittingly flowed down her cheeks. Caroline¡¯s heart also ached at the sight, and she felt bad for her. When Kirk walked out, he saw Caroline and Marietta crying together. His chest tightened at the sight, and he quickly walked to Caroline with a te in hand. ¡°Darling.¡± Kirk¡¯s voice brought Marietta and Caroline out of their sadness. The two women wiped the tears from their faces. 2/3 +15 BONUS ¡°What happened?¡± Kirk looked at Marietta warily. Marietta sniffled, ¡°Oh, I was just telling Caroline that I want to adopt her as my goddaughter. Kirk, do you agree with this?¡± Marietta slightly smirked when she was done talking Chapter 610 Chapter 610 Chapter 610 Marietta hadn¡¯t realized it just now, but Kirk would be like her son¨Cinw if Caroline became her goddaughter. Then, he would have to call her ¡°mom¡°. Marietta was excited just thinking about it. She had to make Caroline her goddaughter, no matter what. She looked at Kirk with a mischievous smile. Of course, Kirk knew what Marietta was thinking. He nced at Caroline and asked, ¡°What do you think, darling?¡± Marietta raised an eyebrow in surprise. She couldn¡¯t believe Kirk had just asked someone else for their opinion. Caroline pursed her lips slightly, feeling hesitant. After looking at Marietta¡¯s expectant gaze, she replied, ¡°O¨COkay.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Marietta immediately smiled at her words. She cheered, ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, Carrie! You¡¯re such a good goddaughter.¡± ¡°Thank you, Aunt Mary,¡± Caroline said. ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t have to call me that anymore. If you ask me, you should call me ¡®mom¡®, Right, Kirk? ¡± Kirk noticed the calcting glint in Marietta¡¯s gaze and hesitated for a moment. Then, he nodded slightly. Caroline couldn¡¯t resist Marietta¡¯s teasing and shouted, ¡°All right, Mom!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Marietta was so happy that she handed Caroline a gift. ¡°I had prepared this gift a long time ago. Now that my wish hase true, this calls for a double celebration!¡± Marietta looked at Kirk meaningfully. Of course, Kirk knew that the double celebration Marietta referred to was her taking Caroline as her goddaughter and his marriage to Caroline. 1/3 +15 BONUS However, Caroline wasn¡¯t aware of that. So she asked curiously, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®double¡°?¡± ¡°I mean¡­¡± Marietta drawled out. After appreciating the irritating twitches on Kirk¡¯s face, she said slowly, ¡°Since I have a goddaughter, I also have a son¨Cinw. Right, Kirk?¡± Kirk¡¯s tense nerves rxed, and he said reluctantly, ¡°Yes, Mom.¡± Marietta brightly smiled when she heard what Kirk called her. While Kirk helped Caroline prepare seasonings in the kitchen, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Have you two met before?¡± Kirk paused for a moment and said tly, ¡°No.¡± ¡°But I feel like Mom is targetting you on purpose. She isn¡¯t doing it out of malice, and she seems to be doing it to ridicule you. Why-¡± Caroline paused, feeling Kirk staring at her. She brushed her hair from her forehead and asked, ¡± Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kirk nced at Marietta, who was watching TV in the living room. After a moment¡¯s thought, he said, ¡°I¡¯m going out for a bit.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline watched Kirk walked out of the kitchen toward Marietta. The kitchen¡¯s sound instion was so good that she couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying. So she simply shook her head with a smile and continued cooking. In the living room, Kirk sat beside Marietta. ¡°About your daughter¡­¡± Marietta gave him a slight nce. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you don¡¯t have to exin anything. Since I¡¯ve made a promise, I won¡¯t go back on my word. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not blind. I can see that Caroline is really happy. But ¡­¡± She changed the subject, ¡°If Caroline were my actual daughter, I would definitely tell her the truth. ¡± Kirk stood up. He mused, ¡°Then, I¡¯d better be thankful for the fact that she isn¡¯t your actual Chapter 611 Chapter 611 Chapter 611 With Kirk¡¯s help, a sumptuous lunch was quickly brought to the table. Marietta looked at the food on the table in shock. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have believed that you had made this yourself if I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes.¡± In particr, Kirk had helped out in making this meal. Marietta couldn¡¯t bring herself to believe that he was a family man in private. ¡°Here¡¯s our home¨Ccooked meal. Give it a try.¡± Caroline looked at Marietta expectantly. Marietta took a bite and gave a thumbs¨Cup. ¡°It¡¯s so delicious! I dare say that this is the best meal I¡¯ve ever had. And your cooking is just like my mother¡¯s. Her cooking was the best. Too bad I didn¡¯t inherit any of her talents.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. If you like my cooking, I will make it for you often.¡± ¡°All right! What a good daughter you are.¡± While they were talking, the report on the TV grabbed their attention. ¡°This morning, vigers found a body at the foot of Slopecrest Mountain. ording to the police, the deceased was the recent popr star, Daphne Dawson¡­¡± Caroline and Marietta¡¯s eyesnded on the TV. ¡°Daphne is dead?¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t believe what she had heard. Although she hadn¡¯t liked Daphne, she couldn¡¯t believe that she had died just like that. The female reporter on the TV continued, ¡°Many locals spected that the deceased slipped and fell. ¡°The police haven¡¯t given any further exnations. They advise the public to be cautious when climbing mountains during rainy seasons¡­¡± ¡°Maybe she really did slip and fall.¡± When Marietta said this, she looked at Kirk. ¡°I guess what goes aroundes around.¡± Kirk kept his expression neutral the entire time. Only when he served Caroline food did a trace of tenderness appear in his eyes, revealing that he did have feelings too. After lunch, Marietta told Caroline the outline of her new story. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. +15 BONUS Caroline felt antsy as she heard it. ¡°It¡¯s a pity I can¡¯t write. If I could, I would love to use my words to describe the world that I envision. In the past, to be well¨Ceducated woman worthy of marrying Eddy, Caroline had read many ssics and had thought of writing. Butter on, she had had to learn other things, so it put her interests on hold. Marietta advised, ¡°Actually, writing a book isn¡¯t that difficult. You only need a bit of skill and fluency to write a story.¡± Although Caroline knew writing wasn¡¯t that simple, she was still touched. It hadn¡¯t been her intention to take charge of Evans Group at first. If she wasn¡¯t trying to bring the Evans family back on its feet, she wouldn¡¯t have been Evans Group¡¯s CEO. She would rather have the choice to do whatever she liked, just like when she had been at Thorne Corporation. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll give it a try. Can you give me some pointers after I¡¯m done?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Marietta replied with a hearty smile. Then, it was almost time for Marietta to leave. Caroline asked, ¡°I¡¯ll take you home, Mom.¡± Kirk was already one step ahead of Caroline and put on his coat. ¡°I¡¯ll take her home.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± Marietta stopped the two of them. She dared not let SY Group¡¯s president be her driver. She was happy enough to hear Kirk call her ¡°Mom¡°. Caroline couldn¡¯t win against her. Hence, she led Marietta downstairs. Before getting into the car, Marietta hugged Caroline and advised, ¡°Carrie, Kirk is a good man. You have to cherish him.¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± After saying this, Marietta got into the car. After watching Marietta leave, Caroline looked at Kirk strangely. Chapter 612 Chapter 612 Chapter 612 ¡°Hmph!¡± Caroline sneered. ¡°Darling.¡± Kirk nuzzled Caroline¡¯s head. ¡°Why don¡¯t we move back to the vi?¡± Caroline looked up at Kirk in confusion. ¡°What? Do you think this ce is too small and ufortable?¡± +15 BONUS ¡°No, I¡¯ll befortable as long as I¡¯m with you.¡± Kirk took Caroline¡¯s hand and kissed the back of it. ¡°I just feel bad for you. This ce is too far from Evans Group. If you moved back to the vi, you can wake up half an hourter before you have to go to work.¡± Caroline pondered his words carefully. He did have a point. ¡°All right. When are we moving back there? I¡¯ll take the day off.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Kirk hugged Caroline¡¯s waist. He said merrily, ¡°As long as you agree, I¡¯ll have someonee over and move everything tomorrow.¡± ¡°So soon?¡± ¡°Of course, seeing you leave home so early every day upsets me.¡± Caroline immediately wrapped her arms around Kirk¡¯s neck. ¡°Oh, Kirk, what should I do? You seem so cool all of a sudden!¡± Kirk swallowed at her boldness. ¡°Darling ¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Kirk lifted Caroline¡¯s hair. ¡°I want to-¡± Caroline chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s still daytime.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Wait-¡± Kirk carried Caroline into the bedroom. Soon, her sounds of struggling became moans of pleasure. +15 BONUS Meanwhile, in a vi in Osbury¡¯s countryside, Howard learned about Daphne¡¯s death on the news. Although the reporter repeatedly emphasized that Daphne had slipped and fallen off the cliff, Howard had learned about Daphne¡¯s n from the butler. Therefore, he knew that Jane had nned to push Caroline down from the mountain and make it look like she had slipped. And now, Daphne¡¯s death was precisely the same as what Jane had nned for Caroline. Hence, Howard couldn¡¯t help but think that Daphne¡¯s death was also faked. Caroline was likely the one behind it. He shuddered at the thought of this. At this moment, something rang, scaring him out of his wits. After he realized that his phone was ringing, he cautiously walked to the coffee table and picked it up. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The call was from an unknown number. Howard dared not answer it. Collins Group¡¯s stock had plummeted since Kirk had announced he would no longer work with. them. After that, people hade to get him to terminate their contracts. He had tried every means to avoid or dy them, not wanting to terminate the contract with Kirk. Those people had thene over to cause trouble, soon even barging into Collins Group. It had left Howard with no choice but to hide in a vi in the countryside. The news about Daphne¡¯s death had been announced just two days after things quieted down. It affected him more than when he had heard that Jane had been arrested. This proved that Caroline wasn¡¯t to be underestimated. Perhaps she had colluded with Kirk a long time ago. A chill ran down Howard¡¯s back at the thought of this possibility. No! He couldn¡¯t let Caroline get away with this! Chapter 613 Chapter 613 Chapter 613 Kirk was very efficient. They moved back to the vi in less than a day. When Caroline came home from work, she was surprised to see the living room and kitchen neatly tidied. ¡°You tidied all of this up so soon! How many people did you hire?¡± Kirk smiled and suddenly raised his voice, ¡°Ms. Carter!¡± Caroline turned her head in confusion. Then, she saw an olderdy walking out of the bathroom Thedy was in her early 50s and wearing an apron. She seemed to be cleaning the house. ¡°Who is this?¡± Caroline asked curiously. ¡°This is Edith Carter. She¡¯ll be our housekeeper from now on. She¡¯ll handle our daily necessities, so you don¡¯t have to work so hard.¡± Caroline pulled Kirk aside and asked softly, ¡°How much are you paying her?¡± She didn¡¯t care about the money, but she was worried about Kirk spending his money. ¡°Just one thousand dors a month. It¡¯s not a lot of money, but I can still afford it ¡± Kirk stroked Caroline¡¯s head. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to tire yourself out, darling.¡± Caroline¡¯s face turned slightly red. ¡°You¡¯re such a sweet talker.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s all just for you,¡± Kirk said sweetly, deliberately moving his lips to Caroline¡¯s face. Caroline became totally flustered at his actions. ¡°Knock it off!¡± She nced at Edith, who was chuckling at them, and greeted awkwardly, ¡°Hello, Ms. Carter. I¡¯m Caroline. You can just call me Carrie.¡± Edith covered her mouth and said with a smile, ¡°Oh no, I couldn¡¯t. I¡¯ll just call you ¡®madam¡®.¡± In fact, Edith wasn¡¯t a housekeeper Kirk had hired for one thousand dors a month. Instead, she was a full¨Ctime household manager that Kirk specially transferred over from abroad. In addition to cooking and cleaning, she also had to improve the furnishings in the vi so that the owners could enjoy a warm and harmonious atmosphere at all times. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Her work would help them properly regte their physical and mental states. So her monthly 112 +15 BONUS However, Kirk said if she told the truth, Caroline would definitely suspect him. Hence, she had had no choice but to lie to Caroline and keep this secret. Otherwise, the Morrisons would fire her, and that was equivalent to ruining her career. Edith wouldn¡¯t do something that stupid. She simply felt bad for Kirk. In the past, one of Kirk¡¯s rooms had been bigger than this vi. He had sacrificed so much for Caroline, but she wasn¡¯t even aware of it. Edith, who had watched Kirk grow up, felt heartbroken. However, she felt better when she saw that Caroline was well¨Ceducated and benevolent. When Caroline heard that Edith wanted to call her ¡°madam¡°, she hurriedly waved her hands and said, ¡°You can¡¯t call me that, Ms. Carter. We¡¯re just an ordinary household. I couldn¡¯t let you call me that.¡± ¡°Ordinary, huh,¡± Edith thought. She looked at Kirk for instructions. Kirk said, ¡°From now on, whatever my wife says goes. Just obey her orders.¡± Edith nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline, who had just calmed down, began blushing again. She nced at Kirk shyly. Kirk wrapped his arm around Caroline¡¯s waist. ¡°Go look around upstairs. I¡¯ve asked Ms. Carter to redecorate everything. Take a look and decide if you like it.¡± ¡°You even decorated the ce?¡± This was too much trouble, wasn¡¯t it? Chapter 614 Chapter 614 Chapter 614 +15 BONUS ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re doing this for a new beginning. Let¡¯s have a look.¡± Kirk pushed Caroline into the master bedroom. The redesigned master bedroom looked the same as always. However, it had a very rxing atmosphere. Caroline wanted to lie in bed and enjoy the night in peace. She rubbed her temples. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like theyout here has changed a lot, but it gives off apletely different feeling than before.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I ced an aroma diffuser on the bedside, bought some nts, and also changed the ceiling¡¯s design ¡­¡± Kirk pointed to the ceiling. Caroline looked up and realized that other than the ceiling, the entire room¡¯s color was different. ¡± When did you start making the changes?¡± He couldn¡¯t havepleted such a big task in one day. ¡°Some time ago, when we were still fighting.¡± Kirk hugged Caroline from behind. ¡°I wanted you to see a new and different living space when you came back here. All of this will be brand new, just like our new beginning together.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Caroline felt a warmth in her chest when she heard Kirk¡¯s words. ¡°How could you have been so confident about our future together? What if we hadn¡¯t made up?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way that would have happened!¡± Kirk replied quickly. ¡°I will never let something like that happen.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± Caroline looked up at Kirk. She asked, ¡°When you asked Cook not to send me the wedding photos, were you afraid I would tear them up?¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze shifted unnaturally. ¡°O¨COf course not Caroline guffawed, ¡°So you were worried that I would tear them up! That¡¯s why you asked Cook not to send them to me. Kirk, were you that afraid of me divorcing you?¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS She looked at Kirk mischievously, feeling like she had him in her grasp. Kirk pinched Caroline¡¯s nose. ¡°You little devil. You must be so happy to know that I¡¯m worried.¡± Caroline let out a whine, ¡°Let me go!¡± Kirk let go and trailed his hands to her hips. ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t you make it up to me?¡± Caroline pushed him away. ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing wrong. Your boss is clearly the one at fault here. If you really want someone to make it up to you, go to him.¡± After that, Caroline strode toward the next room. Kirk had no choice but to follow her. The next room they arrived in was the study, which had been nicely remodeled. Caroline excitedly pushed open the next door but was stunned when she saw the furnishings. Kirk, who was walking behind Caroline, immediately noticed something was off with her. He stood behind her, and his expression darkened when he saw what was in the room. He yelled, ¡± Ms. Carter!¡± Edith heard Kirk¡¯s noise from downstairs and responded, ¡°Is something wrong, sir?¡± ¡°Come up here,¡± Kirk said sternly. Edith thought carefully. She recalled to make sure that she hadn¡¯t made any mistakes. Then, she climbed up the stairs. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sir?¡± When Edith saw them standing at the door and refusing to enter, she curiously looked into the room. This room was a nursery she had specially renovated. ¡°Sir, is there something in this room that¡¯s not to your liking? If there is, I¡¯ll make changes immediately,¡± Edith said excitedly. However, Kirk rained on her parade. ¡°Get rid of this room immediately.¡± Edith froze for a long while before she stammered, ¡°W¨CWhy?¡± Chapter 615 Chapter 615 Chapter 615 The Morrisons had long been looking forward to Caroline bringing new life and increasing the family¡¯s numbers. That was why Edith had worked hard to make a nursery for Kirk and Caroline. Wasn¡¯t it foolish of Kirk to get rid of that room? Even if they didn¡¯t need this room now, they would need it sooner orter. ¡°Sir, listen to me-¡± ¡°I¡¯m ordering you to get rid of it!¡± Kirk¡¯s expression was already grim. Caroline returned to her senses and gave Kirk a soft smile. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Did you do this, Ms. Carter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Edith dared not look at Kirk, so she answered Caroline¡¯s question. ¡°Madam, do you not like this room? I can change it if you don¡¯t.¡± After being yelled at by Kirk, Edith had already forgotten what Caroline had just said. ¡°No, I like it very much.¡± Caroline smiled gently. She turned to look at Kirk and whispered, ¡°I really like it. I mean that.¡± Kirk¡¯s expression noticeably rxed at Caroline¡¯s words. He said to Edith, ¡°Head back downstairs.¡± Edith was still confused, but she quickly nodded and left. After Edith left, Kirk hugged Caroline sadly and said, ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll get the agency to redecorate the room.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that.¡± Caroline sulked in Kirk¡¯s arms. ¡°Ms. Carter doesn¡¯t know about my inner conflicts. She¡¯s doing this out of kindness. Don¡¯t me her. Also-¡± Caroline raised her head and looked at Kirk with bright eyes. ¡°Between you and me, I often feel some sort of maternal love from Aunt Mary. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s projecting her issues onto me or if she really sees me as one of her own. But I always feel loved whenever I¡¯m with her. ¡°So I don¡¯t feel as scared as before¡­ to have a child.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS She looked at Kirk mischievously, feeling like she had him in her grasp. Kirk pinched Caroline¡¯s nose. ¡°You little devil. You must be so happy to know that I¡¯m worried.¡± Caroline let out a whine, ¡°Let me go!¡± Kirk let go and trailed his hands to her hips. ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t you make it up to me?¡± Caroline pushed him away. ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing wrong. Your boss is clearly the one at fault here. If you really want someone to make it up to you, go to him.¡± After that, Caroline strode toward the next room. Kirk had no choice but to follow her. The next room they arrived in was the study, which had been nicely remodeled. Caroline excitedly pushed open the next door but was stunned when she saw the furnishings. Kirk, who was walking behind Caroline, immediately noticed something was off with her. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. He stood behind her, and his expression darkened when he saw what was in the room. He yelled, ¡± Ms. Carter!¡± Edith heard Kirk¡¯s noise from downstairs and responded, ¡°Is something wrong, sir?¡± ¡°Come up here,¡± Kirk said sternly. Edith thought carefully. She recalled to make sure that she hadn¡¯t made any mistakes. Then, she climbed up the stairs. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sir?¡± When Edith saw them standing at the door and refusing to enter, she curiously looked into the room. This room was a nursery she had specially renovated. ¡°Sir, is there something in this room that¡¯s not to your liking? If there is, I¡¯ll make changes immediately,¡± Edith said excitedly. However, Kirk rained on her parade. ¡°Get rid of this room immediately.¡± Edith froze for a long while before she stammered, ¡°W¨CWhy?¡± Chapter 616 Chapter 616 Chapter 616 +15 BONUS Simon had bought a photo of Kirk in a secret market overseas, and it was a very clear photo. After getting the photo, Jude had been eager to call Caroline. He wanted to catch Kirk off guard so N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. that he would have no way to defend himself. Caroline groggily massaged her temples. ¡°Grandpa, I didn¡¯t go to work today.¡± Jude was stunned. ¡°You¡¯re not at work? Then, where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at home. Is there something urgent you need from me?¡± Jude¡¯s nervous tone instantly softened. ¡°Oh, haha. It¡¯s not an emergency. I just miss you. Why don¡¯t Ie visit you at your home?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Caroline gave Jude her address. After Jude heard it, he mused, ¡°Aren¡¯t your parents staying in this district? Do you live there too?¡± Jude had bought Sarah and Dan¡¯s house for them, so he clearly remembered where it was. As far as he knew, the houses in that district costed a lot. Caroline had always said that her husband was just a regr worker. A white¨Ccor worker wouldn¡¯t be able to afford a vi. Buying a vi there wouldn¡¯t be possible, even if Caroline had bought this house herself. Jude knew Caroline¡¯s financial situation. All the Evans family¡¯s money was in Sarah and Dan¡¯s possession, so Caroline didn¡¯t have much money on her. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have faced so much trouble buying him a birthday gift. Her financial situation hadn¡¯t improved until she had taken over Evans Group and brought it back on its feet. So Caroline¡¯s husband was the only one who could have bought this vi. Jude shuddered at the thought. However, Caroline didn¡¯t know what Jude was thinking. She asked sweetly, ¡°Yes, I do. When are you coming over, Grandpa? I¡¯ll go get ready.¡± Jude calmed down. Then, he looked down at the photo in his hand, shivering when he saw Kirk¡¯s piercing gaze. +15 BONUS After he left, Caroline slept for less than an hour before a phone call woke her again. The caller was none other than Jude. Caroline sat up and answered the phone, ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± Jude held Kirk¡¯s photo in his hand and asked with a smile, ¡°Carrie, are you free today? I¡¯lle visit you at Evans Group.¡± Jude had originally had given up hope on getting a photo of Kirk. He hadn¡¯t expected Simon to be this capable. Chapter 617 Chapter 617 Chapter 617 More than an hourter, Jude arrived at the vi. Caroline personally went to greet him at the door. ¡°Wee, Grandpa.¡± ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t make you wait long.¡± Jude observed everything around him and asked casually, ¡°Is your husband at home?¡± ¡°He went to work. Sorry, Grandpa. You said you wanted toe over for a meal, but I still haven¡¯t been able to make time for it.¡± Caroline scratched her head in shame. She had been busy meeting with Marietta, so she hadn¡¯t had time to arrange a meal with Jude and Kirk. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s all right. We can have a meal any time. I know both of you are busy, so I came here to visit. In fact, I don¡¯t need to see your husband. As long as you¡¯re living happily, I can rest assured.¡± Jude walked towards the vi as he spoke, ¡°All right, why don¡¯t you show me around?¡± Caroline nodded and led Jude into the vi. Meanwhile, a pair of angry eyes watched the vi Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. from a ce no one could see. After the two entered the vi, Jude looked around. Although this ce wasn¡¯t as morous as Morrison Manor, it had a warm and cozy atmosphere. ¡°It seems you¡¯re doing well after your marriage, Carrie.¡± The state of a couple¡¯s home perfectly reflected the state of their marriage. A couple who always fought was unlikely to have a sweet and cozy home. On the contrary, a happy couple was unlikely to have a dirty ce to call home. Caroline couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. She said with a bright smile, ¡°Yeah. Although we fight asionally, we still resolve our issues every time. ¡°Aren¡¯t all marriages like this? We constantly grow and adapt to each other¡¯s habits, slowly uniting ourselves in the process.¡± Jude noticed the joy in Caroline¡¯s gaze and hesitated for a moment. Then, he stuffed the photo back into his pocket. ¡°Let¡¯s go look at the other rooms.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°All right!¡± Caroline was about to step forward and help Jude walk to the second floor when a figure ran into the vi Then, a stern voice sounded, ¡°Nobody move!¡± Caroline turned around and saw an unkempt homeless man holding a gun. He looked familiar, but his face was covered in a mask, so she couldn¡¯t properly see his face. She could only see a pair of reddened eyes ring at them. Edith ran over as well when she heard themotion. She was stunned when she saw the intruder holding the gun. Caroline and Jude had returned to their senses and looked at each other. Then, Caroline said to the intruder, ¡°Calm down¡­ What do you want? Money or jewelry? We¡¯ll give you anything you want.¡± Then, they raised their hands to make the intruder lower their guard. However, the man strode over and aimed the gun at Caroline¡¯s head. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything. I just want payback for what happened to the Collins family!¡± At this moment, Caroline finally realized who the person before her was. ¡°Howard?¡± Caroline had heard Kirk mention that Eddy¡¯s second uncle had kept the Collins family in check, but she hadn¡¯t worried about it. She didn¡¯t expect to see Howard so depressed about it. For a moment, she had mixed feelings about this. Chapter 618 Chapter 618 Chapter 618 +15 BONUS ¡°Great. You still remember me.¡± Howard pressed the gun against Caroline¡¯s head. As heid his eyes on her, he had the urge to tear her apart piece by piece. However, that wouldn¡¯t change anything. At the thought of this, Howard coldly red at Caroline. Caroline took a deep breath and tried not to anger Howard. ¡°Things have already happened. Killing me won¡¯t fix anything. Why don¡¯t you think about what I can do for you?¡± As she spoke, she nced at Edith, who had secretly called the police, from the corner of her eye. Edith¡¯s actions gave her the confidence to handle this situation. She hadn¡¯t expected Edith to be able to stay calm in the face of danger. ¡°You can¡¯t do anything for me!¡± Howard¡¯s angry voice drew Caroline¡¯s attention back. ¡°What do you think you can do? Because of you, my daughter went insane, and my wife is in jail! I even lost mypany! You tore my family apart! I want you to experience that same feeling.¡± Caroline was about to say something, but Jude beat her to it. ¡°Please calm down, Howard. Carrie is right. Doing this won¡¯t solve anything. It will only make things worse. ¡°Listen to me. Just put down the gun. The Morrisons will help you solve yourpany¡¯s problems. You have to believe in our family¡¯s capabilities.¡± The muzzle on Caroline¡¯s head shifted slightly. Noticing an opportunity, she hurriedly said, ¡°He¡¯s right, Mr. Collins. Your family has finally be one of the big four Ffmilies. You don¡¯t want all that to be gone now, do you?¡± Howard¡¯s expression rxed at her words. Just as Caroline and Jude heaved a sigh of relief, Howard aimed his gun at Jude. He gritted his teeth and snarled, ¡°Actually, all this is your family¡¯s fault. If Eddy¡¯s second uncle hadn¡¯t taken Caroline¡¯s side, things wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. And you ¡­¡± Howard pointed his gun at Caroline. ¡°Talk. What is your rtionship with Eddy¡¯s second uncle? Why does he always take your side? Tell me!¡± 1/2 T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. +15 BONUS Caroline felt a chill on her back from his yelling. She didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. Howard had originally just asked this question on a whim. He was already in a murderous frenzy. However, after bringing this up and noticing Caroline¡¯s inability to answer his question, his previous doubts began to resurface. Howard trembled at the terrifying thought and almost lost his grip on the gun. ¡°Spill it! What¡¯s your rtionship with Eddy¡¯s second uncle?¡± After returning to his senses, Howard pressed the gun even harder against Caroline¡¯s temple. He had to get the answers he wanted right now. Caroline looked at Howard. ¡°Let me think about how to answer you.¡± She couldn¡¯t exin her rtionship with Eddy¡¯s second uncle in just a few sentences. When Jude heard her words, he turned to look at Caroline and encouraged her, ¡°Carrie, just tell him what you know.¡± Jude felt conflicted, but unexpectedly, he echoed Howard¡¯s question. He wanted to know the rtionship between Caroline and Kirk. ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline frowned helplessly. After carefully considering her words, she said, ¡°He¡¯s my husband¡­¡± These three words made Jude and Howard act strangely. Both of them opened their mouths, eyes widened in disbelief. Chapter 619 Chapter 619 Chapter 619 +15 BONUS Caroline noticed their expressions and continued, ¡°He¡¯s¡­ my husband¡¯s former boss. ¡°The reason why he wanted to help me isplicated. Simply put, he almost made me and my husband get divorced. So he helped me because he felt guilty.¡± Howard asked uncertainly, ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± Caroline sighed, ¡°I have no reason to lie to you. Think about it. If I was close with Eddy¡¯s second uncle, would I still have had to beg for help with Evans Group?¡± Caroline¡¯s words convinced Howard, but not Jude, who knew very well that Kirk wasn¡¯t a good person. (2 Even if Kirk had caused P in Caroline¡¯s marriage, he would be happy to see it happen. In other words, he couldn¡¯t have done this to make it up to Caroline and her husband. However, Jude couldn¡¯t deduce Kirk¡¯s reasons for helping Caroline, especially not during a dangerous moment like this. Howard guffawed. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re close with Eddy¡¯s second uncle. Anyway, one of us has to 1. go. I have nothing to be afraid of.¡± As he spoke, he pointed the gun at Caroline and was ready to pull the trigger. Caroline¡¯s heart stopped, and her eyes widened when she saw Edith, who hade behind Howard at some point. Then, she quickly looked away. She couldn¡¯t let Howard find out. Enduring her racing heart, she tried to divert Howard¡¯s attention. ¡°Wait, Howard! Have you really thought this through? If you kill me, there¡¯s no going back! Think about your business! You can always bring yourpany back to the top as long as you want to!¡± Howard sneered, ¡°Hmph! I can¡¯t believe you never thought I wouldn¡¯t retaliate when you people ruined my business. Let me tell you something¨Cit¡¯s already toote.¡± Even if Kirk announced that he wouldn¡¯t stop Collins Group¡¯s business anymore, no one would cooperate with them. The Morrisons might even crush their business a second time. Howard knew he had zero chance of starting over. After thinking this through, he no longer hesitated. He pulled the trigger decisively. 1/2 At this moment, he heard Edith¡¯s voice behind him, ¡°Madam, watch out!¡± +15 BONUSContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Only then did Howard realize there was a fourth person was in the room. He turned his head and saw the baton in Edith¡¯s hand. Then, he raised his hand to block it. However, the bullet had already left the gun. The small and round bullet flew in Caroline¡¯s direction. At this moment, everything seemed to slow down. Everyone¡¯s moments became sluggish, and even Edith¡¯s voice was drawn out. However, Caroline couldn¡¯t hear anything. She could only watch as the bullet flew in her direction. When the bullet was about to hit her forehead, someone pushed her away, and she fell to the ground. T Then, she heard a snap and the sound of the bullet piercing flesh. With wide eyes, Caroline looked at Jude, who had fallen to the ground before her. Then, she yelled, ¡°Grandpa!¡± The bullet had hit Jude¡¯s chest. Jude clutched his chest, trying hard to take out the photo in his pocket and give it to Caroline. However, he could only move two trembling fingers. ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± Caroline cried while holding Jude, who was covered in blood. ¡°Hang on! I¡¯ll take you to the hospital right away.¡± ¡°Carrie ¡­¡± Jude rasped. ¡°Please don¡¯t say anything, Grandpa. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± Filled with grief, Caroline took out her phone from her pocket with difficulty. Just as she was about to make a call, she saw Kirk and his entourage rushing into the vi. Chapter 620 Chapter 620 Chapter 620 When Caroline saw Kirk, it was as if she saw a ray of hope. ¡°Kirk! Help me save Grandpa! He got shot ¡­¡± When Jude saw Kirk, his pupils shrank, and he raised a trembling hand. He wanted to say something, but he couldn¡¯t. Kirk could probably guess what he was going to say. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he picked up Jude and strode toward the door. As he walked past Howard, he kicked him hard. Howard had just recovered from the shock of killing Jude. When he looked at Kirk, who had walked away, he asked uncertainly, ¡°I¨CIsn¡¯t Caroline¡¯s husband just one of the employees of Eddy¡¯s second uncle? What is he doing here?¡± Charles, who happened to walk past Howard, immediatelyughed at his confusion. ¡°Who told you that the madam¡¯s husband is sir¡¯s employee?¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Howard quickly raised his head and immediately recognized Charles. ¡°A¨CAren¡¯t you Mr. Kirk¡¯s secretary? Why are you also here?¡± Seeing how pitiful Howard was and how that he had no hope of surviving, Charles mercifully decided to him the truth. ¡°This is sir¡¯s home, and he rushed back here because something happened. Do you get it now?¡± Howard¡¯s eyes became as wide as saucers. He felt as if lightning had struck him and felt his soul leaving his body. Charles simply gave him a nce. He didn¡¯t want to talk to Howard anymore. Just as he was about to walk toward the door, Howard hugged his thigh. He questioned, ¡°Make things clear to me! Whose home is this?¡± No matter what, he didn¡¯t want to believe the fact that Caroline was married to Kirk. Charles nced at him sympathetically. ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Kirk¡¯s and Madam Caroline¡¯s home. Do you get it now?¡± After getting a definite answer, Howard felt his strength draining away. And he slumped to the 1/2 Charles turned to Jack, who was behind him. ¡°He¡¯s all yours, Jack.¡± +15 BONUS Jack was already flexing his muscles, itching to do some work. He grabbed Howard by the cor and threw him into the car. How dare Howard tried to hurt Caroline? Forget Kirk, even Jack wouldn¡¯t let Howard off the hook. Meanwhile, Kirk drove Jude to a nearby private hospital under Morrison Corporation. When the doctors and nurses learned that Jude had a gunshot wound, they immediately became nervous. They sprung to action and hurriedly took Jude to the emergency operation theatre. Then, Caroline and Kirk were left waiting outside. After seeing the sign above the operating theatre light up, Caroline felt her legs turn into jelly, and tears flowed down her cheeks. ¡°What should we do, Kirk ¡­¡± Jude had gotten into danger because he had tried to save her. If anything happened to him, Caroline would never be able to forgive herself. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. He¡¯ll be okay.¡± Kirk gently patted Caroline¡¯s back, but his gaze was dark. He had seen Jude¡¯s wound. Even a strong young man wouldn¡¯t recover from it. He looked sullenly at the operation theatre¡¯s doors, feeling like a beast was trapped there. If it was freed, it would plunge him into despair. At the thought of this, Kirk couldn¡¯t resist hugging Caroline tighter. Chapter 621 Chapter 621 Chapter 621 As time passed, little by little, Kirk saw Caroline staring nkly at the doors to the operation theatre. After a brief pause, he grabbed Caroline¡¯s cold hand and kissed the back of her palm. ¡°I¡¯ll get you some food. Just stay here and call me if anything happens.¡± Caroline nodded with red eyes. After Kirk left, she felt the walls closing all around her. She felt a chill run down her body, as if she was stranded in a blizzard with nothing to protect her. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. The memory of Jude falling down before her crossed her mind repeatedly. She couldn¡¯t resist hugging her knees and uncontrobly thinking about the worst. If anything happened to Jude, Caroline wouldn¡¯t be able to atone for her crimes, even if she died. Jude was the first person who had ever treated her sincerely. She had long regarded him as her own grandfather. At this moment, anxious footsteps echoed in the corridor. And soon, they came closer. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why did Grandpa end up in here?¡± Eddy had rushed over to the hospital as soon as he heard the news. Thomas was standing behind him, sweating profusely. Caroline raised her head with difficulty. She looked up at them with tears in her eyes. Her distress was a heartbreaking sight. Eddy¡¯s voice involuntarily became softer. He asked, ¡°What happened? Don¡¯t panic. Just exin everything calmly.¡± However, Caroline started crying as soon as she opened her mouth. She stood up from the chair, staggered, and fell to her knees. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s because of me that Grandpa is ¡­¡± Eddy¡¯s heart throbbed in pain at the sight. He hurriedly helped Caroline up. ¡°Caroline, calm down. Just stand up and take your time.¡± Caroline had no strength. She had to rely entirely on Eddy to stand up. La, who had just arrived, saw them like this. She immediately became furious. Hadn¡¯t Caroline said that she wasn¡¯ting on to Eddy? That was clearly a lie! Caroline was already in Eddy¡¯s arms. 1/2 +15 BONUS La was so angry that she dug her nails into her palms, forcing some tears in her eyes. ¡°Let me help Caroline up, Ed!¡± She stepped forward and looked at Eddy sadly. Eddy frowned unhappily at how La was still jealous at this time. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still acting jealous at a time like this! Do you know what Caroline just went through?¡± La¡¯s expression shifted at his words. No matter how upset Eddy had been about her wrongdoings, he would never speak up for Caroline. She didn¡¯t care what happened to Caroline. She hade here to see Jud?. At this time, the operation theatre, which had been closed for more than three hours, finally opened. As soon as Caroline saw the doctor, she rushed over. ¡°Doctor, how is he?¡± La rolled her eyes. Caroline was such a good actress. She had looked like a mess just now, but now she had the strength to get up. Eddy red at La, noticing the contempt in her gaze. Then, La calmed down slightly. At the same time, she felt uneasy. She was sure that Caroline had said something to Eddy. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be this callous toward her. Chapter 622 Chapter 622 Chapter 622 Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. The doctor sadly shook his head. ¡°The bullet hit Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s heart. Not even a God can save him from this. My condolences.¡± Upon hearing the doctor¡¯s words, Caroline felt her body sway, and she almost fell to the ground. Meanwhile, Eddy and Thomas couldn¡¯t believe their ears. ¡°Doctor, there has to be another way.¡± Eddy grabbed the doctor¡¯s arm. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what method you use and how expensive the equipment is! I¡¯ll pay for everything. I don¡¯t care about the money. I just want my grandpa alive.¡± The doctor looked at Eddy sadly. ¡°Mr. Eddy, we¡¯ve already tried our best.¡± From his words, Jude¡¯s death was already a foregone conclusion. There was a brief silence in the hospital. Then, there was Caroline¡¯s soft sobs. Immediately afterward, Eddy¡¯s furious voice sounded. ¡°Impossible. My grandpa is still very healthy! You must have other ways to save him, right? I order you to go in there and treat him right this instant!¡± The doctor said awkwardly, ¡°Mr. Eddy, please calm down. Mr. Morrison Senior is about to draw hisst breath. You should go in there and talk with him onest time before it¡¯s toote.¡± As the oldest one there, Thomas was much calmer than Eddy. He grabbed Eddy and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get in there.¡± Having said that, he pushed Eddy into the ward. Just like that, only Caroline and La were left in the corridor. La smugly looked at the closed door, smiling triumphantly. She had already trying to hold back her joy since the doctor had said Jude was about to draw his Jude was biggest obstacle to her marriage to Eddy, and he was finally about to die. After he died, she no longer had to worry about being unable to join the Morrison family. When she became the future Mrs. Morrison, she would first visit Jude¡¯s grave and tell him about the joyous news. She wanted him to roll around in his grave. ¡°Oh my, still fake crying now, are you?¡± La sneered at Caroline, who was trembling behind her. She squatted down and grabbed Caroline¡¯s chin. 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Oh, you¡¯re actually crying. I thought you were faking it. Are you crying because you¡¯re worried about your future?¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°You must be really sad because no one will protect you after that old coot kicks the bucket. ¡°Hmph, I can see that happening. You should get on your knees and beg me for mercy. After bing the future Mrs. Morrison, I¡¯ll reward your loyalty with a job. How about it?¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes reddened at her words, and she slowly clenched her hands on the ground into fists. Just as La was about to straighten up, Caroline scratched her clothes, skin, and hair like a madwoman. ¡°La, shame on you! If it hadn¡¯t been for Grandpa, you wouldn¡¯t be standing here right now!¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t believe La could say such callous words when Jude was about to pass on. She was simply inhumane! Caroline attacked La relentlessly, not giving thetter any room to retaliate. Fortunately, the nurse nearby heard themotion and quickly stepped forward to break them apart. With outsiders restraining Caroline, La immediately acted miserably like she always did.¡± Caroline, I know you¡¯re upset because Grandpa died for you, but you can¡¯t take out your grief on me! Right now, Caroline didn¡¯t want to do anything other than to tear La to shreds. She had been too civilized in dealing with La in the past. La was a callous bitch who wouldn¡¯t even respect the dead. Since she wouldn¡¯t be civil, Caroline had no reason to y nice. She might as well get rid of La like a brute. Just when things were getting worse, the doors to the operation theatre opened again. Eddy walked out despondently. Upon seeing him, La stepped forward. She dropped her smug act and asked with concern, ¡°I¨CIs Grandpa ¡­?¡± Chapter 623 Chapter 623 Chapter 623 +15 BONUS Eddy didn¡¯t even look at La as he said to Caroline, ¡°You should go in there. Grandpa has something to tell you.¡± When Caroline him, she ripped herself away from the nurse who was restraining her. Then, she wiped her tears and followed Eddy into the operation theatre. The ce was filled with the smell of blood. The doctor had already removed the bullet from Jude¡¯s chest and ced it on the tray. It looked harsh under the bright light. Caroline walked quickly to Jude. Her tears were already falling before she could even say anything. ¡°Grandpa ¡­¡± Jude¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard Caroline¡¯s voice. He tried to raise his hand to touch her, but his arms felt like they were made of lead. He couldn¡¯t lift them at all. ¡°Carrie ¡­ I seemed to have heard your grandmother¡¯s voice¡­ I¡¯m going to meet her soon¡­¡® ¡°No, you won¡¯t. You¡¯re not leaving ¡­¡± Caroline finally realized her words were powerless in the face of life and death. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. I¨CI¡¯ve lived long enough¡­ If you and Eddy had gotten married sooner and fulfilled my wish, maybe I wouldn¡¯t have lived until now¡­ ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± ¡°Carrie, I¡¯m about to pass on. But b¨Cbefore I do, can you agree to my request?¡± Caroline nodded profusely. A smile appeared on Jude¡¯s face at her words. ¡°Good¡­ Good¡­ I didn¡¯t waste my time caring for you¡­ ¡°Grandpa.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Eddy,e here ¡­¡± Eddy walked over to him, lips pursed. His body trembled violently, but he still managed to utter,¡± What do you need, Grandpa?¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Give me your hand!¡± Jude raised his hand with difficulty. Eddy quickly gave Jude his hand. Then, Jude said to Caroline, ¡°Carrie¡­¡± Caroline also gave Jude her hand. Jude struggled to put their hands together, but he had no strength left. Moreover, he could feel the end coming closer and closer. He had no choice but to look at their separated hands with regret. He whispered, ¡°C¨CCarrie, m¨Cmy request is for you you can I ¡­ can I feel at ease ¡­¡± to be with Eddy. Only by handing him over to Jude¡¯s breathing became more rapid and shallow. ¡°F¨CForgive my selfishness¡­ y¨Cyou have to.. promise m-¡± However, before he could finish his words, he passed on with a lull of his head. Caroline stared nkly at Jude, whose eyes were still open, and tears emerged from her eyes again. She wailed, ¡°Grandpa!¡± At this time, Kirk, who had entered the elevator, felt a chill behind him. He looked behind him, but he couldn¡¯t see anything. When he reached the floor Jude was on, Kirk heard Caroline¡¯s mournful wails as soon as he stepped out of the elevator. He walked quickly to the operation theatre. After taking a few steps, he saw Eddy helping Caroline, who was in tears, out of the operation theatre. Holding back his reckless impulses, he hid behind the emergency exit door and watched Caroline through the door¡¯s ss. Even from a distance, Kirk could see Caroline¡¯s shoulder shaking violently. Once again, he hated his identity as a Morrison. It was why he couldn¡¯t rush over and hold Caroline in his arms to Chapter 624 Chapter 624 Chapter 624 Kirk knew he should have severed his ties with the Morrisons when his father had run away from home. Meanwhile, like Kirk, La was also burning with jealousy. That shameless bitch, Caroline, had actually taken advantage of Jude¡¯s death to seduce Eddy! However, Eddy had be so dense that he couldn¡¯t even tell. ¡°Ed, h¨Chow could Grandpa just leave like that?¡± La imitated Caroline and started crying. However, Eddy wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen to her cry. ¡°Can you stop crying? It makes me even more upset!¡± La paused while wiping her tears, ¡°Caroline.¡± Eddy patted Caroline¡¯s shoulder. He said with a softness he didn¡¯t even notice, ¡°You should get up. I¡¯ll have someone take you home. Please don¡¯t me yourself. ¡°You had nothing to do with Grandpa¡¯s passing. This is all Howard¡¯s fault, and I¡¯ll definitely make him pay with his life.¡± Caroline put her hand on her forehead. ¡°Let me stay. I want to send him off.¡± Although she wasn¡¯t exactly part of the family, she didn¡¯t care about that. Howard might have caused Jude¡¯s death, but he wouldn¡¯t have died if he hadn¡¯t saved her. So she had to send Jude off for onest ride. Perhaps this could slightly alleviate her guilt. Eddy was very worried that she would copse. ¡°You must go home and rest. You need to be properly rested before you can handle Grandpa¡¯s funeral, right?¡± His words finally persuaded Caroline, and she agreed to head home first. Eddy immediately arranged for someone to send Caroline home. When Kirk saw Caroline leave, he left his hiding spot in the emergency exit. He went downstairs and followed Caroline. As La watched Caroline leave, she finally calmed down from her rage. 1/3 +15 BONUS Walking to Eddy¡¯s side, she sniffled and tried her best to make a sad expression. ¡°Ed, please don¡¯t be sad. Although Grandpa is gone, we have to keep living our best so he doesn¡¯t worry in the afterlife.¡± Eddy raised his head and yelled, ¡°Can you shut the hell up?¡± La¡¯s tears fell at his words, but she quickly held back her sadness and said, ¡°Ed, I know you¡¯re in a bad mood. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll always be by your side, and we¡¯ll get through this together.¡± She reached out to hold Eddy¡¯s hand, but he mercilessly ripped her hand away. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°La, we should just be good friends from now on,¡± Eddy said, enunciating each word. Then, he stood up and turned his back to La. La froze at his words. ¡°Why? Did Caroline say something to you?¡± That bitch! ¡°No!¡± Eddy turned back around. He said calmly, ¡°Before Grandpa died, hisst wish was that Caroline and I get married. That was his only regret. As his grandson, I¡¯ll honor hisst wishes and marry Caroline.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± La said anxiously, ¡°I¡¯ve been with you since I was 18 years old! Do the math, Ed! We¡¯ve been together for six years. I can¡¯t believe you want to abandon me because your grandfather said so before he died!¡± Eddy was surprised that La would say something like this. ¡°La, do you know what you just said?¡± La hurriedly covered her mouth, but it was already toote. She couldn¡¯t take back her words anymore. However, she still tried to exin herself. Eddy was extremely disappointed with her. ¡°You should leave. I don¡¯t want to see you again for now!¡± ¡°Ed¡­¡± ¡°Scram!¡± Chapter 625 Chapter 625 Chapter 625 The people Eddy had sent brought Caroline to her vi¡¯s door. Then, Edith, who had been waiting for her, helped her inside. As the driver watched Edith carefully help Caroline, he couldn¡¯t help but murmur, ¡°She¡¯s pretty attentive in taking care of her, but it¡¯s really strange that the man of the house hasn¡¯t shown up yet.¡± Then, he drove the car toward the gate. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. However, as he drove away, he didn¡¯t notice a car behind him parking in the spot where he had just been. The next second, the car¡¯s door opened, and Kirk strode into the vi. As soon as he entered, he hugged Caroline, who was curled up and crying on the couch. Caroline desperately crawled into Kirk¡¯s arms when she felt a warm and familiar embrace. Kirk stroked her back, feeling distressed. He didn¡¯t say anything. He simply held her quietly. Right now, there was nothing more tangible than thepanionship in silence. Eventually, Caroline fell asleep, nestled in Kirk¡¯s arms. He felt heartbroken as he looked at her, who exhausted herself from crying. Jude meant so much to Caroline. She would probably take a long time to recover from something like this. He gently picked her up and headed to the second floor. When he reached the bedroom, his movements became more gentle. Walking to the bed, he willed himself to be as soft and weightless as a feather. Even though his movements were gentle, Caroline still frowned uneasily in her sleep when he ced her on the bed. She only rxed her frown when Kirk leaned over and kissed her forehead. Then, the nervousness in Kirk¡¯s gaze slowly faded away. He sat by the bed, took his tablet, and began to deal with the issue about Howard. As soon as Kirk turned on his tablet, someone called him. He nced at the phone, but he didn¡¯t answer the call. Eddy was calling him. Right now, Eddy was thest person Kirk wanted to see. 1/2 He was afraid that he wouldn¡¯t be able to resist killing Eddy. After all, Eddy was the to Kirk¡¯s marriage to Caroline! +15 BONUS threat Kirk¡¯s cell phone was still ringing. It would be unreasonable for him not to show up when such a big thing had happened. After much deliberation, he decided to answer the phone for the sake of the big picture. Eddy¡¯s voice immediately came from the receiver. ¡°Uncle Kirk.¡± Kirk nced at Caroline worriedly before standing up and walking toward the door. When he reached the balcony, he asked coldly, ¡°Is something the matter?¡± 1 As soon as Kirk asked that, Eddy couldn¡¯t hold back his grief anymore. In the eyes of outsiders, he was the aloof and omnipotent scion of the Morrisons. He was a strong man who never showed his weak side. However, he was still a human being who had moments of vulnerability, especially when his closest rtive passed away. ¡°G¨CGrandpa is gone ¡­¡± Kirk¡¯s heart was in turmoil. Although Jude had always hoped for Caroline and Eddy to be together, and he could hav potentially be an obstacle between him and Caroline, Kirk never thought of killing him to solve his problems. They were still family, even if they hadn¡¯t seen each other for years. Therefore, Kirk was still saddened by Jude¡¯s passing. ¡°I got it. Do you need me to do anything?¡± Chapter 626 Chapter 626 Chapter 626 Eddy gritted his teeth. ¡°I want Howard to pay for this with his blood.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy. I¡¯ve already sent people to capture him.¡± ¡°Good. You must hand him over to me when the timees. I¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s in considerable agony.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t agree to his request but asked, ¡°Do you need help with the other things? For example, the arrangements for the funeral.¡± ¡°Thank you, Uncle Kirk. But you don¡¯t have to worry about that. Caroline would probablye over to help.¡± Kirk frowned. ¡°Caroline wants to go there too? Why?¡± Eddy didn¡¯t notice anything wrong with Kirk¡¯s tone. ¡°She said she wanted toe over.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. If Caroline helped arrange Jude¡¯s funeral, she and Kirk would definitely meet there. If that happened, he wouldn¡¯t be able to hide his identity anymore. ¡°I thought so too, but Caroline said she would feel more at ease this way¡­ Although no one would me her for Grandpa¡¯s death, she¡­ thought he died because of her ¡­¡± Speaking of this, both of them fell silent. In fact, it wasn¡¯t Caroline¡¯s fault that this had happened. Nevertheless, no one with a conscience wouldn¡¯t feel good about this. ¡°Also¡­¡± Eddy raised his voice. ¡°I¡¯ve thought things through, and Grandpa was right. I n to marry Caroline after things with Grandpa have been settled.¡± Kirk narrowed his eyes at his words. Did Eddy know what he was saying? ¡°Caroline is already married!¡± Kirk coldly reminded Eddy. ¡°I know.¡± Eddy leaned against the cold ss cab. He had never been as sure as he was right now. He had already fallen in love with Caroline. However, he had kept running away from his feelings. 1/2 +15 BONUS Besides, La was his savior, so he had always felt obligated to care for her. His sense of responsibility had rendered him unable to admit that he liked Caroline. If he had, he had felt like he would be betraying his savior¡¯s trust. But Jude¡¯s sudden passing had opened his eyes. In life, anything could happen at any time. After one completely lost something, it would be toote. For example, Jude¡¯s lifelong wish had been to see Eddy marry Caroline. However, because of his reluctance, Jude had left this world behind with regrets. ¡°But I can¡¯t have any more regrets, Uncle Kirk,¡± Eddy dered. Kirk¡¯s voice turned cold, and he snapped, ¡°What about Caroline? Even if you¡¯re doing this not to leave any regrets, have you ever thought about how she feels?¡± Eddy could feel Kirk¡¯s anger even through the phone. He straightened up in confusion, feeling a little aggrieved. He thought Kirk was really biased toward Caroline, even more so than Jude. However, Jude was the only Morrison who had been kind to Caroline. Eddy had been worried about the cold reception Caroline would get after she married him. So he felt relieved to see elder in the family have her back. ¡°I haven¡¯t asked for her opinion yet, and now¡¯s not the time for that. I¡¯ll talk to her after we settle everything for Grandpa¡¯s funeral. Uncle Kirk, you have to speak up for me when the timees.¡± Kirk immediately hung up the phone. Eddy was speechless at Kirk¡¯s attitude. What was wrong with him? Did Kirk really not want him to marry Caroline? Eddy admitted that he had let Caroline down, but he swore that he would treat her better this time. Moreover, based on his understanding of Caroline, she would definitely marry him. This had been her dream since she had been 16 years old. Although a lot had happened since then, Eddy still thought that many things had stayed the same. As long as he took action, Caroline would definitely go along with his ns. Chapter 627 Chapter 627 News about Jude¡¯s passing quickly spread everywhere. Since the reason for his passing wasn¡¯t announced, all kinds of rumors began to emerge. However, no one had imagined that Howard was the one who had killed Jude Everyone who knew Caroline learned about the danger she had been in that day through their respective connections, and they all checked up on her. Gwen, Marietta, and Cheryl rushed to Caroline¡¯s house as soon as they heard the news. When Caroline saw how concerned her rtives and friends were, she forced herself to cheer up and weed them. She didn¡¯t want to worry them. ¡°Sonia wanted to visit you too, but unfortunately, she¡¯s filming overseas and couldn¡¯te back.¡± Caroline hugged her shawl and spoke in a weak voice. Although she had managed to sleep in the past two days, she always been having nightmares in the middle of the night. It had ruined her mental well¨Cbeing, and she hadn¡¯t been able to sleep well because of that. She whispered, ¡°Tell her just to keep doing her job. She doesn¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Gwen hesitated to speak and looked over at Marietta. Marietta took Caroline¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Carrie, I have some good news.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I already know which family adopted my daughter!¡± Sure enough, Caroline¡¯s mood improved. ¡°Which family is it?¡± ¡°The Hacketts! We still haven¡¯t found out who my daughter is, but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find out soon. enough!¡± Caroline remembered that the Hacketts had many daughters. Even so, it should be pretty easy to get to the bottom of things. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. After all, they just had to find people in the same age group as her, with an age gap of two to three years at most. 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Caroline finally felt a little better. She took a breath and asked, ¡°Mom, what will you do after you find her?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about that.¡± Marietta held her chest. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve tried searching for her before, but I¡¯ve never found anything. Although this is the closest I¡¯ve been to finding her, I don¡¯t dare celebrate too soon.¡± Caroline understood how Marietta felt. Marietta was afraid of her joy being in vain. So sheforted, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You have plenty of time to figure things out once you find her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Marietta gently hugged Caroline. After a long while, she spoke softly, ¡°Carrie, I know you¡¯re a very kind woman. But some things are just not your fault, so never me yourself for what happened.¡± Caroline gently rested her head on Marietta¡¯s shoulders, her body trembling slightly. Whenever she closed her eyes, she would see Jude falling before her again. ¡°Mom¡­¡± Caroline sobbed. ¡°I feel so bad. If only that bullet had hit me like it had been meant to¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, you fool.¡± Marietta gently stroked Caroline¡¯s hair. Caroline needed to face her own demons alone. They couldn¡¯t help much with that. After crying, Caroline felt much better. But everyone could tell that she was still forcing a smile. ¡°I think you need to hire a therapist for Caroline,¡± Marietta said to Kirk. She had pulled him aside after telling the rest she was washing fruits. She was worried about Caroline¡¯s mental state. Although Caroline put on a strong front, she was actually very vulnerable. ¡°I¡¯ve already asked Sean to take care of it.¡± Marietta was relieved to hear that. ¡°Just let me know if you need anything.¡± She said, ¡°During this time, I¡¯ll have my phone on 24/7. You can call me any time.¡± Chapter 628 Chapter 628 Chapter 628 +15 BONUS Kirk nodded slightly at Marietta¡¯s offer. Both of them were silent, not knowing what to say. After 2 inoment, Kirk said, ¡°I¡¯m going out for now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Marietta nodded and continued washing the fruits. After Kirk left, she looked up again. She guessed he was the one who was most upset about this. Having known him for years, she knew how much of a workaholic he was. But now, he was staying at home just to care for Caroline. Marietta hoped that Caroline would ovee her demons soon. Then, she walked out of the kitchen with the fruits. Everyone chatted with Caroline for a while before she kicked them out. When they left, Cheryl¡¯s eyes immediately turned red. She whispered in the car, ¡°It seems Caroline has lost weight. It¡¯s only been a few days since we¡¯ve seen her ¡­¡± Gwen and Marietta remained silent. Everyone was in low spirits as they made their way home. Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the vi wasn¡¯t much better. Kirk nced at Caroline, who was lost in thought again and stepped forward. ¡°What would you like to eat, darling? I¡¯ll make something for you.¡± However, Caroline only returned to her senses after Kirk had called her twice. ¡°What did you say?¡± Kirk frowned and repeated his words. Caroline shook her head and opened her hands toward Kirk. ¡°I want a hug.¡± Kirk smiled helplessly and stretched out his arms to hug Caroline. She immediately buried her head in his chest. Just like that, the two of them hugged each other quietly, letting time pass by Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. slowly. After a long time, Caroline said softly, ¡°Kirk, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve wanted to tell you, but I didn¡¯t know how to say it.¡± Kirk¡¯s heart stopped. He asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Caroline remained silent at his words. After a while, she changed her mind. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯d better not talk about it for now.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS Kirk was shaken. He finally understood the reason for Caroline¡¯s strange behavior tonight. What she wanted to talk about wasn¡¯t his true identity, but rather Jude¡¯sst words. ¡°Where did you say you were?¡± Kirk asked, gritting his teeth. ¡°At Morrison Manor. Uncle Kirk, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Eddy asked, thinking Kirk was acting strange. ¡°Wait for me there. I¡¯ll go see you now.¡± After he said that, Kirk strode out of the vi. However, after a few steps, he seemed to have thought of something. He turned back, went up to the second floor, and opened the door to his bedroom. Caroline was wiping her hair dry when she heard the door opening. She turned back to Kirk and smiled. She asked, ¡°Are you going to bed too?¡± ¡°The office called just now and said they needed me for something. So I won¡¯t be home tonight.¡± Caroline put her towel down. ¡°It isn¡¯t a big problem, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯ll be leaving now. You should rest early, and don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline saw Kirk off. She waited until he drove away before closing the door. However, she still felt very uneasy. Ever since Kirk had promised he wouldn¡¯t go out at night anymore, he rarely left the housete. Even if it was something work¨Crted, he would blow it off. But since he was going out sote now, the issue probably wasn¡¯t a simple one. Caroline felt restless at the thought. She couldn¡¯t sleep at all. Chapter 629 Chapter 629 Chapter 629 +15 BONUS Seeing this, Kirk took some tissues to wipe Caroline¡¯s tears. As he did, he coaxed, ¡°Why are you crying, my dear little crybaby?¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes were still red, but she retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not crying. I just got dust in my eye.¡± Kirk looked around the room. ¡°All right, whatever you say. But darling, can you finish the spaghetti arrabbiata I made?¡± Caroline smiled tearfully at his words, biting her lip. ¡°Okay.¡± After their dinner, Kirk and Caroline watched TV downstairs. No one talked during this time. At 11: 00 pm, Caroline got up and went upstairs. After a moment, she said to Kirk, ¡°Kirk ¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll always be with you, no matter how difficult things be.¡± Although there was nothing usual about her words, she seemed to be making an oath. Kirk looked at her gently. Her reassuring words immediately put him at ease. ¡°Okay, you should get some rest.¡± Caroline nodded and went upstairs to rest. When the door closed, Kirk immediately dropped his smile. He took out his phone and dialed Eddy¡¯s number. Eddy quickly answered the phone. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Uncle Kirk?¡± ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at Grandpa¡¯s ce.¡± In a few days, Eddy had been arranging Jude¡¯s funeral. He had suddenly felt an emptiness in his chest, so he had gone to Morrison Manor, trying to find somefort. Kirk asked coldly, ¡°Did Uncle Jude say anything to Caroline before he passed?¡± ¡°No.¡± Eddy was confused. ¡°He just told us that his biggest regret was that he didn¡¯t get to see me and Caroline together. Why are you asking, Uncle Kirk?¡± 1/2 N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. +15 BONUS Kirk was shaken. He finally understood the reason for Caroline¡¯s strange behavior tonight. What she wanted to talk about wasn¡¯t his true identity, but rather Jude¡¯sst words. ¡°Where did you say you were?¡± Kirk asked, gritting his teeth. ¡°At Morrison Manor. Uncle Kirk, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Eddy asked, thinking Kirk was acting strange. ¡°Wait for me there. I¡¯ll go see you now.¡± After he said that, Kirk strode out of the vi. However, after a few steps, he seemed to have thought of something. He turned back, went up to the second floor, and opened the door to his bedroom. Caroline was wiping her hair dry when she heard the door opening. She turned back to Kirk and smiled. She asked, ¡°Are you going to bed too?¡± ¡°The office called just now and said they needed me for something. So I won¡¯t be home tonight.¡± Caroline put her towel down. ¡°It isn¡¯t a big problem, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯ll be leaving now. You should rest early, and don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline saw Kirk off. She waited until he drove away before closing the door. However, she still felt very uneasy. Ever since Kirk had promised he wouldn¡¯t go out at night anymore, he rarely left the housete. Even if it was something work¨Crted, he would blow it off. But since he was going out sote now, the issue probably wasn¡¯t a simple one. Caroline felt restless at the thought. She couldn¡¯t sleep at all. Chapter 630 Chapter 630 Chapter 630 +15 BONUS Kirk had been to Jude¡¯s house before, so he didn¡¯t need a GPS to get there. He simply drove all the way to the gates of Morrison Manor. As soon as he got out of the car, someone immediately stepped forward to stop him. But after seeing that the visitor was Kirk, the guard stepped back and nodded respectfully. ¡°Hello, Mr. Kirk.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t even spare him a nce as he strode through the yard and into the living room. Eddy had already heard the noises outside, so he walked toward the door. ¡°Uncle Kirk-¡± As soon as he opened his mouth, Kirk punched him in the face. Eddy let out a howl of pain. He Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. was about to ask what happened when Kirknded a second punch on his eye. Eddy immediately covered his eyes in pain. He yelled, ¡°Are you crazy, Uncle Kirk? I¡¯m your nephew!¡± As soon as he finished talking, Kirknded another punch. This blow was much harder than his previous ones. Eddy gasped in pain, ¡°Uncle Kirk! Please stop! Don¡¯t think that you can discipline me like this because you¡¯re my uncle. If you don¡¯t stop, I¡¯ll fight back!¡± ¡°Fight back if you dare!¡± Kirk let go of Eddy. He red at Eddy coldly as if he wanted to devour him whole. Eddy shuddered at his gaze. ¡°Uncle Kirk, don¡¯t assume that I¡¯m afraid of you. I¡¯m not attacking you because I respect you.¡± ¡°Forget about all that crap!¡± Kirk clenched his fists, making a cracking sound. ¡°We¡¯re going to fight for real tonight, man¨Cto¨Cman. Screw our rtions.¡± ¡°But why?¡± Eddy had no idea what he had done wrong. He had been busy dealing with Jude¡¯s affairs. ¡°There¡¯s no need for a reason!¡± Kirk simply wanted to beat him up. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to relieve his anger. 1/2 +15 BONUS If he hadn¡¯t had respect for the dead, he would have pulled Jude into the mix and beaten them up together At the thought of this, Kirk raised his fist and hit Eddy in the abdomen. Eddy couldn¡¯t evade Kirk¡¯s quick blows at all, and he felt a punch in his stomach. He wailed in pain, but before he could fight back. Just like that, he had been punched in the face and chest. Kirk¡¯s attacks brought out Eddy¡¯s anger. ¡°Uncle Kirk, you¡¯re the one who started this. Don¡¯t me me for what happens!¡± Eddy yelled, beginning to fight back as well. However, his reflexes were much slower than Kirk¡¯s. He couldn¡¯t dodge several of Kirk¡¯s attacks, and he even received a few blows on his back. Themotion finally caught Simon and Thomas¡® attention. When the two came in, they saw Kirk and Eddy fighting each other and hurriedly called the guards. It took a lot of effort to break them apart. Thomas looked at Eddy, who was covered in bruises, and hissed, ¡°What the hell are you two doing? It¡¯s been only a few days since your grandfather passed, and you¡¯re having internal conflicts now?¡± Eddy felt extremely wronged. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault. Uncle Kirk was the one who kept attacking me. I asked him what I had done wrong, but he wouldn¡¯t tell me.¡± Hearing that, Thomas looked at Kirk. Compared with Eddy, Kirk was in a much better state. He only had a few wounds on his face, and the rest of his body was basically unscathed. He asked, ¡°Kirk, what on earth is going on here? Why are you attacking Eddy all of a sudden?¡± Kirk clenched his fists, remaining silent. Thomas sighed, ¡°You can tell me if Eddy has done anything wrong.¡± Kirk snorted and stood up. ¡°Eddy isn¡¯t the only one who¡¯s wrong here. Everyone in this family is a nistake,¡± he spat. Then, he left without looking back. Everyone looked at each other, unable to fathom what Kirk had meant. Chapter 631 Chapter 631 Chapter 631 The next day, Charles had just arrived at the office when several cleaners stopped him. ¡°Mr. Lane!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Charles asked, halting in his footsteps. Noticing the tools in her hands, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder aloud, ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys done with the cleaning? It¡¯ste.¡± ¡°The boss is in there. We don¡¯t have the guts to head in.¡± ¡°He¡¯s in there?¡± Charles asked in disbelief. A situation like this had been all toomon when they had been back in Sarcozia. But it had been a rare urrence after Kirk had married Caroline. The only exception was when everybody had to work overtime. ¡°Yeah. I heard from the guards that he returned here alonest night and stayed the night,¡± exined the cleaner. ¡°What¡¯s more, it seems like he injured his face.¡± Charles¡® heart leaped into his throat. Did Kirk and Caroline get into a fight again? Charles gingerly opened the door and saw Kirk lying on the couch with his eyes closed. He squinted to see more clearly and noticed several cuts and bruises on Kirk¡¯s face. It surely didn¡¯t seem like those were from a woman. ¡°Get out!¡± Kirk snapped. His sudden outburst gave Charles quite a fright. Still, Charles uttered, ¡°Sir¡­ Are you okay?¡± Kirk stood up and stared coolly at Charles, which made thetter shudder. Charles had no idea why Kirk was so mad at him all of a sudden, but then he recalled what had happened to Carolely. After pondering for a moment, he asked,¡± Is it because of the madam? Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s an optimistic person, so she¡¯ll definitely be able to-¡± The look Kirk gave him was so piercing that he didn¡¯t finish his sentence. +15 BONUS Hastily, he hurried out of the office to call Sean. At a crucial moment like this, it was best to turn to Sean for help. Sean, too, found it strange that Kirk was injured. He grabbed his medical kit and made his way to SY Group¡¯s branch office. When Sean arrived, Kirk nced sideways at Charles, who pretended not to notice his gaze. Sean also acted as if he didn¡¯t see the look of resistance in Kirk¡¯s eyes. After asking Charles to leave, he took out a bottle of iodine and some gauze and got to work with a frown on his face. ¡°How did you get hurt?¡± Sean asked, yet Kirk pursed his lips in silence. Since Kirk wouldn¡¯t talk, Sean was left with no choice but to bring Caroline into the picture. ¡°I heard that you slept herest night. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to tell me about it, but what about Caroline then? ¡°You didn¡¯t tell her that you stayed the night here, right?¡± He continued, ¡°She must be worried sick. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re more aware of this than I am.¡± Eventually, Kirk raised his eyes to stare at Sean. A momentter, he said, ¡°I beat Eddy upst night.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. His answer was so ludicrous that Sean let out a bark ofughter. ¡°You¡¯ve finally taken it out on him, huh? What happened afterward? Is he hospitalized?¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze remained as cool as ever. It was obvious that he was in no mood to share the joke, so Sean put on a serious face and asked, ¡°Why did you two fight?¡± Closing his eyes, Kirk said, ¡°Before Uncle Jude died, he said that his biggest regret was not being able to see Eddy and Caroline together.¡± ¡°He¡¯s making your life difficult!¡± eximed Sean. His expression changed instantly after hearing what Kirk said. ¡°Caroline thought that she was the reason for his death! Don¡¯t tell me that ¡­¡± Chapter 632 Chapter 632 Chapter 632 +15 BONUS ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that she promised Eddy to divorce you so that she can marry him! Sean snapped his eyes up to look at Kirk, who still had his eyes closed. ¡°No. She told me that she would stay with me no matter what I don¡¯t think she¡¯s thinking of leaving me.¡± ¡°What are you worrying about then?¡± asked Sean. Everything was fine as long as Caroline didn¡¯t make a reckless decision regarding this. Sitting up from the couch, Kirk stared directly into Sean¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll feel okay after what has happened?¡± Kirk¡¯s voice was so icy that it rendered Sean speechless. Indeed, as long as Caroline wasn¡¯t rid of that thorn in her side, she could never feel at ease, even if she stayed by Kirk¡¯s side. ¡°I¡¯ve contacted some psychologists in Macldo. They¡¯ll arrive soon.¡± Sean couldn¡¯t utter any words. offort. All he could do was ask the team of psychologists toe here as soon as possible. ¡°Thanks,¡± said Kirk. ¡°No worries. We¡¯re bros, after all,¡± said Sean as he helped Kirk bandage the wound. ¡°Have you decided what you¡¯re going to tell Caroline when you go back?¡± asked Sean.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°You can¡¯t just show up injured like this without an exnation.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll head outside then.¡± Sean took onest nce at Kirk before leaving the room. Before leaving the office, he warned Charles not to piss Kirk off for the time being. Charles couldn¡¯t help but wonder aloud, ¡°Did he get into a fight with the madam?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s worse than getting into a fight with her,¡± Sean told him. ¡°Just be extra careful this time.¡± Sean left right after that, leaving Charles standing puzzled and clueless. After calming down, Kirkposed himself and dialed Caroline¡¯s number. +15 BONUS She answered the call almost immediately. ¡°Kirk, why didn¡¯t you answer my calls?¡± She had called him several times after she had woken up and found that he wasn¡¯t at home with her. He hadn¡¯t answered any of her calls, so she had sent him a text as well. However, he hadn¡¯t called her or texted her back, even in the afternoon. She had then decided to go to the Morrisons¡® house to see for herself. Coincidentally, Kirk had called her just as she had started the car engine. ¡°Sorry, darling,¡± he said. He lowered his voice when he spoke, but she could sense the exhaustion in it. ¡°I just got off the ne.¡± Caroline¡¯s heart leaped into her throat. ¡°Are you out on a business trip? Didn¡¯t you say that it was nothing serious?¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± he said. ¡°But I need two to three days to settle things here, so I can¡¯t stay with you at home for some time.¡± ¡°No worries.¡± Carolineforted him. ¡°You must be tired. Why don¡¯t you resign?¡± ¡°If you think that you¡¯ll get boredter, you cane to Evans Group,¡± she suggested. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like working these days, anyway.¡± ¡°Darling¡­¡± Kirk¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so sweet that you make me want to kiss you.¡± Caroline¡¯s face flushed red. ¡°You bastard! I was being serious!¡± ¡°Me too. Gimme a kiss, and I¡¯ll recover all my strength right away,¡± said Kirk. ¡°Come on, gimme a kiss, darling.¡± Caroline sighed. He really left her with no choice. Eventually, she gave him a smooch. ¡°Happy ¡°I feel as if I had just had a good, long nap.¡± Kirk hummed. ¡°Darling, you¡¯re my savior, my superwoman.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Caroline wanted to roll her eyes at him. Just as she was about to nag him for something, a notification popped up, telling her that Gwen had just sent her a voice message. ¡°I¡¯m going to hang up. Gwen has something to tell me,¡± she told Kirk. ¡°Remember to tell me right away if something¡¯s up, alright? I called you, but you didn¡¯t answer. Don¡¯t let this happen again.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± replied Kirk. His grip on his phone tightened as if he were holding Caroline¡¯s hand instead of his phone. Chapter 633 Chapter 633 Chapter 633 After hanging up, Caroline yed Gwen¡¯s super long voice message. It started with Gwen guffawing. ¡°Carol, do you know who I bumped into when I went to visit my mom at the hospital just now? I met Eddy!¡± ¡°He¡¯s wrapped in bandages like a mummy!¡± she eximed ¡°The doctors and nurses said that one of the elders in the Morrison family beat him up!¡± ¡°This is karma at its best!¡± Gwenughed and added, ¡°Just who was the person who did this to him?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t respond. She just listened quietly to Gwen. Perhaps it was because Jude had taken a bullet for her that she didn¡¯t find any of this funny. Although she disliked Eddy and his family, he was Jude¡¯s grandson. Gwen abruptly noticed that Caroline¡¯s status remained ¡°typing for quite some time. Gingerly, she messaged Caroline again. ¡°Carol, I shouldn¡¯t have said that, right?¡± When Caroline saw the message, she froze momentarily before smiling wryly at the screen to reply. ¡°Nope. It¡¯s my problem.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I was the reason Grandpa died. Logically speaking, I should hate Eddy to the bone for all the awful things he had done in the past. ¡°After Grandpa saved me, I¡¯m grateful for what he did for me, but I still hate Eddy somehow. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to face Eddy or the Morrisons because of these mixed feelings.¡± Gwen tried to put herself in Caroline¡¯s shoes but found it very difficult to deal with. So she replied, ¡°Let¡¯s not think about it for now. We¡¯ll leave it for tomorrow.¡± Her message made Caroline smile. Gwen was right. Some things were better left for tomorrow. Jude said his greatest regret was not being able to see Caroline and Eddy together, but she didn¡¯t have to put much thought into it for now, at least until after Jude¡¯s funeral. +15 BONUS ¡°Wanna go shopping?¡± Gwen was afraid that Caroline would overthink things if she were alone at N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. home ¡°Don¡¯t you have to go to work today?¡± ¡°Nope. How about we ask Kirk toe along with us? That way, we won¡¯t have to carry the bags Caroline smiled again. ¡°s, he just went on a business trip today.¡± ¡°For real? Fine, I¡¯ll be the ve to cany your bags then.¡± Gwen protruded her lower lip in a pout as she sent the message. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take Sean along?¡± Caroline suggested. ¡°Nah. How could I let him suffer?¡± ¡°Are you sure? Maybe he would be happy to do it.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t call him no matter what,¡± Gwen was adamant. Caroline got the hint right away and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll call him then ¡± Then, she called Sean, who was on his way back to his apartment. A chill ran down his spine when he saw that Caroline was calling him. His finger subconsciously hovered over the ¡°reject¡± button. After a moment, though, he answered the call. ¡°Hey, Caroline,¡± he said. He held his breath, ready to recite the script that he had prepared beforehand in case she called. ¡°Gwen and I are going shopping,¡± Caroline told him. ¡°Do you want toe along with us?¡± Startled, Sean fell silent. He had assumed that she was calling to ask him about Kirk. As the smartest guy in his social circle, Sean immediately assumed that Kirk had seeded in settling the issue and exining himself to Caroline. ¡°Sure.¡± Sean heartily epted her invitation. He would agree to go shopping with them as long as she didn¡¯t ask him about Kirk. Besides, Caroline said that Gwen was going shopping with her. So he had no reason to refuse. Chapter 634 Chapter 634 Chapter 634 ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s meet at Mayflower Square then?¡± asked Caroline. ¡°Alright,¡± Sean replied. ¡°I¡¯ll head there right away.¡± Now that Sean had agreed to it, Caroline got ready to head out. Edith noticed this and asked, ¡°Madam, where are you going?¡± ¡°Shopping.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Where?¡± +15 BONUS The question made Caroline frown a little. ¡°Mayflower Square. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± said Edith. ¡°I just wanted to know if I could tag along.¡± The suspicion in Caroline¡¯s eyes vanished upon hearing that. ¡°Where do you want to go? I can take you along with me.¡± ¡°Never mind. We¡¯re not headed in the same direction,¡± Edith said. ¡°I¡¯ll take the bus there.¡± ¡°Okay then. Take care. I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°You too, madam.¡± After seeing Caroline off, Edith hurried to message Kirk and inform him of Caroline¡¯s whereabouts. After Caroline picked up Gwen, they both headed straight to Mayflower Square. On the way, though, they got stuck in a traffic jam. ¡°You must be kidding me!¡± Gwen eximed as she poked her head out of the window. ¡°It¡¯s not even the peak hour yet. Why is there a jam?¡± The owner of the car next to theirs also poked his head out of the window. He heard what Gwen had said and said, ¡°Apparently there¡¯s an ident up ahead. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s true, though.¡± After getting an answer, Gwen sat back down in her seat and told Caroline, ¡°The line is too long. We can¡¯t get to the mall anytime soon. Should we take another path?¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS Caroline thenunched a navigation tform on her phone to change routes. ¡°We¡¯ll have to take a detour then ¡± ¡°Will do Otherwise, all we can do is wait¡± ¡°Okay¡± Caroline epted the idea and said, ¡°You should call Sean and tell him that we¡¯re going to bete. He¡¯s probably already there.¡± Gwen wanted to protest but noticed that Caroline was already putting the car in reverse. In the end, she relented and dialed Sean¡¯s number. It didn¡¯t take long for her call to be answered. Sean couldn¡¯t hide the exuberance in his voice when he spoke ¡°Where are you two?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still on our way.¡± Gwen tried her best to calm down her racing heart as she spoke. ¡°There¡¯s a terrible jam here, so we¡¯re taking another route there. It¡¯ll take us about an hour or so to reach Mayflower Square. ¡°No worries,¡± Sean said. ¡°I¡¯ll wait.¡± His tone was gentle, and there wasn¡¯t the slightest hint of annoyance in it. ¡°I never asked you to ¡°Gwen murmured to herself and hung up to see a smiling Caroline. ¡°Gwen, I had never realized that you¡¯re this stubborn.¡± ¡°I-¡± Gwen started. She wanted to exin herself, but to no avail. In the end, she chose to change the topic. ¡°Where¡¯s Kirk?¡± she asked, Kirk knew fairly well that Caroline¡¯s mood wasn¡¯t the best these days, yet he had gone on a business trip and left her alone. Gwen thought what he did was nothing but mean. Before this, she had even thought that he was a thoughtful person. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that he went on a business trip?¡± said Caroline. ¡°What¡¯s so important that he has to leave at such a time?¡± Gwen seethed. Amused, Carolineughed. She thought that the business trip came just in time, though. Kirk had He had stayed with her at home for those two days. She wasn¡¯t so bold as to im that she had fully recovered from that incident. But it would have started to weigh on her heart if Kirk had continued apanying her. She would have started thinking of herself as trash. A couple of minutester, Caroline turned a fork in the road, and they chatted away. All of a sudden, Gwen¡¯s eyes turned as wide as saucers as she saw Kirk walking out of a building. Chapter 635 Chapter 635 Chapter 635 Gwen tried to stop herself from giving it away, but Caroline still noticed that something was wrong with her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± Caroline asked and turned to follow Gwen¡¯s gaze. Gwen thought of raising her hands to block Caroline¡¯s view, but it was all toote. Thetter¡¯s foot hit the brakes, causing the car toe to an abrupt halt. ¡°Carol,¡± said Gwen as she looked at Caroline¡¯s startled expression. ¡°Don¡¯t get mad yet. Maybe he has his reasons for doing this.¡± She turned to look in Kirk¡¯s direction. once again, but he had gotten into a car. ¡°Let¡¯s tail him and see where he¡¯s headed. We shouldn¡¯t let history repeat itself and misunderstand him again,¡± Gwen pouted all while tugging at Caroline¡¯s sleeve. For a moment, Caroline pursed her lips in silence. ¡°No matter what he doester on, I¡¯ll beat him up when we catch him red¨Chanded, and you can¡¯t stop me by then!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t! I won¡¯t!¡± Gwen said in haste, worried about Caroline¡¯s condition. ¡°Let me drive.¡± Without a second to waste, Caroline tossed Gwen the car keys and climbed into the backseat. Gwen stole a nce at Caroline while climbing into the driver¡¯s seat, unsure of what to say. She revved the engine, and the two of them started their mission of tailing Kirk. Kirk¡¯s car headed south all the time. It became apparent that he was heading for the suburbs. As the women followed his car from behind, Gwen tried to reassure Caroline. ¡°I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t mess around, so just rx.¡± Caroline remained silent all the while, so Gwen said, ¡°It¡¯s too quiet in here. Let me y a song. Yet Caroline stayed quiet. Then, Gwen scrolled through her song list and randomly yed one of the songs. She didn¡¯t expect the song she clicked to be titled ¡°Happy Breakup.¡± Silently, Gwen cursed at her phone. She didn¡¯t forget to curse at Kirk, too. Did he have such an awful memory that he couldn¡¯t learn from the past? +15 BONUS Chapter 635 Gwen tried to stop herself from giving it away, but Caroline still noticed that something was wrong with her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± Caroline asked and turned to follow Gwen¡¯s gaze. Gwen thought of raising her hands to block Caroline¡¯s view, but it was all toote. Thetter¡¯s foot hit the brakes, causing the car toe to an abrupt halt. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Carol,¡± said Gwen as she looked at Caroline¡¯s startled expression. ¡°Don¡¯t get mad yet. Maybe he has his reasons for doing this.¡± She turned to look in Kirk¡¯s direction once again, but he had gotten into a car. ¡°Let¡¯s tail him and see where he¡¯s headed. We shouldn¡¯t let history repeat itself and misunderstand him again,¡± Gwen pouted all while tugging at Caroline¡¯s sleeve. For a moment, Caroline pursed her lips in silence. ¡°No matter what he doester on, I¡¯ll beat him up when we catch him red¨Chanded, and you can¡¯t stop me by then!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t! I won¡¯t!¡± Gwen said in haste, worried about Caroline¡¯s condition. ¡°Let me drive.¡± Without a second to waste, Caroline tossed Gwen the car keys and climbed into the backseat. Gwen stole a nce at Caroline while climbing into the driver¡¯s seat, unsure of what to say. She revved the engine, and the two of them started their mission of tailing Kirk. Kirk¡¯s car headed south all the time. It became apparent that he was heading for the suburbs. As the women followed his car from behind, Gwen tried to reassure Caroline. ¡°I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t mess around, so just rx.¡± Caroline remained silent all the while, so Gwen said, ¡°It¡¯s too quiet in here. Let me y a song. Yet Caroline stayed quiet. Then, Gwen scrolled through her song list and randomly yed one of the songs. She didn¡¯t expect the song she clicked to be titled ¡°Happy Breakup.¡± Silently, Gwen cursed at her phone. She didn¡¯t forget to curse at Kirk, too. Did he have such an awful memory that he couldn¡¯t learn from the past? 1/2 +15 BONUS Caroline had just forgiven him a couple of days ago. Yet now he was lying to her again. How atrocious! Just then, Gwen¡¯s phone started ringing. She nced at the screen and realized Sean was calling her. The car stopped at the red light just in time for her to answer the phone. ¡°What is it?¡± Gwen¡¯s tone was foul when she spoke. Poor Sean was clueless as to what he did to make her angry, but he still adopted a gentle tone when he spoke. ¡°Where are you? It¡¯s been an hour and a half already.¡± Gwen gritted her teeth and barked augh. ¡°Just wait, will you?¡± She hung up right after that, leaving a puzzled Sean wondering what had gone wrong. He tried to call Caroline, but she didn¡¯t answer. It wasn¡¯t Caroline¡¯s intention to miss his call, but rather, she was so deep in thought that she didn¡¯t notice him calling. Her attention was focused solely on the car in front of her. It had never crossed her mind that Kirk would lie to her yet again! So this was the reason he had acted so strangely on the other end of the line. He had never gone on a business trip! Caroline took several deep breaths to keep her tears at bay. ¡°Carol-¡± Gwen turned to nce at her. ¡°Kirk¡¯s car entered the residential area ahead. Should we go in or just wait right here?¡± Caroline snapped back into reality and said, ¡°Let¡¯s head in.¡± All she wanted to do right now was find out why he had lied to her. Hearing that, Gwen stared at Caroline with eyes full of worry, but thetter had already gotten out of the car. Left with no other choice, Gwen rushed after Caroline. All this time, Sean had a sinking feeling that something had gone wrong. He couldn¡¯t contact Caroline even though he had called her many times. After giving it some thought, he decided it was best to call Kirk. Chapter 636 Chapter 636 Chapter 636 ¡°Kirk, where are you now?¡± Sean asked Stopping in his tracks, Kirk nced up at the building before him and said in a lowered voice, The old vi.¡± The word ¡°vi¡± was all it took for Sean to know exactly where Kirk was. It was the ce Kirk had purchased right aftering back to Easton to settle the urgent matter regarding Caroline. After being captured, Howard had also been sent to the old vi. Hence, Kirk had probably gone back there to see Howard. Figuring this out, Sean quickly told him, ¡°Don¡¯t go and see Howard. Caroline, Gwen, and I were supposed to meet at Mayflower Square, but she changed routes on her way here.¡± Sean continued, ¡°She isn¡¯t here yet. I¡¯m afraid that something happened to her.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kirk already had a hand on the doorknob, but he turned around right after hearing Sean¡¯s words. He was about to tell Sean something when he heard the guard¡¯s voice. ¡°Missus, I¡¯ve told you that this is an old residential area,¡± said the guard. ¡°No onees here.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°No way! I just saw my friend¡¯s husband walk in there.¡± The voice belonged to a woman, and Kirk recognized it right away. It was Gwen. His heart leaped into his mouth when he heard her voice. Hastily, he opened the door and slipped into the vi. The voices became louder, as if Gwen and the guard were getting closer to the door. ¡°Try to remember. He was just in front of us.¡± Gwen was relentless. ¡°We saw him going in there just now.¡± She pulled at the old guard¡¯s sleeve. Caroline was standing beside her. Kirk¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of Caroline, and his heart started thumping erratically. 1/3 +15 BONUS Just then, Caroline turned around and looked in his direction. He jumped back from the window, holding his breath. He must not let her discover this ce. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to exin why he had locked Howard up here. The voice became softer and softer. However, just when Kirk thought that he could finally heave a sigh of relief, he heard Gwen¡¯s voice once again. ¡°Huh? This car right here ¡­ Do you know which person this car belongs to?¡± Slowly and carefully, Kirk peeked out the window, only to realize that the car Gwen was talking about was the one he had taken here. To make things worse, the chauffeur was still in the car. When Gwen noticed that the chauffeur was in the vehicle, she darted over to the car at lightning speed. ¡°Carol-¡± Caroline raised her head when she heard Gwen calling out her name, only to see that Gwen had already dragged the chauffeur out of the car. He was stunned to see Caroline here. ¡°Answer me, where¡¯s the man who was in your car just now?¡± Gwen asked in Caroline¡¯s stead. The chauffeur hesitated. He didn¡¯t speak, but his gaze swept over thendscape behind Caroline. Although it was a brief and furtive nce, she noticed it. It was as if she was particrly vignt and sensitive when it came to anything that was rted to Kirk. She turned to look at the rows of vis. ¡°He¡¯s in one of the vis, right?¡± She asked, her voice steely, as she took a few steps forward. She was on the brink of losing her sanity now. She had yed countless scenarios in her mind on the way here. Despite the hundreds of possibilities that shed through her mind just now, one thing was for sure¨Cshe wouldn¡¯t forgive him anymore. It didn¡¯t matter anymore what reason he gave her. There was no future to look forward to if there were nothing but lies and deception between husband and wife. Startled by her outburst, the chauffeur didn¡¯t dare to utter a single word. Wiping away the tears on her face, Caroline turned and pointed at one of the vis. ¡°Is it this one?¡± +15 BONUS Helpless, the chauffeur stared at her in silence. She then pointed at another vi. ¡°Is it this one then?¡± However, he continued to stare at her. Holding her breath, Caroline walked and stopped at the door of the third vi. She put her hand on the doorknob and asked, ¡°This?¡± The chauffeur¡¯s eyes darted to look elsewhere, and she opened the door without a second thought. Chapter 637 Chapter 637 Looking as pale as a sheet, Caroline pushed through the door. That vi right there was¡­ Ignoring the chauffeur, Caroline swept her eyes around the house. It was an old and unfurnished vi. There was dust everywhere. She could even see footsteps on the ground. The footsteps were clear, so the person they belonged to probably came in here not long ago. She nced at the footsteps and thought that the person¡¯s shoe size was simr to Kirk¡¯s ¡°Carol, is Kirk here?¡± Gwen asked after entering the vi and seeing the footsteps. ¡°He probably is.¡± Caroline took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. She then followed the footsteps forward. Soon, they saw a basement. Its door was open. Panic washed over Gwen, and she gripped Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Carol, this ce gives me the creeps. It could be dangerous here. We shouldn¡¯t head in.¡± Caroline considered the suggestion and said, ¡°You can stay outside. I¡¯ll go in there alone. If I don¡¯t ¡°No way!¡± Gwen cut her off. ¡°I¡¯m going in there with you.¡® Caroline was about to say something when they both heard something that sounded like a sob Caroline turned around and quickly ran down the steps leading to the basement, with Gwen following her from behind. It didn¡¯t take long for them to reach the basement, which was full of dust and as derelict as the interior of the vi upstairs. They couldn¡¯t stop coughing when they stepped foot in the basement. Just then, someone¡¯s astounded voice came from somewhere in the darkness. ¡°Darling? Why are you here?¡± There was the sound of a switch being turned on, and the lights buzzed to life, illuminating the 1/3 +15 BONUS Only then could Caroline get a clear view of what was happening before her. Kirk stood by the switch. Also present was Howard, who sat in a chair with his arms tied up behind him, not far from Kirk. ¡°Why is he here?¡± Caroline was so stunned by the scene that greeted her eyes that she momentarily forgot that Kirk had lied to her. Gwen stood and stared at Howard in surprise. Nobody had expected Howard to be here, especially since the entire world was busy searching for him. ¡°I don¡¯t have a clue.¡± Kirk took out his phone and showed it to Caroline. ¡°Someone messaged me.¡± However, Caroline¡¯s focus wasn¡¯t on the message on the screen. Her gaze fell on Kirk¡¯s face, and she asked, ¡°What happened to your face? Did you get into a fight with someone?¡± As she spoke, she approached him to inspect the bruises and cuts on Kirk¡¯s face. He subconsciously raised his hands to cover them, but she forcefully grabbed his hands to stop him. ¡°These are just scabs. I¡¯ll be as good as new in no time,¡± he said. Still, she continued to inspect his wounds. There were scabs, indeed, and she could see that he had made an effort to patch himself up. Regardless, her heart broke for him. ¡°What happened? Did you lie to me again? You told me that you were out on a business tripst night. If so, how did this happen?¡± Gently, Kirk pressed a finger against her lips and shushed her. ¡°Darling, we¡¯ll talk about my face after we¡¯ve settled the issue here.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better give me an exnationter on,¡± Caroline told him rather helplessly. ¡°Of course, I will,¡± said Kirk, and he swore to her that he would do exactly what she had just told him. ¡°What happened to him?¡± She turned her attention to Howard, whose mouth was covered with duct tape. He couldn¡¯t say a word and could only sob and whimper. In the state he was in, that was probably all he could do to get people¡¯s attention. 2/3 ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. +15 BONUS Kirk passed her his phone. ¡°Someone sent me a message this morning telling me that Howard was here and that I could do whatever I wanted to him.¡± Chapter 638 Chapter 638 Chapter 638 ¡°I thought it was just a prank. I had nothing to lose anyway, so I came here to see for myself,¡± said Kirk ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet you two here. How did you know about this ce?¡± ¡°Says the perpetrator, Gwenined. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell Carol that you came here for Howard? Why did you lie by telling her that you were on a business trip? ¡°You made us think that you¡¯re up to no good again.¡± Gwen wasn¡¯t pleased. Hearing this, Kirk turned to Caroline to apologize to her. ¡°Sorry, darling. It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to tell you about it. I was just afraid that you would¡­¡± It dawned on Gwen that she had misunderstood Kirk all this time. Howard was the person who had caused Jude¡¯s death, while Caroline had witnessed the entire thing. She hadn¡¯t even recovered from the trauma that Howard had caused her. So seeing Howard was akin to sending her on a trip down memoryne to the day of Jude¡¯s death. Gwen regretted her decision terribly. She shouldn¡¯t have brought Caroline here. They shouldn¡¯t have met Kirk here either. Noticing the look of guilt on Gwen¡¯s face, Caroline tried tofort her. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry, you two.¡± The harm Howard had done to her was horrible, but Jude¡¯s death was thest straw that deepened the hatred she had toward him. She approached him, her eyes boring into his. She wanted to skin him alive so badly. ¡°I never expected you to live to this day, Howard,¡± Caroline spat. Her hands balled into fists, but they did nothing to stop her from trembling with rage. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for thew, you would be dead hundreds of times over.¡± She hated him to the bone. Sometimes, she hated him as a person, while sometimes she wished that she was the one who had taken the bullet. Howard whimpered iprehensibly with his eyes locked on Kirk. +15 BONUS ¡°Your husband is Eddy¡¯s second uncle!¡± He tried to tell her this, but to no avail. The tape on his mouth prevented him from making a single coherent sound. He couldn¡¯t tell her the truth. Gwen didn¡¯t want to stay in the basement any longer. Although Caroline imed that she was alright, as her bestie after all these years, Gwen was sure that the former had only said that to ¡°Carol, let¡¯s get out of here. Kirk will handle the rest.¡± Caroline turned to look at Kirk, who said, ¡°Yes, darling. You two should leave for now.¡± Still, she couldn¡¯t help but worry for him. ¡°What do you n to do with him?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hand him over to the people in charge.¡± Kirk smiled to reassure her. ¡°You should leave. There¡¯s no venttion in here. It¡¯s not good for your health.¡± Eventually, Caroline nodded. ¡°You should head upstairs as quickly as possible too.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kirk said. Only then did Caroline leave the basement with Gwen. The chauffeur, who was waiting outside, sighed in relief when he saw the two women leaving the vi in a calm manner. Apparently, things were fine. After getting into the car, Gwen fell silent for a moment before ncing at Caroline. ¡°Carol, stop looking out the window. Are you afraid that Kirk will beat Howard up?¡± Gwenughed. Caroline kept ncing out the window from time to time. She nodded after hearing what Gwen had said. Indeed, she was worried about this. After all ¡­ Noticing this, Gwen instantly came up with an idea to divert Caroline¡¯s attention. ¡°Who do you think sent Kirk the message? Was it Eddy¡¯s second uncle?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Caroline answered absentmindedly. ¡°If it really had been Eddy¡¯s second uncle, he wouldn¡¯t have had any reason to keep it a secret. He could just be straightforward with Kirk.¡± Gwen pursed her lips in thought. ¡°Who knows? Maybe he has eyes for you.¡± Now that got Caroline¡¯s attention. She met Gwen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Gwen, that¡¯s nonsense. We¡¯ve Chapter 639 Chapter 639 Chapter 639 ¡°You might not have met him,¡± said Gwen. ¡°But he might¡¯ve seen you lots of times before. Think about it.¡± She counted her fingers and added, ¡°Besides the incident rted to Howardst time, he even helped you with the PR problem during Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s banquet back then. ¡°Why would he keep an eye on you if he had no feelings for you?¡± Caroline knitted her brows. Gwen¡¯s words made sense. After all, nothing came for free, and no one would be so kind for no reason at all. j ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t worry about it too much.¡± Gwen continued, ¡°You¡¯re attending Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s funeral soon, right? You¡¯ll get to see Eddy¡¯s second uncle there. ¡°By then, you can poke around and be discreet when you ask him about it,¡± said Gwen. ¡°If we overthink things, you¡¯ll just have to avoid him in the future. If he has eyes for you, though, you would have to hurry and ask Kirk to resign.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Caroline nodded to show her understanding. Gwen patted her on the shoulder to reassure her. After that, they didn¡¯t talk about it anymore. In the basement, Kirk showed no mercy as he harshly pulled the tape off Howard¡¯s face. The older man screamed in agony. ¡°Carry on screaming,¡± Kirk told him. The lights were already switched off. In the darkness of the room, Kirk plucked out a lighter and flicked the spark wheel over and over. The sound of the sparks was especially clear and crisp. The ruthlessness in Kirk¡¯s voice made Howard realize that there was nothing he could do to improve his situation. ¡°Just kill me already!¡± He yelled. He had suffered enough after being tortured by Kirk for such a long time. As much as Howard feared death, it would be better just to die and put an end to this suffering once and for all. With a flick, the me reappeared at the top of the lighter and vaguely illuminated Kirk¡¯s +15 BONUS As good¨Clooking as Kirk was, Howard thought his face was no different than a demon¡¯s. Back then, he had heard the foreigners say that no one should ever offend Kirk. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. It was said that Kirk had countless ways to torment others. The victims would never know when their suffering would end. ¡°You seek death, huh? Do you think I¡¯ll grant it to you just because you wished for it? You think too kindly of me.¡± Kirk turned to look at Howard with derision in his eyes. ¡°Weren¡¯t you trying to tell Caroline something just now?¡± Howard froze, horrified at Kirk¡¯s demeanor. ¡°If you don¡¯t kill me, I¡¯ll tell her that you¡¯re Eddy¡¯s second uncle sooner orter.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Kirk snickered. ¡°Now then, let me cut off your tongue. As he spoke, he produced a knife from God knows where. The steel de glinted coolly in the flickering light of the lighter¡¯s me. Howard was on the verge of wetting his pants when he saw the knife. Still, he tried to be adamant by saying, ¡°I can write with my hand even if you cut my tongue off. I¡¯ll find a way to tell Caroline the truth as long as I live.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± said Kirk as he flicked the knife in a swift motion in his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll chop off both your hands before you can even try. I¡¯ll do what I have to, regardless of the means you use to tell her about it.¡± Howard was about to lose his sanity. ¡°Since you¡¯re so afraid of letting her discover your identity, you should just kill me. Finish me off to end things once and for all.¡± ¡°Death isn¡¯t that simple.¡± Kirk straightened his back and approached Howard. Leaning down, he looked into thetter¡¯s eyes and spat, ¡°I want you to live.¡± ¡°I want you to see with your own eyes how the business you¡¯ve painstakingly built falls into Caroline¡¯s hands,¡± Kirk said. 2/3 F15 BONUS At this point. Howard thought all hope was lost Years ago, the Collins family had managed to be one of the big four families only because they had taken what had been left of the Evans family Besides, they had yed a part in the Evans family¡¯s downfall Now, though, the tables had turned. The Collins family would face a fate simr to what Howard had done to the Evans family back then The irony of it all made it extremely hard for him to swallow. To him, it was worse than death itself Chapter 640 Chapter 640 Chapter 640 ¡°Just kill me, will you? Please, Kirk! Just kill me!¡± Kirk watched as Howard begged for mercy. He felt as though he were watching a lowlife squirm and wail in agony, and he sneered at Howard. Just then, they heard the sounds of police sirensing from outside. Howard¡¯s eyes shone with hope. ¡°Caroline must¡¯ve called the police,¡± he said. ¡°You deserved it! It¡¯s all because you didn¡¯t tell her the truth about your identity. She didn¡¯t know that you were the one who abducted me. So now, the police are here.¡± Despite Howard¡¯s taunts, Kirk merely stared down at him as if he were a pathetic person. Slowly, he said, ¡°Those are my men.¡± His words shattered Howard¡¯s illusion of hope. Howard¡¯s eyes turned wide in disbelief as he stared at Kirk. How could Kirk do something like this just so Caroline would believe in him? ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡­ afraid of retri-¡± Howard coughed up blood. ¡°No,¡± came Kirk¡¯s reply. ¡°You¡¯d better think it through. Will you be good so you can go to a better ce after death, or will you wait for 20 more years until you can reunite with your daughter and wife?¡± ¡°You-¡± Howard started, but Kirk had already turned away and left the basement. Kirk met several men at the door of the vi. They looked at him with reverence. ncing straight ahead at the car parked just outside, Kirk lowered his voice and spoke to them. Caroline sat in the car, watching the men who were gathered at the door. ¡°Hurry. She¡¯s just outside,¡± Kirk told them. The men all wore stern expressions and immediately strode into the vi. Meanwhile, Kirk approached Caroline. He hadn¡¯t even gotten near the car when she got out of it. She heaved a sigh of relief to see that he hadn¡¯t sustained any new wounds. 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°What¡¯s going on in there?¡± she asked. Kirk nced back at the vi and said, ¡°Let the cops settle it.¡± ¡°He caused Grandpa¡¯s death. They won¡¯t let him get off the hook.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kirk pulled her into his arms, his cool hands finally regaining their warmth. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Hey, can you two stop being all lovey¨Cdovey here?¡± Gwen wasn¡¯t pleased. ¡°Go back home to show off if you want to.¡± Caroline and Kirk stared at each other,ughed, and got into the car. Later, Gwen suddenly remembered that Sean was still waiting for them. ¡°Oh shoot! I forgot to tell Sean that we aren¡¯t going to Mayflower Square anymore.¡± ¡°Hurry and give him a call then.¡± Carolineughed and turned to look at Kirk. She held his hand in hers and rested her head against his chest. ¡°Okay.¡± Gwen heartily agreed to it. After all, she was at fault here. As she called Sean to exin their situation to him, Caroline looked up at Kirk and said, ¡°I have to head over to Morrison Manor to help them with the funeral soon. You take care, alright?¡± ¡°Can you refuse to go?¡± said Kirk, and he nted a kiss on her cheek. Caroline shook her head. ¡°My conscience won¡¯t be clear if I don¡¯t go.¡± Kirk gripped her hand in his upon hearing her answer. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°Okay then.¡± Sean breathed a sigh of relief when he found out that Gwen and Caroline didn¡¯t suspect Kirk¡¯s identity. The whole incident was just a false rm. ¡°Okay. I got it now,¡± he told Gwen. ¡°We¡¯ll meet up some other day then.¡± To be honest, it was quite a pity that he couldn¡¯t see Gwen today, but there was nothing he could do to change it. After all, this was a critical period. Both Sean and Kirk hoped that nothing would go wrong again. There was no doubt that Caroline would be mad at Kirk if she discovered his identity. Now there was the possibility that she would run away and marry Eddy because of Jude¡¯sst words too. That would be the worst. Chapter 641 Chapter 641 When the por tome Camine finaly po to sit for and mestom na shou how fie muy en dis face ¡°With w?re Camine asked concenter Kitt vas smiling at te hanter Camine a ss of water Dmtwory It was someleges a thepany Why did they hit you? Camine owned innan fat Kris colleagues vere simply num This because of a project. Besides, were all hot¨Cbooted young men istyynical top a figh But you¡¯ve never fought before¡± Caroline was frowning even deeper as she heard more from Lu The project ba¡¯t been going wellney, so it¡¯s no surprising that tensions are high To t won¡¯t do Carpine found his situation too dangeroRS Thank you mond kury up and quit this job. Your job isn¡¯t that simple Beime this, you registered your marriage in ce of your boss. Now, you got fit for no reason. You have to qui!¡± ¡°Arch¡± Zork always did whatever Caroline asked But, darling, can we wait a little longer?¡± What do you want to wait for? ¡°Wait until I finish this project Kirk was currently consolidating Collins Group¡¯s resources. Once hepleted that task, he could hand thepany over to Caroline When the time came, he could use thepany¡¯s resources to continue taking up Easton¡¯s market share Although Collins Group was nothingpared to Morrison Corporation, Kirk no longer wanted to +15 BONUS Caroline was silent for a moment before she said, ¡°Alright. Think about it carefully. Don¡¯t worry about the money.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Kirk caressed Caroline¡¯s hair. ¡°Hurry up and go rest. You¡¯ll definitely have a lot of work waiting for you when you go over to help out in a couple of days.¡± Caroline nodded. It was true. Although the Morrison family was huge, Jude only had one son¨CThomas. And Thomas himself only had one son¨CEddy. There weren¡¯t many people who could help out. After bustling about all day, Caroline was tired too. She fell asleep as soon as she hit the bed. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Once Caroline fell asleep, Kirk called Charles. ¡°How are things with Howard?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already gotten someone to get him on the ne. We¡¯ll send him to Macldo.¡± ¡°Take good care of him.¡± Charles understood what Kirk was trying to say. ¡°Yes, sir. Don¡¯t you worry.¡± After hanging up the phone, Kirk was about to go downstairs when his phone rang. It was a call from Thomas. Surprised, he frowned. He and Thomas rarely contacted each other. Even if there was something going on, Eddy would be the one to contact him. Thomas rarely did it. As he answered the phone, he heard Thomas¡® enthusiastic voice from the other end of the line. His voice soundedpletely normal. Kirk couldn¡¯t hear any resentment from Thomas for having beaten up thetter¡¯s son. ¡°Kirk, do you have some free time?¡± Kirk turned to look at Caroline behind him. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Let¡¯s meet for a chat,¡± Thomas suggested. Kirk gave it some thought before saying, ¡°Where do you want to meet?¡± Thomas gave him an address. Opening a map, Kirk saw that the location wasn¡¯t too far away from ¡°Great. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Kirk ended the call and wrote Caroline a note before leaving. Soon, he arrived at the meeting ce Thomas had chosen. Chapter 642 Chapter 642 Chapter 642 Kirk had just entered a high¨Cend wine cer when a man who looked like the manager walked over. He was friendly as he asked, ¡°Excuse me, are you the man Mr. Thomas Morrison is meeting?¡± Kirk gave an affirmative answer. The manager replied, ¡°This way, please.¡± Kirk followed the manager to a private room. Soon, he found Thomas inside, tasting wine. When Thomas saw Kirk, he immediately stood up. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Kirk nodded Thomas waved. Once the manager left the room, he said, ¡°I know you don¡¯t like too many people knowing who you are. That¡¯s why I chose this kind of ce. Are you happy with it?¡± Kirk sat down before saying, ¡°Thomas, you didn¡¯t invite me out just for some small talk, did you?¡± In response, Thomas chuckled a bit. ¡°You¡¯re too smart, Kirk. I won¡¯t beat around the bush with you. Dad¡¯s funeral is in two days. Will you be attending it?¡± Kirk paused. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. I¡¯ll have to look at my schedule.¡± Thomas said, ¡°Kirk After a moment of hesitation, he continued, ¡°I know the rtionship between our fathers never got any better. ¡°If you hadn¡¯te back to the country for business, I¡¯m sure our families would never havee into contact again ¡°But the past is in the past. We have no grudges between us in our generation. Now that my dad has passed away, isn¡¯t it time to put aside the grudges of the previous generation and live happily? I¡¯ve already called Uncle Ivan. It seems he hasn¡¯t let go of what happened in the past. He won¡¯t attend my father¡¯s funeral. ¡°Well, I can understand that. But if you don¡¯t attend, I¡¯m afraid other people will make wild guesses about why.¡± Kirk leaned backward and focused his gaze on Thomas. ¡°Thomas, I can¡¯t give you a definitive +15 BONUS Thomas sighed once again. ¡°Kirk, can you tell me what actually happened? Hasn¡¯t your rtionship with Eddy always been very good? How did things end up like this all of a sudden?¡± Kirk frowned. After a moment, he stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you once I get my schedule settled.¡± Before Thomas could get up, Kirk had already left. Watching Kirk walk off expressionlessly, Thomas sighed helplessly once more. The second Kirk left, Eddy called Thomas. ¡°Dad, what did Uncle Kirk say?¡± Eddy was still lying in the hospital after he had gotten beaten up out of nowhere. He had spent the past few days thinking hard about why Kirk had hit him, but he hadn¡¯t been able toe to any sort of conclusion. ¡°He says he¡¯ll tell us when he¡¯s confirmed things,¡± Thomas said. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with this for now. Just focus on recuperating at the hospital. In a couple of days, it¡¯ll be your grandfather¡¯s funeral. You have to be a host then, too.¡± Eddy could do nothing but hang up. Afterward, he couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°Mr. Zellen, why do you think Uncle Kirk hit me?¡± Simon regarded Eddy¡¯s clear but confused gaze. For a moment, he didn¡¯t know what to say. After all, Jude had gone to see Caroline alone that day. As an outsider, Simon really couldn¡¯tment on what had happened. It would be fine if Kirk wasn¡¯t Caroline¡¯s husband. But if he was¡­ Simon didn¡¯t dare to think too hard about whether there was anything fishy about Jude¡¯s deaths He hadn¡¯t known Kirk for a long time, so he could only try to understand Kirk from what others said of him. Based on how ruthless Kirk was said to be, he could have killed Jude to hide the truth¡­ Simon didn¡¯t dare follow that train of thought. The more he thought about it, the more he shivered. ¡°Mr. Zellen, why are you shaking?¡± Noticing that Simon was behaving strangely, Eddy stared at the man. ¡°Do you know something?¡± Simon was taken aback. Suddenly, his expression became even more unsightly. ¡°Mr. Eddy, I¡­ I don¡¯t know anything either.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be. You definitely know something!¡± Eddy was confident as he pointed at Simon. Chapter 643 Chapter 643 Chapter 643 Sweat beaded on Simon¡¯s forehead. Eddy had always been a careless sort. After getting beaten up, he seemed to have be sharper. ¡°Mr. Eddy started up. 112 ¡°Simon was still pondering how to answer Eddy¡¯s question when a crying voice ¡°Oh, Eddy, how could you have been beaten up this way?¡± Seeing La throw herself into his arms, still crying, Eddy looked over at Simon, feeling troubled. Simon took this opportunity to say, ¡°Mr. Eddy, Since Ms. La is here, I¡¯ll take my leave now. If you need anything, you can ring the bell.¡± Before Eddy could say anything, Simon wisely ran off. Now that Simon was gone, La was even more uninhibited in the way she held Eddy. ¡°Eddy, who on earth hit you? Are we living in awless society now?¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s gettingwless here.¡± Eddy was annoyed as he pushed La away. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you that it¡¯s better we stay friends in the future?¡± Hearing this, La cried hard. ¡°E¨CEddy, h¨Chow could you say that? What have I done wrong? Can you please tell me? I swear, I¡¯ll change!¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Eddy wanted to plug his ears. How had he never noticed how awful La sounded when she cried before? ¡°You did nothing wrong. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t keep disappointing Grandpa. Before he passed, he didn¡¯t even manage to see me get together with Caroline. ¡°I don¡¯t want this regret to persist. At least, I would like him to see us together from where he is in heaven.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of ¡­¡± La forcefully swallowed the rest of her words back into her stomach. She didn¡¯t believe that Eddy was doing this all for Jude. ¡°Eddy, did Caroline say something to you?¡± She had intentionally lowered her voice, making herself seem more pitiful. +15 BONUS Eddy frowned, displeased. He hadn¡¯t found anything wrong with it when La had said such things before. But now ¡°Caroline didn¡¯t say anything. Stop making wild guesses. I¡¯m only doing this because of Grandpa. I don¡¯t care if you believe me or not.¡± La gritted her teeth. She really didn¡¯t believe that Caroline hadn¡¯t done anything. After all, she could see clearly just how distant Eddy had been with her during this time. It was the kind of distance that had pushed him to break up with her. This time, La was truly panicked. The danger she felt, which she had never felt before, was suffocating her. ¡°Then what does the rtionship between us mean?¡± She decided to try and persuade Eddy with her tears, which had alwayse easily. Eddy avoided La¡¯s gaze. ¡°La, there are no feelings between us. Even if there was, it would be my guilt toward you.¡± ¡°Guilt?¡± La didn¡¯t get it. ¡°What guilt?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten?¡± Eddy looked at La with a strange gaze. ¡°Back then, when we had been kidnapped, I had nearly died when that gas tank exploded. ¡°You risked everything and pushed me away.¡± As Eddy spoke, his gaze fell on La¡¯s arm. There should still be a scar there, though it must have faded a lot through the years. ¡°The scar on your arm was from that incident. Have you forgotten?¡± This was a bolt out of the blue for La. She had never dreamed that Eddy was so nice to her because ¡­ Although that kidnapping had happened when she had just been five or six years old, she could remember it very clearly. She had had to get therapy before she had gotten over the incident. As for the person who had pushed Eddy aside, that was Caroline. Not her. Chapter 644 Chapter 644 Chapter 644 That was to say that Eddy only treated La well because he had remembered things wrongly. And once he realized¡­ La didn¡¯t even dare to keep thinking about it. She calmed her rapid breathing and looked at Eddy. At this point, there was no way she could admit the truth. She pressed her fingers to her eyes. ¡°So you mean that you¡¯ve only ever been nice to me because I saved you back then?¡± Eddy didn¡¯t want to keep hiding it any longer. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he said. La cried even harder now. ¡°I understand. Then, I wish you two all happiness together.¡± As she spoke, she turned to leave. Eddy hurriedly called out to stop her. ¡°Hold on. La, where are you going?¡± ¡°Since you don¡¯t like me, why do you care?¡± La sniffed. ¡°There¡¯s no meaning to my life anymore¡­ It¡¯s better that I just die!¡± Upon hearing that La wanted to die, Eddy hopped out of bed in a rush to pull her to a stop. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± La used all her might to struggle against Eddy¡¯s hold. Crying, she said, ¡°Eddy, since you don¡¯t want me anymore, don¡¯t bother with me! Let me live and die as I will!¡± Naturally, Eddy couldn¡¯t just watch La die. No matter what, she had been the one who had saved him. If she died, he would never forgive himself. Seeing that her n was working, La yed it up even more. ¡°Let me go, Eddy! I don¡¯t know how to spend the rest of my life without you in it. It¡¯s better that you let me die!¡± La was just struggling too hard. Eddy couldn¡¯t keep a hold of her at all. Thus, he could only hold onto her waist. ¡°Calm down. There¡¯s no one on this earth who can¡¯t live without another person!¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS La shook her head frantically. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, Eddy. You don¡¯t know what you mean to me! Without you, I simply don¡¯t have the will to live!¡± Eddy was so troubled by this that he had no other choice. He could only say, ¡°Calm down first. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll marry Caroline right away. ¡°Grandpa just passed away. As his eldest grandson, I have to settle his funeral matters first. At the very least, we can¡¯t hold a wedding in our family in the next six months out of respect.¡± Hearing this, La rxed. But she knew that this meant she only had six months¡® time. Seeing how determined Eddy was this time, La knew that Caroline might very well get married to him if she didn¡¯t put an end to his n. Once Caroline became Eddy¡¯s wife, there was no way she would let La off. That was why La definitely couldn¡¯t¡­ La suddenly recalled something very important. The corners of her lips curled slightly upward. How could she have forgotten something so critical? As long as she announced Caroline¡¯s identity when the time came, there was no way Eddy could marry Caroline anymore. She was really forgetful. However, it was good to throw such a tantrum now. At least she knew that Eddy didn¡¯t actually care for her. Seeing that things were going her way, La wrapped things up. ¡°Eddy, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t want you to tire yourself because of me. But I ¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. I¡¯ll spend this time adjusting my perspective during this time.¡± Eddy¡¯s heart melted when he saw La turn so reasonable. ¡°La, you must remember that, no matter what happens, I will always care about you.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± La nodded solemnly. ¡°Eddy, rest well. I¡¯ll be off now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have someone drop you home.¡± La rejected the offer. Nevertheless, Eddy still arranged for Simon to send her home personally. In the car, La revealed a pleased expression. Eddy Morrison would never be able to escape from her clutches. Chapter 645 Chapter 645 Caroline woke up early the next day. She wanted to get out of bed, but Kirk was holding her tightly by the waist, rendering her unable to move. However, her attempts woke Kirk up. ¡°Why are you up so early?¡± Kirk opened his bleary eyes. ¡°Have you forgotten? I have to head to Morrison Manor today.¡± Kirk¡¯s grip tightened further instinctively. ¡°Yes, I remember. But there¡¯s no need to rush. It¡¯s just past 6:00 am now. Sleep some more.¡± As he said this, he threw his leg over Caroline¡¯s. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Caroline didn¡¯t know if she wanted tough or cry. ¡°Do you not want me to head over?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kirk buried his head in Caroline¡¯s neck and rubbed against her like a mischievous cat. This made Caroline¡¯s heart melt into a puddle. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll spend a bit more time with you then.¡± Kirk smiled, but Caroline didn¡¯t see it. All she could feel was how the breath at her neck was bing more heated. His hands were traveling up from her waist. Caroline giggled and said, ¡°Kirk Morrison, can you behave?¡± Kirk said innocently, ¡°How am I not behaving?¡± Annoyed to the point ofughter, Caroline shoved him aside. ¡°Stop messing around. I have to leave in a bit.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be as fast as I can.¡± Caroline¡¯s face went red. ¡°How trustworthy are your words?¡± Kirk bit the cor of Caroline¡¯s night dress. ¡°Why don¡¯t you see for yourself?¡± As he said this, he was already making his move. +15 BONUS In the end, Caroline couldn¡¯t resist Kirk¡¯s charms and went along with home, it was already past 9:00 am. 1. m. By the time she left She was lucky that Jack¡¯s driving skills were exemry. And since it was a weekend today, she wasn¡¯t veryte. However, she noticed that Jack kept frowning as he drove her to her destination. It looked like he had a lot on his mind. Caroline asked, half¨Cjokingly, ¡°What¡¯s up, Mr. Jack? Having love trouble?¡± Jack replied, ¡°No. There¡¯s no way such a thing could make me ¡­¡± ¡°Is it really not that?¡± Too much had been happening in Caroline¡¯s lifetely, so she hadn¡¯t had the time to check in on what had been going on with Jack and Cheryl. Jack scratched his head. He felt awkward for a long time before he said, ¡°Actually, you can¡¯t really say that I¡¯m having love trouble. ¡°It¡¯s just that I found out a while ago that Cheryl likes me. But I stupidly went and tried to find her a boyfriend.¡± ¡°Speaking of that, it¡¯s actually my fault,¡± Caroline said earnestly. ¡°I didn¡¯t inform her about it properly. Then, I got too busy and forgot about itpletely. Once Grandpa¡¯s affairs are settled in a few days, I¡¯ll go over and apologize to her personally.¡± ¡°Ms. Evans, please don¡¯t do that. It¡¯s still my fault in the end,¡± Jack said. ¡°If I had known earlier that Cheryl likes me, I wouldn¡¯t have said that she¡¯s like a sister to me.¡± ¡°Then how do you ¡­¡® ¡± Jack scratched his head again. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been thinking about this for the past few days. I thought I could give her an exnation after I figured it out. ¡°That way, we won¡¯t have to be so awkward with each other. We see each other so often, after all.¡± He continued, ¡°It would be a lie to say that I don¡¯t like Cheryl. But I don¡¯t really know if it¡¯s familial or romantic love that I feel for her. 213 +15 BONUS ¡°I lost my family at a young age. Now that I¡¯ve gotten myself a little sister, I really don¡¯t want to lose her¡± Caroline was silent. After a moment, she said, ¡°Then, you can only let time answer that question.¡± Jack¡¯s expression was dejected. ¡°That¡¯s the only way.¡± Caroline patted Jack on the shoulder. ¡°Then¡­ about exining the situation?¡± Jack gave it some thought before shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s best to forget it. Even if you exin it to Cheryl, I still won¡¯t be able to give her an exnation now. It¡¯s better to wait until I¡¯ve thought things through.¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good. In any case, you just need to give me a holler.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± She opened the door and got out of the car. Simon was already waiting at the entrance. He immediately came over to greet her when he saw her. Chapter 646 Chapter 646 Chapter 646 ¡°Ms. Evans.¡± +15 BONUS Caroline answered, ¡°I heard that Eddy¡¯s been admitted to the hospital. What happened?¡± Simon regarded Caroline¡¯s expression. It didn¡¯t seem fake. He asked inquiringly, ¡°Don¡¯t you know, miss?¡± Caroline found Simon¡¯s question quite interesting. ¡°Should I know about it?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not what I meant. It¡¯s just that the news of Mr. Eddy¡¯s hospitalization has been spread far and wide. I just find it curious that you don¡¯t know about it, Ms. Evans.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been so sad since Grandpa passed away a few days ago. That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t been paying attention to it.¡± Simon looked at Caroline and found himself at a loss for words for a moment. He had encountered a lot of people in his life, and Caroline was someone he had watched grow up. Thus, he considered himself someone who knew Caroline very well. She wasn¡¯t someone who would lie. That meant that she really had no clue about what had happened that night. Simon wanted to keep asking further, but they had alreadye to Jude¡¯s coffin. Seeing Jude¡¯s face, Simon suddenly remembered his spection from before that Jude¡¯s death might not be as simple as it seemed. With that, he stopped asking Caroline further questions. Sometimes, knowing less allowed for a longer life. ¡°What else hasn¡¯t been arranged yet?¡± ¡°The location of the grave. We¡¯ve already agreed with the priest on a time for the burial. ¡°Since Mr. Eddy¡¯s hospitalization, I haven¡¯t been able to handle some household tasks. The Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. funeral¡¯s the day after tomorrow, but we don¡¯t even have the simplest menu set.¡± These matters should have been handled by thedy of the house. However, Thomas¡® wife had long ago left the country after their divorce. As for Jude¡¯s death, she had only sent a short text expressing condolences and nothing else. 1/2 +15 BONUS Meanwhile, Eddy hadn¡¯t married yet. This was why it was said that not having ady of the house really made things impossible. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± The second Caroline said that the re of a car horn came from the outside. Not long after, Eddy limped inside with the aid of a pair of crutches. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Although he wanted badly to hide the joy in his eyes, the smile on his face still gave him away. Caroline frowned as she looked at Eddy. ¡°What happened to your leg?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Eddy walked forward to stand before Caroline. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯te over.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Caroline asked in curiosity. Eddy opened his mouth. After a second, he realized that he had never spoken to Caroline so calmly before. ¡°I ¡­ um¡­¡± Even though Caroline waited patiently for a long while, he still wasn¡¯t able to say anything substantial. Thus, she said, ¡°Since I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll get to work. As for you¡­ Shouldn¡¯t you head back to the hospital first?¡± Eddy said, ¡°No, there¡¯s no need. Actually, my leg¡¯s nearly all better. My stay at the hospital these few days has been dying things here. We¡¯d better get started.¡± As he spoke, Eddy turned to look at Simon. He started, ¡°Mr. Zellen, hurry and make a list of all the things that still need to be done.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Simon was a very shrewd person. He used this opportunity to leave quickly. Simon¡¯s departure made Caroline feel ufortable. She could only look around to distract herself. However, her gaze keptnding on Eddy, beyond her control. The more she looked, the more Caroline found something amiss. Her body angled forward slightly, getting closer to Eddy. With that, Eddy¡¯s heart started pounding to the point of exploding. He stuttered when he spoke. ¡°W -what is it?¡± Chapter 647 Chapter 647 Chapter 647 Caroline stared at Eddy¡¯s face. ¡°The injury on your face¡­¡± ¡± Why did it look exactly the same as the one on Kirk¡¯s face? It wasn¡¯t the size of the injury that was the same, but rather the shape. Could it be because they had both been punched? Come to think of it, it was simply too much of a coincidence that both Kirk and Eddy had been beaten up at the same time. ¡°W¨CWhat is it?¡± Eddy really couldn¡¯t handle having Carolinee so close to him all of a sudden. In the past, he had always viewed her through tinted lenses, which was why he had always looked down on her. Even though she had charmed him a few times after that, he had never been impacted as hard as he was now. Caroline had such pretty eyes. They were so clear, like a well of water. Her features weren¡¯t the brutal kind of stunning. They were soft and held the power tofort someone. The more he looked at her, Eddy actually felt that her beauty was out of this world. It was impossible for him to shift his gaze. Caroline took arge step backward and looked at Eddy suspiciously. ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Why is your face getting red?¡± Eddy¡¯s expression was unnatural as he turned his face. ¡°I¡­ My face isn¡¯t getting red. I¡¯m just feeling a little warm.¡± Caroline stared at Eddy, dumbfounded. It was getting deep into fall, so how could it be warm? ¡°Mr. Eddy.¡± Simon came over with some menus. ¡°These are the menus prepared by the kitchen. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Please have a look.¡± There were a total of three menus. One was specially for members of the Morrison family, while another was for the guests. Lastly, there was a menu for the workers and household staff. Eddy handed the menus to Caroline. +15 BONUS ¡°Here, Caroline. I¡¯m really not too knowledgeable about this.¡± Caroline epted the menus and started perusing them carefully. Seeing this, Eddy walked over to Simon and ordered lowly, ¡°Go and prepare some fruits for Caroline.¡± Simon suddenly felt like crying when he saw Eddy being so proactive. Eddy was finally taking the initiative! ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go, right¡ª¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Eddy nced at Caroline, who was going through the menus in a serious manner. He gave a small wave. ¡°Hurry up.¡± Simon nodded, his eyes welling with tears, and turned to leave. ¡°I think these menus are pretty good.¡± Caroline looked up to find Eddy standing by the door. Finding it strange, she asked, ¡°Are you going out?¡± ¡°No.¡± Eddy walked to Caroline¡¯s side. He instinctively wanted to sit down next to her, but he gave it some thought and sat opposite her instead. ¡°Is it alright? You can just bring up whatever you think is right. Just consider yourself as ¡­¡± Well, it wasn¡¯t like it was appropriate to call her thedy of the house. Thus, Eddy couldn¡¯t find the right words to say for a moment. Caroline looked at him in suspicion. ¡°What on earth is wrong with you?¡± He was being so weird. ¡°N¨CNothing.¡± Caroline once again focused on the menus. ¡°I think the dishes are fine. I¡¯ve also checked, and the three chefs are really quite professional. ¡°These things should be left to the experts, so there¡¯s nothing I have to question about them.¡± Eddy looked at Caroline in a d¨¦voted manner. ¡°Suddenly, I think I know why you could beat La even when she had so many advantages.¡± Caroline frowned. She really didn¡¯t want to hear La¡¯s name. Just as she was about to speak up and talk about something else, Simon came in with a tter of fruits. +15 BONUS ¡°Ms. Evans, have some fruits.¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you, Mr. Zellen.¡± Simon quickly left after bringing the fruits. Caroline didn¡¯t start eating. Rather, she asked Eddy, ¡°You can confirm the menus. What else is next?¡± ¡°The list of return gifts and seat arrangements for the guests ¡°You haven¡¯t even done the seat arrangements?¡± Chapter 648 Chapter 648 Chapter 648 ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Eddy was suddenly filled with guilt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve done nothing while I was in the hospital these past few days.¡± Caroline looked at Eddy in astonishment. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just surprised you know how to apologize. It¡¯s startling.¡± After saying this, Caroline asked, ¡°By the way, is your second uncleing for the funeral?¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Eddy stayed silent. Caroline found this reaction very strange. ¡°Is he noting?¡± That wasn¡¯t right. It was a huge thing that Jude had passed away. How could that man not even show up? ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. He said he hasn¡¯t confirmed it yet.¡± Caroline said, ¡°No matter how busy he is, he has to attend this event. It¡¯s a very important one!¡± Feeling frustrated, Eddy stood up. ¡°You don¡¯t get it. We¡­ Our rtionship isn¡¯t as simple as you think.¡± Caroline blinked. She really didn¡¯t understand it. However, Jude¡¯s death was really a big deal. No matter what, Eddy¡¯s second uncle should still attend the funeral. ¡°Actually, my second uncle was the one who punched me.¡± The words hade out naturally. But once he said them, Eddy himself was stunned that he had. Before this, he had always kept things to himself, no matter what happened. It was only when he was really confused about what to do that he talked to Kirk about it. After fighting with Kirk, he didn¡¯t know how to express those feelings anymore. He didn¡¯t expect that he would open up to Caroline about this. This felt really strange. It was as if he was talking to an old friend. Actually, if he considered it carefully, he and Caroline could be considered friends. But because of +15 BONUS Eddy felt even more guilty as he thought about it. Meanwhile, Caroline was taken aback. ¡°You mean that your second uncle was the one who beat you up?¡± That was simply too cruel. However, it seemed to have been quite cathartic. ¡°Yes.¡± Feeling as though he had found a confidante, Eddy buried his head in his hands in pain. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. He just rushed in and started thrashing me. It felt like I had stolen something from him. But I never did such a thing!¡± Eddy felt very wronged about it. In answer, Caroline said, ¡°Think about it carefully. Maybe you did?¡± Eddy turned to look at Caroline. Caroline pressed her lips together. ¡°I¡¯m just saying that maybe you did. It¡¯s not like you definitely did.¡± Once again, Eddy lowered his head. ¡°It¡¯s impossible. I don¡¯t have any conflicts him when ites to work.¡± ¡°Could it be¡­¡± Caroline suddenly thought of what Gwen had said before and intentionally tried her luck. ¡°A woman?¡± ¡°That¡¯s even more impossible. My second uncle ¡­ he doesn¡¯t have anyone he likes.¡± That Daphne Dawson fromst time had only given him false hope. He was pretty sure that Kirk would be single all his life. Caroline raised an eyebrow. ¡°How do you know that your second uncle doesn¡¯t have anyone he liked?¡± ¡°With his character, he would have gotten together with the woman he likes long ago if he ever had one. How could he still be alone right now?¡± For a moment, Caroline was silent. She felt that, as the big boss of a huge corporation, Eddy¡¯s second uncle wouldn¡¯t be in a sorry state if he had someone he liked, either. Chapter 649 Chapter 649 Chapter 649 Caroline only answered the call once she got outside. ¡°Have you gotten home?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Caroline stole a nce behind her. ¡°I just got here.¡± ¡°Darling.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I miss you.¡± In response, Caroline blushed. ¡°I¡¯ll be home very soon.¡± ¡°Remember that you said that.¡± Kirk¡¯s voice suddenly became stern. ¡°You can¡¯t go back on your word.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Exasperated, Caroline didn¡¯t know if she shouldugh or cry. ¡°What¡¯s going on with you? Why are you making it sound like I won¡¯t go home aftering here?¡± Kirk replied, ¡°I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t get it. Also, this was the first time she heard Kirk say he was scared, wasn¡¯t it? On the other end of the line, Kirk was silent for a while. Then, heughed a bit as he said, ¡°Darling, you know the way back, right?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± The smile on Caroline¡¯s face faltered. She felt like Kirk knew something. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll go home as soon as I finish things up here, because I miss you too.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t give any response. The two of them held onto their phones, listening to each other¡¯s breath and basking in each other¡¯s presence through the line. After a very long while, Caroline straightened and nced at Eddy, who was curiously looking over from the living room. She couldn¡¯t bear to part with Kirk, but she said, ¡°I¡¯m going to get to work here. You take good care +15 BONUS After Kirk responded in the affirmative, Caroline finally ended the call. A bitter, Caroline went back into the living room. Eddy was still in his previous stance, looking taken aback. Caroline called his name, but he didn¡¯t react at all. Because of that, she had no choice but to wave a hand in front of him. This made Eddye back to earth. However, his gaze was still stricken. He looked as if he had been hit by lightning. Caroline frowned. ¡°Eddy, what¡¯s going on with you?¡± Had he been struck dumb? Eddy looked at Caroline dazedly. After a moment, he muttered, ¡°T¨CThat ¡­ K¨CKirk ¡­ Mo-¡± Even after a long while of patient waiting, Caroline found that Eddy was still in a state of astonishment. Thus, she said, ¡°From the looks of it, you should be fine. If so, I¡¯ll go and settle the seating arrangements.¡± With that, Caroline went off to see Simon. Meanwhile, Eddy was left alone, still stuck in his bbergasted state. He was unable to move on from his shock. Caroline managed to find Simon and asked him to give her the list of invited guests. Simon looked behind Caroline and found no trace of Eddy. Thus, he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Eddy?¡± Caroline responded, ¡°He¡¯s ¡­ in the living room.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go check on him,¡± Simon said. ¡°Alright.¡± Nodding, Caroline lowered her head and went back to the guest list in her hand. Simon walked over to the living room. When he got there, he found Eddy still sitting there like a fool, looking like his soul had been sucked out of his body. ¡°Mr. Eddy, what happened to you?¡± Eddy slowly raised his head to look at Simon. After a long moment, a weak sound escaped his throat. ¡°Mr. Zellen, I saw a caller ID on Caroline¡¯s just now. It was¡­ my second uncle¡¯s name. When did they get to know each other? Howe I don¡¯t know about it at all?¡± Simon was even more affected by this news than Eddy. ¡°Was it really your second uncle?¡± Eddy¡¯s gaze fell on Simon. Chapter 650 Chapter 650 ¡°Mr. Zellen, do you know something about this?¡± Simon quickly avoided Eddy¡¯s gaze. ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You must know something!¡± Eddy mped his hand on Simon¡¯s. ¡°Hurry up and tell me!¡± Simon was helpless. ¡°Mr. Eddy, I¡­ really don¡¯t know anything. Maybe he just has the same name?¡± ¡°The same name?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Realizing that Eddy was loosening his grip, Simon cont¨ªnued, ¡°Mr. Eddy¡¯s, I think you should focus on handling Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s funeral. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more important than making sure he has a smooth send¨Coff.¡± With that, Eddy waspletely convinced. ¡°Once Grandpa¡¯s funeral has been settled, I¡¯ll go and ask her about it.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Simon wanted to speak but couldn¡¯t manage to. After some thought, he reminded Eddy, ¡°Mr. Eddy, there are some things that are¡­ better not known.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Eddy shot Simon a strange look. ¡°Even if Caroline knows Uncle Kirk, that¡¯s¡­ nothing much.¡± Although he said this, his heart was beating like a drum. He had the feeling that something had been stolen from him without him even knowing. What was Kirk¡¯s rtionship with Caroline? He didn¡¯t even know that for sure now. He was only afraid that Kirk ¡­ Eddy wasn¡¯t at all afraid of Caroline¡¯s husband, but he was scared that Kirk would fall in love with Caroline. As Eddy¡¯s thoughts raced, Simon had alreadye up with something to say. ¡°After all, this is Ms. Evans¡® personal matter. If you ask too much about it, she might not be happy.¡± Thinking about it, Eddy found Simon¡¯s words to make sense. Besides, he really didn¡¯t have the +15 BONUS ¡°Where is she, by the way?¡± Simon was stunned for a moment before he came back to himself. ¡°Ms. Evans is in the study handling the guests¡® seating arrangements.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll head over there.¡± As Eddy spoke, he went over to the study with the help of his crutches. In the study, Caroline had already finished with the seating arrangements. Seeing Eddye in, Caroline passed the list to him. ¡°Look at this. Is this arrangement alright?¡± Eddy epted the list, but his gaze wasn¡¯t on it. He was surreptitiously looking at Caroline. However, she didn¡¯t notice this. She kept talking. ¡°If it¡¯s not good, I¡¯ll take another look to see how I can adjust it.¡± Only then did Eddy focus on the list. He took a look and found that there wasn¡¯t much of an issue with it. But¡­. ¡°Why did you put Asher and Yvonne Hackett so far away? And why did you put Aurora Jenner next to Asher?¡± Caroline was taken aback. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that Aurora and Asher are dating? Besides, Yvonne and Aurora have always had a bad rtionship. ¡°I remember at one of Aurora¡¯s birthdays, Yvonne even intentionally came over to her party to taunt her.¡± As for why they were on such bad terms, it was a topic everyone gossiped about. Some people said that it was natural for Asher¡¯s sister to dislike his girlfriend. Others said that they had once liked the same person, which was why they had it out for each other. Regardless of what others said about the situation, it remained true that they had a poor rtionship. Eddy¡¯s expression was one of shock. ¡°I really didn¡¯t know that. Then, were the others not put together because of the same reason?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Caroline replied. ¡°You can¡¯t think that doing the seating arrangement is something easy, right?¡± Eddy¡¯s lips parted. He really used to think that. Caroline grinned. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. Beyond considering who the people are, you have to look at their rtionships with others. ¡°If you arrange it haphazardly and allow two people who don¡¯t like each other to sit together, then it will be a disaster.¡± Eddy looked at Caroline, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing. ¡°Grandpa was right.¡± Caroline was confused by this statement. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Marrying you would be a great help to me. You¡¯d be able to help me deal with everything at home very well.¡± As he spoke, Eddy couldn¡¯t help but move closer. ¡°Caroline, could you give me another chance?¡± Caroline suddenly sprang up, seeming as though she had been scalded. Enraged, she said, ¡°Eddy Morrison, please be more respectful. I¡¯m married.¡± After saying that, Caroline left in a huff. Chapter 651 Chapter 651 Caroline was still angry as she walked off. She really felt that there was something wrong with Eddy. In the past, when she had wanted to marry him, he had been so reluctant. Now that she had gotten over him, he was the one who made it seem like he wanted to marry no one else but her. If it was because of Jude¡¯s dying wish, then he really didn¡¯t need to do that. After all, there was no way she was going to divorce Kirk. After calming herself down, Caroline went off to deal with other matters. Until dinnertime, she managed to avoid seeing Eddy. When she got some free time, she gave Simon a heads¨Cup before going upstairs for some rest. Once she got upstairs, Caroline went to a guest room. Opening the door, a familiar feeling overtook her. Before she and Eddy had broken things off, she had asionally stayed here. She didn¡¯t expect that, after so long noting here, the room would still be maintained in the same way. It was as if the person who stayed there had never left. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Caroline was gued by thoughts as she sat on the bed. In this family, it was only Jude who had treated her with genuine affection. Shey on the bed and gradually slipped into the world of dreams. In her semi¨Cconsciousness, she felt like she had arrived at a city of mist. All around here, things were blurry. Suddenly, she seemed to see a figure dash past behind her. Caroline had no idea what was going on. She could only hear a man¡¯s voice shouting, ¡°Kidnapping! There¡¯s been a kidnapping!¡± Then, there was silence. She couldn¡¯t hear anything more. When she opened her eyes, Caroline found herself in another ce. This ce was shrouded in gray as before, and she couldn¡¯t see anything clearly. However, she 1/3 +15 BONUS They seemed to be screaming, ¡°I want Mommy and Daddy ¡­¡± The cries by her ears then became soft words. ¡°There, there. Forgetting the past means that you¡¯ll be starting a new future. Just forget what happened¡­¡± However, before she could hear what the other person was saying clearly, a strong force dragged her somewhere else. She was no longer looking at a huge expanse of gray but rather white. It looked like heaven. Caroline walked slowly forward. After talking a few steps, she noticed Jude lying in his sick bed. The gunshot wound on his chest was still bleeding profusely. However, there was no pain on his features. Instead, he looked grateful as he waved to her. For a moment, Caroline couldn¡¯t differentiate whether what she was seeing was a dream or reality. She instinctively walked toward Jude. When she got close, she couldn¡¯t help but throw herself in Jude¡¯s arms. ¡°Grandpa, is it really you?¡± Jude smiled at her, his eyes full of joy. ¡°Grandpa, you ¡­¡® ¡°Carrie ¡­¡± Jude said slowly. His voice drifted as if in the wind. ¡°I¡¯m so happy. You and Eddy are finally going to get married.¡± Hearing this, Caroline got a fright. She quickly waved her hands. ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯ve got it wrong.¡± But it seemed that Jude couldn¡¯t hear her speak at all. He continued, ¡°I¡¯m so happy. All my life, I¡¯ve wanted to see you and Eddy together. Now, I will finally get my wish.¡± ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m not with Eddy, and there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll marry him.¡± This time, Jude could hear what Caroline was saying. Disappointment gushed from his eyes. ¡°Is what you¡¯re saying true?¡± Caroline could barely look Jude in the eye. She felt such heavy guilt that she couldn¡¯t even raise her head. Chapter 652 Chapter 652 However, Caroline really didn¡¯t want to divorce Kirk. It had taken so much for them to get to this point. Plus, after meeting Marietta, Caroline was slowly trying to wee the role of mother. Now, everything was progressing to a good ce. ¡°Carrie, can you really not fulfill thisst wish of mine?¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Jude raised his weathered hand and grasped Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Carrie, this is my only wish. If you don¡¯t fulfill it, I can¡¯t leave with my mind at ease. Only by handing Eddy to you can I feel at ease. Let me go in peace.¡± Caroline looked speechlessly into Jude¡¯s eyes, feeling hurt and torn. Jude¡¯s pleading voice resounded in her ear ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t don¡¯t force me. Don¡¯t force me. Ah!¡± Caroline was screaming as she sprang up into a sitting position. She instinctively looked for Kirk¡¯s familiar, warm hug. However, she found no one there. As she sniffed, Caroline¡¯s rationality slowly came back to her. With that, she realized that she was still in Morrison Manor, not in her own home. ¡°Caroline, what is it?¡± Eddy¡¯s sudden, anxious voice came from outside the door. ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll kick the door down! 3, 2, 1¡­¡± As he said this, the door crashed open. Caroline looked at the stumbling and limping Eddy and nearly burst intoughter. ¡°What are you doing?¡± With all this going on, Caroline had forgotten the nightmare she had just had. Eddy noticed the wretched state he was in and supported himself on the couch¡¯s armrest. ¡°I heard you scream. I thought someone had barged in here.¡± Caroline said, ¡°Morrison Manor has the best security system in all of Easton. How could anyone get in here?¡± 1/2 Still, Eddy asked, worried, ¡°Are you really alright?¡± +15 BONUS Caroline regarded Eddy. When it came down to it, he had been the one who incited her nightmare. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said, going against her desires. ¡°You should go outside. I¡¯m a married woman. It won¡¯t be good for us if news gets out that I was in a room alone with you, an unmarried man.¡± Eddy could see that Caroline was drawing a clear boundary between them. With that, he recalled the call Caroline had received earlier today. His heart began to ache. When he spoke again, his words werebative. ¡°You¡¯re so cold to me. I¡¯ve never seen you act so frigid with anyone else.¡± Caroline had even blocked his phone number. Right now, Caroline didn¡¯t know what Eddy was on about. He was speaking so sarcastically. ¡°Isn¡¯t it expected that I treat you coldly? Don¡¯t forget, you once tried to take my kidney.¡± Caroline paused, then said bluntly, ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for Grandpa, do you think we would still be in touch?¡± Eddy¡¯s temper was rising. ¡°You keep talking about Grandpa, so let me ask you something. Grandpa¡¯sst wish was for us to be together. Would you marry me for his sake, then?¡± Before her, reality blurred with her dream, and Caroline could clearly see Jude¡¯s gaze again. In her ear, she heard Jude¡¯s voice, which was full of guilt and pleasing. ¡°Carrie, don¡¯t you want me to leave in peace?¡± Seeing Caroline turn paler, Eddy no longer felt the joy of revenge he had before. On the contrary, his heart started to hurt. ¡°I ¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired. I need to rest. Can you go outside?¡± Caroline said weakly, raising her head. The fatigue and pain that filled Caroline¡¯s eyes made Eddy shudder violently. Chapter 653 Chapter 653 ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll leave now. Have a good rest.¡± Eddy only turned to leave after a moment of hesitation. Once the door closed, Caroline couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She copsed into bed. She really missed Kirk. She really wanted to be in his arms. Picking up her phone, Caroline checked the time on the screen. In the end, she didn¡¯t dial Kirk¡¯s number. Laying in bed, she closed her eyes. Once again, she recalled what Jude had said to her in her dream. That night was destined to be a sleepless one. When she woke up the next day, Caroline¡¯s head felt heavy and dizzy. However, there were a lot of things still waiting for her to settle. Thus, she had to force herself to get into the spirit. ¡°Did you have a bad nightst night?¡± Eddy hesitantly brought a cup of coffee over. Caroline looked up. After some thought, she epted the cup. ¡°Why don¡¯t I take over?¡± Eddy felt his heart ache for Caroline at the sight of her this way. But Caroline said, ¡°No need. Drinking this coffee will wake me up. There¡¯s still lots to do. Tomorrow is Grandpa¡¯s funeral, and I really hope he can leave in peace.¡± After she said this, Caroline looked at the ground in a daze, as if thinking something. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Meanwhile, Eddy sat next to Caroline. ¡°You¡¯ve done a lot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. This is what I should be doing.¡± Caroline hurriedly got up. ¡°I¡¯ll get to work now.¡± Seeing the still¨Csteaming coffee in Caroline¡¯s hands, Eddy gave a bitterugh. It seemed that Caroline really didn¡¯t want to look at him. Thanks to Caroline¡¯s efforts, everything was carefully organized. Even Thomas couldn¡¯t help but praise her. ¡°Carrie, things would be a mess here if it hadn¡¯t been for your help these past two days.¡± Caroline was shy. ¡°Uncle Thomas, you¡¯re being too kind. These are all things I should be doing.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS Thomas replied, ¡°Tomorrow is Dad¡¯s funeral. He loved you the most when he was alive, and he always hoped that you would join our family. It¡¯s just such a shame ¡­¡± After a pause, Thomas continued, ¡°Carrie, there¡¯s a favor I need to ask of you. I hope you can agree to it.¡± Caroline answered, ¡°Please tell me.¡± ¡°I was hoping you could give Dad a final send¨Coff as our daughter¨Cinw.¡± Caroline¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°Uncle Thomas, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not appropriate.¡± She was already married, so how could she attend the funeral as Eddy¡¯s wife? That would confuse everyone. ¡°Carrie,¡± Thomas started, looking troubled. ¡°I know this would make things hard for you, but all Dad wanted before he died was to see you and Eddy together. Won¡¯t you fulfill his final wish? ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Eddy. I¡¯ll talk him into it. He won¡¯t make trouble for you.¡± Caroline was bbergasted. Was that the issue right now? The people who attended the funeral tomorrow would surely think that she had gone back to Eddy when they saw her standing next to him. If the news spread to Kirk, what would he think? Caroline was determined not to agree with this. Unfortunately, Thomas had been called away by someone. She shoved down her anger. It seemed that she would have to talk to Thomas about thister, when she had the chance. It was a shame that Caroline didn¡¯t see Thomas again in the short time left. She could only go to sleep, worried. Yet, once she fell asleep, she had the exact same dream as the onest night. Chapter 654 Chapter 654 Chapter 654 ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The nightmare caused Caroline to spring awake from the fight. Thereafter, she didn¡¯t dare to shut her eyes again. When she did, she saw Jude lying in a fresh pool of blood and crying out to her without end, Caroline, I died because of you. How could you be so heartless?¡± When she woke up the next day, Caroline was even more out of it. 11 Thus, she could only make herself a huge cup of coffee. As she drank it, Eddy came downstairs from the second floor. Seeing the dark circles under Caroline¡¯s eyes, Eddy asked worriedly, ¡°Are you alright?¡± He had heard the noisesing from her roomst night and had wanted to check on her. However, recalling what had happened the previous night and her attitude, Eddy had decided to give it a pass. It was obvious that Caroline didn¡¯t like him one bit right now. Finally realizing this, Eddy had been very upset. He had stayed in bed, unable to sleep, and could only listen to the noises from Caroline¡¯s room and toss and turn. Caroline shook her head. Her expression was very ugly as it was. ¡°You¡¯re here right in time. I have something to talk to you about.¡± Hearing that she had something to say to him, Eddy quickly rushed downstairs. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Yesterday, your father wanted me to attend the funeral as your wife. Do you know something about that?¡± Eddy¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°My dad told me about it. He even said that you agreed to it.¡± ¡°I!¡± Caroline inhaled. ¡°I think he¡¯s misunderstood what I meant.¡± At that time, Thomas hadn¡¯t even given her the chance to exin. ¡°I can¡¯t attend the funeral as your wife. That¡¯s not appropriate.¡± 1.3 +15 BONUS Thomas replied, ¡°Tomorrow is Dad¡¯s funeral. He loved you the most when he was alive, and he always hoped that you would join our family. It¡¯s just such a shame¡­¡± After a pause, Thomas continued, ¡°Carrie, there¡¯s a favor I need to ask of you. I hope you can agree to it.¡± Caroline answered, ¡°Please tell me. 11 ¡°I was hoping you could give Dad a final send¨Coff as our daughter¨Cinw.¡± Caroline¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°Uncle Thomas, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not appropriate.¡± She was already married, so how could she attend the funeral as Eddy¡¯s wife? That would confuse everyone. ¡°Carrie,¡± Thomas started, looking troubled. ¡°I know this would make things hard for you, but all Dad wanted before he died was to see you and Eddy together. Won¡¯t you fulfill his final wish? ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Eddy. I¡¯ll talk him into it. He won¡¯t make trouble for you.¡± Caroline was bbergasted. Was that the issue right now? The people who attended the funeral tomorrow would surely think that she had gone back to Eddy when they saw her standing next to him. If the news spread to Kirk, what would he think? Caroline was determined not to agree with this. Unfortunately, Thomas had been called away by someone. She shoved down her anger. It seemed that she would have to talk to Thomas about thister, when she had the chance. It was a shame that Caroline didn¡¯t see Thomas again in the short time left. She could only go to sleep, worried. Yet, once she fell asleep, she had the exact same dream as the onest night. Chapter 655 Chapter 655 Chapter 655 +15 BONUS ¡°But you could also say that we never met. Thest few times, he was always wearing a mask. I never got to see what he looks like.¡± Caroline asked Simon excitedly, ¡°Since he¡¯s attending Grandpa¡¯s funeral today, he probably won¡¯t be wearing a mask anymore, right?¡± Both Eddy¡¯s and Simon¡¯s expressions changed again. Eddy was especially incapable of holding back. He asked, ¡°You ¡­ you¡¯ve never seen my second uncle¡¯s face?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t understand why Eddy and Simon looked astonished. ¡°He¡¯s always so mysterious when he shows up. Does he wear a mask because his looks aren¡¯t very nice?¡± Eddy blinked, taken aback. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Then¡­ then why do you have his number on your phone?¡± If Caroline hadn¡¯t even seen Kirk¡¯s face, that meant that he didn¡¯t trust Caroline. If he didn¡¯t trust her, then why would she have his phone number? Eddy was so confused by all this that he was getting dizzy. However, Simon was getting a clearer picture of what was going on. As he looked at Eddy, his weathered lips twitched. Yet he couldn¡¯t say a word. The answer to this was simply too shocking. ¡°Since when do I have your second uncle¡¯s phone number?¡± Caroline waspletely clueless. She remembered that she had used Kirk¡¯s number to call himst time. Eddy was stunned. ¡°The other day¡­ The other day, I swear I saw you¡­ answer a call from him?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Caroline was even more confused now. ¡°Did you get it wrong?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Kirk Morrison my second uncle?¡± C +15 BONUS Still confused, Caroline chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s my husband. Who are you calling your second uncle?¡± Eddy felt like there had been an explosion in his brain. ¡°My second uncle¡¯s your husband?¡± Perplexed, Caroline said, ¡°How could your second uncle be my husband? I¡¯m saying that Kirk Morrison is my husband¡¯s name.¡± Then, she paused. ¡°Hold on a minute, you just said ¡­ Do you mean that your second uncle has the same name as my husband?¡± Eddy was confuddled. He could only nod slowly. ¡°My second uncle¡¯s name is Kirk Morrison.¡± Caroline stared at the ground in astonishment. She was evidently processing this information. After a while, she looked at Eddy and said, in understanding, ¡°So that¡¯s how things are!¡± Eddy and Simon pricked their ears up as they looked at Caroline. They both also wanted to know what was going on. However, Caroline was just as she had been before. She hemmed and hawed, and they couldn¡¯t hear clearly what she was saying. ¡°What do you know?¡± Eddy was terribly anxious now. Yet Caroline still went about it slowly. She swept a nce at Eddy without giving any exnation. Instead, she asked, ¡°The funeral¡¯s about to start. Shouldn¡¯t you go and get prepared?¡± Eddy was burning with curiosity. All he wanted now was to know what Caroline knew. But it seemed that she didn¡¯t n on saying anything. At this, Simon checked the time and reminded Eddy, ¡°Mr. Eddy, we should really get going. Otherwise, we¡¯ll really bete.¡± As he said this, his gaze fell on Caroline. Caroline left first and headed to the car at the door. After the two of them got into the car, Eddy couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°When you said that was how things were, what did you mean?¡± Caroline only smiled and said, ¡°Nothing.¡± She finally understood why Eddy¡¯s second uncle had gone to Kirk. It was because they shared the Chapter 656 Chapter 656 Chapter 655 +15 BONUS ¡°But you could also say that we never met. Thest few times, he was always wearing a mask. I never got to see what he looks like.¡± Caroline asked Simon excitedly, ¡°Since he¡¯s attending Grandpa¡¯s funeral today, he probably won¡¯t be wearing a mask anymore, right?¡± Both Eddy¡¯s and Simon¡¯s expressions changed again. Eddy was especially incapable of holding back. He asked, ¡°You ¡­ you¡¯ve never seen my second uncle¡¯s face?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t understand why Eddy and Simon looked astonished. ¡°He¡¯s always so mysterious when he shows up. Does he wear a mask because his looks aren¡¯t very nice?¡± Eddy blinked, taken aback. ¡°Then¡­ then why do you have his number on your phone?¡± If Caroline hadn¡¯t even seen Kirk¡¯s face, that meant that he didn¡¯t trust Caroline. If he didn¡¯t trust her, then why would she have his phone number? Eddy was so confused by all this that he was getting dizzy. However, Simon was getting a clearer picture of what was going on. As he looked at Eddy, his weathered lips twitched. Yet he couldn¡¯t say a word. The answer to this was simply too shocking. ¡°Since when do I have your second uncle¡¯s phone number?¡± Caroline waspletely clueless. She remembered that she had used Kirk¡¯s number to call himst time. Eddy was stunned. ¡°The other day¡­ The other day, I swear I saw you¡­ answer a call from him?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Caroline was even more confused now. ¡°Did you get it wrong?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Kirk Morrison my second uncle?¡± C +15 BONUS Still confused, Caroline chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s my husband. Who are you calling your second uncle?¡± Eddy felt like there had been an explosion in his brain. ¡°My second uncle¡¯s your husband?¡± Perplexed, Caroline said, ¡°How could your second uncle be my husband? I¡¯m saying that Kirk Morrison is my husband¡¯s name.¡± Then, she paused. ¡°Hold on a minute, you just said ¡­ Do you mean that your second uncle has the same name as my husband?¡± Eddy was confuddled. He could only nod slowly. ¡°My second uncle¡¯s name is Kirk Morrison.¡± Caroline stared at the ground in astonishment. She was evidently processing this information. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. After a while, she looked at Eddy and said, in understanding, ¡°So that¡¯s how things are!¡± Eddy and Simon pricked their ears up as they looked at Caroline. They both also wanted to know what was going on. However, Caroline was just as she had been before. She hemmed and hawed, and they couldn¡¯t hear clearly what she was saying. ¡°What do you know?¡± Eddy was terribly anxious now. Yet Caroline still went about it slowly. She swept a nce at Eddy without giving any exnation. Instead, she asked, ¡°The funeral¡¯s about to start. Shouldn¡¯t you go and get prepared?¡± Eddy was burning with curiosity. All he wanted now was to know what Caroline knew. But it seemed that she didn¡¯t n on saying anything. At this, Simon checked the time and reminded Eddy, ¡°Mr. Eddy, we should really get going. Otherwise, we¡¯ll really bete.¡± As he said this, his gaze fell on Caroline. Caroline left first and headed to the car at the door. After the two of them got into the car, Eddy couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°When you said that was how things were, what did you mean?¡± Caroline only smiled and said, ¡°Nothing.¡± She finally understood why Eddy¡¯s second uncle had gone to Kirk. It was because they shared the Chapter 657 Chapter 657 Chapter 657 ¡°Carol, what¡¯s up with you?¡± Gwen nudged Caroline¡¯s arm. Caroline came back to herself in a daze and looked down at Jude in his casket. His eyes were tightly shut, not open, which finally made her realize that she had been mistaken just now. ¡°Carol?¡± Gwen called again softly. ¡°Are you alright? Why does your face look so pale?¡± Caroline shook her head. Her bad sleep the past couple of nights had probably caused her to see things. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The next guest hade forward to ce their flower. Caroline nodded and followed Gwen back to their seats. After the flower portion of the ceremony, Thomas came up to say a few words, bidding Jude farewell. Gwen used this opportunity to ask Caroline lowly, ¡°Why can¡¯t I see Eddy¡¯s second uncle? Isn¡¯t he coming?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Looking around, Caroline said, ¡°Mr. Zellen said that he had called to say he would attend.¡± ¡°But why don¡¯t I see him?¡± Those who were attending the funeral today were rich and powerful. Most of them were people Gwen knew. Of the few people she didn¡¯t recognize, all of themcked the bearing that Eddy¡¯s second uncle should have. After all, that man controlled Sarcozia¡¯s economy. Caroline looked around but didn¡¯t see him either. ¡°I suppose he must be rushing back from overseas and needs time to get here.¡± As the two spoke, Gwen¡¯s elbow suddenly poked into Caroline. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Asher¡¯s girlfriend, Aurora Jenner? +15 BONUS ¡°I¡¯ve noticed her looking at you a few times. Does she have some sort of grudge against you?¡± Caroline followed Gwen¡¯s gaze and indeed found Aurora looking at her. The woman¡¯s gaze held three parts disdain, three parts animosity, and several parts amusement, as if she were looking at a joke. Shifting her gaze away, Caroline said ndly, ¡°She must still hate me because I said a few words against herst time.¡± ¡°1 ¡°What? Then will she get Asher to take revenge on you? I heard that he quite likes her and would give her anything she desires. To put it simply, he¡¯s a simp.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I only said a few words.¡± Gwen didn¡¯t feel relieved by that. ¡°I think you should be more careful. She¡¯s not someone who¡¯s easy to deal with.¡± In response, Caroline nodded. Right then, one of the staff members rushed to Thomas¡® side and whispered in his ear. With that, Thomas showed a disbelieving expression and said, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really. That¡¯s what the person said.¡± Thomas replied, ¡°I understand. Where is he now?¡± ¡°He¡¯s at the door.¡± Seeing Thomas¡® speech get interrupted, Eddy stood up and asked, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Your second uncle¡¯s here.¡± Thomas walked toward the exit as he spoke. Eddy rushed to follow. When he passed Caroline by, he intentionally turned back for a look. When the others heard what Thomas said, they quickly stood up and looked toward the door. Excited, Gwen also turned back to look. ¡°Carol, I didn¡¯t expect Eddy¡¯s second uncle to reallye here. I wonder if we¡¯ll be able to see his face this time. I¡¯m really curious. As she spoke, the smile on her face suddenly froze. She looked at the person who walked in and felt as if she had been turned to stone. Caroline blinked, confused, as she looked at the personing closer. It was Sean. ¡°How ¡­¡± She raised her hand and pointed at Sean. By then, Sean had already followed behind Thomas to stand before Jude. He ced a flower in Jude¡¯s coffin. Chapter 658 Chapter 658 Chapter 658 After that, Thomas introduced Sean in front of everyone. ¡°This is my uncle¡¯s son¡¯s¡­¡± Someone asked, ¡°Is this Mr. Eddy¡¯s second uncle? I didn¡¯t expect him to look so young and handsome!¡± ¡°Yeah! He¡¯s really handsome, graceful, and elegant. I wonder if he¡¯s married yet. ¡°Oh my God, I can¡¯t believe a handsome man like him actually exists!¡± Their discussions began to spread throughout the room. Caroline nced at Gwen, who was gritting her teeth, and whispered, ¡°Are you jealous, Gwen?¡± ¡°Jealous? Why the hell would I be jealous?¡± Gwen spat. Caroline was rendered speechless by her answer. Gwen, who had noticed the change in her attitude, quickly added, ¡°I¡¯m angry because I don¡¯t know why he came here instead of Eddy¡¯s second uncle.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that either.¡± At this time, everyone else learned from Eddy that the person before them wasn¡¯t the president of SY Group but his good friend. ¡°I apologize for the misunderstanding,¡± Sean said with a smile. His gaze naturally swept past the crowd andnded on Gwen. ¡°I¡¯m here on behalf of my friend, and I believe I should exin the situation. Mr. Morrison isn¡¯t here for such a big asion because he¡¯s stuck in Newonia. He asked me to apologize to you on his behalf.¡± Then, Sean gave Thomas a solemn nod. Right now, Thomas couldn¡¯t tell whether Sean was telling the truth, but he still had to maintain pleasantries. ¡°You¡¯re too kind. I know he wishes to be here, but things happen. There¡¯s nothing we can do about that.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding, sir.¡± Sean exchanged a few more pleasantries with Thormas before being guided to the seat that belonged to Kirk. +15 BONUS The funeral ended soon after Sean¡¯s arrival. Then, everyone left and headed to the hotel. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. On the way, Gwen stopped Sean. She questioned, ¡°What are you doing here instead of him?¡± When Sean saw Gwen, he said with a smile, ¡°Like I said, my friend is stuck in Newonia, and he couldn¡¯t come back.¡± Gwen turned back and asked Caroline, ¡°Do you believe this nonsense, Carol?¡± Caroline said, ¡°I think he¡¯s telling the truth. Grandpa¡¯s passing is such a major thing. He would definitely attend the funeral if he wasn¡¯t caught up in something.¡± When Sean heard her words, he wanted to praise her for understanding her husband well. She was right. Kirk hadn¡¯t attended the funeral because he hadn¡¯t had a choice. After all, Jude was Kirk¡¯s uncle, so it would be inexcusable for him not to attend his funeral. However, if he did, his identity would be exposed. At such a crucial time, Kirk had no choice but to have Sean step in for him. Gwen still thought this was too much of a coincidence. However, she had no proof to say otherwise, so she could only frown and enter the hotel with Caroline. Caroline had arranged the guests¡® seating herself, so she had arranged for her and Gwen to be in a quiet corner. However, as soon as they arrived at their seats, people asionally greeted her with ttery she had never seen for a long time. Caroline wasn¡¯t used to it before, but now she was calm andposed. After seeing off a group of guests, Caroline was about to take her seat when Gwen tugged at the corner of her clothes. She warned, ¡°Watch out.¡± Caroline looked over in confusion and saw the neers, Asher and Aurora. ¡°They¡¯re clearly up to no good, Gwen muttered, ¡°You¡¯d better be careful.¡± Caroline nodded slightly at Gwen¡¯s warning. In just a short while, the two had arrived before Caroline. Carolineposed herself, watching Chapter 659 Chapter 659 Chapter 659 However, Asher didn¡¯t say anything mean to Caroline. Instead, he was very friendly. ¡°Long time, no see, Caroline How have you been? I heard you¡¯re now Evans Group¡¯s CEO. I¡¯m really happy for you.¡± Caroline looked at Gwen hesitantly Gwen was also surprised by Asher¡¯s attitude. However, they didn¡¯t let their guard down After all, Aurora was standing behind Asher, eyeing them warily. Although Gwen had never shed with Aurora, the actress had a well¨Cknown reputation among the upper ss. If anyone dared to upset her, she would tear them apart However, Aurora dropped her arrogant and obnoxious attitude and greeted Caroline with a smile, saying, ¡°Hello, Caroline¡® Asher nced back and forth between them. ¡°Do you know each other?¡± Aurora answered naturally, ¡°Yeah, we had a little misunderstanding before, so we got off the wrong foot.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Asher raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°A misunderstanding? What kind of misunderstanding?¡± Caroline and Gwen weren¡¯t fools They could tell that the couple was putting on an act. However, they didn¡¯t interrupt them either. They simply watched them ramble on in silence. As expected of an actress, Aurora told Asher what happened that day with an emotional attitude. However, she put all the me on her assistant, painting herself as an innocent bystander who got implicated by ident. Gwen couldn¡¯t help but want to roll her eyes as she listened to her words. Meanwhile, Caroline remained neutral, simply letting Aurora babble on. After Aurora was done, Asher said, after a moment¡¯s thought, ¡°So your assistant went too far.¡± ¡°Yeah. Later on, I realized I was wrong, so I fired her. Although she has worked with me for years and we were close, it¡¯s just not right.¡± Asher looked at Caroline. He asked, ¡°Caroline, are you happy with her decision? If not, we can do what you want instead.¡± Caroline said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since that happened. I would have forgotten about it if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it now. +15 BONUS Asher smiled awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s our fault for bringing up the past. But you can let us know if you¡¯re unhappy with anything. ¡°In any case, the Evans family was one of the big four families. We will stand up for you if someone messes with you.¡± ¡°Thank you. I think your arrangements are good enough, so we should let this issue go,¡± Caroline suggested. Then, she raised her ss. ¡°Cheers.¡± She was subtly asking them to leave. Understanding her intentions, Asher could only drink with Caroline before pulling Aurora away. After they left, Gwen couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°God, what¡¯s up with the two of them?¡± She could understand Asher¡¯s politeness. After all, he was just making small talk. People like them knew best about maintaining superficial rtionships. However, Gwen couldn¡¯t understand Aurora¡¯s reason for being polite. Caroline nced at Aurora and shook her head. ¡°Did shee here to curry favor with you because she knew you were Marietta¡¯s goddaughter?¡± The more Gwen thought about this possibility, the more likely she felt it was possible. Although Aurora was a world¨Crenowned individual, everyone knew how much she wanted to be part of Marietta¡¯s ys. Everyone imed that an actor¡¯s life could only beplete when they yed a part in Marietta¡¯s work. These ims might sound exaggerated, but many actresses were proud to be part of Marietta¡¯s ys. Thinking of this, Gwen pursed her lips. She hugged Caroline¡¯s shoulders and nuzzled against her.¡± What should I do, Carol? I¡¯m so jealous.¡± Caroline gently pressed her fingers against Gwen¡¯s forehead to stop her. ¡°Be careful. If you keep nuzzling yourself against me, Kirk will get jealous.¡± Chapter 660 Chapter 660 Chapter 660 ¡°The fact that he¡¯s not here right now is exactly why I¡¯m doing this. You have no idea. Kirk stares daggers at me whenever I touch you when he¡¯s around. It¡¯s terrifying.¡± Carolineughed at Gwen¡¯s words and returned to the topic at hand. ¡°Just now, you said you were jealous. What are you jealous of?¡± Gwen sat up seriously and said, ¡°I¡¯m jealous that Marietta is your godmother. Goodness, if I were her goddaughter, I would have let the entire world know about it.¡± Caroline chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be jealous of. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m her biological daughter.¡± Gwen couldn¡¯t help but feel sad when she heard her words. ¡°Exactly. You¡¯re not her real daughter. ¡°Also, didn¡¯t Marietta say she had some news about her daughter? She¡¯ll probably return to Yudonia after she finds her daughter, right?¡± When that happened, Caroline would be all alone again. But at least she still had Kirk. The sadness on Gwen¡¯s face faded at the thought of this. However, she felt a slight disappointment. ¡°If only she were your real mother.¡± Caroline said, ¡°She¡¯s a good mother, but you can¡¯t just force a familial connection with people.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Gwen held her chin, asking, ¡°Are you going back tonight?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°Are you going back so soon because you miss a certain someone?¡± Caroline¡¯s face flushed slightly at her words. ¡°You¡¯ve got to stop teasing me like this.¡± Gwen chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s no way I would miss such a good opportunity to mess with you. So, tell me. How do you feel after not seeing Kirk for two days?¡± ¡°I feel empty, like something is missing.¡± ¡°Is it that bad?¡± Gwen tapped Caroline¡¯s nose. She said cheekily, ¡°It¡¯s over for you.¡± However, Caroline didn¡¯t deny it this time but nodded in agreement. ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t think I +15 BONUS Gwen shook her head firmly. ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Why? Is it because I¡¯m determined?¡± ¡°No.¡± Gwen said earnestly, ¡°Because Kirk really loves you. He¡¯ll never betray your trust.¡± Caroline smiled at her words. The two chatted until the banquet ended and then left along with arge group of people. When they arrived at the door, Sean stopped Gwen. ¡°Why don¡¯t I drive you back, Gwen?¡± he offered kindly. Gwen immediately looked at Caroline behind her. Caroline waved her hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ll drive home myself. Do as you please.¡± Then, she quickly left, determined not to be a third wheel. Since she hade to the funeral in the Morrisons¡® car, she had to return to Morrison Manor to get her car. Fortunately, Simon had already arranged a car to wait for her. So Caroline got into the car in the underground parking lot and left. About an hourter, Caroline arrived at Morrison Manor and drove home in her car. She had just gone some distance when a car rushed out of an alley. It was toote for Caroline to dodge it. She could only turn the steering wheel to try and avoid the car, but the car still managed to hit the front of her car. Under the inertia, Caroline felt her head hit the steering wheel.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Chapter 661 Chapter 661 The next second, Caroline¡¯s car door was opened, and she felt a gust of wind. She raised her heavy head and vaguely saw La¡¯s unsightly face. ¡°Come out here, you bitch!¡± The sharp voice allowed Caroline to confirm that it belonged to La. She felt her scalp being pulled, which made her consciousness slowly return. In pain, she looked up at La coldly. La¡¯s heart stopped when she saw Caroline re, but she said maliciously, ¡°What are you ring at? No one usually passes by here, so don¡¯t expect anyone toe and save you. ¡°You fucking bitch! How dare you take advantage of Grandpa¡¯s death to make Ed marry you? You¡¯d really do anything to join the Morrisons, won¡¯t you?¡± Caroline was forced to raise her head, but the coldness in her eyes didn¡¯t disappear. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely useless, La.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± La was pissed. Caroline retorted, ¡°Am I wrong? Do you really think I¡¯m the reason you haven¡¯t married Eddy yet? ¡°Remember, I¡¯m already married. Since Eddy would rather be with a married woman than you, have you ever considered that you¡¯re the problem here? ¡°Even if you kill me, another person wille into the picture, and you¡¯ll never gain Eddy¡¯s favor.¡± Caroline¡¯s words hit the nail on the head. La raised her hand to hit Caroline. At the same time, Caroline took advantage of La loosening her grip and mmed into her with all her strength. La was caught off guard by her attack, and she felt herself being pushed back before she managed to hold Caroline¡¯s head Unable to move, Caroline took a trembling breath. Her head was dizzy, and she felt like she could copse anytime. At this moment, she saw two huge beams of light shining at them. Seeing someone arrive, La had no choice but to push Caroline away and flee angrily. 1/2 +15 BONUS Caroline staggered backward, and just when she thought she would fall to the ground, arge pair of hands held her steady. ¡°Thank you.¡± Caroline turned around and was slightly shocked to see Asher. Then, her eyesnded on Aurora, who had just gotten out of the car and rushed over. Caroline calmly avoided Asher¡¯s grip and thanked him again. ¡°Thank you. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all.¡± Asher withdrew his hands and asked curiously, ¡°Did you get into an ident?¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°Do I need to call the police for you?¡± The person who spoke was none other than Aurora. She had already walked over and looked at Caroline worriedly. Even though Aurora had worked hard to feign her concern, Caroline could still tell it was fake. ¡± Thank you, but I can call them myself.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Then, let us take you home,¡± Aurora suggested. Caroline thought momentarily and declined, ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. After being rejected repeatedly, Aurora looked at Asher, discouraged. Asher said, ¡°I think it¡¯s safer to call a cab for Caroline and take her to the hospital.¡± Asher¡¯s suggestion wasn¡¯t a bad one. If Caroline went straight home, Kirk would definitely be worried. So she agreed, ¡°Okay.¡± Asher helped Caroline call a cab. After Caroline got in the car and left, Aurora immediately dropped her pretense of concern. ¡°Who does she think she is? No one would even suck up to her if she wasn¡¯t Marietta¡¯s goddaughter!¡± ¡°All right, enough of that,¡± Asherforted. ¡°I already told you first impressions are very important. Your assistant had upset her when you first met. It would be impossible for anyone not to have a bad impression of you. But you have plenty of time to wow her. You managed to win me over, so why are you worried about a small fry like her?¡± Chapter 662 Chapter 662 Chapter 662 Sure enough, Asher¡¯s words put a smile on Aurora¡¯s face. ¡°Still a smooth¨Ctalker, aren¡¯t you?¡± Asher teased. ¡°Then, are we now- ¡°Shut it!¡± Then, the two of them got into the car, bickering. It wasn¡¯t until the car was a short distance away that La walked out of the woods nearby. It was strange. She had done her investigations beforeing here. Very few people crossed this ce, and Asher didn¡¯t live in this area either. So why had he shown up here all of a sudden? Forget it! La didn¡¯t want to think about this problem right now. She needed to see Dan and expose the truth that Caroline wasn¡¯t an Evans. At the thought of this, La hastened her pace. When she got out of the woods, she quickly hailed a cab on the side of the road. After giving the driver the address, she quickly arrived at Dan¡¯s vi. As soon as she walked in, she saw Sarah and Dan talking and having some coffee in the living IOOM. She said to them, ¡°I can¡¯t take this anymore. You have to announce that Caroline isn¡¯t your real daughter!TM When Sarah and Dan heard her words, they looked at each other curiously. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s going on. Don¡¯t you guys want to get Evans Group back as soon as possible? I think this is the perfect time to do it.¡± La didn¡¯t dare dy their ns any longer. If she did, Eddy would marry Caroline. Sarah was about to nod in agreement when Dan stopped her. ¡°La, we¡¯re on tenterhooks right now. It¡¯ll be difficult for us to work with you if you don¡¯t tell us your reasons.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much of a reason.¡± La pretended to be nonchnt. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your sake. Aunt Sarah almost let the truth slipst time.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Dan wasn¡¯t a fool. He pondered for a moment and asked, ¡°La, do you know Collins Group is for sale right now?¡± +15 BONUS La had a bad feeling about this. She nodded. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t fun to only get Evans Group back. How about this? You should buy Collins Group. That way, we can return to the ranks of the big four families.¡± La snipped, ¡°There¡¯s no way I can get Collins Group!¡± Dan said kindly, ¡°Of course not, but Eddy can. As long as you make him your guarantor, the bank will definitely give you a loan. Then, you¡¯ll have the money to buy Collins Group.¡± Dan¡¯s suggestion tempted La, but given the current situation, Eddy wouldn¡¯t agree to her request. ¡°When we get Collins Group and make me the CEO, I¡¯ll immediately expose the truth that Caroline isn¡¯t our real daughter. When that happens, Evans Group will be back in our hands. What do you think?¡± La looked at the fruits on the table, lost in thought. After a long time, she stood up and decided, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give your n a try. But don¡¯t forget what you promised me, Uncle Dan.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If you get Collins Group, I¡¯ll expose Caroline¡¯s identity to the public.¡± La left with peace of mind when she heard his promise. After La left, Sarah couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Dan, will we be able to return to our old lives soon?¡± She looked forward to the days when they didn¡¯t have to worry about livingfortably anymore. They could do whatever they wanted without caring what other people thought. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Dan wasn¡¯t as optimistic as Sarah. He felt that La and Eddy¡¯s rtionship wasn¡¯t as good as La had imed. He had made this request because he wanted to see how close they actually were. Chapter 663 Chapter 663 Chapter 663 As Caroline was lost in her thoughts, she vaguely saw a child sitting on a chair, craning her neck to look toward the door. They seemed to be in kindergarten. ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Marietta waved in front of Caroline, her voice bringing her out of her thoughts. ¡°Hurry up and eat this.¡± When Marietta saw Caroline move, she felt relieved. She handed the stew she had brought to Caroline. She said, ¡°Eat it while it¡¯s still warm. Then, you can stay with meter.¡± Caroline nodded and almost cried again, feeling the maternal love she had never felt in a long time. Truth be told, she was a little envious of Marietta¡¯s daughter. She would have definitely received the best care if she had stayed with Marietta. Caroline hoped that Marietta¡¯s daughter would return to her side soon. After drinking the stew, Caroline felt a little stronger. Then, Marietta hailed a cab, and the two left the hospital together. When they arrived at Marietta¡¯s ce, the bed had already been made, so Caroline could go straight to bed. ¡°You must have been really busy in the past few days. You should rest,¡± Marietta said. She could tell that Caroline was very sleepy. Although she had many questions to ask Caroline, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it now. Caroline nodded. ¡°Okay, you should rest too, Mom. Thank you so much for your help.¡± After they said good night, Marietta left Caroline¡¯s room. As soon as she closed the door, she saw her assistant walking over, unable to hide her excitement. She asked, ¡°Is there any news about my daughter?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The assistant said, ¡°Just now, the private detective called me and said that he is all but sure that Yvonne Hackett is your daughter.¡± ¡°Yvonne ¡­¡± Marietta said excitedly, ¡°Quick. Show me a photo of her.¡± The assistant already had a photo of Yvonne and gave it to Marietta. Caroline had no choice but to tell the truth. ¡°I got into an ident, but I¡¯ve already taken care of things. However, Kirk will definitely worry if I get home like this.¡± A rustling voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°Where are you now? I¡¯ming to get you.¡± Caroline said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Marietta said sternly, ¡°I¡¯m your mother. I can¡¯t leave you alone when something has happened to you!¡± Hearing her words, Caroline felt a warmth in her chest. ¡°It¡¯s really okay, Mom. I¡¯ll take a taxi there. Okay?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°No!¡± Marietta¡¯s tone left no room for negotiation. ¡°Tell me where you are right now.¡± Caroline held her forehead. She didn¡¯t expect to have another person who cared more about her than the one who had just passed away. She felt both privileged and burdened. Feeling resigned, Caroline had no choice but to wait for Marietta at the hospital entrance. About half an hourter, she saw Marietta approaching her with haste. When she saw her, she somehow felt a familiar feeling in her chest. Chapter 664 Chapter 664 Chapter 664 As Caroline was lost in her thoughts, she vaguely saw a child sitting on a chair, craning her neck to look toward the door. They seemed to be in kindergarten. ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Marietta waved in front of Caroline, her voice bringing her out of her thoughts. ¡°Hurry up and eat this.¡± When Marietta saw Caroline move, she felt relieved. She handed the stew she had brought to Caroline. She said, ¡°Eat it while it¡¯s still warm. Then, you can stay with meter.¡± Caroline nodded and almost cried again, feeling the maternal love she had never felt in a long time. Truth be told, she was a little envious of Marietta¡¯s daughter. She would have definitely received the best care if she had stayed with Marietta. Caroline hoped that Marietta¡¯s daughter would return to her side soon. After drinking the stew, Caroline felt a little stronger. Then, Marietta hailed a cab, and the two left the hospital together. When they arrived at Marietta¡¯s ce, the bed had already been made, so Caroline could go straight to bed. ¡°You must have been really busy in the past few days. You should rest,¡± Marietta said. She could tell that Caroline was very sleepy. Although she had many questions to ask Caroline, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it now. Caroline nodded. ¡°Okay, you should rest too, Mom. Thank you so much for your help.¡± After they said good night, Marietta left Caroline¡¯s room. As soon as she closed the door, she saw her assistant walking over, unable to hide her excitement. She asked, ¡°Is there any news about my daughter?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The assistant said, ¡°Just now, the private detective called me and said that he is all but sure that Yvonne Hackett is your daughter.¡± ¡°Yvonne ¡­¡± Marietta said excitedly, ¡°Quick. Show me a photo of her.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. The assistant already had a photo of Yvonne and gave it to Marietta. 1/2 +15 BONUS Caroline had no choice but to tell the truth. ¡°I got into an ident, but I¡¯ve already taken care of things. However, Kirk will definitely worry if I get home like this.¡± A rustling voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°Where are you now? I¡¯ming to get you.¡± Caroline said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Marietta said sternly, ¡°I¡¯m your mother. I can¡¯t leave you alone when something has happened to you!¡± Hearing her words, Caroline felt a warmth in her chest. ¡°It¡¯s really okay, Mom. I¡¯ll take a taxi there. Okay?¡± ¡°No!¡± Marietta¡¯s tone left no room for negotiation. ¡°Tell me where you are right now.¡± Caroline held her forehead. She didn¡¯t expect to have another person who cared more about her than the one who had just passed away. She felt both privileged and burdened. Feeling resigned, Caroline had no choice but to wait for Marietta at the hospital entrance. About half an hourter, she saw Marietta approaching her with haste. When she saw her, she somehow felt a familiar feeling in her chest. Chapter 665 Chapter 665 Chapter 665 When Caroline woke up the next day, she saw her wounds had faded, but her scalp was still aching. She stood up and opened the door. Marietta was watching TV in the room. When she heard the noise, she turned her head and said, You¡¯re awake!¡± ¡°Yeah. Thank you so much for yesterday, Mom. You even came to pick me up at such ate time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such foolish things.¡± Marietta patted the seat next to her. ¡°Sit down and have breakfast with me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline sat down beside Marietta. Marietta looked at Caroline and said with emotion, ¡°It would be great if my daughter was like you.¡± She hadn¡¯t slept at allst night. She had kept thinking about what kind of person her daughter was. Although she could more or less confirm that Yvonne was her daughter, she didn¡¯t dare look up any information about her. She was afraid of seeing something she didn¡¯t like. So she could only rely on that photo to imagine what kind of person she was. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sure she must be like you, a warm¨Chearted person who¡¯s aplished in the field of literature.¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re such a smooth¨Ctalker,¡± Marietta chuckled. ¡°By the way, how¡¯s the script you wrote some time ago?¡± ¡°I would¡¯ve forgotten about it if you hadn¡¯t brought it up.¡± Caroline exined, ¡°I just figured out the story¡¯s outline, but I haven¡¯t started writing it yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Take your time. I was also like this at first too, but as long as you start writing, you¡¯ll always make more progress than the day before.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°All right. You should eat your food. After that, you should go home and see Kirk. He must be +15 BONUS Caroline nodded at her words. After finishing breakfast, she waved goodbye to Marietta and headed home. When she reached home, she was surprised to see Kirk there. She walked in, trying to act as natural as possible. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at work?¡± Kirk was usually at work at this time. When Kirk saw Caroline return, he strode toward her and hugged her. Caroline almost couldn¡¯t breathe because of how tightly he was hugging her. She whined, ¡°Kirk, you¡¯re going to suffocate me.¡± Only then did Kirk let go of Caroline. When he saw the inconspicuous scar on Caroline¡¯s head, he froze momentarily. Then, he tightened his grip on Caroline¡¯s waist and questioned, ¡°No one bullied you in the past few days, right?¡± Caroline chuckled. ¡°No one would even dare! They all know I have a husband who¡¯s as ferocious as a tiger.¡± Kirk ruffled her hair, deliberately avoiding her scar, and pinched her nose. ¡°Are you calling me a tiger?¡± ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Caroline avoided Kirk¡¯s hands with augh. Then, she nuzzled against his shoulder and whispered, ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me why you¡¯re not at work.¡± Kirk pulled Caroline to sit down on the couch. ¡°The reason is simple: I¡¯ve resigned.¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes widened at his words. ¡°What, you resigned? Weren¡¯t you-¡± ¡°I thought what you said made sense. I couldn¡¯t stay in my formerpany any longer.¡± Kirk took Caroline¡¯s hands, carefully observing her expressions. When he saw that she was more shocked than happy, he shook her hand. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You ¡­ you don¡¯t seem very happy. Didn¡¯t you want me to resign?¡± Caroline denied, ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just too sudden. I thought you would only resign some timeter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not sudden at all. I have another important reason for not wanting to stay in my formerpany¨C Collins Group is for sale.¡± Chapter 666 Chapter 666 Chapter 666 Kirk corrected Caroline, ¡°I¡¯m not going to do that. You are.¡± Caroline refused, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± She didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t do it. She felt like she didn¡¯t have the qualifications to do so. Judging from the current situation, the only people in Easton who could buy Collins Group were the other three big families. Evans Group was currently doing well, but she couldn¡¯t afford to buy anotherpany. The bank wouldn¡¯t be stupid enough to loan millions of dors to her either. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can.¡± Kirk said, ¡°I¡¯ve already done some homework. You only need to wait until next month to apply for a loan from the bank with the information I prepared for you.¡± Caroline raised an eyebrow. She couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°You¡¯ve made preparations already?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Kirk squeezed Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Darling, I¡¯m counting on you to support me after you be Collins Group¡¯s CEO.¡± Caroline still couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. ¡°¡­ You couldn¡¯t have asked Eddy¡¯s second uncle to endorse you, right? Hang on, you¡¯ve already resigned, so why would he help you? ¡°Also, why do you have the same name as him?¡± She questioned, grabbing Kirk¡¯s cor. She had wanted to ask Kirk about this for a long time. Now, she had the chance to do so. A wave ofplicated emotions surged in Kirk¡¯s eyes, but he smiled even more at her words. ¡± How did you know I have the same name as him?¡± ¡°Eddy told me. I was shocked when I heard about it. It¡¯s such a coincidence.¡± Caroline said, ¡°So did he ask you to register his marriage on his behalf because you two have the same names?¡± Kirk smiled brightly and gently patted Caroline¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re right on the money, darling.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me such an important thing sooner?¡± +15 BOWES ¡°I don¡¯t find that important, though.¡± Kirk carried Caroline. ¡°I think there¡¯s something more important we can focus on ¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes widened when she realized what he meant. She wanted to stand up, but it was toote. Kirk tightly held her waist, pulling her into his arms without leaving any room for her to move. ¡°Kirk¡­¡± Caroline¡¯s voice immediately became soft and weak, which aroused Kirk¡¯s suppressed desires. ¡°Ms. Edith¡­¡± ¡°Ms. Edith has gone out. She won¡¯t be back for more than an hour.¡± ¡°Even so, we can¡¯t-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Kirk stroked Caroline¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure we finish before shees back.¡± Caroline was speechless at his words. Ultimately, Kirk fulfilled his promise and ended their love¨Cmaking before Edith returned. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. However, the charged atmosphere in the room remained, so when Edith came back, she looked at Caroline suspiciously. Caroline blushed at her gaze. She quickly made an excuse and went upstairs. After Caroline left, Edith walked to Kirk and whispered, ¡°Sir.¡± ¡°Did you find out why my wife didn¡¯te homest night?¡± ¡°Yes, the madam got into a minor car identst night. The culprit behind it was her cousin, La.¡± Kirk narrowed his eyes. ¡°Did she call the police?¡± ¡°She did. Unfortunately, the car ident happened in the surveince camera¡¯s blind spot, so the police didn¡¯t have proof.¡± ¡°Then, did you give this evidence to them?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir. I¡¯ve already given it to the police in charge of the case. I believe that the madam¡¯s cousin will be locked up in jail this time.¡± Chapter 667 Chapter 667 Chapter 667 After showering, Caroline picked up her phone and saw several missed calls. All of them were from Dan. She looked at her phone in suspicion. Dan hadn¡¯t contacted her for a long time. Thest time he had done so felt like a century ago. The moment Caroline put her phone down, the screen lit up again. Then, her finger slipped, and she pressed the answer button. She was about to hang up when she heard Dan¡¯s voice. ¡°Caroline, you truly know how to make a scene. You finally answered the phone after I called you so many times.¡± ¡°I can still change my mind about that. If you don¡¯t get to the point, I can hang up the phone any time,¡± Caroline said unkindly. Dan seemed really afraid that Caroline would hang up, so he quickly said, ¡°You need to go to the police station and bail La out.¡± They were nning to go all out to buy Collins Group, but they couldn¡¯t continue with their ns if La got arrested. What Dan hadn¡¯t expected was for Caroline to be the one behind her arrest. That made him deduce that Caroline got La arrested because she was already aware of their ns. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Caroline asked, ¡°La got arrested?¡± The police sure were efficient. She reminded herself to reward them for that. ¡°Okay, I know she got arrested because of you. I¡¯m warning you. If you don¡¯t bail her out, I¡¯ll make you lose everything!¡± Caroline almostughed at his words. She sat down and asked calmly, ¡°Tell me then. How are you going to make me lose everything?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Dan never expected his words toward La to be a liability for him. ¡°No matter what, she¡¯s still your family. How could you be so cruel as to send your rtives to prison? A girl like her can¡¯t survive in a ce like-¡± Caroline interrupted D¨¢n¡¯s rambling. ¡°Don¡¯t pull the rtive card on me. You don¡¯t have the right to do that. +15 BONUS ¡°Also, I¡¯m not going to bail her out. You should really find out what she did to me before asking me to save her.¡± She paused and continued, ¡°But I know you both too well. You¡¯ll still take her side, even if you know what she has done. ¡°Sometimes, I can¡¯t help but ask myself if I¡¯m really your daughter. It¡¯s funny how you treat La better than me.¡± Dan felt an ominous premonition. He stammered, ¡°W¨CWhat are you saying? W¨CWe didn¡¯t treat you too badly ¡­¡± Caroline didn¡¯t want to keep talking to him. The past didn¡¯t mean anything to her anymore. She simply wanted to embrace the happiness she felt in the present. So she immediately hung up the phone. Dan continued to ramble on about how well he had treated Caroline. But after getting no response, he realized Caroline had hung up without warning. He was so angry that he almost threw his phone on the ground. Seeing this, Sarah came over and asked, ¡°Hubby, did that bitch disagree with your request?¡± Dan took a shaky breath. Sarah suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we-¡± Chapter 668 Chapter 668 ¡°Shut up!¡± Dan interrupted Sarah before she could finish. He knew what she wanted to say. ¡°Can¡¯t you just wait a little longer? Once La takes over Collins Group, the Evans family will once again be part of the big four families. When the timees, we no longer have to sing to Caroline¡¯s tune.¡± Sarah asked, ¡°What about La?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll leave her be, but we can¡¯t let Eddy know about this. Eddy seems to be treating La a lot colder recently. At this point, we shouldn¡¯t cause any unnecessary trouble.¡± ¡°What if Eddy no longer wants to marry La?¡± Caroline had participated in Jude¡¯s funeral, but La hadn¡¯t even gotten an invite. Many people were already discussing Eddy and La¡¯s current rtionship after what had happened. Dan exined, ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I asked La to buy Collins Group. If she can do it, it means Eddy still has feelings for her. If not ¡­¡± Sarah looked at Dan nervously. Dan¡¯s eyes turned cold. He said, ¡°No, we¡¯ll start supporting Caroline again. So remember, we need to endure everything she says. ¡°Then, after our ns seed, we¡¯ll decide if we should announce the truth that Caroline isn¡¯t our real daughter.¡± Sarah said, ¡°¡­ Got it.¡± Meanwhile, Caroline had just hung up the phone when she saw Kirking upstairs. ¡°Are you going to rest?¡± Caroline asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve sent the application materials and endorsement to your email.¡± Kirk hugged Caroline. You should get some rest.¡± Caroline had been really sleepy these days, so she fell asleep shortly after lying on the bed. As Kirk watched her sleeping face, he hugged her in distress. Getting La locked up for more than ten days was too lenient of a punishment for her. +15 BONUS Kirk frowned at the thought. He wanted La to pay for hurting Caroline, even if he fell out with Eddy because of it. Caroline slept peacefully through the night, nestled in Kirk¡¯s arms. She didn¡¯t have any nightmares at all. When she woke up the next day, it was already 10:00 am. After looking at the time, Caroline sat up on the bed in shock. Kirk was talking to Edith downstairs. When he heard noises upstairs, he raised his head and asked, ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already sote. Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± Caroline hurried downstairs. ¡°I still have to go to work.¡± Kirk held her down and advised, ¡°Cheryl will be there handling things, so don¡¯t worry. You seem really tired, so you¡¯d better rest at home today.¡± Caroline struggled against Kirk¡¯s hold. He was right. She was tired since she hadn¡¯t rested well in the past few days. However ¡­ ¡°Is it really okay to acquire Collins Group?¡± Caroline was still thinking about this. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. She would be lying if she said the idea didn¡¯t tempt her, but she still couldn¡¯t believe Eddy¡¯s second uncle was willing to endorse them. If Caroline didn¡¯t manage things well, the bank could ask him to pay the liquidated damages. Knowing what Caroline was worried about, Kirk said with a smile, ¡°Remember. He almost caused us to get a divorce. So, he should be our guarantor for this.¡± Caroline chuckled. ¡°It sounds like you know him very well. But seriously, did he choose you to be an undercover agent at Morrison Corp? Did you resign because your mission is over?¡± Kirk gently tickled Caroline¡¯s nose. ¡°Did Gwen make you read another one of her strange stories?¡± ¡°No way. I thought of this myself.¡± The two were chatting when Edith walked over with the phone. ¡°Madam, Ms. Weiss is calling. She said she has something to ask you. Caroline took the phone. She asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mom?¡± On the phone, Marietta spoke in a tone different from the others. ¡°¡­ Carrie, I need your help with something. But if it will put you on the spot, you can refuse.¡± Chapter 669 Chapter 669 Chapter 669 ¡°What¡¯s going on, Mom?¡± Caroline asked, amused. ¡°I won¡¯t know whether to refuse or not if you don¡¯t tell me anything.¡± When Marietta heard her words, sheughed and wasn¡¯t as nervous as before. ¡°So here¡¯s the thing: my private detective can basically confirm that my daughter is Yvonne. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on these past few days, but she has been staying home.¡± She continued, ¡°So, the private detective can¡¯t get her DNA for a DNA test. I¡¯m getting anxious from waiting, so I want to ask if you have any way of getting to her.¡± ¡°Yvonne?¡± Caroline thought that her name sounded familiar. After thinking for a long time, she finally remembered. Yvonne was the girl who was engaged to Adrian. ¡°Oh, so she¡¯s your daughter!¡± Caroline said in surprise. Marietta asked, ¡°Do you know her?¡± ¡°You can say that. We simply have a mutual friend.¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Are you going to use her hair or saliva for a DNA test?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right! But since she¡¯s staying put at home, the private detective has a hard time getting it from her.¡± Caroline mused, ¡°I have an idea.¡± ¡°So soon? Tell me!¡± Marietta said excitedly,pletely losing her usual cold and stern attitude. ¡°It¡¯s simple. I¡¯ll just invite her out for some coffee. Then, I¡¯ll tell the waiters in advance to leave behind the cup Yvonne used.¡± Marietta immediately agreed to her idea. ¡°All right. That¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯ll leave it to you, Carrie.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Caroline said, ¡°I¡¯ll invite her immediately.¡± ¡°All right, good! You know me very well, Carrie. I¡¯ll make sure to thank you when I finally meet my daughter.¡± ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t have to say that. I¡¯m going to call her now.¡± After Caroline was done, she hung up the phone and called Yvonne. +15 BONUS It took Yvonne about three minutes to answer the phone, and her voice was frail, as if she had taken a shock. ¡°Ms. Yvonne? This is Caroline. Do you still remember me?¡± Yvonne said listlessly, ¡°Yeah¡­ What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Oh, here¡¯s the thing. Your brother helped me a few days ago, so I want to show him my appreciation. But I don¡¯t know what to give him as a gift. If you¡¯re free, can youe and help me look for options?¡± Yvonne said irritably, ¡°No, I¡¯m not! Can¡¯t you just ask him directly? How the hell would I know what he likes? Besides, men are just duplicitous creatures. ¡°They tell you we can be friends. But then, they¡¯ll text you the next day, saying we shouldn¡¯t contact each other.¡± She barked, ¡°What the hell? How can he change his mind after a good night¡¯s sleep? Is he worried the world will end if he bes friends with me?¡± Caroline listened to her rants silently and noticed the issue. ¡°Ms. Yvonne, did you have a breakup? Would you like me to lend you a listening ear?¡± she asked softly. Her voice had some allure that could grip people¡¯s hearts. Yvonne gradually became less irritable, and she hugged her knees. She said, ¡°He was the one who agreed to date me, but I don¡¯t know what the hell happened to him. He¡¯s been treating me colder ever since he went abroad. ¡°At first, I thought he just needed some time to get used to his life abroad. But a week ago, I went to Macldo to see him, and he told me never to see him again. ¡°He wanted to work hard and be the top businessman in Sarcozia to pursue the woman he loved. But what about me? Do I mean nothing to him?¡± Yvonne sobbed with a runny nose. Caroline silently listened to her rants, not giving any feedback. Chapter 670 Chapter 670 Chapter 670 Yvonne didn¡¯t need Caroline¡¯s opinion either and continued venting her repressed frustrations. ¡°I like him. I really do. I¡¯ve been secretly in love with him since we were kids. Although everyone said he was an illegitimate child and wouldn¡¯t be useful to the family, I couldn¡¯t stop myself from falling in love with him.¡± Yvonne cont¨ªnued, ¡°When he agreed to be set up with me, I thought he liked me too. But it turns out he already likes someone else.¡± Caroline remained silent until Yvonne was done ranting. Then, she said, ¡°You should get a good night¡¯s sleep. Perhaps then you won¡¯t feel so awful when you wake up the next day.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Yvonne murmured. Caroline kept the call on until she heard the sound of snoring. After that, she ended the call. ¡°Why did your call take so long?¡± Kirk had gone to work upstairs so as not to disturb Caroline. But he hadn¡¯t expected more than an hour to pass by before Caroline hung up the phone. ¡°She just had a breakup, so she needed to vent her feelings.¡± Caroline felt distressed after listening to Yvonne¡¯s heartbreaking rant. She felt sorry for everyone who suffered from their romantic rtionships. She and Kirk were really lucky to havee this far, but she didn¡¯t know how long their luck wouldst. She no longer had nightmares. However, whenever she felt any hint of happiness, she would hear a sharp voice saying, ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re absolutely heartless!¡± ¡°Darling ¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Caroline returned to her senses. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kirk followed Caroline¡¯s line of sight and looked over. Then, he stepped forward to block Caroline¡¯s line of sight and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we move back to the apartment for a while?¡± ¡°Why do you want to move back? We¡¯re doing fine here.¡± Kirk answered, ¡°A small home is cozier ¡­¡± +15 BONUS He wrapped an arm around Caroline¡¯s waist. ¡°We should live there again, darling. I want to have more privacy with you.¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Sure.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. She knew very well why Kirk suggested moving away. Jude had died here, and he feared staying here would trigger her. The next day, Caroline and Kirk had just moved back to their apartment when Caroline got a call from Yvonne. Yvonne was in a much better mood than yesterday. She apologized, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about yesterday, Caroline. I ¡­ How about this? ¡°You wanted to buy my brother a gift, right? I¡¯ll take you out to buy one and treat you to a meal as an apology.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really okay. Everyone has their bad days.¡± ¡°No, I have to treat you to a meal,¡± Yvonne insisted. Seeing that her goal had been achieved, Caroline didn¡¯t refuse anymore. After deciding on a time and ce with Yvonne, she told Marietta what had happened. On the phone, Marietta was very grateful to Caroline. ¡°Thank goodness you took action, Carrie. Otherwise, I would never be able to get the DNA test done.¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re wee, Mom. It¡¯s what I should do. I¡¯ve been looking forward to you meeting your daughter.¡± Caroline was telling the truth. She would no longer have Marietta¡¯s love for herself. But she hoped that Marietta could find her daughter more than anyone else. After all, she knew how hard it was not to have the love of a parent. Chapter 671 Chapter 671 Chapter 671 In the Hackett family¡¯s home, Yvonne saw Asher and Aurora bickering in the living room when This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. she went downstairs. Then, Asher and Aurora broke apart and looked in Yvonne¡¯s direction. When they saw Yvonne up and about, Asher stood up and said, ¡°Yvonne, you¡¯re finally out. Do you want to eat anything? I¡¯ll take you out for a meal.¡± Yvonne refused, saying, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m hanging out with someone.¡± She didn¡¯t even look at Aurora at all. The rumors were true. She was at odds with Aurora. Her reasons for her enmity were simple. Aurora used to like Adrian just like her, but then, for some reason, she had started to mingle with her brother instead. Aurora kept saying that she loved Asher, but she simply loved his wealth. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t still have Adrian¡¯s college graduation photo in her pocket. ¡°Who are you having lunch with?¡± Asher asked with concern. Aurora asked with feigned concern, ¡°Yvonne, do you want your brother to give you a ride?¡± ¡°No.¡± Yvonne grimaced at her words. She didn¡¯t have the energy to fake pleasantries with Aurora. I¡¯m going out with Caroline. I¡¯m almostte,¡± Upon hearing that Yvonne was going out with Caroline, Aurora hurriedly grabbed her arm.¡± Caroline? Are you two close? I never heard you mention this.¡± Yvonne couldn¡¯t tolerate Aurora¡¯s attitude anymore. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you? You¡¯re just my brother¡¯s girlfriend. Why do you care so much?¡± Aurora¡¯s expression shifted at her outburst. But she still held back her anger and said calmly.¡± Yvonne, I know you¡¯re in a bad mood, so I don¡¯t me you for your outburst. But I¡¯m worried about you going out alone. Why don¡¯t I go with you?¡± ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Yvonne spat. Then, she turned around and left. She really didn¡¯t want to talk to Aurora. Therefore, she simply looked out the window after getting -in the car. Aurora silently endured her anger to see Caroline. And so neither of them spoke as the car drove to their destination. Yvonne and Caroline had nned to meet at Meadowbrook Mall, and Caroline was already there when they arrived. Aurora¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw Caroline. She was determined to win her over, no matter what +15 BONUS Caroline was surprised to see Auroraing with Yvonne. She hadn¡¯t expected them to show up together. ¡°Ignore her.¡± Yvonne grabbed Caroline¡¯s hand and walked to the mall. Caroline blinked at her words, not knowing what to say. However, Aurora had already put on her mask and hat and followed Caroline. ¡°We meet again, Caroline!¡± Caroline nodded at her words, and then Yvonne dragged her into a store that sold men¡¯s ties. The ties in this store were all handmade and designed by top designers. ¡°Hello, Ms. Yvonne.¡± The saleswoman immediately recognized Yvonne and Aurora. She was secretly surprised to see them together, but her expression remained neutral. She said, ¡°Hello, Ms. Jenner, a new batch of ties has arrived recently. You can take a look around.¡± However, the saleswomanpletely ignored Caroline. ¡°Bring out your most expensive ties. Then, Aurora said boldly to Yvonne and Caroline, ¡°Buy whatever you want. It¡¯s my treat.¡± Chapter 672 Chapter 672 Chapter 672 The saleswoman was very happy to hear Aurora¡¯s words ¡°Okay, Ms. Jenner. Please wait a moment With that said, the saleswoman took out several types of ties and ced them in front of Aurora.¡± Here you go, Ms. Jenner. Go ahead and pick whatever you like, and I¡¯ll wrap them up for you. Aurora ignored the saleswoman and asked Caroline, ¡°Do you see anything you like, Caroline?¡± The saleswoman then turned her attention to Caroline. She inwardly mumbled, ¡°Who is this?¡± She thought Caroline¡¯s name sounded familiar, but after looking at her face, she couldn¡¯t remember which family she was from. Caroline was confused. What the hell were those two doing? ¡°Um.¡± Caroline said hesitantly, ¡°I appreciate your kindness, but I¡¯d rather buy this gift myself¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No!¡± Yvonne and Aurora said in unison, ¡°Caroline, you must choose someone to pay for you.¡± Caroline held her head. This was her first time seeing people fighting to pay for her expenses. Perhaps this was also the saleswoman¡¯s first time seeing a situation like this. She stood there dumbfounded, not knowing what to say. Caroline advised, ¡°Both of you should calm down¡± ¡°We¡¯re very calm They said in unison again, ¡°Caroline, you must choose someone to pay for you Caroline wanted to yell at them for being senseless and immature But then, she remembered her purpose foring here, so she could only say, ¡°Okay Why don¡¯t you pay for me, Ms. Yvonne In Caroline¡¯s opinion, it didn¡¯t matter if she upset Aurora, but upsetting Yvonne would do more harm than good. Sure enough, Aurora¡¯s expression shifted at Caroline¡¯s answer ¡°Caroline, are you sure you want to choose her?¡± Caroline massaged her temples. ¡°I¡¯m sure ¡°In fact, she didn¡¯t have much of a choice. Yvonne caid victoriously, ¡°Hear that? Caroline picked me! You lost!¡± Aurora dug her nails into het palms and held in anger before she spat, ¡°Yes, you won Upon hearing Aurora¡¯s words, Yvonne looked at her in astonishment She didn¡¯t expect her to give up so easily After picking a tie, Caroline wanted to treat Yvonne to a meal andplete the task Marietta had +15 BONUS However, as soon as they left the store, Aurora suggested, ¡°Caroline, I¡¯m a VIP of a store here that sells customized grand dresses. Since we¡¯re both free today, why don¡¯t we have a look?¡± Caroline declined, ¡°No, thank you.¡± Aurora continued, ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s look at other things. I¡¯ll buy whatever you like.¡± Caroline was bbergasted. Aurora was always aloof to others and never tried to please them, but now she was all but trying to curry favor with her. Even Yvonne noticed her intentions. She said, ¡°Haha, be careful, Caroline. Some people may be treating you nicely, but they clearly have bad intentions.¡± Caroline said with a smile, ¡°Thank you for your offer, Ms. Jenner. But Ms. Yvonne and I have to go for a meal now, so I won¡¯t continue shopping with you.¡± When Aurora saw Caroline and Yvonne turn and leave, her anger reached a boiling point. She walked up to Caroline and yelled, ¡°Caroline!¡± Caroline stopped walking and looked at the furious Aurora. Aurora clenched her fists, desperately trying to suppress her anger. She said, ¡°I genuinely want to be friends with you. So why are you against that idea? Not everyone has the privilege to be my friend, you know.¡± Caroline remained silent. Chapter 673 Chapter 673 Chapter 673 Now that they had reached this point, Caroline didn¡¯t want to entangle herself with Aurora any longer. ¡°I¡¯m not going to find out why you¡¯re trying to befriend me. But as for whether we can be friends, I¡¯m going to give you my answer¨Cnot a chance in hell!¡± Aurora¡¯s expression darkened at her words. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re saying? Many people want to be my friends, but they never get the chance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s their problem, but I really don¡¯t want to be friends with you,¡± Caroline said. Then, she told Yvonne, who was enjoying the show, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Yvonne proudly held Caroline¡¯s arm, turning back to look at Aurora with a smug grin. She felt so happy. Meanwhile, Aurora was already so angry that her expression was dark. After leaving the mall, Yvonne said eagerly, ¡°Good job for saying that, Caroline! Aurora is just one of those people who think the world revolves around them!¡± Caroline simply smiled at her words. She wasn¡¯t interested in their grudge. She said, ¡°I already booked a table at the restaurant. Let¡¯s go there now.¡± ¡°All right!¡± Yvonne was very excited. This was the first time she had seen Aurora get defeated in public. She would eat her fill as a celebration. After arriving at the restaurant, Caroline took the chance to go to the bathroom to call Marietta. Hey, Mom, we¡¯re already at the restaurant.¡± ¡°Okay, my people are already there. Just enjoy your meal as usual and leave.¡± Caroline hummed in assent and hung up. After taking a few steps, she saw the phone screen light. up again. She looked at the caller ID. It was an unknown number, and it was from abroad. She answered the C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org call hesitantly, but there was only silence on the other end.. ¡°Hello?¡± Caroline spoke up. However, she still didn¡¯t hear a response. ¡°I¡¯m going to hang up if you¡¯re not saying anything,¡± she said, about to hang up the phone. Finally, a clear voice came from the phone¡¯s receiver. ¡°It¡¯s me, Caroline.¡± Caroline immediately recognized Adrian¡¯s voice, and she was a little surprised. ¡°Is that you, Adrian?¡± ¡°Yeah. Adrian¡¯s tense body rxed at her voice. +15 BONUS ¡°It¡¯s been a while. How are you doing in Easton?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing fine.¡± Caroline looked at the time. She asked, ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m also doing fine.¡± After saying this, Adrian didn¡¯t know what else to say. After he had arrived in Macldo, he had put all his time and energy into work to stop himself from thinking about Caroline. Today, he had finally won a project worth more than a billion dors. Although the project might not be as remarkable as the Sorkins¡® other projects, it was theirrgest project abroad at present. So he had drunk a little more than usual at the celebration party. After drinking too much, he had identally dialed Caroline¡¯s number. When he heard Caroline¡¯s voice, he felt his heart open like Pandora¡¯s box. His emotions surged, the strongest of which was his longing for her. He wanted to get a ne ticket and return to Easton, but he couldn¡¯t. He needed to be capable enough so he could have the courage to see Caroline and say those three words out loud. After not hearing anything from Adrian, Caroline nced toward the private room. She said, ¡°Um, I have an appointment with someone. So I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡± Chapter 674 Chapter 674 Adrian was reluctant to end the call, but he said, ¡°All right. I¡¯ll hang up for now.¡± Caroline hummed in assent before walking to the private room. After entering the private room, she put her phone on the table as the screen went off. However, the eagle¨Ceyed Yvonne caught sight of the name on the phone. Adrian Sorkin. She remembered her first blind date with Adrian, and her gaze became a little cold. ¡°Do you and Adrian still keep in touch?¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°Yeah, we do. But we don¡¯t do it much.¡± ¡°Does he usually contact you first, or do you contact him first?¡± Caroline put down her spoon and said, ¡°Well, I never kept track of that. What¡¯s wrong? Why are you bringing this up?¡± Yvonne smiled. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± She had realized that she was the one who always took the initiative to contact Adrian, but Adrian had never done so for her. In the past, she had thought Adrian didn¡¯t like reaching out to people. But now, it seemed that he simply didn¡¯t like her. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Adrian seems to treat you very well¡­¡± Yvonne said, feigning a casual tone. Caroline paused slightly at her words. ¡°He treats me fine. We are friends, after all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid he doesn¡¯t think so.¡± Caroline wiped her hands calmly. ¡°I may not be able to control other people¡¯s thoughts, but I can keep myself in check. I¡¯m already married, and I love my husband very much. I won¡¯t cheat on him.¡± Yvonne rested her chin on her hand, smiling half¨Cheartedly at her words. It was a pity Adrian didn¡¯t think so. She gripped her spoon and looked at Caroline with some resentment. However, Caroline didn¡¯t notice it and continued to eat. After the meal, Caroline and Yvonne parted ways at the entrance. Caroline drove around the restaurant before stopping in front of the entrance again. She got out of the car and returned to the restaurant. The restaurant¡¯s manager was already waiting at the entrance. He handed a packaged cup to Caroline. ¡°Ms Evans, here¡¯s the cup Ms. Yvonne had used earlier.¡± +15 BONUS Caroline took it over. ¡°Thank you.¡± The manager wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, ¡°Oh, no need to thank me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± ¡°All right. Take care!¡± The manager personally escorted Caroline out. It wasn¡¯t until Caroline drove away that the manager dropped his smile. He shouted toward the kitchen, ¡°Come here, you!¡± A waiter walked up to the manager fearfully. He stammered, ¡°S¨CSir, I didn¡¯t mix up the cups on purpose. I was already clearing the dishes when you told me about this.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t call you over to talk about that.¡± The manager ordered, ¡°I¡¯m warning you. Nothing unusual happened just now, got it? You can¡¯t tell anyone you mixed up the cups, even if they try to kill you. ¡°If anyone asks, you must tell them that Ms. Yvonne used that cup. Got it?¡± 1 The waiter nodded his head profusely at the manager¡¯s order. After Caroline left the restaurant, she went straight to the hospital Marietta was in. The doctor was already prepared for the DNA test when she arrived. Caroline handed the cup over to the doctor with white gloves. Then, the doctor entered the Seeing this, Caroline walked to her side and held her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll do their job well.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Marietta couldn¡¯t help but look over at theboratory. Fortunately, they didn¡¯t have to wait too long. About five minutester, the doctor walked out and took off his mask. He said to Marietta happily, ¡°Congrattions, Ms. Weiss! Ms. Yvonne is indeed your daughter!¡± Chapter 675 Chapter 675 After waiting for more than a decade, Marietta had finally heard the news she wanted to hear most. She froze on the spot, unable to speak. After a long while, she turned around and said to Caroline in disbelief, ¡°Carrie, I¡¯m not dreaming, am I? I really found my daughter, right?¡± ¡°Mom, this is really happening.¡± Caroline said happily, ¡°You found your daughter!¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°I¡­¡± Marietta burst into tears and hugged Caroline ¡°Thank you so much, Carrie! If it hadn¡¯t been for you, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to confirm it so soon.¡± Caroline patted Marietta on the shoulder. She waited until Marietta had calmed down before saying, ¡°What are you going to do next, Mom? Are you going to tell her the truth?¡± Marietta hesitated. ¡°Carrie, have you known Yvonne for long? What kind of person do you think she is? Will she ept the truth if I go to the Hacketts¡® home and tell her right now?¡± Marietta had asked so many questions in session that Caroline didn¡¯t know how to answer them. ¡°Mom, you shouldn¡¯t be impatient. You should think about this carefully and try to tell her the truth in a way that doesn¡¯t hurt her.¡± Marietta nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be calm. I¡¯ll take my time.¡± Although she said so, she couldn¡¯t take her time at all. Yvonne was the daughter she hadn¡¯t seen for over a decade. Marietta felt a wave of pain in her chest at that thought. Caroline went home after sending Marietta back. After being up and about for an entire day, she was exhausted when she returned home. She was currently nestled in Kirk¡¯s arms, about to fall asleep. ¡°It¡¯s great that she found her daughter.¡± Caroline nuzzled into Kirk¡¯s chest, feeling an emptiness in her chest. She was happy for Marietta, but she felt sad when she thought she would soon lose her maternal love Marietta¡¯s love for her was unconditional and unrequited. Her selflessness made Caroline believe she could maybe be a good mother as well. Kirk hugged Caroline and softly caressed her waist with one hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, darling. I¡¯ll. always be by your side.¡± : Caroline closed her eyes and hummed softly at his words. The next moment, Kirk turned her over Caroline¡¯s sleepiness disappeared with his actions ¡°Kirk¡­¡± +15 BONUS Kirk¡¯s hands were already wandering around her body, and she could feel their heat. Her heart trembled at his touch, and her voice became soft. ¡°W¨CWait¡­¡± Kirk bit Caroline¡¯s lips. When his breath hit her red cheeks, her confusion turned into desire. They made love until midnight, and Caroline finally fell asleep, unable to stay awake anymore. Then, in theter hours of the night, Caroline felt a chill on her back. She opened her eyes in fright and saw Jude standing at the bedside. He stood so close that Caroline could see the hatred in his eyes. ¡°Oh, Carrie. I can¡¯t believe you. I loved you so much and treated you like my granddaughter. ¡°I even died for you, and this is how you repay me? You¡¯re acting so lovey¨Cdovey with your husband that you forgot about me.¡± ¡°G¨Cgrandpa, it¡¯s not like that¡­ Listen to me¡­¡± ¡°Shut it. I don¡¯t want to hear your excuses, Carrie. The facts are right before me. You¡¯re with your husband now. ¡°But have you ever thought about how I felt? Every day, I have to see you and your husband being affectionate from the afterlife. Carrie, I¡¯m so disappointed in you.¡± ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± ¡°Caroline, if you still have a heart, you should get together with Eddy. Otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to rest in peace.¡± As Jude spoke, he rolled his eyes behind his head, and his pupils fell to the ground. Caroline was so frightened by the sight that she sat up from the bed with a scream. Then, she realized she had had another nightmare. ¡°Darling¡­¡± Chapter 676 Chapter 676 Kirk also sat up and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Caroline quickly hugged him, his warmth raising her body temperature. However, she still couldn¡¯t stop her arms from trembling. Kirk reached out and softly rubbed Caroline¡¯s arms. Then, the tremors in her body slowly faded away. ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡± Kirk hugged Caroline tightly, distress filling his gaze. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Caroline shook her head. She didn¡¯t dare tell Kirk what nightmare she¡¯d had. If he learned about it, he would definitely be worried. ¡°Darling.¡± Kirk slowly let go of Caroline. He looked into her eyes and asked again, ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not a nightmare?¡± ¡°No,¡± Caroline denied. ¡°It¡¯s probably just a bit of hysteria. I¡¯m fine. You should go back to sleep.¡± Kirk looked at her silently for a moment before patting her head. ¡°Okay, you too.¡± However, Caroline didn¡¯t fall asleep after lying down on the bed. Whenever she closed her eyes, she could see Jude in front of the bed, looking at her. Kirk didn¡¯t sleep tonight, either. However, neither of them said anything. When dawn arrived, Caroline found an excuse to leave the house. Then, Kirk got up and called Sean. ¡°Where¡¯s Michael?¡± Michael Caldwell was the chief physician of the psychiatric medical team that Sean had invited. They had talked about Caroline¡¯s situation on the phone. Yet Michael believed that Caroline didn¡¯t need the help of a medical team at the moment, and it was best if she could get over the trauma of Jude¡¯s death alone. But under the current circumstances, Kirk didn¡¯t believe Caroline could do it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sean asked, ¡°Did something happen with Caroline?¡± ¡°Just give me his address!¡± Kirk gritted his teeth. Sean had no choice but to give Michael¡¯s address to Kirk. After hanging up the phone, he pondered for a moment. Then, he put away his phone and headed to the hotel where Michael was staying. So Sean and Kirk met downstairs in the hotel. Sean hurriedly followed Kirk and asked, ¡°What on earth happened? Why are you in such a hurry to see Michael?¡± +15 BONUS Kirk said nothing in response. The two quickly reached the floor where Michael¡¯s room was Soon, Sean knocked on Michael¡¯s door Michael was currently in a meeting with his colleagues. When he saw Kirk waiting at his door, he was startled Then, he apologized, ¡°Sorry, Mr Kirk I¡¯m in a meeting Can we talkter? Kirk had already entered his room and looked into theptop¡¯s camera. He dered. The meeting is over.¡± After saying that, he turned off theptop Michael looked at Sean uneasily Sean reassured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Kirk invested in this psychological organization. They won¡¯t hold anything against you Only then did Michael rx. He asked, ¡°Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Kirk? ¡°My wife had a nightmarest night Kirk looked at Michael coldly. He asked, ¡°Do you have any other way other than letting her recover on her own?¡± ¡°Of course I do But Michael smiled faintly ¡°It¡¯s normal for her to have nightmares. Usually, when someone encounters-¡± ¡°I hired you to save her from her pain, not to let her feel more of it.¡± Kirk looked at Michael sharply, like a de piercing his chest. The look had Michael imagining that Kirk was going to tear him apart Chapter 677 Chapter 677 Chapter 677 ¡°Mr. Kirk, in your wife¡¯s situation, letting her process her trauma on her own is the best option at the moment. She may suffer even more pain if you insist on using drugs or other treatment.¡± Hearing this, Sean patted Kirk on the shoulder. ¡°Kirk, we know you want Caroline to get over her trauma from Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s death. ¡°But Michael is the best psychiatrist around, and he¡¯s the best at handling PTSD cases. ¡°It¡¯s best for Caroline to recover from this naturally. Without using drugs, she won¡¯t suffer physically along with her emotional pain.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org He paused, then continued, ¡°Kirk, I know you don¡¯t want to see her suffer, but only she can ovee this obstacle. ¡°Even if she undergoes therapy or uses medication, you¡¯ll still have to see her suffer. And she¡¯ll suffer even more than now.¡± Kirk raised his fist and banged it on the table. The table shook so much that the ss of water overflowed from the force. Michael was so frightened that he couldn¡¯t say anything and looked at Sean in horror. Sean nodded at him and motioned for him to leave the room. Michael didn¡¯t dare to disobey and left the room cautiously. After the door closed, Sean walked behind Kirk and said, ¡°Kirk, I understand how you feel, but I still want to say something. ¡°Staying rational is the best help for Caroline at the moment. Stay here and cool your head. I¡¯ll take Michael out for a meal.¡± After saying that, Sean opened the door and left the room. The room instantly became quiet. Kirk was the only one left. He raised his head and stared at the wall with red eyes. Jude had been really cunning. He had left such a big surprise before he had died. Even in death, he was determined to make Caroline marry Eddy and be a part of the Morrison family. Since that was the case, Kirk didn¡¯t have to worry about the Morrisons anymore. After taking over Collins Group, he would use their resources to take over Morrison Corp. Meanwhile, Caroline, who hadn¡¯t returned to Evans Group for a long time, finally showed up at work again. The employees immediately stood up and weed her back. +15 BONUS Cheryl whispered to Caroline, ¡°You have no idea how crazy things were, Caroline. When you were away, everyone kept asking me when you would be back. ¡°The head of the design department even asked when you would make your return and design some new clothes as a bonus.¡± Caroline said, ¡°I¡¯ll see when I¡¯m free.¡± She had been busy writing her script, so she hadn¡¯t had much time to design any clothes. Cheryl was about to keep talking about thepany¡¯s situation when an employee came in. ¡°Ms. Evans, Mr. Eddy is here. He said he wants to see you.¡± Caroline frowned. ¡°Eddy¡¯s here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Caroline thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Let him in, then.¡± The employee left, and soon he escorted Eddy in. Cheryl tactfully left them alone. In the office, Eddy and Caroline sat across from each other. Both of them were silent. After a moment, Eddy finally said, ¡°I already know that La caused your car ident.¡± Caroline looked at Eddy, saying coldly, ¡°If you¡¯re asking me to bail her out too, you¡¯d better not waste your breath.¡± Eddy said, ¡°I¡¯m not here to persuade you. I¡¯m here to apologize on La¡¯s behalf.¡± His words stunned Caroline for a moment. But then, she sneered, ¡°Who are you? Her dad? Why do you want to apologize for her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my savior. Without her, I wouldn¡¯t be here right now.¡± Eddy said calmly, ¡°Although you¡¯ve forgotten what had happened, I remember it clearly.¡± Chapter 678 Chapter 678 Caroline frowned at Eddy¡¯s words. He was insane. The fact that La was his savior didn¡¯t have anything to do with whether she remembered the past. ¡°So is that why you¡¯ll indulge her unconditionally, even if she almost killed me? You did that just because she had saved you once?¡± Eddy looked at Caroline questioningly. ¡°Do you really not remember what happened when we were children?¡± Caroline asked, ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about the time when we were kidnapped.¡± Then, Eddy recounted precisely what had happened more than a decade ago. After speaking, he looked at Caroline expectantly, hoping to see some changes in her expression. However, his expectations were dashed. Caroline shook her head. ¡°I have zero recollection of that incident.¡± ¡°You must have shut those memories away. Grandpa said that you went abroad after that incident. Several vague fragments of her memories crossed Caroline¡¯s mind. She tried to focus on them, but she couldn¡¯t recall anything. ¡°But I remember leaving the country because of you.¡± At that time, Sarah had constantly nagged her about how she had to be a bride suited for Eddy. So she¡¯d had to leave the country to get a better education and be a better daughter¨Cinw for the Morrisons. ¡°Did you remember it wrongly?¡± Eddy was silent for a moment. Then, a look of realization appeared on his face. ¡°It¡¯s not that you forgot about the incident or shut those memories away. Instead, someone must have tampered with your memory. ¡°You went abroad because of the kidnapping incident. Grandpa said you needed psychological support.¡± ¡°Psychological support?¡± Some more memories crossed Caroline¡¯s mind, but they were clear as day this time. She had been around six years old back then. One day, Sarah had taken her to a doctor, and Caroline had even pronounced the word ¡°psychiatrist¡± perfectly. +15 BONUS Sarah had praised her intelligence. She had been really gentle back then,pletely different from how she was now. Caroline pulled away from her thoughts and raised her head. She asked, ¡°Can you tell me what happened again?¡± She didn¡¯t believe that memories could go missing out of the blue. There had to be a reason for C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org this. Eddy was about to start talking, but Caroline stopped him. ¡°Hang on, let me use a voice recorder.¡± He waited for Caroline to turn on the voice recorder before recounting what had happened more than a decade ago. By the time he was done, it had been over an hour. He had added many details to jog Caroline¡¯s memory. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to this story again after I get home. I¡¯ll see if I can get back the memories I¡¯ve lost. ¡°It was clear that Caroline was done with this conversation. Eddy frowned, feeling as if she were throwing him away after using him. But Caroline had already lowered her head and started to work. Eddy stood up in resignation. But after taking a few steps, he remembered the actual reason he had visited Caroline. He turned around and asked, ¡°Caroline, do you know that Collins Group is about to be auctioned?¡± Caroline looked up at Eddy silently, waiting for him to continue. However, Eddy couldn¡¯t say what he truly felt. He said in a roundabout way, ¡°Whoever gets Collins Group will also be able to join the big four families. Caroline blinked at his words. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Eddy looked into Caroline¡¯s eyes. After some hesitation, he asked helplessly, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to take over Collins Group?¡± Chapter 679 Chapter 679 Caroline couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter when she saw Eddy¡¯s unflinching expression. ¡°Eddy, are you trying to figure out my intentions about Collins Group?¡± Caroline asked. There was no need for Eddy to beat around the bush about this. They weren¡¯t talking about business secrets. She sat up and said, ¡°I do have some thoughts about buying it.¡± Joy appeared on Eddy¡¯s face at her words. ¡°Then, you must need someone to endorse you, right?¡± He wanted to say that he could help her. However, he ended up changing his words. Caroline looked at Eddy strangely. ¡°Of course. If I want to buy Collins Group, I¡¯ll definitely need funds from the bank. Hang on. What on earth are you trying to say?¡± Eddy stammered, ¡°I¨CI just wanted to remind you. Since you already know what to do, I have nothing else to say.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t say anything in response. After Eddy left, Caroline began to deal with some trivial matters in thepany. As for the issue of buying out the Collins Group, she couldn¡¯t say that she didn¡¯t care, but she didn¡¯t pay special attention to it either. The issue of whether she could get Collins Group wasn¡¯t important to her right now. Moreover, she actually couldn¡¯t guarantee she could do so. Although Kirk said that Eddy¡¯s second uncle was willing to endorse them, Caroline wasn¡¯t ready to take over argepany. Besides, she would rather write her script than manage apany right now. Since she had been inspired by Marietta, she¡¯d had endless ideas of what to write. In the past few days, she had already written about ten thousand words. If Marietta hadn¡¯t been busy figuring things out about Yvonne at the moment, Caroline would have gone to talk to her about the plot. She let out a sigh. She wondered how Marietta was doing. Later, Caroline waited until everyone had gotten off work before she left. As she got out of her office, Caroline noticed that Cheryl had yet to go. ¡°Cheryl, it¡¯s sote. What are you still doing here?¡± Cheryl raised her head. ¡°I still have some work to do. I¡¯ll get off work soon.¡± As Caroline watched Cheryl busy at her desk, she realized how much thetter had grown while +15 BONUS ¡°Cheryl..¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Caroline?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve grown so much.¡± Cheryl¡¯s eyes widened slightly at her words, and she said with a smile, ¡°Really? Caroline, your praise is the greatest affirmation I could get! I¡¯ll definitely keep working hard.¡± ¡°But make sure not to work too hard. You need to take care of your health, too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be alone at home anyway. At least I have work to keep mypany here, so I won¡¯t be so lonely.¡± Caroline thought of Jack and pursed her lips slightly. But she simply said, ¡°If you ever feel lonely, you can always visit me.¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± Cheryl waved her hand. I don¡¯t want to be a third wheel.¡± ¡°Come on, a third wheel?¡± Caroline chuckled. Then, she thought of something and asked, ¡°By the way, Cheryl, where is your family? I never hear you mention them.¡± Cheryl lowered her eyes, and after a long while, she said bitterly, ¡°My parents died long ago. I don¡¯t have rtives anymore.¡± Caroline apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Cheryl smiled slightly. ¡°It¡¯s been years since then. I¡¯ve already moved on.¡± Caroline hugged Cheryl. A few minutester, she let go of her and patted her shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go home. You can leave the rest of the work for tomorrow. You can¡¯t do everything in a day.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cheryl nodded. She packed her things and followed Caroline downstairs. Caroline had driven herself to work today. Hence, she headed to the underground parking lot. She hadn¡¯t expected to see Jack in the parking lot. Moreover, he was obviously waiting for her, She was speechless at the sight. Chapter 680 Chapter 680 Chapter 680 This was too much of a coincidence. Caroline looked at Cheryl awkwardly. The moment Cheryl saw Jack, she felt the muscles on her face stiffen slightly. Caroline started, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Chery, I-¡± Cheryl interrupted, ¡°Caroline, your husband must have asked Jack to pick you up. I told you I would just be a third wheel if I go home with you.¡± Jack had already gotten out of the car. ¡°Hello, Ms. Evans, Cheryl.. Cheryl greeted Jack calmly, ¡°Hello, Jack.¡± Jack¡¯s expression became even more unnatural as he said, ¡°I¡­ Mr. Kirk asked me toe and pick Ms. Evans up.¡± Cheryl said with a smile, ¡°See, Caroline? I knew I was right. I won¡¯t keep you here any longer. I¡¯ll be heading home.¡± Caroline wanted to ask Cheryl to join her, but she was worried that Jack and Cheryl couldn¡¯t handle being in the same ce. In the end, Jack stopped Cheryl. ¡°Let me take your home as well, Cheryl.¡± Caroline looked at Cheryl. Cheryl obviously hesitated. She stood there without moving, and after a moment, she said, ¡°All right. Thank you, Jack.¡± Then, the three of them got into the car together. In the car, Caroline tried to mediate their rtionship. Unfortunately, both Jack and Cheryl were enigmas, and neither of them spoke. Having no other choice, Caroline shifted the topic to Cheryl¡¯s interests. ¡°Cheryl, has there been any news in the entertainment industry recently?¡± Cheryl finally opened up since the conversation was about something she was familiar with.¡± Nothing much. But I do have some big news for you, Caroline.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Caroline looked surprised. Cheryl said, ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t have heard about this. People are saying online that Mr. Eddy is interested in acquiring Collins Group.¡± ¡°He is?¡± +15 BONUS ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°But what does this have to do with me?¡± Caroline was still confused. ¡°Just hear me out. Theizens now think Mr. Eddy is acquiring Collins Group to please La. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s funny?¡± Eddy didn¡¯t grow his money on trees. So there was no reason he would buy Collins Group just to please La. Cheryl thought that only TV dramas had CEOS pampering their lovers. She felt this was impossible in real life, especially after taking charge of thepany. It could be possible if the buyer was a hundred times richer than Collins Group. However, Collins Group was part of one of the big four families¡® properties. No matter how powerful Morrison Corp was, their wealth couldn¡¯t exceed that of Collins Group. Carol¨ªne remembered Eddy saying that La was his savior. She couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°I think it¡¯s possible.¡± Otherwise, Eddy wouldn¡¯t have been so hesitant when he hade to see her today. Had he found out about his second uncle¡¯s endorsement ande to test her? At the thought of this, Caroline couldn¡¯t help but scoff internally. She knew that Eddy wouldn¡¯t This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. have just apologized to her for no reason. Cheryl said, ¡°No way. Mr. Eddy doesn¡¯t seem to be the type to be blinded by love.¡± Caroline was about to answer when she heard Jack¡¯s voice, ¡°We¡¯re here, Ms. Evans.¡± Then, Caroline nced outside and saw that she had arrived home. She looked at Cheryl uneasily. Cheryl could tell what she was thinking. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Caroline,¡± she whispered. She had already prepared herself to be alone with Jack. As it happened, she had something to tell Jack as well. Chapter 681 Chapter 681 Chapter 681 Silence filled the air again after Caroline left. ¡°Chery-¡± Jack started. ¡°Stop. You listen to me first.¡± Cheryl straightened her back. ¡°I was wrongst time. I shouldn¡¯t have gotten mad at you.¡± ¡°You were being kind by introducing me to someone else.¡± She continued, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Jack suddenly found himself at a loss for words. The two of them sat quietly in the car after that. Sometimeter, Cheryl broke the silence and asked, ¡°What were you going to tell me just now?¡± Jack was about to say something but thought better of it. He shook his head and told her, ¡°It¡¯s C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org nothing. I have nothing to say.¡± The words that were on the tip of his tongue just now disappeared. ¡°Can we still be friends?¡± Chery asked. Staring into her smiling eyes, Jack found himself sympathizing with her. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Cheryl said. ¡°So, we¡¯ll just pretend like nothing happened then?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± ¡°Well then,¡± said Cheryl, her tone sounding much more cheerful than before. ¡°Let¡¯s go ¡± Jack turned to look back at the road ahead. His grip on the steering wheel tightened with the mixed feelings he had. Cheryl rxed in the backseat, her fists no longer clenched. She looked out the window and felt proud of herself for having done it. Although Jack and her couldn¡¯t be together, they could still be friends at least. This was the best oue she could have hoped for. They made their way through the traffic, the light illuminating their faces in the night. Their minds were upied. Even when she arrived home, Caroline couldn¡¯t stop worrying about Cheryl. So she sent Cheryl a message. Caroline entered the house after sending the message. The sight of the house shocked her to her core. She had doubts if she had stepped foot into the wrong house. The interior of the house was transformed. The previously minimalistic look was reced by one of warmth and coziness. There was even a mini garden on the balcony. +15 BONUS The house didn¡¯t seem like a mere ce to stay anymore, but a ce for one to rest and rx. ¡°Did you do this?¡± Caroline asked, surprised. Kirk took her hand in his and led into the center of the space. ¡°What do you think? Do you like it?¡± Looking around, Caroline felt her heart be at ease. ¡°Yes. Were you at home all day just to do all this?¡± Kirk nodded. The weight on his heart lifted when he saw her smile. ¡°I¡¯m d that you like it.¡± He led her to the balcony, where the pocket garden was. ¡°Take a look and see if you like any of the flowers here. If you don¡¯t like them, I can have someonee over and change them for you.¡± Caroline simply stared at him in silence until he pinched her nose teasingly. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°You sound like someone who¡¯s used to ordering people around,¡± she said. ¡°You were born to be a leader. If we¡¯re able to take down the Collins Group this time, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll manage thepany well.¡± Kirkughed at her words, his eyes still locked in hers. ¡°That¡¯s something I¡¯m notpletely sure of. One thing¡¯s certain, though.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Caroline asked curiously. ¡°I was born for you, and I exist for you.¡± Caroline¡¯s heart fluttered at his words, and her face flushed. Lowering her head in embarrassment, she mumbled, ¡°Stop it. All you do is sweet talk all the time.¡± Kirk ced her hand on his chest, next to his heart. ¡°Why don¡¯t you listen to what my heart is telling you then?¡± She could feel his heartbeat in her palm. It made her blush even more, and she started to pull her hand away from him. But he stopped her by pressing her hand firmly against his chest, leaving her speechless. Chapter 682 Chapter 682 ¡°Darling,¡± said Kirk as he leaned closer and whispered into her ear as if to seduce her. ¡°I can¡¯t live without you. So don¡¯t ever leave me, okay?¡± Caroline was rather speechless. ¡°When have I said that I¡¯m leaving you?¡± Kirk chuckled at her response. ¡°I know you won¡¯t leave me. I just wanted to tell you that I couldn¡¯t live without you,¡± he said as he pinched her earlobe, Caroline nced up at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She wondered why he was speaking as if she was leaving him soon. ¡°Nothing.¡± Kirk lowered his head and rested his forehead against hers. ¡°Are you hungry, darling?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Well, I am,¡± he said and proceeded to bite her earlobe yfully. ¡°I¡¯ll make you dinner once I¡¯ve eaten.¡± His words left Caroline speechless once again. At the Hacketts¡® residence, Marietta couldn¡¯t wait any longer. With the help of her assistant, she contacted Aiden Hackett and exined her call. His expression changed immediately when he heard what she said. ¡°Ms. Weiss, you¡¯re a globally renowned scriptwriter, no doubt. My family loves the stories you. write too, but I can¡¯t just let you fabricate about what goes on in my family. ¡°Yvonne is my daughter,¡± said Marietta. ¡°Take a look at this report if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± She handed the report that she just received two days ago over to him. Aiden didn¡¯t even spare it a single nce. ¡°Yvonne is my biological daughter. I¡¯m her father, so do you really think I¡¯d be oblivious to this?¡± Marietta had to admit that she also found it strange when the hired private detective told her about Yvonne. Yvonne¡¯s identity was pretty straightforward. She was known publicly as Aiden¡¯s daughter with his wife, and wasn¡¯t an illegitimate child. Aiden had children, so there was no reason for him to adopt one from an orphanage. Strangely, though, this happened. Marietta snapped back from her thoughts. She took out the copy of the adoption certificate that the private detective had given her. +15 BONUS ¡°Take a look at this,¡± she said. ¡°Your wife signed this back then.¡± Aiden picked up the certificate to see that his wife¡¯s signature was indeed on it. His expression changed instantly. He hesitated for awhile before asking a housemaid to send for his wife. Aiden¡¯s wife was a picture of grace and sophistication. After being briefed by Aiden, she picked up the certificate off the table to inspect it. ¡°Indeed, this handwriting looks very simr to mine,¡± she told them, her voice doubtful. ¡°But I¡¯ve never signed this. Perhaps there was a mistake.¡± Aiden said, ¡°Ms. Weiss, did you hear her? You must¡¯ve been mistaken.¡± Still, Marietta wasn¡¯t going to give in just like this. She and Yvonne had taken a maternity test, which confirmed their biological rtionship. There was no mistaking it. ¡°How about we let the truth speak for itself?¡± Marietta suggested. ¡°So that we can finally put this to rest.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Aiden asked. Have Yvonne and I take a maternity test,¡± she said. ¡°Your men will be responsible for it. What do you think? Aiden and his wife exchanged nces. His wife smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯ll agree to it if you insist. It¡¯ll save us from trouble in the future, anyway.¡± Aiden didn¡¯t object to the idea as his wife had agreed to it. He told his butler to send for Yvonne. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. The group headed to the Hackett¡¯s private hospital together. The Hackett family didn¡¯t own as many hospitals across the nation as the Morrisons. Still, it had quite its share of medical resources Hence, it wasn¡¯t a chore for them to order a maternity test. Soon after getting a call from the butler, Yvonne arrived at the hospital. Chapter 683 Chapter 683 Marietta felt a rush of emotions when she first saw Yvonne, but the feelings vanished rather quickly. She thought it was strange. She had anticipated more excitement when meeting her long. -lost daughter. But as Yvonne walked toward her¡­ Instead of sensing a familiar feeling with Yvonne, Marietta was growing increasingly resistant to the idea that she was her daughter. With a hand on her chest, Marietta told herself that she was feeling that way simply because she wasn¡¯tpletely certain if Yvonne was her daughter yet. ¡°Dad, Mom, why did you call me here?¡± Yvonne wasn¡¯t aware of Marietta. She was focused on reading thebel ¡°Laboratory¡± on the door behind her parents. ¡°Are you feeling sick?¡± Yvonne asked worriedly. ¡°No¡± Aiden patted her on the shoulder. He exined, ¡°Ms. Weiss here ims that you are her daughter. She wouldn¡¯t be convinced otherwise.¡± ¡°We wanted you to take a test.¡± He continued, ¡°Are you okay with this?¡± Only after hearing his words did Yvonne realize that Marietta was with them. She smiled brightly. After all, Marietta was a famous scriptwriter. ¡°Ms. Weiss, I¡¯m really not your daughter,¡± she responded. ¡°But if you insist on taking the test, I¡¯m fine with it.¡± Marietta smiled at Yvonne, who seemed like a dutiful daughter to Aiden and his wife. ¡°Thank you for your understanding. Let¡¯s begin, shall we?¡± Aiden stepped aside from the door of theboratory. ¡°Please,¡± he said. ¡°Hold on,¡± Marietta said abruptly. ¡°Yvonne and I have taken a test before, so it isn¡¯t necessary. How about you and your wife take the test, Mr. Hackett? We¡¯ll know for certain then. Aiden pondered it for a moment. What she said was reasonable, so he agreed, ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll head in first then. Please wait for us here.¡± ¡°Okay. Marietta took a step backward and felt her heart race at the uncertainty of it all. When she saw- how confident and determined the Hackett couple looked, a seed of doubt grew in her heart. She second¨C guessed herself, The present technology for DNA testing was highly developed. There should be no reason for anything to go wrong +15 BONUS Once in theboratory, Yvonne finally got the chance to ask her parents about the incident. ¡°Dad, Mom, when did Marietta and I take a DNA test? Why am I not aware of it?¡± Aiden and his wife nced at each other. Aiden said, ¡°She must¡¯ve gotten her hands on a hair sample of yours. Something like this is easy to aplish. All she had to do was hire a private detective.¡± ¡°Oh my! This is terrifying!¡± eximed Yvonne. ¡°Thank goodness I¡¯m not her daughter. It¡¯d be horrifying to have a mother like her.¡± Yvonne stuck her tongue out exaggeratingly. An amused Mrs. Hackett ruffled her hair in response. ¡°You¡¯re a naughty one, aren¡¯t you? Ms. Weiss¡® daughter went missing when she was very young.¡± ¡°Perhaps Ms. Weiss was desperate in her search that she came to us.¡± She added, ¡°We¡¯re your parents, so how could we not know that you¡¯re our biological daughter?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Yvonne chirped in agreement as she leaned against Mrs. Hackett¡¯s shoulder. Time passed as they chatted. Soon, the doctor was done taking their samples. ¡°Sir, you¡¯ll have to wait a while for the results,¡± the doctor informed them. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°Okay.¡± Aiden stood up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait outside.¡± The three of them left theboratory. Marietta saw them and approached with hasty footsteps. ¡°It¡¯ll take some time to get the results,¡± said Mrs. Hackett as she held Marietta¡¯s hand in hers. ¡°I understand how anxious you are in searching for your daughter, but Yvonne is ours. You might be disappointed.¡± Chapter 684 Chapter 684 Chapter 684 Marietta¡¯s daughter went missing when she was about five years old. The Hackett couple would know if their daughter was secretly reced with another. It would be impossible otherwise. The thought made Marietta panic. Aiden and his wife were certain that Yvonne was their biological daughter. If they weren¡¯t her biological parents, they wouldn¡¯t have gone through with the test Marietta questioned if her search efforts were in vain. Just then, the doctor exited theboratory, with a grim expression. ¡°Sir..¡± he said ¡°How is it?¡± Aiden smiled. ¡°Let Ms. Weiss have a look at the results.¡± The doctor wavered. Aiden noticed his hesitance and immediately sensed something amiss. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Eventually, the doctor told him, ¡°Sir, the results showed that Ms. Hackett isn¡¯t rted to you by blood¡± Everyone¡¯s expression changed when he finished speaking. ¡°N¨Cno way! I¡¯m daddy¡¯s daughter!¡± Yvonne sounded frantic. ¡°There must be something wrong with the report!¡± Aiden snatched the report from the doctor angrily. His face fell after he scanned through it. He turned to stare at his wife in disbelief. Mis. Hackett¡¯s clenched her hands. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, dear? Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± ¡°Yvonne¡¯s not our daughter,¡± Aiden said. Shocked, she staggered to the point of almost falling completely. ¡°T¨Cthat¡¯s impossible.¡± Marietta took the report from Aiden. She confirmed that Yvonne was not rted to the Hackett couple. Looking at the three devastated people before her, Marietta found herself at a loss for words. All she could do was stare in silence. ¡°No!¡± Yvonne screamed, her voice full of despair and frustration. ¡°You must¡¯ve colluded with the doctor to give us a false report. Dad, Mom, this can¡¯t fool you!¡± Marietta furrowed her brows +15 BONUS ¡°Get lost, you lunatic! Don¡¯t try to steal another¡¯s child if you can¡¯t find yours!¡± Yvonne hollered. You¡¯re no different than a human trafficker, Scram!¡± These words made Marietta¡¯s frown deepen. She understood that Yvonne was emotionally distraught from the sudden revtion. But, this didn¡¯t mean that Yvonne could insult or use others. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Marietta¡¯s heart dropped. After so many years of searching for her daughter, she had lost hope once again. She had imagined that her daughter might not want to admit their rtionship. The time she spent with Caroline made her forget that the human mind and heart wereplex things. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave. We¡¯ll talk about this after everyone has calmed down.¡± She left the hospital immediately. Yvonne couldn¡¯t hold back her tears anymore. She threw herself into her mother¡¯s arms and cried her lungs out. ¦§ ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡¯m your daughter! I¡¯m your daughter forever and ever! Don¡¯t leave me! I don¡¯t want to be an orphan¡­¡± She sobbed.¡± Aiden and his wife locked gazes, their hearts long since shattered into pieces. They didn¡¯t expect this to happen. Just a moment ago, the three of them were a happy family. They couldn¡¯t understand how they suddenly found themselves to be strangers. They thought it was strange. Marietta¡¯s daughter went missing when she was around five years old. The time it happened wasn¡¯t matching up. Aiden and his wife felt that they couldn¡¯t have mistaken their daughter for someone else at that time. They all fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts. Chapter 685 Chapter 685 Caroline and Kirk were eating when they heard knocking on the door. She looked at the time and wondered aloud, ¡°Who could be visiting us at this hour?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get the door,¡± said Kirk. He got up and headed toward the door. After peeking through the doorhole, his expression changed. ¡°Who is it?¡± asked Caroline. She had just asked her question when Kirk opened the door to admit a haggard¨Clooking Marietta. Caroline rushed to her and led into the house. ¡°Mom, what happened to you?¡± Marietta looked lifeless. ¡°It¡¯s confirmed that Yvonne is my daughter,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Isn¡¯t this great news? Why do you look so-¡± Marietta started mumbling again, leaving Caroline¡¯s sentence unfinished. Her voice was low, so Caroline couldn¡¯t tell if she was talking to her, or simply mumbling to herself. ¡°But she doesn¡¯t ept me as her mother,¡± Marietta muttered. Caroline paled at her words and gripped Marietta¡¯s hands tofort her. Kirk headed into the kitchen to pour Marietta a ss of water. ¡°Did you see Yvonne?¡± Caroline¡¯s voice wasced with concern. ¡°Can you tell me what happened?¡± Marietta went in and out of her daze as she exined what transpired. Although her sentences were sometimes unclear, Caroline still managed to get a gist of what had happened She pulled Marietta into her arms and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mom. She might not ept it now, but she¡¯ll surely do so in the future.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Marietta curled up in Caroline¡¯s embrace, like a fragile little Carrie, do you think I¡¯ve failed as a mother?¡± canary. Caroline looked down at the frail¨Clooking woman and felt her heart ache. Still, she didn¡¯t know how to comfort Marietta. Afterall, Caroline wasn¡¯t Marietta¡¯s biological daughter. She felt like it wasn¡¯t her ce to say anything. Only Marietta¡¯s biological daughter could put in a word or two at a time like this. ¡°Have some water,¡± Kirk said as he brought Marietta the ss. After taking a few gulps of water, she didn¡¯t feel as cold as before. It suddenly dawned on her that Caroline and Kirk were having dinner when she arrived. ¡°I must¡¯ve interrupted you,¡± she said. ¡°Please finish your meals. Don¡¯t mind me.¡± +15 BONUS ¡°It¡¯s no big deal,¡± Caroline told her. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Marietta replied with a gentle smile. She abruptly recalled how Yvonne had yelled at her to leave, and her heart broke at the thought. Still, she put on a smile as if tofort herself. ¡°Please continue. I¡¯ll take a seat here in the living room. Pay me no mind.¡± Hesitating, Caroline turned to look at Kirk. He reached his hand out toward her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes widened at his response. She stared at him, puzzled. But he simply nodded and pulled her to the dining room. Caroline lowered her voice and asked, ¡°Are you sure we should be leaving her alone like this?¡± When they got to the dining table, Kirk nced at Marietta. He advised, ¡°Leave her alone for a bit. You can¡¯t help much even if you were to keep herpany.¡± ¡°Hurry and eat.¡± He added, ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯ll get hungry.¡± Caroline nodded in understanding, but she still nced worriedly at Marietta. ¡°Eat.¡± Kirk flicked her on the forehead. She eventually relented and continued gobbling up her meal. Caroline was affected by what had happened to Marietta, making the meal unpleasant. After she finished, she discovered that Marietta was already asleep on the couch. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Caroline shushed Kirk and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m getting her a nket. Keep your voice low. Don¡¯t wake her up.¡± She went into the bedroom to get a nket for Marietta. Kirk couldn¡¯t hide his smile after having seen Caroline tiptoeing to the bedroom. He was amused and thought her to be silly. He nced over at Marietta, who looked very much lethargic on the couch. He shook his head helplessly at her. Chapter 686 Chapter 686 Many issues could have been solved if Marietta¡¯s biological daughter had been Caroline. Caroline brought a nket out from the bedroom and draped it over Marietta. She took Kirk¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s turn in.¡± They should let Marietta rest. Upon entering the bedroom, Kirk immediately wrapped an arm around Caroline¡¯s waist. Sensing his intention, she quickly pressed her hands against his chest to stop him. ¡°Don¡¯t. Mom¡¯s still outside,¡± she warned. A smirk yed on his lips as he gripped her hands and said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning on doing anything, though. What were you thinking, darling?¡± A blush crept up Caroline¡¯s cheeks. A momentter, she spoke, ¡°I wonder if Yvonne will ept Marietta as her mother.¡± ¡°M¨¢rietta spent half of her life searching for her daughter. Now that she¡¯s finally found her daughter, she won¡¯t be able to take it if her daughter can¡¯t return with her.¡± Kirk tugged at Caroline, urging her to sit on the bed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much. Marietta¡¯s no ordinary woman. She must¡¯ve expected this, so she¡¯ll be able to snap out of it real soon.¡± ¡°Kirk,¡± said Caroline as she rested her head on his shoulder. ¡°Why do you think there are so many bad endings in this world?¡± Kirk felt his heart ache at her words, and he pulled her into a tight embrace. They didn¡¯t talk for the rest of the night. When Marietta woke up the next morning, she seemed as lively as she had always been. Caroline still sensed that Marietta hadn¡¯t fully recovered fromst night¡¯s incident. She thought that Marietta was merely putting on this act because she didn¡¯t want them to worry. ¡°What do you n to do today, Mom?¡± Caroline asked. She told Cheryl she wouldn¡¯t be going to work today and would stay home to keep Mariettapany. ¡°Nothing, I guess,¡± Marietta said. ¡°There¡¯s no work for me to do these few days.¡± ¡°How about we go shopping?¡± Caroline suggested. ¡°You¡¯ve been here awhile and I still haven¡¯t shown you around¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Marietta happily obliged. After breakfast, Caroline asked Kirk to join them, and the three began their journey. Naturally, the task of driving fell to Kirk. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see the day when I would be riding in your car,¡± said Marietta in the backseat. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. +15 BONUS Kirk nced at her through the rearview mirror and said, ¡°I¡¯ll drive you around any day.¡± Hearing his reply, Marietta pursed her lips to stifle a smile. Caroline noticed this andughed. ¡°Kirk¡¯s serious, you know? He resigned, so he has plenty of time to spare nowadays. Just call him if you want to head outside.¡± ¡°You resigned?¡± Shock washed over Marietta¡¯s face. She wondered why she knew nothing of the change of ownership in the SY Group. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Kirk didn¡¯t feel like exining himself, so he said, ¡°Darling, help me turn on the navigation.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± said Caroline. She leaned in closer to him to help set the application up. Their intimate actions put a smile on Marietta¡¯s face. She feltforted at the sight of them. It was as though Caroline and Kirk had the ability to soothe her when she was feeling down. Warmth and tranquility filled the air in the car. Unbeknownst to them, a hugemotion had started on various social media tforms. Just a couple of days ago, everyone was talking about how Eddy had helped La take over the Collins Group. She had helped restore the Evans family back to their glorious days. Since then, the tables have turned. Some people imed that they saw Eddy heading to Evans Group. Others said that La was arrested by the cops.. As there wasn¡¯t a single picture to prove these ims, it was all chalked up to hearsay. Eventually, Caroline and La¡¯s supporters argued with one another. It created such a stir. As a result, even the entertainment gossip columns in the papers weren¡¯t selling as well. After all, the discourse revolved around the Collins Group takeover. Many people were keen to see who would emerge victorious. Chapter 687 Chapter 687 Chapter 687 ¡°Say no more, La will definitely win! Eddy will surely help La. He even helped her with Evanson Corp. He didn¡¯t say a word when she failed to manage it and gained some bacsh. Instead, he helped her out of the mess!¡± ¡°I am aware of this as well. It¡¯s precisely why I think Eddy will help her take over the Collins Group.¡± ¡°That¡¯s bullshit! That was in the past. Eddy doesn¡¯t even want to talk to La anymore. Otherwise, she would¡¯ve been long out of prison.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have pictures of it, you can¡¯t prove it. If La reads this, she could sue you for defamation.¡± ¡°Hrious! Do you think she can view these posts now? If you know nothing about this, just keep your mouth shut. At Jude Morrison¡¯s funeral, it was obvious who was supporting who.¡± ¡°Caroline was in charge of all the preparations for his funeral. Isn¡¯t the problem clear enough?¡± ¡°What did I just read? Caroline took it upon herself to make the preparations for the funeral. Wow! Doesn¡¯t this mean that the Morrisons have acknowledged her as family already?¡± ¡°I feel the same way. Even though Eddy and La kept appearing publicly together it¡¯s in the past now.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s enough. It was just a funeral. Maybe it was Jude¡¯s dying wish, and Eddy was forced to oblige. You sure enjoy overthinking, don¡¯t you? Don¡¯t forget that Caroline¡¯s married now.¡± ¡°Caroline doesn¡¯t stand a chance to be a Morrison. Do you really think the Morrisons would ept a once married woman as their daughter¨Cinw?¡± Things were chaotic online. Yet, Caroline and Marietta were having a ball on their trip together. As their trip came to an end, Marietta hesitated to let go of Caroline¡¯s hands. Thanks for keeping me company today, Carrie. I feel much better now.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I said before that you don¡¯t need to thank me?¡± said Caroline. ¡°Come and look for me if you ever feel upset. I have lots of time on my hands, anyways.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Marietta smiled. ¡°What about the homework I assigned youst time?¡± She was talking about the unfinished script that she had asked Caroline to carry on writing. ¡°That goes without saying. I even wrote more than you asked me to,¡± said Caroline. ¡°Ill show it to you when we¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± +15 BONUS Suddenly Kirk chose to speak. ¡°Can we leave now?¡± His tone made it obvious that he was very much displeased Mariettaughed. ¡°Kirk, you¡¯re doing it wrong. I was simply speaking to Caroline, yet you¡¯re already upset. Should I be mad at you for keeping her by your side all day long then?¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Caroline eximed. ¡°I was only joking with him, but you¡¯re alreadying to his defense.¡± Marietta just wouldn¡¯t stop teasing them both. ¡°It seems to me that nobody will ever love me.¡± They continued chatting on their way back home. When they arrived, Caroline still couldn¡¯t stop worrying about leaving Marietta alone. She asked Marietta to spend the night at her and Kirk¡¯s ce. ¡°I can show you my script.¡± Caroline pulled at Marietta¡¯s hand to stop her from leaving. ¡°Will you go upstairs?¡± Marietta grinned from ear to ear. ¡°I¡¯m afraid someone wouldn¡¯t want me to stay.¡± Her gaze fell on Kirk. Kirk undoubtedly didn¡¯t want Marietta to spend the night at their ce. However, he knew all too well just how worried Caroline was for her. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said as he held the elevator doors open for Marietta, who tried to hide a smile. If she didn¡¯t see it for herself, she would never have believed that Kirk would ever give in to somebody. Caroline had truly changed him. When they reached the house, Caroline led Marietta into the study. Kirk sat on the couch to look over some documents. He had to be discreet and inconspicuous whenever he wanted to work, as he had told Caroline that he¡¯d already resigned. When she was nearby, he would switch tabs on hisptop. It appeared as though he was ying games. Having lived like this awhile, Kirk somehow found it quite enjoyable. Sean teased him when he learned of his working condition at home. Hemented that Kirk was now the exact opposite of a workaholic. Chapter 688 Chapter 688 While the entire office staff worked with reluctance, Kirk was the exact opposite. Although he seemed to be rxing at home, his mind was actually on work all of the time. The corner of his lips tilted upward in a smile. It was his life¡¯s greatest joy to be able to see Caroline constantly. It was all worth it. Even if it meant he had to go out of his way to pretend that he didn¡¯t have a job. He didn¡¯t want to lose Caroline again. He ¡°resigned¡± after he considered cutting ties with the Morrison family. He also wanted to watch out for Caroline. Jude¡¯s death had indeed affected her, even though she seemed unfazed. As long as her trauma was left undealt with, she was a ticking bomb that could go off at any moment. Kirk¡¯s smile vanished at this thought. The joy in his eyes now reced by a sheet of coldness. In the study, Marietta had just finished reading the script Caroline had written. Stunned, she looked up at Caroline. ¡°Carrie, did you really write this?¡± asked Marietta. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it that horrible?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Marietta assured her. ¡°You¡¯ve improved so much in such a short period of time. Is someone in your family involved with literature?¡± Caroline tried to recall if there was anyone in the Evans family who wrote for a living. ¡°Nope,¡± she said. It didn¡¯t matter if it was Dan or Sarah; both of them were parasites regardless. Neither of them worked hard themselves to achieve what they had today, much less work as a writer, ¡°Well then, you¡¯re very talented at scriptwriting. You¡¯re just like me.¡± Marietta wasn¡¯t abashed in the slightest whenplimenting herself. ¡°Keep up the good work,¡± Marietta encouraged. ¡°I¡¯ll introduce you to some publishers once you¡¯ve completed it. We¡¯ll see how that goes.¡± ¡°Huh? Are you sure about that? I wrote it just for fun,¡± Caroline said, slightly taken aback. ¡°Are you telling me that you wrote this without giving it much thought?¡± Marietta eximed.¡± You¡¯ll definitely earn a Nobel prize if you start taking it seriously.¡± ¡°You must be kidding ¡± Caroline was close to believing Marietta¡¯s words. +15 BONUS ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Marietta wore a serious expression. ¡°You¡¯re truly talented at this. If you put some effort into it, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to create something astounding.¡± ¡°All you need to do is take note of what goes onter on in the story,¡± said Marietta. ¡°What you¡¯ve written is good enough for the moment.¡± It never crossed Caroline¡¯s mind that her first draft would receive such high praise. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll carry on writing.¡± ¡°Remember to see me when you¡¯re done with it. I¡¯ll refine it for you,¡± Marietta reminded. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay,¡± Caroline happily agreed to it. After chatting for some time, the two walked out of the room Kirk heard theming and quickly pretended to be upied with a game. ¡°I¡¯m heading back,¡± said Marietta as she stole a sideways nce at Kirk. ¡°Someone¡¯s mad at me for taking up so much of your time today.¡± Carolineughed. It urred to her that Marietta loved teasing Kirk for no apparent reason. Caroline wanted to see Marietta off, but Marietta was against the idea. She insisted on riding the elevator alone. Once Marietta got into the elevator, the smile on her face vanishedpletely. It took a lot out of her to stop thinking about the incident with her daughter. But without Caroline by her side, she immediately remembered it in the quietness. As a means to divert her attention elsewhere, Marietta took out her phone. She was about to start scrolling on social media when she saw a message from her assistant. Her eyes lit up when she read its contents. Chapter 689 Chapter 689 In the assistant¡¯s message, someone iming to be Yvonne¡¯s sister shared that she had an idea to help Yvonne ept her rtionship with Marietta. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Without giving it a second thought, Marietta immediately called her assistant. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s at a cafe in Orchid Avenue right now,¡± the assistant answered. ¡°You can directly meet her there.¡± Marietta hung up. She rushed to hail a cab and headed straight for the cafe. It didn¡¯t take long for her to reach her destination. It was pretty close to where Marietta was before. She suspected that the woman knew of her whereabouts and deliberately chose this ce. As soon as she stepped into the cafe, Marietta saw Aurora sitting at a table. She instantly knew that her suspicions proved to be right. ¡°You were the one who messaged my assistant, right?¡± Marietta took a seat before Aurora, who was wearing a small smile. Aurora spoke respectfully to Marietta. ¡°Yes, Ms. Weiss. I heard about the problem you¡¯re facing. It never urred to me that my sister¨Cinw is your biological daughter. Fate truly works in mysterious ways.¡± Marietta wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen to her nonsense. ¡°Let¡¯s get straight to the point. Do you really have a way to get my daughter to ept our rtionship? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s going to be by force.¡± She knitted her brows, looking all grim and serious. ¡°I won¡¯t agree to it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hurt her,¡± Aurora said. ¡°I¡¯ll ensure that she willingly returns to your side.¡± Marietta didn¡¯t buy it. She refused to believe such a miracle would actually happen. She had seen for herself how Yvonne reacted on that very day. ¡°Are you sure you can do it? What do you want as a reward if you seed?¡± Aurora was stunned by Marietta¡¯s straightforwardness. A momentter, she said, ¡°T¨Cthat¡¯s not what I meant. I want to help simply because I want to be your friend. I have no other intentions.¡± Marietta let out a bark ofughter. ¡°Stop trying to pull my strings and just tell me what you want. An opportunity like this will never return.¡± Hearing this, Aurora dropped the act. Beating around the bush could piss Marietta off, losing her chance once and for all. ¡°I. I want a ce in your scripts. It would be best if you could give me the role of the leading-¡® Aurora swallowed her words mid sentence when she noticed the change in expression on +15 BONUS Marietta silently pondered the idea for some time before telling her, ¡°I do have a script that I intend to use for the coboration with SY Group. However, things aren¡¯t set in stone yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll take about two days for me to get the contract signed.¡± She continued, ¡°If you trust me, I can give you the role of the second female lead once that¡¯s done.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s something you should keep in mind,¡± she added as she stared into Aurora¡¯s eyes. ¡®I might be able to hand you the role, but it¡¯s none of my business if your acting sucks and the director dislikes you.¡± The script that she was referring to was one that she had put a lot of effort into. It was different from the half¨Cbaked scriptst time. So if Aurora wasn¡¯t good enough for the role and the director wanted a change, Marietta wouldn¡¯t step in to defend Aurora. This served as a warning to her. Naturally, Aurora epted the offer. ¡°Worry not, Ms. Weiss. I¡¯ll do my job perfectly. ¡°Okay, so tell me this idea of yours.¡± Aurora smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you about it now. You¡¯ll have to wait a couple of days furst Yvonne will dly meet you.¡± ¡°What if that doesn¡¯t happen?¡± Marietta asked. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t, you can rescind the role you offered me Marietta gave it some thought and made up her mind. ¡°It¡¯s a deal, but you have to give me a time frame¡± Aurora lowered her head and thought deeply A momentter, she raised her eyes to meet Marietta¡¯s and said, ¡°It¡¯ll take no more than five days. If Yvonne doesn¡¯t see you within five days, you can cancel your offer ¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m leaving.¡± Marietta stood up to leave After seeing Marietta off, Aurora¡¯s face scrunched up in contempt Yvonne was so lucky to have Marietta as her mother Chapter 690 Chapter 690 Chapter 690 Aurora pitied herself for being unlucky. In the next instance, she smirked as she realized that getting on Yvonne¡¯s good side was a lot easier than dealing with Caroline. Back at the vi, Caroline was in bed, about to hit the sack when she turned to Kirk. She asked, Do you know what I can do to help Mom?¡± Her heart broke whenever she saw how Marietta forced a smile. Kirk wrapped an arm around Caroline¡¯s waist. He thought about the question for some time before shaking his head and telling her, ¡°I have no idea.¡± ¡°Think of one! I¡¯m sure you¡¯lle up with something,¡± said Caroline as she stared at him expectantly. Kirk smiled wryly at her. ¡°You have that much faith in me, huh?¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± Caroline leaned against his chest. ¡°I have a hunch you¡¯ll think of something¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Then, it¡¯s a mostplex problem. But I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be the first to think of a way to solve it even if you can¡¯t right now.¡± Kirk smiled gently at her. ¡°You tter me, darling So, what do you want?¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Caroline giggled now that her ploy was exposed Sitting up from the bed, she told him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, really. I just need you to help me with something ¡± In truth, she had thought this over a few days, but couldn¡¯t gather the courage to inform him about it ¡°Tell me,¡± Kirk ruffled her hair. ¡°I¡¯m wondering. If you could make arrangements for me to meet Eddy¡¯s second uncle?¡± Although she knew the man¡¯s name, she was used to referring to him as Eddy¡¯s second uncle She stared at Kirk, worried that he might get upset likest time. Frowning, Kirk lowered his voice and asked, ¡°Why do you want to see him?¡± Something felt unsettled in him. He thought that he¡¯d never get jealous again after knowing how much Caroline loved him Despite that Caroline nced up at him ¡°Although he¡¯s a jerk, he¡¯s helped me many times ¡°Eddy¡¯s second uncle was particrly kind toward her. There was another reason why she wanted to meet him, but she wasn¡¯t brave enough to share it with Kirk. She wanted to know what Eddy¡¯s second uncle was thinking. Gwen told her that he might be interested in her, so she had nned to ask him about this at Jude¡¯s funeral Nobody expected him to be absent. He even asked her to memorize a book randomly. The more she thought about it, the more she found it strange. She didn¡¯t have to be as worried if he truly had eyes for her. It meant that he wouldn¡¯t harm her. However, if he had other intentions¡­. A wave of panic gripped Caroline¡¯s heart when she remembered that Eddy hade to see her just a few days ago. Somehow, she felt that she couldn¡¯t sleep well if she didn¡¯t meet Eddy¡¯s second uncle in person. ¡°Can I? Please?¡± Caroline blinked at him endearingly with puppy dog eyes. Kirk felt his throat burn. Cursing inwardly, he couldn¡¯t reply. Chapter 691 Chapter 691 Chapter 691 A few hourster, Caroline was drenched in sweat while lying on top of Kirk. Stubbornly, she asked, ¡°So does this mean that you agree?¡± Kirk was silent for a second before he nodded. Gleefully, Caroline nted a kiss on his cheek. ¡°Kirk, you¡¯re the best.¡± Holding Caroline close, Kirk couldn¡¯t help but feel exasperated. It seemed that he hadnded himself in some trouble. In a few days, he had to get someone to pretend to be him. He hoped that when Caroline learns of his true identity, she wouldn¡¯t remember this little incident. After Jude¡¯s passing, Eddy moved into the Morrison residence. In the residence, Eddy felt as though Jude was still lingering. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Eddy brushed his hands across the surface of the table Jude frequently used. ¡± Grandpa, I¡¯m really useless. I¡¯m not able to fulfill your final wish. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure Caroline bes your granddaughter¨Cinw. That way, your regrets won¡¯tst forever.¡± He added, ¡°I¡¯ll also investigate Caroline¡¯s husband and verify if it is indeed Uncle Kirk.¡± After the funeral, Eddy had gotten Simon to ask the airline to check. True enough, Kirk had gone to Newonia. Someone had even snapped a photograph of Kirk¡¯s silhouette. The photo wasn¡¯t very clear, but he could recognise Kirk at a nce. Afterall, Kirk was someone Eddy had always idolized. ¡°Mr. Eddy.¡± Simon knocked on the door before opening it. Finding Eddy back in Jude¡¯s study, he sighed soundlessly. ¡°Ms. Evans is here.¡± ¡°Caroline¡¯s here?¡± Eddy turned and headed for the door. But before he got there, he found La standing by it. With that, the smile on his face froze instantly. Simon rified sheepishly, ¡°Not Ms, Caroline, it¡¯s Ms. La, ¡°Alright, you may go now,¡± Eddy walked toward La. Spotting Eddy, La immediately put on a pitiful look, ¡°Eddy, I¨CI¡¯m so d I can finally see you. Eddy frowned. ¡°Why are you here to see me?¡± +15 BONUS ¡°Eddy, shouldn¡¯t you ask me about what I suffered in there?¡± La put on a tearful expression. ¡°I-¡± Eddy cut her off brutally. ¡°You brought that on yourself. Did you even know what you were doing? You nearly killed someone!¡± Stunned, La stared at Eddy. ¡°Eddy, you¡¯ve really changed. You didn¡¯t use to be like this¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I spoiled you in the past and allowed you to be so reckless. You even faked a disease and was nearly the cause of Caroline¡¯s death. La, you saved my life, so I usually let you do whatever you want. But from today onward, I won¡¯t let you hurt Caroline again.¡± La felt like she¡¯d been hit hard. She said in disbelief, ¡°Eddy, you¡¯ve really changed. Alright. Since you no longer care about me, I won¡¯t persistently pester you anymore. But can you do me onest favor on ount of the fact that I once saved you?¡± ¡°What favor?¡± Eddy finally felt some relief as La wasn¡¯t making a huge fuss. ¡°Have you heard about the acquisition of the Collins Group?¡± ¡°Of course I have.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . La looked right into Eddy¡¯s eyes. ¡°Well, I want it.¡± Chapter 692 Chapter 692 Chapter 692 Eddy¡¯s expression shifted upon hearing La¡¯s request. ¡°What did you say?¡± He was happy to help Caroline and endorse her. Indeed, Caroline had proved that she was capable of managing. But he had severe doubts about La. Eddy recalled thest deal that had resulted in a loss and his eyebrows scrunched up tightly. ¡°NO way! I can agree to anything else, but never this. Do you know how much effort it takes to manage such a bigpany? Have you already forgotten what happened with the Evanson Corporation?¡± ¡°Eddy.¡± La¡¯s hands clenched into fists. She would always feel hurt when it came to that matter. ¡°Of course I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll hand the Collins Group over to someone else to manage once I get it.¡± She rified, ¡°Eddy, I don¡¯t want this because of the Collins Group¡¯s position among the top four. I want it because I need insurance. Without you, I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m supposed to survive.¡± Eddy frowned even harder, but he could not back down on this.. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. If he helped La acquire the Collins Group, the Morrison Corporation would have to deal with the potential fallout if the group wasn¡¯t managed well. There was too much risk involved. ¡°Eddy, are you really going to leave me to fend for myself?¡± La cried devastatingly. ¡°I just don¡¯t want Caroline to bully me after I lose you. I merely want some assurances for myself¡­ Now, only having the Collins Group will give me a sense of security.¡± Hearing La cry, Eddy felt very frustrated. Suddenly, he looked at La. ¡°Do you really want the Collins Group because you¡¯re worried Caroline will take revenge on you?¡± Stunned, La quickly nodded aftering back to herself. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll give you a hand and endorse you. I¡¯ll help you acquire the Collins Group.¡± Eddy¡¯s sudden change of mind left La uncertain. ¡°Eddy, are you lying to me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Eddy repeated himself again. ¡°But let me make something clear. I¡¯m only going to be your guarantor, Acquiring the Collins Group will have to depend on your own abilities ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. In truth, La hadn¡¯t expected things to go so smoothly. Furthermore, Eddy was going to be her guarantor himself. There was no chance that she would fail to get her hands on the Collins Group now. +15 BONUS On securing the Collins Group this time, Dan would announce Caroline¡¯s identity. La was confident that she would end up marrying Eddy after all that. Kirk soon arranged a meeting with Eddy¡¯s second uncle as Caroline requested. However, the meeting was to be held next week. The reason being, Eddy¡¯s second uncle was still overseas at the moment. ¡°Aw, we have to wait another week?¡± Gwen propped her chin up on her hand. ¡°I really want to know what this big shot looks like.¡± Sonia and Cheryl were very curious too. ¡°Caroline, can you do a livestream when you meet him? We really want to know what this president looks like as well.¡± Caroline chuckled. ¡°A livestream, too? You¡¯re making it seem like I¡¯m visiting a zoo. I¡¯ll try to sneak a photo when the timees.¡± ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s see what kind of hottie this guy is!¡± Gwen was overjoyed. Caroline was actually really excited as well. In the blink of an eye, a week passed. After getting off work, Caroline drove the car to the restaurant. To stop Kirk from worrying, she had nned to have him with her. Unfortunately, Kirk was called away by Sean, so she could only attend the meeting by herself. Caroline gave Kirk¡¯s name at the restaurant. The waiter quickly brought her to a private room Inside, there was a man already sitting there with his back toward her. Caroline¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She would finally meet the renowned president of the SY Group. As she regarded the man¡¯s slightly portly figure, Caroline¡¯s expression changed slightly. She seemed to recall that Eddy¡¯s second uncle didn¡¯t have this kind of physique. Chapter 693 Chapter 693 Chapter 693 Right then, Sean was holed up in the surveince room. Looking at Kirk, he said, ¡°Kirk, there¡¯s something strange about Caroline¡¯s expression.¡± Kirk followed Caroline¡¯s gaze on the screen. Sean clicked his tongue. ¡°Indeed, you know Caroline best.¡± Sean saw how focused Kirk was on the footage. He didn¡¯t seem inclined to respond to Sean at all, so Sean kept his mouth shut and continued watching. By now, Caroline had already walked up to the man hesitantly. Full of suspicion, she said, ¡°You¡¯re the president of the SY Group?¡± The man thumbed his nose and said with augh, ¡°Ms. Evans, you¡¯re mistaken. I¡¯m not Mr. Morrison. I¡¯m his assistant.¡± Hearing that, Caroline¡¯s expression cleared up. ¡°Then where¡¯s the president?¡± The man smiled. ¡°Ms. Evans, please wait a moment. Mr. Morrison will be here soon.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Ms. Evans, Mr. Morrison says that you should order first.¡± Caroline nodded slightly but didn¡¯t make a move. She insisted on waiting for Eddy¡¯s second uncle to arrive. She was worried that this meeting would fall through again. She had been left hanging too many times before already. Seeing that Caroline had no intentions to order, the man went outside. He marched straight into the surveince room nearby. ¡°Sir, the mission¡¯splete,¡± the man respectfully reported to Kirk. Kirk nodded. He called Charles and asked him, ¡°Is he here?¡± ¡°He¡¯s downstairs.¡± Kirk hung up and said to the other man ¡°Go on, then Yes, sir. +15 BONUS Sean couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Kirk, you¡¯re already aware that Caroline has met you before. She remembers everything about you. Yet, why are you making it obvious that something¡¯s amiss?¡± Kirk leaned back into the seat, sinking into the couch. He rubbed his nose and said, ¡°We¡¯ve had countless opportunities to meet in the past. Still, it never happened. Carrie is a smart woman. She might have already thought that we¡¯re the same person.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. He went on, saying, ¡°However, love blinded her temporarily. It made her trust me more. Besides, she really doesn¡¯t like the Morrison family. That¡¯s why she doesn¡¯t want me to be one of them.¡± Kirk was getting to the point. He exined, ¡°She might sense that it¡¯s fake if the first person she meets fits the bill perfectly. She would doubt herself and start wondering if she was looking at the real Kirk Morrison.¡± Sean sucked his teeth. ¡°Kirk, you really do understand Caroline exceptionally well¡­¡± As he spoke, Sean looked at Kirk with sympathy. It was exactly because he knew Caroline¡¯s mind so well that Kirk probably knew how much Caroline was suffering now. And, he was the only one who could do so. Thinking of this, Sean couldn¡¯t help but ¡°admire¡± Jude Morrison. Though he had passed on, he was still able to ce such huge stumbling blocks between Kirk and Caroline. Sean only hoped that these blocks didn¡¯t end up bing bombs. Even if they did, he hoped they would never explode. Thinking to himself, Sean¡¯s gaze once again fell on Caroline on the screen. Right then, the door to the private room opened after a knock. It was the man who had just left. Caroline stood up. ¡°Has Mr. Morrison arrived?¡± Chapter 694 Chapter 694 Chapter 694 The man nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Caroline walked to the door impatiently. She spotted the man turning onto the hallway right away. The man was wearing a coat, his figure tall and straight. He looked just as she remembered Caroline was overjoyed as she looked at the man¡¯s face. He had very regr features, which were far from what Caroline had imagined. She¡¯d thought that the man with such a great figure would have a face that blew people away. A face like Kirk¡¯s ¡°Unc. Caroline trailed off. As she watched ¡°Kirk Morrison¡± approach her, she gave it some thought and changed her mind. ¡°Mr. Morrison.¡± ¡°Kirk¡± looked at Caroline¡¯s face, a bit fearful of doing so but having no choice. ¡°Hello¡± The two of them entered the private room and sat down. Caroline sat opposite ¡°Kirk¡°. She couldn¡¯t help but feel that he waspletely different from the man she had once seen. ¡°Mr. Morrison, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet me The anticipation that she had built up was all gone. Now, Caroline went straight to the point. The main reason I wanted to speak with you is to ask about your endorsement of me ¡± She exined, ¡°You should already know that acquiring the Collins Group will take 300 million dors. That¡¯s the GDP of a whole region. If I mishandle things, this might put the SY Group in debt That¡¯s why I want to know what made you trust and support me ¡± *Kirk¡± sat straighter and answered confidently, ¡°It¡¯s actually very simple. I¡¯ve gotten an understanding of how things were for the Evans Group in the past and how it is now That¡¯s why I¡¯m very sure about my decision. I believe that you will be able to run the Collins Group well * Is it really that simple?¡± Caroline could hardly believe it Especially considering howrge the armount involved was Kirk could always find someone more mature and capable. It wouldn¡¯t be someone like her who was unprepared Kirk smiled ¡°As a businessman, what I naturally prioritize in your ability to manage a big +15 BONUS Caroline ducked her head shyly. She could hardly say that she had assumed he liked her and was only investing in this because of his feelings. ¡°Alright. Do you have any other questions?¡± ¡°Kirk¡° asked. Caroline replied, ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing else.¡± Then let¡¯s try the fish stew here¡± ¡°Kirk¡± held out his hand in a friendly manner. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like it. It¡¯s prepared personally by a famous chef.¡± It was thanks to Caroline that he would have the opportunity to try such a delectable stew himself. Gorging herself on the food, Caroline felt the confusions in her heart clearing up. She waved goodbye to ¡°Kirk ¡± Once Caroline left, ¡°Kirk¡± suddenly felt his legs go weak. He stumbled to a seat on the chair. At that moment, Kirk exited the surveince room. He immediately got onto another elevator and raced downstairs. He sprinted to get back into the car before Caroline. In the driver¡¯s seat, Jack couldn¡¯t help but nce at Kirk Kirk lowered his voice and ordered, ¡°Face forward.¡± Jack had no choice but to obey A secondter, Jack noticed Caroline walking out of the restaurant He got out of the car and opened the door for her. ¡°Ms. Evans, how was it? Did you meet Mr. Morrison?¡± Jack asked, even though he already knew the answer As Caroline got into the car, she frowned. Seeing this, Jack looked toward Kirk Kirk¡¯s attention was focused on Caroline all this while Caroline frowned, not rxing even after a long time Seeing that, his heart dislodged from his throat. ¡°What is it, darling? Caroline looked at Kitk ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just get a sense that that man doesn¡¯t seem like Eddy¡¯s Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. second uncle Tell me honestly, Kirk Was that really the president of the SY Group? Chapter 695 Chapter 695 Chapter 695 Kirk straightened. He filtered through all the minute details from earlier in his mind. Feeling certain that nothing had gone amiss, he enquired, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Nothing, really. I just feel like it wasn¡¯t him. It¡¯s just a feeling.¡± Kirk rxed instantly. He smiled. ¡°Then what do you think the president of the SY Group should look like?¡± Caroline replied, ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say. I just think he doesn¡¯t look like¡­¡± She trailed off, her gaze fell on Kirk. ¡°I think the president of the SY Group should look like you.¡± Kirk froze. After a moment, he caressed Caroline¡¯s hair and said, ¡°Darling, I think you¡¯re biased.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Caroline hugged Kirk¡¯s waist. ¡°Well, I do think you¡¯re the best.¡± In the driver¡¯s seat, Jack couldn¡¯t help but cough. Caroline suddenly remembered there was someone else in the vehicle. Her face turned red. After they arrived home, Caroline sent the pictures she¡¯d snuck of ¡°Kirk¡± into the group chat. Everyone, including Sonia, thought he wasn¡¯t as they had expected. ¡°Aw, and I thought he would be a great hottie. But it turns out he¡¯s just rich.¡± Gwenmented in the group chat. Carolineughed. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, he¡¯s the richest person in the world.¡± Gwen snickered. ¡°Even with all that money, it¡¯s not like he can make himself handsome. I think I prefer someone handsome!¡± Everyone in the groupughed. As they chatted, Cheryl sighed in the midst of scrolling through her phone. Several people asked, immediately in concern, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I just saw the news. Mr. Eddy publicly announced that he¡¯ll sponsor La and help her acquire the Collins Group. ¡°What?¡± Gwen started cursing the second she heard this ¡°Is he fucking stupid? How could he actually be crazy enough to invest in La?¡± +15 BONUS ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Sonia had also seen this news. ¡°He admitted it in an interview, too. It wasn¡¯t just in some statement, but it was also a video. Come look. Mr. Eddy sure does love La.¡± Gwen coughed loudly. It was only then that Sonia realized she had misspoken. ¡°Sorry, Caroline.¡± Caroline chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Who Eddy wants to be with is none of my business.¡± Seeing that Caroline really was fine, Gwen let loose and started bitching. ¡°I wonder if Eddy¡¯s under a spell or something. After the Evanson Corporation, hasn¡¯t he learned his lesson? Is he only going to stop after he bankrupts the Morrison Corporation?¡± Caroline said, ¡°No, it¡¯s not a spell. It¡¯s because La once saved Eddy¡¯s life. That¡¯s why he helps her unconditionally.¡± ¡°She saved Eddy¡¯s life?¡± All three of them were stunned. ¡°When was that? Why don¡¯t I know about this?¡± Gwen waspletely clueless. Caroline recounted what Eddy had told her before. She still couldn¡¯t remember the incident herself, so she could only tell them what Eddy had said. The others fell quiet after hearing the story. After a while, Gwen spoke up. ¡°I do have some recollection of when you were kidnapped as kids. My mom even kept using what happened to scare us from going out. You went abroad during that time, too. But this is the first I¡¯m hearing about La saving Eddy. Chapter 696 Chapter 696 Chapter 696 ¡°No wonder Eddy has allowed La to do whatever she wants all these years. So it¡¯s because of this,¡± Gwen continued. ¡°Even so, he shouldn¡¯t be so cruel to you just because La saved him.¡± Gwen always remembered how Eddy treated Caroline in those eight years. Plus, there was the Owned by N?velDrama.Org. matter of La faking her illness and wanting Caroline¡¯s kidneys. Cheryl asked worriedly, ¡°Now that Mr. Eddy is getting involved in this personally, does this mean the Collins Group will end up in La¡¯s hands? She must still hate us after we caused the Evanson Corporation¡¯s failurest time. The first thing she¡¯ll do after getting the Collins Group will be to take revenge on the Evans Group.¡± Things would be totally different then. In the past, the Evanson Corporation was just a small entity. With the Collins Group in her possession, La would have a lot of power. If she wanted it, squashing a business she disliked would be as easy as squashing an ant. Caroline had yet to tell anyone that Eddy¡¯s second uncle was going to sponsor her. But even with his support, she didn¡¯t dare act recklessly and think that she could definitely obtain the Collins Group. That was why she didn¡¯t think it was necessary to announce this news. ¡°Things will work out for the best,¡± Caroline said,forting Cheryl. ¡°Things aren¡¯t set in stone yet. The bank still needs to approve the request. If the bank rejects it, then it doesn¡¯t matter who¡¯s endorsing whom.¡± That was the only way Cheryl could make herself feel better. However, she was still gued with unease, worried that La would one day do something to cause trouble for the Evans Group. At the Hackett residence, Aurora brought a bowl of chicken soup to Yvonne¡¯s room. She knocked on the door before heading in. Noticing Aurora standing there, Yvotte was so angry that she picked up a pillow and threw it at her ¡°Get out! You¡¯d better get out!¡± She was very aware that Aurora was there to see how wretched she was. Aurora ducked to avoid the pillow flying at her. Tauntingly, she said, ¡°Do you think hiding out in your room will solve the problem and make you the Hackett family¡¯s rightful heiress?¡± +15 BONUS Yvonne¡¯s eyes widened as she red at Aurora. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to get involved in my business Aurora chuckled. ¡°Indeed, I don¡¯t want to get involved in your business. I¡¯m only here to see you because we were once romantic rivals.¡± Yvonne didn¡¯t believe it. She turned her back on Aurora and said, ¡°You¡¯d better get out now!¡± ¡°Do you know what Mom and Dad did today?¡± Yvonne spun around. She stared at Aurora, astonished. For a moment, she forgot to retort that Aurora wasn¡¯t going to be her parents¡® daughter¨Cinw. ¡°They did another DNA test. The results show you¡¯re definitely not their daughter. Although they¡¯re not sure what happened, Mom and Dad have already gotten a private investigator to dig things up on you. ¡°Yvonne, you can be as stubborn as you want and try to stick things out here. But have you thought about how badly things will go for you once they find their actual daughter?¡± Yvonne¡¯s body shook. ¡°You¡¯d better think it through. As a renowned ywright, Marietta Weiss might not have riches comparable to that of the Hackett family, but she only has one daughter¨Cyou. When she passes on, all her assets will go to you. Are you really unwilling to return to her?¡± With that, Yvonne stopped crying. Seeing this, Aurora continued, ¡°Besides, if you acknowledge Marietta Weiss as your mother, your identity and position in life will change. ¡°Now, you¡¯re only the heiress of the Hackett family. But once you be Marietta¡¯s daughter, you¡¯ll be able to use all her connections. Yvonne, do you think Adrian will look down on you then?¡± Chapter 697 Chapter 697 Chapter 697 Yvonne¡¯s expression immediately changed at the mention of Adrian. ¡°But he has another woman he likes. Even if I can help him, he might not like me and get together with me.¡± Aurora was stunned for a moment. She hadn¡¯t expected Adrian would already have someone he liked. She had pursued him once. His reason for rejecting her was that he already had someone he liked. Aurora had assumed it was just some excuse. Who would have thought that he really did have someone in his heart? ¡°Do you know who that person is?¡± Aurora asked casually. Yvonne hugged her knees. ¡°Caroline Evans.¡± When she heard Caroline¡¯s name, Aurora¡¯s expression immediately twisted. ¡°Adrian likes Caroline? How do you know? Did he tell you that himself?¡± Yvonne gave a bitterugh. ¡°Does he need to say it? Have you ever seen him make contact with someone of his own ord? I have. Plus, the smile he has whenever he sees Caroline is different.¡± Aurora still couldn¡¯t believe that Adrian liked Caroline, the person she hated the most! ¡°If that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t you have even more reason to go to Marietta¡¯s side?¡± At that, Yvonne looked at Aurora in confusion. Aurora exined, ¡°You probably don¡¯t know it yet, but Caroline calls Marietta, Mom now. If my guess is right, Marietta must have taken Caroline as her goddaughter because of how much she misses her own daughter.¡± She continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t return to Marietta, Caroline will continue taking up your rightful spot. Are you willing to see your romantic rival take the resources that should belong to you and unt it, too?¡± Finally, Yvonne was swayed But what do I tell Mom and Dad?¡°. To prevent herself from being kicked out of the Hackett family, Yvonne had held onto her parents, screaming and crying that she would never leave the family. If she left now, she would be going back on her word. ¡°I¡¯ll help you exin it to them.¡± Noticing that the time was ripe, Aurora sat next to Yvonne and, hugging her shoulders, said ¡± Yvonne, tell me if you have problems in the future. Although we¡¯re romantic rivals, we have the same enemy now, so we must work together.¡± Yvonne looked at Aurora with suspicion in her eyes. ¡°We will be ¡­ cooperating?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll help you be Adrian¡¯s wife¡­¡± ¦§ Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Yvonne was confused as she looked at Aurora. ¡°What about me? What do you want me to help you with?¡± Aurora patted Yvonne on the shoulder. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll find out when the timees. But don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t ask you to do anything immoral.¡± Yvonne didn¡¯t ask anything more. As long as she could be with Adrian, she would do anything anyone asked. Besides, Aurora was right. Marietta was an internationally renowned ywright. If she stayed with her, things would be no different than they were now. Because Eddy had announced his endorsement of La, any doubts about her hadpletely vanished. Anyone online who had always been in support of her was buzzing. They started posting comments online. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say Mr. Eddy would stand by La¡¯s side no matter what? Now, look. It¡¯s always like this.¡± That¡¯s right, I said so, too. Mr. Eddy loves La so much, he will definitely support her in the end.¡± ¡°Yep. I really wonder what those people are thinking. Mr. Eddy endorsing Caroline? What a joke Have they forgotten so quickly that he hates Caroline? ¡°Some people really have goldfish memories. They think letting Caroline attend Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s funeral means he¡¯s epted her. Those who had supported Caroline also felt like her advantage was gone after they saw the video Chapter 697 You expression many changed at the mention of Adria ¡°At he has another woman he likes Even if I can help him, he might not like me and get together Bore was stunned for a moment she hadn¡¯t expected Adrian would already have someone he She had pursued bom e His reason for rejecting her was that he already had someone he liked. Aurors had assumed it was just some excuse Who would have fluxought that he really did have someone in his heart? 197 Do you know who that person is? Aurora asked casually Yroune bugged her knees ¡°Caroline Evans When she heard Carelines name, Aurora¡¯s expression immediately twisted ¡®Adrian likes Caroline? How do you know? Did he tell you that himself?¡± Yeone gave a hitterugh ¡°Does he need to say it? Have you ever seen him make contact with someone of his own ord I have Plus, the smile he has whenever he sees Caroline is different Aurora still coudn¡¯t believe that Adnan liked Caroline, the person she hated the most ¡± thats the case, don¡¯t you have even more reason to go to Marietta¡¯s side?¡± At that Youue looked at Aurora un con Aura exined. ¡°You probably don¡¯t know it yet, but Caroline call Marietta, Mom now. It my ques a night Mta must have taken Caroline as her goddaughter because of how much she hases her daughter che contard, you don¡¯t seem to Mamiesza Caroline will connituse taking up your rightful spot to see you tomat tal face the resences that should belong to you and unt But what do sell Mor arst Ded Yvonne¡¯s expression immediately changed at the mention of Adrian. ¡°But he has another woman he likes. Even if I can help him, he might not like me and get together with me.¡± Aurora was stunned for a moment. She hadn¡¯t expected Adrian would already have someone he liked. She had pursued him once. His reason for rejecting her was that he already had someone he liked. Aurora had assumed it was just some excuse. Who would have thought that he really did have someone in his heart? ¡°Do you know who that person is?¡± Aurora asked casually. Yvonne hugged her knees. ¡°Caroline Evans.¡± When she heard Caroline¡¯s name, Aurora¡¯s expression immediately twisted. ¡°Adrian likes Caroline? How do you know? Did he tell you that himself?¡± Yvonne gave a bitterugh. ¡°Does he need to say it? Have you ever seen him make contact with someone of his own ord? I have. Plus, the smile he has whenever he sees Caroline is different.¡± Aurora still couldn¡¯t believe that Adrian liked Caroline, the person she hated the most! ¡°If that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t you have even more reason to go to Marietta¡¯s side?¡± At that, Yvonne looked at Aurora in confusion. Aurora exined, ¡°You probably don¡¯t know it yet, but Caroline calls Marietta, Mom now. If my guess is right, Marietta must have taken Caroline as her goddaughter because of how much she misses her own daughter.¡± She continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t return to Marietta, Caroline will continue taking up your rightful spot. Are you willing to see your romantic rival take the resources that should belong to you and unt it, too?¡± Finally, Yvonne was swayed But what do I tell Mom and Dad?¡°. +15 BONUS To prevent herself from being kicked out of the Hackett family, Yvonne had held onto her parents, screaming and crying that she would never leave the family. If she left now, she would be going back on her word. ¡°I¡¯ll help you exin it to them.¡± Noticing that the time was ripe, Aurora sat next to Yvonne and, hugging her shoulders, said ¡± Yvonne, tell me if you have problems in the future. Although we¡¯re romantic rivals, we have the same enemy now, so we must work together.¡± Yvonne looked at Aurora with suspicion in her eyes. ¡°We will be ¡­ cooperating?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll help you be Adrian¡¯s wife¡­¡± ¦§ Yvonne was confused as she looked at Aurora. ¡°What about me? What do you want me to help you with?¡± Aurora patted Yvonne on the shoulder. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll find out when the timees. But don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t ask you to do anything immoral.¡± Yvonne didn¡¯t ask anything more. As long as she could be with Adrian, she would do anything anyone asked. Besides, Aurora was right. Marietta was an internationally renowned ywright. If she stayed with her, things would be no different than they were now. Because Eddy had announced his endorsement of La, any doubts about her hadpletely vanished. Anyone online who had always been in support of her was buzzing. They started posting comments online. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say Mr. Eddy would stand by La¡¯s side no matter what? Now, look. It¡¯s always like this.¡± That¡¯s right, I said so, too. Mr. Eddy loves La so much, he will definitely support her in the end.¡± ¡°Yep. I really wonder what those people are thinking. Mr. Eddy endorsing Caroline? What a joke Have they forgotten so quickly that he hates Caroline? ¡°Some people really have goldfish memories. They think letting Caroline attend Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s funeral means he¡¯s epted her. Those who had supported Caroline also felt like her advantage was gone after they saw the video Chapter 698 Chapter 698 Chapter 698 Seeing how things were online, La was overjoyed. She picked up an apple and bit into it. ¡°Aunt Sarah, Uncle Dan, you must prepare the evidence. Once I get the Collins Group, you must immediately announce that Caroline isn¡¯t your daughter.¡± Sarah and Dan couldn¡¯t believe that La had actually gotten Eddy toe forward and announce his support of her. That meant that the Collins Group was definitely going to be La¡¯s. Could it be that no one in this world was more influential than Eddy Morrison? ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Dan smiled. ¡°La, once you sessfully acquire the Collins Group, I will announce that Caroline isn¡¯t my daughter. When the timees, we¡¯ll be celebrating two happy events. Won¡¯t that be nice?¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯m relieved.¡± Right then, La was not the slightest bit worried about purchasing the Collins Group. What worried her more was Dan going back on his word. She would be assured the position of Eddy¡¯s wife if Dan stuck to the agreement. Meanwhile, Caroline didn¡¯t know the world was getting into a huge argument because of her and La. She was ready to head to the bank in a few days to hand over the paperwork. With that, she would officially request to acquire the Collins Group. The key to whether or not she could obtain the Collins Groupy in crossing this barrier posed by the bank. Once the bank agreed to loan her the money, she would have the capital to acquire the Collins Group. That was why she needed a sponsor. ¡°Caroline.¡± Cheryl knocked, then opened the door. Awkwardly, she said, ¡°Mr. Eddy is here.¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Why is he here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He says he wants to see you. After giving it some thought, Caroline cleared her files off the desk and put them aside. ¡°Have him. ¡°Alright Not long after Cheryl left, Eddy strode in. He was wearing a ck suit and carried a briefcase in +15 BONUS ¡°Are you here to see me for something?¡± Caroline really didn¡¯t understand why Eddy kept visiting ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . her every couple of days. Eddy sat across from her and said, ¡°My n to ¡­ support La in acquiring the Collins Group. Do you know about it?¡± Caroline looked at him strangely. ¡°This is your own affair. What does it matter if I know about it?¡± Eddy replied, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say about it?¡± Caroline frowned at that. ¡°Eddy, what are you trying to do?¡± Without saying anything, Eddy looked at Caroline¡¯s desk. His sharp gaze caught sight of the request documents. ¡°You¡¯ve already prepared the request documents?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Caroline followed Eddy¡¯s gaze andnded on the same documents. ¡°What is it? Is there a problem?¡± Eddy¡¯s eyebrows furrowed tightly. ¡°You¡¯ve found someone to endorse you?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The way Caroline looked at Eddy told him it was a matter of course. She didn¡¯t understand why he seemed so astonished. Eddy lost his bnce and nearly fell into a seat on the chair. He had only announced to the media and La that he would endorse La because he hoped Caroline would feel a sense of danger. That way, Caroline woulde to him for help of her own ord. Now, it seemed things weren¡¯t going the way he expected them to. Eddy wasn¡¯t willing to believe it. Acquiring the Collins Group was a huge step to make. How could Caroline possibly do it without him? Without him, there was no way Caroline would be able to acquire the Collins Group at all. Chapter 699 Chapter 699 Chapter 699 Caroline frowned. ¡°Are you alright?¡± All she¡¯d done was prepare the documents. Did Eddy have to look like he¡¯d been hit so hard by it? Besides, she was only at the stage of procedures where she would hand in the materials. Even if she had his second uncle¡¯s support, she might still not be able to obtain the Collins Group. There was no need for Eddy to be so anxious just because he thought La would lose. Eddy raised his head with difficulty. He said, ¡°Who did you get to endorse you?¡± Caroline was surprised by this. She asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± It was such a big deal. Why didn¡¯t Eddy¡¯s second uncle tell him about it? It seemed Eddy¡¯s rtionship with his second uncle wasn¡¯t a very good one. I¨CI don¡¯t know¡­¡± Should he have known this? Caroline shrugged. Since Eddy¡¯s second uncle hadn¡¯t told him about it, she wouldn¡¯t stick her nose in ¡°You haven¡¯t answered me. Who did you get to sponsor you?¡± To this, Caroline only replied, ¡°You¡¯ll find out once it¡¯s announced.¡± Eddy looked at Caroline intently. Caroline ignored this and took a seat casually. ¡°There¡¯s no need to look at me like that. You know this person. But if you don¡¯t know, it means he doesn¡¯t want to tell you. In that case, I won¡¯t either.¡± Caroline figured she might as well exin all this to Eddy clearly. That would stop him from Eddy¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°Could it be.¡± He had an answer in his heart, fighting to escape from his lips. But he couldn¡¯t believe it. Caroline said, ¡°Do you have any more questions? If not, you may leave now.¡± Eddy slowly turned to go. At the door, he whirled back around and stared fixedly at Caroline. Caroline, I don¡¯t care who your husband is. No matter what, I will fulfill Grandpa¡¯s final wish, and no one can stop me from doing it.¡± +15 BONUS Caroline¡¯s heart started racing all of a sudden. Long after Eddy left, she still couldn¡¯t get over what he¡¯d said about no one being able to stop him from achieving his goal. ¡°Caroline, are you alright?¡± Cheryl asked worriedly when she walked in and saw Caroline sitting in a daze, her face pale. Caroline came back to her senses. ¡°I¨CI¡¯m fine!¡± ¡°Caroline ¡­¡± ¡°Do you need something?¡± she asked Cheryl. Only then did Cheryl remember why she came in. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s like this, Caroline. Ms. Weiss just called me. She said she¡¯s been calling, but there¡¯s no answer. She asked me toe over and check what¡¯s going on.¡± Caroline picked up her phone and found that Marietta had called her more than a dozen times. And yet, she had somehow missed them all. She hadn¡¯t heard a single one. ¡°I got it. Please wait outside.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cheryl left hesitantly. Once Cheryl left, Caroline dialed Marietta¡¯s number. On the other end of the line, Marietta sounded like she was in a pleasant mood. ¡°Carrie, are you free tonight?¡± Caroline forced herself to sound cheery. ¡°Sure, Mom. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I received a call from Yvonne. She said that she wants to see me. I¨CIf I go alone, it¡¯d be a little¡­ Can youe with me?¡± Caroline replied, ¡°Mom, is she nning to acknowledge you as her mother?¡± ¡°Yes, Marietta said. Aurora had told her that Yvonne had agreed to return to her side. As for tonight¡¯s dinner, it was being organized to apologize to her for what happened before. That¡¯s great, Caroline said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m free tonight. Where are you going for dinner?¡± Marietta sent Carcime the address, then added. ¡°By the way, remember to bring Kirk. Candere Baufus aureus Why stemmer Bergmist Merate and the the thin de ronne acute me as her mother, I want to being Besar to Putine at how der whonest and to be that¡¯s why I want to treat you two to dison on the date tax on the same back, wat was to another meal 26cess that tatuette was gong it pe Cardine fall an engeness in her heart Today¡¯s Songs 9fterContent ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 700 Chapter 700 Chapter 700 Caroline felt like she had lost something very important to her. ¡°Alright then,¡± Caroline said. ¡°Then let¡¯s see each other tonight.¡± ¡°Great.¡± +15 BONUS After Marietta ended the call, Caroline put her phone down dejectedly. Actually, she had gotten the feeling long ago that Marietta would leave Easton. She never expected her to leave so soon. She sent Kirk a message and immediately got a reply. His text made Caroline frown in pain. The scene of Jude before he died floated in her mind. Grandpa had died because of her. She had been haunted by this all this while. This and Jude¡¯s final wish were etched deeply in Caroline¡¯s heart. If she and Kirk weren¡¯t together, she definitely would have gone along with Jude¡¯s dying wish and married Eddy. It didn¡¯t matter to her if she lived the rest of her life like a puppet on a string. However, she now had Kirk, and there was no way she was going to abandon him. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to Kirk. Once again, Caroline let out a deep sigh. Even if¡­ Even if she had to endure the pain of nightly nightmares, she would stay by Kirk¡¯s side. She would do anything to make it up to him, but she couldn¡¯t abandon Kirk. Even if ¡­ Grandpa would hate her. Caroline looked up. In the afternoon, after getting off work, Caroline went downstairs and noticed Jack¡¯s car parked by the entrance. Without thinking about it, she knew that Kirk had to be in there. Opening the car door, Caroline found Kirk in the car. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°Have you been waiting long?¡± Caroline took a seat in the car, doing her best to pretend that nothing had happened. However, Kirk immediately saw that Caroline was feeling down. +15 BONUS ¡°We just got here. What is it?¡± Kirk took Caroline¡¯s hand in his own. ¡°Is work giving you trouble?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why are you feeling so down?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Having been seen through by Kirk, Caroline immediately looked away, trying to hide her emotions but showcasing them instead. ¡°Mom¡¯s going to leave soon. I¡¯m going to miss her.¡± It was true that she was feeling dejected in part because of this. Kirk didn¡¯t suspect anything. ¡°If you want to see her, I can go with you.¡± Caroliney her head on Kirk¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Alright.¡± They were quiet during the car ride. Soon, they arrived at the restaurant. They were led to the huge private room Marietta had reserved. When they pushed the door open and went inside, the room fell silent. Three people looked at Caroline and Kirk. Both Aurora¡¯s and Yvonne¡¯s eyes lit up when they saw Kirk. ¡°You¡¯re here. Quick,e in,¡± Marietta called out to Caroline. Caroline walked in, holding Kirk¡¯s hand. Meanwhile, Aurora and Yvonne were still staring at Kirk. Unsettled by this, Caroline coughed. ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Is this your¡­ husband?¡± Yvonne asked. Suddenly, she understood why Caroline would rather stay with this broke bum than get with Eddy. While Eddy was rich beyond measure, he wasn¡¯t as blessed in the looks department. On a scale of 100, Eddy could easily get 98 points when it came to looks. However, the man before them now could get 1000 points. Besides, it wasn¡¯t just his looks. His bearing was also astounding. Yvonne thought about shifting her interest somewhere else. Chapter 701 Chapter 701 Caroline wanted to shield Kirk behind her, but she wasn¡¯t tall enough to do any good. She could only clutch kirk¡¯s hand tighter to broadcast her ownership. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Aurora said sarcastically, ¡°He¡¯s quite the looker. Too bad being handsome can¡¯t pay the rent. Her words dragged Yvonne back to earth. She immediately looked away and said, ¡°I heard your husband relies on you financially. Is that right?¡± She cast her taunting gaze on Caroline. It was only by saying this that Yvonne felt like she could make herself feel better. Otherwise, she would be too enraged whenever she saw Caroline¡¯s face. She could admit that Caroline was pretty, but why did Adrian like her and not Yvonne? Displeased, Caroline put on a sullen expression. Although Marietta had organized this dinner, and she was happy to behave because of that, no one was allowed to talk about Kirk negatively. ¡°How do you know so much about my affairs? Do you hide under my bed or something?¡± With that, Yvonne¡¯s face turned scarlet. Marietta also thought Yvonne had gone overboard. ¡°Yvonne, that is a matter of Caroline¡¯s family. You¡¯re an outsider and don¡¯t know anything about them, so don¡¯t talk about it.¡± Yvonne was just about to retort when Aurora stopped her with a look. ¡°Today is a happy day, so let¡¯s all cool it.¡± Aur stood up and filled everyone¡¯s sses. If she wasn¡¯t trying to butter Marietta up, she wouldn¡¯t be doing a waitress¡® job. ¡°Here, have a drink.¡± Only then did Caroline and Kirk take their seats. After the two sat down, Marietta lifted her ss and said, ¡°I¡¯d like first to thank Carrie that I can be reunited with my daughter here today. If it weren¡¯t for the way Caroline worked so hard to find her, I don¡¯t know if I would have found Yvonne. So, this toast is to thank you, Carrie.¡± Caroline raised her ss, too. ¡°Mom, that¡¯s what I should be doing. I¡¯ve learned a lot in the time I¡¯ve been by your side. Thank you.¡± 25 BONUS Seeing how intimate Mta and Caroline were. Yvonne felt very ufortable. She especially disliked the way Caroline kept calling Marietta ¡°Mom¡°, as if Mta really was her mother Caroline had already stolen Adrian¡¯s love, and Yvonne wouldn¡¯t allow her to steal Mta away as well. ¡°Mom,¡± Yvonne suddenly said, ¡°why does Caroline also call you Mom? Could she be your biological daughter, too?¡± ¡°Oh, she¡¯s not. I get along especially well with Carrie, so I took her as my goddaughter.¡± ¡°But since I¡¯m back, shouldn¡¯t you¡­¡± Yvonne tugged Marietta¡¯s arm and whined, ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to share you with someone else, okay?¡± Finally, Yvonne was calling her Mom. This made countless emotions surge to the forefront within Marietta. However¡­ Marietta looked at Caroline. She really did like this person. Besides, doing this would be simply too cruel. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Meanwhile, Yvonne looked at Caroline victoriously. She would first get Marietta back. Then, she would get Adrian back as well. Caroline saw through Yvonne¡¯s intentions. To prevent Marietta from getting torn between them, she said, ¡°Mom, no, Aunt Mary. Since you¡¯ve already found your daughter, I think I should go back to calling you Aunt Mary.¡± ¡°Caroline¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat, Aunt Mary.¡± Caroline smiled. Seeing Caroline¡¯s painstaking show of fortitude, Marietta felt her heart skip a beat. She wanted to say something, but Caroline secretly held her hand. ¡°Carrie¡­¡± Marietta¡¯s lips moved, but no sound came out. Caroline shook her head lightly. It had taken a lot for Yvonne to finally acknowledge Marietta as her mother. Caroline didn¡¯t want to be the barrier that came between them. Chapter 702 Chapter 702 Chapter 702 At this, Yvonne said sweetly, ¡°Thank you for agreeing, Caroline¡± Caroline didn¡¯t react. ¡°No need to thank me. I hope you¡¯ll take good care of Aunt Mary after this.¡± ¡°Of course I will.¡± Yvonne hugged Marietta¡¯s arm. Caroline didn¡¯t say anything more. When the dinner came to an end, Caroline felt even more dejected. Although Marietta purposely ran after her to apologize, Caroline¡¯s mood didn¡¯t get better. Her low spirits weren¡¯t caused by Yvonne forcing her to change the way she addressed Marietta. It was how Yvonne treated Marietta. Caroline was saddened by the way Yvonne seemed to do whatever she wanted just because she was Marietta¡¯s daughter. Today, she had asked Marietta to renounce Caroline as her goddaughter. But what would happen in the future? ¡°Darling, are you still thinking about what happened during dinner?¡± Kirk raised his hands and started gently massaging Caroline¡¯s temples. Caroliney her head on Kirk¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yeah.¡± She continued, ¡°I just feel like Yvonne shouldn¡¯t use the love Aunt Mary has for her to do whatever she wants. Kirk, do you think I¡¯m being nosy here?¡± He caressed her hair. Once she slowly calmed down, he said, ¡°Darling, everyone sees things. differently. When something happens, you can¡¯t only look at it from your point of view.¡± ¡°But,¡± Caroline raised her head, ¡°I could feel that Aunt Mary was very unhappy.¡± In truth, Caroline didn¡¯t know why her heart stung so much. She felt Marietta shouldn¡¯t be treated this way. But now, the most she was was Marietta¡¯s friend. What right did she have to say anything? Kirk¡¯s heart ached for Caroline. He hugged her waist. Caroline was a great person, but sometimes, she was simply too kind. When they arrived back home, Caroline was so exhausted that she immediately copsed into bed. When Kirk walked in, he saw Caroline bundled up in the sheets, wrapping herself up tight. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. +15 BONUS He approached and noticed there was something wrong with Caroline¡¯splexion. Her face was very red and dotted with sweat. ¡°Darling¡­¡± Kirk bent down and gently put his hand to her forehead. It was hot to the touch. It seemed Caroline had a fever. Kirk immediately got his phone and called Sean. ¡°Come over immediately.¡± Sean had beenfortably enjoying his time in thend of dreams. When he heard this, he crawled out of bed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Kirk hung up. Beside Sean, Gwen got up, rubbing her sleep¨Ccrusted eyes. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Sean replied, ¡°Something must have happened to Caroline. I¡¯ve got to make a trip there. Be good and rest. Wait for me to get back.¡± But Gwen had already gotten out of bed. ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡± Sean wanted to say something further against it, but Gwen was quickly getting dressed. Left with no other choice, Sean brought Gwen along to Caroline¡¯s apartment. When they arrived, Sean immediately asked Kirk, who hade to open the door, ¡°What happened to Caroline?¡± Kirk¡¯s expression was very solemn. ¡°She got a fever after we got home.¡± ¡°A fever?¡± Sean passed Kirk a thermometer from the first¨Caid kit. Then, he checked Caroline¡¯s eyes, finding them strangely red. His heart skipped a beat, and a bad feeling grew in his stomach. Caroline suddenly opened her eyes. Her reddened eyes stared right at Sean, making him jump. Chapter 703 Chapter 703 ¡°Caroline,¡± Sean tried calling her name. However, her gaze was dead set, not shifting at all. After a long while, Caroline seemed to be stimted by something. Crazed, she shouted, ¡°Caroline, how could you be so heartless? I died because of you!¡± Seeing Caroline like this, even Gwen, with her bravery and what she¡¯d gone through, shivered in fear. She clutched Sean¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°What¡¯s happened to Carol?¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°Hysteria.¡± Sean looked up at Kirk and said, ¡°Kirk. I¡¯m going to call Micheal Caldwell over.¡± Kirk¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line. Sean didn¡¯t dy. He called Michael immediately and asked him to rush over. After the call, Sean addressed Kirk again, ¡°Kirk, you must prepare yourself. With Caroline¡¯s condition worsening so suddenly, she might need to go through some drug or physical therapy. This process will be a long and painful one Kirk¡¯s face turned pale. His fingers were icy as he clutched Caroline¡¯s hand tightly. Caroline, who had been quiet for a moment, suddenly started spasming. White froth gathered at her mouth. ¡°Sean!¡± Gwen yelled anxiously. Sean ran to the kitchen to get a towel. When he got back, he saw Caroline biting Kirk¡¯s arm. Blood was already seeping from the wound. ¡°Kirk.¡± Sean passed the kitchen towel to Kirk, but he shook his head. The expression on his face. remained firm, and he didn¡¯t let out a single groan of pain. After a while, Caroline finally stopped spasming and slowly returned to normal. Only then did Kirk slowly withdraw his arm. Gwen immediately saw the distinct teeth marks on Kirk¡¯s arm. Before she could ask Kirk if that needed to be dealt with, Michael arrived. I didn¡¯t think it woulde to this,¡± Michael sighed. ¡°Mr. Morrison +15 BONUS Before Michael could finish speaking, Sean dragged him away. ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside. Gwen waspletely confused as she watched the three men stride out. However, she focused her back on Caroline. Noticing the sweat on Caroline¡¯s forehead, Gwen went to the bathroom to get a bucket of water Meanwhile, out on the balcony, Sean made sure Gwen couldn¡¯t hear before he said to Michael, Alright, tell us. How is Caroline¡¯s condition now?¡± Michael looked at Kirk in fear. Right then, the man¡¯s expression was terrifyingly dark. He looked like a demon who had crawled out of hell. Bracing himself, Michael said, ¡°The madam¡¯s condition has worsened. It will soon be¡­¡± Before he could finish, Kirk grabbed him by the cor. Instantly, he felt suffocated. ¡°Mr. Morrison ¡­ Mr. Morrison¡­¡± Michael was so scared that his legs were shaking. In the past, no matter how important the person he was treating was, he was always treated with respect. Now, with Kirk¡¯s wife as his patient, he felt like he¡¯d be executed at any time. Sean could understand how Kirk felt. However, threatening him did nothing to help. ¡°Kirk, calm down. Don¡¯t forget. Michael is the greatest expert in psychiatry now. If you throttle him to death, there¡¯s no one who can better treat Caroline¡¯s condition.¡± Kirk took a deep breath and slowly put Michael down. Finally getting to breathe fresh air again, Michael started heaving. Chapter 704 Chapter 704 Chapter 704 ¡°You¡¯d bettere up with a good treatment n. Otherwise, know that my patience is limited.¡± Kik held onto the balcony railing as he spoke. His tone was so cold it could freeze someone on the spot Michael looked at Sean in fear. Sean patted his shoulder and said, ¡°Just tell us. How did Caroline¡¯s condition suddenly get so bad?¡± Michael shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. ording to what Mr. Morrison has recounted in the past few days, the madam seems to have shifted her attention to the acquisition of the Collins Group. That¡¯s a very good development when ites to my treatment n. So¡­ how could it get this bad?¡± Sean looked at Kirk and said, ¡°Kirk, did something unusual happen today?¡± Kirk¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Marietta Weiss found her daughter.¡± Both Sean and Michael were very familiar with Caroline¡¯s current situation. Hearing this, the two showed expressions of understanding. ¡°This must have agitated the madam,¡± Michael said. ¡°Mr. Morrison, do you remember what I said to you before? Unless things have gotten to the point of no return, I do not rmend any external form of treatment. However¡­ we¡¯re at that point now.¡± Kirk¡¯s eyes narrowed. His tone was deep and difficult to decipher as he asked, ¡°How the process?¡± painful is Michael replied, ¡°I can¡¯t be sure about that. Everyone has their own threshold. However, Mr. Morrison, you must discuss this seriously with the madam first. If the patient rejects the treatment, the process will only be more painful.¡± Kirk¡¯s fists clenched. Michael looked at Sean silently. This prompted Sean to wave his hand, telling Michael to leave. With that, Michael immediately raced off. When he was gone, Sean walked to Kirk¡¯s side. He askde, ¡°When do you n on telling Caroline that she needs treatment?¡± Kirk put his forehead on the icu roilies +15 BONUS ¡°I will make the Morrison family suffer the pain Caroline has gone through today by a hundred- no, a thousandfold!¡± At this, Sean pressed down on Kirk¡¯s shoulders helplessly. ¡°How¡¯s Carol?¡± Gwen asked in confusion, pushing open the balcony¡¯s sliding door. She had given Caroline a sponge bath. Seeing the dark expressions of the two men, Gwen felt her heart sink. ¡°Kirk, you should go inside and take care of Caroline. Gwen, Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Some here¡­¡± Kirk headed inside. After watching Kirk leave, Gwen turned to look at Sean. In the time Sean took to exin things to Gwen, Kirk was back in the bedroom. There, he saw Caroline lying weakly on the bed and felt his heart wrench. He knelt by the bed and held Caroline¡¯s hand, cing a soft kiss on her skin. In her dreams, Caroline had no clue what had happened. On the balcony, Gwen had learned about everything. She was so angry that her whole body shook. She turned and walked through the sliding doors before heading for the exit. Seeing this, Sean stopped her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Gwen was so enraged that her eyes were bloodshot. ¡°I¡¯m going to see Eddy. Isn¡¯t he bullying her by doing this? It was so hard for Carol to finally live happily. ¡°How could his grandfather ce these huge shackles on her like this? Carol has never owed the Morrison family anything. Isn¡¯t Mr. Morrison Senior guilt¨Ctripping her?¡± Sean hugged Gwen and said, ¡°Gwen, you need to calm down. Going to see Eddy now won¡¯t help things. The harm is done. Now, what we should be doing is help Caroline through this.¡± Chapter 705 Chapter 705 Chapter 705 Now, Gwen was shaking even more violently. She huddled in Sean¡¯s embrace and said, ¡°How is this fair? How could Carol be embroiled in this when it was so difficult for her to escape the Morrison family?¡± Sean patted Gwen¡¯s back gently and sighed soundlessly. The rest of the night passed in silence, and none of them slept. Sean and Gwen didn¡¯t leave, keeping vigil in Caroline¡¯s apartment. The next day, when Caroline woke up and found her ce filled with people, she was taken aback with shock. ¡°Why are you guys here?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t have an inkling of what had happenedst night at all. Seeing Caroline awake, Gwen lost it. Tears streamed from her eyes. ¡°Carol, you¡¯re awake. How do you feel now?¡± Sitting upright in bed, Caroline shifted her suspicious gaze from Kirk to Gwen ¡°What happened to me?¡± She thought that she must have sweated a lot, considering how sticky she felt all over. Gwen¡¯s eyes turned red again as she quickly turned to look at Sean. Sean shot Caroline a smile. Then, he said to Kirk, ¡°We¡¯re going outside. We¡¯ll leave things here to you.¡± He dragged Gwen out of the room With that, only Caroline and Kirk were left in the bedroom. Confused, Caroline looked at Kirk. She was wearing a faint smile as she asked, ¡°What¡¯s up with everyone, Kirk? Why do you all look so grim?¡± Kirk sat by Caroline¡¯s side. After a night with no sleep, there were bruises under his eyes. Seeing him like this, Caroline started getting worried. ¡°I found out what Mr. Morrison Senior said before he died.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Caroline¡¯s expression changed drastically. ¡°I also know why you¡¯ve been having nightmarestely.¡± Caroline hurriedly said, ¡°Kirk, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t leave you. +15 BONUS Kirk started tough lightly. Even so, his eyes were filled with pain. ¡°Darling, listen to me.¡± Caroline could only shut her mouth. I¡¯ve hired a psychiatrist to see you.¡± Caroline sat quietly, looking at Kirk, waiting for him to finish speaking. After a long silence, Caroline nearly began to wonder if there was anything more to it. Kirk spoke up again, ¡°The process will be very painful. If you can¡¯t take it¡­¡± Caroline clutched Kirk¡¯s cor and interrupted him. ¡°If I go for treatment, does that mean I won¡¯t be haunted by nightmares anymore? Does it mean I won¡¯t be haunted by guilt anymore.. Caroline¡¯s voice grew softer, but the strength with which she held Kirk¡¯s cor became greater. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to do anything to make up for the fact that Grandpa died because of me. It¡¯s that ¡­ I really don¡¯t want to leave you ¡­ Kirk, am I very selfish?¡± As Caroline spoke, she started to cry. All the pain and resentment she had pushed down started to overflow. ¡°I¡¯ve been having nightmares nearly every night. I dream of Grandpa saying that I¡¯m heartless. That, if you weren¡¯t here, I would have been with Eddy long ago. But I have you, and I don¡¯t want to leave you.¡± Outside the door, Gwen felt her heart breaking as she heard Caroline¡¯s heart wrenching sobs. She wanted to go inside, but Sean stopped her. She could do nothing but stay by the door, feeling her anxiety burning within her. In the room, Kirk was holding Caroline by the waist, letting her cry to her heart¡¯s content. Her tears soaked into his shirt. Caroline was suffering so much pain, but she wasn¡¯t the only one. Right then, Kirk had to give Caroline the support she needed. ¡°How can that be?¡± Kirk held Caroline and spoke like he was coaxing a child. ¡°No, you¡¯re not selfish, Carrie. A selfish person would never call themselves selfish.¡± Chapter 706 Chapter 706 Chapter 706 Kirk continued, ¡°Carrie, you¡¯re the kindest person in the world. All you want is a home of your own, but God has put up so many barriers between you and that tiny wish. Do you think you¡¯re the one being selfish, or is it God who¡¯s being cruel?¡± Caroline¡¯s tears kept falling out of her control. ¡°Kirk, stop talking¡­¡± If he kept going, Caroline would feel she didn¡¯t deserve him even more, someone who understood her so well. Kirk gave a lightugh and tweaked Caroline¡¯s nose. He waited until she stabilized her emotions before speaking, ¡°Darling, next time, you should tell me if you have any problems. You should think about yourself more. You have to put yourself first, not me. Understand?¡± Caroline nodded. ¡°Then would you ¡­ worry that I might leave you?¡± Caroline had never said this because she was worried Kirk might overthink it. ¡°No.¡± Kirk kissed Caroline¡¯s fingers. ¡°We will never part. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Finally, a smile appeared on Caroline¡¯s face. ¡°You talked about a psychiatrist¡­¡± Caroline wiped the tears from her face. ¡°What¡¯s that about?¡± ¡°You need to undergo drug or physical treatment. Either of those would involve some measure of pain.¡± Each word Kirk said felt like a hammer swinging at his heart. ¡°Darling This was thest thing he wanted for Caroline. That was why he¡¯d always asked Michael to do his best to treat Caroline¡¯s issues painlessly. Now, it seemed that his reluctance to hurt Caroline had caused her more suffering. It had made her condition worse. Even though there was a rational voice telling him that letting Caroline go through the treatment was the best way forward, he still couldn¡¯t set his heart on that path. He couldn¡¯t bear to her Caroline hurt. Caroline guessed what Kirk was worried about. Smiling, she said, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m willing to go through the treatment. As long as I don¡¯t have to leave you, I can handle whatever painful treatment it is.¡± For all she knew, it might even lessen her feelings of having sinned. +15 BONUS Kirk held onto Caroline¡¯s hand tightly. The two of them looked at each other in silence. Neither of them spoke, but nothing needed to be said with words anymore. After a whole half¨Chour, Caroline remembered that there were people outside the bedroom door She wiped the tears on her face. ¡°Kirk, Gwen and Sean are still outside Let¡¯s let them in. We don¡¯t want them to worry.¡± Kirk nodded. He got up to open the door. Seeing the door finally open, Gwen was the first to stride inside. She clutched Caroline¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Carrie ¡­¡± Caroline smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to seek treatment.¡± Hearing Caroline say this so calmly, Gwen felt her heart twist. Tears began to fall. ¡°Carol¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. I¡¯ll make it through this.¡± Caroline gave Gwen a big hug, making Gwen feel even worse inside. Sometimes, she felt Caroline was just too kind, like what had happened with Jude¡¯s death. No one wanted such a tragedy to happen, and Howard was the one at fault. Yet, the person who had suffered the consequences was Caroline. What kind of divine justice was this? Gwen got angry the more she thought about it. She held Caroline even harder. In the end, Caroline had tofort Gwen instead. Seeing the two women hugging each other so tightly, Sean looked at Kirk, whose gaze was very grim. He patted Kirk¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Kirk, I have something to say to you.¡± As he said this, he headed out of the bedroom. Kirk shot another nce at Caroline before following him. Chapter 707 Chapter 707 Chapter 707 When they got to the balcony, Sean didn¡¯t say anything. Unable to stand it, Kirk asked, ¡°What did you ask me out here to talk about?¡± Looking at Kirk, Sean burst intoughter, which only caused Kirk to look even grimmer. ¡°Kirk, you should really look at yourself in the mirror right now.¡± Stillughing, he continued, The way you look now, not even Charles would be able to recognize you, even if he¡¯s by your side all the time.¡± Kirk pressed his lips together and didn¡¯t say anything. After a moment, he said, ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to joke with you right now.¡± Leaning against the railing, Sean looked into the distance. ¡°I know that. And I¡¯m not joking with you. Ever since you found out the kind ofndmine your uncle left you before his death, you¡¯ve been worried to bits. I can see all that. You might not admit it, but you can¡¯t say it¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°What in the world are you trying to say?¡± Sean turned to look at Kirk. ¡°Kirk, you¡¯re exceptional at management. Plus, you¡¯re so smart too. Are you sure you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about?¡± By now, Kirk¡¯s mouth was a thin line. After a long while, he spoke again, his tone much more somber, ¡°I know. Right now, I need to be calm more than ever. You don¡¯t know how worried I get. whenever I hear something strange when I¡¯m lying beside Caroline.¡± He continued, ¡°That¡¯s how I know she¡¯s having another nightmare. That feeling of helplessness¡­ I used to think I could control everything until I met Carrie. That was when I learned I couldn¡¯t control anything at all.¡± This fear of losing Caroline ¡­ It was something Kirk had never shared with anyone before. He could only talk about such things with Sean. Sean sighed. ¡°Love is such a powerful and dangerous thing. Kirk, as your friend and someone who has troubles because of love, I can¡¯t give you any suggestions. As a doctor, I have some advice.¡± He rified, ¡°Michael Caldwell is the best psychiatrist. If he can¡¯t cure Caroline¡¯s condition, no one can. During treatment, the worst that could happen would be for any external influences to Kik¡¯s gaze darkened After a while, his tightly clenched fists loosened. Seeing this, Sean patted his shoulder. +15 BONUS Once Caroline epted that she needed treatment, Kirk helped her set up her first session. This first session was a simple one, involving some psychiatric assessments. There was no pain involved in any part of it. However, when she came out of the room, Caroline noticed Kirk¡¯s back straining as he sat up straight, his hands covered in sweat. ¡°You seem even more nervous than I am,¡± Caroline teased with a smile. However, she knew better than anyone that the pain would start when the treatment n was set. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Look, aren¡¯t I perfectly fine right now?¡± Kirk caressed Caroline¡¯s hair. ¡°Yes. Do you want to go to thepany or go home?¡± ¡°Thepany.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. After staying at home for so long, Caroline thought she¡¯d better head to thepany for a change of scenery. Maybe then, she would have a change in mood, too. Although she was already being honest with Kirk, she still hadn¡¯t gotten into the right emotional headspace. Now, she only had two choices. Either she would quietly ept treatment and take away the pain. that remained in her heart, or she would marry Eddy and no longer feel guilty about letting Jude down. However, Caroline would rather die than choose the second option. She didn¡¯t want to give up her happiness because she felt bad about Jude. Chapter 708 Chapter 708 Chapter 708 ¡°Darling Kirk¡¯s maic voice pulled Caroline out of her thoughts. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Caroline shook her head ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Do you want to go to thepany with me?¡± He was probably bored from staying home all day. Kirk declined, ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Recently, he had been trying to expedite the transfer of his business from Macldo to Easton. If he wanted to remove Morrison Corporation from the running, he couldn¡¯t rely on the Collins Group¡¯s assets. He could only rival their assets by moving part of SY Group¡¯s industry to Easton. Caroline nodded. ¡°Okay, if you get bored staying here, call me any time.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kirk pulled Caroline into the car. Soon, the car arrived at the Evans Group¡¯s building. Caroline got out of the car. Then, Jack watched her disappear into the building before he turned around and asked Kirk, ¡°Sir, will you be going home or to thepany?¡± A sneer appeared on Kirk¡¯s lips. He asked, ¡°How long has it been since you boxed?¡± Jack was startled by his question. He didn¡¯t know what was going on. ¡°Sir¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go for a little exercise, shall we?¡± Jack¡¯s eyes lit up at his words, but there was still confusion in his gaze. But his doubts soon vanished when he and Kirk arrived at the Morrison Corporation. When Caroline entered the Evans Group¡¯s office, Cheryl followed her in. ¡°Hi, Caroline. Why haven¡¯t youe to work for two days?¡± Cheryl had asked her in the group chat. Caroline had said things were fine. However, Gwen hesitated before answering, as if they weren¡¯t okay. Caroline smiled. ¡°A small thing happened at home.¡± Cheryl looked at Caroline suspiciously. Then, she remembered something very important. ¡°By the way, Caroline, someone from the bank called. They asked you to submit some documents. Caroline picked up a document from her table and said, ¡°It should be this one.¡± Cheryl picked it up and read it with curiosity, ¡°Application for the acquisition of the Collins Group The Cilins Group!¡± Cheryl opened her mouth in shock. She read the document carefully to ensure she wasn¡¯t seeing things, and then, she looked at Caroline in disbelief. ¡°Caroline, are you nning to buy the Collins Group too?¡± Caroline wasn¡¯t just kidding around, was she? Caroline took the document from Cheryl with a smile. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it that strange for me to This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. do that? Everyone can apply to buy it, but even if they do, they may not be able to get it.¡± Cheryl held her chest and asked, ¡°So, Caroline, you¡¯re just doing this for fun, right?¡± Caroline said, ¡°No. Since I¡¯ve applied to acquire the Collins Group, I¡¯ll strive to take over the ¡°But!¡± Cheryl almost choked on her saliva from anxiousness. ¡°Mr. Eddy has made it clear that he¡¯ll help La. Now, no one intends to fight La for the Collins Group.¡± They knew they couldn¡¯t beat La. Caroline smiled. ¡°That¡¯s La¡¯s issue. It has nothing to do with us. Besides, I don¡¯t believe that I have to win the auction. Even so, I can just treat this as an experience, right?¡± Cheryl thought Caroline¡¯s words were reasonable, but she felt very ufortable at the thought of the Collins Group falling into La¡¯s hands. ¡°Caroline, I really hope you can take over the Collins Group instead of La.¡± Although it was very unlikely, La would definitely be pissed if Caroline got the Collins Group. Chapter 709 Chapter 709 Chapter 709 Caroline said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Chery! knew she was trying tofort her, so she didn¡¯t take her words to heart. ¡°Caroline, are you going to submit this document in the afternoon? Do you want me to do it for you?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll submit it myself,¡± Caroline said. It would be helpful to go out for a walk. ¡°All right. Call me anytime if you need help.¡± Caroline nodded at her words. After watching Cheryl leave, her expression turned solemn. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. When the test results were ready, the psychiatrist had told her that she felt so guilty because she was a good person. ¡°Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself.¡± Carolineid on her chair, exhausted. She wanted to forgive herself. However, she really couldn¡¯t put the me for Jude¡¯s death on Howard alone because Jude had taken a bullet for her. Why did people always have to go through difficult problems in life? Caroline didn¡¯t know the answer to that question. She was just so tired. She was terrified that one day, she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on anymore. Gradually, her internal anguish and physical exhaustion put her to sleep. When Caroline woke up, it was already the afternoon. She nced at the time. The bank was still open. She had to submit the document to them as soon as possible. She picked up the documents and went downstairs, but didn¡¯t see Jack¡¯s car. She called him, but no one answered. This had never happened before, but Caroline didn¡¯t have time to think about it. She hailed a cab and went straight to the bank. Fortunately, Caroline submitted all the documents before the bank closed. ¡°All right. Thank you.¡± Caroline stood up and was about to leave when she heard a ttering voice from the corridor. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. La. Mr. Eddy is endorsing you this time, so the bank will definitely give you 1/2 +15 BONUS Mr. Eddy.¡± Then, Caroline heard a familiar voice, ¡°Well, good. I¡¯m relieved to hear that, Mr. Donovan. I have a question Before La could finish her sentence, she spotted Caroline in the VIP room and smiled. Nevermind. I know the answer.¡± After speaking, she looked at Caroline and mocked, ¡°I just knew you would participate in something I was involved in, no matter what it was. Caroline, you¡¯re simply a thorn in my eyes.¡± Only then did Mr. Donovan recognize Caroline. But after seeing the tense situation between them, he deterred from greeting her. Caroline didn¡¯t bother entangling herself with La and walked straight to the door. However, after taking a few steps, La stopped her. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Don¡¯t know what to say? There¡¯s no point trying to change the situation by saying something to Ed. He took my side in the end.¡± ¡°La.¡± Caroline looked at her, amused. ¡°You may see Eddy as a treasure, but he¡¯s a piece of trash in my eyes. I don¡¯t know about everyone else, but I wouldn¡¯t fight you over a piece of trash!¡± ¡°How dare you call Ed a piece of trash!¡± La was so furious that she raised her hand to hit Caroline. Caroline looked at her calmly. ¡°Go ahead and hit me. You can go back to jail when you¡¯re done. La, you¡¯ve been there so many times. If you get locked up again, you¡¯ll probably never be free again.¡± La¡¯s expression twisted with anger. She took several deep breaths to calm herself down before sneering, ¡°Go ahead and brag all you want, Caroline. When I acquire the Collins Group, the first thing I¡¯ll do is take back the Evans Group.¡± Chapter 710 Chapter 710 Chapter 710 Caroline retorted, ¡°Even if you get the Collins Group, you don¡¯t have what it takes to take the Evans Group back because it¡¯s under my control. ¡± La looked at her maliciously. ¡°Really? Caroline, when I get the Collins Group, you¡¯ll discover something that¡¯ll turn your life upside down. When that happens, even the Evans family will forsake you. Not to mention the Morrisons.¡± Caroline replied calmly, ¡°Then, I¡¯d better get the Collins Group so my life won¡¯t be turned upside down.¡± Laughed at her words. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still dreaming, Caroline. Ed has already made it clear that he will endorse me. Do you really think you have a chance? Besides, who¡¯ll endorse you? That poor husband of yours?¡± Caroline red at La. ¡°What? Are you going to hit me? Remember, there are surveince cameras here!¡± La challenged, swallowing. Caroline¡¯s re was terrifying. It was like a hungry wolf staring at a piece of flesh. ¡°Why would I hit you?¡± Caroline pinched La¡¯s cheek. ¡°Oh, my dear cousin. I¡¯m just showing you some familial affection.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± La screamed in pain. Everyone was stunned. They didn¡¯t know if they should help. It wasn¡¯t until La scratched Caroline¡¯s arm that everyone realized they were fighting and quickly separated them. When they broke apart, La¡¯s cheeks were already red, and Caroline¡¯s arms had several scratches. La hissed in pain. However, Caroline¡¯s expression remained cold. ¡°This is my first time meeting someone so fond of sticking their hand into a ho¡¯s nest. La, you¡¯d better heed my warning. I don¡¯t care what you say about me because you¡¯re just a pest. No one cares about pests. But if you insult my husband again, I¡¯ll kill you like one.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°You¡¯re crazy! You¡¯re a madman! You treat Ed like trash, but¨CLa remembered Caroline¡¯s warning moments ago and didn¡¯t dare to finish her words. Caroline turned away and left. As La watched Caroline leave, she finished the sentence she had started, ¡°What a lunatic. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so good about her husband. He¡¯s clearly a poor sob, but she treats him like a treasure.¡± When Mr. Donovan heard her, he came over and said to La, ¡°There¡¯s no need to let someone like Content ? N?velDrama.Org. her rattle your cage, Ms. La. Some people think their possessions are the most superior.¡± La nced at Mr. Donovan, and he immediately stopped talking. She cast her gaze on the staff behind the counter. She asked, ¡°Did Carolinee here to submit the application?¡± The staff nodded timidly. They didn¡¯t dare to offend the woman Eddy had given his support to ¡°Throw her application away.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Mr. Donovan shook his head at the staff, then said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. La. We¡¯ll throw away Ms. Caroline¡¯s documents. After all, only you¡¯re eligible to acquire the Collins Group.¡± After hearing his words, La¡¯s mood finally improved. ¡°It¡¯s good that you have somemon sense. Don¡¯t worry. When I take over the Collins Group, I¡¯ll definitely keep working with you guys.¡± Mr. Donovan smiled and saw La off. When he returned, the employee stopped him. ¡°Mr. Donovan, are we really going to throw away Ms. Caroline¡¯s documents?¡± ¡°What do you think? Can you find anotherpany that has more assets than Morrison Corp?¡± His words instantly made the employee speechless, and he had no choice but to throw Caroline¡¯s application documents into the trash. Chapter 711 Chapter 711 Chapter 711 Caroline went home after submitting the documents. She was surprised to see that Kirk wasn¡¯t home. However, she wasn¡¯t concerned in the slightest. Although Kirk had resigned from his job, he still had his own social life. It was normal for him to be away from home asionally. Since Kirk wasn¡¯t home, she could take this chance to buy groceries and cook him a big meal. Due ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . to Jude¡¯s death, Caroline hadn¡¯t cooked for Kirk for a long time. Hence, she went to the farmer¡¯s market to buy groceries. When she returned home, Kirk still wasn¡¯t home. So she went to the kitchen to cook dinner. When Caroline was almost done cooking, she heard noises outside the door. She stood at the door, smiling, waiting for Kirk to enter. However, when she saw a rather disgruntled Kirk, her expression froze. Kirk hadn¡¯t expected to see Caroline at home, and he quickly hid his anger. ¡°What are you doing home?¡± Caroline replied, ¡°I came home after getting off work. What happened to you? Did you get into a fight?¡± ¡°No, I just practiced boxing with Jack.¡± Caroline was skeptical, but she didn¡¯t ask any more questions. Instead, she turned toward the dining room and said, ¡°You must be hungry. Let¡¯s have dinner.¡± Kirk followed Caroline to the dining room. When he saw the sumptuous meal on the table, he kissed her forehead tenderly. ¡°Thank you, darling.¡± Caroline was about to reply when she frowned and sniffed Kirk¡¯s body. Kirk asked loudly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you worried about me cheating on you?¡± Caroline raised her head and looked at Kirk sternly. ¡°I smell blood.¡± Kirk¡¯s brows furrowed almost imperceptibly at her words. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I fought a few rounds against Jack.¡± ¡°A few rounds?¡± Caroline¡¯s eyes lit up. Chapter 712 Chapter 712 Chapter 712 Caroline took a look at her phone and saw that Marietta was calling her. She quickly answered the call. ¡°Hi, Aunt Mary.¡± ¡°Hey, Carrie. I¡¯m calling to apologize,¡± Marietta said on the phone. She had lost her usual high spirits and sounded very tired. ¡°What happened that day was Yvonne¡¯s fault. She shouldn¡¯t have treated you like that.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°Aunt Mary, you don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± ¡°No, Carrie. I won¡¯t feel at ease if I don¡¯t apologize.¡± Marietta forced a smile. ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re a good person. I¡¯m sorry for what you went through that day.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t say anything else, and Marietta remained silent as well. Caroline could feel that they could no longer return to the time when they had been as close as mother and daughter. She thought that it was a pity. However, she never regretted calling Marietta her mother because she finally understood what maternal love felt like after spending time with her. ¡°I¡¯m going to bring Yvonne home the day after tomorrow.¡± Marietta took a breath and continued, ¡°But we¡¯ll head over to Macldo first. Carrie, do you have anything you want? I¡¯ll buy it for you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± Caroline declined. ¡°Getting your wish fulfilled is the best gift for me.¡± Her words struck a chord in Marietta¡¯s heart. Caroline was really too sweet. But people who were kind would always suffer. Marietta thought about something seriously and then said, ¡°Carrie, I¡¯m going to a casting call tomorrow. There¡¯s a screenwriter who I¡¯m close with, and her literary skills are as good as mine. If you ever find any problems, you can always meet her.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline slowly sat on the bed. She hugged her knees sadly, feeling as if a knife had cut 1/2 Although Marietta hadn¡¯t said it explicitly, Caroline knew that it wouldn¡¯t be easy to see hersen in the future ¡°Of course, you can ask me too if you want I¡¯m just worried about the time difference/ Marisa hurriedly exined, worried that Caroline would overthink things Caroline hummed in assent. Then, the two fell into silence once more After a while, Caroline pulled herself together and said, ¡°Aunt Mary, I¡¯m going to hang up now tat me know when you¡¯re free tomorrow morning, and we¡¯ll go see that screenwriter together¡± The next day might be Caroline¡¯sst time seeing Marietta ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline feared she would start crying, so she quickly hung up the phone Meanwhile, after Marietta hung up the phone, she felt her heart throb in pain. It felt as if someone was squeezing the breath out of her, making it impossible for her to breathe Moreover, this wasn¡¯t the first time she had felt like this She had felt the same way when her ex husband had told her that her daughter was missing It seemed that she really saw Caroline as her daughter. Unfortunately, Yvonne didn¡¯t seem to like Caroline that much. Marietta didn¡¯t want Caroline to be wronged like that again. Moreover, she was about to leave Easton. She would feel more at ease if someone looked after Caroline on her behalf ¡°Mom!¡± The door was pushed open, and Yvonne walked in excitedly. ¡°The yacht you gave me is so cool! Many friends called me just now, saying they wanted to see it. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Of course. If you like it, I can always buy another one for you. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Mom!¡± Yvonne kissed Marietta on the cheek. Suddenly, she thought of something and looked at Marietta sternly. ¡°Mom, you didn¡¯t contactContent provided by N?velDrama.Org. Caroline in secret while I was away, did you?¡± Marietta¡¯s expression shifted slightly at her question. Chapter 713 Chapter 713 Chapter 713 Yvonne.¡± Marietta felt it was necessary to make things clear to her. ¡°I may not know why you dislike Carrie, but it¡¯s all thanks to her that we were able to reunite again ¡°You must have a heart. I respect your preferences, but you mustn¡¯t be mean toward someone who has helped us.¡± Seeing that Marietta was very angry, Yvonne quickly grabbed her arm and whined, ¡°Mom, I know my mistake now. I won¡¯t do it again.¡± ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± Marietta looked at Yvonne skeptically. ¡°Yes, really!¡± Yvonne had a sweet smile, and she looked well¨Cbehaved and sensible. She didn¡¯t look like she was lying at all. Marietta smiled and said, ¡°Now, that¡¯s my good daughter.¡± Yvonne hugged Marietta, hiding the cold glint in her eyes. ¡°Why are you sitting on the ground?¡± When Kirk entered the door, he saw Caroline sitting on the ground. Caroline raised her head and looked at him in confusion. Kirk felt his heart almost leap out of his throat at the sight. ¡°Darling,¡± he said cautiously, as if he were afraid of startling her. Caroline¡¯s gaze gradually became lucid, and her eyesnded on the white shirt on the ground. But her mind was in a mess. ¡°Why is there blood on your clothes?¡± she asked hoarsely. Kirk followed Caroline¡¯s gaze. He noticed the blood on his shirt, and his eyes darkened. Those blood stains probably belonged to Eddy. At that time, he had dragged Eddy into the house and taught him a lesson. However, he hadn¡¯t noticed that Eddy¡¯s blood had sttered on his shirt. 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Maybe Jack got injured and got his blood on my shirt.¡± After Kirk finished exining, he watched Caroline closely. She answered in a daze, ¡°Yeah.¡± Kirk said hesitantly, ¡°Darling?¡± Caroline looked up at him. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°Did something happen?¡± Kirk asked. Caroline wasn¡¯t acting right. Kirk was worried that her mental illness had acted up again. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Aunt Mary called me just now. She told me she is leaving in a few days.¡± Kirk calmed down at her words. ¡°Darling¡­¡± He hugged Caroline gently. She hugged him back, trying hard to feel his warmth. However, she couldn¡¯t stop her tears from flowing. After crying for a while, she finally looked up at Kirk. ¡°I didn¡¯t spend much time with Aunt Mary, but she means a lot to me. I want to buy her a gift.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Kirk held Caroline¡¯s cold hand. He used his body to block his shirt from. her line of sight. Caroline sat on the bed briefly before changing her clothes to leave the house. It seemed that she hadpletely forgotten about the white shirt. Kirk, who had dodged a bullet, picked up his white shirt and put it in a trash can. Then, he sent Jack a message. After sending the message and getting a definitive answer, Kirk put his phone away and went to buy a gift with Caroline. Meanwhile, Eddy found himself in a strange ce when he woke up. There was no trace of light at all. He raised his hand and instantly felt as if his body had been run over by a car. The pain made him hiss, and he slowly remembered what had happened that morning. Chapter 714 Chapter 714 Chapter 714 When Eddy had arrived at the underground parking lot of Morrison Corporation this morning, he had been railed into another car by two people. After a bumpy ride, he had arrived at this ce At first, he had thought they were trying to rob him. But unexpectedly, they hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about that. After throwing him out of the car, they had begun beating him up. They had hit Eddy so many times that he had felt his head give out. Halfway through, he hadn¡¯t been able to take it anymore and passed out. That was how he had ended up like this when he woke up. Eddy turned his head and finally saw a glimmer of light in the darkness. It looked like a phone. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. He moved his hands with difficulty, and it took him more than three minutes before he finally grabbed the phone. Using all his strength, he dialed Thomas¡® number. Thomas quickly answered the phone. He seemed to be in a room full of people. ¡°Hello? What¡¯s the matter, Eddy?¡± ¡°Dad¡­ Help me Thomas was silent for a moment, and then Eddy heard his voice again. ¡°Eddy, where are you?¡± But he had already exhausted all his strength. When Thomas didn¡¯t get an answer from Eddy, he panicked. He quickly walked out of the private room to look for him. Fortunately, Eddy¡¯s phone still had a signal. Morrison Corp¡¯s employees quickly found Eddy using his phone signal. When Thomas saw his son barely alive, he nearly passed out from anger. He quickly had people take Eddy to the hospital and sent someone to investigate his assault. The next day, Caroline learned about Eddy¡¯s hospitalization from Gwen ¡°He seems to be in a serious condition.¡± Gwen couldn¡¯t bring herself tough this time. Although Eddy was despicable, she still had some sympathy for him. ¡°I heard from the doctor that they had spent all day trying to save him. He was transferred to the general ward this morning. I wonder who was brave enough to attack Eddy.¡± +15 BONUS Caroline put her tablet in her bag and said, ¡°I guess things are pretty bad for him. I remember he got beaten up not too long ago too.¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s not having a good time.¡± Gwen shrugged and changed the subject. ¡°Carol, are you going to see Aunt Mary today?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m guessing we¡¯ll never meet again after this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so negative,¡± Gwen advised. ¡°If you want to see her, you can always visit the country she lives in.¡± Caroline smiled at her words. Marietta didn¡¯t want her to suffer, but she also didn¡¯t wish for Marietta to suffer from being caught in the middle. This was the best possible scenario for them. Marietta should leave at the best possible time. ¡°Do you need me toe with you?¡± Gwen asked worriedly after not hearing a response from Caroline. ¡°Of course you can, provided that you¡¯re free.¡± They were going to an audition. There should be many handsome guys, so Gwen should enjoy it very much. Sure enough, Gwen said merrily, ¡°Okay, sure! I want to see some hot guys.¡± Caroline smiled. She went out to meet Gwen, and they went to the audition together. This casting call was open to the public. When Caroline and Gwen arrived, they saw a long queue waiting at the door. ¡°There are so many people.¡± Gwen nearly passed out with joy when she saw the street filled with beautiful women and handsome men. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Caroline was worried that Marietta was already waiting inside. So, she dragged Gwen through the crowd and walked into the venue. On the third floor, Caroline saw the office of the screenwriter that Marietta had introduced to her. The screenwriter had a very poetic name. Rosalind Winslow. Caroline was about to knock on the door when she heard the sound of high heels cking sharply Chapter 715 Chapter 715 Chapter 715 The neer was none other than Aurora ¡°Ugh, fast my luck to see someone I least wanted to see.¡± Aurora walked past Caroline. After taking a few steps, she stepped back and looked at Caroline. ¡°Goodness, Caroline. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re trying to ride on Rosalind¡¯s coattails after failing to ride on Marietta¡¯s.¡± Although Rosalind wasn¡¯t as well known as Marietta, she was still the top screenwriter in Easton. This time, SY Group had specified that Rosalind should write the adaptation of Marietta¡¯s work, which proved how high her status was Caroline nced at Aurora lightly, not wanting to talk to her. Aurora was undoubtedly a top actress. When she had first learned of Caroline¡¯s rtionship with Marietta, Aurora had groveled before her. She made all kinds of advances just to suck up to Marietta. Later on, she had made up with Yvonne after discovering that thetter was Marietta¡¯s daughter. Aurora sure had flimsy allegiances. ¡°Gwen, let¡¯s wait for Ms. Winslow over there.¡± As Caroline spoke, she pulled Gwen aside. When Aurora saw this, she gave her agent a look. The agent had been working with Aurora for years, so she could tell what Aurora was thinking with just a nce. She immediately blocked ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Caroline¡¯s and Gwen¡¯s way. Caroline raised an eyebrow at the agent¡¯s actions. Aurora slowly approached Caroline and said, ¡°Caroline, I heard from Yvonne that you¡¯ve been writing somethingtely. Haha! Do you think you¡¯re Marietta? Do you think you¡¯re someone who can enjoy literature and the arts?¡± Caroline raised her head slightly. She retorted, ¡°Aurora, my business has nothing to do with you.¡± Aurora scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m telling you this out of kindness. Remember, you no longer have Marietta supporting you. So, it¡¯s a rather foolish wish to try and gain a foothold in the entertainment industry. Honestly, I utterly despise people like you who rely on connections.¡± Caroline smirked, amused by her words. Although she didn¡¯t know much of what Aurora had gone 1/2 site sty +15 BONUS present, not the past. ¡°Aurora, don¡¯t you also rely on your connections to get roles? Since you hate doing that, why don¡¯t you give up the role to the other capable actresses? I¡¯m sure that there are more famous people who can y those roles even better than you, even if they are the second female lead.¡± Aurora¡¯s expression twisted at her words. She was about to retort when she saw Rosalind standing behind Caroline She immediately changed her tune and said, ¡°Ms. Winslow, you¡¯re here!¡± Caroline followed Aurora¡¯s gaze and looked over. Rosalind stood there. Half of her hair was strikingly white. She looked ordinary, but when Caroline looked closely at her eyes, she could see the wisdom in her gaze. It was as if she could easily see through things. ¡°Hello, Ms. Winslow.¡± Caroline took the initiative to introduce herself ¡°I¡¯m Caroline Aunt Mary asked me toe here.¡± Rosalind nced at Caroline ¡°I know She has sung your praises to me many times. But I want to see if you¡¯re as intuitive as she said.¡± Rosalind didn¡¯t even look at Aurora. In this regard, she was exactly the same as Marietta Caroline finally understood why Marietta and Rosalind were friends. Aurora felt ufortable being ignored, especially after knowing that Marietta had introduced Rosalind to Caroline. She felt extremely bitter. She had assumed that Marietta wouldn¡¯t care about Caroline anymore after Yvonne had told her she couldn¡¯t have Caroline as her goddaughter. Chapter 716 Chapter 716 Chapter 716 Instead, Marietta had introduced her good friend to Caroline. Having a good friend was the equivalent of getting a good resource. Aurora¡¯s teeth almost broke from how hard she gritted them. ¡°Ms. Winslow, as far as I know, Caroline has never had any writing experience. Besides, she helped Ms. Weiss find her daughter. So, I think Marietta has such a high opinion of her for personal reasons.¡± Rosalind turned her gaze on Aurora, displeased. However, Aurora didn¡¯t notice it at all. All her attention was on Caroline. ¡°Am I wrong, Caroline?¡± Caroline remained silent. Rosalind coughed loudly. ¡°Writing isn¡¯t a technical profession. It isn¡¯t a profession where practice makes perfect. Ites more from inspiration and talent. ¡°Those with talent can have the entire world as their oyster. But those without talent can¡¯t even Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. call themselves writers, even if they have been in the industry for a long time.¡± She continued, ¡°Ms. Jenner, I can¡¯t believe you don¡¯t even understand this principle, even after ying so many roles and working on many masterpieces. How do you usually study your characters?¡± Aurora¡¯s expression shifted at her words. ¡°Also, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re saying this.¡± Rosalind¡¯s expression became stern. ¡°But since you imed that Marietta praised Caroline for personal reasons, are you implying that shecks professionalism?¡± Aurora¡¯s face immediately fell. She exined, ¡°No. Of course not, Ms. Winslow.¡± ¡°All right, enough of this. I¡¯m not obligated to lecture you. You may leave,¡± Rosalind said impatiently. ¡°But I¡¯m here to sign a contract with the director.¡± Rosalind thought for a while and finally remembered. ¡°Oh, Marietta said she would give you the +15 BONUS role because of personal reasons. Aurora froze Rosalind stated, ¡°I find yourprehensive abilities concerning. It would be better if someone else yed the second female lead.¡± Aurora panicked. ¡°But Ms. Weiss has already given me the role.¡± ¡°That means you really got this role because of personal reasons.¡± Rosalind clicked her tongue. ¡°I wondered what had happened when she came to me and insisted on giving you this role. It seems that you helped her persuade her daughter.¡± Aurora held her breath, unable to say a word. Rosalind waved her hand. ¡°I already told her that I don¡¯t support this decision. But now that I¡¯ve gotten the full picture, I¡¯ll say it again. I don¡¯t approve of you ying the second female lead.¡± She continued, ¡°Although Marietta and I are good friends, I am this movie¡¯s screenwriter. I have the authority to oversee castings. Your image isn¡¯t suited for the role of the second female lead. I¡¯ll give the director and the rest of the team my feedback.¡± Aurora freaked out. ¡°Ms. Winslow, you can¡¯t do that!¡± ¡± Marietta had told Aurora that she could give her the role, but if the director disagreed, she wouldn¡¯t intervene. If Rosalind shared her opinion with the director and his team, they would definitely take herments into consideration. This role would immediately slip through Aurora¡¯s fingers. Chapter 717 Chapter 717 Chapter 717 ¡°Why can¡¯t 17¡± Rosalind questioned. Rosalind looked at Aurora as if thetter were a fool. ¡°Oh, thank goodness I found out about your problematicprehension skills. If I hadn¡¯t found out before the filmingmenced, it would Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. have been toote. ¡°Well, Marietta has never been imprecise, but her daughter is her only weakness. Even so, she shouldn¡¯t have given anyone the roles they wanted just to get her daughter back.¡± Aurora tried to say something to salvage the situation, but Rosalind no longer had the patience to keep arguing with her. ¡°You should hurry up and leave. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll have to call security.¡± Aurora was, after all, a public figure and didn¡¯t want to cause too much trouble. When Rosalind said she would call security, Aurora quickly left. After the third floor became quiet again, Caroline nodded slightly to Rosalind. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Winslow.¡± Rosalind frowned. ¡°Surely you don¡¯t think I refused to give Aurora the role because of you?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°I can see that you want to make this movie right.¡± Rosalind nodded at her words. ¡°But¡­¡± Caroline straight into Rosalind¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ms. Winslow, you¡¯re wrong about one thing.¡± When Gwen heard Caroline¡¯s words, she tugged on her sleeve. Caroline was crazy. She couldn¡¯t believe Caroline would find fault with Rosalind. Rosalind raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? What was I wrong with?¡± Caroline exined, ¡°Of course, Aunt Mary wants to give the role to the more suitable actress. After all, it¡¯s a character she worked so hard to create. To her, every one of her works is like her baby, and she has invested her emotions in every one of her characters.¡± Then, she continued, ¡°So, when she gave out the role, she must have been very sad. She had to make some choices, and they must have been difficult to make. So, I don¡¯t think she simply handed over the role to Aurora.¡± Rosalind looked at Caroline silently, then sighed. ¡°I finally understand why Marietta praises you +15 BONUS Seeing that Rosalind had no intention of ming Caroline, Gwen excitedly tugged on her friend¡¯s sleeve. After they entered the office, Caroline handed Rosalind hertest written work. Rosalind put her sses on and began reading it seriously. Although Caroline had gotten Marietta¡¯s approval, she would be lying if she said she wasn¡¯t nervous. After all, everyone had their own opinion about literature. Not everyone would like a particr work. The room gradually became quiet. At this moment, the sound of high heels cking on the ground could be heard again. However, unlike Aurora¡¯s tant way of walking, this individual wasn¡¯t making too much noise. So, the neer waited until they came to the door. Gwen was the first to notice who it was. ¡°Aunt Ma-¡± As soon as Gwen opened her mouth, Marietta shushed and stopped her. However, Caroline still heard her. She turned to look at Marietta with surprise. Marietta walked up to the two of them and said, ¡°Are you looking at Carrie¡¯s writing?¡± Caroline nodded, then nced at Rosalind, who was focused on reading her work. She mouthed to Marietta, ¡°Shall we talk outside, Aunt Mary?¡± Chapter 718 Chapter 718 Chapter 718 Marietta nodded slightly. She and Caroline were about to walk toward the door when they heard a p on the table. ¡°This is good! It¡¯s very well¨Cwritten!¡± Caroline and Marietta looked back at Rosalind at the same time. Only then did Rosalind notice Marietta. Before Marietta could greet her, she stepped forward and held Marietta¡¯s hand. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Marietta! You really gave me a good one this time! Caroline¡¯s writing style and mindset are quite simr to your younger self.¡± Marietta smiled brightly at her words. ¡°Right? I told you. She has the same spirit my younger self had.¡± 21 were both outspoken individuals. ¡°Why do I have the feeling that Caroline Rosalind and Marietta seems more like your daughter? I mean, look at her writing style and habits¡­¡® Suddenly, everyone became quiet, and Rosalind realized she had said something wrong. However, she and Marietta had been friends for ye she and Marietta had been friends for years. With a few laughs, the awkward moment quickly passed. Then, the two of them picked up Caroline¡¯s manuscript and began to discuss it. Theypletely forgot about Caroline and Gwen. As Gwen watched their banter, she couldn¡¯t resist leaning over to Caroline and whispering, ¡°Does looking at them remind you of someone?¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°Is it us?¡± ¡°Yeah, I can tell at a nce that Aunt Mary and Ms. Winslow are very close. I really envy them.¡± After Marietta and Rosalind finished reading Caroline¡¯s writing, they finally remembered that Caroline and Gwen were there. ¡°Oh, look at us. We always forget about business whenever we get excited.¡± Marietta pulled Caroline and said to Rosalind, ¡°See? I told you¨CCarrie is very skilled at writing. How about it? You won¡¯t lose out by taking her in as your student, right?¡± +15 BONUS ¡°Of course not. In fact, I think I¡¯ve hit the jackpot.¡± Rosalind grinned from ear to ear. ¡°Caroline, make sure to finish your story well. If you have any problems, see me immediately¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°All right, then it¡¯s settled.¡± Marietta looked at Rosalind sternly. ¡°Rosalind, I¡¯m leaving Carrie to you. If you don¡¯t take good care of her, I¡¯lle for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s such a talented woman. You don¡¯t have to tell me anything. I¡¯ll take good care of her regardless.¡± ¡°All right. Carrie, I¡¯ll be leaving in a few days, so I¡¯ll treat you to a meal.¡± Caroline started, ¡°Aunt Mary-¡± ¡°You can¡¯t refuse!¡± Marietta had a long face. ¡°You¡¯ll be humiliating me if you refuse.¡± Seeing this, Caroline had no choice but to agree. ¡°Okay, Aunt Mary.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡± Then, Marietta said goodbye to Rosalind before taking Caroline and Gwen out for a meal. As Rosalind watched them leave, she couldn¡¯t resist murmuring, ¡°Is she sure she didn¡¯t make a mistake? Why do I feel that Caroline inherited Marietta¡¯s writing style?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t seem to be imitating her. Instead, she appeared to be acting naturally. After Aurora left the casting call, she started to think about her current situation. However, the more she thought about it, the more she hated Caroline. She had been in the entertainment industry for years. She had to use everything she had just to make some connections. On the other hand, Caroline could have what she wanted at any time. She was able to win Marietta¡¯s favor at such a young age, and she had also gained connections that people could only dream of. Why? Why her, of all people? When Aurora¡¯s agent saw her losing control of her emotions, she said in a low voice, ¡°Aurora, I that it will support La If the Hacketts also give her their support Chapter 719 Chapter 719 Chapter 719 Aurora¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Go on.¡± After getting encouragement, the agent spoke more confidently. ¡°If the Hacketts publicly announce that they would invest in Collins Group, provided that La gets it, the bank would definitely take it into consideration. Then, they would definitely give it to La.¡± Aurora frowned. ¡°But why should I help her? We don¡¯t have anything to do with each other.¡± ¡°Remember.¡± The agent approached Aurora. ¡°Severalpanies that belonged to Collins Group are rted to the entertainment industry. They managed to expand their reach so much in a short period of time because of SY Group¡¯s help, and SY Group belongs to Eddy¡¯s second uncle.¡± The agent continued, ¡°If you use SY Group to get connections, you don¡¯t have to worry about what happened today. Forget Rosalind; even if the directores forward, you can ignore their Aurora looked away silently, her eyes slowly lighting up with an idea. After Caroline and Marietta finished their meal, they stood at the restaurant door to say goodbye. Although neither of them said it, they knew it would be hard to see each other again after today. ¡°I heard you wanted to acquire Collins Group.¡® ¡°Yeah.¡± Caroline looked into the distance. ¡°That¡¯s great. Did Kirk suggest you do it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Caroline turned to look at Marietta. ¡± ¡°Aunt Mary, do you think I can get Collins Group?¡± Even though she had the support of Eddy¡¯s second uncle, Caroline couldn¡¯t guarantee that she could get Collins Group. She felt uncertain at times. She didn¡¯t know if she would seed or fail in taking such a big step. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can do it,¡± Marietta said firmly, looking into Caroline¡¯s eyes. Her gaze seemed to be a ¡°Why? I¡¯m only Evans Group¡¯s CEO. Forget Easton, Evans Group isn¡¯t even one of the toppanies in Osbury. The only advantage I have is SY Group¡¯s endorsement.¡± Marietta said with a small smile, ¡°That is your biggest advantage, but you have another advantage that La doesn¡¯t have.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You have the mind of a businesswoman.¡± Marietta continued, ¡°I had already seen that you had it when youpeted for control of Evans Group. When the bank see both of your applications and sees that SY Group is endorsing you, I¡¯mContent ? N?velDrama.Org. sure they will give you the rights to Collins Group.¡± For some reason, Caroline felt her nerves calm down after hearing Marietta¡¯s words. ¡°Thank you, Aunt Mary.¡± ¡°I want to thank you too. If it hadn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have found my daughter so soon. But.. ¡± a Caroline grimaced at her words. ¡°Let¡¯s not do this, Aunt Mary.¡± As she spoke, she gave Marietta big hug. Marietta hugged Caroline back. Gwen was watching them nearby. After the two separated, she said, ¡°Carrie, it¡¯s time to go. Caroline looked at the time and said, ¡°Bye, Aunt Mary.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± ¡± Marietta and Caroline waved at each other. After Caroline drove away, Marietta lowered her eyes silently. She felt as if her heart had been gouged out. In the car, Caroline felt awful as well. Chapter 720 Chapter 720 Chapter 720 Thest time Caroline had felt this sad was when she had thought that Kirk had another wife. She was sad when she returned home. ¡°Darling¡­¡± Kirk handed Caroline arge bouquet of roses. ¡°Is today a special day?¡± Caroline was a bit surprised as she took the bouquet and smelled it. ¡°Today isn¡¯t a special day. I just want to make you happy, darling.¡± When Kirk finished speaking, Caroline was surprised to find a ne in the bouquet. ¡°Well, this ne gave me a surprise!¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Kirk kissed Caroline¡¯s forehead. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Of course. I like anything you give me.¡± Caroline hugged Kirk¡¯s waist, nuzzling against him. ¡°Did you find out Marietta and I were having our final meal together? Is that why you bought me some flowers and a ne?¡± Kirk pinched Caroline¡¯s nose. He didn¡¯t answer her question. Instead, he picked up the ne Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. and said, ¡°I¡¯ll help you put it on.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline turned around happily, but a hint of loss appeared in her eyes. Marietta¡¯s departure made her very sad. Although the psychiatrist had developed a series of treatment ns for her, she didn¡¯t know how much longer she could go on. She and Kirk¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡± Kirk¡¯s hot breath hit Caroline¡¯s neck. Caroline returned to her senses and hid her fear. She turned around and looked at Kirk with a sweet smile. ¡°It is, but¡­¡± She held the ne tightly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it expensive?¡± Kirk was stuck at home because he wasn¡¯t working. He didn¡¯t get paid, but he never asked her for money. He could even buy her gifts. Caroline was very curious about Kirk¡¯s mini treasury. ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Kirk said without blinking. A three¨Cmillion¨Cdor ne wasn¡¯t expensive for him. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS As Kirk watched Caroline¡¯s smile, he felt a twinge of guilt. She was supposed to be in Macido, enjoying a wonderful life as the daughter¨Cinw of the Morrisons. However, she could only live in this tiny apartment because of his rtionship with the Morrisons. At the thought of this, Kirk¡¯s eyes darkened slightly, and his desire to destroy the Morrisons became even stronger. The next day, the news that the Hacketts would be the first to invest in Collins Group after La acquired it became the biggest news in Osbury. Every citizen, old and young, knew about it. There were even rumors that Eddy was the one who had encouraged them to invest in thepany. There was another group of people online who wept tears of joy for Eddy and La¡¯s passionate love, regardless of whether it was true or not. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m going to be dead! This reminds me of some arrogant boss¡® love story. There¡¯s no excuse for them not to get married!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to take City Hall¡¯s people with me. I¡¯m going to make them marry each other on the spot!¡± ¡°Oh, well, I¡¯m crying happily at their passionate love once again. Mr. Eddy treats La so well. But why aren¡¯t they married yet?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because of Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s passing. Otherwise, they would¡¯ve gotten married as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I think so too. Although what I¡¯m going to say doesn¡¯t sound pleasant, Mr. Eddy and La weren¡¯t able to be together because of his opposition. I hope they can finally get to where they want to be since Mr. Morrison Senior is gone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they can.¡± The onlinements all consisted of fervent wishes for Eddy and La to be together. However, Eddy, who was lying on the bed and reading thements, frowned in disapproval. Chapter 721 Chapter 721 Chapter 721 Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°The people I¡¯ve sent have returned. They said they couldn¡¯t find any surveince footage in the parking lot. ¡°Apparently, the culprit is clever. He removed the surveince cameras in advance. It¡¯s amazing how he could do this undetected. Eddy, do you have a suspect in mind?¡± Thomas asked, handing over the peeled apples to Eddy. Only then did Eddy return to his senses. A person immediately crossed his mind. However, he still didn¡¯t want to believe it was him. ¡°No.¡± Thomas stood up and continued his analysis. ¡°Seeing how capable the culprit was, he should be someone prominent. ¡°At the very least, the culprit had to be part of the big four families. Now that the Collins family has fallen, the other suspects are-¡± ¡°Dad,¡± Eddy interrupted Thomas impatiently. ¡°I really don¡¯t know anything. Just ask your subordinates to investigate.¡± Seeing this, Thomas looked at Eddy suspiciously. ¡°Eddy¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired, Dad.¡± Eddy slowlyid down with his back to his father. Thomas frowned. He looked at Eddy intently before leaving without saying a word. When the room became quiet, Eddy slowly opened his eyes. There was no way the culprit could be the person he was thinking about. But even if Eddy told himself this, he still couldn¡¯t resist overthinking. He sat up on his bed irritably. His movements made the wounds on his back graze against the bed, and he hissed in pain. It made his mind clear up. In fact, there was a very simple way to verify if the culprit was the person he was thinking about. He just needed to help La get Collins Group. If the culprit wasn¡¯t who he thought it was, La would definitely get Collins Group. However, if 1/2 +15 BONUS At the thought of this, Eddy picked up his phone. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he gritted his teeth and posted a tweet ¡°May you get what you want, La.¡± As soon as Eddy posted the tweet, it spread online again, causing another uproar among theizens. Eddy¡¯s phone kept ringing with messages, but none of them were from Caroline. He frowned in disappointment and looked up at the sky. ¡°Oh, Grandpa. You¡¯ll protect me, right?¡± Caroline had turned a dead ear to what was happening and focused on writing her story. Even so, news about the Hacketts¡® and Eddy¡¯s support for La had spread through the city. It was hard for Caroline not to hear about it. In the group chat on WhatsApp, Cheryl was freaking out. ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s over. Mr. Eddy is giving his support to La for the second time. He really wants La to get Collins Group!¡± Ever since Caroline had talked to Marietta, she had been very calm. ¡°Let¡¯s not panic just yet. The oue hasn¡¯t been decided.¡± Cheryl replied, ¡°But things have already gotten to this point. The bank will definitely choose La, right?¡± Gwen also saw the news. She teased, ¡°Cheryl, you¡¯ve been with Carol for so long. Haven¡¯t you noticed it? Carol has what it takes to make aeback against the odds. ¡°Although everyone is supporting La, I guarantee that Caroline wille up on top.¡± Sonia also texted, ¡°She¡¯s right, Cheryl. You have to believe in Caroline. Do you remember what happenedst time? ¡°Everyone said my career wouldn¡¯t take off, and only Caroline believed in me. Now, as you can see, I¡¯ve be popr.¡± Chapter 722 Chapter 722 Chapter 722 Sonia was clearly being humble. At that time, she wasn¡¯t just popr¨Cshe was famous. Everyone remembered this previously unknown actress. Cheryl thought about this and gradually calmed down. And just like that, this topic was over. Caroline asked, ¡°Have you been filming abroad, Sonia?¡± Sonia replied. ¡°Yeah, I really want to go home and reunite with you guys soon.¡± Caroline texted, ¡°Haha, are you filming ¡®Daughter of the Sea¡°?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Do your best. Once you finish filming, it will be your first step in making your mark overseas.¡± Sonia hadn¡¯t expected Caroline to remember her promise. ¡°Caroline, are you really nning to help me be an international star?¡± ¡°Since I¡¯ve promised you, I won¡¯t go back on my word,¡± Caroline said. ¡°Besides, after I take over Collins Group, I can take over their subsidiaries in the entertainment industry. When the timees, it will be even easier to take your career to the international level.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Sonia¡¯s eyes were slightly red from her encouragement. ¡°Thank you, Caroline.¡± Caroline replied, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Then, she opened the message Rosalind had sent her. ¡°Caroline, how much have you written?¡± When Caroline saw her message, she didn¡¯t know what to feel. Since Rosalind had read her story, she had be Caroline¡¯s first loyal fan, urging her for story updates every day. ¡°I wrote a little bit yesterday. I¡¯ll send it to you.¡± Caroline sent the manuscript to her. Soon, Rosalind finished reading it. ¡°Why did you write so little? It¡¯s not enough. Oh my! It¡¯s been a long time since I passionately followed a story. Thest time I did that was 20 years ago.¡± ¡°Are you talking about Aunt Mary¡¯s story?¡± ¡°Yeah. At that time, she had just lost her daughter. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say she was engulfed in 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Well, I¡¯m not saying that her writing is bad now, but it¡¯s a little inferiorpared to the past.¡± Caroline understood what she meant. Everyone couldn¡¯t always be at their peak. In fact, it could be seen from ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡± that Marietta had been more emotional in the past. But she was more rational now, possibly because she had gotten older. There were no pros or cons between her two writing styles. But as Marietta¡¯s good friend, Rosalind might prefer to see her friend¡¯s emotional side because that was the real her. ¡°When did Aunt Mary start to move on from the loss of her daughter?¡± Rosalind was silent for a long time before sending a voice message. ¡°I should say that she has never moved on from it. But she¡¯s very good at pretending she¡¯s okay, usingughter and curses to cover up her pain. ¡°Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have given in to her daughter¡¯s demands again after finding her.¡± After hearing thest sentence, Caroline¡¯s eyes turned slightly red. She sniffed and asked, ¡°I remember Aunt Mary saying that she lost her daughter when she was around five or six years old. ¡°In other words, she has been living in sorrow for almost two decades.¡± ¡°Yeah. But speaking of this, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve never understood. Marietta told me the Hacketts didn¡¯t know Yvonne wasn¡¯t their real daughter. ¡°Logically speaking, Marietta¡¯s daughter was abducted when she was six. There¡¯s no way the Hacketts wouldn¡¯t know what their own child looked like.¡± Caroline frowned. ¡°The Hacketts didn¡¯t know that Yvonne wasn¡¯t their daughter?¡± That was ridiculous. Chapter 723 Chapter 723 Chapter 723 ¡°Yeah I thought something was off when Marietta told me about it. But since she had just found her daughter, I thought she might have been too excited and remembered the details wrongly 7 remembered this while reading your manuscript the other day, so I asked someone to help me investigate. As it turns out, the Hacketts are now looking for their daughter.¡± How can this be? Caroline still thought the situation was ridiculous. It was fine if they couldn¡¯t recognize a baby that was a few months old But how could they not notice that a different person had be their child? Rosalind sighed. I¡¯m also racking my brain over this. Marietta has just found her daughter. If I tell her about this, she will definitely overthink things. ¡°Caroline, can you help her investigate and find out what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Caroline had long regarded Marietta¡¯s issues as her own. ¡°Then, I can rest assured, I can see that you really care about Marietta and aren¡¯t hankering after Owned by N?velDrama.Org. her fame. It¡¯s a pity that her daughter wasn¡¯t¡­¡± Rosalind sighed. Then, she didn¡¯t say anything else. Caroline looked at the messages, lost in thought. It wasn¡¯t until Kirk sat beside her that she snapped back to reality. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Kirk noticed Marietta¡¯s name on her phone and immediately guessed that Caroline¡¯s absentmindedness was rted to her. He took Caroline¡¯s phone. ¡°Darling¡­¡± Caroline looked up at him. ¡°I¡¯m really worried to see you like this. The psychiatrist said that you¡¯re already under a lot of pressure 11 Caroline hugged Kirk¡¯s waist and nuzzled against him ¡°I¡¯ll keep my mental state in check about Aunt Mary 1 won¡¯t let it affect the treatment.¡± Kirk stroked Caroline¡¯s hair. ¡°Okay, but if you can¡¯t take the pressure anymore, you must tell me.¡± +15 BONUS Caroline nodded. ¡°Okay¡± After returning from the psychiatric clinic, Caroline hadn¡¯t had nightmares again. She was very confident about moving on from the trauma Jude¡¯s death had caused her, just like she was confident about getting Collins Group. *After we acquire Collins Group, why don¡¯t you take care of it?¡± Caroline asked Kirk. Kirk asked, ¡°Do you want to be an absentee boss?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just worried that you¡¯ll be bored at home.¡± Even so, Caroline did want to be a hands¨Coff boss and focus on her creative avenues. Kirk pondered for a moment. ¡°Darling, of course I¡¯ll be the CEO, but you have to show me some sincerity.¡± ¡°How?¡± Caroline asked, ready to run away. However, Kirk was one step ahead and grabbed her waist. Caroline whimpered, her voice bing flirty. The bright sun shone on them from its spot in the sky, silently watching the scene unfold. The second treatment Michael had nned involved using hypnosis to make Caroline¡¯s memories fade away. As expected of a professional psychiatrist, he only needed two minutes to put Caroline to sleep with hypnosis. Kirk and Sean watched Caroline through the ss. Noticing Kirk¡¯s nervousness, Sean patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is only the first real treatment. Caroline would get past it without any problems.¡± Kirk pursed his lips, remaining silent. When Sean saw this, he didn¡¯t say anything else. He knew that Kirk was holding his emotions in. He had been doing it since he had left the house. Chapter 724 Chapter 724 Chapter 724 Although Kirk had a cold expression on his face, he tried to restrain his emotions and look calm. when he looked at Michael. At that moment, Sean knew Kirk had listened to his advice so that he wouldn¡¯t put Michael under any pressure. Right now, Kirk was acting like he had acted a long time ago. He was calm and wise and wasn¡¯t swayed by anything. However, he was also acting differently than a long time ago. In the past, Kirk was more proactive, but now he was more passive. He had suppressed his more aggressive traits for Caroline. Sean sighed. As he was lost in thought, he heard Caroline¡¯s painful sobs from the consultation room. Beside him, Kirk also sprung into action. Sean quickly grabbed him. ¡°Kirk, this is the only way. If you don¡¯t want to see Caroline suffer, you have to wait outside.¡± Kirk¡¯s struggles gradually weakened at his words, and he looked at the consultation room gloomily. In the room, Caroline was frowning in pain. She was muttering unconsciously, seemingly resisting something. Kirk felt as if his heart was being crushed at the sight. He kept feeling a pain in his chest. Every part of him was screaming at him to run into the room, but his rationality kept him rooted on the spot. If he and Caroline wanted to be together forever, they had to get rid of the trauma Jude had left behind. Otherwise, it would only be an obstacle for them. Kirk clenched his fists tightly and stared intently at Caroline, as if he wanted to bear all of her pain in her stead. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. However, Caroline, who was sleeping, sat up and knocked over the tray Michael had ced nearby. ¡°N¨CNo. I don¡¯t want this! I want my mom and dad ¡­ I want my mom and dad!¡± After yelling, Caroline opened her eyes. Her entire body was trembling, and her chest was heaving. When Kirk saw this, he couldn¡¯t stay outside any longer. He rushed into the room and held 1/2 +15 BONUS Caroline¡¯s sweat soaked Kirk¡¯s expensive clothes, but all he could pay attention to was her. ¡°Darling, it¡¯s okay. Everything is fine¡­¡± He patiently coaxed her like a child. Seeing Kirk being gentle, Michael, who was shocked by Caroline¡¯s actions, was frightened again. He looked at them in bewilderment, suspecting that something was wrong with his sight. He couldn¡¯t believe Kirk had such a gentle side. Caroline gradually felt safe in Kirk¡¯s arms, and she wasn¡¯t trembling as much as before. However, the feeling that her mind was about to fall apart didn¡¯t disappear. It was as if someone was chopping her head into pieces with an axe. It hurt a lot. She even heard something buzzing in her head. It took all of her strength to properly hear a female¡¯s voice, telling her repeatedly, ¡°You¡¯re Caroline Evans. You¡¯re Caroline Evans.¡± However, there was another unfamiliar voice in her head, screaming, ¡°I¡¯m not Caroline! I¡¯m not Caroline!¡± As both voices shed in her head, Caroline held her aching head and weakly grabbed the hem of Kirk¡¯s clothes. After more than five minutes, she tearfully looked up at Kirk and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡± Her voice was extremely weak. Kirk¡¯s heart was crushed by what he heard. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, darling.¡± He slowly knelt down and helped Caroline put on her shoes. But Caroline grabbed Kirk¡¯s hand and looked up at Michael. ¡°Dr. Caldwell, what on earth is wrong with me?¡± Michael hesitated to answer. He dared not say anything without Kirk¡¯s permission. Chapter 725 Chapter 725 Chapter 725 Kirk frowned. ¡°Just tell her.¡± Only then did Michael ask, ¡°Ms. Caroline, have you undergone hypnosis before?¡± ¡°No.¡± Caroline remembered that she had never undergone hypnosis. Michael said, ¡°Now, that¡¯s strange. Your resistance to the hypnosis suggests that you¡¯ve been hypnotized before and have lost your memories of it happening. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t act this way.¡± He paused. ¡°When ites to hypnosis, if one¡¯s psyche gets damaged from their first hypnosis, they¡¯ll develop this knee¨Cjerk reaction. ¡°They¡¯ll react violently every subsequent time they get hypnotized. Therefore, in your case, you must have been hypnotized before, and your psyche was harmed by it.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Caroline frowned and spent a long time recalling things. ¡°But I really don¡¯t remember undergoing hypnosis.¡± At the mention of this, she remembered something. ¡°But I don¡¯t have any memories of the time before I was around five or six years old.¡± ¡°Did you get hypnotized at that age?¡± When Michael said this, Caroline remembered something else. Sarah had once taken her to see a psychiatrist. Moreover, Sarah seemed to avoid talking about it. Caroline said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Michael said, ¡°In that case, you¡¯d better figure it out, Ms. Caroline. If you have undergone hypnosis before, we have no choice but to rule out this treatment method. We¡¯ll move on to another form of treatment.¡± The next form of treatment was shock therapy. It was a treatment method that Kirk was adamant against. He frowned deeply at Michael¡¯s words. Caroline held Kirk¡¯s hand. She gave him a smile and calmed him down. After Kirk seemed calmer, Caroline turned to Michael. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll figure things out. If I can¡¯t, we¡¯ll proceed with the next n.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Darling!¡± Kirk gripped Caroline¡¯s hand. Caroline smiled and stood up from the bed. ¡°We¡¯ll be heading home, Dr. Caldwell.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As Michael watched the three of them leave, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see the fearless Mr. Kirk submitting to a woman like her.¡± When the three of them reached the door, Caroline told Sean, ¡°Sean, Kirk and I have to go somewhere.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Sean said, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll leave you guys be.¡± After saying that, he quickly ran away. After Sean left, Caroline turned to Kirk and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk, Kirk.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± And so the two of them walked along the street. Kirk didn¡¯t ask Caroline where they were going, and he didn¡¯t need to ask. He would always follow her, no matter where she went. ¡°Do you still remember what I told you?¡± Caroline finally asked. ¡°About how I didn¡¯t have any memories of the time before I was five or six years old?¡± Kirk turned to Caroline, a hint of sadness hidden in his gaze. ¡°So, do you have suspicions that you¡¯ve undergone hypnosis before?¡± Caroline said, ¡°That should be the case¡­ If I¡¯m not wrong, the hypnosis must have happened when Sarah had taken me to the hospital. ¡°The only thing I remember is that I could read the word ¡®psychology¡®. She had seemed very happy about that¡­ Then, I don¡¯t know why, but As Caroline talked, she frowned, feeling that piercing feeling in her chest again. Kirk squeezed Caroline¡¯s hand He felt a sense of powerlessness envelop his entire being once more. Chapter 726 Chapter 726 Chapter 726 ¡°I used to wonder why I had no memories before I was around that age. Eddy told me we had been kidnapped, but I don¡¯t remember anything at all. ¡°So, it¡¯s very possible that Sarah took me to see a psychiatrist to hypnotize me, making me forget what had happened back then.¡± Caroline continued, ¡°But why would she do that? Was it to make me forget that brutal kidnapping?¡± But if that were the case, why hadn¡¯t La and Eddy undergone hypnosis too? Caroline felt her head hurt the more she thought about it. Seeing Caroline in such pain, Kirk hugged her in distress. ¡°Darling, don¡¯t think about it. Hypnosis is the most I can allow. I absolutely won¡¯t let you undergo the next n. ¡°If you can¡¯t move on from your trauma, I¡¯ll take you away from here. Perhaps you¡¯ll get better after we go abroad and leave this environment.¡± Caroline pressed her cheek against Kirk¡¯s chest. As she listened to his strong heartbeat, her heart ached. She wouldn¡¯t get better if they did that. She wouldn¡¯t get better, even if she escaped to the ends of the earth. Undergoing treatment was the only way for her not to live in suffering. If she kept living in suffering, Kirk would also be suffering with her. She didn¡¯t want that. However¡­ ¡°Okay, if I can¡¯t recover, we¡¯ll go overseas. Perhaps I¡¯ll get better after we leave,¡± Caroline said, looking at Kirk with a smile. The more she behaved like this, the more Kirk¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± He held her hand, unwilling to let go. ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline followed Kirk into the car. The journey home was silent. When they got home, Caroline took the chance to go to the bathroom to call Quentin. ¡°Quentin, I recall asking you to keep an eye on Sarah and Dan. Did you find anything?¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS Quentin answered, ¡°They¡¯ve been staying put in the vi. They barely go out, and they haven¡¯t contacted anyone either. But La visits them sometimes. Why are you asking? Did something happen?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Caroline shook her head. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she said, ¡°I may have to trouble you again with something.¡± Quentinughed. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Caroline. We¡¯ve already worked together many times, and you always paid me handsomely for it. It¡¯s my job to run some errands for you.¡± Caroline smiled in return. ¡°But you¡¯ll have to investigate a lot of things this time, and it will take a long time. You may need a lot of manpower and resources.¡± Quentin became interested. ¡°Really? Since this is a difficult task, I better investigate carefully.¡± When Caroline heard his words, sheughed. Then, she told him about Yvonne. After hearing Caroline¡¯s exnation, Quentin clicked his tongue. ¡°That is very strange. Only a blind person would have trouble recognizing their five or six¨Cyear¨Cold child. Okay, I¡¯ll make sure to investigate this thoroughly. Is there anything else?¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°I also want to know everything that happened when I went abroad when I was about five years old. I want you to find out the reason why Sarah and Dan sent me abroad and whether they had me undergo hypnosis after that.¡± Quentin drew a breath at her words. ¡°This is a pretty difficult job. But don¡¯t worry; I like a challenge. Just stay put. I¡¯ll help you investigate this.¡± Caroline hummed in assent. After she hung up the phone, she slumped down the wall weakly. Chapter 727 Chapter 727 Chapter 727 Eddy¡¯s tweet went viral online, and La saw many spections about their rtionship. There was no way she would let an opportunity like this go by. She immediately posted a tweet. ¡°Thank you for your wishes, Ed. After I win the rights to Collins Group, I¡¯ll definitely do my best to run the business well. I¡¯ll make sure to live up to you and everyone¡¯s expectations.¡± Her tweet immediately made every single one of her supporters lose their minds. ¡°See? I knew that La would get Collins Group. Since she has Eddy¡¯s unwavering support, no one else but her can win the rights to thepany. I really don¡¯t understand what people who support Caroline are thinking.¡± ¡°Exactly! It doesn¡¯t take a lot of math to realize Caroline can¡¯t win this. Caroline doesn¡¯t have anything. Herpany, Evans Group, had been supported by Morrison Corp. Therefore, Morrison Corp has the power here. Her livelihood is in their hands.¡± ¡°Since La has said so, Collins Group has to be hers. Oh, I¡¯m so envious. It would be nice to have a rich boyfriend.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Caroline is probably crying somewhere right now.¡± ¡°I think so too. It¡¯s hrious how she overestimated herself to fight with La. If Mr. Morrison Senior had been still alive, their battle would still have some kind of suspense. Unfortunately, he¡¯s passed away. Caroline has zero chance of winning now.¡± ¡°Speaking of his death, I have some news you guys may not know about. Caroline reportedly has something to do with Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s death.¡± Thisment attracted the attention of manyizens. ¡°Please borate. I have a lot of time on my hands.¡± ¡°Me too. I¡¯m curious. How on earth is Caroline involved in his death?¡± ¡°Come on, don¡¯t keep us in suspense. Hurry up and tell us what¡¯s going on.¡± Urged by theizens, the mysteriousmenter finally said, ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but I know that Mr. Morrison Senior took a bullet for Caroline.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS ¡°Fucking hell! So, he didn¡¯t die from old age, but he died to save Caroline.¡± ¡°I also thought it was strange back then. I wondered why he had passed away all of a sudden.¡± ¡°Ah, no way: Mr. Morrison Senior actually died for Caroline. Goodness, he really cared about her. I don¡¯t get why Caroline would just marry someone else. She really disappointed him. I guess Mr. Morrisons Senior died with some regrets.¡± ¡°Ah, I feel so sorry for him. But I don¡¯t understand why he loved Caroline so much.¡± ¡°Is it because she saved his life before? Otherwise, I can¡¯t figure out why he dotes on her so much and insists on her marrying Mr. Eddy. Because of this, he even dyed Mr. Eddy and La¡¯s marriage.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing Caroline didn¡¯t marry Eddy. If the rumors are true, I suggest Caroline shouldn¡¯t harm Mr. Eddy. She should just let him tie the knot with La.¡± Since theizens¡® discussions about this were popr, it soon caused an uproar online. Many people mentioned Caroline in their tweets, asking her not to ruin Eddy and La¡¯s rtionship. Caroline didn¡¯t notice the news at first. However, after it started trending on Twitter, it ended up on other social media tforms. In the end, she saw thements on those tforms. When Caroline saw thements saying that she was responsible for Jude¡¯s death, she felt her heart pounding erratically. She held her chest, and her body slumped down in distress. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Caroline, the bank has sent-¡± When Cheryl came in, she saw Caroline falling limply to the ground with a pale face. She hurriedly threw away the things in her hands and nervously helped Caroline up. ¡°Caroline! What happened to you? I¡¯ll call the ambnce right away.¡± Chapter 728 Chapter 728 Chapter 728 +15 BONUS Caroline stretched out her hand and said through her teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t call them¡­¡± Cheryl said worriedly, ¡°But Caroline-¡± Caroline slowly sat up and said weakly, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Go, get me a ss of water.¡± Cheryl stood up uneasily and poured Caroline a ss of warm water. After drinking the water, Caroline finally recovered from her shock slightly. However, Cheryl was still worried about her. ¡°Caroline, I¡¯d better take you to the hospital.¡± Caroline closed her eyes and leaned against her chair. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. You can¡¯t tell anyone what happened here, especially Kirk.¡± Cheryl frowned in distress and sat next to Caroline. ¡°Caroline ¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± Caroline opened her eyes and looked at Cheryl. When she had seen theizens¡® usations, she had remembered the day Jude had died. They were right; Jude had died for her. But she didn¡¯t want to fulfill his final wish. She wanted to live her life with the one she loved. She was really selfish. ¡°Caroline ¡­¡± Seeing how absent¨Cminded Caroline was, Cheryl nudged her. Only then did Caroline return to her senses. After taking a deep breath, she asked, ¡°Cheryl, what were you about to say when you came in?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Cheryl remembered her reason foring here. ¡°The bank¡¯s official ount posted an announcement, saying that they will announce who will acquire Collins Group this Friday.¡± ¡°This Friday?¡± Caroline took the tablet Cheryl handed over. ¡°Weren¡¯t they doing it next month?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. Perhaps there¡¯s a lot of attention on this, so the bank wanted to take this chance to restructure Collins Group as soon as possible.¡± 1/2 +15 BONUS Caroline thought about it. The possibility of that was quite high. After all, Collins Group¡¯s business had been stagnant for a long time. The bank definitely hoped to take action as soon as possible. ¡°Caroline¡­¡± Cheryl looked at Caroline. ¡°Things don¡¯t look good for us right now.¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Although Cheryl hoped that Caroline would win, it seemed unlikely at this point. Unless Caroline asked SY Group¡¯s president toe forward, no one else could acquire Collins Group. Meanwhile, in the VIP room of a bank, Kirk nced at Mr. Donovan, who was standing across from him. ¡°Did you throw away Caroline¡¯s application?¡± he asked slowly, but every syble seemed to make Mr. Donovan¡¯s heart tremble. Mr. Donovan shivered in fear and secretly nced at Charles, who stood behind Kirk. He had just discovered that the man before him was SY Group¡¯s president. And based on the information in Caroline¡¯s application, he was also the man who had endorsed her. Charles ignored Mr. Donovan¡¯s pleading look. He couldn¡¯t believe what this banker had done. Even if the applicant wasn¡¯t Caroline, he couldn¡¯t just throw away someone¡¯s application. Seeing no one would help him, Mr. Donovan bit the bullet and answered, ¡°Yes.¡± Then, a soft chuckle sounded in the room, scaring Mr. Donovan so much that he felt his legs turn to jelly. Chapter 729 Chapter 729 Chapter 729 +15 BONUS ¡°Mr. Kirk. I¨CI didn¡¯t know that you were the one who had endorsed Ms. Caroline. I know my mistake now. I¡¯ll apologize to her in person. Please give me another chance.¡± Krik tapped the tip of his shoe on the ground and asked coldly, ¡°Do you know who¡¯s thergest shareholder of this bank?¡± Mr. Donovan gritted his teeth and shuddered. ¡°Morrison Corp.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± The smile on Kirk¡¯s face widened, but his icy gaze seemed like it could freeze Mr. Donovan. ¡°You¡¯re in charge of this bank, but you didn¡¯t know that this bank became my property three days ago. Why should I give you a chance?¡± Mr. Donovan¡¯s expression turned even darker. The bank had actually had a change of owners. He couldn¡¯t believe that he, the person in charge, hadn¡¯t known about such an important thing. He had even offended the boss himself. Right now, Mr. Donovan wanted someone to give him the mercy of death. ¡°Mr. Kirk. Well¡­ I really ¡°Enough!¡± Kirk was no longer in the mood to listen to Mr. Donovan¡¯s exnations. He said, ¡°Go and get your final paycheck. Also, you mustn¡¯t tell anyone about what happened today. Otherwise¡­¡± Mr. Donovan was good at assessing the situation. He knew he had no chance of salvaging his mistake, and he couldn¡¯t afford to offend Kirk even more. So, he said tacitly, ¡°All right.¡± Even after he walked out of the bank, he still had a surreal feeling. He couldn¡¯t believe that Caroline¡¯s backer was Kirk himself. How interesting. At this moment, his phone rang with a call from La. When Mr. Donovan realized that he had lost his job because of La, an irritated expression appeared on his face. However, La was also someone he couldn¡¯t afford to upset because Eddy was supporting her. He sighed. He had been caught in the sh between two powers. Feeling resigned, Mr. Donovan 1/2 +15 BONUS La asked heartily, ¡°Mr. Donovan, I heard that your bank is making the announcement this Friday, right?¡± Mr. Donovan smiled bitterly at her words. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He was no longer the chairman of the bank. Hisst¨Cminute decision might have already been annulled. However, his answer sounded like a ruse in La¡¯s ears. ¡°Haha! You¡¯re a pretty interesting guy, Mr. Donovan. I understand. Thank you for your help. I¡¯ll definitely show my appreciation when I get Collins Group.¡± After getting what she believed to be assurance, La hung up the phone, leaving a confused Mr. Donovan hanging. Was La deaf or something? He sighed. Forget it. He was fired, and he should quickly leave this godforsaken ce. Friday arrived in the blink of an eye. Since Collins Group¡¯s acquisition was the biggest news in Osbury, Mr. Donovan had decided to make the announcement at midnight to increase online traffic. So, although it was already past 11:00 pm, many people were still checking their phones, waiting for the bank to make the announcement. In contrast to the nervous citizens, La had already gathered her friends and booked a huge private room in Gourmet Manor to celebrate her victory. The bright lights in the room shone on the smiles on everyone¡¯s faces, both real and fake. Everyone raised their sses, and they congratted La one after another. ¡°Oh, La, you¡¯re going to be the head of one of the big four families. You can have whatever you want. You¡¯ll be living life like a queen. I really envy you!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. La here is the first matriarch. As far as I know, the other big four families didn¡¯t This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. have women leading them.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing. La, you¡¯re great!¡± Chapter 730 Chapter 730 ¡°Hmph! That doesn¡¯t matter much. The best thing La did was bring Evans Group back on top La did what so many people couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Oh yeah. You¡¯re right,¡± someone followed suit. ¡°Nothing even happened when Caroline took over Evans Group. But look at La. Even without a These people knew very well how La obtained Evans Group. However, things were different now. Since La was about to acquire Collins Group, she would be the head of one of the big four families. With that status, everyone was eager to curry favor with her. No one would dare to upset her. ¡°I have an idea.¡± Someone raised his ss and said, ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s give the new matriarch, Ms. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. La, a toast.¡± La had already lost herself in everyone¡¯s praises, so she toasted everyone and went wild. ¡°All right! Everything tonight is on me! After I get Collins Group tomorrow, I¡¯ll give each of you a branded bag!¡± Her words immediately made the crowd go wild. In contrast to the ring sounds in the restaurant, Caroline was quiet. Very quiet. Kirk walked to Caroline¡¯s side silently. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± His actions startled Caroline. When she turned around and saw Kirk, she said cutely, ¡°I¡¯m reading the manuscript I wrote, of course.¡± During this time, she had spent most of her time on her writing. She wondered if suffering was a form of inspiration. After she had begun her treatment, she¡¯d had an endless amount of inspiration. It felt as if she had a lot of things to tell at every single moment. Rosalind had remarked that the gates to her creativity had opened. ¡°What did you write?¡± Kirk knew that Caroline had been writing. But she was always so cryptic 1/3 +15 BONUS When Caroline saw Kirk stretching out his hand, she quickly hid in her arms. ¡°I still can¡¯t show it to you. You can see it after I¡¯m done writing.¡± Kirk chuckled, ¡°Do you have to be so mysterious about it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Caroline smiled sweetly. She grabbed Kirk¡¯s arm and changed the subject, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Kirk couldn¡¯t resist pinching Caroline¡¯s cheek. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you forgot such an important thing.¡± ¡°What important thing?¡± Caroline blinked. Kirk leaned over and said, ¡°Today is the day when the bank will announce who will take over Collins Group.¡± Only then did Caroline remember. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I forgot about it. What time is it? Have they already announced it??¡± Seeing Caroline¡¯s anxious expression, Kirk reached out and hugged her around the waist. ¡°There¡¯s still half an hour left before the announcement,¡± he said, rubbing Caroline¡¯s neck. ¡°Darling, it¡¯s boring to just wait around. Why don¡¯t we find something to do?¡± Caroline felt a tingling warmth on her neck, which spread throughout her entire body. She bit her lip and looked at Kirk. Kirk tapped Caroline¡¯s forehead. He picked up his phone and looked at the time. ¡°There are 15 more minutes.¡± Caroline was speechless. Time quickly passed as they made love, and soon, it was already 11:59 pm. Caroline sat next to Kirk, dripping in sweat. She took her phone and opened the bank¡¯s official Twitter ount. Her heart pounded wildly, She didn¡¯t know if it was because of their lovemaking or because the announcement was about to be revealed. At this moment, she refreshed the page, revealing that the bank¡¯s official ount had posted an 2/3 The person who would acquire Collins Group was Chapter 731 Chapter 731 Chapter 731 After clicking on it and scrolling down, Caroline saw her name written in big letters. There was even a bright red flower beside her name. ¡°It¡¯s me! The bank chose me!¡± she eximed as she looked at Kirk with joyful eyes. Perhaps she hadn¡¯t had full faith in herself earlier. She was overwhelmed with happiness after learning that she was going to take over Collins Group. Hugging her with one arm, Kirk took one of her hands and nted a kiss on it. ¡°Are you really so happy?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s just Collins Group.¡± Caroline nudged him in the chest. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re getting ahead of yourself. Do you know what it means to own Collins Group?¡± ¡°We can do whatever we please in the entertainment industry from now on,¡± she continued. ¡°No one would have the guts to offend us.¡± Kirkughed at her exnation. ¡°I can give you SY Group if you like it.¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t contain herughter as she nced at Kirk. ¡°As if.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying,¡± Kirk told her, his eyes dead serious. ¡°Darling, if you want SY Group, I can give it to you. ¡°As if SY Group belongs to you.¡± Caroline stood up, escaping Kirk¡¯s embrace. When she unlocked her phone, she saw dozens of messages congratting her on her victory. She then clicked on the group chat, only to discover that Gwen had gone insane. ¡°Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! It¡¯s true! Carol¡¯s taken over Collins Group. Someone give me a good pinch and tell me that it¡¯s not a dream!¡± Besides Gwen, Sonia and Cheryl were both ovee with excitement too. Cheryl had even sent a voice message in the group chat and ¡°used¡± Caroline of keeping it a secret from them, even though she knew that she would win from the beginning. ¡°Caroline, you knew you would win Collins Group way back, right? Why didn¡¯t you tell us something so important?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± After calming down, Gwen finally managed to rpose herself and said, ¡°Carol, you¡¯d better be trank and tell me who helped you kick the Morrisons¡® ass!¡± ¡°And the Hackett family¡¯s too!¡± After reading through the texts, Caroline pondered for a moment before replying, ¡°It was SY Group¡¯s CEO.¡± Since everything was set in stone, there was no reason for her to keep it a secret anymore. She didn¡¯t know how much of an impact her words had on the others in the group chat. ¡°What? SY Group¡¯s CEO? Carol, you should have told us this before!¡± ¡°So that was why you were able to defeat both the Morrisons and the Hacketts at the same time! My goodness, Caroline, you¡¯re so cool!¡± After sending the message, Cheryl added a kneeling emoji to show just how much she admired Caroline. Sonia, on the other hand, took the easier approach and typed, ¡°Boss, please be my sugar mommy.¡± Once everyone had calmed down and themotion had settled down, Gwen seized the chance and asked, ¡°Carol, did you two meetst time because of this?¡± They had found it kind of strange that Eddy¡¯s second uncle had wanted to meet Caroline all of a sudden. So this was the reason. After Caroline replied affirmatively, the group chat was filled with emojis and stickers of joy again. However, Gwen privately texted Caroline. ¡°Does Kirk know this?¡± ¡°Yep, he does,¡± Caroline replied. ¡°He yed a part in making SY Group¡¯s CEO help me with this.¡± Gwen pressed a hand against her forehead when she read Caroline¡¯s reply. ¡°Does Kirk know what he¡¯s doing?¡± Gwen thought to herself. Although Kirk was more good¨Clooking than Eddy¡¯s second uncle, thetter was better than him in terms of wealth and other aspects. Needless to say, Eddy¡¯s second uncle posed a big threat to Kirk. s, Kirk had even introduced Caroline to that man. Was he seriously trying to get himself cuckolded? Discreetly, Gwen asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Kirk have anything to say about this?¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 732 Chapter 732 Chapter 732 A soft smile hung on Caroline¡¯s lips. She knew fairly well what Gwen was trying to say. ¡°I asked Eddy¡¯s second uncle about it that day,¡± Caroline said, speaking into the phone with her back against the railing. She turned to look at Kirk. She wasn¡¯t sure what he was doing, but she could see that his brows were furrowed slightly. Under the soft light, he seemed less stern and more approachable than before. ¡°He said he supported me only because I have a knack for business,¡± replied Caroline. ¡°You¡¯re too naive. There are lots of others who have a knack for business, too. Howe you were the one to catch his eye? You¡¯d better watch out. Especially since he¡¯s helped you this time.¡± Gwen continued, ¡°He¡¯s a part of Collins Group now, and you¡¯ll have to keep an eye out in case he talks about it.¡± Caroline fell silent as she considered Gwen¡¯s words. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Gwen. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to worry about you,¡± Gwen told her. ¡°I know you like the back of my hand. It¡¯s that guy I¡¯m wary of. I¡¯m afraid ¡­¡± Caroline smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m a married woman now. Even if he truly has feelings for me, he can¡¯t just do anything as he wishes, right?¡± Gwen giggled. ¡°Nothing is certain. Just be careful. I don¡¯t believe that a man would be kind to a woman for no reason at all. He must have a hidden agenda.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Caroline nodded in understanding. ¡°Okay then. I¡¯m hanging up.¡± Caroline heard the sshing of water from the other end of the line and could somewhat guess what was going on on Gwen¡¯s side. Smiling, she said, ¡°Alright. Goodnight.¡± After their call ended, Caroline raised her eyes to look at Kirk, who seemed to be especially busy with whatever he was doing. The frown was still stuck on his face. She tiptoed toward him and whispered, ¡°Honey Her soft voice was like an antidote that made Kirk forget all of his worries. No longer as tense, he reached out to hook an arm around her waist. ¡°Yes, darling?¡± said Kirk. Before he could say anything else, she took the initiative to kiss him, stopping him from uttering another word. Time passed like the ebbing of the tide at night. Silence filled the air in the private room at Gourmet Manor after the bank made the announcement. Not a single person spoke. None of them had expected Caroline to emerge victorious. Suddenly, the bottle of red wine in La¡¯s hands cracked, and she let it fall to the ground. The sound of it shattering snapped everyone out of their daze. The people around La wore different expressions as they stared at her now. ¡°No way! That¡¯s impossible!¡± She smashed anything and everything around her as if she had gone insane. She abruptly stood up, grabbed someone by the arm, and snapped, ¡°Tell me that everything I saw just now wasn¡¯t real! Tell me that it¡¯s all fake!¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. She shook the person repeatedly with so much force that he almost puked from how nauseous it made him feel. He couldn¡¯t utter a single word anymore. The people surrounding La were so horrified that they staggered backward in horror. ¡°Tell me!¡± La screamed in his face, her voice piercing the air in the room like a sharp and terrifying de. A momentter, the person whose arm she was grabbing couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He patted her arm and said, ¡°Ms. La, snap out of it. It¡¯s just Collins Group. The Morrisons would still support you.¡± ¡°Maybe the bank made a mistake,¡± he added. ¡°You should give them a call and ask them about it.¡± His words snapped La back into reality, and she hastily took her phone out to call Mr. Donovan. Chapter 733 Chapter 733 Chapter 733 +15 BONUS Unfortunately, no one answered the call. In haste, La remembered that someone must be working at the bank right now, so she quickly called the bank. Her call was answered almost immediately. ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Donovan? Pass him the phone right now! How could something like this happen? The man must have a death wish. The staff member on the other end of the line sounded confused. ¡°Mr. Donovan? Nobody here goes by that name.¡± ¡°What?¡± La roared into the phone. ¡°Does he think he can hide for all eternity? Tell him that I¡¯ll fire him if he doesn¡¯t answer my call!¡± The staff member was bbergasted. Still, he replied, ¡°Miss, there¡¯s no ¡®Mr. Donovan¡® here.¡± ¡°Oh right.¡± He seemed to remember something. ¡°The former chairman¡¯s surname is Donovan, but he¡¯s been sacked. Just call his number if you have any other questions.¡± With that said, the staff member hung up, leaving La staring nkly into space. A whileter, a thought urred to her, and she picked up her phone to call Eddy.Owned by N?velDrama.Org. When the call went through, she seemed to have forgotten where she was and who she was surrounded by. Weeping, she said, ¡°Eddy, didn¡¯t you say that you would hand Collins Group over to me? Howe it¡¯s in Caroline¡¯s hands now? ¡°She caused your grandpa¡¯s death, yet nobody punished her for it.¡± La continued. ¡°And now she¡¯s taken over Collins Group. How is this fair? This isn¡¯t fair! This isn¡¯t fair at all!¡± ¡°Eddy,¡± she pleaded. ¡°You¡¯ve got to help me and take revenge for me!¡± However, La wasn¡¯t aware of the fact that Eddy hadn¡¯t listened to a single word that she had 1/3 +15 BONUS The only thing on his mind right now was the bank¡¯s announcement. Just a few days ago, a mysterious person had appeared out of nowhere and purchased the entire bank. Eddy had a hunch that said person was his second uncle. To test his hypothesis, he had agreed to sell the bank off. Now, the bank had made its announcement, proving that he was right. All of his guesses were correct! Caroline¡¯s husband was his second uncle. It was true! All of it was true! Eddy¡¯s hands balled into fists. He couldn¡¯t make himself believe that his second uncle¨Cthe person he once admired the most¨Cwas married to Caroline. How had this happened? How could Kirk marry Caroline? Even if Eddy himself disliked her, Kirk shouldn¡¯t have married her. What was more- ¡°Eddy!¡± La¡¯s piercing voice came from the other end of the line, pulling him out of his thoughts. ¡°Are you even listening? I don¡¯t care who decided to hand Collins Group over to Caroline. You have to fire the person behind this!¡± ¡°What if I say that the one you¡¯re talking about is me?¡± Eddy spat, his expression icy. La froze. She couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°No way. You told me that you would help me be the Collins Group¡¯s new owner,¡± she muttered. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t do something like that to me, right?¡± ¡°I said that I would help you, but I never promised to make you thatpany¡¯s owner,¡± Eddy replied as he stared right ahead, ¡°La, you saved my life once, and I¡¯ve helped you over and over again because of that. ¡°This is the final time I¡¯m helping you. You have to depend on yourself from now on.¡± ¡°No!¡± La screeched. ¡°How could you do this to me? How could you be so cruel? ¡°Have you forgotten how I had saved you so selflessly back then? How could you-¡± ncing down at his phone, Eddy said, ¡°I can help you find a match if you¡¯re thinking of marrying someone and living a good life afterward.¡± He continued, ¡°I can also help you if you want to start a small business or need a sum of money for it. ¡°Just know that I will never see you again.¡± ¡°No-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll marry Caroline. It was Grandpa¡¯s dying wish,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of her, love her with all my heart, and start a family with her.¡± His words stabbed La¡¯s heart. Hearing those words from him made her feel worse than it would if she were to take her own life. Chapter 734 Chapter 734 Chapter 734 ¡°Eddy, you can¡¯t treat me like this! You can¡¯t¡­ Even if you have no feelings for me, I¡¯m still your savior. You wouldn¡¯t have lived to this day without me. You can¡¯t treat me like this.¡± Eddy hung up, his face expressionless. Indeed, La had saved him once back then, but he had repaid her kindness a lot of times too. He didn¡¯t want this to carry on anymore. It was fine if she wanted him to give her money or help her search for a suitor. He couldn¡¯t care less about her anymore. Right now, all he wanted to do was be together with Caroline. He had finally realized just how much he loved her. He loved her so, so, so much. He couldn¡¯t lose her. He had to take her out of Kirk¡¯s grasp. Meanwhile, La copsed onto the ground after suffering multiple blows from the truth bombs Eddy had said. Seeing her reaction, everyone around her knew that the matter regarding Collins Group was now set in stone. There was nothing she could do to change it, so they left her alone in the room. All of a sudden, an eerie smile spread across La¡¯s face. She sneered, ¡°Caroline, do you think you can defeat me just like this? Don¡¯t forget that you were never part of the Evans family to begin with! You¡¯re not one of the Evans! You never were!¡± La¡¯s desperate cries reverberated in the empty room. Nobody replied to her. She was all alone now. After the bank made the announcement, Caroline had to attend a simple ceremony in person. She asked Kirk, ¡°Do you want toe along with me?¡± The ceremony would be bustling with people, and there would be plenty of media coverage too. Caroline wanted to introduce Kirk to the world and let everyone know that he wasn¡¯t a good¨Cfor- nothing husband. Even though he wasn¡¯t wealthy, he had a knack for business. He would surely seed if given the chance to start a business himself. Besides, she wanted everyone to know that he loved her a lot and that they were happy. It would 1/2 +15 BONUS She couldn¡¯t care less about what others said about her, but she just couldn¡¯t stand it when they insulted Kirk by saying that he was useless and that she was the one supporting him. Despite her efforts to reason with those people, they were always adamant and wouldn¡¯t change their minds. Therefore, Caroline thought it best to let everyone know just what a wonderful person Kirk was on the day of the handover ceremony. Noticing the look of eagerness in Caroline¡¯s eyes, Kirk couldn¡¯t find it in himself to disappoint her. Still, he had to let her down this time. If he were to appear in public, his identity would definitely be revealed. If that happened, Caroline would learn about his true identity and that he had kept her in the dark about it all this time. She wouldn¡¯t forgive him then. Another thing was that Eddy still had his eyes on Caroline and was keenly waiting for Kirk to slip up. So Kirk had to be extra careful this time. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sorry, darling, but I¡¯m not used to public events like this,¡± said Kirk apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll drag you down and embarrass you by making a fool of myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll panic if I go on the stage alone.¡± Caroline wouldn¡¯t give in. ¡°Can you please apany me?¡± Chapter 735 Chapter 735 Chapter 735 Kirk couldn¡¯t resist it when he saw Caroline pout. Still, he managed to hold himself back with hisst ounce o¨ª rationality. ¡°I can¡¯t apany you there, darling,¡± he told her. ¡°I have something important to attend to on that same day.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so important? What¡¯s more important than me?¡± Caroline turned away from him so that her back faced him, her lower lip protruding as she sulked. She had hoped against hope that she could introduce him to everyone during the handover ceremony. s, Kirk just wouldn¡¯t give in. She was so mad at him for it. Then, Kirk put an arm around her waist and nuzzled her neck. In his low and raspy voice, he muttered, ¡°Naturally, everything about you is most important to me.¡± ¡°But I hope that the ceremony will go perfectly. I don¡¯t want to ruin it and make you regret anythingter on,¡± he added. ¡°You not attending it will be my greatest regret!¡± Caroline was fuming already. Kirk stared at her and found himself at a loss for words. Noticing this, Caroline murmured, ¡°Sorry. I was being too harsh on you. I didn¡¯t mean it. I just hope that you can show up on such a significant day for me.¡± She continued, ¡°Besides, I want the world to know you. I want them to know just how wonderful of a person you are. You aren¡¯t anything like what they say!¡± Kirk lowered his eyes to look at her. ¡°What did they say?¡± It was Caroline¡¯s turn to fall silent. Those people¡¯sments were much too horrible. She didn¡¯t want to tell Kirk about it at all. ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Kirk carried her, sat down, and made her sit on hisp. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Caroline buried her face in his chest and pretended as if she didn¡¯t know a single thing about what she had just said. 1/2 +15 BONUS Amused, Kirk chuckled His coarse fingers brushed against her waist as he lowered his voice and said, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing nice about what they said- Her words were briefly cut short as his cool lips abruptly pressed against hers, giving her a shock. She was about to resist when she felt his hands on her back, pinning her close to him. Eventually, her protests turned into whimpers, and her knees turned into jelly as she felt herself melt in his aims After the deed was done, Caroline trembled slightly. Noticing this, Kirk pulled her into his arms and patted the back of her head as though he were coaxing a child. ¡°Sleep¡­ Time to sleep Momentster, he heard the sound of her even breathing. Looking down, he saw that she had indeed fallen asleep, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, the matter of attending the handover ceremony had been dealt with. He picked up his phone and scanned his call history. Three days had passed since the bank had made the announcement. Yet Eddy still hadn¡¯t contacted him. How strange. Kirk had already suspected that something was off back then. Later, Eddy had even made a show of having La¡¯s back. Since then, Kirk had suspected that Eddy had guessed that he was Caroline¡¯s husband. Since things hade to this, there was no need for Kirk to continue keeping his identity a secret anymore. But- Although he didn¡¯t want to keep it a secret from Eddy, he would surely make thetter suffer if Caroline found out about it, Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. After considering his options for a moment, he sent Eddy a message. ¡°Let¡¯s meet up.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Eddy to reply. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for your message.¡± ¡°You can decide when and where we¡¯re meeting.¡± Chapter 736 Chapter 736 Chapter 736 Kirk didn¡¯t wait for a reply after sending the message. He simply looked down at Caroline in his aims. Her brows were furrowed tightly, which made him wonder what she was dreaming about. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t me. I didn¡¯t¡­¡± she murmured. This wasn¡¯t the first time Kirk had seen her frown and mutter in her sleep. His heart broke a little every time this happened. Despite what he felt, he could only hug her tight to give her some warmth. It was a good thing that Michael had prescribed her some medicine. Otherwise, she would have nightmares every other day. Now, she didn¡¯t wake up from fright like before. Soon, she fell into a deep slumber once again. Now that Caroline was sleeping just fine, Kirk could finally close his eyes and fall asleep himself. Early the next morning, he saw Eddy¡¯s reply. ¡°The Gruidae. See you at 9:00 pm.¡± Eddy had sent the messagest night. Kirk narrowed his eyes at the screen and was about to put his phone down when he noticed Caroline getting up from the bed. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± he said. She nodded and got up from the bed with a hand on her forehead. ¡°How did I fall asleep?¡± She could vaguely remember that they were discussing something importantst night. Soon after that, she had fallen asleep in a daze. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. What had they been talking about? She patted herself on the head but couldn¡¯t find an answer. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kirk stopped her from hitting herself on the head. ¡°Are you trying to make yourself dumb?¡± ¡°No. I was going to tell you something importantst night,¡± she said. ¡°But I can¡¯t remember what it was. Do you think there¡¯s something wrong with my brain?¡± Kirk chuckled. ¡°If there¡¯s something wrong with your brain, other people wouldn¡¯t have brains in their skulls.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS Caroline nodded, agreeing with him to some extent Realization dawned on her, and she eximed, ¡°I get it now! The kings in the past always indulged themselves with beautiful things. I thought they were exaggerating it. It seems to me now that it¡¯s very much true.¡± She said, ¡°It¡¯s your fault for making me stupid.¡± Kirk couldn¡¯t contain hisughter. He ruffled her hair and said, ¡°Yeah, yeah. It¡¯s all my fault!¡± As he spoke, he nced at his phone on the table. ¡°I¡¯m having dinner outside tonight, so you don¡¯t have to wait for me toe back home.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± said Caroline as she got up from the bed and headed for the bathroom. ¡°Are you going to have dinner with Sean?¡± Kirk stared silently at the back of her figure for a while before answering, ¡°Yes.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t doubt him and simply closed the door to the bathroom. After she shut the door, Kirk stared back down at his phone, his face darkening considerably. Eddy had arrived at The Gruidae earlier and had been waiting for quite some time already. The restaurant wasn¡¯t called ¡°The Gruidae¡± because there were cranes inside. Instead, it was named so because of the bronze statue of a crane in the center of the restaurant. The statue had been passed down for generations by a n of craftsmen since the era of King Altair. Eddy stared at the statue downstairs as he fidgeted with the ss of wine in one hand. ¡°Is he not here yet?¡± he asked. This restaurant was one of the Morrisons¡® many properties. Eddy had purposely asked the staff to close the restaurant so he could meet Kirk here today. Time passed, and soon, it was 9:15 pm. Eddy narrowed his eyes at the clock on the wall. He had just gotten up from his seat when he heard footstepsing from outside. His gazended on the entrance of the restaurant. The doors opened, and in walked the person he was all too familiar with. It was Kirk, his second uncle. Yet now, Eddy found Kirk intimidating. It was as if Kirk were a stranger to him. Chapter 737 Chapter 737 Chapter 737 Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Uncle Kirk.¡± Standing up. Eddy took the initiative to greet Kirk. Thetter sat opposite Eddy with a face devoid of emotion. ¡°Have a seat.¡± After taking a seat, Eddy suddenly thought of something and wanted to stand up once more. However, the thought struck him as childish, so he swallowed his frustration and sat in his seat. He only spoke after he had calmed down. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Why did you keep it a secret? Did Grandpa know this long ago ¡­¡± The longer Eddy spoke, the less inclined he was to carry on talking. In the end, he simply glowered at Kirk and said, ¡°You¡¯re my uncle! How could you do this to me?¡± To Eddy, Kirk was like the sun in the sky that had guided him all along. He never thought that the rays from the sun would one day scald him and burn him alive. Kirk simply stared back into Eddy¡¯s eyes. Slowly and elegantly, he took out a cigar and lit it up. ¡°Getting married is personal. Why should I inform you about it?¡± ¡°But you married Caroline! She was my fianc¨¦e! How could you?¡± Eddy could say nothing more. He felt as though Kirk had betrayed him. ¡°As far as I know, my wife and I were single when we got married.¡± Eddy shot up from his seat. ¡°Uncle Kirk, I know that I¡¯ve wronged her. I ignored her feelings and suggested such a ridiculous idea. ¡°But it was only because I didn¡¯t realize that I had been in love with her since the beginning.¡± He continued, ¡°La had saved my life once, and it had weighed on my heart. I couldn¡¯t just leave her alone that time.¡± ¡°Did you think that gave you the right to hurt Caroline?¡± Kirk exhaled, and the smoke swirled in the air, forming a misty veil that amplified the scorn in his eyes. Eddy looked as if someone had just punched him in the gut. He copsed onto the chair. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault,¡± he muttered. ¡°If only I had drawn a clear line between love and gratitude, things wouldn¡¯t have ended up like +15 BONUS He raised his eyes to look at Kirk. ¡°But Uncle Kirk, you¡¯re no different than me. You lied to her. You didn¡¯t tell her your true identity.¡± Hearing this, Kirk pressed the cigar forcefully into the ashtray. Despite the fact that he looked calm and composed, his actions gave Eddy quite a fright. The wounds Kirk had suffered in his heart back then still stung. He wasn¡¯t sure what would happen in the future, but there were certain things he had to make clear. When it came to Caroline, both Kirk and Eddy had been equally deceitful in the tricks they had used. A whileter, Kirk broke the silence. ¡°Do you know why I can¡¯t reveal my identity to her?¡± ¡°Why?¡± asked Eddy, his heart leaping into his throat. ¡°You Morrisons had better reflect on yourselves,¡± said Kirk. ¡°Your grandfather insisted on letting her marry you under the guise of doing it for her own good. While you ¡­ What did you do when she gave you unconditional love back then?¡± Eddy could tell that Kirk was forcing those words out through gritted teeth. Kirk continued, ¡°How did you treat her? It didn¡¯t matter whether you Morrisons treated her kindly or not. Everything you people do is for your own good.¡± He snapped, ¡°Have you ever asked her what kind of life she wants to lead?¡± Those words made Eddy freeze. Chapter 738 Chapter 738 Chapter 738 This time, Kirk¡¯s words stunned Eddy to the very core. ¡°We-¡± ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®we¡® here,¡± Kirk scoffed, his voice harsh. He spoke as if he were a higher being who looked down on the foolishness of mankind. ¡°You reaped what you sowed and made Caroline hate the Morrison family. And now I¡¯m the one who has to bear the consequences of your actions!¡± Kirk¡¯s hands balled into fists, and the corners of his lips turned up slightly in a sneer. ¡°Do you really think you have the right to question my decision about hiding the truth from her?¡± His dark eyes stared right into Eddy¡¯s, making thetter feel as though he were enveloped by darkness. The feeling of dread made him feel suffocated, and he subconsciously trembled at Kirk¡¯s gaze. A whileter, Kirk said, ¡°I know that I¡¯m at fault here. That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to make amends now.¡± ¡°Uncle Kirk, please divorce Caroline,¡± Eddy pleaded. ¡°Give me a chance, will you?¡± Shooting up from his seat, Kirk kicked Eddy in the chest. Eddy was caught by surprise as the hit sent him sprawling onto the ground along with his chair.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. His wound, which hadn¡¯t fully healed yet, tore open, and blood seeped out of it. The crimson blood bloomed like a flower on his white shirt. Despite that, Kirk didn¡¯t seem to mind. He simply said, ¡°I¡¯ve cut all ties with your family since you people tried to force Caroline to marry you after Jude¡¯s death. ¡°You aren¡¯t family to me now, Eddy. You¡¯re just a man who wants to take my woman away from 1. me. And I won¡¯t go easy on people like you.¡± Kirk added, ¡°I advise you to stop thinking about getting your hands on Caroline if you want to spare your family the pain of going bankrupt. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to make you fall so deep into the abyss that you¡¯ll never see the sun rise again. I¡¯ll do it even if it means losing SY Group!¡± 1/3 With that, Kirk turned and headed for the exit. +15 BONUS Eddy pushed himself up from the ground to go after Kirk with much difficulty, but Charles stopped him from doing so. In the end, Eddy could only raise his voice and say, ¡°Since you¡¯re being so ruthless toward me, don¡¯t me me for telling Caroline your real identity.¡± Kirk had just reached the elevator when he heard that and turned to face Eddy. ¡°Try me,¡± he sneered. The look on Kirk¡¯s face sent a shiver down Eddy¡¯s spine. When Eddy snapped out of it, he realized that Kirk was long gone. Kirk¡¯s foul mood changed for the better once he entered the elevator. Charles couldn¡¯t help but wonder aloud, ¡°Sir, will Eddy really tell the madam your true identity? If he does, she won¡¯t be able to handle the news.¡± Kirk massaged his temple upon hearing the question. A vein pulsed on his forehead, a signal of how annoyed he was right now. ¡°Can¡¯t you find a way to stop him if he truly intends to do that?¡± ¡°Oh, okay,¡± said Charles. He understood the job immediately. ¡°How has she beentely?¡± ¡°Jack said that she¡¯s okay when she¡¯s at thepany, but ¡­¡± Charles¡® voice trailed off as he hesitated. ¡°Her assistant said that she would sometimes look upset as if she were in immense pain.¡± Kirk¡¯s gaze darkened ever so slightly. He regretted not giving Eddy another good kick. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Michael¡¯s,¡± said Kirk curtly. ¡°Okay.¡± When they reached the ground floor, Charles opened the car¡¯s backseat door for Kirk and got into the driver¡¯s seat. He started the engine, and they headed straight for the hotel where Michael was staying. Once ¡°I want you to get my wife out of het misery in half a month.¡± Chapter 739 Chapter 739 Chapter 739 Michael had long gotten used to Kirk¡¯s behavior. As an expert psychologist, and based on his observationstely, he found that Caroline was the only person who could affect Kirk¡¯s mood. After listening to Kirk exin Caroline¡¯s condition, Michael pulled out a chair and gestured for him to sit ¡°I conducted a meeting with several other psychologists after hypnotizing herst time,¡± said Michael. ¡°We agreed that the best solution for her for now is to undergo hypnotherapy. He continued, ¡°If we hypnotize her for the second time, some things may go out of hand. It¡¯s because the person who hypnotized her back then employed a rather peculiar method during the process. ¡°That¡¯s why she can¡¯t remember anything about her past at all. But we don¡¯t know the method that they used.¡± Frustrated, Kirk asked, ¡°What do you n to do?¡± ¡°We have two ways to solve this. The first one is to use electroshock therapy. The strong stimtion can make her forget Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s death,¡± Michael suggested. on¡¯t know what method was used to ¡°Another option would be hypnotization. But since we hypnotize her back then, we can¡¯t guarantee what will happen after she gets hypnotized a secondOwned by N?velDrama.Org. time.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the worst¨Ccase scenario?¡± ¡°The worst thing that could happen Michale pondered the question briefly before answering, ¡°Well, it could wipe out all of her memories.¡± Kirk¡¯s face darkened considerably. ¡°And that includes me?¡± Michael could somehow hear a bit of a tremble in Kirk¡¯s voice, but the facts couldn¡¯t be changed. With great difficulty, he nodded and said, ¡°Yes. Everything.¡± Kirk blinked and fell silent for a long time before asking, ¡°Is there any other way to settle this?¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS Michael sighed heavily at the question The madam saw how the old man died for her with her own eyes. Her consciousness is chained down by quilt. She¡¯ll never be at peace with herself if we can¡¯t break those chains Michael continued. ¡°Unless you don¡¯t care about how she fares in the future My suggestion is to let things be and stop interfering. ¡°Perhaps one day she will think things through and let go of the guilt and remorse she feels. This sort of thing isn¡¯t unheard of in psychology. Human psychology is highlyplex, after all. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee what would happen, although people say that I¡¯m at the pinnacle of this profession-¡± ¡°I only have one question now,¡± Kirk interrupted him. ¡°How likely is your idea of waiting for her to think things through?¡± ¡°Based on the thousands of cases I¡¯ve taken, only a few seeded in doing so. I would say one out of one thousand patients had done it before,¡± Michael replied with a wry smile. Kirk waited no more. He simply turned and left the room. ¡°Kirk,¡± a worried Michael called out, but Kirk was already at the entrance with the door ajar. The look on Kirk¡¯s face when he turned back to look at Michael was so foreboding that thetter¡¯s footsteps faltered. ¡°I¡¯ll consider the three options you proposed.¡± That said, Kirk closed the door with a bang. The corners of Michael¡¯s mouth twitched at that. He was sure that Kirk would have strangled him to death after he had proposed the two methods if it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that he was Caroline¡¯s final hope. Caroline was so upied with preparing to integrate Collins Group and Evans Group that she had no spare time to continue her scriptwriting. She only realized that she hadn¡¯t contacted Rosalind in a long time when Quentin called her. ¡°Do you have news regarding the two tasks I gave you?¡± asked Caroline as she stretched and headed for the balcony to rx. ¡°Yep, but there isn¡¯t much progress,¡± Quentin replied. ¡°I might disappoint you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been 25 years or so since then. I would be surprised if you could find out anything about it,¡± said Caroline. ¡°Tell me what you discovered.¡± Chapter 740 Chapter 740 Chapter 740 Quentin broke into a smile and said, Tll tell you about Yvonne first, then.¡± He continued. ¡°I found out that she had indeed been adopted from an orphanage. ¡°But she was taken away from the orphanage in just a couple of months. It doesn¡¯t match up with what you told me about Ms. Weiss¡® daughter.¡± ¡°Is it possible that she joined the Hacketts only when she turned five or six years old?¡± Caroline asked, even though she felt that the possibility wasn¡¯t that high. That¡¯s possible,¡± Quentin said. ¡°I¡¯ve looked into it. After she was taken away from the orphanage, the Hacketts¡® nanny took her to the countryside. ¡°The Hackett couple only visited her asionally, and she went to live with them when she was around five or six years old.¡± Caroline had never expected her assumption to hit the bull¡¯s eye. ¡°But I still think that this all sounds ridiculous. Even if they had seldom met, they shouldn¡¯t have mistaken their daughter for another five¨Cyear¨Cold.¡± ¡°We¡¯re on the same page,¡± Quentin agreed. ¡°That was why I had someone look into this. But since it happened long ago, we need a lot of time to get any clues on this.¡°. Caroline lowered her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as we get to the end of it.¡± She wanted to clear things up because this was rted to Marietta. ¡°No problem,¡± came Quentin¡¯s voice from the other end of the line. ¡°Also, about your case I¡¯ve looked into it too.¡± He said, ¡°You¡¯ve been to a mental health clinic overseas when you were five or six years old. The psychologists there specialize in wiping out people¡¯s memories.¡± ¡°Wiping out memories?¡± ¡°Yep. They hypnotize people to erase their memories. I¡¯m not sure how it¡¯s done, though, but the Caroline muttered, ¡°So that¡¯s why I can¡¯t remember anything that happened before I was five years old ¡± ¡°Huh? What were you saying?¡± Quentin hadn¡¯t heard her clearly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± said Caroline, dismissing his question. ¡°Did you find out why Sarah had taken me there?¡± ¡°Yep. I went through the case files. Based on the psychologist¡¯s report, you had PTSD after getting kidnapped when you were young, so she took you there to get rid of those memories.¡± ¡°Did you discover anything else?¡± ¡°Nope. That¡¯s the only evidence that I¡¯ve managed to recover.¡± Caroline nodded in understanding. ¡°Okay. Got it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hanging up then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline nodded. The call ended, but she continued to grip her phone. So Sarah had taken her to see a doctor just to wipe out the memories of her getting kidnapped? She furrowed her brows in deep thought. Just then, she heard the sound of someone turning the Owned by N?velDrama.Org. doorknob. It must be Kirk. She rushed to the door, only to see Kirk in a gloomy mood. Although he smiled adoringly at her when he saw her, she could sense that he was in a bad mood. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She approached him and put her arms around his neck. He lowered his eyes to look into her mesmerizing ones and found himself thinking of the three options that Michael had told him of. He swallowed and pulled her into a tight hug. With their hearts beating next to each other, it was as if they were one. Chapter 741 Chapter 741 Chapter 741 It wasn¡¯t until Caroline felt Kirk¡¯s body temperature slowly rising that she raised her head. ¡°What happened to you? Did you just return from Dr. Caldwell¡¯s ce?¡± The only thing that could make Kirk react like this was something concerning her. Kirk gently shook his head. ¡°No.¡± Caroline frowned, but she didn¡¯t expose his lie. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s go out for dinner.¡± Caroline took Kirk¡¯s hand. ¡°Kirk, it seems we haven¡¯t had a candlelight dinner before.¡± Kirk thought for a moment and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go have some Faromish food. We¡¯ll go to the same restaurant where you proposed to me.¡± ¡°You still remember that?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± At the mention of that incident, Caroline felt quite regretful. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten about that.¡± ¡°Of course not. How could I forget?¡± Kirk caressed Caroline¡¯s head lovingly. ¡°Go change your clothes: I¡¯ll call the restaurant owner and ask him to reserve a table for us.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Caroline responded before`she headed upstairs. As Kirk watched her leave, he felt his heartache again. The three treatment options pushed him and Caroline into a desperate situation. Kirk closed his eyes for a moment. He waited until his emotions had subsided before calling the restaurant owner. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. By the time he was done, Caroline had changed into her dress ande downstairs. She was wearing a Faromish¨Cstyle dress. The hem of her dress was wide and fluffy, only revealing her beautiful ankles. Furthermore, the waistband style showed off her slim waist. Kirk took off his suit jacket and put it on Caroline. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Caroline looked at Kirk in confusion. ¡°Why are you putting this jacket on me? It looks so ugly ¡°I think you look pretty good like this. That way, the men on the streets won¡¯t even dare to gawk at you.¡± Carolineughed at his words. ¡°Kirk, are you that insecure about yourself? I mean, I¡¯m not even worried about you attracting other women¡¯s attention.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Kirk raised Caroline¡¯s chin. Caroline smiled confidently. ¡°Of course not. Why don¡¯t you try it out?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kirk held Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in those women at all.¡± ¡°Then, who are you interested in?¡± Caroline chuckled. Kirk tapped Caroline¡¯s nose. ¡°You clearly know the answer to the question. All right. We should go. ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline held Kirk¡¯s hand and headed to the Faromish restaurant. When they arrived, Caroline realized that they were the only ones there. ¡°Why isn¡¯t there anyone else here?¡± Caroline asked curiously. Kirk led her through the dimly lit restaurant and sat at the dining table. ¡°It¡¯s perfect, isn¡¯t it? Just imagine that I booked this entire restaurant for you.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Caroline smiled sweetly. ¡°But soon, I won¡¯t have to imagine anymore.¡± As she spoke, she folded her hands and ced her chin on them. ¡°You¡¯ll be the person in charge of the newly established Evans Group soon. When the timees, booking an entire restaurant would be an easy chore for you.¡± Kirk chuckled. ¡°Darling, you¡¯ve already nned to leave Evans Group to me after you take over Collins Group, have you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m no longer interested in managing apany. I want to spend my time writing manuscripts. 1 want to be a famous ywright like Aunt Mary,¡± Kirk smiled slightly at her words. ¡°When did you start having this wish?¡± Caroline thought for a moment before replying, ¡°In the beginning, I continued writing simply because of Aunt Mary¡¯s approval. ¡°Later on, I gradually experienced the joy of creating something. I never knew that the feeling of being able tomunicate with the characters one wrote could be so wonderful.¡± Chapter 742 Chapter 742 Chapter 742 +15 BONUS ¡°Now, I genuinely want to write this story. Do you understand how I feel?¡± Caroline became increasingly enthusiastic as she spoke, looking at Krik expectantly. Kirk smiled slightly at her words. ¡°Yeah.¡± Although he didn¡¯t know how to write, he could still empathize with her dedication to what she loved. Caroline happily smiled when she saw Kirk nod. She was worried about him being half¨Chearted about what she loved because it had happened with Eddy countless times. She was delighted that Kirk hadn¡¯t reacted like Eddy. He simply looked at her intently with a smile. It made her truly feel respected. ¡°So, you¡¯ll support me, right?¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Of course.¡± Kirk held Caroline¡¯s hand on the table. ¡°But darling, you have to promise me something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Caroline blinked in confusion. ¡°You can¡¯t hide anything about your treatment from me.¡± Caroline looked at Kirk in confusion. ¡°I¨CI wouldn¡¯t hide anything from you. Don¡¯t worry. No matter what kind of treatment I undergo, I¡¯ll talk things through with you first.¡± Kirk stared intently at Caroline. After a long time, he let go of her hand and held out his pinky. Caroline couldn¡¯t help butugh at his actions. ¡°What are you doing? Are you doing a pinky swear? ¡± ¡°Signing an agreement is too troublesome, so let¡¯s just do a pinky swear.¡± Caroline thought that Kirk was childish sometimes, but it was an adorable kind of childish. ¡°All right.¡± She readily held out his pinky and hooked it with Kirk¡¯s. ¡°I pinky promise to tell you everything. I won¡¯t hide anything from you.¡± After saying that, she pressed her thumb on Kirk¡¯s thumb. ¡°Here. Happy now?¡± Kirk¡¯s frown rxed slightly. ¡°Yeah.¡± 1/3 +16 BONUS After finishing their dinner, the two went home. Since the handover ceremony was held at the bank, the newly appointed chairman of the bank called Caroline when she returned home to inquire about the handover ¡°Ms. Evans, if there are no problems, we¡¯ll carry out the handover in this sequence.¡± The new chairman sent the handover ceremony¡¯s itinerary to Caroline via email. ¡°If there are any problems, let us know, and we¡¯ll change them immediately.¡± Caroline looked at it carefully and didn¡¯t notice any problems. ¡°I think this is pretty good. Haven¡¯t you done many handover ceremonies like this? There¡¯s no need to be so nervous.¡± Why did she feel like this new chairman was taking this too seriously? He was acting as if she had ascended the throne or something. The new chairman wiped the sweat from his forehead and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s my job. After all, Collins Group is part of the property of the big four families.¡± He continued, ¡°Ms. Evans, now that you¡¯ve acquired thispany, you have returned to their ranks. ¡°This is a very major event for the Evans family. The press will definitely be at the venue, so this ceremony must go smoothly.¡± Caroline smiled slightly. ¡°You¡¯re too kind. Let me thank you in advance.¡± The new chairman talked a little more. After repeatedly confirming with Caroline that there were no problems, he hung up. The chairman¡¯s wife had been listening to the conversation. When she saw her husband finally hang up the phone, she couldn¡¯t resistining. ¡°Isn¡¯t she just taking over Collins Group? Do you have to try so hard to curry favor with her? If anything, you should be currying favor with someone like Eddy.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anything.¡± The new chairman scolded his wife mercilessly. ¡°Do you know who¡¯s Caroline¡¯s endorser? If we upset her, her backer would wipe out a hundred Morrison Corps.¡± His wife¡¯s expression shifted at his words. ¡°Who is her endorser?¡± After Caroline acquired Collins Group, many people had been specting on her endorser¡¯s identity. However, there were many different opinions among theizens. They couldn¡¯t arrive at a conclusion. The chairman became impatient. ¡°Why are you asking about this? I¡¯m warning you. You shouldn¡¯t poke your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong, or you¡¯ll get into trouble!¡± Hearing how grave her husband sounded, the woman frowned unhappily. But she didn¡¯t dare to keep asking. Chapter 743 Chapter 743 Chapter 743 The day of the handover ceremony arrived in the blink of an eye. Caroline had emancipated herself from Sarah and Dan, but she was still a member of the Evans family. They were also her predecessors at Evans Group, thepany she currently owned. Although many people in the Evans family knew they had nothing to do with Caroline¡¯s acquisition of Collins Group, they still took advantage of the ceremony to make themselves known. If possible, it would be great if they got an official position in the newpany. Hence, apart from the reporters, most of the people gathered at the bank entrance early in the morning were members of the Evans family. Furthermore, they were as bold as brass. When they saw the reporters, they started to brag. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Caroline is my niece. I told you¨Conly she could bring Evans Group back on its feet. Look, since she became the CEO, not only have monthly sales increased, but more and more people are investing in thepany. She¡¯s a business genius. ¡°I¡¯m also Caroline¡¯s aunt. She has always been clever. Otherwise, Mr. Morrison Senior wouldn¡¯t have insisted on getting her married to Mr. Eddy. He had taken a fancy to our niece¡¯s intelligence!¡± ¡°I think so too. I said we should¡¯ve handed over thepany to Caroline long ago. Look at how amazing she is. She acquired Collins Group in such a short time. Caroline, you must be watching the live broadcast, right? ¡°If you see me, remember that I¡¯m the uncle of your second uncle¡¯s wife. You have to get me a job at the newpany. You don¡¯t have to make me a manager or anything. Making me deputy manager will be fine, too.¡± Caroline was silent. She was watching the live broadcast at the moment, and she heard what that person had said in real¨Ctime. In the driver¡¯s seat, Jack couldn¡¯t help butugh when he heard the man¡¯s words. ¡°Ms. Evans, do you really have a rtive like him?¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t even know these people.¡± When she had returned from abroad, a lot of people hade to see her, iming that they were her aunts and uncles. Butter on, as Eddy had started to treat her coldly, people like them had +15 BONUS They had disappeared from her life when she had married Kirk, probably because she was no longer the future Mrs. Morrison. She hadn¡¯t expected them to show up again when she acquired Collins Group However, this time, Caroline wasn¡¯t the only one who was unimpressed. Even theizens who watched the broadcast felt the same way. ¡°Oh goodness, are these people from the Evans family? They¡¯re so shameless!¡± ¡°Sometimes I really doubt whether Caroline is part of the Evans family. Otherwise, how could she be the only sane one among these wackos?¡± ¡°Hahaha, speaking of wackos, I thought of La. Who still has that screenshot of La¡¯s tweet that she¡¯ll run the Collins Group well after taking over? It¡¯s freaking hrious.¡± ¡°I remember that tweet, too! After La posted it, many people said she would definitely get Collins Group. It¡¯s so refreshing to see her proven wrong. ¡°Iughed so hard when the bank made the announcement that night. La is such an idiot. The announcement hadn¡¯t even been made by then, but she still had the gall to book a restaurant and pop some champagne. Couldn¡¯t she be patient?¡± The next stream ofments was full ofints about La, so Caroline stopped reading them. Since she was nearly at the bank, she put her tablet down and started checking her makeup. After making sure her makeup was fine, she looked up to see that the car had reached the bank¡¯s entrance. As soon as she got out of the car, everyone immediately pointed their cameras and microphones at her. However, her vibe had changed drastically. Chapter 744 Chapter 744 Chapter 744 Caroline waspletely different from when she had been working at Thorne Corporation. She was now more calm, elegant, and generous than before. She had the bearing of a queen. The bank¡¯s new chairman approached Caroline as soon as he saw her. ¡°Ms. Evans, the venue for the handover ceremony is ready. Pleasee with us.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Seeing Caroline about to enter the bank, many reporters asked anxiously, ¡°Ms. Evans, can you tell us who is endorsing you?¡± ¡°How did this endorser beat La, who had the support of both Morrison Corp and the Hackett family?¡± ¡°Ms. Evans, is there a deal here that we¡¯re not aware of?¡± Caroline remained silent. In the face of the reporters¡® questioning, the new chairman quickly signaled to the security personnel to block them. Then, he said to the reporters, ¡°Everyone, we understand your desire to get to the bottom of things, so we arranged an interview after the ceremony. Please calm down for now. Let us handle the handover ceremony first.¡± The reporters then stopped their questioning. Meanwhile, in a ck car, La looked coldly at Dan, who was driving. ¡°What are you doing? Didn¡¯t you already agree to our terms yesterday? Why are you going back on your word?¡± Sarah feared that La would grab the steering wheel, so she quickly held La¡¯s hand down. La, let us exin. After promising you that we would reveal Caroline¡¯s identity today, we spent a lot of time thinking about things. We don¡¯t think this is the best move to make.¡± She continued, ¡°Right now, Caroline¡¯s career is at its peak. If we expose her identity, Collins Group will never be in Dan¡¯s hands. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± La¡¯s expression twisted into a scowl. ¡°So you want to acknowledge Caroline as your daughter again just for Collins Group?¡± +15 BONUS The fact that Caroline wasn¡¯t their daughter was La¡¯s final bargaining chip. If Dan and Sarah didn¡¯t want to admit this truth, she wouldn¡¯t have any other way to beat Caroline. ¡°Well ¡­ You can¡¯t me us for this. We agreed that we would reveal that Caroline isn¡¯t our daught, if you got Collins Group. But you failed to do so. So how can you me us?* Sarah said, Owned by N?velDrama.Org. clearly displeased. ¡°Besides, we really hoped you could take over Collins Group. You¡¯ve let us down, but you started to use us before we even said anything about it.¡± La clenched her fists tightly. ¡°Then, why are you taking me to the handover ceremony?¡± Sarah nced at Dan, who was driving. After a moment, she said, ¡°We¡¯re not taking you there.¡± As she finished talking, the car came to a stop. La rolled down the window and looked at the unfamiliar view outside in disbelief. Then, she red at Sarah and Dan. ¡°Are you going to leave me here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Sarah looked at La sternly. ¡°La, I can¡¯t let you ruin my daughter¡¯s handover ceremony.¡± ¡°Your daughter?¡± La was incredulous at their actions. ¡°You bastards are absolutely shameless! You were the ones who rejected Caroline first, but now you¡¯re calling her your daughter again! Haha¡­ Haha ¡­¡± Sarah and Dan looked at each other. ¡°La, we don¡¯t want things to get ugly. You¡¯d better get out of the car yourself.¡± ¡°No way in hell!¡± La yelled. She was about to grab the steering wheel, but Dan hit her on the back of her head with a baseball bat. La was ovee with dizziness and struggled to speak. She could only slump down in her seat and let her consciousness fade away. Chapter 745 Chapter 745 Chapter 745 After dumping La by the side of the road, Dan and Sarah continued their journey to the bank. After deceiving La the night before, they had made a n to stop her from ruining Caroline¡¯s handover ceremony. Caroline taking over Collins Group was equivalent to the Evans family returning to its days of glory. Dan and Sarah couldn¡¯t let such a joyous asion be ruined. Moreover, they had to take this chance to repair their rtionship with Caroline. They weren¡¯t fools. They wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy the fruits of Caroline¡¯sbor if they revealed that she wasn¡¯t their daughter. ¡°Hubby,¡± Sarah said happily. ¡°It won¡¯t be long before we can stay in our old vi again, right?¡± Although the vi Jude had bought for them wasrge, it still wasn¡¯tparable to their previous vi. Dozens of household staff had been employed at theirst vi. But right now, they only had three household staff. Sometimes, Sarah had to cook her own meals. ¡°Let¡¯s not celebrate too soon.¡± Dan was more sensible than Sarah. ¡°Remember, we¡¯ve severed ties with Caroline. Although there are many reporters there, it¡¯ll be difficult to put pressure on Caroline to make her acknowledge us as her parents again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right. As long as she never finds out that she¡¯s not our daughter, she will acknowledge us sooner orter.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Dan said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Then, hemented, ¡°Things would be perfect if Caroline could forget everything that happened during this time.¡± Sarah¡¯s eyes lit up at his words. ¡°Hubby, do you remember-¡± Before she could finish her words, Dan had already guessed what she wanted to say. ¡°Of course, I remember. But it¡¯ll be hard to find that hypnotist again after so many years.¡± ¡°We have to try.¡± The gears turned in Sarah¡¯s head. +15 BONUS ¡°Think about it. If Caroline forgets what happened during this time, we won¡¯t have to go through the trouble of mending our rtionship. We can just sit back and enjoy her sess¡± Dan said, ¡°That would be a permanent solution to our problems. All right. Tracking down that hypnotist will be your responsibility. I¡¯ll handle mending our rtionship with Caroline.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± After the two made up their minds, they happily set off and arrived at the bank soon. By then, the handover ceremony was officially over. ¡°Up next, we have some time for you to ask your questions.¡± The new chairman approached the microphone and said, ¡°Feel free to ask Ms. Evans questions if you have any.¡± As soon as the chairman finished speaking, countless reporters raised their hands. The chairman looked over at Caroline. Caroline briefly nced at the audience¡¯s expectant expressions. Suddenly, a trace of surprise appeared on her face as she saw Sarah and Dan. She wasn¡¯t surprised that they would be here. But she hadn¡¯t expected them to be so bold as to smile encouragingly at her when they noticed her looking at them. Caroline looked away expressionlessly and pointed casually. ¡°Thedy in the blue suit.¡± A female reporter stood up excitedly. ¡°Ms. Evans, I would like to ask who the person who endorsed you is. Also, there are rumors that you managed to get Collins Group because you pulled some strings. ¡°Are those rumors true? Some people even said that you¡¯re connected to Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s death. Is that true as well?¡± Caroline¡¯s expression shifted slightly at her words. After the reporter finished her question, she asked with a smile, ¡°Did you read the reminder outside the venue before you came in?¡± Chapter 746 Chapter 746 After dumping La by the side of the road, Dan and Sarah continued their journey to the bank. After deceiving La the night before, they had made a n to stop her from ruining Caroline¡¯s handover ceremony. Caroline taking over Collins Group was equivalent to the Evans family returning to its days of glory. Dan and Sarah couldn¡¯t let such a joyous asion be ruined. Moreover, they had to take this chance to repair their rtionship with Caroline. They weren¡¯t fools. They wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy the fruits of Caroline¡¯sbor if they revealed that she wasn¡¯t their daughter. ¡°Hubby,¡± Sarah said happily. ¡°It won¡¯t be long before we can stay in our old vi again, right?¡± Although the vi Jude had bought for them wasrge, it still wasn¡¯tparable to their previous vi. Dozens of household staff had been employed at theirst vi. But right now, they only had three household staff. Sometimes, Sarah had to cook her own meals. ¡°Let¡¯s not celebrate too soon.¡± Dan was more sensible than Sarah. ¡°Remember, we¡¯ve severed ties with Caroline. Although there are many reporters there, it¡¯ll be difficult to put pressure on Caroline to make her acknowledge us as her parents again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right. As long as she never finds out that she¡¯s not our daughter, she will acknowledge us sooner orter.¡± Dan said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Then, hemented, ¡°Things would be perfect if Caroline could forget everything that happened during this time.¡± Sarah¡¯s eyes lit up at his words. ¡°Hubby, do you remember-¡± Before she could finish her words, Dan had already guessed what she wanted to say. ¡°Of course, I remember. But it¡¯ll be hard to find that hypnotist again after so many years.¡± ¡°We have to try.¡± The gears turned in Sarah¡¯s head. +15 BONUS ¡°Think about it. If Caroline forgets what happened during this time, we won¡¯t have to go through the trouble of mending our rtionship. We can just sit back and enjoy her sess¡± Dan said, ¡°That would be a permanent solution to our problems. All right. Tracking down that hypnotist will be your responsibility. I¡¯ll handle mending our rtionship with Caroline.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± After the two made up their minds, they happily set off and arrived at the bank soon. By then, the handover ceremony was officially over. ¡°Up next, we have some time for you to ask your questions.¡± The new chairman approached the microphone and said, ¡°Feel free to ask Ms. Evans questions if you have any.¡± As soon as the chairman finished speaking, countless reporters raised their hands. The chairman looked over at Caroline. Caroline briefly nced at the audience¡¯s expectant expressions. Suddenly, a trace of surprise appeared on her face as she saw Sarah and Dan. She wasn¡¯t surprised that they would be here. But she hadn¡¯t expected them to be so bold as to smile encouragingly at her when they noticed her looking at them. Caroline looked away expressionlessly and pointed casually. ¡°Thedy in the blue suit.¡± A female reporter stood up excitedly. ¡°Ms. Evans, I would like to ask who the person who endorsed you is. Also, there are rumors that you managed to get Collins Group because you pulled some strings. ¡°Are those rumors true? Some people even said that you¡¯re connected to Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s death. Is that true as well?¡± Caroline¡¯s expression shifted slightly at her words. After the reporter finished her question, she asked with a smile, ¡°Did you read the reminder outside the venue before you came in?¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 747 Chapter 747 Chapter 747 As soon as Caroline gave her statement, everyone naturally gave her a puzzled look She exined, ¡°If my husband hadn¡¯t acted as our go¨Cbetween, SY Group¡¯s president wouldn¡¯t have endorsed me. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m extremely self¨Caware. Right now, I simply cannot manage such argepany well. But my husband gave me the confidence.¡± ¡°Is it because he thinks you can manage Collins Group?¡± ¡°No.¡± Caroline looked at the woman and smiled lightly. ¡°It¡¯s because he can help me manage Collins Group.¡± Everyone in the audience gasped, thinking that Caroline was crazy. Caroline had been married for such a long time, but no one knew who her husband was. They only knew that her husband was very poor and was a white¨Ccor worker. But now, Caroline was saying that she wanted her husband to manage Collins Group. That was ridiculous. Although Collins Group suffered heavy losses some time ago, all its assets were still part of the big four families¡® properties. If Caroline relied on Collins Group¡¯s capital, she could even bring the Evans family back into the ranks of the big four families. Yet she wanted her husband to help manage it. Wasn¡¯t she digging her own grave? ¡°Are there any more questions?¡± Caroline asked softly, ignoring everyone¡¯s expressions. She didn¡¯t need everyone to put their trust in Kirk immediately. Time would prove that her foresight was correct. Kirk would be a capable manager. The reporters¡® thoughts were interrupted, and they didn¡¯t know what to ask for a moment. Seeing this, Caroline said, ¡°Since there are no more questions, we shall-¡± Before she could finish her words, the security guard¡¯s urgent voice came from the door. ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t go in there! An important event is being held!¡± 1/2 ¡°Let go of me! Caroline, you¡¯re not qualified to acquire Collins Group!¡± +15 BONUS Caroline looked at La, who was struggling in the security guard¡¯s grip. She looked dirty, as if she had been attacked. Sarah¡¯s and Dan¡¯s expressions shifted when they saw La there. They wanted to stop her, but it was toote. Using all her strength, La yelled, ¡°Caroline, you¡¯re not Dan¡¯s daughter. You¡¯re not an Evans. You don¡¯t have any right to inherit Evans Group!¡± La¡¯s breaking news made the audience stand up, looking at her in surprise. The security guard was still struggling to hold La back. At this time, Caroline said tremblingly, ¡°Let her finish.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. The microphone amplified the trembling in her tone by a hundred times. Everyone¡¯s eyesnded on Caroline. La finally broke away from the security guard¡¯s grip. As she walked toward Caroline, she said, ¡® Listen here, Caroline. You¡¯re not-¡± Out of nowhere, Dan dashed out and pped La in the face. Then, he said to the security guard, ¡°Get this psycho bitch out of here!¡± The security guard didn¡¯t know whose orders to listen to. He simply looked at the new chairman for instructions. But the chairman was also at a loss. ¡°Dan, you fucking liar!¡± After getting pped, La charged forward and pped Dan as well. When Sarah saw her husband being attacked, she rushed to his defense. The other Evans family members saw the reporters taking pictures of the spectacle, so they took action and tried to pull the three of them apart. However, their fight was too intense. And just like that, the venue fell into chaos. ¡± At this time, the chairman¡¯s phone vibrated in his pocket. He quickly took it out and looked at the screen. He had received a message. Chapter 748 Chapter 748 Chapter 748 ¡°Bring Ms. Evans out.¡± Upon seeing this text message, the new chairman wiped the sweat from his forehead. He approached Caroline and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here for now, Ms. Evans.¡± Caroline nced at La, who was still fighting in the audience. After some thought, she nodded. And so, they left the venue through the back door. Jack was already waiting there in his car. The chairman opened the door for Caroline. ¡°Ms. Evans, here¡¯s my business card. Feel free to call me if you need anything.¡± Caroline had no intention of dealing with the chairman. She simply nodded half¨Cheartedly in response, took the business card, and got in the car. As the new chairman watched the departed car, he took his phone out again. That text message was still there. He looked at the phone number, lost in thought. Could this number belong to SY Group¡¯s president? Caroline had managed to win the rights to Collins Group because her backer was SY Group¡¯s president. After thinking about it, the new chairman decided to save the number. In the car, Jack nced worriedly at Caroline in the back seat. Just now, Kirk had asked him to wait for Caroline at the bank¡¯s back entrance. He had probably known that she would leave through the back door. Caroline had always been a sharp person. If she found out about something¡­ Jack was imagining things, but then he noticed Caroline¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t on him. Instead, she looked pale and solemn, as if something had happened to her. ¡°Madam?¡± Caroline only returned to her senses after Jack had called her twice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Jack?¡± Jack smiled at her words. ¡°I should be the one asking you that. What happened? Why do you look so distracted?¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. 1/3 Caroline opened her mouth, but she couldn¡¯t find the words to answer Jack¡¯s question. +15 BONUS La¡¯s words just now had shocked her. She had said that Caroline wasn¡¯t Dan¡¯s child, nor was she an Evans. Although she¡¯d had suspicions that she wasn¡¯t Dan¡¯s child, she had never thought that it was actually true. So who were her birth parents? How did she end up as Dan¡¯s daughter? Caroline thought of her lost memories. ¡°Mr. Jack, do you know where Dr. Caldwell is?¡± Jack nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Take me to him.¡± Jack hesitated for a moment. Then, he turned the car around and drove to the hotel where Michael was staying. At the hotel, Caroline knocked on Michael¡¯s door. Once the door opened, she got straight to the point. ¡°Dr. Caldwell, if I had undergone hypnosis before and shut away my memories, can you help me get my lost memories back?¡± Michael was a little stunned. He looked at Jack behind her and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t your husband tell you? There are three ways to deal with your situation. The first way is to hypnotize you again. ¡°But since you¡¯ve been hypnotized before and we have no way of knowing what methods they used, doing this may seal all your memories. The second way is shock therapy-¡± ¡°Hang on.¡± Caroline pressed her temples. ¡°You already prepared my treatment n and told my husband about it?¡± Michael noticed something amiss. He looked at Caroline and asked awkwardly, ¡°You don¡¯t know about this yet?¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°It seems like there are quite a lot of things I¡¯m not aware of.¡± With that said, she pushed Michael away, walked into the room, and sat on the couch. ¡°Come here and tell me about those three options.¡± As Michael looked at Caroline, he somehow remembered the first time he had met Kirk The Kitk back then was just like Caroline right now. He had been bossy and assertive. People couldn¡¯t help but bow down to him. Michael had to admit that this might be a mirror effect betweer, spouses. Chapter 749 Chapter 749 Chapter 749 Faced with Caroline¡¯s powerful presence, Michael unknowingly revealed the three methods of treatment to ner. After he was done speaking, he looked at her nervously. Caroline remained silent, seemingly lost in thought. After a while, she asked, ¡°D¨CDid Kirk tell you which method to go for?¡± ¡°Your husband¡­ didn¡¯t say anything. He only said that he would think about it.¡® Caroline said, ¡°Tell me about those three methods again.¡± ¡± Her words puzzled Michael, but he still exined, ¡°The first way is to keep doing hypnosis, but you may forget everything. The second way is shock therapy. It can make you forget about Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s death, but it¡¯s the most painful of the three methods. The third method is-¡± ¡°For me to move on from my trauma alone.¡± Caroline finished Michael¡¯s sentence for him. Michael nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Caroline became silent once again. After a long while, she looked up at Michael again. ¡°I¡¯ll do the second method, shock therapy.¡± Michael was stunned. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you discuss this with your husband first?¡± ¡°No, he definitely won¡¯t approve of my decision.¡± Michael was silent. Then, he said, ¡°Ms. Evans, since you already know that your husband won¡¯t agree to you undergoing shock therapy, why would you ¡­ ¡°Besides, I have to discuss this with your husband. What if ¡­¡® He understood how dire this situation was. If anything happened to Caroline, he wouldn¡¯t be able to survive. ¡°Then, it¡¯s decided.¡± Caroline stood up. ¡°Don¡¯t tell him anything. If he asks you about thister, juste to me.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you handle the time and location of the treatment. I hope you¡¯ll finish getting ready soon.¡± After Caroline was done talking, she left Michael¡¯s room. Michael was speechless. Her arrogance was exactly like Kirk¡¯s. Caroline went downstairs and got into the car. When Jack started the car, Caroline said, ¡°Mr. Jack, you mustn¡¯t tell Kirk that I came to see Michael.¡± Jack was about to say something when she pleaded, ¡°Please, Mr. Jack. Help me keep this secret.¡± As Jack saw Caroline¡¯s pleading gaze in the rearview mirror, he had no choice but to nod. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Evans. I¡¯ll keep your secret.¡± 11 ¡°Thank you. Thank you Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Caroline thanked him profusely, then turned to look out the window. Jack turned his attention away from the rearview mirror, pretending not to notice the tears in Caroline¡¯s eyes. A few minutester, Caroline sniffed and asked, ¡°Mr. Jack, how are you and Cheryl doing?¡± ¡°We¡¯re doing all right. We¡¯ve talked about it, and we¡¯ll just be friends from now on.¡± Caroline felt a little regretful and said, ¡°Is that all you guys can be?¡± Jack smiled at her words. His smile had a hint of loneliness. ¡°That seems to be the case for the time being.¡± Caroline returned his smile. ¡°It seems that love is about both fate and destiny. ¡°People can only be together if they¡¯re destined to do so. If they don¡¯t, they¡¯ll always miss their mark in love.¡± She and Kirk were clearly destined to be together, but there were always obstacles impeding their rtionship. As Caroline looked at the heavy traffic outside the window, she silently prayed that she could forget Jude¡¯s death through shock therapy. In truth, she didn¡¯t want to forget about that incident, but if she didn¡¯t, she wouldn¡¯t be able to live happily with Kirk. up to him in her next life. verate her for ner decisions. She would work her butt off to make it Chapter 750 Chapter 750 Chapter 750 In this life, Caroline just wanted to live happily with Kirk. She pulled away from her thoughts. ¡°Today is a big day. I would like to invite you, Cheryl, Gwen, and the others to celebrate. Is that okay?¡± Jack replied, ¡°I¡¯m all right with that. For Cheryl-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask her right away.¡± Caroline picked up her phone and sent a message in the group chat. She asked Gwen to inform Sean about it as well. Gwen replied, ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline asked Cheryl, ¡°Mr. Jack ising too. Will you be there?¡± Cheryl quickly replied, ¡°Of course, this is a joyous asion. Why wouldn¡¯t I be there?¡± After that, Cheryl sent Caroline a private message. ¡°Caroline, Jack and I are simply close, like brother and sister. So you don¡¯t have to worry about us.¡± Caroline replied with an ¡°Okay.¡± Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Sonia also joined the conversation. ¡°I really envy you guys. I want to go home and celebrate with you guys. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. Your moment will be here soon,¡± Gwen quipped. ¡°Carol is now the boss of argepany. It won¡¯t be long before she¡¯ll make you a world- renowned A¨Clister. ¡°By then, you¡¯ll definitely have the chance to celebrate with us.¡± Sonia said, ¡°Gwen, you¡¯re such a tease. If I really be a world¨Crenowned A¨Clister, I¡¯ll celebrate it with you guys every day.¡± Gwenughed and said, ¡°You said so yourself. I¡¯m taking a screenshot of this.¡± Sonia replied, ¡°Go ahead. I won¡¯t go back on my word. Oh, by the way, do you know who I met a few days ago?¡± +15 BONUS Gwen said, ¡°Who?¡± Caroline and Cheryl also asked, ¡°Who did you meet?¡± Sonia didn¡¯t keep them in suspense and answered, ¡°Ms. Weiss! She showed up on the set a few days ago. ¡°I was shocked. Wasn¡¯t she in Easton? Why is she here in Macldo now?¡± The crew had been filming ¡°Daughter of the Sea¡± in Macldo. Since Sonia had been there for a while, she didn¡¯t know what had happened between Caroline and Marietta. Gwen and Cheryl didn¡¯t know what to say. The group chat was quiet for a while. After a moment, Caroline said, ¡°She probably took her daughter there for a trip.¡± ¡°Are you saying that Yvonne is Ms. Weiss¡® daughter?¡± Sonia was a little shocked. Gwen quickly filled Sonia in on what had happened via private message. After Sonia finished reading Gwen¡¯s message, she was at a loss for words. Meanwhile, Caroline stared intently at Sonia¡¯sst message. La¡¯s words resurfaced in her mind. ¡°You¡¯re not Dan¡¯s daughter at all. You¡¯re not an Evans!¡± After returning to her senses, Caroline realized she had already typed something in the chat box. ¡°I might not be an Evans.¡± As she looked at the words, she was calm, without any hint of emotions swirling in her chest. The only thing she wanted to know was whether La had been telling the truth. If she wasn¡¯t an Evans, she wouldn¡¯t be an irresponsible parent like Sarah and Dan, right? If that was the case, she and Kirk could have a child. They could raise their child together and watch them grow up, get married, and have children. Caroline was already imagining the heartwarming scenario of them as a family of three. However, at this moment, the chiming of the notifications pulled her away from her fantasy. She looked down at the phone and realized that she had identally sent the message she had typed. Chapter 751 Chapter 751 Chapter 751 ¡°Carol, what the hell are you saying?¡± Gwen went ballistic in the group chat Sonia and Cheryl also texted their queries about this revtion. Hence, Caroline recounted what La had said at the handover ceremony that day. Gwen remarked, ¡°Somehow, I find it hard to believe what La says.¡± Cheryl and Sonia also believed it was ridiculous. However, Caroline had a different opinion than Gwen, ¡°Gwen, do you remember what I told you? ¡°I have no memories of the time before I was around five or six years old. I always thought it was because I was too young. ¡°But when I underwent hypnosis with Dr. Caldwell, he told me I might have shut away my memories before. ¡°So it¡¯s very possible that I¡¯m really not an Evans.¡± Gwen said, ¡°But isn¡¯t that ridiculous? ording to you, you have no memories of anything before you were five or six years old. ¡°So you must have been taken into the Evans family at that age. If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no way the other Evans family members wouldn¡¯t have noticed that you had switched ces with someone.¡± ¡°Remember.¡± Caroline became calmer as she spoke. ¡°When I was around that age, I went abroad with Sarah and Dan. I was already 16 years old when I returned to Easton. ¡°People¡¯s appearances can change a lot in a decade. So it¡¯s understandable that they didn¡¯t realize the real Caroline had switched ces with someone else.¡± After seeing Caroline¡¯s message, the other three women felt chills running down their spines. They were at a loss for words. After a while, Sonia said, ¡°Gwen, haven¡¯t you and Caroline been friends since you were kids? Didn¡¯t +15 BONUS ¡°Well ¡­ we didn¡¯t exactly grow up together. We only met after the decline of the Evans family. We were both children back then, so we don¡¯t remember much. ¡°Besides, Carol went abroad all of a sudden. We only met during the second year after she had returned, Gwen exined. Then, she said, ¡°Hang on. I remember something. When we first met, Carol had a strange look on her face, as if it were the first time she had heard my name.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t prove that Caroline has switched ces with someone,¡± Soniamented. The group chat was silent for a moment. At this time, Jack reminded Caroline, ¡°Ms. Evans, are you going to make a reservation at the restaurant?¡± Caroline returned to her senses and said, ¡°Oh, yes. I had forgotten about it.¡± With that said, she sent a private message to Cheryl, asking her to book a table at the restaurant. Then, she told the group, ¡°Let¡¯s stop making wild guesses. It doesn¡¯t matter if I¡¯m the real Caroline or not. You guys will always be my good friends.¡± Gwen echoed her words, saying, ¡°That¡¯s right. In my eyes, your name doesn¡¯t matter. I don¡¯t care which family you¡¯re from. ¡°At any rate, you¡¯ll always be my best friend, Carol.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Caroline smiled at her text. ¡°I¡¯ll thoroughly investigate this issue and let you guys know if I find anything. You don¡¯t have to worry about me. ¡°All right,¡± the three women responded in the group chat. However, they were still worried about Caroline. Although Caroline didn¡¯t have a good rtionship with the Evans family, she must be shocked to find out something was wrong with her parentage. Anyone would be affected by this ordeal, no matter who it was. Soon, the six of them met. When Sean saw Caroline, he joked, ¡°Oh, Caroline. I can¡¯t call you that anymore. Now, I have to call you Ms. Evans, the CEO.¡± Caroline said with a smile, ¡°You should probably call Kirk the CEO instead.¡± Sean looked at Kirk in surprise. ¡°What? Do you really n to let him manage Evans Group?¡± With the addition of Evans Group to Kirk¡¯s roster, Caroline was going to work him to death. ¡°Yeah.¡± Caroline looked at Kirk. ¡°Kirk has agreed to do so.¡± Sean couldn¡¯t believe her. However, Kirk looked at Caroline lovingly and nodded. Seeing this, Sean couldn¡¯t help but whisper in Kirk¡¯s ear. ¡°You¡¯re pampering her a lot. You¡¯re currently handling SY Group and nning to expand the market. ¡°Not only that, but you¡¯re taking over Evans Group now, too. Do you think you can be at two ces at once?¡± Kirk nced at Sean, but he didn¡¯t say anything in response. Chapter 752 Chapter 752 Caroline was looking at the menu when she heard the two of them whispering. She asked curiously, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Sean immediately put on a smile. ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± ¡°How mysterious,¡± Gwen said disdainfully, holding Caroline¡¯s arm. ¡°Just ignore them, Carol. Let¡¯s order our food.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline, Gwen, and Cheryl ordered the food while Kirk and the other two men sat aside and watched them silently. There was a slight smile on their faces, but different emotions were hidden underneath each one. After dinner, Gwen and Sean went home together. Cheryl didn¡¯t want to be a third wheel, so she had no choice but to ride Caroline¡¯s car. Jack, who was driving, gestured to the passenger seat. ¡°Sit here, Cheryl.¡± Cheryl nced at Caroline and Kirk, who were holding hands, and wisely decided to sit in the passenger seat. When Caroline saw this, she couldn¡¯t hold back her smile. They said it was no big deal and that they were like siblings. But in fact, it was a big deal, and they cared about each other. In the car, Kirk was the first one to speak. ¡°I watched the handover ceremony today.¡± Caroline asked, ¡°Anyments?¡± ¡°You looked beautiful, darling,¡± Kirk said affectionately, gently touching Caroline¡¯s fingers. Caroline didn¡¯t know what to feel. ¡°Is that all you noticed?¡± Jack and Cheryl desperately pretended not to hear anything. ¡°Yeah.¡± 1/3 Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Caroline amiled. ¡°So was my touching speech in vain?¡± +15 BONUS Kirk chuckled and patted Caroline¡¯s head. ¡°Of course not. I can feel your love even if you don¡¯t say it.¡± As he spoke, the smile on his face faded slightly. ¡°What did that woman mean when she said that? ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± Caroline was confused. ¡°The woman who barged into the venue and said that you weren¡¯t an Evans.¡± Caroline blinked, and then sheughed. ¡°Did you not recognize her? That¡¯s La.¡± ¡°I generally don¡¯t remember how other women look, aside from you.¡± Caroline¡¯s face turned crimson at his words. ¡°You¡¯re just saying that to charm me.¡± Kirk denied, ¡°I¡¯m not. I meant what I said.¡± Caroline¡¯s cheeks were burning. She nced at Jack and Cheryl, who were trying to suppress their laughter, and hurriedly changed the topic. ¡°I don¡¯t know the situation for now. I went over this with Gwen and the others before dinner. However, I don¡¯t have any conclusive evidence for now.¡± Kirk quickly squeezed Caroline¡¯s hands. ¡°So you think it¡¯s possible that you¡¯re not an Evans?¡± Caroline nodded and looked at Kirk in confusion. He seemed¡­ a bit excited. Was it that important whether she was an Evans? Caroline said, ¡°Kirk ¡­¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you do a DNA test in the next few days?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay with that, but I don¡¯t know if Dan and Sarah will cooperate.¡± Kirk stared at Caroline with a cunning glint in his eyes. ¡°Leave that to me.¡± If Caroline wasn¡¯t an Evans, all their problems would be solved. The granddaughter¨Cinw Jude wanted was a descendant who had blood ties with Giselle. If Caroline wasn¡¯t an Evans, she would have nothing to do with this marriage. There was no way Chapter 753 Chapter 753 Chapter 753 Caroline didn¡¯t understand Kirk¡¯s excitement, but she also wanted to know what was going on. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. *All right. Let me know as soon as the test results are out ¡± Kirk looked at the smile on Caroline¡¯s face, feeling a smile spread on his face as well. If Caroline really wasn¡¯t an Evans, everything was going to work out. He and Caroline could finally live their lives in peace. When Caroline reached home, she got a call from Gwen. ¡°Carol, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve hung out.¡± Caroline chuckled. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m inviting you to hang out with me,¡± Gwen said cutely. ¡°Since you got married, we haven¡¯t been hanging out as often.¡± Caroline thought about it and realized her friend had a point. She felt guilty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gwen.¡± ¡°Come on, I¡¯m not trying to ridicule you.¡± Gwen stopped Caroline. ¡°I just want to invite you out. A client gave me two coupons for a hotel and spa. Let¡¯s go there together.¡± Caroline agreed, ¡°Sure.¡± She nned to let Kirk handle restructuring thepany. He could also get used to his role as CEO in advance. Moreover, she could go and rx. She had been having a rough time because of everything that had happenedtely. Perhaps things would turn around if she got some fresh air. Caroline told Kirk about her ns, and sure enough, he shared the same sentiments. ¡°Okay, just leave thepany to me. Go out there and rx. ¡± ¡°Yeah, all right.¡± Caroline kissed Kirk¡¯s cheek before leaving for the shower. +15 BONUS Kirk watched Caroline leave with a slight smile on his face. When she disappeared from his sight, the warmth in his gaze faded away. He picked up his phone and walked to the balcony ¡®Where were we? On the other end of the line, Charles was already used to Kirk disappearing mid¨Csentence. He answered, ¡°Sir, you asked me to handle a DNA test with the madam, Sarah, and Dan.¡± Kirk hummed, then said, ¡°I want to see the test results tomorrow.¡± Charles was speechless. He knew that his boss was impatient, but he couldn¡¯t be this impatient. There was no way he could get this done by tomorrow. Kirk truly overestimated his capabilities. ¡°Uh, sir, that might still be a bit difficult. Besides, there shouldn¡¯t be an issue with Sarah and Dan. But the madam¡­¡® ¡°I¡¯ll give you my wife¡¯s hair. You just need to handle Sarah and Dan.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Remember, I want the test results as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Kirk hung up the phone and stared at the moon in the distance, lost in thought. The next day, Caroline and Gwen set out for the hotel together. Since this was a hangout between best friends, Gwen didn¡¯t take Sean along. Before Caroline left, she sent Michael a text. She told him she wanted to do the treatment after she returned from her travels. It took a long time for Michael to reply in affirmation. ¡°Remember, you can¡¯t tell Kirk about this.¡± Caroline knew Kirk very well. If he got to decide, he would definitely choose the first method. He would let her continue with the hypnotherapy, even if there was a risk that she could forget about him. Chapter 754 Chapter 754 Chapter 754 Caroline didn¡¯t want that. She wanted to remember Kirk, even if she had to suffer. Miche looked at her text and fell silent. He seemed to understand why Caroline didn¡¯t want him to tell Kirk about this. From a doctor¡¯s perspective, he would advise his patient to choose the first method. He would ask them to keep undergoing hypnosis and forget everything. Then, they could start over with a clean te. Without the memories of the past holding them down, they could gain happiness again. Furthermore, shock therapy was the treatment method he wouldn¡¯t rmend. If he had a choice, he wouldn¡¯t even bring it up because this treatment method was too painful. He sent a message to Caroline. ¡°Ms. Evans, I have the details for shock therapy right here. ¡°I¡¯ll first give you a patient¡¯s confession about this treatment. If you think it¡¯s eptable, we¡¯ll proceed with using shock therapy.¡± ¡°No,¡± Caroline quickly replied. ¡°I know what shock therapy entails, Dr. Caldwell. Thank you, but I¡¯ve made my decision. I won¡¯t regret it. ¡°I just beg you not to tell Kirk about this, no matter what.¡± Seeing this, Michael couldn¡¯t continue to persuade Caroline. ¡°Who are you texting?¡± Gwen turned to look at Caroline while driving. Caroline put her phone away. ¡°No one.¡± She didn¡¯t want anyone else to know about this. She could just suffer the pain in silence. ¡°It must be Kirk,¡± Gwen said impatiently. ¡°But since he agreed to lend me his wife for this trip, I won¡¯tin about him.¡± Caroline smiled and didn¡¯t refute. ¡°Where is the hotel?¡± They had been on the road for more than an hour, but Gwen didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of 1/3 So Caroline couldn¡¯t help but be a little curious Owned by N?velDrama.Org. +15 BONUS ¡°We¡¯re almost there. It¡¯s a hotel and spa. My client says it¡¯s famous locally, but it¡¯s not well¨Cknown beyond that.¡± When Caroline heard Gwen, she couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Is it in a very remote ce? Is your client a man of a woman?¡± Gwen¡¯s heart tightened at her words. ¡°A man. But he¡¯s usually quite honest. He¡¯s married, and he never leaves his wife. I think it should be fine.¡± Caroline suggested, ¡°We¡¯ll go look at the entrance.¡± If there was anything suspicious, they would leave immediately. ¡°All right.¡± After Gwen agreed, she continued driving to the hotel. Soon, they saw the building. It was in a remote location, but there were quite a lot of people there. When Gwen drove over, the parking lots were full, and she had to park outside the hotel. ¡°There are so many people!¡± When they got out of the car, they saw an endless crowd of peopleing in and out of the hotel entrance. ¡°This should be fine, right?¡± Gwen said with a smile as she approached Caroline. But the next second, the smile on her face froze. Caroline followed her line of sight suspiciously. When she saw the neer, the smile on her face quickly disappeared. ¡°Caroline.¡± Eddy felt very ufortable seeing Caroline¡¯s smile disappear, but he still approached her. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Caroline replied with a long face, ¡°Did you ask Gwen¡¯s client to give her coupons?¡± Now that Caroline had seen through his ns, Eddy became even more embarrassed. He didn¡¯t have a choice. During this time, Kirk had kept a close watch on Caroline Eddy had tried many things, but he still hadn¡¯t been able to get in touch with Caroline The people around him helped hime up with this idea ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you,¡± Eddy said quickly, fearing Caroline would leave. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you because I have something to tell you.¡± Gwen was even angrier than Caroline. She stood in front of her and said, ¡°Are you insane? ¡°Can¡¯t you just give her a call or text if you want to talk? Do you really have to trick her intoing here?¡± She was so angry that she wanted to hit him. He had ruined their good mood. When Eddy couldn¡¯t see Caroline, he became anxious. ¡°Caroline, I really have something to tell you. This is very important. It concerns your husband¡­¡® ¡± Caroline, who had been about to pull Gwen away, stood still at his words. Chapter 755 Chapter 755 Chapter 755 Gwen said, ¡°Just ignore him, Carol We can¡¯t trust anything this bastard says. Let¡¯s go Caroli hesitated for a moment. Then, she held Gwen still. ¡°Go ahead She had finally looked at Eddy. It made Eddy¡¯s skip a beat. ¡± Just as he was about to speak, he nced at Gwen and said, ¡°Can I talk to you in private?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you-¡® Caroline patted the impatient Gwen. ¡°All right, but I¡¯ll only talk to you in public.¡± Eddy was overjoyed, but he quickly held back his emotions. He looked at the hotel and then pointed at the fountain. ¡°Let¡¯s talk over there.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t object to his suggestion. After asking Gwen to wait for her, she followed Eddy to the fountain. When they arrived, Caroline quickly asked, ¡°What do you want to say about my husband?¡± Eddy secretly smiled wryly. Sure enough, only Kirk could tug at Caroline¡¯s heartstrings. ¡°I know who your husband is.¡± When Caroline heard his words, rm bells rang in her head. She asked, ¡°What are you going to do to him?¡± Her protectiveness dumbfounded Eddy. He didn¡¯t want to do anything to Kirk. Instead, Kirk was the one who wanted to take his fianc¨¦e away from him. ¡°Do you still not know about it?¡± ¡°Know about what?¡± There was still a wary look in Caroline¡¯s eyes. ¡°Your husband is my second uncle,¡± Eddy said word for word, his eyes fixed on Caroline. As expected, shock overtook Caroline¡¯s expression. Eddy finally felt some hope. +15 BONUS ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know about this he said cautiously, like a hunter trying to catch a tiny animal Caroline¡¯s face turned ashen. She slowly looked up at Eddy. When she spoke, her voice was hoarse. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Eddy panicked. ¡°Your husband is really my second uncle!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡± Caroline didn¡¯t believe him. Kirk had told her that he wouldn¡¯t lie to her. If he was really Eddy¡¯s second uncle, then who was that man back then? There was no way. Caroline denied it over and over again in her heart. That absolutely wasn¡¯t the truth. ¡°I got it!¡± Caroline looked at Eddy. ¡°You¡¯re saying this on purpose, right? You know that¡ª¡± ¡°Caroline, let me ask you something. Why did you manage to acquire Collins Group?¡± Caroline bit her lip. ¡°Because your second uncle, SY Group¡¯s president, endorsed me.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Then, why did he support you? Is it really because of your business talent? Fine, even if it is, do you still remember my second uncle helping you at Grandpa¡¯s birthday party?¡± Caroline retreated step by step. However, Eddy pressed forward in the same way. ¡°Caroline, you and I know good things don¡¯t happen without reason. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can show you a photo of him.¡± Eddy hadn¡¯t had any photos of Kirk, but he had the photo Simon had worked so hard to obtain. Caroline instinctively shook her head in defiance. ¡°Eddy!¡± Gwen showed up, interrupting Eddy, who was pressing forward. As soon as she came over, she held Caroline in her arms. Gwen was furious to find Caroline trembling in her arms. ¡°What the hell did you say to Carol?¡± Chapter 756 Chapter 756 ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± When Caroline felt the warmth on her hand, her gaze returned to normal. She murmured again, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± However, she looked anything but fine. Gwen said, ¡°Carol, I¡¯ll take you home immediately.¡± ¡°No!¡± Caroline said fearfully. She felt as if her head was splitting. ¡°Don¡¯t take me home.¡± She didn¡¯t want to see Kirk right now. She wouldn¡¯t know what to say when she saw him. Gwen was startled by her response. ¡°Carol ¡­¡± Carol looked at Gwen and said in pain, ¡°Don¡¯t take me home. Please don¡¯t take me home.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS ¡°All night, since we¡¯re not going home, we¡¯ll check into the hotel, okay? Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let that bastard approach you again.¡± Caroline leaned on Gwen¡¯s shoulder, finally feeling her racing heart slow down. Then, Gwen took Caroline to check into the hotel. Caroline looked like a zombie the entire time. Gwen felt both distressed and helpless at the sight. After checking in, she took Caroline to the room. Seeing that Caroline still looked listless, she thought for a moment and suggested, ¡°Carol, why don¡¯t we go to the spa?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Caroline looked at Gwen nkly, Feeling distressed, Gwen sat next to Caroline. ¡°Carol, can you tell me what exactly Eddy said to you?¡± Caroline looked at Gwen. Kirk¡¯s face and Eddy¡¯s deration that Kirk was his second uncle crossed her mind. She shuddered. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Gwen quickly hugged her. ¡°Carol, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Caroline nestled in Gwen¡¯s arms, tears slowly filling her eyes. Gwen simply held Caroline, feeling at a loss. She didn¡¯t know what had happened, nor did she know how tofort her friend. Fortunately, Caroline¡¯s phone rang. Kirk was calling. Gwen was delighted. A savior had finally appeared. She picked up the phone and handed it to Caroline. ¡°Carol, Kirk is calling. You should answer the call. I promise not toin about him for taking up our bonding time.¡± Soon, Gwen saw something unusual. Caroline simply looked at her phone and let the screen flicker, refusing to answer the call. Moreover, her eyes no longer held the joy and happiness they normally had at the mention of Kirk. Instead, there was fear. ¡°Carol ¡­¡± Gwen gradually realized something was wrong. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering Kirk¡¯s call?¡± Caroline took a step back and shook her head. She said painfully, ¡°He¡¯s the real Kirk Morrison.¡± Gwen was puzzled by her words, but she quickly realized what she meant. Her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Are you saying that ¡­¡® Was Caroline¡¯s husband the actual president of SY Group? Chapter 757 Chapter 757 Chapter 757 When Caroline didn¡¯t answer the phone, the bad feeling in Kirk¡¯s heart became more intense. Seeing inis, Sean patted Kirk¡¯s shoulder. ¡°She¡¯s just hanging out with Gwen. Why are you so nervous?¡± Kirk frowned, remaining silent. The call still hadn¡¯t been epted. Sean asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t I call Gwen?¡± When Sean saw that Kirk had no intention of stopping him, he called Gwen. Gwen saw Sean¡¯s name appear on her phone and quickly looked at Caroline. ¡°Carol ¡­ This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Caroline returned to her senses and also saw Sean¡¯s name on Gwen¡¯s phone. ¡°Gwen, you should answer the phone. I really don¡¯t want to talk to Kirk right now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gwen walked to the balcony and answered the phone. ¡± When the call connected, she heard Sean¡¯s gentle voice, ¡°Why did you take so long to answer the phone?¡± Gwen nced at Caroline, who was lying lifelessly on the bed, and felt annoyed. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Realizing that Gwen¡¯s tone sounded unfriendly, Sean was stunned. He quickly nced at Kirk and lowered his voice, ¡°Isn¡¯t Caroline with you?¡± Gwen blinked. ¡°She¡¯s in the bathroom. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sean sighed, ¡°Then, it¡¯s fine. When shees out, ask her to call Kirk back. He misses her after not seeing her for a while.¡± Gwen felt ufortable and quickly hung up the phone. Sean didn¡¯t know what had happened. He thought Gwen was angry with him, so he felt aggrieved. ¡°What did she say?¡± Kirk asked. ¡°Oh, she said that Carol¨ªne went to the bathroom. I told you everything is fine.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS Sean patted Kirk on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve been so nervous recently. You¡¯re bing paranoid.¡± Kirk frowned, not saying a word Meanwhile, Gwen ended the call and opened the balcony door to walk back into the room. She felt distressed to see Caroline, who was still sitting on the bed. She stepped forward and hugged Caroline. ¡°Oh, Carol¡­¡± Caroline buried her head in Gwen¡¯s arms. She braced herself to ask, ¡°Did he ask me to call Kirk back?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Caroline buried her head in Gwen¡¯s arms again. Finally getting a little warmth, she said despondently, ¡°Gwen, do you think he¡¯s really SY Group¡¯s president?¡± Gwen¡¯s heart fell apart when she heard Caroline¡¯s question. She understood what Caroline was thinking. Her rtionship with Kirk was so sincere. Her feelings for him were so intense that she didn¡¯t want to believe that he would lie to her. She couldn¡¯t ept the fact that he had deceived her. Besides, Kirk was still a Morrison. Therefore, she held on to the little hope she had, hoping to get a negative answer from an outsider. ¡°To be honest, Carol, I don¡¯t know, but ¡­¡± Gwen lowered her head. ¡°I¨CIf he is, what will you do?¡± Caroline pressed her temples and shook her head in confusion. She didn¡¯t know what to do. Since they had been through so much, she still felt that Kirk wouldn¡¯t deceive her. Even during that ridiculous ordeal with Daphne, she had still believed him. That was because she felt he wouldn¡¯t lie to her. But¡­ If he really wss Eddy¡¯s second uncle, that meant he had been deceiving her from the moment they had gotten married. There was no point in being in a marriage filled with lies. Chapter 758 Chapter 758 When Caroline didn¡¯t answer the phone, the bad feeling in Kirk¡¯s heart became more intense. Seeing inis, Sean patted Kirk¡¯s shoulder. ¡°She¡¯s just hanging out with Gwen. Why are you so nervous?¡± Kirk frowned, remaining silent. The call still hadn¡¯t been epted. Sean asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t I call Gwen?¡± When Sean saw that Kirk had no intention of stopping him, he called Gwen. Gwen saw Sean¡¯s name appear on her phone and quickly looked at Caroline. ¡°Carol ¡­ Caroline returned to her senses and also saw Sean¡¯s name on Gwen¡¯s phone. ¡°Gwen, you should answer the phone. I really don¡¯t want to talk to Kirk right now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gwen walked to the balcony and answered the phone. ¡± When the call connected, she heard Sean¡¯s gentle voice, ¡°Why did you take so long to answer the phone?¡± Gwen nced at Caroline, who was lying lifelessly on the bed, and felt annoyed. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Realizing that Gwen¡¯s tone sounded unfriendly, Sean was stunned. He quickly nced at Kirk and lowered his voice, ¡°Isn¡¯t Caroline with you?¡± Gwen blinked. ¡°She¡¯s in the bathroom. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sean sighed, ¡°Then, it¡¯s fine. When shees out, ask her to call Kirk back. He misses her after This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. not seeing her for a while.¡± Gwen felt ufortable and quickly hung up the phone. Sean didn¡¯t know what had happened. He thought Gwen was angry with him, so he felt aggrieved. ¡°What did she say?¡± Kirk asked. ¡°Oh, she said that Carol¨ªne went to the bathroom. I told you everything is fine.¡± 1/3 +15 BONUS Sean patted Kirk on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve been so nervous recently. You¡¯re bing paranoid.¡± Kirk frowned, not saying a word Meanwhile, Gwen ended the call and opened the balcony door to walk back into the room. She felt distressed to see Caroline, who was still sitting on the bed. She stepped forward and hugged Caroline. ¡°Oh, Carol¡­¡± Caroline buried her head in Gwen¡¯s arms. She braced herself to ask, ¡°Did he ask me to call Kirk back?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Caroline buried her head in Gwen¡¯s arms again. Finally getting a little warmth, she said despondently, ¡°Gwen, do you think he¡¯s really SY Group¡¯s president?¡± Gwen¡¯s heart fell apart when she heard Caroline¡¯s question. She understood what Caroline was thinking. Her rtionship with Kirk was so sincere. Her feelings for him were so intense that she didn¡¯t want to believe that he would lie to her. She couldn¡¯t ept the fact that he had deceived her. Besides, Kirk was still a Morrison. Therefore, she held on to the little hope she had, hoping to get a negative answer from an outsider. ¡°To be honest, Carol, I don¡¯t know, but ¡­¡± Gwen lowered her head. ¡°I¨CIf he is, what will you do?¡± Caroline pressed her temples and shook her head in confusion. She didn¡¯t know what to do. Since they had been through so much, she still felt that Kirk wouldn¡¯t deceive her. Even during that ridiculous ordeal with Daphne, she had still believed him. That was because she felt he wouldn¡¯t lie to her. But¡­ If he really wss Eddy¡¯s second uncle, that meant he had been deceiving her from the moment they had gotten married. There was no point in being in a marriage filled with lies. Chapter 759 Chapter 759 Chapter 759 Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Michael was puzzled to see Caroline¡¯s text. ¡°Why?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t give him a reason but insisted on getting the treatment the next day itself. When Michael saw her message, he couldn¡¯t say anything else. After all, the one who was paying had the most say in this. After deciding on a time for the appointment, Caroline finally found some peace within her panicked heart. She sat limply in her chair. Now, she just had to wait for tomorrow to arrive. Even after finishing the call with Caroline, Kirk still had a frown on his face. He did his work absentmindedly. ¡°Hang on, didn¡¯t Caroline answer your call? Why are you still upset?¡± Sean asked in confusion. Kirk said nothing in response. He simply looked at the ground gloomily. Sean nudged him. Only then did Kirk look up at him. Then, Sean noticed some emotions swirling in Kirk¡¯s eyes, as if thoughts were brewing in his mind. ¡°W¨CWhat¡¯s wrong?¡± Kirk pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it.¡± Sean was worried. ¡°What happened?¡± Kirk let out a nervous breath. ¡°I hope I¡¯m just overthinking things.¡± Sean didn¡¯t need much to know that it had something to do with Caroline. ¡°Since you¡¯re so worried, I¡¯ll go with you to see her tomorrow. How about that?¡± He could also see Gwen in the process. Kirk finally nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± In that case, you should rest soon.¡± Judging from Kirk¡¯s condition, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to keep working ¡°Yeah.¡± +15 BONUS Tonight was bound to be a sleepless night for Kirk. Early the next day, Kirk got out of bed and called Sean. Sean was still asleep. He said grumpily, ¡°Come on, we don¡¯t have to go so early. It¡¯s only 6:00 am. Don¡¯t worry. Caroline won¡¯t go anywhere.¡± Kirk frowned at Sean¡¯s words. ¡°Hurry up and get out of bed. I¡¯m going there now.¡± Having no other choice, Sean got up from his bed. After getting into Kirk¡¯s car, he couldn¡¯t help butin. ¡°Kirk, I noticed you can never leave Caroline¡¯s side. Tell me, will you go nuts if Caroline leaves you one day?¡± Kirk¡¯s expression darkened at his words, and Sean felt his sleepiness fade away from fear. Realizing that he had said something wrong, Sean hurriedly pped himself. ¡°Kirk, don¡¯t take my words to heart. There¡¯s no way Caroline would leave you.¡± Kirk gripped the steering wheel. ¡°I hope so.¡± Sean wanted to say something tofort him, but when he saw his friend¡¯s tense expression, he couldn¡¯t say anything. Just then, a car drove past them. However, both of them were lost in their thoughts. So they didn¡¯t notice it. In the car, Gwen asked in confusion, ¡°Carol, why are you leaving in such a hurry? Didn¡¯t we say we¡¯ll go sightseeing for two days?¡± Caroline tightly gripped the hem of her clothes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gwen. Something came up on Dr. Caldwell¡¯s end, and he asked me toe over, ¡°Goodness. I can¡¯t believe him. Why did he call you over all of a sudden?¡± Gwen frowned. ¡°Carol, there¡¯s nothing wrong, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Caroline smiled lightly. ¡°Maybe he called me over to discuss my treatment ns. It will be fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Gwen was finally relieved. Chapter 760 Chapter 760 Chapter 760 Soon, Gwen and Caroline arrived at Michael¡¯s clinic. Gwen had originally nned to wait for Caroline outside the treatment room, but Caroline persuaded her to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll just take a cab home. You should go home for now.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be fine?¡± ¡°Dr. Caldwell wants to talk to me alone. I don¡¯t know how long it will take, and I don¡¯t know how long you¡¯ll have to wait if you stay.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gwen had no choice but to leave the clinic. After watching Gwen leave, Caroline turned to Michael. ¡°Let¡¯s begin, Dr. Caldwell.¡± Michael hesitated to say something. Caroline smiled slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared myself.¡± ¡°All right. In that case,e with me.¡± Michael led Caroline to a special treatment room. The outer walls of this room were covered in iron. It looked heavily guarded. Michael opened the door. Caroline saw a chair with a bunch of threatening-looking equipment next to it. ¡°Sit down over there.¡± Michael kept close attention to the changes in Caroline¡¯s expression. Seeing that the equipment didn¡¯t frighten her, he sighed in relief. Caroline followed Michael¡¯s instructions andid down on the chair, slowly closing her eyes. Beside her, the nurse stepped forward and attached the equipment to various parts of Caroline¡¯s body. Although Caroline had mentally prepared herself, she still felt her heart skip at the bone-chilling feeling. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ms. Evans, please let go of all your distracting thoughts and go to sleep. Imagine that you¡¯re lying on the grassy ins. You¡¯ll see a blue sky when you look up¡­ ¦° As expected, Michael was a master in psychology. As soon as he looked at her, he found that Caroline had fallen into a deep sleep./ In her dreams, she seemed to be on the grass, as Michael has described. White clouds floated in the distance, and everything was quiet and beautiful. 1/2 She was breathing the fresh air, but at that moment, she heard the sound of lightning and thunder. She was so frightened that she stood up and ran away. However, the lightning and thunder were getting closer and closer, as if it were beside her. Caroline wasn¡¯t hallucinating because, in reality, Michael had turned on the equipment-the sound of rumbling spread throughout the room. The nurse nced at Caroline worriedly. Sweat began to appear on Caroline¡¯s face. She obviously sensed the danger. ¡°Dr. Caldwell, does she really have to do this?¡± the nurse asked in distress. She looked at Caroline, who was about the same age as her. Michael sighed helplessly. ¡°I don¡¯t have much of a choice. This is what the patient requested.¡± At this moment, Gwen realized she had been deceived. She arrived at the parking lot almost at the same time as Kirk and Sean. When she got out of the car, she grabbed Kirk¡¯s cor. ¡°Kirk, I¡¯m warning you. Even if you¡¯re SY Group¡¯s president, I won¡¯t have mercy on you.¡± Kirk, who was about to shake Gwen off, narrowed his eyes. He exuded a dangerous vibe. ¡°Who told you I¡¯m SY Group¡¯s president?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re really Eddy¡¯s second uncle! Kirk, you know how much Carol hates the Morrisons. She doesn¡¯t want anything to do with them, and yet, you still lied to her. You¡¯re so cruel!¡± Kirk shook off Gwen and strode toward the treatment room. Gwen wanted to catch up to him, but Sean stopped her. ¡°Sean!¡± Gwen said with gritted teeth, ¡°Get the hell out of my way!¡± ¡°Calm down, Gwen! Kirk didn¡¯t mean to deceive Caroline!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to, you say all because of him that Carol¡¯s going for shock therapy. There¡¯s nothing to exin. ¡°Sean, I¡¯m warning you. If you stop me again, we won¡¯t have any ties with each other. We won¡¯t contact each other again!¡± Chapter 761 Chapter 761 Chapter 761 Gwen regretted her words after she said them. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t take back her words. Having no other choice, she looked at Sean resolutely. ¡°So¡­¡± Sean narrowed his eyes and repeated, ¡°If I don¡¯t let you pass, you¡¯ll end our rtionship. Is that right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Gwen said tremblingly. ¡°So our bond is just that weak.¡± Sean smiled wryly. ¡°After you went through so much, I thought you would never part ways with me, even if you never thought about being with me for the rest of your life.¡± Gwen clenched her fists. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about this right now. Get out of the way. I can¡¯t let Kirk go in there!¡± She wouldn¡¯t let Kirk hurt Caroline. ¡°Okay.¡± Sean took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. Then, he slowly said, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s not talk about us. Instead, we¡¯ll talk about Kirk and Caroline. ¡°You and I clearly know how well he treats her. When they first got married, Kirk didn¡¯t even know that Caroline was Eddy¡¯s fianc¨¦e. ¡°Butter on, he found out about it and noticed how much Caroline hated the Morrisons. So he tried every means possible to hide his identity just to stay by her side. ¡°If you think Kirk will hurt Caroline, go ahead and stop him.¡± After speaking, Sean made way for Gwen. At this point, Gwen had finally calmed down. She looked at the empty corridor and was silent for a moment. Then, she squatted down with a scoff. 4 ¡°Oh, life really knows how to screw with someone. Carol has never lived a good life because she has been bound to the Morrisons since birth. ¡°She finally got married and managed to get rid of the shackles binding her to them. There¡¯s no way she would have expected her husband to be from that very same family.¡± A trace of pain appeared in Sean¡¯s eyes. As he watched how fragile Gwen looked right now, he held back his sadness and didn¡¯t hug her. 1/2 Meanwhile, the rumbling sounds in the treatment room disappeared with a snap. Caroline, who was in massive pain, rxed her eyebrows. Cold sweat no longer appeared on her face. Michael was startled when he saw Kirk show up all of a sudden. Just as he was about to say something, Kirk pushed him away. N?velDrama.Org content rights. When Michael saw Kirk trying to take away the equipment from Caroline¡¯s body, he said anxiously, ¡°Kirk! The madam has fallen into a deep sleep. ¡°If you rashly yank away the wires and force her awake, there¡¯s no telling what will happen.¡± Kirk clenched his fists. He turned around and stared at Michael menacingly. ¡°Who asked you to do shock therapy on her?¡± Michael¡¯s back was covered in sweat. ¡°T-The madam strongly urged me to do it. ¡°Kirk, I know you¡¯re angry, but that won¡¯t solve anything. It may also expose the madam to more danger.¡± When Michael mentioned Caroline, Kirk regained someposure. He gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°Right now¡­¡± Michael had the urge to dig a hole in the ground and escape. ¡°There are two ways to go about this. The first way is to continue the shock therapy¡­¡± The temperature inside the room dropped rapidly at his words. It felt as if they were in the icy mountains. Michael quickly continued, ¡°T-The other way is to hypnotize her. We¡¯ll keep hypnotizing her and make her forget everything that has happened.¡± ¡°Everything¡­¡± Kirk clenched his fists harder. Michael was frightened at the sight. Fortunately, Sean and Gwen arrived. As if he found a savior, Michael moved behind Sean. ¡°Dr. Yates,¡± Sean only needed to take a look to understand the situation. He asked Michael, ¡°How long do we have to decide?¡± ¡°Five minutes at most. Any longer than that, and the madam might be in danger.¡± Sean nodded. ¡°You should leave first. We¡¯ll let you know of our decision in five minutes. Chapter 762 Chapter 762 Chapter 762 Michael quickly left the room. After he did, Sean couldn¡¯t afford to waste any time. ¡°Kirk, you have to make a decision. You can either let Caroline suffer in pain or ¡­ let her forget about you.¡± Gwen held her breath, looking at Kirk nervously. At this moment, she didn¡¯t know what choice Kirk would make. If he truly loved Caroline, whatever decision he made would be painful for him. Time passed, and Gwen felt as if a century had passed. She heard Kirk¡¯s voice, filled with pain. ¡°Get her to¡­ forget about me.¡± After saying that, Kirk visibly became haggard. Gwen felt a little distressed at the sight. She frowned. After a while, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is there really no other choice?¡± Her voice was shaky. Sean looked at her. ¡°Since he made his decision, we¡¯ll leave the room.¡± Gwen looked reluctantly at Caroline, who was lying on the bed. She took a while to leave the consultation room. Just as she was about to turn around and take onest look at Caroline, the door closed behind her. Gwen asked nervously, ¡°What is Kirk doing?¡± Sean nced at his friend through the ss. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He just wants to say goodbye to Caroline.¡± When Gwen heard that, her chest tightened. In the consultation room, Kirk took, Caroline¡¯s hand. He ced it carefully on his palm and stroked her hand slowly. As time passed, he felt his chest ache in pain. ¡°Darling, you¡¯ll definitely remember me, right? I believe in you,¡± he said, putting Caroline¡¯s hand on his cheek. He carefully gripped her hand to let her feel his soft skin. Seemingly feeling something in her sleep, Caroline furrowed her brows again. 1/2 Five minutes quickly passed, and Michael walked back into the room. Looking at Kirk, who was reluctant to leave, he reminded, ¡°Kirk, it¡¯s time for you to leave.¡± After taking onest look at Caroline, Kirk hid the redness in his eyes and looked up at Michael. ¡°I¡¯m leaving her in your hands. If anything happens to her, you¡¯ll join her in the afterlife!¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Michael replied. Then, Kirk slowly walked out of the treatment room. It was clearly a short distance, but he seemed to N?velDrama.Org content rights. have used all his energy to walk. When he walked out of the door, his legs turned to jelly, and he almost fell. Fortunately, Sean noticed him and quickly grabbed him. The door to the treatment room closed, and everyone outside the door remained silent. After waiting for what seemed to be a lifetime, the door opened again. Then, Michael left the treatment room and took off his mask. For once, he didn¡¯t know if he should give the good news or the bad news. ¡°The treatment was sessful, but I can¡¯t guarantee how much she can still remember. We can only find out when we do some tests after she wakes up. ¡°But there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m sure of. She has definitely forgotten about Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s death.¡± ¡°Does that mean¡­¡± Gwen secretly nced at Kirk hopefully. ¡°She might remember what happened before he died?¡± Chapter 763 Chapter 763 Chapter 763 Michael said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure at the moment. We can only find out when the madam wakes up.¡± And so, the clinic fell into dead silence. After a long wait, Caroline finally woke up. Michael blocked everyone who walked forward. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Caroline looked at her surroundings in confusion. Then, her eyes focused on Gwen. ¡°Gwen?¡± Gwen was delighted. ¡°Carol, you still remember me?¡± ¡°Gwen, what are you talking about? Also, where am I? What am I doing here?¡± Gwen nced at Sean. Then, she turned around and asked cautiously, ¡°Carol, do you really not remember anything?¡± Caroline cowered and held Gwen¡¯s hand nervously. ¡°Gwen, who are these two people? Are they your new friends?¡± One of them had such a scary look in his eyes. His gaze was so intense ¡­ Gwen looked back at Kirk. ¡°Carol, you forgot that he¡¯s ¡­¡± Michael grabbed Gwen from behind. ¡°Ms. Jameson.¡± He shook his head, signaling Gwen to stop talking. ¡°Ms. Evans, please rest here for a while. We¡¯lle inter.¡± Upon hearing this, Caroline grabbed Gwen uneasily and looked at Kirk in fear. Kirk felt like the air had been knocked out of him when he saw her frightened gaze. Gwen also nced at Kirk, feeling a little distressed. That bastard had lied to Caroline, but¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Sean touched Gwen¡¯s arm, snapped her out of her thoughts. As the two walked to the door, they noticed that Kirk was still standing there. Sean had no choice but to pull him away. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± When Sean saw Caroline¡¯s fearful gaze as she looked at Kirk, not to mention Kirk¡¯s own expression, it made him feel ufortable as an outsider. After forcefully pulling Kirk out of the room, he closed the door. When they reached the end of the corridor, Michael said, ¡°Judging from the current situation, Ms. Evans 1/2 Gwen was shocked. ¡°Then¡­ is she just going to forget about this? She won¡¯t be able to recall her lost N?velDrama.Org content rights. memories?¡± Michael exined, ¡°It seems that this is the only option at the moment. We¡¯ll keep observing Ms. Evans¡¯ condition to see if there are any changes. We can make timely adjustments based on how she¡¯s doing.¡± After that, he looked at Kirk. ¡°You must remember that you can¡¯t show up in front of Ms. Evans¡­¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°After spending some time with you two, I noticed that you two have a strong bond. You do a lot for each other. ¡°That very bond will stimte Ms. Evans¡¯ memories. If you keep showing up before her, I¡¯m worried that ¡­¡± Kirk breathed, but he felt difort in his lungs. He pushed the feeling away and nodded silently. Sean felt even more ufortable to see his friend like this. In the past, he had always advised Kirk to calm down for Caroline¡¯s sake. But now, he wanted Kirk to let his emotions out. ¡°Then, should we leave?¡± Sean asked Michael. After Michael nodded, he took Kirk away. Strangely, Kirk seemed as light as a balloon. He didn¡¯t have any strength at all. It wasn¡¯t until they left the clinic that Sean discovered that Kirk¡¯s eyes were empty, like a person whose soul had been taken away. Chapter 764 Chapter 764 Chapter 764 Kirk had never been like this before. Even when Finn had stabbed him in the back and he had had to shoulder the burden of the entire family, he had never been this depressed. Before this, Sean had thought Kirk had finallye alive after meeting Caroline. Only now did he feel that Kirk was a human being capable of showing vulnerability. He stood silently for a while with Kirk and then said feebly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kirk turned around silently and nced in the direction of the clinic. ¡°You can leave for now. I want to wait for her to leave.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Sean drew a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here with you.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Kirk said nothing in response and turned back to the car. Seeing this, Sean followed him and sat in the passenger seat. Meanwhile, in the clinic, Gwen drew on what she remembered from the novels she usually read to deceive Caroline. ¡°So I¡¯m here because I was in a car ident and lost my memory? Is that why you brought me to a psychiatrist?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Gwen stared at Caroline nervously. At this moment, she could finally understand why Kirk had lied to Caroline. Caroline wasn¡¯t suspicious at all. ¡°What about the person who caused the ident?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s been taken care of. You don¡¯t have to worry about it anymore. Let¡¯s go home.¡± Caroline looked at the clinic¡¯s equipment, feeling strange. However, she couldn¡¯t describe exactly what she was feeling or why. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± Caroline shook her head. Then, she asked, ¡°Who were those two people just now? Are they your friends?¡± Gwen replied, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°But I feel like one of them was staring at me so intensely, like I had borrowed money and not paid him back. Do I owe him money?¡± 1/2 Gwen blinked, almost shedding tears. ¡°No, he¡¯s always like that.¡± She hurriedly turned around and walked to the door. ¡°Shall we go?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As Caroline got up from the bed, she felt a sharp pain welling in her chest. The pain made her take several deep breaths. Gwen turned around nervously and walked over. ¡°Carol ¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Caroline massaged her forehead. When the lingering pain passed, she let out a long sigh and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Are you sure you can do it?¡± Gwen asked worriedly. ¡°Yeah.¡± Caroline got out of bed by holding the armrest. ¡°See? I told you I could.¡± Gwen saw her friend¡¯s familiar smile, and for a moment, she didn¡¯t know whether Caroline losing her memories was a good or bad thing. The two of them walked to the door side by side. Halfway through, Caroline stopped walking and asked, ¡± Does Eddy know that I was admitted here?¡± Gwen¡¯s heart dropped when she heard her question. Forgetting Michael¡¯s reminder, she said recklessly,¡± Have you forgotten? You and Eddy had a falling out a long time ago. You don¡¯t like him anymor-¡± After saying that, she quickly covered her mouth, realizing her mistake. Caroline slowly widened her eyes. The fear in her eyes made Gwen¡¯s heart bleed. ¡°Carol, I-¡± Caroline could no longer hear what Gwen was saying. She held her head tightly and copsed to the ground in pain. ¡°No-¡° Chapter 765 Chapter 765 Chapter 765 Gwen immediately panicked. ¡°Dr. Caldwell! Dr. Caldwell!¡± Michael rushed over after hearing Gwen¡¯s yells. After seeing Caroline¡¯s state, he could guess what had happened. He took out a small medicine bottle from his pocket. Then, he took out a small pill and put it in Caroline¡¯s mouth. After that, he asked some people to ce Caroline on the hospital bed. Gwen looked at Caroline¡¯s pale face and asked anxiously, ¡°Dr. Caldwell, is Carol all right?¡± Michael asked sternly, ¡°Did you say anything to her?¡± Gwen answered guiltily, ¡°Just now, I forgot your instructions and told her about her ex-fiance, but I only said one sentence¡­¡± Michael chided, ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell-¡± When Michael saw Gwen lower her head, he knew she felt bad. He softened his tone. ¡°I know that, as a a reminder.¡± He continued, ¡°Remember, she has missing memories right now. How much she remembers depends entirely on the fragmented memories she currently possesses. ¡°She¡¯ll have a stress response when she sees or hears things that are different from what she remembers.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± This time, Gwen drilled it into her head. ¡°All right. Ms. Evans will wake up soon. I have some matters to attend to now.¡± As soon as Michael left, Kirk and Sean came in. ¡°What happened to Caroline?¡± Sean asked in surprise when he saw Caroline lying on the bed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Gwen¡¯s tears fell down her cheeks. ¡°What on earth happened?¡± Sean held Kirk back. ¡°Calm down and exin it to us.¡± ¡°J-Just now, I mentioned Eddy to Carol. A-And she passed out from the pain¡­¡± Gwen boldly looked up at Kirk, who was seeing red. ¡°Kirk, I know you really hate me. Go ahead and hit me. It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned Eddy¡­¡± Kirk was on the verge of going berserk. He would have hit Gwen with his fist if Sean hadn¡¯t used all his strength to hold him back. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Enough!¡± Sean firmly threw Kirk¡¯s hand away and stood in front of Gwen. ¡°Kirk, I know you¡¯re devastated, but Gwen didn¡¯t do it intentionally. Everyone here is as worried about Caroline as you are. Gwen isn¡¯t having a better time than you.¡± Kirk was breathing heavily like a beast, but he remained silent. He looked terrifying and dangerous. Sean could only continue talking. ¡°You¡¯ve seen what happened. Caroline ended up like this because Gwen mentioned Eddy. If we don¡¯t leave, aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll get triggered again when she sees us?¡± Sean¡¯s words were like sharp needles piercing Kirk¡¯s chest. After a brief but painful struggle, Kirk rxed his clenched fists. He told Gwen to take good care of Caroline and hurriedly left. Seeing this, Sean quicklyforted Gwen. ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself. You didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I¡¯ll go and check on him ¡­¡± After saying that, he remembered that he and Gwen were still fighting. He wanted to say something, but for a moment, he couldn¡¯t find the words. So he simply left. As Gwen watched Sean leave, she felt a strange feeling in her chest. She felt like she was a boat lost at sea that had finally found its anchor. Caroline woke up about an hourter. Gwen was worried that she would trigger her by saying the wrong things. So this time, she didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, she silently led Caroline out of the room. Caroline didn¡¯t seem to remember what had happened just now. ¡°Gwen, why do I remember walking this way before?¡± Chapter 766 Chapter 766 Chapter 766 Caroline stood at the clinic¡¯s entrance and pointed at the long corridor. Gewn was on the verge of crying again. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go.¡± She took Caroline¡¯s hand. Caroline looked at Gwen suspiciously and followed her into the car. Along the way, she felt a pair of eyes watching her. She tugged Gwen¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°Gwen, do you feel like someone is spying on us?¡± Gwen immediately thought that it might be Kirk. It made sense. Of course he wouldn¡¯t leave just like that. Even if Michael told him that he couldn¡¯t let Caroline see him, he would find another way. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. You must be overthinking things. Let me take you back to my ce for now.¡± ¡°Huh? Why are we going back to your home?¡± Caroline was puzzled. ¡°I haven¡¯t been home for so many days. Wouldn¡¯t my parents be worried?¡± Gwen was about to snap again, but she held back this time. ¡°I already told them you would be staying at my ce for a while. ¡°Besides, your parents don¡¯t know about your car ident yet. If you go home right now, they¡¯ll definitely be suspicious. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Caroline thought about it and felt that Gwen made sense. ¡°All right. Sorry to bother you again, Gwen.¡± ¡°Friends like us don¡¯t have to say that anymore.¡± Gwen grinned at Caroline and drove slowly to her home. Although she drove very slowly, her car quickly disappeared from Kirk¡¯s sight. Sean looked at the car¡¯s tail lights and asked, ¡°Should we follow them?¡± Kirk pinched the bridge of his nose. After a while, he raised his head and spat, ¡°No.¡± Sean hesitated to say anything in response. Was Kirk worried about being discovered if he followed them? Sean sighed at the powerlessness Kirk felt. He was so close, and yet he couldn¡¯t do anything. More than an hourter, the footage of the incident at the clinic was sent to Avery. After Avery finished watching the video on herptop, Finn crossed his legs and smirked under his mask. ¡± How about it? Are you satisfied with this oue?¡± Avery already had a wide grin on her face. ¡°Absolutely. But I¡¯m curious about something. What did you do to fan the mes and cause this?¡± 1/2 Finn smiled slightly. ¡°Would you believe me if I said I didn¡¯t do anything?¡± Avery retorted, ¡°What do think?¡± you Finn chuckled. ¡°As expected of the woman I like. You¡¯re both cold and clever. You¡¯re right. He uncrossed his legs. ¡°I did pull some tricks. For example, I instigated that Howard guy to barge into Caroline¡¯s home with a gun and also helped Caroline¡¯s cousin get to the venue. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°But that¡¯s not important. So no one will notice my role in this, including my oh-so-smart little brother. Besides, he may never find out since he¡¯s totally focused on Caroline now.¡± Avery¡¯s expression turned cold at his words. Finn noticed the change in her expression, but he continued, ¡°Oh, Avery. It¡¯s not toote to change your mind. I¡¯m better for you than Kirk. After all, we¡¯re equally cruel and ruthless.¡± Chapter 767 Chapter 767 Chapter 767 ¡°Don¡¯tpare yourself to me.¡± Avery stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely get married to Kirk.¡± That had been her dream since she was young. Finn lifted his head. ¡°Although Caroline has lost her memories, I still think that there¡¯s no way you can get married to Kirk,¡± he said while staring into her eyes. Avery¡¯s expression darkened in an instant. ¡°Who¡¯s side are you on? Me or Caroline?¡± Finn recalled the information he had read about Caroline. He maintained a half-smile on his face. ¡°That¡¯s a very good question.¡± A whileter, he raised an eyebrow at Avery. ¡°But I never take sides. I stand by facts.¡± Avery snorted and clenched one of her hands into fists. Looking at Finn, she smiled evilly. ¡°Let me tell you something. I¡¯ll definitely get married to Kirk. That¡¯s a fact!¡± After saying that, she turned around and left. Finn raised his eyebrows while looking at her leaving figure. ¡°Is that so? Let¡¯s wait and see,¡± he mumbled to himself. Before going home, Gwen had informed her mother about Caroline¡¯s situation. Thus, her mother only said. hello to Caroline before heading upstairs. Caroline asked, ¡°Is Mrs. Jameson not happy that I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that.¡± Gwen dragged Caroline to the second floor. ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared a room for you. You just need to stay here for now. Don¡¯t go out. You can let me know if you have anything you need.¡± ¡°When can I go out, then? I ¡­ want¡­ to see Eddy.¡± Gwen blinked. ¡°Once you adjust to living without your memories, you can go out by yourself,¡± she replied, holding herself back from saying what was on her mind. ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline nodded and obediently went upstairs. In the room, Caroline took her phone out once Gwen had left. Since her phone had been reset, she 1/2 Left with no way to reach him, she could only fiddle with her phone. When she snapped out of her daze, she realized she had unknowingly keyed in a phone number. She wondered if it was Eddy¡¯s phone number. She tried to call the number. At that moment, Kirk was on the way back home. When he saw the caller ID on his phone, he thought there was something wrong with his eyes. Sean also saw the caller ID as well. ¡°Are you going to take it?¡± he asked while ncing at Kirk. Just as Sean finished speaking, Kirk epted the call. When Sean saw Kirk¡¯s trembling fingers, he knew what was going on. Caroline¡¯s cautious voice sounded from the other end of the phone. ¡°Hello. Is this Eddy?¡± Kirk¡¯s breath hitched. Caroline lowered her gaze in disappointment when she didn¡¯t hear a reply. It seemed that it was the wrong number. She had already lost her memories. So there was no way she could still remember Eddy¡¯s number. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I must have gotten the wrong number.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize.¡± Kirk realized how hoarse his voice was when he spoke. ¡°You¡¯re such a nice person,¡± Caroline replied with a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the call to go through when I just randomly typed in the number. I still need to apologize to you, though.¡± Kirk furrowed his eyebrows, trying hard to suppress his tears. ¡°That means it¡¯s meant to be. Perhaps ¡­ we can save each other¡¯s number?¡± ¡°Sure. Wait-what¡¯s your name?¡± For some reason, Caroline agreed. Plus, her heart pounded when she heard this man¡¯s voice, She didn¡¯t know why. ¡°You can call me Mr. Y. What do you think of this name?¡± Chapter 768 Chapter 768 Chapter 768 Caroline smiled softly. ¡°That¡¯s nice. Then, you can call me Ms. Y.¡± ¡°Ms. Y.¡± Kirk¡¯s deep voice was like fine wine when he spoke, making one feel drunk on it. Caroline felt herself getting enthralled by him. ¡°You have a nice voice.¡± Just like that, the duo started chatting. When Caroline came to her senses, two hours had already passed. ¡°How weird. Although we¡¯re speaking for the first time, I feel like I¡¯ve known you for a long time.¡± Caroliney on her bed. ¡°Let me tell you a secret. I¡¯ve just lost my memories. I¡¯m not sure if you ¡­ Well, you definitely wouldn¡¯t know. Losing your memories isn¡¯t pleasant.¡± Her heart was empty, and she didn¡¯t know what she wanted to do. ¡°Is it like suddenly losing your sense of direction when walking on the streets? You just forget where you want to go.¡± Upon hearing him urately describe her situation, Caroline instantly felt like she had found a kindred spirit. ¡°That¡¯s right! You really understand me well. It feels like we¡¯ve known each other for a long time,¡± she eximed. After saying that, Caroline waited for a long time. However, she didn¡¯t get a response. She bit her lips uneasily. ¡°¡­ Did I say something wrong?¡± After all, they were stillplete strangers. Her question made it seem like she wanted something more. ¡°Nope.¡± The voice on the other end became even hoarse. 1 ¡°You can call me whenever you want in the future.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Caroline was excited. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The duo talked a bit more before Caroline hung up the phone reluctantly. 1.2 On the other end of the line, Kirk also put his phone down silently. Although Kirk was trying hard to hide it, Sean still saw his reddened eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that Caroline would still remember your phone number after forgetting everything.¡± Sean sighed. ¡°Believe me, she¡¯ll gradually remember her past. Plus, she¡¯ll also recover from the pain of losing Mr. Morrison Senior.¡± Kirk stayed silent. The veins bulging on his arms were enough of a response. Meanwhile, La was as haggard as a homeless person after camping out at the entrance of Morrison Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Manor. She finally managed to stop Eddy at the gate. ¡°Ed!¡± Eddy was shocked when he saw La. ¡°Who are you?¡± He couldn¡¯t even recognize her at first nce. ¡°It¡¯s me, La!¡± La was so frantic that she wanted to hug him. Eddy was so scared that he took several steps backward. ¡°Don¡¯te over!¡± Eddy scooped up the shear in the yard and pointed it toward her. ¡°I won¡¯t go easy on you if youe over. La couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Ed, didn¡¯t you know? Caroline isn¡¯t my uncle¡¯s daughter!¡± Eddy furrowed his eyebrows in disgust. ¡°La, this is enough. You¡¯re just spouting nonsense to get Collins Group. Do you think you can change the fact that Caroline is Mr. Evan¡¯s daughter just with your words?¡± ¡°You¡¯re misunderstanding me. Caroline really isn¡¯t my uncle¡¯s daughter. You can go and investigate it if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Eddy moved the shear closer to her. ¡°La, let me give you another warning. If you still don¡¯t leave, don¡¯t me me for being impolite.¡± La¡¯s gaze darkened when she heard that.- ¡°Ed, you keep saying I¡¯m your lifesaver. Is this how you treat your lifesaver? Fine. I¡¯ll make you regret it!¡± Chapter 769 Chapter 769 Chapter 769 After La said that, she turned and ran away. Eddy finally flung the shear away after La left. Simon had hurriedly rushed over. ¡°Mr. Eddy, are you okay?¡± he asked Eddy apologetically. Eddy shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t let La show up anywhere near me in the future. She¡¯s crazy!¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Simon nced at Eddy¡¯s expression while responding. After a while, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Mr. Eddy, didn¡¯t you go to see Ms. Evans? Did she know that her husband is¡­¡± Eddy¡¯s expression darkened even more. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on right now. However, it seems like Caroline is going to forgive Uncle Kirk.¡± ¡°Well ¡­¡± Simon trailed off. ¡°What are you going to do next? Unless ¡­ However, Mr. Kirk did lie to you and Mr. Morrison Senior.¡± Eddy walked toward the study. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely get married to Caroline. I¡¯ve made a promise to Grandpa, so I definitely won¡¯t let him down. ¡°As for my next step¡­ I¡¯m not sure. It depends on Caroline. It will be less troublesome for me if she decides to divorce Uncle Kirk out of disappointment. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°But she shouldn¡¯t me me for being ruthless if she decides to get together with him.¡± Caroline had to be his! At night, Gwen¡¯s mother returned to her room as usual after dinner. Meanwhile, Gwen took Caroline to do some shopping at a nearby mall., ¡°Look around and see if there¡¯s anything you still need.¡± Gwen pushed the cart behind Caroline. ¡°Let¡¯s get everything you want to buy.¡± Caroline smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary. You¡¯ve prepared for me quite thoroughly.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do. Since we¡¯re already here, let¡¯s buy some snacks.¡± 1/2 ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s buy the ones you like first,¡± Caroline replied. ¡°Hey! We¡¯re here to buy the things you need.¡± However, Caroline ignored Gwen and dragged her toward her favorite snack shelf. Gwen had no choice. She could only buy the snacks that she liked before buying what Caroline liked. By the time they had finished selecting the snacks, the cart was piled high. ¡°How nice would it be if a guy apanied us out?¡± Caroline remarked casually after seeing the snacks in the cart. However, a tall figure appeared in her mind. Immediately, Caroline¡¯s smile froze. Gwen noticed it almost instantly. She looked at Caroline uneasily. However, Caroline soon returned to normal. When Gwen saw that, she calmed down but still had mixed feelings. If Kirk saw Caroline right now, he would probably feel even worse. ¡°Gwen, isn¡¯t that La?¡± Caroline suddenly tugged on Gwen¡¯s sleeves and asked. Gwen finally snapped to her senses. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°There.¡± Caroline pointed in the direction of the door. Gwen didn¡¯t manage to see clearly. She only saw a figure hurrying off. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But she shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Caroline asked in confusion. Looking at Caroline, Gwen thought of Michael¡¯s words. Thus, Gwen could only simplye up with an excuse. ¡°Because she doesn¡¯t live here.¡± ¡°True. She should be at the hospital right now.¡± Chapter 770 Chapter 770 Chapter 770 Gwen froze for a moment. This meant that Caroline only remembered that La was sick. She had forgotten that thetter was only pretending to be sick. Simrly, although Caroline remembered Eddy, she had forgotten that he had asked for a kidney in exchange for marriage. Plus, Caroline hadpletely forgotten about Kirk. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m done buying.¡± When Caroline turned around, she saw Gwen looking at her worriedly. ¡°Gwen, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Gwen looked away. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Is there anything else you want to buy?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Caroline nced at the cart again. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± They walked toward the cashier, hand in hand. Caroline felt that someone was looking at her when they were paying. However, she didn¡¯t notice anyone when she turned around. She thought she was thinking too much. The duo walked toward Gwen¡¯s house after exiting the supermarket. The supermarket was only a ten-minute walking distance from Gwen¡¯s house. They chatted and walked while carrying the two bags of snacks. Just as they were about to round a corner, a white car suddenly appeared and sped toward them. ¡°Watch out!¡± Realizing that the car was heading toward Caroline, Gwen immediately dropped the snacks in her hand and tried to push her away. However, it was toote. The car was already headed right at Caroline. 1/3 At this critical moment, a ck car rushed out and forcefully collided with the white car. The impact pushed the white car back several meters. However, the driver didn¡¯t want to give up. After a brief pause, it collided with the other car ruthlessly. The wind blown up by the cars felt like a sharp de cutting across Caroline¡¯s body. The two cars were just beside her. Even if they didn¡¯t put in much effort, they could easily hurt Caroline now. ¡°Carrie!¡± Gwen yelled anxiously while standing aside. Beads of sweat also flowed down Caroline¡¯s forehead. ¡°Gwen, don¡¯t worry about me. You should go further away!¡± Caroline cupped her hands together and yelled. However, Gwen couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch. She hovered anxiously between the two cars, trying to find a chance to pass through. However, the two cars were like two crazy animals fighting with each other. One obviously wanted to bring Caroline to safety, while the other wanted to find an opening to take her away. N?velDrama.Org content rights. As the two cars were driving too fast, Caroline was getting dizzy. She tried to make the first step. However, the white car forced her to back away. Seeing that there was nowhere to go, Caroline gritted her teeth. Bending down, she was about to remove her high heels and run away. However, the white car managed to bypass the ck car and rush straight toward her. Caroline didn¡¯t manage to dodge in time, and she was violently thrown into the air. The severe pain turned her world into darkness and silence in an instant. After witnessing what happened, Gwen felt her heart shatter. ¡°No!¡± Gwen rushed toward the pale-faced Caroline and lifted her from the pool of blood. Sitting in the white car, La wasn¡¯t satisfied when she saw that. It wasn¡¯t enough. Thus, she started the car again and rushed toward Caroline and Gwen. However, La had used up all her luck. Before she could start her car, the roar from the left side caught her attention. The ck car was like an angry lotive. It emitted a dazzling yet scary light as it drove right toward her. Terrified, La tried to block the light with her hand. However, she failed to block the car¡¯s impact. Chapter 771 Chapter 771 Chapter 771 The sound of the two cars colliding resonated in the air for a long time. The next second, Kirk got out of the ck car and rushed toward Caroline. Then, he bent down and scooped her into his arms before heading back to the car. Gwen finally snapped to her senses and got into the car with Kirk. The trio soon arrived at the hospital. After hearing what happened, the doctors rushed over and sent Caroline into the operating room. Seeing the operating room¡¯s door close, Gwen could no longer bear it. As if drained of all her energy, she slumped to the ground. Meanwhile, Kirk stood there expressionlessly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t able to protect Caroline.¡± Gwen¡¯s tears fell like beads of a broken string when she saw the red indication outside the operating room. When Gwen thought about La being behind this, she wanted to beat thetter up so badly. La was absolutely crazy. Caroline had already lost her memories, yet she still wasn¡¯t satisfied. Kirk stayed silent. He stared at the unusual blob of red on the door with a darkened expression. However, all he could think about was the scene of Caroline getting thrown into the air.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Kirk¡¯s expression darkened. His veins popped as he clenched his fists. When Charles and Sean rushed over, they saw Kirk on the brink of insanity. Sean supported Gwen up from the ground. Then, he went to Kirk¡¯s side to stop him. ¡°Kirk.¡± Kirk nced at Sean sharply. At that moment, the operation¡¯s/door opened, and a doctor walked out. ¡°The patient is fine. She¡¯ll wake up in a while.¡± The doctor walked away after saying that. When they heard that, the four people in the room rxed. 1/3 ¡°That¡¯s great! What a relief that she¡¯s fine.¡± Gwen was so emotional that she started crying. Soon, a nurse wheeled Caroline out of the room. Kirk immediately rushed forward. Just as he was about to touch Caroline, he suddenly thought of something and backed away. While doing so, he almost collided with Sean. ¡°Kirk, what happened?¡± ¡°I ¡­ can¡¯t see her.¡± Kirk furrowed his eyebrows. Everyone in the room immediately went silent. ¡°Gwen.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Gwen choked out a response. ¡°Help me take good care of her. If something happens again¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely take good care of Carrie.¡± After getting Gwen¡¯s promise, Kirk strengthened his resolve and left without looking back. Seeing his retreating figure, Sean turned around to look at Gwen. After telling Gwen to take good care of Caroline, Sean hurried up to Kirk. Gwen stared at the two figures before turning around helplessly to see Caroline on the bed. Caroline was quite lucky. Although she had been hit by a car, only her head was injured. Apart from a few scratches on her body, she waspletely fine. The nurse said Caroline could be discharged in a few days if she rested well. Gwen sent a photo of Caroline lying in the hospital bed to Sean. Gwen believed that Sean would know what she meant. After taking the pictures, Gwen got up to get some water for Caroline. However, she saw Eddy holding a bouquet of roses by the door. Gwen red up when she saw Eddy. Eddy was partly responsible for what happened to Caroline, after all. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Gwen used her body to block the entrance indifferently. Chapter 772 Chapter 772 Chapter 772 Eddy looked at Caroline inside the room worriedly. ¡°I rushed over when I heard Caroline was hospitalized. Is she okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business if she¡¯s fine or not. Also, could you please keep an eye on La?¡± ¡°La ¡­ I¡¯ve asked the doctor just now. La¡¯s never going to wake up again due to her traumatic head injury.¡± Gwen grinned when she heard that. ¡°What good news. Hahaha. Karma is doing its job!¡± ¡°Although La did deserve this, she¡¯s already suffering from such a fate ¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Gwen red at Eddy. ¡°How could you say that she¡¯s pitiful? She brought it upon herself. The most pitiful one is Carol. She had to pay the price for both of your actions. What did she do wrong? She lost her husband and everything for the sake of both of you!¡± Eddy allowed her to ruthlessly beat on his chest. Gwen tired herself out and finally stopped. Then, she clutched her face in agony. Looking at Gwen, Eddy said sincerely, ¡°Gwen, believe me. I didn¡¯t want this to happen. I only want to be with Caroline andplete Grandpa¡¯sst wish.¡± When Gwen heard that, she lifted her head to look at him. Her eyes were extremely red. Gwen grabbed his cor abruptly. ¡°Dying wish. It¡¯s your grandfather¡¯s dying wish again. Are you saying that Caroline should suffer once more just because your grandfather died? ¡°Do you remember how you treated her when she wished to get married to you? Yet, you want to get married to her now for the sake of your grandfather!¡± ¡°Gwen ¡­¡± In the midst of Gwen¡¯s anger, the weak voice flowed into her ears like a gentle stream. Gwen quickly turned back to see Caroline, who had awakened on her bed at some point. ¡°Carol ¡­¡± Gwen looked at Caroline uneasily. She wondered how much of their conversation Caroline had listened in 1. 1/3 However, Gwen¡¯s attention was ced on Eddy, who was holding the red roses. ¡°Eddy, are you here to visit me?¡± she asked carefully. Gwen was instantly reminded of how petty and selfless Caroline was at Eddy¡¯s beck and call at that time. Gwen looked at Eddy uneasily. Eddy also realized Caroline¡¯s abnormal behavior. Eddy walked up to her. ¡°Yes. Are you okay, Caroline?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Caroline turned her attention to the bouquet. ¡°Are the flowers for me too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Eddy quickly ced the flowers before her. ¡°Do you like them?¡± He kept his eyes on Caroline for the entire time. ¡°Yes. I like it a lot. I think this is the first time you¡¯ve gotten me roses, Eddy.¡± When Eddy heard that, he looked at Gwen in disbelief. Gwen had furrowed her eyebrows. Not wanting to witness such a scene, she turned around. She couldn¡¯t tell the truth to Caroline. However, she wasn¡¯t willing to watch thetter get deceived either. Gwen could only say helplessly, ¡°Carol, I¡¯m going to step out for a while.¡± Caroline looked at Gwen¡¯s retreating figure in confusion. ¡°Caroline.¡± Eddy blocked her line of sight. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He tried to reach out his hand to caress her cheek. However, Caroline tilted her head just as he was about to touch her face. ¡°Eddy, these flowers are beautiful.¡± She picked up the bouquet of roses. Eddy looked at his hand before turning to nce at her. Caroline¡¯s gaze had been full of disgust when she had look- different now.¡± ¡°Caroline, don¡¯t you hate me anymore?¡± at him before. However, she seemed 2/3 ¡°Hate you? Why would I hate you?¡± ¡°Because- ¡°Eddy!¡± Gwen shouted outside the door, interrupting the duo¡¯s conversation. Chapter 773 Chapter 773 Chapter 773 Caroline and Eddy looked curiously at Gwen, who was by the door. With a darkened expression, Gwen pointed at Eddy. ¡°Come out for a second.¡± Eddy turned to look at Caroline. ¡°Since Gwen is calling for you, you should go out with her.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Since Caroline had put it this way, Eddy could only head out of the ward with Gwen. The duo walked for quite a while in the corridor. Seeing that Gwen had no ns to stop, Eddy could only ask, ¡°Gwen, what exactly do you want to tell me that you had mee out?¡± ¡°I think that you¡¯ve also noticed that Carol ¡­¡± Gwen slowly lifted her head. After mustering her strength, she continued, ¡°She lost her memories. She has already forgotten what happened in the past.¡± Eddy was ecstatic when he heard that. It was no wonder that Caroline was treating him so nicely today. It was because she had lost her memories! ¡°Did she forget about everything? How about Uncle Kirk?¡± Seeing Eddy so excited, Gwen had a mocking smile on her face. ¡°It seems like you only care about whether Caroline forgot about your second uncle.¡± In other words, she was saying that Eddy didn¡¯t care how Caroline had lost her memories. Eddy lowered his head in shame when Gwen pointed that out. ¡°I¡¯m not just concerned about whether she has forgotten Uncle Kirk; I¡¯m also concerned about how she lost her memories.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so fake. She indeed forgot about Kirk. Plus, she also doesn¡¯t remember that you used a kidney in exchange for marriage. Look¡­¡± Gwen looked at the blue sky aggrievedly. ¡°Even God is helping you. This world is truly unfair.¡± Eddy was rendered speechless. Seeing that he was about to say something, Gwen stopped him. ¡°Enough. There¡¯s no need to make any promises to me. 1/2 ¡°She doesn¡¯t recall anything. In other words, you can deceive her for a lifetime if she doesn¡¯t remember what you did to her.¡± ¡°I¡­ I never thought of lying to her.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, do you dare to tell her that you used a kidney in exchange for marriage?¡± Gwen stared straight into his eyes and asked. Eddy immediately lowered his head, not daring to look at Gwen. Gwen sneered. ¡°See. How could you say you never thought of lying to her? You¡¯re no different from your second uncle. ¡°If we have topare, at least Kirk truly loves Carol. Even if he lied to her, it was because he loved her. How about you? ¡°Eddy, ask yourself this question. Do you really want to get together with Carol to fulfill your grandfather¡¯s dying wish? Or are you just unwilling to lose to Kirk? You want to win against him once again to prove yourself.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Eddy was rendered speechless. Gwen looked at him for a moment before averting her gaze. ¡°Either way, I don¡¯t mind. I just want to say that although she doesn¡¯t know about your true intentions, I¡¯ll be watching you on behalf of her. If you dare to mistreat her¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Eddy immediately promised. ¡°I¡¯ll treat Caroline right.¡± ¡°If you really can do that, you should take care of La first.¡± After saying that, Gwen headed straight to Caroline¡¯s ward without waiting for him. When Gwen entered the room, she saw Caroline craning her neck and waiting. Chapter 774 Chapter 774 Chapter 774 Upon seeing that, Gwen teased, ¡°What? Are you that scared I¡¯ll eat Eddy up?¡± She smiled. Caroline smiled, thinking that these words seemed familiar. However, she didn¡¯t remember when Gwen had teased her like that. Caroline gave up thinking. Instead, she asked, ¡°What did you say to him when you called him out?¡± ¡°What else? I just told him to treat you well.¡± Gwen walked in front of Caroline and caressed her cheek. ¡°Carol, you need to tell me if he dares to mistreat you.¡± ¡± Caroline looked at Gwen, not knowing what to say. ¡°What is it?¡± Caroline asked, ¡°I ¡­ Gwen, why do I feel like Eddy has changed? He never cared about me before, let alone bring me roses. ¡°But today¡­ Did something happen before I lost my memories? He¡¯s changed so much.¡± Gwen felt her heart ache when she heard her words. She wanted to tell Caroline about how Eddy had wanted to take her kidney in exchange for marrying her so badly.N?velDrama.Org content rights. However, she didn¡¯t manage to say that out loud. ¡°Nope. Nothing much happened. I think Eddy¡¯s changed because of your car crash. It probably made him think about how losing you felt. He finally realized how important you are.¡± Gwen sat down beside Caroline. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you like the change?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just that he changed too fast, so I can¡¯t seem to adjust to it at this point.¡± Gwen smiled with tears in her eyes, ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ll get used to it in a while.¡± After saying that, she stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll head home now if there¡¯s anything else.¡± 1 ¡°There¡¯s something else I want, to ask you.¡± Caroline grabbed Gwen. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you this after waking up for so long. Who¡¯s the person who wanted to kill me, and who¡¯s the one who wished to save me? ¡°Is the person who wanted to kill me somehow connected to the person because of whom I lost my 1/2 Gwen looked at Caroline. However, the former couldn¡¯t utter a response. ¡°What happened? Is this question hard to answer? If that¡¯s the case, can you at least tell me who¡¯s my savior? I want to go and thank the said person.¡± If it hadn¡¯t been for the person in that ck car, Caroline would have been dead right now. ¡°Carol.¡± Gwen lowered her gaze. ¡°Can you stop asking?¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± Looking into Gwen¡¯s eyes, Caroline could only suppress her curiosity. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll stop asking.¡± ¡°Carol, I¡¯m not hiding it from you on purpose. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s better for you not to know about it. You¡¯ve already lost your memories. It¡¯s like a fresh start for you.¡± Caroline pursed her lips. Although she had a lot of questions, she said, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll definitely live well.¡± Gwen sniffled. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be heading off, then.¡± ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t be seeing you off.¡± Sitting on the bed, Caroline waved goodbye to Gwen. Eddy only came inside after Gwen left. ¡°You should move into my house after you get discharged.¡± Eddy pretended to be casual when he suggested that. Caroline was just eating an apple at that moment. When she heard that, her apple fell to the ground. She paused and looked at him in disbelief. ¡°Eddy, do you know what you¡¯re saying?¡± A smile appeared on Eddy¡¯s face. He reached out and gently stroked her hair, pushing by the strands that had fallen over her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m saying that you should move into my house after you get discharged.¡± He looked at Caroline nervously and excitedly. Chapter 775 Chapter 775 Chapter 775 Caroline could finally confirm that she had heard it right. But it was weird. She didn¡¯t feel overjoyed at all. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. This was supposed to be something that she had been looking forward to the most, after all. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Eddy¡¯s heart leaped to his throat when he saw Caroline keeping silent. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Caroline shook her head. ¡°Then¡­ Are you willing to go home with me?¡± Eddy asked again. Caroline nodded. However, she didn¡¯t feel happy at all. Perhaps it was because Eddy had kept rejecting her. Thus, she felt surreal when he finally did as she wished. However, the feeling didn¡¯t fade, even when she moved into Morrison Manor after getting discharged. As shey on the soft bed that Eddy had specially arranged for her, Caroline still couldn¡¯t feel an ounce of happiness. This was supposed to be the life that she dreamed of. Caroline suddenly thought of Mr. Y. She decided to call the number hesitantly. The call was answered almost immediately. It was as if he had been waiting for her to call. ¡°Is this Mr. Y?¡± Caroline hugged her thighs, trying hard to get a little warmth by doing so. A deep yet powerful voice soon sounded from the end of the line. ¡°Yes.¡± Although it was just a simple word, Caroline found herself rxing. ¡°Do ¡­ Do you have time right now?¡± Caroline asked carefully. She was scared that she had disturbed him with her sudden call. ¡°I always have time for you.¡± His voice was a bit hoarse as he answered. However, Caroline didn¡¯t capture the meaning behind his words. She let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Can I rant about something with you?¡± 1/2 ¡°Of course, you can.¡± Hugging her thighs tighter, Caroline realized she didn¡¯t know how to start. She finally found the right words after a while. ¡°I¡¯m now living with my fianc¨¦.¡± Kirk felt as if his heart had been pierced by something sharp. When he heard Caroline gently continue, he felt his heart get pierced again. ¡°This is something I¡¯ve been dreaming of.¡± This time, the knife had pierced into the depths of his heart. It felt like his heart was bleeding. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not happy at all,¡± Caroline continued in confusion. ¡°I thought I would be happy to be with him. After all, this is something I¡¯ve been looking forward to for eight years.¡± Kirk¡¯s heart was once again resurrected by her words. ¡°You¡¯re confused because you don¡¯t know why you¡¯re unhappy. Am I right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Caroline seemed to have found someone who understood her. ¡°Mr. Y, do you know why? Honestly, do you think I¡¯m someone who ys around and doesn¡¯t cherish something after getting it?¡± ¡°No way,¡± Kirk immediately denied. ¡°You¡¯re definitely not someone like that.¡± He had answered so quickly that Caroline noticed something was off. ¡°Mr. Y?¡± Kirk seemed very emotional. The way he had stood up to protect her was just like a fan defending their idol. ¡°Do¡­ Do you know me?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t know you.¡± His denial came as fast as his defense just now. Chapter 776 Chapter 776 Chapter 776 Caroline was quiet. The call went silent for a while. Soon, Caroline smiled. ¡°Actually, it doesn¡¯t matter if you know me or not. I¡¯ve already lost my memories.¡± ¡°I think you were someone important to me before I lost my memories. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have typed your number so easily,¡± she continued. Kirk tilted his head against the cold wall. He had so many things that he wanted to say, but he couldn¡¯t. ¡°Although Gwen didn¡¯t say anything, I can tell that she doesn¡¯t want me to remember the person in my memories. She even refuses to bring up the kind of memories I lost. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Perhaps she fears that it will worsen my condition. Mr. Y, you¡¯re not going to tell me who you are, are you? Caroline didn¡¯t expect the other party to give her an answer. ¡°Mr. Y, I¡¯m never going to ask about your identity again. Can you please still ept my call in the future?¡± Obviously, she couldn¡¯t recall if there was anyone in her life who would ignore her if she asked them about their identity. Still, she felt a burning fear in her heart. She thought that Mr. Y would refuse to take her call because she had asked such a question. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll always take your call,¡± Kirk answered, clutching his chest where his heart was. Every single word that Caroline said had been like knives slowly stabbing his heart and torturing him. ¡°You¡¯re so nice,¡± Caroline muttered. The duo fell silent, letting the call continue as the duration on the screen increased. The warm moment was disrupted when footsteps sounded outside the door. ¡°Eddy must be back.¡± Caroline was hesitant. ¡°I need to hang up now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Although the call had ended, Kirk still felt that there were knives piercing him. However, there was nothing. he could do. He could only sit there like a prisoner. Suddenly, he grabbed the chair beside him and flung it. 1/2 At that moment, his phone rang again. His darkened orbs lit up instantly. However, they soon turned gloomy when he saw that Bryan was calling, not Caroline. He picked up the phone indifferently. ¡°Hello.¡± His voice sounded hostile. To his surprise, Avery¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line instead of Bryan¡¯s. ¡°I knew that you would definitely refuse to answer if I had called you. So I could only use my younger brother¡¯s phone.¡± Avery spoke very fast, afraid that Kirk would hang up without hearing her out. ¡°Kirk, I already know about what happened to you and Ms. Evans. I can only say that I¡¯m sorry that things turned out this way for both of you. ¡°But you guys are truly from different worlds. How about taking this opportunity toe back?¡± ¡°What opportunity?¡± Kirk asked indifferently. Avery couldn¡¯t respond to his retort. Kirk questioned once again, ¡°What opportunity are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t have any bad intentions. I just hope you can ept the reality that you and Caroline are not suitable for each other.¡± ¡°Do we need an outsider toment on whether we¡¯re suitable?¡± Kirk¡¯s tone was extremely hostile. ¡°Has everything in the Mendely family been going too well recently? You have so much free time on your hands. Are you trying to cause them some trouble?¡± Avery¡¯s expression changed. Just as she was about to continue, Finn pressed her phone down. ¡°See. He only has eyes for Caroline. He won¡¯t leave her, no matter what happens.¡± Avery gripped her phone, her face contorted with anger. ¡°That¡¯s just his wishful thinking!¡± Admiring Avery¡¯s miserable face, Finn slowly continued, ¡°Why are you stubborn?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not stubborn!¡± Avery turned around and red at him. ¡°I will definitely make Kirk give up on her!¡± Chapter 777 Chapter 777 Chapter 777 At Morrison Manor, Caroline looked at the oatmeal in front of her. ¡°Did¡­ you really make this for me?¡± she asked uncertainly. She couldn¡¯t believe Eddy had actually prepared oatmeal for her. She suspected that she was dreaming. If she was, she sure was extremely daring to think he would do this for her. She remembered dreaming about Eddy before. But the most she had dreamt of was him not comining about her cooking. She didn¡¯t dare dream about Eddy making anything for her. ¡°Of course.¡± Seeing that she seemed to be in disbelief, Eddy felt his heart ache. ¡°Give it a try. It¡¯s my first time making it, so it might not taste very good.¡± Caroline smiled sweetly. ¡°It will definitely taste good since you made it.¡± After saying that, she scooped a bite of it. As Eddy had overcooked it, the oatmeal burst in her mouth the moment she tasted it. A strange taste lingered in her mouth. Lowering her head, Caroline didn¡¯t look up for a long time. When Eddy saw that, he quickly gave a tissue to her. ¡°Does it taste bad? Spit it out now.¡± Caroline shook her head. Suddenly, big drops of tears fell down her face. It wasn¡¯t that the oatmeal was too bad. It had just made her think of something. She felt something stir her heart and couldn¡¯t help but feel very Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ufortable. She felt like someone else had also cooked for her before. But it hadn¡¯t been Eddy. Besides, that person¡¯s cooking was way better than Eddy¡¯s. Although the person¡¯s cooking hadn¡¯t been good at first, the food became delicious after a few attempts. The person¡¯s appearance and name were just at the tip of Caroline¡¯s tongue. However, she couldn¡¯t remember it. ¡°Caroline, don¡¯t cry. I was wrong. I won¡¯t cook for you again. I¡¯ll ask the chef to cook for you, okay?¡± Eddy was flustered when he saw her cry. 1/3 Caroline lifted her head to look at him. ¡°Are you not going to cook for me ever again?¡± ¡°No way. I won¡¯t cook for you again. I¡¯ll let the chef make it for you. If you don¡¯t like her cooking, I¡¯ll order someone else to cook.¡± Caroline blinked her eyes and pursed her lips. ¡°Are you really not going to cook for me again?¡± she asked again. ¡°No.¡± Eddy wiped the tears from her face. ¡°I¡¯m such a bad cook. Since you don¡¯t like my cooking, I¡¯ll stop cooking again. Okay?¡± Caroline lowered her eyes. ¡°Okay.¡± A bitter smile appeared on her face. So he really wasn¡¯t the person in her lost memories. Seeing that Caroline had stopped crying, Eddy signed in relief. Then, he took out an invitation letter for her. ¡°Caroline, it¡¯s the annual gathering of the big four families in two days. Why don¡¯t you apany me there?¡± Caroline replied, ¡°I¡¯m not eligible to attend, though, right?¡± The Evans family was no longer one of the big four families. Caroline was worried that she would just embarrass Eddy if she attended an event she wasn¡¯t wee at. ¡°I forgot that you already don¡¯t remember taking over Collins Group.¡± ¡°I took over Collins Group ¡­¡± Caroline furrowed her eyebrows. The pain was drilling into her brain. ¡°When¡­ When did I acquire Collins Group?¡± Eddy didn¡¯t notice Caroline¡¯s abnormal behavior. ¡°Just recently-¡± he continued. Just before he could finish, Caroline dropped the bowl of oatmeal onto the floor with a st. ¡°When did I acquire Collins Group?¡± Caroline yelled at him while holding her head in pain. Eddy didn¡¯t know what to do. Suddenly, he thought of Kirk. However, Eddy soon gave up on that thought. ¡°Carol¨ªne, calm down. There¡¯s nothing like that. No. I was wrong¡­¡± Caroline¡¯s head was about to explode. She held her head, only wanting to know how she had taken over It seemed that she could only feel better if she filled in the empty memories. ¡°Caroline ¡­¡± Eddy had no idea how to console her. ¡°I ¡­ I¡¯ll go and find a doctor for you.¡± Chapter 778 Chapter 778 Chapter 778 After saying that, Eddy ran down the stairs to call his family doctor. However, the doctor had never seen a patient act like that before. ¡°We need a psychologist,¡± he dered. Hence, Eddy went to find a psychologist. Without proper guidance, Caroline felt like an insect trapped in a huge spider web. She could only struggle desperately within the. Pain spread through her, invading each part of her body. ¡°Ah!¡± Even though Eddy was downstairs, he could still hear Caroline¡¯s painful and sharp screams. He covered one ear as he pressed his phone against the other ear. He was on a call with a psychologist. I need you toe over now!¡± he said. After saying that, Eddy threw his phone away in frustration.. When Simon saw that, he walked forward. ¡°Mr. Eddy, should we give Ms. Evans some medicine since N?velDrama.Org content rights. she¡¯s in so much pain? Perhaps there are other ways to soothe her pain ¡­¡± Eddy immediately thought of Kirk. Eddy yelled, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go and treat her since you¡¯re so capable?¡± Simon was stunned. He had no idea why Eddy was so angry. ¡°Mr. Eddy¡­¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Eddy inhaled deeply. ¡°You should go out.¡± Simon could only leave the room. After Simon left, Eddy was the only one left in the living room. Caroline¡¯s piercing scream reverberated though the room. Eddy looked up at the second floor. ¡°If Uncle Kirk were here, he would definitely have a n. But there¡¯s no way he¡¯s the only one who knows what to do. I can also take good care of Caroline without him. Yes. I can also do it,¡± Eddy thought. After convincing himself, Eddy waited for the psychologist toe. 1/2 When the psychologist came to Caroline¡¯s room, he was stunned to see an almost maniacal Caroline. The psychologist only snapped to his senses when Eddy pushed him. ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing such a patient. Can you briefly describe her condition to me?¡± ¡°I only know that she lost her memories.¡± The psychologist asked, ¡°Do you know how she lost her memories?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The psychologist was instantly perplexed. ¡°Well, if I can¡¯t fully understand the patient¡¯s condition, I won¡¯t be able to prescribe the right treatment,¡± he replied. Eddy red at the psychologist. ¡°I only asked you toe treat her, not to probe into her private affairs.¡± His voice was low and dangerous. ¡°Mr. Eddy, you¡¯ve misunderstood me.¡± ¡°I asked you to go treat her!¡± Eddy pointed at the room where Caroline was, enunciating each word. He resembled a terrifying demon, especially with his veins bulging on his forehead. Seeing that he wasn¡¯t able to convince Eddy, the psychologist walked toward Caroline. As he didn¡¯t know anything about her condition, he didn¡¯t know which treatment to use on her. Thus, he could only inject her with a sedative. Thankfully, Caroline fell asleep after the injection. She didn¡¯t suffer from any side effects. ¡°Mr. Eddy, Ms. Evans is fine now.¡± The psychologist carefully walked over to Eddy. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll head off first.¡± Eddy looked at the psychologist menacingly. ¡°Fuck off.¡± The psychologist immediately ran off. Eddy let out a sneer as he watched the psychologist leave. Just as he was about to head upstairs, his phone rang on the table. Chapter 779 Chapter 779 Chapter 779 After ncing at it, Eddy noticed it was an unknown number. He declined the call. However, the person who had called sent him a message. ¡°ept my call. Otherwise, you¡¯ll regret it.¡± Seeing the person calling again, Eddy wondered if he should take the call. Before he realized what was happening, he had already epted the call. ¡°Mr. Eddy, I thought you weren¡¯t going to answer my call.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± The woman on the other line had an arrogant tone. Nobody had dared to use such a tone Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. to speak with Eddy before. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am. The most important thing is that I can help you solve your problem.¡± Eddy sneered. ¡°How bold of you to try to deceive me. Are you trying to get yourself killed?¡± The woman let out a snort. ¡°Mr. Eddy, don¡¯t you want Caroline to get married to you?¡± Eddy¡¯s expression changed. He lowered his voice. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that it doesn¡¯t matter who I am? The most important thing is that I can make Caroline marry you.¡± ¦° ¡°How funny. Who do you think you are? How can you control Caroline?¡± The womanughed lowly. ¡°Before this, I wouldn¡¯t be able to give a definite answer. However, Caroline has already lost her memories. Do you think it would be a difficult task for me to make her marry you?¡± Eddy pressed the edge of the table. ¡°You can really do that?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the woman replied with a smile. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what do you want?¡± Eddy asked. Just as he was prepared for the woman to ask for something huge, her answer shocked him. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything.¡± Still, Eddy didn¡¯t believe in things such as free lunch. ¡°You¡¯re making me suspect your motives.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind telling you. I want you to marry Caroline because I like Kirk. I just want to have him.¡± 1/2 Eddy sneered. ¡°So that¡¯s your reason. You have it all nned out.¡± ¡°Same goes for you.¡± Eddy didn¡¯t say anything else. Soon, the woman¡¯s voice sounded again. ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged everything. You just need to y it by ear when ites to it.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Do you have any more questions?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Suddenly, Eddy changed his mind. ¡°How confident are you that Caroline will go along with the n?¡± ¡°100%.¡± ¡°You¡¯re that confident?¡± Eddy started to feel uneasy. After all, he didn¡¯t dare to be so confident. The woman on the other end of the line smiled. ¡°Mr. Eddy, have you forgotten that Caroline has lost her memories? She doesn¡¯t remember the things you¡¯ve done to her. She only recalls that she loves you.¡± Eddy smiled bitterly. He had almost forgotten what Caroline had been like back when she had hung onto his every word. ¡°Okay. Do you have any more questions?¡± It was obvious that the woman seemed to be losing her patience. Eddy shook his head. He didn¡¯t have much to worry about if Caroline was as obedient as she had been back then. However, the woman at the end of the line couldn¡¯t see Eddy shaking his head. When she didn¡¯t get a reply, she couldn¡¯t help but raise her voice. ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± Eddy finally realized that he hadn¡¯t given a verbal response. ¡°No.¡± After hanging up the call, he excitedly went upstairs to Caroline¡¯s room. Through the gap in the door, he saw Caroline lying in bed, ! After she had been injected with a sedative, she was curled up in bed like a weak rabbit. One would want to protect her in their arms when they saw her. Chapter 780 Chapter 780 Chapter 780 Eddy tiptoed as he pushed open the door. Then, he walked over to the bed and carefully took Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°Caroline, I¡¯ll definitely protect you in the future.¡± After saying that, he leaned over and was about to kiss her forehead. However, Caroline, who was deep asleep, suddenly opened her eyes. Eddy was taken aback and almost fell. Caroline looked at him puzzledly. ¡°Eddy, what happened to you?¡± Her voice was weak. Eddy shook his head and looked at her paleplexion. ¡°I¡¯m fine. How about you? How are you?¡± Caroline¡¯s head had started buzzing again. She quickly pressed her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m okay. It¡¯s just that my head hurts a lot. What happened just now? You had been saying¡­ that I had taken over something?¡± ¡°No. You remembered it wrongly.¡± Eddy walked over and sat down beside her. ¡°Caroline, I have something that I want to ask you,¡± he said. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Caroline continued rubbing her head. ¡°Shall we get married?¡± After saying that, Eddy looked at her anxiously. Caroline stopped rubbing her head. Then, she slowly lifted her head to look at him. It took a while for her to answer. ¡°Eddy, do you know what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°I know.¡± Eddy grabbed her hand excitedly. ¡°Let¡¯s get married, Caroline!¡± Caroline tugged her hand back./¡¯Why don¡¯t you calm down?¡± ¡°Caroline, didn¡¯t you always want us to get married? Why do you look unhappy now that I¡¯ve agreed?¡± His words struck deep into Caroline¡¯s heart. 1/2 She wasn¡¯t sure why, either. Indeed, she had always wanted to marry him. Plus, she had been waiting for this day for eight years. But now that he had asked, she wasn¡¯t happy at all. ¡°Eddy, marriage isn¡¯t a child¡¯s game. You should calm down.¡± After saying that, Caroline tugged on her nket. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should go back to your room. My head is still ringing, so I need some rest too.¡± Instead of leaving, Eddy stared at Caroline. ¡°Caroline, did you fall in love with someone else?¡± he asked. Caroline¡¯s heart skipped a beat. A blurry side profile appeared in her mind at this moment. However, she muttered incoherently, ¡°What are you talking about? How could I possibly change my mind? If you say such a ridiculous thing again, I¡¯ll get angry!¡± ¡°Since you don¡¯t like someone else, why aren¡¯t you willing to get married to me?¡± Eddy persistently asked. Caroline couldn¡¯t answer. Instead, she turned to look at the ground. ¡°Eddy, don¡¯t force me. I only want to rest right now. I¡¯m begging you not to.¡± Seeing her paleplexion, Eddy managed to grab ahold of himself. He stood up slowly. ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t force you. You should get some rest. I¡¯ll head out now.¡± After the door closed, Caroline slowly lifted her head to look at the door aggrievedly. It was a big mess. She wondered what had happened. She had just lost her memories. However, her feelings toward Eddy hadpletely changed. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She wasn¡¯t as obsessed with him as she had been before. Instead of feeling joy, she felt scared when he had asked her to marry him. Caroline looked up to see the bright sky outside the window. Suddenly, she really wanted to know what memories she had lost. More importantly, she wondered/who the person was who kept appearing in her memories. Chapter 781 Chapter 781 Chapter 781 A shadow fell across Eddy¡¯s face after he left Caroline¡¯s room. Sure enough, it was the same as before. She resisted him from the bottom of her heart. Otherwise, she would have happily agreed to marry him since she had forgotten Kirk. Uncle Kirk. Eddy couldn¡¯t stop himself from clenching his fists at the thought of him. Caroline had forgotten all about him. Yet ¡­ Eddy raised his fist and was about to punch a hole in the wall when he spotted a car parked on the ground floor. The Morrisons had dozens of luxury cars. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t recognize all of them, but this one right there¡­ they definitely didn¡¯t own a car like this. The corners of Eddy¡¯s mouth tilted upward in a smile, and he gradually made his way downstairs to the car. When he reached the car, he saw the person inside. It was Kirk, just as he had expected. ¡°Uncle Kirk!¡± chirped Eddy as he rapped on the car window. The window rolled down, and he saw Kirk¡¯s bleak face staring back at him. It was obvious from the bags under Kirk¡¯s eyes that he hadn¡¯t rested well for a couple of days. It was Eddy¡¯s first time seeing such a dejected and dispirited side of Kirk. For some reason, a wave of guilt washed over him. It was as if he had stolen a beloved item of Kirk¡¯s. Kirk took a nce at him and continued downing a bottle of wine, his eyes cold. Eddy watched him gulp down a mouthful of the drink and said, ¡°Uncle Kirk, don¡¯t be so upset. Things have only returned to how they were supposed to be now.¡± He added, ¡°Caroline¡¯s been my fianc¨¦e since the beginning-¡± He had barely finished his sentence when Kirk yanked his necktie. The force behind it was so immense that Eddy, who hadn¡¯t anticipated the sudden move, stumbled forward, his face just inches/away from Kirk¡¯s. Staring at Kirk¡¯s side profile from such a close distance, Eddy subconsciously held his breath in fear. Uncle Kirk-¡± 2. 2. 1/2 ¡°Eddy,¡± said Kirk, his piercing eyes staring right into Eddy¡¯s like a Grim Reaper¡¯s. ¡°Listen up. I¡¯m only temporarily letting Caroline stay at your ce.¡± ¡°One day, she¡¯ll remember everything,¡± Kirk said. ¡°And she¡¯ll get over your grandfather¡¯s death. By then, she and I will be together again.¡± Eddy exhaled slowly and forced a smile. ¡°How are you so sure that she¡¯ll remember all that? What if she doesn¡¯t regain those memories for the rest of her life? She¡¯ll be with me-¡± 17 Eddy¡¯s words were cut short because his necktie was yanked with such force that he couldn¡¯t utter another word. ¡°U¨Cuncle K¨Ckirk-¡± ¡°Caroline will remember me!¡± Kirk narrowed his eyes and glowered at Eddy. It seemed like he was warning Eddy and also as if he was talking to himself. The suffocating air of doom Kirk emanated snuffed out Eddy¡¯s courage to talk back. He didn¡¯t have the Property ? N?velDrama.Org. guts to say more. ¡°Uncle Kirk ¡­ L-let go of me-¡± Kirk cooly shoved Eddy away after thetter begged for mercy over and over again. After steadying himself, Eddy nced at the second floor where Caroline was staying. He turned to Kirk and yelled, ¡°Just give up! Caroline will never remember who you are! Besides, she and I are getting married soon!¡± That said, he darted back into the house, fearing that Kirk woulde after him. Once he reached the door, Eddy even ordered the housekeepers to shut the gates. To his surprise, Kirk didn¡¯te after him and merely stayed in the same spot. His posture remained just as before. It was as if he still hadn¡¯t snapped back into reality after hearing those words. Eddy started questioning if he had gone overboard. Chapter 782 Chapter 782 Chapter 782 But the guilt Eddy feltpletely vanished when he remembered that Kirk married Caroline and lied to him. Caroline was supposed to marry Eddy from the very beginning. His attitude toward Kirk turned cold when he was reminded of this. Kirk had only just snapped out of his daze and started walking toward the gates. Staring at Eddy through the gates, he enunciated each word as he said, ¡°I dare you to repeat what you just said.¡± Despite the iron gates that separated them, Eddy¡¯s still heart skipped a beat when Kirk spoke. ¡°I said¡­ Caroline and I-¡± Eddy paled at the sound as Kirkpunched the gate with such force that the iron bars became dented. He didn¡¯t have the guts to speak clearly now. All he did was mumble incoherently. ¡°Why don¡¯t you repeat what you said?¡± Kirk roared at him like an angered beast, his eyes locked on Eddy. Needless to say, Eddy lost the courage to continue speaking. Looking at the dent in the gates, he feared that his fate would somehow be just like the gate¡¯s. Just then, a crisp voice came from the second floor. ¡°Eddy, what¡¯s going on down there? Did you break something?¡± It was Caroline. Hastily, Eddy turned to say, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Nothing happened. Don¡¯te down yet.¡± But he was toote because Caroline was already walking down the stairs with her jacket on. Seeing that nothing had happened in the courtyard, she nced at Eddy, puzzled. ¡°What was that sound just now? It was so loud,¡± she said. Eddy was confused. He followed her gaze only to find out that Kirk, who had been standing by the gates just a moment ago, was nowhere to be seen. Realization dawned on Eddy when he recalled how Caroline had reacted when he had tried to bring up the past. A small smile hung on his lips. ¡®It¡¯s nothing at all. Nothing¡¯s wrong. You should go upstairs and rest.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Caroline noticed the dent in the gates. ¡°Why is the gate dented? It looks like some kind of animal did this.¡± ¡°Nah. A helpless and ipetent fool did that,¡± said Eddy. ¡°Hurry and head upstairs. I¡¯ll have someonee and fix this.¡± ¡°Okay then.¡± Taking onest nce at the gate, Caroline felt a strange feeling feeling in her as if she had seen this before. However, she couldn¡¯t remember where she had seen it before, no matter how hard she tried to remember. Her head started throbbing when she tried to recall the past, so she quickly stopped thinking about it. After she left, Eddy walked up to the gate and nced around. Kirk had left indeed. Scoffing, Eddy said, ¡°Uncle Kirk can¡¯t even see Caroline now, so how is she going to remember him?¡± He had just finished talking when a hand shot out from the darkness, putting him in a chokehold and suffocating him. His eyes widened in shock and fear as Kirk stepped out from the shadows and came into sight. ¡°You¡­ Didn¡¯t you leave?¡± Kirk¡¯s dark and gloomy eyes stared back into his. ¡°I¡¯ll be watching you. Always. If you dare to hurt her ¡­¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Kirk¡¯s voice trailed off as he tightened his grip, making Eddy struggle for air. ¡°Y¨Cyou needn¡¯t say ¡­ I¡¯ll take ¡­ good care of her,¡± gasped Eddy, whose legs had turned to jelly. Only then did Kirk release his grasp of Eddy, and thetter stumbled a couple of steps backward. When Eddy raised his eyester, Kirk was nowhere to be found. A shiver ran down his spine as the feeling of him and Caroline being watched by Kirk sank in. If he so much as tried to hurt Caroline, Kirk would materialize from thin air. Feeling his hair stand on its ends, Eddy pulled his clothes tighter around him and rushed back into his room. He had just got into the room when his phone started ringing. Chapter 783 Chapter 783 Chapter 783 The phone¡¯s ring scared Eddy half to death. He took a furtive nce at the screen to see that the caller was none other than Avery. He quickly answered the call and vented all his anger on her byshing out at her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Caroline will definitely marry me after she lost her memories? Why did she resist the idea of marrying me so much when I brought it up to her?¡± Stunned by Eddy¡¯s outburst, Avery took a moment to respond. Sheughed and said, ¡°You¡¯re much too impatient. I told you that I have a n, didn¡¯t I? ¡°I¡¯m calling you this time to tell you that everything¡¯s prepared.¡± She continued, ¡°Just take Caroline out tomorrow.¡± ¡°Are you sure it¡¯ll work?¡± Avery¡¯s words extinguished Eddy¡¯s mes of rage by a considerable degree, but he still couldn¡¯t stop himself from worrying. ¡°Worry not. My n will surely work.¡± She sounded very certain of herself. ¡°No woman can resist it.¡± Despite that, Eddy didn¡¯t believe her. ¡°Caroline still misses Uncle Kirk even though she¡¯s forgotten all about him. She just doesn¡¯t know that he¡¯s the one she¡¯s missing,¡± said Eddy. ¡°Are you sure that I¡¯ll seed in proposing to her under these circumstances?¡± Annoyed, Avery snapped, ¡°Do you want to marry her or not?¡± Eddy didn¡¯t give it a second thought. ¡°Of course, I want to!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you should just do what I say and take her out tomorrow.¡± Avery¡¯s demanding tone made Eddy¡¯s brows crease into a frown, but the thought that he was going marry Caroline soon made him swallow his annoyance. ¡°Okay,¡± he said. Now that she had gotten an answer, Avery smiled and hung up. She put her phone down. Finn, who had been sitting in his armchair all this time, spun around to face her. 1/3 ¡°How did it go? Has Eddy agreed to marry Caroline?¡± Avery twirled a lock of her hair in one hand and sneered. ¡°He nned to marry her since the very beginning. I¡¯m doing this so that it¡¯s set in stone as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Do you think Kirk will give up for good when she marries Eddy?¡± Avery raised her eyes to meet him, her gaze vicious. ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to tell me. ¡°I don¡¯t care if Kirk gives up or not. All I want is for Caroline to marry Eddy so that Kirk bes single again.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if she has a ce in Kirk¡¯s heart. It has got nothing to do with me.¡± She continued, ¡°I¡¯ll make him fall in love with me slowly when he returnster.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Aren¡¯t you quite the confident one?¡± Finn said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, but Avery pretended as if she didn¡¯t hear him. Watching her leave, Finn picked up a pen on the table and toyed with it. Avery was still young, so she hadn¡¯t been through enough to know that love was the hardest thing to ever change. Unfortunately for her, she might never ever get to marry Kirk. Early the next morning, Eddy approached Caroline when she was having breakfast. ¡°Let¡¯s head outside for a walk.¡± He seemed pretty pleased with himself when he spoke. Caroline nced out the window and saw that it was sunny outside. ¡°Sure. I also want to head outside and take a look.¡± She had been staying here in the house since she had lost her memories and hadn¡¯t been out much. ¡°We¡¯ll leave after breakfast then?¡± Eddy asked, ncing at Caroline. She nodded. After filling their stomachs, they got into the car and left. Caroline sat in the backseat and asked, ¡°Where are we going?¡± Eddy looked through the rearview mirror at the driver, who said, ¡°We¡¯re going to Belrene Square, Ms. Evans.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Caroline turned to ask Eddy. ¡°To grab something to eat,¡± said the driver. Caroline stared at Eddy, confused as to why the person who answered her was the driver and not Eddy himself. It was as if the driver was the one who had nned their schedule that day. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re going there to eat,¡± Eddy said, sensing that something was off. ¡°Okay,¡± said Caroline. Chapter 784 Chapter 784 Chapter 784 Caroline shrank in the seat as her eyes fell on the rows of cars behind them. The scenery outside looked so familiar yet strange to her somehow. The buildings looked familiar as if she had seen them all before, but she found it strange because they weren¡¯t simr to the ones in her memories. They towered over her and seemed even cleaner than what she could recall. About an hourter, they finally arrived at Belrene Square. Caroline and Eddy had just gotten out of the car when they heard someone yelling. ¡°Help! Help! There¡¯s a robber!¡± The next second, someone dashed passed Caroline. Before she could react, Eddy had stepped forward and grabbed the robber by the cor. The robber turned and paled when he saw that it was Eddy who had stopped him. He wanted to flee, but Eddy threw him to the ground with such a force that he fell on all fours. The handbag flew out of the robber¡¯s hands. Hey on the ground, looking all haggard and embarrassed. Caroline picked up the handbag and handed it over to thedy who had been robbed. ¡°Here. Your bag.¡± Thedy turned the bag over and over again to check its condition before turning to face Eddy and Caroline. ¡°Thank you so much! You two are so kind! I had just bought this, and it would have been gone for good if it hadn¡¯t been for the two of you!¡± After taking a look at thedy standing before her, Caroline nced at her hand, which was tightly sped in Eddy¡¯s. Her heart didn¡¯t flutter, yet the silhouette of a person popped up in her mind. She wanted to recall what the person looked like but snapped back to reality when thedy said, ¡°This man is your husband, right? He¡¯s a good man. You¡¯re so lucky to have someone like him.¡± Caroline simply stared at thedy, who had stars in her eyes. Despite thedy¡¯s words, Caroline didn¡¯t feel happy or proud at all. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said curtly. Soon, the cops arrived. After the robber was arrested, thedy left too. 1/2 ¡°Let¡¯s head inside,¡± said Eddy as he looked at Caroline with a smile. He now understood that thedy just now had merely been trying to make him seem like a hero in front of ¨C Caroline. It was quite the trick, but he wasn¡¯t sure if she would buy it. His eyes were still locked on Caroline to see her reaction. To his dismay, she showed no sign of ¨¢dmiration for him. ¡°Okay,¡± she replied. Instead of bringing up the incident that happened just an moment ago, she simply followed him to the restaurant they were headed for. That made Eddy rather dejected. When they arrived at the restaurant, Caroline noticed that they were the only people there with the exception of the staff. ¡°Have we ¡­e to the wrong ce?¡± she asked. Seeing how deserted the Faromish restaurant was, she couldn¡¯t help but take a step back in rm. A waiter hurriedly came to her and said, ¡°You¡¯re Ms. Evans, right? You aren¡¯t mistaken. Mr. Eddy rented out the entire ce.¡¯ Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Puzzled, Caroline turned to Eddy. ¡°Eddy, did you rent the entire restaurant?¡± ¡°Um, yes,¡± Eddy muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They had just stepped into the restaurant when they were showered with flower petals at the door. ¡°How romantic!¡± Caroline gleefully reached out to grab some of the petals and ced them in her palm. ¡°Eddy, did you set this up on purpose?¡± Eddy wanted to say ¡°yes¡±, but when faced with her smile, he couldn¡¯t find it in himself to lie to her. ¡°No, I-¡°- Chapter 785 Chapter 785 Chapter 785 Caroline stared back at Eddy, her pretty eyes sparkling just like the stars at night. Frowning, Eddy made up his mind and was determined to selfishly keep this beautiful light of hers all to himself. ¡°Yes, I did,¡± he said. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Did youe up with this idea? You¡¯re so creative! I ¡­¡¯ 11 Caroline lowered her eyes, embarrassed. ¡°I like it very much.¡± ¡°Great!¡± eximed Eddy. The uneasiness he had felt earlier vanishedpletely at the sight of her blushing face. ¡°Look-¡± Eddy grabbed her arm. Following his gaze, she looked up to see balloons in the air. There were words on them. She read aloud the words on the balloons, ¡°Caroline ¡­ will¡­ you ¡­ marry ¡­ me?¡± Just then, Eddy got down on one knee, took out a huge diamond ring, and presented it to her. ¡°Caroline, I know that I¡¯ve made lots of stupid mistakes in the past. I¡¯ve let you down,¡± he said. ¡°But I know that I was wrong now. So can you give me another chance and let me make up for them?¡± He nced up at her, his eyes earnest and pleading. Caroline was almost moved by the sincerity in his eyes. ¡°Give me a chance. Give us a chance,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of you for the rest of our lives. Please believe in me.¡± He inched forward, closing in the distance between them. Caroline looked down at him. Her heart wavered, and her eyes betrayed what she felt inside. ¡°Can I really trust you, Eddy?¡± There was a voice deep inside her heart calling out to her. Why did it keep on telling her that she couldn¡¯t trust him? Still, the look in Eddy¡¯s eyes was so sincere. Looking at him now would make just about anyone believe 1/2 ¡°Of course. Of course, you can believe me, Caroline,¡± he told her. ¡°I used to be such a jerk, but I¡¯ve changed after everything that I¡¯ve been through. To me, you are the most important person in the world. I can¡¯t lose you.¡± He spoke from the heart. Needless to say, his words were convincing. Hesitating, Caroline reached out a hand. Eddy seized the chance and took hold of her hand. She tried pulling back her hand for a while but to no avail. A strange feeling started seeping out from the bottom of her heart. When she finally snapped back into reality, she realized that the ring was already on her finger. ¡°Caroline.¡± Eddy was smiling at her. ¡°You¡¯ve made a promise to me now. You can¡¯t go back on your word.¡± Staring at the ring, Caroline couldn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of joy in her heart. She pulled her hand from his Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. grasp. ¡°Are you regretting it?¡± Eddy asked, anxious. Caroline shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯ve put on the ring, so I¡¯m agreeing to it.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure why, but she wasn¡¯t happy in the least. It seemed to her that the ring was more like a shackle that weighed her down than a symbol of happiness and joy. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Eddy let out a sigh of relief. Apparently, Avery¡¯s n was actually a good one. It was just like what she had told him on the phone. No woman could withstand it when the hero saved the damsel in distress. ¡°Let¡¯s post about this.¡± ¡°Why should we?¡± asked Caroline./ ¡°I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll run away,¡± Eddy said half-jokingly. ¡°Why would I?¡± she asked. She had no ns for the future since she had just lost her memories, so where else could she go? Chapter 786 Chapter 786 Chapter 786 ¡°Come here.¡± Eddy didn¡¯t care if Caroline agreed to it or not anymore. He simply took out his phone and took a shot of her wearing the ring and uploaded it on social media. Even after uploading the photo, he still thought it wasn¡¯t enough. He contacted some reporters in the entertainment industry so that the photo made the headlines. In just a few hours, the news of them getting married became a hot topic. It came as quite a shock to the many gossipers in the entertainment section. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Doesn¡¯t Eddy like La? Why is he marrying Caroline?¡± ¡°I¡¯m bbergasted. Everyone says that the entertainment industry is a hellhole. Why does it seem like the filthy rich are even more chaotic?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Caroline married already?¡± ¡°Breaking news: La¡¯s in aa now.¡± ¡°What? What just happened? Wasn¡¯t she just fine a few days ago? How did she be like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I heard that she got into an ident. Nobody knows for sure what happened to her.¡± ¡°Fuck. The social circle of the rich is truly a horrible mess.¡± Despite thements stating that the whole thing was messed up, there were still lots of people who gave Caroline and Eddy their blessings. ¡°She¡¯s a princess, and he¡¯s a knight in shining armor. I think they¡¯re a match made in heaven.¡± ¡°Yeah! Mr. Morrison Senior had wanted Caroline and Eddy to get engaged back then. Everything just got N?velDrama.Org content rights. back on track.¡± ¡°Caroline¡¯s a much better match for Eddypared to that scheming La.¡± The news stirred up such amotion that Gwen and Cheryl heard of it without even needing to go online. Cheryl couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, so she sent a message in the group chat. ¡°Kirk sees all of this, right?¡± Gwen had filled Cheryl and Sonia in about how Caroline had lost her memories, so all of them had learned of Kirk¡¯s true identity. Sonia replied, ¡°Of course, he does. He watches her every move. How could he not know about this?¡± 1/2 ¡°Then¡­¡± Cheryl was at a loss for words, and Sonia fell silent too. Eventually, it was Gwen who broke the silence. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about Kirk. It¡¯s Carol I¡¯m worried about.¡±¨C ¡°I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t do it on her own ord. It¡¯s just that she has lost her memories.¡± Gwen continued, ¡°She must have agreed to marry Eddy in a daze.¡± ¡°What can we do to help her then?¡± Cheryl asked. ¡°Nothing will work unless we tell Caroline the truth,¡± stated Sonia. ¡°But Dr. Caldwell said that we can¡¯t tell her what happened in the past. If we tell her about the past, it¡¯ll only trigger her.¡± She carried on, ¡°All we can do is wait for her to regain her memories and be her former self.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I know that you¡¯re anxious and that you want to help Carol and Kirk.¡± Gwen was typing now. ¡°But don¡¯t forget that it will only make Carol suffer if we tell her about the past. Gwen had witnessed firsthand how Caroline reacted when that had happened. ¡°Okay,¡± replied a helpless Cheryl. Later, the group chat gradually returned to its former tranquility. Picking up her phone again, Gwen¡¯s finger hovered above Sean¡¯s profile picture. 11 She hadn¡¯t spoken to him since their fight at the clinic. Even now, she still felt conflicted. She understood why Kirk had lied to Caroline, but she couldn¡¯t forgive him for doing so. Caroline was her best friend, after all. The issue here was that Sean had taken part in this too. It reminded her of her father, and it sent a shiver down her spine. Her parents¡¯ rtionship had started falling into ruin after her father had lied to her mom. He had told her that he had to work overtime when in truth, he had been having affairs with other women. Gwen lowered her eyes to look at Sean¡¯s profile picture on the screen. She hesitated, failing to find the courage to tap their chat. Chapter 787 Chapter 787 Chapter 787 It was at this moment that Gwen¡¯s phone started ringing. She froze when she saw that it was Sean who was calling her. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. How did he know that she had been about to call him? In her daze, she missed the call. A wave of panic washed over her. She hesitated, wondering if she should call him back. Just then, her phone rang once again. Sean was calling her again. Her heart swarmed with relief. This time, she no longer hesitated. She quickly answered the call. However, she regretted her decision the moment the call went through. ¡°Gwen.¡± It was obvious from his tone that Sean hadn¡¯t expected her to answer the phone. He was still in a daze as he realized that his call hadn¡¯t gone unanswered. ¡°Yes?¡± said Gwen. ¡°Did you want to say something?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Sean inhaled sharply. ¡°I-I want to apologize to you. I didn¡¯t mean to snap at you when we were at the clinic that day.¡¯ Gwen straightened her back, stunned at his words. ¡°Kirk lied to Caroline. He¡¯s at fault, and I joined hands with him to lie to you two. I was wrong,¡± he said. ¡°That day-¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Gwen interrupted him. ¡°You weren¡¯t wrong¡­ under such circumstances at least.¡± She continued, ¡°Thank goodness Kirk went in that day. Otherwise, I would have hated myself for the rest of my life.¡± Sean fell silent for a long time afterward, and Gwen¡¯s other hand subconsciously went to her phone so. that both her hands were gripping it now. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I say something wrong?¡± 1/3 ¡°No¡­¡± Sean finally came back to his senses. ¡°I¡­ I thought that you were still mad at me. I never thought that you would-¡± ¡°What now?¡± Gwen pursed her lips. ¡°You didn¡¯t think that I was reasonable enough to think things through, huh?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Sean told her. ¡°You said it yourself.¡± ¡°You meant that, obviously.¡± Scoffing, Gwen stood up and walked to the balcony. Her tone turned lighter when she spoke again. ¡°How¡¯s Kirk? He must have seen the news about Carol and Eddy¡¯s engagement by now.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Sean sounded grim. ¡°He¡¯s probably at the boxing gym right now.¡± Gwen sighed. ¡°How did thingse to this? Do you think it¡¯s a good thing that Carol lost her memories now?¡± Sean couldn¡¯t answer. ¡°Based on our understanding of her, she would surely marry Eddy out of spite after finding out that Kirk lied to her. ¡°We anticipated this, after all. At least she doesn¡¯t know that Kirk lied to her for now.¡± He continued, ¡°In a way, it seems to be a good thing.¡± Gwen smiled wryly, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes. It was as though her eyes had lost its luster. ¡°Do you think Carol will remember Kirk in the future then?¡± Sean couldn¡¯t give her an answer. They both fell silent as they stared up at the night sky. A whileter, Sean broke the silence. ¡°Gwen, can we get back together?¡± He subconsciously held his breath after posing the question. With her phone in one hand, Gwen quirked an eyebrow. A moment of silence passed, and she said, ¡°Sean, you have to be frank with me. Is there anything else, that you¡¯re hiding from me apart from Kirk¡¯s identity?¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°No! I have absolutely nothing to hide from you!¡± Gwen stroked her chin. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Chapter 788 Chapter 788 Chapter 788 ¡°It¡¯s true! I swear I¡¯m telling you the truth!¡± Gwen burst outughing. ¡°You¡¯d better be! God will surely find lots of ways to punish you if you hide something from me.¡± ¡°I have nothing to hide,¡± said Sean. He wished he could just pluck his heart out and give it to Gwen. ¡°I swear to God!¡± ¡°Fine then. I believe you since you¡¯ve never lied to me.¡±. Sean could finally rx now. ¡°Then we¡¯ll-¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about us,¡± Gwen stopped him. ¡°We should be talking about Carol and Krik now.¡± She sat on a chair and asked, ¡°Can¡¯t we do anything at all? Should we really just watch Carol marry Eddy?¡± ¡°Michael said that Caroline should regain her memories on her own,¡± Sean replied. ¡°All we can do is wait.¡± ¡°I really hope she can get back her memories,¡± said Gwen. All of a sudden, something popped up in her mind. ¡°Oh right! Will she be able to get over Mr. Morrison Senior¡¯s death if she regains her memories?¡± Sean couldn¡¯t answer that. ¡°I still don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to make her lose her memories. But that was the only choice at that time.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right¡­¡± Gwen mumbled. The future was uncertain, and they could only take one step at a time. After they hung up, Gwen received a call from Caroline. ¡°Gwen, you¡¯ve got to help me.¡± Caroline¡¯s voice was hushed as if she were hiding away in a corner. If Gwen had guessed it right, Caroline was probably in the washroom right now. After agreeing to marry Eddy, Caroline had started feeling restless and uneasy. She had ended up making Property ? N?velDrama.Org. up an excuse to go to the washroom to call Gwen.. 1/2 ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Carol?¡± Gwen¡¯s voice wasced with concern. ¡°I ¡­¡± Caroline couldn¡¯t stop herself from feeling annoyed as she stared at the ring on her finger. ¡°Gwen, can you tell me what I¡¯ve forgotten? ¡°Why don¡¯t I feel happy in the least when Eddy proposed to me? ¡°And why do I feel like I¡¯ve done something wrong? Why do I feel this way, Gwen?¡± Gwen sighed. ¡°Carol, you¡¯ve got to calm down. Let me ask you something. Do you want to marry Eddy?¡± Caroline sat on the toilet. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. This should have been what I¡¯ve been longing for. Since I was 16 years old, everybody has been telling me that I will marry Eddy one day.¡± ¡°But why don¡¯t I feel happy in the least after wearing the ring.he gave me?¡± She added, ¡°I¡¯m thinking that this has something to do with the memories I¡¯ve lost.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Gwen said, helpless. ¡°Don¡¯t think about the past yet. Think carefully, do you want to marry Eddy?¡± ¡°Can I remember everything when I¡¯ve thought this through?¡± asked Caroline. ¡°Gwen, I really want to get back all those memories. Right now, I feel like ¡­ I don¡¯t know where I came from.¡± And it was precisely because of this that Caroline didn¡¯t know where she was headed in life. Maybe she wouldn¡¯t be so clueless if she got her memories back. ¡°Listen to me, Carol. Those memories aren¡¯t important to you,¡± Gwen tried to convince her. ¡°What¡¯s important is for you to decide whether you want to spend the rest of your life with Eddy. Do you get it?¡± ¡°Stop thinking about the past,¡± said Gwen. ¡°Let bygones be bygones. What you should be focusing on is the future.¡± Caroline lowered her eyes. She/wanted to focus on the future, but she had no clue about her past. How was she supposed to n her future then? She wasn¡¯t even sure if she wanted to marry Eddy or not. Chapter 789 Chapter 789 Chapter 789 Just then, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Excuse me, is someone in there?¡± Caroline nced at the door and caught a glimpse of the pair of shoes under the door. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Ms. Evans, right? Your fianc¨¦ said that you¡¯ve been in here for quite some time already. He asked me to check if you¡¯re okay,¡± the woman said. ¡°Are you okay? Do you need help?¡± Caroline didn¡¯t respond. Gwen heard the woman¡¯s voice on the phone and smiled helplessly. ¡°You should head back.¡± ¡°I know,¡± said Caroline. ¡°Just remember what I told you. Don¡¯t think about anything else, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Caroline replied, her tone meek. After hanging up, she opened the door to see a kind-looking olddy standing by the door. ¡°Hello.¡± Thedy greeted Caroline with a smile. Caroline greeted thedy out ofmon courtesy. She hasn¡¯t expected this to be the start of a very long conversation with thedy, who couldn¡¯t stopplimenting Eddy as she grabbed Caroline¡¯s arm and led her out of the washroom. ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing such a young man care so much for his fianc¨¦e,¡± said thedy. ¡°You didn¡¯t see how impatient he was when he stood by the door yet couldn¡¯te in here just now. ¡°Youngsters these days are totally different now.¡± Thedy sighed. ¡°How interesting.¡± Caroline tossed her a smile as thedy carried on talking. ¡°Your fianc¨¦ doesn¡¯t seem like the expressive type, right?¡± Caroline raised her eyes to look at thedy, who smiled and chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯ve been through more than you could ever imagine, so I¡¯m usually right when ites to people.¡± 1/2 ¡°Your fianc¨¦ seems like the person who would keep an eye out for you all the time despite being a man of few words.¡± She then added, ¡°You¡¯re lucky to have him.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Caroline lowered head. She disagreed with thedy. Caroline¡¯s gut told her that Eddy wasn¡¯t the kind of person thedy had just described. Besides, she had seen what people who gave silently were truly like. It sounded like she was roasting thedy when that thought urred to her. All of a sudden, the silhouette of a person shed through her mind. ¡°Oh my! Did I make you upset?¡± thedy asked when she noticed that Caroline had been quiet for some time. ¡°I should have held my tongue.¡¯ TI Caroline shook her head. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. Thank you for telling me all of this.¡± After making sure that Caroline wasn¡¯t displeased, thedy beamed. ¡°Thank goodness! You should go out and meet your fianc¨¦. He¡¯s getting anxious.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caroline nodded and left the washroom. She saw Eddy standing by the door, waiting for her. Thedy had said lots of nice things about Eddy just now. But when Caroline saw him at this very moment, memories of the past came flowing back to her like Property ? N?velDrama.Org. water from a bursting dam. She remembered the time she had prepared some broth for Eddy and how she had waited patiently for hours just so that the broth would taste better. She also remembered how he had knocked over the bowl of broth that she had even ced before him. There were also the times when he had thrown away all the gifts she had specially prepared for him for his birthday. Was he truly just incapable of expressing himself? Caroline approached him, her mind bursting at its seams with questions. ¡°Are you okay? You were gone for quite some time,¡± Eddy asked in concern. Chapter 790 Chapter 790 Chapter 790 The concern in Eddy¡¯s eyes tugged at Caroline¡¯s heartstrings, and she said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Eddy reached out to hold her hand, but she dodged him as if it came naturally to her. ¡°About the olddy just now ¡­¡± she stared. ¡°Oh. I waited for you for some time outside, but you didn¡¯te out,¡± he exined. ¡°So I asked her to go in and check on you. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing. She told me lots of nice things about you, so much so that I thought you had paid her to do it.¡± The smile on Eddy¡¯s face faltered. Stunned, he stared at Caroline until she turned around to face him, puzzled. Only then did he snap out of his daze and hasten his footsteps to catch up with her. ¡°What did she say?¡± ¡°Nothing much.¡± Caroline didn¡¯t feel like bringing up the topic. ¡°I¡¯m tired, Eddy.¡± ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll talk about the details of the wedding tomorrow then. ¡°The wedding? So soon?¡± Caroline stopped abruptly in her tracks. She had thought that the wedding would happen only after a month or so. ¡°Is it too soon?¡± Eddy looked at her with a soft smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s happening soon enough. I wish we could just get married tomorrow.¡± Caroline forced a smile. She didn¡¯t reply. They both were silent on the way back home. When they reached, Caroline headed straight to her room. Eddy¡¯s eyes darkened as he watched her enter the room. Although his marriage proposal had been a sess, he couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious about it. The only thing that could ease his mind now was registering their marriage so that things could be set in stone. It was fortunate enough that Kirk had used a fake identity when he had married Caroline back then. So it wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem for Eddy to get rid of the false information in the marriage registry. 1/3 When this thought urred to him, Eddy wasted no time asking Simon to have someone get rid of Caroline and Kirk¡¯s marriage records. Caroline took her phone out once she got back to her room. The first thing she wanted to do was to call Mr. Y. Since her efforts to get back her memories from Gwen¡¯s side failed, Caroline thought she could give it a try from Mr. Y¡¯s side. Her gut told her that he would satisfy her request. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t answer her call. Overwhelmed with anxiety, she could only grip her phone and crawl under her nkets for some sense offort. She called him again and again, yet all her calls went unanswered. The reason behind this was simple. Kirk was locked in a boxing match with Jack in thetter¡¯s gym. Jack was reluctant to give it his all, of course. After all, Kirk was his employer. Despite this, Jack had to do his best because he would suffer a horrible fate if he didn¡¯t. ¡°Just let him vent,¡± Sean told Jack. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t get his fill of fighting, he would run off to somewhere else to vent anyway.¡± Jack blocked Kirk¡¯s strike as he said, ¡°But, Sean, I can¡¯t be the only one bearing the brunt of it.¡± Sean smirked. ¡°I would¡¯ve gone against Kirk if I knew how to fight.¡± He had barely finished his sentence when Kirk stopped attacking and tossed him a pair of boxing gloves. ¡°You,¡± said Kirk between breaths. ¡°Come up here.¡± Sean stared wide-eyed at the pair of gloves on the ground.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. He trembled ever so slightly when he said, ¡°N-No way. I know nothing about boxing.¡± Jack chuckled now that he could finally take a breather. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you then, Dr. Yates.¡± He leaped off the boxing ring right after that. Sean then turned to stare at Jack, horror-stricken. ¡°Jack, I really can¡¯t-¡± However, Jack seized that chance to repeat Sean¡¯s words earlier, ¡°Just let him vent. If he doesn¡¯t get his fill of fighting, he would just run off somewhere else to vent.¡± 2/3 Sean was speechless. Just then, Kirk, his eyes bloodshot, raised a fist and aimed it right at Sean¡¯s face. Sean paled instantly. His eyes closed instinctively as he yelled, ¡°My face!¡± Chapter 791 Chapter 791 Chapter 791 At thest moment, Kirk still held back his punch, so his fist only grazed Sean¡¯s nose. Having dodged a bullet, Sean patted his chest. He looked at Kirk incredulously. ¡°Kirk, are you¡ª¡± Kirk looked coldly at Sean, silencing him immediately. He threw away his boxing gloves, jumped out of the boxing ring, and headed for the changing room. As Jack watched Kirk leave, he couldn¡¯t help but move closer to Sean and whisper, ¡°Dr. Yates, what should we do now? Are we just going to let him spiral even further?¡± ¡°What else can we do? Do you have any better ideas?¡± Sean asked helplessly. Jack sighed, ¡°I never thought sir would be hurt in a rtionship.¡±- ¡°He¡¯s also a human, you know.¡± Just as Sean sighed, he spotted Kirk, whohad already changed his clothes and walked out of the changing room. Sean quickly approached him. ¡°Are you going home now?¡± Kirk didn¡¯t answer him. He simply walked toward the door. Sean and Jack were worried about him and followed him into the car. Fortunately, it was alreadyte at night, and there weren¡¯t many cars on the road. Otherwise, Kirk would have caused an ident from how recklessly he drove. Half an hourter, they arrived at a bar. Before Sean and Jack could figure out what was happening, Kirk had already gotten out of the car and walked into the bar. After entering the bar, he strode toward the private room. It was evident that he was a regr there. When the bar owner saw Kirk arrive, he greeted him with a smile. ¡°Sir, do you want the usual?¡± Kirk said, ¡°Give me twice as much.¡± The owner¡¯s eyes lit up at his words. ¡°All right! The guests in room 107 will get twice the booze!¡± At first, neither Sean nor Jack knew what that entailed. Then, the waiters ced bottle/after bottle of alcohol on the table, piling them up and soon spreading them as far as the floor. Only then did they understand why the owner had looked so excited, as if he had seen a gold mine. After selling so many drinks, they probably didn¡¯t have to worry about their sales this year. 1/2 Sean grabbed one of the waiters. ¡°Does hee here often?¡± The waiter was a woman. She blushed and didn¡¯t dare to look at Sean at all. ¡°Yes.¡± Sean¡¯s expression shifted at her words, and he turned to look at Kirk. Kirk had already opened a bottle of alcohol and started drinking. Sean was so angry that he walked up to his friend and grabbed the bottle. Upon seeing this, Jack hurriedly drove the waiters out and closed the door. ¡°Kirk, we know that you feel terrible. That¡¯s why we don¡¯t say anything when you go nuts. Not just that but we also indulged you. But I¡¯ve realized that it won¡¯t do you any good if I keep doing that.¡± Kirk was still holding the air where the bottle used to be. His voice turned cold as he ordered, ¡°Give it to me!¡± Sean shivered at his tone, but he still held the bottle tightly. ¡°I know you¡¯re devastated, and there¡¯s nothing I can say to soothe your pain. But if you hurt yourself like this, don¡¯t you think the Caroline who didn¡¯t lose her memories would feel distressed to see you like this?¡± ¡°I think the madam would feel distressed even if she has lost her memory,¡± Jack said weakly. All of a sudden, both Sean and Kirk¡¯s eyesnded on him. Seeing this, Jack couldn¡¯t be bothered about his ce as a subordinate anymore. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. He said earnestly, ¡°She has forgotten about you, but there¡¯s no way she¡¯ll forget the emotions seated deeply in her heart. ¡°One day, she¡¯ll definitely follow her heart and remember you again. If you give up on yourself, how will you face her in the future?¡± Jack¡¯s words rendered the two men speechless. After a long while, Kirk¡¯s hoarse voice echoed in the private room. ¡°Will she really remember me? Chapter 792 Chapter 792 Chapter 792 Jack and Sean looked at each other. Finally, Sean said, ¡°She will.¡± ¡°As in, she¡¯ll marry Eddy soon?¡± asked Kirk, looking up at the two men. Just like that, the room fell into silence. ¡°I know she has forgotten the past, and she doesn¡¯t remember me at all. Right now, she only remembers the person she wants to marry ¡°I¡¯m also aware that I can¡¯t me her for all this because I made the choice to let her forget me. I know that very well.¡± Kirk¡¯s tone became heavier, and the other two men were speechless. He asked, ¡°I just want to lose myself in the moment, even for a second, so that I don¡¯t think of her. Can¡¯t Property ? N?velDrama.Org. you fulfill this wish of mine?¡± Sean and Jack looked at each other silently. Then, they sat next to Kirk. ¡°Since you want to drink yourself silly, we¡¯ll keep youpany.¡± Sean picked up a bottle of alcohol. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to help you get over your sorrow, so I can only be there for you as a friend.¡± Jack also opened the bottle, saying proudly, ¡°Sir¡­ you don¡¯t have to say anything else. We¡¯ll drink with you. ¡± As he said that, the three of them raised their heads, downing their drink in a gulp., At this moment, Sean¡¯s phone rang. He picked it up and saw that it was Gwen calling. ¡°Shh, it¡¯s Gwen,¡± Sean shushed them and walked to the corner before answering Gwen¡¯s call. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Gwen?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep. Can youe over and keep mepany?¡± Sean was overjoyed to hear her words, but then, he saw Kirk, who was still drinking, out of the corner of his eye. ¡°I-¡± ¡°If you can¡¯te over, then forget it.¡± Gwen sounded very down, making him feel distressed. ?? ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± 1/2 ¡°Hang on, I¡¯ll be there right away.¡± Sean regretted his words the moment he said them. But he couldn¡¯t take it back. ¡°Wait for me at home. I¡¯ll head over there immediately.¡± Sean hung up the phone and approached Kirk. He kept mumbling, unable to say anything. Kirk looked up at him. ¡°Do you have to go?¡± ¡°Yeah, Gwen-¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Kirk took a sip of his drink. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have Jack with me.¡± Sean nced at Jack worriedly. Jack patted his chest and said reassuringly, ¡°Dr. Yates, you can leave if you have something on. I¡¯ll be here to take care of sir.¡± 1 Sean rxed slightly at his words. ¡°Then, I¡¯m leaving. Call me if you need anything.¡± ¡°All right, get going.¡± After seeing Sean off, Jack¡¯s phone also rang. It was a call from Cheryl. He hesitated to answer the phone. ¡°Go ahead and answer it.¡± Kirk nced at him and continued drinking. Jack said with a smile, ¡°Oh, forget it. It shouldn¡¯t be anything important.¡¯ ¡°Just answer it. What if it¡¯s important?¡± His words struck a chord in Jack¡¯s heart. After a moment¡¯s thought, he answered the phone. He heard Cheryl¡¯s timid voice. ¡°Jack, I made a midnight snack, but I made a little too much. Can you